Nicole's Bridal Shower

Nicole's aunt Sandra had called me a couple weeks ago to invite me to the shower. She gave me instructions to get to Grandma Betsy's house, and I diligently wrote it all down. For the life of me I couldn't find that paper! Every peice of paper that I come home with the past few weeks magically disappears (I know Justin's not throwing them out, it just seems I'm a bit scatterbrained lately and forget where I put things). I had to text Nicole earlier today and get directions, and make sure I knew what time it started at. I was a bit rushed, knowing that I didn't have time to go home, eat supper, wrap the presents (don't judge me!), and make it over to the other side of town. So after work, I headed in the direction of the party, and did all my stuff on that side of town.

I went to Edo since it seemed like a healthy choice, and was close to the dollar store to buy my wrapping paper. I asked for my food to go, just in case I couldn't eat it all (this is something I do all the time lately), and of course I got a tuna roll to go with my teryaki chicken! This is the first time ever that I have eaten somewhere (other than my vehicle and home) by myself, and it was kind of liberating! There was an older lady eating by herself on the other side of the restaurant while reading a book; it's funny how technology has changed, since I was on my cell Facebooking!Justin phoned while I was was there, we talked about random stuff for a bit, then he asked where I was. When I said eating supper at Edo, immediately he asked if I was alone, and found it odd for me to be doing this. (I did take this photo with my phone, didn't want strangers thinking I was weird: she's eating alone, and she took a photo of her meal!)

I then went to the dollar store to by the gift bags and tissue paper. I brought my card in, since I wanted it to match the bags, and had a hard time picking some out that I liked. I finally found some gold ones that I thought at least matched her colours (gold, orange, teal/aqua, black, and a sandy beige). When I got out to the Blazer to wrap it all up, two of my boxes were too wide, and didn't fit. Back into the store I went. I picked up another couple bags that were the same gold pattern, and thought I was set. Those same two boxes were still to wide for these new gift bags. Then I thought about wrapping them up with the tissue paper that I had. Back into the store to buy some tape. I told the guy at the till I hoped this would be the last time I was in! My gifts were wrapped, but not looking so pretty, but in one of my trips into the store I had bought some pretty bows - I slapped them onto the boxes, and called it good.

I got lost getting to Grandma Betsy's house, and had to make an emergency call to Nicole to help me out. She stood outside, guided my way, and waited for me to get there. As I was walking up to the house, with two boxes and a bag in my arms, I told her that I was blamming the wrapping job on Justin if anyone asked! As we were walking down the stairs into the basement, Nicole said Amanda was surprised that I hadn't asked for a ride. What? Amanda's here!? I didn't know she was coming, or I would have asked her for a ride!

I coined myself the "Brittany paparazzi," and got on picture taking duty. (Thank you Britt and Chels for all the pictures I have from my bridal shower!) Can you guess which of the presents is mine?

Sandra got the party going, saying that it was just a relaxed, low-key bridal shower with no games - just food, wine, and watching Nicole open the gifts. We did introductions as to how we know Nicole, then Linda (Nicole's mum) told us a bit about her as a baby (Grandma Betsey brought out a photo album). A couple aunts and some friends told cute stories. Then it was on to opening presents.

Megan (Nicole's sister and maid of honor) was supposed to be on duty of writing down who-brought-what-gift, but when Nicole started opening gifts, and Megan wasn't around, I reached for the book and got on it! Somehow I thought I was going to end up with this job.

And here is my lovely gift! (I do think that the bows hide a little bit of the nastiness of my tissue-paper wrap job!)

Nicole mentioned that Megan (and a few of their cousins) had wanted to go out afterwards. I got home, brushed my teeth, sprayed myself with a bit of my cologne, charged my phone for five minutes, and was out the door heading to Bos Hogs. I drove myself, I figured when I was ready to go, I didn't need to wait for anyone to get a ride home. I wasn't in a drinking mood, and wasn't up for much partying, and it tured out Nicole wasn't either. I remember she looked at her watch, said to me that we had been there for half an hour, it was time to find a way to sneak off. Which we managed to about twenty minutes later. We need to save ourselves for White Fish, which is just a couple weeks away, then off to Mexico three weeks later, then the reception will be two weeks after we get back. These couple months are going to go by fast, hope my camera can keep up!

