Hello All!!

If you are still reading this blog, then great, if not, I'm writing just for me :)  That's OK too!

It's been an incredibly busy summer, and this Fall does not seem to be any less busy!!  All three children were on the Swim Team this year, the St. Catharines Piranhas.  Sophia excelled, and I hope she continues!!  Zachary also played soccer again, altho this may have been our last year of that.  We'll see.

We did get up to the trailer for a week, as it worked out with Michael's parents, and with his work schedule!  We had a great time, the children made some new friends, and we relaxed.  I love going there and just 'being.'

We are back to school already, and the days are getting cooler - hip hip hooray! 

JA is in grade 5 this year, and that makes her 2/3 done with elementary school.  She'll be 10 in just a few short weeks... um, how did that happen!?  It seems that just yesterday we brought her home from the hospital and made huge adjustments to our new lives as parents!  Anyway, she is in a gr 4/5 split class with another male teacher.  He's trying to get the kids to be on their toes already, and well, we'll see how it goes in the next week or two! LOL!  She is also enjoying being in grade 5.  She has signed up to be a kindergarten helper, and will try out for some teams this year again :)

Zachary is in grade 2.  He is in a full grade 2 class, with an awesome teacher.  He really wanted Mr. Dyck, and so did we!  We have known the Dycks for a number of years... um, 12 or so!  He is someone that Zachary needs to keep him on track and encourage him to be his best :)  He's loving grade 2!

Sophia, my wee girl, she'sin grade 1.  She's THRILLED and so excited still when she comes home from school!  Yesterday she breezed in, looked at me with bright eyes and exclaimed "we learned science today!!  All about frogs!!!"  I hope her enthusiasm for school stays with her through the year, and years ahead!  She has Mrs. McCann for a teacher, and Zachary had her last year.  We are super pleased with that choice for her :)  She's enjoying taking her lunch to school, having two recesses, and staying all day... altho it makes for one tired girl by supper time! LOL!

I have returned to my post as Lunch Supervisor at two local schools (one being our school, and another school close by).  I enjoy my job, altho it does break up my day quite a bit.  I've always been a list maker, and this choppy day has made me rely more on lists than ever before!  I'm getting in my stamping business stuff, some household chores, and a bit of 'me time' every day.  It feels odd not to have at least one child home during the day!  But I'm getting used to it :)

I've been putting forth some big efforts in my Stampin' Up! business!  I've got a great club about to start, and have been getting creative too :)  Check out the STAMPING BLOG if you wanna see what I've been up to :)

Well, the children will be home shortly, and altho I'm sure I could write for many more paragraphs, I'll sign off now! :)

Just one picture thought before I go...This is us on our way home from the trailer in August :)

Ok, so it's time for an update!

I have been asked if I have abandoned this blog.  Um, not intentionally... as I've been concentrating on my Stampin' Up! paper crafting blog :)  I'm also trying to really get moving on my business, and so have been doing things at this site as well!  Check them out if you want.



Oh, April 19 was my last update... not a whole lot to tell.... but I'll nutshell it, and then aim to update here on a more regular basis... a little comment love would help, a little proding reminder might go a long way too :D

Since I last wrote, the kids have finished up AWANA!

Since I last wrote we have been to Ottawa for our annual trip to visit the Lavoie family :)  Lots of fun was had going to church, 2 bar-b-ques, playing with friends, meeting new friends, swimming outside, getting eaten alive by mosquitoes, and just an all around great time! :)  I will post pictures later, as they are still on the camera.

Before we left, we had a tree fall in the backyard.  Great.  So we've been dealing with that for a couple of weeks.   Hopefully today will see the end of that nastiness!

This past weekend we went to The Americana indoor waterpark.  A few weeks ago, Miss Sophia won a family 'trip' on Jack and Lori's Kids Korner on the radio.  So we enjoyed a pizza party, a fun room, lots and lots and LOTS of swimming, water slides, and good fun :)  We are still tired! LOL

JA had her piano recital this past Sunday afternoon.  She did SO well!!!  The confidence she has is amazing sometimes :)

I have pics to share, but for now, I have to edit them, and no time right this minute!

Thanks for stopping by :)

whoohoo a fun contest!

We have a fantastic camera.  It's a Canon Digital Rebel. I love it, altho I know next to nothing about the manual settings, but Michael is learning them. :)  I hate the strap.  It hurts my neck.  So I'm trying to WIN us a fun strap cover!!





