the little things

playin' in the sand and playin' with my lense! :)

Typically not a good combo I suppose hey?  Sand and lense...

When we put the play structure up out back, we decided to go with sand around it.  It is wonderful sand, they call it 'washed sand' ...nice and clean!  I haven't taken any pictures of the kids playing in it... until today!  You see, my new lense came yesterday (finally) and I guess I have been holding out! lol  I can tell already that I am going to loooove it.  Still need to 'learn' it, but I definitely love it!

It was such a gorgeous day today!  Here are some pictures of the munckins playing outside earlier...

Laine pushing Harley, both of them loving every minute of it...

I missed the focus on this next one... but I love it anyway.

...yeah, missed the focus on that one too.  But I like it this way.

Harley pushin' his tractor, this boy loves his tractors!

Now, have to share one of the other baby.  Relaxin' in the shade under the slide...

We call it 'the beach'.  Well I do anyway.  James figured it out to be about 700 square feet of sand!  

I am going to have to get a picture of Piper (the boxer) going down the slide.  Laine taught her how to go up the rock stairs on the one side, through the play fort and right on down the slide!  It is so so so funny to watch!

Have a great weekend!! :)

layout share and drooling for the iphone...

Hey!  Look at me... 2 posts... 2 days!  2 for 2 this week! lol  Although, I have nothing really earth shattering to ramble about... I figure I could ramble anyway. ha ha

Seriously, the iphone being available in Canada now has me wishing I could switch providers. hee heeee!  Does Rogers still suck?  I know it used to... it is expensive isn't it?  I am with Telus right now, and they have a pretty good deal, my phone bills have dropped drastically... but dang I want that phone.  Worst part?  I just got a new Blackberry at the beginning of the year... so I don't even neeeeeeed it.  Even worse?  I just got a iPod touch a few weeks ago after my old iPod photo (it was a classic thats for sure! hee heee) crapped out.

So I reeeeeaaaaaaaally really don't neeeed it!  But it sure is purrty. :)

Hubby would seriously give me a major eye roll if he read this... wouldn't ya babe?! ha ha  I have this inner desire to have all things shiny and purrty... and stick it into the cool gadget category, and I can not control myself. ;)  Speaking of iPod touch though... that thing is wicked cool.  Although, maybe not the safest while driving. ha ha  Playlists are mandatory I think! ha ha!

OK, enough about that... here is a layout share.  This one was fun... love the robot-y line from Sassafras!  Perfect for boys... is it just me, or are the girly lines out numbering the boyish lines by a bunch? 

The Midmonth Garden went up today on 2 Peas... can't wait to really sit down and check it out!

Enough rambling?  Yeah, I thought so. hee heeee!

Gotta get ready to go... I'm gettin' my nails done today!  heeeeeee! :)

Princess for a day... or maybe two.

Girly girl heaven ahead...

On Saturday we went and got Miss Laine all glitzed up.  My sister in law had phoned last week and asked if we wanted to go with her and her daughter... there was this 'princess for a day' thing happening at one of the local beauty salons.  Her and her little princess were going and wondered if we wanted to go too... Laine was all over it! lol  I have to admit, at first I was picturing child beauty queen pageant type stuff... the over the top make up etc! hee heeeee  But this was soooooo not that.  

Thank goodness. ha!

It was all for charity, The Rainbow Society of Alberta... which is a pretty good cause if you ask me!  The hair stylists were all dressed up as princesses... it was absolutely fantastic!  The girls loooooved it!  They had tiaras, and floofy dresses (which we took with us for the girls)... the salon atmosphere and the princess hair stylists added sooooo much to the experience for them!

Here is Laine getting her nails painted.  Neon pink I might add.  Yep, she picked it out all on her own. hee heee!

Now seriously... who wouldn't want Cinderella to do your hair?  So cool!  So so so cool!

The beginning of the transformation, excited and a bit nervous here I think...

Chattin' it up with Cinderella...

I am diggin' this one in black and white...

Yep, here comes the 'princess attitude'... hee heeee!

The two beautiful little princesses in their glory...

The littlest princess there (my niece) would not.look.at.the.camera hee heee!  By the look on her face I think she was being a bit of a stinker! ;)

They were also raffling of a little girls dreeaaaaam playhouse.  So beautiful.  Keep your fingers crossed that we win! ;)  Seriously the most gorgeous playhouse I have ever seen!

Yep, a fun day had by all!

I titled this post and included the 'or maybe two' because Laine decided I needed to fix her up do so she could wear her tiara for the entire next day as well.  It took me an hour... I am soooo not a hairdresser!  BUT, I did recently stumble across this blog... dedicated to fancy hair dos for little girls!  How fun is that?!

ps: I know I have been a bad blogger lately. ;)

July 1st Garden...

