Me? A brain?

South Kitsap's concert last night featured "If I only had a brain!" from the Wizard of Oz.

Afterward we snapped a few pix of Anders in his tuxedo and his comical expressions related so well to their "theme song".

I sketched the scarecrow and designed lettering and for this scrap page. TFL!

Online gallery with comments here.

My Life Verse as a greeting card...

SCRAP GIRLS turned five this past week and I joined in a class to personalize alphas taught by Anna. It was a great class with some very useful techniques. Then I used the WORDART to make this 4x6 card with my life verse, 3 John 1:4 "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth." I used "Creative Spirit" kit from Scrap Girls.

Happy Birthday, Scrap Girls!

Online link.

Scrap Pages from the Convention...

We learned many new techniques and had so much fun at the Scrap Girls Convention this weekend.

Here are two projects I completed this weekend. The silhouette of Ruth and her bouquet will likely be modified somewhat... I am not happy with it.

The scrap page below was done for our friend, Sara, who was unable to attend the convention.

We sure enjoyed taking her with us everywhere!

Fairy dusted...

My roommates at convention are part of the Purple Shirt work crew. In the morning (pixie dusted sleepers) we awoke as fairies... Such a fun group of ladies...

My trip Tuesday

We went on a "photo expedition" Tuesday morning in the Big Cottonwood Canyon. Here are a few shots I took for bulletin covers.

And I took this photo inside the car of the temp outside... brrrrr! I did not wear warm enough clothing and spent lots of time in the car!

Later we went to an arboretum on campus where we are staying and I got some lovely shots of flowers and water plants.

And... we saw a MOOSE FAMILY... well, statues of moose!

Its been a great trip, all in all! More later!

Scrap Girls meet... Early!

I went a little early to Salt Lake City this year to take a photo expedition of the fall colors and canyons, and visit with friends I have made online at Scrap Girls.

Today we want to get hours of photography done, but last night we met up with others from the message board and went to Chili's for dinner... always a good choice!

One of our online friends, Sara, was unable to come this year, and she sold her ticket to Silly, who promised to bring Sara along as a placard presence. We laughed so hard and took photo evidence of her presence!

Seated: "SARA", Silly (Priscilla), Dianna; Standing: Lou Ann

Sandi, "SARA", and I at dinner

Dianna, Lou Ann & Silly

Ending the day, we gathered in the motel dining area to chat online with other friends still "back at the ranch". This is the view from our dining room last night... sunset on the Salt Lake... beautiful!

Wedding album, Page 1

Yes!! The first page of the wedding album is done...

On to more pages... I love this!

Scrap Girl view with comments

Wedding album preparations...

I have enjoyed viewing and editing the photos for the wedding album. I love the way Photoshop makes some very unique applications to an already lovely photo.

Yo, baby! [Too funny for words]

The REST of the FAIR

Hubby and I went to the Puyallup Fair on Monday, our day off. We walked around and did NOT ride any rides this year. We were able to take in some of the sights that children are not interested in. I did not get photos of the quilts this year, but they were beautiful and intricate, as always. The quilts are a "MUST SEE" every year for me. At lunch time we shared the HUGE half-pound "Earth Quake" burger with fries again. [We did not need another meal all day!]

The first stop, however, was the Floral Hall...WOW! Check this out! The landscape would "work" in my yard, but would require too much "work" to get it, I am thinking!

OOH, the Dahlias of all colors in a panorama of "eye candy". [Why don't we have dahlias in our yard? Oh, yeah... "work" required!]

After the floral exhibit, we headed to the hobby hall for my yearly cribbage challenge. I started this three years ago just to see how well I would do against the "club members" of our area. For three years straight I have won the game... I am amazed, myself! [I don't feel I am that great a player!]

We try to see a few "free shows" every year. This year we caught the "Doggies of the Wild West" and "Roberto the Magnificent" a comedy/magic act. (No picture of Roberto this year.)

I was one of the "audience participants" in the "Jest in Time" act, too. (see below)

All in all, it was a great day... mild, sunshiny kind of day! The Lord is GOOD!

MUNCH Wedding Album

Click here to view this photo book larger

Just Fishin'

Last year we could not find the "free fishing" and Nathan was so disappointed that he would be too old to fish this year.

This year as we waited in line with the little boys and girls, we noted they allowed up to age 14 this year and we called Nathan to the line. YAY! He caught a rainbow trout!

Other videos uploaded to Youtube:

Savannah and the goat

Savannah Merry-go-round

Kenny fishing

Abby Climbs the Wall

A "Fair" to Remember

On 9-11 the Puyallup Fair opened and, as we try to do every year, Charity and I escorted her eleven children to the opening day activities and exhibits.

Our number one reason for going on opening day is to save money on entrance fees, since we normally get in "free". We accomplished this feat again this time.

Charity's kids range in age from 3-20, so there is a variety of activities that we can all do together, and also other activities for which we split the group and then meet up later for another group activity. Its a fun, but exhausting LONG day for us.

