My Favorites!!!

Todays blog challenge is about our 25 favorite things and I could actually list way more than that since there are SO many things I love but here is my list.

1. Ice Water or Ice tea- I really do love water the best of any beverage, it is refreshing.
2. Shrimp scampi- one word Yum!!
3. Fall is my favorite season-love the colors and the change in the air..also makes for some beautiful pictures.
4. Anything from Bath and Body works-lotion, bubble bath, lip gloss. I think if I ever worked there I wouldn't have much left of a paycheck..lol
5. Tim McGraw is my favorite male artist and I got to go to his concert a few years ago...Awesome and a great time with my sister and brother.
6. Scrapbooking is my favorite hobby.
7. Photography is my 2nd favorite hobby-you should see how many photos I have on my computer..lol
8. Black Licorice -I love it!
9. Oregon Coast was my favorite vacation-I love the ocean!
10. Sky Blue and Red are my favorite colors-one is calm the other energetic..this also describes me.
11. Footloose and Walk to Remember are my favorite movies.
12. Jamocha Almond Fudge is my favorite ice cream..mmm wish I had some right now:-)
13. Favorite Memory-the day I got married and my babies were born..such sweet memories, there is nothing like the smell of a newborn baby that is brand new.
14. Popcorn is one of my favorite snacks-love it with butter.
15. Friends-I have had many good ones through the years but some of my best are: Angie, Dana, Rich, Linda,Amber..ok so I am almost at 25 since I listed five favs. in one..lol
16. Bubble baths-awww they are so relaxing and comforting.
17. Honda Accord-after owning one I truly love these cars.
18. Number-7 is my favorite number and I don't know why, I just like it;-)
19. Past time- Reading or spending time on the computer.
20. Flower- Roses of any color..love them!!
21. Soda Pop-Dr. Pepper-I don't drink it that much though, only on occasion with dinner or when were out to eat.
22. Anything BBQ-chicken, steak, burgers, fish..the joys of Summer:-)
23. Salad with Blue cheese dressing
24. Thunderstorms-I love rain and thunder too.
25. Animal-Horse and Dog
    

Celebrate the day you were born-Birthdays

Our Blog challenge today is about Birthdays and how you celebrate them or what you do for yours and others...Well I didn't celebrate my B-day as in a party sense when I was an adult until only about 4 or 5 yrs. ago when My Dad married my step mom and her and her family were really into celebrating each others B-days with dinner or atleast a get together and even gifts:-) so I remember her telling me that B-days are our own special day to celebrate us and the day we were born. Some people don't believe in this and others do and the way I look at it is that I am glad I am here and Life is special and the day you were born is a good day meant to be celebrated-not in a boastful way but in a good way, it makes you feel good and for me it is just another reason to get together with family and that is what is important to me -spending time with family even if there wasn't any gifts and only food:-) I love food! But I have gotten some pretty awesome gifts on my Birthday too; Plants, jewelry, scrapbooking supplies, music,chocolate, clothes, $$ and etc. This year my Mom got me something I had never seen before and when I saw the box I couldn't even imagine what it was and then when I got home I opened it and WOW...It is a wall hanging that you plug in and it has a picture of a waterfall on it and even makes the sounds of a waterfall with motion. It is the coolest thing ever, I think this year it was my most favorite gift cause it is so unique and something I had never seen before.
Birthdays are Great!! Thanks Mom:-)

Animals are dear to our heart

We are very fortunate to live where we do and be able to have our animals. I am so thankful for this, each one has their own little personality. We have had our Siamese cat the longest of all of them , she is about 6 yrs. old and is now pregnant-she hasn't had any kittens for about 3 and 1/2 yrs. so we are very excited here, especially the kids. Our newest member of the family is Honey..she is Cassies horse-she bought her and if there was ever a horse loving kid it is her. Honey needs some work since where she came from she was only ridden 3 times last year and is now quite spoiled but she is getting easier to work with every day. Todd rode her yesterday and said she was alot calmer than she has been-she didn't try to rear up or throw her head with him like she was before. I already love her but it is pretty easy to love a horse. Buggs is our old horse and he is soo sweet, I think you could almost walk under neath him and he wouldn't do a thing to you-he is a GREAT kids horse and up there in his years..I hate thinking about the day that he isn't around anymore and Cassie will just go to pieces. Rowdy is our Dog and he is Austrailian Cattle Dog, he has a cute disposition and sometimes smiles when I walk up to him-it is the cutest thing. Sammy kind of came to us after his owner passed away and he is our other cat-very spoiled and obviously ate really well where he was before because to get him to eat cat food is like pulling teeth, he might eat it if you sneak some steak in it or something from the oven..he is adorable but my gosh does he know that this place isn't a restaurant? lol
Our Piglets are the kids 4-H projects and now with all three kids in 4-H we thought it'd be a good idea to raise them ourselves so our Sow had 10 babies in Feb. and Oh my gosh they were so tiny(for pigs anyway) and they really have personalities. I never knew how smart pigs were until we started raising them-they can be so comical at times too.
That is the menagerie of animals we have at our little farm in the dell:-) We also have 2 rabbits that live outside in their cages and get lots of attention and get to run around inside sometimes and hang out with the kids. Thank God for animals!!!! Gotta Love em:-)

