First and foremost....HAPPY BIRTHDAY NOAH!!! Mommy can NOT believe you are 6 years old!! I wish I knew how and why time flys by so quickly!

We had a SUPER busy weekend! We drove up north to see the grandparents for Noahs birthday. He got soooo many presents(too many!!!) and we went to the bowling alley on Saturday! Here are some of my favorite pictures:

I just can't believe how fast 6 years have gone by! I am so grateful to have such a sweet happy healthy little guy! He amazes me everyday by his good, sweet nature and how VERY smart he is. Speaking of which...... we had conferences today for both of the kids! They both got high praise from the teachers! Noah's told us that he is reading higher then a 4th grade level and that she will be challenged by Noah to keep him interested this year but she will be doing reading with him on his level. They also have 25 words out of 300 that they are supossed to recognize by the end of Kindergarten and Noah knew 297 of them lol!!

Ciaara did really well also, the teacher said she is a pleasure to have!! She is going to see a speech therapist though, Ciaara is a little hard to understand sometimes. She talks really really fast (she gets that from me) Usually if you ask her to say the work one at a time she gets it right but when saying the sentence it runs together. I'm glad they are watching her and they say speech is soo easy to fix, especially when they are little.

I thought I'd share this picture of Ciaara also since I was talking about her and I think it is soooo cute! Thats all for now, I hope to get some scrapping in tomorrow and Wednesday and then I am helping in Ciaara's class on Thursday! Thanks for reading!

Here are my latest layouts! My dear friend Jess helped me with the title for the fair one and gave me an idea for the swing batter one when I was stuck--Thanks Jess!!

On the word Swing I had to use a U upside down because I was out of N's, can you tell?

Have you seen the KI kits that Joann's is selling? I used THIS kit for the Bike layout and I loved it!There is TONS of stuff in the kit and if you can get it half price it is sooooo worth it! I also used my first swirly on that layout and I LOVE it!

Thanks for looking :D

If you need a smile click HERE !
Just wanted to get this on my blog-- its soooooooo cute!!

I'll be back later to get some layouts here :)

FINALLY some BOY layouts!! I did two of them today and the other two are the ones I started and couldn't finish, I still have one more sitting here that I just can't get done! Maybe I'll start that one over!

The "fanatic" one isn't one of my favorites but I just couldn't get it how I wanted it! I really like the other ones though, nice simple easy layouts!

Noah is sooo photogenic, he always takes good pictures and almost always puts on that same smile!

Happy Halloween to everyone, I hope you all had a great night! We had a Cute Witch and Batman invade our house for a day!

They both were excited about their costumes and we had a wonderful time!! I spent time at their school yesterday, watched the costume parade at school where they start with a class "parading" through one room and that room joins in and so on until everyone is back in to their own rooms and have seen everyone else. It was so cute to see all the kids dressed up! They were all so proud!

It was VERY cold last night and WINDY! Ciaara couldn't wear her witch hat outside because it kept blowing off. We just kept the wig on. I had the kid bundled up under their costumes, they both looked like they gained about 30 pounds. The kids are getting so grown up and brave, they walked up to most houses on their own while Nate and I stood back and watched them take yet another step of independence.

We carved a pumpkin on Monday night, we bought one those stencil sets and tryed a "cool" pumpkin this year! We were all proud of how it turned out--much better then the faces I attempt to draw out! hahaha :)

Happy November to everyone and thanks for reading :)

Here are a couple of my newest layouts!

I have THREE yes THREE layouts of Noah sitting here

that I started and just can't finish! :( I'm just not satisfied with them so they are sitting there waiting to be finished! I will not start another layout for Ciaara until I finished the three I have started for Noah!! What can I say, I'm a girl and I just "go" for the pinks and the flowers!

Anyways I'm pretty happy with both of these layouts, I love the picture of Ciaara holding the caterpillar!! I really love all these pictures I'm glad to have them scrapped!

Well I did it! I turned 30! It really didn't bother me as much as I thought it would. I think the worst part was just knowing it was coming.

This picture Nate took of me my last day of being 29--I plan to scrap it for my All about Me album.

I had a GREAT birthday and a GREAT weekend celebrating with my friends.

I have a couple of new layouts I hope to take pictures of and get them here later.

Here are my 2 latest layouts. I laugh everytime I look at Noahs, its so silly the way he hogs his whole bed. Hes really hard to sleep with, he kicks alot because he wants his space. I used Rob and Bob papers and stickers on his page with Sassafras Lass dot stamps around the photos and a Sassafras Lass Bracket stamp.

For Ciaara's layout I used Primas flowers, and my new Technique Tuesday stamps that I just got in the mail. Love them!

She is so cute and loves to wear fun "dress up" items!

Thanks for looking :)

My Baseball "Kids"

We went outside yesterday to enjoy the fall day, we all played baseball even me!

It was soo nice just to be outside and enjoy the beautiful day we had, it was sunny

and in the 50's! I'm not looking forward to the long winters that come every year!

Anyways, I took a ton of pictures yesterday these are some of my favorites.

My cool new stamps came in the mail yesterday! I already used some of them on a layout last night (I'll try and get that posted soon)

I LOVE LOVE my new stamps, I want more!!