Over at Simple As That Natalie is giving away a camera strap!!

This one is my favourite, I think.... Michael may not like it, but too bad ;) LOL! It's just fun!!


So if you want to win one of these babies, check out Natalies page, and enter yourself! :)  Or not... b/c you know you want ME to win! LOL!

For today - April 1st

Outside my window... it's sunny, and warm,and the breeze is coming in the open windows!

I am thankful... that Michael got his first paychq today, after so many months with no job!

I am praying... for Joel, a 4 year old boy with brain cancer.   You can read about Joel here.

I am thinking... that it sucks to have a nasty cold and wicked sore throat.

I am also thinking... that a nice cup of tea while reading my Bible will be fabulous :)

I am celebrating... Michaels new job, getting all the paperwork in order to get us to the USA, and that SUNDAY IS COMIN'!!!!

From the kitchen...  a mess!  But also lasanga :) YUMM!

I am wearing... a white shirt, blue cotton vest, cream capris, black flip flops

I am reading... My Bible, First Light, book 1 in the A.D. Chronicles by Brock and Bodie Theone

I am hoping... to get to bake the banana bread, and the delish lemon squares for the Good Friday service tomorrow.

I am hearing... the Christian Radio station I listen to online. I love it!

I am creating... a new MDS background for my blogs :)


Around the house... a little laundry, a little putting of it away, maybe some scrapbooking :)

One of my favorite things... hugs from our children, and greeting Michael with a kiss when he gets home from work :)

A few plans for the rest of the week... Good Friday service at our church, with lunch following.  A bbq and bonfire with friends tomorrow evening, ladies meeting at church tonight, getting over this cold, Sunday Easter service, dinner at Michael's paretns, and OUR WEDDING ANNIVERSARY!! :)

Here is a picture thought I'm sharing with you... something I made with the awesome hostess club I have :)

Please pray - for Joel

I heard some awful news this morning, and the same news from another friend this afternoon.  I am calling on you, my faithful readers, to pray for this little boy.  He is 4/5 years old, and has been suffering headaches.  Yesterday they discovered a brain tumour.  At 8:30am today, he went into surgery at the children's hospital in the National Capital Region.  The surgery was to take 8-14 hours. I have no new news.  Please feel free to hop on over to On The Old Path and read about Joel, and his amazing parents, and the start of his incredible journey!

A quick KA special! :)

A quick turn around special!! Place an order with me by Wednesday, Feb 10th at 10pm and get entered into a draw for the new SCALLOP TRIM BORDER PUNCH from Stampin' Up! Place a 65$ order, get a free reward from SAB AND another entry into the punch draw!

 

I know I posted this 6x6 scrapbook page before, but I wanted to show it again, as it shows the scallop trim border punch!  Click to biggify the image to get a better view of the border. :)

 

Playing with MDS :)

My Digital Studio from Stampin' Up!  I'm making my own blog banners and backgrounds :)

That's for my scrappy/stampy/crafty blog :)

yummmmm, trifle!

The best part of it is, it's CHOCOLATE!!!

We had our friends, the Penners, over for supper last Thursday, er, a week ago, yeah, so a week ago! The days are a blur... so anyway... after having 'traditional' trifle at church the previous Sunday, S and I got chatting about my chocolate trifle .  SoI made it, as I had all the ingredients except one on hand! :)

RECIPE:
1 box of chocolate cake mix
2 boxes chocolate fudge instant pudding
500ml carton real whipping cream
1 bag of Skor bits, or crush up 2 or 3 Skor bars

Make all items according to package directions

Cool cake, and cut into small cubes.  Layer half the cake cubes into the bottom of your bowl .  Use about 1/3 of the pudding as your next layer, and about the same of whipping cream as your 3rd layer.  Sprinkle with Skor bits. Repeat.  I say use less pudding and whipping cream on the first layers as the bowl is narrower.  It is DELIGHTFUL!!!  Always a hit.  Makes lots!!  Serves many! :)


Enjoy!

Diligence...

So I've been asked how this is going... it's going.  It's not going as well as I had hoped, but it's going better than I had expected!

Michael and I are doing "The Love Dare" at church with a few other couples... some married 40+ years, some 50+ years, and some only a few years. :)  It's been a blessing.  My mother has been taking the children so we can go.  They have a fabulous time, and so do we! :)  I am learning more about love, how much I love Michael, and how to best serve himas I am called.  So diligence fits in! :)

I'm trying to declutter the house.  I'm not so diligent at that, but we did donate out two med. sized boxes of toys to the CP Foundation.  So it's a start.

