Blog Your Heart #2

I love reading Stephanie Howell's blog  and I was so inspired by her post last month to blog my heart so I took her up on the challenge and plan to do that again this month. It is hard to believe that it has already been a month...and it is interesting to look at the place I am in now vs. one month ago.  So...here's what's on my heart. 

1.  I, like Stephanie, have been a bit lax on the old exercising.  At first it was because I physically couldn't do anything due to the fact that I had sprained my ankle and then found out that it was actually a slight fracture...but recently it has turned into just a myriad of excuses.  I hate that I have been like this and I need to get back into the groove. 

2. I am thinking about the fact that I told all of my fellow bookclub readers that they better get reading because we didn't have a great showing at our last meeting...and I end up being the one who is totally behind in the book we have chosen.  I feel like a hypocrite.  I feel like the book club I started so many years ago is losing steam and I love meeting with my girls and chatting.

3.  I am so thankful for the support and help from my friends at school.  As I come in school late, leave early, and am faced with the upcoming 3 days of absences for doctors appointments, I am so thankful that I have people that I can rely on. 

4. I used to be so hard on myself and I have finally realized that I need to put myself first and my job and everything else second.  As I was waiting in the doctor's office this morning for 1 hour and 15 minutes!!!! ( I don't know why this always happens at certain offices- like they don't adhere to a schedule!)  I began to stress out because I needed to get back to school (I only had 1 hour and 30 minutes free because I have back to back prep periods).  And then I calmed myself down and said to myself, "Kristen...there's nothing you can do at this point- just relax- someone will cover for you."   And that's exactly what happened.  So yay to all of my understanding coworkers and yay to me for finally putting ME first. 

5.  My heart is full of optimism as I approach my 3rd IVF treatment on Friday.  I literally just gave myself my trigger injection and with that I am feeling excitement and positive energy.  It is AMAZING how far I have come.  I was the girl who used to faint when I received a flu shot! I was the one who used to get dizzy at the sight of blood, and now, I can inject myself with needles without even blinking an eye.  It's amazing how powerful the mind is and how we are able to achieve something if we put our mind to it.  So if there is something to be said for my battle with infertility- one thing that it has done is allowed me to overcome my fear of needles and fear of blood. 

6.  I continue to think of my dad as he goes through treatments for his cancer.  He is certainly a fighter and we all know that.  Love you dad!

 7.  My grandparents just celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary! That's craziness and seems like an impossibility.  I can't even imagine it.  And as they celebrate, I think about how I wish that our relationship were different. 

8.  I love, love, love having sisters to talk to.  It is possibly the world's best gift.

I think that's all for today.  What's on your heart?

Love, Kristen

Just the middle of the week...

Wednesday's are often rough because it's the middle of the week and there are still two more work days left.  And they are even more rough when there is an extra long Thursday looming with parent teacher conferences.  I know I'll get through it, but it will be nice when this week is over.  I worked on a layout for a Sketchy Thursdays  layout challenge.  This was the original sketch: 

  And this was my take on it : 

It's somewhat last minute as it needs to be in by tonight at 10:00 PM and it is now 9:00 PM.  Aahhh procrastination!


Wishing you all a speedy rest of the week and a nice relaxing weekend. 

Kristen

Another fun sketch

Found this great sketch on Sketchy Thursday's Blog and decided to give it a try.  Hope you have a great Tuesday!
Kristen

Sketch Fun...

Got this sketch off of My Little Shoebox  and Julie Bonner is the guest blogger this week.  I immediately thought baseball pics of my nephew for this sketch.  Not sure if it was the circles on the side of the page that inspired me or what....but here it is. 

Gotta Love Rainy Days off

Oh how I love a random day off in the middle of the week! I love that it was rainy and somewhat dreary because for me it means that I don't feel obligated to be doing other things, but instead can be enjoying my day creating, in my scrap room, with the mellow tunes of Ingrid Michaelson and Eric Hutchinson playing in the background.  Oh, how I love these days. 

I love how productive I have been lately with my scrapping. 

And while I do love the rainy day for scrappy goodness, I also really love this time of year- the fall. 

This fall has been somewhat mild so far-- in fact, we have had our air conditioning on because it was so humid recently.  This I do not love.  I long for those crisp fall mornings and evenings where I can snuggle in a hooded sweatshirt or wrap myself in a blanket on the couch. 

Fall foods are another thing I love.  Fall foods = comfort foods.  Hopefully these comfort foods won't turn to more weight around my middle.  I will be mindful of that as I relish in the new foods this time of year brings.  Like homemade apple crisps and all sorts of yummy soups and stews.  Like butternut and acorn squash and pumpkin flavored anything. Yum.  Love the fall. 


