Budding Artists

I do childcare in the summer for my neighbors and one thing that we like to do is get messy! Okay, well they like to get messy! I don't mind as long as they are outside! It turns out that our new cement driveway is the perfect artspace! Before when all we had was the asphalt --it was too hot and messy to play on. I am loving the new concrete. I got out the paints on Friday and it has been awhile!



They were all getting pretty crusty and old, so I told them to go for it and use as much as you want. I figure, it is time to stock up on new ones! Well, Naomi was all over it! She even found the glitter (you now the kids glitter that comes it what seems like gallon container). She wasn't happy with her pic until she had emptied all the gold glitter on top of it!



Love this one of Sophie too! Messy is soooooo much fun!



Luke was a little more conservative and went with rock painting---the only good pic I got was this one of him washing his rock --- in the paint colored water!



A fun time for everyone! My grass and driveway are now sparkling with glitter!

Last night, Grandma, me, Bonnie and Jordan headed south to IKEA - only get to make the trip a couple times a year with gas prices but man- do we love it there!

I bought this:



It is a reaaly cool wall unit that lays flat against the wall and hooks, clips and baskets fit into the holes wherever you want to place them. My plan it to put them (I bought 2) above my work desk for all my basic supplies. This is the set of baskets and hooks I bought for them (I bought six sets - each set was under $3!)



Then we bought this cool throw blanket for the art loft - our plan is to make it bright and colorful up there. I already have a cool green IKEA sofa that I got at a garage sale for $40! It is a BAZZILL PARAKEET GREEN! I love it.



What else??? Oh yeah, I bought these hooks to make my own clip it up for my new space! I have a great idea for it and if it works, I will share the plans with you!



We also bought wrapping paper, Swedish Meatballs, Cinamon rolls, book ends, plastic bowls, cups and silverware (4 for $1 --the plastic silverware was 4 packs for $1) and curtains for inside the new recroom. We are going to put them in front of the bookshelves to hide all the toys!

Last but not least, we bought a spontaneous purchase --just because it was cute and would match the new loft:



It's a cat bed and after I bought it and brought it home, I thought to myself, "Really? she will never get in it. Well, I was wrong and she hasn't been out of it all day. Go figure.

Color Combo Blog Challenge #76

Having fun playing with the color challenges over at Color Combos Galore. This layout is for challenge #76 as well as the food challenge over at the Diner! Love it when I combine 2 challenges!

I'm a winner!

So---everyone that knows me, knows I love a good contest! So, I have been playing in one for the last 10 weeks over at Addicted Scrappers. It has been so much fun! I found out a few minutes ago that I won! It has been so much fun---they have had some awesome challenges and the contestants were all so talented! It has been a very wild ride! Head over and check out the gallery which is packed full of talent! I can't wait to scrap for them in August! I am just sooooooo excited! I was in the final round with a couple of amazing ladies, Kerryn & Zoa! Make sure to check out their fabulous work in the gallery while you are there! Here is a link to the week 10 gallery - http://www.addictedscrappers.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=178

Did I say that I was excited??? Well, I am!

I have some fun pics for you --- last night, Chase and David had a water fight showdown in the Cult-de-sac.

















Aren't those fun? I don't know how to scrap them! So many fun ones!

Summer is officially here -- I know this because the kids are in the street playing 24-7. Our street is so much fun---we have a huge street sign that sits in the middle making sure all cars know that the kids are out. People don't even come in the circle anymore! Another sure sign of summer - frozen otter pops in all the kids hands!

For those of you that don't know---we have 16 kids in our cult-de-sac that have all grown up together (for the most part). We are the last house at the end of the street on the circle. Summer time arrives and they are all in the circle for tons of fun! Here are some fun shots from the last few days:
















ENJOY!

I have been a bad, bad blogger --AGAIN

It goes in waves for me ---weeks were I blog every day or even twice a day and then there are those times when I can't even get one a week posted. Such is my life. I love it---those busy times are good too. Times when I am mile high in chaos and my to do list is a mile long. Yeah, I love it. Love to complain about it, love to stress about it, love to hate it-----but I love it nonetheless! I am not one to sit around and "relax" much----need to be busy. You know----idle hands.....and all. Anyway -- here is an update for you:

Luke is loving summer break already. He is a natural - never bored - always with something to keep him busy and happy. The best thing so far was him falling in love with bike riding. He has been able to ride a two wheeler for a couple summers already, but he hasn't ever really liked it. Last week, I sent Austin outside with him and told Austin, "Don't let him stop riding till he loves it!". Sounds mean, huh? But, he just needed some brotherly encouragement and attention. Well, and some good tips on how to start and stop!





He has been outside riding non-stop for the last 3 days -- life is good.

