Let's Dance

So, Branching was today!!! HE GOT IT!!! He was so excited when he texted me and told me. He picked Air Defense Artillery (ADA). There were about 10 slots, and he got the 2nd slot. He was pretty pumped about it.

So, it looks like he needs to do BOLC II (basic officer leader course 2) and BOLC III. He said that the army is SO in need of 2nd Lieutenants, and that because of that, the trainings are all jammed full. So, he's not even gonna be able to start that training until summer of '09. So, it looks like after he's done with BOLC I (where he's at now - graduation in Jan '09), they'll send him (and us!!!!), to where BOLC III will eventually be. And where will that be, you ask?

Fort Bliss, Texas!!!! That's in El Paso!!! We're going to TEXAS!!! (well, I think we are - nothing is official until we're actually there, right?) I think that on the 28th of this month, we should be able to see what his orders will be. Then, sometime after the first of the year, we'll be PCS-ing to Texas!!! (PCS - Permanent Change of Station - what they call it when the Army moves you). So, that's our BIG news :) Yea for us!!!!

Oh yeah, and some more news. Did I tell you that we get to rent a cabin from Boy Scout camp for Christmas Break???? I'm SO excited to have a cabin for our little family :) It's got 2 bedrooms, 2 bathroom, and a HUGE common area. It will be SUCH a great vacation for us all!!! Thanks, Boy Scouts!!!

So, onto WordArt :) I made this Alpha from a TUT, but didn't really like it. But, I thought it worked in ths WordArt. So, here ya go! Click on the image below to go to my 4shared account to download the PNG file, and leave some love if you like my work.

FONTS
Let's - CK_Alis_Official_Hand
d,a,n,c,e, - alpha by me :)

Simple Apple

Thanks goodness it's Friday!!! I'm SO ready for Saturday to come. I'm gonna sleep in, even if I have to sleep with 2 kids sitting on me. Oh, don't your kids come and sit on your head when they're ready for you to wake up? No? Lucky you! I think I'm tired enough that I could sleep through that, though - LOL!

I'm SO anxious to know what Branch Captain America got! He said that they're branching at 1400-1600 EST. So what's that, 11 to 1 my time? I have to get kids out the door to school at 8am, then Preschool at 9:15ish, then Joe to the Kindergarten bus at 11:30, then walking/jogging at the park at 11:45, then lunch, then back to the house. My friend Maren, and I, are gonna go through my closet and get rid of the clothes that no longer fit me. Let me tell you, that's a GREAT feeling. She's gonna get a BUNCH of new clothes. Well, new to her - LOL!

OK, girls, I have something special for you today :) A few of my CT showed me some AWESOME WordArt the other day, and wanted to know if I could do a variation of it. Well, it may not be just like the ones they showed me (I guess if thy were, that would be bad, right - LOL! Don't want to rip anyone off) I have about 4 or 5 new WordArt packs coming out in the upcoming weeks, all wit the same "Simple" feel as this one. Just wanted to give you a little preview of what was to come :)

This WordArt is for my mom. We've been picking the apples off the neighbors tree (my dad asked if we could - there are 4 young men who rent the house). Even though we have verbal permission from one of them, it still feels like we should sneak over and get them - LOL! So, here's some of our "bootleg" apples - hehehe. They may not look pretty, but they're DELICIOUS!!! And that's a lot coming from someone who eats 3 apples a day, every day - LMBO!

This is the reason that I have a CT - LOL!!!

Click on the image below to go to my 4shared account to download the PNG file, and leave some love if you like my work.

FONTS:
Apple - bulkyRefuse Type
Delicious - Porcelain
All rest - Underwood Champion.

I'm the Hero

Well, tomorrow is the BIG DAY!!! My hubby Branches tomorrow (that is, picks his "job"). I sure hope he picks a good one. Did I tell you that he's thinking ADA (Air Defense and Artillery)? It's shooting down the missiles before they take us out. Nice, eh? Sounds safe - LOL! It's considered "combat", but without all the marching around. He's too old for all the marching , or so he says - LMBO! But when we know the branch, we'll have a better idea of additional trainings, and where they might be, and possible duty stations. Another piece of the puzzle!

