be inspired...

Our latest challenge is up over at Kiddie Lit! We're being inspired by Alice in Wonderland this month. Come join us!!

Other updates on me:

-school is going well....if we can all stay healthy!!

--Looking forward to seeing my nephew and sister and bro-in-law this weekend. Who am I kidding? Looking forward to seeing my nephew, everyone else is just a bonus! :)

The whole fam is headed up to Atlanta for Jackson's FIRST birthday! ...and to see their beautiful new house!

--Can't wait to spend a few days with this girl...chillin', laughing, crafting...ahhhh...yay! and as a bonus...this girl's joining in on some of the fun, too!

here i am!!!

I should be ashamed of myself...but alas, I'm really not...just busy!!
I could try to fit in all of what has transpired over the last few months, but forget it!
here are the highlights:
--in June, I got to go to Nashville/Franklin to hang with a huge fun bunch of crazy artsy gals...pics here.
--in July, i continued to work part time for dad at Northwestern Mutual and helped out part time at the Sylvan up in Palm Harbor, my sweet niece turned 2!!!, and I got to go to CHA's (Craft and Hobby Association) big trade show with my girls from my design team at scrapgal.com...come see us...we are a HOOT! We giggled A LOT and got to see lots of pretty new scrappy things.
--Then, in August,....and sort of partly in July as well..... I got a new job!! woohoo! I am now working back at Northside Christian School in St. Pete. I really never thought I'd be in the classroom again, but God likes to pretend He doesn't hear me when I tell him what my plans are. I am teaching the Yearbook/Journalism classes (2 middle school, 2 high school) and supervising 2 high school study halls. The kids have been great so far and I'm looking forward to helping create a fantastic yearbook!
--I'm also teaching part time at the Sylvan in St. Pete and apartment hunting so I can get out of Dad's house. :)
So, here we are in September! I am happy, enjoying catching up with old friends from St. Pete, making new ones, loving living so close to Kennedy(and my sister, of course:) ) and trying to get my body accustomed to getting up at 6:30 am....especially since I think that time of the morning is just unnecessary. coffee sometimes helps.
Things I'm looking forward to:
--Dad's birthday coming up
--going to see my sister and her family in their new digs in Atlanta, and celebrating my nephew's FIRST birthday! wowzas!
--going to see this fab girl...cannot wait! we are kindred spirits, i've decided.
--finding a new place to live
--cooler weather
--holidays coming up and lots of fun family time

Ok, so I may or may not get better at this....but thanks for reading anyway! xo

oh dear.....

apparently, unbeknownst to me, I took a summer hiatus from blogging.
I promise I'll try harder....
I'll be back soon with updates!!

slogger=blogging slacker....

yep, that's me...so sorry! here's what's up:
--new artwork!! go and see!

--job hunting SUCKS!! seriously...BUT I do have a second interview on Monday---keep praying!!

--lots of fun stuff going on at scrapgal! come play with us!

--I just made the design team for a new challenge blog! So excited! The challenges are all based on children's literature!

--my niece and nephew are growing and learning and still the cutest kids I've ever seen...no bias here. :)



that's it for now!
xo

April?!! already?!!!

first of all: new art work is up!

So, I've decided, I FREAKIN LOVE wedding receptions! I think I have also realized why I do: you can dance your butt off and no one cares! It's not like you're at a club where you are being judged on how you dance, or trying to pick up somebody....you can just let loose! (the free booze and free meal doesn't hurt either) AND just about everyone is happy....you all just witnessed a great event together and everyone is in a good mood. SIGH...love it!
The reason I say all of this is because my roomies and I attended a friend's wedding last Sunday. It was a small wedding, and boy did we have fun!

NOW, for a twist....the four...yeah, that's right FOUR single ladies lined up for the bouquet toss..all three of them have hands up...ready to catch...mine are down by my side...
but guess who caught that sucker one-handed! (dad would be so proud)
this would be much more exciting for me if I were actually dating someone...or had had a date in the past year.....oh well.....


no news yet on a job...still looking...keep praying...xo

oh dear.....

