MIA & *NEW* Valentine's templates

I've been very busy this past couple of weeks. I hope you all forgive my absense. It has also been a crazy weekend with the ice storm which started here on Friday. Nothing but ice was on the ground, trees & power lines. I know we got a little of the winter storm but I pray everyone who was hit by this past winter storm is staying warm. Today, the ice is melting and the temps have risen to the 30s today.

I also must have hit a rut in designing because I just didn't have the urge to design anything until TODAY. Today I got motivated into making new Valentine templates with great designers. I've made 2 Valentine templates so far and hope to have at least a few more added tomorrow.

 

SWAK Template

Click links below to view & get install instructions.
SWAK Blogger Template

Love Birds Template

Click links below to view & get install instructions.
Love Birds Blogger Template



I hope you all enjoy the new Valentine templates! Comments are always welcome ;)

(Remember to follow Leelou Blogs to get updates on new designs.)

Blog Design & Graphics Workshop

If you are interested in blog design, well you are reading the right post.  Amy Bayliss is conducting 2 session courses on February 10th & 13th.  Workshop cost is only $29.95.  Space is limited.  She is only allowing 10 new attendees per workshop to allow for personalized interaction and a quality learning environment.

Click image to the left to take you to the workshop site to read more and/or sign up!

Keeping A Healthy Level of 'Insanity'

  1.  At lunchtime, sit in your parked car with sunglasses on and point a hair dryer at passing cars. See if they slow down.
  2.  Page yourself over the intercom. Don't disguise your voice.
  3.  Insist that your e-mail address is: Xena-Warrior-Princess@companyname.com or Elvis-the-King@companyname.com
  4.  Every time someone asks you to do something, ask if they want fries with that.
  5.  Encourage your colleagues to join you in a little synchronized chair dancing.
  6.  Put your garbage can on your desk and label it "IN" or "INBOX"
  7.  Develop an unnatural fear of staplers.
  8.  Put decaf in the coffee maker for 3 weeks. Once everyone has gotten over their caffeine addictions, switch to espresso.
  9.  In the memo field of all your checks, write 'for improper favors.'
10.  Reply to everything someone says with, "That's what you think."
11.  Finish all your sentences with "In accordance with the prophecy."
12.  Adjust the tint on your monitor so that the brightness level lights up the entire work area. Insist to others that you like it that way.
13.  Don't use any punctuation
14.  As often as possible, skip rather than walk.
15.  Ask people what sex they are. Laugh hysterically after they answer.
16.  Specify that your drive-through order is "to go."
17.  Sing along at the opera.
18.  Go to a poetry recital and ask why the poems don't rhyme.
19.  Find out where your boss shops and buy exactly the same outfits. Wear them one day after your boss does. (This is especially effective if your boss is of the opposite gender.)
20.  Send email to the rest of the company to tell them what you're doing. For example, "If anyone needs me, I'll be in the bathroom, in Stall #3."
21.  Put mosquito netting around your cubicle. Play a tape of jungle sounds all day.
22.  Five days in advance, tell your friends you can't attend their party because you're not in the mood.
23.  Call 911 and ask if 911 is for emergencies.
24.  Call the psychic hotline and don't say anything.
25.  Have your own coworkers address you by your wrestling name, Rock Hard.
26.  When the money comes out of the ATM, scream "I Won!", "I Won!", "3rd time this week!!!"
27.  When leaving the zoo, start running towards the parking lot yelling "Run for your lives, they're loose!"
28.  Tell your boos "It's not the voices in my head that bother me, it's the voices in your head that do."
29.  Tell your children over dinner, "Due to the economy, we are going to have to let one of you go."
30.  Every time you see a broom, yell "Honey, your mother is here!"

Here is my experience in the level of insanity, we really did these jokes.  It was soo funny.  We did 2 things in our workplace when I did work in an office.

1.  When our coworker left early, we wrapped his cubicle in some kind of plastic wrap we had in the warehouse and filled his cubicle up with the foam snow, he was not a happy camper the next morning.  Our boss was in on it too...gotta love our boss, he was the BEST.  After this joke, the coworker wanted to get the boss back so read the #2.

2.  We played a joke on our boss.  Everyone in the office left a voicemail telling him we were sick and not coming in.  We all did this one morning and we all parked our cars around the back of the building and waited on him to come in.  Our meeting room was right next to his office so you can hear everything from his office in the meeting room.  We all were in this meeting room while he was checking his voicemail and he was very angry that everyone called in sick.  We let him think this for about 10 minutes.  He said that was the best joke anyone has ever played on him.

ps. This all took place where I worked which was Printronix in Memphis, TN which is about 5 minutes from my town of Southaven, the facility has since closed.  Our corporate office was in Irvine, CA and they decided to close us down and move everything there.  I was planning on quitting and my boss knew it and told me to stay on until they laid me off so I could get my severance pay.  This was back in June 2004.

