Live from Tormville!

Ready for September with Wedding Cards

Taking a peek forward to the quickly arriving September - we have three weddings on our schedule. Three. 

So I spent last evening making cards. I gathered together a mix of supplies and started assembling. I got lucky at a garage sale not too long ago and found sets of those embossed cards  10/quarter.  I used the white ones last night. 

I stopped at Archivers while on my dentist run yesterday and found the little wood veneer people in stock. I was giddy, as I had just tried ordering those online this week and they were sold out. Love the little fun they add to the card. 

The stamp is back from my Close to My Heart days and the white embossed trim is from a little post it style note pad on my desk. I bring all sorts of things together when I make cards. 

Under my work space I have little containers in which I've sorted all my embellishments by color. I pulled a lot from my black and white collections last night.  I love these boxes because I can throw things in there that are from years ago and enjoy them in a new light. 

I can't even remember who made these little bread tie embellishments, but I've used a lot of them over the years - a fun little add on. 

All in all I made six wedding cards, so that should take me through October. All different, but similar. 

I love my new desk. 

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Other stuffs

• Hubs has a four day weekend 
• I have to keep reminding myself that it's Friday
• Wendy and I are going adventuring today - beginning with a stop at the school to practice going from class to class and trying her locker. 
• It's going to be 94 today. yuck. 
• I should go get dressed. 
• Happy Friday! 

going for the come from behind gold

I've been putting my new desk to some good use the last few days. Got my scrap on, I did. I'm totally going for a come from behind victory in the JBS Summer Games.  FOUR layouts yesterday!  To compete in these summer games the layouts must be inspired by the Olympics - but only one layout per event. For instance - Diving is my inspiration for the above layout, so I can't use Diving as inspiration on another entry. Each layout must also have three or more Jenni Bowlin products on them. I happen to have quite the stash to choose from, so this wasn't a problem. *wink* 

The red circles on the above layout were made by painting the end of a cardboard tube and then squashing it just so onto my layout. A favorite technique of mine, if it can be called that. 

For this next layout, I was inspired by Archery. I was googling the summer olympic events and while I don't have any archery photos - they have some fun colors in their logo. I kept the colors in the same order as theirs. 

I added the t for fun - these girls come from three of the Tormanen boys, so the t means something. I finished this one up at 2:30 this morning. 

For this next layout I was inspired by track. It's the races at our annual Sunday School picnic. 

I love how well the die-cut journaling card fit here. 

I clipped a few hexagon stickers to add a bit more punch on that top border. I finished this layout just after midnight. 

And for this layout, I decided to be inspired by team, and titled my layout team 'hood. This is a group photo from Wendy's neighborhood summer party last week. 

I used the stickers on the photo to label the first letter of each of the girl's names. Wendy was gone when I finished this layout, and since I don't know the twins well enough in the upper corner - I'll wait until she's home to help me label them. Mark was trying to help me this morning when I was photographing the layout, but he only remembers that they have different favorite colors - not what their names are. 

game on. 

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Other stuffs:

• There was no ballooning last night. Why?  No wind. At all. 
• Which was fine - I had Mark's kindergarten open house to attend anyway. We walked up the hill and found his locker and classroom. 
• Greg made it home from Cleveland in time for dinner. 
• Allan made it home from work in time to say goodnight to the little boys. 
• I have dentist today, and I really don't want to talk about it. 
• Wendy spent a night in a tent at the neighbors last night. The boys were livid, they wanted to spend a night in a tent in our backyard. I wasn't up for it last night - but maybe this weekend. But boy, it was damp. I got the chills just thinking about it. 
• 'bout it
• be good

plans change

So the neighbor lady and I have been scheming/planning for months now about how when we send our babies up to kindergarten along with the rest of the kids - we'll have all this time to take Zumba classes, eat chocolate bon-bons and lay out in the front yard in our bikinis - timing it just right for when our middle school kids come walking home.

and then - unbeknownst to each other, we both applied for jobs at the schools the same week. 

So we're adapting. We'll do Zumba, eat bon-bons, go to the school and embarrass our elementary kids amongst their friends on the playground and THEN lay out in bikinis while collecting a paycheck. 

It works! 

life is good

summer is flying and so are the balloons

Yesterday we had our (fourth?) annual water balloon war with friends, and the balloons were flying. The boys were filling theirs up in the front yard and the girls were filling theirs up in my laundry room since we couldn't get the backyard hose dislodged from the carwash. 

I just sat in the background and gnawed on my licorice while trying to sneak a few pictures without getting wet. 

Brian was a scream. I should have taped his antics. 

"They have good aim, I just have better dodging skills"
"I'm just walking around, jingling the change in my pocket, not even a bit wet" 
"It's because I'm so skinny, I'm a tricky target"

It didn't take long for him to become the biggest target.  

