Can I Say...

that I still hate math!! Sorry mom...but it still drives me bonkers!! I know my mom is cringing right now...she was a high school math teacher when I was going to school. I can remember endless nights of me sitting beside my mom, in tears, trying to figure out my math homework...getting so frustrated because she made it seem so easy and it was SO stinkin hard for me!! And now...after spending the last 2 1/2 hours working with Pumpkin on 7 pages of her grade 3 math homework (which...I found stuffed in her bag the night before it was due) I am having very realistic flashbacks...I hope that I am explaining this to her the right way. I hope that I'm not making it totally complicated for her. I hope that I'm at least making it a little easier to understand. But sometimes I can't help but get totally and utterly frustrated with her. I'd say about 2 weeks ago I almost lost it with rounding...I mean, really...rounding to the nearest tenth or hundredth? Doesn't sound too hard, does it? I mean the whole, if the number after is 5 or above, you round up...easy peasy!! Well let me just tell you...it is NOT easy peasy to someone who is just learning that. I can't tell you how many times I had to remind her of that rule...and then explain to her that she doesn't actually round up that number after...I mean, problem after problem I had to remind her!! And I became so frustrated that we had to take a break...I just couldn't understand how she couldn't remember that simple rule from one problem to the next. I thought that this would be one LONG year of math. (By the way...my mom thinks that we are being WAY too hard on her...this coming from the woman who drove me to tears almost every single night...I guess she's learned better...and from the looks of things, I haven't...yet). But then tonight...she was just breezing through the rounding...I was SO freaking proud of her!! I mean, my heart swelled...literally swelled!! She is so smart...she just rushes through things and has no confidence in herself...but then again, I can remember being in that position; with your mother sitting over you, wondering if you are writing down the right number...checking her face, desperately seeking that look of satisfaction, and hoping that it's not disappointment...I vividly recall that. And I have to remind myself that I hated being in that position...I don't know about everyone else, but for me it's so easy to fall into that role - the one my mom played; leaning over her shoulder, getting frustrated when she doesn't get it the hundredth time...and I have to take a step back and remind myself that being in her position sucks...and maybe, just maybe, she needs that hundred and oneth time to remember that stupid rule.

I love you so much Pumpkin!! You are so smart and you totally ROCK!! And don't you forget that!!

Anyway, you know that I can't let a post pass without something scrapping related being mentioned. So first of all...I wanted to inform the whole 2 people (if I'm lucky) who read this blog that ScrapMatters is starting up it's Daily Download again!! Beginning Oct 1, you can stop by the SM forums and download a piece of this amazing kit...for FREE!! Check out the ad below:

And, for all you thrill seekers...there's a Speed Scrap this weekend...you totally need to check it out!! It is SO much fun!!

And not only do you have tonnes of fun...but you get this amazing prize...just for finishing it!!

Aren't our designers just awesomely generous?!

And now on to my latest LOs. This first one has some pictures of my Pumpkin in a pumpkin patch 3 years ago when she was in kindergarten...I can't believe how young she looks. Wow...how quickly times flies!! I used Chelle's Creations Midnight Crow kit for this...love the colours in here!

And this next one is a pic of my kiddos with their friends. We took this at the Monterey Bay Aquarium...I totally love this picture...and I LOVE this LO!! I just loved using Britt-ish Designs "Fish Are Friends" kit...it worked perfectly!!

Anyway, that's all for now...I'm off to dream about rounding!!

Fabulous Collabs

Hey everyone...I know, I know...you can get up off the floor..it's really me popping in here before a month's end since my last post!! But I just had to pop in here and blog about some fabulous collaborations that I have had the amazing opportunity to work with before they were released to the public (man I love being on creative teams)!!

First off, let me show you a little sneaky peaky of Fei-fei's Stuff's collab with the one and only Liz from Paislee Press!!

Doesn't that just look amazing?! The colours are so me right now (I'm totally in love with greys and yellows), I just loved playing with this kit. And here is a LO I made with it...

You totally need to pick this one up!! Also, make sure you stop by Shaui's and Liz's blogs for a chance to win this beauty on Sept 17th!!

So, if that last collab wasn't enough...TaylorMade Designs also did a collaboration with Paislee Press!! And the result...was just a fabulous!!

