I'm here...I haven't fallen off the face of the earth!

Life has been rather busy around here.  Filled with FUN, family, and FOOD! :)  I have done some creating and I will share that with you.  

Thanksgiving was AWESOME I had cousins come here from different states, some of these people I hadn't seen for like 14 years and longer!  I got nominated as the photographer, sort of interesting as two of my cousins (neither of which were there) are professional photographers!  I got some fun candid/family shots.

OH, and for those of you that are local--don't believe the rumors, I DID NOT separate his shoulder! (he did that all himself diving into the ground for the ball.)  for those of you that are not local, we played a touch football game with people from our ward Thanksgiving morning.  Someone stopped at the bus stop this morning and called me a BULLY! :)  ANYWAY, my daughter and I plus another lady were on one team with my hubby, some kids and one other man.  the other team DID NOT want us on their team.  Hmmm...they even called us the "girl" team, they even went so far as to tell us that we could throw, catch, or run.  REALLY?!  The outcome of the game?  Yes, the girl team WON!  My daughter intercepted 2 passes and made two touchdowns herself, while I ran people down and "touched" them.  Some I guess harder than others.....(hey, I had all brothers!)  I may be older but I can still move!  The other gal on the team wasn't to shabby herself.  Yeah, don't underestimate woman, we are TOUGH! :)

I've also been doing some research on some DSLR cameras--don't get me wrong I LOVE my fuji point and shoot, I'm just ready for my pictures to have that extra--umph!  This is what I'm looking at  Canon EOS Rebel T2i.  It's sort of scary to go to an SLR but I think, and from what others have been telling me I will LOVE it!  I'm trying to be a good girl so that Santa might bring me one! :)

Alright you've been patient enough!  I wanted to share with you a Christmas sign that I made using Elle's studio tag, and hybrid paper.  My tree is cut from my cricut.....

The frame I bough for 25 cents at a yard sale, I painted it and added glitter to it.  Wondering how I attached the jingle bells?  Good old hot glue!

I need to jet, I've got a sick girl, she came home early from school.  Thanks for stopping in and visiting me!  I've got A LOT more Christmas themed things I've made.  The December kit Winter Wonderland from Scrapbook Circle is FABULOUS!!

Black Friday at Scrapbook Circle

There is an AWESOME sale going on at Scrapbook Circle, you can see the HERE!  you don't want to miss out!  There are grab bags and goodies like this:

Happy Shopping! :)

Yummy Sweet Potato Souffle

My sister in law made this last year for Thanksgiving, it's SOOOO yummy!  My mommy said she would make it this year! :)  My assignment my "FAMOUS" mashed potatoes.  (They really aren't famous but my kids LOVE them!  And fight over them, so I have to make a TON! :)  Lots of healthy stuff like butter, sour cream, and milk included...sometimes I make a garlic paste and add that to it--YUMMO!)


Sweet Potato Souffle
1 large can sweet potatoes, drained (use fresh cooked if Possible)

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

Mix all the above together and pour into a 13x9 baking dish.

topping:

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup flour

1/2 stick butter, creamed

1 cup pecan halves

Mix sugar , flour and butter together until creamy and spread over top of souffle.  Place pecan halves over top and bake for 30 to 40 minutes at 400 degrees until a nice crust forms.

A need, A want, A wear, A read AND a card! :)

So have you thought about what you will be getting people for Christmas?  Of course!  Last year a friend of mine inspired me with a focus, I had already done a lot of my shopping so I decided to do it this year.  The focus?  A need, a want, a wear, and a read.  I can tell you it's been awesome being creative, my kids gave me their suggestions of what they would like.  I've been done shopping now for 3 weeks!  With this focus I didn't get to crazy with the buying, it kept me in check AND I'm pretty excited about some of the gifts!  For my siblings and their families I make something creative, my parents, and in-laws get brag books--this isn't a surprise, they get it every year and LOVE it!  Pictures of my family and my brother's families with their names.  My grandma's also get those brag books that they can't wait 'til Christmas to open.  A friend of mine with a large family even suggested that the kids as gifts to one another do a service whether it be play a game with a sibling, do a chore or whatever.  I think I would like my kids to do that for one another too.  ANYWAY, I just wanted to share with you what we are doing this year.

