Scrappin' Digi Style

first....let me start off with a note of advice. NEVER say...I have more time now and am going to start all over and be a better blogger. It will jinx you. seriously. I had every intention of being and doing better....and that darn thing called life got in the way again! giggle bowing head blushing. on that note. I am just going to try. I have a more realistic goal of at LEAST two times a week...then if I do more I will be so proud of myself! doesn't that sound kinder to myself? why am I harder on myself than I would be a friend? or a complete stranger? hmmmmm. something to think about and go on about another day.

Second. This is a tad on the long and boring side. So...if you are not family or a close friend...you are not obligated to read any further. you are excused to scroll down to the bottom and grab the freebie ;). You MAY go to my gallery and check out all the new layouts I have been working on. I think I have enough for my two shutterfly books! yayyayaya

Ok. If you are reading still...you have to or are like me....love to read about other's lives. I missss reading all my blogs. I am going to have to seriously catch up.

What have we been up to? Well....the last week has been spent at Gauche Aquatic park. just opened this year. huge park, bbq area etc. inside is lap pools, diving, water slide and HUGE small kiddo area. we love it there. The boys are taking lessons there and we like to stay for free swim. I even go down the big slide.






We also went on vacationnnn! yayayya. first in a long time (not counting our weekend camping here and there)

We boarded a plane to Oregon (found flights that made it cheap enough to avoid the 11 hour drive and gas money for my hog. Ate at the BEST breaksfast place in Portland...Elmers. woahhhh momma. Seriously. daaaummmm. good stuff I tell ya! Next stop...drive an hour and hit Cosco...loaded up for the week. Then we drove to our place in Seaside. Cute little place. unloaded. put away. changed and hit the beach. we weren't sure how the weather would hold so grab it while you can. We decided to spend the day there...SIL and nephew weren't due in till that night. funnnnn. my feet were happy. they miss the ocean when away. the boys do as well.






my poor foot. impaled two weeks prior. and the other foot looked worse...I had dropped a HUGE bottle on it...lid first. swollen and purple. ouuuwwww.

Then we just hung out for a couple days. beach. shopping. arcade. reading. talking. playing pass the pigs...HEAVEN.

here is my nephew Daniel with the boys.


a sand city Bran made with the boys. talented no??




the boys building a hole to roast our hot dogs in for the forth....whooohoooo



hayden hamming it up after daniel buried him


dissapointment hit. it was horrible weather on the fourth. drizzly, windy....then plum dang rained on us watching the parade. and then got reallly windy on the beach. I was almost crying. for two years I have been jonesing to go back. I missed the fireworks then. hayden was little and a messss...they don't start till 10pm. I got to hear the music, roast the dogs, watch the ppl...but not fireworks. Now it looked like I would miss it all! wahhhh.

but....at 9pm...bran and daniel said it was better. so we got everyone bundled up and stood on the board walk. TONS and TONS of ppl. Everyone seetting off fireworks on the beach. awesome sight. Music. Food. I was giddy. Seriously. Giggling, running, laughing. It was sizzling with excitement in the air. Then they did a tribute to our country. to our troops. and played the national anthem with the most amazing rockets going off. I cried and thought of those we have lost. for my friend diane who lost her gorgeous young brave son. I felt so.....grateful. to be here. to have freedom. to have a wonderful life. The whole show rocked. They had a few technical probs...scared the wits out of me seeing the guys get so close to lighting them. I was in Heaven again.



The next day we packed up, said our goodbyes to Bec and Daniel and hit the road. Up to Washington to see Bran's good friends Don and Karen...pictured here with their fur babies Trace (6 month old Mastiff) and Wrigley (slightly older brother).


