Giggles

There's really nothing like little baby laughs. Gets me every time...let's see if it has the same effect on you! Ethan is quite taken with his big sister. She's always making him laugh - does my heart good. Sorry it's sideways!
Penny

Mojo Monday - Card Challenge

I know it's Wednesday, but I'm entering a card challenge that posts on Mondays, so there you have it. The challenge for the week is to make a card just like the sketch below, using either a square or round card. I found this challenge at MojoMonday blog - if you enjoy making cards you should check it out for fun!

My entry is a manly card (as manly as I could make it) and I went with the square card. I thought I'd take the opportunity to make a father's day card, since it is quickly approaching! I used a western themed dsp from Stampin' Up, as well as some earth elements cardstock (can't remember the colours off the top of my head). I think one was rust something or other...ha! I really liked this sketch! I'm going to be joining next week's challenge as well, i hope!

Here's my card:

One of the fathers in my life will receive this guy!

Hope you're all having a great week. I've got some cute videos I'd like to share of the kidlets, but I'm not sure if they're uploading properly. I'll try tomorrow if I get a chance!
Penny

Simple Birthday Card

Here's a quick shot of a birthday card I did last night. I love crafting. I really need to take pictures on my regular camera and not my phone so that the colours come out better. You can't really tell, but this is yellow with a bit of coordinating dsp and ribbon. I used a doily sizzlit and my embosslit, which I am loving!!

Relay Weekend

Another year's Relay for Life is over, and a HUGE thank you to all the people who sponsored me and all of my fellow Team Dawn members! It was a great success...so far we've made around $7,400! Wow! 

It was a good night for the relay - not many mosquitos (thank goodness!) and not too cool/hot. Perfect weather. Our family stayed until around 9:30 when we had to get the family home to bed. Ethan was super tired and boy was he grumpy in the van!! But that's ok - we all had a good time. I have to thank all my teammates who stayed overnight...I know it's a looooooong night of walking.

Yesterday morning after we woke up we met some friends at a breakfast/plant sale at a church. We had waffles and they were DELISH! Num. I love waffles...especially light fluffy ones with strawberries and whipped cream! Then Annika wanted to go to a playground so we made a pit stop before heading out to the dog park.

Annika pushed little Grady around in his stroller. She really enjoyed it and he didn't seem to mind!

I love this pretty tree!

We finished off our day with a steak dinner at home and a movie after we put the kids to bed. I did some crafting while watching...it was a really good day! 

Today should be another good one. Scott is helping his friend build a deck and then we're off this afternoon to an open house (just for fun). 

Hope you are all enjoying your weekend as well!

Penny

Wet Wednesday

It's been pretty soggy in these parts. I like it! The rain is so refreshing. I love the smell of rain and the way everything pops with a vibrant green after a few good days of rain. That said, it does kind of limit our ability to spend lots of time enjoying the great outdoors. So we've been doing indoor stuff. Yesterday we baked cookies (oatmeal in 3 different batches - Annika made chocolate chip, we did raisin, and craisin/white chocolate). The cookies were good and my girl was such a big helper! We also had a playdate with my friend Vicki and her baby boy who is just 5 weeks older than Ethan. It was a nice afternoon/evening.

Today we were out for pretty much the entire day. We started off at Babies R Us getting some door knob cover thingies so that Annika won't be able to escape again. (Little turkey unlocked the front door and was outside and down the street checking out the older neighbourhood girls before we noticed). Those are now in place and we won't have any vanishing acts happening anytime soon {I hope!} Then we met Scott for lunch at the mall and then we did some errands and visited my Grandma. Good afternoon. When we got home we got out the new puzzle Annika got today. Have I shared with you that my girl has mad puzzle skills?! She did the brand new 48 pc Dora puzzle all by herself!!

All done!!

Hope you're having a great week! I'm trying to get all the paperwork in order for this week's Relay For Life! We'll be doing that on Friday evening {I'll stick it out as long as I can with the kidlets}.

Penny

4 months

Ethan...you're 4 months old already! Can't believe how quickly my boy is growing. I'm already sad thinking about going back to work. I still have some time though so it's best not to dwell on that! Ethan is just a few ounces shy of 16 lbs, is 25.5" long and is still waking up a few times each night to eat! I guess a growing boy needs his milk! Here's a quick video for you to enjoy. I apologize that it's sideways and that I sound like a monkey at the end. Haha!

I'm enjoying some quiet time right now {aaaahhhhh....silence is soooo sweet}. ;) I've cleaned up the kitchen, done a couple email things that needed to get done, finishing this blog post and then I'm heading to bed to read. Yay me! Scott is out this evening at a charity dinner with his good friend {Jim Cuddy is playing at it...Scott was really looking forward to it - he really enjoys Jim Cuddy's music}.

We went to a new park today. It was a great time!! Annika really enjoyed herself and by the end of our time had made a new friend. Ethan enjoyed a nap outdoors. And I just had fun watching Annika run around.

