All's Well That Ends Well

Letting Go a Little at a Time

2011-10-19T11:55:00.000-04:00

During a recent family trip to King's Dominion, I snapped this picture. I didn't realize its greater meaning until I was reviewing the photos from that day. This sweet girl is growing up, and letting her go on her own is hard for me to do. I created this simple layout to capture my feelings at this time in our lives.

Template from One Little Bird/Paislee Press/Biografitti - Epic template pack. Kit is called Innocence from Wild Blueberry Ink.

Our Kind of Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-18T09:14:00.000-04:00

We took advantage of the last hour of glorious sunlight on a beautiful Sunday afternoon and headed to our favorite pumpkin patch. With 12+ years of visiting pumpkin patches annually, we have had time to decide what brand of pumpkin patch is "ours." We've done the large agri-entertainment circuit - Belvedere Plantation in Fredericksburg, Cox Farms in Centreville. We've done the more home-grown but still a several-hour destination -- Snead's Farm in Fredericksburg, Cows n' Corn in Midland. We've done corn mazes like The Corn Maze in the Plains. We've even done a couple of trips to local farms that are no longer farms but have been transformed into housing developments now. In the end, we've decided our favorite is Owsberry Farm in Jeffersonton, right over the Culpeper County line.

It's really just a field with pumpkins and squash growing in it. And yet, there is something magical about that field. The kids spread out, a few looking for the perfect round pumpkin, but most looking for something different - a knobbly white squash; a long, curved crookneck; a bagful of stripy miniatures. When you've gathered your treasures, you get to weigh them - and if you guess the weight of your pumpkin, you get to pick something off of the "free" table. The kids love guessing the weight of each piece, comparing it to known quantities and deciding if its more or less, bickering with each other up or down a pound. We end up doubling our bounty with the freebies. "Entertainment" is a simple stacked pyramid of hay bales, and occasionally, a short hayride around the field. And that's it. There is no entrance fee and we come away with a renewed sense of happiness for not only the bounty of fall, but also for the bounty of this year of our lives.

Resolutions

2011-04-14T01:52:00.000-04:00

Daffodils blooming by our creek

I spent today in a training class for Girl Scouts. 15 women met in a park shelter and learned from two intrepid instructors how to cook over charcoal, wood, and propane fires; how to plan a camping menu; how to clean dishes with minimal impact to the environment; and some program activities to take part in with our troops.

This was outside of my comfort zone. I am very verbal with the kids about being outside in nature daily, but there are so many reasons that I don't follow what I preach. Not enough time. Pressing household chores. Too many bees (I'm highly allergic to yellow jackets and hornets). This spring I did allergy testing and discovered I'm allergic to almost every tree there is and most molds. The excuses keep piling up.

But after this outdoor training, (well, to be truthful, after the long sleep I took after the training), I am pledging to follow my own mantra of mandatory outdoor time each day, even if I can just eek out 15 minutes on the really busy days. This time refreshes and recharges in a way unlike anything else I've experienced (like a great yoga class). It's different from how I feel after reading, which is a soothing but rather escapist entertainment. Being outside in nature is grounding, centering, and clarifying.

The work of poet Mary Oliver illustrates this so clearly. She often starts her poems with a nature scene - observing a scene or encountering an animal - and ends with personal, startling, and powerful statements. Read her poem The Swan, which ends:
And did you feel it, in your heart, how it pertained to everything?
And have you too finally figured out what beauty is for?
And have you changed your life?

Yes.

When does it all change?

2011-04-08T14:19:00.000-04:00

I am loving that I can make my girls happy with such simple things now.

The 10 year-old is thrilled to have me curl her hair for 10 minutes.
The 7 year-old loves to read me a book in bed.
The 4 year-old wants to climb on my lap after dinner. Every night.

When do the requests for hair curling and book reading become cell phones and driver's licenses? How simple it would be to just remain like this, with three sweet girls who want to ride bikes, paint fingernails, and at the end of the day, climb on momma's lap.

One kit, many looks: Studio Calico's Sweet Shoppe kit (February)

2011-03-14T11:56:00.000-04:00

I subscribe to 2 wonderful kits: Studio Calico and The Scrap Room. I love being able to receive fabulous new scrapbooking kits each month without even leaving home.

February's Studio Calico kit was called Candy Shoppe and totally inspired me. I created 5 layouts with the basic kit (no add-ons) and have 1 full page of paper and many scraps to pull together another layout or some cards. I love how many different looks I was able to get from just 1 kit. All materials were from this kit, with the exception of some AC Thickers and stamps added for titles.

Titles are linked to the gallery at Studio Calico.

Would you like a spot of tea?
Everything from kit, except the yellow AC Thickers. The ribbon is stitched down into a ruffle.

They share a sweet tooth
Lots of machine stitching - through the hearts, and in the border. Design from a PageMaps sketch. "They share" is stamped with SC Addy stamps.

1st grade commute
Clouds stamped from SC stamp. Title is AC Thickers. The bird is paper pieced from Stampin' Up punches.

A Girl's Best Friend
Everything from the kit, except AC Thickers for title.

Just Dance Face-Off
Design from a Scrap Room sketch. Title is AC Thickers and a sans-serif stamp set that I had.

New Year's Resolutions

2011-01-02T20:43:00.000-05:00

This year I am keeping it simple. Here are my resolutions:

1. Pray more
2. Move more
3. Blog/journal more

I think these 3 things are crucial to so much - spiritual health, physical health, and emotional health. Movement and reflection.

For my "one word" for the year, I am still aiming for balance more than anything else, so that's my choice.

Thankful in 2010

2010-11-24T21:42:00.000-05:00

Free template from Paislee Press
Papers from Wishing Jar kit by Paislee Press

What We're Up to

2010-10-24T06:58:00.000-04:00

Here's what our family is up to this past week-

Pumpkin Patching

Carving

Decorating

Reading Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle to the kids - they are so amused by other kids' misbehavior.

Reading Del Toro's The Fall to myself - nice and scary

A certain 'tween in our house is learning to digi scrapbook.

A certain boy scout in our house is camping and learning about bats.
A certain almost 7 year-old just lost a front tooth (courtesy of her brother, who knocked it out by accident. Thank goodness it was really loose).
A certain 4 year-old is about to discover gymnastics today at a party. There's no stopping her after this.

Recent Layouts

2010-10-17T22:12:00.000-04:00

What a great weekend, both for family time and for scrapping. Here are some recent paper layouts:

American Crafts Set from The Scrap Room Oct.Kit

For the Sassy Lil' Sketches Oct. 7th Sketch and Challenge:

Pop!

