Our weekend getaway

Last week we ventured back in time. To the Colonial Days. The Torin Clan headed north to Williamsburg, Va. I don't know what we were thinking driving 7 hours for a two day trip?? I believe the highlight of Williamsburg was visiting the jail. Contessa liked seeing Winston in chains.

Tempting?!? Leave the kids in the stockade and have a leisurely lunch or sring them free? Hummmm...

Each afternoon, the actors of Williamsburg interact with vistors in a moving play throughout town called Revoluntionary City. Through the 2

hour program, you follow the actors through town as our Nation drafted the Declartion of Independance.

On Friday, we visited Yorktown, a Revoluntionary Encampment.

Enjoying the beautiful spring afternoon!

Happy Birthday to My Favorite Sister!

Okay my only sister. I made this layout instead of sending a birthday card. I just can't get organized far enough to get it in the mail to reach you in time. Enjoy your day.

Where is my yard boy?

I have been working in the yard non stop for the past month. I finally got around to taking some pictures of my progress. I still have lots of weeds to pull! I want to have everything done before summer when it is just too hot to work outside.

This winter I started a compost pile. It was nice to be able to put all our scraps for cooking into the compost pile. After all our heavy rains, I noticed I had pumpkins growing in my compost pile!I cleared a nice little bed next to the compost pile for my pumpkin patch. I just hope that those weeds right behind them don't creep over to the pumpkins! I found that 2 x 4 right there in that pile of weeds. I will look for more to build a box around their little bed.

When our stucco guys were her stucco-ing our house they left behind this old wheel barrow. I did manage to use it. Granted it did have a flat tire and it was so rusted that only one bolt held the bucket to the handles. After receiving a new wheel barrow for Christmas it was time to retire this one. I turned it into a flower garden. I love how it turned out. Unfortunately my hose doesn't reach that far so I have to use the watering can.

Here is my herb garden. It's pretty small now but hopefully soon it will grow. I don't know what happened to my rosemary? It was huge and three weeks ago it turned brown and all the leaves fell off???

Here I have started chives, thyme, basil, and parsley from seed. I am afraid to put it in the garden because the dogs have been chasing the birds into my herb garden. I need to put a small fence around the garden.

Here we have my vegetable garden. In November I planted Vadillia Onions. They should be ready in May. Next to them I have red onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash and zucchini, and peppers. Meet Rebecca, we bought her last summer after we picked up Contessa from Victory Junction Gang Camp. This garden was easy. I just pulled a few weeds and placed fresh mulch.

Next we come to my shade garden. I expanded it back to the fence this year. I added Elephant ears and cana lillies.


Here we come to my latest project. In between our red tip bushes are so many weeds! I am working on clearing out the weeds and then I will add the mulch. I have daffodil bulbs planted in front of the red tips.

Here is what I have finished so far. I have lillies planted in front of the fence.

Springbreak is Here!!

I have been able to sneak a few scrapbook layouts in, between work, scouts and working in the yard. The first layout showcases Contessa's bravery in getting her ear's pierced.

The MS Society is working on a piece to put on the MSgiants.org website. They asked if they could interview Contessa. The reported wanted more than just a sit down interview. So we travelled to Charlotte, NC for the interview. We met at Perry's at South Park. Perry's is an Estate Jewelers. Mr. Perry surprised Contessa with her first pair of diamond stud earrings!!!

I really like the colors of this layout. The pattern paper came in my Scrapbook Nook Kit. At first I was not sure if I would use the papers because they are wedding inspired, but the colors were perfect!

This layout is about one of my dearest friends, Julie. We met 4 years ago when our daughters Girl Scout troops merged. Over the years we have become closer with every Girl Scout event we do.

I found the inspiration for this layout in Making Memories magazine. (I believe) It was said that this was one of the best pictures that I could find of my paternal grandfather. Yes, that's me in the upper right hand picture holding the baby, my baby sister!!!! Those preteen years, sooo awkward!!!

Okay, now I am in the mood to go crop. Talk to you soon.

So Many Post Worthy Events...

Too Little Time!!!!

It has been a busy two weeks! Each day I thought, "Gee, that would be good to blog about." and then I got home and just couldn't find the time.

First some scrapbooking show and tell. The first two layouts are from our summer trip to Gettysburg Battlefield. The first is a trip to Eisenhower Farms. The kids became Junior Secret Servicemen.






The next two layouts are total scraplifts.
The first comes from the Nov./Dec. 08 issue of Scrapbooks etc.



The next scraplift has wonderful color combinations as well. This one is from Aug./Sept. 08 Scrapbook Etc.

Too Cold To Go Outside

I was able to get out yesterday to work in the yard for a short time. A storm has blown in and dumped buckets of rain! And a cold front to remind us that it is winter. They are actually talking snow tonight. Unbelievable!!!
So after napping and doing a little bit of nothing I did get some scrapbooking done. Here are a few layouts to enjoy.

Walking home from the kid's bus stop each afternoon I enjoyed watching the trees turn bright colors.


These photos were taken at Lewdew Gardens in Maryland last summer with Nanou and Aunt Sophie.


My favorite layout from the weekend was inspired by a layout in the Feb./March 09 issue of Scrapbooks etc. As soon as I saw this layout, I gathered all my materials and set to work.
I was inspired by their Inspiration section using photos from "then" to scrapbook now.

A few more layouts

Some of my recent layouts I have been wanting to share. This one shows Contessa's school picture from the fall. (Sorry the scan is dark)



I found the inspiration for this layout in a magazine. I loved the Little Yellow Bicycle Red lace paper as the photo mat.



Back in October, Contessa's Girl scout troop went camping. The Girls earned their Wildlife badge and went Kayaking. I made the fun flower by cutting 4 circles with my Cricut, each 1/2 inch smaller in diameter. I crumpled each circle, smoothed it out then sanded and assembled. I used a large brad in the center. I loved how it turned out.