Happy New Year!

Here's a little look at our year in pictures in no particular order!

Well, it really is hard to believe that we're almost at 2008, but here we are! It's been a fun and interesting year with me being at home and starting to take care of Sophia as well as continuing to work at the store. It was my first year as a stay at home mum and I'm very grateful for that and hope that I'll be able to stay a stay at home mum for a little longer!

Here's a little look back:

• Nathan had his 1st birthday in January and we had our big family birthday party that included birthdays for Grandpa (my dad), Great Grandma (GG), George and Nathan as well as a few more!
• I took the boys to the dentist and it was another first for Nathan (Jan)!
• Kyle started Kindermusik again (Feb) as well as starting preschool on Valentine's Day!
• Kyle went to see the Wiggles (in March) with Nana and I thanks to Nana and Grandpa.
• We got wonderful news from Children's Hospital (in March) that Nathan's issue with his enlarged kidneys seemed to be correcting itself as he grew and that they didn't need to see him for a whole year!
• Tracy went back to work and I started taking care of Sophia 4 days a week (April)!
• Thanks to dad, we took a family road trip to San Francisco in June to see Scott, Toni and Jade (June)! George and I also got to see our first Nascar Race at Sonoma!
• I made my first scrapbooking design team for Scrapperie.com!
• Kyle started preschool again in September at a different preschool that he loves!
• A visit from Julie and Simon and their boys Alex and Rhys all the way from Australia.

Those are some of the many highlights and things we have to be thankful for! It's been a year full of wonderful family celebrations and little visits with both friends and family.

I really do want to say thanks to everyone that drops by my blog to read once in a while too! I've really enjoyed blogging about the ups and downs of what is the crazy life we lead in this house as well as about all my scrappbooking stuff. I have so very much to be thankful for and doing this and being able to share it makes sure that I remember all those little things!

Here's to a great 2008!
Cheers,
Colleen

Christmas catch-up!

OK, well, here's a glimpse at the past week or so now! It always seems to go so quickly, but since we cut down on pretty much everything (presents, visiting, etc) even more this year than last (and we cut down last year!!), we seemed to be able to relax and enjoy it a little more too! So in no particular order, here are some of the things we got up to this year...

• a trip to see the "Rock and Roll House" as Kyle calls it where they have the lights and music synchronized - amazing!
• funny pictures of Kyle in the Santa hat since it seems to be impossible to get a "normal" picture of him these days!
• opening presents Christmas morning with just the four of us and that was new this year
• Kyle decorating a gingerbread man with Auntie Tracy on Christmas Eve when we were there for Chinese food. Chinese food on Christmas Eve has been an annual tradition since I was a kid...
• Christmas dinner at my aunt and uncle's house with my extended family including my almost 92 year old (her birthday is in January) grandma
• making cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve
• decorating the tree though it was done late this year
• building Lego on Christmas morning - another first in our house, but not the last I'm sure
• George's French toast "wifesaver" with real maple syrup for breakfast Christmas morning
• Boxing Day with George's family though the batteries in the camera unfortunately died, so I didn't get any pictures, but we did get some video of the kids with their 100 year old Opi
• ornaments for the kids though Kyle is honestly still waiting for his because we couldn't find what we were looking for: Shrek. Nathan got an Elmo one!
• the kids got to open one present on Christmas Eve and it was pjs from Nana and Grandpa though Nathan isn't wearing them in our Christmas mornings pictures because we had to change him first thing since he woke up wet!

I'm sure there are things I've missed, but all of those things made for a wonderful holiday! Hope yours was equally as fabulous and here's to a great 2008!

Cheers,
Colleen

Another tag layout...

I've been holding onto this one until all the layouts were posted over at Scrapshotz. It was done before Christmas, but then I haven't been blogging much since then, so I'm adding it here.



Supplies: Cardstock is Bazzill. Patterned papers are Imaginesce Timeless Blooming Brocade, MME Wild Asparagus, Scenic Route Harvest Harlequin Chestnut, and Daisy D (burgundy paper though it had a stripe on the other side). Brad are Making Memories as are the foam stamps I used. Ink is VersaColor Bamboo.

This was one of those layouts where I just wanted to play a little and I let all that perfectionism go. The lettering for the title isn't quite the way I'd have liked, but I ended up heat embossing it and like the texture! It was fun scrapping some old pics of Kyle!