This WordArt request is from Heather. I changed it a little. I made it "child" instead of "girl". Thought that more people could use it. I know, I know, it's a direct quote, but hey, i didn't want all of the people with boys to feel left out - LOL!

Click on the image below to go to my 4shared (speaking of 4shared, have you all noticed that you have to be loggen in to leave a comment? What's that all about???) to download the PNG file, and leave some love if you like my work.

I'm, the, Hero - Lima Bean
All rest - Eras Medium ITC (in case you wanna change child back to girl - LOL!)

Tying the Knot

So, did you all observe Veterans Day? The kids and I went to a parade. It lasted about 3 minutes, but it was great. I always get emotion when I think about our country, our flag, our veterans, our soldiers. It was even worse this year. Good thing the rain was DRENCHING us so much, you couldn't see me tearing up. LOL! Check out these pictures. The rain was BRINGING it. We got soaked. But it was wonderful.

Their sign says, "We love our soldier and daddy", then in red, it says "Daddy Deprived for UR freedom".

They're soaked, and we were only out for about 10 minutes total :)

Here's Jimmy and I - I have water just RUNNING down my face :)

Poor little things. Their sign is SOAKED, and so are they.

Hopefully your day was a lot drier than mine - LOL! What else.... oh yeah! I have all of my WordArt for next week designed already. How cool is that! I'm actually a week ahead of myself. Woohoo! You're gonna LOVE these new WordArts! They're pretty cool :)

And, it's WordArt Wednesday again! This WordArt was a request from Cherri. It's really close to what she wanted - LOL! Hopefully it works for her. She's making Wedding Invitations for her Daughter, and wanted this saying (actually, we're tying the know), and is gonna tie a pretty ribbon around it. Nice, eh? Good luck to your daughter!!!

Click HERE to go to the Orchard to download this weeks WordArt Wednesday. Remember, you need to be signed into the gallery in order to download the zip file :)

Pearly Whites

Guess what? I'm actually AHEAD of schedule this week - woohoo!!! I have my 4 WordArt packs for Friday done, AND, one more for next week. It's called "Wedding Invitation WordArt". Sounds pretty fun, eh? These are being released on Friday of this week, but I thought I'd give you guys a chance to get them early :) Aren't I sneaky!!!

So, here's 4 new WordArt packs. The Monkey Business WordArt is a lot of fun! Hope you like it. Click HERE to go to Scraporchard to check it out the hidden link. It's on sale for $2.00.

layout by : Carolat


layout by : Trina (slurpeegirl13)

Layout by : Minna

Click HERE to go to scraporchard and the hidden link. On sale for $2.00. Perfect for your Christmas cards this year!

Aren't these FUN!!! I'm SO excited to start my Christmas Cards this year! Or maybe I'll just let my CT do that - LMBO!!! Hehehe. Can you even do that? Assign out your Christmas cards - hehehe. Click HERE to go to Scraporchard and the hidden link. On sale for $2.00.
layout by : Carolat

And here's another Christmas Cards WordArt pack. I'm making some Santa WordArt soon. Look for that later in the month. I also need to get some Thanksgiving WordArt done. Any good suggestions? Click HERE to to go scraporchard and the hidden link. On sale for $2.00

layout by : Minna

So a few weeks ago, I came across a VERY cool blog, that offered a lot of LDS Digi products. Since I'm LDS, of course I took a look. Holley Williamson does a GREAT job. I left a comment on her blog, saying that I'd LOVE to do a collab with her, and guess what? She said that she would!!! She has this neat new kit, that's all about First Teeth and loosing First Teeth. I made 2 WordArts for you guys, one that you can get here, and one that you can get at her blog. I hope you guys like it!!!

Here's her previews :)

Here's the one that you can get at Holley's blog. Cute tooth fairy, eh? LOVE it :) Click HERE to go to Holley's blog, Scrap by Color.

FONTS:
Tooth - An Unfortuante Event DeWarped
Fairy - Al Sandra

And, here's mine :) Perfect for those Baby's First Tooth picture! Click HERE to go to my 4shared account to download the PNG file, and leave some love if you like my work.

