There is a new chick in town~

Introducing Addison Marie Morton... born Saturday September 26th at 6.20pm. She weighed in at 6.9 pounds and is 19 inches long. She has curly black hair and blueeee eyes. Her proud parents are my niece Amanda and her fiancee' Jon. Proud Grandpa pictured here is my brother Neal. I wish them all the best!!! I cant wait to get my hands on her and get more pics to share!

In other news.. went back home this past weekend and visited with Dad, my friend Rhonda and my little brother Daniel and his family.. and spent the weekend with Justice. Friday night I got to see Preston and Rachel... they came out to Justices 2nd soccer game of the season. Justice sat most of the game out as he sprained his ankle in the first game and was still favoring it a bit. I also think he just wasnt into it that much. But we shall see how it goes.. this is just the beginning of the season.

Justice and I did make it out to the movies Saturday afternoon and saw Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. It was a cute movie and I think Justice really "got" the meaning behind it. It sure did make me hungry though. hahahaa

This weekend I also toured some of the houses that my Dad is rehabbing and has for rent/sale. Just in case we need a place to go when we move, I thought I better check them out. Soo that was a bit stressing for me.. trying to take in every detail and remember to tell Todd. I STILL cant believe we are moving. I wonder almost every moment if Im just dreaming, wondering when he will tell me he was just joking or that he will miss this place too much. Ahhh the stress!

On the way home ... I actually stopped at Archivers and bought something!!!! I cant tell you what.. but maybe I can show you after this weekend. I bought some stuff that I figured I could do without the bulk of my scrapping stuff that is barred up in the extra room for now. So.. with a little luck I'll get to do a few projects!!!

Pray for me! ;o)

Moody~

yup... totally moody... Ive been bawling at the littlest things for the past 3 days. I hate pms. And no thank you to my doctor who insisted that I have the Her Option done.. it has not helped at all.. if anything Im worse now that a year has went by.

Along with all the "female" pain... the knee pain is just horrible. I guess with fall comes that pain again. Last night I couldnt even sleep!!! Now thats just not right! I have to wait until October 9th to see the doc to see about that... but this time Im going to tell him exactly how it feels to cry myself to sleep.. that is if I can even get to sleep. ughh

To add insult to injury.. last night when I thought my ovaries couldnt take much more .. I really felt like they were going to explode ..{it was a nauseating pain. I just wanted to throw up... } Hunter came in and jumped on the bed and head butted me right in the bridge of the nose... and BOY does it hurt.. still today it aches and hurts. Im surprised I dont have black eyes. I feel bad for his poor head. It was completely an accident, but wow.. Im glad Im not a UFC fighter.. Id never make it... hahaaa

Today the pain has been a bit better.. but geez a loo.. how much can a person take... the advil isnt cutting it anymore. Laaaaaa

So I leave todays rant with this song... I heard it on the radio today and remembered how much I loved it. :)

Im With You...

Sunday Summary~

Well as some of you know as of late I just havent felt like posting much or doing much. I think the build up at work from doing the billing, traveling back home last weekend and all of the things that have happened over the past week have just wore me out. It was time for a little break. I am, however, working very hard on getting back on track and updating a few things.

First off I would like to recognize the passing of Patrick Swayze. At the announcement of his death I did not feel sadness, only relief for he and his family. Ive known all along the strong facade he has put on as I have had a friend die of the very same cancer. It is painful and drastic and Im so sure that he is in a much better place. Tonight, watching the Emmys they paid tribute to him in the Memoriam and it hit me... I truly, truly will miss him and his craft. He was in fact the first "man" that I fell into "lust" with. I remember seeing Dirty Dancing at the theatre and thinking.. wow, he is hot.. and actually knowing what "hot" meant and that it was something I had never experienced.. he was "sexy". So, for him and his family I hope he is resting in peace!

Secondly.. this week has brought such emotion out of me. Ive had to discuss some serious issues and feelings that I didnt realize I had bottled up in me with my ex-husband {Justices Dad}. Im thankful to him that we can actually talk and work out anything and have always been able to. I feel so guilty for the way that I treated him while with him and even after for a couple of years. But Ive grown and hopefully he can see that and forgive me someday. As far as Justice goes, I have to keep re-enforcing how much I love him and how much I want to be a part of his life even though at this time Im having to live life 2 and half hours away from him.

With these explanations of how and why we have to live where we do and why we are... its such a heartbreaking ordeal... for me, for us and for Justice. But this week I was able to finally reveal with great certainty and excitement that we will be moving back home and closer to him within the next year. We have set a goal for putting our house up for sale by November 1st and selling and moving by next spring/summer. Our ultimate goal is to be moved and settled by the time school rolls around in the fall-which will be Hunters first year. I cannot tell you how excited I am to know that we will be living closer to all of my family and especially my sons. So, with a big decision like this there is anxiety, but overwhelming emotion and for me disbelief that it is finally going to happen!

