The Big B

We all, at one time or another, have a friend like the Big B. So full of fun and love of life, as well as her own personal storage unit for her shoes and purses. She organized the Ladies Night group (which first was for sailing ladies, but has grown to include a diverse group). She always comes to work excited about a new sale she has found for shoes, purses or jewelry.

Once she even talked me into taking a after work road trip to Mississippi so that she could make sure that could find the hotel when she was traveling the next week. Yep, can't get much crazier than that and you have to love it.

Indy, Indy, Indy.....

What more motivation do you need? A 60 pound bundle of non-stop energy that just keeps on going. He can give the energizer bunny a run for his money. Even when he is playing video games he is constantly moving. Wish I had that stamina.

BIG NOTE: Happy Anniversary Honey. It's been a great ride so far and I'm looking forward to another 23. You're the best.

The Princess loves her camera

And that was the last gift I have given so far. Pan and I bought her a semi-professional camera for her birthday. She thinks she might want to get into photography and really wanted a professional one. Okay, she just turned 13. Not spending $1,000 on a camera when in the last year and a half, I've had to have her iPhone repaired twice. Still this one does everything a professional camera does, it just doesn't have interchangeable lenses. Told her if she took care of it, then next summer she, ddpuppies and I can probably take some classes on using our DSLRs.

Never without my cell

And now that I have a smart bluetooth, that is a most accurate statement. It will let me know if I don't have it. Then I go back and get it. Do you remember the days of just landlines? Mom does. She keeps forgetting to turn her cell phone on.

I hugged a boy today

And I think that is all you have to do in order to make a difference in the world. Show someone just how much you care and love them. Make the world a softer place for them. I love my boy and my girl and can't wait for her to get back on Thursday. Although she will spend most of her time at her dad's. Still I will get her on Tuesday and Thursday while she babysits for me. Nice now that she is a certified (ARC) babysitter.

Indy and Pan can sure pack away the food

Guess that is what makes it enjoyable to sit down to dinner. That and just having the boy here again for a while. I sure will miss him and his Indyisms once he is gone. Like the other day when he told me I was as soft as 18 pillows. Or when he told me he loves me more than all the planets in the universe, but not more than Jesus, but almost as much as mom. (I countered that I loved him more than the string theory. Should have been here for the ensuing conversation.)

I just love Big Bang Theory

Christmas Traditions ©BLOG TRAIN

I can be in the foulest mood, made at the whole world and just watching that show will have me rolling on the floor. It's the science humor that gets me every time. And Sheldon. Gotta love Sheldon. He's the perfect science geek that you love to hate. I'm laughing just thinking about it.

Seems I have the same chores as yesterday

Christmas Traditions ©BLOG TRAIN

Do you find that to be true for you too? I'm still trying to figure that out. Seems that if I do the dishes one day, I really shouldn't have to do them the next as well. But I guess it's better to stick with something you know than to mess around with it.

Nothing is stopping me from having a great time with Indy

October Magic and Spooky Halloween ©Lindsay Jane; template by AimeeMomof2

And I do so look forward to a day of pancakes, bacon, Batman 2 Legos and when Pan finishes working, watching the two of them play Marvel Ultimate Alliance. Ought to be a good day, a very good day.

Digital Scrapbook Designers Unite

October Magic and Spooky Halloween ©Lindsay Jane; template by AimeeMomof2

This is actually a plea for digital scrapbook designers to help us help them by giving proper credit whether it be for purchased kits, collaborations or for free kits and especially blog train kits. I have spent the better part of this past week trying to clean up, clean out and just organize my multitude of digital scrapbooking kits (and I thought I had gone overboard with paper, lol). So bear with me and lend me an ear.

These are just a few simple suggestions that I have found would really be beneficial. They would be most useful with collaboration (purchases) and blog trains (freebies); but would work as well with just individual kits.

