Chris makes more jewelry...

This first pendant is cutout by hand and enamaled. Chris decided the enamal is not his technique of choice... I think it's BEAUTIFUL!!!

Now that the teacher has taught all the techniques that she is going to teach, she let the kids pick their own projects (incorporating the techniques from the class). Can you tell that Chris LOVES to make rings? This is his first student choice project... a turquoise ring! He did such a great job on the background around the bezel. The band is pretty cool too!

His next student choice project is... you guessed it... another ring! I can't wait to see what he's going to create!

Card Share... Fun for young and old...

Look at me GO! Another card for the PIO challenge for this week:

When I saw the theme, "Boys and Girls Come Out To Play," I just knew that I had to use this stamp set! I've had it forever, and since I unmounted all my woodblock rubber, I don't remember which company the set is from.

This is a simple pocket/tag card, I don't have time for much more during the week... I like how it came out. I can see using this card for almost anything!

Thanks for stopping by!

Cinco de Mayo Half Marathon

The results are in!

Here are Chris's results. Not his best race but still GREAT! He came in second in his age group and would have received an award (if we had known to stay for the award ceremony).

Men 1-19 - 2/15
Time - 1:41:38.3
Pace - 7:46
Overall - 45/741
Men - 38/313

Here's me. I love the angle on this photo! I look so ... oh, I don't know... competitive? lol! Also, not my best time, but it was really hot and windy that day!

Women 50-55 - 4/37
Time - 1:58:35.7
Pace - 9:03
Overall - 181/741
Women - 57/426

We have one more half-marathon on Memorial Day... May 30th... WHOOHOO!!!

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's day to all moms! Being a mom is not an easy job... Raising kids and working full-time is tough! I'm so thankful for Jim. The kids wouldn't be such the wonderful people they are without him. I'm at a bittersweet time of life. The kids are growing up... they have grown up... and they are at the point where they need to make decisions for their own life. Let's hope and pray that we have given them the good sense and strength of character to succeed in their own way.

I have a couple mother's days cards that I want to share. This first card is for my SIL. She's the great mom to FOUR of our nieces and nephews!

The buttons on this card are cut from paper! I got these buttons from my scrappy friend Beth. I really love how they look like buttons, but the card is less bulky (makes putting it into the envelope easier). I really need one of those button dies! It would be great to make my own buttons!

This card is for my mom. She's a GREAT mom and a WONDERFUL grandma to all the kids! I was going for a clean classy look. I used an unusual color combination for me... I tend to lean towards the pinks, blues, and greens. I like the way this one came out too.

I also whipped up a couple of gift card holders. My aunt Mary came down for Mother's Day. It was great seeing her, Uncle and Scott. Aunt Mary was my favorite Aunt when I was growing up!

Here are my two wonderful kids! They got up early Sunday morning, went to the market, and made some very very yummy peanut butter fudge.

We took the fudge to my mom and dad's house... everyone there thought the fudge was very yummy too! This is all that is left.

Here is the recipe... Cheryl found it on FoodTV. Recipe is by Jim's Foodie hero... Alton Brown.

Again, Happy Mother's Day to all!!!

This and That...

Chris and I ran a half-marathon this weekend. It the first time either of us has run serious mileage since the Huntington Beach half-marathon. We started kind of far back in the pack (between the 2:00 and 2:10 pace groups).

Chris took off at the start, when I saw him around mile 3, he was running with the 1:30 pace group in 5th place! He ended up falling off his pace and said he didn't finish very well. I ended up passing the 2:00 pace group, so I know I finished under 2 hours. I'll post exact times when they are available.

After running 13.1 miles today, Chris is running his very last track meet this week. He's been entered into the Varisty 1600m at the CIF Preliminaries on Tuesday. After this week, High School sports are over...

Cheryl has only one more week of classes and one week of finals, and she is DONE! It's official... Cheryl will be attending Cal Poly Pomona in the fall. She got her rejection letter from CSU Long Beach this weekend. Due to the budget crisis, CSU Long Beach is only taking out of state transfers... BUMMER! Cheryl is still optimistic that she can transfer to Long Beach after she finishes her BS at Cal Poly Pomona.

