Fooling with Photoshop...

I got Adobe Photoshop 6 when I got my new laptop a couple of months ago. It has been an experience! I finally got a bit of experience under my belt with it and felt more comfortable, so I tried my hand at brushes. I know this is not great, but remember, it is my first try that I actually saved. If anyone has any great free brush sites, please let me know!
This is my nephew, Zeb! Isn't he a cutie patootie!
We are off to the vet's this afternoon after school for Harley's check up. I always have to schedule them after school so Cody can go and get his vet fix. He loves to see all the other people's animals. He is always concerned that whatever dog is going to the vet will be scared and need him, too. Plus, he loves the veterinarian atmosphere! Hopefully, they can shed some light on that spot Har has been nibbling on on her front leg! Wish us luck!
Have a great Wednesday!
**Keri**

Your wildlife lesson for the day....

It is that time of year again! As most of you know, there is a slight lull in the amount of wildlife/hunting posts on my blog through the winter months. Well, it is spring again, and with fishing season opening a few weeks ago, and turkey season starting on Thursday, I am here to tell you to brace yourself for all things wild and/or dead!
Sunday afternoon Peter took Cody out fishing in the English River, that runs behind our house. Cody caught a 10 1/2 inch trout! He was so excited! It was caught with his new reel, too. So here is my boy and his catch:

And here are my boys doing the fun job of cleaning the catch!


While they were up river, Cody (who has an uncanny knack with animals) managed to spot THE tiniest snapping turtle EVER on the river bank! He was on the picnic table but tried to crawl off into thin air and I caught him in my hand. See how tiny?? Hard to believe how old the larger turtles must be when you see how tiny this one is!



Have a great day!
Keri

Who could it be??

Mom and I came to a very interesting conclusion a few nights ago. I was talking to her on the phone one night, and I was watching Ghost Hunters in SciFi. We got into a discussion about what we believe and what we don't, and I told her how Peter thinks that there is no such thing as ghosts and Cody won't even come near the TV when the show is on! I think it is very interesting how they go about their research, and how they draw their conclusions on Ghost Hunters.
I told Mom that I believed in "spirits". I wondered to her how someone can honestly say they believe in angels, and not is spirits or ghosts? She said that she has had a few experiences that would lead her to believe that there is "something" out there. I told her I had had a couple of instances, too.
I began to tell her about a man I saw in my bedroom one night when I was a teenager and still at home. I woke up one night, and looked up and saw a man standing at the end of my bed. He was dressed in clothes from a long time ago, and I remember some type of plaid/checkered coat/shirt...My mom then proceeds to ask me a few very specific questions about my experience, and then tells me that she saw a man in my bedroom one night after I had moved out! She was sleeping in my room-and woke up thinking Daddy or Neil was standing there, but it wasn't either of them. It was a figure of a man, very similar to the one I described!
As we were comparing notes, the hair stood up on my arms! How cool is that?? We both saw the same spirit in the same room?? The farmhouse was built in the late 1800's, around 1870. And there was at least one death IN the HOUSE that I know of. Here are a couple of possibilities:
This is my Great Great Grandfather, John Brooks. He came from Nova Scotia and started the family farm. Could it have been him that I saw?




This is Richard Watson Brooks. He is son to John Brooks. He died at quite a young age-he was kicked in the head by a horse, and was brought into the house and laid on the diningroom table, where he passed away. My Mom and Dad still have the table in their house, even though they don't have the farm anymore. Considering the way he died, it is very possible that it could be him!! As a sidenote, these are scrapbook pages I did in the very beginning of my scrapbook career! The one of Richard Watson is special, because he very greatly resembles by cousin who is a bit older than me. When my Dad rec'd these family pictures we all were stunned at the resemblance of this man to my cousin!
So, who could it be? I still can't believe that we both had experiences years ago and never knew about each other's. What do you think??
Happy Monday, Keri

Western Birthday Card

This was a birthday card and present that I gave to my best friend's son last weekend. I got him "The Dangerous Book for Boys" and made him a card and wrapped the gift with a western theme.
For the card, I used Cosmo Cricket "Wanted" Paper, along with SU! Wanted and Bronc Buster stamp sets and Bronco wheel.
I used the same stamp sets for the wrapping paper. I got some plain brown craft paper on a roll at the Yankee One Dollar dollar store and stamped it randomly. I distressed everything with Tim Holtz Vintage Photo Distress Ink.
Cardstock included Cool Caribbean, Cranberry Crisp, Very Vanilla and Chocolate Chip.

Thanks for looking!
Keri

Sunflower Card

Well, things are finally getting back to normal. Normal for us, anyway! Cody's feet are slowly healing, and he was very excited to walk in his sock feet this afternoon for the first time! It has been a long three weeks, thank goodness it is in the past and we are moving on. On to other issues, but the Lord will provide!
I made this card on a whim a while ago-at least a week or more. It just struck me and I whipped it up in no time. Inspiration has been at an all time low lately...

