Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mother's out there...and especially to my Mom, Barb.  She is absolutely the best mom.  She has been there for me through everything...school, my illness, surgeries,  marriages, divorce, all the good times and bad.    She gives 100% of herself...and well is just awesome!

(L-R) My mom, Madison, my sister Amber, Carli, my dad...and me in the front. 

My kiddos and hubby gave me an awesome Mother's Day.  It has been a rough few weeks with issues at school for my older daughter...but this weekend has been awesome.  We just spent time together and had a relaxing weekend.  I am thankful for the support of my hubby during this emotional time. I am also thankful for my two awesome kids. The kids couldn't wait so I actually got my Mother's Day gifts on Thursday.  What did I get you ask....well here it is...

I got drink coasters from Madison.  She ordered them from an online Art website where her teacher uploads her artwork from school and you and have stuff made with your child's art work.  She decided I needed coasters since I always have a napkin under my water glass on my computer table.  Carli picked me out those awesome sandals.  She knows once the weather gets warm enough I don't like wearing sneakers.  My hubby got me  a gift certificate to a reflexologist.  Basically they work on the pressure points on your feet and rub and massage your feet.  We were at the mall a few weeks ago and I glanced over and checked out their prices and told shawn that some day I was coming back to get my feet rubbed on.  Well....yeah now I can!  Last but not least...each of the girls got me a CD.  and for those of you that don't know..I love Bon Jovi and Toby Keith.  My kids think I am nuts as whenever I hear them on the radio or whatever I sing really loud and well as they say am embarrassing.  Now...I can be even more embarrassing!  Yeah, me.  But really, the best gift of all is an awesome hubby, awesome kids, and awesome mom and dad, awesome brother and sister and great friends!  

Hope everyone has a great Mother's Day! 

Project Life ~catch up

Hello!  I know I know finally posting. I have been working on my project life and have a few weeks to share.

 This is the week of December 10-16th, 2012. I traveled to Florida by myself for our office party and to visit my friend Heather.  It was a great 5 day visit! 

 This week is the week before Christmas Dec 17-23, 2012. Always a fun time.  Christmas Shopping, present wrapping and my birthday celebration.  WE always celebrate my birthday a few days before Christmas.  

Lastly, March 4thru10th week.  A busy week in the Kottwitz/Tucker house.  Art shows, birthday party, sick kids, and just working on some knitting while the kids are lounging around. 

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by.

Tragic Day...

Today I have been working and watching the news most of the day. Mainly because everything I am watching gets interrupted by updating news of the bombing in Boston.  Still so hard believe that something like this could happen.  Obviously even with all the security nothing is 100% full proof.  

I was amazed at all the good hearted samaritans that rushed back to site of the the explosion to help those in need. It just shows you that there is good in this world among the evil.  That good will outshine the evil that this coward(s) set upon the Boston area.  I just hope they find the responsible party and they are made to suffer the same as the innocent did yesterday.  

Okay...that was my two cents for how I am feeling.  I hope everyone is safe and enjoying their families.

Today, my thoughts and prayers are also with all the Virginia Tech families the are thinking of their loved ones and who lost loved one's on this tragic day 6 years ago.  We did not live here in hokie land when the massacre happened. but I still remember watching the news and hearing about it.  I still can't wrap my brain around those events either.  We now live here in Christiansburg less than 8 miles from Virginia Tech.  I am amazed at the strength and determination of the people at Virginia Tech.  IT was the worst tragedy they probably have ever endured, but yet they are strong and proud and moving forward from this senseless act.  

Happy Anniversary!

Happy 5th Anniversary to my wonderful husband Shawn. 

I love you! 

On a much sadder note...there was a shooting at a local community college here in Christiansburg today.   I just can't wrap my brain around why someone would want to do do that.  I felt the same when I heard about VT so many years ago and of course the Newtown shootings.  I just can't fathom someone so miserable so out of touch with reality that they would want to hurt innocent people.  My thoughts and prayers are with the people who were affected by today's events.  I am going to hug & kiss my kids and hubby tonight, thankful we are all home safe. 

Checking In

Hello.  Just hopping on the blog today to "check in" and say HI!

