DIY Graduation Announcement!

As you know my Son, Zach, just Graduated from Community College. And the Announcements the school gave us, well let's just say, we're lacking. They looked like pamphlets or brochures for the school, not Graduation Announcements. They had pictures of random students. No cards to add my child's name or anything . . . 

So I talked with my Husband, who is so good at designing just about anything, about creating our own. I wrote the text & he created the design & layout. And they are so much nicer than the original! And so much more personal. I love how they turned out . . .

 

The Best Father!

On this Father's Day & Everyday, 

I am so grateful that my kids have the Best Father! 

Father & Friend!!

He's passed on his Knowledge 

to this next Generation! :)

And shares his Love of Music

with all the kids! 

Protector & Confidant!!

A great Example

and so Proud of all his kids!

When I chose him as my Husband

I knew he was a good man . . .

But I couldn't have foreseen the kind of Father he would become!

Happy Father's Day

To the Best Dad!

We Love You!

 

Happy Father's Day In Heaven!

 

Missing my Dad this Fathers Day & always . . . 

He Danced through Life, 

the Best Grandpa any kids could have!

He was a Giver, and Loved his Family more than anything! 

Wish we could Celebrate Together instead of Apart.

But I'm glad Mom is now there with you.

 This is also my Husbands first Father's Day without his Dad.

As far as Grandpa's go: 

My Kids have been Doubly Blessed with Two of the Best!

 

 He was so much fun & could always make you Laugh!

He is spending his first Father's Day in Heaven.

No longer in a Wheel Chair! 

 

We're so happy you are no longer in pain, 

yet Your Family feels the loss, & we miss you here!

Tinkerbell!

Today is Tinkerbell's Birthday!

 No, not this one!

Though I really do like her! :)

 This one! 

Our Purebred Toy Rat Terrier!

 My Sister In Law gave her to my Girls for their 8th Birthday! 

(After asking our permission of course!) :) 

My  girls will turn 16 this year!

So Tink's been part of our Family for over 7 years now!

 

She's full grown at just 6 lb's. 

A lot of little dogs are real yippy, but not her, 

unless someones outside, then she's such a tough guard dog! ;)

We were never really pet people before her, 

but she is such a good dog, 

we can't imagine her not being part of our family now!

And her breed is known for longevity, 

so my girls could have her well into their college years & beyond! 

Happy Birthday Tinkerbell! And here's to Many More!

 

Give Me Five: Sounds Of Summer

It's hard to believe, but it's June already! 

So whether you are sitting Pool Side, Lake Side, or Ocean Side

you gotta have some hot tunes with you! 

So, to put you in the mood for Summer, here are Five Favorites of mine . . . 

1. California Girls by: Katy Perry

 "California Girls we're unforgettable, 

Daisy Dukes, bikinis on top,

Sunkissed skin, so hot we'll melt your Popsicle" :)

2. Dream Life Life by: Colbie Caillat

"Laying back by the waterside 

with nowhere to go & the Music on,

All I want is my Dream Life to be my real life

How can that be wrong?"

3. Soak Up The Sun by: Sheryl Crow

"I'm gonna soak up the sun, 

gonna tell everyone to lighten up!

I'm gonna tell em that I got no one to blame

every time I feel lame, I'm looking up!"

4. Sunshine And Summertime by: Faith Hill 

"Hey, that's the way we do it, 

New friends and blue skies that never end. 

Hey, that's the way we like it

Good times. Sunshine and Summertime."

5. The Sounds of Summer by: The Beach Boys

Yeah, the whole Album!

Any song by The Beach Boys 

is gonna make it feel like Summer!

Am I right, or am I right?

Ah, the carefree days of Summer! 

I only wish adults had Summer Vacation off like our kids do! 

Well, any of these songs will make it feel like Summer, 

even as your driving to work!

What are some of your Favorite Sounds Of Summer? 

First Concerts Part 2!!

You may recall my Blog Post: First Concerts Part 1! Where one of my Daughters, Lexi, got to attend her very first real concert. I also shared in that Blog post about my first Concert as well. And if you'd like to read about my Husbands first Concert experience click here. Well, it's now her Twin Sisters turn for her first concert . . .

Yes, my little girl is Taylor Swift obsessed! She has loved her as long as she's been singing! We have all her albums. And below is just a partial account of Erica's Taylor Swift Collection! :)

She knew Taylor Swift was coming to Phoenix in Concert this year & that tickets to that concert was ALL she wanted for Christmas! If you know anything about the Taylor Swift Concerts, you know that they sell out in just seconds! John & I both had to work the day they went on sale, so I enlisted the help of my son, Kyle to get up early & be on the computer that morning. And he got the tickets! Not thinking we'd be able to get tickets, let alone be able to afford them, Erica actually screamed when she opened them on Christmas! 

She's been counting down the days ever since! She started months ago coming up with ideas for a Poster for the Concert. And then executing those ideas, using Glow in the Dark paint, glitter, ribbon & mini Red Solo Cups for a 3D effect!

The Poster actually glowed in the dark! It came home from the Concert, wrinkled, dirty & missing most of the Cups! I think it had a good time! :)

We found a Taylor Swift "Red" T-shirt at Target (on clearance! Score!) she likes to get big shirts & cut them up in cute styles! My girls are creative that way & they didn't get that from me! 

Erica was so excited for the Concert! It was held at Jobing.com Arena, Taylor played here for two nights. Her date for her first Concert was her older Brother, Kyle. She is "Fifteen" & He is "22" the names of 2 of Taylor Swifts songs! :) And no matter how you feel about Taylor Swift,  you have to admit she is an Amazing song writer! They went early in the afternoon, to spend the day at the arena. True Fans!

Her opening act was Ed Sheeran. A newer artist from the UK. He has a duet with Taylor on her new Album. And one of the best music videos I've seen in a very long time is Ed Sheeran's Lego House! Check it out sometime. 

Their seats were in the second Balcony, but being a Hockey Stadium, it's pretty steep & you can see pretty well form any seats in the house. But then Kyle's new girlfriend, Katie, is a Nurse & just happened to get called off work the day of the concert. So unbeknownst to Kyle she & a friend of hers managed to score tickets the day of the concert. (I don't even want to know what those tickets cost!) :0 She sneaks up behind them in their seats & surprises them. Then Exchanges tickets with them so Erica can sit closer! 

So, now their in the first Balcony, right above the floor! (Katie, when I thanked her, tells me the seats she took from Kyle & Erica were good as well! Don't know if I believe her on that!) :) Taylor Swift puts on quite a show! She's not Entertainer of the Year for nothing! 

And as she always likes to do, to get close to her fans, she came up onto another stage out in the crowd! Well, Erica & Kyle happen to now be sitting 5 rows away from that little stage! And she just didn't do 1 song there, no she did like 4! Including the Duet with Ed Sheeran. 

I can't begin to tell you how excited Erica was to be that close to her idol! All these pictures of the Concert were actually taken on Kyle's iPhone! They were really that close! Erica said Taylor Swift made eye contact with her & looked at her Poster & smiled! 

So in honor of both my girls getting to go to their very first concerts this month. I found a picture of both of their favorite singers, Hayley Williams of the Band Paramore & Taylor Swift, singing together! :) I guess with Twins, everything does really go together! :)

So all & all, like her Sister Lexi, I'd say this was a pretty successful & memorable first concert experience for Erica, wouldn't you?! And I've always thought that one of our main jobs as a parent is to build Great Memories for our kids, to carry with them throughout their life time!