Merry Christmas

I actually had all five of us in one place at the same time.

Happy Birthday to my dear Husband!

Yes, you....I know you're reading my blog so ~~



Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday dear Michael,
Happy birthday to you

Lots of love to you today and everyday from your beautiful wife hehehehe

No you can not have the scarf that Sammi knitted me for your birthday present, it's mine all mine!!!

ATCs

My ATC project! I'm in a swap where we are making atc's for display. Each person listed their request and I went to work. ATCs are fun to make, and fun to trade! Mine are pretty simple compared to some, but they reflect my style, which is what ATCs are all about.



I spent far too much time on this one, but I so enjoyed looking at Johnny Depps beautiful face, lolol. This person wanted colorful, funky, whimsical people and I thought Captain Jack Sparrow fit that description. The background is metallic cardstock. I started by heat embosssing his scraf with clear powder. I used Pebbles brown shimmer chalk on his hair, including his mustache and beard. and covered it with Ranger Inks clear accents. I used gold and copper stickles and pearl liquid pearls for his beads. The swirl in the upper right corner was done using a template on a prima package!! It was so perfect, I couldn't resist opening my flowers just to use the template. The belt on his arm was a bit of a problem for me, I finally chalked it, and added some gunmetal stickles. The key is a brad.

I was given complete freedom on this one! She wanted a card done in my own style and fav colors, that she could use for inspiration. She also wanted a fun scrapbooking quote. I painted the card with Ranger Ink broken china crackle paint, used a heat gun to hurry up the drying time because I'm soooo impatient. the black background design is prima clear tape. I used a Ranger Ink pearl paint dabber around the edge. The tags were done using my Making Memory tag maker The black arrow is seven gypiess. The little heart on the bottom left corner was a RAK from someone, sorry I can't remember who to thank you. I inked white embroidery floss with broken china distress ink to match the background.

Basketball - This is for a basketball book that someone is making for her son. She wanted basketball quotes. His school colors are white, gray and red. I wasn't sure how to do this one, but then saw the Jolee's at Michaels, so picked them up. I love the quote!! I'm going to use it in my son's wrestling album. I used black diamond stickles for the basketball trail. The stars have a touch of crystal stickles. The edge of the white bazzill bling is inked with a cat eye cranberry ink pad, the gray bazzill bling is inked with a cat eye black ink pad

Isaiah 40:31 is one of my favorite bible verses. This was done for someone who wanted one of my fav verses. She is going to take her atcs and assemble them into a cross to hang on the wall. I used an old Creative Memoires template I had from about 10 years ago to make the clouds. The flowers are prima, the clear bling is prima and the tiny bling on the upper right white flower is My Minds Eye.

Travel - this was done for someone who wanted a travel theme. I used Ranger Ink alcohol inks. The main color was bottle with a little meadow green. I used the mixing solution to lighten. I inked the edge of the card with a gold cat eye ink pad. I've had the airplane button for awhile and finally found something to use it on. The ribbon was from "Love Elsie - Toby collection"

Puppies - This was done for someone who likes puppies and purple. I tried to make the wagon purple but it came out more pink. Theree of the puppies were painted with Ranger Ink Brushed Corduroy crackle paint, chalked and inked. All the puppies eyes and noses were done with black diamond stickles. The background flowers were all done with stickles, lime green, yellow, cotton candy and orange. The wheel hubs were done with purple stickles

Last one! The request for this was to use her scrap room colors of black and white with pink accents. She also wanted a humerous scrapbook saying and likes bling, flowers and flourishes. The word strips are printed on pink bazzill bling and mounted on Doodlebug black sugar coated cs. The bigger pink bloom at the top right is an Imaginisce pink petal pusher and the center black bling is prima. The strips of clear bling are glitz icing. The smaller pink and white flowers are Queen & Co sequins. I hope she likes it.

Scrapping

I'm trying to focus on getting more layouts done. At this rate I'll be caught up several thousand years from now! One of my goals is to get my wedding album done, here is one of the first layouts. This layout was done as a challenge. I was sent 5 things in an envelope that I had to use in a layout. The most challenging item was the tiny, mini puzzle pieces. I used them as the flower centers. Thank you Laurie for the envelope items. I used the masking technique that Scrapperlicious taught me for the title. I used a combination of a gold paint dabber and Ranger Black Soot distress ink to mask the title. The stamping is done using a gold paint dabber. Scrappychicdesigns suggested trying paint dabbers on stamps to me. The picture is of my beautiful bridesmaids, hence the title "Beauty"

Prima Marketing: Pattern paper and whispers; Ranger Ink: Gold paint dabber and Black soot Distress Ink; Queen & Co: Felt Fusion, scrolls; Lil Davis bookplates; Making Memories: Green celery and pearl paint; Fancy Pants Designs Glitter Cuts; 7 Gypsies, acrylic stamps

Itaska

Michael, Adam and I went to Itasca State Park at the end of July. Opps, almost forgot, Lacy came with too. Brandon and Ryan met up with us later in the week at Crow Wing Lake. It was our first long camping trip with Dakota and all went well.














