Gettin' Creative

January 05, 2012 New Guest Room

2012-01-05T16:20:00.001-07:00

Oh, we've got a long ways to go. EVERY time I walk in this room, I cringe... How on EARTH do we clean it out? With progress definitely being made towards foster/adoption, we passed our pre-application but have TONS to do for the home inspection and work towards getting Dakota's room into a kids room (which means we need to clean out the office to have a guest bedroom!

Despite having this fairly large pile of stuff for good will, 1 bag of trash, 1 bag of recycling and a small box for Joe's school...

the room only looks like this. I'd be lying if I didn't say I was hugely discouraged....

I am getting rid of virtually all my scrapbook supplies and switching to full digital... expect my awesome Christmas album, I can't do that full digi yet...

January 03, 2012 Big God

2012-01-03T14:34:00.001-07:00

Every time I get scared and have doubts about walking the adoption/foster parenting path we are tentatively stepping on, God puts encouragement and something to prompt me to remember that this IS what He is calling us to do.

Found the video from the Inspired to Action blog. Watched it at work... and bawled like a baby!

December 17, 2011 Last Soccer Game of 2011

2011-12-17T15:56:00.000-07:00

It's already time for the Kiddo's last game of the season... how on earth has this quarter flown by so quickly??

He is such a different boy from the one who started this series. This is the boy who said he NEVER wanted to play in a game... but now really looks forward to it!

It's been so neat to watch his confidence grow as he plays more and gets to know the other kids on his team as well.

It's a gorgeous day for the game and the Kiddo is ready to play

Even the coach commented on how well the team played together AS a team for this final game.

The whole family showed up to cheer him on!

The Kiddo had some GREAT kicks and plays this game... NICE JOB BUDDY!

After they game, the kids got their trophies and certificates

Time for a group shot!

and a goofy shot

Celebrating with the family

His coach was awesome! The Kiddo was ready to be signed up again and he'll start in late January. Crazy! I'm so glad he's enjoying it!

This is just the beginning of his soccer career!

December 16, 2011 Zoo Lights

2011-12-16T23:36:00.000-07:00

It's time to reunite Scrappy, Scooby and Daphne at the Phoenix Zoo for an evening of fun!

LOVE these United Way sponsored events at the Zoo. They do a FABULOUS job!

Poor Brad: He was in the perfect spot for me to capture some cool bokeh lights behind him. But he's not overly fond of having his picture taken. Not sure why...

Dan, doesn't even bat an eye anymore!

They boys got their faces painted like Santa Clause.

Cute picture of my Kiddo!

Daphne got Christmas lights on her cheek!

It was AMAZING to watch the face painting artist work... she was incredible.

Twilight made for some INCREDIBLE pictures of the boys as they ran around.

The Kiddo got a monkey from the event: He named it Pancake. I love the name!

LOVE this one!

GORGEOUS, Daphne!

They had the plexi slides... the boys and kids had a fabulous time using it!

Getting ready to ride the camel

The boys and girl did great on the camel!

Dan doing his "I'm on a horse" pose.

Love this one of Scrappy

Another fabulous night with our Linville friends!

The rain and chill kept much of the crazy crowds away. It was a fabulous evening with wonderful friends.

NOW off to a surprise... where ARE we going, Coop?

Scrappy was done taking pictures, but Scooby is so used to it, it doesn't even phase him any more!

Where did we end up? A place called Sub Zero which MAKES the ice cream from milk right in front of you. It was WAY fun and tasted super yummy. Sugar high anyone?

JYC14 December 14, 2011

2011-12-14T11:09:00.000-07:00

OOH! Getting to use some of my Ali Edwards overlays finally!

Joe had to read for 30 minutes tonight: Had him move from the couch to the chair so I could get that pretty tree in the background. He got into his book, I had to tell him to wrap it up and get ready for bed!

Journal Your Christmas Catch up!

2011-12-13T10:48:00.002-07:00

I've been working on my pages, but am a wee bit behind posting them here... so you get a bunch in one post!

JYC09
I LOVE the expression on the Kiddo's face! :) I think he was sick of me taking pictures. Haha!

JYC10
Repurposed Christmas picture... rotated and selected a different side of the picture. SO SNEAKY!!

JYC11
It gives me such JOY to decorate the tree to Christmas tunes with my boys. I love spending time with these two!

JYC12
My sweet little boy! A tale of Christmas past...

JYC13
Christmas is NOT Christmas until the Christmas tunes hit the stereo... but NOT before Thanksgiving, please!

And NOW you are caught up with my Journal Your Christmas!

December 11, 2011 Neighborhood Lights

2011-12-11T23:02:00.000-07:00

The Kiddo and I wander around the neighborhood looking for lights.

Joe is wearing shorts and I am TOTALLY bundled up in my heaviest winter jacket.

Time to pet the deer.

We decided that THIS house wins the competition for best lights in the neighborhood!

We also ran into Homer Simpson before returning to the house for a Christmas movie and some hot cocoa/ hot tea.

December 11, 2011 Christmas Party

2011-12-11T11:17:00.000-07:00

My dear friend Susan and her family opened her house to neighbors and co-workers for a Christmas party! She had an amazing party: Sugar cookies to decorate, foam ornaments to make and take, a beautiful yard to play in, treats for kids and adults and perfect weather for lots of running around.

I did a taste test... delicious!

Decorations and mess galore.

The boy had a blast and he was exhausted!

Wendy brought her babies: They were so sweet and such a huge hit!

The work girl gang.

Sweaty and having a BLAST with the younger... and older kids!

Little kids having a blast making ornaments

The Kiddo can make friends with anyone!

LOVE this SMILE!

Even the girls had a great time with the guns and running!

A HUGE thanks to Susan and her family for opening up their home. I sure hope their grass is back in one piece!

December 10, 2011 Team I Wanna Tri Beer Run

2011-12-10T22:59:00.000-07:00

Mike, one of our Team I Wanna Tri leaders, coordinated an awesome beer run: Up to 6 miles. I would have done it had I not had a photo session that night. The session went great and soon I was watching the races run in. Dan headed to a UFC game and I attended the post race celebration.

Mike was able to get donations from a number of local businesses for a drawing from the people who attended the event. He went to great lengths to make this event fantastic! And it truly was!!! :)

It was a blast to catch up with my fellow teammates. However, I had to tell them to stop picking up and running these crazy races! I have no ability to say 'NO'! When the invite me along... I don't want to be left behind!

I also enjoyed conversing at length with Tracy's wife about racing and biking. She is a fantastic source of information and a superb athletes. It's always a thrill to see how proud of her Tracy is.

It was a great night and all too soon it was time for me to head over to get the Kiddo from his Dad's house.

Dec 10, 2011 Double Header

2011-12-10T22:47:00.000-07:00

The Kiddo has joined the ranks of soccer players this fall. He was very nervous about his first game, preferring only to practice vice play a game.

However, the jitters are long gone and he enjoys playing. We can see vast improvement!

Dan spent the morning at Gracey B's cheer competition... but arrived just in time for Joe's 2nd game.

Just a small game of keep away:

I'm not sure who instigated this, but Dan won...

Judging by the grins? I'd say both are having a fine time... but back to playing the game now!

KICK IT!! BE AGGRESSIVE KIDDO!

Push those little kids out of the way!

Okay, not really on the littler kids... but don't be shy! :)

Dan's cheer face:

Games over, the kiddo had a great time. We enjoyed the two games and better? Loved that the tall coach got IN the game to help Joe's team. Way fun.

Nice playing kiddo!

JYC Dec 08, 2011

2011-12-08T07:40:00.000-07:00

I took a step on the wild side yesterday!

Instead of heading to spin class while the Kiddo attended Sylvan, I grabbed a tea from Starbucks and hit my folks house!

I was able to read a new photo e-book and take some Christmas themed "I Spy" pictures! My niece, Spunky Girl was there doing homework and hanging out. I even got to see my brother!

A lovely way to spend a Thursday evening.

Dec 07, 2011 Band Concert

2011-12-07T22:15:00.000-07:00

It's time for the Kiddo's 6th Grade Band Concert! Grandma picked up the Kiddo from school and took him home to work on his homework before the concert started.

The Kiddo was not thrilled to have his picture taken, but he seemed far less nervous about the concert than last year... more excited than anything.