Well, I've got another day with just the boys and they want to go out and play in the snow later, so we'll see about that. I'm still in my jammies, but I work at 6 tonight, so that'll have to change at some point later this afternoon - when Nathan naps no doubt. I'm hoping the weather cooperates as I'm working 6-midnight at my lss and I don't want the roads to be treacherous coming home!

With any luck, I'll get something scrapped this afternoon as well...
Cheers,
Colleen

Scrapperie Subscription Incentive

Sandi just posted a new incentive on Scrapperie kits:

For the rest of this month and the month of January, any new six month subscribers will receive their choice of month at HALF OFF the list price! For instance, order a six month PDR subscription and in March (or any other month of YOUR choice) you can have that kit at 50% the normal list price of $52.50! There's nothing special you have to do to order, just order as normal through The Boutique and when you're ready to use your half off discount, just let me know. It's that simple!

If your subscription just ended and you would like to renew, this offer also applies to you! It's our way of saying "Thank you" in the new year.

Go check out her fabulous kits and get yourself signed up!
Cheers,
Colleen

Some Christmas Creativity...

Well, OK, so I left the calendar that I was going to make my in-laws for Christmas until the last minute! The good news is that I did actually manage to get it done and it was a big kit. Because I was busy doing it at the last minute, I unfortunately did have time to scan all the layouts, but here are a few I did using my Scrapperie kits! These were a bit more of a challenge for me because they needed to be quite flat and I LOVE dimension!!

This was the April layout and was done with the Social Butterfly kit.



This was the February and was done with the current Glad Tidings kit.



This was the March layout and was done with the Indian Summer kit.



This was, of course, the December layout and was done with the current Glad Tidings kit and was the boys Santa picture from this year!



So glad that I was able to finish this and I'd definitely do this again - wonderful gift! I hope to have more layouts done with the Glad Tidings kit to post soon, but in the meantime, here's the sneak peek at the Scrapperie January kit!



Well, this is it for now because the troops (Kyle and Nathan! hee hee) are getting restless and we need to think about lunch! I'll try and do a Christmas catch-up post later on once the camera batteries have recharged and I can post some pictures!

Cheers,
Colleen

2 More Sleeps

Well, I can't believe it's only 2 days until Christmas! We had so much fun around here yesterday puttering with Christmas stuff.

My day started by getting to sleep in thankfully since I didn't get home until about 1:30am after work and a little late night shopping the previous night. The morning was relaxing and Nathan had a nap and Kyle and George went and ran a shopping errand. They picked up Subway for lunch on the way home so I didn't even need to do that!

The boys both napped in the afternoon, so I got to finish off a few things and do a couple of crafty things. I did the bows I mentioned in my previous post as well as a CD case I decorated for a gift card. I saw an online tutorial for a little paper tree decoration that I tried as well and will post later. Very easy again and really cute on the tree!

I did most of those things while I was wrapping all my Christmas presents. I often don't wrap them until Christmas Eve after we've had our Chinese food (tradition), but I was determined not to leave it so late! Soooo happy to get it done yesterday!

The other big thing that we did was to finally get our tree up! Here I wanted it up early this year and we only just put it up! Oh well, the good thing is that it's up and we're enjoying it. I think we're going to go for a drive after I get home from work tonight and look at Christmas lights.

Yes, I'm off to go get ready for work here shortly and I'll be there for the day! Not sure how busy it'll be, but we'll see. Hope everyone is enjoying the weekend and some holiday fun! I'm happy George doesn't have to work tomorrow and we can relax - and do a little grocery shopping which might not be fun...

Cheers,
Colleen

So much fun!

OK, I was searching around on some blogs this morning and found Michelle's blog with some of these that she'd done. I checked out the link to SplitCoast with the directions and decided to try one to cover up the top of a funnily shaped present that I wrapped, but that doesn't look so hot because of the shape of it.

I grabbed a piece of the Basic Grey Figgy Pudding that came in my December Scrapperie Glad Tidings kit and off I went! I think that from start to finish it took me about 10 minutes and they're sooo cute! The only thing you need is a piece of double sided paper, a few brads and glue dots and that's about it. The only thing I changed was that I cut the small middle piece to 1.5 inches rather than 1 because I liked the center sort of filled up. I'll be doing more of these!

Let me know if you try them! Would love to see!

Cheers,

Colleen

More Christmas cards!

This is one of those cards that looks so much better in person because the colours are better and you can see the glitter from my new Spica pen on the tree and the greeting! The tree is also popped up, but it's hard to tell in the picture.

Supplies: Patterned paper is all Scenic Route Roxbury. Cardstock is bulk cream. Scalloped circle punch is Marvy Mega. Stamp is Amuse. Red ink is from the Rubber Stampede Victorian Christmas trio and the green is Versa Colour Bamboo.

