Sunday, February 26, 2012

Happy Birthday...

Tyler AND Oliver!!

...i don't know how tyler can be 10 years old today...
where have the years gone?


...he has just turned into the sweetest and most thoughtful kid ever.  he has a big, warm, kind heart.  he really knows how to put on his charm and make you feel special.  he gives awesome hugs.  he has uncontrollable giggling fits.  and he loves with all his heart.
oh, and tyler ADORES, CHERISHES and LOOOOOVES Bunnies!!!!
(but most of you already know that - wink! )


...and two years ago, when tyler picked THIS little guy - Oliver - to come home with him, he was the luckiest bunny ever because he had tyler and his buddy and caregiver!
AND, coincedentally, Oliver has the same birthday as tyler!!
how perfectly perfect is that???
:)




...so, happy 10th and 2nd birthday to TWO of the Cutest and Cuddliest boys i know and love!!
x0x0x0x0


...be back soon...

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Got Snow...Man???


poor tyler.
all he has really been wanting to do lately in the yard
( other than avoid the hockey rink with his sister since the Valentine's Day incident...)
is to make a snowman!

Which, with what little snow we have been having lately has been almost impossible to do!
We have had the bottom 'ball' of a snowman body in the backyard for several weeks now, just WAITING SO PATIENTLY for the rest of his body to come together!

And at last....the snowy white magic has happened and i'd like to introcue you to "Snowy."
( whose carrot nose was picked off by a scavenger squirrel the same night and replaced the next day...)








...and since it's been a looooooong while since i've done a 'currently" list, here's one for the fun of a saturday!

CURRENTLY...

Eating - homemade nachos during the Jets hockey game ( thanx mr. griffin! )
Drinking - diet dr. pepper
Making - updates in the kids' journals / and my 'to do' list for monday!
Thinking - money really does make the world go round, bottom line.  Fact.
Wanting - a job, you know, so i can get me some of that $$  ( heeheehee )
Needing - sleep and a real good massage
Loving - that my boy is turning "double digits" tomorrow!!  the big 1-0!!!!
Wondering - if the Jets are gonna make the Playoffs?? ( any guesses? )
Adoring - how tyler has been ELATED to be a part of dinner making the last couple nights
Watching - hockey, i robot, hockey...
Listening - "in paris" by Jay Z & Kanye West...dang, what a catchy tune - love it!



...be back soon...

Monday, February 20, 2012

been busy...



...as you all know, last weekend my "Calling all Angels, Crop for Lynn" was held with 61 croppers attending on the friday and 42 croppers attending on the saturday!!
It was a very, very busy weekend...and soooooo AHHH-MAAAAZZZ-ING to see everyone's generous efforts of prizes, food, time and support all come together for such a special person and then end with such a tremendous success!!

I have so many people that I am thankful for, for all your contributions and help to me to pull this together, and also to everyone who came in support and compassion as my friend!  Everyone who knows ME, knows LYNN...she is, and has been a huge part of my life for a very long time now, and in one way or another through the years, you have come to know her too.

I was super excited at my visit this past wednesday with Lynn to share the surprise with her of this fundrasier crop and its success...she was delighted and overjoyed in excitement....it was a recognition that this is a gift of more time for her to be in the familiar comforts of her own home during her journey with terminal lung cancer.
The total funds that were raised at my crop was $3,200.00!!!!!!!!!!
WOW!!!!
I will be assisting her with overnight care starting next weekend along with one other friend of Lynns, and with the funds raised, it will help to afford an overnight aide from her current home care agency to fill in the nights that there is no friend available!!  This is truly a gift to Lynn....

So thank you once more with all my heart to each and everyone of you for participating and joining me in this most valuable fundraiser for my friend!!!!











...and thank you to courtney who joined us friday night for a few hours in her highland costume to help serve coffee and tea to everyone...
AND
another HUGE thank you to sweet, sweet Jan Carleton for her amazing efforts and contribution to providing our friday night group with a unique and delicious snack...it was sooooo good!!!






...and to Tara for her fabulous and yummy cupcakes...
and to Louise for her awesome peanut butter cookies...
and to Ashley for her scrumptious puffed wheat cake...
and again to Jan for the banana bread / mini donuts, cookies and brownie trays!!!




...i had HUGE kitchen help saturday morning with the helping hands of my Mom, Syrella, Becky and Grace all pitching in to cut up and prepare fresh fruit and muffins for our yummy morning snack!!





...Our morning snack and afternoon snack was contributed by so many of my friends...and all the bits and pieces came together as a wonderful treat for everyone!!

...and I must, must MUST give one more huge thanks to my friend Allsion Pauls ( owner of Scrapyard - Stonewall, Mb ) for all her wonderful little extra giveaway prizes, her paper pack door prizes, her fun little mini album give away on friday night, and her awesome auction prize of a Zutter Bind-it-all machine.....and let's not forget the 25% of her store sales from over the weekend as well!!!!
You.Are.Amazing.....



I have lots of thank you cards to write but they won't truly be enough gratitude to you ALL for everything you have done!!

