summer's almost over...

Boo hoo! This has been the BEST summer I have had in sooo long! So many great memories! I am sad to see it come to an end but I do LOVE fall and the cool crisp air so I look forward to the change of seasons.

I have been tagged by Donna to blog about 6 random thing about me. I feel like changing the rules so I will list my 6 favorite things about this summer!

1-6. Watching Red Sox Baseball!! (Just kidding, that is definitely Numero Uno but there were others too!)

2. New York City with Becky and Kelley!

3. McCall with my girls Stacey, Angie, April and Kat.

4. Visit from my Daddy and Winnie. And hanging out at the Shakespeare Fest with them and the Flemings.

5. Whidbey Island, WA with the family and eating lots of fresh Dungeness crab!

6. Boating with Kirk, Joe, Nick and Nate at Lucky Peak. Riding the innertube and Joe learning to waterski.

All in all, an amazing summer! I'm tagging Wendy Z, Sara T, Stacey D, Kat M, Renee L, and Leslie A to post your end of summer faves!!

I also have to share this pic my cousin Kelley sent me on my phone of her son Ryan (my Godson). He went to his very first game at Fenway Park Friday night!! The Red Sox rolled over the White Sox 8-0. Woo hoo! So happy for you Ry Ry! xoxox

 

Today I get to go to my very first pig roast. Poor little Porky :( but first I'm going to watch the Sox and make an insane amount of fresh salsa with stuff from my garden!

Enjoy the last days of Summer '08, my friends!
Loves,
~L

First Day of Pre K...

 

 

 

I took these pics of Kirk walking Nate to the bus stop. He has come so far! He is excited about school. He puts on his own backpack and says, "I go bus" and "I go school". Wow! He's even wearing underwear to school! Good thing he poops at night, he's not trained with that yet! That is the bane of my existence right now but I'm not going to go into the messy details here on my blog. It's not pretty and some things are better left unsaid. If anyone has any fabulous advice on training kids with Autism (we have tried EVERYTHING!) let me know! I'm all ears.

My mouth is still throbbing. I got another wisdom tooth pulled about a year ago and it was a breeze. This one hurts so much worse. Don't know why. Wish I didn't blow off the offer for drugs from the dentist! I'm sure it will feel better later today.

I'm reading the last book in the Twilight series now called Breaking Dawn. All I can say is thank goodness this is the last one! I think the writer, Stephenie Meyer is very talented and I love the characters, BUT, the subject matter is not my cuppa tea. I'm not a fan of the fantasy/supernatural genre. This book is whacked but I'm about two thirds into now so I'll finish it. I read lots yesterday since I wasn't up to doing much else.

We've got a pool party tonight and a pig roast party on Sunday to go to. Because of my tooth, I'm not in a party mood so hopefully that will change. I'm going to take it easy today even though I should be working on my two page long to do list. Haven't created anything in a couple of weeks and that's making me a little cuckoo. Hope to get to that soon!

Happy Friday Peeps! Hope you have a fun long weekend. What are your big plans?

Loves,
~L

to be continued...

 

 

I was thinking I had lots of time for a long, wordy blog post but realized I have to leave for the dentist to get a wisdom tooth yanked out of my head! Ouch. I'll picture myself in a happy place, like Angie's cabin in McCall! Be back later with one less tooth.

Loves to ya'll!
~L

More Faves & Raves!

Gotta get this shirt: I think I saw it at Girl Sox Nation.

 

 

 

 

Season 4 of Entourage came out today on DVD and it is shipping to me from Netflix right now! Woo Hoo. I love me some Vince. Love all those guys. So entertaining. Ari cracks me up!

You gotta get yourself some Tahiti Sweetie lotion from Bath & Body Works. Smells so good. I've been using it daily trying to hold onto my little summer tan for as long as possible! I'm addicted to that whole True Blue Spa line. Thanks a bunch, Denise!!

Sox Vs. Yankees starts tonight in the toilet they call Yankee Stadium. Sox last visit there. So hoping the Red Sox can hold on for a playoff spot. Damn Rays! When the hell did they get so good??

