Lapscrapping...what the heck?

Some of you have been asking, "Lapscrapping? What the heck is that and how do you do it with 8 other women." For those of you with wild imaginations...let me explain! :)

Lapscrapping involves: a laptop, digital pictures, Photoshop software, lots of free downloads, friends, food, chic flicks, soft, comfy couches, & no distractions (ie: kids).

We sit on the couches with our laptops going and create Family Albums that are printed in hardbound, leather books of joy. Who knew genealogy and family history could be so fun huh?


These "spreads" are created from scratch...the same as you would do with traditional scrapbooking (paper, glue, pictures, etc.). The best part about it...well...there are so many best parts about it! NO MESS! NO SET-UP/TAKE DOWN. Almost all the papers, embellishments, etc. that I've used have been FREE. Yup...free. Who doesn't love that? The possibilities with digital scrapbooking are endless...endless. And the cost? For a HUGE 12x15 leather bound book, it cost me less than $2.00 per page. CAN YOU BELIEVE IT????????



These layouts are "first drafts." Before I print them I'm sure I'll tweak them and then tweak them some more. But that's part of the fun.


There is a learning curve using the software...but once you get going you realize how limitless the possibilities are. The best part is sharing what we've learned with each other. And of course...MUCH THANKS to those amazing women who got us started and continue to educate us...Janel and Letia. Tear...tear...we wouldn't be where we are today without you ladies!

This last trip we all tried to come prepared to share one new technique we had learned. I think I learned more lifesaving tips (ie: clipping mask...) in one weekend than I have learned in the last 6 months! And that was thanks to one of our "newbies" Kim! Love it!

So, though I'm still an "armature," I'm having tons of fun as I go. And Shane's just happy because our bedroom closet isn't full of stamps, papers, ink pads, embellishments, etc. He LOVES the books as do our kids...so back to work. Gotta get 2008 done!

A little out of character

Isn't it fun sometimes to go a little out of character? Shane and I got invited to an adult Halloween party this year and we had a GREAT time finding costumes! I ended up as a zombie prom queen and Shane was my zombie date. Nice.

We had fun slipping into character...maybe too much fun. Shane would slip into his zombie stare and start making his zombie noises. The girls loved it, but Brinley was pretty worried that her dad might look like this forever. She wasn't sure that the makeup was going to wash off! :)

I was impressed with Shane's creative make up skills...yes, he did his own zombie facial. Not bad huh? I told him maybe he could get nominated to do Kylie's face makeup for all her competitions and performances. Yeah...maybe not. Fun, fun...can't wait to go trick or treating this year. It's gonna be fun!

Preschool Pumpkin Patch

Today was Pumpkin Patch day at Preschool! Brinley took her first "official" field trip with her preschool class. We headed over to the pumpkin patch to take a hay ride, find our way through a corn maze, search for the perfect pumpkin, count scarecrows, run through a hay bale maze, and FREEZE OUR TOOTSIE'S OFF!



This is Ellie one of Brinley's little friends. They were pretty cute together. Little popcicles.

This is Brinley's teacher. She is so cute with the kids. Very warm and fuzzy. Brinley just loves drawing pictures and writing her letters. Her teacher even hangs them up in the classroom right on the board!

Here's Brinley finding her way through the hay maze. It was pretty funny to watch one of them lead all the others in the completely wrong direction. Just a little herd of 4 year olds making their way through together! :)

It was fun, but Man! I'm not ready for Fall or Winter! Today was a good taste for sure! I'm just not a cold weather person.

Make up your mind!

I think this is it. No more changing! Yes, I know that over the last month or so I've changed my blog template like 5 or 6 times! It's been a nightmare and hopefully I won't need to do it again for a very long time! So after I changed it the first time, for some reason it wouldn't work properly for some viewers. It would pull up the right side of my blog (the widgets) but not my posts. You had to actually click on individual posts to view them. Also, the pictures were sort of transparent (like vellum). Shane didn't like that because you couldn't really see the pictures.

