Picture of the WeeK #26

If I am at week 26, that means half the year is over.  Scary thought.  Saturday, I saw someone had posted -like 177 until Christmas.  Like, who is thinking about that at the end of June.  Certainly not me.  And it is way too hot out to be thinking of Christmas. 

Have been out this morning mowing the grass before it got too hot.  Believe you me, I was sweating out there.  And Curtis got the roof on the little upper room of the play set. 

I did some running around with Kirsten in preparation for Nic's 5th birthday in 2 weeks.  Now I am back home and staying inside with the AC running.  Such a wimp I am anymore. 

Pictures are from my Peony bush out back. The blooms are all gone now it is so hot. 

Yesterday Kirsten and the kids came over and spent the afternoon and stayed for dinner.  I felled their little pool up, but quickly found out it is leaking.  Have to find them a new one.  There wasn't a big investment into it. 

Visitors to my Back Yard

You can hear these little fellows screeching in the trees.  They are very elusive and don't appear much.  But like my mountain ash berries.

But one rainy day last week look what appeared on my deck.

Two cedar waxwings.  They managed to sit there long enough for me to get my camera out and snap a quick photo.  Then they flew up into the mountain ash tree.  Where I could get a few good shots of one. 

Spent the day with Cooper.  Had to get up in the middle of the night and take a Zyrtec because I was choking with all the goop in the back of my throat.  And therefore I have been groggy all day and just wanted to nap.  Curtis and I ran out to Home Depot to look at appliances on sale.  We have a very small space to put our fridge!!!  And they all seem to be very high these days. 

Just Another Work Day

It has been a long day for me, since I head to work just a little after 5:30am.  Put in my 12hours and head home.  Back for some education and meetings tomorrow.  Then off most next week.  We have no big plans for the 4th next week.  Probably just a little BBQ with the family. 

Will leave you with a little layout I did a week or so ago. 

Papers:  Echo Park(for the Record)
Title cut on the Silhouette
Embellishments:  Jillibean soup(Pea Pod Parts-Chilled Cucumber Soup)
                           Rubon Butterflies-Chatterbox, MME
                           Giant Rhinestone-Glitz
                           Element Stickers- Echo Park (For the Record)
                        

Mr. C.

Little Cooper will be 10wks old later this week.  Last week he went for his 2 month check up.
He weighed in at a whopping 14lb-2oz and was 24 1/2 in. long.  He is like in the 94percentile for height and 87th for weight.  We grow them big here in Montana!!!!!  He is awake a lot more, taking in all his surroundings.  He coos when you talk or sing to him.  Chugging down 6-8oz. 
A few snaps I took of him last week.  He is here today, so I probably will get a few more when he wakes up from his nap. 

Creating Time

When one is cancelled from work and just on call, what does one do???  Catch up on the ironing pile, bake a chocolate-zuchinni cake and create.
It is a beautiful day out.  Warm, sunny with a little breeze.  Just how I like it. 

And here is what I created.

 A little close up of the stars.

Product used:
Paper-Authentique(Peaceful Collection-Warmth)
          Jilli Bean Soup(Soup Essentials 2-Navy Salt)
          MME(Collectable-Hello, Today)
                   (So Sophie-Family Ties)
          Oct. Afternoon(9-5 Italics)
          vellum quote
          Giraffe- Echo Park(Bundle of Joy)
          Stars from Pink Paislee-Artisan Chipboard
          And the stars were either misted or inked and then added stickles
          Letters- Doodle bug Design

Saturday.- Picture of the Week #25

It is a cloudy cool day here in Great Falls.  At least, we are not having the flooding that one of my favourite cities north of us in my home land is having.  The flooding in Calgary makes my heart ache!!!!!
I am going to share some pictures of the Lupine in my garden.  They are beautiful this year.  One thing that seems to flourish in my garden!

I am super tired today.  After working some shifts, minding the grandkids a couple of days and having some bug on Thursday evening, I am just wiped out.  Having a quiet day today.  No grass mowing, even though it needs it.  No cleaning.  No ironing.  Just a pamper Leslee day with peace and quiet.  I actually slept in until 8:30.  That never happens!!!!

Friday post--Happy Summer!!!

The calendar says summer is here.  Longest day of the year!!!!  4 years ago we were in Fairbanks, Alaska for this special day! 
But on this longest day of the year I spent it in Great Falls.  I was sick on Thursday night.  Glad I was better by the afternoon to watch all the munchkins.  All three of them.  Cooper was fussy, didn't want to nap.  And the other 2 played outside and then came in for a bit.  Had a little to eat and then headed over to take them to the pool.  Kirsten was working and Tim kept Cooper at home.
Curtis had a long day on the road.  Over to Lincoln and then up to Browning.  He says he put about 400 mi on the road!  No wonder he can't get much work done with all that driving!!!!!

Leaving you with a little crafty project I did for Caitlin for her birthday.  I can show you now her day is over and she has opened her presents up.

