Creativity in Sickness

Not feeling so well today. I called in sick to work last night because I think I have some sort of stomach virus that I probably picked up at the hospital while working. There has been a lot of that going around at the hospital. I am feeling a lot better today and actually got a layout done as well!

I decided that I am trying out for the 3 Bugs in a Rug design team. I love their paper and love the layouts I have made so far with it. I think it would be a good match for me. I managed to get this done today after my nap and before picking the kids up from daycare. I used my new Gel-a-tin Weathered Letter stamps for the title and I must say that I love them! I was inspired by Grace's hat in the photo and duplicated the pattern in the border on the bottom. I'm pleased with how it turned out.

I love this photo of Grace and I have been waiting for a while to scrap it. I love photos from behind like this. There is something about the mystery around the subject I think. I was reading on a fellow scrappers layout the other day about this exact thing. She came to the realization that she too loves these photos. She continued to say in her journaling how she realizes now that from the moment a child is born they are walking away from us in one form or another. I love reading other people's realizations that they come to through their scrapbooking. It has happened to me on more than one occasion. It's like cheap therapy!

On a lighter note, I made a page with the photos of Simon eating his ice cream. It's made with 3 Bugs in a Rug paper as well. It will also be part of my entry. That boy sure does love his ice cream! I just wish he was a little neater with it! I guess the photos wouldn't be so good though then. It's a catch 22 really.

I want to also add my congratulations to my wonderful friend Vicki Boutin for winning HOF this year. She is so talented and I didn't for one second think she wouldn't win this year. Her entry was amazing. You rock my friend!

A Week of Realizations

HOF has come and gone. I didn't get a call and I'm okay with that. My friend Vicki talked me into attempting the contest and I'm glad I did. I wasn't sure I could do it. To be honest all the assignments intimidated me. I didn't really think I would finish. I finished one layout and then two. Before I knew it I had six under my belt, six that I was proud of, and I suddenly "needed" to complete my entry. I cut it close but I finished with some time to spare. I never thought I would ever win the contest but as the weeks went on I admit to dreaming of an Honourable Mention. It didn't come and every time the phone rings I still joke that it's Lisa calling to tell me I was a last minute addition to the winners. I still love my entry. I am proud of what I accomplished and I am so excited to hear who the winners are. I hope that some of my friends will be on the list this year. I will continue to do what I do and submit as I see fit. I like the freedom of that right now when life as I know it is hectic and crazy at times.

Grace had a tiny operation yesterday. She had a tongue tie that was getting worse as she got older. She was having difficulty with her "th" sounds and the surgeon said that her gums would eventually pull away from her teeth if we left it. We spent yesterday morning at the hospital where Grace underwent a general anesthetic for the very short procedure. In the end she didn't even need stitches. She was a little teary following the procedure but bounced completely back after about an hour at home. We had to force her into staying inside yesterday.

I admit that taking Grace to the hospital for the tiny surgery was a little unnerving for me. I guess it is memories of Simon's surgery coming back to haunt me. Rationally I know it is nothing and I deal with this every day in my professional life, still I just felt uneasy. I was happy to have her home.

Grace could only eat soft food yesterday so Paul took Grace and Simon off to the grocery store to get some healthy and nutritious ice cream...in three varieties!! It was very well received!

Today we went to Mountsberg Provincial Park to observe the maple syrup making. I'm still trying to warm up! It was only -3 but the wind was cold and this has been a fairly mild winter so I feel like I'm not used to any kind of cold. The kids seemed to enjoy it. I think the stomping through the mud was the best part for them though. It is a beautiful park. We walked out to the Sugar Bush and had a horse drawn wagon ride and watched some maple syrup being made. It's great how when you have kids you learn things that either you never knew before or have forgotten about.

My favourite photos of the day are of an eagle and Grace's muddy boots. I love these family outings although I'm not so fond of the meltdowns when both of them have had enough and are completely tired and probably hungry. Grace had one of those today. Nothing I could say was right and she was screaming and crying all the way back to the car. I know every parent has gone through this at one time or another but it is so difficult to ignore the behaviour and walk in public with your screaming children in tow.

