Scrap Happens

My Apology to Fall

massadmomma@yahoo.com (April Massad) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:12:00 +0000

I love summer. I love the warm weather, I love going to the lake, I love the pool & I always get depressed when it ends. I get mad that summer is ending & winter is upon us. Winter in Oklahoma isn’t fun. We hardly get any snow & we get ice storms every year. But it isn’t fall’s fault that it comes at such a bad time. Summer has ended & it seems to rain forever. My allergies seem to kick into high gear & it just isn’t any fun!
Then Brodey & I walk outside & see all of the fall wildflowers & beautiful leaves & you realize it’s just a second spring (except summer isn’t coming after that haha). So really I don’t hate fall, I just hate what comes after it! So it looks like I owe an apology to fall. I'm sorry I was angry with you. I will promise to enjoy you until the last leaf has fallen! ;)
Speaking of fall...I will be teaching two classes at Just 4 Keeps on October 24th. at 10:30 that morning I will be teaching one of my Ink Techniques Classes. It will be so much fun! I will be teaching more than 10 techniques with ink using cool new products! FUN!
And at 1 that afternoon I will also be teaching a double page layout class called F is for Fall! It will be SO MUCH FUN!!!! We will be playing with ink to make the background paper and trees! You don't have to be an expert to take either class and you don't have to have all the supplies! I will bring enough for everyone to share, but you will WANT this stuff when you are done!!
If you are free on the 24th I hope to see you there!!
I'm off to eat some lunch! It was nice to blow the dust off the 'ole blog! ;)
Have a wonderful Thursday!
LUV APRIL

I have a child in school! Oh my!

massadmomma@yahoo.com (April Massad) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 21:01:00 +0000

It's really weird to say that!! Brodey started school last week! It was a total surprise! One of the doctors that Eric works with told Eric that where his kid goes to school had one opening. So Eric called me last Tuesday and said CALL NOW! So I did and we started that next day!
When I got off the phone I said "well Bro you start school tomorrow!"
He said "But I don't know my ABCDEFG's!!!"
I laughed and told him not to worry! That was why you go to school!
So that night I freaked out a little bit. I'm glad I didn't have weeks or days to think about it! LOL That night I go into Bro's room and Eric has clothes all laid out for him! I was like no way! If I have to take him I get to pick out what he is wearing!
After we picked out clothes it took forever to get him to sleep. I was so worried he wouldn't get up. Brodey likes to sleep. It's really difficult to wake him up in the morning, but all I had to say to wake him was "are you ready to go to school?" He shot up out of bed at that!
He goes to a Methodist preschool in Tahlequah so it takes us about 15 minutes to get there. Once we did he put on his shy guy show. He held onto my leg and buried his face in until he saw Kale. (his daddy is the one that told us about it) He has played with Kale before so it was nice for him to know someone. Kale was actually born 6 days before Brodey! Weird!

So once he sat down at the table and found out he got to use scissors he was hooked! I snapped a quick pic before I left! He didn't even know! Yeah!!
When I came back to pick him up his teachers said he did awesome! I was worried because this was only his third time staying somewhere with people he didn't know. I was so relieved he did so well! He actually didn't want to leave! I had to convince him to get in the car!
He painted me a picture (which looks so cute framed in his room) and he made new friends! He had a blast and he talks about it all the time! It's only for 3 hours and only 2 days a week for now, but he loves it so I love it too!!
Well I'm going to go figure out whose little dogs are in my yard!
Have a good day!
LUV APRIL

Happy Birthday Dad!!!!

massadmomma@yahoo.com (April Massad) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 04:18:00 +0000

I LOVE my Dad. Sometimes I think I am the luckiest daughter on Earth! I have the best Dad ever! I tell him that all the time, but I don't think he takes me seriously. Well Dad I am SERIOUS! You are the best Dad ever!!
I did a layout about him a couple of years ago. I love it. I think I might frame it and give it to him. If you click on it you can read the journaling. I just love all the old photos!!

My Dad was actually born on Friday the 13! LOL I think that's why that date never bothered me! ;)
I had a first today on my Dad's birthday! I just happened to go to the Creating Keepsakes website and scroll down and there is Brodey and I smiling back at me! I was like wow! That's cool! It's from my Faux Quilting Technique from the September issue. Fun!!
Okay I am wiped out. I survived an evening in Tulsa with Eric. It's so painful to shop with him. Making a decision about shoes for him is like choosing who you are going to marry. Okay so maybe he didn't have such a hard time with that decision...hehe! He did reward me with Ted's and an ice cold Modelo for my efforts. So I guess it was worth it!
I'm off to bed! Happy Birthday Dad! I LOVE ya!
Goodnight!
LUV APRIL

I have the best friends EVER!

massadmomma@yahoo.com (April Massad) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 01:07:00 +0000

I really do! My group of besties (as we call ourselves) have been friends for a very long time. I have known Natalie my entire life. I went to preschool with Becky and Erin. I went to 1st grade with Destiny, 4th grade with Trisha, and Kari moved to Holdenville in the 8th grade. I love my girls!
As you know we all went to Mexico last month. Last weekend they all came and stayed at my house and we floated the Illinois river. It was a blast!!!

