A final honor...

...I'm finally getting some photos off of my camera...here's a picture that was featured in the Tri-City Herald of my dad's procession. I have no idea who contacted them...but I do remember seeing them standing along side the road. The procession was amazing...it had traffic stopped for miles...and there were people standing here and there outside places of business along the entire route from the Hanford Patrol Training Academy (PTA) to the Cemetery. We were told that there we at least 117 cars in the procession. Inside the van where we were, my mom, sisters and I...there were moments of laughter and moments of tears...as we recalled certain memories during our childhood...listened to my dad's favorite songs and most of all just wished we weren't doing what we were doing...the procession was truly one of the most amazing things I have ever witnessed...I always knew my dad was a VERY SPECIAL person and it was evident many people also thought so...
...so many things have changed in the last few weeks...I still wake up just like I have the last 20 months wishing all of this was a dream...unfortunately it's not...I know that my dad is no longer in pain...or suffering...but the pain we are all feeling and the emptiness that is in our hearts hurts more than we want to admit...I know with time it will get better and we will all hurt less and less but right now it seems as if our world is going to stop because he is gone... :'(

The life of one we love is never lost. It's influence goes on through all the lives it ever touched.

~ Christoper Holloway

I know my dad touched MANY...I know he is no longer suffering from such a horrible disease...right now I am at such a loss for words...but I want to post something...thank you so much for all your posts, messages, texts, PMs...my dad will be truly missed...

"I love you dad"

Father's Day 2011

Check out the Pink Paislee from JessicaSprague.com

We recently had our first snow here in the the Columbia Basin which meant I had to stop what I was doing and grab at least 3 pictures of the kids and that's what I did...we didn't get much snow so they weren't outside long...the weatherman is saying our next system is coming in this Wednesday...I wonder what it will bring...because the weather has been beautiful...except for the occasional gust of wind...

I haven't been to creative lately but I was able to make a few things just recently...

{Items I used HERE}

The next thing I wanted to share are {PERFECT} for Christmas...I found some little test tubes filled with {MAKE YOUR OWN SNOW} ...so I grabbed three and got busy! ...I actually needed to drive around town and go from store to store until I found THREE...and then I got to work :) I went {HYBRID} with this project and printed out the pattern paper and even the heart embellishment. I added my SRM Stickers and other embellishments. What is even more SPECIAL about this project is I embellished the TUBE with a metal snowflake ornament. Every year I make my kiddos a new ornament. This will be this years...with a photo of them on the day of the first snowfall.





{Items I used HERE}

...my Stocking Stuffer/Ornaments are also being featured today on the SRM Blog...head on over there and check out what the other amazing designers have been up too...also...you need to know that the 2012 Design Team call is about to be ANNOUNCED! It will be posted SOON...everything you need to know will be on the BLOG on December 5th. Susan is so wonderful to work with and the SRM Stickers are THE BEST product out there...here are a few cards I have made over the last couple of months...that I haven't had a chance to post yet...







Thanks for stopping by today...hope you are all having a great start to a wonderful week...

Fleece Blankets being shipped...

...this is the time of year that you just want to help people...well here's a story that will touch your heart just like it has touched mine...Oliver Palmer is an amazing young boy, who is also living his life with a devastating BRAIN TUMOR...a recent MRI showed his inoperable tumor started growing again. Last Christmas he told his parents he felt as important as the president of the United States because people from all over sent him cards wishing him a Merry Christmas...this little boy has really touched so many peoples lives...and now so many people are going to help him now touch the lives of others by helping deliver cards and fleece blankets to children at the Children's Hospital. Here are the blankets and cards I made for him to deliver...and a special card just for him.






...you can find the address to send your own blanket(s) and card(s) in the link above.

I will rise...

...this is the most beautiful version of this song I have ever heard...

{Operation Write Home} BLOG HOP

Happy Veteran's Day! ...and on this day...want a better way to show our appreciation for our Troops and Veteran's...than with an AMAZING Blog Hop...the HOP starts here: http://www.owhstarsandstamps.org/. There is even a "grand prize" on their blog for a random drawing from comments left on the start post, but the fun of the party will be going to see each of the company's products! Now...you are probably wondering...what company's are participating...here is a list of the amazing companies that are involved in the Blog Hop:


Hero Arts http://heroarts.com/blogs/club/
Sizzix http://sizzixblog.blogspot.com/
Tombow http://blog.tombowusa.com/
Prima http://prima.typepad.com/
Ranger Industries http://blog.rangerink.com/
Studio Calico http://studiocalico.blogspot.com/
Tonic Studios http://tonicgallery.wordpress.com/
Basic Grey http://blog.basicgrey.com/
Copic http://www.copicmarker.com/blog
SRM Stickers http://srm-stickers.blogspot.com/
May Arts http://www.mayarts.com/blog/

Today I am working as a Design Team Member with SRM Stickers and I made the following "Thank You" cards... Thank you for letting me be apart of this amazing cause.






