the best thing...

4 years ago I married this man. He is funny, compassionate, honest, caring, genuine, loving and so good for me. Best thing I ever did... Happy Anniversary!

Do you REALLY know me?

Thanks to Crystal for giving us all another opportunity to get to know me better. Now I tag Amanda and Everyone else who reads this.

1. The Name you would have chose for yourself if you had any say at all: I would have said Kate but Crystal already said that.. sheesh.

2. Favourite Jelly Belly flavour: Pear

3. If you could trade your citizenship with any other country, what would it be? Ireland

4. Have you ever been skinny-dipping? Oh yea

5. Favourite cocktail: The drink the bartender made me at Morgan & Martha's wedding.

6. Last place on earth you'd ever want to be: Altona

7. Most recent kiss - when and from whom? Today from Noah

8. Three earthly friends you can't live without: Dave, Lisa, Amanda, Jenelle, Audrey (Sheesh and so many more)

9. A meal memory that surpassed all others: Breaking that pinata last weekend was too fun.

10. How many times in your life have you moved? many, many times.

11. We can't all have our own Italian Stallion. But what kind of 'Stallion' would you have? HA I've got him the real life Italian Stallion is all mine.

12. Quick! Right this second, if you could be translated anywhere, where would you go? I'd like to be in Italy with my sil's. They look like they are having too much fun!

13. A toy from your childhood that you would still play with: I loved my barbies.

14. How many boyfriends/girlfriends have you had? Lets not go there.

15. Flip-flops, knee-high boots, or Reebok Pumps? flip flops

16. Ever waxed anything before? Yes

17. Favourite dance move? i do a pretty mean toe to toe spin. yea you really have to see it to get it.

18. Best sunrise you've ever witnessed: Cambodia many moons ago.

19. The one food that you make that nobody else can come close to (in your opinion, of course): hmm this one has got me???

20. Chrissy, Janet or Terry? Terry all the way

21. The band or song you secretly love but would never tell until now: All Abba all the time

22. Article of clothing you wouldn't be caught dead in: bikini

23. Sprawling one-story or multi-storied mansion? multi-storied mansion.

24. Do you dance in front of the mirror? Not really.

25. Weirdest food you've ever loved: Raw Hot Dogs - well not really raw cause they are cooked but I like them cold.

26. On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being very strange, how strange do you REALLY think you are? 4

take a little time

to be thankful...

thankful for summer days
thankful for scrapbooking friends and that time for me
thankful for a husband who somehow puts up with me
thankful for a friendship with my parents that means the world to me
thankful for fabric and pretty paper
thankful for a backyard that we can play in
thankful for a mind full of creative ideas
thankful for this friend that i can talk to many times a daythankful for this friend who is there for me always (in a million different ways)thankful for a great job that i love
thankful for far away friends who take time to keep up with me
thankful for a successful start to my new business
thankful for rain which washes away the dust
thankful for my kids loving there first half day at Shirley's - especially thankful here

eye candy

because I know you all love links... I thought I would compile a list of my new favorite things.. eye candy i like to call it. thats the beauty of online browsing.. i crave these things

for my love of owls...
fruitflypie - Ceramic Desk Owl Vintage Design
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=14387289

The Sensible Owl
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=sr_gallery_18&listing_id=14384709

What should be my new mantra... and would look great in my dining room...
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=sr_gallery_5&listing_id=14386477

For over my bed
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=sr_gallery_6&listing_id=14384965

and why don't i have a girl?
http://www.potterybarnkids.com/room/rom/romgir/romgirwod/index.cfm

amy butler and i were destined to be friends:
http://www.amybutlerdesign.com/products/fabrics_top.php?fabric=august-fields&flid=13


inspired child's play
http://www.ohdeedoh.com/ohdeedoh/toys-kids/phil-and-sophie-from-plug-and-play-design-ohdeedoh-in-europe-ha


and for the love of all things just check this out and bookmark it.. so lovely.
http://www.ohdeedoh.com/

falling apart

i feel like i am falling apart... this week brings me back to when the babies were little and i was at my wits end with them. it was so hard to manage... even though physically this is easier.. mentally and emotionally i am back at the beginning where i started.
where did my well behaved little mellow sweethearts go.. i find all day long my most spoken words are "what is wrong with you?" ok ok the white lines on the back of their gums must surely be the culprit i know that but it doesn't make it any easier... with another transition on the horizon (going back to work) we need to figure out a way to make this work. the summer was so good... i was loving the ease my boys gave me..
anyways just feeling uberly emotional and on the brink of falling apart at a moments notice. thankful for good friends who bring me a meal on a really bad day and offer to babysit when they must have something better to do.. for people who ask me if my day got better when we meet in a random place. it's those things that help me realize that for better or worse i won't drown.. i'm just riding the waves.

art journal class

so very inspired by Rachel's art journal class. got the first two done. it's so nice to meld together my love of creating and my love affair with journaling... for so long i have been stuck with journaling and this is a great way to compress my thoughts on a page. tutorial #1 was called "List it" and the second tutorial was "Make it known"....

monday

so clever a title for someone who has not posted in so long... last week was crazy as i was getting ready for my Grand Opening.. it went so well thank you to everyone who came and those who supported me. i was happy with the turn out and had some good feedback.. now to book some shows. anyone interested in hosting a party and getting LOADS of free stuff let me know.
my mil popped by for a short visit which was great.
we took in some parade action at the Harvest Festival this weekend. always tons of fun.
so far i have been loving my online Art Journal class led by the fabulous Rachel over at Blingonmysewingmachine so far we have had two tutorials. its' been fun to use different mediums and also be inspired to really think about journaling again. have not decided whether or not to post my pages on here yet.. so stay tuned.

potty

so after much prompting from my husband and my kids (they beg to go on the potty) i picked up the book "Toilet Training in less than A Day"... still reading it but so far really impressed and willing to give it a shot this summer yet. Only because a.) I am off work this summer so I have time and b.) seriously my kids beg me for potty action.
I admit I have not been reading it much lately only because I have a million other things going on and daily my husband reminds me that I need to get going with it.. ok ok.. after this weekend you have my convinced only because of two things....