I had never been before and we live all of 20 minutes from there! I am so ready to go back! Lots of funny memories!! (can you tell from the photos that we went a little crazy in the hat section of the gift shop? LOL)
Friday the last of our group turned 30! Me, Kari, and Natalie went to Bricktown with Trisha to celebrate! It was fun! We always have fun together! It doesn't matter where we are! We will have a good time!

It's storming like crazy here. It's times like this that I hate living on a hill.
If you noticed my layout in the Tips and Tricks column of the September Creating Keepsakes you can click HERE
and see the visual step by steps for the quilting technique! It's so much fun!
Okay I'm getting off of here! I might just park my butt in the storm shelter for a while! ;)
Goodnight!
LUV APRIL

Thank you!

massadmomma@yahoo.com (April Massad) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 15:03:00 +0000

A big THANK YOU goes out to everyone that bid on spots for the Just 4 Keeps SOS Sale Photo Shoot!
I can't tell you how much fun I have photographing everyone! Most of the kiddos that come I have been photographing at J4K since they were babies! It's so awesome to see them every time and I am so amazed at how much older they look each time!
These are a few of my faves. I'm mad because I took some CUTE pics of a family I have photographed twice before and it got transfered instead of copied. So I don't have those to post. :( Maybe I can just edit them again!
Jen brought up her little Girl Scout troop to take some quick pics after their trip to Sweet and Sassy. They were all dolled up and ready to cheese for the camera! SO CUTE and they all did an awesome job!
Ally here I have been photographing since she was a baby! She is so much fun and always comes dressed to impress! (Her grandma works at Baby Gap! Go figure!)

Abby and Maddy's mom, Jessica, works at Just 4 Keeps. Abby (in pink with her sisiter in white) used to say she was going to marry Brodey! Hehe! Hey he just might like older women! ;)
Okay I'll stop posting pics for now. I just love everyone I photograph and can't wait to do it again! I just wish I lived closer! ;) Maybe that will happen soon...
We are headed to the lake this weekend. Not too many weekends left of summer! Boo! I'm off to go clean house! I hate leaving with a messy house! Cleaning is no fun! I want to pout like Ally...

Hahahaha!!!!
Have an awesome weekend!!
LUV APRIL

I'm not a morning person RICO!!!!!

massadmomma@yahoo.com (April Massad) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:56:00 +0000

Thunder woke me up at 6am this morning. When that happens I always get up and look at the radar. Call me paranoid, but here in Oklahoma where there are no tornado sirens you don't fool around. Once I figured out it was just some rain I went back to bed. About 10 minutes later I hear something.
"Hey Eric do you hear that?"
He's like "Ya it sounds like....like...a lawn mower."
I laugh "Not possible. It must be a helicopter." I try to go back to sleep.
A few minutes later it gets louder. I get up out of bed and notice on the security monitor that it IS the freaking lawn mower guys. What the crap!?!?!
"Well you were right. (giggle giggle) It IS the lawn mower guys. AND it's still pouring down raing. Oh and it's still lightening too."
Eric's like "NO WAY!" He didn't think it was funny.
I wouldn't have thought it was so funny if I hadn't already been up due to the storms. They would have thought the devil appeared on my front porch in a tshirt and pink panties if they had been the ones to wake me up! I am SO not a morning person. Neither are Eric or Brodey.
If I do have to get up early I do so with a smile on my face, but I don't choose to get up if I don't have to. Brodey is the same way. Most days he gets up right after Eric leaves or between 8 to 8:30. If he went swimming the day before and didn't take a nap he might sleep until 9. So you can see that the 6am wake up call from Rico and the boys was NOT welcome.
I decided since I was up to cook some breakfast while Eric took a shower. Brodey was still asleep at this point but the noise I was making woke him up. I went in there and kissed on him and he said "Don't you want to come back to sleep!?!" I just cracked up! I love that boy!
So I still have not edited my 4th pics. We had an awesome one despite all the rain. I have to say it was pretty fun to watch the fireworks at the lake while it rained the sky lit up with lightening behind them!
Well I'm off to water the front porch plants that didn't benefit from the rain!
Have a wonderful Thursday!
LUV APRIL

Mexico!

massadmomma@yahoo.com (April Massad) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 20:50:00 +0000

Okay so if I had to write about everything that happened in Mexico....well it would have to be it's own website and it would have to be censored!! So I'll just summarize...
- Made it to the airport to depart with seconds to spare. The lady next to us with a different flight at the same time didn't make it.
- Frolicking on the beach
- Entertainment Staff = Bryan Tapley
- Mr White Body = Mitch
- Sport's Bar (or Sport's Bra if you have been taking advantage of the free drinks)
- Eric's $40 wreck with the taxi in the dune buggy
- Pirate Ship. Jason's Rope Swing. Natalie and Bryan's 11 second win (which is video'd by the way)
- Oklahomans EVERYWHERE (we really like Mexico)
- Late night infinity pool over the securty chain
- Disco Night
- Rasta Bar and Chi Chi beach photo
- "You are from Oklahoma? Oh you say YEE HA!"
- Plantino's
- Carlos and Charlie's....where it all began
- Where are YOUR kids??? At their grandmother's? EXACTLY!!!!!!!
Oh my gosh! Too much to remember! Feel free to add girls!
That had to be the best trip ever. We should all start deciding where to go next year!
I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!!!
April

