Two Frogs
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2frogs.net Blog

Next Phase
March 13, 2011 14:09
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Tags: web development quilting scrapbooking cooking karate sewing

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about what direction I want my life to take next. No answers, but here are the thoughts.

At the moment, I’m feeling a little “Jack of all trades, master of none.” For example,

* I’m fair at martial arts. I think I’m a pretty good teacher of it, and I do alright given the shape of my body and my age, but the time is past when I could be a superstar. The paths I can take in the arts are limited.

* I’ve dabbled in several arts and crafts, with varying degrees of skill. I’m decent at quilting, scrapbooking, cross-stitching, and clothing construction. I’m not an expert at any of them.

* My time in the business world was very limited. Lack of degree keeps me from applying to any of the jobs I think I’d truly enjoy, and to be honest, I don’t want to work for anyone else. I’ve been spoiled by a decade of self-employment.

*...
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Year End Recap
December 31, 2010 16:29
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Tags: adam kayla lindsey thomas boy scouts camping diet and exercise girl scouts karate quilting scrapbooking sewing texas vacation web development

2010 draws to a close, and a new decade is about to begin. A lot has happened this year, some good and some bad:

* I earned my black belt in ChunJiDo.
* I started my second year as a troop leader, and added a co-leader.
* My last grandparent – Marie Payne – passed away.
* I formed new friendships.
* Old friendships were strained, and some ended.
* I saw drama amongst grown people at scrapbooking, karate, and scouts, and realized that drama is an inevitable part of the human experience.
* I learned that I actually really love camping.
* I lost ground on my weight loss goals.
* I sewed lots and lots of clothes, and scrapbooked hardly at all.
* My mom taught me to crochet – the basics, at least.
* I visited Dallas and St. Louis.
* Thomas started Cub Scouts.
* Lindsey started karate.
* I started more volunteer work with scouts and a homeless shelter. Adam helped me serve a meal a...
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Quick Update
September 26, 2006 04:31
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Tags: karate college web development homeschooling dance scrapbooking

Life is super busy right now, so… highlights:

* Two weeks of class under my belt now – going great
* Joined Adam’s karate class this week – ow.
* Working on a major redesign of the QuiltIndex site – challenging, frustrating, fun, exciting, getting close to done.
* Housework – uh. Moving on.
* Homeschooling – still going great.
* Project with Mike – he’s almost done, I’m not working on it anymore (long story, way too long for a quick update). Hopefully, a new project for me will be there in October.
* Kayla’s dance class – She. Loves. It. And if there’s anything cuter than a 4-year-old in a leotard and dance skirt, well, I haven’t seen it.
* Scrapbooking – None. Nil. Zip. I miss it. October, maybe?
Update on Everyone
August 07, 2006 05:19
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Tags: farming diet and exercise web development quilting scrapbooking mike lindsey thomas kayla adam homeschooling

Life continues to busily march on and on. Today was the last weigh-in before my birthday. I had hoped to get my weight down to 220 before my birthday on Thursday. I fell 5 pounds short of that, but I’m still down 24 pounds, which I figure is still nothing to sneeze at. And I’ll get there… hopefully before the end of the month. My exercise lately has consisted mostly of working on the chicken coop, since we’re losing more and more of them to predators who are finding the holes in the coop’s roof and sagging doors. I’m building new doors for both entrances into the coop, as well as new half-doors that let the chickens out to their pen. Next will be to fix the fence in the big scratch pen and build a new gate, then tramp down all of the brush that’s accumulated this year while that area was vacant.

None of this is helped by my back twinging today. Dammit.

I’m still learning more C# and ASP
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The Biggest Loser
July 31, 2006 21:52
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Tags: scrapbooking

I’ve been trying out for a couple of contests and design team spots.

No success. None. Haven’t even made it to the second round of contests that are “elimination-based” (think Survivor).

I wasn’t really prepared for how sad and disappointed this would make me feel. Had I known, I would’ve never entered. Not to sound full of myself but I’ve always seemed to just naturally do well at things, that when I fail, I don’t really take it well. Adam is the same way, and now I understand that he gets that from me.

