Q is for Quilt

I have been lugging around this fabric.   Planned to do it in Australia.  Well.....
It's a flannel square quilt copied from one that my grandmother  did.  All you do is put a yarn tie in each of the squares.  It's not perfect.   Somethings don't line up but when people were making quilts in the early days and they were just learning it wasn't perfect.  I don't care.  I want it done and the girls don't care they just want to curl up in a comfy warm flannel blanket.
So as I have been getting more upset about how many projects I have not started.   Like 3 quilts, one chair to be stripped,  2008, 2009 and lets not even think of 2010 scrapbooking albums.  I need to myself do one of these projects every month and get them done instead of just looking at it all.
Here's hoping I get them done by the end of 2010.

P is for Pout

Okay need I say more?

O is for Orange Tulips

This gorgeous things are popping out of my garden beds.    Yeah Spring!!!

N is for night time

Night time.  I'll have to play again when there is a full moon and the motion sensor doesn't keep going on and off with the wind.   A storm was blowing in last night and this morning rain.   Fun walk to school!

M is for motoring

This photo is from last weekend.  I was going for a shot of all three this weekend.  Ciara and Hannah both off training wheels and Owen on the big bike with training wheels.  But then Hannah did a header over the handle bars just as I was ready to snap and well......
So here's Owen motoring.

L is for Laugh

K is for Kiss

Man is it hard to get a photo of kids kissing!!!  

J is for Joanne and Joy

Just me and Owen.

I is for Inked

So how many of you knew I was inked?    This is my "I" photo.   Not great since Eric took it.   So can you guess where it is and why it is a snake?   Or the story behind it?   Let me know

Hills

Now this isn't a great photo.  While trying to crop it to all fit in.  I cut off all the mountains that go up and up. 

This is looking down a large hill that we climb up and down to go to school.  In the far right side you can see a little Owen running down the hill.     This is much more impressive when you can see it in person.  Just a little taste of the valley in Barnhartvale.   A subdivision of Kamloops.    At the bottom of all these hills is a horse riding area and soccer field.  It's hard to make out.  (you might want to click on it to get a bigger picture)

That's my "H" for today.

Grade One

Yes lockers for grade one.   Well for all the grades.   Hannah didn't really want me to take a photo she wanted me to stop so she could go get some more milk tickets.   Chocolate milk everyday.  That's the life.

Flowers

We went to McArthur Park on Sunday morning to let the kids have a big flat spot to ride their bikes.  Ciara finally has biking down now.  Just need to get Hannah off the training wheels.   Owen pedeled like mad on his tricycle.   They were all so tired so had some lunch and then home to do some gardening.   Finally warm weather and sun.  I have been missing this so very much.  
My "F"   Flowers that Owen had to rest in and do some picking before getting back on the trike!!!

Eric

Eric, my topic for "E"  The shots didn't really speak to me or him either.   But here it is.   Eric is borrowing his brother's welder.   So he was playing on the weekend.  

"D" Date night (dessert and a movie)

Okay so we decided we needed to go on a date night.  Dessert and a movie.   Stopped at Frick and Frack and had huge desserts with coffee.   Eric had an apple cake with ice cream.  Yummy and I had a peanut butter, huge avalanche  cheesecake thingy.   Could not finish them.   Then off to the movie  "Date Night"   Very very funny.   We laughed so much.    It was nice to have a date again.   Might have to make this a habit.

"C''

Hah!   Thought I was going to do Ciara for "C" huh?!??!    No this is my neighbours little guy that likes to play with Owen.   His name is Calder.    
But I'll throw Ciara in for you as well.

"B" Black Widow Spiders and Balloons

So we do have some poisonous spiders here in Canada.   This is a Black Widow Spider and it is related to the Red Back of Australia.   So nasty little thing that had  been living under our hot tub.  She was ready to have babies so Eric sent her on a long trip!!!   Apparently we have rattle snakes too.  But they are on the other side of the river so won't be finding them in my yard thank god!!!  As I take more close ups I dream of a macro lens.  Or I should have just put the camera on a tripod.  Next time. 

