Making Waves Collection | Sahin Designs

Elif of Sahin Designs just released her new Making Waves Collection. It's perfect to use for summer, whether you're getting away, or hanging out in your own backyard.  

You can pick pieces of this collection up, through July 5th for 20% off. If you happen to be a newsletter subscriber, watch your inbox, for your link to pick the collection up at 50% off! 

I actually got giddy, when I first saw this collection. The colours, the papers, the summer time elements...

Umm, yes please.  I couldn't wait to sit down and start to create something. 

Having said that, 2020 hasn't given us the opportunity to appreciate being poolside very much. Fingers crossed, it's on the horizon.  I simply dug up a few past summer photos. 

I ended up creating these two layouts.

It's true, Barry ended up taking Madelyn to the outdoor pool, because she couldn't connect with a friend to meet her. I'm super appreciative that he both took and sent me these photos of their time spent together. He has always taken and sent photos to me. So, so thankful for that. 

This is definitely a more adult layout. Cocktails by the pool... Okay, I'm in.

We spent time by the pool in Vegas, mostly people watching, and enjoying adult drinks. The water was so G R O S S... I'm sure there are no restrictions as to how many people they can get into the pool. And the sheen on the pool, which were hoping was just suntan lotion was nasty... But we were in Vegas, in August. And it was over 40 degrees, we had to spend some time by the pool.  

It's hard to choose a favourite... I love them both. Of course, the Las Vegas spread conjures up a lot of fun memories of our short get away. That was eye opening trip for both Barry and I, for many different reasons. Before this trip, we were considered ourselves, Vegas Virgins. 

I would sure love to be planning a tropical vaycay, somewhere with drinks, good food, pools, crashing waves, maybe even palm trees.   I hope we're abel to make those types of plans again sometime soon.  

The following Sahin Designs products were used: 

Making Waves Elements: https://sahindesigns.com/products/making-waves-elements/

Making Waves Journal Cards: https://sahindesigns.com/products/making-waves-cards/

Making Waves Papers: https://sahindesigns.com/products/making-waves-papers/

Making Waves Digital Stamps: https://sahindesigns.com/products/making-waves-stamps/

Reflections of Summers Past and PL Week 24

It's August. And I'm a bit disappointed with myself. I have not been blogging on a regular basis. I had the same problem last summer too. [Not that this is a problem I have only in the summer] I've limited the amount of time my kids can be on their 'electronics' and then I can hardly sneak down and spend time on my computer. They call me on it. And though I'm the adult. The parent. I have a hard time saying no to them, and then, yes to me. So it's easier to just stay away from the computer.

We were also away on vacation for the last 2 weeks of July. Our time away was terrific. The weather was fabu-lous. Really. Fab. 

We have been doing an annual lake vacation since I was a wee young girl. I have pretty much done it every year since I was about 5 years old. The only exceptions being, the year I was 13 and we did a big family trip across the USA. The year I was 24 and they sold the resort we'd been going to since I was 5, and last year, when the little town flooded due to heavy rain and a very dangerous run-off situation. So... In the past 35 years, we've missed going 3 times... And now of course, our little family goes. My kids have both been going since they were born. Both kids took their first trip to the lake when they were a mere six weeks old. A very different trip for me, those two times, but that's how young they were when introduced to 'the lake'. Both my kids also learned to walk at the lake, at 14 months old. I'm taking Ali Edwards - Hello Story Class at Big Picture Classes. I created 2 separate layouts, of my kids over the years at the lake. I love how they've turned out.

I love that by looking at these 2 spreads [both are 2 - 8.5x11 pages] I can see my kids evolve over the years. From little babies to the little people they are today. Love these layouts. I love taking Ali's classes. She's ubber cool.

I also have another project life spread to add. Week 24:

During week 24, I was lucky enough to go to our 2nd Annual Yoga Retreat. I added a few pictures of that, in a separate insert. Had such a great time.

Insert Side A:

Insert Side B:

First Day of School

Believe it or not, the first day of school came and went this week. It's so crazy, how at the end of June, the summer stretches out before you and seems absolutely endless... I still felt a bit saucy at the beginning of August,with another entire month before me...

