Thursday, October 27, 2011

LOAD1110 - Day 27

A You're Adorable... A-B-E & F - additions for Mitchell's album of random photos and words that go along with the song sung by Sharon, Lois and Bram - A You're Adorable

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Thoughts

“Be careful little ears what you hear; be careful little eyes what you see…”


It's amazing the way the mind works and what tangents it can go to.



We went and saw a movie put on by the BFilm Festival tonight.


It was called the Whistle Blower. We had intended to go see the Blues Bros but then I saw that Rachel Weiss was in this and the drama seemed more appealing. I didn't really know what it was about. It was about human trafficking in Bosnia.


Scary stuff.


Disturbing stuff.


Make you numb and cry stuff because you know it happens stuff.


I get at least one email a month talking about it and asking for money combat it.


So afterwards there I sat on my cushy car with tears running down my face thinking about our fallen world.
Then I started thinking about the movie Taken where this happens to teenage girls on a fun trip. That lead me to thinking about my exchange trip in high school and how I'd love for our kids to do that but is it now too dangerous? Would I let them go without us there with them? I did some really stupid stuff when I went. If I did that today???




But are we to be ruled by fear? No. The world has some amazing things to discover and explore but on the other hand it is still tainted with sin.




Bottom line? I live a cushy life. I flit away lot money away needlessly.


That lead to me thinking about wanting to live like no one lives so that we can live like no one lives (Dave Ramsey – no debt so that we can give).


But will I remember this?


Will I remember to give so that others can have better lives?


A fraction as good as ours?



There are so many causes - which do you choose? Healthy living for our own kids? One or two children through Compassion or World Vision? Family as a whole through Focus on the Family? Local giving in our community? Do you give now or work to pay down your debt so that we can give more later? How do I keep from forgetting? How do we protect our kids?




I have no answers other than to breathe, believe that we believe in a good God; one who shares my struggles and my pain and I have to trust that our kids are in His hands. I have to trust that if I ask, He will lead me to give in the way that I shoudl give. I have to thank Him that I was born into this type of life with the ability give back and to help others if we only do remember.


I pray that I will remember.


I pray that I will not forget how blessed I really am.


Extra big {HUGS} to the kids tonight.


Man how I love them.

4 Months - M3 - LOAD110 - Day20


Monday, October 17, 2011

Block Play - LOAD110 - Day17

I did most of this yesterday but held off until today to finish...

The best Monday ever....

I receive an email from Simple Scrapper on Mondays that gives a prompt about a memory. A few weeks back I got this one... what was the best Monday ever?

I have to admit that I don't recall a best Monday but I do like Mondays in general. After busy weekends with the kids home it is nice to get back into routine, start a list and get back into being productive for the day. I also really enjoy the quiet. I have really enjoyed reading these memory Monday prompts from Simple Scrapper and also from Katie the Scrapbook Lady - they are great reminders to look at the past or do some sharing and to get the story down.

Saturday, October 15, 2011

The Look - LOAD1110 - Day15


The Look - LOAD1110 - Day15
Originally uploaded by Alijoyc
This was a special look Grandpa happened to receive the other day. Don't worry Grandpa, you're not alone - lots of people have been seeing this!

Friday, October 14, 2011

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

The look

Close...

Not quite, but a little closer...
Ahh haa.
Now THAT is the look that a number of people have been receiving from little boy charming.



What do you think he is trying to say?


4 seasons - LOAD1110 - Day12

Journaling reads: I’ve said it before and I’m sure I’ll say it again. I love where we live. The great white north? Technically yes, we are in a snow belt. But we really do have 4 distinct seasons. And I love that. New growth, cool, wet days of spring; melt into blazing hot sunny days of summer; which transition to colourful cool mornings and warm afternoons of fall and then comes a few months of cold, white, snowy winter. Just enough of each season to start to get sick of it and then we are moving on to the next. The best of ALL worlds. What’s not to love? Barrie, Ontario, CANADA Photos from 2010-11
TFL!

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

2 months - M3 - LOAD1110 - Day11

Today's prompt was about money... I've got a few ideas brewing but not enough to complete it for today. So instead we have another Mitchell page... 5 more to go?

Monday, October 10, 2011

2 weeks - M3 - LOAD1110 - Day10

TFL!

Celebrate Monday | Celebrate Memories - Sundays

I get a weekly email from Simple Scrapper called Celebrate Monday. It is a "weekly journaling exercise designed to help us get back to the basics and find more joy in our memory keeping." Me? I just like the push to get some journaling and memory keeping down - if not scrapbooked, at least on to the blog and down on paper so-to-speak.


Today's prompt is about Sundays...


Sundays in our family has always been about church. Rest. Family. When I was little, my dad was the minister at our church so the mornings started early with him out the door to the church behind our house. We followed down the lane in our Sunday best (not really that fancy but church clothes none-the-less). We had our set spot to sit as a family in the sanctuary. We tended to be among the last to leave the church, staying for coffee hour and clean up.

After lunch I do remember lots of family times - walks in the woods, board games, outside time.

As I entered highschool and our family was going through some career changes, I found that I tended to work more on Sundays. I worked at a group home for individuals with special needs. Sunday shopping had just been introduced which we felt (as a church and as a family) wasn't necessary or good for the family unit. The group homes still needed to be staffed though and that worked for me. I think it actually turned out to be an escape for me, as well as a welcome way to save money for school - both during highschool and university. Church was still a given if I was able to attend but the afternoons fluctuated between meeting with friends, doing things at home and still the odd family activity. It has since become a favourite nap time for my mom!


