Calvin-isms...

A few years back I wrote down a bunch of Calvin & Hobbes' quotes...I had all but forgotten about them until I happened to find the little slip of paper in a box of stuff I was sorting through for the move. I LOVED reading C&H as a kid, and reading back over the paper reminded me why. Here are the lines that made the list:

"Know what's weird? Day by day, nothings seems to change. But pretty soon, everything is different."-Calvin

"You know, Hobbes, some days even my lucky rocketship underpants don't help."-Calvin
**This was yesterday for me...granted I don't have any lucky rocketship underpants, but even if I did, they wouldn't have helped...which is why the following line is so appropriate**

"Being a parent is wanting to hug and strangle your kid at the same time."-Calvin's Dad
**So true, so true...am I terrible parent for thinking this?**

"Reality continues to ruin my life."-Calvin

"A day can really slip by when you're deliberately avoiding what you're supposed to do."-Calvin

"Weekends don't count unless you spend them doing something completely pointless."-Calvin

"If you couldn't find any weirdness, maybe we'll just have to make some!"-Hobbes


"When I grow up, I'm not going to read the newspaper and I'm not going to follow complex issues and I'm not going to vote. That way I can complain when the government doesn't represent me. Then, when everything goes down the tubes, I can say the system doesn't work and justify my further lack of participation."-Calvin
**This is how I feel right now with current politics and government actions...seriously. Ignorance is bliss, eh?!**

"You've taught me nothing except how to cynically manipulate the system. Congratulations"-Calvin

"Life is like topography, Hobbes. There are summits of happiness and success... ...Flat stretches of boring routine... ...And valleys of frustration and failure."-Calvin
**Why do I feel like most of my time is spent in the valleys of frustration?**

"The strength to change what I can, the inability to accept what I can't, and the incapacity the tell the difference."-Calvin

Like 6-year old Calvin so easily demonstrates...life is not always roses and sunshine. It is often frustrating, and you have to deal with the idiots and annoyances that life entails. You don't always fit in, and you won't always see things eye-to-eye with everyone else. That being said, you can look to the simple things to help make life more enjoyable - be it through the companionship of an imaginary friend, developing a superhero alter ego, throwing a snowball at a well-deserving moron, or getting a hug from someone who means the world to you.

Creations by Rachael Guest CT Call...

One of the designers for whom I CT is having a call for a guest CT member. Rachael is an amazing designer and the gals on the CT are all very talented. It's a lot of fun, it's great practice, and it means FREE scrapbook kits. Yup...that's right...FREE! All you have to do as a guest CT member is create 2 layouts per kit and post those layouts into 3 galleries. Pretty easy, eh?

If you have any questions, feel free to ask! Otherwise, send the requested information (see above) on over to creationsbyrachael@gmail.com. Oh, and if you click on the image above, you can grab a freebie from the Plucky Pear Designs blog. Good luck...and happy scrapping!

Scrap Haps...

Here are my most recent scrapbook pages...the previews look sort of blurry to me, so I apologize if they are hard to see. You can click on the image for a larger view and for full product credits...

Using [Stained and Splattered] **NEW** and [Vintage Spooky] by Leah Farquharson

Using [Pixie] from Creations by Rachael **New Release** at Plucky Pear Designs

Using [Pixie] from Creations by Rachael **New Release** at Plucky Pear Designs

Using [Little Boy Blue] from Creations by Rachael **New Release** at Gotta Pixel

Available for $1.00 through Oct.13 at the "Gotta Grab It Event"

FPD Font Challenge - Use a Quote

Used [This and That] by Sarah Jones

FPD Scraplift Challenge

Used [Photogenic] collab from Paislee Press and Audrey Neal

FPD Product Challenge - Use "Fall" or "Autumn" colors and theme

Used [Totally Eclectic] and [It's a Woodsy Thing] by Corina Nielsen

FPD Designer Challenge - Changes

Used [Totally Eclectic] and [Sweet September] by Corina Nielsen

Used [This and That] by Sarah Jones

FPD Color Challenge - use Red, Green, and Orange

Used [Come Out and Play] by Amanda Heimann

As always, thanks for looking and thanks for letting me share my love for scrapping with you!!

