Just me My Soldier and our 4 little chicks

A Party Invite for you!!

If you will be around this weekend, why don't you stop by Shimelle's blog??

There is going to be a fun party-party (as H calls it) going on all weekend!

If you click on the link above, it will take you to the fabulous Shimelle's website

and if you scroll down a bit you'll be able to find party details.

I also thought I'd answer a few questions you guys have asked lately.

There are a couple of questions that warrant an entire post all to themselves,

so if i haven't emailed you an answer or posted it here, don't fret. ;)

1. What supplies/printer/camera/etc. do you use?  

If you look in the upper right corner of the blog, you'll see a "what supplies do i use?" link. click on it and you will see a detailed list and photos of my favorite things!!

2. Do you listen to music while scrapping? If not, what do you listen to most in the car? 

Sometimes I'll put on iTunes as I scrap, but more than often, I like silence as I play.

This is weird, but sometimes music stresses me out. And I really enjoy hearing the sound of nothing. ;)  In the car lately (or on the computer when I'm not working), we listen to a lot of Mamma Mia (H's favorite), The Shins, Kings of Leon, John Mayer (j no likey, me LOVE), Taylor Swift, and Ray LaMontagne.

3. How in the world do you manage to scrapbook with a little monkey running around the house?! (I have a 2 year old little monkey boy). I desperatly need my quiet/relaxing scrapbook time without said monkey trying to grab my scissors or my fancy new papers! I'm going nuts...lol

I don't really scrap when the kiddos are around. I have one day a week when they are both in mother's day out, and that is when most of my assignments get done. Nap times are also great. I scrap super fast, about 30 minutes a layout, so it doesn't take a huge chunk of time. I used to love to craft after they were in bed, but now that J is home, none of that! He also likes to take the girls on daddy dates, and I scrap then.

I'm a constant cleaner, I don't wait until everything piles up, and H is a GREAT helper. I can't do anything else if my house is messy!

4.do you ever finnish a layout and think...Eww this sucks? What do you do? Keep it/post it anyway or start a new one?

Rarely. This is my creative release, my fun time. I don't look at each page as something that has to be a work of art. I have never redone a page. But that's just my personality. 

Yay! Thanks for the questions everyone! Lots of you wanted to know my creative process and my friend Jill Sprott had a fabulous question that will be an entire post as well.

Hope you are all having a beautiful, blessed Friday!

xoxo

Gotta Love that Lily Bee!

Today I had the opportunity to play with the new Lily Bee collections.

Everything here is from the Vintage Poppy line,

with the exception of the Yellow Paper, which is from the Audrey collection.

I also LOVE the sweet tulle flowers. This one is chocolate brown,

but I couldn't get the true color to show in the photograph.

This photo was at the beach.

H was grinning for some beach shots when suddenly she LOST it.

How do toddlers turn it on and off so quickly?

The photograph before this one shows a toothy grin.

and BOOM! Meltdown time.

I knew I had to scrap this as soon as I saw that I had captured it.

Some of you may not agree with that,

but I want to scrap it all. Not just the "good times".

And oh-

We've gotten good at talking through these.

Choices, calm voices, sometimes removing her from the situation,

and then...another BOOM! it's over.

She's such a good girl, but I can so tell that she has a flair for the dramatic.

Wonder where she got that. Ahem. Sorry. had something in my throat for a sec.

Happy Wednesday, loves!

xo

Over the Rainbow

We just returned from five days of visiting J's family in southeast TX.

We had a blast. Lots and lots of family time. J's dad and stepmom live there,

as do his aunts and grandparents. We had a wonderful time.

