little gi

back for a sec....

i'm in a whirlwind right now...

just got back from marco island & the butson wedding...SO FUN!!!!!!!
here is the gorgeous bride & groom :)

was really bad at taking pictures during the weekend tho...too busy enjoying myself :)
& oooh we did....collected so many gorgeous shells from the beach of the gulf of mexico...actually sat w/ mike on our balcony and drank a whole pot of coffee in the morning while staring out at the beach....danced the entire night....drank delicious pina coladas....walked on the beach at 1am (coming back from the beach bar, of course ;)....laughed SO hard with such good friends....cried happy tears because my heart burst with pride...caught up with family that we don't get to see enough because we are all spread out all over the country...ate delicious food but didn't get to finish it b/c we were too busy dancing...witnessed 2 glorious sunsets right on the edge of the gulf...and lots lots more :)


i know this pic is totally blurry...& i'm a bit sad that i didn't get one good pic of mike & i all dolled up in our fancy schmancy clothes...but there ya go...we were too busy enjoying every second (& pina coladas :)
like i said...it was such a good time...such wonderful memories...i love weddings :)

and now i have lots to do before i head off again to silver bella with my girl kerry...
who, by the way, is this month's guest designer at hambly!!!!!!!!!  whooo hoooo!!!!  can't wait to toast with her in omaha w/ some champagne...make sure to check out her gallery over on there...UNBELIEVABLE!!!

i've got lots of scrapping to do before i leave on thursday morning...just got autumn bliss from SIS...hello! glimmer mist!!!

and if you have a free minute be sure to check out becca's blog...she is running an auction to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation...lots of wonderful stuff...i've donated my "a new day canvas" to the cause...

happy bidding!!!!

so have a happy tuesday!!!!!!

xoxoxoxo

gi

i was completely wrong when i thought....

that when the kids started school i'd have more time to do stuff...like scrap....and blog....and do stuff...

because life has been absolutely crazy and shows no signs of slowing down...now i know what the whole "mom taxi" thing is about!  lol!!  because i totally feel like i've driven the equivalent in the circumference of the earth these past couple of weeks from cheerleading and games...to speech therapy and then to lunch with friends...to target and to the farmers' market and then to the local grocery market....to a playdate at the park and to doctors' appointments...to the post office and then to the bank....to target again :) and to the outlet mall.....to meetings here and there...to bbqs and pool parties....a christening and a retirement party....to model's to find kate new crocs (she has grown out of her pink ones)...to the city a bunch of times for different parties....& oh yeah!  & we also went to the aquarium!!  whew!!! 

i definitely need to get the whole getting up before the kids thing down....lol!! 

so....needless to say i have some catching up to do....

yesterday was my father-in-law's birthday!!  so happy birthday!!!!!  & i was totally thinking of him when i made my layout this week for onelittleword....i have been looking through old pictures ever since kerry launched her favorite moments challenge and pulled this one out the other day...it was taken at my in laws vow renewal ceremony & celebration last august...and it happens to be one of my fave pics & the memories from that night are also some of my favorites....i was never so proud to be a kennedy than on that day...it totally fills my heart up just thinking about it...

 

& i've been tagged by my girl sarah....dude...she is like my inspirational maven....LOVE HER!!!  i've gotta take my pics tomorrow for that one...so super cool & then i'll be sure to pass it on :)  & just thinking that tag would be THE COOLEST layout or mini book come to think of it....hmmm.....told you that sarah is an inspiration!!

& i was so happy to be able to chat w/ my other main girlie, kerry, tonight...she is knee deep in preparing for her upcoming classes in norway that i got a little scoop on & let me tell you....those Norwegians are LUCKY!!!!!!  she's posted a few sneak peeks on her blog & the product alone is freakin' marvelous!    but the thing that is gonna make those classes THE BEST is getting to meet kerry & talk to her & listen to her...kerry is one of those people who has such a fresh outlook on stuff....i know my life is definitely richer for knowing her :)

ok...if i'm ever going to get to sleep i've gotta wrap this up!  lol!!

so...hope you have been having a happy week!!!

xoxoxoxoox

gi

THIS is funny....

