Mindful gratitude...

Just having a quiet moment here and catching up with some stuff online when I came up this post by Kelly Willette and thought it was a wonderful reminder of being thankful for the everyday in our lives.  Yes, there are a million things to complain about if you want to and we all have days that we do, but wouldn't we all be so much better off if we looked at all the bits of good in our everyday lives?

I'm learning already from doing Project Life that there's so much in our day to day to celebrate.  The kids are loving seeing all these bits of our life preserved in pictures for them to go through any time they want so I can only imagine how thrilled they'll be in a couple of months when there's a lot more to look at.  I think it's making them appreciate the little things as well. 

I have a little time this morning since 3 of the kids are at school and Matthew is home sick still with Daddy.  Just sitting here with the winter sun coming through the curtains and thinking about how very blessed my life really is...  Really appreciating it - all of it!

What are you thankful for today?  And who are you going to tell?  How are you going to celebrate that?

Cheers,

Project Life - Week 3!

Wow!  Hard to believe we're already 3 weeks into 2011!  Where does the time go?

Take a look at all the Project Life inspiration at The Mom Creative.  It's time to update with my pictures from this week again... 

January 15th

This was the first time Kyle had used his debit card and he was pretty excited about it.  he got a new Lego game called Ninjago.  I was really proud of him!

January 16th

OK now, this isn't the best pictureof me, but I love it because of the wonderful woman in the picture with me - my grandma!  This was a special day as the family all got together at my aunt and uncle's to celebrate my grandma's 95th birthday! 

She's a truly amazing woman... 

January 17th

What a day!  We were up early (5:40am!) to get ourselves ready and out the door to be downtown by 7am for Kyle's dental surgery.  What he was actually having done was having 5 teeth pulled!  It was supposed to be 6, but one of them fell out when we were at my grandma's birthday celebration. 

He was a real trooper though and thankfully they put him under for it.  The freezing was about the worst part for him since he'd never had it before.  I gave him one dose of Tylenol in the morning when we got home and then he didn't even want/need anymore after that.  It was a take it easy day and he slept a lot in the morning.  By about midday the same day, he had perked right up and though he was on soft foods, he was pretty much back to normal!  Amazing how fast kids can bounce back! 

There was a letter for the Tooth Fairy and she left him a $20!!

January 18th

OK, sooooooo totally excited about these boxes!  We went shopping on the weekend for a new kitchen table and chairs and they arrived today!  We had looked before Christmas and didn't find anything we liked, but we sure did this time.  Now it'll just be a matter of when they're all put together!

January 19th

Yes, Daddy has started to put some of the new table and chairs together, so you decided that you wanted to build a tent with the big box.  And what could be better than a tent to play in?  A tent to sleep in!  I was actually kind of surprised that you really did sleep in there all night!  Adorable! 

Who needs toys when you have cardboard boxes?

January 20th

There was a big assembly at my son's school for the official opening of the new playground.  I was actually asked to come up and accept something on behalf of the PAC that did a lot of fundraising and made a big donation for the playground.

January 21st

Going to cheat with this one and take a picture later!  It was my son's PJ Spirit Day at school and I forgot to get a picture, so I'm planning on taking one this weekend of him in the same jammies he wore to school that day and adding it here!

Well, better go upload these pictures for printing while I'm thinking about it too.  Matthew is still sick, so he's not here today, but George went back to work today after being off sick with a fever yesterday.  I have some cold symptoms, but am taking Cold FX and ignoring them as best I can!

Have a good one!

Cheers,

Want some scrapping inspiration?

Well, here a great way to work on getting some things done and maybe win some great prizes in the process!  Scrapdango is having their crowned competition and you can check out all the details...  Come on over and join!

With all my teaching, I haven't been playing with all my own stuff as much as I'd like to get back to doing some more, so I'm planning on playing...  Just want to relax and have fun and join some challenges!

Cheers,

Project Life Week 2!

I can't believe it's been more than a week since I've posted, especially since so much has happened this week.  Well, this will be a quick peek and I'll try and get back soon to update a little more and add.  The Mom Creative is a fun place to check out and a lot of people are sharing their Project Life stuff there, so you can see a lot of other ideas as well!