Well, I worked until midnight last night and then went running around to a couple of stores to get last minute things that I hadn't really planned on having to get, but needed to be done. I've been finished shopping for quite a while now and thought George was going to sort out the things for his/our niece and nephew, but I got them last night! Oh well, it's done though there sure was a line up at Wal-Mart at 1am!!

Woke up to snow this morning! Hadn't expected that since the forecast I saw was only for rain, but George said it's actually raining now already. It all fell after about 2am when I went to bed last night, so I really was surprised when I got up! I'd be happy if it disappeared today though since I'm going to work tomorrow...

We're not planning too much today really and I'm thankful for having the day off. Going to do a few chores, wrap some presents and maybe scrap a little and call it a day! Oh, and believe it or not, we still need to decorate our tree! It's up now (last night), but it's most definitely on our list of things to do today once George and I finish our disagreement about where it's going to go!!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful day and enjoying the spirit of Christmas!
Cheers,
Colleen

Santa Claus is Coming to Town...

Picture was taken by Photo Expert.

OK, so this is it! We went Wednesday night finally to get the boys picture taken with Santa! I've been talking about it for weeks, but it was one of those things that seem to have been left.

We had a little wait because we went in the evening, but it wasn't bad. Kyle was actually excited this year and knew what he wanted to tell Santa about what he wanted for Christmas - a Lego Block Digger! Nathan was totally OK with it. NO TEARS at all - from either one! Yeah!

Not too much going on today! I have Sophia for the last day today before the holidays and then I work tonight. Hoping to get some chores and things done around here today, so we'll see how that goes!

Have a fantabulous day...
Cheers,
Colleen

Check out my Slide Show!

Preschool Christmas Party!

Kyle with Jennifer and Sue - his teachers!


This was the big event yesterday with me going to preschool for "class" with Kyle! They had a Christmas party and family members were invited. I would have loved for Nathan to have come too, but with it being naptime, it wasn't a good idea and I certainly couldn't have taken Nathan and Sophia! As a result, George actually took a half day off so he could come home and watch the little ones while I partied with Kyle!

We headed off and everyone waited outside the class until it was time for the party to start. When we went in, there were lots of goodies (everyone was asked to bring something to share) and 3 tables with crafts for the kids. We had fun making a wreath of spray-painted noodles, Kyle iced and decorated a sugar cookie and then we painted and decorated a tree fridge magnet. As that was going on, all the kids got to go and have a little visit with the teachers, Jennifer and Sue, and gave them their gift if they'd brought one. I got them both Tim's gift cards since they're easy and pretty much anyone can find something they like to use them on!

The kids sang some songs and that was about the end of it. It was a fun afternoon and I got to chat with some of the other parents as well! Hard to believe I'm doing preschool parties - how did Kyle get that old in the blink of an eye!?!

Well, think that's about it for now, but I have so many other posts on the brain, I think I'll be back soon! hee hee

Cheers,
Colleen

What Holiday Character Are You?

Click on Buddy to take the quiz and let me know!!
Cheers,
Colleen

Christmas Cards

I finally managed to get some Christmas cards done and posted! I got started on my cards later than usual this year because I after doing the 50 invites for Opi's Birthday party, I didn't much feel like doing more cards. These two are the ones I did for my co-workers. I have a few more that I'll need to post as well that I've only just managed to get done and sent out. I hope they're not late, but if they are, at leat the sentiment was there!

George is coming home at lunch today to look after Nathan and Sophia this afternoon so that I can go to school with Kyle and stay for his Christmas party. Other people are invited, but the little ones need to nap and I'd rather enjoy it with Kyle than dealing with 2 whiny toddlers - not gonna happen!

I'm also hoping to get some presents wrapped tonight. I'm not sure if it'll all get done, but I'd just rather not rush and be doing it all on Christmas Eve after we have our Chinese food - a tradition in our family for as long as I can remember!

I'll post a little update about what's been going on lately since I haven't been very good about blogging lately! Just enjoying the season and not stressing about this which includes being a regular blogger!

Have a wonderful day...
Cheers,
Colleen

Can't help but smile...

when you see these two acting silly the way they do! This poor ball house was a gift for Kyle a couple of years ago and that thing and been through the ringer and is getting a little sad looking since the kids not only play in it, but on it as well. They've decided that it's fun to get one of them in it and then one on the outside to fall on top of the kid in it. Fine when it's Kyle inside, but worrying when it's Nathan!

