kitbop
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,369 
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Post by kitbop on Apr 5, 2020 0:16:16 GMT
Welcome AussieMeg , nylene , angel97701 , Linda , mom , ComplicatedLady , Neisey , lynnek , vjlau , justjac I think I can safely say, "welcome to the oddest April of our lives"... and if you have an even odder adventure/time in your life, I think you should share that story with us! My LSS has an online store, and is doing curbside pick up. This morning, there were 4 scrapbookers standing outside the store (we were about 30 feet apart from each other. And 3 of us had husbands in the car!) waiting for our happy packages. We had a quick shouted chit chat. We are all very glad for our hobby! I picked up more alphabet dies (I'm becoming an addict), a bit of paper, and a summer sticker book from Echo Park. It is nicer than I expected and I think I'll get good use out of it. I am running low on adhesive. 2 rolls... I'm used to buying them at M's with a coupon, so I get them for ~3.75/roll (canadian). Online prices are awful, and shipping from the US is pricey, and the Canadian dollar exchange rate is awful... Have you had difficulty being scrappy these days? Is it because of family needs, or emotions, or mojo? I fear that this month will bring even more change to our scene. I am grateful for this board because it is a constant presence and contact. I hope we can have a few chats in here this month, support each other, enable some scrapping, reassure your team leader that all is well in your isolated piece of the world... Hugs and love to all! Kirsten (ie kitbop). |
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Post by AussieMeg on Apr 5, 2020 0:38:01 GMT
Being a digital scrapper, I am fortunate that I will never run out of supplies! Unless of course my laptop and PC both die, the iCloud where I store my products explodes, both external hard drives crash and the internet goes down!  THEN I'd be in trouble. I haven't had any difficulty being scrappy lately, fortunately. Although, I must admit that my creativity has deserted me somewhat. I think I only did one layout last month that I "designed" myself. The rest were either templates, sketches and scraplifts of other people's pages. Mind you, that's probably true for most of my pages anyway! the Canadian dollar exchange rate is awful... OMG, the Aussie dollar exchange rate is awful too, the worst I can remember. I don't understand why?! It's not like the US economy is any better than ours. I don't understand economics at all, so I don't know how that all works. A couple of my favourite digital stores had awesome sales on in the last few weeks, up to 70% off. I could have bought a ton of stuff that has been on my Wish Lists for a while, but I only ended up buying a few things. $10 USD works out to be nearly $17 AUD. |
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kitbop
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,369
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Post by kitbop on Apr 5, 2020 0:41:14 GMT
$10 USD works out to be nearly $17 AUD. Ours is about $10 USD for $15 CDN  |
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Post by lynnek on Apr 5, 2020 0:47:27 GMT
Hi ladies!
Yes, strangest April ever for sure! We own a company that is essential so my husband and oldest son go into work every day. They are being really cautious but my son particularly has to deal with the public so that is nerve wracking.
I am working from home and my two other kids are home with me. My 5th grader is doing mostly fine and enjoys doing some outdoor activities along with meeting up with friends on line. But my 16 year old is super social and really struggling with not seeing all her friends and doing things with them. Luckily, her online learning is getting into high gear so that will help.
I actually have been fine being home and have scrapbooked a lot more than usual. So I am hoping for a productive month! I too ordered from my LSS and she brings the stuff out to you in the parking lot. I hope she is getting enough orders to weather this storm! I would be so sad if she had to close.
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Post by Linda on Apr 5, 2020 1:12:31 GMT
Strange indeed!
no LSS here, not for years, and HL finally closed Thursday at the end of business (our stay at home order started at 12:01 am Friday but Michaels is still doing kerb-side pickup so I got 2 packs of white cardstock (I'm going through it FAST for cards) and 4 packs of adhesive squares. Hopefully that'll be sufficient. I did have a coupoin for 40% off my entire order which helped.
