Fun and Frolic with Paper and Glue...

Lovebug Scrapbooking is running a kit contest right now until mid-August and what a deal!! They have 5 small kits available for five dollars, or all five for twenty dollars. I bought two, and LOVE what I did with the Making Memories kit, if I do say so myself! I haven't had a very satisfying go at cardmaking or scrapping for what feels like quite awhile - until now! My 12x12 layout:






















From the leftover supplies, I was able to make six cards - adding nothing but cardstock and one ribbon! I still have enough left to make at least two more cards - sooo satisfying!!




"Art is not the bread, but the wine of life."
John Paul Richter

Positive Is As Positive Does...

I recently came across this blog, called Positively Present. The most recent post there is entitled, "100 Ways To Live In The Moment". It includes a great list of fun and creative ways to try your hand at living in the present. I've borrowed that list and re-copied it here - it's great food for thought! Head on over to positivelypresent.typepad.com and read more about this very positive and gratifying concept!

1.Ask someone about his/her life.
2.Write a handwritten note and mail it.
3.Make a promise (and keep it).
4.Look up at the sky and describe it.
5.Hug someone close to you.
6.Indulge in a long, warm bath.
7.Tell someone how much you love him/her.
8.Do something on your To Do list.
9.Apologize to someone you've hurt.
10.Re-read your favorite poem.
11.Turn off the TV for a week.
12.Relax in bed before sleeping.
13.Eat your favorite thing mindfully.
14.Ask someone an interesting question.
15.Take pictures of your favorite thing.
16.Go for a long walk somewhere beautiful.
17.Meditate for as long as you can.
18.Research an interesting topic.
19.Ask someone for advice and really listen.
20.Pay attention to your breathing for two minutes.
21.Answer the phone with cheer in your voice.
22.Make a decision immediately.
23.Close your eyes and image your paradise.
24.Mentor a young child (or an adult!).
25.Volunteer at a local charity.
26.Write a list of all you're grateful for.
27.Consider all possible solutions to a problem.
28.Take a different way to work.
29.Prepare your favorite meal for your family.
30.Offer praise to someone who deserves it.
31.Pay attention when others speak.
32.Watch a dog or cat (or baby) sleeping.
33.Prepare for tomorrow's work today.
34.Look at the details of a flower or plant.
35.Lie outside in the sun for a few hours.
36.Smile at yourself in the mirror.
37.Say "Thank you" and truly mean it.
38.Share your wisdom with someone else.
39.Do one thing that scares you.
40.Offer to help someone in need.
41.Watch a sunset or sunrise.
42.Visit a local museum and enjoy learning.
43.Organize your favorite photos online.
44.Send an email to an old friend.
45.Draw or paint something inspiring.
46.Host a party for no particular reason.
47.Tell yourself what you love about you.
48.Look for the positive in a problem.
49.Notice when the seasons are changing.
50.Imagine kissing your significant other.
51.Eat an ice cream cone outside when it's warm.
52.Share a joke with a friend and laugh loud.
53.Consider how feng shui might improve your home.
54.Spend a few hours alone, relaxing.
55.Make something from scratch.
56.List all of the things you've accomplished today.
57.Re-purpose something in your home.
58.Go to bed early. Wake up early.
59.Look for fireflies twinkling at night.
60.Pay attention to what your body is saying.
61.Make a very silly face at a friend.
62.Tell a child your favorite fairy tale.
63.Buy a gift for someone for no reason.
64.Watch a very positive TV show.
65.List the things you love about your body.
66.Take a road trip somewhere new.
67.Listen to your favorite song on repeat.
68.Smile brightly at the driver in the car next to you.
69.Write a love letter to yourself.
70.Kiss someone sweetly on the cheek.
71.Ask the question, "Why?"
72.Go for a run (or a quick walk). Move it!
73.Start a new, exciting project.
74.Spend a Saturday email-free.
75.Listen to and accept criticism with grace.
76.Speak cheerfully to your coworkers.
77.Look around you at how many colors there are.
78.Push yourself a little harder when working out.
79.Allow yourself to daydream.
80.Stop a bad habit (right now!).
81.Give yourself advice and follow it.
82.Turn off your phone for an evening.
83.Focus on what you're doing right this minute.
84.Speak to someone as if you really do care.
85.Treat yourself to a tasty snack.
86.Take three deep breaths before falling asleep.
87.Do jump jacks or jump rope.
88.Play with a puppy and watch how s/he romps.
89.Appreciate winter in summer (and vice versa).
90.Think about how amazing an invention is.
91.Hold someone's hand unexpectedly.
92.Wake up with a really long stretch session.
93.Pay attention to others' observations.
94.Watch how clouds move across the sky.
95.Listen to a bird's song (without being annoyed).
96.Introduce yourself to someone new.
97.Write down everything you're feeling today.
98.Think about why you love your favorite outfit.
99.Ask yourself, "What's awesome about this moment?"
100.Call someone just to say "I love you."

She Hates Me...

...Or so she says. Time will tell. I was thirteen once too, and I remember hating my mom. I just never thought it would happen with me and my daughter. I had reasons for hating my mom. What possible reason could my daughter have? I'm a cool mom. I'm a great mom! And apparently, I am a naive mom...

Aw, shucks...

Fellow blogger Jen gave me this cute blog award. Thanks, Jen! That's sweet! :) And back atcha!

My Current Obsession...

...is Cards For Heroes! I've seen the name around, on message boards, websites, etc. but I only recently just got curious enough to look into it further. All I can say is, WOW! What a great organization!! The website is very informative, very thorough - go take a look! To explain a bit about Cards For Heroes, I've borrowed their mission statement from their website:

OUR MISSION

To support our nation's armed forces by sending blank greeting cards to write home on, as well as cards of gratitude to encourage them.

Doesn't sound like to much to ask, especially in the face of the enormous commitment and sacrifice these individuals are making for the good of their country and many others!

I was so fired up after getting onto their website that I've put together about two dozen cards so far that I'm going to send off, and I'm going to continue to collect them and send them when I've accumulated a good amount again. This is an American based organization, and I have looked about for a Canadian equivalent, and I have not been able to find anything. If anybody has any information about being able to support our Canadian troops in this way, please let me know! Regardless, I am going to and will continue to support Cards for Heroes.

I have amassed a large amount of cards over the years, either through taking classes or just indulging my need to cut paper and wield glue. I could easily assemble more cards than I could ever use just through my love for crafting, so now I've found the perfect finish line for my never ending marathon of scrapbooking/cardmaking! I urge you to visit the Cards for Heroes website - as I said, it is very thorough, and very touching as well. A seemingly very small gesture of appreciation and fellowship on our part can have such a postive, rewarding impact on these strangers overseas who are putting their lives on the line for us every day - how wonderful that we have the ability to take this hobby, this passion, of ours to a whole other level of meaning in such a simple way!

