Craftywitch

2011-07-03T14:23:00.001-06:00

Swing Dance Jazz Concert

The girls had another dance concert for school just after Easter. It was a Jazz/swing Dance performance. The girls had to dress in fancy "twirly" skirts and partner dance. Again I didn't get any good action shots but here are a few of the girls all dressed up with their friends.

2011-07-02T14:20:00.001-06:00

Easter 2011 Part Two

On Easter we had brunch with Dad and Cristina at their house then went over to Aunt Cindy's house for a BBQ with the whole crew. It was fun watching the girls help Zoe hunt eggs for the first time. Enjoy

2011-07-01T14:06:00.001-06:00

Easter 2011 Part One

We decorated eggs and had a nice early Easter dinner of Ham, potatoes, and of course Onion Bread with Nana. The kids also made the crafts that Nana brought for them.

2011-06-30T14:00:00.002-06:00

Girls Rodeo Dance Concert

My next update is of the girls Line Dancing concert at Foothills Mall in February. It was too crowded to get shots of the actual dancing routines but I snapped a couple pictures of the girls in their cowgirl outfits. Enjoy

2011-06-27T18:21:00.004-06:00

Karma Soccer

Halen and Theo's new soccer team with CDO is called Team Karma. These are a grouping of photos from their shorter spring season. Halen didn't play keeper (goalie) as much with this team as she proved to be more valuable either in midfield or striker positions. They competed in the Ft. Lowell Shoot Out, Jacob's Classic, Pima Cup and Yavapai tournaments.

2011-06-06T13:21:00.003-06:00

Mojo Monday 194

I was in a card rut and decided to play along with the Mojo Monday Blog sketch. I haven't used these colors in awhile but the Elegant Soiree DSP from Stampin' Up was a fun choice for the different prints on the paper. Enjoy!

2011-01-10T10:45:00.000-07:00

Ears Pierced!

When Halen was a baby Theo and I decided to get her ears pierced as soon as she was old enough, around 9 weeks, with Megan we decided to wait. Well she finally decided on her own that she was ready but unfortunately that coincided with the start of Soccer Season and since they are unable to wear jewelry while on the field and taking them out is restricted for the first few months we decided to wait. Well Nana and Fred gave her a gift card for Christmas so this past weekend we took her to the mall to have them done. She did GREAT an was super excited to finally have them pierced!

2011-01-09T10:40:00.000-07:00

Megan's First Fish

All Megan wanted for Christmas was a pet of her very own. We agreed that a small fish tank in her room was a good first choice. Santa brought her a tank, accessories, and a Petsmart card to go choose her new friend. She decided on a Male Beta fish in a blue/green color. His name has changed MANY times but I think as of this post it's called Blue Bolt. The first day she spent the entire day giving me a play by play of his activities, on the second she decided he was rather boring and only gave me occasional updates. She is enjoying using his tank as a night lite in her room and so far so good.

2011-01-08T10:36:00.000-07:00

Halen's Birthday

For Halen's 11th Birthday we had a small group of her friends over for a sleepover and Theo took them Cyberbowling before hand. We always celebrate on New Year's Eve as we figure we'll be up late anyway. The girls had fun playing Wii and watching Ian set off a few more fireworks after midnight.

2011-01-07T10:33:00.000-07:00

Christmas Day

Our Christmas Day is almost always the same, we wake up the kids open gifts from Santa and us then our immediate family comes over for a meal and more gifts. This year I went with a Brunch theme which included Baked French Toast, Huevos Rancheros Casserole (everyone's Favorite new recipe this year), fruit and of course Ham. We also enjoyed leftover cookies, Aunt Stephanie's Peppermint Fudge, and my Chocolate Chip Cheeseball. The kids were spoiled as usual and we all had a nice afternoon together. Enjoy

2011-01-06T10:23:00.000-07:00

Christmas Eve

This year we stopped by Aunt Cindy and Uncle Marc's for an early diner of Tamales and other goodies before going to Nana's for our Ornament Exchange. The girls and Ian received treats from Grandma Gomez including some Fireworks for Ian. (they recently change the law about shooting off smaller Fireworks in the county limits and our houses apply). Cousin Travis was on hand to help light and maintain order then it was off to Nana's. We decided on an ornament exchange this year and there were some unique ones. Some stained glass, others bells and nursery rhyme themed. Of course we also indulged in LOTS of homemade cocoa and sweets.

2011-01-05T09:41:00.000-07:00

Visit from a Friend

We got a call a few days before Christmas that Halen's buddy Shea was going to be in town from Northern California for the holidays. The girls hadn't seen each other in almost a year and were SUPER excited to get to hang out. We had sleepovers, went to see Tangled, took trips to the mall and played Just Dance on the Wii. They had a great time together and while it's sad she had to go back home we'll make plans to visit again as soon as we can.

2011-01-04T09:33:00.002-07:00

Christmas Camel Rides

Theo's title for this was a little less PC but hilarious-bonus points to those of you who can guess what he said. Anyway my MIL took us to a Christmas Tree Lot that was offering Camel rides. Megan was hesitant at first so her first time she rode along with Ian but then begged for a second trip solo the moment she was done. Pretty cool to get to ride a camel even if we do live in the desert it's not an everyday thing.

