Just hangin' out

We have been in Vancouver for a few days now, and the weather has finally turned better...we had snow and cold weather for the first few days - quite unusual for March. The only consolation was that it was really cold in Edmonton while it was mildly cold here. As I sit here watching the kids play outside, I realize how wonderfully blessed I am for the family I have been given. No, we aren't perfect, and yes, they drive me crazy sometimes, but I know I am loved and my kids know beyond a doubt that they are loved. We have spent most days just hanging out with each other...ah, the joys of mooching!

Craziness!!

Has it really been over a week since I last wrote? Last week was CRAZY...physio appointments, babysitting, gymnastics, church meetings...I thought being at home full time meant that I would actually be home full time. Most days last week I left just after Mike and got home just before (or sometimes after!) he got home...I was happy when Sunday afternoon came along when I could finally sit. Now we are getting ready for our trip to Vancouver...looking forward to seeing some good friends and family again. The girls are really excited, and I'm sure they will be fine in the van - I'm not sure how Ephraim is going to do; he isn't the "seasoned" traveller that Eden and Aaralyn have become. Ah well, he will learn!!

I just spent a few hours catching up on balancing the books (one of my very least favourite jobs, next to cleaning the toilet...). I promised myself that I could upload some pictures,write on my blog and eat some chocolate when I finished, so here I am on the other side, enjoying some quiet time at the computer and munching away...

We had a great long weekend together as a family (plus Parker all weekend!!). Mike and I went out on Friday night, we had a special Valentine's Brunch at home with all the kids and we just hung out as a family for the last few days, completing projects (Mike got the laundry room framed in!!), colouring, playing and swimming together...a great Family Day weekend all in all.

Here are a few pictures of Mike's Valentine's Day card (there is a link here to ali edwards blog that gives a step by step instruction on the book...love it!!):

And here is a the anniversary album that I had referred to earlier. I am really happy to have this done and behind me, and I am really happy with the way it turned out!!

Making some progress

I am waiting for some pics to upload to Costco, so I thought I would update my blog a bit while I have a few minutes. I am working on the anniversary album, and have made some good headway. Hopefully with this behind me (it has been on my mind for a while...) I will be able to move on, not to mention enjoy the fact that I have finished yet another mini-album (I am loving these things!!). I also have almost finished Mike's Valentine's present - I have to personalize it yet, but I have completed most of the project. I will post some pics after Valentine's Day so he doesn't get any previews :). Happy Friday tomorrow!

Tackling away!!

I have purged and organzied my craft room, and have confirmed for myself that I have ALOT of unfinished projects. So...what to do? Where to start? I have a pile 3 feet high of bins that have half finished cards (yes, just cards), and numerous shelves of projects/albums/ideas that have been horribly neglected. I am feeling a bit inspired to do some mini-album projects - I love the fact that there is a beginning and an end, and then it is done. I think I will work on our 12 1/2 album - the only problem that I have is that all the pictures I have are really bad. (as an aside - don't ever cheap out on the photographer for such an event - it was a horrible oversight and I still so regret it!!). I have altered a very cool box we got a bottle of champagne in, and it looks great; I just can't figure out what to do about the actual album/pictures. Hopefully now that I have written it down, I will get started!!

It's Friday!

Everyone is asleep in the house, and here I am, enjoying the quiet (although, I do wish that Mike was awake...but he is up at 4:00 tomorrow morning to go skiing). I just read AE's blog about baby 2 coming along any day, and I find myself mourning our decision to stop at 3. I know in my head all the reasons, but my heart just isn't letting go. I'm not sure what that is all about...probably hormonal (it is about the middle of my cycle...). I just LOVE that newborn stage!!

I had a crazy day of major cleaning and although I feel like a horrible parent, it feels wonderful to have a clean house again. I will make it up to the kids tomorrow - Mike is gone all day, so we will have alot of time to fill! I hope the weather is nice - maybe we will head out and go to the playground (which would be quite something, because I really am not a winter lover in the least!!).

Thursday? Already??

Yikes! Is it really Thursday already? I am feeling in myself that I am crashing from the weekend - I had so many good intentions, so many great ideas, and then reality hits like a watermelon, and it all seems so unatainable. Ah well, I'll just keep plugging along and trust that things will work out the way they are supposed to...

Mike and I are dreaming again - we both have the 5 year itch. This May it will be 5 years since we've moved to Edmonton, and we promised ourselves that we would evaluate how things have been going, and it seems that we are both on the same page that we need to do something different and be somewhere different. It will probably be a while yet, but I think as long as the plans are even distantly being made, we will manage. Hopefully in a few years, we'll find ourselves on the other side of the world somewhere - I think Australia might need some Stoltes, and some Stoltes might need Australia...