Embracing the new me...

Some of you have been with me since the very beginning of what I so affectionately called "The Blubber Butt Chronicles". The point of the series was to document my results along my weight loss journey that started about 7 months ago. My goal was to lose 30 lbs and go from 146 to 116 (ish). As of today I am at 120. Which means that my clothes are much smaller, my energy level is much higher, and most importantly I am learning to love myself again.

When people ask my about how I lost the weight I tell them first of all through God and God alone (with the help of a little verse I read in the good ole B-I-B-L-E) and second of all a great support system and accountability partner. Those are what kept me going, but the thing that got me motivated to even start was the fact that I finally wanted to do it for myself. Not my husband, although he is really happy that I'm back to my wedding size, not my family or his family, but truly for myself. That made all the difference. It was no longer anyone else's expectations I had to live up to, only mine.

So this week's embrace the camera is all about embracing myself. The more confident, happy, smaller me. Here are a just a few pictures to show you what I mean:

So don't be hatin' if I can't help but jump up and down everytime I put on my size 2 pants. Or that I'm just a little bit of a camera-hog now. I'm finally learning to embrace "Me" now. And I love the new me.

Linking up here:

OH. MY. GOSH!

Okay people. Way back in the beginning of the spring I told you about the amazing Ana White and her great website where she gives you all these amazing plans to build your own furniture. It was through her website that Landen and I found the plans to make our own bed. Well oh my goodness she has done it again! I was perusing my way through Pinterest, (you know, my new addiction), and I happened to run across this GLORIOUS picture:

Source: ana-white.com via Amanda on Pinterest

CAN YOU EVEN WRAP YOUR BRAIN AROUND IT!!!!!!

I know some of you guys are like: it's a laundry hamper drawer.

Wait, back up....let me repeat myself:

A LAUNDRY HAMPER DRAWER!

{please forgive the upper-case screaming but I am so stinking excited!!!!!}

Anywho, it would be completely pointless to tackle this project right now but you can believe me, when we move into that new house, this will be the first (well one of them anyway) things that gets built in our new garage.

I just can't believe it!

How ingenious!!!!

And, I wouldn't mind living vicariously through you people while we are in transition. So, if you happen to think this is just as ingenious as I do and would like to try and build it yourself, PLEASE for the love of all things homemade, share it with me and show me some pictures. You can find all the plans and the building lists here.

Okay, I am going to go to bed now and dream of color coordinated clothing separated neatly into the own little hamper and store neatly away in the LAUNDRY HAMPER DRAWER!

*squeals quietly as to not wake up the husband and dog*

Flubs....

One of the things I am going to miss most about Hamilton when we move is this amazing ice cream place called Flubs.

It's been around for ages and just looking at it there is nothing special. A run down building, teenage workers, Styrofoam cups, outdoor sitting...it's only once you pull into the parking lot, on a Sunday afternoon (that's when we like to go) and see the lines of people wrapped around the side of the building that you realize the magic is in the ice cream. My favorite is to get their sherbet of the day with some crunchy coat sprinkled all over it. Landen always gets some kind of peanut butter cyclone or more recently the Thin Mint Girl's Scout cookie one. He got so excited over that one! Flubs=summer in our house and we have shared many special times with friends and family sitting outside that building on a picnic table, consuming way too many calories, and loving every minute of it.

I can definitely see us making trips over to Hamilton every once in a while to visit Flubs again.

Do you guys have a special place that your family likes to go during the summer? I'd love to hear about it!

I'm linking up over at:

Hop on over and check out the other pretty pictures and if you "like" my photo I could win $10. Thanks!

I'm also linking up at Wordless Wednesday, another super fun blog!

Project Life Tuesday

I am so excited because I am finally caught up with my 2011 Project Life Album. Last week I did a video showing you my album up to that point because it would have taken forever to take pictures of it all. This week I went back to taking the traditional pictures but beware: there are A LOT of pictures in this post. The biggest reason is because I included a lot of extras in the album for the month of June and so there are a lot more layouts. Also, keep in mind that my album is more of a monthly album than a weekly album so I included a lot of photos from a family reunion we had this month instead of just a few. I am loving our album so far and I have had several people compliment me on it which makes me even more proud!

