by my redheaded scrapper friend; Kim..So here goes..You must post the rules before you give your answers. You must list one fact about yourself for each letter of your middle name. Each fact must begin with that letter. If you don't have a middle name, just use your maiden name. After you've been tagged, you need to up-date your blog with your middle name and answers. At the end of your post, you need to tag one person for each letter of your middle name. (Be sure to leave them a comment telling them they've been tagged and need to read your blog for details).My middle name is Ann:
A ---- Actively pursuing my Stampin' Up! career!
N ---- Nana to Junior, Anthony, Trevon, Angel, Jaelyn, Alexi and Trinity!
N ---- NUTS about my husband Juan 37 years later!!
Okay I tagged 3, YOUR TURN!
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Thursday, February 7, 2008
My Stampin' Up!
Most of you know by now that for the past year I've been an independent demonstrator for Stampin' Up!
This picture is of a couple of items I made using one of the free sets from our SAB sets. These were made using our Rub-Ons. Aren't they fantastic? Rub-ons can be used on any medium, and they always look great and professional! OH, AND THEY'RE EASY AND FUN TO USE!
I love working with this company! This year is their 20th anniversary and it's easy to tell why they've been in business so long! They ensure their demonstrators have all the essential business tools they need to have a successful business. After that, it's up to you. Do you want to earn enough to make a car payment? Or do you just want to make enough to support your own stamping/scrapbooking cravings? It is totally your call. This July I'm attending my first conference and I am just so excited, I can't stand it!
From now until March 17th we're having an exciting promotion called Sale-A-Bration (SAB). During SAB you can earn sets FREE just by hosting a workshop, making a minimum purchase or becoming a demonstrator. If you would like to see the free sets that are available, e-mail me your address and I will mail you a mini catalog. jam.n.scrappin@gmail.com
This picture is of a couple of items I made using one of the free sets from our SAB sets. These were made using our Rub-Ons. Aren't they fantastic? Rub-ons can be used on any medium, and they always look great and professional! OH, AND THEY'RE EASY AND FUN TO USE! If you want to know more about Stampin' Up!s SAB promotion or products, please contact me at the e-mail address above!
HAPPY STAMPING!
Saturday, January 19, 2008
BEFORE GOOGLE!
Who was the actress that played Jane in the Tarzan movies with Johnny Weissmuller? Who was the 22nd president of the United States? When was the Hindenburg disaster?
If you're like me and questions like these come up, you just "Google" the answer. Am I right? The day of looking it up in the encyclopedia appears to be over! Isn't it amazing how fast we've all come to rely on search engines? There is nothing we can't find the answer to by utilizing our favorite search engine.
But what did you do BEFORE GOOGLE? Well, for me and my family, we called our Mother. She was our Google, I guess she was our Moogle! An avid reader and movie LOVER, she picked up information here and there and it stayed with her. A couple of her favorite past times were playing games and crossword puzzles; both of which refined the knowledge she already had. My sister, Pippa, and I were talking about how we would call her when we were stuck on an answer. My sister said even her friends would say, Call Your Mother! I remember in 1978 a woman I worked with was telling me about an old movie she had watched on television the night before and I said, Oh, I saw that too. This friend told me she thought the actress was so-n-so; I said no, that's not it, it's....well, I just couldn't remember. It was killing me trying to remember that actress's name, (has that ever happened to you, isn't it annoying?) and I finally called my Mother. Mom, remember this movie about blah-blah, and before I could say another word Mother says, oh, the one with Eleanor Parker? YES, THAT'S HER! To THIS day I haven't forgotten that actress's name.
Mom, how many president's died in office? Mom, when did Elizabeth become queen? When did Henry Ford make his first car? Okay, yes, maybe we should have known some of this stuff, but it was just easier to pick up the phone and call Mother.
Just like with Google, it's easier to type in the question and "google" the answer! I'm right, right?! SO, what did YOU do before Google?
By the way, the answers to the first three questions at the top: Maureen O'Sullivan (Mia Farrow's mother); Grover Cleveland; and May 6, 1937...I had to GOOGLE that last one!
If you're like me and questions like these come up, you just "Google" the answer. Am I right? The day of looking it up in the encyclopedia appears to be over! Isn't it amazing how fast we've all come to rely on search engines? There is nothing we can't find the answer to by utilizing our favorite search engine.
