Sending You Hugs

I love the phases of growing up and wanted to capture what Marcel is saying these days. A few of his favorite words are: dude, brother and actually.

Here’s how he uses them:

• “Hey dude, DUDE, DUDE…come look at this.” Dude can be a friend, mommy, daddy, nana, brother. Everyone and everyone is a dude or dudes if you’re in a crowd. He’ll keep yelling dude louder until you respond.
• At any of his older brother’s baseball games where he expects another younger brother to be there to play, Marcel will approach one of the other moms. “Hey, where’s your brother?” Should be son…but they get the point and quite often respond, “My brother’s not here. He’s at home.”  Along with a good laugh..."Where's your brother?"
• This little guy is the master at asking the same question ten different ways. Maybe he’ll be an attorney when he grows up. Example, “Mommy, can I have ice cream?” “No honey, we just had dessert.” “Well, actually, can I have just a little bit of ice cream.” “Marcel…” “Actually, can I have some tomorrow?” Followed by, “Actually, how many minutes is it until tomorrow?”

He also has several words that he doesn’t say properly. 

• Festibal (festival). His Vs often turn into Bs. We practice saying it correctly and I know we need to keep practicing, but I love his sweet little voice.
• Head-ick (headache). This pronunciation has been passed down from Ryan. Ryan still says in this way and I feel no need to correct him or any of the other boys.
• Call-yin (Collin). It is so sweet to hear them play together. “Call-yin…where are you?”

Oh how I love this sweet little man and his fun little phrases.

Now, if you've stuck with me this long, here's a card. Nice easy CAS design using a variety of stamps from Hero Arts and Turning a New Leaf from PTI.

The color palette was inspired by Dawn's fabulous wPlus 9 Color Cue.  Only one more work day until the long weekend in the US!

A Color Cue Thank You

I love Dawn's Color Cue Challenges. Her color choices are always fabulous.  Today's card took the butterfly that I die cut for this card as the focal point.  I'm terrible about using scraps (my card club friends always give me a hard time about it) so I had to use it right away.  The other scraps I used were the paper strips from the My Mind's Eye Stella and Rose paper pack. I've used just about every last bit of that paper! The colors and patterns are gorgeous. 

Funny story to share today too.  Over the weekend, I told Jonathon I was going to run out to get a quick pedicure.  His response, "Mom, you know at the entrepeneur fair at school Miss Rodier painted nails.  She didn't even go to school to learn how to do that.  She just knows how and she even paints her own nails."  I had to walk away to stop from laughing.  I quite often paint my own nails, but rarely use color on my finger nails.  And sometimes a girl just likes a little pampering...  I think I'll just keep letting Jonathon believe that I don't know how to paint my finger or toe nails :)!

I Miss You

Hello there!  Popping in with a card for the current Color Cue Challenge.  I took the lead from Dawn's card and choose to stamp a white background image on kraft and pop the other colors in with the sentiment, twine and button.  Definitely a CASE! 

Ingredients: PTI Kraft Paper; Stampin' Up Cherry Cobbler and White Craft Ink; Twine: The Twinery; Stamps: Wplus9

As I type this, it is 8:30 on Sunday night and three out of my four boys are crashed out!  Marcel and Collin fell asleep on the way home from Nana and PopPop's house and have been asleep since then! Our weekend was extremely busy and filled with lots of family and tons of food.  I feel like I could run for a week non-stop to get rid of all the candy and yummy Easter dinner/brunch!

Here are just a couple of fun shots from Easter morning!  I'll have more pictures to share (but somehow I need to widdle down the 166 pictures I just downloaded).  The boys were up at 6:30 (and I should say "the boys" don't include Ryan.  I sent Marcel to wake him up...you can imagine the teenage groan that came from his room). 

The boys playing with their new legos..

We couldn't go outside for a group shot because of the rain...so we tried inside...and started with these faces...

Quickly moving to faces of disgust by Ryan...

And me then losing patience and moving to close up shots of whomever was cooperating at the moment! :)

I love the untucked shirt...

 And his handsome brown eyes...

 And a sweet cuttle with his oldest brother and of course, his new legos...a little grainy, but still sweet.

Happy Easter!

Dance As If No One Were Watching

Hi there, love this sentiment of my card.  It actually makes me think of a very sad, but uplfiting occasion. I have a sister-in-law, Susie, who passed away almost fourteen years ago at the age of 23.  She had an enlarged heart that she did not know about.  She was extremely physically fit, a marathon runner.  She collapsed suddenly and because of the cardiomyopthy condition was not able to be revived.  It was one of the saddest times and biggest losses our family has ever suffered.  At Susie's funeral, I remember that the closing hymn was "Dance, Dance, Wherever You May Be, I am the Lord of the Dance..."  The congregation, so young with many of Susie and Sean's friends there, sang this song so wonderfully loud. Surely, Susie was being ushered into heaven with a big party.  The sentiment on this set isn't exactly the same, but certainly makes me think of Susie each time I see it.  There is still sadness, but many happy memories of the life Susie lived in her short time on earth.

