The Sleepover

What busy days we have been having! First things First! THE BOWS ARE DONE THE BOWS ARE DONE! YAY!!!! I am so glad although i dont mind doing them, that they are done, now I will have time to clean my house and do more stamping! LOL
The boxes are all filled and folded up and stacked waiting to be picked up! I cannot wait to have my living room back, I am putting the keyboard on the table I was bowing on, and Taylor can play it when she wants. She's good at practicing but I think she will do more if the keyboard is always out :)

Aleah investigated the last box before I filled it up. She had lots of fun playing in there.

Holly's hair issue has been solved without the need for timely elastics and pony tails! Uncle George brought her home an Under Armour Skull Cap, to hold her hair nicely out of the way :)

On Friday Taylor brought a friend home from school to spend the night. They played in the afternoon with Holly and Annika and Koriya from across the street, and then Holly went to Hockey, Koriya went home, and Taylor and her friend went to Gems. After Hockey I took Holly for a sleepover at her friend Katelyn's. Katelyn's momma and I happen to be friends so I prepared to stay for awhile. We planned to stamp after the kids were settled.

After a look around their MASSIVE house, we settled in to make some Pizza. The kids had a good messy time making up their meals.

Alilson and I made Pizza's too. Mine was the best one, it could only be described as having EVERYTHING SHE HAD on it :) Theirs were all meat. What's up with that??

And the Pizzas are done and ready to be baked up! Notice the initials on them? Inventive huh?

Time now to eat up the pizza and have a real treat...pop!

After food the kids played for awhile and we got into something a little nicer to drink than orange pop...Mudslides. NICE :)

Then it was craft time. We planned to stamp, while the girls did their little crafts, but there was a lot of mommy help needed, and we did that instead :)



The girls made such cute little ornaments and necklaces for Christmas! We got no stamping done at all but had fun helping these little crafty people! See their cute little jammies? LOL

After this the camera seems to have been forgotten. LOL There was more playing, then bed. Holly got shy and weepy, and I promised her I would stay. And I did. she went to sleep eventually with my keys, and in the early morning she came into where I was sleeping to join me.

We came home this morning tired lol and have had a very quiet Saturday.

Taylor went home with her friend and they went to their cottage for the night.

Holly is gone to a hockey game with her grand parents.

Annika is going with Scott to get some milk and dessert.

And I am going to go down to my little teeny craft room, and get some cards ready for a party tomorrow. YAY!

Just Something to Say

There's just not a lot going on these days around here! We have settled in to our routines of School and babysitting, piano, hockey, skating, and work. I am SO close to be finished with the bows! I can almost feel finished! I have a few Stampin' Up parties for the rest of the month, and hopefully December will not be too quiet :)

Here are some "every Day" photos taken over the past...week or so.

Taylor on the phone, where she will spend the next 19 years.

Holly with hair up:)

Annika having a snack. She was looking at me then looked away when i was taking photos. Her rebellion?

Aleah playing with the cat. Her before photo :)

For the After photo...her first haircut was today! Too Cute!

The cat checking out his new toy. It sticks to the aquarium and swings around.

Attacking the new toy.

And exhausted kitty.

Blog Challenge from Scrap That Moment Nov 15 06

Share with us your favorite Thanksgiving recipe.

Wouldnt you know it, I dont think I have ever made anything for a Thanksgiving Dinner. Seriously. Im not sure we've ever put one on. Well we must have, we spent 3 Thanksgivings in Manitoba, but for one Scott's parent's were there and I am sure the Nanny cooked it, and I cannot remember the other 2, we must have had something! Likely, Scott cooked them. I got NOTHING!