This was a busy week with doctor's appointments and check-ups, some crazy weather, my first class in about a month as well as a little boy turning 5!!  We also had a life lesson for Kyle and those are never really fun.  Certainly nothing harmful, but there was a loss of a toy involved after mum suggested he not take it to school!

I used my first vertical picture this week in the bottom right on this page since it was just too cute.  I'm not worrying about the direction of the odd one of these and, to be honest, I'm finiding it a bit more of a challenge to take more horizontal pictures since it isn't the norm for me!

Yes, it's hard to believe, but my "baby" turned 5 on the 13th.  I got to be on duty at preschool with him and we had a little celebration there with cupcakes.  We had mum and dad over in the evening for dinner.  Pizza, pepperoni of course, was Nathan's dinner of choice!  We had George's mum and dad over for cake as well afterwards and there were more than a few presents once again!  Just can't believe he's my little man and he's now 5 and will be going to full-time Kindergarten in the fall!  How time flies!

Well, think that's it for this week.  Having a ton of fun puttering with my Project Life and I'm fully up to date (*including today!) with my journaling!  Trying to get pictures developed on the weekend and popped in quickly so that this project stays up to date.  The best part is that my family is enjoying it as well!



Cheers,

Project Life - Week 1!

Yes, this is the first actual week of my Project Life and I had soooo much fun doing it.  Everyone in the family seems to like the idea of this and both Kyle and George read all the journaling for the week once it was done.  I think this is simply awesome!

With all the classes I'm prepping for at work, I find my own scrapping seems to get left.  I love doing it, but I don't always have time.  This is a way top document what's going on in our lives without any stress.  I'm still planning doing some scrapping, but I can do it when I have time and not worry about being caught up. 

I'm doing it as a picture a day, but also not stressing if I miss the odd one and will simply fill it with another picture related to the week or our family in some way.  I've decided to try and do the journaling before bed daily to keep it fresh in my mind.  I am using OhLife daily as well which e-mails you a generic question about your day.  You just hit reply, add your response and send it and that is added to an online (private) journal.  Sometimes I actually write and other days, it's just point form of a few things.  Whatever it is, it's something to this point!

Had a bit of a crazy day today.  Got up early and got the boys dressed and ready so that we could head out to the clinic and get an appt for Kyle.  Next Monday, Kyle is having 6 teeth pulled. and they're putting him out for it, so that means a need a form filled out by the doctor saying that he all good and healthy - check up basically.  We were up there before 7:30 (not long after they opened) and were told to come back at 11:30!  This is what happens when your doctor has been away for a week and everyone loves him!  

My plans were done at that point because I was hoping that since Matthew and Sophia weren't here first thing this morning that I could have Kyle in and out before they got here (after swimming).  I also thought Kyle would be in and out before school - no go there!  Instead, all 5 of us were up there and waited more than an hour.  I'm truly lucky they're all so good because other than asking more than once when we were going in, they were really good.  It was almost 1pm before we got out though, so I popped into Burger King and got 2 kids meals for the kids to share and then added some fruit and other things.  Amazing that one kid could actually eat all those fries anyway!

Took Kyle up to school and just missed the bell, so we walked him in.  Came home and put Matthew to bed.  A friend was nice enough to bring Kyle home so that Matthew could sleep a little longer.  Brian had left money for hot chocolate for the kids and because it was so late after the doctor, we didn't go then, but went up to Starbucks once Matthew woke up.  Had fun and someone commented on how well behaved they were - the second time today with the first being at the doctor's!

Well making a Stroganoff WW recipe tonight, so I'd better go get at it!

It's Bachelor night tonight, so I'll be watching that and the weather network to figure out what's going on with the snow!  Have to prep my Wednesday class too and just hope that I can get there.

Well, better go get some cooking done for real!  I'm out of here!  Have a good one!

Cheers,

Another day...

with the kids...