2010-12-14T08:52:00.002-07:00

Finally Finished!

There's a reason Theo calls me Craftywitch although sometimes I wish I had some spells or magic to use on my projects. Here are this year's Christmas cards all spread out on my desk. I made 50 in all and to try to make things easier on myself (like 50 handmade cards is easy to begin with) I only used 3 colors. Once I got a design I'd make several of it then move on but I think they came out nice. For dinner after I finished I made Slider Hamburgers and figured I'd post that photo too. Enjoy!

2010-12-13T08:45:00.000-07:00

Holiday Photo Shoot

Trying to get photos of the kids is always fun. They usually cooperate but since I waited until December finding enough light was tricky. The kids don't get home from school until after 4pm, add to that the fact the sun has been going down by 5:30 and a cloudy day and I was surprised I got so many I liked. Here is a slide show of my favorites but you'll just have to wait and see which ones end up in my holiday cards. Enjoy!

2010-12-12T08:17:00.001-07:00

Halen Soccer with CDO Great White

Here are a few photos of games Halen has played with CDO Soccer club team Great White. They've done well so far winning most games and placing either first or second in tournaments here and in Phx. She will finish out December with them before moving to a new CDO team Theo will be coaching called Karma.

2010-12-11T08:37:00.000-07:00

Harry Potter and Megan's 1st Trophy

Megan completed her first season of soccer and was very excited to get her first trophy. After receiving it we came home and she accidentally dropped it on the tile floor. Luckily I was able to superglue it back together good as new but she was VERY upset. If she's anything like her sister this is just the first of many trophies in her soccer career.

Ian and I are Harry Potter fans having read all the books several times. Well we couldn't miss the first part of Deathly Hallows so I surprised Ian on opening night and told him to get his shoes and lets go. We waited in line about an hour or so before we were seated then waited another 3 hours for the midnight showing. I'm surprised Facebook didn't crash when, once seated, EVERYONE in the theater whipped out their cellphones to update their status(Ian included). It was a fun show and a few day later Ian got a recipe for Butterbeer for us to try. Too Sweet for me but fun just the same. Enjoy!

2010-12-10T08:32:00.000-07:00

Halloween

This year for Halloween we did the usual picking pumpkins and Trick or Treating. The girls wanted to be an 80s Diva (Halen) and Megan wanted to be a Bumblebee. I set to work trying to come up with costumes and I think I did alright although I will NEVER make wings again. Ian spent the Sunday before as a volunteer at the zoo where he got to dress up as a Mummy and hand out candy from inside the Giraffe enclosure. He got a photo with his phone I'll try and add later. Enjoy!

2010-12-09T08:22:00.002-07:00

My Sister's Birthday Gift

For my sister Stephanie's Birthday this year I decided to make her up some scrapbook pages to get her motivated to work on her own Twilight album. Since we are on opposing "teams" I had to try and be neutral in my selections. Enjoy

2010-10-24T12:24:00.000-06:00

More of Megan's Soccer

Here are a few more photos of Megan's second game. She actually scored her first goal and I got a photo. She was very excited to use her new soccer bag and water bottle that she got from Oma for her birthday.

2010-10-23T12:08:00.004-06:00

Megan's 6th Birthday

We celebrated Megan's birthday with another joint party at Aunt Cindy's with Grandma Gomez being our other birthday girl. We enjoyed pizza, cake, ice cream, presents and LOTS of laughter. I hope Megan never feels too old to celebrate with her other great grandma as it's always cute to get their pictures together.

2010-10-22T11:49:00.000-06:00

Halen's First Tournament

Over the summer Halen was scouted by the CDO Soccer Club team Great White. After a successful tryout she is now a member of the U11 girls team. Their first tournament was hosted by the Tucson Soccer Academy and her team came in first place in the top flight. This is a more competitive atmosphere then she's used to but I think she will only continue to improve.

2010-10-21T11:43:00.001-06:00

Megan's First Soccer Game

This year Megan was finally old enough to join the AYSO 206 teams. Her group is under 6 and it's coed. She is having a blast! Her team is the Blue Lightning.

2010-10-20T11:31:00.000-06:00

Apple Picking with the Ashmans

So my BF Angela and I decided to take the kids down to Wilcox AZ for a visit to Apple Annie's Orchards to pick apples and veggies. Ian didn't go because he went with Theo to a golf tournament but the 6 of us had a good time and the weather was perfect. Poor Megan was having trouble sampling the apples out in the orchard like the rest of the kids because she had just lost both her top front teeth. I think I enjoyed the vegetable picking better myself but all in all it was a fun trip.

2010-10-19T11:27:00.000-06:00

Girls First Day of School 2010

The girls started First and Fifth grades this year. They couldn't wait to wear their new clothes or use their new backpacks and lunchboxes. Where does the time go???

2010-10-18T11:19:00.000-06:00

Ian's 15th Birthday

Hard to believe my little boy is that old already but it's true. We celebrated with a small party at home. I made TONS of food including Chicken Souvlaki and Chorizo Burgers and the birthday boy requested Key Lime Pie as usual. I also made a chocolate cake for those that preferred something less tart. He got a bunch of $ which he is saving up for a new game as well as lots of great gifts.