Welcome Weekend

massadmomma@yahoo.com (April Massad) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 20:01:00 +0000

Woohoo! Don't you love Friday? Friday was always my favorite day of the week. You have the whole weekend to look forward to. Nothing is rushed. You know you don't have to get up in the morning! I love it!
We will probably have a pretty busy weekend! I'm bummed we don't get to go to the lake, but we have a good reason. We have to take our dive gear to Tulsa to get serviced. We leave for Mexico a week from today. I also have to attempt to find a bathing suit and some cute dresses to take!
It's always so difficult for me to find a bathing suit. I always envy the girls with smaller chests because they get to go buy the cute(and cheap) little string biknis! I have to find the more sporty tops that will keep the girls secure...if you know what I mean! ;) Oh well! Let the search begin!
Also Sunday is our 7 year anniversary! I'm not expecting anything. We don't usually spend a ton of money on each other on holidays. I'm trying to think of a little something to get him, but he is THE hardest person to buy for. You can ask anyone that has to buy him anything and they will totally agree! I'm going to try to be sneaky when we go to Tulsa so that maybe I can buy him something behind his back. We'll see if that works!
We got lucky this morning with the weather. It was a pretty severe storm that came through and the tornados went north. Not lucky for the people that live up there, but lucky for me! It cooled it off quite a bit, but the temp is slowly creeping back up there!
So Eric and I have been hiding toothpaste back and forth. I know we are weird. I had been begging him to bring home "some of that good toothpaste" from the office forever. I can't remember what it's called. So finally he does and he decides he wants to use it all himself and he doesn't like the other toothpaste I got from Wal-Mart. So the other day I go to brush my teeth and in the new toothpaste's place is the old one! I'm like WHAT!?! So I am searching around and finally find it hidden behind his beard trimmer. Oh okay so you want to play THAT game? After I use it I take the new one, hide it GOOD, and put the old one where he had hidden the new one. Hehe.
That night we both happen to be in the bathroom when we he goes to brush his teeth. I'm watching him out of the corner of my eye and I see him trying to be sneaky and go for the new toothpaste behind the trimmer. OMG I could barely contain myself. I'm trying so hard to compress my giggles and when he finally realizes what I have done I lose it! I'm like "HA! You thought you would hide the new toothpaste that I asked you to bring home!!!"
"Well ya! I like that one and you don't care to use the new one!"
I'm like "Oh okay. So you want to play that game?"
He says "Ya I'm gonna hide it where you can't find it!"
So Eric has declared war! It will be fun to see where this game goes! He stinks at hiding stuff. I am guessing he will get mad when I hide it so good he can't find it and call a truce! Hahahahaha!!! Fun!
Well I better go continue on my cleaning spree and find a good hiding place for today! ;)
Have a fab weekend!
LUV APRIL

Girls have shiny lips...

massadmomma@yahoo.com (April Massad) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 23:22:00 +0000

So I tell Brodey that soon he will go to school and there will be cute girls there and maybe he will find a girlfriend.
"I don't want a girlfriend."
"Oh really? Why?"
"Because girls are hairy."
Of course I am laughing my butt off. "I'm not hairy!! Besides, boys are hairy too!"
"Well girls have shiny lips."
"Oh well okay then." That makes TOTAL sense! ;)

We leave next week for our big Mexico trip! So excited! I've been cleaning my house like crazy. I can't stand to leave with it messy.
I have no idea what clothes I'm going to take. I have to go to the mall this weekend. We have to go to Tulsa anyway to have our dive gear serviced. Hopefully I will find a cute bathing suit and some cute dresses!
Okay well I'm off to cook some dinner! Totally healthy chicken fried chicken. HAhaha!!! That's usually what's for dinner when I want to wait one more day before heading to the grocery store!
Goonight!
LUV APRIL

Yes I am an Oklahoman!

massadmomma@yahoo.com (April Massad) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 17:38:00 +0000

Kathy posted this in the forum at Just 4 Keeps and I HAD to share!
So this is what Jeff Foxworthy has to say about folks from Oklahoma:
- If someone in a Lowe's store offers you assistance and they don't work there, you may live in Oklahoma
I had to LOL at this one! This has never happened to me in Lowe's, but it happens almost every time I go to Hobby Lobby or Wal-Mart! My mom will be on the phone with me and she will say "is someone asking you for help again?" I'm like yep.

If you've worn shorts and a parka at the same time, you may live in Oklahoma
Think about all those times we have worn a sweatshirt or jacket with shorts! Hahaha!

If you've had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number, you may live in Oklahoma
Okay Natalie. Do you remember when we used to prank call people in the summer and pretend like we were Santa and Mrs Claus? Remember that lady we would call and she would actually TALK to us? LMAO!!!

