Open Book

@ Duffy's

2011-10-15T19:51:00.001-07:00

I love lazy Saturdays...long drives in the Camaro....relaxing with a glass of wine @ my favorite little road side gazebo stop..

...just me & Richie & the '68...life is good!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

because of you...

2011-10-13T20:34:00.000-07:00

I'm changed. I never met you and I never knew you, I didn't have to....just hearing about your untimely death made me painfully aware of how precious our days on earth really are. When I learned that you died of a heart attack in your 40's, it made me realize how stupid I've been in caring for my own heart. I'm one of those people that has normal weight, exercises, eats healthy...but regardless of how hard I try to live a healthy life, I still have high cholesterol. I've been in denial that it's a problem, I have refused to take medications for years!....until now. Because of you and your early death I went back to my Dr....got a prescription for Cholestoerol lowering meds and I take them...everyday. You might have saved my life Jeff Douglas...and even though I never met you, I love you...because in your death you are still touching lives and affecting people...just normal people like me. I won't ever forget you Jeff...your the man I never met that changed my way of thinking about how I care for my heart. You have changed me forever and for that I thank you. May you forever rest in peace and be held in God's loving arms.

JEFF DOUGLAS

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Jeff Douglas, born on September 29, 1961, passed away suddenly from a massive heart attack on Sunday, June 12, 2011. Those who knew Jeff saw him as the best kind of man; kind, loving, and generous. Jeff was inspired most by his wife, Cara and his three children, Hunter, Cooper and Bridget. He cherished every minute spent with them and his many dear friends and family. Jeff was a man of integrity. Jeff and Cara recently celebrated their 20th year together and enjoyed an amazing life. Their beautiful children loved and cherished their dad. Their love for life, wealth of friends and belief that "you can do anything" is a testament to his character. Born in Fresno, CA to wonderful parents, Don and Rosemarie, Jeff attended Bullard High School with his loving sister, Elisa Douglas- O´Neill, and then USC where he graduated with a degree in business administration. Jeff was an avid tennis player and downhill skier and spent many years as a member of Fig Garden Swim and Racket Club. These are legacies he shares with his children. Jeff and Cara farmed Fuji apples in the Cuyama Valley for the first seven years of their marriage. He then turned his career to commercial real estate and has worked for Colliers International as a partner and vice president for the past 14 years. Jeff was known as a man of his word. Recitation of the Holy Rosary will be held at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, on Thursday, June 16, 2011, at 10:00 a.m. followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m. Interment to follow at Belmont Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, please send remembrances for the Jeff Douglas Children´s Scholarship Fund: Payable to: Cara Douglas Educational Employer´s Credit Union Account:11637362, 2222 W. Shaw Avenue, Fresno, CA 93711, Ph: 559.437.7700 Condolences may be offered by visiting whitehurstsullivan.com WHITEHURST Sullivan, Burns & Blair Funeral Home 1525 E. Saginaw Way Fresno (559)227-4048

iPhone photography

2011-09-29T05:13:00.001-07:00

Its my go to camera....my iphone....i no longer carry a separate camera device.
The iPhone takes better photos that my old Olympus Digital..

Case in point: sunset on the Bluffs iPhone photo taken sept. 2011 ...I love...love this shot. Taken on the San Joaquin river bottom over looking the bluffs.

Location:Home

She's back!

2011-09-25T16:00:00.001-07:00

Just a slow Sunday around my house. I'm fighting a cold and staying close to home. Decided to update my banner & background. I'm liking it!

Yes...i deactivated my FaceBook account in hopes of channeling my energy into some new skills, hobbies and projects. We are in the beginning stages of major upgrades & remodeling the Mueller Bluff house. New kitchen, master bath, & flooring in our near future! Yes! A dream about to come true after years of wishing :)

With household changes and the changing seasons upon us i say, Good-bye sweet Summer...you ended all too soon for me this year. I promise to plan a vacay for next Summer and embrace you and live you to the hilt!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Hairy Conversation with Zak

2011-07-13T17:59:00.001-07:00

Mom:...Zak ...about your hair? It's getting awful long!

Zak: it's fine Mom...there are guys with hair way longer than mine...just be quiet about it.

Mom: Well it swoops to the side and it reminds me of Justin Bieber!

Zak: No Way! It's not even close...Justin Bieber's hair is way thicker and he can flip it over to the side....mine doesn't do that!

Mom: well you still remind me of Justin and I'm gonna call you "Bieber-licious"

Zak: O-M-G just stop!

Mom: I love you Bieber-licious and you're way cuter than him!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Home

Another DIY Frame

2011-07-03T09:33:00.001-07:00

I couldn't pass up this gorgeous wooden frame that I found at the thrift store for $3...lovely shade of mauve huh! Not!
BEFORE:

Here's how I updated it for my mantel....totally interchangeable for each holiday! Gotta love it!
AFTER:

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Let's Eat Cake

2011-07-02T19:32:00.001-07:00

It's my Birthday and we are going to celebrate!! I love July, not only because it's my birthday month, but because I love Summer!!

Macaroni Grill for dinner with Rich and the boys! Hey! No one is ordering off the kid menu anymore? That's a new thing since Zak turned 11 in April.

Happy July! Happy Summer!!

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Summer "Bathroom" Reads

2011-07-01T07:33:00.001-07:00

It's a commonly known fact, that when I potty trained my kids, I sat on the edge of the tub and read to them while they sat on the potty. It was a great way to get their inpatient minds off the sometimes long wait...and got them to appreciate time with a good book! To this day, my kids are both dedicated bathroom readers.....oh don't get me wrong, they read at other times of the day...but I find evidence in the bathroom of their current reads. I'm always interested to see what books make it to the bathroom...this is good stuff! Awesome boy stuff! I'm proud that they enjoy reading, even if somedays it's only in the bathroom...

Its no secret either that getting boys to read isn't always easy...I've been known to leave comic books and science guides in the bathroom drawer...and you know what? They get read!

What are you reading this Summer...either on the beach or um hem...in the bathroom? :)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Trash to Treasure

2011-06-29T08:51:00.001-07:00

I'm on a DIY kick with yard sale/trift store frames. I'll be sharing my creations as I get them completed. Here's the first little project. I got these frames for $1 each at a yard sale around the corner from my house. I painted the white frames black, the powder blue mats I painted soft white and added new pictures from Matthew's 13th birthday at Bass Lake. These will hang in his bedroom, that I swear I have been updating for a year! It's a work in progress for sure!

I added some handwriting at the bottom of each print, just to make it somewhat custom. I love these and you can't beat the price for new artwork at 1 buck each, plus the cost of the print (it's cut down to 9x8) and cost me about $2 ....very thrifty project to decorate for this teen guy!

Father's Day Gift

2011-06-18T07:18:00.001-07:00

Sharing this simple gift I made for Harry, my father-in-law. It's a simple little Father's Day gift that I put together using a container from Target, template download from Martha Stewart. Fun! Quick! Easy! The Chex Mix can be homemade, but I just got the big bag from Sam's Club :) Container was $14, Chex Mix $4 and template $0.

Have a great Father's Day weekend!

June Photos

2011-06-16T05:52:00.001-07:00

Taking pictures just for fun makes me happy. Thought I'd share some of my 30 Day Challenge pictures.

Day 1: Self-portrait:
Reen-June 2011 @ 47

Day 2: What you wore today:
My new Levi's and big Sunglasses from Ooh La La!

Day 3: something new
Rich's Weber-he's cooking! Yay!!

