Weekend Review~

Well its Sunday afternoon and its been a great weekend so far! Today we are just relaxing and recovering from the driving and food and fun. Ive gotten through all my photos and will post some of my fav for ya'll. These first few photos were taken at St.Louis County Lone Elk Park and World Bird Sanctuary!

Hunter looking at me via an American Bald Eagle!

Justice at the aviary.

The lake at Lone Elk Park.

The crew feeding the fish & turtles.

Dad taking a break in the shade at the lake/park.

Todd and Dad chattin' it up while grilling at the park.

Hunter and Justice getting ready for lunch!

Preston and Rachel..I think they like each other! ;)

Todd at Lone Elk Park!

On the way home we stopped at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery where Todds Dad is buried. We drove around and looked all the grounds and the part of the grounds that overlook the Missouri River.

Statues and markers for the Unknown Soldiers.. sad.

We came home and had some strawberries and cake and then drove down to the Arch to watch the fireworks. I could not for the life of me get a good picture of the Arch/bridges and fireworks... but did capture a couple of the kids! I do have to say it was the worst display St.Louis had ever had. I felt sorry for building it up to Dad and Rachel. What a let down. The upside, we were all together and then went to dinner afterwards and had a great time!

Preston, Rachel, Hunter {his fingers in his ears almost the entire weekend-he HATES loud noises!} and Justice.

Yesterday Preston and Rachel headed back home, but Dad stayed behind and we got to take him on a little road trip up to Carlyle Lake and down to Nashville and Washington County Wildlife Area. {where Todd hunts every year and where we camped earlier this year}

The lake at Washington County.

Some of the black-eyed-Susan's we saw tons of them throughout our drive.

Now for one last tidbit of news... I was chosen to be Guest Designer at Creative Scrappers for July 2009 reveal!!!!! I am so excited and proud! Here is the layout that I did for the reveal. I'm so happy to be a part of that Forum, Ive met such good friends and gotten some awesome inspiration from all the girls over there!I hope your weekend was equally as fun... thanks for taking the time to look at my moments this week and always! ;o)

Happy 4th!!!~

Im officially off work for the next 3 days... sooo happy and relieved! The kids and my Dad made it up around noon today. Not after experiencing a car mishap with a roll of barbed-wire. They weren't even to the highway when that happened. I then had a near nervous breakdown and was scared til they arrived safe and sound.

We visited at my office for a little bit and then they took off to the big city {St.Louis-downtown} I worked til about 330pm and took off, since then Ive been making guacamole and pico da galo for dinner tonight and chopped up some other veggies to add to the fajitas too. Preston requested that we either have deer fajitas or meatloaf. We went with the fajitas obviously. I just like all the fixin's along with it.

Tomorrow we are planning on heading out to Lone Elk Park .. we've been there several times with the boys and they have fond memories of it.. so away we go to show Dad and Rachel. While there we are going to grill and have lunch.. come back and clean up and head downtown to the Arch to view the fireworks.

I have a big breakfast planned for Saturday morning and then will send Preston and Rachel back home. She wants to spend the 4th with her parents. Understandable. Altho, I wish Preston could stay longer.. well and Rachel too. haha. I think Dad is going to stay and Justice will be here for a whole week. So Im feeling really blessed right now.

I hope you have a wonderful and safe holiday weekend whatever you do. ;o)

Amidst the cleanup~

Amidst the cleanup of my scraproom that has been a disaster since before Christmas 08'... I stopped and did this layout using a sketch by Deb Harter. It was for CS layout challenge #58. It was the first time I ever used Glimmer Mist and wooo weeee I think Im in love. I love that distressed look anyway, and this just adds to it I think. Hope you like it.. Its a photo of Hunter last year with his sunflowers he grew! And on an ending note... Im happy to say that everything is pretty much organized and put back in its place in the scraproom. I just need Todd to get me a tv hooked up in there and another storage shelf! Then I think I'll be all set! I hope! ;)

In other news.. Im looking forward and will be working real hard at getting things ready for the upcoming visit of my son Preston and his girlfriend Rachel. This will be the first time she will see our home and same for my Dad who is coming too. All for the 4th of July celebrations. The following week my Mom and her husband are coming in for a couple days. So wow.. company galore.. I love it! I just pray that Im cool and calm rather than stressed. hehee

What are your plans for the 4th?

