Cuddle time....

Susannah's birthday fun continues...

Yesterday Lloyd was up very early and took Chris to his speech competition.  

Laurence was at his friends house still, having slept over for two nights.  

I was at the house with the younger three and Susannah's friend who had slept over.  I made waffles for breakfast and we had those with fresh fruit as well as lots of extra toppings - whipped cream, syrup, sprinkles, grated chocolate etc etc.......the kids had a great time creating the most amazing looking waffles!!

I went into my craft room and started to work on my junque journal - the girls pottered about but it wasn't long before they followed me in and asked what I was up to - they were interested in my junque journal so I showed them the youtube video so they could see what they are - that lead to Susannah showing her friend her art journals - and that lead to them creating new art journals, new art journal pages and basically getting all arty and creative!  

Susannah's friend created two new journals to take home - one is a gift for her Aunt and one for herself.  Susannah created a new double page spread in her art journal all about her birthday celebrations with her friends.

Sam and Abby got busy rubber stamping and creating :)  

I am loving my junque journal - i'll have to photograph it later!!  I think I will have to get Lloyd to bring in my keepsake boxes so I can go through them and add things to my junque journal.   

Why my windows constantly need cleaning....

it's not JUST sticky fingers....sigh.....

;)

Goals...

As I managed to reach all of my goals for the year by the end of January, I thought I needed to reset my goals for the year.  I saw that some people write a list of 52 goals for the year - one for each week.  I find this to be a little too much BUT...I do ike the idea of having a list of goals to reach for.  I have always kept a notebook in which I write a list of things I would like to do that month - things with the children - ideas of events/ places to go.....crafts and activities etc etc as well as ideas for me to do for myself or with Lloyd.  

This list is a little different though.  I thought I'd write a longer list and this is an ongoing kind of list - not that I HAVE to accomplish it all by the end of the year but these are things I would like to try and things I will be aiming for - or attempting at least.  It will give me a guide to aim for - when I'm bored or out shopping or need an idea for somewhere to go or a new project.....or something to plan with the kids.....

How about you?  What would be on YOUR list????

1. Introduce one weird/ exotic/ unusual food per month for us to try!
2. learn to make the fabric baskets I love
3. declutter my wardrobe
4. cycle a lot this Summer
5. Buy a picnic basket and picnic frequently!  
6. Write a love letter to my husband and mail it to him
7.  attend a retreat 
8. Buy someone a present (unexpected and for no reason)
9. Draw everyday for a week
10. Sew everyday for a week
11. Fill up my junque journal – fill it up by writing daily or at least frequently
12. create more envelope art
13. Create my own camera strap 
14. Write a letter to someone I admire
15. Host a dinner party
16. Go to a baseball game downtown
17. Go for a drive alone with my camera
18. Fill up all the photo frames including my new digital frame and HANG them!!!
19. Go to the Heritage Festival
20. Stay up all night
21. Spend a morning on Whyte Ave just rooting through junk stores
22. Work in my 'Wreck This  Journal'
23. Fill a jar with ideas of 'things to do' for one month or for Summer
24. Spend a day with each child individually
25. Host a  games night
26. Spend a day by myself
27. Take a trip with just Chris and me
28. Drive to Elk Island Park by myself
29. Have regular days off from technology
30. Go to the shooting range
31. Make art on canvas again
32. Take the girls for manicures
33. learn to draw/ paint garden birds
34. Take a workshop on something I’ve never done
35. Rip out and get rid of all carpeting in the house - only two rooms left!  Yay!
36. Camp outside
37. Take photos in a real photobooth
38. Make a wreath
39. Yard sale/ thrift stores for furniture to alter
40. Volunteer at events this Summer
41. Try 5 new restaurants
42. Start recipe books for the older three  children
43. Take Shimelle's 'Learn Something New Ever Day' class in September.
44. Swim weekly again
45. Design the basement - choose furniture, style, storage, decor etc etc
46. Make an inspiration board for my crafting/design area.
47. Knit a hat or leg warmers
48. Make more paper with Susannah
49. Visit Rutherford House
50. Use the dvd camcorder more

Ok, off to watch Hairspray with the girls while Lloyd is at Monster Jam.....  :)

Susannahs birthday fun!

