Just for kicks...

So, my last post got me thinking that maybe I had some scans of old pictures on this computer. Pictures of me with one or other of The Monkees. I do! :) So, now you are going to be forced to look at them. Unless you click away.
Be forewarned: these pictures are scary. Of course, it is Halloween! :) Now, there are other people in these pictures (and you know who you are!), but in an effort to protect the innocent, they shall remain nameless. :) And so, without further ado, Carrie and The Monkees, from 1988-1998.

6 Random Things

I got tagged a few days ago by Stacy. I am finally sitting here, with some time to get tagging! See if there is anyone left in my blogging circle that hasn't been tagged yet! :)

The Rules:1. Link to the person who tagged you (did that above!).
2. Post the rules on your blog (this is what you are now reading).
3. Write 6 random things about yourself (see below).
4. Tag 6 people at the end of your post and link to them.
5. Let each person know they have been tagged and leave a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

Ok. Now that we have THAT out of the way...
The Random:

1. I have to take things from the middle. I can't take the top or bottom of anything. I'd rather not take something than take the top or bottom. If forced to choose between top or bottom, I'll choose bottom. Less chance of being all boogered up. :) Papers? Middle. Items on a shelf? Middle. Clothes on a rack? Middle. Yeah, it gets frustrating sometimes.

2. I love everything about Christmas! I love the music, the decorations, the gift giving and special church services. I love candle light services and singing carols with my family. I love to sit in the dark, admiring the twinkling, even spasticly blinking tree lights. And I love my Christmas earrings. I used to have quite a collection, mostly gifts from my Na-na. Unfortunately, when thieves broke into our apartment in 2005 they made off with my Christmas earrings! Kind friends have sent me some to get my collection up and running again. I slowly begin to fill all the ear piercings I have (10 in all) with Christmas earrings, letting my kids help me pick the new pair for the day. The more obnoxious, the better.

3. I love to drive alone in my car with the windows down and the music blasting. It's the only time I can honestly say that I actually enjoy being alone. I don't mind if someone is along with me, as long as they don't try to talk to me while I'm singing along with my favorite tunes. Most close friends know better. :)

4. I hoarde special snacks and treats for the time when the kids are in bed. Does that make me a bad Mama? :) I enjoy savoring a good chocolate bar or some ice cream without having to share. Even Scot doesn't ask for a bite.

5. I pick up accents like a dry sponge picks up water! Scot is often slightly embarrassed when we are with people who speak English with a different accent than ours because of this odd habit and quite noticeable. I don't even realize I'm doing it, but it does worry me that someone will think I'm making fun of them. I am not. I just subconsiously take on accents, and I do it pretty well. I was with a group of Canadian volunteers here and after a day or two one of them said, "I didn't realize people from Pennsylvania had the same accent as us!" Scot just rolled his eyes as I mouthed the quesiton, "Am I talking Canadian?" He nodded his head. :) Yeah...British, Austrailian, Canadian, even a bad Palestinian accent. I pick 'em up. It's been great for second langauge aquisition!

6. I love The Monkees. Yeah, I'm sure my parents had hopes that I'd grow out of this one. :) I discovered them in 1986 when I was 11. I've seen them in concert together and solo an embarrassing number of times, and I've met all but one...more than once! I'd go see them again in a heart beat given the opportunity. I have no idea why. They have a certain power over me that turns me into that silly 11 year old little girl, screaming her lungs out at her first concert. They represent a time that was fun and innocent. No worries when I was listening to The Monkees. They are like cheap therapy for me! :)

I tag Beth, Jen, Joanie, Sherry, Diana, and Christina!

No cooperation!

I'm not sure why I expected things to go differently, but I did. I took Georgia Kate for her 3 year birthday pictures on Friday. I took Thomas along with us, since I still hadn't done his 9 year pictures. I'm just a little behind, considering his birthday was in June! But I loved the pictures of Maggie and Scoty together, and I thought I'd snag a few of Thomas and GK too.

Well, Georgia was being contrary and refused to smile. I mean, absolutely refused. We tried tickling, making funny faces, poking, prodding and even bribing. NOTHING! She sat stone-faced. At least she did look at the camera. The pictures are pretty, but they don't even come close to capturing her personality. Unless it's the ornery part of her personality you're interested in. Yeah, they caught that part perfectly.

Without further adieu, 2 of my 4 gorgeous kids! I can't believe how grown-up Thomas is looking these days!

A tragic loss...

Just a few days ago 5 year old Danny woke from his sleep in excruciating pain and unable to walk or even stand up. A 4cm tumor was found on his brain stem and he was rushed in for emergency surgery. He never woke up. Danny died on October 16. His death has been felt around the world as members of my online scrapbooking community, of which his mother is a part, rallied in support of his family. Today was Danny's memorial service. Today, women from all over the world wore red in Danny's memory, and released red balloons as close to the time of his service as possible. We released ours at 6:30pm Jerusalem time. Today we honored Danny's memory and prayed for his family.

