life in general

memorial day

This weekend we had the pleasure of Scott's parents (Dennis & Valerie) and his youngest brother Randy come up for a visit.  They arrived on Friday afternoon and it was play time all weekend long. 

Much of our playing centered around the Nintendo Wii.  Scott and Randy played golf & other things, but the little boys really wanted to join in with bowling.  So far in life, our boys have rarely (if ever) touched a video game or computer game.  We decided to let them join in too, but these new-fangled interactive, cordless controllers required a level of skill & coordination that a 4 and 6 year old do not have right off the bat.  Frustration began mounting on both sides - parent and child.  And we came up with a new approach . . . .

Scott and Randy stood behind the couch (with the activated controllers) and bowled while the children played under the belief that they were in full control of their bowling characters, and totally unaware of what was going on behind them -- I guess just too wrapped up in all the excitement. It was a crack-up!  Over the course of the weekend Conner figured it out.  As for Payton . . . Scott continued to be his phantom bowler.  But we found a cow racing game that he could handle pretty well on his own.

Other highlights:  the men managed to get in 36 holes of golf.  Valerie and I put together an 8x8 school album for her (it looks very cute).  There were about 10 games of hide-and-go-seek each day with Grammer.  Randy took way too many naps.  The boys sang "I Love to See the Temple" in sacrament meeting and did a fantastic job.  We found out that Anna really likes to get presents -- clapping and nearly hyper-ventilating every time something new came out.  We BBQ'd on Memorial day and I made my favorite ice cream cake.  Randy went out with a girl from our ward (go Randy!).  Conner lost his 4th tooth -- that's right, 2 on top and 2 on bottom missing in just one month with no sign of new ones coming in!  But he's doing okay; he somehow managed to eat corn on the cob (his favorite).  Scott and Randy stayed up 'til 3am one night playing world of warcraft.  Discussing the 5 love languages with a few of us actually taking the test for the first time.  And swimming at the hotel pool.

t-ball

school album

So I thought I'd share the school album that I just made because it turned out really well and I'm very excited about it.  Basically, the idea of the album is to be a place to hold my kids' school portraits through the years (2 years of preschool through 12th grade). 

 

As you can see the basic layout is a strip of patterned paper at the top, a title block (circle in this case) identifying the grade, and two photo mats - each with room for a 5x7 photo and the child's signature that year.  I thought that would be so fun to keep a record of their handwriting across the years.  Good thing I'm starting this now!  On the back it looks basically the same (no title block there) with room for two more photos.  So, if you want to copy this idea and you have more than 4 kids I don't know what to tell ya.

SUPPLY LIST

- 3 sheets 12x12 patterned paper (for strips - I used Rusty Pickle)

- 1 sheet of 12x12 patterned paper or cardstock (for the title block - I used Making Memories Ledger Paper)

- 15 sheets 12x12 cardstock (for background)

- 30 sheets 8.5 x 11 cardstock (photo mats)

- various stamps, ink, paint, black pen.  I used Autumn Leaves journaling stamps for my title circle with black stamping ink;, Making Memories foam stamps for the grade numbers with 3 colors of acrylic paint.

- black photo corners

- a few sheets of white cardstock for signature blocks

HERE'S WHAT YOU DO:

I always like to pre-cut all my papers and then put things together in a somewhat assembly line fashion.  I think it makes it go a lot faster.

Cut all of your patterned paper into 1x12 inch strips -- a total of 36 strips (you'll only need 30)

Cut all of your 8.5x11 cardstock in half -- so you end up with 60 mats that are 5.5x8.5.

Cut the white cardstock into 1x3.5 inch strips for the signatures -- you will need 60

For the title blocks:  Stamp the journaling circle on the MM Ledger paper with black ink.  Use scissors to cut out each one.  Then stamp the grade number with acrylic paint and fill in the rest of the details with a thick black pen.

Assemble the pages as shown here -- pretty quick and simple.

Add the school portraits to the photo mat with black photo corners (I use the lick and stick kind).  Adhere the signature blocks after your child signs it.  I plan on keeping the blank strips in a separate sheet protector and then add them as I need them.  That way if one of the kids messes up on their name, I don't have to tear out something that's already glued down to the page. 

