Saturday at our place...

Yup!!!  :)

Still working on my altered magazine art journal:

Spent the evening on the deck enjoying the shade.  It was hot today 26c and gorgeous sunshine.

We had a bbq and yummy dessert outside:

Sam and Susannah had white chocolate and raspberry ice cream with fresh raspberries and

meringues:

Abby and I had meringues, fresh raspberries and fresh whipped cream:

It was THIS hot lol:

Sam colouring at the table on the deck:

Funny:

The sunset reflected on the kitchen windows:

Sam and Abby decided to set the tent up on the deck - but only lasted an hour even with me on the armchair just the other side of the door lol:

My happy smiley boy:

Rosie seeking the shade:

TGIF

Today was a lovely relaxing day at home - a little laundry and cleaning up and the rest of the day spent doing things outside.  Abigail did some work on the deck and also had some craft time there:

They each did a 'popcorn art' craft - where you colour in the picture and then place it in a warm oven for a few minutes - and the pictures 'pop' in the heat and all puff up:

We checked our plants, did some weeding and watering.  I love having the tubs on the deck - so easy to look after and so much fun!  The peas and radishes are doing well and need to be thinned out.  Sam's sunflowers are doing fabulously!

I decided to give a new craft a try - turning an old magazine into an art journal.  I used an old 'Better Homes and Gardens' magazine, and modpodged three pages at a time together.  I then gessoed the cover and pages I had created.  I also started working on two pages in this journal.  It is going to be a Summer journal - with summery colours and pictures, quotes, poems etc all about Summer:

Dark clouds appeared around us, but seemed to avoid our house completely - although we were sad not to get a storm, it was also nice to be outside all day!  

I found a craft kit for growing dinosaurs from these little pods - so the children shared them out, and grew them in jars of water on the deck:

We decided to have one of our poetry teas.  Abigail baked us some egg-free oatmeal raison cookies and we munched on those and had a cup of tea each out on the deck - and we took it in turns to read poems to each other all about Summer :)  

On wednesday I picked up some wooden pegs and today Abby and sam made peg dolls each and used fabric to create clothes and yarn to create hair:

This morning we found this fabulous invitation on our porch - a birthday party invitation for Sam and Abby for next week - it is an amazing invitation - a message / pirate map scrolled up and placed like a message in a bottle - the bottle has a little sand and some seashells in it!!!

Another page from the altered magazine/ art journal I am working on for Summer:

We had a yummy lasagna and salad for supper, and then for dessert we had smores on the fire outside.  Susannah had a party in the park today after exams, and she had supplied the smores ingredients - she came home with plenty left, so we used them up tonight.  Abby and Sam played in the pool and the slip and slide while Susannah and I read by the fire.  They are LOVING our evening fires!!  Sam really does get so excited about them:

I fell asleep in the sunshine today and had a nap for 1 1/2 hours - and it was probably the best sleep I have had in a  LONG time!!  Must be the fresh air!!  I am a little bit red from being in the sun though!  Yikes!  Oh well - I am pleased to have some colour on my skin again after winter.  Loving how fast I am tanning this year.  Oh wow I love Summer!!

tag time :)

What's your current obsession?  Hhhmm art journaling and learning to perfect Mandalas.  And making the most of Summer.

What are you wearing today?  Shorts, sleeveless tshirt, turquoise and silver anklet.  

What's for dinner?   I had a marmite sandwich and a blizzard.

What would you eat for your last meal?   Roast potatoes with gravy, brussel sprouts, chicken, yorkshire puddings etc etc...

What's the last thing you bought?   In Walmart tonight I bought all the supplies for Smores - enough for Susannah's whole class.  They are having an end of year bbq and party tomorrow and that is our donation to the party.  

What are you listening to right now?  Nothing.  House is silent and even outside is silent so far!   No doubt the coyotes and owls will start up soon :)  

If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?  Canmore.  

Which language do you want to learn? Spanish - Mirko talks to me in Spanish and I don't have a clue what it means lol - and I have asked him to teach me rude words in Spanish lol!

What do you love most about where you currently live?  Privacy and wildlife.  I will miss that but I am ready to move on now.

What is your favorite color?  Turquoise and jewelled colours.

Chocolate or vanilla?  Chocolate - except for ice cream - and then real vanilla :)

What were you doing 10 years ago  Getting ready to move to Canada.  I was living in Scotland and Abigail was just 4 months old.  The children were about to finish school for the Summer and they spend much of that Summer in Somerset with my parents - and then I joined them with Abby at the end of Summer for a few weeks - while Lloyd had the house packed up - and then he joined us and we visited his parents for a few days before finally leaving the UK.  I remember zoo visits and swimming pool visits with Abigail in Scotland.  I don't remember much though.  I have a photo of her in front of the carousel in Edinburgh.

If you had $100 now, what would you spend it on?  Things to do this weekend - or gas for the car lol.

What are you going to do after this?  Check FB and then go to sleep.

What are your favorite films?   Charlie St Cloud, Bridesmaids, When a Man loves a Woman.

What inspires you?   My SR Girls, my children, positive people.

Your favorite books?   The Touchstone by Gabriel Allington.  The Girls by Lori Lansen.

Do you collect anything?  Swans - single swans.  Willow Tree Angels/ figurines.