Another one from the same kit. This was a lift from the design team member, Melanie Call:

Fall Fun

These are from the Bella Boulevard set (Oct. kit):

Growing Our Pumpkin Patch

Jump

Hay Ride

There are still two sets that I haven't touched yet. I always get a lot of mileage from The Scrap Room kits.

May Round-Up

2010-07-15T14:58:00.000-04:00

I follow Katie the Scrapbooking Lady's routine of "rounding up" the month. You can read more about it here.

May is one of our crazy-busy months, which winds down when school ends in June. We had so many things crammed into this month that our heads were spinning. Looking back, it's surprising that I only finished 2 books.

What books and/or magazines did I read this month?
What movies, television shows, plays, etc. did I watch this month?

Loved getting into the show Jericho. We seriously wanted to watch it every night.
Sherlock Holmes put me to sleep and so did The Men Who Stare at Goats.
What fun things did I do with my family and/or friends?
Friends birthday party
Neice's first communion
Sister's graduation dinner from law school
School dinner and auction
Great Train Race
Croquet Photo Shoot
Maggie Stiefvater Author visit
Chorus Band Concert
Started Tae Kwon Do (kids)
What gifts did I give and/or receive?

We got many wonderful things as a result of our school auction, thanks to my parent's generosity. They included: Bowling Party with our parish priest, party at a local bouncy place (will be used for my daughter's 4th birthday in a month), a puppet party (will be used for my other daughter's 7th birthday in the fall), a book party (really cool - they have dinner, talk about books, and go to the bookstore to choose a book), tae kwon do lessons for 3 months, young chef's academy lessons for 8 weeks. We certainly didn't expect to get all of that - just ended up that way. And it will certainly help out with the birthday parties this year!

Another thing we got from the live auction was the dinner bell that the 5th grade class made. This is a large bell that now sits on our porch, and we routinely use it to call the kids to dinner (who are often dispersed in different areas).
What special or unusual purchases did I make?
I fell in love with a pair of gorgeous cowboy boots and treated myself. I've never owned a pair and they are so comfortable. I'll be wearing them a lot when fall/winter come. I also got my hair and makeup done, and purchased some new makeup.
What illnesses or health concerns did I have?
Both Christopher and Rachel had croup and had to go on steroids and xopenex for a few days.
What were my accomplishments this month?
Christopher's grandmother and a talented artist friend redid Jacob's room. We helped by moving stuff around and doing his closet organization. His room is now a vibrant teal with an amazing dragon mural. It looks awesome.
What were my disappointments this month?
I was disappointed that my mother's back pain has increased.
How did I do on my goals for the month? (Or any current short or long term goals)
We made progress on the garden. Johnny built 4 more raised beds, for a total of 8. We had ordered gourmet tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers and we planted them. Unfortunately, a late frost damaged a few plants, but they bounced back.
Anything else noteworthy to include?

Layout this month:

Paper-

Digi-

Child Love Letter: May 16, 2010

2010-05-16T02:27:00.000-04:00

I'm taking my prompts from the neat site, baby love letters, which has weekly topics for you to write about to your child(ren). Where it's appropriate, I'll post here.

Dear Rose,

For a long time now you have been asking to have a “Mom and Me Day.” “What would we do?” I ask, and you say something like, “Go swimming!” or “Watch a movie.” I always felt somewhat helpless after talking about your plans, because in a family of four children and two working parents, it’s a challenge to find this time together. But I do believe it’s worth it to spend time together, just you and me.

I would like to plan some time when you and I can go out together, by ourselves, and do something extraordinarily fun. We can go swimming at the YMCA or we may be able to see a movie. We could eat ice cream out or go browse books at the book store. If it’s a lovely day you may want to spend time at the playground. It’s up to you!

If I could take you anywhere, I would like to spend an afternoon with you at the National Art Gallery. You love creating art, yes, but you also love examining and interpreting it as well. We could read about the different works and spend time talking about each one. Then we could stroll over to the Hirshorn and go through the outdoor sculpture garden. A perfect way to wrap up the afternoon would be to ride the carousel on the mall, something I did monthly as a child during our family’s visits to the Smithsonian. Maybe someday this will be a trip we can take together, just you and me.

Menu: May 15 - May 21

2010-05-15T19:54:00.000-04:00

Saturday, May 15

Tilapia with Parmesan Butter Topping
Orzo with Feta and Tomatoes
Sliced watermelon
Watermelon margaritas for adults (from Everyday Food May/June)
Note: This was a super-simple and yummy dinner - definitely ready in 30 min. or less.

Sunday, May 16

Eating dinner at Lovie & Opa's after croquet picture shoot - fried chicken, cole slaw, cornbread, etc.

Monday, May 17

Sweet n' Sour chicken (Mom & Me cookbook)
Rice
Mini egg rolls

Tuesday, May 18th

Chili in the crockpot
Corn on the cob
Toppings

Wednesday, May 19th

Pork Penne Pasta (frozen from last month)
Garlic bread
Green Salad
Asparagus or green beans

Thursday, May 20th
Fish tacos (from Rachael Ray)
8-layer dip (Everyday Living)
Tortilla chips

Friday, May 21st
Homemade pizza night

April Round-Up

2010-05-13T15:37:00.001-04:00

I follow Katie the Scrapbooking Lady's routine of "rounding up" the month. You can read more about it here.

What books and/or magazines did I read this month?

What movies, television shows, plays, etc. did I watch this month?

What fun things did I do with my family and/or friends?

Chrisopher and his cousin went to see Romeo and Juliet at our local university.
Dyed Easter Eggs
Celebrated Easter with family & friends
Spring break- lots of fun with friends, family
Visit to the Children's Museum
Lowe's building clinics
New riding lessons at the neighbor's - great pony
3 birthday parties, one at our local roller skating rink where we all got to skate

The kids performed "Alice in Wonderland" after several months of hard work
Poker night for dad
Hair cut/waxing/makeup for mom (what a treat!)
Character Dress-Up Day at School
Renee Bondi concert at School
Lots of excitement getting ready for the school auction
We saw "How to Train Your Dragon" in the theater with Grandma and Grandpa.

