The camera went to the pool...

Oh wait I think going to the pool was supposed to be about the kids having fun... Oh well I had fun! I am really trying to work on action shots, I think I need some pointers on what my camera should be set on. Also it would be nice if my son would look at me every now and again. He certainly has the "please don't take my picture again" thing happening. Linds on the other hand would let me take pics of her for days on end. At least when the baby gets here I will be able to add a subject that has no say one way or the other for a few years. LOL!!!

Last night we started the invitation process, got all the printing done! Now it's on to assembly, really I should be doing that now, but playing with pictures is so much more fun.

 

Can this day get any crazier...

I have been at this computer for the last 4 hrs and done nothing fun! Balance all the many accounts, send payments, write bills, being the accountant is so not fun! I think I must have spent too much time playing with the camera yesterday. I did get some shots that I love, my dh doesn't seem to think that I am doing any better with this toy then with the old point and shoot. I disagree, but I am still on the learning curve. I am going to sign up for a class at the store we bought the camera. I tend to think I know how to do things and well maybe that is why some photos just don't work. I do really love the camera, just one downfall it's heavy!

We are off to the pool one last time today, the rest of the week I must get work done. Not to mention that I need to organize for my MOA scrapfest trip. We leave next week thursday, so I guess that means there is always next week wednesday to prep for that, right??? LOL! Better get going for today, the kids are getting whiney. You think it's safe to bring the new toy to the pool? I really don't think I can leave home with out it!

I got a new toy!!!

I am so excited Jeff had the day off today and we took a trip to the camera store! I have been hemmin and hawwin about a new camera for awhile. Seems my little point and shoot has pasted its prime and well it was time to take the next step. I now am the proud owner of a Nikon D70s, whatever that means! We went with the Nikon cuz Jeff's old 35mm was a Nikon and he already had a very nice telephoto lens that would only work with another Nikon. Nice how they do that to ya. I have been reading the manual and playing with it for a couple hours now. I like these shots I got of the kids, not sure what settings I was using, but like 'em. It has been a rainy day here and I am so hoping that tomorrow the sun will shine, I wanna take my new toy outside. 

Me layout! Ok so I really wanted to keep this to a single page, but I just had too many questions. I like how it turned out, very simple, yet lots of fun too! 

Kitty layout, I am loving these SU chipboard letters! 

Life is better!

I would say life is great, but I don't want to jinx myself. Got some me time in over the last couple days and it really cheered me up. On friday I helped teach a scrappin class for a wifes group that was on convention with their husbands. They were a total hoot and we had such a blast that it just knocked the bad attitude right out of me. Spent the rest of the day running here and there with the kids, we got our school supply shopping all done. Backpacks are packed and we are ready for day one! Yipee! Then got a wonderful call from a friend inviting Linds to spend the night. Ya gotta always say yes when someone just calls out of the blue and wants to take your kid away for a night. I got to spend some awesome time with just K. We played walkie talkies, went to the grocery store, did some dishes and even helped me put away some laundry. I haven't spent very much time alone with him in what seems like forever. Ya know the deal the sons go with daddy and the daughters stay with mom. It was so nice, I need to remember to schedule in more time with just the two of us.

So today was the LSS crop day, very wonderful also. I got three LO's done! Ok so one I am not super happy with, but it just wasn't coming together. May have to work on that one some more at home. But the other two, I would post pictures but my camera battery is dead. You will have to check back tomorrow. Katie I did a LO with the picture you took of me, I love it! I used one of the blog questionaires that I think I got from Christine's. And I even used my HS mask, gotta go get more of those. I had such a blast doing it. Everyone enjoyed the class and make & take that I taught, so that was fun too! Now I am tired and really hoping that I can sleep the night through, we shall see.

Here's a silly one...

Scrapbook Diva!

Horray for a new day!

So yesterday I was not at my finest and that is putting it mildly. It just seemed like one icky thing after another. I woke up at 2 am and did not go back to sleep, had a crying fit around 4 am, then another cry session at 8 am, finally pulled myself together and started doing laundry just in time to realize that my dog is way sick. Gotta love washing the same thing over and over again like four times to be exact. Oh and I had promised the kids we would have a picnic at the beach and play there yesterday. I was praying for rain all morning. Didn't happen, we did make it to the beach, wasn't so bad. I just remember why we never go to the beach, I HATE sand! I did manage to stop at the LSS and grab a new mag, so I sat on the beach and made myself happier by looking at great ideas. Now is it amazing that while we were gone, like 3+ hours the dog does not get sick at all, but now that we are back at home it's every 20-30 mins! Plus my poor dh had people waiting for the archery shop at least an hour before he even got done with UPS! These are the days we seriously rethink our lifes.

