It's looking a lot like Christmas!

We woke up to snow this morning! Not much, but it was perfect for this......

Happy Thanksgiving!

May you Gobble till you Wobble!!!

2008 Wish Books

Well, I got one thing accomplished on my list of 1,000 things! It isn't really 1,000 things, but it sure feels like it some days!

I started making these little books last year. I thought it would be fun for the boys to each have a little book they could write their Christmas wishes in. And on the plus side for me, I get a neat little keepsake from each year. For instance last year, Spencer was into rocks. Way into rocks! He filled up 3 pages with the names of rocks. I kept telling him to just write ROCKS, but no, he had to list them all! It is funny to look back on that this year. I had completely forgot about it until I unpacked last year's books. I can't imagine what it will be like to look back on these in 10, 20 and (gasp!) 30 years!

So all of you out there with kids might want to start up this tradition yourselves! I guarantee you will get a good laugh and a "You wanted that???!!!" in a few years!

I used the Zutter Acrylic 4x4 covers and my Bind it All. I used Staz-On ink on the covers.

The insides are the same for both of the books. There are a total of 5 pages in each book.

I'm turning last years books into ornaments for the tree. I'm going to add a ribbon loop and hang it up. Thanks for visiting me!!

Show Off Friday

Connor has some crazy math skills! We noticed this over the last summer when his Grandpa Pete started asking him some really difficult math questions. We thought they were too hard for him, but he kept getting them right! So now whenever we want to impress people, we ask Connor math questions! He just turned 5 and he does math better than me. Seriously! I have never been able to do math in my head. I have to write it down and then I can do the problem. I think you will be very impressed with my very brainy 5 year old!

And what he is pointing to at the end is the little piece of paper I had written all the problems down on. I needed a little cheat sheet for me so I would know he is getting them right! You know I can't do math in my head!!!

Birthday Cards made with Black Cardstock!

And nope, they aren't "Over the Hill" cards!

I used the Core'dinations Black Magic (Spellcaster) cardstock. This cardstock is really cool! On one side is the black and the other side is all different colors. What makes this so neat is that when you tear it, sand it, or emboss it (like I did) the core of the cardstock is the colored side. This is kind of hard to explain, so I will just show you!

My cards are 5 1/2" x 5 1/2". I used the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder and because the card is larger than the folder, I had to run it through a couple of times. I just matched up the dots and then ran it back through. I really love how the green core shows up this way.

I then used a scrap and cut out my scalloped square with a Nestabilities die and topped it off with some prima flowers, a little bling, and a pretty iridescent ribbon.

And what I really love is when I open the card, the inside perfectly coordinates with the outside and I didn't have to glue an extra piece of cardstock inside. It is just one piece of cardstock!

Here is my purple one.

Conversation with Connor

A little background information for those who don't know this about the little guy in the above picture. Connor hates to be called cute. Hates it. Anytime you say "Connor you are a cutie!" he responds emphatically "I'm not cute, I'm handsome!" He has done this pretty much from the moment he could talk. We have no idea where this came from or why he hated being called cute. But it sure is fun to tease him and hear him get all mad at being called cute. You know, one of those fun things we parents get to do to our kids.
So now to our conversation the other day. I was teasing him calling him a cutie patootie and of course, he didn't like it. He is handsome!!! And for some reason I finally thought to ask him why he hates being called cute. So here is the conversation:

Me: Connor why don't you like being told your cute?

Connor: Because I just don't like it. I'm handsome and Spencer is the cute one.

Me: What does it mean to be handsome?

Connor (pausing here to really think about his answer): It means you really like yourself.

Me (Really loving that answer!): That is a fantastic answer! But then what does it mean if you are cute?

Connor (again thinking carefully about his answer): Cute means that you only half way like yourself.

Me: Well, then shouldn't Spencer be handsome too, because he really likes himself.

Connor (again pondering his answer): Yea, okay Spencer can be handsome too.

(And now for the big finish..........)






Dad can be the cute one!!!!



(Just for the record, they are all very handsome!)

One more Halloween Post.

I have been working on this mini book for the last couple of years. I got it all caught up this year; including this year's Halloween pics!

This whole project started with a Frankenstein I bought years ago at Target on clearance. I started to take Spencer's picture next to it year after year. It has now become a tradition for us to take pictures next to "Frank" every year.

This book is fun for me to look at too because I can see how my scrapbooking has changed and the different products that are out there now. I used a lot of stickers those first couple of years and now I hardly ever use stickers.

I also added the acrylic years to it. I was so pleased with how they turned out! I cut them out on my Cricut. I used the Graphically Speaking cart with the Design Studio. I just welded a rectangle onto the year so I would have a place to punch the holes to put them in my book. And then I stamped them with different "spooky" stamps!


So here is my "Halloweens with Frank" mini! (I have lots of pictures!)

New Lens = Some Good Soccer Pics

I recently got a new lens for my camera. My first lens purchase for the camera in the year and half that we have had it. I got it earlier this week and wasn't thrilled with the pictures I was getting. I was getting disappointed with it and considering returning it, but I took it to Spencer's Soccer game today and I think I got some really good shots!

Let me know what you think!

And just to let you know that Spencer's team is tied for 1st going into the last game next week. And we are playing the team that we are tied with, so that means whichever teams wins next week is #1 for the season. I think we are in for a nail-biter next week!!!!