Drea's Days

Week 1 of Sassy Lil Sketches

2011-09-20T06:02:00.000-07:00

I am horrible in keeping up with dates but Sassy Lil Sketches really posts the most amazing sketches and THAT helps keep me on track with my scrapping. Go check them out.

Sassy Lil Sketches

Here is a layout I did of our daughter Erika.

Countdown to my birthday.

2011-09-01T19:42:00.000-07:00

This layout is based upon a sketch from Sassy Lil'Sketches. I will be 44 next week and I decided to dye my hair back to it's natural color so this is the last set of pics of me with my RED hair. I also have wanted to do a layout showcasing my dragonfly tattoo.

This tattoo means so much to me because it was drawn by our daughter Talia.

For My Friend Chris Hertel

2011-07-24T15:15:00.000-07:00

I only knew you for a short time. I am going to miss you. Anytime I hear this song from now on I am going to think of you.

I Can See Clearly Now

I can see clearly now, the rain is gone,
I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-Shiny day.

I think I can make it now, the pain is gone
All of the bad feelings have disappeared
Here is the rainbow I’ve been prayin for
It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-Shiny day.

Look all around, there’s nothin but blue skies
Look straight ahead, nothin but blue skies

I can see clearly now, the rain is gone,
I can see all obstacles in my way
Here is the rainbow I've been prayin for
It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-Shiny day.

Here us a link to a video:

I can see clearly now

Lazy Sunday Afternoon

2011-07-24T14:28:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted here in a long time. June has come and gone and so has most of July. I am about to melt this summer. So is half the nation with me. I have been busy scrapping and trying to just stay cool. Today my hubby did NOT go to work so we basically made a pact to lay around and read, watch TV or snuggle!

Here is a layout of the 2 of us I did last week.

This layout is of Dave giving the 3 youngest girls and my nephews a tractor ride.

Memorial Weekend

2011-05-31T10:14:00.000-07:00

This weekend we were blessed to have our family home and just be able to sit back and relax.

Saturday my sister arrived with 3 of my favorite people............yep, Jackson, Booker and Satchel. She and I immediately jumped in my car and ran over to Ark City to pick up a few things before coming home to color our hair and do our nails. We of course enjoyed a few adult beverages while listening to Dave Matthews Band. Good times!!

Sunday morning we all rolled out of bed and got our chores done then Dave loaded kids and dogs onto the trailer and took them for a ride down the road. He is the best.
We grilled burgers and brauts and had lots of extras. Dave sister Alice and her family showed up and had yumminess to add to the meal. We all sat around and got caught up. Then Dave, Alice, Tony and I loaded up and headed to the cemetary.

The Wellington cemetary has a great tradition in hanging a flag for every veteran that interred. I snapped a shot of the flag of Dave and Alice's dad.

Here are Dave and Alice decorating their parent's grave.

On Monday, Dave and I basically goofed off with the kids and in the evening we went to see The Hangover 2 and then went to dinner. It was the perfect ending to an awesome weekend.

Mother's Day Weekend.

2011-05-08T10:35:00.000-07:00

I know I have been off the grid for some time but I am now back and hope to keep a little bit MORE current on here.

Yesterday our second daughter graduated from college. We are so darn proud of her. We were talking about how we both worried about her so much when she started out but she took to college like a fish in water. She is transferring to Wichita State University where she will pursue her degree in illustration.

Here are a few pictures of the ceremony and her with us, her siblings and my parents and brother.

Countdown to Christmas.

2010-12-24T04:37:00.000-08:00

It's 6:30 am on Christmas Eve morning. Coffee is brewing and I am sitting here thinking how wonderful it is to have all of our family home and asleep under our roof. Today we will have Amanda and her family here to spend the day with us. I will have to send poor Richie to the store since I forgot a few items yesterday. He doesn't mind. He loves that he is able to drive and run errands for me.

I came home to much cuteness yesterday.............it's always nice to have small children and puppies in your home. They don't require much in the way of anything but love and affection.....and some treats from time to time.

So, now the coffee is ready and I think I'll go take a nice long hot bath to start my LONG day. I wish for all of you a time well-spent with your family and lots of memories made.

Merry Christmas!

Never too late to be THANKFUL

2010-12-04T17:49:00.000-08:00

Last weekend was Thanksgiving. We were so blessed to have all of our children home and my sister's family and my parents here to help us observe a day for thankfulness.

First off, I am thankful for my wonderful husband. He is the best thing that ever happened to me.

I love you Dave.

Next, I am thankful for my beautiful oldest daughter. She is pictured here with Jay (See Jay! I mentioned you) Because of her, I have become a better person. She made me slow down and turn my life around.

Next I am thankful for my MIRACLE family. Our children make me want to grow up and do GREAT things. They are selfless and love each other and us like CRAZY! I am so BLESSED to call them my own!

My sister is another blessing in my life. Her children are like my own, they love to be around their cousins and treat each other like they are siblings. Satchel is constantly a source of amusement for us all! Teddi and Dusty..............WE LOVE YOU!!

My parents were with us on this wonderful day. I am grateful they are so active in our lives and help us with our children. LOVE you Mom and Dad.

Fall Weddings

2010-10-12T11:12:00.000-07:00

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE FALL WEDDINGS!

This last weekend Dave and I attended the wedding of a good friend's daughter's wedding. (That's a lot of apostrophes!) The venue was a GORGEOUS country club in Andover called The Terradyne.

Dave and I got all gussied up. Here is a picture of us before we walked out the door.

The wedding was outside on the balcony.............right as the sun was going down. The temperature we perfect. Not too hot or cold. Here is a picture of the lovely bride and groom during the ceremony.

After the ceremony it was time for cocktail hour. We enjoyed lovely fresh fruit and veggie platters with our choices of wine, beer, tea, coffee or water.

Here are some pictures of the tables (notice the Chinese laterns and all the leaves and lights in the background), the wedding cake (It had 2 different flavors: Pumpkin spice with cream cheese icing and vanilla with buttercream icing) the grooms cake was chocolate with truffles and since the groom LOVES pumpkin pie there was also whipped cream served on top of the pie........and last but not least the CANDY BAR!

For our supper there was a buffet: Prime rib, stuffed mushrooms with crab meat, spinach dip with fresh made corn chips, chicken strips, smoky BBQ meatballs, quesidillas and several kinds of dipping sauce.

After the meal there was TONS of dancing. They hired a DJ and he was awesome.......so much so I got his card for future weddings........we do have 5 daughters you know!

Here is a picture that our friend Pat took of us at the reception. Tons of fun!! Not to mention tons of ideas for when we have to plan one of these!!

A lovely get away..........

2010-09-30T20:23:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Dave and I went to our favorite place to spend time alone. The 1874 Stonehouse B and B. We were sad because this would be our last time to visit this gorgeous hidden treasure.

We started our trip on Friday afternoon. We arrived at the Stonehouse and checked in then walked down to the Koi pond. Here is a picture I took of Dave when he wasn't expecting it.

Our friend Billie really has made this place such a little piece of heaven. We sat at the pond for a while then decided to go take a nap.

Here is the room we stayed in.

After we woke from our nap, the sun was going down. We walked down to the pond so I could snap a few shots of the landscape. This shot is of a meadow near the pond.

After all that walking we were famished. We decided to go eat at the Emma Chase Cafe. It was Fried Catfish night. I had the chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, gravy, buttermilk biscuit with homemade applebutter and greenbeans............It was heavenly!

Here is a picture of us in the gift shop.

After supper we walked up and down main street and went to the Friday night jam session at the municipal building. After about 20 minutes we decided to go get a bottle of wine and head back to the Stonehouse. We decided to play cards, which Dave won 2 hands to my one. Billie snapped this picture of us........my favorite of the entire weekend.

The next morning we woke up really early and decided we needed to walk off our supper from the previous evening not to mention all the wine!
The moon was still out and there was a fog........simply GORGEOUS!

Billie fixed the most delicious breakfast. Since we had stayed up so late but got up so early...........Yep, we took another nap! When we got up we decided we would head to Council Grove for supper but as soon as we were ready to go a wicked storm had kicked up so we had to wait it out. While we waited, we struck up a conversation with another couple who was staying at the B and B and we just CLICKED! In the end we went to the Grand Hotel and had supper with the Pattens. This couple was US in about 20 years!! We just loved them!

The next morning we had another delicious breakfast and hugged our dear friend Billie and then drove home. We were a little sad knowing this was our last time at such a special place. BUT we are excited to now find another special place for us to get away.

Another year older

2010-09-08T16:17:00.000-07:00

My birthday was yesterday. What a memorable weekend. Any day I can spend with my family is my idea of PERFECT.