So I am very grateful that I got as full of a nights sleep as a very PG girl can get, and that today is a new day. I feel a little less stressed, and the dog seems better. Of course it's just like a child we have to take her to the vet this afternoon and she seems fine. I'm off to the showers, that should make me feel even better, clean hair, clean clothes that's is always a good thing.

Opinions??? 
 
 


These are my favorites for the wedding invite. I am going to do the picture mounted on a blue cs then print the wedding info on vellum and attach over picture with a ribbon. There is more of course but that is the jist with the picture. So what do you all think, are the pictures ok or should we try getting some more, I need honest opinions. Thanks! 

Down on the farm.





So today we headed out to take some pictures of my SIL and her fiance for their wedding invitations. I think that we will be able to find a couple that will work, I took 60+ photos. I now know that I really do need a better camera. I also have my son convinced that of that too. As we were pulling out of the drive way and back onto the road my camera fell on the floor and rolled over towards the passanger door. My son says mommy your camera, I say it's fine, just don't open your door or it will fall out. To that my son answers I could do that mommy and then you could get a new camera. It is amazing what sticks in these little brains.

Ok so Sil wants pictures of the two of them with their horses, they run a big horse farm. This will be integrated into the wedding invite that I am making. I am getting excited now, because this picture was the big thing and now I can concentrate on doing my thing the crafty stuff! After we got their pictures the kids got a short ride on the horse. This is the first time that K has gotten on the horse, before he was just too scared. On the way down he told me that since he can ride an ATV he can go on the horse. I was skeptical but he did it. Linds, she just loves the horses and takes every chance to hop on when Aunt Jill will let her. 

The end of a hectic week or the beggining of a fresh one...

So Sunday is here and all I want to do is sleep. We have had a busy week with straightening up the house for guests. Thanks so much Julie and Katie for coming down and hanging out with me! I had a wonderful time and I really hope that you two enjoyed your time with me in the big town of Dodgeville. Shannon we really missed you! As I have said lots before Katie is our camera girl, so check her blog for photos. We did have a great lunch at a really fun place downtown, but sorry Christine we didn't get pictures of the food.

I do feel pretty good about all the stuff that got done around the house, I haven't had anything big like this to really need to do a good cleaning for and well the house needed it. I feel a whole lot less cluttered at the momement, let's just hope that I can keep it up until baby. Only six weeks to go!

So Julie borrowed a copy of the "Scrapped" movie and we stayed up late Friday night to watch. Well I think that we were all hoping for something a little different. I thought it would be a bit more on the silly side, it was a true documentary. Lots of very researched info, this would be a great movie for someone who was just starting in the sb world. All in all not a bad movie, just not what I expected. I really enjoyed the beggining when they were showing a woman and her scrap room, had to have dh watch that just so I could prove that no I do not have "so" much stuff. LOL!!!

Saturday we worked, sort of. I guess I feel pretty good about what I got accomplished, I did decide that I am a much better scrapper at home. I get ideas when I work on stuff and at a crop I never seem to have the right thing that I really want to make my page or picture work. And I think I do a little to much socializing. But I need the socializing so I will never stop going to crops!

Today the house is quiet, I have been asking for this for weeks and now I don't know what to do with myself. Jeff took the kids and they are working on hunting stuff, cameras, tree stands, fall food plots, they should be gone most of the day. So what should I do, well Jeff of course didn't leave the house without giving me an assignment, I am washing his hunting garb, at least there is no folding involved with this just into the washer, into the dryer and then into a plastic airtight bag. Ok I think I can handle this. I did do one thing for myself this morn, I washed my sheets and they are hanging outside! Oh I love line dryed sheets, makes me excited for bed time! I rarely get a chance to hang them outside, I think I am just a little to lazy to make the trek upstairs with wet sheets and then outside, but I forced myself today and I will be happy later! I really should pull my Year in the life book back out and keep working, but I think that I will read the paper and just relax.

Break Time!

I am doing another round of house cleaning and I need a break. Today it's a little dreary and rainy outside, perfect for cleaning or sleeping (really wish I was sleeping).

Ok so I already have comments on the pictures and no explanation, cool! Glad to hear that they are apreciated. So when i was posting these yesterday i was trying to get back in and do an update and guess what blogger wouldn't let me. I think that there must be some sort of cosmic force that is getting in the way of me and all that I have to say to the world. Oh well...

