It's Our Life

Say what you will about the much loved/maligned reality show Jon and Kate Plus 8, but there's more reality there than you might think. The last few years when they were still all together their tagline, "It Might Be a Crazy Life, But, It's OUR Life" really rings true for this harried Momma.

Last week was wrapped up with a day long celebration of these two...

Daddy had his first day off in 18 days. It was a treat as we had lots packed into the day and I was happy to have an extra pair of hands and eyes. We carbo loaded with these made by Daddy the chef...

After that we packed up the sunscreen and towels and headed to the pool. Oh man, did they love that!!

After a good nap we opened presents inside and then finished up in the garage... Yippee!!! do you have any idea of the agony these two were undergoing as they awaited the big day in hopes that they'd get big bikes?!?

Cake number numero uno. I can't get over their sweet expressions...

We wrapped up the day with dinner (pizza, their favorite) and a movie. We were lucky enough to enjoy another big movie event here on base. Including a red carpet, dressup, photographers, face painting, characters, snacks and sodas. It was a terrfic ending to a great day celebrating my babies. sniff sniff.

This one I had so much fun with. It has some instagram photos (surprise, surprise) and some July pix of the birthday kids. Scrap That Baby's latest prompt is Summer fun. I'd say these photos fit that bill. Swimming, Movie Stars, and Slurpees...

Enjoying one last weekend together before Donk is off. What Summer Fun do YOU have planned for this weekend?

The Last Week of School

The last week of the 2010-2011 school year. A photo essay, if you will. It was exhausting and busy and emotional all rolled into one. Oh yea, it even involved sirens and an ambulance.

Up first. the week ended with flip flops & smoothies ands Red Box/pizza night. Yep, we did survive.

It started with P.J.'s mini Olympics. A day chock full of school spirit and great kids doing their very best. To be one of 10 students chosen from your school to represent at a district-wide athletic event was so awe inspiring!! That's Bubba, the tug o war anchor in burgundy.

Poor Reagan, the do gooder was checking on a lost dog. Before...

and 10 stitches later...

The Twinnies (& the Momma) spent waaaay to much time in the truckster...

Reagan, pre-dog incident posing for a pix after his awards assembly. Julia and P.J. also had lots to be proud of at their own.

I did this when I wasn't ferrying kids or cheering them on...

This one is for Scrap That Baby's latest prompt: Storytime. You know you wanna come play...

This one was for Creative Soup's Mojo Monday 6.06. Scrap a favorite vacation memory. My Dad and my sister...

Phew. Still with me? Thanks. More fun is planned for this next week. Check back soon.

If The Shoe Fits

Choo choo, the crazy train continues. I keep packing and the brood keeps on unpacking. Oh, where did that toy come from? Oh, I want to read THAT book. Oh, I can still fit in that pirate shirt. Oh... squirrel! The Bigs are home on Spring Break and we're stuck inside due to a rather pleasant stomach bug and these darn pesky boxes. I do reward my endeavors with frequent breaks to enjoy my surroundings. Once such break was volunteering in Reagan's class. I was lucky enough to get to read to the class and help out with a couple of craft/math activities. It was so much fun to be back in the classroom. Now THAT is like riding a bike. But, the highlight of my visit was helping out with the Easter Egg Hunt in the school's courtyard. The very same hunt I volunteered for when P.J. and Julia, too were kindergarteners. I will miss this place next year.

The oh so proud boy. He has this crazy grin on in every picture when Momma is in his class.

A new lady friend...

The Twinnies with their completed craft and a new friend , as well.

Had to show you this closeup from my last post. I just love how all the little details of this layout for Scrap That Baby came together.

This next one I did for Creative Soup's Mojo Monday. The PROMPT 4.18 was to find inspiration in a shoe. This one was an easy one for me as I have always been inspired by the cute little shoes my kiddos wear from Stride Rite. Here's my take on the prompt and the shoes that inspired me. Please come play along... the forum is hopping with chatter and creativity.

Ninety-Six Boxes

96 Boxes. That's how many boxes I've packed since this latest installment in the Dziekan Family Adventure began. I've sorted, purged, and packed for about 3 weeks and I still have a few more weeks (and boxes) to go. To try to keep my sanity in between the cardboard and homework and usual household fun, I've been scrapping as much as possible. This time around I played with Studio Calico's On the Easel. I think I've done enough damage to that kit, it may be time to retire it. Sigh, once again the colors and the goodies were a home run. I can't share 2 of the pages as they're for Creative Soup in the coming weeks. Hint hint.

Speaking of Creative Soup, in honor of the BRAND SPANKIN NEW site, we're hosting a week o fun starting on the First. Please come join the forum and get ready to be inspired. You won't be sorry. Do it HERE.

I CAN share this layout I did for Scrap That Baby's newest prompt. SBT challenges you to pull out those ultrasound pictures and get scrapping. This one is priceless to me. The twinnies in all their in utero finest. Totally had to stitch in honor of my newest scrappy crush... Kin.

Another layout for fun using the awesome On The Easel. Stay tuned for two more to go live at Creative Soup on 4/25 and 5/23!


Be back soon with all the gouge on Creative Soup's Spring Class: Get Messy!