Wa-la!  No more misplaced school portraits.  Now they're documented, out in the open for everyone to enjoy instead of hiding in a folder or filing cabinet because you don't know what the heck to do with them (that was me for the last 2 years).  And I think it will be so much fun to see the kids side by side each year to make comparisons.  I'm anxious for them to start another school year just so I can fill the album a bit more!

on the good list today

• a hair cut that begins with a scalp massage, and ends with a hand massage
• pampered chef microfiber dish cloths
• a balanced checkbook
• happy, dirty boys returning from a father & son's campout
• completing a scrapbook album for all my kids' school pictures through the years (preschool - 12th grade)

like, totally

LOL.  Yes, I'm just laughing at myself.  Last night was an 80's themed Bunco and as you can see I had way too much fun with it.  I haven't dressed up like this in forever (in college it was practically a weekly occurence).  It was sooo much fun!!  Totally rocked the blue eye shadow & eyeliner, put on way more fuschia blush than should be allowed in public, and went to town with the crimper and hairspray.  The only thing I wish I had were those lace gloves with the fingers cut-out.  You KNOW the ones I'm talking about.   Sheila & Paige also did a great job channeling their inner 80's, but I'll leave it up to them to post incriminating photos of themselves.  I will say that there were LA Gear high tops and Lee press-on nails.  And Sheila rocked the hair .  . . . I was totally feeling an 80's flashback.

happy mudrs day

That's how Conner writes and says "mother's day".  He's in kindergarten. 

Well, I had a good mother's day weekend.  I woke up Sunday morning to the kids running to my bedside with presents.  Conner gave me some stationary he made at school, and Payton's gift was a plaque of his hand print he made at pre-school.  From all of them I got a 4 lb. tub of Red Vines -- that's what they picked out on their mother's day shopping trip with dad.  And tucked inside were three little pieces of paper.

Trying to determine what each of the coupons was meant for was a challenge at first, but with a little help from Scott I was able to figure it out.  From Conner, a hair cut.  From Anna, a pedicure.  And from Payton, a facial.  All at a nice spa/salon in town.  The real gift certificates are on their way in the mail -- but I think these are way more fun.  Scott made us german pancakes for dinner and did a good job of managing the chaos so I didn't have to.  He even changed two poopy diapers.  What a man.

I also wanted to share a handout/quote I used for a lesson last year in RS and is now hanging on my fridge.  I talked about the role of mothers and contrasted the to-do lists we think we should be keeping up with and the to-do list that really matters.  The items on this to-do list comes from an address by President Ezra Taft Benson at a fireside for parents on Feb. 22, 1987, titled "To The Mothers in Zion".

•  
  • Be at the crossroads (as in physically being there)
  • Be a real friend
  • Read to your children
  • Pray with your children
  • Have weekly FHE
  • Be together at mealtimes
  • Read scriptures daily
  • Do things as a family
  • Teach your children
  • Truly love your children

lots of lovin'

sometimes Payton and Anna really do not get along.  And sometimes they really like each other.  Today they played the "hugging game" at Conner's t-ball game.  I love to see this kind of stuff . . .

. . . . and backwards baseball caps on cute boys.

Anna wore this cute headband in her "hair" the whole game.  And took some time to fraternize with the little boys in the dugout.

Conner had a "thumbs up" game today.  He got to play his favorite position (pitcher) in the first inning.  That happiness/excitement carried him through the entire rest of the game.

And I got a new washer today (ours died yesterday).  Happy Mother's Day to me!  No, I know Scott wouldn't do that to me.  =)

lucky me

This past weekend I had my mom in town for our annual mother/daughter weekend.  Because she came here, it was my turn to come up with the agenda.  Everything worked out perfectly and we had a great time together.

First, she arrived on Thursday with presents for everyone (like grandmas always do).  And then on Friday evening I held a Wordplay party at my house which went really well.  The wonderful thing about having a mom who runs a vinyl lettering business is that I get my stuff for free.  Thanks mom! 

And on Saturday the playing began.  Here's a run-down of the rest of our weekend.

• We spent most of Saturday at Time Out for Women -- my first time, my mom's second.  It was great!
• My favorite speaker was Robert Millet -- really made me want to run out and get some of his books.  My mom picked up Men of Valor for me -- both she & my dad have read it and highly recommend it for men, women, and mothers raising boys.  As we stood in the long lines to check out I looked around and every other person seemed to have this one in their arms. 
• I saw a few people from my ward (mostly from a distance -- there were 2800 women there) -- Paulette, Kathleen, Bobbe, Shannon (actually got to chat with her for a second).
• I won a door prize!  After lunch they held drawings for Deseret Book and for the 3 vendors that were there.  For my prize I got to pick out 3 t-shirts from Molly Me.  How cool is that?!  As the drawings began my mom and I joked that we needed to send out our positive thoughts to the universe (this, after a short discussion of The Secret the day before).  And what do you know, it worked!  When they called my name I yelled, "that's me!" and ran up to the front.  I was waayy too giddy.
• A trip to the scrapbook store (on national scrapbook day) to pick up some supplies for an album we put together that night in the hotel. 
• Dinner at Stanford's and strangely enough ran into some friends who were out on a date.
• Check-in at our wonderful hotel.  With drive-up valet parking, an attendant to bring our bags up to the room, "Heavenly Beds", and a "Heavenly Bath" (seriously, the best shower I have ever taken) we found comfort & relaxation in a big way.

