Here's How We'll Be Spending Saturdays!

This past Saturday was our first of many to go out to the desert and ride.  Matt had a fabulous time on his new (used) Honda XR80.  He is getting better at shifting all the time. For years Matt has been saying that when he grows up he wants to be a dirt bike racer.  I would laugh since he didn't even have one.  But now that he does, I may have to start worrying!  We went out to the desert with Chuck's folks and his sister and her family.  Their four year old just got a dirt bike for Christmas so he was having a blast also.  Next Saturday we'll also be joined by Chuck's brother and his family.  

Once we had been out riding for a while on Saturday, Beth (age 13) decided that she would like to give it a try.  So Matt was generous enough to offer his bike for her to learn on and putt around for a while.  She was so excited and had a great time.  When she gave the bike bak to Matt, all she could say was, "can I have another turn?"  It certainly wasn't in our immediate plans to get her a bike of her own, but we did just that yesterday anyway.  So this Saturday she will have her own dirt bike to ride all day.  Hers is a 2004 Yamaha TTR125.

The first photo is a picture of her riding Matt's bike last Saturday. I got the photos on here in wrong order and couldn't figure out how to change it!  I'm a dork!

Happy New Year!!

Hello Friends!  I'm wishing you a Happy 2009!!  I'm full of hope for a great year.   I'm working on setting some realistic goals and making a plan to make them happen.  I've never been one to make those New Year resolutions.  They looked like a set up to fail to me.  But this year I'm going to set goals for my physical and spiritual well being.

Our family got a Wii system from Grama and Poppa for Christmas.  We are having tons of fun with it.   We also got the Wii Fit program. Today was day 8 for me.  I'm really enjoying the activities and can already see a difference in my posture and balance.  So one of my goals is to be more flexible and fit and lose some more pounds. (I lost 20 pounds in 2008).

My youngest son, Matt, got his first dirt bike yesterday.  His goal is to ride proficiently.  I'll post some pictures soon of him with his bike and in his gear.  He's a cutie.

Winter Wonderland in the Desert!!

Snow in the desert?  You bet.  It doesn't happen very often, but when it does, we try to enjoy every minute of it.  Of course, it took five hours for Chuck to get home from work, but at least he made it.  Plenty of commuters didn't make it home until late the next day.

I love the way the trees looked covered in snow and ice!!

This is the front of my house all covered in snow.  So pretty!

Meagan, Beth and Matt had a ball making a snowman.  This was early in the day.  By the end of the day, there was no grass showing anywhere. 

So Christmas vacation started two days early for the kids in town!  Yeah!  And while the kids played outside in the snow, I baked Christmas cookies.  A double batch of Spritz and a double batch of frosted sugar cookies.  Meagan did come in and help with the sugar cookies.  She did all the rolling and cutting out.  She is a great helper.

While we did enjoy the snow, we are glad that it is just a once in a while event.  I don't think I'd be too thrilled with the white stuff all winter long.

Have a great Christmas.  I will!!

iMac and Holidays Happenings

Today we brought home our new iMac computer. I'm totally excited. We have always had PC's so now we have to learn something new. But I think it will be a great change! And isn't is beautiful?? So in the next few weeks I may be moving my blog to an iweb page. I'll keep you posted.

On the family front, we are busy getting ready for the holidays. The tree is going up today. The lights went up last week. And baking will commence this week. Yeah!

Last night we went to the Drama Holiday Showcase at the High School. Jacob enjoyed playing several parts during the Showcase. It was really energetic and funny. Jacob is sad that so many chapters of his life are coming to a close now that it is his senior year. Tonight will be his last drama performance in high school. He's already turned in his Senior paper and is anticipating the Christmas Show Choir performance coming up in two weeks. He'll be singing a solo at that. Chuck and I are so proud of him!

Change is a good thing...right?

So if you follow my blog you know that I have been quite absent for months. I guess this is because I have changed. I started my blog to share my paper crafts. Which I have had a lot of fun with over the years. In case you didn't already know, I quit being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator back in January. But I was still doing crafting on a pretty regular basis for a while. Then in June I was called to be the Primary president in a newly organized ward. It is a way bigger job than I ever had realized. So my routines and priorities have changed. I only rarely do any paper crafting lately. And I don't really see that changing in the near future.