Day 4: something green
Zak goes fishing-a view out my front door

Day 5: from a high angle
Reen & Rich @ Eureka Burger!

Day 6: From a low angle
Lazy Lucky dog!

Day 7: Spring Flowers
One from Deb's yard

Day 8: a "bad" habit
My Morning Coffee-with JNI friends

Day 9: someone you love
Rosie-my sweet Aunt/God Mother

Day 10: Childhood Memory
Zak's sea turtle comes
Home from school-5th grade

Day 11: something blue
First Swim of Summer

Photos were all taken with my iPhone! Some of them will certainly make it to my Project Life album.

I have modified a few of these challenges to fit our everyday life and what we have going on in our days. You can find all the original challenges here;
http://whitepeachphoto.com/2011/05/25/photography_challenge/

Pull out your camera, cell phone, point & shoot...join in.

Thanks for visiting me.
Reen

Location:Fresno

Testing out Blogpress App

2011-06-15T03:42:00.001-07:00

Blog worthy? I don't know...if this app works I am golden! If it fails, then it may be another month before I update my crickets of a blog. I'm trying out the Blogpress app and it supposed to let you update AND post pictures to your blogger acct. from your iPhone? Let's ck it!

Random update: We had a nice family reunion over the weekend....I got to see my Aunt Rosie, my GodMother whom I hadn't seen in about ten yrs! Love her!! (this is just like texting on a keypad!...easy and I Am horizontal right now, since it's 3:55 and you can call me Ima Insomniac :)

Here is our picture taken at my sister's house in Dos Palos. I think she may move back to Cali from Texas. I hope so, then I'd get to see her more often.
We all need our God Mothers!
(simple to add a picture, just touch the little camera icon and my iPhone pics come up)

Whoa! This app actually works! It's amazing! I can update and share pictures straight from the iPhone.....and the best part! I'm still laying in bed! Love :)

Thanks for visiting me!

Posted using BlogPress from Reenie's iPhone :)

Location:My Bed :)

Playing with Photos and Preserving Memories

2011-04-03T19:25:00.000-07:00

Here's my latestest update:

Project Life Feb/March 2011

Thanks for visiting me :)

Showing our Teacher some Appreciation.....

2011-02-27T11:31:00.000-08:00

Zak's 5th grade teacher is Mrs. Caeton. She's been teaching for 33 years and doesn't seem to be showing any signs of backing down soon. She is amazing and has helped my Zak reach his maximum potential as a student this year. She recommended him for GATE, which he sincerely LOVES and enjoys. She's taken him aside when he slips back and trys to find the easy route to finishing a project. She encourages him to do the work and to stay on track. She's tough, but I have trusted her to help him learn the lessons he needs to become a successful young man. In short, she is incredible! How do you thank a woman for being incredible, patient, kind, firm, strict and loving with your child? I don't know, but I hope just a little sign of my appreciation goes a long way to somehow letting her know she's loved.

I do love teachers! I think they are amazing, wonderful, and some of the most giving people on earth! I have many, many teachers to thank for helping be become the person I am today. I like to take time out of my busy schedule every year and thank the kids teachers. This year is no different, I took the time yesterday to make some simple bookmarks and to package up a little goodie for Zak's Teacher/5th grade class.

Just thought I'd share my little gift that I put together with my blogger friends. Now go show your favorite teachers some love! :)

Project Life 2011

2011-02-20T09:11:00.000-08:00

I'm sharing some of my pages from the Project Life kit that I started in January. It's a fun way to document the special moments, the everyday memories, and the times we share with friends and family. In January I didn't have too many photos, it was a hectic first month of the year so I used a few of our holiday shots to fill in. I kept the first month simple since I was just trying to figure out how to get it all organized.

Now I have it setup and keep it out on the table to work on each week.

In February, I am starting to incorporate some of my own scrapbooking stash and using the embellishments and papers that I have on hand. It's been fun to document the year in progress.

I'm Living in the moment and capturing the best and the mundane of it...I love it! Someday I'll look back on this Project and be taken to this special time and place in life when my boys were little, just 10 and 12.

January - filling in with some holiday memoies, incorporating my "one little word = JOY"

Capturing school sporting events, science fair projects night.

Family day in Dos Palos - those are the fabulous, famous tamales!

Concert - Reba and George Strait

Girls day out - everyday stuff: laundry, treats, etc.

Starting to incorporate my own stash and memorabilia

I keep a stash of journaling cards in my car and in my purse. When I have a few minutes, I take note of life's details.

Using the numbers that came with the kit makes documenting the photo memories simple

Thanks for visiting me, I hope you're inspired to document your life and to leave a legacy for your own children. You won't ever regret doing it :)
reen

1/52 Photography Challenge - Self Portrait

2011-01-18T04:55:00.000-08:00

I'm joining Krista Lund and her fabulous photography friends in a little challenge this year. One Photog challenge per week all year long. This is number 1 of 52

Reen 1.17.11 - taken w/ iphone4

it's a new day..

2011-01-16T07:16:00.000-08:00

The holidays are such a blur and they flew by so very quickly. It was a simple Christmas this year, with very few gifts. Refusing to get caught up in the crazy madness that the holidays can become, I skipped a number of pot lucks and parties to regroup and enjoy the time with the kids. They always make my season brighter! This is a photo of my family on Christmas Eve at my in-laws. (Notice that cute 20 yr. old neice of mine?...that's Elise Irene!...she's the light of my life, as are my boys!) (Also notice those cute cutains at my mother in-laws house, with the matching table cloth?.....I made those for her, aren't they fab?)...

The New Year is upon us and our weekends consist of football, football, and more football. I manage to do a little crafting during some of the games. Here's a photo of the new Valentine banner I made during the Auburn/Oregon game. Everything on the banner came from my stash of supplies. Sending my love to you all as we head into February.

Sketch iphone photo using photoshop express app:
For my love of journaling, photography, and memory keeping, I'll be working on Project Life this year. I still love the idea of leaving a legacy, leaving a footprint for my kids to know a little about me and a lot about their childhood. Join me in this journey, I'll be posting a monthly update reminder. If you want to learn more go here:
http://www.beckyhiggins.com/products/

We are back to the routine of school, work, sports, homework and projects. Before we get to busy....Thanks for visiting me. I'm wishing you and your family a blessed New Year in 2011.

I love you friends.

Flashback Friday

2010-12-10T06:21:00.000-08:00

This was taken at the end of 2000 ....It's one of my favorite photos of my boys as babies

Christmas Crafting

2010-12-06T09:15:00.000-08:00

I made these little treats for friends and co-workers. Here's the link to the download if you'd like to make them for your friends too.

http://iloveitallwithmonikawright.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2010-11-23T07%3A00%3A00-05%3A00&max-results=5

Thanks for visiting me and happy holidays!

Little Scrapbook for 2011

2010-12-03T06:25:00.000-08:00

I made this yesterday afternoon. Totally fun mini album kit by Mellie. All I have to do is add photos from each month and by year-end I'll have a snapshot of "Our Family 2011".

First Day of School

2010-08-25T05:21:00.000-07:00

Matthew is in Jr. High this year. First pimples, first laptop and a whole bunch of new friends at this school. He's 12 and says he has NO interest in girls and it's fine with me if he keeps it that way until he's 20.

Zak is 10 and starting 5th grade. The boys are at different schools this year and won't be together again until high school. Zak is taking up the drums this year and wants to play football and wrestle.

I'm hoping for one great school year! Fewer days in detention that last year and lots of good grades.

