Beautiful Sunday 24/02/07

Beautiful Sunday 24/02/07
Originally uploaded by dynamo_momof2.

My Favorite Things Saturday 24/02/07 - My Grandma's Hands

One of my favorite things is seeing my grandma's hands. I love watching them - whether they are playing the piano or moving as she speaks and tells stories. I love all the lines and love imagining every single thing they have ever done. She is an incredible woman - a real inspiration!!

2 Peas Thursday Blogger Challenge - What I Wanted To Be When I Grew Up

Join us today/Thursday if you blog. Challenge: When you were young, what did you want to be when you grew up????

Growing up I went through a couple of careers that I wanted. I started out wanting to be a lawyer like my aunt Cathy. I eventually changed my mind about law because I realized that there was something inside me that would keep me from ever being able to defend someone that I knew was really guilty. The thought of doing this weighed so much on my

conscience that I knew I would never be able to do it. After deciding that I could not go through with becoming I lawyer I decided that I was going to go into journalism. I love writing. I love photography. I love getting facts and writing about them. I did a co-op placement in highschool at the local newspaper and loved every single minute of it. Then at Christmas time a local mom and her kids were killed in a car accident. The editor of the paper published a photo on the front page of an adult-sized coffin beside two child-sized coffins. I freaked. I thought it was so insensitive for the grieving family members. I freaked so much I almost got fired from my placement. The editor told me that I was an amazing writer but that I would never make it as a journalist because I had too much heart. I worried about people's feelings instead of only caring about the story. To me that meant not becoming a journalist because I don't see anything wrong with having too much heart. I love my ability to care for and empathize with others. That is a piece of me that will never change no matter what job I ever do.

2 Peas Wednesday Blogger Challenge - Beauty Products

Join us today/Wed if you blog. Challenge: Let's talk beauty products. What are your fave beauty products these days? what is it that you just can't live without? blog about it..let's learn fr one another!!

EASY BREEZY BEAUTIFUL COVER GIRL!

Ok, I totally admit it... I am addicted to cover girl makeup. I'm not sure what it is exactly but this seems to be the only kind of makeup I ever buy. I am totally in love with their new volume exact mascara. I have long eyelashes to begin with but this mascara makes them amazing!! This mascara is my all-time favorite makeup product ever!!

2 Peas Tuesday Blogger Challenge - Food

Join us today if you blog. Challenge for Tuesday. What's your most fave food item in your cupboards/fridge at this moment? something u enjoy.. blog about it.
My favorite item recently is sea salt. I have found these chips and they are totally awesome!! I keep a bag beside the couch and eat them every night while watching my favorite shows on TV. Pure Bliss!!

2 Peas Monday Blogger Challenge - 5 More Years

Join us today/Monday if you blog. Challenge: If you only had 5 more years to live, would you change anything about your life? I think that the hugest change I would make in my life is to just LIVE IT! To live it for God and to live it for my girls. To stop worry about the small stuff that is so insignificant compared to the love I would have to give all those around me. I would also make a point of getting up to date with all my scrapbooks so that my girls and my family would always be able to remember the events and even the everyday things of our lives together.

2 Peas Sunday Blogger Challenge - SPRING!!

Join us today/Sunday if you blog. Sunday Challenge: What are some things you always do every spring??? Anything??? Since spring is right around the corner, I thought this would be a fun one! The very best thing I do every spring is to to Walmart and have new pictures taken of my girls and I . I love being able to look back over the ones from previous years and see the changes in all of us. Knowing they are always taken at the same time each year makes it awesome for seeing the differences. Every year we also go into Ottawa to see the Tulip Festival. It is my all time favorite festival to go to. Tulips are my favorite flower. Every spring we also go to the Maple Festival in Perth. This is the festival that my girls love the most. Spring is a very happy time in our family.

My Favorite Things Saturday - Feb 16 /07

My Favorite Things Saturday - Feb 16 /07
Originally uploaded by dynamo_momof2.

One of my favorite things is hanging out with my boyfriend Cory. We have so much fun together. We can be serious or silly and still have an amazing time together. I took this photo of us at Red Lobster having our Valentine's supper.

2 Peas Saturday blogger - Imperfect Lives

Join us today/Saturday if you blog. Challenge: What's a book you are reading right now? anything? blog about it.

I picked up this book in the city at Chapters the other day. It is amazing!! The stories and layouts in it are amazing - all about scrapping those things in our lives that show the reality of our lives, not just the "perfect things." Really has me inspired to do some layouts I had always thought about but never was sure if they would fit in my albums. I am inspired to create pages about my addiction, my divorce, single-parenting, guilt, panic and depression.