They finally trapped him in the tree, but even there it took quite some time before they got him wet - he swings on that rope like he was raised in the jungle. 

Fun was had. No matter what Markie has to say about it. 

It was a pretty windy day - I managed to dry three loads on the line while visiting and I really wasn't sure the wind was going to die down enough for hot air ballooning. At 4:00 there was a 50% chance. 

We were short on crew last night - Denny was really hoping to get both Greg and I last night - but that wasn't going to happen. As it happens - I know lots of people. My friend Julie had just dropped off a kid at the high school and then texted me....is that you?  

I confirmed and told her we needed her help. Ideally it takes four people (counting Denny) to launch the balloon. One on crown and two to hold the balloon open. A fifth person gets someone to hold the fan so it doesn't shift. 

Oh hey! It's my new friend from the other night! We bumped into each other in the middle of the afternoon the other day too - we both happened to be at the school during the same five minute window. What are the chances?  We're like bff's. Only bff's can get away with taking a photo only because it looks like the balloon behind her is some weird ballooning hat on her head. ha! 

Within minutes I was up in the air looking at the third balloon about to launch. (Jerry took off ahead of us)

What a great day and what a beautiful evening! 

There is Jerry way out there on the horizon. I'm not sure where he landed last night - there were a whole lotta trees and farm animals in this direction. 

We flew alongside Ken Myer and the Ralphie 2. He landed one house over from where we landed. 

happy sigh. 

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Other stuffs

• Greg left for Cleveland at 5am this morning. He *should* be home in time to sleep in his own bed tonight. 
• Tonight we have kindergarten open house
• looks to be another gorgeous day
• the teenager is learning all about irrigation this week - working long hours. 
• as for me, more laundry on the line and a few lists to make. I like lists. 
• life is good

Happy Wednesday! 

edited to add one more photo. We flew over these cows in the pasture last night and I instantly remembered this award winning photo that I had bumped into recently and was inspired. Mine doesn't quite do the inspiration justice, but it was fun.  ;)  (click the image for a larger/better view)

guinea pig love

I've had to tell the kids to give the new guinea pigs a FEW moments of peace now and then, but that's so hard for them. For now, we'll just hope they survive all the lovin' until school starts and they can enjoy a few hours of peace and quiet. 

Project Life: Week 32

While I didn't win any awards for productivity yesterday, one thing I did do was run up to Walgreens to pick up a photo order covering the last three weeks. 

Then I got busy with it.  Above - week 32, the left side. My sister flew, we visited Mrs. K, Greg crewed, we voted and my new shirts from Cafe Press came in. It was a good week. 

The right side - the last of the old couch, nearly made it 20 years. My sister, the kids playing playdough, checking Wendy's hair - again (she's thrilled), and a few pictures from Colonial Kensington. I picked up a few more photos from that day but they'll go on their own layout

I got a good start on weeks 33 and 34 but still have a few gaps to fill. 

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Other stuffs:

• I feel like I already got more done today than I did all day yesterday. Yesterday was an unusual Monday for me. 
• Planned water balloon fight today
• Looks like a good night for ballooning
• Would also like to get to the open house at the new Cleary University Recreation and Wellness Ctr. I'm most curious about the elevated track - 13 laps equal a mile. Might be great for winter walking. 
• The guinea pigs are still doing well. 
• On my way to the grocery store.....
• after I snuggle the five year old ..... 
• It's all good

Happy Tuesday!

be good

meanwhile, back at the ranch.....

It's just been one big party. 

Wendy and the neighbor girl hosted an end of summer party for all the girls from the block a few days ago. It went well. I didn't do a thing. 

Allan worked six days this week, and squeezed in some time to get his senior photo taken for the yearbook. I, however, didn't take a single picture of him. New goal for next week. 

The little boys found out their teachers this week and we went up the hill to check out their classes and meet Mark's teacher. The little boys have been doing a lot of scrapping lately and school will provide a much needed break from each other. 

They did well balloon crewing last night though. They came too much last year and had become bored with it, so they've only come maybe twice this year - last night being the second. It was fun to see the renewed interest and excitement, not shown here. 

My husband had his first balloon ride. He was excited. Shown here. (Any Finn will get this one) 

He missed flying over the new church build by about a quarter of a mile. I was hoping we could provide an aerial shot. 

He also got a new order of wood in the mail and has been busy carving. There is rarely a day that he doesn't carve. 

And we got some new additions to the household. 

So often in my life things happen during the day that I never would have predicted would happen.  For instance on Friday I had no idea I was going to wake up and apply for a job at the schools. Who knew? 

And yesterday morning, I had no idea we'd be listening to guinea pigs squeal from Wendy's room before we went to bed at night. Who knew?

