it’s like christmas at the pitcher house.

seriously.

it started with snow, and then I started in with the christmas tunes, and movies (and for all the bah-humbuggers/grinches, I have a totally valid argument for that, to come later..), and then the scentsy scents, and well, the best present of all…

merrill came home!!!

(it was only two weeks…  two very long, much TOO long weeks.)

I found ways to kill time..

painting a couple of rooms.

re-doing my picture wall. 

painting a bookcase in the living room.

re-arranging/re-working a couple of rooms.

taking apart and fixing my dryer.

a couple of photo shoots (one in which we had to leave quickly, before the sheriff arrived).

editing photos.

(which I need to catch up on posting, like desperately.)

playing with the girls.

playing just dance with the girls.

watching movies with the girls.

putting little girls to bed early so my brain and emotions could have a release.

and some scrapping…

exciting news at jessica sprague:

pink paislee has joined the ranks of awesome designers there!!

 

darling stuff there..

(click on layouts for full credits.)

and then there is some new lovely goods from miss samantha walker.

the name of the paper pack I used for this layout is “foundations gray baby”.

and well, if you know me, ever been to my house, you’d know just how much I adore babies and the color gray.  I would have painted the whole first floor of my house gray while merrill was gone if I could have also refinished the cabinets.

(but I am not that crazy.)

I will have to post pictures of what I did while the husband was away (for far too long I might remind you again..) soon.

so to catch up on the thankfulness:

friday-

so very thankful that I have lovely pictures of the temple to display in my home.  so thankful to have them so abundantly and so near us.

saturday-

I am thankful for my body, for my health and strength, and ability.  thankful for the fun (and exercise, and sometimes bruises) I get with good girlfriends playing volleyball.  (BEAM!!)

I am thankful for the snow today, and for the “elf” soundtrack.  (I will really have to get into my completely valid reasons why christmas is coming before thanksgiving in this house.)

I am thankful for red bull.  you see, I was awake at 5:45 and could NOT go back to sleep.  I was excited for volleyball, thinking of the finishing touches for a few projects, and mostly because merrill was coming home that night.(!!!!)

no napping.  too excited for napping.  thankful for red bull.

I didn’t tell the girls about merrill coming home until an hour before we left to get him from the airport.  their squeals of delight were awesome (and reminded me why I waited to tell them).  I was so thankful, that despite the snow, and many accidents throughout the day, we made it to the airport safely and in time.

that reunion was so sweet!

so thankful that he made it home, because if he hadn’t, I would have lost it.

for real.

sunday-

so thankful to have my WHOLE family under the same roof to enjoy the evening.  incredibly thankful for the many prayers that were answered over the course of our two (way too long) weeks.

between diet coke and chocolate…

here I am, enjoying a diet coke and some hershey’s miniatures, and realize that I have other goodies to share today..

some new products at jessica sprague (available today) are getting me in the mood to scrap (more) and make some fun hybrid stuff for the halloween season.

first up:

carina gardner-

(click on layouts for list of full credits.)

and some cosmo cricket:

can’t you see a little banner, just like this, but in real life?

I can too..  hopefully I will get it done soon!

and then there was august..

I don’t want to depress you..  I don’t want to depress myself, but did you know, were you aware, that august is almost over?

really.

next week, and that’s it.

hello september.

see, I depressed you.

shame on me.

I really am sorry.

maybe what I have been working on, catching up on (because I’ve been enjoying the last bit of my summer and playing a lot), will help to cheer you.

they just make me long for summer…

(click on image for list of full credits + links.)

a layout or 5..

I have been getting a lot of scrapping done.

(sadly it is all digi scrapping..  heaven knows how many pictures i have that are printed off, waiting in the mess that is now known as my craft room in the basement..  don’t even get me started on the stash of supplies that keep those pics company..)

I am not sure if this surge of digi scrapping is because of the re-discovered passion my girls have for playing polly pockets or  for watching jurassic park.

(both of which seem to take place in the loft, upstairs where the computer is..)

but anyway..  here’s a few:

(as always, click on layout for list of full credits.)

new today:

“chemistry” by cosmo cricket:

and i was way too excited about these brushes by liv:

and well, then there is all of this other stuff, that was basically just for fun…  our summer has been well-spent, and i have some cute pix to prove it!

(cute pix = more scrapping motivation!!)

hope you are enjoying your summer as well!!

more for you monday(s).

I am still playing catch-up after last week’s holiday..  well, that and all the fun we’ve been having.

