Wednesday tag - two days late :)

1. Lake Superior University has once again banished a list of words/phrases they think should be banished from the Queen's English in 2012-

amazing, baby bump, shared sacrifice, occupy, blowback, man cave, the new normal, pet parent, win the future, ginormous, trickeration and thank you in advance.

Which of these words/phrases would you most like to see banished from everyday speech and why. Go here to read more about how the words were chosen.

Man cave probably - if I HAVE to pick...but none of them really bother me.  some of them I haven't even heard of and I can think of many more words that bother me other than these.  
2. Are you easily embarrassed?

No not at all - I've lightened up and I've learned to laugh at myself more easily as I've gotten older.
3. what is your go-to snack?

A Banana at the moment.  Or a green monster/ smoothie.  Or an egg toasty.  

4. Have you ever been to Washington DC? if not do you have any desire to go? What site/attraction would you most like to see in that city? If you have been what's your favorite site?

I'd really like to go to the Smithsonian.  So much there I would like to see - not least the Ruby Slippers :)  

5. sit ups-planks-lunges-squats-which one do you hate the least?

Sit ups but they work well.  I really want to do that 100 a day for 30 days thingy I saw on someones page - it is supposed to make a huge difference in just one month!!
6. What's a small act of kindness someone did for you that you've never forgotten?

A friend brought me flowers and a card after my husband left - just to say she was thinking of me.  It meant a lot.  Another friend sent me an Email one morning just to make sure I had a HAPPY Email to wake up to instead of just nasty lawyer/ divorce Emails.  These things make a difference <3  

7. Have you ever been a blood donor?

no - I've never been allowed for a variety of reasons - I have either been under weight, anaemic, or from England (which means I can't give blood in Canada) .

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Two weeks today I turn 40!!  :)  And two weeks tomorrow it's our big birthday bash :)  Woohoo :)  

Snapshots from our Thursday afternoon.....

Pictures from Chris's Grad last Summer :)

Chris at his Grad last year, with his dad Nigel, and on stage getting his diploma and as MC for the ceremony.  :)  

Altering thrift store finds.....

Old silver trays, spray painted white, then chalkboard paint (or black gesso) used to create a blackboard effect.  Then word art added.  I have a selection of these and am adding all kinds of 'Brave Girl Club' words such as 'Enough' and 'Courage' and 'Breathe' etc etc...and I am going to hang them all together on the wall in the art studio :)  

I love it :)  99c each from the thrift store :)  If you don't want to paint your word on you can use them as chalkboards instead :)  

Spin art!!!

Abby was given this spin-art set for Christmas by Susannah.  She has always loved spin-art, since trying it at The Festival of Trees, so she was thrilled to have a set to use at home!  Tonight she finally sat down in the studio and had a go!!  It is a great set!  It works just as good as the one she had tried before!!  She created three beautiful designs and had a lot of fun doing it :)  

Bubbles :)

Yesterday I treated myself to some bubbles.  I just couldn't resist these little tubes of happiness.  I LOVE bubbles.  I love blowing bubbles and seeing how much fun they create - watching children chase them....watching them blow through the air...watching their colours in the sunlight....

These little tubes have heartshaped wands - and they are the perfect size to keep in my purse and take with me so that i can blow bubbles whenever I'm bored or whenever I want to entertain a little one - or a a friend :)  

This morning I woke Sam up gently by blowing bubbles at him :)  He LOVED it :)  he was giggling as he woke up and saw all the bubbles around him - he started batting them away with his hand and then trying to catch them and then he was giggling more - then he took over and started trying to blow them :)  

What a lovely way to be woken up :)  

Life stuff...

Snapshots from our day.....

Today was another good constructive day.  Split the day up with a yummy lunch of egg toasties, and a yummy snack of green monsters.  Todays was made by Susie and was extremely delicious!!  She put plenty of strawberries in it and it was juicy and yummy!  Strawberries and bananas!!  Abby drank tons of it which I love to see :)  

Then we had pasta with a yummy spinach salad for dinner - I think I need to start buying spinach in bulk!!

I've signed up another teaching resource which is REALLY exciting.  I am sooooo thrilled :)  I have several classes planned for the next set too AND I am already planning Spring and Summer classes too - some outdoor classes with nature themes and some non-art classes!  

I booked Abby and Sam into a digital book class today where they get to create an interactive book on cd or dvd.  It's an all day class.  They are also booked in to start climbing again from next week AND Lego classes again.  The theme for the Lego classes this semester is 'weather'.  They will be learning about windmills and satellites etc....we have a drumming class in a couple of weeks and of course they are also doing sculpture.  Sams reading and writing is coming on in leaps and bounds now and his math is great.  Abby's has always been fabulous.  All in all we are having a fabulous year :)  The best ever :)

At the dog park....

It was CROWDED which didn't make for a very pleasant walk - wished we'd gone to Jackie Parker instead :(  But Rosie had a great time anyway!!  We took her ball with us and took turns throwing it for her which she loves...she brings it straight back and drops it for us to throw again - she's such a good girl - so smart and so well behaved!  Even without training she stays by our side always and never runs off, never, never leaves us, never gets in to fights...just stays by our side and walks with us unless we throw the ball for her and then she plays fetch until she's exhausted.  My darling Rosie :)

Love her so :)  

A new posting for today....

