Another post in two days, can you believe that???

Ok.. well here's the scoop. Everyone who knows me knows that I am an avid scrapper. I am also very competitive and love a challenge. Well, here is something that happened to me that I cannot explain.....

Just when you think you've done all you can and have taken your hobby as far as you can at that moment.....something happens..lol

Ok.. here it is:

I was laying in bed at 12:34 just after midnight and I picked up a little memo book that I carry to jot down ideas, plans, quotes, etc., and I thought, wow, I started this little book of "Intentions" last year at this time. I turned to the first page to see what I wrote a year ago and it was a list that looked like this:

Goals and Intentions for 2006:
1. be nicer to the kids and Bob
2. Keep a better house
3. be more structured with schooling the kids
4. encourage creativity in the kids
5. support Bob's financial decisions

then there was another list:
Artistic goals for scrapping:
1. Organize scrap area
2. attend CKU
3. write more/start a Blog
4. get published
5. join management on a scrap site
6. win some scrapping contest
7. Get asked to join a Design Team

So... I thought, wow, 6 out of seven... that's not too bad... My scrap area is organized. I went to Boston, I have a Blog (need to keep up with it), I got published online and on the CKU Master DVD, I have my own scrapping site with 616 members, and I've won a few design/scrapping contests... so while I was praying I thanked God for a great year in my scrapping and I can't believe I actually told Him," well, you have about ten days to get me on a design team" and I went to bed.

This morning I got up and checked my emails and there was a letter from Cut The Crop, a retail scrapbooking store online, and I have been asked to join their design team..lol... how was that for answer to prayer? I had emailed the owner, Tove, inquiring about her Design Team. I thought, OK God, you have a sense of humor! and I laughed. I have been emailing the owner back and forth several times today and this is what we have agreed to.... (Maybe I should explain why being on a Design Team is a good thing). All of the big name scrappers are on Design Teams, they design papers, products and layouts to encourage and inspire scrappers around the world. If you are on a design team it gets your name out there and publications start picking up your work and you get good recognition and eventually great pay. Soooo, what I will be doing is this. ......
Every month Tove, the site owner, will be sending me new scrapbook products from manufacturers, I will use photos of my kids and scrap layouts, cards, tags, altered items and send them in to Tove, she will have them photographed and will use them for advertising products on her site. She will return my layouts to me and will include more product for my use. So........ I will be building a good resume for publication, thus giving me more exposure. I am really excited about this.... With the way my luck has been going this week, I decided to take the plunge and will be submitting for CK Hall of Fame again. I figure if I have already won a couple of contests with them, my name may be in someone's head there.... who knows, you can only try... right???
Well, keep your fingers and toes crossed for me.

Megan submitted her application to Northwestern this evening..... please say a little prayer for her, too. Love ya!
Mary

Ok.... I know, it's been such a long time since I wrote so there's a lot to write. Where do I begin.
The past few entries have been about the changes and accomplishments that I have seen in Megan and in her growing up so quickly. She, as you know, is in her final year of high school. She is very determined, artistic, fun, intelligent, and silly.... she is also a great big sister for Anabelle. Anabelle idolizes Megan and is her little shadow. I just feel so badly that Megan will be going off to college next year and Anabelle is going to miss her so much.

This past week we went to the cities and visited Northwestern University. Megan loved it there and really feels called to be there. We visited with the Theatre head and sat in a class. We actually spent six hours on campus visiting with various departments, etc. The tuition is quite a bit more than Grace, but, they say that they don't want money to be a reason a student can't attend, so they find money to enable all students that are accepted to go there. THis is encouraging. They said that they will be offering her scholarships in a few areas; theatre being one, interp/debate another, and for her gpa yet another, so we are hoping on her getting good chunk of her school paid for. Grace has offered 8,000 a year for all four years.... that's a big part of her tuition.

Last week Meg competed in All State Interp Competition and took "Superior" so she got a trophy and they gave her a nice write up in the paper and on the SD website. I also saw her photo on tv for "High School Heroes". This is an exciting time for her and we are so proud of her.

Our other big news is David... He is still loving his job and seems to be learning new things all the time. He has a lot of responsibility and is moving up so quickly in the company for which he now works. His official title is "Field Service Engineer". How impressive is that?

Robby had his Christmas concert last week and auditioned for Jazz Chior. They travel and compete with other high schools across the tri-state region.

I got a nice email from Creating Keepsakes this afternoon. They have published an album that I submitted over a year ago on the their website.... here's the link if you are interested in peeking at it:

Mary's Accordian Album CK.

well, that's about all that's going on here. I was, though, reading through a little book that I have. Where I have been keeping record of my 2006 Intentions and I find that this year was actually pretty productive for me. I accomplished everything on it except for being asked to join a design team. Well, I have two weeks left in the year to do that so I guess I better get busy.
That's all for now.

Mary