DT Call for Creative Scrappers~

Design Team Call for Creative Scrappers

It’s time for another Designer Call and we want you! We are looking for a total of 8 Designers!
Are you Creative? Do you have a passion for Scrapbooking? Do you love sketches?

Then send in your application!
Submissions will be taken today until July 8 2009

The Names of our New Designers will be posted on our blog Fri. July 10/09
Be ready for your first reveal on August 2/09.

Please include in your application: Name, address, email address, link to your blog or online gallery Forum User Name for Creative Scrappers

Please Send us: 3 of your favorite layouts and your interpretation of the sketch posted.

The Design Team will be required to: Complete atleast 2-3 layouts per month with sketches provided from our Sketch Designers.

Participation in our forum will be required and hosting 1 DT Challenge during your term is requested. Exclusive to Creative Scrappers *(You are asked to design for our Sketch Blog Only, no other sketch blog is permitted)*

We want each member to be proud to be a DT Member for Creative Scrappers You will be required to post our Design Team Blinkie in signatures where permitted and also on your blog!

This is a Term position from August 1 until October 31 2009

Please Mail your entries to Kristine at Kristine@Creative-Scrappers.com www.Creative-Scrappers.com

Thriller Shock~

~me & MJ Christmas morning 1982~

I'm in total shock from the news of a SECOND teen icon passing away yesterday. What a shock to the system. I instantly pulled this photo when I got home to show Hunter how excited his Mommy was to get this album when she was just a teen. Michael Jackson was a teen icon.. his life though as strange as it was... his music.. incredible. I pray for his family!

RIP Farrah Fawcett~

Sooo sad.. Today a wonderful and sweet super-star passed away. She was who every girl wanted to be when we were growing up and someone every boy dreamed of having.. I pray for her family and know that she is in a better place no longer suffering.

Bored~

Happy Fathers Day!

I sure hope all the Dads out there have a great day! Here is a layout I did a LONG time ago. I think I should rip it up and start over.. haha, but anyway... it displays some of my favorite photos of me and my Dad. Have a great Sunday!

....and the winner is~

My friend Taryn!!! Thank you so much for playing and your post was just awesome. I sent you an email and will get your goodies out this week. Congratulations!!!Thank you to all my friends and family that stop by to visit my blog... I hope your weekend is wonderful! ;o)

Winner Winner, Chicken Dinner!~

NO, I didnt win anything, but maybe YOU can! ... I am giving away a little scrap something something and you have a chance to win! In order to qualify for the drawing that I will be holding on Saturday June 20th at 9pm. central time.. you must do the following:
1} Reply with your favorite vintage find or want!
2} Repost on your blog!
3} With the repost I would like to see a vintage poster of your choice instead of my chicken dinner poster from above! {I just think they are cool}

In other news... Tonight Im dying my hair.. cant wait.. the highlights are growing out and look horrible and I just cant keep up with it. Im going with a new color: Medium Golden Chestnut Brown. I dont know how it will turn out, but Im sure it wont be any worse than it is now! Its just hair.. will grow out and can always re-do, but Im sure all will go well! ;)

Next... I made this layout last night. I have to say, I LOVE the butterflies and cant wait to make more!! So get ready you'll be seeing more in the future. Its kind of hard to see, but I used the stickles on the inked part of the journaling spot and liked that effect as well. Thanks for letting me share with you.
Lastly.. I heard this song today and thought Id share.. I just love it, listening to it tonight I remember it being on Greys Anatomy at some point I think. It may be old or new or never heard of, but here it is ... Fix It by Coldplay. I hope you like it as much as I do.

June 12 of 12~

Hi there.. its that time again for the months 12 of 12! I was so happy that we were going "back home" on this 12 of 12.. but found that I really didnt take as many pics as I normally do. I guess it was because it was a quick over-night trip. Maybe next time....

Anyway.. here was our day, our 12 of June.

