PL2020 - Week 12 | Sahlin Studio

Looking back, this was the first week of our new normal. [It's been 6 weeks since then]

I had the news on most of the day, that first Monday. We'd only received confirmation at 8 pm the night before, that schools would be closed.  

Indefinitely. 

We'd stopped watching news, for the most part, since the holidays of 2018. It's just too dang depressing. But all of a sudden, I was watching all the news. Morning, dinner and evening news. 

It didn't take long to realize, watching the news at 11:00 pm, then trying to turn the lights out and go to bed, was a problem. I quickly learned, that watching the news, that was reporting on the same thing over and over, was not healthy. Within those first few weeks, I watched the 5 pm news only. 

And I started projects around the house. 

The first few weeks the kids were off, were filled with a lot worry and dread. 

Thankfully, a few weeks later, the kids at least, had some direction as far as school went. 

• If cancelling school, all professional sporting events, concerts and community sports wasn't enough to get your attention, the closures announced on that first Monday, when the city declared a 'state of emergency' certainly did. 
• I began to go through 20 years of 'I'll just put this here for the time being' photos. 
• Trying to get in a little bit of vitamin D, when the sun was out.
• Drinking has increased 10-fold around here as we navigate something we don't know how to navigate.
• Madelyn read the Hobbit. In one day. Challenge from her brother, accepted. 
• Playing board games is one thing we're doing with a lot more regularity. 
• Mason still plays online games with friends. Glad for the laughing and talking that happens when he's online. 

The following Sahlin Studio products were used: 

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

Quarantine Report

I have started this post 3 times.

The first time, was right in the heart of all the cancellations and uncertainties.

I cried a lot.

There was SO much we didn't know.

Now I've been home for 42 days. It's obviously feeling more 'normal' now, to not leave the house. Yet I don't want to forget what my feelings were at the beginning of this, so I've decided to go ahead and post this.

***

Thursday March 12th was the last day before all hell broke loose in our little corner of the world. It was the first time I 'd heard the word PANDEMIC be used in association with the coronavirus.  A global pandemic.

Mad's school trip was cancelled less than 36 hours before they were supposed to meet at the airport. Such a disappointment.

We keep waiting, hoping, that things will quickly go back to normal. The not knowing, is the hardest. 

At the beginning of this, I was trying to put on a brave face. Trying to act normal, when nothing that was happening was normal. 

Having said that, I grapple with opposite feelings all the time. For example:

I want everything to be back to normal AND I'm scared there will never be a 'normal' again.

I want to stay informed with what's going on AND I don't want to know the latest updates.

I am trying to be brave AND I'm feeling scared. 

I am making masks for my family AND the idea of having to wear one out in public couldn't be more foreign to me. 

I want to go to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription AND I look at everyone else like they could infect me. 

I want to see family/friends AND I'm afraid someone will get sick. 

Call it whatever you want, self-isolating, quarantine, sheltering in place, we have been home since the 13th of March.  We're making the most out of our situation. I couldn't be more tired of hearing the word unprecedented right now. 

I've been doing a ton of cooking and baking.  Meals are one thing that I have complete control over.

We're five weeks in, I'm not feeling nearly as panicked as I was at first.

It's the end of April and I can count on one hand how many times I've been in a grocery store in the past 5 weeks. One hand. And 5 weeks, actually feels a little like 10 weeks or more...

I'm obviously documenting this pandemic in my project life pages. All my recent layouts have been about it as well. It's pretty big and scary right now. 

This past week, we've seen a lot of the glorious sun. What a mood booster that is.

Grad was officially cancelled last week...

The Calgary Stampede was officially cancelled this week...

I'm just not sure that anything will be normal again...

Thankfully a ton of funnies and memes have shown up all over. It feels good to laugh, we need to keep doing that. Until such a time the we can get together in person again.

This too shall pass.

April Template | Sahin Designs

April templates have been released from Sahin Designs. I adore working with circles. So this did not disappoint one bit.

Here are the templates:

This is my layout using one of the templates.

Surprise, surprise, it's a Cover-19 layout.

If nothing else, Coronavirus is giving us something to document.

Does this still feel surreal to you? It does me. I've been home now for 42 days. I've only left home a handful of times. I still can't quite believe that there is tape around playgrounds, indicating they are 'closed'. I can't believe there are empty shelves at the grocery store. [Last week I found yeast, the week before that, snagged the last 10 kg bag of all purpose flour] So baking can continue [which is a good and bad thing, my waistline will tell you]

Ironically, one thing I haven't been able to do is settle down and read. What? At the middle of March I'd already read 17 books. Seventeen!! And since March 14th, I've read 1... I don't quite understand it myself. I have the green light to sit and read, and I just can't seem to focus.

Covid has shut down so many businesses, I can't even imagine what things will look like a few more months down the road.

