Let it snow!

We are headed to Big Bear for some fun. Look at the house and all the snow! I don't know if I have ever been in so much snow. I can't wait! Yes, not the long post I need to do but I'm a bit tired tonight,

Loves,

Lauren

Oh where does the time go?

I feel like we blasted from Halloween all the way to almost Christmas. I must admit dear blog readers, I might have crossed over to the dark side of the web. . . .

I, Lauren Hampton, have found myself on Facebook EVERY day or night, and I have neglected my dear bloggie blog. I know, hard to believe. But it is true. Not that I'm proud of that, but I am having a great time reconnecting and staying in touch with friends. It's just so easy, and I don't feel compelled to "need" a picture with every little post. Have you tried FB yet?

OK, I promise a REAL post later after the family is in bed. They are all kind of needy right now. I love them needing me but hard to do them and you at the same time.

Tootles until then.

Lauren

My Christmas List

If Santa is headed my way, I think I should do my part and help him to be prepared. Not that I expect him to stop in anything more than the gifts for the kids, but it might be fun to see the list I would write if I was really writing to the big guy. Here's a challenge: write your own list an post it on your blog. Maybe Santa might see it and hook you up???

The List

1)An Eye-Fi camera card. Seriously, the next best thing ever for scrappers. No, it's not new this year. Shocker but it actually came to my attention last year. Here's the link. EYE-FI card. Would like the 4G.

Here's the description:Photos shouldn't’t be trapped in your camera. Set them free effortlessly and wirelessly. The Eye-Fi Explore Card is a wireless SD memory card for your digital camera. It stores pictures like a standard SD memory card, but also uses Wi-Fi networks to automatically upload images and add GeoTags from inside your camera to your PC or Mac and to your favorite photo or social networking website for sharing or printing. No cables, no cradles, no fuss.

2) A Cricut Jukebox. Have six cartridges plugged in at once...MARVELOUS.

2b) A Cricut deep cut blade and housing.

3) Time to scrapbook, GUILT FREE, with my best scrappy friends. There are a few people that I'd like to scrap with that aren't pictured here. If I could just have a great big room with a group of fun scrappers I would be happy. I'd love to scrap with Randi, Amy, Lisa, Toni, Erin (you scrappy virgin you) Kristie, Shelby, Elizabeth (we need to finally get together), and anyone else that wants to have a fun filled day a scrapiness.

4) A watch. I miss wearing one.

5) The Coach "sister" ring I promised to wear along with Kath, Kris, and Erin.

6). The Blackberry Storm. I know, dreaming here.

7) Holly Hobby. (Hobby Hideaway for those that might not know.) Know I know I'm really dreaming.

8) A facial...I must be the only woman in the world that hasn't had one.

OK, well that's it in a nutshell. The thing is, I'm easy to please. I mainly I just like people having a happy heart and a feeling of the Christmas spirit in them. Really, that's what I want. Everyone around me to be happy and filled with the joy of the spirit. Oh, a boat load of lights on the house and lots of hot beverages never hurt either.

I can't wait to see what's on your list. Post on your blog and put a link here in the comments.

Happy Day!

Lauren

Local Christmas Parade, year two! Christmas decorating too.

Well, I managed to complete year two of the local x-mas parade. Not sure why I keep getting myself into that, except the kids LOVE IT!! We had 67 girl scouts and a load of leaders and mommies & 1 dad. Oh, we also had the honorary future boy scout riding alongside in his stroller. I swear Evan was so cute waving and telling all the people "Mewry Cwistmas". His friend Andrew was there with his mom and brother waving him on. Last year we did the parade too but Evan was in the truck since Matt pulled the float. This year we didn't have that luxury. In fact, I had a three kids, plus my troop there. My co-leader was awesome as usual in helping me with Evan. I took just a few photos but also some video. I'll see if I can get the video up. Here are the photos though. I have more close ups coming from another camera soon. Can you believe I didn't even get my camera out until we were already going? Mama scrapper slacking on the job!

I put the tree and some decorations up today. Things are starting to look like Christmas around here. Tomorrow we are off to the annual kids x-mas party at the fire dept. The kids are excited about that one. I think we'll sneak down a bit early and hit Pink while I'm in the neighborhood. I think there's a big hoopla going on....maybe I can't:O((. I'll call first. Anyhow, I'm looking forward to some scrappy time this week. Think I need to start making some holiday lists or the big event is gonna sneak up on me and bite me in the bottom. Oh, kinda cute today....Lyss and Evan were pretending to be Santa and an elf. Santa is seen here driving his sleigh, reaching into his bag of toys, and even pulling a gift for mom out of the bag. I love watching this season through my children's eyes! The girls had fun teaching Evan Jingle Bells tonight too. It sure was a great day. We never even left the house!
This musical globe is Evan's favorite so far. It was his favorite last year too. I love watching him watch the snow blow around!