If 'vacation' means going anywhere south of Dallas for the weekend,
you may live in Oklahoma
How many times have I said THIS one?

If you measure distance in hours, you may live in Oklahoma
This is TOO funny because just this weekend someone asked me how far away Tahlequah was from Holdenville and I said "oh about an hour and 40 mintues." Hahaha!!!

If you say Fixin to, a walla go and ya'll because you heard it from the teacher in school, you may live in Oklahoma

If you know several people who have hit a deer more than once,
you may live in Oklahoma
Um that would be my brother!

If you install security lights on your house and garage, but leave both unlocked, you may live in Oklahoma
That would be my parents.

If you carry jumper cables in your car and your wife knows how to use them, you may live in Oklahoma
That would be ME!

If the speed limit on the highway is 55 mph -- you're going 80 and everybody is passing you, you may live in Oklahoma

If you find 60 degrees 'a little chilly, you may live in Oklahoma
Okay I just said this the other day! OMG these are so true it's scary!

If you see a tornado warning on the television but don't get too awfully excited about it until you actually SEE it coming toward you, you may live in Oklahoma

They are cattle. That's what they smell like to you. They smell like money to us. Get over it. Don't like it? I-40 goes east and west, & I-35 goes north and south. Pick one.

So you have a $60,000 car. We're impressed. We have $250,000 combines that are driven only 3 weeks a year.

If that cell phone rings while a bunch of ducks are coming in, we WILL shoot it out of your hand. You better hope you don't have it up to your ear at the time.

The 'Opener' refers to the first day of deer season. It's a religious holiday held the closest Saturday to the first of November.

We open doors for women. That is applied to ALL women, regardless of age.

College and high school football & basketball is important here and fun to watch.

Yeah, we have golf courses. But don't hit the water hazards -- it spooks the fish.
Okay this one had me lol so hard!

The students that go to our colleges come outta there with an education plus a love for God and country, and they still wave at passing pickups when they come home for the holidays.

Okay sorry these were too good for me not to share! I had such a good time reading them to my mom and to Eric. I love Oklahoma!
LUV APRIL

Stuffed Shells & Simple Pleasures

massadmomma@yahoo.com (April Massad) — Fri, 29 May 2009 17:27:00 +0000

Brodey is pretty easy to entertain. Scooby Doo will do the trick for as long as I let him sit there glued to the tv. When I feel like he has had enough it's pretty easy to find something for him to do. When I was little the only time we got to play with the garden hose was if we had a Slip and Slide or when we were getting hosed off before we were able to come in the house. It was just too muddy for us to really be able to play with the garden hose. Where we live now (in Tahlequah on a hill) we can get 6 inches of rain and it's gone in about 5 minutes. I can't plant anything or even stick a shephard's hook in the ground because it's that solid. We have about an inch of soil and the rest is rock so when I need to entertain Bro while I'm outside I just hand him the garden hose. He can spray that thing forever and no mud. It's great!
I looked over at him today in his little pull ups and PJ top and thought "my gosh the money we spend on toys and I can give the kid a garden hose and he's happy." ~ Don't worry environmentalists. I put a limit on his spray time. ;)
So I guess this weekend we are headed back to the lake! Tomorrow we have a birthday party for Citi (Eric's grandma) to go to. It isn't until later so we get to be lake trash the rest of the day and weekend. I just wish I had my little point and shoot fixed. Ah well!
So Natalie requested the recipe for Stuffed Shells. Brodey LOVES this dinner. I am always searching magazines and cookbooks for new dinners to cook. It gets old cooking the same thing when you have to cook dinner 7 nights a week. Most of the time the recipe gets changed to fit what my family likes to eat. Eric wants garlic in everything. I stick onions in just about everything I cook. This recipe is originally from a Paula Deen magazine and called for Turkey and spinach. I replaced the turkey with ground beef and sausage and nixed the spinach. Eric LOVES spinach, but not in his food. Go figure.
Brodey is so used to me cooking with onions and peppers that he has become a really good eater. He will eat broccoli, guacamole, and just about anything else we put in front of him. He might not like it, but he WILL try it!
Oh before I post this recipe I have to point out that with dinner we do no calorie counting. I count calories all day long with what I eat, but at dinner I just eat what I want but a small amount. So if you are trying to lose weight, you might try to change things about this recipe to make it suit you and your family. In this house when we eat dinner...we EAT! ;)

Stuffed Shells
1 pound ground beef
About 1/4 package of sausage (optional) I use the little Jimmy Dean roll
1/2 yellow onion (chopped)
1/2 Red Bell Pepper (chopped)
1 8oz Package of Cream Cheese, softened
3 Cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
2 Cups Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 Package of Jumbo Pasta Shells (this amount will fill up a 9x13 inch baking dish)
1 10oz Jar of your favorite pasta sauce (I use Ragu Marinara)

Preheat oven to 350. Spray your 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.
Boil your jumbo shells as directed on the package. Drain and rinse your shells and set aside.
(optional) Crumble and cook your sausage in a small skillet until done. Set aside.
In a large skillet season and cook your ground beef until almost done. (I season mine with minced garlic, salt, and pepper) Add your red pepper and onion. Cook until beef is done and onions are translucent.
Add your cooked sausage to the beef mixture. Stir your sofened Cream Cheese into the sausage/beef mixture. Once that is mixed stir in 2 cups of mozzarella cheese and the grated parmesan cheese. (the mixture will be thick)
Spread about 1/2 cup of the pasta sauce onto the bottom of the baking dish.
Spoon beef mixture into cooked shells and lay them in the bottom of the baking dish. Pour remaining pasta sauce over shells.
Cover and cook 45 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese and cook uncovered for an additional 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted.