Grandma took this picture. Thanks, Mom! The camera is way heavy wit the flash on top.

Calm, cool and collected, the Kiddo starts practicing with his fellow band mates until the 5th graders start.

The Kiddo's friend is also in the band.

More practicing

Midway through the concert, the Kiddo's friend (pictured here) the base of his stand hand the bolt came loose. Between songs, the Kiddo tried to help him fix it. His friend ended up propping the stand up with his foot to finish the concert.

His parents came up to us after the concert and thanked our Kiddo for helping their Kiddo during the malfunction. Very nice.

The Kiddo's band instructor, Mr. Weil is a master at this concert thing! Both the 5th graders and 6th graders had 15 minutes for their concert. It takes a special person with incredible patience to teach these youngsters to play. I think the most rewarding part is seeing how far they have come from in just 1 short year! The Kiddo's 5th grade concert compared to this 6th grade concert.. WOW!!! Completely amazing. :)

The best part of the concert was the last song: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. VERY cool! Dan & I totally enjoyed singing along. The Kiddo kept an eye on us to make sure we were still singing. It was fabulous!

"Hey Kiddo! LOOK over here! I've never seen you pick up before!" That got a chuckle from the other young man helping out. The Kiddo shook his head with a smile and kept on stacking chairs.

Here are our friends

and here we are!

I asked the Kiddo if he was planning to do band in junior high, he said he plans to. That makes me so happy as my fondest memories of Junior High and High School come from band.

What makes me even more proud, his friend started band to spend time with the Kiddo but quit once Mr. Weil figured out that the two of them together? Trouble! :) So proud that the kiddo stuck band out when his best friend did not.

Mr. Weil told us to take the kids out to ice cream after the concert. Sadly, the Kiddo still had homework, so we went to the grocery store, purchased ice cream and then headed home to multitask. Also found orange Crush for an upcoming photo session I have scheduled.

JYC Dec 07, 2011

2011-12-07T07:38:00.000-07:00

I am LOVING how this book is coming together and it's not taking me nearly as much time as the hand made one did from last year... oh, and last year's book (which did NOT include every day) was still being worked on a few weeks ago! ha ha!

JYC December 06, 2011

2011-12-06T06:10:00.000-07:00

So neat to find an old picture of me from Christmas. This photo is from our house on Elwood St in Findlay, Ohio. Brings back many happy memories!

JYC Dec 05, 2011

2011-12-05T07:36:00.000-07:00

What's NOT to love about Chewbacca on Christmas?

Don't tell the boys, but I think I like the Christmas themed Lego Nativity better... I'm fairly certain the boys do NOT agree!

JYC Dec 04, 2011

2011-12-04T13:43:00.000-07:00

Some pages you fall in love with, others you don't... I ADORE the picture on this page, but this isn't one of my favorite pages... I think the album is coming along nicely! Here's to hoping I can keep it up...

JYC Dec 3, 2011

2011-12-03T13:42:00.000-07:00

If you are going to get a Christmas card from me this year... DO NOT READ THIS POST! :) It will spoil the surprise! :)

JYC Dec 2, 2011

2011-12-02T13:40:00.000-07:00

JYC Dec 1, 2011

2011-12-01T13:38:00.000-07:00

December 1st:

My first year doing digital, so far, I'm liking it!

Journal Your Christmas (JYC)

2011-11-30T13:18:00.000-07:00

Time to get to Journal Your Christmas! Going to turn this into a blurb book at the end of the project. Should be fun. Big question? How many days will I actually complete this year?

Kit is from Sahlin Studios with other embellishments from The Lilypad

Front Cover:

Intro Page:

Back Cover:

10/23/11 Soma Triathlon

2011-10-23T21:33:00.000-07:00

Susan, in training for a 1/2 marathon, Dan and I in training for our first century ride and me having just completed an Olympic Triathlon decided we'd do the Soma Triathlon Relay. 1.2 mile swim (which I've been doing for weeks), 56 mile bike ride (Dan) and 13.1 mile run (Susan). We've GOT this.

Susan, having checked in earlier Saturday 10/22/11 already has the running portion of the packet. Dan and I drop off his bike and pick up the swim cap and #'s for the bike.

It's a warm weekend for October which means a hot race day. My goal? Get in and out of the water fast so we can get Dan's 3 hour + bike ride and Susan's 1/2 marathon over before the hottest part of the day!

Race day dawns chilly and cool. Water temperature is 73 degrees.

I was in the lake Sept 23, 2011 for my Olympic Tri: which is a 1 mile swim, 24 mile bike and 10K run. The water temperature was 78 degrees: not wet suit legal. Previously this year: May 6th, I swam 750m in 74 or 75 degree water and remember it being chilly but not too bad... I feel invincible!

Susan graciously takes pictures while Dan and I get ready for the race. I expect to be in the water for 45 to 60 minutes.

Dan and Susan are both a little nervous... with the heat coming on as the sun starts to rise... we are all a little worried about the heat.

The best part of triathlons? Getting your race number sharpied on your arm and calves. It just looks cool, ya know?

Okay, not my sexiest but Dan looks very dapper! Regardless, I'm ready to go... WAIT! Why am I one of the few NOT in a wet suit????

A neighboring racer tells me I'm brave to race in the water without wetsuit. I see only a few others without a wetsuit like me, including a boy of 14 or so. I think nothing of it as it's only a few degrees cooler than it was a month ago.

Once in the water I think it's not too chilly... but the longer we wait, the more cold I get.

Can we PLEASE start????

Finally! We're off... but wait. My goggle is leaking. REALLY??? UGGH! I stop 3 or 4 times to fix it before getting into the swing of things. It's taking a bit longer to warm up than I expected.

Soon, I'm about 1/3 of the way out. I'm wondering where the turn off is and having a hard time slowing down my breathing. I note kayakers near me and long for them to be closer so I can rest but keep on trudging along. Finally, after having slowed WAY down, I near the turn around point.

Looking at my watch, I'm not too far off my pace but I'm struggling to keep going. I've swallowed and coughed up some water and am still having trouble catching my breath. I pass another male swimmer who is also struggling... but after the 2nd turn he passes me.

I notice two kayaker's and flag one down, I need to stop a second... I can't stop coughing nor can I breath. As I rest on the kayak the paddler encourages me to take calm deep breathes which I do until my breathing is more under control. To get my mind off my situation, I ask the kind stranger his name, "Forrest" he responds. I ask about his racing history and he's a fire fighter who has had experience racing triathlons.

Soon, I feel well enough to start swimming again but am quickly in trouble. Coughing like crazy and hyperventilating... again. Floating on my back leads to dizzy and nausea. Forrest rescues me again as I pause. I can't stop coughing. I realize he's right there with me and he encourages me to keep going... telling me he'll be with me all the way in if I want and also reminding me that it's not worth it if I can't finish this swim. There will be other races. He knows just what to say.

Finally, I have him call the speed boat that pulls you out. That driver too encourages me to finish informing me I'm only 400m from the finish... but it sees so far. I give it another go, but quickly am back to clinging to Forrest's kayak. Forrest reminds me that my relay team would rather have me back alive than drowned or injured. I call uncle and have them pull me from the swim.

Susan and Dan are EXTREMELY understanding as I stand there coughing, soaking wet and shivering trying to explain just what happened. Dan's first words upon seeing me: "Are you OK?". Neither were angry and I'm so blessed! They joked instead, "Stop faking and get back in the water!"

Dan ended up riding his bike the 30 miles home and Susan ended up running 2 to 3 hours earlier than she was supposed to that day. It was a hot run for her and she was grateful she didn't have to wait till 11am to start.

I coughed all day... couldn't get warm and still feel a tickle in my throat in the cold months later. I plan to tackle my next triathlon in April 2012, a sprint to beat my swimming demon. I think the cold was to blame and next time, if legal, I'll wear a wetsuit!

I've never been scared of the water before... but today? I can see how people drown. Water is NOT something to mess with. Thankfully Forrest and other volunteers like him are out there in the water to help when one is having an off day.

Thank you, Forrest! For you encouragement and help. I'll see you next time... as I pass by on the way to the finish!

