Warm Winter Wishes Card

Christmas is over :( . It went way too fast. So much time is taken to shop, prepare food and make plans with family. Then in a blink of an eye it is done. I was able to make some cards up before Christmas to hand out to some family and teachers. I followed a sketch I saw on Scrap Expression. I made 8 total. Above are 2 samples of what I created. I decided that today is a good day to share since we need "Warm Winter Wishes" on this extremely cold and windy day. I have been spending time with the kids playing with their new Christmas goodies. They have been getting along so well! :) I was sick over Christmas and the weekend so they just let me chill until I was feeling better. Tomorrow we are heading to the mall to spend some of the gift cards they received. May you all have a Happy New Year!

Baking, Cooking and Roasting Marshmallows

What a great day! Even though I am not feeling well, I have Christmas spirit in me. Started early this morning making sauce and lasagna, then cookies. Went to the grocery store twice and boy was it packed. haha The girls helped out cleaning the house which was so wonderful! At dinner we let the girls open their Christmas ornaments and one other gift each. They were so happy and thankful... Unfortunately, Sara is out with Travis and his family so she will have to wait until tomorrow. They girls love to roast marshmallows in the fireplace and watch Christmas movies all night. As they went to bed, Victoria grabbed the story Twas the Night Before Christmas and told me she was going to read it to Emma before they fell asleep. Isn't that sweet of her. I love my family!!!

Merry Christmas to all my family and friends! Enjoy your holiday :)

Now and Then

I created this layout using pictures of Kelly and I from late 80's and 2009. It is to remind me of how close we are and no matter how many miles are between us, we will always be there for each other. Kelly and I scrapped for 9 days when she came to visit over Thanksgiving week. We stayed at my mom's house and trashed her dining room but we had fun. My girls even joined in with us a few times. My mom and Aunt Adeline sat at the table with us the first day, Kelly and I scrapped and they crocheted. We spent so much time running around shopping, visiting and getting ready for Thanksgiving but it did not interfere with our good time together and scrapping!



I altered these peace signs that I got from Deb at Say It With Letters. http://sayitwithletters.blogspot.com/ They were alot of fun to work with. I painted the edges inside and out and scrapped them with very strong instructions from my girls on what paper to use. They will each hang them in their room. Thanks again Deb!

My Clipboard for SOS blog and other DT reveals

I created this school clipboard with scraps that I had leftover from an apple mini album that I created for the girls first day of school which was Sept. 9, 2009. I used Imaginisce pp, rubons, misc ribbon and buttons. I am going to hang this as a picture frame in my scraproom. Just another fun way to display pictures. I hope you become a follower at www.scrapourstash.blogspot.com and join in on challenges every month. Dec. 1 started our first challenge, "Use your scraps". I am sure that you all have a bunch of scraps laying around. Make a layout, card or alter something and share with us and you creation will be displayed on the SOS blog. A winner will be announced on Jan. 1 and will be our GDT member for January.

Happy Birthday Emma

Happy Birthday my beautiful 7 year old! I can't believe how fast time is moving. It seems just like yesterday you were born and we had a major blizzard the next day. Today the sun is shining and it is 65 degrees. What a difference. You will never know how happy you make me. I love you! You looked so pretty for school this morning with your crown on, too funny. I hope everyone likes the mini cupcakes we made, you were so excited to bring them in to share with your friends. I was so happy that you loved the card I made for you.
The inside reads: Happy 7th Birthday You are still the youngest chick in the house.

December 1 - First Challenge is Up at SOS

Scrap Our Stash Challenge is finally up at SOS. This month's challenge is to not only use our stash but to use our scraps. How easy is this?! We all have scraps, and a ton of them. Well it is time to dig into them. You must use at least 50% scraps for this challenge. Email a picture of your entry with a brief description to Kathy at scrappinspycho@live.com . All entries will be displayed on the blog! A winner will be announced on January 1 to be a Guest Design Team Member for February. Now go get scrapping! www.scrapourstash.blogspot.com

Sneak Peek #5

My layout is featured as Sneak Peek #5 over at Use Out Stash Challenge Blog. Only one more day until the very first challenge. Please join us at SOS and become a follower for inspirational challenges starting December 1. In between challenges we will share your creations and other ones the DT came up with. We will also be having mini contests as well.

