Hoppy Easter Everbody....

We hope everyone had a wonderful easter!

You Data Update....

So, a few posts ago I wrote about YouData, and I received a couple of responses asking if it was a legit business. Well, today is Friday and sure enough I received an email stating that payment for $5.25 had been made to my paypal account. Just to make sure it was really real, I decided to go and purchase a digiscrap kit I've been eyeing for a while...and I was able to pay for it using my paypal balance! Sweet!!

As it turns out, YouData seems pretty legit...here's a screen print of my PP account page after I received the email. I guess the 5 minutes I spent viewing ads was really worth it!!

So, here's the link again if you wanted to sign up: http://www.youdata.com/join/rahoopes

It's not a means of making BIG money, that's for sure (this week I've only accumulated $0.43). Just a reminder that they don't send you the cash directly, it's routed to paypal...but for anyone who buys things using paypal I'm sure it wouldn't hurt to have a little extra $$ in your account balance.

{sIx} tAg...

Here is the {sIx}th photo, in the {sIx}th file of my Pictures folder, of which I cleverly titled using the {sIx}th letter of the alphabet...and, which I am cleverly posting on the {sIx}th day of the week.....

Family Foto from April 2006

This was at my niece K's baby blessing, which took place in Colorado 3 years ago! I cannot believe how much all of these little tykes have grown in just three short years. It is soooo appropriate that this turned out to be the picture for the tag, because the girls and I will be going up to Utah in a couple of weeks so all of the grandkids on the Leach side (my side) will be getting together again! We are so very excited for the trip...hopefully I'll have a new camera by then so that I'll be able to snap some new photos of this adorable little clan.

Now, you should all know by now that I don't ever name people in tags....but, if you want to tag yourself, per say, here's what you do:

1. Open your Documents/Pictures file folder

2. Go to your {sIx}th file

3. Go to your {sIx}th picture

4. Post the picture and blog about it

5. Name the picture (bonus points for using the {sIx} letter of the alphabet)

6. Tag {sIx} people to do the same thing

(see how clever that is....6 steps to complete {sIx} tAg). Enjoy!!

Journaling...

"Telling stories, exploring thoughts and preserving memories is the heart of scrapbooking. Sometimes a photo can simply be a complementary accessory to a beautiful layout. To focus on the writing, it is often helpful to have a prompt. Journaling prompts are a lot like challenges - they get your mental juices flowing and help stretch your creativity." - Jennifer W., creator of SimpleScrapper.com

Ahhhh...the [dreaded] topic of journaling. I keep telling myself my primary purpose for starting this blog a few years back was to create a journal, of sorts, for our family. But when it comes down to it, I feel I lack the creativity to write about something other than the standard "this is what we did today." Life is a journey, one that I would like for my daughters to be able to look back on and enjoy. After reading Jennifer's post (quoted above) I realized that I shouldn't look at journaling as a chore, as another annoying task to complete, but rather I should embrace the art of it and enjoy documenting our lives. So, my newest resolution is to really, REALLY try and start journaling about us...and enjoy it. Since I often experience writer's block, I think the following websites (recommended by Jennifer) will be able to help provide fun and creative journaling prompts:

mindbump - serves up fresh prompts with the click of the refresh button
CanTeach journal topics - great questions for focusing on the everyday
Journal Prompt Library - offering a prompt for each day of the year
Journaling Prompts - 365 prompts, each day a surprise
Daily Prompt Generator - 529 random prompts to spark your writing
Daily Writing Prompts - a daily piece of trivia and related prompt
Imagination Prompt Generator - one-by-one creativity prompts

So, here's to turning a new page on my approach to journaling....wish me luck!! Oh, if you're looking for an absolutely adorable digiscrap freebie, stop by SimpleScrapper today for some more journaling tips and a mini-kit by Audrey Neal, designer of be Audacious Designs. Aud has quickly become a favorite designer of mine...there is just something fresh and unique about her designs that I totally love [image below is linked to Audrey's blog].

