Two new things I'm really excited about!

We have a Rita's!  It is delicious and we are obsessed with gelati!

I finally have a Silhouette!  It has been an amazing week! :)

Sunday fun day

I declare this house organized & clean!  Still one library book missing, but we had success finding these.

Floors swept & mopped.  All laundry washed, folded, & put away in drawers.

Cookies baked.  Roasted chicken waiting to be shredded for enchiladas.

Happy kids & dog! 

Hope your weekend was good too! 

Feeling scrappy

I put project life on hold for a bit to churn out some layouts.  I have a few others I haven't photographed  yet.  I like project life for what it represents and for holding on to our do dads and not, but it is not as fulfilling creatively as making a layout.  Hmm...but I do need to go back to it today and finish up June.  Sometimes it feels like homework!

Tutorial time

Check out a blog post I made for Shimelle.com.  DIY embellishments.  Hope you enjoy!

School's out

Well, here you are summer.  It's been too long.  It's been busy, but here's hoping with you here, life will slow down a bit.

Tuesday

Something I found Monday at Trader Joe's on the bottom shelf in the coffee section.  I love chai tea and I was so happy to see this!  Trying not to drink it all in three days though.  It's hard because it's so delicious!

Project Life weeks 3 & 4 are coming along.  I've been a real monster taking photos with my iPhone and keeping track of the date and what we did.  Sometimes I pick up a real camera and I end up taking photos with that and it gets left out.  So now I want to go back and fill in some gaps.  I'll finish this up today and hopefully post mid week.

Only corner of my scrap room that is not a complete disaster!

Playing with gesso on a layout.  I'm finding all kinds of hidden gems while trolling through my supplies for PL.  

This layout literally came about because I found that glittered star tulle on the floor and I was halfway to the trash to throw it out and stopped, put it on a piece of white cardstock and started layering like a fool!  I like my new "ready set go" stamp I bought at Michaels yesterday.  I think it was .40 on clearance.  Good deal!

Craig hates the grocery store.  

It's the equivalent to a zombie apocalypse for him.  He willingly went.  I needed proof that it happened and I had to document it!

Second week

So I've been scrapbooking, how about you?

These are just a few of the layouts I made for the great CHA challenges over at Two Peas.  There's something about challenges that get the creative juices flowing!  So much Fun!

Here is my second week of Project Life.  To take on Project Life, I knew I didn't want to buy a kit or purchase new supplies monthly.  I have so much good stuff in my stash that sits unused that I knew I wanted to utilize it for PL.

So I plan on buying page protectors and using what I have sitting in my scrap room for my PL.  Hold me to it! :D

Weekend Scrapping

Morning

Cape Cod

Adore her

All you need is Love

I'm also still plugging away at week two of my PL.  That will be completed today, but I couldn't help being inspired by the CHA challenges at Two Peas this weekend.  

I love a challenge to push me creatively.  It definitely makes me go thru the stash and pull out some fun forgotten materials.  Hello ribbon! I missed you!

Charlotte is home sick for the second day in a row.  I'm optimistic it's just a cold though.  Just a persistent cough, especially at night and it makes sleeping difficult.  She looks so sad and tired in the morning, so I kept her home.  I'm hoping tomorrow is the day she goes back.  Happy thoughts, friends!

 

Keeping me honest

This is week one of Project life!  Woot!  I already beat what I accomplished last year!

Last year, I was stumped when it came to creating a title page.  I went back and forth with so many ideas and before I knew it, we were in the thick of January and I hadn't documented anything.  I hate playing catch up, so I abandoned ship, so to speak.

This time, I decided to skip the old title page and I dedicated the top row to us with a title and a family photo taken on Christmas.  Easy peasy, all done! :)

I'm actually excited about this adventure.  So are the girls.  I've created two tiny beings who collect papers and "treasures"from our travels so we can "put it in the book, Mommy!"

I can tell, this is going to be fun! :)

Can I blog again?

Charlotte, me, my mom Sally, and Nora
on my 38th birthday  12/16/12

Happy New Year to you!  Can I come back and maybe, blog again?  

Who knows, but I'm going to try!

I thought about blogging a lot last year and I missed it.  This blog held so many memories for my little family and it's been a fun for my girls to look back on and read.  So I'm going to try this year, 2013, to keep it up!  So here's to you, little blog and to you, anyone out there who reads this! :)

hello 2012

- goodbye 2011.

- I feel like last year was sad times and I'm sure there were definitely good times, but thinking about it, the sadness permeates all my memories and I am glad to have a fresh start and I'm dropping all the "weight" of 2011.