Home Is Comfort

I always write on the back of my layouts. I right the date that it was completed, important info (where the picture was taken, the date it was taken, who is in the photo, how old they are) and some insight as to how it came to be. I don't ever know if I'll ever need to know any of the information that I write (although memories do fail over time, and it will be nice for future generations to be able to have this extra knowledge), or ever look at it down the road, but doing it gives me a sense of completion. This layouts insight started off with "let me first make a list of all the problems I had with this layout."

On your next layout: share the process. Let us in on the little secrets that made it to completion. What part of your creative process did you have to alter or change in order to get the layout done?

This layout started out as another half'-sleep thought. I invisioned layers of patterened paper circles on the left side of the layout held down by stitching. Kind of having a quilt feel to it. As I thought about it a little more, some of the circles were cut with decorative scissors (I'm really loving these lately).

My first problem started late one night (probably after midnight) when I first tried using my new sewing machine that my mum bought me for Christmas. It wouldn't seem to sew on the paper, the tension on the thread seemed to tight. I tried in vain for at least an hour, then finally gave up and went to sleep. The next morning I finally got it working; it was still gaving me grief, but was working okay. Then all of a sudden it stopped again, and at that point I gave up! I figured since this was my first attempt at sewing on a layout (and my first machine sewing session in at lease seven years), I was alright with only three rows of stitching.

There were four attempts at the journaling on this layout. The first time was horizontally accross the area above the photo; hated how that looked, there was to much heaviness with the big thick black pen that I used - I covered this section up with a paper that matched the original background. The second time involved strips of paper with my journalling, I decided to add demention to the layout, so I used pop dots to adhere the strips - I hated how that took away from much of the clean open space on the background, so I removed them all (in the process I tore a bit of the background paper, but was sneaky and very carefully glued it back down). I finally thought about doing my journaling vertically with my stamped lines - I loved how this looked, except I messed up a couple words (added an extra "s" to "was" and added an extra "to" in before talking about Lowie); I decided to use what I had learned in my pop dot experience and carefully cover up my mistakes - and it's hardly noticable! (See that third line down, the "have" is added onto one of those masks, which I believe is barely visable).

That line of redish-orange patterned paper on the right side of the layout, with the lace that is all held down with the pearl brads is only there? It's only there because of my first journaling mess-up (when I covered it up with a different paper)! I didn't like the seam that was left, so used a strip of the reverse side of the new background, but thought it didn't look right - felt too naked. So I was left searching for a textile that matched my page, and when I looked at some scraps of ribbon, I knew this lace was perfect. The brads were basically a method to hold the ribbon down more securely.

Journaling says: From the 7-16 Justin was out of town in High River running a job at Cargill. It was really hard on me to only have Lowie to come home to. When Justin came home a day early I cried realived tears of joy.

There you have it, if it weren't for all these little "mistakes", this layout wouldn't be what it is now. Most of the time we love things because of their flaws. Leave a comment with a link, and share with us what gave life to your design.

My Weekend List

I mentioned the list I started making when I found out Justin might be leaving for High River again last Wednesday. Well, I'm now going to do this each and every time that he's gone away. It seriously kept me motivated around the house, made me accomplish lots, and made my weekend enjoyable. Whenever I was wondering what I could do next when I felt bored, I looked at my list and picked something to do.

These are the things I could check off my list (all are bolded). I stopped to get a Booster Juice (with my fabulous gift card Sandy got me for Christmas), right after work on Friday. After my snack I headed over to Walmart to pick up ingredients for nachos. We all know that I had a couple drinks Friday night with the Kurtz's and Sipko's. While I was killing time on that side of town, before meeting up with them,I stopped at the scrapbooking store. I bought some paper (like I needed anymore!), some Thickers, and a couple mists. That night is when I was fighting with the sewing maching for this layout. I completed that layout Saturday morning in my pajamas. I made the nachos for a late lunch/super combo on Saturday while eating my nachos I watched Million Dollar Baby. Seriously, AMAZING movie, and in the end, really nothing at all to do with boxing! I completed another layout (about a date night we had before Justin left for the ten days) afterwards.

