All in the mix...

So - how's your February going?  Mine's been a little bit nutty.  Still trying to get caught up with my various obligations and have some time to do the things that I love as well.  Of course, this means that I'm usually doing these much-loved things in the wee and not so wee hours of the night....good thing I'm a total night owl!  Now, if I could just get the rest of the world on my schedule, life would be good.

Being able to do with little sleep or turning my days and nights around used to be no big deal.  After all, I could always sleep in on Saturday, catch a nap after church on Sunday....whatever.  Those days are gone, my friends.  Extinct.  Like the dinosaurs and the blue-footed booby bird (no, I am NOT making that up).  Life is a candle that gets burned at BOTH ends these days. 

But, you say, your kids don't go to regular school - you don't have to have them up, dressed, and fed to catch the 4:17am bus.  That is correct.  If I get up that early, is to shoot something or catch it on a big hook.  Consider yourselves warned.  So, yes, we may not get up as early as your family does.....but, you probably go to bed regularly before 2am....not so much over here.  Your kids might not be in as many activities as mine are (7 each at last count and that varies with the seasons) - which is one of the blessings and banes of home education.  We have a more flexible schedule, so we (OK, I) feel obligated to cram as much exposure and learning into the days as we I can.

Then, you have someone like me who makes Type-A's look lazy & learning-challenged.  If I'm involved in it, you can bet that somehow, some way, I will open my big fat mouth and volunteer to "help out."  That's Meg-speak for end up running the whole dang show.  So, 4 websites, 3 CTs, 2 hybrid schools, and a taekwondo studio later (somebody ought to put that to music...hey, I bet I can whip something up......), my free time went the way of the blue boobies.  Make up your own jokes.

But.....every once in a while, I get an unbroken span of 37 seconds or so and get to make something pretty.  Of course, it helps tremendously that I am blessed to call several of the most amazing digital designers on the planet friends and I get to play with their stuff - often before you can get your hot little hands on it....no haters, please.  Here's a look at some of my dear friend, Liv Esteban's newest stuff:

A Scout is....Awesome! Rollover Brushes
Storyboard Album Template 14
EZ-PZ Template 02 - Inked Overlay

Pure Adoration liv.edesigns - T+Mini (Template+Mini Kit) Vol. 2 - Adoration
Font: Bradley Hand ITC TT

Caught on Film liv.edesigns - LIV-TMini01-Filmed
liv.edesigns Texture Magic Paper Texturizers
Font: Cochina

THIS is what I'm talking about - combining technology, pretty stuff, and photos of people, places and things that I love....this is what makes me happy.  Now, if I could only find an extra couple or 9 hours a day to make more of these, i might actually get caught up on all my 27,000 pictures....a girl can dream, right?

It's all bout L-O-V-E

Welcome to the February edition of the Samantha Walker Creative Crafters Team Blog Hop! You should have arrived here from Daniela's blog.

If this is your first stop, be sure to head over to stop #1 - Samantha Walker's blog so you can start from the beginning - you don't want to miss any of this!

This month's theme is LOVE

Also this month, one lucky winner will receive the fabulous Saddle Up Cottons fabric bundle

AND be sure to look extra closely at Step #4 below to learn how you can get this FREE SVG and Silhouette Studio file:

To enter for a chance to win, just leave a comment on Samantha's blog any time between now and February 17th at 11:59pm MDT. 

The winner will be announced on Samantha's Facebook page on Monday, February 18th. 

For additional entries:

1. Receive an additional entry for commenting on each of the other blogs in the blog hop;

2. Go here and follow Samantha Walker's blog;

3. Follow her on Facebook; and  

4. Sign up for an e-mail subscription to Samantha's blog and you will automatically receive a link to a free SVG cutting file that you can download and use on your personal electronic cutter. 

If you are already a subscriber, just enter in your information in the secure form on Samantha's blog and the free files will be e-mailed early next week.

To receive the additional entries and get the free files, mention in your comment on Samantha's blog that you have done so.

WOW, that is 15 chances to win!

Can't get enough of Samantha's creative awesomeness?  Me, either!  I was drooling over her latest release - the What a Hoot!  MEGA kit...I know, it's amazing, right?

 I love it so much& used it to celebrate our family & our love for each other:

  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Click the image below to go to the next stop in the blog hop.

Click on the photo below to go to your next stop! click the image to go to the next stop in  the Blog Hop, Aimee's Armoire

Happy Hopping & hope to see you back here next month!

Not so "orderly"

It's February - only the second month of the year - and I've already fallen off the "order" wagon.  You know - that "One Little Word" thing where the promise of appropriate boundaries and a balanced life was made?  Yeah, that one.

The really sad thing is that this realization did not occur to me, the grown-up.  No.  This gem was pointed out by my fierce daughter who, at the ripe old age of eight, called her Mommy out. 

As a member of the ever-so-fabulous Liv Esteban (of liv.e designs)'s Creative Team, I have the pleasure and privilege of making layouts to showcase her amazing new products.  Liv's stuff is so detailed & yummy and the really great thing is that she is so family-focused.  Her wonderful designs make me want to go back & scrap all my photos of my babies from Day 1.

Here I am, perusing through lots of pics to find the perfect picture to showcase what a fabulous guy & great Daddy my hubby is, while Harper, looking over my shoulder and with a very disappointed tone, remarked, "It's not fair - you had time to play with Zane when he was little but you never have time to play with me - all you do is work, work, work!" 

Guilty as charged.

So, now what?  Well, obviously my abilities to prioritize are completely suspect.  After all, an 8-year-old could see the failure.  Out of the mouths of babes, right? 

Figures that the one trait all three of my kids would get from me is the gift of snark.  Fabulous.  If they could only channel that energy to something productive - like keeping their rooms from looking like a tornado went thru Filene's basement on BOGO day.  I'm pretty sure that we carpeted those rooms.  Don't hold me to that.

Now you know why I like to scrap the older photos - the ones where the kidlets are super cute....and went to bed before 8pm.

But, I digress.  Here's the reason that I started this whole spiel - the cute picture of Bennett with a small kidlet who only made small messes....most of the time.

Why I Love you so. liv.edesigns Booboo Be Gone - Full Kit
liv.e designs All About Love
Fonts: Cochin & Charles S
LO inspired by MCO Template 03

See how deceptively cute Zane was at the ripe old age of 2 1/2?  Bennett's not so bad himself - especially when he's being so patient and sweet with the kids.....not my strong suit, but definitely one of his.  Just one of the many, many reasons that I truly love my husband so.

Off to go make sure the kidlets survive bedtime......Good Night Moon has been replaced with How to Irritate People and even Bennett's patience has limits.....