A Layout and Christmas Candy

Hi everyone!

Ever get totally side tracked while you're trying to compose a post? It never happens to me. I want to share a layout with you; its a scrap lift of another layout I saw on Scrapbook.com, and I saved it to my Pinterest for future reference. Well, in the natural course of things, I went to the board that I wanted--well, not quite. Not before I browsed through the home page and pinned a few other things that really caught my eye. Obviously Christmas is on everyone's minds- because the Christmas theme isn't just showing up on cards! (Maybe it has something to do with how hot its been all over the place? Just taking a stab in the dark on that one...) Then I went to the particular board that I wanted.

The inspiration behind my layout came from Sasload4's layout 'Domestic Princess'. I absolutely loved the way she placed her pictures, and the strip of card stock bordering them with the stars inset in it. So pretty. I wanted to replicate it!

Here's what I came up with:

Rather than using three pictures, like Sandra did, I only used one- which is a 5x7. I put the border strip along the top- in an attempt to create a night-like sky. I also used black card stock to further enhance the theme. My girls like playing 'night-night'- they pretend to sleep; they'll lay on the floor, pretend to snore, then jump up shouting, 'wake up, wake up'! They get even more excited when mama and daddy play along with them. (I think its actually mama and daddy that inspired them to play this game in the first place!!)

The purple strip of card stock was stamped with an SU Easter set- the polka dots reminded me of stars in the sky that are far, far away and clear rhinestones help add the sparkle factor to my night sky. Pop a few stars up there, and a cloud or two, and voila! You're basically done!

So, now that I mentioned it, are you wondering what the items were that I found on Pinterest that snagged my attention?

I thought so.

 candles, adorable cutlery, and two fabulous cards- one of which I want to scrap lift into a layout.

Aren't the candles and the cutlery fabulous??! I have a grocery bag full of pine cones that mom collected for me, then gave me, and I've been somewhat cruising around looking for creative uses for them. This is definitely one that I want to try out! Also, I've found a way to use up this one particular set of cutlery that we don't like using! Yay!

Have a great night everyone. See y'all again tomorrow!

~a

Adult time!!

I was worried it was going to be a fiasco. Before we left, one was fussing over something- I'm not really sure what (probably anything I gave her a reason to get upset over) and the other wouldn't stop screaming from the other corner of the living room (in her playpen, which is where she goes fir time outs BECAUSE of her tendency to scream.) only tonight she wouldn't stop; stopping is always rewarded by being taken out of her playpen so she can go play again.

I wanted to cover my ears and scream; I wanted to throw a fit like the other little miss was doing, but instead, I STRESSED to husband that they were getting a dose of advil because I had a suspicion things would continue going so well if they didn't get it.

Bless their little beautiful hearts, tonights visit was the best- dreamiest- unspoiled adult time I've had since the kidlets came around. They played, they had fun, and they always came around to make sure we were still there, but it was am hour and a half of unadulterated adt time.

The space makes them so happy! It makes mama happy too.

It also kills me.

Living in a 32- foot by 15- foot (or however wide it is) space isn't for children. I am do sorry babies! We are doing our best to find a rental, I promise!!

~48~ watching my children soak up the space a house affords them

~49~ having my first real adult visit in a long time!!

~50~ free lunch! And a free supper all in the same
day!!

There You'll Be

It's been three long years since we gathered with them last; it was at Gwynne, and husband and I were still dating. It would be that Christmas morning that he placed that beautiful, glittery, white gold promise on my finger.

Three summers later, we are back, gathered in a large circle- during the day, wherever there is shade; at night, around the campfire, swapping news, jokes and spreading many hearty laughs.

This time around, there were two little ones in tow, two new boyfriends, new fishing licenses, and a new campsite (to most of us). There was no tv (my most favorite part of the weekend), although there was lots of playing on cell phones (I am guilty of pulling it out every so often as well); they were a handful! The first day, we let them run around- I am so PROUD of and impressed with little maren for the amount she WALKED. There was no crawling of any kind all weekend. JUST walking! Then, we got smart and kept her barefoot. It hurt to walk on the gravel, so she stayed on the blanket we spread out for them to play on. She played really good there.

Miss Addison also BLEW me away--she was not afraid of anyone there. She would willing go to anyone that held their arms out to her. And, she would sit with them, laugh at them, and squeal every so often in delight. When she wasn't being cuddled by someone, she played happily on the blanket too.

At the close of this weekend, there are # things that I've learned:
1-we WILL take the kids camping again
2-less tv equals better quality time together
3-four days is exhausting! (with children this age, at least)
4-hail is ridiculously LOUD in a fifth wheel trailer!
And lastly--
5-no more heating bottles on the stove; the microwave is the way to go!!

Simple Pleasures

Each day my children find something new to delight in and it makes me marvel at their careless abandon for simple joys. It's inspired me, as has a friends blog (you can find her over at kimscorner1.blogspot.com), although my reason for remembering these moments might be different than hers.

~1~ riding in the grocery cart, which always makes her erupt into squeals and giggles
~2~ the way she holds my face in her soft, warm hands and looks unabashedly in my eyes
~3~ oh how my heart melts when she does it!
~4~ pleasant surprises and the blessings that accompany them
~5~ a pending visit from a missed, dear friend later this summer
~6~ the way they both go nuts over their bath times
~7~ how she says "cookie", "no" and "peeka" in that sweet, angelic voice of hers
~8~ listening to her talk in her crib at bed time. The happiness and contentment she exudes in those moments make me so proud!
~9~ finally having some common ground with a relative and *finally* getting over my inferiority complex around her
~10~ warm, sunny days

Tomorrow we are leaving for the weekend; I am looking forward to the annual family camping trip. It was something I dearly missed when we moved to Saskatchewan! I'll post how things went when we return.

Happy long weekend everyone!

Squeals of Delight

The girls' new most favoritest thing in our household, as of late, is GREGORY.

Especially for Miss Addison.

And, its too adorable!!

Any time she sees him, the smiles come out, little coos and squeals generally follow, and the world melts away as she happily and adoringly gazes upon the big, fuzzy four legged animal next to her.

Maren likes him to, but she likes being a little more rough with him. If he's anywhere too near her, he'll find himself missing handfuls of fur--she firmly plants her little hand on his body and pulls out wads of hair. I think she understands the word 'gentle', but she sure doesn't implement her understanding of it when he's involved.

He's learned very quickly to leave any time the kids are in the same vicinity he is. Both mommy and daddy have smacked him when he's gotten a little too irritated with the kids (and therefore swatted at them and threatened to bite). To compensate, he hides most of the time. Actually, he does that anyways, and I think its his way of dealing with all the noise they make (such as grunting, crying, screaming...) He didn't have to deal with them much over the summer because he was outside all the time, but now that its winter and he thinks its too cold to be outside, he hides under our bed, and only comes out if he needs to go to the bathroom or feels hungry or thirsty. Every once in a while he suffers from cabin fever and goes a little nuts (his meows creep me out-they're sooo eerie), but other than that, you'd hardly know he's even there. And, it mostly seems to happen late at night, when husband and I are getting into bed.

And, in his defence, its natural for him to defend himself when someone or something pulls out a good chunk of his fur. He just doesn't understand that they don't understand that what they're doing hurts him. So, we naturally let him know that it isn't going to fly, because its harder to let them know their actions won't fly. They're a bit too young, yet.

Their squeals of delight anytime they see him make their mother squeal with delight- internally, of course. They are definitely their parents daughters- they like animals as much as we do!