Susie, Rob, and Joey...this is just for you!

You GOTTA love VeggieTales! These are some of my favorites :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmIKR458M0A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5uujMb_hbo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaWU1CmrJNc&feature=related

Kids Faire - Pleasanton 09/27

We took Carter to the Kids Faire today - along with his friend Joey and his parents. It was really fun (although insanely hot - weather says it topped out at 103 degrees there today). The kids had a great time riding rides and seeing their favorite characters.

Carter and Joey - hand in hand!

Riding the bouncy cars - that was FUN!

Daddy and Carter on the Ferris Wheel

The car ride apparently gets one finger up! ;)

Dancing with Dorothy the Dinosaur and Wags the Dog (from the Wiggles)

there they are!

VeggieTales!

Clifford the Dog (he was sort of a pathetic Clifford, but the kids liked him)

Curious George

Carter riding the swings

Scooby Doo!I did learn that one kid is hard to photograph in front of a character. Two is impossible! :)

All in all a fun day - although it's time to cool down! The whole thing was outside.

Carter-ism

Overheard this morning while Steve was brushing his teeth (with our electric toothbrush)

Carter: Dad! I don't have a toothbrush like that!
Steve: No, you don't.
Carter: I neeeed one like you have!
Steve: No, this brushes too hard for you, you wouldn't like this one.
Carter: Well I sure like the noise it makes!

Only a boy... :)

Girly Girl

Here's a card I made using stamps from Rubber Romance! Fun to use some girly stuff after all the blue and boy stuff I use for scrapbooking Carter!

I'm late...but it's not tooo late!

Once again, Ally is offering up some awesome blog candy! I've been so busy this month I've been delinquent on my blog reading. There are a few out there that I always make time to read though, and Ally's is always one of them! Lots of inspiring projects and amazing layouts and cards.

She has a giveaway for some My Stamp Box stamps again this month. Check it out!
http://yourmemoriescanada.blogspot.com/

Summer Picnic

Today was the SBMC's Summer Picnic. Great day for it - it was HOT! Carter had so much fun running and playing with his friends!

Carter, Daddy, and Carter's friend Brooke at the playground

The giant slides were a BIG hit! We came home happy, full of yummy Hawaiian BBQ and other goodies, and filty dirty! All three of us needed a shower immediately upon arriving home. I guess that's a sign of a fun day! :)

Back to School!

It's the first day of fall this week, but it sure doesn't feel like it in California. It's hot hot HOT! Inland, more than 100 degrees this weekend! Love it!!! (although I do miss the cooling at night)

I'm still in the *fall* mood though, so it was nice to see this challenge over at WeScrap. Ally pointed out the challenge to me, and it was so fun to do! Scrapbook a layout using at least 2 school supplies. It didn't have to be a Back to School layout, but I figured why not. I've been anxious to scrapbook Carter's first day of preschool. The second part of the challenge was to create a card using only the scraps for a card. LOVE my card! I'll be saving it to send to someone special!

There's still time left (the contest ends Monday) to enter. A great challenge even if you don't walk away with the prize (which btw is a guest DT spot for October!)

Baby cards!

I was asked to make up some simple baby cards for our Mother's Club. I think they turned out pretty cute! Blue and pink cardstock with a white word on it. Covered with a baby foot imprinted vellum overlay. I cut out the little safety pins with my Cricut and made tiny coordinating bows (didn't really think that one through...24 bows later my fingers were cramped! LOL). The envelopes have baby feet stamped on them. Inside the card it says "Congratulations" and there is a smaller set of baby feet stamped.

A reminder that I'm always taking custom orders for invitations, announcement, custom cards and other special orders - even scrapbooking. A card like the ones above are generally around $3 each - but in bulk they drop to around $2.50. I can work with your budget, so shoot me an email if you're interested! Now is the time to order your Christmas cards!

For Grammie...

