Christmas Concert Completed!

I used to put on the Christmas concert at our school. That is, I did until they hired a real music teacher. And she is amazing. She teaches music to all the elementary grades, as well as teaches band to the whole junior high. So to say that this is her event is an understatement. Also an understatement is how great the show was last night.

The Preschool class sang We Wish You A Merry Christmas (or as Cohen sings it, We Wish You WERE Merry Christmas), and he was one of the few who was singing the verse he was supposed to, when he was supposed to. (Imagine me beaming with pride!) He also snuck up on stage at the evening performance to sing it with the rest of the school.

The grade one/two class also did a great job. I don't know how she got 31 kids to do the choreography without someone getting a black eye, but she did. I was so proud of both my kiddos. They are fortunate to attend the school they do, and have the teachers they do.
I am clearly full of the Christmas spirit! :)

Wheat Bag Making Machine!

So... thanks to Pinterest I saw some adorable little owl ornaments. And from that post, the idea for teacher gifts was born. I made mini wheat bag owls out of felt, and the wheat that Grant had leftover from his samples this harvest. Holy time consuming. And these ones aren't the ones that were blanket stitched all around. But they are adorable, and I might make some for the kiddos for their stockings! I had grandiose plans of making 10, which would have been doable had I completed them when I started them, but alas, I got six done by staying up until 12:30 last night....
But they are done. Yay! And they have been handed out. We had our afternoon performance of the Christmas Concert today, and it was awesome. The play was great, the band was great, the preschool kids were adorable, and Avery is the cutest singing reindeer I know.

Not Gonna Happen

So, when I made a goal for myself to complete 50 layouts this year, I thought it was doable. In fact, I was sure I would easily complete it by summer, and be on the next 50.
Alas, this wasn't my year to scrap. I have never been this far behind, and I am okay with it. I think a lot of my lack of productivity is that I didn't attend a retreat this fall, which is something I usually do. I couldn't make it work. I remember I used to look at friends with kids older than mine who never seemed to have the time to scrapbook, and I thought they just didn't prioritize right. Now I get that they do... that scrapbooking isn't more important than my kids getting the chance to participate in extra curricular activities, or volunteering at their school trumps paper these days. So I won't be reaching my goal. But it certainly wasn't for lack of trying. Or maybe it was that I was so preoccupied with all the stuff I have pinned, that scrapbooking took a back seat to crafting. Since discovering and addicting myself to Pinterest, I have made several things I have pinned. Including a yarn wrapped wreath, teacher gifts for Christmas, a bunch of yummy new recipes, and I am working on a t-shirt rug. So, although I wasn't scrapping, I was getting my creative juices flowing, and that is a good thing. (Aren't I Martha?)

12 Sleeps and 10 Randoms

There are 12 sleeps. 12 SLEEPS! 12 Sleeps until Christmas. I am excited because I am ready, but looking at my calendar, I have a million (or so) things to get through first before Christmas Eve. Here are at least ten of them!

1. Three more Guided Reading sessions at school. I love being able to go in every Monday and Wednesday morning to Avery's class, and work with her classmates with this program. The group I have been working with made huge gains this week, and I am so proud of them!

2. Thursday morning play date. A neighbour and I have been trying for months to get our sons together for a morning play date. It has fallen through for a variety of reasons, including my kid was sick, her boys were sick, I had to work, etc. But this Thursday, I am loading Cohen up, driving 5 kilometres, and spending time with Jenna and her boys!

3. Family Dance night! Our school has an amazing tradition of teaching the students a variety of traditional dances (like the Butterfly, Bunny Hop, and Schottische) and then we dance! It is a free night out, and the kids get to move like Jagger. Outfits are picked out, and moves have been practiced. Can't wait!

4. Avery's first dance recital of the dancing year. She is dancing twice on Friday, and she has been working so hard on both the Fling and Sword dance. I can't wait to see how much she has improved since last year. She has come to realize that she isn't going to master the dance immediately, and she is okay with that. (And I am so happy she is done stressing about it.)