. I just haven't had to mojo to create.  I haven't been up to a lot so I haven't felt like blogging and I haven't even felt like blogging. So....since we had 80 degree weather here is Southwestern Virginia I decided to open the windows, turn the fans on and clean of my crafting table/area.  I cleaned off the table, vacuumed and just organized some of my stuff.  It looks better and I do feel a bit better so maybe that will give me some motivation to get some cards or project life or some scrapbooking done.  We shall see.

I am so happy that we have some nice weather. It is so much better than a week ago when we got snow snow and more snow. Seriously!  April 4th snow!  Jeesh.  But I love that warm weather is here and I can get back to wearing my sandals!  I love my sandals.  I really really hate wearing socks and close toed shoes...so for my feet...this is their favorite time of year....hehehe

Well hope you are all having a good week and hopefully I will be back with crafty to share soon!

This weekend

Yesterday was a very busy, busy day!   Unfortunately my husband's SUV decided have major problems.  I knew when he couldn't fix it we were in trouble.  He can fix almost anything.  When his truck before that died he had the whole engine torn apart in our driveway and rebuilt and running again.  So when he said he couldn't fix this...yep I knew we were in trouble.  So off to the shop it went and the estimate to fix was well over the amount of money the vehicle was even worth. So...this is what we ended up with.

 One good thing is it will definitely be very well used over then next few years as we get our land cleared and ready for us to move to out in the middle of no where.

 After getting the truck we went out to our land and this is what we found.  This whole area was covered with cedar trees not even 2 days ago. This is the acre that we had cleared and the future site of our temporary trailer will go while we save money and decide what to do for a more permanent house.

This picture below is what the cleared land looked like before the land was cleared.  ALL trees.  

so that was our busy day.  I am excited that we are another step close to living out at our land.  now to get our septic, electric, and our temporary trailer.  Right now we are paying rent and mortgage (paying off the land).  So it will be awesome not to have the two payments...and be living out on the land where it is peaceful and quite.

Then, this morning we woke up to this....

Yep...snow on March 24!  Welcome SPRING!  More than likely this means a school delay or cancellation tomorrow.  We shall see!

Project Life

I have had some motivation.  With doing project life I am making an effort to take more photos of everyday life, which I guess is the whole purpose of project life.  I do like the general idea of it as I tend to forget to scrapbook some of the everyday things and have missed those opportunities in the past.  With doing project life I am finding myself taking pictures of different objects and different things.  I am normally the type that like to see people in my pictures but I am not breaking out of my comfort zone and photographing other things.  

This is my week 9 of project life.  I have enjoyed this way of scrapbooking the past couple of weeks.

This is the total two page layout.  I used Project Life Design A page protectors.  Those and Design D I think are the one's that I will be using the most.  

I used the right side of the left page for the pictures and documenting our trip out to our land this week.  Shawn had to move his game cameras and we walked to the top of the hill to see where he wants to clear it for a house.  

Pictures out at the land. Yeppers I made the kiddos get a picture with me.  I took them so they are a little close up.  The girls were not thrilled but...OH well! 

 My Kindle Fire I love, love, love.  I have to confess something too.  I love Fifty Shades of Grey.  Yep. I sure do.  I will admit it definitely was an "education" the first time I read it.  But it is what it is. Millions of people have read it and I am not ashamed of it. I have read it not once, not twice but many times.   I tend to read books, then read others, then go back and read them again.  Right now I have over 200 books or more on my kindle fire so I read them over and over.  

Another hobby of mine after reading is....PAPER CRAFTING.  But who is surprised at that statement?  No one.  I enjoy scrapooking and making cards.  Once a month a fellow crafter and friend of mine Caitlin get together for "card club" and make cards.  It gives us a chance to chat and get some cards made.  So this this happened to be the week we got together. 

 My small yet growing yarn stash.  I have recently learned to knit.  I rather enjoy it.  It is relaxing and so far the scarves I have made and dish clothes have turned out so I can't complain.  But I do go in spurts.  I will knit every night for a week or two then maybe not for a month. So I took this pictures to get motivated into getting some knitting done.  I have started a project so I think it worked. 

Our lifestyle change basically is our family trying to eat better and get more exercise in.  I weight watchers is helping me with that and really has helped.  My hubby started the P90X workout and I do some of the exercising with him if it is something I can physically do.  We have both seen a difference and both feel better.  So even if we don't lose a lot of weight at least we are feeling better. 

Well have a great day everyone and a safe weekend for anyone going out there to celebrate St. Patty's day this weekend.