SOCIAL MEDIA

Country Thunder 2010

7.29.2010
Here we are upon first arrival to the site of the Country Music Festival that was Country Thunder in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin. It was pretty exciting to be there on the first day and having to wait and wait and wait to get in and then to park in one of the many fields available for parking. It was fun to be out of our element but back to kind of what was home, once upon a time. :) I went to grade school and high school with Joleen and then lived with her for a little over a year in between our college days...we've got lots of history it's safe to say.

Jo and Jen

There was a wee bit of rain that fell the night before we arrived which meant that we made a stop to Wal-Mart to pick up some appropriate attire for our feet (so much for all those cute little sandals that I had packed). :)

clean boots

Three days and nights of sun, loud music, fried food, cheap beer, over-priced bottles of water, porta-potties and crazy people...was it all worth it you might ask? Why yes...yes indeed it was. A good friend and getting to see Kenny perform is always worth it I've discovered.

Seeing Kenny Chesney perform live was pretty darn crazy. He truly is a performer in every sense of the word and really plays his heart out for his fans.

I Heart Kenny

In addition to enjoying Kenny, it was a pleasure to get to see Miranda Lambert perform as well...the crowd just loved her to pieces as did I.

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She was so real and down to earth too, during the day she even went out mudding with some of the campers!

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Kevin Costner was there and while Jo enjoyed his set I had a really hard time enjoying his music. Perhaps it was because I just couldn't make the change-over from movies to music but I just wasn't that impressed.

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We saw many other performers throughout the long weekend...it was so much fun to just get to sit back and listen and also to "people watch." We saw Sugarland perform on the first night we were there but I didn't bring my camera due to my fear of it raining...I now wish that I had went ahead and brought it but that's alright, there's always next year!

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It was really hard to capture just how many people were there on camera...

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And I did mention that the "people watching" was fun didn't I? :)

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I have a new country favorite to now add to my growing list of favorites...Luke Bryan really put on a show for us all. Super fun to watch and listen to this guy. He really interacted with the crowd and was just a treat to watch. I picked up his album on the way home and have been listening to it ever since.

Here is a favorite from the album and one that he sang live...



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JoDee Messina was another fun surprise for me to get to hear and see. She's got an amazing voice and I love her somewhat "old" country sound.

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Billy Currington was amazing to listen to...I love his music and hearing him live made me love it even more.

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We had so much fun and I have Joleen to thank for making it happen. It's been way too long and I'm so glad that we did this.

Jenny and Jo

At the end of the last night was when Kenny performed...the stage changed, they let loose a ton of beach balls for the crowd and it was PACKED! So crazy!

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And then just like that, there he was!

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I Heart Kenny

At the end of the night Luke Bryan and Billy Currington came out and joined Kenny on stage...pretty fun seeing them all together and having fun.

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We had so much fun that we're thinking that this just might have to become an annual thing...

Jo and Jenny

Woo..hoo!

Country Thunder Wristbands

It was a bit bittersweet going home on that last night after the adrenline rush from Kenny's big performance but I have to say that it's nice to be home again and back to the routine of the every day that we normal people live.

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Until next year...thanks Jo Jo!

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Some MFT's Layouts...

Well, I'm back from my adventure and have lots of fun photos to share but first (and while I get them organized) I thought I'd share some layouts that I did for My Favorite Things using some of their awesome Die-Namics dies.

For this one I used the Scalloped Scallop die...

So Special

So Special Close-Up

I had fun with this layout...can you tell that I was getting excited for the big country concert that I went to? I used the Jumbo Scalloped die for this one.

Little Bit Country

Little Bit Country Close-Up

And then I used it again creating 12 x 12 strips of scallops for this layout. It is so cool to be able to create your own 12 x 12 strips using these border dies...love them!

Lake Fun

Lake Fun Close-Up

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Taking Some Time for Me...

7.20.2010
I'm heading out for some "girl" time fun with one of my oldest, dearest and bestest girlfriends from way back when. We'll be making a bit of a road trip with some stops along the way, but mostly so that I can finally see Kenny Chesney sing live. :) We're also going to see Sugarland and Miranda Lambert along with several others perform. I cannot wait!



Back soon!

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A Layout to Share...

7.18.2010
i see

I've been thinking about my grandma lately and wanted to create a page based on how it is that I see her when I look at Zoey at times. Sometimes it's when she's being stubborn and other times it's her determination or her love of beautiful and pretty little things, whatever it is, I do see my grandmother in Zoey and that's a pretty cool thing. It was a bit challenging to manage the colors in the photos with my choice of embellishments but I didn't want to change the photos to black and white as the color also seemed to add more life to the layout itself.

I used the new Die-namics dies on this layout, specifically the Scalloped Scallop one for the blue borders on either side of my photos. Super easy to use and I love the look that they add to the page.
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The Bear Cupboard Cubby Run

7.17.2010
Woke up early this morning and got Zoey ready for the Bear Cupboard Cubby Run (her first ever run). Our local food pantry put together this wonderful event to help support those that are in need in this area. In addition to the cubby run there was a 5K and a 10K timed run as well. Ethan participated in both the cubby run and the 10K run. I had no idea what to expect regarding Zoey and if she would even enjoy it. She was pumped and ready to go though and having one of her best buddies there sure did help. Here she is with Ruby walking to the start of the race (which was the bridge entering onto the Bearskin Trail).

Zoey and Ruby Getting Ready for the Race!

There was a nice little turnout for the cubby run and lots more people for the bigger, timed races.

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Ethan was such a good sport in watching over the kiddos...

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Gearing up for the take-off!

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All the kids were told to NOT let the bear pass them up! :) It's safe to say that all the kids were in luck on this day!

Bear Cupboard Cubby Run

Bear Cupboard Cubby Run

Bear Cupboard Cubby Run

And here she is after her finished run with her ribbon! She was so proud...she ran the entire time which impressed me (it was a 1K). I had been telling her all morning that she could break and walk if she needed to and she apparently did not! It was the first thing that she told me when I met her at the finish line..."Mom, I ran the WHOLE way!"

Bear Cupboard Cubby Run

Here are the three little amigos!

After the Race!

This scene though had me and my friend Misty (the mother of the little guy pictured) crying tears through our laughter. After the initial crowd of kids finishing the race there was a lull in runners coming into the finish line...then it was nobody at all...and then you saw this pair trotting along:

Bear Cupboard Cubby Run

The light was terrible due to the shade, but I love this shot!

And here is the Papa bear and baby bear team...so cool that this could maybe be "their" thing that they share together.

Bear Cupboard Cubby Run

So very happy and proud.

After the race there was face painting in the park, music, fresh fruit and some bear claws to enjoy, a wood carver carving a bear out of a tree stump, free massages...and lots of other fun stuff going on. Such a great event...I hope that it becomes an annual event as it truly was something to be proud of for those that organized it, the community and for those participating.

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