My organized CHAOS...

Puffy pen How to...

So sorry to everyone that won one of my puffy pens.  I forgot to tell you how to use them.  Here's the video I got off of the Jetpens website.  If anyone's pen got damaged in the mail, please send me an email or leave a comment.

and this is why I love living in Miami...

because you can still go to the beach in September and have gorgeous days like this

and take pictures of beautiful surfer dudes like this

and little sandy beach bums like this

and scruffy men you adore like this

Well, that's all I have for today.  I'm so excited because I finally feel like I'm organized.   I haven't had a single moment to scrap, and it had me so depressed.

But today, scrapbooking is #5 on my list of things to do...yes, I said #5. 

I know that doesn't sound like something to be excited about, but honestly TODAY is the first day scrapbooking is actually even ON MY LIST of things to do, hee hee...

Well, I'll check with you later.  I'm in a hurry to get through items 1-4 on my list!

xo

Thank you...

for all of the kind words and prayers.  My sincerest intent is to write each and every one of you back, but honestly, I don't have the energy.  I'm still behind in visiting all the new blogs I've added to my google reader.  I'm still adjusting to my preschoolers, catching up on scrapbooking projects, and just really making sure I spend some quality time with my family.  Just know that your words mean so much to me and that I read each and every comment and email.

There are a few projects in the works, for my dear friend, Aleida.  It's so wonderful to see how many people cared about her.  My friend Judi, at Studio Calico has started a tribute album for Brandon, Bella, and Joshua. This is a copy of the thread:

Posted: Fri, Sep 12 2008 at 08:36PM

something happened today that no matter how hard i try to think about and explain, it just doesn't make sense.  someone dear to many of us has been "taken away".  what i am not sure about is that Aleida's husband, Brandon, and her two babies, Joshua and Bella, really understand how much their wife/mom means to so many of us.  with that in mind, i would like to create something (actually an 8x8 album) to share with them stories/layouts/experiences that we, the SC (and BASB) had with Aleida.  I have an album and would ask that anyone wanting to participate pm me so i can get it all together to send to them.  create a page/or 2/or3 that will keep a spark of Aleida with them..some story special to you...right now it is a work in progress, but with the creativity here, it will be beautiful

Judi

If you'd like to contribute, the link is here.

April Foster, also from Studio Calico posted this:

Posted: Fri, Sep 12 2008 at 02:59PM

Our hearts are saddened today at the loss of Aleida Franklin (ricanlaw).  On her way to work this morning, she was involved in a car accident that took her life immediately.  She has been a dear friend to Studio Calico for the past year, being involved in circle journals, and practically every conversation on these boards.  To say she will be missed is an understatement.

It's difficult to understand why this happened, but at the same time it makes me thankful that I "knew" her for a brief time.  Her lively personality and "feistiness" have made us smile, and even laugh out loud just reading our computer screens.  This is an amazingly supportive community and I'm glad she was a part of it. 

Her designs will continue to be here if you'd like to see them to remind us of what a beautiful person she was and the memories she scrapped will certainly live on in her absence.  I believe Aleida's legacy will live on and this post on her blog is witness to that.

Certainly you are thinking as I am that there must be something you can do.  I have spoken with her family and arrangements will be made early next week.  As soon as I know the details, I will post a thread, but in the meantime, I would like to send cards to her family to let them know how much she meant to us.

Please mail all cards to:

The Franklin Family

c/o Studio Calico

513 East 10th Ave

Bowling Green, KY 42101

We will do the initial mailing next Friday, so please try to mail them to arrive in time for that.  Any others that arrive later, we will send as well.  The actual link is here.

And today, Greta Adams emailed me to tell me about a wonderful project she's starting for Aleida's family.  She is organizing a donation drive to have her blog turned into a hard cover book.  For more information, please check out Greta's blog here.  I'm so touched that Greta is doing this.  What a wonderful idea.

If anyone knows of anything else we could be doing, please leave a comment or send an email and tell me about it.  Have a great day.

xo

My good friend died today....

Ms Aleida Franklin

and I am sad beyond words.

I woke up this morning and thought, "What a wonderful day."  I think I've finally got it together.

I'm going to blog.

I'm going to catch up on blogs.

I'm going to clean my house.

I'm going to finish some layouts.