I dropped Dad and Winnie at the airport this morning and then took Nate to meet his new teachers. Hoping for a great year for all of the boys. First day was smooth for Joe and Nick. Fingers are crossed. Last year SUCKED badly for Nick and I can't spend every night talking him off the ledge. Don't have the energy for that! I think his new school is the answer.

Hoping for some ME time this week to scrap, watch baseball and watch Entourage. We shall see how that goes!

Leave me some love and tell me what you are digging right now at the tail end of Summer 'O8!

Out and about...

on the boat at Lucky Peak...

 

 

 

 

Great boat day yesterday. It was HOT! 100 degrees HOT! I actually jumped off of the dock into the 65 degree water because it was so HOT! I rode on the blow up SeaDoo but of course I don't have a picture because I am the only one who takes pictures! Whatev!

Joe and Nick started their new schools today. They are at the same bus stop, different buses. I pretended I was just out for a leisurely stroll with the dog but made sure they got on the right buses and everything. They told me to hide in the bushes so I wouldn't embarrass them! Ha! Nick was off the wall excited. Joe probably was too but he had his usual "whatev", "I don't care" attitude!

Dad and Winnie leave tomorrow and then Nate starts school on Wednesday. All we have to do is get Kirk a job and out of the house and life will be paradise. I dream of a day home alone in my house. Not much to ask, right?

Happy Monday, friends!
xo,
~L

Pics from the Shakes...

Here are a few pics we took Friday night at the Shakespeare Fest. We had a great time. This was my second play this year. The first one I saw was the Crucible by Arthur Miller. That was very dark and serious and the one we saw Friday, Into The Woods, was much lighter and funny. I enjoyed them both.

 

 

 

 

We are supposed to go boating today but Kirk took my dad to the annual Texas Hold 'Em tourney last night and they didn't get home until 3am so I don't know when they will be gettin' up! They ended up 7th and 8th out of 50 so the tourney must have gone 'til 7am or so!! They had a great time so that's all that matters!

Have a lovely Sunday, my friends!

Love to you!
~L

"C" is for...

Cucumber!! I love to garden and I must say that my veggies and herbs this year are doing so well! One of my cukes got caught under the siding of the house and it formed a "C"! What a great letter lesson for Nate. He loved it!

 

 

 

Yesterday, my friend Michelle picked up a copy of the September issue of Scrapbook Trends Magazine for me. I was so looking forward to this one because of the layout of my Mom and Nate. I cried when I saw it! The "girlie" layout I did for Sarah is also one of my faves! There are so many amazing layouts in this issue by lots of my online friends. You've gotta get a copy!

Today, Kirk is having a "boys on the boat" day. He is taking my Dad, Joe and Nick out on the lake. Hopefully Joe will get up on the waterskis!

Tonight we are going to see Into The Woods at the Idaho Shakespeare Festival. It is so much fun to go there. I will be packing a wonderful picnic all day. I am making mango salsa, bruschetta with fresh bread, shrimp cocktail, Greek pasta salad, a cheese and meat tray and fruit kabobs. Oh, and lots of good wine! I think I enjoy the food as much as the entertainment!

Hope you all have a fabulous Friday!

Hugs,
~L

Doctor Joe!!

Well, not yet, but in about sixteen years, maybe!! Joe and I just went to his new High School (gulp!) this morning to register. He will be attending a Medical High School for the next four years (I hope) and then he hopes to go on to pre-med undergrad and med school! Wow, he sure has his work cut out for him but he is so excited and so looking forward to this year! I told him to become a plastic surgeon and keep me looking as fabulous as I do at 40 when I am 80! LOL!

 

 

Last night, I took my stepmom, Winnie to see MAMMA MIA! To say I LOVED it would be an understatement! It was one of my all time favorites and I know I will be a movie that I watch again and again while scrapping when it comes out on DVD. I'm going to get the soundtrack today. I laughed throughout the whole movie except for the part when Sophie was sitting on her mom's lap and her mom was painting her toes. I just wept! Such a touching Mom/Daughter moment.

Seeing the live version in New York has now been added to my "Bucket List"!

Hope you are having a fabulous day, my friends! Gotta take Nick to his new middle school tonight to register and for an ice cream social. He's really looking forward to his new school as well!

Lotsa love,
~L

Yippeeee!

