Erin

Love Summer | A Digital Layout

2012-02-03T12:26:00.001-08:00

Happy Friday!

We have had a very long week here... a sick kid & a sick hubby, doctor's appointments, and lots of time watching "Cars 2" with Jack-a-boo.

I have a quick layout to share today using some of Karla's new kits. I have tons and tons of photos from last year to scrap, so I picked a few from our trip to Puyallup last July.

(All supplies are Karla Dudley Designs).

I love the stitched grid & "love" brush from her A Life Recorded colab kit.

One of my good friends had a baby yesterday, and I get the pleasure of visiting her and her new baby boy in the hospital tonight. I am so excited! I love the new baby smell & how soft and cuddly they are. :-)

Week 4 of project life has been done for almost a week... I just haven't photographed it yet. I'll try to post it in the morning. Have a wonderful weekend!

Project Life Week 3

2012-01-27T22:20:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Week 3!

It's only been three weeks, but I have printed more photos this year than all of last year. And as I've been putting photos in pockets I've noticed a few things:

* I take a lot more photos of Jack than Evan these days. Evan is in school 6.5 hours per day while I'm home with Jack, so I spend more time with the little one... but now that I'm aware of the clear one-sidedness, I'm making a better effort to take some pictures of Evan after school. Also on my list is to capture our hectic/chaotic mornings. Maybe with my iPod & Instagram next week.

* While I'm trying to get in more photos, I need to do a better job of it. And I need to get Mark in more photos, too. It's Project Life, not Project Evan and Jack.

* I love little labels & tags, but I would like this project to be more artsy at times... I have a whole studio full of scrapbooking products. There is no reason I shouldn't be using them!

(Click on the pictures to make them larger.)

Here is the full spread. I have a two inserts this week: one 8.5 x 11 page protector with Evan's report card and Achievement award, and one trimmed page protector with three pockets.

This week I used Cathy Zielske's Tiny Templates No. 1 for a couple photos. So cute & really easy to do in Photoshop. I also used Liz Tamanaha's Photo Booth journaling cards, and one journaling card from the Clementine core kit.

I had quite a few photos I wanted to include this week, so I trimmed down one of my page protectors to fit three photos on the front, one photo & two journaling cards on the back. I adore the picture of Rocket getting ready to lick Jack... they play together a lot while Evan is at school.

The back of the trimmed page protector. I included one picture of Jack, a trimmed picture Evan drew, and a journaling card. The red type on the journaling card was an accident... I didn't realize a certain 2 year old had switched the ink color from black to red on my typewriter. Oh well! It matches the drawing. :-)

Evan's Achievement award is on the front side of the 8.5 x 11 inch page protector. His report card is on the back.

This page has one more tiny template, a magazine cover, two pictures of Evan, and a couple of pictures of Jack. I also included a Week in Review card. Under the card with the alarm clock is a letter from Mark's office with his raise information. To protect our privacy I covered it before posting it here.

I just checked Designer Digitals, and Cathy Z. has three more Tiny Templates available this week. I really like the look of these... I might just have to buy them. :-)

Have a great weekend!

Erin.

Simple Things

2012-01-23T22:05:00.000-08:00

These two fight, bicker, argue, and bug each other so much during the day... but they love each other.

They are best friends. They show compassion and friendship, and can't wait to play outside together.

Evan - Age 5.5 Jack - Age 2.5

Project Life Week 2

2012-01-19T18:24:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe it is Thursday already... where did the week go? I completed week 2 for Project Life last Sunday, but I had trouble taking photos of my pages this week due to glare from the page protectors. I took two sets of photos before I decided to try a different location, which worked! No more glare.

On to week two:

(Click on the pictures to enlarge them.)

A few months ago I took Jack with me to goodwill and I found these awesome milk glass vases for $.59 each. I was thrilled! And I love pink carnations... together they make me smile.

The first page. This week I used one, 8.5 x 11 inch insert. One side has a digital scrapbook layout, and the other has some of Evan's homework from last week.

Left side. Another "places" card from Paislee Press, journaling card from the Clementine kit, and label stickers from 7 Gypsies I purchased these ages and ages ago. They might even be from a Jenni Bowlin kit from years ago... I can't remember. Anyway, I put the label sticker sheet in my type writer, and I'm really pleased with the results. I wasn't sure if the ink would smear, but so far it hasn't. The stapler I use is a Tim Holtz Mini Attacher. Love that thing!

The back of the insert, plus the right side. I attached Evan's homework to a sheet of 8.5x11 cardstock, stuck a label on it, and slipped it into the page protector.

The ride side. Evan's school picture, a couple photos of Jack, some journaling, a grocery list, week in review, and a card I made out of Evan's artwork. I had Ev draw me a picture (he chose to draw me a scene from Angry Birds), then Mark scanned it & I resized it, printed it, and turned it into a greeting card. I am sending Ev's school picture in the card to some family members.

A close up of the card... which I am realizing our family hasn't received yet, so I guess I ruined the surprise. Oops! I have a few papers behind this week's layout that I forgot to remove before taking pictures... I plan on using Evan's report card & Achievement award in this week's layout & I didn't want to lose them, so I stuck them in the binder for safe keeping.

My One Little Word this year is simplify, and when it took my 6 hours to finish the first week's layout, I knew I needed to simplify the process. This week I printed all my pictures on Saturday, and did the journaling/labels/"week in review" on Sunday. I worked for about an hour on Sunday, so two hours total. A much more manageable number.

Supplies-

Journaling cards: Clementine Core Kit, Paislee Press Photobooth Journaling Cards

Label stickers: 7 Gypsies

Staples: Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher

Other: Typewriter

Forever Brothers | A Layout

2012-01-13T21:26:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday!

I am so thankful for the weekend... I cannot wait to relax and entertain some family at our home tomorrow. We are 3,000 miles from our parents and siblings, but Mark has a cousin who lives a few hours from us, and she and her husband & daughter are going to visit us tomorrow. Yay!

Onto some crafty things: Karla Dudley released several new digital products last week and I spent some time making a layout about my two boys. When I'm taking pictures of Ev & Jack, most of the time they are running in different directions, so I don't get many of the two of them together. Or one of them is blinking, or moving, or making a silly face... it's rare to get both boys smiling at the same time! I wanted to get a few of those good photos onto a layout that celebrates their relationship as brothers (and trouble makers!).

(All supplies are Karla Dudley Designs. Template is my own design.)

Karla's new Calipso alphabet is definitely a new favorite., along with her Today Boy'ish papers. Perfect for scrapbooking about my little ones.

Have a great weekend!

Project Life Title Page & Week 1

2012-01-11T20:34:00.000-08:00

When Becky Higgins introduced her Project Life kits in late 2010, I was super excited. I wanted to jump on board & make it happen. Then Mark got a new job and I knew all my scrapbooking stuff was going to be packed away for most of January (and as it turns out, most of February, too). So I put it off and told myself I would start in 2012. And here we are! I ordered the Clementine Core Kit and several of the divided page protectors. However, the main page protectors are sold out until February so I am using page protectors from an old Project 365 kit I never finished. When the design A page protectors come back in stock I will probably switch to those.

(click on a picture to make it larger)

For my title page I used three 4x6 cards from the Clementine Core kit + photos + a few embellishments. I wanted to keep it clean & simple. Supplies - "celebrate everyday life" letter stickers: BasicGray. Doily die: Papertrey Ink. Butterfly die: Papertrey Ink. "Taylor 2012" stickers: American Crafts Thickers. Heart border die: Papertrey Ink. Tag die: Papertrey Ink. Stapler: Tim Holtz Mini Attacher. Cardstock: Papertrey Ink.

Here is week 1. When I started editing my photos I realized the long journaler on the right is sticking up out of the page protector. I guess between trying to keep Jack from turning the pages & Rocket from stepping on the book it must have slipped out. I used one of Ali Edwards' Long Journalers, stuck it in a page protector, trimmed it, and used three staples to secure it. My sewing maching isn't working at the moment, but when I get it fixed I plan on sewing the pocket closed.

The left page. Last week was very photo heavy, and I'm okay with that. We had a very busy week and I was a little shutter happy.

I used two inserts this week. One long journaler, and one 6x12 three-up page protector. Also on my to-do list is picking up some Avery tabs to attach to the 6x12 and 8.5x11 inserts.

On the backside of the long journaler I attached a piece of kraft cardstock, a butterfly, button, and some twine. When I was at a dentist's appointment last week, our babysitter, Jen, took some photos of the boys that I really liked. She did a great job capturing them in motion while they played outside, and I happily included them in this week's spread with some journaling using my typewriter.

The back side of the 6x12 divided page protector.

On the right side of the page, I included a thank you card from my Aunt Shelly, a few pictures, and some journaling. The cute little red striped journaling card is a Liz Tamanaha/Paislee Press printable. I am undecided about the photo of Jack's hand and the play-dough, but it's printed and I'm leaving it there.

We are half way through week 2 and I'm already excited to get this week's layout put together.

This project has made me slow down and really take note of the funny things the boys say, take more photos, and remember to enjoy the little things.

Have a good week!

Playing Outside

2012-01-07T17:57:00.000-08:00

(Frame by Liz Tamanaha. Click to enlarge.)

In my last post I mentioned our wonderful yard at our current house. We have a long(ish) driveway & nice grassy area in the front, and both boys have spent hours and hours out there this week. Especially after nap time, Jack tells me: "we go outside right now!". He loves, loves, loves to go outside and play with Evan. They ride bikes, race from the garage to the sidewalk, draw with chalk on the driveway, and make up games only they understand. I get to sit back and listen, watch, take pictures, and enjoy the beautiful Florida weather we are already accustomed to.

Have a wonderful weekend, friends.

Hello 2012

2012-01-03T20:50:00.001-08:00

As Mark and I rang in the New Year last weekend, I couldn't help but reflect on the past 365 days. During that time we moved (again), started a new life in Florida, Mark started a new job, we enrolled Evan in his 3rd pre-school, watched him graduate from pre-school, enrolled him in Kindergarten, spent 8 days in Orlando/Disney world, traveled back to Washington, celebrated the boys' 2nd and 5th birthdays, and so, so much more.

