Swaps

Most of these layouts were for a colour swap for mysweetsix on Split Coast Stampers.

The Christmas/Winter layouts were for a swap for mnewby on Split Coast Stampers.

The Disney card and "page candy" were for a swap for dlphns_00 on Split Coast Stampers.

The Halloween, Thanksgiving and Autumn page layout kits were for a swap for frogandbabygirl on Split Coast Stampers.

The turkey, Art border, and Halloween border were for a swap on Scrapbook Bingo.

So.. I've been too busy to update... so here's a look at the last month or so...

It has been crazy busy in our house - some days I don't know if I'm coming or going. But that is the joy of having very active boys.

Megan and I took the kids to the local pumpkin patch - I can't wait to scrap those pictures. We had an absolute blast!







They had a little hay maze - and while it was geared towards younger kids - all four of them had a blast running through it. We did the maze first and after we had gone on the hay ride and picked our pumpkins - they all wanted another run through.
Hockey has started and Brayden has amazed us with how well he is doing. Considering they said he would never play a team sport - he has sure proved them wrong. His last game he was named "Player of the Game" for his team. I was proud - but missed most of the game because I went to a scrapbook garage sale - boy did I feel like a bad mom! This picture was taken at their first game - in Gold River.

Carsyn is into soccer and having a blast with the Junior Development team. I am proud of how hard he works and hope that his dream of playing soccer at a higher level comes true. This picture was taken at his first Junior Development game in Comox. They won both games they played that day.





Butch and I finally had some time to ourselves. After sports were done one Saturday we dropped the boys off at Auntie Lisa and Uncle Dave's and headed for Nanaimo. We brought Butch's mom with us as she was heading to Auntie Gail's for a couple of weeks. We did some shopping - me at Michael's of course. We got a bunch of Christmas presents and then found a nice hotel, the Travelodge near downtown Nanaimo. They gave us a great rate when we told them we had come to Nanaimo to shop.

We got settled into our room and then headed for dinner. We always get a gift certificate for the Keg from Auntie Sal - so we wanted to use it up. When we got to the Keg - it was crazy busy - but we were in no hurry so we waited.... and waited. An hour later we finally got our table. Another 45 minutes later our food arrived. Both of our steaks were over cooked and our baked potatoes were not cooked. Our server was amazing and the manager took care of our entire dinner - dessert included. You can't go to the Keg and not have Billy Miner pie - the only good food we had!

After dinner we headed to the casino. I couldn't win. Butch found a poker table and settled in. When we left at midnight we were up $500. Totally paid for our trip - presents included! We headed back to the hotel exhausted. We got up the next morning - had breakfast and hit Costco - we left a few hundred dollars poorer - why can't you go to Costco and not leave there without spending at least $200!?! We picked up a few other presents there and lots of good deals on groceries.

We decided to take the house off the market. The house prices have fallen dramatically and things just aren't selling. It is really too bad as there are some great houses on the market at great prices. The main reason we were moving was to get a yard for the boys - but since winter has hit - we won't be using a yard for a few months anyways, so we will try again next year when people settle in to all of the changes happening in our little city.

Meg had her 40th birthday. Hard to believe - and I can't believe that I will be 37 a month today. I honestly don't feel that old - where is the time going??? Here are the cards made by Carsyn, Brayden and I. I think the boys are enjoying card making as much as I am. I feel a c
couple of male scrapbookers coming up!!
Carsyn Brayden Me

I haven't been working as much as I would like - but it looks like it will be picking up - I hope at least. I've already worked and have booked more for November than I did in October - so that is a good sign. I applied for a job at Cedar - the school that has my heart - but unfortunately didn't get it. Maybe next time.

I have been busy scrapbooking. I am totally addicted to swaps. I've just completed a bunch of things for Yahoo group I am on as well as a bunch of swaps on Split Coast Stampers.

I will be uploading a few pictures. So you can see what has been keeping me busy.

Well...... I think that's it for now...... I'll try and not make it two months before the next post.

Thanks for reading.

Football, BC Lions - September 2007

Here is a layout I did virtually the same for both boys. This was their very first BC Lions game. It was in September 2007. Carsyn looks a bit like a cancer patient, but it was because they had just shaved their heads (which had been red and blue moehawks) for Cops for Cancer.

Disney Autograph Pages

6x6 Pooh Autograph Page



6x6 Piglet Autograph Page



6x6 Tigger Autograph Page



6x6 Pluto Autograph Page



6x6 Donald Autograph Page



6x6 Goofy Autograph Page

Where did the time go??