I've been more diligent in my business, creating samples, and preparing ahead for classes and workshops.  I'm so hoping to get it really going, I just need to figure out a schedule with this crazy work schedule of mine! :)

So that's it :)  Fornow...

Oh, and for ME I'mmaking a TO DO LIST for the next 2 hours:

• make spagehtti sauce
• sweep kitchen floors
• empty dishwasher
• fill dishwasher
• make pasta for supper, salad, and cook ground beast
• wash and chop veggies for the week
• tidy living room
• greet Michael enthusiasticaly when he gets home :)

One Word for 2010

I've been seeing this all over the blogs I read this week. One word. One word to describe how you would like to be this year. Just ONE! Ack, really, only one. It has been inspired by Ali Edwards. I have been inspired by Rhonda Steed. I follow her blog. I feel like I know her from her postings. I'm sure she hasn't got a CLUE who this deranged woman is that sometimes posts comments on her blog posts!! LOL I'm not a stalker, I enjoy her photography and her life stories. I digress...

So I read Rhonda's word: consistency. I liked it. I thought "Hmmm, I want that too!" But I don't want to be a copy cat, I want to come up with something on my own. So I started to think. I want to be - patient. Yes, patient. I want to be prayerful. Yes, prayerful is good. I want to be calm. Oh, calmness is soooo good! I want to be encouraging, b/c you know, we can all use the encouragement, and truthfully, I'm hoping that someone will be encouraging to me along the way too! But I keep coming back to consistent. I want to be consistent in all those things. Then it just hit me... DILIGENT!! YES! That's the word.

DILIGENT.

So I went to the dictionary and found these:

• quietly and steadily persevering especially in detail or exactness; "a diligent (or patient) worker"; "with persevering (or patient) industry she ...
• characterized by care and perseverance in carrying out tasks; "a diligent detective investigates all clues"

So I'm not going sleuthing for clues. I am going to aim to be diligent... with the care of my family, the tone of my voice, my attitude, my worship, my devotional life, my words... I'm going to diligently strive to be the best that God wants me to be!

Diligent. Somtimes so far from the truth for me, but something I've been striving for this year already, and we're only 5 days in!! I hope it shows :)

To Do List - Dec 24th

This is for me.... I find I get more accomplished this way!

But while I'm working away here, I am listing to my friend Sara's You Tube Playlist! I am enjoying her selection of Christmas tunes! :) Some familiar, many are new to me, but are all wonderful, and point to the real reason for Christmas, the birth of Christ! Enjoy!! :)

So to do today...

• run dishwasher
• cook turkey
• peel potatos
• wrap Michael's gifts
• sweep floors
• bag up gift baskets
• wash whites
• fold and put away laundry
• have kids tidy their rooms
• do dishes
• clean up family room
• make peanut butter blossoms
• make rice krispie treats
• have a shower
• bath the kids
• make place cards if time permits
• 
  

For Today - Dec 20th

Outside my window... it's dark, and it might even be snowing, butI can't tell.

I am thankful...for my friend Lynn who is coming over to play, and for my husband who is going to babysit Lynn's boys so she can come :)

I am praying... for God to provide a job for Michael sooner than later.

I am thinking...about doing the dishes in the sink,maybe.

I am celebrating... the silence!

From the kitchen... sugar cookies, rocky road fudge, chocolate candy cane fudge, and buckeyes!

I am wearing... my comfy red sweats, white t-shirt, and pink super soft socks, and yes, I realize they don't match thankyouverymuch! LOL!

I am reading... nothing at the moment really, ok, my January Stampin' Success and Scrapbooks Etc. :)

I am hoping... for a cancellation so I can get a sooner appointment!

I am hearing...the kids trying to not make noise while they are SUPPOSED to be going to sleep!

I am creating... this really REALLY cool Christmas paper ball!! I will post photos in a day or so!

Around the house...a mess. I've been baking, and creating. I need to get tidied for Christmas!

One of my favorite things... pretty snowflakes

A few plans for the rest of the week...a little more baking, Christmas dinners, wrapping gifts, playing games with the children - we taught them DUTCH BLITZ tonight!

A Christmas Meme

1. Have you started your Christmas shopping? Yes, and am mostly done. Just want to make a couple of things, but if they don't get made, they don't :)
2. 
   
