It's Been A Hot, Hot September

I can't believe how hot it has been this past month. It wouldn't be so bad if they just gave us some more air conditioning at school. I come home every day soaking wet, get in my bathing suit and jump in the pool-actually I don't jump, I go down the steps.
Brooke had a birthday last week and I made her this card.

Alex also has his birthday in September-my baby is 25, oh my! Here is the card I made him. Just a simple one with Close To My Heart stamps. He has moved out so James and I are finally empty nesters. It seems a little strange since for the last 35 years we have had children in the house.

Tomorrow I am mailing my annual Halloween & Thanksgiving combined box to France. This year I had to include Francois's 1st birthday gifts and his baptism gifts-I am a little behind on that one. I usually include Christmas too, but will do that later.  I made Sasha this cute little can filled with candy, of course.

 

We went to Tallahassee two weeks ago and had a great time. We didn't go to the game because it was a day game and would definitely be too hot for Jack but we watched it on TV and of course, were dressed for the occasion. Florida State won-YEAH!

Jack had some cute Halloween PJ's. He looks like he escaped from the pokey.

Katie and Jack had a great time together. Grandpa loved it too.

We went to lunch Sunday before we came home and Jack was so good, as usual, in the restaurant.
Check out the drool from the mouth to the book.

I made Francois's 10 month page this week. He is getting so big. He wants to walk so bad.

I guess in the next week or so I will be doing Jack's 9 month page (he is 9 months tomorrow) and Francois's 11 month page. Boy those 1 year pages are just around the corner for both of them.
Frances sent me some good pictures of Francois and Sasha. Isn't she beautiful!

And, of course, he is adorable. James and I are so lucky to count them as our grandchildren. We can't wait to see them.

Card Class and Labor Day Weekend

Sally, Lynn, and I went to our monthly card class at Violette's on Wednesday. We made an easel card and a cool Halloween card on glossy paper. We always have such a great time there and then we go out to eat, which is an even better time. Hopefully, we will get Darla back into card class now that the twins are 18 months old and we hope to get RuthAnn to start coming with us soon.

On Saturday of Labor Day weekend, Brooke, Adam. Jack & Chelsea came to town. Brooke & Adam were going to the rehearsal dinner and the wedding of one of Adam's fraternity brothers so Grandpa and I got to babysit, not only Chelsea but Jack Thomas. We had a great time playing with him, feeding him and bathing him. He has been a little out of sorts because of some new teeth he is trying hard to get, (As James said, "We've seen that picture show before!") but most of the time he was his happy, laughable self. On Sunday, Darla, Dale and the twins came for a swim date and lunch. Jack enjoyed having friends over and Chelsea was the star of the day as far as Emma & Lily were concerned.
Check out Jack in his cool swim suit with Uncle Alex and his crazy sun glasses grandma bought him.

Don't you just L-O-V-E, LOVE the hair!!!
Emma & Lily enjoyed the pool. Adam and Brooke were so impressed with how well behaved the girls were.

Play time! It was like a nursery school here and so much fun. The girls loved sharing Jack's toys with him.
We went to lunch Monday with Brooke's mom and step dad and then it was time to say goodbye. Jack was worn out and was sound asleep before they left.

Isn't he precious. I could just eat him up! Bye Jack, see you soon. We love you.

Cards, pages, etc.

Sally, Lynn & I went to card class this month at Violettes. We just love going. Linda is such a sweet person and such a great teacher of crafts. We used some Stamps by Judith that the store is now carrying. I just love Stamps by Judith!!! I met her two summers ago at the Expo in Atlanta and purchased a lot of her stamps then. I have purchased a lot more since then so I am glad Violettes is now carrying them. Here are the two cards we made.

I went to Karen's last Saturday for our last technique class. We have been going for several months now and learning several new techniques each time. We made a technique book with samples and directions so we won't forget how we did them. Here are the three we did last week.

I have been putting monthly pictures in my album to show how Francois and Jack are growing. I can't believe that in two more months I will be finished with Francois's page and he will be a year old.

I don't think his face has changed as much as Jack's. Francois looks the same except older but I think Jack has changed a lot in his face.

For Mother's Day, Frances got the gift of a session with a professional photographer. Here are two of the pictures she sent me of Francois. I really like them. They are certainly different than what you would see here in the U.S.

I did monthly pages for everyone but of course forgot to take pictures of Brooke and Adam's and Frances and Christophe's but since they are all the same design this time, just different pictures, you can see what they looked like because I did take a picture of my page.

James took a week off in June and we remodeled the guest bathroom (AKA Adam's bathroom). I really like the way it turned out. We continued the green color from the kitchen and dining room into it and James took up the old tile and replaced it with the same that he put in the kitchen and dining area. Check out the new sink and cabinet.

The room seems so much larger since we took out the old cabinet.

Frames

I really like the frame technique I learned a few weeks ago at Whim-So-Doodle. I have made 3 more frames. They really are fun to make and I would love to be able to buy the supplies wholesale and sell the frames. Here are pictures of the three I made recently.

Grandpa and Ace Hardware

Just a couple of pages to add. Jack sure loves to hang out with his grandpa.

When we were in Tallahassee we made a trip to the boy's favorite store, Ace Hardware. It was Jack's indoctrination visit so I thought I would document it.

I bought 3 photos from the photographer who took Jack's pictures when we were there. I absolutely love these. It brings a whole new connotation to the phrase "Jack in a Box."

Mosaic pages

This method is by Tami Potter, http://www.tamipotter.com/ I love the style, but forget to use it. I really need to try it more. It really is pretty.

Playing Catch Up (or trying to)

I had some trouble with my vertigo for about a week, so I haven't been able to work on my pages. Actually, I haven't been able to do much of anything when the room is spinning around. It is better now, so I am trying to catch up. I have so many pictures that I developed and it seems to me I will never catch up because I just keep taking pictures of Jack and developing them. Then of course Brooke takes some and I just have to have some of hers, and then Frances takes some and again, I have to have some of those. I guess it has become a never ending saga. I have this laser cut die cut that says "Grandma's Scrapbooking Material" and I can certainly attest to that with Jack and Francois and Sasha and of course, Chelsea.
Anyway, here are some pages I have finished lately.

Jack has his first four teeth now. You can see the first two in this picture. I actually used stamps on this page. I have so many stamps, but don't often think to use them on scrapbook pages. I embossed these and they look really nice on the page.

Adam had this three-headed dragon since he was little. He has always liked it and has introduced it to Jack who seems to have the same opinion.

These pages are of Jack's baptism. Alex was the godfather. He was really thrilled and honored that Brooke and Adam asked him to be Jack's godfather.

These double page spreads are pages I did at the expo. All I did was add pictures and words when I got home.

I did these pages today of Jack eating. He really does like food.

This is a page kit I bought in Atlanta at the expo. It was fun to put it together and then add the pictures. I love the first picture showing Chelsea's tongue licking Jack on the cheek. He really loves her. He watches her all the time. I pity her though when Jack starts to crawl and walk. She will probably have to spend most of her time on a bed so Jack can't get to her.

This is the 8 month page of Francois for Frances. I just love this paper. It is glittery and really perfect for beach pictures.
Jack's hair seems to be the topic of conversation everywhere he goes. People are constantly commenting on how it sticks up. I just love his "Happy Hair."

I took a WebQuest class this summer and am working to finish my first WebQuest. It is on fairy tales for second graders. I hope to create several more depending on what the teachers would like me to do.