I have made a really important decision. Mother, I’d rather do it myself….is going to be my new motto. I am so darn blog challenged that yes, it’s OCTOBER and I FINALLY got the new catalog uploaded to my blog…and with some wonderful step by step instructions from one of my sweet downline, Ilina Crouse, (who also happens to be an awesome stamper…)I was successful in getting it onto my blog ALL BY MYSELF…..and THEN, while I was AT IT, I also FINALLY successfully downloaded the emblem or badge or whatever you call it from the design team I am on with other SU demonstrators…..AND an old award I had laying around that I didn’t know how to download, or upload, or what-ever…..it’s now all on the side of my blog and Mother, I did it all by myself!!!! My smart alec son-in-law said, “Tell us again, did you do it all by yourself???” The younger generation just does not understand how jazzed we over 50’s can get when we actually pull something of this magnitude off by ourselves!! Anyway, I thought I would clarify what this whole design team thing is about. We were not chosen by Stampin’Up! to be on a design team for them. We were chosen by Cindy Coutts, who is a demonstrator herself, and she started a blog for SU challenges only, (which you can NOW REACH by pressing the icon to your left which I downloaded, uploaded, pasted, whatever in there all by myself, did I mention that already??) You can play in these challenges along with us, and we just design some cards for your enjoyment and then present the challenge, and you come back to your blog for card details,,,which are not my forte, but I try. I blab, I don’t instruct. 🙂 Every other Tuesday we will bring a challenge and samples your way. Watch for a post this Tuesday!! Okay, so I’ve been thinking lately what a person of rituals I am. Darn Darn, Darn, I just wiped out a card….oh well, 3 cards today, not 4. Unless of course I manage to wipe out another one before I get thru this. Anyway- back to rituals….do you ever play that dumb game where you say if the shredder at work stops before I shred everything, something terrible is going to happen? Like you’ll
break your mother’s back or something? Sorta like you can’t step on the cracks in the sidewalk? Well I was thinking how sometimes when I am enduring my morning torture routine on the eliptical machine, (I’ve lost 10 pounds and several inches in the last 5 weeks) I will pretend that I am running from something that is going to land on me and crush me, like a giant tree, or some such thing…..and it will make me keep on going when I just wanna be off that thing and done. But then, when I really want to get my best mileage or time or whatever, if I just pretend that I am running from that same thing that is about to fall on top of me, but I am holding one of my grand daughters in my arms…..I get a spurt of energy that takes me thru to the end and I forget my pain. Isn’t that kind of a cool principle? Love is such a powerful emotion…..know what I mean? I would throw myself in front of a train for any one of these precious girls. And since the middle of August we have had five of our seven right around us, like within 3 miles of our house, 5 grand daughters, 6 years old and under!! Friday night I babysat all 5 by myself!! It sorta happened by accident. I told Mike and Jenna I would babysit Layla and Brooklyn cuz it was Jenna’s BD and they were going out. Okay, two, no problem. Then Davis and Jen said can we borrow your pickup and run to Ikea for some stuff and possibly leave the girls, we’ll be right back and I said, sure,,,,they’ll be back before I get Layla and Brooklyn, NOT, so now I have Tovah, Lami, Layla and Brooklyn all at one time. The three older girls had what I think was their first fight while I was trying to feed Brooklyn, and all of the sudden there is a knock at the door and it’s Bekah and Jon, with Olivia in arms….and I say how nice, did you come for a visit? (seeing HELP on the horizon here) and they say, “No, Jen said we could drop off Olivia and she would watch her because we’re meeting some people from church…” Ahh…..so you think I can handle FIVE, eh???? Guess what?? I could! I did!! Bekah and Jon kept saying we can’t do this to you and I was like, Go, I can handle it – it’s fine, it won’t be long, etc etc etc, then after they left I was like, “what was i thinking???” It was okay!! I was only a little bit rattled by the time Jen and Davis arrived back home, with multitudes of apologies when they saw Olivia and realized I was alone with 5!! It was okay, these days are numbered…
I won’t be privileged enough to have all five around me after mid January for a very long time. Jen, Davis, Tovah and Elami will head for some islands off of Africa for 3 years…..and I will think back to the night I had all 5 by myself and I will wish, wish, wish with all my heart and all my might that I could have them all back again……I know I will! So bring it on!! Precious days for precious memories. Precious girls,,,,,and yes, I think I could run 100 miles an hour to miss that tree for one of these precious girls. So if you notice that all of my cards are girlie cards…..it’s hard not to think girls around my house!! Girls rock!! Grand daughters make the world go round!! Anyway – I will keep plugging away on my eliptical and I have promised myself that when I reach my goal this time I am NOT going to let myself put that 20 back on AGAIN…..I am going to try to change my lifestyle, keep exercising, eating right, etc…..and make THAT a ritual!! Thanks for listening to my blab…..keep on stampin…..keep on telling those ones around you how much you love them, and thanking God for every opportunity to be around them – even if it means babysitting for 5 – 6 and under by yourself!! Mother, I’d rather do it myself!! Until next time……
Carol Dee
October 4, 2010Oh Karen, I love your blog. How wonderful that you had all 5 at once! It is VERY evident just how much Grandma loves her girls 🙂 I have one almost 3 and another on the way …grandsons. I guess we do boys around here. I sure know how you feel about protecting them.
The cards are very pretty, I like the texture that makes it look like needlepoint. Cool.
Congrats on the weight lose. I must try harder. I am WAY over weight. I should have worried about it at 20 pounds. 🙁
Have a wonderful week. Hugs….
Heide
October 4, 2010All 3 cards are just gorgeous!I can not choose a favorite one, I think they are equally beautiful!
Anonymous
October 5, 2010What a great grandma you are!!! Good for you for loosing that weight and inches!!! Just think how little we that are over 60 know about technology:-)
Love your blogs and your cards.
gloria
Annette
October 5, 2010Karen – Congratulations on the Design Team and for 'mastering your blog'. You cards are a work of art – just beautiful.
As are your grandchildren – you are truly blessed.
Edna Morrisedie
October 14, 2010Beauty all around, love the colouring, great job with that and you are generally wonderful with texture too!
Kathy
October 14, 2010Hi, Karen.
Congrats on being on a Design Team! I honor your integrity for being true to your SU contract.
So wonderful to see you back in the blog world. You've been on my mind. I've been checking in every so often but figured you were busy enjoying your granddaughters. How special for you…although 5 under 6 at one time would definitely intimidate me.
My son and his wife moved to Denver in August. It was a very hard move for them but they seem to be settling in. Wish I had wings to go see them.
Your cards are beautiful…as usual. Love the owl card and your wonderful use of texture. Got that punch in my order but haven't used it yet. I'm redoing my stamp room, pulling out all the stuff I haven't used in the years since it retired. Lots of fun finding things I'd forgotten about…like Luscious Lime ink!
Keep the cards and life lessons coming! I love seeing what you create…I think I need a watercolor lesson…but also enjoy your sharing.
Blessings and continued success in losing weight.
Wanda Cullen
October 14, 2010Karen, I just love your blog dialog…you really have a way with words! Your cards are GORGEOUS and I'm so glad you're uploading them as I can't seem to find enough time to browse on SCS. Send some of your willpower and determination my way…I have lots to lose and just can't get myself motivated!
Anonymous
October 14, 2010Hi Karen- Love all your cards but that last one (pink) is so sweet. Love it!!!
Melba