Miss You, Dad...

Today is my Dad's birthday - Even though he is no longer with us, I think of him often, and miss him like CRAZY! After Dad passed away, Mom and I went through a bunch of old photos, and I scanned a few. I was so sad to realize how few photos there are of Dad. These days I am camera crazy (obviously, lol), but then, it just didn't seem as important. Make a point of getting EVERYONE in the picture! You will be glad you did, and you (and your family) will one day treasure those photos - even if they are dog-eared, over or under exposed, and sort of blurry.

I did a quick page showcasing a few of the pictures that I do have of Dad - these photos really show what he was about, growing up on the farm, his service in the Army, and hunting & fishing. A perfect birthday tribute! I can *almost* smell that pipe tobacco...

I miss you Dad!



Today, I will ignore the carbs/calories/points and get a Dairy Queen treat. You could always count on my Dad to swing in there for a treat on a hot summer day...

Thanks for stopping by - I hope you get an ice cream treat today!

Just a couple more...

A few more flower photos from yesterday...

How cute is this ladybug?


Pink Gerbera...so pretty!


A couple new edits from the yellow Gerbera...


This one is my favorite!


Thanks for stopping by!

Garden Goodness...

Did you have a good weekend? We got busy digging in the raised beds around the patio and planted some annuals. I *had* to get out and snap some pics this morning - good practice for me, with inanimate objects, haha!

Here are some favorites:

Gerbera Daisy


Petunia


"Fireworks" Dahlia


More Gerbera...






Another Dahlia...


More Gerbera...

Dark Horse

Wow. What a finale! Big smiles here, because this was my pick for the year!

Florida Recap...

Phew!

Let me just dust off the ol' blog here...YIPES! Good news - I finished up everything I needed to *before* vacation. Bad news - no time to blog, lol!

It was back to the "rat race" today, back to work - BLAH!

Here's a quick page (well I don't know how "quick" it was, lol) recapping our fun Florida vacation. The highlight was being at Kennedy Space Center for the shuttle launch! How cool is that? We didn't plan it, it just timed out to be happening during our vacation so we were lucky to snag some tickets. It was PACKED. And HOT! I don't like crowds, but it was SO WORTH IT to be there! We were quite a distance from the launch pad (had to wait until it cleared the tree line to see the shuttle) but it was still very exciting! Then we sat in the 2 hour traffic jam of "space shuttle traffic" (seriously, that's what they called it!) back to Orlando. But it was *STILL* worth it!

Page Credits: Pop Goes the World kit by Dani Mogstad at Sweet Shoppe Designs, template by Jen Caputo of Scrapbook Graphics, An Unfortunate Event font.

Other highlights included mini golf, Universal Studios (love that Simpson's ride! D'OH!), Aquatica Water Park, and a Pirate Dinner Adventure (our pirate won - YAY!) There was also plenty of swimming in the resort pools and late night hot tubbing - and you can never get enough of those tacky touristy gift shops, lol...

We are already thinking ahead to a "beachy" Florida trip for 2010!

Right now...

Hey there, hey there!

It's been a busy, but productive week - lots going on, as usual, but I am keeping up, so that's a good thing!

Here's a quick page to share. I've been "e-chatting" with a group of friends and we are all feeling motivated to get back to scrapbooking. There are some exciting trends in scrapbooking, and an "anything goes" approach is just what I need to feel inspired. Paper, digital, hybrid - layout pages along side photo sleeve pages, my goal is to GET IT SCRAPPED! I hope to share more as I whip thru all my years of scrappin' and get all caught up by the weekend. Hehehe...YEAH RIGHT!

Well here is ONE page, anyhow...

Page Credits: Kraft CS and notebook paper from Weeds & Wildflowers, Papers and elements from Blossom kit by Shabby Princess, template by Jen Caputo, CK typist font.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Perfect Day!

So. Today's my BIRTHDAY! I am old, haha! But I plan to have a PERFECT DAY... ;)



And here's a digi page! Ms. Mad has been saving saving saving, and last week, after raking together all of her birthday money, she had enough for her iTouch. She is one happy happy camper!



Thanks for stopping by - hope you have a PERFECT DAY!

A quick page...

Hey there, hey there!

Easter break is over, and we are back to the "rat race" around here! I am "lunch blogging" so just want to share a quick digi page - this is from Mad's birthday party last year (yes, 2008).

I am WAY BEHIND on my scrappin' haha...



Have a Marvy Monday - thanks for stopping by!

Happy Easter!

