Saturday, October 26, 2013

Scrappy Weekend!

Getting more memories scrapped!

Started an 8.5x11 album of our trip to Texas and Branson this summer.
#53-San Antonio and #54-Together Again
Old My Mind's Eye from a Scrap Inspiration kit.
All of our boys together again!

And I started an 8x8 for Jackson's Scouting events!

#55-Blue and Gold Banquet
Super old Cosmo Cricket "Be Happy" from Stash
Jackson's first badges Bobcat, Wolf and an arrow point.

#56-Celebrate 4th of July
Super old Paper Loft stash
Jackson as the flag bearer for the pack 

And threw in a little traditional scrapping just for funsies.

#57-Posse Field Trip
TSR KIT August 2011: MY MIND'S EYE HATTIE
My book club ladies (aka the Posse) taking a little field trip to the West End Salvage building (as seen on HGTV)

#58-Thanksgiving 2012
TSR KIT August 2011: MY MIND'S EYE HATTIE
The whole Fam Damnily at Prairie Meadows last Thanksgiving



Sunday, October 20, 2013

The weather outside is...

...perfect for a cup of coffee - and some time at the scrap table!

Got a couple more done from the wedding album and a few more randoms.  Love scrapping season!

I got Last Halloween done before this Halloween! GO ME!

#49 - Ghouly Kind of Love
TSR Kit Sept 2011 JILLIBEAN SOUP DUTCH MUSTARD SOUP
Sing it with me...Wouldn't you agree?  Baby you and me gotta ghouly kind of love...Phil Collins?  Anyone? 

#50-Trick or Treat
TSR Kit Sept 2011 JILLIBEAN SOUP DUTCH MUSTARD SOUP
Used up all of my creativity on the last title but seriously how cute are my turtle and pirate?
Lifted from the very last Creating Keepsakes Magazine...

#51 - Derby Day
TSR Kit Sept 2011 JILLIBEAN SOUP DUTCH MUSTARD SOUP
Used up all of my creativity on the last title but seriously how cute are my turtle and pirate?
Lifted from the very last Creating Keepsakes Magazine...
  
#52 - Once Upon A Time
 DCWV Once Upon A Time Glitter Stack
Working on the Wedding Kit Killers challenge

There is one more that is ready for photography and upload.  Up to 53 for the year....getting closer and having fun with it again!

Saturday, August 31, 2013

A New Twist on the Kit Killers

Someone asked me to see my wedding album and - while I'm proud of the layouts that I have put into it I am FAR from done with all of the wonderful photos that were taken on that beautiful day.  SO Instead of doing a "Kit Kill" I'm going to start doing "Event Kills" I have boxes dedicated to things like Disney, Wedding, Baby, etc that are brimming with things I can't stop buying but also am not using **smh** So I'm starting with my wedding (even though that does not come first in chronology of the piles)

#47 - Perfect Day
Using random stash
Awww weren't we adorable?


#48 - Standing Stones
Using Random Stash
Six different colors of stones combined to make one family. The verse is Joshua 24:25 "These stones will be a witness to us. They have heard the words the Lord has said to us.

More to come!


Saturday, July 27, 2013

Kit Killers - Fancy Pants To The Moon edition.

I already have two layouts done from this awesome kit that has been sitting in my stash for the past *gulp* 4 years.  I'm almost ashamed to say that these smack my lips delicious papers and accessories haven't been used yet.  But they have now!  And I'm thrilled to know that Jackson's 7th birthday pictures are **literally** in the books.  That makes 6 layouts of of that line and I still have some goodies left over - maybe tonight??

#43 - Big Brother Dog Pile
FANCY PANTS - TO THE MOON COLLECTION 
A visit from Jackson's dad and brothers November 2011. This overlay is actually flocked


#44 - Blustery Beach Day
FANCY PANTS - TO THE MOON COLLECTION 
A spring day playing at Gray's Lake - I did this one old school with mats and stickers and tearing but I love the finished result.