WE did Thanksgiving this year in October at Scott's mothers place And my mother's place. I was to bring Dessert to my mother's...I brought pie. And I bought them. LOL At Scott's mother's we didnt take anything. I think we might start to bring things, but it's kinda just easier not to. Yeah I know, that's bad. I dont cook. I dont really bake. I dont think the kitchen is a cheery place. I prefer to avoid cooking. Why? I have the attention span of a cat. I forget Instantly that I have anything cooking. And it almost always burns. Yesterday I overcooked Kraft Dinner to the bottom of the pot. SHEESH. better stick with Sandwiches.

Blog Challenge from Scrap That Moment 11/13/06!

what if YOU were a scrapbook item, just what would you be and why? Blog about it, make a layout about it, for now, fantasize!
Ok this cracks me up !lOL Because i know exactly what I am.

I am Chipboard. Not chipboard flowers, more likely some kinda chipboard letters. Im not frilly and flowery, I contain loads of knowledge and information (get it? Letters... information...get it??)

Ok So I am chipboard. I am pretty strong, can hold up to a lot, and am not particularly pretty. But you can dress me up, use a little make up, a little paint and sand paper, a lot of patterned paper, and I can look great! I would take up alot of space on a page LOL and wouldnt mind being the "focus" as long as there was another focus (photo) to eventually take all the information.

That's me. Chipboard. I might or might not get around to scrapping this but of course I had to write it down before I forget!!!

New Layout 11-12-06

A new layout I finished this morning. I started it the other day and didnt get very far LOL But this morning I had promised Taylor she could do a layout and while she was I was organizing paper and I came across this and decided to finish it and got some new ideas....anyway here is a layout finished today :)

It's not the most cheery layout I ever did, the photo does not bring good memories flooding in lol but it's a photo I love because it reminds me that at a very hard time there were still things to laugh at :)

STM Blog Challenge 11/11/06

Decisions! I cant make decisions! I used to be SO decisive, THIS is what I want, THIS is where I want to be, THIS is how it's gonna go. And now My favorite word is like "whatever". UGH how did I get here?? Where did my "will" go??

It could be that I just dont really care. I Am where I meant to go, and now that I am here, I just dont care?? But I think it's more than that. I certainly should have an opinion on Supper. But if someone asks me what I want, I cant decide. Menus at restaurants are just torment. I just get the same thing all the time. It's almost easier if I dont have to choose between certain things because I can suggest loads of things. Just asking me to decide between set choices makes my mind go completely blank. Totally! And I answer "whatever" so other people are constantly making my decisions for me.

Except when it comes to the kids. I make almost All of the decisions regarding the kids. Occassionally someone else has input but rarely does someone else do the final deciding. Because when it comes right down to it, no one else is quite as "involved" with the decisions. From who has long or short hair, to what they are wearing, and what activities they are going to be involved in, no one else is nearly as committed to making things right, getting them where they need to go, or being sure they are happy and pleased with the decisions we are making. So yeah I dont have as much trouble deciding for them.

Do I have any major decisions to make at this time? well...not really. There are things I am going over in my mind but no decisions have to happen now. Unless it is Should Annika go to Preschool this year? Or wait til next year? And which one?

I have been thinking about whether or not I should go back to work outside the house. Sometimes I get paralysed by the thought that once the kids are all in school, THIS is all I have to look forward to, and that aint pretty. But no decisions to be made any time soon.

Anyway that's me and decisions. Dont make me make any today :)

Layout from a Challenge

A friend of mine is sharing challenges with me, and I completed the first one! They are based on the Elsie Flanigan book with 52 Challenges, one a week!
I completed this layout and have been waiting for my friend to reappear online but maybe lol I cant catch her but she might see my post soon! :)
The challenge was to use Strips of paper for journaling, which I surrounded the photo with. To be honest this was totally inspired by a layout in a recent CK mag, because I happened to have the stuff laying near me to do this with!

A Day of Scrapbooking

I joined a swap. I swore off swaps ages ago. I said I would not do any more because I might as well not waste the paper to get back things I would never make. This was after a bad experience of receiving items my KIDS would be embarassed to claim. There's no point in making tonnes of awesome stuff to get back really bad stuff. Anyway :) I saw someone else's swaps from a small group who swaps often and I wanted to be part of it :) SO I joined a 6" page swap featuring Christmas and Winter.

