07*23*10

So, a few new things have been going on in my life lately. I found out about a month ago that I am going to be losing my job. September 30th is my last day. Unless I can complete the HUGE amount of work that needs to be done before that. Then I'm free to go and be paid through September, which would be nice, right? Plus, if I make it to the finish, I get an additional two months in severance, which will be paid out all at once as a "retention bonus". Which means I can collect unemployment right away.
I have mixed emotions about this whole thing. Most of you know, because I've made it no secret, that I haven't enjoyed my job for at least the last 6 months are so. It lost all of the fun and gained a bunch of stress. Plus, it stole my hobby away from me. The last thing I've wanted to do is look at scrapbook stuff when I get home. And I LOVE to scrap. It was my passion.
So, I think I'm really just ready for the Roberts chapter of my life to be over.
But, I SO need a job--I can't not have a job. We have too many bills and Shane can't cover them all. Unemployment only pays like 60% of what you earn on average, and then you have to pay taxes on that. Some people think you don't, but you do. Either now or at the end of the year, the taxes must be paid on ANY income that you bring in.
The economy sucks right now, so I'm a tad scared about finding a job to be perfectly honest.
On a happier note, we went to Flaming Gorge the weekend after the 4th and had some good old-fashioned family fishing fun.
Shane's dad had booked a guided Mackinaw fishing trip for us in May for Garrett's birthday weekend, but that one didn't go so well. Garrett had broken his arm a couple of week's before we went, so he couldn't really handle a pole. Plus, there was a new law past a couple of years ago that he needed a $5 fishing license that we didn't know about. So, he wasn't allowed to fish anyway, and it was his birthday. And, to top things off, it was FREEZING. So, we cut that weekend short. We only did a half day and decided it would be best to come back and finish it out when Garrett could enjoy it and the weather was better. But, before we left, Shane and Grandpa Terry caught some monster fish. Shane's was 19 lbs, and Terry's was 13. They say Mack's can get up to like 50+ lbs. Wow.
This time, the weather was gorgeous, but the fishing sucked. Ah well, you win some, you lose some. I caught a nice 5 lb Mack, and Garrett caught one that was about 4-1/2 lbs. Shane and Grandpa didn't catch a thing. But, Mack season was over. The guide dude told us that, but they boys still wanted to try.
Here are some pics of both trips. I posted more on facebook if you want to see them all.

Me and G being tourists lol

19 lb Mack

13 lb Mack

Sunrise on 2nd trip-wish I would have took the date stamp off

Garrett and Shane with G's 4 pounder

Enjoying the sunshine

My 5 pounder---Ewwwwwwww

The Jill-E-Fish (Captain Kory named the boat after his wife--cute huh?)

06*21*10

Just wanted to share a couple of cards I've made over the last week or so. The first one is my friend, Briana's, birthday card. The second one is my dad's Father's Day card, and the last one is Shane's dad's Father's Day card.

5*27*10

Just wanted to share some pictures I took on my cell phone on Monday. Is it seriously almost summer? Look at the snow on those mountains! It's not even just on the tips. It goes all the way to the houses at the bottom. I'm so sick of snow.

5*18*10

I am still alive. Life is just really hectic and busy right now. Especially my job. The last thing I want to do when I get home these days is look at yet another computer screen. Someday maybe I'll be able to do things that I enjoy again lol.
Love til later.
Shell

4*30*10

I SHOULD NOT go to pizza buffets. I am a pizza addict, and it's a very bad idea.
Especially when I'm trying to follow a weight loss program.
Especially if I am going to walk a 5K in June.
Don't have much else to say so.......

The End

4*21*10

I try not to be negative on my blog, but I'm frustrated. Why is it that no one else in this house can set-up their own damn electronic gadgets? Why, everytime that we buy a new little gizmo, such as a cell phone or game system, pedometer, or what have you, must I be the one who has to spend 4-5 hours trying to learn how to get the software set-up, hardware updated, synchronizing going, etc...?
Why? There are directions. Specific step-by-step directions.
Grrrr................

3*19*10

This is a card that I made for my boss. She is the best. Seriously. She totally gets it. I wanted to do something fun for her birthday, and everyone calls her "The Queen". So, this is what I came up with. I think it totally suits her personality.

3*14*10

Lacy and I went to a scrap camp this weekend. We had a total blast. You can go on Friday at 4:00 pm and stay over til Saturday at 9:00 pm, but we just did Saturday. I think that was a good decision. Because by 8:00 pm, I was totally out of steam. Not to mention delirious. It was so worth it though. We never get to scrap together because there just isn't enough room. We had a whole table to ourselves, so there was plenty of room to spread out. Lacy got 29 layouts done. Holy cow! I only did 15. But, Lacy's approach is cleaner than mine. I like my layouts all junked up lol. I did do some simpler ones toward the end though. I was too tired to pretty them up any more.

Anyway, we loved it, and we plan on doing it again in April at a different event.

Here are the pages I got done.

