Scouts

:::::::::::::::Scout Camp:::::::

Michael's blog shows the flag at half mast for the 4 scouts who lost their lives during a tornado in Iowa. My stepdad, Jim, wrote a blog about what happened and it was a wonderful tribute to those boys. There was one particular scout that looked just like Aaron and my eyes spill over with tears and my heart aches with recognition. My prayers are with the family and friends of all those who are suffering.

::::::::::The Guitar Man:::

My husband is teaching himself to play guitar. He sits down with any time he can scrape together and practices.

<sub>Credits: Remember When Date Stamp Brush by Karen Lewis http://www.thedigichick.com/shop/pro...273&page=4

Catrine's Explore Solids paper, Aged Frames, black chalked alpha

Birgit's Retro paper and Retro leaves

Christina Renee's Stamped words freebie at DST

Darcy Baldwin's DJB Teeny Bopper Darcy Baldwin's DJB TeenyBopper font http://www.thedigichick.com/shop/pro...273&page=2

also DJB MICHAEL

Katie Pertiet: frame</sub>



::::::::::::::How I spent My Summer Vacation::::

1. Mowed the grass...ran over poison ivy in the backyard. (I wonder if there are cortisone speculators like they have for oil?) The weather was really beautiful.

2. trimmed a tree (I have no SKILLZ at this and the poor thing looks sillier than it did before, but I can see the cars and kids a bit better as I back out of the driveway.

3. Used the weed eater on the edge of the road in front of my house. I really enjoy this activity. I did, however, put off weed eating a large patch in the front yard that has...WAIT FOR IT...WAIT FOR IT...Poison Ivy. I know, I should just go for it. What are a few oozing lesion awaiting my dear spouse who hasn't seen me in a week.

4. Listened to my kids giggle while watching Napolean Dynamite and Murder By Death.

5. Digiscrapped

6. Washed and folded clothes.

7. Shopped at Target

8. Told my kids to clean their rooms a GAZILLION times. (Note to self, repetition is not necessarily effective).

9. Fed those kids of mine who are too slack to clean their room.

10. Mediated umpteen squabbles.

11. Read a few books...I liked them, too.

12. Enjoyed several walks in the park, while listening to podcasts from Wait Wait and Astronomy Cast.

...Summers not over so we will see about next week! :)

***Edited to add this exciting Digi-News::::

Check out EVITANGEL for an amazing new free kit designed for Gabs by Nathy. Gabs is having a blog party to celebrate her 15,000 visitors. You can get a gift and help her continue on to her next big number!

Take care! (((hugs)))

A Bit of This and That

I asked my mom if she would like me to come up with a blog header for her new blogger account and she said sure, so this is what I came up with for her:

you like?!


:::::::::::::::::::::::Enna Burning:::




This book was intense. Hale doesn't skirt emotions, fallible human decisions and their reprecussions. Enna Burning continues the story begun in The Goose Girl, but this one focuses on Isi's friend Enna and her discovery of the language of fire. The inadvertant discovery by Enna's brother Leifer of a vellum that contains the knowledge of fire speech is the catalyst. Enna learns this language and it allows her to feel like she is a more valuable person because of her ablility, but the fire has a will of its own. Enna begins to live a mentally and figuratively tortured existence. The core friendships in this story help bind it together and give a great framework for the book to delve into weighty issues of how it feels to kill someone with fire, being guiled by those who have the gift of "people speaking", war guilt, and awareness of your place in the world.

I recommend this sequel book with a caveat...read The Goose Girl first to give a better understanding of the strong relationship held by Enna and Isi. Also, be aware of the intensity of emotions and imagery in this book. Hale doesn't cut corners on anything.

I had Aaron coming out to me while I was doing yard work asking if he should tell everyone to brush their teeth and get ready for reading time, an hour early, because he was anxious to finish the book and find out how it would end. Each of Shannon Hale's books, so far, have created that kind of excitement in the kids.


:::::::::::::::::::::::Next Family Reading Book::::::

Aaron and Rachel voted for River Secrets, which is the 3rd book in the Bayern series that started with Isi's story. This book is Razo's story. He is a friend to Isi and Enna. I'll let you know about this one when we are finished.



:::::::::::::::::::::::House Work:::::

...lots of that to do so,

I hope y'all have a great weekend! Take care! :)

Mighty Casey Has Struck Out...

My darling Rachel had no joy in Mudville (aka Science Olympiad). She came home very sad because she had lost in all three of the categories she had entered. She was the most upset because she was unable to win any of the prizes, which she hoped to use for a birthday gift for Noah, next week. She wanted to get the gift through her own efforts. Last week she lost her coin purse that contained all of her money, so she so this as her last chance for a gift. I told her that I was proud of her for trying and that I could take her to the store to find Noah something and she could give it with her name.