Surrounded by...christmas decorations.  Blah....

Thankful for...Susannah's help this weekend

Pondering...love poems, marriage vows, meanings...

Learning together...how to run a business, how to start a business, how to create a classroom.  Oh and I just signed Abby and Sam up for another class - on creating a digital story book - it's an all day class with the City Art Centre which sounds pretty cool :)  

Domestic bliss...having my kiddo's here again after a weekend of us all going in separate directions.

What's app-ening...Instagram...love it :)  Love how it works with IOS5 - love how it adds pictures straight to their own folder on Facebook.  Love how you can connect with so many people locally and globally.  Love how you can find out about so many new places and see your own area through new eyes.  

Making progress...The house is feeling like a home so much more now.  It's lovely being able to use the basement at last.  It's fantastic having a bedroom that is really and truly a bedroom with no toys or clutter or anything in it - just my things in it.  The kids are loving the basement too!!  :)  They were down there ages this morning :)  

Read of the week...The Artists Way

A new habit...Back to having smoothies every day - Green Monster style :)  

On the nightstand...water, tissue box, couple of books, journal and a bucket of pens...but they will be going downstairs today and then it will just be my mug of pens that will stay - and I love my mug that read 'Pretending to be a normal person day after day is EXHAUSTING'  :)  love it :)  

Prayers and petitions...thoughts are with a friend of a friend having brain surgery...and another friend with surgery....

Something I love...this amazing incredible weather we are having :)  Just LOVE it :)  Think we will head out with Rosie for the afternoon :)  


This week...swimming, painting walls, heading to the reuse centre for supplies for sculpture class, walking Rosie, teaching several classes, planning and advertising new classes for February, Science classes at the science centre, Ice on Whyte.  

A photo to share...

Found this great book yesterday - funny how we don't see these books until AFTER we marry those idiots.....sigh....we really need to be given these books to read as part of the school curriculum!!  Hahahaha  :)  

Love these.....from Pinterest :)

Instagram...20 days until my 40th.....

:)  

Love this :)

For today:

Outside My Window... it is dark.  There is a full moon - or almost full at least.  It is just outside the window to my right beside my chair.


I am thinking...about the thrift store and all the bargains I have got from there over the last year and how much money I've saved furnishing this place....and kitting out the classroom...and other things - and yet this place is beautiful :)  I love it :)  I can't believe I have managed to kit out an entire classroom for so little :)   Today we ran into Tina there and it was lovely to see her again - hadn't seen her for sooooo long and then we saw her at the Christmas brunch in december and today :)  Hope to see her again very soon :)

I am thankful for...my life....the fun of it...the luck of it...the adventure of it.  the way I live it.  Wouldn't swap it for anyone elses.  I have so much fun :)  My life may well be a bit of a rollercoaster and an adventure at times, but it's one hell of a ride and I love it :)  I don't think I have one day go by where I don't laugh out loud several times :)  I am blessed with amazing children, incredible friends....many who are totally insane which suits me perfectly - I am so grateful for their cracks ;)

From the kitchen...daily smoothies, yummy dinners, finishing off the Christmas goodies we still have...lot's of fruit...


I am wearing...old jeans...tshirt inside-out....old sweater - we've been painting :)

I am creating... lots :)

I am going...to bed early tonight because it's been a long busy day but I feel soooo good about how much we accomplished today :)  Woot!!!  :)  
I am reading...through a pile of magazines that Sharon gave me at Christmas :)  Thank you Sharon - I LOVE the magazines you always give me xxx

I am hoping...that I've signed up two new students to my class at short notice :)  woot :)  I also have another teacher signed up to teach fine arts - starting with oil painting!!  AND I have a some one-off classes planned throughout February - including a session on Vision boards to help you keep going on those New Year Goals you made for 2012!!!  :)  Also come on over and make a Junque Journal....

I am hearing...  Hedley....listening to their new album which I got for Christmas :)  It is fabulous!  I love love LOVE Hedley  :)  So hold on tight, it's gonna be a wild wild ride....

Around the house...I am slowly putting away all the Christmas things...it's such a chore and it's hard to do also because I am always sad to do it - AND because I don't WANT to pack them away!!  BUT...I get to decorate again in a few weeks - for my PARRRRTAAYYYYYY!!!  :)  WOOOHOOOOO  :)

One of my favorite things...Instagram - and the fact that Instagram now uploads pictures automatically into a folder on facebook.  Yup - little things please little minds :)

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...Ummmm....cleaning, sorting, organizing, swimming, walking Rosie, heading to the Winter Festival, celebrating Sams birthday and planning his party, working, teaching, planning, Science Centre, Lego class, library, pub quiz, Ice on Whyte, work/ Exhibitors conference.

MMMMMM :)

A well deserved supper out after all our hard work today!!!  

Omg we ache so much but it was a job well done :)  

Woohoo!!!  :)  

Thank you Susannah 

xxx