But what did you do BEFORE GOOGLE? Well, for me and my family, we called our Mother. She was our Google, I guess she was our Moogle! An avid reader and movie LOVER, she picked up information here and there and it stayed with her. A couple of her favorite past times were playing games and crossword puzzles; both of which refined the knowledge she already had. My sister, Pippa, and I were talking about how we would call her when we were stuck on an answer. My sister said even her friends would say, Call Your Mother! I remember in 1978 a woman I worked with was telling me about an old movie she had watched on television the night before and I said, Oh, I saw that too. This friend told me she thought the actress was so-n-so; I said no, that's not it, it's....well, I just couldn't remember. It was killing me trying to remember that actress's name, (has that ever happened to you, isn't it annoying?) and I finally called my Mother. Mom, remember this movie about blah-blah, and before I could say another word Mother says, oh, the one with Eleanor Parker? YES, THAT'S HER! To THIS day I haven't forgotten that actress's name.
Mom, how many president's died in office? Mom, when did Elizabeth become queen? When did Henry Ford make his first car? Okay, yes, maybe we should have known some of this stuff, but it was just easier to pick up the phone and call Mother.
Just like with Google, it's easier to type in the question and "google" the answer! I'm right, right?! SO, what did YOU do before Google?
By the way, the answers to the first three questions at the top: Maureen O'Sullivan (Mia Farrow's mother); Grover Cleveland; and May 6, 1937...I had to GOOGLE that last one!
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Thankful Thoughts
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.”- Colossians 3:15
It is always at this time of year that I look back and reflect on all that I have to be thankful for. Sometimes we can get so caught up in the day-to-day that we don't recognize our blessings, but if we can get in a quiet place, close our eyes, and exhale...
I AM THANKFUL:
It is always at this time of year that I look back and reflect on all that I have to be thankful for. Sometimes we can get so caught up in the day-to-day that we don't recognize our blessings, but if we can get in a quiet place, close our eyes, and exhale...
I AM THANKFUL:
- to the Lord for his abundunt love and forgiveness.
- to Jesus Christ, He died on the cross for ME...and you, and you, and you....
- for salvation and eternal life.
- for my husband Juan, he still shows me he loves me even though I don't look like the girl I was 36 years ago.
- for my beautiful daughter Jeniese who a survivor!
- for my handsome son Butchie, he always makes me smile when he calls.
- for my grandSON Junior, for changing my life and keeping me young!
- for my other grand-children; Anthony, Trevon, Angel, Jaelyn, Alexi and Trinity...I miss my babies so much!
- for my brothers and sister and their love and friendship.
- for Skyway Church, the pastors and my new friends; my life will forever be changed because of them.
- for my BF Pam, for her unconditional friendship.
- for my BF Judy and the history we share.
- for my Aunt Becky that was always there for my mother.
- for Janette and Joceille and their hilarious stories.
- for new friends Cindy, Leslie and Brandi and their friendship.
- for my FaithSisters and having a place to openly share my Faith.
- for my Bible Study ladies group and the education they are providing.
- for my hairdresser, because, well, come on...surely you know WHY we're thanful for someone that can do our hair!
There are many, many more but these stand out immediately to me. So today as you share time with family and/or friends take a moment and reflect on your blessings; and BE THANKFUL.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
A MOTHER'S LEGACY
October 20, 2005 my mother died. Mother had strong opinions on how things should be done (do you all see I come by this naturally?), and she was insistent on that up to the end; she left us HER way, in her home, in her bed, with her six kids holding her in their arms. Five of us kids were with her all day, when the sixth one was finally there, she smiled and left us. The saddest moment of my life has also become my most cherished memory!
This is a picture of us taken December 2003. Mother lived in Nashville and she came to California to spend Christmas with us as it had been about 10 years since she shared a holiday with her kids on the West Coast.
Mother was born Bettye Jean Jacobs on September 5th, 1930 in Chattanoga, Tennessee. She was the oldest of three daughters. Mother attended Howard School up to the 6th grade then asked her parents if she could quit school and they said yes! Can you even IMAGINE letting your kids quit school after elementary? But she was very smart! That always amazed me and I think at times she amazed herself!!! Mother went to school when there was still prayer in school. She would often comment about the sad state of affairs since prayer was taken out of school. Makes you go h-m-m-m!
