Monday, July 31, 2006

A little early ...

On the 1st of each month ScrapAddict opens their galleries to the public and shows them the upcoming kits. Tomorrow is the 1st so I'm sneaking this in a bit early to show you my layouts. I've been changing things up a bit and have messing around with a new size, 8.5x11. I LOVE doing something different so expect to see much more of that from me. But for now here are this month's layouts from the kits I was assigned:

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY:

GEISHA GIRL:
This is an altered bookmark box and bookmarks that I made for my Grandma, who loves to read as much as I do!


As always, you can visit www.scrapaddict.com (username: pixleyyy) to see the layouts and read the journaling (always the best part!).

Life is wierd ...

Without kids I am so lost. I don't know what to do with myself.

This morning I spent walking around the campus then came back to our room to scrapbook for a while.

Brian and I went to lunch and then he returned to classes.

I went shopping ... as much shopping as I could manage to find here. First a used book store, where I picked up the 2nd book in the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series. Then to Wal-Mart to pick up a book by one of my favorite authors, Christine Feehan. Now I'm back at our room trying to scrapbook but finding it difficult. I'm not used to so much *quiet*. No kids running around, no one wanting a popsicle or needing help settling a disagreement. Just me and my scrapbook supplies. WIERD. I'm sure I'll become more accustom to it in a few days.

So, we're staying in a dorm room. Let me tell you, dorm rooms weren't like this when I was in college. These are "suite" rooms. There is a front room, mini kitchen and bathroom shared by the 2 rooms in this suite. Fortunately, we don't have anyone else in the other room in this suite so it's just Brian and I. The mattresses are, of course, not so comfortable. But it'll do.

Tonight I think we're going to hiking somewhere. And tomorrow we're planning bowling or mini golf. We may even go see a movie if they put something good on (Miami Vice is NOT my idea of good! LOL).

OK, gotta go meet Brian. Thank goodness ... it was getting way too quiet here! LOL

Saturday, July 29, 2006

We're off ...

Today we take the kids to Grandma & Grandpa's, where they will be staying for the next 7 nights. Yes, 7 nights all to ourselves. We won't know what to do ... we've never been away from the kids for longer than 3 days or so and it will be a wierd change for us. But it will be time away either way. I'm going to miss them though. :)

I'd like to say that Brian and I were going to some exotic destination ... Hawaii or Mexico or something. Heck, I'd even take Vegas. But alas, no such luck. Brian is taking a Summer Arts course at Eastern Oregon University in La Grande. That means we're not even leaving the state. And it means that all day long I will be by myself ... not exactly "time togehter". *sigh* Maybe one of these years we'll actually be able to take one of those exotic vacations, but for now we'll have to settle with our dorm room at EOU.

Friday, July 28, 2006

WAHOO!!!

Tristan got his cast off! Today he had his appointment and all looked well so they removed the cast and pins. Let me tell you, that kid SCREAMED when the Dr. pulled the pins out. He was anticipating that it was going to hurt and started screaming before the Dr. even started. He didn't stop until a few minutes after the 2nd pin came out and Brian was finally able to convince him it was over. He stopped screaming immediately and said "Oh, that didn't hurt much." Sheesh!

So he's out of a cast and spending the next month learning how to bend the elbow again. We didn't keep the cast this time (EEEEEWWWWW ... 1 month in the same cast should be outlawed!) but we did pay to get copies of some of his xrays so that he could take them for show & tell next year.

Thursday, July 27, 2006

I'm in heaven

I rarely treat myself to anything special. I've never had a manicure or pedicure, I only get a haircut once or twice a year and I don't spend money on fancy clothes or shoes, all of which made todays experience that much more enjoyable.

*happy sigh*

Today I had my first ever facial today and I am just in heaven! My wonderful friend Angie (who I miss) left some gift certificates with me when she moved away, including one for a 60 minute facial. I finally found the time to go today and it was such a treat! Not only was it a facial treatment but she massaged my neck, shoulders, hand and feet too. I came away all clean and soft and mousturized. I felt like an absolute princess. It was so wonderful and relaxing and left me feeling mellow all day long. So thank you Miss Angie for the wonderful experience. And thank you to whoever created facials... you are my hero!

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

Just a fun little blurb for today. Most of it sounds pretty right on for me, especially the absolute genius part. ;)
Your Birthdate: June 1
You are a natural born leader, even if those leadership talents haven't been developed yet.You have the power and self confidence to succeed in life, and your power grows daily.Besides power, you also have a great deal of creativity that enables you to innovate instead of fail.You are a visionary, seeing the big picture instead of all of the trivial little details.

Your strength: Your supreme genius

Your weakness: Your inappropriate sensitivity

Your power color: Gold

Your power symbol: Star

Your power month: January

Sunday, July 23, 2006

Favorite 5 ...

