Stories of Your Tribulations

Wed 6/11 Blog Prompt: Let's hear those stories others have told you about yourself.

I emailed my mom on this one (just so I could say I really did hear it from someone else, LOL). The reply I got back was "How far back?" Boy did that make me feel old. Okay, I am old, but that is beside the point.

First she reminded me of my first grade experience with the "playground." I hated that playground. All dust and dirt. I would do anything to keep from going out. Which meant, I usually did not finish my classwork. Now my teacher liked me and knew I was smart enough to get it done, but apparently was reluctant to call my parents. Eventually she did, though and a solution was worked out (I probably got spanked, ). Thinking on it though, probably not. But I would like to know what the solution was.

Then she reminded me of the time that I leaned up against a hot motorcycle muffler and burnt the back of my leg. Knowing full well I shouldn't have been near it, I didn't want to tell her what I had done. That became a moot point after it got infected and I had to have it scraped clean with, I swear, steel wool. Ouch.....

Chillin ©Lisa Carter; Word Art ©Anna Aspnes; Font: DSP Byrd Scratches ©Suzanne Walker

Vacations of a Child's Tribulations

Tue 6/9 Blog Prompt: Last week we focused on recent vacations. So this week take a walk down memory lane for a childhood vacation you hold dear.

As a military brat, I was afforded the opportunity to visit a lot of places most people never get to see. Plymouth, MA; the meteor crater; Grand Canyon; Petrified Forest; the Redwood Forest; San Fransisco; St. Louis; Disneyland and the list goes on. But I think the most memorable vacation was when we went to Hong Kong and Kowloon. The Tiger Balm Gardens, the restaurants, the junks, the Chinese Dinner Theatre, the streets the Walled City and the people... Well you get the picture.

I have been in large cities, but I don't think I have ever been in one that combines such old culture with new. It was interesting to walk down the streets and see all the street vendors that look as if they could have been transported from a 100 years or more ago while right above their heads neon signs were flashing amidst the clothes lines strung from one building the other across from it.

The gorgeous and colorful temples where the people still come to pray. The junks which dot the water around Hong Kong and Kowloon. Several had been made into restaurants with lobster traps hung from the side.

I wonder if it is still the same now that it is under Chinese rule. I would like to think so. It was a beautiful and exotic place.

Discover (c)Andrea Gold; alpha (c) Veronica Hurly Designs; sketch by Jana Eubank; font: Journal

The Office of Tribulations

Mon 6/8 Blog Prompt: Wow, it's Monday already, so what do you say that we journal about "the office." Be it away from home or at home (and for those of you who say I don't have an office, I'm a sahm, well, you surely do. Where do you sit to pay the bills, plan the schedules, make the calls?)

I wonder what you would call a stay at home grandmother, sahg just doesn't seem right. But that is basically what I am now. For most of the week. Two days I go into the "office" to do the accounting. It's for a small hometown newspaper, of which I use to be the office manager and graphic artist. It was enjoyable, but very stressful. Even more stressful than when I was a legal secretary/assistant. And even though I am not suppose to be the office manager any longer, I still am.

It was amusing when I came back (part-time) after nearly a year hiatus, all the equipment still had notes on them to check with me before changing parts, adding toner, ribbon, or calling for repairs. I was still getting mail that should have been divied up between the 4-6 people who took my place. Instead it was being saved in a box for me. (That should have told me something right there, LOL).

I really like working just two days. It breaks up the week from the kids and gives me just a little spending money. And in case you are wondering, that is NOT me in the picture below. And the plant on the right hand side is to hide me from people coming in. The plant has since been replaced with another computer, but I'm still out of the public eye.

Rustic Fields (c) Doreen Stolz; Sketch by Sarah van Wijck; Fonts: Brush Script MT; Arial Unicode MS

Relaxing Tribulations of a Vacation

For all that is said and done it was always a thrill to see this sight of the hotel on my return from the parks each day. It was like being transported to a different time and place ... Hawaii circa 1930. At least that is is the illusion they created, very successfully. Eating dinner on the veranda of Jake's Bar and Grill, listening to the background music of generations past was relaxing and enjoyable.