Here are a few of my favorite shots from our trip.

the beach:

h and her great- grandfather, "pops". these two were cracking each other up!

i also wanted to share my photo for elizabeth's shades of summer challenge.

check out me and miss thang.

this was the night of a bbq we had for jimmy and some of his soldiers.

i'm not normally dressed this fancy. and i most definitely don't usually wear

such flashy, sassy shades. hee!

harper was very confused about why i was wearing such shades,

until i told her they were princess sunglasses. she then not only acquiesced to a 

photo session, but she also pranced about in the glasses for a good half hour afterwards.

she was very sad to hear we had to pass them on to the next participant.

and finally we come to why i named this post "over the rainbow".

it's b/c i want to share my layouts from the august studio calico kit.

and the kit is called over the rainbow.

hence the post title. okay. now that i've stated the obvious, 

here we go.

using main kit

storytime stamps

no place like home add-on

ek success border punch (along left side)

ek success corner rounder

I love the jenni bowlin crepe paper ribbon and i loved using it here. Yes, I went a bit out of control, but I like the results.

I gathered it in  a circle to make a "lion's mane" to go with the theme of sadie being wild.

yes, i'm aware that the "L" glued down crooked.

and i'm fine with that. ;) I figured it matched the fact that she's nuts!

using main kit

maya mist in orange

fiskars apron lace border punch

melissa frances vintage vocabulary card and vintage ledger numbers (as mask) from yellow brick road add-on

yes, my friends, i misted. and i had so much fun doing it!!

almost all of the "embellishments" here are cut from the one piece of sassafras patterned paper in the main kit.

crepe paper and brads from main kit
papers from no place like home add-on

label stickers and rub-ons from yellow brick road add-on

It's strange to have a reason to be doing more masculine layouts.

 And I have to admit I really enjoyed making layouts with a little

"testosterone". ;) 

alpha, red patterned paper, rubons from main kit

die cut circle and vintage card (under date) from no place like home add-on

label stickers and ribbon from yellow brick road add-on

martha stewart butterfly punch.

I pleated the die cut circle and stapled it, giving it a more funky feel. I punched the butterflies in such a way, that each one has a "4" somewhere on it.

studio calico exclusive journaling card

brads and crepe paper ribbon from main kit

papers from no place like home

circle label stickers and vintage flash cards ("love", "home") from yellow brick road

ek success notebook paper punch

Another "masculine" page. I used the "favorite guy" Collage Press PP as the title here. I used the heck out of the crepe paper ribbon this month. Sometimes it baffles me, but this month I loved using it.  Also like how the die cut circle highlights the last picture of J. Love these photos.

patterned paper, scalloped die cut from main kit

vintage postcards, flower stamp from no place like home add on

vintage flascards, ledger alpha from yellow brick road

vintage bakers twine (in SC shop)

hero arts basic alpha stamps

I adore this vintage botanical stamp. Yes, that's me admitting I love a stamp. I truly do. I had a hard time with this layout, don't LOVE it, but that's okay. Not everything has to be perfect. I do love these postcards though and I wanted to use them.

Whoa. Long post. If you stuck with me, you are awesome.

If not, I don't blame you. Heee!

I'd better head to bed. Tomorrow I start the serious organizing and planning for WDW.

Love to you all!

xo

what in the???

okay. i am so confused.
i worked FOREVER on a post yesterday and posted it.
and now it's gone
not that it was that great, but it's the principle of the thing. gah!

anyway, i'll do a great post tomorrow with my august SC layouts
but i don't have the energy to redo the post from yesterday.
typepad, are you messing with me????

i do want you to head over to the SC blog and enter your name in this awesome reveal night give away:

Tonight at midnight EST is the kit reveal. unless you are a subscriber...you can snatch up an addon at noon EST today. It's a bright, cheery kit- I did a bunch of layouts with it b/c I just couldn't stop!! Can't wait to share what I did.

We will start preparations for Disney this week. I have a zillion lists, but it's time to get down to it.
Started reading Birnbaum's Disney for kids yesterday and we are all getting SO EXCITED!!

What are you up to this week?
And it's about time to ask this again. Do you guys have any questions you'd like me to answer here? I'm running low on blog fuel and I'd love to answer anything you were wondering. Or try my best to answer it, or to direct you to where i've answered it, or...okay, you know what i mean.

happy monday,
love you all! xo

random post ahead

so first i wanted to share the new lily bee lines.

to see them larger go to Lily Bee Design

click on "collections" at the top. It takes a while to load.

And then you can click on each photo to see it in much better detail!

When you do it this way you will see that each paper is double sided.

