The Crazy Housewife

"Fame" Dance Pictures

2012-02-25T09:08:00.000-07:00

Something that was new to me this year was putting on the proper makeup on Jacelyn for pictures and then again on recital day. I'm used to picture day being on recital day, therefore only dressing up and applying makeup once. But she did great, and sat for an entire movie length for me to do her hair. Yes it took an hour and a half to curl all that hair. It was cute in the end, and she liked bobbing around to feel it bounce. A lot of parents used hair pieces and wigs I noticed last night, probably so that they didn't have to put their kids through all the curling and bum-numbing sitting. But I like the natural look of Jacelyn's own hair so she'll just have to suffer. The makeup thankfully only took less than 10 minutes, most likely because I use it all everyday and so I sped through pretty well. Recital day is two months away and already I'm so excited to see all the kids dance on stage. Jacelyn never practices her hip hop routine at home, but her feet are constantly tap-tap-tapping around the house on our hard laminate. I suppose that is a sign, and I won't be putting her in hip hop next year. She loves to tap and she loves Jazz as well, and so we will stick with those. She also wants to get into gymnastics, ever since her friend invited Jacey to watch during friendship week at the gymnastics club. Ah big plans for the "big city".

Hitting the Slopes

2012-02-21T14:58:00.000-07:00

Brandon went to Table Mountain yesterday to try out his new snowboard. He got in a lesson and practiced his heart out. By mid afternoon he was able to go down the hill and only fall a few times. Glad he is trying something new. He can't wait to go again, and we will have to get in as much hill time as we can from now until it closes for the season.

Brandon Plays

2012-02-19T21:31:00.000-07:00

Here are some new (and old) pieces Brandon has been playing. He's doing so well. His piano teacher gave him his recital piece to begin practicing as well, and so he has been plucking away at it. We're proud of you buddy!

Bring on the Renovations

2012-02-15T21:24:00.001-07:00

Well, we have started updating the outdated 80's vibe that we had going on in the house, making it ready for springtime showings when we list the house this spring. It is a bit of an undertaking, but we knew that in order to sell the house the interior would have to be finished off properly...and that means new doors, trim, carpet in the master and some painting.

three new doors down, two left to go!

new carpet in the master and walk in closet!

And some painting was definitely needed in the basement, even though it seems like we just did all of that not too long ago! The kids are famous for their "Bombs Away" attempt at cleaning up toys...and throwing them down the stairs. The spackle job was huge, and I walked around filling forever. Mike sanded the other day, and we'll give it all a fresh coat of paint. The rest of the house is painted with Ralph Lauren paint, which is no longer available, and so color matching is pretty much out of the question. Which is probably ok, considering the next owners will want to repaint anyways to make the house their own.

oh the holes, holes, holes, HOLES!

whiter is brighter...especially in a dark hallway

So, with a few more doors left to put on, and trim for the rest of the house (the living room is the only room finished so far), and the little bits left over like some new face plates and other aesthetics, we will be ready to take some pictures and put the house on the market. If anyone you know is wanting a 1500 square foot 4 bedroom house in Maidstone, be sure to send them our way!

Rest in Peace Whitney Houston...I Will Always Love You

2012-02-12T23:04:00.000-07:00

The heartbreaking news of Whitney Houston's passing shocked and stunned me yesterday when my aunt called to deliver the news. I have always been a fan of Whitney, and who doesn't remember her performance in "The Bodyguard"? That voice, those white teeth, and of course, her remake of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You".

Being a wild child of the 80's, and a huge fan of 70's and 80's music, I had all the must haves in music playing on my ghettoblaster at any given time. Best of all I remember my "Greatest Love Of All" tape, and putting on my mom's makeup and curling my hair into corkscrews just like Whitney's to lip sing into my mirror to "How Will I know". I knew every word.

So this video, while hard to find, was like listening to my past. It's of Whitney, fresh on the music stage in 1986, singing my favorite song. The world will miss such a beautiful talent.

And of course, this 1994 clip of Whitney, the year she won a grammy award for "I Will Always Love You". I dare you to listen without a tear in your eye.

Scrapbook Corner

2012-02-07T17:33:00.000-07:00

Papers and elements: Mary Mary Contrary @2ps

Papers, scallop frame and word graphic: Twitterpated and Cupcakes @2ps
Ribbon, flower embellishment, and frame: Shannon Freeman @2ps

School Valentines

2012-02-04T23:13:00.000-07:00

I saw a neat article in a magazine about four years ago about different ideas for school valentines. Kids always come home with the same Spiderman and Hello Kitty or Mickey Mouse valentines sold at their local Walmart, and it gets a little boring after so many years.
One project that stood out, and even after four years I still thought it was cool, was to take your kid's picture, in a stance where they are holding out their fist towards the camera. Then after you print them off you make a slit at the top and bottom of their fist and slide a sucker through. It looks like they are handing their special valentine a treat.
I stood on a tall stool and angled the camera so that the kids were looking up at me, which made their fist almost as large as their head giving the photo a whimsical feel to it.
They turned out great, and the kids love them too.

Something to Share:

2012-02-03T13:52:00.003-07:00

I was surfing Facebook today and fell in love with this guy's version of "Someone Like You" by Adele. Worth a listen..lots of emotion in this song and in his voice.
Of course, since someone captured it on video, maybe his voice will soon buy him more than some change in the subway.

Scrapbook Corner

2012-01-29T20:27:00.002-07:00

page plopper: Black Elegance @ dsp
word element: katie pertiet @ designerdigitals.com

I can't help myself from taking portraits of Jacelyn...she is so beautiful and the camera loves her to bits.

A Missed Opportunity

2012-01-27T09:19:00.001-07:00

Well even though I missed out on the northern lights on January 24 due to intense cloud coverage, it looks like folks in Sweden had luck. Another gust of solar wind is due to hit earth again on the weekend and I may have luck with that. Tuesday's light show was supposed to be so fantastic that people in the states saw them too, which is rare. Looks like I missed out.

The best pictures are taken in Sweden and Alaska

A lady in Michigan saw the northern lights through cloud coverage January 24.

An Attempt to catch the Aurora Borealis

2012-01-24T14:37:00.000-07:00

I went out last month, in the freezing cold, tripod in hand, to try to capture the northern lights. No luck at all. Frustrated I returned home and dug out the laptop, determined to learn more about f-stops and shutter speeds and the ISO function of my manual setting. When I start to read up about it my mind goes blank, like it did in high school, and I may as well have been reading Greek...that's about how much sense it made to me. I was disgusted and put away the notion of learning about it on my own. But, I have such a passion to understand it all and have been fiddling around on and off, and I'm told there is a "For Dummies" book about EOS cameras. I just may pick one up.
Since then I've put it on the back burner, content to use the camera in automatic settings. However, the allure of taking scenic photographs, which is what I'm aiming for rather than portraits, is always in the back of my mind.
Sunday night, as we were taking the kids for a nightly toboggan ride, we saw the crisp northern lights flashing away in their bright colors of green, yellow and red. In the country or on the deck at the cabin I'm sure they would have been whispering and crackling...something I've only ever heard once and it was amazing. I was filled with renewed desire to dig out the camera and play around with those Greek settings again.
When I read this morning of the solar storm that is causing airways to delay flights due to the strong magnetic force of the storm, I zipped over to my northern lights website for a review of other night-sky watchers. And I was right: Sunday's beautiful display had been captured by many others, mostly in Sweden, where the magnetic force seems to be the strongest, although it is all connected around the north pole:

As you can see, above Canada can only see the weakest strength of the northern lights. Even so, we can still experience some intense and amazing light shows on the right nights.

Here is a shot from one of my favorite northern lights photographers Bjorn Jorgensen of Arctic Photo.no, taken on Sunday night:

Beautiful! And we were only seeing the tail end of this gorgeous display!

So, with the solar storm hitting Earth this morning, tonight will be a fantastic opportunity to watch the northern lights at their best. I wrote down the settings my camera should be at according to another amateur photographer, and will head out tonight to give it a try.

Hopefully mother nature will work with me and clear off any cloud cover there may be later on!

A New Reason to Watch "Idol" ?

2012-01-23T11:21:00.000-07:00

I have given up on American Idol so many times in the past; some years stating I had had enough of reality TV and that was that, and others convincing myself I was tired of the same old stuff. I hate auditions until they go to Hollywood, where the real talent is finally weeded through, and I hate the William Hungs, the Kelly Picklers (oops I guess she made it into the limelight SOMEHOW anyways, twang and all), and the rest of the folks who are made famous by the ridiculing of others. And after Simon left I didn't want to watch at all, being as he was the only one to give it to them straight. Even with the addition of Jennifer Lopez, who, despite the rumors she is a major diva I still adore...more as an actress than a singer, I didn't watch it much at all. In fact, we didn't even know it was on at all, and stumbled across it flipping through the channels last week.
However, remember my post a while back about Jane Carrey, Jim Carrey's daughter? She auditioned last night, was given a ticket to go through, giving me a new reason to watch the Idol this year. How far will she make it I don't know. But I have a feeling she will not be riding the coat tails of her dad to get as far as she can, which is refreshing. And when she called her dad to give him the news that she made it through, he was so happy for her. His pride in her is evident, as seen on his blog www.jimcarreytrulife.com.

Now, if only I can make it through Steven Tyler's obnoxious behavior I may just enjoy watching the show.

Post Script

2012-01-22T21:08:00.000-07:00

Anybody who watches hockey knows how the game went. Enough said. It wasn't pretty...and I lost heart after the second period. But the 50/50 was 64,000 dollars and so we had to stay for at least that.
The rest of the day on Saturday was great! And I near starved myself during the day so that I could eat what I wanted at Red Lobster without too much guilt. I'm so glad we don't live near one or I'd be tempted to eat their pasta every day...it's that good.
Between the pasta, the buttery shrimp and lobster, the beer and popcorn at the game, and the chocolate covered almonds that Mike just HAD to buy at Costco, I will be living off of salad and fruit all week long. But it was worth it!!

A Tale of Two Jerseys

2012-01-20T11:04:00.000-07:00

Mike and I are going on a date.
And it's going to last the entire day!
We try to do a few things alone throughout the year, and it's getting easier now as the kids get older.
So, tomorrow we are heading to Edmonton for the Oilers game...who are playing The Flames. I'm very excited about my first 'Battle of Alberta' game. It's even a Hockey Night in Canada game, so maybe you'll see us on TV. My hubby and I agree that the Oilers need to pick it up a notch, and with a lot of key players injured it is anybody's game with Calgary having a good season so far. I'll be on the edge of my seat!
I bought jerseys for Mike and I with my Christmas money, and I was happy to get rid of my ugly old jersey and replace it with the vintage design that Gretzky wore. I really hated the big oil drop that looked like a comet. Blue and orange is so much better. People ask me why I like the Oilers. My answer is:
1. Wayne Gretzky...I just love him...what he stands for, the way he was raised, and what brought to the game of hockey and how he changed it too.
2. Edmonton is so close to home soil, and it's nice to have a team to cheer for at home games.
3. Wayne Gretzky. I'm a loyal fan, and can't help it.
Of course no trip to Edmonton is complete without a stop at...yes...Costco. Not just for groceries this time but I wanted to try out their photo service. So I ordered a huge print of the three kids together to put on the wall behind my couch. It cost all of twenty bucks and it is 24x36. I'm anxious to see how the quality is. If it's not so great I won't feel like I threw away a fortune.
Then we'll toddle over to West Ed mall to walk around, look for some clothes for Charlie, and have supper at Red Lobster. We'd like to get to the game early to ensure parking in our favorite parking lot a half a kilometer away, and have a drink in the pub at Rexall Place.
It will be a great night by ourselves, and we are really looking forward to it.

Firefly

2012-01-19T17:59:00.002-07:00

Brandon's new song.

Old Man Winter

2012-01-18T14:26:00.004-07:00

Here we are, Wednesday, and the windchill this morning was in fact -53. Now that is cold.

I drove the kids to school and with no buses running was able to park right up at the doors to let them out. As soon as the van door opened they sucked in their breath when the cold air hit their lungs. "Run!" I said, laughing, and away they disappeared into the school. I'm so glad they can still go to school for the day where they can run and play and do activities to keep them busy. If they were home for these last few days they would be going bonkers, and driving me up the wall in the process. I was worried about Mike being home today too, because when he has the day off he annoys me to point of distraction. I love it when he's here but he gets so bored that he is restless, which in turn ends up annoying me. Still, I'd rather have him bugging me here than being on the road working in weather like this.

One thing I absolutely love about winter is how beautiful it looks out my window without me knowing what the temperature is outside. Because, today, it looks amazing out there, and with the white snow reflecting the sunlight it's hard to stay indoors when all I want to do is take Charlie for a toboggan ride.

Yes, you sure can't tell from this picture that it is -43 outside!

As a side note, my husband, who is forever bringing me flowers or such when he comes home, brought me this plant last week. I have no idea what this flowering gem is called but I really do love it. The blooms remind me of orchids. If any of you may have an idea what this plant may be called, leave me a comment!

-39 Holding

2012-01-16T10:33:00.001-07:00

Wow, what a reality check for the kids this morning to go from -9 on Friday during their walk home from school, to being -39 this morning with the windchill.
Welcome to Saskatchewan, Canada, where everyone in the Home of the Brave freezes their buns off in January! Hopefully some of those flu bugs out there will die off too.
It looks like the cold will last all week, with Wednesday being the chilliest, with a windchill of -43. The kids are hoping for a no school day that day...we will see! Jacelyn is supposed to be going with her class on a bit of a field trip that day and I'm half hoping if it will be so cold that they will cancel it.

Jacelyn has been into dressing herself, putting on make up, and wanting her hair to be brushed. She's not really a tom boy, but she's never been very girly either. Lately, however, she wants me to help her get made up a bit more than usual: putting her hair in curlers, teaching her how to put on her lipstick, etc. Last night after her shower she wanted her hair curly for school the next day so I rolled it up for her. I forgot to take a picture of her before she went out the door this morning, but she looked cute. I'm sure her toque will take care of that today.