I am trying my best to lay back, relax, and have fun with the girls before summer finds it’s end.

(I wish that the end would just get lost though…)

so here’s two weeks worth of goodies:

(click on layouts to link up to full credits.)

queen of quirk’s newest scrap canvas:

liv’s newest needs + wants, stings galore v.2:

and then there’s the temple…

i needed something newish to put in the girls’ rooms in the way of a temple picture.  i played with jodie lee’s vintage crackle textures and got just what i wanted!

Today!!!!

Just a reminder: seven days in may begins today!

(How’s that to start you week?)

Go check out the general forum to play along.  I know that I will be there..  well, in between the coats of paint drying, making teacher year-end gifts, going to the dentist..

So come and hang out with me there!

I did last year and had a blast, got addicted, quite frankly, but it was entirely too much fun.

(And you’ll score some freebies!!!)

As for new product, I have a few…

(They are all delightful.)

Splendid Fiins:

(Click on layouts for list full credits.)

Carina Gardner:

Be watching for a post about baby hunger…

Last, but certainly not least, Cosmo Cricket:

I have many more project ideas in store with this collection.

So, will I see you in the forum, or what? ;)

Welcoming a new designer.

Jodie Lee is a new designer to Jessica Sprague.  

Her creations are amazing!  I was lucky enough to get to play with some of her designs in the last class I took, and fell in love.

Today is her debut.  She has some shabby, amazing, gorgeous products out today.  Go check them out!

These are her Vintage Paper Textures, perfect for this layout.

(Click on layout for full credits.)

candy, candy!

this week’s layout comes courtesy of cosmo cricket’s latest line of “garden variety”.  my layout features paper and elements (aka “candy” to the cosmos).

love the fresh-picked feel it has to it, makes me want to go live on a farm.

(i tell merrill that is the plan if something were ever to happen to him.  pack up the girls and head to the rural i tell you..)

tangent:  i realize, as i post this, that i took this picture on our anniversary..  kind of funny to see just what has happened in 11 years..

(click on layout for full list of credits.)

Terrific Tuesday!

(I am trying hard to crank out creative post titles and sucking adequately at it.)
Today is not only “Template Tuesday” but it is also my 11th wedding anniversary.
Not only that..  but I finally had time to complete templates from not only LAST Tuesday, but today as well..
(For full credits, please click on the layout.)


And the fun news doesn’t end there my friends!!
Nope.
I was featured at CK’s blog.  Pretty close to that place I have been dreaming of being featured at for years….
Pretty terrific for this Tuesday if I do say so myself.

How did I forget?!?

I posted all of my latest layouts, and left out one of my favorites!
Merrill…

This is from the pics I took from my latest assignment, and I loved this one.  I am so thankful for him!
Supplies:
Template from In The Making Design, “Thankful” (available Wednesday).
Papers also from In The Making Design, “Classic Budiour”, and “Lastoria”.

One Buck Wednesday!

Head on over to Jessica Sprague for some fun stuff for “One Buck Wednesday”.

AND this layout of mine is featured here..
(You’ll have to scroll a lot..  there is some great talent out there!)

A blast from the scrapbooking past.

While sorting through ten years of scrapbooks and pictures, I came across this page I did when Lynn was just two.  I just love it so much!  I love to see how their special relationship has been firmly in place since she was small.
Such a sweet memory!
I am so thankful that I scrapbook..
Now I think I should catch up!

2009...

