BIG Idea Fesitival!

I joined the Big Idea Festival over at Big Picture Classes (everything is BIG over there lol). There's a link on the left. The festival just started on Tuesday and since it's FREE I couldn't pass it up. Anything free to do with scrapbooking...I'm there!! They will have challenges and prizes and BIG announcements.
The first challenge is bringing back the lost art of letter writing. I'm one of those people that feels it's been a lost art for a long time. I used to write back and forth to my sister Wendy back in the 80's. She moved away from MS and we wrote to each other at least once a week. As soon as I'd get a letter (sometimes before) I send one back. We'd add stickers on them and funny return address names! It was a lot of fun and I sometimes can't believe we did this with each having 3 little kids running around. Well, I can't believe I did a lot of the things I did with 3 little ones. But, back to the letter writing; the assignment is to write a letter or send a card once a day for a year! I'm not sure that's going to happen but I do want to send some. If this was a couple of years ago, I'd be sending letters to my mum so I'm kind of up in the air as to who to write to. Wendy lives with me so she's out. I do have some wonderful friends from 2Peas that just might start getting cards. The sponsor for the letter writing challenge is Doodlebug who just so happens to be one of my all time favorite paper/scrapbooking designers!! I think I'll be spending a small fortune at A's this weekend on Doodlebug letter writing supplies LOL! 

Mail Pouch Barns

I actually scrapped a page this week. It helped that my friend Helen had my Project Life Album to look at for a couple of days since I seem obsessed with catching up with it. I only have July to do and then I can start on August.
For our 37th Anniversary, Paul and I had our home as our base and did some day trips around Ohio. One of the things I've wanted to do, for a very long time, is take pictures of Mail Pouch Barns. I only found a couple but boy, they were beauties. I am totally in LOVE with my iPhone app Pro HDR. Turns your ordinary photos into art! Here's one of the barn pics I took.

The page I created came from a sketch at SketchSavvy http://sketchsavvy.blogspot.com/2012/08/sketch-96-12x12.html

Perfect for my barn photos!

The journaling reads:
My love for the old Mail Pouch Barns started many, many years ago. Every time we took a trip through Ohio, Pennsylvania, or east towards Virginia, we would see a number of these barns with the insignia painted on them. These were the roadside advertisements in 1900-1940's. The farmers would get paid $1-$2 a year, but more importantly to them, the barns would get freshly painted to preserve the wood. Many of the barns were repainted every few years. In 1965, the Highway Beautification Act put restrictions on roadside advertising but the Mail Pouch Barns were exempt since they had been deemed historic. So, recently I decided from now on I would actually pull over and get out of the car and take pictures of these gorgeous pieces of history.

Logan starts school!!

Logan started 1st grade today and I think he looks ready and excited. I can't wait to hear how his day went!

Checking the new shoes! 

Opening the traditional 1st day of school card from mom & dad.

Awww, getting on his 1st bus!

37 years ago today..

Paul and I got married. My dad had just started to recover from open heart surgery and even though he wasn't feeling the greatest, today I feel I was really blessed to have him there. Paul's mom flew down from Ohio for our little ceremony that took place in our apartment in Gulfport, MS. It was by no means a fancy ceremony. It was officiated by a Justice of The Peace and the cake was a surprise from my parents. I still have the bride and groom topper downstairs with all my "treasures" I keep. I can't believe how much our lives have changed and how much we've grown over the years, not only as individuals but together as a couple. I've said it many times and I'll say here again, I am so blessed to have Paul as my rock, my partner, my best friend and soul mate. I never would have gotten through the "tough" times without him. This I know in my heart. I clink my wine glass to him and congratulate us for 37 years together!

His hair is longer than mine!!! LOL

Here's to another 37 amazing years!! xoxo

Emmy turns 4!

Emmy has been waiting MONTHS for August 1st to get here so she'll be 4! Jessie and Eric had her party at the party center at the condos where they live. It was really nice! All princess-y! A funny story; Uncle Steve had called Emmy last week and asked her what she wanted for her birthday. Emmy, trying to be silly and "4" said really quiet...."poop", and then giggled. Of course Steve asked her what she really wanted and she still said "poop".
When Steve and Traci came in to the party, Steve asked Emmy where he should set the bag of poop she wanted. She just about died!! The look on her face! She said "I was kidding, uncle Steve". So, needless to say, Steve and Traci's gift sat on the table until the very end and even then, Emmy asked Logan to take a peek before she'd even look at LOL!! It was really funny. Like the old saying "Watch what you ask for".

Jessie outdid herself.

A little bit of magic sprinkle!

Playing the butterfly catch game

Playing the cupcake matching game

Blowing out the candles

She likes her new Tutu and butterfly wings from me & Paul

Checking to make sure there's no poop in that bag

A big heartfelt "thank you" to uncle Steve for NOT giving poop

She also liked her Cabbage Patch doll with matching Tutu.