The decorations are up.... no pictures yet...

Just found this picture of my niece Natalie, she was about three at the time.

Let me rephrase that, half the decorations are up, the ones on the inside. We've got the tree up, and the stair case is lit and decorated. David's getting ready to super glue Santa (we have a Lego Santa that we found in our box of stuff from the old apartment). I'm just sitting here thinking about all of my blessings now. It's been a long, hard, sad, and bittersweet year. This Christmas for David and I is going to be about healing our marriage, strengthening our faith, and going forward into the new year with a sense of hope. That's what our pastor's message was today, about hope. For the first time in a long time I feel hope. Hope for mine and David's future, hope for healing in our family, and hope for my spiritual life.

As for scrapbooking, I haven't done much of that lately. That is going to change. Going to try to do something creative.... I need to get those chipboard pieces out and do my ornaments for my neighbors.

Oh, Tuesday is Pirate Day.... (gleefully giggling to oneself).

A Dream 18 years in the making...

David Lee Roth, Van Halen Tour 2007.... Don't ya just love his jacket, and his pants were wild!

My first big rock concert with my first big rock and roll crush.... Eddie Van Halen and David Lee Roth... (he was blonde, he was wild, what more could a party girl like me want?).... Anyhow, David surprised me Monday after work with them, just a day after we went and saw Trans Siberian Orchestra (which is also beyond amazing, I highly recommend it). David and I were just 8 rows back behind the pit and the second stage and got some up close and personal time with David Lee Roth (I got winked at...).... here's Dave's phone picture from last night. Eddie Van Halen looked awesome (cut his hair, just didn't look like him) and he rocked hard, his solo piece towards the end was mesmerizing. Lest we not forget the boy wonder, Wolfgang Van Halen... the boy can rock. Sigh... It's been a tremendous few days, and the holiday season is just getting started.

After the hullabaloo

Table Set and ready...

Jay and Natalie... she was looking totally bored...

The full spread, that's Florence at the head of the table...

That's Dave passed out on the couch.... LOL.... he worked hard today. Trinket Kitty hid all day in my studio.

It was an awesome day; I got to talk to my mom in Germany even if it was for a brief moment, I got to talk to my sister and one of my brothers and family in FL. We had David's family here, and it was great. The house was perfect, dinner came out on time, nothing burned (even though we did forget to put the carrots on the table... oh well, we didn't miss them, we had plenty to eat.) Nancy made this fab dressing, and Florence brought the yummy cranberry sweet potatoes.... ok, I need an Alka Seltzer just reading this. I was grateful for a lot of things today...

for my wonderful husband,
for my family, both here and in FL
for my Church family (Brother Bud came over after dinner)
for my friends,
and for my new home....

Prayers for my grandfather, my brother Matthew (I think he's feeling a little lost in the world), my sister Mary and my niece Kristyn....

House Pictures....

The new TV and bookcases...

Turkey in the honey brine...

Thanksgiving command central... the kitchen. Notice there aren't flames spewing from the oven... I'm quite proud if I don't say so myself.

Happy Thanksgiving....

This year is going to be rather off kilter, again. Although last year was amazing in so many ways. Even though we didn't have Thanksgiving at Mom C's like we traditionally do, due to Florence's accident, we took Thanksgiving to Manor Care where we had the use of a dining room and a place to set up our dinner. It was such an amazing memory because that day me, Mom C. and David all worked in the kitchen to get dinner ready and packed to go.

This Thanksgiving we're minus one... Mom C. and I'm trying not to think about it. Thinking about our new home, making pumpkin pie, and our turkey, now bathing in a brine of honey and other good stuff. David's making apple pie, and it's beeping at him....

Thought I had finished coughing today... nahhh. I got most of the living room cleared out, all I have to do are the floors tomorrow morning. Sigh. Macy's parade is at 9 AM and I'll be up watching that on our new TV.

My body's timing just is terrible...

At home with pneumonia, stuck in bed. I'm so darn frustrated! I just got back to work.

I just joined "Scrap Fasters"

This means, don't fall over in your chair please, that I cannot buy anymore 'frivolous' or impulse scrapbook buys. In other words, I have to justify what I'm spending money on. Scary thought. Another scary thought is I have to be up in about 5 hours... so I'd better get to bed...


Fierce kitty looking out for innocent Trick or Treaters.... we only had one this Halloween. Sniff.

The Inspiration quiz from the Organized and Inspired Scrapbooker...

I just love this book... it's turned my chaotic 'bat cave' of the past into my 'Scraptopia' This quiz was in the workbook...

1. Why did you start scrapbooking? For me it was a creative and emotional outlet. Creative in putting together the pages, and emotional with the journaling. This is definitely not my grandmother's way of scrapbooking (pasting pictures and paper artifacts in albums). I like how Ali Edwards puts it now, we are 'life artists'. That's what I think of myself now as. I'm officially the family historian; and I like that.

2. What do you love most about scrapbooking today? The artistic side to it, it's UNLIMITED! I can go from fun and froufy, to very linear.... it's my page! I can do whatever I want!

3. What of the following elements is most important to you?
Stories
Photographs
Scrapbook supplies
A means for creative expression *

4. When reading a scrapbooking magazine or idea book, which is most interesting to you? Seeing new techniques and new products demonstrated.

5. Which parts of scrapbooking are easiest and most fun for you?
Designing and creating my scrapbook pages.

6. List five things or people that inspire you...
Creatively, Emotionally or Spiritually, visually, to scrapbook...
1. Music, mainly Cirque Du Soleil soundtracks...
2. Nature, mainly the beach
3. Creating Keepsakes magazines... they are my favorite
4. Cropping with my friends
5. My spirituality

On a roll...

Happy Halloween....

and.... Happy Anniversary Gramma and Poppy English! 50 Years!

New scrap room stuff....

Christmas in October

Some more....

I'm on a roll......Starting to feel like myself again.

Some more stuff...

The reality of it all...

Scrapbooking isn't all about baby pictures and family photos, it's also about the reality of it all. I did this page as a reminder of my latest, and hopefully my last hospitalization for bipolar....

The journaling read:
Up close life isn't perfect...
it's a prayer or two
or three short;
it sometimes hangs on the fringe;
especially when out of meds,
out of balance,
out of God.
Up close I was terrified,
sad,
running 1000 mph on empty...
From a distance, I was ok.
I little on the skittish, flakey side.
Up close, it was the means to an end...
I no longer had control.
Time to give it to God, and the staff
@ Sierra Vista.

Let's see if this works...

Kimberly's scraprooms, past and present...

I'm back...!

48 hours of lockdown in Unit B..... Yeah, I know that's a little more information that you need, but it gives a good picture of what needs to be done when bipolar gets out of control. I'm feeling much better now, amazing what the right amount and kind of meds will do. Thanks to all who prayed for me.

Seriously though, I'll be out of the blog world for a while to get better. Bipolar's been acting up, and I need to take care of myself.

Some more layouts and other stuff...

This is the start of the pre-made Christmas album that I made for the UMW....

Another layout for the Cole/Harmor Family album...

Check out Scraptopia

Thank you Kristin for such a cool idea.... go to the right and click on Scraptopia, that will take you to pictures of my scrap room. As soon as I get my camera fixed I'll have live video, but for now... pictures will just have to do, 'kay?