WEEK 9

The topic question for WEEK 9 is...

How do people in your life show you that they love you?

A Card

My aunt just bought a house, so I wanted to make her a card. I feel this card is extra significant because my dad (her brother) really liked frogs. So I thought it was totally fitting. It says "From our Pad to Yours". Then the inside I hand wrote, "Congratulations on your new pad!"

I think it turned out prettey cute. I first made a card with some shapes cut out to look like a house, and I just wasn't feeling it. I did not like it at all. So I went with this.

I am off to work here in a few minutes. We are having Scrap Pink this weekend. I really like it when all the girls are there. I love to see what everyone is working on, and usually get some great ideas.

What we have been up to lately.

This is what $234.00 at Winco, and $40.00 at Stater Brothers looks like. Oh my. We went grocery shopping on Saturday. I haven't done a BIG shopping trip in quite some time. Lately we have just been going every few days. So we went to Stater Brothers for the powerade and water. With a coupon you got 20 powerades and 2 CASES of water for $15.00. So we got 40 powerades and 4 cases of water. Then we went to Winco across town. (I am so excited that they are opening one down the street from us next month). We got SO MUCH stuff. I just had to take a picture of it all unloaded before we put it all away. Our fridge in the garage is stuffed full of powerade and water. It is so nice not having to go to the store every few days, and I can just go into the kitchen and decide what to make for dinner. I love it.

Made some cookies the other night out of a cake mix. Lemon crisps. They were good. With a lemon glaze on top.

Which Jacob helped me make and decided that they were A OK!

RECIPE AS FOLLOWS...

Lemony Crisps

1 pkg. Pilsbury Moist Supreme Lemon Cake Mix

1/3 cup oil

2 eggs

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup powdered sugar

2 to 3 tbs lemon juice

yellow colored sugar

1.Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, oil and eggs. Stir with spoon until thouroughly moistened. Shape dough into 1 inch balls, place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Place sugar in shallow dish. Dip bottom of glass in sugar and flatten cookies to 1/4 inch thickness.

2. Bake at 375 degrees for 5 to 7 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute, remove from cookie sheets.

(I doubled the icing recipe and was glad that I did. Gave me more room to play with drizzling them over the cookies)

3. In small bowl combine powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle over cookies and sprinkle with colored sugar before icing sets.

The kids really liked them. They were good. Not too lemony but just enough lemony flavor. Yum!

Picked this up at Target last night. The Manning Brides . Looks like it might be good.

These two were playing with chalk in new ways. It was even in their hair. I told Marcus he looks like the Hulk. I see a layout coming for this one. My silly guys.

On Wednesday night we tried out a new restaurant for Jacob's birthday. It was ok. Food was good, but a bit pricey even with ordering their nightly special. We waited a bit long for them not really being busy. Was nice to get out of the house though.

Rented Sex and The City the other night. Good movie. I loved the show and was so excited to rent it the other day. Made me cry of course.

Look what is staring on THIS Thursday. Yes my FAVORITE SHOW, Grey's Anatomy is coming back. I can't wait. Even though we don't have tv right now I can still watch it the next day online. I watched last seasons final episode last night just to refresh.

Going to put a roast in the crock pot tomorrow morning and let it cook down all day. YUM. I have been craving a roast lately. I think it is the cooler weather in the evenings making me want it. The crispness that Fall is coming.

Well off to bed. Maybe read a few pages in my book first. Jacob is off for the next 3 days and I am so excited. We plan to stay home and not really do much. I have some yard work plans and he wants to work on his truck a bit, but nothing major. I like it that way though.

WEEK 8

The topic question for week 8 is:

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE COLOR AND WHAT DOES IT SAY ABOUT YOU?

I know I am still so behind on posting the layouts for this...but I have the layouts mostly done, just not with pictures. I need ink really bad for my printer and just haven't had a chance to get it anytime recently. I will soon, really I will.

101 things about me...

