I have a really hard time with this....

I have decided that blogging is hard. Especially if you feel like you really have nothing worthwhile to say! I keep thinking, oh, I should go and blog........get here.........and then chicken out because I have no idea what to write about.

It stinks.

So let's see.....what's been going on this week....

Avery and I kept at school, despite my inclination to skip a day and just be lazy. (Yay me!) She's learning her phonics combinations like nobody's business and read a total of 3 stories all by herself this past week.

I started work on some of my Christmas projects. I'm making a jump rope for Avery out of her old socks and tights, so I've spent a good bit of time cutting those up, and began finger-weaving the jump rope a couple of nights ago. It's a good project to work on in front of the TV! Today I started working on some chipboard ornaments for family gifts. I've currently got six painted and smeared with Stickles. Just waiting on those to dry now so that I can embellish them up and add ribbon hangers.

And that's pretty much it...other than that, I've spent a lot of time on the computer (what else is new?).

I'm getting fairly antsy to start doing some sewing for Avery, but I am also chicken as all get out to start! Sad, I know. I'm really getting into the idea of repurposing things for new projects, and having been surfing craftster.org for lots of inspiration! Might as well put things to good use instead of just donating them or throwing them out! Hopefully this week I can get my patootie on gear and start working on some things!

First Official Day of Homeschool

Well, we did it! Today was our first official day of preK homeschool. Everything went great! In fact, I don't think it could have gone better. Avery was extremely cooperative and attentive. I was worried about the difficulty of breaking out of our normal morning routine and doing something more structured, but as far as this morning went, it went okay! Hopefully we can keep up with it and establish some better morning habits. I know it's up to me to do it, and I just have to not let myself get lazy about it.

We started off our school time with prayer and asked God to bless our school time together. I think this is super important for me especially (I know I need all the help I can get!), and to set a good example for Avery. Then we did our first Hooked on Phonics lesson. Avery already knows all her letters and sounds, and she breezed right through the first lesson. Then she read her first story all by herself! So now I can officially say that my daughter started reading at age 3!

(It may sound silly, but this was kind of a big deal for me. I started reading at 3, and I really, really hoped that Avery would also. I want her to have the lifelong love of reading that I do. I know that I also can play a big part in that by reading to her more and I mean to do so. It's definitely an area where I need to improve. I don't take enough time to read to her.)

After our reading lesson, we did our first Hooked on Bible Stories lesson. I read the story of Creation to her and then we had some discussion about it. Tomorrow's lesson involves memorizing a verse and listening to some songs.

Then we did a few worksheets. Mainly coloring, and little bit of writing practice. After that we read a counting book from the library that she had picked out. Then she read along with a story on Starfall.com and did some of the alphabet activities. Right now she's just finished up watching Word World and is starting Between the Lions on PBS. I love those shows! She has learned so much just from watching them!

And THAT was our first official day of homeschool! I can only hope that we continue to go smoothly and I can come up with some fun activities to keep her interested!

I feel like I should be relieved (and I am), but I'm also feeling even more overwhelmed. We took the first step on a HUGE journey today, and there is no going back! My daughter is not a baby anymore, she's a student! WOW. Okay, not going to cry! Really...

At any rate, we made it through the first day and now it's time for lunch! And I feel in desperated need of a Mountain Dew! ;)

I am a BAD blogger!

It has been forever since I blogged.

For-ev-er.

That might have something to do with the fact that it has also been forever since I scrapped! And since originally I was just going to use this blog as a place to post my scrap projects, it's been a little neglected this summer. Not that anyone reads it anyway, LOL!

I have decided, however, that it might just be good for me to have someplace to just get out all the things that are swimming around in my head on a daily basis. Because then maybe they'll stop swimming around and driving me crazy!

So from now on, I'm going to try to make an effort, at least every couple of days, to come here and just write about what's going on with me. What's going on in my head. What's driving me crazy because I can't figure it out or I can't fix THIS MINUTE. And then, maybe, that will help me have a little bit more sanity. (Because, let's face it, with the history of mental illness in my family, I need all the sanity I can muster!)

Blog Giveaway!

Check out this awesome blog giveway! http://17turtles.blogspot.com/ It's Juliana's birthday on Sunday and she's giving an awesome prize package to celebrate!

Two new ones from this weekend

A Cherry on Top NSD Crop Challenges

This past weekend was the ACOT National Scrapbooking Day Crop. I was able to get six of the challenges done for it. I'm really happy with how they all turned out! My favorite definitely has to be "Shades" because I finally used my My Little Shoebox products! I love their stuff!

Easter Egg Hunt

This layout was done for a challenge on SNS to use blocking and I also combined it with a challenge on Daily Inspirations to use some sparkle on a layout. I glitter glazed the chipboard letters and used Stickles to decorate the felt fusion. TFL!

Spring

This is definitely a multi-purpose layout, LOL! It's for the ACOT "Spring" contest, but uses a 52 Sketches, 52 Weeks sketch and a color combo from Daily Inspirations! I also posted a challenge on SNS to use no embellies, only techniques, and this qualifies for that too! So this is one hardworking little layout, not to mention some of my favorite pics from all of last year!

Easter Dress

This based on a sketch from 52 Sketches, 52 Weeks. Avery in her Easter dress last Easter.

Bunny Ears

The journaling reads: At the Easter Egg Hunt in 2008 Avery got a pair of balloon bunny ears to wear. She thought they were great and they looked pretty darn cute!
This is based off of a sketch by Shasta.

Play Kitchen

This is a two page layout entitled "Play Kitchen". It is based on a sketch by Shanna.

Blog Header

Well, I did it! After fighting with PSE all week and just not being able to figure out how all this digi scrapping stuff works, I had a breakthrough. Found a really helpful digi tutorial on ACOT, followed the instructions to do a basic digi layout and finally figured out where I was going wrong! Hopefully I can continue to learn and get better at all this digi scrapping stuff, because I would really like to be able to do it to make photo books for Christmas and birthday gifts for my family.

Christmas Photo Shoot

My first layout post! I scrapped this last night. It's an older sketch by Day that I've had saved forever! I just knew that it would be perfect for scrapping the outtakes and the keeper from our Christmas photo shoot in '07.

First Post

Okay, intro post time. I doubt there will be too many people visiting this blog that don't already know me, but what the heck. My name is Mandi. I'm a SAHM to one beautiful little girl named Avery. Wife to a great guy named Eddie. We are blessed to live in amazing Northwest Washington.

And so I created this blog mainly to have some place to post my crafty creations and other little snippets of my life that I want to share. Not sure how this all is going to work, but I'm sure going to give it a shot! Please bear with me as I get used to blogging!