{open & honest}

Three kids, 6 sports and 75 photos to document it all....

Three kids, six sports and 75 photos to document it all in one nice little book by Shutterfly....

Click here to view this photo book.

My 1st nanny gets married....

I am so proud! Here is why- just a few years ago I hired this young teenager who just graduated from high school to be my kid's nanny for the summer. Her job was to take care of my three kids (ages 3,5 and 7). I just wanted my sweet little darlings fed and played with- I did not care about her cleaning the house or any other duties. And she did such a great job! Emmy was the reason I hired a nanny for the next 4 years. I remember one day while I was at work, looking out the window and seeing her bike riding with the kids. She had my daughter on the back of her bike. I had never seen such big smiles from a bunch of country kids. You see it is hard to ride bikes when you live in the country. The gravel and sand make it hard to peddle. So it was a treat for the kids to be able to ride in town. Emmy did fun things like this all the time with the kids. So each summer I hired a graduating senior girl. Each girl then headed off to college with a pocket full of cash. LOL

My dear Emmy then went off and applied for pharmacy school. I had the privilege of writing her a glowing letter of recommendation for her application. I actually got a little teary eyed when I wrote the letter. I really loved having Emmy as part of our family. I was so excited when she got her acceptance letter into pharmacy school and now six years later she has a doctorate of pharmacy degree. I have never been so proud.

She got married this weekend to a very nice gentleman. Again I got teary eyed when I watched her at the wedding. Her family asked if I could take a few pictures at the wedding dance (their hired photographer had to leave early). I had a wonderful time at the dance (who wouldn't with an open bar for 600 people all night long!)

Press Play (the middle of the box) to see a slideshow of my photos. :)

What do three phamacists have in common?

I drove to my meeting in Lincoln last night. It was a 3 hour drive there and back.  I did get there a little early and stopped by a scrapbook store. I know I am mostly a digital scrapbooker, but I do love to browse the scrapbook stores. And I did manage to drop $50 on some really cool stuff. I was fortunate enough to have received the paper line from Basic Grey awhile ago, so I added a few brads and rub-ons to my collection. They should be fun to make some hybrid projects with....

After my little stop I headed to the meeting. I was one of the first there so I went on in. Imagine my surprise to see this when I stepped out of the meeting at 9pm to leave for home. 

Three MUSTANGS!!!  Love it!!  Three pharmacists ages ranging from ages 43-58.... all with the same cool car.  Mine is the pretty one in the middle. :)
 

Look at this cute group of women....

Oh how I love this photo!!!  Well I don't like me in the photo (I look like a total dork), but everyone else is adorable. The new website is coming along.  It is still in beta version so there are a few bugs they are working on. :)  Digital Scrapbooking Magazine Web Site.  Go and check it out.  :) 

I am heading out to Lincoln for a 7pm meeting soon. It is a 3 hour drive there, sit for 2 hours in a meeting and then drive 3 hours back home.  Man I dislike living in the middle of nowhere!!!  Where is my private jet when I need it.  My husband was going to drive me but now he decided he was going to practice roping with his friends....  grrrrrrrrrrrrrr. 

Note to self---- must get busy- so much work to get done and so little time......... 

New Web Site and a few photos of the lake....

New Digital Scrapbooking Magazine Website!

Announced recently on Digital Scrapbooking Magazine Associate Editor Molly Newman's Blog:

We've been tapping our fingers and biting our tongues... and now the Digital Scrapbooking team is thrilled to announce that our brand-new, guaranteed-awesome website will be open for business this Tuesday, July 8, 2008.

Along with our partner magazines Creating Keepsakes, Simple Scrapbooks and Paper Crafts, we're launching a new, bigger and better site where you can learn from others, share your own work and enjoy the excitement and energy of a rapidly growing community. Post your own layouts for feedback and praise... share your thoughts via your own personal blog... build new friendships by establishing in and participating in your own groups. Get immediate notification when we're looking for new submissions or launching a new contest. Plus, enjoy up-to-the-minute access to expert advice, ideas and special features from Digital Scrapbooking magazine. This beta release will get better and more useful every day as you and thousands of other readers join us to build a new DigitalScrapbooking.com.

Come join the fun--we can't wait to see you there. Check it out Tuesday (7/8/08) at DigitalScrapbooking.com.

Please note that the site will be a beta version and could still have kinks, errors, or missing information. Corrections to any problems will be made and it will be fully functioning as soon as possible.

You'll find a group established especially for readers of my "Make It Now" column...a place where you can ask further questions about techniques, post examples of projects inspired by"Make it Now", or just say Hi!

_________________

Now for some fun weekend photos!!!!

