So when I'm not working on Digi Nirvana (and a new website coming soon:)), I have this thing called a day job, lol. I'm a Communications and Event Director for an association. So this coming week, my first big convention that I have been planning is in Los Cabos, Mexico (yes, a tough life, I know). Anyway, it's the first real time that we have been away from both of the girls. And it's not just some mini-trip. It's a WHOLE WEEK! I'm a tiny bit freaked out and every time I think of it, I think of something new that needs to be taken care of before we leave. Wait, it just happened again...I had to stop writing this post and make another note in my planner! So I have been procrastinating writing up the itinerary for the girls (need for such a thing because of preschool, relative switching, etc). Plus, my sister will be watching them for part of the time (SuiKim) and she's never watched them before (you'll be great, hon! I'm just a nervous wreck!) And of course, YOU know all your kids routines, but other people don't so it is all very crazy! 

Hi everyone! I just published an article for the Daily Scrapper on Autism and Scrapbooking. Take a look at http://www.thedailyscrapper.com. There is also a link to contribute to Walk for Autism. (and eventually a follow up article by Tammy, a person I interviewed for the article).

Okay...2 really. The first is for anyone who thinks they need website hosting. I had BIG problems with my previous hosting company. Whatever you do DO NOT use dot5hosting! They made everything a hassle and I sat on the phone for over an hour at a time (I think I left my phone on one time for an hour and a half!) just to speak to someone completely incompetent! Anyway, so I made the switch in June to this new hosting company (by the way, did I mention that the old hosting company LOST all my databases?, which is all of you had to create new logins at the store?). Thenew hosting company's name is bluehost.com and I am doing another website (You guys will see it's launch October 1st!) and the entire process to get the domain name, upload my shopping cart system, and do a redirect took 10 MINUTES! It rocked!!!!!! Thanks bluehost!!!!

Okay, the second service announcement is a bit personal, but I would feel like an absolute idiot to keep this information to myself. This is for all the mom's out there! I first heard of the BioFit bra from my sister-in-law's friend Lacy a couple of weeks ago. As it happens, I was looking for a bra and went to Victoria Secrets to find one. I just happened to try this one on.....OM Gosh!!!! It is heaven!!!!!!! I am telling you, if you have suffered what many of us breastfeeding moms have suffered, this bra is for you! It's a bit expensive, but COMPLETELY worth it! Okay, done with all the talk that may make my husband blush when he reads this.

In other news, my daugher Siri has 4 new invisible friends....do any of you have kids with invisible friends? We've never experienced it before, but for the most part, it is hilarious! Two of the friends are brother and sister (Jack and Chelsea). They live in Minnesota and their mom drops them between Utah and MInnesota (we moved from Minnesota to Utah 3 months ago). She also has a BABY invisible friend named Caroline (same as her cousin Caroline who happens to be older than her). I think she likes invisible baby Caroline because she can tell her what to do (something that isn't always the case with real life older cousin Caroline). Oh, and the last invisible friend is Sierre. Aparently invisible Caorline and Sierre are cousins. I didn't think there was anything to analyze there, but now I'm looking at this and thinking is Sierre Siri's alter ego?

If any of you have kids with invisible friends, I'd like to hear about it...I'm wondering how long this will last. I don't think it's a big deal (it's actually pretty funny), but I'd just interested! Happy Friday everyone!

I saw this link at DST and I thought I would die laughing! Take a look!

Okay, once again, I'm behind in my updates. I just need another hour in my day (preferably when the kids are asleep to get everything finished that I say I am going to finish hehee). So I was going to report on the surprise party I threw for Josh's graduation (and for taking the bar).

After changing the date once (from July to August...and yes, the invites were already sent out and I had to call everyone back. Josh failed to inform me of a class he was taking on Saturday) and changing the time once (August 2nd at 11:45am got rearranged to 12:45 pm when Josh told me the NIGHT BEFORE THE PARTY that he had an MPRE class until 1pm—man, I was stressed!), we had a really great party! Josh was COMPLETELY surprised. It made it worth it because he was SO confused and then just happy!

My sister-in-law Taylor feeding Fliss a lime.

View from the other side of the table...lol

Two cousins with lollipops!

A photograph by Taylor

Siri bathed in gopher-colored balloons!

Thanks to everyone who came! It was so fun!

