Why, Why, Why???

This is typical of the type of conversations I have been having with Grayson lately...

G: What are you doing mommy? ( just as I am getting into what I was hoping would be a nice relaxing, quiet shower)
Me: Having a shower.
G: Why are you having a shower?
Me: Because I want to get nice and clean.
G: Why do you want to get nice and clean?
Me: Because I don't want to be dirty.
G. Oh. (Pause) Why don't you want to be dirty mommy?
Me: Well, I like to smell nice and look pretty.
G: Why do you like to smell pirty?
Me: Argggh!!!! No...I didn't really say this...I just imagined saying it!

Seriously, though, how do you make a conversation like this end??? Grayson is in such a "why" period right now. I love him dearly but it tries my patience! I shouldn't be surprised because I remember my dad telling me that I went through a period when I was young where I would ask "Why" to almost everything that was said too. I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Oh well...

Hope you had a great Valentines Day. We just took it easy yesterday, but today was a busy day with my God-daughter's birthday party and a family dinner at my aunt's house. Tomorrow is the Family Day Holiday, so we are lucky to have yet another free weekend day ahead of us. I hope to get a lot of old photos sorted for my Library of Memories class and get them placed into some photo storage albums in preparation for the next step which is placing them into category drawers. I think it will be a great system for quickly finding photos from various years/seasons as well as identifying and scrapbooking photos that have more personal meaning.

I am also looking forward tomorrow to seeing a sneak peek at the new line of Creative Memories products which will be available March 1. I love new scrapping supplies...yummy!

Lastly, I got an email from the lovely Georgana Hall over at Adornit. They have just launched a new monthly kit program and she posted a tip I submitted on how to use your scrapbooking time effectively. Watch for a new kit every month and more tips from busy scrapbooking moms just like me and you.

Happy Scrapping!
Noreen

Friday Thoughts and Hearts A-Plenty

I often get to the end of the week before I get to the end of the to-do list! this seems to be one of those weeks. I had wanted to:

• go to Ikea to buy a bookshelf, wall shelf and kitchen rail system to finish organizing my scrap space
• get a start on taxes
• alter my clipboard and sort my digital photos before LOM started
• bake some banana bread (the bananas are WAY past redemption now)
• revamp my website (yes, it needs it and I haven't posted anything to if in a while)
• clean my bathrooms

None of these things got done. I am always amazed at how busy my days are being a SAHM yet, how little I actually get done. But, some things we DID get done this week were:

• cleaned up and organized toys, clothes and party supplies after the birthday party
• took Sam to the ABCH for a check on his StarBand and a growth adjustment
• got some portraits and passport photos taken of the boys
• took mom out for lunch and a visit
• started Library of Memories class at BPS and all the photo organization that goes with it
• got to meet my good friend Wendy for a mid-afernoon coffee
• about 12 loads of laundry
• got valentine treat bags, cards and tags made

Not too bad after all. Sigh...there is always next week to try again!

But there is a long weekend ahead and I am looking forward to heading out for supper for Valentines Day and doing something fun on Monday, which is the Family Day holiday here in Alberta.

Speaking of hearts and Valentines Day I thought I would share some heart ideas...

Here are the Valentine treat bags and heart tags we made for Grayson's dayhome friends. First I punched out several double tags with my CM Tag Maker. I placed the folded edge of the pink paper just inside the cutting edge of the punch so I would get a folded, "double" tag.

Then I punched several hearts using CM's new Sweet Heart Maker. The nice thing is you get two hearts with one punch...the lacy, large outer heart and the funky, smaller, solid heart. I adhered them onto the outside of the tags/cards with a little liquid adhesive.

Then I used a cute Valentine stamp from Kolette Hall (Michael's) on the inside and wrote our little message.

Then we popped all the treats into little heart bags we found at the dollar store and tied on our tags. Cute, easy, cheap.

Next up - I love these Little Debbie "Be My Valentine" cakes. They look like fancy little petit four cakes eh? But they are in the snack cake aisle along with the Twinkies! Shhh...dont' tell anyone and they'll think you are a baking genius.

And finally, have a look at these adorable little heart paper clips.

They are regular clips, but it's all in the way you bend them. Check out how to make them here. Brilliant!

Hope that gives you a few heartfelt ideas just in time for V-Day! Hope you have a great one!

Happy Scrapping,

Noreen

Birthday Aftermath

The party has come and gone, as all good things do. But what a time Grayson had.

From the start Grayson had wanted a Lightning McQueen theme for his fourth birthday party...decorations, games, and of course a cake. It was a pretty homemade affair really. We decided it would be at home with just a few friends. I made and sent out the photocard invitations and he was thrilled that his buddies all were able to come.

When they arrived they all played together in his playroom for a bit while we got lunch ready (pizza, munchy mix, veggie and fruit tray).

