I am such a delinquent blogger

seriously. I am in a bit of a post-spring break funk. creatively stunted. tired 24-7. eating every oreo in sight so I don't really have to deal with my lack of a life. spring break was really great - I got some stamping in there, some walking done, some cleaning finished. this past week has zapped me though. gotta love deadlines at work.

regardless, I have made a few things and taken some pics of the kids...so in lieu of the chit chat I would normally have at this point, here are the pics!!

clean space...

I cleaned up downstairs last night. new shelves, some things got moved and I actually had a clean desk for 24 hours. and then, I did kristina's colour challenge and my desk is a mess AGAIN! alas, the results were pretty good, I think! this is what happens when you have ethiopian coffee at 8:00 at night...WOOHOO!!!! yeah, good stuff. perhaps sleep will come, but I think I will stay up and watch george first...yumm-o!

so, here's my card...not a single stamp to be had, but some great paper, WONDERFUL felt flowers and some SU! bling.

a smattering of pics from this weekend...

the mug ones were taken this morning, as the boys were enjoying some chocolate milk in their new easter mugs...what posers. unlike sunday morning. couldn't get a good picture of them both just being nice & smiling to save my life. grrr!!!

little effort, great reward

so in an effort to be a better mom, the boys and I went on an adventure this morning. after the night we had last night [no one really slept for any significant length of time], my big plan was to lay low and not leave the house [then I wouldn't really need to shower, dress, put contacts in...]. but because I am working harder to set my kids up for behavioural success, I got up and fed them a decent breakfast [cheerios and milk - way better than the chocolate breakfast of yesterday!] and we decided we needed to go on an adventure. so, rubber boots on our feet, sunglasses intact, hoodies on our heads, we set out for the iga [yes, I know, it's only 4 blocks away!!]. okay, so this wasn't a big adventure, but considering it is often just easier to stay home and not meet the day, it was a "sorta" adventure! ty wore my sunglasses and found a stick in the neighbour's yard and nate wore his leg warmers and his own sunglasses! okay, so it may be 4 degrees out...but the wind is COLD! so we trek to the iga, get the few groceries we need, stop at connie's for a minute on the way back, then get into the car to finish off our adventure! the car part was part of the plan, since I knew that ty would never make it all the way to blockbuster and back [5 blocks in the opposite direction of iga!]. so, each of the boys got to pick a video and I picked up "no country for old men" since everyone I've talked to seems to rant and rave about this movie. then a short walk over to second cup for coffee, and back in the car for the 2 minute drive home!

seems fairly insignificant, rather ordinary morning, but we had a fun time and now ty is sound asleep [LOVE nap time!!]. all is well. and as I look at my dirty floor, I know that it can wait for a broom...opportunities to hang out with the kids and "look for signs of spring" [nate's words!] in the neighbourhood was definitely the better choice.

here I go again...

I have run out of blog titles!!

finally, I have two little boys that both got close to 14 hours of sleep each. and shockingly, I like them today [wonder if that's a coincidence!!]. yesterday was not my best mom day. both boys were cranky [sleep deprived and they refused to eat anything but easter treats...yeah, ty found a box of whoppers at 8am yesterday morning...that should have been a sign]. I couldn't pay ty to eat anything of substance yesterday. needless to say, not my best mom day on many, many counts. I did, however, get loads of stuff done yesterday [because I have the BEST husband in the world...he took both boys after church to his mom's house for several hours!]. groceries are bought, shower present bought [I've been invited to two showers this week - it's a BABY BOOM!! - and I was sad that I couldn't make it to tyson's party], easter treats bought, coffee was consumed and I did an hour's walk.

makes me think. while I was walking I was listing to al gordon speak on leadership and he said to list your goals/priorities for your life. then he said that above all plans that we make with our lives, that our families and kids must come first in order to experience success anywhere else. this is totally contrary to how most people view authentic leadership. there are many priorities on my list [save the world, change the world, lose weight, be the best in my profession] I need to put my kids and my family before these things. I've been struggling with meaning in my life. at the beginning of lent, I quoted the scripture "trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not, on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight" [the cori version of the NLT]. and in trying to live this out the message I have heard through all of this is this: I am in the right place. so, instead of being the person who saves all the starving children in sudan, I need to be a great mom to my own children right here. I need to be a support to my kids at school. I need to get my head out of my arse and be a good friend.

so, here I begin again; well maybe not begin altogether, but I need to get my head back in the game and my feet back on the right path. and when I sit in church tomorrow morning, reflecting on the significance of the day, I will be there with a full, thankful heart.

trying something new!