i just got back from a fun filled day at mystic aquarium & logged on for a quick sec...& i totally got tagged by the gorgeous & hilarious ker (aka k.yea)....& because her answers totally cracked me up...i had to give it a go

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car)

misty explorer

2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fav ice cream flavor, favorite cookie)

strawberry gingersnap

3. YOUR "FLY Guy/Girl" NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name)

g ken

4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal)

turquoise giraffe

5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born)

rose philadelphia

6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first)

ken gi

7. SUPERHERO NAME: (2nd favorite color, favorite drink put "The")

apple green the focus vita water

8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers)

gilles joseph

9. STRIPPER NAME: ( the name of your favorite perfume/cologne, favorite candy)

mandarin lily tim tam

10.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother's & father's middle names )

mary lawrence

& all i've gotta say is thank GOODNESS i didn't choose the gangsta life....i don't think i'd get much street cred as "strawberry gingersnap"....do you?  LOL!!!!

too freakin' funny!!!  & now i tag patty, beth, nicole, sue and anna
can't WAIT to see your answers...i forsee some new nick names comin' on :)

oh!!  & anna by the way is running in a 5K next saturday to raise funds to find a cure for MS & in memory of her beloved dad...be sure to stop by & wish her luck & maybe even think about supporting her fund raising efforts!!  definitely a worthy cause and a wonderful woman :)

hope you are having a fantastic weekend!!

xoxoxoxoxo

gi

some of my most favoritest women....

kerry & sarah have started something amazing....it will be sure to add inspiration to my life....i know this will help me to keep my head out of my ass & LOOK and SEE the beauty that is around me....the beauty that i am so lucky to be blessed with every day...and it will definitely make me smile everyday because i love them both so much

so take a look :)

here ---------------------------------->   hers and mine

happy tuesday!!!

xoxoxoxoxo

gi

can you help?

this girl is on a mission....

you may know her as one of the fabulous fashionistas over at SIStv....or you may have seen her scrapbook pages in numerous scrap magazines....and she happens to be a very good friend of mine who i love dearly....

she is becca sutton....and she is on a mission to raise money to find a cure for diabetes....this coming saturday, becca is walking w/ one-half million others in Omaha, NE as part of the Walk to Cure Diabetes

so i'm asking you all to consider donating to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund and support becca and her mission...and this is why:

As many as 3 million Americans have type 1 diabetes, a disease most often diagnosed in childhood that strikes suddenly, lasts a lifetime and carries the constant threat of deadly complications including heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, and amputation.  JDRF's mission is constant, to find a cure for diabetes and its complications through the support of research.  Thanks to dramatic research progress, a cure is now within our reach.  (text taken from the JDRF website)

so it is as plain as that....a cure is within our research...your help is needed....

so please consider donating and helping support this wonderful cause...you can do so by clicking HERE

thanks :)

xoxoxoxo

gi

whew!! is it AUGUST already!!!!

wow!  this summer has FLOWN by!!!  tons of stuff going on & all i want to do is hang out at the pool...the other day i bought the kids these insanely huge blow up animal floats...they are completely nuts....& they've been going crazy with them for the past 2 days....kate has a dot-dile which is a crocodile for those of you who don't speak tater...ryan has a sea turt-tull and kelly has a killer whale...i'm partial to the sea turtle b/c it has a really comfy shell that is really nice to lay on & float around on even if you are pushing 35 years old....

i had a freakin' BLAST last weekend at CKC in valley forge...got to hang out w/ some of my best buddies, laurie & tracy...i swear, if you recorded our conversations in the car you could totally solve most of the world's problems....and your head would probably spin b/c we jumped from topic to topic like q-bert on the highest level...but seriously....we really should rule the world...we'd make sure everyone had some M & Ms and a mini book :)

one of the best things about this past weekend was getting to meet one of the most amazing friends i've met on this whole world wide web....patty schaeffer.....i meet patty through the emily falconbridge deck of me challenge (which btw...i did 4 cards on friday night...will post soon :) & she is just one of the sweetest, funniest & most creative people i have ever met....i took her class at the convention on saturday and let me tell you...the whole room of women left inspired including me...patty has a wonderful way of teaching....i love that she just doesn't tell you "put the pink sticker 1" down on page 2"...she shares her own art...WHY she creates are...what inspires her...she gives her own wonderful scrap philosophy and tells her students about what is important to her...