2010-10-17T11:11:00.000-06:00

Visit with G.G. and Recording Studio

So today I thought I would share photos of the kids with G.G. (their Great Grandmother)who we finally were able to visit with. The girls were also asked by some friends of the family if they would help sing backup for a song on their upcoming Christmas album. We went with Oma to a local studio and while the girls sang with her and the others Ian and I got to hang out in the booth and check out all the cool equipment. It was a really interesting day.

2010-10-16T11:07:00.000-06:00

Eclipse Movie Premiere

Like you all didn't see this one coming. Of Course I made it to the Eclipse Movie and I dragged my sister Stephanie and Theo along with me. What made it extra special was that my sister bought me this awesome Team Jacob shirt and sported her own Team Switzerland shirt. She also gave me this beautiful wooden wolf Charm that I turned into a necklace to wear on the big day as well. It was great except for the part when the sound in the theater died for 10 minutes during the most anticipated scene. Theo got us refunds or rather passes to see it a second time.

2010-10-15T11:04:00.001-06:00

Father's Day

This Father's Day we celebrated with lunch for Theo and Papa Merl at our house. Here are a few shots of the kids with each of them.

2010-10-14T11:00:00.002-06:00

Summer Swim

The kids have had a great time this summer in the water. Mostly it was in our own backyard water hole courtesy of Oma but a few times we visited the Suarez Family and got to enjoy their new in ground pool.

2010-05-22T13:45:00.001-06:00

Kindergarten Graduation

Megan officially graduated from Kindergarten on Tuesday. Can't believe she's the last one to do so. In another 3 years it will be Ian's HS graduation we'll be celebrating. UGH! Anyway here are some pics of my adorable soon to be 1st grader. Enjoy!

2010-05-21T19:01:00.000-06:00

Twilight Fun!

So I finally finished my Twilight/New Moon Scrapbook album and thought I would share photos of the last few pages. I also participated in a swap where I chose to make 2 Twilight Themed baskets complete with Twilight Candy and Chapstick! Lastly my Fantastic sister made me an AWESOME Team Jacob paint can complete with T-shirt, lots of stickers, goodies for scrapbooking, pins, and a carved wooden Wolf charm. I plan to save the shirt and the necklace I'm putting the charm on for next month's Eclipse premiere so you'll have to check back to see those photos. Enjoy

2010-05-20T18:57:00.000-06:00

Mother's Day

So I celebrated Mother's Day several ways this year. The first was a Mother's Day Tea with Megan, second was day out with my MIL in which we saw Ironman 2 and had lunch with Theo and the kids, and lastly I spent 2 days with my mom planting flowers in her yard. Here are a few photos. Enjoy

2010-05-19T18:46:00.000-06:00

80's Day and Field Day

Halen had a Spirit week at school and one of the days was 80's day. After Theo teased her about raiding my closet (like I kept any of that stuff!) This is the outfit we came up with. Megan also had her first Field Day at school and participated in lots of activities from Egg Races, jump rope, hula hooping, and a tire race. Enjoy

2010-05-18T18:40:00.001-06:00

Ostrich Ranch Visit 2010

A couple of weeks ago Theo's stepparents visited from Michigan and we just had to take them to experience Rooster Cogburn's Ostrich Ranch. We fed deer, goats, donkeys,lorikeets and of course Ostrich. Hope you enjoy the slide show.

2010-05-17T18:15:00.000-06:00

Final Travel Season Soccer Update

Halen's final soccer tournament was a few weeks ago and they had a great weekend. They finished 2nd and had 2 shutout games. Halen even scored 2 goals one on a corner kick! She's already signed up for next season's regular team and a summer soccer camp which I'm sure will lead to next season's travel team as well. Halen is moving up a division next year to the U12 girls.

2010-05-16T18:12:00.003-06:00

Children's Art
Here are a few of Ian and Halen's art projects from school. Halen's is the neat scissor mosaic and Ian's is the chalk drawing of a Crane. His drawing is being sent to another country as part of a Wildlife Awareness Campaign. I'll update when I find out where it ends up. Enjoy

2010-03-27T10:52:00.002-06:00

More Soccer

Tired of my soccer posts yet? The season is almost over. Theo and Halen are up in Phoenix again this weekend competing in the Far West Tournament. Here are some photos of the past two tournaments. The first was the Pima Cup where the team took First place. The latest was the Kachina Classic in Phoenix and Halen's team the Red Rayz placed 3rd for their age division out of 10 teams and they also won the Sportsmanship Award.

2010-03-27T10:48:00.003-06:00

Rodeo Break

During Rodeo Break last month we took an afternoon trip to Catalina State Park. The snowmelt was cold but the kids had fun playing in the little creek that was running and the sun was shining for the first time in days. Hard to believe this setting is less than 15 minutes from the nearest Walmart and movie theater.

2010-02-28T17:24:00.002-07:00

Soccer Updates
Believe it or not Halen has had some soccer games but I haven't gotten many photos due to the weather we've been dealt. She played last weekend (Feb.19-20) in the Jacob's classic. Our first game was MISERABLE and finally called on account of heavy rain and hail we lost 1-0. The second game that afternoon was cold but they ended up tying it up 1-1. The final game on Sunday they lost 5-0 but it was against the best team in the division and they whipped everyone. Halen played goalie and saved a TON of shots. We were approached by 4 separate individuals from that top club team asking if she'd be interested in playing for them as they were seriously impressed with her goal keeping abilities. Thanks to my sister here are a few photos of Halen in action. Enjoy!

