Layouts

Here's a few layouts I've done lately - most of them done this past weekend at the 2-day crop I attended. I'm struggling with the 8.5 x 11 format. I want to get this album finished so I can get back to doing 12 x 12 layouts.

Lloyd with Charlie and Max at the top of the Waterfall Trail at White Tank Mountain. The paper I used in this layout is the back side of a picture Charlie painted for me - solid teal with a splash of yellow in the center. I was going to use the right side but when I accidentally put the picture down on the wrong side, everyone at my table thought it looked better there. And it does. Thank you Charlie.

Charlie feeding the giraffe at the Wilderness Park.

The sign warning that dangerous snakes and insects inhabit the area and to stay on the trail. The green frame is around the picture of the tiny lizard we saw.

Random shots of us on the Waterfall Trail

Picture of me with my sister Wendy, and my friend Mickey, taken outside the Arrowhead Mall in Glendale, AZ.

Don't You Hate It When They Say That...

Today's blog is inspired by my daughter, Jenn's, recent Facebook mini-rant. It's about words, non-words, and their use and/or misuse. Here are some of my pet peeves regarding the use of certain words and phrases. I hope I don't offend anyone but if I do, rage back at me via Comments. I'm sure I've used a lot of words incorrectly so much that they've become normal to me, but my kids are sure to point them out. Here goes:

- by way of. As in 'We went by way of bus'. Just say 'we went by bus'.

- As of now. What's with the need for extra words. Just say 'now'. "We need it now", not "We need it as of now".

- As of yet. Even worse. Again with the extra words. "We don't need it as of yet" is more properly stated "We don't need it yet". Some people must think that if you use more words it sounds more important. Sports announcers are the worse for this type of misuse.

- We're pregnant. Excuse me? Last I heard, only the woman gets pregnant. You might share the blame/joy, but there's still only one pregnant person in the room. It would be more appropriate to say "We're expecting".

- Utilize. Nothing wrong with the word until it's used unnecessarily. "I'm going to utilize my spoon to eat my soup". How about just saying "I'm going to use my spoon to eat my soup."

- Whatever. This is one that I'm guilty of. It's a cop-out, a non-answer. How many questions can appropriately be answered with "whatever".

- PMS-ing. I hate this when used by a man to refer to any woman's bad mood. It's so sexist and just plain wrong.

- At the end of the day. Referring to the final outcome. How many of us have not used this phrase. It's lifespan is over now. It's way overused and just plain annoying now.

- kiddies. I've always disliked this word - it sounds so patronizing. Kids are kids, not kiddies. I suppose some may say that kids are baby goats and children should be called children. I like kids though.

Those are just the ones that come to mind right now. What are some of your 'word peeves'?

Happy Birthday Mike

Our second son, Michael Bruce MacKenzie, was born on March 20, 1978 in Prince George, BC.



This sweet boy was destined to be sandwiched between three older sisters and three younger sisters, with his only brother leading the pack as the oldest sibling. He turned out all right anyway! He's been the most laid-back of all of our kids, with a (sometimes frustrating) what-me-worry approach to life.

He had climbed up on the table after breakfast and got into the
chocolate milk powder in this now classic family picture.

Early on he became a fan of Superman and was never without a

Superman T-shirt, even as an adult. Isn't he just the cutest little boy!!

He was a cub scout with his cousins

He liked 'hanging out' at the local playground, showing off his amazing physique!

In high school he was part of a singing group called the MT Vibes. He became locally famous for his rendition of Elvis Presley's "Teddy Bear", complete with the signature "thank you, thank you very much". He still keeps in touch with most of the boys from that group.

He was the most handsome young man in his graduating class, and I say that without prejudice!


Then when he was 20 went to the Philippines for two years as a missionary. He has lots of great (funny) stories of that time. It was there that this most picky of eaters learned to broaden his horizons and learned to like rice and fish and even ate the 'delicacy' Balut (fertilized eggs).

