Grandma Rejected Dillinger!

Yes!  It is true.  John Dillinger spent some time in Fargo, ND and Moorhead, MN where my Grandmother's family lived for a season.  Many immigrants from Sweeten and Germany were in the area. Grandma's family would eventually end up in Ashkum, IL but even as youth I remember visiting extended family in Fargo.  The Red River runs up (yes, it is true) and the fields of sunflowers were amazing to watch turn with the sun.  It was a beautiful place in the warm months. We won't talk about the winters.

Grandma's brother, Frank, worked building roads on a "steam engine". He met a young John Dillinger and found his fast cars and attitude fascinating.  Grandma was not so impressed.  She thought he was trouble and she was right!  She'd dance with him - but that was as far as it was going to go.  Thank goodness- I would not relish him in my family tree.

Oh Bubba...

Allow me to introduce Bubba...he is an English Bulldog.  

Glory Hallelujah!

Bubba is a character!  There is nothing delicate about him - except maybe his digestive system.  He could have been named Hoover.  I've never seen an animal inhale food like he does.  He belongs to our dearest friends so we see him often. 

He was the cutest puppy.  How do you not love that face? His personality is a bit like a bull dozer but he really does love people.  He makes me laugh just looking at him.  He isn't a year yet so we are still enjoying watching him grow. Never a dull moment with Bubba. 

Freedom Isn't Free

Happy Memorial Day weekend.  This layout is a reflection on where we stand today - 10 years after the day our world stood still on 9/11 2001.  My boys were so little and today they are men.  In 1995, we were a family that had the USAF chaplain arrive at the door with the news that my sister had died of unknown causes at Kadena Air Force Base in Okinawa, Japan...2 weeks before her wedding day.  We had to cancel a wedding and plan a funeral in a week. I have still not put the whole experience into words - because there are no words.

When words fail - that is where a 21 gun salute and the bugle corps playing Taps spoke volumes about service, honor and sacrifice.  The last 21 months of her life - we did not get to see her or hug her.  Still - God in his wisdom - gave her the love of her life in that season.  A good and loving man to make her last days the sweetest of her life.  He put her in a situation where she ministered to the brokenhearted and healed those around her with her generous spirit.  I know because those she touched told the stories.   When I see a flag - my mind is taken to the soldier handing that folded representation of her service in the Air Force and her sacrifice to be away from home in what we did not know would be the last days of her life.

Hold those you love close.  Forgive. Pray for a soldier.  Love without reservation for we know not the day we have left.

Watching Grandpa...

This picture of my Grandpa Lindgren is from the 70's .  It was over-exposed and my cousins almost pitched it...but knowing my love of photos they didn't.  I am so glad.  I love how this layout turned out.  The almost ghostly presence of my Grandfather makes me smile. I know he is in heaven - but I like to think that my earthly prayer warrior is keeping me covered in prayer until we are reunited. 

You can see the adoration as my brother gazes at him.  What a great man he was.  We loved him - and he loved us back with all that he had in him. I inserted the older photo because even in his early days...the engineer stripe bibs were his daily uniform for farming. Oh the memories.

Cousin Brother and Cousin Sister

The LayOut A Day (LOAD 512) was to journal from another's perspective.  I thought Harley and her Cousin/Sister pictures was a perfect opportunity.  The kids run when the camera comes out and now...so do the dogs.  Harley is tolerant but I swear he rolls his eyes.  Belle was hilarious and it was as challenging as small children. I eventually gave up but the shots I did get seem to tell the story.  


This was a great opportunity in the hidden journaling behind Harley's picture to tell the "Cousin Brother/Cousin Sister" story of how we adopted litter mates at a family reunion making siblings into first cousins.  They obviously picked up different looks from their Norwegian Buhound mother and Boxer/Lab father.  


The layout is not my favorite piece of art but it is a story captured and in the albums and the whole philosophy in LOAD is "I am so past perfect!"  Happy Sunday. 


My Jill (the sister God gave me outside of family...that has become family) has her youngest graduating from HS today.  Another reminder of how fast time flies and how blessed we are to have the gift of each new day. 

Our Babies...

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!  This was a great time to make a layout on our babies.  They are all growing up and older.  Even Harley will be 8 this summer.  Time flies! The layout is from a sketch and worked to help create another fast page.  I am really getting more scrapped - as I am focus on getting it done instead of getting it perfect. Enjoy your day!

