SEM challenges

Hello everyone!

I have two layouts to share because last month I didnt post the layout I did for Scrapping Everyday Miracles about my brother.  I know it was really bad of me since I am suppose to lead by example but these things happen.  First I will share the SEM challenge for October and the craziest story that became the theme of my layout.  After that I will share the layout about Nathan my brother and why I chose him to do a layout about.

This months challenge over at SEM was posted by me and here it is

For this month's Main Challenge I want us to be inspired by the Fall season and to look for those everyday miracles around us at this time of year. There is so much happening around us the weather is changing, school has started back up, new jobs, new friends... all kinds of blessings.  I want to challenge you to really look for a special moment from the fall season.... maybe something that you could have overlooked or taken for granted.
Scrap Twist: This challenge I would like if you could use PAINT on your layout!  I know you might be afraid that you will mess it up but that is part of the charm of using paint on your layout!  Have fun and get creative!

when I first created the challenge I was thinking that I would do one of the cute fall pictures I take of my daughter each year but no instead we had quite the blessing and miracle that I just had to scrap about.  Here is the layout...

I have wanted another vintage VW since moving to Norway... my husband kept promising and promising... I found this car and we thought okay that might be a possiblity.  We were down in Oslo adn thought we could take the train to Trondheim... have my husband jump off the train around Roros and then drive the car up to Trondheim and meet us there.  It should only be about a 1 to 2 hour drive.  Then from Trondheim we could take the overnight ferry and get the car home. The previous owner knowing that we were going to have to drive it decided to spend 2500 kr ($450) and have the car tuned up and parts replaced so that it could drive a long distance.  So Lars got off the train bought the car and met us in Trondheim... we then found out that we couldnt get on the ferry... so we had no choice but to drive it from Trondheim to Bodo where we live!  In total the drive was just about 900km from where he picked up the car to Bodo... We had to drive it up mountains and hills, forests, a cross the Arctic Circle, on very small bad roads but in the end after 4 days we made it.  It was a miracle!  We decided to be safe and didnt drive after sundown so we ended up staying in Trondheim, Stiklestad and Mosjoen.  We only had on small hiccup along the way... rust in the gas tank... it would clog the fuel filter and we would have to change it once a day... but really it didnt cause us much delay and things could have been soooo much worse....  It was really fun driving and seeing how fall had come to Norway the colors were amazing!  I think all the passengers enjoyed themselves (it wasnt just my husband and I but also our 4 year old daughter and our 17 year old exchange student)!  In the words of my daughter, "I love this adventure!"

Make sure you check out the whole challenge over at Scrapping Everyday Miracles.... and have scrapping your own fall miracle! http://scrappingeverydaymiracles.blogspot.no/2012/10/challenge-21-fall-miracles.html

Next I have my layout from last months challenge at SEM... that challenge is over now but I still wanted to share it!  The challenge was to scrap about a special boy or man in your life... I automatically thought to scrap about my husband but then when I really thought about it... I decided that I dont often scrap about my brother.  He is the typical or maybe not SO typical little brother... he has made it his life mission to bug me!  As much as he makes me want to pull my hair out... (dont let the kind face deceive you) he has so many great things about him.  Growing up he often brought laughter in when times were hard.  The annoying things he did like take apart my bike so he could use it for parts on his bike have now become  memories that just make me smile!  He lives back in California with the rest of my family so I dont get to see him very much... we dont talk on the phone hardly ever but that doesnt mean I dont miss him and love him!  Nathan has a big heart for his family and I know it!  I also know that when things get hard he will step up and be there for us... He will always be my little brother!