had to say hi.

so I've gotten a little work done. enough to keep Jen from poking me with a hot stick anyway. I need to do more - but I just received a big box from Wendi and now I feel overwhelmed! lol

mom will be here Tuesday. we're SO excited - we always have so much fun and Hailee is already making a list of things she wants because "gramma will just get it for me" is her motto! (sorry mom, you bring it on yourself! lol)

I haven't taken many new pictures. I need Darren to get out the Nikon and take good ones. My canon just isn't making me happy anymore. but the 4th is coming, and I'll have my kids in their patriotic colored clothing, will get Darren to take pictures, then I'll have a valid reason for getting the Scenic Route Liberty line!!!! BUT - Darren will have to get me some printer ink - maybe I need the hot stick! lol

okay - off to my desk to do more work and find cute pictures to use that I already have printed! see you all soon.

OH - Monday is the deadline for design team applications over at
{Use Your Stash!!!} so if you're still trying to decide if you're going to enter - JUST DO IT! submit cards. altered items. 8.5x11 layouts. 12x12 layouts. just enter!!

okay, now I'm really gone. bye!

I'll be back...

in my best Arnold voice! lol





I am going to walk away from this addicting laptop for a day or two - well, I'm walking away from my blog! lol I have to get some work done for 'slave-driver' Jen over at Ready, Set, Create or she's going to burn my butt!! (so kidding - Jen is a DEAR and I {heart} her to pieces) Really, I have work to do before my mom gets here on Tuesday and makes me shop everyday for 2 weeks (the torture I tell you!)



So - I'll see over at Use Your Stash!!!, Scrapbook Playground, RSC or where-ever, but you won't see me here!!!

Happy Friday!

Good morning! It's only 10:12am here in OK and I've already posted the sticker layout winner on the Use Your Stash!!! blog, finished a layout that I had started last night, replied to emails that were in my inbox, and am on my 2nd cup of coffee. Great morning!

I got a cute apology note from Hailee this morning. She was caught using Braden's crib rail and monkey bars (she was hanging upside down!) and she's been told many times not to play (because Braden copies EVERYTHING she does), so she got mad, went to her room and pouted. 5 minutes later she came out with a note that read:

Im suoe theat i klid the bed

I {heart} you

{heart}

She really is doing much better about sounding words - but she does miss a few letter sounds! lol so she's sorry she climbed the bed. that makes me happy. will it stop her from doing it again? probably not. lol

Here's the layout I did. YES! it IS 12x12! but I wanted to showcase these pictures all together and my 8.5x11 paper just would not allow me to do it nicely....but that's okay, 1 12x12 each year is okay :)

Will you vote for my adorable son??

I'm BEGGING ya'll! lol I entered Braden in a photo cover contest for Parent's Magazine! I'd love for him to at least be a finalist!!! He's got the face no doubt! lol

anyway, here's the link - there's 3 photos, just rate it with their stars above each photo! thank you so much!!!!



Cover Contest

Have you checked out my other blog yet?

the one I have with Kimmie? It's called Use Your Stash!!! Can you guess what it's about? LOL

If you haven't checked yet, there is a challenge issued (posted on June 5th) to use up those letter stickers you have mounds of. There is also a call for a design team. We need 2 girls for a 3 month period, then 2 girls for guest spots in November and December. And guess what the best part is? NO COMPENSATION AT ALL!!! that's right - all you get is something on your resume and the chance to inspire others to use THEIR stash!!!!!

so go - click the link over there ----->



you know you want to!

There's a rumor going around...

...that COSMO CRICKET is POSSIBLY searching for a dt! Well, I'll just put a few things here in case that little birdie knows what he's talking about! CC has YUMMY, thick pp, not to mention all kinds of other goodies for a scrapper to play with. because of this little birdie, you're getting a sneak peak at some work that isn't going to be displayed in my gallery at the playground until the 20th! yay for you, lol!!

this was made with the Wanted line - love the colors!!!! and adding brown chalk ink just makes it all blend together!

this was done so long ago it seems - used the Storytime line - a circle journal entry.aaaah, Dutch Girl - I've had this collection of paper for so long and because I love it so much I was afraid to use it - but it works so nice with the red bazzil, the lace, the ink, and of course the picture of my brother and his new wife on their wedding day....and because I can't waist this yummy paper, I made a card with the scraps!

So if anyone from the COSMO world is out there looking I hope you like what you see! You guys are AWESOME!!! :)

I posted some easy challenges!

but I do hope that even though they are easy, you'll find them fun!

check them out!

and maybe if you post here that you did one and linked it to the thread I'll draw for a rak :)

http://piecesoftime.yuku.com/forums/81

My vacation:

I promised pictures - so here we go - hold on, could take a while! lol

***********

first, we went to my dad's in Snohomish, WA so that we could go to Neil's wedding in Port Gamble.

my brothers: Neil & Tyler

Tyler & Briana (my sister)My new sister-in-law, Jennifer! Isn't she adorable???The ADORABLE, CUTE, PERFECT flower girl :)aaah, Braden - what a kidthe cute, happy couple (photo credit goes to Hailee)

**********

After the visit with my dad and his family the kids and I went to my mom's to meet up with Kelly so we could go OVER the mountains to Kennewick to see the family there:

Braden's first experience on a tractor - he loved it, just didn't like Boppa holding him! lol

Kelly entertains the little ones (oops,didn't fix her redeye!)JanieMarie & Braden (she's only 4 months older)Kelly & I took a few of the kids for a walk around the park (Lizzy, Sandra, Kelly, JM, Cami, Hailee & Braden pulling up the rear!)

