Right here, right now ....

Happy Good Friday everyone!!

Note, this picture was taken less then 12 hours ago ...  no way am I posting a picture of myself in my *just woken up* state.  Besides, I think I looked pretty good yesterday ...  hence the self portrait photo shoot ;)

listening: to DH and DS playing on the computer and TV on in the background
eating: Just finished breakfast, eggs with hash browns
drinking: Coffee from breakfast, light cream with sugar
wearing: pyjamas (blue, new from Costco).  No judging, it's only 9:25am ;)
feeling: very, very happy I'm home with the family this weekend & excited for Red Loster with my SIL this afternoon
weather: sunny, but cool
watching: 'Super Why and other kids programming on CBC
reading: 'Catching Fire' by Suzanne Collins (Kindle) and 'In a Nutshell' by Janet Evanovich (real book)
waiting: for some motivation to start cleaning the house 
wanting: This weekend to go very ,very, slowly. And to savor every moment of it.
needing: To squeeze a run this afternoon to offset the insane amount of food ahead ;) 
thinking: about getting some journalling done on some scrapbook layouts and calling my Mom.
enjoying: the lazy morning - haven't had one in awhile
wondering: if my stomach can handle Red Lobster today - I'm still feeling off.
wishing: that I can enjoy this weekend without any family drama.

The best laid plans ....

In a perfect world, I like to plan my menus on Fridays.  It gives me a chance to look over the weekend flyers, pick up things that are on sale (to go with the items already in my pantry and freezer) and get some of the prep/freezer cooking done over the weekend when the dinner hour isn’t so frantic.

But this is isn’t a perfect world.  This is our chaotic life. 

This week the plan is nice and simple.  Considering 1) I’m basically flying by the seat of my pants and 2) it’s already Wednesday!!

We don’t typically have themes but it’s more determined by what we have going on in the evenings.

Monday is always leftover day. DH is AMAZING with leftovers.  As DS has swimming lessons on Mondays and I am chauffeur that day, Monday is “quick” leftover night.  We get home from swimming about 7 minutes after DH gets home and EVERYONE is starving.

The rest of the week is pretty routine – karate twice, no dinner meetings for DH or I and because of the gorgeous weather, we’d like to get outside to enjoy the sunshine before we get a last blast of winter.

Monday – Leftover steak with noodles. 

Tuesday – Chicken Tacos. Everyone’s favorite.

Wednesday – Garlic Pork Tenderloin http://www.kraftcanada.com/en/recipes/garlic-pork-tenderloin-barbecue-87014.aspx  and Broccoli

Thursday – (BBQ) Steak, sautéed mushrooms and corn.

Friday – Baked fish and broccoli for DH & I.  McD’s for DS ;)

Next week, I’ll try get this posted for Monday for those of you who try and get your menus planned for the week then ;) 

Cheers!

PSA - Backup your pictures people!!!!

Although we're very fortunate to be living the life we are, we have had more then our share of "first world" problems this week.  And in a few words, I can't wait to put this week to rest and start fresh!!

But the icing on the cake was today.  Saturday of all days!!  We woke up to some major fence damage in our backyard due to the high winds in our area last night.  Then I noticed that all of our pictures were gone off the computer. GONE. OMG I think I started hyperventilating.  On the plus side, *most* of the pictures have been uploaded to Costco already (my online, offsite photo storage ;)) However, there were quite a few that weren't. 

So for an hour, while DH was on the phone with some online support, and I was pacing the house "cleaning", all I could think of is WHY didn't we back up the pictures before this happenned.  ugh.

Ironically the fix was simple.  Something about a shortcut being deleted and my pictures are safe and sound.  But you can bet your bottom dollar my pictures will be getting backed up the beginning of each month from this moment on.

Back up your pictures, that's my PSA to you on this windy day.

Cheers!

Happy Dr. Suess Day!!

I have always been the person who needs to have a book on the go, no matter where I go.  As a kid, even on a short car ride to our cousins in the next town I needed *something*.  A chapter book, an Archie comic- just something to entertain me on the mundane ride.

Even now, when we go somewhere longer then a 30 minute drive I take a magazine, a book or now my Kindle.  You get the point, right.  I LOVE TO READ!!!

So imagine my surprise when somehow I realized I married a "non-reader".  Oh, he can read.  He just doesn't like to.  He'll read the paper.  He'll read instructions (sometimes).  But to pick up a book and read??  No way!!  Actually, scratch that, he did read the whole Lord of the Rings series while the movies were coming out, but that's about it.

Now, sadly DS who is 6 is pretty much a non reader.  Part of it is lack of confidence as he can't read all the words and gets easily frustrated. Part of it is he'd rather play video games.  Part of it is he just doesn't find it fun.

