MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

We had a really nice evening with the kids. This was our first Christmas at home, just the 5 of us. Simply adorable in their new Christmas Pyjamas :)

What's Mason holding? An ice pack. He and Nash were cleaning up the toy room to prove to me that they didn't need to get rid of any of their old toys, there was plenty of room to add in the new ones. Mason was reaching for something behind the metal framed futon and smashed his face into it. Will update with pictures tomorrow, should be a bitter of a Christmas shiner :)

Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday!

Christmas Cheer

The Beavers, Cubs, and Scouts practiced some of their Christmas Carols that they'll be singing at the seniors home next week for us parents. Mason is on the left of the front row and Nash is the Beaver on the right. :)

My Scouts

Mason is now officially a "cub". He'll get his red sash soon. Sheldon is the cub leader. They call him "Baloo". All Cub and Scout leaders have Jungle Book names.
And Nash is now officially a Beaver! It was so cute how excited and happy he was to receive his neckerchief and beaver tail that goes on the back of his hat! His Beaver leader is "Sunshine".

Seriously!

OK, That is one toy that wasn't quite strong enough for a basset hound puppy! What are these pups gonna do once they're adults??? When I found Turbo, he had the sound box in his mouth. If I lived a cartoon life (which I often do, in my head), Turbo would have swallowed that sound box whole and then walked around meowing like a cat everytime he opened his mouth! LOL!

Fun Times

I'm really enjoying the process of making my December album this year. Lovin' the mini pages! Plus, I love that it makes me look at each day differently, always looking for the positive. I've been a happier person this week (just ask my husband). :)

Can I just say...

I am LOVING WalMart today!!! Look at this fabulous find! An incredible box of Christmas chipboard! Woohoo!

And it comes in this cute keeper box:
How "perfect" is that!?!

page done

This is a page I did at Kerri N.'s a while back, the same time I did the Viwe page, but it took a little while before I got Mason's quote for the page. It's done now and I thought I better get it in here so I could put a protector on it and put the album away. (Need the table for wrapping presents!)

2008 Journal Your Christmas

I made another mini daily album for the Christmas season. It's fun to have one to look back on in the coming years and it reminds me to make great memories for our kids and not just to rush through the festivities.

Here is the cover, I made the covers myself with chipboard and binder rings. I'll decorate up the rings once the album is full. Not sure if I'll add any more to the cover or leave as is. Any thoughts?

December 1st page:
December 2nd page:

Brrrrrr for the Gurrrrrrs

What a blustery day! We've been getting off lucky so far this winter, not today. A good day to make cookies :) These were super yummy, they have vanilla pudding powder and finely chopped pecans in them! I put them in the freezer so they wouldn't disappear in a day (After Nash, Ella, and I had 3 each).
Ella walked home from Nursery School with her Dad today. They walked backwards the whole way. Bad wind out of the NW. No complaining from Ella though!

We need some new pictures of the kids for their coat hooks. Of course, Ella couldn't give me a normal face. Charming.

What the...?

Nash had pushed Ella's buttons once too often! I just happened to be snapping a picture at that time. Looking a little psycho!?!

Countdown Is On!

The countdown is officially on for Christmas now! December 1st. A time when certain friends will allow their christmas lights to be turned on ;) finally

I'm hoping after Sheldon saw that email of the house with all the Christmas lights flashing in time to Amazing Grace, that he'll be motivated to put up at least one string of lights this week. To be fair, he HAS been working hard on our new family room, trying to have it open and comfortably heated in time for his family to enjoy Christmas morning. But still, lights outside would be nice?

Ella built a countdown at daycare with a tree at the top and the traditional red and green paper rings hanging down. I told her how she can now rip off the first ring and the shorter the chain gets, that means the closer we are to Christmas. She wouldn't do it. She doesn't want to ruin her work of art. I'll try again later when she's not still groggy from a nap.

Oh yah, in the photo is the countdown I made for the kids. It has 3 small chocolates in each little box. We'll see if Nash and Ella can resist the temptation to get ahead of themselves! I can just imagine that when we get to that bottom row, there will be nothing inside :)

Little Friends

Here's a page I whipped out at Kerri's the other week. It looks like it has a yellow mat around it, but that's just an old table. The kids have been talking about Siya, Nathi, and Viwe a lot lately. They REALLY miss them!

Happy 60th Birthday Mom!

The FABULOUS Bjornson Girls!!! ....it appears that we have perfected the lean-in, we look AMAZING!!! ....oh, sorry, where was I,.....HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!

We had a party for Mom on the weekend with family and friends. It was a perfect night for her. Dad organized it all and it was hosted in a barn that has been converted into a lodge for hunters and for entertaining. The atmosphere felt like home to Mom, perfect choice Dad, good job! We were served a great meal and entertained by speeches and performances. A surprise party with a few surprise appearances made for a joyful evening :)

Mom's actual birthday is tomorrow, the 13th. Hope you have a great day, Mom!

Festival - Spoken Poetry

Mason did an AWESOME job at the festival today!!! He and a classmate did a spoken poetry duet called "The Troll". They REALLY got into it, didn't rush the pace, and both spoke so expressively! I am sooooo proud! They got a mark of 90 and we've been informed they were chosen to receive an award at the highlights session :D :D :D

Tomorrow is the Class Dance event, I always love watching Mason in that, too, he has such good rhythm. He said his teacher singled him and one other boy out during practice pointing out to the other kids how in time they are.

Festival....great memories....but, why do I STILL get a churning stomach even when I'm not performing anymore??? There's something about that long silence in between when the adjudicator (ajudicator?) is busy writing comments and you're waiting for the next name to be called. Or she's getting close to your turn to listen to her remarks. Yep, still had those feelings today :)

Nash is also participating in the festival this year. He also had the nerve to go up in front of an audience (I know, shocking) and recited a poem entitled "Safe?". He did it HIS way, wouldn't listen to me when I suggested he should maybe slow down or speak louder. Never thought we'd have a problem with Nash being "too quiet"!!!! But at least he got up there! For both Nash and Mason, participating was optional. So, I'm proud of both of them for volunteering!

4 months old!

Here are our 2 "puppies". I can't believe how big they are getting and how different Turbo looks from when we first got him at 2 months! Mom, here's your first good look of Tundra without the big "eye glare" :)
Both dogs sitting nice, hoping Sheldon is opening the treat bag.......I know! something else looks a little off!!! The hot tub is out of the sunroom, the stairs have moved from the corner to the centre of the south wall, We have wall where there used to be a patio door....yep, lots has been going on in the sunroom. Sheldon and Everett now have enough done outside that if the weather turns bad (like today), then they can work inside now.
These 2 don't like being apart :)

A Spooktacular Union

Seriously, this is the most unique Wedding Card I have ever made! But I kind of like how it turned out :)

(In case you weren't aware, one of our staff members got married on Halloween)

I Love Green.

Can you tell? On a lot of my layouts, you can find green. I think I need a new challenge...layouts with no green.

I had Kerri & Carma over last week, and gave them a few sketches to work off. This is one that I got done of our first family trip to the Holiday Inn where the kids for many years loved playing in the Pirate's Cove. They are just now outgrowing it and looking for hotels with waterslides instead.
Another green layout. I used some nice soft flower ribbon that I bought at Shelley's with Kerri yesterday. The butterflies look brown in the photo, but actually they are mirrors.
Mason and Jack were with us yesterday and were good helpers at the scrapbooking store. Mason picked out the patterned paper on the left and the bat, web, and ghost transparencies in a little halloween embellishment kit. GOOD JOB MASON! He inspired this page to be done :)