You will also see the new tulle flowers, rub-ons, and die cut papers.

Kristen designed everything herself this time and I'm so proud of her.

I have pretty much fallen in love with Vintage poppy. It's truly divine.

That floral paper over vintage text? SIGH!

and I love the color palette of Audrey. I can't wait to challenge myself to make something less feminine.

I should have the papers in my hands tomorrow and I will share some layouts next week!

I actually have two more Studio Calico sneaks to share as well.

I ended up doing seven layouts this month!!

We are so enjoying our time together.

Lots of this:

 

and I mean LOTS.

every week I take the girls to the library and let them choose a bunch of books.

The majority of the next week is usually filled with Harper's book bargaining attempts.

You want to read me nine books????

You do?? You do???

 (accompanied by head tilting and nodding- 

and she always says you do??? before you even have a chance to answer)

Okay, how about four books.

FOUR BOOKS!!

and of course, her daddy can't say no.

So that's what we are up to.

J's brother has been here for a few days, he just got back

from a mission trip in Peru and he's such a great uncle.

We love him and love having him here.

Hope you are having a wonderful Thursday!

xo

s

Exercise, I hate you.

I do. You are not fun. You make me look like a red-faced spaz.

Anything that makes me yak in the front yard like a high school boy

on his first day of two-a-days is NOT cool.

CrossFit I curse your name.

I've always been slightly bitter with you b/c sometimes I think my husband loves you more than he loves me. 

Not really...but you kind of ARE the other woman.

I mean, a few weeks ago , J talked longer and more excitedly about you

than he EVER has evereverever talked about anything else.

I zoned out after 10 straight minutes of gibberish (or is it jibberish?!?!?!) nonsense. 

I'm pretty sure he'd make out with you if it was possible. 

So what did I do?

I gave in.

I am on night six of the hell that is CrossFit.

I can hardly walk. Sadie has to cling to me like a small monkey whenever she wants a ride somewhere.

Harper tells me I "wook funny".

and that my face is "wed".

Today she said

"Daddy is a swave dwiver he makes you essercise toooooo much!!".

Hmmm. I have no.earthly.clue. where she might have heard that.

odd.

Yet, as much as I hate to admit it, I'm kind of starting to love you too, oh essercise.

I feel better about myself after only a week of you.

I feel happy when I exercise with my husband.

It has been good for us.

He's a wonderful motivator and I don't want to embarrass myself in front of him.

Oh, but don't get me wrong, I do.

I almost hit myself in the head w/ the dang medicine ball he was making me do squats with today.

SPAZZZZZY.

I give him full credit. He made a really funny face at me, but didn't laugh.

He also didn't laugh at me when I asked why my behind bounces so much when I run.

I'm truly starting to detect less bouncing.

So as much as I despise you, exercise, I am starting to come over to the dark side.

That is, until tomorrow morning, when I can't lift my damn coffee cup.

hmmmph.

I really don't know where she heard that. Really. She must have made it up by herself. She IS very observant.

hehehehe.

xoxox

ETA: I love you, my sweet readers. But PLEASE do not fear about me dropping a dress size. I promise I am setting realistic, healthy goals. =) xo

and also- i am NOT running 5k and doing 1924893858 reps. this is my first week. i'm doing a very beginner's version of CrossFit. last night I ran sprints, did kettle bell squats, and did wall ball squats w/ a medicine ball. i linked the site so you guys could see what it is...i am NOT doing that stuff that they have listed there. HA!

p.s. since I am spending time with J and his other woman without complaining  

(except for the eye-rolling i miiiiight do when j tells me to do some ludicrous exercise that i simply KNOW i can't do. I mean it's not like i'm one of his soldiers. GAH. and yes, i do them anyway)....I will be treating myself to this lovely once I drop a dress size.

it sneaks up on me

when i least expect it. it sneaks up on me.

when i watch him reading to harper, my eyes fill up with tears.

when i was at the grocery store with the cart loaded up with bags,

and realized i had help when i got home.

at night when i get  in bed and look over at his beautiful face,

when he walks up behind me and puts his hand on the small of my back.

