Friday Foto Frenzy summer photo share ... week 5

hello. it's the last week of camps for the kids and i am grateful that they had some wonderful experiences, but i honestly am really, i mean REALLY, looking forward to the summer pace slowing waaaayyyyyy down. no more alarm clocks and rushing out the door in the am. no more lengthy drives shuffling kids back and forth to camps. just us, relaxing, chilling, just being a family ... yeah, that sounds so good right now!

anyway ... here's what we've been up to this week:

picking up the girl at basketball camp. gum? seriously???

from basketball camp to athletic training ... and she's still smiling. you go girl!

time for puppy love and relaxing a bit before dinner.

he's not loving this, is he?

still at the mermaid thing ...

 snuggling.

fresh cooked pasta side dishes ... still steaming.

shopping for more grasses for around the pool.

and more time in the pool. he's into diving.

and she just likes jumping.

friends playing with the pup in the pool.

the pup is now 8 months old. cutie!

we went to watch the girl's soccer coach's U23 team play but got caught in a severe storm/ tornado warning. not a fun drive home.

after dodging downed trees and barely being able to see out my window ... we came home to this.

 and this....

but eventually things calmed and we were greeted with this...

and this. sigh. the magic of summer.

have a great weekend. xoxo - jenn

Project Plaza ... DIY 3 Tier Craft Stand Tutorial

Well, I was hoping to do a Technique Thursday Tutorial today on how I created the background for my Life is Beautiful with You in it! page. But time was not on my side this week. I've been busy driving up to 3 hours a day taking kids back and forth to camps and evening activities. That leaves very little extra time for me. I do have a fun announcement though!

JessicaSprague.com recently launched a new series of hybrid project tutorials called Project Plaza. Today my first project, 3 Tier Craft Stand Tutorial, was released. You can read more about it and purchase it here if you like!

I'm working on the tutorial for my next project as we speak, so tune in August 6th to see what else I have up my hybrid sleeve. ;)

And hopefully I can find the time to get that Technique Thursday Tutorial up next Thursday. 

take care. xoxo - jenn

Friday Foto Frenzy summer photo share ... week 4

Wow, 4th week of our summer already! It is flying by! This week we were really busy with camps and late evening activities appointments. A total of 3 one-hour round trips per day to drop off/pick -up the kids at camps. Lots of driving back and forth. Not lots of time to get much done during the day. The heat wave continued ... big time. Felt bad for the girl, who was at an all day soccer camp this week. The boy had a web design class indoors, so not a big deal for him. We did get a nice storm towards the middle of the week. It helped the much needed dried out vegetation enjoy a cool drink for awhile. And today it is raining again. I welcome it. Anyway here's what we were up to:

 First ... sleep away scout camp for the boy. These were from last week, but I'm just getting them posted. All photos are not taken by me, just edited by me a bit with Camera + on the iphone. This photo is some kind of Survival Technique for Shelter.

 Swimming at the camp's beautiful lake. Looks like lots of fun!

 A class in learning all about compasses.

Water sports! (I think he had a good time!:)

 Spending lots of time outdoors. On this evening we packed dinner and headed out to the trail for a 17 mile bike ride.

 Picking up the girl from soccer camp. It was hot and she had soccer practice that evening. So I brought her some ice cold watermelon to snack on before her next round of soccer.

Heat wave continues!

 Sleepover after art camp. For some reason the girls always end up wondering into my Studio. They found a tray of hair pretties and had fun organizing them & looking at them all. I let them each pick 5 hair clips to take home. They decided they wanted me to have Hair Clip Camp for them so they could make Pretty in Posies hair accessories. So cute.

 Actual races in the water. So weird.

 Swim races. The boy has a new found love for water and swimming this year.

Swims at sunset.

 It was so hot, even the dogs didn't want to be outside for long. They kept busy indoors, wrestling for stuffed toys.

A much needed mid-week storm.

 Print Making Class at last week's art camp.

Drama/performance at the art camp. The girl's in the back. :)

that's it for now. happy weekend! - xoxo jenn

Make It Monday ... Digital Scrapbook Projects

Just popping in to share the LOs that I recently made.

Life is Brighter With You in it! Nancie Rowe Janitz |
Art Journal Pages
Polaroid Transfer Masks
Hopeful Art Papers
Dreamy Photos 1
Dreamy Photos 3
Retro Spring Kit  
Liv.e Designs | mask from: EZ-PZ Template 08 - And Then

Splendid Fiins | wishy washi - skies are grey set 1
when skies are grey cards v2

Jenni Bowlin | Rhinestone Buttons & Bows

And after seeing Rachael's recent LO { link } - I am love with Jessica's simple, but beautiful vintage frames from an old Template | Jessica Sprague Template A . I don't think it is in the store, but I am trying to find something similar to link ....

