Our Gymnast

Posted on | January 9, 2012 | 1 Comment

Emma is a busy girl. As of right now she has an after school activity everyday. But, despite her loving swimming and ballet, she would trade all that for more hours at the gym. As of today her aspiration is to be a very good gymnast – college even. With this new goal I hope that one day we’ll live near a gymnastics club. Sitting around for 2-2.5 hrs a day is NOT productive. Yes I grocery shop now and then after I drop her off but for the most part, it’s not productive. Thankfully I have a decent toddler. As long as she get her iPad, a snack, the toy box, and little friends she’s fine.

Any of you a gym mom?

Today’s page was created using January’s Scarlet Lime Frugal Fab kit. LOVE this kit. So so so pretty!!! I love the vintage feel of the chipboards and the colors are just lovely!

Have a great day and until next time!!

M’s Day

Posted on | January 4, 2012 | 3 Comments

Maybe 2012 will be another great year for Emma. I hope so!! But, whether it will be or not, the first week of 2012 has been surprisingly wonderful to her!

We went to ballet today. First day back since the break. We got there a tad bit late but they haven’t started. I thought maybe they were doing a little chit-chat about what the term has to offer these little girls in pink leotard.

There were clapping. I did hear that. But I figured it was just excitement over a new (fun) dance they’ll be learning.

Ballet ended and the door opened to let us parents in. M was there, not hiding behind the radiator as usual, and said, “Mommy, I got a gold.” Me, all smiles (and most likely with a blank look), said, “That’s nice, Emma. What’s a gold for?” And Emma said, “For my ballet exam, I got gold, a distinction!!” Finally it clicked and (with most likely a shocked look) with excitement I congratulated her and told her how proud I was.

As we were leaving, after I spoke to the teaching assistant about purchasing M’s character skirt, the assistant asked the main teacher if she was going to tell me. So I smiled, thinking that she was going to officially tell me that Emma got a distinction, and while she did do what I thought she was going to do she also said, “and I want to also tell you that Emma got the highest score.” To that I answered, “Oh, that’s great! So the highest for her class?” And the teacher said, “No, for the school. She got the highest score amongst all the girls who took the exam.” So there was M and I, both in shock, since Emma wasn’t informed of this little bit of detail. We thanked her teacher and off to the car.

After we got in, here was M:

(SHRIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) I got the highest grade in ballet!!! I got an 87!! (SHRIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEKKKK!!!!)

I had to laugh. That came out from a little girl who never acted competitive or wants to be above and beyond everybody else (although my good friend said, many times, that M is competitive). It’s great that she did so well because M never got the highest of anything, at least when it comes to scoring/exams. It’s a memorable experience, especially since it’s not one we expect (merit was Emma’s goal).

Next stop, gymnastics exam. THAT I’m not so confident in. She just learned her routine yesterday and the exam is next month (where ballet she prepared months before the exam date). Plus, she’s only been in gymnastics, properly trained, since August, and one needs to be realistic. As much as that girl has improved (she’s about an American level 3 now), gymnastics exam will be a tad bit more challenging for her compared to the other girls.

Ok, that’s what I want to share today.

Hope you enjoy the scrapbook page too. The photo’s old but I just did the page using November’11 Scarlet Lime kit. PRETTY paper!!!

YEA for

Posted on | November 22, 2011 | 1 Comment

Open grocery stores on Thanksgiving day!

As I am finalising our Thanksgiving menu, putting together a grocery list for the hubby (for the base) and writing down all the rest that I need to get at the local farm shops/grocery store I am thankful that Thanksgiving is a US holiday. It’s not that I am selfish about turkey day but it’s been quite nice you see to be able to send the hubby off to the grocery store two hours before dinner without wondering if it’s opened/closed. Also, it’s awesome that we don’t have to fight a crowd to get that 1lb of sugar for the cranberries.

It’s the little thing sometimes, right?

