Looking for a new scrapbooking community ...

Today I am even more sickened by the responses to the thread I blogged about yesterday. I have decided to not be a part of 2 Peas any more which is a huge disappointment. I began participating at 2 peas back in 2002 and have always enjoyed being a part of their site. I just can't be a part of a site where people flame each other, bicker and judge each other. That is just NOT who I am.

So, here's my question to all of you. I am going to be looking for a new scrapbooking site to be a part of - any of you want to share the other sites you frequent?

A Little Disappointed

The other day I posted on 2 Peas about my daughter deciding to be a vegetarian. You can see the post here . I thought I was posting to get some advice but as I read the responses I am very discouraged and am wishing I had never posted. I never mean for my thread to be a place for bickering and judging. Makes me think twice about ever posting on 2 Peas again. Kinda disappointed.

My 6 Year Old Wants to Be A Vegetarian

My six year old Emily is a very determined girl - especially when she makes up her mind. Recently she figured out that meat really comes from animals. She loves animals - says she wants to be a veterinarian when she grows up. There have been a few meals lately where she has started crying and refusing to eat the food on her plate because she doesn't want to eat animals. The other day she sat down with me and told me she wants to be a vegetarian - that she loves animals and that she never wants to eat another animal ever again. I was shocked. At six I felt she was too little to make this decision. She and I have sat down and had a long talk about nutrition and vitamins and how she would have to eat so healthy and the right things to get the nutrients she needs. She was very grown up about the whole thing. Very determined. I am going to support her in this choice because you can tell when she speaks how hurt she feels about eating meat. I'm hoping that it won't be too much of a change for meal times - maybe it'll even help us all eat a little healthier too. Guess I'll just have to wait, go along with it and see how it all plays out in the long run.

My Favorite Things Saturday 25/10/08

One of my favorite things is finding cool and interesting things to take pictures of.

My baby is growing up

Amber and I were talking about Halloween last night and I just found out that her class is not participating in the Halloween costume party at school. You see she is in grade 4 now which means she is a junior-intermediate - only the primary kids get to wear their costumes to school. Dressing up for school is one of the fun parts of Halloween and I can't believe she is too old now to dress up for school. Kinda makes me sad because I know she would still love to do it. I want her to stay little so she can enjoy all those fun kids things just a little longer.

Color Combos Challenge #93

This weeks challenge over on the Color Combos Galore blog was to use the colors orange, funky gold, floral white and deep orchid.

I had a hard time with the color combo but here's what I came up with:

Friday Fill-Ins

1. Right now, I'm feeling hurt by someone I love.
2. In Tuscany with my camera and a blank notebook is where I want to be.
3. How does one manage to have time for life and a clean house?
4. Being a mom keeps me on track.
5. Please don't swear in front of my kids (I hate that!).
6. My beautiful girls fill me with joy.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to getting my girls back, tomorrow my plans include carving pumpkins and Sunday, I want to relax and have fun with the girls!

Creative Therapy Catalyst Six

Catalyst Six over at the Creative Therapy Blog is Someone or something that really frustrates you. Feel free to vent, but in a therapeutic way. Here's my take.

Some new layouts

Wordless Wednesday

Last Sunday at Saunder's Farm

Our family went on our annual trip to Saunder's Farm on Thanksgiving weekend. The girls were so excited to be going back this year - especially because of our free tickets. They were up bright and early asking every five minutes if it was time to go yet. Saunder's Farm had lots of new stuff this year and the kids had a blast checking it all out. They had to do everything. The favorites though were jumping in the hay and going on the Haunted Hay Ride. Both girls were a little scared but laughed a lot and knew it was only pretend. I love taking the kids here so much. It is so fun for me to just sit back and watch their excitement as they just relax and have fun and of coarse so fun to follow them around with my camera snapping pictures as they play.

My Favorite Things Saturday 18/10/08

One of my favorite things is this photo I took of my mom and grandpa on Thanksgiving. My grandpa is 97 years old. He is so strong and healthy and I love him so much!

52 Scrapbooking Challenges #3

I am doing the challenges from Elisie Flannigan's book 52 Scrapbooking Challenges. Challenge #3 was to customize a ribbon border. I have trouble using ribbons on my digital pages so off to the gallery at 2 peas I went for inspiration and I came across this layout here and totally fell in love with it. Just had to scraplift it so here's my take:

Creative Therapy - Catalyst Five

I am loving completing these catalysts from the Creative Therapy Blog. Catalyst five is: What you like best about yourself. Here's my layout:

Effer Dare #4

Here's my take on Effer Dare #4

Wordless Wednesday

Thanksgiving at the Lake

1. Picture 230, 2. Picture 226, 3. Picture 222, 4. Picture 224, 5. Picture 221, 6. Picture 219, 7. Picture 216, 8. Picture 212, 9. Picture 211, 10. Picture 209, 11. Picture 204, 12. Picture 197, 13. Picture 192, 14. Picture 187, 15. Picture 183, 16. Picture 188, 17. Picture 174, 18. Picture 172, 19. Picture 167, 20. Picture 165, 21. Picture 160, 22. Picture 158, 23. Picture 160, 24. Picture 156, 25. Picture 154, 26. Picture 150, 27. Picture 147, 28. Picture 144, 29. Picture 140, 30. Picture 136

2 Peas Sunday Blogger Challenge

Please feel free to join us if you blog. Challenge for today~ Are you good at remembering dates on pictures? Or do you have to write it all down...The photos I have taken since owning my digital camera are all organized really well. They are in folders sorted by year, then month, then date. I have to admit though all the photos I have actually printed out are just in big boxes. Nothing is sorted, nothing is dated, nothing is organized. I have got to get on that before I forget all the little details.