I left it to the last minute of course. Although I dont think it is late yet, I didnt do it til today. I had NO ideas and no inspirations. This morning out of desparation I did get an idea, a modification of something I had been thinking of before. And I worked on it all day. I looked after Annika, I looked after Aleah, I had card making Company, I brought spare kids home from school, and I worked on scrap pages all day! And I liked it again! The day Flew by!

Ok so you would have laughed I am sure. I formulated a plan and the pages required many many many pieces of different papers and sizes. I prepared all these pieces, and had them all in little piles...it occurred to me that Keeping them together was going to be a problem. I was in the kitchen (scrap room too messy to work in) and I went to the cupboard and pulled out these cute little dessert dishes, and I put all of my "ingredients" into them. then I just pulled the ingredients from the bowls, and made the pages! YAY! Problem Solved!

The resulting page set is pretty much my style. It's a little bit graphic, a little bit shabby, and a whole lot monochromatic. The silver cardstock takes on the colour of the Navy really nicely and the sparkly embossed snowflakes just grab your attention! Now I need to make labels, bag them, and mail them off, as soon as possible. Sometimes that is the hardest part!!!

Recreational Skating Taylor

Every Tuesday night I take the kids to Recreational Skating. I figure they take Hockey and Figure Skating and they likely should have a time they can "not" be learning. Just for fun. \
Taylor loves to show me what she has learned in classes and she has learned a lot! Check out her moves!

November 6th it SNOWED

Ok Since the party ive been a little low with a cold, it's currently been medicated into the background so I am tossing a few thoughts and photos out here :)
Holly's biggest challenge to this date with HOCKEY has been her hair. Yes seriously. no word of lie, her hair. Weve tried lots of things including pony tails, barrettes, kerchiefes and headbands. No matter what we try it falls from under her little helmet and right into her eyes. And for some reason this is really bothering her! She told her father she was going to QUIT hockey because her hair bugs her. So what are the choices? Cut bangs? I dont wanna cut bangs LOL. Um quit hockey? HEllo?? I dont think so. We've come up with this attempt :)


This smocking hairdo with it's tonnes of elastics keeps her hair tightly back! LOL I can do it Friday afternoon, and it stays in for Friday AND Saturday hockey practices :) I think we have a solution!

Poor Annika still has no interest in being 4. She tells anyone who asks that her birthday was not good, and that she is not being 4. Well I can tell you she IS being four which means obstinate and stubborn and cranky. LOL

So yesterday was Monday. And it snowed. More than the 2 minutes of flurries on Saturday, it actually snowed. For quite a while. And Quite heavy off and on. LOL It didnt last long (naturally it's all gone now) but the kids loved it while it was on the ground!


Little K came home with us from school and the kids had a little bit of time to play outside before the mama came to get her...with PIZZA YAY and with these funny little stampers that you lick and stamp....and then eat. I have never seen these before! How entertaining are they? LOL they decorated their faces more than anything else HAHAHAH~!

Annika's Fourth Birthday Party

Saturday we hosted Annika's Fourth Birthday Party! What an exciting day! We all were up very early, getting things ready! There was some cleaning to be done (imagine that!) and Annika helped make the cupcakes and the cake!

Annika was such a good helper, I think this might have been her favorite time of the morning! She's become very FOUR and I am not going to say anything else about that.

Most of the shopping was done but there were a few things to be picked up so we ran out and got them plus a new pair of pants for Annika to wear to her party :) Scott ran Holly to Hockey and then came back to get us. I found at Walmart some most awesome canvases and I have tonnes of ideas but cant say more because of the people who READ this blog LOLOL

After we got home and finished loot bags and cupcake frosting and streeamers, it was time to get ready for people! Grammy got a difficult Annika dressed, and I asked her for a birthday photo before the party started. This didnt happen, she's very FOUR now.