I spent Friday printing off the rest of my scrapbook layouts for 2011...there were 22 in all! I couldn't believe it. Oh but it was a big relief to get them done and put away in the album. Now I can start all over again for the new year.
paper: Karen Funk "For the Boys" Design House Digitals,
alpha: Desert Camo
elements: DSP, 2 Peas in a Bucket "Your Day to Shine"

Fondue Like You've Never Fondued Before

2012-01-14T20:58:00.001-07:00

The kids have never fondued and so we decided to get them around the fondue pot tonight to try it out...and to see how well they could practice their patience while they waited.
Besides oil-frying, we introduced them to a gourmet cheese fondue as well as a chocolate fountain for dessert.
They loved it! I knew they would, and while they had a bit of a struggle with the waiting for the meat to cook, and trying to keep their eyes off of the chocolate pouring out of the fountain until dessert time, they did pretty well all in all. Jacelyn was the most difficult through the whole thing, asking over and over again if she could dip her fingers into the chocolate. In hindsight I just should have let her, and then maybe she would have dropped it. Instead I said no, and she continued to ask on and off for 15 minutes. When will I learn to pick my battles??
Brandon liked it the most, with Charlie pulling up the rear, and I expected this as she's only 2 1/2 years old. Of course the chocolate fountain went over the best, with the three of them gathered around it like pigs around the trough. So cute.

The night before we imbibed in our Friday Pizza Night, and I had made up the pizza crusts in advance so that all they had to do was make up their own pizza when the time came. They always like that, and we get to spend some time in the kitchen together as well. Charlie's was the most interesting, with everything on it from black olives to pineapple to onions. She likes it loaded!! Now, if the kids would only help me clean up after all these fun family nights I'd be tempted to have more of them...what a mess!

Scrapbook Corner

2012-01-11T21:51:00.002-07:00

papers and elements all from 2 ps in a bucket and the Shabby Princess.

I've been scrapping away, trying to finish off 2011 and get the layouts printed off before we get too busy finishing up little jobs in the house, like putting in 750 feet of baseboards and trim, paint touch ups, and new interior doors. We will have enough to do to keep us busy until the summer, which is okay with us. After all of that we'll hopefully be busy packing and house hunting. Here's hoping!

A Lazy Saturday's Fun

2012-01-08T20:35:00.002-07:00

My kids are usually at each other's throats (and on my last nerve) by early afternoon on Saturdays, and so to counteract the inevitable shouting match I told them to pick out their favorite kind of cupcakes and we'd make them. So they did, choosing Chocolate Fudge and Angel Food. We set to work mixing them up, making mini cupcakes as well as a few big ones too. Afterwards they began to disappear quite fast as they cooled, and I didn't have the heart to get mad as it's a long wait for cupcake-hungry tummies to wait for the finished product.
I scrapped some while Mike showed houses, and then visited with mom while the boys were at a hockey game. We finished the night playing cards (and drinking too many drinks) into the wee hours of Sunday morning, then mom and I went grocery shopping most of Sunday afternoon. Add to all that a few loads of laundry and I've got myself a super-exciting action packed weekend!

School's In!

2012-01-05T08:49:00.001-07:00

I love back to school days.
Not when I was a kid, but I really love them now.
I have to say, though, that the kids were great over the Christmas holiday. They were busy, productive, and I didn't hear from them very much at all. I think the reason was not just the new things to play with and look at, but that Brandon got an iPod touch. We never heard from the boy at all, unless he was coming to me to use my password that I had put on it so that I could keep tabs on what he was downloading from the app store.
I didn't really want to get him an iPod this year, as he got a 3DS for his birthday and in my mind that's too much...how do I top that next year? But this is what happened this year:
Brandon originally asked Santa for an iPod. That's all he wanted...nothing else. He didn't want anything in his stocking, no other toys or gadgets. Just an iPod. Well, Santa brought him a go-cart. Which he loved and didn't show any disappointment in receiving.
When Brandon and Mike put it together, however, we knew it would not work at all. It said on the box good for up to 13 years old, and 110 pounds. Brandon is half that in weight and just turned 10. Good to go, we thought. After it was put together, it was apparent that it would fit Jacelyn, who is 6, or a five year old at best. We all were disappointed, and Brandon, while saying nothing, was heartbroken that his Santa gift was useless to him.
So Mike and I went to the city and he got his iPod. And we haven't seen him much since.

Now that school is back in things feel more normal, despite the absence of the usual blustery January weather. The Christmas stuff all got boxed away on New Year's afternoon, and the yard is as bare as the inside of the house. It's funny that as much as I love putting it all out I can't wait for it to all get put away. I suppose that's what makes the holidays special.

The kids and I spent some time outside in the gorgeous weather last week, after the inch and a half of snow that fell one night, which is half gone now. Between doing that, going for a skate, catching up on laundry, and a trip to Edmonton to...yep...Costco, the week was uneventful and, well, normal. Which is more than alright with me.

Scrapbook Corner

2011-12-27T22:27:00.001-07:00

I got a whole lotta layouts done over the holidays, and it only took me an hour during family downtime on Saturday and Sunday. I had a surplus of photos to choose from, and will be scrapping like crazy from now until the New Year when I put all my pictures from 2011 on discs to store in the safe. The best part: I get to start all over again in 2012. And I have a feeling it's going to be a great year.

My "to do" list is extensive for the new year, but I think the top three spots go to:

1. Putzing around the house to get it ready for the market...(it's no secret that we'd like to get moved to the city where the work is)

2. Take a photography course or two...not to become a photographer, for the record, but for myself to better learn the ins and outs of my camera, what an 'f' stop really means, and because photography is my passion.

3. Finally make over my bedroom into the sanctuary it deserves to be. I've put it off far too long...10 years to be exact. First off is a great set of furniture, as we have never ever bought our own and have mismatched, donated stuff that's been falling apart for a long time. After that it's all in the details, and boy do I have tons.

My laptop is going to the computer guys in the city, so I'll post when I get it back...I need a bunch more memory installed on it as mine is full...stupid iTunes. It is currently using 74 GB of my 116 GB hard drive. That coupled with 20 GB of pictures and 20 GB of home videos pretty much takes care of the hard drive space. So, have a great week, and if I don't post before January 1st, Happy New Year!

'cupcakes' at 2 ps

Two Turtle Doves AND A Partridge in a Pear Tree

2011-12-24T10:33:00.000-07:00

Yes I missed last night's post as my mobile blogging capabilities are beyond me, but here's to a Merry Christmas to all of you!
We drove through the Enchanted Forest in Saskatoon last night before making our way down to Outlook to my in-laws for Christmas. It was beautiful and there was lots to see, and the kids loved it! I'll be sure to post some pictures soon when we get back home.
Until then have a great Christmas, and glad tidings to you all.

3 French Hens

2011-12-22T22:23:00.002-07:00

White Chocolate Crunch

4 cups coarsely chopped white chocolate

1 cup salted peanuts

1 cup salted cashews

1 cup salted pecans

1 cup slivered almonds

3 cups golden grahams cereal

2 cups pretzel sticks

1. Place the dry ingredients in a huge bowl.

2. Melt chocolate in a double boiler.

3. Pour chocolate into the bowl and stir well.

4. Turn out onto waxed paper, let cool and harden for an hour or so, break it up into pieces and enjoy.

Our friends and family like this recipe, and we make it to give away in Christmas goodie bags to neighbors during the holidays. It will make a huge batch, so you may have some left over for New Year's too. :)

4 Calling Birds

2011-12-21T15:51:00.000-07:00

Last night was Brandon's tenth birthday...we've officially hit the double digits, and I officially feel old. Probably because I remember being 10, and my mom was old to me even though she was a younger mother than I was by three years.

We got him a Nintendo 3DS and a few games, and as you can see it was a big hit. Mike picked up an ice cream cake for him and we all had a piece before heading out to Jacelyn's Christmas concert.

Today Mike made Brandon's party cake for him and even while he cursed the fondant (he hates working with fondant) it turned out cute, and Brandon will love it. And while he did that, I decorated the Spiced Holiday Sugar Cookies the kids and I made so that Santa will have a prime choice of cookies on Christmas Eve.

With only four days left until Christmas I can now say we are finished preparations and are as ready as we will ever be. Tomorrow is Brandon's birthday party with his friends at the bowling alley, and it's his first night time party. He's excited to go Glow-Bowling, and we've made up 15 goodie bags...I have no idea how many I'll really need as only four have called to RSVP. It will be a mystery until tomorrow night!

Spiced Holiday Sugar Cookies

2 1/3 cup flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ginger

1 1/4 cup sugar

1 cup softened unsalted butter

1 egg 2 tsp pure vanilla

1. Cream butter and sugar till fluffy and white. Add egg and vanilla.

2. Mix rest of dry ingredients in bowl and slowly add to creamed mixture; mix till combined.

3. Chill dough 4 hours or overnight.

4. Roll out to 1/4 inch, cut out shapes and bake at 375 for 8 minutes. Ice when cooled.

These are a yummy take on sugar cookies...they almost taste a bit egg-noggy and the kids love them. Enjoy!

5 Golden Rings!

2011-12-20T09:31:00.002-07:00

We're on the countdown now...yay!

I looked in the archives for this one. I just had to...I love it. Christmas spirit at it's best.

6 Geese a Laying

2011-12-19T11:47:00.001-07:00

"I'm dreaming of a white Christmas...dum, dum, dum, Just like the ones I used to know..."

Where is the snow? Wherever it is it's holding my Christmas spirit hostage I think. Some (most) people can do without the white stuff on the ground, but I need it. I love it. And so do the kids. Every day Charlie runs to the window to see if there is any snow, and then she turns to me to cry, "Mommy where is the snow? It's gone!"
The nice skiff we had in November left weeks ago, leaving the ground and roads bare. Usually one can get a face full of blizzard-y snowflakes when they open the front door, not a mouthful of grit and dust like the one I received yesterday.
I had taken a nice picture of Charlie in that lovely November snowfall, and added a background in Adobe Photoshop. I figured today would be a good day to scrap it and turn it into a holiday layout.

papers: Winter Wonderland @ 2 ps
elements: Winter Wonderland, Jingle Jangle, journaling brush, swirl embellishment, all from 2 peas in a bucket
winter words: DSP
stamp: 'Holiday Party' @ 2ps

7 Swans a Swimmin

2011-12-18T18:55:00.000-07:00

Here's an oldie but a goodie...I don't let a holiday pass without making these little gems. They don't look like much but they are the biggest hit with the kids, and big kids like them too. Try rolling them in chopped pecans or peanuts too. I remember making these with my cousins with my grandma in her kitchen, with Boney M, Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton singing us into a Christmas frenzy.

Rice Krispie Treats

4 bars of toffee

1 can of condensed milk

1 cup unsalted butter

Heat ingredients in a double boiler:

Keep the caramel mixture hot. Dip large marshmallows in the caramel, and let the excess drip off:

Roll in Rice Krispies:

Let cool and eat right away, or freeze them as they freeze well.

8 Maids a Milkin

2011-12-17T22:16:00.002-07:00

Here's a neat holiday story for you, one that I finally solved last night.

I have an old 'dresser' that belonged to my grandparents in Rosetown, and it came to live with us when they moved out to the acreage and we moved into their home when I was a little girl. It is so big and heavy that I'm surprised it stayed with us when we moved to St.Walburg, as we moved 5 times in the 4 years we lived there. But each time we moved, so did the dresser, and when Mike and I married my dad gave it to us. I decided to refinish the outside of it 12 years ago as it was gummy, and so I asked permission before I did it, as I knew it was old. I was almost done when I came across the date 1908 on the side of a drawer, and the name Gordon Fisher. I figured if the furniture was really that old then I just screwed it over big time. And left it at that.

Friday morning I was on the floor, cursing the sticky bottom drawer that holds my pants, and looked up. I had the topmost drawer out and could see inside the dresser a piece of paper stuck in the wood. I pulled carefully on it and it ripped right away at the corner. I noticed it was a stamp...that was priced at one cent. I got really excited and called for Mike to help me and he was able to pull it free. It was a postcard that was so old it was brittle, and a Christmas postcard at that. There was no date on the postage stamp but it did say Ridpath SK, and I'm sure the return stamp said Canwood. Some quick internet research dates the stamp between 1911 and 1928.

"Dear Evelen,
Just writing a few lines wishing you a Merry Xmas and a happy new year from your friend Marion Mc Bance (*not sure of the last name here)
Good By"

It was addressed to a Mrs Jacob Fisher, and when I saw that last name of course I remembered the name on the drawer, Gordon Fisher.
I did some calling and digging all day, and ended up on the phone with the 'historian' of the Fisher family Gail Milton in Eston, Sk. She told me that Evelen Fisher was 94, and in a home with severe dementia. That broke my heart as I was hoping to send it to her via a family member and bring a smile to her face this holiday season, and I also hoped she remembered the friend who dropped her the postcard as well!
I am sending the postcard to this cousin of the Fisher family, as she was tearful and grateful for the postcard to come into her possession. I suppose in some way I was still able to spread some Christmas joy after all.

So, bringing the story back around to this dresser of mine, this lady told me that the fellow my grandpa bought the dresser from, a Mr. Claire Thrasher, was the Fisher family's neighbor, which explains how he got the dresser. The year 1908 means something to her in that was the year her grandpa, who is Jacob Fisher's brother, began the homestead in Ridpath. Wow, I was amazed at what this postcard find had started.
And, being me, I had to go just one step further, and send some pictures of the dresser to an antique apraiser. Yes, I do indeed have a bit of a gem in my possession.
A "Bonnet Chest" is what he called it, dated in the early 1800's or earlier, most likely from eastern Canada. Gail told me when I offered this information that all of the Fisher family had escaped from Russia and settled in Ontario before moving to Saskatchewan.
The chest is missing the backboard, which I knew, and the nails are all square and hand made. The entire piece is made of walnut, with pine drawers constructed with hand cut dove tails, and tongue and groove on the back. And I refinished it in Cherry stain and put on new knobs. Oh, the heartbreak.