It started on Friday night with Dave coming home and us staying up late. It was so nice and cool out and we threw open all the windows in the house. When we woke up Saturday morning it was 50 degrees out...............LOVE IT!! We had decided since we basically had NO food in the house we would go out for breakfast then head to the store. $400 later, we came home and sat around watching K-State play while enjoying a few beers. Later that evening, we geared up and went for a ride on Dave's bike.......it was GORGEOUS out. Not hot out so we probably rode over 100 miles before we came home and watched "Legion".......really cool movie.

Sunday morning, we woke up EARLY (5 am) so we decided to gear up and head to our FAVORITE restaurant "Daisy Mae Cafe" (They open at 6 am) where we ate an artery clogging BUT DELICIOUS meal. I actually snapped a picture of the sun coming up as we rode into town. Ark City is about 25 miles from our house. There is something magical about rolling into town on the back of Dave's bike as the sun is coming up!

After we left the Cafe........we went home and went RIGHT BACK TO BED!! My sister and her family arrived around 5 and we had nachos with all the fixens for supper. Afterwards Satchel helped Erika with the goats............and she snapped this awesome picture.

My sister picked up CAKE for all of us..........my birthday was on Tuesday and they had to leave Monday night but we enjoyed that cake regardless of the date!! Satchel was so excited about them singing to me........I love that kid. He cracks me up.

Last but not least..........we just laid around and watched TV, ate food, drank tons of Adult BEVERAGES and just goofed off the ENTIRE weekend!!.........Sheer Bliss!

I love that my sister's family and how her kids get along so well with mine, but the thing that touches my heart the most is how our hubby's really have so much in common. I saw them outside enjoying a GUY moment and I had to capture it.

So, in closing...........my weekend was awesome but my actual birthday was HOLY CRAP>>>>>>>>>>>>AWESOME!!

I woke up to the 3 youngest girls serving me breakfast in bed, then the phone ringing off the hook with tons of well wishes. The mail box was full of cards from family and friends, my email was full of e-cards, and then the UPS truck arrived with a box FULL of scrappy goodness from some of my SWEET friends who know how to spoil me. With all the scrappy items my hubby gave me, that box and then a $50 gift card from my Dad that he insists I use on myself, I will be able to scrap up some GORGEOUS layouts!

Dave was WONDERFUL in every way...........it couldn't have been a more perfect birthday.

Awesome Weekend!!

2010-08-16T10:56:00.000-07:00

First off.........Dave took off Thursday and Friday so we could celebrate 24 years together! We went to a really nice restaurant and had the most FAB food. We then went to see The Expendables..........KICK A$$ movie!! Sadly......I left my camera at home or I would have some pics of us out on the town!!

Saturday was Jessica's birthday and I promised her we would go to the Dave Matthews Band concert at the Intrust Arena in Wichita. We first went to Olive Garden. Jessica's best friends Kristin and Ben met up with us.

After Olive Garden we went to Mort's Martini bar to get cigars and drinks. This is Jessica with my cousin Jeannine's hubby Dan.

Here is Jeannine with me and Jessica at the arena waiting for Dave and the guys to get the concert started. We had the best time. After the concert we were walking to our pick up point where my hubby was to pick us up and low and behold we were RIGHT by the tour buses as the band came out to get on them........I was a good girl and didn't rush them! We just waved to them and they waved back!

Want A Piece of Cake?? Check out Melissa's Blogaversary!!

2010-07-22T10:11:00.000-07:00

Melissa is one the most-gifted card makers and she is celebrating her blog's anniversary with an AWESOME Giveaway!

Be sure you go check it out and get your name tossed into the hat for the Cricut Cake Machine she is giving away! Creating From the Heart Blog Giveaway

Webster's Pages........

2010-07-18T19:03:00.000-07:00

I confess right now I am on a Webster's Pages kick. Here are a couple of the layouts I did this last week. Both are with pictures from Robert's graduation.

Happy Being Yours
Made with the "Sweet As Cherry Pie" line.

Family
Made with the "Sweet As Cherry Pie" line.

4th of July.............Do-Over

2010-07-12T20:51:00.000-07:00

So, on the 4th we were rained out. I don't want to even THINK about all the fireworks that we bought but weren't able to pop. So we told our friends we would have a "Do-over" this weekend................but it RAINED this weekend. So, we had an impromptu "Do-Over" tonight. Dave stayed home from work to work on the plumbing so we called some friends and grilled burgers, had s'mores and popped off fireworks!! After the last one was lit............yep, it started to pour down rain!

All the girls in the kitchen waiting on the burgers!

Here is our son Robert cooking burgers while my hubby Dave(Gray shirt in the middle) and our friend Steve supervise.

Here are the kids popping some day works.

What's a 4th cookout without the S'mores?

Last but not least.........the nightworks..........We had so much fun! The kids were so happy to pop off the fireworks!

Our son Robert, The Graduate

2010-07-04T14:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we held Robert's graduation ceremony. He hand-picked the people who were to be invited. It rained all day..........which in my opinion, was better than the temp being over 100 degrees. We held the ceremony in our dining room. Here is how it looked. (I love entertaining in our house...........I know it will get cleaned from top to bottom!.....I love a clean house!)

Around 30 people arrived to help us celebrate with Robert. Dave gave the commencement speech. Me and my sister tried not to cry...........it's hard for us to believe he is so grown up. Here are some pics of the ceremony.

Here are some pictures of our family with Robert............we are so very proud of him. He will be attending college this fall where he will major in History.

Using up stash

2010-06-27T18:54:00.000-07:00

This past week Scrapadilly had it's monthly crop. I was able to complete a few of those challenges. Here are a few of them that I really like how they came out.

For one of the challenges we were to scraplift a layout..........here is mine. This is Satchel at our piano. He is such a grand stander!! LOVE that kid!

Another challenge was to scrap a layout of friends. These are 3 youngest daughters. They are truly the best of friends. RARELY do they argue. I am hoping they grow up and stay that way.

Another challenge was to scrap pictures that you deem not that scrap worthy. Here is my take on that challenge. Our son Nik took these pics of himself, they have shadows, and lots of background clutter.

Been scrapping

2010-06-14T20:46:00.000-07:00

I've dug out the sewing machine and been stitching on my layouts again. I go through spurts. This paper is Webster's Pages and is one of my favorite lines. Here is our daughter Lilia when she was 2 1/2 yrs old............so sweet and bashful. I miss the good ole days!

Here is a layout of our baby Anna when she WAS a baby. She was 7 weeks old here. Now she's 11!! This was made with Prima paper.

While I was busy using that sewing machine..........I was also busy using OLD pictures. Here is a layout of Erika when she was 4 months old. The dress she is wearing is one I made for her. When I saw the little Kewpie Doll card I knew I wanted to use it with these pictures.

This is our daughter Jessica at her college graduation in '07. I used her medal as part of the embellishment. This is Prima paper also.

Congratulations Jacquelyn!!!

2010-06-01T10:12:00.000-07:00

Last week our niece Jacquelyn graduated from high school. We are so proud of her. Our oldest two daughters drove with my brother Erik to attend her ceremony in Tennessee. Pictured here is Jacquelyn with my brother and nephew Kyler.

Congrats Jacquelyn!!

Spring Fling

2010-05-19T08:31:00.000-07:00

It must be something in the air. I have had the sudden urge to SCRAP! I think knowing that Friday over at Scrapadilly we will be having our monthly crop has got me excited also! Come by on Friday, May 21 and check out the challenges and AWESOME Prizes!!

Here are a couple of layout I have done over the last few weeks. I think my trip to Oklahoma City really gave me some serious MOJO.

"The Bob" is 19!!

2010-05-14T12:39:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Robert!!

I will confess, I am a tiny bit melancholy today. This is our 3rd child and you would think I could get over them growing up but him being this grown up is killing me. Sigh. When I think of my children, I always think of that quote from The Lord of the Rings: "What grace is given me, let it pass to him." I feel that way about all of them. I would take a bullet for them.......They know it.

If I have said it once, I have said it a dozen times. Robert.........he's the one to watch. Great things are going to happen to him. His siblings IDOLIZE him, and the funny thing is.....he doesn't even realize it.

So............Today I will hide in my heart the memory of him on my lap while I read to him Winnie the Pooh. I pray one day I will be able to do the same with one of his children.

Here is a layout I did years ago. He was the SWEETEST baby!!

Bad, Bad Blogger

2010-05-12T09:50:00.000-07:00

Where do I begin? Let's face it. I'm a busy gal from time to time. I will endeavor to update this thing periodically.