- they were playing "ring around the rosie" with their stuffies before they were even dressed
- drove Kyle to school what with Nathan still sick
- got lots done off my to do list this morning
- planned Nathan's birthday for the 30th - bowling
- lunch and then a friend picked up Fia for preschool and Matthew napped while Nathan played
- another friend brought Fia back to Kyle's school and we got Kyle
- off to karate - 1st day since holidays since he missed Tues with Nathan at the doctor and then x-ray
- Brian picked up kids and Nathan and I went to Starbucks before getting Kyle
- dinner was sloppy joes which the kids liked! Yeah!
- off for me to pick up pictures for a school assignment for Kyle

- Nathan asked me to tie his blankie around his neck so he could "rescue" Rufus from Kyle's backpack
- my online chat for my One Little Word class which was fast moving, but fun
- bedtimes for boys
- chat with Trace for an hour or so on the phone and...
bedtime for me!

Cheers,

What a completely crazy day!

Crazy day and not at all how I thought things would go the first day back for our school routine!

- George was off today still - thankfully!!!
- Nathan is seeming sick still, so we wanted to take him to dr
- George goes up early, but it's closed and he doesn't check what time it's open
- about 8ish, he takes Nathan and goes up again only to find out the dr isn't in until 9 as our dr is on vacation
- I get a call from a friend that their younger daughter is sick and could I pick up their older daughter and take her with Kyle since they're in the same class - fine!  All good!
- called Tracy since the kids were coming a little later and asked her to come after 9 when I know we'll be home again - she said no worries
- get Kyle and his friend to school and go to make Nathan a dr appt
- find out the dr I want to see (at the clinic) isn't in until later, so we have to go back to make appt
- Tracy brings kids
- George goes to run errands
- I play with the kids and make them lunch
- George makes appt for Nathan on his way home
- he comes home and replaces lightbulbs in the kitchen (Yeah!)while I go grab sushi for us for lunch
- lunch and sit down for a bit and then off to get Kyle and his friend and take her home

This is going to be my Project Life picture for today!

- pick up Nathan and take him to dr only to find out he has pneumonia!! Needs more meds and a chest x-ray!!
- come home to find Brian has picked up kids and George has dinner going
- George takes Nathan for chest x-ray and they're waiting for ages
- Nathan called after an hour or so crying and wanting to come home
- I told him I'd come up and see him and bring Rufus his dog and his blankie, but by the time we got there, they were in already
- waited and Nathan was happy to see Rufus!
- George took Kyle home in the truck and I took the car and Nathan to go to Tim's for a chocolate milk and a bagel!
- poor Kyle missed karate tonight as a result os all this craziness too - felt badly!
- poor George had dinner and then went grocery shopping for us thankfully!
- gave Nathan medicine, tucked the kids and they were done for the day
- relaxing a bit and then calling it a night!

Let's just hope tomorrow is a little more "normal"!  It better be because it's just me and the kids!  Such a different day than the relaxing one we had with the 4 of us yesterday!

Cheers,

What's Your Word?

I know some of you here reading this aren't scrapbookers and won't know who Ali Edwards is, but she does this thing annually where she picks a word for the year. I've done the same and my word for this year is OPEN. I need to be open to change and all that it brings with it and I'm hoping this word will bring other things into my life this year as well.

I decided as another present to myself this year and as part of my journey of change that I'd give myself the One Little Word class that Ali Edwards is doing at Big Picture Scrapbooking.  It's essentially a class a month and a way of looking at things a little differently through the word you've chosen for the year.  Just started, but enjoying it already for sure!

Not such an exciting day here really... Slept in a little and got up about 8ish. Puttered with a few things on the computer and then it was off to work. I did manage to get a cup of coffee and my oatmeal before going, but that was about it, so I popped into Subway to pick up lunch on the way there.

Today was the first day that I actually opened by myself, so that just means dealing with the alarm and things. Everything went well though and we had a good day! Came home to a fab veggie soup for dinner that George had made with barley, kidney beans and then all kinds of awesome veg! It was sooo good.  Diane (from work) had also gotten me these Bagel Thins from the States as well as the mini WW cream cheese, so I had that as well. A really filling and satisfying meal on a cold night!

After dinner, we got bundled up and we all headed out for a walk. It was cold, but the boys love going out with the flashights after dark and we were dressed for it, so no one cared. We were out for a little under a half hour, but more exercise for me as well as all the stuff I did at work today taking down Christmas decorations!

Just relaxing with a cup of delicious very hot coffee and wondering what I'm going to do with the rest of the evening - maybe just head to bed early! :o)

Cheers,