Live it!

93 Glorious Years

we celebrated Gram Emerson's 93rd birthday last night. Wow. Can you imagine? I can only wish that i will be as spry and smart and sweet as her after that long. She makes us all proud. She lives by herself in the family home. She still drives. She still hosts almost all our family functions. She has 5 children, 13 grandchildren, and 21 great grandchildren (i think... i may of missed one or two in the mental head count) and is VERY LOVED.

We gathered and celebrated with a huge meal of roast beef and pork. ... all the fixin's. 4 tables full of family. It was wonderful.

Keaton had a ball playing with the older boys. Mitch and Harrison take such good care of him and really play so well with him. All the boys got into a big game of Cowboys and played it for hours. The funny part was they were using Christmas oversized candy canes as 'guns' and when they didn't have enough of them to go around... a few of the boys resorted to a pair of black stilletto heals for their pistols. It really was a chuckle to watch.

Chloe and Erin made friends and stuck close to eachother most of the evening. They play so quiet compared to the boys - and stuck close to the adults.

Caleb made his family outing debut and my goodness, i couldn't believe how much he resembled his big bro Jacoby. He is beautiful and the night went by so fast that i didn't even get a chance to hold him. Shoot!

Uncle Paul and Aunt Barb made it down from Edmonton to celebrate. It is wonderful that Uncle Paul makes the long flight down here to wish his mom a Happy Birthday in person... every year.

Today is Gram's official Birthday. Gram... Happy Day. I love you so much. You keep us all smiling. You keep us all close. You are one amazing 93 year old lady!

She is sick...

but still stunning. I can't help but look at this photo and sigh. Even with feeling sick, she is a joy. She rolls with the punches and keeps on keepin' on.  And i do love that crooked little smile of hers!

She woke up this morning and asked me for kissies on her tummy. I knew that meant her tummy was upset....and she proved so after some toast this morning. All is well this afternoon though so i'm keeping my fingers crossed that it came and went really quickly. Sick and still took time to look at the camera - hey, maybe she is finally coming around to being photographed?

Henry the pup...

1) is so dang cute!

2) has more freckles popping up on his lovely coat every day (i love that!)

3) is about 80% 'potty trained' as long as you take him out diligently every  hour or so... and follow him around the house if you notice he is sniffin' for the 'perfect spot' to land one.

4) is a momma's boy. there is no place he would rather be than on my lap or under my feet.

5) loves sticks... the bigger the better! so what if they are longer than he is :)

6) loves bones. he gets the special ones you buy that are marrow bones that have meat of some sort stuffed in the hole - they keep him busy for hours... and they are great - until he drops one directly on your big toe *(ouch)*

7) has grown so much already that we had to buy the mother-lode gigantico crate for him to sleep in... too big to fit nicely in the bedroom... so it sits ever so pretty in my LIVING ROOM. sigh.

8) likes baths. well, he doesn't hate them anyhow. As long as I stand in the tub with him while i scrub him with puppy shampoo... he is content. When he gets out of the bath he runs around like a wild beast for 1 hour... to dry off i guess.

9) is a lot of work.

10) is a lot of work but totally worth it. I love the little guy and still cannot believe we are dog owners. it is crazy - but good!

Bitter cold...

I'm starting to get cabin fever. I need to get me, the dog, and these kids out of the house. The sun was shining so bright this morning - i had high hopes of 'warm' temperatures... or at least tolerable. We suited up in our snow-gear and out we went. I was out there for about 15 minutes and finally cried "uncle"...gave up and went back inside where it was warm. Henry didn't mind the cold. The kids NEVER seem to mind the cold. Shaune looked cold but wasn't complaining.... but me - i couldn't handle it. SIGH.