It is an altered frame.  I took the glass out and Curtis cut some metal mesh to put in the middle.  So she can use push pins or magnets with it.  I used Fancy pants Swagger to cover the wood.  And decorated it up and she loves it.  She already has it hanging in her room. 

Happy Birthday, Caitlin!

Today has been my baby's birthday.  She turned 23.  She is such a great young lady and I miss her so much.  She is smart.  She is sensitive.  She always adds a touch of spice to our lives.  And I am proud she is my daughter.  I hope she had a wonderful celebration today. 

Posting late as there have been storms all evening with thunder and lightening, thus the computer has been turned off.  Hopefully they are done for today.  I have been keeping myself busy.  I washed the wood floors in my scrap space.  I also mopped my other floors and vacuumed through.  Kirsten was here a couple of times.  I went to a meeting at work to find out our manager will be leaving at the end of July.  Uncertain times.  Curtis got home from the road.  And it rained hard, so I don't have to water the lawn. 

One little Challenge

One more scrapping challenge from Page maps.

Here is the page map:

 And here is what I came up with:

Product used:Paper- Echo Park( All About a Boy)
                                Fancy Pant ( My Family, Baby Mine)
Ebellishments: MME(Abbey Road)
                       Fancy Pants(Trend Setter)
Letter border and Title -Echo Park( For the Record 2 )

Yesterday was a long day- I worked my 12 hour shift and then headed to the pool with Kirsten and the kids.  Slightly pooped when I got home.  Today has been busy too.  I covered at work for someone from 8am - 10am.  Came home and watched Cooper until after lunch.  Then I headed back up to work to do some mandatory education and a short trip to the grocery store.  It will be back to the swimming pool after dinner. 

Happy Father's Day

Even though it was Father's Day, Curtis worked out back building the play set for the little ones.  Kirsten came over to help him move it to its final destination.  So that meant Nic got to try it out.  Still doesn't have the climbing wall or stairs up to it.  But he managed to climb up on his own, but then couldn't get down.  He also managed to lock my bathroom door and shut it so we couldn't get in.  I was cancelled from work and just on call.  Managed to mow the lawn again.  It is growing like crazy. 

Picture of the Week #24

This week I am posting a little visitor to my finch feeder I saw this past week.  I saw him twice in one day and nothing since and nothing before either.  Although I did see a couple of sparrow sitting on it the other day when it was raining.  They are very elusive and very quick to fly away. When I tried to get its photo in the morning he flew away when the screen door opened. 

Quiet Saturday around here.  Curtis has been building on the play set.  Me, running a couple of errands, getting a couple of gift bags ready to go.  I picked some rhubarb so I could make another strawberry- rhubarb crisp to take to work tomorrow and then they called to see if I would be on call for them.  Half an hour earlier I talked to them and I was working.  Whatever!!!!  Tended to my outside plants a bit. 

Its' Swim Time

for H&N.  For the next 3 weeks they will be in the pool at the high school!  It is the second year for Harlee and the first year for Nic.  They both love to be in the water, so they need to learn to swim. 
The couple of days have been very busy for this nana.  I headed back to work yesterday.  How sad---I have quite enjoyed just being at home.  I can hardly wait to truly retire. 

A Couple of Baby Pages

 Cooper is a few weeks old now and you haven't seen any baby pages.  What the heck???
I am doing his album project life style.  But I did actually do a couple of real scrapbook pages to put in it.  So without further ado.

Product used:  Papers from Fancy Pants Baby Mine collection
                        Title cut on Silhouette
                         Embellishment are from Making Memories Animal Crackers (these are old)

Product used:  Papers from Fancy Pants Park Bench collection
                                          Crate Paper Brook Collection
                        Embellishments-JilliBean Soup-Pee Pod Parts-Chilled cucumber soup
                                                American Craft Thickers
                                                 My Little Shoebox mini letters
                                                 Stash buttons
                                                  Heidi Swapp color Shine-Tropicana Teal
                                                 Hero Arts -Baby Footprints

 Today has been a busy Monday.  I am sure the rest of the week will be about the same.
Kirsten has sick kiddos at home, so she didn't go to work and I didn't have Cooper to watch over.  But I ran to the grocery store, ran to Walgreens for some requested items for Kirsten.  Dropped a few things off at the sick house.  Had a couple of other stops before I got home at lunch time.  Oh,yes, did the laundry.  Paid some bills and filed some away.
Tonight was the start of swim lessons for the little ones.  Kirsten took Nic and I sat home with the other two.  This is the first go round of swim lessons for Nic.  They are in the shallow end of the pool and he can touch bottom and still have his head above water.  I don't think the girls could believe he is still 4.  He is a giant!  Helped Kirsten get the kids to bed and came home and mowed the backyard.  I think I should be ready to work on Thursday, after today.  And court got canceled tomorrow, which makes me very happy!

A Little Building

has been going on this weekend.  We got the play set on Friday.  Saturday, Curtis spent most of his time counting the inventory to make sure everything was there.  3 big boxes completely filled with mostly wood and lots of screws.  300lbs worth!!!!!  He is slowly working on getting it together.  Big project. Good thing we have some extra deck space for building. More pictures when I get my card to download.