Happy 2010/2011 school year

April is Birthday Month

2010-04-25T15:33:00.000-07:00

Zachary is 10 this Month. We celebrated his birthday with a Fun Time at Cal Skate!! Zak invited a few friends from School, Summer Camp, and our old neighbors. We all had a great time and everyone (even Richie) got on rollerskates that day.
It was a fun way to celebrate Zak!

Matthew turns 12 on 4/26, we celebrated his birthday at Boomers this weekend. The boys had a great time on the cars, bumper boats and playing mini golf and video games. We took Matthew out for dinner afterwards, to Marie Callendars, then had ice cream cake for dessert here at home. I love family parties and I'm happy that he wanted to keep it small and low key this year. We all enjoyed the day of celebration! It was a fun time for the 4 of us.

I'm the Lucky one!

2010-02-27T07:13:00.000-08:00

I used to tell people that, "I'm not much of a dog person". That is until this little sweet creature came into my life. He's the dog that turned me into a "dog person". My life is richer, fuller, happier since he came into my heart. I cherish this loyal doggy, he makes me feel like the lucky one!

Lucky is now about 5 months old. He's great with my kids, sleeps next to Richard (who initially said, "getting this dog is the worst decision you've ever made"!) and loves to take walks. He also loves to interrupt my computer time to kiss my cheek and beg for treats! His favorite place to be is on someone's lap or in a sunny corner of the backyard. Lucky is a great family pet, we adore him!

Welcome Spring (soon after this rain I hope!)....happy Month of March!!

2010-02-14T20:16:00.000-08:00

150 Things To Do In A Lifetime

A fun list of 150 things to do in a lifetime sent to me by a friend. The actual stories behind some of these things are pretty funny! ... My “yes” answers are BOLD.

Bought everyone in the bar a drink
Swam with dolphins
Climbed a mountain
Driven a Ferrari
Been inside the Great Pyramid
Held a tarantula
Taken a candlelit bath with someone
Said “I love you” and meant it
Hugged a tree
Bungee jumped
Visited Paris
Watched a lightning storm at sea
Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
Seen the Northern Lights
Gone to a huge, nationally televised sporting event.
Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
Grown and eaten your own vegetables
Touched an iceberg
Slept under the stars
Changed a baby’s diapers
Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
Watched a meteor shower
Gotten drunk on champagne
Given more than you can afford to charity
Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
Had a food fight
Bet on a winning horse
Asked out a stranger
Had a snowball fight
Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
Held a lamb
Seen a total solar eclipse
Ridden a roller coaster
Hit a home run
Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
Adopted an accent for an entire day
Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
Had two hard drives for your computer
Visited all 50 states
Taken care of someone who was heavily inebriated
Had an amazing friend (and lost her/him)
Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
Watched wild whales
Stolen a sign
Backpacked in Europe
Taken a road-trip
Gone rock climbing
Midnight walk on the beach
Gone sky diving
Visited Ireland
Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love
In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them
Visited Japan
Milked a cow
Alphabetized your CDs
Pretended to be a superhero
Sung karaoke
Lounged around in bed all day
Posed nude in front of strangers
Gone scuba diving
Kissed in the rain
Played in the mud
Played in the rain
Gone to a drive-in theater
Visited the Great Wall of China
Started a business
Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
Toured ancient sites
Taken a martial arts class
Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
Gotten married
Been in a movie
Crashed a party
Gone without food for 5 days
Made cookies from scratch
Won first prize in a costume contest
Ridden a gondola in Venice
Gotten a tattoo
Rafted the Snake River
Been on television news programs as an expert
Got flowers for no reason
Performed on stage
Been to Las Vegas
Recorded music
Eaten shark
Eaten fugu (pufferfish)
Had a one-night stand
Gone to Thailand
Bought a house
Been in a combat zone
Buried one/both of your parents
Been on a cruise ship
Spoken more than one language fluently
Performed in Rocky Horror Picture Show
Raised children
Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking
Had plastic surgery
Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived
Wrote articles for a large publication
Lost over 100 pounds
Held someone while they were having a flashback
Piloted an airplane
Petted a stingray
Broken someone’s heart
Ridden a bike
Won money on a T.V. game show
Broken a bone
Gone on an African photo safari
Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced
Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
Ridden a horse
Had surgery
Had a snake as a pet
Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
Visited all 7 continents
Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
Eaten kangaroo meat
Eaten sushi
Had your picture in the newspaper
Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
Gone back to school
Parasailed
Touched a cockroach
Eaten fried green tomatoes
Read The Iliad and The Odyssey
Selected one important author who you missed in school, and read
Killed and prepared an animal for eating
Skipped all your school reunions
Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
Been elected to public office
Written your own computer language
Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
Had to put someone you love into hospice care
Built your own PC from parts
Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
Had a booth at a street fair
Dyed your hair
Been a DJ
Shaved your head
Caused a car accident
Saved someone’s life
Given birth to a child

Saturday Morning...

2010-02-06T18:17:00.000-08:00

Zak (almost 10) and his puppy Lucky and me......cuddled up on the couch, so cozy and watching cartoons together. It's a typical way we start our Saturday, it's love to me. I will remember these mornings for the rest of my life. They are filled with sweetness, little boy childhood moments. Just us.

Happy Hearts Month!

Snow Play Day - January 9

2010-01-19T04:51:00.000-08:00

We got up to Fish Camp for a little snow play day and took our dog with us. It was a fun family day. We came back to Bass Lake, built a fire, made a few burgers and smores....a great time spent at the cabin, just the 4 of us (plus the doggie).

Sleepless nights

2009-12-31T03:13:00.000-08:00

I sit and wonder
toss and turn
and think of you
sleepless minutes that
turn to hours
of wondering
what to think
of you
over and over
I ponder
on and on
about how much
to say
when to stop
and when to
turn everything
toss everything
long hours
I find one second
becomes forever
in my thoughts
between the lines
I find peace
love
solitude
I crave you
I long for 10 yrs from now for
6 months from now
over and again
I wonder
if you crave
and read
between the lines
my story
begins
with you
me
us
all of us
and no more
sleepless nights
alone.

A favorite poem from the journal of 2009 by reen 6/11/09

2009-12-28T14:08:00.000-08:00

His Eyes

If I ever had a rock to keep me steady,

it is you.

If I ever had a light,

it shined brighter around you.

If I ever felt loved,

it was near you.

If I ever wanted to be held,

it was by you.

If I ever dreamed of loving eyes,

they were yours.

Staring into my soul.

"Twas the Night Before Christmas.....

2009-12-27T07:57:00.001-08:00

....and all through the house".....little boys were stirring and excited for Santa..

December Daily

2009-12-16T06:33:00.000-08:00

12/13 Cookie Swap at Lisa's and Cruising around to see the lights
12/14 Doggie Shots, Lunch with the Girls
12/15 Checking the list - still need wrapping paper
12/16 attempt a photo shoot with the boys for the Christmas Card...these should really be out the door by now!

December daily

2009-12-12T20:24:00.000-08:00

12/6-HillCrest Christmas tree farm
12/7-Matthew's Christmas concert at Clovis North
12/8-wish list - xbox 360 elite
12/9-visit from So Dakota cousin Kevin..trimming the tree...Jen's open house/jewlery party
12/10-shopping and getting it all done in one day
12/11-sweet zak fights a winter
cold..matts sleepover...pizza night with family
12/12-haircuts, red robin, game stop

December Daily

2009-11-30T11:15:00.001-08:00

I'm keeping a few pictures and notes for my December Daily 2009 Album. It's coming together and I know that posting an update on my blog is a great way to track the happenings of each day in December. It flies by all too quickly and I really want to remember this time, it's precious to look back .....I truly treasure the holiday season.

