We're safe!

I received a number of emails today regarding the tornado (and now we have learned it was two tornadoes) that hit our area in the middle of the night on Sunday morning. Thanks for your concern! We're okay, and by God's grace there were no deaths and only 3 minor injuries as a result of the weather. The two tornadoes were literally unpredictable and the sirens in our area of town did not go off until several minutes after we'd been in the basement and the storm was already past us.

The roar of a tornado that we've now learned was within a few hundred feet of our home had us running to our children to get them into the basement. We are pretty sure that we did not get in the basement before the storm was past us, which is scary enough, but thankfully not something we have to regret because there is literally not one shingle missing off our home. And we do not have trees, otherwise we'd be cleaning up some major limbs. Our neighbors across the street were not as lucky -- there is roof damage on more homes around us than we initially thought, and our 20+ year old neighborhood will certainly not look the same without the trees that we've lost. Nearly every family in the neighborhood lost at least 1 tree. It was devastating, but could have been SO much worse.

When we lived in the country, I was always terrified that I would not have enough warning to get the kids in the basement because we ALWAYS lost power during storms. And I just knew it would happen during the night. It is so ironic that exactly what I always feared there has happened in a highly populated area, and we once again lost power and had absolutely no warning.

I've learned one thing...and maybe learned isn't the right word. This is something that I've believed for all of my life, and this storm has just confirmed my intuition. As a child, I used to ask my parents if I could sleep in the basement when severe weather was coming. Sometimes they gave in, but usually they said I didn't need to worry. Who can blame them? I said that last night to my daughter (and she has every right to be terrified). And there were times when we lived in the country that, because of our situation (our kids slept on the 2nd floor, and the master bedroom was on the main floor, and my husband was gone 100 nights a year), I would put our children to sleep in sleeping bags in the basement or in bed with me so they were close. My entire life, I have believed that you cannot count on others to warn you when a storm is coming. It's your responsibility to pay attention and be aware. There is no law that states that you must wait for a tornado warning to head for cover. We were not in a tornado warning until the tornadoes were over. I will ALWAYS follow my gut feeling in the future and not worry about what others think of my choices. My family is my responsibility, and I will never put them in harms way simply because everyone else thinks that it is silly to be aware that severe weather is on the way. We have a saying in Nebraska...."If you don't like the weather, wait a minute and it will change." It is true true true.

Okay -- I'm off my soap box. Thank you so much for the concerned emails. We are so blessed, and just feel like God must have surrounded our home (and the homes of our family members) with a bubble of safety. Please please PLEASE pray for the members of our community whose homes are uninhabitable, and who have so much loss facing them. And with the recent rash of severe weather has come torrential rain. Flooding is a major problem in parts of our state, as well as in Iowa (where I have many family members) and other states in the Midwest. Please keep these people in your prayers.

I've been busy working on lots of projects, and hope to get them posted this week!

I'm It!

Big shout out to Jen at Work for tagging me for this!

1. What were you doing 10 years ago?
In 1998, I was in college at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. I was performing with the Scarlet and Cream Singers (oh what a blast that was!), and majoring in communications. I had yet to meet my husband (although I would be lying if I said I didn't keep one eye open looking for him).

2. What 5 things are on your to-do list for today?
For Wednesday, (1) make a grocery list, (2) schedule Hunter's 2 year check-up, (3) take the kiddos to Vacation Bible School, (4) run, (5) try a new recipe

3. Snacks you enjoy?
chips and salsa, Reese's peanut butter cups, kettle corn, wheat thins and hummus, fresh cut pineapple

4. Places you have lived?
I'm boring -- I've only lived in Nebraska (but I've traveled a lot!)

5. what are 5 things you would do if you were a billionaire?
give to those who need it
save
completely remodel my house
buy a baby grand piano
use it for RAKs

I'm tagging anyone who reads this and wants to share!

My Princess....

It's been nearly a month since we celebrated my daughter's birthday. She's anxiously been awaiting mommy's updated blog with her cake pictures. (Remember, I'm that dorky mom who makes her kids' cakes from scratch....and usually, they look totally and completely homemade -- dork that I am, I actually kind of like that charming quality.) She wanted a "Barbie" cake and we needed to be princesses, so her little girlfriends wore tiaras that we made and painted nails, along with a few other fun things.

I still can't believe she is FIVE!!!! I don't really remember what it was like before she was in our lives -- she is our oldest, our first, and completely our guinea pig (poor girl). I know I expect so much of her, and maybe sometimes too much, but I also know she's completely capable (I mean, for goodness sakes, she was reading books at 4 and playing the piano by ear before that). She is everything I ever dreamed my daughter would be -- smart, funny, helpful (sometimes too much so, but I'll take what I can get!), kind, thoughtful, sweet....the list can go on and on. And boy does this girl love GOD! She sings it at the top of her lungs with no worries like most of the rest of the world. I envy her passion and enthusiasm and fearlessness. And, like any mother I know, I swear she has taught me more than I could ever dream of teaching her.