Pretty cool looking park

Annika and her new buddy

Have a great night. Tomorrow I have to get some running around done before we leave for a couple days! We're going to Whitecourt to visit our good friends who recently had a beautiful baby boy - Kayden Riley {isn't that the cutest name?!} I'm looking forward to seeing them and snuggling a new baby again!
Penny

The Man behind this Mom

Mother's Day has come and gone. And I know that it's a day to celebrate and appreciate mothers {I certainly felt appreciated and loved...and I spent some time remembering my wonderful Mom as well} but I have to say that this Mother's Day was simply perfect because of my husband. I sure do have a loving, supportive hubby.

On Saturday night he went out to the grocery store to get some needed supplies for his mother's day surprise for me...and then after getting home late, he spent a whole bunch of time downstairs prepping stuff. As I was going to sleep I could hear the faint whirring of the beater going. I didn't know what he was doing...but he was sure working hard.

Sunday morning Annika came in our room ready to face the day and he whisked her away to let me catch a few more zzzzs! When I was awake and just about to ask if I could head downstairs, I heard footsteps approaching. In came Annika and Daddy...Annika saying Happy Mother's Day I love you, and Daddy bearing a tray with breakfast! He even had a cup of coffee brewed for me!! {Mind you this was just for show...the full meal deal breakfast was waiting for me downstairs}. So I grabbed Ethan and down we went...

This is what was waiting for me:

What a spread! And beautiful roses to boot! 

Scrumptious. Extra whipped cream? Don't mind if I do...

The card my wonderful hubby worked on with Annika (he may have used some of my scraps...)

The beautiful inside...I admit, it made me cry. 

After breakfast and Ethan's nap, we headed out for a day at the zoo! It was an absolutely beautiful day to be outdoors enjoying the weather...and that's exactly what we did.

Me and my babies.

My beautiful, larger-than-life little Miss Attitude! The one who made me a mother first...

My precious, happy, baby boy.

Checking stuff out at the zoo

It was a great day. I felt loved and appreciated and really special. Just like all mothers should feel. Thanks to my sweetheart for making my day perfect. I am blessed to have him and my babies.

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

Penny

Happy Mother's Day

Just wanted to write a quick post to wish all of the mothers out there a wonderful day tomorrow. I'm spending my day with my favourite people in the world...my little family! Scott has been sneaking around getting things ready for the day...i'm going to get spoiled...hooray! :)

This evening we had a delicious supper over at Helen's (my dad's fiancee) house. Yum. We had ham, hash brown casserole, beans, sweet potatoes, and salad. I took along a brownie trifle. It was all super tasty and a nice evening visiting! Hope you are all having a fabulous weekend!
Penny

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MD Card #2

Again, pics aren't the greatest, but this is what I have! I used the same colour combo and used some DSP (designer series paper), ribbon, and some sponging and a bit of crystal effects for a bit of dimension on the butterflies and flowers. I like it. I've got one more card up my sleeve that I can hopefully get to this evening after bedtime.

Ethan had his 4 month shots today and again was a little trooper! Just a couple seconds of crying and he was fine. Now he's in his jumperoo jumping away...he loves that thing! This pic was from a few days ago, but still...he's in it.

Ethan is 15 lbs 11 ozs, 25.5" long. Big boy...just right!

Have a great weekend all.
Penny

Mother's Day card #1

I sat down and did some card making last night...nothing too fancy (i like simple, plus i'm not creative enough to come up with really complex cards)! I liked the way it turned out though...this was using basic gray card stock and rich razzleberry...love the colours! I used my new lable embosslits (template for punching out the frame design). What do you think? I have a couple more to show once I've completed them. Pictures aren't great, but i'm using my camera phone which makes it so simple!

So, the picture of my hand is the result of my making purple goop yesterday for Annika to play with...I was right, she wanted purple! :)

I got Scott to take the afternoon off today and we went and watched a movie while my dad watched annika for us! We saw The Avengers...it was awesome!! I love superhero movies, so this was something I really enjoyed. Scott did too!

Hope you all have a great Friday tomorrow!
Penny

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Mosquitos...they suck! (haha!)

Last night after a quick supper of citrus peppercorn haddock and dilled beans we set off to the park. Annika usually doesn't use a stroller (typically it's Ethan's ride) but I took along some watermelon for her for dessert and it's way easier for her to eat while on her chariot! Ethan got to snuggle in with Mommy in his wrap (doesn't he look thrilled? lol!) and Daddy took off on a bike ride with Ceniza. It was a great family evening...but we've noticed that the mosquitos are already coming out - eek!! Mosquitos are so annoying. They really know how to ruin good weather for outdoor enthusiasts, don't they?

I'm already getting sad thinking that June is almost here and my time off from work is almost half over. Sigh. Ah well, I must focus on the fact that I still have half a year left! :) My boy is getting so big, I can't believe how fast my babies are growing. Today we're going to head out to Michaels to check out their crafting selection. I'm thinking of rejigging the kids area in the basement with visual aids for cleanup time. (Labels with pictures to help Annika know which bucket to return toys to). Maybe a visit to the dollar store is also required. They've got great stuff for cheapo! 

