It's Happened...

...Yep...

Decision has been made.

This blog will remain viewable, BUT...

if you want to continue along with my

blogging journey,

then come join me at my NEW BLOG...

www.usdocumented.blogspot.com

hope to see you there!!!

x0x0

UH OH.

...HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY...

to all my Mom, Grandma, Auntie and Proxy Parent friends in my special world!!!!

I tried blogging some pics from my mother's day for you BUT it seems I have used up all my photo storage in my Blogger Google account....

Hmmph.

not sure how i'm gonna go about fixing this situation up, but i will be back soon with a remedy!!

Moi Ha Ha....

:)

A little bit of...

...spring shopping for courtney and she was up for a little backyard photo shoot after school on friday!

...this weekend was my friend lora leigh's two day scrapbooking crop in which i was her vendor at again!

i had my sweet, sweet friend tracy keeping me company at my table and LOOK what she brought for us for a treat this weekend!!!

C-Cups cupcakes!! Awwwww Yeeeaaaahhh!!!!

( thanks again Brat....they were delish!! )

...and here's a peek at my creative mind this weekend...

( this one is for my LAST Day 12 sketch for Kelly Purkey's Sketchbook class...all done!! So Fun! )

...and i LOVED digging out some oldies of courtney's to play with again...

( click on any of the photos if you want to see them bigger! )

what fun!!!

:)

...be back soon...

...paper playdate...

thought i would share some scrappiness with you,

now that the venting is over!

HAHA!! ( sort of )

...at my friend Tara's house on saturday!!!

(tara and mittens)

...my work space...

...i was a bit behind on my Kelly Purkey Sketchbook online class I am taking with Tara, actually, we both were behind. so saturday's plan was to catch up the last four days and one special layout if i still had time...

...here's my Day 8 sketch

...my day 9 sketch...

...my day 10 sketch...

...and my day 11 sketch...

...i just have day 12 to complete and then the class is done! but the fun part is i can use the class sketch's again and again with different fun variations!

...and here's my "one for fun" for tyler's album....

it is based off a sketch in the gallery and i LOVED the red tartan paper on the kraft cardstock!

:)

...i have no apologies for all my venting on my last post. it is my blog afterall.

these are my thoughts and feelings splayed out, from the heart, live and real.

i think that a lot of people who enjoy reading other people's blogs get an idea that that person's life is pretty awesome and worry free, perfect little life, etc...

which, for every human being, this is not so.

i am human.

i hurt.

i cry.

i get upset.

all of this right along with all the joy, happiness and love that i do indeed have in abundance in my family!

it's just that i tend to keep my blog on a positve note as much as possible.

who wants to read about negative experiences, bad happenings and problems all the time?

blogging (journaling) is a GREAT way for me to KEEP happy, positive reminders, especially when seeing my photographs, that we really DO have a good life.

so it's very threraputic!!! it keeps things in perspective, and that's why I guess you mostly only read

THE GOOD STUFF.

hahaha!!!

but trust me, i have the same feelings in my heart as everyone else, and yesterday's post was a NEED to let some of my frustrations out and share my pain with you!!!

...and thank you to all my friends who have sent me comments or private emails to lift our spirits and send us e-hugs to cheer up!!! you ALL mean so much to our family and your encouragement and support is

most valued and special to us!!!

x0x0

...be back soon...

...sunday update...

WARNING...A LOT OF VENTING HERE!!!

what can you do?

what can you say?

...when your heart breaks for you child who has been working so hard for so long to be successful and come SO CLOSE at yesterday's chance to win a provincial respresentative spot at her dance competition?

she actually tied with another dancer winning two 3rds and two 4ths the same...but when it's a Championship class, the math comes down to Judges placings and the other dancer squeaked by, literally,by a measly 13 points.

and there were only 3 rep spots per premier age group.

So. Discouraging.

So. Frustrating.

(while peeking around the corner into the living room last night, this was what i saw...)

:(

...i let her have her sad afternoon. i couldn't fix things for her. i too, was sad with her.

we had decided almost two weeks ago to go to the Canadian Inter-Provincial championships (in Nova Scotia - July ) regardless of winning a Rep spot or not, and had booked a room and registered back then for her competitions already, so we were all really hoping that she would be going as a Rep, but prepared to accept going either way.