What makes you follow a blog?  If it is updated regularly.  If it is positive and uplifting.  If it has wonderful images.  If it interests me or has good ideas.

What was the most enjoyable thing you did today?  Dozing on the chair in the sunshine early this evening with no children around and no disturbance, and a lovely mug of chamomile tea :)  

What is on the top of your to-do list?    Mow the grass tomorrow if it is dry - or clean windows indoors if it is wet.

What's your favorite time of day and why?  Evenings :)  They are laid back and relaxing and then after the children go to bed, I get to do whatever I want until whenever I want :)  

1. Summer officially rolls in with the Hodgepodge, for those of us in the Northern hemisphere anyway. What song says summer 2012 to you?

Right now I am loving :

But one of my all time favourite  Summer songs is:

2. What is the quintessential summer food?

Hmmmm burger relish, watermelon....and ral lemonade from the farmers market :)  

3. At what age did you move out of your parent's house and what prompted the move?

At 17.  I moved to Surrey to start my nurse training :)  I LOVED living so close to London :)

4. What's more satisfying to you-saving time or saving money?

Both I think.

5. Name something you think brings out the good in people.

I think disasters and tragedies bring out the good in people - I love seeing how people in my area pull together to help those in need in difficult times.  

6. This last question comes to you courtesy of Kathy at Reflections...are you taking a vacation or staycation this summer? If so where are will you go? If a staycation is on the calendar have you made any special plans to fill the time?

We are going away for two weeks on a fabulously exciting road trip - lots of fun new places to see all over Alberta and BC and I can't WAIT :)  The kids are thrilled and really excited :)  

7. Insert your own random thought here.

Gawd it's hot tonight - really wish I had put the AC on today!!  It normally cools down in the evening, but tonight it doesn't seem to be!!  Off to have a shower and cool down!!  :)  

Signs of Summer....at our place :)

Thursday reflections...

Sam and I did some art journaling this morning.  I continue to work on my Mandalas -

This afternoon we met a bunch of friends at the playground and splashpark for a few hours of fun in the sunshine - including ice creams :)  Yummy!!  This little cutie was as adorable as always - especially when she started shivering but was determined to finish her ice lolly:

This little guy had a great time with his friends this afternoon:

And this little beauty (picture from yesterday) also had a blast with her friends:

Now the house is quiet and I am waiting for Susannah to wake up and decide what to do.  I think we may stay home and enjoy the sun!

My Wednesday...

Abby Banana had an appointment with the doctor today - just to get her prescription renewed.  While there she mentioned the names Doug and Bob - and the Doctor laughed and said that if she was looked after by Bob and Doug then she'd be fine - we didn't understand and so he explained that Bob and Doug were Canadian comedians from years ago (like Morecambe and Wise etc etc)  - he then started searching on youtube and played a video to us - a clip from a movie they were in!  It was a fairly inappropriate clip for some kids - good job I am who I am haha - then he started singing some strange song like 'coo coo' or something - and when we went outside he asked the receptionist if she knew it - she said 'My dad sings that' which made me laugh out loud and tell the Doctor that obviously only 'old' people know that song - he said 'Ouch' and walked off hahaha  :)  

I hurt my finger today.  I got in the car and Laurence asked what I had on my face - I looked in the mirror and saw blood - then looked down and my fingers were covered in blood!  I had knocked a chunk of my finger off - eww and big chunk of skin is hanging off and it wouldn't stop bleeding!  I have no idea how or when  did it!  

We went to the dollar store after the doctors and I saw this on a notebook cover.  It made me laugh:

Abby modelling Canada Day outfits:

I bought this.  I think it's gorgeous and was only $2.

Saw this on another notebook...me thinks someone would be checking their English BEFORE they print them hahahaha:

Laurence had a hair appt today with Amber, and while he was there, I took Abby and Sam over to the BK play place.  I sat with a drink while they played - and I had a go at doing a Mandala - based on the stunning ones that a lady on Instagram does!!  I only had a paper bag to draw on though.  I really liked drawing this and plan to do more:

It was another gorgeous and warm day.  23c and the occasional shower.  All evening was gorgeous though!!

In the evening we went into town to the farmers market.  Lorraine and Alora came and joined us and we strolled around the farmers market and the lake - and sat and chatted for a while.  It was such a beautiful evening.  On the way back to the library afterwards I noticed that Laurences school looks like a prison:

We were still at the lake when the farmers market ended.  We got the library just before it closed at 9pm and the girls had just enough time to grab their books.  In the parking lot on the way back I noticed all of our shadows as we walked along together:

So we all decided to try and spell out a word together. 

 LOVE - with Sam making a heart on the end:

I couldn't resist snapping a pic of Susannah and Sam walking along holding hands:

We blew up the paddling pool and slip and slide today, and Sam and Abby had great fun filling the pool and playing on the soapy slide :)  We filled the pool half way today and will do the other half tomorrow - they are VERY happy to have water fun to play in on hot days now :)  

We got home around 10pm tonight - and then we started a fire out in the firebowl.  We wanted to stay outside until dark to celebrate the longest day of the year and to welcome Summer :)  It was a lovely way to spend the evening :)  

And now everyone is fast asleep but me.  Tomorrow is another full day with plans here, there and everywhere :)  Oh how I love Summer :)  

Hope your week is going well :)  

x

Wednesday....

Hoping this cute guy got good news today :)