Smile for the Camera

I am supposed to be cleaning, so of course that means playing with my new camera. And since Kaylee is supposed to be cleaning her room - she was happy to pose for me. We make a good team.

Getting LOADED without the hangover

Friday's

Last week my friend Suzanne hosted LOAD at http://www.skrapnchat.com/ - this is a week long challenge where the end goal is to product one lay out a day. There are some basic guidelines for each day, but really it's to encourage you to scrap and have fun.

Here are my creations from the week:

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

A day at the Farm

Just down the road is Maplewood Farm - a small little real working farm. It's a great place to go and just let the kids run. It's never too busy and it's open for true running and playing - and of course, you need to make sure you get the bird food or it's no fun.

My friend Lori and I decided to meet there today, then she and her boys came back to the house for lunch and the kids played while we catch up. Her youngest is two - but we still got conversation in and it was a great day.

The Farm has all the basics of any good farm - ducks, cows, horses, bunnies and goats.

The goats were extra friendly today - in fact most of them tried to eat each of us. And they made it to the duck food even though we put it outside (sneaky little buggers).

It was raining with mixed snow to start the day, but it cleared up just in time for us and was probably the only two hours that didn't have rain in it today. Which was great for me to play with my new toy!

I got a baby for my birthday!!

But not the kind that keeps you up at night and makes you change diapers.....

this kind of baby

Ahhh, my lovely husband said that I work hard all year and take such good care of our children and him that he splurged and went with the one gift he knew I really wanted. Did I ever say I love him?? I am not a very materialistic person, but I have so loved my camera for the past few years, and got full value for it many times over, but newer and better was out there, and now it's in here.

Ok, so chances are you may be saying "um, it looks just like the old one". NOPE! Ok, first it has a massive digital screen on the back (guess I should have taken a photo of that) - which is so nice for scrolling through pics and you can take photos looking at the screen on this one (that will come in handy when someone else is using my camera and can't figure out how to look through the view finder!)

More importantly, the mega pixals are HUGE like really big!! My old camera - 8. The new one...18!!! Crop away I will do without losing anything! Oh how I laugh at my first 3mp and thinking how great was that.

Oh ya, and one more awesome feature....can you say HD Video?? YES I CAN! You see, I drag my camera everywhere. Skiing, walking, vacation, playground, parties, dinner, everywhere. All over the place while our video camera sits at home. Now it's all in one. How awesome!!

From the amount of exclamation marks, you may be able to tell I am a little excited. But Chris and the kids were not the only ones to spoil me. I got lots of treasures from my family, and money to spend on things that I want (hmmm, thinking new lens, maybe a flash....and of course some scrapping supplies).

So expect lots of new posts with lots of new photos and video. Fun times. I think she needs a name, so if you have a suggestion, let me know.

Before I get LOADED

It's not from drinking....at least this week - it's L.O.A.D this week - lay out a day!! Start tomorrow, but I am behind posting some LOs here, so I am catching up.

Just finished this one for Mission Create #10 - a sweet photo of me and my little princess

This one is for Dawn's March challenge, I scrapped my messy scrapping area. Photo proof I am a disaster when I scrap. Big surprise there!

Each year, I scrap a birthday lay out - with a recent photo (kudos to my photographer Braydon). I really like how it came out.

And a family one just for fun

What am I most excited about??? Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine has asked for one of MY lay outs for their summer edition!! YIPEEEEEE!!! Can't show you, it's out for "publication".

Stop and be thankful

Stop and smell the roses is an old saying, but sadly I was reminded again what an important one it is.

A friend and co-workers husband was killed in a motorcycle accident yesterday. He leaves behind two boys, a two month old and a four year old. My heart is heavy for Michelle and her sons, and it reminds me that my life is so blessed.

So today, if you do anything - stop. Stop and look around you and remember that that petty stuff is not worth hanging on to. Stop and look at the people around you and appreciate all they are worth. Stop and smell the roses as they say.

Zoooom

Time seems to fly by in this house, faster and faster and faster.

Today at work I had to go through some old photo files, and came across some that Kaylee is such a little sweet baby. So tiny.

Here she is all "grown up" in her four and a half year confident self fanning me so I can cool down. Really she just wants photos taken of her, so I oblige. I want to capture every moment as they zoom past me.