Beautiful Sunday 12/10/08

My Favorite Things Saturday 11/10/08

I absolutely love old bottles. The older the better. I don't know what it is but for me they hold this kind of magic. I love them so much that I want to start collecting antique bottle to put above my cupboards in the kitchen.

A Simple Lesson from my daughter

As we were driving to school this morning the topic of money came up. My kids are quite fascinated recently with being rich thanks to the show Zack & Cody on Family Channel. Emily kept talking about how much money you would have to have to be rich. Then she quietly turned to me and said "you know mommy everyone is rich with love." What a wonderful reminder. Well said little one.

Thoughtful Friday

Color Combos Galore Challenge #92

Hop on over to the Color Combos Galore blog to play along. This weeks challenge is to use the colors sunflower, charcoal grey, alabaster and silver.

And here's my layout using these colors:

My Girls

Amber has been sick for so long now - my heart just aches for her. It's been almost seven weeks now. It started as what seemed like a bad cough that just kept getting worse. CHEO said her chest was clear and that it was probably just allergies or asthma. They prescribed an inhaler. Our family doctor feels it's allergies as well so he has ordered more allergy testing for her. Now though, she is always feeling sick to her stomach and keeps gagging especially when she coughs. The poor little girl was crying in the van at school yesterday morning saying "I've been sick for so long when will I get better? I don't know what to tell her. She came back home with me and laid on the couch watching Frosty the Snowman (I don't get that part). She kept wanting ketchup chips (I don't get that part either.)

I had the cutest converstion with Emily the other night while she was doing her reading for school. It went like this:
"I believe in leprachauns.
They mostly come out in winter.
It was by the bench on the side you know at the school but not by the kindergarten end.
It was hiding underneath and I saw it.
At least I think I did."
Just too cute!!!

6 Secrets

I was tagged by Emily for 6 secrets - I share six secrets about me and then tag 5 other bloggers.
So ... here goes...

1) I a complete lazy assed slob
2) I am a smoker (I know yuck!)
3) I am a recovering addict
4) I was told I would probably never have kids
5) I am dealing with mental illness
6) I could have died twice in my life - once when Emily was born, and the second when I had my car accident

and here's who I am going to tag:
1) Bonnie Rose
2) Benita
3) muirwoodsue
4) Heather
5) Noelia

I found this tag a tough one to do. Secrets - so very complex. There are those secrets that I am willing to share here on my blog where anyone can read and then there are those secrets that I have only ever shared with very few. Hard to decide sometimes which ones fit into each category.

Creative Therapy - Catalyst Four

Catalyst four from the Creative Therapy Blog is Something you remember from your childhood.

Wordless Wednesday

Talk To Me Tuesday

The prompt for this week is "Show Off Your Fall & Halloween Home Decor" Here are a few things at our house. Last week my mom took the girls to pick out the pumpkins and they had a blast painting them up. The bow is something I cross-stitched years and years ago. I painted the screen at a class a few years back. Just a few reminders around the house of fall.

Creative Therapy - Catalyst 3

Completed my page for catalyst #3 over on the Creative Therapy blog. catalyst #3 is The best part of your day, today. Here's my take:

Effer Dare #3

Here's my take on Dare #3 from the Effer Dares Blog

Color Combos Galore Challenge #91

This week's Challenge #91 colors are black, hot pink, kraft and white.

Here's my take on these colors.

Give Me Five Monday

Give Me Five things you should/will be intentional about this week.

Hmm... let's see there is so much I need to get off my but and actually do. Here's my list:
1. I will go to my groups on Tuesday and Wednesday
2. clean my bedroom for when T comes and stays with us
3. take the kids to the orchard and make some pies
4. finish cleaning out the kitchen cupboards
5. clean the living room & dining room

Beautiful Sunday 05/10/08

Road Trip With Gord

This weekend I got to go in the truck with Gord on a two day run. We went up near North Bay. I hadn't realized how much I had missed going in the truck with him. We always have some great conversations and fun. Here are some shots I took from the passenger seat.

My Favorite Things Saturday 04/10/08

One of my new favorite things is this picture I took today - love the sky.

Thoughtful Friday

A Week in the Life

Have any of you seen the A Week in the Life project going on over on Ali Edwards' blog? I am intrigued in this project and I am feeling inspired to document my life. I think it will be so amazing when I see it completed. When I can look back and see all the pieces of my week. I also think though that I am going to do this project for two weeks. I've decided this being that I have my kids every second week. For me it will be really neat to see the difference between the week I have my girls and the week that I don't.

Wordless Wednesday