Weekly Gratitude...

Freedom. I feel blessed to live in a country who fights for our right to be free. I am blessed by the men and women who have served our country and for those who are serving now. They did not have to, but they chose to fight and even die for our freedom. So today, on this day of remembrance... this Memorial Day, I am grateful for all who have died that I may live in freedom. Thank you with all my heart.

In Loving Memory...

My heart is breaking at the loss of my father, yesterday. But, what brings me comfort is... knowing had a wonderful life... he finished the race... he loved the Lord... he love and was loved by his family & friends. He lived his life graciously... always caring for others. He had the biggest heart I've ever known.

My husband said it is so sweetly... 'Your father was the kindest and gentlest man I have ever met'... and he was.

He will be missed by those who knew him... but is resting now in the Lord's arms... loved.















I won't be blogging or scrapping very much as I deal with the services and my loss... I will be back some time in June... Thank you for your thoughts & prayers. ~ Michelle & family

Happy Birthday...

Happy 6th Birthday Rainee...
I love you so much...
have a super fantastic day!!!

Birthday Party Fun...

I wanted to show you all the fun we had at Rainee's Birthday Party... but sadly, I only have a few to show. My husband bought me the wonderful D5000 Nikon for my birthday... and I haven't taken the lessons which go along with it... because, at least I thought, I was pretty good at knowing what to do... my photos aren't always amazing... but they're mine... plus I've read the manual...so you'd think it would be fine... well... not true. Don't know what happened.... but 90% of my photos came out black. Plus what's even more frustrating is... I ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS check my photos to see how they're turning out... but with all the party goings on... I didn't... and very very very sadly only a few turned out... I've tried everything... literally everything to save them... but no luck... sooooo, now I have to talk to the other parents and see what they have... the only one which really matters to me is the one with all the kids in the alligator's mouth... can't tell you how bummed I am... but here are a few...

The fun fun fun Birthday Cake with Curious George of courses...












Rainee with Curious George...



















Rainee opening presents...




















Rainee with Daddy & George...




















Rainee with Mommy & George... blurry cuz my husband doesn't think he has to focus pictures... but happy to have it...


















Rainee blowing out her birthday candles...

and that my friends are just a small selection of what did turn out. I don't have ANY of Rainee playing on the bouncers... but I feel grateful for the ones I do have... did I tell you I was bummed... well I am. :(

LESSON LEARNED:
Always Always Always check your photos...

Weekly Gratitude...

Birthday Party Joy!! This last week along with all the regular things I do, I had the joy of getting everything together for Rainee's Birthday Party!!! I love to celebrate... and birthdays.... well, they are the best celebration of all... because it's all about the moment your life began... and all the everyday moments in between... which make you special.

For her party, I knew we couldn't have it in our home... it's just too small... so it was decided we'd go to a bouncer place... Wild Party Kingdom... which made the theme perfect... Rainee wanted Curious George!

Over the last 2 weeks I've loved watching Rainee's Birthday Party Joy... as we filled out the invitations.... bought goodies for the goodie bags... picked out a cake... made her list of wishes, if anyone asked... counted down the days to her FAKE birthday... and the smiles on her face every time a friends said they were coming.

Saturday was the big day, and we had the most extraordinary time. What I delighted in most was sharing the fun WITH Rainee!! This place was sooooooo terrific... it wasn't just for the kids... it was for parents too... and seriously, how often do you get to go on bouncers and be a kid again??! It was soooooooo much fun going down the big slide with Rainee... going down the alligator's mouth... chasing after one of her friends... playing ping pong... climbing the rock wall... jousting with Steve... playing air hockey... the joy... the laughter... the enjoyment... it was contagious.... you couldn't help but join in the lighthearted pleasure.... of having fun!!!

So this week, I'm grateful for... Birthday Party Joy... bouncers... and being a kid again. I'm thankful for the happiness I saw on Rainee's face... the laughter filling every inch of her soul... and for this wonderful, joyful beginning to her 6th year. Birthday Party Joy... it's the best!!!

