beginning to look a lot like December

I FINALLY spent a few minutes playing around with photo editing and collages!  Of course I should be doing 103 other things, starting with washing dishes and then making the cookies for the kids' teachers that I told them I would.  At 10:40pm the night is still young and that is how I roll!  So, I wanted to share my first attempt at collaging (not really a verb, but you know what I mean). 

family picture follow up

I felt like the blog needed a change of look.  The black background seemed hard for me to read sometimes.  Might just be my age ... yet another sign of getting older (or a sign I should get my eyes checked).   One can never be sure about the TRUE signs of aging!  Take yesterday for instance ... in my attempt to exercise in morning at the local track, I pulled a muscle in my hip and gave myself a Charlie Horse that lasted for at least 5 minutes ... in public of course!  Then last night I ran myself a bath, went to check on the water level 10 minutes later, and I had forgotten to plug the drain :(

I just wanted to share the new family photo that I was deliberating about a few posts ago.  I am SOOOO happy with how the pictures turned out.  Melissa did such a fantastic job considering the subjects she had to work with!  The family picture is a 20x30 canvas.  It is a smaller than the previous picture so I had to do a little re-arranging in the living room space to make it work out.  This is how it turned out:

sorry about the glare :(

a little Pinterest touch!

Yes, I still have my fall decor up!  That is on my list of things to do this week - change up the decor to fit the season!

My office project

11x14 wall plaques (photography by Melissa)

Just love how this turned out ... I bought Damask wall stickers to put behind the fabulous photos since these are plaques that don't need a frame.  By themselves the pictures didn't really pop out on the new white wall in the office, but now I just love it!  I mean REALLY love it ... I go in and look at it about 5 times a day.  Ha!!!

New wall paper for the office

 I will follow up with another post on the office project when it is finished more finished!  And, the Oreo cream cheese truffles are almost gone.  I guess I better exercise now ....

school

Yes, it is December and Christmas break is around the corner, but this post is about "Back to School". I continue to stick with my mantra of "better late than never". So, this finds me at my lap top with my second cup of coffee and the after effects of a delicious cream cheese truffle that I received from a cookie exchange on Saturday. Really wish I hadn't tried them :(   I did exercise today for a few minutes so MAYBE I burned half of it off already.  One can always hope.

Back to the topic of school:

• Samara - is in a grade 5 in a 5/6 split class this year.  She still mostly loves school but being 10 going on 16 is adding some challenges.  She is still in piano lessons and is back at gymnastics and now basketball has started up again.  She is also doing some reading with a grade 3 boy once a week (not her brother)! 

• Keithan - is in grade 3 this year.  He is in indoor soccer this year.  It is 2 nights a week and since he lives, breathes and even dreams and talks in his sleep about soccer (true story) it is a great motivational tool for getting homework and reading done.  

• Rhett - is in grade 1 this year.  He isn't in any after school activities, thankfully.  He just had a birthday on Friday so he is waiting for his birthday party.  He wanted a bowling party or a skating party but when he has a mom who leaves  things until  last minute he will have to settle for less unless he wants to wait a month or two for his party.  I am hoping the weather holds because we have great snow for a tobogganing party.  Still working on that idea.

• Grady - is in Preschool this year.  He LOVES it, but I understand he and his new best friend have had a few time outs on the time out chair!  The teacher has never mentioned it to me but he brought it up once ... and now I ask almost every time ... and yes, it happened again.  Good thing they don't have report cards in Preschool!!  They must be minor offenses ... one can always hope (again). 

p.s we are looking forward to Grandpa and Grandma's visit on Christmas break.