Friday, May 30, 2008

Last Dance

Zoe went to her final middle school dance tonight. I can't believe she is going to be entering high school next year! She nearly drove me crazy with choosing a dress, and fixing her hair is always a chore! She is about the most picky person I know! She did look really pretty once we were finished, but what a chore! She went to a friend's house right before the dance and there were about 16 of them there, so we got pictures and then they all rode in a charter bus to the dance. (Her friends father owns a bus company!) They had a blast, and boy am I glad it's over! She said she didn't dance with any boys, but I don't know if she would tell me if she did... Zoe 5-30-2008

Monday, May 26, 2008

Memorial Day

This weekend was a busy, blur of a weekend. Friday night we went out to dinner and then on a search for Wii Fit, but couldn't find it anywhere! We were a little disappointed, but decided we would continue our search Saturday.

Saturday we slept in a little and then had to get Landon to a birthday party by 1:00pm. He was brave and stayed on his own which gave Zoe and I time to go looking for some clothes for her...she needed some shorts since she's grown so much since last summer. We found some good deals at Kohl's, but it wasn't too fun shopping with her since she and I didn't agree on the clothes. {Everything she wanted was too small/tight, and I REFUSE to do that...clothes are just too expensive.} So, after that we picked up Landon and Tony and went to the mall and found the last copy of Wii Fit at EB Games. It is a fun game so far, but man there just isn't much joy in someone/something telling you to lose some weight! I mean, it isn't telling me anything I don't already know, but geez.

Sunday we got up early, well 8:30 am, and headed over to mom and dad's for the day. We had lunch at McDonalds (mom was craving McD's) then went to the house and raced each other on Mario Kart. Once we were bored of that we took Landon and Jaron to the pool where they swam for about 30 seconds. The water was so cold! IMG_0159They couldn't be told that though, they had to find out for themselves. For dinner we had grilled steak and chicken, it was delicious. After that we headed home.

Today we slept in till about 9am or so then Tony and I got the yard straightened up some. I did the cutting/weed eating and he dug out more of the corner plants that we are trying to get rid of. It was pretty hot today, near 90, so we got tired of that pretty fast! After showering we headed out to Lowe's to get an umbrella for the patio, we really needed some shade. We had to take the floor model because they were all sold out. The man told us they had just put that floor model up this past Wednesday because they were selling as quickly as they were getting them in, and because they had to take it down, and it took awhile, they gave us 10% off...lucky us!

Friday, May 23, 2008

Kiersten's Big Day

Tony got home today and boy was he pooped! They (Tony and his parents) left on Thursday morning at 4:00am to catch their first flight, had a layover in Cleveland and then boarded for Birmingham and landed around 11:30am. From there they picked Kiersten up and went to lunch, then to their hotel room to rest a little before the graduation ceremony at 7pm. After the ceremony they went to Kiersten's house to have some cake and spend a little time with her before they headed back to the hotel. They got to bed around 11:30pm then had to get up again at 4:30 to make it back to the airport for the trip back home which again included a layover in Cleveland. Tony said that all though it was an exhausting whirlwind trip, it was very nice and everything went smoothly. Here are a couple pictures taken yesterday... for a better view, click on the picture. IMG_0109IMG_0150

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Table for 3?

Tony flew to Alabama today to see Kiersten graduate. It isn't very often that we are apart, from each other or the kids, so today was an unusual one for us.
Landon just keeps asking over and over again what time Dad will be back. Anyways, we are so used to eating dinner together that tonight was odd setting the table for 3 instead of 4. I said something to the effect of  it just isn't the same without dad, and Zoe agreed and said "yeah, it's really weird". I am happy to say that out of this I realize (again) how lucky we are to all have each other. I see now that even if only one of us is missing from the equation, we all feel it, even if it is only for 24 hours. I am sure that tomorrow we will all be wondering what the big fuss was about, but until then, we will be waiting for Dad to get back.

Releasing the Monarchs

I know we did this activity awhile ago, but I saw this paper from Crate Paper at the store the other day and thought it went perfectly with this theme. I cut out all the little flowers, and adhered them with pop dots, and then stickled them...I did my journaling on the large tag behind the photos and the title was done with some old rubon's. I didn't have an H, so I had to make one using two F's and some creative cutting...

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Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Orange

Yes, I forgot to post yesterday, I even forgot to take the photo, so here is one from the past...

