Memorial Day Project

I know. It doesn't look like much now. And it hasn't looked like much for the nearly year that I've been storing it in my craft room. I bought it at an antique store in Downtown Phoenix. It's REALLY heavy and all cracked. When you flake off the paint, you can see at least three layers of different color paint: the brown, a cream and a PINK!?! Can you imagine a pink window?My idea...is not a new one. Afterall, I have NOT A SINGLE origional idea.

I first saw it at Sandi Barbera's house when I was doing a shoot for Sonoran Living Live. She was teaching us how to refinish our cabinets to look like those in Pottery Barn magazines.

Since then, I've seen it in a few boutiques, blogs and home decor stores. So, I'm going to give it a whirl.

I'm going to keep the hardware on it. I just love how it makes it look really old!

Wish me luck!!!

A Few Recent Creations

I've had a few birthdays to celebrate lately...my beloved Hubby and my friend at work. So, these are a few of the creations I came up with. They're using two of my FAVORITE stamps... the distressed looking sheet music as well as the worn looking grid. I used my Cricut machine to cut the cake.

With 4th of July coming up they also have a worn looking flag that I'd love to own. The summer possibilities with it are endless.


I also put together gifts for Landon's teachers as an end of the year gift. I bought a 1.50 bowl and filled it with popcorn, candy, Jones Soda and a gift certificate for dinner and for a Blockbuster rental. Add in a little scrapbook paper and some stuff cut on the cricut and this is what I came up with.

In the upper left hand corner...the polka dot paper is wrapped around the Jones Soda and has little tag that has Thank You stamped on the back. In the middle the scrapbook paper is wrapped around microwave popcorn.

Below is also another project I did. This is an album I did for a couple getting married. The upper right hand corner is tough to see...but it's a flower.

I'm also working on another big project. I started it today, but I bought it from an antique store probably around a year ago! Stay tuned to see before and afters!

With any luck...I'll have it done in a week!

Spider-Landon's "Webs"

Landon is in, what you would call, a prolonged phase.

He believes he is Spiderman.

He scurries through Target on his hands and feet saying he's climbing buildings, (yes, I know having his hands touch the floor is disgusting. But what's a mom of an ALL BOY, boy to do??) and he wears red and gloves in 100 degree weather sticking his fingers at anyone who make eye contact and "webs them".

So, when he came home from Pre-School yesterday with this goopy blue mess I knew I had trouble on my hands. The stuff is horrible! Blue...messy...sticky and but how could I say no?

So Landon spent the better part of 30 minutes in his own world of webs. Sound effects and all.

If you look at his tongue in the picture below and imagine a sort of hissing sound, you'll understand the noise he makes when he pretends the webs are shooting out of his fingers.

When it was time to go to bed after playing with this gooey stuff...he needed another shower, his shirt had to be thrown in the washer with a hope and a prayer that the blue stuff (on his shirt that you see in the picture above) would come out AND a stain on my kitchen chair.

Oh well...that's life with a 4 year old boy. Wouldn't have it any other way.

By the way, I have pictures of his birthday, Stephen's graduation and a few other little creations that I plan to post. But, rather than waiting to update everything before I move forward...I'll just stay current and then go back and fill in the gaps.

Easter...a little late.

Easter is long gone...but I thought we'd post some pictures.

Landon and I spent part of the day before Easter at Wade's house dying eggs and letting the kids play.

We started a few new traditions, because I'm all about traditions!

The first one was an inside Easter egg hunt that started with a letter from the Easter Bunny. The Bunny wrote a poem instructing Landon to go search the house for all his eggs...but look among them to find four special plastic eggs with words typed and printed on paper and folded up inside.

We was instructed to bring them back to us and we helped him make a little sentence that told him where his basket was. (it was hidden on the front porch)

After the inside hunt we were off to church and to lunch. At the conclusion of church there was an outdoor baptism in the baptismal in front of the church. During it Landon yelled, "MOMMY LOOK! Wanna do that?! Wanna do that?! It's fun!" As all the eyes of church goers around me looked and laughed, I could do nothing but say, "thanks honey, but I've already done it before."

After lunch came home to "find" a crumpled up paper with a map and a picture of the bunny on it. (drawn by Carlos DaVinci)

The map had 5 locations marked with an X and a little map from our house to the park. That's where "bigger" Easter surprises were hidden, like a Bakugan...(don't ask...some little toy he likes), a fishing pole and a few other things.

If you look in the upper right hand corner, there was also a little note saying he had to take a nap first! Ha! Easiest little nap we ever got out of him...mom and dad took advantage of the time to rest.