Upon the heels of divulging our newest goal/life changing decision I got a call from my brother Neal that he has been given orders by the Army to move to Hawaii!!!! ... Yeah.. just when we decide to finally move, he is moving and FAR away........ hahaaa. We dont know for how long, but we know for sure that we are super excited for him.. What a great deal huh?! Im so happy for him and he will be assured that we will be back home waiting for him after his call of duty is over. In other news with him.. Amanda is STILL pregnant! haha.. Hopefully she will pop this week as Im going back home this next weekend and am hoping to sneak a peek at a new bundle of joy!

Soooo, I shall leave this longggg post with some crafty stuff that I have done recently. It may be the end of it for a very long time as Im planning on packing my scrapbooking stuff up until we are settled.. its just one less thing to do... I hope that I can do it without pulling out my hair!

The first photo is an altered photo frame that I did for a friend who just got married, 2nd photo is a card that I made using my new cherry tree stamps, 3rd photo is a birthday card I created with some embellishments that Ive had since I started scrapping 4 years ago hahaa.. and lastly.. this photo is of a huge cappuccino cup that I altered with rubons for Prestons g/f Rachel. I also made the card that is sitting inside of it.. hehee TFL!!!

September 12 of 12~

If you have facebook you may have seen some of these pics already if not.. woot! This 12th of September was spent back in my hometown of Fulton, Missouri and over at my brothers in Boonville, Missouri. It was a great day.. but way too short! So here we go...

Back home we believe in starting them out early... hunting that is! Here my brother Neal is helping his g/daughter out with her bow {yes she has her own bow}. All the boys took turns as well {yes they have their own as well} hehee.. Then later in the day it was the BB gun, I didnt get any pics of that, but let me just say teaching them about gun safety will probably take more than just one lesson.. whoa was I a nervous wreck!

Miss Jadyn doing the "apple dance".. a great reminder that its apple pickin' time.. she got these out of their front yard and was so proud.. but warned "they're awful wormy".. uhh yuck! ;)

So here is lil miss bashful... Savana always tries to hide from me... I dont know why? Is it because Im larger than life to her? orrrr could it be I always have a camera stuck in her cute little blue eyed face!?!

Oh boy is JR on the move.. he is crawling everywhere and is in general a good baby boy.. He is just about to walk, but crawling seems to be his fav.. here he is with his Daddy {my brother} Daniel. I thought this was a great photo of them!

While at Dads.. we were outside on his front porch waiting for BBQ.. we came along this creature.. a praying mantis.. I love how big it is... and it reminds me that country is where its at.. the kids just loved it.. uh well all of them except Hunter and he said.. "uhhh ewww gross!"

Getting to see Preston is always a sheer pleasure for me... He HATED getting his picture taken this time.. but I just had to.. he is so handsome and dammit if I cant see him as often as a Momma'd like then I better have some photos huh?!

And one of the MAIN reasons for heading back home this weekend.. Amanda.. my sweet niece Amanda who is bound to pop any day! She barely looks pregnant, but is READY she tells me. I went crazy at Kohl's with the baby outfits and made her an altered A to hang in the baby's room.. She plans on naming her baby girl Addison.. she is due 9/21. I cant wait!

The "magic wand" was hungry for some grilled chicken too....

No weekend is complete without stopping at Sonic to get a Route 44 Strawberry Slush.. I am sooo thrilled for Happy Hour and rarely miss an opportunity to partake!

ahhhhh water.. good ol H2o... my brother is actually training to be a MMA fighter... Hello, we arent as young as we once were! hahaa.. but its cool.. he has always been into health and fitness and this is just a normal thing with him.. watching him drink his weight in water. ;) hehee

Here he is that water drinking maniac.. my brother Neal. I cant believe how close we've become in our adult life. Im so very thankful for him... He prays for me and I for him.. we keep each other in check I think. I wish we could live closer for sooo many reasons!

andddd last but not least... lil miss Jadyn with her Fairy wings, skirt and slippers that I got her so that she wouldnt feel left out with all the baby gift giving. She wore them non stop for the day even though it was hot and they were sticking and cutting into her. Which reminds me of that song.. Thank Heavens for Little Girls.. because she truly is a wonderful little spunky girl!

Operation "Happy"~

Ok.. soooo look at this face....
Now...are you happy? ... are you smiling?... I know you are.. how can you not be?... LOL.. Imagine this lil boy looking out the window at you in a crowded WalMart parking lot. You would not believe the number of folks this little boy made "happy" this weekend.