I've been busy working on various challenges at Scrapdango School's In and My Scraps and More "Wonder" Fall Crop  and here's what I've come up with lately: 

I love that little nephew of mine!!! He's been the focus of my layouts a lot lately and I don't think that's going away any time soon!

Good night,
Kristen

Sunday Scrapper

I am trying to make it a priority to get in some scrapping every weekend- whether it be Saturday or Sunday.  This weekend it happened to be today.  I was working on a few challenges for School's In 2011 over at Scrapdango.  It's a great site, lots of great ladies and inspiration.  I was able to finish a few of the challenges today and here they are: 

A little bookmark: it's a school challenge afterall

Grand Canyon Trip

Pink and Green: photos from Favorite Things Party

Back in July, I had a favorite things party at my house.  It was SUCH fun and I don't know what I enjoyed more- decorating and making food for the party or the actual party itself.  If you aren't familiar with the concept:  each person you invite brings 3 of the same favorite thing.  These products range from bath and body products, kitchen gadgets, jewelry, housewares, etc.  I had 17 of my favorite family and friends come to the party and share in the festivities.  These photos aren't great, but everyone was impressed with the display.  I had a pink and green theme from invitations all the way to decorations and even desserts.  I so want to do it again sometime soon!  The various products that people brought to my party included:

Burt's Bees products, cupcakes from Mr. D's, car air freshener, disposable camera, wine glass and chocolates, correcting pens, chips, nail certificate, lip gloss, kitchen drying mat, hair products, bath salts, reed diffuser, food items, beach themed gifts, candles and I probably forgot some too! Can't wait to do it again, or to go to one somewhere else.  Thanks Pinterest  for the great idea!  

Wishing you a fabulous week-

Kristen

A Challenge...blog your heart

I avidly follow Stephanie's blog and love how honest and real she is in her posts.  I also love looking at her amazing layouts and awe at how she manages life with four adorable children (often by herself) because her husband is in the military.  The honesty though is what gets me: and because of her honesty, I have been moved to be honest in my post as well  by blogging my heart.  Here is what I am thinking... 

•  I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of  my husband and hoping he makes it home safely from his trip to Vegas. 
• I am thrilled at the start of the new school year and my current students with all of their energy and enthusiasm and hope it continues through the school year.
• I love that I still enjoy my job after 11 years and look forward to going to work (almost every day). I know that I am lucky to be employed and even more lucky to enjoy what I do. 

•  I am thinking about the York peppermint patty I just ate and how it is not part of the South Beach Diet...but I am also thinking about how I have been following the diet religiously for the last 6 weeks and have lost 15 pounds, so I think it's allowed.  

•  I am wishing that I didn't fall and sprain my ankle the other night while running.  While it is obviously unfortunate to injure yourself, it is also ruining my exercise streak.  That is making me very frustrated. And I think the frustration is what led to the 2 york peppermint patties :) 

• I am praying for my father as he is faced with a relapse of Multiple Myeloma.  I am just wondering how it is that a man who has undergone treatment and was able to fight it and then got diagnosed with colon cancer, went through chemo and was able to fight it- how, is it possible that this man relapses.  Sometimes I don't understand.  And while my father is fighting again, I am praying for my mother because it is incredibly hard on her to be the caretaker yet again.  
• I also don't understand why I have not been able to get pregnant the last 2 3/4 years. After numerous fertility treatments, injections, medications, doctors, tests, arguments with my husband, tears, fits of jealousy, angry rages and just pure sadness there are still no answers.  I am hopeful that with this new doctor and protocol we will be successful in our next treatment.  I try to remain positive and optimistic and "keep my mind off of it" as people often suggest, but sometimes that is easier said than done.  Sometimes all I want to do is cry.  Sometimes when I am walking through the store and I see a pregnant woman, I wish that it was me.  Sometimes when I learn of a friend that is pregnant again- I am filled with a sense of jealousy, and then I hate myself for it.  Sometimes I imagine the empty room upstairs designed as a nursery and wonder when I will be able to bring a baby home.  Sometimes I think about getting another dog but know that it will not fill the void.  And despite all those "sometimes," I have never believed that it won't happen sometime.  It will.  And when it does, it will be the most amazing thing in the world and I will appreciate it that much more because it is has been such a struggle to get there.  

And that is what I am thinking. And that's really putting myself out there....but I think I feel a little better.  So thanks Stephanie!
Love to you all- Kristen