The history of it, and the puzzle as to where it came from, probably is more valuable the the chest itself, which is why I love it even more.
I will enjoy it for many more years to come. And I may even stop cursing the sticky bottom drawer...for a little while.

9 Ladies Dancing

2011-12-16T10:54:00.000-07:00

The other day we went to Jacey's viewing night at Fame Dance Studios, and I was impressed with how much her dancing has improved after making the decision to drive her into the city for dance lessons. She enjoys it, although not the drive to and from the city each Monday. But she has made friends and for that I'm happy...in case we end up making the move into the city she will not feel as out of place if she has some friendships made.
She dances tap and hip hop, although I'm thinking we'll stick her back in Jazz next year...she's got more jazz and pizazz in her than popping and busting a move.

9 Ladies Dancing

10 Lords a Leaping

2011-12-15T10:47:00.001-07:00

I guess I lost the last two posts for some reason or other, but to fill you in I wanted to blog a post from now until Christmas, titling each one for the "Twelve Days of Christmas".

So that being said, here's a new favorite square that tastes like a Snickers bar, but with a super-yummy homemade flavor that your taste testers will want more of.

Homemade Snickers

1/4 cup evaporated milk

1 7 oz jar of marshmallow creme

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cup chopped salted peanuts

1 14 oz package caramels

1/4 cup whipping cream

2 cups milk chocolate chips

1/2 cup butterscotch chips

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1/4 cup butter

1 cup of sugar

1. Melt 1 cup of the milk chocolate chips, 1/4 cup of butterscotch chips and 1/4 cup of the peanut butter. Spread on bottom of foil lined 9x13 pan. Put in freezer to set.

2. Boil butter, sugar, and evaporated milk for 5 minutes. Take off of heat and add marshmallow creme, 1/4 cup of peanut butter, vanilla, and peanuts. Pour over chilled chocolate layer and return to freezer.

3. Melt caramels and whipping creme over double boiler until smooth; pour over nougat layer and return that to the freezer.

4. Melt together the last cup of chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and peanut butter and spread on top of caramel layer. Chill in fridge.

5. Lift out the foil and gently peel off of Snickers. Cut into tiny squares and keep in the fridge in air tight container. If you keep it in plain sight there won't be any left so hide it. Seriously.

10 Lords a Leaping

A Christmas Story

2011-12-12T08:33:00.001-07:00

I was reading the headlines on Yahoo this morning and saw this uplifting story of good will towards men and what Christmas spirit is all about.

BROOKS, Alta. - A gold coin that was dropped into in a Salvation Army Christmas kettle in southern Alberta turns out to be worth a whole lot more than a loonie.
That's because the coin is solid gold.
The church says the coin was deposited into a kettle in Brooks, east of Calgary, last week.
It was wrapped in a $5 bill along with a note explaining it was worth $1,700.
There wasn't a name on the note.
The Salvation Army says they're shocked, and grateful, for the donation.

Now, that story is very different from what my husband's business partner experienced while taking his turn at ringing the Salvation Army bell this last week at Walmart in Lloydminster.

As he was ringing the bell a woman, who's cart was heaped with packages and bags, turned around with a disgusted look on her face and said, "You know, those bells are really annoying!"
To which he smoothly replied, "So is poverty."
The woman glared absolute daggers at him and continued on her way out of the store...probably to restock her overflowing pantry with more food for her family and wrap more presents to put under her tree. Great for her to be able to provide for her family. However, there are a lot of people who can't do the same for their families, and those like this lady would do well to remember that.
I was absolutely stunned at this tale of this woman's show of Christmas spirit. All I can say is Karma, Karma, Karma. And Merry Christmas to you also, lady.

The Good Lovelies

2011-12-09T08:39:00.001-07:00

Mike and I are excited to be going to one of my favorite Canadian Folk bands this weekend at Vic Juba Theater. "The Good Lovelies" caught my attention when I first heard them a few years ago on CBC radio. Back then I was getting into great Canadian music and learning a lot about our Canadian folk roots...we have some amazing talent in our country! Sarah Harmer was just exploding back into the folk scene, and one of the new groups hot on her heels was The Good Lovelies.
When I found out they were coming to Vic Juba I was ecstatic...they are reminiscent of The Andrews Sisters, who are from Bing Crosby's day, and they are witty and funny on stage, oftentimes switching instruments during a song without missing a beat.
On Saturday Mike and I will be almost up front and center, and I can't wait.

A Caroling We'll Go

2011-12-07T19:27:00.001-07:00

Brandon has been in piano since September, but has only had about 8 or 9 lessons in total. We are really proud of how well he's picked it up. He has a natural ear for rhythm and tone, which we knew about, and since Mike and I both play piano it seemed like something Brandon would like as well.
Here he is playing "Oh Come all Ye Faithful", and we wanted to share it with you too.

Sugar Sugar

2011-12-05T21:51:00.001-07:00

I came across this dance routine when I was viewing dance numbers that were choreographed by some local dance teachers. This dance is performed by two amazing little girls barely older than Jacelyn.
It just brings a smile to my face every time I see it, and the joy is noticeable on the girl's faces. However, my eyes are constantly drawn to the little blonde girl...she looks like she's having a blast!!

And speaking of sugar sugar...

This weekend we did a few sweet things: the kids and I made some Christmassy sugar cookies, we made up a gingerbread house,

and mom and I made up a batch of rice rolls. Well the last thing on that list isn't sweet per say, but in my family, it isn't Christmas without great-grandma's "Hallapse"...a traditional German dish much like a cabbage roll but made with pickled, or soured, cabbage leaves, long grain rice, and fresh side pork.

Now, rice rolls are an acquired taste, as much of German food is, and some love it and some hate it. I don't like the smell of the Hallapse cooking (or the after smell in my fridge), but the taste is sooo divine. They are truly amazing in my eyes, and there will never be a Christmas I don't make them. I'd make them anytime, but they wouldn't feel as special to me if I had them on hand. And the fact that I'm carrying on a valued family tradition and making a recipe that great-grandma brought with her from Germany, a recipe that needs no tweaking or adjustment, is comforting to me. What is your favorite traditional holiday recipe?

Hallapse

2 lbs fresh side pork

2 large onions

1 1/2 lbs raw long grain rice... I tried brown for a healthier kick and it was good

1 scant tbsp pepper

2 tbsp salt

2 large heads sour cabbage

*Note: tbsp used are the ones we use for soup*

Cut pork into 1/4 inch cubes and dice onions. Add water to rice to just dampen. Add all other ingredients except cabbage leaves. Roll mixture into cabbage leaves and layer in 1 1/2 gallon crock *(I layered mine in a 5 quart slow cooker and cooked on auto for 8 hours). Pour water over rolls to just cover. Put smallest leaves or any torn or leftover ones on top to cover the rolls and lay an inverted plate on top. Bake at 225 for 1 hour then lower heat to 200 for at least another 5 hours. After 5 hours check to see if rice is tender.

*Of course, if you are unlucky enough to not own a crock, and use a slow cooker like me, then omit the inverted plate part and the baking instructions.*

I swear to you, if you are a true German at heart like we are, or a wannabe who adores German food, you will love this recipe and will be as crazy about it as I am! Just be sure to stay on your own side of the bed with your tushie hanging out of the covers and facing away from your spouse at the end of the night.

Things to do on a Snowy Day

2011-11-30T12:58:00.001-07:00

1. Look Cute.

2. Shovel that gorgeous snow.

3. Put snow on you head.

4. Make happy faces in the snow.

5. Make some snow angels.

6. Take pictures of the local flora.

7. Finally capture on film that darn loud Blue Jay...so pretty.

8. Go for a toboggan ride.

9. Look cute some more.

3:30 am...again

2011-11-30T03:56:00.001-07:00

Here I am. Up at 3:00 am for the fourth day in a row. Not because of a kid this time. Nope.
I got it...my throat hurts, my chest is heavy.
I'm covered in vicks from head to toe...literally as I've heard vicks on the feet is an amazing cold buster. So far all it's done is make me fall on my ass. Damn slippery stuff.
I'm not being a baby, but can this mommy be babied for today instead of doing the baby-ing? Please?
Uuuuuuugh.
If I could snap my magical fingers right now I'd sure love some Echinacea and Vitamin C.

A Teeny Tiny Village without the Snow

2011-11-29T10:46:00.001-07:00

I just got back from a quick trip into Lloyd to the ER, and this time it was for Jacelyn. She's had a fever for over 72 hours and I just couldn't get it down. This morning at 4 am it was just shy of 40 C, so I decided to sponge her with cool water and give her acetaminophen by suppository as she tossed up the oral tylenol I gave her. She's got a chest and throat infection and here's to hoping she'll be on the mend soon. The nurse jokingly asked why I was there as I had done everything right, even having suppositories in my medicine cupboard which is usually not a household staple. I told her I couldn't write a perscription.

The house is decorated, and this year I didn't have as much fun doing it as I usually do, though I don't know why. It sort of felt like a chore. A bit of me feels detached from it all, like I'm outside looking in, and I'm hoping I can pass it off as a touch of the Holiday Blues and get on with it.
Holiday Blues: the by-product of a combination of the over-commercialism of Christmas and the stress induced anxiety one may experience before gathering with family during holiday season. That's my definition; Webster can use it if they want to.
The commercialism I can deal with and actually kind of like: have you seen my yard at Christmas time...it's the Griswolds all over again. Part 2. The pushing and shoving, over-priced items and long line ups I can do without, hence online shopping makes up 50-75% of my gift buying.
But the sometimes tense or stressful family gatherings are something one really can't avoid, unless you are willing to avoid spending any kind of time with your family. Which I am not.
The fact is you can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family, and I'm not just speaking for myself but for everyone I know. I absolutely love my family. Both sides. I couldn't imagine my life without them and they mean the world to me. That isn't to say there isn't tension from time to time during family gatherings, not just at Christmas time but at any given time. I think people just feel more blue during the holiday season because they want it to be special, perfect, and filled with wonderful, traditional memories. If you add tension and stress to the mix, then eventually that warm fuzzy holiday glow will disappear over the years to be replaced by continuing stress.
If you start talking to friends or other family members you know, you will learn that everyone has a story about differing levels of holiday blues, and the stress it creates. Some people will tell you they don't know what you are talking about because they have perfect families, perfect holidays, with perfectly cooked turkeys every year. Either they are extremely lucky, extremely clueless, or liars. I pick the latter. Besides, they may just have a polite family who keeps resentments or complaints firmly locked away behind their lips. Not a bad thing, all in all, I have to agree.
Bottom line is this: no one is perfect; everyone has flaws that get under another's skin from time to time. But the secret is remembering that you yourself aren't perfect either, and knowing what your flaws are don't flaunt them. Having the maturity and heart to love each other despite or even because of these flaws are what make individuals a family. A unit.
Think of it this way: each individual in that unit was raised a different way with different ideals, traditions, and up bringings. When we marry we start a new family and new traditions and ideals are the result of mixing the ones we grew up with, thus creating a unique dynamic all our own. This being a fact, when everyone gathers under one roof, dynamics may clash and sparks may result.
Does knowing all this lessen your Christmas stress? Not really? Mine either. But it helps me to deal with it, put it in perspective, and move on. Why? Because I love my family and they love me too.

Just in case I depressed you, here's some things to get you in the Holiday Spirit!

One of the many angels my grandma made and passed on to me quite a few years ago.

Some kids in the village display building a snow man

Santa's long lineup in the village square.

Love the little guys on the hill...the kids make them crash into the carolers below every year.

Downtown in the village.

Isn't this a postcard?

See I told you...The Griswold's Part 2

The scene almost looks ludicrous without any snow...we have zip, nada, none.

Four cussings and a Funeral

2011-11-23T13:06:00.001-07:00

I'm attending a funeral today.
Oh no worries...it's really no one any of you know.
Today was the last day I will ever lay eyes on my H2O Mop again. And this time I mean it.
In the history of the worst present ever, this one takes the cake. Not because I got it, no, I even asked the hubby for it. I really wanted one during my environmental kick and so he bought me one.
It didn't take long for the excitement to wear off.
The H2O Mop uses steam to clean, and you put on these terry cloth pads and tighten them with a toggle to the bottom of the mop. Easy enough, and it is user friendly too.

Then you start to push it around, and you realize, hey, this is pretty hard to push, but it's ok...I'm killing all the germs on my floor!
Ok, now is the right time to wonder if this mop is a gimmick or is it for real. Because, the steam actually only comes out for 3 or 4 seconds before the pad is drenched. Try mopping with that! Nope, it doesn't work...it only will leave these huge bubbly-streaky lines all over the laminate floors. And am I really killing germs with only one puff of steam every few minutes? Probably not. I'm sure I was just pushing them around.
After the living room is finished, I then need to replace the soaked pad with another one. I do this THREE times. And seriously by now my arms are like jello because the effort of pushing it across the floor is back breaking.
I used it in vain for months because I was in denial, and I was too proud to go back on my new environmental outlook on a chemical-free life.
Today, or rather now as I type, it is sitting in the garage. Waiting for it's trip to the dump.

Bring on the Lysol...I miss my lemon-y smelling house.