April...

"April is a promise that May is bound to keep." - Hal Borland

I sure hope this isn't the case when it comes to AZ temperatures...yesterday afternoon topped off at 91 degrees, according to the yahoo! thermometer thingee on my email page. 91 degrees in APRIL...are you kidding me? I pray this was simply one of Mother Nature's random mood swings and that temperatures will remain a little milder until at least the end of May...I would say longer than that, but I know better.

Now to catch up on random things...my senses of taste and smell have [almost] returned. Yippee! AND...potty training with the girls has shown remarkable improvement....a few accidents here and there, but the occurrences are infrequent. We have gone without the pull-ups for an entire week, even at night time, and the girls have woken up dry every morning!! I cannot tell you how ecstatic I am right now...things are finally paying off.

FYI...today's "toe-toe" colors of choice for the girls are [bright green] for Roo and [purple] for AK. They'll probably change again tomorrow.

And, since we are still without a camera, I'll post a few recent scrapbook pages...hope you enjoy viewing!! (I've been asked a few times how I have time to scrapbook, between school and the girls, and I just have to say that sleep and housework are seriously overrated...seriously.)

Created using TaylorMade products (available at Oscraps) during her designer spotlight challenge...the prompts for these two were modern design (L) and timeless (R)

Created for the weekly color challenge and font/typography challenge at Funky Playground Designs

Created with two AMAZING blog freebies from Julie Marie Designs

Something to Check Out...

So, I recently found a nifty website called YouData (youdata.com) that pays you to view ads.

It only takes about 10-15 minutes to sign up - there are some survey questions and such that you need to answer in order to set up your ad profile. You will then receive ads to view as related to you survey answers. You can earn anywhere from $0.05 - $0.20 per ad...just for viewing a little banner and clicking on the link.

It's pretty easy - in less than 5 minutes today, I earned $5.11. The funds are paid every Friday and are routed through PayPal....I told Doug I was doing this to support my digiscrapping habit!

Anyway, if this is something you think you'd be interested in (C'mon...who doesn't want to earn a quick buck or two while finding websites that are TOTALLY catered to your personal interests and likes), you can sign up here:

http://www.youdata.com/join/rahoopes

Yes, there is a little referral incentive, so I would be greatly appreciative if you used the above link to sign up... (Please accept my sincere thanks in advance)

And, if you'd like to see some of the companies that advertise on the site, here are a few fun websites that I discovered during my session earlier today {images are linked}:

From Doug...

I received the following in an email from Doug...it's pretty cool. Just click on the link below, sit back, and enjoy!! (Roo and AK got a kick out of it)

For the Love of Friday....

Today, I am loving:

- That there has only been ONE potty accident today so far....for our two girls, that's not too bad!!
- Afternoon skuggles while reading to the girls
- Watching AK and Roo jump from the coffee table to the couch...again...and again...and again...laughing hysterically every time
- A nicely vacuumed floor
- Cool April breezes...we won't have them much longer
- General Conference weekend
- A fun day of scrapbooking, especially when the majority of pages were made with some **NEW** kits from Pixie Perfect Designs (available Saturday, April 3)

::Toddler Time - Girl:: (available Saturday 4.4.09) by PPD

::Gypsy Spring:: by PPD and ::Forest Friends:: by Ziggle Designs

-Fantastic scrapbooking freebies, such as the following from TaylorMade that are available at OScraps through April 5th

Mama, Mommy, Mom, Mother....

I received the following in an email from my mom....I swear, it could not have come on a more appropriate day. The last little poem is something I added...I found it online a while ago but am sharing it with you now because, well, it was something that I needed to read today. I also added a few little one-liners on motherhood I've collected over the past few years. Enjoy!!

.........................................

MOTHERS

Real Mothers don't eat quiche; they don't have time to make it.