We are lucky enough to live by a beautiful sandy beach lake. It is about 24 miles from our home and we try to get there on as many weekends as we can during the summer months. Yesterday we meet up with my family and had a wonderful day. Here are a few photos.


My daughter loves the beach!!

This is a game we play called "Hillbilly" Frisbee. Here is how we play it.  First you need 2 long poles, stick them into the sand. Place a bottle on top of each pole. Each team member holds a beverage in their hand (this beverage can very depending on if small children are around-- as you can see small children were around). The goal of the game is to toss the Frisbee at the opponents pole, try to hit the pole and knock the bottle off.  If the Frisbee does hit the pole, one team member has to catch the Frisbee (without spilling the drink in hand) and the other team member has to catch the falling bottle.  Each is worth one point if missed for the tossing team. If the other team does not hit the pole you only have to catch the Frisbee.  If you miss the Frisbee they get one point. We usually play until 21 points.  IT IS FUN!!

Then you bury your 13year old son and make him look like a girl!!!  LOL

Announced recently on Digital Scrapbooking Magazine Associate Editor Molly Newman's Blog:

We've been tapping our fingers and biting our tongues... and now the Digital Scrapbooking team is thrilled to announce that our brand-new, guaranteed-awesome website will be open for business this Tuesday, July 8, 2008.

Along with our partner magazines Creating Keepsakes, Simple Scrapbooks and Paper Crafts, we're launching a new, bigger and better site where you can learn from others, share your own work and enjoy the excitement and energy of a rapidly growing community. Post your own layouts for feedback and praise... share your thoughts via your own personal blog... build new friendships by establishing in and participating in your own groups. Get immediate notification when we're looking for new submissions or launching a new contest. Plus, enjoy up-to-the-minute access to expert advice, ideas and special features from Digital Scrapbooking magazine. This beta release will get better and more useful every day as you and thousands of other readers join us to build a new DigitalScrapbooking.com.

Come join the fun--we can't wait to see you there. Check it out Tuesday (7/8/08) at DigitalScrapbooking.com.

Please note that the site will be a beta version and could still have kinks, errors, or missing information. Corrections to any problems will be made and it will be fully functioning as soon as possible.

You'll find a group established especially for readers of my "Make It Now" column...a place where you can ask further questions about techniques, post examples of projects inspired by"Make it Now", or just say Hi!

_________________

Now for some fun weekend photos!!!!

We are lucky enough to live by a beautiful sandy beach lake. It is about 24 miles from our home and we try to get there on as many weekends as we can during the summer months. Yesterday we meet up with my family and had a wonderful day. Here are a few photos.


My daughter loves the beach!!

This is a game we play called "Hillbilly" Frisbee. Here is how we play it.  First you need 2 long poles, stick them into the sand. Place a bottle on top of each pole. Each team member holds a beverage in their hand (this beverage can very depending on if small children are around-- as you can see small children were around). The goal of the game is to toss the Frisbee at the opponents pole, try to hit the pole and knock the bottle off.  If the Frisbee does hit the pole, one team member has to catch the Frisbee (without spilling the drink in hand) and the other team member has to catch the falling bottle.  Each is worth one point if missed for the tossing team. If the other team does not hit the pole you only have to catch the Frisbee.  If you miss the Frisbee they get one point. We usually play until 21 points.  IT IS FUN!!

Then you bury your 13year old son and make him look like a girl!!!  LOL

A few "Go Fourth and Celebrate" photos......

The 4th of July was a very busy day for our family. I loved every minute of it, well except for the last 10 minutes of the 10K race I ran in.... LOL.

We started out the day at 6:30am, we all participated in the local "Fun Run".  This is an annual event in our home town.  Each year we all try to participate. This year my daughter ran the 1mile run and place third in her age division. I love to watch her run..... her little face gets so red. :)

Then my George (age 11) and husband competed in the 3mile run.  Both were a little tired since neither of them did any type of preparation for the run.  They are both feeling the pain today.  Jet (13yr old) said he would run the 10K race with me. But when the gun went off at the beginning all I saw was a streak of orange and he was gone. I had to run 6.2miles all by myself. I just could not keep up with his young 13year old legs. LOL  He finished about 3 minutes before me.



At the end of my run, my daughter came and helped me to the finish line. :)  Loved it!!

After we all cleaned up after the race. We loaded up the horse and headed to a small town called Ericson. They have a kids' rodeo each year. My kids participated in the goat tail untying, calf riding, steer riding and barrel racing. No one placed at this rodeo.