This package came for me today from my Secret Sister at Memory Creators. I love everything in it and can't wait to play with it all!

Thank you Secret Sister! :)

Its amazing what can happen with our weather we can go from a beautiful day at the Apple Orchard with Ciaara and her class. It was about 70 degrees and just a lovely fall day!

Not even a week later it is FREEZING, only 30 degrees and snowflakes flying at Noah wearing a winter jacket and hat before school!

The Joys of living "Up North"!!!!

Finally I got some scrapping in and have done these layouts over the last couple days!

I had fun doing each one, I feel in kind of a "funk" though using solids backgrounds with just a bit of patterned paper--I seem to be stuck on that look lately! I do like all of these though and they all came together fairly easy! I also have a thing for brackets and arrows and chipboard--- lol who am I kidding I just LOVE everything scrapping and want all the latest goodies! :)

I ordered some stamps today from scrappersXchange -- some new Technique Tuesday stamps! I get a dollar off for every 10 points I had saved. I had 45 points saved, you get a point for every dollar you spend--I saved 4 dollars and 50 cents, plus she discounted my shipping since it was only stamps. I am pretty happy with my purchase and only spent 16 dollars :D

I have my eye on the new CherryArte Stamps too, they will probably be next!

Anyways, I just wanted to get my layouts up here! Have a GREAT night :)

I can not believe it is October already!! Where does the time go??
Its fall, my birthday is coming, Halloween is right around the corner!

Well we had a SUPER busy, exciting weekend. We went down to the cities on both Saturday and Sunday to see the last of the regular season Twins games. We had free passes for games and got our tickets weeks ago, the kids (especially Noah) love going to the games. The Twins clinched a playoff spot earlier in the week so we were excited to see them play this weekend especially with a chance to win the division on the line! So many things had to happen though; we had to win, the Tigers had to lose.
Bottom line: The TWINS took the division!! It was SOOO exciting to be there and experience that! Noah got interviewed by KARE 11 television station and part of it was shown on the news last night. Such a big deal for the biggest little baseball fan I know!!

I got my first Design Team package in the mail on Friday and have to get to work on some things for that! How exciting!!

I could write more today but I have to much to do! Happy October everyone!

Here are my latest layouts! I used the Autumn Leaves Journaling stamps on 2 of them, I just LOVE those stamps! I know I keep saying it but if you haven't gotten them yet you may want too!!

I used notebook paper on Ciaara's layout and really like the look, I also handcut the Princess title. I've been in a pretty scrappy mood lately-- we won't be home much over the weekend so I hope to scrap some more today.

My News.........

I am sooo excited to announce that I am going to be on the Design Team for One Heart...One Mind. I opened an email the other day from Cheryl Kanenwisher saying she came across my blog and liked my work. She said they are currently looking for fresh faces for the new design team they are building and if I was interested.

I, of course, said YES!! I filled out some paperwork and got an email today saying that she sent me out some product! I've looked at their website and their stuff looks wonderful, I know I own some of their rubons! I can't wait to sit down and play with it all!


I am sooo happy and excited for this opportunity!!

I got these layout done yesterday--my DH has football on all day and steals my computer alot to check the games that are not on TV. Sunday is usually 'my' day, I usually get to sleep in, and I get to scrap! The kids hang out with Daddy in the morning then we usually do Sunday School lesson then just hang out.... Yesterday we all stayed in jammie pants all day! The kids LOVED it!

Anyways, back to the layouts.... I am LOVING the new Autumn Leaves Journaling stamps! I used them on both of these layouts. They are really helping me to journal in my own handwriting!

I also have something in the works that I can't wait to share-- I am SOOO excited about it! More details soon!

I had this layout floating in my head all morning- I think I had a dream about it, do any of you dream of scrapbooking?

This is the first "3 generation" picture we have had taken together-- we are going to have to start doing it at least once a year.

The journaling says "Ciaara, I hope you grow up knowing that I am not only your Mom but your friend. I hope we will share the same kind of relationship that I have with my Mom. You come from a line of strong, smart, loving women. I learned my strength by my moms strength and by her weakness. You will learn from both of us. I love my mom and look up to her and I feel that same love from you everyday. I am so lucky to have you both in my life.

I got this layout done while my sister was here! It is a very simple layout -I just love it when a layout can come together super quick and I don't feel like I needed to add anything else.

That piece of Basic Grey paper is just beautiful and it made the page!

I've been tagged by Nicole , Jessica and Becky!!

The rules are : List 5 weird things about yourself or your pets. Tag 5 friends and list them. Then, those people need to write on their blogs about 5 weird things, and state the rules, and tag 5 more people. Dont forget to let the people you tag know by posting a comment on their blog!

That means I need 15 wierd things about me---YIKES I don't think I'm that weird!!