Slow start to my day.  Got my walk in.  Did some scrapbooking.  Got my ironing pile under control.  And then I went into work for a little over an hour.  There have been some computer changes while I have been recuperating.  Other employees managed to get a 4 hour class.  But one of the gals on today, is a super user, so she got me up to snuff on the changes.  A big thank you to her!

Picture of the week #23

Don't know what it is!  But it is pretty!  And it is blooming in my backyard! 

Has been a productive Saturday for me.  I finished planting all the flowers I am going to plant this year.  I got them all watered.  And I got some mulch put on the big garden out front.  I am trying hard to get it planted with perennials so I don't have to plant much up front.  Slowly it is happening.  I get excited to see what I have planted one year start to poke through the ground in the spring.
Curtis started to put the play set together.  But first he had to check out 3 boxes and makes sure everything was there.  I helped with the last box!!  The kids should be excited when it all gets done. 
Finished up a crafty project I am doing for Cait's birthday.  Can't post until after her big day on the 19th, because someone might peek!  
Now I am pooped after being outside most of the day. 

It's Official - it's summer vacation!

Yesterday was the last day of school for H&N.  It was a busy day for their nana.  Nic rode the Nana bus to school yesterday morning, while Papa tended to young Cooper.  He spent the day with us and spent quite a bit of it napping.  Nana had a headache that just wouldn't go away.  So it was OK that we spent a lot of time snuggling.  I picked up Harlee from School and got a snapshot of her and her teacher Mrs. Evans.  She taught her mum and auntie back in the day. 

Cooper is officially 7 weeks old and has those cute little chipmunk cheeks and not so tiny little toes!

The backyard finally got dried out after a couple days of warmer weather and sunshine!  And I got the flowers planted in the front planters.  So it should look a little summery out the front. 

Middle of the Week

Have had a busy day. 

Thought I was having Cooper here this morning.  But, as it turns out Nic didn't end up going to school today.  So the baby was home with his daddy this morning.  Kirsten stopped by later this afternoon and he seemed pretty good.  But, I guess he fell asleep on his ride home at dinner time. 
Got my walk in early.  Then Curtis and I headed out to Home Depot.  Got some plants and the tomatoes planted.  Other planters will get done in the morning.  We also got some hangers to put up bird feeders from the post Curtis put up the other day.  Stopped at the mall at the department store and I found some new shoes and a few more items.  Went to check out a camper for sale just down the street. 

Layout of Nic collecting eggs at Easter.  

Product used:Paper-Bella Blvd(Birthday Boy)
                               MME(Lil Robots)
                     Jilli Bean Soup journaling sprouts
                     Stash buttons
                     Title cut on silhouette
                     Hero Arts stamp -Thinking of You Messages

One More Challenge

I have completed one more layout for the anniversary and Page Maps. You had to convert an 11X 81/2 sketch to a 12X12 layout

Here is the sketch:

 And here is my take on the above sketch. 

Product used:Papers- Fancy Pants (Rough and Tough)
                                  Echo Park (Play Ground and For the Record 2)
                      Washi Tape
                       Smash Date Stamp
                      Title cut on Silhouette
                       The Love you was cut out of the middle of the Playground paper

The rain has finally stopped and it was a decent day.  Now it just needs to warm up a little.
I went for a hair cut today and she managed to fit Curtis in too.  We went out for lunch.  And then to the cheap movie.  The theater has  cheap prices on Tuesday afternoons from 4-5:30.  We went to see "Now You See Me"  Pretty good flick-entertaining, funny too!
Then I had a call from Kirsten to go and help her.  Nic was puking and the baby didn't want to lie down.  She needed another pair of hands.  But one good thing, Nic managed to survive the day at school.

The Start of a New Week

It has been another rainy, rainy day here.  And not very warm--not sure if we even reached 50F today.  Supposed to be up near 70. 
But I headed out in the rain this morning for my walk.  Was to Kirsten's by 0830 so I could help her take the plate of goodies up to the preschool.  Had Cooper with me for the morning.  Kirsten got another call from the preschool that Nic was misbehaving and she brought him over for me to watch too. 
Got the sheets on the bed changed.  Got my laundry done.  Got the bathrooms cleaned.  And I am pooped this evening.  Going to sit in front of the boob tube and veg!!!!!Made a yummy dinner.  Glad to have Curtis home this week and not be at work either. 

Leaving you with a couple of thank you cards I made over the weekend. 

 The iris stamp is  a Penny Black Stamp, the thankyou is a Stampin Up stamp, the Butterfly is a Memory Box stamp and the ledger is a Hero Arts stamp.  I was going to stamp the butterfly and colour it in.  But it looks so much better stamped in black on the orange paper.  Used Washi tape down the left side. 

This card I used a Savy die for the flower, and the stamp for the stems is a JosephineKimberling stamp for Impress.  The thank you is from an Inkadinkadoo set- Round Frames.  Used some bakers twine on this card.