Until yesterday. Grr...

it's really hard to stay positive along the way when time after time it's the same kids always winning and showing their bad sportsmanship by bragging how they hardly even practised while walking off the stage after results. Or bragging to your face how "i already knew I was going to be a Rep" before the competition even starts.

It. Gets. Sickening.

ANYWAY...

life goes on and i had a little talk with her that even though she's sad today, she will look back at the photos and be happy she was a part of it all anyway.

she won 3rd runner up ( which means in this competition, that should one of the other Reps in her class be unable to attend Inter-prov, she would be first in line as the next Rep ) and still won a new trophy to bring home...

there are so many kids that don't even win any medals on days like these and to imagine how they feel after all their preparing too.

ugh, highland dance is no easy sport. and some days we wonder if the stress and pressure it puts on these kids is worth it. but at the end of the day, disheartened or victorious, as a former dancer in my own youth, I believe it teaches them self discipline, self reward and determination to stick with it and carry on. ( and to try your best to ignore the negative comments from other competitors )

there will always be another competition!

( courtney and her new dance teacher susan with her special bunny gift for good luck! )

...this years manitoba representitives and runner ups for Inter-Prov...

...a tough smile to put on...

(wink)

...and a nonetheless proud hug from susan!

(thanks for being supportive and understanding today!!!!)

...and...

while courtney was at her dance competition, as i mentioned in my last post, tyler was at his YBC Bowler of the Year Manitoba wide tournament!

But...seems that no luck ran in our family yesterday as he didn't have such a great day.

:(

he did finish his day with a +26 pins over average, but not near enough to win...

but that's okay...so YBC is now done for the year and we are looking forward to his big bowling banquet next week on the 11th....especially tyler!!!

so.

that's that for yesterday.

and since i don't want to finish this post off on a negative note...

CONGRATS WILLIAM AND KATE

on your beautiful wedding...

...and it's sure nice to read good news in the paper today....

i just might frame my winnipeg sun front page of Osama bin Laden's send off wishes to

"burn in hell"!!!!

...be back soon -on a happier note!!!

:)

Meet....

...Speedy Gonzales...

hahaha!

i have been wanting one of these cute little cactuses for my car for a LONG time, and started looking last spring in mexcio...of course with no luck.

our next door neighbors just returned from Arizona and LOOK what they found for me and my new car!!!

AWWWWW YYYYEAEEEEEAAAAAHHHHH!!!

i love it!

( even if my friend linda says that the value of my car has decreased with it on it....hahahaha)

...and just a quick little piece of excitement to share with you...

last night tyler bowled in another tournament!

he was elected Bowler of the Month back in october, and at the end of every season, they hold a Bowler of the YEAR tournie for all the recipents.

it's a pins over average competition and tyler went into this event with a 103 Average...

...incredibly, his first game of three last night was 227!!!!

we were sooooo excited for him as this was also his very first over 200 game!

( we being myself, tyler and my mom who came to cheer him on - mike had to take courtney to her dance lesson! )

..game two was 127, and game three was 141....so he finished with a +186 pins over his average...

...and he WON the tournament!!!!

he now has to bowl this sunday afternoon in an accross Manitoba final Bowler of the Year tournament, again with a pins over average determination.

i wont' be able to go and cheer / coach him on as our courtney is also competing in a very important dance competition this sunday too...it's her selection meet championships event that determines the top 3 dancers from each permier class as the Manitoba Reps for the Canadian Inter-Provincial Championships in July...

SO.....WISH OUR KIDS LOTSA LUCK AND PERSONAL BESTS THIS WEEKEND!!!!

:)

...and the icing on the cake last night was another SPECTACULAR performance by my favorite Idol,

JAMES!

i think HIS personal best yet too!!!

sooooooo happy for him!

You. Rock. James.

...be back soon...

:)

New one...

...For Oliver...

Sketchbook 3 class, Day 7.

...be back soon...

:)

Surviving Easter...

...HAHAHA...

i'm sure our easter weekend was as busy as everybody else!

spending most the weekend in the kitchen, getting things ready, buying treats, coloring easter eggs and baking...

and throw in another big family upset in there and it makes for a hectic, stressful holiday!!

choosing to make the best of things and focusing on the kids' excitement, on went the show!

courtney is getting older now and even though she supresses her excitement over the annual treat hunt left by the Easter Bunny, she is still quite excited to fill her baskets full of candy and chocolates!

tyler, on the other hand, is MOST EXPRESSIVE over HIS excitement for the morning egg hunt!