Standing by the headwaters. Can you believe that is the beginning of the "Mighty Mississippi"


Camping at Crow Wing Lake ~

Boys kayaking

Cannon Valley Bike Trail

Our second camping trip with Dakota was to the Cannon Valley bike trail. We weren't very impressed with our campground but the bike trail is beautiful.











We put up our "add a room" for the first time and love it. Lacy loves the new porch so much that she insisted on sleeping there all night.

25 of my Favorite Things

Blog assignment 25: 25 of your very favorite things!

1. My children and husband
2. Being in love with my husband
3. Praise and worship music
4. Animals
5. Flowers, any and all
6. Coke, not diet, the real sugary coke
7. kittens
8. Italian food
9. Chocolate
10. Riding my bike
11. Scrapbooking
12. Watching movies
13. Clinique
14. Camping
15. Reading
16. Garage sales
17. Thrift stores
18. Antiques
19. Campfires and roasting marshmellows
20. Mexican food
21. Being a nurse
22. Surfing the internet
23. The beach
24. Bubble baths
25. The mountains

Happy Birthday to You!!!

Happy Birthday Tiffany!!!

You say it's your birthday
It's my birthday too, yeah
They say it's your birthday
We're gonna have a good time
I'm glad it's your birthday
Happy birthday to you

Yes we're going to a party party
Yes we're going to a party party
Yes we're going to a party party.
(Lennon-McCartney)

Birthday's ROCK!!! Sure, I'm not happy about the ever increasing number of candles on my cake, but it definitly beats the alternative. I always wanted a summer birthday, but mine is January 24th, which makes today the "5 month" anniversary of my ** birthday so......

You say it's your birthday
It's my birthday too, yeah

Vent Time
Blog assignment for June 23rd Vent!Say what you want!Vent Time

Why do people take up 2 parking places?? It doesn’t make any sense to me. If they don’t want anyone parking close to them, they need to go out further where no one parks instead of taking up valuable parking spaces!!

Does the grassy areas along the roads look like a trash can to you??? Me either, so who are these people who think they are trash cans!!! Every gas station I have EVER gone to has “trash cans” it’s a great place to throw the trash into. STOP tossing your trash on the side of the road!!!

NO SMOKING….SMOKING ZONES are situated AWAY from doors, there is a reason for that. What good is a non-smoking building when you have to walk though a cloud of smoke coming out? I’m sorry it’s raining and you don’t want to get wet, but try an umbrella. I’m a nurse, I see people with lung cancer who have never smoked but they were exposed to second hand smoke. It’s your choice what you want to do to your own lungs but leave mine alone.

Okay, off my soap box.

A Perfect Summer Day

My perfect day…..hmmm

Relaxing by water with my family is the ultimate perfect day. The best place to be would be by a lake, a mountain stream or the ocean. The weather would be perfect of course, not a cloud in the sky, 80 degrees with no humidity. Someone would be serving us our favorite foods, no dishes to do. We’d swim, sun, hike, maybe a little volleyball. We’d capped the day with a bonfire and s’mores.

Playing Around

Before and After and a darker version

I found this fun tip from "As For Me and My Blog, We Shall Serve The Lord" blog. I was able to darken the edges so that the corsage stood out a bit more. The after version is a very subtle change, but I like it. The darker version pops the corsage out a bit more, but I think I like the subtle version better.

First Day of Summer

Here I am the first day of summer laying in bed. I've been sick since about 3 am on Friday while at work. I made it through the night, came home and went straight to bed, didn't even eat breakfast.

I've been in bed ever since, no appetite, sipping on propel. I had to call in sick to work last night...worst thing to do is to call in a Friday night, they never believe you're sick. I feel so lousy that I don't even care.

On a positive note the pounding headache I've had seems to be subsiding. It's still there just not pounding anymore. My stomach is still doing somersaults. Not the best first day of summer I've ever had. Hope everyone else is having a nicer first day of summer

Steel Venom!

Assignment June20: PHOTO, of something yellow, orange or red

Steel Venom at Valleyfair, the ultimate extreme ride. Adam is riding in the front seat alone, brave boy.

June 19th Assignment - Animal Time

Little Princess Lacy a.k.a. Lacy a.k.a the fruit loop loving dog

Notice, Lacy is keeping her eyes on the fruit loop box. Then she patiently waited for the two pet humans to go inside....she makes her move

When she's not eating fruit loops, she's claiming the furniture. She did allow Adam to share the couch with her
Toys!!! Lacy loves toys. She got a stocking full for Christmas, but didn't know which one to play with first....so many choices
Last halloween she dressed up as a weblo cub scout. Lacy's favorite animal to torment is "yellow bird" acy can spend hours stalking the bird. Once she finally corners yellow bird, she doesn't have a clue what to do with the bird. If she gets too close yellow bird pecks her on the nose. I guess yellow bird rules, sorry Lacy

Sunset at Glacier

Blog assignment: a picture of a sunset or sunrise. I searched all my digital photos and I did not have even ONE picture of a sunrise or sunset! Have a new assignment for myself.

