Clear Mini Album

Now that the holiday festivities are over I finally got time to sit down and create a bit. I am not usually a mini album person but had a ball creating this one. I got to work with some awesome products and really love the result. I will be teaching this class at http://www.scrappinawayvacations.com/.

December DT at Serendipity Scrapbooks!

The kits this month at Serendipity Scrapbooks are just so fun and versatile. You just have to check them out. Here are some projects I created using 2 of them.

Thank You Sharmaine!!!

I won such a fun RAK from Sharmaine http://skruijver.blogspot.com/ and just wanted to give her a big THANK YOU! I loved that is was all from Austrailia and must add that my kids did as well considering there were quite a few sweets. One was even called Screaming Mimi. How fun is that!

This time of year...

is just crazy!!! I love it but it seems there is always so much to do and prepare. We did take the time stop and celebrate my son, Nicks birthday today. He will be 10, can you believe double digits, on Monday!

Here is a picture of him and a LO celebrating his almost 10 status!!!!Happy Birthday Nick, you make it so easy for us to be proud of you!

November DT at Serendipity Scrapbooks

Here are some new layouts and projects using a few of the kits at serendipityscrapbooks.com.

Serendipity Crop, Survivor Winner and a lot of tags!

Starting tomorrow Serendipity Scrapbooks will be having a weekend long crop. These cyber crops are so fun and there are a ton of challenges and RAK's up for grabs, be sure to check it out. Here is a early preview of one of my examples. Click on the link on the right side of my screen.

I am thrilled to let you know I was the winner of the 2007 Survivor Challenge at ilove2create.com. I won a 3 month GDT spot and just had a ball working on the kit. And a big shout out to Alicia and Natasha also for placing. Everyones work, winners or not was just outstanding! Way to go girls!

I have been tagged quite a bit lately and am finally getting to that today! Yeah!!!
Cinabonbon http://cinnibonbon.blogspot.com/
Dalovely Damanda http://dalovelydamanda.blogspot.com/
Scrapanmo http://dailyscrappinspiration.blogspot.com/

Sorry it took me so long to post but here you go girls!

Here are the rules and anyone out there that wants to be tagged, consider yourself tagged!

Here are the rules:
1. Link to the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself (on your blog, we all want to know them).
3. Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.
4. Let each person know that they've been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

My 7 randon and weird facts are:
1. I have run 2 marathons and hope to do another next year.
2. I am a retired PIAA Wrestling Official. (Great college job)
3. My piggy toe on my right foot is abnormally small.
4. I am deathly afraid of snakes, and when I am stressed out I have snake nightmares! They are the worst!
5. I am a huge Law & Order fan and can watch the same show over and over again. I usually have it on when I scrap.
6. I have a degree in Psychology, and worked in the field for almost 5 years till I had my kids.
7. My favorite pictures to scrap are beach and summer pictures so you will see them from me year round.

Been a bad blogger!

I know, just too busy with soccer, soccer, and soccer. Here is something I was able to complete this week. It is an altered journal and bookmark. I used a creativity kit from ilove2create.com for the Survivor Challenge.

New layout!

I did this the other day for the ongoing Survivor Challenge at ilove2create.com. Having so much fun!

October Design Team at Serendipity Scrapbooks!

Well Kristen just amazed me again with her kits this month. I had a ton of fun working with the Rusty Pickle and Basic Grey kits! You totally have to check them out. Just click on the link on the right side of my homepage!

Lots of Cards!

Made it through the first elimination over at ilove2create for the survivor challenge. I had to make cards using both chipboard and ribbon. Had fun and now I have a stash of cards if I need them.

Jack lost his first tooth and a layout!

It finally happened after months of speculation and lots of wiggling, Jack has finally lost his first tooth. It happened at school eating pizza at lunch. The school nurse grabbed me on my way in to pick up the boys and said to me I was going to scream. It seems Jack told her that when Nick lost his first tooth I was so excited I screamed. He remembered this from several years ago so when he came walking out it a big toothless grin I had to scream. Got a few looks from the other parents and the staff but my son will remember that I screamed for him too!