Here are some of the highlights our our ten hour excursion.

The older children helped with the younger children, as always. Here Jon was carrying Savannah during our lunch break under a shady tree. Yep, that is OREO cookies all over her face and soon to be in Jon's hair! There is not enough shady benches so we "walked on the grass" and made ourselves at home.

At lunch break, Roy, the oldest, scoped out his plan of attack for his next excursion.

Trout fishing for the kids ages 5-14. They all caught one! YAY!

Here is Kenny trying.

We love to look at all God's creatures and were surprised to find this full tailed turkey amid the critters this year. Even the ducks were a treat for us! (I guess we don't "get out much".)

Charles wanted to go on the ferris wheel, and the others went in two other directions. So he and I went up alone. He was amazed at the views! (Later he went with his siblings again.)

Savannah, the youngest, was thrilled to ride a horse on the merry-go-round after her long nap (and our own "rest time" in the shade.)

The miniature horses were popular with all the kids, but petting them was the greatest treat, instead of just "viewing" them behind fences.

Reuben thought it was great to pet this baby elephant (Ok, it was just a placard creature, but at least there was NO DANGER involved!)

Abby wanted to climb the rock wall again. This time we were able to get it on video.

Hope you get to "DO the Puyallup" when you are in the area some September! Its definitely one of the funnest outings in the Great NW!

Addendum to our mountain climb

I forgot to put in our "after" photos from the climb. It was TOO funny that our old dog, Checkers, age 12, LOVED every minute of the climb and crashed for the rest of the day! (But so did WE! LOL!)


Yes, it was my regular eyeglasses that were lost on the climb.

And here is the flower photo I wanted to get the other day, and the Lord gave me a second chance at it! Thank you, Lord!

More adventures with a walking stick...

What a day today was! After breakfast we headed up the mountain to see if we could make it to the top, and also look for my missing glasses. No glasses were found, but we DID make it to the flat camping area near the top of the mountain!

The mountain we climbed from the street view. [below]

The view of the street from the camping area.

And here is the promised video of deer photographed from our deck one morning.

We got some fantastic photos and will post more after our return home.

We are ready to go home... see you soon!

Walking Stick Adventure 2

When we awoke today we decided to brave the cool morning and watch for the deer from the deck while we drank our coffee. We were rewarded! I will share the video later. (I did not download it yet).

We decided the mountain behind us needed to be climbed... to the top. We grabbed our sticks and set off (up). We almost made it to the top, before I discovered that my glasses had fallen out of my shirt pocket! So instead of going upward, we went searchingly down the densely covered trail and did NOT find them.

[I have decided that I definitely prefer Mountain climbing in reverse... downward is best!]

Fortunately I had my new prescription in my handbag and we were able to get temporary replacements until I can get the correct lens work done at home.

While we awaited for my eyeglasses, we went "out" to dinner for the first time since we arrived. (We are being good at staying in the cabin and eating up our groceries on hand.) We discovered this McKenzie River Pizza place on our last trip and made a revisit.

Barb and the Bear (carving inside the store)

Preacher and the Moose (front yard)

The moose is made from scrap metal parts and pieces and I find it attractively unique!

Tomorrow is "church" at Bible Baptist! Its so cool that it has the same name as our church back home! And the preacher is preaching. Yep, even on vacation he get to do what he likes!

Glacier Nat'l Park and Wildlife

(CLICK to enlarge any photo for details.)

Lake McDonald from Apgar Montana

Glacier National Park is one of the most ruggedly beautiful parks we have ever seen! I was able to take many beautiful photos in spite of our small camera range.

We enjoyed our last trip in '07 and decided to ride the park "Jammer" tour again. This year they offered an evening wildlife tour and our driver/host was knowledgeable and enjoyable. The trip was wonderful, even though we saw less wildlife than our last trip.

We arrived at the south end of McDonald Lake to meet our tour bus, a RED JAMMER at Apgar, and stopped at the McDonald lodge to pick up additional passengers. This is an incredible vehicle! I would like to have one... it's the ultimate "granny van"!

The tour drove along the McDonald River to the base of the Continental Divide sheer rock wall.

Note the grayish strip running from middle left to right in the following mountain photo? That is the road we will take up to Logan Pass. (Above that is the HIKING TRAIL!!! Not for me... 12-plus miles down hill!


In the next picture is the view DOWN to the river road where the previous photo was taken 15-25 minutes before. Quite a trip UP! (and we are only halfway up at this point.)


At the pass, we got this shot of Al "resting on the rock"...

... just after we saw a ground squirrel eating his salad dinner.

Ground Squirrel eating

Elk cow eating "Glacier salad" along the road.
[Our driver said its rare to see elk on this road.]

As we left Logan Pass, we spotted Curly Horn Sheep and were able to get this short video.

As we left our tour, I went to the lake again to see the sunset on Lake McDonald. Ah, A LOVELY day in the park!