last day in June

Here it is... the last day in June, already!!! I hate it when summer speeds by. We've been keeping busy around here.
The boys have had friends over right, left and center. Somedays I'm up by one (or two) and on others I'm down a boy. For the most part it has been really nice. Every once in a while though I'll notice that there has been too much of a good thing and at least one boy is cranky and over tired. We swim most days, took in the "free" kid movie in Fresno and took a trip to Hobby Town. The boys each picked out a model to build. I got Brock a snap together model, thinking he wouldn't be up for the intricate small pieces and gluing (yeah! I found non-toxic, non smelly model glue!) He surprised me with his ability to follow picture directions. I hardly needed to help at all. The other boys needed a little more help. Directions for building models is seriously lacking... I even had a hard time determining what goes where and when. Oh and that non toxic glue, doesn't work all that great, you spend a LONG time holding the pieces together waiting for it to set up! But I guess that is better than killing brain cells!
I've been trying to keep up on my digital class. I find that some days I just can't be motivated to crank out the pages. I'll get distracted, or frustrated, or just don't have any creative juices flowing. I've put off a couple of assignments for a few days and I guess that is okay.
I finally got a new calling. Yep....it's in cub scouts. I think I had a premonition that it would be. I am just relieved that it is only the den leader call, although what that is exactly I do not know. Just as long as it is me "helping" Allison I think I'll be okay. When the Bishop asked for a sustaining vote this last Sunday he ribbed be about my own half-heartedly raised hand :D
I also got some training for my Family History Consultant calling. I guess that in the last year a newFamily Search went online. I came home and decided to try it out.
Not sure what to think. It's not easy to add in your information and with a not-so-fast computer I spent more than half the time just waiting for a new page to load or update! I also found out that I am apparently not the only one working on my family line, bummer... Ah well.

To the pages....this is what I have done since my last post:
Last Saturday's 30 minute challenge.

I did not like being timed! It stressed me out. I hit the 30 minute mark and my journaling was still not finished, so I restarted the timer and went another 15 minutes. I was having sticky mouse issues and I could not get things to move where I wanted them, then they'd stick and be messed up when I jiggled the mouse to get it to move again! UGH!!! Still wasn't happy with the page. It was "finished"...
technically, but I went back and fiddled with this and moved that and resized another for a bit longer.

Finally a page from our cruise. This was last Mondays lesson. I did the layout just like the lesson called for and HATED it! The paper was red and it clashed horribly. I talked to my mom and she said that it was alright to deviate.. so I did. I like it much better with different paper, colors, and fonts.


We really loved the forts in San Juan. It was incredible to me that they could have built something this complicated and huge and well thought out over 500 years ago. I guess when you think about it there are loads of examples of incredible architecture all over the world that is centuries old, I've just never been able to see them before to truly appreciate it. (but boy would I love to see more!)
You could see where they had made channels along the walls to divert and store fresh rain water, holes to bring in fresh air and as ports to "hear" if enemies were approaching, tracks for the massive cannons to pivot on, walls that were over 30 feet thick. All made of lava rock and then covered in plaster to make it pretty. I was drawn to the turrets. There were several that just hung out there, with slit windows. Amazing.

This was the 6/25 challenge, to use 2 carnival papers, journal strips and one idea from the 100 in 10 list.
I think that Caden took this picture on Mother's day this year. What a sweet boy.

caden is 9!

My babies are growing up :( It doesn't really sink in for me until I look at pictures of them as babies, then see what they are now. The daily change is so gradual...makes me kinda sad that they don't fit on my lap anymore and they won't let me cover them in kisses because they taste so good.
And this little man!!! Less and less of the baby, more of the manly man, leg hair and all!
We had a little family party on his official birthday, he informed me that his birthday was rescheduled/ postponed. Caden is my choco-boy, super chocolate cake which had to have ice cream to tone it down. He's looking forward to his friend party on Saturday. He called and invited everyone,(so grown up) even GIRLS!. He's so good about that, he's not afraid to be friends with the girls. Had to give him man points for that.

