2 Peas Thursday Blogger Challenge - One Virtue

Join us today Thursday if you blog. Challenge: If you could give all human beings one virtue, which would you choose? Blog about it.... this is a good one!I would definitely choose FORGIVENESS as the one virtue that I could give all human beings. There are so many people who choose to not forgive, so many who choose to hold grudges. So many who do not realizing that forgiveness has to begin with them, to begin inside them. So many people have a heart of hatred and unforgiveness inside them, they do not realize that they are hurting God. God shows us all the ultimate forgiveness. Jesus was crucified so that we can all be forgiven of our sins and wrongdoings. If we choose to not forgive others it is like we are saying that Jesus died on the cross for nothing. I know for myself that that is not the case. Jesus did not die for nothing. He died for me, and for all of you so that we can be forgiven. So that we can become closer with our creator, so that we can be more like Jesus.

2 Peas Wednesday Blogger challenge - What's On My Mind

since 2peas was down for so long, i didn't get the chance to post this.. what was on your mind today?? What did you blog about today?
I guess the thing that has been on my mind most of this week has been that I've been feeling a little bit overwhelmed this week. I know I will get through everything that I have to accomplish in the next few weeks but there is a definite feeling of being overwhelmed inside me with all that is going on. I started a new job this week and I love it. The training is pretty intense though, especially as it is a brand new field for me. I am training to be a tech support agent for the Time Warner Cable Road Runner Internet program. I have never done tech support so it is all very new to me. I am also preparing to group lead a Pathways Basic Seminar here in Ottawa next weekend. You can see more about Pathways here at www.pathwaysseminars.com . It is an awesome seminar and has made such a difference in my life that I am group leading so I can help teach others what I have learned so that they too can have huge impacts in their lives. As well as all this I am completing my online degree in Accounting which is also a tun of work. Needless to say all these are what is causing my feeling of being overwhelmed. I know though that I will get through, that I will succeed and get all accomplished that I need to.

2 Peas Tuesday Blogger Challenge - Daylight

Join us today/Tue if you blog. Challenge: Now that the sun is staying out longer these days.. what kinds of things are u gonna be doing with that extra daylight? Blog about the effects on your days, on your life,. ... when there is more natural daylight.
There is something I so love about daylight. I love the brightness, I love the colors, I love the peacefulness of watching the sky. I love when spring comes and the daylight lasts longer. I love driving to work watching the sun come up and relaxing at home watching it go down. I see daylight and I instantly think of all the amazing photo opportunities that present itself with each sunrise. Every morning while I drive to work I thank God for bringing me another day to do what it is that He wants for me for that day. I live each moment of the day hoping to lead the life that God has created for me.

2 Peas Monday Blogger Challenge - What I'd like to ask God

Join us today/Monday if you blog. Challenge: What would you most like to ask God? blog about it.
This is a really tough one. I think I would like to ask God about how he is able to love so much and have so much grace to offer those in this world. I would ask him to continue giving me that grace and to help teach me to be more like Jesus.

My Favorite Things Saturday - 10/03/07

My Favorite Things Saturday - 10/03/07
Originally uploaded by dynamo_momof2.

One of my favorite things is watching the sun come up with a hot cup of coffee sitting in my favorite window.

My First Digital Scrapbook Page

God's Grace

At my Celebrate Recovery group last night we talked about God's Grace. This topic has been sticking in my head since then. I know that it is only by God's Grace that I am clean. I know that it only by God's grace that I am forgiven. I know that it is only by God's grace that I am chosen and loved. We had this cool acrostic that helps me remember the significance of God's grace.

God's gift
Received by our faith
Accepted by God's love
Christ paid the price
Everlasting life

2 Peas Thursday Blogger Challenge -

Join us today/Thursday if you blog. Challenge: here's a fun one, If you believed in them or not -- What one question would you ask a psychic about the future????? blog about it!

I do not believe in psychics.
I believe in God.
I believe that only God knows our future.
I believe that He shows us what we we need to know about our future when it is important for us to know.
As we head into the future, He guides us, He brings us what we need at the perfect time!
He always bring us to where we need to be.
His plan is perfect.