I'm so ready to get back 'out there' to the normal every day things I'd be doing. Yet, so nervous at the same time.

So thankful that the sun is a little bit more dependable as of late.

Sitting in the front or back yard, feeling the sunshine on your face, nothing is as good as that.

The following Sahin Designs products were used:

April Template: https://sahindesigns.com/products/april-2020-layout-templates/
Homebody Elements: https://sahindesigns.com/products/homebody-elements/
Homebody Papers: https://sahindesigns.com/products/homebody-papers/
Covid-19 Digital Stamps: https://sahindesigns.com/products/covid-19-stamps/

PL2020 - Week 11 | Sahlin Studio

Gosh, what I'd do to go back to the way things were, before Coronavirus was all anyone ever talked about.

This weeks project life spread, goes back to the exact start of our world turning upside down. 

The first few weeks of this were scary. I remember having the tv on during the day, watching, waiting, listening...

I learned very quickly, that was not a great idea. Especially for one's mental health. 

The late news simply had me lay in bed all night long, with my eyes wide and fearful, going through one worst case scenario after another. 

I then limited the news to dinner time only. 

Now I only watch it every few days. It's just too much. 

We're doing our part by staying home. I'm hopeful this will get under control and we'll be able to return to normal. 

Although, what is normal anymore? 

• Date night, we went to a wine tasting event with some of Barry's co-workers. It was our first 'date' since hockey and ringette were finished, and at the time, we had no idea that it would also be our last in the foreseeable future.
• Toilet paper suddenly was in high demand, everywhere. 
• Getting Madelyn packed and ready for her Bamfield trip. [Which was cancelled 36 hours before the plane was to leave]
• Seeing the word 'PANDEMIC' for the first time.
• Closures of all the things that never close... Seeing professional sport teams suspend play,  Disneyland close it's gates, these things certainly got my attention quickly. 
• My inbox, which also alerted us to the fact, that life was about to change. 
• Schools were closed, indefinitely, on Sunday March 15th. We received official word after 8 pm. 

The following Sahlin Studio products were used: 

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

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

Ups & Downs | Sahin Design

This is our new normal.

Our reality. 

The kids both sit at a computer each day, watching lessons, live teachings, lectures and both have been busy with homework and assignments. 

It's tough.  Especially on my momma heart. This is NOT how these kids want to be learning. They want to be at school. With their teachers and surrounded by friends. 

I was thinking, families with little ones, definitely have it harder right now, during this Coronavirus. It would be So. Much. Harder. doing this with young children and elementary aged kids. When you need to watch them constantly from morning to night. With no break but for bed time. 

I don't spend any time during the day, going over lessons or teaching my kids. They, thankfully, receive prompts from their teachers and they both get to work. I think they've both welcomed this little bit of 'normal' in the midst of nothing being normal. 

What's hardest for this age group, is not being surrounded by their peers. 

And now, that grad has officially been cancelled [which we pretty much knew was going to happen, but we still held out hope] they don't even have anything to look forward to. 

Makes my heart ache... 

I'm glad to be able to document this crazy period of our lives. 

One day, we'll look back at this period and say 'Remember when...'

For now, we continue to take it one slow day at a time. 

The following Sahin Designs products were used: 

https://sahindesigns.com/products/ups-downs-elements/

https://sahindesigns.com/products/ups-downs-papers/

https://sahindesigns.com/products/ups-downs-cards/

Bloom | Sahlin Studio

Bloom Cards + Word Art by Sahlin Studio are currently on sale at the Lilypad.

I don't know about you, but I could certainly use some colour right now. This collection is most certainly cheerful. 

It is S N O W I N G again, right now, as I sit and type this post. 

I'm trying my hardest to be positive during this time. 

The endless snow DOES NOT help. I realize that it's probably helping to keep people inside, but I feel like I've been inside for a month... 

Oh wait. I have been inside for a month.  

Aside from a few car rides and a handful of trips to the grocery store.  I have remained at home. [I read a meme somewhere about how a person suddenly understood why their dog was so excited to squeeze out the front door] I had an 'a-ha moment' when I saw it. 

I have always felt quite settled in being a homebody. Right now this homebody wants to squeeze out the front door.  

I realize I'm not the only one feeling this way. 

It's just hard. 

For everyone. 

I know this.  

The snow and gray days, just don't help. Even the birds are confused. The robins don't know what to think. I can't help but wonder what they're chirping to one another... Is it spring? Is it winter? Are we here to early? Did we miss it? 

I am continuing to take this one day at a time. 

Adding a little pop of colour certainly doesn't hurt.  

A pocket page to tuck into my Project Life album. 

Of the winter that just wouldn't stop...  You remember...

The one where we were staying home, in self isolation, due to a global pandemic. 

The following Sahlin Studio products were used: 

https://the-lilypad.com/store/Bloom-Cards-and-Word-Art.html

PL2020 - Week 10 | Sahlin Studio

Week 10 seems like a lifetime ago already.

