ok... This is like 2 months late...

I never finished all the layouts for Jessica Sprague's - Digi in Deep class... This assigment is a bit of a cheat, because part of the assigment was to set up a mini photo shoot - But that just wasn't going to happen in my world at this time.

These pictures my husband took when we were in Monterey. Other than the cold breeze it was a perfect day at the beach - especially for flying kites. It was an awesome afternoon and I felt like my special moments with my kids were actually caught on film - and I'm grateful for that - even if I had bad hair!

Other Princess Party Stuff

Since Sela is obsessed with parties at the moment. (This morning she gave me a long monologue about Baby Laura loving parties and being so nice, and Nathan loving Baby Laura - complete with floaty hand gestures and giggles.)
So here is a picture of my thank yous and gift bags for the girlies. You can find the template for the purses here...

What else is happening? Zach got promoted to the Alligators in swimming lessons. He is VERY proud... and took the opportunity to brag to his little sister that he is better at swimming than her.... nice.... not.
I was on TV for mere seconds the other morning on Good Day Sacramento for reCREATE. The clip is here. Don't blink or you will miss me...

A Week in Monterey (AKA Ahhhhh!)

We just got back from a week in Monterey, Ca. Monterey is PERFECT for a family with young kids - we beached, hiked, flew kits, went to the aquarium, swam in the pool at the hotel, and just repeated these activities until our week was up. It is relaxing, and if you have any love for the ocean, you can't beat it.
One of my favorite days of the trip was the day we visited Point Lobos State Reserve. I have driven by there so many times on my way to Big Sur, and never ventuired in... it was so interesting! We took a walk to observe a bird island, then walked down a huge step of stairs to the most pristine beautiful beach I have been on in ages. Best part? Only 4 other people came by in the hour plus we spent there. Here are some pictures of that day.

 

We also spent a little time one morening visiting the sea lions at the Coast Guard Pier (a stones throw from where Mark and I both certified in SCUBA). Here are some pictures from that!

 

 

 

 

I'm going to save the other pictures until later so I can scrap them... but I have to share this one of Ci in the outfit Cathy made her...she looks so cute!

 

Check out My Camera Strap

Ok... my super crafty friend Dusti (the same one who made Zach's Pirate Cupcakes) has been sporting a cool cover for her camera strap for a while now... and I have been oogling it for as long as I've been aware of it...
Now, I DO NOT sew... so her and Cathy are always whipping out super cute things, and I always think - I need to learn to sew!
So Dusti comes to Sela's party, and lets me choose a band from several super cute fabrics... me I'm wavering between two - so she says, "take them both!" Me? I'm over the moon because now my camera will look as cool as hers!
Thanks Dusti - you are an excellent friend!!

Oh... and wait till you see what she gave Sela for her birthday...
And what Cathy gave her too... they are too too talented!

Sela's Princess Birthday Party

We had Sela's 3rd Birthday Party - A Princess Party. I tried to keep it a little lower key than previous birthday parties we have had for the Z and C. It was raining when we woke up - so all plans to have the party inthe backyard went out the window.

We had a Sparkle Station where we painted the girls nails (quick dry nail polish), I also bought Sparkle spray for their hair, and lotion with sparkles in it for their hair, and of course lip gloss.

We played freeze dance (princess music is too slow - find more upbeat music for this), and I also played a little game of what is missing with Princess items (tiara, wand, necklace, etc.) The girls were all three (except one 5 year old) - so the games were not really important.

Pink mini cupcakes with sprinkles and ice cream.
And cute little purses for their favor bags.

We had the boys construct a castle out of tubes and other reuse stuff while we were doing the girly stuff with the girls - and that worked out well.

More pictures to come - I didn't take many - but awesome Dusti and Cheryl did!

Swimmin' Lessons

We had a week of swimming lessons this week. Since Sela turned 3 - she got to swim! Zach got to be inthe Advanced Ducks. He started the week not wanting to put his face in - but after some practice was able to kicking and scooping and floating. He is ready to go to the next level skills wise - but the teacher suggested one more week of ducks to make sure he has the comfort level for the next level. I'm really pround of him. He did really good!
Sela was hilarious... He smiled the entire time (except on the colder days - when she was trying hard not to shiver. She did several of the skills which was pretty good considering that a class environment is new and different to her. The teachers were really sweet and patient.