What special or unusual purchases did I make?
- Aside from spending an obscene amount of money at our local salon, I bought a new pair of cowboy boots. They are absolutely beautiful (squeal!) I've never had cowboy boots and just sigh everytime I look at these.
What illnesses or health concerns did I have?
- Rose had a bulls-eye rash around a tick bite, so she went into the pediatricians to be treated for lyme's disease. I also went into my doctor to have a tick bite looked at, and I need to follow up with bloodwork soon.
What were my accomplishments this month?
- Got ready for the auction, a big deal at our school (I didn't do much to help with the auction; I'm just talking about getting myself ready here, ha ha).
- Took the kids to 2 library programs - always a challenge with time
- Helped set up breakfast during an accredidation visit to our school
- We got the kids to all of their rehearsals and dress rehearsals. etc for their performance.
- The asparagus were growing strong and we managed to pick them and keep them relatively beetle-free (thanks to Johnny's ingenious system of using a shopvac to remove them).
- All the kids had their dentist appts. and look pretty good toothwise. Christopher has his orthodontist consulting appt. and will have braces put on this summer.
What were my disappointments this month?
- We had a memorial service for a coworker who passed away. It was so sad.
How did I do on my goals for the month? (Or any current short or long term goals)
- We continued to do lots of yard work. We stained the playsets and Johnny is working hard at replacing other parts of them as well (awnings, etc.).
Anything else noteworthy to include?
- April was a super busy month, full of our own projects (like staining the playsets and yard work) and the kids' scouting, drama rehearsals, birthday parties, and just normal life. Looking back, I think we worked our hardest and still had a lot of fun.
Layouts

Paper -

Digi-

March Round-Up

2010-05-13T13:15:00.003-04:00

I follow Katie the Scrapbooking Lady's routine of "rounding up" the month. You can read more about it here.

1. What books and/or magazines did I read this month?

Much of this month was spent finishing the behemoth, Under the Dome. Also, I didn't quite finish Diamond Age - just couldn't get totally into it.

2. What movies, television shows, plays, etc. did I watch this month?

3. What fun things did I do with my family and/or friends?

I went to an awesome crop (fundraiser for boy scouts) - it was lots of fun!
I chaperoned a lovely 5th grade trip to the nursing home - it was very heart-warming.
We enjoyed a St. Patrick's Day party with family and friends (it's a kid party).
The Cub Scouts bridged to Boy Scouts - that was a nice ceremony.
We went to the Academic Dinner at school, which was delicious and lots of fun.
The boys went on a "survival camping" at Rag Mountain and us girls stayed at Grandma and Grandpa's and visited the Petting Zoo.
We stayed busy with 2 birthday parties, scouts, drama practices and roller skating.

4. What gifts did I give and/or receive?

Just gifts for friends' birthday parties.

5. What special or unusual purchases did I make?

I bought a crop pass and cropped all of one Saturday - it was lots of fun and supported the boy scouts.
We purchased some items for the nursing home baskets.
I went shopping at a friends' vintage store and bought lots of fun vintage items to decorate with for Easter and in my scrapbooking room.

6. What illnesses or health concerns did I have?

The kids had a round of croup/colds that canceled some of their activities.

7. What were my accomplishments this month?

I taught Junior Achievement to the 3rd grade class over 5 weeks.
We participated in the Weecycled Wardrobe Consignment sale. It happens twice a year. I did a fair amount of working prepping, tagging, and entering clothing, toys, and some furniture. We did decide to get rid of the crib, dresser, and changing table. We made about $145, which means we sold about double that. I love depositing that check, because it means our things went to bless someone else's home and we decluttered our own.
I learned how to do heat transfer and rhinestones with my silhouette and made the girls on I some pretty cool shirts.
Christopher and Grace earned their scouting Catholic medals and were awarded them at the scout mass at school.

8. What were my disappointments this month?

Christopher was particularly disappointed to miss a cub scout trip to the science museum, and I was upset that yet another thing had to be missed thanks to respiratory problems.

9. How did I do on my goals for the month? (Or any current short or long term goals)

Trying to integrate exercise into my life - it's easier in the warm weather. Still wearing a pedometer most days and trying to hit 10,000 steps. Weight is holding steady but not going down (love to lose 5 pounds).
We mulched a great deal of the yard in preparation for hosting Easter and the spring/summer season. It felt so good to get things done outside!

10. Anything else noteworthy to include?

Rose lost her first tooth this month, on March 18th! She was so excited for the toothfairy to visit.

My layouts this month:

Paper layouts:

No digital layouts this month.

February Round-Up

2010-03-26T09:40:00.000-04:00

I'm doing a poor job of staying on top of the blog. But I'm determined to keep doing the round-ups as a way to get the monthly memories down. The idea for my monthly round-ups comes from Katie the Scrapbooking Lady. It's a great tool to recap what you're doing each month.

What books and/or magazines did I read this month?
What movies, television shows, plays, etc. did I watch this month?
What fun things did I do with my family and/or friends?
The impact of major snow storms dominated February. The kids were out of school for half of the month, tons of activities were cancelled or rescheduled, and life's business ground to a halt under more than 2 feet of snow.

We did manage to still have Grace's birthday party, themed a Valentine's Birthday, on Feb. 13th. She had 13 girls over for a couple of hours and they had a blast.

Johnny and John also celebrated their birthdays, and we had a nice family dinner at Jenna's.

We celebrated the Blue & Gold Banquet with the Cub Scouts, and Christopher's den were the guests of honor, as they will be bridging in March. Both Grace and Christopher earned their Catholic Scout medals and were awarded those in a scout mass at school.
What gifts did I give and/or receive?
Grace and Johnny's birthday presents. Going to Disney was a large part of Johnny's birthday present. He also got from us The Zombie Handbook, and the Godfather trilogy and the Matrix on DVD. The snow storms made it impossible to shop further.

From us Grace received Kaya, the American Girl doll; a blue sock monkey; Emu boots; assorted books; and a shirt from Justice.
What special or unusual purchases did I make?
It took us all weekend to make our way home from Florida, so we had some unexpected costs in the form of hotel rooms.
What illnesses or health concerns did I have?
Our health was pretty good this month, mostly because the kids were out of school for so long. However, my father had back surgery and I went to stay with my parents for a few days to help him out. Seeing him in that much pain was very, very hard.
What were my accomplishments this month?
I was proud that we made it through so many snow storms with relative peacefulness. It always makes me very nervous to have a snow storm occur that cripples our transportation - it means possible loss of electricity, which in turn means our nebulizer would not run if Rachel had respiratory problems. It also means we could not get out to s hospital in the case of an emergency). But, Johnny's calm and competent manner was very reassuring and I took it all one day at a time.

I was also happy that we were able to celebrate Grace's birthday with both friends and family.
What were my disappointments this month?