Real Mothers know that their kitchen utensils are probably in the sandbox.

Real Mothers often have sticky floors, filthy ovens and20happy kids.

Real Mothers know that dried play dough doesn't come out of carpets.

Real Mothers don't want to know what the vacuum just sucked up.

Real Mothers sometimes ask 'Why me?'

And get their answer when a little voice says, 'Because I love you best..'

Real Mothers know that a child's growth is not measured by height or years or grade... It is marked by the progression of Mommy to Mom to Mother...

....................................

The Images of Mother

4 YEARS OF AGE - My Mommy can do anything!

8 YEARS OF AGE - My Mom knows a lot! A whole lot!

12 YEARS OF AGE - My Mother doesn't really know quite everything.

14 YEARS OF AGE - Naturally, Mother doesn't know that, either.

16 YEARS OF AGE - Mother? She's hopelessly old-fashioned.

18 YEARS OF AGE - That old woman? She's way out of date!

25 YEARS OF AGE - Well, she might know a little bit about it!

35 YEARS OF AGE - Before we decide, let's get Mom's opinion.

45 YEARS OF AGE - Wonder what Mom would have thought about it?

65 YEARS OF AGE - Wish I could talk it over with Mom

...................................

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair.The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides. The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows!

..................................

Cleaning your house while the kids are still growing is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing.-- Unknown

I don't need to be rich, my children are my treasures.-- Myrna Jean Johnson

The most important thing she'd learned over the years was that there was no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one.-- Jill Churchill

If at first you don't succeed, do it like your mother told you.--Unknown

Life, Love and laughter; What priceless gifts to give our children
-- Phyllis Dryden

.................................

Mother of Twins Prayer

There's two to wash, there's two to dry;

There's two who argue, there's two who cry.

One's in the mud, having a ball;

The other holds a crayon...another marked wall.

Some days seem endless, my patience grows thin.

Why did God choose me to be a mother of twins?

The answer comes clear- at the end of the day,

As I tuck them in bed and to myself I say...

There are two to kiss, there are two to hug;

And best of all, there are two to love.

...................................

Mom....thank you for letting me know that I'm doing okay....even though I feel completely inadequate for the task, as is evidenced by the laundry piling up waiting to be folded, hung up, and put away....and the carpet that is waiting to be vacuumed (for the fourth time today)....and the dishwasher that needs to be emptied so that I can load the dirty dishes that have filled the kitchen sink.

It's good to know that you believe in me, and it's good to get a reminder that there is much, much more than housework to being a "real" mom.

Anosmia...

an⋅os⋅mi⋅a  [an-oz-mee-uh, -os-]
noun
Loss or impairment of the sense of smell (as by damage to olfactory nasal tissue or the olfactory nerve or by obstruction of the nasal passages).

Sounds like fun, eh? This is what I have been dealing with for the past 3 days (that's equivalent to 72 hours, or 4320 minutes, or 259,200 seconds if my math is correct) ....the complete inability to smell or taste ANYTHING. I am hoping this is merely a temporary side effect of whatever sick bug I've been battling for the past week, because I do not think I could handle dealing with this impairment permanently. Before this week, I had never really thought about what a difference losing one or two senses causes. Sure, I've wondered what it would be like to be deaf or blind (I think everyone has at one point in their life). I cannot, however, say that I had even once considered what it would be like to NEVER taste or smell anything. The past few days have been absolute torture as I have come to realize that life would be a very sad thing without being able to smell freshly cut flowers, or to taste sweet, juicy oranges...or smooth, velvety chocolate...even water tastes different now!! The best way I can describe this is entire experience is....it's weird...very, very weird.

After this experience, I vow never to take my senses for granted. Ever.

(Your challenge after reading this, should you choose to accept, is to go and indulge in whatever taste or aroma you enjoy most....enjoy it for me, because I have a feeling it will be a few more days before my senses of taste and smell will return).