Seriously...I have been in heaven these past 2 weeks working with these amazing collaborations with Paislee Press...have I mentioned that I TOTALLY LOVE Paislee Press?! Anyway, here is a LO I made with this beautiful kit

But not to worry...I have been hard at work with my ScrapMatters CT!! I'll just show you a couple of LO's I've done recently with the amazing kits found at ScrapMatters!!

I made this LO using Sahlin Studio's beautiful Blessed kit

Awwww...Aren't my little kiddos just amazingly sweet?! I love these pictures of them, they are all 1 day old here and wrapped up in their hospital blankets with the little knitted toques (for those of you who are unfortunate enough to not be from Canada...a toque is equivalent to a beanie) on their head.

Next I made this LO using Erica Zane's Underwater Escape

This is from our latest trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium...and yes, that is a Great White!! Isn't it totally amazing...and scary?! They recently acquired this little girl when she was accidently caught in Southern California. It isn't too often that a Great White is kept successfully in captivity, but the Monterey Bay Aquarium has this incredible knack for being able to do this and release them successfully as well. I was so excited, probably more so than the kiddos...but hopefully they will look back on this LO and remember that they were this close to a Great White and didn't get bitten!! ;)

So other than that...we've been caught up in the world of youth soccer!! And I would have posted some pics of my kiddos playing...but...my little Monkey was looking at my pics on my camera, and accidently deleted all of them. Now, I was upset...but actually, it didn't bother me too long. And for anyone who knows me at all....knows I love my pictures. But it really bothered Monkey...he was upstairs crying under his blanket. I went upstairs and told him it was alright, but he was convinced that he had erased all the pictures...including his baby pictures. Poor kiddo, thought that he had erased all the pictures that I had ever taken...bless his soul!! So anyway...I'll be back next week to post some pictures of this weekend's soccer games.

A Day For My Little Sister...

So I'm back down in California, have been for about 3 weeks. And I already, totally miss my family...okay...I actually started missing them the minute I passed through the border patrol into the US. It was so nice to have the whole family together...even if it was for just a few days. I wish that we could do this more often, and not just because someone is celebrating something, I wish that it could be on a day to day basis. It's not the big celebrations that I miss, it's the little everyday things...like going shopping with my sisters or hanging out with them after one of my mom's delicious dinners. Man, I miss my family!!

So, you're asking what the big celebration that caused us all to be together this summer? Well, my little sister got married...yup, she married her cowboy/chef/border collie breeder and trainer. Now, if that isn't a catch...I don't know what is!! I was able to take some pictures of them before the big day, I had this grand idea to take some pictures of them and make a guest book with the pictures where people could sign the pages...and I have to admit...it turned out AWESOME!!! Anyway, here are a couple of my fave pics from the photo shoot.

I just love the cabin they are leaning against...and I have to say that Joel built this cabin himself (a fact he is VERY proud of!)

I love my sister's smile here. She is so happy with him, so of course, I'm happy for them!!

I told you he was a border collie breeder!! SO jealous of her right now!!

And here is the beautiful spot where they had their ceremony. It was in a field on the ranch where Joel works overlooking this lake. Just beautiful!!

So anyway, the first night I flew in to town I had to go to Rachel's bachelorette party...and I have to admit that Erika (my youngest sister) did a very good job in setting it up. We all had a blast, and most importantly, Rachel had a great time too! I can't post any pictures from that night, because, well...this is a kid friendly blog!!

Then the rest of the week before Rachel's wedding was spent getting all the last minute little details taken care of. And let's just say that there was more than one time that Erika and I were ready to throw in the towel!! But it was all to see this smile on my sister's face...

And can I say how stinkin' cute my kiddos were!?! I love their little angel wings! Funny story about Monkey...he was over on the guys' side during the ceremony, with no one that he knew. So when Rachel came up with my parents and the Father walked forward...Monkey went right up there with him. Yup, he was just standing right there beside the Father as he started the ceremony. Too cute!!

So, here's the whole wedding party...I have to admit...we're a pretty good looking bunch, eh?!

And here's one of my family. I wish that my grandma (my Dad's mom) could have been there, but she just wasn't physically able to make it up to the wedding site.

I just wish all the best for these two!! I love them so much!

So, not only was their ceremony site beautiful, but then they had their reception on the lawn of this beautiful lake. They had an awesome wine tasting and hor d'oeuvre hour(s)...did I mention that Joel was a chef...therefore, half of his friends were chefs too...and they catered the reception?! Yah....deliciousness!!