After the rodeo, we drove home, unloaded the horses and then headed out to Burwell (about 20miles away) and met my family at the Calamus Lake campsite. We celebrated my Dad's 75th birthday and grilled Rib eye steaks..... yummm.  The perfect ending to a very busy and fun day. 

Back from Utah.....

I returned a few days ago from a wonderful meeting at the office of CKMedia. The Digital Scrapbook Magazine team met for a strategy meeting. This was the first time we had 'ALL' got together for a face to face meeting. Usually business is done via conference call. We had so much fun and it looks like next year will be a wonderful year for Digital Scrapbooking Magazine.  Here is a sneak peak at the next issue to be released.  As you can see when you get a bunch of digital scrapbookers together there is bound to be a ton of laptops around.  Now who is that sneaking into my picture and sticking her tongue out at me..... oh, it is the very talented April Anderton, of course.... the queen of 'Hi Concepts' (her column in the magazine).

More pictures will come soon of this wonderful meeting.

But now to get you excited about the up and coming holiday. Here are a few pictures taken tonight of the kids lighting fireworks.  All little girls color coordinate their fire works with their outfit, right? Or is my little girl just strange? LOL


Well then, do all little girls dance in fire work smoke?  My little fire cracker girl does.


Then you have the 13 year old boy. In deep thought about how he should light his fire works. Opps, never mind the butt scratch....  LOL


He came up with this very clever arrangement of fire crackers..


Then at the end we had to get a family photo.  Do you have this happen when you try to take pictures of your kids?


The 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays.  I love spending the weekend with my family at the lake. And we always celebrate my Dad's birthday on the 3rd.  He will be 76 this year. 
 

So what is tanking??

You have heard of tubing down a river, or maybe you have even canoed down a river. Tanking is similar, but instead of riding down a river in a canoe, you sit in a cattle tank and float down the river. Sort of a hill-billy type of canoe trip. And it is a great way to spend a sunny Sunday afternoon with family and friends.

This is the reason for our tanking trip.  Meet Melissa- she is marring my sister's son.  I like this picture of the two of them (Melissa is in the swimsuit and my sister is in her fake t-shirt swimsuit- she forgot to pack her suit- silly girl). Melissa is a beauty.


Here is what a tank looks like floating down a beautiful Nebraska sandhills river..


After you get down the river a little bit, then you can all hook together and share jokes, laughter and a few drinks....


Ok- it is just wrong when I have to sit by my niece Jeri.  She looks way to hot in her swimming suit. (Oh, to be 22 years old again)...  the pictures are taken with my X-shot attached to my camera.  I love the X-shot.


Love the sunsets on the river.... you just can't get a picture like this without getting in the water...


Tanking ROCKS!!   

Todays Rodeo....

Today is George's birthday. He turned 11.  And he won this----


You only have to ride one of these for 8 seconds and then score higher than all the other cowboys....


This is what every kids does on his 11th birthday.... right??  (LOL)  It did put a nice smile on his face.


Then we have the older 13 year old. He is serious about his steer riding coming up in a few minutes.
He is getting a few last minute pointers from his Dad.


Not as good of an ending as his little brother.


But the chicks will dig it!  LOL.  He made me send this photo to his phone so he could show it off to his friends.  :)   

My daughter enjoyed a little bonding time, on this beautiful spring day, with her horse "Buck" before the barrel racing.


They make a great team, but just did not win any money or buckle today.


Just another birthday!! 

Happy Birthday....

It is my husbands birthday today..... here is a cute picture of him this past October when he was saving a baby Marlin.  One of my favorite things to do while on vacation is to walk the beach at 6:30am.  I love to watch the sunrise. One morning I convinced my husband to go with me and he found this baby Marlin.  I was lucky I had my camera.



I am reminding you all to back up your photos and scrapbook pages today!!  Yesterday I decided to make my husband a photo calender for his birthday (by the way these will be available to make online within a week at www.goodlifephoto.com). I went to my computer and found out that my second external hard drive had failed.  I have three external hard drives full of photos.  This was a 300Gig drive with about 8months of photos, layouts and digital kits.  I should of seen this coming.  My computer had been freezing up on me over the past several weeks, I assumed it was the kids playing their games, but since the external drive failed the computer has been working fine. To have the drive restored will cost $399.00 (YIKES!).  I will pass. I am lucky to have it all backed up on DVDs.  I just have the inconvenience of reloading all my photos and layouts onto a new external drive. If you know of a cheaper place to restore hard drive please let me know.  I may have lost 8 months worth of digital kits (I usually don't back these up).  Oh well!!  I guess I won't feel guilty about buying new kits now..... LOL   I am especially in the hunt for Christmas kits....  I am doing a little catch up on some old photos.