1. Always put a notepad TOU in with the kit. If you want to include a link TOU, a jpg or png, fine. Just make sure that a notepad is in there. More about this in #2.

2. In the notepad TOU, include exactly how you want to be credited, i.e. (c)Tink's Tribulations or ©Tink's Tribulations. It helps to have the copyright symbol so there is no confusion. And please don't make it extremely long. Either use your name or the business, but let's not get out of hand and insist on both or more. Use the one that people can do a search on and find you easily. I use to put links on the kits, but have found that designers are constantly on the move and kits are constantly being retired. I now prefer to have an easily recognizable credit name that can be searched.

Another advantage to the copyright symbol (at least for me), is I can copy and paste. No worrying about if I got it wrong (something I can't count on when there is a jpg or png TOU). As for the shortcut links, if I like you, you are going to be in my favorites, but I am not going to run over to a TOU link every time I want to give credit. If I have to do that, chances are I'm not going to put the credit down correctly or I won't use the kit.

3. And please (this one gives me the biggest headache), always start your zip, TOUs, pages and elements the same... i.e.:

     t2z TOU                            or tinkstribulations TOU
     t2z-Kit name.zip               or tinkstribulations-Kit name.zip
     t2z-Kit name-paper           or tinkstribulations-Kit name-paper
     t2z-Kit name-element       or tinkstribulations-Kit name-element

Initials, name, business name, doesn't matter as long as it is consistent. And remember in collaborations and blog trains, this will ensure your stuff stays together and the user will know exactly which parts of the kit are yours and which TOU to use for credit.

Just remember, by using these 3 simple steps you can be assured of getting the credit you deserve. And that is exactly what I would like to see.

There is one final thing, but it is just because it would be beneficial to me personally (and maybe a few others) and that is the elements. They are normally packaged as png (sometimes as psd or psp) and it would truly be nice if they were named according to what they are, i.e. t2z-Kit name-Snail.

Silly, I know, I can look at it and tell what it is.... most times. Other times, I have no clue. And it would be nice to just be able to do a search for a particular item and find it immediately. Guess who's kits I use the most often?

Thanks for listening.

SIDE NOTE: Yeah...... he's here. Got in at 1 a.m., stayed up until 2. All wound up I guess, but that means I'm now wound up and can't sleep, LOL. Looking forward to fun times today. Wish you all could have heard him talking to his mom. He wanted to get her a planet, a special planet just for them. So sweet.

I live somewhere

My Guy ©Amy Sumrall; Template by Amy Martin

In the great country of the United States of America. And as Lee Greenwood so eloquently put it... "I'm proud to be an American."

Hurry, hurry, hurry

My Guy ©Amy Sumrall; Template by Amy Martin

to make sure everything is in place for our boy. Tomorrow, we should have him back tomorrow. I'm so excited. I miss him so much when he is gone, but I do enjoy the quiet time that I have. It will only be for a week or two, before he has to leave once more to head home and start school. So I will take the time to love and hug him lots while he is here.

Thursday's usually aren't that busy

A Fresh Start ©COLLAB & 3..2..1..Blast off ©Creations by Rachael

Timecards, a few tickets, some checks and I'm usually on my way home by noon. I like my job. The  numbers, the computers, the people. Yep, I'm pretty lucky in that respect.

Act my age? Are you nuts?

A Fresh Start ©COLLAB & 3..2..1..Blast off ©Creations by Rachael

Sometimes I'm sure I do act my age. But I try not to a whole lot, then I would remember how old I have actually gotten, lol. It helps, too, when the kids are around to stay young at heart and see the wonder they see in the world. This summer has been illuminating in teaching the Princess how to bake. After I had her make dinner, she informed me that she didn't want to learn how to "cook" but how to "bake," like cupcakes, muffins, the like. She did well and I know she liked that I didn't interfere to terribly much.

I went to work

Got Bugs ©Colie's Corner

and then came home to begin the clear out, oops, clean up to prepare for our boy. Pan's new game should be in, so Indy will get to take the old one home whilst playing the new one while he is here.

