Hello Monday!

Why is it that the weather always gets the best on SUNDAY night when everyone has to leave and go home? Seems like that always happens. Saturday it rained all day... booo! not good when you've trekked a few hours to your lake cabin to relax and play.. just to be crammed in the cabin all day not being able to go outside... thats what happened this weekend. my aunt & uncle had 16 people in their very small cabin... and my parents had a few and 2 dogs... WE opted to not even go over there.. and just stayed HOME. :) i live close enough to have that luxury. So the next best thing to playing outside is.. SHOPPING! right? Jessi, Sofia & I went to lunch and the mall for awhile. it was nice. :)

Yesterday we had the BEST time with my family. It was so fun. Almost everyone was there.. like a mini family reunion. The weather was GREAT. a bit windy but much nicer than Sat. We grilled and ate a lot... Ladderball tourneys.. and the guys had a 'Fishing Contest' with their Lakemaid Beer. Sally, Mom and the kids braved the lake and said it wasn't that cold. It was wonderful having Bill, Sally & Peder home and we welcomed Hanh for her first visit to the lake. I'm sure it was overwhelming with our crazy family who decided to throw her a birthday party. She was a trooper and SO SWEET. Can't wait to have my cousin marry this awesome girl.

Overall.. great weekend. Tons more stuff.. but it will have to wait for another day....

on to the creative stuff.

I decided to play along in a Scrapbooking Challenge over on Splitcoast Stampers... Here is what I came up with for SALLY's great sketch. It was really fun and I'm hoping to do more challenges soon!

All sentiments by Unity Stamp Company.

Its. Friday. We. Made. It. To. The. Weekend.

Its FRIDAY! finally.

Actually the week went by FAST.

but we didn't do too much exciting stuff!

Monday... went to the beach with my girls Ash & Paige.

They kept the kids busy swimming and playing.

Scroll down for a couple CUTE pics of them in the lake.

Tuesday... Worked @ Unity. Good Times. Love that place.

Wednesday... got ready for the Unity Release Party...

Partied at the Party...

Thursday... Worked @ Unity again...

Putting together the 70 orders

that came in the night before.. it was mania!!! Long day!!

(oh yes.. I did have a rather non-enjoyable

fall down the stairs @ 6am resulting in some

minor injuries and my entire right butt cheek

being one huge bruise. ouch. still can't sit down)

Friday... Got to take 4 kids with me to

Target & Walmart for food and stuff...

thats always interesting! :)

Made 3 cards today for challenges

over on Splitcoast Stampers. Fun!!

Now... just relaxing. hangin out.

planning to see my brother & his wife tomorrow....

along with my cousin, his fiancee,

my uncle & his girlfriend...

all visiting for the weekend!

should be great to see them!!!

Hope the weather cooperates so we can enjoy the lake!!

2 year olds + Markers = Uh oh

So yeah.

This is what happens

when Mommy goes to the

UNITY STAMP CO. RELEASE PARTY...

(NO! i did not leave her home alone...

it was an ONLINE party..

she was just in the other room... )

and she found a BLUE MARKER.

I will say she has some nice artistic tendencies!

Maybe next we'll get her to try out her skills on PAPER.

There was nothing that could be done besides

grab the camera and start snapping pics... :)

WHATS SHAKIN PEEPS!!!???

This is what can be heard EVERY time

i walk thru the doors of UNITY STAMP CO.

and it still gets a laugh every time..

so as soon as they are bored with it..

i'll change it up.. but until then...

This is WHATS SHAKIN...

HELLO!!! NEW RELEASES.

right before your very eyes...

These cards (and little photo album)

were made with stamps

from one of the BRAND new kits

that is being RELEASED TONIGHT

@ the BIG OLE ROCKIN PARTY

that Angela is hosting over

on Splitcoast Stampers.

GO HERE to join the FUN.

i will be jammin to my DISCO montage

between the party hours of 8-10pm central time.

put on your boogie shoes and i'll see YOU there!!

a LiTtLe BiT

Thats all you get to see..

JUST A LITTLE BIT!!!

This adorable little guy is one my FAVORITE new stamps...

he is from a ROCKIN kit that will be

released TOMORROW by

Unity Stamp Co.!!!

There is so much FUN stuff going on...

Here are some things that just might spark your interest..

** SNEAK PEEKS of BRAND SPANKIN NEW STAMPS

are on all the DT blogs... Check my links and go SEE the CUTENESS.

** The very talented NATALIE is the

Unity DT HIGHLIGHT over on the USC BLOG..

** DO NOT MISS the RELEASE PARTY

over on SCS... Wed. JUNE 25.. 8-10pm Central Time!!

**There will be crazy cute PRIZES given away...

**25% OFF for the very first 25 orders!! wow!!!

**$5.00 shipping on EVERY order (can't beat that!!)

** Join in the FUN with Patter's SKETCH CHALLENGE

to win one of the new kits!!

**Make sure to leave comments with

LAUREN, PATTER & JIMMI on their blogs

for your chance to win their BLOG CANDY!!

HAVE AN AMAZING TUESDAY!!!!!!!!!!

Just CHILLIN!

We had a GREAT weekend of hangin out

at the BEACH and with our FRIENDS!

Some of the highlights from the weekend...

