Shimmerz Meets Cards Magazine

If you look at the January 2010 edition of Cards Magazine, on pages 16 and 17, you'll find that the "Things" they love are SHIMMERZ, BLINGZ and SPRITZ!

All of us at Shimmerz are thrilled and honored to not just be mentioned, but to be featured in such a wonderful magazine.

We are family owned and operated and I can honestly say my FAMILY is very excited about this editorial.

THANK YOU Cards Magazine!

BIG News in 2010

Hi Shimmerz Fans!! I'm so excited to announce that I can't announce what we've been up to!! ;) But I can tell you When........
just in time for CHA WINTER 2010 we have a Big Announcement that we are SO excited about. It's been in the works for some time now and we think that you are simply going to Flip!

I can also tell you that it will include a Big Name and a Big New Release!!!

So be sure to keep checking right here on the blog for more updates as they become available. :)

I Wish You a Very MERRY CHRISTMAS

I want to wish you the Merriest of Christmases and a New Year full of blessings, smiles and the most wonderful memories. I wish you peace and the love that only Christ and give. It's such a busy time for everyone. So just know that I am thankful for all of you who read my blog and take an interest in all the craziness of my life.

Here's to 2010! It's going to be a great year! We have some AMAZING things in store for Shimmerz. Please come along with us----it'll be a great ride!

God's Blessings to you and Big (((HUGS))) from me.

My Little Ballerina

In all the hustle and bustle of the holidays, we paused for one special day. We had a very special little girl to celebrate.

Gracie had her very first ballet recital. Of course she was adorable! Of course I cried! The little girls were able to dance with the Ballet II and III class. It was so sweet to see the bigger girls helping and dancing with the little girls. So cute! Mia, was Gracie's pal. She was so nice and was doting on Miss Gracie.

After she danced her Daddy gave her a bouquet of pink roses. Her little face was priceless! I cried. . . again!

Our family was all there and we had a super time celebrating our Little Ballerina.

What Are You Thankful For?

Today is the day that we are supposed to pause and reflect on all that we are thankful for. Unfortunately, when my feet hit the floor this morning, I didn't pause to reflect. I immediately started thinking about getting the turkey in the oven and making all the yummy food my family will eat in a few hours. I should have started my day with a prayer of thanksgiving.

One thought I have is. . . are we only thankful for the good things in our lives? Of course we are thankful for our spouses, children and family members, our jobs, our homes and our things. That's a given! But. . . are we thankful for the hard times that come unexpectedly? Are we thankful for the loss of a job, because although it's horribly stressful, it brings families together and forces us to put our faith into action? We have to rely on the Lord to "Give us this day our daily bread". Are we thankful for illness that stikes in devastating ways? Or the loss of a loved one? Or the war that our country is in? Or (and this a big one for me) our President?

Difficult times of trial or testing do just that. . . they test our faith. Do we just talk about our faith or do we live it? Trials and tests make our faith practical. WE have to seek the Lord's will and put our own aside, because He has a plan when ours so often fails. We have to humble ourselves to the lessons that He wants us to learn. It's those lessons that make us better people. It's those lessons that truly make us a "child" of God. We have to sit at His feet and glean from Him His wisdom.

It's easy to reflect on all the warm fuzzy feelings we've had over the year, but I challenge you (and myself) to be thankful for the difficult. The pain. The tears and the troubles. AND. . . (this is big!) be thankful for them throughout the year. Each day thank God for the trials, because they one day will be blessings.

I wish each and every one of you a very BLESSED Thanksgiving! I hope it's a day that you can spend with the ones you love making the most amazing memories.

May God Richly Bless You!

DESIGN TEAM CALL

ATTENTION!!! Shimmerz Paints is having a Design Team Call! We are looking for individuals who are not afraid to think outside of the box. Get Messy! We are looking for artists and designers who can create a variety of projects such as layouts, cards, altered art, and whatever else you can do!
Design Team Responsibilities:
3 required projects each month, posted on your personal blog and the Shimmerz blog. More is great! One must be Shimmerz specific.
1 tutorial with photos during your Design Team tenure.
Willing to promote Shimmerz on blogs, forums, Facebook, and anywhere else possible.
We are looking for Team Players!
Benefits:
Name and blog link added to the Shimmerz blog.
A Design Team kit to start creating Amazing projects.
Publication Incentives.
A Design Team Discount
New Product Releases!
Chance to be part of a Wonderful Design Team!
What To Send:
Submit 2-3 projects (Does not have to feature Shimmerz, but we want to see the sparkle and shine); Good Photography is a MUST!
Name and Contact Information.
Blog Address.
Previous Design Team Experience and/or Publications.
A few sentences on why you want to be a part of Shimmerz.
If interested in being a part of Shimmerz, please apply by emailing photos of your projects, and other information to mcelyea@q.com by December 28, 2009. The new Design Team will be announced on January 1, 2010.
Blog: shimmerzpaints.blogspot.com
Website: shimmerzpaints.com
Email: mcelyea@q.com

A Big Day at the McElyea's

My baby is growing up and I HATE it! Gracie came to me a couple weeks ago and said, "Mommy, I have two loose teeth!" My response was, "Oh Wow!", thinking I had lots of time. Hhhmmm--not so much. She worked on both those teeth at the same time and in record time and before I knew it they were gone. I kept saying, "WAIT!, I'm not ready." She was so proud of herself because she got two teeth out and Sami and Kaleb only pulled one at a time. I was happy for her, but secretly mourning those first little teeth that came as a baby. . . my baby. UGH! It's so silly, but so incredibly hard to watch her grow up so fast.