2 Peas Friday Blogger Challenge - Living Life Over

Join us today/Friday if you blog. Challenge: If you had your life to live over again, what would you choose to do over again? Blog about it.... As much as I have had some really bad experiences in my life, and as much as I've made some extremely poor choices I do not believe I would change anything I have gone through or experienced. Every single experience I have had to this point in my life has shaped who I am today. God allowed all those experiences and choices to shape me and to tech me to become the woman He has desired for me since before I was created. God always has a perfect plan for each and every one of us. It is not always the pl,an we want, and many of us question the events that have occurred in our lives. We just have to remember that God knows the plan and He will never leave us. He will take us to where we want to be.

2 Peas Thurday Blogger Challenge - Song Lyrics

Join us today/Thurs if you blog. Challenge: List a song that you just love that you really just love the LYRICS. Which lyrics in which song really speak to you? Blog about it! Right now I am so loving this song called Legacy. It really depicts the way I am feeling about my life right now. About wanting to make something of myself in Jesus' image. I want to live every day for God, doing the work He desires for me.

LEGACY by Nichole NORDMAN

I don't mind if you've got something nice to say about me

And I enjoy an accolade like the rest

And you can take my picture and hang it in a gallery

Of all the Who's Who's and So-and-So's

That used to be the best at such and such

It wouldn't matter much

I won't lie, it feels alright to see your name in lights

We all need an "Atta boy" or "Atta girl"

But in the end I'd like to hang my hat on more besides

The temporary trappings of this world

I want to leave a legacy

How will they remember me?

Did I choose to love?

Did I point to You enough

To make a mark on things

I want to leave an offering

A child of mercy and grace

Who blessed Your name unapologetically

And leave that kind of legacy

I don't have to look too far or too long awhile

To make a lengthy list of all that I enjoy

It's an accumulating trinket and a treasure pile

Where moth and rust, thieves and such will soon

enough destroy

I want to leave a legacy

How will they remember me?

Did I choose to love?

Did I point to You enough

To make a mark on things

I want to leave an offering

A child of mercy and grace

Who blessed Your name unapologetically

And leave that kind of legacy

Not well-traveled, not well-read

Not well-to-do, or well-bred

Just want to hear instead

Well done, good and faithful one

I want to leave a legacy

How will they remember me?

Did I choose to love?

Did I point to You enough

To make a mark on things

I want to leave an offering

A child of mercy and grace

Who blessed Your name unapologetically

And leave that kind of legacy

I don't mind if you've got something nice to say about me

2 Peas Wednesday Blogger Challenge - Names

Join us today/Wed if you blog. Challenge: If you could rename yourself, what name would you choose and why? Blog about it! fun! I have been thinking about this one all night. There are so many beautiful names and beautiful meanings. I am really loving my name though and can't seem to think of any other one that I would rather be called. Sandra (or Sandy) seems to really fit who I am. The meaning of Sandra is "defender or helper of mankind." I think this meaning seems to really fit who I am. I'm not sure if it because of my past, or just because of who I am, but this has always been the type of person I am. The type of person who always votes for the underdog, who wants to see justice for everyone, who sees the best in every single person and tries to help them see it as well. I had a lot of fun searching the meaning of my name and was so amazed at how well it fit my personality that I decided to search the meanings of my girl's names. When we named them, it was names that we loved. The meaning of Amber is "jewel". It too fits her personality. She is an amazing girl, so valuable to all around her. She is so unique, just like a precious jewel. The meaning of Emily is " characterized by hard work and perseverance." This too fits, she is the most determined little girl I know. Once she sets her mind to something she works so hard to achieve it.

HAPPY

VALENTINES

DAY!!

2 Peas Tuesday Blogger Challenge

Join us today/Tuesday -- if you blog. Challenge - If you could live in any other time period of the world besides right now, what time period would you love to live in??? and why? Have fun blogging .

This used to be something my dad and I talked about all the time while I was growing up. We used to sit down and have the most amazing conversations about

what it would be like growing up in different time periods. I think most of these conversations started after my watching an episode of Dr Quinn Medicine Woman or Christy. I loved watching these shows and seeing the simplicity in those time periods. In the late 1800 things were beginning to develop but the main focus was of family, of friends, and of God. It seemed so much less stressful with candles, home cooked meals, real families, horses and buggies. I guess a girl can always dream about living in a different time period.