10/20/11 Jimmy Buffett Concert

2011-10-20T20:38:00.000-07:00

When Dan saw that Jimmy Buffett was going to be in town, we contacted Nancy to see if it was time for a double date to attend. The immediate response: HECK YES!

While dinner at Margaritaville would have been more appropriate, we settled for burgers at Applebee's! Delicious!

I only took my little camera but while we waited for the show to start, we had a BLAST people watching the folks in costume.

Grandma rocking beer goggles and killer Landshark Beer case hats (Where do I score one?0

The evening was filled with laughs and giggles!

The coolest thing about this concert BY FAR was the variety and ages of folks attending. One of the most versatile concerts: Younger kids, teens, and couples from their 20's though 60's!

The costumes were unique and outrageous and most of the wearers delighted in having their pictures taken

Everyone sang along: It's Jimmy Buffett! How can you NOT?

My lesson learned: Don't wear dark pants AND a dark jacket... drunk people WILL find a way to NOT see you and step on you! LOL.

I think I would have frozen in this costume!

The show was AMAZING!

Another great memory captured with precious friends!

Brad and Nancy rock out to their daughter's favorite song: FINS! They made her VERY proud!

288/365 October 15, 2012 Faux Hawk

2011-10-15T12:37:00.000-07:00

Dan, rockin the faux hawk!

Coop and Brad are getting ready for our Spring Break trip and trying new hairstyles...

10/14/11 Phoenix Herpetological Society

2011-10-14T10:57:00.000-07:00

Having some extra vacation days and our children on fall break, Susan invited Joe and I to join her at "great place to work" event at the Phoenix Herpetological society. I, loving snakes, was TOTALLY up for it!

We've had a number of family get-togethers. The Kiddo has met and played with her two sweeties before. However the long drive from south Chandler to north Scottsdale was eerily quiet as the children were not quite sure about this whole adventure.

That changed soon enough once we arrived!

I'll admit, I was filled with some trepidation (Despite attesting that ALL "great place to work" events sponsored by my amazing employer have been fabulous) when we arrived... The building is a house with shed off a dirt path... how big can this place REALLY be?

Were we ever in for a crazy cool surprise!

Since we were one of the first visitors to arrive, the children admired the tortoises living outside the house in stone pens along the drive. Susan and I signed in, entered two drawings for the kids: one to feed a monitor, the other to feed the alligators, obtained scavenger hunt cards and moved into the 'snake' shed. Housed in the double garage sized shed were dozens and dozens of both exotic and local snakes, baby turtles AND baby snakes (so cute!). The kids chattered excitedly over the styles of snakes and started looking for the answers to their scavenger hunt cards... all shyness gone!

We then wandered outside after the owner informed us it was time to feed the desert tortoises their daily lettuce. It's my FAVORITE bulk Costco romaine style.

We were allowed to climb into the tortoise enclosure and feed these HUGE creatures! They trod on feet and followed you where they could eating the lettuce out of your hands, their shells clacking and clunking together along the way. We spent a good 40 minutes in the summer sun feeding the tortoises... trying not to get our fingers bitten off by these strong beaked animals.

Next, it was time to wander and find the rest of the animals on the scavenger hunt cards.

We fed the snapping turtles, vicious critters! Not nearly so nice as the tortoises...

The kids founds some bigger tortoises to pet. My Kiddo is SUCH a good kid... I told him to sit on the below tortoise and ride him, he quickly responded, "No way, Mom!!" And the worker lady standing right there 'yelled' at me "These tortoises are NOT for riding!!"

In my defense, I WAS kidding..

We had many things to find on the scavenger hunt forms: Elvis the king cobra, a banana iguana, the BIG boa (whose name I have forgotten! YIKES!) and other creatures. The facility is HUGE!

It was very cool to talk with the workers... and learn that none of their critters had escaped and they take great pride in keeping their neighborhood and neighbors safe.

My favorite (to Susan's surprise) was holding the baby boa! I was so thrilled! The kids all pet the larger boa, held the little boa and then washed their hands for a lunch of pizza and soda.

I have ALWAYS wanted a pet boa... but never had one. Maybe someday!

The day passed more quickly that we expected! We saw the monitor eat a chicken leg in a few bites.

We got some help from one of the owners on finding some of our missing scavenger friends.

Before we knew it, it was time to return to the front to find out who was going to win the opportunity to feed the alligator. My friend's daughter's name was drawn... but there was NO WAY she wanted to feed the alligators we'd just met... and they have a TON of them there! Each with there own story and their own personality.

Her son, too, passed on the opportunity as did the Kiddo... but after a little coaxing the Kiddo decided maybe he'd go ahead and try this feeding the alligator thing.

He was VERY brave and fed Tuesday and her slightly more aggressive male cage mate (when Tuesday decided she wasn't really all that hungry). Tuesday was raised in a home to think she was a dog. When she arrived at the PDS she was SCARED of the other alligators, not recognizing that they were just like her.

I agree, she seemed a gentle giant in the way she treated her handler and the Kiddo during the feeding. He cage mate? A bit more aggressive. It was an INCREDIBLE opportunity and one that I know the Kiddo cherishes... after all, he's got the shirt to prove it!

It was VERY hard to get a decent shot of him feeding Tuesday... but here is the proof!

Tongs: Who'd a thunk it? So versatile!

After a quick cookie snack and some water, it was time to take our hot, weary selves back home to Chandler.

We all had a FABULOUS time... what an unique event that resulted in cherished memories.

The ride home? Yup, the mom's couldn't get a word in over the chattering and laughing of the youngsters in the back! Day off mission? Complete fun success!

10/13/11 Play Date with the Linvilles

2011-10-13T12:49:00.000-07:00

After my run with Susan and hair cut with Tiffany, it was time to meet the Linville clan for a day of fun.

The Kiddo is on Fall Break as is Daphne and her Clan. What will we do today?? Met the family at Michael's. We shopped and shopped! Then to Party City for a Halloween Costume. Next, lunch at Chipolte, a favorite for all!

Daphne kept making funny faces when I went to take her picture...

Scooby and Scrappy ate at their own table.

The girls had their own table.

It's no wonder Daphne is so pretty... she gets it from her mom!

All three kids had a BLAST riding bikes until Daphne went to her contact appointment.

Sydney loved being outside, too! She kept chewing on sticks and 'pruning' the bushes!

The boys soon end up on the x-box and the mommies go shopping! Target, Apple Store, Lucy, Dick's Sporting Goods, Home Depot, AJ's Fine Foods, Kirkland Home, DownEast clothing and home. WhEWW!!

What an awesome day! Thanks for the fun Linville family!

It's About The Journey

2011-09-27T15:55:00.000-07:00

I admit, sometimes I can't help but, with maybe a wee bit of envy, look and admire my speedy friends and speedy husband. I marvel at their achievements that seem to come so effortlessly for them. I soon find myself in the throes of a pitty party on the verge of tears. Why can't I be fast and effortless? Why can't I be a super athlete like them and blow everyone away? Why do I need to wait until I'm 90 and the only one in my age bracket to win a medal? Why is it such hard work? WHY do I do this again?

Kat, at Inspired to Action, nailed it on the head in this post. "God is the great orchestrator. He isn't hung up on qualifications..." {who's faster??} She nailed it again when she said: "My job isn’t to compare. My job is to build. And the first building blocks? Thankfulness and humility."

Maybe my strengths aren't in being fast. Maybe my strength is in being persistent and honestly enjoying the high that comes from finishing. Maybe it comes from being grateful that I CAN complete. That I am healthy and capable to do these crazy races. That it's about the JOURNEY and RELATIONSHIPS built during training.

Honestly? Even though I'm slow, I wouldn't change it for anything! Chatty mornings with B-team when we train. Sitting outside Starbucks laughing and sharing stories. Seeing so many glorious sunrises that most people sleep through. 1:1 time with my hubby as we both strive to stay healthy and work hard. That, in itself, is it's own reward...

So I humbly accept my limitations and gratefully celebrate the process.

Sorry about being a bit whiny there...

Day 246 September 3, 2011

2011-09-03T10:32:00.000-07:00

Labor Day Weekend in Tucson:

Gracie B received OODLES of birthday money for Justice. So, while D and Lisa the kids to the mall, the guys went to the sports bar to watch a game (or 2).