Last night was Susannah's birthday celebration!  She had two good friends back to our place for the afternoon and they all helped decorate the cake she had chosen....they spent a few hours dancing and singing and trying on clothes, putting on make up and generally being girly etc etc I think they watched some Glee too....and then when Lloyd got home we had the birthday cake.  Then they headed out to the bowling alley.  Sounds like they had a total blast there - flirting with some boys there (much to her Dads dismay I may add) and getting the DJ to play them songs....and trying to beat Lloyds bowling score.....they had supper at the bowling alley too

After the bowling they had to head downtown to pick Chris up from a big Cheer event he was attending and filming - so Susannah got to show her friends her Junior High School (if she gets accepted).

They dropped one friend home, who sadly couldn't stay over, and then headed back here just before 11pm.  

Laurence was sleeping over at his friends for another night, so I had had a quiet evening at home with Abby and Sam - we curled up with treats and watched The Wizard of Oz.

Boys night out...

Lloyd is taking Laurie and Sam out tonight....for a little bit of 'Monster Jam'....lol! Fun, fun, fun....Thanks to a post on LP we got a great deal on 
tickets - half price!!! Thanks to whoever posted!!! We have ear plugs at the ready for them to 
take :)

Friday Fill-ins.....

1. I know Sunday will soon be here :)
2.March often feels like the longest month.
3. You can't help but love the beauty of Alberta in Winter.
4. Vancouver 2010; bring it on!
5. Where have you looked for things to be grateful for lately?
6. Easter decor and candy is now available.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to playing games with Sam and Abby while Lloyd takes Susannah and friends bowling, tomorrow my plans include taking Chris to his speech contest and then getting breakfast with Lloyd and having a quiet evening with the girls while Lloyd and the boys are out and Sunday, I want to stay home and relax!


You can get your Friday Fill-ins HERE

Huntley Street - Full Circle....

Don't laugh...lol...but I really enjoy this show!  Religious aspects aside, it's a lovely show and they have such wonderful guests - wonderful advice and it's so nice to hear the stories and 'good feeling' about Canada, it's communities and the good things happening here.

This mornings guest was a man who has written a book about second marriages and how to make them work.  He was an older man but had such great advice - he was also talking about a project at his Church community where they have volunteers who phone something like 500 pensioners every month just to check in on them, chat and say hi!  What a great project!!!  Sometimes these people don't have anyone call them all year apart from those volunteers!

Full Circle is the Friday show of 100 Huntley Street and is a Women's show about issues effecting women.  They do have male guests though.  It's a fun show but they do discuss tough topics at times.  

I'm also enjoying the 'Love Dare' series on this show - I have the Love Dare app on my iphone :)  Have you watched the movie that goes along with it?  You can watch the whole thing on youtube!!  It's a sweet movie about getting the love/ romance back in your relationship!  Or even if your relationship is fine, the dares in the book/ app are fun to do!  

This week they've also done shows on childhood obesity and about how teens are becoming obsessed over characters such as vampires.....whether you are religious or not, the discussions on the show are interesting.  I skim over the religion but I enjoy the show :)

Our friends world trip.......Machu Picchu

Some of you may have heard the news stories about the mud slides near Machu Picchu in Peru last weekend.  We had an Email shortly after, from our friends who are traveling around the world this year - they were actually THERE at the time and were actually on the very LAST train to leave the area.  They were so very lucky because another Edmonton couple had to be airlifted from the area and sadly watched another couple on the trails beside them slip and die :(

You can read Derek and Sarah's tales from that day HERE  as they continue to update their travel blog regularly.

Thursday Thirteen..... my migraines

1.  I've had migraines since I was about 18.

2.  When I first started getting them I didn't know what was wrong - I swear I thought I was dying.  I was admitted to hospital several times and had sooo many tests for 'viruses' and kidney disorders and brain problems and all kinds of things and no one EVER considered migraines.  Even though the pains were in my head no one even QUESTIONED migraines!!

3.  Finally when I had moved to a different part of England and had a different doctor it was finally discovered that I had migraines.  I had an amazing doctor and he was happy to drive straight over any time I had a migraine and inject me with an anti-emetic and pain killer.  I was also put on meds to prevent the migraines.  they made me tired and made me gain weight (they were beta blockers)  but helped with the migraines.  

4.  I get migraines sometimes 6 times a month and sometimes 4 or 5  times a week - every week depending on the time of year.

5.  My triggers are weather.  If the pressure changes and the weather changes then I get a migraine.  If my routine changes I get a migraine.  If I miss meals I get a migraine.  Certain foods can give me migraines.  Being over-tired can give me migraines.  Stress can give me migraines - but it tends to be AFTER the stress has passed.    Hormones play a part - certain times of the month cause problems too.  