My Love Affair With Summer Continues...

Ah, summer...sweet, sweet summer! How I do love thee!

It is some kind of weird karma that made me a sun-worshipping, summer loving, redheaded and freckled pale person who couldn't get even the slightest tan to save her life and burns at the drop of a hat, even after applying the highest SPF known to humankind!

If summer was a man, I'd marry him!

If summer was a child, I'd adopt her.

If summer was an elixer, I'd drink it...

As it is, I declare summer to be my drug of choice and I am high on it! (*disclaimer: the writer of this blog is simply trying to drive home a point and does not, in any way, shape, or form, advocate the use of illegal, illicit, and/or ill-advised street drugs or prescription narcotics).

I trust that you get where I'm going with this?!

And yes, I am aware that technically, it won't even officially be summer for another couple of weeks, but I'm all about 'the early bird gets the worm', and 'Carpe Diem', etc. so I'm getting the jump on summer, it's happening now, and I am positively swooning!

The Joy of Gardening...

Well, we've got the first long weekend of the summer under our belt, and overall, I'd say it's been a pretty durn good one! The weather, for the most part, was fab!! So warm, so sunny...so much so that I didn't mind the rain today. It really felt like a 'warm summer rain' too...Ah, summer, how I've longed for your arrival! I did a significant amount of yard/garden work this weekend, and between the sun and heat, and then the rain today, it's incredible how much growing and blooming has occurred in just two days! Nature is truly amazing! I just love my yard and garden so much - I can't imagine what it would be like to own a house with a big yard in the front and in the back...oh the possibilities!! One can dream...

I've pretty much run out of room for any more perennials but I find it very difficult not to add something new each year...I think I'm going to have to invest in some large containers in order to fulfill my need to propagate.

Sidebar: When I first wrote that last sentence about 'propagation', I was going to be cheeky and follow with, "Stevie, honey, if you are reading this, don't worry! 'Propagate' and 'procreate' are not the same thing!", but then I looked 'propagate' up on www.dictionary.com and, lo and behold, it pretty much means the exact same thing! Oops! My bad! To me, propagate is a plant term whereas procreate is more of a human or animal term, but I was wrong! So just for final clarification, I used the phrase, "...in order to fulfill my need to propagate" in relation to my enjoyment of gardening and planting more plants! Nothing more! Okay. Sidebar over.

Finding more room for planting perennials is just one of the advantages of moving towards containers for gardening. The other advantage is that it makes it much easier to bring my beloved plants with me if we ever did end up buying a house. I hate the thought of having to leave any of my plants behind. I could probably transplant some of them, but others, like my Japanese maples and my magnolia are maturing and becoming quite settled. I don't know that they would survive any attempts made to transplant them. Oh well, for now it's a moot point.

One thing that I certainly fantasize about when it comes to owning our own home, is having my own vegetable garden, as well as a couple of fruit trees and some berry bushes. Some of my fondest childhood memories are of spending summers at my grandparents' house. They had a decent sized vegetable garden and I so loved going out in the afternoon with my grandma to pull up a couple of potato plants and some carrots, throwing the dirt-covered veggies onto the grass, hosing them off, and then bringing them into the kitchen to scrub, slice, and cook. My grandparents also had several fruit trees. My brother and sister and I would just pick up apples or pears or plums that had fallen to the ground and eat them where we were standing. I don't know that the raspberry bushes would have yielded enough raspberries to make a pie, but then again, we never gave them a chance to. We'd be out in the yard playing with the go-karts our Grandpa made us or building forts with lawnchairs and sheets and we'd frequently drop whatever it was that we were doing to run over to the bushes and stuff raspberries into our mouths - little bitty insects and all. We didn't care! We were children, it was our childhood, and ingesting small bugs was just part of the grandness of it all!

I want some of these experiences for my children. For now, though, as I said earlier, I really do love the yard and garden that I've got and I am looking forward to many happy days spent there this summer with my children!

Another 'Comedy Moment', brought to you by Casey...

I'm telling you...the kid cracks me up.

Early this morning, I was sitting on the couch in our living room, putting on my makeup with a little hand held mirror. It's how I 'get ready' every morning that I have to go to work. Whenever Casey wakes up, he comes downstairs and sits right up against me and snuggles to keep warm. It's one of my favorite 'everyday' routines. I hadn't had my tea or breakfast yet and my stomach started to growl, so I said, "Mommy's getting hungry! Did you hear my stomach rumbling?" Casey looks up at me with his beautiful big brown eyes and says, "Are you sure that wasn't your bum flute?" Sigh...another beautiful mother/son moment. By the time this boy gets married, I'm going to have SO much material to provide the MC with!

TGIF! What?! Wait a minute...what the...?!

All day today I have been thinking that it's Friday! If it was Thursday, I could live with that, but Wednesday?! I'm really ahead of myself. I actually had to put a big sticky note up on my computer screen at work that says "today is WEDNESDAY!". Sigh...It's a good Wednesday, though, and I don't work Thursdays, so I guess I'm doing alright! I'm probably all upside down and turned around because my sister and her daughter arrived here yesterday so we hung out at my place last night later than we normally would with the kids on a school night, so maybe that makes it feel more like "weekend mode".

My sister moved to the States over three years ago and hasn't been able to return home since. I say "home" meaning here, where she came from, but her home now IS the States, with her husband and children. It's been a long process for her to get her immigration status/legalities worked out, but finally, this past Friday, she got the news that it had all been approved, and so here she is, finally! We've been down to visit her several times, but it's good to have her here. Let the 'just hangin' out' begin! She'll be staying through Mother's Day. All I can say is, photo ops galore! Speaking of Mother's Day, I've got a request for Mother Nature herself. How 'bout some sunshine?! Please?! It's a special occasion! My sister - my best friend and her little daughter - our little niece, our little cousin - are finally here! We've got some ground to cover - places to go, people to see, things to do...using photographic equipment is oh so much easier when it's dry! Plus, it's just so much easier with the kids!



My fingers are crossed! Truly though, I'm just so happy to have these two oh-so-special people here that the weather is secondary.

Let the good times roll, rain or shine!

Earth Day Spotlight - Coyotes

This past Saturday was the 9th Annual Earth Day Event at Everett Crowley Park. Here is the event description, borrowed from the Earth Day Canada website:

"Everett Crowley Park was once used as Vancouver’s landfill. VanEast Parks Department in cooperation with Everett Crowley Committee Members and Community Volunteers have turned this abused site into the “jewel of East Vancouver.” Planting of native species and removal of invasive alien plant species is undertaken annually by the Community at each annual Earth Day Event and created a beautiful park for all to enjoy. The site has Viewpoints which offer stunning views across the Fraser River overlooking lush green market gardens and to the East a magnificent view of Mount Baker. Eagles, hawks and owls fly overhead, nature walks and birding tours are offered by the Committee. People of all ages now walk and play in open areas surrounded by towering evergreens. In 2008, 5,000 people came to enjoy a day of free live entertainment, learned new things, got down and planted and had a wonderful day in the Park. Educational booths offer information on how each of us can make small changes in our daily lives to help protect our environment for today and for future generations. We expect a large turnout this year to enjoy what has become an eagerly anticipated event."