2009..  it was a fun year!
January- I celebrated the last birthday for my twenties..  I am looking forward to 30!  This month our house was also blessed with a Dyson..  the gift that keeps on giving. :)  Snow was also awesome this month bringing Merrill up the hill in the backhoe more than once.
February- Our baby turned one.  A new little red-headed boy named Tyler was born to Austin and Brooke. We also started practically living at the hotel..  the end was nearing!  My decision in re-decorating the craft room amid the chaos is something I question to this day.
March-  If we thought life was busy in February, we were quickly corrected in March..  the hotel was our life.  We learned who our best friends were when help and endless offers of help poured in.  We spent more than a few late nights down there and learned how to make beds in record time!  We were happy to finally open mid-month.
April-  This month brought us our 9th wedding anniversary and a new computer.  With the new computer came PhotoShop and my life was digitized.  My love for digital scrapbooking just began..  We also planted our first real garden and looked forward to enjoying lots of home-grown goodies.  Ashley graduated from her first year of pre-school and was sad it was over.  She couldn't wait to get back at it!  Lynn was really reading..  writing and illustrating her own books.
May-  We ended a hard year of kindergarten with Lynn graduating, looked ahead to summer, relaxing, and a new year in first grade with a new teacher.  We also spent our Wednesdays at the fair grounds, softball was in season!
June-  We just began our summer and what a way to start it off..  we went to the Ogden temple for a primary activity then followed it up the next week with a family trip to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple open house.  Such neat experiences to share with our girls!  When it wasn't raining, we spent our days in the sun, near the pool.  If it was raining, we were playing inside, or enjoying a dip at the hotel.  We also went to the Air Show and watched the Thunderbirds.  The girls cheered in the South Ogden Days parade.
July-  A month of celebrating, parades, and fireworks began..  we went to Lagoon and spent a fun-filled day there.  I also captured some of my favorite pictures of our little family there.  I got to learn some really cool tricks while taking digital classes online.  At the end of the month, we started to enjoy some goodness from our garden.
August-  Life picked-up and we started sprinting in August.  Clint and Britney were married the beginning of the month at the Salt Lake Temple.  We enjoyed our day there.  We had some home improvement projects online.  We were working all summer on the outside, and it kept on going!  Back to school was beginning in the PTA realm of things too.  Talk of moving began, and the work on the house got kicked into high gear.  Peyton broke her arm...  School started.  Merrill turned the big 3-OH NO! ;)  Mindy got a new camera and turned into a one woman paparazzi.  This only helped the digital addiction.
September-  Merrill enjoyed a cruise while Mindy (& company) prepared the house for how many appraisals?!  Oh, and walk-troughs...  we moved at the end of the month, so happy to finally be out of boxes!!  Again..  we are so blessed to have the friends and family we do...
October-  Ashley turned 5!!  We settled into the house and really began to enjoy our space to stretch...  Kevin and Randee welcomed their long awaited little girl Chace.  Merrill ran off to Arizona for work and I stayed at home, painting over the horrid blue in what was to be my craft room.  Halloween brought out some fun with an increase in the number of trick-or-treaters at our new address.
November-  The holidays officially began in our new home and I wanted it to be special.  I had the bulk of Christmas gifts taken care of early so we could enjoy...  until I got sick, and threw us off track for a little bit.  Lynnie turned 7!  We had two Thanksgivings..  one with mom and dad while Merrill worked and one at home the following day.  We put up the tree, after cutting off a few inches and leaving off two rows of branches. :(
December-  We packed it in this month!  We picked up old traditions and started a few new ones.  We enjoyed the month, but wish it would have gone by a little slower.  We were especially thankful to have our children really grasp the true meaning of Christmas.

I've been busy...

Editing pictures and creating more digital pages, all to get my free Shutterlfy book...
Ahhh..
Then I realized they can count as layouts too!!!
All digital this time. :)
Let's count:

13!
But copies of them for all the albums I need take me to...  38.

What does that put me at..  um...  DONE!!!

Gettin' it done..

Silly me, wondering where the hey the month of July has gone..
Figured I had better get some more done.. I have been busy crocheting a scarf of ALL things to be doing in July!

In the mood...

These came together quickly using some of the new tips and techniques I learned in my recent class.. I still can't believe that I am doing digital!!
I am, however, excited about some recent purchases at a Stampin' Up! party I went to.. does anyone else out there get excited over a new paper trimmer? ;)

Another one...

Here comes the "too much info" train...
Woooo!! Woooo!!
I cannot sleep tonight (this morning, really..)..
Being a woman is awesome.. insomnia, headaches, and blessed cramps.
If I were preggers, I would have funner discomforts.

Air Show...

Thanks to my best friend Christie, I learned and now appreciate, the template.
These are awesome!! Ctrl G my friends.. Ctrl G..
Guess what I will be doing the rest of tonight..
Downloading templates.
I think I have come to the conclusion, if I make a layout, and it goes into 4 albums (family, Lynn's, Ashley's, and Peyton's..) then I get to count it as 4 layouts... that's how it would work doing this the paper and glue way.
Good plan, eh?
I will be caught up in no time!! ;)

Bathtub Adventure..

Here's a layout the subject being one of the latest hilarious happenings in our house...

The last..

The last of the hospital layouts...
Maybe the thoughts of another new little one (Cori Marie ;)..) will dissipate.
I so miss being pregnant.. birth, nursing :(