Jen

Change is Never Easy For This One

Well, I told you I had some news. I've joined the Creative Team over at Creative Soup. Creative Soup is a relatively new challenge blog/forum. I am absolutely floored by this new and fun concept. This is not your momma's challenge blog. It has an actual FORUM and GALLERY where members can chat, be inspired, ask questions, and share their stuff. Genius!! There is a ton going on at this place to inspire you, get your mojo flowing, so that you can create, create, create.

Mojo Mondays are a great way to kick off the scrappy week. Mondays bring you new challenges each week rotating between various topics including Get Meaningful, Get Sketchy, Get Inspired, and Get Crafty. Complete some challenges and earn ca-yute badges and be entered into a drawing for some scrappy goodness!

Creative Soup offers amazing free classes every quarter. The forum provides very detailed instructions and journaling prompts. I have never seen such a lenghty involved class offered in a free forum. I can't wait to get started on May's event!

The week doesn't end on Monday. Tuesdays offer Talk Tuesday to give you the opportunity to get to know your fellow Soup-ers better. Web Wednesdays bring you great projects and links from the web. CS does the web surfing for you! Thursdays are Thrifty Thursdays. They give you ideas to stretch your scrappy dollar. And Fridays are all about fonts. CS offers wonderful font finds and the links, to boot. Don't forget about your cameras, either. Sundays are Snapshot Sundays. The girls provide a fun photography challenge each week.

Creative Soup has monthly crops with challenges, games, and prizes. In fact, one just started yesterday. March Madness Crop goes through the 21st. Go HERE and join the forum and get started. See you there.

Before you go... Some fun new stuff for Scrapbook Express.

And, of course a little something for Scrap That Baby's newest prompt. Go make something and you may just win a wonderful prize from this month's sponsor, Ally Scraps.

Today, I am... February Edition

Today I am thankful for...
Little boys who can be entertained for what seems like hours by all things with wheels.

I am thankful for Stouffers every once in a while. Stouffers means I only have to empty and run the dishwasher once a day. This is nothing short of a day "off" in my book.

I am thankful for kids who set their sights high. Enjoyed taking the three Bigs to Applebee's to enjoy their free meals they EACH earned for being good kids at school.

I am thankful that I, I mean P.J., finally earned his Webelo's badge. Phew I'm pooped.

I am thankful that P.J. still thinks it's cool to be chosen to be for Safety Patrol at school. Only the best were chosen, and that's what he is.

I am thankful that I've been blessed enough to stay home for my kids. I'm thankful for the opportunity to be the room mom for each of my Bigs' Kindergarten classes over the years. There's nothing quite like bonding with your wee one and their friends over a little paper & glue. These memories will be with them forever.

I am thankful that God blessed me with a mini ME, for better or worse... She IS me.

I'm thankful for my own time to play just a little...

P.s. This last one is for Scrap That Baby's newest prompt. Come play along with us. The girls on this team have mad skillz and you want to be inspired by them!

Twinnies On... Everyday

Yea, yea, yea. I know, I know. What's with the Christmas themed photos?!? Christmas was weeks ago. I know that because there is only one tree taunting me with it's droopy needles and dangling bead garlands. Yep, just one. We downsized our Christmas this year, as we ONLY put up 6 trees, down from last year's 8. I totally missed Christmas here in blogdom what with all the hecticness that is my life... class parties, folks in from out of town, shlepping kiddos to sports/scouts, wrapping, shipping, and crafting. But, before we move onto the promise and fun that 2011 holds, I need to share 2 things from last month.

Growing up in Chicago, I always looked forward to the official start of the Christmas season... the bellringers. My dad was never one to walk past a Salvation Army red kettle without dropping in a donation. He's semi-retired these days and has been talking about picking up the bell, this year he did it. Right here at MY local WalMart while my folks were in town for the holiday. It was soo cool to see him right outside my own WM in the bitter cold with my brood. The Bigs spent one of the 3 hour timeblocks with him. Dad being Dad, arranged to have 3 bells that day(one for each kiddo). They had a great time ringing away and setting a kettle record, twice. The twinnies also got in on the action and spent some time with Dumpa. These memories are so priceless for me(and them through my photos in their scrapbooks). Check out Puppy charming the ladies and ringing that bell...

The other bit of Christmas ketchup is the crafty gifts I made. Excuse the cra**y photos as I took them in the middle of the night before hubby boxed them up and got them off in the mail. I made a TON of gifts this year for family, teachers, and friends from bragbooks to my old standby clipboards to planners to treatcones to wall calendars. For your visual enjoyment...

And some crafting just for me. A little Sassafras love... I know, shocker, big shocker.

Not quite sure why, but I love these Sass lines with Halloween. Something about the unexpected...

This WOULD have been my last project for All About Scrapbooks, but it morphed into Scrap that Baby's 1/15 prompt, "Holiday Baby". I have such a paper & glue crush on this Dear Lizzy Christmas line. So sad to see my LSS, my scrappy "home" for almost almost my entire scrappy life close at the end of this month. Sigh. Please support your brick & mortar stores. It's just heartbreaking to see another one go by the wayside.

Some fun We R Memory Keeper's for Scrapbook Express...

Enjoy the rest of your weekend, Friends.