Thoughts from Koni Dole

 This young man is still amazing to me. I don't know of anyone who could be more inspiring to a young person!

Koni Dole

9 a.m. tomorrow morning is the time I had my leg amputated last year. Tomorrow will be one year since having my life turned around in a matter of a week. Looking back now I don't regret the decision I made because of all the new doors it has opened for me. I was just talking to my strength coach the other day about how I was thinking back to all the work we had put in and it just shows.When I got out of the hospital, the only thing I had in mind was how in the hell am I going to do this. I came to the conclusion that what's done is done and that I wasnt going to let that be the end but only the begginning. Nothing worth having in life comes easy. Thank you to everyone who supported my family and I!

  

Designs by Marcie $2 Tuesday

 This week has been a busy week around our little house. The hubby finished installing out wood burning stove this weekend. Trust me that is going to be a real life saver this winter. Since we live out in the country we have two choices for heating, either propane or electric, we choose electric. When we did the rates were low enough we could handle it, but we all know what has happened to the rates lately. It now costs way more to heat our house, hence the wood stove. I am ready for the challenge, lol. I will keep you up to date on how this new adventure goes, even if I am bundled up in a parka like an Alaskan Eskimo. :)

 This week Marcie has a new Kit on the $2 Tuesday at GoDigitalScrapbooking, Bon Apetite. This kit was fun to make layouts with PDC's first eating solids pictures. She was a real demon when she first started eating solids. I think more of the food end up on her face & in her hair, than what ended up IN her, but those sure made for some cute pictures! LOL.

 You can get this kit here. Remember it is on sale for $2 for today only, so hurry.
Here are those layouts I did with PDC.

 I will have new laouts for you soon. I have my monthly challenges at GingerScraps & I am also competing in the GingerScraps Survivor: OZ challenge. Talk about fun! I will bring you up to date on all of this soon!

 Stay scrappy.

Joined a new CT

 So I have had an exciting week. I have joined a new CT, for Designs by Marcie. I have LOVED her kits since last spring when I got two of her kits to make a Mother's Day card for my mom. At that time I was not even scrapping, but was thinking of just making cards. Now I am hooked on scrapping & never seem to find the time to make cards, haha. I have thought many times of messaging Marcie to see if she had a CT or if she didn't see if I could volunteer to do CT work for her. Last week I opened a newsletter from her & found a CT call & jumped at the opportunity to send in my info. Then I got the wonderful news that she wanted me on her CT. I was so EXCITED. Haha.

 Marcie put us to work right away. This week we have a wonderful kit that Marcie has on the $2 Tuesday deal today. I had so much fun working with this kit & the layouts just kind of jumped out at me as soon as I looked at the kit. You can get this wonderful kit here. Here is a look at the kit:

 Here are the two layouts that I did with this kit. The first is PDC playing at the Yellowstone River & the other is of my wonderful nephew playing in a puddle. Boys will be boys, haha.

 I also had some other wonderful news this last week. I am now the head CT for Ginger's Scraps N Pixels. Ginger has been having some medical issues & all of us on her team have been doing whatever we can to help her out & take some of the weight from her so that she can take the time to get better. I was a little apprehensive when she offered the position to me at first, worrying that the other girls would be upset. Thankfully they have all been so supportive, & we all care so much for Ginger that we will do anything we can to help her so that she can get better. So please join me in wishing Ginger a speedy recovery.

That is all of my news for now so I will see you all soon. Stay scrappy! :)

Chere Kaye Designs New Kits- Young Love

 Chere Kaye Designs has 5, yes I said FIVE, new kits out this week! They are all in one theme- Young Love.  They are Caleb & Stacey, Dave & Raya, Josh & Megan, Phil & Jaymay, & Zac & Sarah. These kits are wonderful, as usual, to work with. If you like any of these kits, just click on the name above & it will take you to the store where you can get your own copy of the kit to be creative with.

