Heartfelt Thanks...Clearly Besotted Challenge #11 - Colour Challenge, CAS(E) This Sketch #77

Hello...running late once again, trying to catch up with photographing and posting cards, and visiting your blogs. More hours - and organization - required.

Last weekend with my family, and nearly two full days' worth of time with my niece and nephew, was  nothing short of excellent.  My sister-in-law was at a conference, so my brother was more than willing to share the kiddos with my mom and I.  Both days involved attending birthday parties; one at Cafe o'Play (such a cool name), which is akin to an 'upscale' McDonald's playground.  We had the cafe to ourselves; kids cavorting about in the center play area or making crafts from foam bits and popsicle sticks (Ms. T made a monkey and lion..cute!), and adults standing watch, coffee in hand. The Sunday party, at Toy Hutch, involved 'bouncy' objects - a train and a castle.  Quite the productions, these parties, and certainly a far cry from what we had as kids! Imagine...birthday kids' friends and the younger siblings of the friends + sugary snacks + running wildly amuck and, well...you get the drift! Sugar-rush zaniness...Hilarious!

As always, a highlight to share...

Saturday morning, a conversation with my niece...
Ms T:  Aunty C, I want to sing a song for you.
Me:  Absolutely. I'm ready...give 'er.
Ms T:  Daddy, put on my song, please.
(At this point, Daddy has the remote and is finding 'her' song.  I'm giving him the quizzical look - as often I do - wondering what he's up to. This is new territory...)
Me:  What song are you singing, my girl? (who is now poised in front of the TV, waiting for her song to cue up).
Ms. T:  "Let It Go"...
Me:  Ummm, "Let It Go"??? (Apparently I have no clue that this is from the movie, Frozen.  No clue...)

My brother has the song ready...and it plays...and my niece is singing along (she knows nearly all the words), while performing the actions of Elsa...and I start to tear up, close to crumpling into a sobbing mess, at how absolutely beyond comprehension adorable she is. Fully engaged...fully enthralled...fully showing signs of growing up.  If you haven't heard "Let It Go", here's a link.  Truly, even listening to it now, thinking about her singing...tears ready to spill.  Every time she sang it (about 100...*grin*) my response was the same. Touched.  Deeply.  (And then I had to explain 'fractals' to her...my little physicist...)

The only thing that staved off a full-on tear-fest was my nephew who, minding his own business tinkering around with toys in the corner, was having his own solo performance, belting out "Zip-a-dee-do-dah, zip-a-dee-a...".

Yes, my, oh my, it was a WONDERFUL day!  And that, was just the beginning of the fun and frolick that unfolded.  Happy sighhh....

Anyway...I'm  here with a card for Clearly Besotted Challenge #11: Colour Challenge

and CAS(E) this Sketch #77

Initially, I was aiming for the 'debossed' look from the PTI Make it Monday video (even though nary a PTI product resides in my house, I still enjoy the 'learning' opportunies). Alas, my attempts to line up the dies with the stamped images went woefully awry, so I executed Plan B. I decided to un-deboss, and made my pink butterfly a three-stacker, with the sentiment whispering across the lower wing. I'll try the debossing again, sometime.

Thanks so much for dropping by; your visit and comments make my day!