The first layout for this week is just a standard layout. On the next page I included a page protector that holds 3 4x6 photos and used it to place some of our anniversary pictures on the front and then on the back two pictures of my Aunt and Uncle from Washington State that were in to visit. I am going to add some journaling into the middle spot.

I also included some regular 8.5 x 11 page protectors and stitched around them to included our anniversary cards.

One of my new favorite page protectors are these that I found at Michaels. They hold 10 pictures and then there is a spot in the middle that is the perfect size for a customized title. I made the title using some regular cardstock and letter stickers. On the back I included my journaling. These are definitely a new must-have for my albums.

{the front}

{the back}

Another normal layout, I'm still documenting the family reunion at this point.

A normal layout on the left and then on the right is another 6x12 layout that has a 6x12 photo that I cropped of my little cousin. I included another picture on the back.

{the back of the 6x12 protector and on the right I did a traditional paper layout of my parents garden}

{A digital layout of my niece and I.}

{another digital layout of my niece and nephew.}

{A layout I created about my dad for Father's Day. On the back I used the extra space to add a very basic layout using some of Becky's coordinating paper that came with the kit and then 3 pictures from the reunion. I used another 6x12 page protector and did the same thing again and it gave me a ton of space for more photos that I wanted to add.

{You can see the back of one of the page protectors and the front of the other.}

I also included some 8x8 photos in the album.

{the back of the 8x8 layout and a normal layout.}

These photos start my normal layouts again. I included pictures of the house that we are having built, lesson planning for school, and the Facebook comments I received when I posted that I had been offered a teaching job.

And then this is where I am now.

I sent more pictures to the printer today to be picked up and I can't believe that at the end of the week another month will be completely documented. Half the year is over people! Have you been documenting it?

I'm linking up over at

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Simple Things Sunday

One of my favorite simple things to do on a Sunday afternoon:

{photo taken by my iPhone...sorry for the crappy quality}

snuggling with my hubby on the couch.

Make sure to head on ever to Rebecca's blog and check out all the other Simple Things that people treasure about their lives.

I'm gonna do it.

This morning I was looking over our Project Life album that I have completed so far this year and I started laughing when I came across our anniversary card from this year. Landen had written

"I think this will be our best year yet".

It sure has started out that way!

I've been debating for quite some time whether or not to participate in Ali Edwards Week in the Life project this year.

What could I possibly have to document for an entire week this year?

Living out of boxes at Landen's parents?

A new home (fingers crossed on that one) that is currently being built?

Abbey?

Lazy summer days?

And then it hit me, these are the types of photos that are what A Week in the Life is all about! Documenting the everyday. Both the significant things and the insignificant things.

I am sure that one day, when we are nice and settled into our new home and we are back into a regular routine, we are going to look back at these crazy hectic days and smile.

"Remember when we spent two months living in Mom and Dad's attic?"

"Remember that summer before you started teaching when you spent hours a day working on lesson plans?"

"Remember how Abbey loved having all that land to play on?"

"Remember all the anticipation of starting a ministry together and finding our place in the center of God's will?"

"Remember...?"

So, heck yes I will be doing A Week in the Life this year.

I encourage you guys to consider doing it too. Documenting your life, all day long, for one week.

It's possible.

And I'm gonna do it.

Check out more about Ali Edwards project by clicking on the banner below:

A whole new world...Scrapbook world that is.

If you've been reading my posts lately you've probably realized that we've been in fast forward mode pretty much since the end of April. Between having an offer put on our house, finding out that I had a job (that still hasn't set in quite yet), Landen taking a youth ministers position at a new church, and going through the pain staking process of finding a new home (which hopefully we have!), everything just seems to be happening all at once.

Since school is out and I've had a lot of time on my hands lately I've been spending a ton of that time thinking about the new house and how I want to decorate and re-arrange things and start new. 'Cause that's basically what you get to do when you move...start new and fresh and see everything in a new light.

A couple of my blogger friends introduced me to Pinterest, and if you haven't checked it out yet, DON'T! Not unless you have hours and hours of time to peruse over photo after photo of beautiful rooms and houses and design styles. Just kidding. It's most definitely the best thing since sliced bread.

