"It's a Movie Star"

While I was taking care of the boys I was working on some old photos. Caden was looking over my shoulder and reading as I typed. I told him that Munce was my Granddad's name and my Mom's name and Caraway was my last name before I got married. (He thought the names were kind of funny) He said is that you (the baby) with your mom? I told him yes and pointed to my senior photo and asked, "Do you know who that is?"

Without hesitation he replied, "Yes, a Movie Star!!"

What could I do? After I picked myself up off the floor from laughing I just gave him a big hug and let him continue to think that, yes, it was a Movie Star!

Grammie duties

I just finished my 9 day stint with the Flynn boys. What fun! I've said to several people that visiting with my grandchildren without parents is a wonderful experience. It is a whole different experience than with parents. It gives the kids a chance to shine! It demonstrates all of their good home training. The boys were well behaved and we enjoyed each others company. Even though Bek and Curt were gone for 10 days the boys didn't seem to get to homesick for them. I guess that is a good sign that not only are they comfortable in their home life, but they are also comfortable with their Grammie!


It was very fortuitous that I was with them for this last lesson of Digi:in Deep over at JS.com. Bek couldn't believe the photo shots I got of the boys. "How did you get them to sit for you?" Must be grammie-powers! The funny part is that by the time I got the email about the photo assignment, the boys were already going in every different direction: Tadhg was going on a camping trip with the scouts, Caden was home and Brock was with his friend Quade for the afternoon. So I got two shots of Tadhg before he went camping and got Caden and Brock the next day. Well, then I needed to 'shop them together. I am very pleased with my results. Tadhg is 'shopped in behind Caden & Brock together. Bek agreed that perhaps that was the easiest way to get 3 good faces in one photo!!

I've been slow in completing this double page layout, I'm sure in part, because I know that this is the last class. I have learned so MUCH! I have really enjoyed this class- probably more than the Now We're Rockin'. Who knows, maybe I will need to go take some classes at one of the local Universities in graphic design! Might be fun!

So tomorrow, after another Riley visit today (layouts coming soon to a blog near you), I will need to make that long trek home (I dread that trip!!!) It will be nice to be back home with my own little family.

Joanie's Little Crisis

This weeks assignment started on Saturday... yup, not the normal Monday. We were supposed to take a self-portrait in the mirror. I was struggling from the very beginning! I still was sick with bronchitis (well, getting over it), had driven 650 miles in that *weakened* state, and was tired and cranky, and just a tad-bit whiny!

I must have taken 50 photos all over the place: the backyard, the kitchen, the bathroom. Argh... all I could see was a pirate eye (arh me matey!) and Relief Society arms!! Not a pretty sight.

Pauline dragged me out to see the poppies... yes, I am ashamed to say, she had to drag me (remember: tired, cranky, whiny?) That was just the tonic I needed to happy up... happy little flowers!!

While I was out there I saw my shadow on the poppies and thought, "I'm a rebel... I'll take a photo of my shadow on the poppies and nuts with the mirror!!"

When I came back I went to the JS forum and found some good suggestions for the mirror self-portrait, got it in only a few shots and was ready for part two, scanning my fingerprint (which went much easier... how hard is it to stick your finger on an ink pad and then on paper??)


Monday found me busily working with the photo here at Bek's house. I'm very pleased with the results. But tonight I wanted to play around with those rebel photos I took almost a week ago in the poppy fields. I am equally pleased with those results! Happy day!

California Poppies

Being a 3rd generation Californian I gained a real appreciation for this happy little flower that is our State Flower. In Northern California we would only see them in happy little clumps along side the country roads we drove so I was totally unprepared for the grand show that is staged each spring in the Antelope Valley.

In all my years living in Palmdale (23 to be exact) I never tired of seeing the California poppies each spring. Gordon worked for most of those years in air traffic control at various facilities. He would get pilots who would ask what the carpet of orange was.

This year is one of the special treats desert-rats get when there are plentiful spring rains creating a marvelous profusion of poppies to be enjoyed. I can't even imagine how many millions of little flowers are required to all bloom at once to create this dramatic landscape.