Silly Is, As Silly Does...

While I know that's not quite how the old saying goes, it certainly applies to how things go in our home. Lately, it seems as if the girls personalities have gone from silly to sillier...a trait they inherited from their father, no doubt. They are each other's biggest fan...and they feed off of each other's laughter until I can't help but join in as well. I love this about them...the fact that they don't take life too seriously (like their mama usually tends to do) and that they just LOVE to have fun and be silly. Maybe one day, I'll grown up to be like them...

Anyway, here are some random pics from their most recent bout of silliness, which included tutus, running shoes, and hobo hats...

My camera battery was dying as I tried to snap these...most of the photos came out blurry and pixelated, but I love the raw expressions that I was able to capture...especially this next photo.

And, since we're on the topic of silliness, a couple of months ago AK came running into the kitchen yelling "Look mama...LOOK! I'm a witch doctor." Just to clarify - we haven't taken up witchcraft or African Folklore or anything...the girls had just been watching Madagascar2 while I was putting dinner together. Roo couldn't let her sister get all the laughs, so she joined in as well. Apparently, all you need to be a witch doctor are some blankets (for the loin cloth), a play stethoscope, and a crayon (for the traditional bone nose-piercing)...not too mention, a whole lot of imagination!

And, seriously...who doesn't love to hula?

Moving to the O.C.

Yup...that's right folks. We are finally moving back to California. We found out about a week ago that Doug got the transfer we've been hoping for. He'll be working back at the Costa Mesa campus, and rather than dealing with the commute from Oceanside to Orange County, we decided we will try to live up in the "O.C." for a while. Doug actually leaves on Monday, but the girls and I won't be leaving AZ until November 8th. We are then going to stay with my parents in Upland for a few weeks so we can take our time looking at the area and figuring out a good place to live.

Now that the move is official, I will admit that I am a little sad about leaving Arizona. While the summers here are miserable, we will be leaving during my favorite time of year. I've said it before and I'll say it again - I absolutely LOVE fall in Arizona. It has been absolutely wonderful spending the past 2+ years with Doug's siblings, and it is really going to be hard not having them a stone's throw away. I am going to miss our late night movie nights, family dinners, spur-of-the-moment crafts, meeting up for lunch at McD's, and wandering aimlessly around Target, or the mall, or wherever else we decide to go. The girls are going to have a hard time not being so close to their Hoopes' cousins...but the good news is that our move will give them a chance to develop relationships with some Leach cousins and our California friends. This move is a great opportunity work-wise for Doug. As sad as it will be to leave the family and friends we have in Arizona, we both feel that many new and exciting doors will be opened up for our little family.

So....you may not see or hear much of me during the next few weeks. I have a lot of packing, cleaning, de-cluttering, and organizing to do in order to get us set for the move. Not that I've been writing much anyway (sorry about that), but I figured I would give you all a head's up on our upcoming move!!

Love You Grandpa...

A week ago from Monday, my Grandpa Dale passed away. Today would have been his 97th birthday. It has taken me a little while to post this because I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to say or how I wanted to say it. I didn't get the opportunity to say good-by in person and I wasn't able to attend his funeral, either. I had a rough few days coming to terms with his passing and accepting that I won't see him again on this earth, but I know that he is in a much better place now...especially since he has been reunited with my Grandma Ila who passed away in 1982, just a few months after I was born.

My grandfather was a remarkable man - he was strong, intelligent, caring, loyal, extremely talented, and hard-working. He was an educator most of his life, but he was also a very gifted artist and a universal handyman. He gave the best - and I mean the BEST - bear hugs ever, and he always had a warm smile and a booming "Howdy-doo!" greeting. As loving as he was, he was also very stubborn and independent - he approached much of a life with a no-nonsense, get 'er done attitude...and I loved that about him. Grandpa always encouraged my artistic interests, and he tried to instill confidence in me when he saw that I was struggling.