I'm struggling with scrapbooking - I'm busier with everyone home (more dishes, more laundry, more cooking, more cleaning...more interruptions) and my mojo/mood is struggling a bit with all the news overload. Plus I've been making masks and cards - I have a batch of 60 cards in progress for the nursing home. I inherited an 8x8 ProvoCraft slab when I cleaned out mum's house - it's really not my style design or colourwise -so I'm using it plus scraps for the cards.
DH has been working at the office (required to wear a mask at work starting last week) and next week will be alternating office and at home work - there has to be an engineering manager/supervisor there to run the printer and respond to questions from the factory side so he and his boss will be rotating. DD19 is finishing her semester online from home - she'll be done by the end of the month - and DD13 is remote learning through Apr 30th (although I truly believe they won't be going back this school year). I'm a homemaker anyway so really not many changes for me other than my house being busier and noiser than I'm used to.
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Post by angel97701 on Apr 5, 2020 2:55:51 GMT
Well last month my mojo was in high gear and I scrapbooked more pages than I have in one month EVER! 45 layouts, some were duplicates or even triplicates, but all were 12" x 12". Don't think that will happen this month. Like linda said more cooking, more monitoring DS14 distance learning, encouraging DS20 to stay active and work on things, etc. I am the primary errand runner for our family and for ILs. (Quick recap MIL is diabetic, has heart issues, and 4 surgeries in 17 weeks with long term infection with PIC line antibiotics Sept-Feb) Today was extremely tiring and frustrating to do the groceries. Costco line was around the outside and didn't look worth the effort for the number of items on the list.
I know grocery shopping is a necessity, as is picking up Rx. My trip was high on the frustration level today. Tried to help out MIL, they needed her Medicaid Part B card . . . she has a ton of Rx there should you would think they would already have it. So on a phone call I had to teach her how to take a photo of her card while in text message phone. It took three trips through the pharmacy line and her diabetic supplies won't be available until Monday. Only a few things on the list were not available. So that was nice. In the check out line and was keeping my social distance, but as I was unloading my card a teenager felt like she could come all the way withing a foot of me to look at the snacks/gum, I backed way up from her and looked pointedly at her parent who then finally decided he should reprimand her. There are signs everywhere even in stickers on the floor. Safeway has a new policy which I am totally okay with, bring your own bags, bag your own groceries. So the first bag I pack and pick up of the rack at the end of the check-out line? The rack is not securely attached and it fell off and the edge hit my big toe . . . just a bad bruise, but I was at the end of my rope and the tears came. I am really thankful that I had my winter hiker boots on because if I had on lighter weight shoes the toe would have been more injured.
I am not sleeping well, so my NP faxed over a stronger dose, so that should help. So fatigue, dealing with with allergies, and general malaise I guess. I am blessed to be able to get up every morning and I have been doing a little simple Bible journaling, which helps with the anxiety and general mental attitude. Dog walks every day for at least 30 minutes, and I've been "writing" messages in the field. I will share a a later date, I use the GPS on my fitbit. Doing yoga every day has really helped keep my back healthy, and I know now that I shouldn't take that for granted in the future.
DS14 is really hating distance learning and they haven't started in earnest yet. All grades for 3rd quarter will be pass / no pass, and I don't have the energy right now to go into why he will have 4 no passes and 3 passes for his courses. A very long adoption history related story. They will have assignments and grades starting April 13, and I honestly don't see them going back this year.
DS20 waivers between being super helpful and annoying. But we are getting the first load of mulch delivered tomorrow and have 3 more coming to clean up all my landscaping in the front yard. DH has agreed with me that this is the year to put in a greenhouse! So that is actually really exciting. We think we will go with a company that is local that puts together kits that we can build ourselves. Watched several YouTube videos this evening that I think had DH convinced to buy the one that is more expensive. I feel very blessed that we still have finances to allow us to do these things.
I am also thankful that last week we put up photos on our walls . . . there has been NO wall decor up since the interior painting job was finished in November. That makes me happy too!
I did get two cards made last night and will work on two CAS this evening I think. Sorry this was super long, but am glad to have a place to share!