I have been neglecting my blog, I know!
So, here are some things I've been up to:
--lots of new art work!
--affirmation! and let's face it, who doesn't need a little affirmation!? My friend Tammy and I have started this blog to continue to encourage one another, as we are both going through some transitions...
--Friday was my last day with Sylvan. They decided not to offer me a permanent position, so I'm back to the job search! I have been praying for clarity and for whatever the next step might be, so I feel peaceful about it, just anxious for what comes next!
Thanks for your prayers and support! xo

Self-Portraits

Had a great day with friends yesterday at a self-portrait art party! good food, good peeps, and got to paint on my canvases...here's what I came up with:
Pieces of ME:

Hope everyone is having a terrific weekend! xo

back to the daily grind...

well, as most of you know. I was laid off in December. I've been job hunting for over 2 months now and have a few leads. Our Sylvan centers in the Orlando area have been taken back over by the corporation, and I am happy to say, I am now back to work! I started back Tuesday as the Interim Center Director of the Lake Mary center. This is good for now, but I am still praying for clarity as I seek the next step in my career path. The job I have now is a "temporary full time" position, so there are no benefits nor long term security. For now, it's good to know I'll be getting a paycheck, but am still pursuing some other options. Thanks for your support and prayers! xo

Friday Fill in...

So, totally just found these today: Friday fill-in!

1. I'd really like a job right now.

2. "I'm okay!" is the word you'd most often hear me say if I stubbed my toe.

3. Possession is the act of having and owning property.

4.I kinda dig Captain Jack Sparrow.

5. Marshmallows and fire go together like macaroni and cheese.

6. The wait goes on and on.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to my friend Sarah coming, tomorrow my plans include sleeping late and Sunday, I want to read a book!

come on...do it too...you know you want to....and link me up if you do! xo

Random things about Lori...

Ok, so I've seen this several times...thought it was fun...if you read it and want to do it too...knock yourself out! and link me back up to ya so I can find out stuff about you too! ;)

1. My biggest fear is falling down a flight of stairs and knocking my teeth out.

2. I think my nieces and nephews are the cutest kids I've ever seen.

3. I think I am much more athletic than I actually am...my endeavors usually don't end well...

4. I LOVE being in, near, or on water....like seriously could live on a boat...or by the ocean...or a lake...

5. I lived in the former Soviet Union for 2 years and taught missionary kids.

6. I like myself better at 35 than I ever did in my 20's.

7. I feel old sometimes...like when the students I taught when they were in 8th grade are getting married....not to mention the ones I taught in high school!

8. I am a nomad...I've lived in 12 different apartments/houses since graduating from college...and I HATE the process of moving!

9. I am a total clutz...like can't walk across an empty room without tripping or running into something...but I've never broken a bone.

10. I am a total clutz...but can easily follow choreography in an aerobics class, or dance class, or in a line dance, or twirl a rifle or flag or baseball bat or putt putt golf club....

11. Belly laughs are my favorite thing in the world.

12. My sisters and I can COMMAND the dance floor at weddings...or in the kitchen...or yeah, just about anywhere...we break it DOWN!

13. My ipod has everything from hymns to Def Leppard to Broadway to Journey to Pink to Michael Buble...eclectic, much?

14. In 1999, I took a group of teenagers to NYC for a week....we had a BLAST! until we had to spend 7 hours on the plane on the runway...and then spend the night in O'Hare....

15. I love ellipses...

16. My favorite words include: whimsy, sassy, catastrophe, apropos, vivacious, conglomeration, cacophony, and winsome...

17. I sometimes wish I lived in the 30s and 40s, just because they wore such fabulous clothes...and hats!

18. I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up...


I may think of more later...but that'll do for now...;)

wish me luck...

My online class starts tomorrow....it's one I'm taking to help with motivation, but it's creative too...pretty cool huh?

My battle with weight has been a long one. Started in college, got worse after mom died. Thyroid disease doesn't help....nor does depression, or poor self-esteem...
Done just about everything....Weight Watchers (3 or 4 times, maybe), Jenny Craig, High Protein/Low Carb, Vegan, no dairy, Slim Fast, should I go on? Also done Jazzercise, Curves, the gym, videos, walking outside.......just can't seem to stick to anything for longer than a few months.
In 2008 I worked with a Dr.'s program: virtually no carbs, weekly B12 shots, appetite suppressant, etc. and was fairly successful....down 35 lbs. I've kept off 30....and need to lose another 30+....
SOOOOO....here we go again! I love that this class lets me have a creative outlet, inspiration, a support group and motivation all in one....PLUS, I know I'm the most successful when I feel GOOD about me, when I'm loving toward myself, and remember all the positive things about me....and love all of who I am and am becoming.
I'm excited! :)