I'm OK my friends...I am OK.

(EMBRACE YOURSELF).

I want to start off by thanking ALL of you for your thoughtful calls, comments and happy cards. I have laid low this past month and the truth is I was simply too tired to even blog. The calls are piling up and the messages are getting UGLY...LOL.....so here is the deal.

Last year was the hardest year I have had in my life pertaining to this business. It's just hard to work when we are not feeling well. I was simply too tired to function at times. My left arm had been falling asleep for quite a while, I could not perform the normal routines that I have kept up ALL MY LIFE. I felt faint at least 5 times in a week...got the shakes and had no idea why...(Hey Trish..remember that one?) My lifestyle changed...and I put it down to that I was fat......OK...no one take offense out there....I am talking about ME!!!! I have gained weight and I simply put it down to that..until I went to the Doctors this January. This is how it went down:

Went to the doctors. I was hospitalized. They have taken more blood than anyone should ever give at one time!!!! Counting enzymes in your blood is one of the most painful process that one can go through!!!! Supposedly I have an enlarge heart and am having some heart problems. The other specialist say we can't say that for sure until the swelling of the cartilage under my ribcage and over the heart goes down. All I know is that I am tired. Really tired. Not the type of normal MOMMY tired that we mom's live with. Just extremely, got to take a nap to be able to function tired. Any how, I am on some medication now and will be heading to the cardiologist next week. That's all I know peeps.

I am so thankful for all of those of you who have called, emailed me and sent me beautiful cards, bought chicken for my family when I was in the hospital (ADY), sent me beautiful flowers (SHARON), taken care of my children (MARGIE)....You will never truly know what you mean to me ladies!!!! I know I have not responded to too many of you, but I want you to know that I truly appreciate your concern, your love and support. I took the whole month of January off. I was simply too tired and not feeling well. This break has done me a wealth of good.

I know that I am in God's hands. That is the best place to be at. So keep me in your prayers!!!!!!!! I promise to keep you all in the loop.

Again, thank you all for your love and support.
Sending you all tons of hugs, kisses and a bunch of love!
Damaris

Nothing like a picture of your work.......

I have not been able to download pictures in a timely fashion here,peeps...it is driving me crazy. I have no clue what is going on, but hey, life goes on.

Hugs,
Damaris

Happy Monday my friends....

I finally got some pics to download. Here are some pics from the party. We had a great time and my husbands' family is a riot. Lots of laughter....BOY ARE THESE PUERTORICANS LOUD!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ms. Anna was really shocked. She had no idea. She even cooked the rice for her own party...he, hee, hee, ha!!! (We love this woman's cooking!!!!)

She thought it was a celebration for Jacqueline and one of her accomplishment parties.

This family is pretty large, and it was great to see so many of them together at the same time. We had people from Alabama, Philadelphia...it was great.

Rios made a slide show for the festivities, and let me tell you, this family was cracking up!!!!! They made fun of each other, and even showed some embarrassing pics of each other..LOL...TOO MUCH FUN!!!

Nothing like family!!!! These are just SOME of the grand kids....and some of Anna's daughters.

I have decided to make an 8 1/2 album for Ms. Anna....I normally do not work with this size, but I think it will be easier and faster than a 12x12...hhmmmm...I'll let you know.

By the way, I have no idea why the dates are showing up differently on my daily post. Something weird going on....I was reading one of my friends blog and she's already on January 8, 2009.....lol...thought that was funny.

Got to go. Have an appointment early today.

HUGS

Sunday, JANUARY 4, 2009..AND I AM ON A ROLL HERE....

I have completed 32 pages since the 1st of January. (Hey, at least I am ahead of the game now). I wanted to scrap some OLD pics that I had and I went down memory lane last night,and boy oh boy was that a good thing. I loved looking at my pictures and decided to get some paper and embellies and the rest is history...I promise to post 1 layout every day beginning tomorrow...we'll SEE...I AM HAVING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES WITH MY PIC DOWNLOADING.
AAARRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH

HUGS,
Damaris

Happy Saturday peeps.

Wow, I have a ton of stuff to do today. We are celebrating Rios' aunt's birthday. Ms. Anna will turn 70 today. So we have a great surprise party for her here. I promise to post pics tomorrow. Anyway, I wanted to post some of the pics for the sister album I will be teaching on this coming Saturday.

