Santa, Rudolph and Grandbabies

I don't know how my Mom stood it. I mean she had to wait for me to develop pictures, then send via the postal service and then maybe a month or two down the line (if I was a dutiful daughter and developed the pictures quickly) she'd receive new pictures of her grandkids along with a letter explaining, as thoroughly as possible, who, what, where, when & why. You know that has been a good thing. When going through my Mom's things after she passed away I found many of the letters I had written. With those letters I've been able to better 'journal' when I'm scrapping for my children. The letters have also been a way to recall funny things the kids did or said.

Now we have the internet, email, cell phones and phone plans that are not nearly as expensive as they were in the 'old days'. My girls have come to understand why I like the online 'photo labs' --- I can see my grandsons quickly.

The girls have recently shared new photos of their sons and of course, I wanted to share these adorable little guys with you.

Gavin Liam, Grandson #1, is wearing the onesie that reads "I still live with my parents." Mason Nicholas, Grandson #2, is the little reindeer and also wearing the Eagles (because of his Dad!) onesie.

Enjoy!

Sharing Hooper Crossing with you -- An Etsy Shop

Hey everyone! Just wanted to share with you a little-known shop on Etsy. My good friend Carla and her husband, Keith Danielson, have opened this shop. Carla has the most charming home I've ever been in. She is always crafting, sewing, and creating. Her homemade willow furniture is amazing. I LOVE the puzzle balls taht she makes and has listed on Etsy. If you're up to a challenge, she sells her pattern for them. Actually it is very easy ... and believe me, I get confused easy but didn't at all with this.

Carla's husband, Keith, is an accomplished horse-trainer and a real honest to goodness cowboy. His pencil drawings are well-known in this area. We always look forward to his annual Christmas card.

Enjoy!

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6457795

100 Things

I first read this on Sasha's blog (http://sassysasha.typepad.com/)
Looked like fun so thought I'd give it a shot. The list of 100 Things is floating around in Blogland. The things I've done, I've highlighted..... and let me tell you, there are several things I would never, EVER do!


1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band - in Jr. High & High School
4. Visited Hawaii - Slept in the USO with my oldest daughter -- got 'bumped' off the plane
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland - California, Florida, and opening day of Tokyo Disneyland
8. Held a praying mantis
9. Climbed a mountain - Mt. Fuji in Japan
10. Sang a solo - does my shower count?
11. Bungee jumped -- heck no and never!!! will.
12. Visited Paris -- some day
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch - Cooking & Scrapbooking
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning -- Unfortunately
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty - took the elevator
18. Grown your own vegetables - Yes, every summer
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France - Not in France; saw it in a traveling exhibit in Tokyo when I was a child
20. Slept on an overnight train - Yes
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run - still have the ball
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors - As in Europe, not yet.
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language Japanese & Spanish. Now attempting French & Italian.
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelos David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt -- was there but it didn't erupt. Saw many geysers in Iceland erupt.
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48.Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Walked in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check 68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published in a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone's life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club -- no but sure would like to.
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby (3)
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

This was fun. Now I am thinking I need to get my 'bucket' list going. Maybe I should scrap it.

Happy Birthday Jake!!! -- Looking Back. . .

On Tuesday, January 20th, the nation will be celebrating a new president. For myself, well I'll be celebrating my son's golden birthday. 20 years ago, while in labor, I was watching the Inauguration Festivities of President George Bush.

Jake will be 20 on the 20th. I won't be physically there with him, but in my heart & soul there will be a celebration happening. My only son and my last baby. My child with imagination. My child with a heart of gold. As I write this I'm smiling, recalling memories that definitely involved his imagination and his bigger-then-life stories he'd write when in school. I always knew my son would be tall (his Dad & Granddads/Great-Granddads are/were) so when thinking of a name I thought of John Wayne and his character "Big Jake". Thus Jacob (Big Jake). Funny thing -- after he was born my Grandma Rice sent me a letter. In her letter she shared her excitement of my naming Jake after her father. Oops!

Having a son is amazing. After have the sisters first and then Jake, well things were different. He is an individual who is determined and when he sets his mind on something, it is all that & more. Definitely a combination of both his Dad & me.

At CMK www.createmykeepsake.com, they have a Friday Formula. This week I did my layout based upon Jake. The theme "Imagine" My journaling reads ... Imagine the possibilities. Realize your dreams. Own your thoughts. Be the man you can live with.

I'm adding the LO ... sorry for the glare. I'm going to have to work on my photography skills.