Halloween in January?

Okay, maybe I'm a little behind with my pictures, but I am finally getting to Halloween. Raquel seemed to think is was an odd choice for this time of year, but I didn't feel like doing Christmas pages yet. It was fun going through the Halloween pictures. The girls were so cute, Raquel was a good witch and Ayden was a forest fairy. They had to wear their costumes over some warm clothes, as it was a chilly evening, but at least there wasn't any snow this year.

Halloween 2008 digital kit credits: Victorian Wedding Kit, Unicorn and Fairy Clipart Kit, and Creepies from Blushbutter.
Skelegance from Derek M. Designs.
Fonts used: Haunted.

To break up the winter boredom, I decided to start Ayden in swimming lessons this month. She gets to go twice a week, in the morning and really seems to be enjoying it. She is too small to go into the pool by herself, so I get to join her. I am impressed with the fact that they are actually being taught skills at such a young age, not just playing in the water. Ayden is learning it is okay to put your head all the way under the water and is progressing nicely with her front & back floats. She loves the hot tub, but I think the highlight of the week for Ayden was when she got to go down the waterslide with me. Raquel has been taking swimming lessons for the past couple of weeks as well. Her school offers a session of lessons, as part of the physical education program each year. She was a little upset because she was put in a more advanced level than her friends, due to all the lessons she's had in the past. She has some dreams of being a life guard one day and I am really quite proud of her progress. With swimming and an appointment last Monday, our week has gone by quickly. It looks like we are in for a few cold days, just in time for the weekend. Maybe we'll have to go out and rent a few movies. Hope you find a nice cozy way to spend your weekend also!

A Difficult Choice

This month's challenge at Blush-n-Dusty is to create a page using your favorite picture from 2008. You also had to use something from the mini kit provided by Dusty Bear.

It was hard for me to decide just which picture was my favorite, but I finally settled on this one from Kyle's graduation. We all had a great time and the girls were pleased that they got to go to such a grown up event. Kyle looked so handsome and I am very happy that he graduated. It is certainly one of my favorite memories from 2008 and I do love this picture, as it not only has all my little darlings in it, but my parents and niece as well.

Graduation - Family digital kit credits: Tattered Solids, Dainty elements, Dainty papers, and Classroom Memories elements from Dusty Bear.
Fonts used: MisterEarl BT and WhisperWrite.

We are enjoying a week of unseasonably warm weather. Today it is above freezing and the snow is melting. It feels so nice to get a break from all the cold and snow we've had so far this winter. Chinooks are such wonderful things! Spring is my favorite time of the year and I much prefer rain to snow. If you are looking for some signs of spring, you can drop by Deb's blog, she had a some adorable pictures of her new baby goats posted. My parents raised goats for quite a few years when we were young and I always loved the babies, they can be so comical. So if you are feeling a little down about winter, remember spring is just around the corner.

Hope you are having a terrific week!

The Dance

Happy New Years!!! It's been rather busy at our house with everyone home over the holidays. I think Raquel's actually looking forward to school starting again on Monday, so she can go and hang out with her friends. We took our tree down the other day, so we could set up the "inside bouncer" the girls got for Christmas. This cold weather has certainly been keeping everyone indoors. It looks like we will finally be getting a break from the cold weather we've been experiencing. It will be nice to have some milder temperatures this week, maybe Ayden will get a chance to go outside and enjoy the snow for a change.

I decided to do another page for my children's heritage album. My maternal grandparents were married in Saskatchewan and soon after moved to British Columbia. Although Mike & Lena shared a life filled with many new experiences, their time together was relatively short. Lena passed away from an extended illness not long before her 36th birthday. Leaving Mike alone with their 3 young children to raise by himself. I imagine it must have been a very heart breaking and difficult time for the young family.

The journalling reads:

In 1942, shortly after Metro (Mike) & Lena’s marriage and subsequent move to the interior of British Columbia, they had this professional wedding portrait taken.

Together, Mike & Lena had four children, Peter, Joyce and Barbara, as well as an infant daughter who predeceased them in 1947.

The couple was married for 13 years, until Lena passed away in 1955.

The Dance digital kit credits: Wedding Dreams from The Dapper Doxie (some items colorized).
Fonts used:Papyrus, French Script MT and Edwardian Script ITC.

Wishing you health, prosperity and happiness in 2009. Have a nice weekend!

Memories

I think maybe my muse has taken off for a warmer climate, not that anyone could be blamed for that, with the cold temperatures we have been experiencing. It looks like we shall be getting some warmer weather just in time for Christmas, which will be nice, as we have friends coming to visit.

I finally got my page done for this month's challenge at Blush-n-Dusty. Vanessa has designed a beautiful mini kit, which you can obtain for free, if you participate in the challenge. The challenge was to do a page of your family, using one of several quotes and some items from the kit.

These are a couple pictures of my family. The picture from 1978 sure brought back a lot of memories. We often went to my Grandma's in the spring and the picture was taken at her house. (We had some fun trips with 5 kids in the car.) My mom did a lot of sewing then and she made the dresses my sisters and I are wearing in the picture. I remember, not too long after it was taken Carl, Sherri and I got our glasses. Now we all live in different places and it is not very often we get together. We had the other picture taken at mom & dad's anniversary last year. We've all changed a bit and certainly grown older.