I wanted to do a quick share as I don't know when I will be able to post again this week.

This card I made using my Cricut expression and the wonderful birthday line from Imaginisce.  I did some slight distressing to accentuate the blue from the white, and added some glitter glue to the candle tops to make them sparkle.  Looks much better in person!

Thanks for stopping in!  Hope you have a wonderful week filled with family, food and FUN! :)

Helllllo!

Life has been EXTREMELY busy for me and my family this week--next week MIGHT be a little quieter but I doubt it! :)  It's been filled with:

*Parents against the kids soccer games (talk about sore!)
*singing (I'm in a combined choir with St. Anne's catholic church--we sing at the Temple every year this is my 6th year)
*new shoes (boys both needed new shoes--toes poking out isn't good! NOTHING like a new pair of shoes, I used to sleep in mine--did you?)
*crafting (made some FUN tags-just haven't had time to take pictures.)
*last soccer games (have two more today!)
*reading groups
*scouts (my youngest is now a Bobcat)
*parties
*piano
*junior high softball tryouts (my didn't make it she missed it by 3 points!  UGH!  Sometimes it's rough being a mom and seeing your kids upset and you can't really do anything but hug them and tell them you love them.  Wish I could take that hurt away.)
*baking bread, cookies

Today we get to go to Harry Potter in a private showing--we are ALL excited to go! It fit perfect between games and parties.

Thanks for being patient I DO have a crafty item to share!  I made this layout with the Dino-Roar line I won!  Imaginisce was SO generous and sent me two of each sheet plus ribbon, AND stamps!

The colors are just SO yummy!  Sadly I didn't have any dinosaur themed pictures so I just used the back sides of the paper--isn't it wonderful?!  When time permits I will be making some cards with this line too!
well, I have to eat my breakfast--THANKS for stopping in and visiting!

A December decoration share! and shephard's pie

Real quick 'cause my life is a little crazy today!  I wanted to share this fun frame I made using Imaginisce  paper and embellishments.  I LOVE the snowflakes, both the clear and the jeweled.  I used jewelry stretch wire (yes, that is my own made up phrase--don't know what it's called but you use it when you make bracelets and it's stretchy---I liked it because it was clear!) to hang these smaller snowflakes.  The green backing is actually from the packaging of these embellishments.  I cut out the let it snow on my cricut expression with vinyl, I didn't like the black so I went over it with my glitter glue, it sure is pretty in the light!

I wanted to share a recipe I found online that is easy and yummy.  I'll admit I tweaked it a bit, by cooking it in the oven for about 20 minutes at 400 degrees but HERE is the recipe I used.  QUICK and easy--just how I like it AND the kids ate it right up! :)

Thanks for popping in I'm off to do some laundry.  tonight I have two games of parents vs. the kids soccer games.  One with my daughter the other with my middle boy--should be fun!  My friends keep telling me be CAREFUL and don't hurt yourself!  I already know I'll be sore....but they do know me.  I have to speeds ON and OFF. :)

Make your day a great one!

Happy Birthday cards--Imaginisce style!

Happy Veteran's day!  Thank you who have served and are currently serving our country.

Today is a day off for EVERYONE, and I'm finally able to stop and breathe!  Yesterday was a field trip which lasted from 9am--1:45.  LONG considering I though it was over at 11am!  It was fun though, we walked about a mile to the local Riparian to enjoy flora and fauna, plants and bugs....AND there is an observatory--pretty cool.

So I did sneak some creative time in this week, my birthday card stash is VERY low here they are:

The Imaginisce birthday paper is SO fun!  I didn't want to cut it up!  I decided though that I needed too, the presents are all from one piece of paper, and I still have some.  I love to cut up paper for embellishments, makes me feel like I get more bang for my buck.

 I have to say it's fun having everyone home.  EVERYONE was upstairs playing just dance on the wii EVEN dh, yep I snuck up and got a blackmail photo--I was laughing so hard I was crying.  The kids thought it was GREAT!  Enjoy your day!  thanks for coming in to visit!

Ready. set. go!

