Scrapper's Bliss will have a Celebrity Guest every month for the rest of 2006. We are thrilled to tell you that our very first guest will be CATHY ZIELSKE!!!

Join us live and chat with Cathy Z on April 12th at 8pm CST (until about 9:30pm). She also has a fabulous challenge for all of the members and designers at www.ScrappersBliss.com. (see site for details)

We also have an A2Z Essentials Layout Contest going on. Post your favorite layouts using any of the gorgeous A2Z Essentials products in "April's Contest" section of our gallery by midnight (PST) on April 25th. You may enter as many layouts as you like. All layouts will be judged on the best overall use of A2Z Essentials. The owners of A2Z have generously donated all
prizes and they will be assisting the Bliss Girls in judging this contest. The winners will be announced on Sunday, April 30th.

The 1st Place Winner will receive a whopping $50 in A2Z Essentials & coordinating Bazzill products, as well as the "July 2006 Designer of the Month" spot at A2Z Essentials! 

The 2nd Place Winner will receive $35 in fabulous A2Z Essentials & coordinating Bazzill products!

The 3rd Place Winner will receive $25 in fabulous A2Z Essentials & coordinating Bazzill products!

It's official. The Carter Family Adventure Team loves Disneyland and California Adventure!! The boys were excited as soon as we got on the parking lot tram. Once inside, we stopped off at the Tiki Room on our way to lunch. Cole was in awe. He loved all of the singing birds and tikis, but the thunder scared him a bit. We had lunch at Club 33 and the kids loved ringing the secret doorbell and riding the "magic" elevator. Drew ate tons of crab legs and they served us all a fabulous chocolate dessert in honor of our birthdays. They even gave Drew one so he wouldn't feel left out. When Noah blew out his candle he said, "I wish for big robot friends". How cute is that?! The boys and I had stickers on announcing our birthday so we were given royal treatment everywhere we went. The boys were so well behaved and happy. We rode lots of rides and went to Turtle Talk with Crush. Noah's favorite rides were Buzz Lightyear, the carousel and Gadget Roller Coaster. Colie loved Small World, Bugs Life Bumper Cars and the flying Rockets. We ate corndogs, french fries and churros as we wandered the parks. In the evening we put a blanket down on the street and waited for the fireworks to begin. It was stunning! I have never seen a fireworks display like this one they have going for the 50th anniversary. It actually brought tears to our eyes. OK, I admit it! I had tears streaming down my cheeks. If you go to Disneyland any time soon, be sure to see the fireworks and position yourself so that you get a good view of the castle. That is very important! You won't be disappointed. So many times during the day I remembered being a little kid and visiting the park with my family (usually when relatives were here from Iowa). It was wonderful to relive the innocence and magic of Disneyland with my children. It was the perfect day!!

Labels: Club 33, Disney, Disneyland

So, I'm cleaning my scrap room Saturday and look what I find!!! I am so ashamed. These are all birthday tags that I have made for my friends that never got mailed. Poor Birgit's is almost a year old!! I am so sorry if any of these tags belong to you. I will mail them all out this week. Lesson here.... Karen likes to make tags but is lousy at getting them mailed. (((hiding head in shame)))

Our sweet Noah Vernon Carter, a bouncing baby boy weighing in at 7 lbs. 15 oz. was born on March 23rd, 2001 at 12:31pm. Today our son is FIVE!!! Woo hoo!! Such a big boy!! We are just in awe of the self-confidence and charisma this child has. He is such a smooth talker and he really tries hard to please us every day. Noah is just a very easy-going, happy boy and we love him endlessly and unconditionaly. Happy Birthday, Peepenheimer!!! xoxo

are happening at www.ScrappersBliss.com. In a few more days I will be able to spill the beans about some very cool stuff going on and some even cooler visitors we will be expecting. (Yes, that is a big clue!) Stay tuned for more info at the end of the month and if you haven't gone over to Scrapper's Bliss to check it... run... don't walk!!

Tomorrow we are taking the kids to Disneyland and California Adventure Park. I can hardly wait. i am so excited. I really love Disneyland and can't wait to see Cole's face the first time he experiences it. Noah has been to disneyland, just not California Adventure. It's going to be the best day EVER!!!

Labels: Disneyland

Our friends, Nora & Sean Griffin were in the process of adoption. They brought a sweet newborn baby girl home form the hospital last Saturday and last night they were forced to return her to the 17-year old birth mother. The Griffin family is devastated and are feeling the profound loss of their precious and beloved daughter. Please keep this wonderful family, baby Darby jane and the birth mother in your thoughts and hearts as they try to recover from this blow. Thank you.

