Finding my way...

in the concrete jungle has been a trial through fire (of sorts).

After enjoying the graciousness of small town living for the past 9.5 years, the last few months in the big City have certainly been a jolt to my system.

But slowly I am finding my feet and getting to grip with how things are done here. I'm learning that to live here one has to be prepared to spend many many hours on the road; driving to and from schools, grocery shopping, entertainment for the littles, entertainment for the bigs and so forth.

I am finding that making friends is easier than I thought, but finding the time to grab a coffee with a new friend takes some kind of Herculian effort. Things are busy here.
But I'm coming around.

For the past two weeks, I've been burning the midnight oil in trying to get my online business, "The Paper Passion", up and running. I'm close to the end now, and things are shaping up exactly the way I hoped they would :)
So, check back in the next couple weeks for an opening announcement, or join our Facebook group for updates.
I have to thank everyone, the old customers, the potential new customers, friends...everyone, who's been so patient while I dealt with moving house, switching schools, family health matters, website issues and the such over the past few months. It's been a long time coming but I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel...

And now for something scrappy :)

created by request for Ms Becky Fleck's March 2011 Cardmaps

Have you Heard?

Eilam, getting jiggy with it

I have a new playlist on my blog.

So, turn up those speakers and enjoy!

P.S I've been so out of it with music (and books...and movies...and...), so if you heard something that makes you just swoon, please share :)

Have a lovely week!

"Honey, does the roast chicken make my butt look big?"

Thursday nights dinner

"No...but the rosemary potatoes do."

Yup...loaded...and I mean  L-O-A-D-E-D  with heavy cream, butter, cream cheese, parmesan, and other stuff that will make your arteries weep.

But so good.
The kinda good that's so bad.
You know what I'm talking about...

And so I've resigned myself to spending the rest of eternity on the treadmill...
Well eternity in so far as the next bad-boy pops up on the dinner table ;)

And how's your week been?

This is for the Scrappers...

Sometime in January I was offered the opportunity to scrapbook (after, give-or-take, almost a year!)

Ms. Anam who developed the fantastic Sketches to Scrapbook Application for iTunes (yes, that iTunes, my china...not too bad, eh?)) sent me a page sketch, and 2 card sketches to play with.

It was great to reconnect with my paper and glue after such a long time.
It was cathartic...
...and fun!

Here's one of my cards, using some Graphic 45 lovliness:

If you want to check out the free version, go here: FREE VERSION

You can also get the original "Sketches to Scrapbook" here: Original S2S

And thats my PSA for scrapbookers :)

Have a great week, ya'll!

15 Years

Oshean and I were married.

(Christmas Day 2010)

It was a leap year.
He was in Med School. I was in my first year of clerking for a Law firm.
We'd been together almost 4 years (give or take a break-up here and there...)

One evening, mid January, I said "Hey, it's a leap year. Would you like to marry me?"
He said, "Sure...why not" (he's romantic like that)

We decided the end of the month (since it would be an easy date to remember...practical if nothing else, that's us).

Two weeks later, we were legally married in a courthouse, with a judge and our two witnesses.

A year later we had the big wedding (as always envisioned by our parents)...with all the bells and whistles
...but that's a different post.

Happy Anniversary, Osh.
Here's to another great 15 years.

Skype me, 'kay?

I may be the last person on earth to do it... (uummmnnn...my Dad had it before I did )
But I finally got Skype

Speaking of my Dad, our first Skype convo went like this:

him: can you see me
me : yeah I can see you
him: you're not moving
me : well, I'm tired
him: hello? hello?
me : yes, hi Dad
him: can you hear me?
me : yeah I hear you fine
him: can you still see me
me : yup...
him: but I can't see you
me : trust me, it's for the best...
him: hello? hello?
.....
.....
.....
(repeat for the next 20 minutes)

Of course the kids are enjoying it tons...
Seeing family in South Africa, and other parts...

And doing uber-cool stuff like this:

Yeah, we rock ;)

Happy 2011

So I'm a few days late, but the sentiment is heartfelt ;)

We've been B-U-S-Y for the past few months.
We moved house; changed schools for the kids 3 times while in Edmonton; Hubby and his partner set up the first of their medical practices; and we've been dealing with some devastating family health issues.

Remember the store I purchased?
Well, due to everything we've had going on, and with hubby making a few trips to South Africa within the past couple months, while I played single parent in the crazy city, I've decided to put the opening on hold...temporarily.

Once we are able, as a family, to collectively catch our breath, I have every intention of seeing the opening of the store through.
Bear with me, please.

On a lighter, whiter and colder note, we've been gobsmacked with some crazy weather...

random yard service person

                                                        
Of course, I had to try my hand at shovelling too (but only after I heard it may make me skinny...ha-ha-ha)...

I'll stick to the treadmill for now...thanks!

And with that, I'm off for now.
I'm hoping everyone has a  healthy and happy 2011.
Personally, I'm going to try hard to keep up my blog...because when I read through it a few weeks ago, some of the older pics and memories made me smile.
And that's something, no?