ahhhh

My wonderful Husband took me to this AMAZING place for our anniversary. The point clear spa and resort in point clear Alabama. Talk about relaxing. It was just what I needed.
what we BOTH needed. we refreshed relaxed in the spa, enjoyed the view. The buffet, Watched the Mississippi State game in the bar they had there called Buckys.
was really nice. I posted some photos from my phone on facebook but they were not that great.
Here are a few photos I took with my camera. (that is what he got me for anniversary/Christmas/birthday an upgraded camera oh and this mini vacation haha)

when we first got there (keep in mind I had no clue where we were going it was a surprise) there were these 2 dudes walking around, one with a drum the other with an american flag. They had on the old timey colonial outfits. Every day they go to this cannon at 4 pm and shoot it. Seems they used this hotel during the civil war and during WWII for a naval training base. SO, in honor of those soldiers they shoot off the cannon every day.



the spaaaaaaa:
John set us up first for a massage. It was heaven. He didnt really care for it. He said next time he will play golf and I can do the spa thing haha. I said works for meeeeeeeee! It was amaazing!

view from our room:
it had windows on 3 sides was so beautiful
(hubby did gooood)

REALLLLLLLL GOOOOOD!


This was parked outside our window...told ya we were wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy out of our element hahahahaha. This was from across the parking lot only way I could get the entire thing in the photo IT WAS HUGEEEEEEEEE! wonder who it belonged to.


my garden NEVER looked like this....






they had the most gorgeous Christmas decorations

The brunch had HUGE gingerbread village with a toy train running through it with ice sculptures all over the place.


It was absolutely wonderful. We had a relaxing enjoyable time. Ate some good food, got to relax enjoy each other and have some quiet.
sooo nice. Im ready to go back everythign was so beautiful.
Amazing the beautiful things we have here down on our Gulf Coast in Alabama.
right here at the bay!

the struggle

so this challenge is a little harder than expected. I have this condition that goes along with chronic illness that effects your kidneys called ICS (intercystal cystitis) it causes the lining of your bladder to just pretty much disengage and come off and shed and expel so ya it hurts like a mmmmmmm. so you pass through your urine pieces of your bladder. I will let you whince and go owwwwwwwww.
and on top of that I have kidney stones

Side effect from the medications I am on plus I havent exactly been eating really well lately. sugar (halloween) caffeine (root beer floats?) and stress hmmmm I WONDERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR where that came from??
can cause it.
SO hence another reason Im so adament for doing this positivity challenge. I would like to continue it past the 21 days actually.
make it a regular habit.

Our challenge today is to do something to MAKE YOU HAPPY.

SO amongst all of this and I am not gonna lie it hurts. it feels like the kinda cramps you have when your in labor. has dropped down to my lower left side just above the pelvic bone. ya tmi but I can let you imagine the sharp pains it causes.
I am taking muscle relaxers to try to let it pass I dont want the pain meds because they make me itch soooo bad.
so im trying to just do it.

So anyway today im trying to do something that makes me happy.
something good that made me happy did happen. I cant really say what it was just in case Bella sees this but something she really really has wanted I ordered for her for Christmas came in today. and It is soooooo stinkin cutee. SOO beautiful and KNOWING how happy she is going to be Christmas morning when she opens this beautiful package and sees this. well. That brings me the greatest joy.
It made my day that it got her so fast.

so the main thing for her Christmas is done. The rest is just lil stuff. fill in thingys. this is her MAJOR THING.
the rest is the whatnots.
It made me so happy because I usually don't get to do her Christmas shopping. In the past I have been in the hospital or too sick and had to rely on others to do it for me. Well this year I GOT TO DO IT. It brought me GREAT JOY.
I cannot wait to see her face christmas morning.
knowing how much she wanted this.
so ya that made me really happy today.
funny how something parents take for granted and dread sometimes, other parents that are unable to do it brings them such pride and joy.
I will hopefully be able to post my other pages in my mini art journal tomorrow.
Hope you are having a happy day :)

I made this page for The color rooms latest Challenge.
I used the Pink Paislee Ribbon Pleats to create this flower and a prima Pebbles to adorn the top of it. I know it is hard to see but it says Beautiful on the top of the pebble.