Sunday I got my butt in gear, cleaned up my scrapbooking room (and junked out a LOT of stuff in the closet in there). It hasn't been that clean in there... um ever! I didn't get all three of the bathrooms cleaned, but I did get our ensuite spic and span. I watched Super Troopers and washed all our bedding at the same time (with numerous pauses to swap over the loads) all while eating a big bowl of popcorn! Then, naturally after eating something salty and buttery, I wanted something that was sweet. Now, I can't have anything sweet for another eight days (I'm almost there!), but I had a really bad craving for frozen yogurt. After an hour of not being able to shake the feeling, I decided to head down to the movie theatre to get frozen yogurt; I think they put something addictive in that - it's way too good! I thought it would be a good idea while I was out to check out the bedside lamp situation at Walmart. I'm fed up with having to get out of the warm, comfy bed to turn off the lamp that we have now.

We had registered for some lamps from Sears, but never got any. We still have gift certificate for a hundred dollars from the store, but I was on a mission to find some that were cheap, but nice looking. I found these bases at Walmart for $5; seriously! And the shades were only about $10. So, I was able to buy two complete lamps and bulbs for way less than the price for one base from Sears ($59.99). And, when I put it all together at home, I loved that the bases matched the handles on the dressers, didn't plan for that - but love the matchy-mathcy! Slowly working at making our house a home.

Like I said, I loved having this list to check things off of. I'm going to make it a ever-running to-do list, still with a selection of random things to do: some fun and some get-this-done, and have it handy whanever Justin's out of town!

I Have Really Great Friends

Chelsey called me up at about 6:20 asking if I wanted to go out to Shark Club with them and the Sipkos. This is the first Friday that I haven't been really sad about spending the evening alone, I had plans with myself: I was getting some supplies for nachos, going to one of the scrapbooking stores in town (well maybe two of them), going home making my nachos and scrapbooking. But when she called, I was exstatic; she thought enough to rangle everyone together, go out have a good time (and let me forget about Justin being gone).

Well, that worked! With a beer into me, I somehow decided it would be great fun for Lincoln and I to run off together. Amanda was releaved to get rid of him, and agreed that I could have him, knowing all along that I'd grow tired of him, eventually returning him. We made plans, decided who's house we'd get, Justin naturally would get custody of Lowie (I wouldn't want Lincoln to torture him), figured out that he would make us breakfast and I'd need to step up my cooking frequency. Here we are, the lovely couple.

Only with really good, true friends can you joke around with stealing a husband! And, let's face it Lincoln and I could never work: between the camo (let's not forget about his jeans he wore tonight though) and scrapbooking - we'd grow to hate eachother pretty fast!

Thanks for making mine and Justin's five month anniversary a little more exciting and adventurous! (I had meant to take a photo of the two of us before he left this morning, but completely forgot.)

I'd Rather Have Supper With You

Justin texted me at about ten, saying that there was a good chance that he'd have to head back up to High River to work again this afternoon. If he was leaving before I got home, we'd go out for lunch together. I tried not to let it bother me too much, and put on my happy face. I started making a list of a whole bunch of random things for me to do while he was away. Just nice little things to keep me busy, and keep my mind off of my loneliness. I thought it would be fun to have something to refer to when I didn't know what to do and was bored.

He told me just after noon that he was sending someone else up, so he'd get to stay home! This made me really happy, although he's still going up on Friday (and not coming home until Monday). I sent him a text that I was glad, but I was excited about having supper with him. A couple hours later I sent him another text saying it was okay that we didn't get to have lunch together, since we'd be able to eat supper with each other.

Then Justin sent me a text wondering if I wanted to go out for a couple drinks with his mum. Of course! And since we didn't have much time from when I got home, to when we neede to be at the pub, Justin and I ate there too. (All photos taken with my phone).

Monday night while Nicole and Corey were over, we discussed going to True Grit with eachother. Since Nicole and I went to aquafit last night, and will probably go again tomorrow night, that only left us with tonight to see the movie this week. So after supper we met up with them at the theatre.

I had decided awhile ago that frozen yogurt didn't count as a sweet, and I almost got some a couple weeks ago while Justin and I were at the mall. It's always so much better to have this treat during a movie though, and I'm glad I waited to indulge myself until tonight! (I always seem to get the same: mango and raspberry).

