We bought this fleece for Christmas Presents. We got 1.5 metres of each for a total of $24.

I've got big plans for this 3 metres of fabric. I'm hoping that I'll be able to get 4 items for presents for Andrew (possibly 5). Andrew loves cars, so this fabric is perfect for him and it was not too expensive, only 8.99 metre. The solid blue was on sale for 4.99/metre, so it was all good deals!

1. No Sew Fleece Blanket - We got a blanket like this from my half sister a few years back. Everyone loves it here and Andrew has a small baby blanket version, but he's rapidly outgrowing it. If this blanket is successful and not too difficult to make, we will make more of them for other people for Christmas.

2. Fleece Hat -- I'm thinking a simple one like this, but with some spikes added down the top ala dinosaurs.
3. Fleece Scarf -- A nice easy scarf.

4. Fleece Mittens -- Just some simple mittens for Andrew that match the hat and the scarf.

5. If there is any fabric left over perhaps another scarf, hat, and mitten set for my young cousin for Christmas.

I think the no-sew blanket is perfect for us because Husband can do most of the work (ahem, tying ;P) for the blanket.

We were at Value Village on the weekend. Husband needed some new pants and Andrew needed ski pants for the winter. I was browsing in the housewares department (cause I love housewares) and found these wonderfully fantastic melmac bowls. Andrew is hard on his bowls and we've thrown quite a few of them out because of questionable uses and finding them under the couch with food molded into them and him leaving them outside...or whatever.

I got 4 bowls (there's only 3 in the picture because I'm soaking the price tag off the 4th) for $2.99.

These things are crazily unbreakable!

What an incredibly awesome idea! I'm trying to figure out how to work this into one of my Sundays....I could have the bulk of the bag done (ie. the 2 seven foot squares and have all the batting) and then we could put together?

It's also a wonderful way to upcycle and reuse and recycle and reduce what would otherwise be thrown away. Saving the Earth and helping the homeless--what a good combination!

There's so much to do, but instead I'm procrastinating. I'm surfing the net while my child is absorbed in watching "The Magic School Bus". I should be cleaning up or organizing my church stuff or finishing planning for my service or exercising or anything. I'm so good at this procrastination stuff. :P

I'm validating this lazy behaviour by making advance blog posts for days when I don't have so much to say.

Has anyone had time to think about Christmas yet? Crafts and presents and baking and shopping and decorating--oh my! I've not even had a minute to think about any of it yet this year.

It is comforting knowing that we have just under $100 saved for gifts, we just need to sort out who we're buying for and what we're planning on buying for everyone.

Today, I've been thinking about regrets. Do I have any? What would I take back if I oould? What would I choose to do again?

Would I still take Religious Studies in University? Would I still have sold my first house to move to an apartment? Would I still take the job with the Govt? Would I still have stopped playing Ringette when I was 14? Would I still have gone out with my first serious boyfriend?

What is regret? Is it hindsight? Or is it more? Is it a feeling of loss of taking the wrong road? If I chose differently on just one of the above parts of my life how much more would have changed? What would I have changed though--what would I alter? If I hadn't taken Religious Studies what would I have taken? English or Education or Anthropology? Would I still have discovered or felt my call to ministry? Would my call have been to a different vocation like teaching?

Do I regret things that are happening right now? Do I regret sending our son to Nursery? Do I regret planning this trip to Calgary instead of putting money on our debt? Do I regret gaining all this weight? *Sigh* It's like playing the 'what if' game, except I do it all the time. Over and over and over and over again in my head.

Do others do this too? Or am I alone in the pseudo regrets?

I thought that I had posted pictures of our newest family member...but I guess I never did. Check them out! Husband loves to take pictures of her. We have zillions of them.

Tonight was one of my church events. We went to "Boo At The Zoo" -- an event put on by the zoo here. It was good fun and I'll think we'll do it again next year.

Some pics of my kidlet having fun...

One year ago I was being very industrious and crocheting up a storm for Andrew.