...even little Oliver was left a new rattle toy from the Easter Bunny!!!!

...and the grand finale is always finding their easter basket and treats from mom and dad...

(last year, tyler couldn't reach that cupboard! )

( note Bunny on the kitchen counter...he STILL goes everywhere tyler goes - so cute! )

...all was said and done...= two very lucky little kidlets!

...then on to coloring eggs to take to my moms for dinner sunday...

TA-DAA!!!!

...and the cupcakes BEFORE....

...and AFTER...

thanks for all your help C & T!!!!!!

x0x0

...i cooked a 15lb turkey and made stuffing to bring to moms for dinner ( along with eggs and cupcakes ) and when i arrived with the kids, this is what was going on in her kitchen....

Grandma and Grandpa were at moms for 3 days over the holiday to spend time with family, and Grandma was at the stove - walker nearby - making her gravy for HER homemade meatballs!!!!

and my brother Curt was prepping his salad for dinner!!

LOVE. THIS.

:)

...and at last,time to eat!!!

I hope you ALL had a fabulous Easter holiday with your loved ones!!

...be back soon...

Bird River!

...guess lots of you have been waiting for me to post some pics from my fun, scrappy weekend at

Bird River Bible Camp! (april 14 - 18 )

i was asked by a fellow scrappin' friend to come join her Scrappy Chicks with my store for a weekend retreat!

it was a smaller, more personal crop ( just what i LOVE! ) and it was indeed most enjoyable!

my mom came along with me to this one and i was happy for her company!

we had some snow overnight friday night and all day on and off, flurries and windy on saturday...but that didn't stop me from being optimistic for Spring and wear my flip flops all weekend long! HA!

...i had left my camera back at home with mike to video courtney's dancing at her competition on saturday that i was not going to be at! so i had brought courtney's camera along with me, not realizing that the wrong date was showing on the camera until it was too late...oh well...

this was the main lodge we stayed in...dorm style bedrooms with bunk beds ( one set to ourselves ) and they were actually quite comfy too! ( bringing your own bedding made it feel more like home! )

and the cropping area was right off the bedrooms!

we also had a full kitchen available right in the lodge so making coffee, tea or bringing along food was always available for snacking!

...me at work...

...mom at the mini album class i tought in the dinning hall...

...this is jackie and chris. she was our hospitality hostess and director, and her husband chris was a FABULOUS chef for the weekend! they are from florida and came to this camp in manitoba on a year long mission work and will be returning to florida in may...( chris told me discovering driving on black ice this winter was a scary highlight of manitoba winters - aside from experiencing -45 temperatures! -no doubt! )

...and here's just a peek at some of our awesome meals this weekend...

...SEE!!!!???? told ya i was staying optimistic for spring!

...mom and i ...

...group photo...

...mom chillaxin' while i loaded up the SUV to come home...

...and can i say that i am quite fond of my little cherries air freshener..

...and here's another peek at some of my work from Bird River...

this first one i did for my Kelly Purkey online sketch class and it really got me inspired and motivated.

i was soooooo lost in my creations this weekend...just awesome to feel so productive, it doesn't happen very often!

...april 19 was my grandpa's official 90th birthday!

but the kids and i went up for a visit after school on the 20th and stayed to have dinner with them. after dinner, they both had a little musical production for them! they hadn't heard courtney play her saxophone yet, and she included Loch Lomond in her playlist...so proud of my kids!

...and I LOVED American Idol, once again, this week!!!

I am sooooo absorbed in this season...i think because i have just loved James since auditions and I immensely enjoy watching him perform and grow as an artist and soooo happy for him and his progress and achievements.

seriously. there hasn't been one thing that i haven't enjoyed by him yet.

Durbin, you rock!!! keep it going!

(he has been my prediction to WIN since he made the top 24...i can FEEL it)

AND....

we are off to my MIL's for easter dinner and a visit now...

so here's to wishing you and your families a very Happy Easter weekend!!!

from Oliver and his family!!

( heeheehee )

x0x0

...be back soon...