Old pictures...

I was going through old pictures on iphotobooth tonight to empty the folders, and I found some that I hadn't saved.....or seen for a while :)  

Nothing....

Today......

Today I went to the bank and waited patiently for my turn because I could see that the staff were all busy, and I listened and watched as a couple of the people in the line behind me got more and more annoyed and aggressive and rude to the staff.  It made me grateful for the fact that I don't behave like that - they didn't get served any quicker and they left feeling tense and stressed.  I left being thanked for waiting patiently, given stickers for the children, smiled and chatted to nicely and in a happy, calm mood.

Today I hoped to get Laurence the desk he needs, but the store was out of stock, and so despite saving up and waiting until now, we still have to wait some more!!

Today I dreamed about 'what if's' that will never happen.......

Today I forgot to take cash to French club.....I never seem to use cash these days, so I never have any change in my purse!  So now I owe Roxana two weeks French club fees...she laughed and said she could manage without $4. until next week ;)  But that isn't the point!!!

Today I heard the most nasty vicious words and tone come out of a little girl (not one of mine) aimed towards an adult who was not her parent!  Not that it would have been right aimed at ANYONE, but I was left in COMPLETE SHOCK -as was the lady it was aimed at...I couldn't believe the look, the colour of her face or the nastiness of the way it was said..and quietly enough, with her back to her Mother, so it wouldn't be overheard!  I was left wondering  how she treats/ speaks to other children if this is how she speaks to adults!  I have to admit I warned my children to be careful around her after that.  I really was STUNNED and I've seen a lot!

Today I said I would trade teaching art with the homeschool group for lessons in other subjects...such as Spanish....a group of HS Moms are going to be trading skills within a small group and teaching classes to the children - so I offered to teach mixed media art.  

Today I read a funny text from Ki....she is soooo BAD!!!  lmao!   I was in French Club and a text from her came through.  It was just ONE WORD, but enough to make me laugh out loud :)

Today I watched another episode of Greys Anatomy with Susannah.  We are watching one or two episodes a night - our annual marathon every September :)

Today I believed life is good :)  And I am blessed!!  :)

Today I felt busy.  No other word for it!  I am busy!  Life is just NON STOP these days.  Not that that is a bad thing - Life is very fulfilling and I am very fortunate to have such a wonderful life filled with such wonderful experiences and people to share it with, but it IS very busy!!

Today I wondered maybe...just maybe....it could happen.....if only pride didn't get in the way :(

Today I bought Another can of white spray paint to replace the one that I can't get to work properly - I need to return that one but I didn't go to Home Depot tonight

Today I cleaned all my bedding.  Tomorrow will be the girls bedding.  Friday the boys.

Today I was in love with Fall...it's colours, scents, sounds....being out in it, surrounded by trees and sunshine and blue skies with the gorgeous Fall foliage.  The delights of Pumpkin Spice lattes and apple spice muffins...sheer bliss!

Fall at home...

Artist at work...

A heart for Mom 

xxx

Colours of Fall...

Shelter Building at the Wilderness Centre

Abigail had another outdoor education class this morning, so we were up bright and early and headed off to the Wilderness Centre.  While Abigail was in her class, Sam and I joined Jennifer and her Son Mahon for another walk through the gorgeous Fall tinged woods.  This week we headed in the opposite direction and went towards the boardwalk and along part of the Fox Loop.  The boys had great fun climbing trees, discovering pathways through tall grasses and making up games with guns and swords and bombs :)  

This weeks class was on shelter building and outdoor survival.

When we got back from our walk the class wasn't quite over, so we got to watch the end of it and see the children finish their shelters and dismantle them!!  Sam enjoyed watching :) Tomorrow we are going down into our woods so he can have a go at building a shelter - I'm hoping Abby is willing to show him what she learnt!!

The children had been split into teams to build the shelters and here is Abby working working with her team.  I did see that her friends Nuala and Garrett were in her team which I'm sure will have pleased her!

In this mornings class they were also taught several different techniques for tying knots...Abby was rattling them off to me in the car and was explaining what their best uses are (ie for tying a canoe to a tree on a river bank etc etc) and which knots were easy and which were more difficult.

She has thoroughly enjoyed these classes and I am sad there is only one more left - I really hope they put on some more like these next Semester because Abby has gained a lot from them!  I love the age range in the class (8 - 17) and the teacher works sooooo well with the kids and gets them working in teams so well.  Thats what I love so much about homeschooling - that kids aged 8 - 17 get on so well and work together so well and age just doesn't come into it!  They just treat each other like equals and the teacher treats them all like equals too!!

At the end of the class they had to dismantle the shelters and put all the branches and logs scattered around the place so the eco system could return to normal - a good lesson for when in the real wilderness - yet Abigail had started to walk off and the teacher was quick to call her back and tell her to help out her team and that teams work together!!  :)  

After this class we headed over to the North West of Edmonton, to Castledowns library, where our French club was meeting.  We listened to our French cd while we drove over - Sam loves the jelly bean song which teaches you the colours in French.  I think Abigail likes the one that teaches the days of the week!

Today we focused on singing the songs the children had been learning, we also played a version of Twister which teaches actions and colours....and then we played Bingo which in French is 'Lotto' and is our board game.  We played two rounds of that and the children had to say the name of their picture as each one was called - Sam's board was all vehicles and he won the first round!  His pronunciation of all the vehicles in French was really good :)  

I'm thinking about getting Rosetta Stone French.  I'm really enjoying learning French along with them and they are picking up a lot of the words fast - but putting them into sentences is different and I think a program like Rosetta Stone would be really helpful.  

