what to do ...

I was asked on Tuesday if I'd be interested in a paid position at the Hospice. It sort of blew me away and I told them for sure I'd be interested - however, then when I got home and had a bit of quiet and some time, I realized it just wouldn't work with the kids having 10 weeks off school in the summer. It is only 17.5 hours a week but still enough that I'd have to look into camps and stuff and I really don't want them stuck in camps all summer long - to me that is just wrong ... whatever happened to lazy summer days with nothing to do but jump in the pool, ride your bike around the block and play with the other kids in the neighborhood?

So I went back yesterday and told them that despite really being interested in the job (which is totally administrative btw) I just couldn't see how it would work - but they were soo ready for me because the director just said - no problem, you can work from home in the Summer - What the What ... they obviously really want me to work there huh?

So now I have till tomorrow to make a final decision - it is not an easy one for me to make given that Bob is not here that much. What if (when!) one of the little people gets a nasty cold (director told me "work from home" ...) but it is just such a commitment that I wasn't at all prepared for!

But I do think that I'll do it - it will be nice to be paid for the work I do there, I really like the office work I do do there and I really like the people I'll be working with, so it is not that hard of a decision to make.

When the co-ordinator asked me how I felt I said I was honored to be offered the job and she said "don't feel honored - feel proud ... we wouldn't have asked you if we didn't believe you were the perfect person for the job!" Nice one I thought - so now I'm walking around feeling proud - not a feeling I come by very often!

I'll let you know of my final decision - I'm pretty sure what it'll be :)

Bob is on the plane on his way home to us - it will be a quiet weekend ... which is nice as the last two weekends have been totally filled with birthday parties - the kids love it but playing school bus is not my favorite game and the ones who are not invited to the party are not very pleased to be told that it's time to go pick up whomever was invited to the party! Fortunately Nancy and John stopped by for a cup of tea last Sunday and they stayed while I took Anna to her afternoon party!

Not many pictures to show you - I find that with the grey skies the ones that did get taken are not very interesting - here is one though by Maia - self portrait - happy in January!

Thankfully it'll be February soon ...

Ain't No Sunshine when (S)he's Gone ...

Bob left yesterday and the first two days are always the worst - and it is so dreary here ... not that cold but no sunshine for days on end so when I went shopping today there was no way I could pass on the wonderful yellow tulips ... a leetle bit of sunshine in our kitchen!

Bob will be home again next Thursday and they are desperate for my help at the hospice this week and next so it looks like the days should fly by.

Kirsten asked if she and the girls could come up for Valentines ... as if there was ever any chance of me saying "nah" ... it is exciting and hopefully we'll be able to take her girls on the world biggest skating rink (the Canal!) - Kirsten says she won't ever never in a million years skate while here - so I guess I'll do the same :) Bob will be here that weekend so I'm sure there will be a chance to go out for a girly dinner somewhere nice - can't wait!

Made Jello for pudding tonight - oh the joys ... the kids love that stuff - me not so much, but I'm sure Daddy Bob will be very sad when he hears as he lurves that stuff - we'll make some more when he comes home!

Mission Accompliced

I did it - and I did it in less than 24 hours. It was fun and I might actually make another one just for the fun of it ... I like that I used lots of my favorite fabrics here, and I like that it to me gives the impression that through my door lies hours of fun with all sorts of colors - I was happy when Anna said "It looks kind of like a color wheel" ... given that this was exactly what Maia and I set out to do when we started rummaging the fabric scraps!

It was such fun to do because all three of them were around while I did most of it and they were very enthusiastic - they are my biggest fans ... long may it last :)

The Milking Wreath (directly translated from Danish to English)

Sorry about the background color - but it hangs on a golden yellow and there just isn't enough light to show it off properly ... nevertheless - enjoy!

And so with the new wreath I woke up Saturday morning and thought - "I must paint something today" and there are really not that many places left to paint (only because I cannot be bothered to start the huge project in our conservatory (don't know what else to call it!). I went to get some new blades for my fabric cutter and decided on the way back to stop by Home Depot to buy a tub of paint :) ... and did a few stripes on the wall in my sewing room. I hung up the wonderful bunting that Carol made for us years and years ago - maybe 7 years ago (could be 8) - I put up some lovely pictures of the kids, turned the bed around - but what really changed the room is that I put up our kitchen plate rack :) - the one we bought in Tonbridge Wells 10 years ago - the one we just cannot find any wall space for in our kitchen. I know that it is silly - I am not going to put cups and plates on it - instead it now holds great craft books and ribbons and fun bags - the ones that Kristyne donated to the girls back in Calgary. I love it but I think you have to think like me to love it - so for anyone who will be staying in that room when visiting - just humor me and be kind ... it is my room and I want it to be full of all the things that makes me happy.

Oh and I FINALLY painted my chest of drawers - the one that has had a mermaid, an octopus, some fish and a treasure chest sitting on the bottom of the ocean - totally unfinished project I started on the day I found out I was pregnant with Maia. All the drawers are now one single wonderfully pink color - so girly and I have fallen back in love with it!

