Dinner Tonight: Tortellini Florentine Soup

As much as I try to plan my dinners in advance, my plans don't always work out in the summer. Tonight was prime example of this as I pondered my dinner options at 6pm. So I fell back on one of my tried and true quick dinners - Tortellini Florentine Soup. Yes, soup in the summer. OK, probably not the best idea in this heat but hey, we're in air conditioning anyway. Its quick, easy, delicious, and even the kids eat it.

Camp Thank You Cards

End of camp this week so that means small gifts and cards for the girls' counselors. I made these quick cards using the only summertime type stamp I had and the girls will sign their names to a short note I write.

Baby Album Finally Finished

Finally finished my niece's 1st year baby album and am very excited to present it to my sister this coming weekend! I made my nephew's album two years ago in an 8x8, one photo per page style. I wanted to include more pictures in hers so I did a 12x12 using the gift album formula in the Dec 2009 Creating Keepsakes issue.

Here are a couple of pages from her album...I'm really pleased with how it turned out. Isn't she a cutie?

Ella Inspiration Chain

I completed this layout "Finally Friends" as part of the Ella Inspiration Chain which inspired me to update my long abandoned blog.

From the last link of the chain, I was inspired by the hand drawn box & notebook paper but used shaped paper with gridlines instead. I also loved the placement of the title and journaling which I also used in my layout.

Here's to being inspired to create again and to keep posting my creative pursuits on my blog more often as well!

Today

Outside my window...my azalea bushes are blooming bright pink.

I am thinking...about my "free" afternoon with the girls when we have no outside activities scheduled and who to vote for in the Board of Education elections today.

I am thankful for...the warm weather approaching and the good friends we have who make being a stay at home mom enjoyable.

From the kitchen...chicken noodle soup for me for lunch, cheese quesadillas for the girls. Brown sugar meatloaf and grilled asparagus for dinner.

I am wearing...camel cords, a striped long sleeve Gap T, and flip-flops (not the most flattering outfit but very comfortable.

I am creating...some cards for Operation Write Home, a sign for the girls room, and my section pages for my Library of Memories albums.

I am going...to go grocery shopping, pick up Syd, and meet with a new babysitter this afternoon.

I am reading...The Help by Kathryn Stockett. Also listening to it on audio. So good.

I am hearing...the girls whispering as they play.

Around the house...its a little messy. Need to clean up lunch. Red tulips on the dining room table but on their way to drying up. A basket of laundry waiting to be folded and a hunk of ground beef waiting to be transformed into yummy meatloaf.

One of my favorite things...are tulips. I have my week-old red tulips on the dining room that still make my happy despite the fact that they are drying up.

A few plans for the rest of the week...playdates with friends, Syd's last gymnastics class this spring, helper day tomorrow at preschool, delivery of the bunk beds, and the start of my new online BPS class.