Scraps & photoGRAFFS

but instead of crafting all day today i’ll be doing emergency preparedness for the tsunami(s) that are supposed to hit the islands in a little over 3 hours.  we’re on tsunami alert because of the 8+ magnitude earthquake in chile last night… people here are in PANIC MODE. here’s to hoping all our islands are okay!!! and here’s to hoping it’s not bad… according to the most recent update per my DH, it’s only supposed to be 2.5 meters on the big island (the easternmost island) and by the time it reaches oahu (other end of the chain) it’s supposed to be less than a meter… i guess people are freaked out because the last time we got hit with a deadly tsunami, it was because of an earthquake in chile… but it was also 1960… first waves scheduled to hit a little after 11.

keep us in your prayers!!! here’s to hoping i am able to come back online!!

(here’s how we’re keeping updated…)  http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/

and here’s where we are in relation to the ocean… not in a tsunami zone but close enough that we are playing it safe.

lovies, =o) kel

made these birthday monkeys for blusky’s mega birthday card front swap… loved that all you had to make were fronts and not the entire card!!  i tend to make fronts and then glue them down to a sturdy white base anywhoo so this kind of swap totally works for me!!

sorry about the picture, once again i can’t find my memory card reader!!  i think in the mass cleanup we did for albert’s party it got tossed in a box and shoved in a corner/on a shelf.  haha.  i probably put it in the “somewhere safe so i won’t lose it” box that i will find months from now and go “hey!  here it is!!”  haha.

on another note, i decided to try to learn hangul (native korean writing system) and have gotten almost all the alphabet memorized.  super simple!  we went to sorabol (korean restaurant) and i was able to read the signs and menu =o).  don’t ask me what any of it means though, and i apologize for my pronunciation/accent.  haha.  one of these days i’ll take an actual class.  but until then its books and the internets!!

i also took the plunge and purchased some digi-stamps from CC Designs/ATS last month and only today printed out some out (along with some freebies!)  i have to figure out what size i like for each image which is the biggest pain… so i printed them out in a variety of sizes!  lots of other things i need to be doing but right now i think i need some “me” time!!    so no deadlines, no need to worry about every single detail being perfect… with all the orders and projects i have right now i barely have time to create just for me, just for fun!!  off to get some images printed for some ATC’s and then fool around for a bit!!

lovies, =o) kel

we had Albert’s 6th birthday party at our house on saturday.  it was SOOOOOOOOOOO much fun!  and a handful of kiddos from his class made it to the party so that made it THAT much more fun for him!!

my mom helped make superhero capes for all the kids in attendance…

and even though it was too cold to play water, it was still sunny and dry and the kids spent most of the time outside running around on the court…

and playing on the little playground we had in the yard.

we all sang “happy birthday” and he had to cover his ears because it was so loud!!  i know he was super happy and appreciative of everyone being there but i don’t think he anticipated the volume of that many people singing together at once.   J helped me make the cupcake picks… sized the images to 1.5″, printed them in word, and then used my 1.5″ circle punch to punch them out.  then stick a glue dot on one, and sandwich a toothpick in the middle of them. (will get a closer picture of them if i can find any leftover picks)

eventually, we moved into my workroom (you get to see it clean!!!) and had two craft circles… the closest one is the foam picture frame/bookmark circle, and the other is keychain/necklace/bracelet beading.  and for all you scrappers, i know my punch collection is very sparse and i have a whole ton of pockets to fill!!!

when everyone left we opened presents… we would have done it sooner but the kids were a little busy with the crafts and the running around outside… i think the parents were more exhausted at the end of it!!

one of the presents Albert opened had a Cars book in it… so of course Amare snatched it up as soon as he saw it!!  and of course, Amare had to be in all the pictures too…

and so did the cars book…

and the last present he got was from mom and dad =o)  and he did NOT expect it!!!  we tend to pick things up here and there and save them for him to open on special/good days so he kinda figured he’d get to open those and they’d be his present from us.  but we ended up going to Ross for some shower curtains (which can be seen behind my punch holders and hiding my metal shelves in the craft circle picture) and of course, i HAD to check the toy area with his birthday coming up!!  it’s ALWAYS fun to get a surprise, especially on your birthday!!

and of course, this picture is courtesy of my dear, dear hubby.  he posed the kids.  it was such a good day.  thanks to everyone who came and everyone who helped make it so much fun.  and apologies to people who called or expected me out after 5pm.  because i passed out at 6 and didn’t wake up until the next morning!!!!!!  so now that the house is CLEAN and i don’t have the excuse of not being able to craft because i have to make sure the house is ready for a party… expect some crafty goodies!!!

lovies, =o) kel

made quite a bit of headway.  still more to do but it makes you feel soooooooo much better when you can SEE the progress.

makes you feel even better when you can see the floor!  lol!!

hoping to be back tomorrow or saturday morning before the party to show what we have planned… please send warm, sunny thoughts and hope it is a nice hot day so we can play water outside without jeopardizing the kids getting cold and sick!!!!!!!!!!