5. Tickets for Coldplay. I am crossing my fingers, toes, eyes, arms, and everything else that crosses that I get two tickets for Coldplay. They are coming to Calgary in April, and the last time I saw them I was floored at how truly talented they are. Tickets go on sale on Saturday morning, and you can bet your ass I will be on the phone, and computer trying to get some!

6. Curling date with Tara. Last year the Boston Pizza Cup Men's curling was held in High River, and Tara was the driver for the coolest team. They were why I curl. For the social element of it. (And they were clearly good enough to make provincials... which I am not.) Anyhoo, we had such a great time with these guys, and Tara just got a message that they will be back this weekend for play downs. You can bet we will be there cheering! (And perhaps imbibing.)

7. Studio C stuff.... I have sittings, weddings, images, proofs, discs, and birth announcements all needing to be done this week. And I don't know when I will get it all done. Maybe when I stop blogging???

8. Teacher gifts. I saw some adorable owl ornaments for a Christmas tree, and thought they would be super cute as mini wheat bags for the teachers to warm up and keep their hands toasty during supervision. I am also making sugar scrubs for them. Thank you Pinterest. Now I just need Pinterest to make me some time.

9. Christmas Concert. Next Wednesday is the school Christmas Concert. There are two performances, and it is always so perfectly adorable. Cohen has been practicing his song for days and he has been singing "We wish you WERE Merry Christmas" at the top of his lungs. I don't have the heart to tell him.

10. Wrapping the kids gifts. That is the only thing I haven't wrapped because they were hell bent on helping me last weekend. I don't have time on Christmas Eve because we host a scotch tasting for friends and family, so sometime in the next 12 days that will need to be done too....

So, I guess if you look at it from a positive perspective, I have 12 days and 10 things to do, so clearly plenty of time!

Layout #39 - A+

Loved the Fancy Pants school line. I seem to find myself drawn to it lately... I guess it has something to do with the fact that I have two kids in school.
I would also like to take credit for this layout, but it was one I scraplifted off one I saw on Pinterest. What a great little way to bring sketches and inspiration to crops! Anyhoo, these were the school pics I took of Avery, and she didn't make her silly "I'm a model" face for any of them! Perhaps that is what I should have scrapped instead!
TFL

Layout #38 - Read

Cohen started reading this fall. I think he maybe felt a little left out whenever he saw Avery reading, and wanted in on the action. He started the same way Avery did. He picked up a Dick and Jane book, and started sounding out the words. I am so proud of him. He is doing such a great job, and is learning new words every day. I bought him a bunch of new readers for his stocking this year, because the Barbie and princess ones of Avery's aren't cutting it.
As for the layout, I don't know if it is done or not. It is really simple for my liking. Too simple perhaps, but maybe that is just as well, considering the topic is equally simple....
TFL!

Four Sleeps Until Pinterest Day!

I am so excited for our first PD day.... I went shopping yesterday, and got a bunch of stuff for twelve hours of non-stop crafting! I am going to make a couple of yarn and felt wreaths. I also thought I might make a couple of pillow shams from old sweaters to match the new quilt my mom made me for my birthday. The quilt is lime green, turquoise, brown and white, and I bought a few sweaters at VV boutique yesterday! I am counting the sleeps!
So the picture above is of the colours that I choose for the wreaths... I am loving the orange and turquoise one, but I think the green and brown will go much better with the old fireplace in my living room... So, I guess I have to make at least two. I am also excited to see some ladies there who I haven't seen in months and months. All in all, even if I get nothing accomplished, I will get a day out with the girls, some quality laughs, and some inspiration for the next time!