Update on the Binky Front

We made it through night number one. She did wake up around 4:00 and asked me to rock her and just whimpered. But once I showed her her little present from the Binky Fairy she was happy and went to bed.
Tonight - feeling a bit bolder because it is her birthday she was yelling from her room, "I want my "Mouth Night Night" RIGHT now." I reminded her it was gone and she gave me a look of disgust and gave up.
I figure we will be good in a few more days! Thanks for the nice comments - I appreciate it!!

The Binky Fairy

Today Sela gave up her Binky. As I am typing this my bottom lip is quivering, because I realize this is a transition from baby to little girl. I have a lump in my throat because I know how much she loved her "mouth night night" as she calls it.... and I know that I will never get to be the one that finds her binky when she loses it... and have that moment where her who face lights up and she giggles with glee.... all for a silly little piece of plastic.

We went to the dentist last week, and the dentist said it's time. Sela promptly got sick - so I waited a few days... but on the eve of her third birthday I saw the opportunity.
I asked her who her binky should go to a boy baby or a girl baby - and she said, I think a boy baby... with dark curly hair.
I asked her what she wanted from the binky fairy, and she said, "I think a little toy pet and pet shop with a little girl. I was amazed that I found something that fit the bill. (I'll post the pictures tomorrow).
We took her Hello Kitty Castle and put the binky on the top for the fairy. Sela asked if she could have it back if she became a baby again. I tried not to cry.
Meanwhile, Zach kept asking to the call the fairy so he could see her - then he wanted her number so he could dial her himself to ask her to some early.... I told him the Binky fairy was nocturnal - and since he knows all about owls he accepted this and gave up.
She went to bed with no tears. Me? I'm bawling like a baby - because my baby is growing up.

Trying to Catch some of life and write it down

 

Thought it was time to update the blog. The kids are asleep, and for once I actually have a small bit of energy left. I sucked the pictures out of my camera - I love this picture of Zach - I took it at my parents house... he looks so happy! He just loves it there. I took Zach to his Kindergartern assessment today... it was weird. They come and meet you and your child - and then take them into the room and leave you outside... to reflect on how time simultaneously went rocket fast despite times you felt like the moments of motherhood for small children can move extruciatingly slow. The teacher gave Zach a sticker, and he nicely asked for one for his little sister. I think he got special thoughtful points for that. He likedher and that made me happy! I hope he gets a good teacher!

 

These little birds took up residence inthe vent of our fireplace - there are three chicks in the nest and even thought they are bald they are quite cute!

 

Sela "pimmin" (swimmin) in the Sand and Water table... I have completely given up trying to keep her out of it. I thought it was cute that she added flowers to her pool.

 

This one I caught when they were running around. I would have included one of Zach in his swimming trunks - but he grew so much from last summer that he barely got them on. I promptly went out and bought him a new suit in time for his swimming lessons.

Other news? I'm missing my old pals lately.... I was really glad to see Bob last weekend. (Big Bob as my kids call him). I also got a chance to meet up with Cheryl and Seany last week, and even grabbed a couple minutes with Brian on the phone... I'm really missing Susan and wish they lived closer - move back already! You know you miss your California friends! I was so glad to talk with Jennifer. You and Ned need to come to California.

So - while I might be lousy about picking up the phone or dropping cards and notes, please know I love you all - A LOT!

Princess Party Invitation

I just love knowing photoshop elements! Here is the invite for my daughters party... simple.. but i'm happy about how it came out... considering the lack of time I committed to it. I changed some of the text to leave out details of our address and such.. but you get the idea.

The Farmers Market is open for the Season

The Farmers Market is open for the season, and it is right on my way home from Zach's preschool. Am loving the organic strawberries I picked up.
I'm still contemplating a CSA box (local farm box)... but I worry we won't eat it all.
It is time to plan Sela's birthday party, and I am determined to make it a green event... wish me luck!

This is Me...Week 3 of Digi in Deep!

Again, Jessica Sprague awed me with her knowledge of Photoshop. This is the latest assignment. I still have the second matching page to go... but WOW... I loved all I learned!

