The Queen's Creation's

2010-04-10T11:50:00.000-07:00

The kids and I made up these chocolate covered marshmallows the other day for a party we were going to.
They were quite a hit with the kids. TOO sweet for my liking though!!!
These are GINORMOUS marshmallows, although you can't tell so well from the photo. I DO however think they will be PERFECT for some s'mores!!! :)
I think I threw out the rest of my lollipop sticks so I had to use short skewers...eh....it worked!!

Coffee Cozy

2010-04-10T11:46:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to make up one of these cute little coffee cozies for some time now, I just haven't had the time. So this morning, before I took Sammo to his 9am Soccer game, I whipped this little beauty up. Nikki claimed it right away, which was fine with me. She just 'LOVES' this fabric. I even sewed on a little 'Sassy' tag for her........because she is! :)

CHECK out THIS BLOG!!

2010-03-28T10:24:00.000-07:00

I've been doing some blog hopping this weekend. OH MY GOSH have I EVER been finding some GOOD/FUN stuff!!!!
Check out Becca's blog HERE.
She has a giveaway going on right now, until April 2, so HOP on over and check her out. You WON'T be disappointed!! :)
Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!!

My FIRST digi-layout

2010-03-17T14:32:00.000-07:00

I hope this works..........
I guess it did.
But wondering if it's SUPPOSED to be THIS small??? I know it's not THE BEST picture....lighting....BUT I wanted to just get going and the brown hat.....orange emblem.....it worked. :)
My little man.....my sweet boy! Can't believe he's going to be TEN next week!!!!

Cards for Connor

2010-03-11T18:48:00.000-08:00

Please jump over to Rachele's blog to see how you can either participate or make a donation for Connor!!

CU or BUST!

2010-03-02T09:02:00.000-08:00

My DEAR, SWEET friend Erin, who's blog you can find HERE
came over from Utah to spend a few days with us before we headed over to Lutherhaven in Idaho to spend the weekend at CU!!!!

(Creative University, in case you didn't know) :)

OH MY GOODNESS!!!

We had THE MOST AMAZING time!!! One can only EXPERIENCE CU to FULLY understand and appreciate the 'FABULOUSLY ARTSY' goodness it holds!!! :)

A quick pic of Erin and myself en route....

We HAD SOOOOOO MUCH FUN!!! I can not even EXPRESS into words what an AMAZING time was had by ALL! I, interestingly enough, didn't take many photos at ALL!!! WHAT??? I know..........but it's TRUE!!

This LOVELY bag was waiting for us when we arrived, filled with goodies

c/o Tresa.

I LOVE it!!!!

Here is it showing off one of the GORGEOUS charm sets I received, made by the lovely Donna Authenreith.
I don't have pics of ALL the GORGEOUS projects we worked on.........YET but I DO have a few! Allow me share what I DO have up.....

THIS is the sample of the canvas we did. Is it BEAUTIFUL OR WHAT????My flowers don't look quite as good as Denise's but..........still, I LOVE IT!

This next pic is of the necklace we did.....well, we made the pendant. :) Yes, that WOULD be a BIG 'ol NASTY FLY STUCK in the middle and YES! That WOULD in fact be MINE!!! UGH!!!

Bren, the amazing woman who taught us how to make this incredibly awesome pendant, was sweet enough to let me make another. I LOVE it and Nikki loves it!! She even wore it to school yesterday!!! No kidding! I haven't taken a picture of my NEW one yet.......

Some of you MAY remember my post about the charms I was preparing for the charm swap at CU......well, here is a picture of me and my roomies (hands) sprting our NEW charm bracelets!!

Now, THAT, my dear friends, is a CHARM BRACELET!! :) And OH MY GOSH!!!! The charms are GORGEOUS!!!! I'd LOVE to share my individual pics but that post would be FOREVER and a day LONG!!!!!

We also made some lovely watercolor cards. Mine aren't completely finished quite yet and a layout that I will be using for CU.

I ALSO NEED to take a pic or two of the GORGEOUS 'SPRING' banner, handiwork of Tresa herself, who btw, is AMAZING!!!!! She is SO much FUN!! I feel TRULY BLESSED to have had the opportunity to meet her. What a FABULOUSLY :) WONDERFUL woman!!

Valentine's Day (Part Three)

2010-02-14T21:37:00.000-08:00

So here we are........it's Valentine's Day! :)

Nikki HATES this 'holiday'. Probably because she doesn't have a Valentine???

I woke up this morning with a HORRIBLE shoulder/neck muscle pain. One of those ones that actually makes you feel sick to your stomach. So after I came home from church I rested on the sofa with a heat pack to my shoulder, some motrin and a little massage from my hunny! :)

Thanks to Erin, I made up these FUN Valentine's for our kids.

They are CUTE little coupon books made from (playing) cards. She actually found the idea at THIS blog.

You WILL have to scroll through to find the right post but she has some PRETTY COOL stuff to be found there!!!

Then I made this up real quick for Nik..... :)

It's just an inexpensive SS puffed heart I found along my 'travel's'. I thought of Nikki when I first saw it and thought Valentine's Day would be the PERFECT time to give it to her. Of course I am a little ADDICTED to making charms anymore, so YES, I added a little crystal to it too.

She LOVES it! :)

This was ONE of Joe's cards.......His Candy Card.....

AGAIN, BIG THANKS to Erin for the idea!!!! THAT GIRL ROCKS!!! I am SO BLESSED to be able to call her MY FRIEND!!! :)

I actually had a hard time finding a few of the candies and kind of improvised a little.....but he liked it. Especially the PS. :) (P.S. I'll show you my whoppers if you show me your whatchamacallit!!) :)

I made a lovely dinner tonight. Not really SPECIAL as I do make it every now and again but still......it's something we ALL like! ...lasagna, toss green salad and gahhhlic bread. Mmmmm.

And then for 'dessert', these babies:

There was a little melted chocolate left over so Samuel and I dipped and dotted a few big pretzels. Mmmmmmm....

Okay! I'm off to watch The Time Traveler's Wife with my girl!!! I hope you ALL enjoyed your Valentine's Day as much as WE DID!!!!

Until next time.....

Valentine's Day (Part Two)

2010-02-12T10:32:00.000-08:00

Another Valentine's Day card:

And this is a book/card I made for Joe. First time using my Bind it All and I'm thinking this puppy will be getting more use now. Makes me wish I'd pulled it out before now! :)

The paper used was a cardstock sheet by Fancy Pants that I picked up from CW. It had 11 or so 'card fronts'. I just cut them out and embellished a little. Ribbon and buttons were just stuff/scraps I had laying around that I was HAPPY to be able to use up!!

I'm hoping to run down to Omak sometime today to pick up a few things I would like to pick up in order to finish up Nikki and Samuel's Valentine's and another little something I have in mind for Joe (Thanks Erin!!!).
I hope to be back later!!!
-S

Valentine's Day (Part One)

2010-02-12T04:53:00.001-08:00

I found this paper/card fronts at Craft Warehouse the last time I was there because I LOVE them but ALSO because they looked like something I could 'whip' together REAL quick!!

I ONLY JUST cut them tonight. Yeah...........so, I'm a little behind. :)

This card will be sent to my Mom & Dad.

These are just some SIMPLE little treats I put together for the 1st Grade class I subbed for, for 6 days in January. I saw the idea in a crafting magazine and thought it was easy enough and cute at the same time!! :) The procrastinator that I am.......I literally put them together in ONE HOUR today. I decided I wasn't going to make them very fancy because they're 6&7 year old kids for goodness sake. All the care about is the lollipop inside! :)

I'm STILL busy trying to get this scraproom/studio of mine organized and together. It's coming along......slowly but surely! HUGE THANKS to my sweet friend Erin for ALL of her help, inspiration and encouragement!!!

Jewlery

2010-02-06T09:04:00.000-08:00

I'm going to a retreat the end of February, Creative University, aka CU, put on by Tresa Black. If you're a paper crafter chances are you KNOW who Tresa Black is, her artwork is in ALL KINDS of magazines!! :) And if you DON'T know who she is, you're missing out!!!! Check out her BLOG that you can find by simply clicking HERE. :)

Creative University is Tresa's 'baby' held at the Lutheran Church Camp (Lutherhaven) on Lake Coeur d'Alene. This will be my FIRST time attending and I am SO EXcITED!!!!

You can find MORE on Creative University HERE.

NOT ONLY am I able to attend Creative University this year and meet Tresa and ALL the other SUPER talented woman who are attending BUT my SWEET cyber friend Erin (who's blog you can see HERE) is flying up a few days early to meet up with ME!!! I am SO EXCITED to FINALLY meet in person!!! We'll enjoy a few FUN FILLED days together and then head out for CU!!! HOW LUCKY am I?!?!!?

This woman is TRULY like a separated at birth sister!!!! I've known WHO Erin is for years. We were both Consultants with CTMH so I've been aware of and seen her amazing creations for a LONG TIME now, AND her hubby's woodwork!! Does Stamper Storage ring a bell??? :)

Anyways, Erin and I had been chatting for a while when on Nov 1 she mentioned something about thinking about going to CU!! OH MY GOSH! I said, 'Let's DO IT!' So.....we registered and here we are........anxiously awaiting the end of the month.

Soooooooooooo............WHY am I 'sharing' all of this???

Well, one of the funnities (yes, I'm pretty sure I just MADE that word up...) of CU is the charm swap. Those who chose to participate make up a certain number of charms to swap with the other ladies. I REALLY wanted to participate because I KNEW if I didn't, I would be kicking myself. The biggest 'problem', I didn't have the FIRST clue of what to do to make a charm. ERIN was ALL OVER IT though!!! She directed me to some FABULOUS sites and jewlery making sites and now..........I've been bitten by the jewlery making bug.

Because I NEEDED ONE MORE creative outlet!!!?!?! :)

It is SO MUCH FUN though. I'm just a beginner and just playing around with stuff I have...well, I've bought a few new items but really, most of what I've been playing with is stuff I've had just hanging around. Intended for some OTHER project that just never got done!

So..........last night I was just playing around, I kinda wanted to try my hand at a bracelet similar to something Erin has done.....her's btw....BEAUTIFUL!!!

This is what I came up with:

This is for Nikki. :) She hasn't seen it IN PERSON yet, she had a Cheer Sleepover night last night but I sent a picture of it along with a text and she SAYS she loves it!! I can't WAIT to pick her up today so I can give it to her......AND see if it fits! :) (Easy adjustment if it doesn't!)

I also put together some earrings:

Right now, I think, these are my favorite...

So THAT is what I was up to last night!!! :)

I hope to have something more to share later on today or tomorrow.

The TRUTH of the matter is, I SHOULD be CLEANING this room AND preparing for CU!!!

Until next time..........

Smiles,

-S

Bra's are like FRIENDS...

2010-02-03T22:54:00.000-08:00

I 'whipped together' this card for a special friend today.....

I actually DID!!! I had another mostly put together, aside from the MAIN image, card ALL ready to use for this card but it just wasn't going together the way I wanted so I QUICKLY rummaged through my PURPLE paper drawer and whipped this one right up!

SO TRUST ME when I tell you, I KNOW, this is NOT the best photo BUT it was a do it NOW or NEVER type deal......so I went with it. I was already running late.

Stamps are Skipping Stones Design (I HEART this company!!!!)

Paper: They were SERIOUSLY scraps from my purple drawer.....

Ribbon from CW

Ink: Archival CTMH

and STICKLES, Ranger. You know I LOVE ME some sparkley!!!!

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this stamp set. I just can't EVEN begin to TELL YOU HOW MUCH I LOVE this set!!! And I CAN'T WAIT to MAKE some time to put together MORE cards with it but chances are it won't be until after I return from CU! Just a reality! :)

Enjoy the rest of your week!!!!

-S

Like a fine wine we get better with age.........

2010-02-02T17:43:00.000-08:00

This is the card I made for my friend Summer.
Her 30th Birthday was Monday.
Stamps used were Skipping Stone Design, misc paper, misc ribbon and baubles from stampingbella. The little stick pin is from some other project I had. What do you think of it?? I wasn't quite sure at first but it's kinda growing on me!! :)

My Little 'bin'

2010-01-30T16:04:00.000-08:00

I was TRYING to make a little 'bin' like this for a project......

While shopping yesterday, looking for JUST THE RIGHT pattern, I happened upon a quilting magazine that just so happened to HAVE what I was looking for. Only thing was.........IN THE BOOK was the pattern for the LARGE bin only, NOT the small, that I was interested in. I found, in the article that the pattern for the small bin was available ONLINE. WOOT WOOT!!! Do you know what THAT meant??? I didn't NOW have to spend the $6.95 on the magazine!!!

I printed off the pattern this morning and I was IN BUSINESS!!!

I had picked up some fat quarters for my SAMPLE RUN.....The 'scalloped' edge really went with the MEDIUM bin but I thought I'd give it a whirl anyways. I don't think.......NO, I'm pretty SURE I won't be doing the scalloped edge on the 'REAL' bins!

Regardless......THIS is my 'sample run' little bin.

It's cute, I think. The nice thing about the trial run is you can improve on the others right??? The only thing, aside from my poor, sad, scallops, that I'd like to change is I don't like how the seam is showing when you flip over the top. I THINK I have an idea of how to remedy that problem BUT if you have any suggestions..........please feel free to share in a comment.

NOW, as much as I'd LOVE to continue 'playing' and creating........I need to go figure out WHAT I'm going to wear to the Clinic Party tonight!!! Now THAT is a CHORE! :)

Happy Saturday ALL!

Sew.........it's true

2010-01-30T13:54:00.000-08:00

I've been BIT by the sewing bug!

I started with my 'table topper' but I've decided to make mine into a table runner......2 blocks by 4 instead. I just bought the fabric for the border, backing and binding so I hope to get going on that again.........mmmmm.......sometime next week.

In the meantime I've been working on these other table runners.....'Erin's Easy Peasy Table Runners'. My DEAR, SWEET friend Erin shared this with me. And they ARE EASY PEASY!!!! They take about 15 minutes to complete. I don't have a picture of the first one but this is the second one I've done:

And yes..it has black backing and a black border all the way around. It's kind of hard to see being it's on a black chair.

and the third::

THIS ONE I decided to add a little to. Making it not quite as QUICK to complete but I have SO MANY buttons I figured I'd add some.

Good idea?

Maybe, maybe not but it's done!

GINORMOUS THANKS to ERIN for sharing with me! You ROCK! :)

And THIS.........

well........I started by sewing strips of fabric together....then cut them and sewed them into this......it wasn't QUITE what I had in mind for this particular project so...........I picked up a zipper yesterday and I'm going to TRY to put a zipper in the top and make it into a little bag. I AM 'THE BAGLADY'...can NEVER have enough bags as far as I'm concerned!! :) Soooooooo.......we'll see how it turns out!

You WILL notice not ALL of my corners match up very nicely. I'm working on it! LOL This bag will be for me though and I don't too much care! LOL

Hope to have more to share soon..........

See you next visit! Have a Happy Weekend!

-S

You MUST watch this video! :)

2010-01-30T13:47:00.000-08:00

Go HERE and watch Tresa in another of her amazing AND FUNNY videos!!!
CAN'T wait to MEET HER IN PERSON the end of FEB at CU!!!!!! :)

My NEWEST hobby....

2010-01-24T17:55:00.000-08:00

I'm making a quilted table runner. I am having SO much FUN with this!! A few girls I know were going to start these. I told them I was interested...next I know, I'm sewing again!! LOVE IT!!!! So I went to pick out fabric....I wasn't sure if I would make a tablerunner or quilt for my guest room......well, I found fabric for my Guest Room quilt BUT found this other fabric on sale for $5/bundle down from $8. I HAD to get it! HOW could I turn it down?!?!?! I'm only PART through but it's been SO long since I've used my rotary cutter, though I SWEAR I just saw the darned thing the other day, I can't find it. Sooooo...I'm going to buy a new one and a new mat tomorrow so I can get going and finish my top.

This is just a sneak peak at SOME of my finished squares before being cut.......

Then.......Look at this!!!!

These two beauties were right outside the house, down on the river today.

Samuel first noticed her:

She was munchin' on a fish. Kinda hard to see I know.....Thank heavens for my zoom but even still.....

Then her buddy came along....

I wished I could have gotten a better picture. (I just LOVE Eagles.) I took this one from a window in the daylight basement that faces the North end . Then I went upstairs, out on the deck but by the time I got up there........

....she had decided it was time to leave. UGH!

They'll probably be hanging around for another day or two. I'll have to see if I can get a better pic or two. I keep hoping for the 'perfect' Eagle pic.

I'll have to post a pic of my EASY Tabletopper c/o Erin tomorrow.

Thanks for stopping by!

I'm such a LUCKY/BLESSED girl!!!!

2010-01-19T21:58:00.000-08:00

My SWEET, SWEET friend Erin, sweetie that she IS, sent me THIS stamp set. It arrived TODAY in the mail!!! I just LOVE getting packages in the mail, don't you?!?!?! :)

I LOVE this set!!! It is from Skipping Stones Design. Is this NOT one of the CUTEST sets you have EVER seen?!?!?!

I was only just introduced to Skipping Stones Design stamps earlier this month...(or last???) by Erin and I just LOVE them. Erin is on the Design Team for SSD. Every Tuesday they do a challenge. If you have a minute and are feeling creative.....jump on over and see what they have goin' on over there.........NOT TO MENTION the AWESOME stamp sets!!! :)

Not ONLY did Erin send me this INCREDIBLE set....but she ALSO sent me THIS:

HOW TOTALLY SWEET is THIS?!?!?!

It's a pedicure set and some peppermint lipgloss wrapped up in that ADORABLE wrap courtesy of Erin and all her creativity!!!!!

I LOVE it!!!

Erin, you are AWESOME and I am SO THANKFUL and BLESSED to be able to call you my FRIEND!!!

I'm SO excited to see you next month We are going to have SO MUCH FUN!!! :)

(Erin and I are going to Creative University together the end of February!!!!!)

SOOOOOOOOOOOO, OF COURSE I HAD to play with my NEW set tonight. I used scraps.....well, I had this set of scraps in mind from the get go........WILD thing!! :)

Only thing is.......The, "Bra's are like Friends" didn't show up as well as I'd envisioned it would in my mind. Back to the drawing board on that one I guess but it's alright. I'll figure something else out. BUT, I'm LOVIN' the (black) lacey looking piece there AND the stickeles!!!! You KNOW I'm a STICKLER for stickles!! Teeheeheeheehee.....

