basketball tournament

held this morning, conviently right here in town. He played in three games....and i was actually able to be there for all of them.
Love seeing how they have grown and improved since their start last fall.

continuing that scrapping theme

a school album for Rosie

(reyna has one too, and when I complete it so will Yahaira)

It seems I thought they were a pretty awesome idea since I purchased three

of course it would have been even better had I actually put them together when I bought them rather than storing them away in various places in my house and forgetting about them.

One of these kits was discovered during that winter cleaning day a year ago

the other two while cleaning in my basement last month

(yes basement and yes two more kits)

the kit is designed for preschool through 12th grade

with four pages and one pocket for each grade

this is the first page designed for a 8x10 photo

the next is a two page layout where you can journal and include photos

this is the preschool layout and since Rosie is now in Kindergarten this one contains a lot

more photos since the journaling prompts wouldn't quite be the same now that she is a year older

and the forth page designed for photos

here is the pocket page

where you can store artwork and papers

and this is the journaling page for the kindergarten page

some of the prompts are:

teacher, friends, favorite lunch, 

there is also a place to trace their hand

and a place to include a self portrait and their signature

now hopefully this wonderfully organized system will make it easy for me to keep

track of their school days over the years.

pocket album

a kit discovered in a pile of paper and cardstock stored in my closet. A pile that a year ago was a bit big (ok really big if you figure that it was as tall as Rosie) a day of cleaning last winter unearthed a lot of paper, cardstock and kits and the overwhelming fact that I am addicted to paper. Not necessarily using paper but most definiately collecting paper. That fateful cleaning day I sorted and organized all that paper keeping and giving away. It then became my goal to use that paper, since ummmm that would be the point. Well the pile has steadily gone down over the past year, as I used and yet again gave away (really what was I thinking on some of those patterened papers) until now one pack of cardstock remains in my closet the rest is now stored in my scrap space. Mixed in all that original paper were several kits, and these past few weeks have found me assembling many of these kits. the pictures above is of one pocket album kit purchased at some point in the past (I truly don't even remember when) I am sure at the time I had grand plans for it. But as seems to be tastes change and so do grand plans. I put this album together with the intent to donate it to the School auction held each March.
It used a very fun, bright paper line, I did love the pockets for tags which allows even more pictures to be used. Hopefully one lucky bidder will enjoy this one of a kind album when the auction rolls around.

a wedding gift

We have known Ryan for years, he lived down the block almost as long as we have lived in our house. He was friends with Josh and Cassandra and a familiar face in our home while they were in school. We think he is pretty amazing. Awhile ago he and his fiance Amy
asked if I would make a scrapbook for their upcoming wedding in September. I was honored that they asked me and trusted me to create an album for this very special moment in their lives. Last weekend Amy and Ryan brought their wedding pictures to me. Later that weekend as I looked through their photos getting a feel for how this album would come together I smiled at the memories of that day
in September when we were part of the group of people celebrating this, Ryan and Amy's wedding day. So many pictures, I wondered how I would pick what to use and what to discard. I did mention that to ryan in a message that they had way too many awesome photos and it was very hard to pick. He said "it wasn't a bad problem to have" he was absolutely right. Soon photos were sorted into pages and stacked waiting to be assembled...then life got in the way, work and kids and kids and life. Friday I cleaned off my scrapping counter ready to start on this album and then panic set in. What if it wasn't good enough?? Deep breathe, a reassuring text from Shirley, (she is the best) and I started. Working on a few pages and walking away for a bit, and so it went through out the weekend photos, paper and embelishments came together into an album. Might I say that it stressed me out at times, this album, attempting to tell a story from such an important moment in two peoples life. I am humbled that they trusted me to do this. Now it is finished and ready to given to this special couple. Trusting that I captured bits and pieces from their wedding, so that years from now when they page through this album it will take them back to that magical day when they became Mr and Mrs. Thank you Ryan and Amy for allowing me to create your wedding album.

Doodlebug

love this company!
love, love, love their products....
this arriving in the mail the other day made me smile....

sledding

so little snow this winter has made snow hills and piles limited.....
but to a two year old being pulled on your sled is just as good as sliding down
a hill, perhaps even better. She didn't want to come in, even tho the temps were in the
single digits above zero...and when she did finally come in her little toes and nose were
chilled but she had the biggest grin on her face "I play in the snow mamma!!!" she exclaimed.

scrapbooking....

with winter keeping me home...
and with the inspiration of a wonderful weekend with some amazing ladies, who create awesome scrapbooks that inspire me and challenge me to do the same...plus they make me laugh which is the best thing of all.
I have been busy finishing this project or starting another.
a box arrived the other day with some wonderful scrapping goodies. Smash a new company to me I haven't used any of their products yet but now the ideas are spinning in my head of things to make and create. A book, ordered after Donna shared her's at the scrapping weekend...oh my page after page of pure wonderfulness.
and that youngest little one of mine is right there in the thick of all this craftiness, helping in her own special way, watching always watching what I do...

this is...

brilliant.
picture and paint all on one page.
the daycare provider in me just did a happy dance
no need for paint containers and spills and mess
just a paint brush and water and let the art happen.
love it!

seriously...

Cheerio's two new flavors...
what are you trying to do to me?
I loved the apple cinnamon flavor when you introduced those,
and the chocolate? well what is there to not love about a chocolate flavored anything
(well perhaps not chocolate flavored bugs)
but now these on the grocery shelf last night just tempted me peanut butter and caramel flavored
be still my heart this is perfect.
enjoyed a bowl (or two) of the dulce de leche this morning
oh my I could actually enjoy eating breakfast if this were on the menu each day.

(and yes it would appear there have been numerous posts on food...apparently food is on my mind this month.)

a project

i am working on....more pictures to come once it is complete