I also wanted to share the pages I have done so far. I have been creating a page a day...that is one of my goals....we'll see how that turns out...but for now...I am on a roll...whoo hoo. I will try to post some of these pages tomorrow with Anna's birthday pics.

Hugs peeps.
DAMARIS

Full year in swing here.....

I WANTED TO POST THE PICTURES OF THE CLASSES I WILL BE HOSTING THIS MONTH........BUT I CAN NOT DOWLOAD PICTURES. I HAVE BEEN TRYING SINCE 7:10 this morning and it is now 9:18....I give up. I will try to do so this evening...sorry

Now for today's post...........My lovely friends find a word every year to define their lives and even attempt to bring a change in their life, and all due to this one little word that they pick for the year. Last year my word was LIFE. I struggled with my life, I overcame, I laughed, I cried...yup...I celebrated life last year to the fullest as I will continue to do so this year. So what is my word for 2009? I thought about it really hard...ok..maybe all of 5 seconds...but I decided that I wanted to bring some changes too. Yet, the word I have chosen is not CHANGE...I change my mind every day, I change bedsheets, underwears, towels....ok...I know you got the picture.



My word is DO. It's a funny little word. I want to DO A LOT of things, yet life is a phenamenol thing and it gets in the way of those pesky little things I want to DO!



So here I give you my list of I DO. (OF COURSE I AM GIVING YOU THE BUSINESS SIDE OF THIS LIST)



I will DO this:

-BLOG EVERY DAY...............LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-Scrap a page a day. Believe it or not, this is very feasible for me.

-Get my calendar out with PICTURES on time...that one is for you Sharon.

-Update ALL of my customer email addresses...I HATE DOING THIS!!!! I am going to do this -by the 10th of January....THE PRESSURE, THE PRESSURE!!!

-Try to find joy in ordering new merchandise........YUCK!!!! Ady, the job is still available!

-I WILL NOT LEND MY PROJECTS OUT TO PEOPLE....they seem to have a way of not finding their original home.........bummer........(I'm still lending them out...ja,,hee,hee!!I already started failing this one.)

-Go to the bank...I really hate doing this...but not as much as this....

-Go to the Post OFFICE in a timely manner for those pesky packages!!!!

You see my list is not that big......but it is one those list that just gets on my nerves. These are the little details that bog me down and suck the joy out of my job.



I will leave you with this:

There are a ton of things we NEED TO DO, or we SHOULD DO, but the truth is hey, life is tough and we do not find pleasure in everything we HAVE TO DO. So give yourselself a break and DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO first and then attempt to DO WHAT YOU SHOULD DO. I guess we'll see how it goes with my DO list.

The calendar is going out tomorrow. If you do not recieve it please email me to make sure you are on the master list.

HUGS

Happy New YEAR!!!!!

THIS IS A LONG PICTURE POST!!!!!!!!!!! I am going to recap what I did in the month of December in my condensed version. I left 7 events out due to time frames...but you all get the picture...we were busy having a fabulous HOLIDAY. I hope yours was just as happy.

Alyssa's Holiday Program presentation

Barbara's dinner party for the Scrappy Chica's

Girl Scout Party at our home

Christmas Service...Irving ROCKED the house.

Jacqueline's Holiday presentation....she did such a wonderful job!!!

Holiday party at the Ortiz' home.

Christmas Eve.

My beautiful grandma.

Christmas Morning at our home.

Christmas luncheon at our house.

Christmas dinner at Evy's house.

Spending a the day scrapbooking with my soul sisters.

Dessert night at our home.

Family outing to the Gold Coast Railroad Museum.

New years eve dinner at our home.

Saying goodbye to 2008 at church.

I want to take a moment and thank all the readers that have dropped by this blog to simply visit or say hello. Words can not express the joy you have all given me. Thank you for sharing your stories with me. You have made me laugh, cry and even made me reflect and make changes in my life. I have been touched by so many of you and want to let you know that I pray that this year bring you all health, joy, happiness and above all God's abundant Grace.

I look forward to sharing some wonderful ideas and new concepts. Thank you for continuing this journey with me. YOU HAVE ALL BLESSED ME!!!!

Happy NEW YEAR!!!!