Check it out here

I wish I was that organized this year. Between working full time, part time at the church, keeping up with the house & Andrew & Husband & Dog & myself, and starting this call to ministry I just have not had time to do much crafting. I made the round ripples for my friends wedding, but after a while that became work, not relaxing fun. Now, I'm starting in on Christmas stuff....:P

appreciate what you have


I posted this last year on thanksgiving, but I do think it bears reposting. We often get caught up in the hype of bigger, better, faster, and more. I know I do. Seeing these images and statistics reminds me how lucky I really am, being an educated, employed woman living in Canada in a home I own with a car that I own and a happy, healthy child and a wonderful husband and being able speak my mind and live freely attending the church I choose under the watchful eye of God.

I am truly blessed.

Well, there's many pictures I have to share today because we finally took them off the camera. :P

Starting out we have Andrew's first day of school. Husband dropped him off and snapped some pictures. I can't believe how grown up he is looking!
I can't believe that I am a Mom to a school aged child! I often wonder how and when all that happened. Here he is being silly as usual. :P I wonder who he gets that from?
And here he is sitting during circle time....protesting...cause he doesn't like sitting still. I sure hope that his teacher can handle him this year. :P



Next up we have my Round Ripple Afghans. I made this green one for my friends wedding.
I love the colour combinations that I went with (kudos to Husband as he's the one that picked them out!)

It is a green blanket for some very green people. My friends are into fair trade and organics and recycling and reusing...so we thought it fit well with their green lifestyle.
The Green blanket didn't get as big as I was originally planning so I gave them my scrap Round Ripple as well. It ended up being HUGE and will fit a double bed quite well.
I am pleased that I used up quite a bit of acrylic yarn I had laying around the house. I want to make a million more round ripples. They always end up being so eye catching!

I'm thinking that if I ever get my act together and open up an Etsy shop that this picture would make an excellent banner. Have my shop name over top it. It's got so much clear detail and shows the round ripple pattern very well.

I have less then 24 hours to go before my friends wedding and I still have many rows to do on their wedding present. Gah! Why do I do this to myself? & now I'm stuck upstairs in the computer room waiting for my kid to fall asleep.

It'll be me and the wee hours of the morning and my round ripple tonight. *sigh*

Yesterday was my First Sunday Service. It was chaotic, fun, exciting, vibrant and all over the place all at once. We had 12 children!! That is a plethora of lively, crying, laughing, running-all-over-the-place children! It might not sound like much, but before we started the First Sundays Ministry there was 1, maybe 2, and at the most 3 children attending my church. It is wonderful to be part of this exciting worship.

It's exciting, but for me it's also scary. Planning and presiding over a children's service is definitely fly by the seat of your pants! The kids never do what you would expect (or hope) them to do, but it is still good fun.

I want to learn more about public speaking because I always feel lost or rushed or confused while I am presiding over the service. I was thinking about toatmasters? Anyone know anything about that? Any other tips?

I've started updating my side bars. It's slow going because...well...I'm slow at it. :P

EF is still plugging away. A few months ago we used some money out of the fund to help cover costs.

UK trip is trucking along nicely. I hope we save up lots!

My Christmas Jar is doing pretty good too.

I didn't make a saving tracker, but we have all our money saved up for our little trip to Calgary to stay with my aunt. Husband, child, dog, and me are going to drive up to Calgary for 10 days in November. I've got $500 earmarked.

The only sidebar I haven't updated yet is the LOC. I can't remember the log in to the bank account. lol.

Husband took our car in for servicing the other day. It needed an oil change and was making some noises while we idled. They tightened some belts and flushed the engine and did some other things. The total was $76.

In the past this would have meant scrambling and worrying and probably putting the $76 on a cc. However, because I have been saving $5 a week for the last 6 months we have that money saved up! All I did was set up a transfer to move the money from savings to our chequing and tada the cost is covered! I'm very proud of us. The best part is that there is still money left in the Car Fund!

I know it's not much, but it's something.

I really gotta update my side bars. They are so out of date. :P