Nothing that I can think of, besides the frustration of cancellations and snow issues.
How did I do on my goals for the month? (Or any current short or long term goals)

Finances are tight due to the Disney vacation on the heels of Christmas. Also, exercise ground to a halt during the frigid temperatures and not being able to go outside. Getting into better shape physically and financially is a major goal for the next 6 months.
Anything else noteworthy to include?

Here are my layouts for the month:

Paper layouts:

Digital

January Round-Up

2010-02-10T06:55:00.000-05:00

The idea for my monthly round-ups comes from Katie the Scrapbooking Lady. It's a great tool to recap what you're doing each month.

What books and/or magazines did I read this month?

What movies, television shows, plays, etc. did I watch this month?

Johnny and I continued watching "Heroes" on DVD. As a family we watched the animated - but not particularly for kids - movie "9," and loved it.
What fun things did I do with my family and/or friends?

We went to Disney! It was a wonderful week.

We also had friends over for dinner and then family and friends over for fondue.
What gifts did I give and/or receive?

Lovie and her friend Traci redocorated Grace's room and surprised her when we returned from Disney. It was an absolutely lovely transformation from a baby nursery to a young lady's room.
What special or unusual purchases did I make?

A large purchase was our 6-day tickets to Disney.
What illnesses or health concerns did I have?

Rose had strep and Christopher continued his battle with croup, which lingered as a cough for about a week.
What were my accomplishments this month?

Being able to help my father go to some tests and x-rays in preparation for sugery. I was happy that we could re-arrange schedules and such for me to carve out 2 days to go there.

Pulling off a trip to Disney.
What were my disappointments this month?

We had to say goodbye to our sweet cat Cleo, who has been with us for the last 13 years. I wrote more about that here. I really miss her.

We had a hard time getting home from Florida due to an intense snow/ice storm, and we ended up staying in hotels for 2 extra nights. I didn't like adding the cost or inconvenience, but it kept everyone safe.
How did I do on my goals for the month? (Or any current short or long term goals)

Between snow, illness, and Disney this was not a very productive month for work or school. However, the trip was wonderful and really made some fabulous memories.
Anything else noteworthy to include?

We had some really wonderful meals at Disney. We ate at the Biergarten, our favorite German buffet at Epcot, and Boma, a wonderful African buffet at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. We also ate at Japan in Epcot and in Frontierland at Magic Kingdom (fish n' chips place).

Layouts I made this month:

Paper -

Digital -

Love Letters to the Kids

2010-02-08T22:02:00.000-05:00

Through February 14th, this amazing little template is available for free here, from Katie the Scrapbooking Lady. With a few minor changes, I made these ATC-sized Valentines for my children for V-day:

Highlights from Epcot; Day 1

2010-01-25T08:14:00.000-05:00

We spent our first day at Epcot. The weather was wonderful - about 80 degrees at the high. Here are some highlights from our trip:

Rose rode a super fast rise, Test Track, and loved it. She is definitely my roller coaster girl.
We rode Nemo, the Mexican boat ride, and Norway's Maelstrom together.
We ate a late lunch/early dinner at the Biergarten. It was such a treat to have the German buffet and we love the Oopma show.
The kids loved - I mean really loved - the miniature village outside of Germany. Johnny and I loved the Kim Possible trick that turned the village people into zombies.
We played at Innoventions together and Christopher and Rose sat through a hurricane simulation. Graceblew her $25 disney card on candy and a necklace. I think she felt regretful about all the candy - she said it came out of the dispenser "really fast."
Rachel kept searching for princesses all day, and called for Jasmine all through Mexico. I think she's a little confused.
We were really dragging by the time we got to America in the World Showcase. I was ready to head home and sent Grace into The American Adventure show to retrieve Johnny who was waiting for us to come out of the bathroom. She came out carrying a nicely scripted card, saying that our family had been selected as "The First Family." It was actually really cool - we got a special balcony seating to wait a singing group and then we were able to enter the theatre first. We also were introduced to the whole theatre. We thought Grandpa would have really liked that.
We finished the night by tasting soft drinks from around the world, and then riding Spaceship Earth, which has to be one of my favorite rides in the whole park.
We are going back to Epcot later this week. Here's what we have left on our list to do: Ride Soarin' at the Flight Pavilion, have Mom ride Test Track, Ride Mission Mars, Shop at Japan, Tour China and see the Dragon Legend Acrobats, take Dad to see the Beatles cover band in the UK, and watch Honey, I Shrunk the Audience.
By the end of the day, we had logged almost 17,000 steps according to my pedometer, a little more than 8 miles.

Goodbye, Cleo

2010-01-20T15:15:00.000-05:00

We had to say goodbye to our sweet cat, Cleo, today. She had been drooling for a little while and her tongue seemed perpetually stuck in her mouth (although she could move it). It turns out that she had a sizeable tumor in her mouth that was unremovable. She was in little pain and was still somewhat playful at home, although very much slowed down. I keep thinking of the last 13 years with her and wanted to keep a list to scrapbook some time when the tears stop.

I got Cleo from the SPCA as a tiny kitten, right before Johnny and I got married. I brought her to my parent's house the weekend before the wedding. She loved my wedding train and would jump on it, much to our horror. Now it's one of my favorite memories of her.
She is a runt. I always loved her petite size and her fluffy tail.
She is all black, but never gave anyone bad luck.
She loved water and would balance precariously on the toilet, trying to reach the low-pressure water level.
She also would jump into the shower after I was done to lick the floor and walls.
She was my laundry buddy. She would lay across the clothes and then attach each one as I lifted it up.
She loved strings and up until the day before she died, would play with any dangled before her. Yesterday I was wearing a brown sweater vest with a tied string belt and she loved to play with that string.
She never yowled or complained. I haven't heard her cry in a long time, until today when I put her in the car to go to the vet.
She never got over her hatred for our other cat, Caesar. She daily...for 13 years...hissed and clawed at him if he got too near. She really didn't like many other people at all, come to think of it.
Cleo loved me unconditionally. The past two years have been so wonderful with her. I haven't been pregnant (when I avoid the cats due to fear of toxoplasmosis) and I have been able to snuggle with her each night. She has curled by my feet or head every night for the past two years. Much of that time she has been purring...loudly.

