The "traffic" was crazy tonight!

Tonight, I was laughing that this was my job for the evening. Dodging sailboats while driving the boats at free time. It was a sparkly, beautiful evening tonight. I think I had as much fun as the kids.
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drip drip pour

So, it's been doing this for 3 straight days. POURING!!!! Not just a little bit of rain, but we're talking cats and dogs and small farm animals. The roads are washed out. We are all wet all day cause when it's camp and it's raining, you keep going until it thunders.

Finally today, the sun broke through (hurray!!) This is not a little pond. Oh, no. This is our field. It's basically a pond/swamp now. And the fun part is that this field used to be a horse pasture. That's right. All that mud that the kids have been playing in and rolling around in smells like horse manure. The smell almost knocks you out. I got a big mouthful of it tonight and almost lost it....
Love the reflections in this picture....

Cards and more cards

Birthdays and other important dates have been keeping me busy with my card making lately.
This one was a birthday card for a friend. The flower petals were made from scraps from another card. I can't bear to throw any piece away of the paper I buy! These are all from Basic Grey's Urban Couture collection. It is so yummy! The colors and designs beg to be used. I found a scrap store in the area (finally!) that sells lots and lots of it. I scrap-lifted this idea from a design I saw in Creating Keepsakes.

I also made another card that I really liked with the same patterned paper, but forgot to take a picture. Oh, well.


This was for my daddy-O on Father's Day. The card in the pocket pulled out and said something like "You Are: kind, patient, loving, Godly....." This is more paper from Basic Grey. The letters are Making Memories rub-ons.


I'm slowly starting to get a better handle on coming up with an idea for each card. That's what takes the longest! When I give myself a time limit, that seems to work better. It's been such a fun craft to dive into and learn more about.

This week, I love....

when I'm walking across the gravel with my flip flops on and the gravel gets onto the back of my flip flop and I keep walking and the rock flies off my flip flop in front of me. It's always fun to see how far it will go.

I also love Snapple Peach Iced Tea. It's the best thing to drink in the whole world.

Further more, I love having to look at my watch at least once every day to see what day it is (Timex Ironman has been my best watch friend for the last 7 years. Date, time, day of the week, stopwatch, timer. Love it!) Everyday is so similar, in a good way, that I seriously forget what day it is. It's fun to live in the moment everyday.

What did you love this week?
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visitors

The geese wanted to come and do crafts with me and the kids today. They were alot closer to the door, but I didn't have my camera out in time.
I hate those stupid geese! So annoying! And now there are TONS of them cause all of the couples had babies and they roam all over the place making a mess!

evening magic

Took this tonight while I was "working." I think it may be one of my favorite shots of the summer. The evening sky/lighting/colors truly seem magical here. If only everyday could be as beautiful as today. And if only we could all enjoy playing in the mud as much as we did when we were kids. There's just something about children playing and laughing that makes all seem right with the world.

Happy first day of summer everyone!

Dinner shock

Last night, I was peacefully eating dinner with friends on the "staff porch." (remember...someone makes meals 3 times a day around here and we all come running when the dinner bell rings) We are enjoying a nice evening thunderstorm that is the norm when you are located on the water and the days are hot and humid. This one was a good one, but not as bad as some have been. It seemed to be slowing down and we were all happily eating and laughing. Mid-story a BOLT of lightning stuck. Not just anywhere. This BOLT was so powerfully close that several people's ears popped. I could feel the heat. There was a whiter that white flash of light. The scariest part was the feeling it sent through my body. Kinda a mix of the world largest bass drum (like at a concert when it's REALLY loud and you can literally feel it in your chest) and the heat wave you get when you open the oven when it's at full blast. Needless to say, stunned was the word of choice to describe it cause there were no words to accurately describe it. Here's some pictures to prove it. The BOLT hit a tree right outside where we were.

I was sitting right at the window on the left hand side. Yes, it was that close.
This was how far the bark went flying. And fly it did! Smoke too!

What a way to start the first day of camp!
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The peaceful evening

My roommate and I were leaving our cottage the other night. We rounded the corner and this was the site in front of us. I made her stop the car so I could jump out and get this shot.
The pinks and blues in the sky look like they were painted, don't they? And how perfect that there was a sailboat at that exact moment. I lOvE the water.....
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Neighborhood carnival

Last weekend, the carnival was in town. You know, the kind with rides that seem like a screw will pop off and you will go flying to your death. The kind that is ridiculously overpriced for the rides they have. My favorite site was the game called Shark Attack that was a pool of red, bubbling water sitting on the ground that the participant could fish in. Gross...
I wished that I had a "coveted camera" to truly capture the sites I saw, but this one turned out okay with my own.


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Let the insanity begin

My summer days are not filled with lemonade and hammocks like some people's are. Mine are filled with boats, paint, wood, HUMIDITY, HEAT, laughter, costumes, chapel time, having my meals made for me 3 times a day, 300 people in my face 24/7, fun, sailboats, children laughing, snack shop 2 times a day (ice cream, candy, yummies galore), sunsets over the river and lots and lots of laughter.
No, it's not relaxing, but it is my FAVORITE time of year, hands down....


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It was a .....

beautiful day. So beautiful that my camera was screaming to be used. I had just gone to an Artfest in town and realized that some of my photos were just as good as the ones that cost $250. My little Kodak Easyshare was working it's magic the best that it could. I love how blue the sky looks, how green the trees are and how the clouds seem float by lazily. (no, I didn't doctor them in photoshop either!)


This past weekend was delightful. I have a great picture to share as soon as I get a chance. The busy summer season is upon my life but it's so much fun. There is always something to do and someone to laugh with. What more does a girl need anyway?
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My CD will be out in July...

....cause I must be a rock star with a picture like this.

This was taken by my amazing brother with a camera that makes me turn into the green eyed monster every time I see him use it.

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as promised....

...here are some pics of the Grand Cayman album I've been working on. I finally finished the pages. Just need to do some journaling and cover the front. These are my 3 favorite pages. And, wouldn't you know it, they are the ones that I spent the least amount of time on. Over thinking is my Achilles heel, I suppose. Must work on that.


I got this really awesome book by Heidi Swapp that has helped my creative block with this particular project. Love Your Handwriting. If you love to hate your handwriting, this book is for you. It's was the perfect tool to finish the album and love the pages.
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wedding in a cornfield

Here's a couple shots from the wedding I went to this weekend. It was outside and the weather turned out to be perfect with a pink sunset to finish it off.

It was great to see lots of friends who are usually scattered across the US, all gathered together in one place. The reception was full of laughter and fun. Good memories
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attention....attention....

You know I love some good photos. My bro sent me a link to this guy's Flickr site. Love me some good photos of Paris. Check it out here.

People watching in.....

...O'Hare airport.

There is something so fascinating to me about people in airports. Where are they going? How in the world do some travel with no carry-ons? Are they going home or off to a fantastic vacation or to visit family? Why do some dress up to travel? Are they thinking that the aisle in the plane is their own person runway? Why are they running like the big bad wolf is chasing them? Are they really lost or is that vacant expression on their face just airport induced?

I find myself making up stories for each person that catches my eye. When my flight was called 6 hours later, I was almost sad to leave. But then again, I got to watch people find their loved ones at the gate when we arrived at our destination. That's almost better. Almost....

(So, why was I at the airport for 6 hours in a Chicago? American Airlines strikes again. Cancelled flight on the way to Iowa.)

Tops on my list....

Logan on Veronica Mars. He makes me smile.

My roomie and I are SO enjoying getting hooked on this fun show. It's Nancy Drew meets 90210 with a little Buffy thrown in for extra credit.