• As I said we put together a scrapbook album for my mom.  It was the bones of an "Heirlooms" album that she can use to insert pictures & journaling of family heirlooms & treasures.  Often she will tell me the stories of certain items, but there's no way I can remember it all.  I thought this would be a good way to put all that information together and easily add to it over time.
• Sunday morning we checked out and went to breakfast at this wonderful resturant called Mother's Bistro.  It was such the perfect place to take your mother too.  The decor, the ambiance, the food everything was wonderful.  And if you're thinking you might try it out, get reservations.  I had the crunchy french toast and a raisin pecan cinnamon roll.

So that was our weekend!  Until next year . . . .

national scrapbook day

Happy National Scrapbook Day!  Did you all visit your local scrapbook store or make a layout in honor of the holiday?  By the end of the day I'll have checkmarks on both of those items.

THIS is definitely a happy day for me.. You must go here and see why!!!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

update for my blog archives (in case this link disappears soon) . . .

Several weeks ago I got an e-mail from Rachel Ludwig (CK Hall of Famer, 2Peas Garden Girl) asking me if it would be okay if 2Peas featured me & one of my layouts on National Scrapbook Day.  After picking up my jaw from the floor I quickly responded yes!  So I made up a "never before seen layout" and submitted it for this special day.  I had no idea how many people would be participating in this feature, but it sounded pretty cool to me.  Turns out they featured over 150 scrappers in their "User Inspiration" section . . . . but!  lucky me, my layout was the third one listed!

At the top of the page with the thumbnails of everyone's layouts it reads:

USERS AND LAYOUTS WE'D LIKE TO POINT OUT

Do you ever get tired of looking through the gallery? Do you think you have seen it all? All the ideas and fabulous layouts created and posted on the site?  The last few weeks the Garden Girls have been putting together a big list of Users that they want to make sure you see... They want to point out their wonderful work, the great things that they create and post on Two Peas for the joy of all of us to see and be inspired by.   We wanted to say " Hey! Make sure you don't miss this one! This one has done some seriously fun work! This one really inspires me...". So check them out, look around, look at what other work they have done, and add them to your Book of Scraps (Bookmarks) and let their layouts inspire you again and again. Then when you click on my layout it takes you to another page with comments from Rachel (thank you my dear!) This layout chosen by Rachel Ludwig: Title: the cutest halloween costumes like, ever by shan979  I've been a fan of Shannon's work for a long time. I remember seeing her pages in Simple Scrapbooks a few years ago. I love that's she's stayed true to her clean-lined style while her pages are still fun and fresh. On this layout, I absolutely adore the fabulous picture on the first page. Could her kids get any cuter? I love how her second page balances the first, how Shannon used individual pictures of each of the kids and how she used stickers to create a visual triangle. I also like how her title spans both pages and unites the layout and makes it flow nicely. Thanks for all the inspiration Shannon! :) Oh, and here's the layout.

this is my reality

Payton covering his eyes because the sun is too bright behind the clouds.  Anna screaming because Payton's other hand is pressing against the back of her head.  Conner just looking on (he's out of the screaming/crying stage, thank goodness) and for once following my instructions to just sit still and don't touch anyone.  And to think, all I wanted was a quick picture.  I should have known that was too much to ask for. 

So when is mother's day?

our toothless boy

Well, Conner lost his second tooth on Sunday (the first one on thursday) and he has a giant toothless grin . . .

and a giant lisp -- we love it.  It's so fun to hear him talk and mith all hith eth's.

gosh -- look at those fangs!  I'm really surprised by the big gaping holes he has in his gums -- they go up pretty high.  Is that normal?  It makes me think that it's going to be a long time before those front teeth come in.  And wouldn't you know it, the two teeth on the bottom are loose too.  That could make for some fun.

spring clean-up

The eyesore that was my front flower bed has been bugging me for quite some time.  It needed to be cleaned up, plants torn out, but I didn't know much of what to do from there.  So after several brainstorming sessions with my mom I finally got my act together and fixed everything up last saturday.  (The before picture was taken in March).

Good-bye lavender and randomly placed pansies.  We'll miss you, but you were just getting too scraggly  looking (oh, and dying too).  Hello rocks, calico aster, salvia, scabiosa, and new bark.  And I actually dug up my 3 year old shrubs and replanted them closer together and to the rear of the flower bed.

Hopefully everything will survive.