I should have his wedding picture here but I can't find it right now. Instead we'll jump forward to this past Christmas.


He's now a settled 31-year old married man (to Avril) and father of two sweet little boys, Kenny and Alex (who they call Lex, I'm sure as a tribute to Superman). He's just completing his internship in local government and in May will be starting his career as Assistant Town Administrator in the small town of Picture Butte in Southern Alberta.

Mike has always been a great kid, easy to get along with and loved by all because of his good natured ways. His dad and I are very proud of him. Happy Birthday Moike!

Do you know....?

...some random thoughts


This 60-year old picture is a family classic. We have one of my two oldest girls in the same pose. (I'm the one on the seat)


This is what animals at the zoo do when they think no one is watching.



Little boys can watch bugs for hours. Max was fascinated with the ant hills we saw on our walk when we were in Arizona.


There's nothing like a kitchen sink and bubbles to keep a baby happy for half an hour or so.


Sometimes the icicles that form between a vehicle and the street are pretty pink. Sure hope that doesn't indicate a fluid leak of some kind.


Max likes having fruit stickers (from an apple in this case) stuck on his face. His mother, on the other hand, screams like a banshee if someone (me) threatens to come near her with one. She has had an irrational fear of fruit stickers for as long as I can remember.

I warned you there would be some mundane posts...this is one of them.

Luck Of the Irish??

If Irish luck is all bad, then sure, I had the luck of the Irish on St. Patrick's Day. Take a look at this.

There's something in there that's rubbing on the tire.

Looks like the whole fender will need to be replaced, probably the headlight too.

The grill snapped off at the top there

Close-up of the fender.

I had just dropped Charlie off at school and was on my way home. In Edmonton the residential streets don't get plowed all winter and the snow pack builds up and giant ruts form. With all the snow that fell in the past two weeks, those ruts are murder. My car fell into one, hit the edge, bounced out, and did a 360, clipping a pick-up truck that was parked on the side of the road in the process. I got out of the car, looked at the truck and noticed that his lower bumper and fog lights were broken so I went to the house the truck was parked in front of and knocked at the door. There was no answer and the doorbell was disengaged. I put a note with my name and phone number on it under the windshield wiper and told the owner to get in touch with me.

We met today and it went well. Today I went to the police station to file an accident report for the insurance company. The police told me to get an estimate first, so now I have to contact the insurance company, have the appraisal done, etc. etc.

This is no fun. On the upside, for the next few days I'll be driving Lloyd's new Dodge Ram truck. Feeling powerful. Also missing my Acura. I hope it does't take too long to be good as new again.

St. Patti's Kids

Max, Elly, Charlie, Aidan, Sydney

The kids were excited about wearing green on St. Patrick's day. Max and Sydney had a St. Pat's party at their pre-school and Charlie had one at kindergarten. Elly joined in the festivities at home. Only Aidan was without green, so when I wanted a picture of them, Amy turned one of Charlie's green shirts inside-out and put it on Aidan for the photo shoot. He's only a little bit Irish anyway.

Elly's Revenge

We got home from Arizona on Friday night...what a shock to the system! So much snow here, and so cold. There's not one spring-like thing here in Edmonton. On St. Patrick's Day you think the weather would cooperate and give us even a tiny glimpse of green grass! But no. "They" say it'll start warming up later on in the week. I won't hold my breath.

Happy St. Patrick's Day to all of you Irish folk, and wannabe Irish folk out there. I'm proud to claim ancestry from the Emerald Isle.

Now for my pictures: It seemed that every place we went when we were away, Elly was confined to her stroller. She was pretty good about it and even slept while we were sightseeing, but she sure did like to be free and running. I guess she decided that turnabout is fair play and yesterday she put her baby in its stroller and walked round and round the house with her. It was so cute.

At the Wilderness Park

At the Phoenix Zoo

She was even used as a packhorse at the Build-A-Bear outing

So this is how she was able to feel better about herself...doesn't she look happy to be the pusher rather than the pushee for a change.