Yeesh! Weeks go by and no bloggin'!

I have been itchin' to pick up the camera. UGH. It's like starting all over. Okay, NOT REALLY, I actually remember some things, but dang, this hobby is a journey!

Took the kids out yesterday - we are *finally* getting some warmer weather here in MN. The first park we went to had about 10,000 people for an Easter Egg Hunt, lol, so we had to move on to "Plan B". Add in a picnic lunch, and some playground time, and it was a perfect day! After lunch, we went to see the new Hannah Montana movie. Mad and I really wanted to see it, and when Wy said he wouldn't mind going, we RAN before he could change his mind and decide he was "too cool" for Hannah!













I hope you are enjoying a fabulous Easter with family and friends! Thanks for stopping by!

Books and TV...

Hey I scrapped!

No time for chit-chat, busy busy! But I scrapped on the weekend and wanted to pop in and share my pages. (I think this is some kind of record for blogging lately, haha!)

First - a page showing my "reading list". Would you believe I have started all but two of these books? LOL. Can you say "attention deficit"??? I can't seem to get engrossed in anything besides scrapbooking mags lately. I am OBSESSED with them. Probably because I don't have much time for scrappin' these days...

Sigh.

OH - I have also added to this pile, too. Yeppers. I have a PROBLEM with Barnes & Noble, haha!



And lastly - a page showing my OTHER favorite winter hobby, watching TV! My five favorite characters currently. You think my ancestors will be interested to know that I was obsessed with Sawyer, crime dramas, and polygamy??? Hmmm...



Thanks for stopping by!

March Desktop

CRIKEY!

It's MARCH already! I don't suppose I can get away with posting that "busy being fabulous" video again???

Here's my March desktop - courtesy of Shabby Princess. You can get yours by CLICKING HERE. I am using a photo from Girls Weekend, May 2007. We have our spring weekend coming up this month - something to look forward too! YAY!


Hope you are having a fabulous weekend! Thanks for stopping by!

Project for a friend...

Happy Saturday!

I've been neglecting the ol' blogger these days, but I wanted to pop in and share this page. This is a TOP SECRET project (SHHHHH...) that some friends have organized to send some cheer to a certain someone.



The text reads: A faithful friend is a strong defense and he that has found one has found a treasure.

February Desktop!

OMWORD - it's FEBRUARY!
Aaaaack!

Just a quick post, and then I am back to enjoying my Sunday and getting ready for the BIG GAME tonight.

Here is my February Desktop - you can download this freebie at San San's Paradise blog (click here) - I am loving this smooches* kit from Scrap Orchard. Very cute for Valentines, but I can see using it for "girly" pages too. I think I will be getting this kit!



Thanks for stopping by!

Courtside at the Timberwolves...

LUNCH BLOGGIN' again... :)

SO. We were gifted with courtside seats to see the Timberwolves on Sunday, and we had a fabulous night! What a treat to sit courtside!


Mad and Wy were on their very best behavior (except for Mad making the bunny ears on Wy for the photo op, lol...)


Crunch (team mascot) likes to hassle the kids (and everyone sitting courside) - he made a big deal out of posing them "just so" on the court, messed up Wyatt's hair, and then this was the first pose, lol...


OH! THERE'S Wy's face! Thumbs up, Crunch!


The best part of the night? An OVERTIME WIN for the Wolves! They had a slow start to the season, but they are HOT for January 2009! Thanks for stopping by - I hope your team is winning!

Busy being fabulous...

Hehehe...(enjoy a great song, and ignore the lack of recent posts...)

Here is my February calendar page...



And here is my "new do"...

Going, going, gone...

Studio Janet is closing down shop on January 15. (*insert my sad face here*) BUT - she has one final grab bag, and it's a DOOZY! If you are a fan of templates, then you have to check it out, because she has some treats in there! In addition to the templates, there is a coupon for a FREE template set, AND a coupon for 70% off!

OH - and the shop says the grab bag ended on January 6, but I just read over on Janet's blog that she is extending that until her shop closes on the 15th. YAY!

I have a list going of my *must haves* from Janet's shop...I am for sure getting one of the Fat Packs, and I also have my eye on a few other template sets.



NOW - on to the GOOD NEWS! Janet is not leaving the digi community forever (YAY!) - she is embarking on a NEW endeaver at The Daily Digi! The site launched on Jan 1 and I am already a big fan - I can't wait to see what she has in store! Right now, it is getting started with lots of tips and tricks and general information - check it out, and add it to your faves!