*If you like spinach just add 1 10oz package of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and dranined to the beef mixture before you stuff the shells!

And that's how you make the stuffed shells! They are SO good! I actually think they are better the next day for lunch! When I cook these I also make a baked potato and a green salad.
If anyone makes this let me know if you like it! If you have any questions or if I goofed typing it out let me know too!
Well I'm off to clean this house of mine! I hate coming back to a dirty house after a fun weekend!
I hope you have a fun one too!
LUV APRIL

21 Days

massadmomma@yahoo.com (April Massad) — Wed, 27 May 2009 21:21:00 +0000

Wow I can't even believe it's been 21 days since I last blogged. I'm really going to have to get back into the groove. Now that summer has arrived I should have plenty to blog about. Winter is so boring.
I had an awesome Memorial Day weekend! We went to Holdenville Lake (as usual) and had so much fun! We played horseshoes until 2. We busted the taco (our large/flat tube) and the boys tried to do barrel rolls on a tube we found at Wal-Mart. It wasn't small enough to do the trick! Maybe we can find a smaller one!

Brodey has so much fun! I think he has more fun each year he gets older! He loves to ride around on the 4 wheeler with Poppa and he loves to swim. He is just like me when I was his age and hates to go in the boat! Why would you want to go in the boat when there is a whole beach of sand to play in? ;)

I can't wait to go back!!!
It's so cool here today! Brodey and I went out to water the plants and we headed right back in! 50-something degrees is not good first thing in the morning in shorts!! LOL It woke us up!
I HAVE to get my little point and shoot fixed. It broke a few weeks ago and I didn't realize how often I used it until I didn't have it! I always take it to the lake and it's so much easy to carry around than the huge camera! I really missed it! I don't take as many photos if I don't have it and I can't do videos with the big camera! I have to get that thing fixed!

Okay so if you are on Facebook you have to add me as a friend! I'm so addicted! It's so much fun! I love reading everyone's updates and looking at everyone's photos!!

Okay so I have to do a little bragging. :) I have a layout in the June issue of Scrapboks Etc and I'm excited about that because it's my first pub with them! Yeah! I also have layouts in May and June Creating Keepsakes (which are both out now) AND one of the layouts is also featured online HERE! I discovered it today and had to share! I know that I have some family members who want to know ahead of time what layouts I will have coming out. To keep up with that all you have to do is click on "scrapbook resume" at the top of my blog on the right! Okay tooting time is over! I was just excited and had to share! ;)
Okay I'm off to get dinner started! Stuffed shells tonight! YUM! Since it's so cool outside I get to cook in the oven!
Goodnight!!!
LUV APRIL

Back Home!

massadmomma@yahoo.com (April Massad) — Thu, 07 May 2009 05:41:00 +0000

Well I just got back home from Shawnee/OKC!
I got my hair done. I got to see my sister and Danielle! YEAH! Then Bro, Mom, Dad and I headed to OKC. We only made it to Sam's, Dillard's and to eat. I'm trying to use my new Clarisonic but it won't work. I'm thinking I need to charge it and try again tomorrow. Oh and I have to take a trip to Wal-Mart tomorrow. I dropped my point and shoot camera yesterday and broke it. Thank goodness for extended warranties! ;)
Off to bed! Goonight!
LUV APRIL

Jewelry Art?

massadmomma@yahoo.com (April Massad) — Tue, 05 May 2009 19:29:00 +0000

Well maybe not ART, but I think it looks pretty! I have wanted to put out the necklaces I wear the most and this was my solution today. Who knows I might figure out another way, but this works now! I bought four new ones at American Eagle the other day and I didn't want to put them away in my jewelry cabinet just yet. They were too pretty to put away! They look good all hung up together. These aren't my real ones, just the ones from Gap, Wal-Mart, White House Black Market, Forever 21, random flea markets, etc. It was hard to get a good pic because it's right as you walk into my closet on the left. I'm curious to see what Eric has to say about it. LOL I can just hear him now..."HOW are you going to cover up all those nail holes?" And I will say "Putty honey." Hahahahaha!!!
I'm kind of sad today because scrapnfonts.com isn't going to be selling the Creating Keepsakes fonts anymore. :( I had to buy some up today because it's the last day you can buy them. Those are my favorite all time fonts!!! Especially now since I have a new obsession....my SIHLOUETTE!!!! It's a die cutting machine you hook up to your computer and cut out all sorts of awesome things! Revolution dies, words, shapes, whatever! I LOVE IT!
Okay it's another rainy day and maybe this rain will get me back into the blogging mode. Maybe I didn't blog over the winter because I HATE winter and there is nothing going on. Hmm. That could be the case!
I'll leave you for now! Time to put on another episode of Schooby Doo! Rain rain go away!
LUV APRIL

