good afternoon!! another day has come and almost gone. There is a definite chill in the air. We actually turned on the furnace last night. it is nice to know there is that brand new furnace in the basement now that it's getting colder.

I have great news to share with you all, but you will have to wait 1 more day. (then I will be shouting from the rafters) until tomorrow, I will leave you with a layout that I made this morning.....

reality check

I saw a challenge to do a reality check and I think it's a great idea..... my world gets so busy that I forget what's really important.

1. work is work. I get great reward from assisting new life into this world and I think I do a damn fine job at it, but it is work. It is what pays the bills and I shouldn't get too high and mighty on myself.

2. being the mother of a 13 yr old boy calls for constant vigillance. he will test me at every corner and I should expect that. this is normal and it's what he (and I) need to go through.

3. I have the best kids in the world. they are the light in my life.

4. I couldn't have picked a better mate. He is smart, thoughtful and deeply caring.

5. yes, my family are pigs!

6. I love to be surrounded by action. that's why we have 3 dogs.

7. I have way too much scrapping stuff and I need to stop buying the latest and greatest and get using what I have already.

8. I have an addictive personality. I get a rush from shopping for scrapping stuff

9. I don't need to keep up with the Jones. I truly could care less about this.

10. I have a really awesome life and I shouldn't forget it.

the countdown is on

so we were told it would be a month to get the hot tub. wow, this is a long month. I came home from work Friday night and found Gary making stairs for the hot tub on my kitchen counter. the house smelled of cedar and it was nice (if I didn't look at the mess of it all) He had found a set of stairs that he liked on the internet and he printed out the picture and made them. He doesn't really do workworking other than making the decks but he did an amazing job and of course, it meant getting another tool for the ever growing pile of tools.... a jig saw. the top photo is the photo of the stairs that he built and the next one is the set of stairs that he found on the internet. he did an amazing job..... cant wait for the next week to fly by

wow, where did summer go?

here we sit and fall will be here in just a few short days. where did the summer go? I know, I am one of the few that enjoyed the cooler, wetter summer but still.... I am pumped for fall though. We are getting a hot tub. Gary researched for weeks and I called all over Southern Ontario speaking with salespeople (I hate doing that BTW) I learned that they don't listen to what the customer is asking. I think they have their own agendas and that's that. I would call up and ask about a certain model and they would try to sell me on a completely different one. the funniest part was, they were downselling. I was asking about the elite series of tubs and they would tell me about the series below it. any old hooo.... lesson learned.... I am just a stupid woman that didn't spend $14000 in your store buying a hot tub.

we went with an Artesian Piper Glen. it is fabulous and just right for us. The deck is getting stained today and we will be ready. the electrical just needs to be brought up through the deck, but Gary will do that as soon as they tell us where it is on the tub.

off to stain..... wish me luck LOL

we have a winner!

since it is September now, I decided that comment #9 was going to be the winner. Congratulations to Karensue. please send me all the deets and I will get a little something out to you

thanks to everyone that hopped on over to my blog. it was nice to hear from you all.

how's the hopping coming along?

how are you doing with TPP back to school blog hop? I am so happy to have hopped along and been so inspired. If you haven't completed the hop yet, see yesterday's post and get hoppin'.

We survived back to school shopping. There were only a few fights along the way. I learned that Ryan is a brand snob. geesh, he is 13 isn't he??. I think now that all is said and done, he is ready to go back to school on Tuesday. the only thing he really needs is a belt for the jeans so they don't sling around his butt. (hate that look BTW)

Jess had a little melt down this morning. It seems someone may have broken into her car last night and taken her backpack. if that's the case, they took 1/2 of her dental instruments with it. I sure hope not since that will be another $1000 we would have to come up with since she needs them for school. say a little prayer that she left them at school yesterday.

They're going back!!!!

good morning bloggers!!! what a great day for a back to school blog hop....... it's the most wonderful time of the year! I think Staples was onto something. Since I am taking Ryan and Jess back to school shopping today (hey Jess aren't you already in school??) I thought to share the back to school love, I would tell you about PRIZES that you can win over at The Paper Passion's blog hop - just blog hop and leave a comment on each person's blog! how stinkin' hard is that?

for those of you that don't know about TPP yet, it is the best place ever to shop for scrapping supplies.... don't believe me, just check it out. I have my eye on a few Spellbinder sets that have just come in ;) (I digress LOL)

The blog hop should have brought you here from Deborah's blog
and you should be proceeding on to Deanne's

if you missed any of the hops, here they all are. check them out.
Nicole
Pam
Vanessa
Debmarie
Jenn
Deanne
Wendy
Dorrie
Wendy
Jill
and end up back at The Paper Passion
These ladies are sure talented and what a better topic of hopping but back to school


stop and say hello, and you just might win a little blog candy from me along the way as well. have a great day and wave if you see me at Staples today...I will be the one dancing in the aisles with the sad looking kids