Thursday, December 31, 2009

A Project and a Sneak.

Have you ever been really excited about something, because it meant a lot to you, and then when you shared it with your "world" it didn't seem quite as exciting as it did to you?
Well, I think that's how this project may seem to you all out there in blogland. But I'm going to share it anyway!

It's called "A Month of Sundays". 

I spent a lot of time thinking about how much I want to continue spending the time with my family, not just during the holiday season.

Sundays are supposed to be a day of rest. A day of refreshing, when I get "fed" and ready to go for the rest of the week. It's also a perfect time to reflect on my life, my husband and my kids. A time to look back on the week, and to look forward to the next. A perfect time to spend time with the people I love.
It's also the day that I get the most scrapping done.

So, every Sunday in 2010, I will take time to sit down with my little journal and I will scrap a little page about where I am that week.  Emotionally, spiritually, intellectually. 

It's goal setting time as we get ready for the New Year, and one of my goals is to be diligent about spending that time with my family and doing this every Sunday!






A little sneak peek at the January kit over at My Scrap Shoppe






It was a great kit! I can't wait to do some more layouts with it!

Have a happy and safe new year everyone!

I'll be back tomorrow with a post about New Year's goals!

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Working on a fun new project to take me through 2010!
I'll share tomorrow!

Happy Wednesday!

Friday, December 18, 2009

December 17th

First of all, today is my lovely friend Rosa's birthday! I hope you had a great day!

Second of all, I did a fun mini photo shoot with these two!




We braved the freezing cold (one of us without boots and the other without a hoodie) and got some good shots I think!
Here are some of my favourites...


I love this one, even with the blurry hand, because she looks so happy!





I love shots beside trees!



Perfectly lovely.

video at last...

And here it is!!

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

December 16th.

Who? What? There's a kid break dancing on stage of his Christmas concert? Oh. Yeah. That's my kid.



Best concert ever!



Oh, and apparently I DO have it on video (courtesy of Kelsey) however, I've been trying to upload it for 2 hours, so I'll have to try it again tomorrow...


December 15th.

Handmade. 
That was our challenge this month at My Scrap Shoppe
As Marcy said, scrapbooking is already homemade, but we pushed ourselves one step further.
We each created a handmade element to add to our pages.

Here's mine:



The handmade elements on mine are the two crocheted strips at the bottom.  (Photo by Marcy)
If you complete a layout with a handmade element, leave a link to it here.  You'll be entered in a draw to win something from The Shoppe!

To see the rest of the Design Team's designs go here.

December 14th.


The end of skating lessons was a bittersweet thing in our home.  Khai, who was not able to even stand up on skates prior to the start of skating lessons, has improved by leaps and bounds.  He can now skate...not just march...and he moves across the ice with quite a bit of speed.  He loves going to skating lessons, and often calls them "hockey lessons" because he's so excited to be able to do hockey soon. He was sad to know there is no more skating. (well, until the next session starts in January.)
However, the end of skating lessons means we got to go out to supper with Auntie and our cousins.  Longest meal I've ever had at McDonald's! The kids played and Auntie and I chatted.  It was great!



December 13th.

Family is a tricky thing. Feeling like you belong to a family (after marrying into it) is a long and often hurtful process.  It doesn't help when people say things to make you feel like less of a part of that family.



I'm so glad that Khai got an opportunity to participate in this year's Christmas concert at church.  I remember our Christmas concerts when I was a kid.  I loved them.  I loved practicing, I loved the goodie bags we got after it was over. 



And this last one is my favourite.  You can't see exactly the expression on his face, but I know it well, and I love it.


Khai got his first goodie bag after the concert. It wasn't stuffed full of peanuts, like they were in my day, but it was equally tasty and he was just as excited to get it as I was when I was a kid.

Can't wait until Declan starts sunday school in January!

December 12th.

Time with friends.  True friends.

It's days like this that I remember how amazing this group of people are. 


They have helped me through some awful days, months and years; and have rejoiced with me in life altering moments and events in my life.


They have provided emotional (and sometimes financial) support and have been true beacons for me in both the light and dark times in my life. 


Today, as my life is in a pretty good place, I feel as though we have finally become friends on a more equal ground. 

And so this evening, we sat and shared a meal, good conversation and laughter together.


I'd never been to the Ichiban before and I thoroughly enjoyed both the food and the experience. 


