Heads or Tails

Today's theme for Heads or Tails is "tool." So, I went over to dictionary.com and looked up the definitions, as there are many.

The first one I related to was definition #6:

(noun) a person manipulated by another for the latter's own ends

But, as it turns out, I wrote about that in this post on Sunday, just by a different name.

So, the next defnition that struck me was #13:

(verb) to drive (a vehicle)

I tooled around town in my car last night trying to find some empty boxes and looking at apartment complexes and neighborhoods. Not very exciting.

Then there is definition number #1:

(noun) an implement, esp. one held in the hand, as a hammer, saw, or file, for performing or facilitating mechanical operations.

I used tools today, a drill and a screwdriver, in preparing one of the bedrooms for painting. I need to purchase more tools for this project including painter's tape, paintbrushes, paint rollers, and the paint itself. I'm hoping to start the actual painting this Thursday or Friday. I'll be sharing before and after pictures of my room makeovers.

And that is all I have for the topic "tool" this week.

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Sunday Scrappin'

Please join us for Sunday Scrappin! Traditional scrapbooking, digital scrapbooking, and paper crafts of any kind are welcome. Just post your Ta-Da's (with pix, if possible), your To-Do's, and you can participate in an optional challenge to keep you motivated.

Ta-Da's
This week I did six digital pages and 4 cards. Pix of the cards will come next week. I also started on a traditional scrapbooking 2 page layout, and I'm almost finished. Pix of that next week, too.

To-Do's
Participate in the optional Sunday Scrappin' challenge.
Finish the layout I started this week.
Complete at least one more 2 page layout.
Complete at least four more digital pages.
I do the digital pages for recent photos so I can use them as gifts for grandparents.

Challenge
Last week, we were supposed to show off Dad in one of our projects since last week was Father's Day. My traditional layout has my dad in it, but I don't have the photo ready. This week's challenge is to be inspired by summer. Not necessarily a layout of summer activities... though that would work... but maybe something inspired by the color of your neighborhood pool, or something that reminds you of your garden. Get creative with summer inspirations!

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I am a Toy

I am just a toy, someone’s form of amusement. What toy? I’m a marionette. Pull my strings, and I will smile, or frown, or laugh, or cry. I may dance, hide, sit down, or fly. Someone else controls my every move, my every emotion, my every action. And it’s not always the same person at the controls. I’m a community-property toy. Today it may be my husband, tomorrow my mother, and the next day, my step-daughter could be holding the strings. I must be great entertainment!

Oh, I make plans. I try to carry out those plans, but I’m only a toy on whom others place limitations. A puppeteer shows up and throws a wrench into my plans, twists my strings, turns me upside down. I’m at the mercy of the almighty puppeteer’s will.

I’d like to cut these strings and control my own life. But, I’m just a toy. I don’t have scissors. I have no power. I have no influence. I’m forever waiting for someone to pick up my strings and move me in a certain direction. If only someone could breathe real life into this marionette like the Blue Fairy did for Pinocchio. But fairies only exist in dreams, and wishes only come true in fairy tales.

The Sunday Scribblings prompt was “toys” in hopes we could all use something light this week. Unfortunately, the prompt didn’t work out light for me, but it felt good to get this off my chest.

Camera Critters

Sorry folks! I keep posting pictures of my cat because I just can't get enough of her! Here's another picture of Lacy, taking a nap in my lap with the laptop as her pillow. My son took this photo.

Catch more Camera Critters here!

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13 Years Ago Today...

...the most precious miracle happened, through the power or prayer. After losing several pregnancies and going through tests and surgeries, I gave birth to twins, 7 weeks premature. They were small, but healthy, and came home after less than two weeks in the hospital.

Today, they are officially teenagers, sweet when they want to be and sour when they don't! And they won't be spending the day with me, so I took them out to eat last night. Today and tomorrow, they will be at the lake house with our church youth group, because that's what teens do: They hang out with friends. But I decided to send a cake with them.

They will always be my babies, no matter how old they are. I am blessed. Happy birthday!

