ScrapMatters Birthday Blog Train - Stop 17 of 39

(Rolling out the welcome mat) Hi everyone! Thanks for stopping by my blog - you should have arrived here from Mary's blog (www.plumdumplingdesigns.blogspot.com). We are celebrating ScrapMatters' first birthday in the happiest way possible. Giving out freebies, of course!

In my family, the birthday star gets to choose a non-traditional birthday cake (usually a yummy Marie Callender's pie or other not-so-birthday-ish treat) and a restaurant for dinner. We make all our gifts, in true "hybrid" form. Hybrid scrapping, that is.

Okay, I'm giving out TWO freebies.

The first one:

(click on image to download)

The second will be revealed at noon - so come back here for more! It's a fantabulous party hat template.

See you again in a few hours or so -

Your next stop on the Birthday Blog Train is Tater's blog: www.taterscraps.blogspot.com

Have fun! Remember, there are 39 stops total, all loaded up with freebies galore. :)

::edit::

This freebie is no longer available - thanks!





sweet little Abigail not included:



(click image to download)

Make sure you bling it up! And happy, happy birthday ScrapMatters.

Another hat for me - {and a freebie}

Recently I was asked to be hybrid team leader for ScrapMatters. No brainer - of course I said yes. :) Today I got to unveil the new hybrid blog line up on the team blog - check it out. The freebie I'm offering is actually posted there, and it looks like this:



Amanda, Abigail and I participated in a kids stationery mail swap, and I made notepads with scratch, recycled paper for the pirate-loving boys:






Don't forget to stop by tomorrow to pick up all the freebies in our blog train - we're celebrating ScrapMatters' first birthday in style! Go to the ScrapMatters team blog in the morning!

5K

For the second year in a row, the girls and I participated in the nation's largest 5K for women. I hope to make this an annual event for the three of us.

::recap::

We awoke to a balmy 61 degree morning, so I was hopeful that it would be a nice, temperate day to do a 5K with my daughters. It WAS a nice day overall, but was I wrong about the weather! As soon as the bus dropped us off near the starting line, we were deluged. Rained cats and dogs. Immediately, Amanda entered foul mood mode. But who could blame her? Waiting around in pouring rain is not my idea of a fabulous time. And she was so short that all she could see were other ladies' legs and shoes. And I couldn't help her at all because I had Abigail in a Kelty backpack the whole time, all 25 pounds of her.

Here we are awaiting the start (the photos are pretty poor quality, but can't ask for much from a point and shoot in extreme humidity):

Isn't Amanda's pout just adorable?

Bird's eye view of Amanda's situation - looking at legs and shoes:


Here is Amanda shortly after the crack of the gun:


By this point, Amanda was inconsolable. She kept blurting out threats: "If this rain keeps up, I'm quitting. Right now. Quitting." But then, I had the idea of talking to her about hot cocoa; I told her to imagine holding a cup of hot cocoa in her hands, and asked her what kind of marshmallows she wanted. Instantly, she perked up. Thank goodness! She then started joking about swimming in the hot cocoa. Strangely, I felt warmer after that little conversation. Our focus turned to the beautiful scenery we were passing by, and Amanda started holding my hand again. Abigail was passed out on my back by this time. We kept getting comments about how cute their matching raincoats were. :) Wish I had one too.

Look how many women walked with us:


Happier, now that the end is in sight:




Finished in 1:07:30!


Ahh, accomplished:


This race gave us a good opportunity to talk about how all good things in life take hard work, determination and a steely resolve to achieve them. Amanda said that she was glad she didn't quit. (what a lesson!!!)

We loaded back onto the bus heading home, soaked, shivering, tired, and accomplished. We took a hot bath and had chicken noodle soup when we got home. And yes, Amanda got her hot cocoa.

A little rain won't keep these women warriors down. Fun was had in huge doses!