I have been super busy the past few weeks!

My cousin Jodi got married, and my gift to her was I would do her wedding photos!

I was super nervous, it was my first wedding!

She is a cousin, but she is more like a sister ( to all 5 of us sisters), so we were all pretty much involved.

On friday my mom, 2 of my sisters ( Peggy(who is the maid of honor) & Lexi), myself and Jodi (bride to be) all went and got mani- pedis. It was a lot of fun.

Jodi, and all her bridesmaids, and even the mother of the groom got ready at my moms house....so it was beyond hectic! lol

Imagine..... a bride, 3 bridesmaids, a jr bridesmaid, a flower girl, mother of the groom and mother of the bride.....

and then my mom, 2 more of my sisters and a 13 month old baby all getting ready for a wedding in one house!!!! 

It was quite the experience.....lol

I was there to photograph the whole thing! lol

This week end we have my dads, mothers side of the family reunion!

My part in this was helping input the family tree.

We have been working on it every thursday night for months......

I am now on express mode, and am trying to fix the little glitches that happened along the way.

We are using Family Tree Builder by myheritage.com

Its a neat little program that helps you input all your family tree info and organizes it for you.

You can publish online so other people researching their family tree can find you, or your ancestors.

And amongst all this, I have been trying to get Raven & River ready for back to school!

I havent been home a whole lot the past 2 weeks or so, with all the errands for the wedding, or family tree.

My children, husband and my house have all been neglected by me! ha!

I will be glad when everything is over and school is back in.......

I have so many fall projects I cant wait to start ( and blog about..Ha!)

Here is a sneak peak of the wedding....

My next diy project, I have decided will be tackling my kitchen countertops and backsplash.....

Its just not in the budget right now, to replace the counter top.

But I really need to get rid of the ugly green melamine paint!

It chips alot and shows the even uglier original orange counter top.

It has a few bumps and bruises and I need something more forgiving than light green melamine.

I have been searching high and low for a cheap ( and easy) solution.

First I checked out a product called Stone Effects by Rustoleum. It is a 3 step process that unless you do it right, can turn out to be a huge mess and having to replace the countertops anyway.

The end result looks really really nice, but I am scared I will mess it up! and this stuff could still run me a couple hundred bucks...

Also, I wouldnt be able to use my kitchen for 5 days!!!

Secondly, I came across this forum  and I think I have a winner!

I have to sand and then prime my counter top, then I have to pick 4 or 5 acrylic paint colors out.

Sponge paint the colors, and then when all is dried apply at least 3 coats of polyurathane.

Sounds easy and pretty cheap!

The lady in the forum also suggested going to a store that sells counter top and picking out one I like, and matching my paint colors to it.

I also have a pretty neat diy idea for my backsplash......

its one I stole from a friend.....

she used paintable wallpaper, and painted it silver.

The first time I saw it I thought she had a metal backsplash!

It is so nice! and really looks like the real thing!

I will post pics as soon as I get all this finished!!

Does anyone have any other ideas, comments, or helpful hints for me before I begin this?

Family Pictures!

Something I realized a few weeeks ago may shock you but.....

We have never had family photos taken before!!!

Blaine, Raven and I had out family picture taken when Raven was 3 months old, but thats it!

I have taken ones of the 3 girls, and even ones of my 4 sisters and our brother and I, but never Blaine, myself and our three girls!

So here is our first family photo!!! ( that's sad i know, seeing as our baby is 4.5!)

Okay I went a little gung ho, and uploaded a bunch of the photos from our family photo shoot.....

My 3 beauties...River, Raven & Keilee

Hubby

Myself & hubby

Smoochy- Smoochy! lol!

....and of course a self portrait! lol

Raven

River

Keilee

Drum roll Please.......

lol this is my least fav...

this one is ok....

I Heart this one!!!

After I was done "taking" pics, they said to me....can we go in the water now?

My response....."fill your boots!!"

So they did! haha!

I woke up to my 4 year old at my bed side saying " Mommy, Mommy!! Wake up it's 9:40 and its sunday! We are gonna be late for church!!!!"

How awesome is that!!

1. She knew what day it was!

2. She knows how to tell time!

and 3. She LOVES Jesus! (and going to church!)

Last sunday I spent half the day thinking it was Saturday! We missed church, the kids were upset, especially Keilee ( the 4 yr old).

She made sure she wasn't missing it this week! Ha!

We got a phone call today from my grandmother ( who lives in Corner Brook, Newfoundland)

She told us that our Minister (and her husband) from when we lived in Corner Brook, were killed in a car crash yesterday.

Rev. Patrica "Rev. Pat" Melindy was an amazing woman. She was sweet and compasionate.

I loved talking to her, she always had such good wisdom and advice.

She married my husband and I seven years (and three days) ago.

She has always had a special place in my heart.....

My heart goes out to her children and grandchildren.

Seven Years!!

Today is our seventh wedding anniversary!!!!

Wow time flies! ha!

Us then.....

Us now!