Summer vacation

CHECK

 

We just got back from a week long vacation in Palm Springs...it was hot, like 105' degrees HOT but lucky for us there were pools in every corner of the resort or should I say lucky for my kids.

 

 

 

We were busy pretty much everyday but still had lots of down time, mostly at night.

 

My hubby needed a great break from work and he came home rested - thank you Jesus.

 

We took a trek/hike at the Indian Canyons springs...it was so hot and humid but once inside the springs it was nice and cool but barely any water - just enough to keep us cool...

 

 

Now to get back into the groove of getting things done around here.

 

In fact my little dude is starting school in 3 weeks. So the rest of the summer will be just me and the girls (pictured above) should be fun, and QUIET!!!!

 

Hope your summer is running smoothly and that you are keeping cool.

 

xo

tina

Happy Birthday to my little boy

This kid I swear at times will be the death of me...then there are days when  I think - "How Lucky I am that he is mine." then again a moment passes and he is telling me no! for the 100th time in 20 minutes. Then he runs up to me and says "Can I have a kiss?" {awwww}

Needless to say he is my youngest - he is the loudest, he is the most active and he is my last little boy (or baby for that matter) and my life wouldn't be the same without him. He has made it through 6 years of life and I have been there for every step and milestone and mishap (which has only been one...thank GOD) and I couldn't be prouder of him...

He keeps me young and gray :) and my life wouldn't be the same without him

 

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY SWEET BOY

MOMMY & DADDY LOVE YOU

Blogger Party 2013

I am all about connecting with other bloggers and meeting new people so I am participating in this years ULTIMATE BLOG PARTY - see side bar for link...

My name is Tina and I started this blog as a way to document and record some family time and some of my MANY crafting adventures. I was hoping to get to know some other like-minded bloggers out there and make myself present in this large but fabulous blog-o-sphere that is this community. Here is a bit about me:

I am an almost 43 year old girl

 

Who is married to her knight in shining armor

 

who is the mom to these guys

21, 12, 10, 5

 

 

I love to play with paper

 

and due to my crafting ADD - I play around with sewing, painting and making...lots of other "schtuff"

 

I hate cleaning house but do it occasionally - I don't have a clean home but I do have a happy home. That I know for sure.

 

Here's to making new friends - Have a great weekend.

 

xo

tina

 

 

 

 

 

Scrapbook catch up

I always take breaks from scrapbooking and then catch up in spurts. It never fails when I get started with my scrapbooking marathon - I am always reminded why I love it so much. I love to look back at photos of my kids and outings we have taken and document them for later viewing. I love it!

I wanted to share a few of the pages I got done recently (in one day actually :)

 

I have stacks of photos laying around that I KNEW I wanted to get made and put into my scrapbook

 

I am not starting from recent days - these are just photos that I LOVE

 

Scrapbooking has come a LONG way over the years. I love that there is NO

right way. Its what ever you like - and now-a-days not everything HAS to coordinate!

how fantastic is that?

 

 

 

Because I was playing with PROJECT LIFE last year I printed a bunch of photos in a 3 x 5 style

hence the reason I have these pages all using "smaller" photos

 

I love SCRAPBOOKING EMBELLISHMENTS!!! I hoard

 collect all kinds of bits and pieces and even make my own with scraps of paper. You can add them everywhere - from scrapbooking layouts to cards....and they add that special finishing touch!

 

another small collection I have is ALPHABET STICKERS- I have a bunch in lots of colors--again another staple - that can be used on so many different paper crafting projects.

 

I LOVE LOVE scrapbooking and think that whether you are doing project life or traditional scrapbooking or even digital scrapbooking - just do it - keep track - take the time to DOCUMENT your memories. I promise it may seem like work - may even seem like a waste of time - but your kids big or small will appreciate all the effort and will have fond memories seeing themselves on the pages and witnessing their growth and reliving those happy memories.

 

THAT'S A PROMISE

 

I am linking this up to the following parties:

 

MARKET YOURSELF MONDAY

CRAFT-O-MANIAC

LADY BUG BLESSINGS

 

 

 

HAPPY TUESDAY

 

 

 

Dear Blog o' mine

Please know that my intentions are always good. Please

know that if life were calmer I would be visiting you

everyday. However, life doesn't slow down. I can't

put one of the kids on the back burner. I can't make the laundry

wash itself. I can't make the kids fetch their own meals

and well I do need to get some sort of sleep at night.

But KNOW that if all that were some how mysteriously handled

I would be here with you daily. I would sit at my computer

and visit other bloggers, leave comments and scan pinterest all day long but of course that is not the case.

 

But what I have been up to has been celebrating my 13 year wedding anniversary with this guy {my LOVE}

 

 

and making Halloween inspired goodies...

 

{burlap wrappers for your votive candle holders}

 

Oh yeah and my pumpkins were featured over at

 

wait till your father gets home

check out the link on the left side....Yeah - boy that really brightens my day (my week actually).

 

Here's hoping my dear blog and the readers who do me the favor of visiting will come back soon and not give up on me...