For Mother's day I was able to spend the day with my mom and sister. We had lunch at Timberline and then went to the Village Flea Market. After walking around for about 2 hours til I FINALLY had to object. I had had my fill of TRASHY people. Seriously.........Bras are a good thing. So are soap and deodorant. Oh, and let us NOT forget...........Tissue are good for little kids' snotty noses!!

After we left "Trash Central" we hit a strip mall. Burlington Coat Factory, TJ Maxx, Fashion Bug and Best Buy.......Now we are talking!!

My mom and sister helped me find these gorgeous items!! They both have excellent taste!

We finished up our day by hitting a Donut bar and eating copious amounts of fried dough and washing it down with STRONG coffee!!

Did I mention it takes MANY calories to maintain this figure??

Use It Up Crop at Scrapadilly

2010-03-14T11:26:00.000-07:00

Scrapadilly's monthly crop will start next Friday. Come join in the fun and win some awesome prizes.

You need to prepare 2 kits. They can be geared for male/female or family. IT'S your choice.

HERE is the thing you need to remember.

You will be doing 10 challenges. You will be limited to 9 sheets of pattern paper and 6 sheets of cardstock PER kit and whatever embellishments you think will go with that paper.
If you are going to scrap in DIGI, you need to put whatever embellishments you plan on using in the picture with the kit. YOU MUST LIMIT yourself...........you cannot upload your entire scraproom or all your digi kits!

Challenges will be posted on Friday morning at 9 am CST.

Prima Giveaway!

2010-03-01T15:50:00.000-08:00

Holy Moly!! Check this out!

That's Right! Prima is giving away two more AMAZING prize packages in conjunction with our BIG SECRET!

We want EVERYONE to have a chance to win so we are changing the rules a bit.

* Please copy this write-up and link us on your blog, Facebook, or any other site that you frequent (please follow their TOU).
* Then post here with a link to your blog, Facebook or site post for your chance to win BIG with Prima!
* One US and one International winner will be chosen on Thursday, March 4th, 2010.

And we are getting closer and closer to revealing our secret-it won't be long now!

Just a couple more days of suspense!

Today she's 12.

2010-02-27T19:55:00.000-08:00

Our daughter Erika turned 12 today. She is quite the handful. She drives me nuts with her persistence, but that is probably the thing I love about her the most.
The apple of her Daddy's eye...........they have their own secret handshake and everything. That's okay.........little girls are supposed to love their Daddies!!

This Coming Friday.......................

2010-02-16T15:33:00.000-08:00

Scrapadilly is hosting it's monthly crop. Come play with us! Challenges will be posted 9 am CST. The beauty of Dilly's crops is that they last an entire week!

I've been busy...............that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

2010-02-02T15:01:00.000-08:00

Once again, I have been a bad blogger. I have not excuse other than, I've been busy. So, here are a few layouts I've created this last month.

NO place like home for the holidays.

2009-12-25T16:02:00.000-08:00

I am always happy when our family is able to spend time together. This holiday season has been wonderful, we were able to have a time to make our gingerbread houses, go look at the lights and spend several nights just being with one another.

Here is Lilia and Anna with our niece participating in our church program.

This picture is of our gingerbread house village. WE give the kids graham crackers and I make up tons of frosting and put it in sandwich bags that the kids clip the corner on to use as a piping bag. Add some candy and a TON of fun and good memories.

Here is our niece Gavada with my hubby Dave.

Our darling Druann came over and she and Gavada really were cute in front of my tree.

Christmas eve is a HUGE ordeal for us and our children. This is the ONE night we reserve to be with JUST them. WE had homemade chicken enchiladas, spanish rice and a salad with Erika's homegrown tomatoes on top.
Here is the table before we ate.

After our meal we opened up our One and ONLY gift for Christmas eve gift.....our PJ's. Here is Jessica and Richie anticipating their gifts.

After we open up our PJ's........we play games. This year our youngest daughters taught us a cardgame named "Cock-a-doodle" We laughed ourselves sick!

So we turned in after watching A Christmas Story........we just love that movie. How can you not just love Ralphie?? The kids promised to not wake us til 8:30!!

Christmas morning was just wonderful. We rolled out of bed and the kids had coffee waiting for us. I had baked Applesauce Cranberry muffins and Banana nut bread the day before so I wouldn't have to prepare anything. The kids boiled a couple dozen eggs and we were all set.

Here are a few pics of the kids opening their gifts.

The rest of the day was us just sitting around and playing board games while the ham and potatoes baked. For our supper we had the ham, potatoes, greenbeans, homemade cranberry salad in a buffet style meal. Everyone fixed their plates and then we watched "It's A Wonderful Life"

You know what I have decided? It is..........we are blessed beyond measure.

Merry Christmas to all of you!

Our Family at Christmas

2009-12-14T17:34:00.000-08:00

We took our family Christmas pictures this weekend. It was fun to coordinate everyone's outfit. The kids are excited because this weekend we are going to have out Gingerbread House making party............I'll post pics!

Til then.........here is my beautiful family!

Thankful

2009-11-28T08:39:00.000-08:00

This past week we celebrated Thanksgiving. While I will admit quicker than anyone how blessed I am, I can't help but say it anyway. I think I'll make a list.

1. I am thankful for my beautiful husband. He is a wonderful husband, father, provider and role-model for many people. I thank God every day for him.
2. I am thankful for our beautiful children. They are one of the reasons I am where I am spiritually and they keep me grounded.
3. I am thankful for our health.
4. I am thankful Dave has a job. I pray that the many people who are unemployed will be able to find jobs this coming year.
5. I am thankful for friends and extended family.
6. I am thankful for our animals.......they teach our children to be selfless.
7. I am thankful we are able to homeschool our children.

This list could go on and on.........I'll stop before I bore anyone!

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year Crop

2009-11-19T13:31:00.000-08:00

Scrapadilly is having their monthly crop starting tomorrow morning!

Click on this link to see the GORGEOUS Grand Prize!

Halloween!!

2009-11-02T20:02:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year when we all meet at my sister's house for Halloween. We had chili cheese hotdogs, got the kids all dressed up and then went trick or treating.

This year we had lots of cuteness running around and leave it to Erika to have the costume that was the show stopper *She was Samara from THE RING*

Want to have some fun??

2009-10-22T06:34:00.000-07:00

Come check out the crop that starts tomorrow over at Scrapadilly!

One week of fun and lots of challenges for some awesome prizes!!

Honest Scrap Award

2009-10-07T22:11:00.000-07:00

Low and behold I received an award from Ellen...........so with that being said. Here is how this award works.

*Say thank you and give a link to the presenter of the award
*Share “10 Honest Things” about myself
*Present the award to 9 other bloggers whose blogs I find brilliant in content and/or design or to those who have encouraged me
*Be sure to tell the 9 bloggers chosen that you are giving them the Honest Scrap award and provide the guidelines for them

So now I will tell you 10 things about me:

1. I tend to be a bit of a perfectionist. I have lowered my standards for others over the years but I still push myself to the limit many times.

2. I love my family more than anything else on this planet. If I could wave a magic wand to give them health and good fortune......I would. If I ever win the lottery, I am making them all quit their jobs, drop out of school and we are going around the world!

3. I love to cook. I used to think I wanted to open up a Bed and Breakfast Inn or a restaurant but I don't think I want to spend that amount of time serving ANYONE but my family. Instead my hubby is trying to convince me to write a cookbook.

4. I really hate troublemakers. People who have nothing better to do but go around stirring up crap for others really piss me off.

5. I cuss way too much. Not out in public of course but at home, it slips out of my mouth all the time. My hubby shakes his head and tells me to tone it down all the time. Sigh........where would I be without that guy?

6. If I could be locked in a library for the rest of my life........that would be fine with me espcecially if Henry DeTamble could be locked in with me! (This is the character Eric Bana played in "The Time Travler's Wife")

7. While I like an educated man.......I love a Manly man. I mean, my hubby is smarter than me any given day (He says he needs to be to keep up with my mouth!) but what gets me all worked up is when he walks in our backdoor after working on the car or doing some project outside in the yard. I love a man who has calluses on his hands!! (I love having a man who has a bigger set of b@lls than I do!)

8. I worry all the time I am doing to drop the ball when it comes to our kids. I wake up night worrying about their education and how we are going to get them all through college. So far we have 2 almost done with school. They are doing great and BOTH have scholarships AND jobs so I guess so far, so good.

9. The person I love more than anyone on this planet is my Davey. He works his @ss off for this family. He has sacrificed HIS dreams so that I could fulfill MY dream of being a stay at home mom. They are making a special place in heaven for him......he truly deserves any good thing that happens to him.

10. I really enjoy the simple things in life. A good book, a HOT cup of coffee, a dandelion chain made by my one of my kids, rainy days and snuggling with my hubby on the couch, slow dancing to bluesy music, hand holding, slow-long kisses and laughing so hard my stomach hurts.

