Autism Awareness

Not sure how many of you know I have a nephew Bridger with Autism.  I had the opportunity to do a media assignment in my English 2010 class and chose this is my subject.  I did a few interviews with my sister and with Bridger - I really like the way it turned out other than you have to turn it up a bit when we are talking and the message goes by really fast - I had to keep it to 3 minutes and didn't want to cut anything out.

Finals the next 2 days!  Will be super busy!
Hugs
B

Running...

I'm not a runner.  Never have been, never will be.  But over the last few months because my husband so kindly signed me up for a few races - I was forced into it.  We did Ragnar in June - I started training 3 weeks before the race (not smart for someone who had never even ran 1 mile before).  My legs were each 4 miles for a total of 12 in a 30 hour time frame.  I trained as best I could and got up to 3 miles before the race.  Some how I endured - I had an awesome team and we had so much fun.  Aside from the blister and lack of sleep I felt okay and was glad I did it.



 
 
 This weekend we have another one called Epic - it runs from Logan up to Jackson Hole.  Dean has done it before and says its beautiful.  I'm nervous but excited because I know what to expect after my last experience.  My legs are 6.5, 3, 4.8.  I am up to 5 miles and am hoping I can make it to the 6.5 without dying first.  I was going to do 7 on Saturday but Mason wanted to join me on the run - I couldn't say no.  We didn't get out the door until 8:45 and by the time hit 2.5 miles it was dark out so we turned around and used the flash light on my phone to get home.  It was fun - Mason was such a trooper and I'm so dang slow he could walk and catch up when he needed.

I've learned it's a mental thing - I still don't love it - It's a great workout - hard on the mind and the body - and hopefully I can keep it up in small doses!! 

Fishing...

 See this old boat - it doesn't look like it would float - does it?  Well when we bought an investment home in Plain City, they left this boat in their shop out back.  We decided to see if it could float and over the 4th of July went camping and ventured up to the property and drove over Monte to Woodruff and put in - we made sure we had a bail bucket in the boat and the kids weren't allowed to take their life jackets off ever. 

 We had so much fun and most of us caught a fish - they weren't very big - but they were fun too catch.  We did have to use the bail bucket because the boat was taking on water slowly - but we never sank!  We did it again this last weekend and went up to upper Birch Creek - Dean had patched the holes so there wasn't nearly the water in the boat.  I caught a tiger trout - we ate it for breakfast the next day and it was so yummy!  I was so proud of the kids - although we did have Ethan whining quite a bit because he was tired and hungry - for the most part they did great. 

 These pictures are taken with my iphone - not the best - but safer than taking my big camera out there.  We just relaxed the rest of the weekend - took a few hikes - Dean gave the kids motorcycle rides and we ate good food.  I love spending time up there with my family - hopefully we get to a few more times before school starts.

 If you can't tell I forgot how to blog - my pictures and text are everywhere - forgive me - I will figure it out!

I'm Back!!

Not sure for how long, or if i can keep it up - but i've been feeling really guilty lately about not keeping this updated - for my sake - so i can keep documenting my families life.  Especially now that I'm not scrapbooking anymore (sad ) - this is the only way its going to happen.  So first I will start with Baylee's birthday - she turned 5 last week on the 13th and I can't believe it!  She's grown up so fast, she acts more like 15 than 5, but I will keep her anyways.  She is such a good girl even though we but heads quite a bit - she is so much like me - with a little extra attitude!  We had a part for her and her little friends - 7 of her friends were from our old neighborhood in Plain city and 2 from here.  I had so much fun decorating - I took a homework hiatus and made decorations and baked for 2 days.  Not sure I will ever do it again - but it was fun getting out my scrapbook supplies that have been collecting dust and play a bit. 

 My grandma made this cute hat for Baylee - I love it.  The doggie purse is from my mom - and don't you just love the pose!

Well - hopefully this will be the first of many - I need to update with our summer photos.  I am in school this summer - have finished one class and have 2 more that go till August 12th! 

lily Bee giveaway!!

You need to make sure and head over to the Lily Bee Blog and sign up for the giveaways!  They are giving away one of each entire collection and one lucky winner gets all 3!!  So go comment on all the posts and get your name in there.  Kristen came out some awesome lines this time around, Julia Stainton, one of our designers created Picket Fence.  I didn't have much time to create with it, but i do have a card to share that i created with Happily Lost, then tomorrow after This and That is posted, i will post my layout and other card.  So here are the three new lines! Make sure you check out what the designers created and the entire lines while over there.

So I'm having issues uploading pictures, for some reason it let me do these 3, then when i try and switch folders, it crashes firefox, it's been happening with my email too when I try and attach there!  UGH.  I will try and work it out, right now i've got school assignments calling my name!
Hugs
 B

Fancy Pants CARDSTOCK - what??

It's beautiful!!  Check it out and go to this link if you want to win a pack of it!  Fancy Pants teamed up with Core' dinations cardstock to create this beautiful paper!!  Here is the link! 

Also wanted to share a quick layout using the mid-release Love Birds.  I love this picture taken with Baylee on Thanksgiving!  We were to showcase the diecut papers that come in this line.  Check here to see what the other girls did! 

 

Thats  it for now friends, i'm in the middle of catching up on school (went to st. george this weekend and didn't study AT ALL), and doing CHA projects!  See you soon.

Hugs

Brenda

Last minute layouts.......

I did my last few layouts for the year this last week while we've been enjoying Christmas break, thought i would stop in and share.  We had a wonderful Christmas, it came and went sooooooo fast.We spent Christmas eve at my parents and then came home and played a few games and set up for Santa, mom didn't want to make Santa's favorite so we used Sugar Cookies that a friend had brought over that day. *Santa insisted*  they were better than the ones i had made that were sitting right there too. 

Ethan started coming in our room around 6:00 a.m. then after 10 minutes after that till it was 7:00.  They were so excited to see what Santa had brought :)

 They got motorized scooters, and Baylee got the Tangled Castle and a Crib for babies along with alot of other fun things.  Then we made the trek to my parents again (and to be honest *Santa* lives there).  We always look forward to see the 'stacks' of presents, and the wonderful food displayed.  It has always been this way with them.  My parents usually don't see eye to eye, my mom wants to stop WAY before my dad ever does, but there is no controlling him.  Even as a child, when we didn't have much, no money, lived in a trailor park, there was always a wonderful Christmas.  We, or the grandkids aren't 'spoiled' all year long (he is actually quite the tightwad, a trait i wish i had inherited), but come Christmas, he does it, and he loves it.  So we let him...........

I feel bad i don't have more pictures.  I really just sat back and enjoyed this year, not crazy with the camera at all.  As a matter of fact, i didn't even pull it out once at Dean's parents.  We headed over there after mine and spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying one another's company.  My SIL Lori got EVERYONE together for a family photo and hopefully will get a copy of that.  So all in all, it was a wonderful day!!

Here are the layouts i did. The first i did with the new line from Fancy Pants called Love Birds!  SO FUN.  Super girly and whimsical i think, but i like that because i have one.  This is Baylee on her 4th birthday last year. 

The next is one i did using Lily Bee product.  Paper is from Catching Fall, Christmas Town and my all time favorite the green polka dot from Lovely.  Baylee and her uncle Brad whom she totally adores taking a walk. 

Okay enough talking............hope everyone has a Happy New Year!!  Our Ethan is getting baptized tomorrow so it should a great day.  We are excited. 

hugs
B