BLUSTERY

Nov 2012 - There may have been some blustery days during  the last 13 years but look at you now!! You have a beautiful family, a great job, a lovely home, and a lifetime of experience to draw on as you guide your four awesome kids into their future lives.

Template: Strip It 1 by Heartstrings Scrap Art http://www.digitalscrapbookingstudio.com/personal-use/templates/strip-it-1/

Kit: Blustery Day by Aimee Harrison Designs http://www.digitalscrapbookingstudio.com/personal-use/kits/blustery-day/

SWEET MEMORY - THANKSGIVING 2014

On Nov 27,2014 we celebrated Thanksgiving at Garrett and Amy's home. Garrett ordered our meal from Boston Market who provided the turkey, dressing, potatoes, gravy, yams topped with marshmallows, corn, green beans, rolls, pumpkin pie and cream!! Melissa made our favorite cranberry, marshmallow and whipped cream salad and the cranberry drink. What a FEAST!! It was all so delicious!! There were 13 adults and 15 grandchildren at our family feast, which included all of our family plus Mom and Dad Sessler and Greg's brother, Stefan who was living with us for a few months. Full house. Full tummies. Full hearts!! We are so blessed!!

Making Memories1 by Heartstrings Scrap Art  http://www.digitalscrapbookingstudio.com/personal-use/templates/making-memories-1/
Childhood Memories by Scrapyrus Designs  http://shop.scrapbookgraphics.com/scrapyrus-Childhood-Memories-Kit.html

DUCK TALES

These lovely ducks were very docile and let me take numerous photos before they swam away. This was a rainy, cool overcast day in July 2012 in Greer, AZ.

Template: Vintage Charm 1 by Heartstrings Scrap Art http://www.digitalscrapbookingstudio.com/personal-use/templates/vintage-charm-1/

Kit: The North Woods by Aimee Harrison Designs http://www.digitalscrapbookingstudio.com/personal-use/kits/the-north-woods-page-kit/

THANKSGIVING DAY 2010

25 NOV 2010 - Can you believe this gorgeous group of grandkids?!! This was taken on Thanksgiving Day 2010 a few minutes before dinner. See—their clothes are still clean! I love these kids!!

Template: Lots & Lots 1 by Heartstrings Scrap Art http://www.digitalscrapbookingstudio.com/personal-use/templates/lots-and-lots-1/

Kit: Ode To Autumn by Aimee Harrison  http://www.digitalscrapbookingstudio.com/personal-use/kits/ode-to-autumn-page-kit/

GRATEFUL

We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing;

He chastens and hastens his will to make known;

The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing:

Sing praise to his Name, He forgets not His own.

Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining,

Ordaining, maintaining his kingdom divine;

So from the beginning the fight we were winning:

Thou, Lord, wast at our side: all glory be Thine!

We all do extol Thee, thou Leader triumphant,

And pray that Thou still our Defender wilt be.

Let thy congregation escape tribulation:

Thy Name be ever praised! O Lord, make us free!

Template: HSA_White Space Challenge-Nov2015 by Heartstrings Scrap Art: http://www.digitalscrapbookingstudio.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19534

Kit: Hello Autumn by Booland Designs: http://www.digitalscrapbookingstudio.com/personal-use/kits/hello-autumn-the-page-kit/

ENGAGED - Kellie and Daniel

Love is in the air for Sweethearts, Kellie Miles and Daniel Wagner, engaged to be married 9 March 2002 in the Mesa AZ LDS Temple.

Template: Vintage Charm 1 by Heartstrings Scrap Art http://www.digitalscrapbookingstudio.com/personal-use/templates/vintage-charm-1/

Kit: Hello Autumn by Booland Designs http://www.digitalscrapbookingstudio.com/personal-use/kits/hello-autumn-the-page-kit/

MASQUERADE

Kit: MASQUERADE by Scrapyrus Designs
Template: Good Reads Template #4 by Aprillisa