On the 1st day of Christmas my Tru love gave to me....Kelly Clarkson Tickets...a suite seat with friends....and beautiful music to remember the season!

On the 2nd day of Christmas my Tru Love gave to me.....My sweet friends at work that I adore! and a great part-time job for which I'm so thankful!

On the 3rd day of Christmas my tru love gave to me.....The heart to volunteer in physician recruitment. To help a friend, to help the hospital bring in great new Drs., to help the Children of our Valley that need the best care.

On the 4th Day of Christmas my tru love gave to me....My big Sister's Birthday! and a chance meeting with my Aunt Hopie, Berta and her girls. The hope in my heart for Rissa and many prayers for her good health. My Matthew and his Lucky dog...and an afternoon visit to PetSmart.

On the 5th Day of Christmas my tru love gave to me.....Motorcylces on Ice Tickets and a suite full of 9 kids, friends and snacks, and an ice cream sundae bar! I love Jen and Steve!

On the 6th Day of Christmas my tru love gave to me.....sweet Sunday morning with my boy and a little doggy!

stay turned for more updates from Dec.
Thanks for visiting me :)
reen

Boo! and a Happy Halloween

2009-11-03T05:41:00.000-08:00

We had a safe and insane Halloween. The kids have way too much candy on their hands right now and I've been sneeking my fair share!

Me and My Matthew in one of our Halloween Self-Portrait moments. I love our self-portraits that we do together. They are always so fun, Matthew really enjoys it. I'm so happy he's such a good sport, rarely will he refuse a self-portrait moment with Mom.

My little phantoms! Matthew's "last year of trick or treating". He says he'll stay home and scare the little ones next year and hand out the candy. Only time will tell. *sigh* growing up so fast!

My unknown phantam :)

Happy November and a Happy Fall season to you my friends. Thanks for visiting me!
reen

Finding Balance

2009-10-01T17:54:00.000-07:00

I'm back to working part-time again. I'm in the midst of finding a balance between work, home, kids, family. It's better to have more time for these two sweet boys. They are much happier when we're together, when they can be home after school with me.

Matthew is in the 6th grade and playing the trumpet for his second year. Zachary is testing for the Gate program next week and will join the school's Wrestling team once their season starts. They are doing great adjusting to being back in school.

I've found a little time for my photog and scrapping hobbies. I'm enjoying having "me" time again while they are in school to create. I'll add these little layouts to their scrapbooks this week. Some are inspired by magazine layouts, most are my own creations.

I've also found time to Volunteer at Children's Hospital. I have to say that it's one of the most rewarding uses of my time. I only Volunteer one day a week, but I look forward to it each time.

Finding balance in life...again

My first Blog post from the iPhone

2009-08-30T19:29:00.000-07:00

This was another typical kinda relaxing..kinda boring Sunday. The best part about today was Chinese take out and a visit to inlaws. Kids are to bed early tonight as school is back in full swing. They enjoyed a little boy hike to the river, nerf guns included (to ward off any houdlems).

Looking forward to a busy week ahead.

Oh shoot....blogger does not yet have the capability to let you upload iPhone photos....an enhancement I need to request.

Happy Sunday! I'll be staying up to watch MadMen tonight :) one of my favorite shows.

Have a great week!
Reen

Last Weekend of Summer

2009-08-26T05:40:00.000-07:00

Hi Friends,

Gosh it's been a busy summer and once again, my blog was sadly neglected. So sorry blogger friends and little blog.

I have missed my hobbies and doing the things I really enjoy during my leisure time. Updating this blog is just one of those things that I had to push aside due to other priorities. Mainly, work. I worked full time from May to August, filling in on the job share at Children's Hospital, while Brooke delivered a heatlhy little baby boy named Luke! I was happy to fill in and really got used to the routine of being at work everyday. Honestly, I miss it now that I'm back to part-time! I guess it is kind of nice to have some balance in my life again though. I'm blessed and thankful for my job and for this time I can be home as well.

My kiddows were troopers and ended up at a day camp for most of the 10 weeks they were off from school. They never once complained and rather enjoyed being with their "summer friends". They got to take a lot of outings to the waterpark, summer movies, archades. They loved it!

The kids are back to school now and I thought I'd take a moment to share some photos of our last weekend of summer at the lake!

I hope this post finds you and your family doing well.

Thanks for visiting me,
reen

Taking time for a Summer Hike above Bass Lake - Way of the Mono Trail is a short 30 minute hike above the lake. It's short enough for small kids and educational too. It has stops along the way with signs that detail the types of trees in the area. It also gives accounts of the Indian Life that once lived along the basin floor of what is now Bass Lake.

At the top of the Trail you can find a most gorgeous view of Bass Lake. This was taken at around 8:00 in the morning, so it was still a little bit dark and the sun was just rising over the lake. Gorgeous to watch!

A great trail to use for introducing kids to hiking. It's short enough that they don't lose interest. Long enough for them to learn about nature along the way. And pretty enough to make them want to go back again.

Our home away from home at the lake.

Disneyland - Calif. Summer Vacation '09 Day 1

2009-07-18T18:06:00.001-07:00

Are we there yet???? Are we there yet????

4th of July @ Bass Lake with the Tadlocks

2009-07-14T06:16:00.000-07:00

I so love our friends! We had so much fun with all 6 of our kids together. Good food, swimming, staying up and playing movie trivia. Thanks for the great July memories and thanks for the cake!

Matthew & Me

2009-06-14T19:30:00.000-07:00

He's 11 now and it's a gawky age. He wants to know about puberty, sex, and even wants his own email address. Yet he still asks to be driven all the way across town to bum around at Toys R Us. It's a sweet moment in time, caught between becoming a teen and wanting to stay a little boy. I don't always know how to respond to the growing teen, but I do know how to love that sweet little boyish side. I guess I try to come from a place of love and understanding, no matter if he's carrying a stuffed animal one day or asking for a cell phone the next. He's still my little man and still love our walks together, I cherish those times when we can be together...just talking.
My Matthew....Growing all too fast!

Photos from San Joaquin River walk - Spring '09

What's been happening with Zak man?

2009-05-26T06:20:00.000-07:00

Here's my long lost catch up post....it might take me a day or two to catch up so bare with me as I retrace my steps over the last few weeks/days :) This post is all about my little Zak man an what he's doing to keep me busy.....

April - 13, tiny man turned 9 this year! He was a total sweetheart and wanted an Easter Egg hunt for his birthday. That was an easy request to accommodate, we just combined our family Easter and Zak's party, hid a few eggs, wrapped a few gifts. Simple. He could not have been happier!

Photo: Zak (w/ new tennis racket still wrapped) Matthew, and cousin chad at Grandma Helen's for Easter/9th Birthday Party

Zak has taken up Freestyle Wrestling this year and gets plenty of exercise two nights a week. These are photos of him pinning his younger friend. It's all about strentgh and having fun! Although he's had his moments of wanting to quit, especially after pinning the "heavy weight", he's stuck with the sport all season. He finishes this week with a tounament, potluck, and swim party. He's had a really great season overall and has learned something about "not giving up" and "commitment". All good!

Zak at his 3grade Star Spangled Spring Concert. The most darling little "Yankee Doodle" performance, complete with hand gestures. I love his age and my little 9 year old Zak!

Trash to Treasure....

2009-04-09T15:32:00.000-07:00

The $6 Estate Sale find....a little bit trashy...

