fabulous friday challenge

Happy Friday! I hope you all had a great week.

Here's another shot from last week's shoot. The kids weren't really into it but we got some good shots. It's kind of hard to tell, but our paintings in the background have the spooky Scooby Doo eyes going on. Or at least they are supposed to.

Time to share. I can't wait to see what inspired you this week.



I'm trialing a new look and feel starting today. Just some minor tweaks here and there. I'd love to know what you think.

A reminder of the rules:

1. The picture has to be taken by you (and feel free to have more than one shot in your post!).
2. Link up using the link to your individual blog post and not your main blog address.
4. Please include the Fabulous Friday button (below) in your post to link back to my site.
5. Leave feedback for five other participants. Let them know what you think!
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project life - how to create interactive layouts

Are you doing Project 365/Project Life? This is my fourth year in a row and as time consuming as it is and no matter how far behind I am in my blogging, I still take my photos every single day. It is a project that has consumed me and I just can't seem to stop.

Every once in a while I insert iPhone screen captures of current favourite songs or weather forecasts to fill some gaps or make note of a significant event. The result is a pretty fulsome snapshot of a year in the life.

Despite the number of photos I take, I still beat myself up for not taking more video of the kids. I find myself wishing I had more footage of them as babies, the problem is that ripping videos to DVD and creating menus is time consuming and I have a big enough job processing photos and creating layouts for my photo books. And most importantly videos can't be incorporated into my photo books.

Or so I thought until I came across a brilliant pin on Pinterest. A pin that will revolutionize my photo books and bring them to life.

Instead of taking a photo of that moment where your beautiful child skates up to the boards at hockey practice and waves to you and journaling about it, capture it on video, create a QR code and insert it into your layout. Relive that moment with a quick scan with your smartphone instead of digging through a pile of unlabeled DVDs (because let's face it - you're not going to do it).

Here is the moment I will be using for today:

day 190 - sunshine and muggles

Today was our annual trip to Goderich. It was a beautiful sunny day and nice and cool near the water.

Our one and only attempt at geocaching was foiled by some unsuspecting muggles who out of ten empty benches along the boardwalk felt the need to sit on the bench we were searching under and around. Grrr.











It was a day full of sun, sand...and testosterone. Who beats the crap out of each other with water noodles? My sons apparently.

day 189 - a beautiful, sunny day

Another beautiful summer day. This one was spent outside in the country. It's a countryside that will soon be dotted with windmills, so this view unfortunately won't last forever.





These photos are straight from my iPhone with no adjustments.

day 188 - hasta la vista windows vista

So long Windows Vista. I have disliked you since the moment I met you.

day 187 - the sorting system

My daughter Ava. Six and a half years old going on 16. Some weekends she sleeps until 10:30 and getting her to keep her room clean is a continual battle.



On the bright side, there is some method to her madness. This morning she explained her Barbie organizational system to me as she showed me her rows of dolls in the shoe organizer on the back of her door.

Ava: "These are the naked ladies, these are the half-naked ladies and these are the princesses."

day 186 - the joys of training wheels

Days and days of begging to take the training wheels off the kids' bikes resulted in this moment.



It was immediately followed by tears and begging to put them back on.

day 185 - the day the house almost burned down

Sunday night's excitement. Upon returning home from the Canada Day fireworks display, I flipped on the lights and my mom helped me carry the kids upstairs to their beds.

It took a while to figure out what the burning smell was.

Then we discovered somebody had thrown one of Scarlett's favourite toys into the entry way light.

Rest in peace Mr. Monkey.

I am grateful the house didn't burn to the ground. I will be even more grateful once the smell of burnt dog hair dissipates.

day 184 - vintage camera love

What better way to spend a Monday than do a totally impromptu photo shoot? When I woke up this morning I knew I wanted to take some pictures of the kids but I wasn't sure what they would look like.

A few minutes of surfing around online and I came across these adorable illustrations by Vol 25 and I knew exactly what we were going to do.









It was a great time and the after shoot swim was pretty fun too. Thanks Mags. :)

day 183 - max...a showcase

Today was a great day. I was so lucky to be able to take pictures of my beautiful nephew, Max.

Here's a sampling of my favourite shots.

















Thanks for a beautiful day, Mel and Mighty Max. xo

And big thanks to my dad for helping me make the baby-sized bed.

day 182 - art in the street

Hanging out at Art in the Street and at Maggie's house, enjoying some Caesars. What a beautiful long weekend that seems so far away now.

day 180 - schoooooooool's out for summer

Last day of senior kindergarten already. 

Lunchbox...check.

Presents for teachers...check.

Check the bushes for snakes as you walk to the car...check.




In a strange development, the missing snake only gets a brief mention on page 14 of the Arthur Enterprise. Seemingly odd unless you live in a town where crazy stuff happens all the time. This is already old news.

But I'm still not going outside unless I have to.

day 181 - summer starts...now.

First day of summer vacation. The kind of day where I wish I could stay home with the kids and enjoy the day. Instead I was off to work.

Here are the boys on the way to their babysitter's house with their dad.