Carter's Grandma has been asking daily about Carter's bite. I need to take a new pic - it's looking much better now, although it definitely scarred. This is 4 or 5 days after. Slowly but surely healing. It's been a week now, and we're applying Medera to the marks. On a side note...what a silly little face!

Carter-ism of the day!

Carter adores Pumpkin Pie...I mean he really really realllllllllllllllly loves it.

Every night we watch the goodnight show on Sprout, and right before bed the host asks if you want to make a special nighttime wish. Carter says every single time "I wish for Pumpkin Pie". Over toys, or chocolate, or all the other things kids dream of...he's a nut!

So, this afternoon we were at Costco, and I happened to notice that Pumpkin Pies were out. I told Carter if he was good during the shopping trip we'd get one. He was good...so we got one.

As I put it in the cart, he started making all sorts of yummy noises super loud. But that wasn't it. He started singing - "Oh, the Lord is good to me, he gives me Pumpkin Pie!" (to the tune of Johnny Appleseed - where the words really are, "Oh, the Lord is good to me, and so I thank the Lord").

There was a lot of snickering around us at Costco today. I think it's pretty cute though!

I won!!!

I was complaining (good naturedly!) a few weeks ago that I've entered scrap related contest after contest and I never win. Well...I finally did!! Woot!!

Leah had offered a very cool and generous giveaway of COPIC MARKERS! (I posted about the giveaway last week). I've been dying for some of these babies! There are so many cool techniques out there, and they are such great quality markers. At $5 or more a piece though, it's hard to work within a budget (hint hint...my bday is soon!) :P

Well, I WON! I am sooo excited. Just to win in general, and also to get such an awesome prize. Thanks a million Leah!

On the same note, check out her blog. It's always full of scrappy goodness, but on September 11th she uploaded a really beautiful tribute page of 9/11/01. Hard to believe it's been 8 years since that day. I've always wanted to do a layout about it...but I never have. Leah's is beautiful, as is her entire blog post about that day. I'm not American, but the whole world was touched that day...and I think we can all be thankful for the people who serve with their lives each and every day!

Here's a direct link to her post:
http://lifeaslou.blogsome.com/2009/09/11/in-tribute-to-those-affected-by-9-11/

News and a Carter update!

Let's start with the good news!

I think I posted a few weeks ago that I was approached to be a Design Team member for the Rubber Road Adventures Ezine (a magazine published solely on the web for those of you who don't know). I was really excited, and it's been fun to get started since this is primarily a stamping position rather than a scrapbooking one (I'll be doing both though)

Well, this morning my first two tutorials were published. Just tiny ones on how to create using your die-cut machines. Lots more to come in the next few weeks though!

Check it out:
http://rubberroadadventures.blogspot.com/


and the bad news...a Carter update.

He's still not looking very good. The swelling has gone down, and not too much bruising. So, that's a plus. It definitely hurts to touch though, and the bite did break the skin...more scratched it, but it bled. We are hoping it will not scar, but it might. :( Right now we are mostly concerned about the few blisters that have appeared on it and worrying about infection.

Thanks for all your kinds words and hugs you've sent to Carter. We did get some positive results/discussion from both the school and the parents. I know lots of you were asking.

A Page in Time Reveal

I just realized with the business of Carter's birthday, school starting, and other acitvities I never posted my design team projects from A Page In Time this month!

These projects all went live on the 1st..and be sure to check the message board next Monday, September 14th for my "use your scraps" tutorial.

This month I was working with this beautiful new line from Pink Paislee. I can't get enough of this paper. Classic stuff!

First day continued...

Poor Carter got BIT at preschool. What an end to the first day. Glad to report he was still able to ham it up for the camera a bit. ;)

First Day of Preschool!

This morning was Carter's first day of preschool. He went to Calvary's summer program as sort of a practice run...but this was his honest to goodness first day of school! 09/09/09!

Showing off his Thomas backpack!

Posing in front of school!