So when people started to come we had Taylor take the up in the field for a few games first. The kids played Tag, Red Rover, British Bulldog (still dont know how to play that game) and Beanie Baby Toss :)



Getting chilly by this time (YES despite being lovely and sunny it did snow for about 2 minutes LOL) So everyone headed inside and played for a little while before the Hot Dogs were ready.


Everyone loves a little snack on a cold day :) After the hotdogs were consumed quick as lightening, we decorated the cupcakes and they disappeared too!


Taking a break from food, we got the presents opened, Annika got many things she loved! There were pretty dresses, puzzles (she loves puzzles), a whole stamp kit (already opened and used and abused LOL), books, games, and a Fisher Price FP3 player!

Now into the home stretch, time for the cake to come out!

Annika had some competition blowing out her candle, then got to blow it out herself LOL!

And so ended the Fourth Birthday Party for Annika!

Measure of Progress

Here is Holly's Progress, this was a game she played tonight. NO she didnt get a goal, not even sure she touched the puck except accidently LOL but she's a little skater now! ROFL!

I'm Embedding Video YAHOO LOL

OK I put this video on YouTube LOL for viewing pleasure, it's the first time Holly had skates on this year and the first time in all her hockey gear LOLOL!
This was in early September :)

My Littlest Baby Turns Four Today!!

It is with a bittersweet happiness I announce little ANNIKA has turned Four today. How did my youngest, my tiny baby, become a four year old girl?? She's not a baby, not even a toddler any more! She's a little girl! OH MAN I cannot believe how fast time has gone! Where is it all going??

OK back to the birthday LOL
Annika has been crying for WEEKS! She doesnt want to be four! She wants to stay three. :( I feel bad since it is inevitable, and I have been concentrating on the good things that come from having a birthday like the party and cake and stuff :) I sure hope she gets happy about that :)

She went to sleep last night, on my lap where she barely fits anymore, as a sweet little three year old.


And she woke this morning, the saddest little four year old you ever saw!

No Amount of teasing and joking could make this sad little thing laugh...I start reminding her about all the fun, since her birthday is going to be spread over like 2 days, that always spreads out the fun...but no, no smiles



Until I promised to let her pick out her very own special present when we went to the city today. Then she let me photograph one very small, sad smile :)

Well a phone call later, we arent going to be going to the city this morning, but whe we pulled out the presents, Smiles reappeared!

Her little eyes lit up with the gifts we had for her (and were saving for tonight when her sisters were home but oh well we will do anything to make her happy about her birthday!

She's been asking for a new Cup since last November when Holly got her Strawberry Shortcake one, and sure enough a new Dora Cup appeared...




Momma helped her get into her new Spirograph which is not very much like the ones we had when we were kids...but she is going to love it!

Halloweenies!

Halloween was as expected a crazy day here! The kids woke up hyper, their "ride to school" brought treats, Caramel apples, and after the kids finally went to school, Annika dug right into hers!!!

After school Taylor had Piano lessons and after that homework, then finally supper and we let them dress up!


Taylor got the fancy make up this time, she was again a Diva Witch (she says Just a little Goth) and she got lots of pretty accents :)


Holly changed her mind about being a Spider-Person, she considered Hockey Player but settled on Scooby Doo, it was chilly and she figured it would be warmer. :)

Annika stuck with Kermit but wanted a little more "face" this time so she got extra eyes AND spots :):):)


Finally all ready to go out :) Scott dressed as the Hockey Player and we made him some bruises. He told everyone I beat him...I say i used the Hockey Stick :):):)

They did the neighborhood while I gave out treats here, then we made a few "car" stops to friends' places, finishing in Old Barns at Aleah's house, Nan and Gamp's house, and finally Nanny's. Cleaned up and went home, 2 kids were already asleep! What a night!!