I LOVE me some stickles!!! :)

So YES, "Bra's are like FRIENDS......", ".....THE GOOD ONES NEVER LEAVE YOU HANGIN'"

Thank you again Erin!!!!

I {heart} you!!!!

Thanks for stopping by.

Until next time.........

-S

My 'filler charm'

2010-01-14T18:07:00.000-08:00

This is my filler charm for CU.

Simple.

But I like it!

I do believe I am now addicted to making charms and earrings.

Ay yi yi!

This is the FIRST filler charm I did.

I decided it was just too long.

I'll bring it along just in case...........

I'll have to take pictures this weekend of the earrings I've made.

JUST because they're FUN!

Off to make a card for our nephew's birthday in a few days.

Whoooooooo

2010-01-09T09:15:00.000-08:00

Joe and I made a 'run' to Wenatchee yesterday so OF COURSE I made a stop at CW!!!

I could have stayed in there a LOT longer than the 2 hours Joe SAYS I was in there BUT Joe was with me. After he finished his 'errands' he was back and although I must admit he is pretty patient when it comes to my CW time, after a while.....he was HUNGRY and ready to GO. I must admit......I was hungry too....so off to Mai Lee Thai (our FAVORITE place to eat in East Wenatchee)....yellow curry with chicken, #3 please, for ME! Heavenly I tell you........just heavenly!!!

Anyways..........I digress..

I picked up only a few stamps....I just bought a few sets online the other day, and a few more a few days before that,.........(CAN'T WAIT to get them!!!!) so I really didn't feel like I could justify too many!! :) Trust me when I say I could have easily talked myself into some more though....teeheehee.

This is one of the stamps I got.....Stampendous, cling rubber (I LOVE these!!! I have a few others and I REALLY do like them!) Owl Friends.

I FOUGHT with the original layout I was going to use for this image a good part of last night and for a little while this morning before I decided to just GO SIMPLE! I like it a LOT better. :)

Those little owls are just SO sweet to me. I'm thinking Father's Day card..........Whoooooooo's the best Dad?!?! You are!!! ..................Owls remind me of my Grandmother. She LOVED owls.

I colored the images in with my colored pencils and used OMS and a blender pen. I 'ruffed' up the edges of the image paper a little........just because.

I also used some of my new 'SMOOCH spritz', (Clearsnap Holding Inc.), but you can't REALLY tell so much in the photo. New product for me....kinda cool! Picked up some SMOOCH, Pearlized Accent Ink too. LOVE the bottle. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the colors!!!! DELISH! and FUN!
I'm BIG into Monsters for some reason lately. I just LOVE them. So I picked up a monster set by Hero Arts. I don't have anything done yet with them so you'll just have to wait! :)

And............

THIS is my latest project.........I am LUCKY enough to be going to Creative University this year!! I am SO excited! charm I joined the charm swap.....colors are pink, green, white and silver. We are to make 15 sets of two charms......one creative, one filler........ These would be my creative charms.

So the question is..............

white eggs or green???

I already have one vote for green....

These are really quite fun to make and I'm thinking they'd make cute little Mother's Day pendants or charms for friends!

Thanks for stopping by!

Until next time........

Scrapbook for Liliana Rochele

2010-01-02T13:14:00.000-08:00

My friend Sandra has a beautiful daughter named Danielle......and Danielle is getting ready to have her FIRST baby!! A baby GIRL!!We've already done the shower thing BUT I wanted to make her up a book to get her started with recording memories of sweet 'lil Liliana as SOON as she gets here.
The book wasn't QUITE ready at shower time, actually I didn't even HAVE the RIGHT book at shower time.......just the pages.... AND although I THOUGHT I'd add more embellishments............I decided not to. Weird huh?

This is the FIRST page

For whatever reason I've been having serious issues uploading pictures and getting them where I WANT them. So, after this one.....it's anyone's guess WHERE in the book these pages are really located BUT the nice thing is that she can rearrange the pages HOW EVER she likes anyways. They are ALL, except for the first and last, two page layouts.

As you can see they are VERY SIMPLE pages.

This is the LAST page.

Now to get it mailed off to her!

Thanks for looking!

Tryin for some CANDY!!!!!!!!! (Blog Candy that is!!!)

2010-01-02T09:43:00.000-08:00

I'm tryin' to win some Blog Candy!!! :)
A CUPCAKE Stamp Set by Skipping Stone Designs as a matter of fact.
It's TRUE, I DO have another cupcake stamp set BUT I LOVE that set and I LOVE CUPCAKES!!!

You can enter for a chance to win TOO if you go to Erin's Blog and check out the deets!!!

I am TRYING to get back into the creative swing of things so this opportunity came at JUST THE RIGHT TIME!!!

The Challenge is to come up with a card using one of 4 card sketches (that can be found at Erin's Blog), post it, link back, yada, yada......

SO....THIS would be the card sketch I'm using:

Now, you WILL notice I changed things up a bit. I'm HOPING this is okay. I guess we'll see. The sketches are a 'starting point' right??? All the 'components' are there just.......kinda........flipped. It just worked better for me that way.........for some reason..

Soooooooooooo........................

here is my creation........

TADA!!!!

This stamp set is also from

Skipping Stone Designs.

I colored her in my color pencils and blended with OMS, this time using a 'coloring tool' (fantastix by Tsukineko) which I think I like. I usually use the little sticks...can't think of the name off the top my head)...anyways these 'coloring tools' worked pretty well....

Paper is just from a Designer Mat Pad, Berry Sweet, by K&Company. The yellow and green pieces were just pieces I found in my colored paper scrap bin(s).

The photo clips are CTMH...OLD.

And YES, I used stickles on parts of the 'flutterby' and on the photo clips as well. I just like a little sparkley! :)

Just added this pic to show how she's not flat. I like her like this......like she's fluttering.... :)

Happy Creating!!!!!

**Don't FORGET! Go here for a chance to WIN!!! Only a few days left!!!****

I know, I know........'WHO are YOU again???'

2009-12-13T18:20:00.000-08:00

I've been 'gone' for sometime now......

gone meaning........away from crafting and creating.

But.......I'm trying to come back. And TODAY is the first day.....

So here's some of what I worked on today:

I'm going the whole Secret Santa/Sister thing at work. I thought it would be FUN!!! I still think it will be!!! AND it's going to HELP me to get back into 'creating'!

This is gift #1 for my Secret Sister.

It's just a bag of Limited Edition Dark Peppermint Truffles. Just a little something.......

I have my first 3 days planned......possibly 4....it's that 5th day that's giving me a hard time!!! LOL

Blogger is really giving me a hard time today. Perhaps it's because I haven't used it in so long?!?!

So--I apologize for the disorganization of this post. Hopefully, the next picture you see is of some cute little Mistletoe Pixies (Stampendous!) I got them last year, I think, and decided today to play with them.......they're not made into a card yet......just stamped, colored in and blended with OMS and stickles...planning to add some 'fuzz' to his pom pom and boots. First I've gotta find the 'fuzz'!! :)

This candle is just a WalMart candle. I hot glued some cinnamon sticks to it, added some ribbon, WILL add some greens and IT will be my Secret Sister's #3 gift!! Gift #2 is just going to be a CUTE Christmas mug with some peppermint hot cocoa and a mini holiday cake. Mmmmmm.

This is just a little card I made today....$1 stamps from Craft Warehouse I'm SURE!!

That's all I have for today!

But......it's SOMETHING!!! :)

Oh!! ALMOST forgot to mention........I received my FIRST Skipping Stones Deesign stamps yesterday! I CAN'T WAIT to play with them!! HOPEFULLY tomorrow!

I'll post!!

Ciao!

Witches Brew, spiders, bats and.........

2009-10-22T13:34:00.000-07:00

My dear, sweet friend Erin suggested I post these pictures on my blog. WHAT AN IDEA!!

Honestly......I think half the time I FORGET I even HAVE a blog anymore!!! It's been SO long since I posted.....Feb or April....NO WONDER I don't remember!!!

Well, shame on me and a BIG THANK YOU to Erin for reminding me........... :)
October 31 is Brandi Louise's birthday.

Her REAL name is NOT Brandi Louise but it's what I call her. :)

And she's NOT EVEN one of my kids.......though I like to call her my own..

AND here, at this house, we LOVE US some Brandi Louise!!!! :)

This weekend is OUR birthday weekend with her and I can't wait for it to get here. What are we going to do?? Not 100% sure YET but you CAN be sure that if she's involved it WILL be FUN!!!! :)

I'd seen those cute little books at the $1 Spot in Target and KNEW I had to get one...or two.....I mean come on! For a BUCK?!?!?! :)

Originally I thought I'd SOMEHOW make up a birthday card for

Miss. Brandi-Louise using the book.....it just wasn't workin' for me. SO.....I decided to go with a little scrap book. They're just SIMPLE pages, what I'm ALL about these days, and she can fill it from pics from whatever she likes. I'm not sure if they're going to get dressed up or go "Trick or Treating" this year or not.........

Anyways............

This is the front of the book:

Page ONE

Pages TWO and THREE

FOUR and FIVE

See....SiMPLE!!!

SIX and SEVEN

EIGHT and NINE....and so on and so forth............

And THIS is a card my sweet, sweet friend Lainey Lou sent me. I hadn't been feeling well and she sent me card to help make me feel better. That was SO nice of you Laines!!!!

I LOVE YOU GIRL!!

12X12 pages....

2009-04-05T22:21:00.000-07:00

One page of I THINK what is going to actually turn out to be THREE. GASP!!! Nikki's last Bday party with her friends in Ca. Not THE BEST layout NO DOUBT but it's DONE!!! And she'll like it. I KNOW she'll want all these pics. It IS for her after all.....

SIMPLE, SIMPLE!!!

Page 2 of 2

Joe and I have fun hiding eggs for the kids on Easter. This year I didn't get extra candy--like they need it anyways...so we put little trinkets from around the house in the eggs....Nikki got a BP keychain. LOL

Easter Page one of 2.....

I KNOW I'm backwards tonight....I uploaded the pics first and did them backwards....work with me tonight huh?! :)

Page 2 of 2

Page one (left side page) of a two page layout.....what I'm TRYING to get away from...

I have a bit to finish up here.....like a lot....need to journal and probably add some type of embellishment.....any suggestions?

Sammo playing inside some storage boxes. This was way BACK when we lived in Ca....

Gosh these pics make me SMILE!

He was such a little boy!

Samuel and his best friend Riley.....last year. I just HAPPENED to be outside to get these pics......LOVE 'em!

Samuel's 'Treasure Leg'. The story behind these pics......

I'd JUST come home from class a few years back and Sammo was talkin', talkin', talkin from the moment I stepped inside the door. I was half paying attention to him....just getting home, dinner time, long day etc, etc.... Finally....I get down the stairs and I ask him, 'What? Samuel WHAT do you need???' When he responds, "LOOK Momma! It's my treasure leg. And 'X' marks that spot!!" I looked down and YES, indeed, he'd made himself a treasure leg complete with 'X' marking the spot. HOW could I be mad....even though he'd written ALL up and down his leg? Nope! I whipped out my camera and took some pics!!! What a memory! :)

So...this is ONE of those pages that needs some finishing too....Looking for some of those lightweight gold coins....we had some around here SOMEWHERE.....of COURSE NOW that I'm looking for ANY.....nope! Can't find a ONE!!!!

Alright well I DO work in the am so I'm going to bed NOW.........

Thanks for stopping by. I KNOW it's been FOREVER since my last post. Just been SO busy!!!

I'm kinda feeling 'back in the groove' now and I'm REALLY feeling the DESIRE to scrapbook again so HOPEFULLY I'll be a little more consistent with my postings.

Have a GREAT week!!!

-S

Scrapbook Retreat

2009-04-05T21:36:00.000-07:00

I went to a FABULOUS Scrapbook Retreat last weekend. I've been SO SUPER busy since I got back that I haven't had a chance to think about, much less post, pictures of what I got accomplished. I certainly didn't complete as many pages as some of the other girls BUT I had to take care of a few things while I was there AND my husband had JUST returned (the first day of the retreat) from being gone for a month so he came down and stayed in the room with me the second night. :)

I promised Lainey I would post them today. I'm a girl of my word......so here goes......YES! It is 9:38 PM and Lainey is PROBABLY headed to bed if she isn't there yet BUT the day isn't over for me quite yet!! :)

Some of the pages DO need some finishing touches.....that is ONE of the things about being ANYWHERE aside from my OWN studio.....I never know what ALL to bring......SO yes.....I need to finish a few things up.

Right now I'm finishing up a 12X12 album for both Nikki and Samuel so I have some 12X12 pages BUT I also picked up an inexpensive 8X8 album ($7 at Walmart-last one!) and decided I was going to use it for ME....just those pics I probably have doubles of that will go in the kids' book but that I want too. So I worked on some of those........

Looks like blogger isn't going to cooperate with me tonight so I'll post the 8X8's first and put the 12X12's in the next post.

I am going VERY simple these days. LONG GONE are the days of spending hours on a page. I am TOO far behind and have TOO many pages to scrapbook!!

This is my handsome husband! This picture was taken...geesh I can't remember either last summer or the summer before.

SIMPLE or WHAT?!?

Man, I LOVE this man!!! :)Me and 'Beans'.

This picture was taken a FEW years ago....she and I went to see Kenny Chesney in Spokane.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this paper!!!

I LOVE this picture. One of the few of just me and her.

Teeheeehee.....

Joe's and Sammo....Sammo was SO little then. I did a 12X12 pretty much the SAME thing except for where the green rub on is here there on the other it says, Like Father Like Son. Just LOOK at those crazy looks! LOL

My Beans......

Easter a few years ago. My GOSH!! LOOK at how YOUNG she looks!!! Her hair was SO long.....I think it makes her look even younger!!

Ahhhhh......My DEAR Sweet friend Pat, and her new husband George, Pat, who is also Sammo's Godmother. I LOVE this woman!!

I didn't do any journaling....she sent me the pics....I wasn't there......

This is the last of the 8X8's....

I have a few finishing touches to add to this page....just didn't have a few of the things I wanted to use there.

Anyways.....this is my friend Jan. We used to work together....some of us got together for her birthday to celebrate....

Looking at the layout now........again......I think I WILL add some journaling.

Anyways.......those are my 8X8 pages. I'll see if Blogger is going to play nice so I can add the rest!!

PICTURE CHALLENGE

2009-02-19T09:15:00.000-08:00

The 6th Picture Challenge...

I've been challenged by LAINEY!!!! (I {heart} you Lainey!!!!)
These are the challenge instructions:
•Go to your photo folder in your computer.
•Go to the 6th folder of the photos.
•Go to the sixth picture.
•Put the picture on your blog and description of it.
•Invite six friends to join the challenge.
•Link them in your blog and let them know they have been challenged!

Of ALL the places I'd be somewhat 'organized' it WOULD have to be my pictures. UGH. They're all organized by year and then month.....

SO, this is my picture!

It's from a few weeks back when I went ice fishing with Joe. This is him, drilling one of the holes. Good time.

SO....I tag:

* Laurie @ Live, Love, Laugh, Create

* Rachelle @ The Ink Boutique (just because I haven't heard from her in a while)

* Aura @ Aura of Design (because I REALLY haven't heard from HER in a while!!)

* Katrina @ Kindred Thoughts and Things (because I'm wondering if she even REMEMBERS HOW to blog?!?) :)

* Peggy @ Colour du jour

and...........

* Courtney @ Created by Courtney

Or course just because you're name doesn't appear here....FEEL FREE to consider yourself tagged!! :)

Charlene's Birthday Card

2009-02-11T17:49:00.001-08:00

This is the birthday card I came up with for one of the girls at work, Charlene. Interestingly enough, I was inspired by one of the other girls' scrub tops.
Charlene was off all week last week, her birthday week, and just returned to work today. She liked it. I was pretty pleased with it too. :)

Materials Used:
Misc black cardstock, Daisy White CS (CTMH), misc hot
pink cardstock
True Black ink (CTMH), Bubblegum ink (CTMH)
Time Well Spent stamp set (SU!),, Birthday Blossoms (Stampendous)
Stickles-Star Dust

Samuel's Valentine's

2009-02-09T21:41:00.000-08:00

I SO snagged this idea from

Laurie over at Just Give Me Stamps. If you've never visited her blog....GO!!! OH MY GOSH!! Her artwork is AMAZING!!! Hers are a little more involved. I needed a little simpler and easier. Most of my paper is scraps-which explains the varying colors of pink, for the girls of course. I embossed the cardstock with one of my cuttlebug folders punched the white strip with a MS punch adhered it all and added riboon. I worked on them today at lunch so I didn't have to worry about finishing them all tonight. (Samuel has to have his Valentine's turned in tomorrow....and NO candy this year....why we went for pencils!!) I think they came out pretty cute! I'm pleased. :)

I STILL have a birthday card, or TWO or THREE.....or more......to get done. Maybe tomorrow??? Have a GREAT week!!!

Sympathy Card

2009-02-07T07:12:00.000-08:00

A sympathy card for my friend Katrina. Katrina's Aunt passed away last week and the services are today. Please say a prayer for Katrina and her family. She/They were very close to her Aunt Dorothy and I know she will be missed greatly.

Paper: Fancy Pants and CTMH(Twilight, Cranberry, Naturals) Inks: CTMH (Twilight, Cranberry, Golden Ember, Garden Green, Black) Ribbon: CTMH (Ivory) Stickles (XMas Red, Turquoise) Stamps: CTMH ?? Name?? OLD WOODIES set BUT my ALL TIME FAVORITE!!! and With Sympathy by Great Impressions

LOOK at what I got!!!!

2009-01-24T20:08:00.000-08:00

First of all........

THANK YOU PEGGY!!!!!

Do I EVER feel SPOILED!!! :)

Peggy dropped this GORGEOUS bag off to me this evening!!!

If you remember I'd won it in Peggy's Comment Contest a while back but it wasn't quite finished....

It was SO WORTH the wait!!!!!!

I CAN'T WAIT to start using it now!!!!!

I ran into Peggy early today at their store here in town, I was buying some ingredients I needed for dinner.

I only wish I'd gotten a picture of Peggy at the door handing it to me now. LOL

Isn't it beautiful??!?!