3. Tell me about one of your special traditions. We give PJs to the kids on Christmas Eve. Since my folks split up two years ago, all our family traditions will be changing. I do make cinnamon buns every year for Christmas breakfast :)
4. When do you put up your tree? Usually the 1st weekend of December.
   
5. Are you a Black Friday shopper? Since we are Canadian, that would be a no. I have often wanted to go to the USA to try it out! Gotta get passport!
   
6. Do you travel at Christmas or stay home? Just to my Mom's a nd to Michael's folks... but that's only a few minutes in the van! LOL
   
7. What is your funniest Christmas memory? Hmmm, not sure!
   
8. What is your favorite Christmas movie of all time? The Grinch, the cartoon one! OH and Chevy Chase's Christmas Vacation
9. Do you do your own Christmas baking, what’s your favorite treat? Oh yeah, I bake. I LOVE to bake!! I make rocky road fudge, chocolate chip cookies, shortbread with hershey kisses on top, and am wanting to try out truffles and biscotti this year. My favourite...I love it all!!
   
10. Fake or real tree? Fake. I'm allergic to real, and I would like to enjoy the Christmas season without a nasty 'cold' like thing going on!
    
11. What day (as a mom) does the actual panic set in to get it all done? I often feel panicky on Christmas Eve, wondering if we have remembered everything, and rushing about tidying things up!
    
12. Are you still wrapping presents on Christmas Eve? Sometimes, but not in a panic... might be something we saw last minute or forgot about. Michael does all the wrapping too, so that's nice for me! :)
    
13. What is your favorite family fun time at Christmas? Hmmm, lots of stuff really... Christmas programs at school and church, going to see the Festival of Lights on New Year's Day with Popcorn and hotchocolate in the van :) Lots of stuff!
    
14. What Christmas craft do you like the best? For me, the stuff I make stamping... for the kids, glue snowmen!
    
15. Christmas music? I LOVE it! I would listen all year if I was allowed. Michael doesn't like turning it on before Dec 1, unless it is Trans Siberian Orchestra! I like it all, traditional, new, old, original or not!
    
16. When do you plan to finish all your shopping? Except for a few stocking stuffers, it's done :D
    

This is the man I love!

I started this post on May 31st, 2009. I will continue this evening, Dec 8th, 2009.

may 31st, 2009 - Yesterday morning, we learned that a good family friend had lost his earthly battle with cancer, and was now in the presence of the Saviour! While we rejoice that he is now at home, at peace, and pain free, we also mourn the loss to his family (his wife and two young sons) and to us, his friends.

December 9th, 2009 - The above info really brought it al home for me, just how much I love Michael. How much I rely on him, and how grateful I am that God brought us together.

I want to go on and on about how much I love him, what he does for me, for our children, for our family... I want to share how it makes me cry that he takes care of my Mom. I want to share how he has a pact with JA to tickle her only on weekends, and has had it for a long long time, but I only found out recently. I love that he has that special thing with her, even though it might be silly to others. As a result of that pact with JA, Z now has his own he made up yesterday - you can only tickle me on Monday's, and Tuesday's, ok, and a little bit of Wednesday too! LOL I love that he went outside tonight to plug in the Christmas lights for me just because I wanted him to. He let me listen to Christmas music in November, and only rolled his eyes a few times! :) He compliments my cooking. He asks about my weigh ins at Tops, and genuinely cares if I've gained or lost. He gives me tickle scratches, even when he is tired. He has not complained at all about not having a job this past 13+ months, even though I have gone through seasons of complaints enough for us both. He tells me he loves me every day, many times a day! He does dishes. He puts away laundry. He teaches me how to use my MP3 player. He wraps all the Christmas gifts!! He helps out at the church. He helps the neighbours. He laughs, a lot! He calls me 'n-o-f-u-n' which makes me laugh! He encourages me to get out with my friends. He watches the kids, and takes them places all by himself. He provides. He cooks. He rubs my back. He tickles me mercilessly sometimes too! He plays with our children. He volunteers with me at church in the AWANA group. He still holds my hand in the van, at church, and any time we are out. He sets an amazing example for our chilren, esp our son. He lets me nap every Sunday afternoon. He takes care of me when I am sick. He cleans up puke because I simply cannot. He likes my scrappy and card making results. He tells me I am beautiful. He shows me I am beautiful, even when I think I am not. I could go on and on and on. I have an amazing husband. I have an amazing best friend. I have an amazing God who gave me the most wonderful man ever!