This picture means SO much to me. It just looks like a group of people talking...but the important thing is that they are talking. This is my dad, his sister and her daughter...and my family back home has been fighting with them for years. Some stupid family feud...it totally sucks, and it completely destroyed our family. We used to hang out all the time, and now, until this day, we barely talked to each other. It was so amazing to be together and having fun...I hope that this is a sign of good times to come...I really miss hanging out with them.

So, here are a couple of pictures of me and the men that made my day during Rachel's wedding...

This is my cousin Jared, from the same family that we're supposedly feuding with...although, we have both managed to stay out of the fight and still remain pretty close. Although, we haven't seen each other in years...it was so good to see him again! I can't wait until he comes down to visit me in California!! And yes...that's me...I was there, and looking pretty darn good...I have to admit!! ;)

This was my "date" for the night. Markus is the groomsman that escorted me down the aisle. He was totally funny, and cracked me up the whole night.

Of course, my dad...handsome man, isn't he?

My "little man" totally stole the spotlight on the dance floor!! He was so cute! Stayed with us until past midnight!!

And last, but certainly not least, the most important guy in my life...

That's it for now...man, that took me a long time to upload and arrange all those pictures!! I'll stop by later to catch you up on the kiddos going back to school, soccer games and our other day to day lives!!

Until next time...

Happy Birthday SM!! Blog Train Freebie Alert!!

Hello everyone and welcome to the ScrapMatters Birthday Bash Blog Train!!

Well, it's that time of year again, it is ScrapMatter's 2nd birthday and do we have a great weekend in store for all of you!! Just check out the ad below!! We have chats, tons of speed scraps and of course a huge sale!!

And on top of all this, we also have this amazing blog train!!

One of my favorite summer time activities growing up was camping with my family and friends. Now, I grew up in Central British Columbia so there was always somewhere to go camping and fishing. And to tell you the truth, that's one of the biggest things that I miss now that I live down in California. Now, I'm sure that there are plenty of places to go camping down here, but it's just not the same. I mean, I'm talking about deciding to go camping and then heading out a few hours later and being able to find a perfect spot on a gorgeous lake. And for the most part, there weren't very many people around. The same can't be said around here, if you want a great campsite, you pretty much have to book it months in advance...and there's always people around. I miss being able to get away from people and just being able to spend quality time with my family and friends.

But now that I do live along the beautiful Monterey Peninsula I have to admit that I have a new barbecue tradition that is quickly becoming a favorite. And that is throwing a barbecue on Carmel beach. I was first introduced to this wonderful outing through my co-workers and the parties that they throw on the beach, and my family has quickly integrated this into our holidays. In fact, we threw my son's latest birthday party on the beach, and it was amazing. I mean, how could you really go wrong with the gorgeous blue Pacific Ocean, white sandy beaches, a great barbecue and friends to share it with? If you haven't tried it yet, and you have the opportunity, I would highly recommend it!!

Anyway, enough babbling about my favorite summer and barbecue memories. I know that you are all here for the blog train. If you happened to come across my little blog through the SM blog train, you should have come from Melanie's blog. So without further ado, here is the freebie I came up with for all of you!

Here is the link for Our Favorite Spot word art.

And here is the link for the Perfect Day word art.

**I'm not sure why the previews look so odd on my 4shared account, but I assure you they are just like they look on the preview shown above.**

Okay, so I hope you enjoy these little goodies...make sure you follow this blog train all the way to the end because the CT and Design Team have some amazing goodies for you!!

Your next stop on the train is Stefanie!!

If you get lost, you can always start over at Andrea's blog.

Enjoy this wonderful weekend that SM has in store for you and make sure you stop by the store to take advantage of the wonderful sales, speed scraps and chats we have in store for you!!

I just wanted to quickly pop in here and let everyone know that there is an amazing sale going on at ScrapMatters!! We are having Christmas in July!! You definitely need to check it out!

I would love to stay and chat longer, but I am spending the weekend in Vancouver with my family!! This doesn't happen too often, so I'm not going to miss out on anything! I'll check back in later when I don't have my kiddos for the rest of the summer! My parents are taking them up to my hometown for a few weeks until my sister's wedding.

June Recap

Okay...where do I start? Let's see...since Mother's Day...

I went to San Francisco with Erica (a friend from work) and our kids. We had a great time checking out Pier 39 and China Town. Our kiddos get along so well, so the trip was a success.

