Tweet, Tweet.

I never dreamed I would enjoy bird watching, particularly since the hubs is an avid bird-hater.

The hubs and I were at our co-op store recently (yes, we do frequent this store often, as it seems that the Home Depot isn't keen on carrying calf feed and salt licks) and they've put up a new little display in the corner of their store. It was dedicated to all things feathered...whether it be a water feeding dish for chicks, or high-tech bird feeders. I decided to purchase a small suet feeder for 2.99 and a little seed bell (which is bird seed formed into the shape of a bell....perhaps I didn't need to explain that..) anywho, I brought them home and hung them on a shepards hook outside the livingroom window, hoping at the most to see a starling or two, for the kids to enjoy. Welllll....let me tell you, there are some weeeeird lookin' birds out there. We started off with blue jays and finches, and we've been promoted to woodpeckers and some zebra looking thing....it's quite ...well I wanted to say exhilarating, but I thought you'd think I'm lying. But really .... I love having pretty little creatures a foot or two away from the end of my nose, gently pecking away at their seeds.

Unlike the hubs, who tries to turn his head quickly while he sits on the couch in front of the window, hoping to scare my little friends away. They're hardy little buggers though, they have probably just deduced that the hubs has a tick and is just a poor man with a mental deficiency who is trying to enjoy a good look at them.

Conversations With a 2 year Old...

Mommy- 'Gabriel whats wrong??' (I asked this because he was standing very quietly in the corner)

Gabe - 'Nothing...it doesn't matter...'

M- 'Gabe....what's the matter?'

G - (Looking very sheepish..) 'Mommy?'

M- 'Yes?'

G - 'I put one boogey in my mouth, ... and ate it'

M- 'Oh.' 'Do you know why you shouldn't eat boogies?'

G - 'Yes. Because they are made of dirt,.....but they taste like salt...'

M - 'Ah.'

Rashes and Feed Bags...

Well, glad to see y'all have so many helpful hints on eczema. ahem. Anyway...I have to tell you about something I need to admit.

I use scare tactics to make my boy child listen to me. Is that wrong?

Today, for instance, he pooped and peed in his underwear (he has been fully trained during the day for months now, but has decided to test our patience lately, in this loving manner...how pleasant.) So, because I don't find spanking useful in instances like this, instead, I scare him into using the potty again. Now, don't start thinking I traumatize my child by wearing a scary mask and threaten him in a deep voice with the Un-potty monster...not so. Rather, because my child is intellectual enough to understand consequence, I use ....well.....consequences, of the not-so-fun variety. Today's was, 'If you don't use the potty again, you'll get a very bad rash from pooping and peeing in your underwear. And if the rash gets really really bad, your meemee (pet name chosen by him for his dingle) might fall off'.

As soon as I said this, he got very thoughtful. After staring into space for awhile (imagining his poor meemee laying lifeless on the floor) he said...'Okay mommy, I'll use the potty'. And so far ...no accidents since.

I believe his wild imagination helps in these scare tactics... some children couldn't give a cracker whether or not 'they will get stolen by a stranger, if you let go of my hand' they just continue on their merry way.

This one is my favourite...we were recently at our local farm feed co-op to pick up some feed for the cows, and Gabriel decided it was the perfect time to throw a tantrum (not of Ashlyns caliber, but bad enough that I had to do something for fear of the bag slinging, feed man thinking my children were unruly and mis-behaved) so I thought of something that would scare the seat kicking, screaming boy, and came up with this gem......'If you're not quiet, the man will put a feed bag on you.'

Silence.

Ashlyn was alarmed and unsettled by the sudden quiet that overcame the backseat and after a few moments she felt the need to pick up where he left off. She (who couldn't give a cracker if I told her she was going home with the feed man) keep yelling and flailing. Gabriel quietly said 'Mommy, I think Ashy wants a feed bag on her head.'

I guess my only worry is that when Gabe goes to JK, I can't really have him saying 'I use the potty, because if I don't my meemee will fall off, ...my mommy told me so.' Or 'My mommy said the feed man will put a bag on me if I'm not quiet.' ....oh goodness, could you imagine??

Hmmmm, perhaps I'll save the tactics for reallllllly special occasions only....

