Procrastination!

Nothing like waiting 'till the last minute for inspiration!

Jonathan's student teacher, we'll call her Miss Angi 'cause I can't remember her name, is finishing her last week with his class this friday. She has been an amazing help and took on the teaching roll moreheavily when Mrs. Rojo was out for health problems. Such a sweet girl.

Anyway, Mrs. Rojo wanted to show her appreciation for Miss Angi by throwing her a suprise party. She secretly sent home notes with everyone asking to send a little gift.

Well, I don't like to buy things like stationery. I think they are so impersonal. So, yesterday, after the boys cleaned the bathrooms, I sat down and ignored the needs of my family to make a special gift for Miss Angi. Just Kidding, they were not ignored. I heard everything they asked for and told them where to find what they wanted.

After racking my brain, and peeking at Erin's blog for inspiration, I found perfect paper and stuff to create. I used paper and tags from K & Co.; brads, flowers and bling from CTMH, and some $1 ribbon from Target....Hope you like!

Tradition!

I love Fiddler on the Roof! But this post has nothing to do with that except the word TRADITION! that I must sing whenever I say it, or think it....

My family has a few traditions. They come from both mine and Robert's sides of the family. One that I am very proud of the fact that we both come from military families. Our dad's were Army/Air Force. Our brothers are Army/Navy. Makes for fun football!

Robert is an Air Force Brat, grew up mostly in England. Someday we will go there..

I missed out being a Brat by a year and a half. After my older sister was born, my dad left the Air Force as there was a surplus of Officers.

Currently, I have one brother who has been pulled into Army life. He is Navy, Reserve at the moment. He recieved notice earlier this year that the Army wanted him in Iraq in June. He has been training for a little over a month now on the East Coast. It is very worysome for me that he will be going to the middle of the war zone for such a long time. It never occured to me that he would be loaned to the Army. I always thought that if he ever had anything to do in this war he would be on a big boat or submarine somewhere in the Pacific. Although, how much involvement that would be is debateable.

Robert has a brother who spends time in the war zone at least once a year. His last time out, his number was called and he ended up back stateside a little early with an injury. That kid has more lives than a cat!

So with the injury of one brother and another brother headed into the thick of things, I worry!

I've always looked up to my brother. He probably doesn't know that. He always made the right decisions and makes mom and dad proud. He earned an amizing scholarship to the university of his choice from the Navy. He was the first in our family to serve an LDS mission in Africa in the Johannesburg, S. Africa mission. He returned to finish his program at school and had an outstanding career with the Navy.

My brother is a good example to my kids and helps teach them hard work. Last summer, I took the kids on an extended vacation heading to California and back. On our way down, we stayed a couple of days with him. He was preparing his garden for the summer and had the kids help him plant corn. The kids complained a bit because it was hot and a bit of work too. A week or two later we were back and they helped weed the garden. They were so excited to see the seeds they planted start coming up. We went to California to visit my little sister for a couple weeks (another story for another time) and came back. The kids were able to help harvest the corn they had planted. What a wonderful lesson!

I don't feel that I've had a very good relationship with my brother. He is five years older than I and we are quite different from each other. This is the first time, that I remember, any of my siblings actually going into a war zone. It scares me. But, I support him and all the others serving our country 100%. I appreciate their sacrifice. I am grateful for the service they give our country and for the examples they are to my children. I love my brother and my brother-in-law.

Having dinner with my brothers (and sister, and cousins, and friends) while on leave.

Things that make me happy...

Ok, wow, 2 in one day!

I just wanted to share things that make me happy..

Today, Katie came into my room to try to wake me up. She ended up waking up Robert and we played for a good half hour. Then the boys came in. They're not so small anymore! So we had our Saturday tickle session. Gosh, I love that!

I went grocery shopping without the kids. I love that!!

I came home and instead of cramming the grocerues wherever they are supposed to go, I cleaned the refridgerator and reorganized! My clean and organized fridge makes me happy!

Then, I needed a nap. I didn't take it. I decided to play and make the pages from the previous post.

I thought that I that fridge really made me happy and I want to share.

I'm also going to share 2 pages I made a while ago that I never put on my website.

These make me really happy....

And here is a digi lo of Jonathan that I am really proud of....

Ok, that's all for now.

Later.

Magic Moments

So, I just got my latest shipment from Close To My Heart... a week ago. I had to play, finally.

Magic Moments is the latest Constant Campaign From CTMH. It is the super, awesome special for National Scrapbooking Month. Click here for details. So, using nothing but the CTMH materials that came in the package (and one American Crafts black marker) here is a 2 page spread that I did. I decided, for simplicity's sake that I would follow the examples that came in the package. The hardest thing was choosing the photos and resizing them.

Without further ado, here ya go.



Hope ya like...

This n' That

Well, here I am. I finally decided to jump off the cyber cliff and become a blogger. I can't say that this will be done on a daily basis but hopefully a couple of times a week... maybe...

So, "This n' That", or a couple of reasons I'm putting myself out there:

• I'm a scrapper, ie. I am a life artist. I capture life on digital film and document it in digital and paper format. I hope to post my art as often as I create it.
• I love my family (I have a big family!) and I want to keep in touch with them. I am "Grandchild #50" on my mom's side of the family. There are 65 total and probably triple that for the great grands! My dad's side is not so big, but they are just as important. I am # 6 of 11 on dad's side. I married into a wonderful family and love them as much as my own.
• Important things like: life, death and all of the above need to be recognised by me mostly. Examples: My mother-in-law has cancer. One of my Aunts is dying of cancer. My favorite cousin just got married Saturday. I saw some friends and family I hadn't seen in years, it was wonderful. My husband was in a roll-over accident and walked away. I have 3 beautiful,smart, witty children whom I adore.

Well, I must go get cupcakes for Gabe's class to celebrate his birthday.

This is a start. I'm off work today so i'll post pix later.

Thanx for comming and watch me jump!!