still me

crap... 2am???

i am going to be hating myself in the morning... what am i still doing up?
i have been scrapbooking...and throughly enjoying myself! i just created one of the finalist layouts for the water photo contest... and it turned out so beautifuL! i love it. there are 3 finalists... we got just over 3,000 entries!!! thank you everyone.. we LOVED seeing all the photos...
and i love the photo sets that i have to play with... it was sooooo hard to pick!

it's so fun to have great photos to work with... and i chose photos strictly based on the scrapbook page that kind of popped into my head as i was looking through them. i chose pictures that were making me WANT to scrapbook... you know how that works. but it feels so great to have a quality evening of scrapbooking. i know i say this all the time... but i really love to scrapbook!

i guess i really need to get to bed.
night.

nesting

it's tuesday night... and i have lots of creative energy that my body can't keep up with. and i always feel so boring if i don't have pictures to share... and... well, i could walk downstairs and take a photo of something that is really exciting me at the moment... but that woudl involve stairs and walking... so maybe tomorrow! the light will be better anyway!
i am nesting i guess. LOL. not making a nursery, because... a: i don't know what it is, and well, that is no fun to be generic. and b: well, frankly, quincy is throwing a fit about being moved downstairs. last night she cried for an hour. and i could hear her in her room talking to herself about all the reasons that she doesn't want to move downstairs and that she will NOT be moved from her room.  i was not expecting that. i thought she'd be so excited. maybe if i paint the room downstairs pink, she won't be able to resist it.  anyway... i am instead, nesting in my family room.  i spend most my time in the scrapbook room... i share it as an 'office' with eric, and we just hang here all the time. the kids hang in the family room and watch disney channel... but we have never had a couch in the family room. there are "love sacs", and a rocker... and ever since we moved in here (4 years ago) there have been these terrible out-of-balance distracting, ugly niches on the back wall... 8 of them. because of them, nothing fit in the room and it was just too depressing to try to make it look cute. SO- long story short... i have been boycotting the room for 4 years.  so, i finally decided with a baby on the way... you have to have a couch. not a love sac. you have to be able to sit and hold the baby, feed the baby, let the kids hold the baby, somethign for the baby to throw up on... and family rooms should be for families... and  you should like the family room.
so today. the sheetrock guy came and covered the niches up.
you have no idea how happy that made me. i know, so dumb... but i am LOVING the flat wall...
i have had this page torn out of the pottery barn cat. for months... and now... i am doing it.

so.. I ordered 2 couches from Jennifer Convertibles… they are slip cover couches and delightfully comfortable. I ordered them in ‘celery’… down-side is that they won’t be in for 8-10 weeks… baby will be here before that. Sigh. Typical of me to procrastinate.
I got a really awesome ottoman at Costco home, and at this very moment, my husband is installing new ceiling fans with nicer, brighter light kits… so they won’t rattle, and there will be more light in that room! All these things… (except for the 8-10 week delivery on the couches) are making me VERY happy… and clucky!
I have to pick paint… pick photos… get frames…
I think I am going to love it.
I can’t wait!

In other news, I have selected finalists for the water contest, and they have been notified… I will be selecting the winner winner… and announcing it in the newsletter that I think will go out on July7th or SO! … there were SO many to choose from! that really was sooo fun to do… so watch for more opps! 

Also, i noticed that the sneak peeks for the creative escape classes are up on the CE website.  So check them out! We’ll be putting up the photo requirements and class descriptions very soon!  We are almost sold out… so cool!!

night

midnight thurs

i don't know where the time goes...
i am tired! it's been a busy day... and there is another busy day tomorrow!
i did get a pedicure this morning! and i REALLY needed one... and i REALLY like the color i picked. don't you hate it when you go out on a limb to try a new color and then you hate it? i really like it. no idea what it is.  makes a world of difference on my swollen feet! LOL!
i had a dr. appt today. those visits are serioulsy 3 minutes. - wait in the office for 40, and see the dr. for 3. love that. 33 weeks... measuring just right! so that is good!
then cory had his first official 'swim meet'. he was SO excited to finally get to RACE! he did great... took 4th in both his heats. he was thrilled! it's really dang hot to sit there and watch!