An Attempt at a Family Photo

2011-11-22T09:27:00.001-07:00

I bit the bullet yesterday and set up my tripod and camera. Reason: I wanted a nice holiday photo of the kids without paying for it at a studio. What can I say..I'm lazy and a bit cheap about that, and I feel guilty considering I used to be the one taking the pictures at Sears Portrait Studio.
That being said, I decked out the fireplace in full holiday regalia, and these were the shots I came up with. Thankfully Mike rescued me after the 10th attempt at getting Jacelyn to sit still and Charlie to look at the camera. I deleted the hilarious ones before thinking I was going to post about it.
Here's what I got:

These two were the practice runs I tried out in the morning

Then I tried my hand at taking the kid's pictures in the evening:

Then, since it was over fairly fast, we sat in with the kids and I put the camera on a continuous setting that took 5 pictures in two seconds:

That over and done with, this morning I picked the best out of the bunch and this is what your gonna get for your fridge:

After seeing the last Twilight movie "Breaking Dawn", I'm not going to leave much of a review because my friend Melissa will just laugh at me. So I'll just say that I liked it alright. :)

Girl's Night Out

2011-11-18T10:02:00.001-07:00

First off I'd like to say, "BRRRR" it is cold out there! For certain winter has arrived to Saskatchewan. It has been blowing snow since yesterday and while it hasn't amounted to much, it is freezing outside...-27 in the wind! It will be colder before Sunday rolls around too, I hear. Hopefully it will warm up a bit next week like it is supposed to, although warming up from -20 to 4 degrees is quite a jump...the flu bugs will be loving it.

Tonight is Girl's Night Out.
We have planned to go to part one of the last movie in the Twilight Saga "Breaking Dawn". It should be a good movie, as we've all read the books and are curious to see how close to the story line it will be.
My mom will have to eat her supper in the van on the way as I'll be picking her up from work, unless she saves her appetite for the popcorn.
For theater popcorn, I just may forgo supper too!
Tomorrow we're heading to the Christmas Craft Show, and will rest up before heading to the city on Sunday for a pre-holiday trip to Costco.
Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Christmas Crafting

2011-11-15T11:11:00.001-07:00

Well I've started crafting a few things for Christmas to keep myself busy when I wasn't feeling the best this last week. The kids and I made an advent calendar from a kit I picked up at a scrapbooking store, and I filled it full of secret surprises and advent activities to do each day of December, such as go ice skating, and make popcorn and watch 'Home Alone'. It turned out great and was easy to make, and the kids had a good time doing it.

I dug out my hand painted houses so that I could clear coat them all, something I should have done years 13 years ago when I first started painting them. I used to have more but over the years some have broken, and some I painted as gifts. Now they don't sell them in stores and so they are hard to find. I had two kicking around and painted them up to add to the collection. I hope they last for years and will be a part of our traditional decorating every year.

I love Christmas greenery and so added some to a vase that Dad and Sam sent to me from Nova Scotia. I had some bits left over from the wreaths I made to hang outside. They are made from two embroidery hoops wrapped in cheap plastic pine garland, and then I shoved one through the other. I secured the top and bottom with wire, then embellished them with berry picks and other greenery, and a flameless candle too. They turned out cute and I really like them.

This little snowman is sitting on some words of advice.

I haven't decorated the rest of the house yet as it's too early, but it's never to early to get into the swing of things as far as I'm concerned! After this weekend is over and I've gone to the Craft Show in the city I'm sure I'll be full of Christmas Spirit and the house will come alive with Christmas sights and smell.

Michael J. Fox fans??

2011-11-14T11:06:00.001-07:00

If any of you, dear friends, are fans of Michael J. Fox as my hubby and I are, check him out jamming to "Johhny B Good" on the guitar last night.
I was just amazed as his Parkinson's is so advanced but he was still able to wail on it pretty darn good!

http://youtu.be/P8Y-PdD1TbA
*Just highlight the above link and right click...there should be a "Go To" option to click on. If not, copy then paste in the address bar.

Normal Life...whatever that may be!

2011-11-11T22:42:00.001-07:00

We are back on track this weekend, meaning Brandon got his homework caught up (except a Social Studies test we still need to give), and his spots are almost gone. Yay!

The receding rash has left his nerve endings super sensitive however, and so he's been caught a few times with his shirt off, rubbing his back all over the carpet. It looks quite funny actually, and better than him using his nails and giving himself scars. I wish I had a picture of him for you all, but you'll just have to take my word for it. He had a friend over yesterday and today, and spent the rest of the day bored. Typical. He went to the movie store and rented the last Harry Potter to watch tonight, and had a visit with grandma, who came over to see how he was doing.
Mike gets so very bored on days off, and it's so bad it drives me crazy. While I love having him here and around, he can't handle being idle. When boredom sets in he gets in my way, and that sets my teeth on edge. So he went off putzing with Christmas lights in the garage for half of the day. He spent the evening being bored too...not too bored though, as there is still some laundry to fold. And it's only Friday! I'm in trouble.
I think tomorrow he's going to figure out how to put the Santa and reindeer we made onto the roof. The lights are all out on the house and ready to be turned on during Santa Claus Night...which is December 1st this year. People in town drive around and look at lights, and they can cast a vote at various businesses for their favorite display. The winner receives a prize as well! I wasn't aware of this until last year, when surprisingly we won. We enjoy the kids in the town coming by to look, and our kids love making believe as they walk through Santa's Village. Who knows if we will win this year, but we don't care if we do or not...it's just worth it to see the smiles on the kids' faces. It keeps the Christmas spirit alive in our hearts, and brings back a warm and anticipatory childhood feeling.

yes my Santa has a caught-in-the-headlights look. don't judge me. :)

A Full ER and an IV

2011-11-08T06:27:00.002-07:00

Last night after posting an update to my blog, we got looking at Brandon and discovered his rash had gotten worse in the three hours since we had taken a picture of his back.

5:30 pm November 7

9:30 pm November 7

So we made the decision to go back into Lloyd to the emergency to see what could be done. Also noticable was a swelling in his face and ears. Not a good sign. He didn't want to go, and for a good reason. They admitted him and started an IV just after midnight.

12:30 am November 8

I talked with Mike a bit, who took him in, before falling asleep around 1:00 am. He was on a steroid/benadryl combination and all we could do was wait. I fitfully slept on and off, and texted around 5:30 this morning. The rash was down and the doctor was going to give it another few hours before letting them go.

5:30 am November8

You can see the difference in the picture above...he looks so much better. His ears were sticking out before due to the swelling but they look normal to me now. What an ordeal to go through for a fairly simple bout of Tonsillitis...we've all had it once or twice in our lifetime! I will never again underestimate a rash when taking new medicine, and we should always trust our instincts...even if you are worried you are being a worry-wart.

I cant wait for them to get home safe and in their own beds.

Here we go Again...

2011-11-07T13:05:00.003-07:00

Brandon had a bit of a relapse this morning and looked like this upon wakening:

This is what an allergic reaction to Biaxin looks like. An itchy, blistery rash that is covering him from tip to toe. I knew what it was as soon as I saw it, and didn't give him his morning dose of meds.
When I phoned my doctor in town, we got the same result as last week: and because a doctor saw him in Lloyd he had to go back there. I called the doctor he saw last week with Mike and thankfully we got in. She put him on a new prescription, told me to give him Benadryl for the reaction, and hope for the best because, if it doesn't get better, he will need a shot in the tush. His glands are still swollen, and he only had two more days left to take the Biaxin, therefore the infection isn't cleared up yet.
I just feel awful for him, now with him drowsy from the medication and feeling crappy again. Thankfully he is getting an appetite again, and can swallow without pain. He is missing school also, and this week is a short week to boot with Remembrance Day being Friday and the day before a holiday due to PTI's next week. I suppose I will hand in the stuff he finished on the weekend and get him some more!

UPDATE 8:00pm Monday:

The doctor said if it got worse to bring him back tomorrow, and so far throughout the day it has changed since this morning to the worse:

I just hope it goes down and that the new meds kick in right away. Every time I look at him my face hurts; I can't believe he's not in pain because it sure looks painful!
Here's to hoping that three times is the charm.

A Cozy Weekend spent Indoors

2011-11-06T08:58:00.000-07:00

With Brandon on the mend, running around and bugging his sister again...the tell tale sign of a child feeling better...we decided to go to the city yesterday for groceries. Mike and I have been watching for sales for over a year on the fireplace we wanted, and with the temperatures outside getting colder he really kept an eye on the fliers for the last two weeks. Finally, on Friday, he saw "the one", saw it on sale, and so we made the plunge and brought it home. It is a corner unit and fits in perfectly with our decor, is the right height, and really pumps out the heat. At nights we used to need to be under a blanket, and our noses were always chilly. Not anymore.

Jacey warmed up this morning.

Of course getting the fireplace also meant decluttering, which is something I LOVE to do...no really, I love it! So I tidied and cleaned, tossed out old VHS movies as we got a Blu Ray player and got rid of our VHS/DVD combo, and put an ottoman downstairs full of the Wii things as that also went downstairs. Brandon was delighted with this concept, and so am I in all honesty. We always kept it upstairs to limit the amount of gaming time the kids had to a few hours a week. They didn't even play it that long, going weeks sometimes without touching it at all. However, we have Netflix on the Wii, which keeps our satellite bill to a minimum as we watch movies on Netflix now, and I refuse to hook it up downstairs so that Brandon can't "accidentally" watch adult-content movies.
The Blu Ray we have has Netflix on it, so we still will have it up here. Down went the Wii, the movies, the TV stand... and I found I needed a stand for our stereo. So I went to Winners.

I'm still trying to sell Mike on it, but I fell in love with it, and the price tag too as it was cheap and sturdy.
We had a nice little skiff of snow fall on Friday night, making the world all white and crisp. The girls couldn't wait to get out in it, although I managed to keep Charlie in while Jacey helped Mike shovel. I love how kids' brains work, in the way that they think if it snows, it must be winter and therefore Christmas. I suppose it doesn't help when mommy starts looking through Christmas things and confuses them. It will be hard to make them wait until the last week of November or so to get things set out, especially with the famous Lloydminster Christmas Craft Show in a few weeks, an event I always set the weekend aside for as I love to saunter around the entire thing. If any of you have never been, I highly recommend it, if not for the booths, and there are hundreds, then for the yummy food in the food court. Oh the Ukrainian booth with the homemade sausage on a bun and perogies is amazing!

Another thing I wanted to note before I sign off is to say congratulations to my cousin Nicole and Calvin and their boy Kaysen on the birth of their new baby girl Jaela Grace, who was born Thursday November 3rd at 9:50 pm. She came into this world at 7lbs 10oz, and mommy was more than ready to have her in her arms rather than her belly as there didn't seem to be any more room for that little girl in there! I can't wait to see her, and sent gifts with grandma and grandpa for Jaela to take to Taber when they go. The name Jaela Grace is very special to Nicole and Calvin too...it is pronounced Jay-la, and it means "Ja" for James, her dad who passed away last year, and "ela" for Pamela, her mom(my mom's sister) who passed away 8 years ago. Her middle name is her dad's grandma's name, who also passed away recently. Welcome, baby girl.

A Second Go of Antibiotics is Hopefully the Charm.

2011-11-02T21:57:00.000-06:00

I think the swelling looks a bit less tonight, but probably not after only one dose of Biaxin. He's got a rash on his cheeks now as well, as you can see above.

Catching some needed zzzz's in my bed, where the heating blanket brings him some comfort.

I hate having a new hospital, which cost $20,000,000 to build and renovate, turn away patients needing care because of doctor shortages and no emergency services.
I understand this to be the times right now, and possibly even the way of the future, but Lord is it frustrating when the kids are sick and need more attention than I can possibly give. Because, while mothers are great diagnosers of colds and flu's, and are awesome boo boo kissers, they unfortunately can't write a damn prescription.
The fact that our "hospital" is still called one is a joke...it should be labeled a Health Center and run as such. We aren't the first family to run to the city to sit in emerg for hours to see a health care professional, and we won't be the last, and having to do so with a more than adequately equipped "hospital" two blocks away is nothing short of a tragedy.
There. Rant over. I'm sure 3/4 of you, dear friends, know exactly what I'm talking about and has gone through this yourself. I also know nurses and hospital staff who hate having to turn the needy away. I guess this is just something we have to get used to, and doctor visits will be saved for prescription refills and general check ups. Everything else goes to emergency wards, where said wards are over flowing with people like us taking up chairs where only those truly experiencing an EMERGENCY should be sitting.
The reason for my frustration comes from calling 4 different clinics, hospitals, and ads in the yellow pages trying to find a doctor to look at Brandon after we couldn't get in to see a doctor in our hometown.
To be told we can come in a few days or a week's time was laughable...I was incredulous....the kid couldn't even swallow and was listless in his bed, and he couldn't be helped. I know doctors are worn thin, but when something is wrong with a child I don't understand why a clinic can't drop their "our doctors aren't taking any new patients" routine. If they aren't taking new patients, how do you get to fill in the line on a form that asks you who your family doctor is??? Answer me this: how do you get a doctor? Receptionists in dental or specialist's offices look at me funny when I write "doctor on call" on the line. What? It's the truth!
The last straw for me today was the receptionist's attitude on the phone at the doctor's office of the doctor on call the night Mike took Brandon to emerg. I finally tracked down that doctor after calling the hospital, and found out which clinic she practiced in. He told me that if Brandon wasn't better then I should have taken him into the emergency before when I realized he wasn't getting better, and that I shouldn't have let him get to that state. I told him my pharmacist said to give the medication 48 hours to kick in, and if there is no improvement to call the doctor back. Call back which doctor...no one would see us. I hung the phone up feeling mad at myself for not trusting my instincts in the first place about the meds he was taking not working. I knew that was the culprit.
I finally hit a jackpot when I appealed to a receptionist at a clinic in the city, and I'm sure she heard the desperation and the tears in my voice as by this time I was unwinding emotionally (I am an emotional wreck when it comes to my kids being sick). She got him in and Mike was filling out a new prescription 20 minutes later.
I felt a lot of relief, and was hoping this time the medication took, as the doctor said it was a very very bad case of Tonsillitis. That's it! The problem I have been having with Brandon is not just his sore throat, which has to just run it's course, it's getting him to eat and drink, as he hasn't had a meal since last Thursday. He barely drinks because it hurts so bad to swallow, and so I have to watch him constantly, urging him to "take a sip, buddy". He finally asked me for jello and ice cream tonight. Not a bad supper is it, having dessert? I made a stew all day and took the broth off of it for him as well.
Here's to a new day tomorrow, and hopefully a few smiles too. I managed to capture this one tonight, but I'm sure it was only because I told him it was going on the blog.

