Surprise!

Last Saturday Dennis and I met up with our friends to surprise Rochelle for her 40th birthday. We all met at the bowling alley and waited for her arrival. It was great to truly surprise someone. She had no idea and I love that! After bowling we went out for supper. We had a great time and it was fun to have the babysitter come and have a night out with our friends.

This layout was inspired from a persons page on the Sketches blog. I love looking at someones page, get ideas and add my own touches to it. This is Travis when he was almost 2 years old. I love looking back at Jacie and Travis and see them at Danika and Kael's age right now. It's kinda surreal!
This is another art journal page that is the book for the kids. I am so thrilled to be doing this and get down on paper what I think is important. I hope they like it. I just painted this, used stickers for the titles and modge podged the journaling and then once that dried went over some of the words with a golden yellow paint.
Last night I went out with the girls for supper and then a movie-Valentines Day, as it was Pam's birthday. The movie was good and so happy to say we have broken the bad movie streak. Woohoo! It is a gorgeous +6'C out right now and look forward to getting outside a little bit later to enjoy the rest of the afternoon!

February is a great

month for getting together with my family, friends and having fun. I got Dennis to call over to my aunt and uncle's house and we invited ourselves over, as my grandma and aunts were in town. I haven't seen them since my dad's 60th birthday party in Sept, and it was great to see them again. We had a blast. It was so much fun. They even fed us a great supper of ribs, baby potatoes, and baked beans! YUM.
My grandma can talk about anything and she loves to tell stories. There is nothing off limits! Next time though, we will have to plan it better as I never got to see my one aunt and uncle and my cousin. They all got together the night before, but because that was a 'school night' we couldn't go because we couldn't get a sitter. Here is Dennis with my two uncles. There is truly nothing better than being close with your family and extended family.

This layout I did was just for fun. I used the papers, transparency and the cut flower from a kit from Created with Paper. The chipboard letters and the rest of the embellies is from random stuff I already have. I like the 'my work is done here' tag as it is true of babies, but NOT true with all the work we have ahead of ourselves. lol

Here is my second Art Journal page. This Art Journal book will be passed down to the children one day. This book is made just for them and I hope they use it to enforce our faith, values, and beliefs. I hope it helps them when they are struggling or if they just want to feel close to me when I can not be there in person. I hope they appreciate it and most of all that they use it throughout their lives. This prompt was from A year in the Life of an Art Journal http://oneyearartjournal.blogspot.com/ .

Stranded at home

as my husband took my van key to work with him for the second day in a row! He used the key to open my van to take out a cupboard door that I picked up for him (yesterday) and then he forgot to bring it in with him. It is in the front seat of his truck. :( BOO! So here I sit, when I could be at Walmart with Carrie. Double BOO!

I was inspired to do this layout once again from Pencil Lines Blog, but of course added my own ideas to it...The big flying bird represents the grandparents and the little ones represent Jacie and Travis. This one is simple but I really like the way it turned out. I hope my parents like it. Full of Wonder was inspired from a persons layout on OLW (One Little Word) Blog. This blog is no longer active, but they left up the blog to inspire, which I am thankful.

Here is my first ever Art Journal page. I have been wanting to start this for a long time now. I may need to do two, as I want to pass one along to the kids as kind of a life lesson guide which will reinforce our values, and I hope they will use as a 'go to' to look to for guidance, strength, etc. The other one will be for me and my struggles, what I have learned, life lessons, etc...just a good place to go and create in a different area. Here is the blog where this idea came from http://oneyearartjournal.blogspot.com/. The word they used was 'Hope' which was picked by my cousin as she is guesting there. How awesome is that! Great job Glenda!

Ps. Dennis changed the lightbulb in Kael's room the night I went to Costco (which was the same day I posted about it)...I guess trying to put the kids in their jammies, diapers, etc is a little tough when it is pitch dark out and don't have a light to do it with! HAHA.

February is a busy month

and for a month that is already short in days, how can so much be jammed packed into it? This past week Dennis had to work out of town. He was gone from Wednesday and back around 7pm on Saturday. It seems strange to me that it is almost easier without him here-as much as I miss him- the meals are less work, I run my own schedule, and I know it is just me, where if he is home and something is going on with the kids, or supper, or whatever he isn't usually quick to help/respond so that adds to my stress level and makes me grumpy. I can't fault him too much as he works hard and when he comes home he is tired, I get that, but oh I wish I had the quick to help, and do things (when they needed to be done) kinda of guy. Here is an example, right now, Kael's light bulb in his room is burnt out and has been since Friday. I asked Dennis to change it when he got home on Sat...it is still burnt out...I keep you posted on when that gets changed. :)
This layout is of Kael (Wuza) of when he was just a little guy. Jacie hung him with that nickname (wuh-zah) and I just love it. So we all still call him that. The layout design for Wuza and Us Girls came from the Pencil Lines blog and Stampede Fun was just one that I came up with on my own. It is too bad the Stampede Fun came out a little blurry, as the girl in the bottom right picture is hilarious. Mom was taking the picture of the kids and my dad and this girl (who we don't know) is smiling and waving at her as she must know she is going to be in the picture...I just couldn't crop her out...I would have regretted it as I would have told the story to people who looked at this page and would have said 'I wish I didn't crop her out'. So I didn't!

Here is a layout of me and Jacie. Look at my cheekbones! I wonder if I will ever get those back! HA
Every weekend is booked now till March! It is a nice feeling actually as it is booked up with date nights, friends and a birthday night out with the girls-dinner and a movie..I wonder what Pam will pick to see?! Us girls (there is about 6 of us) have been on a bad movie cycle for a long time now...I hope we actually pick a good one this time. :)
Last night I made a turkey with all the fixings...with homemade perogies. YUM!