Sam making his Valentine cards...

Sam was busy at work the other day making Valentine cards....

Get well card

A card Abby made for me last week when I wasn't feeling well. I'm hoping they are puffy sleeves on the dresses rather than four boobs!!! ;)

Valentine atc's

For a swapbot swap....

Friendship angel...

I was given this beautiful Friendship Angel from Val for my birthday. Isn't she gorgeous? As is Val!!! I'm so looking forward to scrapbooking with Val this weekend! I'm even looking forward to making breakfast with her on Saturday - waffles with strawberries! Mmmmm :) I've been packed ready since Saturday!!! Thats how excited I am :)

Val looks like Susan Sarandon. Especially as she looks in the movie Mr Woodcock.

9 ways to keep the romance.....

9 Ways to “Keep Courting” after Marriage

By Cheryl Moeller


There’s no better time than Valentines’ Day, to revive your courtship.
Courtship shouldn’t end with marriage. Keep courting!

(These are intended for married couples… to fan the flames of continued courtship)

1. Make a dinner for your husband where everything begins with the first letter of his name. For instance, if his name is Robert, you could make roast beef, rice, and radicchio salad. Serve red licorice and raspberry ice cream for dessert.

2. Add “I love you” to his calendar on the day of his birthday, every month. So, if he was born on December 15, write ” I love you” on the 15th of every month.

3. Clean the house. Pack a lunch for you and the kids. Leave a lunch behind for your hubby. Tell him his gift is a quiet house. He’ll get to be alone for a whole day.

4. Ask your wife to marry you on the anniversary of your engagement. Ask her in the same way you did the day you became engaged. Set the scene again. Relive the moment and celebrate! Look her in the eyes and pop the question again.

5. For Valentines’ Day, set up a mini Christmas tree in your bedroom, with heart ornaments and lights. Your heart ornaments can be handmade, with construction paper, doilies, and scissors.

6. Make a taco salad, with her favorite ingredients. Buy a bag of large taco chips to use as the silverware. Take a moment to feed her with a chip.

7. Go out with both sets of grandparents for a triple date.

8. Practice smiling throughout the day. It could be contagious!

9. On her next birthday, send her the number of cards that matches her age. For instance, if she’s going to be 38, then send her 38 cards to arrive on her birthday. Some of the cards can be homemade. Fill up her mailbox with your love and good wishes.

Happy Valentines’ Day from Cheryl Moeller Production. Bob and Cheryl have been married nearly 30 years and have 6 children, ranging in age from 9 to 26.

Family bowling day....

We all headed off bowling for the afternoon for our monthly bowling session. More details below!

Jane does it in the gutter....

It was family bowling day today. Our new years resolution as a family is to go bowling once a month. We went Boxing Day and then we went today (yes its officially February so we didn't really go January but so long as we go approx every month we are happy).

I was teasing the kids that I had ordered 'team shirts' with our family name on - and that they read 'Thorpes do it at the bowling alley'!!! So after watching me play twice now, Chris laughed and said it would be more apt if mine read 'Jane does it in the gutter' hahahahahaha!!! Oh that boy is soooooooo funny!!!! ;)

I lost again today - yep, came 7th. Out of 7. Sigh......... Lloyd won. Sam came 2nd......Abby was third I think. Susie 4th. Laurie 5th. Chris 6th.

Me last......

Again......

But it was fun :) and I did get a spare.....

Susannah's birthday.....gift time...

Susannah's birthday on Wednesday. Gift opening time was when Chris had all his friends here - as they have known Susie for years, they joined in with the gift opening ceremony (ie we all sit around and watch her open her cards and gifts) . They're taking part in a movie Chris is directing....

Cards from Rhondas children....

I HAVE to post a picture of these....I just love them....Rhondas children drew me these cards on Tuesday :) Rhondas Mom works in Zellers I believe - or used to, I'm not sure...anyway, they have a lot of this old cardstock to use up, and the children were drawing on it for me. So we were just laughing that the first one I opened said 'for anyone'........so funny! then I opened the next one and it said 'friend' and I was laughing and said 'Oh I much prefer THIS one' hahahahaha

I'm only teasing - both of them are just so lovely and so so sweet :) thank you Rhonda :) The times I have spent with any of your children they are always just the sweetest little things!!

A card from a non card maker???

....I think not!!! Instead it's a lovely card handmade by my friend Sharon :) Although I think she's being rude about my age with the the sly comment about the number of candles I'd need on my cake ;) Mind you, I think she did mention that she'd need more on hers so thats ok hahahahaha!

Butterfly!

A butterfly that Rhonda's Daughter made for me for my birthday - isn't it just so pretty? Thank you so much! I have it stuck to the side of my scrapbooking shelf and it reminds me of Summer!

Snowflake picture

A picture that Staceys Son gave me for my birthday. Isn't it gorgeous? Thank you so much! I love it!

Whimsey Jar

Stacey made this for me for my birthday - it is a whimsey jar and I had never seen one before!! I knew she made them for swaps on swapbot but hadn't seen one of hers before this. Isn't it gorgeous??? It is of course a bee just for ME!!!! :) I love it! It's soooo clever - and when you open up the id its like a little treasure trove inside! It is crammed full of the cutest things - never ending little gems! I opened it up with Sam and Abby and they couldn't believe it! Then a little later I let Laurie open it up and he couldn't believe it either - he loved it too! Isn't this wonderful?????? Of course I love buttons and charms and sequins and gems and little bits and pieces like that so I loved it :)

i don't think I would ever make them for a swap for someone I don't know but I think they would make wonderful gifts for people - especially children :) I know I would have LOVED getting something like this when I was Abigail or Susies age especially! Can you imagine?????

They are just the cutest!! Or party favours instead of party bags - oh wow the kids would love them!!!

Thank you Stacey :) Not just for my gorgeous bee and contents but also for introducing me to yet another addiction ;)

Great Valentine Card!!!

Found on Etsy!!!

Betty Boop...

This snow globe was a gift from my Mom and Dad...for a few reasons.

a. I collect snow globes.

b. I LOVE Betty Boop

c. I practically LIVE in the bath tub.

d. When I turned 18 my Mom made me a birthday cake - it was Betty Boop bathing in a Champagne glass of bubbles so when they saw this in a store window they said they HAD to get it for me but had no idea how they would get it TO me - until they heard Lloyd would be in England and would be visiting them!

I LOVE baths. Baths are how I de-stress. I HATE my bath. It is grey and rusty and a nasty shape with a steep back and its metal and cold and horrid. It is in the kids bathroom which means I have to decontaminate the room before I relax in the bath every time :( Anyone with boys will know what I mean.

I can not WAIT to have my own bathroom and be able to design it myself and choose my own bath (I want the same one we had in the villa in Florida - we wrote to the owners and got them to find out the make etc for us lol so when we asked them if we could rebook for this year they remembered us by saying 'oh yes we remember you - your wife liked our bath'!!! hahahaha

I already know how I want my bathroom - with shelves etc for all my bubble baths - I use a LOT of bubble baths..... and the angle of the back of the bath is important to me as I like to relax back and not get a stiff neck but I find those pillows silly. And I do not want a corner bath in my bathroom - maybe in the kids bathroom but not in mine. And I don't want jets in my bathroom - again maybe in the kids bathroom but NOT in mine!

And under floor heating in my bathroom will be a MUST :) And heated towel rails is a MUST too :) We had them in Scotland and I miss them soooo much!