Our year in Ohio was full of adjustments. Adjusting to living so far from family, learning to get around a new area, lots and lots of snow, health problems for both boys, and a 110 year old house that was not user friendly. While I don't regret our time in the Midwest, this year I finally feel settled. We have a house that fits us, a wonderful yard for the boys (and Rocket), and every time I leave my house I see palm trees. It has not been perfect; we have had our share of ups and downs, challenges, set backs, and frustrations. But I feel content. Mark and I are going to celebrate our 8th wedding anniversary this summer, Jack is still my talkative, sweet little boy, and Evan is excelling in school. I have several personal and professional goals in mind as we embark on a new year. 2011 was good to us as a family, but I look forward to the new year. I look forward to new experiences, adventures, celebrations, and learning opportunities. Most of all, I am looking forward to doing it all with the ones I love.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-29T17:24:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. We had a wonderful low-key day, which was exactly what I wanted this year. On Christmas Eve Evan asked me how early he was allowed to get up Christmas morning, and I told him 7am. He was in our room at 7:14am then next morning, ready to open presents! Santa was really good to the kids this year and brought them each a tablet (one LeapPad & one Innotab), plus an adorable wheelbarrow for Jack & a gears set for Evan.

Mark and I purchased a dress-up box for Jack this year. The only disappointment is when he has to take his costume off for nap time. Jack-Jack has mastered the Pouty Face. :-)

Evan received quite a few board games this year, including Zingo, Twister, a Hopscotch mat, I Spy Quest, I Spy Flipster, and Operation.

We have played many, many rounds of Twister so far. Evan is pretty flexible and does a great job following directions, but half the fun for him is getting twisted up on the mat and purposely falling over.

And I had to post this picture of Rocket. I was working in my office when Mark took this picture, and it cracks me up. I'm not even sure how Rocket got in this position, let alone stayed there.

My three boys. This is my favorite picture of the week... all (mostly) smiling, happy, and thrilled to be spending some time together.

Jack and I spent most of the day in and out of doctor's offices, so I'm exhausted. Have a wonderful weekend!

Merry Christmas Eve!

2011-12-24T12:46:00.001-08:00

I hope everyone has a wonderful & relaxing Christmas Eve. We are getting ready to Skype with my parents and sister so they can watch the boys open their Christmas presents. We did this last year, and while it was chaotic, we enjoyed feeling connected to our family... from 3,000 miles away.

I pulled out my iPod today and took a few pictures of our Christmas decorations, baking projects, and our tree.

(left to right, top to bottom)

1. At the beginning of the month I created a December calendar on our chalkboard in our kitchen. Everyday Evan crosses off the day and tells me how many more days until Christmas. He took great joy in telling me today: "Only ONE MORE DAY!!". And I love the notes Evan has written at the bottom of the calender.

2. Mint drop cookies. Yum. My mom made these cookies every year when I was a kid, and I have continued the tradition. They have become a favorite of Mark and Evan's, too.

3. Our tree! I love how it turned out this year. It's sparkly & festive, and we have a great selection of ornaments. One of Mark's co-workers, Scott, helped us decorate this year & we had a great time. Jack was so super helpful & tried to put every icicle ornament on one branch.

4. My cute little snowman salt & pepper shakers. I purchased snowman dishes from Target almost 8 years ago, but we've only used them once (the first year). They have been packed up since them... but not this year! We will be using them tonight & tomorrow.

5. My mom sent me this beautiful Lenox Santa in our Christmas box, and I have it sitting on our side table in the living room. Jack likes to touch the tree Santa is holding and shriek: "I touched Santa's tree! No touching!". That kid is going to be the death of me!

6. Nativity scene, also from my mom. She found it after Christmas last year & it has been stored in our closet since then. I placed an Ikea star behind it and I love it. :-)

7. Poinsettias and a very silly snowman. I really wanted to have poinsettias in the house this year, because they are so festive, but I was concerned I would kill them. I am proud to say that after 4 weeks they are still looking good & haven't dropped any petals. Go me! I can't remember the story behind Mark's snowman, but he loves it so I proudly display it... this year on our bookshelf in the living room next to one of my poinsettias. The red and white doilies under my poinsettia are made from Papertrey Ink's Persian Lace die.

8. A few years ago, for Christmas, my Uncle gave me a set of three crystal candle holders. They, too, have been sitting in our closet, waiting for the perfect place to put them. I purchased 3 green candles from Michaels and I am displaying them next to the other poinsettia in our living room. So far Jack hasn't tried to touch (or break) them, so I plan to keep them out year-round.

Have a very Merry Christmas!

Erin.

Before and After

2011-12-14T21:54:00.000-08:00

Mr. Jack desperately needed a haircut, which he finally received earlier this week. After two people asked me if he was a boy or a girl, I knew it was time to cut off the curls! Doesn't he look so much older? I think he does. And he isn't constantly wiping strands of hair out of his eyes anymore... he is very happy about that. I'm sorry for the horrible pictures... I quickly pulled out my cell phone so I could get before and after shots, which resulted in grainy photos. But grainy photos are better than no photos, right? (And his haircut isn't uneven in real life... he kept running his hand over his new short hair & the front got swept off to the side.)

I have been home with Evan all week, who is really, really sick. I thought he was on the mend & ready to get back to school, but his fever spiked again tonight. It looks like I am going to be home with an antsy 2 year old and a sick 5 year old again tomorrow.... lucky me!

Erin.

This is what happens when I go to the bathroom:

2011-12-09T22:13:00.000-08:00

Do you see that face? That is Jack's "I'm NOT going to smile for the camera & I'm NOT going to listen to you!" face.

We've been getting that a lot lately.

Luckily he mixes in lots of hugs and kisses and snuggles.

The twos are so very up and down, happy and sad, playful and frustrating. But it's also full of laughs, giggles, tickles, and seriously silly moments.

And apparently, drawing all over everything. With green marker.

At least he's cute. :-)

T-Ball | A Layout

2011-12-05T20:45:00.000-08:00

Karla has created some amazing kits the past few weeks, and I created a layout using one of my favorites: Protectors Set 1.

(All supplies are Karla Dudley Designs. Font: Georgia.)

I just love the Warehouse Alpha I used for the title, "t ball". And if you have a few minutes to spare, check out Karla's hybrid card tutorial here. Her cards are beautiful and you can even download a couple of free products.

Is anyone else getting into the holiday spirit? I am! I have two beautiful poinsettias in my living room (that I haven't killed yet... a miracle for sure), hanging snowflakes above our bookshelves, and a beautiful nativity scene in my kitchen. I have a few more crafty projects planned, but with holiday parties, presents to wrap, Christmas cards to make, and lots of cleaning to do, I don't know if I'll get to them this year. There are definitely not enough hours in the day, especially this time of the year.

Have a wonderful week!

Back to the Brevard Zoo

2011-11-28T13:40:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday!

I can't believe how fast Thanksgiving flew by. Our friend, Dion, was here for a visit, and the five days he spent with us are a blur. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday, the boys went to the beach on Friday (and the big boys went to a bar that evening), the five of us visited the zoo on Saturday, we watched the Apple Cup, and we ended his visit by dropping him off at the airport before some shopping at Ikea. I must say I am completely exhausted & my house is a mess, but it was a wonderful few days.

Our trip to the Brevard Zoo was definitely a highlight for me. I love our local zoo, so much so that I bought us a season pass in September. We were really lucky this visit because the giraffes were hungry and stationed along the giraffe feeding area, eating and socializing with everyone. They are absolutely beautiful animals and I could have watched them all day.

I have spent the last couple of hours going through the hundreds of photos we took (Mark was just as shutter happy as I was!), and I've posted some of my favorites.

The zoo had a face painting station set up, and Jack wanted to be a lion. Evan, of course, wanted nothing to do with having his face painted and hid behind Mark.

My first sun star. The composition isn't the best, but I am so pleased with myself that I was able to get a pretty good sun star. Terri gave me some great tips when she visited in August & I finally put them to use!

Brothers.

Evan has wanted to kayak along the "African River" for almost a year. He was old enough to go on Saturday, he was all smiles and wouldn't stop talking when it was all over. He loved kayaking and has already asked us when we are going to do it again.

Evan took this picture of Dion while we were watching the giraffes.

Giraffe! I actually squealed when we walked up the ramp to the giraffe observatory. They are so big and beautiful... and friendly!

Look at that tongue!

Stationed throughout the zoo are zoo employees and various snakes. This one was curled up into a knot and perfectly happy. Mark took this great picture.

My three little sea turtles.

Feeding the birds is always a hit, and this time Jack wanted to participate. He was a little unsure of the very friendly birds, but he was fine once Mark held his hand.

I love the face Jack is making! He was not happy while we were waiting for the boys to kayak under the bridge we were standing on.

Our brave kayakers finally arrived! Evan was waving like crazy & apparently yelling "There is Mommy! And Jack! Hi!!" while the guide was trying to point out different animals along the waterfront.

Dion was nice enough to take a photo of the four of us at the end of the day. We are not very good about getting family photos, but this one I love.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. Hopefully I will be fully recovered by tomorrow... I have 4 appointments lined up this week, plus Mark's formal awards banquet on Saturday. The holiday season is upon us and I am not ready!

Erin.

Fall Baseball 2011

2011-11-22T23:17:00.000-08:00

I know I was supposed to post photos of Evan's Thanksgiving play and feast, but I thought I would post a few baseball photos first. Evan's season came to an end on Saturday, and he loved every minute of it. He was enthusiastic, energetic, and so happy to be out on the field every Saturday. When his coach, Jackie, announced the his award at the banquet, Evan was given the Best First Baseman Award. He was thrilled to receive a huge trophy for his efforts. I will need to retake some photos of Evan with his trophy, however. The awards banquet was crowded and dim, and I didn't do a very good job of getting photos of him with his trophy.

His first hit of the game.

Running to first base after a hit.

