Digi Brag

I realize it's been a while since I posted. Sorry about that. And I'm also sorry because this post is not only a boring scrap page post, but it is of the same picture from the previous post. This class is taking up a lot of my time and energy. Often after I've completed my assignments I don't feel like being on the computer anymore. Thus, my blog and journal have suffered. But I'm assured that you will live.

So, this page I'm proud of because once again it got scraplifted by other people. I like it when they like me. This assignment was to take an off center photo, make the page something about "Today" add a few of the assigned techniques and do it all in 30 minutes or less. Fun stuff.

Notice Anything Interesting?

That's right. Bubba is riding his bike like a rockstar. A rockstar who rides a bike without training wheels, that is!

More Hiding Spots

Little Jordan was at her best during a rousing game of hide and seek again today. Perhaps you recall her previous awesome hiding spot here. These are the new ones.



Where's Buggaroo?

Another Digi Class

I'm in the midst of the sequel class to the digital scrapping class I took online last month. This one is more in depth and I'm learned a lot about photo editing as well as digital scrapbooking. These are my first two layouts for the class.

This is a predesigned layout that we had to follow. The trick we learned was to selectively recolor something in our photo. This picture was taken on Jordan's 2nd birthday last year at my parent's house in Monroe, Wa.


I'm very excited about this next layout. We had to design and execute it ourselves and it had to include a couple of challenges. My challenges were to use at least two different patterned papers, at least four photos and to create a block with rounded corners (see white photo background). I had so much fun creating this. We upload our assignments into a class gallery where people can comment on our work. I got the ultimate compliment on it today. Somebody told me she scraplifted it! That means she copied it and I'm quite pleased with myself now.

Race Day

Today was the big day. The day we'd been training for for MONTHS. Unfortunately, things didn't work out as hoped and instead of running the half marathon we had to run the stupid 5.6 mile run. At least we got a sweet shirt.

It's Our Anniversary!

Today was our nine year wedding anniversary. Here's a look at then and now. We spent today rearranging our whole house and tomorrow we're planning on dinner and a movie. I should probably take care of those plans...

1999


2008

Celebrations

I should have uploaded this post yesterday. It was a day of double celebration! Grandma Diana had a birthday and Darrin's sister, Raychel and her husband, Rusty celebrated their third anniversary.

Happy birthday, Grandma!


Happy anniversary Aunt Raychel and Uncle Rusty!

Another Round of Camping

We are trying to squeeze in all the camping we possibly can before Darrin leaves for commercial fishing. This was our second weekend in a row and I fear that I may smell of campfire permanently. This round we took things down a notch from extreme four wheeling adventure, to quiet campsite on the lake and some canoing. We also took Joshy along and I think he was happy to be included. Grandma also came with us and as always, helped with the kids which helped me relax. I'm beginning to think she's my prozac. She keeps me happy in situations where I'm likely to lose it.


This is Joshy saying, "Go ahead, make fun of the fat guy in the little coat. Just know that I'm actually smarter than all of you and when you finally realize it, I'm going to laugh really hard."


This was the boy canoe. Joshy freaked out and tried to jump overboard. All the girls were screaming from the girl canoe and Darrin finally had to grab him from the middle of the boat and pin him between his knees. Josh spent the rest of the outing sucking his thumb.


My crewman. She helped paddle and when she got tired of the oar, she hung over the side and used her hand.


The girl canoe.


"Mommy, can I ride the canoe by myself?"
I turned to daddy and we both realized that we were completely okay with him doing that. And so he did. Darrin went out with him in the other canoe and coached him in all the ways of paddling. Jakey also learned to cast a fishing line. Got ourselves a little Alaskan here.

Camping Day 2 - Four Wheeling Adventure

We made the decision the morning of our ride to take the kids with us. We expected them to only last about two hours at which point we would turn around and come back. We were shocked at how the kids took to the adventure. We decided to complete the entire five hour loop trip with the rest of the group. However, due to unforseen trail conditions, the loop took nearly EIGHT HOURS. It was a great time though. We saw a few caribou (including a dead one on the trail) some ground squirrels and a jack rabbit.


