Nick Hotel

Last month we took the kids to the Nick Hotel (with some help from Nana and Papa.) We only stayed one night but the kids loved it. Braden got slimmed and Ashlyn saw Dora. That's all it took to make their day. Here's some random pics of the weekend.

Blast off!

One of the crazy challenges this weekend was to use aluminum foil on a layout. I wrapped some chipboard circles that I'd laying around. Now some scrappers will gasp because foil isn't a prepackaged scrapbook product with acid free stamped across the top.I'm not that concerned with acid free. I scrap for me not so much for future generations. If one or two layouts turn yellow then oh well!

These pictures are from the Kennedy Space Center. They have a cute little show called Mad Mission to Mars. It's a really cute kid show with lots of audience interaction. Braden was the lucky kid that was chosen to suit up like an astronaunt and " blast off". He sat in this chair all suited up. A bunch of lights and smoke came out and then up he's chair went up into the air about 8 feet or so and then back down. He was thrilled.

Our family loves the Space Center but I know a lot of people find it boring. I think that's because most people jump onto the buses and go for the tour that takes basically all day. The tour isn't really for kids but if you spend more time at the Visitor Center and the Astronaunt Hall of Fame then it will be more enjoyable.

PageMaps

Here's the first layout I did for the crop. This was a sketch challenge. They are so easy. Aleta pulled a PageMaps sketch for this one. I may do a few more with the sketch before the weekend is over. They make it so fast.

Here's the link to the challenge if you want to check it out. http://memorybookinspirations.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=125&t=4944

Cyber Crop!!!

The Cyber Crop is up and running. I think right now there are 2 page challenges and 1 game posted. More will be added throughout the day. I still have to add my title challenge. The candle above is the candle project I'll be hosting during the 12 days of Christmas. It starts Sunday after the crop.

In case you've missed all the fun ..... Here's the schedule of the Christmas In July at MBI

July 1: Kick off our Chistmas in July store sale...CHOOSE YOUR BINGO WORDS!!! viewtopic.php?f=124&t=4867
July 2: Game Day - Store Scavenger Hunt - All4ty is the winner!!!
July 3: Bow Challenge - viewtopic.php?f=124&t=4874 <---this one of my challenges :)
Take off for the holiday weekend
July 7: Game Day - Wheel of Christmas Fortune - Carebear5 is the winner!!!
July 8: Twinkling Lights layout challenge viewtopic.php?f=124&t=4891&hilit=
July 9: Silhouette Thank You Cards viewtopic.php?f=124&t=4894 <---- this is my class
July 10: Game Day - Bingo - Salina is the winner!!!
July 11: Gift Tag project - viewtopic.php?f=124&t=4899
July 12: Make a Card - Tonya viewtopic.php?f=124&t=4904&hilit=
July 13: Little working Elves challenge viewtopic.php?f=124&t=4907
July 14: Game Day - ABC's of Christmas - Bert is the winner!!!
July 15: Random Pic Challenge viewtopic.php?f=124&t=4919
July 16: Make a Card - viewtopic.php?f=124&t=4927
July 17: Game Day - What Christmas Object am I?
July 18: CYBER CROP STARTS http://memorybookinspirations.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=125
July 19: CYBER CROP
July 20: Cyber crop ends; 12 Days of Christmas Starts - make a tag
July 21: Upload day, Make a gift card holder - gqzmommy
July 22: Altered Journal- Jennifer
July 23: make a gift
July 24: make a tag - PageMaps tag sketch with All4ty
July 25: make a card - Tonya
July 26: Aleta's Advent Calendar
July 27: Make a project: Altered candle with 2Pigletsinthesand <--- this is my class too!
July 28: Gift Tag - Bert
July 29: make a card - gqzmommy
July 30: Christmas Wall Hanging - Bert
July 31: make a gift - Altered Pens - Jennifer

JellyFish hat

Doesn't Braden look cute in his jellyfish hat? That's what he called it. I made this page with the paper I made a few days ago for one of the Christmas In July challenges. I'll have lots of new pages to share this weekend. The cyber crop starts tomorrow morning.

Side note: I'm very depressed that gas is now over $4 here. Last week when I filled up in was $3.98. It's been hoovering around $3.97-$3.99 for weeks. Today I paid $4.01. :(

Santa Cards

GQZMommy has made this adorable card. She got her inspiration from Aleta's believe tag that I posted a few days ago. I haven't tried this one yet but she has posted all the details and measurements http://memorybookinspirations.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=124&t=4927&hilit=

SCRAPBOOKER WANTED!!!

It's time for a cyber crop at MBI. We are having our Christmas In July Cyber Crop this weekend!!! There are going to be some amazing challenges, games, contest and PRIZES. Did y'all hear that? PRIZES!!! Come join the fun!!! http://memorybookinspirations.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=124

As a mod I'm offering up some challenges and I've seen the other challenges that are going to be offered---- AWESOME!!! There is a little of everything from games to sketch challenges to title challenges. FUN FUN FUN!!!

