Creatively Speaking

I love this photo of Lauren at 17 months, sitting on our porch swing.  I actually took a whole series of photos that day.  I have scrapped some before, but never this one.  Have you ever gone back through photos you have taken and one strikes your fancy more than before?  I love how she is looking at her toes.  Since she just started Kindergarten last week, I guess this is the week for being nostalgic.  I used all KI Memories for this layout.  I love the bright colors and the combination of patterns!  Also, I used a Becky Fleck Sketch.  She designs my favorite sketches.

Well my creative mojo was taking a rest after CHA-S.  I did 3 pages this weekend and I’m happy with all of them.  Sometimes they end up a bit different than planned, so you can’t be sure.  I bought a few things this last week too, so it was fun to play.  For this layout, I printed these pictures of Lauren with a fuzzy edge for something different.  I took these shots while we were on vacation.  This is San Clemente, CA.  Lauren was always afraid to walk into the water and this time, she just ran to the waves.  It was so sweet to see.  I used Webster’s Pages for the 1st time.  These papers are beautiful.  I normally prefer nice bright colors, so it’s hard for me to do a mellow layout.  The chipboard title and sheer calendar are Maya Road.  I covered the lettes with ink and then diamond dust by Art Glitter.  Makes them look like sand.  I also added some Prima, Stickles, Heidi Swapp, buttons, and tiny cardstock letters. 

My kiddos started school last Thursday.  Things have been hectic getting them ready.  Lauren looked so adorable in her uniform.  It was her 1st day of Kindergarten.  It was James’ 1st day of 2nd grade.  They were both a bit nervous, but they had a good day.  I hardly know what to do with myself in the mornings now.  I think this will be the year for organization.

Time always goes fast when you are away from home.  We are happy to be back and getting ready for school to start.  It was a fast, hectic week.  I waited a long time to take my kids to Disneyland for the 1st time.  Most people we know with young kids went sooner, but I’m not sorry we waited.  I actually think we might not go back for a few years.  It’s tiring- not really a vacation for the parents.  There was so much that we didn’t do, but we had fun with what we did.  I think next visit will be in the spring or fall.  Summer is too hot- if convenient.  Aside from seeing Lauren so ecstatic to see Cinderella (her favorite) and the other princesses, I think we had more fun at Legoland.  It’s a good size, but not so big that you feel as if all your time is spent getting somewhere.  The hotel near Disney was cool because it had a water feature for the kids that was awesome and we did that on all days that we were there.

At Legoland- there are tons of trees, so you can find shade, which was so nice.  They have a large track with lego cars for the bigger kids and a smaller one for ages 3-5.  I think that was the favorite for J and L.  James’ track was so big and it had lots of street signs and lights and they had to drive on the right side of the street.  The cars went where they drove them.  If they went in the wrong direction, then the employees would just turn them around.  Very cool!

I didn’t have a hotel reserved for Friday night, but we were lucky to find a room on the beach in San Clemente, which was pretty close to Carlsbad where Legoland is.  Lots of palm trees and lots of people.  We only live about a half hour from the ocean here, but southern CA beaches are so different from No. Cal.  Even though I grew up in So. cal, I forgot how warm it is on those beaches.  It was beautiful.  Here are some pics from that.  I’m sure I will be scrapping these vacation photos for some time. 

My kids are so over the moon excited.  I grew up in So. Cal, so I went to Disneyland often when I was growing up.  My kids, however have not been yet.  I wanted to wait until they were old enough to remember it.  So we are finishing packing now.  We will load up in the am and then we are off.  We will be driving, but it shouldn’t take us longer than 6 hrs to get there.  We have a room at Howard Johnsons Anaheim, which just opened a new water structure called Castaway Cove.  That will keep us busy when we get there, since we won’t go to Disneyland until Monday morning.  I am hoping we can get started early and then take an afternoon break.  I know it’s going to be nuts and something the kids have never experienced before.  I am trying to map out the things that are most important to them.  Lauren LOVES the princesses.  James still likes a lot of the Disney shows.  We plan on being there 2 days.  I was thinking 3, then scaled it down to 2.  With my back problems and 2 little ones, we will be wiped out.  We plan on a day at the beach- probably Carlsbad and then off to Legoland for 2 days.  James is super excited for that as well.  We have heard a lot of fun things about it and have never been.  He loves Legos.  So this is definately the year for the kids!  Next year we will be back in a relaxing beachhouse in Seaside, OR. 

On another note, my good friend, Kim called me over 2 weeks ago to tell me that there was a very tiny kitten hiding in the corner of her yard.  The mama cat is wild and is fed by the neighbors, but that is it.  This poor cat has had many litters.  Since Kim, has no cats and we have 2, she asked me to come take a look.  She wasn’t sure what to do with the poor thing.  Of course I went running over there.  Can I just say that what awaited me was the CUTEST kitten EVER!  It looks like she was born under Kim’s deck and now finally got big enough to wander around.  The mama was feeding her, but now that she was big enough to get around, she needed more care.  Of course I brought her home and took her into the vet the next day.  They guessed her age at 4 weeks.  We decided to foster her and find her a good home.  Well here we are 16 days later and Brad decided 2 days ago that we should keep her.  Of course the rest of us had already wanted to.  We have been bottle feeding her every 4 hrs.  She just doesn’t have the hang of wet food yet or even eating from a plate.  Anyway, all 3 of our cats are being taken care of at a local kennel (even the now 6 week old kitten).  We all had a hard time leaving the kitten there because we have been taking such close care of her.  Hopefully when we get back, we will get her switched over to wet food.  A couple days into fostering her, Brad said she looks like she has rocks on her back so we should call her Rocks!  I immediately said “Roxie” and he said oh no, I just named her.  So the kids and I call her Roxie and he calls her Rocks.  She is adorable.