Hi, My Name Is Leslie and I Am A Paperholic

Is there such a thing as "Scrapbookers Anonymous"?

I commented to my husband today that my scrapbooking stuff is like crack cocaine to me. I think about all the new gadgets, papers, and embellishments I would like to have and then I think about how I can pay for them.

With money being tight this year for us I have been thinking about using one of our credit cards that have been put on hold until we can get it paid down.

Then, I think there ought to be a Scrapbookers Anonymous for family members, like for AA and their families. My husband is an enabler of the worst kind. Today while we were out getting groceries for our New Years Day dinner - he asked me if there was anything at Michael's I want.

My first instinct was to say yes and make a mad dash to the Michael's then to Hobby Lobby. My heart beat faster, and it swelled with anticipation of all the delights available to me on the shelves. I had to get a real grip on myself and say "NO, thank you". What a bummer. I want to go to Michael's so bad, just to look around and touch stuff, maybe buy one or two things. But I seriously can't. I begin with one or two items in my hands and then I end up having to go get a cart. I can't stop myself.

I used a few new techniques (new to me) on the Christmas presents I made for our family. Some of them were successful, others fell a little short because I didn't do it just right (perfect). But I learned something new and made changes on the next go round with something similar and made my corrections then. The oopsies I made on these items - no one will know except for me.

I have seen a website called Addicted to Scrapbooking and thought it was funny that anyone would be "addicted", it is not so funny now. I am fully, and irreversabily addicted to scrapbooking.

I guess it is better than being addicted to a drug. I'm not the only one that benefits from this addiction. Many people do, beginning with the store (drug dealer), online outlet (alternate drug dealer), myself and the learning curve of new techniques (good high or a dud - whatever it is called), and finally to my recipient. Thank God my recipients only get to see and touch the items and not be led down the garden path into this addiction.

If I have to be addicted to something, I guess scrapbooking is a good drug of choice.





This will be the one and only time our daughter will come visit my blog and this will ruin her Christmas present that was shipped out YESTERDAY.

New Grandson IS SUCH A CUTEY!!

He is absolutely adorable. I miss his little squeaks, grunts, and the sound of his breathing. Our daughter is in for a real treat in the next few years. He already seems to be holding his head up very well - for a newborn.

Next achievement will be for him to roll over from his back to his stomach, then sit without being propped up, then will be the crawling attempts. At some point he will make more noises and he will smile more often. Real tears will come.

When he begins getting around by himself, our daughter will have her hands full and develop eyes in the back of her head. Just a normal parent thing. I think it is really a heightened sense of hearing more than of seeing.

I would give just about anything to be able to hear him laugh. The sound that I love to hear is a baby's laugh. After seeing these on YouTube and on AFV I know that I am not alone in this opinion.

And, I am of an age where I can understand why the elder adults around me when my children were little like him said that raising children was for the young. It wasn't that they could no longer get around and keep up with the little buggers, it was just that they had become used to the lives they lead and were not continually hyper focused on where a child was every second of the day. That is tiring, indeed.

I Was Off Being Grandma

I have been blessed with the cutest little grandson. Pictures to follow at a later post - when I get all the thousands downloaded. That is if my computer doesn't decide to hack up a hair ball during the download - or upload. Whatever.

Two weeks with that little precious. The squeaks and snuffling noises. I used to lie awake at night just to hear my little babies make noises when they were little like that. Babies are so cute. They are a lot of work also.

I was thrilled when I was asked by my daughter to spend two weeks with them after the baby was born. I may have driven them crazy but it seemed to be my job to take care of the normal everyday housework stuff while they (Mom and Dad) dedicated their time to taking care of the new baby and for Mom to get healed up.

So much was going on during this time. Thanksgiving came and went, along with a whole houseful of people. Getting caught up on all the family gossip and hearing the news of everyone's lives and events.

I spent time with my new granddaughters (13, 9, and 8) making Christmas Cookies. That was an absolute blast. Listening to them talk about their creations and what each was, then little snippets of school or friends talk would come up. We also had a paper craft time together. I absolutely could not go to their house without bringing some of my scrapbooking stuff along to indoctrinate new people with stickers. Brainwashing, I think it is called. What better way to brainwash someone with something that brings out their creativity?

I had a few moments where I went back in time, about 15 years, and the cookie making was done with all of my kids who are now grown and on their own. Doing exceptionally well at being adults I might add.

I have an awesome family and I appreciate what each of them bring to my life. Now I have a new little one that will only enrich me further.

How could one woman be so lucky?