Monday, May 19, 2008

Casting Zoe

After waiting on the phone for 45 min. I was able to make Zoe and appointment to see the Orthopedic doctor today. Her appt. was at 3:15 and it was pretty quick. The doctor looked at the x-rays taken from Friday nights visit to Nighttime Peds. and decided that she had in fact fractured her growth plate, but that it would heal quickly and without much problem...and that he would put on a cast for 4 weeks to promote a speedy process. Well, hearing that she was going to get a cast made her day! She couldn't believe her luck! Originally she said she wanted an orange cast, but once I showed her all the colors she could choose from, she chose bright, neon yellow...IMG_0095 her friends can't possibly miss it now! I'll bet she is the only 8th grader to show up to the 8th grade dance with a bright yellow cast! But then, who knows!

Red

I nearly forgot today, but here is something red:

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Sunday, May 18, 2008

Dream Big, Be Great

Just a quick layout of Landon playing in the backyard...gotta love these rainy afternoons!IMG_0090

Purple

Our foxglove in the backyard...this may be one of my favorite plants that we have, I just love the way the flower's have the dark spots on the inside. Beautiful!

Underwater Antics

The pictures on this layout are from last summer, when we went to Massanutten resort in Virginia. My parents met us there with Jaron and we brought Theresa along for the week. The waterpark there is so much fun, and we let the kids loose with an underwater camera and these are the pics that they took of each other. Zoe/Theresa took each other's pictures while Landon/Jaron took each others.

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Saturday, May 17, 2008

Pink



My pink for the day was found in Zoe's top. Cute print, huh?

A Good Night's Sleep

Tony and I have been wanting to buy a new mattress set for our bed for quite awhile. Then on Thursday, Tony heard about a sale at Mattress Discounters, so we went to check it out. About an hour later we were home, with our brand new mattress/box spring set....and I was rushing Zoe up to Nighttime Pediatrics for a wrist x-ray. While we were waiting for the matresses to be wrapped up the kids were running around outside and Zoe slipped off of the curb and caught herself with her wrist. So, she was in a lot of pain. We got her to Nighttime where they weren't able to see a real clear definitive break, but they did seem to think that she may have fractured her growth plate. So, they put her in a splint and we are to visit an orthopedic doc on Monday...if I can get an appointment. Never a dull moment around this place, but boy did Tony and I sleep well last night! Sleepy

Genuine Smile

Finally got around to scrapping those adorable pictures of Landon from a couple weeks ago...I just loved his smile and laugh in these....

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Friday, May 16, 2008

Blue

It is a rainy, dreary day here, but I didn't need to go out for this color anyways...I have TONS of Polish Pottery to take picture's of...and now clean. Man that stuff is dusty!

Birds of a Feather

My latest page...I bought a bunch of new paper when I went to the scrapbook store the other day. I just couldn't resist the new Rusty Pickle line, it is all b/w prints, stuff I get to color myself! Woo hoo! Anyways, I decided to use one of those new sheets yesterday and this is what I came up with! This page is about Zoe's chorus trip this past weekend; just a quick note about what we did and a cute photo I got of the three girls together. I didn't bring my camera, so I had to use Zoe's (which I am unfamiliar with) so this was about the only pic I took of them that I thought turned out. They were waiting in line for their first ride, and I was able to find them and get this shot. I loved this paper too because, as you can see, I had a lot I wanted to journal about and the lines on the paper made that easy!

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Yellow

Susan is doing an interesting challenge on her site where she has chosen colors and we are to take a photo representative of that color. So, today is yellow and here is my photo: IMG_0004

Mom and I {May 2008}

This kind of picture doesn't come around too often...the one where I am in it, and I think it is ok. Zoe took this photo of mom and I right before they left (a few weeks ago!) and it turned out pretty decent. So, of course, I had to scrap it...to prove that it exists! A photo, of me, that isn't horrific! It's also a pic I wanted because it was so close to Mother's Day, and I hadn't ever made a page solely featuring my mom and IIMG_0007...so here it is! I used Basic Grey's Sugared collection for the papers...I just cut the large flowers/leaves out and applied with pop dots. I also used a little dimensional paint on the leaves and some of the flowers, just because. The two bee's are Jolee's and the stamp was an Autumn Leaves journaling stamp.