And I'm okay with that. I feel like I have started a new chapter in my life. I've been resisting this change and that is why I haven't been adding to my blog. I'm finally ready to embrace the fact that things have changed and the new direction that I want my blog to go. I will be sharing successes of my family, funny goings on in my life and just general ramblings.

I hope that you enjoy this new turn in my blog, as it reflects my life. I'm beginning to. So pop over and read the things that I find interesting as blog fodder whenever you get a chance. And take a moment to reflect on what things in your life may need some re-evaluation. I kind of feel like I'm cleaning out a closet in my mind as make this change. It's a good feeling.

What a Turkey!!

Okay, I always laugh when I see food that is shaped like something else...have you seen the cornflake shaped like Illinois? It's out there!! Well, Sunday morning I was making pancakes and this is what I saw. It's a turkey!! Do you see it?? Well, I decided not to sell it on Ebay. I ate it. It was good.

Family Tree

I actually did something creative recently!! A friend of mine hosts a Cricut Club twice a month and I was invited to go last time. The tree and leaves are cut with the Cricut. What a cool tool!! I wish I could afford one. Anyway, I thought this would make a great birthday gift for my MIL. So I bought some letter stickers and used some gem brads. I also sponged brown around the leaves and the edge of the page. I love the way this turned out!! I think my MIL liked it too.

Stamps for Sale!!!

Come one, come all, to browse through my Stampin' Up! stamps for sale. I do not have photos right now, but you can view the titles and if you need to view the stamps, you can check them out at SplitCoast Stampers.

All of these stamps are "retired" and are gently used unless noted with (UM) which means unmounted. All mounted stamps are trimmed close the image and placed in the center of the block. There may be minimal staining on some wood or rubber. This indicates that the stamps were well loved. *grin* These stamps have always been stored indoors in a smoke free home and kept in their original plastic boxes.

Teeny Tinies $5.00
Happiness is Stampin' Up! $5.00

Around the Block $8.00
Remembering You $8.00
Small Script $8.00
Doodle That $8.00

Background Sampler $10.00
Best Blossoms (UM) $11.00
So Very (UM) $11.00
So Very (UM) $11.00
Gently Falling (UM) $11.00
Noteworthy (UM) $11.00
A Little Love $10.00
The Fine Print $10.00
Along the Same Lines $10.00
Smorgasborders $10.00
All I Have Seen $10.00
Bud Basics $10.00
Phrase Starters $10.00
Lexicon of Love $10.00
Happiest of Holidays $10.00
Love Ya Bunches $10.00
Little Hellos $10.00 *SOLD*

Haute Couture $12.00
Very Punny $12.00 *SOLD*
Very Punny (UM) $13.00 *SOLD*
Very Punny (UM) $13.00 *SOLD*
The World Over $12.00
Fun Filled $12.00
Flowers & Friends $12.00
All the Best $12.00
Mini Messages $12.00
Aged to Perfection $12.00
Love Without End $12.00
Love Without End Brass Stencil $5.00
Sweet and Sassy $12.00
I like Your Style $12.00
Going Out in Style $12.00
Letter Patterns $12.00

Both Way Blossoms $15.00
Simple Sketches $15.00
Heartfelt Thanks $15.00

Sketch It $18.00
Swirl Frame Fun $18.00

Stamps will be sold on a first come, first served basis. Shipping will be added to the cost of stamps and I will ship once I have received payment. Make sure that you leave your email address when leaving a comment to buy stamps. I will need to contact you directly to give you all the details.

Happy shopping!!

I got tagged!

Hello friends!! I got tagged by my friend, Lisa. Check out her awesome blog, here. So I guess I have to tell some random facts about myslef now.

1. I hate to cook dinner, but love to bake.

2. I am totally a cat person, not a dog person.

3. I love lots of kinds of music and I love to sing, but I do not play an instrument.

4. I jumped off a cliff at Lake Powell this summer.

5. I love roller coasters.

6. I have pierced ears but almost never wear earrings.

7. I don't like nuts (except the ones I'm related to!!)

I'm so out of the blogging loop, that I'm not going to tag anyone else, but feel free to join the game if you so choose!!

Graduation Day

Tonight we are going to my niece's High School Graduation. Wow, I feel old today! I just don't know how we got here so quickly. And it's now only one more year until my first baby graduates, too.