Eczema

They're popping up everywhere, on her legs, arms, hands and chin. Winter Eczema patches are slowly taking over my poor Dolly's little body. When I questioned the Dr. about it's origins, she said to slow down on the baths (which as you all know will be difficult for miss Ashy POOPs, as she is into everyTHING...crickets, pudding, ....cricket pudding.) She also mentioned a cream that she uses on her little guy, who has it as well. It's the butter from the Body Shop...Cocoa Butter Body Butter. I've tried the mango one on myself as well as the olive oil one, but MANNN, this Cocoa butter one is the ULTIMATE in lotions.

It runs about $20 for a medium sized tub, and it smells delicious. Once I applied it to my babes skin, it was like applying a velvety coating of the smoothest, sweetest cream...they loved it.

We've also put vapourizers in each of their rooms...it helps with the dry skin and dry noses. When I walk into their rooms to check on them before I go to bed, it's like walking into a warm (not hot) sauna, with all the moisture. Feels nice.

Anywho, if you've got any helpful hints on how to alleviate the dry itchy patches, I'd love to hear 'em!

So today is somewhat of a nerve-wracking day for the hubs. He's speaking at our churchs 'Men's Breakfast' which is a gaggle of men getting together, eating a delicious cooked breakfast and having some time together. The hubs was picked to speak at todays breakfast and wrote a wonderful sermon on 'Godly men and their fear of God". He went through it a couple times with me before bedtime lastnight, and it was so wonderful to hear my husband talk about his love and reverance for God. It set me back to the years before I had met Mr. Wonderful and how I would pray for him, even though I had not yet met him. As I zoomed back to this time and place, I realized how God has blessed me with my perfect life-mate. He is such a leader, a God-fearing man that stands up for the truth with passion and conviction, Zealous in all areas of wanting to serve Christ better.

I couldn't have asked for a better leader for our home, he is a man who is so dedicated to his family and teaches me daily about living life for Christ.

In his sermon, Dwight goes on to say that you must be saved in order to enter the gates of Heaven...and he further explains that being saved is not just a 5 line prayer that you've said in church before, but rather a death to your old way of living, A new life, in Christ. Confessing your sins and repenting, and believing with your whole heart that Jesus Christ died to save you! When one comes to this point, there is no option but to focus upward and onward...you must give up your life of sin, and focus on your life in Christ. You are a changed and renewed being...how wonderful!

As he is speaking on the fear of God, he was giving a couple examples of fear, and what drives that fear...is it failure, or loss?? He goes on to explain that although God IS a God of love, we must also FEAR him! His Holyness is so pure and blameless, and we are but humans that could never compare to him. We need to bow-down to our maker,... he has the final say in whether you are to reside in Heaven or Hell ...for eternity.

The hubs had a list of examples he was giving for fear, (ie...fearing you might be getting a ticket from a police officer makes you slow down, fearing that she may lose the life of her child gives a mother super-human strength to lift a car off her baby) and that these fears make you react, but yet the fear of God is sometimes unapparent in our lives, we don't react, we just live like life is a day after day monotony......it's time to fear God again. Don't sit idly by, renew your faith, live for him...and make each moment count for Christ!

I must tell you about the week the Hubs has had.....(it's apparent that someone doesn't want him to speak these words today...) It started with the food poisoning, two times, which zapped him of his energy, made him sick to his stomach, and didn't help with writing out his sermon, ...then came a sore throat, he's getting the sickness I brought home from my holiday and finally the last attack came today. He was up in the silo working on a piece of the feeder that occasionally comes unplugged, when a black starling bird came to see what he was up to...anyone that knows my husband, knows of his fear of birds. He despises them and the way they flap their wings in his face when he is up the silo..it just gives him the heebie jeebies. Well today the Starling decided to get friendly, it roosted on his shoulder and on his head, it flapped and chirped in his face and Dwight was on the top of the silo...he said he just had to keep focused on what he was doing....poor guy. He eventually finished up and safely made his way down the ladder again. Thankfully.

Please pray for him as he speaks today, prayer is powerful!!

UPDATE: It went really well!! Dwight said he made it through without too many nerves, and even got a few laughs. The men remained at the church discussing the topic of the sermon for a whole additional hour after Dwight finished speaking. Another man was inspired by the words God put in Dwights mouth today, that he will be preaching on a Sunday 2 weeks from now, on the same topic. All in all, he said it was a wonderful and inspirational time for the men present.

Quoting Gabe the Babe...

Conversations with a 2 year old:

...

He says: "Mommy do you like my maggots?"..."Yes honey, they're lovely magnets".

...