All three of my children and I walked over around noon to see what was going on. This was the first year that we attended. It was wonderful! So much to see and do, and there were so many friends and neighbours there to wave to or stop and chat with.

The Stanley Park Ecology Society had an information booth set up which focused on "Co-existing with Coyotes". I found it to be very interesting - I've seen many coyotes in the city - from a distance as well as a few 'too close for comfort' encounters. The SPEC steward who was manning the booth had a homemade 'coyote shaker' that he was demonstrating and passing about. I had never heard of one before, but now that I've seen one, I've decided that it is going to be this week's craft project with the kids! Here is some infomation from SPEC's website:

The Coyote Shaker

Materials:
•Pop or juice can
•About 40 pennies
•Aluminum foil
•Duct tape


Instructions:
1.Place the pennies in the can
2.Cover the opening with tape
3.Cut a piece of foil and tape it around the can


Using the Shaker
Shake the tin at the coyote while slowly moving towards an area of increased activity. The shaker scares the approaching coyote in three ways, through:

1.Aggressive hand motion
2.Loud noise
3.Reflective light

The shaker easily fits in a pocket or bag.

Also from the SPEC website, "It may surprise some readers that the Co-existing with Coyotes program encourages people to harass coyotes. Coyotes are opportunists and always learning, it's a major factor in their success. By harassing a coyote that shows no fear of people, or follows your dog, you send it a message that they have been recognized and that they need to keep their distance. Without a reasonable fear of people, coyotes and other urban wildlife will often become habituated, thereby increasing the potential for conflicts with humans. The most common conflicts involve coyotes attacking pets."

Certainly a good perspective to keep in mind! Happily, I know two little boys with big imaginations and lots of energy for adventure who will be raring to head back to the park to make some noise with their newly constructed, SPEC sanctioned gadgets! I'll arm myself with my ecologically sound, reusable coffee canteen and my camera of choice and I'll be just as eager to head out, in pursuit of little boys' laughter, sunshine, and good photo ops! Fun for all ages!

Good Morning on Good Friday...

Good morning, good morning, what a good morning it is! The sun is shining, the birds are singing...and I mean, the birds are really singing!! They are quite a lively, busy, active little bunch around here! In fact, at times they sound almost lunatic - such a rapid, fervent cacophony they make. Some of my neighbours complain about their noise, but I love it. I welcome it! It always heralds the arrival of spring, and I will celebrate that always! True, the little winged wonders do start up on the early side each morning - sometimes while '4' is still the first number you see on the digital clock glowing beside the bed, but I will never complain. My mood, my energy, my frame of mind depends too much on the spring and summer seasons, and the weather they bring, to ever grieve any non sequitur like birdsong.

I feel very fortunate to live where I do. I believe that one of the things that British Columbia, and Vancouver, is recognized for is our abundance of wildlife, trees, and greenery. The neighbourhood I live in within Vancouver is almost a parklike setting. Woods and trails and ponds and creeks, all just above the mighty Fraser River. During the summer, I can look out my living room window and barely be able to make out the townhouse complex next door to us, or even my neighbours houses across from my backyard, for all the full, broad, mature (mostly deciduous) trees there are. They are a wonderful privacy screen, and they provide such great sunshade for the children out playing in the summer. It's somewhat startling, in the autumn, to have almost all the leaves fall away to reveal (gasp!) civilization! So dense, and so close - just on the other side of the fence!

I used to associate 'birdwatching' with either odd, antisocial, professor-type men, or your stereotypical 'little old lady' - ancient and frail, looking out her kitchen window at her generous array of birdfeeders, making sure all of her dear little birdies have their seed through the winter. Well, darned if I am not turning into a bit of a birdwatcher myself! How could I not?! I'll be sitting on the couch in front of the big window in the living room when a flash of movement catches my eye - what was that?! I turn and look outside, and a robin has landed on the balcony railing. A minute later - flash of movement. I turn my head. Two little chickadees are skipping about outside on the deck. I look out at the empty playground. Nothing going on out there. Or is there? The more I look, the more I see. Little birds swooping quickly by and out of sight....another robin hopping about on the grass...a couple of crows perched above, overseeing things and waiting perhaps for a sign that the robin might be on to something tasty...And farther above in the sky overtop of the neighbouring townhouse complex, some seagulls are circling about. Seagulls...well I'll be. There's nary a sea around here, and we're a bit more than a stone's throw from Kitsilano...I have seen woodpeckers, blue jays, hummingbirds, hawks, great blue herons, Canadian geese, bald eagles and more - on the ground, in the trees, and in the sky above - right in my backyard.

So here at my house, spring is springing, birds are singing - and there is no place I'd rather be!

All Geared Up and Ready To Go!

Today was opening day for Vancouver Minor Baseball. This will be Casey's third year playing. He spent two years in 'Blastball' and has now moved up to 'Mini Tad'. While Blastball has the kids hitting the ball off of a T-stand, the Mini Tads have graduated to a pitching machine, which means new equipment is required. At this level, the team supplies the batting helmet, but it was time for a new glove as Casey had grown out of his old one from last season (Cody happily inherited it), and the other new piece of equipment required at this stage is a jock. Sounds like a Daddy job to me! So, a few days ago, Steve took Casey out to look at getting a new mitt and his first jock. Casey wasn't quite sure what a jock is, so Steve gave him an explanation, involving what I don't know. Casey processed the information and then asked, "You mean like armor for your penis?" I can always count on Casey for a chuckle!

This Month's 'The Inspired Scrapper'...

I am so pleased to say that I was asked to be the Guest Designer this month for 'The Inspired Scrapper'. This fabulous blog is the brain child of Sonja McLean, a whirling dervish of talent and drive whom I have admired for a number of years now, since I first met her at a LSS. I alternate between 'flattered' and 'sheepish' to be included for the month among the very clever and accomplished Design Team members Sonja has working with her at The Inspired Scrapper. This is the layout that I did for this week's 'Rain' themed project. Thank you Sonja, and the rest of the team, for inviting me over to play!

Seven Up!

Fun, fun! My first tagging! I was tagged by Karla to do the following:

Go to the photos folder on your computer.
Go to the seventh folder of photos.
Go to the seventh photo.
Put the seventh photo on your blog along with a description.
Invite seven friends to join.

So here's what the mathematics turned up:



This picture was taken by me on December 21, 2008 - just a few days before Christmas. This Christmas was a white one, and then some! I don't remember there ever being as much snow in winter around here, ever. This isn't a fabulous shot - it's not artsy, or technically sound, or particularly evocative - but here it is, the seventh of seven.

