Wednesday, April 30, 2008

You'll Always Be My Baby


Today ended up being a very eventful day. Who would have guessed that a Wednesday would be the busy day of the week? It started with a trip to the Dentist for Mason (yes, his 1st time). I will post the pics from that visit later because as it turns out, I also received Mason's preschool pictures today and they were sooo ADORABLE...it is OK for me to say that right....If I don't who will? Seriously, if it were not for pictures like this that prove that my son can behave and have a wonderful personality, I would probably forget all together. Unfortunate for me, they had some adorable shots but NOT so adorable prices...if you can believe that they were charging $36.00 for an 8x10 collage....NUTS! Anyhow. This picture also makes me sort of sad, because when I see it, I realize that I no longer have babies...just as Mason likes to argue I AM A BIG BOY, I like to say...You will always be my baby...even when you are 50...still my baby...no BIG BOY! We go on and on...good thing Jaxon gets the game...he says "Mom, I can be your baby till Mason understands"....Priceless I tell you!

Enough Bragging.....PEACE OUT!

WILD Man








Well, This is the new HOT toy around our house...Of course, no one can touch it but Erik! It is a hockey stick that is actually a golf putter. We waited a month to get it (do you believe that?) If I was waiting a month for a purse, do you know what I would hear about? Anyhow, this is a really cool because it can be designed for any team that you like, of course my husband picked hockey because that is near and dear to his heart, but you can get it for any team! Check them out for Fathers Day @ http://www.hockeystickputters.com/

Fenntastic Frames




Well, Like I have said many many times, I love being creative!

I started making these frames about a year ago and I have done them for a couple of friends for various occasions. I have made this one as a dedication gift for a friend. I just love seeing a completed project! I purchased the frame from Wal Mart and then I matted the frames that came with a cute pink and brown polka dots. Paper is from Archivers. Then, I use my lovely, lovely Cricut machine with the Jasmine Font and the Accent Essentials to make the flowers and detailing. I just LOVE getting to make things for little girls. I never get to do that!!!

Enjoy the pics and remember, it is not what you create, it's that you create with love!

Sunday, April 27, 2008

A little Scrapin goes a long way!






Well, here are a couple of my recent pages. Nothing too fantastic, but if I don't publish them who will? There are a couple of really great things about scrapbooking,

1. You get to be the historian of your family

2. It's a great excuse to spend money on stickers, paper and pretty stuff!

3. You get to do it with girlfriends who make you laugh all day long!!

4. You always have a "favorite page"

5...Love love love being creative, any way I can....and that includes closing my eyes for a rest!!!

Soccer Friends


Well, I have to say that Little Kickers soccer was much better this year than last year. The 1st week was a little rough, but Mason finally got the hang of listening to Coach Sara and following her directions. We had several neighbors who were on the team with us this year, which always makes the kids feel more comfortable....here is an adorable shot of all the kids for their team pictures. Of course, Mason was more interested in the soccer ball and the entire team was non responsive to the photographer!

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

AMD LIVE! Have you heard of it?

OK, so I think I have expressed to most of the free world that my boss was coming into town for a once a year ride along to see how well I do my job...turns out I am fantastic like I thought I was (HA HA). Always room for improvement.

I decided to blog tonight about a really cool tool that I talk to Retail employees about all the time. It is called AMD LIVE! (http://www.amdlive.com/) You do NOT have to have an AMD machine to load this (psss, you can have Intel, but NOT MAC)....It is several pieces of software that you can add to your machine.
There is this really great software that is part of this called ORB. In a nutshell, it allows you to access your home desktop from ANY COMPUTER...ANYWHERE...so what that means is you have a new CD downloaded and you are at your best friends house and she wants to hear it before she buys it...You log into orb and play it for her on her computer...you can even give her access to your pictures, music, if she wants to....Check it out when you get a chance!

Monday, April 21, 2008

Take me out to the Mud Pit....



Take me out to the mud pit, take me out in the rain....try chasing a 3 year old, in the rain and the freezing cold....Ahhh...Just another lovely evening in the Fenn house....of course the rain held off until we were pulling into the parking lot.


Should be interesting, Jaxon is a pretty fast little guy, but as always is one of the smallest on the team!


Even though it rained tonight, I am looking forward to a little more summer headed our way.

Sunday, April 20, 2008

When in doubt, BLOG YOURSELF!

Well, although today was not boring in the least, it was one of those days where no one wanted pictures taken and every time I turned around, there was something naughty going on, so I decided to blog about myself.