Another hit, later in the game.

Between innings I ran onto the field to get this picture of Mark and Evan. Mark helps direct traffic during the game, and I am so proud of him for donating him time to Evan's team.

Lining up to give high fives after the game. Our little team played great, but they were very anxious start the awards banquet. Our coach brought cupcakes!

Evan really enjoyed his first baseball experience and he has already asked me to sign him up for another season. We are so proud of him!

Goodnight!

Erin.

"No Way!"

2011-11-21T19:20:00.000-08:00

This is Jack's "No Way!" face. So glad I captured it with my camera. I hear it 1,000 times per day, but he is so darn cute when he says it that I have a hard time keeping a straight face. And those curls! I have trimmed his bangs three or four times, but I can't bring myself to cut off his cute little curls.

I'll be back tomorrow with a few photos from Evan's Thanksgiving play & feast. Ev was a Turkey, and his line was "Gobble! Gobble! Gobble!".

I wish my little ones could stay this small forever.

As Of Right Now | Digital Scrapbook Layout

2011-11-14T05:43:00.000-08:00

(All supplies Karla Dudley Designs. Font: Georgia.)

I just love this photo. And the two people in it. I am so glad I had my camera out to capture this sweet moment between Jack and Mark.

Life is good. :-)

Right Now | Jack

2011-11-07T21:07:00.000-08:00

Jack, these pictures capture you perfectly. Your spunky personality, big blue eyes, and wonderful sense of humor. Your curly blond hair and love of hats. And magnifying glasses (thanks Cindy!). Your curiosity, infectious laugh, and big heart.

Watching you grow from a tiny infant, to a baby, and now an adorable toddler is one of my greatest joys. I love you , son.

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T21:12:00.001-07:00

Evan decided a few weeks ago he wanted to be a robot, and I asked Mark to create an awesome robot costume for him. I would say Mark was successful. He received a ton of compliments & Evan loved it. The red LED lights were great, too!

Evan picked out the color for Mark to paint his robot:

How cute is that?!? We already had the silver basketball shorts & a gray t-shirt. Evan slipped the robot over his head and stuck his arms out the side. He was a bit of a hazard because he couldn't see where he was walking, but I helped guide him down the sidewalk.

My little monkey, Jack, thought Ev's costume was "very silly". Evan is sitting inside the robot... he could fit his whole body in there!

I love this picture b/c all that is visible of Evan is his left hand:

Before trick or treating around our neighborhood, we did a little trick or treating at Publix. I was expecting there to be a lot of kids, but we were the only ones.

The LED lights on Evan's costume were really bright at night. I still can't believe mark put this costume together... I am so proud of him! It looked awesome, and more than one parent said they would love to be able to create such an amazing costume.

I need to hide the candy before the kids find it in the morning... they both ate a ton of it tonight! Jack kept asking Daddy for "another treat?" and "another treat?". He is a big fan of Halloween!

Have a wonderful week!

J | A Scrapbook Layout

2011-10-24T20:37:00.000-07:00

(Supplies- Karla Dudley, Katie Pertiet, Anna Aspnes, and Ali Edwards)

I have a quick layout to share tonight. Once again I used the journaling from a blog post to keep things simple. I also picked two photos of Jack that I adore added some embellishments. I love the grungy frame and stitching by Anna Aspnes. They add a nice finishing touch.

Have a good week!

A Monkey and a Big Brother

2011-10-20T19:41:00.000-07:00

When I started thinking about the kids' Halloween costumes this year, and I knew I wanted Jack to be a monkey. Evan was a monkey when he was two, but he hated wearing costumes & had it on for only 10 or 15 minutes. We didn't even go door to door to trick or treat... he just wanted that darn costume off. So I put it away and figured we would use it when we had another baby. I pulled the costume out of storage last week and washed it, and today I put in on Jack just to make sure it fits. It is a perfect fit & unlike his big brother, Jack loves wearing costumes and thought being a monkey was pretty neat. He especially liked the felt banana in his pocket.

And I can't forget about this guy:

I can't get enough of those eyes and his 5-year-old smile, and how much he loves his baby brother.

My Sweet Jack:

2011-10-13T21:55:00.000-07:00

You have officially hit the Terrible Twos.

You say "No way!" and "NOOOO!" and "I don't want to!" all. the. time.

You run away from me when I need to change or diaper.

You screech "EVAN HIT ME!" even if Evan is sitting 10 feet away from you.

You love to scream, yell, and fuss a loud as possible.

But... you are still a cuddle bug & love to give kisses.

You get the biggest grin on your face when we go outside to play.

You still love your Pup-pup and Hippo & can't go to sleep without them.

Evan is your best friend & the best part of your day is when we pick him up from school.

I love you, Jack-Jack. Terrible Twos and all.

Ohio Photo Book

2011-10-09T18:43:00.000-07:00

Last year I created a photo book for my in-laws and I don't think I've shared it on my blog. I made the book 7x9 inches and had it printed through ArtsCow.

I can't believe it's been a year since these photos were taken. We only spent one year on Ohio, but we did so much during that time & I'm glad I have the photos to remember our adventures.

Cover of album:

Title page:

Pages 2 & 3:

Pages 4 & 5:

Pages 6 & 7:

Pages 8 & 9:

Pages 10 & 11:

Pages 12 & 13:

Pages 14 & 15:

Pages 16 & 17:

Pages 18 & 19:

Page 20:

A lot of this miniBook is dedicated to our trip to the air museum. Mark and his Dad are both really into airplanes, so I thought it was important to include a lot of those photos in this book. And while I love the beautiful weather we have in Florida, I am going to miss the beautiful leaves in Ohio.

Have a wonderful week!

A few more baseball photos

2011-10-03T20:14:00.000-07:00

Evan is completely in love with baseball. He looks forward to games, loves wearing his batting helmet, and shrieks "YES!!" when I tell him he gets to go to baseball after school. He is obsessed! And super enthusiastic. I must admit I'm pretty pleased that he inherited the Mitchel Sports Gene. :-)

Mark is one of the volunteer coaches and helps out on the field and when the kids are batting.

Look at that concentration! Or is he annoyed that his mama is pointing the camera at him (again)?

This little guy loves watching Evan play baseball, but keeping him happy during the game is a little tricky. I am not below bribing him... usually juice and teddy grahams does the trick!

Have a wonderful week, friends!

Everyday Details | Scrapbook Layout

2011-09-22T21:19:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I posted a layout I created about Evan, and I took some time to create a similar layout about Jack.

I changed the colors of the brushes & the itty bitty sticker I used, but the basic layout is the same.

(Supplies: Karla Dudley Designs)

Tomorrow I am volunteering in Evan's classroom as the Mystery Reader... and I can't wait! I love reading to little ones, and Evan has no idea I am coming. He will definitely be surprised!

Baseball Season

2011-09-19T20:35:00.000-07:00

Evan started his t-ball season a couple of weeks ago, and he loves it! Practices are a a couple of times per week, and he starts playing games next week. He can hit the ball off a tee pretty well, but he needs to work on fielding a bit. See the picture below!

His favorite part of t-ball is batting. We don't have a tee, so Mark pitches to him in the backyard. After his practice on Saturday, Mark took him to Wal-Mart to buy his very own batting helmet and bat. Definitely the highlight his his day.

I love, love, love this photo. He is going to have a hard time catching a ball when he is looking the other direction and his eyes are closed! But he is so cute... and he tries really hard. Mark and I praise him constantly and he responds really well to that.

We are working on the step-with-the-left-throw-with-the-right concept... and he is starting to figure it out. Oh, that tongue! I had no idea sticking out your tongue was required when throwing a baseball.

After a good practice I snapped this shot of Evan, Mark, and Rocket. This time it's Rocket who has his tongue hanging out. Love that little puppy. :-)

Brevard Zoo Scrapbook Layout

2011-09-14T20:57:00.000-07:00

I couldn't believe it when Groupon featured the Brevard Zoo last week... and they were offering family passes for 50% off. We love the Brevard Zoo, and I purchased a pass without any guilt. We are so lucky to have a zoo only 30 minutes from our house, and this zoo also has a water park! Perfect for two little boys on hot summer days.

Evan didn't have school Monday, so I took the boys to the zoo for the afternoon. I also created a layout about our trip. I used Ali Edward's Celebrate Back To School layout as inspiration:

(Supplies - Cardstock: Karla Dudley. Patterned Paper: Karla Dudley. Word art: Ali Edwards. Measuring tape: Ali Edwards. Tab: Katie Pertiet.)

I love the middle picture of Jack... he was pointing to an airplane and screeching "AIRPLANE" as loud as he could. Typical Jack. :-)

Chatterbox

2011-09-08T21:37:00.000-07:00

Mr. Jack has turned into our little chatterbox, and I'm afraid when he's 16 and talking back to me I won't remember the sweet and innocent things he said when he was two. His little voice and cute smile melt my heart every time. And to think this will be the last time I will have a two year old pulling on my pant leg and asking me "what's up, Mommy?" makes me a little sad. Then Evan takes his Mario figure back and Jack starts screaming like a maniac, and remember why we are only having two darling children. :-)

These are some of my favorites:

"What's up, Mommy?"

"That's cool!"

"GIVE THAT BAAAAAACK!!"

"Rocket is so cute."

"Mommy, give my pup-pup a kiss. And a hug. And 'nother kiss."

"Cool shoes, Evan."

Goodnight!

Karla Dudley Color Swatch Challenge

2011-09-02T21:17:00.001-07:00

Karla posted a color challenge on the Design House Digital website, and I thought I would play along. I used my blog post photos and journaling from Tuesday to create this layout.

I love the colors Karla chose... so soft and peaceful. And perfect for a layout about Evan.

(Supplies - Patterned Paper: Breezy. "everyday" brush: Cypris. "Details" tag: Cypris. "awesome" sticker: Itty Stickers Boy. Staple: Digi Essentials. Clear heart: Clear Essentials 2. White cardstock: Digi Essentials 3. Flower brush: Relax. Zig zag stitching: Cardstock Essentials 3. Paper border: Relax. Strait stitch: Digi Essentials. Heart brush: Be You. Font: Georgia.)

