Hallowe'en Previews

I realize that Hallowe'en is still 2 days away but we've been hip deep in costumes and candy all week! Paige had her preschool Hallowe'en party on Wednesday ... here's our pretty in pink Princess Ballerina.

On Thursday there was a Family Fright Night event put on at the local Seniors Recreation Centre and the Boys and Girls Club. We decided to all go. Here they are; Hannah Montana, Princess Ballerina and a Chicken.

LC makes one seriously cute chicken! ALMOST makes we want to turn vegetarian! LOL!

Hope you all have a safe a happy Hallowe'en. These 3 cuties will be loading up their bags in a couple days so if you live in our neighbourhood ... watch out!

I forgot to add pictures from Marley's school costume parade yesterday. First up we have the Principal, Mr. Zerbe, who seemed to be channeling his inner Hair Band!

He's also heading to Mount Everest on Tuesday with Summits of Hope ... somehow I don't think the wig will be part of his gear!

And here's Hannah Montana again!

Today will be a busy day of swimming lessons, double birthday parties, decorating for Hallowe'en and cleaning for our guests tomorrow. Better get at it!! See you later!

 

Thanksgiving and Pumpkin Patch Preschoolers.

Okay, so I realize Thanksgiving was a couple weeks ago but ... I've got 3 little kids! What can I say, life gets away from me sometimes!! :) We went out to Chilliwack and had our turkey dinner with 2 of my 4 brothers and their familes plus Ammee and Poppa (Grandma and Grandpa Graham.) There were even extra kids present so as per usual, chaos and noise were the name of the game!

Here are some pictures ...

The adults enjoying a rare calm moment to chat, drink wine and snack on appies.

Poppa took his carving duties very seriously! Yummy turkey as always Ammee!!!

The kids table.

The adults table.

Couldn't resist adding this cute one of LC - she'd seen the cupcakes when we first arrived and pretty much didn't eat any turkey dinner in anticipation of dessert. Yup, she's a clever one!!

A group shot of the kids and their new Hallowe'en candy neclaces - the jack-o-lanterns have a little flashing light in them. They were cute and the kids enjoyed eating them but we did find one flaw ...

... they left a coloured ring behind! LOL! This is the back of Paige's neck!

Last Monday Greg got to take Paige and LC to Richmond Country Farms for Paige's Preschool Pumpkin Patch field trip. Phew! Say that 5 times fast!! I got to go to the dentist and be tortured for 90 minutes! Joy!
Here are some shots from the trip ...

Richmond Country Farms has a GREAT pumpkin patch experience. And I say experience because it really is just that. It starts with a wagon ride (behind a tractor) where you get to sit on hay bales and sing along with your guide. Here is Paige ...

... and again with attitude!!! LOL!

The wagon drives through fields, past a "haunted house" and ends up at the pumpkin patch where you are greeted by the Pumpkin Princess. Greg didn't take any pictures of any of that though. Oh well.

LC in the pumpkins pointing out an airplane.

Greg said Paige took off to the opposite side of the patch from him so either she's getting a headstart on her teen years (that would fit with how Marley's been acting lately, sigh!) and wanted to be as far from her Dad as possible, or she figured she could wrangle a pumpkin into her bag all by herself! Why is it that we worry and fret about raising strong, independent children that will be functional adults one day and then when they prove their independence by fleeing to the other side of field we sigh and shake our heads?!

LC picking her pumpkin.

The preschool crew.

They also have a (small) corn maze there. To me it looks like LC is plotting how best to get lost! Little imp!!

Which way Kari?

After the wagon ride back to the starting area, each child is given an apple. We also brought snacks so the kids chowed down while listening to some live music. I think there was a Corn on the Cob and a Pumpkin in the band!

Well, there you have it. Some Fall themed things. Hallowe'en is a week away and since nephew Griffin's birthday is just before Hallowe'en we will once again be hosting the Day Family Birthday/Trick or Treating Party!! Stay tuned for that post - should be full of kiddie costumed goodness!!

I'm also excited to work on my October layout for my Project 12. After finishing my September layout and before packing away all my materials, I started putting together part of the layout. I've got a lot of fall themed papers etc so am looking forward to finally using them! Hopefully since the layout is half-way put together already, it won't take that long to finish and I'll get it posted well before the deadline. We'll see!

