Zoo-Bears

These are the Brown and Black bears the Alaska Zoo had. The polar bear was sleeping when we went to see him, so I don't think we actually took a picture of him. It was VERY neat to get to see a polar bear IRL b/c I have NEVER seen one anywhere else. (Black bear top pix, brown bottom pix)

Zoo-coyote.

This coyote was VERY intrested in us. It came right up to the edge of the enclosure and watched us closely. It paced back and forth right in front. When we were leaving, I saw some girls taking a picture by the cage. The one that was posing, snapped her fingers at it and it came right away. It seemed SO odd.

Fishing

The otter they saw from the boat on their way back in.

Caleb working at fishing.

Hannah and Josiah getting ready to go out.

Sadly, none of our fishers (Jonathan, Josh, Hannah, Josiah, Caleb) got anything, but I think they had a pretty good time and they did get to see some neat things.

Alaska!

We had fun even if we got rained on and Rained On and RAINED ON while we were in Alaska. =) The kiddos are growing SO much. It seems to me like Ben went overnight from crawling when we were there last, to walking when they were in TX this spring to running and CLIMBING while we were there this year. I know that it took time, but since I hadn't seen him in so long it seemed like it happened very suddenly. This is Ben and Bethany.

BIG tractor

This is the lego tractor Jonathan and Josiah put together the other night. Jonathan had been playing with Josiah and the legos for quite a while so I went to see what they were doing and Jonathan showed me what they had built. :D

Almost ready to go! I am waiting for Jonathan to get home tonight to finish up the packing. He has some things he wants to pack that are hiding in his study and I don't want to go rooting around in it to find them because just as sure as I do that, he won't be able to find something. (I tend to misplace stuff when I am searching for stuff to pack.)

3D card

This card is a (slighty) involved card. LOTS of cutting, folding and scoring. I found a tutorial on www.splitcoaststampers.com in their resource section (this is called tri-fold shutter card if you want to look for the instructions). I love playing with this card because of all the cool colors you can put on it and the way it folds up. :D SO much fun. I also made a card kit of this type of card just not in the same colors because I didn't have enough of the front and back papers.

Card again!

This is another card I have made a kit to take to Alaska. This one I 'tweaked' the kit after I put this card together. I changed which dark pink I used and I textured the Bermuda Bay strip. I really like how this card has bright colors (espically on the flower). fun, fun, fun!

Another Card!

I have made some card kits to take with me to Alaska. I am looking forward to getting to make some cards with Rachel and Hannah. I want to post one of the cards that I am working on the kit for now.

I inked the SU! Manhattan Flower embosing folder with Dusty Durango ink. I used a 3 3/4" x5" piece of Blush Blossom cardstock. I used a half sheet of Very Vanilla for the card base. I layered a 2"x4.25" piece of Dusty Durango under the embossed flower and then I adhered three pearls on the flower. Inside I have a phrase stamped on Very Vanilla with Dusty Durango with DD daubed on the edge and then layered on Dusty Durango also.

Getting Ready!

We're getting ready to spend 12 days in Alaska! I am so excited and I don't think that I need to say that the kids are excited, too. I can't wait to get to the cooler weather and the family up there. I love going this time of year because the weather is so temperate and the landscape is so lush. When we are totally parched and everything looks like straw it is wonderful to see the beautiful green mountains and trees. :D

New In Color Card

I made a new card today and am so excited about it that I wanted to post it on the internet.

Supplies:

SU! Melon Mambo, Taken with Teal and Bermuda Bay cardstock

Basic Grey's Lemonade DP

SU! Stamp

SU! Markers in Bermuda Bay, Taken with Teal, Certainly Celery and Mellow Moss

Spellbinders Nestabilites: Circle and Scalloped Circle

The base is a 5 1/4" square. I adhered a 1 1/2 x 5 1/4 strip of Bermuda Bay cardstock on the bottom of the card. Then I adhered a 1"x 5 1/4" strip of Melon Mambo directly above the Bermuda Bay. I then scalloped one edge of the 2" x 5 1/4" strip of DP then I adhered it over the Melon Mambo and the Bermda Bay. I cut a circle out of white cardstock. The scalloped circle is cut out of taken with teal. I stamped the flower with stazon and colored it with the markers. I daubed the edge of the white cardstock with Melon Mambo. Then I adhered it to the Taken with Teal scalloped circle and adhered both to the front of the card. :D

LIVESTOCK!

