Disney 2010

This year we decided to switch up our annual Disney trip and.... go on "the boat"!! :) We are super excited to be sailing on the Magic!! Our first stop though is Magic Kingdom! We are spending 2 days at the parks before boarding our ship. We will be without internet or phone service. I will post a bunch of pictures as soon as we are back. Have a great week!

In other news...

Hallie made a fun Valentine's Day box, and I got to help out in her room make toothpaste :)

Hallie was playing beauty shop :)

Speaking of hair... Piper has little piggies in the back!

We supported our Colts to the end :( Can't wait for fall to come!!

Hallie did a Urbandale High School cheer clinic. Even learned some wrestling cheers.

And my girls love to Skype!! They tell lots of stories and get excited everytime we say, "why don't you go call Grandma" :) It is fun that they can see their grandparents so far away with a click of a button! {now we need to get my dad and mom on!!}

Now back to work!

University of Iowa Competition

Frenzy is #1!!!!

Yipee!! They had a great season... but winning FIRST place was a perfect ending to the season! They competed at University of Iowa (so of course Aunt Jess and her roommate Alexa joined us!!) I'll have Ryan post a video soon!! Here are the pics...

Update on the contest...

Thank you all for your enthusiasm... this is one company I just can't break, and it KILLS ME!! This time I got 4th. {yes, better than a kick in the butt, but I just can't figure it out???} It is frustrating, obviously, as a friend once said {Kim} "I suck at scrapbooking"!! You can see the winners here.

Reminisce Passports Line-- Our USA bucket list

I created 11 mini albums housed in a cute tin bucket using the new Reminisce Passports line!! I knew right away I wanted to create a "Bucket List". As I was going through the cities I have been to several... but Ryan and my girls haven't. I decided I would make this from scratch. No pictures. This bucket is for our family. I really want my girls to graduate from high school having been to some major US landmarks and other fun US places. So, from the East coast to the West. From the Northern boarder to the Southern these are the places I would like to show my girls!!

Each little book is pretty simple now, but I have the stickers in a folder to save to embellish when we actually go. {This line is great with a sticker for each landmark in that city or state!!} I didn't want to pre-write our vacation based on the stickers :)

Each book has a little tag on the ring so I can write the date and actual locations and a little bit of journaling.

On the Hawaii and FL books I included a little glass jar {I screwed a little jewelry bail into the cork to attach on the ring to save a pinch of sand in.} I will use Diamond Glaze to seal it up and save it forever!!

I also attached a Passport to add stickers and date stamps when we visit each location.

{I am excited to get to complete our first book this FEB!!! ...Florida}

...here is my project and albums!!

Here are 5 books (NYC, LA, Washington DC, Texas, and Chicago)

Here are some up close examples of the insides of the books. This is Florida:

Florida was fun because the paper had the perfect palm tree printed, so I just cut it out and pop dotted it to the front for depth!!

Here is another example. Boston worked great because the skyline on the paper was perfect for the front of the album.

Here is Oahu, with the little bottle.

Here are the other 6 albums (San Francisco, Minnesota, Las Vegas, Florida, Boston, and Oahu)

Some up close pics of the bucket...

(This bucket documents our family vacations around the USA!)

Thanks for looking!! :) I will post them as we fill them!!

Wait your turn!!!

Yesterday we realized Hallie is getting her first big tooth!! See, the problem is... she hasn't lost any teeth yet!! So this tooth is growing in behind her bottom front teeth!! The good news is her baby tooth is a bit wiggley... just a bit, but wiggley none the less! I called the dentist this morning and he said it was it is common and not a big deal, but the baby tooth needs to be gone by next week or we have to go in and see him. Wish her luck!!

Happy 35th birthday Ryan!!

I know, a little late... but wanted to post a picture from his birthday. We love you!!

Delta Phi Scrappa

Last weekend I traveled north with Penny to NORTHERN Minnesota for the annual Delta Phi Scrappa sorority retreat. As always it an amazing weekend full of laughter, friends, and this year some tears.

Along the way we made a pit stop at a fabulous "junk store"!! It is my favorite!! The Painted Porch is worth the stop everytime!!

On Thursday we stayed at a super cute scrapbooking bed & breakfast out in the woods calledRaspberry Ridge, where you preserve your memories. Thanks Lorna!!

Friday-Sunday we were at a cozy cabin/lodge style hotel. The food was delicious, friends many & fun over the top. I was excited to teach 2 classes with 25+ students in each!! Thanks ladies for your enthusiasm! I look forward to teaching again!!

I want to mention a friend I met at the last Delta Phi Scrappa. Carrie was full of energy and excitement for Delta Phi Scrappa. She was there with her mom, and they shared stories of Disney vacations with her 3 year old daughter. I am so glad I had the honor of knowing Carrie, and calling her a friend. In November Carrie passed away after a car accident. They did a great job honoring her at DPS.

(sorry the pics are a mess, blogger won't let me reorganize???)

In the vinyl world...

My business has kept me soooo busy!! Here are a few different orders from last week:

American Girl Doll Clothes to match their team warm ups

Team shirts for Intensity and Fierce

Coozies :)

NEWS: I ordered my screen print machine!! I have two boxes in and I am waiting for two more to be delivered this week!!! I am super excited to be venturing into the clothing business now as well!!

Announcing the new design team...

I am super excited to be part of an amazing design team chosen for the NEW KIT CLUB The Story Matters. This is a kit that has branched of an fun challenge blog prompting everyone to tell their story through scrapbooking. I read on another blog recently to remember no matter how many pictures you take if you don't tell the story nobody will know why that meant so much to you. Please stop by The Story Matters and meet the new designers... and check out the sneak peek of the new kits!! I am excited to get a kit and start posting projects I create... they are going to be GREAT!!! {oh, and did I mention the kit club price is only $24.99}

The best part... A GIVEAWAY!! Stop by and say hi to the designers and leave a comment on The Story Matters blog and you will be eligible to win a fun prize pack from the NEW Imaginisce line Sweet Cheri.

Can't wait to start this new adventure!!! :)

**AS A LITTLE BONUS, I WILL CHOOSE A NAME FROM MY FOLLOWERS TO WIN A PRIZE PACK FROM ME!! {I'LL TRY TO GET A PICTURE OF THE GOODIES LATER TODAY BE SURE YOU CLICK TO FOLLOW ON THE RIGHT SIDE BAR! I WILL POST A WINNER ON MONDAY**