It was only a month ago.

We knew the Coronavirus was a thing. But definitely underestimated how it was going to change our world.

This was the second last time the walking gals sat in a coffee shop. Now, all the coffee shops are either closed, or drive thru only.

This was a week before schools were closed. Indefinitely. 

• Mason's last hockey game as a McKnight Mustang Midget player. A number of us mums were trying our best to keep our emotions in check. A number of players were too. So disappointed that hockey is over. 
• Enjoying a coffee with the walking girls. 
• Super thankful for a husband who is handy. 
• Graduation Ceremony and Banquet information package.
• Waiting to see Mad's teacher for PT interviews.
• Gold Medal City Champs, so, so proud of this group of young ladies.

The following Sahlin Studio products were used: 

For Real Elements - https://the-lilypad.com/store/For-Real-Elements.html

For Real J. Cards - https://the-lilypad.com/store/For-Real-Journal-Cards.html

Homebody Collection | Sahin Designs

This global pandemic still seems like a dream. Like it can't actually be happening. If you would have told me, 6 weeks ago, that the world was going to come to a near stop, I would have laughed at you. And yet, that is exactly what we're dealing with.

This brand new collection, Homebody, is available now from Sahin Designs. It has come at a time, we need it most.

Pieces of this collection, elements, papers, journal cards and digital stamps are available this weekend, thru the 5th of April for 20% off.

If you happen to be a newsletter subscriber, watch your inbox for a special link to get the bundle for 50% off.

Also, if you purchase the entire collection through April 8th, you will get this Covid-19 Stamp Pack for free.



I have a feeling this will get a lot of use in layouts created, during this troubling, stressful time.

Here are couple of layouts I created using this new collection. Trying really, to come to terms with our new normal.

I have always been a homebody. I love my home. Turns out, I love it even more, when I'm the only one in it. Well, with the exception of Libby of course.

This is really h a r d...

And I suspect it will continue to be so, as time goes on.

I'm thankful for technology. That we're able to text and FaceTime and joke and laugh together. This past week I had wine date with my girls, and a morning coffee with my other girls. We all got some laughs out of these conversations.

The weather has been a downer too. The groundhog is a big fat liar. It's snowing here. Still. Today. April 3rd. Cold grey days, make this seem even harder.

When spring comes, eventually, we'll get a whole other element of being outside in the yard, to add to our isolation routine.

Here is our reality right now, this is what getting together with friends looks like:

This next layout was before the kids had any direction as far as school went. They had 2 weeks off before hearing about any type of school work and/or assignments. That has thankfully changed, and both are working away at different assignments, etc. A very different type of learning, that both of them are not super happy with.

I'm relieved that both kids are excited to get to school work. Both miss it. Looking froward to summer vacation is one thing. Looking at 4-5 months off school is another...

The problem with two kids wanting to learn and connect is,  two computers, both of which are being used by a child. I take the back seat...

Eeks... Looks like I might have to make late evenings my scrap time once again, like when the kids were little...

As for our little foursome, we've been having game nights, movie nights, tv watching nights, hot tub nights, and name that tune nights. We're making the most of out it, but still...

It's a lot. Of. Time. Together...

My kids are missing their friends.

I'm missing my people too. All of them.

And I'm very much missing my quiet house. So is Libby.

We're all in this together, doing the best we can.

Be safe, stay healthy. Stay inside.

The following Sahin Designs products were used: 

Elements: https://sahindesigns.com/products/homebody-elements/

Paper: https://sahindesigns.com/products/homebody-papers/

Journal Cards: https://sahindesigns.com/products/homebody-cards/

Stamps: https://sahindesigns.com/products/homebody-stamps/

April Template Freebie | Sahlin Studio

Here is the Sahlin Studio template freebie for April. 

I recommend you stop what you're doing, right now. Download it. Then create a layout. Trust me, creating layouts and going through photos, takes your mind off the madness that's happening in the world right now. Download it free, through April, by following this link. 

I shrunk my template down, to fit 8x10 size. 

Here it is: 

Team Armada had such and exciting season. 

Ironically, the girls won gold for the first tournament of the season, the NW Ringette Rumble the first weekend in November. Then their last game of the regular season. Not too shabby.

It really was a pleasure watching you girls play. 

I'm thankful that they won this game before the season was cancelled. [Which it was, 6 days after this epic win] 

The girls had made it to provincials, in Leduc, AB, March 13-15th. The remainder of the season was abruptly cancelled, after they played [and won] their first game against the Leduc Jaguars. 

A huge let down, to say the least. They were playing so well together, it's quite possible they might have won the whole thing!  

The following Sahlin Studio products were used: 

Celebrate Kit - https://the-lilypad.com/store/celebrate-kit.html

Celebrate J. Cards - https://the-lilypad.com/store/celebrate-journal-cards.html