Got rain?

massadmomma@yahoo.com (April Massad) — Tue, 05 May 2009 01:16:00 +0000

My goodness it's been raining here nonstop since oh like WEDNESDAY! My gosh! I don't mind rain as long as it lets up enough to ease my boy's cabin fever! I let him go out today for a little while. He didn't last long. LOL He decided it was a better idea to come back in and sit in front of the tv in his underwear watching Scooby Doo with a bowl of popcorn. ;)
He is obsessed with Scooby Doo right now. Jennifer said Olivia is the same. Oh and who knew there were so many versions? A Pup Named Scooby Doo, What's New Scooby Doo, Where Are You Scooby Doo, Scooby Doo and Scrappy Too! I had no idea! He knows the theme song to all of them and of course he sounds so cute singing them!
I just noticed how little the puppy is in the photo of my last post. He is SO much bigger now and he's driving me nuts. He chews everything. Even rocks! Why would you even want to chew a rock? (I know he is probably teething BUT STILL!)
My Mom is always jealous because my hydrangeas grow so much better than her's do. My Meme says it's because I have the perfect light on my back porch for them. Mom calls on Friday and suggested I cut some and put them in a vase so more will bloom out. I did and are they not SO pretty!?! They even smell good!
Well I haven't uploaded the photos of Bro's head yet. I know I'm pathetic. I am so bad at that. It looks great, though. It's healing nicely and I'm not even sure the scar is going to be that bad!
I had a blast this weekend! I taught a layout class at Just 4 Keeps on National Scrapbook Day. I always have fun there!! I think Kathy was taking pics of me while I was teaching. I'm going to have to bug her to send them to me!
Okay I'm off to get Bro ready for bed! I love blogging when I can get myself to do it!
Have a good night!
LUV APRIL

Wow....really?

massadmomma@yahoo.com (April Massad) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 04:42:00 +0000

Has is really been since MARCH? My goodness!
It's been a little crazy around here. We have been redoing bathrooms since the first of February. Almost done.
We have been contemplating a move back to Edmond. That isn't 100%....yet. ;)
We have had some crazy weather! Oh and we got a new dog. Well Eric brought home a new dog.

Well okay that photo was taken the day we got him and that was oh about 3 weeks ago. I know I'm terrible. It's really just making myself sit down and blog.
Oh I had a birthday. Eric had a birthday. Man talk about a neglected blog! Good thing nothing eventful happened! LOL
Friday night Brodey's forehead was introduced to the flowerpot on the backporch. He cracked it, actually. It was pretty bad. He did WAY better than I ever expected him to act at the ER. They glued it back together with Dermabond. The PA in the ER didn't do such a great job. (Well you didn't if you are reading this, PA.) So he should have a nice scar. That's the last time we go to the ER for something like that. We should have taken him to the office and let Eric stitch it up. It wouldn't have been such a pleasant experience, but at least he wouldn't have a scar! Oh well Jonnelle assures me that he will be able to brag about it later! :)
I'll post a pic tomorrow. I will keep my promise this time!
That's all the catching up for tonight! Time to go to bed!
Goodnight!
LUV APRIL

For shame!

massadmomma@yahoo.com (April Massad) — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 15:33:00 +0000

Wow! I haven't blogged since JANUARY! That is horrible! It's so sad to think of all the things that have happened and I can't even remember! LOL I have vowed to get back into the blogging mode! (Plus winter is actually pretty boring)
So I'm trying to figure out a new look for the blog and I'm going to start posting again! Yeah!
LUV APRIL

P.S. Look for Brodey's cheesy face in the April issue of Creating Keepsakes!

Mother Nature

massadmomma@yahoo.com (April Massad) — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 17:33:00 +0000