Michael - He loves God. He loves me. I can't ask for anything more. I love him more every day, I love him forever.

The Princess and Her Hair - blog giveaway!

So I follow this blog, and it has fun hairdos for little girls :) The girls love it!

Well, she is havinga blog giveaway for an amazing flat iron. I don't really want you to enter, because I'm selfish, and I want to win the flat iron for myself! LOL! Bwahahaha... no really, go ahead and enter! :) I can be happy for you too, lol.

Anyway, check this out to see the contest!

Also, check out my Stampin' and Scrappin' blog... great specials, ribbon shares, button shares... lots of fun!! :)

A yummo snack!

So I went to get a few groceries on Tuesday. I bough some triscuits. I don't really like triscuits. Too too or something, ya know?! But I bought these garlic parmesean ones... they are GOOD! But even BETTER is putting a tinch of mozza and a bit of marinara sauce on them, and heating them up a bit... Oh, the joy in my mouth!! Oh the garlic onmy breath! LOL!

SO YUMMY!

For Today Nov 6th

It's been a while since I posted one of these...

Outside my window. . . it is dark, and probably cold.

I am thankful . . . for being almost ready for the craft show tomorrw!

I am praying . . . that we will trust God to provide for us in this time of job uncertainty.

I am thinking . . . about the last minute things I need to do for tomorrow!

I am celebrating . . . nothing at the moment, but it WAS my birthday recently! :)

From the kitchen . . . homemade pizza, YUMMO!

I am wearing . . . white t-shirt, jeans, pink and white stripped fuzzy socks.

I am reading . . . Passionate Housewives Desperate for God.

I am hoping . . . for great sales tomorrow at the show.

I am hearing . . . Transformers, it's movie night!

I am creating . . . a few last minute items for the show tomorrow - are you sensing a theme?! lol

Around the house. . . a mess.

One of my favourite things . . . snuggles with the kids.

A few plans for the rest of the week . . . the craft show and a trip to London tonmorrow... church on Sunday. Creating more stuff for next week's show!

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you . . .
OK, it's TWO photos, to show you the inside and outside of this cool card! :)

Apparently I've been remiss...

...in posting about my children! LOL!

There's not much going on with us, just the same old same old. I should have posted about birthday's, and I forgot. I coul do that now I suppose.

JA turned NINE - um, not sure how that happened, but all Mother's say that! I will say that when she's fifty I'm sure! LOL She chose to have an unsleep-over party. All the girlies came in their jammies and brought their pillows.



We played musical pillows, and pin the blankie on the bed. We had pizza, pop, chips and carrots with dip for supper. The girls watched "17 Again" whichin hindsight was NOT the best movie, but c'est la vie. She was spoiled rotten!! Lots of money, which she is spending pretty carefully :)



I made a cake shaped like a bed... and it was SO delish!! I got the recipe from my friend Bernadette and it was fabulous!



I had fun making it, but I think any aspirations to be a cake lady have vanished! If I had a better kitchen, and kids who didn't want to always HELP.... but no, I'm doing the paper crafting thing, and that is fine with me :)

Happy Birthday Baby girl!! :)

AND it's my birthday on Wednesday... so maybe I will post then too :D

One week down

...two to go!

Michael signed up for the Job Finders Club through EI. It started this week. It's insane the schedule I am keeping! With all the stress going on, with a friends Mom passing away suddenly on Sunday, and then Brian and Stephanie's baby Dean not living past birth, it's just been awful.

However, I thought that today I would post 7 things I am thankful for, in spite of all that is going on.

1. There are no children or parents sick in our house, despite all kinds of our friends being sick!
2. I had a GREAT hostess club get together last night!
3. I have been spending a lot of time, b/c Michael is 'letting me', making cards and other paper crafting things to put in the craft shows I am in during November.
4. For a supportive school during our time of unemployment, and the breakfast club they started up three weeks ago!
   
5. For the little job I have with the school board, that will help keep us afloat until God provides us with a job.
6. The furnace. It's cold outside today!
7. Pizza night... which has moved to tomorrow! Every Friday is family movie/homemade pizza night :) Gotta love it!
8. Ok, I said 7, but really, there ar emore, but I had to share this last one. For Michael. Because he loves me. Because he loves our children. Even when we drive him around the bend!
   

Word of God Speak - Mercy Me

This song... it is just speaking to my heart right now.