Sharing My Creations

The challenge for this design was to make something "add shimmer to a dark color", and the one above it was a color challenge (make a design with those 3 colors).  They're featured with the designs of 3 of my other talented stamping friends on our stamping challenge blog:  http://craftycatwalk.blogspot.com/

These are the four  cards we made at my embossing stamp camp.
They each use a different embossing technique.  Fun stuff.

This is one of the cards we'll make at my Christmas Cards stamp camp in October.

Just wanted to show you some of the fun cards I've designed for my stamp camps and such.  I really enjoy the designing aspect of my hobby business : ).

Back to School

Although I thought he might be sad, Tootie was great about seeing the big kids off for school on their first day.  It reminds me of a story of my youngest brother who one morning asked my mom, "Are they gone?  ...Yippee!"  But nevertheless, I was also happy to see his excitement the other day when he saw the bus roll in after school and he came to me shouting, "Mom!  My friends are here!  My friends are here!", meaning his older siblings of course. 

Here are "the big kids"!  Off to start the new school year in 1st, 4th, and 5th grades.  I don't know who was more excited--the kids, or their mom : ).  Hooray for school!

Shark is in his element now that football season has started again.  He prefers to play wide receiver, but I think he might be playing tight end right now.  This is his second year of tackle football.  I just think it's so cute to see these young boys in their full uniform like this. 

"Before" Goldie's golden locks were trimmed.

Goldie's new look--just in time for the new school year.

Tootie is now in preschool, and everyone is happy about that!  Especially him.  He LOVES all of the structured activities and of course all of the supervised playtime in a child-safe environment (no computers or other electronic equipment around for him to explore and destroy--thank goodness!).  He's pretty young for a 4-day a week class, but he's probably at the top of his class activity-level wise.   

Didi had success in growing this lemon cucumber plant this summer in our small garden plot, despite the non-green thumb-ness of her mother.  

We had a great summer, but we're sooooo glad that school is back in session!

Happy Together

I love being at the temple with my sweetheart!

Sunburned Lovells

This family photo was taken at the wedding reception of Jeff's brother, in July. We were having so much fun with photos and such after the beautiful ceremony in Manti Utah, that we hadn't noticed the scorching rays of the sun until it was too late. Oh well! It was a beautiful, happy day, and we were so grateful that we were able to be there for brother John's special day. Congrats to John & Amy!

Summer Campers

Everyone in our family got sick the week of this camp out. Goldie and Didi, and Mom & Dad all got through with our illness before we got to the campsite, but Tootie and Shark suffered while we were there. It was a rough time, but isn't "roughing it" supposed to be part of camping? We had a nice time anyway, especially visiting with Jazz's family in the beautiful setting--the scenery in the redwoods was beautiful.

We Finally Made it to the Fair

We had a great time at the County Fair. We spent big bucks to go on very few rides and eat a bit of cotton candy and popcorn, and unfortunately didn't discover until we were tired all of the many cool free things to participate in (the art exhibits, the livestock, etc.), but we had a great time. The kids were amazed by the magic show and the trick dogs, and were happy to all go home with a few cheap stuffed animals (from the "everyone wins a prize" games). Next year I think we'll start with the free activities, and then get them tired before we go to the rides, so that maybe it won't cost so much (yeah, as if that would work!).

What's up

Just a few quick notes about what we're all up to...

Jazz is working like a mad dog trying to get ready for his recital, which will be Saturday, June 5th at 1 p.m. in the music building on campus (all are invited, of course). His time is exhausted by rehearsing his big band numbers, his smaller group numbers, practicing the piano so he can perform a bit on the big day, too, attending the recitals of those who are performing in his recital, and then doing a bit of missionary work and family time (which is sometimes just dinner, before he leaves again) when he's not "working".

I'm doing the usual, trying to keep up with everyone else's schedules, and messes. I was hoping to be in Utah this weekend to see my brother's family sealed in the temple (mom, dad, and newly adopted baby), but the scandalous flight prices had to keep me away from that exciting event :(. On a good note, I've been able to sing a little lately even though my choir is on a hiatus right now...that is, last Sunday I got to sing three different musical numbers! One was in another ward, one in my own ward (and I gave a talk with that song, for our "Favorite Hymn Festival" Sunday), and one at a baptism after church. Jazz accompanied me on the last number, which is always fun.

Shark is between sports seasons right now, so he fills his time with books, books, more books, and audio books, and a little homework, chores, scouts, and piano practicing. He's doing great in school, and he's glad that this week was the very last Spanish class of the year (which his mom co-taught), which leaves more time for reading--in English :).

Didi is getting better and better at the piano, though practicing isn't always her favorite thing to do (the worst is when it's your turn to "go first" among the 3 practicers in the house). She practices 30 minutes a day. She loves to organize things, such as her desk next to her bed. And she enjoys reading too, but balances that activity with other creative hobbies such as writing stories, sewing, working with clay, etc.

Goldie still dances and twirls just about everywhere she goes. She's getting good on the piano, too. We have enjoyed the kids' new piano teacher that lives right in our apartment complex. Goldie loves to read, too. She is one of the best readers in her kindergarten class, and enjoyed having her mom come in to her class once a week to volunteer as a reading helper--Goldie always got to have the first turn reading out loud :).

Tootie is ever running, ever destroying, ever throwing. Yesterday alone he broke a vase, and a big chunk out of my aerobic step, when he threw random items across the room. A favorite booby trap: he loves to take the guard bar out of the bottom of our fridge door so that when we open the fridge, all the condiment bottles spill onto the floor. His favorite movies are Toy Story and Toy Story 2, and he can quote much of those movies..."my eyeballs could have been sucked out of their socks/sockets!" He's a challenging handful, but his adorable face and beautiful hair and endearing smile and hugs help us love him to death anyway.

We're a happy, crazy, loud, loving family, and we enjoy weekends together when we can let our hair down (after chores are done) and watch movies together, play outside, and play games together. That's the latest from our family :)!