I was lucky enough to time my trip to CA (for Grammie duties)at the peak of the season. Pauline and I went out to enjoy the poppies on Saturday. What a lift is was for my tired soul to see God's handiwork. How grateful I am for eyes to see!

I'm feelin' Bettah!

I realized several days ago, after being sick for three weeks with a cold that that turned into bronchitis that I've been remiss in posting several pages...


The journaling in this one tells the whole story, or as much as I want to tell here.



This LO is the product of a Saturday challenge from my DID class. The assignment was to do a still life. When I started editing the photos I realized I had a photo of a wasp. How cool is that?
With being sick I am hopelessly behind. Now I am going to CA for Grammie-duties with the Flynn boys. I may never catch up!

Ashton's Day to Shine

One of the best parts about our move to Utah 3 years ago is that we are now closer to some of our grandchildren (unfortunately, the others are all much too far away!)

Last August as we anticipated Ashton's baptism I asked her if she would like me to make her second white dress. (There is a poem about "my 3 white dresses"- blessing, baptism and wedding). She was very excited at the prospect of having some input into this second white dress. We went to JoAnn's Fabrics one day and looked at all the pattern books until she found the dress that just suited her. It is interesting, if I had been choosing, I would have gone frilly, but Ashton knows her style, and well, she just isn't a frilly! She choose a darling two-piece dress with princess lines in the bodice and big Renaissance bell-sleeves.


The day of her baptism it snowed and it made the perfect backdrop for her photo-op! She danced and twirled in the snow for the camera. It was wonderful to be with her on her special day.

I love the fact that I can be a real part of my grandchildren's live... that is the joy of being a grandparent.

Fur-Covered-Sack-of-Trouble

When Buddi first came to live with us Gordon said she was a fur-covered-sack-of-love, and it was so true... but now that we have Harley we both readily admit that he is a fur-covered-sack-of-trouble! If there is mischief, he can usually find it!

This day Pauline forgot to close her bedroom door when she went to shower. Pretty soon I can smell this minty-smell and I think that P has used something fun in the shower. I called to ask her what it was, and as I looked I was met with powder... all down the hallway, down the stairs, across the dining room, through the front room and onto the back of the couch (Harley's favorite place to watch the neighborhood!) I honestly don't know how he could make such a mess with only a travel-size container of powder... but he sure did! It even filtered down to the family room and was on the TV table!


Of course, he was so cute I had to take take photos of him with his powdered-bum and his mess. He came back into my work room after I'd cleaned up the couch and gave me this very innocent face... YEAH! I'm not falling for it!

As long as this is a Harley post I have to comment on just how different dog personalities are. I don't know why it never occurred to me before, but they are just a different as people. Harley, being a boy (well, technically a boy) has decided that he is going to hang with the boys. I always go to bed before Gordon. Amber and Buddi always went to bed at the same time I did. But this only lasted about a month with Harley. Now he comes upstairs with me to "check out" what I am doing and the high-tails it back downstairs to stay up half the night and party with Papa! Ahh, but when he comes to bed with Papa he doesn't want to sleep with Papa (Papa doesn't allow snuggling). He will walk to my side of the bed, to within inches of my head, and stare at me. Well, he has be well trained, I lift up the covers and he scoots in, turns around so his head is out and snuggles right in.

Funny little dog.

Total Coolness... digi: in deep

Yesterday was the first day of the new Jessica Sprague class Digi: in Deep! WOW! FREAKIN' AWESOME! (Let's see what other Valley-Girl slang can I come up with?) I am SO impressed with just the first lesson! What an amazing teacher. I absolutely love this class! I just keep stopping the video and saying "WOW"! What a wonderful technique! Well, you get the point!

I am very pleased with this newest foray into digital scrapbooking. Makes me wonder what I am going to do with all of my paper supplies!


I was so excited about the class that I forgot to write about the LO. These photos were taken in August 2005 when Camille and I were visiting Rebekah. I just love to watch these two silly girls together. They have so much fun! I can always count on them to be cooking up something, usually with just a little mischief involved. I am so grateful that they, like me, have a wonderful sister relationship.