I will say this in closing: I'm so very grateful that I have healthy children. The fact that they get seasonal illnesses is a part of normal life that other parents who have kids with a terminal illness may wish for. I remind myself of this when I feel strung out and over emotional after a day of looking after my sick kids; I feel stronger by drawing on the strength of those parents, who are super heroes in my mind.

A Mother's Heartbreak is a Sick Boy

2011-11-01T20:52:00.001-06:00

The pictures above are of Brandon, who is at this moment laying on the couch watching "Cheaper By the Dozen". I rented a few movies yesterday for him and he watched those, too. I was optimistic this morning as he seemed a bit perky and asked for oatmeal. He even wanted some yogurt.
That's as far as it went, and he was tired and lethargic the rest of the day. He wouldn't eat at all for me all day as he's stuffed right up and his throat is sore from the infection. I'm sure the double whammy of the infection and cold is kicking him in the rear end. If he doesn't perk up by tomorrow, or the swelling isn't down in his glands, I will try to take him back to see a doctor...provided there is a doctor to see because we all know how the doctor situation in Saskatchewan is. We had him sit in the bathroom with the door closed and the shower on so that it was good and steamy. Hopefully his sinuses will start to clear as he can only breathe through his mouth.
I'm sure when I stop by his classroom tomorrow to get his homework he'll perk right up!

Happy Halloween

2011-11-01T09:21:00.002-06:00

It was a nice day for trick or treating, and Charlie was chomping at the bit all day, ready to go as soon as Jacey got home from school.

Brandon was up at the emerg in Lloydminster on Sunday night due to a bad throat infection, and had to miss school yesterday and for the next few days as well. He's feeling quite rough, and kept to himself for most of the day. I had to keep on him to get him keep drinking fluids though the day, as he has absolutely no appetite and a bad cold to boot and so is plugged up. He really must have been feeling sick as he didn't even want to go to his Halloween party at school, or trick or treating.

You can actually see how swollen Brandon's neck is in this shot...poor guy, my heart aches for him; he's so sore.

Jacey and Charlie made up for their brother missing out on the fun, and got lots of candy for him for when he feels better. They went all over our area of town until five, and we came home to dump out their full bags and have supper. Then we went back out at six and went to a few friend's places and then came home around seven. It was a good night, and a bit spooky with the last stop being the town's local "haunted house" for some treats and scares.

Look at all the loot! Every year we get a recycled shopping bag full of chips. We give them out the following year and the candy lasts until next Halloween.

I'm looking at an inch of snow laying on the ground this morning, and I'm hoping the sun will melt it and dry it off enough to put everything away! Brandon looks no better this morning, and so will be home for a few more days, at least until his meds really kick in and he gets some food into him. Poor guy. :(

Maidstone's Oldest Home...therefore it MUST be haunted..according to the children in town. I guess the broken windows and filmy curtains give way to that impression.

Blog Maintenance

2011-10-28T10:01:00.002-06:00

I discovered that Google, the maker of Blogspot, has a picture sharing site called "Picasa". Apparently all the blogspot owners share into this Picasa site, and I didn't want it and so deleted it.
In doing that, I unwittingly deleted the pictures from my Crazy Housewife blog also, as I didn't know they were connected! When my Picasa file storage is full, I am unable to put pictures on my blog...this really annoys me and I obviously can't delete the pictures when it's full as the blog will bugger up again.
I sent a message asking if I could restore my blog and the answer is no; once the pictures are gone they are gone.
I am so upset, and will be re arranging the blog, but I still feel like a part of the last three years has been wasted. I'll figure it out eventually!

I have lit my candle for Auntie Pam for the eighth year this morning...I let it burn all day for her, even though her soul is at rest and with Uncle James now. But it brings me comfort to light it anyways.

My Memory Library

Imagine if I was given one moment,

just a single slice of my past.

I could hold it close forever,

and that moment would always last.

I'd put the moment in a safe,

within my hearts abode.

I could open it when I wanted,

and only I would know the code.

I could choose a time of laughing,

a time of happiness and fun.

I could choose a time that tried me,

through everything I've done.

I sat and thought about what moment,

would always make me smile.

One that would always push me,

to walk that extra mile.

If I'm feeling sad and low,

if I'm struggling with what to do.

I can go and open my little safe,

and watch my moment through.

There are moments I can think of,

that would lift my spirits every time.

The moments when you picked me up,

when the road was hard to climb.

For me to only pick one moment,

to cherish, save and keep,

Is proving really difficult,

as I've gathered up a heap!

I've dug deep inside my heart,

found the safe and looked inside,

there was room for lots of moments,

in fact hundreds if I tried.

I'm building my own little library,

embedded in my heart,

for all the moments spent with you,

before you had to part.

I can open it up whenever I like,

pick a moment and watch it through,

My little library acts as a promise,

I'll never ever forget you.

Not only am I thinking of Pam, but of Rory, Nicole and Daina as well. Love you all.

Lovely. Crisp. Autumn.

2011-10-27T09:11:00.002-06:00

"How silently they tumble down

And come to rest upon the ground

To lay a carpet, rich and rare,

Beneath the trees without a care,

Content to sleep, their work well done,

Colors gleaming in the sun.

At other times, they wildly fly

Until they nearly reach the sky.

Twisting, turning through the air

Till all the trees stand stark and bare.

Exhausted, drop to earth below

To wait, like children, for the snow."

- Elsie N. Brady, Leaves

Honey Vanilla Pecan Granola

2011-10-23T23:03:00.001-06:00

I noticed that Mike had written on the shopping list 'granola', and so, it being a lazy Sunday and all, I decided to surprise him with some home made granola.
The turn out was really tasty, and we couldn't wait to have some sprinkled on our fruit and yogurt...our usual night-time snack.
Granola is as personal to one's taste as making a batch of trail mix or nuts and bolts. I wanted to put ingredients in the granola that were savory rather than sweet, and still be healthy. This is what I threw in:

3 3/4 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup unsweetened coconut
1/4 cup roasted sunflower seeds
3 tbsp sesame seeds
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted
3/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
3 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup loosely packed brown sugar
1/4 cup grape seed oil
3 tbsp honey
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
2 tsp pure vanilla
1 cup cherry ocean breeze dried cranberries
1 cup Thompson raisins

Preheat oven to 375.
Mix all ingredients together, except the fruit.
Line baking sheet with foil and transfer mixture to pan.
Bake for 20 minutes...make sure you stir every 7 minutes or so, as I had to make a new batch due to my waiting for 10 minutes before stirring, which was a big mistake. :)
Cool completely, and then mix in the fruit.
Store in air tight container.

I bought some dried apricots but didn't add them in, although I'm sure they would be good in it also.
Next time I make a go I will add pumpkin seeds rather than sunflower, cashews, and dried apples.
The other upside to making the granola other than the nutritional boost to our yogurt obsession? The house smelled absolutely amazing for the rest of the day!

Scrapbook Corner

2011-10-21T13:31:00.001-06:00

I have been cleaning up the laptop, as my hard drive was nearly full. I began with looking to see how many gigabytes each file I had saved in my C drive was. The biggest files taking up the most room were my music file, which is...get this...35 GB! Wow I was shocked when I saw that. To put it in perspective, my C drive has 116 GB of room, and 35 of them were being used by music files. That's a lot of tunes!! I forsee myself purchasing an Ipod in the future and putting my favorites on it and getting rid of the rest.
The other big files were "My Pictures", which I'm not even sure how big it initially was as I didn't think to look right off the bat, and my digital files for scrap booking. The pictures were an easy fix, and I spent a few hours organizing and saving them to discs before removing everything from 2003 to 2009 from the laptop. That freed up about 8 GB of space. Funnily enough, 6 years of pictures were 8 GB. My 2011 picture file, and remember that 2011 isn't over yet, is 8.6 GB!!! The new camera is the culprit, as the size of each picture can reach upwards to 7 MB per picture, with pixels 5 times the size of my other digital pictures from the past. I have changed the setting on the camera already and the files will be smaller from now on. But the key to my picture taking from now on will have to be: take 10 pictures to get a few good ones, and delete everything that's unnecessary. That's hard for me as it jabs me in the heart when I 'throw away' memories of the kids...but, as any parent knows, I can't keep everything or else I'd have boxes and boxes full of returned tests, painted pictures, and school work sheets.
So, long story short, we're slowly weeding out what we don't need on the laptop and having fun going through files and pictures that we haven't seen for years.
I decided to post a few layouts so that I can get rid of the file as it's been saved to a disc and I don't need to keep it any longer!
The above layout is for Sheena and Dan, who are settling into their new life together. Congrats.

The layouts were done without me writing down where to give credit to the designers of the digital kits, and some kits have since been cleaned up out of my files, so I can't list where my elements have come from! I can safely say that most, if not all, have come from different designers from 2 Peas in a Bucket, as that's my favorite online scrap booking store. However, let me say: Sorry to any designers who may come across my blog, and thank you for sharing your talents with us digi-scrappers!
My scrapbooks are now up to date, and I always have enough memories to scrap from each month as there are usually over 100 pictures to choose from in any given month.
What a crazy obsession I have, but it's so fun and I truly, truly love it.

Playing with my Camera

2011-10-19T09:32:00.000-06:00

Well I've been playing around with the camera, and I've learned a lot; however there is still so much more I need to learn. I picked up a polarizing lens, and according to dad, when I turn it I should be able to see a darkening or a lightening when I look through the eye piece. I suppose I need to train my eye to the barely discernible change because I can't see the difference. All I know is that the lens is an essential addition to the collection in my camera bag. So, after Mike and I took some shots and put them on the computer, now I can see why!

Polarizing lenses give a lot of contrast when taking shots of clouds and running water or waterfalls. Also, when you take a picture of cars or anything behind glass, the glare is cut and you can see right through the window into the vehicle.
I'm just not sure which way to turn the lens to make it lighter or darker!
The zoom lens I'm still playing with, and I love how the stabilizer on the lens works. I can zoom on something 150 feet away and notice the slight tremor in my hand at keeping the heavy camera still. But the shot comes out crystal clear each time.

Until I can take in a few courses at the college in Lloydminster, I will keep playing around, trying to figure it out on my own.

Enter...If You Dare!

2011-10-15T15:49:00.000-06:00

This morning we took a few hours and turned the front yard into our graveyard.
This year we added a coffin that Mike made for our ghoul, who pops up with a scream when people walk by..I can't wait to try that out on Halloween.

We don't turn anything on from the time we decorate until a few days before Halloween, but I like to have the yard decorated so that the kids know to go to the "Haunted House".

We also added "The Crypt Keeper", who is hiding behind a tombstone and lifts it up when kids walk by, urging them to 'step into my graaaave'. That one, and the guy in the coffin, are my new favorites.

I like Halloween decorating, while Mike loves the Christmas scenes. I like Christmas too, but Halloween is more fun for me, and I hide in the window, eagerly waiting for the kids to walk up to the house.

I put up some small strobe lights by the front door also, which are on a sensor switch, and they flash and play scary music and creepy laughter when the kids walk up the front steps.

We have a mini strobe light that will sit in the graveyard with the fog machine, and with a few strategically placed red flood lights the yard will be a creepy place to walk through on Halloween night.
I'll definitely have to take some pictures and a video on Halloween, with the fog rolling and the cackling laughter scaring the neighborhood kids.
It might be too scary for me!

Another Thanksgiving Come and Gone

2011-10-10T23:15:00.000-06:00

I wanted to share a bit of my family life and look back on the wonderful weekend we had this Thanksgiving.

Our weekend started off with the arrival of Mike's parents and a rousing game of Bocce Ball. After the kiddies went to bed we played cards until late in the night.

The next morning Mike was up making the stuffing to put in the slow cooker.

Now, something you don't know about the husband and I is that we work well in the kitchen. Most husbands would be in the living room, on the couch with a drink in their hands during the long preparations in the kitchen. Not so with mine. I like to say, "you can take the boy out of the restaurant, but you can't take the restaurant out of the boy".

Mike does so much that, if we didn't already have the menu planned, I would be lost and I'd be the one sitting it out in the living room, drink in hand. And he prefers it this way. Not just because he knows the work involved during stressful holidays can be overwhelming, but because he loves it and wants to be a part of the job well done at the end of the day.

So, thanks hun, for being my Superman.

the making of the chutney...an experience and one I'll repeat (after changing up the recipe a bit)

Mike pulled the turkey out of the brine and got it smoking on the traeger. I wish I had remembered to take a picture of it after it was finished but in the kerfuffle of gravy making, potato mashing, and carving I didn't think to pick up the camera. Here is the before and after, though! We will definitely be doing that to the turkey again. The bird was so juicy and tender and the oven space was wonderful!

After that, there wasn't much to do except get the finger foods for lunch ready and wait for the rest of the family to show up. During the afternoon there were a few different things going on :

Bocce Ball

finishing up the kid's puzzle...now that's dedication!

singing and piano playing

wrestling

pictionary

The day was great, with all the usual family mayhem thrown in there: kids running around, happy yet underfoot, potato mashing and turkey carving taking up every inch of counter space, and the inevitable sweat worked up during turkey season in the kitchen. Everyone went home full, and in good spirits.
Tonight we did it all again, except with leftovers and the absence of Mike's parents, who went home before lunch.

I hope you had a great weekend with the people you love and had many things to be thankful for!