when i have the privilege of waking with him beside me. safe.

when he tells me he's proud of me.

when he tells me i'm beautiful.

when he talks harper through one of her fits.

when he holds sadie as she's crying.

when i look at him over dinner and realize

he's here. 

he made it home.

he's safe....

it hits me.

a tidal wave of love and gratitude.

thank you Lord.

how could i ask for more.

have a beautiful weekend my sweet friends.

xoxo

a simple share

i have a layout to share today, but before i do that i have a question for you guys.

i have a giveaway closet with TONS of stuff shoved in it. when i do giveaways i tend to just put handfuls from the closet in the flat rate box. i don't really look at what is going in.

due to this, i've lost some important things that i think got put in the closet during spring cleaning. mainly a pair of vintage dangle earrings, a vintage charm bracelet, and some vintage alphabet cards. if you got either of these things in a box, PLEASE contact me. my email link is in the left column of this blog, under my photo. thank you so much!!!

moving on. i did a simple layout of the girls and i wanted to share. nothing special, but i did stamp!! i know. big changes going on around here. i did a studio calico layout yesterday with spray ink, and the other day i did a layout using masking tape and stamps. i've been having fun playing!

the girls have been having fun playing too. hot days make for general grumpiness and whininess, so we've been getting creative.

Witness the CAVE OF DARKNESS!!! harper had to wear 

her daddy's head lamp

to ward off the monsters. 

and by monsters, i mean mommy. who, for some reason,

was the "tiger" in this scenario.

okey dokey artichokeys, that's it for now. here's that layout i promised you.

it's simple but elegant. that's one of my favorite types of layouts to do.

i love to focus on the photo and add sweet elegant touches here and there.

happy wednesday!!

stamp- impress

paper- anna griffin darcey line

pearls- kaisercraft

butterfly punch- martha steward

metal number- making memories

peeky peeky

so last night was sneak peek night at studio calico.

that means you get a glimpse into what the august kit and add-ons will look like.

i've already done four layouts with the kit (i purchased both add-ons as well), 

so i have a few sneaks to share.

here's the part you won't believe!  two of my layouts are VERY um...

how do i say this (b/c you might not believe me....)

boyish????

true story. boyish.

so here you go. i'll share the photos and that's about all i have today.

life is good here at the howell house. i've just been enjoying us being together.

and none of that "family time" has involved a camera.

so, alas, no photos to share.

but that's good b/c it means i'm in the moment, not taking photos of the moment.

one last thing before the sneaks. head on over to the lily bee blog.

i put up a HUGE giveaway yesterday, and i just know you will all love it. Happy Tuesday!!!                     

xoxox

Flea Market Finds

Now don't get too excited. Yes, I've been on a bit of a hiatus 

but to say that yesterday the flea market was a bit of a stinker 

would be an understatement.

Not to mention it was about 90 degrees already at 9 a.m.

Harper and I went on a "date".

She was so excited to be with "just MAMA! no daddies, no babies".

On the way she suggested we "stop at starbOcks for a beberage".

So we did. Iced vanilla latte for mama, apple juice box for Harper.

After we enjoyed our beberages, it was off to the flea market.

Where we looked

and looked

and looked

and (one of us) yelled things like "IT'S HOT!!!" or "MILK WAS A BAD CHOICE!!!".

i knew teaching her those lines from anchorman was going to bite me in the butt one day.

It was miserable.

And crowded 

And full of .....well.....fleas probably.

We did manage to spend a measly four bucks.

,

 

 

We then pathetically moped our way back to the car

where we blasted the AC full force and stared at eachother 

and moaned

about it being toooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo hot.

Then Harper said "Weeeeeuhl. 

We didn't find too many treasures. 

And we weally didn't find that tewescope i was wooking for. 

Maybe next time too bad so sad". 

And don't even ask about the telescope.

That is what she is looking for at the flea market lately.

Last time, it was a treasure chest.

!?!?!?!?!?!

Okay. Off to get ready for church.

I'll be back soon with some SC August sneaks.

Love you all, I'll leave you with some of my new favorite photos of the chickies.

xoxo