I ordered possibly the greatest drink I've ever had (yup! they even beat Godfather's!) called the Geisha Girl and it came in this fabulous keepsake cup thing.  I've decided that she will live in my purse, next to my camera, and she will accompany me on all of my travels.  I'm thinking I'll do a weekly post of where my Geisha Girl has gone (complete with pictures of course!) FUN!!!


I'm looking for a name for her...any suggestions??

As I leave you today, I share this photo - hottubbing with 4 of 5 of us ladies.  (I missed you Heather)


Like I said.

True friends.

Monday, December 14, 2009

December 11th.


12 Days of Christmas


Day 2

Your second of 12 gifts is an apron! We are going to do some baking tonight, and you are all invited to join us!

Call me later for the details.

Have a great day!

Love you!

Mum, Nicole or Auntie Nicole







Brett pretended to be the Cake Boss all evening and Khai copied him (of course).  Declan ate the leftover flour and seemed quite happy about it!

Oh, and do not adjust the colour on your monitor...they dyed the cookies green and orange. They may not look appetizing, but they tasted great!!

Sunday, December 13, 2009

December 10th.


CUTE.

That's all I can say about my friend Faith's little girl Arabelle.  Seriously cute.  I could have stayed and held this baby for hours on end. 


And she's such a good baby.  She hardly cried, and let you hold her and snuggle her and oh my goodness I want another baby!

It didn't help that Faith is staying with her brother and sister in law, and they just had a little girl 3 weeks ago. That baby is cute too.

Faith lives in Edmonton...she used to live here.  I miss her...

Friday, December 11, 2009

December 9th

like I said. Sometimes the very best things happen when you go with the flow.

Tonight, we decided to make our gingerbread house. It started off well..the one we bought had an e-z tray for "e-z" building...the box had the instructions right on the back...nice step by step instructions.  Thought this would be SO easy.  Well, we opened the packages, and a few of the pieces were cracked.  No big deal. We "glued" them together with icing and proceded on to the next step.

Got the house "glued" together. Looks great right?



We continued to ice it (the kids love having decorations EVERYWHERE).  Justin put together the tree while the little ones took licks of icing, and then finally started putting on the candies...oh yeah...and Declan posed for some ADORABLE pictures...


And then this:




So Justin told everyone to grab a wall (or piece of a wall), and we had a decorating contest!




and then they sampled their masterpieces!



What a great night!


Wednesday, December 9, 2009

December 8th.

I sat, in my bathing suit, beside the pool today, waiting to get the little report card from swimming lessons for my kids.  I did not realize how much I wanted them to "pass" until I noticed that my heart was racing and my stomach was nervous. 



Khai was totally fearless this year in swimming.  He did everything his instructor asked him too (and a few things he didn't) and was very proud of his own hard work.  Khai has stuggled with VERY painful ear infections (he actually has tubes in his ears) and is a bit concerned about the water staying in his ears, plus he has to wear his glasses in the pool, so he's been working very hard to overcome those things, and has done SO well.
Declan is not quite sure about a few things.  He started off being very willing to try everything, and has gradually become more and more cautious.  I'm not sure what it is, but cautiousness is not always a bad thing! I just don't want him to become fearful of the water.  One thing he is doing VERY well now, that he hadn't been doing, is blowing bubbles in the water.  He's very proud of himself for that (and so are we)! Declan wears his glasses about 50% of the time in the pool...we're still working on getting him to wear them 100% of the time OUT of the pool, so we're okay with that! But still, he does such a good job.
So, the teachers handed out the cards.  Yup. They both passed.  So proud of you two!

Monday, December 7, 2009



I love you Khai!!


December 7th.




12 Days of Christmas

Day 1

Your first of 12 gifts is a set of 3 handmade journals. There is one made with Christmas paper, one made with a paper that reminded me of you, and one plain journal. You may keep them all, or decorate the plain one and give it to a friend!

Love you!

Mum, Nicole or Auntie Nicole.



December 6th.


Two years ago yesterday, I lay in bed as my water broke. 6 hours later (and two years ago today) we welcomed Declan Douglas Ludwig Schuster into our arms, our family and our hearts.
Our beautiful baby boy.
And now you're not such a baby anymore!
We love watching you grow, watching you become the little boy who continues to touch our hearts. 
We love YOU.





I especially love his expression in this last one.

Declan,

We can't wait to spend another year watching you grow and learn.
We love you!

Love,
Mummy and Daddy