I didn't know Danny personally, but the impact his passing has had on me is great. It has been a reminder to cherish the moments I am blessed to have with my children. It has been a reminder that there are hurting people who have suffered unimaginable loss all around me and that I need my heart to become more like Jesus' heart: full of compassion, mercy, and love. This family has lost their precious child. My prayers and thoughts are with them as they weather the coming days, weeks, months, and years without him in their lives.

Today, a mother and father buried their only son. Today an 8 year old little girl said goodbye to her baby brother. Today, I cried every time I thought of their heartache....

Danny's family was able to share 4 of his organs with other suffering families, blessing them with a chance for life. May God bless Donnann, Dan, and Madison with His peace that passes all understanding. The Beattitudes
Matthew 5:3-10
3"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Feeling Scrappy Challenge

I just finished this layout for the challenge running on Feeling Scrappy (see my side bar for their website link!). I'd love to win! The winner gets the take the Sketchapalooza class for FREE! Deadline? Today. Yes, I'm a procrastinator. I find the pressure inspires me! This is a layout of pictures from David's Falls at Ein Gedi. JEN! You're in this layout too!
While I'm at it, I thought I'd share with my blog readers the first digital layout I ever created! I got Photoshop Elements 6.0 on Friday and just had to figure out at least some basics. This layout is what I came up with. Nothing fancy. I've got a lot of learning to do. Since Friday I've been downloading freebies and am planning to take some online tutorials. Until then, this will have to do!

There's no place like home...SS blog challenge #33

Brought to us by my friend, Stacy...

"Lack of a feeling of happiness in the home can result in debilitating lethargy and depression, so put the things you love into your house, and keep it as though it were the home you've always wanted." -Stanley Sherman

TO DO:
Get out your camera and walk around your house. Take pictures of items that make YOU happy. What make your house YOU.

Take as many or as little photos as you want. Then share them on your blog. That way we can get a little glimpse into your personality and what makes you happy in your home.

What makes me happy in my home? I loved this challenge because I've been suffering from a little bit of wishIwasinmyoldapartment-itis. We've been living in this wonderful apartment for 8+ months now, but I still find myself thinking about the old place with its lovingly painted cappuccino walls and the kids' rooms painted in the colors they chose. I loved that place. I loved the layout. It was comfortable and great for hosting overnight guests.

But our new apartment is a wonderful blessing from God. It's big and spacious and inviting. And this blog challenge reminded me that I can call anywhere home as long as my family is with me. There are a few things that can easily move with us from place to place that make me feel at home. Afterall, in 11 1/2 years of marriage Scot and I have lived in 7 different houses.

First, my fantastic trio! The Bodum press, the cappuccino maker, and the coffee grinder. Almost every morning (and sometimes for a mid-afternoon pick-me-up) Scot makes us our coffee. In the summer it's iced coffee, and in the cold winter months it's hot. I love my coffee!
Next is my laptop. I love my computer! I love being connected to family and friends and the rest of the world! Some days I spend waaaay too much time online. Others I barely have time to check my e-mail. But knowing the world is just a click away makes me feel better!
This is my scrapbooking mess...er...desk. I thought, "Maybe I should tidy up before I show the blog world!" But then I realized that I'm a clutter person. I breed clutter. I try to fight it, but it usually wins. So, you want to see the real me? Then you've gotta take a little clutter. Ironic that in the midst of the chaos, the magazine heading says, "Get Organized!" I love scrapbooking. It's relaxing and creatively satisfying to me. I enjoy sitting at this desk, even when it's messy. Hey, I can just shift some things around!
This is our Visit Palestine poster. It's a copy of an old tourism promotional poster dated 1938, I think. Perhaps it's a little political statement. You can decide. :) But I love this picture. It makes me feel at home... My piano. I don't play nearly as much as I'd like to. But just seeing the piano and knowing I can sit down, forget about the world for a few minutes and play and sing 'til my heart's content makes me feel peaceful somehow. Thanks, Mom and Dad, for forcing me to stick with it all those years. It's a gift I treasure now.Finally, my very favorite thing in our home: the picture wall! I love to sit and look at these pictures of our kids from the past 9 years. We take them once a year and sometimes together at Christmas to sit for a portrait picture. Nothing fancy...just something that captures a moment in time. I love to see how the kids have grown and changed, and I love to share these pictures with others. It took us a few months to hang them in this apartment. It literally stressed me out. Finally, to save my own sanity, we took the time to measure and hang. They are a little crooked, mostly because tiny fingers get a little too close! But I don't mind. The kids feel like celebrities and they enjoy standing and staring at this wall too. It lends itself to question asking and stories of days gone by. These pictures brighten my day!

Having fun with my ABCs!

Saw this on Sherry's Blog. It looked like fun and I needed a break from my projects...so here goes!