The July Garden went up yesterday.  I looove it when the Garden goes live.  So much inspiration from all those talented ladies!  I am loving the product and colour trends right now.  The vintage-y hues and patterns.  The pops of unexpected colour... makes me want to scrap... really really bad!  Love that.  

The theme this month is multiple photos... so cool.  I love that I am inspired to do some multiple photo layouts!  I am usually a one photo type scrapper, so this garden is really exciting for me!  So many fun ideas!  I have no clue what to do with multiple photos... lol, I just line 'em up! hee heeee  Oh well!  This garden definitely has me thinking outside the box when it comes to using more than one picture that is for sure!  

This one was for the 'New Product Focus' ...lov-ing the new La Di Dah from Ki Memories!

I used a strip of left over Heather Bailey fabric, from Laine's bulletin board... loooove using fabric on layouts!

Here are my two 'line 'em up straight' multiple photo contributions... hee heeee! ;)

 

Can you tell I like polka dots lately? 

Yeah, polka dots are fun.  I actually stopped myself from using them yet again on the last layout I did the other day... I don't know if it was because I was thinking I was overdoing it... or if I don't want to run out of polka dot goodness! ha ha

Later!

helloooooooo internet is back up and running!

Yay!  Good grief, you really realize how much of an internet junkie you are when you don't have it!  New wireless receiver installed this morning! I am seriously happy... major withdrawl happening here!

Like last night, I tried to google the author of 'The Other Boleyn Girl' so I could figure which other books of hers I wanted to buy... Costco has a good sized pile and I wouldn't mind getting some... wanted to read up on what ones I wanted instead of figuring it out in the book aisle with a unhappy boy in the cart and a bored girl asking if she can go look at the kids books (yes that was me on Sunday)... so anyhoo, tried to google, couldn't!  Grrrrr!  I neeeeeed google in my life.

But I am back!  And faster than before I might add.  New and improved technology is a good thing.

Doesn't help that they said the receiver was covered in 'red stuff' ...they asked when we painted the house!  I said, "ummmmmmmm, we didn't!"  It was that darn fire retardant stuff that the plane dumped on us.  Duh... never thought to check that when we washed the rest of the house! lol  Ooops.  So, yeah... I think we burnt out the other receiver making it 'receive' the signal covered in red clay stuff.

Soooo.

What is new?  

The kids' play stucture is up and ready to go.  With a new 'swing bay' added on.  We brought it with us from the last house we were in, and we only had 1 swing (plus the gymnastic ring thingies)... well, 2 kids now... needed more swings!  So we added on!  It has been almost 2 years since we had it up!  Crazy how time flies!  We still need to have the sand hauled in to put around it.  One big giant sand box to hold all of the kids stuff.  Love having this much room to play with!  

Snapped these last week while we were setting it up...

yeah... he was eating dirt.

Dirt = Fun!  ha ha... had to teach him 'how' to play in the dirt.  Pick up dirt, put in dump truck.  Pick up dirt, put in dump truck.  He liked that. lol

As you can probably see from these pictures, little man needed a hair cut.  Which he got the other night.  I cried.  I know he needed a trim, but still... 

He looks handsome though.  I left him the 'wild' look.  Didn't go short all over or anything... it is still definitely wild and crazy!  Just trimmed up the back a bit.  Less mullet-y. lol  Do you think I can get a picture of the little fart though?  I need to try again today when he wakes up from his nap.

In other news... the tooth fairy visited us twice this weekend!  Her first one came out on Saturday night. Determined little girl... wiggled and wiggled until I was finally able to pull it out for her.

Took this yesterday...

Her other one came out yesterday afternoon.  Same thing, very very determined little girl!  Took these this morning while she was eating breakfast...

Happy happy girl!  Love her toothless grin! :)

Scrappin' today... as soon as I get off of here!  It is sooooooo hot today, I am happy to hide out down in the basement where it is cool! hee heeeeee

Helloooooooo, anybody there?

Heeee heeeee!  Been busy, which usually means some serious blog neglecting!  I am not even going to attempt to do a full catch up post. lol  Instead, I am going to babble about what is on my mind this morning. ha ha!  A bunch of randoms...

Random Thing #1 Landscaping is in full swing outside.  This makes me extremely happy.  They are finishing up the clay work right now and hauling in top soil this morning.  My dream of someday having grass is coming closer and closer!  

Random Thing #2 I bought fabric to make a roman shade for my kitchen window the other day.  Went with something totally different than I thought I would, but it is totally going to be the look I was going for!  All the supplies are sitting on my counter... just have to haul out my sewing machine and use it on something other than paper! hee heeee!