Here’s a little page using November’s Scarlet Lime kit. A simple little page which I really like. The photo’s old. It’s even somewhat scratched up but I love it! Emma was 2-ish and unlike Jovie she had a lot of hair, quite a little lady for her age and very articulate. Jovie… we still haven’t gotten her first hair cut, still baby-ish (super cute though), and if there’s an app to help us translate her speech we’d get it (she still signs but she doesn’t know enough signs to say all she wants to say). It’s so odd how two kids, from the same parents, can be so different!

Adieu for now! I might come back but if not, happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends! I will be busy prepping a dinner for 14. It’s not to bad really, 6.5 adults (one is almost a teenager thus the half) and the rest are kids aged 1, 2, 4, 4, 7, 8 and 8, but I want it to be nice still so wish me luck {::SMILES}.

My Photography Biz

Posted on | October 27, 2011 | 1 Comment

The last few months I’ve been busy with my photography business. I’ve done a little bit of behind the scene stuff but mostly I’ve been trying to shoot as often as I can and if possible with a model. In photography term I’ve been portfolio building.

For one of my neighbor friend, a maternity and couple session, I put a few pictures onto a CD. While the original intention was to slip the CD into a protective case, none could be found. I looked and looked and finally decided to make one using a piece of 12×12 paper that came with my Scarlet Lime Frugal Fab kit. Using a Scor-Pal (YES! Second time using this since I got it 2-3 years ago), I scored the paper (5″ x 5″). Then I fold and later trim according to size.

See how simple the back is? I just used my corner rounder, glue and a cute little blue brad. I wanted to use velcro to adhere the flap but couldn’t find any and so I just used dimensional adhesive. It closed really well but it can only be used once or twice. Oh well, it’s the thought that counts, right?

Enjoy your Thursday and until next time!!

House Mommy

Posted on | October 22, 2011 | 2 Comments

We all can’t be June Cleaver. Hubby would go broke if I even attempt it. I mean the hairdresser alone would give our pocket book a nice dent!

I did attempt it though last Saturday. I went to gymnastics and then the market with proper ladylike clothing and even a pearl necklace. I did my hair too and dug out a proper handbag from my closet!! June would have been so stinkin’ proud of me!

I’ve been dressing up a bit the last few weeks. While I wanted to look a bit more presentable, the hubby and the M have been griping about my looks. Hubby’s the kind of guy who changes into day time clothes soon after he gets out of bed and I can stay in my PJs (whatever t-shirt I can find and flannel pants) all day or even two days in a row (I used to go to my college classes in the clothes I slept in too). Emma loves to dress up and I’ve pretty much been wearing the same thing every four days – whatever’s on top of the clean laundry pile whether they match or not. More than once my 7-yrs-old have told me to go change because I looked embarrassing.

Yesterday I had a little sweater, nice slacks and a tidier hair do. Emma loved it. She said I looked very nice. Then after I got M from school I changed into some old t-shirt, pants and a house coat that’s full of stains (from my ink pads mostly). I went to see M for something and soon after she saw me she said, “Ahhh, it’s house mommy again. I love it when you dress up nice.” She seriously looked disappointed that I changed.

Maybe I have been taking “casual look” a bit too far. It’s just hard to get all dolled up when I know I have (dirty) chores to do around the house and a 2-yrs-old who can lay her dirty fingers on me at any moment. I’d like to be able to sit on the floor, the grass, etc. without worrying about my light colored pants getting dirty.

This whole dressing up thing did make me wonder about those living thousands of years ago. I wonder if husbands/children back then ever complain about their mom’s loin cloth skirt. I wonder if there was a village style icon that the ladies look up too.

Do you ever think of things like that?

Anyhoot, a little altered piece that I did using pieces from Scarlet Lime, the main October kit. FUN project I did here!! This was a gift for a little girlie. It’s a regular, soft cover, writing book that I covered and did a bit of simple decorating. It took me 30 minutes to do, more less, and from what I heard, the recipient loves her gift.