I plan on using the same template to create a similar layout about Jack. Why reinvent the wheel, right?

Goodnight!

Vignette Photos

2011-09-01T22:09:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday!

I just have a few photos to share today. These were all taken with my smart phone and the Vignette photo app.

(left to right, top to bottom)

1. Evan has never liked stickers, but Jack loves to be covered in them!

2. My three boys... and part of Rocket's leg.

3. Evan loves it when I bring Rocket with me to pick him up from school. I love Ev's grin!

4. Jack has been putting Pup-pup on his head while we wait for Evan after school. I have no idea why, but it's cute!

5. Rocket likes to take a nap wherever his people are.

6. Jack loves his Leapfrog Leaptop. It's one of his favorite toys right now.

7. Another Pup-pup-on-the-head picture. :-)

8. Our cute little puppy turned 1 last month. He is such a good boy (except for the occasional barking), and he is doing really well with our training. Liver treats are a huge motivator for him!

Have a great weekend!

Right Now

2011-08-30T17:36:00.000-07:00

Evan, you love school and are excited to go every day. You usually wake up before 7:00am, make yourself breakfast, and turn on the cartoons before Daddy gets out of the shower. This new found independence is exciting and terrifying at the same time. I am not ready for you act so grown up!

(Photo memory box from Paper Coterie. Design inspired by Ali Edwards.)

You are into Angry Birds (the board game & the computer game), the show Olivia, drawing with markers and colored pencils, building with Legos, riding your bike, and practicing soccer on the patio.

You love to help out with Rocket, and usually take him potty after school. You also like it when I bring Rocket to school with me in the afternoons to pick you up.

Your favorite color is green, and your favorite food is yogurt with sprinkles. And Mario Brothers fruit snacks.

You love taking your lunch to school. When I pick you up you give me the run down on what you liked, what you didn't like, and how much you ate that day.

You are adjusting really well to your new schedule, and I think you like having a routine. After school you are usually tired and hungry, so we read books, have a snack, watch a movie on Netflix, or play with your Computer Cool School. Some days you want to play with your Angry Birds board game, and some days you look at me for direction. I think you are on overload after spending 6+ hours in a classroom, and I like to allow you to decompress.

You think it's hilarious to say the word "booty", and even more funny when Jack mimics you. I guess when you're a boy, anything having to do with your behind is funny.

Despite the potty humor, you are still my sweet, loving little boy. You still let me give you kisses and hugs before bed, and you tell me "I love you" every morning before school. I love you, Evan.

---

Jack, you turned 28 months last week, and are learning, growing, and exploring more every day. You are curious, cautious, timid, and outgoing. You love to laugh, sing, dance, paint, color, and play in the playroom.

While Evan is at school, you and I get to hang out and find fun things to do. Pushing Pup-pup in a Tonka truck keeps you busy for a very long time.

You and Pup-pup go everywhere together. You have started asking Pup-pup questions and giving the answer (especially in the car), and you were very upset when I had to wash Pup-pup last week. I love listening to you talk to him while I'm driving: "Pup-pup, where is the tree?" "Right there!" "Pup-pup, where is the birdy?" "Right there!"

One day per week you and I go to Gymboree for a Play & Learn class. You get to interact with other kids your age, work on balance and coordination, and your favorite part is getting a Gymbo stamp (or 5) at the end of class. You always have our instructor put one stamp on each foot, one on your belly, and sometimes you get a stamp on each hand. When Daddy comes home from work you run up to him and squeal "Gymbo stamp!" and lift up your shirt.

You love greeting Daddy by the door when he comes home from work each night.

You love to follow Evan around the house and do everything he does. I'm not sure if Evan enjoys this behavior as much as you do, but I think it's adorable that you want to be just like your big brother.

Your vocabulary continues to expand & you say "no thank you" and "please" without prompting.

I pulled out our box of dinosaurs last week and we had a great time naming them, talking about dinosaurs, and learning different types of dinosaurs. You can now say "t-rex", "brontosaurus", and "triceratops".

You are spunky, adorable, sweet, and loving. You give the best hugs and kisses, and love to rest your head on my shoulder when I carry you to bed each night. I can't image life without you, Jack. I love you.

Looking Back: A Layout

2011-08-26T22:13:00.001-07:00

Karla Dudley released a new kit yesterday for Design House Digital named Twenty Twenty. One of the phrases she included, "looking back", made a perfect title for my layout:

(Supplies - Papers: Twenty - Twenty. Cardstock: Cardstock Essentials. Stitching: Cardstock Essentials. Labels: Jude. Word stickers: Itty Stickers Boy. Staples: Clear Essentials No. 1. "looking back" brush: Twenty - Twenty. Font: Georgia)

I plan on creating a layout all about Evan's first day of school, but I wanted to also document the differences between his first day of pre-school and his first day of Kindergarten. Look how big he is now! What a difference two years makes.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Kindergarten

2011-08-24T20:40:00.001-07:00

Evan,

Last Monday was your first day of Kindergarten. I can't begin to describe the emotions I was feeling when we walked down the hallway to your classroom. I was nervous, excited, and a little bit teary-eyed when we found your class and walked inside. You were very quiet; taking it all in. We found your cubby and you helped Daddy put your backpack and lunchbox inside before finding your seat. I was hoping you would want us to stick around for a bit & make sure you were okay, but you didn't seem to need us there. I am so proud of your confidence and maturity.

I gave your two or three (or ten) hugs and kisses before waving goodbye & walking out the door. You waved back and said "Bye Dad! Bye Mom! By Jack-Jack!" without any hesitation. As we walked back down the hallway, leaving you behind, I reflected on how far you have come the past two years. Your first day of pre-school was so hard on you. I wasn't sure if you were going to adjust to going to school. Now you are a well-adjusted, outgoing, social little boy. Your first day, and week, were a complete success. You love your teacher, you have made three friends & give us updates on them daily, and you have been given three "green" days. You are so proud of yourself for getting green on your calender. After five green days you can pick a prize out of the treasure box, and that sounds pretty cool to you.

I am so proud of you, Evan. And excited to see what this school year will bring.

I love you,

Mommy.

Terri & Jayden

2011-08-08T21:23:00.000-07:00

This past week has been so much fun for us because our friends, Terri and Jayden, flew from Washington to Florida. I have known Terri for 15 years, and her adorable granddaughter, Jayden is one of Evan's good friends. We had a ton of things planned during their stay, including a trip to Magic Kingdom, the beach, eating out, trips to the pool, a couple of photo sessions, and lots of squeals from the kids (and a few tears, too).

I have a ton of photos from the past week to share, but I am currently uninstalling Photoshop CS4, and reinstalling CS5 & Lightroom, so I can't edit any of them. My hard drive is also full, and I need to move a ton of photos off my MacBook and onto the server. For now I am going to post a few camera photos I took last week. Hopefully I will have all my computer issues figured out within the next couple of days & I can edit and post some better quality photos. I used the app Vignette for all the photo effects and borders.

Our first stop after picking them up at the airport: dinner @ TGI Fridays.

Walking into Magic Kingdom. I love that they are holding hands! So cute.

I took Evan and Jayden on Splash Mountain, and they wanted me to take pictures of everything... including the Slippin' Falls sign right before the 50 foot plunge.

At the bottom of Splash Mountain.

The kids were really well behaved despite the heat and humidity. And they didn't mind smiling for the camera. :-)

We had lunch at the Crystal Palace. It was a nice break from the heat, and the kids loved meeting Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore, and Piglet.

This photo was taken right before we left the park. Jack was so exhausted because he didn't have a nap, but he did really well considering.

Evan was so hot and tired by the end of the day! But I know he had a great time at Magic Kingdom.

Ice cream @ the mall. Evan picked triple chocolate, and Jayden had a snickers ice cream cup.

It was a wonderful trip and the perfect way to end our summer vacation. Thanks for the visit, Terri and Jayden! We miss you already!

Only six more days until my little boy starts Kindergarten. I think I need to buy a few boxes of kleenex. :-)

Familiarity

2011-08-02T23:10:00.000-07:00

Last week Karla Dudley released an adorable new kit named Familiarity. When I read the name of the kit and saw all the beautiful papers and brushes I knew I wanted to use the photo of Mark, the kids, and our friends to create a layout. When Roy, Jessica, and Dion were visiting, I made the comment that the seven of us are so familiar with each other that it was easy to fall back into our old routines. Despite the thousands of miles between us & how infrequently we get to visit each other, we reconnected and it was like we see each other every day.

(Supplies - Navy cardstock: Cardstock Essentials No. 1. Patterned paper: Familiarity. Hinges: Familiarity. Stitched twill: Relax. Flower brush: Relax. Summer clear word: Summer Freebie. Frame: Familiarity. Clear butterfly: Clear Essentials No. 1. Crystal brad: Clear Essentials No. 1. "So Loving It Here" sticker: Home Matters 1. House brush: Home Matters 1. Clear pocket: Familiarity. Journaling spot: Familiarity. Large flower brush: Familiarity. Staples: Clear Essentials No. 1. Notebook paper: Familiarity . "welcome" brush: Welcome Spring '10. "good" journaling strip: Familiarity. Font: Georgia.)

Mark and I have been keeping a secret from Evan for the past two months... his friend, Jayden, and Jayden's grandmother surprised him by flying into Orlando this afternoon. He was so happy to see Jayden and this should be a very fun week for all of us. The next big surprise: taking them to Magic Kingdom on Thursday. I can't wait!

Summer Vacation 2011

2011-07-28T21:23:00.000-07:00

The kids and I returned home yesterday from a week in Washington State to visit family and friends. We are all exhausted, but our trip home was worth every yawn from the boys.

The boys and I met Cousin Zach and Aunt Abby at the park for a play date last Wednesday. I couldn't believe how big Zach has gotten! And he is such a cutie, too. Evan loved racing around the park with his cousin. Evan still talks about going to the park with his "big cousin Zach."

