Studio J

For years now I have been wanted to scrapbook all of the photos on my computer and in my room. I have done a few scrapbooks where you cut out the pictures and physically put it all together and although both books came out amazing; (they were both wedding albums); I decided that I take way to many photos and printing all the photos out is way to expensive. So ever since I have been searching for a good online scrap booking site. I tried some of the free ones but they are really limited and just blah...so after much talking to with a good friend of mine who sells Close to My Heart supplies; she convinced me to try the Studio J section of Close to My Heart. There is a cost to print the pages off and to get the JPEG files but Its so worth it when we see all the kits they have available online to scrapbook with. One of the best parts is you can continue working on pages and print them as you are ready to. I love it!  I have been slowly working on getting pages made but I have so far only purchased the pages I made right after Easter so I will share those with you. 

There were a few more of Zach and I but I decided not to post them all since the others will be revealed in due time anyways. lol. Eli really didn't have a lot to do with Easter other than being the families new puppy. lol. Isn't he darling?! 

Ok well thats all for now folks. If this is something that interests you though; you can click the link above and try it out yourself. 

Until next time...Keep Smiling!

Perfect Night

 Yesterday was one of the "Perfect day" that Zach and I have and I'm so thankful and blessed that we have the quite often. Not so much perfect but Zach always tends to make me feel better and therefore its peaceful. We decided on dinner and a movie since he worked all day and I crafted and cleaned all day.
First we went to Smokey Bones for dinner for some pulled pork and sweet potato fries and after decorating plates and a good meal we were well on our way to go out and run around town. lol. We hit up all our normal craft spots and ended up finding the rest of the stuff needed for my rainbow dress so it was worth it. After playing in the craft stores we ended up at the theater waiting to see The Pirates and eating ice cream cones. (A day can only get better with mint chocolate chip ice cream. lol.) I think really the movie was the down fall of our evening. Although it had some funny corks to it; it wasn't worth what we paid to see it in 3D. Really it wasn't even worth Tinsel Town prices I felt. The first half was really slow and then everything good happened in the last 20 minutes. So there is your warning for that one. lol. OK well I really don't know what else to explain about other than the giggling and fun times we had so I will just leave ya with some pictures of the evening. :0)
Keep Smiling!

Romans 5:1-5

5 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we^[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we^[b] boast in the hope of the glory of God. ³ Not only so, but we^[c] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴ perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

I have to be honest with everyone when I say that lately I have not been myself. I'm sure people have noticed but in the last month along Zach and I have been through what seems like Hell and back and I am just really tired of everything. I have been feeling bad because my health is on the rocks and poor Zach has had to sit by my side more than any person should have too even though again and again he says he wouldn't have it any other way. The truth is...I have spent my whole life fighting and protecting that now that I cant fight anymore and there is physically nothing left for me to do; I don't know how to let go. I don't know how to stop protecting the ones I love from the things I fear the most which is leaving them behind. I'm angry because I know there is nothing I can do to protect them and instead of giving my fears to God; I realized that I'm running because I'm terrified. I was so angry that I stopped looking to the verses that have helped keep me going for so long and still hit just as hard and the first day I read them. I have started putting up all my walls again and at the same time I didn't realize that I was blocking the ones that really do love me and even worse God. I'm still terrified to let go because face it, I have lived my whole life fighting and even though "letting go" is the best option now; I understand that I need God and my loved ones to hold me while doing it. I realized after talking to a few new found friends in the last 2 nights that its OK to have those feelings but I really do need to keep doing the things I love with the people who love me even if its just in small ways. I need to brush off everything and try and live the way I know how with what I am giving just like before; one day at a time. So tonight I am finally going to get some sleep and then tomorrow I'm going to do something that I would do any other day. Even if its small. 

So Until Then, Keep Smiling!

Meet My Sister...

 Meet my big sister Kassie. She is one of many artistic siblings I have but she is very creative in her sewing and costume making skills. One of the many things that I do is photography so I love taking pictures of her finished projects. This week we wondered out into the cold and headed over the the Asbury Woods Nature Center to take pictures of a corset that she has recently made and these are just some of what we came up with.
Enjoy!

I'm Not Ordinary

"Being deeply loved by someone gives you Strength; while loving someone deeply gives you courage." - Unknown. 


I heard this quote thanks to a very loving elderly lady that I once took care of and it has always stuck with me. Lately however things have been going in a downward spiral in my life and yesterday this hit me again really hard because honestly even though I have been really sick and everything seems to be going wrong in my life; I am very blessed to have Zach. He is my best friend and everything a person could want for as their other half. I know that I have been really hard to live with in the last few weeks and where most people would run and hide; he has remained right at my side constantly reminding me that he is not only there but here to help hold me up and help me through anything. Somehow He is my calm in the storm no matter what the problem is and I am very thankful that God has blessed me with him in my life.
Last night Zach showed up with tulips explaining to me how I am worth more than roses because roses are just too ordinary for me. :0) I love that he is completely different but so sweet even when I'm crying and ready to pull what hair isn't already falling out. lol. I can laugh about this now but in the long run this hit my heart just as hard as talking to my little old lady about falling in love. Zach was right...Just like the tulips; I am not ordinary so I don't know why I have allowed myself to start listening to the people telling me parts of my life are over when really new areas are beginning. I cant give up now and throw in the towel when Zach had stood by me and helped plan one of the best years of our lives. So I'm saying forget it to everyone who is keeping me down and moving forward with the people who will help boost me up while I'm already to tired to carry myself. And now with this choice...lets bring on what was suppose to be one of the best summers of our lives. Its time to bring on the year of Hope of 2012.
And in case I have never said it enough out loud...I love my Snail! (Zach)
Keep Smiling!