Enjoying this...

...awesome CD, in the midst of this heat wave. Imogen Heap's album Speak for Yourself.

Nice to see you

My good friend M came to visit today. We grew up together. Many a good memory of youth group van trips and summer camp. She's married now and lives a couple states away, so we don't get together very often. I miss her desperately and treasure every moment we get to spend together now. She expecting her first little one and I can't wait to have another baby to spoil.
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What was that?

This week, the kids are making sailboats (little wooden boats with paper sails, mind you) in crafts. Most have turned into pirate ships (thank you very much, Johnny Depp). As they were working today, I decided to start writing down some of the phrases that came out of their mouths. Here they are...

"I can paint at turbo speed. Wanna see?"

"The engine in my boat is as big as 500 fat cows and 2oo tall buildings."

"It's my imagination ship. It can have anything on it I want. Like zombies."

"I made a sketch. Wanna see?"
my reply: that's really good, Dakota. What is a sketch anyway?
"Well, it's basically a pre-made picture that you color in."

"Do you know the sun is blind?"

"I always make me suns with glasses so they can see"

I never get tired of sitting with these kids and watching them create. Their imaginations are incredible. The way they see the world is something I never want to forget or take for granted.

Do you....

....have a collection?
From Stacy Julian's free Big Picture project.


My answer:

Books. I have tons of books. I still have my collection of Babysitters Club that I devoured as a kid. I can't part with them. The last book I bought....um....oh yeah, bought one yesterday. Elsie Flannigan's new book. I really like her style.

What is something.....

you use every single day, something that you could live without-but wouldn't want to?
From Stacy Julian's free Big Picture project

My answer:

Chapstick. I'm totally addicted. And it has to be a good kind too. Lip Smackers in Watermelon is on my nightstand and Pink Lemonade is on my key chain (have one of those lids that attatches to my keychain.) Plus I just bought some Kiss My Face in Peach. Just because.

"What would you do....

if you had one free afternoon to do anything you wanted, what would it be?"
This question is from Stacy Julian's free BIG PICTURE project.

My answer:

Right now, at this point of the summer my answer would be take a nap. By week 4 of camp, I'm exhausted 24/7. With limited free time, I stay up late a night to work on projects and just spend time in the Word (cause life would be impossible with my God and I time). I love to get in a nap during my 24 hours off on Saturday. It's heaven....mmmmm....

In other times, my answers are:

grab a book and sit on the porch and read

Watch a TV show (whichever series I'm hooked on at the moment) on DVD

Head outside and take some pictures

Go shopping

Clean my house (yes, I like cleaning my house. really. weird, I know.)


What about you?

Inspiration

Got this awesome book/magazine at Barnes and Noble this weekend. I love the design this magazine SIMPLE SCRAPBOOKS has. I get great ideas for cards and albums. I had been getting stuck thinking of different themes for some of the cards I make and how to say the same thing like "happy birthday" or "thank you" or "just a quick note" over and over again. This book is full of different questions to get you thinking and maybe even take your train of thought in a whole new direction.
I was inspired and have some great ideas in the works.

I've also been thinking about my blog. I read so many blogs from so many different types of people each day. I love them! They inspire me and make me think. Too often, I don't do the same on my blog. I'm in a hurry and just post a picture. I want to make more use of this blank canvas in front of me every day. So, I've decided to choose some questions, like the ones in this book, but not entirely, to write. If what I say inspires you to think too, let me know! I'd love to hear from you.
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Traffic nightmare

Sometimes, it's so great to have your camera in the car with you. This time is was to have proof of the nightmare I trapped in. See for yourself....
Saturday, spur of the moment, I went to visit my family. We went to see a movie and just spend some time together before my sister moves away. Took me 45 minutes to get to them. We went to see Pirates like everyone else in the US apparently. (it was okay, but no where near as good as the first. But it was worth it to see Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow run across a suspension bridge. I couldn't stop laughing. Love his characters!) We had to search out several theaters to find a showing that wasn't sold out. The movie ended and I jumped in the car to go home. Then I encountered THIS (see above photo). Apparently the state highway administration decided to shut down the ENTIRE south bound side of this overcrowded highway. 3-4 lanes completely stopped. Roadwork. It was so nice of them to post the sign only 5 miles before the actual work too. By the time I saw the sign I had been sitting in traffic for over an hour already. Then, they decided to shift everyone into 1 lane to do a detour, but not really tell you where to go on the detour. I felt like I was driving in circles in some cruel horror movie that never ended.

And how long did it take me to get home? 2 HOURS

Typical evening sunset

Yes, typical. It is just about this beautiful every night. Never been anywhere else in the world, besides maybe Loch Lomond, Scotland, where I have seen sunsets this beautiful. Love it!
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my new "friend" Alice

I found this book by chance in the biography section (my favorite) of the library. I grabbed it along with about 10 other books cause I can never make up my mind when I'm standing there with so many choices and because they are FREE. From the first sentance I was hooked. As Alice says in the book, it was like opening a book and finding a kindred spirit. It's about Alice Steinbach's travels through Europe. Middle aged woman who decided to take a leave of absence from her reporting job to travel by herself. It's all about the people she met and the places she experienced. I fell in love with it! I've already given it away as a present. I love when an author seems to write the way I think. I think we could be friends. It makes me want to travel more and not rush. Enjoy the moment. Sit and sip tea on the veranda. Experience life instead of watching it go by. Check it out.....

Today at snack shop I had....

I can't get enough of blue "Original" flavored Sun Chips right now. I'm a dearly, devoted fan of the Cheddar flavor, but had to try the blue after the Cheddar had sold out. Right now, it hits the spot. 4 days in a row. And a Fruit Roll-up just takes me back to elementary school. We hardly ever had them growing up, so I'm making up for lost Roll-up yumminess.
Yesterday we had a killer storm. WIND like a tornado. There were tree branches down all over the place. Our floating climbing wall is now beached (and not in the middle of ocean thankfully). The rain came in LARGE drops. Lightning, thunder. But it all was gone by the time fireworks began. I was blessed enough to watch them with 150 kids running around and laughing. If you could bottle up kid's laughter and sell it, I think it could cure the blues. It just makes me smile everytime I hear it.
Tonight, I'm getting off the property (gasp! a life outside of summer camp?!!) to hang with the Europe trip crew. I'm sure lots of reminiscing and laughter will be had by all. Also, a reminder that I still haven't printed out the 600 pictures that I took. Need a part time job to pay for the developing of my photography obsession.
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pile of colors

Last night, I was supposed to drive the boat, but the tide was so low that we couldn't get the boat off the lift. (doesn't that just seem crazy after we had soaking rains for so long last week!) I had an hour and a half to find something to do until my next "job" for the day. Ran and grabbed the camera off the counter and started shooting. I got some great shots of the kids on the beach. This is one of my favorites (yes, I know there are no children, but can't post those here). There is only one table on the beach. Each night, it's filled with towels, shoes, shirts, shorts and sunscreen bottles. The owners of these items were happily screaming and laughing on the banana boat.

Shots from last week

Craft time in the basement....
And LOTS of HOT, HUMID summer weather.
The kids are LOVING the pool this week. I'm loving taking pictures of them. This is one of my favorites. Lots of blue water and kiddie toes.
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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.