Pool Days

It's fall in Southern California, which means I'm cold (even though it's 55 degrees out and sunny).  I am already wishing for summer to come back. I pulled out a couple photos from this summer's pool parties just so I could daydream about being in a bikini again, my tan is fading fast.  Pool days...

Insta Scrapping - October

I have a job now.  And a job means no time for blogging (or scrapbooking).  Between my commute (I've never had one where I actually have to get on a freeway) and attempting to fit in a workout after work I'm looking at 12 hour days.  That's a tough adjustment for somebody coming off of 9 months of no work.  But I am lucky to have found a job that pays me well.  And I am excited to learn a whole new area of work.  Goodbye marketing, hello product development.

Regardless of lack of time, I can't stop Insta-ing...

I'm a cat person (obviously) but if I had to choose a favorite dog it would be this little nugget Izzy.  I love her.

Yep, cat person, or crazy cat lady, you decide

Addict

Me and my oldest friend Emmett, the only person from my high school years that I still see

My two nieces, too stinkin' cute

Moab & Santa Fe - Scrapped

The road trip scrapping has come to an end.  And I'm yearning for another trip of course.  Pages from Moab and Santa Fe below.

And another thing has come to an end, my unemployment!  I am starting a new job on October 1st and that is a huge weight of of both mine and husband face's shoulders.  I won't lie though, it is a bit bitter sweet.  I got a little spoiled with free time.  I've never scrapped so much and I love my unemployment tan. I also managed to refinish the cabinets in both of our bathrooms as well, I'm getting better at this home DIY stuff. But alas the bills must be paid.  And to be honest, I'm a little tired of penny pinching.  Today is my birthday so I am splurging on a pair of stupidly expensive shoes...don't tell husband face.

My parents absolutely gorgeous garden in Santa Fe in the monsoon rains

Mountain biking with husband face

Lifted this design from the American Crafts blog

Hiking the El Dorado wilderness with my Mom

More shots of the garden because I love it so much

Park City - Scrapped

As usual, my plan for "just a couple" pages for an event seems to be turning into an all out 20 page scrapbook.  I think husband-face is going to kill me if I hand him another box to put in the garage.  Every time he asks, "What's in here," and I reply, "Scrapbooks."  Maybe I should start saying something like, "stuffed animals" or "old pornos" or "my beetle collection. "

But when I think about it our Road Trip was a 2 week trip, so that warrants a full scrapbook in my view. I've gotten through our 4 days in Utah so far...leave me alone, it was a busy 4 days.

Lily Bee Sketch

Becky Fleck Sketch

Basic Grey Sketch

Playa Maderas - Scrapped

And my Nicaragua scrapbook is complete! Pages from the other half of our Nicaragua trip spent in Playa Maderas. Scrapping these pages gives me that itch, no, not the bad kind.  The itch to travel. Where to next?

Ana Castro lift

Evan's happy place

Happiest at the beach

Our little house on the hill

Down the coast

Last Sunset in Nica (Becky Fleck sketch)

Insta Scrapping - August

Insta scrapping will be a monthly post from now on (I hope).  My favorite Insta photos from May, June & some of July, scrapped.

My constantly Instagrammed and oh so adorable niece:

Pigtails!

Thai night at a friend's house:

Cookin'

My brother-in-law Eric happened to write this book called FEARLESS.  It is the true story of a Navy SEAL named Adam Brown who overcame a lot (that's putting it mildly) to become a part of Seal Team 6 and ultimately died in combat in Afghanistan.  I am not a reader of military books, and far from the target audience for this book.  The majority of the press FEARLESS has been getting is from the right and religious groups.  Myself being a liberal athiest kind of puts me out of that target market.  But that's what is so amazing about the book.  Despite my lack of belief in god and my not agreeing with the war the US is fighting in various countries in the middle east, FEARLESS is still an incredibly captivating read.  It's a tear jerker for sure and more than story of a man than a story of politics or beliefs.  When the book was released in May we had a little celebration for Eric:

My nephew's 8th birthday dinner

Yes I'm obsessed with my cat, so what?

Page Maps Sketch

Page Maps Sketch

Mom Revisits the East Coast

With the exception of my little brother my family left the east coast behind about 15 years ago for sunnier days and warmer temperatures.  The west coast (or western states) seem to agree with us more and it's not often that we get back to the northeast.  Last month my Mom headed back to Massachusetts to visit my brother and her brother for the first time in ages.  When I was visiting her I stole some of the cool photos she took of her travels and her brother's amazing farm.

Page Drafts Sketch