Wow this was so hard to think of all these things about myself. I guess I am really that boring. How sad is that? Oh well. I got this idea again from Jennifer. (I keep stealing ideas from her.... thanks jennifer)


1. Jacob and I have been together for 10 years.
2. I failed my physical driving test the first time I took it.
3. I love the rain.
4. My middle name is spelled funny. It is pronounced Renee but spelled Reyna.
5. I love being a mom to boys.
6. We currently do not have cable in our house.
7. I have known my bff since the 7th grade.
8. I used to love talking on the phone and don't really like it anymore.
9. I enjoy eating out for dinner.
10. I like to cook.
11. I like to bake.
12. I love to read, and do not do it nearly as much as I would like.
13. I think I am pretty boring most of the time.
14. My dad passed away when I was 23 years old.
15. I do not drink alcohol. Maybe a wine cooler here or there, but rarely ever at all.
16. I have my ears pierced. 3 in one ear and 4 in the other, but I do not ever wear earrings.
17. I used to wear braces.
18. I do not like milk, and only use it in my cereal.
19. I am the oldest child.
20. I like to vaccuum, even though I dont' seem to do it nearly enough.
21. I need to go on a diet REALLY BAD.
22. I used to work at Kiddie Kandids and Sears Photography studios, but do not take the kids to either.
23. I would love to be a professional photographer.
24. I am a list maker, and make them for everything from grocerries to Christmas shopping and layout ideas I have in my head.
25. I think we have watched almost all of the videos in Blockbuster in the last few months.
26. I like chocolate, but am not obsessed with it, and only really crave it about once a month.
27. I yell too much sometimes.
28. We have no car payments and don't think I would ever want to go back to having any.
29. When we bought our new car after my accident we bought the exact same car right down to the same color and everything.
30. I guess I really am as boring as I seem.
31. I LOVE Disneyland.
32. My senior year in high school I carried a 4.0 gpa.
33. We moved my junior year in high school and I didn't like my new school at all.
34. I have only been out of the state of California twice. Once to Las Vegas and once to Jacobs grandpas funeral in Oklahoma.
35. I have never broken any bones in my body.
36. I hate snakes.
37. I love the smell of the babies after a nice bath and they are all lotioned up. I also love the smell of cherry and vanilla.
38. I eat my macaroni and cheese with ketchup on it.
39. I love chocolate chip ice cream.
40. I was diabetic while I was pregnant with both boys.
41. Christmas is my favorite holiday.
42. I own a LOT of flip flops and wear them almost all year long.
43. I try to scrapbook everyday. TRY being the key word there.
44. I love Italian food.
45. I like the outdoors.
46. I am a sissy in the heat though and always have on the air conditioner.
47. I almost always have laundry to be folded in a pile on the couch.
48. I hate the mall and will not go unless I absolutely have to.
49. I think about having another baby sometime soon maybe.
50. My scrapbook area is really a closet that I took the doors off of.
51. I have a headache right now.
52. I drink diet soda and cannot stand the taste of non-diet.
53. I wish we had more family traditions and would like to make some of our own.
54. For two different years I have had my Christmas cards all addressed and didn't send them out.
55. I was a cheerleader in high school.
56. I played softball when I was younger.
57. I have a thing for butterflys right now.
58. I have a few cavities, but don't have dental insurance to go to the doctor.I love a good glass of ice cold water.
59. I would love to write a childrens book. I wrote one in my Childrens Literature class and the teacher told me to look into it. I just never followed up with that.
60. I just spent $234 at the grocery store on Saturday. Oh my.
61. I crack my knuckles and have since I was much younger, and am already starting to feel the consequences of it in my hands.
62. I have driven without a drivers license before.
63. I am suposed to wear reading glasses, but usually don't. But lately I am having to put them on to read the computer and stuff.
64. I like to vaccuum my house. I love the feeling of the cleanliness afterwards.
65. I can type pretty fast.
66. I used to rearrange my apartments (and my rooms when I was younger) at least once a month.
67. I would love to have my own line of scrapbook paper and embelishments.
68. I like to go fishing with Jacob and the kids, but we don't get out much to do it.
69. I wish I lived somewhere where it rained and snowed a little more often than here.
70. I LOVE Grey's Anatomy and will be watching it online until we get tv hooked up again.
71. I have been watching General Hospital since I was in the 7th grade. I have to admit that I still watch.
72. I love Oprah, and would love to meet her one day in person. I think she does alot of good things for good people.
73. Some nights I am ready for bed at 8pm.
74. One of my favorite things is at night Jacob and I will make popcorn, put in a movie and turn out the lights and watch the movie and eat the popcorn. I love that time we can spend together. Not often do we make it awake to watch the entire movie, but it is ok.
75. My kitchen is decorated with grapes.
76. I drive an SUV.
77. I don't like digital scrapbooking.
78. I don't like my feet.
79. We did alot of yard work in the backyard today, and I have some plans for it. I want to make a planter across the back fence. Now lets see if I can actually get this done.
80. I have alot of empty frames around my house. I love the frames, and just haven't gotten around to putting photos in them yet.
81. Baby Jacob sleeps in the bed with me when Jacob has to work graveyard.
82. I would love to travel to Hawaii, Italy and New York.
83. I read magazines most of the time from the back to the front.
84. We play World of Warcraft. I used to play alot, and just don't very often if at all anymore...just dont' have the time. But Jacob and the kids play pretty often.
85. We have over 500 DVDs.
86. There are toys in every room in our house.
87. I have never been skiing, water or snow.
88. I would love to stay in a quante Bed and Breakfast in a little town and go to antique stores.
89. I love to go to Oak Glenn and apple tasting and apple cider tasting.
90. I am trying to loose weight.
91. I spent too much time reading about and writing about scrapbooking stuff on the computer.
92. I am so bad about sending out mail lately...well the last few years.
93. I loved playing with Barbie when I was young.
94. When we were young we played using our imaginations and I think too many kids don't do that these days. Too many "gadgets" to play with that they dont' get out enough.
95. I can't believe we have kids in junior high and will soon be in high school.
96. I used to eat ice, but can't now with my cavity because it hurts too much to do that.
97. I can't believe I am almost done with this. I know I am boring!
98. We have NO car payments and I LOVE that.
99. My hair is naturally curly.
100. I am amazed by the number of YOUNG kids that have cell phones these days, and can't believe it really... Needless to say our kids don't have one.
101. It took me several days to think of all these things.

