Random thoughts and Scrapbooking...

Its autumn here in New Zealand and that seems quite normal to my American brain except when I remember its March, a typical spring month in the States.  I have really loved the fallish weather.  The crisp and cool mornings, bright sunny afternoons and then cool evenings.  Autumn has always been a favorite of mine.  The trees are just beginning to turn colors and I love seeing that.  I will say that I will miss visiting the pumpkin patch.  Picking pumpkins, apples, and a hay ride was always a favorite autumn activity of mine.  Just doesn't seem right without it.  Now, I could visit "the Pumpkin Patch"....a kid's clothing store just to say I'd gone but not quite the same.  This picture is from October 2009 when we visited a pumpkin patch in Iowa with my parents.  Both my brother's where visiting too so my niece Maisie is the extra pink hooded head poking out there.  I so wish we could all be together again, pumpkins or not.

Today's rainy/foggy/misty weather has reminded me that winter is not too far off.  And it provided some lovely pictures of the roses in my garden.  Love the raindrops on this one!

Yesterday was such a beautiful day I took the boys to the beach.  As always, just because the air was warmer doesn't mean the water is warm.  I even sat with a towel over my jean clad legs wishing I had grabbed my sweater before heading out the door.  But the cold water doesn't ever seem to bother the boys.  Aden had decided he was just going to dig this time and not get in the water.  Ummmm.....stay dry at the beach???  He ended up just as wet as his brothers.  :)

Last night we had our neighbors over and for dessert, I made the kids mini banana splits.  My mom gave me these dishes before we shipped our things here.  I belive they were my grandma's and they are all spring like colors.  They were packed with special care and the boys especially were thrilled that we used them for such a yummy treat.    I'm so thankful to have them with us here.

Last weekend,  I got just a little bit of scrapbooking done.  This layout I did for the challenge over at Scrapbookers Anonymous.  This month the challenge was to use at least 7 flowers on our project.  Well......let's just say I used a few more than 7.  In fact, I used 176 flowers on this layout!!  Yes, you read that right....one hundred and seventy six!!   Ages ago, I bought these paper flowers in the brides section at Michael's.  They are intended for down tables or in invitations.  Or in my case, a whole bunch of them glued onto a piece of paper results in a patterned paper of sorts.  They really were too bright so I painted over them and love the soft look that gave them.  I figured it was time to scrap last year's Easter photo since Easter is next month already!  Where has the time gone???

I also finished up this layout for the challenge over at Pencil Lines.  They provided the sketch for inspiration and this is what I came up with.  I just love this picture of Aron and Aden.  I know that one day Aden will become "the pesky little brother".  So for now I'm enjoying the relationship they share.

Well, I have another project I want to post but I'll save it for next time!  Or actually for the time after my first post with Frosted Designs.  I'm so excited to be designing for such a great group of ladies!  Oh, and tonight is my first....of many.....scrap nights held at my house.  Tonight I have 4 other ladies coming and I can't wait!  I'm sure I'll have a few projects from tonight that I'll want to post here as well.  Until then!!  :)