Ingredients:  Verve Stamps Stampin' Up Whisper White Paper, Basic Black Ink, Old Olive Ribbon; My Mind's Eye Stella and Rose; American Crafts Rose Ribbon; Kaiser Kraft Pearls

The colors of my card were inspired by the Color Cue Challenge. Never would have picked these on my own, but love them!  I may just have to try this challenge two times...

It's Time to Celebrate!

Happy Monday!  It's Time To Celebrate!  I'm on my way to Miami, Florida for a night to an awards dinner for work.  So...it's is truly time to celebrate for me...at least for one night anyway!

I played along with the Color Cue Challenge.  I've picked up a few of the packs of the new My Mind's Eye paper....lots of inspiration in the colors and patterns so I used the damask in the paper to inspire my card. 

Hope you enjoy my card!

Ingredients:  PTI Kraft Cardstock; Stampin' Up Whisper White Ribbon and Cardstock, Pale Plum Cardstock; Baja Breeze and Basic Black Ink; PTI Embellishment Stamps and Hero Art Stamps, Kaiser Krafts Pearls

Sending You Lots of Love

Happy Friday Eve...We're supposed to get a bunch of snow today.  We'll see if the weather folks got it right!  

I am just popping in to share a quick card for the WPlus9 On Cue with Color Challenge...This could be a Valentine's card, but I think I'll send it to my nana to let her know I'm thinking of her.

Have a great Thursday!  Are you mailing your cards that you make?  Pop them in the mail...I know your recipients will really appreciate them!

Ingredients: WPlus9 Stamps; PTI Kraft, Buttons and Twine; Stampin' Up Whisper White; Stampin' Up Basic Black and Marina Mist Ink; Basic Grey Hopskotch DSP

Color Cue

Happy Sunday!  How are those Christmas cards coming along?  I have about 35 more to go...can you hear the sigh?  I love, love to create....but I am a bit done for Christmas!  I'm sharing a couple today that I made for the current Color Cue Challenge at WPlus9.  The first is using Savitri's color choice.  I love black, red and kraft together.  Nice clean design and similar to several monogrammed cards I've made in the past!



Ingredients:  PTI Kraft; Stampin' Up Real Red Paper/Ink; PTI Damask Designs and Hero Arts Stamps; PTI Black Ribbon



Next up was a brighter color choice using Jinny's color inspiration.  Let me know what you think about the color choices with the snowflakes..not quite sure about this card...I make have been better off doing a Christmas tree with ornaments!

Ingredients:  PTI Stamps; Stampin' Up Crumb Cake, Tempting Turqoise, Old Olive and Real Red

The boys are outside playing in the snow today.  We received an early snow for Cincinnati.  Marcel came in shivering saying he was too cold to build the "snowflake".  I'm thinking he meant snowman!  Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

PS Jill - the script on his card is the Hero Arts Old French Writing H2365.

Color Cue Challenge

Hi All...it's going to a be a quick post today as I'm on the road traveling for work for a night.  I'll be back home later this evening.  This card is for the current WPlus9 Color Cue Challenge.  The color challenge is to use pink, white, black/gray to honor breast cancer awareness week.  I used my WPlus9 Funky Foliage stamps to create a background on the gray paper by stamping in Versamark and then heat embossing.  I thought the courage stamp would be perfect to support someone who is currently batting cancer.  Of course, I had to add a ribbon and some buttons....shocking I know!

Hope you enjoy the card!  I'll be back soon!  

I Miss You

Good morning...we're catching a flight this morning.  The three older boys are at school.  Marcel is going to Aunt Cindy's and Uncle Neal's and he can't wait for the sleepover!  We're off to the wedding...

I have a quick card to share for WPlus9's Color Cue Challenge and of course some WPlus9 stamps.  The color challenge was:  yellow, green, white and scarlet...spells fall to me!  These stamps were perfect with this color combo!  Hope you enjoy the clean design! 

Have a fabulous weekend!

P.S. For regular followers who had a giggle over my oldest's first girlfriend, the first relationship is officially over....she broke up with him the lunch line at school.  LOL!

Ingredients: SU Daffodil Delight, Old Old Paper/Ink, Whisper White Paper, Cherry Cobbler Ink; PTI Baker's Twine; WPlus9 Funky Foliage Stamps

The Shopping Trip...