I know how Dorothy felt

It has been a very windy week in Southern Alberta. We have had a couple of days of reprieve, but yesterday was the windiest day of my life! I wish I was exaggerating, but I am not. There were gusts up to 149km/h and I understand a little bit better what life is like for those people who ride out a hurricane! We went for a little drive yesterday, because the power kept going on and off, and the kids needed out of the house. There is a reservoir a couple of kilometers from our house, and the water was literally blowing off the lake. Not just making big waves, but blowing off the water. We were well on top of this hill, and the truck was wet with water that had hit it. The waves were quite big too for a little lake on the prairie. Two or three foot swells won't get you up on a surf board, but surely would have sunk our boat (if we were foolish enough to go out). There was also a thin layer of ice on the lake already, and it was throwing pieces of ice off the water.
Grant was really worried about his empty bins blowing away, but they were all safe and sound. Not the case for the neighbors. This is one of their bins. It turned itself into a missile, and shot itself into another bin. It was bouncing the whole time we drove by, and I am surprised it didn't take off with the other bin attached.
The good news is the wind has died down to non-existent. The bad news is, it is time for cleanup.

Do You Love Pinterest

like I love Pinterest? What I mean is; do you waste hours of each day looking at all of the cool, amazing, inspiring things that others have made, said, or scrapped? I do. I shouldn't say hours everyday, because that makes it sound like I don't fold laudry at the sake of Pinterest, or I don't scrub toilets at the sake of Pinterest.... fine... you caught me.
But I LOVE Pinterest. I think this was such an amazing idea, because I am sure we have all said, "What a cool idea, I am going to remember to do that." And never do.

Which leads me to my next exciting event in my life. Tara has planned a Pinterest Day. A PD day if you will. I am so looking forward to a whole day of crafting. Of not just pinning, but doing. Now my only problem is trying to decide which of the million things I have pinned to tackle!

Layout #37 - Happy

I'm not convinced this layout is done. It isn't bumpy enough for me. It came together really quickly with the CTMH kit that I bought at my crop club last year. And the photo works perfectly with the paper. This was taken last August when we were camping with some amazing friends. We went with Mark and Tami and their boys to Little Bow Lake (not to be confused with Little Bow Provincial Park, or Little Bow Reservoir). We camped right across from the water, and the weather was perfect. So that made me happy. So did being with friends who are ALWAYS there, no matter what. We joke that Mark is my second husband whenever Grant is gone, because he is always around if I need "man" help. So that makes me happy too. The happiest? Is when Grant is home, and is my real husband. It is really hard to be a part time single parent, and I have no idea how the real single parents do it. I never could. I just love him to bits and pieces, and count down the days, from the second he leaves, until he is home again.
TFL

Layout #36

The picture on this layout is junk, but we were under a Canada day banner casting a lovely red glow.... Needless to say, I was happy to be able to use pinks again. I haven't for a while, because the photos haven't leant themselves to it, but this one did. I have also been holding on to the Riff Raff chipboard tooth forever with the intention of using it on a first missing tooth layout! Pays to hold on to crap in  your stash. This was also a layout I did this past weekend. And it was good to have the feedback of friends to help a page come together. You don't get that when you are scrapping alone at home, and I haven't been going to a lot of crops lately, and really enjoyed the suggestions.
As for using my stash, the tooth, baker's twine, corrugated flower, brads, eyelets, and journaling cards were all old. Like over a year old! Yay!
TFL!

Layout #35 - 15 to go!

I scrapbooked yesterday with my monthly crop club. There are four ladies who are a part of this group who are so fuuny to be around. They have been at other retreats that Tara and I have gone to, and they just make me giggle. They don't hesitate to tell you (or one of their own) what needs to be done better on the page. In fact, I think they said that one of the ladies in their group only had taste in her mouth, and not in her albums. They are comfortable enough with each other to dish out some good natured ribbing, and take it too. I love watching them and eavedropping on their conversations. Other conversations that were overheard, and seem to find their way into every scrapbooking event that I have been at were the good old labor and delivery stories. Why oh why do we, as women, feel the need to one up someone else with our birth stories? Can't we all just agree that having a baby is hard, raising kids is harder, and that we all make mistakes at one time or another... and not have to talk about it at weekend retreats? Just a suggestion. I did meet a couple of really nice girls there, who I hadn't met before. Super cute, super cheerful, and told awesome stories. All in all, a great Sunday, if you ask me!