Story~
Saturday we had went to lunch and there was a gumball like machine outside the restaurant and boy Hunter always wants to get something.. so we were looking and they had the bubbles with faux mustaches, goatees and sideburns.. we told him he just had to and he immediately agreed!

Todd and I were laughing so hard we could barely contain ourselves. Hunter started to get sad because he thought we were laughing at him.. we told him nooooo we are not laughing at YOU.. we are laughing because its so stinkin' cute and it makes us HAPPY. He said well, I want to make more people happy.. so we hatched the plan to keep it on while trying to find a parking space at WalMart. And the plan worked marvelously! The smiles, the confused looks and the howls of laughter made Hunter happy with his decision to keep it on. We told him how we were so lucky to have him to make our days and ultimately maybe make someone elses day too. With all the stress out in this world.. its nice to lighten up and have some fun from time to time.

We took this pic to send to Melly as she had to work all day Saturday and we thought itd cheer her up too. I told Hunter.. definitely like Father like Son!!!
Have a great week.. and keep well.. so much crap going around right now.. its got me, it had Hunter and its just rotten! Im doing billing at work and we are heading back home this weekend so I dont know when I'll get a chance to share my recent scrapbooking projects, but I will try to real soon.. Im so excited to share with you! ;o)

Have a safe weekend!~

Well, I really havent had much chance or much to blog about this week. I havent been scrapping.. altho, I have been jotting down ideas and drawing out the sketches in hopes to get to scrap this long weekend hopefully.

Last weekend I had wanted to scrap, but we decided to take the day off and take Justice out to Cahokia Mounds to the museum and movie to learn about the Indians called "Mississippians" He is studying about the mounds in class. I thought wow, this is perfect we live so close! He was able to come away with more knowledge and a poster and brochure to take back to his class and share. Here is a pic of him pretending to be scared of the dog that was "running wild" on the reservation. He cracks me up! haha

In other news~
I changed my blog look YET AGAIN.. what do you think? ... I promise to leave this til the first of October.. hehee {unless I find it getting cooler outside.. and that will make me want something more fallish} ;) I think the flowers in the header and the roses just remind me of my Grandmas antiques. I miss her. I could just look at all of her antiques for days.. Just get lost in the design and beauty of the dishes she had.

This week Hunter has been studying safety with his playmates at "Sandys" ... Im so happy to have found her and so happy that she works with Hunter the way she does. He says she is the Grandma he "never" had. hahaa. She has them in a great routine and works with their manners and then holds "school" and "creative" time every single day. I love that she is old-school and teaches him Nursery Rhymes and old stories like Johnny Appleseed and Little Black Sambo.

Back to what I was saying. This week they were studying safety and she helped them each make their own little policeman outfits complete with hat and stop sign. Here he is posing.

Hunter studying safety couldnt have come at a better time. This past weekend we were talking with Justice and Hunter about "safe words" and about what to do when a stranger approaches.. or even someone they arent sure of.

Also, this week I got the most wonderful news from Preston. He has finally made the decision to head back to school in January to become a Law Enforcement Officer. He has to quit his job to go to this three month Academy, but luckily for him he has a great work ethic and the place he works for will more than likely let him come back to work until he finds a permanent job in the law enforcement area. It also helps that he is living at home with his Dad and basically has no bills at the moment.
Im just so proud of him. He has wanted to be a Police Officer since he could talk and say what it was he wanted to do. He told me he figured he better go now while he has the chance.. while Rachel is in school and the economy is bad. By the time they graduate and get out into this cold world they may have half a chance... ;) I cant wait... I will update more as he goes along. Right now he is shadowing a local City Police Dept. and working as much as possible to pay for his schooling up front.

I dont know how I got so lucky to be blessed with 3 very smart and handsome young men. But I thank the Good Lord every day and night for it!

Have a happy and safe Labor Day Weekend! ;o)

Bring on Fall!!!~

YAY... its the first day of September.. I just love it.. its beautiful outside and the weather is great... I just LOVE this time of year!!!!

Today is also my nieces birthday.. Aimee.. gosh I love ya girl!
In other news... The Nest has set up its new September Scrap Contest! Here are the deets~Ok, September is a celebration of our Labors.. so .. Id love it if you would base your layout on just that.. "The fruits of your labor"... "labor pains"... anything to do with labor!

Follow these rules as well!

L is for lace... use lace {material or paper} on your layout
A is for aged... distress somewhere on your layout
B is for buttons... use a button or two on your layout
O is for orange... use the color orange somewhere on your layout
R is for reminisce ... Journal your memories on your layout

All layouts are due to be emailed to me by midnight Sept. 30th. @ jinxi666@yahoo.com
A vote will be put up on October 1st!

Good Luck.. you are playing for a prize valued at $20.00 from YOUR favorite scrap company!!!!

I hope you have a great September and BRING ON FALL!!!! ;o)