Random Thing #3 Harley has a little blue and green Diego baseball that I bought for $2 and he has been playing with it for about 5 days straight.  Picks it up, throws it.  Over and over.  The cutest thing ever!  He is going to be a ball player.  I know it.

Random Thing #4 I put up a vinyl wall thingie the other day that I need to take a picture of and share.

Random Thing #5 I have been watching Sex and the City... the TV episodes on DVD.  I really love that show.  I soooooo can not wait to see the movie.  I am almost done the DVDs and I am going through the sadness of it ending all over again.

Random Thing #6 I haven't felt like scrapbooking all week.  Hoping I get some mojo soon. :(

Random Thing #7 Laine is done school on the 28th.  I can not wait.  I think I am more excited for summer holidays than she is! lol  

Random Thing #8 We skipped soccer last night cause I didn't feel like going.  I am sooo ready for that to be done too. 

Random Thing #9 Reading 'The Other Boleyn Girl' right now.  Almost done.  Stayed up until 4:30 am the other night because I couldn't put it down.  Bought the movie too, I have a feeling it won't be as good as the book.  Excited to watch it though.

Random Thing #10 I ordered the 50mm 1.4 last week, only to get an email from the store yesterday saying that yes even though they really listed the lense as in stock, that they are really in fact backordered for 2-3 weeks.  Nice.  I asked them to refund my money.  It took them 5 days to email me to tell me they didn't even have it.  That is 5 days thinking my new lense will be here soon.  Not happy.  Nope, I was not happy at all. 

Some pictures from the last week and the weekend...

Harley on the playground at Laine's school.  He sooooo did not know what to do about all that gravel.  He didn't like walking on it at first!  

So serious!

From the soccer tournament on Saturday...

Laine was the narrater in a play that her grade one class put on!  So proud of her!  She had to read in front of a LOT of people... and into a microphone!  She did so good... yep, definitely proud of my munchkin!

Random Thing #11 I actually started this post yesterday morning, and then my internet or typepad went koo koo... not too sure which.  So, topsoil is down and spread out!  Yay!  Play structure area has been started... I am getting very excited!

Random Thing #12 Finished my book last night.  Good read.  

Random Thing #13 Need a Starbucks baaaaaaaad.  Anyone want to deliver an Iced Vanilla Latte please?  I am tempted to drive to town just for that... oh and I need milk.  So see, it would be a justified trip right? lol

Later!

My goofball and some page shares...

Just printed off this photo to use on a layout...

Such a goof.  Her hair is so long in this picture!  This is another one from the set that my mom took when she was down... I edited it up today. :)

Working on stuff for the first of the month garden today.  Got a box of goodies in the mail yesterday, so it has been fun digging in!  

Here are some layout shares from the midmonth garden that went live today. 

I also did the weekly challenge for this week... scrap an event.  Pretty basic huh?  But darn it, I find event scrapbooking hard sometimes!  I am much more of an 'everyday moment' type scrapbooker!  Soooo, if there are any others like me... play along! 

Here is my layout... love the Halloween themed stuff, even though it is June, it is still fun to dig into it!

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

It is done!

Yay!

I am beyond thrilled with how it turned out too!  The Heather Bailey fabric is to die for.... so yummy!  I could jump up and down... I am that happy with it! ;)

I wasn't brave enough to try hanging it myself, so it will get hung tonight when James gets home! lol  I gotta run for now, 2 of the 3 pets have a vet appointment this afternoon... and I am nowhere near ready to go!  I will come back on and share supplies etc. and how we did it later.  HAD to come on and share a picture though! :)

Later!

OK... back to add the supplies and the 'how to'!  (only a day and a half later... not bad huh?) he heeee!

Supplies:

• Fabric.  I ordered a bundle of fat quarters from here.  Serious eye candy if you follow that link... just warning ya! lol  Excellent service, I highly recommend! 
• Cork.  I bought 2 packs of 12x12 cork tiles from Michaels.  Easy.
• Stapler.  To staple the fabric around the back.  I just used a normal stapler.
• Hardboard.  We bought a huuuuge sheet at Home Depot for like $8.  They have a few different sizes to choose from.
• Heavy duty glue.  Left over from installing our storage room floor...PL400.  Holds anything. ha ha!
• Trim.  From the moulding and trim aisle at Home Depot.  We bought the kind that has the little 'lip' at the top.  Not too sure what it is called.  Sort of wraps around the edge of the hardboard.  I think you would normally use it to top off wainscoting.  
• Self leveling hanging hooks for on the back.  Home Depot.
• Wooden letters.  I bought them at Michaels... mixed up a few 'fonts'.
• Butterflies.  Bought those at Michaels too... in the floral department.  Last minute grab, but I love them!
• White paint.  Again, left over from another project.  
• Wood filler, crack filler etc. 