"Sense-ible" Scrapping- Touch

Lain Ehmann's prompt for Friday's during LayOut A Day is "Five Senses Friday".  I love this for the sheer opportunity to scrapbook the feelings beyond the pictures.  More opportunity for words...and I do love words. Touch was the assignment - and "the touch the feel of cotton...the fabric or our lives" was a commercial from the cotton growers several years back. Weehoo!

I thought about the picture and couldn't resist pulling out this old beach photo from Daytona Beach 2010 with the Smith family. We were all wearing cotton...and the sand was squishing between our toes. The moment had a great deal of sense appeal.

Scrap something you touch or feel today.
Happy Scrapping

Tradition...6+ layout

I am relishing the LayOut A Day (LOAD 512) because the focus is on getting the pages made and in your album.  When it comes to my scrapbooks- I am an artist looking for the perfect layout when I am done.  That is great when I have all day to work on one layout - but in my REAL LIFE - I am a busy girl and have much to get done. So thanks Lain, Dani, Elin Janne and Lisa for the inspiration to get it done!

This is last years Easter pictures...some are even the "seconds" but since the assignments was 6 or more photos - it was a group I had in my stash to fit the criteria.  Since I am also done Blake's memory album for his graduation party (May 19th) time is not something I have a ton of to spare.  I did hand journaling (because it is hidden...I know I am bad but I am a perfectionist.)

Please note Mom's sister (child #5), Aunt Helen.  It is our joy and privilege to have her on holidays.  She is dear to our hearts.  She is the kid that never mentally grew up - having survived spinal meningitis as a baby.  She has worked at the CWTC for handicapped people for nearly 40 years. She loves her family - loves her work people and loves to "vacation in Morton.".  I learned a great deal about being joyful for the simple things from her.  She is precious!

Happy scrapping my friends.
Valerie

My Human...

Harley is the love of my husband's life.  Here is a layout that shows the special love they share. 

Dogs are such a wonderful addition to any family.  Harley is really a sweetie and well behaved.  His tongue is long and his tail could be licensed as a weapon, but he is a gentle giant. 

The Soundtrack of My Life

This was my Layout A Day Assignment:"Do a layout surrounding your sense of hearing."  I was instantly taken to music... and from that came the "Soundtrack of My Life" idea.  I have so much music in my life, in my world and in me.  This was a quick one pager -and I barely had room for a photo :) - but sound isn't about pictures, anyway.  It is about the images in my head created by the music.  


Seriously, I could re-do this idea next week and change the songs simply by remembering different aspects of my life, but these worked for this particular week.  Do we often think about the impact of the music in our world?  I don't think so. It does move us, motivate us and can change a mood.  It can make us feel reflective, powerful or sentimental.  Music is the language of the soul and I know heaven will be filled with it. 


Happy Sunday!

Happy National Scrapbooking Day

This is our day!  The day scrapbookers around the world will devote to our hobby and our passion for preserving memories.  There is no right our wrong way to tell your story.  I am a fan of photo safe products, but outside of that...just have fun.  

I am on Day 5 of LOAD 512 (Layout a Day) with Lain Ehmann and am having a great time.  She is funny and inspiring.  Her "Scrapper on the Street" works with my SIL Jan at Disney.  They are blessed to have each other. Jan invited me to take the journey with her and since I have a graduation book to get done for my Blake (not my son by birth but very much a nephew of my heart)- I knew I would need the inspiration of other scrappers.  I am having a fantastic time - but oh is my scrapcave a mess!  You all know that I can't be neat and creative.  The rest of the house is in order...but I am in creative chaos and I couldn't be more pleased.  

Have a great day scrapping or making memories. 

No Photo Challenge

The Layout A Day with Lain E. is going to be a challenge to keep up with. Of course - a "no photo" challenge was an opportunity to do a page I have been meaning to do about our faith and values. It was fun to create. I never run out of words...just layout space. :)

I joined a "Layout A Day" scrapbook project with my Sister-in-Law Jan. It is fun to do it together when we live so far apart. The Day one assignment was a self portrait. Those are not my favorite assignments-but I am seldom in the scrapbooks - so this project may take me outside of the box. I should have plenty to share this month. I hope I can juggle it all with the business of May. :)