FONTS:
Pearly - CK_Alis_Official_Hand
Whites - Impact

I Must Have Loved You Before Series - Kiss Me

Our primary program was AWESOME. The kids all did really well on their parts, they actually SANG the songs, and we ended on time. What could be better than that. One funny part, though, was my #4 kid, Joe. He's pretty shy in public, and started to walk up to the pulpit to read his part, and the closer to the pulpit he got, the lower his head hung, and the smaller he appeared. Once up there, my mom (who was helping the kids with their parts), told him what to say, and he just made an angry face, and tried to shrink even further. She ended up doing the part for him, and he slunk back to his seat. I asked him about it later, and he said that he would have done just fine, if it weren't for all of those people out there.

Funny kid. I'm JUST the same way. Talking in church is NOT my idea of fun. Way too many people looking at me - hehehe. You probably wouldn't have guessed it, but I'm pretty shy. I play it off well, but talking (in person) to people terrifies me - hehehe.

So, 2 more days of the kids home from school. Hopefully it's dry tomorrow so they can play outside.

I wanted to show you this AWESOME layout that one of my CT made, using a WordArt pack I have releasing this Friday. I'm making some Christmas Card WordArt. Anyway, this is EXACTLY what I had in mind when I designed these. I thought I'd share with you all :)

Layout by Trina - slurpeegirl13 (credits here)

OK, you guys. this is the last one, right? Someone, go back and watch the movie, and see if I posted all the parts - LMBO! I'm SO bossy - heheeh. Click on the image below to go to my 4shared account to download the PNG file, and leave some love if you like my work.

I Must Have Loved You Before Series - Love Eternal

Hey guys :) How's your weekend going? Mine's going pretty good. The kids were off on Friday for a teacher inservice day, or grading day, or something. They're also off on Monday and Tuesday for Veterans day. So, we have a HUGE weekend at the Harty/Winona house. I hope we all survive it. It doesn't help that the rainy season officially started, and they can't go outside without getting drenched. LOL! So, anyone want to have me and my 5 kids over to your house for a play date???!!!

Today is the kids Primary Sacrament Program. I'm the chorister, so I'll be glad when it's over - LOL! then we can move on to learning a nice Christmas song for Christmas. I love singing :) Check out this fun movie that I made last year with the kids in the Chillicothe Ohio Ward. I was the singing time leader there too :) I think I'm gonna do somethig like this this year too!

We got to go to Wal-Mart on Friday night! I tell ya, I'm going through withdrawls - LMBO! Girls, don't take Wal-Mart for granted. hehehe. I used to be there at least twice a week, and now it's maybe once in 2 weeks. Those daily necessities are SO much more expensive at other stores. sigh. I'm sure they'll be a Wal-Mart near whatever base we're stationed at. At least that's the hope I'm clinging to. Forget being with my hubby again. Bring on the Wal-Mart - LOL!!!

My mom and I went to the grocery store last night (to get the needed things for Sunday - we don't shop on Sunday), I SOOOO wanted to cheat on my diet. Let me tell you, girls! It was HARD to resist all the yummy things. That cheesecake slice was CALLING my name. But, I resisted. Dang that was hard. Unfortunately, there's some ice cream in the freezer calling my name. We'll see if I can resist (pre-publishing, remember). It's not even good ice cream. I think it's Birthday Cake favor (and freezer burned). Who ever hear of Birthday Cake flavored ice cream - LOL!

Here's the next installment of the series. I think there's only one more left. So, are you liking it? I can't wait to see what you guys do with it!!! Click on the image below to go to my 4shared account to download the PNG file, and leave some love if you like my work.

I Must Have Loved You Before Series - Sweet Light

Wow, I'm SOOOO tired tonight (pre-publishing, remember- hehehe). I....think... ..I'm... ..gonna.... .fall.... ..asleep right here. Here's the next part of the series. It's almost done. I think there's only like 2 more left after this one. That means I need to get back to designing more freebies - LOL.