Well, the Tooth Fairy came and left $5.00 along with lots of Fairy Dust. She was happy about the money, but over the moon over the Fairy Dust. She informed me tonight that the Fairy Dust was going to stay on her dresser forever and if we move she will scoop it up and take it with us. How cute is that!?

She'll always be my baby. That's a title that will never go away. I'll always call her "Baby Mac". She may hate it when she's 16, but I hope she'll always know that there is something special about being the baby.

HooooRay!

Today is most definately a day that I will write on the calendar. As you know this has been a super yucky summer for me. This whole adrenal fatigue thing has wiped me out both physically and mentally. No energy, no clarity of mind, LOADS of anxiety attacks and so on.

BUT. . . .

Today I woke up with engergy and clarity. I am really feeling like a new person. I took all those things seriously for granted. It's like a dark, ugly cloud is lifting and all I can say is THANK YOU LORD! I just hope it all lasts. I'm still learning to cut myself some slack. I am what I am. I've always been a bit of a perfectionist. I always will be, but it's okay if things aren't perfect all the time. Right?

We put off our vacation later this month and broke the news to the kids a few weeks ago. I'm hoping now that just maybe we can put those plans back into action and still go. I actually feel like going now.

Dave and I celebrated our 19th wedding anniversary yesterday. I was going to post a wedding picture, but they are all packed in a box up in the attic. Sorry---I'm not digging that out. Trust me, we love each other so much more now than then. We've had some really hard years, but we stuck to our vows and we have been blessed for it. We're older. . . . Dave is really grayer (not me--tee-hee-hee, I still have the same color hair I did 19 years ago, with no help). . . we are wiser. . . we are more in love than even we could have imagined. I'm a very lucky lady!

We are bringing some fun and awareness to Breast Cancer this month on the SHIMMERZ blog. So put your pink on and come have some fun with us. Skip on over to the blog for the details. We're giving away 16 prizes at the end of the month. http://shimmerzpaints.blogspot.com You don't have to be a pro stamper or scrapper, just show us your pink.

I'm Giving Away 5 of Them

So much fun is being had at the Shimmerz blog.

We are doing a VIDEO blog hop.

Each member of the Education Team did a little video to share the new colors along with a technique or two. Watch each video and be sure to note all the members fave color and you could win 1 of 5 sets of the new colors.

It's fun, so put on your hoppin' shoes and join us in the Shimmerz VINTAGE color release.

http://shimmerzpaints.blogspot.com

Guess What's Coming. . . September 21st?!!!!

The New and Improved Look of SHIMMERZ

Lookie at what we have. A nice shiney NEW logo to go with. . . .

our NEW WEBSITE!!!

Yep, we've made some changes. It's now much easier and faster to place a Shimmerz order.

WaHOOOOO!

Be sure to skip on over, take a peek and let me know what you think.

www.shimmerzpaints.com

A Celebration and an Update

The birthday boy. I just can't believe he's 14. Soon the girls will be at my door. UGH!

I love this picture. I don't have a picture of me with my GUYS. Handsome dudes--huh?

Nothing like a brand new shiney set of golf clubs to complete the day.

September 9, 1995 was a very special day for me. The Lord blessed Dave and I with a sweet little boy. Our only boy. He is still our sweet boy, just not so little anymore. He's almost as tall as I am. We celebrated at one of Kaleb's fave restaurants, TGI Fridays. We ate and ate and laughed and had a super evening. He was so excited and surprised to get new golf clubs. He has outgrown is old set and desparately needed a new one. He will start in the First Tee of Idaho next week, so new clubs were in order. Can you say college scholarship? Yes, indeed. . . that's what we're going for.

I spent much of the day quietly remembering Kaleb as a baby, then a little boy and now a teenager. He is still a joy in every way. He's an amazing kid! HAPPY BIRTHDAY KALEB!!!

*************************************************************************************

Now for an UPDATE: I am doing better. I wish I could say I was doing great, but not quite yet. I am hopeful that soon I can give a GREAT report. I had 4 really good days last week. I had some energy, I could make simple decisions, I was sleeping, it was wonderful. Then for some strange reason, it all went downhill. I've been really working hard on making some life style changes, changes in my eating habits and changes in my work hours. I'm telling you, it has been HARD! UGH!!! It's still almost impossible to find time just for me. It's equally hard to eat 3 meals a day, but I'm commited to keep trying.

I will get past this. I am so-so thankful for those 4 good days. I try not to take those for granted anymore. My doctor said that it's a process of 2 steps forward and 1 step back. So if he's encouraged. . . we'll then I am too.

Thank you so much for all of your supportive comments, kind words and prayers. You have no idea how you've all touched my heart and brightened my days.

