It's been a while....

since I've blogged. Blame it on computer problems (ug!) and going back to work (roll eyes!)

I'd thought that when I signed up to be a substitute teacher, that I'd get one, maybe two jobs a week. I'd imagined spending my other days at home, catching up on stuff around the house and scrapping to my heart's content.

Ha!

So far, I've been averaging almost three days a week, with some half days thrown in... just enough to feel like I'm not at home very much. Because, well, I'm not.

But it's good. God is providing financially for us through these jobs. And I'm thankful. I truly am. I'm just feeling a few steps behind in the game. But hopefully, I'll catch up soon. (Who knew that being a stay at home mom for 5+ years would make me so rusty at this whole working outside the home thing? ;) )

Onto other things.

A week and a half ago, Sage celebrated her fifth birthday. It was a little challenging making a guest list when she'd only been in school for two or three days. "Who'd you play with today, Sage? Did you like her? Should we invite her to your party? Did you by any chance find out her last name?" LOL!

We had a lunch party, where I picked up the girls at lunch and we walked to our house. Our menu consisted of peanut butter, jam and peanut butter and jam sandwiches, grapes, ketchup chips and cupcakes for dessert.



Then while I cleaned up, they played for a bit. We opened presents, they played some more and then we made a craft. If you'd like to see what we made, you can check out my post on the MSS blog here, where I share some ideas for using scrappy supplies for the birthday party.

I don't feel comfortable sharing pictures from the party of the guests, as I didn't get the parent's permission to do so, so I'll just share these two of Sage....





I love how pleased with herself she looks in the second one! So cute!

I have some more crafty things that I'll share soon. I promise!

Thanks for looking!

Right now....

1. I'm thankful that I survived my first day back at work. I'm working as a substitute teacher for the first time since I was pregnant with Sage. Today, I was in for a phys. ed teacher and it went surprisingly well.

2. I'm craving milk chocolate M & Ms.

3. I'm thankful that we're getting into a routine (somewhat) for school and that things went well with me at work today.

4. I can't believe how gorgeous the weather has been. We actually went to the beach today after school. This is unheard of. We've never gone to the beach in September. Ever! Let alone on Sept. 15th! Crazy. But in a very good way. ;)

5. I'm glad that we started allowances for the kids and that Sage and Jonah worked together to purchase this inflatable killer whale on Sunday at a garage sale. I'm still amazed that I managed to blow it up at the beach (but it took a while.)





6. I'm loving that these two are best friends and have been for the past five years (since day one of kindergarten.)



7. I'm glad that we signed Jonah up for soccer. He seems very natural at it and enjoys it immensely.







8. I'm also glad that Cameron is coaching Jonah's team. It's great to see these two like this.

9. I'm amazed that I have my kids' back to school photos scrapped already. But I had the incentive from MSS-- it was this month's DT challenge.

10. I'm going to get off the computer and go and finish handstitching the binding on my quilt.

Thanks for looking!

Weekend scrappy stuff...

to share.

My Scrap Shoppe hosted its monthly online crop this weekend. You can click here to check out the twelve challenges that were posted.

Because I've been busy working on some sewing projects (which I hope to finish this week and post pictures of soon), I was looking forward to some serious scrapping this weekend.

Well, I got two layouts done...

This one, for my challenge to use fabric on a layout (it's leftover from my previously mentioned sewing projects.)



I tried to stamp with light blue VersaInk on the brown cardstock and it was a little light. So I thought I'd heat emboss it-- well, that made it darker. Oh well. Live and learn.



Marcy challenged us to hide something on our layouts, so I hid the journaling tag in a pocket in the fabric.





I was really happy with how this next layout turned out. Ever since I spotted this patterned paper at the Shoppe, I've pictured using it for our Denver pictures.



I wanted to show our travel route down to Denver (since it was so conveniently located on centre of the map!) I thought of tracing it with a pen or highlighter, when I suddenly got the idea to sew down the line with my sewing machine.



I couldn't figure out how to make the journaling card fit in the layout, until I remembered Marcy's challenge to hide something. So I tucked the card behind my largest photo.



Well, I only managed to get two layouts done, because I'd signed up to take Marcy's online class on Saturday. It was to make a mini-book of your top ten favourite things. I'd made a mini-book of my top ten faves at the beginning of 2008 and figured the list hadn't changed enough to make another one, so I decided to make a book about my ten favourite things about the summer of 2009.

