The boys and I started out the morning hanging out in the truck waiting for Todd while he had his checkup at the docs office. They were pretty bored until the Arch medic chopper came in.. then it was all eyes watching them land, take the gurney out and then bringing the patient out and taking off again...

We left the doc office and headed out to Fulton, Missouri-my home town. We were taking Justice home and going to stay and watch one of his Little League Baseball games and hang out with my Dad.... but on the way we got hungry and stopped in St.Charles at one of our fav spots to eat with the boys.. Pizza Street affectionately called "pizza heaven" by the boys. I was so proud of them, they knew we were on a time crunch and didnt even give us a hard time about not staying to play in the arcade.. I think they were excited to get back to the "country".

oh yeah.. I have to put in the self portrait... this was before we left.. and me fresh out of the shower .. and can you believe.. once again its time for a stupid hair cut! Ugh.. I cant do anything with my hair except clip the top up. I dont think this "cut" is right for the humid conditions we've been having around here lately. Which makes me think I should have took some photos of the recent tornado that hit about 2 miles from our house.. oh well.. just lots of roof tops covered now.... anyway..

We got into town around 3ish and one of the first things I noticed of course was the different and new buildings going up on the south end of town. Now, the south end of town was booming at one time back when I was growing up. Thats where WalMart and the main grocery store was.. but then everything moved out north when they put up the super WalMart. The south end started dying out, which made me kinda sad.. yup I was and am a southern part of town girl. Anyway with all this new re-building on the south end.. I noticed these really intricate and sweet looking lamp posts adorning the streets. Dont you just love them?

ahhhh another thing I love about "back home".. my Dads old farm house.. and of course Dad with his droopy smile.. just like an awaiting basset hound happy to see us come home. hehee

Ruby even loved it.. she ran with wild abandon for about a good half hour, both boys chasing her.. I was laughing so hard. They were all scared she'd run off, but I knew she was just full off piss and vinegar and needed to stretch in the fresh cut grass after that long ride in her kennel!
ps: Can you tell she had just had a bath too? hahaa.. dogs!

Well, being in the country Hunter was asking Grandpa about this bug and that slug and just about anything he could think of that had to do with critters. We walked around the side of the house and I saw the top to the cellar. I hadnt even noticed it before, so we were standing there talking about it and Dad said that the bullfrog he had put down in there about 3 years ago was still living ... soooo of course we all wanted to take a look...and there he was.. proud protector of Dads cellar.... FRED~

So after our short visit we got Justice off to his game. He did really well and I got some really great pics. Watching him and witnessing his sportsmanship mannerisms really made me proud. He is truly a team player. The game lasted over TWO hours.. boy was it long! I was actually getting a bit concerned as that's a long time for 9 year old boys. But they persisted and you wont believe this.. but the score ended 12-12!!!!
and ya'll wont believe this either.. but when I say I love the "country and thats where Im from"... know it, because I almost posted a pic of the coach out on the field wearing cowboy boots. hahaa. It was a tough choice hahaaa ;)

and THIS made me proud too.. watching Hunter cheer on his brother, mimic all of the players and the joy that it all brought to him. Well, it just made me beam!

After the game Dad met us in town and took us out to Mexican {Hunters and Grandpas fav!}, it was late, but boy was it good and the place was packed.. a true sign of great food and service. When we got back to Dads we sat down and relaxed {him in his recliner as per usual} and we talked about the week and the news of him winning the Powerball that week.. $10K!!! and talking about how he missed hitting $19 million by ONE number. hahaa. What a lucky dude!
Maybe next time huh? ;) We can all only hope! hahaa

It was a great day to do the 12 of 12 and a wonderful day off work. I was happy to get to see Justice play ball and be back in my element of the country. It is not without some heartache though. Seeing/being around the ex-husband and feeling the anxiety in which surrounds such visits..I keep hearing my Mom say "No one ever said it'd be easy"... but yeah it was ultimately worth every bit.

How'd your 12 of the 12th day of June go?

What a week!~

What a week! and Im stillll smilin' ^^^ hahaa.. Crazy I guess!

