One of the songs that I listen to full blast while driving (just a tad above the speed limit) on my way to and from Springfield, Missouri has been elevated from just a favorite to my personal anthem.

REO Speedwagon's "Roll with the Changes" perfectly describes how Scrapbook Generation fits in my life.

"...so if you're tired of the

Same old story

Turn some pages

I'll be here when you are ready

To roll with the changes..."

After 32 years as a journalism teacher, public relations director, and school administrator, I retired, but continued working for the same school district part-time. My life was set. Work two and a half days a week, 36 weeks a year. The rest of the time, be home scrapbooking.

After years of being a person driving to achieve multiple goals, I had only one. Enjoy leisure time.

Then an event beyond my control happened, and I realized I was "tired of the same old story." If anyone was ever ready to "turn some pages," it was me.

When I discovered that my sister Karin was also ready to turn some pages in her life, we quickly called a family meeting with my daughters Stacey and Allison. Within a week, the four of us were sitting down at Cheddars, looking through folders of information I had gathered. There on the spot, two sets of sisters agreed to cooperate, and Scrapbook Generation was born at a table loaded with baked potato soup, chicken strips, Diet Coke, and high hopes.

Today's excitement at Scrapbook Generation:

This has been a big week for new arrivals.

-- 3 Bugs in a Rug: bright new papers, cardstock stickers, and monograms;

-- Mara Mi: about 40 new papers in coordinating groupings of pink, coral, purple, blue, and green;

-- Paper Salon: yellow, orange, and green collection of papers

-- SEI: Winnie's Wall papers, rubons, and ribbons in peaches, corals, yellows, and green; plus new styles of their great "albums in a box" and "albums in a bag";

-- KI Memories: a new calendar type collection of papers, stickers, and epoxy accents

-- Scenic Route Paper Company: new navy and red papers

-- Pebbles: a cute pastel Easter collection of papers and stickers and market tags;

-- Scrapping' Sports and More: full-color sports rubons;

-- Paper House: destination cardstock stickers (even Tuscany!).