Here is a LO I did for the color and bling survivor challenge at ilove2create!

Life is getting in the way!

Just been so busy lately that some things are falling by the wayside. That includes my blog. I did have time to do a few LO for the survivor challenge at ilove2create. I made these's LO's based on a sketch from Becky Fleck's Pagemaps.

Scrapbooking and Beyond LO- Fall Issue

I was lucky enough to have a LO picked up for the fall issue of Scrapbooking and Beyond Magazine. Make sure you check it out.

It is a LO of my mom and her favorite horse Bono.

Sept DT at Serendipity Scrapbooks

I had so much fun working on the September kits from Serendiptiy Scrapbooks. Here are a few of my DT layouts.

Back to School

I can't believe it is that time again. The boys went back to school today and now I am a SAHM with no kids at home. After 10 years of being home with the boys I will now find myself with some free time. Guess what I did with my free time. I volunteered at the school till 1:00, went to the grocery store and tried to get my hubby's watch fixed. So much for free time. LOL

Fun Scrappy News and David Beckham

I got an email from one of the Memory Makers Magazine editors saying they selected my LO as featured idea for Memory Makers Online Idea Gallery for today. It will be posted on their homepage all day. They also said that they may include it on their newsletter as well, fingers crossed. How cool is that! Check it out if you get a chance.

I also received in the mail 2 copies of the upcoming issue of Scrapbooking and Beyond Fall issue. I have a layout of my mom in it on page 22. So fun!

On Saturday we went to Meadowlands Stadium and saw David Beckham and the LA Galaxy play. We had a great time and Beckham had a great game. It is so impressive to see how he has only been here for a short time and is already effecting the game. There were over 66,000 people there and what self respecting soccer mom doesn't have a crush on David Beckham. They lost the game 4-5, but it was a game to the end and we had a ball.

Beautiful Sky

Been a crazy week and just wanted to update with this beautiful view of the sunset at soccer camp last night.

Tag, your it!

I have been tagged by the talented Gina . It is so amazing to me that you can find these creative people with the few clicks of a mouse. That is how I found Gina, blog hopping.

Here's the deal:
1. post these rules
2. each person tagged must post 8 random(... hopefully interesting) facts about themselves
3. those tagged should write a blog post of these facts
4. at the end of the post, 8 more bloggers are tagged and named
5. go to their blog and leave a comment telling them they're tagged

My Random and (hopefully) Interesting Facts:

1. I have run 2 and am training for a 3rd marathon.

2. I am a soccer mom who admits I love it. Both my boys play and I have coached them both despite that fact that I have never played myself. It is amazing what you pick up when you watch it day in and day out.

3. I have an abnormally small pinky toe on my left foot.

4. I am a retired Pennsylvania PIAA Wrestling Referee. I was one of 2 women in the state of PA when I did it. My brother was an excellent wrestler and I grew up watching him, going to practices and tournaments. When I was in high school someone said to me as I was screaming moves to him from the side of the mat that I should referee. I took the test, passed and it was a great way to make extra money in college. My son Nick wrestles and I have been known to help with the little kids at practice as well. I must say that I have never wrestled myself.

5. I have a degree in Psychology. I worked in the field for 4 1/2 years till I had my kids and have never looked back. I have been home with them since and couldn't be happier.

6. I don't like change! When I find something I like I keep it that way. That means I almost never change my hair and when I find a shirt I like, I buy it in every color. Not a lot changes with me and I like it that way!

7. I hate computers but I have become quite the MB and blog girl. It is funny that someone who doesn't like computers is also married to a software engineer. Built in help I guess.

8. I love "guy" movies and "chick flicks". I always said I would love to be a movie critic. My husband always has said I would be terrible at it because I love just about every movie. It has to be really bad for me not to like it. Probably not the best criteria for a movie critic.