My Daddy and Stepmom are here from Boston for a whole week! I only see them once a year. :0(
We have lots planned and I'm so excited!

 

Here are a few of my favorite GRATITUDE quotes to share with you today!


"Feeling grateful or appreciative of someone or something in your life actually attracts more of the things that you appreciate and value into your life." -- Christiane Northrup

"Develop an 'attitude of gratitude.' Say think you to everyone you meet for everything they do for you." -- Brian Tracy

"Sometimes our light goes out but is blown into flame by another human being. Each of us owes deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this light." -- Albert Schweitzer

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow." -- Melody Beattie

Be thankful for every little good thing today!
xo
~L

Faves & Raves!

I'm introducing a new feature here on my blog. It's called Faves & Raves! It will be all about stuff I am digging as of late. Today I want to share with you these absolutely fabulous camera straps by Natalie!




I had such a hard time deciding which one I liked best. These are my two faves. I ended up buying the black and white damask and I love it!

You can purchase them from her Etsy shop here:

www.cottoncandybynatalie.etsy.com

New Shimmerz Colors!

Shimmerz Paints have just introduced three limited edition colors for fall:
Rustic Red, Sagebrush, and Beeswax. They are fabulous! And won't be around for long so get some now! Here are a couple of projects I did with them:

 

 

 

 

Supplies Used:
"Grateful" layout
Patterned Paper, Letter Stickers: Making Memories
Bling: Prima
Stamps: Stampin' Up!
Ink: Stampin' Up! and Ranger
Paint: Shimmerz Paints (Limited Editions Rustic Red, Sagebrush and Beeswax)

"You're a Hoot" card

Patterned Paper: Pink Paislee
Cardstock: Bazzill
Rub - Ons: Pink Paislee (Owl, Leaves & Flourish), Heidi Swapp (Letters)
Bling: Prima
Decorative Scissors: Provo Craft
Paint: Shimmers Paints (Limited Edition Colors: Rustic Red, Sagebrush and Beeswax)

More GREAT news!! I am the guest designer on the Making Memories blog today!
What an honor! I love their products. They are featuring a layout I did of my friend Denise's adorable son, Daniel. Check it out!

Have a fabulous Monday! Find the good in today!

xo
~L

Lucky Me!

I got to see Anna Sali sing last night at Bardenay Restaurant. It is always such an amazing experience to listen to her! She has such a gift. And this time I went on a date with my husband who knows better than to talk to me while she is singing, LOL! In July, when she was performing at Bardenay, they had a name the Mystery Cocktail contest. Well that is right up my alley! After drinking a couple of them, I came up with the name Raspberry Beret. Well, I won! They are giving me a $50 gift card to the restaurant and a $56 voucher to the Idaho Shakespeare Festival (which I am already attending next weekend, anyway!) I'm feeling pretty lucky!!

I also won a contest on Janet Hopkins' blog for a challenge using Heidi Swapp's mirror shapes. I submitted this layout I did of Shirryn and Brian where I journaled on the little round mirror. I won a cool 5x7 mirror album which I got in the mail today (thanks Janet!!) I think I'm going to use it for a little NYC mini book. Very cool!

Well, I am off again. This time to McCall, Idaho. My dear friend Angie invited me to her cabin with some other friends. Should be very fun and relaxing! I will be back on Sunday.

Don't forget to check out the Shimmerz Paints blog tommorow to see the pretty new colors and all the fabulous designs from the DT!

xoxo,
~L

Happy Birthday...

to my beautiful cousin.
Kell, I love you so much it's disgusting!

xoxo
~L

World Trade Center Tribute

You cannot go to New York City and miss this tribute. Becky, Kelley and I took the subway down to the financial district on Sunday Morning. We read and looked at pictures and memorabilia for an hour or more then just sat and sobbed. We were all so touched. Such courage and bravery makes me so proud to be an American.

I was looking at this quilt on display there and realized that it was made by my son Joe's 5th grade teacher, Kimberlee Dwyer and her 5th Grade class. Joe had Mrs. Dwyer a few years later. She was a fabulous teacher and I'm proud of her and her students for having this art displayed in the Tribute Museum.

Are you watching the Olympics?

Go Team USA!!

xo,
~L