2 Peas Wednesday Blogger Challenge - Most Beautiful Place

Join us today/Wed if you blog.. Challenge: What's the most beautiful place you've ever seen? Blog about it!!!

The most beautiful place I have ever seen was when I went to the Bahamas in 1998. These are my four favorite photos that i took on that trip. The whole trip was amazing. Beautiful. Peaceful. I loved taking photos of the ocean, of the market and of the wildlife. There was something so calming there about seeing the sun rise and set over the ocean. I will never forget the way I felt on that trip! I will never forget the beauty I saw!

2 Peas Tuesday Blogger Challenge - Spring Gardens

Join us today/Tue if you blog. Challenge: It's almost spring.. what are you gonna be planting in your garden/containter gardens, this spring? Blog about your floral favorites.

Okay here's my big confession.....

I suck at gardening. I love gardens. I love flowers, but I am no good at the routing of watering them on a regular basis. I hate pulling weeds. Most of my plants and gardens eventually die. I always try and plant a few thing every year but they end up growing (with lots of weeds) in an unkept garden. These flowers in the photo are my all time favorite spring flowers. I love tulips and love going to the Tulip Festival in Ottawa every year. I love going through the forest behind my parents house and seeing the first trilliums. I love cherry blossoms and lilacs and hope to plant these two trees when I someday own a home.

Rent

525,600 MINUTES

Five hundred twenty-five thousand

Six hundred minutes,

Five hundred twenty-five thousand

Moments so dear.

Five hundred twenty-five thousand

Six hundred minutes

How do you measure, measure a year?

In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights

In cups of coffee

In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife.

In five hundred twenty-five thousand

Six hundred minutes

How do you measure

A year in the life?

How about love?

How about love?

How about love? Measure in love

Seasons of love. Seasons of love

Five hundred twenty-five thousand

Six hundred minutes!

Five hundred twenty-five thousand

Journeys to plan.

Five hundred twenty-five thousand

Six hundred minutes

How do you measure the life

Of a woman or a man?

In truths that she learned,

Or in times that he cried.

In bridges he burned,

Or the way that she died.

It's time now to sing out,

Tho' the story never ends

Let's celebrate

Remember a year in the life of friends

Remember the love!

Remember the love!

Seasons of love!

Oh you got to got to Remember the love! remember the love,

You Measure in love know that love is a gift from up above

Seasons of love. Share love, give love spread love Measure measure you life in love.

My boyfriend Cory has been telling me for so long now that I would love watching Rent. He brought it over last week and we sat and watched it together. What an incredible movie. The story, the music - every single thing about it spoke to me. It touched me more than I thought could be possible. It made me laugh. It made me cry.

Listening to this song 525.600 minutes really spoke to my heart. It made me think of every minute of my life. Made me want to live all those minutes with love, with laughter, with happiness, with freedom, with friends, and with family. It made me just want to live. To be me and let nothing else get in the way.

Dear Anonymous

You keep posting messages on my blog about when we used to know each other. This is driving me crazy - I am dying to know who you are. Please email me or post your name with your comments. I'd love to see who this is and be able to say hi!!

2 Peas Monday Blogger Challenge

Join us today/Monday if you blog. Challenge: In order of importance, how would you rank :

love

spirituality

freedom

happiness
This is a tough one.. blog about your choices.

I would have to rank Spirituality as the most important from this list for me. Without my love for God I would not be able to do anything else in my life. God directs all I do, He leads me on the paths that have been chosen for me. He has taught me about loving who I am because He created me to be special, he has also given me the strength and courage I have needed to conquer the challenges and obstacles that I have been faced with in my life.

Love is my second from this list. I can't imagine my life without the love I have for my beautiful girls. They give me all I need to succeed. To succeed as a great mom, to even succeed as a great woman. I never thought that I would ever be able to love something with every part of my being - then I became a mom and my whole definition of love changed. The love I have for the girls is totally unconditional, a love that is so pure and so from deep inside the heart. They are my everything!!