I'll fly away with you
Carina Gardner | Photocuts Overlays V 2 and Photocuts Masks V 3 ... coming soon!
PHOTOCUTS Frames V.1
WELL TRAVELED Paper Set 3 Sail
WELL TRAVELED Paper Set 4 By Ground
PARIS & CO French Solid Paper Pack 1
PARIS & CO Ribbon Stash
INFORMED - JOURNAL FORMS
PINFEATHERS - Doodly Swirls
PINFEATHERS - Stickers
PINFEATHERS - Titles

Dani Mogstad
Hello Sunshine Complete Kit
Chasing Rainbows Complete Kit

Catch a Wave Nancie Rowe Janitz
Gouache Painte Strokes
One Sweet Love Borders
ScrapArt Starts 1 : Watermark Resist
Sun Kissed - A Beachy Mini

Carina Gardner
PHOTOCUTS Masks V.2 Summer/Beach Theme
FRESH PICKED - Summer Solids

Dani Mogstad
Aloha Complete Kit

Liv.e Designs
Doodle This Way - Arrows Rub-Ons & Brush Set  

That's it for now. -xoxo jenn 

Friday Foto Frenzy summer photo share ... a day late

Since we were on vacation last week, and I took a break from blogging/crafting/etc, I am just going to do weeks 2 & 3 together. And yes, I know it's Saturday. Yesterday was a crazy busy day for us, non stop from morning until night. So I'm doing my Friday summer photo share today.  It's summer - what else can I say. ;)

Anyway, here's what we've been up to:

 The boy finished his week of Tech Camp. He loved it, which is really good considering how much this camp costs for one week. He tells us he wants to go back again next summer. Awesome when we can find him things that he is really interested in.

Scary to think that he will be going off to a college campus For Reals in just 5 short years. Sigh.

Then we headed down to NJ shore to connect with family. We took the cousin to an Insect Museum where he could touch all kinds of insect-ish critters, like this giant millipede. There was also a tarantula and a giant hissing cockroach to touch. He loved it.

 Oooh, there was a scorpion that glowed a blue tint under black lights. Very cool. The kids were able to touch this fellow too.

Cousins at the Insect Museum. This place was well done and very educational. We give it 2 thumbs up!

One more group shot. Sweet.

Then we headed on over to the zoo for some outdoor fun and a wider selection of animals. That's my mom holding up the little guy to get him a better view.

 And once he got a taste of sitting up high, of course he wanted to be picked up again & again. Here's the boy holding his little cousin. Love.

 The girl getting a kick out of feeding the animals.

 This little goat was the boss of little cousin's popcorn. He kept feeding the goat and wouldn't stop. Why? Because he said "the goat was still hungry". He thought it was his job to feed the goat until he was full. Luckily the goat made away with someone else's entire box of popcorn (box and all!).

 Once done with the demanding goat, we were able to move on through the zoo. There were lots of fun animals to see. How adorable are this pair?

A magestic lion. He lifted his head for about 15 seconds to check out his surroundings. Then he laid back down for his nap. We were in the right place and the right time.

Lots of smiles = a fun day was had by all!

It was a hot day, so after the zoo we retreated to the pool. And we rescued this poor little chipmunk. Not sure how long the little guy was swimming, but he was saturated and panic stricken.

We just bought the girl some fancy new googles, because she didn't like the cheap-o pair I picked up earlier in the season. She's resumed her alter ego as a mermaid with those googles. I don't know a kid who can swim under water as much as she.

These two spent time in the pool just being boys. This shot is simply hilarious!

 A little time to catch up on reading. Hunger Games ... good stuff.

And of course there was lots of time for the beach! On this particular day, the ocean was so warm and so calm. It was great for swimming laps and wading in really far. Perfect kind of ocean for the little cousin.

 There is always a beach fort. Always.

Lifeguards getting their early morning workout.

And cousin was in love with digging for sand crabs. He found one big one that they named Chunky.

Another day at the beach. Beautiful day, but so crowded!

They enjoyed time at an indoor amusement park to beat the heat.

 Where they zipped around on the speedway in race cars.

And whirled around on rides. 

 Adorable baby robbins. We watched them grow from this ....

 ... to this, in just about 9 days! And we watched them fly from the nest too!

The boy set off for a week of sleep away camp. First time ever. I was nervous, but he did great and had an amazing time.

More camp photos next week ... and the girl did an art camp but those photos are still on my camera from yesterday's Parent Day. I'll get them up next Friday.
Hope you are having a great summer! -xoxo jenn