Happy Tax Free Holiday...

and other strange things that go on in Texas.
This past two weeks or so have been a major blur...lost a house, found a house, lost a car (moment of silence for my dearly departed truck :o( found a new car...lost a house. Sigh...But it wasn't without its moments...
I got to scrap!! I went to a crop at the Scrapbook Pad in Colleyville for a crop with Donna Downey. What fun!! I had a great picture taken with Donna that I will post when Josiane sends it to me (forgot my camera of course!!) The look on her face is priceless. I was saying I was going to post it on my blog while I told the world that Donna Downey called me a fat pig!! What she said was that I have a heavy hand (noted when I had trouble with an exacto knife)--heavy hand, fat pig...whats the difference, right!! And everyone thinks she is so nice, LMBO!! Just kidding, Donna, I love you (we Catholic Yankees need to stick together!!)and the class was fantastic. As soon as I finish it I will post and then it will be going to work with Shawn as his anniversary gift. Yes...once again, poor Shawn gets a delayed gift :o( He did buy me the car though and we are buying a house, so even though it is our 20th anniversary (you may applaud now!!) we didn't do individual gifts...but he gets to bring our "bloomin' family" to work to remember what his kids look like...
And he will need it. Poor Shawn is working all the time, and the kids are growing so fast. We took them school shopping (even though we don't have a school...they WILL be going!!) during tax free holiday here in Texas. What a trip...It was like Black Friday with no heavy coats!! And we saved over $600...Shawn was not impressed!! He asked how much do you have to spend to save over $600...men just don't get it :o)
I took some pics here of the kids in new outfits in case they grow out of them before we find a school for them to attend. The first is with our new van. The second is in front of our new church...St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Keller.

I wasn't born in Texas, but I got here as quick as I could....

Finally getting around to posting. Things have been sooooo hectic!! But we finally did our first "Texas" thing this weekend. We had chicken at "Babe's" If you come visit, I promise to take you!! Next door there was a cute little old fashioned candy shop, and the nice woman who owned let me look through her books for sale. Shawn was with us so I didn't shop ;o) but I will be going back for "Learn to Speak Texan in 30 minutes or less." Anyone need me to pick them up a copy when I go back!!
Just going to post a quick picture or two of the kids so you can see that they really are still here and I haven't done anything to them (well, except Mariah. She had her adenoids out, AGAIN).
The first photo is a rare Texas sighting of two mermaids sitting by the pool. Quite amazing, don't you think....They are doing that classic mermaid look (its that or Bratz...can't figure it out!) The other is the rest of the kids cooling off with Popsicles...except Nathan. Darryl had her very pretty niece visiting and he was busy being cool :o) No popsicles necessary!!
Well, I will try to post more often...chronicles of a displaced northener...y'all take care now...

Holly's Close to My Heart Jumpstart Party

Welcome to my party...we will try to go all weekend!! In between packing since I am Texas-bound (Did you all know that Texas is the home of the frozen margarita? We will get to that part of the party as time permits, but I digress ;o)

Quick recap of party rules...orders must be emailed to me at smurphy@echoes.net or hmurphy@myctmh.com and you can paypal me once I send you your total with tax and shipping. Shipping is from the company...I will cover shipping to you as a thank-you for coming to my party!

All my CTMH specials are in my newsletter on this site and if you order and need the new spring catalog (IT is super, btw!!) just tell me. If you only want the catalog, just email me. It is free, but you would need to cover shipping.

Finally, I will try to finish my projects I promised the Bunkhouse buds and post them on the site, but I will also post here in case you are coming from somewhere else...

LETS PARTY!!

Spring is Here...

I cannot believe I haven't posted since March 1 and here it is May 1.

I have started a new business since I last posted! I am a consultant for Close to My Heart. Close to my Heart is an acrylic stamp company that sell, um, acrylic stamps, cardmaking, and scrapbook supplies. Actually, the best products in the business which is why, if any of you remember before Tina interrupted my career path, I used to have a website for them. My new website is www.hmurphy.myctmh.com

At Close to my Heart we are running some specials this month...and I am celebrating my business grand opening, appropriately, this weekend on National Scrapbook Day. I will post some projects here and on my website on friday if you are interested. The company is also offering a special incentive with purchase for the month of May only...this beautiful 9x9 accordian album. Details on my website.

Dreaming of Summer

Did a summer layout today...not only did it remind me of warm summer days, but it reminded me why I love my big kids. Once they were really adorable!! I know I don't tolerate the heat well, but I sure do miss it in the dead of winter. And with another ice storm expected tonight...well, this is as close as I will get for some time!

Cabin Fever

With no dome to run around in still and temps often too cold to play outside, seriously scary cabin fever has set upon the Murphy home...and the kids aren't doing too well either! Luckily I have been able to take some solace in scrap therapy...unfortunately my scrap therapy makes Shawn crazy!! He was supposed to be winging to TX right about now but his boss canceled and is on his way to Germany instead...Hey Bill, if you are reading this, I think you should take Shawn, too. I figure if he goes to Germany for business, there is the possibility I can go one day, too. He could work all day while I sample, the, er, local customs ;0)

Tina is the only one who is really thriving in the snowy weather! She is a never-ending bundle of energy. She even wears Matthew out and I didn't think that was possible. I suppose it will serve her later in life if I permit her to make it to adulthood, ahhhhhhh. Nate and Mariah have been taking advantage of some down time to start taking practice tests for high school. Right now they are both looking at Scranton Prep...I am looking at soccer and basketball scholarships, sigh...

Digging Out

Though in PA, it seems impossible that we would still be digging out from a storm so far after the fact, this was an unusual one. The large amounts of water mixed in with the snow in the form of freezing rain made this snowfall very heavy. Everyone is worried about roof collapse. We have been there and done that ;0) so we felt immune (how many time can it happen to one family, right?) But everyone from a local library to our parish church had worries. Our local sports dome, the Playing Field was one of the businesses that did suffer roof collapse. It is one of the inflatable buildings...like a giant bubble. The children are there so much for soccer that it is like a home away from home. I was very proud of my family when they spent their Saturday with others from the community at a shovel party helping the family Dig Out! Even Tina got a shovel and lent a hand. We hope to get back to soccer practice very soon and our prayers go out to this family and any others who sustained damage in this very horrible winter storm.