I am going to give this award to the following people:

Angela
Iris
Jessica
Nancy Jones
Melissa
Tammy Kay
Robin
Tami
Wendy

Children of the Night................

2009-10-03T19:40:00.000-07:00

Last weekend after we had our birthday dinner for Richie, the kids wanted to load up and go the cemetery. The moon was out and it was a perfect night for some really creepy pics. Here isa layout I made with one of them.

The quote is from Vlad Drucula.

Supplies:
Pattern Paper: Pink Paislee, K & Co.
Die Cut background: KI Memories
Letter stickers: Jillibean
Raven sticker: Martha Stewart
Trim: Unknown
small alpha stickers: Making Memories

They Know All Roads Lead Home

2009-09-30T17:46:00.000-07:00

Forward Progress Now has another prompt I really wanted to do. The prompt was "It's not who you touch but how." I knew this would be a fun layout. I just had to get our 8 children and Jamie together for a picture. This was easy since they all came home this past weekend for Richie's birthday dinner.

Our 8 children have been homeschooled their entire lives until they go off to college. At this time we have 2 attending college. We have always stressed to them that our home will always be theirs and they can come home ANYTIME they need to. We have also taught them that our home is always open to others in need. Jamie (The little blonde girl in the middle on the bench is actually 23 years old. She was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis when she was 3 yrs old and her medicine has stunted her growth. Her mother passed away 7 years ago and in the last 3 years she has became a part of our family........so much so that she now lives with us.)

What did this prompt make me realize? I am blessed beyond measure. My children love each other and they love their Dad and me.....so much so they try to come home every weekend they aren't working. I treasure those weekends when we are able to have Sunday dinner together and then be together all under one roof. I know those times will become harder as they get older........but for now, I'll take those special moments and scrap them.

Supplies:
Pattern Paper: Pink Paislee, Bo Bunny, October Afternoon
Journaling Spot: Jenni Bowlin
Flowers: Awesome Blossoms by Scrapadilly
Letter Stickers: Bo Bunny, Making Memories
Trim: Doodlebug
Brads: Doodlebug

GAVADA!!

2009-09-23T13:14:00.000-07:00

This is my niece Gavada. She reminds me soo much of her mother Aundria. This little gal is such a joy to have around. I am glad I snapped these pics of her in this adorable outfit.

I am also glad I was able to get these pics scrapped. For this layout "Natural Beauty" I wanted to reuse items I had around my house. So, I used an old dictionary page for a paper. For the green photo mat, I used some of the packaging from a Prima flower package. I also used some buttons from an old coat and the twine is from the packaging from some Jenni Bowlin tickets. The paper lace, the journaling spot and the butterfly I made from a grocery sack.

For the 10 Things About You layout, I made the flower at the bottom, distressed the background paper, did some fancy cutwork on those leaves and just added flowers all over the place! It felt good to produce some layouts I love!

This hobby saves my sanity!

Forgiveness

2009-08-28T10:15:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine has the coolest site. Forward Progress. This month's prompt was Forgiveness. This was so difficult for me. So much so, that I actually called my parents and confronted them. Something I haven't been able to do in years. I was able to voice feelings that I had held inside for years.

Doing this prompt helped me in the healing process.

With that being said...........here is my layout. The picture is an older one of me. I wanted it to represent that I am NOT that person any longer. I will post the hidden journaling here. I am going to slip it back into the pocket I made and then staple it shut when I am done. I will then put this layout in my personal Book of Me. I don't want my children to read this until they are older and able to understand.

(Journaling Below)

This I know..........

I was there for my childhood. I was there for the abuse, manipulation, fear and shame. I was there when it was all brought to light and then denied. I was there when I waited for an apology but was instead called a liar. I was there when the one person who should have stood up for me chose her house, money and status instead of the safety of her children.

Can I forgive? I truly try. Some days I can. Some, it is not possible.

THIS I KNOW....I will never be that person who sits back when wrong is being done.
THIS I KNOW.......I will go forward from this point. I will choose to make sure MY children always feel safe and loved.
THIS I KNOW.......I will make it a point to let my brothers and sister know WE aren't to blame for our childhood, but we survived it. All of us are coping in our own ways but we are ALWAYS there for one another. I find comfort in that.

THIS I KNOW....I will take each day as it comes. I will NEVER again live in fear.

The love of my life...............

2009-08-25T10:05:00.000-07:00

For our anniversary we went to one of our favorite places together. Our dear friend Billie runs a Bed and Breakfast in Cottonwood Falls. We took off on Thursday the 13th. It was kinda weird when we looked at the clock and both of us realized we were going away at exactly the time our wedding began all those years ago. Our first evening, we had picked up some wine and a few steaks and grilled them on the patio. Our friend Billie snapped these pics of us..........we were both MORE than a bit tipsy from the yummy wine we had with our steaks. So, we look rather goofy but we don't care, we had a blast sitting on the patio, just the two of us in the cool evening, listening to music, enjoying the GORGEOUS landscape.

Here is a layout I did with those horrible pictures.........LOL.

All the products in this layout are from my DT pack I received from Bonnie at Scrapadilly!

Supplies:
Cardstock:Dotted Bazzill From SCRAPADILLY
Pattern Paper:Green FloralFrom SCRAPADILLY
Little Garden/Pink TulipFrom SCRAPADILLY
Transparency: Little Yellow Bicycle Clear CutsFrom SCRAPADILLY
Flowers: Evening Garden Awesome BlossomsFrom SCRAPADILLY
Rub-ons:Basic Grey Toffee From SCRAPADILLY
Punch:Fiskars From SCRAPADILLY
Other Items:
Brads: Making Memories
Small alphas: My Little Notebook

An Epiphany I've Had Recently...........

2009-08-01T17:10:00.000-07:00

I was watching the movie "Gia" the other night and in it I heard the most true quote:

"This is life, not heaven, you don't have to be perfect."

It hit me...........HOW TRUE!! So with that being said......I had some pictures sitting around and wanted to scrap them with that quote. The problem? I just couldn't come up with anything that would work for those photos. A friend of mine over at Scrapadilly challenged me to scraplift a digital layout and I took her up on it. Here is the result. I added a bit of my own handwriting on the layout to add to the "Not Perfect" theme.

Another layout I finished this weekend is of our son Richie. He is 16 and for his birthday, our friend James gave him Maximus..........That dog WORSHIPS Richie. Not to mention.......we all LOVE Max!!

Check out my friend Melissa's Give-A-Way!!

2009-07-24T20:31:00.000-07:00

Some folks have the coolest blogs and give away some really nice things.

For instance........Melissa.........AWESOME scrap goodies at her place.

Go check them out!

Keepsakes by Melissa

Pack Your Bags!!

2009-07-08T14:12:00.001-07:00

Come join us at Scrapadilly on July 17 for a week at Camp Scrap-A-Lot!

Tons of fun and prizes to be had!

Bad Blogger!

2009-06-20T16:57:00.000-07:00

Okay............so I have neglected my blog. Be nice to me.......I've been a bit busy!!

Here is a layout I did of our oldest daughter Jessica....this picture was taken at a party...she takes after her Mom!!

Got some scrapping done..........FINALLY

2009-05-30T09:33:00.000-07:00

I have been so busy this month I haven't had time to scrap. I was able to sit down and do a few layouts last night and here is one that I really like. I took the title from a song by the Foo Fighters: The Pretender. The first time I heard the song, all I could think is..........that part about never surrendering is me. I have overcome HELL in my life and I was determined to not let my childhood determine my adulthood.

Check out my friend Angela's GIVEAWAY!!

2009-05-11T11:08:00.000-07:00

Angela is one of the best scrappers I have the pleasure to know.

She is giving away a FAB prize..........go check it out!!

Angela's Blog Giveaway

Mother's Day............

2009-05-10T21:17:00.000-07:00

I am hands down the luckiest mom on the planet. I have a WONDERFUL family. My kids are fantastic........my hubby is just an AWESOME hubby and father. I was treated to a day of lots of pampering and just being around the ones I love. My parents came down and spent the day with us. I got to talk to my sister and it was just a great day all around.

I was even able to do this layout of my niece. This is Gavada. She is just an angel. My kids jut love her and she is so fun to have around.

My eHarmony pick.

2009-04-26T09:04:00.000-07:00

I am always getting SPAM from eHarmony. It struck me the other day that if I were to go on there and fill out a questionaire and Dave was to do the same......I am certain we would be on each others list of Compatible Picks!

Erika took this picture of us snoozing on the couch on a Sunday afternoon.