I have thrown in another "B" Balloons.   As I have been trying to copy someone's shot.   It didn't turn out as I had hoped.  I think I need to do this with child number 1 that can take direction better.  These two are too stiff and didn't throw the balloons up high enough so I could get them caught mid air.   Oh well a photo to keep trying and one day it will look like I have in my brain.

Aaah!!, Autofocus, Apple Blossom's and starting my Alphabet project

Okay my plan.  To do a A-Z photo project.   Today.... photos of the apple blossom's.  "A"   Spring is here!!  Just wait until either  "O" or "T" for the gorgeous bright orange tulips that are popping up in my flower beds.  
Wait for it there is a BUT......    Went out and AAAAHHH my Autofocus wasn't working on the camera.     Lots of cursing,  lots of being very upset and trying everything to fix it.   Eventually just changed the  #*#*$@# camera to manual focus to get my apple blossoms.  Then went on the computer to troubleshoot.   Had myself convinced it was broken and then got very excited if it was broken I could get the new camera body!!!!   Eric would agree!!!! 
There is another but........   Eric played around with it and found out that somehow one little button had been pressed and had locked my focus.   So....... now I am upset I was dreaming about the new Mark II 5D.  
So "B" tomorrow 

Calgary

We headed off to Calgary to visit Eric's brother Ryan and family.   I have had to sit on my hands this trip.   After many years of having to travel over 7 hours to places I have learned to keep the kids happy we can't stop at every beautifully lite spot so that I can take a photo.   I look longingly at the site and dream of the day when they are older and my stopping won't be as much problem as it is now with a 3 year old that wants out of a car seat ASAP!!!   
We had a snow storm at the start of our trip to Calgary.   So we got there in a little over 9 hours.   Had a great visit with Ryan, Jody and the little ones.   The cousins had such a good time and there was only a little oil and water with Hannah and Victoria.   They mostly played together while we talked as it was fairly cold in Calgary at minus 5 with a chilling wind even when the temperature got up to 3 degrees.    But we did go out for plays at the park,  a swim,  and a fabulous night of Vietnamese food!   Eric went with Ryan to their other property on Saturday.    The ski villa in a few more years when all the housing gets finished.   
Then home to Kamloops.   Made it home in 8 hours and it was a beautiful clear day. 
It's all good!

Good bye

So day one without people in the house.   Mom and dad have returned home safe and sound.   I have one day to get laundry done before heading for an adventure to Calgary this weekend.   We are off to see Eric's brother Ryan and his family.   We are so excited to get to play with cousins!!!!
As you can see from above Owen didn't want to get in the photos as usual.   But he was all hand holding and cuddles with Nona for the rest of the day until they flew out.

Easter

Easter bunny had fun in our back yard.     And the kids made record time at cleaning it off.   The adults had to have a little basket of their own as the kids didn't share anything.

Nona and Grandpa Jim are visiting!!!

My parents have come for a weeks visit.   Which is awesome since the girls have a long weekend for Easter holidays and Owen's birthday is a that time.   We just visited.   Nothing to exciting.   Up to Chilliwack to visit Dad's first cousin Jean and Walt after they had just got back from 3 months in Australia visiting grandbabies!!   Lots of playing, talking, eating, an Easter Antique Car Parade thrown in there and just enjoying each other. 

Birthday Boy

Owen's three years old now as of April 2nd.  Wow that is fast.  Now we just have to work on understanding the person language he says.  Don't understand anything but Mommy, Daddy, bike, ball and more!!!

Dress Up as your favourite Robert Munsch Character

This is very similar to book day in Australia.   It is reading week here in Kamloops.   So the school asked the kids to dress up as their favourite Robert Munsch characters.   There were lots of Paperbag princesses.   Hannah came home so excited.  I have not good news but great news.   She won a draw and got to go to a pizza party.  Two cupcakes and two pieces of cake!!!!