New tractors, old tractors, stables and cutting horses.....

I liked this new tractor that is designed to look old:

Sam loved this old tractor because it had won a lot of rosettes - he seemed to think it had won a lot of races ;) 

Lloyd loved this barn/ stable - the big brother of the stable we saw at the auction house last year.   They are made in Red Deer and delivered in three pieces - put together on your property in about 6 hours!!!!  Built of pine/ and spruce for the most part (steps are pressure treated) it needs to be treated approximately every five years.  I have to admit this is a lovely stable - much nicer than the smaller one we saw last year - the room upstairs was a lovely size!!!  Would make a great office space!!

We went along to watch the auction of the performance horses - we were really surprised at how little the horses went for.  Some were going for under $2,000 and many for around $5,000.  I thought they would be going for around MUCH more than that for breeding purposes at least!!  They kept mentioning that many were from the same line as Peppy San Badger  which I thought would have mattered more but I lol I know NOTHING about horses really...but looking at pedigrees online it looks like Peppy San's parents were Leo san and Peppy Belle - and they were Peppy San Badgers Grand Parents!!

Ok - I know there is a cutting Horse expert around here somewhere who might be able to explain further..... ;)  There is a statue of Peppy San in Millwoods Mall.

Fishing at the show!!

Susannah also caught a fish but it broke free - and even snapped the line - and it was so fast that I didn't get a picture!!

The children were given a certificate each for catching their fish :)  I think they deserved them for having the patience to stand there that long and wait for the fish to bite!!

Off to the Farm and Ranch Show...

Relaxing Saturday afternoon....

The 'boys' playing games.....kitty sleeping on my leg and keeping my foot warm...and me reading

 Ariel Gore's Blog.  Waiting for the lasagna to be done....

Private again...for a while.

Now that all of my online classes are finished, I have made my blog private again.  I am so much happier and feel safer when it is private - I've now had it open since the beginning of December - which is a long time for me, and while it was nice to share a little with a few new people, I did feel very 'open'.  I know that making it private doesn't make it totally safe - but it makes me feel safer ;)

Anyway, sorry if you've had any problems signing in.

x

In love with the Green Monster....

Mel over at Cheerios Addict blog recently mentioned The Green Monster Movement.  If you don't know   about green monsters then I really suggest heading over there to check the website out - and then heading over to Angelas blog Oh She Glows!  Both are sooo inspiring and full of wonderful advice and inspiration about healthy living and recipes!!  

The actual 'green monster' is a a basic smoothie recipe - that is then adapted into a BILLION different recipes....from what I have read, if you drink them regularly you can expect amazing benefits to your hair, nails, skin, weight, energy levels......health and vitality in general!!!

I've been looking for something like this for a while - something to add to my diet without too many pills and supplements - something natural, filling, healthy....that actually really does make me feel like I am doing my body GOOD!!  That helps towards my detox.  

We've been really working on our health here lately - our fitness room has been finished for a while now and so we have started a regular fitness program.  It's really fun to work out as a family in the evenings - Laurence is doing strength training ready for Cheer try-outs/ Spring training...Lloyd is doing some cardio and weight training and I am doing cardio and weights - but just toning.  Chris is working out on the treadmill when he can and Susannah likes the treadmill and the eliptical.  

With that, and swimming twice a week as well as walking (the dogs and out and about on the trails or wherever at weekends when we can)  it feels good to be getting more in shape again.  I think I just needed the motivation - and someone to do it with - and it's so much better doing this as a family.

Lloyd used to do weight training before I met him - when I see pictures of what he used to look like it's hard to believe - he used to be HUGE lol - but then life/ work got too busy and he moved away from his work out buddies...I think he's enjoying doing it all again now - and Laurence is enjoying training with him!!  

Anyway - back to the green monsters....I have one tall glass in the morning for breakfast.  I have another glass about half an hour before supper.   I add low fat whey protein to mine and almond milk...as well as flax seed.  I'm ordering some wheat grass online because I can't seem to find any locally.  I've tried a few different recipes already.  

I think next week I'll wander around the health stores and get some more ideas for things to add.  I know for sure I'm already eating a lot more fruit than I was - I have always loved my vegetables but I've never been a huge fruit eater - but you can throw anything in a smoothie!

The main thing I have noticed is that they are filling and my appetite is reduced already.  I no longer crave junk or get hungry......they really do fill you up and keep you full!  

So I'm going to give it a few weeks - and write down each day what I put in them....keep a journal of my diet and everything and then assess how I feel - how my skin and hair and energy is etc etc - and I had already decided not to weigh myself until April 30th anyway - and then i'll see what I think of this whole 'green monster' thing ;)  

I wonder if they are really as good as they say...and have all the benefits they say......

Laurence..

Laurence was sat at the island after school today and I snapped a picture of him - he tried to tell me not to but he had a mouthful of tea....so he couldn't ;)  

It was funny :)  

Abigails mini cupcakes...

Apricot Flapjacks...mmmmmmm

I've just taken this tray of Apricot Flapjacks out of the oven....Mmmmm they smell good.  They are from Lucy's recipe for 'fruity flapjacks' over at the wonderful Attic 24  I'm waiting for them to cool so I can try them :)  YUM!!!

Come fly with me...

Off the wall....

heart collage of our trip to the mountains...

I was hoping my favourite picture would show up better:

So hard to believe it was two weeks ago today we headed to the mountains.  Time sure flies!!!

Bounce!

Yesterday we headed to the pool again for a swim - after our swim we spent a while in the indoor playground - well, Abigail did!  I sat outside for a while enjoying a London Fog and then went in and joined her and watched Sam in there playing with his friends.

