The Retreat

I'm off today for a much needed weekend of R and R with my peeps.

Someone asked me about the retreat that I go to.

This is a scrapbooking retreat that runs twice a year, Spring and Fall. I started this retreat back 2002 or 2003 ( I don't actually remember at this moment). My sisters and my cousin were talking about how much fun it would be to have a scrapbooking retreat at our Church camp. So, we looked into it, and decided to go for it. At the first retreat we had 24 ladies (our facilities held 32), which we considered a huge success. Everyone loved it so much, we decided to run it twice a year and it quickly grew to 32. At one point we booked another winterized cabin and we went up to 38.

From the retreat we decided to start our weekly girls week and hit the road. We book a big house somewhere different every year and set up our scrapbooking stuff and spend the week scrapbooking and touring. There's 20 ladies that go on this vacation every year.

A year ago I decided to give up the reigns of the retreat as my attention was being drawn away to the scrapping vacations. My cousin, Carol, and my friend, Pat, now run the retreat.

So, now I get to continue to attend the retreat, and, as I said to Pat, I feel helpless (because they insist I just relax and enjoy) and free. It's nice to be an attendee.

So, I will leave here shortly to pick up a couple of girls, and we are going to spend the day shopping and going for dinner before we check into the Scrapping Cabin.

Ahhhhh. I'm really looking forward to this. I'm so fortunate to have a husband who recognizes my need to take these times for myself and to spend time with my friends, and encourages me to do so. (maybe he just feels sorry for me living in a houseful of boys.)

Before I go, here's a recent layout I did. It was a scraplift out of one of the Creating Keepsakes Magazine, and they had the guitar template on their website. I really love how it turned out.

This is the Halton Junior Jazz Band last year. They had a final get together and pool party at one of the family's homes, and the kids pulled out their instruments in the garage for a jam session. It was very cool.

Daybook

It feels so good to be participating again.

FOR TODAY(Nov. 23rd)...

Outside my window... it's a beautiful day here in Southern Ontario. The air is crisp, the sky is blue and the sun is shining. It's a perfect late autumn day.

I am thinking... that I just might make my blogging goal by the end of the year, to reach the 500 blog post mark since when I began blogging.

I am thankful for... the abundance of support out there.

From my scrapbook room ... it's a mess right now with paper all over the floor and stacks of pictures as I try to get layout packets ready. I'm making progress.

From the kitchen... tonight it's Chicken Fried Rice. Note to self, make lots for leftovers for lunches and snacks.

I am wearing... jeans and a sweater. Perfect Fall wear.

I am creating... not much these days. My scrapping time and energy has been limited.

I am going... to the chiropractor shortly. Am I the only one who hates having my back cracked?

I am reading... the last book in the Twilight Series.

I am hoping... for some possitive results from a med review that we have scheduled this week.

I am hearing... the sound of the kettle getting ready to boil for a cup of tea.

Around the house... we have some major cleaning to do this week to get the house ready to get the decorations out.

One of my favorite things... curling up in front of the fire with a cup of hot tea. I know I've used this one before, but it is one of my favourite things.

A few plans for the rest of the week: it's going to be a busy week - lots of cleaning, driving boys to rehersals, packing up my scrapping stuff, attending the retreat this weekend (from Thursday to Sunday), appointments.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing:

Simple Times!

If you want to participate, go to http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/. Come on, try it. You know you want to.

Three Weeks of Happenings

-halloween came and went. (why does that seem like it was so long ago.) I was both happy and sad about that. It was the last year for any of my children to dress up and go out trick or treating. Since Halloween isn't one of my favourite occasions, I'm glad, but sad that my baby is growing up.

-both Matt and Spencer have started their in-car driving lessons. Why did we put them both in at the same time? I have enough grey hairs as it it.

-Cameron and Spencer played Oh Canada at the Argos game (with the combined Divisional Youth Band and the Junior Divisional Youth Band)

-we ran the first scrapbooking day at our Church. I eneded up doing a beginner class ... not my strong suit and totally out of my comfort zone!

-we celebrated John's (ahem) 48th!!!!! birthday. Yes, he's older than me! Not by much, but he's older. (as long as I keep reminding him, and myself, of that, it makes me feel younger, lol)

-We went to London to take my parents to Cirque Du Soleil. Wow! What an awesome show! I can't wait to see more.

-I've been bitten. Yes, it's true! I just had to check it out to see what all the fuss was about. Now, I'm a Twihard! My friend, Joanne, loaned me her Twilight books and now I can't put them down. I even had to watch the first movie.

-Milena and I are going to New Moon tomorrow afternoon, to sit in a theatre filled with a bunch of screaming teenagers. What are we thinking??

-Spencer was asked to play trumpet for a school production. It's him, a piano player, and a drummer. I think he's enjoying it ... but it's eating away at all his free time at the moment.

-I haven't had the time or energy to do much in the way of scrapbooking lately. I just picked up a tonne of new pictures from Costco so I really have no excuse.

Wow! Has it really been three weeks since I've blogged? It's not often that I neglect it for that long. Actually, in many ways, it seems like it's been three months.

You know how sometimes life has a way of taking the wind out of your sails? The past three weeks have been rather stressful around here. I can't really go into all the gory details, but I think we have the whole mess all sorted out and have things in place to help.

I really appreciate those who noticed my absense and were checking up on me. It feels so nice to be missed and loved like that. I had a nice long chat with an on-line friend last night who knows first hand what we are going through. I don't know if it's that misery likes company, or more that it's nice to talk to someone who really gets it.

I've been reading the blogs on my reader list, and have tried to make some comments. I promice that I will get to those very soon.