Menu for Jan. 16 - 22

2010-01-18T20:44:00.000-05:00

Saturday, Jan 16

Cabbage rolls

Sunday, Jan 17

Minestrone
Bisquick Drop Biscuits with garlic butter

Monday, Jan 18

Quiche Lorraine
Steamed Broccoli

Tuesday, Jan 19

Chicken spaghetti (Pioneer Woman Cooks cookbook; we made two last week and froze one).
Crescent rolls
Salad

Wednesday, Jan 20

Slow-cooker Cranberry Pork
Mashed potatoes
Green beans

Thursday, Jan 21

Baked ziti (Mom's recipe)
Green beans
Garlic bread

Friday, Jan 22

Pizza

I've Been Having Fun

2010-01-18T09:52:00.000-05:00

I love browsing all of the digi shops/shoppes and drooling over the goodies. I downloaded so much stuff this past weekend (mostly free, but there were several kits from The Sweet Shoppe) that my satellite bandwidth is approaching the max level when I get throttled back. So, I'll have to wait until I am next at work to download some more. This is actually a good thing, because it forces me to use what I have. Many of these templates are extremely versatile. I want to push myself to use them many times, rotating or flipping them, turning large photo spaces into 2 smaller, etc.

Here is one that I did with one of the December Digi Files, a cool kit from Wetfish Designs. The template is from CK - it's their downloadable PSD from the Jan issue:

And this one is from the January Digi files, a kit by Traci Reed called "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong." The template is from Laurie Pecotte at Jessica Sprague:

Dabbling in Digi

2010-01-07T12:33:00.000-05:00

I've been a paper scrapbooker for the past 12 years, since I got married and my mother-in-law dragged me to a workshop to learn how to scrapbook my honeymoon photos. I never considered myself crafty - I'd always had a head in a book or writing a story during my childhood - but I quickly grew to love this new hobby. In 1994 I learned how to set an eyelet, and left Creative Memories for more artistic forms of scrapbooking.

I like how digital scrapbooking has evolved over the past couple of years, and how some notable paper scrappers, like Ali Edwards and Cathy Zielske, starting embracing the digital format and creating some stylish templates and kits. But I have maintained that since I sat in front of a computer several hours a day as a Web developer, I didn't want digital to be my outlet. I love working with paper and putting things together with my hands.

But something happened to me this past fall. I have been very inspired by the work of Katie the Scrapbooking Lady, starting with her Tuesday Tutorial on Ali's blog about using the same template in different ways. The flexibility of what she was describing impressed me - purchase one template, use it many times for different types of layouts. I bought one of Ali's templates and created a layout. A month later, I used the same template again. Then, the possibilities seemed amazing to me. I visited blogs, downloaded lots of freebie templates and kits, and purchased the Daily Digi's monthly Digi files, which seem to be an amazing value.

I've been having fun. I've scrapped more layouts in a couple of weeks than I usually do in a productive month. I love how digital allows me to tell my story more completely and more freely than the constraints of paper. I just uploaded my first batch of layouts to Costco in lustre and glossy formats to compare, and I will file them away. Another bonus? I can print more than one copy if the layout applies to more than one child. I love that.

I can't imagine leaving paper totally behind right now. I love making cards and I think that holding that on your hand is a special connection. But for me right now, this works.

Here are some of my recent digital layouts:

-Ali Edwards Template 13
-Paper and elements - Carina Gardner 2Peas Freebie

-Ali Edwards Template 13
-Paper and elements - Tracy Howard Snow Day kit, part of December Digi Files

-Jessica Sprague Template 02
-Crystal's December Sparkle Christmas Pack & Holiday Decor, JessicaSprague.com

Quick Page from January Daily Digi by MLewis (not sure of the artist's name)

Papers - Citrus Tea Collection by ScrapArtist, part of December Digi Files
Template by Janet Philips from the Daily Digi

Menu – Sunday, Jan. 3 – Friday, Jan 8th

2010-01-02T15:25:00.000-05:00

Sunday –
Roast Turkey
Stuffing
Steamed Asparagus

Make 2 chicken pot pies and freeze

Monday-
Beef and mushroom stew over rice

Tuesday-

Chicken Pot pie – just bake (Pioneer Woman Cooks, p. 127)

Wed-

Loaded Potato Soup in crock pot (Southern Living recipe)
Steamed Artichokes

Thurs-

Fancy Macaroni and Cheese

Baked Acorn Squash

Fri-

Homemade pizza

December Round-Up

2009-12-30T19:59:00.000-05:00

I got the idea for the December round-up from Katie the Scrapbook Lady, whose blog I have come to love in the few short months since I found out about it. This is a great way to summarize your month and provide a springboard for new layouts.

What books and/or magazines did I read this month?

What movies, television shows, plays, etc. did I watch this month?

We got Star Trek and Harry Potter VI on DVD, so I enjoyed watching those. I also watched Emma, but it was rather slow. We wrapped up the Terminator: Sarah Connor series, which I loved and Johnny didn't like at all. We saw lots of kid movies of course, and we treated ourselves to a movie with friends in the theatre: The Princess and the Frog.

What fun things did I do with my family and/or friends?

Since it was December, we had lots of family time this month: dinners at Lovie's and Opa's for Christmas, Jenna's birthday, and just because; time at Grandma and Grandpa's; concerts at school; and a few play dates in there too. We had a few fun family excursions, like going on the Santa Train and then going to breakfast at IHOP afterwards. There was plenty of Cub Scouts (with Santa too) and Girl Scouts, and a birthday party or two for the kids. I have a run-down of daily December activities previously on my blog.

A couple of my favorites from the Santa Train -

What gifts did I give and/or receive?

Since it was Christmas, we gave and received too many gifts to mention here. Johnny got his Nautilus weight set, and I got a number of Wii fitness programs, a yoga mat, and an ab ball. I also got the new rhinestone kit for my silhouette, so I am dreaming of setting rhinestone designs for the girls' clothing. Memorable kids presents: A Nikon digital camera for Christopher and a huge Lego set; the Kit American Girl doll for Grace (she actually wept over not getting a digital camera too, but her birthday is coming up); a full size keyboard and stand for Rose; and assorted toys for Rachel.

What special or unusual purchases did I make?

Christmas gifts and Johnny's Nautilus was our big purchase for the month. We also replaced our cellar door, which cost a little bit extra and is making a big difference in the comfort of our house.

What illnesses or health concerns did I have?

This was the month of the cough. First Rachel had one, then I had another, which everyone else promptly caught and we are still. all. coughing. Rachel and Christopher's turned into croup (or upper airway distress) and they both spent a week on steroids. The nebulizer is still going daily for both of them.

I am very sad that my mother's back improved and now has worsened, and my father injured his hip and is still in some pain. I cannot stand seeing my parents suffer, and they are waaaaay too young to be having these types of problems.

What were my accomplishments this month?

Orchestrating Christmas in a relatively calm manner, even with a few weeks of illness put in there.

