PL2017 - Week 26

Here is week 26 of my project life album. 

Grade 6 farewell was bittersweet. I wasn't sure if I would remain dry-eyed or not. To shut a door, after 10 years of coming to the same school every day. Not only Madelyn saying goodbye to her friends [she's going to a different school than her friends] but for me to say goodbye to the friends I've made. It's so effortless and easy to keep in touch when you chat with people at school pick up 5 days a week. 

There was a brief moment, when the kids all began to walk to the stage, in matching Gr 6 shirts, all with little smiles of excitement. The top-dogs of the school. Thrilled to be 'graduating'. As I saw Mad make her way to the front of the line, I saw her knowing 'I'm really trying really hard NOT to smile, smile' and my heart burst open, but only for a nano-second. I had to get that in check immediately. Had I started to cry, it would have turned ugly. I could just tell. 

Once the assembly was over, the kids all received their yearbooks, and the mad dash to get everyone to sign them was on. It was chaos. Needless to say, I got very few pictures of Madelyn and her friends together. She could have cared less, about the photos. So I let it go. I've been doing that a lot lately.

• Mason is 15, french toast for breakfast.
• Grade 6 farewell.
• Birthday dinner of choice was 5 Guys, my burger-loving boy. 
• Last day of school photos.
• Happy Canada Day and Happy 150th Birthday to Canada!
• Quick collage of our first couple of days at the lake.

This was another layout that I wanted to add a couple more photos. [I ended up swapping the last day of school photos around. I put Madelyn first, so Mason's pictures weren't side by side]

All through elementary school, we've taken photos with the teachers. This is the last time we'll do that. It's hard to believe that we're making this huge jump to junior high and high school. 

Ironically, Mason and Madelyn had the same teacher for Grade 6. I feel so fortunate to have had the teaching team we did. Through the years they had and loved both of my kids, and it showed. You are a FANTASTIC teacher. [You know who you are]

The following Sahlin Studio products were used:

Number Journal Cards

Like a Boss - Elements

CZ Class - Getting Inspired

I recently took a class from CZ Design called Design Your Life 2.0.  I'd taken this class 9 years ago back when I was just dabbling in digital. All my layouts from that time period, are paper and embellishments. I now am mostly a digital scrapbooker, except for the odd crafty thing I do. 

The product that I have squandered away... My husband never need know about... 

I love scrapbooking. Still. With a passion. It's never changed since I scrapbooked my wedding. 19 years ago!! Eeks! I love going through past albums. I love re-connecting with stories. I love remembering tidbits I'd forgotten. I love looking at my kids. One thing scrapbooking thing does, is freeze time. Forever more.

On occasion, I go through a dry spell. I'm not totally creative every day. On occasion weeks go by before I sit at the computer. When I saw this class was being offered again, and alumni got a bit of a discount, I decided to go for it. 

Sometimes it's exactly the kind of inspiration you need.  Here are two layouts that I made for the class. The templates were given, but photos, papers, embellishments and stories... Well, those are all mine. 

 

Two of my most favourite photos of Mason, taken 8 years apart. [Sigh] Another thing that taking all these photos does, is make your life flash right before your eyes.

Documented evidence of Madelyn's 12th birthday party. Such a fun time spent with her very best girlfriends. 

I had so much fun creating these pages, to suit my needs. It was just what I needed to get the creative juices flowing. 

PL2017 - Week 25

Here is a quick look back to Week 25. 

• Trip to the library.
• Storm in Red Deer my brother was caught in. 
• Pub Night with my Tsunami Mommies.
• Enjoying the deck. 
• Mason mowing the lawn. 
• Sleepovers, the day after...

This is a layout, that I ended up having more photos than spaces to put photos. 

I had a couple of stories to tell, that I wanted to have several photos. I also wanted to include journaling, but I didn't want this to end up being a 2 page spread. 

So, I created a couple of flip up pockets. 

To do this, I cut up an existing page protector, taping it directly over the photo so that when it flips up, more of the story is visible. 

Here are the photos I included: 

My brother was in a freak windstorm this summer while camping up in Red Deer. The wind was so intense, that it literally pulled the trees from the ground. Huge trees. He said it was so scary, he thought he was going to be hit for sure. He was inside at the time, and he could hear something coming, he said it sounded like a freight train. Many of the RV's in the campground were hit with falling trees and debris, and miraculously, he got out with out so much as a scratch. The top photo, was the RV right next door to him. It absolutely hit close to home. We're so thankful he was okay.

I wanted to include a few photos that he'd sent me. It's hard to believe this wasn't actually a tornado, but it was just extreme wind gusts. There was a huge clean up effort, and the majority of the trees in the campground were destroyed.

The next story I wanted to include was the 'sleep overs'. Both kids had them, where there was little to no sleep [remember me, I HATE sleep overs] The kids were both crabby, and I sent them both for naps. And both napped. Absolutely unheard of. The only time these kids ever sleep other than at night time, is when they're sick.

Mason recovered after his nap, and made it through the rest of the day. Madelyn on the other hand woke up even crabbier. At least it was quiet for a couple of hours...

