June Blog Challenge

My blog challenge at Scrap Lovers this month was to use a blog post as a starting point for a layout. What a treat it was to have the journaling already done before I started. I rarely ever use this much visible journaling on a layout but for this one I decided to make the story the focus of the layout. It was also a great way to use some of the mountain of wallet photos I received with this photo package.

A Day at the Beach

You would not believe this is the same girl who screamed and screamed everytime her feet even touched the sand last summer. Today, we could barely tear her away!

While I was uploading this photo, it struck me that this is the perfect photo for a Father's Day, 2007 layout.

I've been tagged!!!!!

I've been tagged by Terrie and must list 7 random facts about myself and then tag 7 more people. Here it goes...

1. I watch very little TV. In fact, I have never seen one episode of many of the very popular shows people are always raving about. I have no aversion to TV. I quite it enjoy it when I get a chance, but I seem to have too many other things I'd rather be doing.

2. I LOVE Bon Jovi's new song "Want to Make a Memory".

3. I am shopping for a new SLR camera.

4. My husband and I have been working on my scrap room now for about 6 months and we still do not have it complete. All that is left is to find someone to build an armoire for all my supplies.

5. My summer vacation starts next week. YAY!

6. I do not like the colour pink. In fact, there was not one thing pink in my house until my daughter was born. I have since learned to live with it!!

7. I have braces on my teeth.

I am tagging: Tina, Michelle, Kelly, Ann Marie, Anne, Melanie, Nancy

Don't forget to post back here when you are done!!

Celebrity Look-Alike

It's all about the green today!

One of my favourite colours to work with is green! Imagine my delight when I received a whole line of green paper (among many other colours) from Crafter's Workshop and Scrap Lovers this month. This is the first time I've ever used paper that is partially complete or one with pre-printed journaling lines. I must say that I enjoyed it. Their templates were also super to work with. You must check out their product in Christina's store.

This little guy, or should I have said, "big guy", was with three of his friends on my door step this morning. Isn't he just beautiful?

Father's Day

I am so thankful and blessed that my husband is the kind of father described in this poem!!

Here's to the Fathers...

(Mitch Albom, 1996, The Detroit News)

Here's to the fathers, who always begin,
on the outside of children, but looking in.
Such curious men snapping cameras like mad,
recording the moment, they turn into "Dad."

Here's to the fathers, who put in their time,
who don't say to mother's 'that's your job, not mine'.
Who wipe chins and noses and never say "won't"
who do with the diapers, what some fathers don't.

...Here's to the fathers whose big money dreams,
die in the comer while their baby screams.
And yet without anger, dread or regrets,
they comfort the child, hold it close to their chests.

And as the child grows, they grow with it too,
learning a depth that they never knew.
And soon they are older, their hair slightly gone,
chasing two children around the front lawn.

Or car-pooling teams to Little League games,
buying them hamburgers after it rains.
They mend broken dolls and fix broken wheels,
they cringe when their daughters, try their first pair of heels.

They reach in their pockets, but never keep count,
they pay dear for parenthood awful amounts
They postpone their plans to sail across seas,
instead they sing "Barney" and bandage skinned knees.

Here's to the fathers who get off the phone,
to hear their sons practice their new saxophone
Who leave work to see their daughter's recital
Here's to the heroes, who work without title.

...For all the good boys they have raised in the world
for all the examples they set for their girls
For all the loved children whose stories they'll tell
Here's to the father's that taught them so well.


Happy Father's Day!

10 more weeks to go

Well, here is the first belly shot. I could swear that this is the size I was when I was 39 weeks pregnant the last time!!

The story behind the photo shoot

Isn't it funny how one can look at a series of photos and know exactly what kind of day it was or be contrarily fooled into thinking it was something it wasn't? I think almost everyone who has seen these photos so far thinks that my daughter is a natural in front of the camera and smiles whenever someone says, "Cheese". May 8th was definitely not that simple.

Due to poor planning on my part, the day I had booked for our photos turned out to be the same day as my daughter's 18 month needles. Since both appointments had been booked for awhile and neither would have been easily rescheduled, I decided to try to fit them both in. That morning, I packed the car with a change of clothes for us both, some snacks and a full diaper bag. After work, I picked her up at the sitters and rushed in town to the doctor's office for a 3:45 appointment. I got there a few minutes early so I took her to the washroom for a change of clothes and a quick clean up. Back in the FULL waiting room, there were still people there waiting for their 2:00 appointments. Not a great start. Luckily there was a basket full of books and this kept her busy for the hour or more we waited for our turn. As it turned out, the 18 month needles consisted of three different needles. I could not get over how well she took the long wait, the needles and then the rush at supper time to a photo studio. It's amazing what a few grapes can do!

We arrived 5 minutes late for our 5pm photo appointment, but the girls there were wonderful and immediately took over. They sat her on the platform and gave her a few toys. What's the first thing she does with the toys? Throws them on the floor and laughs and then whines to have them back. Well this was the only way to get a smile. Give her something...anything...wait for her to throw it and take the picture really fast before she leans over to see where the toy landed or whined for someone to retrieve them. In between each photo we had to reposition her, try to comb her hair (which she immediately messed up) and find something else for her to throw. This is why most of the photos are in the same position. We just couldn't get her to settle to do anything else. The one with the rose petals was a total fluke because those rose petals were on the floor more often than not. The end result was a beautiful set of prints that show off a very photogenic and calm child, and a very exhausted mommy.