So all in all a very crafty weekend. I even managed three hours on the quilt while at reception at the Hospice yesterday ... I really enjoy when I get to spend a whole weekend doing all sorts of bits and bobs :)

The kids were busy too with Birthday parties and playmates - Still trying to teach Jack that playing on the Wii from you get up till you go to bed is not a great thing. It is a hard lesson to learn and will obviously take him some time.

And even with all that happiness - David still managed to make us all smile the most!!!

Friday Early Morning ...

Well not so early any more, however, Bob had to get up at 3.30 am to go for a MRI (first test of many for the cochlear implant). They do the MRI from midnight till 6.00 am to keep the waiting lists down but golly that is a weird time to go for a test. We of course woke ten times and in between waking with fear of having overslept little miss Maia came in with a temperature and a sore throat! Oh but the joys...

Fortunately Bob had another doctor's appointment for a meningitis shot (another thing for the implant - not particularly sure why ... but we'll trust the doctors on this one!) at 9.15 so Maia went along - had her throat swabbed and was found positive for (yet another!) strep thoat. Good thing is she's already on antibiotics and should be feeling a ton better by tomorrow morning!

I have decided to use this weekend for another project. I have been thinking what to hang outside my craft room - given that the kids all have their fab pictures (shot by John many moons ago!) hanging outside their rooms. I have decided I want to do a "Malkekrans" - and I think the only way to translate that is "Country Wreath". I want to use up all these lovely pieces of fabric I have lying around - and the biggest challenge for me will be not to go buy any fabric ... it must come from my stash!!!

I wanted to find a "How To" on the internet but nothing came up when I tried googling it, so in the end I thought I had better look through my books - and guess what I found in my very first quilting book, the one that taught me how to quilt (the one that I used for Helle & Henrik's Wedding Quilt and for Mette's first baby quilt!) - the last page shows how to do a "malkekrans" so now I have better hop to it!

This is what it looks like in the book

- I'll post another picture when mine is done - feel free to compare!

A Work in Progress

This is what I'm working on at the moment - and have been for quite a while!

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Actually I started it three weeks before the big "Family Convention" back in October, and really wanted to have it up and hanging in our hall way by the time they all arrived ... that was a bit naive to say it the least and I'm still working on it - Anna quite rightly pointed out yesterday that one of the stitchings says "Stitched in 2009" ... not sure what to do about that one - guess I have a few months to figure it out till I get to doing that one!

Here's the link to a wonderful designer Living the Dream

Welcome ...

to my new blog site – I Heart my Home ... easy title because I do – I love this house, I love the wonderful family we are, I love living in Ottawa and I love decorating, baking and filling it with warmth and happiness.

For those of you who have been re-directed from SimpleSite, I wanted to let you know why I changed my site. First of all - I do not like to linger ... one must never outstay ones welcome - but more importantly I was so bored with it. I have been there for more than three years, and it was most definitely time for a change (also I only had 12 pictures left before I'd have to upgrade (yet again!) and decided to go elsewhere!).

SimpleSite has served me well - I have been happy there, it was fun, and they even chose us as a winner once for the fantastic picture of Jack with a jet hanging right over him! Oh well all good things must come to an end!

So this blog will be a little different. As you can tell I have been given wonderful drawers in my kitchen counter by "The Blog Fairy" who did a fantastic job of making my wonderful banner and the overall feel to this blog.

Drawer No 1: Well most of you should know who I am but given that I'll be posting about my crafts and stuff other people might pop by and so I thought I should give them a chance to read a little about who I am!

Drawer No 2: This is where I will be putting the posts that have anything to do with my crafts. I have so many things on the go, and I love that with this blog I have my own drawer to put all these wonderful things into - if only I had had this when I did my Cookie Exchange Party or both of my Gingerbread Houses - oh well ... next year!

Drawer No 3: Butterflies and Bubbles still exists and every so often I get an order, so why not show it off here too - and if you're in the mood for some stunning colors, fun characters and a little cake without taking in any calories, you can always have another look.

Drawer No 4: SmugMug ... that is what our new photo account is called. Check it out. It is a work in progress but I'll get there. I am happy to have given each of the kids their own album and had a fantastic time going over the baby photos. There are a few years missing in between but that should be sorted when Bob gets home - he says he knows where the photos are (I wouldn't count on it, but I am hoping on it :))

And then there is Drawer No 5: "Subscribe" ... from now on it is up to you to figure out when I post. I have only been given 10 emails to inform when I post. So I will no longer be sending out little reminders that we exist. If you forget about us - so be it :)

I am very excited about this blog - because it is different and I like new stuff - so I hope you're going to come along - check back often, we have so much to share.

Who am I?

I am ...

A Mother first - a Wife second ... or the other way around - depending on the day!

A Crafter of everything I like ... I don't stop at many things!

A CopyCat - I am really good at taking something I see and make it into something I love!

A Baker - I love baking ... and decorating the cake is fun too!

A Dog lover - I love my Doodles, and he loves me!

A Home Maker - I don't care much for the title, but I love making my home a true home for my family!

Happy ... and that is such a wonderful thing to be able to say!!!