I made this new video, and tried to make it just love my blog. yeah. totally didn't work! so, let's try this... CLICK HERE!

you can't always get what you want

yes, the song is cranked and ty has spatulas and a drum set made with a bucket turned over; nate has a wooden fork to play guitar on. my kids, the musicians! [oh and both are wearing eskimo jerseys!!].

the last week [or so] has been pretty hectic...totally playing catch up on all I missed in the 5 days I was vacationing. although I am looking forward to the 4 day weekend, I am looking even more forward to spring break. 5 days of NO SCHOOL. NO KIDS. just me, my house, my cleaning supplies, my garbage bags and a stack of books. all is well when I can clean & purge my house in peace! oh, and I need to strap my runners on and walk every day for the next 6 weeks. yeah. the race is in only 6 weeks. time to get my buttola in gear!!

off to sit and read. I am sure enjoying that the sun is staying out until close to 8pm.

palm springs

well, after a SUPER long day, I am safely at home! palm springs was super relaxing, and a worthwhile trip. we shopped everyday, I read 2 books, I cuddled julian, drank tons of coffee...it was all good! and although I am super tired, I feel relaxed and happy to be home. and since I took out my camera for the first time today [yeah, it sat in my suitcase the WHOLE trip], I only have a handful of pics...these are the view from the back of the house!

lots of little things

I am so thankful that I have a wee holiday coming up this next week. it's a well timed break. I drank too much last night, and paid the price this morning! I feel displaced this week and a bit out of sorts - all because I read a stupid book. okay, so the book is far from stupid, but it's thrown me off course. I am 35 years old. I shouldn't really be having this much uncertainty about my life. I usually stuff all this away and just keep living my same old boring life. don't know if I can do it this time. I read the book "what is the what" and now I am a bit obsessed with everything I can read on the sudan. I am just so unsure of what to do with it all.

on another note, the non-plan has been no-plan this week...too many treats, not enough fiber. I have made this observation though: when I don't follow the non-plan, I don't feel so hot. back to the non-plan, dude!!

teachers convention - day 1

I love teachers convention - I get to reconnect with old friends and just hang out with some really nice people. today, I got to see Rabbi Shmuley who was TOTALLY AWSOME! I wish I had more time to tell all the stories, but I need to get the kids packed up...off to our small group tonight. more convention tomorrow!!

so tired

why are short weeks always so long? mmmm.

made some cards today...nate helped me, since the one card is for his little friend! enjoy!!

one of THOSE days

one of those crazy-deadline-sit-in-meetings-roll-your-eyes kind of days. the kind of day that gets 14g of fiber and 3 treats. the rough day on the non-plan. they do exist. I am so tired of being sick, and being tired, and cleaning the house. being tired always makes me want to eat junk. I need to get some sleep, and begin again [or not begin again!] tomorrow. lots of deadlines this upcoming week, so I think I'll be at school tomorrow doing report cards...one thing out of the way!

well THAT explains it!

yup. I should have seen a doctor on friday. before the long weekend of coughing hell. I honestly thought it would go away, like colds do. today I finally admitted that this was NOT your garden-variety cold. and the doctor agreed. it's bronchitis. the kind that likes to lead to pneumonia if you're not careful. thank goodness for drugs and prescription cough medicine with codeine. I am just waiting for it to kick in so that I can sleep in my bed for the first time in 5 days. poor john is just exhausted...not as exhausted as me, mind you!

anyways, I'm on the mend. all will be well again, in the fraser household!

new things!!!!

most of these are made with the new berry bliss paper...that I LOVE!!! and the others...well a sneak peak of what is coming in the new mini! [silver hardware & die cut blossoms!!]

how I hate

being sick. I don't get sick like this super often, so when it hits, it's nasty. and somehow, with all the coughing [the dry, hacking, can't catch your breath type] I've strained my neck. grrr. and this afternoon, in the middle of class, I had a strange eye thing happen...my pupils decided not to adjust to the sunlight. crazy huge pupils, causing that sort of eye thing you get after going to the eye doctor and getting "THE" drops. just not cool. I went home early, then felt okay. this whole cold thing is just getting stupid. I am holding off taking some more meds, since I'd like to take my next dose closer to bed time...because tonight I NEED, NEED, NEED to sleep!