Healthy Thanksgiving Menu Ideas

2011-10-06T11:22:00.001-06:00

Well, during my on-line hunts for some healthy Thanksgiving meal ideas I jotted down ideas as I went along.
This is what we came up with for a menu for Sunday:
Traeger Turkey: we are brining and then smoking our turkey on our Traeger grill, with apple wood chips...a very healthy alternative to a pre stuffed, butter ball turkey. The trick though is to completely rinse and pat the turkey dry before rubbing it with a bit of vegetable oil. If not, the sodium content will be too high, effectively ruining the healthy idea of eating a preservative free bird.
Mustard glazed Ham.
Slow cooker stuffing.
Green Bean Casserole.
Grandpa's Cucumber Salad.
Herbed Mashed Potatoes...made with chicken stock rather than butter and half and half. I actually cook the potatoes in the stock rather than water for more flavor. Then we always add a touch of nutmeg to the mashed.
Honey Carrot and Turnip Veggies...honey is a healthier alternative to brown sugar and you need less of it also..a tsp or two is all you need to sweeten those turnips.
Fat free fruit cocktail jello mold. Hubby likes this one as do the kids.
Homemade canned and pickled Beets..spiced with cloves and allspice.
Cranberry Chutney
...and of course Pumpkin Pie. Couldn't get away from that one, but I did get light whipped cream.
I'm looking forward to supper, and we will have a houseful as well...16 people are expected to sit around the table!
And with the turkey on the Traeger outside, and the slow cooker and roaster oven going in the garage, the house won't heat up like it usually would during holidays.

Here is a layout I worked on this week, too.
In case I don't post between now and then, have a Happy Thanksgiving!!

This layout is of Jimmy and Jacelyn.

It brought to mind that all of the cats we've had since we've had kids have had their pictures scrapped with Jacey!! I dug in my archives and found them.

Maybe she will be a veterinarian.

Pumpkin Festival at Smoky Lake, and more!

2011-10-04T09:04:00.000-06:00

This last Saturday we drove 3 1/2 hours to Smoky Lake for their 23rd Annual Pumpkin Festival.
We got as far as Lloydminster where we had to stop the van to give the kids a talking to (and a smack) after listening to them for that half hour bickering back and forth. It had escalated into beating on each other so we had to put a stop to that. I was beginning to have flash backs of our summer holiday trip to Calgary and I really didn't want to go through that again so soon.
We stopped at Innisfree for a washroom break (thank you, potty training) and carried on to Mundare for a stop for some famous sausage. I loved seeing the Ukrainian churches with their ornate rooftops. I couldn't resist taking this picture of the world's biggest sausage..from this angle it leaves nothing to the imagination.

We carried on north until we got to Smoky Lake. We parked the van and walked a few blocks up to Pumpkin Park, an area across from main street where there were 5 larger than life pumpkin sculptures. The show and shine contest was beginning and the entire main street and a side street were blocked off for it. There must have been a few hundred cars there. We walked along, admiring them and laughing aloud at the hearses that were lined up, decorated with skeletons and coffins. The kids stayed away from that area.

Brandon liked this Model T Ford

We made our way back to Pumpkin Park after getting a map...activities were sort of scattered all over, and 5 huge school buses were shuttling people to them all. There were five stops in all, and we gathered at one to wait for a bus. That's when we realized the town was bigger than we thought! We overheard a man on his cell saying the event brings upwards to 8000 people to the town. The population of this town is 1100, and for a small community it sure has a lot of heart and spirit.
As we approached the arena, where the bulk of the festival was located, I stared with my mouth hanging open--there was a midway to my left and scarecrows and pumpkins everywhere. And the people! There were hoards of people...and a very large food court with every Fair delight you crave. Inside the arena were two more food courts, with Ukrainian food being the main focus. The smell of frying sauerkraut was heavenly!

Inside the arena there were at least 400 people gathered.

The winning pumpkin weighs in at 581.2 kgs. Wow.

We entered the arena and the amount of people packed in there was staggering to us! It was so full it was standing room only. In truth the pictures don't do it justice at all! We found some seats and ate our lunch while we watched the weighing of the pumpkins. Some had traveled hours to have their pumpkins weighed, and with good reason: not only for the fun and enjoyment of the day and good natured sportsmanship between these gardeners, but for the over $7000 prize for the biggest specimen. Now that's a big pumpkin!! The prize went to a family in Taber, AB this year.

The farmer's market was full of goodies and homemade food, and I bought a huge bag of egg noodles from a Ukrainian couple who make it all by hand. I can't wait to try them out tonight. I also picked up a Matryoshka doll from an old Russian lady who had way too many to choose from.

The down side to all of this? Too many people and there were a lot of pushy ones there. We found some of them quite rude and short tempered. But I suppose that comes with a large group of people squashed in small spaces. The midway was the same way, with the line ups being so long that we stayed there for an hour and a half and the kids only went on one ride each. I gave away the tickets to some teenage girls standing in line. There just wasn't enough time to stand around there while we missed out on the rest of the events! Although my heart bled at the giving away of 50 dollars worth of tickets.

Enjoying my Elephant Ear, my treat for the year.

Huge homemade bags of pasta for 5 bucks each.

If we hadn't parked so far away or had 3 kids to watch, I would have loved to buy a bunch of these pumpkins.

We wanted to enjoy the pork supper that was served until 6:30 but we decided to just hit the road as we still had an hour and a half to go into Sherwood Park for the night. We had a late supper in the city and went to our hotel rooms.

The next morning we met in the breakfast room and decided afterwards to tour a bit of old Edmonton while we waited for Costco to open up. As we were looping around to make our way back, Charlie decided that would be a good time to throw up all over in the back. Ugh, it wasn't very pleasant, as we were on the bridges and there was no where to stop for a bit. We got her cleaned up and debated what we should do; go home and not get Thanksgiving groceries or just hope for the best that she would be fine. We went ahead with Costco, and she was perfectly fine. She ran around the store, and even ate chicken and fries at lunch time in the van and had snacks afterwards.

So we headed home, with mom and Mike in the front, Charlie content with her movie, and the two kids duking it out in the back. And me? I put on my headphones, much to Mike's disgust (at this point I didn't care about that) and went to my happy place...I could hardly hear the arguing at all!

Scrapbook Corner

2011-09-30T14:24:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow we are off to Smoky Lake to their 23rd annual Pumpkin Festival.
It will be a blast, and totally for the kids, although I'm looking forward to taking pics of the kids in amongst the pumpkins and scarecrows. This town is the size of Maidstone and supposedly the pumpkin capital of Alberta. I'll report back to you on that when we get back! We are taking mom as well, and staying overnight in Sherwood Park that night in a hotel beside Costco, where we will get groceries the next day and show my mom, a newbie to Costco, just how much fun it is to shop there.
I've been searching the net for some low fat options to add to our traditional Thanksgiving feast, as most of the things we eat during holidays are 98% tradition and 100% fattening. I'd like to add a few new dishes that we can make a tradition as well, and in doing so I'll feel like I added my contribution to my kid's and grand kid's healthy future. As my mother-in-law's doctor used to say, "We don't need any more fat Dewing's!" When I find a few, I'll post them post-turkey if they are yummy. Likewise, if you have a great low fat recipe that's tried and true, send it my way and I'll make it and post it on the blog as well!

Here's my layout this week, one of 7 that I got finished (yay!) and now I'm just about caught up. I've got to run now and get my ham going, so have a great weekend!

papers and elements: 2ps in a bucket
word art: dsp

A tasty bit of Nostalgia

2011-09-28T09:12:00.001-06:00

Yesterday my brother texted me a surprising question out of the blue:

"What was the name of those muffins Sharon used to make when we were kids?"

Instantly I knew the ones he was referring to: these delicious chocolaty muffins with a cream cheese center that sunk in the middle to the bottom with chocolate chips on the top! When I make them they don't taste as good as hers did.

I myself had called Sharon, the lady responsible for the yummy muffins, quite a few years back for the recipe. She lives in my hometown, and her house was our second home. My brother and I spent all of our free time there with her kids, who were our best friends.

As a mother now, I shudder at the possibility of my kids' friends taking over my house like we all did back in 1990. If those kids weren't at our house, we were over there. As well as the neighboring kids! At any given time there could have been 10 kids over there. And when we were, Sharon always, always had stacks of big margarine containers shoved to the side of her counter and filled with goodies. I know now how hard she worked, and that poor woman came home after her shift to a houseful of kids, and all of us lounging here or there, watching TV and eating her food. I have no idea if she made all of that for us, or if it was something she just did, and I don't know how she found the time to make all of that between raising her three kids, working full time, and spending part of her time doing various church activities. Of course she had help from her husband, but he worked full time too, and also had to come home to us kids draped all over his house!

If I asked her now she may say she'd never change a thing, or she may wish she had had more free moments of quiet time after her long shifts as a cook. But I do know that many, many memories were made there in that home, with her kids and my brother and I, and we had the privilege of not just having two parents, we had four. That means the world to us, so thank you!

I almost don't want to share this piece of my childhood with you all, and I'm not sure what she called these muffins, so Melany, send me a line if I've got it wrong!

Enjoy.

Chocolate Surprise Muffins

Preheat oven to 350.

Sift Together:
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1 tsp salt
In another bowl:
1 cup
1 cup sour cream
2 beaten eggs
1 tsp vanilla
Stir and add to sifted dry ingredients. Stir to combine.
In a small bowl:
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup hot water
Dissolve and add to chocolate batter. Place in muffin cups.
Beat in a small bowl:
4 oz cream cheese
1 egg
3/4 cup sugar
dash salt

Put tsp of filling on each muffin. Top with a few choco chips. Bake at 350 for about 13 mins.

Yummy. These muffins take me all the way back to 1990.

Catching me some Flies

2011-09-27T20:16:00.001-06:00

My house is infested with fruit flies.
I put on my make up...the fruit flies are there.
I bend over to clean toilets...the fruit flies are there too.
When I sit down to have my fruit cup, you can bet the fruit flies are there also.
I sat down to look it up online yesterday afternoon, as I can't understand why they are so bad in the house right now. We eat a lot of fruit here, and I can only assume they came into the house on the fruit. My counters are always cleaned with disinfectant, my floors are clean of spills, and the flies make me feel like it is dirty in here or that I'm a horrible house cleaner. However, at any given time there are bananas and melons ripening on the counter.
The site I was on said that after bananas are ripe they can go into the fridge. This made me wonder as I have never heard of that before. I have heard of wrapping bananas in a plastic bag, but when we tried that they only ripened too fast, and the peels all but fell apart when we tried to open them. This morning, after being in the fridge for 24 hours, the bananas still looked the same as they did the day before, not black like I thought they would. And it was kind of neat to eat a cold banana for a change. So maybe I will do that more often...we all know how the flies love ripe bananas.
The site said to get a gallon jar and fill it with ripe fruit and red wine vinegar, or cider vinegar. So I did, and within the hour had caught 7. They fly into the holes in the saran wrap and are too stupid to get back out. Then they drown. I added a good squeeze of maple syrup in there too...they love it. This afternoon I lost count of how many were in there, some flying around, most dead.

I put the jar over by my ripening melons that I bought yesterday..my pears are still in the fridge as I'm too worried that if I bring them out I will have another outbreak (they multiply so fast). That did the trick, and I haven't seen any fly by my face all day!

Scrapbook Corner

2011-09-25T13:54:00.000-06:00

I've been busy scrapbooking, staining, painting the huge Santa and reindeer for the roof that goes with the village scene, and just general housework this weekend. At nights I've been playing around with the camera and have gotten a few neat shots, and have learned quite a few things about using external flash...loving the softness the reflected light gives things. At night in the living room, with only a few lamps on for light, when I turn my flash upwards to face the ceiling the light bounces off and lights up the subject I'm taking a picture of. It's so simple but I was abolutely amazed at the difference in the quality of the shot! You can turn the flash to bounce off of the wall also to give a different dimension to the shot, but my flash doesn't do that...that was the 200.00 flash model and I was fine with the 100.00 flash.

after the flash was directed up..natural looking light when it wasn't present

before the flash..yellow haze in the absence of daylight

the view out our back window

gorgeous color in the sunset

A Photographer's Dream

2011-09-23T10:56:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I did it.
I took the money I have been saving for six months and went to the city to buy my dream camera.
Except they were sold out.
So I went a step up in the Canon family...more like 4 steps up, as the sale was fantastic.
I spent more on one camera than I do on Christmas presents. For the entire family.
I felt so guilty on the way home, and then gave myself a lecture on it. I earned the money, was saving for this exact moment, and I was ruining it with my usual care for what other people would think or say...what can I say I'm very neurotic.
So I settled in with my boxes and manuals and immersed myself in the daunting task of actually learning how to run the thing. Honestly I was scared to touch it.
This is what I got:

A Canon T3i. It came with the nifty lens you see above, a strap, software, manuals, and a battery. That took up half of my earned moola.
The rest of it went to the accessories that I wanted to go along with it:
-a tripod
-a telephoto/zoom lens (a deal with the camera that took off 150.00 bucks and those who know cameras know the cost of lenses...stupid crazy!)
- a bag that included a filter for my lens and an extra battery
- an SD card
- a huge flash for the top of the camera
All of that was just as much as the camera.
But I have to say I love it. It's an investment that will last us for a very long time. I'm very excited to begin snapping pictures and learn the ins and outs of the camera.

There are way too many functions to list for you what it does but here a few of my favorites:

-it takes videos in HD

-the lcd screen at the back flips out, flips over for viewing from the front, and flips back in on itself so u can see the screen. I like using the eyepiece rather that the lcd for viewing as it focuses faster.

-I can take 4 pictures per second if I want to.

-I can take pieces of video and save them for pictures. This was the selling feature for me, as we take alot of videos and I hate flipping from video to camera as I can't during recording. For example at Jacelyn's dance recital I couldn't stop recording mid dance to take a still photo of her on stage, which was disappointing for me. Now I can take whatever piece of video I want for any photo I want. Love that feature.

