what a difference a day makes

when I got home from my parents' yesterday, I was relieved to see that we still had the majority of our leaves on our trees. I love fall, but only the beginning of fall. I don't like it when the leaves find their way to the ground and all that is left are naked branches. Well, the wind blew last night. It blew and blew and blew. Is this a sign that winter isn't too far off?

October Layouts from the weekend.

"Still Crazy After All These Beers" by Kimberly Collis

So Cohen likes beer. Not just any beer, Kokanee. Hmmm, I wonder where he gets that from? He will scrounge through our empty cans and play with just the Kokanee cans. He can distinguish these blue cans from the blue Pepsi cans that fill the bags... Anyhoo, this night he was pretending to pour beer into a glass, and then drink it. Well, as you can see, the result when the beer can and glass were taken away wasn't pretty. The tantrum lasted longer than most. I have such a little diva on my hands.... and who would have ever thought it would be my son?!

"Cousins First, Friends Forever" by Kimberly Collis

After I started the second half of Cohen's first year album, the first album kind of got neglected. There are still a few empty spots waiting for layouts. This is going to fill one of those spots. This is Cohen and his cousin Annika at my cousin's 21st birthday last August, Cohen was six weeks old, and Annika was nine weeks... almost ten. I love that I have a child with a cousin so close in age to him. I envied Nicole and Janelle that when we were growing up. I didn't have cousins exactly my age, and both of them did. I am looking forward to watching them grow up together.

"Rear View" by Kimberly Collis

This layout was one I was looking forward to doing. I love that the paper matches the colors in Cohen's hat perfectly. I also LUHVE the laser cut chipboard arrow. It is so cool.

I'll try another way...

Life in the Fast Lane......

This is a kit that I designed this weekend for Monday Night Class. I was a little leary of the foam signs when Christy gave them to me, but when Amy arrived with the road sign paper by Glitz, I was so inspired. I think it is perfect for a little kid learning to walk, or someone learning to drive...

Needless to say, i am just happy I was able to load a photo!

This weekend

was a blast! I went on a scrapbooking retreat with other Monday Night Class gals. I had a great time. I have known Cindy for just over five years now, but I have never scrapbooked with her. It was nice to just sit at a table and chat and create, and not have to solve too many of the world's problems. And I think Christy feels sorry for me that Tara doesn't want to be my BFF, so Christy stepped in. What a relief that was. Then I had someone to talk to, and no longer had to talk to myself, about myself..... (ha ha ha ha ha)

As for showing off all that I accomplished layout wise, I am struggling with my super duper dial up. It rarely allows me to connect to any or all of the pages I want to so...... you might have to wait, as it will not allow me to add any photos. I HATE DIAL UP.....

As for other things I accomplished this weekend... I walked in the CIBC Run for the Cure for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. I was dreading the day because I didn't think that I would be able to do the 5km in the allotted time... however, I was one of the first on my team to finish, and we were also near the front of the pack (of walkers, that is...) Anyhoo, the great thing about this day was the team I was on raised to most money at our run site! We raised just over $12,000.00 ourselves! What a great day, and what a necessary cause. Thanks to all of you who opened your checkbooks, and wallets, and made a donation to this cause.

It turned out not too badly

So, I was actually dreading taking pictures of the kids today. It was so much easier when Cohen couldn't move. And Avery... well, she is in a class all her own. It takes a lot of coaxing to get her to just look at the camera, let alone produce a nice face for it. So when Grant came home just before lunch, I took advantage of the extra hands. I still wasn't expecting miracles because Cohen was super tired, and we delayed lunch for pictures... priorities right?? ;) but we got pictures and that is all that matters to me!

Needless to say, Grant really did all the work. He was running around behind me, making faces and crazy noises and throwing leaves in the air... and it worked! I got some pictures that are more than good enough for me. I especially love the one of Avery peeking around the tree. She was actually very good today.

I already have paper picked out for these pictures. I actually dressed them according to the paper... is that wrong?? I just got the "All Fall" line from Fancy Pants. I love Fancy Pants. Really love them. And it will be perfect for what I am doing with these. I like it when things work out well.


Wish me luck... i have the 5km run on Sunday. I will walk of course, (but only because my whole team is planning on walking - otherwise I would totally run...) (that was so dripping with sarcasm wasn't it?)


"

I am taking a break....

In one sleep, I will be heading north to leave the kids at my parents' house. I am going to a MNC staff retreaty thing in Delburne. The crappy thing is I won't get there until around supper time on Friday night, and I have to leave early on Sunday morning for the CIBC Run for the Cure. So, in other words, I have a lot to do in a little time. I have packed 28 layouts... is that a little ambitious??? Likely, considering that the most pages I have ever accomplished in a weekend was 18. And that was a long weekend, not an abbreviated one. Oh well, I am going scrapbooking in Blairmore in two weeks, so I will have some fuller (is that a word?) albums by the end of this month.

And, because I think I don't have enough pictures to scrapbook, I am taking the kids out for a fall photo shoot today. They both have orange shirts, and brown pants, so..... autumn leaves, here we come. The ideal photo shoot would include my darling husband, our dog, and myself. But let's face it, that isn't going to happen. So... if the pictures turn out well, I will post them, and I will also post what I accomplish this weekend at the beginning of next week.

Today was the day...

It was Avery's first official day of preschool. She was there alone... without me. And she didn't care. I cried. Seriously... I shed tears. I don't know why. We have an amazing, amazing, amazing teacher, and hopefully the world's best assistant, so it has nothing to do with that. I think I am a little sad that I don't get to know everything that she does all day long.

But she had an awesome day. She found the marble in the sand table, which meant that she got to be the line leader. What a big deal! She has done nothing but talk about how she found the marble, and that it was blue, and that Teacher Carol and Teacher Denise were so proud of her, and that she lead the kids to the "water sink" (water fountain) for drinks, and they followed her outside. The bad thing is that she thinks she gets to be line leader all year. I'm glad I won't be there when she learns the truth..... ;) Anyhoo, I sent her to school looking all cute and matchy matchy, and when I went to pick her up, she looked like she had been in battle. I guess that is a sign of a good time......

I am so glad that she enjoyed her day, and that she can't wait until next week. Neither can I. I kind of like being able to get back to having only one kid, even if it is for only a few hours a week.

So this is the before picture. Before we left the yard, before I started to cry, before she became a mess......

This is her in front of the school. She is making such a goofy face, but in her defense, there were a ton of junior high kids calling out her name and telling her how cute she looked, so I guess she did her best. I think I will take a picture of her in front of this sign every year.....

This is her marching down the hall. (Take note of the Thomas the Tank Engine backpack, and inside that is her Lightning McQueen lunch kit... such a girl ;)... )

So this is the after..... notice the straggled hair, and crazy barrettes. Also notice the "new" pants. Not what she went in. (She told the assistant that she needed to go to the bathroom, but they didn't get there in time.....)

all in all, I think she had a great day........