I didn't always take the boat as there was a meandering path, about 1/2 mile in length passing local foliage and birds, that ended in City Walk and the two theme parks.

It was a nice stay and I look forward to another trip to Orlando again next year. In the meantime, I'll periodically post more pictures/layouts of our trip this year (and maybe trips of the past).

Scraplift of "She Was" by MmeFifi; Oriental Touch (c)Ina's ScrapArt; Journaling Mat (c)Connie Prince; Font: KissMeKissMeKissMe

Kaleidoscopes and Tribulations

Last weekend was the Princess' Ballet recital "Kaleidoscope." There will be plenty of layouts in the forthcoming weeks/months (I took enough) but what really stood out, was just before the recital how she took time with her little brother, Indy, pointing out various things at the Arts Center.

The two of them may argue as siblings always do, but there is no doubt about the bond the two of them share.

Amaryllis (c)Kathryn Estry; Cardboard bits (c)Lynne Simmons; Sketch by Becky Fleck; Fonts: SF Orson Casual, the King & Queen font

A Long Time of Tribulations

Fri 6/6 Blog Prompt: Today we will work on - Til we meet again.

There are many ways to go on this path, but I think I will chose the path that leads me to Ballerina. In April, she and her mother went back to Japan so the Ballerina could attend kindergarten there.

I know it is always going to be a couple of years between visits, but somehow with her being in Japan it seems a lot longer. Perspective, I guess. Maybe next year when they get back to Hawaii we can all get together again.

Golden Moments (c)Ina's Scraps; Scraplift of 5241 by Kriztella; Fonts: 28, Times New Roman

A Tag of Tribulations

I have been tagged ... Twice. Once by my lovely friend in Singapore, Simply Yin and also by the Southern Queen, ArtCTrish.

We'll start with ArtC because she tagged me first.

4 things I was doing 10 years ago: (1998)
1. Making a wedding dress
2. Worrying about my boys
3. Wondering what the future
was going to be like with
all the kids gone
4. Enjoying the boat

4 things I was doing 5 years ago: (2003)
1. Spending a lot of time at
the local Aquarium
2. Awaiting the arrival of
Ballerina
3. Worrying about the boys
4. Enjoying the boat

4 things I did yesterday:
1. Did payroll
2. Wrote checks
3. Talked to my daughter
4. Went to dinner with Pan

4 shows I love to watch:
1. Eureka
2. Smallville
3. Boston Legal
4. NCIS

4 things I love to do:
1. Cross stitch
2. Read
3. Scrapbooking
4. Take pictures

Now take a minute. go by and see what the world of the ArtCTrish is like while working with children on school productions such as "Laura Ingalls Wilder".

And on to Yin

First here are the rules:
A. Link your tagger and list these rules on your blog.
B. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
C. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
D. Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

1. The bones in the tip of my left hand pinkie are crushed.
2. I let my mom highlight my hair once and I came out looking like a calico cat.
3. By the time I was 17 I had lived in 7 states and on Guam.
4. While I started life with blonde hair, it is now nearly black
5. My hair and nails grow much faster than a normal person's.
6. When I dove off the high-dive once, I lost my bathing suit top.
7. I didn't learn to drive until I was a senior in high school.

Well now, seems I am the last person in blogdom to get these meme's as everyone I checked out has done them recently. If you haven't now is your chance. :)

Also take a moment to visit with Yin, look at her pages from her family's visit to the U.S. and read the remarkable posts. Also check out her new scrapbook store.

Template by Paula Yagisawa & Lorraine W.; May Mega Designer kit (c)Gotta Pixel Designers; Font: Script MT Bold

An Experienced Tribulation

Thu 6/5 Blog Prompt: Today let's focus on an experience. Good, bad, indifferent. From the present or from the past.

This can encompass a million things can't it? But there are quite a few experiences that stand out. Really stand out. Some of which I'm just not going to share here; some of which are really embarrassing; and some of which could have ended in disaster had I taken a different course of action.

But one from my teen years that memory recalls is the night the television caught on fire. I had not been feeling well and was dozing on the couch when I should have been keeping a better eye on my two sisters. Suddenly one of them shakes me and tells me the television is on fire. Considering my age and inexperience at such things, I handled it okay, I think. I sent my sisters over to a neighbors to get the tv out (that was a good thing); but I stayed to keep watch (that was a stupid thing). Withing a short period of time, the neighbor showed up and took control to my relief.

