Random Stuff

I've got a lot of random stuff swirling around in my head. You know, the thoughts that keep popping up and are fairly meaningless to anyone but you? Stuff like

-Spencer and Cameron are both in need of haircuts. Spencer doesn't want one because he likes his hair long (but it still needs to be tidied up) and Cameron wants one but not right now. He keeps telling me that he wants to get a haircut, but then when I ask him if he wants to go over, he says "not right now."

-our house seems to be needing some repair work. It's only 7 years old, but we need to start doing things to it. The boys bathroom has a leak (I think from the toilet) It has damaged the ceiling in the laundry room below it. Time to call in a plumber.

-we also need to get busy painting the main floor ... if only I could decide on colours!

-I need to get Oliver into the vet for a check up and shots. It's been a long time since I've taken him in. I've been a very bad pet owner!

-we have a fund raising crop coming up in February to raise money for the Divisional Youth Band to go to Calgary in May. So far we only have 20 signed up. I hope we get a lot more than that.

-Matt and Spencer have the week off. They are in exams right now and both are finished writing which means at the moment there are no demands on them ... at least from school LOL!

-John is still waiting for his letter of termination from work. He's looking forward to it as he wants to move on, after taking some time off. He was promoted a few weeks ago to VP which means that we will get a larger package than he originally thought. (a year's severance as opposed to 6 months ... big difference).

-I've been really thinking about going digital. I love my film camera and have fought the idea. I think I need to weigh the pros and cons.

- I've been on a scrapbooking roll. I've been getting a lot of layouts done. I hope I can keep up the momentum.


Have a good day everyone!

Maybe it's a January thing (you know, kinda brain dead after a busy season) but I don't seem to have much to share right now. So .... here's a little Tuesday meme from Tuesday's Tales. I found it kinda funny because it's about the weather ... and as we all know, Canadians love talking about the weather.

What is your favorite weather?
My favorite season is fall because I like the cooler weather. It's cool enough to need to wear a jacket or a sweater. The perfect fall day would be cool (when I would just need a sweater) and sunny.

What do you like to do during a rain storm?
My favorite place to be in a thunder storm is to be in the trailer. We turn off all the lights, open the blinds, and watch the free light show outside. Because it's away from the city lights, the show is usually spectacular. I don't really like it when it's just raining outside.

What do you like to do during a snow storm?
During a good snow storm there's nothing like turning on the fireplace and sitting in front of it with a good cup of tea. I also like to have the blinds or curtains open so I can watch the snow flying outside.

What do you dislike about bad weather?
I don't know if there's much I dislike bad weather except when it interfers with my plans.

What is the weather like where you are today?
Today was cold, with a few scattered flurries.


So, now it's your turn. Tell me what you like or dislike about the weather.

MIA Blogger

I know, I know. I've been bad. I've been neglecting my blog in the past week or so. I don't really have an excuse, except sheer laziness! I will try and catch you up so get a coffee and get comfortable. It may take a while.

Pat and I went to Lake Harmony, Pennsylvania to the Scrapping Away Vacations retreat. We left on Thursday from Oakville around 5 p.m. We were very fortunate in that there was very little traffic tie-ups. In fact the only slow down was through Oakville and Burlington on the QEW. From then on it was smooth sailing (at least road wise.)

We made a stop in Buffalo to go to Joann's Etc. and then to grab some supper. Much to our surprise there was a Swiss Chalet there and thought that would be a quick place to eat. We should have known better because as soon as we walked in the restaurant it had an odour to it. I can't really explain it except to say that it smelled like my Grandfather's basement ... you know, that musty, yet anticeptic smell? We learned a very valuable lesson ... don't eat at Swiss Cahalet in Buffalo. We ate quickly and got back on the road.

We drove for about three hours ... all the while I kept experiencing supper all over again. It kept repeating on me. Somewhere around 11 p.m. we pulled off to get some gas and I ended up being sick in the parking lot of the gas station. It was quite gross and I kept telling Pat that I never get sick and thought it was what I ate.

We tried to drive on, but soon it became clear that we would just need to stop for the night. We found a very nice, new hotel with great beds and crashed. I was feeling better and so I slept great, and in the morning I was completely fine. Whew!!!!

