Day 119, Friday, April 29

And today, we got a Subway gift card. I almost always go to Subway for lunch on fridays. Now I can eat for free! Many thanks to our co-worker Sheila, who is absolutely the best shopper and a great friend!

Day 118, Thursday, April 28

We got flowers today! They smell so good! Purple and green, too! The butterfly has a clip on the back so we could use it to hold a photo after the flowers are gone. (told you we were spoiled!)

Day 117, Wednesday, April 27

Happy Secretary's Day! It really was a great day. We went out of the building for lunch with the other secretary's in our district to Johnny's Italian Steakhouse. Our superintendent went with us and expressed his graditude for all the hard work we do and the committment we have to our school. Mr. Goss gave us a Texas Roadhouse gift card, our Parents Club gave us a box with scrapbook supplies in it and our gift today was a scrapbook magazine from Hobby Lobby and a gift card.

Day 116, Tuesday, April 26

Today we got a stack of note pads and a pen. We write notes all the time. Sheila thought we needed a small pad for small notes, a medium pad for a medium note and a large pad for a large note! (Of course the green ribbon is just icing on the cake!)

Day 115, Monday, April 25

This morning, Sheila greeted us with this cup and drink mixes. Most secretary's get a gift on Wednesday....Administrative Assistant Professional day. But at our school, we are spoiled and get a gift each day of the entire week!

Day 114, Sunday, April 24

Happy Easter! Peyton got to hunt for Easter Eggs filled with lots of goodies, today! He got a plush bunny in his basket, too! We had ham, egg and cheese croissants for brunch...(like we do Christmas morning). And the big story of the day....he found an egg that was from last year. The candy was still in it!

Day 113, Saturday, April 23

Jim planted 50 plugs of grass in the backyard today. Our backyard is shaded for most of the day and we have had a hard time getting grass to grow in some of the areas.

Day 112, Friday, April 22

Today is Good Friday. The center cross was carried from the riverfront, up Court Street to the lawn of this church, by a man who has done this every year for about 20 years. Three men were placed on the crosses to reinact the path taken by Jesus. This is the first year, that any church has participated in this Good Friday activity. Makes you stop and say....thank you.

Day 111, Thursday, April 21

Mrs. Clark's second grade class made Easter Bonnets and had a parade at school today. They were made out of newspaper and decorated with a variety of other "stuff". Since I couldn't show their faces....I had them show me their bonnets!

Day 110, Wednesday, April 20

These four layouts were completed in my Latest and Greatest Basic Grey class. I have a kit that has the second page to complete each layout. I almost always construct 2 page layouts. I guess I take way to many pictures!

Day 109, April 19

I was driving to work this morning and I looked at my visor. Seems I like Rascal Flatts. Bet you didn't know that! lol

Day 108, Monday, April 18

Happy Birthday, Rachel! I hope you have a wonderful day. And that is Jordan, my handsome 5 year old nephew with his mom!

Day 107, Sunday, April 17

Snoopy and Woodstock are two of my most favorite cartoon characters. I have collected a few Snoopy things over the years, but these are more recent finds. Snoopy is dressed in a purple bunny costume and Woodstock as an Easter Egg. It just makes me smile!

Day 106, Saturday, April 16

These four layouts were done during my class at the CKC Convention. This class was sponsored by Creating Keepsakes and taught by Laura Vega. She has layouts published in the magazine all the time. This class was designed to create 4 layouts in one hour...or 15 minutes per layout. I really enjoyed this class and hope to use some of the techniques really soon!

Day 105, Friday, April 15

Tonight we went to the school carnival. Jim helped me take pictures of all the activities and of the kids during the talent show. Just before we got to the school , the tornado sirens went off. We had to spend about 45 minutes in the cafeteria and auditorium before we could roam around the school. Jim is putting some "cash" in Mr. Stan's jar for the dunk tank. (Jim also had to have his cotton candy!)

Day 104, Thursday, April 14

The city of Marquette Heights has a field that is planted with Native Illinois Prairie Grass. Every spring, the fire department burns the grass. Our third grade students, study life on the prairie, so the street department invite the students to come to the prairie burn. Before the grass is started on fire, the children run through the field to help scare the wildlife out of the grass.