The Kiddo and G went to see Spy Kids (by themselves!). The Kiddo and G enjoyed the 4-D movie and were (as expected) amazingly responsible on their first solo movie.

What a fabulous memory for them!

D and Lisa LOVED watching the littler girls try on clothes and teach Gracie B how to budget her shopping money.

Day 245 /365 September 2, 2011

2011-09-02T10:14:00.000-07:00

Still on the Tim Ferris 4 hour body and purchased this multivitamin mix. Athletic Greens. I have to say, it's pretty tasty, not too horrible for a multivitamin. I'll keep taking it. :)

Day 244 September 1, 2011 The 4-Hour Body

2011-09-01T14:18:00.000-07:00

Day 9 on The 4-Hour Body by Tim Ferris. I'm down ~3 lb's... including post cheat day on Saturday! I've had a VERY hard time losing 10 lbs, but this diet seems to be doing the trick. I'm looking forward to this weekends cheat day. Cravings? Pretzels, fruit smoothie and bread!

Over all today was EXHAUSTING! Upped the calorie intake to see if that helps AND making sure I'm getting my beans.. since the diet excludes fruits and grain (except corn and anything goes on cheat day) I've got to make sure I'm getting my carb loading for my running and biking another way.

SO looking forward to oatmeal ump on Saturday pre ride!

Day 241 August 29, 2011 Actions

2011-08-29T15:41:00.000-07:00

I have to say, I'm not a huge fan of Photoshop Actions.

My boy: SOOC

I'm not sure why... somehow, I started doing all of my photo edits in Adobe Bridge and Adobe Raw. The actions I would like to use never look right on my images unless I correct them in RAW first. After adjusting in Raw, I just don't see the point of further edits in Photoshop unless I'm converting to B&W.

RAW conversion:

I did slight adjustments to exposure and used RAW to color correct... the camera SOOC didn't capture the true colors of the evening. This is how the AZ golden light truly looked.

Tried haze and flash to fill his face just a little bit. Slight vignette... what do you think?

What about lightroom? What is your work flow? I have lightroom but haven't figured it out. I need a 'dummie's' video... any points of reference for me?

Day 239 August 27, 2011 Cinnabon

2011-08-28T14:12:00.000-07:00

My running buddy Susan, husband Dan and pastor Terry at our church turned me on to The 4-Hour Body by Tim Ferris. Susan for diet, Dan for his goal at attaining a 300lb bench press and Terry for swimming.

So what does this have to do with a Cinnabon? In this case: I'm joining Susan in the diet portion of the program. I've been trying to lose 10 lbs unsuccessfully for months!!! Today? Cheat day! I think I've got this part of the program DOWN!!! :) Let's hope this week the scales shows the results of the program.

July 30, 2011 Week In Our Life

2011-07-30T20:51:00.059-07:00

I have taken SO many pictures this month! And I'm not editing them all. Sometimes I miss the jpeg days of shoot and load w/o photoshop work! Supposedly lightroom should be able to help, but I'm at a loss on how to use it. Anyone out there recommending a good intro to lightroom online class?

Week in OUR Life has suddenly become a Hipstamatic iPhone project. I think just because of time and lugging my big camera around is somewhat cumbersome.

Yesterday started SUPER early with a 4 am alarm to hit the Pecos loop road at 5:30 am with the Phoenix Tri Club. A gorgeous sunrise and BEAUTIFULLY lit morning ride ensued.

Julie met me at the park and ride. I also bumped into fellow neighborhood biker, Jack, whom Dan and I have met a few times on out Saturday morning rides.

The morning was stunning, the lighting just gorgeous and the photographer in me wanted to stop every 5 minutes and snap pictures. WOW what a great way to enjoy the Awatukee area! Soon, we were 2 hours into our ride and hitting a potty stop at the golf course.

Nice finger in the picture, no? 2 hours 37 minutes of riding, Julie and I head to breakfast at the Good Egg. Then home to a boyless house (Okay, Dakota is there but he left shortly after I arrived hoe) to enjoy a boyless day.

I watched Master Chef, organized printed pictures, cleaned out the laundry room cabinets, picked up a bit in the scrapbook room (dumping probably 50 old Creating Keepsakes and the like magazines), and the cabinet under my sink. Tried to nap but was too hungry.

Soon it was time to hit the road to get Joe for our date night! Stopped at Costco to pick up some poster prints and a haboob rolled in.

Color cast courtesy of Hipstamatic. Still you can see the dust cloud rolling in. So neat!

My cutie patootie date: He even opened the doors for me at the movie theater and dinner.

Just the two of us!

Driving

More of the two of us

The Kiddo. I imagine next year or so, this is how our self portraits will look as he continues to grow! This kiddo is going to be TALL!!!! Wonder where he gets it from???

Snacks for Harry Potter &TDHP2

Movie over, it's time for dinner. The storm is still kind of blowing stuff around. the Kiddo loved the movie, but doesn't like the lightening outside.

Dinner at Native New Yorker

This boy LOVES his HOT wings!

When we returned home, the Kiddo and Dakota played some Halo and then it was time for bed.

The kiddo ended up sleeping with me. He only woke me once when he wacked me with his hand!

July 29, 2011 Week In OUR Life

2011-07-29T22:38:00.001-07:00

Friday morning dawns brightly. Joe pushes me out and gives me a kiss. Dan is taking the boy to school for me, thank you, honey!

The morning starts with breakfast at my desk and then to the gym for some light cardio before weights with the "Advanced" workout group gang:

My Smokin' Hot super strong "gun" totin' & beloved work out partner, Julie:

Dan: our 'delicate flower' is in the gym on Friday mornings with us. He and Adrian work on their Tai Chi and Kung Fu. A long standing member of the Black Pearl.

Adrian: The Black Pearl's fearless Captain. The heart and soul of the 6 to 8 am work out group. Always encouraging and Kung Fu wicked cool!

New to the "Black Pearl" are Shannon and Charissa. These lovely ladies bring girly-ness and raw attitude to a normally male dominated hour. They are a hoot and pleasure to have join us.

Julie cranks out a warm up bench press set.

Last work out picture before the 'real' work begins: Shannon and her tea... cracks me up that she drinks tea at work out. Not sure why... maybe because tea, for me, is a relaxing drink... not a workout drink! However, I DO agree with her in that I MUST have my caffeinated tea before workout!

The day passes in a complete blur and soon it's time to head home: My post to FB this afternoon: "24 hours sans boys... The weekend looms like a ripe berry waiting to be picked! What shall I do with my boyless hours? Hmm, eat girly foods, watch girly TV and SHOP of COURSE! :)"

After work, I drop by Kohl's to leisurely stroll the store and try on a few things. I do pick up the shirt and two skirts I had been eyeing. Next, Costco for groceries - need more fruits and veggies! Finally, home for TV, Master Chef and picture organizing. A quiet evening at home. Dan wants to see Cowboys and Aliens, so I'll wait until he returns to go see it.

July 26, 2011 Week In OUR Life

2011-07-26T13:09:00.000-07:00

5:00 am How do you usually wake up in the morning? Lately, I've been waking up to a meowing kitty... "Mom, I'm HUNGRY!! Feed me!!"

Meet Phil... that's his favorite quote to me these days. Maybe he's still mad that we went to Oklahoma for a week.

Not quite awake, the boy pushes me out. Picture is blurry cuz I forgot to put the autofocus back on. Oops.

Heading to spin class at work but can't resist stopping for a few seconds to take a few quick pictures of 'my' field.

Post Spin class & 15 minute brick run, it's time for a shower

Ready for the day! I LOVE these blingie jeans.

What luck! I get lunch with my sweetie TWO days in a row!

We run over to Target post lunch for a few necessities: sun glasses for Dan and index cards for me!

Our Intel Personal Trainer, Aaron: "I want YOU!"

Work done, it's time to head to Sylvan and pick up the Kiddo who's working hard and receiving some tutoring.

FINALLY we head home for dinner. Dan is getting ready to head out to play ball and Joe and I just chill for the night.

July 25, 2011 First Day of Shool & Week In OUR Life

2011-07-25T20:21:00.046-07:00

I can't BELIEVE it's already here: the 1st day of 6th grade. Our tradition continues with photo on the 1st day of school and photo on the last day of school. In fact, I'm fairly certain he wore that shirt on his LAST day of 5th grade:

Yup, I wasn't wrong! However, he looks more excited to be STARTING 6th grade than he was completing 5th grade. Or maybe it's just the pictures he's sick of?

