Blogging is similar to scrapbooking....

Similar to scrapbooking, I'm so far behind I'm not sure where to start and discouraged 'cuz there is so much to share.

Excuses, I mean explainations?
Why yes!
-I've been laptop-less off and on for a few weeks. Not that I can't blog from what I call, our family PC, but cuddled up in the covers just before bedtime is by far my favorite time to work on the computer.
-And, when I have worked on the blog, I'm sad to share, but Blogger (the website I create my blog on) has not been cooperating, especially while wanting to include photos.

Anyway, all that out of the way, let's get started!

How about this photo? It's festive!

1. If Facebook has done anything good for our society today, it has provided thousands of people with chances to re-connect with old friends. A few weeks ago, thankfully, I reconnected with yet another good friend from my past....I mean way in my past, but she had proof I did use to work at Disney - it's my only proof! See, take picuters now, we can sort them out later! Yep, that's me on the left, my friend Barb is in the middle and our friend Gina is on the right.

2. Embarking on the traditional 4th grade field trip to St. Augustine, McKenna says she had a wonderful time! Here she is pictured with some friends Savannah and Kylee. It's about 5 in the morning....yep, which means we left our house about 4:15, and yep, that means I was up about 3:30....not our first time having to do this and probably not our last.....

3. Getting ready for Halloween around here includes Book-o-ween costumes for school. Actually, this is McKenna's last one, so I wanted to make sure I helped "make" it extra special. One of her favorite book characters is Felicity who is an American Girl from 1776 and I actually made her dress....I couldn't believe it!

4. I also love that Book-o-ween has evolved into each team of teachers at work chosing a book to do together. So tickled that I could influence their decision! A cute book called Mouse Paint about three mice who find 3 jars of paint (and what happens to the colors when they are mixed together...one my students know very well!).

5. I love that we spent the first weekend of our Fall break putting up the Christmas tree together complete with Disney's monorail.

6. Thanksgiving Day was exactly the way I love it, time with family and lots of yummy food.

Learning the recipe secrets, McKenna helped Grandma with the sweet pototo casserole.

What a feast! So glad my mom and Bruce could share it with us all.

Black Friday has long been a tradition before it was called "Black Friday". We meet my friend Pam and her family (something we've done since we were 14) at the Avenues Mall this year just outside of Jacksonville for an entire day of shopping. The girls and I hit our favorite stores as fast as we could which included The Disney Store and Build-a-Bear!

Okay, well, thanks still to Blogger giving me a hard time while trying to move photos around ( and all the extra spaces, sorry!), this post has taken hours to complete, but these little beauties are waiting for some "note" cards out in the studio....let's hope I get to go work on them, the weather is PERFECT for it.

(I'm also working on invitations for McKenna's 10th birthday party - let's hope I can get those done too!!)

Thanks for not giving up on me!

Best wishes,

Melle

Saturday R and R

"R and R" means "Really, Really tired" which is why I needed some Rest and Relaxation!
Yesterday, as I told my mom, we 3 girls were hermits.

Hermit - as defined by:
1. A person who has withdrawn from society and lives a solitary existence; a recluse.

Not to be confused with Herman's Hermits the British rock band from the 60's, of which who have a website for their adoring fans. You can click here to visit it.

Also not to be confused with Kermit the frog....it was not a typo....click here if you'd like to see the trailer for their newest movie set to come out in December.

By Friday I was so exhausted that I even canceled hair appointments for McKenna and I. All I wanted to do was order pizza and tackle the stack of Netflix videos that had piled up on my dresser. Of course the ripple effects of canceling hair appointments will be felt for weeks.

So Saturday, we did nothing.
So, if you called me.....
If you emailed me.....
If you knocked at my door....
I am so very sorry that I didn't respond.

Today, we started to assimilate into society again, so by tomorrow we'll be ready to hit the road in full speed. None too soon either as it promises to be another long week with late nights. McKenna's Open House is Monday, Tuesday is mine and Andrea's swim team has their first meet on Thursday. However, the 3 day weekend is on the horizon....and Friday is jeans day.....that makes it all worth while :o).

Just two more things to mention before I close and finish those grades I need to enter....
Procrastinate?
Who me?
Nope.
You know me better.
No, you don't need to bring up the post I wrote a few months ago (okay, it was exactly a year ago...that's weird).....are you sure I wrote something about being a Master Procrastinator?
No, you really don't need to go HERE to remind me!

On Saturday, I did do lots, I means loads and loads of laundry and I did finally get to play in the studio. It had been FOUR weeks since I sat in there. I was going through withdrawal!
(I didn't actually draw the flowers....plz! Those are stamps, but I did paint w/ watercolor and acrylic. It is extremely relaxing for me.)