You are special, little one, and I'm so lucky to be your mommy! Dream big, because I know, without a doubt, that whatever you reach for, you will make yours. My prayers for you are endless -- happiness, love, faith, comfort, peace, and more than I can explain. I LOVE YOU!

Swap time!

It's that time of the month again -- SWAP TIME! The upcoming May Stamp of the Month has to be one of my all time favorites -- as a card-maker, it will be one I turn to time and time again (as I already have), and as a scrapbooker...well, the possibilities are just endless! It has a sentiment for nearly every occasion I can think of. So, as always, you can check it out here and let me know if you think it's a MUST HAVE for your collection!

In the card above, I used the rock'n'roll technique on the "You are My Hero" image from the stamp set, Just Like You. I had Father's Day in mind when I bought this set in January. And then came this awesome SOTM. I used Twilight ink to stamp "Father's Day" on the twill ribbon, and used Chocolate ink to stamp "Sending my love" on the chocolate cardstock. It was fast, simple, and perhaps the most masculine card I've made in a while, if not ever!

Stamps: Say it In Style (May 08 SOTM), Just Like You
Ink/Paper: Chocolate, Twilight, White Daisy
B&T Paper: Good Times
Accessories: Twill Ribbon
*All CTMH, of course!!!

Baby, baby, baby!

My sister-in-law (and brother-in-law) is expecting baby #1 at the end of May, and part of my shower contribution was the invitations. (I'm sure it's hard to believe that I'd want to do that.) They do not know what they're having, which is always exciting, so we decided to go with a nice soft green and chocolate. (Rachel...and I....and okay, lots of other people....well, we just love chocolate, so this HAD to be part of the shower!)

Here is what I came up with:

Stamps: Baby Steps (CTMH)

Paper/Ink: Key Lime, Chocolate, White Daisy CS

Accessories: Chocolate Polka Dot ribbon from HL (sorry CTMH -- I didn't have enough of my cocoa ribbon rounds!!!!)

Tools used: Blending Pen, Colluzzle, Nestabilities, Cuttlebug Swiss Dots Embossing Folder, my computer (to do the inside of the invitation)

The inside reads: "They're expecting a baby, a new bundle of joy, A very special gift, be it a girl or a boy."

This card was inspired, again, by Lisa. She always has amazing ideas -- thanks, Lisa!!

Hope you're having a very blessed Sunday, and that you're week will be off to a great start tomorrow!
-Alyssa

Just a few cards....

I was asked by a friend of mine to lead the card-making session at her church women's retreat tomorrow and Saturday. What an honor! The theme is the Chocolate Boutique (can I say YUM?!?!?), and they picked out the adorable papers used in the two cards I designed. The stamps, of course, are CTMH.

Special thanks goes to Lisa (check out her blog at http://www.lisascreativecorner.blogspot.com/) for inspiring the first card. It uses the May Stamp of the Month (which is available in just a few weeks). You can see it here: http://www.closetomyheart.com/stamp_of_the_month_08_05_may.aspx

The second card uses the CTMH stamp sets of Say it in Style (MAY SOTM again), Solo "H", and Celebrate Life.

Hope you all have a lovely Thursday!

-Alyssa

A Challenge...

My SBS group decided to start holding challenges, and the first one was to use something we've never used before. Perfect timing! I've been needing to create some pieces with the upcoming Stamp of the Month for April (Express Postage), and this encouraged me to get past the creative block I've had with this particular set! I love this set -- loved it the first time I saw it! But I had NO idea what to do with it once it came. So the result is what you see above.

I random stamped the white daisy paper with the round circle from Express Postage in Twilight, Lilac Mist and Petal. I matted it on 3x3 Petal CS, created the band with Petal and Twilight, distressed, and added White Daisy grosgrain ribbon. Then I stamped the circle again Twilight, and added the sentiment in Twilight and a pewter brad. I cut it out, matted it on Twilight, and voila!

I also created a bookmark using one of CTMH's creative clips. These are really easy to work with, and are great accents for scrapbook layouts or cards. And now it's a bookmarks! I used a scallop circle punch on Petal and Amethyst CS, and then stamped the circle and sentiment in Petal on the Amethyst CS. I added a white daisy grosgrain ribbon for a little embellishment.

So what do you think? You can see this set here: http://www.closetomyheart.com/stamp_of_the_month_08_04_apr.aspx

I know there are a few of you who have tagged me recently -- I have not forgotten! I plan to hit those this weekend!