Place your cursor on the picture to see the caption and the "+" and "-" to increase or decrease the speed of the slide show.

In all it was a wonderful day and we just loved knowing Landon is finally begininng to understand who Jesus is...and soon he'll better understand the grace, peace and hope Christ offers through his resurrection!

God Whispers

There really aren't any pictures for this post...but it is so sweet I have to share.


Landon was driving home from soccer practice with his friend Wade, when he turned to his buddy who was talking and said, "Wade, shhh...we need to listen to God."

Wade replied, "Did you know God has the whole world in his hands."

Landon said, "Yes."

Then, silence from the backseat.

Doesn't that make your heart smile?

Marriage On The Mind

Landon is officially being "courted" on the playground.

Today, he came home from Pre-School saying a girl 'wants to marry him'.

I asked why he thought that and he responded by saying, "she wants me to marry her so I can dance with her, but I told her I just want to be the puppy."

Role playing? ...perhaps.
Funny??....absolutely!

Birthday Party Bummer

Today, was to be the day we enjoyed a beautiful day at the park with Landon and his friends to celebrate his 4th birthday.

Instead this afternoon , he's sleeping and trying to recover from a stomach bug that hit him overnight on Thursday. The yucky symptoms subsided on Friday morning...but the pesky little fever won't go away.

So, rather than get his friends sick, we're giving it another day and hoping he'll be up for a party on Sunday morning.

That happens to be his actual birthday...so if we make if for that, we'll still be in great shape.

I hope to be able to post pictures of a smiling, healthier boy on Sunday, April 19th!!!

Landon-isms

It's been a while since I wrote out some Landon-isms.

This one made me laugh.

#1:
"Mom? You don't like quac-corchs, do you?"

What????

Five minutes later...I figured it out.

#2.:
We were walking in to Paradise Cafe & Bakery yesterday to pick up a big personalized cookie for his classmates to celebrate his birthday at school on Friday.

As we pulled into the parking lot...we saw a couple hugging.

Landon says, "Mommy? See those guys over there? They're married."
"How do you know that?"
"Because they're hugging."

When we got out of the car, he looks over and sees that the couple has stopped the public display of affection...

He says, "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy...they're not married anymore."

Soccer Season Starts!

Landon is officially into his first team sport. We started with soccer, feeling it would be a good fit because he's been playing with Grammy in the backyard for about a year now.


It's hilarious to watch him! He doesn't entirely understand that he needs to get the ball from the other players. Instead, preferring to just run with the pack.

He's especially excited to have mom and dad on the sidelines cheering for him and will run, without looking where he's going and wave emphatically at us and flash a thumbs up. Ha! It's hilarious!!

His best friend, Wade is also on his team. So, it's fun for the moms too...chatting on the sidelines.


Here are a few pictures from the first two games. We have an off week next Saturday, but we'll post more pictures and update you IF
...and at this point that's a BIG IF...
he makes a goal!!

A Visit To The Mouse's House

Every year we go to Disneyland and we usually we go the week before Landon's birthday. This year we decided to go a month before his big day, because it's TOO HOT in April!

The weather was peeerfect. In the uppers 60's during the day and int the 50's at night.

We were there with our friends the Cochran's and Landon had a BLAST going on many of the rides with a friend. Of course, we liked it too because we had time to visit with our friends John and Sharon.

Landon went on a roller coaster, which he went on last year too. It's a pint-sized one in Toon Town. He was happy as a clam before the ride and during the ride he was scared out of his wits. Then, as soon as the ride ended he said, "that was SO COOOL" and asked to go again! When you see the picture in the slide show...you won't believe me. But it's absolutely the truth.

Enjoy the slide show of pictures from Disneyland.

Can We Keep Him?

Natalee was over on Saturday afternoon doing a craft for her sister's wedding next week and she brought along little Brody.

Landon is fascinated with babies and thinks they're always hungry. Really, he just wants to feed them a bottle. He'll even go up to babies in strollers and talk to them when we're out.

Last night, he asked if I could turn on a 'Baby Movie' and sit with him... and even offered to let him use his blanket!

The pair were cute...except when Brody would fuss and Landon would get nervous and upset that the "some-ting was wrong with him!"

When Carlos got home he ran to show him the baby and asked if "we could keep him". :)

Kids say the dardest things!?!

Wild West Week

Wild West Week at Landon's school has been a lot of fun, not only for Landon but for us as well!

We've been able to break away from work and see him in a "bike rodeo" a few days ago and today we got to see him ride a pony! :)

The kids also "roped" steers! Ropes....hula hoops...it's all the same!