Sunsets-the sky is a canvas..paint it well

a photo of the sunset on our way home. It looked like there was fire in the sky.
sunsets are so awesome!!!!

Here is a sunset that I captured just at the right time as we were driving home the other night and it was so beautiful. I couldn't stop with the camera-sunsets are one of my favorite all time things that inspire me.

HAPPY FATHERS DAY!!!

To My Dad-the first inspiration I ever had in my life: my teacher and my friend who taught me about life and the way to treat people and the beauty in art and also taught me how to tell a person what you feel cause they can't read your mind. Took me fishing, hunting and camping and made it fun. To this day I remember them all. I love you Dad!!

To My Husband-who has taught me what "real" love is and for being so patient, understanding, loyal and a great Dad to our children(they look up to you so much) You truly are my BEST friend in life and I know anything I tell you it is locked within your heart and stays with you only. I love you and am blessed to have you.

And for all the other Dads/Fathers I know: My Brother, My friend Rich, My friend Jim-you are great Dads and I am so thankful to have you in my life and for all the things you have taught me in one way or another. Today is your day...Happy Father's Day!!

A little insight about ME:-)

Hmmm a little about me, well where do I start? There are many things that make up me and these could be a little tricky to write because I don't usually write about me so much-mostly the things that I like that makes up a small part of me but to get to know me a little more I guess I have to go a little deeper on what really makes up Me..

I was born in 1970 in Wyoming and I am the oldest of 3 with a sister and brother both younger than me-I always thought it was a joy to have one of each when I was growing up. I graduated in 1989 and about a yr. after high school I decided I wanted to go as far away as I could (to see a new place) to be a nanny. I went to Connecticut and I loved it but I was quite homesick for my family and for where I lived so that was short lived and came home 3 months later. I met my husband 4 months after I came home and we started dating but never got married for almost a year later. I knew the first night I met him that I would end up being his wife.

I became a mom when I was 24 but so close to 25 that it would count for it:-) I knew all my life since I was a kid that I wanted to be a Mom and Wife but never knew I would be blessed with the family I've got. I now have 3 children and they are the light of my life.

I don't deal with changes so well and I am a dweller-my Mom always used to tell me that I dwell on things too much..this is my emotional side of me coming out. I feel like I am too sensitive at times with things and I can sometimes cry at the drop of a hat-you know commercials, songs, drawings and cards the kids give me..you name it.

I love my friends and my family and when you are my friend you will be for life. I get hurt easily but I bounce back too. I love to talk and listen to music-music has inspired me since I was a little girl (my friends and my sister sometimes call me on the phone and ask: what is the name of this song?) lol. I love cooking and trying new recipes but I am not a very good baker-you should see some of my cakes that are from a darn box recipe(can we say cooking school-NOT)

I am a scrapbooker and card maker-love making cards with rubber stamps and my supply of scrapbook supplies keeps me busy. I just became a Creative Memories consultant and really love teaching others the hobby. Right now I would say that I am content where I am at but I have my days and that I will leave up to God-He knows me the best!

I am so Greatful..