And then... The days begin to get shorter as the sun disappears earlier and earlier... The mornings start to get darker too. The air begins to take a bit of a cooler edge to it. The furnace starts to come on in the morning... I said, your furnace starts to come on... Well, if you're lucky your furnace comes on. [If you're not so lucky you have to pay $200 to have someone come in, un-scheduled, to inform you that the electric ignitor on your furnace no longer works... But it immediately explains the cold air blowing in, so it's a relief all the same]

Within 4 days, you're back into the routine of making  lunches, washing all the re-usable containers that the lunches fit into, picking up kids at the bus stop, signing agenda books, nagging at kids to empty back packs when they come in the door, getting supper on the table before all our extracurricular activities began [this week we were back out the door 3 nights with Brownies, Hockey and Cub Registration] attempting to get kids snacked, bathed,  tooth-brushed and into bed at a reasonable hour..

Within 4 days summer is a distant memory... How sad is that? No wonder I love spring so much, there's just so much to look forward to!

I wanted to include a few first day of school pictures, but thought that rather than add pictures, I would just include the layout I did. I got the template for the layout here.

I can hardly get my head around the fact that these two kids are 7 and 10 years old. It seems like just yesterday they were wee. I'm hopeful this will be a terrific year for both of them!

Awesome so Far

This summer so far, can be summed up in one word: AWESOME. 

First of all, the weather has been spectacular. Like for reals. Had I put the kids in out door swim lessons this year, I wouldn't have sat on the edge of the pool deck under layers, blankets and an umbrella, shivering. Maybe that's why this summer has been so great? Because the kids weren't in swim lessons at the outdoor pool? If so, I'll take it, and I'll remember that again for next year! We've had to buy more sunscreen this year, because I've run out. RUN. OUT. Of. Sunscreen. On account of all the nice days. An awesome problem to have right?

It also feels like the summer has gone on forever. I mean, when you're coming to the end of August, isn't that exactly how you're supposed to feel? Like the summer has gone on forever? We were away for a week, then the kids both did 2 week long camps. It's been the right mixture of being busy and not being busy.

I am watching sadly as the days are getting shorter... Gosh how I love June. It's been hot, and I'm still not ready yet, to put on jeans and sweaters. Nope, hoping this lasts through September at least. We've got to the outdoor pools weekly this summer, and this year with Miss Madelyn being 7 years old, I don't have to stay 'within an arms reach of her at all times'... Seriously... It's been so cool to watch them have such fun at the pool.

I thought I should go back, and check out my 'Summer Manifesto' I created back in June, to see how summer has stacked up so far:

This will be the summer of…being plugged in… Not to electronics, but to my kids.  I have succeeded at this one, but the kids have spent more time playing electronics that I'd like to admit.

This will be the summer of the opportunity to bowl weekly should we choose to.  We haven't been weekly, but we've been!

This will be the summer of spending less time in the house, and more time outside.  Yes...

This will be the summer of spontaneity [because I’m not very good at this]  Still not very good at it, but getting better.

This will be the summer of  eating outside more.  I don't think once counts...

This will be the summer of a camp-out in the backyard.  Check. Kids and  Barry indeed had a sleep out.

This will be the summer of making pickles with my Mum and Chris.  Pickles will be ready mid September.

This will be the summer of less television and video games.  Failed a bit here I fear...

This will be the summer of no limit on the number of popsicles consumed, or the time of day they can begin consuming them. Replace the word popsicle with ice cream, and yes, we've consumed far more than usual this summer.

This will be the summer of not cringing if my bare toes feel the grass. Nope. Can't. Do. It...

This will be the summer of fresh fruit, yogurt, granola and mini muffins for breakfasts.   Delish...

This will be the summer of truly not caring what anyone thinks or doesn’t think of me in a bathing suit.  Nah... Still care.

This will be the summer of not being self conscience every time I have a pair of shorts on.  Don't care.

This will be the summer of long bike rides and short bike rides.   Enjoying bike time with the kiddos for sure.

This will be the summer of having the kids help me plan for meals and picking out fresh produce.  Yeah right... Unfortunately pepperoni pizza  isn't in the produce section.

This will be the summer of more trips to the Farmer’s Market.  Our most favourite thing, the baby carrots.And the fresh fruit has been amazing, though we've had to re-mortgage our house to pay for it... ;-) I joke... Kinda...

This will be the summer of movies in the backyard. Not yet... But hopefully soon!

This will be the summer of walking up Nose Hill.  Love it up there, it's like you leave the city.

This will be the summer of planning a little bit better, so that we are excited about things to do each day. The kids are simply excited to be at home for summer holidays each day!

This will be the summer of camping with Ama & Baba. One trip down, one to go!

This will be the summer of watching the firework show in August.  That's coming up pretty soon!

This will be the summer of reading… I have not one, not two, but three avid readers in my house. I've read 3 awesome books this summer and the kids have kept up to date with the reading program at the library.