It doesn't take long and all the dried grass is gone. The fire department are always on hand to make sure that the fire is under control. It was amazing to me to see how much the wind affects the fire. I was across the street and could feel the heat!

Day 103, Wednesday, April 13

When I got to work this morning, my computer was under attack by the post it note feature. It seems as though Mr. Goss, our prinicpal, was sitting at my desk talking on the phone and waiting for the last bus to get back to the bus barn. He just kept clicking on the post it note and adding them to my desktop. He likes to do stuff like that all the time. So, Cindy and I returned the favor...but since there were 2 of us...we really got even!

Day 102, Tuesday, April 12

I made a few sympathy cards. I never like to make them when I need them...so I try to keep a few in my file all the time. These were very simple....a little cuttlebugging and stamping and ribbon!

Day 101, Monday, April 11

I finally got all of my bags unpacked from CKC this past weekend. I bought all of these things on friday and saturday. I am most excited about the Tim Holtz Distress Stains and the Tim Holtz Paper. Jim....I don't think I will have to go to Michael's for a while, okay?

Day 100, Sunday, April 10

Toni is having a baby girl! Her shower was today. They haven't picked a name yet, so we will wait to see what her name will be. I made the baby book for her. There is a page for each month from birth to her first birthday. Can't wait to see this baby girl.

Day 99, Saturday, April 9

Today was Grandpa Smith's 90th Birthday party. His birthday is on the 10th. This is a picture of Grandpa and Grandma and all four of their children. Jill, Rachel, Jim and Scott. Happy Birthday!

Day 98, Friday, April 8

We went to Collinsville for the Creating Keepsakes Convention. Today we drove to the hotel after work. We went to Archiever's and the Scrapbook Factory. I got all of the Tim Holtz distress stains! I was so excited to find all of the colors in one place...I bought all 12 of them! Tomorrow we have 2 classes....one is Basic Grey (4 different layouts) and the other is 15 minute layouts, by Creating Keepsakes Magazine. Should be fun!

Day 97, Thursday, April 7

Today we had our annual Jump Rope for Heart. Our first and second grade students all got to participate. They each had to donate at least $1. The highest donation was $270. I count all the money and record it on a class total sheet. The total for the whole event was just over $4,900!

Day 96. Wednesday, April 6

This is one of my favorite bunnies. Cindy and I painted these several years ago and I still love to put him out! I remember painted those eggs...I think that was the hardest part of the whole project!

Day 95, Tuesday, April 5

I got a cricut plush! I couldn't pass it up. It arrived today. I think I want to put a bow on it's head and call it a girl....but it really looks like a boy to me!

Day 94, Monday, April 4

Tonight was our card swap! The Chirpin' Chicks did it again....really nice cards this month. We were to use chipboard, grunge board or grunge paper on our cards. This was a fun challenge for me...I used my Tim Holtz gears die cut!

Day 93, Sunday, April 3

Jim has been working in the yard. We bought new Coco Bean mulch to put in the flower beds. The iris bulbs have really multipled over the past few years. I can't wait to see those purple flowers!

Day 92, Saturday, April 2

I made a few Wedding and Anniversary cards. My friend Nikki, had a sample on her board during a class, so I photographed it. I found a video on Dawn Griffith's blog and followed her instructions.

Bride & Groom Hearts Video http://dawnsstampingthoughts.typepad.com/dawns_stampin_studio/page/2/

Day 91, Friday, April 1

Jim and I went to Springfield today to do some shopping. We ate lunch at Lone Star. We saw this bill board when we were driving around town. I thought it was neat the way the vine was "growing" up the post and the tomatos where hanging like they were on a vine!

Day 31, Thursday, March 31

And she sleeps! I got to play with my great neice, Saige for a while today. She is such a little doll and such a good baby! Love you baby Saige! Sleep tight baby girl!

Day 89, Wednesday, March 30

I have been cleaning since last saturday. I gathered all the snowmen on the kitchen table, so I could pack them away until next year. I will get the bunnies out after I get the dust bunnies cleaned up!

Day 88, Tuesday, March 29

Jim bought me this food scale. I guess he was listening when I was talking about having control of the amount of food I eat. It is digital and displays the nutritional information of the food when you weigh it.