2010-02-14T15:08:00.001-07:00

My Twilight Album
As most of you know I'm a Twilight Addict. I decided to make myself a mini scrapbook album containing some of my favorite quotes from the books which provided an excellent opportunity to add some of my favorite photos as well. Enjoy.

2010-02-14T14:57:00.002-07:00

Valentine's Goodies
I only did a few small projects for Valentine's Day this year. I made little totes to fill with candy for the kids and I made a few fun Twilight inspired cards. I wanted to make a Valentine's Day scrapbook page but couldn't find a picture of all 3 kids that I liked so I substituted my favorite "Werewolf" instead. Enjoy

2010-01-18T19:16:00.001-07:00

Halen's First Soccer Tournament

This weekend Halen's team the Red Rayz participated in the Ft. Lowell Soccer Shootout tournament. Her team finished 2nd overall for their age group and Halen made some great saves as goalie and scored one goal in her second of three games.(she's #11) Enjoy!

2010-01-17T19:15:00.005-07:00

Halen's 10th Birthday

Well I'm almost caught up. Today I thought I would share a few photos of Halen's Tenth Birthday. She celebrated with a cake from Oma, then a sleepover party on New Year's Eve. She received lots of goodies, gift certificates, and money which she used to buy LOTS of clothes. She's becoming a clothes horse- Uh Oh!! Enjoy!

2010-01-17T19:10:00.002-07:00

Christmas 2009
This year was spent with Christmas Eve at Aunt Cindy's and Uncle Marc's enjoying family and good food. Nikki gave a mini piano recital for us and we had a white elephant gift exchange. Christmas Day was quiet with the family having lunch and exchanging gifts. Here is a slide show of our festivities. Enjoy! If you put your mouse over the photos it tells you who they are if you don't recognize them.

2010-01-14T08:28:00.002-07:00

Megan's First Lost Tooth X 2

Well Megan lost her first tooth right before Christmas when Halen and I agreed to play London Bridge with her and accidentally smacked her in the mouth with our clasped hands. That tooth was accidentally swallowed but the Tooth Fairy came through. Three days later while I was out Theo texted me that the other front tooth came out before he put her to bed. Luckily that one was saved for the Tooth Fairy. Cute little thing really could sing about wanting her two front teeth for Christmas.

2010-01-13T09:36:00.003-07:00

Thanksgiving 2009

Okay slight delay but I didn't forget about my blog. Here are a few photos of our very quiet Thanksgiving this year. I decided to just keep it the 5 of us here at home and relax and watch Football all day. The photos are of the food I made and the girls' crafts from school. Enjoy

2010-01-06T20:54:00.002-07:00

Cakes for a Friend

Back in November my friend Angela asked me to make a cake for her hubby's 30th bday. I made a model of his off roading modified Jeep and also a cake with his wheeling clubs logo. Here are a few photos of the cake and one of his actual rig. Enjoy!

2010-01-05T20:57:00.002-07:00

Halloween 2009

Okay so it was 2 months ago but I will catch up soon I swear. Here is a slide show of all our fun Halloween activities. The kids dressed up as a Genie, Black Cat, and Garden Gnome. My favorite thing this year was my New Moon inspired Jack o' Lantern. Enjoy. More Updates tomorrow I promise.

2009-11-04T14:30:00.001-07:00

Stephanie's Oktoberfest Birthday Celebration

For my sister's birthday this year she had a small dinner for a few couples with an Oktoberfest theme. We enjoyed Bratwurst, German Potato Salad, soft pretzels, and a beer tasting. I also made Black Forest Cupcakes(forgot to get a photo, sorry). Here are a few photos of the party. Enjoy

2009-11-03T14:25:00.001-07:00

Latest Stamp Camp

With every one's crazy schedules I haven't been able to hold a true stamp camp for awhile so I made up 4 projects and arranged to do stamp camp on an individual basis as the schedules allowed. Here are the 4 projects I came up with, A sign, a treat box, Halloween card, and a holiday notepad holder. Enjoy

2009-11-02T14:18:00.002-07:00

Soccer Updates

Well Ian's season finally finished up this past week with a 3rd place finish for his team. He got some time playing goalie and even had one shut out game earning an extra point in their tournament. Halen's team (which Theo is coaching) is doing great and have only lost 1 game. They still have about another month of play then their tournament begins after Thanksgiving. Here are a few photos of them so far as well as their official soccer photos.

2009-11-01T14:10:00.002-07:00

Megan's Fifth Birthday

For Megan's birthday we celebrated for a whole week. She had a sleepover at Nana's house, dinner and ice cream with Oma, goodies from Papa Merl and Crisitna at on of Ian's soccer game, party with Grandma Gomez's at Aunt Cindy's house, and lastly we went to the movies to see Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. She had a busy week and here are a few photos of the birthday girl at Aunt Cindy's house.