I would have to choose Freedom next from the list. Being free for me means many things. It means being free to be just me, being free to express my thoughts, my opinions, and my ideas. It means being free from drugs, being free from depression, and being free from panic attacks. The word freedom expresses for me the major obstacles I have overcome in my life to this point.

Happiness is the last on my list, although, for me being able to live with Spirituality, with Love, and with Freedom is what brings me happiness in all I do. I think when you finally stop trying to constantly search for happiness it will finally come to you. When I was able to stop searching so hard, it seemed to come to me. When I put all the other pieces of my life together, the happiness finally came.

Beautilful Sunday 04/03/07

Beautilful Sunday 04/03/07
Originally uploaded by dynamo_momof2.

2 Peas Sunday Blogger Challenge - Favorite Quotes

Join us today/Sunday if you blog. Challenge: Share some of you fave quotes.... and describe on your blog why they are your faves and mean so much to you.

If you would create something,you must be something.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.

Henry David Thoreau

Be the change you want to see in the world.
Mahatma Gandhi

There are no failures - just experiences and your reactions to them.
Tom Krause

You don't take a photograph, you make it.

Ansel Adams

Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction.

John F. Kennedy

To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong.
Joseph Chilton Pearce

To love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides.
David Viscott

Photographer at Heart

There is just something inside me that speaks when I think about Photography. I am a true photographer at heart. Sometimes it amazes me that I can think about photos without even trying. Sometimes it feels like I am looking at the whole world around me as if looking at everything I see through the lens of my camera. I see things in pictures. I see details that would make amazing captures. I see true beauty in everything. I LOVE being a photographer at heart.

Favorite Things Saturday 03/03/07

Favorite Things Saturday 03/03/07
Originally uploaded by dynamo_momof2.

My girls, and spending time with them is my absolute most favorite thing in the world!!

2 Peas Monday Blogger Challenge - Memorable Vacations

Please come join us today/Monday if you blog. Challenge~ If you can remember going on a family vacation. What was your favorite and why?

My absolute most memorable family vacation is from the summer I was 16 years old. It was 1992. My family and I took 3 weeks and traveled through Western Canada. We went to the Calgary Stampede, the West Edmonton Mall, Jasper Alberta and Banff Alberta. It was the most amazing vacation ever. I loved the sheer beauty of Canada, the mountains, the yellow plains in Saskatchewan - everything. Every night my dad and I would sit in the motel room with maps and plan the next days drives and stops at local tourist attractions. He drove, I navigated from the backseat. It was such a bonding time for the two of us. As he drove, I often took photos and videos from the backseat. This is when my love for photography really developed. This is a trip I plan to do with my girls when they are old enough to appreciate the beauty of Canada ( and when they are old enough to drive that far without crying - hehe.)

2 Peas Friday Blogger Challenge - Comfort Foods

Join us today Friday if you blog. Fave comfort food?? what's yours? blog about it.
I have two very special comfort foods. The first is a hot cup of coffee. It can
something I drink in the morning or very late at night. there is just something so comforting about holding a hot cup of black coffee in my hands. I am not quite sure what it is, perhaps the warm, perhaps the taste. Whatever it is it seems to sooth me. It quites my mind, it relaxes me, and it gives me pure joy.

The second comfort food I have is a hot bowl of mushroom soup with lots of pepper. this is what I eat when I am not feeling well or when I am sad. It warms me throughout my whole body and brings me comfort I can hardly begin to even describe.

2 Peas Wednesday Blogger Challenge - What Others Think...

Join us today/wed if you blog. Challenge: Here is a fun question... would you live your life any differently if you didn't care what people thought?? blog about it.. fun huh???? I am finally at that point in my life where I am realizing that it is not important what other people think about how I act. I am living my life for me, for God and for my kids. I have a keen sense of right and wrong, and a keen sense of how I should be reacting and acting in many situations. As long as I am living every single day loving who I am, as long as I am living every single day serving God, and as long as I am living every single day trying to be the absolute best mom I can be... well then, it does not ever matter what other people think.

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.