Meet Jackson

There's a new addition to the Hardy Household.
His name is Jackson and he is adorable.

Sofie Dog is an awfully sweet Big Sister to him, letting him nap on her every now and then.
I am a little sleep deprived from crate training him at night, but the love we all have for him makes up for it.
Of course, I know that I will be busy documenting (read: scrapbooking) the love we have for our dogs.
Stay tuned!

She's Crafty

Without further ado ... let me share the scrapbook pages I created at MMU's 2010 Summer Retreat.
Warning: I am totally in love with Maya Mists and my sewing machine!

GHOSTBUSTERS






you & me & NYC (Used Studio Calico's Documentary line)


Us.


Peace Out


Lucky Number 9


MT LEMMON (Hidden journaling under the tags)


Family Faves


TUSD Champs



I'm excited to put them in my scrapbooks. I suspect that a couple of these may be framed and displayed. Eric & Jake are really loving the track team page I made. (How sweet is that!)

It's Been Too Long ...

Giggling to myself as I read the date of my last blog update.
It's been one year, almost to the date since I blogged. Whoops.
My favorite blogs have inspired me to return.

Back in May, we traveled to Las Vegas for my cousin Michael's wedding. It was so much fun to see my family.
I love my cousins. We are a crazy fun bunch!




Eric & Jacob have been busy swimming again for the Catalina Terrace Marlins.
Chris & I are always in awe of their athleticism and drive to constantly improve their skills.
The most wonderful change since last summer is that Michael has recently learned how to swim.
We can't get him out of the water.

At the end of June, we decided last minute to head north up to Phoenix to catch some Inter League play between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the New York Yankees. It was a great little trip. We got to the stadium early to watch the Yankees stretch and warm up. The boys scored an autograph from Yankee pitcher Joba Chamberlain too!





We also staycationed this last weeked at the JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort. Making Memories Unforgettable hosted it's annual Scrapbook retreat. It was double fun for me as I was able to craft AND spend time with my family by the pool.
Chris & I were able to hang out both Friday and Saturday late night. What kind of food lover would I be if I didn't share a photo of one the appetizers Chris ordered? They were Sliders + Bacon + Pico de Gallo. A winning combination, if you ask me. I tried the chicken and nopal salsa tacos. Nopales are cactus. And they are delicious. Sadly, I devoured them before remembering to snap a photo.





One of my personal highlights of the Staycation/Scrapbook Retreat was that I completed *ELEVEN* 12x12 scrapbook pages! It was exhilarating to scrapbook some of my very favorite photos over the last year. Just for fun. Just for me. It's a cloudy evening here, so I will wait for better light to photograph my pages to share. Stay tuned crafty friends!

07.08.09

Giving in to updating the blog just for the pure fun of typing 07.08.09.
Hey, I'm a numbers girl ... I couldn't let the opportunity pass.
Summer is FLYING by.
Eric & Jake are almost done with Swim Team at Catalina Terrace
For it being their first year on the team, they are doing fantastic!
Chris & I (& our entire family) are so proud of the swimmers they've become since April.




Mr. Michael has been taking swim lessons intermittently throughout the summer.
He is still afraid to go underwater.
I've dunked him a couple of times (while holding him) only to have him scream bloody murder.
I'm sure he will need counseling as an adult due to the trauma I've inflicted.
Here's a "happy" memory ... Mike's school had a Mother's Day Tea waaay back in May.




While I'm afraid to type my next thought, I simply cannot ignore it.
Eric & Jake both have legions of girls who have little crushes on them.
I'm in for it. Can't blame the girls. Eric & Jake are funny, charming, smart, and can tan.
Everything a girl could want.
Ok. I'm biased. I have that right ... I'm their Mom!

Work is going great. Still love my job. Pretty sure that I always will! I feel lucky everyday that I look forward to going to work, even if it's just part-time.
We have AMAZING customers. One in particular, Sandra, always brings homemade cookies to share with us while she scrapbooks. Her cookies are the softest, yummiest cookies around!
(That's saying a lot, since I don't usually have a sweet tooth!)
She even shared the recipe to my favorite with me. Though if you know me well, you know that I am NOT a baker. But still, isn't that sweet?

YES .. believe it ... an UPDATE!

shame on me, i know.
neglecting the 'ol blog.
thank goodness blogspot is free, otherwise the guilt of not updating would really kill me.
(like back in my typepad days). LoL.

been busy with the same 'ol, same 'ol.
you know.
PTO volunteering, driving the boys around to their various social gatherings.
i am still working and teaching at making memories unforgettable.
and still LOVING it.

here are some pics from the last few weeks.
nothing like some spring training sunshine!



bare feet + baseball. a perfect day for a 4 year old.



cotton candy delight.
clearly, his love of cotton candy comes from his mama!



and look at eric.
quite the budding self-portrait taker.
(this is a talent inherited from dad).



and here are eric, jake, and their friend andy sportin' the 3D glasses.
took them to see coraline in 3D awhile back.



at first, i don't think they were too keen on the idea of seeing it.
you know, because the movie revolves around a little GIRL!
oh, the horror!
but they actually enjoyed it.
i loved it.
it was a gorgeous film.

ok.
i can check "BLOG GUILT" off my list.
the relief feels A-W-E-S-O-M-E.
leave me some comment love people.

For Good Measure ...

Some photos:


It was pretty dang cute that Halloween this year had a "theme".


This is just plain proof of how Mike gets away with everything.
Just look at that face!


I can't resist.
I don't know if you can see it, but he is over-the-moon happy!
This was taken on the morning of his birthday party at the park!

M.I.A

those should be my new initials, eh?
yes. yes. i'll give my hand a slap for ya!
but i'm BACK. i'm ready to recommit to this here blog.



here's the breakdown.
these past few months have been a whirlwind of activity.

my baby Mike turned 4.
check.

my middle baby Jake, turns 8 in oh... 11 days!
check.

i am the secretary for the PTO at Eric's school.
hence a steady flow of meetings & volunteering.
check.

i am working & teaching at my lss, Making Memories
crazy, ridiculous fun.
check.

chris is officially OFF probation for Tucson Fire.
oh YEA baby.

and last, but not least, i've been getting off my ass the last 5 weeks.
to do what, you ask?
WORK OUT.
my body is pretty much in a constant state of soreness.
and I LOVE IT.

and to top it all off, i am feeling totally BITTEN.
excited for the Twilight premier this friday.
but also secretly sad.
i much prefer my imagination, thank you.

so, talk to me girls. (most especially Girlah's).
tell me you'll forgive my absence.
and welcome me back.
i've missed you.