2009-09-13T15:42:00.002-06:00

Halen's First Game
Yesterday was Halen's first soccer game of the season and we had beautiful cloudy breezy weather for it. Her team The Blue Lightning won 7-0 with her scoring a goal and playing goalie as well. For Ian's second game the weather was AWFUL! It was at 2pm and hot and VERY sunny. They lost 5-0 but Ian came close to scoring twice it just missed the top left corner of the net. Oh well maybe he'll have better luck on Wednesday night. Enjoy these photos from Halen's game.

2009-09-10T11:28:00.008-06:00

So It Begins!
Well last night was Ian's first soccer game of the season out in Sahuarita. The team had only had one practice as the weather didn't cooperate for more so for only having really worked out for an hour the team did great. They ended up tied 3/3 so not bad for 80 minutes worth of work. Ian played Center midfield the first half and left defender the second. He was sore this morning and has practice again tonight but should be a good season. Ian is #13 in these photo, sorry they're not real clear tough lighting conditions.* In the 3rd photo that is Ian on the ball in blue.

2009-09-02T10:25:00.002-06:00

Stamp Camp and Swap Projects
So today I thought I would share a few photos of the projects we did at my stamp camp a couple weeks ago. I have to give inspiration credit once again to SCS. There are many talented stampers who share their work on that site and I am most appreciative of the inspiration they provide. Enjoy

2009-08-28T13:51:00.003-06:00

First Day of School
Okay so it was like 2 and 3 weeks ago but I've been enjoying the quiet house too much to update my blog. Here are the photos I took of the first day of school and the first year when all 3 kids are gone all day! Ian is a Freshman this year(with a uniform policy), Halen is in 4th grade and Megan started Kindergarten albeit a little before she turns 5 next month. Enjoy

2009-08-19T11:34:00.002-06:00

Summer Secret Sis Goodies
This summer I participated in another Secret Sister swap where for 3 months we make goodies and cards to mail to our "little" sister's anonymously. I had a great "big" sis this round and thought I would share a slide show of all the beautiful cards and treats I received this time around. Enjoy!

2009-08-19T11:28:00.002-06:00

Snake Charmers!
While at Aunt Cindy's for Ian's birthday celebration Jesse brought out his snake for the girls to see. Most of you know Halen is pretty fearless and she loved holding the snake as long as she was allowed to (I think the snake's name is Steve) but Megan was not so eager. I got one quick photo of her holding just the tail end with help. It's a beautiful snake, I hope you enjoy the photos.

2009-08-19T11:22:00.002-06:00

Ian's Birthday
We celebrated Ian's 14th birthday with a dinner at Aunt Cindy and Uncle Marc's so we could share the festivities with Jesse who turned 16 a few days before. We enjoyed grilled burgers and dogs with homemade chili and of course cake and ice cream. The boys played video games and some football out back. Ian received lots of gift cards and cash which he used to buy himself an Ipod Nano.

2009-07-11T15:32:00.002-06:00

Theo's Bday Dinner
For Theo's birthday back on June 27 we celebrated with dinner at Bella Luna. Aunt Stephanie and Uncle Truman joined us as well as Oma. His gifts included cards, Licorice and an Eegee's gift card for the upcoming Watermelon month.

2009-07-09T10:55:00.002-06:00

Father's Day Part 2
So for the second part of our Father's Day weekend we went to a BBQ with family where the kids got to swim and we got to relax. Here are a few photos of that day.

2009-06-22T10:13:00.002-06:00

Father's Day Part 1
Thursday the kids and I went over to my dad's for some swimming and lunch. We also enjoyed a Pineapple Upside down cake but I forgot to get a photo of it. Here is a slide show of the kids in the pool and the card I made for my dad. Enjoy.

2009-06-12T14:39:00.003-06:00

Summer Fun
This past Tuesday we had our friends Joel and Dana over for the day. We made homemade Strawberry ice cream and played on the slip n' slide they brought over. Here are a few photos of the kids having fun. Enjoy

2009-06-10T10:05:00.002-06:00

Surprise Visit
This past weekend we found out that Cathy (Theo's step mom) was going to be in town for a very quick visit and we were able to spend Sunday morning with her before she flew back to Michigan. We enjoyed a Mexican Breakfast at Micha's then took a short tour of town before taking her to the airport. This was Megan's first time meeting Cathy and Ian, Halen, and I hadn't seen her in almost 6 years so it was a treat. Here are a few photos of our morning. Enjoy

2009-05-26T17:06:00.005-06:00

Ian's officially a Freshman!

Here are a few photos of Ian's 8th grade graduation from last Thursday. Poor kid came down with a nasty cold a few days before so he was pretty loaded on cold medicine but made it through finals and his ceremony. I thought I would also share the great goodies I received in the mail today from my Secret Sister. Enjoy!

2009-05-20T18:17:00.002-06:00

Busy Bee
I've been a very busy bee finishing gifts for the girl's teachers, a shaker card or my secret sis, and my first Twilight Scrapbook page swap. For the teachers I made a set of 4 cards each with a paper clip bookmark, and a clear envelope photo album. The page is one of 6 identical pages but I can assure you more will follow. Enjoy

2009-05-11T09:14:00.002-06:00

Happy Mother's Day
Yesterday we celebrated Mother's Day with my mom, step mom, mother in law, and sister. We BBQ'd and ate Strawberry shortcake..YUM!! I also received some great gifts including speakers for my Ipod, Twilight BlueRay movie and hardcover book, a cool shell necklace, and a jar of Snickerdoodle cookie mix. Thanks everyone for the gifts and sharing the day with me. Enjoy

2009-05-06T17:52:00.003-06:00

Less Than a Month!
Woo Hoo I made it back to post in under a month. I have a new round of secret sister I'm starting now so I should have some fun stuff to show you more often. Today I'll start with the first card I received from my "big sis" and the projects we did at my latest stamp camp. Enjoy!