Now that we have our own young family, Sundays continue to evolve for us. Church is a given (unless I have to attend by myself - which with Mitchell's schedule means I am in the nursery with him for the time being - not much point for the other kids since I can't be with them). We are still usually one of the last families to leave the church - for reasons I can't quite figure out. It really just boils down to us being slow I guess. Talking. Taking our time. Putting things away. You name it. All of a sudden everyone is gone but us.

Afternoons may involve the library as a family since we pass it on the way home from church. A few times I've taken Marlee to the art museum for a family art class. It is one of the things that seems to truly interest her and is something we can do together or with Cierra. Then I hate to admit it but quite often we get chores done during the remainder of the afternoon. It is a time when Drew is home and the time is not taken up by hockey or other extra-curricular activities. We try to do something outside or perhaps watch a movie together. At least we are together. In the winter time we head out as a family to go skiing - lessons for the kids and free ski for Drew and I and a family friend. We all go out for a few runs together after the lessons.

The evening closes with dinner with my family. Usually they come over to our house, taking turns bringing or having dinner. On skiing days we go there. We usually go late into the evening, catching up on family news and then rush to get the kids in bed.

After the kids are all in bed, ideally I like Sundays to plan the upcoming week and to wind down. Extra-curricular activities, work schedules, meal planning and to do lists. Get the week off to a good start and finish off the last week by filing what we did. Then we collapse to watch some TV before bed.

That, in a nutshell (a long one at that), is how we spend our Sundays - past and present.

Sunday, October 9, 2011

LOAD1110 - Days 7, 8 and 9

A few more days of LOAD1110 to share....

7 months - M3 - LOAD1110 - Day7
Another layout to add to Mitchell's monthly size comparison album.



So Thankful - 2009 - LOAD1110 - Day8A


I did the digital layout a while back but wanted something to do with the papers that everyone wrote on so I did up this pocket page for them. This will now go into an album for us to add to each year with thanksgiving messages.




3 months - M3 - LOAD1110 - Day 8B



Park Page - 2011.02.05 - LOAD1110 - Day 9


I decided to go digital instead of following the prompt (to choose one of the journaling methods - great ideas though). This is one of an ongoing album where we are exploring the various parks in our neighbourhood - trying to be more spontaneous and to visit different parks than those we normally go to.




TFL!

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Someone should tell him...

that plumbers don't usually use power drills do they?

8 months (M3) - LOAD1110 - Day6

I decided not to go with today's prompt of "Digging Deep" (to go back and use some older photos). I have lots of ideas there but not too much organized for it. So instead we went with Mitchell's monthly photo shoot...

TFL!

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Monday, October 3, 2011

A Christmas Tradition - LOAD1110 - Day3

The prompt today was to do a layout on a tradition. This one has been in my To Do pile for LONG time. It isn't totally was I envisioned but I am glad I am done. We miss you Paula!

5 months - LOAD1110 - Day2


5 months - LOAD1110 - Day2
Originally uploaded by Alijoyc
TFL! I started taking photos of Mitchell on his monthly birthday with a few stuffed animals to note his size. I hope to get each month's pictures into an album with stats about each month. It was so fun to see the growth and changes!

Saturday, October 1, 2011

six (Marlee's Birthday) - LOAD1110 - Day1

Starting a new LOAD challenge...Day 1 is here.

September 2011 Recap

It’s that time again! Another month has passed us by and it is time for a recap. So why do I do this? First of all my memory is terrible and often find myself wondering when such and such happened. Second of all I love lists and information. Third of all I believe I am a type A personality. Enough said.

Here's a look at our month:

Entertainment – what we’re looking at, listening to and going to!
Books, Magazines, New Blogs read:
Sarah's Key (click on photo for description)

This book was very riveting. I had not heard of the event that took place and as with all books discussing the Holocaust, it causes me to think about the world we live in, our role as humans and as Christians and the need to remember and to treat others as we would want to be treated. I see from googling this book that there is now a movie out... another I would like to see.
TV, Movies, Live Entertainment:
Smurfs (drive-in)
Blind Side (DVD)
Gilmore Girls - episodes of season one
Baby for Sale (DVD)
Daily Happenings & Special Events:
Drive in with W's (1st)
Baseball tournament in Thorald (2nd, 3rd)*
Marineland (4th)*
School started (6th)
Port Dover with Nana, Poppa, Melissa (10th)*
Visit to Ben, Rachel (10th)
Fall kick off at church (11th)
Cierra started day program (12th)
Marlee to Kiera's birthday party at Bulldog Fitness (17th)
Terry Fox run (18th)
Bridal shower at church for Sue (18th)
Matt to birthday party at Retro Planet (22nd)
Travel (1hr plus): *see above
Financial/ changes to the house etc.:(gifts, renos, big purchases, household purchases)




Ben, Rachel $50 gift card



Kierra - barbie movie, cash



Pool closed (35th)
Health/Development/ Exercise/ Extra Curricular Activities:
Drew: running
Alison:* Dr appt (20th), running/ walking
Cierra: bike riding
Matt: baseball, hockey, fishing
Marlee: lost tooth top right; Dr appt (20th)
Mitchell: Dr appt (20th); 18 months – lots of mom, da, vrmmm (transportation), tsss (animals); sleep about the same – 1.5 hour nap daily; down for bed at 9/9:30 for 3-4 hours then in bed with us; fidgety and nursing from 5-7ish until I get out of bed; eating - likes bananas, grapes, apples, granola with yogurt; carbs; lots of nursing; fetches things, helping to get dressed, likes shoes; puts things away, identifies favourite dog; loves to watch cars outside, digital frame; cars and balls are favourites; EC about the same – catches after sleep, a few poops
Accomplishments/ Disappointments (Goals - Gotta Do’s, Wanna do’s; OLW, projects) All Around Us/ Other (News, Trends, Births, Deaths, World Events, City News Etc):