Shelby's Big Heart

Shelby wanted to go through the big heart and so off we went... let me tell you, the heart can be a little cramped. I wish they had museums set up like this when I was a kid

 

 

Gotta Love This Guy

OK< How cool is my dad... Here he is, 83 years old and he had to play all the games in the heart exhibit at the science museum. This one was sort of like a heart healthy dance dance revolution....you move your feet to direct the blood pumping through the body. He did it twice and wanted a score and boy was he upset when he found out they don't give you one.

 

 

 

Look at how intense his face is as he steps from one area to the next. You go Dad!!

Janet of the New Knee

Today my sister Janet had her left knee replaced. I was able to be up with her in the hospital along with her friend Sharon and cheer her on. First off her surgeon looked like a Norwegian God (Janet's description- not mine)and then the orderly was good enough to invite into her bed-right side- and cuddle, no kissing though, germs and all (again, Janet's words.) Can you tell that she is going to have a fine time in the hospital? Oh yeah and her roommate's son is good enough to bite (yes, I am stealing her words again.) Now, she is on some heavy duty drugs so I will have to check with her again after she is sober and see if she still feels the same way. The good news is that she went through the surgery with flying colors and will hopefully head for home on either Sunday or Monday, we'll see. I just can't wait to see her dancing up a storm again with no pain in her left leg.

2 Big Days

The beginning of September is always busy in our home. Kyle's birthday falls on the 2nd and then there is the start of school. This year my baby boy turned 20! I am not sure how that happened since it feels like he only joined us a couple of days ago but I did the math and sure enough it was 20 years ago. He has grown into such a wonderful young man.. I am so proud of him and better than that I actually like him! This was a hard birthday for him, he and his girlfriend of 4 years broke up over the summer and it is hard re-adjusting your plans and dreams when that happens. But he is doing well and working his way through it all.

 

Happy Birthday Kyle!!

Shelby started her junior year of high school this morning. She was so excited she could not sleep last night. I am thrilled that she loves her school so much but would appreciate a quiet night in the house without her wandering around. She is happy with her classes and is very happy she got the Italian teacher she wanted. I hope she ends the year feeling the same way

 

Photo Walk

Last year, in June a friend of mine, (hi Barbara,) went ot something called a bubble battle. Somewhere in the internet world she found an invitation for people to bring their bubble blowers and meet in a NYC park at a certain time for a huge bubble battle. A ton of people showed up and had a great time.

I was thinking abou that the other night and I started searching online for bubble battles. I didn't come up with any new ones going on but I did find a link to a photo walk going on in Bedford, NY at someone's private gardens this November. How cool!!

I sent in an email and there was room for me so I am going to head up to these gardens on the first of November and hopefully get some great shots. They have 52 acres of gardens and an arkload of animals roaming around. So, be ready for some garden shots coming in November.

Check out their online invite at http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/169824

Uppercase Living

I have done it... I just signed on to represent this company in a home sales business. Pretty scary and exciting at the same time.

What is it? well the home page of their website says,

"Words to live by for the homes we live in
Words inspire. They educate, express, or entertain. From a syllable to a sonnet, the right expression touches us deeply, makes us happier, more informed, even leads us toward a better life. Uppercase Living brings the incredible expressiveness of words into homes, transforming them into more wonderful places to live."

For the past couple of years I have been exploring companies on the internet that sell "wall words." The prices have always seemed extravagant and so I have never purchased any. Still I collected quotes that I thought I might one day splurge on.

Last week as I was blog hopping I went to Stacey Jullian's site and saw a photo of something she put in her laundry room and she mentioned that she got it from Uppercase Living. I went to their website (www.uppercaseliving.com) and got excited. Their prices were so much better than any I had seen before but their product looked great.

So I tried to find a consultant that was in my area and there were none- I was put in touch with someone in PA. Gears start turning and I start thinking, "Hmmm, maybe this would be a great way for me to start a business and earn some money to help with those pesky school tuitions?" Jay and I talked it over and I decided to give it a try.