#45 - It takes 2 boys to make 1 brother.
FANCY PANTS - TO THE MOON COLLECTION 
Tons of random brotherhood pictures

#46 - Birthday Budz
FANCY PANTS - TO THE MOON COLLECTION 
Showing off Jackson's amazing friends at The Playground.

Sunday, July 21, 2013

My son pooped on the floor so I painted the bathroom.

True story.  OK so there were a few Rube Goldberg steps in between those two things but that's the essence of what happened in my house today!

The story goes like this:

It was a rainy day in the Potratz house, the kids had already deemed it "Lazy Sunday" and it definitely started out that way.  Kids playing Transformers and being so sweet to each other.  I was getting some things done on my scrap table, chatting with friends and even read a few chapters in my book.

Look look! Almost halfway to my goal of 100 pages
#42 - Now "present"ing
FANCY PANTS - TO THE MOON COLLECTION
The last layout for the 7th birthday!


Then I hung up the phone and noticed that the shower was on...a sure fire signal that someone had either puked, peed or pooped - the unholy trinity.  Unfortunately it was the third option.  Poor Joseph has had a tummy ache and got sick at school on Friday - apparently it wasn't all out of his system because the infection was leaving from the other end today (trying not to be too graphic here.)

So I got him cleaned up - and started the process I had been putting off for the last two weeks - scrubbing down the urine scented - moldy caulked bathroom.  It was time...I rolled up my sleeves, peeled up the grossness.  bleached out the toilet and the surrounding area (eeeew) Somehow I ended up at the WalMart for supplies - and somehow I ended up with a quart of paint in my cart (the color of which the boys picked out) and a tube of caulk.  Two hours later - my tub had new caulk and the walls had new paint.  Observe - I kind of love it.

                    Before                                                                          After







Saturday, July 20, 2013

Kit Killers!

So I did a variation of the stash challenge.  On The Scrap Room message board they have a thing called "kit killers" which is a challenge to use up every luscious bit of the kits down to the slivers.  So I took that on as a sort of personal challenge for some of my older full line packages.  You know the ones - you love the papers so you buy the whole line of 20 papers and only use up half of it (if that).

So all four of the following are from the scrumptious remains of the Basic Grey Oliver kit that I bought in Dallas 2009 when we went on our very first Have Your Way With Paper retreat - that's right - Joey was still in utero when these were purchased!!!  Bonus points that all of the pics except on the 2 pager are from 2011!

#37- All About the Bunny
BASIC GREY - OLIVER COLLECTION
Pictures from 2011 - Joey "helping" daddy mow the lawn! He was 18 mos old.

#38 - Junior Captains
BASIC GREY - OLIVER COLLECTION
Can you tell we spend a lot of time at Target?  2011 costume shopping...


#39 - Easter 2013
BASIC GREY - OLIVER COLLECTION
It was like I was holding on to this stash JUST for these pictures to come in...

#40 - I think I am big
BASIC GREY - OLIVER COLLECTION
I can't believe how little my bug is in these photos! 2011 at Grays Lake!
[/img]

Next I'm starting on Fancy Pants "To the Moon" collection - also purchased (I think) at retreat...Here is the first one on my mission to kill this kit!!!

#41 - Boy Wonder turns Seven!
FANCY PANTS - TO THE MOON COLLECTION
That's right - boy wonder is going to be nine in a few months and I'm just now scrapping his 7th birthday - don't judge me! 

Monday, May 27, 2013

Long Wet Memorial Day Weekend!

BLAH - Doesn't it about figure that I would have three full days off and it rained every.single.day.  There was tons of stuff to get done outside but here we were waiting out the thunderstorms until afternoon on Monday.  On the upshot - it was great weather for some scrapbooking.  I'm only five layouts off my pace to make my 100 layout goal for the year but lots of year left.

