History

I have said it before-and I'll say it again...we LOVE the History channel! Recently Mike and I came across a couple shows that are now #1 on my DVR list! SOOOOO addicting.

Here is what history.com has to say about the show:

"These self-described "modern archaeologists" are a far cry from dumpster divers. Ask any American picker, and you'll probably learn there's a science to their scrounging, a method to their memorabilia-seeking mission. Antique pickers like Mike and Frank travel the country, meeting collectors, hoarders, amateur historians and other individuals who all have unique stories to tell. Each and every treasure they uncover is a new history lesson, providing a glimpse at American life in the recent and distant past.

And then, of course, there's the thrill of the hunt. Sometimes, it's a race against time, with various pickers traveling from far and wide to check out–and compete for–a hot lead. Working for clients such as set designers, photographers, decorators and dealers, pickers go on wild goose chases for anything from motorcycles to military regalia to Ferris wheels."

Then there is PAWN Stars (what a play on words...I know....oh well) It is pretty fantastic too! People bring in the CRAZIEST historical artifacts, and they have an appraiser come and tell them all about the history of the item, etc. SOOOO cool! You've gotta check it out & see for yourself. 

School Fun

I made these little "Space Men" for my friend Shannon's birthday. Hopefully she'll get a kick out of them the way I did. They are word spacers-for little kindergarten kids who are just learning to write sentences. They place the "space man" after each word to leave an acceptable gap between the words they write! Just a fun way to learn a boring rule. :) Since Toy Story is HUGE right now-I decided to make them the "Alien" space guys instead of your typical Astronaut. There is a giant magnetic one for her white board and a container of 30 little guys for her students. Thinking of putting these up on Etsy-I think they'd make a cute teacher gift????

I have a few plans up my sleeve to make a couple things for my classroom next year too-like "Popcorn" words, compliment bracelets, a dry erase table top, and Special Agent OSO Storytime "Mission" cards....stay tuned!

Swimming....just can't go enough!

Cousin Campin'

Missing You

We have so many memories together-I can't help but reminisce....Grandma & I were the closest of all the grandkids-it's just the way it's always been-probably because I was the first-who knows. My heart is heavy with thoughts of her-my emotions are mixed. Deep down I feel like I failed her in the end-things I can't change now, but a life lesson learned. I know the pain will go away someday-until then, I'll lean on the good times we had while she was alive-last week....

• walking to Ralphs & Vons in Escondido for samples & Double Coupon Days 
• typically had Bubblegum flavored EXTRA gum in her purse
• Always had Firecracker Popsicles in the freezer when we'd come visit
• made the most delicious Orange Cream Sauce for Angel Food Cake
• always made me my favorite meal-your "secret" recipe Spaghetti
• homemade Utah Scones-like indian fry bread....YUMMMMMMMM
• you made the best roast beef on the planet!
• you'd get irritated if people were not seated for dinner the second the food was on the table-you insisted that it became stone cold INSTANTLY! lol
• we'd always be "starving" from the drive to your house from Cali late at night-so you'd pan sear mini cheese filled sausages for us while our parents unloaded the car
• you LOVED crystal light
• had quite the collection of glass bottled soda pop in the basement
• riding our bikes and roller skates around the entire basement all day
• making blanket forts in the basement
• polishing all the pebbles found around the basement storm windows by using every last drop of your Armor All-Dad got SOOOO mad at us for that one-lol
• you were always sweeping the driveway-you must have had the cleanest driveway in the state of Utah!
• playing checkers on floor level table
• being so excited to drink from the small A&W glass mug
• bringing up dad's old toys from the basement for us to play with
• I used to LOVE to dress up with your costume jewelry-pearl earrings and "diamond" broaches, giant gem rings, etc. You never let me live it down how I lost a piece or two from your collection-and NO grandma-I STILL don't remember what I did with them-I was 4! lol. You knew how much I loved that jewelry and for as far back as I can remember, you said you'd leave it to us kids in your will someday.
• you always wore scarfs to bed or when we'd go out & about
• you had the longest hair-but always wore it up in a bun
• we'd drive around Orem from store to store looking for a "deal"-and at each stoplight, you'd turn off the car to "save gas"-we even laughed about the logic of that on the last day I saw you.
• full of hugs-ALWAYS excited to see us
• loved watching The Young & The Restless and Days of Our Lives :)
• lover of anything and everything Elvis
• constantly daydreamed about your days spent in Hawaii-you really loved it there
• never stopped loving Grandpa-even though you were divorced for decades, you still had a special place for him in your heart and it always ached :(
• always had a box of See's candy somewhere in the house-or at LEAST a See's butterscotch sucker somewhere
• you grew the best tomatoes and roses
• had so much fun visiting & chatting with your neighbors The Lassen's
• hiding over the grassy hills in the middle of the night from mom & dad so I didn't have to leave-it never worked though-how did they ALWAYS know where we were??? lol
• going with you to work while we were visiting you over christmas break. You were a housekeeper to some pretty gigantic, and incredibly beautiful houses in Provo
• how annoyed you got when they built those MONSTROUS houses on the other side of your development-even though we both secretly wished we lived in one of them! lol
• going to Reem's to buy Banana Creamy popsicles
• driving past Marie Osmonds house for the millionth time, trying to get a peak :) You were SO into the "hollywood" thing! Funny-lol
• we both cried at EVERY good-bye, whether I was a toddler or an adult
• when you'd take up the whole kitchen making christmas yummies like Russian Teacakes
• homemade german chocolate cake with the BEST coconut pecan frosting EVER! 
• you LOVED Caramel "anything"
• our road trip to cali
• our road trip to ashton for Grandpa's memorial
• comforting me from "santa's Ho Ho Ho"-dad was so loud it freaked me out, so you sat on the edge of my bed until I fell asleep that Christmas eve, but you never gave away the Santa secret.
• you felt my pain when I was mad at my parents
• going to the movies together when I'd come to visit you after EFY-we saw Mission Impossible 1 & 2 and Must Love Dogs....
• In our birthday cards you always underlined almost EVERY word-lol-and enclosed $1 for each year of our birth inside
• you came to my high school graduation
• always rooted for Mike-liked him best of all my boyfriends
• lover of dogs
• our sleepovers-we'd lay in bed talking and laughing ALL NIGHT
• always had blankets covering the couches
• had the same tv since I was born-it was a HEAVY thing encased in wood with turn knob buttons
• loved sorbet & sherbet-like me
• if you gotta do ice cream-make it a malt! -like me
• came to stay with me in Bremerton-while family went to England. It was hillarious watching you drive stick shift up all the hills around Silverdale in dad's little red hyundai!
• when I was in college-we'd have long late night phone calls that lasted till morning-you LOVED those!
• last year-taking Mike, the kids and I out to Ihop-because it was the ONLY kid friendly restaurant in Utah that was open on Sunday.
• Being so thrilled with the A/C in my car :)
• being SO embarrassed about Mike driving your "awful" car-lol
• ALWAYS clipped coupons and sent them to me in the mail-you name it: diapers, tampons, dog food-anything you thought we could use. So thoughtful :)
• the ONLY person in my life who NEVER came close to using a computer-EVER! Oh how many times I wished you had email or skype! :)
• sitting with you in the hospital holding your hand. You kept asking the nurses is you were dreaming, because you couldn't believe I was there! :(  You told almost every nurse, how "I promised you years ago that I wouldn't let you be alone if you got too old to take care of yourself. How I told you I'd quit my job if I had to, but I would be there and I would take you home with me because I believe that is how the "circle of life" works...."
• laughing till we almost cried, reminiscing about old times, talking about how excited we were for the things you had to look forward to-you couldn't wait for your "vacation" to Ellensburg this summer with Mike & I. Hearing you talk about how nice it was going to be to sit in my backyard with me & watch the kids and the dogs play-how excited you were that the grocery stores were so close, you had big plans to walk there daily (like we used to when I was little).