While reading a Dora book yesterday we were looking at stars and comets, a few hours later Gabe brings the book to me and says "Oh no ..Mom, the vomit is going to hit little star!" ... " Oh honey, you mean comet..."

...

While peeing on the potty the other day, Gabe proudly starts and stops his pee midstream and says " Mom, I'm just like the super big water fountain aren't I?" ...." Yes honey, you are."

...

He and Ashlyn are starting to get along and they are so polite to eachother, Ashlyn says 'thankyou' now and Gabe always replies with a 'you're welcome'. The other day Ashlyn was crying and Gabe approached her and said "It's okay Ashy, it's just me Gabriel, don't be scared....Daddy's here Ashlyn, I love you".

Meds....puhhleeese.

I can't be sure if it was the recycled air in the plane, or the weather change, or a simple little bug I picked up somewhere but maaaan, I am sick. Stuffy head, fever, hacking and sore throat. Ugggh. And of course my children right alongside me in this boat of kleenex and tylenol.

The hubs is to be bringing me some advil cold and sinus, but has been side-tracked by making an extra stop along his way. His friend Harold is finally getting his barn set up again (after it burned for the second time) and today is the day he is getting 'the ladies' home. It must be a wonderful feeling to be at this point, although feeling this for the second time around...is perhaps not as exciting.

So although I'm yearning for the drugs, I understand his delay....

I've just booked a cottage for my family this summer, and I can't tell you how the very thought of it just keeps me going, oh the anticipation of hot days spent in swimsuits, pails and shovels, potato salad and bbq-ing, boardgames on the deck and time with family. It makes me salivate.

fat lip and frozen meatballs...

Yesterday was a chain of events...all of which were not so great.

It began with a sore throat, (only to be laden with a full blown cold this morning...yay) I awoke to the sound of banging at 4:30 am. Thinking the hubs was already in the barn, I ventured downstairs with trepidation, waiting to see the face of a burglar, while in my jammies. As I prepared my fists I realized the sound was coming from the basement...the sound became clearer and I realized it was an axe making contact with a log. The hubs was down there chopping wood ... this could only mean one thing. We were out of oil.

The thermostat still read a frosty 15 degrees by 10 in the morning, and after I opened the fire box in our furnace...I could see why. There was no smoke or flame, the logs were still intact.

I am the exact opposite of a pyromaniac, and frankly I suck at lighting fires, particulary when it counts. So I made a quick call to the hubs and he came in and started a roaring blaze that would make a mexican sweat. I mean that in the nicest way possible...It was darn hot. So I proceeded to take off a few layers, and just as I was about to remove Gabes slippery wool socks when ...boom, he fell and put his teeth through his lip. (no mother of the year awards will be handed out here this year) Here's a pic of the damage.



After a freezy and a few other cold treats, he was back to his ol' self.

Next came the food poisoning. I made spaghetti 2 days ago and Dwight was the only one to eat it... later that night he was feeling ill. It lasted a day or two then he was feeling okay again. Yesterday for lunch I asked him to finish up the left over spaghetti and meatball dish (pasta, sauce, and frozen meatballs...I know, I know, no wife of the year award either) and again he felt ill after eating it. Well lastnight was much worse and he was sick to his stomach....I finally put two and two together and realized the common link in both cases...and as he was the only one to eat the spaghetti, I have a pretty good idea that it was the culprit. I'm wondering if perhaps the meatballs had thawed somewhere in the store and some bright shelf stocker just put them back in the frozen case, or if perhaps the sauce was tainted. I feel reeeeally bad about this, especially since Dwight is speaking at our church for a men's breakfast on Saturday... I really hope he feels well enough to prepare his topic and is able to speak.

We only lasted about 5 minutes before the wild child had enough. The dancing dog was no longer amusing her, and her brother was about ready to clock her on the head. Even the trees were shaking what little snow they had left on their limbs, to fall upon her small head, hoping to silence the squawk box.















The snow knocked her over, and her brother wasn't about to help the wild child in her power tantrum. As he gazed on with a quiet delight over her compromised position, her true knight in shining rubber boots came to the rescue and saved little miss muffett from her snowy demise.

Good thing for Daddy, 'cause I would'a just kept snapping pictures.

Power Tantrums..

My Mom said that Ashlyn was a great little girl while she was looking after her, ...I can't tell if she's speaking as a loving Oma, not wanting to tell the truth about how unruly and defiant miss red-headed Ashlyn really is, Or if she really was a good girl.