Anyway, enough of the sentimental stuff, here is the card I made for my niece. I made it a 5x5 so that I would have enough room to write and include my little check enclosure. I started with white whisper card stock and stamped the graduation caps from the set Little Layers Plus and the flowers from Little Pieces using Basic Black and Real Red. The sentiment comes from All Year Cheer. I added red brads in the two o's and layered with red and then black. I also used my corner rounder on the white and red layer of the sentiment and the bottom of the card. I tied the layers to the card with red grosgrain and added a scrap of black grosgrain into a square knot.

For the check enclosure I wrote a little poem and printed it on the computer, folded it up and glued it together. Then I tucked the check right in there. I even stamped a little on the envelope, which is something I rarely do.

On a personal note, I will probably not be posting too often as I have a big new job at Church that is taking a lot of my time. Not to mention that summer is here and the kids are demanding attention. It's always more fun to play and hang out with the kids that to sit at the computer anyway. Talk to ya soon(er or later)!

A Star is Born

Well, he was born almost 17 years ago, technically. Jacob had the lead role in the Spring Musical at his high school. They performed Bye, Bye Birdie four times in three days. I was able to attend all three evening shows and loved every minute of it. Jacob played Albert Peterson. He was cute and funny and has a terrific singing voice. This photo shows Jacob in the brown suit in the center. He is telling (singing) about Conrad Birdie arriving soon.
Jacob will even get an opportunity to reprise his role at another high school's show. A nearby high school happens to be doing the same musical but, unfortunately, their student who was to do the role of Albert, has become ill. Jacob feels badly for the young man who has to step down, but is excited to help out and do two more shows. This does mean more rehearsals for the last two weeks of school and driving about 25 miles each way to get there. I can't wait to see him sing again! I'm such a proud mama!!

Friendship Frame

I suppose it's about time that I share an art project. I made this frame for my dear friend, Beckie. We got to see each other in January. It's such a bummer that we live on opposite coasts. I searched through dozens of quotes about friendship before I found this one. I printed it onto vellum card stock. Then I layered that onto white, then chocolate chip. I attached these layers with silver brads and attached to some patterned paper I had in my scrap pile. I also added some layered prima flowers with a cool silver, flower brad from the newest Hodgepodge Hardware kit. I found the frame at Michael's. I hope that Beckie liked it. I sent it for her birthday. I also made the card to match. Take a look!

The Prom

So, my first baby went to the Prom recently. I can't believe that he is old enough for this!! Hubby and I were remembering going to our respective proms back in high school. How did we get here??? So here is the silly pose of Jacob and his sweet date, Jennifer. Aren't they just adorable? They look fabulous in their formal wear. They had a fun time and Jacob is looking forward to going again next year.

California Poppies

I have the fortune of living only about 10 miles from the most beautiful array of California Poppies. Today I went out there with my dh and three of my kids and two families from our scout pack. We hiked about three and one-half miles of trails there. The flowers are absolutely stunning!! We also saw one rattlesnake and several lizards. We had a great time. The weather was just gorgeous with enough of a cool breeze to keep you from getting overheated. I really wanted pictures of my kids amongst the flowers, but they decided to run ahead on the trails and leave poor old mom in the dust. We spent about 2 hours hiking and then another 20 minutes or so enjoying some delicious oranges before heading home. The oranges are Cara Cara Navel oranges and they are the best oranges I have ever eaten. I have not ever really been a big fan of fresh oranges but these are superb. I highly recommend them.

As for the poppies, I highly recommend a visit there if you are anywhere nearby. They are breathtaking!

Circle Journal your Senses

My circle journal swap is on the move again. Yeah! So here are the pages that I did for Mary's journal. The theme is senses. Which one is your favorite? Sight, hearing, touch, taste, or smell? Of course, I can't actually imagine living without any of them, but I made my journal pages based on touch. "We all need the human touch," says Rick Springfield, and I agree. You can click on these photos for a closer look at the journaling. I used some adorable patterned paper from Stampin' Up! I also used the small star punch, decorative scissors, silver hardware, red grosgrain ribbon, and sponging. I'm about to work on the next journal so be on the lookout. Have a great day!!