You should only just see it IN PERSON!!

And the INSIDE!!!!

You MUST go to Peggys blog at Colour de Jour.

She has WAY better pictures posted. You have to scroll down a bit but they're there. I PROMISE!! :)

Thank You! Thank You! Thank You Peggy!!

I LOVE it!!!!

It's been a while. I know, I know......

2008-11-30T08:09:00.000-08:00

My friend Korie is having a baby!!! Korie and I went to nursing school together and carpooled many 'a day together. She went with me a few weeks ago to Wenatchee, the day we went LOOKING for a dress for Nikki for Tolo--Oh My Goodness.....I'm thinking Korie won't be forgetting that day for quite some time AND I'm thinking she's REALLY HOPING for a BOY!! :) Don't get me wrong...girls are just fine............when they're BABIES!! Those of you who have, or who HAVE HAD, a teenage girl(s) KNOW what I mean!! Anyways.......

Korie is having a BABY, she went with me shopping for the day....we found this CUTE scrapbook AND matching paper (at Target none the less). She was admiring this book so I told her I'd make her up a scrapbook for the baby. I worked on it last week so thought I'd share what I've come up with. The pages are pretty simple but I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.

What do you think??

Front of the book. Korie can put a picture of baby in there when he comes. :)

This is the first page.

I THINK I'm going to somehow do 'Welcome (baby's name) or SOMETHING before I give it to her.....I just haven't figured out WHAT for sure yet.....

Ideas????

(TRY not to look at my HUGE MESS in the background). HOLY COW if you only saw my work area right now.......

I tried to couple these pages together BUT they're each separate so she can take them out and rearrange them how she likes.

As you can see.......

I didn't get too crazy embellishing these pages. I know Korie bought a matching sticker pack for this paper so she can use those if she likes.

I AM going to stamp some images from a stamp set or two for baby's weight, date etc....

The page on the left, and the wanna look like quilted pages are my favorites!! I don't know why.....

just are.

I think this is the ONLY page I did photo mats for....why?? Who knows?!

You never know how someone else is going to want to put their pages in.....

Another one of my favorites.

The square in the middle says:

"Life affords no greater responsiblity, no greater privilege, than the raising of the next generation. -C. Everett Koop"

Isn't it the truth.

This is the last page.

It's a pocket page. I actually cut the page protector so the top will be protected and she can still put little momento's in the pocket. That little silver baby clip there kind of holds the page protector to the paper.

By the way......

This paper (Monkey Around Paper Pad), also from Target, to match the book is by K Marcella. There were 12 designs, 36 sheets for like eight and change in the pack and let me tell you it is a NICE paper. Not too thin not TOO heavy--a NICE weight! I'll definately buy more of this brand paper---LOL--silly me! I did!!

That's all for now.....

I'm off tonight so I'm HOPING to MAYBE get some creating done today. We'll see. I moved MORE stuff up from my other room last week and it's kind of a mess up here so I guess I REALLY should TRY to get some organizing done. We'll see what I feel like doing later on but right now I'm off to pick up Salvador!

Enjoy your Sunday!!!

SheetLoads Blog Candy Blow Out

2008-11-13T03:28:00.000-08:00

GO HERE---> SheetLoad of Cards to enter to win THIS:

I WON! I WON!!!

2008-11-10T01:36:00.000-08:00

WOOHOO!!!!! I can't believe it myself!! I WON!!! TWICE in ONE week!!!! You know what they say about 3's!!! Should I try for the lottery this week??? :)

Okay, okay....so WHAT did I win????? Well, do you remember the post about the blog candy over at Colour de Jour?? I was one, of the 3, winners!!! Yippeee!! I can't WAIT to see my new bag!!! Oh, you can be SURE I'll share pics when I get it!!! :)

THEN, today I went to a scrapbooking event. It was a scrapbooking retreat from Friday thru Sunday. I wasn't able to go Friday or Saturday (Friday I was working and Saturday, originally I had other plans but ended up being SO tired--this cold is just diggin' in with both feet so to speak--I slept ALL DAY, and I mean ALL DAY into Sunday morning---but I went down today and this is what I WON!!!

This bag with all these goodies inside!!

LUCKY ME! LUCKY ME!!!

I swear I think each of the pockets had SOMETHING in it!!!

I got a few pages done for a friend's book that I've been TRYING to work on and get back to her but I didn't bring enough of the 'right' paper so I started working on my Christmas book for, ahem.....2005....yes, thats right......SHHHHH!

I got my mom's done that year, before they left I think, or at least shortly there after....I just haven't worked on mine. I am now. That's all that matters. Right??

I brought minimal, and I mean MINIMAL supplies so I still need to do my journaling and add embellishments BUT I'm started!! :)

AND the BEST thing is......I'm getting the scrapbooking 'feeling' back!!!!

I've ALMOST completed the baby book (last post), although I DID give it to her. I owe her, I think, three Holidays. You know what my mom says??? 'I'd rather owe it to ya than cheat ya out of it.' Fresh huh?!

Anyways, she liked it.. Yeaaaahhhh!!! I took pics before I brought it in so here goes:

(I know, some of these are repeats but this is how they look IN the book.)

1 Month Old

2 Months Old

3 Months Old

4 Months Old

(and my least favorite page). I was trying to stay with the 'theme' of each sticker...this one had blue, red and yellow rainbows with clouds.

5 Months Old

6 Months Old

(and a REAL crappy picture! But it's the only one I've got. Sorry)

7 Months Old

8 Months Old

9 Months Old

10 Months Old

11 Months Old

FIRST BIRTHDAY!!

First Halloween-

I don't know that they actually dressed her up but figured I'd do it anyways.

These last pages (Holidays) are SUPER simple. All I did was use a paper pack I got from JoAnn Fabric, a Debbie Mumm Harvest & Holiday pack, and cut them up to fit where I needed. QUICK and EASY!!

First Thanksgiving

REALLY simple. I was SERIOUSLY losing steam by this point. Can you tell?!

....and finally First Christmas. I'll probably cut a green square or rectangle for her to add to this page.

So there you have it. I'm SO DONE with this post. It took FOREVER for the pics to download. UGH. It's alright though...I've been reorganizing my work space and putting paper scraps (from this album) away!!

Leave a comment, let me know what you think. Suggestions and ideas are ALWAYS welcome!!

Thanks for stopping by!

-S

I used a variety of papers for this project. I TRIED to use as many scraps as I could but also used newer paperes too. Some are CTMH, SU!, My Minds Eye, Debbie Mumm etc...

Baby 'Album'

2008-11-03T17:29:00.000-08:00

One of the girls at work, Regina, just had a baby girl---well, the baby is going to be 2 months old in a few days-- I'd got a few things 'for the baby' one being a cute little photo book. There are 20, 5X7 , double sided pages so I thought decorating up those (40) pages would be a 'fun' idea. I've kinda put it off...just because. Well, Regina is back to work now and I decided I guess I'd better get that book, and the card, done so I can get her stuff to her. I decided I was going to go 'simple' because 1) if you remember, I'm 'going simple' these days 2) I need to get it DONE!! I started working on it this morning and this is what I've come up with so far:

I apologize in advance for the not so great pictures.........

This is the first photo page.

There is another page first with 'vital statistics' so I didn't see a need to repeat.

I was having a 'hard' time trying to decide what I was going to do. At first I thought I'd go pink's and purples BUT while going through my 'stash' I came across some stickers, "1 month old" etc, etc.... so decided I'd just go ahead and do a few pages of the pink, graduate into monthly pics and then do a few 'first Holiday' pages (Halloween-I'm going to find out if she 'dressed' the baby up first, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter etc..). I'm going to do 2, facing, pages for each month.

Pages 2&3

VERY SIMPLE but the pages aren't super big anyways so it should make it a little easier for photo placement, I hope.

1 month old

CTMH papers and cuttlebug die cut flowers.

2 months

again, cuttlebug flower die cuts....

3 months

misc pattern paper and CTMH paper embossed with the cuttlebug paisley print.

VERY SIMPLE right?!

4 months--I just followed the lead of the sticker here....those are rainbows on the '4'. I don't know yet what I'm going to do for the facing page...

5 months

Actually I'm going to move this one to the bottom page instead of the top and just do the top page like this one without the border on the bottom.

And this is as far as I got before Joe got home from work this morning and I haven't been back up here until now and NOW it's time for dinner.

I wanted to get these pics posted though because I've been 'slackin' when it comes to taking pictures of my 'creations' the past few months. It seems I'll NEED a card or something for an event, make what I need and give it without taking a picture.

HOPEFULLY I'll be able to finish this book by Wednesday so I can FINALLY get it to Regina and she can start filling it!!

That's all for now.........

Blessed beyond measure

2008-10-30T07:09:00.000-07:00

This is just a VERY simple card

but for me, right now, simple is where I NEED to be. I've not stamped in SO long I think I just overwhelm myself then I'm not happy with what I've come up with and then I'm discouraged.... :)

So, simple it will be for a while. :)

No real 'reason' for this one....

just to do it.

Even though I DO have at least 3 cards that I can think of, right off the top of my head, that I NEED to make...

Supplies:

paper- making memories, CTMH and SU!

Stamp- STAMPOLOGY}

Ink- Staz On Timber Brown

Ribbon-American Crafts

Diamond Stickles-Ranger **EVERY time I use my stickles I ALWAYS think of YOU Aura!!! Aura 'introduced' me to stickles. I'll always remember that day--you, me and Kris creating at your house!! :) Thank You, Thank You, Thank You. I LOVE my stickles!!!

I SURE hope to see you at Korie's baby shower!!!

Misc- Nestabilities Oval, Fiskars (purple handed) hand punch

A few 'somethings' to share.....

2008-10-29T14:59:00.001-07:00

I've been TRYING to 'create' today. I think I've lost my 'mojo'!!! *sniff*

I go back to work tomorrow night and I think it has something to do with that. I'm 'kinda' weird like that. Sometimes when I KNOW I have limited time, I just can't make things happen like I'd like. Oh well..........

Anyways,
This is what I've got (for now):

This is just a little something for Samuel's teacher. They're having a Harvest Party on Friday. Of course I'm working Thur-Sat and it's on my right in between night so chances are I won't wake up for it. We'll see....maybe I'll just surprise him (Sammo) AND myself, set the alarm and go in for a bit. I KNOW he'd love it. Honestly, I think THE WORST thing about working is missing all the school things for the kids. It's nothing big just a jar from Walmart filled with one of his teachers 'favorite' candies....DARK CHOCOLATE!!! A woman after my OWN heart!! :) Of course I HAD to get Dove....silky goodness!! Mmmmmm.

**EDIT** I didn't like that ribbon on the rim so I decided to take it off, it was only adhered with glue dots, and I put new ribbon just below the rim but on the glass. It looks MUCH better, IMO.

This is a card I made up for my friend Korie. Her birthday is on Halloween. Anyone who knows me well knows that Halloween isn't one of my favorite holidays. It just never has been.....so I don't have many Halloween stamps. I found a few at TCW (The Craft Warehouse) last time we were in Wenatchee...just the $1 Studio G type. These are from one of the sets I picked up. I TRIED to work with the latest Created by Courtney Challenge but it just wasn't working for me. Who knows, I may just scrap this one and start anew......

**EDIT** I just put some red stickles on the witches hat. I *think*, hope really, it will improve it a little....still feels like it needs something in that right hand corner...

Samuel just got home from school and I told him we'd make cookies this afternoon when he got home, so I'm going to see what he's feeling up to. I might be back...................I might not.

Enjoy the rest of your day!!!

MORE Blog Candy!!

2008-10-28T06:05:00.000-07:00

Crissy over at Crissy's Creative Spot is offering up some BLOG CANDY!!! Click on over to enter!!!

Peggy's Comment Contest

2008-10-15T08:56:00.000-07:00

Peggy at Color de Jour has a 'Comment Contest' going on!!
Click on over to her blog and check it out!!
If you **WIN** she'll make you something out of some beautiful fabric she recently got!!
HURRY! HURRY!!!!

Happy Birthday to Pam!!

2008-10-12T08:04:00.000-07:00

A few of the girls from work had a Birthday dinner for one of our friends/coworker, Pam. It was her 50th Birthday!!! I'd gone in to work the night before to celebrate there as well and had brought her a bucket full of fall flowers, purples and yellows---it really IS pretty!!! I knew I wanted to bring a little something the next night as well and came across the idea for this coronet on Lorie's blog, live, love, laugh, create.

I LOVED it when I saw it on Lorie's blog and thought WHAT A GREAT idea!! It was pretty simple to 'whip up' all I had to do was go into town to get some flowers.....

I didn't have time to make up a front panel for mine....('Welcome' or I was going to do 'Happy Harvest') mine is a little more plain but I liked it just the same....... I LOVE the flowers. They REALLY do look better IRL. I didn't get a chance to take a picture of it upright...all I got was this one while it was on the table.

I have a few more made up awaiting flowers......I'm PLANNING on running to WalMart after church today. I HOPE they still have these flowers.......I'll post what I come up with.

And here's the Birthday girl herself with her Chocolate Torte cake made by Katrina.

Happy Birthday Pam!!!!

**I apologize for the not so great pics. I had the hood on my camera (dingaling) so they are a bit shadowed. **

I just HAD to share......

2008-10-11T13:24:00.000-07:00

How can you help but laugh!?!

LOL

I was going through some pictures for another blog I'm working on.....a family blog....and came across THIS picture of Samuel from last year.

THIS is SO Sammo!! This kid just MAKES my heart happy!

What a goof ball!!

This morning

2008-10-06T15:55:00.001-07:00

The fog was already rolling in when the sun came up this morning. There's just something about fog over the water that I just LOVE. So OF COURSE I HAD to snap a few pictures.

This is what I got:

This was the first one.

I just think it's SUPER cool looking.

This next one is of the island in front of, or back of our house--my dad says it's the back because our 'front' door is on the other side. Whatever. It's the East side.

It was kind of weird really....I'd looked outside, noticed the fog and thought I NEED to get my camera out of the car. I tend to leave my camera in the car because it NEVER fails, if I DON'T have it, I WANT it for SOMETHING-so now I just leave it in there. It was a chilly night last night and I haven't started parking my car in the garage yet, so I KNEW I was going to have to let my camera sit for a few minutes before I could take any pictures. The next thing I knew the fog was almost GONE! UGH! I thought. It just figures right?! Well, about 10 minutes later I looked back outside and low and behold there was even MORE fog than there was the first time I looked out. Hmmm.

The same but different......

more sky....more trees.

This is looking to the East and more South....

Well, I have a few cards to make up. So, if I'm going to get any of them done I guess I'd better get to it.

Have a GREAT week!!

-S

deLUSCIOUSness

2008-09-28T01:26:00.000-07:00

Well, it's THAT time of year again...........APPLE TIME......well, almost............Would you believe I went out looking for apples the other day and none of the apple sheds had apples yet!!! UGH. You could get ALL the pears you wanted but NO apples. I don't very often 'crave' apples but OF COURSE I was that day. Well, Joe went by a friends orchard yesterday and brought me home a Walmart bag of apples....still no goldens YET---the goldens won't be ready until next week. Goldens are my FAVORITE! ESPECIALLY fresh off the tree Goldens. Mmmm. I know my mom's favorite for pies are Granny Smith but not me. I'm a Golden's girl ALL THE WAY! Here are the apples he brought me home:
Aren't they beautiful??
Their color, their perfect shape. Mmmmmm. One of the reasons I wanted apples in the first place, well, aside from making some applesauce for the kids....(they LOVE my homemade applesauce) was because I saw the best idea on Michelle Wooderson's blog not too long ago. She made up what she calls 'Caramel Apple Mudslides'. OH MY GOSH--they looked deLUSCIOUS!! You KNOW I just HAD to give it a try!! :) I picked up caramel and chocolate chips the other day at the store. We USUALLY have pecans (Joe's mom sends them to us from their trees shelled and all--NICE!) and/or walnuts coming out of our ears so I didn't bother to pick up any nuts and wouldn't you know....we have neither! UGH! Oh well. Our Caramel Apple Mudslides were nutless this time.......(not EVEN going there!! {grin})
This is what ours looked like (Samuel helped me out):Alright, alright....so they're a little 'messy' this time but it was our trial run so it's all good. :)I'm SO NOT putting them on foil next time...just a word to the wise.....use wax paper or just put 'em on a plate like Michelle did. We only made up 5 and 3 are gone already....Salvador, Nikki and I ALL like 'em! teeheehee.
My chocolate wasn't being as cooperative as I'd have liked BUT it's all a part of the process I guess....I'm picking up nuts today at the store and I'm going to make MORE!!
Practice makes PERFECT right?!
And what a CUTE little gift for a teacher or a special someone, don't cha think??? ....on a pretty autumn-ish plate wrapped in cellophane???

Powder Puff

2008-09-28T01:08:00.001-07:00

Nikki played in the Powder Puff Game this past Wednesday. I had to work but was able to go in a little late so I could watch her (and the other Freshman girls). Yes, of course they lost both games BUT they had SO MUCH FUN!!! And that's the MOST important part right?! :)

Here's a pic of our 'beauty':

She'd be the one throwing the ball. I'll be the FIRST one to tell you, the only thing I know about football is, you're trying to get a funky looking ball across the field through a funky looking 'Y' to make a touchdown. I told you........I don't know anything about it!!! But, now with Salvador and other friends of Nikki's playing my guess is we'll be attending more football games and MAYBE just maybe I'll learn a little more about the game of football?!?! We'll see.......... Regardless, it WAS fun being there, watching and I am looking forward to the NEXT home game. I just hope Salvador will be playing AND that I'm NOT working that night!!!

Here's my OTHER little cutie! :)

We saw my friend Sonia's brother, Tito, at the game and asked him to come sit with us. He's SUCH a nice guy--there should be more like him, and his brother. Anyways, he made a paper hat for Samuel--which is kind of funny because Samuel was JUST asking how to make these earlier in the week! So here's Samuel showing me how to turn it into a boat. :) And if you look to the left of Samuel's head there's Salvador walking through. I just thought that was SO funny. I had NO idea until I just now looked at the pictures that he was even in the photo!

The Seniors won again this year (---well, last year they were Juniors).

Is it me????

