My current art journaling classes...

My new evening art journaling class started last night.  For the first class we worked on

backgrounds and layering techniques, introducing everyone to gesso, various paint techniques, glimmer mists and pastel art sticks.  I think it went well.  This is the page that I created as I went through step by step to show them....I was rushing as I wanted them to see what to do and then spend the session taking the time to create their own pages.  I still had fun doing mine though.

This morning I had my usual childrens art journaling class - this semester our topic is 'bring on the colour' - today we created a collage of houses using various coloured/ patterned cardstock and finished off with paint/ pens.  Each one was really different!  Then we spent some time trying out various art products - alcohol inks, sprays and mists, embossing powders!!

Sam was sick today and didn't take part, and a few others were missing from the class too :( 

This is the page I created to show them the idea:

As we had some spare time at the end of the session, we used the junk modelling materials to build a 3d version of our town collage.  Then we built a tower tall enough to reach the ceiling:

Then I had them create sculptures of a man, an elephant, names and 

a really REALLY long snake:

Rosie has spent much of the day today sleeping and enjoying having us at home - our first 'at home' day all week!!!

My afternoon was spent finishing my book (Before I go to Sleep) which was FANTASTIC.  I also did a ton of laundry - about 4 loads I think....Sam played Minecraft and watched movies as he is ill.  Abigail read and did sewing and asked me question after question after question!!!  OMG!!!!  My brain is going to explode!  Sam started showing me his Minecraft house.  He also started asking me math questions.  

Susannah was late home as they had bus evacuation.  She went to do her homework and Abigail found her asleep when we called her for dinner!  

Laurence is working tonight so I will drive in and get him tonight.  

And that is my Wednesday!

Oh and yesterday?  As well as my class in the evening....Laurence started his new job.  I had to get some supplies from Michaels for my class - then we went to Timmys and met a friend of Abigails and her Mom.....then we went to Homeschool Group at the library - it was science day - chatted a lot with Sharla.....also chatted afterwards with the girl who ran the science day - about getting the group more structured and organized and make it more welcoming.  Getting it more active again!  It REALLY needs it!!  It needs SOMETHING!!!  So we are going to get together or have a planning session and figure something out!  

Abigail said that she for SURE wants to keep going now that this new lady is getting involved because it was soooooo much better and she LOVED yesterdays class (and loved playing with Sharlas Daughters too).  

So anyway...that was our Tuesday too.....

I'm exhausted and it's only Wednesday!!  :)  But I love being exhausted when it is because of good things and GOOD stress and good busy :)  

x

Monday - a great start to the week :)

I had the loveliest sweetest snuggles with Sam this morning.

Our conversations in the mornings can be so amusing...I don't remember what this mornings was about, but it was sweet and funny and he was lying there with his head resting on my hand for a long while just chattering away :) 

We had to get up and dressed and head off to Edmonton to run some errands.  I popped into my lawyers office, then we went over to the bottle depot and recycled all our bottles - I really love doing that and wish we had done that for years!  All that money we were throwing away!!

After that we ran over to Oliver Square to do some banking and then in to McD's for coffee and a snack.  

The RBC there was so busy - must remember to AVOID that one in future - although the guy was OVERLY friendly there!  But not as cute as my normal guy at my RBC :)  

Mmmmm love McD's coffee :)  

Then it was on the the Royal Alberta Museum - we haven't been there in ages so we thought we would check out the galleries and see what they have going on!  First of all we took a little walk around the grounds because the weather was gorgeous.  The children want to come back one afternoon and go right down and walk along the river here...so we will do that one afternoon.  

Government House is such a gorgeous house - love it:

The children chose to go in to the 'Wild Alberta' gallery first - one of their favourites.  Abigail loves the Coyotes - she likes to press the sounds they make and was telling me how she falls asleep to that sound each night and she really loves it :)  I'm so glad - because I know exactly what she means.  I love it too.  They sing you to sleep :)  

They have a new exhibit in there called 'The life and death of the forest' and it's about forest fires and how important they are - and you get to watch a movie showing exactly what happens within minutes of a fire being put out in the forest....it was fascinating!  I really enjoyed it!

Then we were off to the Aboriginal gallery to see Sams friend - the bison!!

Then off to the gem gallery.....and the dinosaur exhibit.  We spent ages looking at all the fossils, learning about the layers of the earth and checking to see how many of the gemstones Sam has from his many attempts at gem mining!!

Then on to the bug room!!!!

Black widow spider!  Eeewwwww:

Then it was back outside and we went for another stroll around the grounds:

Took pictures of the children in the beautiful Pagoda:

It really is painted so beautifully:

Then we spotted a totem pole that we had never seen before so we headed over to it.  We were really surprised to find it was only HALF a tree and it was HOLLOW.  Very well done though and interesting to see:

We picked Laurence up after school and took him to get new shoes for work ready for his first shift tomorrow.  Then home via the gas station to fill up:

One more stop before home, and that was to check the mail box.  Today was Sam's turn to check.  There were two letters for us today.  