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Post by vjlau on Apr 5, 2020 3:26:33 GMT
Hi ladies! Super weird month! I live in California, and this is our 3rd week of 7 potential weeks at home. I was expecting lots of crafty time, but my lower back has been acting up - I think from sitting so much! So, trying to be more active and walk more around the neighborhood. It's rainy today though, so about to start crafting!
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Post by angel97701 on Apr 5, 2020 3:27:51 GMT
Hi ladies! Super weird month! I live in California, and this is our 3rd week of 7 potential weeks at home. I was expecting lots of crafty time, but my lower back has been acting up - I think from sitting so much! So, trying to be more active and walk more around the neighborhood. It's rainy today though, so about to start crafting! Try yoga, it has really helped me! |
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Post by angel97701 on Apr 5, 2020 11:30:45 GMT
Sadly I must report that we had to call the County Sheriff to remove our 20yo son this evening for stealing my perscription Class 4 drugs and sharing them with his 14 year old brother. I am sitll up at 4:30 am Pacific time. With this new development I don't know where I will be in the next few weeks.
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Post by Linda on Apr 5, 2020 13:45:37 GMT
Sadly I must report that we had to call the County Sheriff to remove our 20yo son this evening for stealing my perscription Class 4 drugs and sharing them with his 14 year old brother. I am sitll up at 4:30 am Pacific time. With this new development I don't know where I will be in the next few weeks. ((((Hugs)))) and prayers - I'm so very sorry. You did the right thing but (having called the police on my child in the past) I know what a heartbreakingly hard thing it is - the hardest thing I ever did as a parent. |
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kitbop
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,369
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Post by kitbop on Apr 5, 2020 14:15:24 GMT
angel97701 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not a happy update! I'm so sorry. Is your 14 yo OK?
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Post by angel97701 on Apr 5, 2020 23:58:34 GMT
Now at ER with DS14 most likely considering sub acute psychiatric care in PDX 2.5 hours away.
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Post by Linda on Apr 6, 2020 0:53:22 GMT
Now at ER with DS14 most likely considering sub acute psychiatric care in PDX 2.5 hours away. I'm so sorry. ((((Hugs))) and prayers for all of you. Such difficult things to deal with even at the best of times - and this is certainly not the best of times. |
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Post by Linda on Apr 6, 2020 0:53:54 GMT
I'm sewing more masks o pop in the mail to DS - I don't think I'm going to get to actually scrap today but hopefully tomorrow
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Post by angel97701 on Apr 6, 2020 4:13:50 GMT
Home with DS14, Safety plan in place, just exhausted!
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kitbop
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,369
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Post by kitbop on Apr 6, 2020 11:41:51 GMT
Thanks for the update angel97701. I was thinking of you first thing today, prayers for your family, take care, glad DS is home. |
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Post by lynnek on Apr 6, 2020 15:14:23 GMT
Oh my goodness, angel97701! What a difficult time for you! I am glad you are home and hope you can rest. |
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nylene
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,434
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Post by nylene on Apr 6, 2020 15:53:56 GMT
angel97701 , I am so sorry for what you are experiencing. My husband and I work in Addiction Recovery and I worry so much about our participants who are holding on to sobriety with their fingernails, and have no meetings for support. It is 100% anonymous so we have no way to contact or encourage them. Isolation and depression are huge triggers. Hugs to you and prayers for your boys!
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Post by angel97701 on Apr 8, 2020 3:31:49 GMT
CPS visited this morning and was ACTUALLY helpful. Just wanted to see his room, our food supply and the safe where medications are stored. She wants to do a phone interview with me, and has already done one with DH.
I didn't sleep even with my stronger Rx last night. Woke up at 1:30 and stayed up to about 6am, then cat napped until 7:30 or so. I went through all the documents I have about DS14's mental health since Dec. She didn't even ask any questions, but for some reason it helped settle my mind. We also did a new photo wall in our LR. With our two HS graduates I have frames that hold 9 photos, 5 portrait and 4 landscape. When DSD24 graduated in 2014 I purposefully purchased three identical frames, so I would have them for the boys in the future as well. At first I was going to put general family photos in it, but DH requested I do them all of DS14. I recently went through all of the kids school photos that I have, so I organized DS14's pages from the ready made, then worked with what I had left to do his photo frame. I have to do a little photoshop magic to turn portrait to landscape with a little stitching but so far so good!