2008-09-21T06:51:00.000-07:00

I was 'blurfing' this morning....I woke up at 2:00AM and couldn't get back to sleep so I decided to come up to my 'studio' and go through some stuff---and oh dear.....there is STILL more STUFF to be gone through!! Ugh!! -Not to mention the HALF cleared out other room!!! (groan)......
Anyways, I found myself 'blurfing' during one of my 'breaks' and came across this site at Re:Becca. I thought I'd give it a whirl....see what it said about ME, just for fun.
For those of you who know me, I'm curious to know, whaddayathink??Click on the link at the end to see what YOUR name means.
Enjoy your Sunday!! I'm HOPING to be able to stay awake until and through church now that I've been up all morning!!
Until next time...................

What Stacey Means

You are the total package - suave, sexy, smart, and strong.
You have the whole world under your spell, and you can influence almost everyone you know.
You don't always resist your urges to crush the weak. Just remember, they don't have as much going for them as you do.

You are a seeker. You often find yourself restless - and you have a lot of questions about life.
You tend to travel often, to fairly random locations. You're most comfortable when you're far away from home.
You are quite passionate and easily tempted. Your impulses sometimes get you into trouble.

You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection.
You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive.
You have the classic "Type A" personality.

You are very open. You communicate well, and you connect with other people easily.
You are a naturally creative person. Ideas just flow from your mind.
A true chameleon, you are many things at different points in your life. You are very adaptable.

You are friendly, charming, and warm. You get along with almost everyone.
You work hard not to rock the boat. Your easy going attitude brings people together.
At times, you can be a little flaky and irresponsible. But for the important things, you pull it together.

You are a free spirit, and you resent anyone who tries to fence you in.
You are unpredictable, adventurous, and always a little surprising.
You may miss out by not settling down, but you're too busy having fun to care.

What's" Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

CHECK OUT

2008-09-15T10:34:00.000-07:00

the other Queens blog at Times Captured-- and don't forget to leave a comment.....
She's got a give away going on!!

OKay, so I had a D3 moment!!

2008-09-15T08:26:00.000-07:00

What's a D3 moment?? Well, if you watch Carlos Mencia you should know....."Deedeedeeee"
I made up a card for Amanda for her birthday but I didn't realize until we GOT there, and of course the envelope was sealed, that I'd FORGOTTEN to take a picture of it!!! What a DING-A-LING right?!?! Luckily for me I'll get a chance to get a picture of it sometime today but geesh....what a dummy!!! lol
Oh well.......
When I get the pic I'll post it and share but until then this is what I've got:
Nikki had a Volleyball game Saturday afternoon (late). OF COURSE we went! With my work schedule I have to make ALL I can when I can, so there are NO excuses when it's a home game and I'm not working.....EVEN if I'd just worked the last 2 nights and had been up all day. Yeah, I had a few grumpy moments throughout the day Saturday BUT I made it to her game!!
There's Nikki, #3. They did GREAT!!! They WON BOTH of their games (well, we won ALL of our games from C-Squad up to Varsity!!! WOOHOO!!) Good job girls!

This is my friend Shelly's step-daughter, Jessica. Jessica has a pretty mean serve lemme just tell ya!! She scored 10 points IN A ROW in their first game and 11 points IN A ROW 2nd game. She can just get it RIGHT OVER the net into that dead space. After 11 serves she's pretty tired though!!! You rock Jess!!! ;)
So that was Saturday afternoon........
Lets not even talk about morning/afternoon. :)
Parts of it were just fine--I went to a jewlery party and picked up a Christmas gift--well, ordered a Christmas gift. THAT made me happy because I just LOVE getting Christmas stuff OUT OF THE WAY as long as I can BEFORE Christmas. That leaves the holiday season open for me to ENJOY!! There was a time, when my kids were little, that I would have ALL my Christmas shopping done BY the end of September. NO KIDDING!! Those were the days....I can remember just how good it felt. However, with our lives, schedules and ages of our kids now, it seems a lot more difficult.
Let me share with you something that we've done at Christmas though, since Samuel was 2 I think. A friend of mine, Susy Riddle, when we lived in San Diego shared the idea with me of only getting the kids 3 gifts at Christmas. She said, 'If 3 gifts were good enough for Jesus, 3 gifts are good enough for my kids.' Hmmmm, what an idea huh?? So, for about the past 6 years that's what we've done. The kids get 3 gifts from Joe and I, plus their stocking. It works out great!! It would seem like my Christmas shopping should be quick and easy BUT surprisingly for ME anyways, the older they get the harder it is. It's getting a little easier with Nikki because I can give her a $$ card for clothes---not so fun to open up I know, but FUN for HER to go shopping with!! Only thing is also, the older they get the MORE expensive their toys become......laptops, iPods, gameboy advance etc, etc...... Who knows WHAT they'll be wanting this year?!
Moving right along...............
So, Amanda had her 10th Birthday Celebration yesterday.
Here's the birthday girl!!!! :)
-of course this was right before they attacked the pinata :), and after they'd been playing ALL afternoon!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMANDA!!!
Isn't she just beautiful?!?!
LOOK at those dimples!!!

Sonia made some KILLER horchata.
Here's Joe drinking MINE!!
EVEN JOE liked it!!! You KNOW it had to be good if Joe likes it. He's SO stinkin' picky when it comes to Mexican food. Guess that's what happens when you grow up with the REAL DEAL!!

This is Sonia's husband and their nephew. You should have just seen the two of them. I took quite a few shots--look at them!! How could I not??? Just looking at each other like that!!
SO sweet!!! This is a picture that needs to be blown up and framed.......

Ahhhhhhh.....
....and my 'beans'. The REAL Nikki has been back for a few days and I'm just LOVING it!!!! She's been SUCH a nice girl and such a help. I just LOVE it when it's like this!! I hope she stays for a while this time!!! :)

Here's Amanda with her 1st pinata, she had 2!!
You KNOW the kids were diggin' on that!!!
They had SO MUCH fun and I think we had as much fun watching them!!

LOOK at that
determination in Anthony's face!
:)

And then there's Sammo!!! He WANTED to be blindfolded!! I was surprised!!!
Tito did a good job maneuvering the pinata--it was RIGHT in front of Sammo and he didn't know and then at other times Sammo would be swinging and swinging and couldn't find it. Lots of laughs, LOTS of FUN!!
OF COURSE, it would have been right about this time that my battery decided to die. I didn't think about charging it (another D3 moment!!) and it HAD been a while. Luckily I had another memory card on me to fit Sonia's sister Anna's camera so she got more pics and pics of the cake! I think I'm going to just have to buy another battery and keep it in the car. I'm SO bad about being sure they're always charged sometimes.

CBC Challenge #4: Think INSIDE the box

2008-09-11T09:32:00.001-07:00

Courtney at Created by Courtney started doing challenges about a month ago. I'm SO happy to finally be able to participate in Challenge #4: Think INSIDE the box. The challenge is to make a box or alter a box.
If you're interested in more details about her challenges just click on the link to her blog above!!
Here is my box:
This is an oragami box and it really was easy shmeasy!! I'm not FOR SURE where I saw this tutorial but I PROMISE to look for it and add it to this post as soon as I can find it. My original plan was to make up some cards for Salvador's mom for her birthday (late as he never thought to inform me it was her birthday. But, better late than never....right?). Anyways, the first card I made up, not pictured as I've already given it away to another somebody special, was too big. Hmmm, yeah, well, it would seem I didn't think to MEASURE to be sure it would fit--ding dong!! SO, I measured......I THOUGHT I measured and cut accordingly but evidently I was off somewhere because guess what??? This card didn't fit either..... so it's just for looks now!!! :) AND it's back to the drawing board for the cards.

This is just a picture of the box closed. The paper is just some older paper I had from a paper stack and some SU cardstock (chocolate and pink).
Ribbon is CTMH white organdy and Designer Blush Polka Dot.
And yes, I used one of my large square nestabilities for my card base.
There you have it!!

God Bless America

2008-09-11T08:38:00.000-07:00

This is the (new) flag that flies on the shed in our yard. Joe just replaced the entire light fixture the other day. Perfect timing. We haven't had a flag flying for a little while since the light was out of commission but the light is back and so is our flag-just in time for Sept 11.
When I walked the kids out to wait for the bus this morning I called them over and we all stood around this flag. I reminded them why today was a special day and encouraged them to take some time out today to pray for the families of all the people who died this day 7 years ago and for all our service members and their families as well.
I encourage you to do the same. :)
Our hearts, thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims of 9-11.
God Bless America!!
Amen.

Nikki's poster...

2008-09-10T23:27:00.000-07:00

SO NOT finished-

obviously....you can see, IN THE PICTURES, that she's still working on it but it's late, I'm tired and ready to go to bed and I'll probably forget about taking a picture in the morning.

So here it is:

See...

She's STILL working on it.

And guess what??

Tomorrow is picture day (at the High School) AND she has her first Volleyball game.

She's going to HAVE to go to bed pretty quick here and just finish the rest tomorrow at school. She still needs to come up with a graphic but I think she's going to draw something herself. She really is a good artist. She gets it from Joe...he really surprises me sometimes with the things he can draw.

....and a closer up view.

LOOK Lainey!!!

I DID IT! I DID IT!!

Nothing CUTE but I got it to work, by MYSELF, and THAT is an accomplishment in itself!!! :)

Okay--now I'm REALLY going to bed!! Nighty night!

What a NIGHT!!!

2008-09-10T21:57:00.001-07:00

Oh my gosh!!

My 'vision' for tonight was WAY different than how it's turned out to be but it's all good.....

I'm spending time with Nikki so that is a good thing. I'm actually helping her with a poster that is due guess when??? Mmmm, TOMORROW!!! UGH!!!!!!

Instead of dwell on the negatives I am going to focus on the positives: Nikki and I are spending time together, talking, and not fighting AND I'm using my craftROBO!!! **I WILL be posting a picture of her poster once she's done. I might actually have to post an 'almost completed' version since SHE'S the one who's going to have to glue EACH and EVERY letter down. They get time to work on it in class tomorrow too so she'll be fine.....I hope.

It's going to be very plain and simple, at the teacher's request, so don't be expecting anything fancy. :) Nikki's not too thrilled with the idea either but that's what the teacher wants so........that's what she'll get. :)

Nikki chose all the papers. It IS her project.

On to the card.......

OH! Did I forget to mention I had a card to share???

Oooops!

I have a card to share!!!! :)

I picked up this stamp set from Joann Fabric, in the $1 bin, I think last month. It was the last one in the bin. It must have just been meant to be!!! :) I've been WANTING to use it and just haven't had the occasion OR made the time!!

One of our friends gave us a BUNCH of homegrown jalapenos, among some other fruits and veggies, so I thought this little chihuahua would be perfect for the Thank You card. Inside, of course, it's stamped 'Muchas Gracias'.

This is a close up of the little chihuahua dog......

YES!! That IS stickles you see...It just needed a little 'something' and stickles just seems to work!! I colored the 'lil pooch in with colored pencils and blended with OMS.

I was thinking of using this little guy, and maybe the cactus too, for the recipe card, I'm PLANNING on making, for that salsa I mentioned in my earlier post from today.

Alright. That's all for now. I have a poster to help finish up!! :)

Enjoy the rest of your week.

It's back to work tomorrow night for me so I'll be gone for a few.

Until next time.......

Hasta luego!

Just for you.....

2008-09-10T10:24:00.000-07:00

I literally whipped this up yesterday. I was looking for a 'thinking of you' card and only had about a half hour before I had to start getting ready to leave the house. I ALWAYS think I'm going to just make up some cards to have on hand for occasions other than birthday or 'thank you' and never do. Well, that's on THE LIST now!! And I'm going to JUST DO IT!!! (Maybe TODAY, if I get low censused!!!) :)

Anyways, I didn't end up giving this to the person it was intended for so I will either add some bling to it or just make a new card.....as I'm writing this post, looking at it I'm thinking it's a little too plain for my likings right now. There are a few simple things I'm thinking I can do that might just help it be a little more appealing........

Thought I'd share a few pics of my crazy family too.......just because they make me smile----

Okay, so maybe this picture of Joe just makes me LAUGH --out loud!!

THIS is SO Joe!!! LOLOL

I KNOW how truly and completely BLESSED I am to have such an AWESOME man as my other half!!! God is SOOO good!! There is NO other man out there who would make a better second half to me than him!! He SO enjoys just having FUN. He just MAKES me laugh. I mean COME ON!! HOW could you look at this picture and NOT laugh?!?!

It reminds me of those dog pictures. You know the ones I mean right?? Where the dog faces are all out of proportion?! He does stuff like this all the time. Now I'm going to have to find some more pictures of his crazy antics!! Never a dull moment around here..........

Nikki tends to leave her camera hanging around like she happened to do this day. There it was, lonely on the counter, so Joe decided to pick it up and leave a little 'laugh' for Nikki!! :) Or perhaps a little reminder that he's ALWAYS watching???? :)

And then there's Nikki...

....our 'Beauty'.....it IS one, of her many, nicknames around here. I think I've mentioned before how when Samuel was like 2 years old he couldn't enunciate beauty so what came out was 'booty'---the irony............

Anyways, she IS our beauty and she LOVES taking pictures....of herself. Is it a teenage girl thing or is it just her?? We just can't figure out WHY she's always making funny faces?! lol The majority of her pictures have her making some strange face like this one. Who knows. I don't care. She's still, and ALWAYS will be, our beauty!!

Well, I hear Joe downstairs making up some Pico de Gallo so I guess I SHOULD get down there and do something with the REST of those tomatoes and jalapenos before they go bad. I'm thinking jalapeno poppers!! I got this AWESOME recipe from my friend Katrina (hey Kat!!!) a few years back. It's an ALL TIME favorite around here. I feel a trip to the grocery coming on to pick up some HOT sausage and cream cheese..........

Maybe, if I get low censused, I'll even take the time to make up a cute little recipe card with the recipe for those jalapeno poppers.

I DID IT!!

2008-09-05T08:53:00.000-07:00

I did it, I did it!!!
I worked last night......
JUST got home a little while ago....
I took my morning pills, one of them being a Tylenol PM so I can STAY asleep during the day, and was HOPING I would be able to keep my eyes open just long enough to finish a card for one of my co-workers tonight and I DID IT!
I JUST finished the card, took a few pics, I'm going to POST a pic and GO TO BED 'cuz my eye's is tired! :)
Moving right along.........
This is the card I made for our co-worker who will soon be leaving us:

Paper is Cosmo Cricket: Gretel: Autumn and misc scraps

Inks are CTMH: Barn Red and Bamboo

Ribbon: Both CTMH

Stamps: Quotes by heidi grace designs

Misc: buttons (stash)

**I just made one, itsy, bitshy change.......I restamped the image on Barn Red cardstock (CTMH) in black ink and just cut out 'real friends' and paper pieced it over**
Okay.......
Now it's time to go to bed. The house is quiet.....both kids spent the night at a friend's....so I'd better 'get' while the gettin' is good!!
Here's to Sweet Dreams!
Until next time,
'night...

BOYS

2008-09-03T09:31:00.002-07:00

Joe just showed this to me this morning:

Nothing spectacular, I know. Just a bee's nest.
But look at how big it is!!
Joe was just telling me how all summer he's been cutting the grass and whatever all else he does outside and NEVER noticed it, which, I MUST admit is pretty unusual for Joe. He makes it his job to be AWARE of most everything! Comes with the territory I guess..........
Anyways, he and Samuel were watching the water from the sprinkler last night when he finally noticed it.
The BIG hole at the bottom is where the bee's come and go from.
Then WHAT? in the heck are all those OTHER holes???
ahem...
yeah,
well.......
that would be where these 2 come in:

Mutt
(aka Joe).....

......and Jeff
(aka Samuel)

Teeheehee

Obviously they weren't shooting at the bee's nest with the slingshot in THESE pictures.....
But they WERE using the bee's nest as the target for target practice with the BB Gun. THAT would account for ALL the OTHER holes!!
I'd suggested that he kill the bee's and bring the nest to Samuel's class. I'd noticed, at Open House, how she had quite a few large bee nest's hanging in the class and thought we could add to the collection. I guess there are too many holes!
BOYS!

"OH MY GOSH! MOM! Come and take a LOOK at THIS!!"

2008-09-03T07:12:00.000-07:00

I actually took these pictures the other day, Monday I think, and just haven't taken the time to post them yet......

We were just going about our evening the other day when Samuel yells out, "OH MY GOSH! MOM! Come and take a LOOK at THIS!!" So we walk over, thinking it'll be an Eagle or something and what do we see???

This:

It's a vulture.

Not the prettiest bird in the world, no doubt, but kinda cool to look at with his wings all spread out like that!!

(you can click on the picture for a closer view...if you're so inclined-but be warned...I think they must be, like I said above, THE UGLIEST looking birds!!)

I just panned out in this photo.

He stayed like this for quite some time. I kept wondering, why, is he just settin' like that?? Then I wondered, hmm...I wonder if it's a sign for the other vultures?? "It's over here! It's over here!"

Who knows?! Maybe that's how they cool off???

Why are they even there? You might be wondering. Well, it would seem someone hit a dear, again, and after being hit it ran off into the neighbors yard, AGAIN! Those neighbors are from the coast. I don't think they've been back since the LAST deer was hit and ran into their yard to die....Anyways, their yard has a lot of trees and I'm SURE the vultures could SMELL the decomposition they just couldn't FIND it at this point.

Not too long after this fellow showed up....

They just remind me of one of those Disney movies--talking to each other....

I can just hear him:

V2 (Vulture 2): Where is it? Where is it??

V1--head cocked-looks like he's listening....

V2: I'm talking to you!! Where is it? (salivating)

V1: Disgusted. Looking away,

sorry his invitation

brought THIS 'help'!!

SO, last night we were doing whatever we were doing when Samuel comes running to tell us there are now FOUR of them. All sitting in the very same tree.

Interesting.....................

............the things we see, living where we live............

I had a date this morning.......

