Sunday, October 26, 2008

Getting Ready For A Halloween Party!

Halloween is quickly approaching and my youngest son, Matthew, has always enjoyed the festivities. Don't get me wrong, Amanda and Jason also enjoy it, but Matthew has always put a lot of thought into what he was going to dress up as.

Amanda has always been more interested in shopping for Halloween.....for decorations, candy, baking and making crafts. Even as a little girl she would get out her craft supplies and have the boys making ghosts and pumpkins to stick to the front window of the house. This year she showed the boys how to make a special 'goop' that she learned to make at school. She is also planning to make spooky cupcakes to take to one of her classes this week. She is going to make a great mom someday!

Jason has always gone along with everything, but I don't think he cares much. His plan this year was to head over to a friends house and watch scary movies. Considering he can't even sit through CSI or our new favourite show 'The Fringe', I don't know how he expects to get through something like Friday the 13th or The Saw. Today the plans changed and now he is going out and needed to dress up like Batman. A bunch of them are going out as superheros! We headed out to the mall and he is set to go!

Now, back to Matthew! He went through many different ideas and finally came up with Mario from the video game. I am not sure where that came from, but who am I to question this. I happened to be driving by a costume store on Thursday so I stopped in to see what they had. I found a hat and mustache that I thought would work. I didn't dare buy it without checking with Matt first, and he thought it would be better to come with me and see for himself.

On Friday I met up with Matt and Monty (my hubby) and as soon as he entered the store he didn't want to be Mario anymore. There were lots of costumes to choose from and after what seemed like hours he finally chose one. He wanted to be a clown. They have these new costumes that have a fan inside and when you turn it on, they inflate. I was a little hesitant, but we took the plunge. He was thrilled.

On Saturday he gathered up a few things from home to add the finishing touches. He had a big Halloween party at a friends that night. His sister helped him with his makeup and he looked great. The past few years he has won the prize for best costume and we thought he had a great shot at it again.

Here are a few shots of him getting ready. I am so glad that he has so much fun with this.



















He was a little late arriving to the party so I thought I should take him up to the door. I just happened to have my camera in my hand and invited myself in to see if I could get a photo or two. Matt gave me 'the look' and I just ignored him. We were greeted by the hosts (very scary looking couple) and they took me downstairs to the party. The kids were very excited to see Matt and myself. They gladly posed for a group shot. I also got a shot of the punch with the frozen hands for ice. Gross!





Matt ended up winning the 'cutest' costume and arrived home with a very large tub of Double Bubble. He was thrilled. I am so glad that he enjoys this season. Happy Halloween everyone!

Thursday, October 23, 2008

3 Years Ago.....

Three years ago, my life as I knew it changed. That was when Joanne and I opened the doors to our new retail store. It seems like just yesterday, but yet we have come so far and it has changed so many parts of my life, that it feels like so long ago! Don't get me wrong, all the changes have been very positive and the rewards have been many.

Through all the bumpy roads, growing pains and learning curves my friendship with Joanne has grown too. We have had ups and downs, happy times and very sad times, but through it all we have had each other. Without her, I would be one lonely scrapbook friend.

We have also been blessed with many, many new friendships along the way. When Joanne and I chose the name 'Two Scrapbook Friends' for our business, I don't think we realized the emphasis on 'friends'. The scrapbooking community is a very friendly one. On a daily basis our friends come into our store and we have had the pleasure of getting to know them well. Along with that comes moments of joy and also moments of sadness. Our lives become intertwined with theirs and they become family.

My family has been very supportive through this adventure. Before the store, I was a mom to my 3 kids, a wife to my husband, and I had a little part-time job at TD Canada Trust. When the doors to the store opened there were big changes taking place in my house. Now they had to share my time with all my new friends. Everyone's rolls had to change and they all pitched in and helped out.

Family has become really important to me. They are the people that I lean on for support. They give me energy. I have always been very close with my mom and dad and they have always been there to support me as well. My mom comes into the store twice a week (or more) and helps us put together the 1000's of kits that we make. She never complains and always does a great job. She also looks after the store so that Joanne and I can get away once in a while, just to be friends. That is a wonderful gift. I hope she knows how much I appreciate everything she does. My dad is always available when I have questions about the financial side of our business. He has also given me the gift of my outgoing personality. I also hang out with him at the Kitchener Auditorium on Friday nights to watch the Rangers play. That is another great thing I got from him. Thanks dad!

On Thanksgiving we always go for a family walk in the woods near my mom and dad's house. It is a great way for the kids to burn off energy and take some fall photos.

Growing up, I didn't really get to know my grandparents because we always lived so far away from them. I only saw them a few times a year. I love that my kids see their grandparents often. Family is a very important part of my life. Whether is is my immediate family, Joanne and her family (my second family), or my scrapbook friends.....they all play an important role in who I am. I love you all!

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Welcome To My Blog!

I have been wanting my own blog for quite some time. I love the store blog, but I wanted something that I could be a little more personal with. I hope to inspire, reflect, create and maybe even make you laugh from time to time. I hope you visit often, and let me know you were here by commenting.

A very big THANK YOU to Karan for creating this perfect spot for me. You are really amazing and I am so lucky to have you as my friend.