This is NOT a layout that I did yesterday, but I did get seven done! I got in a school picture zone, and the pages came together really well.

This is from Avery's kindergarten graduation. (I know, right?) The day was a little over the top. There were diplomas, grad hoodies, and awards for each kid. All of this was followed by a meal. When did kindergarten warrant a graduation? Anyhoo, now that I have a kid in school, I am drawn to any academic themed paper. This came from a DCWV glitter pack, and I cut out all of the signs along the left side for a collage. I also included the graduation card that we gave Avery in the back of the layout. It was quick, and that makes me happy!
TFL!

Layout #34 - First Day

I bought this Bo Bunny Ad Lib line twice. Apparently I really liked it. A lot. So, I guess I will be doing more than one layout with it.... This is from Avery's first day of school, and the paper goes perfectly with the outfit. I also got brave enough to use Glimmer Mist directly on my paper! Anyhoo, I don't think that 50 is THAT unattainable any more.... maybe this weekend will the THE weekend that I get it all done!
TFL

Mischief Maker

Although I would never consider myself a wine aficionado, and will likely never spend more than $30 on a bottle of wine, I do know what I like and what I don't. At least I thought I did. I went to our local liquor store last night looking for something new and different, and I found Middle Sister. There are so many clever names out there these days, that I get scared because I want a wine to taste delicious, not be clever. But.... this is both. And the most exciting part for me? It is a Cabernet Sauvignon. I have not enjoyed a Cabernet for years. I have focused primarily on different Chiantis, and Valpolicellas, and have stayed away from the Cabs, and Merlots.... and I was very pleasantly surprised at this one.
And, it gets better. Middle Sister donates money from each bottle sold to charities supporting women. They most recently donated to Dress for Success. Win win....

Layout #33 - O Canada!

Canada Day is honestly one of my favorite holidays. I love that I live in the country I do. This past Canada Day was one of the best ones I have ever celebrated. It was the Centennial celebrations for the village I live in, and the whole weekend was a specatcular one. There were things for every age group.... a ball tourney, Flying Bob, a parade, pancake breakfasts, a musical, fireworks, an outdoor movie, cabaret, bouncy castles, talent showcases, and on and on. The best part of the weekend???? The pool finally opened up, and the kids had the first of many days splashing around in the new water!
This layout was tough for me. I hate the color red. I have never been a fan, and find it too "out there". So despite my love for Canada Day, I hate doing layouts about it, because red always seems to weasel its way in! I used the flexible Bo Bunny ruler to make the patterned paper curves, and was pleased with the outcome. I also like that there is a bit of blingyness on the page.... just what a good party needs!
TFL

Layout #32 - Avery

This photo is from Mother's Day weekend last May. Grant and the kids went outside to do some fencing and I followed along. I can't get over how much Avery has grown in these last months. She looks so young in this picture, and now, to me, she is this grown up grade one-er (yes, it is a word) (no, it isn't). She is so smart and kind, and worried about others, and I love to see that I am raising a child who is empathetic to others. My only concern is that she is sometimes too empathetic, and gets herself hurt in the process. Something to learn from, I guess.
TFL.

Elf on the Shelf

I went to Chapters today. It always ends up being a pricey trip. But today I found this cute little elf on the shelf and hoped he might help me keep an eye on the naughty and nice list for my kids until Christmas. If you don't know the concept, he was sent to our house  by Santa to report back to him about how well behaved the kiddos are. Then, every night he flies back to the NorthPole to report to the big guy about the day. The kids named our elf Fiddlebiddle, and he is currently sitting on the mantle watching them. They are both very excited about the prospect of having someone from the North Pole here every day. I am excited that maybe this will help curb the tattling.
I am now just in need of some ideas for things Fiddlebiddle can do while waiting for the kids to wake up each morning. So far, I have come up with crawling out of a box of cereal at breakfast, and swinging from the ceiling fan. I think I might make it into a challenge between Grant and I to see who can be the most creative.