I love you ALL.

Mother Always Said. . .

What a bad blogger I've been this past month. Several people have e-mailed me and said, "Hey, what's up, no new posts?" I have thought about posting several times, it just didn't get done.

You would think at my age that I would understand and know the wisdom of a mother. Well my mom told me a few months ago that if I didn't slow down a little and take care of myself that the Lord would slow me down. She was right. August has been a really tough month.

I started to have really bad anxiety attacks. Like the kind that cause Dave to reach for the phone to call 911. They are happening several times a week. My energy level is zippo. I'm not depressed, but sad. I'm not sleeping well at all. I can't make decisions and then that brings on an anxiety attack. I don't have an appetite and I have become afraid to go out for fear of another attack. How embarassing would that be to have a bad attack right there in Target. No one wants to see some crazy lady sitting on the floor gasping for air. No thank you!

So Mom was right. The Lord brought me down and forced me to rest. He took me to task. I had no choice but to sit---literally to catch my breath.

I went to the doctor and learned that I have adreanal fatigue. Basically, my adreanal gland just doesn't want to work right, which causes all these lovely symptoms.

I'm in the process of "fixing" my adreanal gland. It's stressful, because of course I want to feel better NOW! It takes time. It took time to get in this mess, it will take time to get out of it. I also have learned that I have to slow down.

I always thought I could do it ALL. I can keep a sparklingly clean house (I got rid of the cleaning lady, because I thought I could do it), be a good wife, homeschool my kids, entertain friends and family, be a good mom, be there for my Design Team, run a business and the list goes on. I made little time to spend alone with the Lord. I made absolutely NO time for myself----because that's selfish. All of this craziness brought on a very, very unpleasant month.

I can't do it ALL. I have to delegate. I have to focus on the Lord. I HAVE to take some time for myself and not feel guilty about it. I have to let go. I have to LEARN how to rest. I HONESTLY don't know how to do that. I've always been a person that can't stand to sit still. Watching movies can drive me nuts, because I'm just sitting. I can watch a movie and do paperwork. I run all day long. The doctor asked me, "What do you do that lights a fire in you that's just for you?" I couldn't answer him. Dave couldn't answer him. I used to scrapbook or stamp, but that's part of my job now. And, to sit and try to scrap. . . UGH. . . it involves making decisions. What paper, what picture, what colors, what embellishments? It's just too much. I can't do it. Not now.

So all in all, I'm trying to make some changes in my lifestyle, in my diet (i.e. eat!---I don't do that well either---it takes time), in my mind set. What I've been doing just isn't working.

Please pray for me. I'm sad, I'm frustrated, I'm tired and I really wish it would just go away. I want to be able to do it all and do it well and I just don't understand why I can't.

I have become an over thinking, perfectionistic, workaholic (both in my business and home). Sounds yucky--huh? I have SUPER high expectations of myself, but need to learn a new way.

My mom was right. They usually are when it involves their kids. Thank you Mom! I love you! I just wish you were wrong this time.

I'm going to try to post more often. I just need to get healthy again. I hope I can post about something FUN I've done---maybe just for me.

I love you all and am so thankful for you. Thank you to those who have e-mailed me asking how I am. You are truly a blessing!!!

Summer FUN

Look at those adorable little faces! Ugh!! You just want to squeeze them. Gracie (center) got to go over to her girlfriends house for a lunch playdate. She had a BLAST! All five of them swam, ate and played and then played some more. It was such a great day. I was able to chat with Andrea and Amanda (the mom's) and catch up. I've really missed them and was once again reminded how much they mean to me.

I'm thinking that Gracie and Maddy (right of Gracie) are going to be long time friends. They just have so much in common. They love . . . anything pink, Barbies, babies and all things girlie. Plus, they are the same size which for Gracie is a tender spot. Because she is so tiny, she doesn't feel like she fits in. So having such a super friend that is the same size. . . WOW! . . . she hit the jackpot!

What does one teenage boy and one big club have in common?. . . . . Together they can really WHACK a ball.

Kaleb LOVES golf! We really slacked last summer and didn't continue with the Jr. Golf Association or lessons, so this summer he's a bit rusty. We've got refresher lessons up a going again this year. He's also going to be involved in First Tee of Idaho. He's got the knack. He really is very good. And with his hearing loss it's the perfect sport for him. He and Papa like to go out and play 9 holes whenever they can. They really have a lot of fun. Me. . . I really don't get the whole sport. You whack that little ball towards a teeny-tiny little hole that you really can't even see, only to get it in the sand trap (or kitty litter as I call it). Oh and let's not forget those man made lakes they stategically place in your way. It's hot and you just chase a ball for miles all the way around the course. And they call that FUN?! Chasing around an air-conditioned mall---now---that's fun and no ball is needed. No lugging around a heavy bag of clubs, just a heavy bag with my debit card in it. Tee-hee-hee!

I really am the supportive mom. I'm happy to shlep him out there on a hot day and watch him. I won't shlep those golf clubs though. BUT. . . I will pay for the cart and scoot him around the course. AND. . . I am excellent at hollaring . . . "FORE"!!!!!

