What's different in this picture?

Well, I'm getting old. My oldest son went for an ortho consult yesterday and came home with braces. The orthodontist is a friend of Perry's and they had another cancellation, so they fit Ryan in. It was a bit of a shock. I don't think I look old enough...eeer, I mean, I don't think I'm old enough, to have a son with braces. Hopefully these will do the trick, but we'll have to see because they are still talking about surgery when he is 16 or 17. I guess we'll deal with that when we have to! For now, he's brushing lots and packing around his brace wax.

craft room PROJECT

Project is in capitals because, let me tell you, it was a BIG job. I found these cabinets in the "as is" section at Ikea and just had to have them. They were a great deal, and frankly, I'd pay more for something already put together, not less! Then, Costco had their "Iris" scrapbook organizers in stock so I picked up a few of those as well. When you start organizing, it always gets worse before it gets better.This is my "worse" picture.





This is "after"! So much nicer! I can't wait to actually get to use it tonight once the boys are in bed! (Which should be early because Cam was up all night with a tooth ache, Noah was at a school camp overnight and didn't get much sleep, and Ryan still has a sore mouth, so even if he is up at least he'll be quiet! Kai goes to bed about 7 as it is.) I turned the tables the other way and have much more room - I could probably fit another one in! I think it will be quicker to paint once I'm ready to do that too, because all my supplies are already contained.



On a different note, these are all the containers that before were in use, and now are empty. It reminds me of the saying "You can't organize clutter, you can only get rid of it!"




Happy Stampin' and have a great long weekend!

Sweet Heart

I couldn't resist the little giraffe in "Bundle of Joy" when I needed to do a card for a friend. And, when you are making one, why not make 2?

recipe:

stamps - Bundle of Joy, For a Friend, Sanded BG (it is there, even if you can't see it. I'm going to have to figure out how to take pictures so they show up better)

paper - cutie pie DP, Berry Bliss DP, pretty in pink, rose red, bashful blue, certainly celery

ink - chocolate chip, close to cocoa

extras - round tab punch, slit punch, chalks, pink beads (look really close on the tab - they are put on with a staple - too cute! On a side note, the easiest way I found to put beads on a staple is to press your stapler with no paper in it to get a staple out, unbend it, add the beads, use a tool to punch 2 little holes 1/2" apart where you want the staple, push staple through holes then press ends close. If you know a better way please let me know!) If you click on the picture it will enlarge and you'll be able to see how cute it is!

For all you stamp club ladies taking a peek you may notice that the layout for this card is our layout challenge for this month. Taken from SCS.

Not so good

Ok, I have a minute for my not so good list.

1) University playoffs for basketball start this weekend so Perry will be out of town for a majority of the next 6 weekends of so. Real fun. It starts on Friday, when he goes to BC to ref at UBC. I'm proud of him, but it sucks when he is gone.

2) My dog has diarrhea. Need I say more? In fact, this should be number 1.

3) There is no good chocolate left. For some reason my boys like the same chocolate I do and eat it all when I bring some home. If I bring cheap stuff home they don't eat it as quickly. What is up with that? I figure if I'm going to consume the fat grams and calories and have to spend extra time on the eliptical the next day, I'm only eating the good stuff. I think the good stuff is going to have to be hidden from here on in.

Thats about it.

Happy Tuesday's Eve.

3 Things

Happy Monday!


I decided today to list 3 good things and 3 not so good things about my Monday.

Good

1) It beautiful outside! High of -2, and I'll take it! Last weekend was awful. I really hate the cold. I'm pretty sure that my body was wired for warm weather. The other day Perry and I were talking about who our boys were going to marry - just generic stuff - no actual names or anything. Too funny. Perry was laughing because he thinks one of the boys will marry someone I don't like. I laughed right back and said it wouldn't matter because I was going to retire somewhere warm anyways so there would only be short visits. And really, what was he thinking? Of course we'll get along with our daughter in laws, even if it kills me. But back to the weather...a shiny, bright and glorious morning. Good thing to because I kicked my dog outside for a bit...but thats for the not so good list later.


2)I went to the gym this morning, and Kai didn't cry the whole time he was in the childcare! This is a definite improvement. I think I have my SIL to thank for this. When Perry and I went to Cuba Leanne took Cam and Kai for us. Maybe Kai is used to be passed around now and going to childcare at the gym is no big deal anymore. I'll have to test my theory again tomorrow.



3) I love raspberrys (but only if I don't have to pick them) and at Safeway this morning they had the best looking berries so I bought a bunch. Noah and I ate them all at lunchtime - they were sooo good! I wish I had more. Maybe tomorrow after the gym...back to Safeway - I don't usually shop there because they are so expensive, but it is in the same parking lot as the gym, and I had a gift certificate for there (I have no idea who it was from - Perry came home with it from work). Did you know that they pack your bags for you, and they pushed my cart to my vehicle for me because I was holding Kai and encouraging Cam along, and she loaded them into the back for me. I thought I had died and went to heaven. Who knew anyone still did this? I will definitely go back to Safeway if I need $75 milk. (Because when you need milk and you go to the store, who only buys milk?)