tonight i have been preparing for the events of tomorrow! 
first thing, i am appearing on 'good morning arizona'... i will be appearing every friday as long as i can. i believe my segment is at 8:45am.  they have me promoting the website ... mysweetconnection.com
it's a local website that i post ideas and stuff on... live tv is a little stressful! last week when i was on, i was showing the little iron and iron on's onto albums... well, i spelled the word wrong! NICE! that is so typical of me!   then there is the fact that i am preg, and deciding what to wear on is a big pain!! and next to Tara Hitchcock the host... i look giant!  but it's fun!  Tara is seriously so cool in real life! it's a great show.
after that... i need to rush home and get ready for the baby shower that i am having here tomorrow afternoon! one of my good friends just adopted a baby last week! she has been trying to have a baby herself for years... and kind of out of the blue (and answering years of prayer) they got a call from her husband's niece (not married) who was 7 months pregnant and asked them if they wanted her baby. it has been the coolest thing to watch, and hear about and the happiest thing to see my friend with her precious new baby! i am so proud of that young mom for making that ULTRA difficult decision. i have been amazed hearing the stories, and the ups and downs of getting this baby into my friend's arms. it's all worked out so beautifully! but not without so much anxiety, faith, hope and love. on all parties involved. adoption is an awesome thing.  so... that is so fun to have going on tomorrow! i will have to post some pictures! 

speaking of babies...
i think that i mentioned that not only did my little sister Katie have a new baby in March, but also, my sister-in-law, Kiley, (eric's brother's wife) had a baby in May!  both girls.  yesterday i had the opportunity to photograph my niece Chloe.  i am SO out of practice... and practice is SO important in photography. so i was nervous. plus-i was afraid she was going to cry the whole time.
i took the photos outside, and i am not too sure about the settings... (alannah... we need to have a settings conversation!) but she was so calm and so sweet for her photos... she is absolutely beautiful!

this photo is one of those...         
that make you remember... just for a minute.
even if it's been awhile.
how beautiful babies are. what miracles they are.
i love it.

in general, chloe is a litte fussy when i am around! so i was delighted when she sat completely still... she was actually quite serious about her photo shoot...
so cute.
my kids are just loving these new little additions to our family! it's going to be so fun to bring one home to our house!
ok.
yikes... i am tired.
tired.
tired!

*early* morning

although not by choice... i was up super early this morning!!
3:30... got up and was starving and ate a super healthy snack of fruit loops!
tried to go to bed, but my brain was on a sugar-high, and i couldn't stop thinking...
working on a new class, and it's got me all focused... lol... so i got up, wrote a ton of thoughts out on my pink ledger pad... and finished my father's day gift for my dad... it turned out cute. it's been sitting in a state of me not being able to commit to which direction to take it for over a week...
better late than never! hopefully i will really send it off!
finished that project by about 5:30 and decided to go for a walk... it's so perfect at 5:30am. perfectly delightful temp... everything looks so beautiful. took the dog... he's such a good dog! he doesn't need a leash that early, and he ventures about 5 or so feet away from me, but never too far. he doesn't bark at any other walkers/joggers/bikers... he is very trustworthy. he is a little overweight and now is laying on the floor like he just ran a marathon! we only went about 3 miles. i should do that more! when i got back i watered all my front plants and sprayed everything off... you know, it's a great way to start the day! lots to do today, and i am sure i am going to need a nap at about 10am!
but i guess you gotta get it when you can!

by the way... the email address is FIXED!!!
so email your water photos to photos@heidiswapp.com
i have to say that it has been SO FUN to look through all of them! it's going to be hard to pick!
thanks for playing!

{without fail}

seriously,
i hate it when stuff doesn't work and the dude that fixes stuff works on EASTERN time and he went HOME!!!!
something is wrong with the photos@heidiswapp.com email address...
i got a few... and then it broke down????
WHY
WHY
WHY..

ok... send your photos to
info@heidiswapp.com

maybe it will work tomorrow!!!
sorry... but keep the photos coming! man, there are already some cute ones!

a little M.I.A.