It's That Time Again

Hold onto your New Year's hats - I scrapbooked!

On your next layout: scrapbook an event, celebration, person, place, thing that you never scrapbooked last year.

I didn't take a single picture while at Gerald and Terry's to celebrate, so I had to steal photos that Brittany put up on Facebook. Seeing as how I had never gotten around to creating a layout from New Year's at our house last year, and since making a list (and subsequently moving it on my calendar from month to month) which didn't seem to help get it done. I decided to scrap more what I felt like creating, and not what I felt I had to get scrapped - I actually wanted to sit down and create after seeing this cute picture of Tyson!

Originally I thought the black Thickers would be to heavy in that corner for the title, and so I had intended to use white ones. I started laying out my title, realizing that I miscounted and I didn't have enough e's to spell "remember" so I had to change strategies. I actually really like how it ended up looking with the title being black. And the Thickers I chose had a sparkle to them, which I felt added to the festive feel of the page.

I used some washi tape - something that I had always been meaning to use, but never found the right spot or layout for it to work with. And it added so much to the layout. Instead of the photo of my cousin just floating on the page, the tape seems to anchor it down. Going to get some more colours, and try working this onto more of my pages!

Journaling says: This is where it all started twelver years ago. We rang in the new year wondering what Y2K had in store for us. So much has changed in our lives since then: now there's boyfriends, husbands, toddlers and babies. No matter how our lives will vary, this celebration is always about family.

What didn't you get scrapped from last year but always meant to? Leave a comment with a link, and let's allow those memories to be remembered forever.

He's Home!

Sometimes Justin thinks he's SO sneaky. He called me yesterday at about 5:30, just to say hi, and ask what I was doing. I told him I was laying on the couch (half asleep) with a headache, and not feeling really well. Then the doorbell rang. I immediately knew it was him, but coyly asked if it was him at the door. Of course he said no, but I peeked out the window and saw Hewie parked in front of the house. I opened the door, hugged Justin and immediately started crying. I was so relieved and exstatic to have him home.

I didn't have the best time while Justin was away; it was difficult and made me really emmotional. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday I had really bad days, crying over work issues, lonliness, and Lowie being mad at me (two of those times I cried while still at work). As weird as it is, sushi is my comfort food that makes me the happiest. I perservered and only had sushi Friday night. We're trying to cut back on eating out, and that was a good thing to stop buying; I always buy lots while Justin is out of town.

I'm really glad I did some things to get my mind off of my lonliness for a little bit: helping Nicole with the invitations last Saturday, talking to Amanda on the phone (and trying to convince her to make her way into town during a blizzard to help with the invites), going to aquafit Tuesday and Thursday nights with both Nicole and Megan, going for supper Thurday night with Sandy, Chelsey stopping by to pick up a hair flower before her bridal photo shoot, and having supper at my parents house was a nice treat on Saturday. I know I would not have been able to handle the lonliness otherwise. And it just prooves that my theory of packing my weekends full while Justin is gone is a good way to deal with him being away.

So VERY happy that I didn't have one more sleep without him!

Because I Want To Remember This FOREVER!

My cousin Brittany is doing a 30 Day Photo Challenge on Facebook. Today is day 10 and the picture was of me; specifically a photo of the person you do the most messed up things with. It literally made my day! (There's been a lot of little things making my day lately!) It is a little bit strange how well she gets me, and amazing how much she remembers of the craziness that goes on between the two of us!

This person. I will name it off...setting up a tent in a garage, stress releiving car scream-fests that confuse other drivers, trying to follow your driving, word games, line games, game games, peeing places like a deer, the pickle dance, Julie sign language, drinking... games...drinking lawn darts? We're crazy. Lots of onions....red ones.... drink club, pour some sugar on me, tylenol containers...in the back seat of the car...that dont have tylenol in them, gum balls in slurpees = bad mix, pickle juice chasers, and extreme everything.

This is the photo she paired with her journaling:

Which is the EXACT same expression as this one from August long weekend camping trip of 2009 with Lincoln and Amanda (well, maybe not quite as much extreme happiness!):

A few photos to illustrate some of the craziness she mentioned, starting with how excited I get with games - even just seeing the box! She gave me Twister (along with so much more) for my staggette June 25, 2010. I'm thinking you can tell by my expression just what this gift meant to me!