*Bonfire @ the Magnuson's on Friday evening

*Sat. beach day in Spicer

*Saturday night out on the town..

enjoying Melvins with our friends

*Chloe got to stay with Grandma all weekend at the cabin

*Caden got to have a sleepover at Sawyer's

*Breakfast with the Marquardts on Sunday

*Now I'm heading back to the beach

with my girls Ash, Lauren & Paige...

In OTHER NEWS....

There is going to be a rockin RELEASE PARTY

for UNITY STAMP CO. over at Splitcoast!!!

Join us on Wed. JUNE 25 from 8-10pm CENTRAL time.

There are tons of cool things happening with USC this week!!!

Visit their BLOG to check out the sale

they are running and a great feature on our Guest Designer!

**11 brand new (ADORABLE!) kits will be released...

**right now there are 3 DT members with

SNEAK PEEKS on their blogs...

Check out my links to search for them!!

**Tuesday will bring sneak peeks on ALL the DT blogs!!

**Wed. Miss ANGELA will be doing an interview @ DIVA CRAFT LOUNGE..

you won't want to miss out on that either!

**Over on SCS, Patter Cross is hosting a

SKETCH CHALLENGE

to win one of the BRAND NEW release kits!!

Join in the fun for a chance to win some of these fab new stamps!!

Its a FRIDAY FOTO FEST...

HOLA. It's time for a

FRIDAY FOTO FEST!!!

Here are some pics from the week...

Lots of FUN stuff going on...

spending as much time

as possible at the BEACH!

Hope you have a FABULOUS FRIDAY

AND WEEKEND!!

This is a sample of what my garden looks like right now.. everything is starting to bloom. Its so gorgeous. I finally got my little garden exactly how i like it.. only took me 2 years of moving, transplanting and changing before things started cooperating. One of my very favorite things about SUMMER is the flowers! Beach Day @ Games Lake! We only got to stay for a couple hours.. but we basically had the place to ourselves... 4 of my girlfriends and their kids joined us. So fun to chat and RELAX in the sun!


What is up with this kid and BIRDS??! I swear he is the BIRD WHISPERER!! He can always get close to birds, hold them, they fly to him.. its just WIERD. We had the barn white washed yesterday and he saved these little swallows from an unknown fate... their nest was knocked down.. but he took care of them and put it back when the painting guys were gone. SO CUTE!

My Harley Guy! Steve and I went for a quick spin on his Harley the other night. Nothing better.. the wind blowing in your hair.. feelin FREE! Lil Sis... Ash and I (and Wesley her pup)

went on a GREAT 3 mile walk the other night.

The weather was gorgeous.. the trail perfect for walking... and the conversation..

well lets just say this is the kind of chit chat that can only take place between SISTERS. We can talk about ANYTHING. i mean anything. its awesome. I love this girl. So glad I got to see her grow up and help raise her and now she is one of my BEST FRIENDS.

Card I made this morning for Shannan's Inspirational Challenge in the Unity Forum over on Splitcoast Stampers.. If YOU want to play along... check it out HERE. Well... Thats IT. I'm OFF to PLAY for the rest of the day...Wide open... endless possibilities!!!

BEACH DAY!!!!!!!!

OMGOOODNESSSS!!!

I have our FIRST real BEACH DAY of the summer planned...

heading to one of the close by LAKES

for my kids to swim and enjoy the SUN...

and guess what??!!! The weather is actually cooperating.

I cannot even believe it!!!!!!!

SUNNY SKIES. NOT A SINGLE CLOUD.

I'm doing a little HAPPY DANCE over here!!!

We are packing up the sand toys. lunch. sunscreen. towels.

and all the other goodies we can drag with us...

a bunch of our FRIENDS will be there.

Its gonna be such a GREAT day!!! yippeee!

Since I have to WORSHIP the SUN all day..

(and take ALL 4 kids to the DENTIST.)

(and bake cookies and go to a PICNIC @ the PARK)

I will not be creating any fun scrappy stuff this morning...

SO... in its place are some CUTE photos from FATHER'S DAY.

We spent it at the cabin with my parents

and Nate & Jessi. (my brother & his wife...)

It was pretty cold that day... there was no swimming...

so we started up a LADDERBALL TOURNEY.

Everyone got really into it... SUPER FUN.

And a great family activity for all ages.

I also can now wish one of

my VERY BFF's ANDY a HAPPY (belated) BIRTHDAY.

It was yesterday... and I was sworn to SECRECY not to tell everyone.

So.. here it is a day late.. Happy Birthday AB!!

I hope you survive your hang over.. hehe

(some of his friends DID find out and took him out for the night..

I think there were a few shots involved... )

HAVE A FABULOUS WEDNESDAY!!!!!!!!!!

Me and only the CUTEST DAD EVER!!!! MY DAD!!

And the most handsome guy I know!Nate, Dad and I (we missed you HOLLY!!!!)

Caden takes time to pose for a picture...Trever and his baby girl Sofia...

And her funky outfit consisting of her little dress

and her brother's swim trunks...

whateva keeps the 2 yr old princess happy!!

Grandma and Chloe cheer in disbelief at their Ladderball Skills!! Clap and Cheer !! Do a little dance.

Oh yeah! We ROCK! Jessi concentrating... the score is tied up.. its a tense moment!
Like father. Like son. Like grandson.

Mr. Birthday Boy and I.. one of my best friends EVER!!!