I also added a couple more pages to my 21 day challenge I am working on for RHONNA FARRERS 21 day challenge.






Our challenge for today is: DAY 8 I AM THANKFUL FOR:
I havent done my page in my journal yet but I will post it here on my blog... I can tell you there is so much I am thankful for. I can say the obvious. What is expected.
That God put us here on earth yes I am so grateful.
I am humbled.
Daily, that I get to be here and have this life with my husband and my child. I know yall know the story I know some of you are tired of hearing it. BUT bare with me here.
I wasn't suposed to have this kid. alledgedly. Way too many things happened too many close calls. Too many years not knowing what was wrong. BUT, This is all I have ever wanted. My dream come true. To have this life a wife and mommy. I didn't think I would ever have it, too many scares, miscarriages and illness. The fact I am still here is a miracle better yet, this precious lil' girl. The fact John is too is even a greater miracle some days ha! Ya he does take care of me and loved me through it all and it is a greater miracle. The divorce rate among couples of chronic illness are so high.
some of you may not know this but, He married me knowing I was sick. Ya, I postponed my wedding because I wanted to walk down the isle. I didn't want to go down in a wheel chair. pathetically vain I know but ya we were suposed to be married in September, I changed it to November.
Although we found out it was MS years later. I gave him the option to go. He looked at me like my head was on fire and just laughed.
He said from the get go there was no retreat, no way out. Why would he leave now it was just starting to get good!
He would love me regardless no matter what. "Besides if I couldn't walk it meant I couldn't run from him."
so ya I am eternally thankful. I never thought I would have anything like this.
I never thought I would have someone to love me, care for me, take care of me, cherish me, essentially just be my friend, lift me up and be my other half through everything good or bad.We laugh through the horrible things as well as the good. He has. I think that is the best part. Not only is he my husband he is also my friend.

I think he got a little more than he expected too haha. spitfire that I am. :D

We have fought some hard battles these 12 years and he has never left no matter what.
We have cried, fought, laughed, screamed, cheered, dug deep to make this work Sometimes I never thought we would not be able to do it.
When he loved me he told me it was forever. When we got married he said it was forever. I believe him. and Im thankful.

harder sometimes than it looks...

Ok so I realize WHY they call them challenges now. Because your trying to make yourself do something difficult. ya. that would be it huh?
See I live around obsessive compulsive neighbors that were in the armed forces. YES MY ARCH NEMESIS (and they are retired) which equals out to.... BORED. They sit and watch leaves fall and race to see who can get to their leaf blowers first. I think they also see who can go buy the LOUDEST ONE on the market also.
I have had my heart jump out of my chest, My hair stand on end, My bladder spring a spontaneous leak all in one exuberant burst on MORE THAN ONE OCCASION might I add THANKS to said neighbors CRANKING THESE hurricane equivalent blowers RIGHT outside my window at the hiney crack of dawn or anytime you LEAST suspect it (like when you are doing some kinda tedious cutwork scrapbooking ughhh) to blow leaves and acorns across their yard. (when the wind is gonna blow the ones from my yard RIGHT BACK INTO THEIRS because I am not OCD, well about that,anyway... and I GOT LEAVESSSSSS all over my yard and GUESSS where they are goin?
They are in their HEAVEN RIGHT now! sigh. I guess Im giving them something positive to do. My work is never done. ::SIGH::

gonna put a BELL around his neck or something. so I will have a warning.
a countdown? something?
anyway
I did finish my cover and it dried for my little art journal I made. I decided to do mine on some old flash cards I had. They are a handy size not too big not too small.
MINI BOOK SIZE. I am going to make a hole with my crop a dile in the top corner and clip it together with something cool depending on how bulky it gets. YOU KNOW I LOVEEE all the bulky stuffs to put on the pages.
So HERE is my first page.
I used a play on words with the rub on. I took the rub on and turned it into a chipboard piece and pop dotted it off the page with a foam pop dot. (it just looked way cooler that way!)
I combined older Basic Grey paper (it had honey combs and Bees on it, get it? see what I did? Beeee Positive? hahaa)With some Echo Park (BECAUSE I LOVE LOVE LOVE THEM!) and put challenge above the arrow in the tiny making memories letters. I sanded the Cosmo Cricket letters because the positive is a challenge. It is hard and wears on you. Especially when you have a lot weighing against you.
Then I put stickles (ohhh SPRAKLY ::said with spirit fingers::) pointing to the BEE to remind you that we are always TRYING and getting better and their is hope.
so see there is a lot of symbolism here... as always, yaaaaaa didn't know all that did ya just by lookin' at this little bitty card huh! well now ya do!