My Little Bug...

I have to say it again... I love love love this new IOD Collection from Creative Imaginations... the daisy's... the ladybugs... it is just so fab! I used the May CI sketch for this layout... I had so much fun putting this layout together and making those fun little flowers... If you want to have a chance to win some wonderful CI products, go to the CI blog detail on entering your layout... the winner of this month's layout challenge will not only receive a prize package, but will also be their guest designer!!!











Also.... my dear friend Sarah has a giveaway on her blog... you have to go check it out... it's a bunch of yummy Imaginisce goodies.... you have until Saturday, May 22 @ 11:59pm to enter to win!!!

Vacation Motel...

Our trip to South Dakota was Rainee's first time on an airplane... and she loved it! Although I think she was ready to get off when we landed... boredom was setting in!!! Once we got our rental we were hungry and ready for bed... So Steve went to find us something to eat and Rainee made herself comfy! She was bathed, in jammies, and smack dab in the middle of the bed... watching Rainee-bear shows until daddy came back with food! It was adorable... and I couldn't resist taking this photo... too too cute!!!

I had been looking for some fun travel paper and stickers, and when I found this vintage style travel collection I knew I loved it and couldn't wait to use it with our South Dakota photos... they fit together perfectly!!!

I hope your Wednesday is full of fun things... I have bunches of things to finish doing for Rainee's Birthday party on Saturday... so mine I know will be super fun... enjoy your day!!! M

Lost Highway...

I've really been having fun doing the sketches at SketchyThursdays... and this one is no exception. For this one I did a layout with some photos of our trip again to South Dakota... (I told you I still had a lot to scrap... lol)... anyway these photos are of the 'Lost Highway'... well it's not really lost it just seems to go on f-o-r-e-v-e-r!!! We went from the eastern side of the state, Sioux Falls, to the Western side of the state to Rapid City. From one end to the other we saw the beauty of the South Dakota prairie... rolling hills of farm land and little towns as small as 12... yes I said 12... and truly if you blinked you will have gone right through a town and not even known it.

Along the way we started seeing billboard signs for 'Wall Drug'. The signs started out about 1/2 way through the state... each one a little different than the next... my favorite was "Happy Wall-idays" with a Christmas theme to it... they were clever and fun to watch out for. The history behind the billboards is that the city Wall was off the beat-in-path... and in about 1936 the Drug Store owner came up with an idea of how to get the passer-bys on route A16 to come in... He decided to giveaway FREE Ice cold water! They had plenty of water and ice... and decided to put the signs up along the highway for those travelers who were driving across the hot prairie... telling them to come on in for FREE ice water... and it began... that small idea change the course of a little town.... and now... it still may be a small town, but most everyone stops in for a FREE glass of ice cold water and stays to look around at the fun things to do.

For us it was a special treat... it seemed like we'd been driving for such a long time to get out and stretch was wonderful!!! While there we saw their 'dinosaur' that roared at us... went into some fun little shops... took pictures with the old-time statues... had lunch in a bar... because they had the best pizza in town... and it was delish!!! On our travels back to Sioux Falls... we stopped again to spend some time in the quaint little town of Wall...off the lost highway.

Thanks for stopping by... it's always appreciated... have a very happy Tuesday!!!

Weekly Gratitude...

Peaceful moments. This last week was one of those weeks where I had to grasp at every little bit of peace that came my way.

My week started with a call about my dad...he wasn't doing well again and went back in the hospital... on Tuesday I received a letter and a phone call which brought me to tears... that same evening, Rainee... my sweet Rainee, for no apparent reason, squirted her water drinks all over our family room and all over Champ... which made everything smell like wet dirty dog with a hint of fruit... which with the day I had... brought me to tears... and just as I was going to go to bed, the doctor called about my dad... which again, brought me to tears.