Much like poor Indy discovered when crawling out of the pool from the side instead of using the steps. Scratched side and underarm pretty good. But he was back in the water in no time at all.


Kaleidoscope (c)Kathryn Estry; Template by Trish H. Designs; Quote, Unknown; Fonts: Enchanted Prairie Dog, Selfish, Times New Roman

Relaxation or Tribulations

Wed 6/4 Blog Prompt: Let's go current on this one, preferrably in the last 2 years. Your most memorable vacation or relaxation spots.

I really didn't think of this one just because I came back from vacation. It really did just fall here in the list I have. But can't ask for any better time though. We just got back from Universal Studios in Orlando and it was enjoyable. I took loads of pictures. Rode just about everyone of their rides and just spend days lounging around. I actually prefer DisneyWorld as there is more to do, should I want to indulge in doing anything, but Universal holds a nice 2nd spot.

My African Dream (c)Snap and Scrap designers; Cluster frames (c)Lindsay Jane Designs; Font: Journal

A Hit of Movie Tribulations

Tue 6/3 Blog Prompt: Hit movies of yesterday or today.

This is kind of a tricky prompt if you ask me. What I may constitute a "hit" movie may not be what the "critics" consider a hit movie. But I think all can agree that the "Harry Potter" movies have been more than a minor success. I guess when I watch movies I want to be entertained. I don't want to be preached to or have someone else's opinions shoved down my throat. That is why I really like the "Harry Potter" movies. I can just sit back and enjoy them.

When doing the scrap page for this journey, the Princess and I had a grand time watching the movies and snapping pictures as we did so. It was a great together moment. :)

Papers (c)Corina Nielsen Designs; Template by Theresa Borntreger; Font: His Name is Honey, Harry P

The Sweet Smell of Tribulations

Mon 6/2 Blog Prompt: Well it's my turn again and boy have I have been lax this last month,what with 2 weeks away and trying to get caught up at work.... I'll try to do better about my own blog this month, promise.

I would still like to continue on our journey of self journaling and to start that off, this month how about Sights and/or Smells. Maybe something from the past or something from the present or maybe even something from the present that sparks a memory of something in the past....

Oh the smell of honeysuckle will take me back to my childhood and memories of it growing along fences. Did you ever suck on the stamins after pulling them out of the flowers? The sweet drop of nectar would tease you to get more. I guess it would hard to do that today, what with all the chemicals they use to control weeds and insects. Still there is nothing like the smell of honeysuckle on a crisp morning.

Easy Breezy (c)DigiDiva; template by Monica McGill; Font: Times New Roman

Hats off to Memorial Day

Mon 5/26 Blog Prompt: Today we celebrate Memorial Day in the US. Did you have any family members who served our country in the Armed Forces. Let us know so we can remember them.

We have a long line of military personal in our family. All of which are now retired or discharged:

Scamp, US Marine Corp
Nuke, US Navy
My cousin, US Army
Pan's brother, US Marine Corp
Bear, US Marine Corp
My uncle, US Marine Corp
My dad, US Air Force
Pan's dad, US Navy
A great uncle, the German mounted Calvary
A great-great grandfather, the Florida Mounted Volunteers
A great-great great grandfather, the Florida Mounted Volunteers
The possibly
A gggg grandfather in the war of 1812
A ggggg grandfather who may have been a Soldier in the North Carolina Militia during the Revolutionary War
Same for a gggggg grandfather

Can you tell I have been doing some genealogy research of late? If any of you few readers out there know anything of the Registers who moved from North Carolina, to Georgia and finally settled in Florida, I would love to hear from you. :) More to the point I am looking for proof of a father/son relationship between David Register (1813-1885) and Samuel Register (1786-1869). My email is on my sidebar if you know of anything :)

Shabby Sugar (c)Sherry Ferguson; Scraplift of "You are so Beautiful to Me" by Fortissimo; Font: Times New Roman

Belated Birthday Tribulations

Okay, okay, actually we have been back all week. (guess you already figured that one out huh?). We got back last Saturday and with just enough time to relax before the festivities began the next day with a celebration of Indy's birthday. As you should well know it fell in the middle of the week, while we were gone. Luckily for us the Daughter decided to hold the party when we got back.