2008-09-01T12:55:00.001-07:00

Yup! That's right......
with my secret sister. The OTHER Queen......you can find her blog here. Check it out. She has some AWESOME pictures!! AND she's a FABULOUS scrapbooker!!!!
Anyways, she ever so patiently guided me through using my craftROBO, that I have had for YEARS now!! I tried using the blasted thing once, shortly after I got it, couldn't get the darned thing to work and it's been collecting dust ever since. Miraculously, I found ALL the needed parts last night, installed it onto THIS laptop, which by the way doesn't recognize the driver because I was STUPID, STUPID, STUPID and went Vista instead of sticking with XP.
I haven't been overly thrilled with Vista...can you tell??? Anyways, hopefully I'll be able to take care of that issue sometime this week but in the mean time I've just used my old laptop.
The point is...........
with Lainey's help I've actually figured out how to make this contraption WORK!!!
Thank You Lainey---a million times over!!!
It's a ton of FUN! And OH! so addicting. I finally decided I HAD to put it all away so I could get something done today. But FIRST I cut out a whole bunch of words for Nikki for her school notebooks!! She's happy...which in turn makes ME happy!!! :)
Yippee, Yippee, Yippee!!
It's a GOOD day.
Thank You Lainey!!!!!
I love you sistah friend!!!!
BIG SMILES!!!
---now, back to the cleaning.......ughhhhhhhhhhhh

It's ALL Nikki

2008-08-30T12:56:00.001-07:00

I snagged some pictures of Nikki, so I thought I'd share them here.......

I especially like THIS one:
We don't have many, if any, pictures of just us.....and I was pleasantly shocked when she asked me this night if I would take a picture with her! WHAT?! My 14 year old, thinks mom is the BIGGEST DORK in the world, daughter wanted to take a picture with ME?!?!
I was ALL over it baby!!

This one is of her kissin' our friend Laz....well, he's Nikki's friend but he's REALLY a family friend...

I just LOVE how this picture looks...with her lit up and him not. I don't know HOW she did that!!

Nikki took this picture the day she left Texas. Now you KNOW that was a SAD day for her.......

Nikki 'Rockin' Out':

She went to her friend Emmy's house for the night and they dressed up, first as princesses (they didn't call it princesses, but that's what they looked like.......just beautiful girls!!) and then as 'rockers'.....
YIKES!

And this was just here at the house.........Nikles and her 'lil bro:

OBVIOUSLY they have more of their father's coloring.......an answer to prayer!!!
Half of the people tell me Samuel looks more like me, the other half say NO WAY! He looks JUST like Joe. I think it's the coloring that throws them off. I think Samuel looks more like me, aside from coloring of course, Nikki on the other hand, JUST like her Dad's side!!
It REALLY doesn't matter either way, just sayin'.
They're beautiful ANY way you look at it!!! :)
Enjoy the rest of your Sunday.
Nikki is out selling "Tiger Cards' with a friend.........let me know if you're looking for one! LOL
Hopefully they'll be done SOON so I can go pick them up and come home to take a REAL nap.
Until next post.......
Ciao!

First Day of School 2008-2009

2008-08-27T08:51:00.000-07:00

Well, here we are....first day of school 2008-2009 school year.

YIKES!!!

Do you know what THAT means???

That means, I am NOW the mother of a High Schooler.

Yes. It's true.

Last night we did the whole 'Open House' thing--met the teachers, saw parents of kid's friends that we haven't seen in a while etc, etc..........

I think Samuel likes his teacher and there will be a good mix of 'old' friends and 'new' to be made friends.

Nikki, well, she's Nikki---a teenager. I think she could have cared less if we even went, although she DID go back around with us when we went to meet all her new teachers. She's such a good student-she always has been. I just hope she keeps up the good grades this year.

Anyways, on to today...........

I ended up driving the kids this morning. Nikki hadn't brought her stuff with her to Volleyball practice yesterday......why would she...I didn't think of it either and then the Open House blended right into pick up time and I didn't think to bring her stuff with us. BUT before we headed out we OF COURSE got some First Day of School pics (I almost forgot!!!!--can you believe that?!)

They both wanted their pictures in different places which I just thought was kind of funny.......

Samuel knew RIGHT where he wanted to go. He tends to go to this tree. It IS a favorite especially in the Fall when the leaves are the most beautiful orange.....

These were ALL Samuel. I didn't tell him where to go, what to do, NOTHING!!

OF COURSE I HAD to get a close up of that face. HOW could I NOT???

This 'lil man just MAKES me smile. I've said it since he was born and it holds true to this very day (and I'm SURE for forever!!!) but he just brings my heart such COMPLETE, indescribable JOY!!

How do you EVEN pick just ONE????? :)

This one I did actually make him 'pose' for, only because when we first moved here I have pictures of him hanging on this very branch and he couldn't touch the ground with his feet so I wanted to be able to do a side by side for him and SHOW him how much he's grown.

Nikki, on the other hand, isn't always a willing participant:

She was a little 'pissy' this morning.

Why? You might ask....

uhhmmm,

because she's 14!

Oh Yeah,

It's an age FULL of FUN!!

mmmm, NOT!!!!

I was able to get a smile or two out of her but I had to be QUICK!!! LOL

Seriously, I WISH they'd send the REAL Nikki back for good!! She comes and goes. She'll show up for a little while and then POOF!! Without ANY warning, she's gone again and her imposter is back.

This is just a full length shot........

uh, err.....fuller?!

And then, of course, one with both of them. I DID get a couple with them with their arms around each other like they actually LIKE each other but the smiles seemed to be even MORE fake than these.........

Now, I can't wait to see how their days went!!

I work tonight so I won't see Nikki until tomorrow morning--she'll probably call me at work-- and I'll wake up from my afternoon slumber to see how Sammo's day went!!

Here's to a NEW school year!!!

Enjoy the rest of your week!!

-S

The Wedding Card

2008-08-23T15:49:00.000-07:00

This is the card I made up for the wedding today......not too fancy I know but I like it just the same....

I had an opportunity to peak at the girls dresses the other day........so I knew they were yellow with embossed polka dots....SO, I followed..I ran the yellow paper through one of my cuttlebug folders...can't remember the name of that folder right now....sorry. And I just LOVE that little MS punch!!!

This is what things looked like before anyone sat down. It was just SO pretty.

Here's the flower girl sprinkling her flowers.......

...and here she is later running!

I just LOVE this picture!!! :)

It just makes me smile........

The bride and her Dad.......

......and the cakes.

On my way home I had to feed my neighbors cat's. I had my camera so I shot some pics while I was there too!!

I like this picture so much that I put it on as my background. It almost looks fake doesn't it?!

....and then a white one...

Isn't this echinacea pretty? I got the COOLEST pic while I was at my mom's a few years ago......now I'm going to have to look for it!!!

OK-NOW, we're off to a BBQ!!!!Busy, busy days!! But FUN!!! :) ENJOY!

Wells Dam

2008-08-23T08:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had to pick up my car in Wenatchee---we had a BIG windstorm here a few weeks ago and my car was parked under one of those carports with the canopy overtop--well the wind blew it right into the drivers side. Really that damage wasn't THAT bad...a few little dents and a metal rub area on the back. BUT, it's, fairly, new!! We only just bought it in February. For a $100 deductible, I figured we'd have it taken care of........
Oh! And let me tell you---if you live anywhere in the area and EVER need any body work done to your car, truck, SUV, whatever.........First Choice Collission in Wenatchee on the Ave. OH MY GOSH!!!! AWESOME job, NICEST people in the world. VERY impressed!!! I hope to not have to use their services again :) but KNOW FOR SURE where I'll go if I do!!
I was also able to schedule orthodontist consults for both kids for the same day. I always TRY to 'kill two birds with one stone' and make more than ONE use out of the 2+ hour trip over.....
anyways...........Joe was going to drive me over so I could pick it up.
My friend Kim came up with a MUCH better idea...........
Her husband was going salmon fishing so she said how about drop Joe off (half way) to meet up with the guys to go salmon fishing. I'm pretty sure you can figure out already that Joe was all over THAT idea! :) He went, had a GREAT time and is now CONVINCED that he NEEDS a $50,000.00 fishing boat. HA! He didn't catch anything--except for maybe some sun--lol. Shane got one though--way to go Shane!!! But, Joe DID have FUN!!
Kim was nice enough to drive Joe's truck back to Well's Dam where we met up with the guys later in the day, fishless..........
Of course the kids wanted to get out while we were waiting so they played on this horkin' turbine:

So here's Nikki, on her oh, fourth attempt to run up the ...whatever you'd call that piece.....

Here's Salvador......
He ran RIGHT up to the top. I told him, Imagine having your skateboard?! I guess I probably shouldn't put ideas into his head.....

......and of course my little man........
He finally made it up....after a few tries....to the top. I don't think he ever made it up quite high enough to sit up at the top like Salvador but at least high enough to 'hang' for a bit........lol

I've gotta say....I was a little tired, oh the last 45 minutes home......Keep in mind I'd worked the night before and had been up since 4:00pm Thursday.......When we got home, I unpacked the car and fell asleep on the sofa!!

Looks like Nikki will get braces after all. He said only a year, he can't guarantee but was pretty confident it wouldn't be much more than a year if at all. Of course all she's concerned about is NOT having them on for her Quincenera next year--Yes!!! She wants to have a Quincenera. And after being in Texas this year---well, it's only confirmed her thoughts!! UGH!! More money, more money, more money!! Anyways, would you believe, for a 'nominal fee', of course, they'll take the braces off and replace after the event?!?! Hmmm, the things they'll do these days! LOL
Anyways,
I'm off to a wedding this morning....I'm starting and finishing up the card as I post this......
I'll post the pic when I'm done.
Enjoy YOUR weekend!!!!!!
I KNOW I'll enjoy mine!!!!
;)

Happy 49 Years!

2008-08-21T17:13:00.000-07:00

Amazing huh?!?!

Another card! Two in ONE week!!!

I LOVE IT!! I just hope I have MORE time this weekend to get some MORE creating done!!!

Anyways,

This card is for a couple who are celebrating their 49th year of marriage.

WHAT an inspiration huh?! All I kept thinking about really was a stamp I have from CTMH, 'You give me reason to believe'.

I TOTALLY lifted this card from a very talented lady's blog. Truely, I don't have time to go back and find it now but in the next few days I will be SURE to give credit where credit is due!!! I believe she used pearl-ex (?). I don't have any but I DO have some Brilliance Platinum Planet reinker. I just put it on a felt pad and swiped it over white cardstock. The embellishments were from one of those $1 finds from Target from last summer! FINALLY I was able to use it!

I think for a quick, last minute card that I had to whip together after I got home from working 12 hours and before I have to go BACK to work tonight it came out alright! :)

Today is my Friday and then I'm off for 5!! As per the 'norm' around here anymore, those 5 days are just about FULL of activities!

Enjoy the rest of your week and coming weekend!!!

-S

Randomness...

2008-08-20T08:01:00.000-07:00

So this LOOKS innocent enough right????? It just looks like Joe and Salvador giving Fifi a haircut. Our neighbor, Lael, gave us this set of dog clippers. She had bought them, used them once on her much furrier than ours dog and decided she didn't like them so gave them to us.
Joe looked at it as a GREAT opportunity to clip Fifi (our Yorkie), who was, by the way, WAY over due for a haircut and save a few bucks.

It's all well good, I'm thinking, because it often times takes a while to get in to our groomer.
Poor Fifi--I'm pretty sure getting her hair 'done' ISN'T one of her favorite all time things to have done......
Yeah, well, it was all 'well and good' until Fifi came running in the house to find me and looked like THIS!!!!

Joe and Salvador say she's a 'Road Warrior Dog'.
I'm SO NOT kidding you!! And yes, after they shaved her and gave her a bath they put gel in her hair, uh, er...fur to make it stand up! Poor Fifi---yeah, like she could ALMOST care. She is so much cooler now she's probably THANKING them and wondering why they hadn't done it earlier UGH!! Oh well........It's ONLY hair---fur---it'll grow back! Let this be a lesson to you......don't leave 2 boys alone with dog clippers and a dog!!!
And here's me and Salvador.........
We'd all gone to a friends to hang out and dinner one night last week and when we got home he wanted to take a picture with me....
AWWWWW!!!
SO what if it was a goofy picture!!!
I was kind of bummed this morning because I was HOPING to post one of the pictures Nikki and I took together the day of her party. SHE actually asked ME to take a few pictures with her!! Talk about being able to be knocked over with a feather!!! I thought maybe she's posted them to her myspace account but nope...........not yet!!! I was hoping to just 'tag' it. I'll have to tell her to either post them to her myspace or email them to me or something!
I ALSO have a card to share......

This was made for one of the girls at work, Christina, for her birthday.
I LOVE this paper. I think I got it from Verve FOREVER ago!!! It was a quick card and I ALWAYS see things I'd do differently next time but......................... she liked it, so that's ALL that matters right?
Two more nights of work and then I'm off for a few. I just LOVE my nights off!! LOLOL---who doesn't right?! The crazy thing is, my days off are already pretty much planned for this next week!!
Well, that's all for today.......that Tylenol PM is kicking in and Samuel is asking for me to bring him some clothes..........he just got outof the shower! -Yeah, I don't know what THAT'S all about either!!!!
Enjoy the rest of your week!!!
-S

One Word Answers

2008-08-17T16:17:00.000-07:00

YOU CAN ONLY TYPE ONE WORD! Not as easy as you might think. Change the answers to suit you and pass it on. It's really hard to only use one word answers.

1. Where is your cell phone? car
2. Your significant other? Joe
3. Your hair? short
4. Your mother? Constance
5. Your father? Jonathan
6. Your favorite thing? God
7. Your dream last night? unmemorable
8. Your favorite drink? tea
9. Your dream/goal? happiness
10. The room you're in? studio
11. Your hobby? photography
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? satisfied
13. Where were you last night? home
14. What you're not? unhappy
15. Muffins? blueberry
16. One of your wish list items? time
17. Where you grew up? Connecticut
18. The last thing you did? ate
19. What are you wearing? clothes
20. Your TV? Sony
21. Your pets? dogs
22. Your computer? Dell
23. Your life? Blessed
24. Your mood? cheerful
25. Missing someone? sure
26. Your car? Acadia
27. Something you're not wearing? Shoes
28. Favorite store? craft
29. Your summer? hot
30. Do you love someone? YES
31. Your favorite color? browns
32. When is the last time you laughed? today
33. Last time you cried? dunno

I saw this on Pamela's blog and thought I'd give it a whirl........
Go ahead......
Give it a try!!

What a week!

2008-08-17T08:17:00.000-07:00

I had hoped to get back up to Sherman and get some pics this week. I guess it wasn't to be.....I haven't made it there yet!!! :)

The Birthday lunch went well. The 'Birthday Girl' was surprised!! Yeaaa. It was nice to catch up.

Nikki's party was great. TONS of GOOD food. We STILL have leftovers after giving food away AND the kids (including 2 TEENAGE boys eating for 2 days!!!) We are very blessed. In so many different ways.

Thursday we recooperated. NO KIDDING. ALL DAY! We didn't do anything....well, I didn't do anything---I guess I DID take a nap outside on a blanket!! It was so warm and just a beautiful day. NICE. Joe went down to the river with the kids and did some fishing....they threw 'em all back but had some SERIOUS fun!! Joe even caught a few 'big ones'.

Friday I ran some errands--joe invited some friends over for dinner. He made his homemade enchiladas. Mmmm. They WERE delish. Mmmm. Not too hot, just right. Joe makes his enchiladas flat. Have you ever had them like that?? I'd never seen an enchilada much less a flat one before meeting Joe but that is the way his mom makes them, tex-mex style I guess. He also makes his own chile. Mmm Mmm good. One of the local grocery stores had strawberries (in a flat) for $6.99--so I bought two and made strawberry shortcake for dessert. Mmm. I had a hard time keeping the kids out of the berries. They were delicious too!!

That brings us to Sat.............

I brought Nikki and her friend Laz down to Walmart for a fundraiser car wash they were participating in. Some of the kids in her class are going on a trip to Washington DC next summer. It's through World Strides. Anyone out there ever have their kids go on this trip? It sounds like it's going to be a good time. Anyways, I dropped them off down there and then came back up to meet a friend at the Garlic Festival. They have it every year here where we live. Let me share some pics and show you what we did.......

We watched the Belly Dancers..............

I teased my friend and her mom that WE should learn how to belly dance. LOL

It's actually a GREAT work out. I have another friend who was going to the classes for a while. Only thing is my husband would only let me dance for him!!!

We walked around to the different vendors to see what was there....when the kids came to this!:

YUP! Those are dung beetles and YES! They are racing. LOL

Here's an up close and personal pic of Lucky #7, who wasn't so lucky while we were there.....

Some other little kid tried to get me to hold one or even just touch one while we were there.....uhhhh, NO THANKS!

It was SO hot yesterday...103-105--in the shade at the festival it wasn't SO bad but when we left.........UGH! So the kids and a few friends went down to the river. The boys have really been getting into fishing lately so they went down to try their luck. Well, they only got lucky times one today!!

But hey! It was better than those little 3-4 inchers they were catching the day before!!!

We were all excited about going to Tito's soccer game later in the evening but it was cancelled. :(

So they were Wii potatoes until they left for the movie. I think I was already sleeping by the time they got back. I was a tired girl yesterday!! I don't even know how they liked the movie!! LOL

It's gonna be time for church here in a bit so I guess I'll go get ready. I just LOVE going to early church!!

I hope you enjoy your Sunday!!! I only have a few more days until I head back to work so I'm going to make the MOST of them!!! I was SURE hoping to get some creating done this week but it just hasn't happened. Tomorrow morning I head over to Wenatchee for a bit so I don't imagine I'll get much creating in tomorrow either........maybe I'll come home with a few new stamps though????? -Unfortunately, anymore it seems just to add to 'the collection'! UGH!

Before it gets too busy.......

2008-08-13T09:19:00.000-07:00

I wanted to post a card!!

NO KIDDING!!!

I whipped together a card this morning.

A handful of us, or so, are going to meet today for a birthday lunch to celebrate another year for a special friend. When I woke up yesterday I already had in my mind what paper I wanted to use for her Birthday card....it was just finding the TIME to be able to sit down and put it together. I didn't get a chance to get to it yesterday so when I woke up this morning I decided I'd BETTER get to working on it NOW as today is going to be another busy day---uh, not to mention the Birthday lunch is TODAY!!

Anyways, here it is.....