So now - I have to tag seven people. I tag Margot, Eleonor, Rachel, Stacey, Sheryl, Carla, and Kat!

Alright, friends - post your pics!

A Lovebug Blog Challenge...

I'm so excited that Lovebug has a blog! I, like many other people I know, are addicted to blogs, so it's great to have another blog to check in on. For those of you who are not familiar with Lovebug Scrapbooking, it is the friendliest community of scrappers that I have ever encountered. Along with the blog, there is a forum, a store, and a gallery. A little something for everyone!

This challenge was a scraplift challenge, and the chosen layout was by Lys, aka 'iamalloverit'. Lys had turned out to be my 'secret Santa' this past Christmas, and I ended up using some of the chipboard she sent me - thanks again, Lys! I'm not a 'literal' scraplifter - I usually use the inspiration piece as a launching pad and then head off in whatever direction I end up going. With this layout, I kept the basic composition and the 'time' theme, and ran with it. Thank you Lovebug, and thank you, Lys - the blog's first scraplift challenge was good fun!

Just sharing some newfound goodness...

I am absolutely in love with the blogging world, especially as it pertains to scrapbooking, photography, and all things crafty and creative! Last week I discovered this lovely lady's blog o' plenty, and this week via her blog, I linked up to this creative wunderkind. The goodness just never ends, I tell you!

A funny email...

My sister sent me a funny email today that actually made me laugh, and because I could relate to enough of it, I thought I'd repeat it here:






BIRTH ORDER OF CHILDREN

Your Clothes:

1st baby: You begin wearing maternity clothes as soon as your OB/GYN confirms your pregnancy.

2nd baby: You wear your regular clothes for as long as possible.

3rd baby: Your maternity clothes ARE your regular clothes.

Preparing for the Birth:

1st baby: You practice your breathing religiously.

2nd baby: You don't bother because you remember that last time, breathing didn't do a thing.

3rd baby: You ask for an epidural in your eighth month.

The Layette:

1st baby: You pre-wash newborn's clothes, color-coordinate them, and fold them neatly in the baby's little bureau.

2nd baby: You check to make sure that the clothes are clean and discard only the ones with the darkest stains.

3rd baby: Boys can wear pink, can't they?

Worries:

1st baby: At the first sign of distress--a whimper, a frown--you pick up the baby.

2nd baby: You pick the baby up when her wails threaten to wake your firstborn.

3rd baby: You teach your three-year-old how to rewind the mechanical swing.

Pacifier:

1st baby: If the pacifier falls on the floor, you put it away until you can go home and wash and boil it.

2nd baby: When the pacifier falls on the floor, you squirt it off with some juice from the baby's bottle.

3rd baby: You wipe it off on your shirt and pop it back in.

Diapering:

1st baby: You change your baby's diapers every hour, whether they need it or not.

2nd baby: You change their diaper every two to three hours,if needed.

3rd baby: You try to change their diaper before others start to complain about the smell or you see it sagging to their knees.

Activities:

1st baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics , Baby Swing, and Baby Story Hour.

2nd baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics.

3rd baby: You take your infant to the supermarket and the dry cleaner.

Going Out:

1st baby: The first time you leave your baby with a sitter, you call home five times.

2nd baby: Just before you walk out the door, you remember to leave a number where you can be reached.

3rd baby: You leave instructions for the sitter to call only if she sees blood.

At Home:

1st baby: You spend a good bit of every day just gazing at the baby.

2nd baby: You spend a bit of everyday watching to be sure your older child isn't squeezing, poking, or hitting the baby.

3rd baby: You spend a little bit of every day hiding from the children.

Swallowing Coins (a childhood classic):

1st child: When first child swallows a coin, you rush the child to the hospital and demand x-rays.

2nd child: When second child swallows a coin, you carefully watch for the coin to pass.

3rd child: When third child swallows a coin you deduct it from his allowance!

So how much did you find yourself relating to this?

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Top of the morning to ye! Kiss me! I'm (1/16th) Irish!

Wishing everybody, green or otherwise, a very Happy St. Patrick's Day!








An Irish Blessing, to mark the occasion:

Lucky stars above you,
Sunshine on your way,
Many friends to love you,
Joy in work and play-
Laughter to outweigh each care,
In your heart a song-
And gladness waiting everywhere
All your whole life long!

And one more, for good measure:

May you be half an hour in Heaven
Before the Devil knows you’re dead!

Sláinte chugat
(Good health to you!)

Cup Half Full...

Okay. Lying here feeling all sorry for myself is getting old, so now I'm taking a moment to focus on some positive things.

Positive Thing #1
In between naps, I have been blog-hopping, checking out other people's links, etc. and I serendipitously happened upon a blog called 'One Little Word'. OMGosh - I'm in love!! My boring, painfully long sick days have now turned into lots of free time to dig into this blog! Yay!

Positive Thing #2
Casey came home from soccer school super stoked, proudly sporting a new jersey, and not nearly as wet as I anticipated him to be!!

Positive Thing #3
My sinuses popped, relieving much pressure in my face AND in my ears - and I'm actually feeling clearer right now than I have in days!

Positive Thing #4
My husband. There will never be enough words, or enough time, to ever be able to come anywhere close to expressing just how amazing he is and how lucky I am.

Positive Thing #5
I just realized today that I have had this blog for over TWO years already!! How is that possible?? I was so skeptical when I first started it, somewhat sheepish about having it, but have grown to love it ever so much!! It has been so great, so fun...so here's to another couple of years of happy blogging in Jillville! :)

Frustrated!!!

So here I am again and still, blogging from bed. Dang it! I am no better today than I was almost a week ago when I first got sick, and I'm super p*ssed about it!! I would so rather be at work! I would so rather be cleaning the house! I would so rather be doing anything other than lying in my bed, stuffy and achy and tired and BORED TO DEATH!! Frustrated!! I promised myself that this was NOT going to be another self-indulgent post about poor me I'm sick boo hoo etc. SO - moving right along...

Let's talk about the rain! Ah yes, Vancouver's liquid sunshine. Such a classic Spring Break on the Wet Coast! Casey's in a week long half-day soccer school program and he is super excited about it! Of course, we signed him up for this before he came down with pneumonia, ear infection, etc. So now he's out in the elements, running around, exerting himself, soaked through from head to toe...I remember reading a long time ago a magazine or newspaper article called "Old Wives Tales Debunked!" or some such thing. The article stated that the whole myth about kids catching cold from being out in the rain and/or cold etc. was untrue - colds are caused by viruses, not weather. Okay, makes sense. But I still can't shake my sense of guilt about sending my newly recovered Casey outside for three hours on a day like today! He has been SO excited about it though - to tell him he can't go would probably be worse for him than the weather and us Vancouverites, we gotta be tough! We can't slow down or stop for a little rain! We'd cease to exist!! I remember seeing a t-shirt when I was a kid - it said, "Welcome to the Vancouver Rain Festival! September 1 to August 31!". It took me a minute to figure it out, but once I did - HAH! I loved it! And that about sums it up, doesn't it?! So that takes up back to Spring Break. I do feel disappointed about the weather. Between the rain and me being sick, there's not much fun going on around here for the kids. So, I have to toss aside most, if not all, of my plans with them for the week, but I'm still holding out for Friday. We have been planning on driving down to Seattle to spend the weekend with my sister and her family - my little niece is turning 2 on the first day of Spring! She's only seven weeks younger than Cody. We haven't gotten together with all the kids in months and months, so this trip HAS to happen!! I HAVE to be better by then! Rain or shine, it will be a splendid, excellent, super fun time. Fingers crossed!