So...I went on a template hunt...looking for a new one that would work the same as the one I'd changed from . Of course, every one I tried was the same story. And as my fellow bloggers will know, changing your template is a PAIN IN THE NECK! Every time you change it you have to replace all the items on the sidebar. Those don't just stay there...no! Pictures, profile, blog lists, etc., etc. It's a hassle!

Shane finally convinced me to look around online for a template from someone other than Pyzam. That's how I found this one (that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE). It screams Aimee. The only bummer is that I can't add some of the gadgets that I had before (like music) because there is nowhere to put them that they don't interfere with the posts. So...a little give and a little get. I love the template and I'm NOT CHANGING IT FOR A LONG TIME! But the bummer is that I can't add music to fit my newest post...so if anyone has a brilliant way of doing it other than playlist.com...I'm all ears!

Uh huh! Oh Yeah!

Oh...I'm such a proud mama today! Will you just look at that! I'm overflowing with excitement!

If you've read my blog this summer, you know that we had to bribe Natasha to learn to get up on the surf board on her own. It was a challenge for her and she was very hesitant, but she did it and it was a huge accomplishment! She's done it a few times since then (getting up and surfing with the rope). It was obvious that she had the "feel" down and was getting more comfortable.

Last night we took the kids out for the final outing of the year (at least for them!). Shane's dad came with us, anxious to see the girls surf. Natasha got up a few times and fell a few times. She was ready to "throw in the towel" when I really pushed her to go one more time. She got up perfectly and pulled herself into the "sweet spot." All of a sudden, Shane realized that she was surfing without any tension in the rope! The rope wasn't pulling her along anymore...the wave was! So, hesitantly he showed her the slack in the rope and yelled, "you're surfing!" She got a surprised look on her face and then without warning she chucked the rope in the boat! Not only did she not fall, but she KEPT ON SURFING! It was so awesome!

She was yelling, "get a picture!" but the memory card was full. So she had to try one more time after we cleared some memory so we could caputre the moment! What a night! I think she's ready for the Pipeline...what do you think?

Surf and Snow!

This weekend was quite an adventure! We headed up to Redfish Lake near Stanley. It is absolutely beautiful up there! The lake is crystal clear and the Sawtooth mountains are stunning! However...we had no idea what was in store for us!


We spent all day Friday on the Lake. The kids played in the water and tried to catch fish. Unfortunately the fish were a little faster than they'd hoped. Nobody caught a fish...with a bucket anyway.


Brinley held true to form and was dying to get out there and go surfing. Even though the water was so cold (in the 50's) she was in and surfing before we could even get over to the beach area!



The water is this aqua blue color...and in a lot of parts of the lake you can see to the bottom! It was amazing!


We headed over to the beach to load up the kids on the tubes. They had a great time screaming and flying over the double up waves.

Ready to go!


My little pick Kylie spent most of the day on the beach. For a kid who gets cold in 76 degree water...this lake was definately going to be too cold for her. But I don't think she was suffering for fun...

What a ham!

Just look at those beautiful mountains! (And the little girl is pretty cute too I guess!)

We did head out for one Ladies Surf Session. What a blast!

Yeah...pretty cheesy. That's what happens with lack of sleep I guess! :)

Sunday we headed over to the fish hatchery. Redfish lake is known for it's Cutthroat Salmon (red fish). It was pretty cool to see the big fish jumping out of the river!

Shane and Brinley Sunday night. We headed down to the beach for a relaxing walk at sunset.



Being silly together...me and Brinley



Beautiful sunset....ahhh so pretty! After such a breathtaking sunset who knew we would wake up to..............



SNOW! Yuck! It rained ALL NIGHT Sunday and into Monday morning. By Monday morning, there was snow beginning to cover the ground. Just look at this poor boat. There is something very wrong about the way that looks.


Needless to say, we packed up in a hurry and headed out. But all in all it was a very, very fun trip. Lots of sun, laughs, good food, and friends.