2009-04-15T14:35:00.002-06:00

April Update

Well since I've been so bad about updating my blog I thought I would jokingly consider this my monthly update. Not much going on, I made a few projects for Easter and we adopted another furry member into our family. Mona is a 4 year old Beagle mix. She's a sweetie with lots of energy to play fetch. The kids are enjoying her and our other dog seems to get along with her as well. Also here are a few pictures of Easter. My memory card was filled up so I didn't get many. Enjoy.

2009-03-27T08:59:00.003-06:00

Where does the time go???
Okay so I'm not even going to apologize for my terrible blogging record this past month. I've just found so many other things to capture my attention(OH look a bright shiny object!!) Seriously nothing wonderful just easy things like getting TOTALLY sucked into the Twilight Series. Theo downloaded them on the computer for me so I just can't seem to stop reading, although I must admit it's been a welcome distraction since it's been so long since I finished the Harry Potter series. Anyway today I will show you a few of the projects I'd made for St. Patrick's Day and give you hope that I have holding a stamp camp a week from tomorrow which will hopefully give me lots more to share with you. Thanks for sticking with me. Enjoy.

2009-02-17T08:24:00.001-07:00

Valentine's
Today I wanted to share a few pictures of Megan working on her Valentine's. I wrote her name in pencil and she traced over them in pen. She's got the M and N down but those Es and Gs are a little tougher. The last photo is one of the 30 cards I made for Halen's class. I assembled the cards except for the stamping and each child in her class stamped the sentiments including the "hidden message" of I Love You. The little red flower is the "decoder" so you can view the hidden message. They were made for the kids to give to their families after our party. Enjoy

2009-02-13T10:55:00.001-07:00

One More Photo
Okay so apparently it only allows 4 photos per post (first problem encountered) so here is the final card, again with inspiration taken from the wonderful crafters at SCS. Enjoy!

2009-02-13T10:44:00.004-07:00

Stamp Camp
This past weekend I held my Valentine's Day stamp camp. Here are a few photos of the projects with most of the inspiration coming from Splitcoast Stampers (SCS). I also just discovered a great new feature to make my blogging faster. In Picasa (a great photo program Theo hooked up for me) it allows me to inport photos directly into blogger. I'm so excited to try this out. Please let me know if you have problems viewing it as this is my first try with this program. Enjoy!

2009-02-05T11:31:00.002-07:00

Weeks in Review
Yep I'm back to blogging only occasionally again, sorry about that. Here are a few photos of the things I've been up to, Zucchini Muffin baking, class field trips to Sabino Canyon, and babysitting twins. Ian is having dental surgery tomorrow so I won't be posting this weekend but I am holding stamp camp on Saturday so I'll post photos of our projects on Monday. Thanks for sticking with me. Enjoy.

2009-01-23T08:17:00.002-07:00

First Swap of 2009
Yesterday I received the first swap of 2009. It was an altered pail swap where we were to decorate a pail and fill it with goodies from our secret pals wish list. I forgot to take a photo of the pail I created but think galvanized wash tub with sparkly snowflakes all over ( My pal's theme was Winter) and I filled it with opal colored shred and put in bath goodies, ink pads, Stickles, ribbon, and M&Ms. The theme I chose was either Green or Monograms, and my pal delivered. I received a clear gallon paint can with a green lid that had my initials on it. Inside was filled with a Cuttlebug embossing folder, distressed Stickles, pink glitter, rhinestones in green, glue dots, fun flock(kind of like felt for cards)and the cutest little Moose stamp baking cupcakes. I adore Moose and the baking is perfect for me too. Maybe I can come up with a cute recipe page to use him on. Hope you enjoy the photo.

2009-01-22T08:43:00.002-07:00

Happy New Year's Birthday!

We decided to let Halen celebrate her 9th birthday with a sleepover party on New Year's Eve (we figured we'd be up late anyway). We ordered pizza and Eegee's and shared Shrimp Cocktail, ice cream cake,and sparkling apple cider. The girls enjoyed mani/pedicures courtesy of mom and then they played Rock Band on our PS3 and watched movies. Another activity was Tie Dying t-shirts using a kit she received as a gift from family(thanks Cathy or Andy don't remember which of you it was from). The girls said it was the best party they had been to, which is of course every mom's dream come true.

2009-01-20T08:38:00.001-07:00

Christmas Photos
Today I thought I would share a few photos of our Christmas gathering. We enjoyed good food and lots of goodies and gifts. Enjoy!

2009-01-16T08:15:00.002-07:00

New Year Update.

