Halloween Fun

OK so it's almost Thanksgiving and yep - I'm posting Halloween pics. Cassie this year was a "spell caster witch" (so the packaging says) and Brook was a cowgirl. Brook found the hat when we where shopping detached from the costume bag and would not take it off, she wore it all through the store. she loves, LOVES, hats. Everytime we leave she points to her head and tries in her little but demanding voice to say hat but it just doesn't come out luckily we understand the pointing gestures! Cassie had a great time taking Brook around at the trunk-r-treats and collecting candy that neither one of them will eat and it will probably sit in our cabinet till next year and I through it away. Most of it Cassie can't eat anyways so Aaron always takes a stash for work. We just don't eat alot of candy. I think I found some from last Christmas from her stocking that she never touched. (it did get thrown away, however it was tempting to give it away to the teenager kids that kept pounding on our door when the lights where out) Anyway hope everyone had a great Halloween and getting ready for some great Turkey and pumpkin pie! YUMMMM

October Fun

October is coming to an end and it seems like it just got started! Our life and schedules seem to be so crazy this time of year (or an time for that matter). We had a great conference weekend drive to Mirror Lake and saw some beautiful fall colors. Attempted to do family pictures but Brook was mre interested in running around and picking up leaves, rocks, twigs and getting dirty than anything else. It was a great day we spent together. My step-dad has been in the hospital the majority of this month, hopefully he will get to come home sometime this week, it was a rough time for him and pretty scary for all of us. It really makes you think about your loved ones and that every moment of every day is so precious.
For the last two weeks I have enjoyed a much needed break from school and made lots of crafty things, halloween wreath, painted pumpkins with twine, BOO blocks, trick or treat pumpkins, count your blessings board, family home evening clipboard, decorated clipboard. I will have pictures up in a few days. Cassie and I had fun, she is a great help and loves to craft along with me! Brook had a great time re-arranging my craft room supplies what a great little helper (our motto - can't find it look low and in every container and even in the trash can) :)

Shiny Nickels (scrapbook pages printed) NOT THROUGH THEM!!!

Ok - So I was very excited to go to the scrapbook expo and for the week prior created 31 digital scrapbook pages. (an attempt to get caught up and that was only 3 months worth but for 3 different albums) Any how, it was advertised through Scrapbook USA Expo website that Shiny Nickels was going to be there and offering a great deal for those that attend and there by 4pm to download their files then pick back up that night after 7pm sounds great so far, for 1.00 you get your 12x12 print and 2 6x6 prints - promotional - again awesome deal. I was excited. I gave them my disk and they downloaded the files and all was good and was told to come back around 7-7:30 and then I could pay and pick up my prints. I came back NO ONE WAS AT THEIR BOOTH. They told the neighboring booth they were gone for the night. WHAT REALLY! No phone call, (which they had my cell) Nothing. Saturday 1-2 hours before the expo was to close I got a phone call stating that they had my prints and I could come pick them up - Seriously - Not good customer service at all. I didn't get the message till monday and when I called back. I told the owner that I wasn't happy with the service that I received I was there - He proceeded to almost blame me because they were there at 4:30 - kindly reminded him of the arrangement 7-7:30. In the meantime on Saturday morning I did talk to the lady in charge of the expo and raised my concerns about the advertising of this individual as I was not the only one that they jipped off. Luckily no money was exchanged. When I asked him what the total will be he stated that oh about 30 dollars or so. I told him I will go ahead and pay but I would never recommend his company to anyone. He said that he would let me have them at no charge and would bring them to me the next day. I was home all day - no show, next day no show, I gave up finally on saturday they showed up on my doorstep. The quality TERRIBLE - they are not true 12x12's trying to cut them is HORRIBLE they are printed off and the 6x6's are NOT 6x6's whatsoever. One is more like 6xsomething and the other 6xsomething else. FRUSTRATING - Then to top it all off - So glad I did not have to pay for them - I didn't even get all 31 pages only 25 and he was going to have me pay $30 something? This company does not know how to do business and I would NEVER go through them EVER! So to my scrapbooking friends - don't waste your time on what might seem a good deal because really it is worth paying the extra money to ensure that your memories are printed from a quality printing service that you know and trust.
(FYI - he will most likely not be returning to the expo as there where other problems and trust issues with this vendor other then what I had!)
Thanks for listening to me babble and ramble on!

WHO WOULD I RECOMMEND:
Persnickity Prints
Creative Memories
Costco

Easter Pics

Here are some of the Easter Pics of the Girls. I decided this year that I would make their dresses, which ended up being a skirts. Brooks initially was a dress and then I got frustrated and wacked it off and made a skirt. Then I was happy how it turned out.

