randomness

Still watching the snow fall, and watching my kiddies try to open Christmas gifts that they should not be opening until Christmas {R may already know he is getting a LEGO Service Station set thanks to his sneaky sis Miss S, sorry Uncle VW}. So, I thought I would share some random photos that I took recently.

This is the Christmas quilt my mom made for me this year, using Mary Engelbreit fabrics...

Here are some layouts I made while staying in and keeping warm. I really wanted some of the Dotted Swiss {embossed cardstock} from Bazzill, and finally got some at Archiver's when I was in Omaha for Silver Bella. I made these layouts using some of it...

I titled the layout above with Miss S and Auntie M, 'Always Kiss Me Goodnight'. I love that saying and have it printed on a sign in our home. I was reminded of it when Jill, Jen and I went on a Christmas shopping trip to Merrickville recently, and saw signs like it in a few of the shops. {I love Merrickville - and I'm going to have to make shopping there at Christmas, an annual tradition. We had a great time, even in the cold and snowy day, having coffee together, shopping in the boutiques, going for lunch in the cutest pub ever}.

Back to layouts - this one is a scraplift from Vicki Boutin in the last Scrapbooks, Etc...

I've been using the Gift Journal that I made last year, in Teresa McFayden's Ezine, The 12 Days of Comfort & Joy {I didn't do the ezine this year - not enough time, but loved it last year}. This is the journal I made last year...

and there was still some blank space in it, so I'm just using it again this year! I loved stitching around the tree, and making it glitter with Stickles, and using my Grandma's buttons...

We've been enjoying our Christmas season in our new city so far. Without any family here, we have been spending lots of time with new friends, and it has been great {although we do miss our family}. On Friday, an impromptu idea of Christine's to make pizzas with the kiddies ended up being a fabulous party at her place - 31 of us, adults and kiddies, showed up and had a great time {it is hard to believe we even know this many people here already - we have been so blessed}.

The kiddies made pizzas for dinner and ran around and played, and I got a chance to catch up with friends before the craziness of Christmas really sets in. I also made it to Jill & Christine's joint birthday party last weekend, and stayed until the wee hours. K, the kiddies and I had dinner with Jill and her family last Sunday, after a day of shopping for our new kitchen table. {Jill could not believe I had never had a Shawarma, and since Ottawa seems to be the Shawarma capital of Canada - seriously there are Shawarma places everywhere... just found a website about it so you know I'm not kidding! And in case you were wondering...they are really good}!

This past week we also went to our first ever Christmas Concert at R's school...

R told his Grandpa on the phone that he 'went on a real stage'! He did great, I had to hold back the tears - it was so sweet! After enjoying the concert we were invited back to the classroom for snack time. R showed us all his art on the walls, and his favorite toys to play with, and Miss S made herself comfortable at a snack table! We will have no trouble at all when it comes time for her to go to kindergarten - she is ready now!