♥A is for age: 33
♥B is for beverage of choice: Fresh squeezed lemonade, more tart than sweet!
♥C is for career right now: Bible teacher, English teacher, discipler, and of course, Mama.
♥D is for your dog's name: My childhood dog was Candy. I loved her.
♥E is for essential item you use everyday: My computer!
♥F is for favorite TV show: The Office
♥G is for favorite game to watch: The Price is Right :)
♥H is for Home town: Shamokin, PA
♥I is for instruments you play: Piano and flute. I used to play cello and would love to own my own cello one day!
♥J is for favorite juice: Fresh orange juice
♥K is for a favorite keepsake: My scrapbooks and a charm bracelot
♥L is for last place you ate at: mall food court~~we had Shawarma!
♥M is for marriage: 11 1/2 years and counting!
♥N is for your name: Carrie Ann
♥O is for overnight hospital stay: 4 times for 4 babies!
♥P is for people you were with today: My family and friends from church during our morning prayer meeting.
♥Q is for what's your best quality: devotedness
♥R is for what are you currently reading: The Bethlehem Murders by Jonathan Rees
♥S is for relationship status: Happily married to Scot
♥T is for time you woke up today: The first time? 5:08am. When I finally crawled out of bed? 6:25am
♥U is for the type of underwear you have on: I'm with Sherry on this one!
♥V is for vegetable you love: roasted asparagus with EVOO and salt and pepper. Candied sweet potatoes come in a close second. Not so healthy, but they are delicious!
♥W is for worst habits: Can't say no
♥X is for x-rays you've had recently: I can't remember the last one...maybe my wisdom teeth when I was 19?
♥Y is for something candy : Why is Y for something candy? Is yummy missing? Filled Hershey Kisses!
♥Z is for favorite zoo animal: It's a tie: tigers and penguins. Oh...and baby elephants!

Will you recognize us?

I am dreaming of coming home. It's been a long time since we left the US, and I'm so ready to be with those I left behind, to be immersed in things familiar, and to be surrounded by family.

I thought it would be fun for family back home to see how our kids have changed since we left. We left in August of 2004...4+ years ago! So, here are a few pictures that were snapped of the kids (at least the ones that existed back them! ;) in late June 2004.

Thomas had just turned 5 years old. Now he's 9 1/2!













Maggie was 3 1/2. She's even more than 7 1/2 now (that more part is very important to her!)













And Scoty...he was just 19 months old when we left the US! Now he's 5 1/2!












Georgia was a big, fat ??????? She wasn't even on the radar in 2004! Here she is at nearly 3 years old!
It will be so good for us all to come home...will you recognize us?

Feeling Scrappy?

Feeling Scrappy has a new look! And they are offering their online Sketchapalooza class again! This class was such a blast! I was inspired and challenged and just had fun! The Feeling Scrappy team of designers are terrific! You should check it out!



I've got a fun post idea in the works and a SS challenge to get caught up with...so check back soon!

Quirky? Cute!

I was just tagged by my friend, Beth. FUN!

Here are the rules: Link to the person who tagged you.
List 6 quirks of yours.
Tag 6 fellow bloggers to do the same.

I'm weird. Or odd. Or at the very least, have some OCDs. :) The word quirky makes all of these things sound so much cuter! ;)

1. I must finish my french fries before biting into my burger. Must. Every last one of them. Used to drive Mara nuts! I think once she said she wanted to shove my burger into my mouth before the fries were finished and see what I would do. She didn't.

2. I eat my burger in a circular direction. I eat all the edges first and then eat the center. It has to do with quirk #3.

3. I save the best bite of anything for last. Obsessively. I want my last bite to be the best of the best, the most delicious, the most juicy, the most flavorful. So, I will awkwardly cut around things, scoop things from odd directions, and add a bit of extra gravy or butter to my very last bite. So, if you ask me for a bite of something, you better do it at the beginning. Because good manners means I will likely share my last bite of something with you, but I just might hold a grudge for a good, long time. :)

4. I prefer to write in purple pen. I've gotten a little more laid back about it, but in college, if there was no purple pen, then I just didn't write.

5. I sniff paper. I love the smell of new books and paper fresh out of a ream. I have perfected the ability to read a page of a book, while sniffing the other half. It's a sickness, really!

6. I can't take anything from the top or bottom of a stack. It's got to come from the middle. Papers being passed around at a meeting? I dig to the middle. Something on the shelf at a store? I move and shuffle things around until I find one in the middle. What if there is only one? Yes, that presents a problem. If it's something I've been dying for or can't find anywhere else and it shows no signs of wear and tear? I'll likely buy it. But maybe not. There. I admitted this one out loud. Or at least in type!

The last 2 were provided by Scot. He came into the office while I was typing out #4, so I innocently asked him, "Can you name some of my quirks?" Without even a split second of hesitation he laughed and launched into the list! Humph. He's right, though. The paper sniffing thing is almost embarrassing. Almost.

I TAG:
1. Jennifer
2. Joanie
3. Tracy
4. Stacy
5. Heidi