NEVER has this sweet dude looked so at ease on the first day of school. The smiles, laughs and excitement... YAY!!! Maybe that's what being the cool big man on campus will do for you...

It was a gorgeous day to start school!! It wasn't blistering hot this morning... just hot! Grandma and Grandpa and Spunky Girl joined us in sending off the Kiddo today. 6th grade... I'm still marveling when did THAT happen?????

The Kiddo was THRILLED to be reunited with his closest friend at school. Now, where did Grandma and Grandpa disappear to? Finally, reunited with them, a few more pictures and off these two went to conquer the day...

What else happened in this day of Week In the Life?

Lunch at Cyprus Grill with the most handsomestest man on the planet... those blue eyes just MELT me! We also bumped into friend Amy while at Cyprus Grill... she had her almost 2 year old son Asher there... what a sweetie! It was great to spend time with my sweetie and bump into a dear friend!

Dropped off some clothes for charity: Stuff I haven't worn in over a year, it was time to send it along!

After work, Grandma took the Kiddo to the Dr's office and I met them there. Three years since I last had him in? Oops... VERY Bad Mommy! Grandma and the Kiddo work on homework while I fill out forms (and snap a shot or twelve)

For some reason Joe enjoyed having his blood pressure taken: 120 over 70

Waiting for his shot:

This young man was brave: no tears and he even kinda watched while he got the shots!

It was over quickly and he was pleased with the arctic camouflage bandaids. Overall health report? Mom, get the Kiddo in at least 1x per year! (SUMMER 2012). Height and weight still 95% and he's a healthy happy kiddo. We are so blessed!

After the Dr: we headed home for dinner and to our pleasant surprise, Dakota, the intern we are housing, was going to join us for dinner.

Dakota will be staying with us until December and we are thrilled to have him join us! He's got a ready smile and laugh and is one of the most polite young men I've ever met!

To complete our evening, the Kiddo and I hit the pool to do some laps. 45 minutes later we were tired, done and ready to head home! What a great 1st day for the Kiddo and fabulous start to Week in the Life!

What Happened to Menu Plan Monday????

2011-07-20T10:18:00.000-07:00

It's summer!!! School's out and schedules are complete chaos... so where is Menu Plan Monday? On Hiatus until... next week?

The Kiddo spends OODLES of time at his Dad's house AND my folks house during the summer. As such, I have a hard time cooking for just two folks (Dan and I).

To boot: I got a NEW Vitamix Blender and we've been changing the way we eat in the evenings: Light smoothie's about 6pm for "dinner" and nothing further to eat after that. This is a HUGE change to me. Previously, I saved over 1/3 of my calories for the 2nd half of the day to eat a huge meal with my boys.

Instead, the past two weeks, Dan and I have been having 300 to 400 calorie smoothies for dinner instead and no "late night" snack. We are really enjoying it and I've seen a big difference in body composition for me.

Recipe for smoothies? 1 cup Fage 0% Greek Yogurt, 1 large carrot, 2 or 3 celery stalks, 7 to 9 oz squash and 1 fruit. DELICIOUS! NUTRITIOUS! LOVING IT!

Ready to try juicing & smoothies? Contact the Vitamixlady for a smokin' deal on a Vitamix 5200!

198/365 Double Rainbow

2011-07-17T21:08:00.000-07:00

I HAD to pull off the side of the road to capture this. The cool thing? I wasn't the only one who did so! There was a pre-teen girl with her Mom and Dad trying to capture the picture. This sweet girl, with her father's permission, even held my sign for the Clickin' Mom's Scavenger Hunt shot!

We had a FABULOUS overnight in Tucson. An amazing dinner out on the town, adult movie night (ie no kids not THAT kind of adult!!), shopping for Lisa & D and pool time! Relaxing, filled with laughs and way too much fun!

195/365 July 14, 2011 Full Moon

2011-07-14T21:22:00.000-07:00

I am so grateful that a few friends on Facebook mentioned the full moon. If only I had caught a picture before the sun went completely down. I may try again tonight. This? Not bad for a quickie shot. Used a tripod and a long exposure of a few seconds. Is that enough to make it blurry?

July 11, 2011 Essence of Summer

2011-07-11T13:11:00.000-07:00

Essence of Summer

From the Simple Scrapper

The essence of summer to me is flowers blooming and the warmth of the sun on my skin, enjoying a tall glass of iced tea and waiting for the Arizona Monsoon season rains to begin!

July 6, 2011 Fireworks Part II

2011-07-06T15:43:00.000-07:00

After our 4th of July fireworks fun, we had a few items left over. Smoke Bombs and sparklers mostly. The Kiddo and I spent about 30 minutes outside playing with more fire. It was a ton of fun and we had a great time playing. I asked him to hold the burned sparklers and do a sad face once we were done. He "happily" obliged. Hope we can go back next year and do it again!

180/365 June 29, 2011 BOX

2011-06-29T10:17:00.004-07:00

Inspired by My Squirrel World for the Our Space prompt of boxes, I'm going to post my first photo of the day for this fantastic, totally inspirational Facebook group!

X-BOX Kiddo!

Yesterday, my mom was still feeling sick so I kept the Kiddo at our house. I had meetings scheduled for most of the day which meant HIS day would be spent watching TV and playing x-BOX while I worked, if no intervention prevailed. Deciding that NO! This was NOT how he should spend the day, I phoned a friend who rescued me (him?). She sweetly came by our house to pick up the Kiddo and take him, along with her children, on a few errands. The day culminated in time spent in the pool and playing Legos. He watched NO TV all afternoon AND hand washed dishes for the first time in his life! THANK YOU, Nancy!! I can't tell you how much I appreciate you!!!

179/365 June 28, 2011 Sky

2011-06-28T15:25:00.001-07:00

Can't help but think of the Third Day song Sky Falls Down with this Our Space prompt! LOVE Monsoon season in the Southwest!

Texture overlay: Kim Klassen
Word overlay: Lisa Edney

177/365 June 26, 2011 SOS (Show off Sunday)

2011-06-26T10:22:00.005-07:00

Show off Sunday at Facebook Group Our Space

Still some lingering blooms in our back yard! Love these flowers, so pretty! Used Kim Klassen textures to add some spice.

Mother of the Corn?

2011-06-25T13:36:00.000-07:00

Not only did I take pictures of the Kiddo on the longest day of the year, but the kiddo took pictures of me, too... at HIS request!

Notice the black spot on my shirt? Yes, that's the fly that I forgot to Photoshop out. OOps.

The kiddo does a great job capturing pictures of me!

I LOVE hanging out in the corn. It reminds me of when I was a kid in Ohio. One of my parent's friends had a corn field behind their house. I wanted to run up and down the rows and play hide and seek but Mom and Dad never let us. Snakes they said. Instead we'd run and play in the creek getting muddy and dirty there.

It surprised me that the kiddo wants NOTHING to do with the corn fields near our house. Maybe because they are packed in so closely together. Not nearly as much room to run and hide as there was in the fields I remember as a child. Plus there are bugs. He doesn't do bugs. Regardless, I LOVE stopping by the corn to take pictures.

This pose? All the Kiddo's idea: Joe selected the pose for me AND took the picture. Then he told me, "Mom, when you see this picture think 'FIRE POWER!' " Gotta love Night at the Museum 2! What a great flick... and what an ever better photo to make me look back on this summer solstice night with fondness and a smile!

174/365 June 23, 2011 HOT!

2011-06-23T10:29:00.004-07:00

The heat is ON in Arizona!

Summer is officially here! :) However, I DO enjoy getting into my sweltering car after a hard day in the FREEZING office. 110+ = nice way to thaw out... any other peeps feeling that way?

Child of the Corn

2011-06-21T13:15:00.001-07:00

UGGHH!!! Played with Lightrooom for an hour... then? Lost all my changes. :( So sad! At least it wasn't before I had processed them as .tiff. Guess I need to watch some introductory tutorials to figure this program out.

Regardless, the Kiddo and I had a blast taking pictures of each other in the corn. Well, he displayed some slight apprehension about standing in the corn... next to all the bugs, but he sucked it up nicely.

