Catching up...

Hi there!! 

WHAT A WEEK!!

My oldest son came down with strep throat:(

My keyboard went out on the computer... really sucked! 

Busy with school and work, whew... TGIF!!

On a good note...

I got a B on my first art history test!!

Woo-Hoo!!

I was so terrified that I was gonna forget everything and bomb that darn test!

But I kicked BUTT instead!

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So tomorrow (Saturday) my mom and I are going to "Shipshewana on the Road"!!

Shipshewana is a huge outdoor flea market that is in a small Amish town about 45 minutes from where we live. Well, each winter LOTS of the vendors travel here for an indoor flea market and I am STOKED that I get to go this year!

They have arts/crafts, food... etc.

Some pics of booths they've had in the past...

Wooden signs with sayings...

Lots of wood furniture, shelves and such that you can buy...

The inside of the building is set up like this, with vendors all over!!

I HOPE I find some GOODIES!!!!!

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Then in the late afternoon, I am going to a Scentsy party at one of my sister in laws house...

Scentsy has the flame less plug in candle tart warmers and yummy tart bricks...

Check their website out if you've never heard of them...

www.scentsy.com

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On Valentines Day, my hubby has to work:(

But he said if the boys and I came in, he'd make us a heart shaped pizza for dinner ♥

(He's a restaurant manager)

I have a couple fun Valentine things planned for the boys and I to do to keep busy!

So since Monday is Presidents Day and the kids are off school, and I'm off work...

hubby and I are going to Michigan City to the outlet mall to do some Spring shopping then to have dinner. 

Monday will be our Valentines Day then :)

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What do you have planned??

Don't forget to stop by my blog on Sunday for a special Valentine Party that I joined, 

I will also be having a lil giveaway too!!!

Visit thepottingshed-anythinggoeshere.blogspot.com on Sunday too, to see all the other gals that are participating as well!!

Have a FAB-U-LOUS weekend!!

(Now that I can type again I will be around to visit all of you this weekend to see

 what you've been up to this week!!)

Valentine Hugs,

Noelle ♥

Its time again...

Though blogging I have met many great friends!

They have given me many wonderful gifts such as their friendships or little goodies sent through the mail to suprise me:)

Last year I participated in Pay it Forward...

and I want to do it again for 2010!

I will take the first three gals that sign up on this post and send you something handmade by me this year, or maybe some fun goodies... who knows!

BUT... IN TURN YOU MUST TAKE THE PAY IT FORWARD BUTTON AND DO THE SAME ON YOUR BLOG:) 

There is no set amount of money that you must spend or anything, 

just pick something nice to send to your pay it forward recipients to brighten their day!!

Ok... who's gonna be my top three??

(also if you were one of my 3 recipients last year, lets give some other gals a chance this year, ok?)

Noelle♥

Friday Funnies!

If you may have had a crappy day like me...

Maybe this funny video of my hubby and I in the disco days,

will cheer you up!! LOL

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

a new love ♥ & some crafting...

Ever have one of "those days" when you are SUPPOSED to do something but pass it up to do something you'd enjoy doing MUCH MORE?

Thats how I felt today...

Its been gloomy and cold here,

been down in the dumps mentally thinking about my dad and our kitty, feeling frustrated that I won't get a call about the school job I applied for, etc.

So instead of moping and doing what I was SUPPOSED to do (a.k.a. - go to music class), I went out for some ME time, yep just ME, MYSELF and I.

As I get older I feel like I'd rather spend time alone to think, relax and not have to talk to someone else.

I've been very aggravated by some of my "friends" I have here (back home). I speak to only 2 of the 5 girls I had in my wedding... and the speaking I do to those 2 is pretty minimal.

I feel like I just can't relate to certain people anymore.

I don't want to deal with drama or gossip.

I feel like I am moving ahead in life this year to make those changes I want to make to better myself.

When I "need" a friend to talk to, or hang out with... my friends really aren't there.

I told my hubby that I feel a closer knit bond to many of my blog friends than some of the friends I have had for years! I guess I wasn't kidding when I told some people that I was "crawling under a rock" after the wedding! Whew, sorry I had to vent all that to ya!!

Anywho onto my new love and some crafting...

Have you ever been to this store...

OMG!!! Its like Heaven on Earth!

Its like Hobby Lobby, Big Lots and more all in one store with close to dollar store prices on MANY items!!

I went there today for the first time and spent $10; and walked away with almost 7 items!!!

I wanted MORE and MORE, lol!!

Oh my, their Easter stuff is SO cute and for like $1, $1.99 and $2.99 you can get the cutest things!

I cannot wait to go back there!!!!!!!!!!!

Here are a couple of the things I snagged...

These 2 vintage tin heart ornaments are so cute and $1 a piece!!!

Look at this pretty shabby-ish sign! Tin as well and came with a set of 3 fleur de lis magnets!

Only $1.99!!! And these are their regular prices!!

I may be giving this one to someone sweet:)

Pretty patchwork Valentine plates and napkins for my upcoming Valentine Crop I am having at my house!

These were each a buck!

I got some other things too but can't show yet cause they are for a swap partner ;)

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After The Christmas Tree Shop,

I went across the street to Hobby Lobby to pick up a couple supplies I needed...

and their Valentine stuff was 40% off!!

Some pretty scrapbook paper for some more crafting...

Got a few of these cute lil pink heart bowls to use for my gals that will come scrapbook with me!

These were 2 for $0.60 with the sale!

A wooden heart sign for $1.40 that I'm gonna modge podge up for ♥ day!

This little pink tin that looks like a bottle cap was $1.40 also.