On our last full day in WA, the boys and I met up with some dear friends of ours at a park in Auburn. I haven't seen Karen or the kids in over 18 months, and I was delighted to spend a few hours with them. Evan claimed he doesn't remember Aidan and Ethan, but they hit it off right away. Look at those smiles! Seeing them made me miss Pullman... they were a big part of our life while Mark was in school.

Jack and Jocelyn are exactly 5 weeks apart. I just can't get enough of her cuteness. :-)

Jack wanted to swing, but the infant/toddler swing was being used by Jocelyn. He insisted on trying the big boy swing, and he did great holding on. He scared me half to death, but he didn't fall off. He kept saying "whoa!" and laughing. Goofy boy.

Evan wants to do everything Grandpa does, including golf in the front yard. I'm not sure why he has such a grumpy face? Maybe he's tired of Mommy taking pictures of him.

Monday we took a trip to the Seattle Aquarium. We met Cindy, Ray, and their daughter and grandson for a few hours. I knew the temperature would be cooler in Seattle, but I was not prepared for 62 degrees and pouring down rain. The kids were real troopers and I only heard a small amount of whining when we were walking through the rain.

Evan took a great picture of Abby, my Mom, and me, but it's on her camera. Hopefully she will send me that picture so I can post it here (hint, hint Abby!). But I do love this photo of Abby, Grandma, and the boys. Evan couldn't be happier than when he gets to spend time with Abby and Grandma.

Isn't this sea anemone cool looking? Such a pretty green.

This little boy is a big fan of his Auntie Abby, too.

My parents treated us to a night at Great Wolf Lodge last Saturday night. Evan and Grandpa hung out in the wave pool for almost 3 hours, while Jack and I wandered around the toddler/pre-school area. I wasn't expecting the water park to be so loud, but it was a fun two days.

Miss Kaitlyn celebrated her 6th birthday last week, and we were lucky enough to be in town to celebrate with her. Happy Birthday Kaitlyn!

Friday night I cooked a big dinner for some family friends. The boys were less interested in the Ranch Style Chicken I cooked, and more interested in playing in the backyard.

At the Puyallup Library:

What could be better than curling up on the couch with Grandma? Playing Angry Birds, of course! Evan is addicted to the game, and he has installed 5 or 6 versions onto my iPod. If I had a nickel for every time Evan asked to play Angry Birds, I would be a very rich woman.

We also had a lovely BBQ with Mark's parents, lunch at the Olive Garden with Uncle Tom (and my Dad), a mini play date with Evan's girlfriend, Jayden, and a quick trip to the South Hill Mall. I can't believe all that we did in 9 days!

Have a wonderful Friday, friends.

Perfect timing.

2011-07-15T11:28:00.000-07:00

Evan and Jack have once again come down with a virus/flu/infection of some kind & we have spent the whole week inside, watching hours of Toy Story (1 & 2), eating gold fish crackers on the couch, and taking afternoon naps. I'm just thankful they waited until after our friends left (and before our trip to Washington) to get sick. Sick babies + airplanes = one miserable mama.

I have two more photos to share from last weekend. I was so busy enjoying my time with our friends, that my camera went untouched for most of the week. Sometimes being in the moment, rather than behind the camera, is the best way to go.

Dion was pretty popular with the kids when he was here. Jack loved showing him his toys in the playroom and playing Garage Band on his iPad 2.

Watching the kids attempt the slip 'n slide is hilarious. Our children definitely inherited my lack of coordination and require a lot of help from Mark to make it down the slip 'n slide.

This photo was taken earlier this week:

The kids and I love going to the park in the morning (before the heat and thunderstorms make being outside unbearable), and our recent trip to a park about 40 minutes north of us was the perfect way to spend a Tuesday morning. The adorable little boy next to Evan is our friend, Max. He and Evan had a blast at the park together. I am so grateful for our new friends in Florida... it has made the transition easier for everyone.

I can hear Jack talking in his room, which means I only have a minute or two before he starts yelling at me. When he wakes up from his afternoon nap, he wants out of his crib the instant his little eyes open. Good thing he is cute. :-)

Why I haven't blogged:

2011-07-11T19:48:00.000-07:00

We had visitors!

Summer

2011-06-28T23:07:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe we are already five weeks into Evan's summer vacation. The kids and I have been exploring our new town, going to the park, playing in the backyard, visiting the library, and looking forward to some special trips (and visitors) in the coming weeks.

Our summer is going to be really busy, but I have a few things that I want to do before Evan starts school in the fall:

1. Visit two or three different parks in our area. So far we have only explored two local parks, and I know we have
several more that are close by.
2. Have a picnic in our backyard.
3. Go swimming in our neighborhood pool with Mark. I am not comfortable taking both kids to the pool by myself
because they are both non-swimmers, but this would be a perfect activity to do with Mark on the weekend.
4. Create hand print wall art for the boys' room. They have a couple of walls that need artwork, and hand prints
would be perfect.
5. Make a chore list for Evan. This isn't a summer-specific task, but something I've been thinking about doing for
a long time. Evan is great about helping around the house, but having a list of two or three chores for him to
accomplish each day will be helpful for both of us.
6. Visit the library more often. The boys love it, it's free, and I can relax while they play. It's a win-win.
7. Take the boys to the indoor play center at our local mall on a really hot day.
8. Remember to pull out our art bins regularly. We have a ton paint, crayons, markers, play-doh, stencils, and
stickers, but I'm not very good about remembering to bring them out. Between 4pm and 6pm is when
the the boys start to get antsy, and grabbing our art bins could be a great distraction for them.

I know there are more activities and projects to add to this list, but it's a good start. Oh, how I love summer.

Photoshop Friday Layout

2011-06-25T19:07:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite websites to visit for digital scrapbooking inspiration, kits, classes, and products is jessicasprague.com. I like visiting Jessica's website because she offers mini workshops/tutorials on Friday that teach one cool technique or idea (and they are inexpensive, too!). She is retiring these workshops, called Photoshop Friday, and I wanted to grab a couple before they are gone forever.

This layout was created using her Photoshop Friday 06 tutorial: Create a Digital Brush. The page was created in about 30 minutes, and uses four photos I edited and cropped last month.

(Supplies - Template, papers, alphabet: Jessica Sprague. Staples: Karla Dudley. Font: Georgia.)

I love, love, love this photo of Jack. And the one of Evan and Cindy. And the one of Evan and Jack holding hands. And the one of Jack digging in the sand (which he does over and over and over when we visit the beach). We only spent about an hour at Cocoa Beach, but the kids, Cindy, and I had so much fun running in and out of the waves & digging in the sand. Right after we left Cocoa I had to drop Cindy off at the airport, and this was the perfect way to end her trip to Florida.

Have a wonderful Sunday, friends.

Erin.

Lately

2011-06-24T12:00:00.000-07:00

Evan has been playing outside with Rocket quite a bit. They love to race around the backyard, play chase, and Ev loves throwing a ball for Rocket to track down.

Rocket has fully recovered from his surgery & he is back to his usual self. Today he got off his leash and ran into the lake to chase the ducks, then ran around the backyard before coming back inside (looking very sheepish... he knew he was in trouble!).

Enjoying his first sucker, and immediately needed a bath. The kid was sticky from head to toe.

Evan took this picture of Jack while we were on our way to Gymboree. He snapped 30 or 40 pics from the back seat of the car & I love this one.

One of the parks near our house has a great rock wall, and Evan has mastered it. Jack likes to watch his big brother & clap when Evan reaches the top safely.

Another trip to the zoo. This time we went after dinner to avoid the super hot weather. It was still in the high 80s, but most of the zoo is covered by large trees so it wasn't that bad. The kids loved it, and it was nice to spend the evening together as a family.

Evan just informed me that he doesn't want to take a rest & that it is time to play, so I better wrap this up. Have a wonderful weekend!

Erin.

And the winner is...

2011-06-18T09:31:00.000-07:00

Denise B!

Her comment on Day One was chosen by Random.Org.

Congratulations Denise! Please contact me at erintaylor718 (at) gmail (dot) com so Unity can get you your prize.

Have a great weekend!

Growing In Unity - Day Five

2011-06-17T09:52:00.001-07:00

Happy Friday! I have had so much fun this week posting Unity inspired projects and sharing some of my favorite tips and techniques. Today I have three cards to share, using another flower image from Donna Downey's Insightful Meadows stamp set & a sentiment from one of the many Kits of the Month I own.

To achieve the two-toned look I was going for, I colored directly on the rubber of the stamp with Stampin' Up! markers. Then I huffed on the ink (to re-moisten it), and carefully stamped onto white cardstock.

The butterflies were punched out using a Martha Stewart butterfly punch, and embellished with gems that I colored using my Copic markers.

I love how soft and feminine the pink and green version is.

I love this stamp... it's definitely one of my favorites. If you don't already own the Insightful Meadows stamp set, I highly recommend it. It's one of my most used stamp sets.

Thank you for stopping by and checking out my Unity inspired cards this week! You have until Midnight (Eastern) tonight to leave a comment. The winner will receive a Unity stamp set! I will post the winner sometime tomorrow.

Have a wonderful weekend, friends.

Erin.

Supplies-
Stamps: Unity Stamp Co.
Cardstock: Papertrey Ink
Ink: Stampin' Up!
Markers: Stampin' Up!, Copic
Butterfly Punch: Martha Stewart
Corner Rounder: EK Success

Growing In Unity - Day Four

2011-06-16T09:05:00.000-07:00

Today's card is a super quick, one layer card. The stamp set I used is Insightful Meadows by Donna Downey (and Unity, of course!). I stamped the flower in Old Olive ink, by Stampin' Up!, onto Very Vanilla cardstock (also by Stampin' Up!). I used a stamp positioner to line up the sentiment so it overlapped the flowers slightly. Finally, I adhered three light green gems (by Hero Arts) to the right side of the card.

I don't create one-layer cards too often, but I really wanted the flowers and sentiment to be the focus on this card, and eliminating embellishments accomplished just that.