Layout #31 - Our Home

Loved this Crate Paper line when it come out. It is so perfectly perfect for any kind of neighborhood type pictures. I, of course, don't live in a neighborhood, and currently my neighbors consist of differing types of oil wells, batteries, and flares. But you wouldn't know it from this picture. I take a picture of our house in every season, and I loved this one of spring at our place. And now, as I look at the snow falling outside my window, I can't wait for spring.

Layout #30 - 20 to go!

I love this picture of Cohen. It is truly him. He loves to be outside, and is a goofy guy at heart. So I was happy to catch this expression. I also love the MME paper on this page. (I know... shocking). I think it goes really well with the emotion of the photo. I also love that MME uses the same colors in different lines so that I can go back and find all of the unused embellishments from other layouts, and fit them into new ones. How brilliant.
TFL!

Layout #29 - My Playlist

Sory for the crooked and blurriness of this.....
I wanted to use an iTunes card on this layout, so I went through all of my album art on my phone to find a picture that would work with both the card, and the paper. I love having my iPhone. I didn't have an iPod until I got my phone, so I was often stuck listening to other people's music. And I didn't like it. ;)
TFL

Layout #28 Branding

I love how this turned out. I love that the middle of the page is the focus, and that the journaling turned out the way it did. It was so scary for me to journal on this page. It was the background paper, and if I screwed it up, I didn't have anything else to cover it up with, or more of that paper to start over, so when it worked, I was super happy.
TFL!

Layout #27 Bus Stop

27 layouts. That is all I have done this year. Pathetic. I need to get back on the scrapbook train, but I honestly can't find the time. I have been so busy with work, and volunteering at Avery's school that my favorite past time has taken a back seat... but now that the weather is getting "frightful" I have grandiose plans to hole up in my scrap room and pump out the layouts. I still hope to get 50 done by December 31.
Anyhoo, this is a layout of Cohen's first day on the bus. Avery was very careful to make sure he knew how to get on, where to wait, and which way to look to see if the bus was coming. Sometimes the mother hen in her is kinda useful!
TFL

It has been a while

a long, long while.....
I have been holed up in my house dealing with a bunch of things that aren't blog worthy. I haven't been scrapping in a long time, and only recently pulled my stuff out again. In the last few months, I have learned a lot of life lessons. And although I am not happy that the lessons had to be learned or what was lost as a result of this learning, I am a much better person for realizing who belongs in my life, and who is not worth the time and effort. And that is exactly the right word. I have never believed that a friendship should be effort. It should be EFFORTLESS. You should never have to compromise who you are, what you value or believe, or make sacrifices that will never be reciprocated. A friendship isn't like a marriage; I don't think it should be hard sometimes, and easy the next. I think it should be organic; it should just work. And if it doesn't, that person is likely someone who came into your life for one reason or another, and it is time for that person to leave. Unfortunately, I have found a few too many people lately in my life who have been willing to take advantage of me, pretend to like me (because we are apparently in junior high), and aren't willing to wait and learn the whole story before jumping to conclusions, and make rash, life-changing decisions.
In the last year, I have lost a lot of things. I lost a job, money, friends, and my mind. But, in the last year I made new friends. Effortless friends. I have found an old friend to be my best ally, defender, and confidant. I have been so busy with my business that I have been able to make some very exciting purchases for my household (including my new MacBook Pro that this blog post is coming to you from!) I have learned that who I am is not my job. It is not who I associate with. It is not who I let ruin friendships, or careers. Who I am is who I am meant to be. And that is someone that I am proud to know.
So, sorry for the vent, rant, whatever. I am done. I needed to clear the air around me so I can move on in a less weighed down way. I have ditched the dead weight, and am ready for this next chapter of my life... And it will include scrapbooking. Lots and lots of scrapbooking.

oh Pinterest... how I love you.

