2 Sketches 4 You- Laura Sketch 31

I think Laura's sketch this week is so beautiful! I decided to use it to make another Christmas card...my second of the year so far. I really need to get myself in gear and get these done early so I'm not stressing when the holiday is close. I can't believe my proactive attitude...lol! My goal is to spend all of next week making them and just getting them done. I love making them right now while I have a little breathing room and don't feel pressured.

Drumroll Please.............................................!!!!!!!!!

Amanda will be serving her mission in...................................................................................................................................................................................Paraguay Paraguay Asuncion North Mission!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I retrieved Amanda's call out of the mailbox on Thursday. She, however, was out of town until Sunday! Waiting those four days was TORTURE! That envelope was screaming..."OPEN, OPEN, OPEN!!!!!!!!". I resisted temptation, although I'm pretty sure I have a few more gray hairs now, and waited for her to get home to open her call. Last night she opened her letter. A big crowd gathered to share her excitement. We are all so thrilled for her. She will be a wonderful missionary. She reports to the missionary training center on September 23 and will be there for nine weeks and then will fly to Paraguay. I would love to share with you all part of the letter she received with this call.

Dear Sister Nelson:

You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the Paraguay Asuncion North Mission....

The Lord will reward you for the goodness of your life. Greater blessings and more happiness than you have yet experienced await you as you humbly and prayerfully serve the Lord in this labor of love among His children. We place in you our confidence and pray that the Lord will help you become an effective missionary.

Thank you all so much for sharing this wonderfully joyful experience with our family.
There were no guesses that were spot on Paraguay, but three that were from bordering countries and one that was a broad guess of South America. After putting these into a hat...the winner of the blog candy is HazelQ. Hazel if you will email me your address at cheryljunegirl@hotmail.com I will send out your prizes to you! Thank you all again so very, very much!

2 Sketches 4 You- Kazan Sketch #31

I'm just lovin' the Kazan's sketch this week at 2 Sketches 4 You! Are you shocked?! lol! I truly do loooooooove them all. I made a birthday card with this week's sketch, but I also want to make some Christmas cards from it, too.

*On a side note- those who participated in guessing where my daughter might be serving her mission for our church...her call IS HERE!! SHE is NOT HERE, however...so the wait continues...it is unbelievably hard to wait...that letter is calling me saying...OPEN...OPEN! I'm being good, though. She gets home Sunday night and we'll have a little celebration here that night. I'll let you all know on Monday where she will be going. Thank you all for celebrating this special time with us!! hugs, Cheryl

Laura's Sketch 30 & Kim's bonus sketch at 2S4Y

Whew! I didn't think I was going to be able to get this one done this week. I had some out of town company at the first of the week and then was out of town myself the last couple of days. I'm so glad I was able to squeeze this one in and have now got the bonus sketch done, too. I LOVE them both!

Where in the World?! **Blog Candy**

My daughter has just put in all her paper work to serve as a missionary for our church. In approximately two weeks she will receive the call of where she will be serving. It could be 200 miles away or 2,000 miles away. Pretty much anywhere in the world that allows proselyting. The middle east and communist countries are about the only places she could not be called. It is an exciting time for her. I am so proud of her decision to take off 18 months of her life and dedicate her whole self to serving the Lord. I am a convert to our religion and I can not even describe the peace and joy I have found. To think that she can be an instrument in the Lord's hands to perhaps bring this joy and peace into someone else's life is such a happy thought. Wherever she serves, the love and goodness she radiates will be a force for so much good. So as a fun celebration, of sorts, I would love to share the joy our family is feeling with you. I would love to hear your guesses on where she will be called to serve. Just leave a comment on this post as to what your guess is and the person who is closest will receive the blog candy. You have about a week and a half to two weeks to leave your comment. The blog candy package is: Several sheets of patterned paper, an American Crafts modern album, We R Memory Keepers die cut journal pad, Sassafras Lass Borderline Stamps, Pink Paislee enchanting petals, Scenic Route chipboard, Kitchen Sink Stamps, Bo Bunny my Edgy album, Creative Imaginations book and EK Success Art Blanche book. I look forward to your guesses. In case of a tie, I will randomly draw a name out of a hat. Thank you for sharing this celebration in the life of my daughter with us!! Hugs, Cheryl

Try, Try Again...*2S4Y Kazan #30*

I wasn't completely happy with the card I made for this week's sketch over at 2 Sketches 4 You. I love the sketch, but just wasn't feelin' my card.......sooooo......I decided to play around a little and decided to flip the sketch and try my hand at something a little different. I like this one better I think. Isn't it amazing how versatile a sketch can be?

How NOT to celebrate 4th of July

I just wanted to document our interesting 4th of July. Unfortunately I wasn't feeling well, so after we had my daughter and her family and my in-laws over for BBQ, I went to lay down while everyone else was visiting. I had just fallen pretty sound asleep when my hubby came running in our room with a phone in his hand. My hubby is always really calm in a crisis, but I could tell from his voice that something was up and it startled me awake. As I glanced out the window I became fully awake. Flames were leaping up on our neighbor's yard 20 feet in the air. The wind was blowing and those flames were getting dangerously close to their roof. I am truly thankful their roof was tile...if had not been...i'm pretty sure it would have caught on fire. Neighbors and people passing by stopped and helped. Things were pretty well under control, thank goodness, when my daughter grabbed the camera. While I had been sleeping, my son-in-law was giving a firework demonstration and the wind apparently picked up a still smoldering inside of the firework and caught those dry bushes on fire. Scary. We can laugh about it now, but it was a little crazy for several minutes.

2S4Y Kazan #30 and Bonus Sketch

Loved both Kazan's sketch and the bonus sketch over at 2 Sketches 4 You. I never cease to be amazed at all the inspiration I receive over there. I also just want to give a shout out to the amazing Sankari for winning the Ultimate Card Showdown!! Her cards were WOW!!! Everyone who participated had such fabulous entries. Thank you all for supporting me and leaving me such kind comments! Hugs, Cheryl

For the Love of Cuteness!

Just wanted to share a few photos of the grandbabies. We were able to tend them for a few days last week when my daughter and son-in-law took a little second honeymoon. They left yesterday and I miss them already. Luckily I will get to see them in another week. More pics to come, but here are a few for now.

2S4Y Ultimate Card Showdown Final Card!!!!!

Ohhhhhhh my...I can't believe I'm even posting that I have a card for one of the Top Five positions in 2 Sketches 4 You Ultimate Card Showdown!! Wow!! I'm so honored to be included with the rest of these amazing card makers. I thought it would be appropriate to make a thank you card this week, as I soooooooo want to thank Laura and Kazan, all the sponsors and judges and the fantabulous card makers who have participated in this event!! Thank you all so very much! You have made this such a fun challenge. I'm not sure if I loved making the cards for the challenge more or viewing all the beyond wonderful creations submitted by everyone. I've been too scared to view the other cards submitted for the top five so far. I will after I post. Such talent!! Such incredible talent!! I can't wait to just post this and go bask in the wonderfulness of what everyone else has done. The first picture posted is the front of the card, the second picture is of the front of the card opened up, and the third picture is the inside of the card. So with that...thank you all again so very, very much!!!