We left French and headed home...they were tired and of course their day was not done as they still had to go out for the evening as it was their Dads night to have them - even though I'm sure they would have liked a quiet evening at home really - not that they don't want to see their Dad, it's just that because of their visits with their Dad it sometimes feels to them like they never stop.  Sometimes they just want to stay home and play and of course they can't :(  Those days are over.

Still, we are home all day tomorrow and we have no plans at all - Abigail has borrowed a dvd from the library that she wants to watch.  Sam wants to go and play in the woods for a little bit.  I want to bring my painted furniture in from the garage.  But apart from that we don't HAVE to do anything.  I think they are REALLY looking forward to a day at home :)  

Oh so tired....

It's been a long and busy day....all in all it's been a very good one.  

I'm exhausted though and so I'm going to sleep!

Goodnight world :)

xxx

Todays work....

I liked my art journal girl soooo much that I decided to transfer her style onto a canvas this morning.  I love how it worked out:

Then tonight I created this little canvas:

Both are now ready and available for sale.  I have two sales coming up and also art work in my online Etsy store.  

Tonights art journal page....

Susannah says this is her favourite of my girls so far....she likes her hair :) 

I love art...I love being an artist...I love finding my own style...enjoying the freedom of finding my own style finally :)  

My girls <3  

I might get a few of these on to canvas...but the wording on this one is a little personal.

xxx

Snapshots from our Sunday :)

Making the most of the new coupon book!!  Thanks Samantha!!  Saved $$$  at Kidz Quarterz on Thursday and today we saved $$$ at Smittys :)  I HEART the Sherwood Park coupon book!!  I saved soooo much money last year and am so pleased I got a book again this year :)  I am going to go and get my rose this week - and the chocolate dipped strawberries I think - and go tanning again :)  

Coupons rock!!  :)

I swear the fish look sooooo fed up with looking at each others arses ;)  And I just love that the sign says 'Pleas don't touch the glass' and yet the glass is COVERED in finger marks!!  Hahaha!

Found this mask in a Halloween section in a store and Susie put it on.  Too funny - I blurred the edges so it looks like part of her :)  They had some really great mouth masks wish we had time to take pictures of them all :)

Even though my weekend wasn't quite what I was planning (sigh.....) I had so much fun!  Thank you Susannah for being such great company!! xxx

Just a little space.....

This morning I said something that was misunderstood by someone and I wound up hurting his feelings...I spent a horrible day not hearing from someone I really care about...and it was not fun.  

It was made worse by the fact that this person lives so far away and so I couldn't even do anything about the situation.  I couldn't go and see him.  There was nothing I could do to make things better.   :( 

Just wait.

It was a good lesson in patience though.  And I learnt a lot about this person and our relationship.  And that there are others like me (who'd have thunk?? lmao) that just need a little time and space when they're upset.

Thankfully everything is ok tonight and I don't have to go to sleep with that horrible empty feeling in the pit of my stomach lol :)

It's weird when you've been used to a guy who HATED to be left alone when he was upset - it made him physically sick to be left alone when we argued...so after ten years of that, its strange getting used to someone new and their moods, mannerisms, coping skills etc...

Oh well...whatever will be will be....

We live and learn...

Banana...

Abigail slept over at a friends house last week and in the morning the Mom (wonderful Trish!!) made pancakes in the shape of whatever they wished!!  Abigail chose a horse with a rider!!  Trish was careful to point out that it is the riders foot you can see and NOT anything else between the horses legs ;)  

Too funny ;)  

Now Radio End of Summer BBQ.....

Last Saturday I took the kids to the Now Radio Station, for their end of Summer BBQ and party.  It was great fun - free bouncy castle, dunk tank, live music, tours of the studios including seeing Chris Love live on radio...meeting all the hosts....free sno-cones and cotton candy.  

With Cary:

With Adam - it was Adam that gave us our tour around the studio too:

With Cary Howe:

We were finally able to meet up with Taz and give her the cheese flavoured kitkats that we brought her back from Canmore - we tried some with her and were surprised that they weren't too bad - not quite as cheesy as I thought!!  Not something I would buy again but interesting!  We also gave them some bacon flavoured gumballs and bacon flavoured effervescent drink tablets - that they then gave Ray the Intern and made him drink live on air - it made him throw up!!!  I felt really bad  :)  

The girls with Fitzy:

The girls with Mars:

Today....

Today I went to Home Depot and got some Kilz primer spray for inside my cupboard and new drawers - as well as some cans of white spray for the drawers.

Today I hoped for a clearer mind but instead my Truthteller seems to be telling me to just wait and see....

Today I dreamed that he lived closer

Today I forgot about yesterday and moved on :)

Today I heard the revving engines of tractor pulls in the videos Bill sent me...

Today I said "I am always here for you" - to two people - and I meant it 100%

Today I read a few blogs in my Google Reader...endless texts - my phone was beeping non stop all day.

Today I watched the trains going by at the side of Gateway Blvd as Susannah and I ate lunch in the Antiques Mall cafe - the most delicious turkey salad sandwich EVER!!!

Today I believed there is no rush....

Today I felt - high as a kite - we had a lot of fun out today.  I also felt like my feet were going to fall off - they ached soooo much from all the walking and standing!!

Today I wondered why it is ok for some people to make mistakes and yet NOT ok for me to make the exact same mistake - or even a smaller mistake.

Today I bought part of Ki's birthday gift :)  and a postcard with a wonderful message about relationships on it :)

Today I cleaned the kids bathroom.  Myself - I soaked in the bath for a LONG time tonight lol!

Today I was happy, fun, curious, helpful, supportive, busy, interested, hopeful.