So if you don't know about Pinterest, you are missing out! It is a virtual bulletin board, and I am HOOKED. I hate to think how much time I have spent pinning ideas for photography, craftiness, and my future home, but it is good to have ideas for a rainy day, non? Anyhoo, today is not a rainy day, but I saw a cute little bracelet made from buttons and hemp, and so I made one myself this morning. The bracelet is adjustable by the large button in the middle on the left side. Cute, right? AND... I used up stuff I had around! Love it.
TFL!

10 Randoms..... Summer Reading

Since the beginning of June I have been devouring books. I love summer for th simple fact that I don't feel guilty about sitting on the deck with a good book, a drink, and some sun. I deserve an escape, if only for a chapter or two. These (with the exception of the first two because I am still reading those), are books I have read since the beginning of summer. All of them have been good reads. Can't complain about what I have accomplished thus far!

 Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum - A different perspective on Nazi Germany. I am loving it right now. I am looking forward to the end. I'll let you know.

 The Four Hour Body  by Timothy Ferriss - I know there is no easy way to lose weight. If there were I would have already tried it. However, there are little tricks you can do to help facilitate said weight loss and several are included in this book. Even this morning I guzzled my 500 ml of ice water...

 Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin - Cute. Typical chick read. They all live happily ever after in the end, but despite the predictability of it, I still enjoyed it. I was rooting for the underdog through it all. It also was made into a movie, but the only reason I would go see it is for John Krasinski. He's dreamy.

 Bossypants by Tina Fey. Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha! Hilarious. Nothing else to say but that. So so funny. (What a stellar review, non?)

 Stories I Only Tell My Friends by Rob Lowe. I haven't really been a autobiography fan. I would rather read fiction, but how could I not get a book with him on the cover? Huh? He is hot. And he is a really good writer. And he has met and worked with a lot of people, and tells amazing stories. And the thing I think I like most about him? He has a strong marriage and family. Does that really exist in Hollywood?

 The Help by Kathryn Stockett - Such a good book. I get why they are making it into a movie. I am also glad I read it before the movie came out. Excellent story, funny, and frustrating at the same time. 

 My Horizontal Life by Chelsea Handler. I have read her other two books and this was her first. I think she is hilarious. I giggled my whole way through this one. I am also glad I don't have enough to write my own book like this.

 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling - I had to remind myself of the sadness I felt the first time I finished the series. I know I am not alone when I say I wish this could go on forever. I hope she does. I hope that one day Harry and Ginny have little wizards, and they go to Hogwarts and that one of them grows up to be the Headmaster or Mistress... and that they fix all of the wizarding and muggle world problems. Optimistic? Likely, but a girl can dream can't she?

A Million Little Pieces by James Frey - I read this when there was the first commotion about it on Oprah, and I read it again this summer because Oprah interviewed Frey again. I didn't have a problem with the story the first time; I think that a majority of books including memoirs have fiction in them, and I enjoyed it even more the second time.

 Night by Elie Wiesel - Ugh. Hate that we even have books like this. I am fascinated by WWII. I don't know why, but I think it has something to do with the fact that disgusting hatred was allowed to exist in plain sight for so long. I hate that. I also didn't love this book. Not for the book itself. The story is one that needs to be told, and heard, and repeated, but I didn't like it because I know it was true.

 

Room by Emma Donoghue - This was tough at the beginning. The first 50 to 100 pages made me want to quit reading because the manner in which the young boys speaks is difficult to work with, but once I got to understand his situation and thus his speech patterns, it made a good read. And a sad one.

 

Rachel's Holiday by Marian Keyes. FUNNY. Story about a partying Irish girl who agrees to go to rehab because she thinks she will meet a bunch of celebrities there. She doesn't. But the anecdotes are worth a good giggle.