Family Memories digital kit credits: from Blushbutter Family Memories, Fairy Kisses in Blue Mega Kit, Easter Basket and Victorian Heritage Replica Scrap Kit.
Fonts used: Aubrey & Delitsch Antiqua.

We have had a couple of busy weeks cleaning and baking for Christmas. Both Raquel and Ayden have been a lot of help with keeping things clean. Ayden loves making cookies with me. I think, if you need to develop some patience, you should try baking with a 2 year old. Some of the cookies look interesting, but we had fun and I'm sure they will taste terrific. Raquel is off at her dad's for a few days and will be back tomorrow, to spend the rest of the holidays at home. Ayden was so thrilled today, as she got a big girl bed. Now we just have to see if she will sleep in it. I think tonight, it will be time to help Santa get ready and I will have to spend some time wrapping a few presents. Watching my girls open them up and seeing the excitement in their eyes has got to be one of the things I enjoy most about Christmas.

May the spirit of the holiday season remain with you through the coming year!

Enchantment

New fallen snow certainly looks beautiful, we had some more this week, so it really is beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Snow certainly does make the world an enchanting and magical looking place. The girls think it is awesome and just love playing in it. I took these pictures after our first real snowfall about a month ago. The quote reads: "The first fall of snow is not only an event, it is a magical event. You go to bed in one kind of world and wake up in another quite different, and if this is not enchantment then where is it to be found." - J.B. Priestly.

Enchantment digital kit credits: Snow Flakes Winter kit from Blushbutter.
Fonts used: Lily UPC & Old English Text MT.

I did the page below for a quick page exchange at Blush-n-Dusty this month. I had a hard time deciding which way I liked it the most, so I decided to use it both ways. This is another page for my children's heritage album. This is my mom and her older sister, taken when my mom was about 3 months old. This is the earliest picture I have of my Aunt Joyce, I think she looks so cute in her pigtails.

Sisters 1950 digital kit credits: Snow Flakes Winter kit from Blushbutter.
Fonts used: Microsoft Ya Hei & Viner Hand ITC.

We have our Christmas tree up and it looks terrific! We all had fun putting on the decorations, although we did end up with a LOT of decorations on it. Ayden is really enjoying it and loves to have the lights on all the time. Ayden can't quite say Merry Christmas, but her version sounds pretty cute. Raquel has been enjoying the Christmas crafts and hot chocolate that they are having every day at school this month. She is looking forward to Christmas holidays and is eagerly waiting for Santa Claus to get here. Her list has been checked over and over, with last minute revisions being made. I've been busy trying to get my Christmas cards in the mail and I think later this week, Ayden and I will have to go and do a little shopping.

Have a great week!

Always Know I Love You

I decided rather late this month to participate in the challenge at Blush-n-Dusty. The challenge is to create a page about something you are thankful for, using Dusty Bear's For Fall element kit and to include some journaling.

I have many things in my life that I am thankful for, but the most important of all, are my children. I cherish each of them. I love watching them grow up and I am so glad that I have had the opportunity, to view the world through their eyes. I hope they always know how much I love them.

Always Know I Love You digital kit credits: For Fall, Dainty Elements, Crumpled Papers - Pastel,and Crumpled Papers - Bold from Dusty Bear.
Fonts Used: Kunstler Script & Lucida Handwriting.

We had a wonderful week of mild weather. Raquel seems to be the only one who has fully recovered from her cold. The rest of us are still suffering, to various degrees. Ayden seems to have it the worst, (poor baby) and she certainly has been a bit miserable. Raquel got her report card this week and is doing quite well. Mr. "Kap" is her favorite teacher and she has been enjoying school this year. She is having a sleepover this evening with her best friend, Ellen, to celebrate. We are thinking of setting up our Christmas tree on Sunday. We finally bought an artificial one last year, so that means we can have it up longer, for the girls to enjoy. Ayden has been seeing all the beautiful trees in the stores, so I think she will be quite happy to have her own at home. It's hard to believe it's almost Christmas time again. It is going to be lots of fun with Ayden this year.

Hope you have a good weekend.

Moments

There are all kinds of moments in life. Some we wish we could forget and some we will always treasure. Memories can fade over time, but the moments captured in pictures can not be changed. Perhaps that is why it is said, "A picture is worth a thousand words."

This is the only picture I have of my father with my grandfather. (I love the little details, like the toys my dad and uncle are holding.) Not long after it was taken, my grandfather, Karl, returned to service and was later declared missing. The journaling reads: "This picture was taken on Karl's final leave home during WWII. (left to right) Hans Joachim, Elfriede, Eckhard, Karl & Arno. Shortly after it was taken, Elfriede and the children fled to a refugee camp in Denmark. The Russian soldiers ransacked their home in Penkun, Pasewalk, Germany. The marks on the picture are from their boots. Relatives recovered the picture and returned it after the war."

Family Moment 1943 digital kit credits: A New Beginning Digital Scrapbook kit & freebie from The Dapper Doxie
Fonts used: Kunster Script, Narkisim & Pristina

This week at our house was rather a long one. Ayden, Raquel and Vern have all been sick. Raquel stayed home from school most of the week, but was starting to feel better Thursday. Ayden finally seems to be feeling better today and more like her sweet little self. She REALLY dislikes taking any medicine, so it's pretty hard to give her anything to make her feel better. We had a pretty good snowfall earlier this week, but the temperatures are supposed to be mild, so most of it will probably melt away before we get more.

Thanks for stopping by my blog, I hope you have a nice weekend!