Please keep Virginia Tech in your prayers.

I am in shock and so heartbroken over the massacre that happened yesterday at Virginia Tech. My husband is from VA and so we have family there who in turn have friends and family who work, attend and are VT alumni...not to mention close friends of ours who are also alumni and Hokies to the core with friends and family who work and attend there as well. I can not even fathom what makes someone do something so evil. I can't help but wonder to myself...What is wrong with this world?! I wonder what I have brought my children in to?! I almost feel guilty for bringing them into so much evil and tragedy...every day all over there is so much hatred and senseless violence...and for what?!

My youngest sister is heading off to college this fall and I can't help but worry. I had a hard time letting my kids out of the car this morning for school. As a parent I can only imagine the heartache the parents of the victims must feel...I can only think it is such a helpless feeling.

Please keep Virginia Tech in your prayers...and maybe say a prayer for safety and peace in this world.

Meet Tiger Lily

Say hello to Tiger Lily...our new baby girl! We just adopted her last night. She is 9 months old and just the sweetest thing. She cuddled up to us all and then we were hooked! She has yet to even make a sound...unless you count sneezing. (She is getting over a bit of cold.) I'm starting to think she doesn't know how to "meow"! LOL! Alyson is especially excited because Tiger Lily is still small enough so that she can carry her around. We found her almost by accident really. We were all set to adopt another kitty and then Steve came across a few that were separated from the others since they were getting over colds and knowing my soft spot for calicos he called my attention to her....and I just fell in love. One way or another I knew she was coming home with me! The kids seem to be pretty smitten with her as well and of course Steve would probably bring them all home if he could! LOL! She already had the name Tiger and so we decided to make her Tiger Lily since it sounds a bit more feminine and sweet.
She is slowing getting to know her way around but seems to be adjusting well...and I think we are all excited to have a new fur baby...Lenox is so missed.

Happy Easter

Yeah, I am a couple days late but we had a busy few days. Hope you all had a Happy Easter and enjoyed time with your family. We actually spent time at my parents' house with my brother and sisters, my brother's girlfriend and also Annika my parent's exchange student from Germany (she would be the one in the black hair that we are holding up in one of the pics!)

The kids had great time hunting eggs and we even had Annika out hunting eggs with them so that she could experience a traditional american easter...she was a great sport about it. She is such a fun person!

Of course we couldn't resist a chance to take lots of pics while we were all together as well but I only posted a few here...my parents with the kids, a little family photo of the four of us (it is the only decent one and of course my little ham of a son is giving the camera a funny face!) and then one of me with my brother and sisters and Annika!

My family also celebrated my birthday with me which was on the 7th. I turned 34...hard to believe since I still feel like an insecure teenager at times. I look at Stevie and Alyson some times and can hardly believe they are really mine! LOL! My youngest sister actually decorated my birthday cake for me which I loved...of course my brother and other sister had to give her a hard time about it and said it looked like Mickey "Bear" rather than Mickey Mouse...but I loved it and was so touched!

I can't believe I caved!

So anyone who really knows me knows how much I {heart} anything Disney and am hesitant to say anything negative about Disney...but I have never been a fan of the whole autograph thing and DH and I have been able to steer our kids clear of it...until now. Alyson has been hounding us for weeks about getting the character's autographs next time we go to Disney. Yesterday we spent the day at the Magic Kingdom with some friends who were in town from PA. I managed to hold the kids off until the end of the day before we actually bought the autograph book - with the crowds there was no way they were getting anywhere near the characters. Then as we were heading out over to the right was Mr & Mrs Easter Bunny with almost no line at all -- needless to say the kids were ripping the plastic wrapping off the autograph books at they were running to get in line. Who knew that simple "signature" could be such a thrill! Stevie and Alyson just stared and marveled over those two signatures almost the whole ferry ride back to the parking lot! Even though I still dislike the whole autograph thing I guess I am going to have to just suck it up and deal with it since they are both already planning out the autographs they want next...oh well, at least that means I will get more pictures to scrap!

The Paper Place Scrapbooking Community

April 1st brings our first sketch challenge over at The Paper Place Scrapbooking Community now that the new Design Team has taken over! We are planning lots of new and fun things and we would love to see some new faces come and play with us! We love making new friends!

April 2007 Sketch Challenge:
http://www.paperplacescrapbooking.net/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=2514

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

www.paperplacescrapbooking.net