As for the store, there's a new challenge minikit freebie on the homepage of the shop. In the forum, you can win gift certificate money by using the challenge freebie for layouts! Here's the link to the forum challenges to see how it works. It's easy and fun. Here's a peek at the freebie:

So I was perusing digishoptalk today and someone posted a link I have been looking for! It's a company that changes your blog into a book. The thing that I love the most about it, is that this sort of takes care of two birds with one stone. I can blog/journal...well, at least the highlights, and then get it into a family book! It makes me so happy! I like digi scrapping because I think it really captures the moments in our lives that are interesting and beautiful, but I tend to put a lot of "other" stuff on my blog...things I'm into, funny antidotes about the kids, etc.

So tired of me rambling about it, and just want the link....lol. Here is it http://www.blurb.com/create/book/blogbook . Check it out and tell me what you think!

In Utah, we have a Pioneer Day celebration on the 24th of July. I've never really celebrated it before (mostly because I only lived in Utah as an undergrad), but we had a great time going to the parade and having a bbq with friends and family. Here are some of the highlights:

water balloon toss with Liz and Caroline (me and Siri).

Felicity doing a lot of wandering around (and generally having a great time) at the bbq

My two angels! (Flissa has her bottle because she was almost ready for bed)

Siri's obsession with Bob and Judy's Sugar Plum Princess and fairy dolls (yes, she took these pictures)

Watching the fireworks

Making "snakes" (Siri's favorite part!)

And because I have been a slacker (and didn't post these ON Pioneer Day), I also have photos of Lola's Birthday Party from last night. It was at Nate and Michelle's house and was SO fun! The first part was outside...there was a huge wind storm that can in and blew away napkins, plates, chips...I even chased after a sack and got made fun of (I couldn't really tell if I was going to really get it or not, so I kept stopping then chasing...you can imagine how ridiculous I looked).

I can't believe Lola is 2! Happy Birthday Lola!

Felicity with flower in her hair and lay

The birthday girl!

Siri posing for the camera

Tim and Jack

I feel like this is the face I got from her every time I snapped a picture!

Baily and Lola

Here's a sneak peak of things to come! The Lazy Days collection will be out in a couple of weeks. Be sure to keep an eye out for this vintage line! It's going to be beautiful!

So I've been meaning to post this picture of Josh and his big win. We were at the Millcreek Festival (organized by our good friend Aimee McConkie) and we stopped by the Zion's Bank booth. Siri really wanted a soda...but anyone who stopped at that booth had to sing for a treat. So Josh being the good father that he is, asked what they wanted him to sing. They said they didn't care as long as it wasn't "Happy Birthday" (they were pretty sick of that one). So Josh sang, "Hey Jude." The girls loved it so much that Josh was declared the official winner of the day and won this fun goodie basket. 

These a couple of quick pictures we took this morning! I just felt like the girls looked so sweet this morning! (I guess I feel that everyday but I actually had the camera within reaching distance this morning).

Siri was insistent on taking a couple of pictures of me and Flissa. Not bad for 4-year-old with the light behind her subjects, eh?

Congrats on the winners in the Happy Place in the forum! Have fun with your free letters of love quickbooks!

I saw this on Liz Budd's site and I had to try it because I am such a Jane Austin fan (or freak...which every you prefer). This is what I am (if you click on the link you can take a the test).

Take the Quiz here!

I am not the least surprised that I am Elizabeth Bennett!:)

My sister-in-law had me make this for my nephew's upcoming first birthday...Isn't he a cute guy!

In other wonderful news, the website is back in business! You'll notice some of the descriptions are missing, but those will come back soon. There is also a brand new forum! Check out the happy place because the first 50 people to signup and make a comment in that column will get a gift certificate to sample something from the shop.

You'll also notice Alica and Megan's stuff up now too! Check out there stuff at: http://www.diginirvana.com/zen_cart.store

It is the never-ending website saga. So, just to let everyone know what has been happening. My hosting company changed to a new platform 3 weeks ago. Long story short, the platform did not support my downloads. It took two weeks for them to figure this out, so I had to move to a NEW hosting company. Well, before all the files could be retrieved from the old hosting company, they deleted the account. So NOW they are uploading all of the databases again so they can be moved over to the new hosting company. The new website design has been finished for a long time and I have just been calling everyday to get the status and HOPE they are finished with this process. So I am REALLY sorry everyone, but the good part is there will be new stuff up and a new look when it goes online. Everyone keep your fingers crossed that it goes up by Wednesday! I am SO ready for this to be over with so I can just design again!

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So I am told that Digi Nirvana will be back up and running sometime on Monday. I am SO sorry for the inconvenience everyone! The website is coming back new and improved! There will even be a new forum (which probably won't be up until Wednesday).

So I think Josh would disagree with my top ten, but here it is:

I have to say "sorry" to all about the current state of the website. It is entirely out of my hands right now with my hosting company doing all sorts of weird things to it. It has been so frustrating, but be prepared to see the new website this coming week with addition of two more designers, Alicia and Megan!  