I know a few of you are jealous of my email response speed. (These guys were offered up free on an email yesterday) Feel free to come and visit. 

Ha. 

I'm going to have 'sucker' tattooed on my forehead. 

It's been a good week. 

As for today - as soon as I kick the guinea pigs out of the bathroom I'm taking a shower and getting ready for church. 

Uncle George is coming over for lunch - shishkabobs on the grill. 

Hot - already turned on the air, and a thunderstorm this evening. 

Summer is awesome. 

September Studio AE Sneak Peek

as promised. ;)  I'm going to make you love this set! 

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as for now - off to put on my ballooning boots. It's windy, but we're hopeful....

 

a bounce in my step

Today is great.

It's a beautiful day, all six of us are home, nothing major on the to do list although I have a goal of going to buy milk before the teenager wakes up.....

....and I went ballooning last night. I did offer it up to Greg if he wanted to go last night and I'd stay home - but he got stuck in traffic on 696 on his way home from Canada. Alas and all that. So I went. Woe is me. *wink* 

Jerry could have learned a few pie ball release techniques last night - but he didn't launch with Denny last night. His loss. 

It never gets old. 

Last night we launched from Denny's house. 

George and I both took Thursday night off. I'm probably the most frequent crew member, with George and Sonja right behind me.  (If my tally is correct - I've attended 24 launches this year (that's counting balloonfest, and not counting the times we tried and couldn't).

I made another new friend last night. Turns out she goes to the same school as my own kids so I warned her that she might be seeing a whole lot of me as I - totally unexpectedly - applied for a job at the school yesterday as a playground monitor.  Who knew?  

I couldn't get in for a meeting until October 3rd, and it would be strictly on a sub basis for the first year just because of other things we have going on right now - but it's a perfect fit for me. I can hear the kids playing on the playground from my house and I love being with the kids. A couple hours a day here and there would be nice for the debt-free living goal. 

Anyway - my new friend and I bonded over teacher and other student talk while chasing last night. 

Denny keeps trying to find someone that I can't connect with, but he's not having much luck. When Paul and I caught up to him here, I hopped out of the Jeep and shouted - "Hey Phil!  Hey Koren!"  Denny turns to Phil and asks, "You know Sharyn?" Phil nodded. Denny shook his head and laughed. 

Keep trying, Denny. 

 

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As for today...

• Studio AE sneak peek post coming up later today
• The music is cranked up loud
• heading out for a walk
• can be easily convinced that today would be a great day for kayaking
• enjoying a day with all six of us home
• life is good

peace! 

 

 

A caterpillar and a butterfly

I noticed some flapping out of the corner of my eye yesterday and I turned to the far corner of my new desk and was so surprised to see such a large monarch butterfly in our makeshift habitat. We did it! We made a butterfly! 

We'd brought these caterpillars (can be found on butterfly weed and/or milk weed) home from our visit to Mrs. K's (aka: Deanna) a couple weeks ago and with frequent texting (You didn't tell me how much these things poop! ) we had so much fun enjoying the process. 

And some laughs. The instructions we got were to put some butterfly weed in a clear container with just a little bit of water in it and if the container is taller than the weed - no problem, the caterpillar won't crawl out. 

I got an "Um"  text a week plus ago. As in, um - I guess they can crawl out. (In the years she's been doing this, she swears this is the first escapee) The um text came attached to a photo of a chyrsalis on the bottom of a kitchen chair. I got home to find our own caterpillar straddling the rim of our tall container.  

I shuffled it back in and rubberbanded a damp paper towel to the top of our container - poking a hole in the middle. 

This morning I woke up to the second caterpillar in the chrysalis shape hanging from that paper towel. I won't be changing the water anymore. 

As for this butterfly - we took a lot of pictures, and then took him across the street to share with the neighbor slash butterfly weed supplier and let him go.

We should have another one in about ten days or so. 

So fun

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Other stuffs

• Greg left for Canada at 5:30 this morning. He should be home in time for supper
• Allan left for work at 6:30 this morning. They have to get all the fields painted before football practices today. He's put in some good solid hours this week. 
• We're still looking for a car for Allan. 
• Wendy woke up at 6am this morning. Her and the neighbor girl are hosting a neighborhood girls end of summer party. She's much more of a planner/coordinator than I ever realized. The party is at 11, and they've been outside decorating and getting ready for the last hour. 
• She's a list maker like her mama. I'm so proud. 
• I missed ballooning last night. I don't often miss. That addictive personality trait. I twitched mildly. 
• I didn't get much creating done yesterday, but did get 7 loads of laundry on the line and another one through the dryer. 
• In four minutes - the elementary school teacher lists go up - the boys and I will walk up the hill at some point today and find out their teachers/class lists. 
• I need more coffee....
• be good