We only had to drive an hour more to get to the retreat. We arrived, checked in and set up our stuff. We didn't get our room until later in the afternoon. Our room smelled like fish (which we figured out later that it must have been left in the fridge because it really smelled bad.) and the heat didn't work. It was a good thing that I didn't have to sleep there the night before or I may have had some real problems.

We met and cropped with the ladies from the Cherished Scrapbooks forums. It was so much fun meeting them and getting to know them in person. We all felt like we've know each other forever.

These are the ladies from Cherished Scrapbooks online community, and Ali Edwards who was gracious enough to pose with us for some pictures.

We spent the weekend just scrapbooking, eating, laughing, and relaxing in the hot tub. What more could I ask for?

Both Pat and I couldn't get over the amount of stuff that alot of the ladies brought along with them. I thought I had a lot of stuff, but wow! It seems like they brought everything they owned. The table beside us was piled so high with stuff!! Check it out.

The drive home was a little smoother than the ride down ... and we made it a point to avoid the Swiss Chalet in Buffalo.

My week last week was basically spent trying to keep up the scrapbooking momentum and trying to get things unpacked and reorganized. ...and of course, trying to get caught up with all the online stuff and blogs.

John was away all week in Barbados (yes he went without me) and while he was soaking up the rays and having poolside meetings, I was cracking the whip at home with exams starting and a summitive that needed to be completed and handed in. Now all that is done. Both Matt and Spencer are finished exams and they have the rest of the week to themselves. Friday is a PD day so Cameron will be home too.

The retreat

Doesn't this place look great? It's in the Pocono mountains in Pennsylvania. It looks so peaceful. It looks so relaxing. It's called Split Rock Resort. Tomorrow a friend and I are heading down there. Friday morning we will be checking in and scrapbooking there for the weekend. Yes, I know. Another scrapbooking weekend ... it seems that I've been doing a lot of these lately.

This one will be attended by some ladies that I've been chatting with online for about 7 years now at the Cherished Scrapbooks website. The ladies that are going are mostly from the east coast United States. I really couldn't pass up a chance to scrap with these girls and am really looking forward to meeting them.

For me, it will be so nice to actually go to a retreat and just be an attendee. I'm always the one that's up and down and running around organizing the retreats. Not this time, and I'm really looking forward to it.

.... OK, back to my packing.

Some recent layouts

Some of these layouts are scraplifts from the internet or magazines. It feels good to be scrapping again.

The Reason for the Grounding

A few have been dying to know why the boys were grounded. They didn't sneak out of the house and go on a drinking binge. They didn't sneak girls into their room late at night. They didn't shoplift from a store. They didn't even hang their brother by his feet from the upstairs railing. Infact, they've never done any of that. So? What were they doing?

Ready? They were rough housing in the basement at 2 a.m. Yes, that's right! Do I sound like a strict mother? Well, before a jury of my peers convicts me and sentences me to cleaning the boys' bathrooms for a year, let me tell you my story.

This past weekend John was away in Paris and I ended up having some of my scrapping friends come for the weekend. I prepared the boys in advance that all the rooms would be taken up and that they could sleep in Dad's office (which happens to be beside the basement guest room.) I explained that someone would be sleeping in the room next to them and that they would have to be quiet. On Friday night/Saturday morning (like 3 a.m.) they were up and fooling around. When I got up in the morning, I was angry and gave them a lecture about being quiet as we had guests in the house and they couldn't be keeping everyone awake. The next night/morning they were rough housing at 2 a.m. while someone was trying to sleep in the room next door. I finally had to split them up and told them we would discuss the matter after everyone had left.

After discussion, we all agreed that a grounding was in order and that they would not see any screens for a week.

...unfortunately, due to excellent behaviour, I will not be able to prolong the grounding. In fact, John and I have agreed that they deserve to get off early. So, Saturday morning, life in my house will return to normal. (sigh! I knew it was too good to last!)

Right now I have two teenagers who are grounded from all screens. John is away and I was thinking that it was going to be more torture for me than for them. Much to my surprise, it has been great so far. Read my list to see why and why I just may be looking for reasons to extend the grounded, LOL!