Has it really been that long since I posted?! Well I can't believe it is Friday already.. seems like just yesterday we were getting ready for the weekend - and here it has arrived again! We've all been sick... Brayden got sick at the end of August.. he's still suffering.. Carsyn's got a runny nose, Butch is really sick - actually came home from work today.. and somehow I managed to shake the most of it... just a little congested. I guess I have to stay healthy to keep the rest of the house running! I don't like it when Butch is sick... I have to cook! Hope he gets better soon!!

I've been busy with hockey stuff... although it has settled down a bit... I fear that busy times are about to happen as we will be picking teams very soon... eek!! I imagine it will be somewhat like placing students in classrooms and when parents (who haven't sent the school their requests) find out that little Jimmy isn't where they want them to be and they are upset. I'm not looking forward to cranky parents - and hopefully there will be none. I am not going to stress about it until if/when it happens.

Carsyn made the Junior Development U11 Soccer Team! Yeah!! I'm so proud of him, and this is a super boost for his self-esteem. This will mean an extra soccer practice each week - skills and drills - they run them hard! It also means there will be a little bit of travel for tournaments, only 3 or 4 times in the season - possibly even to BC Place around Christmas. At least we aren't off somewhere every weekend!

Since I haven't been teaching yet... but I do have a couple of days booked in the next couple of weeks.. I have been doing lots, and lots of scrapbooking. On one of my favourite sites (Scrapbook Bingo) we are doing a Virtual Crop - and we get points for everything we do. I've been working on all of my swap stuff so that I can earn points. This has also helped me with all of the swaps I've signed up for on Split Coast Stampers.

I have even been able to get a couple of pages for the boys done - mind you they are basically the same pages - just pictures placed differently depending on whose book they were going in.

I want to upload some pictures... so I'll keep this update short.

Busy Times Ahead!

Well.. fall has started and so has everything else. The boys started school on Tuesday - and it went amazingly well. No meltdowns the night before, no meltdown the morning of... no meltdowns at all! Wooohooo... I think I was more worked up than they were - fearing their struggle with new transitions! But once again they surprised me. I'm so proud of how they are progressing, it really just amazes me to see how much they have grown in the past 15 months.

We still don't know who their teachers are (will know tomorrow afternoon), but have an inkling that Carsyn will have the same teacher as last year. Thank goodness! He was such a wonderful teacher and totally got the "adoption" thing. He was actually telling us how things would happen - and when changes would occur, etc. Carsyn LOVES him, and I think that is why he had such a good beginning this year - he knew he would be in his class, for the first week at least. As for Brayden, we aren't sure... I put in my request (for both boys) and hope that he ends up with the teacher I think will be best for him.

Hockey has started........ the Campbell River Storm - who we all volunteer for - Butch does security and is the assistant trainer, I do all the game day events, Brayden is an "On-ice Kid" (picking up pucks etc) and Carsyn is fan! Butch traveled with the team to Victoria tonight as the trainer, and the home opener is tomorrow.

Minor hockey has also started, and the fool that I am has taken on the Division Manager position... eek!! So far it has just been lots and lots of emails, but once we get into assigning teams, I fear that the real workload has yet to come! Brayden LOVES hockey... and I want to be involved.. I can't coach so figured I'd help out where needed... we will see if I've made a mistake or not! LOL

I'm also on the board for the Soccer Association - Carsyn LOVES soccer, Butch coaches and my sister Megan and I are in charge of Awards - nothing much to do until the end of the year.. phew... hockey will be over by then.

Butch has taken on the Vice President of the P.A.C. at the boys' school - but as there is currently no President he is having to do all the work. Unless someone comes forward at the first PAC meeting, he has offered to be the President - yes... we are crazy!!

Somehow I've managed to find time to do some scrapbooking.. not for me.. for swaps. I'll take some pictures tomorrow and update some of the things I've been working on. I've also made a few really cute cards... at least I think they are cute! I've even started on Christmas cards - most for a swap - but I liked them so much I made a couple for me.

Yesterday the boys went to Grandma's to make cards - she's the resident expert on card making. It is also a fun way for the boys to spend some one on one time with Grandma - and give mom and dad a bit of a break. It is Nana, Caedra and Uncle Rod's birthdays this weekend - so they decided to make cards for Nana and Uncle Rod. They made really nice cards - and the one that Carsyn made for Rod is very nice (I'll take a picture of that tomorrow too!) We will make Caedra's card this weekend, before we head to Nana's for birthday dinner!

Well.... I've rambled and have to be up in 6 hours to go to Curves.. so off to bed I go.

