More Finished Layouts

Here are a few more layouts that I was able to finish this week. The stack on my desk is slowly getting smaller and the albums are getting bigger.


The first one is Emma's preschool field trip to the zoo. The kids all love the slide. I think I got a shot of each kid in her class.

The 2nd one is dyeing Easter eggs and I entitled it Just for Fun, because no one actually likes eggs here and we just dye them for fun and then throw them away the next day.

The next layout is Heidi's birthday photos, we took them at Katherine Albertson Park on June 2nd. They turned out great.

The last one is the few photos I got on Heidi's birthday as they played with her gift...ROCK BAND.

First week of School

We made it through the first week of school YEAH!!!!!

I got up and took Heidi to the high school. I got out of there for $92 , very cheep.LOL
She found her friends, got in line for her schedule and I left her at high school. A little nervous that she was in high school and a little nervous about her ankle. She did fine.

Then I went home and got Emma and Greg and I took her to school. KINDERGARTEN. She had friends in her class and was so excited. They lined up and waved goodbye to the parents. Then they were gone.

Most moms and dads would be sad at this point. NOT ME Three hours really isn't that long. I got to go to Costco (by myself). Then it was time to pick her up. I went and helped her find the right bus, then followed the bus home.

Emma's biggest complaint for the first day was that her teacher didn't call her Emma. So I had to explain to Mrs.L that her real name is Emelia but she is called Emma. Mrs. L said she would try and remember and maybe Emma could reminder her.

Emma says "Don't worry I'll remind you everytime"

The rest of the week went fairly smooth. I did have to take Heidi back in and have her schedule rearranged, but nothing to major.

So now we have a four day weekend and then back to school. I can't wait for Tuesday, I have plans for those three blessed hours. Finish painting, clean and organize my house, and maybe enjoy a bubble bath without interuption.

Heidi's next steps

This weekend we went to Portland for a dr. appt. That by the way is a long drive for a Dr. appointment, but it was worth it. We found a dr. that is going to fix Heidi's leg. This surgery will give her a 75% chance of recovery and the ablilty to walk without pain for years to come. The Dr. wants to do this ASAP, so monday morning we are going to call and schedule her surgery. She will be in the hospital for about a week, and then have two or three follow up appointments. The whole procedure will take about three months. So here is a link to what the operation is:

http://www.thefootandankleclinic.com/ilizarov-joint-distraction.htm

the dr. will also go in and reconstruct her ankle, by taking a slice out of her heel bone and using it to rebuild her ankle and straighten her ankle which is at a 2% tilt the wrong way.

While in Portland we did have some fun at OMSI where we saw a show at the Planetarium and then took a tour of a US subamarine. Not good when you are claustraphobic.

Then we hit Ikea!!!

I could live in that store. It was so much fun looking at the great showrooms and all the stuff. We did make it home with a few new items, one of which is a "Dave" a laptop desk. It was really fun and other than the really long drive it wasn't too bad. I'll keep you updated on when Heidi will have surgery again. Hopefully this will be the last surgeries for a number of years.

Until then I can't wait for school to start on Monday, I will have three hours of peace and quiet. Yeah

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

I took the time this weekend to watch his last lecture and I learned a great deal from it. I also ordered his book to get more of the information behind his lecture. It truly is wonderful and I encourage everyone to take an hour and listen to this man. Think back on your childhood dreams and see if you are any closer to achieving them and if you are... are you helping others to achieve their dreams?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo

Finished layouts

I had time to finish a few layouts this week. The stack of unfinished layouts on my desk is nuts so I am working on getting the titles, the journaling and the photos on these so they can be completed. Here are a few that I have done and they can now go in the done box, until I get around to putting them in the right albums.

August Kit

Well here is the August layout. I hope you like it. I still need to pick up the paper and kit it out. The sketch was from my friend Gwennie.

July page kit

These are the stickers that inspired my July kit. I had found some others, but they were very much 4th of July, and I really wanted it to work for the whole month. So these worked. Each kit will get the whole sheet, so they can use which ever title works for them. Whether it is vacation, or playing in the yard or just "what a day" photos. I love the paper also, I totally fell in love with it and it is double sided BONUS. That way the kits can be printed, solid, or both.