I got crafty and here is how it looks after...

What do ya think??

Some glitter, modge podge, lace paper heart and a cut up card and wa-la!!

Some lucky gal gets this one too;)

I am LOVIN' this crafty Valentine vibe that I have!!! 

I don't know how I find the time to do it, maybe its cause I'm behind on some ironing?? lol:)

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This morning I received a LOVELY surprise via the UPS man!

A super super cute vintage valentine wreath from my sweet friend Michele at Country Vintage ♥

I was soooo shocked when I opened it because Michele just posted a pic of this wreath a couple days ago on her blog, and I asked if she was going to be selling it in her etsy shop... well that stinker never replied to my question!! LOL Instead, the sweetheart just sent it to me to make me smile:)

Gosh, I love my bloggin' buddies!!

Here's a close up...

So cute :)

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So even though things are tough at times, I've got many great people in my life like all you girls!!

This lil doll face...

This Jr. stud muffin...

And my handsome husband...

My hubby always tells me when I am being obnoxious, that I'm like "Winning the lottery without any money!"

(yea he's a riot, isn't he?)

But... we always tell EACH other that...

We may NOT be RICH with MONEY but we are RICH with LOVE!!

I think, rather... I KNOW, I'd take his LOVE over money any day!! ♥

~Hope you all have a wonderful day tomorrow~

Love,

Noelle ♥

What makes me Happy!

A loooong time ago my sweet girl Carrie awarded me and tagged me and I keep forgetting to post it!!

Sorry Carrie!!

Here is the Happy 101 Award...

I'm supposed to name 10 things that make me happy...

1. My 2 cute sons

2. My sexy hubby

3. TRUE friends

4. BLOGGING

5. Diet Dr. Pepper

6. Being tan

7. Energy I get when I excercise!

8. Scrapbooking

9. Having a couple bucks to spend at Targets Dollar Section

10. Getting pampered- pedi's and massages... ahhh!!

The rules are that I now have to tag 10 BLOGS that make me happy...

and today I received another award from my darling Jen,GlamGirl...

Thanks so much Jen, your blog sure does brighten my day!!

So I guess I'll combine these 2 awards and let the 10 gals that I chose pick which ever one they want to snag...

1. Holly-Girls at Heart

2. Mishele- Crowned Casa

3. Katie- Katies Nesting Spot

4. Michele- Country Vintage

5. Tina- Mommy Scraps a Lot

6. Pea- Pea's Corner

7.  Stacy- My Life with 3 boys...

8. Jessi- Welcome to the Zoo

9. Jen- WhineNRoses

10. Lori (my mom) Ruffles, Ribbons and Roses

** It was SO hard to pick just 10 :( **

Noelle ♥

♥ With Love ♥

I couldn't resist...

I had to take the boys for a small Valentine photo shoot

with our fave photographer!!

Here are a few of my faves...

Robin our photographer is so creative with all the fun ideas she has...

The collages Robin does are her signature thing; isn't this cute?

Love the sweetness of this one...

Too cute; shows their many lil expressions!

Love how black and white photo's show such sweetness and innocence...

or wait, maybe its cause these 2 brothers are actually getting along!!! (lol)

I have to say this one is my #1 FAVE collage!!

Love the candy hearts background!!

My lil cute monster!!

He's gonna be three in April!!!!

OMG!! So angelic and adorable!

Cute... he had a bad case of overly chapped lips right before this photo shoot!

Its always something!

He's such a stud muffin already!

Woo's the ladies with his charm and those big brown eyes!!

Well, thats all I'm gonna share for now!!

I have to save some for the 14th when I do my Valentine post!

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Hope you all had a great weekend!

My oldest had a very tough time dealing with the loss of our Maxie kitty.

He made his first Reconciliation yesterday and I told him to say a little prayer to God to help him find a way to not feel so sad about losing Maxie and to help him find ways to remember her.

I must say the rest of the day after his confession, he was like a new boy!
A lot happier than usual and played really nicely with his lil brother.

I'm off to dinner tonite with my friend Becky that I also work for at her home daycare. 

She got a gift card to a yummy Italian place from one of the daycare parents and offered to share it with my and buy me dinner!
I'm SOOO looking forward to a grown up dinner and a glass of WINE!!!

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I hope this week is much better than the last!

Hugs,

Noelle ♥

too much sadness:(

Hey girls,

Its been a hectic week and to top it all of we had to have our kitty Maxie put to sleep yesterday:(

She's the one that I mentioned has been fighting kidney failure for a couple months now.

We took her into the vet cause she wasn't eating, or able to go potty; we also found her throwing up green bile. In the past couple months she's gone from almost 10 lbs in weight to 5.5 lbs yesterday:( 

The vet told us there isn't anything more we could do, her kidney values were tripled.

So she will be cremated and we will keep her here with us in our home.

Its sad without her cute lil face and sweet demeanor here.

My oldest son is so heartbroken by this too. 

He was sooo attached to her.

We will miss you so much lil miss Maxie ♥

I've been very sad thinking about my dad a lot lately too, I was praying so hard that this New Year would bring hope, peace and happiness to our family. So far its been very rough.

I am trying to go back to work full time as well. I cannot take this financial struggle anymore. 

I applied for a job at a school nearby my home as a Title 1 Instructional Assistant, which would require me to do tutoring with 2nd graders and most likely more work than just tutoring. It would be a school year position which would leave my summers free which would be GREAT!!

I am a bit worried about trying to take college classes and work more as well.

But I know its something I need to do.

So please cross your fingers for me!!

Noelle ♥