Sigh...mustering effort...

Gotta love a laptop! I'm home sick from work today and am blogging from bed! If I didn't feel so sh*tty, I'd feel decadent! I have to confess - I am a big, sniveling, whining wimp when I am sick! I loudly and proudly display all of the characteristics and mannerisms that, in healthy days, I actively despise in other people! I hate being sick - and one of the reasons why, I realized yesterday through today, is that it's boring, and it is the only time that I am ever bored! Too tired, achy, creaky, snotty, weakened, sweaty, chilly, itchy, irritable, thirsty, chapped to be able to do anything. Clothing on my skin is uncomfortable and annoying, my bed sheets and covers get all twisted and tangled, my hair is all flattened and agitating...the curtains are closed when I want them open, then they are open when I want them closed...my beloved bed and mattress now seem much to high off the ground to bother swinging my feet around and down to the floor to get up and fix the curtains - besides, I'm too stiff and sore. I try doing a Sudoku puzzle but my pen runs out - aw, for f*cks sake! - FINE! I'll multitask to make it worthwhile - haul myself miserably out of bed, head to the bathroom (you know how when you're sick so that it even hurts to pee?!), shuffle back to my room, find another pen, head over to the curtains and fix them to be however they're going to be until they again end up all wrong, and then stagger back to bed, straighten (at least a little bit - too weak to do it all)the covers, climb WAY up onto the mattress that, until I felt so wretchedly miserable, was coveted for it's high, plush qualities, fall back against the pillows with a sacrificial, wheezing sigh...burning hot again and winded from this taxing, torturous trek...

I told you. I'm pathetic. The worst! Of note, (and yes, I am fully aware of the absolute hypocrisy of this) if anybody else EVER behaved in my vicinity even remotely like I do when sick, I would gleefully volunteer to put them out of their misery for good. So how do you like me now?! Bleh!

I do feel a moderate amount of shame and embarrassment for my unequivocal wimpiness, especially in contrast to my 5 1/2 year old son, Casey. This kid has just spent over a week home sick from school (which was very disappointing to him - he just LOVES school) because he came down with pneumonia. Pneumonia! How on earth my healthy, active, gregarious little boy developed pneumonia is beyond me, but develop it he did, resulting in a visit to the Emergency Room of Children's Hospital, and a week's course of antibiotics. Of my three children, and in my 13+ years as a mom, I have never had a child so sick for so long. Raging fever, sometimes with hallucinations and nightmares, zero appetite (my slim, sometimes skinny little Casey didn't ingest any solids for over a week!), headaches, stomachaches, ear infection, coughing that made his throat sore and disrupted his sleep, nose so stuffy he felt like he was choking and couldn't breathe alternating with a nose so runny that his poor upper lip became painfully raw and chapped...just horrible for a little guy. And remarkably, no word of a lie, throughout the entire time, Casey did not complain ever. Not even a little bit, not once. The boy was patient and brave, and though I already think the absolute world of him,he earned a whole new level of respect from me, and showed me what grit really looks like! (Move over, Clint Eastwood!). So now, do you think I can muster even the slightest bit of stoicism or endurance in the face of his impressive example? Nope. Not a bit. Say it with me now, folks - PA! THE! TIC!

Now all this blogging has weakened me...I must rest. Oh, my failing energy...

Oh Happy Day!

What a day! The sun is shining, the birds are singing, the Spring is springing! All is well in Jillville!

For starters, I left work this past week on the afternoon of Friday, February 27th. On the morning of March 2nd, I returned. I was feeling pretty fine. Sit down at my desk, fire up my computer, flip my wall calender over - Goodbye, February - Hello, March! Glanced at the upcoming week and about fell right out of my chair. Next weekend is Daylight Savings! Yes - NEXT weekend! Oh Hallelujah, I heard the angels burst into song right at that very moment! The darkest days are behind us, and nothing but sunshine up ahead! There was a time, many many moons ago, that I would have said that Fall is my favorite season, but no more. As I have grown older, matured, given birth to a few children, Spring has become the more favored of the two seasons. Truth be told, I'm REALLY partial to Summer, but ah...Spring. It's the kickoff to summer, and where the fun is just beginning. Especially after the monstrous amount of snow that fell this particular winter - but we don't have to talk about that anymore! No, it is March, and it is (almost) Daylight Savings, and this calls for cake, wouldn't you agree?!

So that takes care of the beginning of this work week. Now we arrive at Wednesday, the middle of the work week, 'Hump Day' so to speak. Had a great drive in to work this morning - radio set to CFOX, as it always is when it's Mommy's turn for the radio. First song played not too long after setting off was 'Kickstart My Heart', classic Motley Crue. Had to crank that bad boy up to an unhealthy (but oh so rockin!) volume. Then, some morning show banter, etc. GREAT morning show over there on the Fox. Makes me laugh out loud every time I listen. Which is another great way to start a day - laughing out loud. Can only get better from there, right?! Oh, and it did! Almost to work, the Fox turns out some STP. Oh yeah, baby - crank the volume dial real high again. Pull into the parkade, zip to the roof, back smartly into an ideally located parking spot, and saunter on in to my department with five minutes to spare. Perfecto! Oh, and as a bonus - I realized that for the first time in months, I hadn't used the heater in the car on my way to work. Not once! Oh happy day!

