Merry & Bright

Ha! Clearly I don't scrap in order. Although it's officially spring....New York hasn't quite caught onto to that yet. We are still experiencing winter like weather, although the sun is actually out today it's another COLD day!! Oh well this little guys face warms my heart. How delicious is he??

Happy Spring C'mon SUMMER

It's the first day of SPRING however I already have my eye on SUMMER!

I used Inspired Blueprint Sketch Number 81 for this layout and lot's of goodies from Scrapbook Circle.

Here's the Sketch and  a link to Inspired Blueprint's Site The site was shut down for awhile and I'm so happy it's back!

Instagram, Inspired Blueprints and Monkey's OH MY!

I haven't blogged or scrapped in quite awhile now. I made cards for my nephew's last week and decided that's going to, has to change! I forgot how much I enjoy both. I was also happy to use this monkey paper. Who doesn't love Sock Monkey's!

I'm also really enjoying Instagram annnnd I'm excited that Inspired Blueprints is back!! First new Sketch? Yup, it needs adorable 4X4 Instagram size photo's. Just the push I needed to get them ordered. Here is Sketch Number 81. Sketch 82 is out already but hey....I had to order pictures so one step at a time. lol

I actually ordered quite a few pictures. If anyone has other Sketches for 4X4 photo's...please share! I ordered my pictures from Prinstagram and I'm really pleased with them.

My other adventure has been Slow Cooker Freezer Meals. Once I get them all together, I'll share some recipes. It was a messy project but ohhhh so worth it! I have Chicken Fajitas cooking now and all I had to do was take it from the freezer and pop it in the Slow Cooker!

March, April, May, June, July....

Swimming, spending time with friends and family, swimming, camping, swimming, camping, spending time with friends and family. That's pretty much what we have been doing since March. LOL 

Actually there have been lot's of changes going on around here! 

Me? For starters I just haven't been feeling great for a quite awhile. I finally caved and made several Dr's appointments and have been getting some tests done. I don't think it's anything serious but you know that feeling when something isn't quite right?  Well that's how I feel.

Other changes? In May I quit a long term job (7 years)...It just wasn't right for me anymore. It was great while it lasted however as far as pay and advancement? It was a dead end job. Sooooo I will be going back to school in the fall! 

Hubby? Well we had a scare with his job. His employer and the union couldn't connect. He was out of work for a month and for lack of a nicer word...It really sucked! It did however make me more thankful for what we DO have. We went camping this year because it was all we could afford. We found out we really enjoy it and (for us) vacation doesn't have to be fancy restaurants and high end hotels.

My Mom...showing up with stuff like groceries and laundry detergent while Jim was out of work....standing by us both financially and mentally. I can't even put into word how much I love and appreciate her.

Kelsey? Well she is growing faster than I can stand. We've entered the middle school years and well I can't stand that either! LOL She's still swimming and my baby even made the Varsity Swim Team! She's also made some great new friends. On an extremely sad note. Kelsey's Head Coach, Ron Olsen passed away. We still can't believe he is gone. It's a tremendous loss to the team and the entire swim community.

Scrapbooking? I've actually been to a couple of crops in the past few months and done some scrapping at home. I'm not sure why but I have no craft pictures today!! For now here are some pics of the last few months.

March. ESSL Swim Championships Kelsey won overall in back and breast!

                                                                 Plenty of sleepovers!

                                                                       Happy Easter

                                            Camping at Jellystone Park Memorial Weekend

                                          My Nephew Matthew graduating. Hard to believe.....

                                                   Kelsey. Last day of school. 6th grade

                                                         Our second trip to Jellystone

                                                                Hawks Meet July 2012

Dreams

So I'm dreaming about moving. That's right moving. We've been here for 10 years now and although it's been a great house for us it's time. It's gonna take awhile and alot of work but I'm gonna make it happen. Can you say lots of closet cleaning and painting? Some yard work too. It's a good goal for us...Our new family motto is. Get moving to GET MOVING. This weekend was the kick off of weekend projects big and small. We ended up taking 6 or 7 bags o the Salvation Army and some to the Humane Society too. That's another blog post in itself.

I think I'll be using this notebook for my TO DO LISTS...maybe it will make cleaning the root cellar a little more glamorous. I used mostly Sassafras Lass on these two.

One for Kelsey too. 

I got some cards done too. Made easy for me at my Stampin Up Class. 

I have some of these stamp sets already so I am so going to try and replicate them. I think I need to incorporate this ribbon into them somehow...how gorgeous is this ribbon?

Creating Coming Soon

But first. I gotta clean that room!! Finally! I'm getting my space back together! It's been a long process and still not complete but it's getting closer. I think I have wandered into the HOARDER phase of scrapbooking. OK I don't think it. I. am. a. scrap. hoarder. There I said it! This is the floor in front of my table.

I'm going to fix it. I'm now thinking of the flood as a blessing. Gotta think positive right. I don't think I EVER would have sooo thoroughly gone through any of it. I still have a long way to go in my "recovery". This is the floor in front of my table. This is what it looked like after hours of sorting. 

 Starting to see that I actually have a stamp table.

 Mom saying HEY I organized this paper now don't make a mess of it!! Thanks Mom!

I'm also playing with my doll's again! If any of you scrappy ladies like vintage doll's check out my dolly website.

We've also been doing some swiming. Well now we. Kelsey does the swimming, we do the watching. LOL Anyway my breaststroking baby is turning into quite the backstroker. Check her out!

Happy 2012

Hello Crafty Friends! It's been awhile. I hope you all had a great Christmas and Happy New Year. I myself had a great holiday season and have lots of crafty plans for the coming year. Now if someone could just lend me some time? LOL

Christmas Morning

 Christmas at Grandma's

 My nephew. How can you not be hopeful about a new year...looking at that face!!