I love you guys!!!
( and will have ALL the photos to share at the next crop! )
x0x0x0x0x0

...the day after the 2 day crop - sunday - was an exciting day for tyler!
he was bowling in a team tournament he had qualified to be a part of and his team WON first place!
it's called the Four Steps to Stardom tournament ( he bowls 5 pin in the YBC league - 2 years now )
anyway....the winning team advances on to Provincials now...which will be held March 3 & 4th at Polo Park lanes..
if his team wins Provinicials, they move on to Nationals which is being held in Newfoundland this spring!!
( one step at a time...)
here's his winning team and coach, Lynn, at the tournament last sunday!




...and valentine's day proved to be an adventurous day for the griffin household...
( aside from rushing to make cupcakes for tyler's classroom first thing that morning...)


..after school, the kids asked to play outside on our backyard skating rink, as they do daily...
but around 445, and while poor Chirstina was here picking up her prize she won at the crop, the back door burst open with tyler standing in the doorway, hysterically crying and shouting "MOOOOOOMMMMM"...
he had blood pouring from his face, smeared all over, dripping all over his beautiful WOOL jacket, and spotting all over the floor in front of him!!
His first hockey stick in the face....
= his second trip to the hospital emergency room ever, both compliments of his sister!!
BUT...no stitches ( whew ) some surgical glue tape and a pat on the back for being brave!

And a week long shiner from courtney...gee.whiz.


...at the end of the night, it still ended in a somewhat "happy valentines day"...
everyone survived!







...oh...and i also have something scrappy to share with you too!!
here's a layout i made a couple weeks ago for tyler ( still have to make courtney's )
...it was very important to me to document the relationship each of the kids had with my Grandma ( Nana ) who sadly passed away last summer.

i wrote him a letter about a lot of fun and happy stories that were just about him and her...and how much she treasured having tyler in her life...
i love how it turned out, and i thank the very talented Marcy Penner again for her inspiration on including a letter or note in a layout...here's what i came up with!








...thanks for hangin' in for this long catch up post!!!

...be back soon...
:)


Saturday, February 4, 2012

Oh Boy.

...there has been a lot going on around here over the last couple weeks...
but FIRST...i will share some scrappiness with you!!!

Jan.21 i WENT to a crop...can you believe it?  i got out and PLAYED with my scrappy peeps!
it.was.nice.

here's what i made that day...
(and plz forgive me for not cropping all of them.  TIME = tick, tick, tick....)

becuz i recently made a "HE" layout for tyler, i had to do one for miss c as well...plus i had fun digging through her old photos and remembering all her little "courntey-isms" from back then...





...this is another one for miss c...


...i loved adding the hidden journaling behind the photo frame...


...and another one for miss c...


i saw marcy penner had made a L/O with skates, after i had taken our photo, and loved her idea...so thanks for the inspo on making a layout of "someTHING" other than people!!


...and becuz i did one for her...i had to do one for tyman too!!




...and this one is for ty's album...
awwwwww, i know!



...and last weekend, on Jan.27, i went out with the gals to another fun crop.
however, i was feeling really exhausted and only made this one layout for miss c...





...so, that's the scrappiness shared...
i am currently trying to purge and organize my own scrapbooking space as it seems come a new year, it also brings new motivation...are you going through this as well??


...and PLEASE note that these are the "during" photos...hahahahaha!!!


...remember back in november when i shared that courtney had her semi annual dance exams?
well, it takes a while for her awards to arrive as they come from SCOTLAND!
but, they finally arrived!!!

...and in this last week, it's been CRAAAZZYY...
we've had a band concert for courtney,



...a hockey haricut for tyler...
(i miss his mop already...)


...a dance competition for courtney...
( hi susan! )
7 dances = 7 medals that day!
:)

...and ONE VERY EXCITED return of Dustin Byfuglien to the ice for miss courtney!!!


and this week also gave me insight first hand to the most wonderful gift of LOVE!

...as mentioned here and there on my blog, courtney's former dance teacher, Lynn Stephen, was diagnosed last January 2010 with terminal lung cancer.  her struggles continue, despite her prognosis back then.
lynn is truly an amazing friend of our family...she is a part of our family.
she is trying to cope with the large upcoming expenses that will come with her palliative nursing in her home and seeking outside funds to assist her wishes has become neccessary.

by ways of my scrapbooking hall crops, i have chosen this avenue to do what i can to help raise any kind of funds to help her along her journey to keep her wish of remaining at home in the grasp of her hands.
i quickly ( and boy do i mean QUIKLY ) put together a two day hall crop fundraiser, i am calling "Crop for Lynn" and i can now get back to my original statement of the gifts of love!!!

I cannot express the beautiful gift and spirit of GIVING that sooooo many of my friends in my scrapbooking world have shown to me for this event!!  The outpour of support has been tremendous and selfless...
This expression of loving and giving to my friends needs has brought me to tears on so many occasions because every time i get a call or email from someone else stating what they would like to do, just reaches into my heart and pulls and overflows with the kind, loving generosity of the people whom i feel closest to...
I have always said to others that i truly have the best girls in my scrapbooking world, and you all never seize to amaze me over, and over again...

my expression of gratitude and appreciation are boundless.
no words can describe how very deeply touched i am.
there are not enough THANK YOU's or hugs, or tears of joy that i have been feeling every day as i plan and prepare for this SOLD OUT crop for lynn.

you are all a blessing to me and i am so very fortunate to have first hand experiences of your love!
x0x0x0

...be back soon...