Block Head

For a few months now, I have been experiencing 'writer's block', for lack of a better term. I am not one to be short for words, but I can't string together a simple paragraph to save my life! I've started several posts in draft form, but just can't get 'em going. It's a strange feeling to have so much going on inside my head and not be able to get it out. The connection between my brain and my ability to type has short-circuted. My fingers are mute! Kind of frustrating, I must say! It's not like I've got the next great Canadian literary masterpiece trapped inside - I just want to be able to vent, blab, ramble, pour it out...and I can't! I'm stopped up! The pathway from my brain to my fingertips is constipated!! I need the mental equivalent of a tall glass of prune juice but I just don't know what this would be. Crap! (no pun intended). In the meantime, this current mental affliction has not impacted the big piece of my little brain that is devoted to scrapbooking! I have managed to squeeze out (again, no pun intended!) a couple of layouts for the lovely little inspiration blog I mentioned in my last couple of posts. Sonja posts a new challenge at The Inspired Scrapper every Friday, which gives me just one more reason to exclaim TGIF!! each week. Challenge #7 was to use one sheet of diecut paper on at least two layouts. I managed to do this using a lovely cream coloured, very lacy piece of paper, and the bonus for me is that I used it on a primarily pink layout about my daughter and a boyish, earthier colour schemed layout about my son. Sonja's current challenge is #8 - using chipboard snowflakes, and the examples she has posted are very nice, but I just can't deal with anything snow related right now. Without going into huge dramatics, I'll just say that anything to do with snow OR winter could just about tip me over the psychological abyss I teeter on, so I will be abstaining from this week's challenge BUT - I am really looking forward to finding out what the challenge for the coming week will be! In the meantime, I'm on a bit of a card making bender, so maybe I'll have a few for posting soon, if words continue to fail me.

The Inspired Scrapper - That's Me!

Another layout I did in response to Challenge #6 at The Inspired Scrapper. Inspired, indeed! I haven't done two layouts in two days in who knows how long!!

Inspired by 'The Inspired Scrapper'

If you are a lover of all things scrapbooking, as I am, then check out this new inspiration blog belonging to Sonja McLean, an amazingly talented Canadian scrapbooker, and an all-round lovely human being. It's called The Inspired Scrapper and is home to a design team made up of several extremely creative women with a variety of personal scrapbooking styles. Something for everyone!!

Here's the layout I did for Challenge #6 - Lucky In Love. Although we are nearing Valentines Day, any day is a good day to stop and reflect on the people who we love and the richness in our lives, wouldn't you say?

Oh Canada!

Early this Saturday morning, I found myself sitting in a cold hockey rink, waiting for my daughter to hit the ice, drinking my Tim Hortons while my little boys waved at the Zamboni driver as we watched him clean the ice, and it hit me - it doesn't get more Canadian than this!!

Cute Casey...

After Casey's bath tonight, he had the shivers so I took out my hair dryer to blow dry his hair and warm him up. He was sitting on the counter in the bathroom watching me in the mirror, and he asked me, "Mom, do you want to be a hairdresser when you grow up?". So sweet. So innocent. So Casey! Love that kid!!

Back With The Weather Right After This Break...

Rain, oh glorious rain!! I never thought I'd hear myself say it but all this snow we've gotten in the past few weeks has brought on a refreshing new perspective! The silver lining, it is. At first, the snow was lovely. Romantic. Pretty. Fun for the kids. A novelty. Then, it became a bit much, didn't it?! It looks like it's over though, and it's exciting to see how quickly the mounds of snow are diminishing, between the warmer temperatures and all the blessed rain. I've become quite the weather watcher. It borders on obsession. I find myself Googling 'Vancouver weather', logging into the Weather Network a couple of times a day, and though I don't (can't!) watch the news, I implore my husband to please catch the weather and let me know what it's going to be like tomorrow or I won't be able to sleep! Okay, I exaggerate a bit.

My level of interest in the weather is, however, a measure of my adultness. When I was a kid and staying with my grandparents, every day at noon they'd eat their lunch in front of the TV because they had to 'catch the weather'. I didn't get it. Catch the weather?! 'If you want to know the weather, take a look outside! That'll tell you the weather!' (I was such a little smart ass!). 6:00 pm, the Early News would come on, and again - they had to watch for the weather report. WTHeck?! You just found out a few hours ago AND you can ALSO take a look outside! And, lord help me, 11:00 pm would roll around and...you guessed it. The weather. They just wanted to get the local news and the weather before they went to bed. Now here I am. All these years later. I'm sure they are both just looking down on me with bemused smiles on their faces, nodding their heads, saying, 'ah yes...our granddaughter is officially, and fully, an adult now'.

In Lieu of a 'Real' Post...

An original, seasonal haiku...

Snow in Vancouver
Pandemonium breaks out!
Starbucks on foot then.

It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year...

Christmas is just coming up so quickly, isn't it? I know that I say this same thing every year and inevitably feel this way every year. (Actually, since I started getting old(er), I feel this way about a lot of things! Time flies when you're getted old!)Are you/your kids starting to get excited yet? Mine sure are, no thanks to my husband who keeps declaring, "Whoo hoo! I LOVE this time of year", thereby eliciting lots of eager questions and hopping about and "whoo hoo"ing from the kids! (insert good-natured eye-roll here!). Realizing that I'm bordering on sounding Grinch-ey/Scrooge-y, I should say that I really like Christmas too. Really, I do! Truthfully, though, I just don't quite feel that comfortable thinking about Christmas being as imminent as it is. I'll get there, though! I do every year! One of the beautiful things about having children is being able to see the world through their eyes sometimes, and there's no better time to do that than at Christmas! Just thinking that, I can already feel a bit of the magic wash over me...yes, I'll get there alright, and it won't be long before I'm bouncing around, whoo-hooing too!

Love the Usborne Books!

For anyone in the Metro Vancouver area (still feels a bit weird saying that - I'm a creature of habit, still thinking the 'Lower Mainland'!), I am having an Usborne Books open house at my house on Sunday, November 30, between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. If you're interested in coming by, email me for my address! There'll be snacks/refreshments, and lots of great childrens books to peruse! Also, I'll enter your name in a draw for free books, and if you bring a friend, you get a free book! If you're interested in checking out the online catalogue, go to http://www.usborne.ca/. Any orders made by the end of November will be received before Christmas! You're welcome to bring your kids - our place is small, but we've got a playroom downstairs (and there will be plenty of age-appropriate reading material!) Hope to see you!

Boo!

It just dawned on me in the last few days or so that my youngest child, my little 'last but not least', my baby...will be two years old in three months! Wow! That just kind of snuck up on me! Almost two! And just thinking, 'almost two!' reminded me of something about both Chanel and Casey at that age. When they were almost two, I taught them how to say, 'almost two' when I asked them how old they were. They'd hold up two fat little fingers and say, 'almost two!' in their cutest little voices. Cody has not learned to say that. Granted, I haven't spent much time trying to teach him, but...really, I don't think he's there yet. And I don't mean to underestimate him, but he really doesn't have the verbal abilities at this stage that his siblings did (though he does like his books at this stage, just as much as his sister and brother did!) Me - "Cody, how old are you?", Cody - "BAH!". Up until a few weeks ago, "BAH!" was about it for him when it came to anything. Now, he's got distinguishable and specific sounds/words for specific things. So it's coming. I'm not worried about it - he's a smart little guy and he knows exactly what people are saying and can respond appropriately to questions and follow directions, etc. He will be fluent one day! Perhaps it's a classic 'third child' scenario...