Make sure to check back tomorrow for my final Growing In Unity post... and leave a comment for your chance to win a fabulous Unity stamp set!

And thank you for the lovely comments on my first three posts. You guys have really made my week!

Erin.

Growing In Unity - Day Three

2011-06-15T07:20:00.000-07:00

Welcome to day three of Growing In Unity week on my blog!

Today I have two cards to share. The first card uses a darling border stamp that I inked with Soft Suede ink by Stampin' Up! and stamped onto Rustic Cream cardstock by PTI. Then I ran the cardstock and a Woodgrain impression plate through my Big Shot. The damask stamp was inked with VersaMark and stamped onto green cardstock. The sentiment was also stamped with Soft Suede.

My second project uses another border stamp, but this time I embellished it with clear gems that I colored with Copic markers.

Make sure to leave a comment if you would like a chance to win a Unity stamp set! I will be choosing a winner on Friday.

Erin.

Growing In Unity - Day Two

2011-06-14T08:55:00.000-07:00

Good morning!

Today I have a super cute card to share using two of my favorite Unity stamps: the butterfly & "because I care" sentiment.

To create the butterflies, I first stamped them onto Stamper's Select cardstock by PTI using Momento Ink. I colored them with Copic markers, then cut them out. I used Tombow glue (in the blue bottle) to cover each butterfly with a thin layer of glue. Then I sprinkled some clear Martha Stewart glitter over each butterfly. I let them dry for about an hour before attaching them to my card.

Here is a close up of the butterflies. I love this technique because the butterflies look like they have been covered in sugar and they are really sparkly.

Check back tomorrow for another project!

Erin.

Supplies-
Stamps: Unity
Cardstock: Papertrey Ink
Ink: Momento
Impression plate: Papertrey Ink
Patterned paper: Making Memories
Gems: Hero Arts
Glitter: Martha Stewart
Die cut machine: Big Shot

Growing In Unity - Day One

2011-06-13T09:10:00.000-07:00

Hello! This week I have the privilege of being featured on the Unity Stamp Co. blog! Each day I will be posting a different project (or two) using some of Unity's fabulous stamps and at the end of the week I will pick a random comment to win free stamp set from Unity!

Today's card uses three Unity stamps from their Kit of the Month program. The flowers were stamped in Momento ink on kraft cardstock, then colored with Copic markers. I added a pearl to the center of each flower & rounded the corners of the stamped panel. The bracket was stamped using my VersaMark ink pad, and the sentiment was stamped with VersaMark & embossed with white embossing powder. The ribbon was originally white 1/4" seam binding that I colored with a Copic marker.

Thanks for stopping by! I'll be back tomorrow with another Unity project.

Erin.

Supplies -
Stamps: Unity Stamp Co.
Cardstock: Papertrey Ink
Ink: Momento
Embossing Powder: Stampin' Up!
Pearls: Hero Arts
Markers: Copic
Ribbon: Papertrey Ink

Lowe's Build and Grow

2011-06-10T16:31:00.001-07:00

Last year I was reading a coupon blog, and the blog owner mentioned Lowe's has a free building workshop for kids twice per month. I signed Evan up for the next available session, and he loved it. Mark takes him & it's a great father/son experience, plus Evan comes home with a cool wooden project. Evan's last project was a wooden airplane that he covered in stickers, and he adores it. Jack likes it, too. The take turns flying it around the playroom & patio, and a couple of times I have found it in Jack's crib when I clean the boys' room. He must be putting it in there during the day & hoping I don't notice it before bedtime!

{Evan & Jack with the airplane.}

I have no idea why this photo is so washed out in Blogger... it is fine in Photoshop. Weird.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Erin.

Catching up

2011-06-06T11:40:00.000-07:00

Summer is in full swing and we busy, busy, busy. Evan's school offers a summer camp program that runs for 12 weeks, and we let him choose two weeks to participate. He looked over the schedule and picked this week as his first week. The school has tons of activities planned & I love that he gets to see his friends for a couple of weeks before he starts Kindergarten.

I am going to skip right to the photos... lots and lots of photos from the past 3 weeks:

Jack pointing to his eye at dinner last night.

At the park with Daddy & Evan.

Doesn't Jack look thrilled?!? And yes, his sunglasses are on upside down. That is how he likes to wear them. And who is that big guy sitting next to him? Evan is almost unrecognizable to me sometimes... he is so big. So, so big.

Rocket had a little procedure done last week (so we don't have any little Rockets running around), and he was less than thrilled to have a cone on his head. He actually pouted for the first two days he had to wear it. I didn't know a dog could pout, but Rocket proved they can. It was really pathetic.

I purchased new swim trunks for the boys from Crazy 8 last week. Evan's swim trunks from last year were getting a little short, and Jack's trunks went missing on our trip to Orlando. I know I grabbed them from the dryer on our way out the door, but I haven't seen them since. Luckily Crazy 8 was having a sale and I scored each pair for $6.99.

Jack: "Mommy! Ball! Mommy! Ball! Mommy! Ball" Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

A very pretty weed in our front yard. I snapped this photo right before pulling it out while I was weeding last week.

Jack's crabby/squinty face because Evan stopped pushing him and the sun was in his eyes.

Scott: This picture is for you. And no, I didn't steal the photo from Martha Stewart's blog :-)

Mark brought home the most beautiful orchid last week, and I haven't killed it! I am so proud of myself. Seven days has to be a record for me.

Crazy Jack after a nap last week.

One of my favorite websites for finding cool projects for the kids is No Time for Flashcards. Evan made a superhero bracelet out of a toilet paper roll, foil star stickers, pom poms, and tissue paper. It looked great until Jack pulled all the pom poms and stickers off. He is so two.

On Cindy's last day in Florida we took a trip to Cocoa Beach for about an hour. The water was warm, but it was love bug season so the shallow water was really gross and full of dead love bugs. Jack actually went in the water without crying this trip, and Evan didn't come out of the water for almost an hour.

These pictures were taken before I purchased new swim trunks... notice Jack is just wearing just a swim diaper. That's A+ parenting right there.

My in-laws got Jack this sand bucket set from Melissa and Doug for his birthday. Jack's favorite thing to do at the beach is scoop and dump sand. Scoop and dump. Scoop and dump.

Jack: "AIRPLANEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

A little painting (which mostly ended up on Jack instead of the paper).

Evan does a much better job at keeping the paint on the paper. And he loves to draw pictures of his favorite people & write their name.

Pretty bird at the Brevard Zoo.

Hello Mr. Alligator. I'm glad you are waaaay over there, and I'm waaaay over here so you cannot eat me. By the way, nice teeth.

My two cuties. Approximately 10 seconds after this photo was taken, Evan's fever spiked and he turned white as a sheet. Poor kid had a nasty virus while Mark was in San Jose on business.

My Jack-Jack sitting like a big boy on the train.

When Cindy was visiting, Evan decided I didn't exist. All I heard that week was "Cindy, sit next to me!" and "Cindy can read to me" and "I'll do play-doh with Cindy!" and "Cindy, sit next to me on the train!".

Getting ready to make a slam dunk, wearing pajamas (of course).

I have absolutely no idea what Jack is doing in this photo, but he's happy!

One of the best things about the Brevard zoo is how interactive it is. Evan likes the aviary where he can feed the birds birdseed on a stick.

One of the weirdest creatures I have ever seen... and I can't remember the name of it. Cindy, if you are reading this, please comment and tell me what the heck this thing is called. Because all I can think of is "prehistoric turkey". And I know that's not right.

Two more photos from the bird section of Brevard Zoo. Both photos were taken by Cindy Ledgerwood... because she has an awesome zoom lens on her camera.

After looking at this collection of photos from the past few weeks, I've notice several things:

1. Evan needs to be more cooperative about having his photo taken. I have so many more pics of Jack, and that is usually because Evan runs away when I bring the camera out. I might have to start bribing him.

2. Once again, I am absent from most of our photos. And Mark is practically nonexistent, too. I need to fix that.

3. Jack's blonde hair is getting really long. It's about time for a haircut.

4. Evan is looking more and more like a Kindergartner, and less and less like a pre-schooler.

5. The weather in Florida is absolutely wonderful. We've had maybe four bad days in the past five and a half months. I think my parents in Washington have had five good days in same span of time.

6. I know I edited a picture of some cool palm trees, but it didn't make it into this post... maybe next time.

This post has taken me almost four hours to complete because Blogger takes so long to upload photos, so I'm hitting "publish" and calling it good.

Have a wonderful week!

Erin.

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge

2011-06-01T22:59:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday, Evan and Mark took a day trip to Merritt Island to visit the National Wildlife Refuge. Our original plan was for the whole family to go, but Jack was still feeling under the weather so I stayed home with him.

(Supplies - Tag: Ali Edwards. Printed twill: Ali Edwards. Font: Georgia.)

I am really behind on my photos and need to sort through all the pics Mark took on this trip, but I couldn't help but pull this one out and do some editing in Photoshop. From the photos, the island looks absolutely beautiful & definitely a place we are going to have to visit as a family.

Have a wonderful Thursday, friends.

"Mommy, take our picture!"

2011-05-30T18:40:00.001-07:00

Evan is obsessed with my iPod Touch, and loves taking photos of himself, Rocket, and his toys. He was playing with the camera today & ask for me to take a photo of the two of us... and I love it! Despite it being grainy & out of focus, it perfectly captures my little boy and his sweet smile.

(Photo frame by Karla Dudley Designs.)

Just Like You - Digital Srapbook Layout

2011-05-25T22:24:00.000-07:00

(Supplies - Digital Template: Katie Pertiet. Stitching: Anna Aspnes. Font: Georgia.)

I have a quick layout to share documenting my time with Jack while Ev was in school. I used a digital template from Katie Pertiet at Designer Digitals, some stitching, and journaling. That's it! It was a super fast layout to create, but I didn't have the energy to create something more complicated. Jack has been sick the past two days (again), and we are off to the doctor tomorrow, so my energy has been focused on taking care of a sick baby & keeping Evan happy and entertained. I'm exhausted!