So no more contests. If/when I scrapbook, it’s just going to be for myself. If people don’t like my work, fine, but now they’ll have to not like it to themselves.

Bah. Who was I fooling, anyway, thinking I was some kind of artist. sigh
Not the Captain of My Own Ship
July 07, 2006 22:00
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Tags: web development scrapbooking

Well, the Mall Crawl is over, so the inevitable boatloads of email have been pouring in over the last week. It’s always the same kinds of things – problems claiming prizes (which I hate), praise of the event (which I love), difficulty logging in or changing email addresses (which is just a slog). I know how to answer everything (this was, after all, our twelfth such event), but I can’t help but resent the demands on my time that seem to come from every direction. It seems like, no matter how well I try to plan my day, a million-and-one things nibble away at my available hours until there’s no time left to do what I really want to do.

Kids must be fed, dressed, read to, educated, changed, corrected, and otherwise attended to. Dishes and laundry must be washed. Events in town require driving to and from them, plus packing, unpacking, and planning. Shopping, working – it all takes its toll. I want nothing more than to just sit down at 6 in the...
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Dead Poodle
June 21, 2006 01:40
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Tags: scrapbooking web development

I’ve decided to close Scrap-Poodle. It just wasn’t growing fast enough to justify the continuing investment of time. I couldn’t even get stores or consultants to put up free ads, much less to pay for advertising. Even after a year and a half, the subscriber database was only at just barely more than 1,100. I decided I’d rather spend my time doing other things, like learning C#, working on updating QuiltIndex.com and 2frogs, and (gasp!) actually scrapbooking.

Never one to be less than completely busy for too long, I’m back at the eBay thing. I’ve made a few bucks, and I think I’m starting to get noticed a little more by some of the regular buyers. I’ll just keep making things and posting them, then hoping for the best. At least scrapping is fun again.

Yesterday was kind of sad – that’s when I sent out the “I’m shutting down” email to everyone. I got several sympathetic emails (than...
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Thoughtful
June 20, 2006 01:42
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Tags: food scrapbooking

A good friend will package up some empty CD cases, at your request, for you to store your unmounted stamps in.

A great friend will stash bite-sized Ghirardelli packets in each case before shipping them.

Thanks, babe. mwah
Raising Boys
June 19, 2006 01:44
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Tags: scrapbooking quotes

I’m once again trying my hand at selling handmade scrapbooking layouts, albums, and the like on eBay.

I was going through my stash of quotes, titles, etc. looking for material for a new paper bag “Brothers” album, when I found this quote from Harmon Killebrew that made me cry:

My father used to play with my brother and me in the yard. Mother would come out and say, “You’re tearing up the grass.”

“We’re not raising grass,” Dad would reply. “We’re raising boys.”

Mother's Day, Anniversary, Graduation
May 25, 2006 14:44
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Tags: scrapbooking movies food lindsey mike

Wow, it’s been a busy month! Of course, earlier in the month was Mother’s Day. I had a wonderful, very low-key day. Mike and the kids got me the movie Walk the Line (Adam chose it, after Daddy informed him that mommy “likes country music and falling in love”), so I just scrapbooked and watched movies all day. Can’t beat that with a stick!

Tuesday was our anniversary. We did what we usually do on that day – took off from work, ignored the phone, and just spent time decompressing and enjoying each others’ company. Seven years, now, and still no itch my man can’t scratch!

Last night, our friend Nanci took the older three kids for awhile so that we could enjoy a nice dinner (almost) alone. Lindsey joined us, of course, but she was mostly quiet and pleasant. Dinner was barbequed country pork ribs, wilted fresh kale, fried potatoes, crab salad, and regular salad. Delish!