I Lost It At Target

NOTE** As I begin this post, keep in mind, we homeschool our children.

I love back to school time. It has to be my most favorite time of the year. It's not because my kids will be leaving the house everyday for school---because they don't. It's not because I get to have all kinds of time to myself----cause I won't. It's because of the SCHOOL SUPPLIES! I am obsessed with school supplies.

We went to Target yesterday, and I went nuts. Dave has learned over the years to just let me go crazy or he might draw back a bloody stump (just kidding). He actually has learned that if he adds to my frenzy that it only makes me happier.

*New crayons -- check
*New pens -- check
*Loads of paper -- check
*New paints -- check
*New erasers -- check of course!
*Binders
*Journals
*Glue sticks
Check, check, check, and the list goes on.

Gracie wants a Hello Kitty binder? Of course she can have it! Kaleb wants a Kobe Bryant journal? You bet! Even Sami got in on my crazy action, and she graduated last January. You never know, she might really need that cute 3 subject notebook for her photography class, or something.

Then we lugged it all home (I won't say how many bags) and I laid "some" of my loot out to recap my school supply fix. Took one look and, YES, I was very pleased. So I snapped a picture to show you my joyful spree at Target. (The rest is still in a bag)

Is it an illness? Maybe. Am I obsessive? Maybe ---- most likely. BUT I had SO-O-O much fun!

Have I lost it? Let me know what you think. ((((HUGS)))))

New Summer COLORZ

We've done it again. We have 2 new Shimmerz colors --Tickle Me Turquoise, and Jilted Jade. A new Blingz color -- Island Salsa, and a new Spritz color -- Caribbean Sunset. They will be released on July 21st. There will also be some fun on the Shimmerz blog in addition to this release. FUN colors have to include FUN on the blog and the Design Team too. http://shimmerzpaints.blogspot.com Be sure to check it all out. Let me know if you like the colors. I really want to know.

A New Must See Blog

I can always send people to amazing blogs that are centered on stamping, scrapping and general crafting. I know a lot of extremely talented people. I am priveledged to know them.

It isn't often that I recommend a blog, a new blog that is centered around Christ. A no nonsense blog that isn't concerned with being politically correct or busied with watering down the word of God. No, no, no this blog is truly and honest look at God and who He really is and how we as believers should revere Him. This blog is like a breath of fresh air.

I invite you to go to http://newreformationreflections.blogspot.com/. Be ready to be blessed. I am hungry for each new post. I hope you will visit this blog too.

The Face of Zanax

The kids and I were all sick this week. So we got very little done. I have some cute pictures of Gracie and Vacation Bible School that I'll post very soon.

Our 4th of July was pretty quiet, since Kaleb and I were still on the sniffly, coughing side. So we stayed home and BBQed hamburgers and did our own fireworks with the neighbors. Poor Sadie. Our basset hound is absoultely terrified of fireworks. Last year she ate through our fence and broke through the screened window. She was troubled for about 3 weeks after the 4th of July. So this year I kept her in, I turned up the TV's and kept the lights on while I went outside in hopes that she would do better. She did do better. No chewing, no broken windows, just a completely freaked out dog. I felt so bad for her. I ended up going in the house and missing some of the festivities so I could tend to my dog. Well, what do you do in times of extreme anxiety? You pull the Zanax and medicate not me, but the dog (according to the doggy therapist). It worked! Wow, did it work. She had no worries. I felt so bad for her, but Tee-Hee-Hee, we just had to laugh at the effect it had on her.

I hope you all had a super great 4th of July holiday. I hope you were able to enjoy the day with friends and family and reflect on our freedom.

Can You Say FURIOUS?!?

I have been telling myself for the past 24 hours that the Lord is in control. He has a plan. His plan is what's best for me. Try to control your anger. Take the high road. Try to set a good example. Trust and have faith!!!!

I am a very black and white person. If there are any gray areas in my life they are very small. If it's right--it's right. If it's wrong--it's wrong and you better do whatever it takes to make it right.

I have worked really hard to build my business. I love my business. I love my products. I love my customers and have worked really hard to let them know that I value them. I didn't do all of this to find out that someone is buying my product (I will find out where), repackaging it and then has the absolute gall to sell it under another name.

I am going to see my attorney on Monday and I will pursue any and every legal avenue I can to not only stop this thief, but to demand restitution.

****PLEASE****

Don't be fooled by Shimmerz or Blingz knock off's. Don't be fooled by anyone who tells you that their product is "exactly" like Shimmerz. Shimmerz and Blingz are unique to Shimmering Products ONLY. Shimmerz is trademark protected for this very reason.

Please pray for me. I am trying hard to control my anger. . . but I AM FURIOUS!!!

Yep! I Know

I need a banner. I know I need a banner for my blog. I go and I look and see really cute ones. Loads of cute ones. So here's my problem. . . I can't decide which one to use. Then I start to think. . . hhmmm. . . can I do it? What if it takes a lot of time and then I screw it up. Yep, I'm a weenie.