SO if you have read through all of this musing, and are still awake... and maybe interested in learning more- Go to their Website- WWW.uppercaseliving.com and you will be asked to register- My Demonstrator's ID is 514047 and the registration token is blogspot.. I hope to hear from you!!

Just Back...

From the hospital and visiting little Reagan John!! He is up to 3 pounds 2 ounces and getting stronger each day. He still needs to be on a respirator but managed on his own for 40 minutes the other day. Please keep on praying for him. Miracles do happen.

weekend at My Sister's

Kyle, Shelby and I headed down to see my sister and help out at her new business this weekend. We visited Washington DC while we were down there too. We got into DC at around 7:30am and walked around the mall and memorials before it got too hot and crowded. We all love DC. The last time Shelby had seen the Lincoln Memorial it was all in scaffolding so we went in to see it in the clear. we also headed over to the Korean War Memorial- I had not visited it before. We even met up with a nice person who got a shot of me with the kids- a rarity

 

 

 

Vietnam Veteran's Memorial

It has been a while since we visited this site. It is always overwhelming when you see all the names engraved on the walls.

 

 

I am always touched when I visit this monument and see items left in memory of people who died over in Vietnam. It reminds me that this may be history for me but it is life, very real, for many people.

 

Kyle noticed this shot for me- I love the reflection of the Washington Monument and my kids in the wall... Thank you to those who fought, and who continue to fight for this country.

National Air and Space Museum

Kyle asked to go to the NASM. It was very cool and had the added benefit of an exhibit from the Museum of american History since that museum is being renovated.

 

There were all kinds of old planes flying around inside the museum

 

 

I loved this... Notice the writing- man inside help open latch ... can you imagine finding that capsule floating around and not knowing anything about it being missing and need to read those directions. And can you imagine being the astronaut inside the capsule, just hoping that whoever finds you can read english or russian? This was my favorite thing in the museum.

 

Shelby mourns the fate of poor little Pluto- taken off the list

 

Kyle checks out Apollo 11's space- He would never survive in a capsule that small

weekend finish

 

 

We took the girls swimming and you can see my view. Gotta love a recliner in the shade.

And then one last picture of all 4 kids on the steps. I always forget to take shots like this so I am glad I remembered this time, here is Shelby, Katie, Allyson and Kyle

Reagan Update

I received this update this morning...

"Dear Family and Friends,
I know I haven't updated everyone in a while. Reagan is now 3 weeks and 3 days old. He has had a pretty tough time. He came down with an infection which really set him back. His oxygen requirement was at some pretty scary levels. His little body has to grow now more than ever. You see he has what the doctors call chronic lung disease, his little lungs are really damaged. So the next couple of weeks will be critical as were the last couple of days. I am with him each day. He looks so precious. He needs as many prayers you can give....the only thing that will get him on his road to recovery is if his lungs start to work. He has been on the oscilllater ventilator for some time. Pray for his little lungs."

