Oh my the month is almost over!

Gosh just one more day and I've only posted a couple times this month! I better let you know what we've been up to.

Greg has been traveling a lot. Had to go to Kentucky and Kansas for 2 weeks. I think he is really tired of all the driving he's been doing. But he's home now and doesn't have to leave again for another week! Yeah, I know but he has been home a week already. So that's good...2 weeks home, a week gone!

While Greg was gone the kids have started Fall sports. Beren and Seth are both play Middle School football. Leia is now playing volleyball and has already had her first game. Unfortunately they lost 2 out of the 3 games. Leia was super nervous...so hopefully all the jitters will leave the more she plays. Here's some snap shots of her at the game...

Leia's the tall one...#18! She picked 18 for her love of the Colts, Payton Manning!

Little practicing before the game. Leia is 2nd on left.

Lily called Leia's name and she gave us a quick glance.

Love this photo of Tess and Lily watching the game! Love those pigtails! haha Girls are so cute!

Recent scrapbook page I made of Leia with her "Wilson" volleyball!

I don't have any photos of the boys playing football yet. They haven't had a game thus far so that will come later. They're sore and tired from all the practicing!

Both boys are in MS Marching Band and had lots of practices before school starts. Just 2 more days and they are back to the grind again!

Leia had her orientation for High school too. She is so excited and yet nervous being a young freshman this year. Her fears will be over when all the homework assignments come!

Tess was able to meet her 4th grade teacher. I can't believe Tess is already in 4th grade! Amazing! Also, Tess received a letter that she can take piano lessons this year...she is sooo excited about this. She also wants to play a sport...soccer but I haven't found out the schedule yet...so we will wait and see how that goes.

Fall is always a Super busy time for us because of all the back to school events and sports. So if you don't see a lot of posts for me in September you'll know why.

Some more layouts...

I love hanging out a scrapbooking sites currently I'm in a contest called Shanty-lympics. Each week all the contestants are given a challenge. Mine this week was to use the color green, some bling, ribbon, and chalks. This is my entry: Signs of Summer



Close up of the little birdy that I colored in by using Versa Mark ink and chalks.


Another layout I made the day before...just for fun. Love this photo of Tess! Can you tell she is so happy to finally get the piano lessons that she has been begging for for 4 years now! She's really good at it and we've decided to let her have weekly lessons this school year.

It's my Party and I cry if I want to!

Well I sure do feel like crying! I can't believe I'm 45! That's a scary number...half my life is over! Boo hoo! None the less I still had a nice Birthday...cake, presents, and dinner out! What more can a girl ask for?

Update on Britton

Well She got it. She got the job she wanted. Well kinda...

Britton will be working at a Famous Restaurant in Portland called Mother's Bistro and Bar.

Visit the restaurant's website here: Mother's

Britton applied for a line-cooks position. After the interview she received a call from Lisa the owner/chef with a new position. Britton will be the test cook for Lisa's new cookbook...she also will be a substitute for anyone that calls in sick or has the day off. Britton really doesn't know how she feels about this new position..she's a little nervous. She said she really wanted to be a line cook...But I know she will do fine and learn alot. I gotta feeling she will slip into another postition once it comes open. But in the mean time she will learn all the ends and outs of this place.

Now for info on this restaurant. Britton is such a lucky...no blessed girl to get a job a Mother's. Lisa Schroeder owns 2 restaurant in Portland...they're side by side. One is called Mother's and the other one Momma Mia's! So Britton will probably work at both of them as she is needed to fill in for others. As you check out the website notice that they have served many famous people. Read the info about it here: Chef's Blog

Also some famous Chef's come into the restaurant too. While Britton was doing her working interview Cat Cora from Iron Chef dropped by for a visit in the kitchen. Britton doesn't watch TV so she really didn't know who she was...funny huh? One of the guys she was working with had to tell Britton who Cat was! What a girl!

So here is a video of the opening of Momma Mia's and Chef Lisa Schroeder. Lisa has her own Youtube show called Chef Cam...so maybe one day we might see Britton in one of her videos!

