We're down to single digits people...

I can't believe it!!! This is so exciting for our family...only one more week until we leave for Disneyland and as much as we've prepared over the last couple of moths, there's still a few last minute things that need to be taken care of...as always I guess when you plan almost anything...especially a trip for 6...lol!!
The boys have spent some time the last couple of days working on the homework I asked the teachers for...just about finished. I'm so glad they'll return to school at the same place as the rest of the class instead of 2 weeks behind.
Hockey is over...hooray!! Reilly's team won the league championships on Good Friday...it was so exciting! They got a banner to hang in our arena and each player got a gold medal. We are looking forward to the break from being at the rink...at least until hockey school in August...lol!! We will focus our attention to football for Carsyn, which starts in June but until then...we have a couple of months to just hang out around the house and hopefully get some projects finished!
and on that note...I have some packing to do!
Have a great week everyone.

Happy First day of Spring

and a HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO REILLY!!!! Hard to believe that you are 11! Enjoy your ipod and PS3 game...we love you!

Since my last post, we've pretty much just been at the rink! Yes people...hockey is still not over!! But it will be by tomorrow. Reilly's hockey team is in the finals for league champs...best 2 out of 3 and it's tied at 2 games each so not only will tomorrow be the last game but it should be a good one!! I'll keep ya posted!

And who might this cutie be...my nephew! they came to watch Reilly play in the Provincial tournament and I had to get a recent pic....love him!


and this is my niece....she's a cutie too but she gets that from her Auntie...lol!

It was great to see them...hopefully it won't be so long until the next time!!

This made me smile...there is a cd onto the tv in my room and the sun was causing it to reflect on the ceiling
and the moon caught my eye the other night as well...
The boys are officially on Easter break...:woohoo...no lunches to pack...lol!!
This should allow us some much needed down time from school and hockey and to put the finishing touches on our trip plans....in case you were wondering....13 more sleeps!!!
I guess that's it for now...I'm off to enjoy some new yummy scrap supplies.

well....this post was supposed to have some pictures in it but for some reason the server keeps encountering an error when I try to upload so forget it...I don't have all day...lol!!!
We have had a crazy busy week at our house which is why it's been a bit since my last post.
It started with the kids only having 3 days of school so having all 4 of them home for extended weekends means more sibling scraps than usual...at least the weather was nice and I could kick them outside to beat on each other!
This past weekend also saw Reilly's hockey team playing in the Provincial Tournament. They went undefeated in the round robin and lost the semi finals which means they ended up 3rd in the Province...still a huge accomplishment for our boys. He played so well...made me very proud when he was chosen to receive the Heart and Hustle award in the first game (the coach from the opposing team picked him out of all the players on his team!) Sadly though, Brian was out of town and missed it! Of all the weekends to have to go back to work! I did use our new video camera to tape it but we all know it's not the same as being there. I love him even more for the sacrifices he makes for our family and so I can stay home with the boys!!!
My friend Lee drove up to watch Reilly play and she brought my SIL with my niece and nephew! I was sooo excited to see them as the last time I saw them was August...they are both getting so big! (I was going to post pics but blogger isn't cooperating!)
So, today is my day to play catch up around the house, my online world and maybe even scrap! It's the first day I've been home alone in almost 3 months so I could do whatever I want really!
Oh and in case you were wondering....we have 23 sleeps left till our trip to Disneyland!!!

the official countdown has begun!!

yippee...hooray...we'll be on our way...soon!!
I altered this perpetual calendar so the boys (ok..me too) could actually see the number of sleeps getting smaller with each passing day!! (sorry the pic is a bit blurry but you get the idea)

my friend had suggested packing bandaids for blisters so we picked up some theme appropriate ones...(oops...I forgot to save this pic after I cropped out the kleenex...oh well)
and another friend had suggested to take a big pen with us for the characters to use for autographs...I'm thinking these should work!! I might just take the markers in case the pens have ink issues!

All the little things are really coming together and we are all very excited!!!

Zack's team didn't do so well at the regional tournament last weekend and Reilly's team lost the zone championship by 1 goal but both boys took the loss with dignity and like sportsmen! We were proud of them regardless cause they played hard and there is no shame in losing if you try your best right? Right! Reilly's team is playing in the Provincial tournament next weekend and then hockey should be basically finished for the season. Zack will wait for badminton to start, Carsyn is going to play football and Gavin thinks he's like to give baseball a shot! So it looks as though the Spring and Summer will once again be busy at our house!
Speaking of Spring...we've been enjoying some fabulous weather and it's got me itching to be out in the yard! I am anxiously awaiting flowers to start poking out of the ground and have also begun a spring clean. Not sure where all this energy is coming from...must be excitement! I'm going with it cause I'm sure it won't last long...lol!!

