Holiday Planner....

I hope you will join me in early November at Paper Pals to make this Holiday Planner (inspired by Wendy Johnson). I just finished it today...I used a Bo Bunny Bare Naked Binder and the new holiday printed papers from Bo Bunny--so cute!!! No excuses now for letting the holidays stress you out!! You can "organize" yourself!! :0)

Lunchroom duty.....

I had a fun day on Wednesday with Jamie and the kids and one of the "highlights" of the day was helping Jamie with lunchroom duty at A's school!

(Side note...teaching kindergarten ---which I did for 17 years---and lunchroom duty for kindergarten are two VERY different experiences!! (The teacher gets no break at all if someone doesn't come in and volunteer during the lunch hour so she can go and eat her lunch.... it was nice to be able to give her a few minutes!)

I think sitting still, paying attention, and having to be "ON" all morning gets to the kids by lunch, and they definitely had a serious case of the wiggles!!! It was so fun to get to meet A's teacher and his school friends and see him "in action" in kindergarten!! Here he is all ready for school in the morning.

Oh summer....

I LOVE summer!!! I love warm weather, long days, sunshine, fresh flowers, flip-flops, barbecues, eating outside, convertible rides, weekends at the lake...all the things that come with beautiful summer days! And, now, those summer days are fading into autumn. Today I was outside taking "autumn" pictures---beautiful yellow and red leaves---and as I came around the corner of our house I saw this gorgeous flower!! I love hydrangeas!! As luck would have it, our hydrangea plants are just getting beautiful, and soon "Jack Frost" will take them away! But, for today I'm going to enjoy this incredible flower! I decided to put this picture on my blog so you could enjoy it too!!

These are the hands...

These are the hands

I loved to hold

when you were 5 and 3

years old!

I saw this poem several years ago in a scrapbook idea magazine (wish I could tell you which magazine, but since I take so many, I can't remember!) and I have been wanting to do a layout with K, A, R, K and L's handprints ever since, but I can never remember make their handprints when they are here!! Well...I finally remembered to do K and R's hands a couple weeks ago and just completed the layout today. I used the new My Mind's Eye "Confetti" line from Paper Pals, and I love the finished product. Now, I just need to get A, K and L's handprints and I'm all set!!

I really wish they could stay little, like this, for a long...long time, they are growing up way too fast!

Princess Mini Album...

I spent today finishing up my "Princess" mini album, and I love the finished product! If you have a "Princess" in your life--one that loves pink and purple and "bling"--I hope that you will join my at Paper Pals on October 11th at 6:30, it's sure to be a hit with every little "Princess"!

There's still time....

There is still time to sign-up for the school-themed mini album class that I am teaching at the Moscow Paper Pals store on Wednesday evening from 6:30 to 8:30. You will complete the album in class and all you will have left to do is add pictures!! The album is a 6X6 spiral mini album filled with lots of cute patterned papers and coordinating cardstock, embellishments and poems. Hope you will join me!!

Home again, home again, jiggity-jig...

Being home again is so bitter-sweet...it is always wonderful to be "HOME", there's truly no place like it, but we are really missing this little guy (and his Mom and Dad, too!!) We had a fantastic "last" weekend in Michigan...a "whirlwind" trip, but got to see some great places! The highlight of the weekend had to be our "much too brief" visit to Mackinac Island...what a neat place! No cars on the island make it a very quaint! It's so fun to see horses and carts delivering mail, supplies, etc., to all the businesses on the island. We loved it!! Lots of bicycles and horses you have to watch out for, but that's OK...the slower pace was relaxing!

Leaving on a jet plane....

Well....all good things must come to an end, and tomorrow morning at 6:00 AM we will begin our "trek" to Spokane...that's 3 AM Moscow time!! :0) We have had a TERRIFIC time here, and given Landen all the hugs and kisses we could, played lots of Euchre (cards) with Jon and Sarah, and driven all over the state of Michigan (more on that later--Mackinac Island is very quaint and very fun), so it's time for us to get back to the "real world!" More when I get home!!

Off to Mackinac Island...

Leaving soon for this beautiful spot....sun is shining (I swear we had a hurricane here yesterday---so much blowing rain, Sarah and I were soaked to the skin just from running to the car! :0) But, Mother Nature is smiling on us today and we're expecting a beautiful, sunny weekend!! Bye for now.....

Heading north....

We are heading up to northern Michigan this weekend to sight-see, play some great golf courses (Jim and Jon), relax and have a great time!! We have never been there and Sarah and Jon have wanted to show us that part of the state for a long time, so we're taking a "quick" trip north! We fly out for home on Tuesday morning at 6:00 AM (that would be 3:00 AM Moscow time), where has the past week gone?
We have had a wonderful time spoiling Landen...he is adorable, and I've taken so many pictures, I have lots and lots of scrapbooking to do! :0)

Country Club of Lansing

Decided to post a different picture today...let you see some of the things around Lansing. This is the clubhouse at Country Club of Lansing where Jon is the head golf professional. It is a beautiful building, and the golf course is so green and pretty--lots of trees and flowering things. Jim has been able to golf there a couple times since we arrived, and he even got a few "tips" from Jon on the driving range. Sarah and I took Landen to the pool there on Monday. Besides the regular pool they have a toddler pool that is only 1 foot deep---perfect for someone his size, and he loves it! Well, it is about time for our morning coffee run.."Starbucks" are few and far between--compared to the northwest--but we discovered one in Barnes and Noble---not far from Jon and Sarah's house! Missing home, but having a wonderful time here!!

On the go....ALWAYS!!!

Having fun at the park with Landen! Jon and Sarah are both working today so Papa and Nana are "on duty!" He is a very busy little guy, so I know we won't be just laying around today! :0) He is a good napper, so maybe we will catch a few "winks" this afternoon, too!

Havin' fun with these guys...(and Sarah, too!)

Michigan is GREAT...or, I should say these guys in Michigan are great!! We are having so much fun...it's wonderful to get to be together this week. Yesterday Jon had to work in the morning so Jim went to his course for a golf lesson (a HUGE "perk" for Jim, having a golf pro for a son!!), and Sarah, Landen and I went to the pool at the course for Landen to swim and play. They have a little toddler pool that is 1 foot deep, so it's perfect for him. He had it all to himself--it was really fun!! Well, off to have lunch at Panera...our favorite local deli!! More tomorrow!!

Hello from Michigan

We made it to Michigan last night about 11:30 PM...great flights! Jim even "visited" the men's room at the Minneapolis airport with no "peekers!" :0) Landen is adorable...hopefully I can post pictures later.
I was without Internet the whole day before we left, so I couldn't update my blog. I am going to have a visit with First Step when we return...I get "cannot connect to server" message way too often and it is very frustrating!! I think we pay for continuous service and it isn't happening!
More later!!