10 Randoms.... the funniest lines from Wicked

On Friday night, my dear friend Catherine and I went to see Wicked in Calgary. It was amazing. I loved it as much as I loved Phantom. I also loved that I got to spend some time with a friend who loves theatre as much as I do.
The play was considerably funnier than I expected it to be, and here are my ten favorite funny lines from it. (There were also at least a million heartfelt lines that I could include here too, but then I would just be rewriting the script!)

1. Morrible: Miss Elphaba, I hear you're very...bright.
    Galinda: Bright? She's phosphorescent. 

2. Galinda: That was your very first party...ever?
    Elphaba: Do funerals count?

3. Elphaba: Well we can all come and go by bubble. 


4. Elphaba: So you lied to them?
    Wizard: Only verbally.


5. Palace Guard: There's a goat on the lamb!


6. Glinda: I know you don't want to hear this but someone has to say it! You are out of control! I mean they're just shoes...let it go!

7. Glinda: Glinda. The "ga" is silent. 


8. Nessa: What are you doing here?
    Elphaba: There's no place like home.


9. Fiyero: There's no pretense here. I happen to be genuinely self-absorbed and deeply shallow.


And the one that made me really giggle:
10: Nessa: Mmm... What's in the punch?
      Boq: Lemons and melons and pears.
      Nessa: Oh my!


I can't wait for this musical to return so I can take Avery with me. I know that she would love it as much as I did!

Happy Birthday Mr. Handsome!

Cohen turned four on Tuesday. Four! I can't beleive I have been parenting for as long as I have. But I now have a four year old in the house! We were camping in Champion because the kids had swim lessons, and so this was probably one of the least stressful birthdays I have ever done. I made Cookie Monster cupcakes the day before we left, kept them in the freezer, and voila, the day of, I pulled them out. We just had hot dogs and cake, and presents, and rented the pool. It was short and sweet, and I think Cohen enjoyed just about every minute of it. Except for the minute when his first cupcake dropped on the ground.... but every other minute after that!

NKOTBSB - ahhhhhh

I

I didn't get tickets. I didn't want to buy the crappy cheap seats, high in the nosebleeds for this show, so when I couldn't get them, I thought it wasn't meant to be. Then Jenn sent me an email with some tickets on Kijiji. GOOD tickets. Lower bowl tickets. Club seats. For $100. So, so worth it. I have never walked down into seats for a concert when I wasn't on the floor. But here we were. Twelve rows up from Donnie, and the rest of the boys. Mmmmm. I don't care that I am 35 and still swooning over a boy band. They put on an amazing show, and the BSB weren't too shabby either... A great night with a great friend!

Signs of Summer in Champion

I live in an amazing community. Amazing doesn't cut it. For a village of 400 people, it pretty much kicks ass. We just celebrated our centennial last weekend, and it was three days of jammed packed fun that I won't soon forget. However, that weekend has come and gone, so now I need to rave about something else. That something is our brand new swimming pool. Our old pool was built in 1967, and it really was showing its wear. So work began on fundraising for a new pool. And it was worth the wait. Our new pool is bigger and so much better. There is a graduated entry which basically means I don't have to get in the water if I don't want to. Cohen, who last year, screamed and clung to me, now walks in up to his chin and bounces around screaming "Look at me!". Avery is getting more and more brave with each day we go, and just started dog paddling the other day. It will also soon have a spray area to add to the excitement. It has been open for exactly a week, and the only day we didn't go was the one day we went to the spray park in High River instead. I love our little pool so much I don't mind the 15 minute drive to town and back home again each day, just so we can get a little bit of respite from the heat, and I can watch my kids have a ball!

Oh Canada!

Canada Day is my favorite holiday. I love it even more than Christmas. After all, there aren't fireworks on Christmas. I love my country. I love being a Canadian. I love the freedom that has been given to me. I love that my children will grow up in a country that they are able to make their own decisions, say what they want, vote for who they want.
We celebrated Canada Day this year in Champion at the Centennial. It was an amazing weekend with something for everyone. I am proud to be a Canadian, and especially proud to be living in Champion; especially this year.