It's back to work tomorrow...
I hope the everyone had a great weekend!

First layout of the YEAR!

I've made a few cards, but this is my very first layout of the year! I created it by following the Mojo Master Challenge at Scrappin' Mojo. We are given new steps weekly and have no idea what the layout will look like until it's complete. I really like how this one came out!

Card Share...

I won, I won, I won! I won the March Mojo Challenge! The prize was a $5 gift certificate from PTI, where I picked up this rockin' grunge stamp set. It's just perfect for those BOY cards! Beth also sent me some cute little embellies. My favorites were SUPER CUTE clay cupcakes made by her daughter! I got inspired and made up a card right away! Isn't that cupcake GREAT?


Another bit of news is that the old fashion rose bush that I got from my friend Mary in Ohio is finally blooming! I can't remember how many years it has been three? four? The flower isn't open all the way, but I couldn't wait to post the photo! WHOOHOO!!! Look Mary! It's blooming! And there are lots more buds.

Happy Monday, everyone! Have a great week!

Easter Fun

We started our Easter with a visit to church that my SIL's family attends, the Saint John Vianney. The church was set fire on the Friday before Easter week. It's just terrible... over 8 million dollars in damage! It didn't stop Easter services. They setup a temporary tent to keep the rain off the worshipers... and service went on as scheduled.

It also didn't stop the bunnies from making their rounds. Here's a little bunny caught in the act!

Oh, look I see a BIG BUNNY! LOL!

Another pretty bunny with bling!

Pretty yellow chicks for my cute chickie... Notice how Cheryl is joining the ranks of bunnies and leaving the finding to the kids. {sniff} Where did my little girl go?

Here they are all ready to go! I always seem to miss the posed group photo op... Well, at least I got the candid of the kids starting out to hunt for those elusive eggs!

Doesn't Mima have a GORGEOUS garden! Perfect for an egg hunt!

Here are some more of Mima's flowers. You can see that she grows some very SPECIAL flowers!




Now the TRADING begins! Everyone ended up getting what they wanted...

We ended the day with the most PERFECT chocolate bundt cake that I have ever seen! My little niece made it all by herself. And it tasted even better than it looks! YUM!

I hope everyone had a GREAT Easter! Thanks for visiting!

Totally Random Saturday

This photo makes me smile and lol! This is a picture of BJ. I can't take credit for it... Chris took it with his new camera. My blog share today is all Chris's work. I haven't done anything this week except work... some really loooooong hours... In the meantime Chris was on Spring break, being crafty with his camera and photoshop.

Look at this! Isn't it cool? If you have some 3D glasses, but them on! Chris made a 3D image! He tried using Jena as part of the picture, but Jena wouldn't hold still for the two photos that he needed to make this.

Well, that's it for now. Have a great weekend everyone!

Kitchen - DONE!

I can just imagine Uncle George rolling his eyes... Yep, more kitchen photos! Last ones I promise! Colin came back and put in our last cabinet. I put up our few kitchen nicknacks, and I think it looks great! My best friend, Mary, requested a 360 deg. view... so here goes:







I don't think I've ever posted this view, out from the kitchen to the family room.

Here's our nicknaks... We must have our clock, and the picture that Jim's mom made for us.

We setup a whole coffee station on the small side of the sink.

Here are a couple of things I really LOVE! The pull out drawers in the pantry...

And the pull out shelf. I have to admit that I didn't think I would like it. The shelves are only 4" wide. So Jim and I had no idea of what we were going to fit in there.

Well, I put the canisters in here... coffee, sugar and flour. I can lift the lids off the canisters and scoop. I don't even have to take the canisters our of the drawer! It's convenient because now it's right under the coffee pot. I really really really wanted a spice organizer, and this was perfect! I can see all my spices!

As Jim's mom's picture says the kitchen is the heart of the home... We {heart} our new kitchen!

Joy Captured - Hail.

What a NIGHT! Thunder, lightning, and HAIL! What fun is HAIL? It falls from the sky, first at BB sized balls, and then as pea sized balls. It turns the ground white. It makes a lot of racket! AND they make great snowballs!

Add to that lightning, thunder, three dogs barking, and lots of laughter! It was a fun, WILD night!