I picked up some cool treasure from My Green Tangerines yesterday for reCREATE, and got a chance to see some friends yesterday for a little girl time... that was nice!

ReCREATE debuts!

Yesterday was the Celebrate the Earth event in my city. It was the first event we were at for reCREATE... and it was a huge success! We had kids doing crafts from the moment the event opened, until we closed down for the day. I was so thrilled and happy. I had a few friends and familiar faces come by and it was so nice!

I am completely behind on my Digi in Deep class. I am feeling disconnected because I just can't seem to keep up. Part of what I love about the class is the bonding part... and I am missing out but I just don't have the bandwidth at the moment.

But Mama....

This post is comepltely out of order... but I want to write it down so I don't forget to scrap it one day soon...

When we dropped Zach off at my parents house to stay for a few days last month, Sela was really quiet when we left.

She said her goodbyes and when we were about a mile away, she said, Where's Zachie?"
Me, "Zach is staying with Papa and Nama for a few days, remember."
Sela, "But Mama, Zachie is ours... he belongs to us!"

While Zach was there, he would give his daily call to say hi, and in the past always wanted to talk to me. This last trip he would say, "Hi Mama. Can I talk to Sela?"

I'm so glad they love eachother so much - even if they do seem to be mean at least 10 times a day to eachother!

What Kind of Thinker Are You?

Based on their little test - here is what they say about me.

Your Thinking is Abstract and Random

You are flexible, adaptable, and creative. There's many ways that you can learn - and you're up for any of them. You relate well to other people, and you do well working in groups. You can help people communicate together and work with each other's strengths. You don't work well with people who are competitive or adversarial. You prefer to work toward a common goal... not toward conflicting goals.

What Kind of Thinker Are You?

My "Outside the Box" Light

Here is a not so great picture of my entry for the Outside the Box Art Show with Placer Arts. I was thrilled to see it displayed in the window... and the picture isn't great because you can't see the side designs on the box. The box was made from primarily stuff that was destined for the trash can - that was saved...

There was bidding activity on it, and bids will be accepted until the beginning of May.

My entry was to raise awareness of my program reCREATE, and Meredith Fenwick was awesome and said I could use her paper for this fund raiser.

The hang tag looks like this:



I hung it with with a rough piece of twine, and I was happy with how it came out.

The Princess Bed

So Ci is in her Princess Bed now... and we've had to demote her to her crib a few times because she has had behavior unbecoming for a Princess (getting out of bed many many times, because she can.)
All in all the transition is going pretty smoothly, and she LOVES her bed! It is so pretty... and you just have to pretend the rail isn't on it when you are looking at it!

Zach - Then and Now

Here is my latest Digi in Deep homework. Can you believe how much my little Zach has changed?

Zachie has the stomach flu... so last nights plan to go to the Auburn Art Walk was a bust. Mark came home and I snuck over to the PlacerArts gallery to see the Box show I am showing in. I was standing near my box when someone walked up and bid $60.00 for it. I was soooo thrilled. She is a Roseville Artist and said, "I could totally see this in my house!" She said she was shocked she hadn't met me yet, us both being Roseville artists, and I laughed, and said I wasn't an artist... that I did the box to promote reCREATE. She said that saying I wasn't an artist "was rather subjective". Yep, she pretty much made my day! I was thinking I was going to have to buy my own box just because nobody else would want it! I will upload a picture of it in the next post.

Second Assignement for Week 1

Spring has Sprung and I don't want to be inside! For the past three days I think we have been outside more than in... it has been WONDERFUL! The only down fall is that the pollen is super abundant this year so we are sneezing... but who cares... it is gorgeous!

I took the above pictures of Zach at Fairytale Town last week.
I should have a few more layouts done in the next day or two to post.

I am starting to hit the whole funding mode of reCREATE so... hopefully we will be shopping for space and a vehicle soon.

We started cleaning out our garage this weekend.... I can't believe how much stuff we have from when the kids were babies. We have some serious giving and donating to do.

Digi in Deep

Woo Hoo... class started over at Digi in Deep and here is my first LO. Can you say complex? It took me more than an hour (ok more than 2 hours) to get this done.... but that Jessica - WOW... her tricks knock my socks off.