Todays blog challenge is on something/someone we are greatful for and when I think about this it is a hard one for me because there are so many things that come to mind that I could probably write a book but I am most greatful for God being in my life and just for making me the person I am today-for all the blessings he has given me in my life and of these there are many. Without Him I would have nothing. He has blessed me with many things in my life and these are some of them I am most thankful for

1. My family-both my family that I was born to and the family I have created with my husband:our children that from the moment they were born have been a gift in my life
2. For the place we live and the job my husband has that keeps us here in a place we love and a great place for our children to grow up.
3. Friends- the friends we have that are a constant joy in our lives and that we get to spend precious times with them.
4. For unanswered prayers because God always knows what he is doing.
5. For the creativity and ability I have to scrapbook our memories and create life books for our children to have when they are grown.
6. For our health-I am thankful for this each and every day cause I know anything can and will happen when you least expect it.
7. For my brother and sister and all the fun and not so fun times we had growing up and even now I am more thankful since we are older to be able to share stories with them.
8. I am thankful for sunsets, roses, lilacs, waterfalls, and our childrens laughter
9. Vacation-this is a special time for us each year to have quality family time and look forward to it each year to spend time together.
10. Thankful for each of our kids talents or interests to make them their own "unique" self.

These are just a few things I am most thankful for-when I search my heart there are many many more but I am sure there will be another day I can list those.

Fun with photos

Here is a photo of me that I livened up a bit..I am into the gray scale with a touch of color on my photos and never really knew how to do it before but now I have found 2 great programs to do that with: Photo Explosion and CM Memory Manager(I love this program) you can put photos into all different folders and even put them into more than one folder and put labels on them so they are easy to find. You can list them by year and if you have the ability on your camera(date stamp) it will keep track for you in your photos folder and list them by DAY:-) this is an awesome tool to have if you are someone like me that forgets dates of photos taken-yes I do that alot so I say Halelujah to Memory Manager. It is very easy to use and has very nice tools, my favorite one to use is the clone brush and color remover. Photo Explosion is another great one to have but is a bit more complicated to figure out and takes some time, once you have it figured out you can add many things and change colors of photos w/out it having to be changed all together(the original photo I mean) You can add backgrounds, text, borders, change from color to black and white, sepia and etc. This photo of me was done in Memory Manager.

Water

Today we are to post a photo of water on the Blog challenge and it took me a bit to find a more recent photo but I truly think I am a water person, water captivates me and I love being around it. The best sound in the world -well one of them is a waterfall or a fast running creek. I remember going camping all the time when I was a kid and falling asleep to the sound of a creek running by just calmed me so much and to this day I love it. Water falls, creeks, and the ocean waves crashing on the shore. Something about water is so soothing to me. For my photo this time though is a photo of water that is nearby where we live that we don't seem to get to as often as we used to for fishing and boating and just having fun but still love it and what a beautiful sight it was on our way home the other evening. I took this photo from the car as we drove by.

Summertime Memories

I don't know where to start for memories cause I have so many great ones, from the time I was a kid to now being a Mom and making special memories with my own kids and my family.
Me and my sister used to go to my Grandmas for about a week in the summer and have such a great time with her going shopping, spending time outside in the yard drinking tea and lemonade-just laughing and being crazy..Grandma was so much fun. I remember driving to the store in her little Pinto car and helping her put clothes fresh and clean right out of the wash on the clothes line(there is something about the smell of clothes that are dried on the line) mmmm

We would slip into bed each night in the BEST smelling clean sheets ever-I can still smell them like it was yesterday. Grandma would clean her face every night with Noxema face wash and that smelled pretty great too! :-) Our brother wouldn't go with us cause he was too young.

Being a Mom now I'd have to say that our vacations that we have been on are some of the best memories ever-we have been to some great places and seen lots of neat things...MT. Rushmore, Jackson Hole and Grand Tetons, Oregon Coast(this was the prettiest place we have visited I think) running on the beach in the rain with the kids-my husband thought I was crazy..lol

4th of July has always been my favorite Holiday and every year we go to a local fireworks show that is so awesome-especially the finale. The people that host it give every kid that shows up their very own bucket of fireworks: sparklers, poppers, glasses, candy and more that kids love.

I have some great photos of the kids having fun with their sparklers and waiting for the big show to start. Something about small town life and the "little" things you get to do make great memories.

Our county fair is another fav. memory of Summer, our kids love taking their animals and being with family and friends and learning all about 4-H-it is a great time!

Finally..the Best ever Summer memory I have to this day and always will be is the day our son was born-Yep he is a Summer baby and now going on 9. The day was so sweet bringing him home to his new crib/bassinet that my sister in law loaned to me-Mom and Dad came to visit and stay for a couple days and the whole experience will always be in my mind and my heart. Where do the years go?? Awww, sweet memories!!