***************

After that trip, we head back to my moms. And here we stay for a while - we had dinner with Darren's parents, went camping, then before heading back home, met Darren's dad for lunch. It was a long and exhausting 2 weeks - Braden didn't do well with the first week, too many people trying to "get to him" when all he wanted was mom! lol Sorry about that everyone - he's in the midst of major seperation anxiety so it wasn't anyone's fault!

The kids with Darren's mom (MaryAnn) and step-dad (Steve)

Here I am - see I was there, too!the highlight of Hailee's vacation - feeding the horses behind my mom's house!

Poppy fishes with Haileeand now she's on her own!the kids enjoyed the water, Braden's first time in "open water"

Braden takes a breakHailee *thinks* she's going deep! lolMe and my kid do the paddle boats (she pooped after 30 minutes!)on the way home we stopped at a fruit stand - couldn't pass on this picture!Grandpa Garry with the kids - Braden finally warmed up a bit!

and finally, lunch with mom before the airplane trip home (yes, same booth from the day before with Garry! lol)

so that's it - if you made it this far I thank you! we did have a great time - busy, but fun! It was wonderful seeing everyone and I hope to do it again.....NEXT YEAR!

WorldWin and a challenge!

Today is upload day over at the playground! Here are a few of my projects using the FANTASTIC worldwin cardstock! I love this stuff and am so glad I was given the chance to use it. I admit I was set on Bazzill only, but I'm loving this stuff now, too!

Also, click on the link for USE YOUR STASH over on the right, today Kimmie and I will have our first challenge posted!!! It's a good one, you won't want to miss out!

oh the FUN!

Kimmie and I are starting something new. You know Kimmie, her mind is always working, never sleeps - so she came up with an idea and we ran with it! Check us out at http://useyourstash.blogspot.com/! You're sure to be inspired!

We are in the works on our first challenge now - so stay tuned - and bookmark us so you can find us whenever you need a mojo boost!!!

do you like to shop?

for scrap goodies? I found a great store not too long ago and thought I'd share - because they impressed me! the items come wrapped in tissue paper, tied with raffia and has a little chocolate on there! how great is that? I just placed another order with them and told them I'd share their link with my friends....so here I am. go to http://www.emmaspaperie.com and check out their store...and their blog!

do you read blogs?

you really should. reading blogs could benefit you. you could learn something new. or even win prizes. really, you should read blogs frequently.




bwahahaha!

Time to submit!!!!

Aug/Sept 2008 Calls For Ready-Set-Create

Please copy and paste the short submission form into an email to Jen@readysetcreate.com.The deadline is 7/10/08 at midnight MSTIf your work is selected you will be notified, and receive a free downloadable copy of the issue your work appears in

Submissions must not be included in any online galleries, blogs, or stores until at least 30 days after the issue your work appears in has been released.

www.readysetcreate.com

Page calls for Aug/Sept:

Any altered projects
Open Gallery (any theme)
Card Corner (any theme)
Parent layouts
Stickers
Hybrid anything
Things that have wheels

Email: _________________
Project title:_____________
By:____________________
Supplies:____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________any

questions? My email door is always open, send me an email! Jen@readysetcreate.com

Calling all my blog lurkers!

after 2 weeks in Washington State with family - I learned that a lot of my family/friends read my blog. This is news to me. Why? BECAUSE THEY DON'T COMMENT!!!! Please people! take the time to say hello, just so I know that my blog is being read and isn't a waste of time :)


and stay tuned - I have about 150 "keepable" pictures to work on and will share some with the highlights of my vacation!

Love and hugs to all!!!!

We are packed!

okay, so there's a little left to do - but since we don't leave for the airport until 2pm, I've got time!

Hailee is SO excited! Braden is too, but doesn't know why! lol I can't wait to see everyone....leaving Darren is hard, but once I get to Seattle I'll be fine - 2 weeks is a long time but we're going to be so busy that time will just fly by!

we'll be back late on the 28th with a full camera card, so be ready!!!!

I'll leave you with a pic of a little guy that hung out on our patio for a couple days - unfortunately nature sucks and he didn't make it - falling from the nest was bad for him I suppose. but the kids loved having him around...the little guy wasn't scared so we were able to pet his back gently, great thing for the kids to experience.

I love Busy Bee!!

stupid blogger won't let me edit my layout to put this blinkie on the left - so Kristi - it's here!!!

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy day to all the mom's out there celebrating! Enjoy the day!

to my mom - I love you and miss you - can't wait to see you! You're the BEST!!!!

SUBMIT SUBMIT SUBMIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We have extended the deadline for our page calls for our June/July issue of Ready-Set-Create. We're looking for cards of any theme, any altered art, Dad layouts, summer layouts, vacation layouts, patriotic layouts, felt projects and anything using punches - paper, digi or hybrid, we love it all! If your work is used you will receive a free download of the issue.

Submissions must not be included in any online galleries, blogs, or stores until at least 30 days after the issue your work appears in has been released.
please use this format (below) for submissions and submit to jen@readysetcreate.com

Email:

Project title:

By:

Supplies:

deadline extended to 5/15/08

Hugs being sent

My friend, Kimmie, had to go to a funeral today - sending hugs to her and her family!

also - to The Short family - know that if I had the means of being there last week I would have - Grandpa will be missed. Even though he had been sick, it doesn't make losing him any easier. The kids and I will see you soon.

Hailee, Great-Grandpa, and Braden - December 2006

A few pictures of Braden celebrating - his way

Isn't this what every 2 year old boy wants to do on his birthday?

he didn't mind helping me clean the spatula after frosting his cake :)

then of course there's the waiting outside for Daddy to show him this frog! (this is his normal "wait for daddy" pose!)

Pictures of him opening cards and his tractor are on Darren's camera so those will come later!