The following Sahlin Studio product was used: 

Number Journal Cards

Documentary Elements 

Documentary Journal Cards 

PL2017 - Weeks 23 & 24

It's hard to go back to June, when we're now in September. But here we are, in June, with summer ahead of us. Spring time remains my favourite. The days getting warmer and longer. The anticipation of summer ahead. Love it. 

Here week 23:

• Last photos of Miss Madelyn as a school patrol. 
• Good news at the Dr. I have to admit, I have been very apprehensive about this visit. 
• Our Grade 9 grad...
• Thrifting with Mum, a favourite. 
• Hugging a tree.
• Mandatory photo with Mum and Dad and the Gr. 9 grad. He was much more receptive to taking pictures when he realized EVERYONE was taking photos with their kids. 
• Miss Libby finds a spot to sit in the morning sun. 

Week 24:

Celebrating Ama's Bday. 

Last lunch date with a grade 9 and grade 6 student. 

Measuring, and Mason is finally taller than his Dad. 

Bug finding.

City view.

Movie with the boy. 

The following Sahlin Studio product was used:

Week 23

Celebrate Journal Cards: http://the-lilypad.com/store/celebrate-journal-cards.html

Celebrate - Elements: http://the-lilypad.com/store/celebrate-elements.html

Week 24

Composition - journal card - http://the-lilypad.com/store/composition-journal-cards.html

Composition - elements - http://the-lilypad.com/store/composition-elements.html

Photo template 1 - 4x6 vol 1 - http://the-lilypad.com/store/4x6-Photo-Templates-Vol-1.html

First Week of School

Well, we've got the first week of school under our belts.

Grade 10 and Grade 7.

Senior and Junior High. 

Eeks. 

Tuesday September 5th was our first day. We didn't prepare ahead of time. We simply set alarms and got up. Sadly, for me, alarm setting time is early. 

We've had a big shift in school start times this year. We were lucky for Mace's 3 years of Jr. High, his start time was 9:00 am. 

Madelyn's start time is 8:15 am, and she's on the school bus. At a congregated bus stop, to make matters even more inconvenient. [At a bus stop that is 4 km away from our house. Across a very busy [8 lanes of traffic at 80 km/hour] roadway. There's no way she can get there herself.] So we have to get her there, for 7:25 every morning. Leaving the house at 7:10 each morning. Meaning, her wake up time is 6:30 each morning. Meaning my wake up time is before that... 

Poor me, I know. But I'm not a morning person, and so far I've done this school with kids thing, okay. I had to get up for 7:00 am, the last 3 years with Mace. Now, I'm up just after 6 am. This could be a long 3 years, but I'm trying to think about all the wonderful things I can do in the morning. How productive I can be. 

Here are first day of school photos:

Both kids were up at the same time. Mason woke his sister up, for her first day of Grade 7. She left the house at 7:05; he left the house at 7:40. He was delighted to learn he'll be able to sleep until 7:00 most mornings. No different that the last 3 years.

Off he goes. First day of school photo. With a couple new clothing items, that he actually picked out.  He's mad the trip to the school on city transit already. So he knows where he's going. Proud of the young man this guy is becoming. Hoping for an awesome year ahead.

First day of Grade 7. She's going to a school with a uniformed program. We ordered the clothing back in June, so hoping that it will be at school ready to pick up today. On the first day of school, they were asked to wear a white polo top, if they didn't have the required shirt. In this photo, she is apprehensive but very excited.

This was my after school treat for the first day back. Square pretzels with a candy melt and a 'stem'.  Found this idea here. Easy-peasy, all of us enjoyed them but Madelyn. She didn't like them.  Seriously, WHO doesn't like sweet and salty?

And we're still relishing in crazy warm temperatures. 

This summer has been awesome. Though the smoke from surrounding forest fires has been absolutely  brutal off and on all summer long. 

I have to say, this is the first time I'm actually looking forward to the cooler temperatures of fall. To wearing sweaters and boots and scarves. I have been so hot, all summer long. I'm not complaining. I am just looking forward to cooler temperatures and smoke free crisp clean air. 

 

September Template Freebie

I was so excited about this months template freebie from Sahlin Studio. First of all, I love repetition. I also love circles. So I think repetition and circles are going to make a fun addition to any scrapbook page. 

I went through an old album, and realized I had a few blank pages. When you've got  a spot between January and March, you have to go through older photos, of that specific time period, and decide what story you'd like to revisit. At least that's how I operate. I want my albums to be in sync as far as time periods and dates. 

Also, it's HOT here. Still. It has been all summer. Have I mentioned how darn lucky we've been this summer and how awesome the weather has been? True story. This is the first year, in a long time, that  I totally regret not having air conditioning. There have been many nights, laying in bed, on top of the covers, wondering how I can cool down...

So, when I was looking through through my older photos, that were taken between January and March, it was a cooler time. I enjoyed creating a page of a cooler time, when I've been so hot all summer long. 

So, here's this months layout:

Download [click here] it for free, for the month of September only. 

Here is my deliciously cool take on this months layout. [Going a few years back to the winter of 2014]

The following Sahlin Studio product was used: 

Autumn Frost - elements

Autumn Frost - journal cards

Autumn Frost - paper