She was a great dancer! In her late teens she taught jitter-bug at a dance studio! If she was at a party or dance she was asked to dance all night! Even up through her 50's!!! I think we all got our love of music from her. I remember a day in 1965 I came home from school to find Mother crying. WHOA, my heart jumped in my throat, I ran to her, Mother, what's happened? Please tell me! She was sobbing...Nat King Cole died! HUH? Nat King Cole! she said. Do you mean the guy whose albums you play all the time? Yes, she said. I'm like...did you know him???? She was NOT amused. But seriously, I didn't know at the time how much she cared for this guy and at just 14, I didn't know anything about caring for an entertainer so strongly.
Mother had moved to California in 1953 when I was two years old. By 1965 she was left alone to raise six kids, and she did it well! Of course she had to do it on welfare because there was no support coming in, but she managed to keep a roof over our heads, see that we always had food on the table and were clothed. Were we perfect? Were we angels? NO! Did we ever make her angry at us, YES! But there was not one day that went by that we didn't know how much we were LOVED! When we came home from school she would listen to our silly stories of what happened that day and she would laugh and/or cry right along with us! If we had trouble at school, she would walk to the school (yeah, we didn't have a car either) to talk with the teacher and/or principal about steps to take to resolve it. She was always in our corner, even when we were wrong and were punished, she would still let us know that she was there for us. When Mother found out she was sick July of 2005 we would often talk on the phone and she told me, I'm not afraid to die, I just don't want to say good-bye to my babies! There we all were in our 40's and 50's and she still thought of us as her babies! Growing up she would always tell us to love each other and always be there for each other. We would say, yes Mother, sure Mother. But do you want to know something? We six all get along, all love each other, and are always there for each other. Her legacy lives on!
My Mother never complained about her circumstances. She played the hand she was delt and made the best of it. I often wonder if I have that same strength, it's hard to imagine that I wouldn't complain! I complain when we're out of coffee!
It's been two years and I still grab the phone to call her and tell her somthing interesting (at least to me) about what's going on with us here at home or with my brothers and sister. I miss talking to her, I miss hearing her voice, I miss the jokes she used to tell and the stories she shared with us about her family and growing up. I miss her hugs and kisses. But I don't have to miss her LOVE because it will always be in my heart and I will always receive it from my brothers and sister and always give it right back to them! Yes, her legacy of love will live on in us and through our children and grandchildren. THANKS FOR EVERYTHING MOTHER!
This is a picture of us taken December 2003. Mother lived in Nashville and she came to California to spend Christmas with us as it had been about 10 years since she shared a holiday with her kids on the West Coast.
Mother was born Bettye Jean Jacobs on September 5th, 1930 in Chattanoga, Tennessee. She was the oldest of three daughters. Mother attended Howard School up to the 6th grade then asked her parents if she could quit school and they said yes! Can you even IMAGINE letting your kids quit school after elementary? But she was very smart! That always amazed me and I think at times she amazed herself!!! Mother went to school when there was still prayer in school. She would often comment about the sad state of affairs since prayer was taken out of school. Makes you go h-m-m-m!
She was a great dancer! In her late teens she taught jitter-bug at a dance studio! If she was at a party or dance she was asked to dance all night! Even up through her 50's!!! I think we all got our love of music from her. I remember a day in 1965 I came home from school to find Mother crying. WHOA, my heart jumped in my throat, I ran to her, Mother, what's happened? Please tell me! She was sobbing...Nat King Cole died! HUH? Nat King Cole! she said. Do you mean the guy whose albums you play all the time? Yes, she said. I'm like...did you know him???? She was NOT amused. But seriously, I didn't know at the time how much she cared for this guy and at just 14, I didn't know anything about caring for an entertainer so strongly.
Mother had moved to California in 1953 when I was two years old. By 1965 she was left alone to raise six kids, and she did it well! Of course she had to do it on welfare because there was no support coming in, but she managed to keep a roof over our heads, see that we always had food on the table and were clothed. Were we perfect? Were we angels? NO! Did we ever make her angry at us, YES! But there was not one day that went by that we didn't know how much we were LOVED! When we came home from school she would listen to our silly stories of what happened that day and she would laugh and/or cry right along with us! If we had trouble at school, she would walk to the school (yeah, we didn't have a car either) to talk with the teacher and/or principal about steps to take to resolve it. She was always in our corner, even when we were wrong and were punished, she would still let us know that she was there for us. When Mother found out she was sick July of 2005 we would often talk on the phone and she told me, I'm not afraid to die, I just don't want to say good-bye to my babies! There we all were in our 40's and 50's and she still thought of us as her babies! Growing up she would always tell us to love each other and always be there for each other. We would say, yes Mother, sure Mother. But do you want to know something? We six all get along, all love each other, and are always there for each other. Her legacy lives on!