From dirty and unwanted...

To Treasure! A new lampshade from Target and it's like new again! A great find for my bedside table.

I do love yard sales/estate sales. I hardly ever find real treasures, but this sure turned out to be one of my favorite deals.
Have a wonderful day!

Self-Portrait Sunday and a Scrapbook Page

2009-03-15T16:54:00.000-07:00

Today was a day to stop and pause and realize how quickly my babies have turned into little boys. I'm sure that I'll blink my eyes and they'll be teenagers. Today, I just cherished them and stopped to remember how much they've grown, and how much they've helped me grow as a person.

Then & Now

Self-Portrait, Reen at 45

Reflecting on the years and embracing what is now and what is to come. Thankful heart.

Thanks for visiting me, have a wonderful day!

One Word.....Gratitude!

2009-02-26T06:24:00.001-08:00

Finishing Touches - Bathroom Remodel

2009-02-25T15:38:00.000-08:00

The remodel wouldn't be complete without some framed memories of the old bathroom. The kids are so embarrased to have these hanging up on their bathroom walls, so that means I've been a complete success, right?! They will remain until I get at least one "awe...how sweet" out of one of their teenage girlfriends someday ;)

This is the one and only smelly boy stuff I can get the kids to use! It rocks! Any deoderant that I can get boys to use rocks in my book!

Project complete.
Next project will either be a new master bathroom, new flooring throughout, or a new roof. Take your pick, they all need to be done eventually. We just need to get a few bids and agree on what we can handle both financially and dust-wise! ha!

Bathroom Remodel - After Pics

2009-02-18T05:01:00.000-08:00

Sharing a few photos of our bathroom remodel. We're totally thrilled with the results!!

I'm using my new favorite color combination for the towels: burgandy and chocolate brown. I love these colors together right now.

I will need a couple of towel bars hung and some do-dads on the wall (my handyman is just a little hard to motivate right now as he's fighting a cold, so I'm cutting him some slack ;) ....anyway, those details will come together over the next week or so, could not wait to share. So here they are:

I could not be happier to be rid of that rusted old sink and that 80's tile!

Bathroom Remodel Jan. '09 Project Restoration

2009-02-16T04:03:00.000-08:00

The remodel of the our front bathroom was completed by Abby Flooring and Design in Fresno. Thank you to Pamela, our designer that helped us really get the project moving. She was awesome to work with and not only turned out to be a great designer, but a really nice friend too. It took the Abby team about two weeks to complete. And we've also taken a few weeks to add the finishing coat of paint and accessories.

What was old, outdated, worn out is no more! The day the bathroom was gutted was one of the happiest days in my life! We ripped out all the shower tile, counter top, linoleum flooring. Basically everything in the old bathroom was demolished. The almond colored tub, toilet, rusted sink were all pulled out and hauled away. Basically, we started this project from cement floor and studs on the wall. The only thing we did keep was the cabinet. It was still in really great shape and can serve us well for another 10 years.

We purchased all new Koehler tub, toilet, and sink products in white. We decided on brushed nickel faucets by Price Phister. The border tile is travertine with accents of amber glass. The counter top is a hand picked slab of granite, natural stone. The wall and floor tile is low maintenance ceramic that once grouted, looks more like travertine natural stone, than a ceramic.

Lovely "After" Photos to come......stay tuned...

My Ugly 80's Bathroom - Before Shots

2009-02-15T16:41:00.001-08:00

We started out the New Year with a bathroom transformation that took several weeks to complete. We are stil in the process of putting some finishing touches in place; towel bars, pictures, and accessories. I thought I'd take the time to show how far we've come and to get an appreciation for it, you really must see where we started.

These are the before shots of our bathroom renovation. Not Pretty! As you can see, I really tried to make this tile work, it was fine for a few years while the kids were tiny.....but we finally decided that this job was long, long over due.

I nearly cried tears of joy the day this room was demo'ed!

Special Thanks to Abby Flooring and Design Center in Fresno for all of their dedication and hard work on the job.

Stay turned....more work in process and after photos to come soon.

You have to love a handmade card!

2009-02-14T07:10:00.001-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day! I'm sure my kids will figure out how to use this new gadget waaaaaaaaaay before i do!

Love you hunny!

Happy Hearts Day!

2009-02-13T06:00:00.000-08:00

love,
reen

Random Things to Love

2009-01-20T05:21:00.000-08:00

Conversations with a friend

Being comfortable enough with someone you love, to sit in total silence

A wink

A smile

Jr. Mints

Gift Cards burning a hole in your pocket

Surprise gift from a new friend

Quiet mornings

Reading conversations hearts and finding a new phrase

Butterfly kisses with a tiny boy that giggles back

Sitting outside and soaking up the sun

fuzzy socks

Starbux passion fruit iced teas

and You

Christmas Recipe Swap Book

2009-01-13T05:06:00.000-08:00

Thanks to many friends at Scrapvillage.com, I received 20 Christmas recipes for a recent swap. This is a very small sample of the book.

Thanks for visiting me :) Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

2009-01-02T01:54:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to all of my blogging friends out there! I'm wishing you all a very blessed year in 2009! My resolution for 2009? Take more photos!......it's my passion, it makes me happy and it sure won't be hard to keep.

Sharing a few of my favorite photos of 2008.

Ho Ho Ho!! Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T08:54:00.001-08:00

Love Santa!

Thank you Mellie

2008-12-24T15:07:00.000-08:00

Thank you for all my sweet Christmas surprises. I love them all! Thank you! (not pictured...home baked cookies that were gone w/in the first 24 hours :))

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Signs of Christmas all Around!

2008-12-21T21:33:00.000-08:00

Enjoying the season and hope you are too!
Merry Christmas
reen

White Christmas...well sorta?!!

2008-12-15T13:52:00.000-08:00

Only is Cali does it hail and/or snow for 2 minutes like once every 10 years! It's about as much of the white stuff as we'll see this winter.

Happy Christmas everyone

tag book '09

2008-12-07T09:48:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd share the simple tag book that I made at my crop on Friday night. I used some free CathyZ tags..... these are ready for a fave photo-a-month to document "our original story" for the New Year!

Children's Thanksgiving Artwork ....and weekend Layouts

2008-11-23T16:56:00.000-08:00

Centerpiece by Zak - 3rd grader

Dedicated to Random....Journaling: Indian Summer stay in my heart forever!

In memory of my best friend Kelly - July 7, 1963 - June 13, 1997
Journaling: One of these days we will sit across from each other and fill in all those blank spaces.

I made the background paper using journaling stamps. Inspired by one of my many blog stops.

Thanksgiving blessings to you and your family!!

Christmas Album - December '08

2008-11-17T18:44:00.000-08:00

My Ali inspired project - thanks for visiting me!

Stories in Hand

2008-11-11T09:03:00.000-08:00

Here's the album that I'm creating from the Free online class at JessicaSprague.com.

Documenting, writing, saving little stories about family, self, spouse and children. What could be more inspriring? Possibly one of the best ways to leave behind the stories for future generations.

30 for November Kickoff!

2008-11-09T18:05:00.000-08:00

I'm taking part in a new challenge to complete 30 layouts in the month of November. It seems like a very tall order and I may not make it, but it just seemed like a lot of fun to try. I have so many photos and projects that need to be completed, that I thought this would be a good way to motivate me to get some things finished.