6.  My WORST migraine was the day we travelled back from Florida in 2007.  A MAJOR weather system had gone through Orlando - tornadoes had ripped through killing several people.  I was so ill I could not even lift my arms or dress myself.  I was so sick.  Lloyd had to do everything for me.  I had to travel via a wheelchair and do not really remember anything about the two flights back.  Horrible :(

7.  I have been on Imitrex which helped for a long while.  Now I take maxalt which helped for a long while but now I am starting to get horrible side effects much like imitrex.  Time for a change I think.

8.  I take a preventative daily.  I take Topamax daily and that helps a lot - when I don't take it, my migraines increase.  Topamax is the first drug NOT to cause weight gain.  Woohoo....finally a brighter side to something ;)  However - a downside to this drug is that I had to give up running as it causes my bloodpressure to rise if I run :(  I miss running.  I can swim and walk still etc etc but when I run on this drug I feel very ill very quickly.

9.  I am not sure I get an 'aura' as such with my migraines, but I do know when one is coming - I start yawning a LOT shortly before it starts.  Also my nose will block on one side and it will feel as though I've been punched in the nose - it will feel kind of numb.  

10.  I have tried all kinds of natural remedies/ diets and natural methods or dealing with migraines.....nothing helps really - Lloyd massages my shoulders regularly and I do find that helps a little with tension etc.

11.  I am lucky though - I get migraines but I don't really get headaches - very rarely anyway!!!

12.  My doctor has offered me botox for my migraines and that may well be my next step - he actually gives botox injections in his clinic.  I have had a prescription in the past but never actually got it.....Im still not sure....maybe I will try that next.  The movie 'Christmas with the Kranks' puts me off a little (lol).

13.  migraines have ruined a lot of days and I live in dread of the next one.  I dread my meds not working, however, the days of vomiting for 18 hours are long gone.  Thankfully these days meds can control things.  If mine don't work I can go and get some that DO work.  I don't have to suffer the way I used to.  Migraines are miserable and horrible and I hate them - but when I think about all the other problems I COULD have - really, I could be a LOT worse off ;)

I don't know who created these fabulous pieces of artwork - but they really do explain migraines through art sooooo well!  

You can find Thursday 13 HERE

too much cuteness for one day :)

awwwwwww :)

Check  THIS out!!  And then have a look at the rest of her photography because it is ALL awesome!!  And I don't even USE the word awesome ;)

New games...

On Tuesday I picked up a whole bunch of new board games at the thrift store.  I got some unusual ones that we hadn't heard of, as well as Fear factor, The DaVinci Code, and a few others...and a few jigsaw puzzles too.  I think they must have had a sale on or something because I ended up paying $4.25 for all of them even though some of them were $2 each.  

It said on some of them that they were unchecked and untested but so far all the pieces are there - and I figured for that price I'd risk it!!!  The kids are happy to have new games to play with.  

Of course when the camera comes out these days they all do weird things - and no Sam is NOT licking the game - I promise!!!  lol!  

Art classes continues....Kandinsky!!

Abigails art class this week focused on music as art - and the artist Kandinsky.  They listened to music throughout the class and then were helped to translate that music into art.  

Abigail is really enjoying this semesters classes.  So far they have done watercolour, pottery, weaving and music.  Next week they are doing Valentines.  Each topic also includes the study of an artist.  they are given materials on the artist to take home too!  

I love that our town supports homeschoolers so well!!  

Wonderful birthday gifts....

....from a wonderful friend!!

Val gave me these beautiful scarves for my birthday!  And a gorgeous card - with the most perfect wording - couldn't agree more with the wording which talks about having a  friend with whom you can totally be yourself and relax with :)   There are so few friends you can vomit caviar in front of these days ;)  hahahaha!!

I've worn the green scarf a lot already and Lloyd has started calling me 'The girl in the green scarf - he said it as soon as he saw it - and he's right - it's JUST like the scarf in the Shopoholic movie!!  I love it :) The other beautiful scarf is an evening scarf I think and is gorgeous and wide too - I'm going to wear it next Friday when we go out with friends - and again when we head out with James and Val in a coupe of weeks - hhmmm we have to set the date for that still!  

Thank you soooo much Val - they are beautiful!  

Do you believe????

LOVE this commercial....love the feeling it inspires in me :)


Go Canada :)