RIP Michael Jackson

I grew up listening to the Jackson 5 and Michael Jackson. The words to express his impact on the music industry, my own adolescence, my coming of age, pop culture, the world... those words aren't coming to me. So I will leave the verbage to those who can better express it, and I'll leave you with this video, one I believe truly expresses Michael Jackson's philosophy. May he rest in peace.

Tackle it Tuesday

Over at 5 Minutes for Mom, one of my favorite websites, they feature Tackle it Tuesday. I haven't posted on this feature in a long time, but I did tackle something this week. I put my cute gardening gloves on and pulled weeds. Look at this pile of weeds! My husband will plant, but he does not pull weeds. I offered my son $5 to do it, but after a few days, they were still there, so I tackled it myself.

This Texas sun is baking my plants! So, I watered. But I think I'm going to have to replace some of them and also add a few. It looks a little bare. Plus, I cleaned out the area in front of the porch, on the left side of the photo, so I can plant some summer flowers there. I'll post pics when I actually get the energy to do that. And yup, someone's watching me out the window instead of coming to help!

If you tackled a project of any kind, post it and let us see!

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Voting Begins Today

Hi all! Voting for photos begins today at Company Girl. The winners will have their photos published in a beautiful coffee table style book about friendship. I have two photos I'd love you to vote for: one of my daughter and her two friends waiting to get makeovers and one of three of my blog/facebook/real life friends when we met for the first time. (D, Kris, and Bubba's Sis are in that picture.) They are numbers 310 and 311. I'd love to get a vote from you!

Sunday Scrappin'

Please join us for Sunday Scrappin' - a weekly meme for paper crafters, traditional scrapbookers, and digital scrapbookers.

My Ta-Da's for this week:
1. Organizing all of my scrapbook paper by color, both solids and patterns.
2. 12 pages in 6 2-page layouts. Ten of those were done at my sister's Monday and Tuesday. The other two I did at home yesterday. And here they are:

My To-Do's:
1. Take part in the Sunday Scrappin' optional challenge.
2. Look up some sketches on PagesMaps.
3. Complete as many pages as I can, but no less than six.

Optional Challenge:
1. Last week we were supposed to name our favorite color then create a layout using the opposite color of our favorite using a color wheel. Since my favorite color is pink, I chose shades of green to use in some Easter pages.
2. This week's challenge is to show off a card you made or a scrapbook page you completed featuring dear ole Dad or someone who is like a dad to you.

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More Blog Candy

Here's another great blog candy giveaway of stamping/scrapping supplies. Take a look!
Stamps, Paper, Scissors, and Donkey Smiles. Cute blog, too!

And one more super fabulous giveaway from Going Buggy!

Camera Critters

Please join us for Camera Critters - a weekly meme of photos of all kinds of animals.

I can't get enough of That Darn Cat! (Oldies, do you remember that movie? The original was made the year I was born. Click the link if you want to know how old I am... or if you want to read about the movie.)

This is Lacy right after a bath being comforted in my daughter's arms. (No, she's not usually so calm and mild-mannered!)

Please check out my RW&B swap partner's new kitten! Six Flower Mom

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Friday Fill-in

Since our regular host is recovering from surgery, Tamy at 3 Sides of Crazy provided today's questions. Thanks, Tamy. You can play, too, by clicking here.

1, All children alarm their parents, if only because you are forever expecting something bad to happen.

2. Show me a good loser and I will show you a figment of your imagination.

3. Spontaneous hugs from my children is like eating an entire box of chocolate liqueurs at one time.

4. Too bad that all the people who know how to run the country are busy working their butts off every day and struggling to pay their bills and taxes.

5. I have yet to hear a man ask for advice on how to combine anything and everything.

6. It is impossible to think of any good meal, no matter how plain or elegant, without oil or butter in it.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to some time alone, tomorrow my plans include going to the mall and Sunday, I want to show off my scrapbooking progress!

Scrapbook/Stamping Giveaway

This is a fabulous blog candy giveaway of tons of adorable scrapbooking and stamping supplies. Go check it out! Or not, cuz I wanna win. LOL Here's the link.

Wordless Wednesday

I replaced my Slideshow in the sidebar.