I am tagging:
1. Tracy
2. Rachael
3. Mary
4. Stacy
5. Karen
6. Trish
7. Tanisha
8. Julie

Jake

Over the weekend I took a bunch of pictures of my nephew Jake and just had to create a LO of him looking so cute. Some of the new American Crafts was just sitting on my desk begging to be used. So here it is...

Pride

Nick and I did the Grings Mill 5-K over the weekend. Jack also ran in the kids fun run. Despite the heat later in the day it ended up being a beautiful race. Every year this one is a winner! The race is run on a beautiful course and is well shaded which is always a plus. Josh, our nephew and the boys grandparents came along to cheer us on and take some pictures.

Since Nick was 5 he has always ran the adult races and typically places. This year was no exception and he finished in 23:19 and 40th overall out of 162 other adults and teenagers. He placed 2nd in the 14 and under group. Not to bad for a 9 year old. As a matter of fact he beat me by 78 people and 9 minutes. Can you hear the pride in my voice?

Jack also did quite a good job in the kids race even after taking a fall on the cinder course. He hopped right back up, wiped himself off and raced to the end. He was extremely happy with his goodie bag of bubbles and candy. The gold plastic medal was very impressive too!

Here are some pictures from race day!

The Challenge

You know the drill, go to a scrapbook convention and buy all this cool stuff and store it! LOL! Well not this year. Rachael (Check out her blog to see her LO) and I challenge each other to create a LO using at least 3 things we purchased at the show as well as a Prima we both had. Well I did it and didn't just used 3 things but 9. Woo Hoo! Check it out!

Retail Therapy

CKC was in town this weekend and I had fun shopping with my buds. We ate at Bahama Breeze and even saw the movie Hairspray. I must say it was so funny and we laughed through the who thing. John Travolta was a hoot as a woman and Zac Effron was a cutie. ( I try to forget the fact that I am almost old enough to be his mother, LOL.)

It is a rainy day today and I am hoping to do a little scrapping today with some of my new goodies. My friend Rachael challenge me to create a LO using 3 items I bought at CKC and at least one of the Icing Prima flowers. I will post that creation when it is done. Here is a layout I did with some picture of Nick when he got highlights in his hair.

It's here!!!!!!!

My Nikon d40 came today, so excited.

A few weeks ago at the beach I dropped my digital point and shoot into the wet sand. If you have not done that, don't, it is not a good thing. No more camera.

So the hunt began, I pretty much knew what I wanted, I like my old Nikon, my sister and a friend had the d50 and both loved it. The d50 was being discontinued and being replaced with the d40.

And so here I stand, doing a little happy dance and wondering if I will ever figure out how to use it! LOL

Now I am off to read a manual that is as big as a book.

Here is a layout from the beach taken with my now defunct camera.

Happy Birthday Dick!

This weekend was my FIL Birthday! I am one of those blessed few who have wonderful inlaws. Believe me, I know how lucky I am. He is always there, willing to give you the shirt off his back and truly loves spending time with his grandchildren. This weekend we had a cookout to celebrate the occasion and we had such beautiful weather for it! So here is a big shout out to the best FIL in the world! Happy Birthday Dick!

I included a picture of him with the boys visiting The Academy of Natural Sciences.

Day 4

My official marathon training started this week. 16 weeks of running, sweating, advil popping, complaining, aching and always being tired. Sounds fun, huh! I have done it twice and it is so funny that the hard part of the marathon is the training for me not necessarily the 26.2 mile run. That is not to say its easy but keeping my head in it for the few months of training, ignoring the fatigue in my body, and getting up so early to get it done before my hubby leaves for work is the hard part for me. On the up side the final days of those 16 weeks, marathon day are definately some of my proudest for me. Here is a LO to help me remember how great it felt the last time. My SIL Teresa also ran it with me, nice to have a buddy when the going gets tough. LOL

Good News

I just found out today I was picked by Serendipity Scrapbooks to join their DT. I am so excited to be joining such a talented group of ladies! Kristen does an amazing job designing kits and this will be such a great experience. My hubby is taking me out to dinner to celebrate tonight. Yum! Here is one of the LO that was part of my entry.