The blog challenge for this week is to do a list of your favorites. Here's some of mine:

5 favorite foods
  • Pepperoni, pineapple and black olive pizza
  • Mon Cheri (little chocolate candies filled with hazelnuts and chocolate)
  • Baked Lays
  • Homemade chocolate cupcakes with raisins inside
  • Double chocolate brownies and cheez-its

5 favorite people
  • Brian
  • Chase
  • Tristan
  • Carissa
  • Ummmm ... I love you all so I can't possibly pick just one more!

5 favorite songs of all time
  • Brighter than Sunshine - Aqualung
  • 100 Years - Five for Fighting
  • Jack & Diane - John Cougar
  • Life is a Highway - Tom Cochran
  • The Dance - Garth Brooks

5 favorite places
  • Disneyland
  • DisneyWorld
  • Agate Beach
  • Home
  • My bed


5 favorite movies
  • Beaches
  • Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
  • Dirty Dancing Havana Nights
  • Sweet Home Alabama
  • Notting Hill

So happy I could scream ...

It's a baby!

No, not me! I'm DONE ... but my brother and sister-in-law are pregnant!

I'm so happy for them. They are SO wonderful with my kids and I knew one day that they would fill their home with the love and laughter of children.

Jimmy called today to say that they are due in late February 2007. I'm just ecstatic. It couldn't have happened to better people. Jimmy and Virginia will make great parents and I'm so thrilled for them. Wish they were closer (they're stationed in Italy for the next few years) so that we could be more a part of it all, but we'll do what we can from here and send all our love out to both them and the baby.

CONGRATS Jimmy & Virginia. We love you!!!

Thursday, July 20, 2006

In this moment ...

Sometimes there are moments in life that are just perfect. They're the kind of moments that you want to fondly remember 40 years from now when you are reflecting back on your life. This moment is one of them... Brian and Chase in the street playing 2-on-2 basketball with our new neighbor Andrew and his father, Carissa and Andrews sister playing Dora on the front lawn and Tristan and I sitting on the sidelines together yelling for the basketball players and drinking ice water. *sigh* I love summer and I especially love moments like this.

Joyful Moments

This weeks blog challenge was to pay attention to your life this week and jot down 5 specific moments that brought you joy. Mine are:
  • Finishing a layout that I *knew* was wonderful and balanced and just perfect.
  • Watching Chase his last day of football camp ... tired and hot but having fun.
  • The happiness I felt when we got to the top of Multnomah Falls. I was so proud, espescially of the kids!
  • Seeing Carissa try and try at posting during her riding lesson. It's hard so when she got just a few posts in I was so happy for her.
  • Tristan's excitement over meeting a new friend, Andrew, who moved in down the street from us.

Saturday, July 15, 2006

Final 5 things from my kids

Now that Tristan and Carissa are home and we have a few moments, I had them write their 5-words-to-describe-me lists. They don't quite get the "words" portion of it and usually opt for a short sentence, but I love the lists just the same. Here they are.
Tristan (he asked to add an extra to his list):
The best Mom in the world
Beautiful
Nice
Great at scrapbooking
Clever
Great at cooking

Carissa (also opted for 6):
I love you
Great
Pretty Pictures
We dance together & do fun things together
Good Cook
Beautiful

Friday, July 14, 2006

Howdy Y'All




We're back from horse camp and are slowly recovering from the lack of sleep. We had a great time, but the boys (of course) didn't want to sleep. The first night they were up until midnight and then woke me up at 5am when they were talking in their tent. *snore*

The boys did a lot of fun things at camp. They did BB gun shooting (which Chase did 6 times during the 2 1/2 days we were there), Archery, panning for gold (it was acutally pyrite but the boys didn't care!),

nature walk, field games, leather craft (they made a knife pouch), Pioneering (where they hand-made rope and washed their socks on a washboard the "old fashioned" way) and horseback riding. This was Chase on his mount, Tibby.

One of my favorite things about this camp was the entire western town theme. They had an old boardwalk town that held the dining hall and store. They kept the theme alive with activities that centered around the wild west. And best of all, they had a wild west show the 2nd night. Now this wasn't a shoot-em-up story or anything, it was more like a history of how the wild west came to be and what life was like then. By far the best part of this show was the cowboy poems. Now, I don't even remember this guys name but he was a cowboy through and through. You'd catch him riding through the field for no reason at all. He had this huge handlebar mustache and as soon as he started talking everyone, including the boys, quieted down to listen.
We all had such a great time at camp. It is a time both Chase and I cherish each year, for we get to dedicate this time to each other, no siblings, no distractions. Just time for us together.

Saturday, July 08, 2006

Yes, I'm ignoring you ...

