Happy Halloween!

Hopefully the rain will hold off long enough for us to enjoy this day :)
I have a few LOs to share today...

See Supply List {HERE}

See Supply List {HERE}

Have a super Halloween...be safe! Thanks for stopping by...

...the morning at the Pumpkin Patch...

...recently we took our annual trip to the Pumpkin Patch...it was the fastest trip ever picking out our pumpkins...but the most important thing was we were together as a family enjoying each other and laughing...my Dad was feeling good enough to come and I was able to get a picture of him and the kids...just being able to capture this picture of him laughing means so much!

...we will be heading back to Spokane very soon...all of your thoughts and prayers are so appreciated during this difficult time...for those of you who are not here with us...you would be so inspired by my dad's courage and fight through this...we knew from the very beginning that 100% of the time the tumors are recurrent...we knew it wasn't a matter of if it would return but when...my dad has bad days but he doesn't expect anyone to feel sorry for him...he still is trying to do most everything for himself...even things he is told he shouldn't be doing...he is a true inspiration...definitely not letting anyone down...

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." ~ Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss was a very smart man...

Yeaaahhhh it's Monday...

...I LOVE the start to a new week...I could do without all this wind we are having but looking forward to this BUSY week I am getting ready to start...something you usually don't hear me say. Today I wanted to share a new digital LO...and very excited to see it being featured this morning over at JessicaSprague.com :)

Crystal has an AMAZING new Template available today...you can find it {HERE} ...for only $1.00 that is such a GREAT price!

...here's what I did...can you believe that I actually pulled up photos from our house construction and finally made a LO :) ...I know...it's about time!

See Supply List {HERE}

I also made this quick LO last night...also using another Template from Crystal...I LOVE these!

See Supply List {HERE}

Thanks for stopping by today!

Time to share a new Digital LO...

Crystal Wilkerson is doing something SO FUN...she has a brand new Template Series titled "Inspired By" ...and every Tuesday, she will begin sharing them with you along with samples on {her blog}. So let me explain a little bit about how this works...Crystal is working with some of her favorite paper scrapbookers and turning their paper pages into digital layouts. She will be making a collection of 20 to 25 templates for each designer she works with. Each template collection will have a color scheme & is designed so that people can also use them as quick pages if they choose. Each template also comes with various elements such as staples, stitches, journaling snippets, distressed overlays, etc. Be sure to head on over to CreatvityByCrystal for all the {DETAILS} The first designer in the series is the amazingly talented Susan Weinroth!
...so take a peek at this amazing Template...

...and what I did with it...
Products Used: CrativityByCrystal: Template & Quick Page #3, {Me & My Brother} Paper Pack 1 & 2, Crytals "Playful" Font.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Happy Birthday Ben!

...what a BUSY weekend...we picked the kids up from school on Friday so Ben could go buy his Birthday present...he's been waiting a LONG time to do this...in fact he has been working...and SAVING for the last 6 months so he could...he has worked hard and saved well over $600.00...he has mowed lawns, watched dogs, watered plants and other misc. side jobs...(and yes we did make him put some into the bank).

...Here he has just about $350.00 cash and he's just not too sure what to do with all that money! lol ...just kidding...



...he knew exactly what he wanted...and he bought himself a PS3!


...well its hard to believe but Ben turned 11! ...on Saturday we celebrated Ben's Birthday a few day's early...

...we had a BUSY day...with soccer and football games...and we ended it with inviting people over who meant the most to us and eating PIZZA and enjoying some really yummy cake...we were so sad that my dad just didn't feel well enough to join us...but he did call and wish Ben a "Happy Birthday" and said how sorry he was for not being there...and I must say how gracefully and grown-up Ben handled it...he told his Papa that he understood that he wasn't feeling good and wished he would get better soon...and he was happy that he called and checked in. I know Ben was bummed that he couldn't be there, but he understands how sick he is...we all did...

On Friday, I started making Ben's Cake and Cupcakes...it turned into quite the fiasco...and multiple trips to the grocery store before I even finished...and a burned finger...but I will have to admit it was all worth it...it turned out so yummy...even taking the risk of trying a brand new recipe...it was so yummy!