Chase has been busy busy busy with friends and activities and we are only on week 2 of summer! He attended an end-of-school airsoft war at the Jordan's house ---that was a hit! He spent the day downtown with the Rhodes - they toured the replica of the Columbus ship, The Nina. After the tour, the kids choir preformed at Westlake Center. I heard they did a great job. We weren't able to attend---more on that later. Then the next day we had Dayne here all day. He has been a very busy boy. So busy, in fact, that he couldn't stay awake yesterday at Austin's soccer game. Out for the count ---naps are good. I love naps.



Austin has been busy too--- between church, friends and soccer - he has very little down time. He has started playing soccer with a select team - Evergreen Soccer Club. Goalie of course! It's been great to be back with Greg and all the great families that he used to play for. This last weekend, they played in a tournament and did great -- won 2 and lost 1. It's a good start to the season. He has also been busy drawing and I was totally impressed by his latest creation.



Jordan has just started her summer this week --she finished up her college classes last week and graduated from Edmonds CC with her AA degree. I am so thankful for the wonderful "Running Start Program" that is offered by the state of WA. She was able to graduate HS and get her AA Degree at no cost to us! She is working tons, trying to get her thank you cards sent, and planning a fun summer before college starts. She reports to soccer on August 10th. Right around the corner. Here is another one of her senior pics ---this layout was done for the final round of the contest over at Addicted Scrappers.



Travis is here this week painting the house for us---blessing for all involved! It's nice to see him and I am looking forward to getting to see him all week. I know he is doing good on his own, but I really miss him. Feels good to see his smile.



Michelle is in Hong Kong with her modeling agency. We miss her, but we know she is doing good. Here we are waving hello to you---Michelle. We love ya!





Cooper is good--getting bigger and tormenting the neighborhood like all good puppies should! We love him and he is a very good boy!

David & I are busy as usual keeping up with the kids and working on the house. We have the recroom almost ready for paint and the fireplace and the electric should be finished any day! We are happy about that and can see the end in site.

Well---I will save more for later----off to go outside and watch the kids.

More crop layouts!

I have some more to share from the Diner Challenges!

It's crop time!

Over at the Diner! We are having an impromptu crop to celebrate --well, just to celebrate that we are all friends who share this great hobby! Just like the show Cheers!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FD8ljNobUys

So anyway--come on over---Sher has some fabulous prizes available and you don't even have to have time to crop---you can get points just for dropping in!

Here is my first layout for the crop---it is a lift of another member's layout--Dawn!

Cosmo Cricket

The latest manufacturer that I have a crush on is Cosmo Cricket! They had one of the funnest booths at CHA and they have done a fabulous job marketing their new products! I love the whole ---Jon, the warehouse guy---angle. It makes their blog tons of fun to follow and brings intrigue to their product!

Well, they are having a Design Team call and I figure ---what can it hurt, right? So here are the layouts that I have created over the last few months since falling in love at CHA ---

I need a vacation.

Period--a vacation in a place where no one can call me --no one can find me -- no one can tell me they need me. Just a couple of days.

SO this week was suppose tbe the start of a wonderful summer vacation full of lazy warm sunny days. Well, NOT! Not only is it still cold and rainy here but.....

So you remember the teeth issues of last weekend ---they carried into this week -Monday and Tuesday. Then Luke was sick Sunday--Austin was sick Tuesday and Chase came down with it Wednesday. To top it off, I just got back from the clinic where they put 4 stitches into Austin's thumb to hold the skin of his knuckle in place. He was carving a sword-and slipped. He is numbed and wrapped up good--no soccer this weekend.

It has just been a crazy week----Jordan is getting ready now for Prom --- I missed most of it at the doctor's--but they seem to almost be ready.

Pics to come later.

I have been staying up late into the night scrapping---determined to have some me time with my scrapping toys.

This layout was done a while ago but I never posted it. This is my niece Lily when she was a little younger:

OLW CHallenge Blog

SO found a fabulous challenge blog called One Little Word---basically it is just what it sound like ---challenges that involve creating pages around one little word---this week the word is "ONE" ---

Here is my layout:



Journaling reads:
Yep - that’s right – my last baby. Baby #5. You can’t even imagine how tough this decision was for us. We love babies – and pregnancy was so easy for me. The decision was made while I was still pregnant. You see, that is necessary because as soon as I hold that baby in my arms, I’m already thinking about having another one. But, logically we knew that this would be the last one. It would be the last pregnancy, the last delivery, the last infant that I would nurse. So for me – every moment with Luke was extra special - I savored them knowing that I would never experience them again. Man is that a tough pill to swallow. But, here we are and you are already a big boy and our family is perfect. I can’t imagine it any different and I wouldn’t change a thing. But, ask any of the kids and they will tell you – Luke has it easy because after all he is the youngest, the last ONE.


This layout is also my week 9 contest entry over at addicted scrappers. They are using the "ONE" challenge within their contest requirements --tons of fun!

I am so glad that they introduced me to this very cool blog----the DT over there is so talented and inspirational! I can't wait to have a few free hours to browse through the last year's worth of One Little Word Layouts!