#30 - Life is Great
JANUARY 2013 TSR KIT - SIMPLE STORIES SNAP
Joey's 3rd Birthday Party

#31 - Brother Love
JANUARY 2013 TSR KIT - CARTA BELLA TRADITIONS
My sweet boys on Thanksgiving Day

#32 - Fly Without Wings
AUGUST 2012 TSR KIT - OCTOBER AFTERNOON WOODLAND PARK
Flying kites behind the church April 2013

#33 - Reflections of Us
SEPTEMBER 2012 TSR KIT - ECHO PARK PAPER EVERYDAY ECLECTIC
Chicks in Chi-Town at the Bean June 2010 

#34 - Good Stuff
JANUARY 2013 TSR KIT - SIMPLE STORIES SNAP
Joey's 3rd Birthday party with all of the friends and family Sept 2012

#35 - This is the Good Stuff
JANUARY 2013 TSR KIT - SIMPLE STORIES SNAP
Random Daddy and Joey Snuggle Pictures 

#36 - All About the Bunny
SEPTEMBER 2012 TSR KIT - ECHO PARK PAPER EVERYDAY ECLECTIC
Bass Pro Bunny and Target bunny ears.


Monday, May 6, 2013

Winter or Spring?

Someone needs to freaking decide which one its going to be.  It was almost like this month's Gwynnie Bee shipment knew that the weather would be bi-polar

The first thing in the box was this amazing little INC Kerchief Hem dress - you can't see in the photo too well but it has little jeweled sparkles on it as well.  I'm in love...



 And then it snowed - in which case the sweater dress came in handy - It is so so comfy it feels like I'm going to work in my sweats - put with leggings and tall boots it made the snowy day more cozy.

In the midst of the bipolar snow days I got a little bit of time to get my scrap on...It felt good to let the creative juices flowing for awhile.  It had been too long...

CARD #1 PERFECT LOVE - MADE FOR MY COUSIN'S BRIDAL SHOWER
MY LITTLE YELLOW BICYCLE LOVE NOTES

#27 - LUCKY STARS
RANDOM SCRAPS
JACKSON AND JOEY WITH TREATS FROM THE DENTIST OFFICE


#28 - DATE NIGHT
AMERICAN CRAFTS XOXO TSR KIT FEB 2013
CHAD AND I ON A MUCH NEEDED DATE NIGHT WITH MUCH NEEDED DRINKS

#29 - BABY YOU'RE A STAR
MLYB LOVE NOTES
 JOSEPH'S FIRST TUMBLING RECITAL



Sunday, April 28, 2013

Since Spring didn't want to come.

I used the snowy spring to get some Christmas layouts completed.  

# 24 - 3 Little Elves
Basic Grey Jovial (stash)
Logan's first Christmas - 2 of 20 attempts to get them to all look and smile at the same time...


#25 - Christmas 2012
The matching Christmas PJ's (angry birds this year)
December 2011 TSR Kit FANCY PANTS ST. NICK


#26 - Legends Santa
Jackson getting to see Santa at The Legends in Kansas City after a weekend with his brothers
December 2012 TSR Kit ECHO PARK PAPER THIS-N-THAT CHRISTMAS

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Operation Clumsy Gazelle - Complete!

So here is something I never thought I would say.  I completed a half marathon last weekend.  Wait - that didn't quite do it justice so I'm going to say it again - louder this time - I COMPLETED A HALF MARATHON LAST WEEKEND!!!

Here's the scoop.  Back in November my (slightly insane) best friend Heather sent me a text message "Hey do you wanna run a half marathon with me in April?"  And for some weird reason I just sent back a quick "Sure" and that was all there was to it.  I was going to run a half marathon. The Rock The Parkway run in Kansas City to be exact and Operation Clumsy Gazelle was launched to get CJ on board as well.