2 Peas Saturday Blogger Challenge - Passions

Join us today if you blog/Saturday. Challenge: Blog about your passions. Besides scrapbooking... blog about some of your passions.... in your life. My biggest passion (other than scrapbooking) is living my life for God. I am so lucky that I have a creator who made me just the way He wanted. A creator who accepts me, who forgives me and who loves me unconditionally. I am to live daily for God and to do His will. Sometimes I mess up and try to live for myself but He always brings me back to the knowledge that I need to let Him guide me so that I can live the life He has chosen for me.

My Favorite Things Saturday - Feb 10

My Favorite Things Saturday - Feb 10
Originally uploaded by dynamo_momof2.

This is our kitty Oreo. He is so cudly and adorable.

I AM THE LUCKIEST GIRL IN THE WORLD!!!

I am the luckiest girl in the world!! I picked up my boyfriend in the city yesterday. When he got in the car he handed me a bag from people's Jeweler's and told me he had found it and that I should open it. He was laughing at the look on my face. Inside with this amazingly beautiful bracelet. He picked three charms for it./ One that says I love you, on that is a heart, and one with a cross that says blessed. He says he saw it and thought I would love it. I can't believe how thoughtful he is and how much I am loving him.

2 Peas Thursday Blogger Challenge - Trading Places

Join us today/Thursday if you blog. Challenge: Who would you like to trade places with for one month???? blog about it!
I keep trying to think this one through. In all honesty, I don't think I would really want to switch places for anyone for a month at this point in my life. There are so many people that I admire, but I am finally at a place in my life where I am getting soooo happy with it. I am finally getting comfortable with being the REAL me. I wouldn't want to miss out on anything that happens with my life right now. I would also really miss my girls and couldn't imagine being away from them for a month. They are a big part of what makes me happy, and a big part of who I am.

GETTING INKED

I got inked again yesterday. This one was a gift from my boyfriend Cory. It is a symbol to celebrate my being clean for a year. The lotus flower is a symbol of long life, health, honor and good luck. The flower rises above the surface and then blooms with remarkable beauty. This is how I see myself now. It is how I see having becoming clean and becoming the woman I have always been meant to be.

2 Peas Tuesday Blogger Challenge - 10 Beautiful things

Join us today/Tue if you blog. Challenge: List 10 things that you own that are beautiful and that you just love. Blog about them. 1. the coffee sign in my kitchen 2. my sandcastle collection 3. the shelf I painted that belonged to great aunt Lottie 4. the tv tables I painted 5. the rooster collection from my kitchen 6. all my craft supplies 7. the photo of my family when I was 5 8. my porceline figures from my mom 9.the winter barn painting I did 10. my books

2 Peas Monday Blogger Challenge - Something You Didn't Know

Please join us today if you blog Challenge~ Tell us all something about yourself that not many people know. Blog about it, this should be fun to read Wow, Something people don't really know about me... that's tough. I guess the thing I try to hide from most people is the fact that I am insecure. I try to act as if I am a strong woman and that I am outgoing, but inside I have always been very insecure with very little self confidence. This past year that is definitely changing. I am becoming confident with the woman I am. I am beginning to be happy being me. I am becoming more confident with me, with my choices, and with my abilities to think clearly and to react from the heart. I will become the woman I want to be. I will become Powerful. I will become Intimate. I will become Confident. I will become Free.

Beautiful Sunday 04/02/07

Beautiful Sunday 04/02/07
Originally uploaded by dynamo_momof2.

I took this photo on a drive through Quebec just outside a little town called Montabello. It was a rest stop with a beautiful view and this amazing statue.

My Favorite Things Saturday 04/02/07

My Favorite Things Saturday 04/02/07 Originally uploaded by dynamo_momof2.

Actually this red velvet dress is one of my favorite things from my past. I wore this dress my first Christmas with my parents when I was 5 after I was adopted. I remember thinking I was a princess in it. This is my daughter Emily wearing the same dress at Christmas this year when she is 5.

2 Peas Friday Blogger Challenge - Fears

Challenge: Are you afraid of anything? What are your fears? Blog about them. I think everyone has fears of some sort. I have some that are kinda silly and some that strike deep within. My silliest fear is of centipedes and bats. I'm not sure what exactly it is about them but I freak if I see either of them. My deeper fears revolve around loosing my strength to stay clean or raising my kids in a way that is detrimental to them. I am often afraid that I am not being a good enough mom. I think recognizing our fears and realizing that everyone has fears is definitely the first step in conquering them.