Yes, we now officially have livestock. We are the 'proud' owners of one cow, one dog and 7 chicks. I am starting to feel a little overwhelmed at the prospect of being responsible for the health and well being of so many animals. Right now the chicks are in a cardboard box on our front porch with a grate of some sort on top. We also have a cow that may have a calf come october or november. (DH just informed me that it is more likely to be november or december).

White on White

These are my white on white cards for a swap on Splitcoast stampers. I have loved this swap. I hope to do at least one more. When (if) I do I will post it, too. :D

Swap cards

These are some cards I have made from my christian card kit swap. I love some of these kits. I have had a great time going through my stuff and adding a few things to make more than one card from most of the kits.

More Cactus.

I am really getting to doing lots of cactus pictures. I am frustrated that one

of the others I took and posted was blurry so I decided to try again. I just love the peachy/ orange colors of the blooms I am seeing this year. :D

Some Flower pictures

Some pictures of the cactus in my backyard. One of them did not turn out very well. But some of them are neat. :D

Announcements:

1. Volleyball this Friday night at my parents house. 7:30 p.m. looking forward to seeing any and everyone who can come.

2. Grandma (Helen Willhoite) fractured her hip last night. She has had surgery and as far as I know she is doing as well as can be expected.

3. I plan to have a Stampin Up! party on May 4 in Lorena. Contact me if you are intrested in coming. I am looking forward to seeing all who can come.

Back again

To those of you who read this blog, but haven't heard, Jonathan's grandmother died last Friday. We got back late last night from the funeral. We left on Monday and stayed up there until about 3:30 Wed. afternoon. The trip was pretty uneventful. Josh and Rachel are down, so we will be traveling again this weekend only it will be up to Waco for Friday eve and part of Sat. :) Should be lots of fun.

alterations

I am playing with my blog and I am trying to turn on comments (which I thought were already turned on, but obviously weren't) Plz. bear with me.

Card-a-thon pix 1

Ribbon and primas.

So, these are some card front size DP mats and some Punches that I no longer use.

Next, some embellishments (wire, brads, unbuttons) and some cards and envelopes.

Tired tonight

I'm tired tonight. I have been on my feet cooking and cleaning most of today. Wow. I did get a lot done, but there is still more to do.

Jonathan's grandmother is not doing very well. SO we may need to make a quick trip to see her soon if we can.

I hope we have a good b-day party tomorrow. If me being tired is any indicator, it will be GREAT.

New post with pictures of new cards coming soon!

We had a VERY good day with school. Josiah did about 15 minutes twice on ABCs Lickety-Split, two pages in his English workbook and three pages in his math workbook. AWESOME! I hope to keep him doing a bunch of school work this week if I can except maybe Wed. We may take it completely off of school to go to Austin to shop for birthday party stuff. (ie: food, drinks, dessert NOT presents) Jonathan and I went to Home Depot (the "big boy toy store") last week after a date and bought him a tool box and a small assortment of (cheap, but real) tools for a birthday present. I think Josiah will really like it.

White on White 1

This is my first white on white card. I was a little dubious of my ability to make one. I hope you enjoy looking at this.

Wildflowers

I LOVE wild flowers and the kids and I took some pictures in Mom and Dad's front yard the other day. I hope you enjoy looking at our pictures.

Card-a-thon

To all stampers: please check out the Card-a-thon on SCS. http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=427076

Kiddos In the Bluebonnets.

I wanted to title this Babies in the Bluebonnets, but well, my kids aren't really babies anymore.