Here in Oklahoma we are always at the mercy of Mother Nature. If it isn't tornados it's 70 degrees in the morning and freezing rain that night.
I like change so it usually doesn't bother me...until Mother Nature lays a sheet of ice on us! I HATE Oklahoma winters. We don't get the pretty fluffy snow that Colorado or Utah gets. Here in Oklahoma winter consists of subzeor temperatures that come sweeping down the plains or a blanket of ice that wipes out power for thousands. That's exactly what we are dealing with right now. Both at the same time.
We are one of the thousands without power. Since Tuesday at 2pm. I was actually heat embossing a piece of chipboard for my February Technique Tuesday class and well it just stopped. I was praying "come back on come back on." Nope. My prayers weren't answered. Luckily Eric bought a generator a couple of years ago and my dad brought it up 2 weeks ago.
That's how I am blogging right now. We have tv, internet, fridge, freezer, and ice maker. We are lucky that we have a gas fireplace, stove, and hot water heater. So I guess we aren't TOO bad off. My gosh, though, you don't realize how often you use the garbage disposal or washer/dryer until you are without! I can't complain yet, though. 8 years ago we were out for 15 days. Now THAT was bad.
Our electric company currently has over 7,200 customers without power right now and everyone should be restored by Tuesday night. Great. Looks like I'll be headed to the laundry mat!
As I am sitting here typing it sounds like a war zone out there. The ice is slowly melting since the temperature has climbed to 32 degrees. Ice is sliding off my roof and falling. You can hear whole trees crashing and huge limbs. The road that runs in front of our house that leads to the highway is totally blocked off by trees one way. The other way was about 85% blocked as of yesterday. Eric did make it to work, though!
Brodey is loving it. We have been camping out in the living room floor on a king size blow up mattress. We have the rest of the house blocked off. It has to be at least low 40's in my bedroom/bathroom!
Well I'm going to go warm up some lunch! The microwave pulls to much juice to hook up to the generator so it's stove time! I LOVE gas! I will never live without it! Especially in Oklahoma! ;)
Stay warm!
LUV APRIL

Come on in!

massadmomma@yahoo.com (April Massad) — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 17:19:00 +0000

If you want to have fun and play with ink you should come by Just 4 Keeps on Saturday! I'll be teaching my Ink Techniques class! It will be a ton of fun! :)
Short post today! Too stinkin' busy!
Have a fab Monday!
LUV APRIL

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRODEY!!!

massadmomma@yahoo.com (April Massad) — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 03:05:00 +0000

Wow! 3 already? Before I know it I will be giving him a CAR! Slow down time! If Brodey's getting a car for his birthday....I'll be turning 43! AH!!!!! 30 is kind of nice. I'm not sure about 46!
Okay back to reality. Bro had a great birthday! This is the first one without ice or snow. He actually got to go outside and ride the John Deere tractor he got from Eric's parents for Christmas. No I haven't even started to upload those photos. I'm so behind.
Bro was really excited about his birthday gift from us, though. He got his very own camera. It's so cute. It's a Fisher Price digital camera that is waterproof. I can even upload his photos to the computer. He was a real nonworking digital camera of mine from years ago. He plays with it ALL the time. I thought he would enjoy his own real camera. He loves it!
Okay the birthday boy wants to go lay down on the couch. I can't deny him until midnight...right? LOL
GOODNIGHT!
LUV APRIL

Wipe down your gifts from Santa!

massadmomma@yahoo.com (April Massad) — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 22:33:00 +0000

You better wipe down your Santa gifts with some Lysol wipes if he comes your way after leaving my house!
Brodey started getting sick Sunday night and is still not feeling 100%. I started getting sick last night and feel horrible today. It's horrible. Both ends. I hope it doesn't head your way!
I'm so bummed! I had so many fun things planned for us to do tonight and NONE of those included the toilet or laying on the couch. Ah well. At least we are together!
Have a wonderful Christmad Eve! I love you all!!!!
LUV APRIL

Wipe down your gifts from Santa

massadmomma@yahoo.com (April Massad) — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 22:33:00 +0000

Eric is victorious!

massadmomma@yahoo.com (April Massad) — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 04:27:00 +0000

He successfully fixed the dryer! It actually dries my clothes in one cycle! Yeah Eric!!! Now if he could fix the leak down at Crescent Valley Church! LOL
Brodey and I stripped down to take a shower today and guess what? NO WATER. I was so mad. When it did finally come on, I was scrubbing my hair like a madwoman. I just knew it was going to stop as soon as I got the shampoo all soaped up! It didn't, though! I told my mom it was a good thing. My comment the other day might have proven a reality! ;)
I'm headed to Just 4 Keeps tomorrow to teach! Wee hoo!!! I haven't been feeling 100% last night and today so I hope I can have enough steam left to stay and crop!
I've been typing like crazy to finish our family recipe book before we have Christmas at Meme's. It's the most awesome thing and I'm so excited about it! I've been compiling all of our family's recipes into a cookbook on Tastebook. Thank you Susan H for the link!!!
Believe it or not it's officially been a week since I started trying to upload my scrap video. Ridiculous! I'm taking it to Just 4 Keeps tomorrow to upload it there.
Well I'm off to pack my scrappy business! ;) I better get started! I'm already tired!
GOODNIGHT!!!
LUV APRIL

Fun Firsts

massadmomma@yahoo.com (April Massad) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 19:04:00 +0000

Got this from Susan's blog! Fun stuff!

1. Who was your FIRST prom date? Eric...yes I know boring. Hehe!

2. What was your FIRST alcoholic drink? Oh who knows. Probably a Zima with a Jolly Rancher in it! LOL

3. What was your FIRST job? Babysitting. Fun times with the Stallings! $1 an hour per kid!

4. What was your FIRST car? A teal Camaro. 1995. I loved that car. I cried when I traded it in. I felt so guilty. I think everyone in the state of Oklahoma hit that car.