Today, though...today he impressed me! We were out for a walk and ended up at our little neighbourhood mall/plaza so that I could get my Starbucks, and I bought Casey and Cody both a little Matchbox car at the grocery store. Cody was zooming his car along the sidewalk, stopping to look at whatever happened to grab his attention, and by this time, I was ready to get heading back home so I told him, "Let's keep moving Cody!", but to no avail. "Cody, come on, buddy! Time to get going, time to go home!". Nothing. "Cody - let's go, bud, or Mommy will put you in the buggy!" This is a perfect example of Cody knowing exactly what I'm saying to him, but in this case, choosing to ignore it. So finally, I had to scoop him up to put him in the buggy. Or, wrestle him in as it was. He's screaming and flailing and kicking around (Cody is definitely an intense little dude!) (Guy walks by and tosses out a comment - "Good set of lungs on him!" Yeah, I know, pal!)so I try distraction as a method of getting him to calm down long enough for me to maneuver his arms into the straps. "Cody, did you get a new car at the store?!" Cody nods, uh huh..."What colour is your car, Cody?", and Cody says (in his classic hoarse/froggy, adamant Cody voice), "Boo!". My jaw dropped open and my eyes opened wide. "Yes! That's right, Cody! Your car is blue!". So there you have it. The kid is coming along. And might I point out, Chanel and Casey might have already been chatting up a great, big, wordy, full sentences storm at 'almost two', but they didn't know their colours until much later!

That's my little Cody! Way to go, buddy

God Grant Me The Serenity...

A quick quote, from my daughter this time - the little smart mouth that she is! She was in a bit of a goofy/giddy mood tonight at bedtime, and so she says to me, "I love you! However many pills you need to take, I love you!". So silly, and yet somehow, so poignant...! She's aging me rapidly, this one - but every now and again, she can still give me a good laugh!

Just weighing in...

Another pristine Autumn day in Vancouver! Bright blue sky, sun shining - gotta love it! I have to say, though, that within the last week or two, I've been noticing a fair amount of people about town wearing gloves, toques, and/or scarves. I've gotta ask - is it really that cold to you people?! Or perhaps some of you are just getting an early jump on late fall/winter fashion? I don't want to come across as insensitive or ignorant to people who may actually have circulatory issues or some such medical condition, but aside from them, come on. This is Vancouver - one of the few places in Canada that doesn't freeze over by Halloween - where hardcore Vancouverites wear shorts year-round! So, really...what is up with all that wool and fleece out there on the streets?!

On another note, today was my first weigh-in/meeting night after coming back/recommiting to Weight Watchers. It is my opinion that the first week is always a doozy, no matter how determined or driven a person may be! I hate to say it, but I was HUNGRY this week, and that pisses me off! But, I battled. I wrestled my own mind daily, hourly - the old demons, bad habits, everyday temptations...I fought it out and persevered. I was excited about weighing in again - I wanted my payoff, I wanted results! Weighing in can be nervewracking - some weeks during my first go at WW this past spring, I'd be SO focused, SO diligent and I'd step up on the scale expecting great news, and...pfft. Only half a pound down. Half a pound?! Is it worth all the blood, sweat, and tears for half a freaking pound?! (And the answer is, yes it is! It's better than nothing, and chances are, if you have a tough week but you're really sticking to it, the next week will make up for it! I must say though, it's sometimes hard to see the bigger picture at times like that). I'd been checking in on my scale at home every now and then, and I hadn't seen much of anything happening (although my home scale is pretty unreliable), and I didn't feel like I'd lost anything...So I got to my meeting, stepped up onto the scale, and lo and behold! I'm down 4.8 pounds!! So it was worth it, and I've got that first week behind me, and I'm off to a great start. So I just have to do it again tomorrow. One more week, one day at a time!

Excited!

I'm back on the wagon!! The Weight Watchers wagon, that is! I started Weight Watchers back in January or February of this year and BANG!! I shot out of the gate like gangbusters!! I was so focused, so driven, so determined...and I lost 25 pounds! I felt great!

I'd gotten started on Weight Watchers after an epiphany of sorts. It was quite powerful actually, and that's why my commitment to success had been so easy and so effectual. And then, summer came along, routines shifted, patios opened...and just as quickly and thoroughly as I had shot off on my weight loss journey, I totally lost it. Completely, utterly, wholly. The focus, the drive - gone. It's not that I wanted to stop...and I thought about getting back on track every day...but I just couldn't rally the single-mindedness I'd started out with. Being the 'person of extremes' that I am, I had been 'all in' and now I was 'all out'!

I got on the scale almost daily and kept breathing a sigh of relief that I hadn't gained any weight back...and I kept telling myself I'd get back to it. And then another week would pass, and then another...Poor eating habits slowly resumed and stepping up onto the scale became a gamble. How far could I push it without gaining any weight? Drinking wine more often? Fast food here and there? The occasional chocolate bar or ice cream? And somehow, week after week, I got away with it. The scale stuck by me, my stalwart friend.

Then, within the last week or so, I could feel a certain unease niggling at the back of my brain. Something was brewing in there but I wasn't quite sure what. So I waited, slightly apprehensive, slightly excited. What was coming? Something was up...and then, BAM! There it was! The niggling had developed into a fully formed decision that I hadn't even been aware that I was making: 'IT'S TIME. Go back. Start again with Weight Watchers. You're going to do it.' And so I rejoined. From the beginning. And while this time, it wasn't as much an epiphany as it was, perhaps, a more subtle affirmation, I feel that same determination and focus. It's back!

Today was my first full day back on the program. And like my first day back in January/February, it was tough and exhilarating all at once. I found myself mindlessly reaching for snacks a few times, and Jonesing for some munchies, especially in the evening, but I also felt empowered by finding healthy, 'low points' alternatives and also by talking/thinking my way through old habits and reflexes. By the end of the day I'd kept within my points allowance and found Day 1 to be pretty painless overall. So I've got one full, successful day under my belt. What works for me is taking it one day at a time, which I believe is a philosophy used by Alcoholics Anonymous (there are parallels there, me thinks!). I find that it's a phrase that easily comes to mind when working my way through weight loss. All I need to do is get through one full day well and successfully. Then, it's done. One day. And then all I have to do is get through one day again. And again. And again, until I find that a full week has gone by and it's time to step on the scale again at another meeting. And I know that if I've been honest with myself, and diligent - I'm going to get results. If I follow the program, it works. It has to. There really aren't any magic tricks or (easier) back roads to take. It's a pretty straightforward science. Eat less (and eat smart!) and move more, and the weight will come off. Maybe not as quickly as I'd like, but surely, and in a healthy way. I can live with that!

So I feel like a new convert all over again and I'm up on the rooftops, singing and praising! Which makes me feel somewhat goofy and sheepish...but, what the hell. All I've got to say is, whoooooo hooooo!!!! Feels good!

Thankful...