I did do a layout last night, but it's part of another game of layout tag at Scrapshotz, so I'll have to wait until everyone is finished to post mine!

I'll post more about my wonderful visit with my friends from Australia when I get the pictures uploaded!

Today's 2Peas Blogger Challenge: Describe a childhood Christmas/holiday.
I'll never forget the Christmas that Tracy and I got a 3 story Barbie dollhouse/apartment thing. Our rooms were upstairs and we had to wait up there until mum and dad were ready to go down. Tracy and I were more than ready and when we were told it was OK, we went shooting down the stairs and that Barbie house was the first thing we saw - elevator and all! I was in Barbie heaven! Now I think my dad was glad we liked it because I can only imagine how long it took him to put that thing together!!

Better be off for now since my niece will be here any minute! Have a great day!
Cheers,
Colleen

Amazing 100th Birthday Party and more!

These are a few pictures from the party with the last one being the birthday "boy" of course! It was wonderful to see all of the family and friends that came out to celebrate with him. Everyone was invited to mass first which we went to though it was all in German, so no comprehension, but we were there. Nathan, of course, was all over and George spent half the time in the basement with him since when I'd try to take him, he'd just call for Daddy! Kyle was really good though!

We went over to a hall for lunch and it was a full house for sure. It's German hall, so they did some dishes that Opi really likes like rouladin and Spätzle. Lunch was good and we did a round of Happy Birthday with a big candle and some Black Forest Cake! A wonderful day of celebration!


This is my latest layout and it was done for a challenge where you had to include at least 3 pictures, a white title and the title had to have the word "new" in it!

Supplies: Cardstock is Bazzill. Patterned paper is Scenic Route and Autumn Leaves. Rub-on is Making Memories. Scalloped Chipboard Circle is Creative Imaginations. Title lettering is Making Memories, Heidi Swapp, Doodlebug and American Crafts.

I'm VERY excited about the visitors we're getting tomorrow! My friends from Australia are here and coming over for a play and a visit and I can't wait to see them. I talked to Julie today and can't believe she's actually here already! Seems like we've been talking about it for ages and it seemed like it was so far in the future, but they arrived last night safe and sound!

Well, it's been a busy day around here! I got up with the boys and let George sleep in a little. I was lucky though because the boys didn't wake up until just after 7am and that NEVER happens in our house!! I ran out and did some shopping so that I could finish off the few things I needed to get and I did, so I'm very happy to be able to say that I'm finished! Came home and George went out to do some errands, I put Nathan down for what's turned out to be a long nap (yeah!) and I've been cleaning the house like a madwoman! There's still more to do as well, but I didn't want to be too noisy while Nathan is sleeping.

Since it's been a busy one, we're ordering pizza for dinner and I'm hoping to get the rest of the cleaning done and then maybe a little scrapping/card making or just some vegging in front of the TV!!

Have a great night!
Cheers,
Colleen

Fabulous Early present!!

I have to say that I guessed what this was as soon as I saw the box and I can't tell you how excited I was! This Bind-It-All is one of those things I wanted, but couldn't really justify spending money on, especially at this time of year, because I really don't need it! Amy, Tanya and Judy, my bosses at the store, were wonderful and gave these too the staff for Christmas - the machine and coils for quite a few books! Can't wait to be able to play with this!!

For anyone that has one of these machines, you should check out the website about ordering the space bar for doing smaller albums! You get the bar for a $2.99 shipping fee and it allows you to punch holes closer to the edge of the paper and makes it easier to close smaller books! Also good for working on other kinds of projects it says! Might have to get the Bind It All Book Bound To Bind now too! What fun!! Thanks soooooooooo much ladies!!

This was definitely on my list of things to get for Christmas, so it was a perfect early Christmas present! Only wish I had been there when everyone got them to see their reactions!!

Cheers,
Colleen

PS Will post more about Opi's 100th birthday party and a new layout later!

A Christmas card!

Well, I did manage to get a card done the other day for a challenge over at Scrapshotz. You got to see another card and had to lift it and then the person after you only got to see yours and then they're all revealed at the end. Fun!

Nothing too crazy going on here this morning. I've packed a bag for Kyle to go to mum and dad's tonight since they're taking him to Charlotte Diamond tomorrow and wanted to spend a little time with him. I think they're going to go pick a tree and maybe see some Christmas lights tonight as well.