The below is probably my favorite image from the set.

This is the edit from light room without any texture. The kiddo doesn't like looking into the sun, but I love how the lighting is mostly on his face. Would like to darken the corn in the background a bit, but haven't yet.

The more I look at this kid, age 11, the more I see the man he is becoming. His legs and arms are moving from wirery chub to lean muscle. I see his shoulders broadening and signs of an impending growth spurt!

(OOH red lens flare! FUN!)

Where was I? Oh, yes, I see the man he is to become not only in appearance but in attitude as well.

For instance, there is a stray (?) long haired mangy looking white cat that roams our neighborhood. The kiddo, having LOVE the Warriors series by Erin Hunter, named this cat Snow Fur. Our gentle souled son has been sneaking food to this kitty on the sly. He LOVES this cat.

I admit to thinking about taking him in, but he needs a thorough cleaning and trip to the vet. Plus he's long haired... which means he'd be an allergy nightmare for me. So, no, we won't be taking Snow Fur into our home anytime soon...

...but I'm so very proud of this young man for caring enough to want to take care of this cat!

We did have to set expectations with him about not feeding the cat (the food attracts the bugs and crickets) but am thinking we need to find a way to let the Kiddo help Snow Fur, somehow...

LOAD Blog Hop

2011-06-09T02:10:00.051-07:00

Welcome to Gettin' Creative and thanks for stopping by from Trista's The Little Things blog. As you know, we're posting our favorite layouts from the May LOAD 2011 Project.

I have to say, I LOVE the LOAD challenge! I've participated in almost all of them and it seems like the only time during the year that I dedicate to making pages to capture the memories I truly care about. Added bonus? With Lain Ehmann's fantastic prompts and all the amazing layouts created by fellow participants, inspiration and motivation truly abound. Won't you join us next time?

This month, I ended up taking most of the lay outs I completed (and some others waiting to be printed) and created a BLURB book in 7x7 size. It turned out FABULOUS. Wanna see? You can view it here.

Sketch: 28 days of sketches class with Lisa Day

Digi Kit: Songbird Ave: Metro

I'd love to hear from you, comments are cherished!

Thank you SO much for stopping by and enjoy Christina's favorite lay out at She's a Crafty Pumpkin.

Looking for more creativity because you missed the other May 2011 LOAD blog hop stops along the way? Look no further: you can find them here:

Danielle - ecoscrapbook
Jennifer - at the blue barn

Katrina - Capture your 365
Abbie - Happie by Abbie
Trista - The Little Things
Christina - She's a Crafty Pumpkin

Caroline - Pouring Over Pictures

Kathleen - Taking Pictures, Enjoying Life

HOARDERS

2011-06-06T13:31:00.000-07:00

The past few months, I've been working through small organizing projects, encouraged by I'm an Organzing Junkie with their 52 week project and the amazing inspiration at Organization Made Easy. I weeded through the (many) pants in my closet, the Harry Potter room (aka closet under the stairs), the linen closet, the kitchen pantry, the kitchen cupboards and the shoe storage center in the garage. Boxes and boxes have gone to both Good Will & The Boys & Girl's Club donation centers, yet it feels like there is so much left to do still. I admit, recent progress has stalled.

BUT, this weekend Dan and I started watching Hoarders on A&E (via Netflix on the X-box... best invention ever, but that's for a different post!) I suddenly found myself ITCHING to go through my CD collection (which sits right next to the TV) while watching the show... great therapy to encourage 'letting go' of stuff!

Double Vision

2011-06-03T09:58:00.000-07:00

Challenge: Shoot from up above and then shoot from down below. Encelia Farinosa was my victim. Love these flowers!

Bible verse from today's readings that spoke to me today. So glad to know God is always in my corner!
"The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and deliver them from all their troubles. The Lord is near the brokenhearted; He saves those crushed in spirit. Many adversities come to the one who is righteous, but the Lord delivers him from them all." Psalm 34:17-19, HCSB

150/365 May 30, 2011

2011-05-30T16:42:00.003-07:00

A scrumptious banana snack!

More LOAD May 2011

2011-05-30T10:26:00.000-07:00

Today marks the last day of LOAD May 2011... I finished far more pages than I thought I would, got caught up on some stuff and made some layouts I absolutely ADORE!!!

Self Portrait

School State Fair for the Kiddo

Christmas 200

Christmas 2001

149/365 May 29, 2011

2011-05-29T17:00:00.000-07:00

Our church had flags out in honor of those who lost their lives fighting for our great country. Thank you for your sacrifice! Happy Memorial Day.

LOAD progress

2011-05-26T12:10:00.000-07:00

What is LOAD? Lay Out A Day. Lain Ehmann leads the charge two to three times a year. It's a great time to get focused and be creative with scrapbook layouts I've been inspired by via web browsing and Creating Keepsakes Magazine. I missed a few days at the beginning but a stash of pages built up during the weekends that I could post first thing in the morning before I head into work. Taking 28 Sketches class with Lisa Day at Big Picture Classes helps as well!

ABOVE: Kitty Designs digital kit
Sketch inspired by Creating Keepsakes Magazine

BELOW: Kit: Amanda Rockwell Soothing Sunshine
Sketch 28 sketches Lisa Day

Below: Sketch 28 Days: Lisa Day
Papers: Oscraps collab kit: passion flowers

Sketch: Modified from Lisa Day 28 sketches

Digital Kit Crushin' on my Little Man
Sketch: Cathy Zielske

Sketch: Cathy Zielske

146/365 May 26, 2011 Mini Corn Bread Muffins

2011-05-26T12:04:00.005-07:00

Cutest little corn muffins we've ever made!!! (the Kiddo mixed the batter but I just baked 'em)

How was the taste test?

Verdict: Delicious!

145/365 May 25, 2011 Fluorescent White Hair

2011-05-25T12:01:00.005-07:00

Behold! My fluorescent white hair. We've been together for 7 years through thick and thin. Neither plucking nor brown Sharpie have eliminated it's return. At least it's thick and prominent! Maybe someday I WILL have the thicker hair I've always wished for! But please, no need to invite other fluorescent white friends to the party yet... I can wait a decade (or three) longer :)

144/365 May 24, 2011 Dinner Guest

2011-05-24T11:57:00.003-07:00

We had friend Ashlyn over for dinner. It was SO great to see her and laugh with her! She has been spending the past year or so travelling around the world and learning the incredible Thai Massage. Soon, she'll be off on her next adventure and we'll miss her dearly. Thank goodness for Facebook which allows us to keep up with her adventures!

May 23, 2011 Menu Plan Mondays

2011-05-23T16:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to another Menu Plan Monday!

Sunday: Spare ribs anyway ya like 'em! (Lisa = salad, Dan = sandwich, The Kiddo = naked), left over Quinoa & Veggies

Monday: Fend for yourself! The Kiddo is at the tutor until 6 pm, happy hour for work 5 to 7...

Tuesday: We have a VERY special GUEST in attendance! Friend Ashlyn is back from her world wide travels so we are going to spend a special dinner catching up with her before she's off for her next adventure: Chili-Rubbed Tilapia Salad and Quinoa

Wednesday: Black Bean Quesadillas

Thursday: Cream Cajun Chicken Pasta

Friday: Date night!

Saturday: leftovers

Below: Dan's mother's day meal to me: Cheesy Mexican Chicken with corn and salad. My honey knows I like my veggies. Oh and I was COMPLETELY banished from the kitchen during the making of this meal... and I love every second of my banishment! DELICIOUS, honey!

143/365 May 23, 2011 Morning with my boys

2011-05-23T11:55:00.002-07:00

Just a chill morning getting ready for the day.

142/365 May 22, 2011 Shirley Temples & Happy Birthday, McKenzie!

2011-05-22T11:47:00.012-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY McKENZIE!!! We celebrated at Red Robin. The Kiddo had a friend spend the night and his friend introduced him to the Shirley Temple. I think they each ate about 12 cherries apiece (and shared with cousin Spunky Girl!)

Kenzie seemed to LOVE her customized gift from Lisa Leonard Designs. It looks gorgeous on her as well!