Well, Thanksgiving isn't officially until tomorrow, but being thankful doesn't have to wait, so here are a few things I'm thankful for...

Today was one of those glorious Vancouver autumn days when the sun shines brightly, the sky is clear and blue, and there's just a bit of a chill in the air...the West Coast at it's best, and for this, I'm thankful!

Steve asked Casey at bedtime tonight what he was thankful for and without stopping to think about it, Casey said, "My family". That is classic Casey - pure sweetness! And I am so thankful for him, and my two other wonderful children, and Steve - my true soulmate. And truly, I recognize how fortunate I am every day and consciously note how thankful I am. Every day. I just don't always celebrate by cooking up a big turkey dinner! :) Which leads me into my next point of gratitude...

I'm thankful for my extended family/in-laws - Steve's parents, who are hosting Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow, and all the rest of the lot too! :) I've always said that marrying Steve would have been enough. The fact that I've gained an entire extended family chock full of wonderful people, all of whom I love and all of whom have welcomed Chanel and I with open arms from the very beginning - I could never have imagined my incredible good fortune.

Wow - as I write this I realize that if I actually touched on all the most important things about my life that I am thankful for, if I actually provided any amount of explanation, this post would be longer than...well, it would take me longer than the long weekend to write it! So, in point form, I'll finish with this:

I am thankful for,
My children and my husband.
My sister, and my sister's family - her husband and two children.
My brother and his beautiful wife.
My extended family, on both sides.
My health. Through experience, I know how valuable it is!
My hobbies - so much more important than the term 'hobbies' makes them sound!
My country. Being born here, being raised here, and raising my own family here. Overall and in simple terms, we are safe, we are peaceful, we are plentiful, and we are free.

I'll stop here for now. It feels good to think about this stuff.

Five Things I'm Hooked On Right Now!

1. Word Twist

2. Sudoku

3. Starbucks Doubleshot on Ice (half sweet)

4. Patterned paper

5. Blurking

(Please note: This blog post was written yesterday, October 4th, and not posted until today. You are NOT in a time warp! I, however, am a day late and a dollar short. As is often the case!)

Today is a great day for three reasons! (Well, for more than three reasons, but for the purpose of this blog post, I’m going for three main reasons with many other sub-reasons scattered throughout!).

#1. My firstborn baby girl is 13 today!! She has chosen to spend the day at a Tae Kwon Do seminar with Master Tran who is, I gather, the high muck-a-muck of the International Tae Kwon Do Association. She also attended last year and really enjoyed it. I’m so proud of her and her accomplishments in sport in general, and TKD specifically. She’s a lot of steel packed into a little package and her sports provide a great channel for her. And, although she is only officially a teenager as of 6 a.m. this morning to be precise, it has felt like we have been living with a teenager for a lot longer than this! Thankfully, between tae kwon do, hockey, and soccer, some of the intensity of the ‘Tween’ experience has been dispersed and diffused remarkably well. I cringe to think of where any of us would be right now had my little birthday girl not found an outlet in sports! Between Chanel and I and also collectively as a family, we have had some trying times, some challenging moments, some downright dark days with our sweet and cherished Chanel at the centre of it all but alongside the less-than-stellar moments, there have been some truly rewarding and affirming moments as well. I have seen my tiny, newborn baby girl grow into a happy, gurgly baby into an amazingly articulate and clever little toddler/preschooler, into a witty, engaging little kid, and now into an increasingly beautiful, complex, and fascinating girl. I’m looking forward to all that is ahead (except for the getting emotionally shit-kicked part) and I have no doubt that on the other side of these intense and turbulent times we call ‘The Teens’, Chanel and I will both be standing, relatively intact, together arm in arm, looking back with fondness (and a huge amount of relief) that here we are on the other side of it all and, well, trendy rose-coloured sunglasses smartly in place, wasn’t it was a helluva ride?! Then we can stroll off together into the sunset, both of us complementing the other on our fashionable outfits and cute accessories and why don’t we go out for lunch and share something decadent for dessert and then go shopping for scrapbooking supplies?!

#2 - And speaking of scrapbooking supplies, today is World Cardmaking Day! Very exciting for us papercrafters! Lots of LSS’s offering make ‘n takes, etc. In fact, since I was already out in PoCo dropping my daughter off at her seminar, I thought I’d keep on heading east and finally pop into Photo Express. Yes, that’s right - I’ve never been there which is a big shocking thing apparently for someone who loves scrapbooking and lives in Metro Vancouver. So I made the pilgrimage and was it ever worth it! I’m heading back there with my next paycheque! They had some very nice make ‘n take cards presented by some very lovely employees. And talk about tons of inspiration everywhere I turned! Product and layouts and cards aplenty! Well worth the drive, although I must say - lil’ Pitt Meadows/Maple Ridge definitely has their share of traffic issues! And I know that there is all kinds of construction and capital improvements being made…and not one second too soon! They’s got themselves some serious growing pains right now! The region has EXPLODED since I used to live out there. Yes, I used to live in Maple Ridge many, many moons ago…back when EVERY night was half price night at Tommy’s…yes, that’s right. Tommy’s. At the Haney Hotel. Me old stompin’ grounds. I drove by it today on my way to PE…quite the trip down memory lane! Although I actually don’t remember too much about it all, quite honestly. I was nineteen, working full time, and living on my own and I spent the majority of my spare time seriously inebriated and dancing at Tommy’s until the fluorescents came on and nobody looked nearly as good as they had just moments before…myself included. I guess it’s changed a bit since then, but as I drove by it today I realized that I couldn’t really tell if much had changed because I don’t think I’ve ever seen it by daylight before…Oh come on! I sowed my wild oats and it’s in the distant past now…I’m (almost) not too embarrassed to admit it! Sheesh…I’ve really digressed from the original # 2 heading content. Oh well. I feel somewhat cleansed - like I’ve been to confession and have been given a whole new fresh start to mess up!

Maple Ridge really has changed a LOT since then…back before there was public transit or Tim Hortons or a shiny new library or free WiFi for the masses in the downtown core. It has grown up into a delightful, sophisticated little almost-city that has still managed to preserve it’s small town charm. And as for Photo Express - well, back in the olden days when I worked at Haney Place Mall, it was just a modest little photo-finishing place. Now - well, now! It is the motherlode of all things photographic and scrapworthy!! A veritable Mecca of creativity and paperstuff. Me likey! Me likey a lot! Photo Express and me…both getting better with age!

#3 - And lastly, today is officially the first day of the 2008-2009 NHL season! Can I get a hell yeah?! (HELL YEAH!!!). And the Canucks have ushered in a new era under the cute and competent Roberto Luongo, wearing the ‘C’. Well, okay. Not really wearing the ‘C’, but the captain nevertheless! I’m looking forward to an exciting, injury-free, winning season!! GO CANUCKS GO!!!

So there you have it. Three great reasons for having a great day! Can't ask for more than that!