Here are some layouts that I did using the Young Love kits. First is one with my grandparents wedding picture again using Dave & Raya.

This next one is of Princess's graduation picture & some baby pictures, using Phil & Jaymay.

This one is of Princess Demon Child, Bubba, & Stitch that I made for the GingerScraps desktop challenge. I used Zac & Sarah for this. (I have decided to call my 19 year old Stitch for privacy issues on my blog. I came to this name because if he isn't getting stitches, it's a miracle. He was attacked by a dog when he was 2 & had I don't know how many stitches in his head. Then when he was 4 his dad set down a saw & it fell off the table & almost cut his arm off, so once again a bunch of stitches. Then two days ago at work he was using a grinder to fix a flat tire & tried to cut off his left pointer finger at the first knuckle, so more stitches & an appointment with the hand doctor to see if he severed his flex tendon. He had gotten more stitches than everyone else in the house put together!)

Stay scrappy & I will be back soon.

A truly amazing young man

 I do have a layout & a new kit to share with you today but first I want to tell you the story of the amazing young man that this layout is about. I live in a small town in Montana, Huntley. Here in our little country area our kids all go to a school called Huntley Project High School. This is a story of a 17 year old football player that made a decision that I am not sure many adults could make without feeling like their lives were over.

 This amazing young man's name is Koni Dole. This story starts out on October 28, 2012. In the last quarter of the last football game of the season, Koni broke his leg. After many operations to repair the compound break of his leg, Koni developed compartment syndrome, which cuts off the blood flow to a part of the body after an injury. His doctors gave him two choices, they could remove all of the muscles in his lower leg, leaving his leg useless, or they could amputate his leg.  Amputating his leg would allow him to be able to walk with a prosthetic, but doctors told him he would never play football again. Although Koni had a dream of playing football for Montana State University, he choose to have his leg amputated, then he started researching athletes that returned to sports after having a limb amputated!

 Koni choose not to give up on his dream. He was wrestling for his high school 3 months after having his leg removed. Then he joined track. Then on August 30, 2013, 10 months after having his leg amputated, Koni was back on the football field! In that first game of the season, Koni caught the ball & ran for TWO touchdowns! To make this story even more amazing, Koni has received a football scholarship to Montana State University! Koni's story is inspiring to any person who faces adversity, it is a story of never giving up on yourself or dreams that you have. With work & perseverance you can do anything you set your mind to! Learn from Koni, reach for the stars! I am privileged to share a community with this young man & wish him all the success that is possible.

 Ginger's Scraps N Pixels new kit that I did this layout with is called Moose Ball. I knew as soon as I saw this kit that I wanted to do a page about this amazing, inspiring young man. You can find Moose Ball here.

 I will be back tomorrow with another layout. Stay scrappy.

My Grandparents Wedding Picture

 I have recently gotten a copy of my grandparents wedding picture from my aunt. I have been going over & helping her with her computer, trying to get it set up so that it is easy for her to use. Apparently I have done such a good job of that, that she has been telling her friends, that want to learn how to use theirs to remain in contact with their family, to call her niece & I will set theirs up as easy to use as I have hers. I am almost thinking I can make a little side job of it, if all the word of mouth keeps up this way.

 Anyway, while I have been spending time with her (not just setting up her computer, mind you) we have been talking a lot about family & all that. She has a much better collection of pictures from my father's side of the family back in Michigan. She was wonderful enough to let me borrow some of them so I could scan them into my computer & be able to scrap with them. I have been wanting a copy of this picture for years. I never knew my grandfather, my father was only 8 when he died. My grandmother was one of the few people who accepted me for exactly what I was, unconditionally. I miss that, as much as I miss her. She has been gone for nearly 28 years. I still think of her every time I look into my children's faces, as I don't doubt for one minute that she had a hand in me having each of them. I will love her until my last breath!

 Here is their wedding picture.

