Sooo...

...I'm not very good at keeping resolutions! January's been a little hectic to say the least. So, let's just skip to now for the most part. The only thing that's happened in the past little while that I would like to mention is the passing of my Nana. She was such a wonderful, beautiful woman and we'll all miss her so much, even if we know that now she is in a better place. So many of my most cherished childhood moments took place at her cottage in Cape Breton...I still miss it there! Nana, I miss you and love you. Thanks for the memories! Here is one of my favourite layouts that I did as a tribute to my Nana last year

I'll just share a couple of layouts that I've done in the past couple of weeks and then skip forward to today :)

This layout was done for a Pagemaps call. I didn't figure I'd get chosen, but the sketch was cool and I love the layout, so all good :)

This one was done using a sketch from the LCOM sketch team...their sketches are awesome!

LCOM is also doing a contest called, So You Think You Can Scrap. Last week's challenge was to make a layout that was clean and simple. Here's my take:

This week's challenge is to complete a monochromatic layout. I have to have it finished by tomorrow and I haven't even started yet. Eeek!

Be sure to drop by the LCOM forum for a fun new contest...the Random Hearts contest. You have to collect hearts by completing certain challenges. Hey, awesome inspiration, finishing layouts you love and PRIZES...what could be better??? Check it out here.

Now, for our excitement today! Kieran got his glasses!! I always thought this kid just couldn't get any cuter, but I think he might just possibly be :)

Now, he only wore them for a few hours in the afternoon today, but he was still really good about it. And he's fascinated with the case he gets to put them in...he had to hold it in the car everywhere we went today, haha! So stinkin' cute!

Ok...gotta get going on that layout!

Let's face it...

My life is not that exciting. I can't blog everyday. Maybe this is why any attempt that I've ever had at a journal has failed :) The most exciting thing that happened today was that Bridget said, "Mommy, I need a little help." Umm...that's a 6 word sentence. The kid isn't even 2! She'll be writing my blog posts soon.

Kieran goes to the optometrist tomorrow. He'll get drops to dilate his eyes, do some more tests and then they'll tell us what prescription he needs. She mentioned last time that the drops might sting. I hope it goes well. He's really good to get needles at the doctor...I don't think he's ever cried, even as a baby. I promised him pancakes for supper :) Wish us luck!

Oh, and this is a picture that I meant to post way back when I took it.

Cuz what's cuter than Riley dressed as a turtle doing yoga on the Wii?? :) We've been playing a lot of Wii lately so I keep thinking of it. Makes me giggle!

Do, a deer, a female deer....

It's become our bedtime song. Bridget requests it every night. I just sang it to her multiple times and now she's crying again...for Daddy this time. Next it will be me. She doesn't seem to want to go to sleep tonight. Sigh. I could use a nap..maybe we could trade. I'll probably end up sitting and rocking her. She's been going to sleep without us there for the past 3 or 4 nights so I thought she was on her way to doing it on her own. Guess I was wrong. Oh well, she's the baby so I don't mind. No one else I have to run to, last time I'll get to rock a baby to sleep.

Kieran went for his 3.5 year clinic today. It's a session that all kids of that age have in NB to make sure they're ready to start school. They do an eye test (well, not for Kieran since we already know he needs glasses), weigh and measure them, check out their pencil grip, get them to pronounce a few words. They used to do a hearing test, but apparently that's been cut out. I asked if he should have one and she said he should at some point, but the province hasn't decided when or how to do that. She asked if I was concerned about his hearing and I'm not, but said I had never really been concerned about his eyesight either until recently. She actually had about 45 min until her next session so she did the hearing test anyway. Turns out, he's good :) How they do the test is they put a set of headphones on the child and do a series of beeps. I held a basket full of blocks and each time he heard a beep he was to take a block from me. Well, the right ear on the headphones was red and the left was blue. She said before she started that the red goes on your right ear. I said, "oh, Kieran what do red and right both start with?" He said, "R". She was pretty impressed that he knew that sound. A couple of minutes later, she put the headphones on him and he held up his hand to his right ear and said, is this red. I said, "no, it's blue." So we realized she had it on wrong. Well, not only did he remember red and right, but he actually knows which ear is right. I knew he knew them pretty well awhile back, say last spring/summer, but we haven't really done it with him since then so I assumed he might have forgotten, but I guess he's good :) I was pretty impressed with him. Maybe I should send him to school with Riley tomorrow!

Well, I'm off to put the finishing touches on another layout. Yay...keeping up on that good start I have. And it's so nice working in a clean room. Really going to try to keep it that way this time!

First layout of 2010!

I got a layout done today in my nice clean scraproom! I even cleaned up when I was done so that it is amazingly still clean :) I've been wanting to scrap these pictures for a long time and finally found the perfect papers and stickers to do it. This was done for week one of LCOM's 52 pick up challenge. The goal is to do one layout each week, based on a provided sketch, in 2010...I'm off to a good start :)

I also took the kids out to play in the snow today. This is a big deal for me 1. because it's so much work to get them dressed in all their gear to go out and 2. because I really hate snow. But I feel guilty enough on a nice snowy day that I take them out. I used to have the excuse that Bridget just wouldn't be happy out there, but not anymore. She LOVES it!

How hard is it for 3 kids to put their heads close together and smile? Very!