I've been considering taking in a few photography courses and seminars in Lloydminster and had to wait until I had the appropriate gear. Now that I have my gear I will study the camera and someday will take one in! The information I learn could help me decide if I want to take my hobby further and do family portraits.

Here are some pictures I took last night when I was playing around with my settings.

love the softness...hate the glare..will have to remember to watch for that before snapping

my heart melts at this one

grainy artistic classic b/w

toy photo setting...kinda neat but the colors are cool rather than warm I think

Jimmy is a good subject.

too much brightness but love the shot anyways..can be fixed with photo editing

He's so photogenic my boy is. :)

Scrapbook Corner

2011-09-16T21:59:00.000-06:00

papers: may-be by polka dot pixels @ 2 ps
elements: may-be by polka dot pixels @ 2ps, your day to shine @ 2ps, just be alphas @ 2ps, pink a dot and desert camo alpha @ fds, just be words(dianne rigdon @2ps), date stamp by kpertiet @design digitals

I'm all by myself.
Totally alone; the house is quiet and still.
I'm listening to Sarah Harmer and Gordon Lightfoot, drinking wine, and scrapbooking.
I almost feel guilty, and glance up from my screen once in a while as if I've got my hand in the cookie jar.
I just might do this until midnight. Or later. Mike's not here to drag me out of bed in the morning so why not?
Ahhh. Wine is good. Life is good.
I've just made a decision: I'm going to have that other glass of wine I almost talked myself out of, paint my toes, and scrap another page or two. And hum along with Mr. Lightfoot: "Rainy day people always seem to know when you're feeling blue...". What a great song.

We are on the PoTtY TrAiN!

2011-09-14T09:44:00.000-06:00

I tried potty training Charlie a few months ago right after she turned two, but she wasn't interested in it at all. I've been waiting these last two months patiently, as I didn't want to rush it but at the same time wanted her to get interested in using the potty...I was so tired of buying diapers.
On Monday she said to me, "Mommy clean my bum...I pooped."
That was the last straw for me. I decided then to start her on the potty the next day. And she took to it right away, and had no problems at all. She pranced around in her panties all day and ran to the pot when she had to go. This am she she did her dirty duty on schedual, and ran to the pot to do it, waiting patiently as she knew she had to use the potty to do it.
We are really proud of her.
And another one bites the dust.

Scrapbook Corner

2011-09-13T15:24:00.001-06:00

It's so nice to spend an hour or so browsing thru all of my digital scrapbooking files, and I got excited while searching and decided to try to catch up on my scrapbooking while I was organizing.
Here's the layout I came up with. I know it's winter-y, but I had to start from where I left off, and until I look thru my printed scrapbooks I won't know where I need to begin! I'm not looking forward to that but I've got to get it done. So until next time, happy scrapping!

papers and elements: by Michelle Underwood @ 2ps

Where were you on that day?

2011-09-09T11:08:00.001-06:00

If you think back 10 years ago on September 11, 2001, where were you at just before 9:00 am? Were you at home drinking coffee at your kitchen table? Were you dropping off you kids at school, or just sitting down at your office desk to begin your new work day?
I was just getting out of bed, heavily pregnant with our first child, listening to the radio beside me. I turned on the T.V. and couldn't believe my eyes. Nothing registered at that moment...to me it was a freak accident that was shocking, yes, and all I could think about was those poor people on that plane. How scared they must have been to have the engine or whatever go out on that airplane. Immediately after that I realized all those people in the sky rise were involved too, not just those on the plane.

That's when the second plane hit the other tower. I watched it, live on CNN, staring with my mouth hanging open, and tears pouring down my face. I just knew something was wrong, something was definitely not right about the entire thing...this was no accident. Of course, I didn't know, as well as millions of other people, the extent of the evil I was seeing.
I called Mike, who was at the restaurant, and he hadn't heard yet. I told him to put on the radio, and described to him what I was seeing.
"It's just a horrible accident honey, don't worry about it". I'll never forget his words.

I feel connected to that day in a way that I don't really understand. Was it because I watched it happen? The confusion, the utter horror and terror at ground zero I saw on every one's faces? Or is it because I know that the world, as we knew it...the safeness we all felt in the daily routine of our lives...has been changed forever?
This kind of violence only ever happened overseas. Never on home soil, or any crimes being committed were never as much in the news as they are now. When we were kids all we had to worry about was being home before supper, what we were doing on the weekend, and which friend was coming over after school that day. Now my kids have to worry about terrorism, racism, war, and impending disease. All the while we are constantly having to reassure them that these things are not for them to worry about.

That is what 9/11 means to me. That is how it has changed our lives; the war will never truly be over. Most turn their cheek...you think it didn't happen to you, that it doesn't affect your life. Doesn't it? All we can do is adapt, live day to day and love each minute we have with each other. And have faith that good will triumph over evil. Love your neighbor, your family, your friends, your LIFE.

So I ask you all: Where were you?

Low Fat Pizza

2011-09-08T11:57:00.000-06:00

My version of this low fat single sized pizza uses one Weight Watcher's brand Pita Bread, pizza sauce, spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, and olives, topped with fat-free mozza cheese.

The more veggies you pile on it, the fuller you will be, but keep the cheese amount to an ounce if you truly want it to be low fat. Yummy and filling, and if you are following the Points Plus system, the point count is 4 per pizza. Not a bad lunch for the waistline! I follow mine up with a cup of fruit salad or a Yoplait 0 yogurt.

Scrapbook Corner

2011-09-07T12:56:00.000-06:00

Wow I haven't scrapbooked since March/April. I'm sooo behind, and need a new scrapbooking program to boot. The one I have now isn't compatible with my new Windows program, and uninstalling/reintalling has had no effect. On top of all that, I've been playing around with my blog all morning (as my laundry sits beside me, unfolded!!) as they are changing the interface to a newer, updated version that quite frankly bites the big one. I've been playing around with it and haven't learned much, so bear with me in the meantime if something goes wrong!
To all my summer-loving friends and family: isn't the fall smelling wonderful out there??

Jim Carrey | Tru Life

2011-09-07T09:58:00.000-06:00

I was fooling around on the Internet one night and stumbled upon this blog of Jim Carrey's.
I know alot of you (yes, mom, you) don't like Jim Carrey; more to the point are tired of his same old, same old antics.
However, I think he's a talented actor with alot of versatility. Everyone knows him for his elastic-y facial expressions and zany antics on screen (aaaaaaaallllrighty then!). But I like him best in films like "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind", "Man on the Moon", and his latest "I Love You, Phillip Morris" about two gay prison mates who are madly in love with each other and based on a true story.
Well when I saw his new blog, I became a fan of it as well. The video clips are all done by him, via his cell phone, and truly funny as you get a glimpse of his real life; there are shots of his daughter (a wonderful jazz singer) minutes after the birth of her first baby.
Instead of telling you more, just head over there if you are a fan like me and check him out!

www.jimcarreytrulife.com

All good Things

2011-09-05T10:27:00.000-06:00

This past long weekend was a wild one. Brandon had two friends sleep over on Friday night, and on Saturday we all met Mike in Lloyd at the theater to go the matinee, which was showing The Smurfs. It was Charlie's first real movie and so I didn't think it was going to go well.
The boys all grabbed their popcorn and candies and sat together, well away from us (a sure sign of impending teenager-hood). Mike and I and the girls settled in for the show, Charlie on my lap, happily eating her popcorn and engrossed in the beginning credits.
The show was a good family-friendly version of the Smurfs we remembered from our childhood, but with an over-used variety of "Smurf" adjectives thrown in there for the adults. Examples: son of a smurf as an expletive, and smurf-tastic. It was too much, but the kids loved it.
What surprised us the most was how good all the kids were. The boys were quiet in their corner of the theater, and I thought I would have heard Brandon at least a few times..he has a bit of an obnoxious, loud demeanor some times, especially when over excited. And Charlie actually sat the entire show on my lap, laughing at the antics of Gargamel's cat. With all those kids I thought there would be a few times I would have wanted to pull my hair out. It was a great day.
Later that night, with the kids in bed early, our neighbors and another couple came over to sit by the fire. After they left we cleaned up and went to bed ourselves, as Jacelyn's birthday party was the next day at the lake.

The fish Dolton and Brandon caught by the boat launch

I filled up the van with girls, while Mike took Brandon, one of his friends, and Charlie in the truck, and we left to spend the day at the lake. Some friends drove over from Lloyd with their kids to spend the day with us also, as did my aunt and uncle, my brother and his girlfriend and his kids, and of course grandma and grandpa. Jacelyn loved all her gifts, and playing the entire day with her friends and family. We hid the gifts around the beach and cabin and she searched for each one, which made the whole gift opening process take an hour. Which pushed cake back until after supper, and made me late in dropping off the girls back home. I ended up receiving two worried phone calls on the way home from two worried moms, and after explaining why we were an hour late I hope they understood. It was just such a great day, and we all had fun. I think a few people thought I was crazy having all those kids running around, but I loved it.

Mike's favorite part of the day was listening to the Riders win the Labor Day football game on the radio. :)

The cake

Side view of cake

Swan Creek = Sweet Goodness.

2011-08-31T21:05:00.001-06:00

If you all have never ever smelled the scents provided by Swan Creek Candles, you are missing out. They are made out of soy, and so last longer and burn cleaner than wax.
I bought some when we were in Calgary at Bass Pro Shop, and they are my new favorite candles. Anyone who knows me knows about my love for candles, and in fact I sold Partylite while living in Moose Jaw.
The candles I got came in a reusable enamelware jar with a lid, like above, in a Gingerbread scent.
I'm telling you, I never even had to light it for the first two weeks. It smelled that good in my house...not overpowering, but enough that the kids always wanted to know what I was baking.
Now that I've burned out the one on my window ledge, I have one more in Cinnamon Bowl in my bathroom. I can order more from the Calgary Bass Shop, but the experience of shopping for yummy scents like Lemon Meringue or Cinnamon Buns will be sorely missed.
Check them out at http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Navigation?hvarSearchString=swan+creek+candles&storeId=10151&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&CMID=TOP_SEARCH_GO

P-A-R-T-Why...Because I've Got To, Mister!

2011-08-31T09:30:00.000-06:00

The kids are gone.
Wait...what was that?

Yes, The Kids Are Gone.
To school.

Mike: Did you know the kids are gone to school? All day? And Jacey goes everyday this year? All Day?
Me: HELL YA!

We have been (quietly as Charlie is still sleeping) partying ever since 8:30 am. Drinking coffee, reading the paper, blogging...yes blogging at 9:00 am; never been able to say that before. Eating a bowl of fruit and just staring at each other across the table.

Me: Can you believe this?
Mike: Oh, ya baby, I can!
Me: It's so quiet!!!!!!

We love our kids but we love them more when they are at school.

Even tho Mike looks all nonchalant in his walk home from the school this morning, I missed his happy dance he was doing as he came down the road.

Dusting Day...NOT an audition for Canada's Got (No)Talent

2011-08-29T16:00:00.001-06:00

I'm not too sure why there are way too many theatrics involved in this video, other than the excuse that I just really, really love this song.
This is a typical Saturday housecleaning here at home...loud music, lots of singing, and the kids dancing around. You know what they say: sing and dance like no one is watching!

Here comes the Bride

2011-08-23T20:23:00.000-06:00

This past weekend we went to my cousin Sheena and Dan's wedding in Biggar. It was beautiful, the weather was beautiful, and she was beautiful too. We stopped in the next morning to watch them open their gifts before they went on their honeymoon in B.C.

The ceremony was nice and short, and could have also ended up on America's Funniest Home Videos if my aunt hadn't seen that the junior groomsman, my cousin's son and her grandson, was puffing his cheeks out like he was going to hurl. Leslie, his mom, rushed to the front to quickly lead him down the aisle to the bathroom, and he did indeed faint while in there. Poor guy..he wasn't well the night before and was pooped out to boot. And then there was my daughter, miserable with a throat infection, yelling, "my eye, my EYE" after she poked herself in the eye. I was so embarrassed. I hope it was still perfect for her anyways.

And the hall was so simple and elegant...exactly what Sheena was going for I imagine. She and her mom made all the decorations, and the feather bouquets, and the centerpieces. It was all just so dreamy.

the cake and toss bouquet. loved the grey/purple theme and feathers.

They danced the night away and when it came time to toss the garter, Dan, blindfolded of course, had his head under Sheena's dress...only to find out the garter was missing! Everyone laughed but Sheena was left wondering where the hell the garter had gone to, or fallen off at. Later that night, an hour or so later, it was found and the toss was repeated. It was a great time with lots of laughs.

We wish them all the best as husband and wife.

here comes the bride...

rose balls and crystal chandeliers

the head table

one of the centerpieces, which was what the tossed bouquet looked like

Sheena's feather bouquet...so unique I've never seen one before.

the cards box my aunt made...so quaint and cute

the happy couple

the bridesmaid's bouquet

Calaway or Bust...Part Troix

2011-08-12T11:08:00.001-06:00

We are all back home now, safe and sound, and getting back on track after all the unpacking and laundry. Trying to eat healthy while on the road was a bit challenging, and we packed the electric cooler full of things like fruit, yogurt, and Mike's beef jerky he made before we left. We always take those little boxes of cereal and paper bowls on trips like these so the kids can have cereal or a muffin for breakfast in our hotel room, saving money for us on one meal for the day. Needless to say the van was packed full of our back to school supplies and clothes (oh, lord, the clothes! new wardrobes all around!), the electric cooler and the dry goods cooler, the stroller, luggage, and extra paraphernalia that a family of 5 needs to have to survive a week together.