I took this photo of Keaton and Chloe playing... making the most of a rather frigid situation. It is so dang freezing out then all the melted snow refroze and now is a big ice puddle beside the driveway. Keaton slammed it repeatedly with his boot (isn't this what all little boys do when they see ice?) until he broke the ice.. then they sat down and played with the the trucks around the smashed hole (note: don't worry, there is no water at all underneath - just a big air pocket). I had to chuckle watching them... 2 very Canadian kids oblivious to the fact that on the other side of North America...kids were playing baseball and some even wearing shorts. I think it is better they not know. They seem to like the ice, the snow, the COLD. They know how to make the most out of any outdoor time they get.

We continued our winter weather enjoyment by taking the kids to skating. Our local arena has $2 skating from 1pm-2:30pm every Sunday. Keaton is finally getting the hang of it and there is still hope for his hockey future ;) ... i was a little concerned with his lack of "skilz" for a while but all it looking brighter for him now that he can skate like the wind. Chloe even gave it a try and wore Keaton's old hockey skates on the ice. She could barely stand but was smiling just-the-same. Of course, her camera happy mother forgot the camera at home. Mostly, we pushed her around in her stroller on the ice.

After skating we almost always drive to a local cheese factory for some goodies. I cannot resist white cheese curds. The usually have icecream (ya, cause it is so hot here right now - ha), hot dogs and so many assorted cheeses... it is a happy place for me. Me loves my cheese!

Now, i'm exhausted and it is only 4pm.

Off to mom and dad's for supper. (BIG SMILES!)

Brrr... Grrr...

and so it goes with life here in my 'parts' of Ontario Canada. Yesterday we were out hiking outside. The weather was like Spring and all the snow was quickly melting away. I was in heaven. I like winter but i am just not feelin' it this year. With the dog and 2 young kids... I just really feel the need to bust out of this house and get outside to play. So we did just that yesterday. We took the dog for a long walk in the field and hills behind our house. Henry got his first taste of "spring" and grass since he was born. He was one happy pup. I felt renewed. I felt free and happy. But... I also remembered that it was mid-February and that Spring just doesn't come to stay in February here.

I was right, this morning I woke up to a snow storm and warnings of freezing rain. We woke up to cancelled class trips to the skating arena and cancelled buses too. I am feeling sad.

I am thinking the best thing to do is get our snowclothes back on (they are currently covered in mud from yesterday's 'spring' weather) and drag the toboggan out and make the most of this. If you can't beat it, join it... right?

Maybe Henry the dog would like to take a ride on a GT snowracer? ha.

Mid Month at Two Peas

I have been a garden girl for the website Two Peas In A Bucket for several years. It is my peaceful place where I scrapbook for fun and where I have met and maintained so many awesome friendships. I haven't been able to participate as much as I yearn to lately but i was able to get 2 layouts done for the Mid-Month showing. I love to finish an assignment and then sneak a Twopeas layout in here and there. The creative freedom to just make a layout about the photos and/or the story is where my excitement about Scrapbooking came from. I love to just play and sometimes just do pages for fun.

So, this one in particular was fun (a quickie, but still fun). Fun to open up these 2 photos of my kids (taken on the same day) and for the first time notice they both have that impish teeth-biting-lower-lip grin. I guess my kids do look alike? everyone tells me that they do and i have a hard time seeing it... but in these photos - it is there, i cannot deny it. Chloe is Keaton...with pig-tails.

my son... the "artiste"

keaton loves to draw. mostly he draws letters over and over and then asks me to sound them out... that gets tricky sometimes.

the other day he asked me for paper, pencil crayons and a pen... and then after about 15 minutes he proudly brought me this drawing. You can see from my notes what our conversation was...

"Oh Keaton... that is great, tell me about your picture?"

and he told me...

I guess they are learning farm stuff at school. he also informed me that Cows don't get milked by hand anymore,  "They have machines that do that now mom". ha, well - la ti da! old mom jab.

Growing so fast

I got home from Vegas and couldn't believe how much Henry had grown the week i was away... is that possible? he is starting to truly look more dog than puppy. he is a rip and constantly in 'trouble' for some thing ...but i just love the little guy. there is nothing he'd rather do that just sit on my lap on the sofa all the time - and he probably wishes i'd sit down once in a while so he could. i just sit down ... he gets comfy... then i have to get up to do something or help the kidlets with this or that.

anyhow. he is so handsome isn't he? :) as my friend would say, he is a HUNK. ha. i am especially fond of his freckles... somehow they are so much cuter on him than they are on me.