I finished my hellish women's basketball league...with a big fat donut hole!! I have NEVER gone o-fer...ever!! It totally sucks! The team just got worse and worse as the season went on...it was so hard to get excited to play...but as I am trying to teach my kiddos, if you join...you finish. And so, I finished...and man, was I ever glad when that last horn sounded!!

A great uplifting experience for my basketball soul happened halfway through my terrible donut hole season. I played in an Asian tournament in Sacramento with my usual team...man, did it ever feel awesome to play with girls who actually know how to play!! Anyway, we ended up coming 2nd...AND I got an all-star!! I was worried that since it had been so long since I had played...that I was actually as bad as the rest of my team...but this tournament breathed some new life in to me. It was nice to win again!!

The kiddos finished school...

We obtained the third pet of our family...Scrambler...a blue bellied lizard. The poor guy ended up getting caught in a bin in our backyard. He was originally supposed to be an end of the year present for Monkey's teacher, but then his teacher informed him that he was going to release him with the other lizards and bugs...and Monkey's heart just about broke. So...he became a part of our family.

Logan learned how to ride without training wheels...I know...we don't get out on the bikes much. But she was totally stoked!!

The kiddos and I took an impromptu trip down to Disneyland...I mean, Mike asked me if I wanted to go down at 8:30 on Thursday night, I bought the tickets by 10:30, packed everything up, took a little nap and headed out by 5:00am. The kiddos didn't know where we were going, and when they finally figured out that we were going to Disneyland, this was the shot I captured.
The second surprise of the trip was that we were going to be spending the weekend in Disneyland with these guys...

Wait...of course we were going to see this guy there...I meant these guys...

That's right...the Barnes were spending the week in Disneyland for my neices' birthdays and we were going to meet them there!! I was totally excited...I mean, how could you not be excited...we were going to be in Disneyland for the weekend!! AND we were spending it with the Barnes!!

So we did the usual meet and greet with some of the characters. Although, I have to say that we didn't spend too much time waiting in lines to meet characters. But, we did have to meet the fairies and the princesses. The girls were SO excited and TOTALLY stoked to meet these girls, as well as some other ones.

But Monkey wasn't as easily impressed...

That is...until he was chosen to be a Padawan and got to fight Darth Vadar himself!!

And just some pics to actually prove that I was there!!

We had such a great time with these guys!! This trip really made me miss having supportive family around! It made me re-think my decision about moving to Arizona. Yeah, it's damn hot...but at least we'll be by family who cares. I wish that it was by my family...but I don't think that will be happening any time soon...so, until then...Arizona might be sooner in my future than I had originally planned.

Anyway, during our trip to Disneyland, Pumpkin had been complaining about her leg being itchy. I passed it off on bug bites, because it originally looked like bug bites around her ankle. But it ended up being, what the doctor thinks, is poison oak. Now, I have never had a run in with poison plants of any kind...it's just too cold up in Canada, and I have to say that I hope I never do!! And I hope that my kiddos never have a run in with it again...it's horrible!! I felt SO bad, and there was nothing I could do for them except give them Benadryl and apply some Tea Tree Oil.

Doesn't that just look so horrible and painful and itchy?! I felt terrible for her. She was actually prescribed some steroids to help get over this. I'm just glad that Monkey and Sweet Pea didn't get it AS bad...but they are still trying to get over this...almost 2 weeks later. Now we have to make sure that this never happens again!!

And last but not least...we celebrated Father's Day. And I feel terrible admitting that it was nowhere near as extravagant as what Mike planned for me. But it was awesome. The kids wanted to bring Daddy breakfast in bed so we woke up early and made him banana pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream, eggs, sausages and bacon. Then we just hung around the house all day...we haven't done that together in a long time...it was refreshing, to not have anything to do except spend time together. Then we grilled some steaks for dinner. It was a perfect day for us as a family. And looking back at things...isn't that what's important?!

Oh yeah...one more thing...as of today, my little Monkey is now riding his bike without training wheels too!! Apparently, all the motivation he needed was to see a video of his cousin, 3 weeks younger, riding her bike without training wheels. It only took a couple of times with me running behind him before he was taking off by himself!! I'll be back with pictures later!!

So, that is all that's happened in my life in the last month...I'll try to keep more up to date, not only for you guys (if there is anyone out there reading this blog) but for me as well...it takes a long time to catch up a month at a time!! ;)