The trip rounded out with a visit to Calaway Park, and it was a beautiful day for riding the rides. Charlie had been quite miserable the entire trip, with sleeping in the hotels being a bust for her and a weird, unexplainable rash she picked up the day we left home. So I was at my wit's end with her since she wanted up the entire time and wouldn't leave my side. She could only ride on about 4 rides, so if we ever go back it will be when she's old enough to really enjoy it all...and so will Mike and I when we can watch the kids have fun rather than have to join in ourselves!
Of course my camera battery crapped out at the beginning of Calaway, so we had to rely on Mike's, Brad's, and my Blackberry's for the pics...not so good but oh well!
The kids rode all day, finally tiring out after Mike and Brad took Brandon on the roller coaster...dragged him to the roller coaster I should say. He was freaked out, but glad at the end of the day that he went on it. It was all he could talk about.
One thing mentionable about Calaway was the absolute absence of adult managerial supervision. Not once did we see anyone over the age of 20 operating any kind of ride, game, or just walking around supervising the park. So odd, but we felt like the place ran very smoothly regardless of the presence of adults. The nice thing I liked was the lack of "carnies" around to operate the rides; you know, the ones that leer at the teenaged girls in their tank tops and short shorts.
We went back to our hotel in Airdrie that night, and the kids swam with Mike in the pool before bed. We packed up so we were ready to go the next morning, and after breakfast headed to Edmonton for a few more stops before going home.

One of the stops we made was to Chuck E. Cheese's for the kids to have one last hurrah. They had alot of fun playing around, and Charlie liked it more than anything the whole weekend. Even though it was noisy there, I'd definitely go again. They had a neat system at the door where you got stamped with a number assigned to your family that could only be read under ultraviolet light, making kidnapping almost impossible as no one could leave without being "scanned" first. A good thing to have with 'x' number of kids running around and I didn't worry as much about Charlie wandering away from my side. It was the most relaxed I had been after being in huge crowds all weekend long.

Now that that's all over we have a wedding next weekend to go to in Biggar, and some visiting to do at the lake before summer is over. Some of the flowers in the yard have had it so I'll get rid of them as well, and clean up the front a bit, when it's not so hot that is!

Calaway or Bust...Part Deux

2011-08-08T00:38:00.000-06:00

On Saturday morning we decided to head over to the mountains, an hour's drive from Rocky Mountain House. Brad took us to Crescent Falls, located off the highway and on a grid road up the foothills of the Rockies. I found it odd/neat that we drove for so long, and on a seemingly deserted grid and then all of a sudden there were campgrounds, hiking trails, and picnic areas hidden in all this dense forest of evergreens. As soon as we stepped out of the van we could hear the water; it made quite a loud noise for such a small waterfall that it must have been rushing very quick.

We got some good pics, had lunch at a picnic site, and made our way back to Rocky. Mike and I bought the kids' school supplies in the afternoon and then relaxed the rest of the evening.

We got up bright and early this morning so that we were able to be ready, packed, and all set to leave by 9:00 am...the mall at Balzac outside of Airdrie opens at 11 on Sundays and we needed the entire day to shop.

And shop we did! For 7 hours straight, with a bit of time at 1:00 for some lunch. I didn't think I would like the mall as much as my beloved West Ed, but I gotta say it was pretty frigging amazing. So well planned out, all on one level, and the shops were nestled in different themed hallways that were so quaint and picturesque. I had to snap some pics for you all who haven't been there so you can see what I mean...it meant announcing to everyone there that we were tourists, but what the hey...I was!!

After dropping serious dough, and me finding my little black dress for my cousin's wedding, we called it quits at 6:00pm (the mall closed anyways), and we headed back to the hotel to unload before supper.

I loved this huge 'campfire' in the middle of the western area...the huge over sized chairs were situated all around it, and every one was occupied by people taking a break and taking in the view. It was like being in Paul Bunyan's campsite. Lol!

We swam with the kids for a bit in the hotel pool, and now, as I'm typing, everyone is sleeping like little babies. I'm tired, but I'm enjoying my alone, quiet time much much more.

Tomorrow is D-Day, Calaway day, or Puke day for me as I like to think of it, and the kids are burning with excitement. Me, I'm longing for my own bed and slippers, and I miss my kitties too.

A still life in the Bass Shop

Bass Shop 2...there were huge fish swimming in the pond

Huge fresh water tank with different species of fish native to North America

Charlie couldn't resist touching this deer...Bambi, she called it.

Yep, still in the Bass Shop. This shop was seriously humongous.

The general store had ice cream in waffle cones, and everything inside it was antique from the early 1900's.

These statues were everywhere in the mall...pretty amazing, and I wish the mall wasn't so far away from home.

Every "neighborhood" in the mall had a theme, and I can't remember all of them but there was a Hollywood theme, a western, pictured above, dinosaurs, and agriculture, to name a few. The mall was so easy to get around that shopping was actually a pleasant experience. I can't wait to go there again.

Calaway or Bust 2011 Part Une

2011-08-05T23:32:00.000-06:00

I am officially on holidays, and so is Mike...and his phone has only rang 2 times!!! I was so proud of him for forwarding it to his partner, which, in 6 years, he has never ever done. Even at Christmas time. That showed me that he really needed this holiday.

Yesterday we left bright and early for Edmonton, and we used a gift certificate for Fantasyland Hotel to stay in the Polynesian Room... and did things we normally don't do at West Ed because normally we spend our time shopping there. We mini golfed, played games in the huge arcade, and wanted to go in the submarines but they were shut down for the night, as were the bumper boats. Of course we shopped a bit, because, hey, it's West Ed, how could I not (I am a self-professed closet shopaholic). But we are headed to the new huge mall in Balzac outside of Calgary, and that is where my money will go. School supplies, and stops to a few specialty stores that we love for the kids are at the top of the agenda. Anyways, I digress.

The Polynesian Room. Wow that was an experience. We used the gift certificate and our room only cost us 5 bucks. Which was great as it was a 400 dollar gift certificate. I told the kids to enjoy the room as it was the nicest one they were ever going to see. There's no way I would spend that much on a hotel room on my own dime, but it was nice to experience at least once. The only bad thing I will say is that Internet is not free there, as it is at the 150 dollar a night hotel rooms. The Internet charge was 8.95 for 3 hours! Which is why I'm updating my blog at my brother in law's in Rocky Mountain House right now.

Before we left the city though we had to stop at the Telus World of Science, which we just love to go to. This year they had a Sesame Street display about how the body works and goes, and the kids had so much fun that we had to tear them away from it all. Definately a high light for the trip so far.

We stopped here for a visit for the next few nights, and will move on to the mall at Balzac on Sunday by 11:00am when it opens.

From there we will head to Airdrie to our hotel room, and then off to Calaway Park in Calgary on Monday morning for a full, loud, nauseating day of fun.

Yes, I hate going on the rides. I used to love it, and for some reason after I had Charlie I just can't stomach them anymore. One reason is my fear of heights, and I usually only went on babyish rides like the Scrambler or the Tilt a Whirl. But lately it's the barf factor of the dizzying rides that really gets me now. Last year at Galaxy Land Mike convinced me to go on those dumb swings that fly you around and lift you 30 feet off the ground. I seriously white-knuckled it the entire time, and met Brandon's ear-splitting grins with smiley grimaces. Mike had a good laugh at my expense and said the look on my face was priceless. Little did he know that the chains dug grooves into my hands while silent tears rolled down my face. I was terrified...I envisioned the chains breaking off and me flying out into the big metal statue of that huge smiling alien that's all over Galaxy Land. My hands are sweaty now remembering it, that's how much I hate heights.

I'm trying to con my brother in law Brad into meeting us there and then I can miss out on the rides that brings such delight to Brandon. I just can't break his heart by not going on them when he asks. I'll send Brad instead.

And after all of the fun at Calaway, we'll head back to Airdrie to zone out for a while, and either head back to the mall at Balzac, go to Medicine Hat to see my uncle (who hasn't returned my call so must be on holidays himself), or just go home...which is what I'm leaning towards.

Thus will end our holidays of 2011...until Mike and I leave the kids with my mom or Mike's parents and head to Edmonton for our annual Christmas shopping spree. That, my friends, will be my real holiday, with no kids hanging on me with a case of the 'gimmes' and the 'mom-can-I-haves'.

Jacey learning about how a tornado forms

Brandon pokes his head into a pond to watch the fish swim by

Charlie looking at a gross pig's heart...she didn't clue in.

She also didn't know she was learning about what goobers are made of.

The kids on the steps of a popular house on Sesame Street. Yes, that's Oscar the Grouch to the right.

Mr. Hooper's Store. So cool for Mike and I; the kids not so much as Sesame Street isn't up there on their list of shows to watch. When we were kids that's all there was to watch...besides the Flintstones.

Elmo's bedroom. Charlie didn't want to leave this one.

Stay tuned for Part Deux.

Last minute touch ups...

2011-07-30T11:08:00.000-06:00

Mike completed these louvres on Wednesday night, and I looove them. They add much needed privacy from the neighbors, while adding a decorative element without using...ugh...lattice (I hate lattice).

I was pleasantly surprised by the louvres, as I didn't know what he was going to put up there, and more importantly for me I wanted to be able to see into the backyard at the kids while cooking.

The BBQ area

Look at that big, empty spot to the right of the picture under the BBQ area...isn't that the perfect spot for a hot tub???? With a pergola and patio lights over top a hot tub I would consider the outdoor area complete...but not without a beer in my hand.

Of course we still have to spray on our Thompson's water sealer, and I think Mike needs to finish some trim work, which I can hear that he has started already. So now I guess I need to have a BBQ and invite over some company to make use of this new yard! There is still a month of summer left!

Big Bad Mosquitoes

2011-07-29T20:59:00.000-06:00

Poor Charlie and her allergy to mosquitoes.

The first time I took her to emergency for her mosquito bite I was told there was no such thing.

I called him on that and went home to look it up on an allergy website. Yes, there are people allergic to mosquito bites, and some of them have quite severe ones too.

It wasn't until the second trip to emerg that for the same thing a week later that the doctor said to me, "yes, yes, definitely a reaction to the mosquito". Hmm, yes, I know, I thought.

So here we are, a month and a half later, and other than following advice on staying out of the mosquitoes (ya, right), staying covered up in the summer heat, and carrying Benadryl on me at all times, I'm at a loss as to what to do for her when she swells up so badly.

Today, after being bitten last night and having 4 goes of Benadryl already, she looks the worst I've ever seen her after a bite. I have been holding a bag of frozen corn in a baggie on it once in a while, but you can imagine how that goes with a 2 year old. The swollen area is very hot, and she wants to rub it. I am trying to keep her away from it...you know how much a bite itches after you discover it!

I'm hoping tomorrow it will look better and she'll be able to see out of it a bit. She's starting to get cranky at only being able to see out of one eye. :)

Deck Update!

2011-07-24T21:53:00.000-06:00

Well here we are 4 weeks after Mike first started to work on the deck, and this weekend was productive enough, with the help of his dad, to have us able to stand on the deck last night. They worked hard non stop until after 6pm getting the boards on the upper level, leaving time this morning before his dad left to put up a few of the railings. The area to the right of the lower level on the picture above will be left for next year, as we are thinking of a private hot tub area instead of a dining area...the deck is big enough so we decided to veto that part of the design!

So far it looks great, and I enjoyed surfing the web with my salmon salad and a beer tonight at my table outside.

Today also concluded my 12 week subscription to weight watchers. It was an enjoyable experience, and I learned alot about portion control, meal ideas, and maintaining my weight once I take it off. Through tracking my food everyday at each meal I was able to see what I was putting into my mouth, and discovered I am a stress eater, meaning I overeat when I'm stressed out. Which is almost all the time. Most are surprised by this truth about me, but those closest to me understand this and what my stressors are. I just hide it very well in public!

Now that I know how to eat I can control what I eat. And we know that it's not just about diet change, but a lifestyle change...our fridge is stocked to the max with fruits and veggies. When most would eat mashed potatoes, we eat mashed/pureed cauliflower. And we changed our chip cravings into Quaker crispy mini's! No chocolate, no bread, no potatoes or pasta, and red meat once a week. The rest of our diet is mainly fruit for snacks and salads. We do opt for baby potatoes once in a while, or veggies on a skewer, but mostly we keep it very simple...and packed full of flavor so we don't get too bored with our meals!!

Mike has been following along with me as well, considering that he has to eat what I eat when I prepare food. So far he's lost 44 lbs and looks great. Not only that, he's happy. That means the world to me. The fact that I was keeping him unhealthy by making too many desserts and keeping my stash of chocolate almonds was taking a toll on him.

And I have lost 41 lbs, and feel great as well. Here are my stats since starting 12 weeks ago:

Weight: -41 lbs

Waist: -5 3/4 inches

Hips: -4 1/4 inches

Bust: 5 1/2 inches

Arms: 1 1/2 inches

Dress Sizes: -6!!! I am wearing an 8 again and love buying medium and small tops!

Thighs: 5 inches (combined)

This last weekend I was thrilled when I got to buy size 28 Silver Jeans..my favorite brand.

While I will never be petite ( I weighed 130 lbs when I was a size 1 ), it will be an everyday thing for me to watch what I put in my mouth. I don't treat myself too often but that's because if I give in then I want more and it becomes too easy for me to sneak a bite here and there of the kids' stuff...which is what got me to my heavy weight to begin with.

The most important thing is that I'm happy, Mike is happy, and we are looking forward to the weeks to come.

me all happy.

Day at the Beach

2011-07-17T23:52:00.000-06:00

A stop on the way to take a picture with the Turtleford turtle.

This old cabin is also on the way to the lake, tucked into a grove of trees

I picked up a friend of Jacelyn's today and we headed out to the lake for the day. A 32* day sure doesn't feel that hot with a lakefront breeze blowing on you!
The kids were great...playing in the water and by the water for the entire day. I never got mad or had to yell once. I found myself relaxed for the first time in a very, very long time. I should take more time like that more often. I think with all the running around I've been doing for the last two weeks (swimming lessons in Lloydminster every day), working, and weekends spent in the yard, I've sort of burnt myself out.
From now on I'll make sure to take some more down time for us all.