Grammie's Helper

Charlie was washing her hands in the kitchen sink yesterday to get the marker ink off of them before going to school. She saw a few dishes that missed getting in the dishwasher and asked me if she could wash them. Silly girl - of course I said she could.



She had a good time squirting the dish detergent in the running water (cold) and washed what dishes she could find. When she was finished, very proud of herself, she checked her hands and was amazed that the ink was all off and her hands and fingernails were as clean as could be. She said "I was so interested in washing the dishes that I forgot all about washing the ink off my hands". She wants to help me again....hmmm....should I let her????

Hoodwinked

This 2006 computer animated movie is the best I've seen since Shrek. We've played it for the kids, who get a big kick out of it, but it's equally entertaining for adults. Sara and I watched it tonight after dinner, with Charlie (4) and Max (3). Although the kids enjoyed the action and the characters, they didn't get the subtler comedy lines. (This is the same movie Kenzie, Sydney and Brooklyn watched after Thanksgiving dinner last night). This was the 4th time I've watched it and I enjoyed it as much as the first. Sara is the first person I know who figured out who the Goodie Bandit was before the end of the movie. The characters are great - especially Grannie. I recommend it for anyone who wants a family movie night. There's a Hoodwinked 2 in production due to be released in 2010.

Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving Day in Canada - not the huge production that they have in the US, but thanksgiving nonetheless. So much turkey, potatoes, squash, peas, corn, and of course the cranberries, gravy, stuffing - topped off with pies. I'm so glad that Emily has taken over my pie duty. She makes lovely pies and tries different ones from the traditional apple, blueberry, strawberry/rhubarb, lemon meringue, coconut cream and pumpkin pies that I used to make.


Amy and Curtis hosted the dinner, which everyone contributed to. Curtis did a wonderful job with the turkey - it was moist and delicious, with plenty of stuffing. I made the gravy and brought mashed potatoes and squash. Sara brought sugar snap peas, corn and fresh rolls. Cindy brought a delicious fruit punch and a vegetable platter. And of course, there were Emily's yummy pies. We all ended up stuffed to the gills.

The Kids Table (clockwise from lower left - Max, Sydney, Brooklyn, Charlie, Kenzie, Anson)

We fed 10 adults (4 of our children and their spouses - the 3 out-of-town families had their own celebration) and 6 children and two babies.

After dinner Kenzie wanted the little girls to watch a movie in Grammie and Papa's apartment, so the four of them, ages 3 - 5, came downstairs and I put the movie Hoodwinked (a Red Riding Hood exposee - very funny) on for them. By the time I got around to taking pictures, Charlie had to leave, so I just got pictures of Kenzie, Sydney and Brooklyn. A blurry picture at that since I took the picture in the dark without a tripod.

Kenzie, Sydney and Brooklyn

And now Lloyd and I are waiting until we feel ready for our favorite Thanksgiving/Christmas tradition - turkey bunwiches before bed. Soooo good.

Aidan - First Steps

15-month old Aidan started walking about 2 weeks ago - just a few steps at a time. He's a stubborn little guy and whenever he saw a camera pointed his way he sat down and refused to stand or walk on demand.


Yesterday, this 13th grandchild of ours was visiting us, along with his sister Sydney, and I was actually able to catch him in the act. So although these aren't technically his first steps, they are the first recorded steps, and still among the first steps he's taken. Now he has to teach his 4 younger cousins to walk - but that might take awhile. Doesn't he have the sweetest face!!

Neighbourhood Wildlife

Yesterday as I was heading out of our cul-de-sac I spotted this bunny under one of the trees. I backed the car up until I was in line with him, rolled the window down, and with my never-without-it small purse size camera I took his picture - three of them to be exact - until the mailman walked by and scared him...unintentionally of course. He must have thought I was nuts leaning across the seat of my car to take a picture of a rabbit.



There are lots of these rabbits throughout the city. Poor things have seen their habitat plowed under, paved and built on but they've chosen to find various corners to stay in. Luckily there are lots of green areas and trees in Edmonton to give them shelter. This guy will be snow white soon - looks like his underside is already changing color.

My Style

I've been scrapping now for half a dozen years, struggling with my unartistic self to discover my true style. I buy all the scrapbook magazines and go through them marking layouts I like and think I could copy ("Scraplift", in the world of scrapbookers). When I showed this layout that I'd just completed to Lloyd last night, he said that this was his favorite style that I do. And I agree. I'm a very linear, everything has to balance, type of scrapbooker. That's what I am and I'm not going to fight it anymore. Although you will notice that I rebelled and put "THE" at an angle!!


Since most of my scrapbooking concerns events, where I have upwards of 200 photos to work with, I like doing multi-picture layouts - saves paper and tells a story more effectively. Again keeping everything balanced and even.


Occasionally I'll break out of my linear style (usually to scraplift a layout or to work from a kit) and create something especially nice, as this one of Brooklyn I did awhile ago - scraplifted.


And sometimes I'll go circular


Here's one of my favorites - linear, circular, handwritten journalling and bling. I love bling but have hard time figuring out where and when to use it.


So, although I'm basically a linear person, it's fun to see what I can do when I work 'out of the box'.

Boxes of Fun

The kids found a box - they grabbed the cat, put him in the box, he jumped out...repeatedly. At one point someone (maybe it was Grammie) opened the patio door and Whitey made good his escape.

Not to let a good opportunity get away, they grabbed the baby and manhandled her into the box. She was not impressed.


In an effort to keep Elly from freaking out - and to join in the fun - Charlie and Max climbed into the box too.

Elly still wanted out - her new toy promised to be so much more fun than a dumb old cardboard box.


Max was the last to exit the box. He had more fun than Whitey, Elly and Charlie put together.


Maybe someday he'll get a real toy to play with :)