Creatively Speaking

I made this Maya Road 6×6 Binder Book for my cousin Donna’s birthday present.  I asked her for her top 5 favorites in 16 categories and did a page about each.  I printed a picture of her number 1 choice in each category.  There is a lot of Maya Road here, such as hearts and arrow chipboard pieces, large bottle cap, sheer and ribbons.  The paper line is the new fall collection from Daisy D’s.  I also added some Hambly, Prima and other goodies.  The buttons are clear and I added Liquid glass to them from Close to My Heart and then I filled it in with very small glass beads.  You can do these in any color.  Here are a couple of pictures.  More are listed in my gallery at Two Peas in a Bucket.  Here is the link: http://twopeasinabucket.kaboose.com/pg.asp?cmd=display&layout_id=1266199. 

Every year at Thanksgiving we take family pictures ourselves.  I use a favorite for our Christmas cards.  We have been doing this since James was a baby.  It’s fun to see the growth and changes in our family.  In fact I might do a layout with all of the previous pictures together.  This year we were at my cousin Donna’s house so we took the pictures there.  I love how adorable the kids look on her painted bench. 

Where did November go?  We decided to spend Thanksgiving with some of my out of town family so we went to Red Bluff.  It was a lot of fun to just get away.  We even rented a boat and spent some time on Shasta Lake on Friday, which was cold, but fun.  The kids were bundled up and they loved it.  Brad and I took the kids to Chico for a day too.  What a change.  We haven’t been back since we moved right after we were married, so it’s been 9 1/2 years.  It was fun to see Chico State and we showed the kids where we lived when we met.  It’s a reality check to go back and realize you aren’t the young college kid anymore.  Now the college kids look so young to me.   We ate lunch at Madison Bear Garden right next to campus. 

My brother Jim and I with the kids. 

I had to post before the day was gone.  The kids were so excited that it was mommy’s birthday today.  When I woke up they sang Happy Birthday to me.  Brad worked his booty off to give us a nice birthday- Jim was here too (my twin brother).  Brad asked both kids what they wanted to get for me.  James ordered flowers (with Daddy’s help) and those were delivered.  He was so proud and cute about it.  Lauren wanted to buy me a book, so she bought me the new Dr. Oz book- YOU! Staying Younger, which I wanted.  We went out to dinner, had cake and opened presents.  I got the Epson R1800 printer that I just requested from Brad and I am super excited to dive into that and see how the pictures come out.   I don’t know much about it and I have been a Canon girl for a while, but this will be fun.  I can’t wait to print really big!  Brad also bought me Garth Brooks- The Ultimate Hits.  He has been my favorite since 1990.  There are a few new songs on this and it is just loaded.  It’s 2 CD’s and a DVD with videos.  After the kids went to bed, I had a Garthfest.  To top it off, since I didn’t get a day off today, he bought several g.c. from different stores at Santana Row in S.J. so we can have a day out by ourselves.  I can’t wait.  What a thoughtful super hubby I have. 

Well this has been a difficult week.   I have had a rough time with my chronic back pain and muscle spasms to boot.  Brad has been on-call and working and taking care of the kids and house a lot.   We couldn’t make it around here without him.  Lauren also has had a cold and today James is home from school with one.  Hopefully we can take it a little easier this weekend and feel better.  Tuesday night we carved our pumpkins and the kids loved that as usual.   We did all go trick or treating last night.  James was an astronaut and Lauren was Cinderella.  They were both so excited.   For them it seems like the trick or treating part of the day takes forever to get here.   James got so many compliments on his costume.  That pack he wore in the back was huge, but he managed fine.  There wasn’t any whining about being tired either.  Something funny: we were near the end of our route and Lauren went up to a house to get candy…they gave her one that she recognized as having peanut butter, so she told them that she didn’t really like peanut butter and then she started to walk away.  Once they were finished laughing, they asked her to come back so she could get a different kind of candy.  Ah yes, 4 year olds are so blunt and honest.  We told her to just take the candy and say thank you and she could trade it with James, but she had a hard time understanding that and we went through the same thing one more time at the next house.  Good thing is was the end of our route.