 I used a free kit from Donakat called Old Fashioned Love Song. I knew as soon as I saw this kit that it would be perfect for this picture & I love how it turned out. Now I just have to talk my mom into loaning me the picture of her parents on their wedding day (I have a picture of my grandmother & step-grandfather on their wedding day that I have scrapped with & will post that layout soon.) Leave me a comment & let me know what you think?

 Stay scrappy!

Daily download by Chere Kaye Designs on GingerScraps Blog

 I told you before that Chere Kaye has a new daily download that you can get for free this month on the GingerScraps blog. This kit is so adorable. It is named Oh Blah Dee. Here is a look at the preview for this kit:

 You can get this kit on the GingerScraps blog here.  Here are the layouts that I have done with this kit. I never want to say that I am done making layouts with a certain kit because I never know when a picture will jump out at me & need this kit to finish it. As you can see I have so many pictures of PDC to scrap with, the main reason being when Bubba as a baby we didn't have digital cameras, but I also lost quite a few of his pictures in numerous moves over the years & it is so hard to get new pictures of him because it embarrasses him if I scrap with pictures of him & the post them. I have decided that is just too bad for him, after all what are parents for except to embarrass their children. Mwahahahah!

 I also have layouts to do for GingerScraps challenges this month & will be posting all of those over the next few weeks for you to check out. Also as a side note I have, as Dh says, made a convert. I have hooked my sister on digital scrapbooking! Yay! I will see if as she gets a little better she will let me post some of her layouts on here. What do you say Kristine?

Stay scrappy.

New Daily Download from Ginger's Scraps N Pixels

 If any of you know a service member of see one today, be sure to thank them for our freedom today, & everyday. Today is the day that we remember the most of all that freedom isn't free! Thank you to all of the men & women that have given us the rights that we have & especially those that have kept us free by giving their lives!

 I was so far behind, but am finally caught up now! Yay! I finally got those layouts done for both Ginger & Chere Kaye that I told you about last time. I ended up with 5 kits to work with all at one time, so I found myself way behind & feeling like I wasn't giving the kits the attention that they deserved. I did get caught up & even found time to sign up for a layout contest at The Studio. I will post my layouts from Week 1 in a couple of days but first I have my layouts from this months Daily Downloads to share.

 Today we will take a look at the new kit that Ginger's Scraps N Pixels has for you. This months kit is called Ding Ding Ice Cream. It is a really cute kit. I have done a couple of layouts with it but still haven't been able to do the one I really want to. I want to get PDC a fudgesicle & get pictures of her all covered with chocolate! Unfortunately it has been so hot around here that I am afraid that to ice cream won't even make it home without melting, so I will wait til it cools down a little more for that layout.

 Here is the preview of Ding Ding:

  Here are the layouts that I have done so far with it.

 See what I mean about a fun kit. You can get this kit on Ginger's blog, here. Be sure to check back every day to collect all the pieces of this wonderful kit!


 Stay scrappy!

Two New Daily Downloads from Ginger's Scraps N Pixels & ChereKaye Designs

 I have some great news. Starting today both Ginger's Scraps N Pixels & ChereKaye Designs will be haveing a daily download for the month of September. Ginger's will, of course, be on her blog & you can find Chere's on the GingerScraps blog. These are both fun looking kits (although I have to admit that I have not had time to work with either of them yet, but I plan to do so today. I will post layouts as soon as I get them done. (: )

 First here is the preview of Ginger's Scraps N Pixels, Ding Ding Ice Cream. You can get this whole kit by going to Ginger's blog everyday & downloading that days piece of it, here. Here is the preview of this fun kit:

 Chere's kit is called Oh Blah Dee. It looks wonderful, like all the kits from these two ladies always do. You can get the pieces for this kit by going to the GingerSnaps blog everyday for the daily download, here. Here is the preview of Oh Blah Dee:

 I promise I will post pictures of the pages I make from both of these kits (along with the other 3 or 4 kits I have waiting in the wings to work on.) I swear I thought my days were going to lighten up when Bubba went back to school, but so far that hasn't happened. I am keeping my fingers crossed that they do this next week, but I am thinking I am going to have to wait until the week after that. Both PDC & Bubba have gotten new pets this last week so I have had to work in feeding them along with all of the other animals, then to make matters even more busy, Bubba is supposed to go to the Boys & Girls Club after school until DH picks him up after work, but they were closed this week so I had to go pick him up, which means at least an hour round trip for me to go. There just never seems to be enough hours in the day some days, does there? Ok I am done whining now, I need to get ready so that i can work with all the new kits, play things as we call them, so I can post them for all of you wonderful readers.

 Stay Scrappy

"Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore!" - Oz by ChereKaye Designs & Libby Pritchette

 I have the first preview on here from ChereKaye designs. I have been procrastinating so bad lately that this is really the 2nd or 3rd kit of hers that I have worked with, but haven't posted any of them yet. Bad, bad me!

 I really do swear that I am going to work on being better about posting on here! I have just had so much fun playing with all the goodies that Ginger & Chere give us that I forget to share them! Oops.

 ChereKaye Designs has a collab with Libby Prichette that will be out in their stores this Friday. It is called Oz & it is a wonderful kit to work with. You will be able to get your own kit on Friday, August 30th. All you have to do is go to ChereKaye Designs store here. So now on with the goodies, here is a preview of "OZ"!

 The first layout I am going to share with you is one that I absolutely love. This is the first of Princess's graduation pictures that we have received. I knew as soon as I saw this picture that I had to scrap a page with it using "Oz". She is so beautiful in this picture!

 The next layout is PDC & her puppy, Paco. She loves the fact that she can drag & haul him any where, & he is usually a good sport about it. When he has had enough he hides under mine & the hubby's headboard. It is kind of cute. :)

 And last but not least is a wonderful memory from when we took PDC & Bubba to ZooMontana for the day. We all had a great time & enjoyed seeing all the animals, although getting a close up look at the majestic Bald Eagle & the wolves were my favorite part of the day. Unfortunately they don't have any tigers, but I had to stick with the spirit of the kit.

 Remember to go get your very own copy of Oz from ChereKaye Designs & Libby Pritchette so you can scrap all those wonderful memories.

Stay scrappy,

New releases by Ginger Scraps N Pixels

 I know I am entirely too terrible about posting on my blog. I swear I am making a school is starting resolution that I am going to be better about it. :) I am going to try to work on posting at least a couple of time a week, I can't promise everyday although that will be my goal. Everyone keep your fingers crossed for me, ok!

 So Ginger's Scraps N Pixels has a new release out named Dog Days of Summer. I have two furrbabies of my own (along with a tom of other pets) so this kit was so fun to work with. PDC loves playing with her puppies & thankfully they are both so tolerant of her dragging them around, & in the case of Paco, dressing him up. :)

 Here is a preview of the kit. You can pick this kit up at Ginger's Scraps N Pixels store here.

 This kit has 230 elements, 48 papers & an alphabet. It was so fun to play with. Lol. Here are my layouts that I did with PDC & her puppies.

Come back tomorrow to see what I have done with my kits from ChereKaye Designs. I am so lucky & thankful to work with two such wonderful designers.  Stay Scrappy!

Been Too Long

 I have been slacking way too bad on posting on here, & I am very sorry about that. A lot as been going on around here. First I need to get Bubba  & my first Princess ready for school. Thank goodness I don't have to do much for Princess since she is 17 & a senior in high school, she also has a job, so she took care of all of her own school stuff. Yay!

Bubba has always been pretty easy to get ready for the start of school. I mainly just have to get him some new shirts & his school supplies. My Mom always takes him to get new shoes & sometimes some clothes even. That makes it so nice, & thankfully he isn't a picky child. I thought maybe it would be different since this year he is a freshman in high school, but he is the same as always, "Just get me some shirts, Mom."