This is the famous (infamous?) pickle dance. I know I'm the creator of this dance, but I seriously do not understand or remember my reasoning for making it! Maybe it was just my love for that deliscious pickled cucumber!

Miss Brittany is the creator of drink club, and seriously it is a fabulous idea. Except for when the drink is horrible. This one for instance was May long weekend in 2009, and we couldn't make one liquid float on the other liquid, even after a call to our cousin Tanya the bartender. I remember sitting out on the deck, passing the glass around, telling everyone how yummy it was. This drink was never made again. Then there was that other drink, the one we made with a substitution of lemon juice, which went horribly wrong as well; it left us crying and drooling on the floor of our old trailer. Apparenlty after which I made an announcement that the incident had to make it into her toast to the bride, which of course she could not leave out!

I am here to tell you though, even though this girl is the most beautiful person I know (both inside and out), she's got her moments of craziness also. I mean, some of mine would have to rub off onto her with the amount we hang out together! For instance, the first time that I met Sheldon (they came down to visit us May 25, 2008), she blow-dried her hair outside since it was too hot for her in the bathroom.

When trying on options for bridesmaid dresses, she left on her funky socks (and bra) one an ABC weekend trip in early 2009.

And... umm, that is about all the dirt I could find on her! Most of our other shinanigans is basically my doing, not done on her instigation.

She's the one that really kept me sane during those long months of planning the wedding. If we lived in the same city, I know there would have been many "I'm coming over with a bottle of wine" moments. If she wasn't in my life, not sure if I would be as much fun as I am. She just understands, and I am 100% myself around her, never trying to act a different way. She is amazing and perfect and I love here. That's why this girl was my maid of honor. Love you Britt!

Looking Back

It was on a day like today (well, maybe with a lot less snow, but it seemed just as cold) that we had our engagement photo session done about a year ago. Dustin and Christy kept telling us to not worry or think about the cold, the photos wouldn't show it and would be SO worth it in the end. I'm pretty darn sure they were right, and they made the most perfect save the date cards for us!

Looking back on my scrapbook from last year, I can see how stressed we were! There are a few pages of seemingly boring topics, but they just show how much I wanted last year recorded perfectly for our children to be able to look at (and in no way shape or form was it. I never got everything scrapped that was on my list, but after turning the page on my calendar, I decided to not re-write that list. That album is complete to me the way it is. And I don't need that added stress in my life!).

I need to get back into scrapbooking again, it's been too long. Last year's album was in chronological order. Still not sure I truly enjoy scrapbooking that way. I do like that it is in order, but there's sometimes when I just want to scrap and old photo. I'm thinking I'll combine them both for this years album. Make less rules for myself, and enjoy the process more!

Dinner and No Movie

Since Justin will be out of town starting this Friday until the 17th, (not to mention every weekend this month), we decided to go out for dinner tonight. He said I could decide, so after much thought about what would be the healthiest, I choose the Cheesecake. We both really wanted to got to OJ's (are you surprised?), but with the hockey games on I knew we wouldn't have any place to sit.

I ordered a chicken and veggie noodle bowl.

Justin was torn between a steak or a burger so asked me to make the decision for him!

I really think my fortune is related to my "no sweets" goal for the month; it's reassuring to know that my plans will work - obviously it's just mind over matter! (This "cookie" is not counting!)

Justin knows how hard I have been working on eating better, not eating sweets and trying to work out a bit. Then he sees plates of cheesecake on the counter all decked out with raspberries on top. He was teasing me to turn and look at them. I did good resisting until we were leaving, then I looked and saw the yummy desserts!

After supper we went to Costco for some work jeans for Justin, and some snacks for him to take to High River. Justin is now taking advantage of my health plan, and we walked up and down all of the food ailse looking for goodies.

We then went to WalMart for some a few more groceries and a pair of new sweatpants for Justin. There again, he wished we had grabbed a cart, looked at me and waited for my answer; of course I went to grab the buggy - extra walking!

Originally we were going to go to the Movie Mill to watch The Last 3 Years, but I was getting pretty tired, and when our gift card didn't work properly, that just sealed the deal. We're going tomorrow night now!