A Grown Up Move

In the spirit of leaving behind College days and silly ideas about having the living room contain whatever I want, we decided to make a grown up living room. Currently it contains almost everything we need to survive except heat. It't the coldest room in the house BRR. But it has the old futon, a rocking chair, various tables and book cases, an old stereo, and an entire corner is for my computer and desk, and all the crap that gathers around the desk. The desk is huge and takes up a quarter of the room!

So it's time to move the computer. Where? OH my I don't know. To my scrap room I suppose.

And the second step is to get "real" furniture. So today, knowing exactly what I was getting into, we went to a store. A Furniture store. And looked. And looked. And I spotted a good sale on a pretty chocolate coloured Microsuede couch and chair set. I liked them. A lot. And the price was good. so I am feeling pretty good about myself. I called Scott. Wanna come look? LOL ok he came. And he looked. And he liked. And he looked around some more.

The lady says "3 weeks before this couch will be in. It's backordered. Can I show you something else??"

I knew I was beat at that point. Everytime I can make peace with a big decision like that, we end up a) spending more, and b) getting something I had not planned to.

We did look a little more. And there was a couch, on sale too, that was more the colour I had planned on. OKkkk so it costs more. And there is no matching chair. BUT the lady says, did you know, that chair you sat in for ages and ages over there, matches perfectly. Sheesh. I didnt come in to get a rocker/recliner. And of course, it's awesome and comfy and you sink into it and recline it and stretch right out. OH my. Ok well I said IF we are getting THAT couch, I am getting the recliner too. Im not settling for something I didnt want. LOL


And now we have home, a couch that's Huge in my little house, and a puffy, comfy chair.

So you know what comes next. To make room for the couch, we need to move the Futon. And the computer. To the rec room in the basement. And therefore Scott's office is moving to another part of the basement that he wants to build up tomorrow. And the futon went downstairs. The house is a MESS. Really a mess. Seriously. I cannot move. the computer, still here. It's a huge job to move it. I am thinking Scott should do it after I go to bed. We dont exactly work well together LOL. I have NO idea if it's going to work. The router will be up here, with the computers both in the basement. Cross fingers!! lol

So this is yet another step in our journey to being adults. You'd think it'd be kids, moving across the country and back, buying houses..but no, our march towards growing up is measured in furniture.

Christmas Day

The kids I LOVE them they slept in til 730! The second woke up at 745 and I let them wake up the third who claims she never really slept well because she shared a room with Grammy and, well, there were some logs sawn that night :):):);)

They impatiently waited til we got out of bed but for the first time I did not beat them to the living room to capture those first Starry Smiles!
The note from Santa was read over a few times, and then the great Stocking Opening began! (This required coffee:))


The kids spend quite a lot of time on their stockings and Santa gifts! He done good this year! There were some piggy banks and craft matts there, some markers and jewels. Puzzles and stuffed animals, and a totally covetted PINK hockey stick. That Santa, he is one talented fellow, finding not only a pink stick, but knowing Momma and Daddy's habit of supporting almost any Cancer Charity going, brought Holly a stick that was in tribute to Hockey Moms in support of Breast Cancer :)



The rest of us got our stockings opened eventually over coffee and the kids just about turned themselves inside out waiting for us LOL. They are so lucky I didnt make them wait through breakfast. I was SO hungry! A few chocolate orange slices took care of that LOL I got a little distracted by a new magazine but managed to get back on track :)
Scott always plays Santa. He is careful to scurry around the tree getting everyone a present so we can all open them together :)

The Presents
Ok to start, we all got wayyyy too much. I hoped for a smaller scale Christmas this year, not so much. It just seemed to keep coming! LOL and some really BIG things!

