Creative Inspiration

A fellow scrapbooker and friend has cancer. She is scheduled to go to MD Anderson on July 20th. It was suggested that we each create a page to encourage her that would be put in a book to give to her. This is my creation. I went back to my "Mixed Media" for this project. I hadn't done any of that in a while but really had fun creating this. This page is 8 1/2x11. I do not do much drawing but I did have a stamp in mind that I wanted to use. It is from Unity Stamp Company and designed by Phyllis Harris. Those of you that follow me know my fetish with Phyllis Harris stamps! (to see the picture larger just click on it). The phrase "You Make Me Brave" comes from a song we sing at our church. I wrote some of the lyrics at the bottom of the page. The teal colored ribbon was part of a Unity Stamp set. I colored the ribbon teal as that represents the type of cancer my friend has.

A closer look at the bottom of the page.

Here is the other side. The title on this side is also from a song we sing at church. The image is another Unity Stamp designed by Phyllis Harris.

Lyrics from the song Oceans.

Have a good one!

Changes Coming

Vanessa and the kids came over on Monday night July 13th for dinner. She had called and asked me what I was doing. That usually means she wants something. Yep, she wanted to know if I was cooking and could they come eat. Sure! After dinner we spend time together in the living room.

When Keannon is out of town on the job this scenario happens quite frequently but its ok. I do enjoy it. It's just the figuring out what to fix!

By the end of August the kids will be living in the Peanut Palace for a few months. The lease on their house is up the end of August. They have decided not to try to purchase the house they are in. Due to some issues with finances they are not eligible to apply for a loan until December. They have decided to save some money so they will be in a better position to buy what they want. This will be interesting to say the least. I can already visualize a worn footpath between the Palace and our back porch from little feet! Just thinking about it brings a smile to my face! If at some point it gets to be too much I can always go ride, or go to the scrapbook store.

I do see some benefit. Vanessa and I have already talked a little about cooking together and maybe doing some trade offs.

In the midst of them getting ready to "downsize" Vanessa has been going through the kids toys. She brought one of them over her for Kashton to play with. He absolutely loves it. It's a mini train set.

This will be a great toy to keep him entertained!

Little Miss Priss will be 10 months old the 26th of this month.

Here's a short clip of Korin.

Have a good one!

Helping Feed

July 14th Vanessa was attending a church women's event. She had the kids with her but when she was
getting them out of the car she discovered Kashton was soaked and she didn't have any spare clothes with her. She asked if I could come get him until she was through. I said "sure".

I bring him home and look through the clothes I have. Kashton hasn't stayed with me as much as the girls. I discovered I didn't have ANY boy clothes! I didn't want to take him to feed horses with no clothes so this is what I came up with! It was the least "girly" thing I could find. I sent a picture to Vanessa and she said "Don't take him in public!"

He's a good little helper! He helped me feed another time not too long ago and Vanessa said she overheard him tell Kennedy "I feed the horses!".

After we put the hay out he wanted to sit in it!  We didn't run into anybody while we were "out in public" so I think he's reputation is safe. Wait....I blogged it! Hehe....my bad :) At least I didn't put it on Facebook!

Have a good one!

Me and Little Man

Vanessa was scheduled to work and asked if I could keep Kashton. Kennedy was celebrating her little
friend Mikaela's 4th birthday.

No matter how hot it is Kashton wants to be outside. I'm not sure why but he seems to have a thing for cows and horses. There are a couple of cows not far from my house so I tell Kashton we'll go see them. He wants to ride in the wagon.

He was being silly

It's this look that just melts my heart! Poor little guy ran into the corner of a piece of plywood being used as a table. Smack dab right between the eyes earlier that day.

We finally begin our walk to see the cows. Its so hot the cows are in the middle of the pasture under the trees and we can barely see them. He gets tired of riding in the wagon and decides he wants to walk holding my hand.

We came upon this unusual looking Mesquite Tree.

We walked by a house that had goats. Kashton was intrigued by them. They were laying down under the shade when we first arrived. I thought it was cute that he tried to call the goats to come to him but as you can see they didn't.

Have a good one!

Little Red Wagon

July 6th Vanessa and Keannon went somewhere and chose not to take the kids so I kept them for a
little while. Of course they always want to be outside. Kennedy's bike was still at my house from the day before so she rode her bike on the rode in front of the Peanut Palace. This street is not as heavily traveled as the one in front of our house. Kashton wanted to ride in the wagon. At one point both kids were in the little wagon and I managed to get a few pictures of them together.

There is something so cute about the way Kashton "cuts" his eyes! He is such a cutie!

 Oh the faces he makes cracks me up!

Kashton wants his turn at pulling the wagon.




Have a good one!

Day After the 4th

Kennedy wanted to spend the night with me then she learned that Daddy and Mommy had fireworks
they were going to shoot off at a friends house. We made plans to connect on Sunday after church and lunch.

One of the first things she talked me into was making a trip to the "Candy Store" as she calls it. We have a little convenience store a block from us. It has been there for YEARS.  I think it was there even when Doyle was a boy.

Kennedy had gotten some candy that you lick then stick it in a colored sugary powder mix. The mixture of colors gave her a green tongue. She thought that was too funny and wanted me to take a picture.

After a trip to the store, she wanted to ride bikes. The neighborhood we live in isn't very safe for riding so I took her on part of the trail now that she can ride without training wheels! We got on the trail by Fire station 2.

We rode about a mile. I thought that was pretty good for her.

We got back to where we started just as the sun was setting. We weren't very far from the Fire station and Doyle was working so we went to see him and get a cold drink of water!

It had been quite a while since I had brought Kennedy to the station and she wanted to look in the fire truck and ambulance.

Pretending to be the patient.

We were saying our goodbyes when a call came in for a fire alarm at the High School across the highway from the station. We watched them as the rolled out of the station. We learned later it was a false alarm but Kennedy got to see the guys in action.


Have a good one!

4th of July

I spent the biggest part of the day crafting with my friend Teresa at her house. We had a blast and the time went by way too fast. I had dinner plans at the kids before fireworks.

Keannon and Vanessa had invited another couple they are friends with. They have a little girl who is in between Kennedy and Kashton. She turned 4 on July 11th. She and Kashton were driving around in the jeep. They were so cute!

She has the prettiest eyes! Her name is Mikaela. She is going to be a big sister to a little brother in November.

 After dinner we head out to watch our local fireworks display. Granddad getting some time with Korin.

She will be 10 months on the 26th.

Kennedy enjoyed sparklers while waiting for the fireworks show.

Mikaela enjoying sparklers.

Kashton was afraid of the sparklers at first but he finally got brave enough to try them.

Hamming it up for me!

Silly kids!

Kennedy wanted to take a picture. We were supposed to be making silly faces!








Also while waiting for the fireworks I got to see and photograph a pretty cool sunset.

We had a good time and the fireworks show was pretty good too. I didn't try to get any pictures of that. Just enjoyed watching them with the kids.


Have a good one!