Hair cuts, Photo shoot and more...

We did it the other day. We finally got Caleb a haircut. We didn't think he would sit still long enough for it but he did. I was holding him of course, but he did great. They gave him a little certificate. I can't believe how different he looks. He looks like a much bigger boy now. We spiked it too and he looks so adorable.

Then on picture day I took some of our own photos in the front yard. Of course I had to take the little ones pictures too. Figures it was the day before we cut their hair.

Here is a layout I did for the store recently. You can't tell buy behind the photos is tulleing. I like the way this one turned out. It is up still at the store.

Off to start Jacobs birthday dinner. We went to the dollar store after I picked up Ryan and Marcus from school and we got some balloons and streamer. It will be fun.

WEEK 7

The topic question for WEEK 7 is.

LIST 5 THINGS MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACOB!!!

Today is Jacob's birthday. He unfortunately had to go back to work after being off for a full week. Me and the kids are taking him out to dinner on Wednesday. We were going to do it tonight, but because he gets off at 7pm, by the time he gets home and we go out to eat we will be eating dinner at almost 9pm. So I am making him a nice dinner tonight, with cheesecake too. Then since he is off on Wednesday we are taking him out to dinner then. I am not telling him where I am taking him either. A little surprise is nice once in a while. So tonight I am going to make him steak, baked potatoes, salad, and a veggie. I am going to make a cheesecake too, since that is the only dessert he really likes at all. I am thinking I might buy a bag of balloons too and hang them from the fan over the dinning table. A little something fun. I want to have dinner ready for him when he gets home.

It has been so nice having him home with me for an entire week. We were busy, but it was nice having him home. Last week he had to go out to my aunts on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday to pick up the pool we bought from her. Tuesday my aunt came here and me, my mom, Baby Jacob, my Aunt, my two cousins and one cousins son all went to the movies to see Mama Mia. Then everyone came to our house for dinner. Jacob bbqd hamburgers and hot dogs. I made homemade potatoe salad and we had corn on the cob. Mom brought a pasta salad too. It was fun. The movie was cute too.