 

have a great Friday -

xo 

weekend in pictures-instagram

this weekend was unbelievably busy. Friday I needed a pamper me day. I went with my sweet friend to get our nails done and decided to get in the spirit of the upcoming holiday. Aren't my nails fun?

Friday night me and the hubbs had a date night - we went out to eat then to a couple of local bars to check out the scene. What we figured out  - is that we are not even close to the right age to be in the clubs these days...Oh woah is me. I guess we belong in the biker bars with the old guys and their gals...

and finally on sunday I went with some friends to the lavendar festival in Cherry Valley. We had a lot of fun and spent most of the day there. Sure am glad I took my iphone with me...

here's hoping you had just as fun & busy a weekend and spent it with the ones you love.

xo

the one about the party

Oh wow - I am beat. The day was spent preparing the house for the party. We got it all done.
and here are some highlights of the party. First of all I had my oldest son dress up as Cat in the Hat minus the hat. Look how cute he looked...

 

I did change the color of the frame and the red color really made a difference. Great idea folks.

here is the birthday boy!

Oh and here is the cake it is my first attempt at making a cake and using fondant....

Oh my it was a real work of art and looked a bit caddy wampus...

here is the cake - in its true colors..Wow - there is a real art to making

cakes. Not an easy task. Kudos to cake makers. That hat at the top of the cake is made with paper clay and paint. BTW- I was told the cake was delish and the fondant was SUPER sweet.Yeah, mission accomplished.

Here are the table centerpieces I made. the flowers pots & the pin wheels are from the 99 cent store and I had the straws and I got the paper pieces from WANESSA CAROLINA CREATIONS * she has a bunch of stuff for a Seuss party (all print ables) & it was free....can't beat that...and just added them to some skewers...simple but festive centerpiece. Cute, right?

Well, gotta tell you that was a busy party and we had lots of kids and parents and family come, so overall it was quite a day my little boy won't soon forget.

I am linking this up to the following parties:

market yourself monday

craft-o-maniac

just something I whipped up

show and tell saturday

spotlight saturday

saturday 7

sew darn crafty

sunday scoop

saturday link & greet

have a relaxful sunday ya'll

the one about Party Preppin'

so not only did we have Father's Day to prepare for but I was packing for our vacation
(which we are happily on now - in Vegas) but our little boy is turning 5 on Friday, the day after we
get back, then Saturday (the day after that) we are having a birthday party for him...I know right?

crazyyyyy - so I thought I would share some of the things I have been doing to PREP for the party
see if you can guess the theme of the party...

don't these colors make you happy....I can hardly wait to show you the set up

I know my little guy is going to love this...

I brought the fabric with me on our vacation to get the cutting done...{hint, hint}

Oh my and I am planning to make the cake by hand and decorate for the first time

with fondant - RIDICULOUS right? over ambitious more like it.

Ok we'll see how it turns out...

Have a great week...

xo

Happy Father's Day

inspired by....local sugar Hawaii

Happy Fathers Day to my sweet hubbs, Brad. Being around your family today...

with people amazed that it has been 13 years and remembering our wedding day made thinking about my life with you come full force. On our drive home, I couldn't help thinking how lucky I am. How lucky

our kids are to have you as Daddy...

You are such a kidster. Never afraid to act silly with me and the kids. Sometimes it makes tense situations easier to get thru. Sometimes that silliness is what I need to get through a day. 

You are the parent that teaches our kids the important stuff like riding a bike, learning to swim and how to roll a bowling ball the proper way. You take them on the big rides at the park (no stomach for it), you play video games at Chuck E.CHeese (can't stand that), you take them to the outdoor potties (icky) and you clean up their upset stomach messes...(again, no stomach for it)

You carry the pink back pack on your back to lighten the load. You take long walks with us even after a long day at work. You eat all my meals (even though sometimes after dinner you tell me it was a bit dry or needed more salt), thanks for waiting.You help me with my craft projects. You help me re-arrange furniture ALL the TIME. You give me back rubs just because I ask.

You always make me feel pretty no matter how ugly I feel. You always lay your hand on my back at just the right time. You always make me feel comfortable when we are around people I don't know.

You always try hard to fit in with my friends and are easy to get along with.

You make us see the beauty in things we usually overlook. You have a fondness with the ocean

and try and instill that same love in our kids. Luckily they all love the water. And can spend hours in the pool or ocean...

I knew one day I would meet a guy who would love me with his whole heart and who I knew I would love back and not be so quick to leave when something bad happened. I knew true LOVE would help me grow up. And you did. I not only found a best friend in you but also a partner and my first truest LOVE. I love everything about you, even the things that drive me crazy but mostly, I love your hugs, your kisses, you kindness, your help, your compassion and your calmness. My life would not be same if you were not in it.

Thanks for giving me the most beautiful kids, the best life and your love.

I truly do love you, Big Papa

Have the best Father's Day and vacation.

I am linking this up to the following parties:

spotlight saturday

the saturday 7

saturday link & greet

much Love

tina