Design issues - Update

Update 1:11pm:  I've had Windows 7 for about a 2-3 months now...it's still in the beta development even though they released it.  So when I tried to install my Photoshop CS3, it didn't work so I guessed it wasn't compatible YET.  Just a few minutes ago, I googled about CS3 being compatible and got a great link saying IT IS compatible so I decided to reinstall my CS3 and it works now.  They have fixed my issue.  I still may teach myself how to use GIMP, I also have PSP9 and know that program as well...doesn't hurt to know a few.

10:21am
Since I have upgraded to Windows 7, my Photoshop CS3 wasn't compatible and it was recommend to to be removed prior to upgrading.  Mind you I got Photoshop free and now there isn't a way for me to upgrade Photoshop to be compatible with Windows 7.   I installed Photoshop CS4 30-day free trial and it is up in like 9 days after that I will have to purchase and it cost a whopping $699, too much money for me.  I'm not a happy camper at all about this.  I have spent the last 4 years learning & using Photoshop and now my other option is to start all over from scratch by using the FREE program called GIMP which is similar in some ways to Photoshop.  I just have to learn all over again.   I will try to spit out about 5 blogger templates before the end of the weekend and hopefully more before my trial is up. Wish me luck on learning GIMP, lets hope there are some good tutorials out there.  If you know of any GIMP tutorials, please send them my way.

My review of Windows 7....one word...AWESOME!!!  Everyone should get it.  It has some many things you can customize to your needs.  It is truly made by us, the consumers.

Parenting at older age, single & not-so-good BF

I know I shouldn't talk about people but sorry, I have to vent, this is about my older sister.
(Alison, you asked for it..hehehe)

I've come to realize that when you become a parent for the first time in your late 30's that you can be overbearing.  My sister had her child last year at 37 and she acts like she is the FIRST woman EVER to have a child.  I watched her daughter when she was about 8 mos old and mind you, Evan was like 20 mos at the time.  My niece was in her playpen, just awake from a nap.  Evan runs in and throws a baby phone in the playpen and hits her in the forehead with it by accident.  Now, you know how children can be,  I didn't exactly know what he was gonna do until it was too late for me to act.  I tried to stop it but was too late.  After that incident my sister boyfriend thought I was NOT fit to watch my niece and my sister did NOT take up for me and agreed.  I later found out through my mom about a month or so later.  I was crushed to find this out.  You know if you have other toddlers with babies, there will be incidents with bumps & bruises.  It was a big mess and they both got over it.

My sister boyfriend is the same age and is an only child.  My experience with people men that are an only child is not good.  I've met quite a few and they are usually very selfish,  and he is soooo very selfish when it comes to his time.  It's a chore for him to watch his daughter who turned one in November.  Right now the dilemna today is if he can't find someone to watch his daughter, my niece, today for him to go to the gym, he will NOT watch her tonight for my sister to go to the gym if he doesn't.  Come on, really.  He plays games.  They can pay extra to have her in the gym daycare but relies on us family to watch her and makes us feel obligated too. Today was one of those days. My sister doesn't WANT to put her in the gym daycare for stupid reasons.  I put my 6 mos old daughter in the gym daycare and had NO problems, mind you this is the same gym she is going too. I think personally, my sister should DUMP this man.  She has always had a hard time with him and the relationship has been going on for 5 years in Sept.  I believe you know if you want to marry someone for that long by now.   Personally, I believe my sister stays because she is scared to be a single mom, well hate to tell her, she is a single mom...he doesn't help at home with anything..she does it all.  He is just THERE. I'm done venting.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my sister dearly...she is one of my best friends as well as my other sis.  Her boyfriend is also a good guy but with some flaws we don't understand..

PS.  My sister has gotten better over time about being overbearing with her daughter now ;)

Winter in Red Blogger Template

I've created a winter blogger template and blog background & headers to match. More designs are coming by the end of the week. Keep checking back!

Click links below to view & get install instructions.
Winter in Red Blogger Template
Winter in Red Blog Background & Header

I hope you all enjoy! Comments are always welcome ;)

(Remember to follow Leelou Blogs to get updates on new designs.)

Wanna know Jared Leto!!!!

I've been in crushing on this man since My So-Called Life which aired on MTV back in 1994. He is my favorite celebrity. He is the singer/guiatist of a band called 30 Seconds to Mars with his brother Shannon who plays drums and a friend, Tomo on guitar  which was created in 1998. Although Jared Leto is a Hollywood actor, he prefers not to use this information to promote the band; in fact, the band refuses to play at venues that use his fame to promote shows.

Wanna get to know Jared Leto, click image to the right for his Q&A with The Guardian in the UK.



Tomo - Jared - Shannon


Links about 30 Seconds To Mars
Official Website
Myspace Page








Stronger by 30 Seconds to Mars (Cover from Kanye West’s “Stronger”)
It's worth the listen...Jared has an awesome voice!


If you want to hear more of Jared's band - 30 Seconds To Mars, I have a playlist at the bottom of my blog. Some of his songs can be heavy but mostly rock.