Holly cant wait to try out her hockey stick!
the girls got new sweaters from their Great Nanny and Annika LOVED hers! Well they all do but she had to put it right on!
Annika got a dress up box and right away put on some of her ourfits! She also got a V. Smile and a game to go with it!
Taylor got a pair of boots she totally Begged for. She's becoming Very fashion-conscious!
We made Grammy a knotted fleece blanket to keep her warm all winter! I dont know why, she's always Hot!



It seems to be the year of the blanket! Everyone got a blanket. Oh except me, the person who spends ALL her time wrapped in a blanket. Even Scott got a blanket. But seriously, the girls got blankets from Aunt Vicky and Uncle Trent. She set them up with a dream day (if we get snow) :) They got their blankets and each got a snowman cup with gourmet hot chocolate. They got a snowman kit as well...eyes, nose, mouth, scarf...a cute little kit for building a perfect snowman! I cant wait for snow! OMG seriously. We had the greenest, warmest Christmas like EVER!!!


Along with her Pink Hockey Stick, Holly got many things she wanted, like an Ice rink. This confused her. She asked her grandparents for an ice rink, and therefore she was POSITIVE she was getting one. Didnt help matters any that she DID get one. But while I think she expected to open the box and have a fully functional ice rink pop out full of ice, what she got was a piece of plastic. This is to make ice on. when it gets cold. IF it gets cold. Sheesh. She was completely baffled. She also got a really big scooter, games for her Leapster, clothes, Jill Shorts (A hockey thing).


Taylor got some clothes she swore she didnt need Lol. She got some skating tights (rediculous price on THOSE!) and a knitting set, a Fly Pentop Computer, a Tamagotchi, Pug Purse (sheesh), dock for her Fly Pen, Bratz clock...loads of stuff!



Scott got lots of Hockey Stuff. He needed new skates and pants and elbow pads. HOLLY jumped right up and put his pants on. It was wayyyyy funny. Scott got a car seat warmer thingy, lots of hockey clothes, lots of shaving and cleaning stuff lol socks, undies, Garth Brooks CD set, Coffee Press, loaf pan, slippers, housecoat.

And Me. After I opened everything else, Scott makes us all close our eyes and goes and gets this Picture that he had framed to hang up. VERY nice. :) a nice finish to the morning.
I also did get too much other stuff. Slippers, a flash for my big camera, 2 Stampin' Up albums, and a Stampin Up demo bag, Some scrapbook papers and bag with Deco scissors, 2 Gift Certificates from a local spa, lots of Mary Kay stuff (wonder where that comes from) :) and some clothes. Spoiled Rotten I am :)






The kids got quite a few things together! they got games, like MouseTrap and a Madagascar Trivia DVD game. I havent seen MouseTrap since I was realllllly small! They love it too! Although the whole Getting trapped and losing the game is going to take a big of work! LOL They got a dance matt that they can dance on together, which is more fun than I thought it would be, And the BIG thing this year was a larget Keyboard which they really needed if there is going to be more piano lessons going on! LOL It does a lot of things but their favorite is the way the keys light up. LOL OKKKK that does turn off. LOL They are so far just PLAYING with their Keyboard.


After the Storm the tree looked much neater.
We napped in the afternoon while the kids played. We did Christmas Dinner at Scott's parent's place, and then after Grammy went home we made puzzles and went to bed early.

MERRY CHristmas Day is over once again!

The Christmas Eve Events

this Christmas eve was a little stressful. As usual, I had left many things to the last moment. And as usual, there was very little time LOL so a few things didnt get done. We were having a little company so there was some cleaning to do. BUt like they do, things did get done and we got ready to head out to the Annual Masters Christmas Eve Party. LOL

The girls got dressed in their new Christmas Dresses and I took the annual Photos in front of the tree. Funny how we managed to miss an annual "Family Photo" anywhere, anytime. *sigh* I need to learn to use the timer on my camera. Those little hams, couldnt even just stand there for a photo. Gonna be Fun LOL to photograph these little princesses in time to come!