Jake and Mommy ready to hit the trail. It was a cold and rainy morning but turned into a fairly pleasant afternoon and evening for our ride. Several of us awoke to the rain that morning and prayed it away.


Jordan and Daddy during a rest stop.


A quick lunch break at the top of a hill.


Stopping to move a tree that had fallen across the trail. We had to stop and move two on the trip. Some of the machines in our group were outfitted with wenches which came in really handy when it was time to move trees or tow me out of a mud hole.


Waiting for our turn to slide our machines down the steep frozen ravine.


Let the sliding begin.


The safety net. Some of the guys straddled this deep gap in the ice and held onto each machine as it rode precariously along the embankment.


Jordan was pretty exhausted mid trip. She couldn't really support herself upright anymore and had to be strapped to her daddy with bungee chords. I took her for a while but since I can't ride one handed and support her, she ended up with some handlebars to the face a few times. She suffered a minor scrape near one eye. Daddy took her back and exhaustion and the stress of the traumatic experience finally overwhelmed her. She slept through some amazing stunts.


She was forced to wake up when Daddy took a side trail around a bunch of stuck machines and ended up royally stuck himself. I had to walk through the mud and carry her out while Daddy and the crew extracted his four wheeler. Once she was awake, she was her happy self again. She spent the last couple hours of the ride singing and chatting with Daddy.


Safely back at camp. Nice and muddy. It was a long day full of forging rivers, scaling glaciers, bouncing down dry river beds, digging out of giant mud holes and discovering that our awesome kids are real troopers. All in all, the perfect camping trip.

Camping Day 1 Continued

Our first evening camping, we let the kids loose to play in the pond. Because the temperature was in the 40s, we bundled them up in warm clothes and neoprene waders to keep them dry. At least that was the intention.

Strapping on our gear.


Making ripples.


Getting deeper...


I snapped this picture on my way back to the RV to make dinner. As soon as I turned around, Jordan fell over. Darrin had to run into the water and pull her out. Her only coat was soaked and Darrin sacrificed some shoes and socks.

Camping Day 1

Here's some pictures of our trip out to the place were we went camping. We pulled over to view some scenery.

Just outside of Palmer.


Lovin' my Buggeroo.


Watch out for stickers!


We stopped for about five minutes and then we loaded back in the RV. But the RV wouldn't start. But it was only the beginning. Stay tuned...

Stay Tuned

Back from our first summer camping trip. Lots of pictures and adventures to share. But not right now. Too tired.

Jordan's Family Birthday

Okay. Today was Jordy's ACTUAL birthday. We finished off all the birthday festivities tonight with family presents, family cupcakes and family time. Ready for a break from birthdays!

New art set...


New sand box! She promptly flung sand into Jake's eyes and Grandma Diana and I spent the next 20 minutes trying to calm him down and restore his sight.



Birthday cupcakes. It took her three tries to blow out the three candles.


Right after I got her to bed, the neighbor came by with some birthday cupcakes for her. So I let her get up to receive them. The neighbor's daughter has the exact same birthday, she just turned two. It was so nice of them to do that. When I put Jordan back to bed she said, "dat was so sweet!"

Birthdays Galore!

Tomorrow is my daughter's actual birthday. Yesterday was Uncle Joshy's birthday and today was actually my Grandpa Stewart's birthday. He would have been 88 today. I miss him lots.

This is Grandpa and my brother, JR and me at our house in Carnation sometime in the 80s.


Uncle Joshy at the zoo with the niece and nephew.

Happy Birthday!

Today we had Jordan's birthday party. It was a blast. I couldn't stop giggling about Jordy and how excited she was. This was the first time she's had a party that she was aware of. She slept through her first birthday party with a 102 degree fever. Today she was fully aware and fully excited. Check the journal for the fun details. So here are some pics. I never managed to get a picture of Jake. He wouldn't sit still long enough. That kid was way to busy for pictures.

The birthday girl.


Daddy is a lean, mean grilling machine.


Joshy was the best baby ever. Here he is sitting patiently, waiting for food that never came. All the while getting smoked out by the grill. He never made a peep.


Hurray for presents!


Oh boy! Can I sleep with these on?


Too cool for coloring.