Monday, May 12, 2008

Mother's Day

Landon woke me up at 9am in order to give me his Mother's Day gifts. At school he planted a seed in a Styrofoam cup (what seed, we don't know, and neither does he!) decorated the cup and he made a little popsicle stick flower to go with it. He was so proud of what he had made! He also did a few pages at school about "why his mom is special" and such and some of his answers really made me laugh! For instance, they had a part where they filled in the blanks and this was one of them:

"My mom is really smart! She even knows more than my dad!"

That one made me laugh! Another of his questions and answers was:

"My mom likes when I go to school!" Oh, man! I felt so bad about that one! I do like when he goes to school and all, but lord he could have said I liked scrap booking or art or pedicures, but no, I like when he goes to school!

Zoe, forgot all about Mothers Day this year (I think). I asked her where my Mothers Day gift was hiding (just teasing her) and she kinda looked at me like oh-crap! So, she sat up on Friday night and made me a sweet homemade card. She did a really nice job on it, and wrote a lovely little note to me on the inside. Her's made me laugh a little too though because on part of it it read "you've been with me all my life". Yeah, I suppose I have, just funny to read it that way! LOL! Also, at the bottom of her card she wrote "Have a great day. I hope nothing goes wrong! Maybe we'll win our game." Too funny! (They lost 4-1, but it sure didn't ruin my day! or hers!)

We don't usually do anything for Mothers Day, and when Tony asked me what I wanted I told him something homemade. So, he made me breakfast and the kids made me cards and stuff. Tony and Landon also got me a gorgeous Hydrangea. It is in the house for now, but if it ever stops raining I plan to replant it in the backyard.

I can't remember the last time I spent Mother's Day with my mom. They were up here just a week ago though, and I did get a picture of us together!

Happy Mother's Day Mom! I Love You!

ZENO {1997-2008}

IMG_9245 Zeno, our cat, began to get sick at the end of 2007. When I took him to the vet they discovered that he had a thyroid problem. Three months after that appointment, I brought him in to have it checked again, and it was still getting worse, and he had lost a little weight. About one month ago, Zeno quit eating, so we brought him to the vet again, and they said they were afraid his liver was starting to shut down. The only real options we had to take of him was to either A) start giving him pills or B) surgery. We couldn't afford the surgery (it would have cost about $1500-$2000 per surgery, and it was going to be at least 2 surgeries), so we tried the pills and as hard as it was for Tony to get them down his throat, he did seem to get better. He started eating again and acting semi-normal.

Then about a week ago he quit eating again. This time we felt as though there wasn't much we could do. The surgeries were still out, and the pills were impossible to get in him. Then, on Sat. night, before Zoe and I got home from Kings Dominion, Zeno had a stroke. Tony saw him and called Dottie to come watch Landon while he took the cat to the pet emergency room. We had to have him put down, he was just so ill. He didn't weigh much by this point and was just listless and miserable.

We will all miss Zeno, even though he never was the most friendly cat. He was with us since Zoe was 2 1/2 and he will always hold a special place in our hearts because he grew up with her.

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Kings Dominion 2008

Yesterday was the chorus trip to Kings Dominion, and boy, what a tiring day! We had to be at the school by 7am, we left at 7:30 and got to the high school around 9:30am for their performance. They did pretty good, but the chorus teacher has been out nearly half the year because she had to have an operation. She was supposed to be at the performance yesterday, but I guess she wasn't feeling well yesterday morning, so she didn't make it. One of the other mom's on the trip acted as conductor for them, so they did the best with what they had. They earned a trophy and for that they were happy!

We got to the park at 1:45pm or so, and from there we just ran from ride to ride. The girls were able to get on everything they wanted, but I did have to pull them out of line from "The Crypt" because we needed to run to the bus! They weren't happy, but boy was I ready to go...I was pooped! All I heard about on the bus ride home had nothing to do with the rides they rode, but the boys that were in line with them! Apparently it was just one "hot guy with good hair" after the other! Seriously, that is what they were judging their hotness by! Their hair! Most of them slept on the way back, and we finally got back to the school around 11pm.

Zoe and I couldn't wait to get home and go to bed! We were so tired from running around all day, but we had a good time!