The paper is by chatterbox and I've had it FOREVER. Really, originally, I was going to use the 'Violet Dahlias' paper (the one behind the cupcake) but as things went.....well, I didn't. I thought I'd maybe make up another but it's getting to where I NEED to get other things done and really don't have time. Just ANOTHER reason WHY I NEED to just sit down and make up a BUNCH of cards to have on hand for times like these when I just don't have the time to sit and play. Luckily for me I made up the cake yesterday. It's really a simple cake. An all time favorite, of mine anyways, that I got from my mom. I take an angel food cake hollow it out stuff it with ice cream of your liking (sorbet or sherbert or whatever you like work just as well)--the middle too!! Cover in whipped topping and freeze. Of course you can drizzle just about anything over it, if you like, cover it in sprinkles, toffee pieces whatever.......... This friend watches her sugar so I used Dreyers Triple Chocolate sugar free ice cream (1/2 the fat too!!) and Cool Whip Light. I'm going to just top it with some fresh flowers to prettify it a little and we'll be good to go!!

Today is ALSO the BBQ for Nikki so I have to finish up with that stuff too. WHY do I ALWAYS plan SO many things in ONE day??? Keeps me on my toes. :) I think I like the RUSH!!! :)

I'll post more pics---probably tomorrow. AND now that I'm feeling the card creating bug nibbling HOPEFULLY I'll have more creations to share too!!!

Enjoy the rest of YOUR day--I KNOW I will!!!!

Smiles always,

-S

She's baaaaackkkk!!

2008-08-11T08:08:00.000-07:00

Saturday morning after I got home from work and packed we left for Spokane to pick up Nikki!!!!!
We made the mistake of leaving a little later in the morning but having JUST enough time to pick her up. Why was it a mistake?? Because the Blue Angel's were in Spokane this weekend!!

Maybe it goes back to my Navy days and all the Air Shows I HAD to go to way back when (I spent most of my 4 Navy years at Air Bases) but I LOVE watching the Blue Angels.

We didn't have time to pull over and really watch but I did snap a few pics from the car.... moving......UGH! This is the only one that looks 'alright' so small.

I was kinda bummed that we couldn't pull over and watch for a while but.......we HAD to get my baby!!!! :)

We got to the airport early...only by about 20 minutes or so--Joe checked the monitor and guess what?! Her plane had already landed!!! WOOHOO!! Just as soon as Joe told us, his phone rang....yup! It was her!!

She hasn't seen us yet..........

....and LOOK!! NOT off the plane for 10 minutes yet and she's ALREADY on the phone.....and this WASN'T with us!!! UGH!!!

She see's us.........or Sammo....

That's his head there in the lower left hand corner. He was 'sneaking' up on her....until she turned and saw him first!!

And they hug...........

He is SO happy to have her back. This is the first time they've EVER been apart for so long and he COULDN'T wait for her to return!!!

OF COURSE we can't go to Spokane and not do some shopping so Nikki and I spent the rest of the day and evening shopping!! The boys went to Wingers---Joe found some 'new' beer he liked and the boys, Sammo and Salvador had fun doing whatever they were doing. The stories they told of their evening and their waiter.....LOL--THAT'S another story-----

We made a few more stops on Sunday--found a GREAT Mexican shop with AWESOME meats and the MOST scrumptious tortas (so much for WW this week. It's alright though because it was TOTALLY worth it!!!).

Weighted down with ALL our purchases from the day before PLUS the overflowing COSTCO cart, we were on our way.........I don't know how Joe does it but he ALWAYS manages to get EVERYTHING packed in. Goes back to HIS Navy days I guess. :)

Anyways, we came home over Sherman Pass-MY FAVORITE way to go to Spokane from here. It's just BEAUTIFUL.

I always think I'm going to stop and get pics and we never do...cars behind us or bad corner...whatever. Well, we stopped for a potty break so I snapped a few.......

I caught a few of a bumble bee filling up on sweets........

....and from the back....LOL

Joe snapped this pic of Nikki while I was in the restroom. She was so tired.........

Look at her laying on that nice warm rock soaking up ALL the heat it had absorbed during the day.

And here's Salvador........not the best picture I know--I have a better one of him on the rock but ALL you see is HIM and THE ROCK. I just love the look of the rock AND the trees in the background.

I told Joe, I'd like to take the kids sometime this week and drive back up Sherman in hopes of some good pics. We'll see if we get to it. I'm off until the 19th or so--it seemed like a long time at first but it isn't seeming so long now. It's alright though because whatever we get to we get to. Nikki is back and we just want to enjoy time together with her. :)

And here's my 'little man'. I didn't take many pics of him on this trip-as a matter of fact, this is about the only pic I have of him. :( -well, aside from him and Nikki hugging at the airport....
He picked out a few new sweatshirts this trip 'for school' but OF COURSE he had to try 'em out. He actually is my sweatshirt kid-85% of the time he's got some type of sweatshirt on. He's SO DARNED skinny--maybe he just doesn't have enough fat to keep himself warm?!
Well, we have a BUSY week ahead of us....we're having a little BBQ for Nikki on Wed with a few of her closer friends and their families. It's gonna kind of be a 'Welcome Home' party for Nikki but a relax and enjoy our friends time for us too!!! We're ALL looking forward to it! I'll be sure and post some pictures later on in the week.
I'm HOPING to get some creating done while I'm off too. It's been SO LONG since I've REALLY done anything. I have SO MANY ideas just RUNNING through my mind just no time to tackle any of it.
Enjoy your day!!!

Pics for yesterday from the day before....

2008-08-05T07:03:00.001-07:00

teeheehee---a little confusing was I?? :) -What a surprise, some might say... I never DID get back up here to post pics last night. Busy, busy we were--not bad busy just busy doing other things..............together :) That's the BEST kind of busy to me!! And I got to visit with my DEAR friend Sandra last night. (Hi Sandra!!!! {wave}). Thanks for being YOU!! You're SUCH an inspiration, encouragement and GREAT FRIEND!!!! I'm SO blessed to have you in my life. THANKS for being YOU!!!

Well Yippee! for me!! My FIRST WW week I lost 4.6 pounds!! I can be happy with that!!! :) I don't EXPECT for this week to be THAT good but I'll be happy with ANY loss! We'll see.

I'm ALL about NEW recipes. I LOVE trying GOOD, new recipes. I'm thinking I'm going to make up a binder of GOOD WW recipes. They don't have to BE 'WW' necessarily--just recipes that are already pointed out-or at LEAST have nutritional info so I can point them out. I have some recipe inserts but just haven't found the RIGHT binder yet.........BUT...........I just had a fabulous idea. Keep your eyes posted in the next few months to see what I'm thinking about......

Thing is with me I like the recipes with minimal ingredients--(I LOVE those WW 5 ingredient magazine cookbooks-so far the recipes we've made have been GOOD too!!!)--I'm not so crazy about the ones with a bajillion ingredients so much...I get tired just reading the recipe much less measuring it ALL out.

Anyways,Feel free to share. :) Recipes, snack ideas, LOW POINT snack ideas etc, etc....speaking of.........I bought some jello, cappuccino or something.....not so great-or I didn't think so....once you get to the chocolate it's alright but the top--pleck-not so much.

We went to a friend's house the other day--just to hang out and enjoy. We ended up staying for dinner and LOOK at what we saw:

I KNOW the picture is dark.......it was already dusk and I had my camera set to action in case he took off, which he did before too long and I haven't taken the time to adjust them yet--but you get the jist!! Nice one!

Well, after he took off we went looking............we went up and back and around....well, we rounded the corner, barely looked behind us and LOOK in the barn....

I know this picture is SUPER dark too and then with it being smaller........

but if you look to the far right, you can BARELY make out the silhouette of ANOTHER deer. They were ALL over the place!!!!

Searching STILL for 'the big one' we came across these guys munchin' on some hay:

For a quick second we THOUGHT this guy WAS the big one. He's not. As this guy took off 'the big one' reappeared.

The funny thing about this was while I was snapping pics of this guy I noticed the other set of horns behind the hay roll (to the right). There was yet ANOTHER!!! He was kinda funny too....in another shot I have him barely peering over the hay. TOO funny.

It was a fun evening that's for sure. I kinda got into the whole 'tracking' -- for pictures anyways!!!!

Sunday morning after church I went back out and about for more pics. It was a BEAUTIFUL day--Beautiful, clear, blue skies---fresh---not too hot--just perfect...

I took HUNDREDS of pictures this day. It was just SUCH a gorgeous day and I was just surrounded with beauty.

This is the Okanogan River. The picture is small, I know, but really, it is just a beautiful site.

I have NO idea what this is but LOOK at the THORNS on this puppy!!!

The night before Samuel had flip-flops on and didn't know but stepped on one. It went RIGHT THROUGH the flip-flop. Luckily for him it was at the end and it didn't go through his foot. OUCH!!!

Another of the Okanogan.

Just beautiful.

My 'lil man walking and balancing on the RR tracks. I really got some cute pics of him this day. I can't wait to have them developed!

Apples on the tree.................

Look at 'em all!!!

YES! I DO have more photos to share BUT Joes just walked in the door so I'll have to try to MAKE time to post them later!!!!

Enjoy your day!!!

God is good...

2008-08-04T14:17:00.000-07:00

..ALL the time!!!!
I was able to make it to church yesterday.......
...when I work Saturday night I tend to miss because I can't stay awake long enough to make it to church.
Anyways, the message was WONDERFUL!!!!!
God NEVER seizes to AMAZE me. He ALWAYS gives us just what we need when we need it, doesn't He?!
Well, yesterday was NO different.
The message was on the 23rd Psalm and it was WONDERFUL (did I already say that?! :)) and JUST what I NEEDED!!! Thank You Jesus!!
We had a FULL, FUN filled day yesterday......but today seems to be FLYING right by!!!
I forgot to mention/post that I started WW last week.
Today is our weigh in day.
I'll post pics from yesterday later tonight. I have some errands to run now!!
Enjoy the rest of your day!!

River fun.......

2008-07-30T08:07:00.000-07:00

The boy's and I went down to the garden this morning to pick some squash. While we were down there, Salvador asked if we could go 'swimming'. Most anyone who knows me knows what I think of rivers, lakes and the such......they're big potties for animals, and who or whatever else comes along.....yuck. Granted, pretty to look at sometimes but not what I want to soak MY body in. Anyways, I told them, yes I would stay down there with them if they wanted to splash around in the water. One thing led to another and the boys ended up crossing over to 'the island'. They had SO much FUN and I had SO MUCH FUN watching them and snapping pictures.

Let me share:

Here's Salvador. He ventured out to the island by himself first.

For those of you who don't know him......

Salvador started out as being one of Nikki's friends.......LONG STORY--too long for this post. Anyways, he is one of the kids who's really become a part of our family. He has spent quite a bit of time over here this summer and we enjoy having him around. Samuel LOVES it when he's here and Salvador takes such good care of him. Salvador says, 'Samuel is the younger brother I never had.' We are very blessed to have him in our lives.

Anyways--- Here he is......Grrrrrr! He did it!!! Lemme tell you, it was no easy feet getting up there!!

Once he saw what it was all about, this was the FIRST time he'd been been out to the island, he came back for Sammo. You can see the water isn't real deep in this area, yet still he took Sammo's hand.

I just thought that was so sweet!

It REALLY can be tricky getting up different sides. It's ALL sand in this area so as soon as you get somewhere you fall back down!! Samuel tried a few times and then Salvador gave him a boost.

HE MADE IT!!!

The HAPPY DANCE of sweet success!!!

If I've said it once, I've said it a million times.....

...this kid CRACKS ME UP!!!! LOL

After the happy dance.........

I just thought these shots were such 'boy' shots.

I just like them..

Running, dirty, playing....it just yells BOY to me!

Salvador finally made it up, he didn't have anyone to lift him up!!! :) And they shared a 'boy' moment!!

These two are a crack up!!!

Well, they disappeared for a while and I just busied myself with pictures of all that was around me......after a while I called for them and before I knew it here they came.....

They found a big stick, of many I am sure, and twisted it into the sand, 'marking their territory'.

I told them I was ready to go back up to the house so they decided to come.

A Samuel thing...........

He says its his 'man hair'. UGH!

I guess it's the same as when the little girls try to 'make boobs' with their shirts........you know, when you flip it over and THINK it looks like you have boobies. LOL-the things kids do.......

And here he made a bear print with his hand. I thought it was pretty cute!!

After we were done down by the river we came up and they got changed. Samuel looked so darned cute so I asked him to come to the 'sitting tree' to take some pictures....

He told me about a sliver he had in his foot earlier in the day. I told him his dad was going to have to take it out and he got all upset because it hurts ya know! So I told him maybe he could try soaking in the tub first. While we were walking to the sitting tree he mentioned his sliver...wondering if it was still there......here he is looking.........'Nope! It's gone.' Great right?? So what is Samuel's take on this discover??? 'Oh Great! I guess I don't have to take a bath now!' BOYS!!!!!!

Here he is swinging on the tree swing........

The kids love these little tree swings. When I was back at my moms a few years ago when she was so sick I picked them up at The Christmas Tree Shoppes. I LOVE that store!!!!

They were ONLY a couple of bucks each and the kids have had MORE fun on them!!!

They make for good pictures too!! :)

Are you tired yet of all my pictures?? Trust me when I tell you this is FAR from ALL of todays pictures!! As a matter of fact, I took OVER 300!!

I thought I was done too but I'm not...........just a few more...

These are for Nikki.......

She's still in Tx.

I told her I took some pictures of her kitty and she asked if I'd post them so she could see.

So, here they are Nickles...

And one more pic of another one of my blooming lillies!!

These seem to be a little darker pink than the others.

Well, that's all for now.......I've got some 'business' to take care of.

Enjoy the rest of your week!!! I'm back to work tonight for 3!!!

Just fun.....

2008-07-24T08:21:00.000-07:00

Sammo had his BF Riley over yesterday.....well, he'd spent the night the night before.... Before he left yesterday they were outside playing--they play SO well together. I went out to check on them and this is what I found:

I just thought it was SO cute.

It makes me so happy when the kids find FUN in the MOST simple things.

I realize this blog has become more of a family/summer/life blog than the 'my creations' blog that it started out as. With summer here, Nikki away and our schedules what they are, I haven't made ANY time for creating. I'm STILL in the process of moving my room--although MOST of what I 'need' is already up here, there is still TONS of 'stuff' left down in the other room. I just have to figure out WHAT to do with it. And honestly, as much as I've had ideas and THOUGHT about 'creating' my heart just isn't in it right now. Hopefully I'll get my 'mojo' back soon?!

Anyways-

It's back to work for me tonight--for 3--. It's all good 'cuz I'll be 3 days closer to Nikki's return!!!! We all miss her so much and can't wait for her to be back home!!

That's all for now.........

Enjoy the rest of YOUR week!!

Smiles and love!!

Fun! Fun!! Fun!!!

2008-07-22T10:05:00.000-07:00

I've been off for the past couple of days and BOY o BOY have we been enjoying them!!!

I got off work Saturday morning and by 11:30am Me, Sammo and Salvador were headed down to Wenatchee to spend a few days with my friend Kim. We had SUCH a nice time. I didn't really get much shopping done but it was ALRIGHT. We just relaxed and enjoyed. We took the kids to the Riverfront park. We'd brought Sammo's bike, well, actually it's Nikki's but he's been riding it, and Salvador brought his skateboard-of course!! :)

Here's Sammo riding into the park......

Kim was FINALLY able to get him to get into the water....he didn't want to because he didn't have swim trunks on. LOL

HE FINALLY decided to get in to 'spear a fish'. LOL

Then they splashed each other with water to cool off. It was SUCH a hot day. In the 100's. The water felt SO cold at first but it was OH SO refreshing!!

And here he is riding out of the park.

What a cutie pie!!

After the park we went back to the house. Kim made rotbeer floats for the boys so we sat outside on the deck while the kids finished their rootbeer floats and played with Libby. She's SUCH a sweet dog.

Isn't she a cutie pie?!

Sunday we went to Kim's sister in laws house to hang out in her pool. Sammo had such a good time playing in the water.

Shelly has all kinds of water toys so he went from playing to just relaxing on a float to playing.....

HOW cute is he huh? How could you NOT just LOVE that face?!?!

And here's Salvador....eating and listening to his iPod. His 2 most favorite things to do. LOL

Sammo playing some more............

...............CLOWN.

And Salvador listening to music and eating MORE!!!

Then yesterday we went to the park here in town. Salvador and Laz had their skateboards so they were doing their thing while Sammo and I were waiting for my friend Sonia,her son and little sister. While we were waiting, I took pics of the boys. I love those mid-air pics. Here are a few of my favorites.....

Poor Sammo. He was so bored while we were waiting.......

..........can you tell????

--Look at that silly thing he has on his head! LOL I found it in the HearthSong catalog, I think, last year at Christmas time. He LOVES that darned thing!!

That's about it for now I suppose. I ran a few errands earlier with Salvador and Sammo is at a friends. He'll be back later with his friend....he's gonna spend the night. One more day and it's back to work for me. Time flies WAY too fast when you're having FUN!!!!

My boys.....

2008-07-16T08:27:00.000-07:00

We JUST HAD FUN yesterday!! Didn't really do MUCH, just hung out and enjoyed the day. The day FLEW by!!! I guess that goes to PROVE we had fun. 'Cuz the ONLY times when time FLIES by is when you ARE having FUN!!

Mid-day, when it was warmest of course, we all decided to go play some Wii games..

Look at MY Guitar Hero's:

OH MY GOSH! What a cutie huh?! He just melts my heart!!!

Joe cut his hair. He was gonna 'shave 'im bald' but he decided against it.

I don't know WHY they always want all the blinds closed while they play? Maybe it's easier to see without all the light???

'ROCK ON

DUDE!'

LOL

Can you see those huge tonsils??

And those ears......

And Salvador......my adopted son! :)

I don't know HOW they can play like this. I have a hard enough time upright and straight!!!

These 2 AMAZE me at HOW fast they can play. I'm still trying to perfect Easy!!!

Then, all of a sudden, while we were playing, we heard 'Jaz', our German Shorthair/Lab mix, going crazy. Joe asked Sammo to check and see what she was barking at and this is what he saw!!!

A COYOTE!

Yikes!!

Joe scared him off but WHAT was he doing over here?!?!

Lookin' for some 'eats' I guess........

And there's my other 'boy' (man!). He looks SUPER tired here doesn't he?!

He had worked all night it's true BUT he ALWAYS has time for a little Wii Sports!! LOL. I'd whooped both he and Samuel the night before at bowling so YOU KNOW he had to prove to himself AND of course the rest of us, that, he IS the man!! LOL. He wooped me. - I was just having a bad bowling day--it's all good 'cuz it was ALL FUN!!!

