Change of plans...

Sometimes life just throws a curve ball at you and you have to deal with it. Sometimes you make plans and they just don't work out - and sometimes even though that happens, it actually works out for the best.

California did not work out - we never made it. It's a long story and I'm not going to get into it here but suffice it to say we will remain in Massachusetts. But we didn't know that until everything we owned had already been shipped... so all of my stuff is in a storage unit 3000 miles away. *sigh* Can I just tell you that I tear up every time I think of my stamps... my paper, my colored pencils... OK and my kids' baby books and photo albums... I just have to remember that I'll have them back eventually. Anyway, we had already given up the home we rent, so we're currently staying with Jeremy's family. I'll fill you in more on that later, but I wanted to share some cool pics I had taken with my awesome new camera at my parent's pool in early August.

This is Papa - he's my dad. He got the kids involved in a ball game in the pool that turned into a competition of who could catch the ball in the air or by doing funky jumps and stuff, it was a fun day. :)

This is my nephew Eric, he's 19, doing a flip into the pool - and this was my first time using the action mode on my camera, so you can press the button continuously for consecutive shots, it's really cool:

Same thing with my daughter Cassidy, she's 15:

Eric walking on water? I knew he was good, but... LOL
Being silly:

Eric falling into the pool - hee hee:

This is my other nephew, Josh, he's almost 13:

Love that smile:

 Soooo - I am not sure when I'll be back to blogging/stamping, but hopefully not too much longer. The kids go back to school on Wednesday - Trevor will be a SENIOR and is so excited to graduate, and I am so excited that he'll be graduating from the school that has been so very good to and for him! Cassidy will be going to the school that she wanted to go to and is going to have to BUST HER BUTT this year, and she knows it and seems willing to do it. She's a sophomore, 10th grade. I'm just trying to stay positive about life - people keep telling me what doesn't kill you makes you stronger... I just want to say "OK OK - I am strong enough now! No more!"
But as the song says - I WILL SURVIVE. Stay tuned for future updates. Peace.

Moving!!!

Just a quick note to let you all know that we are moving across the country and the moving truck picks up our belongings today. We leave on Wednesday for the drive from Massachusetts to California. I will be taking a short break from making cards during this time as we settle into our new home. I hope to be back in a few weeks. I will be blogging along the way, mostly with pictures... wish me luck!

Peace.

Fab 'n' Funky - Buttons & Bows

I can hardly believe it, but the moving company comes one week from today! That means I'm going to have to pack up my stamps and stuff this week, so please don't forget about me while I'm gone! :) I hope to be back and participating in challenges in a couple of weeks.

For now, I'll try to get as many challenge cards done before I pack as possible! Today's card uses the cute kitty Mavis (from Stamping Bella) and is for the

Fab 'n' Funky Challenge - Buttons & Bows

I used Stampin' Up! brads, ribbon, cardstock, and DP in Pretty in Pink, Old Olive, and So Saffron. Buttons are from My Favorite Things. Mavis is colored using Prismacolor colored pencils blended with Gamsol - I have always colored Mavis in gray shades, so I decided to switch it up a bit and try brown - I think she's just as pretty in brown, don't you?

Hope your week is off to a good start. Peace.

Girls' Weekend Getaway to Cape Cod

Can I just tell you that I had the best weekend EVAH? OMG - my cousin Angela, myself, and our friend Missy - we planned a beach trip, girls only. We went to the Riviera Resort in South Yarmouth, MA and it was just gorgeous. This was our room - when they say your room is "on the beach" they really mean ON THE BEACH:

This is the expensive bottle of tequila that Ange brought, along with the adorable shot glasses that Missy brought:

The view of the ocean from our little porch/deck:

Me and Ange:

Me & Mis:


Missy & Ange, getting ready to cut limes for our tequila:



Mis & me wearing the sombreros that she brought for us.... hee hee:


Just me, with my "margarita"... LOL:

The 3 amigos...

We had such a good time, it was awesome. Angela and Missy both have little kids at home, so for them it was nice to get away from being "mommy" all day long - especially at the beach. Normally, they cannot really relax at the beach, you know? My kids are older, so it's admittedly easier for me to get some "me time" if I need it! Anyway, we all appreciated our weekend away and we belly-laughed so much that our stomachs hurt. We made lots of memories and I will never forget it. xoxoxoxo

Love you girls, and thank you.

Peace.

The Pink Elephant - Monday and Wednesday

I made 2 cards for the

Pink Elephant Challenge #77 (a sketch challenge)

This first one uses Monday from the Greeting Farm:

I used SU! cardstock, ribbon, and DP in Pumpkin Pie and Not Quite Navy.

And for this next one, I flipped the sketch onto its side and used Wednesday from the Greeting Farm:

This time I used Stampin' Up! colors in Real Red, Cameo Coral, Summer Sun, and Basic Black. The sentiment is torn out of something I had in my stash... I forget what you call that paper, it's like opaque and you can get it plain or with stuff printed on it? Shoot - what the heck is it called? LOL

I'm off to spend the day with a friend - hope you are all enjoying your Summer.

Peace.

Sweet Stop Sketch Challenge 66

The countdown is officially on, peeps - we are leaving for California in TWO WEEKS. OMG. It's coming up so fast!!! I am getting more excited every day, to tell you the truth. Of course I'm still nervous, but I wouldn't be normal if I wasn't a little nervous moving my family completely across the country! LOL

On to business - today's card is for the

Sweet Stop Sketch Challenge #66

I used a Honey image from All That Scraps - ribbon, cardstock & DP from SU! in Summer Sun, Cameo Coral, Tempting Turquoise.

hmmm The picture is a bit fuzzy, sorry about that. Did not realize it or I would have taken a better one. I am still learning how to use my new camera - I am hoping Jeremy's sister Chelsea will help me when I get to Cali, she's a photographer. She is also the founder, publisher, and editor of Descry magazine. Check it out here - very interesting. I'm quite proud of her, she's only 24 years old.

Be back tomorrow, I'm on a roll this week. ;)

Peace.

Unscripted Sketches

I was really excited to the be the "Christmas in July" BINGO winner at the Unscripted Sketches blog. :) It was fun playing - thank you to the US team!

I used the same designer paper for this card as yesterday's post, doesn't it look completely different? :) This is for the:

Unscripted Sketches #65

The digi image is from Paper Ink Color. I colored it with Prismacolor colored pencils blended with Gamsol and SU! Stampin' Write markers. Colors are Cameo Coral, Summer Sun, Tempting Turquoise, Real Red, and Green Galore.

Here is one more card using the same papers, this image is from AiFactory:

This is the inside:

OK hope you are all having a good week. I am going to be very busy packing and preparing to move over the next few weeks, so please forgive me if my postings aren't quite as frequent as usual. Peace.