These will eventually look something like this:

And most of you know, but I am so psyched that The Lion King is being re-released in theaters for two weeks in September!!!! It'll be in 3D....that's cool, but not as cool as getting to see The Lion King on the big screen again.


I can't wait!

Have a great week ya'll.
Love,
Melle

Bustin' a button!

This momma is so stinkin' proud, I can hardly take it!
Today, August 15, 2011.....first day of school.

Did ya see it?
Andrea sportin' her new Fine Arts Academy uniform shirt and McKenna sportin' a Safety Patrol Belt (on the first day of school.....hmm, hmm).
Andrea has only one more "first day of school";
McKenna still has 8 more.
Thank you, God. ;o)

I don't know why I do this to myself every year....but let's reflect together, shall we?
Ready?
This was Andrea's first year at The Villages Charter School:

It was the year 2003 and she was in the 3rd grade.

This was McKenna's first day at The Villages Charter School:

It was the year 2005; McKenna was starting PreK - 3 and Andrea was starting 5th grade.

If you squint your eyes and blink 3 times like me, you can almost still see those sweet little girls inside of these two lovely young ladies. Go ahead - squint! Pleeze, for my sake. Tell me my sweet little girls are still in there somewhere.

And this was just last year......

MOMENTS before Andrea's new backpack strap broke and McKenna's giant bottle of hand sanitizer's pump nozzle shattered into pieces.....

Yes, indeedie.....this year was off to a much better start.
Amen.

Past my bedtime

Yep, up past my bedtime last night....but look what I finished!

And why you might ask? Well, I'm glad you did.

I have this wonderful friend named Kendra,

and she helped to "inspire" McKenna's first American Girl doll

and you might remember I bought a new sewing machine this summer

and you may recall McKenna has shown interest in this machine as well. In fact, she made these yesterday; big one for her, little one for Andrea.

But McKenna asked me to make this

and I was going along okay, but this collar, it was a bear!

almost there

but I got it done


and here is "Amanda" in her new robe!

Holy-Toledo Batman!
Can you believe it?

I'm not sure if I'm amazed because I actually made it, or because......
I started and finished something in the same day!

More to come (soon I hope)
Melle

"Somebody Stop Me!" and other stuff.....

I bought some stamps today.

Aren't they pretty?

I knew Andrea would love them.
They made me think of her.
I wonder why.

I've been wanting to do this photo from Andrea's 16th birthday on a canvas and have been waiting for the right inspiration....I think I found it!

But then I bought these

And these too!


But I bought these the other day

and they inspired these....

So why stop me?
Cuz' I bought this today too!

Oh my gosh.
Help!
No, I haven't won the lottery or even found a money tree.
But,
(nothing good can start with "but")
I've been in need of a new point and shoot camera for so long now. I even finished the yearbook last year with a camera that worked sometimes and sometimes not.
I've so loved my EasyShare camera, but I've had it so long that they don't make the same model anymore. Spent an hour on the phone with Kodak, and this is the one I've decided to try. I've ordered it, but I don't think it will be here in time for The 4th....too bad.....but there will be plenty of other opportunities to break it in. :o)

The other stuff.....

Well, most of you know, I LOVE the artist Donna Downey and thanks to She Scrapbooks, Donna was in town last weekend. It was my third visit with Donna, but I was more excited because it was McKenna's first.
Donna had all of us inky in no time.

I loved it.
McKenna loved it.
Donna loved it.
McKenna loved Donna.
And Donna's youngest daughter Payton loved McKenna.
It was the coolest experience.



Here's what we made.

Mine is on the left, you can tell cuz' it's not finished and McKenna's is on the right, all done and even has Donna's autograph on the back.

Studio. love me my studio.
I avoid the house and come straight to the studio every free moment while at home.
I also love that McKenna enjoys it as much as me.
We have room for Andrea and sometimes she comes and sometimes not. At 16, I'll take what I can get.

You may recall that I got a new sewing machine this month (Honest,I have not pawned my great-grandmother's wedding ring.) and McKenna has enjoyed breaking it in for me.


I just love this, cuz' I can so remember when I was 9 and my mom taught me how to run the bobbin, thread the machine and gave me paper towels to sew on and I spent hours "playing" on her sewing machine.
This is also beneficial to me, for I plan to sew these pieces together to make a patchwork curtain with (yes to hide some clutter) and McKenna is sewing the decorative stitches for me. Cool!

One more McKenna story to end on:

Andrea did very well on the FCAT, so Daddy treated her to a new PlayStation2 and some new games (she did have to pay half); McKenna also did very well on the FCAT so I treated her to a shopping spree at Build-a-Bear in Gainesville (she also had to pay half).
We had such a nice time. After a new bear, we looked at some shoppes for me, went to Claire's, had lunch at Chick-fil-a, had chocolate chip cookies with lots of gooey icing for dessert and hit Michael's on the way home.

