Ramblings of Today

J has just been layed off.

We have been waiting for this for about 3 weeks now and finally it's here.

This is such an odd thing for us/me/him.

We have been together for 12 years and married for 9 this July and of all that time he has worked away.

We have spent more time apart than together, but have been able to do it because we are strong and committed, and in love. We try as hard as we can to make it work and I can honestly say it has. It is not for the faint of heart but it is worth it when it is for the love of your family.

He has been married to this job more than me and I have often called myself the mistress.

His job has afforded us many luxuries in life and allowed me to be at home with the kids, which is very important to us both.

But it has definitely had it down falls.

We have had some hard phone calls in remote places. I had to tell him his grandmother passed on and about other such family sadness's.

I took a pregnancy test on the phone as well , a little impersonal but effective none the less. He almost missed the birth of our first because he was in a place he couldn't fly out of.

Always being away for friends wedding and such important events can be a bit frustrating.

I have had friends over the years who had never met J and wondered if he was just an imaginary friend. That is a constant joke in my life.

I do not know how he has been able to do what he does for so long, staying in remote isolated camps and hotels, living out of a suitcase, eating from restaurants and corners store at odd hours.

Missing the kids growing up, concerts, recitals, and sports. J tries his hardest but the girls have gotten used to not expecting him to be there. We video tape, talk on the phone, Skype and email daily to make up the distance and it really helps. We work a this together as a family.

I am certain J will not miss the relentlessly brutal hours, serious daily stress,accountability and responsibility, with a cell phone stuck to his ear endlessly day and night and dealing with so many issues that would make many weaker men run long ago.

He has never been able to make appointments and I never get time to myself.

When he is gone for weeks on end it can be a grunt for all of us.

So now that he is home we can be family (on a budget) enjoying his first summer off...ever. We can plan things and do whatever we want together.

I am so excited to just be.

So what else are we going to do?

We are just looking to book an Alaskan cruise or a trip to Hawaii.

That's the way to celebrate freedom.

YES!!!!!!!!

On to the rest of today.

I have been working hard to create skirts and Kasa Bags for a photo shoot that I am doing with Karen McKinnon next week. I am so excited and cannot wait to see it all in print.

She is the most amazing photographer and I feel humbled to work with her.

It was a 3 skirt night tonight and I am pleased with the new additions to the collection.

What do you think?

I attacked my Neufy dog Basil with the razors today to help her cool down.

I do not think I am dog grooming prodigy, she looks so scruffy and hacked up but the old girl is loving the fur being gone.

Here is a special order Kasa Bag for a little man I sent off today. He has his name on the strap. I just love the denim and red together. I hope he loves it.

Have you ever tried making pizza on the BBQ.

I am so infatuated with this new experience that we have been making them ever other day lately. I have come up with some amazing combinations. I will post some recipes soon.

Till then you have got to at least try it.

Crafty Thursday

We did some serious crafting today.

This morning we got out all the makings for what E has starting calling Goopey Gawk.

The recipe is super simple and kid friendly.

It is so sweeshy and fun to play with they spent just about an hour in the coolness of the house, mezmerized by the stuff.

Recipe is as follows if you are interested.

In one bowl mix 1/2 cup white glue and 1/2 cup water.

In another bowl mix 1/2 cup water and 1/2 Tbsp Borax.

Mix contents of both bowls together and add a bit of food colouring if you'd like, we did blue today.

Stir and mix with your hands and it will soon be a gooey, but reletively clean, substance that is easily stored in an airtight container.

Try it and have fun.

After lunch we dyed some salt with food colouring and let it dry in baggies in the sun for a while.

Afterwards we made cards and filled jars with the colored "sand".

Yet another in the shade craft for the day.

In the afternoon we went to Art in the Park.

How fun was this today?

Imagine tying large sponges to your feet and stepping in paint and walking around till your hearts content.

My girls had a mile wide grin with this project.

I so wanted to do it as well but spent my time filling the paint canisters.

Sponges use lots of paint.

While the girls had a relax this afetrnoon I made a custom order for 3 Kasa Bags. The bags are for a Fairy birthday party and each bag has the little ladies names one them.

So sweet.

I posted about a cool doll house project we were starting to venture on .

This has been waylaided as the cats have taken over the house.

K took this picture of one of our cats Melman.

She has a great eye already.

I love the stairs and the clock in the background.

Clean Up....Clean Up.... and Guess What??...More Clean Up....

Today I must have woken up with my fancy rubber gloves and apron already attached to my PJ's because I have been one busy cleaning bee. And no the B doesn't stand for B%@!#.

I rather enjoy cleaning but as I sit and look at a sky high pile of laundry I am reminded of all that still needs to be done around the house and yard.
I feel after being gone for only 1 day that I am miles behind.
And that is even after all the prep work I did to avoid feeling that way.
Ironic isn't it.

I spent the morning checking on all the animals and cleaning up after them.
I emptied the van out and ripped apart the suitcases. I managed to do 5 loads of laundry. All of the clothes and gear, pillows and sleeping bags had to be washed and dried (as the weather didn't allow me to hang them) and then put it all away.

Clean up after camping is a chore for sure.

Later I surveyed the yard and the wind had its way with the pine cones and tree shrapnel.....a clean up was in order.
For supper I let the girls go hog wild in the kitchen. I will write about that for Our Big Earth and post a link for that column as soon as it comes out.

What an experience is all I can say. And boy what a clean up.

I am feeling like a warm bath and a cuddle with my man.
AND TOMORROW NO CLEANING.

Well none that is planned anyways.

I am so grateful for the rain over the weekend, my garden and lawn are looking so perky and refreshed. I had such a great sleep listening to the rain through the open window. I am truly a west coast girl. I could never live in a dessert.

I completed a custom order for a lady in Vancouver on Friday and I simply loved these Kasa Bags. The material was so beautiful. We just ordered some great fabric some California to make her daughter some bags for each girl at her faeiry birthday party. What fun. Can't wait to show you how those bags turn out.

I put together a few photo collages to catch up on a ton of photos I have been wanting to share.