You have until the end of the day today to play Indentify Our Stash game. Each DT member posted pictures of our stash, now you just have to figure out which stash belongs to which DT memeber. You can find all the info at:

www.scrapourstash.blogspot.com

Thank You Deb - SIWL

Look at the fun goodies I received from Deb:



I sent Deb some Sesame Street stickers for her twin's birthday party or scrapping whatever she decides to use them for and she was so sweet to send me these Peace Signs to alter! I can't thank you enough, I love them! I can't wait to alter them this month and show everyone what I do with them.

For more great altering shapes and letters go to http://www.damboisedesigns.etsy.com/ . You wont' be disappointed in her products. I have several and love each one.

Thanks again Deb... Hugs

Don't forget to go to www.scrapourstash.bogspot.com and become a follower. Only 2 more days until the December 1 Challenge, our first one! I am looking forward to seeing what the DT comes up with and what you all create for the challenge. We will be hosting different contests each month, for one of them, you need to be a follower of the blog.... hint hint.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving! May you spend time with family and friends, eat healthy and take lots of pictures to scrap!

Scrap Our Stash Identify Our Stash Contest

If your here looking for a clue for the Scrap Our Stash Challenge "Identify Our Stash Contest" then here it is:

I have so many of these that there is not enough hanging storage or enough time in my life to use them all.

Can you guess which stash is mine?

Visit www.scrapourstash.blogspot.com

Follow SOS blog and join in each month for fun challenges. Our first official challenge will be December 1. I already finished my project for the first challenge and I can't wait to see what the rest of the design team creates.

UYS RAK and Last Challenge

Give your support this month to the girls at Use Your Stash. Join in on their last challenge using fall colors. Their blog will be closing at the end of the month and they will be missed. Check out the RAK they are giving out.

http://useyourstash.blogspot.com/2009/11/would-you-like-to-win-rak.html

Exciting Design Team News

I am so excited to announce that I have been asked to join the Design Team for Use Our Stash Blog. It is a brand new blog that will be run by Kathy. She is so sweet and I am so thankful to be a part of her team. You can read about my introduction and the other girls that have been announced so far at:

www.scrapourstash.blogspot.com

I submitted a few projects for the call and this layout:



I am looking forward to the challenges each month. Come on over and follow the Scrap Our Stash blog. We will be featuring new projects using Our Stash each month. I hope you can join us and start using some stash. The first challenge will be announced on December 1.

New Layouts

Kelly has an album called ScrapLift This and I finally got to do a layout in it. The layout on the left is Kelly's and the one on the right is my version.

These were pictures that I took on the first day of school.

I made this layout for Angel, Kelly's daughter, for her new scraproom in her new apartment. I took these pictures of Sara and Angel in August at Gene's benefit.

Back to School

School started so late this year, Sept. 9. So many schools around us started one week earlier. The girls couldn't wait to get back into school friends, learning new things and meeting new teachers. I kept them busy all summer with learning activity books but it just doesn't compare to homework. As soon as they come home, they are both so excited to show me test scores and go over notes and start homework right away. I started the homework routine right after school back when Sara was in kindergarten and it still works so well for us. This way they can eat dinner as soon as they are done and the rest of the night is theirs. Emma is thrilled to be sitting at a desk this year in first grade (no more tables) oh and their bathroom is now in the hallway and not in the classroom so the first graders feel like big kids now. Victoria is so happy that the desks are in rows this year (4th grade). I guess it gives them more independence. Sara is rockin Senior Year! She absolutely loves it. I met her teachers the other night and they are all so young and cool. Her favorite teacher is Mr. Orack. I think he is 23 and he teaches Calculus. He teaches them the same way they learn in college which is great since she wants to be a math teacher. She also is a teacher aid for 1 1/2 hours in the 4th grade math class. This will help her so much when she is applying for college.

What have I been up to while the girls have been busy with school? We decided to move Emma and Victoria up to the attic where my scraproom was and put my scraproom on the main floor where their bedroom was. Mom and I have been busting our butts organizing and moving things up and down. In between, we go to the movies, shop, go out to lunch and hang out. I Love having mom around so much! I will update with before and after pictures of the new rooms once done. I hope to be all moved around by the weekend. Fingers crossed!