OK, off to do more for the night.

Lauren:O)))

Had some play time tonight

Well, Matt's first night at work was good for me. I got some long needed play time with Holly. Here's a little of what I am working on. Hopefully my next post will be of these babies done. It's not just regular scrapbooking stuff. I'll explain when I'm done.

See ya later. I'd better get some rest.

Lauren :O)))

Turkey day oh and big news....Matt is back!

Well, it's been a long road but I am happy to announce that my hubby is back at work. Today is his first day.I know he is really excited about it. He loves his job and was very happy to hear he wasn't going to have to do any light duty. Now I get to try and reclaim my routine and get things back to normal around here. Lots' to do with the holidays here. I survived Thanksgiving. We had a nice time with Matt's family.

Matt was prepping the bird and I caught this funny moment. Do big breasts on anything make men smile?

From left to right: Evan, Matt, Uncle David, Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle Edge (Evan gave him that name) and Aunt Pooh. I was taking the photos of course. Alyssa and Megan sat at the bar. Here they are with their sparkling cider toast.

The cheap way to decorate the table for Thanksgiving...use the napkins your girlfriend gave you as place mats. The girls made napkin holders with paper and put cute little sayings on each one. Each person had their own saying. To keep up with tradition, the girls made place cards and wrote the annual "I am thankful for" cards for each person to fill in. They also added "My favorite Thanksgiving food is..." to the cards. We love this tradition.

Here is my so not so fancy table. Oh, notice the chairs? The girls spent hours making hand turkey decorations for each chair. Evan tore all of them down after they had put them all up. Lyss took care of them with a few heavy books to re flatten them. They were rehung and as good as new in time for our meal.

It was nice having Matt home. We are lucky that Matt gets to be home with us for Christmas this year. It will be the first Christmas he has been home since Megan was 6mos old. He's gonna have to check out our traditions. like X-Mas eggs at Holly's house!

OK, gotta jam and get some girl scout stuff handled. More later.

Lauren :O)))

Love to my sis!

My sister. My friend. My confidant. I love her dearly. She has been with me from the beginning. She is always there through the thick and thin. Whether poor or wealthy, in love or down on life, through tears or joy, Erin has been my rock. She is really as close to me as anyone can be. Just a quick thought that I feel blessed. Blessed to have such a great sister. I really don't deserve to have someone so great to call MY SISTER. Love you Air!

XOXO LaLa

The end of a good thing!

Today was the official last day of business for It's About Time Scrapbooks & More. I have worked there for two years, all but the first weeks the store was open. It was not just a job for me. Far from it. I'm not even sure if I can describe the way I felt about IAT (short for It's About Time). It started with me and my Halls, going in to check out the new place in town. We cropped there a week or so later. I called the store later that day and told Mel they needed me. I remember her hollering through the store "Hey girls, Lauren says we need to hire her." Through the phone I could hear Lisa and Amy in the background saying "yes we do!" It was done. No application. No interview. No portfolio. I had been in the store with my work that day so I guess they kinda had a viewing of my work and my personality.

I never really thought of IAT as a job. I did really work there though. I worked, I taught, I even spent the last six months or so writing the blog. But instead of it feeling like work I thought of it as my little place of "me time". Whether I was "working" or not I just LOVED being there. I LOVED the people I worked with, the customers, the business. I LOVE the scrapbook world. I LOVE knowing about it all. I LOVE helping people to learn and enjoy the feeling of scrapbooking. I LOVE teaching people how to use tools, match product, even think outside of the box.(I found myself making the best creations when I had to make something like a birthday layout with Halloween paper. No, not a Halloween b-day, actually making Halloween paper work for a b-day page having nothing to do with Halloween. ) I LOVE looking at a piece of paper, or any product for that matter, and knowing who made it and what line it was from. I have a passion for it. I LOVED sharing my passion. I LOVE teaching scrapbooking. I LOVE the feeling I get when I see the little light bulb go on over some unsuspecting scrapbookers head when she realizes that I've shown her how cool a product, tool, or idea is. I LOVE everything about scrapbooking. I am sad. Sad for my own selfish reasons listed here that IAT is now just a memory for all of us that loved it so.

For Amy, Lisa, and Mel. You three were so great together. Thank you for "needing" me like I told you you did. I loved being a part of such a special season of your lives. I will hold all of our good times close to my heart.

Mel, good luck with the new life you have ahead of you with your new man and your two baby boys. I wish the economy would have not taken a dump at such a crucial time in the metamorphosis of the store and the new places you wanted to take it. You had a great way of making people feel welcomed into the store. I know in my life I always say everything happens for a reason. You know, with a door closed another will open. Cheers to a job well done and to the new doors opening to you and your family.

