Last night was wonderful. We did not do anything special but just the snuggles with the kids and Derek was so loving. He kept covering me with a blanket and kissing my forehead. My daughter did a report on racoons and now Jessie is in awe of the sea otter(working another project. It is so wonderful to share these moments. It has my heart full of love to go off to work today.

Tomorrow we will be taking in a dog for a week while friends go off to see MICKEY. I will be joining a ladies group for some scrap time and a coffee. Then off to Uncle Duane’s for a visit. what a great weekend.

Wishing you the same love…..

Today was a great day at work and I got to come home to a wonderful family. We sat around the dinner table enjoying each others stories of the day. After so many years working nights it is truly a blessing to be home for family dinners. I did not have this tradition growing up. It is a wonderful warm fuzzy feeling to have this time with my kids. I love snuggling and reading stories with them and I love the pats on the head and kisses on the check I get from them. The love warms my heart….as I have said before….my cup runnith over.

Last year was so much fun. My kids are growing so fast and our family traditions are as important to them as to me. My parents did not stay together when I was growing up and I did not know what family really meant in the traditional sense. The Finnigan family taught me that. Andie and I new the moment we began our adventure that we would start our own traditions and share them with the kids.

Camping tradition is one of the best times for the whole family. A few years ago we found a drive in theatre in Coupeville just out side Deception Pass. We travel there every summer and this year I scrapped the tradition. I love these pages.

I had so much fun with these pages. The paper is from one of my Close to my Heart paper packs, letters are stamped with the Typewriter Keys from CTMH, and all inks from CTMH. On the second page I used Playful Lowercase stamp set from CTMH again. The tickets and business card were from the Drive-In theater. The economy was suffering last year and we are praying they will still be there in 2009.

Next we took the kids tubing up at Manning Park at the end of Christmas Break. This is supposed to be a new tradition for us but we did have to postpone it for 2009 until Andie is feeling better. The kids know we will go as soon as he is better….or at least keep it up next year.

I do not know where I pick up these papers. I had 1 page of the snowflakes which I tore to share on the 2 page layout. I used All Bundled Up and Winter Wonderland stamp sets from CTMH. The ink was Stampin up and CTMH. I decorated the card stock with one of the little snowflakes and I fell in love with the layout. I then attached my heart when I colored in my snowman. So much fun!!

We tried to keep it a secret but of course all the family(including Andie) had trouble not telling the kids Uncle Duane was going to be our neighbour. Ironically, we walk through Garrison Crossing all the time and the kids could not figure out where Duane was going to live-Jess kept saying there was no apartments in Garrison. So on the 15th of January we were all relaxed and settled into our tv shows when the phone rang and on the other end was a very excited Uncle Duane telling, almost yelling, us get on over here and bring the kids!!! So we took the long way there and sure enough there were apartments to Jessie’s surprise. Here is the photo of the kids with Duane in the new pad.

A strong positive mental attitude will create more miracles than any wonder drug.

Patricia Neal

I do have some favorite page layouts to post. I promise to do that tonight along with posting some new pictures of the kids and their uncle in his new place around the corner from us.

For now I am off to work….see you later!!

So much going on in my mind I can not keep it straight. I want to keep pluggng away even though Andie is still sick. It is hard when we just do not know what days will hold. Andie had a good few days this weekend, the good days give us hope. It would be nice to see the headaches go away for good. it would be nice to take the stress off all the parents. The kids are helping us around the house. They have been great. We still do not have much to help…more medications to try, sleep apnea test came back good, and other then that a specialist appointment in October. The good news is I am managing to still enjoy the days. Having fun at work the best I can and crafting when I feel the need. I made three cards over at Pam’s house the other night and I will be scrapping with my Niki this weekend so all in all life is still good. You got to look at the bright side and ride the waves of life….no matter how rough or slow they come….I have to live.

The Tyson Crop N Craft Fundraiser is scheduled for Saturday March 7th, 2009 10am to 10pm and costs $30.00. Watch for registration info-coming soon. We are fundraising for our playgroud fund and there is always lots of prizes.

I am still determined to be cheerful and happy, in whatever situation I may be; for I have also learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends upon our dispositions, and not upon our circumstances.

Martha Washington (1732 – 1802)

Well my blog has been down as my brother had his server packed and ready for the big move. He has made a big move from city life and long work hours to country life and working from home. We welcome him back and wish him all that the best in life has to offer. We are all so happy to have him minutes away. Even the kids can not believe he is walking distance form our home.

I had three days off that did not turn out the way I had hoped. I have been feeling yucky and under the weather. I am a fighter and very stubborn…lol…fighting it all the way. I hope to post some new creations this week and some photos of Duane’s big move….so until then….have a fabulous night!!

I had a wonderful day at work and I am now relaxing with my family. I have a very busy week ahead filled with meetings and lots of errands to fit in. Tonight I have been searching the Internet and here is my quote for the day:

I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to see.
John Burroughs

I find it very appropriate especially now that I am full time.

Well today was wonderful. While doing laundry, making meals, and cups of tea I managed to watch a movie(Coyote Ugly) and scrap some layouts. It took me awhile to get the creative juices flowing but here is what the day brought:

These layouts used paper from my card stock most likely purchased at Michaels. I used ribbon from the Tyson Crop goodie bag I received. I used Doodle Alphabet stamp and Dutch Blue ink from Close to my Heart. On the first page layout I used white anchors to secure the ribbon and again from Close to my Heart.

The next layout is pages we did at a crop by Pam Klassen, my Close to my Heart Consultant. The pages are entirely made of their products. I wanted to do something special with the layouts so I took pictures of me and my family at Christmas Dinner in 2007. I then printed them out in sepia for the layout.

Every year when I show friends my albums they always comment that I am behind the camera rather then in front. They are right. A scrapbooker is always planning the next page in the story of their family life. I want to be in it too. So now you see me taking shots of myself with family and friends when we are out. It has become quite the joke and we get many laughs seeing the “Mandi Shot” in my albums. Mostly because they are so close up due to my short little arms. LOL. Make sure you take the time to get in your story too! After all it is the legacy you leave for your children.

Well I am off to snuggle with my girl and finish our movie together. Hope you enjoyed my first project day of the year.~

Well I believe today is a huge success. I started with a card for a January birthday. I am not talented at making cards so it can be a struggle but all and all I think it turned out pretty good.

I used card stock from my card bin. I used Chocolate ink from Close to my Heart(my fav). I used ribbon from the goodie bag I received at the Tyson Crop fundraiser(watch for this crop coming up soon). Stamps were from Studio G and Stampology. Funny thing was the card started out being a different angle till I stamped upside down. This gave me a pretty good chuckle and thankful it still worked out.

Now on to a page layout…