Directions (as best as I can give you anyway! lol):

1. Cover some or all of the cork tiles with fabric.  I just used a normal office stapler, and stapled around the back.  Make sure fabric is tight... and straight. ha ha  Once or twice I had to fix because of crooked fabric! ;) lol  Set aside until later.
2. Cut the hardboard.  Table saw is definitely the best method... nice straight cut.  Maybe Home Depot or other store could cut for you if you do not have table saw?  Or you can use your neighbors saw... like we did! ha!  We laid out the tiles ...you might want to make sure you do this, because even though they say they are 12x12, some aren't.  Nice.  So yeah, we laid out the tile and measured.  Since we used the type of trim that 'wrapped' around the sides, we measured the portion of the trim that would lay on the hardboard along with the tiles.  Then add that measurement (allow for trim on both sides of cork) to the measurements of the assembled tiles.  This will give you the size needed to cut the hardboard.  I really should have taken pictures along the way, it would be so much easier to explain! lol  I don't know if any of that made sense.
3. Then... cut the trim.  Again, we raided our neighbors shop and used his mitre saw.  Well, James did that is. he heeee!  Cut it to fit the hardboard.  
4. Double check to make sure it is all fitting right... lay everything out together to make sure it all lines up.  
5. Assemble the frame on the hardboard.  This part wasn't the funnest. ha ha  We used the PL400 and some good 'ol duct tape to hold it all in place while the glue dried.  We had clamps to use, but found the tape gave us more control in getting it all lined up just right.  Nope, we are most definitely not carpenters. lol  
6. After the glue was all dried and it was firmly set up (I let it sit over night to be safe) I filled the corners and sanded down when it was dry.   
7. Then I painted the frame with the white paint, as well as the letters.  It was all already primed so the paint process was quick. 
8. After the paint was dry, I glued on the cork tiles with the same PL400. 
9. Once it was all set up, and firm in place, I used a hot glue gun to glue on the wooden letters.  Seemed to work pretty good so far! 
10. Then it was time to hang it!  I nailed in the self leveling hook thingie (nails came with it) to the back of the hardboard... and used a heavy duty picture hanging hook on the wall.  That's it!   

  

I am soooooooool lovin' it, and it is totally worth the time to make it!!  Happy crafting! :)

my poor 50mm 1.8

Here is my little cutie. I think he is the cutest little man ever. 

I can say that right?  

Yep, I am allowed.  Moms are supposed to say that... although I do fully believe it as the truth! ;)  I am allowed to think that too! hee heeeee!

 

Doing what he does almost daily...

Grabs a book, puts it on the floor.  Grabs a book, puts it on the floor.  Over and over again until somebody stops him... or mommy grabs the camera. ha ha

Laine's bulletin board thingie should be done soon.  At least I hope so.  It is a pretty big project to take up residence on the kitchen table for too much longer! he heee!  It is gonna be coooool!  Hopefully I can share a picture tomorrow!  

My poor 50mm 1.8 is dying. :(   I need to figure out a replacement.  Soon... cause I will be lost without it.  Of course it doesn't help that shopping for lenses is like kid in a candy store overload for me! ha ha!  Also doesn't help that I have a wish list with a few amazing lenses on it!  So do I go with the logical 50mm 1.4 or splurge on something else?  Decisions decisions. lol

Yep... he is most definitely the cutest little man ever. :)

Potato sack races and yummy yummy pies...

Yesterday, I hung out at the school all day.  It was Sports Day.  Kinda like a mini track meet for the elementary kids.  It was a lot of fun, great weather and lots of happy kids.  Harley was a trooper, and hung out in the stroller once again.  

She won the potato sack race!

I didn't get to watch all of her events... I was cutting up pies for the concession! lol  mmmmmmm, there were a lot of pies.  Might explain my lack of will power as I walked by some super huge banana cream pies at Costco today! ha ha  Can't wait until dinner tonight! lol

Here is another of Laine... during the obstacle course.  

 

Fun day!  She was beyond pooped out last night!  So was I! hee heeeeee

I had to snap a picture of this before it got erased.  This is why I love this chalkboard so much.  Little treasures that I get to walk by dozens of times a day.

I love the bird the most. :)

It is cold and rainy here today, and I am in the mood to curl up on the couch with a blankie and a good book!  ...and for the next few hours I might do just that!