I ask you to continue to pray for my nephew, Thank you

SDV- Camp Hill 2007

This past weekend was my annual Camp Hill SDV weekend and I was so glad it was finally here. For those who don't remember from last year's post on it, this is when I get together with a group of friends and go to a scrapbooking getaway and indulge in scrapbooking, laughter, shopping, chocolate, tea, and hopefully get some of my pictures set into albums. I managed to do most of that this weekend. What I did not do is take a lot of pictures. Here are the highlights- Caravan ride with Anat and Kari to Camp Hill with shopping stops along the way- read "spent a lot of money", Dinner at Dorado's with A & K and Tamsen and Babs- yum for the seafood nachos and lobster mac and cheese, Joy at seeing old scrapping friends as we set up our spaces on Wednesday night, Seeing Nancy and how good she looks- you go girl!!, discovering I was not only with all my friends but that I was right next to the NJ Scrapping YaYa angels, finding out my bed was a sleep number bed- I'm a 65, how about you?, Getting an appointment with Rachael for a massage and for reflexology, BB8 with Barbara on Thursday night- yes I know it is totally trash TV... so sue me!, My 2.99 coffee mug from Starbucks, the great meals at the hotel- oh wait that must have been a sleep number induced dream- but then again I do not go to SDVs for the food, Getting a gift done for my newest nephew RJ (Be strong little one), Getting to know Kari- what a great person, thanks for introducing her to us Anat, Thank you for praying with me Kari, Jeweled accents to frame pictures, Martha Stewart's Decoupage- you rock Martha!, Conversations with SDV friends, Parenting camaraderie and commiseration, scrappers in need, Raising over $2000 for the Susan B Koman foundation- Let's find a cure, laughing, laughing and laughing some more, meeting Tamsen's friends and neighbors and getting to try their Cricut, finding Funks Family Restaurant on the way home for true Fried chicken, Potato filling, apple fritters and coleslaw, and then for dessert at home the best lemon meringue pie I have had in many years..not quite the Ester's and Dietrich's experience of last year but definitely more tasty. I just can't believe I have to wait a whole year to do it again!!!


who is that masked scrapper....only the shadow knows

A view of Babs through the table...scrapbookers have a lot of STUFF

Not shown is Anat- sorry the picture came out horrible and Kari...where was she when my camera came out??? Oh I think she was with Rachael in Nirvana

It is always a lovefest when I see Barbara..she is just one of those people that you love to be around. This time I got to sit diagonally from her- the closest ever. It is fun to exchange mutual fan club looks at each other as we cropped. Or more I should say as she cropped and I sat around talking. I was not very productive this time around. I worked on a couple of Ali Edwards album kits and I made a small accordian book in a box for little RJ. Anyway, Barbara I love you and your NJ Yaya angels, I love the friendship you all seem to share and am envious of the parties you throw. You are the most creative group of friends I know and I am so lucky to have met you all through the SDVs.


Barbara and I played dueling Nikons

Cheek to Cheek
Thank Goodness my nostrils are clear

Toe to Toe
I am so glad I had my pedicure done

Regan

For those who have been checking for an update on little Regan, word is that he is doing well. He continues to fight each day to make improvements. MaryLou and Michael ask that we continue to pray for him. Thanks for your support

On My Porch

I love sitting on the front porch in the late afternoon, as the sun sinks lower in the sky, and watching all the activity at my bird feeder. It is wild to see how many birds come. Now I am not getting any amazing birds, nothing that would make the Audubon Society take notice but that is OK with me..I am not into celebrities anyway. I am not sure why this one bird wouldn't go onto the feeder or onto the ground below the feeder but she ust sat on a branch while her partner would fly to the feeder, get a seed and bring it back to her and feed her. It was such a loving act. We should all have someone to take care of us so well.

Regan

Today my sister in law gave birth to my newest nephew, Regan. He was born close to 3 months early and weighs only 1.4 pounds. Please keep Regan and MaryLou in your prayers that they will be home soon.

Welcome to the world little Regan, We love you!!

My bathroom

My NJ Scrapper friends wanted to see what my powder room looks like. When Jay and were redoing our home I wanted to have fn with the little powder room in the house. Because we have a farm house that was built in the 1830s I thought it would be fun to make my own little barn. I had two wonderful artists- my friend Kathy and her friend Marge come and create an entire mural in the bathroom. The entire room is painted so well that often people come out of it saying they had to touch the walls to believe that they were not stone and barnwood. I asked them to add a lot of little surprises so that each time you use that room there is something new for you to see.

details

Because of my fondness for roosters I thought it would be fun to have a chicken coop in the "barn" here are some of the girls and a friendly mouse

I wanted to have a heart with our initials carved into it

The room that this bathroom comes off of has a wall paper border of farm scenes. I had the Marge and Kathy paint part of the scene from that paper so that it looks like you are seeing it from a window in the barn

Details

Here are some details of animals on the walls