Seasonly Yours

Hello...hello...anyone there?

It seems I have been a bit blog challenged. :)  Not sure anyone is even interested in reading my blog since it has been such a long time since I posted.

It has been a really good fall. K played her first year of High School soccer. She was a starter for the JV team  at her school. She has a blast and made a lot of new friends.

She is enjoying high school and doing extremely well. So proud of all she is doing with her life.

L is still doing gymnastics but has also decided she wants to give diving a try. She has been taking private diving lessons for the last month in hopes of making the team in January. Her gymnastics background is really making a difference. She is doing so well that the coach for her middle school has already taken notice of her and came over to talk to DH last week. She seems to really be enjoying it. It will get a bit interesting when the season starts up to balance diving and gymnastics but we will deal with that when it comes. She has also been practicing for the school play which will be this Friday.

As for me, I have been doing pretty much the same thing minus the scrapbooking and card making.  I am still designing for Emma's Paperie but that is really all I am doing right now. I am involved in a Bible study at my church and doing volunteer work for two different organizations here in town.

I got a chance to finally take some fall photos.  I was getting a bit worried that I was going to miss out on the beautiful fall colors. We have taken pictures every fall since we moved back to the Midwest. This year between practices and rain it looked like we were going to break the tradition. While my parents were in town this weekend we took these goofballs to a local park that actually had a few brightly colored leaves left.

Of course I had to get a picture of the girls with my parents. 

And there were these two photos that I just fell in love with. 

So, as I said earlier, I am still designing for Emma's Paperie.  A couple of weeks ago I created this Christmas project. You can find the supplies here. This is definitely going to be a gift I duplicate this Christmas. I found the recipe for Moose Munch here and it is divine! You seriously have to try this!

And I also created this card. You can find the supply list here. 

Have a fabulous week and I will hopefully be back soon! Thanks for stopping by!

Summer Update

Happy July everyone! Wow, I can't believe the summer is flying by so quickly!  I guess no one would be surprised if I said we have been busy but it has been all good.  Since my last post we have hosted a neighborhood block party and took a trip to Florida, along with some of the everyday stuff like swim, soccer and gymnastics practices, a culinary camp for L and a photography camp for K.   

The block party was a lot of fun.  Got to know some of our neighbors better and meet a few of the new ones. So glad we decided to do that.  Hope to have one more before the summer is over. 

We got back yesterday from a nine day trip to Naples, Florida with my in-laws.  DH's brother and his wife, along with their two little girls were also able to go.  

The weather was a bit rainy but we managed to get everything we wanted to do done by heading out early in the morning before the rains came in the afternoon.  

Our first day there, we got to spend with friends.  One of DH's best friends from high school moved down to Fort Meyers after college. We have been down to see them a couple of times but it has been way too long!  So great to see him, his wife and his oldest again, along with meeting their two little ones! 

We also decided that we wanted to go to the everglades to see the crocs.  We had to take two different boats but it was fun just the same.  I think the best part for the kids was flying through the mangrove trees on the boats. :) 

We also stopped at Naples Pier to check out the dolphins.  Wish we would have been able to get better pictures.

 As expected, the sunsets were amazing on the beach.  We spent one night at a nearby resort, sipping on cold drinks watching the sun go down.

I think the best part though was having a screened in pool at the house we rented.  I bet the kids spent AT LEAST four hours a day in that pool.

While I was posting, I thought I would share two layouts I made recently for Emma's Paperie. This first layout is based on a sketch this sketch by Melissa Phillips. 

This second layout was done for a washi tape assignment.  L and one of her closest friends were showing off the mustaches that L had made for them using duct tape so I decided to snap some pictures.  They worked perfectly for this layout.  I used washi tape for the banner at the top, the striped flag above the photos and the strips that separate my pattern papers.  You can find all a list of washi tape that I used here.

Hope your summer is going well and thanks so much for stopping by!

Soccer, soccer and more soccer

Morning everyone!