I'd like to believe the latter, but if I'm judging her behaviour last week on the last couple of days we've had...I'd have to say Oma was being loving.

She's discovered the 'Power Tantrum', as I like to refer to it as. It's a sickening display of all things in the 'negative behaviour' spectrum. Ranging from back arching (you know the kind that won't let you get them into their carseat) to head banging, screaming (at a new found velocity I never knew existed), flopping on the floor, and the occasional hit. It's quite the sight to behold.

She is so amazingly different than Gabriel (who at this age was still not walking...and was speaking in small sentences) and I have to wonder if it's the 'girl' thing or the red-head thing, or if it's something I've done (ie- leaving her for 6 days...making this week her pay-back week)

I've tried to ignore it, and that's the position I'll be taking on this whole tantrum business...freak out all you want little lady, I can't hear you when you act like that. Once she calms down I pick her up and talk with her..but man, these are approaching the need for Dr. Phil's intervention.

Don't get me wrong she has some pretty great moments...but they just seem to be clouded by the 'Power Tantrums'. If you've experienced anything like this with your children....please pass on some helpful hints or creative ideas. Pleeease.

So I got to visit Target, ..Super Target at that. I've wanted to see what it was all about, and I know that many Americans shop here... and finally my dream came true. ( I have very low-standards when it comes to dreams....) I must tell you it isn't much different from our super Wal-mart, in case you too had the same desire to shop at Target. I picked up a gift wrap organizer and a few odds and ends. My favourite store was Lane Bryant...it's for plus size girls, and it just so happens that I fit in their first size...(I won't let you know what that is for fear of ridicule...) so I picked up some shirts and a pair of crop pants, now I just need the long black boots to go with them....

We also indulged one night and got a Cold Stone Creamery ice cream cone, (and yesss, that's exactly why I'm currently shopping at plus size stores...) which is ice cream put on a slab of cold marble, you then pick any toppings (I chose peanut butter, and reese peanut butter cups in chocolate icecream) then they use 2 spatulas and mix your combination on the stone, they then put in into a sugar cone and Wa-laa you have a VERY delicious ice cream.

When we were at the ocean, we visited a store called 'Anything Joes' ..it's a store that carries lots of very cute kids items that can all be personalized. My kids have recieved several awesome gifts from aunt Alison from this store. I found a very cute large hand bag that will now serve as my new diaper bag. I had our last name put on it, and it looks great. I'll post a pic once I have one.

I probably spent a little too much, and I can try to justify it till I'm blue in the face, but instead I'll just hop back on to our budget and carry on (...with a few nice things under my arms)

Home.

It's over. I'm home.

When I stepped my foot in the door, it was like it had been ages since I'd been here. It felt wonderful. My house was cleaned from top to bottom by my wonderful hubs and he had picked up my darling Ashlyn from Oma and Opa's already that morning.

I was able to come in, plop down, pick through my suitcase and give little presents to the babes. I sat and re-collected the trips events to Dwight and told him how Gabe was SUCH a good little man, I couldn't have been more proud.

It all started on the plane ride there...he was so calm, the ride lasted an hour and 45 minutes and he was soo good. He drew, he chatted, he ate and went pee and for the rest he sat quietly anticipating the moment when he would see his little cousin Jada.

We were a little late getting flying, as the plane we were initially intended to take was pulled off the airport pad for mechanical problems. Hmmm, glad they discovered that BEFORE we got in the air. Then came the boarding call. The little man and I made our way to the plane, which I was expecting to be similar to a jet I had flown to the Dominican Republic when I was in highschool. Not so. This was a VERY small plane, probably one up from a prop plane, and there was only room enough for approx. 30 people. Gabe and I found our seats and waited. Then we heard the pilot come on and say, 'sorry for the delay, we have found some damage in the cargo area and are repairing it, before take-off'. Wellll, shoot...I was done, I could have cried if it wasn't for the fact that I had a brave little 2 year old sitting beside me, who was watching my face for any sign of fear. Before I could freak out and wave down the stewardess asking for valium, we were making our way downt the run-way. Whhhhhooooooossssshhhhh......we were up...then came the part where the plane cranks it's way around, heading for North Carolina, ...I nearly vomitted through my nose, I held on tight, closed my eyes and was preparing the barf bag.

Once the plane rose to its altitude and stopped turning, I was able to open my eyes and see the clouds below us. For the next hour, Gabe and I drew tractors, talked about Jada and ate bits n' bites.

