PL2015 - Week 31

At this point, we were full swing into summer. We had 4 weeks under our belts, and were in the routine of 'laid back'. It was also the week we were looking forward to heading away on our summer vacation.


Week 31:

This week we did a test bus run. We found out that starting in Grade 8, Mason would be required to get himself to school on his own, via city transit.  We looked up the route he needed, where he'd have to transfer, and took ourselves on a little adventure. I wanted him to be familiar with the stops he'd need to get on/off at. When I explained to the bus driver what we were doing, he was incredibly kind. He told me I was a great Mum, and then didn't let us pay our fare. He gave us transfers, and said kind words to us the whole time we were on that bus. This week was also the week Madelyn decided she wanted to cook supper. It went surprisingly well, and we have had them again since. I also realized this week that Mason has shot up in height quite a bit, since May. We also headed west, towards BC for our annual summer vacation. Traffic was insane, but thankfully thinned out by the time we got to Lake Louise.

Sahlin Studio Product Used:

Like A Boss Kit
All About This - digital stamps
Photo Templates Vol. 1 - landscape

PL2015 - Week 30

Week 30 fell in the middle of the summer.

This was the week I took the kids camping with a friend.

This is the week I felt kind of empowered because 1) I took the kids camping with a friend. [I was the one that loaded the vehicle with camping stuff, coolers of food, bevvies (both child and adult friendly) I gathered clothes and extra blankets. I loaded bikes onto the bike rack [which is a lot trickier than it looks]

and 2) Because I went camping. In the woods. with my kids. Without Barry.

I did stay in a tent trailer, which kept my bear anxiety at bay. Well, between the trailer and the wine, that was what kept my bear anxiety at bay...

Any way, here is week 30: 

Sahlin Studio Product Used:

Composition Elements
Composition Journal Cards
Composition Paper

I also used these Photo Templates, Vol. 1 in Portrait.
  

I created the 8 picture collage by altering one of the templates. 

Template Freebie

I wanted to share with you, that every month Sahlin Studio has a freebie template, which can be downloaded for free, for the month. You can find October's template here. Stop what you're doing, and go and get it. Now. I'll wait.

Now that you've done that, here's what I did with this months template freebie:

I just wanted a quick page, to document our summer trip. All the colours were fighting with one another, so I changed all the pictures to black and white, and just had one colour photo on the page.

I also created another quick page, to document our anniversary. We actually went to the mountains, because that's how Barry wanted to spend his birthday, but our anniversary happened too, so we combined them. We drove up to Moraine Lake, which I've heard about countless times, seen so many pictures of, that I know immediately where the picture has been taken, but have never actually seen it with my own eyes.

This particular day [also our Lake Louise day] we had every kind of weather. We ate our picnic lunch outside in the sun. [It was very pleasant] We got whipped by snow and wind, as evidenced by this photo below. Then we mooched around Banff with sweaters on, later in the day.

 
 The following Sahlin Studio Products were used:

October, template freebie - link above.

Celebrate Elements and Paper: https://the-lilypad.com/store/celebrate-elements.html 
http://the-lilypad.com/store/celebrate-papers.html

And, Reflection Kit & Journal Cards:

PL2015 Week 28 & 29

Now that fall is in high gear I'd like to zip through my summer pages a little bit faster. 

We have been so fortunate this year. We had a mild winter, which was lovely. Though, too bad we bought ski passes... A beautiful spring, that in my experience is not very typical. Summer was fantastic, though a bit hazy because of all the forest fires throughout BC and the states. And finally, fall. It's been splendid.

Last year, after our freakish September snow storm, our fall was virtually non-existent. Leaves simply died and fell off the trees. This year, we've been able to marvel at the colours. Sadly, this weekend the forecast is for about 3 degrees with a rain/snow mix. Any leaves remaining, will come down I'm sure.

Nose Hill has looked awesome too. I took the kids up last week, and even with the dreadful wind  blowing, the leaves stayed put.





We even made a trip to Banff/ Lake Louise last weekend because [gasp] we had no ice times! The larch trees where changing and I really wanted to see it. The weather was cool, and we did in fact get snowed on. We were dressed for mountain weather, many were not. I guess we had the advantage of knowing how quickly the weather can change. But even with the frigid temperature, the scenery did not disappoint.

 There's the snow!

She loves nature. She kept saying how beautiful everything was all day long.

This is the first time I've been here [aside from the winter months obviously] that there was not a single person out on the water in a canoe.

 A glimpse of the larches along the tree line. [With Madelyn looking inland...]

It was definitely snowing down the valley.

Another glimpse of the larch trees along the treeline.

Any way, now that we've looked at fall and our current weather situation, back to my summer layouts:

Week 28:

This week we went to Qarry Lake in Canmore with friends. It was super hot, and  a dip in this refreshing mountain lake was perfect. Eating ice cream with a cousin, trying to stay cool. Mad, outside reading. At 10 pm, it was the coolest we'd been all day. Mason went camping this weekend with another family. I loved that the Mum sent me texts and photos of him having a great time. A big deal for Madelyn, I surprised her and took her to get her ears pierced. A back yard camp out. You two slept out there all by yourselves!

Week 29:

This week we went for a picnic to Sibbald Lake. Madelyn caught frogs! So there was much excitement about that. We took Miss Libby, who had a great time. Mason is hard to pin down for pictures these days, so I take them when I can. Mason took over flyer delivery for a friend while he was on vacation. Bar and I got a quick golf game in while the kids were at sleep overs.

Sahlin Studio Product Used:

Week 28

Like a Boss - Kit
Like a Boss - Journal Cards


Week 29 

Celebrate - Elements 
Photo Journal No.1 - Word Art