What an honor to be a part of Operation Write Home...my cards have already be received by now...and if you don't know anything about OWH...Operation Write Home, OWH is a 501(c)(3) organization; they send blank handmade cards to deployed service members so they can write home to their families. As of May 2011, they've sent one MILLION cards!

...another Halloween CAME and WENT...

...I can't believe this is the ONLY picture I have of all three kids this year...it's just getting harder and harder to make sure I am in all the places I need to be...once my littles got off the bus I started doing Camryn's hair...Ben was finishing his homework and Mason headed next door...and then before I knew it...Stuart walked in the door and it was time to head out to the Grandparents...because Halloween doesn't start until we have visited each of their homes FIRST!


...Mason wanted to be Captain America this year and he sure was CUTE!!!



...and Camryn wanted to be a VAMPIRE! Which was a shocked to all of us...I wasn't to excited about her choice...so I decided to dress it up a bit...


...we had a great evening trick or treating in the neighborhood with our wonderful neighbors...it wasn't too cold until the wind started blowing...I hope everyone had a great night!

...and Ben turns 12...

I'm pretty sure I say this every year...but how can it be? It seems just like...I bet you are expecting me to say {yesterday} ...I'm not...lol because it actually seems a bit longer than yesterday but certainly NOT 12 years ago...that we are right here meeting Mr. Ben for the first time...

...gotta love how young Stuart and I look...we look like babies ourselves! ...ok well Stuart does...you can't see me...just all my hair...I don't even have that much hair any more :'(

{excuse the blurry photo...Meemaw took the picture this morning and she is not used to taking digital photos and she was a bit shaky}

...so this is US today {LOTS} of changes...huh? Mr. Ben is growing up for sure...making us proud each and every day...lol ok not every day...we have some bad days but for the most part he is a super great kid! I LOVE who he is growing up to be...a strong...funny...likable young man...ASB Rep for his grade homeroom...As and Bs so far...hoping he keeps that up! ...having a great football season...hoping YOU make it to the SUPERBOWL this year...I know YOU will be playing for Peepaw who I know has the best seats in the house each and every game! ...cheering YOU on...GO Benny!!! I can hear it each and every game...Happy Birthday Ben! We LOVE you!!! ...and though spending your birthday in a car and then on an airplane isn't going to be too fun...we do have something {FUN} planned...just wait! ;) {It's going to be a LONG DAY...but I'm sure it'll be a birthday you never forget}

CARDS instead of LAUNDRY

...so instead of doing the much needed laundry this morning I made some cards so they could hit the mail this afternoon...


...and this afternoon...I'm STILL not done with the LAUNDRY! ...this morning Ben informs me...he has TWO pairs of pants that fit..I think to myself...how in the world do all your pants that fit last week no longer not fit you! ...I'm telling you that boy is growing like a weed...in just 2 very short days he will be 12 and he is nearly as tall as me...and weighs over 100 pounds now...who would of thought! ...makes me want to cry :'(

...I really need to stop procrastinating about this laundry...and get every organized...and I should do that NOW! I'll have more to share later...

Happy {FALL}

...well it is finally starting to look and feel like {FALL} around here...recently I made a {FALL BANNER} that is hanging in my entryway...it is using LOTS of SRM!I apologize for the crappy photos...my camera is about to die :( ...on one hand I'm not happy about this...but on the other :)




...and just to start to get in the mood for {HALLOWEEN} ...yes I know it's right around the corner...I have a Mini Tube to share with you...



Thanks for stopping by today...now I need to get busy and finish up Camryn's Halloween costume...I'm about 90% done...at least {MY} part is done...now I just need to do the shopping part...Mason needs to decide what he wants to be...every 5 minutes he changes his mind...and it's easy for Ben...being in Middle School...in fact...he's going to his 1st boy/girl costume party this weekend...I can't believe he's growing up!!! I have 6 days to have all this Halloween business taken care of...that's all the time I've given myself...think I can get it done?

It's October...and with that...

...it's Breast Cancer Awareness Month...I know too many people it seems that are battling this disease...last month I made this card for one of my old students who's family member is battling breast cancer right now...

{I used SRM Stickers: Express Yourself #42032 Celebrate Life}

...and I also made this Mini Tube...

{I used SRM Stickers: Live Life #49010 Think Pink ...and the Mini Tube.

...one day I hope there will be a cure for all cancers...

...the weekend came and went...

...but we survived...I even got a quick nap to try and get rid of my headache...but it didn't really help...

...this morning I'm off to work...my first sub day of the year...working tomorrow too while my friend is in California at a scheduled doctors appointment...many prayers being said for her...I'm a bit anxious to hear how her appointment goes...

...this afternoon I hope to come home and finish this post and share about the weekends activities...BOY WAS IT A BUSY WEEKEND!!!

...this is not how we expected to start the weekend...by picking Camryn up from school early...we received a phone call from the school saying that there had been an accident on the playground...the swing that Camryn was swinging on had broke and the chain fell and hit Camryn in the head...and to be honest when I heard those words I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I got to the school...I knew how BIG those chains were and how HEAVY they were...but when I saw her I knew that she definitely had her guardian angel with her at that moment...


