Tell it Linus!!

Better late than never!
Until I can update... hope you had a fabulous Christmas, and are reflecting on your year...
whether God gave you trial or pure joy...

Merry Christmas, and a FABULOUS new year!!!!

Some CREATING already!

The kids have been home for two days now.
I can't say that is HELPING the creating!
I CAN say that getting it posted has been hindered by Christmas programs, bad weather, electric going out, etc. etc... :)

Got some creating done with my Imaginisce Polar Expression!!
WHICH by the way, is today's "Scrapbook Steal"!
64%-50% off is nothing to sneeze at!!
(Click on picture!)
Here is what I did with mine!

Yes, there is a hole in this layout. LOL! :)



Yes, I tried "simple"... :)
OK, I have GOT to get a better picture of this!! Maybe I was so shook up by the fact that I did a two page layout! LOL!
I just LOVE the dots of the printed paper! I used it as embellishment above, and to enhance the dotted paper below. They fit nicely in one of my circle punches.

This tree was an idea from our "Christmas Tree Idea Board" at Scrapaganza!
Easy to do-there are several more tree ideas-so stop by and take a look!

You would think a project was required of me, which it wasn't, but I thought the felt embellishmets were a PERFECT fit for a bookmarker... what a simple fun gift!
And this is my layout for this months club at Scrapaganza!
Graphic 45 Domestic Goddess, and I used my I-Top punches and a I-Top Brad for my flower!
ALSO, nothing was attached with glue except the flower-one glue dot... the rest is attached with Tim Holtz's Tiny Attacher! It kinda just happened... I kinda like it! I allowed the paper to bend and lift where it wanted to.
It's not a great picture (on the layout)... but that isn't always the point, is it? :)
This last week:
Another visit with Santa (Gavin said "I've told him, we're good." Alrighty then.)
Chatty Cathey... seriously. :)
This is where I decided Gabriel needed a haircut...
The Christmas Program...
There WAS lots of singing!
Ok, this one is SCREAMING for caption! :)
And there was quite a bit of this too (yawning...) Not sure what Grant's doing. :) Probably hiding his yawn. It was kinda long...
Gavin has a duet at a songs opening...
See this great picture I got...
Without cropping I got lots of this...

OK, that is a little bit of a fib... I did take that one cuz they were cute, the little heads with their momma...

But RISERS people! I want to see my kid sing better than the play! I'm selfish that way!!

This is usually what happens when I try to get my kids to pose with someone in a picture together. One of them falls apart. {sigh}
I'll let this one slide... Actually it came out pretty OK! :)
Had to add this one! We just love our Kindergarten teacher Mrs. Claussen! :)
And the Iowa State fans in the crowd? (That's "Ww" is for "war"... :) )
We are on day two of snow days because of this...
The kids had a BLAST yesterday.
I think Gavin was out for about 6 hours yesterday!!
Those igloo brick makers are the BEST!!
See the wall there? That's me trying to take pictures from the deck, without putting on all the gear. 'member being out 'til your buggers froze? :)
Gabe was inside when I ventered out for the 3 minutes to get these pictures!!

Today it is actually too cold for them... (scratch that-Gavin just got geared up.)
So we'll do more of this:
I ventured to the "junk store" with my friend Megan on Monday.
These pictures are for Alisa! ;)
Check out that super cool macaroni looking button! And the JAR!! :) While the electricity was off, I got this finished...Trying something different with the red lights. Going back to clear next year.
All red is weird. :)

And to finish... this is what was laying next to me as I blogged. Good dog.
Be blessed-and stay warm!!

Why is it so hard to keep up???

I can promise myself I won't let my blog get behind-and then it is. :)

I HAVE to post some pictures of the last weeks activities!!

The Christmas season starts in my head with the Festival of Trees parade!
Even though Thanksgiving is AFTER this event...

Alicia has been going to the same spot for YEARS! We have joined them for three now... or is it four? I don't know, but we have a crowd!
The kids have a great time at the festival right after the parade... they get to see Santa!
That is a highlight!
Even if some of the kids at school go on about him being "dead" or not "real".
Why can't parents that choose to NOT have a Santa tradition teach their kids to keep their mouths shut about Santa?? I mean really.
We don't lie to them... if they ask me if he is real, I ask them if they think he is real...
(Answering the question with a question... good plan! )
And I HAVE told them that he's not real like God is real... and I leave it at that.
But saying he is dead?? Huh?
Update: This came up today at school! (Lurker Amy! LOL!)
So since Gabriel was going on again TODAY about Santa not being real, I told them they can choose to participate in the Santa tradition or not... but if they had any questions, if they WANT to ask me if he is real, go ahead and ask... it was silent for a few seconds... and then Gavin breaks the silence with "AWK-ward" I-about-laughed-out-a-kidney!! Funny kid! See they really DON'T want to know! LOL!
I don't think they have any intention of NOT believing, even if they have an idea.
Like they get it, and they are playing along... I'm OK with that.
Though I can say with 100% certainty that Cora "knows" that guy that she sat on his lap, is THE Santa! And she was in LOVE! (Pictures in the slide show!)

We had a fundraiser at Chuck E. Cheese for school. We were there for over 4 hours.
They were thrilled. I was fried.



I don't think Cora and Gavin stopped long enough for me to get any pictures! lol!
I didn't get as many as usual...

Look what I captured one morning on the way to Mom 4 Moms!
Just amazing...
I would LOVE to be a wildlife photographer! It would be such a rush!!

Thanksgiving Feast at Heritage-this year instead of turkey and fixings, Amy Seward told the kids about her missions trip to St. Vincent, and they had a St. Vincent style feast! Chicken legs, rice, a banana, and LOTS of dessert!
I was serving, so I didn't get many pictures! Sorry Alicia! I got your message after the feast, and didn't even notice Annie was there until the end-when I had no camera on me!
Cora was with me since they had no school...
Really mom?? (Isn't that what that face looks like!)
And Thanksgiving!
Dad and Dinah's tree was up!
And the train!
The kids always like running the train.
And playing Atari (yes, Atari... they have the classic console with all the games on it), and watching movies, and eating...
Gavin insisted on the turkey leg... I think he thought it would be like schools chicken leg!
Look at that plate!!

And look at this sunset! I didn't touch this with editing... this is how it looked and took!
And THIS is what happens when you hand over you camera... push half way, wait for the beep...
{sigh} :) It looked OK on my 2 inch screen, but alas...
If you could make anyone out, this is my Dad, and my step mother Dinah, and my step siblings and all our children! Big family!
That's my catch up!
Off to scrap!!
I have been cleaning and purging and trying to arrange my office for more efficient scrapping!
Wish me luck!