catching up [trying to]

hello! just getting back in the swing of things after spending 6 days in SF!! the weather was not the greatest but typical of summer SF weather (foggy, misty, COLD). i did have a fun time spending it with my sister & family! she is due near the end of october. sooooo excited and cannot wait to spoil the baby!! and best part----it's a G I R L !!!!!!! i can finally buy girlie things and justify it!

if i haven't been around your blogs, i apologize. some of you know my laptop crashed and it's currently sent out to the manufacturer to get fixed. it has a bad memory chip or so the best buy's geek squad told us. at 1st, they said they they would give us the same computer in exchange for the one that crashed but the next day, told us it would be sent out to the mfr for repair. hmpfff!! i just want my laptop back. i don't think i can use hubby's little laptop much longer. screen is too small. plus, i had all my fave links bookmarked and everything. i just hope all my un-backed-up photos are recovered!! hubby got to extract some but i know some pics were not extracted from the kaput laptop. teaches me a lesson. anyways...............

a fast & easy card made from punching shapes out of vintage dictionary sheets,

this is a magnetic memo board. getting ready for brandon's 1st grade school year. this is made from a thin sheet of magnetic board, covered in pretty papers. the middle panel is stamped. the owl is backed with a thin flexible sheet of magnet paper. all the apples are laminated and backed with magnets. the once sterile tongue depressor (thanks to hubs for getting that at work) is painted with chalkboard paint. i can change out the message as needed. it wipes off so easily----just like a chalk board!! finished it off with some fun pom pom trim! will use to keep track of his week to week activities.also made a tag for his backpack. everything has to be labeled at school! sweatshirts, bags, jackets, etc... poor little brybry---- when he gets brandon's hand-me-downs, they'll all say 'brandon'!!! hahah! i should just start labeling BMW since both of them have the same initials! [brandon matthew & bryan marcus]

and the tag on his new backpack. i actually bought him 2 this school year. he had a hole in his last year within 2 months of the school year. boys!!i will probably put this tag on the inside of the pack.

thanks for stopping by! it's going to be a HOT one today! you can find the boys in the kiddie pool!

BTW, any suggestions on what fun things to pack for brandon's lunches this year?