Once we landed (quite smoothly I might add) I ran off the plane and kissed the ground, vowing to never rise higher than I can jump. ever again. ...Okay so I didn't kiss the ground, but the vow still stands! We found Aunt Alison, Jada, Mom (in-law) and Uncle Burt. Gabe ran to Jada and they spread their arms and gave eachother a big hug....SOooo cute :)

The rest of our stay in North carolina was wonderful, we saw alot of the state when we drove to the ocean one day (2.5 hours away) and got to walk along the shore and pick up seashells, it was a beautiful 24 degrees C out and it was warm wnough to wear a t-shirt and pants....Just beautiful.

We spent time shopping, meeting friends and neighbours of Burt and Alison, snuggling with baby Zachariah, going out for dinners, and just catching up. Gabe and Jada were like 2 peas in a pod, copying each other, playing together, and acting like hooligans.

The journey home was lovely, through the moutains of Virginia. I say lovely because the landscape is so beautiful and the mountains are quite majestic, but man oh man I was SO glad my mother in law was driving. I'm scared of heights and many of the roads were without guard rails and had a significant drop beside them....it was sick, I found myself closing my eyes many a time, and my knuckles were white from gripping the door handle so tightly. It was about a 14 hour drive, with Gabe needing to stop nearly every hour for the washroom or food, making it about 16.5 hours total, and we spent 1 night in a hotel.

Well...there's the short version of our trip, I'll post more detailed stories later, once I've caught up on the laundry..and get to know my daughter again...We were apart too long, and I was so at home again with her in my arms.

North Carolina Bound....

Tomorrow we're off to North Carolina, Gabe & I. Hoping all goes as planned and we make it there safe and sound. This will be my second time flying and I'm nervous about it...you know those silly thoughts that creep into your head....Oh well. I just have to remember it's all in God's hands.

I hope you all have a wonderful week, we'll have lots of pics to share upon our return home safe & sound.

'Talk' to you soon...

(I'll leave you with the last few pics of Toronto...)

Big Pool at the Hotel

Kiddie pool

Laundry in the tub...this duty follows me wherever I go.

Yes, this is how Fat Cat sleeps. He particularly loves how Ashlyn tickles his rolls, and purrs like a out board motor. No need for massaging chairs here, we've got a heated, vibrating chair...

Okay, back to Toronto.

So on the final day we checked out and left our bags at the bag-check-thingy, and took a couple hours to enjoy the skywalk ( a long glass enclosed pathway to the skydome, CN Tower, and train stations) and had lunch in the basement of the CN Tower. We found lots of bears and Canadian tourist junk there, and like those around us from foreign countries, we jumped right in and took photos of our children with the stuffed creatures...

We slowly made our way back to the hotel lobby after lunch and realized we still had a couple hours to kill before we boarded our train home at 5:30. What to do ....what to do.

We arrived at the hotel with a screaming child, and 20 million staring eyes. It was lovely. I took her to the nearest washroom and changed her diaper and calmed her down. We let her play in the lobby for an hour with Gabe and a couple of balls I had bought at the dollarama before we left....probably one of the best purchases I have EVER made.

Once she grew tired of trying to snatch peoples blackberries and cell phones, she played run away as fast as you can towards the open stairs. It was great fun had by all.

Eventually we loaded them all up and picked up our luggage and found our way to Union Station again. We were supposed to be able to pre-load the train in order to find ourselves a 4 seating arrangement and to get settled before the long ride home. WEllllll....not so. As I was trying to calm little miss tantrum ...again....we were sitting in the waiting area playing peek-a-boo with an elderly lady who thought she could help me by waving her shaky little hand to get crying Ashlyn's attention. Ashlyn picked up on her cue and quieted down and played a happy little game with her....I was just about ready to ask the nice lady if she would like to take Ashlyn home, but then a dirty little hobo sat down beside us...and I was contemplating whether he may be a better candidate to take on such a challenging little girl. He looked agile enough to keep up with her, he'd probably have some grrreat stories to tell her, and they both needed a bath....