She was happy about her art class where they studied Michaelangelo's "David". Here is Rachel's version:




:::::::::::::::::I Love You Bunches::::::



<sub>Credits:
Dawn Inskip: Love You Loads and Typecast Alpha
http://www.ndisb.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1556

http://www.ndisb.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2406

also at Treasures to Scrap and
SSS
Catrine: Explore Solids

Darcy Baldwin: DJB My Dear Marsha, DJB MISH www.thedigichick.com

extra font: CK Cursive</sub>
:::::::::::::::::Playful Monster::::::



<sub>My youngest DS was sneaking up on my oldest DS.


Karen Lewis: Monster Mess Page Kit by Karen

http://www.thedigichick.com/shop/pro...273&page=3

Monster Mess Alpha: http://www.thedigichick.com/shop/pro...273&page=3

Darcy Baldwin: Blister Pack Date Tag

http://www.thedigichick.com/shop/pro...t=0&page=1


Font: DJB SISSY by Darcy Baldwin

http://www.thedigichick.com/shop/man...on=&page=5</sub>

::::::::::::::::Yard Work ::::::::

I worked in the yard a lot, yesterday. Eve "helped" me clip weeds and avoid poison ivy. I have located several no places with poison ivy has cropped up, so I dread my next round of Caladryl, but the rains came and put off my need to self-medicate for a few more days.

Take care! :)

Nuture Nature?

:::::::::::::::::::Atlanta Botanical Gardens Layout:::


<sub>Dawn Inskip: “A Secret Garden”, “Fresh”, "WEATHER STATION", "Land of Make Believe" , "Embossed Alpha set 2"


Also her Type Cast Alpha


NDISB http://www.ndisb.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=58

Treasures to Scrap http://digistore.treasurestoscrap.com/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=20

ScrapScandiStyle http://shop.scrapscandistyle.com/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=43

Font: DJB Mandy by Darcy Baldwin at The Digichick</sub>


::::::::::::::::::::Small Accomplishment::::::::

I never thought much about the lable section on the posts. Then, I realized that they are pretty handy dandy. So...I have finished labeling all of my 548 posts to make them more accessible.

::::::::::::::::::::Stolen Recollections:::::::::

from my mom's blog: "From time to time, I ask one of the grandchildren, if they will take care of me when I get old and over the years I have had some interesting answers – everything from an exuberant, "Yes, of course, Granny" to a more thoughtful response from Noah recently. When I asked Noah about the care and feeding of Granny in the future – his response was "well, it all depends…. Will we be living at your house or at our house? I prefer your house because you have Cable." That perk is definitely a strong consideration for almost 8 years old. I shall have to keep that satellite dish no matter what!

Noah also has lots of opinions about his favorite food (at least at our home) GRITS. It has to be just right and served in the proper dish. It has to have just the right amount of cheese – not too much – not too little. He has incredibly sensitive taste buds, too. If he is deeply engrossed in the latest episode of BEN TEN and the ALEIN FORCE, I note fewer comments and larger consumption. Noah gives Victoria a bit of a hard time because he tells her that she doesn’t make Grits like Granny Sue and he refuses to eat her grits. Well, last week, he was not exactly happy with my offering and he commented, "Your grits taste just like my mother’s." That was not meant as a compliment. Maybe Noah will grow up to be a Food Critic."

Thanks for posting this, mom! :)


:::::::::::::::::::::Walking:::::::::

The temperature was nigh unto perfect, today! I found a bird egg to show eve that had fallen from some unseen nest. She dropped it and broke it within 5 minutes. The bluebirds are one of my favorite birds to spy in the park. Least favorite... would be dog poo.

::::::::::::::::::::::Yard Work:::::

It is time for the mowing of the grass, or rather...I better get it done because all of the neighbors have theirs looking trim and tidy.

Smiles and take care!

Here Comes Peter Cottontail...

Yes, folks we have a nest of baby bunnies in our yard. As I was mowing the Fire Ant Georgia Hilton...my yard I ran over a patch of ground that resembled an abandoned fire ant mound. I glanced back thinking that I had dodged the horrible prospect of flying angry fire ants hitting my bare legs to see the ground quiver. I cut the motor to the lawn mower and went back to look again. Indeed, the ground was quivering under the thin layer of soil. I went to grab one of the sticks I had collected from our Wild Cherry Tree and went about gently removing the soil. Underneath was a bunch of loose fur and little creatures with brown bodies, a stub tail and oval ears flattened to their heads. I called for Aaron to ask Michael what to do. He said leave them alone and cover up the nest. He checked them out when he got home from work and verfied that they were bunnies. At this point we are going to live and let live. Here is a site with photos of exactly the same stage as our bunnies:

Photo of baby Cottontails.


:::::::::::::My Mom...the Cyclops:::::


Text: My Mom...the Cyclops!


Her name is Victoria.
She is always the one with the camera. Thanks to my mom I get to see me on my birthday, vacation and just being silly. My favorite thing is to make funny faces. Mom just laughs.


Love, Noah
the Cyclops Boy!