...Saturday morning we were all up bright and early to walk in honor of Tom...in the 4th Annual ALS Walk at Columbia Park...Uncle Ted had some really special shirts made for the family and we all {LOVED} them. Team Dezember raised over $3100 in just two weeks of collecting money...I hit my goal of $500, Ben, Camryn and Mason all went WELL OVER their goals and Stuart was SO CLOSE...just $55 short of making his goal...just between the 5 of us we raised $1450.00...and that's because yesterday Ben received a very nice email from a family in Florida who made a recent donation in Tom's name. We want to {THANK} everyone who donated in Tom's memory...your donation to the Walk to Defeat ALS® allows the ALS Associate Evergreen Chapter to provide programs and services to families affected by ALS and fund global, cutting-edge research. Donations can still be made at {TEAM DEZEMBER}.


...Saturday night...Ben's football team had a tailgate party...LOTS of fun!!! ...and LOTS of food!!!
...after all that fun and food then it was time to warm up and get ready for the game...
...Ben had a great game...all of his Uncles and Aunts were there except Uncle Ted and Aunt Ashley but I am pretty sure if I had tickets to Seinfeld I might have missed the game too ;) ...and Uncle Marc...but he had to take Madi to her soccer game in Spokane so that was a good excuse to not be there too...so we forgive him as well ;) ...Marc we know you guys wished you could be there!

Ben got to be the kicker this game...and he even got an extra point conversion as a receiver! GO BEN!!!

Never Let Go

(you will need to scroll down to my playlist and press "pause" before hitting "play")

...many times I will listen to a song because it will help ease my mind...give me some continued HOPE or peace of mind but this morning as I was driving to my parents house this song came on and this time...this song spoke to me...it reminded me as we are frantically searching for someone to help my dad...we are never going to stop...with every road block we are going to continue searching...we have people in the Tri-Cities who already have spoken with two different clinical trial experts at University of Washington but unfortunately, trials are very limited for my dads type of brain cancer and my dad does not qualify for any of them based on his history of treatment...and I feel like my dad's local doctors want him to be done fighting...what kind of doctor says, "when most patients get to where you are at they opt to stop all treatment and let nature take its course...which gives you a few months..." ...are you kidding me...I'm glad my dad has a fighting spirit and said "Hell No! I'm going to continue fighting this...we also have another Doctor in the Seattle area who is looking into finding out if there are other clinical trials or treatment in Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Stanford, UCLA and Houton...and I even have someone looking for help in Denver and Boston.

My dad's not ready to give up...so we need to find some doctors who are willing to continue some form of treatment to continue fighting this UGLY cancer.

...On this beautiful Fall day...I am grateful for the precious time I got to spend with my dad...the walk we took this morning...the conversations we had...

{Building Awareness for ALS with your Help}

...this was "TEAM DEZEMBER" last year...this year we are missing a very important member...Tom...

On August 22, 2011, our wonderful {PeePaw, father-in-law, Dad} Thomas Dezember lost his battle with Lou Gehrig's Disease. Tom was diagnosed in January of 2010, and was taken from us much too soon...we miss him so much! His death leaves a large void in our family, but we know his loving spirit is always with us. Our family will continue to do our part to build awareness for ALS which steals our loved ones from us much to soon...with your help we can make a difference in the lives of people affected by this terrible disease.

We have set a goal...but that's just a number...give a little or a lot...with all of us working together to support those affected by Lou Gehrig's Disease and to help spread awareness of the urgency to find treatments and a {CURE}...we can make a difference...that's what matters...your support for this cause truly will mean the world to us and our family and many other families who have been touched by ALS...we thank you and they thank you...

{Tom and I enjoying some SMOREs...August 3, 2011}

Those that truly cared for and loved Tom will honor him this weekend...along with supporting others and their families affected by ALS.

If you can give to this CAUSE we appreciate your generosity...

Please DONATE HERE

With your help, we will be able to make a difference in the lives of people affected by this disease.

Christmas in July

***A HOLIDAY GIFT BAG & TAG***
...as many of you might have guessed...yes I'm desperately trying to catch up on my blog posts...lol...it just seems like I never have the time anymore to sit down and create let alone sit done long enough and make a blog post...several weeks ago I was able to make this little project...I just LOVE how it came together...but my favorite part about it is that I pulled out my {OLD} SWEETWATER paper and used it...this pattern paper is about 4 years old and I have quite a stash of it and it doesn't matter that it's so old...I still love it...it goes to show you don't have to have the latest and greatest paper...you can still make a new project with older papers and it will turn out CUTE! ...now I challenge YOU to do that same thing...pull out those OLDER papers and make something CUTE :D




...now to really make this project CUTE I used the NEW {Believe} Quick Card from SRM Stickers...

...with CHA just coming to an end there have been so many new releases...LOTS of new stuff! ...speaking of CHA...here are a few of my projects that were at the show...







...I thing there were a few more things...but I just don't remember what there were...in fact I am positive there was one more tube and 2 more cards I sent with Susan...anyway...I heard everyone had a great time in Chicago and the booth looked fantastic :)