Before I totally nod off, just wanted to show you guys an update of the "100 Days Gone Promotion". Here are still coupons left for grabs, if you haven't commented on the post HERE. Also, I sent off coupons today for everyone I had on my list. If you left a comment, and didn't get one, maybe you didn't leave an email address. Click HERE to go to the list to see who had one sent to them, and who needs to leave me their email. Just leave a comment on that post with your email. Wow, am I even making sense (I'm SO tired - LOL!)

Click on the image below to go to my 4shared account to download the PNG file, and leave some love if you like my work.

I Must Have Loved You Before Series - Every Minute

First off, had to say that Tom had a GREAT party last night. We're finally all done with kid birthday parties for our family!!! Pfew! 2 in August, 1 Sep, 1 Oct, and 1 Nov. What a run :) And, I actually had cake and ice cream at the party - woohoo! It was SO tasty - LOL! Here's Tom blowing out his candles. And me clapping in the background. hehehe.


Fresh Fruit Friday is HERE!!!! I made 6 WordArt packs this week, and am releasing 5 of them! Yes, I know, I was SUPER busy this week, yet productive too! We'll see if I can keep it up - hehehe. I do have to say thanks to my CT for helping me come up with the quotes. Amazing how much faster the designing process goes when someone else is doing all the leg work - LMBO!!!

Remember, the first week, all my Fresh Fruit is 20% off. That means that you can score a WordArt pack for only $2.00. Great deal, eh?

Click HERE

Click HERE

Click HERE

Click HERE

Click HERE

And here's a FABULOUS layout done using my Christmas Phrases WordArt pack - by Minna. Isn't she FANTASTIC!!!'

OK girls - Here's the low down on the coupons :) While there have been 86 comments, there were only 68 people comment. AND, 12 of those who left comments left absolutely no way for me to get ahold of them. So, I'm publishing my list of comments HERE. Give it a look, and see if you are listed and if I can get ahold of you. Some of you have blogs listed. Those are the next step up from nothing - LMBO! If you could leave an address instead, that would be SO helpful. Just go ahead and leave a comment on the post with the big list :) Clear as mud? Good! hehehe.

Here's the next part in the Series. Hope you guys are enjoying this! Be sure to send me the links to all of your fabulous layouts! I'm SO excited to see what you all come up with!!! Click on the image below to go to my 4shared account to download the PNG file, and leave some love if you like my work.

FONTS:
just look back to a previous post - they're all the same in this series :)

I Must Have Loved You Before Series - Loved You Before

I had a busy day yesterday. I went over to my friend, Maren's house. Her in-laws were coming for a visit, and she was panicking that her house wasn't clean. So, Jimmy, Joe (he was not feeling well enough for school), and I headed on over to help out a friend! We vacuumed, washed dishes, organized, folded laundry, hung clothes, hemmed pants, swept and mopped floors, cleaned bathrooms. Wheeew! Her house looked FABULOUS when we were done. Amazing the work that you can accomplish when there's 2 of you working together! That's what friends are for, right?

She took a picture of me in my new outfit that we'd bought the night before. Some of the local boutiques were having an 80% off sale on Tuesday night, and I found this AWESOME outfit. The boots, the jeans, the brown shirt, and the black/white shirt, all together, was $38. That's not too bad, eh? So, what do you think? Those jeans, by the way, are a SIZE 6!!!! I never in a million years would have believed that I could wear a size 6 in anything! Goodness :) Click HERE for more info on my diet.


This was me at xmas in 2007. What a difference a year can make - hey, that was my WordArt from last week, wasn't it? I should make a page of myself - LOL! Someone wanna scrap one for me ????

Wow, just gotta tell you guys, Minna, from my CT, is SUPER AMAZING! When I woke up this morning, I found this AWESOME layout in my inbox. Isn't she SUPER FANTASTIC???!!! Thanks, girl! LOVE it!

My niece, Taylor, had a b-day party last night. Tom's b-day is the same day, but his party is today. So it worked out perfectly. They had the party at McDonalds playland. It really was great. The kids got food, and candy bags, and cupcakes. And they got to play at the playland. They thought it was AWESOME. The kids really had a great time.