Here are the first of many layouts to come in the month of November. Stay tuned for lots more! If you're interested in joining the fun, here's the link to the challenge.

http://www.scrapvillage.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=25019

This first layout I made using the photos that Suzelle sent me in the mail, also some cute chippy flowers that she gave me too. Thanks Suz! I think it turned out real cute! I sure loved it when Christie came to Fresno to visit us and we spent the day shopping and chatting. That was so much fun!!

The is a 6x6 layout for my "I Love Life" book and it goes perfectly into my "friends" section. Christie...you are a doll and I so loved hanging out with you. We must get together again real soon!

This layout was made using a freebie download from Heidi Swapps blog. The paper and the embellishment was printed off on my laser printer. I'm officially entering the hybrid scrapping world!! I loved this photo of the family from last Thanksgiving and decided that I would scrap it again and display it on the mantel this November.

A current layout for my "Halloween through the Years" book. Zak in his shining armour and Matthew as the ghost from Scream. I wonder how many more layouts I'll be able to add to this sweet book, before the kids decide they no longer want to trick or treat. I hope I have at least a couple more years!

My October entry for the "8 on the 8th" Album. This little book is the one that Susan and I have been creating all year long. We scrap 8 of our favorite photos each month of the year. Wow! what a treasure it is becoming. I will post the book early in the New Year in its entirety. This has to be one of my favorite 2 page spreads.

It was a challenge to coordinate beach wedding photos, with pumpkins, and Halloween. The Providence line, proved to be a work horse line yet again. One of my all time favorite paper lines from Scenic Route. I will definitely be doing this type of album in '09.

A few very simple photo cards to drop in the mail for those long distance "Happy Thanksgiving" greetings.

If you're still with me after all these creations...thank you for visiting me.
Have a beautiful November!

reenie

Total Happiness

2008-11-04T08:53:00.000-08:00

A kid on a swing....pretty much as happy as it gets!

Total Happiness....quiet, Fall, crisp breezy day!

Have a great day!

The best of October

2008-11-02T05:11:00.000-08:00

I love the fall days of October and they just seem to vanish at the speed of light! I just wanted to take a sec to reflect on a few of my favorite things about Oct.

I love Saturday afternoon drives in Oct. that magically turn into fun Saturday nights! This LO is a memory of one of our drives....

Only in Oct. can you find a Cheesy little Pumpkin Patch on a random corner, complete w/ bouncy slide. Who could resist that? Have you ever stopped at a Punkin Patch at night time? Oh gosh it's just fun! We had the best time picking out giant pumpkins for this years jack-o-lanterns!!

I love the lake and mountains in October:

My favorite day in Oct. has to be Halloween! My two goblins are the Knight in Shining Armour and the Scream Ghost!

Layout overload!

2008-10-19T10:39:00.000-07:00

Just a little late night and early morning scrapping happening here this weekend. Thought I'd share a few layouts with friends.

"The things i love about you"....me & Suz....We had a good laugh about this journal tag when I threatened to leave it blank! I felt so mean when I tried to do it! LOL! just didn't have the heart to....he can be really sweet when he tries ;)

How quickly they grow! He's even bigger than the "now" photo! (it's an '06 school photo that I love because of those missing front teeth....I just HAD to use it)

He's the one that loves every single sport he tries! I just loved this little "bobble head" photo of him :)

Summer in San Diego!

Summer in LegoLand in Carlsbad!

Hope you are having a great weekend! We sure are loving it. Thanks for visiting me.
reen

October 18th....Meeting Christie - Girls day Out!

2008-10-18T16:21:00.001-07:00

Today!

I love these girls!!

Christie, "The Garlic Queen"...I so love you girl!

This long awaited day finally came when I got to meet Christie. I loved her the second I saw her, just like I knew I would. She's as sweet as candy! As cute as a flower!

Christie, thank you for making my day today. Thank you for driving all the way from Gilroy to Fresno and then back again to meet me and Suz and Tracy. I'll always remember this day and meeting you.

Suz and Tracy, it was so fun to see you again and laugh with you and hang with you. Really, I'm serious about reviving the crop night.

A Week in Our Life - Sharing Project Album

2008-10-14T19:41:00.000-07:00

Title Page - created with the patterned papers that are used in the album.

Living for Today - Journaling page for each day of the week, kept this simple with one strip of patterned paper at the margin, day and date at the bottom of each jouranling page. Self-portrait taken on each day of the week. I made a monogram for each day of the week and used it as a tab to divide the days.(here, "S" is for Sunday, the first day of my project week) I also cut a slit in the page protector so the monogramed tab could hang out over the edge. Each monogramed tab is made to match journaling strip along the margin on the opposite page.

Each day of the week has a two-page "collage-style" layout. Each picture is matted on black. I liked this style because it accommodates those days when I took many pictures or only had a few.

That is the "formula" that I used for each day of the week.

Thanks to Ali, the mastermind....thanks to friends that joined me on this project. It was an awesome journey to take with you. I'm glad to have created this little memory of a week in my life. A week in "our" life too!

Orange you glad it's ...Orange Monday

2008-10-06T05:05:00.001-07:00

A couple of pictures for the Orange Color challenge:

The award winning pumpkins at the Fair

The current display at Bath and Body...the smell from this entrance area just about knocks your socks off!

Week in the Life - last day Saturday

2008-10-05T13:01:00.000-07:00

I couldn't think of a more perfect way to end a very tough week than to spend a day at the Fair! We had our share of illness and sick days at home this week, so I was excited to get out and enjoy a fun filled day with Rich and the kids.

We spent the entire afternoon at the Big Fresno Fair yesterday. It was such a perfect family fun day; games, photo booth, the food, the exhibits...... we had a great time! I totally love everything about the fair.

Rainy Day.....

2008-10-04T10:15:00.001-07:00

A pleasant surprise of a rainy, sprinkly day! My week in the life project continues with these photos taken on this wet and stormy skies of a morning.

Water drops on the windshield of Richie's Truck

the morning paper wrapped in plastic? haven't seen that in a long time!

slumber party continues with a morning walk to the neighbor's house to play Wii

the first rainy day and I've turned into the domestic goddess! potater salad

and a fresh baked loaf of zuchini bread - yumm!

this week is turning out just peachy afterall!!

A week in the life.....day 5

2008-10-02T20:24:00.001-07:00

After a few days of being home w/ my sick boys, we were finally back to our routine of school and work today. That meant getting up super early and packing the lunches for the kids

My Self-Portrait Thursday - I've been doing a daily self-portrait. This one looks more stressed than the others. Maybe it's because I had to drop the kids at school and then be at work, all within about 22 minutes time! I made it! Clocked in at 8:03...those 3 minutes I was late was certainly because I stopped to do this self-portrait!

Stop....a reminder to slow down...live in the moment. Celebrate the everyday commute, the everyday routine, the everyday gifts in life!

a week in the (imperfect) life.....continued

2008-10-01T03:13:00.000-07:00

I have contined to document my week in pictures and words....I just about gave up! Two sick kids and my week seemed like it had taken a turn for the worse. I felt like it was turning into a week that would not be worthy of doucmenting or remembering. Actually, I learned a huge lesson...

Life isn't perfect....I'm not perfect......that no matter what life throws your way...it can be and needs to be valued, it's worth cherishing...it's worth remembering. Even the most difficult weeks.....are worth celebrating.

Project time....time to think, time to escape....time to cope with even the toughest days.

"please don't make me go to the Dr. today"

Little Jamba's for little sick boys.....

Taking time to notice the little details of the day.

A beautiful, gorgeous day afterall!

His evening drive...and time to unwind...