We've been getting in the spirit all month long with little challenges, projects, and games of course. Today I made background paper with stamps for one of the challenges. The two sheets of paper above are my attempts. It's not something I do often but I must say that I like the way they came out. One is has a 50's retro feel to me and the other is little grungy/ 100% boyish.

http://memorybookinspirations.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=124&t=4907

Chillin' in the Pool

Nana and Papa where home this weekend so we spent some time chillin' in the pool. As you can see Braden has become the little swimmer this summer. Ashlyn is just now floating on her own. She usually has a death grip on someone while near the water but she has finally realized that her cool fish floaty will hold her up.


I love her new floaty. I bought it at Wal-Mart for about $15. It was worth every penny. It's a chest piece and two arm rings connected together. It's not inflatable though. It's made out of something like life vest stuff. Wow, that was clear like mud. Anyways, it is a great pool float for little kids.

Santa card!

Isn't this a cute gift tag? The little belt is made with a soda pop tab. How clever! Aleta made this for the Christmas in July at Memory Book Inspirations. Aleta's blog link and the MBI link are both over there ---> . Come check us out if you get a chance.

Silhouette Cards

I'm "teaching" a few projects over at MBI during the Christmas In July event. This is my first project. I love love love this project. I obviously used the silhouette to make a card but I think they would be really cute as a baby announcement, invitation, gift tags, altered magnets, ....... I can think of a so many things.

I think I'll make larger traditional one (think elementary school) for each of my kiddos rooms. Well, maybe not. I think they are cute but I doubt my 5 year old would find it "COOL" enough for his room.

If you want to check out the details here's the link http://memorybookinspirations.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=124&t=4894&sid=2210b877a6bf7eae3733aaa9317011a0

SLIMMED!

We went to the Nick hotel in Orlando a few weekends ago. It was really fun. Braden was very excited about getting slimmed. Once a day they have a mass slimming at one of the pools. I didn't get a picture of the huge bucket dumping on them (darn!) but I think you can tell by the picture that Braden got a face full. It smells like sour apple candy. I don't know if it had a taste. I didn't participate in the slimming. I watch safely from across the pool with Ashlyn, Nana, and Papa.

4th in the ER

Happy belated 4th! I hope everyone had a wonderful time. Our holiday was a actually a pretty good considering that we did spend 2 hours in the ER. We didn't have any firework accidents but a swimming accident instead.

Braden had a canon ball misfire and hit the side of the pool. OUCH! He has three stitches on his little chin and has orders to stay out of the pool until they are removed. He is really lucky that it only took a few stitches.The doctor was concerned that he might have broken his jaw but everything seems in tact. He is a little swollen today but hasn't complained about any pain.

Braden was great through everything. He was totally calm once the bleeding stopped and totally hysterical while it was bleeding. We pulled him out of the pool and was screaming. "I'm going to die! I'm going to die!" He doesn't handle blood well.

Once in the ER, his only concern was getting back to Nana's to see the fireworks. Which we did! They waited for us and then we enjoyed a great show and some wonderful sparklers.

New Layouts..

Tae Kwon Do Update--- Braden has hung up his belt. He really didn't like it too much and it was becoming very hard to get him there twice a week. We did make him finish his 6 month contract - tried to teach him that finish what you start lesson.

The only regret I have is that he didn't get to test for his yellow belt. The testing was the week after his contract was up. He would have passed his form without any problem too. I feel a little bad about that because he did stick it out and worked hard to learn all his form but he didn't really get rewarded for it. I feel bad.... he's just happy not going anymore.

That being said. I'm sooo glad that it's over. When he started the school was a mile from our house. It took us 2 mintues to get there. After the first week it moved all the way across town so we had to leave 35 minutes early to get there on time and then we had to drive home during rush hour on the 2 craziest roads in town.
Another Football Layout. This picture is from last September. That cute little cheerleading uniform is now a outfit for her monkey since it is way to short. (HINT HINT HINT to all my family back home. Subtle right? hee hee.)

This is one of my favorite pictures. I have a copy of it framed her in the family room and Mike has one in his office. They were so happy and having so much fun together. That's back when Braden would play with Ashlyn. He is now in full big brother mode. I hear "GET OUT OF MY ROOM!" ... door slam... & then Ashlyn scream several times a day. ((Sigh))
Last year for Father's Day we drove up to Cocoa to the planetarium. I just scrapped the pictures (a year later) and honestly the only thing I like about it the Anne Griffin journaling block. The planetarium is cool but the lady who works the ticket stand is such a old bag that we don't go very often. It's amazing how someone elses bad attitude can spoil everyone's mood.

This year we didn't do anything spacey for the first time since moving here. In the past we've gone to the Space Center and the Planetarium to celebrate since space is something Mike and Braden both enjoy. This year we went bowling.

That's all I got for today. I'm going to go scrap now. I have a challenge up for the Christmas in July at MBI (link over there---->). In a few days I'll have some fun sneak peeks of the projects I'll be teaching.

Christmas In July

It's Christmas In July at Memory book Inspirations. I'm excited! There are so many cool projects coming this month and a cyber crop! Woo HOO Love those! I'm going to be teaching 2 little projects over the month. I'm going to teach a Thank You Card class and an altered candle project that will be great for a Christmas Gift.

Check out the fun when you get a chance!