She's a Chatterbox Chick!

Meet Lilly! She's the more flamboyant of the twin mannequins I'm making as part of the design team at Scrap-Masters. I haven't made her more plain-Jane sister yet. She'll be pretty much the same but without the stitching and extra detail at the bottom and she won't have the dangling leaf beads from her sash. Lilly sure was fun to make and I can't wait to teach her in July!

She's all Chatterbox paper from the greenhouse collection. I used Creative Imagination pearl brads (perfect for the "country-club"social set that Lilly belongs to). I used Blue Moon glass leaf beads for her sash accent. If you want to see that closer up, let me know.

 

Delightful Day!

The kids and I tagged along with Matt today to Fells Point in Baltimore. He was taking a drum lesson from a pro so we thought that would be a good opportunity for the kids and I to check out the area. It actually was a little stressful after Matt went to his lesson. I am SO not a city girl! The traffic was totally freaking me out with the kids! Luckily, my father met us about a half hour later and that took some of the stress off. I also had to say a zillion times to Peyton, everytime we walked into an antique store, "don't TOUCH anything." I was really looking for a couple antique crystal knobs to use as an ornament on the top of the paper mache mannequins I'm about to do for Scrap Masters. I think they'd look so cool like that! I'm working on them this evening so hopefully I'll be able to post them soon.

It was so fun listening to my Dad tell the kids all about the area. Tell them about his father being a tug-boat captain, explain about the cobble stone and belgian stone streets, he explained why many of the house/stores are built on an angle. The kids and I had a gelato...YUM!!! Then we went to a bakery in the Broadway market that had some Polish treats, so cool to share things from my childhood with my kids and AGAIN with my DAD! What a nice day! I only wish I had taken more pictures! But isn't that peeling blue paint on that door GORGEOUS!?

Dismay

While out today, we stopped by this delightful antique store that I spied from the road. Cole picked out some antique license plates that I'm going to make an album out of for him. Seems so incredibly appropos for him, my CAR FREAK!!! But my most exciting purchase was a set of 2 lead flower frogs. One is tiny like 1 inch across and the other is about 4 inches. I'm in LOVE can't wait to use them to hold up pictures on my scrap desk plus they'll be so cool to use for flowers too! LOL

We've been working on a new garden pond for about two weeks now. Matt dug and dug and DUG while the kids and I were in Ocean City and now it's MUCH bigger than it was. For a week I've been in and out of the pond laying the stone walls and waterfall, Matt's been moving stone, dirt and messing with the pumps. It's been really fun but we are both ready for it to be finished.

Today while shopping for pond plants, we got an urgent call from my father. My nephew, Marty, while racing motocross, possibly broke both ankles and was rushed to Christiana Hospital. Luckily, it's been discovered that only one is broken and the other has either torn ligaments or deep tissue bruises. I know Marty will not enjoy the rest of summer and it is SO unfortunate that he'll be out for the rest of the season (I'm assuming) but I am so thankful that it wasn't any worse. Marty was in first place in his class this season and has a VERY promising motorcross career ahead of him. Here's a link to a pic of Marty doing some "freestyle" riding, this was apparently going across the finish line earlier this season... http://www.poppopsimages.com/Race4Class9/pages/4-23-06%20Budds2-%20270.htm

10 on TUESDAY

As per my friend Peg's blog, here's 10 things you tell people to try

1. Maryland Crabcakes from the Olive TREE in Aberdeen, MD
2. "Good Nest" cleaning products from Target
3. Diet Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper
4. Boys athletic socks from the Children's Place> for YOU! AWESOME!
5. A DYSON vacuum!
6. "Be Delicious" perfume by DKNY
7. The kids movie "High School Musical"
8. Starbucks anything
9. Dove moisterizer with subtle self tanners- YOU GLOW
10. blogging! :)

My blessings!

Today, I'm feeling especially sentimental about these three cuties. They really are great kids. Not that I don't have the fights and the fussing (jeez, now that I think about it, they WERE driving me crazy right before bed!) They sure do look so sweet when they are sleeping and I quickly forget and forgive the headache that they occasionally give. :) I want to share 3 quick and cute stories about them that recently occured. Oh, by the way, you know you are taking too many pictures of your kids lately when all 3 BEG and PLEAD for you not to take the camera to the graduation party you are about to attend!

Cole was sitting on my lap (yeah, so we looked a little like the elephant in the kiddie car but don't tell him) and I took a little nibble on his ear lobe, and before you get all squemish and freaky, it's something I've done to him forever since he was tiny. He's got these super squishy lobes that beg to be bitten! Weird I know....don't call the authorities on me or anything. Anyway, I asked him if he'd still let me do it when he got big and he said "Sure, as long as my wife doesn't see you!" I love that boy!

Yesterday while we were making a quick trip to the grocery, Cole was droning on and on about various cars and other vehicles. Callie begged Cole to not talk about cars for 10 minutes. I told her that he couldn't help it and it was something he was PASSIONATE about. She said "Well, if I'm ever PASSIONATE I hope I don't annoy anyone else!" I love that girl!

This is quick...Callie was tickling the back of Peyton's legs yesterday and she screeched, "Please don't tickle my leg pits!" I love that girl too!

BEACH BUMS

I'm baaaaack! Wow, we had a great little 6 day vacation! The kids had so much fun and it was pretty relaxing except for 2 days of rain. It can be a bit difficult to keep 5 kids entertained in rainy weather! We had 4 truly WONDERFUL beach days where we got to the beach by 9:30 or 10 and stayed way late! Of course I have a gazillion pics! The kids were so sick of me by day 2!










This is a shot of Callie and Cole on the pier at the recreation park! That is an AWESOME park with tons to do, the kids took their scooters and Cole got a ton of exercise scooting around the HUGE park. Unfortunately half of the playground has latex mulch so Cole was VERY limited with what he could do on the playground. We Celeberated Stephanie's little guy, Gavin's b-day at Dumsers's dairyland. G O O D icecream!





















Finally, this is a picture of Peyton begging to take off her jacket one night at the beach. She was afraid she wouldn't look like a big girl!

Almost Here!!!!

Sorry, I know these pics have been up all day but blogger wouldn't let me in to add to the post...WONKY!
Well the twins had their picnic today...it was very fun and they had CHIC FI LA...gosh how do you spell that? Anyway, it was GOOD!!! I love me some of their chicken! :D These are the cards I made for the teacher, one is from the entire class (with a visa card inside) and one is from Callie and Cole. The top one is SEI and a Heidi Swapp flower and a Foofala button and the bottom is Foofala paper, 7 gypsies sticker and embossed letters I stamped from the Philadelphia font of MM foam stamps.


Callie and her friend Heather, they've been friends for years and are so cute together! I love when Callie wears pigtails, I know it won't for for too much longer.



Here's Cole and his teacher. That boy is ALWAYS willing to give a helping hand! I love that! Gosh, look how tall he's getting! Mrs. W is probably 5-10 or 5-11.

The kids and I are leaving for the beach on Saturday. We are soooo looking forward to it. Peyton has asked every morning this week if today is the day we go to the beach! :) It has been a CRAZY week with something going on everyday...I can't wait to just do nothing! Ciao!