I was pulled over...

...by a lying officer, yesterday! It didn't even dawn on me that he was lying until after I drove off and replayed the whole conversation in my mind. I was driving down the NJ Turnpike on my way to my nephew's 3rd birthday party. At exit 7A, a state police officer pulled onto the highway and I thought "great, now traffic is really going to slow up"! I watched him pull into the far left lane 2 cars in front of me so I got over into the middle lane (it's a 3 lane highway at this point) so I could keep my eye on him. Suddenly he slowed down so that he was able to pull in back of me and then put on his lights signaling for me to pull over. I have to be the only person in the world to get pulled over by a cop who is driving in front of me!!! So anyway, I pull over to the right shoulder and take out my licence and registration, (which I always told myself I wouldn't do until the officer is at my window...NJ Turnpike was supposedlyinfamous during the whole DWB epidemic). He comes to the window and tells me that I didn't signal before switching lanes. I was a little befuddled because I usually always use my signal on the highway, especially with DS in the car. I looked the officer in the eye and politely said "I did use my signal. I always signal". He was adamant that I didn't use my signal. I was adamant that I did. So I asked him to check them, they all were working. He said "yeah, I saw you switch lanes without signaling twice while I was behind you and then right before I pulled you over, the only time you signaled is when I pulled you over". Then he asked if everything was OK with my licence (which it is) and told me he was just going to issue me a warning. He takes my info to his car and checks me out of course. I couldn't believe it, though I'm not surprised!! He came back with the warning and told me it wouldn't count for anything and then told me to have a nice day. I was more than a little peeved! I called my sister and told her what happened and then thought about the incident. That's when I realized...hold up...did he just tell me that he saw me change lanes twice without signaling while he was behind me? He was never behind me!!! I saw him come onto the highway and the I stayed behind him!! LIAR!!! I swear NJ state police officers are the cockiest...! If he'd given me a ticket, I darn sure would have fought it, but I'm glad it was just a warning...though an unwarranted and unnecessary warning!

Memorial Day Weekend

It's the unofficial start to summer...woohoo!!! This is my favorite time of year because there seems to be so much going on outside. Everyone is shaking off the winter blues and coming alive! I have a pretty busy weekend ahead. Today is my nephew Jaden's birthday...he's 3 years old! Donovan and I will make the 1 1/2 hour trek to South Jersey to attend his skating party. (hopefully we can beat the traffic, otherwise it's going to take 2-2 1/2 hours). Tomorrow we have a family barbecue with the inlaws, also in South Jersey. Why did we have to move?! (said in a whiney, sing song voice) This will be a lot of fun! Love my in-laws, they are too comical! Monday, I will march in my town's Memorial Day parade along with the other OEM volunteers. Afterwards, we are having a BBQ at the OEM building. I'm sooo looking forward to Jon's (our coordiantor) ribs! Then it's back to work on Tuesday! boohoo!

Doesn't look like I'm going to get much scrapping done this weekend. Here's my latest creation, (I used a CD for inspiration)...I drew and handcut the spiral around the pic and handcut the green title letters. To achieve the look of the title (green letters), I photocopied the CD at 230% and used the letters as a template for my title. Since the CD cover has a lot of "bling" on it in the form of $100 dollar bills falling from the sky, fancy cars, and furs I added bling to my LO. I also stayed with the same color scheme, too.

Journaling: You're our whole world little man and we love you to pieces! TFL!

Here's the CD I used:

End Of The Road

Well, I didn't make it to round 3 of the SYTYCS contest. I must admit I'm a little surprised, I thought my LO was rockin'! Oh well, maybe next time. I do plan to play along for the next 4 weeks for a chance to win some prizes.

Birthday Cards

Lately I've been in a bit of a card making mood. I guess you can say I'm attempting to hone my skills. This weekend I created four birthday cards for a cybercrop challenge at serendipityscrapbooks.com. The cards had to have the color pink on them and of course some bling!

SYTYCS Round #2

Here's the challenge for round 2:

[This challenge is inspired by one of my personal themes songs – Photograph by Michael Stipe & Natalie MerchantHere is a link to the lyrics:http://www.scraplovers.com/forum/showthread.php?p=144996Once you have read through the lyrics, I hope you are inspired to scrap a piece of your family history, because that is exactly what you need to do this week. This page will be heritage in nature and should include something of sentimental value, a piece of memorabilia that you have wanted to scrap, something you have saved to put on your pages and just never have. Some examples may include, but are in no way limited to, a piece of lace, a ticket stub, a postcard, an old love letter, a pressed flower. Of course, this bit of memorabilia will be useless unless you tell why it is important too, so be sure to include some journaling – either seen or hidden – but include the journaling in your description.]