Hi All. Sorry I've been so bad about posting but I came down with a cold just after New Years that has just continued to hang around. I will hopefully be back to posting again at the beginning of next week. I want to give myself one more weekend to relax and try and get household chores caught up. Thanks

2008-12-02T08:42:00.002-07:00

Animal Adventure
Today I promised I share the photos of our trip to Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch. On our way up to Phoenix to take Andy back to the airport we stopped at the Ostrich Ranch to feed the Ostrich. We were also able to feed some deer and two new types of animals, donkeys, and Rainbow Lorikeets. Truthfully the whole birds flying around and landing on me totally freaks me out but for the sake of photos I went inside. Poor Theo had to remove several birds from my head and shoulders to keep me from screaming and running away but I got some wonderful shots and the family really thought it was great. Enjoy.

2008-12-01T09:41:00.003-07:00

Hey I made it back in under a month!
Today I'll share with you a few pictures from Thanksgiving and some gifts I made for my secret sister. Tomorrow you're in for a treat as we had an animal adventure when my brother in law Andy visited. Enjoy.

2008-11-07T11:08:00.002-07:00

Blacker!!!
Yep that's my new term for myself. Blog slacker. I just realized how close the holidays are approaching and I've been keeping busy making goodies for my upcoming gift giving. Today I thought I would share a few photos of items I've been making which may or may not be part of my holiday treats. Enjoy.

2008-10-22T16:49:00.002-06:00

Mt. Lemmon
Sorry I'm a day late but I got caught up in daily life. Here are the photos of our Sunday trip to Mt. Lemmon. The weather was about 20 degrees cooler than Tucson but I would have loved for it to have been even cooler. The aspen trees were turning so it was a nice change of pace. Enjoy.

2008-10-20T11:57:00.002-06:00

Stephanie's Wedding
Well next in line for an update are the photos I have of my sister Stephanie's Rehearsal and Wedding. The professional photos came out better but these give you the idea. The happy couple is still honeymooning in Ireland but will be home later this week. The wedding was beautiful and everyone had a great time. Halen caught the bouquet and got to dance with the usher Casey who caught the garter. Tomorrow I'll share pics of our trip to Mt. Lemmon. Enjoy.

2008-10-17T10:46:00.002-06:00

Let the updates begin!
Sorry I've been away now that my sister's wedding is over I'm trying to get caught up on a few other projects. Today I'll share the photos of my "baby" who turned 4 almost a month ago. We had a small party for her with Theo's family who also celebrated his grandmother's birthday. She received many great gifts including the Princess Jasmine costume from Aunt Cindy and the gang. Thanks for all the gifts Megan is enjoying each of them.

2008-10-01T12:15:00.003-06:00

Stephanie's Bridal Shower
On Sept.21 my cousin Jennifer and I hosted my sister Stephanie's Bridal Shower. We enjoyed yummy food including sandwiches, salads, dips, a wonderful fruit tart, and of course cake. She opened many lovely gifts and we had fun playing games. Here is a slide show of the photos taken that day, Enjoy.

2008-09-23T11:27:00.008-06:00

Vegas 2008!!!!
Here it is the slide show from my sister Stephanie's Bachelorette Trip to Las Vegas. We stayed at the Venetian Hotel right on the strip and walked in and out of many other great places. We enjoyed the Tournament of Kings dinner theater at the Excalibur, Played some Blackjack at Buffalo Bills, Beer Pong at O'Shea's, visited the buffet and the fountain show at the Bellagio while dressed in roaring 20's flapper gear, attempted to get tattooed at Hart and Huntington's at the Palms and saw 2 celebrities on the way, Mike Tyson and Adam Sandler. It was a great trip and a wonderful way to celebrate this exciting time in Stephanie's life. Congrats sis we'll have to do it again!!!!

2008-09-22T10:03:00.010-06:00

Amazing Blog Candy!!!!
I came across this wonderful link to a blog of a fellow stamper who is offering an astounding amount of blog candy worth over $1,000 to one lucky person. She is celebrating the release of her new stamp set with 100% of the profits going to the Alzheimer's Association. To be entered you simply need to make a card for those wonderful people who care for those affected with the disease. Here is the card I will send out today to the facility listed on her blog. Thanks to everyone for supporting this cause and for those caring for someone with Alzheimer's. Please go check it out here!

2008-09-09T19:05:00.002-06:00

Random Photos
In an attempt to clean off my camera for my upcoming trip to Vegas I thought I would share a few photos from the past few weeks. I'll make it a slide show and briefly describe what you're looking at. Coaster Frames for a Swap, Carmel Apple Snack Mix (email me if you want the recipe it's addicting), pretty roses Theo gave me to celebrate the anniversary of our first date 15 years ago!, a paper backpack, My adorable little mechanic, and lastly a HUGE truck that made my trip back from Preschool VERY long. Poor Thing was trying to get to the freeway and they were having to stop traffic at every intersection. Unfortunately I was behind it so I got to wait as well. Enjoy and I'll be back soon with more pics from Vegas!!

2008-08-27T09:09:00.003-06:00

Be Inspired Challenge #20

Yesterday I decided to participate in Beate's Be Inspired Challenge where we were to make a card or scrapbook page using inspiration in the picture she provided. I kept the shape and color pretty much the same but opted to only use black on the brads and to try out another technique I saw on SCS where you make a card using an envelope. Enjoy

2008-08-20T17:12:00.002-06:00

First Day of Preschool!
Today was Megan's first day of preschool. We signed her up for a 3 day a week program for 2 1/2 hours each day. She was super excited and hardly said Goodbye to Theo and I as we dropped her off. She bought a new Barbie backpack and a cute little jean dress for her first day. When I picked her up she was very happy and said she had lots of fun and couldn't wait to go back tomorrow. WHEW! Also here is a picture of the cards I made for my monthly card swap group. Enjoy.