The Princess made it home with her mom and should be back the following week. Hope so anyway, as Pan only took a week off to stay home with the boy while I work on Tuesday and Thursday mornings.  She did get her babysitting certification and she is happy about that. So are we :)

Really need to start getting ready for Indy

Got Bugs ©Colie's Corner

This weekend he will be back. I'm so excited and maybe by the time he gets here, I'll have his baby book back from Shutterfly and he can look through it. Two baby books down, maybe one to go. I'll have to see if I have baby pictures of the Ballerina.

When I talked about maybe doing a wedding album like the Bug did, mom suggested I make an album of all the trips Pan and I have made. Then we can see how Orlando and Las Vegas changed or didn't change over the years. So I still have lots I can be making scrapbook pages out of. Just need to get busy, because some of those pictures will need to be scanned in.

I fear something happening to the kids

Casually Handsome ©Bella Gypsy & Love My Boys ©Creations by Rachel

Or their family. My grandkids, my daughters-in-law. Of course, my sisters, their husbands and kids (including the four-legged ones) are included in that fear. But most of all I fear something happening to Pan. He is everything to me. And to our children and grandchildren.

Pan.... are you listening? Take care of yourself, you hear?

On a side note we are suppose to be on our way to pick up Indy. Not happening this weekend. His little sisters will be visiting his other grandmother's house this week so he is going to stay and spend some time with them. It may annoy him, but I think it is important. So next week we will be heading out to get him.

Daily horoscope?

Casually Handsome ©Bella Gypsy & Love My Boys ©Creations by Rachel

I don't keep up with my horoscope any more. Use to when I was a teenager. I really think it is a teen thing. Maybe later, I'll look it up and see if it was accurate. Then maybe I'll add a postscript here. Until then, I'm going to just let my day take its course.

Today, we are taking the Princess to ARC for an all day babysitting course. She was thrilled about it until she found it was going to be just like going to school. LOL. But then she will be certified so I won't worry so much about her watching Indy while I'm working.

I spent $3.22 a gallon on gas this week

Earth and Sky ©Created by Jill

But then at least once a month, I spend much less for 20 gallons. For some of us who use a certain grocery store get 5 cents off each gallon for every $50 we spend. I spend a lot at the grocery store, especially when the kids are here. Guess it's a good trade off.

My inspiration comes from family

Earth and Sky ©Created by Jill

They are the ones who make my days complete. Even when they are not around. I miss Scamp and his family, but at least we keep in touch. Nuke and his family are always in my thoughts especially right now. I must remember to try and call them this evening. Then Bombshell, the Princess and Indy are always an inspiration. Mom, Bug, ddpuppies and Pan.... Where would I be without them. Yep, inspiration surrounds me.

Today was filled with Pan



Sunset Blues ©litabells designs

Unless of course you want to include the time I have spent on the phone with the Bug (which now goes by the name Rooster at our home). Neither is a bad thing and I enjoy both immensely. Watching Pan play video games and helping Bug with scrapbooking. Both relaxing and fun. And both tax my memory cells to recall things I have seen or done in ages.

I am so proud to be able to teach the Princess to bake

Sunset Blues ©litabells designs

She is really into cupcakes right now. And she has made frog, rainbow, red velvet and chocolate ones. In fact, I the last time she was here and wanted to make them, I told her to just get started. She knew where everything was. Of course, it isn't rocket science to make cupcakes when they are made from a mix. Yet, it is a start. Then again the first ones she made, the chocolate, were made from scratch. She is really doing a good job. Though I told her the next lesson would be on cleaning up afterwards. LOL.