Needless to say... I cried myself to sleep Tuesday night and prayed for a better week. The rest of my week was nothing like Monday or Tuesday... my heart is still seeking peace from news I received on Tuesday... but, I am still dealing with it... I cry when I think about it... I struggle... I pray... I cry... and it starts over... The peace I seek for it I know will come. But right now... I am sooooooooo very grateful for the little spaces of time where I found peace in this incredibly difficult week... my dad getting out of the hospital... he's weak, but he's out of the hospital... cuddling and reading books with my little Rainee... joking around with Steve... talking with my sister... the silence right before everyone gets up in the morning... a lovely breeze in the late afternoon... this was a week I don't want repeated... but I am so very thankful for peace... every peaceful moment... I am grateful.

What's Your Favorite...

What's your favorite... Book??? This is our new challenge at These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things... I love to read... I don't get much time to read for myself, but I do read to Rainee every night. I have been reading books to Rainee since she was born... It was always bath... book... bottle... and then bed. When she was younger it use to be just one book and she'd fall asleep... but since she started Kindergarten we've been reading 7-10 children's books every night!! She has most of her favorites memorized... and now that she's beginning to read herself, she loves picking out the words she knows. It's such a delight to watch her read. She still loves having me read all her favorites to her, but also I know it won't be long and she'll be reading these bedtime stories to me.

So, for this layout I decided to put Rainee's favorite bedtime stories we like to read right now. Now before all these wonderful little stories are put aside for new favorites as she starts to read more and more on her own.

What is your favorite book or child's favorite book?? Come over and check out the wonderful designs our Design Team have done... then share with us your favorite... on a card, scrapbook layout or project... and you will have a chance to win a gift certificate to Borders Bookstore. So come along and share it with all of us at These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things.

Preschool Playtime... Plus...

I was looking through some photos to upload for printing and ran across a layout I hadn't posted yet... This layout is Rainee's first day of preschool... I love this photo of her... when I came to pick her up... she didn't know I was there... and there she was out playing with the all kids, having the time of her life... enjoying all the fun there is to be had in Preschool.

I also wanted to share the May Creative Imaginations Layout Sketch to enter your layout and and a chance to win $50 of CI products and be featured on the CI blog... just pop over to their blog for the details. I'll be posting my version in a few days... I don't usually do sneak peeks... but I just love their new IOD (Iron Orchid Design) collection... if you hadn't noticed, I'm completely in love with those little ladybugs!!

Plus if you at all like pancakes... you have to go to Autumn Bouquet and see my winning pancake recipe... it's yummy!!!

Thanks for stopping by... it's always appreciated... have a fabulous Friday!!!

H-A-P-P-Y...

I just love the new Creative Imaginations Iron Orchid Design Collection... I had to use it for the CI May Card Sketch... I just love those little lady bugs... There is just something about lady bugs and daisies... that can make you H-A-P-P-Y...

Thanks for stopping by, it's always appreciated... and have a Happy Happy Happy day....

Card Sketch For May...

The last few months I've been doing the the Card Sketch for Creative Imaginations and Lori Gentile has been doing the Layout Sketch.... for their sketch contests. But we've decided to change it up a bit... every other month Lori Gentile will be doing the Card Sketch and I'll be doing the Layout Sketch... So here is the fun card sketch Lori came up with for this month's Creative Imaginations Card Sketch Contest. I'll be posting my card soon... but for details of contest go to CI's blog... would love to see what you come up with...

Weekly Gratitude...

Being a mom. Rainee is the best child a mother could ask for... She's so loving. She so easily gives love... just because. She can come into a room just to give me a hug... or say 'Mommy, I love you!' a hundred times during the day... or say "I'm so lucky, you're the best mommy ever!" When the reality is... I am the lucky one.... I'm the one who is blessed to be the mother to this incredibly delightful little girl.