GOING HOG WILD

What do city kids do when they visit Mother Nature’s Farm on a beautiful Fall day in October? They go HOG WILD!!! There is so much to see and do and they try to do and see it all in just a few hours! . . . So they run. They run to pick out a pumpkin. They run to see the animals. They run through the hay bale maze. And they run to pose for pictures . . . because their nana asked them to . . . and because she bribes them with ice cream. (pictured) Amy, Bailey-6, Alex-4, and Adam-1 month. -October 2006

Template: My Arty Pockets1-Bonus by Heartstrings Scrap Art http://www.digitalscrapbookingstudio.com/personal-use/templates/my-arty-pockets-1/

Kit: Autumns Song by Jilbert’s Bits of Bytes http://www.digitalscrapbookingstudio.com/personal-use/bundled-deals/autumns-song-collection/ 

CUTEST IN THE PATCH

October 2006 - What a delight it was to experience a beautiful Fall day with my 18 month old grandson, Reed, who was excited to see all the big pumpkins in the pumpkin patch at the Dallas Arboretum. He definitely was the CUTEST IN THE PATCH

Template: Bold Background by Heartstrings Scrap Art - http://www.digitalscrapbookingstudio.com/personal-use/templates/bold-backgrounds-1/ 

Kit: Autumns Song by Jilbert’s Bits of Bytes - https://www.digitalscrapbookingstudio.com/personal-use/bundled-deals/autumns-song-collection/

CHILDREN ARE THE HANDS

CHILDREN ARE THE HANDS BY WHICH WE TAKE HOLD OF HEAVEN

Garret and Adam taking a little stroll in Flagstaff Arizona - Oct 2007

Template: Vintage Charm1 by Heartstrings Scrap Art

http://www.digitalscrapbookingstudio.com/personal-use/templates/vintage-charm-1/

Kit: Burning Horizon Bundle by Feli Designs

http://www.digitalscrapbookingstudio.com/personal-use/bundled-deals/burning-horizon-bundle-pu-s4h-by-feli-designs/

FAMILY OF FOUR

3 March 2014 -This photo was taken a month after Kyle turned one and Miles was six and a half. Miles waited a long time to finally get a little brother and soon he would have two! Melissa was 3 months pregnant with Bradley. This is such a sweet little family of four!!

Template: Vintage Charm1 by Heartstrings Scrap Art

http://www.digitalscrapbookingstudio.com/personal-use/templates/vintage-charm-1/ 

Kit: Burning Horizon Bundle by Feli Designs

http://www.digitalscrapbookingstudio.com/personal-use/bundled-deals/burning-horizon-bundle-pu-s4h-by-feli-designs/ 

COLORFUL FALL (2)

This template was a freebie from Heartstrings (Foxinsocks) for the June 2015 White Space Challenge at The Studio (DSS - Digital Scrapbooking Studio).

Elements: Owls Love Fall (Fall12), Hello Fall by Natali Designs
Papers: Paisley by Vero and Traveltime by Anita Designs

COLORFUL FALL

Photo: Chewack River in the Okanogan National Forest, Washington, USA

This template was a freebie from Heartstrings (Foxinsocks) for the June 2015 White Space Challenge at The Studio (DSS - Digital Scrapbooking Studio).

Elements: Owls Love Fall (Fall12) by Natali Designs
Papers: Paisley by Vero, Traveltime by Anita Designs

AUTUMN - i heart you

Autumn is my favorite season. If it was up to me, Autumn would be 6 months long, and the rest of the year would be divided equally between Winter, Spring, and Summer. In the Arizona Deserts where I live, we have two seasons: Hot and Hotter. The leaves don't change until February. How I would love to live where there are 4 seasons - or at least a beautiful Autumn !!
Credits:
Template: August White Space Challenge Template by Heartstrings (foxinsocks)
Kit: Paisley by Vero

THANKSGIVING DAY 2014

What a wonderful time we had at Garrett and Amy's home Thanksgiving Day!
Full house.
Full tummies.
Full hearts.
There were 13 adults and 15 grandkids. We have so much to be thankful for!

ISO Apps used:
#projectlife - Becky Higgins
#rhonnadesigns - Rhonna Farrer
#BubbleFrameApp

So Very Blessed - 2010

Thanksgiving Day 2010 -
My eleven darling grandkids waiting patiently for their turkey dinner. (Notice their clothes are still clean!)