Bran used to date her friend eons ago. became friends with her and then bf Don. Don and Bran were even roommates at one point. They have remained friends to this day. And they are soooo nice. and make you feel like you have known them forever. Opened their home, spoiled the boys rotttttennn...just good people. They live in a place that is surrounded by acres of trees. you feel like you are the only ppl there. we roasted smores, cooked, ate, drank laughed, went to the beach...we were blessed with AWESOME weather while there. loved my time there...want to go back. Two days not long enough.

then off further into Washington to see Bran's cousin, hubby and kids. He has been working on the guest home they have been building. My first time to see it. OMG. They are soooo lucky I tell you. Well not lucky. Very hard working ppl. but sigh...I think I need to live there.

here is the view from their backyard....seriously. I took these sitting on a patio chair. wish they came out better.








the back of their house...I am standing on the beach looking up.


their guest house (almost done.) excuse my camera strap...I was smacking myself for being envious and didn't notice it got into the pic ;)



OMGGGGG. top of the line everything folks. walk into family room. up to kitchen eating and I think office and master bed. then up to kids loft. In love I say. They are going to live there for 2yrs while they rebuild main house. literally having someone lift up old house. boat it across the water and put it down on someone else's lot. Their new home will look the same outside...same materials. and the plans are jaw dropping. Do they need a nanny ya think? their kids (three gorgeous girls) are growing up so wonderful. hats of to Lisa. mannered, sweet as pie, helpful...funny. I loved them. I wanna goo backkkkkk.

do you think if they see this cute pic of hayden saying how much he loved it they would take us in???


we then took the ferry over to seattle and spent the day. we hit up the Pacific Science Center...woweeee. so freaking coooool! we saw dinos, insects, did experiments, played tic tac toe with a giant robot and saw an Imax movie. The boys loveeed it. A couple silly pics from that.










then dinner and early bed. we were pooped. I did hurt my foot again. the one with the puncture. I was trying to get into the hotel...they had a card key to enter from outside. door was stuck so I pulled realllly hard. felt it scrape my foot and it hurt...I said a choice word....but kept going as my arms were full. Got into elevator and looked down. blood everyyyywhere. seriously. filling my shoe kind of bleeding. I get to room and am ready to go down...I don't do that much blood well. Bran turns white and husles me to tup. Big cut. no stitches required...hurts like heck. With my severe anemia and me taking motrin for my cramps...my blood was REALLY thin (I have to warn nurses/doctors of it usually). now....fast forward a week and a half. still cannot wear anything but thongs (shoes). it still really hurts. sniff sniff.

flight home uneventful...but sure hated coming home to the smoke filled air that was 110 degrees for goodness sakes. (though now the fires better. air is semi-clean. cooling trend going on right now)

and here are some from father's day I need to post for the family....

fiver generation pic.

Bran, our grandson, our daughter, Bran's dad, Bran's Gramps. how cool is this huh?


my beautiful daughters (to clear it up...ppl ask me...how do you have daughters this age? They are Bran's daughters from a previous marriage....but I love them to pieces and can't imagine being without them...wish they were around all the time. Though...technically....they are 23, 21 and almost 18....I am 39...so it IS possible ;) )


Bran and all his kiddos. we are so blessed.


Breanna and her boyfriend Jim



Jennifer and fiance Aaron


Bran getting Jenny's gift. when the girls were little they made bran a shirt with their handprints on it. he cherishes it. Jen came up with the idea to make a new one...with all of their prints...the girls, the boys and even tobees. he was a tad emotional I think :)


Brea got him some new speedos. it was more a gift for all of US though. He wears them under his scuba suit when he dives. his old ones were SEE THROUGH in the back ppl. Argghhhhh. ackkkkk. lol. Back off ladies...he is all mine ;)


she also got him a giant snicker's bar. tobee REALLY wanted it. so bran gave him a bite. it turned into a battle. really. he kept trying to get it from tobee. and the wrestled.


Guess who won?!?!?!?



ok..phew. enough for now.
here is a little somethin somethin for you chickies! made with love only for you. I hope you like and use it. If you do...shoot me a link. would love to see!




based off this layout by me



and no...not going to advertise for myself or others today. I am pooped now,lol. (though I still have a monster sale going on at scrapdish still...new templates and all)

have a great Monday. Live laugh and love. and eat chocolate!!