My Mother never complained about her circumstances. She played the hand she was delt and made the best of it. I often wonder if I have that same strength, it's hard to imagine that I wouldn't complain! I complain when we're out of coffee!
It's been two years and I still grab the phone to call her and tell her somthing interesting (at least to me) about what's going on with us here at home or with my brothers and sister. I miss talking to her, I miss hearing her voice, I miss the jokes she used to tell and the stories she shared with us about her family and growing up. I miss her hugs and kisses. But I don't have to miss her LOVE because it will always be in my heart and I will always receive it from my brothers and sister and always give it right back to them! Yes, her legacy of love will live on in us and through our children and grandchildren. THANKS FOR EVERYTHING MOTHER!
Friday, September 28, 2007
Matthew 28:19
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
September 16, 2007, can you imagine how special it was for me to be baptised with my grandSon, Junior? He and I have been on this new journey together since February 2006. Pastor Sam baptised both of us. I went to the membership class that Pastor Sam taught and knew it had to be him to baptise us! It was an amazing day, GOD IS GOOD....ALL THE TIME!
I believe that full immersion baptism symbolizes "burial" and a "new person" being born. It's a commitment Junior and I willingly took to demonstrate visually the changes going on within us.
There are some countries that fervently prohibit Christianity and anything associated with it. For instance, in some countries people are baptised in secret so as not to be murdered for what is seen as renouncing their culture religion or belief. But their belief in God is so strong, they don't care where they are baptised; including rivers swimming with snakes, etc.
How strong is your belief? What are you willing to do in faith? Do you walk in the "world" or in the Word of God? None of us are perfect. Being baptised didn't make me perfect! It didn't make it easier to tune out the world. For me this was a show of obedience and my belief in the Word of God; the Son, Jesus; and the Holy Spirit. Will I still encounter problems? Will I have complaints? Will I have worries? Yes to all but I now know WHO to Trust, WHO to Thank, and WHO to Ask when any of it occurs! THANK YOU LORD!
September 16, 2007, can you imagine how special it was for me to be baptised with my grandSon, Junior? He and I have been on this new journey together since February 2006. Pastor Sam baptised both of us. I went to the membership class that Pastor Sam taught and knew it had to be him to baptise us! It was an amazing day, GOD IS GOOD....ALL THE TIME!
I believe that full immersion baptism symbolizes "burial" and a "new person" being born. It's a commitment Junior and I willingly took to demonstrate visually the changes going on within us.
There are some countries that fervently prohibit Christianity and anything associated with it. For instance, in some countries people are baptised in secret so as not to be murdered for what is seen as renouncing their culture religion or belief. But their belief in God is so strong, they don't care where they are baptised; including rivers swimming with snakes, etc.
How strong is your belief? What are you willing to do in faith? Do you walk in the "world" or in the Word of God? None of us are perfect. Being baptised didn't make me perfect! It didn't make it easier to tune out the world. For me this was a show of obedience and my belief in the Word of God; the Son, Jesus; and the Holy Spirit. Will I still encounter problems? Will I have complaints? Will I have worries? Yes to all but I now know WHO to Trust, WHO to Thank, and WHO to Ask when any of it occurs! THANK YOU LORD!
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
It's Not a Diet, It's a Lifestyle Change!
How many times have you tried to lose weight? Two, 10? More? And what's the first thing they tell you...."this is not a diet...it's a lifestyle change!" Don't you just want to punch them when they say this? And the person telling you this is always thin, right?
I have been on so many diets, I bet some of them are not even on the market anymore! No, I'm serious! Is the Pritikin diet still around? If I remember correctly, it was a high fiber diet. Then there was the Scarsdale diet (I believe he was the one that was murdered by his girlfriend! coincidence? you decide!), high protein if I remember correctly. I also tried the grapefruit diet, the boiled egg diet, the 1200 calorie diet and when that didn't work, the 1500 calorie, of course that didn't work, so I'll try the 1800...need I say more? Somewhere in there was the cabbage soup diet...OH, I CAN'T BEAR TO GO ON! Somebody, somewhere is driving the Mercedes I bought them when I bought all of their books, etc.!