I'm trying not to. Really I am. But with all that's going on here I just haven't found time to write. As it is, it's 11 at night and I still have yet to finish packing for Cub Scout camp tomorrow. Chase and I are going for 3 days of wonderful time to ourselves (OK, and a whole camp full of other boys ... but no brother and sister at least). So for now I'll say goodbye and see you in a few days.

Until then, here's my ScrapAddict weekly blog challenge, which is to have someone write 5 words/things that describe you. I had Chase (age 9) do it for me, since he and I are the only ones home this evening. I plan on having the other kids do it too once I return from camp. Anyways, he couldn't think of 5 things so I let him off the hook at 4. Here's what he said:

Loving
Hard Working
Calm
Cautious

Then he drew a photo of me in the bottom section of the paper. Only he was using a pen and made a few mistakes so corrected those by drawing arrows to the mistake area and writing the correct description. For instance, he wrote in black pen so he made an arrow to my hair and wrote "red". But what made me laugh and smile was that he felt his drawing was a bit off in the girth area so he drew and arrow and wrote "not fat". Awwww ... what a sweet boy.

Thursday, July 06, 2006

Happy Independence Day!

OK, so I'm a few days late. Cut a girl some slack. Life here is BUSY!

We took a few days off and went to the beach for the 4th. It was fun to take the kids to see the fireworks that I saw as a child. We came very early and staked out a spot to watch from. It was PERFECT! The best view you could get and our family there to share it with. It did get a bit cold, but at least we brought blankets to cover up with. So we lived.

While at the beach we also visited the Yaquina Head lighthouse. This is the lighthouse near where I lived as a teenager and I have always loved it. But in the 18 years I lived in Newport I'd never once stepped inside it. It was wonderful. Yes, a lot of stairs (I got my workout for the day! LOL) but it was well worth it to get to glimpse the view from the top.

After the lighthouse we took the kids to Cobble Beach. It's named that for a reason ... look at all the stones! They are all rounded too, making it very hard to walk on them. I was an idiot and forgot my tennies so I was walking around in these rocks with strappy, high healed sandals. Not good! We saw a bunch of anemones, sea urchins, hermit crabs, baby rock crabs and little fish. Sort of fun but much too precarious with Tristan's arm in a cast, so we opted to move to the next tidepools.

The second group of tidepools is called Quarry Cove. It has been spiffed up with wheelchair accessible trails (which were half covered in sand ... it is the beach you know!). A MUCH easier walk, though we didn't get to see anything except a couple starfish and a few dead crabs. Oh, and a big bunch of washed up seaweed that Carissa slipped into. Needless to say, I'll be scrubbing green goo off of the backside of her capris today.

Did a few more things, like visiting the Hatfield Marine Science Center, but more than anything just enjoyed our trip and relaxed a bit. Oh, we all came home safe and sound with no broken bones so it was a GREAT trip!

(OK, I have more pics but blogger is being a nincompoop right now ... I'll try to edit them in later.)

More Independence Day





OK, here's the rest of the pics it wouldn't let me attach to the posting above ...

From top to bottom they are:

The family outside the Yaquina Head lighthouse

The view from the top of the lighthouse

Brian and I at Quarry Cove

Brian's and the boys at Cobble Beach

Sunday, July 02, 2006

Beach (a little late)



Yes, this post is late. But to be honest, I forgot all about the beach pictures because of Tristan's elbow. When I downloaded pictures today I saw them and decided it was finally time to share.

So in the day we were camping we did get to visit a few fun places. We went to Long Beach and played on the beach there. It was windy but the kids don't care. They absolutely LOVE the beach. Then we went to the beach at Ft. Stevens and saw the remains of the shipwreck "Peter Iredale" (which they are trying to left in the photo on the left ... Goofballs!). Anyways, here's some pics of my kids and hunky hubby at the beach (OK, and one of me too).

Saturday, July 01, 2006

EWWWWW ...

Warning - if you do not like icky things DON'T click on this link. It's to the photo of Tristan's elbow yesterday when he was getting casted. We didn't think the incision was going to be so big. But guess you can't exactly put back pieces of bone (especially important since these are on the growth plate) without seeing what you're doing. But those pins in his elbow go nearly all the way through his arm, so they're about 3". And they'll have to come out in about 4 weeks in an office visit. Not looking forward to that.

OK, there's your gross-out for today. :)
Pic 1 (closeup): http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v469/pixleyyy/P6300137.jpg
Pic 2 (Tristan): http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v469/pixleyyy/P6300136.jpg

5 things ...

I'm hosting a July blog/layout challenge at ScrapAddict. Trying to get us all to write in our blogs and then use those items for layouts. This weeks challenge is to list 5 things you like about yourself, whether they be physical or character traits. Here's mine:

Things I like about myself:
1. My long red hair
2. How protective I am of my family
3. My dedication to good friends
4. That I am a kind person
5. That I am sensitive and emotional.