Wrapping up most of my work projects before taking vacation. I also filed all of my layouts in respective albums, and am working to catch up the kids' school albums.

I joined the Seasonal Reading Challenge on GoodReads and am working towards some more variety (or serendipity) in my reading selections.

What were my disappointments this month?

The massive snow storm that we got disrupted the school celebrations and performances. None of the kids have had christmas parties in class and the kindergarteners still need to put on their performance. Hopefully they will catch up shortly after going back to school.

I am also disappointed that I was not able to contain Christopher and Rachel's breathing problems better, and that they ended up back on steroids.

Anything else noteworthy to include?

We were very sad to say goodbye to our sweet family dog, Shash, on Friday, December 4th. Her arthritis was very advanced and she was unable to walk any further. I think of her every day. It snowed the day after her passing, and that was heartbreaking. She loved the snow so much.

Here we are making snow angels together in March 2009.

Layouts I did this month:

I also made card sets for teacher/scout leader gifts, and a Basic Grey Calendar for my mother (which is like doing 12 layouts).

Dec 16 - Dec 23rd Summary

2009-12-29T15:41:00.000-05:00

Dec 16th - 3rd Grade Christmas Concert and Night Before Christmas Production.

Dec 17th - Phone calls from Santa

Dec 18th - Favorite Christmas Movies

Each year we love to watch Elf, Polar Express, A Christmas Story, The Toy Who Saved Christmas, and Fred Claus.

Dec. 19th - Snow Storm

Dec. 20th - Making Snowman Pretzels

Dec. 21st - Sledding

Dec. 22nd - Sleeping Under the Tree

Dec. 23rd - Jacob Sledding

Menu December 18 - Dec 26

2009-12-18T10:21:00.000-05:00

Snacks: chex mix

Fri - homemade pizza

salad

snow storm!

Sat - shrimp scampi

garlic bread

green beans

snow storm!

Sun - roast turkey

stuffing

sweet potatoes

mini marshmallows

Mon - minestrone

rolls

Tues - Over the Top Nachos

Chicken Tortilla soup

Wed - chicken n' dumplings

jenna's recipe

Thurs - Christmas eve, at lovies

Friday/Sat - Christmas, at parents

Our December So Far

2009-12-16T19:12:00.000-05:00

This holiday season so far has been so nice - relatively stress-free, healthy, and full of fun activities. I haven't put my pics in my December Daily album, but though I'd recap what I have so far for Dec. 1-15.

Dec 1- The girls and I enjoyed a delicious peppermint shake at Chik-Fil-A - what a treat.

Dec. 2 - Opening the Playmobil Advent calendar - you build a scene each day.

Dec. 3 - Writing letters to Santa

Dec. 4 - Saying goodbye to Shash
We miss her so much.

Dec 5 - Early Snow - a winter treat.

Dec. 6 - Decorating the mantle

Dec. 7 - Favorite holiday movies

Dec 8 - Feast of the Immaculate Conception

Dec 9 - Christmas Cookie Exchange

Dec 10 - Decorating the Tree

Dec 11- Seeing Santa, Cub Scout Christmas party

Dec 12 -Santa Train

Dec 13- Visiting Grandma & Grandpa

Dec 14-Band and Keyboard Christmas Concert

Dec 15- Making reindeer cookies, Girl Scout Christmas

Dec 16 - 3rd grade Christmas concert, Night Before Christmas drama

Menu for December 6th – Dec 11th

2009-12-06T08:41:00.000-05:00

Sunday – Panko-encrusted turkey cutlets
Twice-baked potatoes
Tossed Salad

Monday – Pan-seared scallops
Lo-mein salad with peanut sauce

Tuesday – Homemade Chili with toppings (slow-cooker)
Baked potatoes

Wednesday – Slow-cooked hunter-style chicken (Wegman’s p. 71)
Serve over rice

Thursday – Roasted thin-rope sausage with vegetables (wegman’s p. 83)

Friday-Homemade pizza
Side salad

Menu for Nov. 21-28

2009-11-22T14:27:00.001-05:00

Most of this week's meals from the delicious Wegman's Menu magazine, which we thoroughly enjoy.

Sunday – Lox n/ bagels (toasted with cream cheese, red onions, and capers)
Sliced cucumbers/tomato salad

Monday-
Roasted thin-rope apple sausage and vegetables – Wegman’s holiday Menu magazine, p. 83

Tuesday
Slow-cooked Asian chuck roast w/udon noodles and baby corn, Wegman’s holiday Menu magazine, p. 75
Rice
Wine: Silver Gum Shiraz

Wednesday-
Chicken and veggies stir fry, Wegman’s holiday Menu magazine, p.81
Dumplings
Wine: Brancott Sauvignon Blanc

Thurs-Fri
At family’s houses for thanksgiving dinners (2)
Our contribution: Brie with Cranberry and Walnut topping
Chianti Salami

Saturday-
French onion soup w/melted gruyere and croutons - Wegman’s holiday Menu magazine, p. 87

Holidays in Hand: Values and Goals for this Holiday Season

2009-11-16T15:09:00.000-05:00

Today is the first day of Jessica Sprague's free digital/hybrid scrapbooking class, Holidays in Hand. Our first assignment is to write down our values and goals for the holiday season, which will, in turn, help to shape not only how we scrapbook Christmas, but also how we live it.

Here is what I came up with after contemplating it today:

1. Spirituality - We need to really concentrate on the true meaning of the season. Mass twice weekly, confession for all those applicable, and family rosaries should help. Advent candle lighting on Sunday is a tradition I'd like to continue this year. Also, I would love to attend Midnight Mass if possible. For me personally, increase bible study and prayer time.

2. Health - More than anything, our holiday season is defined by our family's health. We are going to do our best to contain croup, flu, and stomach illnesses in December by practicing good handwashing habits, limiting exposure as much as possible, and getting enough sleep.

3. Peace - Freedom from the "I wants" and "the gimmes." A realistic shopping list that stays within a budget, and lots of low-cost but high-enjoyment family pastimes like game playing, lights drive-bys, reading Christmas books and watching Christmas movies from our family library. All shopping will be completed by the first week of December or so. Teacher gifts will most likely be handmade, but our Christmas cards will be digitally-created and then printed.

And that is it. A focus on family and not overdoing it this year.