Why is it so hard for me to make decisions? It completely drives Dave nuts. I can't tell you how often I rely on Sami to help me decide on what to wear. I even rely on Gracie if we're out shopping. It's really sad. And Kaleb. . . he's like his Dad. Drives him crazy!!!!

So the question is. . . will I ever have some tootin' cute banner for my blog? Uuhhmmm, MAYBE! I can't decide.

See---told ya.

Craft Critique

I was so nervous for today. Nervous in a way the is excited and yet not really sure I want to hear what's coming.

Shimmerz, Blingz and Spritz are being revieved for the next 3 days. We are the featured vendor for Craft Critique. They have 6 of their reporters reviewing all 3 products. Now if that doesn't keep you awake at night, I don't know what will.

So far the word is great. They list pro's and con's and as of today, I'm not concerned with the 2 con's that were mentioned.

Go check it out. And oh, I'm doing another give-away, so be sure to sign up for that on the Craft Critique web-site www.craftcritique.com.

Happy Post Father's Day

We had a super busy week. The Shimmerz blog birthday was a HUGE success. We had approximately 500 entries for the grand prize. It was really fun. We will definately do it again.

We spent yesterday celebrating Dave. Because of the yucky rainy weather, we didn't get to go with our plan. It was disappointing. We took Dave to a late lunch and then just kinda lounged around. It was just a quiet day. He's such a great guy. He was just happy to be appreciated. We are very lucky to be blessed with him as a husband and father.

Dave and I worked on the downstairs bathroom, trying to get at least one part of the remodel finished. It's really close to being done. We had the floors tiled in the downstairs bathroom and the girls bathroom, and of course just like any remodel it can't just be easy. We have tiles in both bathrooms cracked. So that will have to be fixed. I'm not worked up about it because, I knew that something would happen, so I prepared myself for it. I'm certain it won't be the only hiccup either.

Can you guess what bugs me the most? Yep, it's the mess. Bags and boxes and STUFF everywhere. I couldn't believe what a mess cutting tile makes. . . and it was outside! I had to hose down my house. I tell myself to just look past it all and focus on the end result. :o)

Hope you all had a great weekend and that all the Father's in your life had a super great day.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SHIMMERZ!!!

It's our birthday! We at Shimmering Products are celebrating the Shimmerz Blog's FIRST birthday. I can't believe that it's been a year already. We have worked hard and grown a ton and feel incredibly blessed.

So because June 16th is a BIG day for us. We are doing a blog hop. It starts on the Shimmerz blog (http://shimmerzpaints.blogspot.com) and goes through all my Design Team members. All the details will be on the blog. It will be loads of fun. . . and. . . one lucky winner will recieve a Shimmerz birthday gift with over $80.00 worth of Shimmering Products (see picture--sorry--cupcake excluded).

We are also excited to announce that we have a new Design Team leader. We are so blessed to have Danielle Wycough accept the position. She is full of excitement, ideas and enthusiasm for Shimmerz, Blingz and Spritz. She is a very talented christian wife and mom. I am just tickled to be working with her so closely.

WAIT. . . . there's more.

We also offered the Product Development position to Jeni Boisvert and she graciously accepted. I can't tell you how excited I was to meet with her (my Twin Falls meeting) last Monday. Jeni has amazing ideas and is an incredibly talented photographer and scrapper. I have no doubt that the Lord brought Jeni into my life. She is so sweet and like Danielle, so excited and bursting with ideas to help us continue to grow.

It was a good week. I have two more reasons to be very thankful. I am looking forward to my work load easing a bit. . . or maybe. . . just changing. It's all good----very, very good!

Lesson # 1

I had a meeting in Twin Falls on Monday (I'll tell you about that in my next post--it's really cool). So I took the opportunity to leave on Sunday and spent the day with my parents and stay the night. It was such a treat to have them ALL to myself. I didn't have to share. I know it makes me sound like a spoiled brat. My brother would probably agree --tee-hee-hee. We had lots of time to chat and laugh and just be together.

While we were chatting Sami texted me. That intrigued my dad, so I took the opportunity to teach him how to text. What a HOOT that was. I laughed so hard. My 72 year old dad texting! He is one hip Papa! He and Sam exchanged texts, of course, not without challenges. He would hit the wrong button, then couldn't delete it and he tried to speak the lingo, which just ended up sounding redneck. I think he did add an "lol" in a messages or two. He's so cute!

What a memory!

Changed My Attitude

Another week has flown by. I meant to post each day, and each day just got away from me. The last couple of days I've been so-o grouchy and very willing to admit it. Some things you just can't hide. I don't have any reason to be grouchy. No one got in trouble this week. Dave is as wonderful as usual. I had my house professionally cleaned (that was AWESOME). Business is booming. So really I had no good excuse to be such a grouch.

Well I was basking in my own mood, ready to bite anyone's head off and then it happened. The Lord laid it on my heart to e-mail members of my Design Team that I haven't chatted with lately. Don't know why. But knowing His way is better than my bad mood, I listened. I just sent them a little note to let them know I was thinking about them. I think of them often and am incredibly grateful for all they do to help promote my business. They are an amazing group of ladies!