And here's a close up of Sammo's eye. Teeheehee.

Eye's, like this, freak Nikki out......

But Sammo thought it was SUPER cool. Each time he see's it he says, "WOW! Look at how long my eyelashes are!!" He DOES have long eyelashes....just like his Daddy!!

Just not fair!! lol.

I'm back to work tonight so that means Joe will be off for the next few...I wonder what kind of FUN those boys will 'cook up'?!

My Stargazers are FINALLY blooming!!

2008-07-14T19:49:00.000-07:00

Isn't it pretty?? There are a TON of blooms this year......I'm just awaitin' for them to ALL bloom!!!
I really have to reorganize that bed--but I don't want to do it until they've all bloomed. Actually I have a few beds I'm going to re-do. I've gotten quite a few new flowers and plants from friends and neighbors this year so I'm kind of excited to get things prettied up!! :)
Oh, you can be SURE I'll shoot some pictures! Of course I guess it won't look like much with no blooms.........Next Spring!! :)
Now you KNOW I had to click some pics of my little clown. This kid just cracks me up!! I can't even begin to describe the pure JOY he's brought me!!

He LOVES riding that darned scooter and riding both HIS bike and his sister's bike!! ALL BOY!!
I LOVE IT!!
Of course my Nickles is STILL in Texas. But not for TOO much longer!!! About 3 more short weeks 'till she'll be back home!! Yahoo!! I SO can't wait to see her!!
Thing is........she 'found a boy'-surprise, surprise............so she's not quite as excited about returning as we are.
And get this........HE let HER cut HIS hair today. Now, THAT my friends is LOVE. LOLOL!!!! (just kidding, just kidding!)
She's posting some pictures on her facebook so we can see.....
Now, don't go getting all excited or anything. The boy is the son of one of Joe's school friends and his mom's mom actually used to take care of Joe. So he's not a complete stranger.
Alright. I think that's enough for tonight.
I'm headed down to play some Wii games with the boys. They're SO addicted to those games. Geesh. -I must admit though....I DO like Guitar Hero III and bowling....tennis is alright too!!
Until next time.........

Raspberries

2008-07-13T09:48:00.000-07:00

Samuel just came in with these beauties....Mmmmm FRESH raspberries!! Gotta love that!! I have a cheesecake--Joe's birthday was yesterday--and guess what's going to go PERFECTLY over that cheesecake?? YOU KNOW IT!! These very raspberries!!

We were given a bunch of thornless, seedless blackberry starts a few years ago and Sammo and Joe say there are quite a few berries on them this year. YIPPEE!! Sammo says they're still a little green so they're not quite ready but I'm patiently awaiting...........

Fresh fruit....one of THE BEST things about Summer!!

On a not so happy note.......

Have you, or do you have a CLOSE friend who you'd even call your BEST FRIEND, that you moved away from....or they from you? And even though you shared MANY years with that person and their family and they know you like a book and visa versa, you don't talk nearly as much as you'd like? BUT when you DO talk you pick up just like no time passed? Well, that is my friend D'Tri. She has lived in Hawaii for almost as long as we've lived here in North Central Washington. We FIRST met in San Diego when Joe was in the Navy and Nikki was only a few months old. We left for about 8 months and then found ourselves right back in San Diego. Our friendship grew even closer and we were pretty inseperable. She loved and cared for Nikki like she was her own and I did the same with Nene and then later Billy. She and her family hold a special, special place in my heart and they ALWAYS will. It's just like that. Well, I got an email from her daughter, Nene-who, by the way JUST GRADUATED this year!!! telling me her Grandma 'Bessie' was sick. I called immediately called 'D'. She had to call me back because as I called they were taking her mom off life support.

This was all so sudden. Noone had any idea Bessie was even sick.

Bessie was an AMAZING, God fearing woman. There is NO DOUBT in my mind where she is RIGHT THIS VERY MOMENT.

I just ask for your prayers at this time for my friend and her family-for safe travels but also that they would feel God's embrace, love and comfort at this time.

Thank You.

Sammo and I went to the lake the other day...

2008-07-13T03:43:00.000-07:00

I met my friend Katrina at the lake on Thursday. I had to work in the evening so we met with the kids for just a few hours.

Here's my Sammo while we were waiting for them to arrive.He's so big.

Time just flies by.....

It took them a little while to warm up to each other....they haven't really played together in a long time... but by the time we left both he and Tori were playing like old friends again, both wanting to go to the other's house or have the other come to their own house to play. It only figures I had to work that night!!

The other Queen tagged me.......

2008-07-12T08:15:00.000-07:00

.......so this is what I'm supposed to do:

Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.* Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.* Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

So-here goes:

1. I was a synchronized swimmer. I loved it. I STILL LOVE watching it.
2. I met my husband while we were both in the Navy. I was a Hospital Corpsman....did my 4 years and got out. I have some AWESOME memories.....and wish I'd kept in better touch with many of the incredible people I met along the way.
3. I'm originally from Connecticut, my husband from Texas. We've been married 16 1/2 years and to this day our parents have never met one another. That's the truth.
4. I like grilled cheese sandwiches with applesauce on the side. Many people think it's strange I know but I think it's more like apple pie with cheese.....my mom always says, 'Apple pie without the cheese is like a hug without the squeeze.' Don't knock it 'till ya try it!!! :)
5. I drive a 2008 GMC Acadia, Red Jewel, and I LOVE it. I thought I'd buy another mini van--I loved my last one--but we decided to go with the Acadia and I'm SO glad we did!!! I never thought I'd have a red car either--all my other vehicles have been some shade of brown--but red is FUN!!!
6. My mom took foster children for years while we were growing up so there were always plenty of kids in our home. She was licensed for 5 plus me and my brother so we were always a BIG family!!
7. We have 2 dogs: Fifi (Yorkshire Terrier), Jasmine (German Shorthair/Lab mix--and THE BEST DOG EVER), two cats-Mittens and Two-Two and we're now down to 2 fish (one is a no-name and the other is Princess Peach--even though he's a boy!!!) OH! and let me not forget Samuel's turtle Fred. He found him out in the yard, put him in an aquarium and has been taking care of him--feeding him worms and flys-mmmmmm.

So now I have to tag 7 people. This is who I'm tagging:
http://www.auraofdesign.blogspot.com/
http://createdbycourtney.blogspot.com/
http://www.katncoffee.blogspot.com/
http://theinkboutique.blogspot.com/
http://inkysmiles.blogspot.com/
http://colourdujour.wordpress.com/
http://www.michellewooderson.blogspot.com/
If you've never visited their blogs I encourage you to!!

CHERRIES!!

2008-07-09T23:51:00.001-07:00

It's THAT time of year again!!! Cherry time!!! And they're OH! SO YUMMY!!!

No time to create

2008-07-02T12:54:00.000-07:00

There's just TOO much going on!!

I think I may just take a break until school's back in!!

Slowly my 'studio' is being moved but when I say slowly I mean S-L-O-W-L-Y!! It's all good though.....

Joe and I DID go for a ride yesterday with Sammo just to go.....AND to take some pics. Joe was not in as patient a mood as I was but I got some cool pics.....

Let me share:

This is the Lutheran Church up in Havillah. Nikki made her Confirmation here. I just LOVE this church.

It was beginning to be a little stormy while we were up there--as you can see in the background--all that dark sky but I think it kind of made for a cool pic.

I like this picture with the street sign and the field in the background....

I forget what Joe called these blue birds.....but they were all over the place. It was hard to get a GOOD picture of them......I think the radio from the car was spooking them and by the time I figured it out they were all gone. They sure are pretty though. Next time I go up there I'm going to just sit and wait in the car until they come closer and then get some pictures of them.

And THIS is the BEST picture of ALL!! :)

My little man. Look at that ear. UGH!

I think I might just have to frame this one! I love the close up pics I get of him. :)

Well, back to work for me tonight and tomorrow and then off for a few. Phew!! I'm sure looking forward to them! I'm HOPING to get some GOOD work done in my 'studio'. Maybe I'll even post some pics?? We'll see how it goes--right now it's a HUGE mess--huh Katrina?!

That's all for today. Enjoy your week!

-S

Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over...

2008-06-14T09:32:00.001-07:00

...it became a butterfly.

I SO LOVE this saying!! And it's kind of how I've felt lately.

Yesterday was my birthday. (27 and holding) And I was reminded of how TRULY BLESSED I am.

For starters, first thing in the morning I was wished a Happy Birthday (it was on the calendar at work). I got home, fell asleep, and when I woke up my husband had some of THE MOST BEAUTIFUL roses,

a sign (Always and Forever, Always kiss me goodnight). How sweet---

My friend Sandra sent along with Joe a tin of peanut butter fudge (Bella's) and some taffy.....for my sweet tooth--- Thanks Sandra!!! :)

Then, one of Nikki's friend's, Lazaro, who's also become a dear family friend, came by with these:

FOR ME!!! They are SO beautiful!!! I don't know what kind of rose they are but they are gorgeous. They almost look like paper.

Then later on his sisters came by with some homemade SCRUMTIOUS chicken tamales. OH MY GOODNESS were they EVER good. The worst part?? I only got 4!! NO KIDDING I think I could have eatten 2 dozen by myself---alright, well, maybe not in ONE sitting but............OH! They were SO yummy!!!!!

I got ready for work, left and happened to check my cell phone........There was the SWEETEST Birthday message from one of my dear and special friend. That just made my day!! Put a BIG 'OL smile on my face!!!

I got to work, went to report and there was a 'Happy Birthday Stacey' cake from Jamie!!! (Chocolate with raspberry filling and WHIPPED CREAM frosting....Mmmmmm .....coming out of report I was greeted by my sweet, sweet friend Sonia and

<<< Salvador singing

Happy Birthday to me and Salvador had these for ME!!!

As if that wasn't SWEET ENOUGH, when I asked him about the flowers he told me he picked them ALL HIMSELF out of his mom's flower garden!!!

They are BEAUTIFUL!!!

THEN, not too long later Sonia asks me to go with her........I'm wondering....what's wrong??? She leads me to the nurse's station where they had gifts for me!!! HOW SWEET is that?! Aileen got me a gift card to JC Penney, and Sonia got me some pretty rhinestone hair clips, a watch, a pink rose and from Anthony (her son) a 2 Liter bottle of Diet Pepsi (my favorite soda) with 4 packages of peanut M&M's (my favorite candy)!!!!

It was SUCH a WONDERFUL day!! Birthday's are usually 'just another day' but not THIS year!!! I felt SO special and SO LOVED!

I am truly BLESSED!!

Even a few of my patients wished me a happy birthday. Awwwwww. I felt so special!!!!!

Well, that's all for today........

It's back to work for me tonight!!!

Sweet Dreams!

-S

Real quick........

2008-06-12T11:40:00.000-07:00

......

I've been off for 5 days and STILL WANT MORE TIME!!!!

LOL!!

Isn't that just the way of it really?!?! :)

I've just been busy.....but FUN busy--not creative fun busy but social fun busy!!!

We've had graduation, graduation parties, a day of cleaning, some good 'ol 'hangin' out' and then Nikki's 'promotion' from 8th to 9th grade (in the Fall). I work for the next FOUR nights. UGH!! -AND I hear it's been BUSY. ICK!!!!! I don't so much mind busy so long as it's not CRAZY busy.

THEN, Nikki leaves for Texas for 56 days!!! :(

I'm going to post a few pics from Nikki's Promotion last night. Isn't she just beautiful?! :)

She earned the Citizenship Award and the Academic (for maintaining a 3.5, or higher, GPA all throughout Middle School) and Presidential (for maintaining a 3.7, or higher, GPA all throughout Middle School) Awards.

Nikki in the yard before leaving for promotion.

Nikki picked out EVERYTHING. I was kind of worried that she was going 'overboard' but she looked just beautiful!!!

She's always been the one with the fashion sense--always has had it--ever since she was little. She and D'tri (my BF when we lived in California) were ALWAYS on the same page.

Here's the three of us together. I'm so glad we decided to snap a picture of the 3 of us before we left.....

Obviously I'm going to need to touch up these pics. My battery died so I was using Nikki's camera most of the night and I could NOT figure out her settings.

Anyways.........................

This is Nikki with Salvador. They used to 'go out' last year. They both still like each other but with her going away this summer neither want to make any kind of 'commitment'. He's a good boy. Both Joe and I REALLY like him.

I had a few other pics I wanted to post but blogger is giving me a hard time. It has been ALL day. Grrrrr. Oh well. It's already 4pm and I have to leave for work in just a few short hours so I guess I will go lay down for a SHORT nap. Here's to hoping for a good night!! :)

I hope you ALL enjoy your weekend!! I'll try to post again in a few days. We'll see.

Hasta luego mi amigas.

It's Sunday!!

2008-06-08T09:14:00.000-07:00

Whew!

I'm off for a few and have TONS to do. But I'm EXCITED!!

Graduation was yesterday and we had quite a few friend's (siblings, children or siblings of friends) graduating yesterday. Those kind of events always make me teary. Anyways, we are the partying family this weekend with all these graduations!! But that is FUN!!!

I have SO much I want and NEED to get done in my house too so I'm HOPING I'll have some 'good time' on Monday and Tuesday to get stuff done around here.

Between working and just the busy time of the year that June tends to be I have been SO busy AND since my 'studio' is between rooms right now I just haven't made the time to create anything lately. IT makes me sad, ESPECIALLY because for a while I just didn't FEEL like creating......lately I've been WANTING to create but just haven't had the time! Isn't that the way of EVERYTHING though.

Wednesday morning I went with Samuel on his fieldtrip to The Molson Museum. This is my dad's FAVORITE place to go when they come. Probably because he has most of the stuff that's up there! LOL and to just see it all in one place, organized and set out like it's important, brings his heart joy. I know when I went with Sammo I kept thinking, 'my dad (or grandfather) has that' or 'I remember that from when I was a kid'. There really were some pretty cool things up there.....things I wouldn't mind having in my house!! I just LOVE old stuff!!!

Anyways, here are a few pics from our trip:

This is the old elementary school room. Look at ALL those OLD desks!!!! I LOVE them!!!

I just saw some at an antique shop a while ago for like $50. I MIGHT need one if I end up having any spare room left if in my 'studio'!!

This is the Old Post Office.

Here's Samuel making his list......

The kids had to mark down at least 5 things they thought were 'cool' or 'interesting' from each floor. The only thing about this was of course they wanted to do their little schpeel about each floor--which is fine BUT then they wanted to RUSH the kids through. Well, they're ONLY in second grade and it still takes them a few minutes to write. After the 'leaders' did their 'schpeel' they didn't have much time and for the little ANAL kids like Samuel who HAD to make sure to get ALL FIVE things. UGH!!! I told him on the first floor--don't worry about it. Just have fun and enjoy your time here. Look at the different things and how cool they are--- But, NO! Like his Momma, Samuel HAS to follow directions and do as he's told. :)

Look at THIS!!!!

LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT!!!

I WANT it!!!!!! :(

And this.........

It just looks cool to me. I'd LOVE to have this too. I took the picture to send to my dad so he can keep his eye out for one in all his travels. He will often buy the remains of an old house and just poke through the stuff--keeping the cool stuff getting rid of the junk.

He's found some pretty cool stuff !!

He found some beautiful old antique rings one time in an old book. Well, it looked like a book but it was really a holding spot for these old rings and stuff.

Well, that's all for today......

I hope to be able to post something creative soon........we'll see though.

Nikki's promotion is Wednesday so I'll FOR SURE post a few pics from that. :) And then Nikki leaves on Tuesday the 17th for Texas for the Summer. I'm not so excited about that. I'm gonna miss my baby girl!!! But she's excited. HOPEFULLY she'll come back knowing some spanish!!!

Adios!!

Busy, busy, busy.........

2008-06-03T08:52:00.000-07:00

....it just NEVER seems to END!!!!
I got off work Saturday morning and went to the Chelan Water Slides with my kids. Our daughter was going to a birthday party for one of her friends (who's also a family friend) and we were asked to go along---so Samuel and I DID!! It was fun. The kids ALWAYS LOVE going to the water slides. Samuel chose the water slides over the Annual Founders Day Parade. I was surprised in a way (he LOVES the parade) and then not at the same time -he LOVES the water slides!!!
After just getting off three 12's I was a little tired. I took a one hour nap before we left, played for a bit and ended up taking another nap at the park after lunch. I was BEAT!! One of the BEST things about the park is that it's pretty safe and I feel comfortable letting the kids go off and enjoy the rides without me so long as they are together or with a friend. I didn't get too many pics but I'll share a few......
Here's Sammo going down one of the 'kiddie rides'. We chose to park our 'party' right to the side of these slides. It was actually a REALLY nice spot. Sunny yet a NICE BIG tree with cool, shade in the afternoon when it was too hot for me! Of course the girls wanted the SUN--they ALL had sunscreen on!! :)
WHAT a GOOF BALL right????
This kid just cracks me up!!
I know, I know.....even Joe said, "He looks like a 'bobble-head'." That's alright, cuz he's MY bobble-head-and he brings THE BIGGEST smile to my face and MOST incredible JOY to my heart.
And here he is AGAIN--the little clown. He and Raechel were hiding coins and finding them.......(8 year old fun)....he couldn't just find them he then had to pose with them!! LOL His expressions just kill me. To me, he's just funny.....a clown. He TRIES to make ya laugh--and he USUALLY succeeds!!! :)

And then we have 'Nickles' or 'Neen' or 'Beans' or 'Nene Beans' or 'Sweet Pea', whichever I decide to call her at that moment....
How can ONE child have SO many different nick-names???
Good question.

Anyways, that's typical Nikki---with a phone of SOME SORT connected to her ear. UGH!!!! Teenagers!!!

