Craven Country Crazies....

This weekened we headed out to the Craven Country Jamboree for Saturday & Sunday's performances. On Saturday we saw: Ronnie Milsap, The Road Hammers, Gretchen Wilson and the finale of Big & Rich. On Sunday we saw: (the end of) Aaron Lines, Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Carrie Underwood and Reba McEntire. I've gotta say it was WAY more packed than when we went out two years ago to see Tim McGraw etc (in the pouring rain) and I still stand firm on my beliefs that wearing a bikini is a "privelege... not a right!" AND "speedos" should be BANNED altogether! Oh my!!!! The campground 'sites' were also an interesting 'sight' and I'm sure MANY will be using the line, "What happens in Craven... STAYS in Craven..."

We had a good time with Murray & Jannelle and Chrystal & Brent... some music was good... others gave us an excuse to go walk around for a bit!!! And the sun shone this year, so that was a bonus... a little on the hot side for this prego-non-bikini-body at times but definitely manageable! Thanks to these couples being campers, we were able to leave our lawnchairs with them and they got us all some great seats for Sunday, which ended up being a sold-out event!!!!

Carrie Underwood - up close on the runway!

Reba McEntire - up close on the runway!

Carolyn Dawn Johnson

Reba on the big stage...

Another 'Pick A Petal'

Here's another card using the Pick A Petal and Happy Everything sets! I have to give Amy R some credit for the initial card layout idea but the colours and everything else are my own doing! I did have a brown (Chocolate Chip) ribbon tied beside the orange (to match the wording) but it looked too "A&W-ish" so removed it. You'll also notice a new rhinestone brad in the middle...

Tag... you're it!

Darn-it-all... I wandered over to NANCY'S blog today and see that I've been "tagged"! I have to "toot my own horn" and list 7 good things about myself... hmmmm! And then, just so that I'm not in this alone, I get to tag 7 others so they can partake in the fun too :) My condolences to those I tag & I'm not offended if you choose not to participate!

1. I have great eyes... they are kinda hazel in colour but turn different shades, depending on what I wear! My favourite is the 'olive green' colour! When I used to work in extended care, one of my dear elderly chaps, used to call me "big eyes"...

2. I have a knack for helping people - if there's something to be done or someone needs help getting something or doing something.... I'm usually there to assist in whatever way I can! I do get in 'over my head' sometimes but oh well... (kids do limit my availability now and they are my first priority!!!)

3. On the flip side though, I do know my limits and when to 'back down' or say 'no' - I think this is a positive thing because so many people feel obligated to do too much & burnout as a result! Hence the reason I have stepped down from the ladies ministry at our church!

4. I have a great memory!!! For some reason I store what my husband calls 'useless information' BUT also beware because I do remember everything - good or bad...

5. I am fairly creative & can usually figure things out by looking at them. I made a dress once for a friend, just by looking at the picture in a magazine - out of about 6 or 7 dresses made, mine was the most like the original :)

6. Ummm... I'm running outta things here! I guess I have a nice smile - full lips and teeth that didn't need braces! I get compliments on this often enough, so for lack of something else - there ya go!

7. I AM CANADIAN!!! haha - couldn't resist :)


NOW - I tag the following:

Sarah at Stampinsars

Ara at At Home with the Keffer's

Kerry at 'Eh' Mazing Stampers

Jannelle at Down Here on the Farm

Dayna at The Oak Tree

Suzette at A Day in our Lives

Scott or Katie at Boyd Biking and Adventures

Swap card

Once again, I participated in a swap with my 'up-line' team. It had to be something from the new catalogue, so that limited us (because of the swap due date) to hostess sets and the mini preview catty that we were allowed to pre-order from! This is the card that I made 13 of and I can't wait to see the 12 that I get in return!!!!! Gotta re-load my display board! Also, just for fun, I made an extra one and sent it off to SU!

Stamp sets: Zoofari, Hugs & Wishes, Itty Bitty Backgrounds; Paper: Print Patterns, Wild Wasabi, Certainly Celery, So Saffron & Whisper White; Ink: Versamark, Wild Wasabi, So Saffron, Certainly Celery; Plus... Ticket Corner Punch, Word Window Punch, Crop-o-dile, Stampin' Pastels & an eyelet. For 'fun' I masked the snake before adding the rhino and also 'paper pieced' some designer paper on the rhino horn!

Wedded bliss...

July 7th, 2007... probably the most popular wedding day of the year! Today was the long-awaited wedding of our employee and friend Chrystal and her man, Brent (who has also become a good friend). They both looked fabulous and are off for some R&R time, after a busy weekend! We had the rehearsal BBQ here Friday night and then the bride & groom and a few immediate family members came for a gift opening on Sunday morning, so our house has been 'grand central station' this weekend (I started this post late Saturday to get the 'date' but I'm actually writing it on Sunday). For anyone local, Chrystal & Brent were featured on the inside front page of Thursday's paper, in regards to the 07/07/07 date! On the way home from the ceremony, we passed another church where there were SEVEN old/classic cars sitting outside waiting to chauffer the wedding party around town! Here are a few pictures to highlight the day:

Ringbearer & Flowergirl - (part one) there were two of each

Miles & Chrystal - a kodak moment!

" Mr & Mrs" outside the church

Close up of cake cutting!

Chrystal & Brent with the flowergirls (nieces)

First dance...

At the church - not a great photo but gives you an idea on the bridesmaid dresses etc!

The train!!!! Ethan was right in on this one but at the beginning, everytime someone 'added on' to him, he would run around to the end! Guess he liked the freedom of being the caboose! (father of groom at the end & step-mom in the black/white dress)

Fun with friends...

Then, last Saturday Miles did something in the morning (golf maybe?) so as a trade-off, I got to go out in the afternoon by myself and "look around" a bit. It was nice, not to mention relaxing, to be able to go in and out of 'breakable' stores without kids for a change! Actually, I DON"T take them there (Pier 1 Imports, Bowring etc) so... it's been awhile! Got some fun mats for the front and back doors - figured that it was well past the first day of summer, not to mention spring, and that I should maybe put away the snowmen mat for a couple months!!! On my way home, I got a call saying that we'd been invited out to supper with some friends, so we went out for Chinese food. Haven't been to that particular place before (or even done take-out there)but I think it now rates #1 in the city in our books! Afterwards, we went back to Nathan & Mel's place and had a visit and played Dominoes until the kiddies got too grumpy/tired...

The ride-on tractor was a huge hit with the boys! Ethan and Jackson each had a turn pulling their little buddy, Kaden, in the trailer!

There was also a fun playhouse....

Kindergarten's over!!!

Last Wednesday (June 27) was Ethan's last day of school, so Miles called home and said to ask Ethan where he wanted to go for supper.... his reply was "Moxie's"! So we went & had a great meal, followed by a trip to a local park... not bad for a kindergarten finale celebration!