I am feeling good today!! I have been creating and it feels stinking good! Here is what I did!! I can't believe all the curls in Max's hair!! I miss them so much! Now he wants a mohawk...nope...I am so mean because I won't let him do it! I have also been playing with Cricut which up until now has been sitting on my table totally unused. Well I have been having lots of fun using a new cartridge making  lots and lots of flowers. I need a little spring in my life and nothing says spring like flowers. Planning out a project to use with them and I am excited to see how it comes out. I just need to keep this creating thing going because Abby's graduation will be here before I know it and I need to scrap lots of her pics!!

I have not blogged in forever. I have not really created in forever either. But there is a really good reason for me being so absent. On July 28 2010 I had surgery to remove a 24 lb. tumor. Yes you read that right! I had a tumor on my right ovary that grew to be 24 pounds and another smaller tumor on my left ovary. So consequently they removed the tumors and just about everything else too. People ask me all the time how did I not realize I had such a large tumor in my abdomen. I can't honestly say how I didn't realize it. I just thought I was fat....very fat. But when I started losing weight I just couldn't lose it in my stomach. I was frustrated but just decided to work that much harder on the abs. You wouldn't believe the number of crunches I did in a day!! My doctor said that because I lost so much weight the tumor had  no place to go anymore and started to cause all sorts of pain. Thus the trip to the emergency room and a very rushed surgery to remove it. At first they believed that it was cancerous and let me tell you that was one very difficult night to live through...the not knowing was unbelievably scary. But by the grace of God it was not malignant and I was 24 pounds lighter in a wink of an eye. Ok not quite a wink because it took about 4 hours for the surgery to be complete but you know what I mean. I feel wonderful....better than I have felt in a long long time. Now I know that things I had been feeling were related to the tumor...lovingly named Gertrude by  my husband. I have been working very hard to continue with my weight loss and to exercise every single day. I even joined a Zumba class! Now that is a hysterical sight to see. But it is fun to be with friends and laugh (alot).



I am just hoping that I can get back to where I was....just a little afraid that when they took "Gertrude" out that they also took my "mojo" Let's hope not!!!

So tonight this little guy...who if you all know him...isn't so little anymore, will be graduating! It is a bittersweet time for me because I just can't believe that 18 years with him have gone by so fast! He makes me so very proud in all facets of his life. I truly love what he has become...the man that he has become. I pray that Drew and I have taught him well....to go on to this next journey and become all that he hopes to be. May he never forget to keep dreaming and may he never forget to keep God in his life! I love this guy so very, very much! I will miss him deeply while he is away. But I know that this is life and this is what life is all about. Love them, teach them, guide them and let them go when it is their time to fly!

Congratulations Andrew Thomas Pingitore! You will go far....we just know it!! You make us so very proud and we love you so very much!!

So I didn't keep good on my resolution to keep up this blog and ummmm....the creating has been a little on the sparse side as well but I DID MANAGE TO LOSE 50 POUNDS!!!! That wasn't even a resolution I had made and it hasn't all been since the new year....more like the last 9 months or so but.... I DID IT!!! I kind of got all wrapped up in the weight loss and exercise that I forgot to keep up with the other stuff. However, this week I realized that Drew will be graduating in a little over a month and I seriously need to get some of his scrapping done!! It was nice to have some new pictures to work with from the prom and his beautiful girlfriend Anna. So this layout is of them dancing at the prom. The other layout was absolutely inspired by a song on the TV yesterday morning....Smile. I know it isn't a layout of Andrew Thomas but hey when you get inspired you get inspired. I think it kind of turned out neat....I took it of Drew while we were on the beach in Myrtle Beach. He thinks he looks like a walrus but he was very touched by the layout nonetheless!! So hopefully this will be the start of a whirlwind scrapping spree for me so that I can put a dent into all of those pictures of Andrew Thomas.

Life has been busy and there is way too much to try and catch everybody up on but lets just say that life has been very good for us. Andrew Thomas will be attending Washington and Jefferson College in the fall and playing football. A life long dream of his is about to be realized! I am going to miss him like crazy but I am not allowing myself to wallow at the moment. Too many things to do and cherish before that time comes!

Maddie is doing very well too....she works too much and has put a lot of pressure on herself this year but she finished up her junior year at UofR and I can't even believe that I am saying this...."I have a senior in college!!" I certainly don't feel old enough for that...but it is true!!

Abby is finishing up her junior year and doing quite well too I might add. She will be my senior in high school girl next year...can't believe that one either!!

Max is Max....doing quite well in school, finally learning how to write neat and growing like a weed!! He is going to miss his big brother more than anyone so we will have to make sure his days are quite full next year so he doesn't realize it so much!

Thanks for checking in and for those of you who kept pestering about some new stuff...I hope you like it!!