Until then, enjoy your fall where ever you are!

Project 12 - September 2010

Here it is ... finally! I've been trying to set aside time to tackle my layout for September for weeks now and eventually had to complete it in 15 minute chunks. Lol! Life is far too busy to try to be creative!!

Here is the PageMaps sketch:

And here is my layout:

I'm still trying to use the same papers from Martha Stewart that I found in January but I'm finding it increasingly difficult for a few reasons. I'm getting a bit bored of them, I'm running out of them and the bits and pieces that ARE left are the ones I liked the least from the beginning! Hmmm .... may have to rethink my plan for next years' album. I like the idea of keeping a consistent thread throughout the whole year but I think I limited myself too much with this particular choice. Live and learn, I guess!!

Here is a close up of the left-hand page. I made a few changes (natch!) to the sketch. The lined paper (which is my nod to back to school) seemed to cry out to be journalled on directly so I didn't add the extra journalling section. I then decided that my title fit nicely in the middle of the row of pictures - although, I have now noticed that in order to cut the page in two I will have to move the large month letters as they are hanging over the middle. Oops! And of course I couldn't actually stick with the sketched 3 pictures!! The two of Marley starting Grade One HAD to be there!!

Here is a close up of the right-hand page. I didn't journal about Greg and LC mowing the lawn together. I've blogged about it and it just didn't seem to need any additional comments here. September really was all about the girls heading back to school and us getting back into a routine. Even my birthday was sort of an after thought. And since I was my own photographer, the pictures from my birthday party don't actually have ME in them. Sorry honey, I love you, but you are not pulling your weight in the documenting our family department!! :)

Well, there you have it. I can quickly enter it and then start planning next months' layout!!

Just for the Cute of it!

Last Sunday I was driving home from a birthday party with Paige and LC in the van (Marley and Greg had left early to go to soccer.) Since it was after lunch time and both girls had been playing hard at the party, I wasn't surprised to see them both fast asleep when I looked in my rear view mirror. LC was due a nap and Paige is slightly narcoleptic in her car seat!! What I wasn't expecting was this ...

All together now ... "AWWWWW!!"

In other news, I had a birthday (37th if you're counting!) Here are some pictures:

Opening presents - somewhat challenging with LC sitting on my lap.

Marley's "fancy writing". 

Apparantly the theme was "make Mommy smell good" - I got a tube of hand cream and 3 different lip gloss tubes.

We ALL had to model the lip gloss!

A few days later my brother and Greg's sister and their families came over to help keep the celebrations going. Greg organized everying; the guest list, the time, the place, the food .... Memphis Blues BBQ FEAST! Not exactly what I was expecting but it was enjoyed by all. And yes, we had no need for meat proteins for a few days after!!

Matthew chowing down on a rib.

Not sure what LC actually ate - maybe just the baked beans and the fries. Oh well.

Paige was very happy to have me load up her plate and did her best. I somehow missed getting a pic of Sophie - that's the top of her head at the bottom of the picture! Sorry Soph!!

Marley LOVES pulled pork!

Jasper gave it all a miss and opted for PB&J instead!

Sadie (LOVE those curls!) drinking her milk.

Griffin with a milk goatee!

This is Auntie Christine's "Meat Feast Face". Personally it looks to me like that's what her arteries are saying!! LOL!

Behold! MEAT!!!!

And the instigator of the MEAT - Greg. Thanks for a great birthday hon!!

As for my scrapping life; I have been working on an album about our trip to Hawai this past March but instead of posting each page as I complete it I am going to wait and post the finished album all at once. I'm getting there!! Slowly but surely. I'll also have my September layout for Project 12 soon. I receive emails from Ali Edwards and she just posted about her annual December Daily. I looked at this project last year and thought it looked like a whole load of work that I didn't have time for. And I didn't really. What with the girls' activities, my schooling, Paige's preschool and everyday life, it was hectic. But that was then and this is now ... and now I am seriously considering doing it. The album Ali just posted looks so easy! Hmmmm .... I'll keep you posted and let you follow my prgress should I decide to do it.

Well, thanks for tuning in, see you later.