The one room in the new house that I have been spending a lot of time thinking about is my new scrapbook room. Right now I have a tiny room in our house and I basically have everything lined up against one wall. I'm totally blessed and excited that I get to have all of my supplies at arms reach and I can kinda tuck myself away in there with Pandora playing and just do my thing.

But let's be honest people! I want an upgrade! And our new house will have just the space. So my mind has been going in overdrive trying to think of how to use my existing furniture and add to it without spending a fortune. Here are some of my ideas.

Right now I have these three pieces of furniture in my room:

a bookcase from Walmart. I used a lot of Ikea paper organizers to hold my scrapbook paper, cardstock, etc. As well as Ikea photo boxes to hold my adhesives, stamps, and all that jazz.

Probably my favorite thing. A rack from Ikea that allows the drawers to slide all the way through so you can pull them out from either the front or the back of the cart. All of my paper, tools, and embellishments are in this.

and

my $20 Ikea table that is just perfect for holding some loose containers for buttons, yarns, ribbons, and other things like that, as well as perfect workspace. I love this table.

So, I definitely want to keep some of these elements in the new room and just add to it to make it...well...better. Which is where Pinterest comes in. I've seen so many different room designs and I 'm in love with bits and pieces of each one. Here are some of the rooms that I A.D.O.R.E

Source: google.com via Melissa on Pinterest

I love the shelving and the colors in this room.

Source: scrapbook.com via Michelle on Pinterest

This is definitely more my decorating style. Simple colors and simple accents. I love this one!

Source: scrapbook.com via Patti on Pinterest

Swoon!

So you can see...my style is sometimes bigger than my pocket. But that's the thing about starting over. You just START and OVER time you add to and make it your dream scrapbooking room.

I'd love to see pictures of your rooms, both simple and elaborate!

Also, I am going to be starting my own Stampin' Up business beginning in July and I would love some input from my readers! Are any of you Stampin' Up Demonstrators and if so what advice would you have for me? Also, any ideas for my first workshop? Let me know! I love hearing from you!

Make it a great day everyone!

I confess...

So, I just found this extremely new cool link up called "I confess". I always said that I wear my heart on my sleeve, well now I guess I can wear it on my blog too. So here goes: my first confession!

via

I confess...since school has been out, I've not spent much time off the couch.

I confess...I'd rather text than talk on the phone any day.

I confess...I hate doing laundry, and will resort to wearing my granny-panties in order to put it off for another day.

I confess...I stay up way too late scrapbooking and watching scrapbooking videos. Probably goes hand in hand with the other one.

I confess...I can hold grudges like a mother. It's not one of my favorite qualities about myself.

I confess...I get attached way to easily to things.

I confess...I am kind of a hypochondriac. I had to quit watching Grey's Anatomy cause every time I found a new bruise I convinced myself I was going to die. I. Am. Dumb.

I am loving this whole "confession" thing so head on over and link up now!

I'm a digi-scrapin' machine!

Oh man, it's gotten dangerous around here!

I have created a monster in myself.

My two new loves: the TV show Lie to Me

and as much digital scrapping (remember this post?) as I can possible fit into a single 12 hour day.

I eat digital scrapbooking...

I breathe digital scrapbooking...

I basically lust digital scrapbooking...

in fact, I am taking precious time away from my digital scrapbooking just to type this post. I just wanted to share a couple pictures of some of my other layouts. I've actually scrapped two traditional layouts this week as well, but who cares about those!

I've got digi-scrappin fever!!!!

Here's the ones from this week: due to arrive in the mail today!

These two will be a 2 page layout of some of our nieces and nephews.

These two are 6x12 pages that I photoshopped onto a 12x12 document so I could save on printing. It's always important to get the most out of your printing as you can.

So there ya have it. I'd love to see some of your pages that you have scrapped this week! Would anyone like a weekly link up based just on displaying our scrapbook pages from the week? Let me know. I'd love your feedback!

Happy Friday!

I'm linking up

Project Life..A video

Hey everyone!

So I am FINALLY getting my Project Life album caught up. I am finished up through June of this year and I just sent my photos off to be developed for the first half of the month as well as some of my digital prints that I am just luv-ing!