I wish I had the time to write more about the antics of our move...hopefully, I will get around to writing up everything this weekend. But, just so everyone knows, we are here safe and sound after airport waiting, slap-happy midnight cleaning parties, and hurried-graduations. 

Here are the pics of Flissy's first birthday. I obviously wasn't thinking straight because I made her an ice cream cake. It was SO cold for her little hands! But she loves ice cream (I mean, I am guessing she likes ice cream...I would never feed sugar to a child under the age of 1! lol...please, please this is SO sarcastic!), so I think she liked it.




Isn't she a dear? And can you believe how much she looks like Josh?

And the winner (by random drawing) of the Ad Challenge for this Month is Tiffany Scraps!!! Tiffany, I'm sending you your gift certificate now!:)

Here's a new layout I did of Siri sliding in our backyard. It uses some of my new kits and the new Element-ary Line.

This layout uses papers from the Playtime for the girls Kit, Cupcake Kit, and Flora Kit, Element-ary Aviary Elements, Element-ary Glittery Overlays, Element-ary Glittery Swirls, Element-ary Inked Edges, and Alpha from the Playtime for the Guys Kit.
Check out the new Elementary Line in the store-Here's a preview:

So I was taking a little browse around the Internet neigborhood and found this article on the 30 typefaces any graphic designer couldn't live without. It includes 15 serifs and 15 san-serif. I''d say that I am 80% in agreement:).  I would have added Baskerville to the serif list (I favor it over Caslon). Otherwise, it's a great little clip on type!

My baby is 1! Flissa turned 1 today...I really felt like she was a little toddler today, not a baby anymore. Will post photos soon of the chocolate, ice cream feast! I haven't had time to blog as it is the end of semester for Josh and my students, our upcoming move, and getting a new little kit line out by this Friday at Digi Nirvana. I also will post some of my students final projects...I think you'll like them!

Digi Nirvana got a facelift today! Take a look! http://www.diginirvana.com

We had Chinese on Friday. Siri opened her fortune cookie and this is what it said:

It made me laugh since, of course, we are moving in a month. Because of the move, I interviewed for a job in Utah earlier Friday morning that was in a field I've never worked in before. I opened my fortune cookie and this is what it said:

Funny, huh? Maybe I should buy a few more fortune cookies to find out where to buy a house. lol.

Siri gave her first talk in church today. Of course, her mother forgot about it. I wrote her the talk as we walked to Primary. She said everything SO clearly and put her mouth right up to the mic. She even knew the name of the new prophet and said it when I whispered, "The name of the new prophet is..." (she was suppose to repeat after me)but instead she said, "President S. Monson." (to answer my question). She held up a picture over the mic and wasn't afraid at all! I was so proud of her!

Her are some pics of the girls.

Flissy was so happy to just walk through the tennis court with all those other kids zippying in and out on their bikes.

Josh brought these cupcakes to me and Siri from the Vice Pres. Mondale birthday bash at the law school. Siri said that one of the chocolate toppings looked like 'fur' and one looked like a 'dragonfly." She insisted on eating the dragonfly one. Can you tell which one is the 'fur' one and which is the 'draonfly' one? If you figure it out, let me know.

This is a week ago when Siri and I went to the circus. She declared that she wanted to take a class when she grows up to learn how to 'go so high' like the acrobats.

Here's my most recently layout with my Yes Kit at digi nirvana.

The journaling says, "when I explained to Siri that when we move we wouldn’t see the people that lived here (Minnesota) anymore, she buried her head in a pillow and broke into tears, “You mean I won’t see Lucia anymore?” It broke my heart! "

So I'm just wondering, did somebody not get the memo that it's spring? Yesterday we had a blizzard (exaggeration. sorry, couldn't help myself) come through with a mix of snow and rain. I am SO tired of this weather!

To celebrate the April 'showers,' I got Siri flip-flops at the mall yesterday. Hey, maybe if I act like it is spring, it will stop snowing? She ADORES them! She fell asleep in her purple butterfly flip-flops at bedtime while holding her pink flower set. She also took the purple ones to preschool this morning. I don't think they are going to let her wear them out in the snow at playtime!:)

So here is the inspiration for the challenge and my layout:

I decided to keep it simple and just focus on a few things from the ad. I chose to focus on color and some of the simple bold text. I love this ad because I think it is really versatile. I like the idea of doing a lot of little photos down at the bottom to mimic the layout or just doing a sepia tone layout with one color popping. Check out the gallery to see the rules and prize for this challenge!