lovies, =o) kel

Dear Albert -

6 years ago at this time I was counting my first contractions with my first baby.  I remember staying up extra late and making your Daddy stay up with me and time my contractions because somehow, I just KNEW I was in labor and you would be here soon.  We called the doctor in the morning and then went in to get checked, and even though the Dr. thought we could wait a little more, he gave us the option to go to the hospital or go home… and so we went straight to the hospital.  The contractions were tolerable, and then they got more and more sore… and Daddy got more and more tired.  haha.  I remember crying and moaning and wincing in pain in the hospital bed and Daddy was curled up in the chair/lounger next to me more than half-asleep, reaching over the rail and patting me wherever his hand touched, mumbling “it’s okay, you’re doing good” and then falling right back asleep.  Boy was I PISSED at him for that.  haha.  And I remember them telling me that the baby was crowning but I couldn’t push because my Dr. wasn’t there yet… and then 30 minutes later, being able to pop that baby out.  All 7lbs 1.9oz of you.  And I got to hold you in my arms and I cried.

And here we are.  My Albert, you are SIX years old today. There was a book report to do for homework on Monday and you read almost the entire book “No, David!” aloud on the kitchen floor as Daddy and I made dinner.  You can get your little brother in and out of his car seat, taste test my baking experiments, craft with me and write me love notes almost every day.  You can tell us almost anything we’d want to know about the world of Marvel and like to take baths and brush your teeth by yourself because you’re a big boy and “can do it without you, mommy.”  You talk back and pick fights with Amare because you know you can get away with it.

Yet some nights, you still need me to rock you to sleep and I marvel at how this big boy started off as this tiny little thing that wouldn’t let me eat.  haha!!  You can’t always do your buttons and still need someone to lay down next to you to sleep.  You still (occasionally) wake up in the middle of the night crying for Mommy because you’re all by yourself in your big boy bed.  Everything you do is to gain our (but really, MY) approval and garner praise from anyone who matters to you.  And everyone you meet and smile at matters to you.  Albert, you care about every single person in your life and strive to make sure people are always happy.  You always hug me when I’m down and kiss my ouchies when I get hurt.  You make sure we’re all okay and if we’re not, you run away to your room to do something extra special like draw a picture or make up a song and dance.

And that’s how I know Daddy and I have molded this little boy into an incredible person.  You are such an incredible person!  I cannot imagine how we could have been happy before you came along and I cannot begin to imagine what kind of happiness and fullness we will have as we expand our family and watch you all grow up.  You are so beautiful, son… inside and out and though I will probably say this every year to every child on their special day, I just want to wish you the best and happiest birthday today and hope that it extends until we’re done celebrating!!

I LOVE YOU LOVE YOU LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!

=o) mommy

… to make 25 birthday cupcakes on wednesday for school and then another 20 for t-ball practice after school

… to make sugar cookies and valentines treats for thursday (because there’s no school friday)

… for a superhero birthday of GINORMOUS proportion.

… to have friends and family running amuck in the house and yard

… to pre-assemble about 15 capes for the kids

… to have people touching my stuff and asking questions about my workroom.  thank goodness i put my yarns high up so they don’t get too dirty.

… to get all of this put away by thursday.  yuppers.  can’t even walk without having to step over things.  but at least my desk is clear now.  and yes, thursday because we’re gonna try to get the last minute party stuff (like the cupcake toppers, capes, goodie bags, cooking prep) done on friday because party’s at 11am on saturday.

… to go to bed.  it’s officially 2am and albert needs to be at the dentist at 10am and will most likely get a tooth pulled.  YIKES. first experience EVER with this kinda thing for our kids so we’ll see how it goes!!

still trying to figure out this wordpress thing.  love the clouds but it’s not quite the look that i’m going for.  more urban and more ME.  but i’m back!  it’s so funny how when i was trying to blog regularly, i felt like i had nothing to say or show.  and when i consciously took a step back, i wanted to blog almost every day.  hope that keeps up!

lovies, =o) kel

taking a step back from blogging to figure out what i want this to be and possibly revamp the website altogether.

any ideas?  comments?  crits?  suggestions?  i’m open to just about everything!

lovies, =o) kel

so far so good!!!  i’m keeping up with my blog!!  haha.  i know it’s only been a week though, so i don’t have this blogging thing down as a habit quite yet, but i’m getting there!!

this week’s freebie is totally inspired by my Albert… his birthday is in a month, and we were talking today about what he wants to do and who he wants to invite.  of course, he’s been obsessed with Marvel since late last year, and now that I’ve remembered to DVR the Super Hero Squad Show on Cartoon Network, he’s completely obsessed all over again.

and he could probably tell you just about everyone in that poster.

but getting back to the freebie – i was searching online for ideas for a superhero birthday and found one at one of my favorite sites, Living Locurto.  Amy shares AWESOME ideas for a cape, mask, and invites… and a super cute batman cake but since we’re mostly anti-DC in this house, i’ll have to change the idea to something else!!

of course, what we end up doing is totally dependent on who we end up inviting… i don’t think many adults would be interested in creating their own cape and superhero mask!!

here’s the link to her post about the party: super hero party

and a direct link to the masks: .pdf file

but seriously, just browse Amy’s site and you’ll find TONS of cute ideas and awesome downloads!!  enjoy!!!

lovies, =o) kel