I'm starting to really like editing photos, Now I know how all the stars look so great...it is photoshop all the way baby =). I am learning to appreciate lighting and how seriously grey days like today do not work well for my photography.

For a really long time, I hated myself in photographs. I'm sure anyone who reads this would probably think the same thing about themself. There is ALWAYS something to pick apart. Now, I am learning to love what I look like...that does not mean that I am not going to try to shed some pounds because I need to do that for me...but I have to say that I like the way I look! I am proud of the little lines on my face that are a photo album of my life so far. I may not be perfect, but I still feel pretty (on the days I am not bummin around the house)!!

Friday, April 18, 2008

10 Things I LOVE About My Boys...


I thought this one would be a simple blog, it is Friday night and I am anticipating on trying to curl up on the couch and snuggle with a blanket...this usually means I will be asleep by 8:30!


A simple blog in dedication of my 2 boys, do you believe that picture? I just love picnik (www.picnik.com)! You can do anything to your photos to make them more personal. Check it out if you have not...


Now...we will start the TOP 10:

10. I love the curiousity of everything. How a paper cup can entertain them for hours discovering that it is best used as a measuring cup for toilet water..


9. Whining. I love whining. I know I must be the only mother on the earth but for some reason it makes me laugh..what really posesses them to think they will get something that way???


8. Their fingernail and toenails, I have no idea about girls but I do know that my 2 boys can grow a full set of nails, top and bottom in about 5 days flat. I'm talking french manicure long. Soo strange because to this day, I can't get a nail to come over the top of my finger!


7. Books, I love when they ask me to read to them. I need to do it more.


6. When they fall asleep with their glasses on....it leaves this cute indention on their face!


5. How bout when they just fall asleep! =)


4. Hockey, Baseball and Football jerseys. The only clothes they want to wear right now.


3. Granola bites...if I would have known how many my boys would plow through in a week, I am pretty sure I would have picked up some Quaker stock.....


2. "Mom, tickle my back" I love that! I remember when my mom and dad would tickle my back and arms...I still love that!


1. Snuggling...This is my favorite past time! I grab a boy for each arm (if I include Erik, I have 3 arms) and we plop on the floor and just fall asleep all comfy!!!

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Pretty Phenominal "Pelvis Packs"



OK, I know that you already know that I am missing a bolt or two

(heck, I could be missing the whole tool store)!

Well anyhow, I was on the phone with my cousin this afternoon while I was waiting for Jaxon at school and lo and behold...out of nowhere....A FANNY PACK???

What..I know what you are thinking and I was thinking the same thing,

We have single handedly got to bring the FANNY PACK back! But with new Flair!


My cousin came up with the name and I came up with the slogan, so tonight, I am proud to introuce the "PELVIS PACK"....PRETTY PHENOMINAL....

Why carry a Purse? Pelvis Pack...

Portfolio, ah no....Pelvis Pack....

you get the idea...check out our models...the pics say it all.


I am off to bed, as you can tell, lack of sleep and late night blogging do NOT mix!!!
I'm expecting a call from Saturday Night Live early tomorrow!

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Stairways to Friendship


Well, if this picture is not a sign that summer is on the way, I don't know what is.....After school tonight we caught a really great moment where several of the kiddos from our neighborhood were parked out our deck stairs and they were all just chatting and laughing (who knows what they were talking about) it all seems so innocent.

Isn't it amazing how no matter how old we are friendships are what tie us together? I feel really blessed in my own life to have soo many great friends, that includes my husband and my parents too.

Now, even though we all go through some friendship woes, this blog is a celebration and a Thank-you to all whom I consider my friends....I AM THE LUCKY ONE (although I know most of you would argue that you are the lucky one...right)?

Monday, April 14, 2008

AHH...I AM SOO BACK BLOGGED!!!





Well, It is a good thing that this blog is not read by many!!!

If I had to keep up with the regular bloggers, I would be kicked out by now!


Our family took a small trip to Chicago this weekend to see some old friends of ours. We do not do much except hang out, which is fine with us because our everyday lives are soo hectic that it is nice to just schedule in some down timewith friends.


I did not photograph much from that trip, so I am including a couple of shots from the past that I thought were "Blog Worthy". I hope that you enjoy what you see!


I love the pics of Minneapolis that I took on a Photography Field Trip in March. They are soo pretty and I was really proud of myself....still learning my new camera but every once in a while a blind squirrel gets a nut..(thanks dad for this wonderful saying!)


