Serious Play

10 Things

1. I love Poladroid pics. The above photo was taken on my MacBook Pro with PhotoBooth and then sent through Poladroid magicland!

2. I have a new haircut. This is version 3 in as many days. I am creating a LO to tell the full story.

3. I love how the retro / vintage styles are making a comeback!

4. There is never enough time in my day to play with paper and photos. And sometimes not enough time to blog either...I've been scarce this week, sorry!

5. I have been working with one of the classes in my school that is learning all about creating installations and how they can communicate ideas through a public display. I came across this website that created rainbow installations and was dazzled by their beauty.

6. I love Elise's idea for Documenting 2011. I haven't decided on my own format yet but her post has me thinking, for sure.

7. It is nearing two years since I took Karen Russell's online photography class. I cannot say enough about how meaningful and valuable this class was for me in furthering my photography skills. There are 2 things that made this class stand out for me: First, Karen's passion for photography just bubbles out of her and her passion spurred on my passion. Secondly, she taught me how to THINK like a photographer. No other class that I have taken allowed me inside the head of the photographer quite like Karen did. Amazing...is all I can say.

If you are interested at all in taking a photography class, Karen's next class is open for registration this coming Monday, Feb. 21. Check it out. You won't be sorry!

8. I had a lovely Valentine's Day (actually weekend) with my family and I am working on a LO to document it. It's coming. Soon.

9. While my daughter was hosting a Valentine's party with her girlfriends at our house, my husband went out to buy a 26" TV for our bedroom so that he would not have to miss the hockey game. Not being a fan of TV to begin with, I protested. However, Sunday morning found the four of us piled in our bed watching HGTV together. This is no longer a common occurrence in our home, with 2 teenaged girls. It was kinda nice. Don't tell my husband I said that last bit.

10. I am wishing winter would end and spring would begin.

 

 

 

 

 

10 Things

1.  It was my birthday this past week...and I don't even feel older! It must be that once you are over a certain age, you are immune to aging...or too numb to notice? Regardless, I was spoiled. Two weeks prior, my husband took me out to a fantastic supper where I ate altogether too much, and then he treated me to the Cirque de Soleil show called Kooza. I was mesmerized by the talent and costumes, and lighting and live music and vocals. It was overwhelming, really. Sean and I felt like little kids laughing and oooooing and aaahhhing and holding our breath for the acts that involved some level of danger. Fabulous birthday present. He claims it is actually my gift for last year's birthday, seeing how he let the ball drop on that one! Regardless, it was a fun time.

The following weekend, we met some lovely friends for dinner and wonderful conversation. They brought congrats for my birthday as well as Sean had let them in on the secret. He really did make up for last year!

The day of my birthday I received well wishes from friends via email. The nice lady that I work with brought me a rose and a chocolate cupcake. Then, when I arrived home from work, I was greeted by the lovely flower display you see above. I love my family! And I love birthdays!

2. My internet connection has been giving me ongoing troubles which has resulted in being unable to post for longer than I had hoped. I plan to be back on track this coming week! As I type, I have been on hold waiting to speak to a technology assistant for almost an hour...this is what I predicted and I haven't had an hour to spare sitting on the phone lately in order to resolve my issues!

3. My girls are playing on their high school volleyball team and their skills are improving! At the beginning of the season, they were not starters on the court. However, I am noticing that they are both getting more court time as of late...and their mother could not be more proud!

4. We saw our first snowfall on Friday! By 2 in the afternoon, the sun was out and there was no trace of snow anywhere! So typical of my fair city.

5. Scared by the snowfall, we cleaned out the garage today in order to make room for both vehicles in the garage. Neither of us wants to shovel snow off of our windshields in the morning! The garage was a bit of a clutter due to our entire house being moved out there during our renovations this past year leaving room for only my truck! Now, both of our trucks are cozied up nice and warm in the garage, ready to face winter.

6. I am in the middle of making a paper crane mobile for a teacher colleague that is away getting married this weekend. My gift to her was to take over her class on Friday afternoon in order to let her go early to get last minute things done before her wedding day. While in her class, I had the kids make paper cranes and I took them home over the weekend to string them all up. We are going to hang it in her classroom for her return to school as a newly married lady!