I have a lot of fond memories about my grandfather, but a few of my favorites include:

- his picture wall in the stairway hall, which showcased ALL of his children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, etc.

- working with him in the garden, weeding and helping him plant flowers

- our first trip to the art store in downtown SLC where he insisted I get some real art pencils and supplies.

-our matching polyester pants at a family reunion when I was only about 2 years old or so

- receiving birthday cards with a celebratory dollar EVERY year...I don't think he ever missed a birthday.

- eating KFC at family picnics in his backyard and sliding down the hill
- his coveralls (blue or tan ) - a wardrobe staple

- alka-seltzer and orange juice - his sure-fire cure to an upset stomach
- his stories - especially of my grandma and my mom

Even though I didn't get to say good-bye in person, I hope my grandfather knows that I loved him dearly. He taught me so many things, and although I miss him already, he will continue to influence me through the legacy he left behind.

Scrap Haps...and Some Other Stuff

Been feeling a little scrappy lately...and it's been a while since I've posted my pages, so here's what I've been up to (click on the image for product credits)...

9.08.09 Font Challenge @ FPD - use Love Ya Like a Sister font

9.10.09 Product Challenge @ FPD - Scrap an emotion and use a big title

9.11.09 Designer Challenge @ FPD - Life's Lessons

**NEW RELEASE** - Squid Ink from Plucky Pear Designs (a.k.a. the dynamic duo of Creations by Rachael and Late Night Scraps)

**NEW RELEASE** - Squid Ink from Plucky Pear Designs (a.k.a. the dynamic duo of Creations by Rachael and Late Night Scraps)

9.14.09 Color Challenge @ FPD - orange, blue, green, and pink.

9.15.09 Font Challenge @ FPD - Highlight your journaling

9.16.09 Scraplift Challenge @ FPD - Lift from aphro dee pea's paper gallery at 2Peas

9.17.09 Re-do Challenge @ ScrapOrchard - redo an old layout

9.17.09 Product Challenge @ FPD - Use "Life" in title or journaling

9.18.09 Designer Challenge @ FPD - Template

**NEW RELEASE** - Vintage Spooky from Designs by Leah

9.21.09 Color Challenge @ FPD - yellow, white, blue

9.22.09 Font Challenge @ FPD - Use journaling strips

9.23.09 Scraplift Challenge @ FPD - Lift from Stacey Michu's paper gallery at 2Peas

9.24.09 Product Challenge - Use love or heart in your journaling/layout

9.25.09 Designer Challenge @ FPD - Use white space

9.28.09 Color Challenge @ FPD - Blue and Orange

As you can seen, I LOVE participating in the daily/weekly challenges at Funky Playground Designs (FPD). Not only do they help me think outside the box and try new things, but I also gain the chance to win $5 to the FPD shop for every challenge completed. So, if you need some inpsiration for your scrapbooking, or if you would just like the chance to win some free scrap goodies, I highly recommend that you check out the FPD forum. You'll have to register first, but it's a really fun group of gals to hang out with and the designers at FPD are seriously amazing.

Now, to the "other stuff." Timed seemed to move really slowly on Sunday, so I pulled out my paints and started working on a piece of wood that's been sitting under our desk for over a year...the girls decided they wanted to "help" and started painting on the plaque with their watercolors and some watered-down acrylics...I appreciated their enthusiasm, but had to paint a couple of extra coats to cover-up their contributions. Anyway, here's what I made in just a couple of hours with some acrylic paint, a few scrapbooking supplies, some old ribbon, and a black ink pad:

And, I managed to put a few cards together as well...

The Best of Both Worlds...

Well, it's official folks....we have entered into the Hannah Montana craze at the Hoopes' household. By some random, unexplainable phenomenon - the girls have become hooked. They love hannatana (as they call her) and walk around everywhere singing her songs. While I'm still a little ambivalent about their new found love, I have to admit it is pretty cute to see them dancing around and singing - striking poses like the little divas I know they are.

I didn't think the girls would hop on the Hannah train for a few years still...apparently I was wrong. Oh heaven, help us!