Here's what I came up with:

The inside pic is one of the earliest pics Troy and I took together as a couple (circa 1994) and the outer pic is the most recent one taken this month. On Valentine's Day 2001, my husband (then my fiance) printed a message to me in the newspaper, which I used on the LO as my piece of memorabilia. (see the bird's beak) Message reads: Tanisha 143 (means I love you) You're the music in my heart. Troy

Journaling reads: Looking at this photo of us makes me laugh! Look how young we were. Can you believe it's been 13 years? It seems like yesterday...it's funny because I still feel as youthful around you now as I did back then. My love for you has grown tremendously over the years and I can't imagine life without you. So here's to another 13 years and then another...and another...and another! Always and forever, Tanisha journalled May 17, 2007 TFL!

On another note, stop by serendipityscrapbooks.com this Friday-Sunday for our Sweet Memories Cybercrop - you will definitely have a great time creating layouts, playing games and chatting it up with fellow scrapbook lovers. The design team (myself included) has come up with great challenges for the crop. Hope to see YOU there!

May DT Assignments - Zsiage

I can't tell you how much fun I am having as a Zsiagette! Dina is spoiling us to the max, not to mention the fact that the products are truly fabulous and I just love working with them! This month, I completed 2 layouts and 1 card (posted on the 2nd). I was so happy to be able to scrap these pics. I took them last summer and finally had the opportunity! I love the bright colors! I made the buttons using chippies circles, eyelets, and ribbon - I then inked the edges to match!

The pics on this LO were taken a week ago, where else, but at the playground! Donovan loves it there!

Moving On

I'm so happy...I made it to round 2 of the So You Think You Can Scrap contest at scraplovers.com!!!!

The Scrap-O-Dex

Check it out - http://www.zsiage.com/
Zsiage has come up with a great new item called the scrap-o-dex and let me be the first to tell you it's FABULOUS! It's great for all of those rolodex cards and so simple to use. I've NEVER done a rolodex card in my life, but check out what I created with this little number:

I plan to create individual cards for family birthdays and anniversaries and file under the correct month. This was so fun! TFL!

So You Think You Can Scrap...

...well, yeah I guess! I needed a little boost in my layouts and nothing does it better than a challenge, so I decided to join the SYTYCS contest over at scraplovers.com. It's a 6 week contest, you get 1 week to complete the challenge and at the end of the week a percentage of the contestants will be voted out by a panel of judges. Check out this week's challenge:

[Here is your first challenge: Creativity; whether in the form of writing, dance, or music; makes ones very existence meaningful. Throughout these challenges we will be using the various forms of art, music and dance to inspire you in your art form of scrapping. We look forward to seeing what you create. To get things going we want you to embrace your inner artist…musical artist that is. Your first challenge is to choose a song and use either the title or a phrase from the song as your layout title. In addition to the Song Title inspiration you will use only cardstock- No patterned papers at all!] We can't creat our own patterned either, the idea is to really let the cardstock shine.

So, here's my layout. The song title I chose for this LO (Fading Like A FLower) is by a Swedish Pop/Rock group named Roxette. The title couldn't have been more perfect to describe how I feel when I look at this pic I took of my son earlier this week. Using no pp wasn't as difficult as I thought, I love how this turned out!


Journaling: Looking at this picture makes me happy and sad; happy because my baby is growing up and coming into his own. He's asserting his independence and learning more about his surroundings everyday. It makes me sad because my baby is growing up. Everyday, it's harder for me to remember him as the tiny baby that I used to snuggle close. I miss those times, but I'm looking forward to the future with him. I guess you can say this is bittersweet. My baby is fading into a little boy with a cute little devilish grin on his face. I know he's going to continue growing up, but I want to try to remember him just like this! Journalled May 10, 2007 TFL!

Road To Recovery

I've been feeling better lately. I think the events surrounding my sister's wedding had a lot to do with catapulting me into my current state of happiness. I had a cute hairdo (which always makes me feel good), a gorgeous dress, and I've been laughing and acting like my old silly self and it feels good. I find it hard to go back to that whole gloomy demeanor that I was in after the loss. I'm feeling good and I'm definitely on the road to recovery!

Check out my sister and her new husband....don't they look so good together? I had so much fun at her wedding, it was small and intimate and the ceremony was just beautiful. I was her Matron of Honor and very proud to stand up for my sis, just like she did for me 5 years ago.

Here's a pic of my hubby and me at the reception. He was in the wedding, too (it was only natural since we've been together since my sister was 16). Our son was the broom bearer; it was truly a family affair.

I tell you, I love this man so very much! He has truly been my rock and I don't know how I would have handled our situation if not for him. I have been reminded of why I fell in love with him 13 years ago. Well, that and the fact that he's sexy as heck!

I made and album for the newlyweds using my fabulous Zsiage products. It's a marital advice album in which I had all of the bridal shower attendees write relationship advice. I added pics and embellies and I love how it turned out...check it out!

From The Bottom Of My Heart

Words can not begin to describe how thankful I am for each and every one of you magnificent ladies who sent up beautiful words of prayers and offered many, many kind words of support for my family and I during the most difficult moment in our life. I am extremely sad to report that I did lose the baby, but I assure you that I am on the road to recovery mentally, spiritually, and physically. I have always believed in the power of female friendships and the actions of all of you have even further reconfirmed that belief! Thank you so very much!