Ok so I have been trying to get in and have the kids pictures taken since the beggining of the month and yesterday was the third scheduled appointment and we finally made it. We tested out a new place called Portrait Innovations. They are new (in the last few months) to Greenway Station, just around the corner from Archiver's (which we didn't get time to stop at). Anyway I loved the experience and will most definitely be going back for "full" family pictures later this year. (Look for those in our x-mass cards!) I was a little bummed that we didn't get a decent one with me and the kids, the one I posted is ok, but not worth ordering prints of.

We also checked out another "new" house last night, very nice, but after much discussion I think we have decided to just stick it out in our perfect little house. Neither Jeff or I are very excited about doubling or tripling our current mortgage just for a little more space. Then of course came the talk about big money making dreams, I guess a co-worker and friend of Jeff's is just fed up with UPS and thinks it would be a great idea for him and Jeff to team up and have a huge sporting goods shop. Only thing is there is so little $$ in this business. At least I know that Jeff never has dreams of grandure and this would not be something he would just jump into. Ok so on to the next scheme, Jeff brings an add in from one of the home improvement stores, wouldn't this be a good idea, Jeff thinks he should just buy these garage kits and build them for people on the weekends. Buy the kit for 5, build and charge customer 20, I'm not so sure about that one either, but I know Jeff hasn't lost his sence of humor. God love him!

PhotoShoot7 

PhotoShoot6 

PhotoShoot5 

PhotoShoot4 

PhotoShoot3 

PhotoShoot2 

PhotoShoot1 

LO #2  

So here are the two LO's that I got finished this weekend. I really like the park one, I think it's just the colors that make me happy. I have way to many things to do and all I really want is to work on more pages. Life is rough sometimes. Well we are off to run some errands, gotta get a card swap in the mail and then to the bank and finally for the kids the pool. So no scrappin today. Maybe tonight i will work on some more stuff. I am really jealous of Christine and the fact that her kids are already back to school. I need some quite time and sending the kids to school would feel so wonderful, even though it would mean dragging my butt outta bed an hour earlier than I have been doing for the last month. I would do it just for some quite time.

LO #1 

Ready to Shop! 


ICK! Can I just say that I am totally frustrated with blogger or my computer today! This is try number three for an update here and well I can't decide if its me or blogger and it is just maddening!

Ok enough ranting...

I did manage to have a really nice weekend, think I over did it a little. I am way tired and cranky today, but oh well. Friday I got one LO done, but it's one that I like and I used the silly picture of my dh that I just am crazy for. It did get me in the mood and I got up early Saturday morn and finished off a two page spread with the pictures from the park and I even have journaling on there. That is always such a hurdle for me.

So the picture above is Linds of course and we took a trip to the new outlet mall in the Dells. Have I told you how much I love to shop, well I really, really love to shop. And this place was the best! All of my favorite stores, plus more that I could learn to love. Lots of places that Linds loves too. Alright I have really created a monster in Linds, she normally wants to shop longer than me. What will it be like when she is a teenager??? So anyway, Katie keep working on a Dells scrappin retreat cuz there isn't anything better (in my book anyway), than scrappin and great shopping.

Sunday I went on a cleaning spree, no I am not nesting! We had a rather icky accident in my bed some time Saturday night and well I needed to rent a rug-doctor to clean my matress. Figured if it was here I might as well do the couch and all the carpets. Every time we do carpets I am amazed at how much cleaner they look for the next couple days. Sorry gals I am sure by friday they will be back to their much ickier looking state. Yes this is our last Week in the Life get together this weekend and I am so excited that Katie and Julie will be coming to scrap and stay the night friday then scrap some more on Saturday. Shannon I know you are still up in the air, but I really hope you can make it out, you will most definitely be missed if you can't.

Well dh is due home early tonight so I must get some supper going for him. If things settle down I may try and post my LO's, we'll see.

TGIF!

Well it's friday and I am glad. I have spent the morning getting ready for my scrap group tonight. I have 7 pages all layed out to work on, anyone have a bet as to how many I will actually get done? If I can get two finished I will be happy.

Ok so yesterday was a fun day, my SIL is getting married in October and she has asked that Linds be the minature bride, Linds is very excited. We took a trip to the dress shop yesterday afternoon to try on a some dresses that Aunt Jill had approved. Of course they were all so cute, but we did settle on one. And well I didn't even think to bring my camera so I could take a picture. We ended up leaving the dress at the store, just a safer place for an all white dress. I really want to take a trip back and take some photos, am I crazy???