I found this picture of a sunset at Lake Mary in Glacier National Part in Montana. I was here, and saw the sunsets, but for some odd reason don't have a picture. It is one of the most beautiful places in the world. I spent two days there and only saw a small portion of the park. I highly recommend Glacier.

Because....I'm the Mom

I lifted this from The Queen of Chaos' blog. It's her summer theme song. I think it's the summer theme song for all moms!

~~Water~~

This is a water slide at Noah's Ark in the Wisconsin Dells. I acutally went down this slide, several times four years ago. You get up to the top and it looks like it goes straight down. The lifeguard up there won't push you down either, I tried. So, you have to get up the courage and drop down and then SCREAM!! It doesn't get any easier the second or third time either.

The red signs over the bottom of the slides post your speed. You can do this slide in apx 4 to 6 seconds, barely gives you time to scream. It was a blast, and my kids were pretty impressed that ole Mom did it.

Greatest Summer Memory

One of them is being made today. We are celebrating my son's graduation from high school with a party for him today! He is so excited.

One of the greatest moments in my life happened in the summer. June 12th, my husband and I will be celebrating our wedding anniversary! We are still hopelessly in love with each other. There is nothing better in life then being in love with your husband. Our wedding was beautiful, and I cherish my memories of that day.

Some of my greatest summer memories were just the simple summer things I did with my children. Walks, playing at the park, going to the beach, going on vaction "up north", laying on the ground looking at clouds, catching bugs, playing in the sprinker....the list goes on and on. Now that my children older, I see young families doing these things, and I so miss these little things. I'm tremendously blessed that I was able to stay home with my children for several years, and don't regret one moment of that time. Life is good.

A Perfect Summer Menu

A Perfect Summer Menu - Blog Assignment June 7th

Steak on the grill, with sautéed mushrooms on the side. A fresh green salad, tossed with whatever veggies are in fresh at moment. My homemade potato salad, which I don’t make often enough. Gotta have grilled sweet corn too! With a cold glass of lemonade on the side. ahhhhhh

Welcome to the World!

Makenzie Ann!!

My newest niece, born June 3. Weight:7 lbs. 8 oz

Congratulations Jamie and Nicole

and Grandparents Bob and Thearey!!!

Dream Vacation

Blog Assignment June 6 - Dream Vacation

Italy is our dream vacation! Michael has been there, but I haven't. I can't wait to go have him show me Italy, and discover some things together. We're making plans to go after Adam graduates from high school, in another 5 years. Seems like a long time....but we can dream until then!

Summer Song

June 5th of the Big Blog Challenge add my summer song to my blog ~

You are listening to "Something Beautiful" by the Newsboys.

(a day early...opps)

Someone I Love

Blog assignment 4 - Link something/someone you love!

That would of course be ~

http://www.scrapbook.com/myplace/index.php?mod=galleries&u=140225&m=view&id=1149051&start=20&page=1&a=114689

Photo of something Refreshing!

Blog assignment 2 - Photo of something Refreshing!

There is nothing more refreshing on a hot (there's that hot word again) day then a nice, cool stream in the mountains. We were up in the mountains in Montana, camping next to this delightfully refreshing stream, Lacy was having a blast splashing with her stick!

Something Hot

First blog assignment... Blog about something "Hot" What does that mean to you?

Today something “hot” is mowing the grass. Yes, I know it’s not what women think of as “hot” but the sun was beating down on me, and I was forming a lake as I mowed. It was hot baby. Now I’m inside the air conditioned house with a glass of ice water, still sweating, still hot. Time to hit the shower. Then maybe I’ll put on a flick with a “hot” actor in it, hehe

PROM

It's hard to believe that this is Ryan's last high school dance! He's graduating two weeks from today. I took over 100 prom pictures!! I'm sparing you all those pictures and am just picking out a few.

Ryan and Zena














Can't be the same Ryan I sent to kindergarten 13 years ago!!




















The dudes ~ Ryan and friends clowning around

The entire group of friends that Ryan and Zena went with. After prom, they all went together on a party bus.

Ryan got to use his dad's Firebird convertable. Here they are heading to prom

Ryan and Megan. Ryan and Megan have known each other since they were babies.

Had to have a prom picture of them. Silly kids!

Getting Ready!

We had a fun weekend of getting our new camper ready to go for it's first trip! Of course it looked so easy at the showroom, but trying to unhook the camper from the SUV the first time proved difficult until Michael figured out the "trick" to it

Then there was the bike rack, but it finally came together. We have it set up for 3 bikes.

Dakota went up pretty easy, and even has a neat little gas grill

Our "little" kitchen and dinette. The dinette converts to a bed.

One of the two king beds and the couch which folds into a bed.