She's the Baby, Gotta Love Her!

Happy birthday, baby sis! Many moons ago, when I was 13, my mom presented us with yet another - and thankfully the last - baby sister. You know, it's funny, but I don't really remember what boy name we picked out, I just remember my dad insisting that we name this one - if a girl - Tina Elizabeth so we could call her Tin Lizzie. Yeah, bad joke. I have to admit my reaction to the news that I had another sister instead of a second brother, was less than thrilled.

Yet, this little kid grew on me. Despite the fact that she christened me with smelly baby spit-up in the car on the way home after her baptism. This was in the day before regulation car seats. I held her all the way home, and it wasn't a short trip either!

She had otitis media as a toddler and we would laugh at her speech (we were really mean siblings) and would get hysterical when she would imitate our dad and shout "SHUT THE DAMN DOOWAH! 

Years later, after I moved out of the house, she would latch onto my leg and beg me not to leave. I'd walk to the front door dragging her behind me.

Jenni & her hubs Tom

Despite the teasing she received from all her older sibs, she turned out really good! I'm proud to have her as a sister!  Happy birthday!

Copyright 2010, ACK, for Generational

Adventures of an Insomniac

There were many times growing up when I would wake up in the middle of the night and my dad would be awake and in the living room watching TV until the "Star Spangled Banner" played and the picture reverted to the colored bars. Those of you who grew up with cable won't remember this, but channels used to go off the air. In his last years, when he had a computer and the internet (which he didn't understand at all, but loved) he could send email or search for sailors from the the Cronin, the destroyer escort he served on during World War II. But there was no doubt he was a night person.

I'm a night person too, but there is a point where the night person ends and the insomniac begins. Yesterday, I made the gargantuan mistake of crashing for an hour and a half in the late afternoon after a restless night the night before. You guessed it, last night I was awake until all hours. And when I finally did get to sleep, was it peaceful? Hell no! I had the weirdest dreams involving, elves, fairies, time travelers & HGTV Design Star winners. Even then, I awoke periodically to glare at the numbers on the clock hoping it would just be time to wake up and start the day. So today, I feel like I got run over by a truck - A BIG TRUCK! I had a quick catnap which has done nothing to rejuvenate me. I'm hoping I can stay awake until bedtime now, because if I don't, it will be another awful night. At least I will have the internet to keep me entertained. Yawn!


Copyright 2010, ACK, for Generational

Automated Message - I'm Having Too Much Fun

Poor Generational doesn't get much attention lately, and I feel like I should have one of those "I'm away from my desk right now" messages on this blog!

It all started last month when I attended the 3rd Annual Scrapbooking Luau put on by the Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) at one of the local churches. IT. WAS. A. BLAST.  I even got something accomplished - a heritage book - and am now thoroughly bitten by the scrapbook bug. Years ago, like when I was 13 or 14, I attempted to scrapbook, and what ended up was a bunch of stuff glued into a scrapbook. I still have it. Things have more or less come unglued from it.

My Cricut Personal Cutter

I will admit, I am jealous of people with their beautiful layouts and die-cut letters and phrases. Then I found out I could have that too. So now I do. It came today. The good thing about it is it will cut just about anything. The bad thing about it, is it requires these little cartridges. Or so I thought ...

Sure Cuts A Lot 2 by Craft Edge

Then I discovered Sure Cuts A Lot 2. And thanks to some wonderful videos courtesy of Michelle at ScrappingTable.com, I found out I only needed the cartridge that came with the cutter (because a cartridge needs to be inserted in order for it to work) and a USB cord. I am in scrapbook heaven. My first project is already complete and the subject was ... the Scrapbooking Luau that I attended. Again, thanks to Michelle at ScrappingTable, I was able to figure out some ins and outs and produce my first layout. It sort of reminds me of being on yearbook staff senior year in high school. Only more fun and no deadlines!

Copyright 2010, ACK, for Generational