Menu for November 16 - 20, 2009

2009-11-16T11:34:00.000-05:00

Sunday - Roasted Potato and leek Soup (Barefoot Contessa, Back to Basics)
Bisquick Rolls

Monday - Pan-Seared scallops - Wegman's recipes
Lo Mein Salad with noodles

Tuesday - Cheese tortellini with homemade basil pesto - Simply Recipes blog
Haricot Verts w/butter
Garlic bread

Wed- Parmesan-Crusted Chicken - Wegman's
Roasted-Acorn squash w/pumpkin-seed oil

Thurs-Chicken curry (slow cooker) - From Not Your Mother's Slow-Cooker book
jasmine rice

Fri- Stromboli

Halloween

2009-11-14T09:50:00.000-05:00

There is no other beloved holiday like Halloween to my kids. Our day started off with a trip to a local winery's fall festival. There we did a wine tasting and the kids rode ponies, had their faces painted, and played in the moonbounce. It was great fun until the attack of the yellow jackets, which sent us running to our car.

From there we went up to Grandma and Grandpa's, who live in a neighborhood where they routinely give out full-size chocolate bars.

The group gathers before trick or treating. We had a zombie of some sort, a snowflake fairy, a witch, and a bedraggled fairy. Note to self: Work more on the costumes next year. This year was pretty pathetic, except for the witch costume, which Grandma had made for Grace when she was four. That was still beautiful.

Grandpa was very excited to be going as well...I think he likes it as much as the kids do.

On their way trick-or-treating.

I told Christopher he only had a year or two left to trick or treat, and he looked absolutely stricken.

I stayed and handed out the paltry one candy piece to each trick or treater. My mom assured me that they rarely had anyone, but we ended up almost running out of candy. Note to self: Bring 2 extra bags of candy next year.

Pumpkin Carving

2009-11-11T09:38:00.000-05:00

We carved pumpkins on Oct. 30th, and it was a wonderful way to round out the night before Halloween. After two trips to the pumpkin patch (and one missed trip), each person had their own pumpkin and the leeway to do what they wanted with it.

Planning stages

She loves the guts.

It's time for the drill

Carving his own pumpkin this year.

The end result

Munching on pumpkin seeds...

What almost 11 Looks Like

2009-10-11T18:41:00.000-04:00

1 month to go until his 11th birthday has me thinking about how big Christopher is getting. Right now he is...

Enjoying Baseball Games, learning all the rules and the players' stats:

Playing the saxophone (first instrument):

Able and willing to help with harvest and crush:

-Being more comfortable in a new school and making lots of new friends.
-Having a BIG crush on a sweet girl in the class.
-Really into playing marbles, at home and school.
-Reading BIG books like Magyk.
-Really into earning badges during his last year of cub scouts.
-Interested in drama and recently auditioned for drama club.

Can't wait to see what 11 brings.

Menu for Oct. 11-Oct. 17th

2009-10-11T15:28:00.000-04:00

Breakfast: Monday and Tuesday - bagles/bialy with cream cheese; new cereal; oatmeal
Lunches: Sandwiches, mac n' cheese, leftovers

Dinners:

Sunday, Oct. 11th: Butternut squash soup
baguette and salad

Monday, Oct. 12th: Haddock piccata w/roasted fingerling potatoes (Fall Wegman's magazin, p. 29)

Tuesday, Oct. 13th: chicken bakes for kids
For adults - buffalo chicken sandwiches (crockpot)
Coleslaw

Wednesday, Oct. 14th: Baked penne with roasted vegetables (Giada)

Thursday, Oct. 15th: White bean chicken chili -
Something green on the side

Friday, Oct. 16th: Homemade pizzas

Saturday, Oct. 17th: Beef fajitas (from kit made up with leftover brisket)

New Layouts: What We did this summer

2009-09-15T08:57:00.000-04:00

BG Lemonade, from Scrap Room Double-Shot kit:

I made the felt umbrella, using up some KI paper:

I made the felt embellishments, using up some really old SEI paper:

This one is not my design - was from my LSS.

First Day of School

2009-09-15T08:47:00.000-04:00

We had a staggered set of "first days" here, but within a week, everyone had started some type of school. I can report that, 2 weeks later, things are going pretty well. We are still adjusting to the schedules and workload, but the kids are all very happy with their new schools.

And that about sums it up.

Layouts with August Scrap Room kit

2009-09-06T20:46:00.000-04:00

Layout Catch-Up

2009-09-06T20:40:00.001-04:00

It's been a while since I've posted my layouts here.

The Leaky Canoe - A fun afternoon
(Sketch from Nuts About Sketches)

Moo Train
(Sketch from Nuts About Sketches)

OBX Scenes
(Sketch from Nuts About Sketches)

Birthday Zoo Trip

2009-08-24T11:34:00.000-04:00

Last weekend we took a trip to the National Zoo for my birthday. My dad and sister came to meet us. My mother's back is still injured, so she and my other sister remained at home.

From 8-16-09 Zoo Birthday

This is a terrible picture, I know, but I wanted to snap it before there was bloodshed over this germy statue. The trip was great fun, but it. was. hot. And I was reminded that one of our rules is never to go to the zoo in August for this reason. I also remembered that the zoo is really fun with older kids who can wait their turns, ask questions, and soak it all in. Smaller ones get overstimulated (as was the case with Rachel).

A lot of our pictures look like this - us standing, pathetically grateful, in the misters positioned throughout the zoo.

We also stopped at every concession stand we could and ate cold things. That helped and thank goodness Grandpa footed the bill. Water for all of us cost $16.

Here my sweet sister Chrissy, who came along, sat with the kids.

We saw parts of the zoo that I don't remember seeing before, like the aquarium exhibit (mainly because we headed inside whenever possible):

In terror of the giant insect-

One of the most amazing things was being able to see all 3 elephants up close for as long as we wanted to. They were inside and eating bamboo. One would industrially stomp on the bamboo with his foot and then break it off to eat:

We also got to gwak at the pandas for a long time, but I couldn't get good pics because of the indoor lighting and glass. They were absolutely adorable, and also munching on bamboo.

When we were done, we came back to Grandma and Grandpa's and collapsed. Then we roused ourselves to eat Indian food and have a delicious chocolate cake.