Bye mom - I just want to play!
Why isn't the water table open?? Carter and teacher Lara.

Carter-isms

Here's a little something Carter came out with yesterday that I figured I better record somewhere...too silly not to remember!

Carter: "Mom, when I grow up to be a Fireman, I'm going to make sure you never catch on fire"
Me: "Thanks Carter. I wouldn't want to catch on fire"
Carter: "Yeah, because it's dirty and very very hot"
Me: "That's true"
Carter: "Mom, if you do catch on fire, I'll get water and put out the fire"
Me: "Thanks." "Are you going to put out fires when you grow up then?"
Carter: "NOOOO! I will drive the Firetruck. It's VERY important"

Carter's been wanting to be a Fireman for a pretty long time. Oh yeah, and on his days off he's going to drive the Police Car! :)

At least if I do spontaneously burst into flames I'll be in good hands! :P

I Miss Scrapbook Star!!

Scrapbook Star was really my home away from home when I lived in Montreal. I became great friends with the owner - Samantha Star, I cropped regularly at the store and met some wonderful lifelong friends, I served on the Design Team for 3 years, and was even the DT coordinator for a very long time. I miss it all! :(

Here is a layout I made of the very last crop I attended before we moved. Hard to believe that was one year ago in just a few weeks! Such a fun crop, and lots of laughs and goodbyes.
Here's another Layout I made about the friends I'd met through cropping and shopping there.

I really do miss my friends, the gossiping, the scrapbooking...everything...but I REALLY miss shopping there. Lucky for me they have a great online store, and I can keep in touch with my friends through their message board. If you're looking for a great spot to meet some scrappy friends check it out: www.scrapbookstar.ca.

I also have to hype up their monthly kits. Very cool value for a TON of stuff each month. Try 'em out! http://www.scrapbookstar.ca/shop.asp?SubCategoryID=394

I am really disappointed to be missing the next crop - it's a Crop for The Cure! Such a great cause, and such a fun way to get involved and enjoy yourself too. If you can't be there, then consider donating a prize, or making a donation to the cause!

I LOVE SCRAPBOOK STAR (and I miss you all soooooo much! My photo better be up at that crop! ;) LOL)

How sweet!!

Carter's friend Bernard became a big brother last week. Carter's been so excited for Bernard's new title that he's been going around telling people "I'm a big Brother now too!". Oops...lots of explaining there.

Carter did get his chance to see and cuddle little Colette this morning though.

Here here is trying to smile for the camera...but since we'd warned him to "hold her tight, yet gentle, and hold her head, watch what he's doing etc."...he's having trouble smiling as well! He did a pretty good job though considering she's only 10 days old. He didn't even want to give her up to go play with Bernard again. :)

New Car!!

Last week we bought a new car! A brand new red Honda CRV! So exciting :)

We've been doing okay with just the one car in California since Steve works pretty close to home...but it was starting to get hard with scheduling. So...here it is! This will be primarily my car, while Steve drives around our *old* Elantra.

Carter insisted his photo be taken with the car too...so here he is in his carseat!

Copic Giveaway!!!

Leah is giving away Copic Markers on her blog!

I am DYING for some of these markers. Such amazing markers and so much you can do with them. :)

Check it out and enter to win here:
http://lifeaslou.blogsome.com/

Carter's birthday on Sprout!

If you're a regular reader of my blog then you'll remember a few weeks ago I sent in the Elmo card to Sprout TV. They get a lot of cards every day, and a few are chosen to actually get featured on TV. I was hoping the card I made for Carter would get on...but who knew??!

I was happy to see it WAS on. This video (sorry for the crappy quality - it's hard to video TV) is Carter watching it for the first time (he's watched it at least 10 times since).

If you watch along the bottom of the screen about 2/3 the way through the bday song you'll see his name run along the bottom of the screen too.

I can't believe he is three today....HAPPY BIRTHDAY CARTER!! xoxo