Here's the next installment in the series - I didn't really like how this layout turned out - it's just not working for me - oh well. They can't all be great - LMBO! Click on the image below to go to my 4shared account to download the PNG file. And, leave some love if you like my work.

FONTS: See previous previous post :)

100 Days in the Army!!!

Yep. Here's the day it all started. The day I packed up all my possessions, and either left them in a friends garage in Ohio, or packed them in this homemade trailer, dropped my husband off at the Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS), and drove clear across the country to stay at my parents house. Seeing my husband drive off to Fort Knox, Kentucky was one of the hardest things I've done. But I did it.

My mom and I drove across the country in a 1990 Suburban, towing a home made trailer. 2500 miles. With 5 children. In 4 days. With no air conditioning. In the beginning of August. That was hard.

I watched my 2 year old wonder where his Daddy was. Throw fits because he wanted his old house back. Wonder where all of his toys were. Where his old backyard was. Where his old Nursery class (from church) was. Wonder why he was in a new house with new rules. That was hard.

Cram 5 kids into one little room, in a full bed, 2 cots, and a play pen. Then move 2 kids into tents, then eventually the garage. Field complaints of "you don't love me because you make me sleep in a tent", and "I hate sleeping in this room with all these boys". Trying to keep 5 people's clothes in one little closet, with no dressers. That was hard.

I went without talking to my husband for 9 weeks. 63 days. I saved an old voicemail from him, and listened to it whenever I got lonely. Not having a loving shoulder to cry on. Not having him here for me when things got tough, that was hard.

Making all the phone calls, dealing with all the bill, handling all the problems, being a single parent (essentially), that was hard.

I've found, though, over these hundred days, that I am tougher than I thought. I didn't die. I didn't have a nervous breakdown. I didn't quit. I'm still here. It's still hard, but I'm doing my best. We've actually had a TON of good times. I've learned a lot. I feel proud about what my little family is doing for our country. Most things that are important are hard. That's were the most opportunity for growth comes. "That which does not kill you makes you stronger". And I'm becoming ARMY STRONG.

Anyway, to honor my 100 days, I'm going to give you all a treat! Just be one of the first 100 people to leave a comment and you'll win a prize! And what might that prize be? Well, look below to find out!!!

comment #1-5 : 50% off coupon
comment #6-20: 40% off coupon
comment #21-50: 30% off coupon
comment #51-75: 20% off coupon
comment #76-100: 10% off coupon

Now, here are some guidelines: CT and Managers can't play. You girls get TONS of stuff for free already :) AND, only one prize per person. No multiple comments :)

So, when you leave a comment, make sure you leave a way for me to get a hold of you :)

OK, girls! Thanks for helping me celebrate what a GREAT accomplishment our family has done! We've been in the Army for 100 days!!!!!

I Must Have Loved You Before Series - Ageless Feeling

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOM!!! Today is my 2nd child, Thomas', birthday. We're having a family party for him tomorrow. It's also my niece, Taylors, birthday. She's having a party tonight at McDonalds, and we're gonna go to that :)

Speaking of Tom. He came home from school yesterday, sad. He lost his class election. Then, to add injury to insult, McCain lost too. Poor Tom. I thought he was gonna cry. His comment, after the fact, was "Well, at least we both lost together". hehehehe. There ya go, Tom :)

Are you guys still watching for my special 100 days thingy? Yeah?

So, guess what, girls? You get double WordArt today! One for WordArt Wednesday, and one from my series! Aren't you lucky!!! Here's my WordArt Wednesday Week 20. Holy cow! Week 20!!! Click HERE to go to Scraporchard to download the zip file, and remember, you have to be logged into the gallery to get the WordArt.

This request is from Fenn. She lost her dog a few weeks ago. I thought that there would be many of you who could use this one too. :) Hope you like it!



Here's the next part in the series - I think this one is my favorite :) I just LOVE how my layout turned out . Click on the image below to go to my 4shared account to download the PNG file, and leave some love if you like my work.

FONTS:
see previous post - LOL!