ah monday... my favorite day!!
i always feel like it's a fresh start! no matter how crazy out-of-control my previous week was, monday is always a chance to take a deep breath, and start new! 
last week was NUTS... so much going on! katie and aspen (my sister and niece) came to say for a few days with us! i got to practice with a newborn! (yikes) ... the baby is so sweet... so cute... the problem is that all you want to do is sit and hold her. even when she is sleeping! (especially when she is sleeping).
eric was in china... coloton had scout camp...cory busy with swim team and a swim-a-thon (he swam a mile and 1/2-GO CORY) i had 2 store visits... one in Surprise, Az tuesday night and one on Sat. in Flagstaff, AZ... plus a little 'good morning az' appearance... phew.  throw in a wedding to make a sign in book for and play set up crew, a baby shower to plan and invites to make...  anything ELSE??????
hmmm... a neglected father and husband... that 's what else! where are my pryorities!
out of control......
here are some fun pics..
we had amazing awesome turnouts at both storeS! got together with nanci (my cousin) her sister kristi, erin trimble (who authored 'notions' and 'textures' and others!) her mom, some of nanci's scrapbooking friends, and the one and only becky higgins who is now LOCAL!! and of course my team: jodi and em and my sister and niece: katie and aspen! that is ginger in the back left corner... the owner of "keepsake trends"... that opened seriously that day that we went there... going to be a great store! quite a hike from my house...

so the way these store visits work... is that we just come and do demos, visit with everyone and give away a bunch of prizes... one of the prizes is a $150 value gift basket of heidi product, and one of the others is for me to scrapbook someone's photos... right there on the spot! this is the winner at keepsake trends:
she is also pregnant *but with her FIFTH!! she was visiting from Logan, UT...
it's a little freaky, cause i have no idea what kind of photos they will have... but i have been hooked on glitter... so the girl photos have been perfect!

it was so fun to have kates there!

as i mentioned... we went up to flagstaff.. it's about a 3 hour  drive north for us... so it was an all day event! here is the crew that works there... they even had HEIDI SWAPP t-shirts made... how cute is that?
the store is awesome... if you are driving through... it's called 'about memories and more'...

and here is the winner from up at flag...
she had some photos of a cute story of about her
grandkids writing her a goodbye letter...
very sweet! i love a good story!  everyone gets to put a ticket in the drawing for every 10$ they spend in the store...
she must have  spent A LOT of money, cause i drew her name twice...
but the rules are you only get to walk away w/ one prize, so she gave back her goodie bag, and opted for the scrapbook page...
everyone was so great... and i was laughing... because i was going to demo the masks... and i said "who has tried a heidi swapp mask"... and of the 50 or so people there... not a one had ever seen or tried them...
by the time i left, they were all sold out... they are so much fun to play with!! that was cool!

we had a lot of fun going up there... it's so nice to get out of  the heat a little! its' a good 20 degrees less up there..

well, i think that covers what i have been "UP TO!"..
lots of good stuff.. my studio is seriously the biggest disaster in the world. it is totally giving me closterphobia! i have to deal with it very soon! it needs a HUGE overhaul.
but i won't take the time. i want to re-vamp everything. sigh.

hey... we are sending out a fun contest announcment today (i think)... or tomorrow... i am doing a contest for my july newsletter... the july newsletter is all about WATER... so i am inviting people to send me a set of  water photos.. you can send LOW-RES photos to: photos@heidiswapp.com
i will be choosing my favorite set, and creating a scrapbook page that will be featured in the newsletter. the winner will get the layout, as well as a bunch of summer goodies!  the deadline is June 26 to submit!
i will notify the winner on June 27th and request HI RES images as well as some journaling etc...
so look through your archives, or snap some freshies this week!  we are serioulsy LIVING in the water!

so i am officially 32.5 weeks pregnant! just short of 2 months left! i think we are going to set a world record for the highest A/C bill!! but i can't stand being HOT. i am feeling great! kind of surprised... other than having to roll over in the middle of the night! i hate that!  i am getting so excited. i will admit, it's kinda bugging me that i don't know what it is... i keep wondering... keep trying to decide what i think it is!  i'll think it's a girl, and then doubt my intuition... i can't wait to see it! at the same time... hoping that i will remember how to take care of an infant! lol...
anyway... will try to be a better blogger...

previews

i am being a really lame blogger...
but i had to get that freaking newsletter thing off the ground... and maybe some of you got it!
it went out today. i am so excited... i was having fomat issues, and now, it's all good! so if you didn't get it... be sure you go to the website (my site ) and sign up for the newsletter... i am on a roll now!