"So Very Blessed" by Scrapyrus Designs

IN SEARCH OF COLOR

On this day I decided to drive to Greer Arizona to look for "color" - fall leaves. Just out of Show Low I began to see bright yellow and orange dotting the hillsides. ASPEN!! I took a few off-road detours to explore and discovered a couple of lovely little lakes. When I finally reached Greer, I realized that the best color was toward Sunrise and Big Lake. So I quickly backtracked so as not to lose the light. It was a beautiful day!!

HAWLEY LAKE - AUGUST 2013

What a beautiful day it was at Hawley Lake! The summer rain clouds were rolling in. There was a lovely breeze that kept us cool and comfortable. And the scenery was spectacular!!

Credits: Beck Higgins' Project Life App

COUNTRY ROADS

Country Roads
Take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia
Mountain Mama
Take me home
Country Roads

~John Denver

AUTUMN - THE YEAR'S LAST LOVELIEST SMILE

Even though we don't have beautiful fall leaves where I live, I am thankful that I can search for "color" online and find an endless array of photographs that help to satisfy my craving for Autumn.

Credits: Becky Higgins' Project Life App

FALL IN SHOW LOW

Journaling:
November 2, 2014 - It's a beautiful fall day here in Show Low, located in the mountains of Northeastern Arizona. The weather changes constantly - overcast & rainy, blue skies & clouds, and then moments when the sun peeks out to shine brilliantly on yellow, orange and green leaves. How I love Fall in the mountains!!

Additional Note: I took these photos in our yard where we park our RV year-round in White Mountain Vacation Village. The weathered wood is the deck patio and the steps down to the storage shed. I love the look of the pine needles on the steps in this photo but not in reality. The needles are dirty and messy and a pain to rake up in the rock landscape and planters.

Credits: Becky Higgins' Project Life App

ONE OF THE MANY REASONS WHY I LOVE DIGITAL SCRAPBOOKING

I love the complete flexibility of digital scrapbooking. If I decide that there's something that I don't like on a scrapbook page, even years later, I can simply open the PSD file and change it. If the photo is a little dark - brighten it. If the word art is a little off balance - move it. If the page needs a border to bring it all together - add it. And that is exactly what I did on this layout of my sweet grandson, Reed (18mo), that I scrapped in 2009. 

Here it is five years (2014) (and for me quite a bit more digi expertise) later, and with just a few adjustments, this beautiful memory is BEAUTIFUL!!

INDIAN SUMMER

Fall is my favorite season. If it was up to me, Fall would be 6 months long, and the rest of the year would be divided equally between Winter, Spring and Summer. In the Arizona Deserts where I live, we have two seasons: Hot and Hotter. The leaves don't change until February. How I would love to live where there are 4 seasons - or at least a beautiful Fall!!

Credits: Indian Summer kit by Scrapyrus Designs

FALLING FOR YOU

15 October 2004 -
We love searching for fall leaves in the Arizona mountains. In the valley, the leaves don't usually change until after Christmas. We stayed a night in Flagstaff and then spent the next day taking photos of Garrett, Amy, Bailey(4) and Alex(2). The leaves were the prettiest on the NAU campus. They were already gone at Lockett Meadow where the aspens stood bare and still. It was a wonderful day!!

Hey Sucker!!

I am a sucker for this boy with his luscious milk-chocolate brown eyes, rosy red cheeks and his golden sun-kissed hair. And those expressions!! Whether it's dreamy, goofy, scary, or just plain sweetie . . . I love them all. OK!! I admit it . . . I can't get enough of this boy!!

(Which is best - the lighter or darker blue background paper?)

AZ SUNSET

09.08.11
i LOVE az sunsets!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Can you believe this Gorgeous Group of Grandkids?!! 

This was taken Thanksgiving Day a few minutes before dinner. 

(See - their clothes are still clean!!) Love these kids!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Rob, Melis, Reed & Quinci ~ Newport, California ~ 11/2009

Quinci - A Perfectly Ordinary Day

October 2009 - 10 months old

Just a perfectly ordinary day ~ Miss Q exploring her world

Trying new tricks ~ pulling up - sitting down

Being her adorable little self

Beautiful Quinici

Quinci - 18 months

Autumn Rose

REED at the DALLAS ARBORETUM - 2006

May your troubles be less, your blessing be more, and

nothing but HAPPINESS come through your door.