It was a lot of fun following along with the class, step by step. I found I could just enjoy the creating process of each page, without stressing about keeping everything cohesive or trying to figure out what I'd do next. It was quite relaxing and fun.

How was your weekend? Did you do anything scrappy?

Thanks for looking!

No tears

It was Sage's first day of kindergarten today and there were no tears (on her AND on my part! LOL!) Although, from all the comments that everyone made to me, I think they wanted to see me cry. "Oh, it's your baby!" "Oh, you must be so sad!" And then the teacher gives a little baggy that mentions the gentle spirit of my child....

I took it all in stride and smiled as I told her good-bye. She is SOOOO ready. I know she'll do great!

(An aside, yesterday, at a shop in town, the clerk asked Sage about starting kindergarten and Sage said: "Yeah, but I'm going to miss my mom." Yeah, right. I know she just said this for my benefit-- she's such a sweetie!)

Okay, here are her first day pictures:







And with her teacher, Mme. Routhier:



If you're wondering, what she's holding, we made cracker jack popcorn for her teachers. I made little tags using Pink Paislee pp, my scalloped and round punches, some ribbon and a SU! stamp. Sorry for the bad picture... it rained all morning.



A few scrappy things to mention....

Today's challenge is up at The Inspired Scrapper. And remember, if you leave a comment on the site, you'll be put in a draw for a prize at the end of the month.

And My Scrap Shoppe is having its monthly online crop this weekend. Click here to check out the challenges and if you participate, you could win a prize!

Have a great weekend!

09.09.09 -- a day in the life

(I was inspired by some Danielles to create this post. Danielle Calhoun has been making some day in the life posts on her blog lately, which I think is a super idea. And then Danielle Flanders posted the challenge at Label Tulip to take pictures on 09.09.09 and create a layout with them. So the pictures are taken.... Here's my 09.09.09 -- layout to follow.)

7:07am -- Wake up, get dressed and eat breakfast.

7:37am-- The kids wake up and start to get ready for the day. Eat cereal for breakfast.

8:14am -- Put the finished touches on the gift for Austin's teacher.



8:20am -- Pose on the front steps for the first day of school.



8:24am -- Ride our bikes to the middle school.

8:30am -- Arrive on time to meet with Austin's teacher, Mlle Lisowski.



9:03am -- Walk around the middle school for a little bit to check out the gym, music room & library.

9:15am-- Bike home to pick up the bike trailer.

9:23am-- Bike to Coop to pick up groceries.





10:15am -- Bike home and unpack groceries.

10:37am-- Work on a card for Jonah's teacher.



11:37am -- Make lunches for Cameron & the kids.

11:57am -- Leave to attend a Morden Sports & Leisure Alliance lunch meeting at the Rec Centre.

12:40pm -- Come home. Bike with Jonah to school to meet his teacher, Mme. Zwiep.



1:06pm -- Stop by the kindergarten classroom to say "hi" to Mme. Routhier.

1:14pm -- Come home from dropping off Jonah at school. Send Austin to check the mail.



1:17pm -- Open some scrappy mail I got from my friend, Danielle.



1:28pm -- Work on some tags to attach to bags of Cracker Jack Popcorn for the teachers at Jonah's & Sage's school.



2:40pm -- Bike back to Jonah's school to meet with his teacher.

3:23pm -- Bike home with Jonah.

3:29 pm -- Work on one of the pillows I'm making for my bedroom.



5:02pm -- Cameron gets home from driving school bus. I start supper (soup & grilled cheese sandwiches.)

5:11pm -- Eat supper. Clean up and do the dishes. Get the kids ready for soccer and tae kwon do.

6:20pm -- Put Austin's and my bikes in the back to Cameron's truck and drive to soccer game. Watch the game for a bit.







6:50pm -- Bike with Austin to the Maple Leaf School.

7:10pm -- Tae kwon do.



8:40pm -- Bike home with Austin and send him off to bed. Say goodnight to Sage. Talk with Cameron a bit. Phone R.O.X. volunteers about our orientation Friday night.

9:15pm -- Watch Alias on DVD and work on hand-sewing the binding on my quilt.



10:37pm -- Brush my teeth and put on my jammies.

10:43pm -- Go to bed.