Have a wonderful Thursday,

Erin.

Looking In.

2011-05-24T18:17:00.000-07:00

(Digital photo frame by Ali Edwards.)

A peek into the boys' room before bed.

Rocket didn't want to miss out on the fun & crawled into bed with them.

Jack was more interested in his ball than the book Mark was reading.

And Evan was just happy to have Mark home. Last week was really tough on him.

I love you. I love you. I love you.

Pre-School Graduation

2011-05-22T17:47:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, Cindy, Jack, and I drove to a local park to celebrate Evan's pre-school graduation. His class sang a graduation song to all the family members who were there, then each child received a diploma & posed for a photo with their teacher.

(Photo taken by Cindy Ledgerwood.)

I packed a lunch for him & he got to eat with all of his friends at the end of the ceremony. I loved this little glimpse into what his Kindergarten year is going to look like: more independence, having lunch at school, and playing with his friends during recess.

(Photo by Cindy Ledgerwood.)

Jack was sick & feverish more of the day, and he had a major melt down during the ceremony. After he calmed down he played on the playground for a bit & wanted to be pushed in the swing.

(Photo by Cindy Ledgerwood.)

Look at his toothless grin! Love it :-)

With the exception of some annoying love bugs & Jack's melt down, it was a perfect celebration. I only have three months until he starts Kindergarten... my little boys are growing up way too fast.

Tomorrow marks the first day of summer vacation, and we have a guy from a pest control company coming out for an inspection. Cindy found an egg sac from a spider on our back patio, which was enough of a reason for me to make the call. It's probably not what Evan had in mind for his first day of vacation, but we have a lot of fun thing planned this week to make up for it.

Have a great week!

Today I am thankful for:

2011-05-18T22:05:00.000-07:00

The relationship my two boys have as brothers and friends. Photos like this one remind me how much they care about each other, and that makes my heart happy.

Having my dear friend, Cindy, in town for a week. She reminds me of Pullman, going to WSU basketball games, staying up late scrapbooking, talking for hours, and hanging out in her backyard during the summer. We haven't seen each other in almost 18 months, but nothing has changed. It has been completely wonderful having her here.

Evan's pre-school graduation and the amount of work that his teachers put into it. The song the class preformed was adorable. and he looked like such a big boy when he received his diploma. His teacher, Miss Shelly, has created a wonderful program for her students and Evan is going to miss her next year when he starts kindergarten. I am so thankful we found a great school for him when we moved to Florida.

Mother's Day Tea

2011-05-10T13:15:00.000-07:00

Evan's pre-school celebrated Mother's Day with a lovely Mother's Day Tea last week. Mark took the morning off from work to stay home with Jack, and I got to enjoy my time with Evan at his school.

The kids had a selection of songs to sing to the moms, followed by lemonade, powdered donuts, and animal crackers. Evan walked me around his classroom and showed me his art projects, the dramatic play center, and where he has circle time every morning. He was thrilled to give me a handmade place mat and a flower pin that I'm wearing in the photo. He was so sweet and loving... he kept smiling and giving me great big hugs. It was a wonderful morning together & one I will never forget.

Happy Mother's Day!

Celebrating Jack

2011-05-03T11:10:00.001-07:00

Last week we celebrated Jack's second birthday with a small family party at home. Jack had opened most of his gifts in Orlando, but I wanted to make his actual birthday a special day for him, too.

I made vanilla cupcakes with sprinkles for Jack. He has had texture issues in the past, and I wasn't sure if he would like the frosting, but he devoured two cupcakes before dinner. They were a hit!

He liked ripping the wrapping paper off his presents, and would say "help please" when he couldn't get past the tape.

I used my Papertrey Ink banner builder dies to create a birthday banner for Jack. He did not want his picture taken in front of his banner, but he loved it when Mark fed him a cupcake :-)

Jack was very into his birthday this year. He kept saying "birthday!", "party!", and "my presents!"

I can't believe my sweet little baby is now a two year old.

Happy Birthday Jack! We love you.

A Conversation with Evan

2011-04-27T00:01:00.000-07:00

Back in February Cathy Zielske released a new template for Designer Digitals called Story Guide No. 1. I have wanted to create this layout for a while now, and today I sat down with Ev and interviewed him for the page.

The process of interviewing a 5 year old is pretty funny. He was very thoughtful in forming his answers, and a couple of times he said "I don't know yet... ask me again in 99 seconds." The kid is very into seconds, minutes, and time. After I finished interviewing him, he said it was his turn to ask me some questions. He asked me "What did you do when you were a baby?" I responded with "read books with my Mommy." He seemed to like that answer.

You can view Cathy's blog post on how to create this layout digitally or as a hybrid layout here.

Pirate Cupcakes

2011-04-26T10:27:00.001-07:00

I can't believe I almost forget to post Evan's pirate cupcakes! He had talked about having a pirate cake for months, but it turns out I am a horrible cake maker. Well, I'm horrible at getting the cake out of the pan. I tried multiple times, asked friends for advice, searched the Web, but I still couldn't do it. It was very frustrating. But Evan would have been devastated if I didn't come up with something Pirate themed, so I baked the next best thing:

Pirate cupcakes

{recipe by Betty Crocker}

After Mark and I finished putting the final touches on them, Evan gave me the biggest grin and an even bigger hug.

Happy 5th Birthday, Evan! I can't wait to see what this year brings for you.

Magic Kingdom: Part 2

2011-04-24T18:52:00.001-07:00

I am still working through our photos from our trip to Orlando. We took a ton on this trip!

Mark took a lot of the photos in this post. He has been picking up the camera more and more these days. I love finding unexpected photos on my memory card when I transfer them to my computer. He sees things differently & interacts differently with the boys than I do, and his photos represent that.

I love the big smile on Evan's face.

I took this photo right before we left the park. I wish I had asked my Mom or Dad to take one of the four of us, though. We didn't get a single family photo that week.

Some of my favorite memories from our day at Magic Kingdom:

* Paying $34 for ponchos with the Disney logo on them. I really wanted to ask the cashier how much the ponchos cost when it's not pouring down rain.

* Going on the Buzz Lightyear ride with Jack. Evan and Mark were in one little pod, and Jack and I were in another. He figured out how to control the joy stick and had us spinning in circles for the entire ride.

* Riding the Speedway with Jack and my Mom. We were all wearing ponchos and the car was soaked, and I couldn't figure out how to keep the car from ramming into the metal rail, but it was a blast.

* Having a late lunch at the Crystal Palace with Mark, Evan, Jack, and Uncle Tom. The food was good, the dessert bar was yummy, and having the characters come right up to our table and interact with the kids was great. I was not about to stand in line with two kids, in the rain, just so they can pose with a character or two. Character lunches were a great choice for us.

* Tracking down a green Mickey Mouse balloon for Evan. He insisted on a green one, but none of the street vendors had green balloons left. One of the vendors was nice enough to run to the back of the park and get one for him & Evan was so excited. I was less than excited when he told me the darn balloon was $10.00.

* Running around Tom Sawyer Island with Evan and Jack. After standing in lines, sitting in a stroller, and being generally confined for most of the day, the kids were thrilled to have some space to explore the island.

* Rides, rides, rides. It was raining most of the morning, which I'm assuming is the reason the crowds were tolerable most of the day. Between short lines at the less exciting rides & my Dad and Uncle walking ahead to get fast passes for bigger rides like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad & Space Mountain, we were able to do almost everything.

I cannot wait to go back to Magic Kingdom. It is definitely my favorite of the four Disney parks & I would love to visit again without the ponchos. :-)

New Karla Dudley Designs release tomorrow :-)

2011-04-20T08:21:00.001-07:00

Karla Dudley has a new kit coming out tomorrow, Welcome Spring, and last week she released Template .007. I combined the two to create a layout about our trip to the beach in February:

{All supplies are Karla Dudley Designs: Supplies- Cardstock: Cardstock Essentials No. 3. Patterned Paper: Welcome Spring. "BEACH: brushes: Digi Essentials No. 6. Staples: Digi Essentials. "feb" brush: Digi Essentials No. 10. Heart tag: Tweet. Decorative stitching: Welcome Spring. "sunshine" and "the things we do together" brushes: Welcome Spring. Vellum tags: Welcome Spring. "Love" epoxy tag: Welcome Spring. Font: Georgia}

After editing these photos I definitely think we need to take another family trip to the beach. I am already spoiled by all the nice weather! My family hasn't seen a full day of sun in almost 9 months (hi Mom and Dad!), and I get to walk to my car in shorts, a t-shirt, and flip flops every morning when I take Ev to school. Doesn't seem fair, does it? I feel bad for all my friends and family in Washington... I don't think they have had a day above 60 degrees! It is going to be 84 degrees here, today :-)

Erin.

Right Now.

2011-04-19T16:44:00.000-07:00

You weigh 28lbs, and wear size 2T clothes.

You are still taking one afternoon nap that lasts from 1.5 - 3.5 hours.

We are working on your numbers and colors. Tonight at the dinner table I was counting to five, and you said "four" after I said "three". You followed "four" with "eight". We still have a little work to do :-)

Your vocabulary is expanding every day, and you especially like to mimic Evan.

Your favorite TV show is Jake and the Neverland Pirates.

Your favorite book is Moo, Baa, La La La by Sandra Boynton.

You love to color, paint, play with play-doh, stick stickers on paper (and yourself), and do puzzles.

When I tickle you, you say "tickle, tickle, tickle" while squealing and laughing.

You are finally starting to eat (and enjoy) new foods. Lately you have tried macaroni and cheese, taquitos, bananas, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and pizza. You still don't like to be messy, so I wipe your hands regularly, but you are making progress. I am so proud of you.

You smile and laugh constantly.

You are loving and gentle, and you are so sweet to your big brother.

I love you so much, Jack. You have brought such joy to our family.

Quick Layout to Share.

2011-04-17T16:09:00.001-07:00

I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend. We have been relaxing, playing outside, hanging out in the play room, and being lazy. It's been perfect! Evan has been recreating his Mario Brothers game with his lego mini figures, and Jack has been playing with his "cool race cars" for two strait days.