Rewind for the last several years...and all Ryan wanted to wear was sweatpants and some type of sports shirt...Nike, UnderArmour...or something similar...

Fast forward to this summer.  My nieces, Madeleine and Elizabeth, offered to take Ryan shopping for fall clothes.  Saturday night, Ryan was adamant that he wanted to go shopping with the girls on Sunday.  "I need jeans, Mom.  And, I need shoes too."  After the teenage wake up on Sunday (about 10:30 am), he was very upset that it was too late and they wouldn't want to go.   I needed to call Madeleine (Ryan couldn't call her, but he NEEDED to go.)   I called Madeleine and she didn't answer so I texted.  I had woken her up too :)!!  Thankfully, the girls really wanted to go with Ryan.

Off they went to the mall, with a budget and some guidelines.  Must purchase at least two pairs of jeans, if he buys shoes (because he really didn't need any), he can't spend anymore than $40 and if he buys underwear and socks he can have extra money.   And they were gone... Mind you, Madeleine is a thrifty shopper (much better than me) so I knew he wouldn't blow all his money on one thing.

About 4:15, Madeleine called.  "We just finished at H&M and now we're going to Macy's to get underwear and socks.  And by the way, Auntie Lynn, don't you think when we come to Olivia's party, Ryan needs to wear one of his outfits?"  Of course he does!  It was my niece Olivia's birthday, so our entire family was together.  What a great sport Ryan was...his face was bright red and we made him try on all four shirts plus the jeans and shoes...best part is he returned quite a bit of the money. (Thanks Madeleine!)

Where did that boy with the sports t-shirts and sweatshirts go?  He's been replaced by a handsome young man that actually cares about his clothes and all of his shirts are acceptable for church...

Did you know rolled out jeans are the style?  According to the girls and Ryan...

The shopping gang...love the look on Ryan's face...

The shopper...

It makes me so happy that the girls and Ryan enjoy spending time with each other.  How lucky we are to have our children grow up so close to several of their cousins.

Now...onto a quick, fun card!  I used some fun LillyBee Designs chipboard and paper for this card.  Inspired by the bright, cheery colors in the WPlus9 Color Cue Challenge.

Ingredients:  SU Real Red Ink, Paper & Ribbon, Very Vanilla Paper; Lilly Bee Designs Chipboard and Paper; Hero Arts Stamps

PS Anyone else having problems with their pictures looking blurry in Blogger?

You Make Me Happy

This month's Color Cue Challenge has gorgeous colors.  I am in love with the coral color in the challenge!  I had fun using by Funk Foliage stamps again to make this card...very simple, but fun and great for lots of occasions!  Only downfall is that white craft ink seems to take forever to dry...anyone have a favorite brand of white craft ink they use?!! 

Ingredients: WPlus9 Funky Foliage Stamps; SU White Craft Ink; Bazzill Basics Coral Paper; SU Chocolate Chip Paper and Ink, PTI Twine, Butons and Kraft Paper

A Tag Thank You

For Dawn's Color Cue Challenge, I decided to play along by making a tag for a hostess gift.  At first when I looked at the colors I wasn't sure how to put them together!  I'm really liking the cheeriness of this simple tag!  Inside the gift bag are some bright cocktail napkins and a beaded bottle opener for the hostess.

Ingredients:  WPlus9 Fancy Foliage and The Birds and the Bees Stamps, Cosmo Cricket Material Girl DSP; Bazzill Basics Ribbon; Making Memories Flower; SU Flower Brad, Pumpkin Pie and Chocolate Chip Ink, Very Vanilla Paper and Ribbon

Happy Birthday

Happy Friday...for those of you in the US...hope you are getting to enjoy the nice long weekend.  I'm taking today off so I actually have four days in a row to relax!  Really looking forward to sleeping in a little bit!  And an extra treat today I'm going to Collin's end of year picnic and then to the spa with Sandy for massages and pedicures....relaxation at its best!

For today's card, I am playing along with the Wplus9 Challenge.  Love the colors in the challenge.  I don't have any of the WPlus9 stamps, but purchased this digital kit for the background paper and flowers on the card.  Absolutely no stamping...the sentiment is a sticker from SRM.  Quick and easy...I also used this week's Clean & Simple sketch for inspiration.

And an extra card...this was my first one for the Wplus9 challenge...didn't like it though so I made another one!

Ingredients:  WPlus9 digital kit, PTI Everyday Button Bits; SU So Saffron, Bashful Blue and Night of Navy Paper; PTI Buttons, SRM Stickers; SU Whisper White Ribbon