I love scrapbooking!!

I got to work on my scrapbook today...that always makes me HAPPY!!!

I made my very first scrapbook page at a Creative Memories party over 10 years ago. I've played around with different kinds of albums, styles, methods...never finding the perfect fit for my likes, dislikes, needs, wants, desires.

Today I was telling Petey that it's finally all come together for me!

- I have an album type that is easy, quick and simple, yet allows me enough room for creativity and journaling.

- Not only do I have a digital camera but it happens to be on my cell phone, which is always handy and very easy to upload onto my computer.

- Ah...my computer! I LOVE my iMac!! This is really what has fixed the last few dislikes I had about trying to scrapbook. My pictures are automatically organized according to date, separated into files...automatically! Super easy to find the one I'm looking for. If it's a horizontal picture and I need a vertical one, a few quick clicks of the mouse and I have my vertical picture!

Thanks to Hobby Lobby and their 50% off sticker sales, I can even indulge myself without breaking the budget = )

The albums are from Parker.

www.parkeralbums.com

No need to crop pictures, tape them in, mat them, shape them...but you can if you want! You can mix and match page layouts and sizes or just use a blank sheet of paper for traditional scrapbooking. You can leave a picture window empty to be able to put a longer journal entry there or a stamped, colored image like I did in the top picture. You can make the pages as simple or as fancy as you want.

Anyhow, today I sat at the computer, printed out pictures, slid them into the slots on the pages and got almost 6 months completed, ready to be decorated and journaled = )

I thank God for the opportunity to scrapbook. The process is fun, the memories are fun, and sharing them with friends and family is fun too!

Creative Carol Crabtree!

My friend, Carol, gave me these patio lights for my birthday one year. They were in a big bag with everything needed for a way cool beans party! Paper plates, cups, napkins, silverware, placemats, citronella candles...all color-coordinated = )

The disposable stuff has long been used up but I'd never hung the lights up... and I REALLLLLLLY wanted to!

Today, the long-awaited hanging of the lights! Thanks to Petey, they are up and ready to be enjoyed for a long time to come, hopefully. They look great...whether you're sitting on the patio or inside on the couch looking outside.

What makes them even more beautiful is that I will ALWAYS think of Carol when I look at them. She is also beautiful inside and out. Super talented, sweet, giving, fun...AWESOME chicky friend!

She knows just the thing to give you to make you feel special...memorable gifts like the dog paw doorbell (installed here at our front door!), she bought me my first size 2 skort after I'd lost weight...a time in which she was my uber-encourager! That skort was recently handed down to Faithy who wears it often... and I think of Carol and her thoughtfulness and generosity when I see it.

What a special friend...I cherish Carol...and thank God for her!

My boy, Buddy...

My friend, Kasha, spent the day with us today. After meeting all our boys, she said something that I've heard ALOT at such a time..."I like this one the best...he's so sweet and calm!"

Yes, that's my sweet and calm Buddy-boy. He IS a sweetheart...he never foists himself on anyone (Piper!) or demands that you come throw an object for him (Dingo!). He's just...there...lightly leaning against you...waiting for you to notice him and maybe pet him.

He is just like this picture of him...calmly sitting there, watching you, then softly swishing his tail when he realizes you're going to notice him, talk to him or give him some pettums.

I love each of my boys for what makes them special...their own particular characteristics and attributes. I thank God for my Buddy-boy!

Thankful for Healthy Habits Organic Co-op = )

Today was co-op pick up day and Mrs. Brenda drove us this time...in her Prius!! It was my first time to ride in one and I was fascinated by all the neat bells and whistles...and COMPUTERS!!!

This is only one screen that you can choose from but it's SO cool to watch the diagram of where the power is coming from...battery, engine, current gas mileage, etc.

And now look at all this yummy produce we can eat on for the next two weeks = )

I'm so glad Petey is home to enjoy God's bountiful provision...I feel quite guilty eating all the yummy fruits and veggies when he's away...

A walk in the park with ALL my boys = )

Today I had Petey to hold the leash so I was able to get clearer pics = ) Here we are almost to the park...

Here we are after our water stop...the park is SOOOOO beautiful...but HOT today!

And here we are walking home...some nice shady bits along here = )

A very pleasant day with my Sweety...just doing the normal run-the-household chores, but so much more enjoyable with Petey here!!

My frisbee-lovin' Dingo-dog!

Today was wash-day. 3 loads hung out on the clothesline. Dingo calls it frisbee-day though = )

While I'm hanging clothes, he's bringing me his frisbee so I can throw it as I reach down into the laundry basket for the next item to be hung. Bend, throw, reach, pin on the line, then Dingo's back with the frisbee. Over and over and over, ad infinitum!

But I don't mind = ) For many, many years I wanted a frisbee dog. Any dog who joined our family, I would try to get them to play with the frisbee...none of them were interested.

But Dingo...he's dedicated...well, mostly fixated, but dedicated sounds better...hahaha

He will run and catch the frisbee for as long and as often as someone will throw it for him. It's his job and he takes pride in doing it well!

Anyone who comes over...doesn't matter if it's family, friends or a complete stranger...gets asked to throw his frisbee. And he's very persuasive...who could say no to such a cute little fella???

I thank God all the time for choosing us to be mama and daddy to Dingo. Someone dumped Dingo off out in the country where we used to live. While I still can't imagine anyone being dumb enough to do that to Dingo, much less ANY dog, I'm so thankful that I get to love Dingo. I finally got my frisbee dog after all those years!

Sweety Petey is HOME!!!

I dearly love this man!! His homecoming is ALWAYS a time for rejoicing!

We've already started making plans on what we'd like to get done while he's home this time...nothing big so far...get one of the cars inspected...maybe take a road trip somewhere...like A & M to take my nephew back to college...that's always fun.

I thank God for Petey...life with him just keeps getting better and better...and since it started out wonderful, you can imagine how it is now = ))