Problem #1: starting training for a marathon in November is a bit masochistic due to the imminent arrival of the holidays as well as the cold weather.
Text sent to Heather 

Problem #2: I don't run...like at ALL.
Here is how I felt about Heather and the project in general after my first 2.5 mile run in 40 degree weather.  Don't judge me for the gesture - I was in some serious pain and had to convey the feeling over a 200 mile gap in distance :)

But I perservered as much as I could between working, taking care of the kids, remodeling the house and snow and ice on the ground.  Got a membership to the YMCA and spent way too much time on the treadmill and track, utilized the training schedule on the "Couch to 10K" program and got into a reasonable amount of shape.  At least able to do a 10 mile run with intervals - averaging 14:30 minute miles.  With the minimum to not get picked up by the pace car set at 15:00 I felt pretty good going into it.

I had a fitness test when I joined the gym on 11/12/2012 and another one the day before I left for KC.  The results were pretty astounding.  Over 5 months I lost 12.4 pounds, 4 inches around my waist and 6 from my hips and my body fat percentage went down 10% points so even though my scale didn't move as much as I wanted it to, its under my skin that the transformation was taking place.

The weekend of the race arrived and of course it couldn't be without some minor drama.  Even though I had signed up for the 1/2 marathon, my registration packet showed 5K.  NOT amused!  Especially since I was sure that everyone thought I was copping out of the 13.1 in favor of the 5K...but we got everything sorted out and here we were, the day after I turned 34.  Starting off a new year of life with a big accomplishment.

I was seriously intimidated by the fact that there were a TON of people out there.  I knew that I was the one that everyone was looking at and figuring I would get picked up by the pace car or die on the way to the finish line.  I had warned Heather and CJ that I was slow - but starting off at the pace where they were running made me seriously panic.  I dropped back to a more appropriate pace and got myself into a rhythm and felt much better!  Before I dropped back in the pack I shouted to my fellow gazelles "I will finish - I promise" It was those words that helped me fight through the pain and self doubt.

Question: Do you know what they call someone who finishes last in a marathon?
Answer: A marathon runner!

The volunteers along the route were amazing, one guy that I will always remember around Mile 5 shouted to me "It's your pace - OWN IT!" and that became my mantra as I pumped my way through the next 8.1 miles (that extra .1 makes a difference don't let anyone tell you different).  Every mile marker was another one completed!

I only saw the pace car one time and that was while going up a gigantic hill at Loose Park.  Seeing the lights of the crawling police vehicle was enough to make me step it up and I never saw it again after I crested that hill.
 Along the way I was encouraged by a lot of the fellow runners.  Johanna - who was running her second 1/2 marathon was an awesome inspiration with a similar body type and we spent about 2.5 miles together but I could aways hear her shouting encouragement after another mile was completed.

Eric was doing his 14th run and still loved doing it even though he was at the back of the pack right along with me.

The volunteers and pace runners were just awesome and I'm glad that this was the first race that I have run.
 The last half was one of the most emotional experience of my life.  I was in an insane amount of pain.  Somehow my foot started rubbing on the bottom of my shoe and I could feel a blister starting to form at the bottom of the ball of my foot but my words to my friends echoed in my brain.  "I will finish, I promise" Seeing the "Mile 12" sign made me want to fall down and kiss the pavement.  I had one mile to go and it was all downhill.  I was going to finish this thing!!!

About a half mile from the end I heard my name being called from behind me, I looked over my shoulder and saw two crazy girls who came back for me and crossed the finish line with me!  By that time I was all out sobbing.


 The photos of my jog across the Finish make it look like I am going to die - but really its just the relief and overwhelming sense of accomplishment that could only express itself through heaving, ugly sobs and fat plump tears falling down my face.  I freaking did it!!!
I could not have done it without my Core Four sisters!


CJ, in her infinite wisdom, booked massages for us at 2:00 after the race.  I couldn't have been more happy about that particular deal.  Then some shoe shopping at Zona Rosa and a fabulous dinner at Peanches in Westport with all four of my Core Four sisters!  Much wine and celebration and amazing conversation!!

When I got home, with my big heavy medal the boys showered me with love, my legs were screaming and my feet were stinging with blisters but they were almost as excited as me to have me "win" the race and "beat the car across the finish line"  I still get choked up thinking about last weekend.  Oh my goodness I ran a half marathon!