 I have decided that once the two older ones go back to school, I am going to start doing a sort of home preschool with PDC. She has been acting all excited about it, telling everyone who will listen. She is 3 1/2 now & very smart already. She counts to 13 or 14, and thanks to apps on my iPod she was learning all her colors & shapes. That was until she dropped it in the toilet the other night, now I am letting it dry out & just hoping it works again. Kids, I swear!

 I have some good news for you, I have joined a second Creative Team! This one is for Chere Kaye Designs. She is a wonderful designer, & I am having so much fun working with her kits. I even had to work on some layouts for Ginger so she didn't get jealous! lol. Chere does have a slight advantage, she sells at GingerScraps. I have been doing the challenges in their forum the last 2 months, so I can use her kits for my challenges.

 I don't want to forget that it was Ginger who took the chance on me to begin with, even though I didn't even have a Gallery to share at that time. So, no, I never plan to forget my roots so to speak. As for you wonderful readers, I have worked out a schedule for myself so that I can get everything planned out in my day, & I scheduled time to blog, hopefully every day, but at least a couple times a week. I do know that I will have lots to share with you tomorrow since I have new kits for both Ginger & Chere Kaye.

 Until then, stay scrappy!

Ginger's Scraps N Pixels New Download A Day: Science 101

 Ginger's Scraps N Pixels has a new Download A Day kit for you this month, called Science 101. This is a versatile enough kit to scrap your going back to school pictures or to just do fun pictures you take with your family this next month. I even had fun doing "periments" (as Princess Demon Child called them) with PDC & Bubba so I would have some cute pictures to scrap with. They loved it!

 Here is a preview of Science 101:

 Here are the layouts I did using it. The first is of the 12 baby toads that a friend of mine just gave us, the second is of PDC & Bubba making Homemade Lave Lamps.

 I also have a freebie for you that I made using Science 101. I hope you can use it on some of your going back to school pictures. Download HERE.If you download please leave me a comment so I know what everyone thinks of it. Thank you.

 Be sure to check Ginger's blog everyday for all the pieces to Science 101 this month & enjoy making wonderful memories with this kit. Ginger's Scraps N Pixels.

 Have a great day & stay scrappy.

Been busy & Ginger's Scraps N Pixels Grand Opening New Store

 Wow, it has been a long time since I posted on here. I am really sorry about that, but hings have been crazy around here. First we had the Forth, so that kept us busy for a couple of days. That weekend we took the kids out to the drag races & had a blast having time with the family. That was all fun, but then PDC & Bubba came down with some kind of stomach bug that was not quite so much fun. I feel so sorry for my babies when they get sick, but especially PDC since she is only 3 & doesn't quite understand what is going on with her yet. Thankfully DH & I haven't gotten whatever it was the kids had, so that is a good thing. No time off when you are a full time Momma.

 Now on to the good news. Ginger's Scraps N Pixels is opening her brand new store today! Yay! There are plenty of great things for you in this Grand Opening of the store. She has freebies for everyone on her blog & Facebook, & especially in the store. We also have 2 new kits that are being released & they are wonderful.
I had so much fun working with them so far & plan on having lots more fun with then still.

  We will start out with the Grand Opening.

Get this Mini Kit of Celebrate with Me By visiting Ginger's Scraps N Pixels by clicking on the link, here.

 You can also get the full Celebrate kit free with a $5.00 purchase here.

 You can also get this Celebrate Cluster frame freebie from Ginger's Blog, here.

Here are the layouts that I had so much fun making using Celebrate:

 Here are the layouts I made with Ginger's other new release, Home Tweet Home.

 You can find this kit in the new store along with Celebrate.

 So come join us for all the fun & freebies that we have in store for you.

 Stay scrappy.