New Beginnings...

Okay...so I didn't think I'd be ready for school to start and fall to be coming swiftly on it's heels. But I must say that I can feel that change is in the air and I'm actually ready for the new school year and the "new beginnings" for our family.

So, I couldn't resist posting our Back to School photos like all you other proud mothers out there. Proud because your kids are growing and changing and becoming these amazingly smart and independent people...but also proud (well more elated) because you've inherited your house, your sanity and your freedom back! :)


This year is a "new beginning" for our youngest, little Brinley! She is starting pre-school and is more than ready to jump in and start running. Just look at the total excitement in her eyes. It was oozing out of every pour on her body on Monday. She is starting to feel like one of the "big girls" and even is excited to sit down and do her rigorous pre-school homework with her sisters. And...notice the lunchbox??? She even gets to stay and have lunch at school. Yes, life is most assuredly exciting for this little 4 year old.


Kylie started 2nd grade (how could you tell) at the BRAND NEW Siena Elementary school just down the street! She is so happy to walk to school and to be rid of the "awful bus." She is contemplating adopting her new teacher, Mrs. Bates, as a second mother as she just can't seem to say enough good things about her. I'm so happy that she's going to have a super year this year!


Kylie will also be starting her dance team schedule again next week (this will really throw us back into the "real life" schedule). She auditioned and made the next team up - the Bravo team. Needless to say, she is raring to go. I don't think much will hold her back on the dance floor this year!




And then there's my 5 TH GRADER! HELLO! I'm not ready to have a 5th grader. 1 more year of elementary school? Are you serious? Well, we're going to hang on to every minute of it before we are plunged into middle school life and all that comes with it. Natasha is also so excited about her new teacher! You should see their pirate classroom! She is also so excited about the idea of being one of the first to ever attend the new school! I know she will make the best of this last year of elementary!


She too is starting something new. She has started piano lessons and is loving every minute of it! She eats it up! I love to see the excitement in her eyes when she plays music for our family nights!


So, as far as I can tell, the kids made it through the summer without any lasting damage...at least I hope so. But looking at this picture makes me question...

Time to jump back into the whirlwind for another year. Life is moving fast...too fast to soak it all in. But I wouldn't trade it for anything!

Scenes of Seattle

I thought I would post some of the fun things we saw this time when we visited Seattle. Of course, these are the kids' favorite things to see...and they just can't seem to get enough of them. But it was fun this time because Shane was there with us. Unfortunately, he just can't make every trip to Seattle that we do, but the girls really had fun showing him the aquarium and the ferry ride (which I'm bummed I didn't have my camera for!) So here are a few snapshots from our trip!



Pike's Place Market...the day we went it was crazy busy. Body to Body! But we got some really yummy things to eat! Doughnuts, bread, HUGE crab legs, pepper jelly, & curry pasta!

Home of the famous "flying fish." We watched for awhile so the girls could see them tossing the fish back and forth.

If seafood is your thing, then Seattle's the place to be!

Miki and Cody in front of the market.

The fresh fruits and veggies are so colorful and beautiful. Most of the vendors have varieties that you'll never see in any grocery store.



Mel and Brinley hanging out on the hog.

They have THE most beautiful flowers at the market. My favorite is to go when lilacs are in season. You wouldn't believe the smell in the air and the gorgeous boquets of lilacs are incredible!

Of course we had to make our usual trip over to Ivar's for some fish and chips with Dad.

Then over to the aquarium for some exploration! This sea anenome is one of the biggest I've seen.

The starfish in the "touch and feel" tank. The kids get to feel all the sea creatures in this tank.

The kids were excited to see "Dori" from Finding Nemo!

The green anenomes are so brilliant. There is one area where they are all green. It's my fav.

The girls hanging on the fin of the killer whale! :)


These are sea otters like we saw on our last trip to Seattle swimming in the water near Ivar's!

Brin bonding with Uncle Dave. What a fun trip. It's fun to re-live it through the pictures! Until next time!