Henry is now 3 1/2 months old. He is getting a bit easier but i'm (we are) still adjusting. Any house-training advice welcomed please. He will sometimes pee outside and then come directly in and poop on the floor....ahhhh, frustrating. i can't decide who i'd like to 'potty train' more... him or Chloe!

Anyhow, thanks Jennifer for the push (plea) i needed to finally get my camera out again and snap some photos of our dapper dude - Henry Lightfoot.

...And for anyone who wants to know how busy feels... get a puppy ;) ha!

Huge Congrats...

to my cousin Nicole and her husband Lee on the safe arrival of baby Caleb David Martin. He is so beautiful, guys. I'm so happy for you and i bet Jacoby and Brady are thrilled to bits to have another little brother in the family! I can't wait to meet him!

All my love!

Pretty (FUN) Vegas...

I'm back from a really fun, really long, really busy, really cool time in Vegas. The trip was long - 1 full week and my husband and family handled things WONDERFULLY while i was gone. My husband kept the house cleaner than I do... my mother and his mother looked after the kids while Shaune worked... my father 'babysat' Henry if noone was able to look after him all day... he'd come down and spend time with him and take him for walks. My friend Kerri too... looked after Chloe one day when I had noone - you are such a good friend to me! Thank you Shaune, Lynn, Mom and Dad & Kerri... without you I couldn't do it. I love you all so much!

So... the show. It was great. I roomed with Jenn B and gotta tell ya... she is fun. We had a blast. She made me laugh so many times that i spent all day yesterday resting my face ;)  Our whole booth staff was wonderful and i loved spending time with them again. Tracy, Jenn, Renee Camacho, Becky, Tia, Valerie, Renee Coffey - had a blast girls. Let's do it again, ok?!

Got in late Friday evening. Saturday was set-up. Saturday night Renee Modgirl and Val and I went out to Ballagio's buffet. Not as good as last time... but i still ate way too much. Sunday we did a little bit more set-up and then had a great Creativity banquet. Tia, Jenn and I hung for a bit at the Mist and just chatted. Tia is fun.... really liked meeting her.  Monday - work (ha) - imagine. Busy show... we really were bustin' our butts and i always love that since the days go by fast and it's just exciting to be around that. Monday i met up with some GG's and we just hung at the Brew Pub at Mandalay Bay. Loved getting to see everyone and it was a good time. Tuesday I got to try out "Spago's" by Wolfgang Puck with BHG's Scrapbooks Etc Creative Teams (past and present)... always enjoy that and the food and company were awesome. Wednesday we did our busiest day of the show and went to Bellagio's for supper at THE FIX. good stuff, except my Caesar Salad (but it was funny to pay $16 for 4 romaine leaves...ha.) Pj party in which we all had a blast being totally immature and silly. Jenn and her kitty (hair piece) are our booth mascots from this show on...ok!

Totally exhausted by the last day of the show...finally took an hour to walk around. Met some fun people. Lots of cool stuff to see... missed so many booths - most wanted to get over to the new section to see Strano ribbon and other booths people recommended to me...but ran short on time :( boo-hoo.

Jenn, Renee Modgirl and I all were taking red-eyes home so we chilled andthen taxi'd it to the airport... the rest is a blur and really exhausting. I remember getting on the plane, taking my shoes off and then my feet swelling in no time.. i could hardly get my shoes back on. Shows are so brutal - standing for that many hours a day in heels... so not good. ha.

anyhow, the plane ride home was horrible and i was so dang happy when shaune pulled up to the curb and whisked me home. there is NO place like home let me say it again...

and today is my (ack) 34th birthday and i am so happy to be spending it with my kids and shaune. love getting away...and love getting home even more.