as far as the non-plan goes...it is going well. a good week of moderate, happy, guilt-free eating. kinda crazy how less stressed I feel about the whole thing...no more sneaking food, fueling the "last supper" mentality. it's all good.

and although I am sitting at my desk, hoping to create some lovely things with some lovely new things, I am thinking that I should be thinking about bed.

a full day

well, I weighed myself this morning...down 2lbs [I'll do my measurements tonight and NOT post them!]. I am officially on my "I-have-no-real-plan-so-don't-ask-me-about-the-plan" plan. seriously. I am calling this one the non-plan. exercise as per the usual [as in, I'm training], make sure I get 25 grams of fiber per day, drink 2-3L of water, and eat one treat per day. I will do a weigh/measure again on easter monday. there is a lot of trust I have to have with myself in order to not have a plan. trust that my body will tell me when I am hungry and full. trust that my body will get healthier, knowing it will be fed. trust that I don't have to sabotage a plan, when we're on the non-plan. I'm strange. I know. off to class tonight, were I will pay someone money to torture my muscles. life is good.

40 days of lent

lent began this week. 5 weeks until easter.

I have a theme verse for this year: 'trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not, on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight". okay, so that is the cori version of the verse...the way I remember it. the new living translation says: trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. seek his will in all you do and he will direct your paths [proverbs 3:5-6]. I have been thinking a lot about how this impacts my life - how I think, live, speak, listen. and I have been thinking about it in regards to my diet/eating/food issues. I know God cares about this whole issue. so, how do I reconcile all of it? well something came to me today. I am still living my life as I was 10 years ago - a life of self-loathing, hatred, arrogance, selfishness. now, I know that I have turned away from that past life, yet I seem to wander in that desert of complaining, as did the israelites, thousands of years ago. I need to remember what I've come from, in order to get to where I am going. the where I'm going part has nothing to do with a number on a scale. I have been so obsessed with the "pseudo-goal" that I have once again neglected the true goal - my soul-health. I am still working this all out in my head...but I will keep you posted. [it's heading to a place of "in all things moderation"]. off to go walk 6.7k with my mom & joy. the training has really begun!

a mug of happiness

sometimes some peppermint schnapps, hot chocolate & whipped cream can make me happy! the kids have a drink too, just no schnapps...

new paper, new projects, and huge issues

the title says it all. grrr. got my berry bliss paper last night [I was invited to a neighbor's SU! party where I was NOT the demo, so I ordered a pack of paper at her show]. it is SOOOOOO lovely! I'll have to challenge myself to make something "perdy" with it tonight!

I am attaching some pics of projects I've done lately...thanks to felice, rae & I mass produced the "wild about you" version of the valentines for our kids. a sucker attaches to the back...a great idea and super easy to make [okay, so tying 40 ribbons was getting stupid..]. we really liked the glitter that felice had on her project, but we skipped it just to save time. we did use the dotted wheel on ours as well, only with versamark [so it doesn't show in this picture]. the little cello-bag-holder-thingy was a project we did at make & take night!













































and then there are my issues, witch are strongly attached to why I haven't blogged as of late. not too sure if I have the energy to reflect on my crappy eating week, all my own doing. there is no one to blame but myself. so, I will wallow today and pull my sh*t together tomorrow and all will be okay. maybe I will have some reflections on this tomorrow.

thankful thursday

it is thursday. I am thankful. this is all good.

although it's been CRAZY COLD, I am thankful that we made it through the -40ish pieces in one shape. monday was nuts with one car not working, but really...it's all good. I got tons done at school, since there's yet to be a day with full classes, that too was a big blessing. I feel like I am finally on my game, and not behind it. so, cold weather...can be a happy thing.

and the weight thing. walking this week has sucked [yeah, not doing it in THIS weather!], but the eating hasn't been too bad. well, other than the HUNK of chocolate cake I just ate. I lost 1 pound this week, so I am at a -4. this is good. this is really good. I have some pics to post...those will come tomorrow, since I'm SOOOOOO tired!