So At the party there is food and pretty much the entire family comes, that's Scott's Mother's side and a few spares. My mother came along this year. She apparently divides up her christmas', one here, one in Saskatchewan, and one at home near Trent. LOL must be nice to be so popular.

the kids get to open a present at Nanny's house on Christmas eve after the food has been eaten. Usually they also get to open Christmas Jammies so they can change and wear them home, but for some reason this year they didnt get to. Some adults also open some presents if they are particularly special.




I didnt make too many scrappy gifts this year, mostly for lack of time for scrapping in the last few months. But I did manage to put together altered Canvas clocks for the grandmothers for Christmas.


The party that used to go late late into the night sure has been cut down for us. We left with the kids by 930 to get home, knowing there was still a lot of things to do.

On the way home Annika fell asleep and the other 2 debated whether or not they were seeing Santa. lol They had been following Norad all night which was great fun til they got home and discovered that Santa completely skipped the Maritimes and did the eastern States then went to Quebec. Durgghh dont we exist here? But we reassured them that he was going to be coming back, we just werent sure when.
The girls carefully put out their cookies and carrots and milk for Santa and his Reindeer.
Letters were very carefully written and put out for Santa to read. They included paper and a pen for him to write back LOL.
Putting out the socks was a huge deal this year, they were sure only 5 would fit but thought it fun when they realised Grammy's sock made a nice even set!
Taylor read us all The Night Before Christmas, then she and Holly headed to bed.
We tied up some loose ends and headed off to bed around 1 am *sigh* we never learn!

The Christmas Photo

Most everyone has received their photos now so I can post my Christmas Photo! :):):)
This is what everyone got in their cards this year!

Scott had a brain wave, and had a black and white version of the photo enlarged and framed for me for Christmas. So I have a huge version of this hanging in my living room now :)

Merry Christmas!!

The Birthday Saga has Ended

Oh my goodness I never saw a birthday that went on and on like Holly's Sixth birthday. She turned 6 on November 26th.That was the weekend of the Santa parade and it's hard to get people to come so we decided to have the party that week.

Big Mistake.

Between Holly's birthday and now there are 6 birthdays. That means, everytime we planned a party (cause we can only have it certain days, planning around zillions of other things) an invitation came home with someone else's party planned for same day/weekend.

Holly originally wanted a swimming party, bowling party, something exciting. By the time we were planning it, she was begging "I just want a home party. That's all I want". Sad huh? But when? had to be when Scott was in town, had to be not the same day as someone else's...

I even tried to buy her off. If you skip the party this year, we will give you extra money! Nope. She wanted the party. I dont blame her really, it's her first year in school and the first chance she has had with this many friends to have a party...but still! It was SO hard.

Finally I decided ti would be today. I filled in the invitations, I sent them, I then remembered there were Piano lessons and skating on Tuesdays...Oh well I will cancel the piano and we can make it to skating...

Then I got sick. I am in misery. huge head, stuffed up, dizzy, itching muzzy ears. It's just gross. BUt the party must go on. We bravely shopped for it, getting food and treats. And it's almost time.

Forgot to cancel the piano lessons. OK she can have her lessons in her bedroom with door shut. It will be fine. And I suppose it was ok. Becky is SO accomadating LOL lucky us!

The party...was Chaotic. I let her invite quite a few. With my kids included there were 16 of them. We put on a movie and some of them watched it. Popcorn was flung across the room. Plant fell over. They clean up easily. All in all they seemed to have fun with movie and crafts and playing. Made Pizzas, had cake, it was a birthday all right! And Holly was very lucky to get many presents she loves a lot!

So it turned out ok. Now I am exhausted and dying to go to bed. But I have too much to do. Christmas is in 6 days!!! Next year we are having it in Mid November!

The Cat's Bathtime

a few times a year we give the cats a bath. And Scott decided yesterday we would bath them! They are seriously good cats LOL they dont scratch or anything! But the look on their faces speaks Volumes about how they feel about the bath!