On May 5 we went up Cottonwood Canyon on a "nice" day. There is still soooo much snow up there. We were able to capture some wildlife. It was so beautiful. Cassie loved playing around in the snow without a coat, gloves, etc.

Lots of SNOW!!! Cassie was bummed that we didn't hike around - she is CRAZY. She said, it's ok it's pretty packed down mom. We won't fall through to the lake underneath there is too much snow. I am glad she is so observant but I was not about to test it out. Simply stated "maybe next time" (without mom ok dad). Love her to pieces and her adventurous side, just wish it wasn't so risky at times.

Lemonade.....

I promise I have not gone COMPLETELY crazy....well maybe alittle! We told Cassie she could have a party (this was several months ago) and in April we watched on the Disney Channel "Lemonade Mouth" well needless to say this was the theme for her summer party!!! So we had a ton of fun and wished we could have done more and she is already planning another party - involving flip flops and glitter nails and toes - let your imagination run with this one. It will be fun. So here are some of our creations for this party that is going on now!

The invitations

The treats...

Treats to go in the bags - lemon heads, taffy, lemon wedges gummy candy!

Lemon Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

Treat Bags with each girls name on the label

Oh, and of course the LEMONADE - 4 flavors, sprakling peach, sprakling blueberry, sparkling pink, and sparkling regular.
We had pizza, popcorn, cookies, popsicles, fun, laughs, singing, dancing it was great to see Cassie in her element with some of her friends.

I love all this new digital scrapbooking - for .13 a print at costco you can do alot. Napkin rings (4 on a 4x6 print), invites, tags for the treat bags, so much fun. While I love my cricut and traditional scrapbooking when you are tight on time and some funds you don't have to have all the colors and embellishments of traditional scrapbooking. So excited for more fun parties this summer now that the weather is warm. I found our Easter Picture so I will have to edit and post those later!

Catch up Part 1

It has been a while so I thought I had better get started on my catch up. Life has been crazy with school, being a mom, wife, sister, daughter, etc. We have had a ton of fun - we got bikes and have enjoyed several bike riding trips and are getting to know some trails around and hope to broden our scenic routes. I will have to post pics in Part 2, Brook really enjoys going for bike rides and doesn't fuss with her helmet. We are so looking forward to the warmer weather and for it to stop raining. Here are some fun pics of the girls. Brook turned 1 in March and has developed quite the personality and tolerance for Cassie in playing dress up.

We also went to the Childrens Gateway Museum and the girls had a great time

Brook also has some crazy curls that are so funny because all of us have very STRAIGHT hair.

We decorated Sugar cookies for easter at Grandmas house and Cassie wants to learn how to decorate cakes! (Fun but horrible for me because I love a great sugar cookie!)

Me and my baby girl on her first Birthday! So exciting but also so sad. Our last but we are enjoying every moment with our two angels. It is such a blessing to see both of them grow and how similar they are and how much love they both have for each other.

Fix-it Friday w/ iheartfaces

Thought I would have some fun with their photo - What do you think? - These are my two edits using Adobe Photoshop - Lightroom 3.  I really love this program I think it is easy to edit and play with the photos, I am understanding it better then Photoshop!

This is the original photo that was given.

Thanks for looking and critiquing! Happy Friday everyone, even though it is 10pm!!!

School

I honestly don't know why one has to take Psychology for a Business Major!  I am not fond of my um I guess you would call her a teacher, she is so contradictory, I can't stand it.  She gives an assignment and tells you she wants personal experiences and how it relates to the readings.  So you do so and then she docs you points on the paper for giving personal experiences.  UGH! When you question her she states, there wasn't enough stated? Seriously does she really need to know every nook and crany about my life and those in it.  She is NOT MY psychologist and if she was I wouldn't be going back a second time that's for sure!

Ok enough of my rantings!  I guess I am frustrated with this class and am dreading a 5 page research paper that is due on the 14th, go figure, she must not have a life if she planned this paper to be do on VALENTINES DAY!! 

I love my Busines class, I feel pretty good about it.  After passing a quiz while dooped up on Lortab and from just coming out of the hospital I passed it with a B I was pleased.  I am recovering slower than I thought I would.  I thought that I would be able to not take anything for the pain but that was a mistake.  At least I am able to lift Brook most of the time.  Cassie has been such a tremendous help so glad she was off track for this.  I do have a funny post about my hospital experiences I will post sometime. Glad this part of my life is done!!! Hopefully will be rid of severe, cripaling, cramping pain all month long.  I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to have 2 wonderful daughters, glad I was never able to schedule the hysterectomy during the summer of 2009, Heavenly Father definately kept intervening for a great reason. Hope all is well with everyone have a great Valentines if I don't post till then.