Most of the race cars Jack has been playing with were cars we saved from when Evan was 2, so it's nice to see them getting used again. Jack isn't as into cars as Evan was, but he definitely likes to send them racing across the kitchen floor. He laughs and laughs when they crash into the kitchen table or the wall. I can't get enough of his little laugh.

I have a layout to share featuring Karla Dudley Designs. It took be forever to create this! I don't know what my problem was... too much time on vacation, I guess. Anyway, this is a story I wanted to make sure I documented, and these photos of Jack in his orthotics were perfect.

{All supplies are Karla Dudley Designs. Kraft cardstock. Patterned paper: Modern Marvel. Heart tag: Tweet. Heart frame: No. 1 Dad. Date stamp: Digi Essentials No. 10. "Jack" brushes: Digi Essentials No. 6. Stitches: Digi Essentials. Dot brush: Spring Anticipation. Number brush: Cypris. Staple: Digi Essentials. "21" bushes: Freebie stamped numbers. Fonts: 1942 Report & Georgia}.

The chocolate chip muffins I have baking in the oven are done, so I better run. I don't want to burn them... the boys would probably be a little miffed at me. Jack loves his "fuffins" :-)

Erin.

Magic Kingdom

2011-04-12T21:51:00.000-07:00

Our first of four days at Disney World was spent at Magic Kingdom. We arrived at 9am and took a ferry across the lake to the entrance. Just as we were passing through security the skies opened up & it starting pouring down rain. It rained & rained... but I was not about to let a little rain get in the way of our first trip to Disney World! We rain into a store along Main St. and purchased 4 over-priced ponchos and ran to our first ride: Cinderella's Golden Carousel. Evan hated wearing his poncho (he doesn't like plastic things touching him... tags, wrappers, and apparently ponchos), so he was a bit crabby, but we were all happy to be under cover while the ride was moving. Next we went on Snow White's Scary Adventure, followed by Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin. After Buzz my parent's and Uncle arrived at the park & we took Evan on Space Mountain for the first time. Ev is .5 inches above the minimum height requirement for most of the roller coasters, and I was nervous he would not like the twists and turns, or the darkness, of Space Mountain. At the end of the ride he said "it was scary in the dark", but he wanted to ride more coasters. By the end of our trip he had ridden Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Test Track (Epcot), Expedition Everest twice (Animal Kingdom), and Space Mountain. He told us several times that the roller coasters were his favorite part of our trip.

We made reservations to eat at the Crystal Palace with Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore, and Piglet. Evan and Jack adored meeting the characters from one of their favorite books and movies, and Evan had no problems posing for pictures with each and every one of them.

While we waited to go on Peter Pan's Flight, our last ride of the day, Evan hung out with Uncle Tom.

Grandpa, Grandma, and Evan.

Jack was so easy going during the whole trip. We spent more than 10 hours at Magic Kingdom, and he didn't cry or have a single melt down. He was exhausted by the time we reached our condo, but I couldn't have asked for an easier (almost) 2-year-old. He was happy, upbeat, and easy to please. Jack is used to going on rides and seemed to love them all.

Disney

2011-04-10T20:10:00.000-07:00

Photo by Mark Taylor.

Mark, the kids, and I have been on vacation in Orlando for the past week. I wanted to enjoy this time with my family, my Mom & Dad, and my Uncle, and not spend all my time online, which is why I haven't updated my blog in over a week.

I'll post next week with more Disney photos and a layout or two for Karla Dudley. She had 4 new releases last week that I can't wait to create with! I like working with digital templates because they make the creative process so quick and easy. You can see her latest releases here.

I'll be back soon!

Turning 5

2011-03-30T18:35:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Evan's fifth birthday on Sunday with a mini celebration at home. We will be having his birthday party in Orlando next week, but Mark and I thought it would be fun for Evan to open his big present at home. I also managed to get a couple of photos with my oldest son:

Jack was not so cooperative:

Look at that face! He was so, so mad that I wanted him to sit on my lap for a photo :-)

Evan's new bike was a huge hit... he loved riding it up up and down the block. And yes, I do realize he is riding a bike without shoes & without a helmet. I let him ride for a couple minutes before sending him in the house for his safety gear. The weather has been lovely & we run around without shoes more often than not.

I'm off to watch my Wednesday night guilty pleasure: Off the Map. And maybe drink some wine. It's been one of those days.

-E

Simply Adore You

2011-03-27T22:59:00.000-07:00

Karla Dudley has several new kits coming out Thursday, and I had some time last night to create a layout using 4 of her new designs:

(All supplies are Karla Dudley Designs. Pink Cardstock: Cardstock Essentials No. 1. Patterned Paper: Just Thinking. Photo Frame: Digi Essentials No. 11. "I Adore You" brush: Everyday Sentiments. Clear butterfly: Clear Essentials No. 1. Jeweled brad: Clear Essentials No. 1. Stitching: Cardstock Essentials No. 1. Staples: Digi Essentials . Font: Georgia)

I'll be back tomorrow with photos of Evan's big birthday present from us (a lime green bike), and some cute pics Mark took of Ev and me.

xoxo,

Erin.

(Almost) 5 & (Almost) 2

2011-03-23T07:43:00.000-07:00

These two have birthdays coming up and I am running around like a mad woman trying to get everything ready. We will celebrate both the boys' birthdays in early April when my parents and Uncle visit from Washington. Evan wants a pirate cake, and I am taking on the task of making one from scratch. I have no idea what I'm doing so I've been e-mailing a good friend of mine who makes the most amazing cakes (hi Cass!), and she's been nice enough to put up will all my crazy questions & offer useful tips to this homemade cake newbie.

After dinner yesterday we went out to our driveway and played with chalk and bubbles until it was time for baths & bed. Both boys loved drawing on the cement and chasing bubbles around the yard.

Jack was way too busy having fun to sit and smile for me. Little stinker!

Happy Wednesday everyone!

xoxo,

Erin.

Love You - a layout

2011-03-16T21:49:00.000-07:00

Karla Dudley has two new kits releasing tomorrow, Remarkable and Digi Essentials No. 10.

(Supplies: Patterned paper - Remarkable. Stitching - Remarkable. "Love You" tag - Remarkable
Staples - Digi Essentials. "mar" brush - Digi Essentials No. 10 Brush Pack. Flower brush - Modern Marvel)

Isn't the background paper awesome? I love it! It's perfect for photos of Evan and Jack. I love the stitches and "love you" tag from this kit, too. Karla has another sneak peek on her blog, and her kits will be available through Design House Digital in the morning.

I have been home with a sick baby and a sick hubby all day, so I better get some sleep.

My silly Jack-Jack (22 months):

2011-03-13T20:52:00.000-07:00

Covered in baby powder (after he found an open container in his bedroom closet and decided to cover himself, and the floor, with it).

Wearing Mardi Gras beads that Mark brought home from work.

Covered in stickers.

Sideways baseball cap.

Race car tattoo on his cheek.

I adore this little boy.

Lately.

2011-03-10T21:38:00.000-08:00

(All supplies are Karla Dudley Designs. Supplies: Letters- Vintage Alphas. Staples- Digi Essentials.)

Our days are filled with walks, driving Evan to and from school, playing outside, creating art, riding bikes, and exploring the newly finished playroom.

We take trips to the grocery store, naps on the couch, and walks to the community playground.

My time at home with these two boys is full of laughter, squeals, tears, and joy.

I am so, so happy in our new home with my sweet boys.

Exciting News!

2011-03-06T20:03:00.000-08:00

I received an e-mail from Paper Crafts magazine on Friday and one of the cards I submitted has been accepted for publication! This is my first publication and I can't wait to see my card in the magazine in August! It will be in Go-To Sketches for Cards.

(I am still doing my little happy dance :-)

Thanks for letting me share my news. It's the perfect way to start my birthday week!

New Karla Dudley Designs Kits!

2011-03-02T16:55:00.000-08:00

Karla has two new kits coming out tomorrow: Cypris and Template .001

These kits are super easy to work with. The colors are beautiful, and the tags can work with a variety of projects. I will post a link when the kits become available in the morning.

(You can click on the layout to make it bigger.)

{Supplies: Template- Template .001. Patterned Papers- Cypris Collection."Today" tags- Cypris. Staple- Digi Essentials. Butterfly- Felis. Brad- Friends. Stitches- Be You. Fonts- Georgia and 1942 Report}

Karla is also doing a give-away on her blog. If you want to win one of these kits, you can enter here.

Valentine's Day Layout

2011-03-01T21:00:00.000-08:00

Karla Dudley released two fantastic new kits last week called Dotty Alphas and Just Thinking. The colors are perfect for the Valentine's Day photos I took of Evan a couple of weeks ago:

{All supplies are Karla Dudley Designs}

---

Jack and I took a trip to Goodwill today for some thrift store shopping. We didn't have a lot of time, but I did score some awesome deals. I found a pair of Gymboree shorts for $.75 and a Charokee shirt for Evan for $1.50. Both are in great condition. Jack picked out a pink Barbie bike that he adores (thankfully it was only $.99!). I also found a Leapfrog Clickstart keyboard to replace ours that has a defective button. I have been trying to decide if I should spend the $15 or $20 to replace our keyboard, so getting one for a $1.99 was a great deal. My last find was a Leapfrog My First Leapad that I'm giving to my Uncle. He will take to one of the orphanages in Mexico that he visits frequently. That, too, was only $1.99. After all that I spent less than $8.00. I was happy :-)

Tomorrow I can share a layout I created for Karla Dudley's Thursday release. She has two more kits coming out and they are great!

Feeding the birds

2011-02-28T17:05:00.000-08:00

I have another photo to share from last week.

Wednesday we traveled to the Brevard Zoo, and Evan's favorite part of the zoo was feeding the birds in the aviary room:

I have a photo of Abby holding three cups of bird nectar and just as many birds on her arms, but I need to ask permission before I post it :-)

More photos coming soon.