Still Sweethearts

2009-04-22T20:31:00.000-07:00

This is a layout of my sweetie and me on Easter Day of this year. I had so much fun with this GORGEOUS paper from Webster Pages. I cut out the paper and then applied Stickles to bring out some dimension. The flowers are from Scrapadilly.......they are called Awesome Blossoms and I think they are so much sturdier than other flowers I have worked with.

Kaiser Craft Flutterby Paper

2009-04-20T12:20:00.000-07:00

I received my DT package from Scrapadilly last week and I swear it had MOJO just oozing out of it!!
I used up every bit of that paper and had scraps left over for cards!

Crop of Fools!! April 17- 25!!

2009-04-13T09:26:00.000-07:00

Come one, Come ALL!!

Starting this Friday, April 17, we will begin our Crop of Fools at Scrapadilly!

Later this week I will be posting some pictures of the grand prize and of some of RAKS we will be giving away for games and random challenges. Be sure to check in and see what is going on over at Dilly Land!!

She sees God in the little things............

2009-04-06T18:14:00.000-07:00

Our daughter Erika is so gifted. She is perpetually outside snapping photos of nature. I remember when she was only 4 taking my hand and showing me how pretty the sunset was. It is difficult for me to look at her and realize that one day she will be all grown up.........but she will. I will just have to remember to cherish the time I have with her..........and her wonderful siblings!

Scrapping Again!!

2009-03-24T08:41:00.000-07:00

I have really hit a dry spell here lately so I am so glad that I was able to do a few layouts to get my MOJO flowing!! It appears I am going through a 2 photo phase!! That's fine with me!!

Be sure and go check out Scrapadilly's week long crop.........it ends on Saturday at 6 pm CST....some cool prizes to be given away!

Countdown to Scrap "O" Dilly Crop

2009-03-16T19:47:00.000-07:00

Be sure and come by...........tons of fun and prizes and the best part?

Our crop go on all week so you have tons of time to get the challenges completed!

Only Love Can Leave Such A Mark On My Heart!

2009-03-08T20:36:00.000-07:00

Do you see those crazy people in the cage? All of them, their sister Jessica, and their Dad, my hottie Dave, are the anchors in my life. I get up each and every day and thank God for them. All of them are sooo very precious to me. I am grateful for days like we had today. I am glad we have connected with our children and they actually like to be with us.

At Arby's today they ran a special: Buy any size drink and get a Roast Burger of your choice for Free. So, we loaded up the kids, went to Walmart and bought a couple bags of chips and then hit Arby's. I always crack up whenever we go out into a restaurant all together........people always ask if they are all ours and then we have to explain they are all "Ours" we had them together and with no one else. Of course today we were missing Jessica, but she will be home next weekend in time for my Mom's birthday. I plan on getting pictures of all of our kids with Teddi and Dusty's 3 boys. I think my Mom would love a picture like that.

After we all got our sandwiches we went to the park. It was a gorgeous day today......so much sunshine. Talia took some pics of Dave and me but they came out horrible (Eyes squinty or closed or my stupid hair blowing in my face!)so I guess I will have to wait til next weekend!

When we came home, we all had fresh lemon cake with coffee while we watched Daniel Day Lewis in "There Will Be Blood"..........man, he was a royal prick in that movie!! He totally deserved his Oscar for that role.

Signing off now.........Another Beautiful Day!!

I am indeed truly Blessed!!

So much goodness in my life.............

2009-02-28T21:21:00.000-08:00

I am blessed beyond belief. I'm sure some of you get tired of me going on and on about my family but I just can't stop. They are the reason I get out of bed every morning.

Yesterday was our daughter Erika's 11th birthday. She is such a fun kid. That girl gets up every morning and does her chores and then grabs her schoolbooks and starts in on her subjects without me having to tell her. She is truly driven and so darn smart it is scary.

She just makes my heart full of happiness!!

Here is a picture of her in her hat that she sewed all by herself. That scarf.........yep, she made it also.

Sweetheart of a Crop at Scrapadilly!...AND The Scrap City!!

2009-02-17T21:42:00.000-08:00

Hey folks!! This weekend at Scrapadilly we are starting our week long crop. Lots of fun and games with challenges to keep you busy and help you get some layouts done!!

Oh and before I forget............head over to The Scrap City! They are having a crop also and those gals are a hoot!!

Sunday Morning Musings

2009-02-08T08:03:00.000-08:00

Druann has been here a few days and that girl just makes my heart soo happy. I took some really cute pictures of her and Nik being "FROGS" yesterday. This morning she insisted she help Erika unload the dishwasher. She looked right at me and said.......I won't break anything, I promise!! HA! She is sooo smart, and is ONLY 2 years old.

Going up to my sister's place today and won't be home til late Tuesday. I am hoping to get some good shot of Satchel so I can scrap some new stuff of him......that boy and his brothers are a hoot!!

Hmmm...I think it is children who make me sooo happy. So glad I have a few of my own!

Here are a few layouts I completed this week, oh and a card also.

Stuff I want to share.......

2009-01-26T19:51:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted much of my work on my blog here lately. Probably because I haven't had much in the way of MOJO. Here are a few layouts I did this past weekend. One is of Dave and me on Christmas Eve. One is of Erika on a frozen pond.......She is just soo gorgeous! The last one is of my entire family inside the Chase County Courthouse. WE had the most AMAZING time on our Christmas vacation.

Enjoy!

It's a WINTER WONDERLAND CROP

2009-01-12T07:32:00.000-08:00

Hey gals...........if you want to have some serious fun and want a chance to win some FABULOUS prizes, come join us over at Scrapadilly this Friday night for our Winter Wonderland Crop. The fun will start Friday morning with the posting of the challenges at 9 am CST. Then Friday evening at 6 pm CST the Weekend Long Snowball Fight Game will begin. Lots of Fun and last but not least........Bonnie is planning a wicked game of BINGO to keep us all in stitches!!

So come one, Come All and get ready to SCRAP!!

Check This Out!!

2008-12-29T08:00:00.000-08:00

My friend Melissa is well-known for her gorgeous cards and altered items. Over at her blog she has some SERIOUS blog candy. I hate to share that because it lessens my chances of winning but I will try to be selfless and give you all a heads up!!

Creating from the Heart

The Best Christmas Vacation EVER: Part 2

2008-12-23T04:44:00.000-08:00

The first morning we woke up it was to the smell of COFFEE and BACON!! I tell you what, anytime I wake up to the smell of coffee and bacon and I ain't the one who is behind the stove making that yumminess happen, I am in HEAVEN!! Billie served us Pancakes, Bacon, Eggs, Coffee, Orange juice and Milk..........my kids made Billie's day when they pulled out paper plates I had packed and saved her the trouble of all those dishes!!

After we ate, we bundled up and headed out for our day of fun and shopping! We had planned on a sleigh ride that afternoon but since the windchill was in the negatives and the wind was gusting up to 35 mph we decided to cancel. So, our first stop was walking around the pond.......BRRR! It was FREEZING! The pond was frozen solid so Erika ventured out onto it......about 5 feet! Dave was standing by the entire time this picture was being taken!

We then loaded up and headed to town. I forgot to post about the first night we were there, we took the kids to the Veterans Memorial Park in Cottonwood Falls. They have an entire wall dedicated to all the Veterans who have served in all U.S. Conflicts since the Civil War. Of course our son Robert was in his element and we all had to wait for him as he looked over EVERYTHING they had in this park. The kids fell in love with the Helicopter and Tank they had on display so of course I had to snap a picture of that!

So on Saturday, we handed all our kids their $5 to go spend on a Gag gift for our annual "White Elephant" gift exchange. We instructed them to meet us at the Emma Chase Cafe for lunch at 12:30 and we all set off. First stop was the mercantile. This place is full of homemade fudge, jams and jellies, various teas and coffees and tons of items made here in Kansas. I bought Robert and Nik a bottle of Elderberry extract for their allergies and found some green tea lozenges that I LOVE but can't find around HERE! Erika was my shopping buddy and we had a blast looking and tasting all the yummy items that shop keeper had on display. We then went to the local Western wear shop and looked at tons of boots and clothing. Not to mention they sale various pieces of jewelry all hand crafted by artisans from the area. Next stop the local hardware store that has devoted it's top floor to area artists to display their wares. We caught up with Jessica, Talia and Lilia at this store and ooo-ed and ahh-ed over many gorgeous displays. From there we found the town's very own Thrift Store!! We were in HEAVEN and I found a brown jacket from Old Navy that appeared practically new for only $2! I love a great deal. Jessica and Talia found their White Elephant gifts and we all had a great laugh! Next stop........the local Weavers shop. Inside the Fiber Factory, there are 4 huge looms at work. An elderly gentleman who has a HUGE collection of cameras owns this lovely establishment. WE walked in and there was the rest of my family. Robert and Nik were in a discussion with the owner who was in the process of showing him ANY camera they wanted to see. Little did I know that Dave had purchased a beautiful area rug for my kitchen! He gave it to me when we left the shop...........it is made out of DENIM and looks WONDERFUL in my kitchen in front of the sink! He is so thoughtful!! The owner told Dave and I how impressed he was with our sons and how knowledgeable they both were on various subjects of history. Is it wrong of me to say that I am proud of the fact that we have raised children who don't think the elderly are an inconvenience? That our children think that their elders actually may have a thing or two that THEY know that is worth listening to?

