Today when I was out with the kids I noticed a big blue sky full of perfect clouds. The type of clouds that are white, fluffy and perfectly spaced within the blue sky. And while I wanted to find a big open field, grab the camera and get awesome photos of the kids - I had places to go and people to meet. SO, the plan was to go out tonight after nap time when the lighting would be even more ideal - but that didn’t happen. The clouds passed and the sky was big and blue - usually not something that I’d complain about but I really had my heart set on the clouds.

So I joined walk team (another post on another day) anyway and had a great session with the kids (mainly addy). And it turned out to be her 18/19 month portrait session, even without the clouds.

And I got a photo like this that completely melts my heart.

It’s the only one that I had time to edit, more coming soon!

I\’m itchy…VERY itchy and miserable and feeling like I\’m being punished for something very very bad. Apparently, I have poison ivy on my legs, behind my knees and on my feet and I NEVER used to get poison ivy. I had the immunity that you so often read about and never understood the misery that others were going through.\r\n\r\nNow, I get it. I don\’t like it. And if you see my immunity running around out there laughing at me, smack it upside the head and tell it to GO HOME! I want it back!\r\n

That about sums up me in the studio for the past couple of weeks. Pre-CHA time usually means tight deadlines and several trips to the post office (or fed ex, or UPS) but it’s so much fun! Well, almost so much fun until you get stressed, make progress, and then find the fun again.

I did a few pieces this show for BasicGrey and boy did they have a rockin’ release! The papers are GORGEOUS and my altered pieces almost made themselves! LOVE that!!!!

I’m now able to share a bit of the work I did so enjoy!!!

This is a piece using the new Granola line (yummy, earthy, masculine but not necessarily). I made it for my good buddy Jackson who has had a rough year and is now dealing with two wee little pain in the butt (but of so cute) baby sisters.

And then I made this jewelry case that actually holds butterfly hair-clips (made from the paper too and some UTEE). The line is called Ambrosia and it is gorgeous! Awesome color palette and bold colors - no wonder it’s my favorite!

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I made this as proof that I AM going to someday embarrass my daughter in college by showing her how much I love her (isn’t that what parents do)? The line, Urban Prairie, is SO cute!!!

And finally my silhouette frame of Miss Adeline with dimensional flowers in the box. In my book, you can’t go wrong with orange and “Offbeat” NAILS the color combos! The details in the paper are quite amazing as well.

Finally, a mini-book that is 18 pages SO, I did it about my gal recording her monthly milestones. It worked out nicely since she is 18 months now eh? The line that I used was Euphoria which is soft and pretty…and purple! HA! And have you seen the new chipboard albums they came out with? FUN shapes AND colors…this one being chocolate so I NEEDED to show that off!

And THAT is all - whew! More stuff coming later from Sassafras Lass once I get the green-light. They have the cutest mushrooms (yeah, MUSHROOMS) and woodland creatures in their release this time.

FINALLY some time to edit a few photos to share! We’ve been busy and I have more but this will do for now! Here is what we’ve been up to:

We’ve gone to our cottage at the lake, spending time at the beach (going again this weekend):

Proof, AJ with the bucket:

And what they loved most, daddy made sand puddles:

We’ve gone blueberry picking (AND I made a pie from scratch) - GO ME:

Raspberry picking too until our…er…Liam’s legs got tired and he was “getting too sweaty” (HE’S FIVE!):

Miss Addy had surgery (adenoids removed) and looked like this less than 36 hours later (yeah right I’d STILL be in bed eating ice cream):

We visited family and friends who came up from Florida (this is my nephew):

We played outside in style since it hasn’t rained for..gasp…FOUR days straight and the mud is drying up (dang it if I didn’t just curse this whole thing):

And we picked blueberries at home since our bushes are finally turning and the deer are sharing this year (how kind of them):

We’ve also gone to the playground a few times and the pool but since I have two kids and two hands I just can’t snap photos there. Maybe once I finish growing that extra pair of hands I’ll be good!

More later!

Already. How does that happen? I guess being away the bulk of June doesn’t help but honestly, our weekends are getting busier and busier and before we know it - school will be back in session! Booooooo!

Anyway - we’ve been keeping busy since getting back from vacation. We had a bit of a 24 hour flu bug pass through the house. Each one of us got it on a different day just to spread out the fun - yay.

Last week (after recovering) I had some scrappy stuff to do that I’ll be able to share in a bit. Oh, speaking of scrappy stuff, we had a fun challenge over at American crafts to create postcards last month. Check out the gallery if you get some time - there is some really fun stuff in there. I did a set of three kid-themed postcards for playdates and really thought that they turned out cute!

And this past holiday weekend we went to the lake and spent time at our cottage. The kids got to take a boat ride around the lake with Liam asking if we were almost done every. two. minutes. - relaxing huh? We got to hang out of the beach, build sandcastles and lakes - the kids LOVED doing this. And then we watched fireworks in the evening while cuddling on a blanket. I’d say that it was a great weekend.