Then I had to work on Friday night (later than usual for the anniversary event) and then all day on Saturday. So yesterday was the first real day we actually had to spend together his entire time off. Figures since it was also his last day off. We had a good day though. Just relaxing.
I know I don't often enough tell him how much we appreciate all of his hard work. He puts in 12 hour days at work anywhere from 5-6 days a week. We miss him greatly most days, and know he is working hard for us. We love you!!

Here are 31 things I love about him on his 31st birthday.

1. He is a great daddy.
2. He loves me no matter what.
3. He is a good cook. He will even make me lunch and bring it to me at work.
4. and an even better bbq er.
5. He knows how to do laundry.
6. He knows how to clean.
7. AND HE DOES THEM TOO.
8. He is such a hard worker.
9. He is an animal lover.
10. He drives when we go places together even if he is tired.
11. He doesn't mind on those days when I don't feel like cooking.
12. He works on our vehicles.
13. He indulges me in some of my favorite hobbies and buys me the cameras and photo printers.
14. He calls to see what I am up to during the day and tell me that he loves me.
15. He gets along with my family.
16. He loves music.
17. He doesn't complain about my scrapbooking obsession, I mean hobby. :)
18. He likes when I cook.
19. He makes cds of songs we like after hours of downloading songs and we turn up the volume on the computer loud and sing along to it.
20. He tells me everyday he loves me.
21. He plays with the kids and I love watching them together.
22. He reads to the kids and I love that too.
23. He likes surprising me in any kind of way.
24. He reads the newpaper and will tell me what is going on.
25. He will go to the grocerry store with me often.
26. He holds me tight at night when we go to bed.
27. He washes our vehicles. (thanks since I rarely do it and I know I leave them a mess)
28. He understands me most of the time.
29. He always calls me beautiful.
30. He tells people that I am a good photographer.
31. EVERYTHING else too. All the little things I forgot to mention too.

Happy Birthday Baby and I love you so much.

WEEK 6

The topic question for WEEK 6 is...

NAME A CHARACTER IN A BOOK, TV SHOW OR MOVIE THAT YOU ADMIRE.

Hmmm... I don't know about this one yet. I am behind on posting my layouts for this too. I have the layouts done, I just don't have the pictures in them yet because I am out of ink in my printer again. Soon though.

Layouts as promised...

A disneyland layout. I was inspired by Jennifer for this one. Actually before we went to Disneyland I knew I wanted to do a layout like this when we finally went. So of course this was the first disney layout I created from our trip. (Her layout is up at the store)

Mine says dream and hers said believe.
Another Disney Layout.

The last layout I am sharing tonight is one of my new favoirtes. I love the acrylic stars and the fancy pants paper. Man the lighting isn't that great on this one. I should take them outside and photograph them.

I still need to post pictures from when we went to Big Bear on Labor Day. We went to the Discovery Center and saw stuffed animals and stuff. The kids had a good time. Jacob kept saying that the mean people killed and stuffed the animals...and then he would say "poor animals". He is going to be our one to save the animals {and Caleb is going to be the one eating them. lol. }

Tomorrow is picture day for the boys at school. You know in Junior High it really is a tough decision on what to wear. They especially have to look good for the girls you know. :) It is already starting...heck it already started last year when on a daily basis little girls were calling our house asking to talk to the boys.

I am only going to buy the smallest package because I always take their pictures myself and give them out. Man it is so much cheaper. This year through Lifetouch though they even get to pick their own pose. Wow. School pictures sure are moving up in the world these days.

Off to scrap some I think since both babies are asleep.

Oh one last thing too. I am thinking about trying out for the Kits2Remember design team again this year. I don't know yet though. I have until Wednesday to decide though, because that is the deadline.

Too tired...

I was going to post last night, and then again tonight, but I am just too tired. Lots of things going on. Getting a new stove delivered, working and the kids with school and all that great fun stuff. I will post soon with my layouts and projects, I think soon at least. Just too tired now.

September already?

How in the heck is it September already? I can't believe it. We went to Big Bear on Labor Day. Really enjoyed ourselves. Nice and relaxing. Not much else going on. Helped my sister in law move a little last night. Nothing exciting. Will post some pictures tomorrow along with the next 52 week topic. Will post pictures of layouts as well.