Happy New Year

oh YES!!......these are soooooooooooooooooooooooooo GOOD!! made them on the day of the big blizzard and the house was filled with the smell of cinnamon...this is an old family recipe (Swedish) and what i usually do with the dough is make either rolls or a big stollen filled with dried fruits and nuts but i was in the mood for pecan/cinnamon rolls.....oh YES....well, i ate one (or two) and so did mike and than off to the freezer cause i would have eaten them all (not a good thing )...now here is the question ... should i leave them in the freezer OR eat them before 2011?  LOL...

Dirty Windows AND a Hawk

so....I was washing the dishes and something out the window caught my eye.....a hawk....so i crouched down and went to get my camera...hoping that the bird would still be there...came back slowly and took a few shots before he took off....the light was not good and my kitchen windows need a desparate wash but you can tell this is a hawk...right?....looks like a young one....love living here near the conservation land (Concord River; Great Meadows Reserve)...of course having many bird feeders certainly helps attrack these beauties!! (see all the snow from the big blizzard)

My Sarah

credits:Paper/flowers-KPertiet; word tag-IntheMaking;font-MyriadPro

It has been so long since a post that i "almost" forgot my password to get in here....need to get my mojo back and start doing layouts...will be taking a new class soon with Jessica so maybe that will give me a kick....

Happy Thanksgiving

click image!! credits:dollydesigns

The Blog Hop is over

What a fun time!!!! Thank you from all over the world....amazing what the internet has done for us!! I am going to leave my links activated but some others on the hop will be removing their links.......BUT.....Check this out..Jessica is giving a free class....go and register now...it startes November 29th....you won't be sorry......!!!  Click the image......

Yeaaaaaaaaaaaa

The time is finally here.....the blog hop by Jessica Sprague's Certified Designers...coming together to give you a fun time of gathering digi goodness for your holiday memories.....Now it begins with Lisa and if you should get lost along the way just hop back to her for a complete list of those that are participating!!  You must have just come from Anna's .... she is so talented!! Hope you gave her some luv...... Here is my gift to you...just click on the image :

Thanks everyone for your kind comments....this has been so much fun for me!! I just noticed that 4shared takes forever (165 secs to wait for download) SO I started an account with box.net...here is the link...  http://www.box.net/shared/static/l6k485vac3.zip


Your next stop is Wendy....another great designer!!  Enjoy and Happy Holidays to You and your Families!!

the Blog Hop Previews

WOW....just take a look....tons of digi goodness...all for free!! Don't forget to come back on Thursday the 11th to start the downloading!!

HUGE BLOG HOP

WOW....this is going to be HUGE!! Over 40 of us newly certified digital designers are celebrating by sharing are talents with you all thru this blog hop!!...The hop will start on November 11th and go thru the 14th....I will post a preview of this collaboration kit on the 8th with more details...You won't want to miss this one....!!!

Certified!!

The Kids

  JoJo and Sam....they are getting so big so fast!!

Where have I been?

welllllll.....has been a long time since i wrote anything here...have been taking classes at Jessica's..ABC Inspiration and Heritage Album...Spending alot of time on Ancestry.com (wow...what a great place)..what i really need to do is contact the older members of my family and start asking more questions .... started to do this awhile ago but than "life" just got in my way...need to get going and get those answers about my family history!!   Here is a GREAT picture of my dd Sarah...here she is on a farm in Iowa...

WOW

credits: QP by SPD

can you believe this.....I remember when i put her momma on the kindergarden bus for the first time!!

What can I say.....

credits: all paper and elements by me...dewnie designs

Isn't he the most handsome boy you ever saw?????

40 Years

Yesterday was our 40th Wedding Anniversary....While we were away our girls had two mature trees planted in honor of this milestone!! I cried and cried...!!

National Parks

the Grand Tetons

a Moose at Yellowstone

Glacier National Park

Floating Down the Yellowstone River

Just returned from a GREAT vacation....Fabulous!!!

where does the time go...

wow....haven't posted for a long time.....I have been busy with "life" and also completed Jessica's class "Art of Digital Design"....5 weeks of daily lessons ... i developed my first kit with a very nice review by Carina Gardner...passed the exam...and now i am ceritfied ... at this time i am not even thinking of selling my designs(but you never know)...i just wanted to learn...and boy, did i...what a journey!! i am going to post here the preview of the full kit and the mini (created from the full)...and if i can figure out this 4shared thing will link it so you all can have the mini....

JoJo at Disney World

credits: QP by Elerhwen

JoJo's Graduation

From Pre-school....Kindergarden in the fall....wow!!

Happy Birthday to Me

Oh, yes....the big "60".....ouch!!! When did this all happen?? Here i am when i was just a young girl (8 years old)...better change my profile to read "over 60".....(not by much....)