We then went to the Chase County Museum.
Wow! We were AMAZED at the display of Chase County history in this one building. The numerous items that were donated was astounding. Our family spent a few hours in this building and finally decided to go eat at 1:15 when I was becoming CRANKY and light-headed. Off to Emma Chase Cafe for some more home-cooking!

After lunch we then headed to the Chase County Courthouse for a personal tour. We we so fortunate to see this GORGEOUS building and to learn the history behind how it came to be.

After our tour, we were all wore out. We loaded into the van and went back to the Stonehouse. Dave and I decided a nap was in order and much to our surprise......several of our kids followed suit. Erika took the camera and her and Nik went on a walk and snapped a few pictures while us bums took our siesta! When I woke up, I began getting the food in the oven that I had brought from home. Billie and I had decided to share our evening meal together. Mexican food! Refried Beans, Rice and Enchiladas!! I must say........it was YUMMY!

After supper, we had our pajama exchange, then had our White Elephant Gift exchange, played "Cranium" for a few hours then watched "A Christmas Story!" You can't go wrong with Ralphie!! We turned in around 1 a.m. and I know we were all EXHAUSTED!!

So ends the details of second day of our vacation. I promise the last installment will be short and sweet. I wanted to blog as much as I could so I wouldn't forget some of the details for when I scrap this.

The Best Christmas Vacation EVER!!

2008-12-22T03:14:00.000-08:00

Last Friday we loaded up our van with lots of kids, clothes and food and headed to Cottonwood Falls for our family Christmas Vacation. On our way down the turnpike who did we happen to see pass us? My cousin and her family on THEIR way to Iowa. I called her on her cell phone and she said she would love to meet us for lunch so, First stop: The Cassoday Truck Stop for lunch.

Upon your arrival at this eating establishment you will notice they have CHICKENS on the porch. Don't let that frighten you, the chickens are harmless. Just walk on by! Inside is an all you can eat buffet that is served from 11 am til 2 pm. On the day we arrived they were serving homemade pizza, salad, breadsticks and for dessert brownies or pumpkin bars! Our sons were in sheer heaven.........Dave and I were tickled because Jeannine and Dan paid for our entire family's lunch! Wow! We had called Jessica, our oldest daughter, and she was meeting us since she lives only about 35 miles from Cassoday.

While there the 2nd grade class of the Flinthills Elementary came in and sang Christmas carols. They did a wonderful job and they gave all the members of our family handmade cards they had constructed in art class........we were COVERED in glitter by the time we left! LOL!! We hugged Jeannine and her family and then gather up our crew and headed up to Cottonwood Falls.

The 1874 Stonehouse. What can I say? Coming here is like coming home. Our children fell in love with the house, the property and most of all......Billie and her husband Joe. Not to mention her dogs Chase and Bo.

This was my and Dave's second trip here since we had spent our anniversary here last summer. We knew how beautiful the house and property was and of course we knew how sweet Billie and her family were.

When we arrived, we first introduced our kids to Billie.........she tells me "I'll never know all their names!" I assured her by the end of the weekend she would know all of them............she did. We then showed all the kids the house and where they would be sleeping. The 2 oldest were in the Wilhelmina Room. Across the hall in the Blue Room were the 3 boys and down the hall were the 3 youngest in the Yellow Room. Dave and I had the Prairie Flower Suite.........GORGEOUS! Then came operation: Unload Van!! After the van was unloaded and everything situated, the kids insisted we all go explore the property. I'm glad we did that on Friday because the remainder of our trip, the weather was BRUTALLY cold!

After walking around the property, we went inside for some sugar cookies, coffee and hot cocoa for all of us. Billie use to own a bakery so all the weekend she fattened us up with homebaked GOODIES.......those sugar cookies were to DIE FOR!! I begged for the recipe and she gave it to me upon me swearing not to hand it out to anyone......so DON'T ASK ME FOR IT!!

After we warmed up in front of that charming fireplace, we then bundled up and took our family to the Emma Chase Cafe for supper. What can I say?? THE Yummiest food!! I had the Chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes, gravy, greenbeans, biscuit and the owners very own apple butter! Some of the kids had the catfish with coleslaw, hush puppies, and fries! They EVEN serve sweet potato fries.........YUM! We all had pie for dessert and then did a little shopping!

We then loaded back into the van and went back to the house. After everyone took either a shower or a nice long hot bath *ME!* we then all decided to watch "The Shining" now folks...........this movie is scary to begin with but I don't suggest you watch it when you are staying at a house that is well over 100 years old. Our kids all had to be tucked in that night because they were all scared!!

So ended our first day of our trip. I'll try to get the remainder up by the end of the day!!

My kitty cat Dot................

2008-12-16T19:35:00.000-08:00

She is really getting into my Christmas Trees. I think she thinks I set them up for her to destroy. Every morning I awake to find many of the ornaments from the lower branches all over the floor. Here is a picture Erika took of her tonight peeking through the branches. She is too cute!!

Looking like Christmas at my house.

2008-12-10T10:17:00.000-08:00

As you can see, we had some snow come down. We ended up with 2 inches at our house and it drifted like crazy. Of course the sun is out today but it is so cold that I doubt it all melts...........it's 28 with a windchill of 20.......not as windy as it was yesterday that's for sure.

All the trees are up at our house, and the kids are all pumped because we are starting to wrap up all the gifts get them under the tree. We have candles burning and it seems like everyday we bake something that I shouldn't eat. I am sure I have gained 10 pounds because of the holiday spirit!

What is more perfect that 2 cuties around and under the tree? Here is Druann and Eberly. They make me so happy. It's so good to be a Grandma!........Spoil them and send them home!

This time of year makes me reflect on all the blessings and goodness we have and I can't help but think I am one of the luckiest gals on the planet.

Things to be Thankful for.

2008-12-03T05:55:00.000-08:00

Yes, I know. Thanksgiving has passed. I have been so busy fretting about finances that I let the holiday go by without making a list of the things I am most thankful for so here goes:

* I am thankful for the ability to get out of bed on my own every day.
* I am thankful to be living in a country where I can worship anyway I chose.
* I am thankful for the soldiers who are fighting to help others have some semblance
of freedom and democracy in their country.
* I am thankful for the most wonderful husband a gal could want.
* I am thankful for 8 fantastic children who are the reason I get out of bed every
morning.
* I am thankful for parents and siblings who love one another and me.....we might
have our differences but we still love one another.

Here are some pictures of Thanksgiving at my house this year.

I'll be BORED on Friday!!

2008-11-18T18:02:00.000-08:00

Come and check out the fun we will be having on Friday at 6 pm CST. This crop will last an entire week! Scrapadilly!!

Lots of Fun and Prizes will be given away!!

Come and Check us out!!

Nonsense!!

2008-11-08T18:16:00.000-08:00

Jen Watkins of Scrappin In My Sparetime puts together another FAB kit this month. We R Memory Keepers has some EXCELLENT stuff in this line At first I had the hardest time trying to figure out what to do with the kit (Sooo much stuff to choose from) but once I got to going...........GET BACK! So many goodies you can use and I still have lots of scraps left over for some cards and such! Check out her site!

Here is what I created!

Halloween Party!

2008-11-04T17:14:00.001-08:00

On Saturday, Dave and I went to a party............we really had a blast! We ended up staying at Jeannine and Dan's place and in the morning Dan fixed us a FABULOUS breakfast. We were home Sunday by 1.......we ended sleeping the afternoon away and then watched football all evening....Sigh, THAT's the perfect ending of a fun weekend!

Halloween!!

2008-11-01T06:39:00.000-07:00

What can I say? We are a family that just loves to play. I swear as the years pass they holidays just get better and better. I think it is only because I have learned to appreciate that fact that EVERY DAY is a gift.

Here are some pics of the kids in costume..........OH, and just wait til I scrap the pics I have of my nephews.....soo darn cute!!

Stolen Moments for us...

2008-10-28T10:54:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we went to our nieces birthday party. When we returned home Erika snapped these pics of Dave and me. I am always amazed how Erika is able to get some good pictures of us.