This will be the summer of regular spelling tests so the kids are ready to face grade 2 and grade 5. We've worked on this a little bit. Not put in as much time as we probably should have.

This will be the summer of science experiments, because Miss Madelyn is so very keen. Right... We need to do this.

This will be the summer of salads for supper. They've been super!

This will be the summer of late night scrap booking. I am totally caught up!! Woohoo!

This will be the summer of basement organization. Nope. Gonna wait until it get's colder outside.

This will be the summer of simplifying...

 

I think we've done a pretty good job.

 

I have taken lots of pictures, because that's what I do. But I have certainly taken more with my iphone than with my actual DSLR. So every now and then, I make myself bring the big one. [Don't get me wrong, LOVE THAT CAMERA] just the iphone fits so easily anywhere, and takes some pretty darn good photos!

 

 

  Up at the pond on Nose Hill, looking for frogs and snakes. We found neither.

 

 Barry and the kids.

 Me and the kids.

One night Bar & I had a semi date, the kids were away, and we went to Peter's for a milkshake and then to Crescent Road to sit. I caught this amazing shot of the sun setting. [Those crazy clouds were full of lightning]

We've got 2 more full weeks off before the kids head back to school... We're going to try and enjoy those days as much as possible.

Home Again

Phew... It's already Wednesday. We've been back home for 4 days. We got home around supper on Saturday. Sunday I had reservations for brunch and matinee tickets to see this:

So I kinda felt like I got home and my feet were already running. It's a bit of a shock to spend two weeks on vacation doing absolutely nothing... Seriously. I park myself into a beach chair, and mostly stay put there. There is a lot of snacking, and definitely more drinking that normal. I do manage to do the occasional load of laundry... And those kids need to be fed breakfast, lunch and dinner. Not to mention the snacks they want. Our summer vacations seem to be a lot about the snacks... But the rest of the time, I do nothing. [That's another reason why my legs are aching so badly the past 2 days, I've been doing something, all day long!]

Here are a few pictures of our 2 weeks. The first week was great weather-wise. It wasn't terribly hot, but it was sunny and the sky for the most part was cloudless. I think the rain stayed away until our first Friday there...

1. Madelyn and Baba driving the boat. 2. Family Photo 3. Reading book #2 of the Percy Jackson series [he's totally loving it!] 4. Mason climbed up and jumped off the pole this year! 5. Brother and sister on the beach. 6. Maddy slowly climbing in the ice cold lake... 7. Mad reeling Mason in after a tube. 8. Night time moon over mountain picture, courtesy of Barry. 9. Mason reeling Madelyn in after a tube.

1. Friends arrived! 2. Mason and Madelyn tubing. 3. Playing a new game Baba bought [it was a huge success, we all had a great time playing] 4. Our first Mara Lake turtle! 5. Lake friends, ranging in age from 3 to 13, they all got along wonderfully. 6. Watching a storm on the lake, it was a crazy little storm that had the sand blowing up off the beach. 7. Night time and glow sticks go hand in hand. 8. Our little foursome. 9. Macy and Ama, in the boat.

I touched on the mosquitoes, in my last blog post. But I feel the need to talk about them again. I am not exaggerating, one single bit, when I say that I have NEVER seen mosquitoes like that. They literally swarmed you the moment you stepped out of the cabin. It was awful. The morning we left, they seemed even worse. And with having the cabin door open and shut so much, and the truck doors and hatch open, the cabin was full of them, as was the truck. I would have taken a picture of Mason's back and legs, but I didn't want to be reminded of it for one single moment. He reacts so badly to them, they swell up and it looked like people had put cigarettes out on him. It was nearly unbearable. It made spending time outside, very un-fun. You were constantly smacking and swatting and wiping blood off yourself.

Having said that, now that we're home, I've spent quite a bit of time outside in the garden, weeding and enjoying the sun, and I think I've killed 2 mosquitoes in 4 days... Ahhhhh... It's heaven.

We made a special reading spot in the backyard in our little playhouse. Both kids have spent a lot of time out there the last couple of days, reading. I love that. I love that they both love to read. I'd seen a neat idea for a reading spot in this post here, and considered doing it, then thought why on earth wouldn't I use what I already have? So the 'reading spot' came to be.

After creating their cozy reading spot, and in between nearly a dozen loads of laundry, I pulled up some rhubarb. Couldn't wait to make some muffins, I have a delish recipe, I'll share. They're from the Best of Bridge [of course...] They are very yummy. Can't wait to also make a rhubarb pie, rhubarb crumble, and strawberry rhubarb jam... I got over 8 cups of rhubarb cut up and in the freezer, so the possibilities are endless!