Amy, you are so sweet. Always so mellow and nice. I always liked working with you and chatting it up about all the craziness of being a mom. I know it's nice to be able to be home with Cameron and to have the time for scrapbooking because it makes you happy. Let's get together again and scrap.

Lisa, such a big heart and a loving soul. I missed saying goodbye in person those months ago and we still have only managed phone calls and a strange drive by run in since then (Joanns). I love how caring you are and I love your creative style. I'm gonna have to grab my stuff (and we both know how much that is) and hunt you down to have some good old play time. I miss you!

I LOVED teaching, although I didn't do as much of it as I would have liked. Still, my head swirls with "class" ideas and I always have project after project in my head. I will be getting my website up soon so that will help with my creative outlet. Matt is so much closer to being recovered and I will start to have my time back to do that kind of stuff, plus teach still at random locations and events.

I LOVED all the customers and seeing their creations, hearing their stories, loving over their most precious photos with them, and helping them to decide just what to do next when they were stumped on a project. I will miss that so much.

Mainly, I will miss all the laughs and the good feelings I had being an IAT employee. I wish I could change the way this story ends but I just can't. No one can. I know the girls, whether now or a few months ago, have been mourning this change no one wanted to see happen. I hope that everyone can keep Mel and her family in their thoughts and prayers and they begin a new journey together. Please think of Amy and Lisa and know that they truly loved being there for you and loved when you walked in the door.

I could go on and on about this subject but I have to know if I don't sign off I'll start rambling if I haven't done enough of that already.

So, for now, it's about time I get to bed. I hope if you are local, you had a chance to go in and say a proper goodbye to the store. I didn't really get the chance to do so as I had hoped but I do look at the pictures above and I feel very happy to have been a part of it all.

Still Scrapping Happily,

Lauren

Big day!

So today was big in three ways.

1. I voted. Did you? I know I did my part in voting. I now will have to do my part in praying. I will leave it at that. Those who are close to me know I am HOLDING MY TONGUE right about now. I worry.

I got my glasses. A long wait following years of procrastinating. I can finally see. The girls love them. Matt says I look hip and he loves them too. I am happy because I can see the tv without squinting. It was a little strange wearing them today. I did get prescription sunglasses too so I'll be able to see no matter what. I am trying to follow Ally's example and actually take my own picture. This is me, today, seeing for the first time in years.

I lost my favorite coffee pot. If you know me and know how I love my coffee, you know how this is big for me. No, It didn't run away, but I had get a new one because it kept leaking all over my counter top. I intended on just exchanging it for a new one but Bed Bath and Beyond has stopped carrying my coveted Hamilton Beach Brewstation. I have a Cuisinart coffee pot on the way but it is NOT exciting at all. I am thinking I'll hunt the internet tonight and see if I can find myself a brewstation any how. I had no idea when I unplugged my baby today that I would come home to this. A blank spot with no Brewstation! I am bummed.

Ok, well I need to get to hunting for a new, real coffee pot. Hmmmm, I hope I find one.

Lauren :O)))

Time sure flies

So the last week or so has been crazy busy. But as I much as I'd love to go "in order" of what's been going on, I have to put Halloween first because my little dude was the cutest little trick or treater ever. He was all the talk at the front doors. Cool but after about twenty houses or so I kinds felt bad for the other kids trick or treating with us. They all had great costumes but Evan took the prize this Halloween. Wanna see why???

A UPS man, with an American Crafts box in hand. Can't get much better than that! Megan was a Disco girl (can the sparkle outfit be any more perfect for her), and Alyssa was a pirate girl. We had a great time watching all of the kids trick or treat. We had our friends Dan and Alison, Megan and Greg, and all of their kids join us. Here we are getting ready to head out for the trek around the neighborhood.

After a full neighborhood of treats and scary porches, the kids ran out of steam and came down from the initial sugar high. They decided they were too pooped to go on and dropped to rest right on the corner. Dramatic children??? Shocking.

We were sad that our friends The Aden's and the Pavlovski's couldn't be there with us but we did have a surprise visit from the Bailes Family. I can't say I have ever seen Holly on Halloween. Not her thing, for respectable reasons. But this year they went to a church carnival and stopped by to visit on their way home. Dylan and the girls ran around the cul de sac and we hung out by the fire. Faith was a champ and just hung out by the fire even though it was way past bed time.

We had a great Halloween and feel blessed to have such a great group of friends. More to come later. I got some good pictures at the FERGIE concert. So fun!

Peace out!

Lauren

Does that sign off sound to generic?