August Update

This post is so long overdue. August was a very busy month and we enjoyed every minute of it. To start the month off, August 1 Mark and I were married for 11 years but on the 4th we also celebrated 23 years together. We took the family to Rock Hall, MD to spend some quiet time together. We spent alot of time by the pool. We tried to crab but no luck. We also went to a small beach where Mark and the girls looked for crabs.


When we left Maryland, we met my mom in Atlantic City for a couple of days. Mark hasn't been there since he was about 9 years old. We had a really great time together at night in the casino when the girls went to bed. During the day, we took them to the beach and both pools. We also did some shopping. Sara took Victoria and Emma to a magic show one night. The next day, Sara and Victoria went to see Harry Potter's new movie...they were disappointed at the end. All in all I think our mini vacation was a hit.


Back home for a few days to do laundry and repack to go visit family upstate New York. We left on Monday, August 10 and came home on Sunday, 16. What a great week! The first night Kelly and I didn't go to bed...scrapped all night long. I crashed around 7am and woke up at 10am. Kelly never went to sleep until Wednesday around 3:30am. I seriously don't know how she survived. We had so much fun! We took my girls and Kelly's daughter, Angel with us to scrap at a store with some friends. The girls were so good. We did some shopping. Mom hit the casino with Uncle Henry...they love it there.


Most of all, my mom loves sitting on the bench by the lake. I took some fun videos of Kelly entertaining my mom by singing and dancing with her. I can't share the video as it has some unappropriate language...but definitely worth peeing in your pants over. As you can see below, Kelly wanted to come home with us. She can always make you smile!


Mark was on vacation again for a week when we returned. I was so sick but we were able to do some fun family day trips like; Land of Make Believe, Monster Golf, Keansburg water and amusement park....


On August 24, poor Emma had to have 10 teeth removed surgically. What a yucky day for her. She was so dopey from the anestia. Spitting up blood was no fun either. The next day, perfectly fine. She was eating like nothing ever happened. I was so happy because I was in a bit of a panic thinking what the heck would she eat. No problem...she was a trooper.


The day before Emma's surgery we took the girls to Six Flags. The kids had fun, dad and I got to walk and wait alot. lol My dad was on vacation the same week as Emma's surgery so we took a ride down south Jersey to visit more family. My cousin, Jennie had a baby girl named Jenna on July 24 so we went to see her. What a beautiful baby. The most pleasant little girl. Jennie made a great bbq for all of us and her family came for dinner as well. The kids (Emma and Mikey..both 6 and Victoria and Katie...both 9) had such a great time playing and swimming together! When it was time to leave the kids were so disappointed that Jennie and I decided it would be ok for Victoria to stay there. It was a Thursday night. My mom went to visit her sister (who is Jennie's mom) so she brought Victoria back home on Sunday. I love my daughter very much but let me tell you... the house was quiet. lol


Mark, Victoria, Emma and I hit the Jersey Shore one last time before school started. What a great couple of days. They had fireworks on Friday night as well which surprised us since they usually do them on Wednesdays. They put on a nice show.


The last week of summer vacation was filled with last minute playdates, school shopping and shoe shopping. I hate shopping with kids...never fun but we got it all accomplished. School started on Sept 9. Since I was home all summer and constantly running, I was ready for school to start so we could get back on a regular schedule. I hope you all enjoyed your summer. We sure did!

Balloon Festival 2009

We have never gone to a balloon festival before so I just had to go when I saw an advertisement for one. It was located in Readington, NJ which was about an hour south west of here. The weather was perfect... not too hot just alittle hazy. I wish there was a bit more sun so my pictures would look more colorful but they came out good enough, I guess. It was so cool watching all the balloons take form then at first one at a time took off then next thing you know, there were 4 -5 going at once. There had to be close to 50 or more balloons taking off all afternoon. It was so cool to see the girls faces and how they reacted to the colors and different shapes of the balloons. We also did some shopping, it was a mini fair as well. Sara surprised me with a beautiful hot air balloon wind chime. I was so happy, I never get surprises. All in all it was a good day!