This past weekend, Lindsey and I...
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What I'm Loving
April 02, 2006 18:09
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Tags: food scrapbooking

Aside from my family (of course!), here’s what I’m loving lately:

* Mother’s Double Fudge cookies
* Sweetened ice tea
* Sleep!
* Bazzill cardstock
* Unmounted rubber stamps
* Eucerin Dry Skin Therapy lotion
* Friends I can be catty with online
* Sleep!
* Cutterpede paper trimmer
* The Fairly Odd Parents
* The new washing machine
* Cropper Hopper embellishment storage
* Did I mention sleep?
Just Barely Coping
March 30, 2006 18:39
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Tags: web development adam parenting scrapbooking

Some days, I have to really, really force myself to slow down and think about only one task at a time, because if I really let my mind consider all the things that are undone, half-done, or that need to be done, I start to panic. Like, serious anxiety attacks, the kind that make you just shut down and do nothing at all but just whimper. I’m trying really hard to keep that tendency to panic under control, but it’s not easy. So I’m trying a different approach – spewing it all here, to see how that helps me, if at all.

So here’s what I need to do, and the deadline (if any) by which each needs to be done:

* Configure the new forums for Scrap-Poodle: end of today
* Write monthly newsletters for SP and QI: end of tomorrow
* Write the last two sections of next week’s curriculum: end of Saturday
* Take kids to library for storytime: tomorrow at 10
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A Couple of Days Out
January 14, 2006 00:41
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Tags: scrapbooking food shopping lindsey pregnancy mike kayla thomas adam lindsey

Thursday I took Mary up to her first class at Picture Pages. The original plan had been to have her class at another store, but they canceled on her at the last minute because she was the only enrollee. Grrrr. Anyway, along the way we stopped for dinner at The Golden Corral and for a tiny bit of shopping at Wal-Mart.

It’s always a lot of fun to hang out with Mary. She’s funny and smart, and we share absolutely NO similarity in our choice of eye candy, so we’re always watching different people. Still, I can tell we’re getting close to “go” time with this baby, because ten minutes of walking in Wal-Mart about wore my ass out. Were those aisles always so LONG??

Mary seemed to enjoy her class, even if some of the people involved (including the teacher) were a little too serious about scrapbooking for her taste. She finished with a really cute layout, though...
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Week 2 of 101 Course, Movie
January 09, 2006 01:16
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Tags: scrapbooking pregnancy web development movies food

Week 2 of the Scrapbooking 101 course is up. That and pregnancy (normal, normal, boring, normal) has ruled my life lately, so there isn’t much else to report.

Speaking of which, care to guess on which day I launched ScrapMentor?



We did have a Girls’ Night Out last night (with me, Kayla, Terry, and Mary) that was a lot of fun. We ran a few errands (quick shopping stops, for the most part) and saw the movie Cheaper By the Dozen 2. It was cute and campy, and something we could all watch and get some enjoyment out of. We finished off with dinner at Winger’s (as usual, the wings were great, the rest was ho-hum at best), then came on home.
ScrapMentor
December 31, 2005 16:33
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Tags: scrapbooking web development

OK, it’s official! I’ve got a great new “gig” going over at Scrap-Poodle, called ScrapMentor. It’s an online scrapbooking “classroom” where I’ll be teaching courses on a range of topics – stuff like chalking, journaling, making altered items, and more. I’m starting off with a Scrapbooking 101 class that will run for 24 weeks. It’ll start off from the very, very basic – presuming the student is coming into the class with no prior knowledge of scrapbooking – and will gradually build on itself, day by day. There’s no cost for it, so if you’d ever considered taking up scrapbooking but didn’t know where to start – or if you’ve been at it awhile but want to fill in some gaps in your own repertoire – please check it out! Tell your friends! Tell your neighbors! And don’t forget to register for the newsletters so you’ll be eligible to win free stuff.

Oh, ...
Scrapbookity Christmas
December 26, 2005 16:34
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Tags: scrapbooking mike

This was one of the best, and worst, Christmases ever, for me. Our home was full to bursting with happy people, and presents, and merriment. Everyone seems to have appreciated the presents that were chosen for them (I shopped for everyone this year, except myself, of course), which was very gratifying. I got lots of great presents myself, including a new digital camera, an XM radio receiver for the minivan, and (though it is not yet here) a scanner that will accommodate 12″×12″ paper!