Home for dinner and yay we were all here for dinner tonight so we were sitting at the table to eat.  Lately it always seems like someone is missing...Yesterday we had the fish that they all love...today we had the chicken pies that they have been on about for ages...

Now I am about to watch a movie Sam has asked me to watch with him - he is finished drawing dragonflies from the museum today....so now we are watching 'Jingle All The Way'.  Hmmmm we seem to be on a  run of Christmas movies lol - the other day it was Santa Buddies!!!  Mind you, yesterday we watched Up :)  

I just want to get my head back into my book again!  It is sooooo GOOD!!!  :)

x

Some more lovelies I've spotted on pinterest lately...

These all speak to me in one way or another...for one reason or another...

scenes from our Sunday...

Sam got to open the prize cards from safeway and he WON!!!  

He was thrilled to win a box of cereal!! :)

Susannah, Abigail and I have spent a lot of time today relaxing and reading our books.

Rosie is MORE than happy to curl up and keep us company :)  

Susannah and her friend Shania went to see Titanic 3D at the movie theatre this afternoon.

We picked them up at 4pm and while we waited, we watched these birds fighting over some dropped food in the parking lot.  It was quite funny - they are such characters:

I took Sam and Abby to Kidz Quarterz for the afternoon.  They spent three hours running around and burning off energy in the indoor playground - and both had no problem finding endless friends to play with - they basically left me alone the whole time - which was fabulous as I had my head stuck in my new book - which is fantastic!!!  I can't wait to get to the end and find out the truth about Ben!!!  I definitely recommend 'Before I Go To Sleep' to anyone who wants a good book to read!!!  

Have a great week everyone!!

Our Saturday.....

Friday was a grey and drizzly day all day...just one of those cold and miserable days and we didn't want to go out in it - it kept changing from rain to snow and then back to rain again....we delayed all our errands until Monday and stayed home for the day.  Abby practiced on her guitar all day - she is getting really good.  Sam watched a movie with me, did some math, was on the computer...Abby baked cookies...I decluttered every closet and drawer in my room and now have several empty drawers again which makes me feel good :)  I cleaned the bathrooms and did some studying....I also art journaled and caught up with the Book of days that I'm following along with.  Very inspiring.

Susies bus arriving home.  Laurence is staying at his friends for the weekend:

Then today, Saturday, we woke up to this:

More snow - and the yucky wet horrible kind :(  I wish Spring would hurry up and finally BE here - I'm tired of this warm one day and then cold the next :(  

We headed into town to the library.  Sams book that we had ordered was in (The Lego Ideas Book) and we had some books due back on Sunday.  Abby and Susannah also both wanted to get more books from the series they are reading.  They both came home with piles of books.  I got three for myself on Marine Life:

The pizza slices that the children had filled in over Spring Break had all been put up on the wall.  They had to colour in one pepperoni piece for each book they read and then after reading five books they could trade their pizza slice for a coupon for a free small Panago pizza!!!  Here Sam is pointing to his pizza slice :)

We headed to the mall to get some groceries but first we walked through to Chapters to get the journals for the new art journaling class.  The Alberta Arm Wrestling Association was holding a competition in the food court!!!  So we stopped and watched for a while.  Sam thought it was cool but Susie and I were just giggling - especially at how red the men were going!!!  hahaha  And Susie couldn't believe they have an association and that it's a 'real' sport....

Off to Safeway to get our groceries.  Luckily it was really quiet:

This is my Saturday night.  I really don't feel like getting dressed up and going out in this weather, so as exciting as it sounds, my Saturday night is curled up at home with a good book and a Bounty :)  

And you know?  I'm fine with that :)  

x

Tonight is the 100th Anniversary of the sinking of HMS Titanic.  

May it never be forgotten.

x

Friday fill-ins....

And...here we go!

1. Speed kills.
2. All this being over and having my life back is what I've been looking forward to!
3. One of the things I like most about traveling is seeing new places, experiencing new places, meeting new people, making memories, a chance to relax, cross places off of my bucket list, show the children places...
4. thinking of making memories makes me think of all the traditions I have introduced the children to over the years.  I know some of them are now VERY important to them and that makes me happy :)
5. A road trip that we are all looking forward to is in the not too distant future :) 
6. A bagel is what I had for dinner last night.I have no appetite right now because of the meds I'm on.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to no idea, tomorrow my plans include taking Susannah and her friend to see Titanic in 3d and Sunday, I want to do something but no idea what!  It is supposed to rain all weekend and not be too great so I'm not sure what we will do this weekend - maybe go swimming....I am supposed to be at a language and literacy conference on Saturday...but I'm not sure if I will go or not as the kids have all got other plans now and it's not really a priority.  

Pictures I've found that I like or have made me laugh or think.....