And LOOK at these beauties!!
This is Nikki and her BFF Vanessa (or 'Vaness' or 'Nessa' or 'Ba-Nessa'-that's what Samuel used to call her, 'Ba-Nessa', before he could make the 'Vv' sound. It just stuck. Now even JOE calls her 'Ba-Nessa' half the time!! They've been friends since we moved here, when they were in 3rd grade. Most people think they're sisters. Although Vaness is a WHOLE head taller than Nikki.
So that was my Saturday.
Sunday was just as busy. Nikki and I had to 'run' to Walmart for a few things, rush back up for a baptism and then off to the party. Let me tell you about SCRUMPTIOUS food. Mmmmmm.
Monday, Nikki and I went to Wentachee (2+ hours from us) to pick up MORE last minute things (and then some) for her promotion next week. It's hard to believe Nikki will be in the High School this Fall. Time has just FLOWN right by before my eyes!!
Have you ever heard the song, Turn Around Slowly by David Kauffman?? (click HERE and then click on Turn Around Slowly to listen to it. It's just the beginning part/clip of the song but you'll get the idea.) If you can listen to that song and not tear up or full out cry............I don't know what to say. The first time I heard it was at a Chondra Pierce event and he sang it there. I was WAY pregnant with Samuel-like READY to deliver-so some could have said it was hormones but let me tell you........there wasn't a DRY EYE in the place!!!
Anyways........when we got home last night my NEW kitchen window was in. YIPEE!! We had a garden window and I HATED it. HATED IT!!! I was TALKED into it and I REGRETTED it ever since. Well, I'm happy now. I NO LONGER have a garden window!!! It's not 100% finished yet, Joe has to put the trim back up and finish the trim outside but this is what it looks like now--
I like it WAY better!!
That little wooden thing won't be there either. It was in the garden window and just got put there this morning until it finds a new home. The counter needs to be cleaned off (and the dishes done) but you get the idea..... The river and our lower back yard is STILL flooded. Not AS BAD as it was but still flooded. Joe's NOT a happy camper but what to do baby boo? :)
Today is going to be a cleaning/catch up day.......just as soon as I get my bum off this computer. Tomorrow is Sammo's field trip to The Molson Museum--of course I told him I'd go. I haven't done ANYTHING with his class YET this year--what a BAD mom huh?! I know, I know. And then tomorrow night it's back to work for me for another three. ICK!!! But, then my last 5 off--thing is it's PACKED FULL of things to do too!!! Somewhere in there I HAVE to get a handful (at least) of Graduation cards done, a few Father's Day cards, a gazillion Birthday cards, the list goes on and on.....This time of the year is just a BUSY time huh?!
Well, enjoy the rest of YOUR week. I HOPE to be able to share SOMETHING soon and THANKS for stopping by!!

What a slacker huh???

2008-05-28T09:11:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted in FOREVER!
I've just been busy.....with different things....good things mostly.
Spring has FINALLY sprung in these parts and I know it is MOST CERTAINLY welcomed by me!!!
Joe is still working in my 'studio' so I'm kind of inbetween rooms right now. I've managed to 'work' things so if I NEEDED to make a card I could but really, I just haven't been 'into' it. I think I'm just anxious to get everything moved over and put away. Once things are a little more organized I'll post some pics. I'm ALWAYS interested in and looking for better organizational and storage ideas so if you have ANY tips or tricks---PLEASE post a comment and SHARE!!
Anyways, for today........ a few pics...
We got a few poppy plants from a friend a few years back and I ALWAYS LOVE it when they bloom. They're just SO amazingly HUGE and BEAUTIFUL to me!! I went out two mornings ago and found our FIRST poppy (in the front). I KNEW I was going to HAVE to take some pictures!!
I think it was the next morning when I went out and I found this one emerging!
This morning when we went out......Sure enough, there are THREE!! My camera batteries are dead and I haven't taken the time to recharge them so no pic.
And LOOK!! Our strawberries are flowering and now there are even green berries!!!
I just LOVE Spring!
These beautiful flowers are from my BF, Kat. She gave them to me for Mother's Day. Aren't they beautiful?! Thank You Kat!!!! I think of you each time I walk up to our front door---well, and then some!! :)

A couple of summers ago we drove (from North Central Washington) to Connecticut (where I'm from originally) to visit my mom and dad. We brought back a BUNCH of stuff. One of my 'finds' was the old chair that these flowers are sitting on. I just washed it up a bit and put my flowers on it. I like it. I just makes me feel happy.

Hmmm, and what's this you say???
Kind of a funny story behind this one...............
I was getting ready for a funeral yesterday. I wanted to wear a skirt that I have that I haven't worn yet but didn't have the 'right' kind of shoes to wear with it. I went down into Nikki's room and found a pair that I thought MIGHT just work. Thing is she's a size 6.5-7 and I'm a 7.5-8. Well, she had a pair of size 7 black shoes that were CUTE and I thought they'd 'work'. Here I am clomping around the house in my young (SKINNY) teenagers shoes. I look outside to what USED to be part of our back yard---yep! That's part of it in the picture right above. You see, we live on the Okanogan River and with the super warm weather we had last week that melted the snow in the mountains we now have a swamp in our backyard--if nothing else, an extension of the Okanogan. UGH! So much for Joe's garden. ALL the water was just about gone until yesterday when it rose again. ANYWAYS, I happened to be looking out that way when I saw a momma duck with like 8 little baby ducks. They were SO cute just swimmin' around in my back yard--lol. My intention was to get a pic of the momma duck and her babies. Well, when i got to clomping out on the deck in those shoes I PROBABLY shouldn't have been wearing anyways it scared momma duck and her babies right away. :( So this is what I got!
:( Oh well. Better luck next time--and note to self--NO MORE CLOMPING around in shoes when TRYING to get pics of a momma duck and her babies!
Well, I go back to work tonight-for the next 3 nights so I'm SURE there won't be ANY creating for me.
I do have a baptism on Sunday so I guess SOMETIME this weekend I SHOULD try to come up with something for that!!
Until next time.......
Happy Stamping and creating!!

ALL Praise and Glory to God!!!!

2008-05-19T22:55:00.000-07:00

I passed my RN NCLEX!!!!
ALL Praise and Glory to God-because it's only with Him and through Him that I was able to accomplish this goal.
I am SO incredibly relieved.

Minimal creating for me these last 5 days off. UGH!
I DO have a card but I haven't taken a picture of it yet so maybe tomorrow I'll get to it?! I DID make up a little scrapbook too--from a kit--as a gift BUT, again, no pics. Sorry. I found them at TJ Maxx for $5 (regularly $30-hello!? WHY DIDN"T I buy them ALL???? Good question because they are SO darned cute!!!) I guess I'm going to have to put in a call to my mom and have her run to HER TJ Maxx to see if there are any there. I just KNEW I should have bought them ALL but NO!!! I thought, 'what do I need them all for?' Stupid, stupid, stupid!!!!! I WISH we had a TJ Maxx close by---but NO! The closest one is THREE HOURS AWAY!!! GRRRRRRRR!!!!
Joe is about 1/2 done with the flooring in my new 'studio'. It is coming along quite well. I can't WAIT for it to be done. There is SO much work that needs to be done up there though. UGH. LOTS of stuff to be 'gone through'. BUT, I have a BUNCH of books to get rid of now--teeheehee!
It's back to work for me tomorrow night---geesh--5 days really DOES fly by!! So, I guess I won't be 'creating' again until MAYBE Friday or Saturday if I'm lucky.
So until next time.........
...Happy Stampin' OR Scrappin' OR BOTH!!!!! :)

It's Wednesday and.....

2008-05-15T11:44:00.000-07:00

I'm OFF for the next FIVE NIGHTS!!!!!!
WOOHOO!!! I'm LOV'IN it!!
I look SO forward to my days off and I 'plan' to get SO much accomplished. Most times I don't get NEAR half of what I'd LIKE to get done, done but......that's the way it goes right? There just NEVER seems to be enough time in the day!
Well, this morning when I got home I decided, BEFORE I was going to lay down for a 'nap', that I was going to work on and FINISH a card set for a friend of mine. I wanted something SIMPLE because I wanted to be able to send these out for her TODAY. Joe went out fishing with a friend, I dropped the kids off at school, came home and went to work. These are what I came up with:

I made 4 of each card for a total of, YES! 12 cards! :)
All pattern paper is from a card pack/book I got from COSTCO forever ago. The cardstock is CTMH and SU!. Ribbon is Offray. 'J' stamp is from CTMH Believe Caps. I was inspired by Michelle Wooderson's blog, Mish Mash. If you've never been to her blog I encourage you to click here and check it out. She's AMAZING!!! I visit her blog at LEAST DAILY. No kidding!!
This is how I packaged them:
...again inspired by Michelle.
I purchased the clear boxes from PaperTrey Ink (If you've not been here yet either, you've GOTTA go!!!) and just wrapped it with some offwhite satin ribbon (Offray). I'm going to include a decorated pen and get them out to her later today!!
I'm SO glad I can get these off in the mail today!!

Thanks so much for stopping by!! I hope to be able to post something more later on today.
OH! and Joe's been working in my new 'studio'. He's pulled up the carpet and laid down the 'paper'. HOPEFULLY he'll begin laying the wood flooring later today once he returns from fishing. I'm SO excited to move into a bigger room. I don't know for sure WHEN exactly I'll be 'moving in' as we've talked about repainting as well and I'd REALLY like to get the painting done before moving everything up there.
Until next time.........
Happy Stamping!

Challenge

2008-05-09T09:12:00.000-07:00

Are you interested in, or LOOKING for a new challenge each week?? Well, if you are, head on over to Stamp Something. It's a NEW challenge blog!! Each week (Friday) there will be a new challenge to inspire and motivate!!
This week the challenge is 'first's'-first technique, product, baby firsts, ANYTHING first's. Head on over to the blog for all the 'deets'.
Have FUN and happy stamping!!!!

Another card.....

2008-05-08T12:19:00.000-07:00

'Boy card' numero dos!

Why am I having such a difficult time coming up with cards today? I dunno.

Guess WHAT??

It just started POURING here. Oh Well. BETTER than SNOW!!

One more 'girl' card to go.

The stamp sets used here are:

The Angel Company-again don't know the name of the set off the top of my head

One of a kind (SU!)

Inks: Moonstruck and Olive (CTMH)

All paper is scraps from my scrap files. I used a gem brad (Making Memories???)

Ribbon is American Crafts ELEMENTS and White Organdy (CTMH).

Little Birdie

2008-05-08T10:54:00.000-07:00

I'm not SO crazy about the end result here but.....we'll see how she likes it. I'll have a back up card ready. :)

I did add some shading and a little very light blue to the background...it was SO stark white....and this little birdie looked like he was walking on air!!

If the batteries in my camera were being a little more cooperative OR my NEW batteries were charged by now I'd consider taking another pic but neither are so.......................it's ALL I got! :)

Another card for my friend....

2008-05-08T08:29:00.000-07:00

Here is another card for my friend....... a girly one this time.

I REALLY need to get on the ball and get these done this morning. I told her I'd have them to her by this afternoon. I guess we know where and WHAT I'll be doing this morning. Both kids are in school, hopefully Joe will be busy working outside in the garage, leaving me to 'work' quietly in the house with, hopefully, no interruptions. We'll see..........

For this card I used:

Chocolate Chip cardstock (SU!)

Bubblegum and baby Pink cardstock (CTMH)

Patterned paper again from Vibrant-a paper pack book I found at Walmart.

brown and pink ribbon (Offray)

Stamp (The Angel Company--don't know the name of the set-sorry)

Nestabilities circle and circle scallop--SO love these!!! I ONLY wish I'd gotten them SOONER!

Oh, also scalloped scissors-I really DON'T like using these because I can NEVER cut straight, yet still I try!

I paper pierced the edges and I punched my scalloped circle with my fiskars 1/16th punch.

Until we meet again..........

WHAT a BEATIFUL day!!

2008-05-07T17:25:00.001-07:00

Samuel 'lured' me outside......

He rang the doorbell and hid leaving me to find these:

He's such a sweet boy. Yes, those lilacs ARE in a cup that goes into that blender thing we have...yes, we USUALLY DO drink out of them. He's 8. Oh, and yes! Those ARE rocks at the bottom!

Since he 'lured' me I decided to go for a walk with him. He was SO cute...he wrapped his arm around me and just started walking--up the driveway.....but LOOK at ALL the FUN goodies we found along the way:

This is one of two lilac bushes we planted our first Spring here. This is it's first year blooming!! They're EVERY bit of 5 foot tall and I can't WAIT to see them in FULL bloom!! My Grandmother had ALL kinds of lilacs at her house--well, they're still there, but of course we don't live close by--She had pink, lilac and white. I used to cut them with her ALL the time while I'd wait for the bus and bring them to my teachers and such. I remember she'd wrap the cut pieces in wet down papertowels and then foil. :) Ahhh, memories! :)

These, I guess, are just some wild rose bushes. Joe hates them but they look SO pretty and they smell pretty too! This picture reminds me of a SU! stamp-can't think of the name of the set right now and I don't have a book handy.........

Of COURSE I took a few minutes away from clicking pics of all these blooms and all to take a few pics of my big 'little man'!!! :) He just brings my heart SO much JOY!

And LOOK at my hosta's poking through!! I just love them!! I don't remember if we planted them last year or the year before but we planted them inbetween a BUNCH of trees thinking eventually they will be NICE and FULL inbetween the trees making a nice border. I ESPECIALLY like it when they start flowering!!

And here is one of our raspberry bushes. Joe was SUPPOSED to transplant them last year but never got around to it. Oh Well! I guess we'll have to make a point to do it after they produce this year?!

That's as far as we got in our exploring today. We didn't venture 'down below' by the river. I just didn't feel like walking down there, maybe tomorrow?!

I didn't check out my hydrangeas either.....hmmm--

It's SO nice to see all these things coming up, all the beautiful green leaves and all. I just LOVE it. It almost seems like OVERNIGHT things have just totally greened up!

Spring is SO my ALL TIME favorite time of the year. I am so happy to have the next 5 days off to just ENJOY the beauty around me!

Baroque Motifs

2008-05-07T16:13:00.000-07:00

A good friend of mine called last night and asked if I could make her up a few cards. I worked last night so I told her I'd work on them between today and tomorrow to get them to her ASAP.
I came home from work this morning, was exhausted, and went to bed for a while. After I woke up, not too long ago, I started working on them.
This is the first one I've come up with: (She needs 3 'boy', 2 'girl' cards). I'm hoping this one could be unisex???
I used:
Baroque Motif's stamp set (SU!)
Chocolate Chip ink & cardstock (SU!)
Crystal Blue ink and cardstock (CTMH)
Garden Meadow cardstock (CTMH)
Pattern paper (Vibrant-from WalMart)
I believe the satin ribbon to be Offray and finally a gem from who knows where....I think I've had them since Nikki (who is now 14) was little, little!!
Originally I had a different 'vision' but I'm happy with how it turned out. Hopefully she will be too!
I have the next FIVE days off!! YIPPEE!!
I have OODLES I'd LIKE to get accomplished within those 5 days so it'll be interesting to see what actually DOES get accomplished! :)
Until the next card.......
Enjoy the rest of your day!

Happy Birthday Party Chick!

2008-05-04T08:35:00.000-07:00

This birthday card is for a family friend, Raechel. Today is her 8th Birthday. She LOVES Pokemon every bit as much as Samuel so ORIGINALLY my thought was to come up with some GREAT idea to incorporate a pack of Pokemon cards into the card and make a pocket for her gift card. Well, as life would have it, things got busy yesterday and by the time I was able to sit down to get going on her card it was already 11:00pm or so, SO, I opted for easy. The image is actually stamped on the inside of the card. While I was at Katrina's (my BGFF (BestGirlFriendForever) the other day I was looking through her card stack and saw a card she'd made up like that and thought about how EASY it would be with my nestabilities!! The stamp is a $1 Studio G clear stamp from TCW (The Craft Warehouse) that I picked up FOREVER ago and have been dying to use. I just think that little chick is TOO cute. There's another stamp in the little mini set that says 'party chick'. Inside I stamped, 'Happy Birthday Party Chick!' The lilac mist and citrus leaf cardstock (CTMH) are both embossed, using cuttlebug embossing folders (Happy Birthday and Swiss Dots). The little chick is colored in with colored pencils and blended with BABY OIL!!! I usually use OMS but it has a tendency to give me a headache. I keep reading so many people saying how baby oil works just as well so gave it a try. It DOES!! I've even gotten a little too much once or twice and thought 'OH GREAT!' ONLY to find out it dries without looking oil stained. NICE. I added stickles (Star Dust or Crystal I don't remember which) to the green dots and the pink top of the party hat for a little sparkle and Diamond Glaze to the balloon and the 'Party Chicks' beak. Patterned paper is some misc paper I had in one of my stacks-I got it from JoAnn's FOREVER ago in a pack/kit deal. The white organdy ribbon is from CTMH, striped ribbon is American Crafts. (I love their ribbon!!)
It's NO Pokemon card but it's cute and 'party girly', I think anyways.
Well, that's all for me for a few days. I work tonight and the next two nights there after so I KNOW I won't be doing any playing/creating for a few. :(
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!!

BLOG CANDY WINNER

2008-05-03T08:19:00.001-07:00

I still haven't heard from Scrappy Girl...the winner of the blog candy--

Maybe she missed the post so I"m going to give her a few more days to contact me, via email OR a post to this blog. I go back to work Sunday night (Sun-Tues) so Wed morning when I come home I'll check my email and if I haven't heard from her I'll draw a another name.

I'm not sure if I'll get anything done today..........I SHOULD. Our son has a birthday party tomorrow afternoon for a little girl who's a family friend really so I am hoping to make her up a birthday card. Nikki has a friend who has a birthday too so I was hoping to use Mish's idea (MishMash) for a giftcard pack (I just bought some of the plastic card boxes from PaperTrey not too long ago) to go along with a giftcard. But we'll see. I worked Wed/Thur night-spent the day with my BFF yesterday so OF COURSE my house is a MESS. Ya just can't leave a man and 2 kids without any 'womanly' supervision for so many days and NOT expect a mess!! UGH! It's ALL good. They're worth the mess!!! :)
SO, visit back soon and hopefully I'll have something cute or fun or SOMETHING posted.
Enjoy your weekend!! I hope it's warm and SUNNY where YOU are!
-S

Happy Birthday Cupcake

2008-04-30T15:09:00.000-07:00

I made this card up for my dear friend Katrina. It was her birthday (the middle of April) and I STILL haven't seen her. I have another birthday card for her too but she's already seen that one!!

Anyways, I SHOULD, unless she's been low censused, see her at work tonight. I saw the challenge over at SC today so decided I'd try it and because I wanted to make another card for her....well, this is it!!

I HOPE she doesn't get online before going to work tonight because then she'll see THIS one too!!!