7. Several of my cousin's and I booked tickets to visit cousin Jackie in Oklahoma this summer! Every few years, my girl cousins have a weekend together and every year, Jackie flies up from the US to join us. At our last gathering, we all agreed to save up money to go and visit her...and it is really going to happen now!

8. I hosted our Canadian Thanksgiving celebration last weekend. My sister and her family joined us, along with my mom. Sadly, may didn't make it since, ironically, he is still busy combining in the fields, trying to bring in the beautiful crops this year before the snow falls (they did not get the snowfall that we did here!). I must admit that I was glad to have my mom's help. We prepped and cooked the food almost all day before sitting down at the table when Sean arrived home from work. It was all worth it, but I must say, a bit of a let down when it only took us 25 minutes to eat!

9. I figured it was time to buy a new duvet cover (the pink multicolor version) for my bedroom and the very first week, there was a rip in the seam. How disappointing. I do love the color that it brings to my room though and if I can find the time, it just needs a few stitches! Really, how hard can that be?

10. Sean finally gets holidays for the first time in a year and a half starting next weekend! The poor guy has been working like a dog to make up for the extra costs of our renos. So, when he declared that he needed a beach vacation to kick off his holiday time, who was I to argue? We tossed around a few locations and settled on Puerto Vallarta. We have already bee, but there was so much to do and we enjoyed it so much, that we wanted to go back to explore more! I just happen to have the last week of October off work due to our Fall Break at school. I could have just stayed at home to chip away at the million things that need attention, but I feel it is my duty to support my weary husband and accompany him on this trip. I am such a good wife!

 

10 Things

1.  I am back to school for another year and as always, we hit the ground running!

2. I can hardly wait for Cathy Zielske's online class, called Me - The Abridged Version, to start this Thursday.

3. I just got home from teaching a SMARTBoard for Absolute Beginners class to 23 teachers who are just learning how to use a SMARTBoard. I am exhausted, but encouraged as I was complimented on my teaching style as well as heard many comments to the effect that what I taught tonight was "exactly what I needed to get started".

4. One of my students in the class tonight taught me something that I didn't already know. Teaching is such a humbling job.

5. It has rained here all day and the powers that be are forecasting snow for Thursday!!

6. I washed my winter duvet on Saturday to prepare for the coming cold weather - I just had no idea that it would be coming so soon! (I hope I didn't jinx it)

7. My girls informed me tonight that I have to be up and leaving the house by 6:30am tomorrow because their volleyball practice starts at 7am sharp! Mixed feelings there.

8. I am still waiting for the book that Cathy Zielske suggested we read before the class starts this Thursday. I looked all over my fair city and came up empty handed, so I had to order it online...still waiting.

9. My husband may be getting a promotion to Senior Man on the fire department soon, as so many of the older men are retiring and they are going to be training close to 200 new guys under him in the near future.

10. I long for a full, uninterrupted week of scrapbooking time to catch up on all the pages and books and blog posts that I want to work on. Okay, I would settle for even one day!

Life is good.

 

10 Things

1. I love summer. In fact, I am thinking it may be in my future to move where it is summer all year round. I much prefer tank tops and flip flops to boots and scarves! (and they take up less room in the closet)
2. Our little trip to Chase was better than we even imagined. I am working like a mad man on my mini album and hope to have it ready to share with you by week's end!
3. My back yard is currently a disaster...but with a new back step and sidewalk almost completed!
4. I have just finished reading The Thorn Birds (almost 700 pages worth) which I saw with my parents as a mini series. I was determined to track down the DVD by any means necessary, when lo and behold, it was right there in front of me at London Drugs the other day! I intend to watch it this weekend.
5. Having only one daughter home at the moment means I can focus on loving on one, but I am truly missing the other!
6. I wish I had the opportunity to golf more. (I have cute golf clothes and nowhere to wear them) Seriously, I am able to shoot straight now, but Sean gets too frustrated and doesn't want to go anymore!
7. I love my parents! I took the girls out to the farm this past weekend and they are coming to my house this weekend. We need to be closer together...
8. I have only 3 weeks of summer holidays left and then I am back to work. (where did the time go? and why to fast?)
9. My house is almost resettled. I have plans to share room by room with you on this blog in the fall.
10. I have seen a few good movies so far this summer. Salt with Angelina Jolie. Knight and Day with Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz. Both were entertaining, just not thought provoking.