141/365 May 21, 2011 New Shades

2011-05-21T11:44:00.002-07:00

FINALLY the Kiddo received his clip on shades for his glasses from the awesome new eye center we go to. These babies have been back ordered for a bit and then I took even LONGER to go pick them up from the eye clinic. Regardless, the Kiddo was very happy to have them!

140/365 May 20, 2011 Sweet Tea

2011-05-20T11:41:00.002-07:00

Making sweet tea for the Kiddo's state fair project... needs ice... and sugar. :)

Guitar Dan

2011-05-19T16:52:00.002-07:00

Love this picture of Dan learning to play the guitar.

139/365 May 19, 2011 Sunrise Run

2011-05-19T11:39:00.004-07:00

Morning Run with Susan. No energy for fartlek speed work today, but a good 4 miles was achieved. YAAY!!!!

138/365 May 18, 2011

2011-05-18T11:36:00.002-07:00

Spending time each morning with my other man, Jesus. Been out of the bible study practice and it feels good to start my day with the Word as guided by Beth Moore through the Psalms of Ascent.

iPhone 4
Textures by Kim Klassen Cafe

2010 Lay out for my New Car!

2011-05-18T07:37:00.000-07:00

I am really enjoying LOAD May 2011! Part of the added bonus is that I'm taking 28 sketches at Big Picture Classes with Lisa Day. This means I have a sketch to work from (takes less thinking) AND I have oodles of inspiration from the online galleries and Flickr AND BPC.

Now, if only I had done better pre-work to write out my stories BEFORE the class started. Lesson learned!

137/365 May 17, 2011

2011-05-17T11:34:00.004-07:00

Swimming with the kiddo. I've got a new sports suit to test out and the Kiddo a cool new swim cap (with fames!). It was a windy/ chilly night, but we did about 20 minutes of swim anyway. I enjoy this time with the kiddo and it was nice to just swim tonight! Need to pick our next tri date so we can get to training again!

Bloomin' Desert

2011-05-17T03:14:00.001-07:00

I adore textures on photos! I am really really enjoying playing with flowers and photos of things to add in Kim Klassen textures.

Kit from TaylorMade
Template: Lisa Day 28 days of sketches at Big Picture Classes

136/365 May 16, 2011 Hands

2011-05-16T11:31:00.004-07:00

Just chillin' watching some TV. Dan has this cute habit of resting his hands on his head while doing so. Love his hands. Is it weird that I find men's hands & forearms sexy? Kinda like Pioneer Woman is obsessed with her hubby's derriere? Well, I was moved and grabbed a shot.

2011-05-16T03:02:00.000-07:00

This LO was totally inspired by this month's (May/June 2011) Creating Keepsake's Magazine. They had a section on birthdays and I LOVED how one artist did her daugther's first 10 birthdays... I took it a bit farther (since the Kiddo is eleven) and included a picture from his birth day! :) Very fun!

Kit: Cori Gammon Boy Crazy

135/365 May 15, 2011 Happy Birthday, Mom!!

2011-05-15T11:29:00.002-07:00

Happy Birthday, Mom!!! We celebrated the Sunday before her actual b'day since we'd all be together. We enjoyed Dave's BBQ and a dessert of ice cream with chocolate sauce. YUM!!

Celebration

2011-05-15T09:57:00.000-07:00

Another color combination I'm not 100% comfortable with, but since it's for this year's Mother's Day celebration (and my dad's birthday), I went for it!

Template: Lisa Day 28 days of sketches at Big Picture Scrapbooking

Ahh-CHOOO!!! A favorite LO

2011-05-14T14:54:00.000-07:00

Okay, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this lay out! The photos crack me up, the yellow and red spots amidst the black and white. I dig it. Theme from May 2011 LOAD was to do a monochromatic B&W LO. I couldn't just do B&W, so mixed it up a smidge and love how it turned out!

Kit: Songbird Ave Metro

Template: Lisa Day 28 days of sketches at Big Picture Scrapbooking

134/365 May 14, 2011

2011-05-14T11:26:00.004-07:00

First glimpse of the dirt track cars for the kids first race. This look tells me, "What have we gotten ourselves in to???" They ended up having a great time and it was a lovely night :)

The Date that Didn't Happen

2011-05-13T19:48:00.001-07:00

This is not my favorite paper combination but it does work well with Dan's shirt. The LOAD challenge was to use a color scheme you don't normally use. Box checked.... :)

Journaling:

Feb 14, 2003 Mutual friends and co-workers Annette and Tracy worked a little bit of match-maker magic to put Dan and Lisa together. Both Christian and recently back in the dating game the girls thought the two would be a perfect match for each other. At prompting, the girls recommended Lisa join the team at Mel’s sabbatical happy hour which Dan was planning to attend. Unfortunately Lisa had TONS of MBA homework to do and hadn't seen her 2 year old son nearly all week. She text Dan to let him know she wouldn't make the happy hour but sent her phone # so they could talk later that weekend. Lisa was nervous about an phone call... would she have to do all the talking to cover awkward silences? To her delight, he did not... the two hit it off the next night via phone. Monday was a lunch at BJ’s and then “the official first date” on February 21, 2003. The rest, as they say, was history. The couple were married one year later to the day of their first date. 6 years later they still celebrate the date that didn't happen.

Digi Kit from: Weeds and Willow

Template: Lisa Day 28 days of sketches at Big Picture Scrapbooking

133/365 May 13, 2011 Gym

2011-05-13T11:23:00.001-07:00

I LOVE my gym! These colorful bands caught my eye today and I needed to capture them. Not sure who's using them (or for what) but they make me smile.

131/365 May 11, 2011 Band Concert

2011-05-11T11:18:00.002-07:00

Tonight was Joe's second 5th grade band concert. He has been promoted from bell kit to drum pad. It is incredible to see the improvement the children have made in just a few short months. Before the concert, Joe had a great time joking with friend Casey about how nervous they both were. Based on the smiles, they weren't TOO nervous... until Mr. Weil stepped up to the podium. Then the smiles and giggles vanished and a slight green tinge seemed to grace the boy's face as he swallowed his nerves. HOWEVER, he (and the band) pulled the performance off perfectly! Nice job! And, yes, he DID get ice cream afterwards!

130/365 May 10, 2011 Lost Tree

2011-05-10T11:11:00.001-07:00

Sad day, we officially lost one of our trees in the back yard. This poor thing has fallen over about 3 or 4 times. The mild winds from the storm yesterday and last night were enough to displace it... again. Farewell dear friend! Let's hope one of your suckers has better luck than you did. :(

Spunky Girls 8th Birthday

2011-05-10T06:13:00.001-07:00

Poor Spunky Girl spent her 8th Birthday in the hospital with a serious infection in her finger. Fortunately, the doctors were able to remove the infected skin and she healed quickly enough to NOT need a 2nd surgery for a skin graft. She's completely recovered now but will never forget her WORST birthday EVER!

Kits: Scrapbook Graphics Flerg's Psycho Magnet kit
Template: Lisa Day 28 days of sketches at Big Picture Scrapbooking

129/365 May 09, 2011 Loaner from Papa's Garage

2011-05-09T11:07:00.005-07:00

Joe's Garage took the Subaru for an oil change. I got the upgrade loaner for the day. VERY Stressful to drive the car my Dad loves more than me... however I did relax enough to enjoy the top down and the wind in my hair. DELIGHTFUL!!!

The kiddo LOVED pushing out the Vette.

Picture by the Kiddo as I left for work that morning. OOH, that woob woob sounds FABULOUS!!

7th Anniversary

2011-05-09T05:01:00.000-07:00

I'm in the midst of both May LOAD 2011 with Lain Ehmann AND 28 days of sketches with Lisa Day. It's a fun challenge to keep up with a lay out a day, but the sketches help. Now if I had been smart, I would have done more pre-work by running through my pictures for page stories!

List is running now, though. :) Ready to see more?

Sketch from Lisa Day, Paper from Flergs Psycho kit.

Muffin's for Mom May 6, 2011

2011-05-08T20:01:00.000-07:00

Every year, The Kiddo's school has Muffin's for Mom. Between you and me? I somewhat dread going. Why? As a working Mom, I don't know many of the other mothers in the Kiddo's class. I do know other WONDERFUL mom's at the school, but none in the Kiddo's class.