I got a response from one member of the DT. She thanked me for the e-mail and told me how hard the last two days have been for her. Her best friend of 21 years --that was only 41 years old, suddenly got very ill and quickly passed away. Stacy's (my DT member) heart is broken. She's grieving over the loss of a friend and worried about the three little ones that her friend left behind.

I felt like a brick hit me on the head. My heart is heavy for Stacy and the family of her friend. I quickly realized that I (we all) have so much to be thankful for. Even those bad, grouchy days are something to be thankful for, because we can learn from them. I was very quiet the rest of this sad, grouchy day.

Please pray for Stacy. Please pray for the family of her friend. Three little boys don't have a mommy anymore. Please hug your kids just a little tighter. And be grateful for all your blessings, because tomorrow they could be gone.

A Special Sunday Afternoon

So many Sundays are a frantic day of playing catch up before Monday comes. Yesterday started that way. I had a long list of To Do's. I HAD to get the Shimmerz and Spritz video made and on the web-site. UGH!!! I can't begin to tell you how I didn't want to do that!!! After one huge panic attack I finally mustered up the courage and got it done. I must say I had a very dashing camera man! :o) Dave was able to first calm me down and then film the video just how I wanted it. He's just awesome! Go check it out at http://www.shimmerzpaints.com/ and let me know what you think. We'll be adding more videos very soon.

After the HUGE relief of the video being done we all kinda lost our ambition. We spent the rest of the day just dorkin'. I came into the bedroom to find a daddy and daughter moment. I just love how Gracie adores her daddy and likewise he enjoys being wrapped so tightly around that little finger. It was fun to just watch them interact with each other.

Dave has a unique relationship with the kids. He and Sami go for a drive or out to coffee. He spends time listening to her (mostly about boys) and sometimes laughing at her (like when she's learning to drive a stick shift and kills the car). He and Kaleb give each other a hard time. They watch "guy" movies together. They play some kind of wierd computer game together and just spend guy time. His relationship with Gracie is sweet and easy. She just wants to be with him, no matter what he's doing. No special agendas. She said to me, "Mommy, I get to go to the grocery store with Daddy today." I said, "Oooh, a Daddy and Gracie date." Her response was, "No, it's not a date. . . I just like to be with him." Ugh---so sweet.

I Took A Moment

Cuteness! That's what they are. The church even has a bell in the tower that rings. LOVE IT!!

This Tool Shed even has an adorable little fence on it. The squirrels love this one.

Life has been beyond crazy for me the last two weeks. All the details of releasing Shimmerz Spritz has been at times overwhelming. I've had a couple of melt downs during all of it. I spent many long hours working and many late nights trying to get everything ready with May 20th fastly approaching. I guess you get to a point where you've done all you can and just have to (once again) realize that the Lord is in control. His hand is at work and all my stressing isn't going to change His plan.

So yesterday I decided to take just a few minutes to go in the back yard and just breathe.

I love birds! I love the sounds they make, I love to watch them eat at the many feeders we have. There is just something very relaxing about watching them flutter about. I also love bird houses. Mostly the (many, many) birdhouses that my Dad has made for me. They are full of charm, cuteness (is that a word?) and love. I make a request and then a couple of weeks later, Whaa-laa! there it is. I just love em and so do the birds. He makes them big, small and in between. I always have feathered friends around them.

Well, I have one Robin that decided to take up residence under my patio. She has been really fun to watch. We just discovered yesterday that she has two babies. We get the pleasure of watching her feed those sqwaking little mouths and protect them like only a mother can.

So I grabbed my camera and sat under her home and just watched her. It was like therapy. It was so relaxing. She just looked at me and I know it's wierd, but somehow knew that I wasn't going to hurt or bother her, cause I'm a mom too.

I was so thankful for those few moments of peace and relaxation. I hated to leave and go back to work.

Because He Loves Me. . .

I have been without a craft room for quite some time now. Once we moved a year ago, it just wasn't a huge priorty. There were just too many other things to do---like ---uummm, building a business. The business is still taking most of my time, but I told Dave in a casual conversation that I've missed stamping and scrapping.

Well this last weekend he took a corner of the "Man Room" (that's where the "MAN" creates and makes all the Shimmerz, Blingz and now Spritz colors) and made a wonderful desk for me. He even painted the walls in colors that I love. How sweet is that! I was so touched. He told me that he wanted to do something special just for me, to show me how much he loves me. I love that man!!! I haven't had even a minute to sit and just enjoy my little corner of the world, but hope too very soon. My plan is that once Spritz is released and running, I'll get an hour or two to play. I see all the wonderful things my Design Team makes and it makes me want to be able to create again. I see that day coming very soon.

Thanks Honey! I love you very much.

It's Almost H-E-R-E------

We have been working ridiculous hours trying to get all the details of this release ready. There is still a lot of work left to do, but I wanted to give you a sneak peek.

Shimmerz Spritz is an old product made new again. We reformulated, repackaged and are releasing Spritz. It has a great punch of sparkle, 20 awesome colors (thanks Honey!) and a price that will knock your socks off! And, most of the colors will even coordinate with Shimmerz colors. How cool is that! We've had them tested and the reviews are coming in with raves about how much they love Spritz. Gracie even tried it and off course Sadie (our basset hound) got into the action and ended up with a Spritzed tail. She had a tail of many colors. Tee-Hee-Hee.