it was a wonderful class
with a fabulous project (that i'm still working on...gathering lots of details to fill up my book :)
an amazing message
a great atmosphere
a supportive vibe
and a unbelievable talented and creative and AMAZING teacher

such a wonderful way to spend my saturday morning....

here we are after class....can tell we had fun, huh?  can't wait to get together again... :)

hope you are having a happy week!!!!  STAY COOL!!!

xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

gi

so far, so crazy....

tater is turning 2 in 2 weeks....i can't believe it.....she is so hilarious & crazy & a ball of energy....she completely cracks us up and drives us nuts....lately she is very big into singing....and dancing of course goes w/ the singing...she kinda has that elaine bennis thing going on.....and she's big into deciding what she wants to wear (which is never a dress!)...and she loves to be in the thick of it all, she is not a sit on the sidelines kinda gal....and she totally loves dressing up....mike caught her on sunday wearing my mets hat, carrying my new bag from kerry wearing kelly's crocs....and she kisses ryatt on his nose every night before bed....and one of my favorite parts of the day is when i get to rock her before bedtime...she still loves that :)

& in case you wondered....still she has hardly any hair....definitely still our potato

happy monday!

xoxoxo

gi

my friend....

kerry lynn yeary is an amazing woman....not only is she amazing talented...but she is kind, and generous, and supportive, and hilarious, and inspiring....just all around one of the most wonderful people i have ever met and i feel immensely fortunate to call her friend....the minute we met i knew she was special....she is just one of those people who inspires you to be a better person and makes you smile...

and the other day, i got a package from ker & she sent me some wonderful goodies...and i am having trouble describing how special her gift made me feel....it was like she sent me a very special kerry hug wrapped up in tissue and it came at THE PERFECT time...

i don't know how she knew...but i had been eyeing one of her handmade bags in her etsy shoppe
and she sent it to me....
i was speechless

...and i LOVE it!!!

& it is just perfect...i LOVE the size & the strap is made of a vintage tape measure hangs just right & the pattern and style...every time i wear it, it just makes me smile...

mike thinks it is really cool too...
when he saw it, he told me

"gi...your friends are REALLY talented!" 

I KNOW!!!!! 

ker also packed along some other treasures

i can't wait to make a mini using the kennedy cards & the printed tape...and you can only see a bit of it, but that blue circle is a pad of post it notes w/ a bird & a branch...so pretty & i know will show up on a lot of layouts from now on...

and my other favorite part is my little keychain....kerry made it w/ a "G" on the other side w/ POLKA DOTS!!!  aaahhhhh!!!  i just love it all...kelly likes it too...she is constantly looking at it going "mom...this is really cool!  i really like it!"

yeah...i am such a lucky girl to have such a wonderful friend like kerry :)

hope you all have a happy monday too!!!

xoxoxo

gi

i've gotta STOP...

& breathe.....

crazy day today....kids squabbling constantly....not enough sleep....lemonade isn't cold yet.....but i'm not going to let it get me down...i'm going to take a big breath in & STOP & enjoy today.....

& there is just so much to enjoy :)

like the new WORD UP over at one little word :)

here's my take for this one:

yeah...that's my little buddyhead w/ his triceretops nebulizer...i'm starting to hate spring....know what i mean?

& oh yeah....that sure is some of the kellicrowe designer collection patterned paper there...LOVE IT!!!  i think lots of others do too, b/c there is only a tiny smidgen left ;)  if you been putting off purchasing the collection, you'd better get on that horse quick!  go HERE for details :)

hope you all have a fabulous & fantastic wednesday!!!

don't forget....STOP & breathe.....we'll make it through together...k?

xoxoxoxoxo

gi

happy birthday LEE!!!!

she's not just gorgeous and sweet

she's not just amazingly creative and talented

she's not just hilariously funny and witty

she's not just compassionate and kind

she's not just like every other scrapbooker out there

she's sooooo not your average girl

she's happens to be one of the most wonderful and amazing people i have ever met...and i am proud...and humbled....and so very grateful to call her friend...

& i love her to pieces.....happy birthday girl! 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEE!!!!  love you!!

xoxoxoxo  gi