My mid week challenge for the Now we're rockin' class was to choose 2 concepts from the first lesson and make a new page. I wanted to try my hand at recoloring again, and chickened out on the suggestion of doing a page about me... so birthday boy got the honor. The page took forever to complete, or so it seemed. Still not comfortable with all the commands and menus and hot keys. But it is enjoyable, so I don't mind putting in the time.

summer

It's finally here! Whoo-hoo! Bring it on. I love it when school is out, sleeping in, swimming every day, long days, hours and hours for projects. This summer should be a good one. I'm taking a new digi class. Started yesterday (Monday). I love getting into the lessons and "growing" my skills.
I finally finished painting my pantry cupboards (thanks dad, couldn't have done it without you!)Just a little touch up and a counter top and we are DONE! (with that project:D)
Brock congraduated (his word) from kindergarten last Wednesday. Funny boy, he was so excited. He was seated in the last row in the middle section and he kept popping up sporadically during the "ceremony" to wave and see if I was taking pictures. He reminded me a few times leading up to the big day that I needed to take A picture of him and then load it up on the computer. I assured him that I would take at least one! He's a big first grader now.

The boys went to cub scout camp today and then again tomorrow. Brock feels all grown up, because he was included this year too. Mr. Tadhg got to go as a counselor. They have all had summer play dates, with lots of friends. Keep them busy and they won't fight.XXX(that's me with my fingers crossed!)
I am fairly unpopular around here now though. After a Wednesday afternoon to Sunday x-box marathon,with subsequent brain rotting, I instituted a 2 hour rule. Each boy is allowed 2 hours x-box/gamecube/computer time each day. I had to amend almost immediately that if there was any arguing with me about that rule that an additional 5 minutes would disappear for each complaint. They have tried to avoid me (and home) since. We'll see if they can get creative with their time.
I had an interesting experience today. I ran a quick errand with a friends daughter(age 15) after I dropped the boys off at day camp. I was talking to the recycle guy (we see each other monthly, and chat, as I recycle) and he asked if Kellie was my daughter. I answered, "Nooo! She's just a girl friend", then the thought hits me.....She could be! Wow, that was weird. Ouch, I'm OLD!!! Then I think of Tadhg starting 7th grade in the fall. Kinda hard to wrap my head around that one too.
Was IM-ing with my mom today as we both worked on our computer related projects. Talking about what was going on in our lives, sharing ideas, funny bits and pictures as needed. I was telling her how I had gotten sucked into a big party for Caden's birthday. (9, oh my!) I told her that he had found an invitation left over from last year, and brought it to me and stated that he wanted invitations just like that this year. I said, "what makes you think you are getting a party?" He looks at me... with his big Gromit eyes, and ...now there's a party. When I mentioned Gromit eyes she brought up the little reach he would do opening and closing his hands when he wanted to be picked up. It always worked. She dug around and found a picture of him doing that reach. Melt my heart! What a sweet baby. Where did he go? those eyes and his little "up" hands.

I got a late start for my first assignment, with painting the cupboards so I sat down today to get busy. I had a really hard time deciding on a picture for the layout. It needed to be horizontal with a part that could be recolored after the rest of the picture was sepia tinted. Everything I came across didn't lend itself to the sepia tinting. Too much going on, not enough contrast, etc. I finally found this photo of the b-day boy from last summers trip to Idaho. It would work. It took the better part of the day, between computer problems, IM-ing and other distractions to get it done. The lesson called for a brush that was no longer available, so I tried a few, but didn't like the results. Mom came to the rescue with a more masculine foliage brush. After a few false starts I found 2 that I liked. After I put them in where I thought they'd fit on the photo I looked at what I'd done. It was interesting that the brush by Caden was young grass and the brush by Dave was an old oak. An analogy perhaps... Whatever it was it, seemed serendipitous.

tug

Your patience has been rewarded. I said I'd maybe post the 3 panel storyboard and
Taa Daaa.... here it is. I started it yesterday, then had to begin again when my computer unexpectedly shut down!?@*, but the second time around went much faster. I put the finishing touches on today and here it is.

Not much new since my last post. No calling yet, but that's cool, a longer break.
One week of school to go! Then I get to sleep in :D