Visit Wordless Wednesday!

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What a Weekend!

My twins celebrate their birthday this month, and although it's not until the 26th, we always have their parties early in the summer before everyone is gone on vacation or just too busy or tired to care. So... without further ado...

Angela's 13th! Girls Night Out!

Angela and 2 of her friends went to the mall for some major retail therapy, dinner, more shopping, then on to the movies. They came home about midnight and had some cookie cake. ~talk, talk~ *giggle, giggle* and finally, sleep. Early next morning, they're up for some free makeovers and more shopping! Angela received Jonas Brothers concert tickets and a GREEN digital camera. What a great birthday!

David's 13th! Pool Party!

David and 3 friends(it was supposed to be 4, but one of them was grounded - rats) went to my in-laws house for some swimming and a cookout (thanks to my husband for being the official griller). Look out for the Superman slide! Swim, eat, swim, eat, swim! David received an iPod Touch. Another great birthday!

Needless to say, but I'll say it anyway, I'm pooped!

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Christmas in July Swap

Angie's Spot is hosting a Christmas in July Swap. If you like swaps, go check it out!

Sunday Scrappin'

Sunday Scrappin' is a weekly meme for all paper crafters, traditional and digital scrapbookers, and/or card-makers. Won't you join us?

I actually have Ta-Da's this week! I made two birthday cards. The pictures didn't come out great, though. The stamp on the blue star doesn't even show up in the picture. I need a new camera! I bought one from Target, and I had to return it. Anyone want to recommend a good one that doesn't cost an arm and a leg? My twins are almost 13. I know! I can't believe it, either! I wrote each of them a poem for the inside of their card. The cards are nothing fancy, but they fit their personalities.

I'm goign to scrapbook with my sister this week, so that's my whole to-do list.

Each week, our hosts give an optional challenge. I didn't particpate this week since I was planning birthday parties (post on that tomorrow). I should be able to this week, though. Amy wants us to think about our favorite color. Mine is pink. Now, think about what's on the opposite side of the color wheel... and use those two colors in your project! That will be something in the green family for me. I can do that!

Happy scrappin' everyone!

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Say it Forward

Say it Forward is a relatively new Carnival of Loyal Commenters hosted by 5 Minutes for Mom where bloggers feature a loyal commenter each week.

This week, I want to feature Lucy from LuLu's Petals. She has been a loyal commenter on my blog for a while now. And I just love her blog! I hope you'll go visit her, and Lucy, this badge is for you to display on your blog.

Lucy is a wife, mother, and hairstylist who enjoys reading, watching movies, blogging, and spending time with her family and friends. I would love to meet her in real life someday, and I'm so glad we found each other's blogs and Facebook pages. Lucy has a great sense of humor, and she's a fabulous poet and writer.

Lucy, thank you for being a loyal commenter here at Forgetfulone! I love ya!

Thursday 13

To participate in Thursday 13 or view more participants, click here!

13 Reasons to Love Summer

1. No school! One of the FEW perks we teachers have, although many of us teach summer school for financial reasons. I choose not to.

2. My twins’ birthday. Number 13 coming up! Last year’s birthdays were chronicled here and here.

3. Swimming at the neighborhood pool or Grandma’s house.

4. Waterparks like Palm Beach at Moody Gardens or Schlitterbahn.

5. Sleeping in. I never get enough sleep.

6. Vacation. Where will we go? We went to Arizona last year. We’re thinking of a cruise or Cozumel (or a cruise to Cozumel).

7. Time to spend with friends.

8. Catching up on TV and movies. Lost, Prison Break, Grey’s Anatomy are my favorite TV shows. Movies I’ve seen recently: The Spiderwick Chronicles, Slumdog Millionaire, Night at the Museum 2, and Angels and Demons. Next movie on the list is Prince Caspian. And I can't WAIT for the upcoming Harry Potter movie!

9. Picnics in the park. (Did you ever read my post Blindfolded at the Park?)

10. Catching up on unfinished projects around the house. I want to paint the kids’ bedrooms this summer.

11. More time to READ!

12. Sunny, warm weather.

13. Summer fruits and flowers.

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