Who knew Ari would be so interested in reading about it.. practically carrying this book around all the time; inspecting it, looking at the pictures, looking up at me longingly.



and the clincher... today he asked to go poop on the potty and proudly produced one of the biggest i've ever seen. it was a very proud moment as our house erupted in cheers and clapping. I think I get it now Ari.. so could you please pass me the book?

bloggy business

First off sorry to those of you who were lost without my links.. they have been upgraded.. for those of you who may be confused as to why you are not on there.. I had to draw a line. If you have not posted in a super long time I didn't link you. That does not mean I don't check. I subscribe to blogs via RSS so I still will catch you. If you are a private blog you also get no linky action from me. That being said if I have missed anyone please let me know.. it was not intentional. ok thats all. Back to regularly scheduled programming...

some summer things

I think I have mentioned before but we are loving summer. Ari & Noah especially. We keep ourselves busy...

we got to the beach and say "cheese" alot

we got grass in our backyard.. oh yea that is nice and it was fun to watch all the action from the comfort of my chair with snacks to boot.
scary picture i know but its the look of awe and wonder as I now run.. yep run. personal best so far 4.36km whoa!and we go to the beach again... we are so good at the beach and love to play by the water!

and if only i had some photos the place where we spend most of our time is at C's park... she has the best toys, the coolest pool with slide and it's where we enjoy passing our days...

life

summer is flying by.. hard to believe its almost august. things to do this month:
-having my grand opening of my Norwex business. i would love to send you an invitation.. let me know if you would like to come. it's going to be a good way to just start this venture and you'll get to hear about these amazing products. so yea let me know.
-want to go camping.. am i crazy?? yes.
-doing some sewing projects. will share later.
-doing an online art journal class in august hosted by Rachel. so excited about that.
-reading my script and learning to master the song i have to play on the piano.. tickets are already on sale.. you can check it out HERE
-enjoying two of the sweetest little goof balls who are absolutely madly in love with summer.

faves

I'm stealing a page from Crystal's blog and now bringing you a few of my favorite things in no particular order:

-Polka Dots - especially on fabric and paper
-Ikea
-The color White
-"Hoot" my green owl
-My vintage green chair in my dining room
-Boursin Cheese
-The opening of Pony Party. I have been waiting since I have become a fan of Rachel's blog. It's all handpicked vintage items. Yum! Go check it out and oh my did you see the Owl S&P shakers or the vintage recipe box.. major drooling here.
-Pita Chips
-Fresh Flowers
-Red Wine
-Fresh Salsa
-Coffee
-Love THIS IDEA
-German Salami
-Harry Potter - sad that i am on the final book.. i don't want it to end
-The New Coldplay especially the song "Lost?"
-Diet Coke
-Salt & Vinegar Chips
-Vintage Anything
-LOVE these sites: Here and Here
-I love THIS and would like it even better if it was around my neck.

Not to forgot how much i love my friends.. you have all been so much to me over the last little while. Thanks for sticking it out with me as I remembered who I am..

where the truth lies...

creative goodness

Felt creative this weekend and sat down to scrapbook. Heres a few page shares.

many thanks

many thanks to the old and new commenter's from my last post. i truly appreciate it. i realized it's one of the reasons i love blogger. i have been thinking lots lately and kind of feel silly. why was it that i was willing to allow people who don't even know me to run me down... makes all that i have learned seem for nothing. so no more and in the words of a dear dear friend.. poo poo on those who try to tear me down.. poo poo.

rough

i'm having a bit of a rough time blogging lately... i have lots to say but am so afraid of how i say things and the effect it will have. it has come to my attention that i have some readers who don't like what i say or who i am or whatever.. this has been hard for me to "get over".
it's hard for me because i am feeling like people are expecting my life to suck or me to fail so that they can be happy. this puts tremendous pressure on me. and makes me afraid to blog.
for so long i have really put alot of weight in vulnerability and just being raw and real.. i don't want that to change. its part of who i really am.
i know who i am is a good person.. i know i have wandered off the path in my life. i know its me who puts the biggest expectation on me. i know i need to just rise above and remember who i am and all i am meant for. so be patient with me... i'll be back. i just need to heal a bit first.

words fail me

scrappies

lately thursday nights has been my only scrapbook night. some of these go back to May. did finish the first two just this week. love preserving memories this way. i also uploaded more to my webalbum that you can always check out here if you get bored :)

Prairie Love

coming to a stage near you.....

ME! A couple weeks back I did something I don't normally do.. well actually I used to do it but never thought I would in this capacity. I went to open auditions for our Community Theatre.. Flatlands Theatre Company presents Little Women this fall... And yes yours truely will be gracing the stage in the part of Mrs. March or Marmee as she is so warmly called.


I am excited and just so thankful. I loved auditioning... it was so fun to be on stage again. I think this will be a great way to get involved in the community and to meet new people and just do something meaningful. Just saw THIS which makes it so official. So make sure to head over to the concert hall at the end of November and take in a good show. See you there!