He made out... with the Terminator 2 movie from his mom and a skeletal terminator from Pan and I. Along with nerf gun and a marshmallow gun. He was in heaven trying to shoot all the balloons and anyone who got in his way. After the presents and cake we all headed over to the pool to round out the day. He still has NO fear and acts just like a fish in the water.

Everything Zen (c)Ziggle Designs & Kami Leonard; Word art (c)Jennifer Maceyunas; Template by Monica McGill

Jurassic Park & BTTF Tribulations

Did you miss me? Didn't think so... LOL. We had a wonderful week of lazing around. Okay... I Had a wonderful week of lazing around. It was one conference after another for Pan. Universal is fun, but really, after the first day, there isn't much to do. And, get this, they close the parks at 7 p.m. By the time Pan got out of his meetings there was no time for him to go over and enjoy them. At least he got to spend the first day there and a couple of hours on a day he got out early. For me it was a time of walking and walking and walking and taking pictures (you thought I was going to say walking again didn't you?)

My favorite ride is still Men in Black. Though it helps when the other people in the car are just as dedicated as you in eliminating those nasty aliens. Which in our case, just wasn't the case. They have changed to the Back to the Future ride to Krustyland with the Simpsons. Cute but I like BTTF better. You have to hunt around but the train engine and the de Loren are still about. Nope not going to tell you... you go find them.

Easy Breezy (c)Connie Prince/DigiDiva Design

A Loaf, a Bread, a Tribulation

Fri 5/23 Blog Prompt: week is National Bread Week. Describe your favorite bread.

We are home. And boy is next week going to be a dozy. What with catching up with two weeks of work at the end of the month. I'll be at the office every day, I guaruntee (I know it's not spelled right, lol). But now it is about bread.... Give them bread, oh that's give them cake. Still same premise wouldn't you say?

I'm not a big bread eater. The loaves I buy usually end up moldy and in the trash just about the time I really want a sandwich. But if I have to pick a favorite it would either be rye with thin slices of turkey and mayo or pumpernickel with loads of sweet/salty butter. That rye with turkey is sounding really good right now. Wish it wasn't so late, I'd go to the store and get some.

So Everything (c)Connie Prince/DigiDiva Design; Font: Windsong

Squirrely Tribulations

Sometimes things just work out. Like having the camera with me at just the right time. Seems this month's challenges have been a little different, but for just about each one, I had the perfect picture. Like this one which had to be a picture of an animal. Some may not really consider the squirrel an animal but for the purposes of this page it is.

If you will notice the danged thing is running straight for us. My first thought was "Oh no rabies," but he did change directions and sat upon a stump chattering away with that acorn in his mouth. Well, maybe, he was eating it and it just sounded like chattering.

May Mega kit, Paper (c)Sarah Meyer, Doodle (c)Silvia Romeo, Paper (c)Paula Yagisawa, Paper (c)Rose.Li, Template by Trish H. Designs; Fonts: Ameze'font, Arial, Milk Run

Black & White & Leafy Tribulations

Color to Black and White Photography. Your challenge this month is to convert a photo you have taken within 2 weeks to black and white. The photo needs to contain the image of a plant; a tree, flower, grass, etc. The plant does not need to be the main focus, but it does need to be included.

I, of course, chose Indy as the main subject with the sun shining through the leaves of the bushes onto his face. In addition, I chose to convert it to black and white using the channel selections. I really like how it turned out.

A Catchlight of Tribulations

The trip to mom's was a treasure trove of photos indeed. In this challenge our aim was the catchlights in the eyes.

Tribulation of Photographing Children

Next in line at the photography challenges was to photograph children. Still at mom's, Indy condensended to be photographed.

An Animal Challenge Tribulation

Gotta Pixel had several photography challenges this month. One of which is the animal photography and more specifically .... Birds. It was just luck that we had gone to see mom the weekend before the challenge and I was taking pictures of the birds and feeders in her backyard.