A Scrap of Life

Isn't she just the cutest thing? Pip is Tristan's new pet. Our family guideline is that when a child hits 10, if they show that they are responsible enough, then they are allowed their own pet. Tristan has really become a wonderful, responsible and respectable child and we've seen such growth in him the last year or so. So we let him get his pet a month early, so he'd have lots of time to spend with it. He's been very fond of Chase's pet rat, Peach, which he got just before he turned 10, so it was only natural the Tristan chose a rat for his pet (although we very nearly ended up with a Bearded Dragon instead! LOL). He named her Pip because it fulfilled two purposes -- our family tradition of naming pets after characters from Disney movies (Pip is the cute little chipmunk in Enchanted) and it also fulfilled Tristan's wish to name it after a Pokemon character (Piplup). Check her out ... little Pip is just about a month old and is a rex rat. She has a...

(Carissa is the one in the white skirt with her back to you in the top left photo.) Carissa just returned from a weekend cheering at Camp Spirit. She learned several chants and cheers and a dance, which she performed with about 200 other Camp Spirit girls for an audience of about 500. Then she went to some of the games being played by the football camp participants and cheered them on. It was a long, hot weekend but she had a lot of fun. :)

Check out the video bar on the left with all the awesome trailers of the upcoming Twilight movie. I can't wait!!!

Today I say goodbye to one of my oldest friends... ScrapAddict. ScrapAddict is my "home" on the web. The reason I spend time online. I've spent 3 long and happy years on their design team. I've eagerly anticipated their monthly kits. I've happily shopped their presales. I've participated in crops, challenges and games. I've met some of my best scrapbook friends ever there. But it's time has come to an end. I'm so sad to see it go.

I can't stop. I can't sleep. I can't even scrap. I am absolutely, totally obsessed! It all started with this, an innocent little book given to me by my best friend Jenn. It came with her glowing recommendation. I had, in fact, heard of this book before when my other best friend, Bek, mentioned it to me. She grew up in the real Forks, Washington, the setting for these stories, and had started reading the first book. So when Jenn brought this over I was prepared for a book that I would probably like. But it was nothing like that. I started reading "Twilight" at Boy Scout camp. I was only there for 2 days with Chase and I took this book to keep me occupied while he was in his merit badges classes and hanging out with his friends. I remember opening the book after we'd settled in at the campsite. And from that moment on I couldn't put it down. It was absolutely pathetic! Yes, I read it while passing time. But I also read it while waiting in line ...

From all of us to you, Happy Independence Day! Our day was busy, busy, busy but good nonetheless. Chase and I had to be up at before 7am this morning so that he could go set up flags around the town. This is a Boy Scout event where they put up American flags outside of supporting businesses in town. He, with some help from me, set up about 20 flags around our city. It was quite a great experience for him, one that made him very proud of himself and his country. For each time he set up a flag he turned and saluted it before getting into the car and moving on to the next. Of course, there was time for a quick sidetrack when we saw this that is the most giant wish flower I have ever seen! Chase went and picked it and, after a few photos, was given the honors of blowing the wish flower. Before blowing though, he made his wish. I heard him murmur it and asked him what he said. He wished to become and Eagle Scout with a silver palm. For those not in the BSA circle, the means the highest ran...

Carissa top two teeth have been wiggly for a very long time... since before Christmas. But Carissa wasn't very motivated to get them out so it took a very long time. A few days ago it had reached the point where one of them was just sooo wiggly and sitting all snaggle-tooth in her mouth. It really had to come out. So, with very little cooperation from Carissa, Brian pulled it. The good little tooth fairy came and left a few dollars in Carissa's tooth pillow. A few days later while Carissa was brushing her teeth she asked me if her mouth was bleeding. Indeed it was, because her other top front tooth was gone. She didn't even know she had lost it. She did remember hitting her face on her friend's couch when she was over there playing, so we rushed over to look for the missing tooth. It took a few minutes on our hands and knees, but her tooth was finally located and returned to her. The tooth fairy came for the 2nd time in 3 days and took her tooth. Carissa was left, yet...