So, I guess that's it for now...off to do some more cleaning!
Have a great week everyone!

pb&j...Gavin style!

I have to share this story with you guys...for the past 2.5 years, Gavin has basically eaten nothing but pb&j sandwiches for lunch...I kid you not!! There is an exception made when we are in the city or away from home on the weekends but this is has been his thing and still is. He has decided to take it up himself to make them on his own...and being the scrapbooking picture taking Mom that I am...I grabbed the camera and snapped away. I thought it would be important to capture as it's a big part of who he is. Check it out...






There you have it...he's willing to make them for anyone....anytime!

5 Faves

Stacy wanted to see my top 5 list so here it is...

5 things you cannot live without for under $10 each
1 aero singles chocolate bars (1.07)
2 tape runner (2/9.99)
3 fuzzy slippers (9.97)
4 Tim Hortons English Toffee Cappuccino (3.00)
5 scented candles (lg jar 9.99)

5 fav movies
1 Grease
2 Annie
3 the Wedding Singer
4 Pretty Woman
5 Chicago

baby names you love (but aren't planning on using)

5 girls names: Karleigh, Mikayla, Mackenzie, Madison, Kennedy

5 boys names: Cooper, Evan, Lucas, Drake, Rhys

5 songs you could listen to over and over
1 Proud of the House We Built
2 Long Slow Kisses
3 Home
4 Because you Loved Me
5 I Swear

5 people who influenced your life in a positive way
1 my Mom
2 Vicki
3 my Grandma Alice
4 my husband
5 my sons

5 items that stay in your purse all the time
1 wallet
2 cell phone
3 lip gloss
4 sunglasses (unless they are on my face)
5 tampons


5 moments you knew things changed forever
1 when my parents divorced
2 leaving home for college
3 becoming a Mom
4 getting married
5 when my father and I walked out on each other

5 obsessions you have right now
1 picture taking
2 my computer/internet
3 planning our Disneyland trip
4 my ipod
5 scrapping

5 places you would really like to go
1 Australia
2 Hawaii
3 Cuba
4 Vegas
5 Niagra Falls

5 people you'd like to see do their tops 5's
1 Mona
2 Sherri
3 Carole
4 Joce
5 Lisa
nothing personal to those of you not listed...I had the kids pull names from a hat...come on girls...don't be a party pooper...lol!

time sure flies...

when your having fun, hanging with your family and being creative! Oh and working...I had 4 days of subbing at an elementary school in a nearby town. Let me tell ya how exhausting that is! (but I loved every minute of it)
We've been hanging out a lot of that lately...well, as much as we can with all the hockey Reilly is playing and the newest developments in the seemingly never ending saga that has become my life as the director but that's a whole other issue and not one I want to share with any of you...you probably wouldn't even believe me if I told you!I had no intention of not blogging for 2 weeks but as I said, we've had a lot going on.
We ended up exchanging our 2 new large suitcases (29") and getting 4 slightly smaller (24") ones instead...people who have done big trips like this before suggested to us that the big ones might be too heavy upon our return with the shopping and souvenirs and how costly it is if your bags are overweight. We've actually been given some really good travel advice from those that have gone before us...lol such as packing bandaids for blisters...I would have never thought of that and would have had to run around trying to find some to buy I'm sure. If you have any neat little trip tips, please share them.
So, I thought since it has been awhile since I shared anything creative that I would do that today so here ya go...have a peek at some scrapbook layouts that I have recently created. Some of you may have seen some or all of them already but I do have some I haven't shared anywhere and will take some pics and post them soon. Oh and I've added almost all of January pics to the project 365 album to the left if you would like to have a peek at the things I have been snapping pictures of.






Oh and guess what....the travel agent we ordered our Park Hopper passes from just last Friday, called today and said they were here already...WOOHOO!! She had said it would take at least 2 weeks so we ordered with plenty of time to spare and they only took 2 days. I'll be picking them up on later this week...getting more excited as the days go by.
I guess that's it for now...the boys will be coming through the door any minute and then the real fun begins...lol!