I Love Bird Houses

Have I ever told you that I love bird houses? They just make me happy when I see them. I have quite a collection of them in my home. Now that my patio cover is up, I will also be able to put some of them outside as well. A couple of years ago, I bought this bird house from Michael's. It was unfinished and I knew that I wanted to paint it. But my usual procrastination and uncertainty kept the darn thing in the cupboard, undone. Well, I got inspired a couple of weeks ago and got started. I stamped the flowers and the bee and free handed the rest of the artwork. I was inspired by the colors that I am going to be painting inside my house over the next few months.
The kitchen will be about the same green as the top of the house and the leaves and stems. Then there will be red accents throughout. In fact, I just recently got a Kitchen Aid Mixer in red. I have wanted one of those mixers for years!
As I get rooms painted, I will share pics of my new, pretty spaces.

Scrapping Friday

I'm all set to scrap the morning away again this week. I have finally printed all the digital photos that I have been holding in my camera for nearly a year. So I have TONS of photos to work with. I really need to get on the ball and get some pages done. Here is a page I did last Friday while scrapping with my mom. This is from Mother's Day 2006. I very rarely do a one page layout or a page with only one picture. But what the heck, it was a cute pic of me (which are rare in the scrapbook) and my littlest sweetie. Remember that I mentioned I stink at taking photos of scrapbook pages? Well, this is case in point. I need some tips. How do you photograph your scrapbook pages for blog land? Help a girl out!
Last night I went with my oldest son to get measured for his tux for prom. Aww! My baby is going to prom on April 26th. I'm looking forward to scrapping those pictures and they aren't even taken yet!
Do something creative today and have a great weekend.

Birthday Soup

April has several birthdays. This card is for my father-in-law. Meagan was actually born on his 50th birthday. I think he likes that. So here is the card I made for him. Blue is his favorite color so I used an assortment of shades of blue. I started with a blocking effect for the background. The largest block seemed to need something so I used the Flannel Plaid BG stamp in Versamark. The lower right section was stamped with the Crosshatch BG also in Versamark. I left the top right piece alone except for faux stitching and sponging the edges. The focal point is from Alphabet Soup. I used SU! Markers to color the stamp in three shades of blue and stamped onto Whisper White. I punched the corners with the ticket punch and mounted onto yet another shade of blue. I added some more faux stitching and also some silver brads in the corners. The focal image is popped up a bit with dimensionals. The blues used are: Bashful Blue, Brocade Blue, Night of Navy and Brilliant Blue. I honestly have a hard time with more masculine cards. I should work on that!
Next time I will share a scrapbook page. I'm going to be scrapping again on Friday, so I should have some more of those to show you. I'm not very good at photographing my 12 x 12 pages though. Any tips would be appreciated.

For my Birthday Girl

Yesterday my sweet Meagan turned 15. I can't believe how quickly the years have passed. And of course, she can't stop reminding me that it's only one more year until Sweet 16 and a Driver's License. When did I get so old?
I made her this simple card yesterday. Nothing like waiting til the last minute, right? Her favorite color is pink so I started with Pretty in Pink for the card base. Then I just rifled through my Soft Subtle scraps until I found two other colors that inspired me. They are Lavender Lace and Barely Banana. I new I wanted the "happy birthday" stamp to be in white to make it pop against the other colors on the card. I stamped the words in Regal Rose and cut out a strip That helped determined the length of the top set of boxes. I then figured how big the banana piece needed to be and then cut the lavender piece to fit. I used the Headline numbers to stamp "15" in Lavender Lace ink. At this point the yellow piece was looking a little plain so I pulled out my retired soft swirls background stamp to give this piece a bit more interest.
For the focal point I layered up a bunch of punches with one stamp from the Little Pieces set. You can see from this side angle that I used dimensionals under the top layer and the bottom layer for lift and interest. I like this layout so much that I think I will use it again soon and I also plan to use it on a scrap book page. I will be scrapbooking tomorrow so hopefully I will have some pages to show you after that.

Tanks on Tuesday

I know, it's been a while again...I am so unreliable!! haha Anyway, today my ds went to see my baby brother, get promoted. My brother in the Army and has been for years. Anyway, Matt is out of school this month (I hate year round school, btw) so Grandma took him with her for the occasion. All Matt has talked about for days is going to the base and seeing tanks. He got to do all of those things and he even got to put the pin on my brother for his promotion. So cool. So here is my ds and my db with one of those super cool Army tanks. Thanks Mom, for taking Matt. He loved it!

Tomorrow is my dd's birthday so I have to make a card pretty soon. (read-tonight!) So I'll take a photo and post that later this week. Have a good one!