Then yesterday afternoon we (K, Lind, & me) had check ups. I have been prepping Linds for the last 6+ weeks about this. She needed to get all her shots so we can start Kindergarten. I kept comparing it to the ear piercing, saying it wouldn't hurt any worse than that and look at how good you did there. So she is all ready, we bring an animal to hold, get through all the weighing, measuring, blood pressure, and general look see by the doctor. Now it's time for the nurses to come back and finish with the shots. Doctor leaves and Linds starts wimpering "I don't want shots". I tell her it will be just fine, nurses come in, we get Linds to lay down on the exam table and by this time she is screaming bloody murder. I lean over her to try and settle her down (now the nurses have not even touched her yet), while I am holding her they do the shots anounce they are done, Linds sits up and the nurses ask if that hurt. What does my drama queen daughter say, "No". Screaming and tears turn off and away we go.

Big park fun


Alright I am not sure what weather forcast I was listening to yesterday when I said it looked like a great day to do the big park and big pool. The morning did not look promising, but we packed up a picnic lunch anyway and headed out. I really thought that we would get rained on so I left the swim suits and towels at home. We did get some great pics at the park, that is really all that I wanted anyway. I got some way cool park paper that I so want to use, but I didn't have the pictures I wanted. Julie and Katie you have created a picture taking monster. Well I got the pictures I need and if I can get some work done at my monthly crop group tomorrow night I may just scrap these. Big problem is when i get together with this group I spend the whole night talking. Can you imagine me just talking the night away and not getting a thing done. So back to the park story, the weather does look pretty good in the pictures and well it was beautiful. So good that I really wanted to go in the pool, I asked the kids if we should run home and change to pool wear, their answer YES! Can you beleive that? No pictures from the pool, I have more than enough of those. 

Adventures...


We have had some fun over the last two days. The picture here is of K and Sparky (the toad). The neighbor kid found the toad and told K he should keep it as a pet. Well I told K that we would keep it until daddy came home and then with daddy's help decide what to do with it. Daddy said of course K could keep it. First mistake, next mistake was mine. We put the toad in a great little container that was really meant for bugs, but seemed to work alright. Now I got busy, dinner, dishes, laundry. Fast forward to 8ish and K wants to tell sparky good night. Well I had told K not to leave the toad in the sun, we needed to put some water in that container, well direct sun and no water does not make a happy toad. Sparky was cooked well done to be exact. K was so upset we had to bury toad right then and there. We found a nice place under K's bedroom window in one on my un-used flower beds. Then we printed some pictures for K to sleep with, by morning K was fine and ready to find more toads. Boys! 

Wacky Wednesday!

Well it must be a wacky day cuz I am up and at this computer so early. We have big adventures planned for today, that is if I can get through some stuff here first. We are having issues with our computer, I have been sending emails for the last few days and getting no responses what so ever. Well last night I took to actually using the phone and calling to talk to a friend. We did some testing, I can get email, but for some reason when I send stuff it just goes into the blue abiss of somewhere and never to the recipient. I have to call our provider today and find out what is going on. Love this technical age! A heads up to Shannon, Katie, and Julie, I did try something different this am with details of croppin in Dodgeville this month so check your email and spam for a note from me. Let me know what you get.

Ok so back to our big adventure, we are taking a picnic lunch to the big park and then diving into the big pool. The kids are excited and the weather looks like it will be perfect!

We have also been kitty sitting for the last few days. Nana is in Cananda fishing and one of the provisions of her adobting the kitty was that we watch it when she went on vaca. As you can see kitty sitting is a very hard job! LOL!!! I think that kitty will be so happy to see Nana in a few days. We will miss her though. She is so funny, last night I was working on some swap cards, putting ribbon on and such, she hops on the table and was all over the ribbon. I was just waiting for her to put her paws in my open ink pads, but it didn't happen. Thank God, how would I explain a kitty with cranberry and thyme ink all over her feet. I am sure that she has picked up some wonderfully bad habits at our house, but isn't that what babysitting is all about, spoiling some little one and then giving them back to the "parents"? It's like reverse grandparent treatment!  

Weekend Crop Project  

Ok blogger doesn't seem to be liking me today, here goes try number three.

I was working on prepping my class for tonight and got that done a whole lot faster than I thought, so I moved right on to project number two. I am trying to not be the deadline queen for this go round. I am teaching a class for the LSS weekend crop in a couple weeks and we are going to do this 12 x 12 frame. I tried to keep it simple so that my students could use their creativity to make it their own. So what da ya think? I think it needs something, if it were mine I might add a big monogram letter somewhere and maybe some loving words about my dh.