Check it out here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLSxb20Dlt4

Good Luck my girl...Mama's always praying for you!

More scrapbook pages...

It's the BOO CREW! Leia the gangster, Beren a soldier, Seth a ghoul, Tess a Witch, and Lily is a Lil' witch!

Just some cute fall pictures around our house and Lily all dressed up in some cute Halloween clothes.

Some new layouts...

Me wearing Mama's 1950's dress in 1979.

Leia after she skinned up her shoulder when she fell from her bike.

Me with our sweet Lassie dog...her name was Charcoal.

Beren says "Cheese"! Boys are gross!!!!

Tess seeing things from a different view.

Beren and Seth having themselves a BRODEO!

That's "Guy Time' to me and you.

Funny photo of a wooden snake on our front porch.

Placed there by Greg the "JOKER"!

Halloween 2007!

Peanuts!!! I love'em...need I say more?

haha

A weird vehicle Leia spotted in Wal-mart parking lot.

She just had to take a photo of it. Part motorcycle, part car...very strange!

___________________________________

This is a bout 3 weeks of work. Boy I need to become a faster scrapper! I'm trying...I'm trying!

Hope you enjoy!
Click on photo to see a close up.

Well they're gone!

Yes... my girl has really flown the nest this time! Matt and Britton were with us for 3 days and left this morning for Portland, Oregon! We'll miss the old girl ! It's gonna be strange not having her close by us. Iowa City was only 3 hour drive from us....now she a 1,900 miles away! She is definitely "On her Own" now!

Greg and I have all the confidence in the world that she will do well and success at whatever she puts her hands to. She wants to start her own Soap and Shampoo Company but first she will look for another kitchen position. She was told that restaurants on the West Coast love hiring hardworking Mid Westerns! And she is a very hard worker....they'll be lucky to get her!

Matt has a lot of connections in Portland...he use to live there about 3 years ago. Matt will do well there as he too is a hard worker! Not sure what field he will go into...he is a very talented Graphic Artist, has worked in the Food industry and built some websites too! Whatever Matt does he will do well!

They both love the simple life...they don't live above their means and live a life as what they refer to as a Self-staining lifestyle. Meaning the live as green as they can...don't buy more then they can offered and try to do everything as natural as they can. Neither own a car and prefer to ride bikes. By the way both are in great physical shape...Matt rides about 50 to 60 miles for exercise every day! This doesn't include riding to and from work everyday either. Britton rides more for pleasure and for transportation to and from work too.




Matt and Britton have rented a moving truck and plan on taking 3 days to get to Oregon. Not sure how much sightseeing they plan on doing but they did say they were stopping in South Dakota and again in Montana. Britton has always wanted to see Montana. I hope she gets to see more then just a view from the truck.

They also have their crazy cat with them...Britton said she cried for hours on the way up here. Hopefully she calmed down for them.

They're off to the BIGGEST ADVENTURE of they're lifetime!

Imagine having this for Dinner!!!

This is what I had for dinner last night...guess where?
At my house! By Chef Britton! Doesn't it look yummy? Well it was and I wish I had some more to eat right now! ha ha

After our long day of shopping Britton came home and cooked us this fabulous meal. Let me see if I can describe it for ya. Seared Scallops over a bed of zucchini herb flavored basmati rice, Maui Carrots in a savory sweet brown sugar sauce and a creamy avocado sauce, topped with red onion and napa cabbage!

Britton in action! Believe it or not...this was the first Meal Britton has ever cooked for us since going to Culinary School. Once she cooked us a steak..but that's not as glamorous as this meal!

Three plates ready to go...one for Me, One for Greg, and One for Britton! Matt missed out on a great meal...he's a vegan and refrains from food like this...but he did enjoy eating the rice! That's okay...just means more for us! hee hee

Daddy gives a big kiss for serving us such a delicious meal!

The girl has great talent and is a MUCH better cook then her mom will ever be!

Thanks Britton!

Girls day out...