After lunch we played some organized games (pin the number on Lightning McQueen) and did a craft (foam animal stickers and letters...thank goodness for those foamy craft kits).

Then it was time for the cake.

Oh.

My.

Lordy-be.

It really was a lovely looking cake with a Lightning McQueen car driving down a road, with black and red checkers along the side.

Well, as soon as the first piece was cut we realized how red the red icing really was and how quickly it could stain whatever touched it. Of course Grayson promptly leaned into it as he blew out the candle and got it all over his sweater.

It looked like a blood bath afterwards...at one point I thought one of the kids had cut their head open, but it was only the icing. Add some smooshes of gray and black icing (on kids, shirts and plates) and it was one gory sight. But, it tasted great and the kids loved it.

Present opening and loot bag distribution wrapped up the affair and everyone headed home for a restful afternoon.

Our family stayed around to visit and Grayson tried out some of his new toys, which included a scooter complete with helmet, knee pads etc. which he loved. And then he crashed hard...while still fully geared up.

But later when I was tucking him in for the night, he said to me sleepily, "I sure loved my party mommy". And that made it all worthwhile.

I'm so looking forward to scrapping these pics and stories...will post as I finish them up.

Happy scrapping!

Noreen

New Digi Layouts

Just a quick post today as we are getting ready for Grayson's 4th birthday party! We have to get some cleaning, recycling and shopping done so I better get going!

I just wanted to share two new digi layouts I finished up using a new kit from CM - Best Buds and Blush Blooms ( 2 in 1!!!) It's a great kit because there is a whole set of papers, embellishments, titles, overlays and alphas EACH for boys AND girls!

Here is the layout I did with the Best Buds content using the sketch of the week over at Sisterhood Of Scrap:


And here is one using the Blush Blooms content for a layout with my mom and Sammy:



One thing I love about digital scrapbooking is the ease of which I can share them with family and friends...once I finish the layout I can post it on my blog or in my Flickr gallery, email it to someone or print it out to place in an album or frame. So many quick options!

If you are in the Calgary area and want to find out a little more about getting started with digital scrapbooking, I am holding a FREE Introduction to Digital Scrapbooking Workshop on Thursday February 26. You can see details and register here. Hope you can make it!

Off to get ready for the party...will post some pics afterwards! Have a great weekend!

Happy Scrapping!
Noreen

I had no idea...

Four years ago today my life changed completely when at 10:59 pm my son Grayson was born. I became a mother and everything was different.

I had no idea how fiercely I would love this little one. How I knew I would do anything for him. How much my heart would ache when I was away from him.

I had no idea that some days I would be exhausted - emotionally and physically. Or that I would be thankful simply for someone making dinner for me or having the luxury of time for a long, hot shower.

I had no idea that I would doubt myself and my abilities. Or that I would worry constantly.

I had no idea of the pride and joy I would feel at his every milestone - sitting up, eating, rolling over, crawling, walking, talking. Or that I would be intent on recording all these precious moments to revisit again and again.

I had no idea how happy he could make me. Or how frustrated. That his smile could lift me out of a foul mood or that his unhappiness could make me despondent.

I had no idea that I would cry everyday for months when I had to leave him and go back to work. Or that I would ignore everything to be with him when we got home at the end of the day.

I had no idea that a day would come when I was thankful for having a little time to myself again. Or that I would feel so guilty about being so thankful.

I had no idea what it was going to be like to be a mother. Or that I would love it and him so much. And as I look at my son who is no longer a baby, I had no idea how much either of us would change in just four short years.


Happy Scrapping!
Noreen

The LOVE Factor

I love the month of February (except for the cold weather) because of it's LOVE factor! When I think of February I think of love - and for more reasons than just Valentines day. Hubby and I had our first date on February 13, 2002. Then we had our wedding reception almost a year later on February 8, 2003 (we actually got married in Jamaica, but that's a whole other story). And our first son Grayson was born on February 3, 2005. So February has a lot of love! And what better to symbolize love than hearts?

Here are a few heart-ful items from here and there:

The February cards on Christmas Cards All Year Round feature Christmas cards with hearts and/or using pink, red and white color schemes. Here are the ones I contributed this month:





These hanging hearts from Inchmark are really cute...maybe over your table or from a ceiling light fixture?



Lots of heart and valentines day coloring pages for your kiddos here.

This is so sweet to use on a card or scrapbook page: CM's new SweetHeart Maker



I think I will be using it to make some sweet little Valentine cards and tags that I will be sure to post in the next day or two. PS...Grayson loves to use my punches, so maybe we'll make the Valentines for his friends too.

Check back for more hearts to come in the next few days...
Happy Scrapping!
Noreen

Winners!

Yay for Deanne and Carla!

They each left a comment about how they scrapbook and I will be sending them a little CM love in the mail! Thanks for your comments ladies! I will contact you both by email to get your snail mail addies!

Happy Scrapping!
Noreen