We Gather Together To Ask The Lord's Blessing

We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing;
He chastens and hastens his will to make known;
The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing:
Sing praise to his Name, He forgets not His own.

Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining,
Ordaining, maintaining his kingdom divine;
So from the beginning the fight we were winning:


Thou, Lord, wast at our side: all glory be Thine!
We all do extol Thee, thou Leader triumphant,
And pray that Thou still our Defender wilt be.
Let thy congregation escape tribulation:
Thy Name be ever praised! O Lord, make us free!

Words: Nederlandtsch Gedencklanck 1626;
Translation: Theodore Baker (1851-1934), 1894.Music: 1626 Dutch melody
Arrangement: Edward Kremser (1838-1914)

Nothing says "Thanksgiving" to me more than this hymn. As the temperatures "fall" and the calendar page is turned to November, I start humming this tune. The words are inspired and inspiring. In years past I would envision humble pilgrims bowing gratefully over their harvest meal and think, "What a lovely and wonderful tradition."

But now, as I study the words, a veil is lifted and a vision of that great "fight," even the War in Heaven between good and evil, is recalled to memory. And as I read the words in this light, the hymn has so much more meaning to me - for we are all, right now, in the thick of it. The fight is all around us and has been from the beginning. But with the Lord beside us, to guide us, the fight we ARE winning.

May we always remember and acknowledge Him, our Defender, our Leader Triumphant, who is the Source of all blessings, and who is the One and Only One who will make us free.

CHILDREN HANDS . . .

This is one of my favorite photos -

Garrett and Adam

Flagstaff AZ

10.07

SWINGING ADAM!!

Can you remember what it was like to swing high and touch the sky? Cute Adam's delighted expression helps me remember how it felt.

BEAUTIFUL DREAMER

This Beautiful Dreamer is my beautiful Bailey Sue, age 9 years.

Photo was taken October 17, 2009 in Flagstaff, AZ.

HAILEE - OUR LITTLE BUTTERFLY

Our little granddaughter, Hailee (age 6), is a precious, beautiful little girl. She rarely just walks but flits and flutters like a butterfly.


This was my first attempt at blending a photo with the background.

CHANGING COLORS - 2007

Can you believe it's September?!! Even though we are still having triple digits here in AZ, just the fact that it is the first day of September makes it feel cooler. There is a definite change in the air - or is it the slight shift in the way the shadows fall? Whatever it is, it is beginning to feel like Fall and I am giddy with anticipation of all that comes with the changing of the weather and the leaves.

The beautiful photos for this page were taken by Amy in 2007. Bailey was 7, Alex was 5 and Adam was 1. They found the beautiful leaves along Lake Mary Road when returning home after a day in Flagstaff.

You Are My Sunshine!

Postscript: I just had to change the title of this post. Little Adam is Sunshine persona. He lights up the room, he lights up my life. I love this little man!

July 4, 2008 - Durango Mountain Resort, Durango Colorado:

a golf club, a red ball & a quarter - treasures to a 2 year old.

Adam carried them everywhere and didn't want to give them up.

I am thankful for summer days, sunshine and grandchildren.

I am also thankful for digital design artists who share their talents freely and provide such lovely templates as this. Check out DesignerDigitals here.

The Many Faces of Reed Miles

Reed is so expressive. He pulls the funniest faces. The cute things he says and does make me smile. But his funny faces make me LAUGH! These "funny face fotos" of 4 years old Reed were taken Monday, July 20, 2009.

I am thankful for funny faces and LAUGHTER!!

BLESSED

October 2006~ This is a photo I took of Rob, Melis & Reed at the beautiful Arboretum in Dallas Texas. It is probably the loveliest park I have ever been too - and what a perfect day it was that day. I have this layout framed and hanging in my office at work. I find myself staring off at it and wishing I could step right into the photo and walk with Rob, Melis & Reed again.