Ive worked over and through lunch every day. Just so I could have today off. Was it worth it? Im not sure because its 9.30am and I want to go back to bed. Instead I need to shower and get the boys ready and everyone packed up, including Ruby to head back to Fulton tonight for Justices ballgame- that will probably be rained out since we are hurrying. Todd has a doc appt. too right in the middle of everything. And of course he wants me to go with. Men are big babies!Hunter IS the "muffin man".. but wants ya'll to know.. not the scary one! {He is terrified of the Muffin Man in the Shrek movie.. lol.

This week I have learned:
1} One of my workers tells our clients that he is the "boss man"
2} We have "cardboard dumpsters" .... and the "boss man" is the one responsible for that stunt!
3} Justice is ONE sensative boy. He broke down when I asked him why I should give him $5 for an allowance.
4} I cant type very fast on a keyboard that letters stick {sooo asking the boss for new keyboard and cordless mouse}
5} Todd is more and more handsome everyday and I totally love him in contacts.
6} Ruby has seperation anxiety.
7} I cant be two places at one time and it sucks.
8} My Dad must have a golden horse shoe planted in his hiney. LUCKY
9} That I am only cheating myself by not losing the weight {thanks Gina}
10} Things ALWAYS happen for a reason, keep looking forward and forget the past {but learn from it too}.
Justice got so tired of me snapping pics this week.. especially in the morning! LOL

ok.. so off we go. It will be a stressful trip-hence the above 2 places at one time. But we'll make it through.... someone/something has to bend. Hope ya'll have a great weekend! When I get back I am hoping to scrap, Id like to enter the GDT contest at CS this time... as I loveee that sketch. We'll see though. Time rules all ya know! Here are a couple cards I did do this past weekend!

oooo and when I get back I'll be presenting June 12 of 12... I am so happy that it happened on a day that we'll be back home! woot woot!

Wanna be bad?~

hehee.. Countdown to the Season 2 premiere of True Blood starts NOW... be sure to watch Sunday June 14th at 9pm central for one of the best new series on HBO. Beware: NOT FOR CHILDREN!
Book your date with your sweetie and get into the season with Todd and I. If you haven't seen Season 1... rent it, netflix it, demand it.. do whatever is necessary to catch up! :)

Also.. tonight ... suggestions: Nurse Jackie {saw the intro this weekend-LOVED it} and the new season of Weeds {which Im sooo far behind on!}

Take care ya'll this week- I will be up to my ears at work trying to get this billing cycle out at work so that I can take off Friday and get back home to watch Justice play ball. Im looking forward to that trip!

Love this~

I found this site-Photofunia.. cant remember where but thought Id share with you. It makes these following posters so cool. I have one set up as my background on my pc. Just use your own library of pics and upload!!! Try it out!



Have a beautiful weekend!!!... Im hoping to do some landscaping/gardening and scrapbooking and shopping. ;o)

Curious & the 1 Hour Layout Contest~

hey there.. thought Id share a lil cutie {Hunter} and his friend "Curious"... taken this morning before going to the sitters. This week he is with his "girlfriend" Ashley. Today was her 17th birthday and he got the opportunity to take her a handmade card and a skull/crossbone stained glass window hanger that he made on his own. He dressed up and even went with her and her Mom to get her drivers license.. she got it and he was great from what I hear. hehe


In other news... gear up for Thursday nite at Creative Scrappers!

I don't know about you but i need to get my mojo back!
What a great way to take the dust off your paper trimmers and start using those new papers!
Come get creative with us for our 1 hour layout contest!

Thursday Night - June 4th 9pm EST
You will have 1 hour to complete it and 15 minutes to upload it in the gallery!

1 photo size 5x7 portrait should be used!
( you can adjust photo size to fit your scrap habits! )

Would you like to see our members use your sketch for our contest???
you don't have to be a sketch team member just a Creative Scrapper!!!
Email your sketch to Kristine@Creative-Scrappers.com and please indicate in the subject line 1 hour sketch contest, maybe?
( make sure it's designed for a 5x 7 portrait ) and one of YOU will have their sketch used for this contest!!! and maybe a prize package in the mail too?!!

our Sponsor will be ......... COSMO CRICKET!
Come and Play !

I'll be there.. will you??... hehee