Are you keeping up with project 365? I've been having so much fun figuring out what to photograph each day - I need to get organized and share my pictures!

Right now - it is back to the "grind" as I am lunch blogging, haha...

Thanks for stopping by - have a great day!

January Calendar Page...

Well - the tree is down, the decorations are put away, and it's back to the rat race today! I have meetings for the morning, but wanted to pop in and share page 1 of my 2009 calendar...

I originally was going to skip doing a calendar this year, as I never got around to it in December, but then I stumbled on this cute calendar kit by Dani Mogstad, and I just had to make an effort, lol. (Energy, right?) The image is linked, if you are interested in making this project. (It's not too late!) It's in 8x10 format, but I am actually printing it smaller, to hang near my desk. One cool thing - it comes with a blank calendar as well as the 2009 format. SO - you could use this for any year, and just plug in your own corresponding dates.



Here is my January page - photo taken on January 2 - I will share the rest when I get them completed!



Thanks for stopping in, have a fab Monday!

One little word...

Can one little word change your life? I think it can! Ali Edwards started a tradition in her January 2007 newsletter to pick a word, one little word, to focus on for the year. A few of my blogging friends have been participating in this, and I felt inspired to do this too. We started chit-chatting about it mid-November I think? Then I got caught up in the holiday chaos of Thanksgiving and Christmas, and set it aside (sound familiar? Haha!) Well - we started chit-chatting about it again right after Christmas, so I pulled out my sticky note.



Haha - just ignore that I had frumpy on there. I decided I *do not* want to be frumpy in 2009, lol...I want to be the OPPOSITE of frumpy, so I went with ENERGY for my word. I feel more energetic already! I was so energized, that I had to scrap a page!


I also treated myself to this (with my word "energy" of course). I've been a fan of Lisa Leonard's jewelry designs for awhile, so when Ali posted about the coupon, it was a no brainer. See how energetic I am? *snort*



Did you make any New Year's resolutions? This is the first year in a long time that I haven't actually penned my resolutions down. I guess, since they are the same every year, I feel I can just remember them, haha, insert rolling eyeballs here...you know how it is:

lose weight
drink more water
go green
recycle
give up caffeine (YA RIGHT!)
exercise
get organized
yada yada yada...

Do you see how most of these require ENERGY? Hmmmm...

One thing that I do want to focus on is more scrapbooking! I want to set aside time for this every week. I might even calendar this and set up reminder alarms. I did that with balancing the checkbook and I actually do that every week since it's on my calendar. The second thing I am focusing on is photography - I need to get back to using my camera (either the P&S or the DSLR will do) more often...

Thanks for stopping by - have a fabulous Sunday!

Project 365!

Jumping in...

So - the "photo a day" concept has been around for awhile, and I think that THIS YEAR, I am going to just DO IT!

And since I'm snapping all these photos, why not SCRAP THEM TOO, right??? (Image is linked to the info at the Studio Matters Blog)

I know what you're thinking! You're wondering WHERE THE HECK are those December Daily pages I promised???

LOL. I swear - I am *not* a December Daily Dud! I snapped the pics, and I jotted notes for journaling. BUT - the holidays are crazy, and I just fell right off the bandwagon! I refuse to feel bad about it! I will get my album complete (but y'all should prepare yourselves that you may not see it until NEXT December, lol...) because the pages and album are all ready to go - I just need to plop my stuff onto it.

Okay, maybe I am a dud.
I will do it.
I SWEAR!
I don't want to talk about it any more.
Don't hate me.

NEXT YEAR - my December Daily will be DIGI. I think that will be a much better fit for me!

ANYWAY - I am hoping that this Project 365 challenge will also get me scrappin' - and at the end of the year, I will have a nice fat album to show for 2009! YAY!

New Year, New Look, New Desktop!

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR!

PHEW - it's been awhile since I had a moment to breathe, never mind keeping up on the blog! Today I had some time, and wanted a "fresh and fun" new blog header, so I was tinkering around, and ended up with a whole new look, lol. (DON'T email me to ask me how I did it, because I have *NO IDEA* lol) I used Dani Mogstad's Sweet Cupcake kit and her Handstitched Alpha - links are in the sidebar. I am now on a mission to get some cute little buttons in my sidebar for archives, labels, and etc.

I wanted to share my January desktop - this is a desktop freebie from Shabby Princess - I just love her stuff! Of course you all know my best pooch, ha ha...


I have a TON to blog about, so hopefully I will be back soon!