I really need to cull out my kitchen accessories

Sweet & Sour ©Armina Designs

But, but... I just can't. Granted that are some things I just don't use that often, but who knows, if I threw it out, that would be the time I would desperately be in need of it. And I have some pretty cool things, like a pineapple corer which makes pineapple rings, a device to make square boiled eggs, my rack puller and I use to have a handle to take sheets out of the oven until Pan broke it. :(

A funny thing happened on the way to Orlando

Sweet & Sour ©Armina Designs

Well, it really wasn't all that funny. Just strange, I guess. Everyone kept trying to take Pan out. They would move over into the lane we were in without looking. Pull out in front of us. He had to use the horn more than several times and I don't think we have ever had to do that. We now laugh about it, but it certainly was not funny at the time.

I have bought lottery tickets in years past

Sweet Bliss ©A+ Designs

When it first started in Florida, I bought them because it was suppose to be supplement to the schools. Now, not so much a supplement. Use to be that schools provided the necessities; while children were suppose to bring in crayons, paper, scissors, pencils, pens.

All that has changed and it seems to stem from the time of the lottery's beginning. Now parents are responsible for providing toilet paper, paper towels, wet wipes, enough crayons, paper, scissors, pencils and pens for the entire class (it seems). And while there are some who truly cannot afford to do so, you know, as well as I, that there are others who won't just because they know other parents will. It's getting almost as expensive to send your child to a public school as a private one.

And the Texts keep coming

Sweet Bliss ©A+ Designs

from the Princess. Today's not the only exception. Instead of calling she texts me. She even did it when she was only one room away last week. To ask if I would fix her some green tea. I have a Keurig, for goodness sake, and have shown her how to use it. Can't get much simpler than that I would think. At least I get to hear her voice when she is here or on skype when she's back home.

I just can't seem to get enough sleep

Tranquility (c)Julie Marie Designs

Use to be that I could go 24 hours without sleep. I could function, I could work, I could play and talk and walk and chew gum all at the same time. Not any more. Use to be that my head would hit the pillow and my mind would race, thinking about everything and nothing. Not any more.

Now, I had best be ready for bed when I get on it, because soon, I will fast asleep. So I leave playing the X-box to the mornings for me and just watch Pan in the evenings. By the way, I have gotten through Batman 2 Legos with help from Pan on the race on top of Wayne Towers. 100% finished. It was fun, although the bonus level was uninspiring and lame.

Happy 4th of July

Tranquility (c)Julie Marie Designs

The Princess and I agree, Thor 2, is the movie to look forward to. Although Captain America is a close second. The Captain is much more courteous and chivalrous than the Norse god, but just to look at Thor is pure eye-candy. Never was much for Robert Downey, Jr., but the Iron Man movies are entertaining.

The Fourth is a quiet affair for us here. Pan and I will probably spend the day in contemplation of the next game to play, read or work on scrapbooking pages. We will also be counting our blessings and saying our prayers for the men and women of our armed forces who are committed to protecting us each and every day. It is they, who have given us our freedoms so that we may celebrate this day.

My resentments need to go

My Girl (c)A+ Designs

There are times when I resent people using me. But you know, it is really my own fault as I let them do it. It seems far easier to just accept it than to make a big deal. Then again I resent always being the "bad guy". Oxymoron? Probably. Maybe not. It really depends on who I am dealing with. Most of my resents have to do with my inadequacies and I am the only one who can change them.

Before I close my eyes, Pan is always there

My Girl (c)A+ Designs

It is a comfort to know that each night when I lay my head down, Pan will be there. If not physically, he will be there in my thoughts. He is such a special man and person. I am lucky to have him in my life and as a husband.

Okay, I know the baby book is for Indy and that the kit I used was "My Girl" but the colors and elements were perfect for the pages I used it on. So get over it, :)

Not alone. No, no, not alone

Sweet Bliss (c)A+ Designs

Never alone but always alone. Make sense? Probably not. Sometimes, even with Pan and the kids surrounding me, I feel alone. But not lonely. Just doing my own thing while they do their's. But always knowing that should I need to comfort of a body, it is just in a room away.