I can't believe that my last update was way back in August!! We have been so busy with life this past month that I just haven't had a moment to spare to write in my blog. So sad!! But I have reclaimed some of my life back now that the kids are squared away in school, the bathroom is almost completed and most of my house has been scrubbed clean of summertime wear and tear! I have even printed out some pictures to scrap later today which is something that I have not done in a long, long time!!

Quick updates...the football season for the boys has been off to quite a great start! They are currently 3-0 and hope to remain with the wins after this saturday's game against Gowanda. It has been so much fun and I have enjoyed cheering these boys on so much this season...knowing that it will be the last is bittersweet but we are trying to enjoy and savor every moment that comes!!

Volleyball is so much better this year than last year....Abigail has become quite an amazing little player for our team. She remains one of the top offensive players and has an amazing spike that people keep commenting on...I guess she does it an unusual way which is very hot according to coaches. I always knew she had it in her she just needed the chance to show everybody!! The coach is the same and although she is a bit more improved as far as learning the game of VB she has still a long way to go to learn how to deal with teenage girls. This has caused a lot of drama on the team but I am hoping the girls all learn how to deal with this and continue on playing as good as they are. They have only one league loss so far and we are a pretty damn good team if they keep their heads about them!!

Max loves first grade!! He is doing very well...needs to be a little neater with his writing skills but he is working on it!! He even received his very first 100% on his very first spelling test last week. Makes a momma proud!!

Ok...now that I made the first step in updating my blog I am going to go work in my scraproom and create...FINALLY! Thanks for stopping by!!

My baby girl is 16 years old today!! Unbelievable to me...seriously...where did my peanut go? So later on we are off to the DMV so she can get her permit and then dinner out somewhere of her choice. She is thinking Ruby Tuesday's...hope she sticks with that because it is one of my favorites!!

This past weekend we spent up in Olcott Beach at my brother Kerry's cabin. He took us all out on his amazing charter boat so we could catch some "big" fish!! It was such a wonderful weekend. Kevin, my other brother, the kids, Andrew and I plus our neices Margaret and Kelsie and nephew David all went. Aside from having to get up at the ungodly hour of 4AM!!!! to get on the boat we certainly enjoyed the experience. Margaret and Kevin were the big winners of the day with the largest fish over all. Max by far caught the cutest little fish. And David, well, he happened to be the one that lost the most fish...three to be exact. But he pulled it together after his sister caught hers and he was able to reel one in....a bit...okay a lot smaller than his sister but who cares....teheheheee. So I just want to say thank you to my amazing big brother Kerry who owns the Overboard Charters for giving us all such a wonderful experience on Lake Ontario. The kids are already talking about going again!! Oh and we grilled some of the catch of the day and it was awesome!! Can't get any fresher than that!!

Just wanted to get on here this morning and announce the winners to my blog giveaway! They did such a great job on their layouts and I am so happy that I was able to spur them on to get so many done!! The winners are ALicia (Txscrapper) and Boydsscrapper!! Congratulations!! Please email me at jpingitor@earthlink.net with your addresses so that I can get your prizes out to you!! Thank you so much for playing along with me!! I am personally behind on my own challenge but ummm....the bathroom has been taking wayyy to long!!

I have a prayer request. My brother is in need of many prayers right now. So without going into details please pray for his strength and well being. It has been a rough weekend for us and prayers are very very welcome!

Thank you all!!

I am still here....we have been remodeling our bathroom...the only bathroom in the house! So it has been kind of a nightmare at times but I know that it is going to be so worth it in the end. Consequently I have not been creating...not doing much of anything but being a gopher for Andrew while he works. It is coming along quite well and even though there were a few days where we had to go to my sister Lisa's to shower and ummm well use the potty...it has been ok.

Have quite a few people signed up for my giveaway. Tomorrow midnight is the deadline to post your links to your projects. I am so excited to see what everybody has made. Hopefully when the bathroom crisis is over I can once again get into my scraproom and create.

Have a great day everybody and thanks for stopping by!!

Okay...1 more down...only 16 left to go. I laughed so hard when the girls (Margaret is my niece) came out onto the deck where I was reading to show me how they passed some time while being bored. They were suppose to be frosting cupcakes but instead they frosted themselves! Those two...I can always count on them for giving me some scrapping material and inspiration.

Have a few people signed up for the blog giveaway. I have to tell you that it is really a neat feeling to look at what I already have and find ways to actually use it instead of wishing for other stuff. It has been refreshing!! I made my own flower embellishment for this layout and used letter stickers that I have had for awhile. I even used a brad!! I haven't used those in awhile. But everything is coordinated using Three Bugs in a Rug papers. Cute stuff!!

Tomorrow Drew comes home...Yeah!!

Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to sign up for the giveaway if you are a scrapper!!

Okay all of my scrapping friends...I am having a blog giveaway. And believe me that I have a lot to giveaway in my scraproom...all fun stuff I can assure you!! I have imposed on myself a no buying restriction until I create 20 items from the stuff in my stash. My challenge to you all is to create at least 5 items from your stash by midnight August 1 ET. All you have to do is leave me a comment that you are in and then when you complete all of your items leave me another comment with a link to where they are. I will draw a random winner from all who participate.....the more who participate maybe...just maybe the more winners there will be!! Your projects can be anything...layouts, cards, altered items...anything...just don't buy anything new to create them. USE YOUR STASH!! So come on everybody...join in the fun!! Can't wait to see your creations!!

These three layouts are my first ones done during my "restriction" 3 down and only 17 more to go...woohoo!! Max's last day of kindergarten was so much fun. I had to do a layout about how they were finally able to go down the big slide now that they were first graders. A silly rule in the school that kindergarteners were not allowed to go on the big slide. I coordinated the two layouts to go together using the same papers and a similar theme when I created the picture of his classmates on the playground bridge. I love the papers that I used...Penny Lane from My Minds Eye. Thought they were perfect compliments to the playfulness of the pictures. The third layout is Max during his first field day. He had such a blast and was just so thrilled to have his brother and hero there to help with all of the festivities. His face is priceless...pure 100% boy! How could I resist scrapping that one?

Today is a rainy, icky day...seems we have one good day and then a week of ick. Sure makes me appreciate those good days even if they are few and far between. A good day to stay inside and create I suppose. And I guess I should be happy that God is watering my gardens for me today. One less thing that I have to do. We even skipped swimming lessons although I did hear that they were going to cancel them. I just wasn't about to sit on the wet cold beach.

2 more days and Drew comes home...missing that guy so much!!

Thanks for stopping by today and I hope you scrapper buddies of mine join in on my giveaway!!

Bo Bunny was having giveaways on their blog all last week. They showed their new paper lines and you had to leave a comment and had a chance to win. I was so excited to be one of the lucky winners. I am receiving some of the new paper from the Kitchen Spice and Flutter collection. I seriously can't wait until it comes in. I am laughing though because I made myself be on another buying restriction (after cleaning up my scrap room and realizing that I have more stuff than a store!!) But I get new stuff anyways...for FREE! Can't beat that I suppose!!

Last night we walked to the playground at the school and I couldn't resist some picture taking moments. These are just a couple but I am sure that you will see the rest in some upcoming scrapbook pages. We had a great time and the sun was even shining finally...although it was kind of cool. But probably a great temperature for some heavy duty playing!!

Andrew Thomas left for football camp yesterday and won't be home until Thursday. The house is quiet and just keeps reminding me of how it is going to be after next summer when both he and Maddie are out of the house. Half way to being empty nesters I guess. Not sure how much I like that idea!!