In the evening Laurence started his new gymnastics class - he was the only boy in the entire gym club all evening!!  I think he liked it ;)  His classmates were really nice and all so welcoming and I think they all flirted with him through the entire class lol!  They all liked his British accent and were trying to get his phone number by bribing him with British candy hahahaha!

We are in the midst of a Spring/ winter storm right now - last night we had to drive home in it at it's worst!!  It was TERRIFYING.  In town it wasn't so bad - the roads were fine and it was more like rain, but the closer we got to home, the roads turned to ice, the high winds (up to 90km an hour) were blowing heavy snow and we were driving blind on the icy snow covered roads....there are no street lights out on the highway and we couldn't use main beams because it made it worse.  Rear wheel drive cars were spinning all over the place and didn't seem to know where the lanes on the highway were which made OUR drive even more dangerous as we were dodging dangerous drivers.  Everyone was crawling along!

Even though we were driving sooooo slowly, because we couldn't tell where we were (it was awful) we couldn't tell where to slow down for our turning (even after living here so long omg) and when we finally saw our turning we couldn't stop and the car kept sliding.....we missed our turning and kept going along the highway - which meant we had to go to the next turning and stay on the nasty highway and then try and find our way back from there...blind in high winds and blowing snow.  It was NOT fun - I was so glad to finally make it into our driveway and be home safe.  

This morning it is still very windy and they forecast 70km an hour winds most of the day.  It has stopped snowing which is a shame as we really need a LOT of snow right now - or rain!!  Lloyd has asked me to stay home today - he doesn't want me out on those icy slippery roads - and after last nights dangerous and frightening experience, I can't say I mind at all.  Sorry about breakfast Val!!  Last night was a little too much for me ;)

Friday fill-ins!!

1. In 1992, I was newly married and living in Epsom Surrey - hoping to get pregnant with my first baby - which I did by the end of the year :).
2. My children bring me many laughter and smiles.
3. Do what you may, with what you have, where you can.  - lol sorry I got stuck on this one ;)
4. During this Spring (Winter??) storm, HOME is where I'd like to be.
5. The trees and flowers are telling me that Summer is on it's way despite the snow.
6. We need snow or rain that just keeps going on.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to A quiet night at home AT LAST, tomorrow my plans include going to the farm and ranch show and Sunday, I want to see what the day brings!


Find your Friday fill-ins HERE

Random Dozen...

1. Define a great relationship:  Friendship, trust, laughter, support, compromise, understanding....

2. Why is it called a "drive-through" if you have to stop? (Real question: What was the last food/drink you purchased at a drive-through?): After our hike on Monday we ran to Timmys at Nottingham.  Lloyd had a coffee.  I had a bottle of water.  The children each had a bagel and a small iced capp.  I wasn't hungry at all but was really thirsty for something cold - I just wanted water and all the water we had taken with us was gone...

3. As I type this, the Butler Bulldogs are getting ready to play in the NCAA championship game. Every Hoosier is hysterical about this except me. So in honor of the Bulldogs ... what is your favorite breed of dog? (I tried.)  I like many breeds of dog.  I'm not attracted to small dogs at all really.  I like large breeds.  I love blue great danes....Red Setters...but I really do think you can't beat Golden Retrievers - they are just so friendly and devoted and loving....real family dogs!!!  I think Burnese Mountain Dogs are gorgeous too.  

4. If you had to move to a state besides the one you currently live in, where would you move?  Well I don't live in a State - I live in a Canadian Province, and although I always thought I wanted to live in the US, a few things lately have made me think twice about that.  However, I would like to live somewhere warmer or at least have a Winter home somewhere warmer....I'm still undecided as to where - maybe by the coast somewhere.

5. If you could change anything about the way you were raised, what would it be?  I would have stopped my parents moving to the house they moved to in my teens - and I would have stopped Lloyds parents moving away when he was in his teens too - BUT saying that, everything worked out anyway - so all in all I wouldn't change a thing ;)

6. Who's the funniest person you know?  My husband - and my children...they all make me laugh so much and they 'get' me and my humour so they know how to really make me laugh!  Lloyd makes me laugh the most - not a day goes by without us laughing like crazy about something!!!

7. Did you get enough sleep last night?  NO!!!!  I was awake at 3am for about 2 hours and then Lloyds alarm went off at 6am but luckily he changed it and came back to bed for a while :)  I think we're both tired this morning!  Not a good night!

8. What's the first thing you thought about this morning?  Lloyd woke me up with coffee and so we just sat telling each other how tired we were and giggling really...he was in his suit and I was trying to open my eyes but some mornings they just don't want to open - like this morning.....and it's funny....I'm so glad I don't have to get up and go out to work!

9. Grilled or Fried? I don't fry anything!  I don't often grill anything either...I tend not to cook things that way...but if I had to choose I would say grill because frying isn't healthy...if I had to fry I would drain off all the fat - ewwwww!!!

10. Are you afraid of the dark?  No...I think it's fun.  To go out for a walk i the dark is fun and you can scare each other with noises etc....try and guess if there are animals around etc.  We live so far out there are no street lights or anything so it's VERY dark out here....the stars are amazing...I love it :)  

11.When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?  An educational psychologist lol - I wanted to work with kids who truanted etc etc hahahahaha  which is kind of bizarre because now I think so differently about schools that I have homeschooled all of my children at some point and am unschooling my youngest two children....I would prefer if my older children chose different paths but unfortunately they have been institutionalized for too long now.....

12. If you had one word to describe yourself , what would you choose?  Me.  


Find your Random Dozen HERE