5. Who was the FIRST person to text you today? Ally of course! LOL

6. Who is the FIRST person you thought of this morning? Eric when he got up at 6:45 to see if there were any deer outside.

7. Who was your FIRST grade teacher? Mrs. Jackson! THE BEST teacher EVER!!! She was actually my mom's first grade teacher too! She gave some major bear hugs!

8. Where did you go on your FIRST ride on an airplane? I went to Disney World during Christmas break when I was in the 5th grade. I went with my cousins!

9. Who was your FIRST best friend and are you still friends? Natalie Treadwell Tapley. We played together as babies! Well okay maybe not PLAYED. We probably just laid there on the blanket and stared at each other! We still do that! HAHAHAHAH! I AM KIDDING!

10. What was your FIRST sport played? Probably T Ball. I was on the Grace Manor Nursing Home team! Haha!

11. Where was your FIRST sleep over? I really don't know. We were always having sleepovers at someone's house.

12. Who was the FIRST person you talked to today? My mom. I can't remember why now...

13. Whose wedding were you in the FIRST time? I was the flower girl for my aunt's wedding. I did a good job throwing the petals, but I wouldn't look up.

14. What was the FIRST thing you did this morning? Get Brodey milk.

15. What was the FIRST concert you ever went to? New Kids on the Block in Atlanta with Allyson Ayers! We wore tye die Hammer Pants. I SO wish I had pics!

16. FIRST tattoo or piercing? First and only piercing would be when I was little. I can't remember my age, but the lady was crossed eyed and I expressed my concern to Meme and it ended up being an "I told you so."

17.FIRST foreign place you've ever been? Cayman Islands when Eric and I were married.

18. What was your FIRST run in with the law? Gosh I guess it would be a ticket? I'm not sure!

19. What was your FIRST detention? I had to hold the pole in the 5th grade, but I can't remember why.

20. Where did you go on your FIRST limo ride? I've never been in a limo!

Now wasn't that recap fun!?!? I can't wait to read about your firsts!!!!
LUV APRIL

ETA...HEY GINA!!!! Could you have bought MY Mystic Teal Metallic '95 Camaro??? Hhhmmmm!!!!

Stick Ross and Tree Hackers

massadmomma@yahoo.com (April Massad) — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 21:12:00 +0000

I'm having a bad day. (no it's not THAT time of the month)
First I get woken up by the tree trimmer people. I had orders from Eric not to let them in. So then Lake Region Electric calls. So I let them in. They trump Eric.
"My husband likes his trees." I tell the guys. "So can you please do a good job so I don't have to go stay at my mom's? Pretty please?"
So they proceed to demolish the trees lining the rode. I know I know. We will be thankful when the ice storms hit. Well not Eric. "I have a generator thank you. I don't want my trees hacked up. Do you know how many animals live in those trees?"
So I guess he expects me to take Bro out and tie ourselves up to the tree with a chain so they won't chop it down? I'm a little more down to Earth.
I'm standing on top of the vanity in Bro's bathroom watching them hack away (because I'm nosey) and I notice they start to hack away at the cedar tree they said they would just trim. I'm like CRAP. Hack hack hack.
Ding dong.
"Ma'am. The tree has to go. It's directly under the powerline. You have three options. We cut it for free. The electric company makes you pay someone to cut it. Or when the ice storms come this winter you lose electric and the company cuts it down and you have to dispose of it yourself."
"Fine cut it down." GREAT. Now I get to tell Eric the cedar tree is no more. That'll wait until later.
I mosey on into the kitchen feeling sorry for myself that I have to break the news about the cedar to Eric. I turn on the water to rinse the dishes and not a drop. Nothing. I'm mad. I can't even tell you how many times this happens. It's always the same reason. The church down the road.
So I call up Stick Ross Mountain Water Company which is actually a secretary at an accounting office in Tahlequah. Yes I know.
"M&R Accounting."
"What do you think Crescent Valley Church would do if I waltzed in naked with a towel over my shoulder and said I needed to borrow some water?"
She dies laughing. Well at least someone is laughing today.
"I'm sorry" she says "there is a water leak and they had to shut it off."
I'm like "My gosh! Are they ever going to find it!?!?! This happens all the time! I know it's not your fault, but geez!"
"I'm sorry. Hopefully they find it today." (they is one guy with a cell phone, by the way)
"I hope so too. Thanks."
I dial Eric and when he answers I hold the phone up to the faucet. "What do you hear?"
"Nothing"
"EXACTLY. THAT'S what's coming out of my faucet!!!!!!!!!"
"Oh that sucks."
He doesn't have a clue. He also doesn't have a clue at how annoying it is that I have been trying to upload a stinking video since Saturday.
Am I in the twilight zone? Maybe Ahston Kutcher is going to pop out any minute and say "You've been punk'd!" Maybe this is a very long dream and I'll wake up. I DON'T KNOW!!!!
Sorry this is a bitchfest. I have to vent somewhere! I guess it makes for entertaining blog posts....to everyone except me! PLEASE SOMEONE WAKE ME UP!!!!!! I want to go to the land of rainbows and kittens! Maybe they have running water there!!!
LUV APRIL