And I have to add one more...

It was my sister's birthday this week and it was so awesome to celebrate with her. The evening before her birthday we went out to supper with J&J and then to a movie (Salt) and then I took her to lunch and shopping on the day of her birthday. It is always good to spend time with her and love on her. She is so genuine and straightforward. I feel so comfortable with her and am eternally grateful that we managed to remain friends as adults. Love you Sista!!

 

10 Things

 

So, you may have noticed that I haven't been blogging regularly lately. It is killing me.  My life is chaotic right now and here's why...

1.  Our renovations are plodding along. We are in another 'wait' phase. The hardwood floors have been refinished, and now we are waiting for the painters.

2.  Last week I was living out of a hotel. This week I am living at my sister's house!

3.  Winter here started in October and is still going strong! The photo above was taken last week and the frost has continued every day since then!

4.  My youngest daughter has her learner's license now and wants to drive everywhere we go, but I am nervous to let her drive on our icy roads.

5.  My oldest daughter is in her high school musical production this week (Wed., Thurs. & Fri.), so I have been driving her back and forth from rehearsals three times a week!

6.  I was bed-ridden with a migraine this past weekend. Not sure if it was due to the smell of the lacquer from the hardwood floors, my hips being out of alignment (went to the chiropractor last night and feel better), or the yoga workout I had in class last Wednesday!

7.  I haven't seen my husband in a couple of days. Between his night-shift work and me staying at my sister's house (he is toughing out the smell-since he is working in it all day, he figures it's not hurting him to sleep in it too!) we have barely seen one another. However, we have a date at Starbucks tonight in between taking Ashley to piano lessons and picking up Jessica from her rehearsal!

8.  I am swamped at work. I work in a team of three and I am currently the only one at work this week! We are leading up to a big presentation to parents at the end of March and it is my job to meet with teachers and ensure that they are on the right track with their projects!

9.  I am taking an online scrapbooking class with Cathy Zielske and I am now 3 weeks behind!

10.  And on top of all that, we are leaving for a family trip (including my sister and her family and my parents) to Hawaii on the 25th of this month! It is a gift to my mom who turned 60 a year ago!

I think I can...I think I can...

10 Things

So, there is a lot going on in my life right now...

1. My husband and I just signed off on the plans for our cabinets. Now, the ball gets rolling on our kitchen renovation! We have to decide on floor tile for the kitchen, choose backsplash tiles, agree on granite for the countertops and island. We have to rip out our existing cabinets, patch drywall, paint and run new wiring. I have to pack up the dishes in my cabinets and store them for who knows how long!
2. We have to pack up our basement and move everything to the garage because at any moment we could get the call from our framer friend to say that he is free to come and install the bay window. This affects the basement because the window needs to be reinforced under the floor, which means ripping down the ceiling in the basement to get to it. Since we are going through all that, we decided now would be the time to also put in heated floors and new carpet!
3. I am juggling various schedules. Jessica has joined the musical at her school, so there are practices before and after school. Luckily we are at the same school, so it just means I go early or stay late! This is payback for when she was in Elementary school and I would have to stay late to do work or meetings and she would have to wait for me!
4. Ashley is settling into Homeschool now. She has some of her books and is awaiting a few more. I feel like I need to be sitting with her more, but she seems to be working fairly independently right now.
5. I am adjusting to my new job at school as R&D Facilitator. Basically, I am in a team of three, in which we plan and implement the professional development for the teachers in our school. Since I had been a classroom teacher for the past 15 years, the pace of this new role is an adjustment. I now spend a lot of my days in meetings. I am also spending a lot more time at my computer than I used to in a day. I like my new job, it just takes getting used to.
6. I am loving anything woodgrain right now! I really like the woodgrain that we picked for our kitchen cabinets!
7. I have not had much time to read lately. Missing that, since I just came through summer where I read 5 novels!
8. Fall has arrived and I am not ready! I do love fall clothes, but I seem to be dressing for fall in the morning when I leave for work and stripping down to summer clothes halfway through the day!
9. I have not taken many pictures lately.
10. I am about to turn 40!

