New project now

Last week my client and I scrapped his first ever Special Olympics story. I let him choose the papers that he thought would work best and then being the large fellow that he is and pretty strong I "LET" him squeeze the letters out of my QuicKutz!!! lol.. THen we mounted his ribbons onto the page. He took 2nd in the softball throw with 34 feet and received 1st in his 100 meter fast walk! His first meet he left his lane and was disqualified so we worked really hard to get him to concentrate on staying in his lane the entire way down and to not RUN..If he would have run he would have been disqualified again. I was so proud of him!! He is of a nature to kind of blend into the background so it was a major feat for him to follow through with this and then to be so successful!!

For a challenge on ChitChattin_N_Scrappin, a group that I own, we were asked to do a layout about our state. There is such a wealth of topics for Ohio that it was difficult to choose but decided to do a layout about Ohio's Official Rock Song: Hang on Sloopy! I was able to print the official resolution put before the assembly that was ratified and then the words to the song. In addition I posted the state flag, the only pennant shaped flag in all the 50 states, the state bird, mammal and flower. This challenge is being voted on now. Keeping my fingers crossed because there are some really great layouts .
The next challenge presented to the group from Doris was to do a layout with two patterned papers for fall and a chipboard. I am going to have to adjust this one a bit because I forgot the chipboard! LOL..BUT I included a tear bear special designed by my good friend Esther. I sent her the picture and asked her if she could make me a bear on a magic carpet. She did a wonderful job don't you think??

Well that's it for now. My creative juices are flowing somewhat and I have so much more to get done but until I do..please enjoy these for a while!

Day 9 My heart sank!

My heart sank as I went out to take today's picture...they are gone!! Jim mowed the grass yesterday and came in and said.."Well you did it! They moved them.." I thought he was blowing smoke because in all my 56 years I have never known birds to move their young. I mean I can't even imagine how they could do it. Has anyone ever heard of that before? There is NO sign of stress, the nest is not torn up at all, there are no body parts left on the ground where an animal may have taken them.. The thing is ...Mom and Dad are still out there !
Now I am left with questions ...did an animal take them as I feared would happen or did the parents move them? If they have lost their little lives is it my fault because I should have left them alone? I mean I touched nothing! Didn't really get close enough to even breathe on them. I hate the unknown! They were just to young to fly away and something has happened to them, will I ever know what that was?

Day 7

They are getting bigger and darker now..You can clearly see the beaks of two of them.. Once again mom was not happy with me and I swear to you all that I go out take the pic and leave. I want to cause her as little stress as possible but I really want to chronicle this event.. Today she actually flew between my arms while I was taking the picture so she definitely means business..that was close. I'm looking forward to the day I go out and when they hear me all four will poke their heads up thinking I am mom with food. THAT is going to be a great picture! If she lets me get it. I absolutely touch nothing and use my zoom so that I do not have to get real close. Anyway..enjoy day seven! (I think you can click on the pic and it will enlarge it for you.)

My umpiring son and hubby

My DH has been umpiring baseball for quite a few years now and he finally talked my son Luke into umping as well. He came up to do a couple games to help one league out and I stopped to watch him. I know I am prejudice but is he not one handsome guy?? Before I got there he got nailed with a ball in the collarbone! I just couldn't understand how that could happen since that chest protector goes up practically to the base of his neck. He thinks it hit the bottom of his mask and ricocheted down to that bone. He is a hairy sort, so it may be difficult to see the goose egg there but it was really painful and it is going to leave a real mark in the morning. Of course I had to call my DIL to remind her to take care of my baby!! She just kinda laughed at me...hmmm..what do you suppose that meant?? LOL

This is my DH (right) and his buddy umpire. They are like a tag team in wrestling...Someone goes after one they might just as well go after the other. They are good umps tho and people request them... I call them Moe and Shmoe! Either they are grumpy or they are acting silly like this...MEN!

Day 5

Not alot of change in these two days but the birth fuzz is just about completely gone.. They are sticking their heads up now to be fed.

Momma was UPSET with me today! She flew right in front of my face, lucky the camera was there. I don't blame her, I try to talk to her first but hey...I don't think she gives a hoot.

Next time I'll take my umbrella to keep her from hitting me. I will open it and hold it close to my head...lol..

I just wish there were a way to reassure her I mean no harm or I wish I had a camera with one fantastic ZOOM lens!

OK, I'm crazy!

At least some of you may think so by the time these birds fly the nest!! I started spring cleaning my bedroom today so I not only opened my blinds but I lifted them halfway up so I could enjoy the sunshine. In a short break, I sat at my computer and looked out at my neighbor's beautiful poppies that are in bloom and her bright red geraniums that she has strategically placed in hanging baskets from her trees and it occurred to me that while sitting here I have a "birds" eye view of the nest!!! Now, it's to far to see the babes but I have been watching Mom and Dad all day!! Staying close and hunting in my yard. It's amazing the bugs that are in my yard!!! LOL!!

I have watched as they have literally fought with the starlings that get to close. Poor birds..they stand back and look at them like they are crazy themselves! It amazes me to see how animals, birds, even insects have automatic instincts and how they act on them.

I haven't always been enthralled with nature, in fact I remember when I was younger that I thought my mom was looney. She would ooh and ahh over a cloud. I remember traveling one time and we went through Georgia and all of a sudden she let out this terrifying scream!! Scared the crap out of my dad, brother and me!! She was screaming because she had always heard about the Georgia clay dirt (it is red!) and she had never seen it and for the first time she was experiencing it.. or the time we pulled into a motel in the dark, went to bed and couldn't find her the next morning..she was outside crying because when she walked out the door to get some air she came face to face with a mountain.

I just couldn't get it..ya know it's kinda like every time your are driving your car listening to the radio and your son/daughter changes the channel..that's it...we just weren't on the same channel.
To me it was just dirt and a mountain...

When I had my kids I found myself doing the same to them..One time I had Katie in the car with three of her friends..all of them guys..we were coming home from a youth meeting at church, it was summer and the days were long then, and the clouds were just so thick and billowy and I kept hitting the brakes of my car to point them out! They just laughed at me and teased me and it was that moment that I realized..I had become my mother!

Now I am experiencing those things with the grandsons and again I take the road back to the memories and I realize that my mother's love of nature was actually her love for God.......

Day 3

Well, the babies fuzz seems to be giving way to allowing the feathers to come in. They are pretty bare here but it looks as tho all four hatchlings have made it so far!

I know it looks like I got incredibly close here but that is all due to the wonder of a zoom lens. Trust me..the way Mom and Dad were dive bombing me I will not get close enough to do any damage or cause Mom and Dad to leave...

I hope you are enjoying this journey with me..