I was just about to ask him, when they yelled for all passengers of train 84. Umm Pardon me??? Were we not to be pre-boarded?? We caught up to the crowd and discovered that we had no advantage over the other 400 passengers, we were to scavenge for seats just as they had to. It seemed as though all hope was lost ...when out came my gay, hand-flinging, via-working, train steward(ess) in shining armour. He was 'Oh ssso ssssorry' to hear that we hadn't been pre-boarded and was able to do a neat seat -flippy thing that gave us a 4 seat arrangement .....Ahhhhh...(or so I thought)

We were off...and so was Ashy, Off to win loudest baby on the planet award. several times. It was quite nearly one of my most embarrassing moments...not of the funny variety either. She decided it would be cool to try out her first, most savage, body twisting, ear-splitting tantrum ever. It was horrific. People were giving me those ...'Oooo I'm sooo glad that's not me' looks, with a combination of 'Shut that baby up' and a little 'Wow, she's really loud huh?'.

It was spectacular, she would have kept going if it wasn't for the reeses pieces I was shoving in her mouth, followed by some mouth fulls of apple juice.

The best was when she fell asleep 5 minutes before our stop, and as I was walking out I could hear people whispering...."There's the lady with the crying baby..." It was so nice to be popular.

TO trip

Well hello there....it's been a while...

We're back, for a day. It was beautiful to sleep in my own bed lastnight, as nice as a king size bed is, it just leaves more room for kids to climb in...and they did.

We left on Monday morning bright and early to catch the train and chugged our way to the big city. The kids were pretty great all the way there, Ashlyn thought it would be nice to stay up the entire ride until 5 minutes before reaching TO ...then fell fast asleep. I was the lucky one who got to lug her limp body around the station as the Hubs collected the luggage and pushed a tired little man around in the stroller. We headed into the grand lobby, and checked in...

(had to do a little finaggling with the 'royal service reception' as she insisted we booked a double bed, when in fact we had reserved a king...I stood my ground, and she finally found an available room...this was afterall a once a year trip for our family..and I HAD to have the big bed) Up we went and the hubs and I were trying to secretly debate on how much to tip the bell boy. We got to our room and it was nice. A classicly decorated large room with a pull out couch and king bed. It would definetly do.

Gabe in the king bed...

We decided to hit the Eatons Center once we got settled. We got down to the subway and watched our wide -eyed children with their mouths agape, as the silver bullet rode in and made their hair blow back.

The feeling of stress is overwhelming in the downtown, both the hubs and I found ourselves rushing, and talking quickly...it was ridiculous, we were on holidays and the stress of those around us was permeating our blissful time together. We made the mistake of trying to find breakfast at 8:00 one morning and found ourselves in the midst of a sea of people all wearing black suits, high heels or business shoes, carrying briefcases and of whom were all very solemn. It was like a race to a funeral. the clickety - clack of their shoes made Gabe think of horses. We were the only ones wearing bright colours with children and people stared at us like we were the 4 headed techni-colour monster.

Because of the stares and the incredible effort it took to get the kids down to the subway, we pretty much stayed in the hotel and ran the hallways and rode the elevators while the hubs was in his meetings. We also scored when Dwight discovered the free milk machines for the dairy farmers upstairs...woo hooo free milk, yogurt and cheese for our entire stay.

The convention is put on by the DFO board, most of our expenses were covered and we were able to experience some things we probably wouldn't have if it weren't so. One morning we ordered breakfast in bed...it was sooo delicious....and expensive. It was around $70 for our morning meal.....ack!!!

The next day brought a wonderful treat...my cousin Bianca was able to meet us at the Fairmont for the day, we were able to spend the day together enjoying eachothers company and let the kids have free range of the room. We spread out toys (aka Biancas wallet) on the floor as we sat on the bed and ate bon bons.

We were also able to enjoy the pool .....well I didn't. I have yet to purchase a bathing suit in 'whale' size, I keep telling myself I won't need it for very long and it'll just be a waste of money as I'll be shrinking soon. Ha.

So the hubs took the kids and his friend Harold swimming...and a lovely time was had by all!!

I have to run as we are heading to get our passports this morning for our trip tomorrow....I'll blog again this afternoon....

T.O Bound...

Well Folks, we're off tomorrow morning at 7:30 to board our choo-choo train to Toronto. We'll be staying at the Royal York Hotel for three nights. I'm SO excited as this means time together as a family.... with a few meetings for Dwight here and there, but there's lots to do at this hotel (there's a mall underneath it) and if we're at a loss of what to do while the Hubs is at a meeting, we can always run around the hotel halls.

I hope to blog again on Friday, (we get back late Thursday night) and then I and Gabriel are off again on Saturday. This time it's a Jet plane to North Carolina to visit Dwight's Sister and Brother in law and their 2 babies. Dwight's mom is also there, and we'll be driving home together. They say the weather has been beautiful there, and the tulips are starting to turn up...they must be just as confused as we are by all this nice weather.

