on with the happy

memories at this lighthouse.
i love lighthouses.
saw this one over 6 years ago with Anthony.
today i was here with the wee ones.
insert smile here.
a funky laminate flooring covered mini i made with the SIS Sonora High kit.
does it get more mug shotish than this??
ha!
gotta love it.
big cheese from Kyan at the Thomas the Train live show.
yikes...thats about all i can say about that show.
anthony asked "how much did we pay for those tickets again?"
and then we both started giggling hard.
Happy birthday Kyan.

and finally a BIG smile for a night out all dressed up with my man.
Happy?
i see the light at the end of the tunnel.
again, thanks for all the support.
it really means alot and helped more than i could ever say.

surviving.

please pray for Andrea and her son Ian.
they will forever be in my thoughts and prayers.
the Memorial for these 3 American heroes was yesterday.
my heart is still aching to say the least.
thank you so much for your prayers for us this week.
its helping but this is a slow process for sure.

today we shall celebrate life.
photo booth Friday is on for round 3
kids E2 hawkeye day; full of face painting and jumpy houses.
Anthony's parents are flying in to visit today.
we are together as a family and that's what matters most.

thanks for letting me get this out.
i am healing.

no words.

anthony flies this.there is one less today.

my heart is breaking.
i am so beyond thankful Anthony is home and safe.

goin on a house hunt.....

and we're not scared...

actually trying to find a place for our last month/6 weeks here in VA and househunting in CA as well.
yikes.
do we rent?
do we buy?
our heads are spinning.
i know the right thing will find its way to us though....faith.

need to work out more...i've been slacking.
Olivia misses her Dora jeep....BAD
we went blueberry picking/eating...yummy!
making a few things and having fun.
love this form of expression.
having some eastern shore beach time.....blissful.
that sea grass on the right is so cool.
must come back to take more pics soon. off to Michael's to get some staz on and Sonic for lunch and a watermelon Dr. Pepper.
yes!!! you must try this soon.

*friday finds*

with the kids strapped in the stroller and snacks to last for a quick run through, i finally got to peek into this store.
kind like a west elm, but cheaper.
these felt table runners caught my eye, but i think if i would have bought one, i would have scrapped with it. bad me.
and this ultra cute bedset...Love for Olivia's room.
and can i get a "say what"
i think this is adorable!!!
and you can get it engraved with you and your loves initials...eeks.
just like in grade school.
ordering soon for sure.
and this has my mind spinning.
Stacey mentioned it on her blog and i had to check it out.
went to buy it tonight and they were out...huh?
how did i miss the early memo.
you can also see wha others have been workin up here.
artistic expression here i come.
be on the lookout for a hopeful part 2 today too.
headed off to an antique show with this chick and the kids.
keep cool....i know its a burnin' up here.
*eta...antique, smantique. it was way too uppity. i am more the flea market girl.
for healing, Sara and i had to hit up a couple thirft stores before heading home.

still on it.

had to jump on this OLW.
perfect timing.

i can't believe a month has passed since starting this daily card getup.
don't post them everyday, but i am doing them.
here are a few from the past 3 days.


and something i see quite often while driving around here.
huh?
someone please help a girl out and explain.

lets talk photobooths

lets start here.
this is Bean.
formally she is known as Sarah, but we have called eachother Bean since early on school days.
yeah...it was after that dumb Bean movie, but moving on.
we used to go and take our pictures before the big Friday night football games and loved it.
all foofed up in our cheer gear...does it get much better....i think not?


so fast forward to present day and wah la!
i found this Project and am thinking its a darn clever idea.
i am mean really.
can you see me trying to shove my kids into a photobooth once a week?
imagine the pure bliss the photos would capture.
whining.
laughing.
just the top of their heads.
toys.
nose pickin'

i am thinking for Kyans 2nd birthday that we should give it a go.
off to find out where in the world a photo booth is in the crazy town.

eta* if you are feeling helpful check out this wonderful cause!!

friday finds once again....

i miss doing this on fridays.
here's to starting fresh.
VA style.

a candy store for girly girls,is what i like to call this store.
cheap, funky, trendy jewelry is right up my alley.
these earring remind me of butterscotch..yum!
and this...RUN to get this tonight.
it tax free weekend on office supplies here in Va, so really you have no excuse if you are in an area with this deal going on.
it staples up to 12 inches deep.
yikes that sounds wrong or my mind is just off because Anthonys gone..sorry.
I used JJ's in Chicago and got one as soon as i got back.
heavy duty amore for this.

and this is just a bad find.
so when in DC i respect and want to learn more about our history in the US.
i despised it while in school.
i have since changed after marrying into the military for sure.
i saw this and flipped.
just read the sign.
SAD to see at the WW2 memorial.

and wrapping up with this heavenly tape.
yes i said tape.
and its lace.
crazy huh?
Jo shared this with us and daaaaaaaaaang.
MUST GET IT like yesterday.

Happy August weekend all.

randoms

*this inspires me to no end. *breakfast for dinner is the best.

*i love this girl.
seriously.
her mind is creative magic!
she is super funny.
i wanted to keep her inspiration book.
i could go on and on....but i'll just stop at gumdrop.

she took this picture of me and i'm speechless.
like hello?


