LOAD4: Goodbye

LOAD4: Goodbye, originally uploaded by Kirsten in Canada.

LOAD Day 3: And That Made All the Difference

LOAD Day 2: Seven

Two of my most important people on their seventh birthday. How did Jack get to be seven? Seriously.
Journaling reads: "Two seven-year olds, forty years apart. I love seeing these photos side by side -the past and the future all wrapped up together. I love that the little boy on the left grew up and became an awesome Dad to the boy on the right. I love that Darrel knew that Jack would be thrilled with a tool set because he would have been. I love how much they look alike. I love the look on their faces, that life was and is good."

LOAD!

It's one of those month's again, LOAD (Layout a Day), and I'm soooo thrilled! (If anyone out there is interested in participating you can check it out at www.layoutaday.com) I love doing LOAD for a number of reasons:

• The great community of scrapbookers who support eachother.
• The daily prompts that make me think differently about my life and the stories I need and want to document.
• February LOAD makes winter go so much faster!
• Seeing all the other awesome creations of scrappers out there.

So, here's my first day. I will try to keep up to date with them all on my blog.

Amazing TED Talk by Brene Brown on Finding Joy

Tubing

Over the holidays we went tubing at Sunridge. It was super fun. Especially considering that our winter is so mild that we can't tobaggan anywhere else because there is no snow. The NZ rellies had a good time too. I have to admit I was nervous the first time (well really, every time) I went down. You sure get going pretty fast. Even more so if you are tethered to another tube (more weight = extra speed). There was an age limit of 7 and older. We thought we would sneak Jack in as he is going to be 7 in just a few weeks; however there is also a height restriction of 48 inches and there was no budging even though Jack was about 47. So Darrel took him for his first skiing experience. He was a natural and really enjoyed it.

Aidan and Bryn prepare for takeoff.

The long way down. (The river looks awfully close in this picture!)

Lara and I.

Jack and Darrel -Jack's first time skiing.

Christmas Photos

I took some Christmas photos of the kids last Sunday. the candy canes were the bribe for taking a cute photo with everyone smiling but I think I like it better than the more posed one. Eric's joy, Jack's intense licking, Julie already biting pieces as fast as she can. (She had that thing all gone about 30 seconds later!)

Christmasy Goodness

Okay, I had plans for a posher looking mantle. But it hasn't happened. And really that's fine. Figuring out how to decorate a whole new house for the holidays is a lot of work I'm discovering. Once you've been in a house for a few years you have special places for things. But this year I'm creating the special places -and some of them aren't totally awesome yet. But anywho, here's where it's at. I plan on making some canvases modge podged with scrapbook paper to hang by the wreath. I even bought the canvases a couple of weeks ago when Michael's had a sale. Now just to make them! Once I get hangers for the stockings they will adorn the space as well obviously. I love my little nativities, they make me happy and joyful at this time of year.

Taking these photos reminded me how much I enjoy photographing details. I can't wait to have enough money saved up for a true macro lens. That would be soooo fun!

And of course, the Christmas season means that the beloved Santa train makes an appearance. (Along with a cow and random other Fisher Price little people from the Airport, Noah's Ark and Happy Birthday sets -really everyone should be able to share in the joy of the holidays!) Lavonne's family gave this to us when Jack was about 2 and Eric six months. After Christmas I pack it away in a box with the Christmas things so that it remains a special toy. Jack (at almost 7) was ecstatic when I brought it out on Monday. I love that, the little details that = Christmas for them. It also strikes me in these photos just how big and grown up Julie looks. sniff sniff. How she's crossing her one leg over the other and balancing on her hand, such a big kid pose. And just that she is entertaining herself. She was chattering away while playing -telling Santa and the elves what to do, making train whistle sounds.

Mischief

Tonight I sent the boys upstairs to get undressed for bath time. My final admonishment to them was to put their clothes in their laundry basket. I was delayed in going upstairs to run the bath, and probably a good 6-7 minutes passed, all the while shrieks of laughter were coming from upstairs. Upon arriving to the door of their room I discovered the ceiling fan running full speed and Jack is flinging clothing into it. With wild excitement in his eyes Eric proclaimed, "Mom, we throw the pants up, and the fan FLINGS them around the room and we get them in the laundry hamper!" From the amount of ceiling stipple that was knocked off and now on the floor one could surmise that there'd been more than a few attempts to perfect their technique. Seriously how do boys come up with this stuff? I blame Darrel and his genetic imprinting. :)

Out of the Mouths of Babes

Misheard Lyrics Religious Personages
On the way to church on Sunday Julie started chatting about the "Holy Goat". And then proceeded to declare, "No, not a goat, it a puppy! A pretty pretty puppy."

Okey dokey then. Clearly we receive a parenting fail this week in the category of basic religious training. :)