I will get the back and the next one up sooooon :)

ITS NOT TOO LATE to join in on RHONNAS 21 day challenge! ITS FUN! Check it out HERE

OH BUT don't go anywhere yet... I have a layout to show you.
This is from the add on of the PAPER POSIES kit from last month.

Bella was so funny at the ST. Elmo fall festival. They had this little booth where you could play in the bubbles. Boy she was going to town. I got some cute cute pictures.

This Bo BUnny kit they put together for the add on was PERFECT for these.




I added the orange stickles and the buttons and popsicle stick.
I turned the sticker into a sign.
Used the vinyl ribbon to make a banner sign for my title.
I pop dotted the photo of her making the face where the bubble popped in her face.
so it would stand out with the title. (but the photos still tell the story) You have the buttons and bling at the bottom with the rick rack bouncing across almost laughing in a whimsical way like bubbles. I added stickles around to sparkle and shine. Was a really fun page to make. LOVE these bright colors of this paper.

Check out the Paperposies kits HERE!

I hope you have a POSITIVELY WONDERFUL Monday... ;)

DONT FORGET TO JOIN US TONIGHT FOR UNKIT LIVE!!! THE CHAT IS WHERE ITS AT! MONDAY NIGHT IS SUDIE TV NIGHT. DON'T MISS IT! come early and knock those commercials out of the way!

WONDERFULLY Full...

So the first 3 days of my 21 day Challenge have been Blissfully Positively awesome.
HOW IS THAT FOR POSITIVE?

see that is my word... POSITIVE. Im gonna stay POSITIVE for 21 days so be ware thanksgiving I might just blow.
but for now.. IM positively positive. annoying isnt it?
ya thought so.
anyway. We started off the day by John fixed all our screens on the house. (some were already messed up) our kitty cats just loove to hang on them like garfield. Especially Bebee she is the baby runt and so spoiled. she wants in all the time. (Bella would bring her inside and hide her and snuggle her all the tiem so ya she wants inside all the time especially now that its colder. But, Bella and John are allergic so we cant bring them inside. They break out and wheeze and can't breathe.
With Bella being sick we REALLY don't need them inside.
Speaking of which. SHE IS DOING SOOOO MUCH BETTER.
We have been promising we would take her to her favorite resteraunt. (you will see in just a minute)
John needed shoes really really bad. He has ankle issues so he has to wear a certain kind of shoes so we had to go to Foley and get them. SO while we were there...

We spent the day. (Auburn didn't have a televised game since it was their home coming. YOU KNOW I LOVE ME SOME AUBURN FOOTBALL! GOOO CAM! WAR EAGLE!)

We had so much fun!
We went to the huge outlet mall. Found Bella her Christmas outfits for her programs she has, and photos with santa etc. seems like all the little clothes these days for little girls are getting a might risque' so, went to a more specialized childrens store where they look more like little girls instead of well... I don't want to sound UN POSITIVE.. so I will just let you fill in the blanks

She rode the carousel She was so excited and all she talked about soon as she saw it.



and rode the carousel





She posed for photos with some friends you might recognize... they were not very talkative though..



she pet the little dog and talked to it like it was real so funny!

I fell in love 3 times over at the coach store.. smells so good in there omg I could live there..... I have my christmas list filled out and then some... sigh.. Who wouldnt love that store?