But Michael was dog-ass-dragging-sick all day. I mean, he managed to get through the three-hour orgy of opening presents, but only just barely, and as soon as that was over he went back to bed. He stayed there for the better portion of the day, joining us for tiny “taste bites” of dinner, before slinking back off to bed. I felt really horrible for not being able to make him feel better, and it certainly made the day somewhat subdued to know how awful it was for...
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Visiting With Friends
November 15, 2005 17:02
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Tags: adam kayla thomas mike food shopping scrapbooking pregnancy music

We’ve had some friends visiting with us for the last few days – Terry and her children, David and Mary. We’ve had lots of fun, playing lots of card games, and Boggle, and Candyland, and computer games. Adam, Kayla, and Thomas have really enjoyed having all of the extra adults and near-adults around to get attention from. I don’t really remember the last time I saw Mike laugh so much (or cook so much!). I took the teenagers out last night to visit the mall and a couple of other places. The “mommy” in me sort of choked when I sent them off to the mall on their own, with plans to meet up later, but it’s rather refreshing to be around kids and not having to constantly be asking them if they need to “go potty.”

And Mary has gotten into scrapbooking! She finished putting together a whole pre-cut album kit, and is now working on pages of her own design in a new 12×12 book. It’s really a lot of fun to see her sens...
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Care Bears
October 18, 2005 22:27
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Tags: kayla mike scrapbooking

I haven’t said much here, because there hasn’t been much to say. Work, painting, sleep. Work, painting, sleep. I’m going this weekend to get the carpet for Kayla’s room whether the painting’s done or not, so I’m trying to get as much of it finished as possible. I just know that if I don’t get the carpet down soon I won’t be able to get it down at all until after the baby comes.

Thursday’s going to be the day from hell, because we’ll be cleaning all morning at preschool (and I’m in charge of the cleanfest – go figure!), followed by doctor’s appointments for both me and Mike, followed by our usual chores. I’m looking forward to the visit (though I do have a couple of things to discuss with my doctor for a change), but BOY, HOWDY are we gonna be pooped when that day’s over!

I’ve done probably about 70% of the paint...
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Drawing a line
September 15, 2005 20:38
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Tags: scrapbooking

I love scrapbooking, and I love looking at all kinds of layouts. Even those whose subject or style I will never use. But ya know… I really have to draw the line at layouts of stillborn births. I’m sure they bring comfort and healing to the parents, but right now… s’just not prudent.
Archive Restoration
August 26, 2005 16:03
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Tags: web development scrapbooking kayla

I’ve spent the last couple of days (in between work and whatnot) restoring the archives for 2005 from the old site. While I’ve got 2005 done, 2004 and the latter half of 2003 still await me. But that’s ok; it’ll all get done in time. The only month I’m REALLY worried about is October of last year. (Update: November was no big picnic, either.) I was a blogging fiend in the run-up to the election! As ever, if you see something broken, please let me know.

Right now, the site is very “brown wrapper” plain. I might change that in the future, if I find time, but content will be the priority. Sue me; I’m not a graphics artist. Anywho, other changes you’ll notice is that I don’t yet have comments installed here (they’re coming, eventually). Also, old links to specific posts won’t work with the new site, so instead I’ve linked them to that month’s page, with a reference ...
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Scrap Obsession
May 13, 2005 14:56
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Tags: scrapbooking

I’m very, very slowly digging myself out from under the mountain of work that built up in my absence, and during our illness, but I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. Mike got the younger two to bed, and Adam worked quietly at his computer on his new game while I blitzed through nearly 100 emails that have been piling up for over a week. (That’s NOT counting the spam, of course.) One of my latest emails was from Mike’s mom, with whom I had the pleasure of scrapbooking the last day we were there. I taught her just a very few tiny, basic things, and I’m pleased to report she’s sticking to it! She’s scrapbooked five pages now, and is on the prowl for more supplies. I’m so happy she’s enjoying it, and am super pleased I could be a small part of introducing her to a new hobby.

Love you, mom. Oh, and don’t forget to check out KMA – their stock is pheno...
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Theorems of Scrapbooking
February 28, 2005 18:00
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Tags: scrapbooking

Mike is back! And back with a vengeance. His first “real” post back is about his trip to the scrapbook store, which he calls the Temple of Doom.

