PL2021 - Week 15 | Sahlin Studio

Here's week 15 of my project life album. 

Delighted to see the weather changing for the good. 

This was the week Miss Madelyn was quarantined in her bedroom. It's a bit ironic, that for the 4 days she had to be up there, she was miserable. And now, when we're looking for her, guess where she is? In her room... 

Not as much fun I guess, when you're told to stay in your room. 

• Madelyn 'taking her meals' in her room.
• Libby loves walks on Nose Hill.
• Love this silhouette of Madelyn. 
• It seems weird that Mason is the only one who leaves the house every day right now. 

The following Sahlin Studio products were used: 

Rough Times Kit -  https://the-lilypad.com/store/Rough-Times-Kit.html

Rough Times J. Cards -  https://the-lilypad.com/store/Rough-Times-Journal-Cards.html

PL2021 - Week 14 | Sahlin Studio

In Week 14 we found out late in the week, that Madelyn had been exposed to someone at school who was Covid positive.  By late in the week, I mean 9:30 on Saturday night.

The protocol when receiving this dreaded email from the school, is to book a covid test and get a bunch of information from AHS.

Which we did. In the mean time, after receiving this email, we were instructed that she should 'quarantine' herself in her bedroom. I found this a bit ironic, as she'd been in close contact with a covid positive case on Tuesday, but we didn't get the email telling us that, until Saturday. Saturday night. Saturday night at 9:30 pm. We'd shared meals and spent time together from Tuesday until Saturday night. 

She reluctantly went to her room. She was there, quarantined alone, through much of the next week. Taking meals and being made to stay in her room, she soon learned, was not as much fun as just choosing to be in her room. And let's face it, choosing to be there, is her favourite thing. #teenagers

I was truly hoping she'd be the anomaly who ended up going to school all year, without having to quarantine. Making it to April before this happened, was a good run. Many of her school friends have already had to stay home and quarantine, some on more than one occasion. 

That being said, Friday April 9th was the last time Madelyn was physically present in school.

• Mornings are hard for everyone. 
• Kitchen is starting to look really good. It's nearly finished. 
• We were sorry to hear about the passing of Prince Philip.
• Buffalo Chicken Poutine, enough said. Pub grub at home, yummy. 
• Making a real effort to walk more. So far, so good. 

The following Sahlin Studio products were used: 

Gather J. Cards - https://the-lilypad.com/store/gather-journal-cards.html

Gather Digi stamps - https://the-lilypad.com/store/gather-digital-stamps.html

May 2021 Template Freebie | Sahlin Studio

Sahlin Studio just released the May template. Free to download through the whole month, to do that now, follow this link. 

As soon as I saw the template for May, I knew exactly what picture I wanted to use. 

First, a little back story. 

We are basically back in lockdown again. Mandatory provincial restrictions were announced last night, and effective immediately. Once again, we're back to the 'only go out if you need to' scenario. All salons, barbers, nail salons etc, are being shut down again. Restaurant patios too. The number of people you can gather with has dwindled down to 5. Outside only. All grades in schools are back to on-line learning until at least May 25th. We've shifted back to Step 0 restrictions. 

Covid numbers are sky rocketing.  There is concern our health system won't be able to take it. 

This has been a tough go. It just keeps going. Like the energizer bunny. With no end in sight. 

Still taking things day by day... 

Back to the layout I created using this months template. 

This picture was taken in March. When we were seeing other people sporadically. On this particular day, Madelyn, Mum and I ended up going to the thrift store. I had a few boxes to drop off, and we were all itching to get out and see some new scenery.

It was a delightful afternoon, that actually felt almost normal. Well, aside from mask wearing. 

The template can be downloaded for free through May. I also used digital product Spring Stories which happens to be Sahlin Studio's featured product for the entire month as well. Available for 35% off through May. Links below. 

The following Sahlin Studio products were used: 

Template: http://sahlinstudio.com/free-digital-scrapbooking-template-sketch-may-21/

Spring Stories Kit - https://the-lilypad.com/store/Spring-Stories-Kit.html

Spring Stories J. Cards - https://the-lilypad.com/store/Spring-Stories-Journal-Cards.html

Project Mouse [Galaxy] | Sahlin Studio

You guys...

Sahlin Studio in collaboration with Brittish Designs, just released another epic Project Mouse collection, Galaxy.  It's Star Wars themed!  Eeks! 

When I first saw this bundle, I was so excited. 

We've had Star Wars fever around my house basically since Mason was old enough to talk. Star Wars movies, Star Wars figurines, Star Wars Lego, Star Wars Birthdays, and even a Star Wars decorated bedroom. 

