WELL, I NEVER!!!!

I guess I am to assume not many people liked my scrapbooks. LOL!!!! Just kidding.

I had an interesting weekend. We agreed to babysit my sister's three little ones while she and her husband embarked on a fabulous anniversary weekend getaway. They stayed in a swanky hotel and enjoyed a dinner cruise in the Ozarks. Jerks. http://www.keetercenter.edu/lodging.asp?page=2 Here you can check it out; they did the Showboatin' package. She called me Saturday morning to check on the kids ... aka, brag.

"We were running late for our dinner cruise," says she, "so Matt called the hotel to see if we could just go to the boat and check in after they got back from the cruise." They were running late for a couple hundred dollar a night hotel room and dinner cruise!!!! Because they were shopping at the mall!!!!! No commentary needed there. Anyway, the hotel said that they'd have to come to the hotel to get their voucher for the cruise. When they pulled up there was an employee standing outside with the voucher in hand. And if that's not enough, when they arrived at the boat, they had an employee saving their seat!!!! The kid wouldn't let the boat leave until they got there!!!! Like I said, swanky. Jerks.

On her way back from the trip, she called and said, "Now you know we'll babysit Jackson while you and Anthony go away one weekend. Just let us know." Hmmmm, not so sure that's quite an even swap--their three to our one. I just laughed and said, "Yeah, if we ever save up the money to do something." Anyway, I enjoyed having my niece and nephews here with us. We don't get to see them too often, but three in diapers. Ugh. It was still good to have them. The only problem was Jackson. He's not used to sharing Mommy and Daddy and, well, let's just say he got his share of spankings this weekend. Broke my heart, but you gotta' do it, you know? We've GOT to have another kid before he turns into a monster. I think we realized that this weekend.

Anyway, there was lots of excitement around here for three days.

I'm requesting prayer for Anthony. He's been having some pretty bad back problems and is seeing a chiropractor, but we're a little worried. From what the doctors have said, they think he hurt it pretty bad when he worked on the moving truck for so long before we got married. We're praying it doesn't come to surgery for him. Please help us pray.

I went to our school's graduation yesterday. It was very nice. The kids were all so excited and nervous and scared to death at the same time. Brought back memories. They pulled a pretty funny little prank that wasn't at all bad. See, this year at our school, we have a new principal and she issued ID badges for all students and staff that we were required to wear at all times. The kids complained about them just because it was something different and something to complain about. Typical. Well, at graduation, as each one shook hands with our principal, they had their ID badges in hand and placed it around her neck. They were "giving the things back", those awful symbols of some kind of propriety AND SAFETY she's trying to establish for our school. It was funny but sad at the same time because they showed they still didn't get the picture. But it was funny because maybe they really did get it but wanted to pretend they didn't in order to "save face". Whatever the reason, at least the prank wasn't mean or vengeful. They were ladies and gentlemen at graduation and I was proud of them.

One more thing before I go. Tomorrow's the last day of school for our underclassmen. We had finals today and will finish them tomorrow but the kids I had today was the last time for them to be in MY class. Well, there's one student in particular that I have had some trouble with this year. I didn't think I had been getting through to her and in some ways I'm sure I hadn't been, but today I got a whole new perspective. Julia, as she left my room, gave me a hug and slipped a note on my desk. When all the students had cleared out, I was shocked at what I read on that piece of paper: "Mrs. Dyer, thank you for being a good teacher this year. You've taught me a lot about life and I'll never forget you. Love always, Julia." I still get a little teary thinking about it. Just Friday I was frustrated thinking that I hadn't made a difference, but today it was as if God reminded me that what I'm doing is indeed worthwhile. I thank Him for that boost that I really needed.

Love ya'll.

I'm sure you've already figured this out, but the plaid background if the inside of the front and back covers of his book.

Jackson's Book

I decided to put some up that are my favorites. There's only one page that was done using Close to My Heart products because I was just recently introduced to them. It's the one that says "Summer at Nan's".

I know they're not the best but I haven't been able to buy the expensive doo-dads that make the prettier accents and such (I have to kind of make them myself). I'm going to try to start getting one new something per holiday so maybe soon I'll have some stuff to make my pages prettier. But for now, these'll do.

It's just so neat to know that when Jackson grows up and marries, I can send these home with his wife and he'll always have them for his children and on down. Well, that is until we're raptured outta' here anyway.

Scrappin'

Yesterday morning I left my two sleepy-headed guys here at the house at around 8 and drove about 30 minutes East to my cousin Shawna's church where we met some other ladies for a morning of cropping, die-cuts, stamps, and stickers. It was their monthly scrapbook fellowship and it was loads o' fun. I got some more finished on Jackson's scrapbook that I very rarely get to work on and it felt really good to feel a little less behind than I am. I'm ready to work on fall 2006 pictures now, which is a big improvement; I had only progressed to winter 2005 before that, so I'm doing much better now. *big smile* And, I hate to say it, but it did feel pretty good to get away from the house by myself for a few hours. It's a huge rarity for me (except for work, of course) and it's pretty nice to get some time for girly stuff. That almost NEVER happens for me, so it was a big blessing. They do it first Saturday of every month, so I'm going to try to go at least every other month or so (maybe every month; we'll have to see) just so I can keep on top of my scrapbook.

I'll post some pics of what I did soon.

Does anyone know what Close to My Heart scrapbook products are? They are really beautiful and not terribly expensive (well, as far as scrapbook products go *nervous giggle) Anyway, I'm thinking of becoming a part-time consultant and was wondering if it's something that'd be of interest. It'd be fun to a do party if, say, we were out doing a revival in another part of the country. I don't know. Just a thought. I'd love to hear your ideas on that.

BTW, no one commented on my music. Is it playing when you get on my page? I was just wondering because I can hear it on my computer but I had one friend say it only plays a small portion of a song and then stops when she gets on my blog. I have around 10 songs loaded to it.