Do It For Charity...

Relay For Life, fundraiser for cancer research, is a big event where I live. Even though this is a very small community, we raise a lot of money for cancer research. We are constantly trying to come up with new ways to interest people in donating money for the cause. This year, for our annual RFL silent auction at church, I decided to create a mini-album as my contribution. Many people love scrapbooks, but are not scrapbookers themselves. They ask often if I would consider making scrapbooks for them. With that in mind, I designed a simple yet fun scrapbook that received a great many compliments at the auction. It doesn't matter what you make, cards, notes, scrapbooks, pages, dolls, wind chimes, etc... if you are crafty, donate those items to Relay For Life events or other charity events to raise money for a good cause. I really enjoyed this project because I knew my efforts would be appreciated and would benefit others. Do something good for someone else today and smile knowing you are adding a little joy to the world!
Paper and stickers : CTMH Magic Moments

Ribbon: Hobby Lobby

Boshers: Bazzill Basics

Flowers: Bazzill Wings

Brads & eyelets: oriental trading

Unassuming

Looks like a beautiful fern, adorning one side of my front porch, right? So, if you look closer, this is what you will see... If you scroll down, you will see these baby birds were so much smaller nine days ago, just hatched, beaks open, ready for mamma to feed them. Here they are, waiting quietly for her to come back, and hoping I won't do anything to hurt them. I am still amazed that 1. birds will build a nest in my fern 2. birds will let me look so closely at them on a daily basis 3. bird nests are amazingly small when 5 babies grow to this size
As I watered the fern yesterday, this baby, the one who always lays on the top of the pile, took flight right before our very eyes. This has been a great learning experience for the boys, to observe the life cycle, to learn to be kind and gentle, and to be in awe of nature. What a great way to start the summer and a great memory to journal about and document our memories.
(all the poo is still really nasty... what do I do after they all leave the nest?)

Summer... oh, how I love thee...let me count the ways!

1. Time to do the things I love... getting together with friends, scrapbooking memories... remembering when my boys were babies instead of little athletes.
2. Catching my boys being kind and gentle... Noah didn't know it but we caught him loving on Kynnslie Grace while his mom and I scrapbooked the other day. Amazing what you can teach boys to do! But this comes naturally to him... he loves babies and is so sweet to watch.
3. New life... who knew that birds liked to build nests in my hanging ferns? But, I take down the fern, water it and show the boys how much the baby birds have grown... it is amazing how fast they grow... see their little beaks open for food... they are a little nastier now that they are bigger, a little bird poo goes a long way!


4. Waking up late
5. Anticipation of seeing my family in Ohio... I can't wait.
6. Time to play with the boys
7. Swimming
8. Teaching the boys all of my favorite things (swimming, baseball, reading)
9. Being a little lazy
10. Sunshine and warm weather
11. Camping
12. Home-grown vegetables
13. Good friends

Time... it really does fly by...

I am amazed at how much my boys have grown. This was our spring school picture and since they do not put teachers' spring pictures in the yearbook, I decided to have mine made with two of my three very handsome young men. Last night, at the Relay for Life rally, I looked around at all of the kids who were born at the same time as mine and it made me reflect on how fast they really do grow up. I can finally take them somewhere and not come home utterly exhausted from the trip, (which I LOVE) but where are my babies? I am so thankful for the life I have been blessed with and the hobby that lets me document and keep memories like these! This layout was made with the DCWV Grade School Stack... I am not really a "stack" purchaser, but I absolutely adore this stack! You need to check it out if you haven't already. Ohhh... I visited Tessa Ann's button shop yesterday and saw some super cute new buttons... she literally amazes me with her colors and creativity! Think about those buttons on a shirt or bag for your little one, if you don't scrapbook. Sooooooo cute!

visit her site http://www.tessaann.blogspot.com/

A Flowers' First
After 3 years of living at our new home, and 3 years of tilling a plot of land for a garden, we finally (and I do mean finally) got one planted. I am amazed at the fact that our backyard can produce so much food to feed our 3 boys. They love tomatoes and cantaloupe and I love lettuce and spinach. But most of all, I love to see the boys being productive and helping as part of our family. It has been worth the wait! I am excited to scrapbook these memories...

Congratulations to Pattie and Tim... Married on June 5th... the wedding was beautiful!