Then I walked in. At least 20 curious eyes turned to me and the store fell to a hush. The music stopped… It was like the old west, when the outlaw walks into the saloon.

[…]

As I’m checking out the counter lady smiled as my predicament once again. This time she happily stopped cat blogging to return to torturing me. “Do you think your wife would be interested in any of our classes or crops?” she asked. A sick smile settled over her face as waited for confusion and panic over the word “crop” to set in. But oh no, not this time you frumpy mistress of pain…. ShishSha! I know that word. Thanks to the sweatpants wearing queen of all things scrapbooky (…) I have a scrapbooking vocabulary not even a guy with a Queer Eye could match. That’s right evil cat blogging scrap nazi…your dragon style kung ...
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Mini Albums on eBay
February 27, 2005 18:05
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Tags: scrapbooking

I’ve been doing a lot of mini-albums lately. I tried for awhile to sell them on eBay, but I’m not willing to sell as low as you have to before you build a following, and I’m not willing to stick it out long enough to BUILD a following. The pay just isn’t worth it. So instead, I’m making them as gifts. It’s tough to photograph them well, though, I’m finding.
Croppin'
February 18, 2005 18:19
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Tags: scrapbooking mike

I’m getting ready to go to an overnight crop at a friend’s house in town. I was just packing the stuff to take, and SexyHusband came by to look.

SH: So, did you decide which rubber stamp you’re not going to take?
Me: Ha-ha.
SH: Want me to sit on it so you can fit a little more in?
Me: No, I think I got it. See, the problem is I need to take this whole drawer full of stuff.
SH: (chuckling) You’re so cute.
Me: What? What’s cute? It’s not that much.
SH: Uh-huh.
Me: Really! I just need to take this and this, that, that, and that, and that stuff on the bed.
SH: (eyeing the thises and thats, amounting to about six carrying loads of stuff) Is this an all weekend crop or an all week crop?
Me: (sheepishly) Um. It’s an overnig...
ABC - Book of Me
February 10, 2005 19:19
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Tags: scrapbooking quilting

A friend of mine emailed me tonight, and reminded me that I never talk about quilting or scrapbooking now that my sites aren’t daily journals anymore. This is really quite ludicrous, since at least a third of my waking hours are probably spent scrapbooking. Quilting, sadly, has fallen by the wayside, though I still intend to finish my niece’s double wedding ring quilt this year. So, I thought I’d start posting some of the layouts I do here on the site.

One project I’m working on now is called a “Book of Me” – a scrapbook all about ME. There’s a trend in scrapbooking to do ABC books – “A is for ambitious, B is for brave, etc.” – so I decided to combine the two: an ABC Book of Me!! My goal is to do at least one page every two weeks, so I should finish this project in a year or less. I’ve done A, B, and C so far. Pictures are in the extended entry, for the bandwidth-conscious.

Update...
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Agnosticatin'
January 07, 2005 18:58
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Tags: scrapbooking

A woman on one of the scrapbooking lists I’m on just posted that her mother died. I don’t know her, but I wanted to write her a note of condolence. I started out with the typical “I’m sorry for your loss, please accept my condolences” and then I got stuck. I’m areligious, so “I hope God gets you through this rough time” is a a little hypocritical. Same with “I’ll be praying” or “I know she’s in a better place.” Since I’m not even an acquaintance to this person, “Let me know if there’s anything I can do” would be a big fat lie since (let’s be honest) I wouldn’t really do (or be able to do) anything.

So what do you say?
T-I-Double Guh-Er!
January 02, 2005 20:04
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Tags: scrapbooking

I subscribe to a couple of scrapbooking mailing lists over at YahooGroups. I’m trying to get a problem resolved, wherein email sent from them to me is not being received. They have this nifty automatic notification system that puts up an alert on your account page if your emails aren’t getting through. After you clear the block (in my case, overactive spamcop), you have to instruct them to send you a message with which you can reactivate your account. The link is called “Unbounce.” The parents among you will therefore understand when I say… “Who-who-who-whooooooooooooo!!!!”
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