Thanks for looking!

End of Summer Vacation Part One!

So..... it's been a couple of weeks since I have been able to get on here... but we have been super busy with the end of summer stuff... that the computer thinks I've forgotten him! haha

On August 21 I got my CPAP machine...... so I can breathe at night ... hard to believe I was stopping breathing on average 135 times a night! eeek! So... long story short, I'm now breathing at night and have not had a morning headache since -woohooo!!! Maybe this will cure my migraines!! I'm still getting used to the mask and my nose is raw.. but they say that should settle down soon!

After getting my machine... we headed to Nanaimo to catch the ferry to Vancouver. We arrived at 2:30 for the 3:15 sailing but there was already a sailing wait... urgh! which meant we had 3 hours to wait for the next one at 5:45. Well surprising the time went quick... we went for a walk around the terminal.. the boys watched some of their movies on their portable DVD players (some of the best money we have spent!!) ... I read and Butch had a nap. We got onto the ferry, had dinner and I bought the boys a new book - which I read for most of the trip. The book "Schooling Around: Treasure Fever" by Andy Griffiths is really good - I'm enjoying it as much as the boys are... and it is real fun to have two of the characters with the last name "Durkin" - my very uncommon maiden name!

Off the ferry and we headed towards Cloverdale as we were staying with long time family friends the Alders. We found their house with only two wrong turns - both my fault - my hubby should never listen to me... I've got no sense of direction - even with the map in my hands!!

We got to the house (first time I'd been to this house) and the boys (Butch too!) immediately went for a swim in the pool - thankfully it wasn't the awesome Koi pond they have right in the front door! We had a nice visit and had an early night.

We got up Friday and had a wonderful breakfast and we all ended up in the pool and/or hot tub. A nice and relaxing day. At 3:00 got into our BC Lions gear and headed for the Sky Train. We had an interesting Sky Train ride when a man -who was obviously impaired by drugs or alcohol boarded and proceeded to harrass our family. Thankfully a few stops later a security guard boarded the train and put him in his place. Butch is more than trained to deal with idiots like this - but didn't want to scare the boys.

So... we get to the stadium... enjoy the street fair for about an hour.. the boys got their picture taken with "Crazy P" - a guy who runs around the stadium getting fans to cheer! We then get a call from our BC Lions ticket representative, Kyle - Butch has bought 7 seasons tickets over the past three years (and sells the tickets to his buddies from work). Kyle had arranged a "unique" experience for the boys.

Kyle arrived to greet us with Geroy Simon bobble heads (Butch's favourite BC Lion), BC Lions key chains, and coupons for the giveaway that night that just happened to be BC Lions lunch kits. He then took us to the players entrance and we got to go into the stadium and watch the Lions warm up... from the TURF... it was such an unreal experience to be standing on the field 20 feet away from the players!!! Man are they HUGE!!! Kyle took a picture of us on the field and then one in front of the locker room. So very cool!

As we were walking back to our seats... Kyle stopped in a room and grabbed Butch and I some BC Lions shirts! What an amazing, once in a lifetime experience!! Thanks Kyle!!

Well... this is long enough.. I'll add some photos and update again another day!

Thanks for reading!

Why can't we camp without making a trip to the emergency room???

So....... here it is Tuesday... and I'm home. I should be out enjoying my last night at the campsite... munching on s'mores. But alas... my family can't seem to make it through a camping trip without a trip to emerg. This time it was Butch, my hubby, who had to make the trip in. You see... he was being a nice husband and carrying the hot water from the BBQ (which as a side burner) to the washing up bucket. Not sure what happened but the pot got dropped and my husband got boiling water up his leg. He is burned from the knee to the ankle. We manage to pour about 20 liters of water (our whole water jug) over it immediately - and then we soaked a towel and put some ice on it... after about half an hour we looked and saw that it was blistering so thought it was best to get it checked out. After we secure our stuff as best as we could... we headed for town about a 20 minute drive to the hospital. Not sure how we got so lucky but the emerg was empty and he was seen right away. Our favourite nurse was on... (he has treated both sons) he bandaged up the hubby and we were on our way within 45 minutes of arriving - first time ever we have been in and out of emerg. in less than an hour!!


So....... back to the campsite at 10:30 and we all went right to bed. Due to his burn we decided to pack up a day early. Which was well planned as the weather turned and we had a nasty windstorm today - and is now raining like a bugger!!

Last year we raced to emerg. after our oldest son (who we had only had for a month) had a bike accident (at the same campsite) - after some foul language (from the son), 3 stitches and 4 hours later we made it back to our campsite. Unfortunately for him... his injuries needed to stay clean and he had to go and stay at Nana's for the remaining 4 days of camping.