{Peas, please email me for info on how to help.}

is happening these days. Here is a glimpse at the things that are bringing me joy right now...

Two sets of our friends have just adopted new baby girls. Kelly & Gil just brought home 6 month old Julia. Nora & Sean are enjoying their newborn, Darby Jane. We are so excited for both families!

Drew and I enjoyed having dinner with Teresa & Ty at Fleming's Steakhouse last Saturday night. It was our first time meeting Ty since he doesn't normally travel with Teresa for her classes. He was just as kind and genuine as she is. The conversation never stopped and the food was terrific, as always.

I was given a promotion at ScrappersBliss.com. I am on their Design Team (The Bliss Girls) and now I am also the Marketing Director. We have lots of great stuff in the works, so stay tuned for more fun info on that! Our gallery is rockin' these days, so go take a look!

We are planning a trip to Maui in July! We are taking the kids and my mother too. (Must diet, diet, diet!) Drew and I will be attendants for the wedding of our friends, Sandra & Peter. They are coming from the Netherlands to be married in Hawaii. Sandra is a great scrapbooker and a school teacher & Peter is a police officer. They are a lovely couple and we're positive they will live happily ever after.

We are going to Disneyland and California Adventures next week! This will be Cole's first time and Noah's second. We'll be having lunch at Club 33 too. It's nice to know members! It's a family birthday adventure, since three out of four in our house have March birthdays. Speaking of which, there are only four more shopping days until my birthday! Just teasing! I can't believe I am going to be 37. That sounds so wrong to me. Noah keeps telling me that he wants to buy me a bedazzler. (He likes the commercial.) I am just nervous that Drew will order one for him to give me. If you see some bedazzled layouts in my gallery next week, you'll know why.

Noah started Tae Kwon Do and swimming classes. He really loves both. He has already earned one black stripe on his belt. He is so proud and looks so handsome in his uniform. Cole watches all of the classes and practises with Noah at home. We'll enroll him just as soon as he is old enough to join. he'll be way ahead of the class for sure. He's really good!

I am hosting "Scrapapalooza" at my clubhouse on April 8th. We are going to have so much fun and I already have some great prizes lined up! I have two seats left if anyone wants to make a reservation!

Another great thing is that my ReciPEAS cookbook has arrived! I love it. Peg and James did a fantastic job putting it together. There was a minor mix up and most of my recipes were not included. Peg was really upset about it, but I don't care. I already have my recipes. *LOL*

OK, I really do need to quit stalling and get started on the laundry. I despise doing laundry. I don't mind switching stuff between the washer and dryer, but folding and putting clothes away brings me to me knees. I honestly think it's torture! I really need to pay someone to do this for us. Anyone looking for a job? ; )

Labels: birthday, Club 33, Disneyland, scrapbook

and now Drew is home sick. Ugh! I can't wait until this bug leaves our house for good. We're all still have hacking coughs, but the antibiotics are done and the boys and I are on the mend. I was teasing Drew that he just waited to get sick so that he wouldn't have to share the attention.

Our light at the end of the tunnel is that we are really looking forward to is having dinner with my friend, Teresa and her husband Ty this Saturday night. We have a reservation at Fleming's Steak House in Newport Beach and I can't wait to enjoy some great conversation and a phenominal filet mignon. They will be in town because Teresa is teaching some of her fabulous classes at Scrapbook Oasis, which happens to be the coolest store ever!!

I am also excited because our friends, Nora and Sean are expecting a baby any time. They are adopting a newborn and the birth mother is getting really close to delivery date. I know they are very anxious to begin their new lives together and I can't wait to meet little Miss Darby Jane. Keep them in your thoughts this week.

In other news... there are only 13 shopping days left until my birthday! I can't believe I am going to be 37! Sometimes I feel like I was 17 just last week. Was that really 20 years ago? YIKES! : }

Tiny little Cole Drayton Carter was born on March 3rd, 2003 at 4:55am. Today our baby is 3 years old. It's so hard for me to believe. It seems like just yesterday we brought him home from the hospital. It's been a fun, crazy, exhausting and joyful three years. Cole was always stubborn, willful and demanding. At the same time, he is our snuggler who loves to smother us in kisses and clobber us with hug attacks. He is loyal to Noah and follows his every move. Our Coley is simple remarkable and precious and hilarious and sweet to the core. We love you, little bug! Happiest Birthday wishes for you, son. xoxo