WARNING THIS IS A PHOTO HEAVY POST :)

As usual, the girls have been keeping us quite busy.  L is still spending 4 days a week at the gym, although that will lighten up a bit with the start of the summer schedule.  K has been completely involved in soccer the last month.  Weeks get  pretty busy when you are playing travel and middle school soccer.  I am not complaining, I adore watching her play.

Three weeks ago K's travel team played in the Red Lion tournament in Indy.  They play 11 girls on the field for these games and we only had 11 girls for the tournament.  This means that the girls played every game without subs.  3 of the 4 games, including the game for the championship, at least one girl got hurt causing them to play one man down and they still pulled out a championship win.

This last weekend our girls were honored to be invited to the President's Cup tournament.  The tournament is usually for division 1 and 2 teams but because our girls have had such an impressive record they were invited to attend.  That meant that they were ranked 16 out of the 16 U14 girls teams attending. These underdogs not only won two of the thee games they played (one team will go on to play the winning teams next week) but they won the last game playing 10 on 11. The talent and teamwork of these girls just blows me away. 

Last night was the middle school division championship game.  The best part about the game was that 3/4 of K's travel team play for the school that we were up against for the championship. I will admit is was hard cheering against these sweet girls. 

Starters for the championship game doing the Bobcat cheer :)

Playing tough

K and one of her travel teammates battle for the ball

  The CHAMPIONS!!!

K and some of her travel teammates after the game. :)

One of K's teammates that goes to a different school but came to watch the game. 

Since I have spent the majority of the post dedicated to sweet K, I thought I would give L a bit of time.  Since she has a summer birthday she doesn't usually get to celebrate her birthday at school.  One of her teachers has them bring in photos during their birthday week and she gives them a reward.  So the summer birthday kids get to bring theirs in this week.  I went searching for some photos to send and found this one.

Hmm...some things don't change.  This photo was taken yesterday.

LOL, I just love this goofy girl. 

And because I haven't shared enough photos with you today.  Two projects for Emma's Paperie to round out the post.  

Thank you so much for stopping by today.  Hope you have a wonderful week and enjoy your holiday weekend!  Stay safe.

Hugs,

Lisa

Yes...we are still alive :)

A sweet friend of mine sent me a text today saying, "it has been a month since you updated your blog, is everything ok?"  (I still owe you a text back Steph!)  So if you are reading this, I love you!  I can't believe that anyone is still coming back here after I have been gone so long!  :)

Yes, we are OK.  A lot has stayed the same, some has changed this past month or so.  As I posted in my last post, I have seriously changed my perspective on things.  Right now that means less scrapbooking and more growing closer to God.  I am involved in two Bible Studies (one that DH and I host here on Wednesday nights) and the other a more intense study on Thursday mornings.  I am trying to be much more dedicated to my studies.  I will admit, way too often I would treat it as something to "get done", check it off my list.  I am spending more time praying before and after and researching passages I don't understand.  The other change is that I have added more volunteer work to my schedule.  We have been so incredibly blessed and I HAVE to give back.  It is not an option.  I really feel this is why God gave me the opportunity to stay home.  When my girls were little, it was to raise them and play with them and care for them.  Now, I have time to care for others.

As for my awesome family, things are busy as usual but that is nothing new.  K made her middle school soccer team.  Have to say I am so very proud of her.  She set a goal for herself and worked her tail off to achieve it.  The thing that I am the most proud of though is that she didn't give up. She tried out last year and didn't make the team.  Most middle school girls I know would have given up there but she just trained harder, attending two extra practices a week for her travel team so she could get better.  She is an amazing girl.  It sure does make her a busy girl though.  School practice 5 nights a week (two of those nights she goes straight from there to her team practice) and then games on weekends.

L is still as excited about gymnastics as ever.  She has added an additional day to her schedule not because she is trying to work herself to death learning new skills but just because she loves being at the gym.  You would think, with all that practice she would be tumbled out but she just continues when she gets home.  :)  She is a happy chica now that we have the trampoline up. :)  She has also breezed through adapting to middle school.  Her grades are phenomenal, she has made so many new friends and actually likes school for the most part.  I really think that if they started at 10 or 11 AM she would love it.  :)

Both girls are also still actively involved in their youth group.  We are so incredibly lucky to have such an amazing youth program and church.  Both girls are also going to be in the spring play again. Thankfully small parts or I don't know where we would fit it in our schedule.

