Butterflies and Packing

Today Andrew's insect project was due at school. Everyone in the family was susposed to help make and research an insect of Andrew's choice. Everyone else had suggestions of maybe doing an ant or a lightening bug (think of the possibilities) but Andrew stood firm with his choice of a butterfly.
I helped Andrew research it, while David and Ian did the model... ahemm .. let me clarify.. David did the model while Ian ran to pick up the supplies and watched.
Andrew was quite proud of it this morning as he carried it into the school. He asked me to to a photograph of it as he was leaving.
Today I have been finishing up some layouts, trying to sort things, and pick up around the house.
Tomorrow I will be packing to head to CKC St Louis, MO (really it is in Collinsville, IL).
As some of you know I have been collecting state charms for my bracelet. I already have one from last year for MO, so I think I will be doing the IL one for this show. It counts right?
I will be working with Nanette and her daughter Kaylie! It should be loads of fun.
I am also going to get to see Jamie and her mother Rose! They promised to help with tear down like last time in Kansas City!
I can't wait to see them!

Home to Play For A Bit!

Well I am home for a few days, I leave to go to St. Louis CKC next week.

Andrew has kept me busy. He has a few school projects that are comming

due and then we have been enjoying the spring weather.

Andrew was out with the dogs blowing bubbles the other day. I heard him giggling and

Max was barking and jumping. After a closer look I see that he was blowing the

bubbles and Max was trying to jump up and "pop" them. I had to run and grab my

camera and capture these shots!

Ahh!! I am enjoying these warm days!

Pleasanton, CA Done!

What a blast we had in Pleasanton!

I absolutly loved all of my helpers and would love to have them back anytime!

Teresa... girl you rock! Thank you so much!

The tear down crew... what can I say? We did it !! I don't think that some of you have laughed so hard in ages.. even my hubby helped!...(why can't I get him to help at home?)

I must admit.. it being the first show of the year it kicked my you know what and I pretty much vegged all Sunday.

But.. I did drop a few lbs!! Hee hee.. and it was much more fun than getting on a treadmill or going to the gym!

Tasha.. you deserve a medal! How do you sleep? LOL! Brenda and I giggled so hard.. Lance was snoring so loudly the people in the next room were beating on the walls for him to stop in the middle of the night!

Thanks again ladies.. and Teresa and Brenda.. I hope we get to do this again.. Ya'll are the best!

And away we Goooooooo!

Yes! Show Season is starting!

Tomorrow I am heading out for the Pleasanton Expo in California. I will spend today packing, tying up loose ends aound the house, and finishing a few projects I have on my desk.

This picture is from the Chatanooga Show last year. That was a few pounds ago. Maybe starting work will help shed some of my "packed on" winter pounds.

I will be working with one of my great fellow chef's Brenda, and Lance will be teaching. We will also have the honor of having a helper for set-up. Yay Tereasa!!

When I return home my mom and Dad will be here visiting and I will get to spend some time with them. I miss them being around in my life every day. I can't wait to see them!

Hopefully my house will not be in too much disrepair when I return from the show after three days with all men being there! You know how the guys are! (wink!)

Always Remember...

This week has been so hectic around our house.

Spring has sprung so to say.

Yards needed mowing, dogs to the vet for shots, help out at school, floors that needed repair among other things.

Surprise!!

My son decided to keep it from us that his girlfriend from New York was comming to visit.

I found out when he called me from work the night she was susposed to arrive. It seems that she was stranded in Las Vegas because she had missed her flight.

They decided that he would pick her up there (a 6 hour drive one way) after he finished his night shift at work.

Well he made it to Las Vegas and was headed home and fell asleep while driving and ran into a semi.

Luckly no one was hurt, but his car was totaled.

It made me start thinking how that sometimes you get busy with life and you forget to tell people who mean the most, that you love them.

My older boys have grown up and left the nest. I don't see them everyday. Do they know how I feel?

I have decided that no matter how embarassing it is for them, how silly they think it is, or how much they think they have grown , that they will receive those mommy kisses and hugs forever.

I love them!

Jackpot!!

Today I feel like I hit the Jackpot! My sister in law sent me some photos of their family.

As most of you know I only have boys, but now, I finally have some girl photos to work with!!

Everyone tells me to just scrap myself. Trust me, it is not the same. Most of the photos of myself at a young age are black and white and will not go with the new trendy paper. While they do make fabulous heritage layouts, they just don't do the new paper "justice".

We are so lucky to have the new camera types that give you such true colors in our photos and make it possible to do layouts with such bold and bright colors.

I have been struggling with designer block recently so I hope these will help get me out of it.

The wind has picked up around here and it has cooled off a bit. I am in desperate need of sunshine and warm weather! I find myself shivering in the mornings still. Where is that "shorts weather" I was asking for?

March is here!

March has blown in with lots of rain here.

We spent yesterday moving things in the house and cleaning a bit here and there.

We live in a very tiny house and it seems we are jam packed into it.
There is not a day that goes by that I am not dreaming of a house a bit larger. If I could have a room of my own to scrap that would be an extra blessing.

My husband has been wanting us to get one of those small mini freezers but we sadly have had no room. He decided to move a wooden filing cabinet into the house so we might have room in the garage for the freezer.

Well when you move the cabinet the files need to be cleaned right? I spent most of the day shreading documents that were at the oldest, 20 years old.

It felt good to be rid of the junk but of course the cabinet takes up room in the house.

There were lots of treasures in there . Fun family photos and things that had been forgotten.

I made the layout here from an old photo of my sister and myself. The materials used were all from Scrapbook Doodle's March kit. We were quite a pair!

Today I am off to see what March brings. Looks like rain for sure!