_{Lovin' Life kit by Kay Miller
Backward Staple by Jenn Patrick
Word Bits by Kate Hadfield and Tiff Brady
Journaling Doodles by Kate Hadfield
Date Stamp by Amber Clegg
Doodle Alpha by Weeds and Wildflowers
Fonts: DB Doodl E Doo, DB POOJA, DB CONNORBUCK by Darcy Baldwin at The Digichick}


:::::::::::::Detour::::::::::

I decided to tackle the yard, yesterday, rather than the inside. What do I get for my efforts? My yard looks 100% better. I am no longer in the running for Trailer Park Weekly. I was a lawn mowin'...weed eatin' fool. Michael came home and finished up my odds and ends because I ran out of gas, literally and figuratively. Today is appears I may have poison ivy...AGAIN! on my ankles, or some fire ant bites. My pointed out that it may be a combination of the two. HAPPY! HAPPY! JOY! JOY!
Today, the inside of the house!

Smiles!

Don't Make a Spectacle of Yourself...

...just wear them! Rachel is officially nearsighted (20/175). Genetics at their finest! She has completed her new chrysalis phase of her transformation. She will now enter the very delicate phase of morphing into a beautiful butterfly. This transformation will take time and, I believe, a large quantity of estrogen! She was so excited to show of her new specs that we drove over to show them off to Grandpa Towhey. On the short drive Michael said Rachel was reading every license plate and street sign. Happily, Grandpa Jim was home and he was excited to see Rachel's new look. Here is Grandpa's blog comments and photo: Click Me!

::::::::::::::::::::




My husband suggested this oxymoron so this is what I did. I kept thinking about the new "Grillz" in the news (the braces with all the bling).

_{Tire Swing, Shirt collar and die from Stockexchange photos
Jewels and Monogram Alpha by Shabby Princess
Overlay by Nancy Rowe Janitz
Leather Alpha by Christie Lyle
Background paper from Monkey Doodle Doo by Christie Lyle and Robin Carlton (modified with a dry brush filter)
Braces a web freebie (modified with jewels by S.P.)
Monkey from Monkey See kit freebie on the web
Sunglasses by Dani B.
Grunge frame by Jessica Sprague}

::::::::::::::::::


Good news: Noah is beginning to read better everyday! The school identified him for a special reading program and he comes home everyday and reads a book to us! YEAH!


:::::::::::::::::::

There will be a viewing for our little friend Tommy who passed away. Michael and I read his obituary and thought it would be appropriate for Michael and the boys to wear these:



Tommy's parents listed that he loved Spongebob, so we felt it was a simple gesture to let his family know we loved Tommy, too!

:::::::::::::::::::

I mowed the lawn...front, back and sides today. My stepdad, Jim, gave me his old push mower because he wanted to get a new one. I suppose he felt sorry for our needing a mower EVERY YEAR! I think the mowers we get are really made by some cretin in the pantyhose industry that moonlights in mower parts for a cheap thrill. In a bit of a pleading tone and in a bit of a snit I asked that my birthday gift, which doesn't come until May, be a self-propelled, easy start motor. I would like either a Honda or a Toro. I think I'm leaning toward a Toro (But don't tell that cretin in the pantyhose industry. He just get a promotion, or a job moonlighting in the Toro factory).

:::::::::::::::::::::

Tiger Cubs and Girl Scouts are starting in the next week, so I will put on my chauffers hat and gas up the Queen Victoria Family Truckster. Gas prices have moved down to $2.46. When we use our local grocery store loyalty card and spend at least $100, they take an additional .10 off per gallon.

Fall Homeschool Bowling league starts soon too. Aaron looks forward to seeing his friends again.

:::::::::::::::::::::::

SMILES!

E is for Explorer:

I really like ATCs...Can you tell?!?

_{Background Paper: IOD's Adelaide's Letter
Frame: Rhonna Farrer
Fairy: Hope Wallace
Carpet bag, Flying hat, and hot air balloon from the internet
Stamp: IOD's Felina
Postmark: JennV
Font: Marginal PX
Alpha: Century font with a IOD's San Salvatore paper then color burned.}

::::::::::::::

My explorers are canoing today with the scout troop. Michael took the troop to Stone Mountain for a practice run with the canoes and two boys baptized themselves because they stood up in the canoe. It should be interesting to see how the campout goes.

::::::::::::::



<sub>This is a photo of my two sons, Noah and Aaron. They rarely get along, but when we went to Six Flags Over Georgia they rode most of the rides together because they wanted to.


"Homecoming Kit", "Florist Kit", "Persimmons in Summer" designs by Sandra Boddington


Font: Pea Alesa


Overlay by Nancy Rowe Janitz</sub>

:::::::::::::::::::::

My stepfather, Jim, sent me some photos of my brother doing his sweeping thing, so I will scrap them in a couple of days with his story. Another fun layout I'm trying to figure out is Eve's retelling of the story of Jesus' resurrection. Eve has replaced the angels with fairies that roll away the stone, so I will scrap it like I think she thinks about what happened.

::::::::::::::::::::

I need to go make a smoothie and mow the lawn now that it isn't raining and the sun isn't to high over head. By the way on the smoothie...i've been adding frozen peaches and they are so mild they don't seem to change the taste much, but for some reason it lends a "clean" taste to the flavor. Don't know really how to explain.

Have a lovely weekend all!