Menu Sunday Aug. 23 - Saturday Aug. 29th

2009-08-24T11:27:00.000-04:00

Sunday, Aug. 23rd
Grilled chicken fajitas
Wraps
Pepper and onion medly

Monday, Aug. 24th
Chicken Cacciatore with wild mushrooms (Robin Miller Quick-Fix Meals p. 112)
Includes rice in dish
Roasted Brussel sprouts

Tuesday, Aug. 25th
Seared Tilapia with tomato-cream sauce (Robin Miller Quick-Fix Meals p. 113)
Morphed meal from yesterday
White rice, steamed.
Parmesan-Crusted Cauliflower (RM. 209)

Wednesday, Aug. 26th
Chicken curry with shallots and raisins (Robin Miller Quick-Fix Meals p. 164)
Couscous
Steamed broccoli

Thursday, Aug. 27th
Pasta e Faioli (RM pg. 114)
Green Beans with Pearl Onions and Parsley (RM p. 212)
Ceasar Salad

Friday, Aug. 28th
Homemade Pizza or Stromboli

Saturday, Aug. 29th
Cookout at the river
Hot dogs
Potato salad
Watermelon
Baked Beans

Down by the river...

2009-08-18T14:10:00.000-04:00

The other night our family met at our special part of the Rappahannock River. Opa (my father-in-law) owns many riverfront acres, which have provided happy entertainment for his kids and grandkids for years. Everyone has been so busy this summer - with the winery, other jobs, outside committments, and life in general - that we have not had a "family cook-out" there for quite some time.

It was delightful. The cousins all frolicked together in the water, riding tubes up and down in water chutes made by the rocks. Even the three year-olds prissily sat their bottoms in chairs on the water, chatting amiably together. We swam, cooked hot dogs and marshmallows over the campfire, and enjoyed the lovely summer evening.

I often think that we are so busy zooming here and there that we forget about the bounty that is available to us right at home. But for a few hours we remembered, and it was wonderful.

Menu for August 8 - August 15th

2009-08-08T15:31:00.000-04:00

Saturday, August 8
Buffalo Chicken sandwiches in crockpot
Baked Beans
Sauteed Zucchini/squash

Sunday, August 9
Golden Pork chops
Mashed Potatoes
Sauteed Broccoli

Monday, August 10th
Brats with cheese on the grill
Vegetable Kabobs
Couscous

Tuesday, August 11th
Pasta with Marinara
Meatballs
Salad
Green beans

Wednesday, August 12th
Ham Steak with Chili Gravy and Cheesy Polenta (Rachael Ray's BOB, p. 202)
Beets - get Jenna's recipe

Thursday, August 13th
Breakfast for dinner -
Eggs
Bacon
Waffles
Cantaloupe

Friday, August 14th
Cub Scout T-Ball game
Homemade Pizza

Saturday, August 15th
Mom at all-day crop
Dad's making ?

Sunday, August 16th
Indian Birthday dinner at Parent's house

We're Going on a Safari

2009-08-01T12:45:00.000-04:00

Rachel turned three yesterday and celebrated with her siblings and cousins at a wildlife safari.

Here's the birthday girl in her safari hat. It was a simple copied pattern that we colored, cut-out, and measured around their heads with strips of cardstock.

I made safari log books out of a discounted 6-pack of spiral notebooks, scraps from my scrap box, and my new Stampin' Up Wild About You stamps:

We start the safari hunt...

Look! Rare clock-dwelling tigers ahead. Everyone sketches them (the little kids were really into that).

More wildlife...

We had simple cook-out food: hot dogs and hamburgers, fries, corn on the cob grilled, pineapple, cole slaw, and pina coladas to drink.

Then it was cake time! The birthday girl is thrilled. The pink cake is gorgeous - another custom creation from her auntie, Jenna.

Presents...

I got these "retro" care bears from ebay...she's manic about the little care bear figures.

Playing with her new camera:

Possibly my favorite picture of the night - everything is OK in the world when you have a friend to share bubbles with:

From the Vault...

2009-08-01T09:53:00.000-04:00

I was filing my large stack of layouts that don't have a home in an album yet, and I came across these two layouts that I love and haven't yet put online.

This layout is of my mom and I when I was about 13 months, just starting to walk. My mom has always been there for me to talk to, ask advice, get something fixed, and this picture symbolizes to me her enormous support in my life.

All's Well That Ends Well

Letting Go a Little at a Time

Our Kind of Pumpkin Patch

Resolutions

When does it all change?

One kit, many looks: Studio Calico's Sweet Shoppe kit (February)

New Year's Resolutions

Thankful in 2010

What We're Up to

Recent Layouts

May Round-Up

Child Love Letter: May 16, 2010

Menu: May 15 - May 21

April Round-Up

March Round-Up

February Round-Up

January Round-Up

Love Letters to the Kids

Highlights from Epcot; Day 1

Goodbye, Cleo

Menu for Jan. 16 - 22

I've Been Having Fun

Dabbling in Digi

Menu – Sunday, Jan. 3 – Friday, Jan 8th

December Round-Up

Dec 16 - Dec 23rd Summary

Menu December 18 - Dec 26

Our December So Far

Menu for December 6th – Dec 11th

Menu for Nov. 21-28

Holidays in Hand: Values and Goals for this Holiday Season

Menu for November 16 - 20, 2009

Halloween

Pumpkin Carving

What almost 11 Looks Like

Menu for Oct. 11-Oct. 17th

New Layouts: What We did this summer

First Day of School

Layouts with August Scrap Room kit

Layout Catch-Up

Birthday Zoo Trip

Menu Sunday Aug. 23 - Saturday Aug. 29th

Down by the river...

Menu for August 8 - August 15th

We're Going on a Safari

From the Vault...

Our Canoeing Adventure

Everyday scenes around the farm this summer...

More from the July Scrap Room

A couple new favorite layouts...

Menu: Saturday, July 18th – Saturday, July 25th

Recent Layouts with Scrap Room kits

Layouts with Studio Calico kit

Weekly Menu, July 5 - July 10

Report on the first 2 weeks of summer

Menu: Sunday, June 14th – Friday, June 19th

Menu: Sunday, June 7th – Saturday, June 13th

More layouts...

New layouts

Menu Sunday May 24, 2009 - Saturday, May 30, 2009

And She's Off

Small Successes

Menu Monday, May 17th - Saturday, May 23rd

Menu: Monday, May 11th – Sunday, May 17th

Recent Layouts

True Bliss

Review of On Agate Hill: A Novel (Lee Smith)

My review

Menu: Sunday, May 3rd – Saturday, May 9th

Battle of the Books

Recent Layout

New Layouts with Studio Calico March kit

Menu: Sunday, April 19 – Saturday, April 25th

Spring Break in Gatlinburg, Day 6

Spring Break in Gatlinburg, Day 5

Spring Break in Gatlinburg, Day 4

Spring Break in Gatlinburg, Day 3

Spring Break in Gatlinburg, Days 1 & 2

Menu: Friday, April 10 – Saturday, April 18th

Overheard this morning...