Ah, Friend

I LOVE the clean and simple style and always try use this look when I am mailing cards. I don't want the card to get ruined by embellishments that poke out. No matter how hard I try the card never stays the same!

I have used the Eureka Stamp that is titled Hearts Flower Border.

I then used a rub-on from my scrap bin so I could fittingly send it to my friend.

I am sending more and more CAS cards out to keep in touch the "old-fashioned" way since our move, but I love it. I can sit at the table and write a letter while my girls practice their letters too.  :)

Now if you haven't - please go on over to Eureka Stamps now and check them out!

Fitness Friday

It is crazy to think I couldn't run but one eigth of a mile a little over a month ago.  I was dying from that.  It all started when I decided I think I am going to do a 5K this weekend.

Read all about it HERE - you will laugh.

Jogged/Walked a 5K in just over 44 minuts.  Nick jogged it in lik 21 minutes - that is a 7 minute mile people - he did the Army 10 miler with 7 minute miles. He is awesome. I, ont he other hand, am not.

I have been steadily walking and increasing my jogging every morning on my 5:00 am routing with my friend Petra.  Yesterday we jogged a full mile. A FULL MILE! I was so proud - only took us a month, but I was sooo happy!

After July 4th we are going to add another mile to our two mile routine.  We roughly have 30 minutes give or take to do this so it is a fun challenge as well.

Here are a few places I go to learn about the food side of keeping me going through my fitness fun - and it is getting kind of fun despite what I originally thought!

Realistc Fitness

My girlfriend Jessye Grebe is starting up her blog - not much there yet, but she is such an encouragement I am sure her blog will blossom right along!

Tri & Tri Again

My girlfriend Donna Adams from THE Ohio State University is into this Tri-Athlete thing. I thought I was crazy!  She is normal and real and her blog is very real. Okay hers isn't about food, but her fitness lifestyle is fun to follow!

Girl Meets Life

She is fun and silly but had really great health food content in the midst of her "make you smile" blog posts.

Thankful Thursday

I am so very thankful.

I have been networking with some great mommies who have a passion to find their niche in this start your own source of income world.

I have been encouraged and empowered to find my niche.

My friend Jessye became certified to teach group fitness and now has her very own boot camp.

I have plenty of mom friends who are crafty and selling their kids clothes, bows, decorations, and everything (and I love their stores!)

I am so thankful I have now found the energy to keep up and actually running my first full mile this morning with my friend Petra. Walking 3 miles in the afternoon with my friend Jen and using my very own (garage sale purchased) double jogging stroller for the kids.

I can't wait to keep things rolling and new things starting!

Crafts are on the plate for this weekend as I have some swaps to get out the door - stay tuned!



Thank You

Thank you to all my design teams that held my spot during this couple of weeks in my life.

I have never been in a position where I can actually help people in such a way.

I am glad that things are at a point where I can dive back in (new card tonight!) - but thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Party Time Tuesdays

There's Magic In The Air - Paper Cupcakes

Happileigh Srappin Designs

Creative Clear Stamps

Stamping Dragon Designs

Heart Song Designs

Sew Many Cards

(who is so great since this happened before I could ever get my first post in!)

Companies with values make me want to continue to support them - please support these companies which you can visit through my sidebar links.

Thank You Danie!

A long overdue thank you to Danie - My secret owl from TUIC

This was a great package! I loved it!

The two cards inside the "Love Notes" Pacakge were sooooo cute!!



Best Friend Blogger Award

Thank you, Thank you Becky for this award - you are a true best friend blogger too!

The rules of this award are:

1. Post about it on your blog with a link to the sender.

2. Pass it on to those who visit your blog and leave comments regularly.

 

Here You Go Girls - You Rock!

 

Jackie: http://www.kreatewithme2.com/

Siobhan: http://the-monkey-hut.blogspot.com/

Chris: http://artsycrafty08.blogspot.com/

Danie: http://d-dazzled.blogspot.com/

Christy: http://lonepinedesigns.blogspot.com/

Thank You From The Bottom of My Heart

So I joined a Valentines Day Exchange where you get a name, someone gets yours and between a group of you fill and send a bow worth $25 - sounds great right? Especially when it is hosted by someone whom you have come to know through the blogging world and other things!

Well you send yours off and your never comes. Bummer - but you hold nothing against the person who hosted because they can't make someone do something - right? That is my stance.

Instead - my friend not only gave me AND my kiddos something - the word got out and I received two additional packages from people who were in the swap.

I  was shocked. BUT WAIT till you see these packages - I couldn't even speak!

I never expected Michelle to make up for someone.

She is just this nice.

Michelle ~ Even though we don't "know" each other - I think you are great!

If you haven't visited her blog you need to - it will make you smile everyday.

Plus her coupon adventures are out of this world!

GO HERE NOW

~ Hug the one you're with ~



Breast Cancer Awareness Blog Hop(e)

I hope that you are all enjoying the hop so far! If you have joined in the middle please go visit my friend Michelle at the beginning!

If you are following the Breast Cancer Awareness Blog Hop(e) in order I hope you just enjoyed what you have saw at Jill's Blog - isn't she great?!!?

Here is my entry. It is all about simplicity. All it takes is one monthly self-exam and you could save your life with this step of early detection.

