it has been awhile

Seriously??!!

I have not posted since August?

And here it is the end of October!

oh the shame......

Quick recap since I last posted-

School started for the kids. I was volunteering in the kindergarten room (totally loving it too) when I was offered a subbing position. It was a permanent sub while the school was working out the need for aides with the students. It was going pretty good, minus the part about the house falling apart and me being stressed out. I applied for the paraprofessional position and interviewed but did not get it. Now I am back to being a regular sub with a relatively clean house and able to volunteer with my favorite students the kindergartners!

Also we took an amazingly wonderful fun filled trip to Walt Disney World!! oh my what a great time we had. Cannot wait to go back and do it all again. We did stuff we hadn't done before and probably won't do it again (Expedition Everest) and totally loved Snow White's Mine Train ride!! While we were there, we celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary. It seemed fitting since that is where we honeymooned all those years ago. And it was fun to share it with the kiddos.

Picture taken at Be Our Guest in the ballroom on our anniversary

Once we got back, I had a card order to make up. My yoga friend wanted some more note cards and I was more than happy to oblige. Here they are.  

I am working on a new owl card and hope to have a couple of sets of them completed by the end of the weekend that I can post. We shall see!! Hopefully I won't be gone as long as last time.

disney layouts recently done

These layouts I have been working on during the month of August. I would love to say I am making headway with this trip, but alas- I am a picture taker and then cannot decide which ones to use as they are all so amazing. So I will keep on trucking along and getting these pictures into a few albums and remember all the fun we had on our Walt Disney World 2008 trip.

We met Goofy, Daisy and Donald at Camp Mickey Minnie. I am pretty sure I have already scrapped the pictures of us with Mickey and Minnie. If not they will be coming! I have used PageMaps for each of these layouts. At least all of these pages started as a PageMap. Sometimes they don't end up looking like they started but that is my jumping off point.

Kira and her Mickey head ice cream. He was wonderful until he fell on the ground. It was very hot and we kept encouraging Kira to eat a bit faster or it would fall. She was a little upset but not too bad. She enjoyed herself.

Donald did not want to let go of my girl. So cute.

Hanging around Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Gorillas at the Animal Kingdom.

Off to see what other pictures need to find their way to paper at this moment.

disney disney disney (2008 trip)

And it continues!! More layouts from our 2008 Walt Disney World trip. I thought I had posted these but I seem to have forgotten to do it. They have been done for awhile, I lost track of them. I am loving doing this trip as the kids were so small!! Kira was six and Alex was two. I also notice that during this trip, I didn't get too many pictures of Alex. Probably because he spent much of the vacation in his stroller sleeping!

Lots of DCWV papers, stickers, Sizzix Sizzlits for the fonts, gems, brads, stamping, twine, Disney themed papers I picked up at Disney, punches, border punches, Mickey head scissors, and washi tapes.

Enjoy!!

back in time disney 2008 to be exact

Yup I am still cranking through this trip! I am trying to finish up our first day. I have been scrapping out of order so I have some days done and some not and parts of other days almost done. Saying that, I had to face my OCD tendencies and get back to scrapping in order. Feeling better with this way of scrapping this trip. I really would like to have it done before we head back down in October!!

This is when we were waiting for Nana and Papa to join us (later flight) so we checked in our carryons with the hotel and visited the resort.

When Nana and Papa arrived, we headed off to Downtown Disney for lunch and some pre-park shopping. I used PageMaps for both of these layouts. Of course I edit where needed but all is good.

What I have noticed is that many pictures include Kira and not so many of our little guy. Reason for that was he was in his stroller and many times did not want to get out. If he did, he would run off! I would think twice before taking a two year old to Disney. He got overstimulated many times and had MANY tantrums. But we all survived. There are many more pictures of Alex in our 2010 trip so I think it equals out in the end.

disney 2008 and the fun continues

 Well look at that... more Disney fun and adventure to be had!!

The top layout was taken as we were exploring the resort. We found the giant Lady and Kira was looking for Tramp and couldn't find him.... until we turned a corner and there he was!! She was so tiny next to those huge statues!!

Yup she is there with Tramp.... you have to look real close at the base!!

Love how she is looking up at Lady! So sweet. I cut the Lady and the Tramp out of a piece of pattern paper I had and then pop dotted it. I used some of the paper at the top (the pink) I used the green to pull Kira out of the pictures!!

Our first experience with the Magical Express.... and we loved it. No driving for this family! Alex stole daddy's hat and was hiding while we waited for the bus to arrive. And then my oh so cute family on our way to the resort watching the video entertainment. The word magical is a rub on that I placed on black paper and then fussy cut out. Took a bit but I really like how it came out.

Remember Newmarket Peeps---

VOTE YES ON MARCH 11TH

disney 2008 trip continues

Time to lighten the mood of my blog and go back to some fun scrapping goodness.

I have been plugging away at our Disney 2008 trip ever so slowly lately. I keep getting caught up with things. Hoping to change that. Need more scrapping in my life!!

These will be the start of showing off our resort when all these pages get into an album. 

I added the charm that I picked up when we were there. Yup, had that sucker tucked away with all my other Disney stuff just waiting to find its home on a page!!

Our tickets are at the top. Alex did not have one since he was under three years and was free!! He didn't like that answer when I explained it to him while he was looking at the pages. Poor kid- just wait til he sees there are not that many pictures of him on this trip. He spent a ton of time sleeping in the stroller or in someones arms during that trip.

Thanks for putting up with my small town politics. I'm sure I am not done but for now- enjoy the scrapiness that I am sharing!!

sometimes she surprises me...

... and I am totally blown away by her love and her talent.