This layout was just so fun to do!  I was inspired by jen jockisch....bare with me this is a bragging mommy moment on this girl.  She competed in the Hershey track meet and placed 2nd in her age group in the 100, this qualified her to go to the state meet which was held about an hour from our house.  This was nerve racking for her (and ME!--track was my sport LOVED it!)  when her race came up I warned everyone around me that I was going to yell REALLY loud.  As promised I did (I have no idea how I managed the picture of her running I was jumping around so much!) At one point this lady asked me which one she was I said, "she's in 3rd!"  I think she was sort of surprised--I didn't care.  My hubby and boys wanted to hide under the bleachers--I guess I was loud.  ANYWAY, after the race was over this man turns around and says, "you know you could've warned us." I looked at him and said, "well, I did."  His wife leans over and says, "just ignore him he will be yelling like that in a few minutes."  One last funny thing about this story.  Afterward my daughter came up to the stands and said, "mom, I could hear you. (she can NEVER hear me at soccer games.) I didn't like it."  Guess what kid?  Get used to it!  I'm your PROUD mama! :)  She ended up placing 7th out of the entire state--Pretty sweet!

Today is BEAUTIFUL!  We only have one more Monday of soccer practice and we will be DONE! :)  Yipee--I've enjoyed this season but will be glad when we don't have to run to practice.

thanks for stopping in!  off to throw the softball with my girl who is trying out for softball next week! :)

another november reveal....

My goodness my day has been productive and QUIET.  Sort of nice after the TORNADO that was last week.  here is the layout:

Went crazy with the stitching on this one.  Just SO much fun!  I REALLY like the chipboard adhesive pieces that are in the kit (the measuring tape on the side and the apple button piece) Love the dimension without to much bulk.  

My daughter and I are off to see a community production of Les Miserables tonight at the High School.  We got invited by my friend Jennie and her daughter.  Should be fun!  That being said I have to run and get kids from school, take them to scouts, AND make dinner!  Thanks for checking in on me!  

Another share! Our ferry ride...

Have you voted today?!  Yipee for early ballots--no pressure when you can do your research at home.  I always feel guilty making people wait in line, just grateful I have that option!

Okay, this November kit has some WONDERFUL papers in it.  I was inspired by two different layouts to complete this one.  Laura Vegas and Lady Grace Belarmino inspired me. (if you click on their names you can see their layouts)

the buttons, letters, brads, stickers, and journaling spots are from my stash.  But the rest are from the kit.

These pictures are from our trip this summer, we rode on that ferry, and that is my Nanny's house--Love that we all fit in this picture (we had to take it a couple of times to get everyone in it!)  This is sentimental to me because my nanny loves quilts, this reminds me of her....and about a month after our visit she had to go into assisted living.  SO grateful that we got to go and visit her, my youngest had never met her.  We had such a WONDERFUL time!

I've been sorting through a box of acrylic paint my mom gave me a while back.  I've used it friends have used it.  Some of it is SO old that it's dried up, but a lot of it's still good.  Hopefully I will think of something creative to do with it!  Thanks for checking in with me today!

Happy Nov. 1!

 Life was a crazy busy week last week.  DH was out of town for the whole week which left me to run like a crazy woman without sleep.  That being said, life is made up of moments and these are some of the moments from last week:

Me on Friday as a mamarazzi:

A little treat bag I whipped up for the lady in the front office at the kid's school:

 My trick o treaters, this was my favorite pose.  As the green m & m looks on as Darth Vader has a crazy swing that hits Dracula.

 the birthday cake the kids made for their grandma for her birthday/;

Now for the reveal for a page reveal from the November Scrapbook Circle kit!

I loved this photo so much.  We were at my nephew's lacrosse game, and I happened to have my camera.  I was focused on the game until I heard a familiar, "Mom!"  I literally turned around and snapped.  Yes, I have these kids trained well.  It was such a fun photo I wanted some fun journaling, I used a quote from Dr. Seuss for the first time.

The canvas was especially fun to work with.  I just sewed it down, bunching a bit as I held it down.  This layout was one of those I saw in my head, and was so pleased that it came out just as I had imagined.

The November kit is AWESOME, lots of yummy goodies inside you can see the FULL kit HERE.

Well, I have to finish dinner so we can head off to soccer practice!  Thanks for stopping in!