Thirteen Reasons why it's been great having two grounded teens in the house 1. I get to actually use my computer in the evening 2. The boys all went swimming together last night 3. They are playing board games together 4. They are reading more 5. Matt has rediscovered his Warhammer game and has begun painting them again. 6. They are in bed earlier (without prompting from me) because apparently there’s nothing else to do. 7. Cameron is happy that his brothers are doing stuff with him 8. Without anything else to do, homework is being done with a lot more care and time. 9. They are being very helpful around the house (in hopes of getting a lighter sentence) 10. Matt has stayed at school to watch some of the sports activities and to talk to his peers (which is a great thing for a child with nonverbal learning disorder) 11. Piano and cornet practises haven't been so rushed 12. I only have to call once for supper 13. My Scraproom (where the computer is) is void of cups, plates, wrappers, crumbs, and empty water bottles. Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. Ash 2. Nancy 3. Cindy 4. Chelle 5. Dixiechick 6. Jenn 7. Colleen 8. Ann b 9. Raggedy

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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On the road to a healthier lifestyle

So, the other day, John and I went and bought a treadmill. Knowing that I would waste away a gym membership, I thought this would be the best way to go. So ... this is what we ended up with:
:

They certainly get you off to a good start because the biggest work out is getting it home, in the house, and set up. Now that it's set up I need to make sure that I use it, which I have ... three times already. Cameron and his friends have have found great uses for it, including races (to see who can "get to the higher number", and running remote controlled cars on it.

I was a little concerned about Cameron playing with it when I'm upstairs but John said "easy! Just hide the key." (the key is a magnetic thing that has to be placed on a certain point for it to work.) Well, Cameron just used other magnetic things to make it go.

I found this video on the net. It's very cool. I wonder how long it will be before Cameron is doing some of these.

Thirteen Thoughts on my Mind 1. I need to get active again. for a while several years ago I was a faithful gym-goer but got out of the habit after the gym burnt down. I need to make it a priority again. 2. The house is a mess. The boys have been home for two weeks and the house is showing it. 3. I finally got all my decorations away. I hate that job! 4. I have some friends coming for the weekend. John is going to Paris and so some of my scrapping friends are coming to scrap with me. 5. The boys are going to hate having a house full of women all weekend. 6. I wish I could sleep like the teenagers in my house. They've been sleeping until noon every day. Sleeping in to me now is 9 a.m. Sad, I know! 7.I hope I can get the van started. Yesterday I went to take Cameron and his friends to the rink to go skating and the battery was dead. John was away for the night and so the van has sat lifeless in the driveway. 8. I really don't want to spend a few hours at Canadian Tire getting a new battery for the van. 9. We really need groceries. This morning I couldn't have cereal - no milk, toast - no bread, or tea - no sugar. 10. 10 year old boys are loud and rough! 11. I'm missing some pictures of a trip we took to the bird aviary and it's been killing me trying to find them. I hope they show up because I have the perfect layout to use with them. 12. Does anyone else have trouble trying to find topics for Thursday Thirteen? 13.I think I finally know what colour I'm going to paint the living areas of our house ... thanks Jennifer! Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. Chickadee 2. Christine 3. Just Expressing Myself 4. Terri 5. judeandelise 6. JohnH 7. The German Girl 8. Raggedy 9. Alisonwonderland

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Sisters

On Saturday we decided to go out for dinner as Joanne was leaving the next day to fly back to Calgary. So, Joanne, Cathy, Deb and I hit the town ... Ajax, that is. We tried to make it to a scrapbook store, which we managed to do so for five minutes before they closed. Since we still had some money to burn, we hit a few more stores (but other than a milk container, no one purchased anything ... pretty sad, I know!)

Dinner was fun. Somehow, they always seem to know and stick us in a back corner. We didn't mind, however, because the waiter was very easy on the eyes and kept giving Deb the eye! We really did try to behave. Honest! Coming from the family we come from, it's a difficult thing to do! It started off very nice.

See? Don't we look like dignified women?

Then, it started! I don't know who said what, or who threw the first punch.

Then, it was all out war! Every woman for herself. Take no prisoners.

Just another typical day in the lives of sisters and friends!