Over-heard conversation between 2 brothers:

Kieran: The first thing I'm going to do when I get outside is jump in the snow.

Riley: Yeah, the first thing I'm going to do is a cannon ball (which in our house doesn't just apply to water...any type of jumping will do, lol)

Kieran: Riley, your the best brother ever!

Heehee, they have their moments!

(See, more kid moments just for you Amy S.!)

I think we need a bigger TV

No, Kevin did not hijack my blog. We've been playing a lot of Wii lately. We got the new Mario game (which is so, so fun, btw) and an extra controller with some Christmas money (thanks brothers!). Our TV now feels tiny trying to play any of these games. I've never really cared about the size of my TV before...I don't care about big movies and surround sound and all that jazz..., but I can hardly read the screen sometimes (ok, maybe I just need glasses, haha). And playing 3 player Mario Cart really makes it tiny! We've always had hand me down TVs so someday in the not so distant future we may need to buy our own (or find a decent used one on Kijiji :)).

I finally did it! My scraproom is clean! I can finally scrap something :) Maybe even use my new Cuttlebug (I know half of you know what that is and half don't, lol). It's a machine that embosses and die cuts paper. Bridget is a big fan too (well, of the box at least...hey, maybe that's where I can put her when I scrap, heehee)!

What a cutie, eh? She's so funny! Her sentences get longer everyday...I practically have conversations with her. Today she said, "Let go of me!!" when I tried to lead her away from Daddy's computer. And a conversation we had the other night:

Bridget: "Mommy?"

Me: "Bridgey?"

Bridget: "Mommy?"

Me: "What?"

Bridget: "What Riley doing?"

Me: "He's going to bed."

Bridget: "Mommy?"

Me: "What?"

Bridget: "What Kieran doing?"

Me: "He's going to bed too."

Bridget: "What Daddy doing?"

Me: "He's putting the boys to bed."

***Pause***

Bridget: "Mommy?"

Me: "What?"

Bridget: "What Riley doing?"

***Repeat...twice***

So stinkin' cute! And smart! She already tells us when she's cold or when something hurts. She tells on her brothers if they do something to her, lol. She goes and hides and then says, "I'm hiding!" She's not even 2! Mind you...she doesn't have shapes or colours down like Riley did at that age...he's got his Daddy's engineering mind. She must be more artsy with the language :)

Wow, 3 days in a row, can you believe it? Well, must go play some more Wii...where did I put those binoculars???

P.S. I forgot to mention in my post yesterday that some of the pairs of jeans I looked at were actually splattered with paint. Yup. I kid you not. Seriously? I have lots of painting to do around the house...I could totally do that myself, but instead they want me to pay them extra for it. Sigh. Oh, and who is the crazy person that brought back skinny jeans? ***Shudder*** Especially for teenage boys...that is so not a good look. But I guess if your in high school skinny jeans splattered in paint is totally cool.

Things I've learned today...

1. That people really are still reading my blog no matter how little I update it. So, in an effort to keep you all entertained while you drink your morning coffee or steamed milk ;) I'm going to try to update it more often. Let's see how long I can keep up with updating everyday.

2. That my kids should never miss their naps. Ever. Ever, ever!! Even if it does mean that they are in bed asleep at 6:10. Still not worth it.

3. There are far too many types of jeans. I am busy. I don't have time to try on a million pairs. At Old Navy alone there are 5 different cuts and then within that there are 5 more different shades. Ugh. Long, regular short. Boot cut. Flare. Give me a break...I just want a pair of jeans that fits. I did find a pair and you'll probably see me wearing that style as long as they make it. I'm sure it will change next year and I'll be back to square one.

4. Shopping in a snowstorm is nice for the very empty stores, but bad for the trip home.

5. Snuggling a sleeping baby is the best thing ever (after she finally gives up fighting me because she is cranky from the missing her nap thing). Ok, so I already knew this, but it's always nice to recap :)

6. I miss my friends from far away and love getting to hang out with them again when they are home for a visit. Again, a recap, but an important one! Travel safe tomorrow everyone!

Happy New Year!!

Wow, 2010! Sounds so weird. We've been having just the best Christmas vacation relaxing with the kids, visiting with good friends and family, going to the movies and our first Sea Dogs game with the boys. It's been the best vacation...very low key and stress free.

I haven't scrapbooked in ages, but some girls I know are posting their top 9 layouts of 2009 so I thought I would join in the fun and do it too. So, in no particular order here are my 9 faves:

So, I realize I have more fave layouts of B than the boys, but let's face it, it's more fun to scrap with pretty, girly things :) I'll try to do more of the boys this year.

Do you have any resolutions? I really want to finally learn to use my sewing machine. Need to clean my scrap room up first though! I'd also like to try to drink more water. I find at the end of the day I'm parched and when I look back on it, I've hardly had anything to drink. I'm always catering to the kids and forget to get stuff for myself, haha! I'm sure there's more I should do, but that's all I can think of for now.

My DT term at Treasured Scrapbooking was up in December. I'm sad to leave the team but look forward to just participating in challenges from the new DT and of course hanging out on the boards and in the gallery. Thanks to Leslie and Erin for everything!

There's lots of fun coming at LCOM in 2010 so be sure to check out the boards often! I know we've already got a 52 pick up sketch challenge in the works. Do one layout each week for the whole year and admire the album you have at the end! How fun!!