I think it's safe to say, I wore her out.

Off to play with my new stamps!

Best wishes everyone.
Melle

It's a good day to be a parent!

It was a day of "firsts" for my Broaderick girls;
It was a day of accomplishments!

What is it they say?

"All good things come to those who wait"

"Better late than never"

Well, if that's the case, Andrea has got that nailed!
It may be a year and a half past her 15th birthday, but today she finally was ready for me to take her to the DVM and take the test for her learner's permit.

And, she passed!!
Woohoo!
Woohoo, one more teen driver on the road.....

I do wish the photo was better. I'll try to stage another one.
I mean, she looks great, but you can't see the license :o(
but trust me, it's there.

Then, earlier today, McKenna mastered the flip turn during swim class today and then did the knee dive off of Miss Perry's diving board all by herself. Both feats were not only done completely by herself for the very first time, but flawlessly.

I was so proud.
I am so proud.

All report cards and FCAT scores have also finally arrived this week.
Both girls did very, very well.
Whew.

And me?
Well, I celebrated by avoiding the Halloween/Christmas/Easter clutter that still sits on our hearth and played in the studio this afternoon. :o)
Here is a small sample.
I forgot a pile of flowers I painted.
I'll share those next time.


I just felt like playing and you can't go wrong with a tag. Flowers are in acrylic paint, background in watercolor, which reacted differently than I expected on the manila tag....

These tags McKenna helped glimmer mist and color wash stencils onto manila tag. I then stamped and embossed in the Cuddlebug.

More color wash, stamped and embossed....

And these were inspired by artist Christy Tomlinson (her link is on my blog list). I made a larger one in my Inspiration Journal several weeks ago. This time I tried four smaller ones thinking I'd put them on the front of a note card....still could, but now I don't want to give up the originals....I could scan them, print them and then attach to cards......not sure yet.

Yep, a good day to be a parent.
Yep, a good day to be me.

Thank you God.
:o)
Melle

It's {almost} summertime!!!!!

It's that glorious time of year when the girls are all done and I have just a few work days left.....school's out and let summertime begin!

(quick note: I clearly have fallen right into this "got nothin' else to do" state of mind, 'cuz I have spent hours and hours trying to redesign the blog. I've spent hours looking for photos to create a new banner and can't find them. ARGH! Frustrating. I hope I don't piddle away the rest of my summer like this.)

My grandpa liked tell the story of the first time I said grace at a table of some, apparently very important people. He would say that he was so proud when I was done, that when he sat up he "popped a button right off of his shirt".

Well, I don't remember that moment that way, I was scared to death and certainly don't remember any flying buttons!

But as a parent I can relate to feeling so very, very proud of her young-ins this week that I could just burst!

Our high school only invites underclassmen to awards ceremonies if they are receiving an award...fortunately this is Andrea's second year of high school and her second award. Last year she received an award from her science teacher. This year, an award from her art teacher! Scott had to work, but he was quick to text back "fixed, rigged" when I texted him the news! :0) teehee.

(Sorry, this pic was taken on my cell phone, but I like the blur....sort of expresses the excitement in the room.)

Grandma and Grandpa could be there and we are grateful.
That was Monday night.
Thursday was McKenna's awards, of which every student gets something, but oh my little one; she got some biggies...

Citizenship all year; A/B Honor Roll all year; Principal's List all year and Perfect Attendance!

Watch out, buttons might fly!

Grandpa had to work this time, but daddy could be there and we are grateful.

However, the girls weren't quite done with their accolades; Andrea won a candy bar wrapper design contest and came home with a gift card for $15 to our local ice cream store. McKenna comes home with not one but two letters. The first one is inviting her to participate in a new Video Production Club and her second letter was from the Rotary Club letting her know that they have awarded her with a $50 savings bond for her Principal's List and Perfect Attendance!
And finally, on Florida's FCAT testing, we know Andrea received a 5 in writing (6 is the highest possible score) and we are still very anxiously waiting for Andrea's reading and math scores. In the meantime, we do know that McKenna received a 4 in Reading and a 5 in math. (5 is the highest possible score.)

On the last day, McKenna took one final gift to her classroom teacher Mrs. Rohn and one to her aftercare teacher, who was phenomenal, Mrs. Spencer. We filled a summer beach pale with sunscreen, flip-flops, a magazine, a cool new cup to drink from, some favorite candy and a Beach Boys CD. I thought they turned out cute.

And so, on this long Memorial weekend, I have crafted some, slept some and blogged some. We swim tomorrow and hopefully begin to look like a Floridian instead of an Eskimo with my white skin!
Have a wonderful Holiday everyone.
And here's to one wonderful summer with you!!!!!!!
Love Melle