Zoo Paper Bag Album Adventure

Hiya everyone! Well as you all know my son and I just recently went to the Zoo on his first Kindergarten field trip. You guys also know that I have started an new hobby making cards etc. Well now I am combing my trip to the Zoo with my son with my new found hobby!

I am in the process of making him a paper bag album. I thought it would be appropriate his first school field trip and my first venture into paper bag albums! I am no pro, but lord forgive me I am anal! So far I have gotten the base done, and the front cover. I started this yesterday and that is all I have done! Angelica typically doesn't sew and now she remembers why, it hurts her little alien prong fingers!!



Here is what the base looked like before I did the cover, this is the outside of the album.

Here is what the inside of the base looks like, which will be the inside cover and back inside cover of the album:






Now here is what the cover looks like:




hehehehh I may be a bit biast but I think it is adorable so far! Yes I know I am missing a center eyelet on the spine, well that is because I went the cheap way and bought the small version of the cropa a dile when I should of just spent the money on the bigger one. My little one can't reach the center hole!! So now I have to buy a big one to finish the eyelet. I tried using the smaller one, well let me tell u I had to through out that first base because it set both sides together so you couldn't open the album and I wasn't very happy!!

I am off to do some of the inner pages now, well after a trip to the store to find ink for my printer. I need to print off the pics so I can decide what I want to do on each page.......I told you I was anal!

Be Safe, Be Happy

Hugs! Angelica

Lions.....Tigers.........and Bears......Oh My!!

Well I can't believe that it is Friday already!?!? Where did this week go???? How is it that I find myself even busier now than when I had a full time job? Trucking kids from here to there, trips to the grocery store, it seems to suck your day away!! Makes me wonder how I did it when I worked full time because the trips to the grocery store where still there and so were all the mundane task of every day living. Hmmmm maybe that was why I was so grumpy back then!! Hehehe I can still get grumpy now, but not as much as before!

Well this week was also filled with a trip to the Zoo with my son Tristen's Kindergarten class!! I was mildly excited, after all 20 screaming, yelling and crying 6 year old in one big group puts my anxiety up!! Tristen however was VERY excited! He got to ride the bus for the first time. In the morning he got to go with brother to the bus stop and ride with brother to school! Typically I take Tristen to school as he is in afternoon kindergarten (oh and don't put your kids in afternoon kindergarten, let me tell u it make your day WAY less productive!). So he was excited to be a big boy and ride the bus with his brother Justin! He got on the bus with a little help from brother, like they say that first step is a doosey...hehehhe it was taller than his legs!!

In the meantime grandma and I were on our way to the zoo we wanted to be there on time as all the notes that were sent home said DO NOT BE LATE, so we left with plenty of time to get there. I am famous for getting lost..hehhehehe....even with navigation in my car! But we made it to the Zoo at 9am on the dot. Go figure I am on time and the bus ended up being 45 minutes late, yes we sat there for 45 minutes wonder where everyone was!!

Well come to find out we didn't have to stay with the group of twenty kids (my anxiety relaxed) we just had to check in with the teacher and get Tristen from her and we were free to roam the park! It was a really relaxing day. We saw some animals, but then Tristen found the play ground that has a slide. Needless to say mom and grandma sat on a bench for over an hour while he went up and down the one slide. He didn't want to leave the slide!!! We finally tore him away and went and looked at some more animals. Tristen is a hoot, he is very serious for a 6 year old, he asked what time it was and when we told him he said that we needed to leave at 12:15 as this is the time that teacher said we could leave. So at noon we decided to leave the zoo and we made it into the car at 12:14, he is like we are a minute early but that's ok mom......

Well all I can say is I would rather be walking around in the Zoo than telling someone why they can't qualify for a home loan! We all had a great time and Tristen was all smiles, so I say this week was a success. I am going to be trying my hand at a paper bag album which is an scrapbook of sorts. My first one will be about our Zoo trip! I am excited, I ordered some new stamps and a new cartridge for my cricut that is for animals and baseball. Tristen and Justin just started baseball. So Justine will be getting a baseball album made! Hehhe that is if the Zoo one turns out! Mom snapped a lot of pics at the Zoo so I have a lot to work with!! When it's done I will post it here on the blog so you all can have a peek!!

Be safe, Be happy!

Angelica

Spring is in the air....pass me a Rita

Well spring is in the air on my side of the world! I know those of you in the East or in the North are still in the big chill! Here in AZ though we are sunny and warm around 80 degrees!! Hehhe no "hating" please! If it makes you feel better I am recovering from the last cold of the winter season (I hope). It was a nasty one, kids really should be required to go to school or play area's in bubbles!!

So what do I like most about Spring and even summer...well besides the bright sunny days and the clear blue skies I love me a Rita aka a Margarita. There is nothing like this tart and salty drink....mmmmmm. Now a days you can get a rita in just about every flavor imaginable! I suggest the next time you are at the Cheese Cake Factory to request their Prickly Pear Rita, this is an awesome rita one of my fave's!!! It is a dark pink and has a slight sweet flavor!!

So I thought it fitting to share a recipe with you for a yummmy rita!! This one comes from one of my fave magazines Gourmet, it is for a Key Lime Margarita. A key lime are those mini little limes that you see in the grocery store, usually they are sold to you in a bag! These little gems pack a stronger lime flavor that there bigger relatives, so you will have a tart and damn tasty drink!

What you need (I suggest making a big batch, mixing drink while u have already had drinks.....not a good idea...hehehehe):

1 Key Lime that has been quartered and Kosher salt which will be used to rim the glasses (make sure it is the finer kosher salt not the big crystal one)

3/4 cups Cointreau or other orange flavored liqueur

1/2 cup reposado tequila (ok so I would suggest Patron Silver, it is my fave tequila it goes down smooth and doesn't have a harsh flavor, although I have never had reposado.....just don't do cuervo...eww.....)

1/2 cup fresh Key Lime juice (make sure u get two bags, don't want to run out of limes!)

2 tsp superfine granulated sugar (optional) they are suggesting supefine sugar because it will melt in to the drink quicker and won't get stuck at the bottom like regular sugar does when u put it in your ice tea!

Run a lime wedge around the rim of each of the 4 (6-8oz) glasses. Put salt on a small plate and dip glasses in salt to lightly coat rims.

Blend liqueur, tequila, juice and sugar in a blender until combined and serve over ice. Ok so you really don't need to bust out the blender for this, you can put all the ingredients into a shaker and do it that way! I would only bust out the blender if you are going to add ice and make them into slushy rita's!!

Well I hope you enjoy one of my favorite drinks this spring!! Nothing like laying out in the back yard with a pitcher of rita's sitting by you as you soak up the sun!!

Be safe, Be happy!!

** Hugs

Angelica