As far as my mental health . . . today I am a little bit better, but still wobbly. I have no idea where DS20 is sleeping. He won't be able to get a job, and all the money etc he stole will probably go for drugs. We are planning to file charges so we can protect DS14 and our family. DS20 has not hit rock bottom yet, and we can not enable him, we've probably already done that for far too long. Thank you for all your kind thoughts! It is appreciated as I am not putting this out there, a bit here and then only family and closest friends, and a FB group specifically for Russian Adoptive Moms.
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kitbop
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,369
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Post by kitbop on Apr 9, 2020 3:10:05 GMT
I continue to think of you through my day angel97701 and am glad to hear that you are trying to take care of yourself too. I wish I had the right words to hold you up! I am trying to remember to take photos of small parts of our day to day lives that have changed. DD is having virtual sleepovers with some friends through a new netflix feature. She took a goodie bag/care package (chocolate easter eggs and cookies) to a friend a few doors down tonight so they could eat treats "together" while they watched  I asked her to get a picture from the sidewalk of megan getting her goodie bag off the porch! and I took a picture of my new get up at work - this week, we added scrub hats to our daily uniforms, and we have to wear a brightly coloured wrist band after passing screening every shift. I am not being very successful with being productive at home. I am working out way too little (I miss my gym); I am cleaning minimally (I just don't want to); I am scrapbooking very little because even that feels hard! Tonight, I got a layout finished because I bribed myself with "Gilmore Girls" on Netflix and a bag of nibs. What is this saying??? I feel lazy, but it's more lethargy, and I think it's stress adding up. But then, I feel guilty about feeling stressed because I have it so GOOD - I still have lots of people in my house, I'm healthy, and I even get to spend my work days with people! |
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Post by angel97701 on Apr 9, 2020 3:48:18 GMT
kitbop thanks so much! I'm doing better, not as weepy, but still anxious about DS20's whereabouts, but it is now his concern. He crossed the line and cannot come back to our home under any circumstance.
I had a 30 minute discussion with his counselor, and during that informed him that if he had shared some of the information with us our situation over the weekend and the last few days would not have been as stressful and we could have re-routed some of the melt downs!
Today was work on moving the mulch (a meltdown situation b/c DS14 thought it would be a fun chore to do with DS20 who is now gone . . . per the counselor). Also planted seeds to start. I figured out I had a mini green house that will hold about 4 starting seedling trays. We looked for the little card and it fits fairly well. So it gets rolled out in the morning to follow the sun around our paved driveway.
We also ordered the real greenhouse. If we are lucky . . . early to mid-May, if not mid to late July. Just depends if the COVID restrictions keep their crew from doing installs in the state of WA. But since we are local and can pick it up and put it together they discounted it $1000 also due to the variable delivery date. A couple of evenings ago DH and I watched the build videos. He really liked how much sturdier it was compared to the other brand we were considering. Next I have to pick out the pavers. We have a flat area in mind that gets good sun. It's not super close to the house but it will still be great!
Finished with my photoshop magic and put up DS14's photo collage. Photo to follow . . . But no other crafting to report.