I volunteer once per month to teach the children art masterpiece and ADORE being in the class room. I find the young artists eager to 'play' with their art, sometimes they are timid but they are always inspiring! Yet, this interaction doesn't allow me to meet or get to know their parents.

This year, we arrived later than usual. But it was all God's timing as I bumped into a dear friend Linda, who's son is also in 5th grade. We found our way outside and ate together catching up It's been a crazy quarter filled with book reports and state report resulting in little time for our boys to play. As a result, I really enjoyed this year's Muffin's for Mom thanks to my marvelous host, The Kiddo and dear friend, Linda!

128/365 May 08, 2011

2011-05-08T11:05:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday, Dad! It's also Mom's day. I asked Dan to NOT buy me a card, but use pictures on hand and MAKE me a card. He knocked my socks off. The outside was super sweet and the inside CRACKED ME UP!!! Nice job, honey. VERY creative and NO store bought card has EVER made me laugh so much!

127/365 May 07, 2011 Pre Race

2011-05-07T11:01:00.002-07:00

Not looking super great, but come ON!! It's super early. The sun isn't even up!!! Ready to head to Tempe Town Lake for our first official and complete triathlon. It's Saturday, so the Kiddo is at his Dad's and won't be witness to our triumph, but he is with us in spirit, I know!

We should be swimming today! Nervous butterflies flitting through my tummy!!! How cold will the water be? I think once I'm IN the water the rest will fall into place.

AMAZING!

2011-05-07T04:40:00.000-07:00

Page inspired by a lay out I fell in LOVE with at scrapbook circle.

For Humanity Kit: Japan at DesignerDigitals.com It's an exclusive kit that is no longer being sold.

126/365 May 06, 2011 Introducing Magnum

2011-05-06T10:55:00.017-07:00

It's official! The world's greatest ice cream bar has landed in the states. I was introduced to this incredible ice cream bar on our trip to Israel last year. (You can read about it HERE and HERE.) I had the opportunity to partake of this sinful delight twice over the course of the 10 days we traveled. Worth every penny and calorie! If you find them, grab a box (and two friends to share with!). Totally worth the extra 30 minutes of running to burn it off! My recommendations is the double caramel (called Gold in Israel).

05/06/11 7 years

2011-05-06T09:02:00.002-07:00

Sketchy Thursdays 5.5 Sketch Challenge

All About Us Album: #37

Template copied from Sketchy Thursdays 5.5

Digi Kit from Kitty Designs

The Kiddo May 5, 2011

2011-05-05T12:37:00.002-07:00

Kit papers: BasicGrey Skate Shoppe (LOVE that this fave kit is now digital!)

Page template is from Scrapbook Circle.

125/365 May 05, 2011 The Kiddo

2011-05-05T10:52:00.006-07:00

The Kiddo: a gorgeous morning for some quick snaps before taking him to school. He's such a good sport to almost always willingly smile for me. He even looks happy although inside he's screaming "Let's GO, Mom!" He's perfected his smile!

124/365 May 04, 2011

2011-05-04T10:50:00.002-07:00

Remnants of blooms in our back yard.

Texture: Kim Klassen Cafe Nikon D300

A love affair with Food

2011-05-04T09:27:00.000-07:00

It's true, I'm not a big drinker. Don't get me wrong... I sometimes crave an ice cold medium bodied beer with something like BBQ or Burgers or Mexican food... and a glass of Riesling will relax me and make me fell like a 'grown up' on a couples night out with friends. (You'd like at 37 I'd feel like a grown up... but nope, I don't!)

But when I ran across this article at active.com talking about athletes and eating disorders... Wow! It really hit me like a ton of bricks! I struggle with finding that balance of having the good stuff that fills me up, sates my appetite and keeps me healthy with the "frills" of movie popcorn, brownies, chocolate and the occasional glass of wine or beer.

My Weight Watchers journey started in 2008 when my goal was to drop 15 lbs to get to my wedding weight. However, learning to eat on Weight Watchers saw me drop 45 lb's to a goal weight I hadn't seen since high school! Something I never thought would be attainable again. I've done very well maintaining that weight for nearly 3 years. And accomplished some amazing athletic feats during that time. (multiple 1/2 marathons, 1 marathon, sprint triathlon, etc.) Yet, I still struggle with balancing the good stuff with the everyday maintenance stuff.

Not sure where the answer lies, but I'm working on it. What about you? How do you manage those cravings and temptation foods?

Okay, I'm off to have a brownie! (or not... ;-)

123/365 May 03, 2011 Call of Duty

2011-05-03T10:47:00.002-07:00

The Kiddo: Enthralled with a Call of Duty commercial for new maps.

122/365 May 02, 2011 Kenny Chesney Concert

2011-05-02T10:44:00.002-07:00

Dan's favorite country singer is Kenny Chesney. So, we found ourselves at the concert Sunday night with good friends. Had a great time and enjoyed the music!

121/365 May 1, 2011 The Story

2011-05-01T15:31:00.000-07:00

We are half way through The Story sermon series at Chandler Christian Church. What is The Story? An excellently done abridged version of the Bible, focusing on God's love for us in chapter/ story format. It has made some of my regular bible reading much more clear and tied together some things I didn't understand previously. Awesome! I HIGHLY recommend this to book!!

120/365 April 30, 2011 Lunch at Dave's

2011-04-30T10:43:00.001-07:00

Lunch at our favorite restaurant (as of late) Dave's BBQ!

119/365 April 29, 2011 Carrot Love

2011-04-29T10:37:00.003-07:00

I LOVE our local CSA, Desert Roots. It's phenomenal! A great way to support a local farmer who focus' on growing organically. Thank you, Kelly, for all your hard work!

118/365 April 28, 2011 Chapped Lips

2011-04-28T15:31:00.004-07:00

I've been fighting eczema on my left hand and horrible chapped lips since after the marathon. Joe, too gets painful lips which he licks and makes even more painful and worse. (Poor thing!)

When I mentioned it to my dermatologist, she recommended using the Eucerin Aquaphor (that I love so much) on those horrible chapped lips. What a huge help for our chapped lips AND Aquaphor doesn't sting like Blistex does!!!

117/365 April 27, 2011 Office Move

2011-04-26T15:36:00.000-07:00

New office is not in the basement storage and I still have my (black) Swingline stapler. So far, the move to the "penthouse" suite bodes well. I'm a bit segregated from those I know but it is quieter now... I could get used to this!

115/365 April 25, 2011 Left Over Peeps

2011-04-25T15:27:00.001-07:00

What DOES one do with left over peeps?

Well, our favorite is to take a graham cracker, 1 Peep and 1/2 a Reese's Peanut Butter Egg. Combine the ingredients in a stack and nuke for about 30 seconds until the Peep starts to balloon out of proportion.

Then cool for about .5 seconds before you can resist no longer and pop the delicious goodness in your mouth.

YUMMY!!!

114/365 April 24, 2011 EASTER!

2011-04-24T15:18:00.001-07:00

A few days before Easter, while at Target, I asked the Kiddo, "The Easter Bunny. Real? Or Not Real?".

The Kiddo responded tentatively, "Not real."

"Correct. Are you being cautions with your answer because you think the Easter Bunny won't come if you don't believe?"

"Yes."

Ahh, but not to worry Kiddo! I've got ya covered! However he IS like his Mama and enjoys the element of surprise. He doesn't want to be part of the magic and do the shopping. He wants to be the recipient of the magic (and shopping).

He had a great time searching for eggs that Dan hid throughout the house.

We both have a weakness for biting the heads of peeps...

We're a sick bunch, what can I say....

The Kiddo had a blast opening up his loot! Then, dressed up and off to church in our fancy garb (with a slight sugar high!)

113/365 April 23, 2011 Pancake Run

2011-04-23T15:12:00.000-07:00

Gilbert Pancake Run was a BLAST!!! Got to run with a TON of friends. I ran with Susan and Iris (who accomplished her 1st 5K: you GO girl!) It was also Dan's first official 5K and he did AMAZING!!! We had a great time biking from our house to the run, running the 5K and then riding the bikes back home (followed by LONG naps!)

It was a bit overcast and PERFECT for running. Oh and the post run pancakes? With M&M's on top? Delicious!

The whole work gang:

Susan, Lisa, Iris

Dan and I (Oh and the pack? NOT ideal for running (But perfect for biking!))