My sweetheart of a daughter created the image below for me for Valentine's Day. She is an amazing artist and I am beyond happy that Santa brought her the drawing tablet for Christmas. Great call there big guy!!

It is her and me. She made me have purple fur and eyes. Yes she does know me so well!! I really need to get more of her artwork printed and hung. Or maybe a coffee table book?? That would be so wonderful! We keep telling her that she is going to love working for Disney Animation after college. I cannot wait to see her name on the big screen as an animator. Yup, I totally see it happening. 

This image is now my computer wallpaper as well as on my phone. Makes me very happy to see it.

And in case you were wondering.... wink wink....

little bit of disney fun

This was the last page I managed to scrap before I dove headfirst into valentine production. We had a ton of fun walking around the Pop Century Resort at Walt Disney World. As you can see below things are never their real size at Disney!! Poor Kira got stuck on top of a foosball thanks to a lift from daddy!! Her shirt got caught when she tried to drop off and her tummy was stuck!! 

And can you see my family tucked in under that Big Wheel?? That is them!! Even teeny tiny Alex in his stroller. It was a good trip and I need to finish working on it.

But first- the valentines need to be completed. off I go...

disney 2008 layouts

Oh yes I am a bit behind with my scrapping of our Disney trips. But it is so much fun to look back and see how tiny the kids were and remember the fun (and the craziness) of that trip. Kira's second trip and Alex's first. All I can say is thank goodness they are older now. So much easier to do Disney without a stroller or diapers!! Not that I would change the fact we went when we did, but glad those days are behind us.

In 2008, we stayed at the Pop Century Resort which was pretty new at the time. We had a fun time going around the resort when we got there and checking the place out. Disney always makes their resorts more than just a hotel. You have to go exploring and seeing everything!! For this layout, I took an alphabet and cut out the letters to create the top part. The first word on the left page and the last word on the right page spells Kira. When I was taking these pictures she didn't  understand what I was doing, but she went along with me- such a good girl!! This 'keyboard' was at one of the pools.

Cinderella's Castle. We had parked ourselves on Main Street to watch the parade and the fireworks and I was able to capture the changing colors on the castle. So magical and very Disney.

Again, more exploring around Pop Century. I can't believe how tiny the kids were. So long ago.

I snapped a couple pictures of my mom with Kira. Disney roses always smell so good. But watch out for the bees! They like the smell too.

My parents stayed after we had to go back home (stinkers) and my mom FINALLY got to hang with her favorite character Captain Hook. I love these pictures of her with him and Mr. Smee.

Just a tad bit sunny that day. Guess we all could have used our glasses for this shot. The papers I got while at Disney.

Later that day. As you can see, both Alex and I had a change of clothes. I was too hot in the black shirt and Alex had an accident. Still a happy group shot.

More Disney to come, but first I have to work on some valentines. Busy busy me!!

oh my!! Yes I have returned from vacation and hit the ground running. I can't believe how much time has passed since we returned. I am so sorry to have kept you all waiting for so long. oh the shame.

I need to get back into my office and create. Hoping that time comes soon. Until then, I am going to post a couple of pictures here and some more on my Family site.

On our day of arrival we headed to EPCOT after checking in at the resort. We were ready and raring to go. We went and saw Mickey, Pluto and Minnie and then stumbled onto Duffy (Disney's cruise mascot) Good start to the vacation.

vacation

Yup we are finally heading out to enjoy some much needed family time. I will be back at the beginning of May. Until then, blog surf without me. But don't forget me... I will return!! 

october sketch challenge

It is that time again! Time for another sketch challenge reveal! I know you all couldn't hold your breath waiting. LMBO!

Anywho... here is the sketch we got to use. One of those amazing PageMaps I totally love to use!!

And here is my take on it. I dug out some pictures from our 2010 Walt Disney World trip for this sketch. I had found these papers and knew exactly what pictures I would use with them. I totally love these pictures of the kids driving the race cars in TomorrowLand. Alex was a pretty good driver. Kira was a crazy all over the place driver. She used the rail the cars run on to steer. It made for quite a neck jarring experience!

I think I need to work on a tooth fairy box for Alex. He has his first loose tooth and he keeps playing with it. I don't think I am ready for my baby to start loosing his teeth.

May all your journeys be smooth today!

afternoon tea please

As I was cruising around looking at all the places we want to eat while we are staying with the Mouse in the spring... I came across an Afternoon Tea at Disney's Grand Floridian. Seriously?? Mickey has a tea?? Well who would have thunk it?

Jokingly I asked my sweetest of sweets Kira is she wanted to go while we were there. Imagine my surprise when she said yes! Looks like she really did have a great time when we had our Mommy and Me Tea in May.

Then she again surprises me and asks if Nana can join us. oh well then... I shall ask.

Of course Nana was all for it. Especially since it was granddaughter asking.

Once I can make the reservations, we shall have tea for three all the while enjoying being at my favorite resort on the Disney property.

And I will mention that I have never once set foot inside the resort and only stopped by it going to another resort. I fell in love with the Grand Floridian as they were building it. I watched it go up in the ads that were in the magazines (no internet then) and was totally awestruck when I got to see it in person riding the ferry across the Seven Seas Lagoon. It certainly doesn't hurt that the Grand Floridian is where the wedding chapel is and I have seen a few lucky brides having their dream wedding there.

As I was talking to my mom, I mentioned I was going to make a break for the wedding chapel to check it out and was wondering if the resort would mind. Then she said we could say we are checking it out for Kira. But of course!! Where else would my princess get married??

And it goes without saying that she WILL be riding to the chapel in the crystal carriage (with mom and Nana!!) Kira laughed and said something along the lines of... what? you're already planning my wedding? ummm... yes sweetheart we are.