Live it!

It's new...check it out...

Designing with has a new book out... "The ME Book" and I have to say that it is a book that I loved working on but even more... enjoyed reading and looking through when it came to my doorstep last week. I feel inspired to document more about ME... my life, my heritage..all the stuff that my kids will want to know and i won't always be around to tell (or ahem... recall/remember!)

You can check out our new Autumn Leaves "ME BOOK" blog here:  ME BOOK BLOG

We will be hosting challenges and posting new inspiration each and every week. Check often :)

You the man!!

The pictures sorta speak for themselves... he is a great dad. He knows how to be silly. He knows when to be serious. He is soft and gentle. He is funny and the kids adore him. They are lucky... I am lucky. I can't imagine taking this parent journey with any other man. Thanks Shaune! You are the shining example I hope they will always look to...

She is really three?

Ya, another year has gone by and I cannot believe that my Chloe is three. My baby girl. Sigh. She is fiercely independent and still a sweet little girl who loves her thumb and her hair twirling and all her little dolls. She has a strong tomboy streak in her. I dress her up (she loves wearing dresses) but within minutes is spilling, ripping and messing her self up. She is my ragamuffin princess... I love that about her.

This weekend we celebrated her birthday with a party in our backyard. All our friends came with their children and it was such a fun day. The heat was really hot. Man, hottest day of the summer so far - that is for sure. The kids took advantage of the pool and the slip and slide and waterguns and ...well, basically anything refreshing and wet. We had 16+ children and I think I counted 16 adults. We were having so much fun that Chloe forgot to open her gifts (thanks everyone... she finally got them opened as the sun went down that night). She had strawberry shortcake for her 'birthday cake' courtesy of Nana Emerson... it was soooooooooooo good. I forgot the candles so we didn't even do the "happy birthday" song (they sang it to her the night before at Boston Pizza anyhow ;)... we just got down to the business of eating it.

Thanks to all our friends - having you here made for such a fun day. All our kids get along so well and I know that these get together's are what they will remember fondly of their childhood and birthday celebrations. Love you guys!

I didn't take a ton *(and didn't even get one of Chloe dressed in her birthday outfit - pink dress, glasses and jelly shoes ;) because I was having too much fun. It was a day I'll remember though and my kids are still talking about it... I'll let the photos speak for themselves.

Invisible Fencing for Dogs...

anyone have it? do you like it? does it work?

we are getting it... some version of it. we are wavering between buying the Guardian system that you can install yourself for about $300 or having it professionally installed for (gulp!) $1100.

I would love to hear from anyone that has it and what they have. Is there a reason (truly?) why the professionally installed "invisible fencing" costs so much more? Is it better or just more because you don't have to do the work yourself. We've gotten 3 quotes and they all insist that their system works better than the ones you buy and install yourself.

I just gotta make a decision because my little boy pup needs some space. He needs to run outside and be free. Tonight he almost ran onto the road (he snuck out the door when it was open) & I could of just had a heart attack. He could of gotten hit. So, I'm asking opinions. PLEASE :)

dial up - wahhhh

so, my wireless connection has been on the fritz. 3 wks of barely running...no upload capabilities on email or internet. ugh, so depressing. i am back to dial up and it is KILLING me people! it is the only disadvantage i can think of about living in the country...only highspeed available to me is wireless with a company that just... frankly - umm, SUCKS!

anyhow, it is going to be hard to keep posting photos but i will try once in a while.

life has been busy. Chloe turns 3 years old on Friday, i can't even believe it. We are throwing her a backyard bash for her bday on Saturday and i am praying for sunshine. LOTS of kids and friends coming and the backyard would be much better than our smallish house :)

Keaton is just about done school for this year. It is hard to believe that my 5 yr old boy will be going into Grade 1 next year. CRAZY! Summer is here and for the most part it has been nice... a bit rainy but no humidity or extreme heat... maybe that will hold off til July :) The kids loved visiting Tammy and Pauls a few wks back... spending Sunday morning in their pool made me want a pool so desperately. It is on our ' wish list '  but i don't see it happening for another year or two. Here are a few photos of them. They are fish... Keaton is swimming a bit without his water wings, but only if i'm there at the other side of the pool for him to grab when he is tired. chloe happily floats and splashes around in her wingies... lapping up the water with her tongue and giggling like a mad woman. Man, we need a pool. Somebody drop some cash in my lap, would ya? ;)

Beautiful Babe

So... we finally got a chance to meet Baby Olivia this past weekend. Tammy & Paul had us up for the weekend and while we were there I took some photos of the baby. She is 3 wks old and the bestest little thing. It was a rainy day and I had some issues with getting enough light (note to husband: need that lens i've been hinting about (wink wink) ), but I managed a few. I am afraid I have a lot to learn... but this was fun & Olivia is a great little thing to get to photograph.

His perch

So... Henry is getting so big. He is 8 months old now and I'm guessing about 35lbs. He is a maniac. He is super loving. He gets into mischief and trouble. He adores ME ;)... he is officially "potty trained" and only makes accidents if we are just not paying any kind of attention to his hints. He goes into the breezeway when he wants to go out... grabs his leash and brings it to me. Super pup! He is really frisky though when new people come around. Jumping up and stuff. Can't seem to contain his energy and enthusiasm... sorta like Keaton around people (just so dang happy to be around people)..any advice? We really need to take him to obedience training. Right now it falls on the same night as Keaton's soccer. Hard to shuffle it all sometimes.

Anyhow, here he is in his favourite spot. He gets in trouble because he forgets that he is coming on 40 lbs and he climbs up onto the back of the couch and basks in the sun and watches for neighbourhood activity. It really is cute but he is wrecking the dang couch.

Lynn and Larry kept him so that we could go up to Tammy and Pauls for the weekend. We were so excited to meet their new baby... she is a gem... that is for certain. Thanks to L&L for keeping Henry... it was nice to be able to escape for 2 days and still know Henry was getting love and affection from 2 certified dog-lovers like you. We truly appreciate it.