The program that worked the best for me was Weight Watchers (WW). I ALWAYS lost weight and did so well, then....what's that song, "Never Can Say Good-bye" (Jackson 5), I was NEVER able to say good-bye forever to the pounds I lost. So I was up and down for years and years. I consistently had, and I AM TOTALLY EMBARRASSED to admit this, 4 sizes of clothes in my closet! Now you KNOW that's just WRONG! Worse yet, I've only been in Arizona 20 months and I ALREADY have TWO sizes of clothes in my closet!
Now, I don't know how, I don't know when, but I'm starting to get this "lifestyle" thing. My friend Leslie and I have been doing WW by ourselves. We started 4 weeks ago and it's been going very well, slow, but better this time. I really have Leslie to thank for that, she said something to me that no one had ever said; "Jackie, you don't need to face this alone, God wants to help you, ask Him for help whenever you get to feeling you can't make it." I thought, come on Leslie, surely God has more important things to address than helping me lose weight!
But THAT is just what I did, every morning I pray for help in making the right food choices. And here I am, for the first time EVER, not feeling deprived, hungry, or angry! Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm still overweight, but I'm 9 lbs lighter than I was 4 weeks ago! I can live with that! Slow and easy wins the race, right?
I am putting this in writing so that I can FINALLY get rid of those big sizes of clothes I keep in the back of the closet and that I ultimately bring out before too long; but also to get healthier. Being heavy and having arthritis just doesn't go hand-in-hand! But I also want to share with you in case anything I've written sounds familiar maybe it will get you to start thinking about where you're at. Listen, it doesn't matter which program you prefer there is only one way to lose weight and get healthy and we all know it...eat less, period dot com! And if you're able to exercise, you KNOW that REALLY helps. After all, it's not a diet.....
I have been on so many diets, I bet some of them are not even on the market anymore! No, I'm serious! Is the Pritikin diet still around? If I remember correctly, it was a high fiber diet. Then there was the Scarsdale diet (I believe he was the one that was murdered by his girlfriend! coincidence? you decide!), high protein if I remember correctly. I also tried the grapefruit diet, the boiled egg diet, the 1200 calorie diet and when that didn't work, the 1500 calorie, of course that didn't work, so I'll try the 1800...need I say more? Somewhere in there was the cabbage soup diet...OH, I CAN'T BEAR TO GO ON! Somebody, somewhere is driving the Mercedes I bought them when I bought all of their books, etc.!
The program that worked the best for me was Weight Watchers (WW). I ALWAYS lost weight and did so well, then....what's that song, "Never Can Say Good-bye" (Jackson 5), I was NEVER able to say good-bye forever to the pounds I lost. So I was up and down for years and years. I consistently had, and I AM TOTALLY EMBARRASSED to admit this, 4 sizes of clothes in my closet! Now you KNOW that's just WRONG! Worse yet, I've only been in Arizona 20 months and I ALREADY have TWO sizes of clothes in my closet!
Now, I don't know how, I don't know when, but I'm starting to get this "lifestyle" thing. My friend Leslie and I have been doing WW by ourselves. We started 4 weeks ago and it's been going very well, slow, but better this time. I really have Leslie to thank for that, she said something to me that no one had ever said; "Jackie, you don't need to face this alone, God wants to help you, ask Him for help whenever you get to feeling you can't make it." I thought, come on Leslie, surely God has more important things to address than helping me lose weight!
But THAT is just what I did, every morning I pray for help in making the right food choices. And here I am, for the first time EVER, not feeling deprived, hungry, or angry! Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm still overweight, but I'm 9 lbs lighter than I was 4 weeks ago! I can live with that! Slow and easy wins the race, right?
I am putting this in writing so that I can FINALLY get rid of those big sizes of clothes I keep in the back of the closet and that I ultimately bring out before too long; but also to get healthier. Being heavy and having arthritis just doesn't go hand-in-hand! But I also want to share with you in case anything I've written sounds familiar maybe it will get you to start thinking about where you're at. Listen, it doesn't matter which program you prefer there is only one way to lose weight and get healthy and we all know it...eat less, period dot com! And if you're able to exercise, you KNOW that REALLY helps. After all, it's not a diet.....
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