May 20th is our B-I-G day. We hope to have a tutorial video (or two) to include on the Shimmerz web-site. www.shimmerzpaints.com We want to make sure people can see just what this product can really do. We have worked hard to try to cross every T and dot every I, and I really think all the time spent will be worth it.

Look at what Jeni did to me. . .

I went out a couple of weeks ago and had some new pictures taken. I was told that I needed to change my blog picture because it looked too "stuffy". I had that one done when I was a loan officer at a Mortgage Co. So it was all professional looking. Well those days are over! Dave and Sami were my photographers. I have a sweet friend that is a budding pro. She said she'd be happy to take some pictures. It's just so hard finding time these days that works for me let alone her schedule. So off we went to an old run down barn here in town. Between the two of them, they took several pictures.

Then I asked another sweet friend of mine (and a Shimmerz Design Team member), Jeni to tweek some of the pictures. She put a funky twist to a couple of them. She made them fun, so I wanted to share her handy work. I can say that there is no more "stuffy" Stacey. Let me know what ya think.

Coolest Kid on the Block

I seems like I've been posting an awful lot about my girls. Sami prom, Gracie kindergarten. So today Kaleb was playing his guitar (loudly I might add). Trust me--deaf kids do everything very loud. You'd think his hearing aids would control some of that. Anyway, so I thought I would share his "coolness". Kaleb has been using virtual guitar lessons for less than a year to learn how to play both the accustical and the electric guitar (not such a fan of the electric--it's the loud thing again) :o) He has learned so-o-o much. He's already playing full songs, and not Mary Had A Little Lamb. I'm talking real songs. He loves songs from my era (the 80's). It just cracks me up. He thinks all the "old" songs are great. He holds himself accountable to practicing everyday. Which is awesome--one less thing for me to nag about.

I get such a kick out of my girls. Sami is a kick in the pants. Always fun and laughing. Gracie is our little ray of sunshine. She is always happy, happy, happy! Kaleb, he is my joy. He is an easy going kid. Very laid back and shy. He and I have always had a special bond. We just "get" each other. He LOVES his mama and I love that. He doesn't give me grief. He is very rarely ever in trouble and he's truly a funny kid. The things that come out of that boys mouth are hilarious. Then there are those blue eyes and dimples. UGH!! I know I'm in for trouble---that's if he can get over his shyness to even talk to the girls. Tee-Hee-hee.

Kaleb also has a true and very deep love for the Lord. That boy knows what he believes and why he believes it. He has a level of wisdom that often amazes me. I do believe that when you loose one of your senses (or it is dramatically diminished) the others kick into high gear. Kaleb can sense the Lord and the Holy Spirit and he is in tuned to them both. He loves our family Bible study each week. He's hungry to learn and he enjoys his theological discussions with his dad.

He's just a joy and a blessing. Right up there with his sisters!

Happy Mother's Day

Did you have a happy Mother's Day? I really hope so. I hope you felt valued and treasured as a mom. I L-O-V-E Mother's Day!!! I don't really get into my birthday. It's just another day, which drives my family nuts. I just don't care about my birthday. But, I make up for it on Mother's Day. Being a mom is one of the greatest accomplishments I have. I was able grow and give birth to 3 very special and unique blessings. How can you not be tickled by that?!

Well. . . they spoiled me rotten (with a little help by their Daddy). I got some really sweet gifts and cards from my kids and a very sparkly something from Dave. You know how I love sparkly things.

I was able to share this special day with my mom. She and my dad were in town. So that made the day even better. My mom is one of my best friends. I never get tired of spending time with her.

So here it is Monday. Off to another busy week. I'll post more about that later. We've got some exciting news coming!!! (No- I'm not pregnant---don't even go there!) Have a happy day!

It's Prom Night

Okay. . . I'm going to try to be humble about this. I'm really going to try. I'm trying. Yep, still trying! Oh SHOOT---I just can't do it anymore. Will you look at my GORGEOUS girl. I just can't get over how tootin cute she is.

What's so fun about Sami is that she marches to the beat of her own drummer. While all her friends are buying long flowing dresses with tons of fabric (which I was prepared to buy), she wants to be different and go with a short flowy dress. I gulped and said, "Okay Honey, it's your Prom." Actually it turned out to be a blessing (for me). Most long dresses measure 58 to 6o inches. . . well poor Sami is 48 inches with heels on. A long dress for Sami would be a taylor's nightmare. That's a lot of fabric to alter and actually would ruin a lot of dresses. She's just so tiny. And sure enough when we went to take group pictures, she was the only one in a short dress. Was she insecure? NO WAY! She thought is was awesome that she stood out from the pack. I admire her confidence.

Depending on how the night goes, I may post pictures of her and her date. If the date isn't successful and fun, then I'll leave those out. But for now, I just want to enjoy how beautiful and sassy my sweet girl is! I just LOVE her so much!!!