I'm going to check my emails and hang out with my girls,  the BASB...

and

I'm  going to laugh at the funny emails from my friend Aleida...

She didn't email me this morning.

Instead I received this in my inbox:

Hi,

I’m sorry to bother you.  I’m a lawyer at the firm where Aleida Franklin worked.  There is no easy way to say this so I’m just going to get it out. This morning on her way to work Aleida was killed when a driver ran a red light.  We are all desperately trying to pick up the pieces and help Brandon and the kids.  One of the things the chaplain suggested was that we find a way to gather her material and put something together for the kids.  I know she posted material all over and kept a blog. I was hoping you might be able to help or put me in touch with the best person to help with this.   This is such a horrible tragedy ...

   

So now I'm devastated. 

Here's the link to her blog where you can find pictures and layouts of her beautiful children.

All this has me feeling numb and I can't stop crying.  I'll leave you with this, a picture from Aleida's blog that she posted last Friday that really sums things up.

I've updated this post to include one of many emails from Aleida...and my response to her.  I think you'll see why she meant so much to me:

I think you are amazing

and I want to give you shit.

 

I hope you make the FP team

and if you don't I will be sad.

because I think your interpretation is very out of the box, new and fun.  I'm tired of seeing the same kind of style over and over again.

 

But I'm nobody....I'm no Celine Navarro.

so this is the part of the email in which I give you shit.

 

What the hell...my comments are just as special as hers.

 

Just kidding...I understand. ;)

 

xoxo.

 

Aleida

 and my response to her:

Listen here missy…YOU ARE MY SOMEBODY.

 

And I hope we make the Design Team

 

Because I think YOU and YOUR SHIT are the bomb-diggity

 

And because of friends like you,

 

That remind me to wear my BIG GIRL PANTIES

 

I can make posts like the one that I wrote today.

 

And try out for Design Teams like Fancy Pants

 

Even though the reality is

 

that the women they list tonight will likely be well-known names.

 

Sigh.

 

It is because of strong women like yourself

That I can dig deep

And be strong too.

 

Yes, I will probably be a little sad tonight

 

Hey, I’m a girl…what can I say.

 

But honestly

 

I can walk away from this experience

With my head held high.

 

All this because of SOMEBODIES

 

                                                                Like you.

 

I heart you BIG Aleida.

Here we go again...

So I thought I had time to finally catch up on my blog reading and scrapbooking.

It looks like I'll be preparing for Hurricane Ike....wah...

So as much as I'd like to leave you with some pictures of layouts and projects, I just haven't had a chance to do any.  We'll be boarding up our house this weekend.  So wish me luck.   And if you live anywhere in Florida, be safe!  I'll be praying for you as well.

xo

Missing in Action...

Okay, going back to work has sucked all the life out of me.

Seriously.

I am completely exhausted.

My apologies to those of you that are waiting for your puffy pens.  You should be playing with them right now.  They are  all packed and ready to go.  I haven't had a second to go to the post office.  I'm truly sorry.

My weekend was spent cleaning and perfecting my classroom and creating lesson plans.  No sleep.  Too anxious.  Tuesday I spoke to my preschool parents for an hour and a half during my Orientation...blah.

I call myself a wanna-be preschool teacher.  I have a classroom of 2 year olds.  My goal is to wean them from their mommies and daddies and prepare them for school...real preschool.  And I teach social skills.  No, we don't sit in a massive "snuggle" all day...although I could use a snuggle right about now.

 We walk in lines, have circle time, show and tell, centers, music time...etc.  All the stuff you would have in a "big boy" preschool.  But my kids are micro-minis.  And they enter my classroom SCREAMING...and they wear DIAPERS...and they BITE...and THROW TANTRUMS.   So yes, my job is tough.

So

I haven't blogged.
I haven't visited any blogs.
I haven't scrapped.
I haven't slept.

And on my day off (Friday), my son's kindergarten teacher has asked me to volunteer all day in her class.

So this weekend, my first priority is to

go to the post office.
visit blogs/comment.
do a layout.
sleep.

I hope you're having a good Thursday.  And thank you guys for checking in on me.  I've gotten a few emails asking if I've been sick...Yes.  Sick of working, hee hee.  Is it Summer vacation yet?

xo