Another thing I want to do is make a whole bunch of freezer meals that are ready to pull out and cook whenever I need a quick meal solution! It will take some time, but I think I will be setting aside a day in the next week or two to try and get some meals stockpiled. That way I can enjoy more time with the kiddos and hubs instead of prepping meals every day! :) Let's see how that goes. Tonight we're having pork chops in the crock pot with rice and veggies. Mmm...should be good!

Hope you all have a great day...half way through the week for those of you working.

Penny

Future Crafter in the making

We did some crafting in Mommy's craft area yesterday and Annika was pretty intrested in the Big Shot! (Well, it's so cool...who wouldn't be excited about it, right?!) We decorated some purple paper with purple stamps and stickers - can you guess what her favourite colour is?

Today we're going to play with some goopy goop. I'm sure that will end up purple as well! This morning we went over to my Grandma's for a visit (a surprise visit). Turns out we were the ones who were surprised - she wasn't home! :) So instead we went for a walk around the lake right by her place...it was a lovely day for it and really peaceful except for the honking geese!

A good time was had by all. Now we're home, we've eaten lunch and it's time for quiet time. Let's hope it's actually quiet! Ha!

Have a great day all. Temperature could hit mid 20's here today! Hooray for warm weather!

Penny

A purple skirt, hair, and some ow-ies

Well, today was an eventful day! We did laundry, did some tidying up, then went out for a walk this morning. Annika was really enjoying our lovely morning until she tripped, fell, and skinned her knee on the sidewalk. Poor little girl...we managed to make it home and administered 1st aid. But she was suffering...those owies sure hurt! She really wanted her daddy, so we called him up and she cried her little heart out, and Daddy came home for lunch to check up on his precious girl. What a wonderful daddy she has.

In the picture of Annika (moments before her second injury of the day) you'll notice the little purple skirt she's wearing...I made it!!! Yesterday!!! Crazy, hey? :) Yup, I found an excellent tutorial online for this skirt, and it was easy peasy. Took me probably a total of an hour and a half over the course of the day (worked on it piecemeal). I am very happy with the finished product, and so is Annika, more importantly. Hooray for quick projects!!

Back to injuries; after we sat outside eating ice cream this afternoon, we were heading in when she fell right on a pile of branches and scratched up her legs, and hands. Some days...boy oh boy.

You probably can't tell from the picture, but Annika had her hair cut this afternoon. It's cute! She had sparkles put in as well...ooh la la! :)

And Ethan...well he's still stylin' his trademark mohawk or faux-hawk or whatever you want to call it. My little monkies are simply adorable!

Have a great weekend all! I'm off to help my future step-mother make wedding invitations! That's right, my dad is getting remarried...not sure if I shared that yet! She's a lovely lady, and I'm very happy for the two of them. Wedding is in August, and our whole family (scott, me, and the kids) will be part of the wedding party. Annika's so excited to be the flower girl!

Penny

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Boo hoo! My scrapping Oops!

Well i've spent many hours (during naptime our after the kids are in bed) over the last couple weeks working on Annika's scrapbook. Now that i have idea books, i'm finding it easier to think up layouts. So, I picked out a layout for the pictures I have for Annika's birth and set out carefully choosing papers, positioning pictures. And in the end, I was happy with the finished product. I did my journaling, showed it off to the hubs, and then got ready to find page protectors. That's when my heart sunk. I looked again, to be sure my eyes weren't playing tricks on me. Nope, it was certain...I screwed up the album. I spent all that time crafting the album on two different sized pages!! Grrrr!
So that ticked me off. But, at least i'm finally making some progress on my firstborn's album. After all, I've got another that I need to start now! Lol!

Pictures of layouts to follow. And I think i'm going to sew a skirt for annika one of these days. I'm itching to use my sewing machine!

So I was looking at some posts from when Annika was a baby, and i've realized that i've made some headway with my boy and sleep. Annika was 5 or 6 months old when i was able to get her to nap in the crib. Ethan has been napping in his crib for a month now...yay! And he starts every night off fast also in his crib. When he cries during the night I usually bring him to bed with me if i'm super tired. Last week I kept him in his crib all night and I was exhausted from getting up 5 our 6 times each night! However I can get sleep, that's what i'm going to do. :)

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Blog Blahs

You may have noticed that I've had a number of different blog layouts lately. I just can't seem to find one that tickles my fancy! I love looking at other people's blogs and they always look so polished and together. Please bear with me in the next while. I'm going to try to find and stick with a blog template so I'm not constantly changing things! :)

I saw the coolest paper organizing method today. I think one of these days I'll have to try it. Right now my paper is kind of all over the place! Look at what this person did to organize her paper stash:


I saw this on today's post from IHeart Organizing and I simply love it. Just need to get some time to do this...HA!

I really enjoy organizing blogs. I get a lot of cool ideas from them. Some people are completely amazing...even their fridges are organized!! Mine is a disaster! And I really should clean it out one of these days. Another thing to add to the list.

Hope you're all having a great week. So far ours is pretty good. Tomorrow Annika has "school", so hope the class goes well.
Penny