It'll be nice to finally see what Alison and Burt talk about. I'll also be meeting baby Zachariah for the first time, he was just born in December, and he's already been through alot. He's been diagnosed with Sickle Cell Thalassemia (I probably totally spelt that wrong) but it's a disorder of the blood. It's something that Burt and Alison will have to wait and see how it affects him and the symptoms (pain in the extremities, and prone to infections) won't begin until he's 2 years old. We've been praying so much for this little guy, hoping God will carry their family through and that little Zach will have very few, very mild symptoms. Gabe prays for him every night..."that Jesus will make Zach all better".

Anyway, I'm just printing off the itineraries for our trip, then off to finish up some laundry and start packing. I hope you all have a wonderful week, I can't wait to have some great pics for you ;0)

"Talk" to you soon...

Longing for those dog days of summer...

Beef Stroganoff Recipe

So I've talked about this recipe before, but have yet to post it. It is so delicious and easy (a Crock Pot Recipe)...we're having it for dinner tonight with a loaf of fresh baked bread.

Beef Stroganoff

In the Crock Pot combine:

1 can mushroom soup
1 medium chopped onion
1 lb. stewing meat (fast-fry before putting in crock pot for a more appealing colour)
1 tbls. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup water
Salt and pepper to taste
(add extra mushrooms if desired)

cook on low for 8 hrs. or high for 5 hours.

Stir in 1 package of cream cheese before serving. Serve over egg noodles.

Enjoy!

Wiwee..

Yesterday the hubs and Gabriel decided to go and visit some friends who have recently taken up the challenge of a goat farm, for milk. There's 150 milking goats and they also have 18 milking cows.

They have put in a mini parlour for them and they share the milking of the goats and the husband takes care of the cows.

This is little Willy, he is a kid (goat baby) and was having fun chewing on Gabes coat zipper. Gabe got home and told me that goats feel like dogs, and he met 'Wiwee' (Willy) ... I keep asking him what the goats name was, I just love hearing him say 'Wiwee'.

Your Language Arts Grade: 100%

Way to go! You know not to trust the MS Grammar Check and you know "no" from "know." Now, go forth and spread the good word (or at least, the proper use of apostrophes).

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Bessie

This is called multi-tasking....It's what you do when you don't have enough hands, a load of laundry, and a child waking up from her nap...that both need to be brought downstairs.

I was on my game yesterday...dishes done, laundry cycling, toys picked up, lunch made, borrowed items returned, then BAM it hit me.

I was upstairs throwing a comforter into the washing machine and as I was crouched in the position that one would be in when they are throwing in the comforter...and I felt a slight pop. That's all it took...couldn't get out of said position. Ooooeeeee. I waddled my way back downstairs, head hanging over my toes and laid on the couch. The hubs applied a sticky heating pad to my lower back (yes its supposed to be sticky...it's one of those sticker tensor bands, not just a dirty ol' heating pad) and after 2 ibuprofens, I was starting to feel better....I can still feel it this morning but nothing this big mama can't handle. After all, the hubs goes to the barn 2ce daily with a bad back and a flat foot and he doesn't complain, even when his ankle is swelled up like ... like my nasty pregnancy ankles, the ones that are easily compared to a large citrus fruit. Grapefruits or huge Florida oranges.

Anywho as Dwight is in the barn with his other ladies... I must tell you a story of a poor cow. If you're easily overcome by sad animal stories...please do not read on. If you're a glutton and need to cut down on your consumption, please, read on to find out what could happen to you.

There was a cow, lets call her Bessie. Overnight the other night, Bessie broke out of her stanchon (the chain that ties them up so they can't run amuck, and so they take the time to lay down on their comfy beds at night and produce milk) and she was like a cow gone wild. She decided that while all of friends were happily munching on their cud, she would search out the feed cart and have herself an extra meal...or seven. Cows don't really act on their feelings of 'Ooo I'm full' they see food and they eat it. and eat it. and eat it. Well once Bessie nearly consumed a cart load of high protein feed, she went along her merry way. Until they found her at 4 in the morning with a bloated belly and the sweats. Poor thing, she ate her way to sickness. Dwight let her try to walk it off all morning...they say mineral oil is one of the best things to help things move along...just like in us humans.