Gearing up for this next week, as we prepare for DH to have surgery on his hip.  I am praying that his recovery is quick and as close to painless as possible.  He is an active guy and laying around is going to be hard for him.  Please keep him in your prayers.

So, as I stated I am scrapbooking much less but I have found a way to use my skills and talents nonetheless. I am going to be donating a lot of my old supplies to an assisted living facility that I have become involved with, as well as doing some card classes with the elderly women there.  Can't wait to get that started.

I haven't completely stopped scrapbooking for though.  I am still designing for Emma's Paperie.  Seriously, the best opportunity that has ever been given to me.  I adore Cindy and she is the best to work for!  I thought I would share a few of my projects I have done for her lately. As always you can find supply lists for all my projects on her blog along with a ton of amazing inspiration from the other team members.

And a fun card I created using the Silhouette I got for Christmas.  Love it!

Hmmm...guess I have had a thing for red titles lately huh? LOL  Thanks so much for stopping by.  I hope you have a wonderful weekend and I am so thankful for you!

A month really???

Hi everyone!

I can't believe it has been a month since I posted anything.  As I posted in a previous post, God has really been working on me lately (in a good way!)  I have had to stop and reevaluate my priorities.  This had all started before Christmas and then I started a new Bible Study on Nehemiah by Kelly Minter. WOW, it has really made me think about who or what I need to focus my life around.  I have started doing more volunteer work and spending more time with God.  It has been really good.

Thank you to those sweet followers of mine that have let me know I am missed here.  I can't tell you how much your messages meant to me.  Things have been pretty normal as far as the family is concerned.  We actually had to attend Freshmen Orientation for K! I am soooo NOT ready for this. Don't get me wrong, SHE is ready, I am not.  She is excited about the classes she is going to take and so on top of things that I am not worried about her in the least.  Seeing her class choices makes her scrapbooking/former teacher mom happy. :)  In her 4 year plan she has 2 photography classes and classes to prepare her for the field of elementary education.  We have had lots of talks though about how I in no way want her to go into education for me.  I am really trying to emphasize that she needs to keep an open mind about her classes and future but I do think she would be a fabulous teacher.

L is still tumbling and flipping all over the place.  She has added more time at the gym for no other reason than she is so very happy there. :) She has been under the weather this weekend though.  I actually let her sleep in this morning and took her to school late. She has been coughing so bad that she can't sleep.  Last night was better than Saturday night but she was still up from 3:30 until 5:45.  I didn't have it in my heart to get her up at 6:15 to get ready for school.

DH is doing alright but feeling the effects of aging. :)  He has been told that he is going to need a hip replacement.  It is an inherited problem that was probably made worse by all of his years of playing hockey and our water skiing years before we had kids.  It hasn't slowed him down from hockey though.  He is still one of the number one scorers on his team, most who are quite a bit younger than him.

As for me, like I said, I am still involved in Bible Study and volunteering.  Really looking forward to start working in the schools just north of here.  I am going to get to mentor students who are struggling academically or just need some extra one on one with an adult.  I can't wait!  I am also still doing some scrapbooking, just not as much.  I adore designing for Emma's Paperie and will hold onto that position for as long as Cindy will have me.  :)  I am still also designing for Crafts N' Things magazine and Challenge Me Happy.

Speaking of Challenge Me Happy, there is a new challenge up and this was a fun one.  The theme was Typography.  I found the coolest Coca Cola ad on Pinterest that I used as inspiration.  Here is the ad:

And here is the layout I did for the challenge. 

There is still time if you want to join us in this fun challenge and there is a cool prize as well.  Hop on over to Challenge Me Happy for the details.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a wonderful week!!!

You & Me

Happy Monday everyone!