Da da da da da daaaaaaa Da da da da daaaaa

This is me singing "Pomp and Circumstance" which is what the kindergarten grads walked in to on Thursday night. Over to top? Yep? Something like a TLC program about extreme parties? Yep. Adorable? Begrudgingly, yep. Avery had an amazing year in kindergarten this year. She left the classroom reading chapter books, doing basic addition and subtraction, and loving every minute of it. She is worried about grade one. She isn't sure she is going to like going four days a week, but I am!
Until then, it is summer holidays, and I for one can't wait for some relaxation. (But that won't start until after the July Long Weekend.....)

Layout # 26 2011

Okay, so this paper is very flowery, and vintagey, and pretty, and doesn't go with the idea of potty training, but the colors of it were so perfect for the photo, and I loved the paper, and so I made it work. I am pretty pleased with the final product. Simple, and done.
TFL

Layout #25 2011

This layout was inspired by the Sketches 2 Scrapbook app. I love having sketches with me, on the go, and it proved super useful when we were scrapping in March. This layout also uses MME, which, if you have ever read my blog before, you know I would die without.
I am going scrapbooking today, and hope to get three or four layouts done! Wish me luck
TFL

Future Fashion Day

Today was Future Fashion Day at Avery's school, and I completely forgot about it. 100% slipped my mind. So last night, when I got home from the Spring Fling at the school, I got a message from a friend asking what I was going to do..... what else??? Google Gaga, of course. I am sure I could have wrapped her in tin foil and called it good, but I thought I would see what I could find Gaga-esque first. And that is where the Glimmer Mist and Kaiser Craft pearls came in. I clearly started with garbage bags. I then made a balloon skirt using my tape gun... and also made a pocket at the waist of the skirt (again, tape gun) to thread through a belt... of tulle. I then covered the skirt with pearls. As for the crystals on Gaga's dress, I immediately thought of those little origamo fortune tellers. So, I cut up some thin chipboard, sprayed it with glimmer mist, and set to folding. Then I stapled them on to the shirt and skirt. Because tape and staples are how people will dress themselves in the future.

;)

Layout #24 2011 More Christmas

Loved this line from Crate Paper. The chipboard accents were adorable. And the colors were perfecto for the gingerbread house pics! I think after these last entries, I am pretty much caught up on 2010. Makes me feel good, because I am no where near started 2011....
TFL

Layout #23 2011

The Fancy Pants Happy Together line was perfecto for the photo of my handsome little nephew. Is it just me, or is Fancy Pants one of those companies that rarely fails when they launch new lines? I am loving all of their new stuff... but have to exercise some self control.... we'll see!
TFL

I have a six year old

How did I get a six year old??? I can't honestly believe that I have a child who has been around for six years. I still remember the first time I held her. I remember her tongue tie, her need to suck on a soother constantly, her adorable little smile. And now....? Now I watch her read chapter books, and teach her little brother all about dinosaurs, and listen to her whine when she gets her hair brushed. This is my six year old daughter. And what that really means, is for the last six years I have felt a love that I never had before her.
<3
She wanted a dinosaur cake, and so, of course I didn't go all out like I did last year, because that was a major exercise in frustration. So this year I made a slab cake, and threw some of her dinos on it. Her first comment after seeing it was, "That's a pretty good scene." Thanks Monkey. She also told Haley about her gifts, and my favorite was, "The best thing I got was a trampoline, and the worst thing I got (and it was here that I started to panic about what she was going to say because there were people all around....), was a papercut." Love this girl.

Layout # 22 2011 a little Christmas

I have been MIA for a while. I got a job with Statistics Canada for Census 2011 Enumerating and that has kept me on the road, and off the computer. But I currently am on a bit of a break, and I will hopefully get a chance to get into the scrap room just for myself.
This layout is of Avery's Christmas Concert and I used the Making Memories Noel line. It is pretty sophisticated for anything in my life, but I love the simplicity of this layout. I was able to throw this together in under 45 minutes. Not bad considering I was probably talking the whole time too!
TFL