Jessica's Challenge

credits: template and all papers from Jessica Sprague; sparkles and balloons from After Five; the rose is mine (dewnie designs)

Jessica is having a third birthday party bash...here is a layout i did for today's challenge!

Another Class

and it is FREE!!! I am so luvin the "Art of Digital Design" at Jessica's...SO much information and i am trying my hand at designing my own digital kit....and than this class was announced so i will be busy!!

The Zamir Chorale of Boston

Wonderful evening with the Zamir Chorale.."Jazzaimir"...at the Sanders Theatre, Cambridge!

JoJo and Friends

here is a little play on color photo...selective coloring....just love photoshop...taking an advanced class now over at Jessica's...learning the "art of digital design"...creating my own...

Memorial Day

Here is a newspaper article from 1942 about my father and his brothers....all our gone now but we must continue to honor these men (also two sisters) for what they did for our country!!

A Tea Party

JoJo and her friends celebrated her 5th birthday today with a "Tea Party"...what fun!!

Happy Birthday JoJo

Do you believe my little JoJo is 5 years old today!! Tomorrow she is having her birthday party and I will get LOTS of pictures!!! Happy Birthday JoJo!!

King Arthur Flour

LOVE LOVE LOVE their products!!! I am trying to "go healthy" and ordered White Whole Wheat Flour (not a fan of 100% Whole Wheat Flour in general) from King Arthur and yesterday..using this flour...tried this recipe from their cookbook...Whole Grain Baking....it was Fabulous!!

Banana Walnut Bread

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium to large bananas)

1/4 cup honey

2 large eggs

2 cups King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, vanilla, baking soda, spices and salt. Add the bananas, honey, and eggs, beating until smooth. Add the flour, then the walnuts, stirring until smooth. Spoon the batter into a lightly greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan, smoothing the top. Let it rest at room temperature for 10 minutes. Bake the bread for 50 minutes, then gently lay a piece of aluminum foil across the top, to prevent over-browning. Bake for an additional 10 minutes, then remove the bread from the oven; a long toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center should come out clean. Allow the loaf to cool for 10 minutes before removing it from the pan, and cooling it completely on a rack. Yield: 1 loaf, 16 servings.

Time flies.....

It is already Wednesday.....what?...i remember the "older folks" saying that the older they got the faster time went...i thought they were "loosing it"...well....guess what....i am saying the same thing...so am i loosing it?....here are the tulips dh gave me for mother's day...sooooooooo pretty!

May Challenge - Day 6

credits: Papers-ateets,melancolie; frames-KPertiet; tassles (recolored)scrappersguide; fonts-honeyscript, BookAntiqua

May Challenge - Day 5

credits: template-Inthemaking; papers-ArtisanGuild, KPertiet; overlay-trish jones; animal elements-no tou; font-honeyscript

I know....didn't complete Day 4 yet....i will hopefully do this weekend...just received the challenge rules for today....going to try and keep up...also taking a Vintage Photo Restoration Class.....this retirement is great!!!

May Challenge - Day 3

credits: template by TCdesigns;brush by KPertiet; photos from BD newsletter

May Challenge -Day2

credits: paper and elements-HolliewoodDesigns; frame/journal strip-LivDesigns; wordart-CRenee; font-honeyscript

May Challenge - Day1

credits:template by Liz; papers and alpha by M.Fenwick

I just had to do a layout of this!!....Just a little proud!! Also this counts for Day 1 of The May Challenges over at Jessica's.

James Beard Award

Guess who received a James Beard Award last night.....my dd Sarah!!!!! Yeaaaaaaaa!!

Today's Speed Challenge

credits:All supplies from ArtisanGuildSept'08

In just 30 minutes!!

Speed Challenge

credits: Paper-aheinann; paperstrips-dyoungdesigns; frame-wetfishdesigns; alpha-mfenwick (seaside);font-barbershop; elements-no tou

Love this iNSD...started already at Jessica's....Speed Challenge and what fun!!

Happy Birthday Sarah

Can you believe .... this is my baby.....34 years old today!!! WoW...Happy Birthday, sweeeettie!

iNSD

Saturday is international scrapbooking day and i will be on the computer for the whole day...checking out my favorite sites, chatting, doing challenges and spending money....this one is my favorite site!!

Second City

we went into the South End in Boston to see Second City (comedy improv group from Chicago)...it was soooooooooooooo good....great seats and laugh!!...just what i needed after a crazy week with sick doggie (waiting for more results from more blood work) ...than (of course) we went out to eat at a very interesting restaurant..BeeHive it is called...eclectic menu with a focus on Moroccan food..mmmmmm and i was able to stay on track ..shrimp in a red pepper sauce over pilaf and arugula with hearts of palm...very healthy...of course i wanted to eat mike's meal...snow pea salad with yogurt,dill dressing (i did pick at this) and a BIG chicken club (sans bacon) with frites....NICE!! Results of my EMG given to me today by my neurologist...everything is GREAT -no neuropathy...just a bit of dorsal tunnel (like carpal tunnel in wrist but this is in my ankles/feet)....so let's go see a podiatrist...why not...another specialist..thank goodness for great health insurance!!