Hope you all had a good weekend. Ours was uneventful and relaxing. The girls had soccer, gymnastics and then had friends over on Saturday. We spent Sunday going to church, running errands, working on homework and soccer.  K got some great news at practice. Her team did so well last season that they are going to be moving up a division AND were invited to play in a huge tournament here in Indiana. Such great news for these wonderful girls. They have worked hard for this!

As I mentioned in an earlier post, my sweet DH got me a Silhouette Cameo for Christmas ( I may have hinted a bit) :) I am having so much playing with it and creating new files to use on my projects.  I created this layout for the color challenge at Emma's Paperie.  Gorgeous colors aren't they?

This is the layout I created about my sweet girls. They really are still the best of friends. I can only pray that they stay that way for years to come. 

 I used my Cameo to create the Chevrons and title. I have loaded the Cheron file here and the You & Me file here.  They are free to anyone who would like to use them.  I just ask that you please give me credit and link them back to here. THANKS!  All other supplies can be found on the Emma's Paperie Blog.

Hope you have a very blessed week!  Thanks for stopping by!

A Recipe for Disaster

Haha, anytime my brother is involved, it is a recipe for disaster! LOL Just kidding, sort of. :)

So, if you read my blog at all, you know that a few months ago we were fortunate enough to all be at my parents house at the same time.  My dad was having surgery and we wanted to all be there for him. My brother has been stationed in Hawaii for almost 3 years and we have not seen him in quite a long time.  He doesn't have any kids of his own but definitely enjoys spending time picking on my girls.  During our photo shoot, I got some great candid photos of the three of them messing around. :)  

I created this layout for the current challenge over at Challenge Me Happy.  The challenge this time around is a recipe challenge. (Get it, my blog entry title, hahaha) OK, so maybe it's not that funny. LOL  So here is the recipe, use the following on a layout:

* a quote*stamping* bird/s*arrows* brads 

Here is what I came up with:

We would love to have you join us in the challenge. All entries are due by January 15, New Zeland time (GMT +13 hours). We are giving away some yummy Zva Creative product to the winner this week!

Have a fabulous week!

A New Beginning

Happy 2013 everyone!

It has been a while since I really posted.  Things have been so busy. The girls went back to school today and  the quiet is comforting and eerie at the same time.  I do miss them already but I am looking forward to getting some things done today.  The first being getting back to posting here regularly.

What a wonderful holiday season we had.  We spent Christmas with my in-laws. Sadly I didn't get pictures of everyone because my sweet niece and my brother-in-law were sick. We ended up opening presents in shifts.  The girls made clay recipe card holders for all the women in the family and ornaments for the men.

My girls are getting to an age where buying them Christmas gifts is getting hard.  Neither of them really care a ton about clothes, they don't play video games much and when they do it is usually on their iPod touches and the games they usually download games that are free.  They don't beg or ask for much.  It makes Christmas shopping tough.  DH came up with a wonderful gift idea for them this year.  We were able to get them new Colts jerseys for a great price and then put an envelope below the jerseys. In the envelope were 4 tickets to the December 30th game.  

This is not a posed photo, no... she wore her jersey over her Christmas sweater and skirt for a good part of the day. :)

Lots of games and good food followed. :)

We were home long enough to unpack Christmas presents and then we headed to Indy for the game.  L kept repeating, "This is the BEST Christmas present ever!"  I think the present was a hit! :)

I have been enjoying one of my Christmas presents too. My sweet DH got me a Silhouette Cameo. I am one happy mama! :)  I have spent some time playing with it and have not completely figured it out yet but I have created a few files I am really happy with.  I am using one of them on a layout I am creating for Emma's.  Here is a link to the file I am using today, hopefully this works. :)  You can find it here. I can't share the layout yet but I will when I can. I am still having a lot of problems with the knife tool on the Silhouette. If you can help me, please send me an e-mail! :)

Since we are on a football theme, I thought I would share this layout I created for Emma's Paperie spotlighting Basic Grey. 

You can find the supply list here. 

Have a wonderful week and I will be back soon!