-Speaking of weight, Please let this be the year I finally stick to a diet! I started out with promise again today with a nice walk with the family, consumed many glasses of water, and counted my "points".  I will NOT fall off the wagon during March!   I'm glad I sucked down three of Grandma Sally's cookie bars yesterday!  The guilt makes me too self conscious to look at cookies/candy today!

- New Year's Eve was spent enjoying what has fast become a Schneider classic evening, Karaoke!  Santa brought the girls drums and microphones.  Grandma gave Nora a guitar for Christmas and with some support from YouTube and an iPad,  we were singing our hearts out!
Our favorites: Blackbird, Selena Gomez, Taylor Swift (Nora) Neil Diamond (Craig) Jolene (me!) and Charlotte loves Momma Mia!  I am frightening esp. when I'm channeling "Smells like Teen Spirit"!  (hello hello hello!)

-Girls fell asleep before midnight, but due to my obnoxious horn blowing, they woke up to see a little off the ball falling!  Gaga and Bloomberg sharing a smooch was disconcerting, though!
                   
-After my December Daily failure, I'm hesitant, but I'm going to attempt a Project Life this year.  It will be fun.  :)  Nora and Charlotte are on board and have already contributed some drawings for our title page!  It's going to be a true family journey!

- So yay for 2012!  I'm looking forward to this year!  Happy New Year all!

scrappin again

I have many a Studio Calico kit sitting unused.

It was time to break them open.

My kits pretty much get combined with the previous month's kit and everything else on my desk.

I can't tell the difference in what came in September to what I received in November.

Then when I'm sick of playing with it, everything broken down and combined with regular old stash.

Love that new iPhone!  

I haven't used my camera in so long!

Well, I broke it out to take photos of these layouts,

but it's usually iPhone all the way, baby!

Last Friday, we had some snow while we were sightseeing at Letchworth State Park.

It made me happy because I LOVE snow!

I think it's great and living in western NY, we get LOTS!

Where has the month gone?

This month has flown by!

So I'm in the mood for a quick recap before I forget what we've done!

We're in full swing with red ribbon week at school.

Last week I took these photos because each girl had to send in a picture of then being "helpful".

Yes, Charlotte's photo is totally staged and Pinky was not a willing participant!

She was "helping" me feed the dog aka hold dog hostage with a bag of kibble while I took several unsatisfactory photos because they were holed up in a dark corner of my scrap room!

 Miss Nora's photo is totally genuine.

She did empty that dishwasher and put away every dish!

Bravo Nora!

 Playing with my new iPhone means taking "artsy" pumpkin pictures.

The composition here....I don't know!!!

I thought the pumpkin picture would look good in my scrapbook pages of fall!  ha!

 Halloween party at a friend's house included decorating spooky cut outs.

They look delightful and they must have tasted good because I never got one.

They were eaten up after this photo was taken by two little girls.  Hmmm.

Oh my gosh!

Fried cake doughnuts never tasted better!

My attempt to get scrappy.

Charlotte's attempt to hijack my scrappy.

And Nora's successful cookie decorating.

Both girls are going to be pirates this year and I can't wait to see them together in their costumes.

Last year, they were both witches.

I love that they have been coordinating their costumes the last couple of years!

Bravo ladies!

Come to me!

Finally!

You will be mine and I eagerly await your arrival!

And if you do not show up on Friday, I will cry.

A lot.

Bye Summer, Hello Fall

 Charlotte Jane is in first grade!

Say what!!!

Our fashion social diva has a full day of school, finally.

I worried about having some stinky mornings, because she is NOT a morning person,

but she has adjusted very well. I think it's because school is fun!  

She doesn't mind getting up and an earlier bedtime helps too.

Nora took the photo above.  I think she did a splendid job!

Next I'm going to scrap Nora's 1st day of 2nd grade.  Unfortunately, I don't have a photo of Nora with me and Craig.  I didn't feel confident about handing over my D90 to Charlotte, at least in the presence of Craig!  I mean the poor guy looks a little uncertain with Nora holding it!  Ha!

Sure sign that summer is over.  The tearing down of our little pool.

Farewell!

stop drop listen

 September has been too busy with the start of school and all its activities.

It's good to run outside and just play in the rain.

It's good to be a kid.

For a little dog....not so much!

A to Z list

This A to Z list has been popping up on several blogs I read.  I thought it looked fun and absolutely easy!  This month has been the busiest month that I can remember in a long long time.  Back to school, girl scouts, faith formation classes, travel, and the PTSA have been running me into the ground!  I haven't scrapped all month, so hopefully today is the day I make a comeback!


In the meantime, some blogger filler!


