New Blog Header....

and new colours! Fun! I needed a blog makeover. :)

I did my blog header with Shabby Princess' Happy Go Lucky Kit. Click on the name to download it - it's amazing!

Busy weekend ahead but hoping to squeeze in some scrapping tonight after I get home from dinner out with some friends. Joe and the kids are at home right now (p.d. day) and they just called to say they are putting up the tree. I guess that means Christmas will be here before I know it................. :)

A whole month...

..since I posted last. Life gets in the way like that. Just stopping in quick to add the layouts that I've created this month to my blog. A whole measly, 3 layouts. Actually - I've done 4 but can't share one of them just yet. Soon. :) Three isn't much but instead of scrapping I've been doing things like working, keeping up with my kids and their homework/assigments (can you tell it's report card time??), activities for both of them..... and I'm enjoying it all (well, minus work) more than scrapping. I love watching Brendan's games and volunteering with Livi's Brownies group. Tres fun. And this is what I want them to remember - me there with them and not sitting at my scrappy desk. There will be more time to scrap one day. :) I can scrap when they are in bed but most nights I just want to veg. So I leave you with three layouts above. I'm hoping to sit down tonight and at least start another! Here's hoping! :)

(Hey CoCo! You're in a layout!! You look BEE-YOU-TEE-FULLL!!!!!!!!!)

Happy 8th Birthday Bman!!

Dear Brendan,

Happy 8th Birthday! '8' is surreal to me. I know I say it all the time but truly, I can't believe how quickly time flies.

You had a great day today - we celebrated with cupcakes that had fun NHL jersies on them (official cake to come this Sunday at your party!). Robin also gave you a container of her infamous banana bread to take home with you because you love it! We had your dinner of choice - poutine and opened your presents from me, Daddy and Olivia. Olivia got you a new dragon Webkinz and we took you to TRU to pick out a special treat (which turned out to be a Ben 10 alien creature chamber....fun!). Last but not least, we surprised you with a Magic Bullet. Yes, the blender. Yes, the appliance I have received pictures and phone numbers from to entice me to buy it. The same appliance that will make me create meals in "just 10 seconds Mommy!" I still find it hilarious that an 8-year-old was so serious about such a thing. Your face was priceless when you saw it. Too funny. :)

Some things about you at 8:

- you are still our super jock - loving hockey and soccer
- you are still extremely competitive (though you've relaxed a lot in the last year)
- you are always right.....well, not really but you'll argue until you're blue in the face even if you know the answer is wrong! lol
- you have a big heart and surprise me with unexpected kisses or notes or help when I least expect it (you've even been known to show your sister a little love! gasp!)
- you are rocking school - A's and B's
- you've suddenly become afraid of the dark again and I can't figure out why
- your interests right now include anything that gets your mind thinking or relates to sports or 'fighting". You love to play street hockey and things about building (like Bionicles) are a big hit. So are Bakugan ,Pokeman and Ben 10. You are also still enjoying the Wii.
- you're super cute! (yes I can see your eyes rolling back and hear your little sigh)
- you're at that age now where I can easily embarass you (not that I'm trying!) in front of your friends
- you are a non-stop talker still....any where, any time! and I mean NON STOP
- i still can't get you interested in reading, even though you're super good at it and reading at a level beyond your age
- you started asking me once in a while to lay with you after I tuck you into bed (I totally love that. We have some cool conversations in the dark.)
- you love to play Club Penguin, Poptropica and Webkinz on the computer

Eight years ago today you made me a Mommy. And I couldn't be any more prouder of the little guy you are becoming You're the best boy in the entre world and I love you SO much!

I hope today was awesome and I hope your Olympic-themed birthday party is everything you hope it will be.

love you buddy,
Mommy xoxo

Alive and kicking...

Life is tres busy but I'm popping in for a minute to post some new layouts.

Brendan has his first game of the season tomorrow. My brother is supposed to come up and see them. Fun! We're also getting ready to send out the invites for his 8th birthday birthday!! My big boy!

We celebrated my nephew's first birthday and my Dad's 60th birthday on Thanksgiving Day. It was too much fun. I don't think I got any good pictures but the memory is definately in my head for a long time to come. Keeghan was too cute as we sang happy birthday and he helped Grampa blow out the candles. I can't believe he is one already.

Olivia is 'star of the week' this week and gave a presentation today. I'm sure she did great. She was totally psyched about it. When I was her age, I would have been crazy with worry about having to stand in front of the class. She loves it! :)

Here are some recent layouts. Not much has been happening in the scrappy department. I'm averaging about 3 layouts per month and that is NOT cool.

So here they are:

Here comes Fall.....

I can feel it in the air and in my bones. I can see the leaves changing colour. I must admit that although I find the colours of Fall to be spectacular, I am somewhat of a pessimist when it comes to Fall. It ALWAYS makes me dread winter and the inevitable.