Saturday, May 3, 2008

Papa and Meme's visit

Mom and Dad came up for a visit and we all went to watch Landon's baseball game. It made his day that they came up to see him play, although he did act pretty silly about it...we think he felt like he was missing out on something since he was out there playing and we were all watching...who knows. He did very well in all the positions he played and was able to get a couple more outs for his team. These pictures were taken after Papa said something funny (I think) but it is a real, honest to goodness, laughing picture...and those are very hard to get when it comes to Landon! He is always putting on his fake smile, so these are really great!

I also had to get some pic's of Dad with his cast...from when he slipped off of the curb mowing the grass! He is now in a cast for at least four weeks, and then they will decide if he needs surgery or not. I am hoping it gets better on it's own and I am sure he hopes that too! We all took turns signing his cast, and Tony signed "PC Support". We all thought that was pretty funny!

Since Dad broke his foot and wouldn't be able to drive his truck (because it was a manual) he also got to show us his new Nissan Titan.

It is gorgeous, and of course I had to take it for a quick spin around the neighborhood. It is such a nice, quiet ride, but I am so glad I am not putting the gas in that thing!

All acts performed in the world begin in the imagination. -Barbara Grizzuti Harrison

Another page I was able to do last night (I was on a roll!). This one used some of the Cosmo Cricket line Cosmo Cogs. IMG_9924I just like the colors of this paper and thought it went well with these old pictures of Landon and Scott. They had built this "barbell" looking thing and were laying on the ground pretending to lift weights. Landon was 4 and Scott was 3 (almost 4)...in 2005. 

Friday, May 2, 2008

Earth Day Layout

I did this layout tonight, it only took a couple hours because I lifted someone else's page! I saw her layout in the May 08' Creating Keepsakes Magazine. Sheri Reguly's  layout is called Springtime is Happiness and is on page 109.{Great way to get a page done quick!}

My page uses mostly Basic Grey's Two Scoops papers/stickers and a few other embellishments. The flowers were stamped and then cut out, and the ribbon was a scrap I had from a different project. The paper clip, I think, is from K & Co. and the pearls are by  Kaiserscrapbook. I even pulled out an old corner punch for this page, and it was really fun to make!

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And yes, this too was for a challenge...a good one in which we are to use up some of our older Basic Grey paper...so we can get the new stuff! Big Grin

1st base

These two pages are from Landon's Opening Day parade and game. I didn't get many pictures of the parade (mostly just other teams walking by!) so I filled the 2 pages with pictures from his first time at bat and on the field.  Both of these pages are much more plain than I would usually do, but I kind of like the simplicity of them, and because I was able to get 8 photos on here, I decided it was ok to not be too fussy with the embellishments...still looks plain to me though!  IMG_9915 IMG_9917I do like the one

 

 

 

 

 

 

big picture that I cut out of Landon putting on his gloves though!

Thursday, May 1, 2008

Meet Me at the Track!

Tony and I decided to get Mario Kart "for the kids" this past weekend. It came out Saturday at midnight, and we picked it up on Sunday afternoon. Tony and I have played it every night since. The kids play too, but they aren't nearly as excited about it as we are. Ever since Tony showed me how to play online, I have gotten a little addicted.

Today, it seems that I may have taken the game a little too far by backing into my neighbor's car! For some reason my neighbor parked his car across the street from our house (normally he doesn't) and in my rush to drive Landon up to the bus stop (it was raining) I backed right up into his car. I broke the passenger side window, completely, and put an enormous dent in his 20 year old car. After getting Landon to the bus stop, I went and woke him up to let him know that I had just banged up his car. He is my neighbors' son (probably in his early 20's) and I had seen him before many times, and said hello, but never really introduced myself...so unfortunately, this was how I introduced myself "Hi, I'm Angela and I just put a huge dent in your car!"

Of course our truck (Expedition) isn't even scratched. Just the bumper of my truck hit his window/door, at about 5 mph...since I was only backing up. Landon of course thought that the whole thing was terribly exciting and said "MOM! What was that?" When I told him I had just hit the car parked behind me, he said "This is a really bad accident!"

Well, the irony here is this: Just yesterday I took Landon to get a haircut. On the way home he was asking me about car accidents; why, I don't know. But he said "Mom, you'll never have a car accident." And when I asked him why he thought that he said "Because your so careful!"

Guess I showed him!

April Fools Pranks

The two little kids made me laugh yesterday morning.  I was upstairs getting things ready for school when I heard them talking about how ...