That's where Dr. Suess comes in and saves my behind :) The words are smaller and goofy, the story is interesting and it's actually FUN for him.  He enjoys the wackiness of the story and I love that he gets confidence from reading so well.

His first book he read himself was Green Eggs and Ham.  After much coaxing to get started, he read the whole book by himself!!  We've also read Red Fish, Blue Fish, Hop on Pop, Oh the Places You'll Go and The Thinks You Can Think.

We've read them all several times and they're our go to books when I find he's struggling with his school dictated reading books.  I think for anyone who's struggling with reading, these books would be a great resource for any home library.

Thank you Dr. Suess for writing books that are fun even for non readers :)

Cheers!
K

OLW Blog Hop - March

Or  how my friend ScrappnBee has saved my procrastinating butt!!  Thanks Amanda J

I will completely admit to my epic fail.  I thought about this month’s prompt.  Really I did. But the pictures didn’t come.  And I forgot I signed up for this blog hop because I am (still!) so excited about this project, I think I signed up on the first day and then totally forgot about the deadline.

I decided this morning to have a bit of a break from reading Company Procedures and the first updated blog on my list was Amanda’s (ScrappnBee).  All I can say is thank goodness, someone was on the ball!!!  I was in panic mode because HOLY BATMAN I completely forgot to post!

So here’s my photo spread for my word : FOCUS

So from top left and moving across, this is what I would like to focus more on this year :
My family (and the one and only picture actually taken with my camera!!),
eating healthy; especially veggies!!
this quote is great -When you stop chasing the wrong things, the rights things come and find you
sunsets - which to me = relaxation
colourful balloons - happiness and fun times
running shoe - well, running and exercise ;)
stack of books - more reading and learning
happy face - no brainer here - be happy!!
interesting artwork - something that just made me smile.

I will admit that due to my procrastination, other then the picture of my family ….  The rest of these pictures were linked up from Pinterest or Google Images.  I’ll link up exactly where this weekend, well maybe not.  The quote, asparagus and sunset were Pinterest, rest were Google Image.

Again, sorry for being late and dropping the ball here.  Thank goodness March is a longer month ;)  I promise, next month this post will be much, MUCH better!!

Here’s where you’re going next J

Jen R http://jenritchie.com/

Thanks so much for stopping by and seeing what we are up to! (hop live at 8AM PST)

Amanda http://scrappnbee.blogspot.com/ 
Brooklyn http://www.everysnapshot.com/  
Kristina http://hrinspirationfromthe403.blogspot.com/<---you are here!!!
Jen R http://jenritchie.com/<---next
Kara http://iwannabemewhenigrowup.blogspot.com/
Eydie http://www.whatwecreate.net/
Ruth http://suburbansahm.blogspot.com/
Missus W http://www.mrswookieswanderings.blogspot.com/
Marilee http://rose-brier.blogspot.com/
Cindy http://seriousplay.typepad.com/
Kaylea http://www.myscrappylife.com/
Dawn G http://www.sunshineandcreativity.com/
Rebekah http://istampscrapcraft.blogspot.com/
Becky http://www.becky-handforth.blogspot.com/
Orange Gearle http://orangegearle.blogspot.com/
Katrina http://www.katrinasimeck.com/
Jo http://www.mrsbeee.blogspot.com/
Nicky http://www.seejanebake.blogspot.com/
Beth http://www.thesingularlyordinary.blogspot.com/
Kelly http://mindingmynest.com/
Tere http://terecontodomicorazon.blogspot.com/
Margie http://xnomads.typepad.com/ (START/ Lost & Found)
Melissa S http://blog.mshanhun.com/
Sharyn http://lavieenchic.com/
Kimberlee http://scrapsandsass.blogspot.com/
Jill http://jillconyers.com/
Cheri http://cheriandrews.blogspot.com/
Cindy http://www.cynthiacrysdale.com/
Jenn http://www.studiojenn.blogspot.com/
Monica http://scrapinspired.com/
Catherine http://myview-catherine.blogspot.com/
Naomi http://poeticaperture.com/
Jamie http://jmpgirl.blogspot.com/
Coley http://www.coleybelle.blogspot.com/
Melissa C http://www.smudgetime.com/
Donna http://holimess.blogspot.com/
Monica B http://questtoperfectimperfection.blogspot.com/
Veronica http://www.veronicanorris.typepad.com/
Heidi D http://mommy.heidimdavis.com/

Lisa http://backtoallen.com/category/one-little-word/
Nikki http://www.inkyart.com.au/

Eye on the prize

Tonight, being a typical Friday night, I'm scrapping. It's my "distressing, not worrying about the hell-ish week that just happpenned" thing to do. The wine flows, the ideas flow .. if it weren't for my scraproom and (very) loud Cricut being right under DS's room, I'd have 4.  YES 4 more layouts DONE!  (All that's left is the titles, and I want to use the Cricut ;))  **I will take some pictures once they're actually done!