Photos coming soon!

back from the desert heat - alive and well. We returned yesterday to a very humid climate - so much different than where we came. Sigh. I want to go back. Today we tried getting ourselves and the kids adjusted to the time change. It’s so much harder going east. We’re making progress though. I was also excited to dump photos onto my main computer - see them on the big screen - and play. I found two of Addy and melted my heart and made me smile. She’s my sweet angel - growing so quickly - talking more and more each day. She’s amazing.

I love the little heart in the center of her dress! Hopefully I’ll find some good ones of the L-man…he’s hiding on me more and more each day though!

We went to a local splash park last night around sunset. I was going for a slightly different effect but I still like what I came up with. I wish Addy weren’t running OUT of the frame but that’s ok.

More later!

In photos! Well, just the kids but that’s who you REALLY want to see anyway.

So my disclaimer: These were all edited on my laptop which means that when I get home I’ll probably pull them down because I’ll REALLY see how they look and just won’t be pleased. My laptop is not calibrated. I’m guessing that everything will be a little too saturated. So that’s that.

So here is Liam swimming in the “little pool” on our back patio - taken directly into the sun as you’ll notice:

This one of daddy and the little Miss at the playground - love the moon in the distant background:

And finally one of my boy looking way too old for my liking (where is my baby)!:

That’s all for now!

The incident occurred over 24 hours ago and I’m just now able to write about it. That alone should tell you have creeped out I am by the whole ordeal. I’ve been traumatized for life. I’m. Not. Kidding.

So yesterday, I decide to get myself dressed to go to the pool. I walk out onto the back patio and grab my swimsuit from the day before and carry it into the bathroom. I also walk into the closet and grab a plain white t-shirt from the drawer (my mom keeps clothes there year round) and place everything onto the sink area. I whip off my pajama shirt and grab my bathing suit top noticing that it needs turned right side out. At about that time, I see and rather gigantic brown spider crawl to the top of my clothing pile, definitely claiming it as its own. I scream. And we’re not talking a little yelp here (and the baby is sleeping but that’s the furthest thing from my mind). Shaking and half naked, I grab my bits and go running into the bedroom, through the sliding glass door and out to Nate (who is skimming the pool). In sheer panic I insist he come into the bathroom RIGHT NOW, not going into much detail other than there is a spider (he knows the I don’t appreciate spiders of the 1/2 inch diameter let alone this small beast).

Fortunately Liam didn’t know that any of this was going on or we’d have been lectured. Nature stays in nature (it’s going to bite us in the butt eventually but it is “normally” a good message). Heck, we still tell him that when we flush our “nature finds” that they’re “going home to mama.” So what comes next, he’d definitely not approve of.

So we’re back in the bathroom. Nate and I standing in the bathroom wide eyed - me still holding my bits. The spider has now moved to the wall corner. We thought about getting the vacuum but Addy WAS sleeping and you don’t mess with a sleeping baby who has adjusted to a three hour time difference. It’s just wrong. So it was Nate vs. the hairy beast with large eyeballs (ok maybe they weren’t THAT large but according to Nate they were “staring into his soul”).

I’m still shuffling and squirming in the bathroom, making sure it doesn’t escape. Nate walks off a grabs a few towels. After wrapping two towels around his hand and holding out another, he thrust down his hand and looked away. He twisted the towel a few times and hoped to do “the job.” And fortunately, he did. Whew. I could finally get dressed.

After doing some reading, we think that it was an Arizona brown spider. It is a venomous creature so fortunately nobody was hurt (except for IT). We also learned that they sometimes hide in clothing or bedding so now I have no idea if it traveled inside from my bathing suit OR if it was on the t-shirt in the drawer. We’ll never know and I’ll never be safe (oh how dramatic I know).

I will say that I will shake EVERYTHING out from now on – and keep my shirt on until I know that it’s all clear.

On Father’s Day even.

While playing the “what animal am I” description game

Daddy: I think scorpions are insects
Liam: No, they’re NOT insects
Mommy answer (after looking it up): They’re NOT insects and part of the arachnid family
Liam: I TOLD you they weren’t insects!

Daddy: I think that bees have an exoskeleton
Liam: No, bees don’t have an exoskeleton – a ladybug does
Mommy answer (after looking it up): They have NO exoskeleton
Liam: I TOLD you they didn’t have an exoskeleton!

Daddy: I think that a turtle is an amphibian
Liam: Is it an amphibian? I think that it’s a reptile.
Mommy answer (kind of knowing but still looking it up): A turtle IS a reptile.
Liam: I TOLD you it was a reptile!

See the trend. The boy is smart and daddy has a mush brain. He’s allowed though since today is HIS day.