I found this lace last year and just haven't found a use for it so I was pumped to be able to use it AND that huge flower from My Mind's Eye.

Great moments at my house................

2008-10-22T19:41:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, Amanda asked if we would be able to keep the girls for a few days.......I am like........Oh Yeah!!

Druann never really knows what to think about Richie, but she is slowly warming up to him. He is very patient with her and he includes her in the activities around the house which SHE loves!! All the kids are on cloud 9 whenever the girls come to visit.

Here are Richie and Druann putting away the dishes.

Scrap Pink: Save the Ta Tas Crop!!

2008-10-16T15:10:00.001-07:00

Hey folks...............This weekend Scrapadilly is having a crop. We will be giving away Prizes, and RAKS, and be playing our famous "Let's Make A Deal!" Game. You DON'T want to miss out on that!!

We will be having an auction for a wonderful kit with all proceeds going to the Susan G. Komen Fund.......I will be posting a picture of that kit as soon as I have it in my grubby hands. It was donated by Jen Watkins from Scrappin' In My Sparetime Kits!

So Tune in OCTOBER 17 at 6 pm CST I will post challenges and at 6:30 pm CST, we will begin our game!!

OH...........and this crop will go through October 22 at midnight CST!! So you have tons of time to complete the challenges and get your name in the hat for some FAB prizes!!

Fabulous Weekend!!

2008-10-12T19:35:00.000-07:00

This weekend I was able to attend a scrapping retreat. I had sooo much FUN!! We all arrived on Friday afternoon and unpacked our goodies. I always pack up "Kits" for crops. In these kits I put the pictures I want to scrap, the paper, the embellies and if I am using a sketch then I toss that in also. I always take some soda, snacks and MUSIC in the form of my iPod. For this crop we had all agreed to bring our bedding and our meals were going to Pot Luck. I brought a casserole and some cheesecake with cherries to top it off. We all ate then dug into our stashes to get busy. Oh we also had strawberry margaritas..........YUMMMO!!

We scrapped til 3 am then turned in. The next morning we all rolled out and our friend Sandy made us breakfast. Everyone had Belgian waffles and I had an egg sandwich............I have to have protein for breakfast or I am worthless the entire day. We scrapped all day and I decided I would go home and shower and sleep in my own bed. I got up and went back to the store and was there by 9 am. The gals had stayed up again til 3 am...........Whew, I am glad I went home early. Can't imagine how tired I would have been if I had stayed late. We all finished up what we were working on and then began to pack up to go home.

Here is a sample of what I got accomplished.

Scrapping and having fun.

2008-10-09T09:52:00.000-07:00

I have been able to get a few layouts done this week. I am leaving for a scrapping retreat tomorrow and hope to get some things accomplished.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Love these babies!!

2008-10-05T08:27:00.000-07:00

What can I say? Even though these aren't my flesh and blood grandbabies, I love them like they were. Druann and Eberly bring so much joy to our lives. I pray every day their mother will do what's best for them........I have a feeling she will.
We of course will continue to spoil them every darn chance we can!

Bo Bunny from Scrapadilly

2008-09-30T20:43:00.000-07:00

I am lovin' this line of paper from Bo Bunny. Beautiful Life!! I tell you what......this paper was soo darn easy to work with!! You can get this paper from Scrapadilly.

Be sure and check out all the goodies Scrapadilly has to offer.

Good Friends

2008-09-29T05:26:00.000-07:00

This past Friday my dear friend Tami came down for the evening. She brought guacamole to contribute to our Mexican Food Themed evening. I made blackbean burritos, rice and margaritas. We fixed our plates then sat down and watched an AC/DC concert. Afterwards we cranked up the tunes and scrapped. I was able to complete a few layouts and Tami got busy making some GORGEOUS cards.

It's nice to have a friend who also likes to scrap. I am hoping we will be able to do this again real soon.

This last layout is one I made last week. It is one I made in honor of a fellow scrapper who was killed in a tragic accident a few weeks back. Her name was Aleida Franklin. Her death truly affected me and got me to thinking about things I take for granted. I'm sure if she were here she would counsel me to live my life more fully.

20 Things I Treasure in Autumn

2008-09-23T12:17:00.001-07:00

Without a doubt Autumn is my favorite season. Our lives slow down and we as a family find time to do more things together. Something about the cool crisp air in of itself makes me think of home.

20 Things I Treasure in Autumn

1. Highschool Football Games
2. Homemade chili and cinnamon rolls.
3. Hayrack Rides.
4. Bonfires for us to roast marshmallows on.
5. Fresh apple pie with a cup of hot coffee on the back porch.
6. Pumpkins on the porch.
7. The changing of the leaves.
8. A glass of spiced wine.
9. Wrapping up in a nice flannel blanket, sitting in my rocker and reading.
10. BOOTS and long skirts!
11. Lanterns lit to read by.
12. Pumpkin Patches!
13. Going to a corn maze.
14. Baking cookies with the kids.
15. Having a Dutch Blitz tournament on a Sunday night with the kids.
16. Ham and Beans and Cornbread.
17. Long rides through the countryside on the back of the bike.
18. Goosedown Comforter!
19. Canning Applesauce.
20. Chilly nights with a fire going in the fireplace.

Today he is 16.

2008-09-22T07:13:00.000-07:00

Today our son Richard is 16. I can't believe it. He was born on a Tuesday evening and was by far one of the most beautiful babies I have ever seen and I have seen some in my time!

Richie is the child in our mix who is very tender-hearted. He jumps right in and helps out and LOVES to work with his hands. He loves to cook and is wonderful with children. Not only that..........he loves to ROCK OUT!! I love this kid!

I think the thing about him the endears him to me the most is that he truly loves his family. He is never afraid to show his affection for his siblings or his parents in front of his friends.

Here is a picture of him going with Dave to run a few errands. Yep, he's not too old to ride on the back of his dad's bike. NOT too many 16 year old boys like to hang out with their dad NO MATTER WHAT!

Happy Birthday Richie. You mean more to us than you will ever know and we are soo very proud of you.

Kits by Jen

2008-09-14T15:30:00.000-07:00

I LOVE a good deal and you know I have a big mouth about a good deal too! Well, be sure and check out the kit "Butterflies Are Free" at Scrappin in my Spare Time. A GREAT bargain and awesome kit!

When Jen asked me to see what I could create with this kit, I was just shocked with all the yumminess that she included. This is a GREAT KIT! To me a great kit is one that includes EVERYTHING but the adhesive. I love being able to sit at my desk and just being inspired by a kit! I literally didn't have to add anything but a few brads, flowers, some alphas and one piece of chipboard. (This was by the time I had created 6 layouts, one card and an ornament.........with still enough scraps leftover to make some more cards!!) I Love the ornament I made of my grandbabies, I will be making tons of those to give away this holiday season!

Be sure and check out the kit Jen has come up with.........I am positive you will be like me and find so much MOJO when you sit down to create!

My Birthday

2008-09-08T12:36:00.000-07:00

Well it's official. I'm 41. I don't mind. I guess I would if I looked it but I don't.........thanks to my genetics! My mom is Mexican. Anyway, my birthday was yesterday and my family as usual spoiled me rotten. Breakfast in bed, I didn't have to cook........won't have to for a week! Backrubs and NON-Stop scrapping!! Dave made sure I wasn't interrupted and I scraped like crazy! Got SEVERAL layouts complete and the best thing was I was happy with the majority of them. One of my layouts is this one I made with my kit from AMR.........I love this paper!

Here is a picture of my present from Dave. Now I will be able to go do things without driving my van. Woo Hoo! I just love Saturns. They are so dependable and get the best gas mileage. I am hoping to find Jessica a little fuel efficient car. We offered this one to her but she doesn't like to drive a stick shift.

Lilia

2008-09-02T08:37:00.000-07:00

Last week Lilia turned 12. It is difficult for me to even fathom that she can be that age. It seems like only yesterday she was in her highchair demanding her daddy cook her some breakfast. Now she just demands we buy her some books and any Beatles Memorabilia we can get our hands on.

She is the sweetest kid!!

This layout was made with a picture that Anna snapped of Lilia at a ballgame. The bulk of the supplies are items my friend Rick gave me.

Our Weekend Away.

2008-08-24T20:21:00.000-07:00

Dave planned a weekend away for the two of us. I was told to have a bag packed with 2 riding outfits, a nice outfit for dinner, and my swimming suit and be ready for a weekend of fun. OH My Gosh!! It was truly a wonderful weekend. We arrived at the Prairie Fire Spa at 3. Dave had arranged for me to have a stone massage...........what a truly relaxing experience. I highly recommend getting one.

Our next stop was the 1874 Stonehouse near Cottonwood Falls.