2008-08-08T10:57:00.003-06:00

Not My Fault!!
I would have been back sooner I swear but blogger had kicked me out and I had to find a backdoor in. Anyway here are a few pictures of projects I've been working on. Some cards using new colors from the newest Stampin' Up catalog and a paint can to hold the last of the treasures I'm sending to my secret sis for this round. Enjoy.

2008-08-04T17:41:00.002-06:00

Four Days Late
Well I'm four days late posting Ian's birthday pictures but at least now I can include the photos from his birthday dinner with his grandparents. He received lots of cards with money that he used to purchase items for his PS3 along with a new MP3 player. Theo and I bought him RockBand and 2 Underarmor shirts for sports. He is now officially as tall as me (not that it's much to brag about at 5'3") but for being 13 it's not too bad. I made him Chocolate Chip Cheese ball and some really yummy steak on Wednesday for his actual birthday then for his party I served Pork Roast, garlic mashed potatoes, Key Lime Pie and an Apple Crisp. Enjoy.

2008-07-31T09:35:00.002-06:00

Miscellaneous Goodies
These are pictures of things I meant to share with you last week but I took my sweet time doing it. The first is a Sunflower that finally sprouted up in our backyard. I let the girls throw some seeds down a long time ago and with our monsoon weather they finally got going, well 2 of them.(Still waiting for the second one to bloom). The other pictures are of the adorable paint can my friend Angela made me as a thank you for helping her put together some new office furniture. It had all sorts of goodies for doing my nails. Thanks Angela. Lastly is a picture of the door hangers I made for myself and Angela. Last time I was at my local scrapbook store I saw this great vintage looking paper and had to do something with it. I'll be back soon with pictures of Ian's birthday yesterday. Enjoy.

2008-07-24T17:03:00.003-06:00

Stamp Camp Goodies
Sorry I've been bad at posting again I had a busy week getting Ian all registered for a new school and my stamp camp prep to finish up. We had a good time at camp and made 4 projects, a masculine birthday card, a mini cork board, a gift bag and of course an 8x8 scrapbook page. Here are the pics enjoy.

2008-07-21T10:03:00.002-06:00

Adorable Baby Boys
A week ago some friends of ours had twin baby boys. I knew I wanted to make them some name frames to hang in the boys' room. We were invited this past Saturday over to the house to see the babies so I finished up the frames just in time. They really liked the frames and those boys are TOO CUTE!!! Here is a photo of the frames I made and Theo and I holding the boys. Their names are Hayden and Lincoln and I think in the photo Theo is holding Hayden (oldest by 4 minutes) and I am holding Lincoln. Enjoy!

2008-07-11T17:00:00.003-06:00

Scrapbook pages and Cards

Today I thought I would share with you the scrapbook pages and cards I've worked on this week. I'm also working on my stamp camp projects for next weekend but I think I will wait to show off those. The scrapbook pages are 8x8 as they are quicker to put together. The picture of the 3 kids was a page my sister Stephanie did while she visited with me last Thursday. The cards are just TOO fun! They are made using an upcoming new Stampin' Up Kit called Flower Power. The moment I saw the bright colors I just had to preorder it. I made all 9 cards according to the kit directions minus the stamped phrases as I don't have that set(yet...). As a Demonstrator for SU I was also able to preorder a few of the new color inks and paper that release next month. Hopefully I'll have some samples to share with you in the next few days. Enjoy!

2008-07-07T14:41:00.003-06:00

Fourth of July!

Today I thought I would share a few pictures of the kids from the 4th. We had a quiet day at home then drove out to a local store parking lot to enjoy the fireworks and eat ice cream. When we returned home we lit some sparklers left over from my cousin Jen's wedding and I took these shots. Enjoy.

2008-07-02T16:22:00.002-06:00

Megan's Craft and my Treats

The other day Megan wanted to do a craft so we purchased a plastic bead kit that you melt together, her's was a butterfly. After carefully placing the beads on the board I ironed them together. Megan promptly took it upstairs and made a home for her new friend in her play microwave. Today I came home to a package from my friend and upline Alisha. The package contained 6 great cards, Cuttlebuged backgounds,an altered tin, bracelet and necklace made out of wooden dominoes, a large & symbol, some chipboard coasters to alter, and a Paisley Cuttlebug folder. Thanks so much Alisha I love it all and can't wait to use the backgrounds to make some cards.

2008-06-30T10:39:00.002-06:00

Catch Up

Sorry I've been MIA just lots going on. Today I thought I would share a few goodies I've received in the mail, a few projects I've made for my current secret sister, and Theo's birthday gift. After I got my Yukon Theo started driving the van to and from work and needless to say it's on it's last leg so we went up to Phoenix this past Saturday and he found a 2007 Chrysler 300. He seems to be enjoying his new ride and it will be nice to have a second dependable vehicle.