Cardstock-Always Artichoke and Very Vanilla
Ink-Always Artichoke, Close to Cocoa, More Mustard and Summer Sun
Stamps: Serene Sunflower, Sanded Background, Small Script
Other: CB scalloped square die cut, spiral notebook punch, twine

13 Years!!

Today is our 13th wedding anniversary! I pulled out this wedding layout so I could post it on here, and could not believe how different we both look! Besides the fact that my hair is red now, I am definitely not so slim! Peter looks the same, however! Maybe a *bit* older, but the same! 13 years have flown by! Hard to believe it has been that long!!

Cody's Progress

Let me begin by saying that if you are squimish, don't go any farther. The photos posted below are not for the faint at heart-


Cody got his stitches out yesterday. It was an awful experience. It hurt him *really* bad, and if I never have to go through anything like that again it will be too soon! After an hour and a half of coaxing and snipping, the DR. finally got all 26 stitches out of Cody's feet and he can now begin the next phase of healing. The good news is, there is no infection, Cody can start to rid himself of the crutches, and he can take a shower again! He is still hobbling around with a walking stick, but things are looking better already! Let's just hope I don't faint when it is time to change the bandages!
The weather around here has been beautiful! Upper 70's the last few days. That is typical North Country weather, 20 at night and 75 during the day!
Midge's (Peter's late aunt) Tastee Freeze opened last night, so mama doesn't have
to cook tonight!! I was too tired from yesterday's events to go last night, plus, I took Cody to Friendly's after the stitch removal for a little lunch therapy!
The vacation has flown by, and Monday means back to reality! Back to work, being an adult with big decisions and problems to face! I don't want to get into it, but please keep me in your prayers!! Have a glorious weekend, everyone!!
**Kerilou**

New Buzz and Bloom Design Team Post from yours truly!

Just wanted to point you all in the right direction so you will go check out my latest project on the Buzz and Bloom Blog. It is a very sweet scrapbook page using Lusi Austin's It's a Date stamp set. Click HERE to see my layout!!
The design team has been very busy this month, be sure to stop in!
**Kerilou**

Happy Birthday to Lisa Renea!

My best bud Lisa Renea has a birthday today! If you get a chance, stop over and give her a shout out at The Tattered Tiara and wish her the best! Happy Birthday, lr!
xo Kerilou

Sunday check in!

Hello! Here I am again, two days in a row! Thought you would all like to see what Cody has been up to! Unfortunately, he was attacked by two very vicious animals as you can see from this photo I managed to get! Harley (big) and Brodie (little) felt it necessary to join Cody on the hide-away bed. Talk about funny! Harley weighs about 30 pounds more than Cody, so when she got over him like that, boy did he holler! It is not like he can move, either! And of course, what big sister does, Brodie has to do, too. They are quite the pair. They both are trying to lick his bandages, they know he has a booboo and they want to make him feel better. Harley has always been very in tune with wounds on all of us, as was her mama, Shy. Shy never left my side all while I was in labor for Cody. Brodie seems to do the same thing. Dogs are amazing creatures!




Here are a couple of pictures of the piggs. I didn't realize that Cody's bandage was adorned with one of my long hairs! Yuck! These dressings will stay on for a couple of weeks-which was good for me cause the chances of me passing out from wounds is a definite possibility! He also has stitches, and I assume the thinking is that if it is left alone, the chances of infection are greatly decreased. Not knowing what it looks like under there is killing me, but not enough to look. Not that I could anyway! You know what I mean! Tomorrow Cody will go back to school. I am very nervous! I am off for the next three days! Thank you Lord, mama needs a break! Cody is now realizing the old adage-you get more flies with honey than with vinegar?? He was majorly attitudinal but has now realized that I have barely left his side for 5 days and that please and thank you go a long way when requesting food, medicine and ice packs! Anyway, I hope school isn't too much-I know it is time, but hope no one is hard on him, and he catches up on all his work-the marking period ends on Friday. So keep him in your prayers this week! Next week is spring break so he will be home with me! I am proud to say that after 3 nights of sleeping on the couch bed that I will be back in my own bed tonight, with no bar in my back!




Have a good night everyone, and here is to a really great week!! Keri

Hello from recovery!

Hello everyone! The computer time has been greatly limited lately, but I finally got a chance to sit and fill you all in!
Cody's surgery went well, as expected, anyway! We were home by 11:30 that morning. He handled the anesthesia very well, as well as his pain medication. The hardest part that day was the IV insertion!
The first 36 hours were the worst, but things are gradually improving. I have been able to spread out his pain meds a bit more, but morale around our house is at an all time low! It isn't very fun to sit around ALL THE TIME with nothing to do, and an inability to go very far. He is getting dressed and going to church in the morning. Things have got to get back to a more normal state around here!
On top of all this, we got several inches of snow yesterday. YUCK!
Thanks for all your prayers and support! Let's hope that Cody can get all his work caught up before 3rd quarter ends on Friday!!
Keri

Surgery

Cody's surgery is scheduled for tomorrow morning, just wanted to stick my head in and update. It will probably be pretty quiet around here the next couple of days, I will try and update when I get a chance! Thanks for all your thoughts, prayers, and concern.
Keri