Even the toughest days do have a little ray of sunshine in them. Keeping my chin up and looking forward to this week taking a turn for the best!

A Week In the LIfe.....

2008-09-30T05:00:00.000-07:00

Sharing photos from my week........

Sunday - A day trip to visit my Mom and Sister.

Monday - shopping for groceries...taking care of a sick little man.

I'll be taking many more photos than I have in the past two days. I think I need more to tell my story. As I review my photos from the first two days, I feel that there are some snapshots missing that will help tell my story. So I'm going to snap away for the rest of the week!

Green Monday

2008-09-28T20:07:00.000-07:00

Matthew and Zak floating on their Summer rafts at Bass Lake on my Birthday. Notice the lime green goggles, those were the accessory of the Summer! I just love this picture of them having fun!

The Sheraton Carlsbad Resort and Spa - I loved SoCal...I love this place! Green lush and gorgeous!! I would go back in a second!

Sept. '08

2008-09-28T18:04:00.000-07:00

This is a layout for my 2008 album. It features some of my favorite pictures from our Labor Day Weekend trip to the lake with friends. For me, this official last weekend of Summer is always the best that September has to offer.

Holiday Recipe Swap

2008-09-27T14:04:00.000-07:00

I made 20 of these little 6x6 recipe pages for a swap that I joined at scrapvillage.com. The brown is just used here as background and not part of the LO.

I used Making Memories FaLaLa papers and decorated the diecut gingerbread boy w/ Tulip puff paint, also used red ink around the edges of the scalloped recipe card. Pretty simple, but really a fun project. I can't wait to see the other 19 pages and to read all the other Holiday Cookie/Candy recipes. I'm looking forward to trying out some new recipes this holiday season with my kids.

I'll be sharing the recipe book here when I get all the pages back in early November.

Thanks for visiting me.
reen

A Week in the Life Preparations....

2008-09-26T05:36:00.000-07:00

I'll be documenting a week in my life next week with a lots of prompts from the wonderful Ali Edwards: http://www.aliedwards.typepad.com/

Join in if you like, everyone is welcome. I will be sharing some of my experience of the process each day. I may even use my blog to document some of the everyday stuff along the way!

My Daily Tasks For The Week:

Take photos.
Self-portraits
kids
Rich
Family
car
kid activities
books
just a few off the top of my head that I want to capture

Upload photos.
I must clean camera card tonight in preparation for this process.

Designate a place for notes.
I have a little spiral note pad that Ramona gave me for my birthday, I think it will be perfect for capturing my notes of the weeke ahead. Thanks Mo, that little pad is the perfect size to carry around in my purse.

Take notes.
I'm going to throw several journaling pens into my purse so I can jot down notes when I'm waiting at practice, taking breaks at work etc.

Designate a place to store life-stuff.
I'm just going to use a huge Ziplock bag for each day of the week. I will label each bag on the outside w/ the date. This will make gathering everyday stuff really simple. The ziplocks will fit easily into my big tote purse. They can be joined together w/ a jump ring at the end of the week of gathering stuff. This way they are organized and ready for the next step in the process.

Sounds like a plan...ready, set, go.....A week in my life!

Join in and document a week in your life! In 20 years you might look back and really cherish these everyday moments in your wonderful life! I know I hope to look back in awe and how I juggled work, home, kids, life......Take the journey with me. It will be fun!

Yellow Monday

2008-09-22T08:10:00.000-07:00

Here are a few photos from our Summer vacation w/ some bright yellow influence in them.

Zachary on a self-guided tour of the USS Midway at the Navy Pier in San Diego. A fun stop on our last day of vacation.

The family at Sea World in front of the Busch Gardens Cliedsdales Stables/Brewery Deli.

One of the many beautiful flowers on the grounds of the Sheraton Carlsbad Resort.

Have a happy yellow Monday

Sunday Scrapper

2008-09-21T12:36:00.001-07:00

"US" layout is created using my old faithful sewing maching and a pretty blueprint design by Hall of Famer, Tracey Odachowski. It will be entered into the monthly blueprint contest over at Scrapvillage.com. They have a random monthly drawing for a prize. Here's the sketch, in case you feel inspired to jump in and participate.

http://www.scrapvillage.com/Village-Blueprints.htm

Just my recent favorite self-portraits of me and Matthew.

Walking With Dinosaurs

2008-09-21T10:00:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures of the event that we went to see in town last night. There was no flash photography allowed, so honestly, these pictures don't do the creatures justice at all...but you'll kind of get the idea.

It was very entertaining, educational and fun for the family. The kids loved it!! The dinosaurs are like giant RC controlled robots. The larger ones are driven by one person and controlled motions are performed by two other "puppeteers". It was quite fascinating to watch. We totally enjoyed it. It makes learning about dinos fun for the kids and depicted the different periods in history when dinos ruled the earth. It really creates the idea that science is fascinating and not so "geeky" afterall. I loved that about it. Great, great event. If you ever get the chance to see it, you need to go and take your kids.

Question of the Week.....

2008-09-20T09:21:00.001-07:00

"Why don't we ever play a family sport together anymore"?....Matthew

"Because Mom's not good an ANY Sport"! ......Zak

I guess I stink at sports in their eyes, but at least I can get my dough to rise to make some killer beerrocks :)

baking and scrapping

2008-09-14T16:06:00.000-07:00

Something sweet from the kitchen....Nestle Tollhouse Cookies...Yum-o!

Something sweet from the scraproom for the Black Color Challenge

Have a wonderful day!

Repurpose old supplies

2008-09-11T04:32:00.000-07:00

These were cute stickers (back in the day) that I've had for many years. I hated to part with them because I thought the perfect LO would come along and surely need water looking letters?!.......Well, that never happened, my scrapbooking style had changed by the time I found these at the bottom a an old storage bin. I decided to color them w/ a Sharpie permanent marker and use them on this little layout. Nothing wasted afterall. I love that!

......photo is by Matthew, my little Lego lovin' boy.

It's fun to find a new purpose for something outdated in your stash.
:)

Pink Challenge

2008-09-07T14:03:00.001-07:00

If it weren't for Sharon's fun color challenge, I don't think I'd be scrappin' at all these days! Thanks Sharon, these are sure fun each week! What's the next color?? I can't wait to find out!!

Back to School!

2008-09-06T07:28:00.001-07:00

The first day at a new school was met with a lot of nervous energy. The kids stood a little closer and have clung a little tighter lately.....happy to report that are adjusting beautifully as we had hoped. They are fine and enjoying being back among many, many wonderfully supportive teachers and friends. There are about 80 new kids joining them, so they are all getting aquainted together quite nicely.

He's a 5th grader now and with that comes new opportunities to become involved in new things. He's part of the brass unit in the band and can't wait to learn a few new notes and tunes. It's a huge responsibility for Matthew to carry this instrument. He could not be more proud! Dad was an elementary school player himself, so we will challenge him to remember a few notes :)

I'll end with my favorite "Quote of the Week"

"Mom, I made a new friend"......."His name is McCarthy"
----Zak 3rd Grader

That just warms my heart!!

have a great weekend and thanks for visiting me!

Today

2008-09-04T21:00:00.000-07:00

He was annoyed with me for not getting him a trumpet yet....Whatever! "Patience is a virtue" and all that!!.......but I think he should have to earn something that big....so we talked a lot and he cried and sulked and then realized that being patient isn't all that bad and maybe, just maybe..."good things come to those who wait"...and earn them!.........so then we took self-portraits and worked in the yard together. All is good again.