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Post by lynnek on Apr 11, 2020 14:14:58 GMT
Hello All - angel97701 - It sounds like you are keeping a good balance of dealing with your kid stuff, but then doing other things that keep your mind and body busy other ways. That is important! I keep your family in my thoughts! kitbop - My daughter is 16 and really having a hard time not seeing her friends. Yesterday a friends mom texted my daughter and told her that her friend was struggling, so my daughter ran a few treats to her house and then sat in her car while her friend was in her doorway and they talked on the phone, but at least could see each other. I wish I had asked my daughter to get a picture. I enrolled for the card class Jennifer McGuire is starting today. I am not much of a card maker ordinarily, but I have been sending out a ton of cards lately, so I figured it would be a good use of money to learn some new techniques. So, I hope to do some cards with today’s technique later this afternoon. |
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kitbop
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,369
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Post by kitbop on Apr 11, 2020 20:19:32 GMT
I enrolled for the card class Jennifer McGuire is starting today. I was SOOO tempted to join this. Let us know how it is. I may need to join you, but I'm trying to budget a big and the Canadian exchange rate is horrid. |
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Post by lynnek on Apr 13, 2020 21:13:17 GMT
I enrolled for the card class Jennifer McGuire is starting today. I was SOOO tempted to join this. Let us know how it is. I may need to join you, but I'm trying to budget a big and the Canadian exchange rate is horrid. So, far, I have liked the examples. The concept is do some stamping that somehow can be used on two or more cards. I posted the Day one cards on the sharing thread this morning. Now I am getting ready to post the Day three cards. I need to go back to do Day 2. I have liked it, but it has made me start a "to buy" list. I am more scrapbooker than card maker so I have kind of had to make due with the stamps I have. I have liked what I have done, though, so it all works fine. |
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Post by angel97701 on Apr 15, 2020 13:51:16 GMT
DS14 has had three crisis episodes in the space of 8 days, had 3 one hour counseling sessions in among those 8 days. He is lying to the counselor and not listening to his advice about what to do when he goes to a dark place of suicidal ideation. It's been a tough 11 days! DS20 SAYS he wants help getting into treatment and there are local options that his Oregon Health Plan will pay for . . . but we did not hear from him yesterday. I've reached out and finally found someone who will help work with him so it's not all on me or him.
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kitbop
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,369
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Post by kitbop on Apr 16, 2020 11:30:54 GMT
I'm so sorry angel97701 - continued prayers! I can't imagine the aching and anxiety. |
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Post by angel97701 on Apr 22, 2020 2:03:51 GMT
I've heard from DS20 several times over the weekend and yesterday, but not today. Praise God, I think I've found housing and drug addiction treatment placement for him. But I need to hear from him to get the process officially started.
DS14 . . . we are trying to decide on if or when to send him to Wilderness Residential Therapy. One blessing is that one of the best programs for adoption and attachment has one of their bases right here in our home town. I am emotionally and physically exhausted. Sleep is hard to come by past about 4:30 am, so I do get up and do Bible journaling so I can refocus my mind, do a yoga DVD, and walk my dogs.
I actually made 3 cards over the weekend, I'm on two just for fun DTs and made the cards for those reveals. Actually one is a duplicate so Mother's Day cards are done! Also have a layout to finish for the double page DT I am on. Needs embellies, title, and journaling.
Thanks for your prayers, they are needed!
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Post by Linda on Apr 22, 2020 3:07:09 GMT
((((Hugs))) and prayers angel97701 - that has to be so difficult. I'm glad that you've had a chance to relax and make some cards. I've been in a bit of a funk myself lately but I'm back to scanning photo albums - my layout is still sitting on the desk unfinished... |
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Post by angel97701 on Apr 23, 2020 0:16:04 GMT
((((Hugs))) and prayers angel97701 - that has to be so difficult. I'm glad that you've had a chance to relax and make some cards.
Thank you Linda! I spent 2 1/2 hours driving to and from where DS20 is staying and helping him get his paperwork completed. Will need to make another trip in a day or two as the process continues.
We've decided that DS14 does need the intensive intervention of Wilderness Residential Therapy, target date for enrollment is next Monday. Worked on the financing today with accountant and financial planner. Filled out so many forms in the last 48 hours, but have to keep reminding myself it is worth it for the purpose of helping both our sons.
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kitbop
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,369
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Post by kitbop on Apr 23, 2020 15:53:44 GMT
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THEN I'd be in trouble. 
I asked her to get a picture from the sidewalk of megan getting her goodie bag off the porch! and I took a picture of my new get up at work - this week, we added scrub hats to our daily uniforms, and we have to wear a brightly coloured wrist band after passing screening every shift. 