We worked up quite the appetite. Sooooooo YOU KNOW where we had to go! Bellas FAVORITE THROWED ROLL RESTERAUNT as she calls it. But the real name is Lamberts.
YOU CAN NOTTTT have a bad time at this place. It is such a fun place to go. They have fun music for everyone to sing with. You know.. the music from our day. The grease music and sing along songs and BOY EVERYONEEEEEEEEE in the resteraunt sings toooo! was so much fun.
I caught a few photos but we were busy eating and laughing.
This one lady got a salad brought to her in a big sun hat.
This other guy ordered ribs they brought it to him in a big skillet.
its just a fun place to go. If you are ever in Gulf Shores GO TO LAMBERTS. IT IS SOOO MUCH FUN! YOU WILL LOVE IT. you may have to wait in line. BUT SOOO WORTH IT! THey play jokes on you. They have the big pots they have the vegetables in and scoop out the vegetables well one waitress will have a lid on it open it and OuT pops a stuffed squirrel or racoon at you... or they will squirt fake mustard (a string inside the bottle) at you thinking you just got covered in mustard lol so funny
The food is good. Great family atmosphere. OH
AND THEY THROW YOUR ROLLS AT YOU!


You order your meal with your sides but they have people that walk around with other side dishes like black eyed peas, and these wonderful fried potatoes with onions, fried okra and of course the thrown rolls they are the big pop over rolls. AMAZING.
they will give you molasses and or apple butter to go on it too.

The rolls are huge and meal in themselves.
we brought home enough to eat again! sooo good.





Here he had just thrown a roll to John. my battery was dyin so I didnt get a good shot.



At this point we were tired tired tired tired but full had a great time. Bella took ten seconds to go to sleep when she hit that pillow.

It was a good day.
Today... feel it but still smiling from the fun we had. love looking at the photos. It was good to get out.


SOOO Thankful my Bella Bug is feeling better! she has had us so worried. She still looks hollow eyed and dark under her eyes but she is alot better than she has been not coughing like she has been and sleeping better which helps all of us! Looking forward to a wonderful week.

Thankful that I was able to go. Thankful even though I detest these medications that they are here and available (and they are finally working) I am able usually this time of year (fall) to do a little bit before it gets too cold. Love making memories with my girl.
SO THANKFUL for my hubby and this little girl!

NOW I have to get busy on the art journal.. 3 days to catch up on huh? not so bad.. (ya thats the positive answer right Rhonna?)

So how are you doing on your challenge?
what are you thankful for today?
Did you do anything fun this weekend?
Tell me what your up to.

21 day challenge

I added a new thing to my side bar tonight. DO YA SEE IT? Its the 21 day Challenge icon with Rhonna Farrer.

I am still trying to decide on my word.
I think I have decided I am going to do a mini style book with a deck of cards for my art journal. I had fun doing the last style book I did that way. It was small and wasn't too time consuming for me. 30 min tops. I used larger style cards with it so it still had a good bit of room to design. I had alot of fun doing it.

I just need to figure out my word. What I want to change... there is a good bit haha.
21 days. now till Thanksgiving. we have had sooo much going on.
I encourage you to do this if you think you can spare 30 minutes or so to play with me.
I think it would be fun.

I think I will go back and watch the video and read over it good. What do you say. Who is with me?
so tell me what is your word and what are ya gonna do? Who else is doing the challenge?

couple pages

These are with the Paper Posies kit. I love the fall colors in this. The ribbon is so shiny but its hard to see in these. will try again to photograph it later to see if I can get better angles. I am charging my battery and will attempt to take it outside. These photos do NOT do it justice at all. This kit is sooooo cute.




Farm Etiquette 101: This calf learned real quick if it wanted Bella to feed it, Then it needed to stop all taht sticking its tongue out stuff. She did NOT like that at all! Seward Farms 2010




Nor a follower be Because I am a child of GOD.

This is part of a song we used to sing when I was a child.
I am going to attempt to retake these photos again later when my camera battery is charged better they didn't take real clear (and the fact I am really tired was up last night Bella coughed all night) You cant see the little seed pearls I added to the lace ribbon Or the glimmer mists on the leaves and the inks on the leaves either.. Is a really awesome photo. I will try it again later. These layouts look so much better in person. You can't see any of the shiny.

Silly weather.

welcome to ALabama...
I will try again in a bit.