A FREE Jessica Sprague Class!!!

I have a friend named Jessica, but she doesn't really even know who I am. But that's okay. This friend has taught me so much about photoshop, digital papers, clipping masks and all sorts of other lovely things all related to digital scrapbooking. But more than those things, I have learned a new sort of empowerment and joy in learning something new. It feels so good to be challenged, to work hard, to grunt at the computer and then to tinker until it does what I want it to do.

Jessica Sprague is an online teacher and is so calm and helpful in her video tutorials that I just keep coming back for more. And if you want to jump on this train, I recommend doing it now...
Because, Jessica Sprague is offering a FREE one week class to help get you started. This is an introductory class and you do not need to have photoshop or any sort of computer skills other than the ability to use a printer. My mom and I took a free class last year and we both really enjoyed it. So sign up with us! Registration closes on Sunday and IT'S FREE!!! And you'll love my friend Jessica who has no idea what sort of a one-sided friendship the two of us share...

Hello blogfriends of Beth Hilden!!!

Basically, Beth Hilden rocks my socks off. She is a pure delight, and though our time together has been once in a blue moon, I still count her in my list of faithful friends because we both follow the other's blog...AND WE LEAVE COMMENTS! Isn't that an odd phenomenon, getting to know someone well via posts and pics and updates? I love it. Things come up in blogs that wouldn't necessarily come up in church lobby catch up conversations...

So, if you found this blog via her kind and flattering and makes-me-feel-so-loved post, and this is your first time stopping by, I just wanted to say Welcome! And I'm glad you're here! I wish I could offer you a glass of ice water and a leftover mini salted nutroll.

Happy Birthday Annika!

My sister is 34 today! I got this recording of her daughter, Sonna, singing the birthday song. And actually, I just caught the tail end. The song had been going on for quite some time!

We decided to throw a birthday party while I was out there, so I asked Mara (4 1/2) what we should get her mom. She was quick with her answer, "Gum!" So I took just her to Walgreens to pick out the perfect gum. She commented, "Mom likes minty, but I don't, so we should get this kind!" and held up a Bubbalicious four pack. And so that's what we got.

We had a tea party for lunch to celebrate her birthday and used cookie cutters to cut all of our food into fun shapes. We drank tea that Mara had picked out because it was called "Orange Tea" and the girls were terribly disappointed that it was not actually all that orange in color.

So Happy Birthday Annika, the best big sister a little sister could ever hope for. I am so glad Mara and Sonna have a sister!!! That's the best gift of all!

have you ever had this epiphany?

I got up this morning at 4:30 to catch my flight from Montana back to Nebraska. It was cloudy, and I couldn't see the mountains. It was getting a bit lighter as we were about to take off, but it looked like it would be a pretty gloomy day.

As our plane took off, we broke through those clouds and came up on top looking down at perfect carebear clouds. And there, I could see the sun rising. It was stunningly beautiful. I thought, I have to remember that the sun is shining this gloriously whether I can see it (on a lovely, no clouds, sunny day) or not (cloudy, overcast, all-I-want-to-do-is-stay-in-bed sort of day).

back from vacation...

Today I left these lovely ladies in Montana, and flew home to the love of my life. It's a good thing I love Rory so much, because leaving these girls was really hard. Mara pointed out many times during my four days there, "I am growing bigger because...my legs are way longer" or "because I can see out my window better in my carseat!"

I soaked up the Flathead Valley, soaked in every moment of sister time, and laughed hard with her strong, opinionated, hysterical girls. Jedd was in Minnesota for most of the time, so it really just was a good ol' girls get together. We built forts, played with glitter glue, played lots of candy land and did a 64 piece strawberry shortcake puzzle close to 64 times, watched little orphan Annie, went out for hot chocolate, played at the park, celebrated Annika's birthday a bit early with a tea party and hung out on a beautiful dock on Flathead Lake.

The good news? Only 49 days until I see these guys again at Christmas!!!