What a Beautiful Day

Crazy Yesterday

My poor little dog, Lainie has been "under the weather"...took her to the vets on Wednesday with high temperature...blood work done and meds prescribed with phone call to me on Thursday that she really needed to go to the Animal Hospital for extensive testing....so off we went ... her white blood count and platelets were down big time...she had the works done and it appears that she will be ok..picked her up at 9 pm (won't tell ya how much that cost..she is worth every penny) She needs to return to the hospital on Saturday for another platelet count and hopefully she will not need any further treatment...today she has energy and eating her sister's treat...she loves the fact that i am giving her chicken for her meals...And on top of all that i started the metabolic syndrome program last night...the beginning of 12 week education and medically supervised exercise at my local hospital....i am loosing weight but the thought of getting on all that $%^&* equipment just increases my blood pressure...BUT i am committed!!

Summer Camp 2009

supplies from ArtisanGuild April '10

Since Papa just registered her for Summer Camp 2010 thought i better do a layout from last summer...she is such a sweeettttie!!!! Yesterday she went to the Circus with Papa and her Mom...did they take any pictures...NO!!!!

Health

well....i finally went for my annual physical (just a little late) and have been following up with referral appts to specialists (good thing i have good insurance)...i am doing well and will con't to do so if i follow the recommendations!! i am lucky...my issues can be addressed by diet, medication and exercise....I have been counting carbohydrates since March 1 (only allowed so many per meal) and guess what...i am loosing weight ... go figure...surprise!! Now the exercise part...i have been avoiding this since i was 7 years old...oh,yes...i am the one who would skip gym and "fake" the parent signature on an "excuse dawn from gym today" note...sweat..not me!! so it has not caught up with me...so...the end of the month i am to begin "medically supervised" exercise program at my local hospital...this goes for 12 weeks with added benefit of education and support group (this my insurance does not pay for...but at this point who cares...right?) So, next week i have a stress test ..a prerequisite of the program...after all it a preventative program conducted by the cardiac rehab team...always felt i would have a heart attack if i got on one of those running machines...well, now as i do it a nurse, doctor and physical therapist will be in the room....NO excuses now....Helpppppppppppp!!

Huntington Theatre

I am getting a bit lazy with this blog....need to step it up!! Sunday we went to see this great, funny play at the theatre...the last in our subscription for the year...definitely going to re-up for next season...it gets us up and into Boston for some great plays and then (of course) we need to eat...we were planning on doing just that in Cambridge but the play ended earlier than we thought and dh says "let's just go thru the North End"...right, like there ever would be a parking space in this historic part of Boston with the narrow winding cobblestone streets...WELL..there it was - just past Paul Revere's house...mike says "this can't be..must be a loading zone"...."get in there" i scream (well, maybe not scream but with force)...right in front of a restaurant that had a table for two with our name on it in the window overlooking the square....only about 7 tables..service was slow BUT the food was amazing....!!...Last night was the first Seder and my dd Rebecca hosted...so nice to pass this down to the next generation...the atmosphere was great and the food was amazing...nice and healthy....her dh did all the grilling..the grandchildren where a joy to be with...although sammy was a handful given he is only 18 months old..i thought he did well...tonight we are off to friend's home for the second Seder......to be con't....

A Nice Morning!

the Lion King

JoJo and DD Rebecca and DH Mike and I all went to see the Lion King at the Boston Opera House yesterday....It was fantastic!!!! and JoJo was enthralled..I bought her a shirt and a Simba doll (of course i did!!)...went out to dinner at Polcari for some nice Italian food...had to pack it all up to take home cause Shawn (who was watching Sammy) got an emergency call by the town of Lexington to go in....For you see, the east coast is experiencing a n'or eastern but in the form of rain....roads and houses are being flooded big time....it felt like it would have been faster to get to the theatre if we swam in....it was a little scary at time...saw flooded streets and parking lots and some of the bridges we went over the water was way up the banks...my pump in the basement has not stopped...water on the floor but just "dampening" the floor in areas for the floor was designed to go into the pump area....we live just up from the Concord River but high enough not to be affected by it but when you get 8 inches of rain in a short time you know something is going to happen...luckily we did not loose power (the winds have been crazy)...some areas are just experiencing such damage...it has been such a crazy winter here in the Boston area....mostly rain...not sure when the last snow was here..(she says softly for it ain't over yet)