The family that runs this establishment truly has found it's calling. The entryway greats you with a wonderful placement of pie or cake and your choice of coffee or tea. Every morning we ate at this lovely place, the food was delicious. Billie is a magnificent cook!! The juice was fresh squeezed, the coffee FABULOUS, and the atmosphere was just like being at home. I didn't want to leave!

Our room overlooked the quarry, and was just so quaint. Since we live in the country, it was as quiet as it is at our house and we had the entire house to ourselves but for one other couple who we hit it off with.

After breakfast we walked around the property and found a place to sit on a large swing and just soak up the breathtaking scenery.

We walked all around Cottonwood Falls, ate at Grand Central Restaurant, visited all the shops and picked up a few gifts. (Couldn't get much since we were on the motorcycle)

Since we were only 20 miles from Emporia where our oldest daughter lives, we met up with her and had supper at Applebee's last night. It was so nice to see her and be able to spend an evening with JUST her.

After breakfast this morning, instead of coming straight home we took the long way home and went through Eureka and down to Sedan then through Arkansas City. We stopped and at a Mexican Restaurant. The food was very authentic and we decided we will have to go back and try out other items on their menu.

Over all,we had a great time and have already planned on another trip for this winter.

It's good to be home..........I missed our kids and of course the goats!!

Something I made for my Mom...............

2008-08-20T17:52:00.000-07:00

My Mom has been cancer free now for 5 years. It's hard to believe that she was not given a great prognosis. She is a fighter. On this album it says Strength and Determination (I couldn't get very good pics at this time of day) I wanted to make something to commemorate this milestone for her. I am still waiting on the picture I ordered from Walmart to arrive........when it does I will center it so that when the album is closed the "Heart" part frames her face.

This albums are from Scrapadilly and are part of our Green gECO line. The photos shown of the albums have them pictured with the protective covering still on them........it's HARD to take pictures of "CLEAR" items!!

Such a Sad Day.......

2008-08-20T10:48:00.000-07:00

I found out that Leroi Moore passed away yesterday. He was one of the founding members of the Dave Matthews Band. What can I say......he could flat out play the saxophone. The world is a lesser place without him in it.

Rest in Peace my friend. I will miss you more than you will ever know.

2008-08-14T17:58:00.001-07:00

I am thinking I will be bored again this Friday. Come join us at 6 p.m. CST for some fun and prizes as we fight boredom together. The fun will go on all weekend!

Yep, I've been drinking................

2008-08-06T19:13:00.000-07:00

So, the other night I got caught with a beer in my hand......What else is new? I workout hard so I can play hard! Our son Nik was cracking me up while he was snapping these pics.

Here is a layout using some lyrics from a favorite song of mine.

Hard to believe..............

2008-07-30T08:46:00.000-07:00

I met this guy at Wichita State over 20 years ago. Truth be told........I didn't like him at all. He kinda grew on me. Now I can't imagine where I would be without him. This guy ROCKS my world. I still see him and get butterflies. I hope I have that affect on him............I suspect I do, but you just don't know with him. He holds his cards pretty close to his chest.

Christmas in July Crop at Scrapadilly!

2008-07-26T02:10:00.000-07:00

Hey Folks............This weekend, Scrapadilly is hosting an "Old Fashioned Christmas in July Crop"

Tons of fun and lots of prizes to be had.

Come join in the fun!!

She's Graduated

2008-07-21T08:36:00.000-07:00

This weekend we celebrated the highschool graduation of our daughter Talia. We had soo much fun and I can't believe it's over. We are anticipating great things from her.

Here is a picture of our family with her. We are soo proud.

I've Been Tagged!!

2008-07-18T08:20:00.000-07:00

My friend Tilda Tagged me SOME time ago but I just haven't had time to sit down and think of 7 Random Things about myself.

So here goes.

1. My mother is Mexican and my father is a Polish/English non-practicing Jew. Yep, that proved for some interesting times in my childhood.

2. I have 3 tattoos. One on my foot, one on my hip and one on my shoulder.

3. I eat peanut butter toast everyday for breakfast that I am home. What can I say.........I'm a creature of habit.

4. I know how to drive a stick shift but some of you don't know that for one summer I drove a wheat truck during harvest.

5. I hate being hot. I keep my house VERY cold. In fact some of my friends claim you can hang meat in my house and not worry about it going bad because I keep it so cold.

6. When I first met my husband...........I DID NOT LIKE HIM AT ALL. He kind of grew on me........LOL

7. If I were on a deserted island, I would love to be there with my hubby. I may talk about tons of "HOT" guys but truthfully..........Dave's the only man for me!

Counting down the days......

2008-07-15T04:37:00.000-07:00

until this coming Saturday.

We have a tradition at our house. Whenever one of our children graduates from high school, we throw a huge party. For our daughter Jessica, we had 350 people show up. This upcoming Saturday we will be throwing a party for Talia. Food has been ordered, Cake has been ordered, Building for said party rented, and everyone has nice clothes to wear. I still have to pick up a few things from the party supply place but that is about it. The kids are soo excited and so are Dave and I.

On another note. Dave and I are planning a trip to Colorado next month. We are going to rent a Cadillac and go to Trinidad for a week. Sigh. We love that place! I am hoping to get some shopping done while there for the kids. If I do it right, maybe I'll get most of my Christmas shopping done!

Here is a few pics of Dave and I from this weekend. We had a nice Sunday morning ride and then went to breakfast at a place in Ark City called Daisy Mae's Cafe. The serve the best food!!

Yep, that's my boyfriend Dave. I love hanging out with him!

Awesome Weekend!!

2008-07-07T19:38:00.000-07:00

This weekend we celebrated the 4th with lots of dear friends. I am always happy when we are able to entertain and everyone has a good time. I made tons of Mexican food, my famous enchiladas, refried beans, rice, hot pork chili and Pico De Gallo. Our friends brought dessert, pop and tons of fireworks and the fun began!! No one got hurt and everyone was gone by 1 am!

Here is a layout I did that has a few of the kids who came over........Some of those kids are ours!....LOL!

2008-06-29T21:25:00.000-07:00

This weekend I sat down and scrapped with the most AWESOME kit that I got from The Scrap City I was so amazed at all the stuff this kit contained and I was soo inspired with it!! I was able to make 7 layouts and still have plenty of scraps leftover to make several cards. Here is one of my creations.

This is our daughter Lilia holding our granddaughter Druann. Lilia is so very patient with her and Druann just worships her.

2008-06-25T17:30:00.000-07:00

You Bored??

Come to Scrapadilly this weekend for some fun challenges and a chance to win the kit I slapped together!

The crop will start on Friday and end on Sunday at Midnight CST!

2008-06-24T16:15:00.000-07:00

Yep, that's me with the love of my life!

Erika snapped this picture of Dave and I on Father's Day. What can I say? I am nuts about this guy! I still get butterflies when I see him walk through the door.

Hard to believe when I first met him I didn't like him at all!

Look at us now..........22 years later and 8 kids to our name!

2008-06-10T15:26:00.000-07:00

Eberly!!

This little gal is just a slice of heaven so stinking sweet!! We kept her and Druann this weekend and I am always amazed how well behaved Amanda's children are. She is a great mother. I am so proud of her!!

This picture was just a fluke. I had just finished rocking Eberly to sleep and I laid her in her carseat. I thought the lighting was perfect for a picture so I grabbed my camera and snapped away...........then she smiled in her sleep. I was just lucky to catch it!!

This layout is of our daughter Erika holding Eberly on Mother's Day morning. I love anytime all of my family is here and on this day they all were. I am indeed blessed!

2008-06-02T22:12:00.000-07:00

A rare treat for these 3.

As you all know.........we have 8 kids. So, it is RARE that we only have a few of them home. Dave and I had a blast with these kids! Dave stayed home from work to continue our awesome weekend with them.

We stayed up til 1 am last night watching old scary movies, then this afternoon we took them swimming. Afterwards we grabbed some Arby's sandwiches, came home and goofed off the rest of the evening. At this moment Nik, Lilia and Erika are passed out! We wore them out!

2008-05-27T19:54:00.000-07:00

We make our own fun.

This Memorial Weekend we basically just stayed at home. It stormed every night so going anywhere was mute. Did we get bored? Nope. Dave rigged up one of our old mowers and gave the kids rides by pulling it with the tractor.

The man is just amazing with his kids!!

2008-05-21T14:48:00.000-07:00

Baby Layouts!!

I have been on a roll with lots of baby layouts, then it hit me...........I haven't scrapped 2 of my children's hospital pictures. So, I tackled Erika's. Oh, and I had to do one of Satchel in the process. Tonight, I am going to work on Anna's.

Wish me luck that it comes out as nice as Erika's........or Anna will weep!....LOL!!