August Memories

2008-09-03T19:19:00.000-07:00

A reflection of our fun times in August in 8 little photos.

Mind you, this was the trip to the mountains that caused my 17 day battle with a parasite and stomach illness!! It's been a long battle to get better, but finally finished the meds tonight..... I will forget about that aspect of the trip and focus on the fact that is was one of our best family weekends of the Summer.

Little deer in the yard, happy kids, good food, best August weather on record..it was great fun!

I've Been Tagged

2008-08-28T03:21:00.000-07:00

Here are the rules:
* If you are tagged, you must firstly post the rules:
* Write 7 strange characteristics about yourself. They interest us all!
* Tag 5 other people at the end of your Post.
* Visit everyone that you have tagged and leave a comment on their blog to let them know that they have been tagged.

So, here goes...

1. I rarely carry cash
2. I've been addicted to Wintergreen Altoids for like a year now!
3. Spider in the house? I will occasionally pick up long leggy spiders by a leg and carry them outside to the grass, depends on my mood. They sometimes get flushed down the toilet.
4. I check out the clearance racks first
5. I have zero magazine subscriptions and I'm ok with that
6. I prefer to use the brands that my Mom used; Dove, Polmolive, Windex, Pledge
7. I'm a morning person

Tagging,

Mellie
Sharon
Tracy
Christie
Suzanne

Blue Monday

2008-08-25T06:24:00.000-07:00

Good Bye Summer...........we have loved you!

Happy First Day of School!!

Halloween Memories Through the Years

2008-08-24T18:47:00.000-07:00

This little book took some research and digging to pull all these old Halloween pictures together, but boy I'm glad i did. I have one from every year that shows each kid in costume. This is so sweet and so special to me, I just cheriesh it!

A VERY Special thank you to my friend Ramona for this adorable Halloween kit that she gave me for my birthday this year. I thoroughly enjoyed making this and it's by far one of my most favorite handmade treasures to date.

Thank you for visiting me friends!!

Brown Monday - Photo Challenge

2008-08-18T20:48:00.000-07:00

A Favorite little hotel perk

Rock Climber - Zak

A friendly little cabin visitor - "baby buck"

Historic Chapel Alter at San Diego Mission

Thank you to Sharon for a fun photo challenge. I took the rock climbing photo at the game this weekend, the others were from my July/August photo collection.

My eyes are set on blue for next week.

Just for Fun!

2008-08-15T05:47:00.000-07:00

My brother always used to tell me that I looked just like Mary Tyler Moore, so I thought this was kind of ironic that she came up on the face matching.

Just having fun, hope you have a fun day too!

San Diego Vacation

2008-08-03T07:21:00.000-07:00

Sea World in San Diego - as remarkable and beautiful as I remembered it. The last time I had been there was when I was in the 7th grade! The Shamu Whale show...still my favorite memory and now sharing it with my boys. They loved all the underwater discoveries, the tide pools, and the sting ray bay hands on exhibits.

LegoLand - Carlsbad, Calif. What a FUN!!! FUN!!! place for kids! This is a picture of the family in front of the Lego replica of the capitol building. This had to be the highlight of our vacation for the boys. They absolutly dug the heck outta this place.

Mission San Diego - The first of all the Mission Churches in California. Such a beautiful historic landmark. I have so many more gorgeous pictures of this place! It touched my heart in such a deep way to be there with my family. I think all little boys should visit an old church like this one. It must be so good for the soul.

This was my number one favorite stop the entire vacation. I just love old, historic buildings...especially mission churches.

USS Midway Museum. The USS Midway was the oldest, in operation, aircraft carrier in the United States. It's last war was in 1992 when it helped in the war at Desert Storm. It was in operation from 1945 - 1994, in operation for 47 years. It was so fun to walk through this aircraft carrier and to tour the engineering room and even the living quarters where our Navy Captains stayed while at seas.

I know way, way more about this Navy aircraft carrier than you'd ever imagine! This was the one stop that Richard really wanted to make on this road trip. I was glad that we took the time to visit this one, to teach our boys a little bit about the United States Navy.

I have so many more photos to share, these are just a few of my faves. Hope you are enjoying your Summer as much as we are!!

Thanks for visiting me.
reen

Sightings of Summer

2008-07-27T05:51:00.000-07:00

As we head out for our family vacation, one kid on meds for strep and the other getting over a cold....I have to remember the bigger picture....that this has been a wonderful Summer to date. That no matter what, the Summer and this vacation trip will be a memorable one, because we are getting lots os time together. Together to make memories that will last a lifetime!

Happy warm, sunny Summer days to you! Wishing you lots of perfect Summer time memories with yout friends and family!

Summary of the week = cup still 1/2 full

2008-07-25T05:58:00.000-07:00

Monday - dealing w/ a bitchy co-worker
Tuesday - see Monday
Wednesday - see Tuesday - took a dozen donuts into the office and spread some smiles
Thursday - Kid #2 sick, but will live - and his fishy dies..bummer! but no strep!
Friday - Kid #1 sick and cranky, but will live and I AM going to lunch w/ my work buddy Katie BFF
Sat - must lay low and get kids better....pack, pack, pack
Sun - family vacation of the century and everything crummy will just melt away!

Vacation Pocket Folder

2008-07-19T19:10:00.000-07:00

This is a pocket folder that I made to hold my vacation coupons, hotel info, and little bits of memorabilia. I used one piece of 12x12 paper from Creative Imaginations, it was patterned on both sides... perfect for this project. The finished size is about 6x9 inches and perfect to toss into your vacation bag or purse.

Thanks to Mo for passing along such a fun project idea!!

I Love Life Mini Album

2008-07-17T19:14:00.001-07:00

Getting Organized

2008-07-17T06:14:00.000-07:00

This is me doing a little repair work on the pantry, installing brackets between the shelving. I also installed a new trim piece on the front.

This has to be one of my favorite rooms in my house now! It's clean and ready for paint....come the first cool day of fall I will be painting this walk-in pantry.

I keep school supplies on the very bottom on the floor. It's the easiest place to store school papers/artwork quickly and out of the way.

I have large artwork pieces stored in a plastic bin. There is a smaller bin for incoming tests/classwork. I love that it's empty right now. Next to that I have two new organizer file boxes ($10/ea. WalMart) for papers/writings/tests/smaller artwork.

File boxes organized by school year from Kindy through Sr. year for tests/writings etc. These are like treasure boxes of what the kids have done in school. Love this idea!

That's my organization frenzy for the week. I'll share a new album later this week.
Thanks for visiting me.

Organize - Word for '08 revisited

2008-07-16T05:01:00.000-07:00

I had little date w/ the "Organize" word yesterday! This is my Christmas gift wrap drawer all clean, neat, organized now. I've taken a mental inventory and know that I'm going to need more wrap, bows and many, many more gifts before December :)

I also organized two craft drawers, a walk in pantry, children's artwork/schoolwork from the past school year. More on that tomorrow.

Thanks for stopping by.
reen

June Layout

2008-07-14T15:33:00.000-07:00

I thought I would share my monthly challenge layout that I just completed today for June '08. We sure welcomed Summer in a big way last month. We've had a great one so far with lots of swimming, game time, family and friend time. I LOVE summer and I'm excited for our vacation later this month.

Thanks for visiting me.
Irene

For the LOVE of Garlic!

2008-07-14T10:01:00.001-07:00

I just thought that you'd like to see my new garlic braid. It's stinky and huge and I'm sure it's yummmy! Thank you my friends for sharing your garlic recipes with me. I need all the help I can get to use up all this garlic!!