With any luck the little ones will nap at the same time this afternoon and I'll be able to relax a little. Might scrap a bit or read a little. I picked up a light read as part of Christina's challenge at Scrapperie. The book needed to be somehow related to Christmas, so I got a mystery by Mary and Carol Higgins Clark called Santa Cruise. I do need to do some more Christmas cards too!!

It's going to be a busy weekend again. I'm working tonight until midnight at the store and then there's a big sale this weekend, so I work all day tomorrow as well. I might have been scheduled Sunday too if I hadn't asked for the day off. It's an important one because George's grandpa is celebrating his 100th birthday! His birthday is actually today!!

Happy 100th Birthday Opi!

Well, think that's about it for today! Hope everyone is enjoying the Christmas season. I know I'm really trying to savour the little things. My little thing for yesterday was playing Candy Land with Kyle for ages while the little ones were napping!

Cheers,
Colleen

Excitement!

Well, there's enough excitement going on around here because of the holidays, but as much as I really do enjoy all that, it's sometimes the little things that are really enjoyable.

Kyle planted a paper white bulb when he went on his pumpkin patch field trip. We've been watering and taking care of his flower and he could see the flowers at the top the other day, but nothing was open yet. So he went and checked and the expression on his face when he saw the one flower open was priceless. He was so excited!

He's also been really looking forward to the crafts that they do at preschool every day. When I was on duty on Monday, they actually did 3 crafts, so it was his lucky day! This morning he says to me, "I wonder what the craft will be at school today?" So cute!

He did also tell me for the first time yesterday though that he was mad at school yesterday because one of the girls hit him. I found out because when he was mad at me for asking him not to do something, he stuck his tongue out at me and made this sound. I sent him to the naughty chair and when we were talking about why that wasn't OK afterwards, he told me that's what he did to the girl after he hit her. I asked him not to do it again and to please tell his teacher. It's so hard because all you want to do is protect them, but you also know he's going to have to fight his own battles. It just seems that somehow he shouldn't have to in preschool!


Now, as for me, I've decided that worlds are colliding and someone is trying to tell me something because every time I turn around, I see something or hear something about this book: Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. I've not been reading a lot lately though I'd like to and apparently this is something that I'm supposed to read. It's now on my Christmas list for those of you that can use that information!

I'll leave you with this quote that is on the Oprah site and is from Elizabeth Gilbert (I believe!)...

Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it and sometimes even travel the world looking for it.

Have a happy day everyone! I'm sure going to try to!
Cheers,
Colleen

Crazy December!

OK, so we have officially had the weirdest weather in the last 2 or 3 days that I can remember!! I worked until midnight on Friday night and as I was coming home, it was just starting to snow. There was some in the morning, but nothing crazy, so mum, Tracy and I still went downtown for our tea. There was more snow when we got home and it continued all day. I wasn't sure about going to George's Christmas party, but he was fine about driving in the snow and wasn't worried about it snowing more and it sure did!

We came out of the party about 11:30 and George has to really scrape all the snow off the car again. It was a very slow drive home, but thankfully the hill up to our place had been well salted. It snowed like crazy over night - all night! When I woke up to get ready to go to work, they said it was supposed to start raining and I thought it might be OK to go to work. I really want to go to our staff Christmas party after work as well. The more it snowed, the more the weather forecast changed to snow and the worse the roads got. I finally decided that the roads just weren't going to be good enough and Pauline thankfully covered for me. I, sadly, missed our staff dinner though!

Anyway, back to the weather... The snow kept coming all day here and the later it got, the more the wind picked up too. The roads got worse all day. The rain they were calling for didn't start here until about 7ish. Now, since then, the rain has been on and off torrential!! I woke up at 4am because of the rain and the wind gusts have been on and off as well. Right now I can really hear it coming down and blowing out there. A lot of people have been without power in different place today as well because of it!

The rain has been good and bad. It's good because all that snow we got is GONE! Nathan was quite disappointed the snowman that they built yesterday was melting. The bad thing about all the rain has been the huge puddles, or should I say lakes, and the flooding! It's completely crazy out there! They're calling for more rain tomorrow and then sunny breaks Wednesday - who knows!!

Well, I did a card for a challenge tonight, but I can't post it yet, so when they're all posted, I put it up! Better get off to bed since I got my second wind, but I'll be tired in the morning!

Cheers,
Colleen

Happy December!

Here's a little good 'ol Canadian holiday fun!!



Hope you're enjoying your weekend... We've got a snowy one on the go here. Tracy, mum and I went for our tea at the Secret Garden and then George and I are off to his Christmas party here shortly.

Enjoy!
Cheers,
Colleen