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!!

If I was hoping for life to settle down for the summer...I hoped wrong. But seriously I don't think that I would want it any other way. Too quickly life changes and so I am enjoying every bit of running around and being busy. Swimming lessons, baseball, weddings, volleyball, more baseball, shopping to keep food in the house for all of the kids that end up here....constantly moving!!

I did get to create however. I absolutely loved working with the August kit for Coordinates Collections. I can't share yet but I was really pleased with how everything came out. Her kits are amazing. Check them out if you are a scrapper!! I also made this canvas for another friend of Abby's. She liked the one that I did for Elysia so much that she has put in a few orders for her other friends birthdays. I loved this one...I am such a circle geek and I love all the Pink Paislee that I used on it. Just about everything was from Pink Paislee....love, love, love their stuff!!

Last weekend we went to a wedding reception for my nephew Colby. He was married in Indiana in June but they had a reception here in NY for everybody that was not able to make the wedding. Unfortunately we couldn't attend in Indiana because it was during crunch time here with school and baseball. They showed the video of the wedding and had a very yummy dinner afterward. My sister Linda and her husband Scott came up for the weekend from Kansas too attend. After we had a bonfire at our house complete with Pizza and Wings, S'mores and of course Gin and Tonics. We had to dodge a few rain drops and lightening strikes but it ended up being a very nice relaxing evening by the fire. We topped off the weekend by attending the "Fly In " breakfast at the Dunkirk airport with my dad, brothers and sisters. Max had a ball with all of the planes and he even had a chance to sit inside the Starflight helicopter. He wasn't exactly thrilled to do that though...I am not sure why it scared him. Hopefully he or any of us will never have to see that up close again.

We have also attended a couple of Jammers games and a Bison's game this summer too. I can't remember if I talked about that yet. But we have a ball watching baseball so everybody enjoys going and eating hot dogs and singing Take me out to the ball game!!

Thanks for stopping by today and I hope you get to enjoy this beautiful day!!

I hope that everybody has a safe and happy 4th of July!! We celebrated yesterday with Andrew's family and had fun in spite of the weather!! Today it is actually sunny so my smile has returned!! We even were surprised with a visit from Maddie and that made my smile even bigger!!

Thank you everybody who has made it so we can celebrate our independence today!! Everything that you do for our country is such a blessing to us all!!

Abby and Kelsey at Kel's graduation ceremony
Andrew, Abby, Kayla and sweet Nana who was the foreign exchange student from Denmark this year. This was the last time the kids were going to see her and they were pretty sad!
Andrew and Nate at Nate's graduation party. Nate and Nana are dating and Nate is planning on moving to Denmark to go to college and be with her. How sweet is that?


Remember that I told you earlier this month that I submitted a layout to be considered for winning the Guest Designer Spot at Coordinates Collections? Well, I WON!! So I get to be the Guest Designer for August and I can't tell you how excited I am because I just love this site and I love Jamie's kits and I am honored to have been chosen!! I can't wait to get my kit and work on my designs!!

I also won the CPS card sketch blog last week as well and I received in the mail the cutest stamp sets from 2 Red Banana's as well as a bunch of ribbon!! I can't wait to work with these new stamps as well!! I guess I have plenty to keep me motivated and in the creating mood this month!!

I have had the opportunity to take lots of pictures this past week as well. With grad parties, graduation, a Jammers game (which was rained out) and a Bisons game which was also rain delayed...not having much luck in the baseball department here lately due to all of our crappy weather!! But at least we have been busy and trying to enjoy the start of summer even though it really doesn't feel like it with the rain and chilly temps!!

I also spent yesterday accomplishing something that I have wanted to master for forever it seems. I have been crocheting since I was a little girl. My Grandma Mary taught me and I enjoy making blankets, especially baby blankets. I never did get to learn how to knit though and it has bothered me quite a bit. I have tried several times to teach myself and just didn't get it. Well, with a new found determination and a pretty cool website: Knitting Help, I think that I have finally figured out the casting on part and the knit stitch. Maybe today if I feel brave enough I will try and conquer the purl stitch. Now I certainly am not ready to follow a pattern and make anything of substance but it feels good to know that I have figured this out for the most part and hopefully can continue on and learn how to knit a pair of socks. That is my goal for this year...to knit a pair of socks!!