Since it would take me forevah to photograph all the pages and then edit them, upload to photobucket, blah, blah, blah I just decided to do a quick video to show you guys my progress so far and to ask for any hints or suggestions.

Now don't get your panties all in a wad when you see that my video techniques are a little less than stellar. You see, since we don't have any mini-me's running around this place yet we don't have a video camera. And I couldn't figure out how to do it on my computer and still see what was going on, so I resorted to my iPhone. It works great, don't get me wrong, but throughout the video occasionally you will see my fingers run across the lens, my dog growling in the background, ya know...the usual.

So I hope you enjoy the video and PLEASE let me know if you have any additional ideas that you use in your own Project Life albums or that you think I should add to mine! Also please don't hesitate to give me any help with my digital scrapbooking cause I am always looking for additional resources, templates, freebies...ya know.

And I've included the links to Becky Higgins website, Persnickety Prints where I get my printing done and BasicGrey's youtube channel where you can find lots of digital and paper scrapbooking videos.

Oh, and I am happily linking up here to one of my favorite blog! Even if I'm not a mom I still love all of her adorable cuteness!

and to one of my favorite Christian bloggers here:

Thanks!

Gonna change my homepage...

So for the past year and a half I have had the same homepage on my computer. It lists all of the available teaching positions in my area and allows me to apply for them with the click of a mouse. Pros:

Convenience

Hope that jobs are available

Cons:

Discouragement that there aren't jobs available

Convenience for others to apply for the same jobs.

I think that it is time to change my homepage.

But not for the reason you are probably thinking...

It's more for this reason:

Amanda O’Banion holds both a bachelor’s degree with a major in music education and a master’s degree with a major in elementary education from University of the Cumberlands. If approved, Amanda will be assigned a fifth grade teaching position at Bridgeport Elementary School. Salary/Masters/Step 2, effective August 29, 2011

That's right playas! I got myself a bonafied teaching job! I am so excited and even more blessed! I called one of my best girlfriends and we had an all-out shriek fest and when I told Landen I thought he was going to poop his pants. Yes...actually poop.his.pants!

So from now I will be buried eyebrow deep in 5th grade science and social studies curriculum and trying to find out all the different ways that I can make next year the best ever!

Thanks for all the prayers and for all the encouraging words. I knew it would feel good when I filled out those papers, but I had no idea it would feel THIS good!

Praise to the Jesus!

Simple Sunday

Over Memorial Day weekend we were blessed to get to go spend some time in KY with my family. The weekend consisted of eating, spending time on the lake, and doing really simple things like laying in the grass, sleeping under the blue spring time.

With all the crazy exciting things happening right now in our lives, I am very thankful for nice simple things like this!

Check our other simple moments here

Embracing my niece

This past weekend I was blessed to get to spend some time with my dad's side of the family at the park. I got some great photos (that I can't wait to share with you), including this one of me and my niece. Have I mentioned that she is growing up waaayyyy to fast.

Get out there and embrace someone today!

I'm going digital...

Over the last year or so I have really gained an interest in all things digital. Digital photography, digital web design, etc etc etc.

Anyway, I have been trying to learn as much as I can about digital scrapbooking lately. I have been watching videos, reading books, and experimenting on my own using Photoshop Elements 8. This week I finished 5 layouts and I am super duper proud of them! There are tons of free templates out there to use on sights like PersnicketyPrints.com and DesignerDigitals.com. Persnickety prints also has super cheap printing prices for 12x12 prints at only 1.99 per print! I was so excited and quickly placed an order for all 5 of my prints! I can't wait to see how these layouts add character to my Project Life albums.

Here's the completed layouts I just had printed.

I am so excited to get my prints back, and with Persnickety's flat rate shipping cost of only $5.00 for Priority 2-3 day shipping they should be arriving either today or tomorrow!

So what do you think of digital scrapbooking? Do you have any websites that you use for digital templates, kits, etc? How do you incorporate digital scrapbooking into your paper scrapbooking routine? Talk to me people! :)

Oh and on the house front: still waiting, but we are meeting with builders tomorrow to discuss possibly building a home instead of buying. Yes, we are that picky!

Make sure you hop on over to

and discover all the craft-iness going on this week. I get so many fun inspirations from this site! It's Uh-may-zing people!