...I'm already thinking about the next Birthday and what cake I will make...hopefully I won't burn any fingers :)

...tomorrow is always a new day...

Its always be hard for me not to feel deeply for my friends and family...no matter what they are going through...I have always tried my best to be there for them and help them in any way I can...however, I don't sufficate them with my presence. Sometimes, I have a difficult time NOT letting their troubles over come me and my ability to continue to live my life to the fullest...well that only makes me human...I have always been a very empathtic person...however I haven't always been this sensitive person that I am today...just in the last 5 years some pretty traumatic things have happened and that has molded me into this new sensitive being...well...its me...take or leave it...my true friends will take it...and not judge. I am caring, loving and I am a wonderful friend to the people who take me for who I am...I once read something..."do not try to make me feel like less of a person just because I don't fit your idea of who I should be and don't try to change me to fit your mold ...if I need to change...I alone will make that decision...AMEN.


"...it is hard to navigate away from what is comfortable and what we know....even when we know we've outgrown it or that it is destructive to us in many ways. many times we stay in places where we know we don't belong simply because it is what we know......listen to the gentle and not so gentle pushes....moving on is important." - Melody Ross, and her whispering angels. ♥

...the moving on may be hard but it's important because sometimes it's too painful or just not healthy to stay in that place any longer...for the last 10 months...I have sat and let "things" consume me that I had no control over...I have tried to help people...tried to LOVE people...but since it was brought to my attention that I am so sensitive...now I need to move on...

...tis the season ALREADY?

...can you believe "some people" are already thinking about the holiday season! Last year I attempted to do this...I made it about half way before I gave up...this year I am going to give it a go again! BUT this year I am going to be even more prepared...check out Ali's Blog and join us...even though I didn't finish last year...I still remember SO MUCH about the days I did complete...I am really looking forward to this year and the ideas that I have already come up have me super excited!

...A Strawberry Shake will do it...

‎...last night after all sports practices...(keep in mind we left the house at 3:45 and the last practice ended early at 6:30) we took the kids to visit my dad...and take him a strawberry shake...not because he was craving it...but because I had heard he wasn't eating...I asked my mom to ask him...if there was anything he could have right now what would it be...because I'd bring it to him...hoping it would help him to eat something...anything...he said nothing...but then finally he said he'd like a strawberry shake...and well that's what he was going to get...and I must say I have the most amazing kids...not once did they complain...they didn't even say anything when we went through the drive thru at Bomber's and they didn't get a shake...they knew this was for Papa...once we got to my parents house...my Dad was laying in his chair...just like he usually is...and he says in his best hello voice Hello Monkey...as Mason walks in the door...he asks Ben if he worked hard at football because he was still in gear from head to toe...and then he moves onto Camryn and asks her all about her soccer practice and asks her if she's still playing well...she answers in her usual whisper voice...YEP! Then my dad pulls out his RAIDERS book and starts talking about the Raiders Football Team from years ago...you know when they used to be good...and I sit across the room and watch...and stare and just think that he is just AMAZING....not once ever complaining...not once ever trying to get attention from others...just always facing this ugly beast head on...staying strong and doing what needs to be done. Don't get me wrong...he has bad days...he has cancer for heavens sake...prognosis was 15 months...he's doing his best to prove them wrong...in 13 days my dad will have stage 4 brain cancer for 7 months...its been a hell of a fight...a fight that he will win! ...he was told he wouldn't even get his hair back after raditaion...but that's back! It's coming in quite nicely I might add :)Yeahhhh for hair...we can and should celebrate the little things right?

How in the world is it October 1st?

...the days are just flying by?

Today I want to share my very last sketch LO with LetsCaptureTheseSketches...I have really enjoyed the last 6 months...working with the other ladies over at LCTS and working with all their amazing sketches..."thank you so much" for your inspiration and your hand in helping me making some of my favorite LOs to date.

...today's sketch is brought to you by Ally...and her challenge was to either use stamps or a journaling block...



...here's what I came up with...




We never have just a relaxing weekend...we always seem to be running from here to there...Soccer...Football...taking care of somethings around the house...and then getting ready for another busy week ahead...as always...thanks for stopping by and have a SUPER weekend!