Here's a few pictures for you...

Kai at the ball pit in WEM Galaxyland.






This is Brooklyn at christmas. Cam took the picture with his new camera that uploads to the computer and everything. He loves it! Our screen saver is pictures from My Pictures and everytime a picture from Cam's camera comes up he gets so excited. Definitely his most used present!




So, this post ended up longer than I intended and now Cam is anxious to go do crafts. Perfect for me because Kai just went down for a nap so we can go to the craft room and Cam can paint while I organize. I just got some new cabinets for my room that I am so excited about! I'll post a picture when it's all done. Oh - I'll list my 3 not so good things a bit later. TTYS!

We may as well dance!

I had to do one card today with the hopes that spring is right
around the corner. I just love this stamp set. This one says
"Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we're here we might as well dance!" This is the first time I've cracked open my build-a-brad as well, and I love 'em! I am definitely gonna need more!
recipe:
paper: so saffron, certainly celery, Cutie Pie DP, vanilla
ink: Choc Chip and Close to Cocoa
extras: Wild Wasabi striped ribbon, build a brad, white pen

Til next time - keep warm and happy stampin'!

Whoo Hoo!!

Throw your arms in the air, jump as high as you can and shout "Whoo Hoo!"

This is the last of my "Happy New Year" cards to go out this year!! (I'm only a tad behind my schedule, and only because I took a week to laze around on the beach.)

Just a quick card, but no extra postage. I just couldn't resist the extra bling. Everyone loves bling!

Recipe:

stamps: Snow Flurries, Holidays & Wishes

ink: Bashful Blue and Chocolate Chip

paper: Bashful Blue and Designer Wrapping Paper

extras: Bling (Heidi Swapp), Choc. Chip 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon

Happy Stampin'!

A Glimpse of Cuba

So you get two pictures of the beach because I can't figure out how to delete a picture once its uploaded to the post. Oh well. I have never seen so many old vehicles still running as we saw in Cuba. They really should have been in a graveyard years ago! The beach was beautiful - white sand and no rocks. Definitely one of the nicest beaches there is. The truck is full of people going...somewhere. I don't know where, but they all cram in and head out. They were the same in cars - 15 or so in a 5 seater vehicle. Crazy. Definitely don't have the same seatbelt laws we do! In Havana the tour guide was saying that the divorce rate there is 50%. He blamed in on your mother in law. Once you get married you have the right to your own house but you have to apply for it, and while you are waiting for it to become available, you have to live with your mother in law. Hence, they are responsible for the high divorce rate! When he was told that its the same in North America, he said, quite seriously, that that was because over here women have way to much freedom. I was speechless. I know , that doesn't happen very often, but it did this time! This trip was definitely an experience. Oh - you tipped with stuff, not money. Stuff like licroice and chocolate bars (they only have 2 kinds) and razors and baby clothes (yup - you can't get clothes that size very easily there). I think the single most thing that blew me away was that they don't manufactor or import feminine hygiene products. Girls still miss one week every month of school when they get their period. I know, there is more to by shocked by in a communist country than this, but that did it for me. Any hoo, all in all it was a great trip, the weather was fabulous and the company great!

Embrace Life

This picture is really dark, but I think you can still see it ok. I was checking out a blog I like to watch and came across a card she made using the river rock and soft sky colors. I loved it. I had to go make one of my own...I used the faux silk technique, soft sky, black, and river rock paper and ink, and Embrace Life stamp set. You can see the original here. (scroll down to Jan 26)








I now what to go craft some more, but the boys are home from school, Kai needs some lunch and supper needs started. Well, it was good while it lasted!

We're Back!

Ok, so last Sunday morning Perry looked out the window at the blowing snow, checked the weather forecast (-45 with wind chill, whats up with that?) and promply booked us a trip to Varadero, Cuba, leaving about 20 hours later. Needless to say, the stars aligned (in the form of 3 wonderfully magnificient SIL's who watched my children for me) and I was able to join Perry. We endured about an 80 degree temperature change when we got there from when we left here. I say endured, but that really has a negative feeling to it. We looked forward to, we enjoyed, we celebrated...an 80 degree temp change! We were blessed with beautiful weather the whole week we were there - high 20 to low 30s everyday. A person can't ask for better than that! I'm going to post pictures and tell you more (like the reason the cuban tour guide thinks our divorce rate is 50%) on Wednesday. For now I'm going to find my toothbrush and then crash (I'm still on Cuban time - 2 hours ahead). Tomorrow I'm going to hook up with one of my wonderfully magnificient SIL's to get my two youngest children back, then on Wednesday I'll post again! Until then - happy days and keep warm!