1: I can not sleep with out a fan on. My ears ring and I hear every little noise in the house.
2: I'm a really really picky eater.
3: I don't like to wear sunglasses much, although I like to buy them and prop them up on my head to hold my hair back.
4: I don't sleep in the same bed with me DH very often, he snores to much and I can't sleep.
5: My bedroom is ALWAYS messy!
6: I wear jeans almost every single day and own about 11 (or more) pair!
7: I LOVE reality TV
8: This goes along with my picky eater stuff... but I'd rather eat parts of a sandwich alone then in a sandwich.
9: I wear makeup every day even if I'm not going anywhere.
10: I think I have a pretty high-pitched voice.
11: I hate leaving message for people on answering machines/voicemail.
12: I talk WAY to fast!
13: I am afraid of bugs!
14: I HATE to clean and will bribe Nate to do the toilets.
15: I am a night owl and rarely go to bed before midnight.

I'm not really sure who I can tag-- I'll try Tonya and Cindy and Dawn from Memory Creators. I know its not 5 people but it will have to work!

okay I admit it I am a baby! I HATE staying home alone-I hate when Nate goes away and he isn't here. It gives me comfort to know he is in the house and I sleep so much better. Sometimes I'm not sure why, I can drop and break a glass right next to him and he wouldn't wake up. Since he was going to Milwaukee, I asked my sister if she wanted to drive down and stay with me and she got the time off work! She stayed the last 2 nights and we had a great time. She wanted to make a scrapbook of her doggie so we started that. I snapped a picture of it before she left. I thought it was super cute! She is super excited and is really getting the hang of scrapping. We also made a few Halloween cards!

Thanks Melissa for staying with your big baby of a sister!

I got these layouts done over the weekend! Noah sometimes tells me I do to many layouts of Ciaara and asks when I will do some of him. I think I am pretty even on layouts done but I do have to admit that sometimes girl layouts come easier for me. Its very easy to add a flower or lots of ribbon to Ciaara's pages. I feel like sometimes I have to be much more creative for Noah's.

I really like how the fishing one turned out-- It went together fairly easy. I used eyelets again after many months after being inspired by Nicole's use of eyelets!

I'm super happy I got some scrapping done over the weekend and may do some more tonight!

I am soooo excited once again! If you haven't yet heard of the wonderful Becky Fleck and her sketches, you are certainly missing out! I was lucky yet again that she let me make some cards from her sketches and that she included them here: http://www.pagemaps.com/sept2006cardmaps.htm

Thank you Becky-- You rock! Congrats to the rest of the girls she included also-- GREAT JOB ladies!

Look at the Awesome banner Nicole
made for me!! It is just beautiful!! I am soooooooooo excited!!
I am loving this new blogger beta-- my blog is finally how I want it!

Thank you Nicole sooooooooooooo much!!!

I finished up this layout last night while Nate was on the computer! I acutally get things done when he is hogging my computer! I used a Becky Fleck sketch for this layout, looking at her sketchesis the perfect way to get my scrapping mojo started.

I wasn't quite sure about these colors together but its really grown on me now that its done. It really matches the colors in her shirt. I really love how nice and sweet Ciaara is to her dolls, I know she will make a great Mommy someday.

I used the new Autumn Leaves Journaling stamps and I think they are a must have! Loved them!!

Ciaara started biting her nails at a very young age and I can't get her to quit.
I used to bite my nails when I was younger also but haven't done it in YEARS.
I have painted her nails and she just chews the paint off. Not sure what I will try next but I sure wish she would grow out of it.
I used my new Autumn Leaves swrily stamps that I bought last weekend--- loved them!

These are a couple of 6x6 layouts that I did over the last couple days! I tried my hand at doodling--something I love the look of but haven't really tryed. I love working on the smaller layouts some of the time, they come together so quick and they are so fun!

I really like the layout of Nate, he hates layouts of himself but I love that picture I took, he looks so relaxed and happy!

Well here are a couple pictures of my beautiful princess on her first day of school.
We are sooo lucky here to have the preschool program that we have. Its sponsered by
the school and she goes to the real school 4 days a week in the afternoons.
She was sooo excited and so far has just loved it.
I think its harder for girls then boys because they are naturally more shy at this age --there
are still some girls in Noahs class that cry almost everyday. Ciaara has done SOO well and I'm so proud of her! I only wish she wouldn't grow up sooo fast!

What a cute little guy I have!
This is Noah on his first day of Kindergarten!
I can't belive this day has come, he is growing up sooooo fast! We've had a pretty good week, he comes home tired but he gets up really good and enjoys his time at school. He is meeting new people and making new friends. I can't belive how fast time has gone and that my first baby is old enough to be in school. I had a really hard time dropping him off and right before I left he gave me an extra long hug and I fought back my tears, I cryed when I got home!

Hi everyone! I am SUPER excited and I have something to share!
I LOVE using sketches-- like little blue prints to help spark my creativity.
I heard of Becky Fleck about a year ago and just love her sketches well I was
SOOOOOO lucky that she included these layouts in her September Newsletter!
I followed her sketch and I think the layout turned out great!
You can see her sketches and my layouts by clicking here: http://www.pagemaps.com/images/newsletters/sept2006.pdf

I used pictures of our day at the zoo with our new friends Jordan, Jamison and Trevor!
It was such a great day! When I saw the sketch I new I had the perfect pictures for it!
Thanks to Sara and Jessica for letting me include their boys in my layout!