*i really look forward to hanging with these girls again soon.
dang.
we are a lucky bunch. *this looks way fun!

*DC was thunderstormy but so worth the drive.
it was my first trip out of town with the kids and just me and i did it.
feel like singing the Dora closing song about it.
met up with Vee and Natalie and thank goodness they are patient , cause my kids were totally not.
super sweet women for sure.

don't you love the girls in this....ha!
for the record....Paper Source is bliss.

*thinking about trying out for a manufacturer DT.
would be way cool.

*still doing the daily card thing.
a little honesty though....i can't always do them everyday, but i am current as of today.
fun fun way of expression.

*this was a tad weird to see and hear myself on film.
round robbing it up was crazy fun though.

*today was good day.
boom yada bing boom, dun dun dun na na na.

road trip!

anthonys going out of town for work, so we should too.
away we go up to the DC area for the weekend to meetup with some Kauai friends.
poor souls, they had to move too.
*plans*
stop at this slice of paper bliss....
*maybe pick up this bad boy stamp. i am feeling a weekend full of good friends, yummy food, and lots of sights.
not to mention a car full of Disney songs....eeks.
Hope everyone has a super weekend too!

winding down

CHicago was full of fun times for sure.

i must say though it took me a bit to get out of mommy mode, but once i did i had a ball.

i guess thats what happens as a mommy to 2 toddlers huh?

LOVED spending a few days with the SIS girls!!!

eeks.

JJ has magical powers for picking us, because we all mesh together so well. Be on the lookout for some crazy new webisodes too!

Zalute party= happy faces and tons o prizes

funny too, because i found it hard to speak because all i could think was colors after a day at CHA.

dur spent alot of time chatting with this one.

oh dang.

hilarious!!!

wilna, kiki, + michelle = secret planning goodness. (watch out)

meeting the MG=sweet bliss!!!

even more of a reason to hurry up and get moved to california now.

missed this face...

and this one too...
and these sick laser cut KI papers made me swoon.

tons of colors and patterns.

run to get these as fast as you can!

i found this while going to get a second look at the new Tinkering Ink goodies.

did you know they have matching lotions to go with their paper lines....genius!

and Maya road has my heart.

sheer albums

mini chipboard people

velvety flower ribbon.

ahh, the list could go on and on.

nuff said for now...must scrapbook off some of this inspiration overload

waca waca

not sure why that came to mind except for the fact i am super excited to go to CHA>
i leave tomorrow and still am crazy running around trying to get everything ready.
its weird to only pack for me though and not the family.
trust me, its a good weird.
i am really looking forward to some Michelle time.

while out picking up a few last things before i leave, i found this bad boy at my new favorite thrift store.
metal, ocean blue, hot to trot and a mere 7 dollars.
i actually second guessed spending that much at a thrift store because of my money spending mentality.
7 dollars at a thrift store= alot
7 dollars at Pottery Barn= what a deal!! buy it now you fool!


its my new favorite thing for sure.
a little snippit of love for the Fashionistas.
Kyan peering up to the Giraffes at the Norfolk zoo, while still eating his sandwich after an hour.
he is really the slowest eater.
like slug slow.
and i got some candytown love in the mail!!!!
i opened the box and it took my breath away.
so much that i had to call Adrienne.
i'm sure she thought i was a tad crazy, but her creations are one of a kind stellar.
i can't even bare to cut them.
i need to just awe over them for a day or 2.
well, off to go to dinner and spend some family time together before i head out.
michelle ramirez is going to CHA= craziness at a high level.
i'll be sure to take oodles of pictures.

i'm breathing...

see?
so i think Elise is a complete genius and i had to jump on the daily card idea.
i started on 7-7-07 cause i'm cheesy like that.
just a bit of my everyday...love that!!!
this was my yesterday.
fitting eh?
and the other day my good friend Aida sent me a box full of eighties vintage candy and i jumped to open these bad boys.
i am keeping that box of goodness close to me at all times.
this girl LOVES her candy.

off to enjoy a Ring pop now.

happy Saturday night to me.

note to self

haaay michelle.
i think we need to have a talk.
don't you think you have enough on your plate?
i mean taking care of two wee ones.
getting ready for CHA.
and now finding and bidding on a house you have never seen all in the same day.
slow down girl.
take it one day at a time.
i know you get excited, a little too excited at times, but take a deep breath.
i hope you read this.
*eta*
i managed to get this note and caught my breath.
whew.
any advice on california house buying though?

the happenings*

oh yes...great news here!!!!
i can not even begin to tell you how much fun i have been having with the delicious RDG papers spread all over my table.
i would reach for one and then change my mind again and again.
the colors just flew through my brain like i was channeling my inner Rainbow Brite!!!
these are a few of the goodies i made.


and i am far from Hawaii, really about as far as one can get while staying in the US, but this made me feel like i was back there for a split second.
ha! and its named after my CJ boy Kimo....very cool i must say.
i believe in signs.
this was an eye stopper for me.
and here is miss thing as i like to call Olivia these days.
struting her stuff in Daddy's new/way used beater car while we are here in VA.
for Pete's sake.
you should hear this thing starting up in the morning...eeks.
i'm sure the neighbors love us.