had a really (really) fun exciting day today!
we met in an undisclosed, top-secret location with our official creative escape volunteer team to present the first set of classes in preparation of the big event!! we'll round out the rest of the classes tomorrow... it's like a little mini-creative escape preview!
it was so FUN!
it was so fun to see and hear people's reactions to the kits, the projects and the plans!! i know, i know, it's still THREE months away!!!! but we are creating a full on idea and inspiration book for creative escape... the book will have all the instructions, how-to's, tips, techniques, sponsor info and all kinds of cool, fun inspiring stuff!! so we have to get a jump on that! we were photographing step outs and stages of the projects... and evaluating better ways to kit, present, teach and deliver the goods to all those who will be attending!  man, it was awesome to get such specific, in-the-moment feedback and thoughts on how things were running. it's going to help us run a really smooth event!  that is exciting!  everyone was loving the projects. no surprise... they are fabulous...
so, i thought i'd share some little tidbits from today! 

here is THE amy totty! i am of course, so LOVING her scenic route project... here is a little glimpse!!!

my main regret for the day was not getting a photo of the cute tena sprenger... she had on the most "blinged" out outfit ever... in honor of her bling project.. here is a little peek...
we had this FABULOUS, yummy vintage glass glitter from here to next week! and i was LOVING IT...
so cute.
a little mess... but SO totally worth it!

here's carol... her project just is a DELIGHT! it's so clever... it's got a twist i never would have thought of!! and i LOVE it!
we're keeping it top secret until the event...
(we kept all the projects that were completed today, and the volunteers signed a full on confidentiality agreement!!)
such good stuff coming from 7 gypsies and bazzill!!
dang cute.

here is such a cute shot of mrs bazzill!
she was on hand to actually scrap!!
and she was even having FUN!
we had such a great group today.. it was really fuN!
i never take enough  photos... maybe i will do better tomorrow!

thanks to all of you who came, those who kitted... those who donated etc etc!! Franni, Mona, Lisa, Em... you guys get gold stars!
we are updating the CE website next week... complete with more sneak peeks and student requirements!
if you aren't signed up... what are you waiting for?!

wow, i am so tired!
good night.

disney crazy

so tuesday morning... pretty normal... i am working on the holiday recovery thing...
and i have one of those 'pregnancy-psycosis' moments...
you know,
the ones that reality starts to set in, and you start to realize that life is about to change drastically... especially for things like, say, going to disneyland.  i got to realizing that none of my kids are in strollers, diapers, sippy cups or need naps mid-day!!!! and that is all about to END! i couldn't let the opportunity pass by...

so i convince eric that i'm not getting any smaller, and our kids are at the perfect age to go and have FUN at disneyland... and why not just jump in the car and head over for 2 days! it's a 6 hour drive... so we told the kids about 2pm and were on the road about 5pm. (i had secretly wanted to do this for about a week, but just didn't think that timing and responsiblitites would allow... )

it had been a couple of years, and we had never done the calif. adventure park... so we were so excited! we had the best time! it was so awesome. we have never gone to calif. just specifically to do disney... it was so fun to stay right by the park, spend all day there for 2 days... and not miss anything.  quincy is 42" so she really got to go on most everything (they let little ones that size on SPACE MOUNTAIN! and the TOWER OF TERROR).. there were only a few things that she couldn't do... and surprisingly enough, my preg. body did pretty well!  the main issue was that i was SO THIRSTY... which led to LOTS of bathroom stops. i know where every bathroom is... and i must say, i am so impressed with how clean and nice they ALL are! (lol)

my boys were pretty fixated on the fast and furious rides... and waiting in lines is pretty annoying!  but, wow.... that is an amazing place...
i had to include this photo of us on splash mountain!  you know, lots of those rides have a place somewhere in the middle of the ride that captures you 'enjoying' the ride the most...
when we saw this one, we had to  LAUGH!   it's histerical! i think i really was as freaked out as i look... and so was quincy...
notice there is no one sitting in the front? well, that is actually where colton was sitting, he was ducking to prevent from getting wet!  so funny!

i decided not to take my big SLR camera... i figured i'd be doing good to haul myself around the park. so i bought a disposable camera.  i can't wait to see the caliber of photos i got! i was thinking, it might be an interesting experiment to shoot with a regular film camera once in awhile... just so you really have to work at getting good photos! so i am going to have to get them developed tomorrow. and i can't print any out on my R1800! 

well,
it's midnight.
i am so so tired.

here's wishing eric all the best... much love and luck coming at him from down here as he runs the marathon in SLC!
wish we could all be there to cheer you on!
we love you.