One of our greatest wishes as a family, is to get to Disneyland to experience the new Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge portion of the park. Our initial plan, for our 2019 Road Trip, was to drive all the way to Disneyland. That was the spring/summer Galaxy's Edge opened. The website wasn't sure how busy the park would be, but anticipated it being VERY busy. When it first opened they expected the waits to be multiple hours long. They were even expecting that the park may reach capacity, and they'd have to stop allowing guests in. 

Barry and I decided that it was just too long a drive, to get there and potentially be turned away. 

Then the pandemic hit. Disneyland has been closed for over a year. In fact, it only opened again on Friday, April 30th, 2021. 

That seems unbelievable to me. 

Aside from the fact that we can't travel right now, even within our own provinces, I suspect visiting Disneyland is still quite a ways off. 

I enjoyed looking through old photos and created a few layouts using this newly released bundle. 

It was so fun to go back through these photos of our last trip and create these pages. I can't wait until we can get back there now, our little ones not so little anymore. 

The following Sahlin Studio products were used: 

https://the-lilypad.com/store/Project-Mouse-Galaxy-Elements.html

https://the-lilypad.com/store/Project-Mouse-Galaxy-Elements.html

https://the-lilypad.com/store/Project-Mouse-Galaxy-Word-Art.html

https://the-lilypad.com/store/Project-Mouse-Galaxy-Papers.html

PL2021 - Week 13 | Sahlin Studio

Here's week 13 of my project life album. 

I changed some photos to black and white, too many contrasting colours. Which didn't go well with the cookie photo. And let's face it, everyone wants a good look at iced cookies. 

I'm loving the new photo album format. I'm really happy with how this album is coming together. 

• A year later, and trip to the thrift store. 
• Madelyn has perfected her loft house cookies.
• Robins Eggs. Enough said. It's a good thing we can only get them once a year. 
• Miss Libby. My whole heart. 
• Another easter alone, as a 4-some. Trying to see the light at the end of the tunnel. 

The following Sahlin Studio products were used: 

P.S. I Love You Elements - https://the-lilypad.com/store/P.S.-I-Love-You-Elements.html

P.S. I love you J. Cards - https://the-lilypad.com/store/P.S.-I-Love-You-Journal-Cards.html

PL2021 - Week 12 | Sahlin Studio

Last year I had my first pandemic birthday.

This year I had my 2nd...

The difference between this year and last year, this year we went out for dinner to a restaurant. So lucky because about 10 days after my birthday, Alberta went back to Stage 1 restrictions, meaning restaurants were once again closed to sit down dining. 

We also went over to A&B's for birthday cake. We don't blow out candles on a birthday cake anymore. But I held my own little candle while I was sung to. 

Things are still not the same, I'm not sure when they will be. Maybe never. Still grateful for my crew.

• A few candids photos at the restaurant [thanks for taking them Barry]
• A family selfie, my birthday request.
• Singing happy birthday to me with my lone little candle.
• Asked Mason to take a photo, and then always get a bunch of selfies on my camera roll. 
• Spring break started as did the quest for a furze [which was successfully tackled]

The following Sahlin Studio products were used: 

Birthday Cake Elements - https://the-lilypad.com/store/birthday-cake-elements.html

Birthday Cake J. Cards - https://the-lilypad.com/store/birthday-cake-journal-cards.html

Tranquil Collection | Sahin Designs

Feeling slightly overwhelmed as once again Covid numbers sky rocket. This time, due to the variant/s. This has led the Alberta government to go back to Stage 1 restrictions. Not a really huge deal for me, I've barely done anything in the past year. 

I used April's creative gallery, to share where my heart is currently at.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who is feeling rather down right now. 

Last week Madelyn received her first quarantine notice. As per AHS guidelines, she was to stay isolated in her bedroom. She had her test, which thankfully came back as negative.  It was a hard week for her and for us. There have been tears. Shed by both of us. Once she had a negative result, we let her out of her room. [Ironic that when she has to stay in her room, she's miserable, but when she can roam the house freely, she'd rather be in her room] She would have been able to go back to school starting Wednesday. 

However, starting today, all CBE students, grades 7 - 12 are going back to on-line learning, for at least the next two weeks. The bright side of this being, now everyone is on-line. Not just her.

I would have never, in a million years, thought we'd be in the same situation a year after it began. 15% of Canadians have received their first dose of the vaccine as of April 3rd. What's the number of fully vaccinated Canadians? Who knows. We seem to be the country that's fine with stretching the 2nd vaccine, in order to vaccinate more people... Going 16 weeks between doses... 

So there's where I'm at right now. 

And here's my layout accordingly. 

I'm doing my best, to remain positive while we head into the 3rd wave of the pandemic. The truth of the matter is, this is hard. There seems to be no end in sight.

The following Sahin Designs products were used: 

https://sahindesigns.com/products/tranquil-elements/

https://sahindesigns.com/products/tranquil-cards/

https://sahindesigns.com/products/tranquil-papers/

https://sahindesigns.com/products/tranquil-stamps/