I used some cuttlebuged white Papertry Ink cardstock (the best!), black textured AC
Cardstock, and Pink Passion Stampin'Up! Paper. The Bblack eyelets are Making Memories I believe, and all the punches are Stampin' Up!

I hope you enjoy my simple piece of art!

Your next step on the Blog Hop(e) is:

Kerri!

Trust me your won't be disappointed!!

Please Hug the One You Are With!!

Happy Monday!

First and Foremost - have you stopped over at Fun-Frilled yet this morning?

If not - YOU SHOULD!

Love this Christmas Card? I do too - but I got tired of using the same set over and over again...this was the SU! City of David's last hoorah at the Ritterbeck home....07 In Colors - won't you come back??

Whoe doesn't love an altered item? I gave this gift to a secret pal who's name starts with "p". Is this actually a useful frame or a decoration? It is up to them...fun to decorate though!

My computer seems to be back working better - knock on wood here....

Can't wait to blog hop today as I have missed my girls!

Hug the one you are with!

Nada

Yes - For the first time in a while I have nothing to post more than some randomness...

Please go to Fun-Frilled for some good stuff and a blg candy entry that you don't want to miss!

I found out I liked ham salad yesterday!

I found out that you CAN be over educated!

I found out that the terrible two's have set in...

I found out that it is possuble to have half your face go numb from the dentisit (yes on purpose).

Chew on that until tomorrow ladies - my two year old is screaming about the dog...who is harmless...

Hug the one you are with!

A Great Friend Whom I Have Never Met

Okay - so I have no cards to show today...but I do have a story of a friendship that I am so glad I have found...

I always enjoyed doing the secret sister swaps on SCS because you get to shop for stuff that you wouldn't normally buy or try and it ends up being fun for everyone! I had to laugh this time because I had never met this person but she was my type already...had a NASCAR themed name. I love NASCAR!! I will admit I was kind of shocked at first because she was very particular in what she liked and disliked - but then again it was nice to have someone who did more than say "I like whatever you give me" and them secretly talk behind my back to her friends...yuck...

I visited her blog, I worked with her colors, and I made sure no stamps had to be colored...HAHA...

Well she told me she loved the stuff and it made me smile because some who isn't afraid to speak her mind would not hold back. I was relieved.

Well now we talk about each other on our blogs, are on the same AWESOME design team of Fun-Frilled and I can't say enough about the girl.

I have been at home with the new addition Ryley Ann and it has been great - but I have missed chatting with the girls and surfing the blogs and websites...and then the mail comes...A GIANT BOX!

I was showered with gifts, Abby was showered with gifts (and she loves her card - just adores it - she points at the sparkly scallop and says "Ooohh...Pretty Mama!"), and showered Ryley with gifts!!

I cannot say enough about my great friend Michelle whom I have never met but would love to.

Michelle you made tears come to my eyes because I only have a few people I consider the best of my friends....you are definitely one of them and I thank you from the bottom of my heart!!!

Hug the one you are with and enjoy the friendships that last ladies...

I'm Back!

Sorry for leaving you without posts for a couple days..Abby had to get her finger drained at the ER (yes it was gross), school paper, doctors appointment, new ID card, and preadmintance forms....anything else? Thanks goodness not that I know of! HAHA!

The first card is a beautiful card by my friend Michelle (Inside My Own Private Idaho blog - link to the bottom left ). She always seems to make great cards without having to color an image (wink, wink..). My favorite colors to boot! She can be on my design team anytime!! Hey Michelle - Nascar in a week and a half!

These next two bella cards are for a year of bellas swap I am in...basically what that means is I am crazy because you have to make 13 of each card...the first one is for November...Nick said it is not one of his favorites but it was good...thanks hun for the encouragement! :) The second one is for June since that seems to be wedding season....now to finish up my January spot (3 different groups)...that one is stumping me!

Yet another swap for landscapes and nature...I totally CASED the card out of the splitcoast gallery from a lady who also CASED the card...I apologize that I did not get the name written down before Abby turned the computer off...sill girl - but a great card to steal!

Last but not least this was the card I made with the card materials I was given in one of my secret sister card kit clubs. Very festive!!

Hope you have enjoyed....Hug the one you are with!!!!

I LOVE YOU MICHELLE!

Today was an okay day. I felt a little better than yesterday but there were a couple times I wanted to shut down and go home because of some stupid issues that just really upset me. You know how you get mad about petty things that should have just been done?? Oh well...when I get home, what to my wondering eyes did appear but a brown box addressed to ME!


The greatest gal pal ever Michelle (whom I am so glad I "met" because she has such an honest and open personality that is straight to the point and how many people can you make you smile daily??) sent me a box of super duper happy mail! Now - this does not mean you can all start posting that you love what she does in the hopes of getting what I did...Michelle just had that 6th sense that I needed it...Right on lady! I commented on some of the items on her blog and I blessed enough to receive my very own! Michelle - your work is amazing and thank you, thank you, thank you. You made my day completely.


Now everyone can drool over my gifts:
Thanks again Michelle - you rock...

Don't forget to check out the newest pictures of Abby on her blog (link is to the right of the blog). and Michelle's as well...I added a couple new ones too that are to die for! Hug the one you are with...nighty-night.