Click here to check out the new myspace layout I made for my page "30 Seconds To Mars".  It has been a long, long time since I created a myspace layout.  I was inspired by my friends playlist which she had a 30STM song and I was like I  need to hear their songs again.  I have both albums and going today to buy the new one "This Is War".

Goodbye 2009 - Welcome 2010

I've read a few so long 2009 blog posts with people telling about their year in 2009. I've decided to post mine.

2009 was & wasn't such a good year for us.....

February 2009, my baby boy who was 17 months old when we almost lost him. One night in February, I woke up at 4 in the morning hearing my baby boy kicking on his bed. It was very slow but I heard it. When I woke up and turned on the light to see what he was doing, he was face down on a wet sheet blue. He had mucus from his running nose drain into his throat and was choking on it. We immediately get the suction thingy and I suction out his nose & throat, he starts to get color back & breathing but is incoherent. We immediately rush him to the hospital. As we park, he sneezes and a lot of mucus came out. We get into the Le Bonheur ER in Memphis (children hospital) our little man is completely fine and running everywhere being his normal self. That night we did not elevate him or have a humidifier on him.
He does have a cold, running nose & mucus cough as we speak now so he sleeping with the humidifier and in bed with us elevated to not have a repeat of this terrible thing.

March 2009, again almost lost my little man, he had another episode. It is spring break and my sister & I decide we are going to take a trip to Babies R Us up in Memphis which is about a 20 minute car ride. We have my 3 kidos plus her baby girl at the time. During the last 2-5 minutes of the car ride, my oldest, Owen, tells me that Evan is cold, shaking so I needed to turn down the air conditioning so I did, not thinking anything. We park and my sister turns around to see Evan, blue & pale, like a sleep with his head slumped down. I immediately get out of the car and get him out of the car and bounce him up & down or I really don't remember, it was horrible to see your child like this and his color comes back but he is incoherent. My sister calls 911. I think maybe he choked on something and I try to open his mouth but can't. His mouth is close tight and won't open. I am freaking out but not showing it for my other kids. We lay him down on the ground waiting for the ambulance. People are walking by and trying to help us. One lady was a nurse and tells me he is having a seizure. Babies R US manager comes out and ask if we need anything and gets the kids a snack. Thought that was very nice. Fire truck get there first, they are working on him and stick my son with an IV needle and nothing, no cry, nothing. Ambulance finally gets there and they rush him into the ambulance and he immediately throws up with a 98 degree temp and seems fine. We arrive at the Le Bonheur ER in 5 minutes and he immediately gets a room and I notice he is burning up with fever. His fever is 103.9 in the room. They immediately give him medicine to bring the fever down. They did all kinds of test on him and came to the diagnosis of febrile seizures. Which is very common in children from 6 months - 5 years. They told me he could have another one with another illness or that would be his last. Most children out grown it by kindergarten. Evan has been sick since and no febrile seizures. There is nothing you can do for febrile seizure but to keep the child comfortable during and make sure their airway is open. I am guessing that when my oldest said Evan was cold, the shaking was from the seizure and went limp and his head slumped forward blocking his airway in the car. I was very lucky that we were at our destination and parked because if it was a further car ride, I don't think Evan would be here today.
GOD BLESSED US TWICE in one year. I am so grateful to him.

August 2009, our baby girl, Avery started kindergarten. She was ready to start school. During the summer, she kept asking is it time for school yet. She got the kindergarten teacher I wanted thankfully, Mrs. Pitner. Owen had Mrs. Ptiner and I loved her. Best kindergarten teacher I've had beside another. Owen started new school for only the 3rd, 4th & 5th grades. This immediate school is on the other side of town so I have him ride the bus. He loves his teacher and so do I.

Evan after Le Bonheur clinic visit
Evan with his new brace
October 2009, Evan, my baby boy or small fry, had to have a brace or splint on his arm due to a hairline fracture in his arm. Evan decided he wanted a banana while I used the bathroom. The banana is on the edge of our bar and the couch is a few feet from the bar. He decided to climb on the top of the couch and reach for the bananas and he fell. I heard him cry and finished my business to see what was wrong. He had a banana in his hand so I knew he fell but didn't see anything wrong until hours later. I noticed him not using his right arm and had it at an angle. I tried to move it but he cried so I called my hubby, he came home to take him to the after hours Le Bonheur clinic here in Southaven. They did an x-ray and came to find he had a nurses elbow which means he popped it out of socket and a fracture. We followed up with the orthopaedic doctor and they kept him in a brace for 3-4 weeks.

Avery contacted the H1N1 flu also in October. She was prescribed Tamiflu & anitbodics & soon recovered very quickly and thankfully no one else in the family contacted it. I was lucky that the doctor prescribed Tamiflu for Owen & Evan regardless of them not having it. It actually prevented them from getting it.

That rounds out my 2009 year of major events good & bad. Lets hope that 2010 is a better year for my little small fry, Evan.

I wish everyone a Happy New Year!!

XOXO