Well maybe not all 5 of the Boyd girls. Lily and Tess stayed home...but me, Britton, and Leia had a good old time. We hit Hobby Lobby, Michaels, Barnes and Nobles, ate a Panera, and shopped for Food at Festival Foods in Onalaska. It was really nice to get out of the house for the day. The weather was perfect...really nice puffy clouds against a blue sky...temps in the upper 70's! Couldn't ask for a perfect day....

SNAP SHOTS IN THE CAR!

Making Signs and Piano Recital..

Matt helps make a sign for my friend Wendy. She needed one for an Out Reach that she is doing for the Youth in our town. Matt did an outstanding job on the sign...he did it all by hand! Guess that Artist degree did pay off! ha ha


And while Matt was creating the sign, I was at Tess' Piano Recital. She had an awesome performance! Even tho I'm partial she had the best performance in my opinion. She played, Old McDonald had a Farm... with no mistakes!


Tess has been waiting for piano lessons for 3 years now. When we lived in Iowa all the classes were full and stayed full so she could never get in. And now that we're in Tomah they offer FREE lessons in the Summer School Program! Now that she's completed the summer program she can move on the private lessons! We're so happy that she has the opportunity to learn to play the piano! Keep up the good work Tessie!

OH SNAP!!!

Greg snapped a picture of me and Lily in our whirlpool tub!

Since we moved into our new home I've taken only a couple of baths in this tub...and really didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. But NOW...I love it! Lily and I take a bath together most every night. If she's not in here with me...then she's in it with Tess or Leia!


So much fun to watch the bubbles grow! Lily loves to blow them over and over again to watch them fly in the air. This is just a fun and specail time together...one day she will out grow this...or I should say... out grow baths with me!

Scrapping again...

Oh it's so nice to be creating again! Here's some of my latest scrapbook pages...ENJOY!

Tess last year: Lil Lady




Final Finale: A rare photo of Greg, me and Lily together. My journaling talks about saying goodbye to our friends in Solon (photo taken at our farewell party) and saying goodbye to having more children...Lily is our Final Finale! She stole the show!

Rock the night away! Kids getting Rock Band for Christmas 2007!

Great Photo of our Kitty Scooter! eyeCATching! His eyes are so pretty!


Tess is the Speed Racer. Poppi brought this pocket motorcycle to us last summer...Tess loves it!
Here she is riding it this summer!

Thanks for looking!

They're ENGAGED!

I just received a phone call from Britton!


Matt proposed to her today!


This is such exciting news for Greg and I. We couldn't be more happier for the both of them! Matt is the prefect guy for her!

Congrats Britton and Matt.... we love you guys!




Oh boy...his gonna have his hands full with this one! ha ha

Last week we have flooding in our area!

UGH! We had yet another bad series of storms here. Lots of high winds...65 mph! Many people had damage to their homes and lots of downed trees and limbs. For us, we had some broken limbs and leaks inside our sunroom, livingroom, and basement.

Today, we had a visit from our Insurance agent...he said we have lots of wind damage to the roof...so they will replace it. thank goodness! Sure hope this fixes the leaks inside! More on that to come.

Britton's New Look!

How about this? Purple and Black hair! What a girl!
Sure makes her green eyes POP!

She looks so cute! Love the hairband!

Guess WHO Turned 14 today...

Beren Reese Boyd!

Love this photo....do you see his ADAM's APPLE? That thing is as big as his Uncle Luperts. I recently read that an adam's apple is really a sign of lots of hormones ...oh lordy the boy must be exploding with it! ha ha

And for his special day he finally got his Rockin Electric Guitar! The boy is in HAWG Heaven now! It's an Ibanez Stratocaster. See Beren Rockin out!

Now so you can understand why we need to wait to get Seth a drum set...soon we will have a real ROCK BAND at Boyd's Brood!

Couldn't resist posting this picture...Look at the O.F. (old fart) go! Humm...wonder who the guitar is really for? Wondering minds want to know!

Have a Rockin Birthday Greg...oh I mean Beren!

:-)