Rain, Rain Go Away / YEA! Gracie

I'm feeling like a duck. I swear I'm growing webbed feet. I know we need the rain. My flowers and lawn are beautiful because of all the wetness falling from the sky, but we are so sick of cloudy, wet, gloomy days. I guess I should be thankful for global warming---otherwise we'd really be cold and wet. Tee-Hee-Hee. :o)

Anyway, we've been feeling cooped up and so doing school is hard. Not to mention we are now at the end of the year and the kids (and me too) are jittery. So it's easy for us to get on each other's nerves. So Mom to the rescue!! Kaleb and Gracie and I (Sami was going too, except we were REALLY on her nerves, so she opted out) went bowling. Aaahh, don't look to any of us going pro! We did have fun though. It broke up the cold, rainy, blah day. We laughed a lot and admired each other's technique. I won't say what our scores were---but---ummmm---- I WON!!! :O) Tee-Hee

I have to share what I think is good news. Gracie is the first kiddo that we've homeschooled from the beginning. Sami and Kaleb started to homechool at middle school age. So I was really nervous. I was going to send Gracie to Kindergarten, but she missed the cut off date. She was so, so ready. So off I went and bought curriculum not having a clue if I was "really" doing it right. I said my prayers and really relied on the Lord to help me not screw it up. :o) She has done so well. I'm very proud of her. I won't lie--we had some tough days, but overall we both learned a lot. Well, I went to the State Board of Ed. web-site and printed off all the kindergarten standards and began to pour through ALL those pages. UGH! I am very pleased to anounce that Little Miss Gracie not only met, but exceeded in every standard in every subject -- in April. That would be 6 weeks early. I was tickled!! She needs to know, and be able to use at least 25 site words. As of yesterday she now knows 45. Little smarty! I can't tell you how relieved I was. I really did fear homeschooling her. Being responsible for teaching her her letters, numbers, adding and reading was a daunting task, until we really got started. It was fun. It brought new depth to our already close relationship, and I can't tell you how rewarding it is to see her doing double digit math and reading. The Lord got us both through it. What's even better is that we incorporate her devotions into her lessons and then we end our school time praying for each other. How could you not LOVE that?! I would have missed so much if she was able to have gone to school. I am so, so thankful!!! I think we will do a little Kindergarten graduation party with some friends and family to celebrate her accomplishments. That should be fun. I'll be sure to post it!

Happy National Scrapbook Day!

Hey!! It's National Scrapbook Day (May 2nd). Go over to the Shimmerz web-site www.shimmerzpaints.com and the Shimmerz blog http://shimmerzpaints.blogspot.com and see what kind of fun stuff we have going on. You don't want to miss out! The Design Team has done some great projects!

It's been another super crazy week. I'll have to fill you in later. I've spent a lot of hours working. I am so stinking lucky. How many people can say (honestly) that they love every part of their job? I (honestly) can say that I love my business. Every part of my business. I'm very blessed!

Hey, if you live anywhere near Meridian, be sure to head over to the Farmers Market tomorrow (Saturday) morning. I have a very dear friend (she used to be in Dave's youth group years ago--but we won't go there now) who will be a vendor. Kelly has been busy sewing up a storm to get ready. So be on the look out for some super cute hand sewn things and say "Hey" to Kelly from me.

I'll fill you in on all the craziness going on around here soon. Have a super weekend!

Please Pray. . .

I really thought that because we homeschool our kids that we wouldn't have to deal with some of the "stuff" that other families have to deal with. Especially in high school. . . there is just so much "stuff" that our kids have to deal with and endure. We have been blessed to avoid the drugs and alcohol and sex issues. We are very grateful for that. I guess I just didn't realize that we would have to deal with the suicide issue.

We got the news today that one of Sami's homeschool buddies committed suicide. They have been friends for several years. She was just I.M ing and texting him a few days ago. They reminisced about the first time they met and how sassy Sami was when he asked if he could sit by her. She said that seat was saved for her imaginary friend (she is sassy). They were fast friends.

Now he's gone. He is just gone. I really don't understand!

Sami is sad. It hasn't really hit her yet. It doesn't seem real. I can only imagine the horrific pain his parents are feeling right now. The tears just keep coming when I think about his family. My heart breaks for them.

Please pray for this boy's family and please pray for Sami. I know she will miss him and the homeschool connection that they shared.

We live in a crazy, mixed up world. We can't protect our kids from it all. We have to trust the Lord to keep them in his care. We just need to love on them every chance we get. Now, I think we have to let them know that they matter and that we care, even if they aren't our own kids. If we wait. . . it could be too late.

Thinking Spring

Welcome to our backyard! We have lived in this house for 1 year. We have landscaped, painted every square inch--inside and out and still have a few other projects to do---but---I love my backyard. This time of year our yard is full of sweet smelling pink flowers. I love to go stand under the trees and look up into all that pink glory and just smell the air. Ooohh, there is no way to explain it. It is so wonderful. Can you tell, I'm thrilled that spring has finally come to Boise. My tulips (which are my favorite flower) are in full bloom. They are such happy flowers. Gracie and I get so excited when they start to bloom. We are just enjoying all that spring has brought us. I hope it's sunny where you live!