Seeing the small and the big beautiful thing which happen every single day in my life as her mommy... are the things I love. I thought I'd share few of the little things which brought a smile this last week... eating frozen blueberries by the handful, then laughing at our blueberry stained hands and lips... blowing bubbles and watching Rainee & Champy-boy chase them... making chocolate chip pancakes for dinner... getting completely dirty while planting carrots in the backyard... watching the 3 Ninja movies over and over again... playing hide and seek in the house.... building Lego firetrucks... enjoying bubble racing in the tub... listening to Rainee read her little books... all these little things brighten my day... make me laugh... and show me how really lucky I am to be her mom.

I think it's important to see the sliver lining in a day, because so much of a day can be over run with the things 'I need to do'.... that I can easily miss the beauty of my child's life... or the joy I receive from of being a mom. I know if I want the enduring satisfaction of being a mom, I need to lookout for those small miracles every day. I'm grateful for the little miracles that come in all different shapes and sizes... and I know the time to enjoy them... is now. Being a mother is by far the greatest joy in my life I am grateful for. I'm grateful to be the mother to this lovely little girl... who calls me mommy. I'm so blessed to share her life.

Happy Happy Happy Mother's Day....

As we were going to bed last night... Rainee said this...

"Mommy... I can't wait until Mother's Day... because I'm going to give you the best hugs & kisses ever!!!"

Wishing you all a very happy Mother's Day....
one filled with hugs & kisses!

Fun & Games With Prizes...

Go we're doing something fun over at These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things... go check it out!!!

As for our family... we are all starting to get back to ourselves. I'm hoping today after our trips to the Fire Station Pancake Breakfast (with bouncers of course), the tour of our NEW Animal Shelter (we have to go, because you know Rainee and dogs)... shopping for Rainee's Birthday Party goodies... I will be able to get some scrapping in...

But go... go check out the fun & games, ya never know who will win... could be you....

MIA...

We've had a bad bug going around at our house... first Steve, then Raine and finishing off with me...

I've been caring for everyone and not getting much sleep... so my energy is low... but hoping to be back to normal by the end of the week... and I can get some scrapping done...

Have a lovely day... M

Weekly Gratitude... + NSD Winner!!!

Before I start my Weekly Gratitude I wanted to let you all know who the winner of my NSD giveaway is... and the winner is.... #30!!! Yeah for you!!! Please send me your addy and I'll get your giveaway right out to you! I also wanted to say thank you to all of you for coming by... thank you!






Weekly Gratitude...


Scrapbooking. I still have the first scrapbook I made when I was in the 6th grade... and my high school scrapbooks. They aren't great... but they are my first attempts. Over the years I would scrapbook now and again, but once I had my daughter, Rainee, I've had to capture every moment. Some I've scrapped, some I still have yet to scrap.

I still scrapbook once a month with the women from my last job. It is our time to get together... to scrap and catch up on each others lives. I love our time together. I've also met some amazing people online through... the many many many galleries out there... YouTube videos I've made and watched... the blogging world... and design teams. I have been encouraged... inspired... and made so many wonderful friends. Who knew when I started scrapbooking my life would be blessed with so much more than the pages I create.

So today I am grateful for this hobby which has brought so much to my life... much more than I would have ever imagined. Thank you all for the community, friendship and inspiration you bring to my life daily... I am blessed.

National Scrapbook Day Giveaway....

I couldn't let this day go by without posting a little blog-candy. Just post a comment anytime until Sunday, May 2, 2010 midnight (EST)... and you will be entered. Randomizer will help me pick winner and I'll post the winner Monday along with my Weekly Gratitude

With all the things going on EVERYWHERE, and I do mean everywhere, I hope you enjoy this day... and get a little scrapping in too!!

Happy National Scrapbook Day... and... Happy Scrapping!!!


A little side note... at Autumn Bouquet (my sweet niece & my sisters blog) they are having a little recipe/tasting/story contest... If you have one you'd like to share hop over and check it out.