Here is a peek at my July Kit. Did I mention that I love this paper. I used the what a day title, and will probably put photos from our family get together on the 6th on it. Now I just have to remember to take my camera to Washington this next week.

Turning Fourteen

I am sitting here trying to figure out how in the heck I can me a mom to a 14 year old. I don't think I am old enough to have a 14 yr old. She'll be in high school in the fall and I know for a fact that I am not that old, HECK I just graduated high school myself, a few years ago, didn't I?

Heaven Help Us. Two years and she will be driving. ACK


So we have a thing in our house, every other year you get a friend party. The other year is just family. So this year is friend parties, and Heidi didn't know what she wanted to do. A lot of her friends are boys, which is fine, but that did throw the whole slumber party, paint your nails and watch Chick Flicks, out the window. So she finally decided to go to Boondocks and hang out for the afternoon. Only the guys she invited are at a scout campout. At least the girls she invited could come, so it ended up being a "Chick day" after all, which has since turned into a slumber party. My first suggestion to begin with. Uggg

So we get to Boondocks, (I bought the passes at Costco, because they are cheaper there) We got armbands on and they all instantly disappeared. GO FIGURE.

I guess I am not cool enough to hang with.

So it was me and Emma. Not ever having a pass before Emma was nervous at first on what to do. Last time we went she got two attraction tickets and that was it, so she didn't understand the whole arm band thing at first. She started off by using all her tokens and then used all mine. Her favorite game was Skeet Ball and she was dang lucky, she scored 372,000 points. She had grown men watching her just toss the ball right in the 100,000 hole with no problem, they were all jealous.

Then we played mini golf and she cheats really bad at it. Expect for the 18th hole, where you have to hit the ball into the final hole and it isn't returned. This hole is a big Tikki Guy and he spits water on you if you loose and a volcano erupts if you get a hole in one. YEP, you guessed it, a hole in one and the volcano and fire and she is such a lucky little snot. We also rode on the bumper boats. The first time she was scared and rode with me. The 2ND time she was a pro at it and rode in her own boat and managed to turn me in the a wet tshirt contestant, white shirt and all. After that I was done and sat and watched her repeatedly ride the boats over and over and over.

Did we do the go carts? NOPE
Did we play laser tag ? Only once
It was just Bumped Boats until we ran out of time and my skin was so burned it hurt to move. I had on SPF 70 that should have done something but NO. I'm extra crispy.

Anyway back to the birthday girl, she and her friends met up when they were tired and we headed home. I asked what they wanted for dinner and Heidi wanted to order Chinese Food. We can go to a Chinese Restaurant, if you'd like..... I offered. "No it taste better having it delivered." Really I Never KNEW!

Now they are in her room listening to her new Birthday CD, which she swears is a "New CD". It is the sound track to Across the Universe. It is Beetles Music and she is shocked her old mom knows the songs off of it. HELLO they have been around forever, they are older than me. Heck they are probably older than dirt. So tonight because I know the music I am "cool."

Her birthday is really on Saturday, so that is when she will get her real present from her dad and I and then we will both be on the "cool list" for a few days. We got her PS2 Rock Band Special Edition. Shhhhhhhhhhhhhh don't tell her.


And on another note, Emma bent her training wheel on her bike. So I took them off. After just an hour at the park, she can ride like a pro without training wheels. STOPPING, is something she hasn't learned yet. You just put your feet down and jump off, that technique isn't working to well for her. I tried to explain braking, but she didn't want to do it that way. Stubborn KID.

Albertson Park

We went to Katherine Albertson Park today and did a little photo shoot. These are a few of my favorite shots. Before I play around with them in photo shop. All together we took over 100 photos so it was hard to narrow it down.


Here Heidi was trying to give Emma a piggyback ride, but it didn't last more than a few steps.

We found a lady walking by and asked her to take one of all of us together and this one turned out pretty good. I might crop it and play around with it a bit.

This one of me doesn't totally make me gag so it must not be to bad. I need to photoshop it a bit and crop it. But not to bad for a photo for Greg for Father's Day.

New Nephew

Here is my new nephew Baby Gray.