10 Things

So, I have read a lot of blogs and it seems that this is one thing that bloggers do...they tell 10 things about themselves. They might be feelings, thoughts, sources of inspiration, whatever. I am going to try this today. Here I go...

1. I am behind on scrapbooking! I feel creatively deprived!

2. I am LOVING blogging! It was one of those things that could have seriously bombed or taken off like nothing I had imagined. Thankfully it was the latter! Surprisingly, I have a lot to say! I have blogged for just over a month now. I was going to do something special as a 1 month anniversary of sorts, but time did not allow it. Maybe next month.

3. I really want to learn more about Photoshop and creating digital elements. I have bought books, gleaned tutorials, asked the people around me, but no luck! Not sure what the next step is...a course in graphic design?

4. I am anticipating the end of school! At my school, the last day for kids is June 23 at noon. That is less than a week away. Teachers have to keep going until the 30th (bummer) but school is kinda fun without the kids! Actually, it is going to be busy because all of elementary is changing rooms for next year. It's a long story, but that means we have to pack all of our teaching stuff in boxes to be moved over the summer. If you can imagine the immensity of this! Obviously we do not want to move more than is necessary, so this is the time to go through everything and pitch anything that is outdated or hasn't been used recently. I have been teaching grade 2 for seven years. I have accumulated a lot of 'stuff'. Say no more!

5. I got a free camera. I had saved up my coupons from Scholastic Book orders for the last 3 years and since I will not be in the classroom next year, I will not be ordering any more books (too bad), so I had to spend the coupons. There wasn't much in the catalogue that interested me, but there was a little Canon Digital Elph (scroll down to the bottom of the linked page) that I could use my coupons on. I thought it would be great for those times when it was impractical to carry along my big SLR - like the beach! I am actually impressed with it. I thought that I would be frustrated from lack of control with this little thing, but surprisingly there is a setting that gives me some control - not the same as the SLR, but okay. I am impressed. Did I say that already?

6. Father's Day is coming up and I am ready. I have a handmade card for my dad ready to pop in the mail. I know, it will be late since it has to go all the way out in the country, but it is better to be a few days late than a few weeks, right? Sean works both Friday and Saturday nights this weekend (yuck) but I have a plan anyway. Neither of us works on Monday and the girls are homeschooling (bonus), so I thought it would be nice for us to drive out to Canmore (our new favorite getaway) on Sunday morning, do some geocaching in the area, stay in a cute little place called The Georgetown Inn, sleep in on Monday morning, go for a late breakfast (there is an awesome French bakery that makes chocolate croissants), do some shopping and head home. We will miss the busy part of the weekend since most people will be heading back to Calgary on Sunday. Lucky us!

7. I am proud of myself for getting meals together this week! Usually I am scrambling every night after work to decide what to make, thaw meat, cook, or just default to eating out. But this week I actually sat down and mapped out the entire week for meals. I did all of the shopping on Monday so we were set! Actually the girls have been doing the cooking for me so that it is ready when I get home from work. How spoiled am I? All of the recipes were from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food magazines. Let's see... we had a chicken dish on Monday night with sweet & sour beans. Tuesday was homemade BBQ chicken pizza and Wednesday was taco salad. Yum yum! It sure takes the pressure off when you are prepared ahead of time. I can hear some of you veterans saying, "tsk tsk". I will try harder!

8. We were offered a cabin to stay in for free from one of Sean's lieutenants. He is having trouble renting it out (the darn economy) and so he just offered us a week for free! We are praying that Sean can get a guy to work one of his shifts otherwise we will have to make the trip out to the Schushwap and back in 4 days! Still, we feel blessed.

9. The girls have their last piano lesson Thursday. This was their first year of lessons and I am pleased with the progress they have made. Their teacher is phenomenal. The girls are grateful for the break, but I can't wait for them to start up again in the fall! I love the sound of music in my house.

10. I am going out with some girls from work on Friday night! Can't wait!

And since I don't have a layout for you today, I will leave you with this from the walk the girls and I went on the other night...