So today I am 41....I don't feel 41 and I don't feel at all bad that I have made it to the 40+ ers as my husband informed me this morning. I am embracing a new year of life and I am going to enjoy all that it brings my way! I get a little sad though thinking that the woman who gave me life is no longer here with me to celebrate but I am always thankful for what she gave me and still gives me today as everything that I am is because of her!

What I am I doing to celebrate this day...well, I haven't really thought about that yet. The kids are so busy with school and extras and as always money is a little tight after the holidays so I really don't want to go out to eat and waste money or sabotage my diet. I know that my sweetheart is going to make me a cake with his new mixer from Christmas and I am a bit excited about that. Other than that I think it will be a quiet night at home with my family whenever they get home and a Sabres game. Maybe even pop some popcorn! Oh and maybe even some special hot cocoa. I don't need a lot to make me happy!!

Saturday though I am going to get my hair done. It is a long awaited reward for getting something taken care of last year that I had put off way too long. SO I am going to get my hair cut....I am thinking short because right now it is down to my butt and the only way I can stand to wear it is a pony tail. So I am thinking of going drastically different! Let's see if I have the guts to do it!

And I have been faithful with my resolution of creating everyday. I have started a long term project of a beautiful afghan in a creamy oh so soft yarn. It is done up in little 4x4 squares of which I have to make a ton of! Then painstakingly sew them all together. I usually just crochet one piece afghans so this is something different for me but I really think the end result will be so worth the work!! I also scrapped this adorable photo of my cousins daughter and grandson. When I received it in their Christmas card this year I just knew that I had to scrap it. And....I am thinking of opening an ETSY store. I had been very successful on EBAY when I had my store but I just  needed a break and ended up closing it. This time I am looking more at making embellishments and little pieces for scrapbooking rather than the larger projects that took so much time and stressed me out. I am still not sure but I am in the thinking process of it now. I will have to research further to see if it would really be worthwhile.

So I thank you for stopping by today and I hope that you have a wonderful day filled with many blessings! The sun is shining here and we are over 30 degrees...God is really smiling down on me today!!

Oh My!! It has been so long since I have created a layout! I felt so rusty at first but I think I finally got myself in tune with my inner creative me! I had this picture of Max and Abby sitting on my desk for months...I loved the picture...their tan faces, the warm sand background. It was a fitting picture to scrap after the nasty weather this past week and the cold and snow....and a long time away from sun and warm and sand!! That is why I named it...."Dreaming of those Summer Days" I have to say too that I was inspired to create this because I actually got onto Coordinates Collections yesterday for the first time in forever and found their "In with the new and out with the old" challenge. Use something new and something old....I have plenty of old and I just so happened to go to JoAnn's after Christmas and picked up these pretty papers from K&Company. So I finished a layout, completed a challenge and actually posted it on my blog. How is that for keeping up with my New Year's resolutions?

This is our Christmas tree that just put outside the morning of the storm...by nightfall you couldn't see any of it!
My picnic table is under there somewhere...today you can't even see that there is anything there!


I really thought that we were going to have such an easy winter this year. I mean we didn't have hardly any snow fall during November or December. And I laughed because my brother in Nebraska and my sister in Kansas had far more snow then we did which is pretty unusual. But alas, I joked too soon and we were hit this past weekend with more than 3 feet of snow in my backyard. And to this day it is still falling although not as much but definitely filling up the driveway yet again. I am not a fan of snow or should I say cold weather...I am just so much happier when it is 80+ and sunny but I am not going to let it get me down this year. It is beautiful to look outside in the back where it has been untouched and it is so pretty to watch it fall outside the window...kind of like I am in a snow globe. SO I am going to enjoy the beauty of it for now and try to remember that eventually it will melt!!

The entire Pingitore crew minus Maddie (breaks my heart!)
The Pingitore siblings....a recreation of one done when they were little
Andrew Thomas and his football buddies with their awards for the awesome football season
Max the Builder!
Maddie, Doug and Sabrina....such a beautiful picture!!

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!!

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!!

Can you believe it? This little man is officially a kindergarten graduate!! It seems so unreal to me how fast this year truly has flown by. It seems just like yesterday that I was putting him on the bus for the very first time!! Now he is a seasoned student who loves school and thinks that riding the bus is the best thing ever!! Now I will have to think of plenty of things to keep this guy occupied this summer. Thankfully he loves to read so I am sure we will be making plenty of trips to the library!! First grade here we come!! Look out Mrs. Scudder!!

I decided to make Elysia's birthday card using this weeks sketch from Card Positioning Systems. This is sketch #120. I used all of the papers and embellies that I used in the canvas layout so that it would coordinate. It also used up my scraps which always makes me happy!! Okay, now I am off to wrap the gift and get it ready for the party!!