The kids have been keeping us super busy with their activities. Brendan has hockey several nights a week and soccer on Mondays. Joe just offered to be a co-manager with another Dad for B's team. You know, because he doesn't already do so much for the kids and their activities (he's Treasurer on the parent council, coaches soccer and helps out with a multitude of events in between all that). We're all so fortunate to have him in our lives - he's always there for us and he even goes beyond that. We're lucky. :)

Speaking of Joe, his birthday is Tuesday! Unfortunately, no one will be home that day until about 9:00 pm at night. So, the kids and I are going to surprise him with his bday celebration tomorrow. Daddy isn't allowed to do anything tomorrow except sit on the sofa and watch all the football he wants. We're cooking his favourite dinner and we've got his presents ready to go. And of course!! CAKE!!!!! My fave part! LOL

Olivia starts Brownies on Tuesday night. Which means, I start as one of the Leaders of her unit. I think it's going to be pretty cool. It's a lot of work but very gratifying. And the women I am leading the group with are really great - so it's nice to have a bond with some new ladies! I can't forget that her swimming lessons start this Friday as well!

I haven't scrapped much in two weeks (okay, nothing at all) but as soon as I post this, I'm going to scrap. I must scrap! I MUST! I've got the urge.

I leave you with 3 summery/bright/fun layouts that help me remember that hopefully summer will be back before I know it!

The first is with some American Crafts Moda Bella collection that I've been hoarding forever. I really love the colour scheme in these papers. Finally cut into it:

Next up are two layouts I created with MM's vacation line they put out this summer (drawing a blank on the name). Thanks Mel for the surfboard pp! It worked out great on one of my layouts!

That photo of Olivia and Joe is one of my faves of all time. :)

Forgot to mention that Olivia had a FABULOUS time with her friends last Sunday for her pj-themed birthday party (she even went so far as to tell me it was the best day of her life....so I guess we did good). We had thirteen 7 and 8-year-old girls here and we had lots of fun painting nails, making crafty signs for their bedroom doors, plaing games, dancing (I was shocked at the top 40 pop songs these girls could sing and do special dances to!) and eating CAKE! Ha! I was going to post pictures but I don't think I will (I will maybe blur faces when I do the layouts)....too many parents to ask if it's ok! Olivia's favourite gifts were the 3 webkinz she received (phew! I was worried there'd be more than that), her MP3 player and her new kitten. :)

Enjoy your Sunday everyone. Monday mornings come way too quick for the working moms!

Last day as 6....

...for this sweet baby girl!

Dear Olivia,
I find it so hard to believe that yet another year has flown by us. It's hard to beleive that you are turning 7 tomorrow. Tonight we were snuggling and I was giving you a bunch of kisses. You got up to go to bed and ran back and said "I don't want to stop hugging you." How I wish sometimes that I could freeze a moment in time for just a little longer. :)

This year has been wonderful for you. You are a straight A student for Grade 1. Heading into Grade 2, things are looking great again and I'm so very proud of you. Soccer, Brownies and swimming are on the top of your list for things to do. You are confident, persistent, intelligent, beautiful and surrounded by many, many friends. I hope you always have great friends in your life.

Tomorrow is your big day and your birthday party (12 girls plus yourself.....think of this time when your Dad and I are old and grey....!). I hope you have a wonderful day and it's a day you remember for a very long while to come.

And don't forget...Friday we go and get Buzz to bring home. You're going to be the best Mommy to your new kitty. :)

I love you my sweet baby girl! And any time you want to hang around for a few more hugs, no matter how big you get, I'm always here.

Love,
Mommy
xoxo

Yes! I'm alive!

Though I don't know for sure if anyone is wondering...perhaps I'm only talking to myself on my blog! LOL :)

Let's start things off with some layouts I created

recently :


And now a wee update on us:

Life's been busy - back to the routine of school, soccer/hockey/swimming/Brownies, volunteering for Joe and I, work......I'm tired just reading it. Our lives are very full and I'm grateful for that.

We're gearing up this weekend for Olivia's 7th birthday party. Incredible...7.....I'm speechless. She invited 12 girls and guess what? All can make it. Last year we invited 10 and only 5 made it so I thought maybe we were safe with the 12.....lesson learned. :) We'll have a great time though. Olivia wanted a pyjama party theme and I think Joe and I have come up with some cool stuff. Pictures to come after her big day!

School is off to a great start - Olivia is in Mrs. Hamelin's class (2/3 split) and Brendan is in a 3/4 split with Ms. Butler. So far so good. I've never met a teacher at their school that wasn't amazing or didn't come with glowing recommendations so here's hoping to a fun year. I've got some pictures to share of their first day in Grades 2 and 3:

That's it for me! Happy Friday!