Exciting news...

I have exciting news that I've been holding onto until I got the a-okay to share. I have been asked to be a part of the design team over at Queen Scraps.com. I couldn't be more honored and thrilled. The site sells smaller scrapbooking kits that you can easily make a two page layout with or two single page layouts all for just $9.99. There are plenty of extras in the kits that you can use on additional pages or use on cards. The kits are amazing...hop on over and check them out. My first designs should be up on their blog towards the end of July. I've got my first two kits and I can't wait to share my designs with you. I'm so blessed to be a part of this amazing team of designers.

This boy...

Here's my latest layout that uses virtually all product that I purchased from Crop Chocolate (one of my absolute favorite places to get scrap supplies at amazingly discounted prices). I haven't used a whole ton of Kraft on my layouts but I love how it looks on cards and now I think I'm pretty much sold on using it for layouts too. This layout is also part of this weeks sketch challenge over at The Scrappiest. I haven't had much time to create but I still have lots of layouts floating around in my head - I even dreamt about a layout last night. CRAZY I know but my crafty brain is taking over after having spent days keeping the two younger boys entertained!

Aahhh Monday

Why is it that most people look to Monday with dread? Today, I'm choosing to look at it as a fresh start. I've cleaned up most of the clutter that collected over the weekend, dusted at least half of the house, and now I'm refreshing my blog with a new post. We had a lovely Father's Day weekend and I really want that feeling to carry over into the week. Yes, we have baseball practice and games, guitar lessons, doctor's appointments and all the other crazy-ness that goes along with having a family of 5 but I don't have to let that dictate my outlook...God gave me this wonderful family, this house, and this fantastic state to live in; so this week, I plan to enjoy it - every single busy moment of it. What about you? What do you have to enjoy this week?

I love this picture of Zach and Tyler...they were having so much fun this day - hiking, riding their bikes, chasing their Daddy up the trails at Waterton Canyon and then the topper to find these great big dandelions to blow. I don't even think they were really dandelions, they're some big wild, weed that grows out here. Regardless, you would have thought they hit the jackpot! Anyhow, love this picture, love this new paper pack from Echo Park Paper Company and love the way this layout turned out.

We were actually out in the same neighborhood with a friend and her boys today. Roxborough State Park does this really cool kids hour on Tuesday mornings, it's free, they learn about amazing stuff related to the land (today it happened to be Indians), and then you can hike around and enjoy a picnic lunch. It was gorgeous today, a little overcast so it wasn't too hot, a little breeze to keep the air crisp, and wildflowers blooming around us. Other than my whiny 4-year old, the morning was perfect. Good thing because all the kids got a bit cranky on the way home and it was a bit much for us moms. Breathe deep...this too shall pass, right??? Once our friends left, I separated my younger two and they finally settled down. I just think life has been rather busy for them lately too.

As much as we are enjoying all the activity of summer, it can become overwhelming. Tyler started T-ball last night and Paul has volunteered to be his coach, he's really good at it and the kids get a kick out of how silly he can be. I think it will be wonderful all the way around but did we really need to add more to our already full plates? Probably not, but sometimes we do even when we don't really want to because it brings someone else joy.

Our weekend of camping was glorious - perfect weather and all kinds of fun stuff to explore and do. Tyler caught his first fish EVER...super cute but really funny too. He was all excited to reel it in but when Paul went to hand it to him so I could take his picture he wanted nothing to do with that fish. Finally Paul ended up holding it up in front of Ty so I could snap a couple of shots. Zach was super cute all weekend too, journaling up a storm...keeping track of all our activities, how many times we each rode our bikes around the campground loop, what different color flowers we saw on our hikes. It was fantastic! A little calm in the storm of our wild lives...a much needed break from the everyday and a true blessing from God. After all, he created the beauty that surrounded us and brought us such peace.

A Lovely Weekend...

I actually managed to get a layout done over the holiday weekend...and hadn't anticipated that, usually our weekends are reserved for family time but the two younger boys ended up at their friends' houses at the same time, the hubby was napping so I got to scrapping. This layout is another one inspired by Liz Chidester over at The Scrappiest. I'm telling you, she does such great work and her layouts are super inspiring to me. Guess our styles are similar so it's easy for me to see my photos and papers in her layouts. Thanks again for all the inspiration Liz!

We had a really nice weekend. We prepared the RV for our upcoming camping trips - there were so many "little things" that we've wanted to repair or improve for the last couple of camping seasons so we knocked those out over the weekend and now it's ready to go. We did a bit of 4x'ing in our local mountains too. Took some hot dogs and fixings for s'mores, a little firewood and a few Tonka trucks, shovels and buckets and we were off. We staked out a campsite, unloaded and let the boys go nuts. They just love the dirt and I think they'd play all day in it given the opportunity. In the early evening we started our campfire, roasted hot dogs and then got to the important part - the s'mores! Paul got some great pictures of the boys that I'm sure will find their way into layouts - marshmallows and chocolate all over their faces. So fun to watch them enjoy such simple things so much.

Our town honored our military by placing flags - both the American flag and POW flags - up and down one of the main streets of town. It made me feel like I was sucked back in time to the days when people strolled main streets and knew everyone they passed. It was a great reminder of the incredible sacrifice the men and women of our military make on our behalf. I for one am eternally grateful...thank you, and God bless!