So...... we got pretty much everything put away and several loads of laundry done. I tried to go to my sister's to get some scrapping done... but I just couldn't concentrate. So I'm home, playing on the computer and know that I have to get a bunch of scrapbook stuff done tomorrow - as we leave town again on Thursday.. we have been given complimentary tickets to see the BC Lions (football). We will be meeting our Lion's contact prior to the game and he has arranged a 'unique experience' for our boys. We have no idea what is planned - but we are all looking forward to it.

That's it for now....... thanks for reading.!

I think I'll try and add some more scrapbooking photos.

A few of my creations...

Where is the time going?

Well.. here we are.. August 12th... 3 weeks left of summer break. Where has the time gone?? Oh... wait.. I know... it's been spent scrapbooking! And I guess getting ready to sell and keeping it clean and tidy. Had another tour of real estate agents through today - hopefully we'll get some bites soon!

I've had a busy few days scrapbooking. I'm so addicted to it and the swaps it is crazy! But I'm having so much fun. I'm desperately trying to get all the Disney swaps done that my sister signed us up for before I even started scrapping! We are going camping on Thursday and need to get some of them in the mail before we head out.

I also picked up two spots in an A to Z border swap. I'm doing 'O' for OUCH!! - with two boys - I already have pictures to go with that title. I am also doing 'Z' for Zzzzzzz... I got the Zs done yesterday - except I needed 4 more inches of card stock so while the boys and I had to be out of the house for the house tour today I stopped in at the LSS and picked up a sheet. I also picked up some fun coloured card stock for some colour swaps that I have due in November.

I'll post some pictures of some of the work I've done. Hopefully it can inspire someone or give them an idea to work from. Let me know what you think!

Off to do some more scrapping......... thanks for stopping by!

A hectic day in the life of me......

This was supposed to be post last week... oops guess I hit the wrong button!

So.. here is a couple days later from the first post. Life is busy when you have two active boys, a husband, a house on the market and of course scrapbooking to do.

Today has been a bit hectic. We had a tour of real estate agents due to come through the house at 10 am. So... we were working like crazy in 30 degree weather yesterday making sure it was all done. We collapsed around 9 last night and figured we would get up early and finish it up - make some cookies, and sweep and mop the kitchen floor.. and put all my scrapping stuff somewhere.

Fast forward to 8 am..... an hour after we were supposed to be up.. ACK! I grabbed quick shower and headed down to clean up the scrap stuff... hubby and the boys started with cleaning up the kitchen, making the cookies.. I called mom..... Mom to the rescue... she came and helped keep the boys on task and cleaned up a few of the messes that we just see through - fingerprints on the doors etc.

At 9:30 am I had to leave for a Drs appointment in a city 1.5 hours away. Gotta love when you have to drive 3 hours (round trip) for a 20 minute appointment. Oh well.. it all worked out.. I managed to schedule a "Mystery Shop" so at least I'll get money to pay for most of my gas. The Drs. appt. was good... and I will be fitted with a CPAP machine after we get home from our camping trip.

Speaking of that...... I guess I better start getting organized. Although it wouldn't be a camping trip if we didn't forget something! We always seem to run home once or twice the first few days.

On my way home from my Drs appointment.. I picked up my best friends kids - my niece and nephew. Courtney and I have always had a special bond - when we lived in the same town I think she lived at my house just as much as she lived at home. As she has gotten older, we haven't spent as much time together, but keep in constant contact through facebook and messenger. Colton on the other hand has been shy about staying with us... but since our boys arrived, he has been much more willing and is finally having his first sleep over at "Auntie and Uncles". I think he more excited about playing the Wii than seeing us! lol

First Blog First Post

So... here we go............ I'm completely new to blogging...... well with the exception of the one time blog I had to do in a computer course while working on my education degree.... a couple of years ago. I thought then that I could see myself blogging....... when I type to someone I always seem to tell the whole story......... my short little emails are never short!

Hopefully this will give me an avenue to share my life - my husband, kids and the rest of our large family... share the things I'm working on - I'm a new scrapbooker!... and share my teaching adventures - I'm a new teacher.

If you have taken the time to read my blog...... please take a second or two to comment and let me know that you've been here!

I'm a busy mom so hopefully I'll be able to stay on top of this and keep it updated regularly!

Here is a picture of my family..... this was taken just four days after we met our sons for the first time.... I look at this an I am amazed at how much they have grown in the last year!