So I guess the moral of the story is eat smaller portions, If only I could heed my own words. (and not eat a bowl of whipped cream, with a piece of chocolate cake and some pudding) I guess I'll just keep a mental image of Bessie in my head, or just look down and see my body's growing likeness to Bessie, and realize it's time to turn on my 'Oooo I'm full' feeling.

I'm off to do some deep cleaning around here today...want the laundry, floors, dusting, beds, bathrooms etc. all done before we leave on Monday, so I figure if I start now ....

Have a wonderful day, I'll be shutting off the puter for the day so I can focus on the tasks at hand...I'm easily distracted :)

While I'm posting about organized things, I thought I'd take a pic of my 'new to me' scrapbook desk, freshly organized. All of my stickers, photos, paper, brads, ribbons etc...are all neatly hidden in the boxes and pails.

We also just finished the train table. It's now nailed down and the bits and bobs are glued so Ashlyn can't destroy it at her whim. There's a big station that came with it, and we've placed it on a corner so Gabe can take it off and play with it on the carpet as well. Gabe's Aunt Vicki painted this table and all of his Aunts and Grandma and Grandpa gave him the Thomas train tracks and accessories for Christmas. He's so happy it's up and running now :)

Mission: Playroom Organization...

Well folks, here's what I've been doing all morning. Assembling racks and filling bins, organizing and cleaning. Ahhhhh....feels so good. I didn't end up getting the original bin racks I had wanted from Toys R US, so after Jen and I went through the entire Walmart Superstore, we finally ended up picking this organizational unit. I was upset initially, that I wasn't getting what I had my heart set on...but am pretty happy now that this one is all set up and in place. The bins are the perfect size for bigger toys, stuffed animals, legos etc. And they look pretty tidy even though they are chalk full. Thanks to Jen, who put up with my indecisiveness lastnight, and helped me think of all possible storage solutions.

Dwight has now hung the chalkboard at a perfect level for Gabe. Here is a pic of that and the train table Gabe received for Christmas...we're working on putting a nice track together this afternoon, then we're nailing it down so miss Ashy poops can't tear it apart.

Short and stout..

Here's my find ...ain't she pretty?

Treasure Trove...

Well in the midst of my purging of all things useless and old, I've come across some treasures. A vintage teapot from Dwight's grandmother that is a sweet robins egg blue, it has tiny cracks all over it and a wonderful shape. I have fallen in love. I promise to post a pic of this beauty once I'm done rifling through the heaps.

I've cleaned out a large cupboard that is located above the playroom by a few steps. It will now house my unopened packages of diapers and wipes and anything baby related that needs to be stocked. It was interesting to go through this cupboard and remove old glassware, thermos', mugs, and my favourite....a box of unopened ice cream cones from the 80's. Every Grandma had to have an extra box of these around in case of a surprise visit from her grandbabies.

I didn't know Dwights Grandparents, they passed away before I met Dwight. He tells me special stories but it's still hard to imagine them. I have an advantage though....we've moved into their house, and a lot of their details still live here. As we've slowly renovated things, I've gotten to know them better...whether it be through the small clips of special articles Grandma clipped and stuck between the floor boards while they were putting on the hardwood, or the special recipes she's saved from war times and the oily fingerprints that grace the pages, Even the vintage stationary that's left unwritten, tells of her taste in paper.

Some would find it a daunting task to inhabit and slowly make their own way in a house that is still packed with so many memories, but I like to look at it as getting to know 2 people that meant so very much to my husband.

Since Jenny Benny is so tired of looking at my chinese soup can...and because I've been a complete slacker in the blogging department I thought I'd give a super quick update.

I'm currently tackling 3 projects -

1. play room re-organization - all the new toys from Christmas need space and some of the older ones need to be rubber-maided. I'm purchasing 2 new storage compartments from Toys r us that have small and large bins for organizing toys. Woo hoo...nothing like a clean playroom, the kids might actually play in it.

2. Cleaning out my den/office - clearing out all old paperwork, organizing scrap book items, clearing desk of clutter etc.

3. Cleaning the house after the severe bug that went through here. Things went to pot. I'll readily admit it. It's pretty messy/dirty 'round these parts and everything needs a good disinfecting. Plus all the regular stuff...I kept up the washing and drying of the laundry but the folding fell behind.

We're off to the Royal York hotel in Toronto next week for Dwight's DFO/DHI meetings (dairy farm meetings) and I want the house spotless and organized before I leave.

I guess this all makes for a clean start to the New Year...