I have found a new way to deal with these breakdowns Grace has though. I let her have her "fit" for lack of a better word for a few minutes and then I ask her if I can give her a hug. She always (so far) agrees to it and then we agree to start over. There is no more talking about the melt down or the events leading up to it. I can't get over how well it works and it is definitely a lesson in restraint for me since I too have to let it all go. She is definitely my spirited child!

Simon is doing well on the potty training and has fully taken to the reward system that we have set out for him. It is funny how he will say he doesn't have to go at all and Paul will say that he can have chips if he "poops" on the potty. I have never seen anyone run so fast to a toilet!! At this point, whatever works is good with me. I'm so sick of the diaper thing!

I think that is all I have to report at the moment. I have read the comments about wanting to see my floor from all 2 of you! LOL! I will try and take some pictures and post it as soon as I can!

It's been a while....

A month I guess....wow that's bad. I have been so tired lately. This two job thing is catching up with me I think. I love working with Wendy and my other job....don't love it so much. I love the work I do as a nurse. The politics and abuse we take as nurses I could SO live without. I'm finding the night shifts harder and harder to bounce back from. Hopefully life will settle into a routine sooner rather than later and I can put the nursing thing on a back burner for a while. I wouldn't give it up completely....just do it casually.

Anywho....that said...what else is new? Met up with a bunch of my friends from Scraptivity this past weekend. I am always so thankful for having found an online community of wonderful women that I now call my friends. These have quickly become some of the best friends I have ever had. It's great that we all share the same hobby. I have never laughed like I do when I am with them. I've said it once and I'll say it again...they are good for my soul. I couldn't go a day without a small dose of my friends.

This weekend was a crop and I was proud of myself for not bringing a single thing with me! I find that I never scrap at these things because I am too busy jibber-jabbering my mouth off and catching up with my friends. I often go home with all my supplies, nothing completed. I then have to put everything away again and it is a REAL pain in the neck to do so! After the crop we went for dinner and then to a bar! I haven't been to a bar in probably 10 years at least (besides the odd pub of course). It was an older crowd and fun but I have to tell you that I am so happy to have Paul and not have to go out and try and attract the opposite sex anymore. It's so wonderful to have someone I love to share my life with.

On the home front, Grace has to have a little operation on March 17th. She has a tongue tie and I feel it may be affecting her speech. She can't say the "th" sound right now and can hardly stick her tongue out. The oral surgeon said it will affect her gums in the future if we don't get the procedure done. She has to go under a general for it though so that makes me a little nervous. It's funny how when you are a nurse you are always first a mom when it comes to your kids. I don't feel confident in myself when my kids are sick. It's like I forget that I know things. I guess my knowledge would kick in but it still makes me uneasy.

Grace and I have taken to a new night time ritual. We have started telling little secrets to each other at night when we go to sleep. I have learned more about the way she thinks in the past week through her secrets than I ever have in the past. It mostly revolves around me telling her how much I love her and that I missed her while I was at work. I try and tell her how proud I am of her. Last night she asked me if we could pick flowers in the spring. How cute is that? She also asked me if we could go to a museum and look at the dinosaur bones (one of her recent obsessions).

I am constantly amazed at how much knowledge a child can absorb. Grace has been obsessed the past couple of weeks with learning about dinosaurs and planets. We have been reading about all the planets and she is always telling me dinosaur facts. She has all these songs she learned in school about the dinosaurs and she sings them all the time. I love listening to her. She told Simon the other day that dinosaurs were extinct. I hear Simon say "extinct?" and she goes on to say that it means that they are all dead. Well that started a cry fest. Simon was quite upset.

I got some great photos of Grace with her dinosaurs the other day and I can't wait to scrap them. I also scanned a dinosaur that Grace drew for her friend because she wasn't feeling well. When she brought it over to me I was amazed!

I think I'm done now. This was a long entry. That's what I get for not posting for a month I guess. I realize that this was a very Grace centric post so next time will have to be tidbits about Simon!