Blog at you later!

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Wii have soo much fun!


Our family time has been consisting ALOT of Guitar Hero for the Wii. Mom and Dad are finally starting to get the hang of the "Easy" level although if I have to hear "Slow Ride" one more time I might explode!
Jaxon is also starting to get decent at the game....it is funny to hear him say, stop talking I am trying to get 100%....its a good little math lesson!
Mason just likes to dance around to the songs and sing...Slow ride, take it sneezy (which to a 3yr old is Jerry Seinfeld funny apparently).. Looks like with the weather that is headed our way, it will be another Wii Weekend =) Enjoy...

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Bond of Brothers



Days like today make me thankful that I had 2 boys!!
Sometimes I don't say that out loud enough
(or even in writing).
We had an average day with plenty of school drop offs and pick ups as well as the what's for dinner shuffle.
Then, I took a peak outside to see that Mason had put on his rollerblades all by himself and was skating outside with Jaxon and playing a pick up hockey game.
I pretty much dropped everything to rush outside for a couple of pictures.
Usually, I catch these 2 doing the "tango" as we call it at our house..."he hit me" no "he hit me" but today, maybe there was a glimpse that almost 4 hard years of work might be starting to pay off.
I know days like this may not seem to come often,
but I can tell that the bond these 2 share will take them through a lot of tough times!

Monday, April 7, 2008

Rejuvenated..on a Weekday?


Today I got rejuvenated about photography. It amazes me that you can document a certain portion of time that will NEVER be the same. Tiny toes, 1st school picture, Lost teeth, somehow they all seem so important and the rest of the stuff (like a job=)seems so unimportant. Again, I am not a professional photographer but someone who loves to take pictures! I watched my neighbors little girl just for an hour on Sunday and I got these AMAZING pics of her. She is almost 9 months old and it seems so wrong. To me, she was just born (that's what a Minnesota winter will do to you!) I edited them in both Photo shop and in Picnik. I put them together on this software program called Photo Mix. It is really simple to install and design collages. You can even do 12 x 12 collages for all of us scrap bookers!! Yeah!!Anyhow, I just thought that I would share how simple collages can be. I am really getting the itch to take some more pictures....we'll see where this hobby takes me!

Sunday, April 6, 2008

Circus Maheim




For any of you that know this neighborhood, you know that we do some pretty fun stuff with the kids! I took a trip to the Oshman's Shriners Circus at the State Fair Grounds on Thursday. It was a great time. I have to say that I still get the willies for clowns (thanks to a little movie called Poltergeist)...but aside from my small phobia and a very strange juggling man who I named Fabio for fun, it was a pretty great day! Enjoy a couple of pics and feel free to comment! Spread the word...I want lots of visitors so I can start to get some bloggin buddies!! Talk soon...T

Friday, April 4, 2008

Spring has Sprung







Well, if today wasn't the typical Minnesota Spring day then I am not sure what was....It started out cloudy this morning, then the sun peaked out and made the temps soar to around 60, then say around 4:30 the sky turned a dark blue grey color that a storm was heading our way, then the wind picked up and we finally got a 5 minute rain storm (of course this was at the exact same time that I was running from the car into an indoor soccer field) while I was more concerned about my camera then my kids! We came out of soccer to a lovely evening and the kids screaming for Dairy Queen...of course we caved...=) Mason really enjoyed his Little Kickers soccer team made of a bunch of neighbors. I am not sure that Coach Sarah enjoyed Mason as much. He seemed to do the exact opposite of what she said...does that sound familiar to anyone else? More to come later!

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Trial & Error





There are soo many cool websites and information about scrapbooking, photography and other neat and insightful tips out there. I have decided that I will start to blog a little about some really cool things that I have been using or finding. Mind you, everything is trial and error (in my case sometimes seems like more error)! My find for today came from my cousin Mimi, it is a site that is called picnik (http://www.picnik.com/). I am attaching a couple of really cool pictures that I took with my Nikon D40X camera and then I played around with them on picnik. The best part about picnic is that there is a basic version that is free, and then an upgrade that you pay $24.95 per year for. Just like photoshop only a little more user friendly and if you are just looking for some basic things to make your pics pop, this is it! Of course, I am also a huge fan of photoshop but it is much spendier and you need to take classes to understand....ps, I have taken several classes and still don't know half of what I should....Well, until the next blog...enjoy!