Also to blogland I'm admitting that I have 30 weeks left. This week at work was complete hell.  To say that I work in a "man's world" is an understatement.  I finally made the realization WHY I never got comfortable here. And I figured out I'd like to give it 30 weeks.  More for me to save the cash to be able to quit.  But at least I have a plan. And an X on the calendar so it's a concrete plan. DH will be inpressed as I'm sure he's not too thrilled with my mood as of late ;)  We'll see how the saving plan goes - hopefully the plan works and I'm "free" as of Labour Day.  That's the prize my eye is on ;)

Cheers!

Welcome to the February OLW Blog Hop!!!

So last year, I tried to do One Little Word, (OLW) and it was an epic fail.  Towards the end of last year one of my scrappy friend told me about a blog hop that Margie organizes every month and it helped keep HER i check.  (Thanks ScrappnBee!!)  So I figured I'd give OLW another try and here I am.

My word this year is FOCUS.  As I've said in an earlier blog post, by the end of last year I felt like I was pulled in too many directions all the time. And not being able to give 100% with whatever I was working on.  IT. WAS. FRUSTRATING.  One day, I was trying to clean up the kitchen while listening to DS reading.  I was frustrated with him (the situation) because I still had a million and five things to tackle before bedtime.  DS's reading was taking a long time because he was struggling.  The missing key was FOCUS.  If I would just focus on DS's reading, he'd go off tp play and I could focus on what I had to get done.  DUH!  Lightbulb moment!!  And my One Little Word for 2012 was born :)

In the short 31+ days since I've chosen my word I've really tried to spend some time really focusing on a task every day.  Folding a load of laundry only takes about 4 minutes, unloading the dishwasher takes about 3.  I've found I'm also calmer.  More at peace and less stressed.  So far so good for 2012.

Here's a picture of January's assignment.  I was so inspired, I think it was done within the first couple days of being uploaded at BPC!!

We have a total of 46 wonderful scrappers on the blog hop for this month, apparently it's the biggest hop yet!!  You will be going to Cindy's blog next. 


ONE LITTLE WORD Feb 1, 2012 Blog Hop 

Margie              http://xnomads.typepad.com/

Sharyn            www.lavieenchic.com           

Jill                          http://jillconyers.com/

Lynn                        www.crafty-creativity.blogspot.com

Jenn                        www.studiojenn.blogspot.com

Carmen            http://www.carmenpaulsorthner.com

Marilee            http://rose-brier.blogspot.com/      

Kristina            http://hrinspirationfromthe403.blogspot.com/  ***YOU ARE HERE***

Cindy C            http://www.cynthiacrysdale.com  Next stop

Kelly                        http://mindingmynest.com

Cheri                        http://cheriandrews.blogspot.com

Amanda            http://scrappnbee.blogspot.com

Cindy                        http://seriousplay.typepad.com

Brooke            http://www.everysnapshot.com/

Naomi                        http://www.poeticaperture.com/

Melissa            http://www.smudgetime.com

Karen                        http://breathenowsmile.blogspot.com

Melissa S            http://blog.mshanhun.com

Devon                        http://www.youhadmeatneurotic.com

Donna                         http://holimess.blogspot.com/

Dawn                        sunshineandcreativity.com

Katrina             http://www.katrinasimeck.com/

Sam                        http://learncreatedo.wordpress.com

Monica             http://scrapinspired.com

Kimberlee              http://scrapsandsass.blogspot.com

Missus W            http://mrswookieswanderings.blogspot.com/

Kaylea                         http://www.myscrappylife.com

Nikki                        Www.inkyart.com.au

Erin                        http://erinsparkes.typepad.com/optimstic-fascination/

Jo                        www.curlyscrapbooker.blogspot.com

Coley                        http://coleybelle.blogspot.com/2012/01/focus-word-for-2012.html

Beth                        www.thesingularlyordinary.blogspot.com

Veronica            www.veronicanorris.typepad.com

Jamie                        http://jmpgirl.blogspot.com/

Monica B            http://questtoperfectimperfection.blogspot.com/

Lisa                   http://backtoallen.com/writers_blog

Rebekah         http://istampscrapcraft.blogspot.com/

Jan                  http://mysimplelittlelife.typepad.com

Cate                        www.lifebehindthepurpledoor.com

Stephanie              www.scrapworthylives.com

Orange Gearle            http://orangegearle.blogspot.com

Tere                           http://terecontodomicorazon.blogspot.com/

Junelle                  http://yesandamenblog.blogspot.com/ 

Ruth                  http://suburbansahm.blogspot.com

Becky                  www.becky-handforth.blogspot.com