My niece, Jordyn's, school pic this year

My nephew, Ryan's, school pic this year
My nephew graduating from preschool 2 years ago

Trinity Church and St Paul's Chapel in NYC (journaling is too long and will be on a separate insert page to the scrapbook)

Central Park in NYC

Heartland Brewery at the bottom of the Empire State Building (we needed a little break after flying and walking all day lol)

Empire State Building

Bowling Green Park. I wasn't going to include the second pic by the bull, but after reading a bit of the history, I knew I needed to. (journaling is too long and will be on a separate insert page to the scrapbook)

My tattoo!--I need to reprint the pic that I wrote on. I messed up a word and scribbled on it. Not pretty.

My fave layout of the night. One of the ladies told me that I should submit it for "best of show" next time we come.

3*6*10

I made this page a couple of weeks ago. Just never got around to posting it on my blog.

This is my niece, Nicki, and I. This photo was taken about 14 years ago. My niece died at 3 months old. Her mother has very few photos of her, so I cherish this one and only of Nicki and I that my sister happened across while cleaning up some storage at her home. She has very few photos of Nicki, and even less with anyone else in them. I think this is the only one with a full view of anyone else, so it is really special to me (even though my hair is a little out of control lol).

2*22*10

I got a new camera! I'm so excited. Shane let me get a little something with our taxes this year. Usually we spend it all on bills or new tires and boring stuff like that. But, this year he's getting a new TV. So, I asked for my share. He said the TV was for all of us (whatever!). If he can use that argument, bring it on buddy, because a camera is just as much for the fam as a big-ass ugly big-screen tv lol. He is getting a sweet deal from a friend of ours, but still. Ugly I tell ya.
My old camera has been acting up a lot lately. The shutter won't open all the way, and sometimes when you turn it off, it won't retract all the way in. It had a big ole' scratch on the screen too (I could have lived with that though). I'm still going to keep it for when I don't want to chance taking the new one, but I'm so happy to be able to get this one. My sister's both have it, and it has way better features than my older one. I though maybe this time I should get one that I could pass on to Shane if I wanted to later lol. My old one was a pink Sony Cybershot. Somehow, I don't think he or Garrett will want to be truckin' that one around.
I thought I had a pic of my old one, but it isn't saved to my computer anymore. I would take a pic, but I'm too lazy right now.

Ain't she purty?!

2*14*10

Happy Valentine's Day all! Shane and I went out to dinner on Friday to celebrate because Garrett was sleeping over at a friend's house. He let me choose, and I went with Mi Ranchito. I love that place. Best Mexican food around.
We had fun, but as soon as we ordered, Shane's bff called. His wife left him. How cruel is that? To leave on the weekend of Love Day? I won't go into details, because it's not for me to spread around, but she's a beast. She used to be one of my funnest friends, but now I can't even stomach her. So, needless to say, that sort of put a damper on things. We ended up going out to Payson to see if we could do anything to help, and we didn't leave til 1:00 am.
Yesterday we went to visit Shane's mom's grave. Her birthday is on Valentine's Day (which also sort of put's a damper on it sometimes). She died when he was only 11 years old. He hasn't been there for a couple of years, so we went and put some carnations on the grave (those were her favorite). His Grandma Lewis is buried very close to her, so we took one red carnation out of the bouquet and put it on her headstone too. Garrett came home for a while to go with us, and I think it is good for him to see how much his dad loved and misses his mother and grandmother. Garrett never really knew either of them. He went with us to visit Grandma at the rest home a few times, but she died when he was very young. I think he was 3 or 4.
Then we went to Shane's choice for dinner last night, Chinese Gourmet, to try to have a better Love Day dinner. Garrett had gone back to sleep over at his friend's house again. This one went pretty well. I even ran into a friend that I haven't seen in ages there. We exchanged digits and all that fun stuff.
Then this morning (since Garrett is STILL gone) we went to lunch at Subway. So, I got 3 dates in one weekend lol. Hope it doesn't show up on the scale on Tuesday at Weight Watchers. I stayed within my points, but you never know.
Not much else is going on. I kind of miss posting my fun scrapbooking stuff, but I haven't been so into it lately. I've just been to busy at work and at home. Plus, I may be a bit burned out. I go through cycles. And it'll come back around. I'll just enjoy the break.
Ta ta for now.

01*27*10

I just got back from not-so-sunny California. I went for the annual trip to the CHA winter show (Craft and Hobby Association) in Anaheim. This is my first CHA in Anaheim, so it was pretty fun. There were tons more exhibitors there than were at CHA summer in Orlando.
It didn't rain on THE MOST IMPORTANT DAY of the trip--Saturday. We got to go to Disneyland and have all sorts of fun together. Priorities first you know.
We went to CHA in Orlando in July last year, and it was monsooning the whole time we were in Disney World. So, I'm really glad it didn't do that while we were at Disneyland.
We had a blast. Kristie and I rode the Tower of Terror twice and lost our voices. We got to ride all the really fun rides except Splash Mountain, but that would have been really cold. It wasn't THAT warm.
The show was fun for me because this is the first one I've been to that really had a good turnout, and we found a few really fun things that we're excited to bring into Roberts over the next few months. So, keep coming in to check it out.