A. Age: 36, yikes!

B. Bed size: King


C. Chore that you hate: dishwasher

D. Dogs:  Pinky dog, just the best dog in the world!

E. Essential start to your day: getting girls on the bus.

F. Favorite color: green

G. Gold or Silver: white gold

I. Instruments you play: once upon a time, piano and flute.  Wished it were guitar!

J. Job title: mom

K. Kids: Two wonderful girls! :)

L. Live: Rochester, NY

M. Mother’s name: Sally

N. Nicknames: Annie

O. Overnight hospital stays:  four

P. Pet peeves:   rude people

Q. Quote from a movie:  "Bond, James Bond"

R. Right or left handed: right

S. Siblings: five brothers and one sister

U. Underwear: I still like to buy my underwear in packs of 5 or 6!  I do own nice underwear that I purchase piece by piece, but I still prefer cotton undies that come in bulk packages!  

V. Vegetable you hate: collards

W. What makes you run late: snooze button gets me all the time, even today as a matter of fact!

X. X-Rays you’ve had: kidneys & definitely teeth

Y. Yummy food that you make: pizza
Z. Zoo animal: bats

Remembering September 11th

10 years ago I was working in a bookstore in Newport, RI getting ready to open when my co worker came into work and told me about a commuter plane crashing into the World Trade Center.   News junkies that we were, we grabbed an old radio in the back office to listen to updates.   Disbelief and horror were the overriding emotions we felt listening to the morning unfold.

I got a call from Craig who was stationed at the naval base in Newport.   They were getting their information from the television like everyone else.

It was a surreal day. Tourists wandered in, not knowing what to do with themselves. We were all strangers united by grief and I cried with people I'll never see again. We kept our radio on all day to hear as much information as we could.

We closed early that day. I got the call from my district manager giving me permission to close around 3. There were two older women in the bookstore,  tourists,  I told them we were closing for the day and I'll never forget how annoyed they were with me.  They didn't understand the gravity of the situation.

The bridges leading to Newport were closed.  The naval base was on high alert.

I drove home, kissed my husband, called my family in Rochester, and called my friends who worked in Manhattan. We were all okay, but so many weren't. We met up with some Navy and Coast Guard friends at our favorite local dive bar and shared a couple pitchers of beer. There was no music blaring from the jukebox, no darts being thrown, and really no conversation. It was silent companionship and grief watching the world change on television.
Life changed that day. Military life changed  and American life would never be the same.

Irene...you can't keep us from having fun!

Guess who finally got a mini vacation in?!!?

We went to Cape Cod for the weekend and guess who else came?

Hurricane Irene!

Yes....that rotten, no good hurricane tried to spoil our fun.

I didn't let it, no way...no how!

Above is a photo of the Mass pike.

It's Friday, August 26, and everybody is leaving!

We went for our friend Seth's wedding.  It was super pretty and just a few raindrops, not enough to mar the festivities!

Nora enjoyed her first lobster.  Girl loves shellfish!

 The wedding was on Saturday and yes, we were under a tent.

No, we did not blow away.

It was very pretty!

Earlier that morning, we went down to the shore to check out the waves.

It's not an everyday occurrence, to hang out on the coast when a major hurricane is predicted!

It was gray, windy, and a little surreal.

The hurricane was battering the Carolinas, so our area was safe for the time being! 

 These horseshoe crabs were making toward the high grass off the shore.

They scared the pants off of Charlotte!  She walked up to them not realizing and started screaming!

We whisked her out of "harm's way", but she continued to whine whenever she caught eye of them!

Nora and I had to carry her across that part of the beach several times.

Turns out she's not a fan!

 Look how cute!

From the beach, we could see the preparation people were taking to protect their seafront homes.

Many boards across windows and a few homes had snazzy metal shades that pulled down.

It was something I've seen on television, but to see the preparation taking place is unreal.  

This is a photo taken from the car on our departure Sunday morning.

We left the cape about 7am to try and beat the hurricane.  

We made it off the cape and then halfway through driving through Massachusetts, the heavy rains came.

It rained so hard, it was ridiculous!

Thank goodness, Craig was driving.

I know I would've had to pull over and sit it out!

He drove like a champ, even through the Albany area.

Which was actually the worst of it!

When we got home, I saw on the news they closed the thruway after we went through.

All in all, it was a great time! 

We loved the little taste we got of Cape Cod!

The wedding was lovely and the girls were so excited to be there!

We were all so hungry for a little taste of vacation life after our stinky summer!

So it was a grand success and even Irene couldn't take it away from us!

And because I have to post a layout, here's my latest.

Hugs and Kisses to Lulu having her first week at Ithaca College right now!

We love you and are so proud of you!

xoxox