Grandma-If I could only turn back time.....I know you know my heart, and so I'm trying to not have regrets, but it hurts. Can you help make it go away?

Photography Business Blog

So excited! I finally started up my blog for all my photography stuff....pretty fun! Check it out at: www.capturedwithanikon.blogspot.com
It's not perfect yet-but....it will be :) Stay tuned for more...

Summer Photo Shoots

So I've been asked by multiple families to book Photo Shoots this summer-and I figured....what the heck-why not. It's my hobby isn't it? I don't exactly stink at it, so.....I obliged and today was the first one! Pretty dang fun if I do say so myself, and I can't complain about the extra cash it brings in either! Just another day at the park with my trusty Nikon & a couple lenses....life is sweet.
Emma jumps in front of the camera whenever she sees me with it so-here's HER shoot results:

and of course-Isabella's

My Dream Job

This is actually a McDonalds...crazy huh? Not to confuse you-NO I do NOT aspire to work at McD's someday-lol. I want to start an indoor play/party place here in Ellensburg called "Jungle Jym & Java"
All of the toys that Em & B are playing on were musical-they played guitar sounds, piano sounds, drum sounds, etc. There were even touch screen video games (that Mike enjoyed of course).....some day-like in my dreams-when I am rich enough to afford start up costs-lol :) Let's face it though-I WOULD have a Monopoly here in the Burg!!! :)

Another Preschool Graduation

Our 100th day of School....their hats say "I'm 100 Days Smarter!" They LOVED them!

These were too cute-I just HAD to take a picture of them. Sienna's birthday snack-BBQ cupcakes!

This year Graduation was almost my worst nightmare. The original plan was for the festivities to be held at Reed Park-a BEAUTIFUL park here in Ellensburg. The previous days weather held blue skies, temps at 77 degrees with a slight breeze in the air! PERFECTION! Wouldn't you know it-the day we have planned an outdoor ceremony-FREAK SUMMER THUNDERSTORMS!!! No joke! Luckily-one of my preschool parents is an angel-she quickly took it upon herself to call me and offer up her keys to the new church building! Whew! No rain, no wind, no hauling to haul tables & chairs to a park.....it turned out terrific in the end. I am so grateful for the love & support I receive from my "parents". Hugs to them!

The kids make handprint pictures each month that correspond with our monthly theme. They are part of our math curriculum with Shapes & Patterns-and something the kids always look forward to making on the 1st of each month. I keep them all year and make a "gift" out of them for graduation. Last year I made them into a book-this year I made a hanging wall quilt. Not just ANY wall quilt though-it's an "I SPY" one! At the bottom, there was a sticker label that said "Can you find: a toucan, a scarecrow.....etc. Considering I came up with the plan the night before-I am pretty pleased with it! (Although-it would have been nice to remember that I forgot to have the kids finish the Horse handprint-shhhhh....it has no ears and no nose! lol)

For Fathers Day-the kids presented their dad's with these gifts they made on the last day of school. Bottleneck A&W Rootbeer Float Sodas "wearing" ties that said "Pop Pop...Fizz Fizz...Oh What A Great POP You Is!"

As is tradition-all the kids had personalized cupcakes and delighted in searching the cupcake tower for THEIR name. I am happy everything turned out so well. Plus-lesson learned for years to come-FORGET relying on good weather-ALWAYS PLAN FOR INDOORS! :)