Aug 31, 2007

10 years...

Today marks the 10th anniversary of Princess Diana's death.....do you remember where you were when you heard she had died?

I was 25 years old and 5 months pregnant with Susannah and I was in bed...it was early Sunday morning and my then-husband Nigel was downstairs making coffee...he had the tv on down there and he called upstairs to say to put the tv on...he said he thought one of the royals had died - but he didn't know which....

He came upstairs with coffee and we sat in bed watching the news to see who it was...we both assumed it was the Queen Mother.

When they said it was Diana we were stunned. Absolutely stunned! It didn't seem possible!

That day was the day we were having Christophers 4th birthday party. We weren't sure whether to cancel or not but decided to go ahead with the party - we had a lot of people coming and we had a magician and Punch and Judy performer coming to entertain all the children.

Everyone invited came to the party except for my friend Julie and her 3 children.

I later found out that Dianas death had affected Julie very badly - she was frightened to drive because of it and she kept having visions of Diana sat at the end of her bed......she was always a nervous driver after that day. Sadly Julie died 4 years ago.

So that was what I was up to on the day that Diana died.

I remember watching the funeral on tv - and sitting in my window looking out - all the stores were closed during the funeral and the street was really quiet.

What do you remember?

Hiding place...





Poor Sugar did NOT like her cold bath and went to hide under the trampoline for a few minutes afterwards! Funny girl! We'll miss you Sugar - we enjoyed having you to stay!

Time for a bath!






Sugar tried to wipe the dirt off in the grass but it didn't work so she had to put up with a cold shower with water straight from the well! It was a MUST though as BOY did she smell!

New tricks!



See Christie - you teach my boy to throw napkin snowballs in a restaurant....and I teach your dog how to get into trouble like a dog should ;) lol!

Mama Christie does NOT look pleased with her Sugar!!!! lol!

To this:





Sugar was lovely and white when Christie arrived to get her, but while we were chatting, Sugar went to play...in the pond!!! She was all excited and came running into the house!!!!

from this.....

Scrapbooking divas..






The girls scrapbooking at the table yesterday morning.....

By the fire - on Wednesday night





A few pictures from Wednesday night out by the fire.

The bottom pictures is of the girls being chased by Lloyds gas powered car!

pictures to scrapbook!




Here are some of the pictures I took of Susie and her friend yesterday so they could scrapbook them....the bottom picture is actually of them yawning as they are in pj's.....but it looks more like they are singing or something weird lol!

I grumbled through the last two days!

I am so behind in posting.

So, on Wednesday morning I ran for 30 minutes and then in the afternoon Susie and I went to South Edmonton Common...first store we went into was The Childrens Place...and it was a total ZOO (of course having read Kathys latest post, I now realise that that was because it was the first day of their Summer Clearance Sale.....so THATS why the line ups were to the back of the store! We weren't in there for Summer gear so I didn't bother pushing through to the sales racks - we did get some jeans, a lovely denim long skirt and some tops for Susie for Fall and back to school!

We were due to have our hair cuts at 1pm or so I thought! Turns out the stupid COW (sorry but yes she was a stupid old moo who was mouthy and tells LIES....) had booked us in for NEXT Wednesday the 5th instead of this Wednesday! She swore that she had read the date back to me (she didn't - just said 'you are booked in for WEdnesday at 1pm) and she swore it was her that took the booking yet said 'she is all booked up today' well the girl who took the booking said SHE was cutting my hair - so I know she wasn't being honest! Anyway, they managed to find time to cut Susannahs (which I am NOT impressed with) and I was so upset I called Lloyd who got on the phone to my normal hairdresser at WEst Ed Mall and got e an appt for tomorrow! I love you Lloyd - you save my sanity!

So I am having a cut and colour tomorrow!

After that I took Susie out for something to eat and then we hit Rietmans for some clothes for me :) Payless shoes for some Fall shoes and boots for us both....and then La Senza Girl which was a real treat for Susie - a lot of her friends wear things from there but I find a lot of it a bit OTT for little girls! Anyway - we bought her a lovely dressing gown like mine in the sale which she just loves - they are soooo soft! And she bought herself some High School Musical things with her own money!

WE had a fun girls day out shopping but it was so tiring!

We got home and then Susies friend arrived for a sleepover - by this time I was tired and not really in the mood for guests...after dinner we all went outside and Lloyd lit a fire and we had Smores....I have pictures to add when I have time!

Thursday morning the girls wanted to scrapbook but I was so tired from WEdnesday and really grumpy so I took a few pictures a of the girls, printed them off and gave them some supplies to scrapbook with....

I basically woke up THursday morning in a cranky mood and I have been in a cranky mood ever since! I was so close to phoning Val and cancelling going to the lake - but I knew if I stayed home and wallwed in my bad mood it would be worse...so we packed up the car and went anyway!

I'm so glad we did - Val was very kind and put up with me being grumpy all afternoon - the children had great fun and the weather was GORGEOUS!!! 29c I think Val said it got to! Woohoo! Today was nice too and got to 23c too :) in fact all week it hasn't been bad :)

I didn't swim this time and only paddled up to my hips really....the kids seemed to do a lot of swimming though.

I'm so glad I didn't waste this last hot day of Summer being grumpy at home! I know Val was very close to cancelling too, so Val - thank you for coming out and joining us :)

WE got home around 5:20pm and I threw some dinner in the oven...then Susies friends Mom arrived to pick her up and Lloyd and I jumped in the truck with Sam and drove into town with the trailer to pick my quad up from cycleworks. All fixed Yay!!! WE ran into Tims afterwards for a bagel each and then home at last! I was then so tired we put Sam in the bath and went to bed!

That brings us to today!

This morning I was badly sunburned on my back from yesterday and because I had had the sun on the back of my head all afternoon, I had a bad headache too.....so I stayed in bed most of the morning and then sat on the floor and played with Sam for ages with his cars and with some cootton reels and strings to practice threading....he was in such a fun mood and was happy to make tracks in the carpet with his car wheels and build towers with the blocks and the cotton reels.....I am so looking forward to having some time with just Sam. Hhmmm I wonder if I can persuade Val to join me at one of those drop in mornings at Kinsmen where the children can play and then you can swim with them...........Val?????

I got up and threw some laundry in the machine....tidied my room a bit and sorted some clean laundry....exciting huh? Caught up with some Email....and got one from Christie saying she was off to soak in the hot tub because of her aches and pains from hiking this week :) It's ok for some!!!!

Then Val called to say about breakfast next week (its a day early woohoo!) and then Christie called to say she was on her way over for Sugar.....

Christie came in for tea and as always time passes really fast with Christie because we don't stop chatting and laughing! Oh and that reminds me that I need to add Christies bog to my list of blogs again because YAY she has started writing it again (after me nagging!)

So Sugar has gone.....she was a darling - such a good dog - although when she arrived she was white and when she left she was almost black (I have pictures to post and I PROMISE it wasn't my fault! She was white when Christie arrived to pick her up!!!!

Christie stayed until Lloyd got home and then we waved her and Sugar off, I ran inside and tidied myself up, and then Lloyd and I headed into town. WE grabbed supper at Boston Pizza (because Smittys closes at 4pm on a Friday???!!!! Why????) and then we went to Costco to get a months worth of groceries - well actually not quite because our freezer broke down so we couldn't buy much frozen food as our small fridge freezer doesn't hold much. I also bought some of their fab Christmas gift wrap and a copy of Jodi Picoults novel 'My Sisters Keeper'

And that brings us to now - I am sat here catching up while Lloyd and Sam watch Brother Bear.....I am tired and still grumpy - although not quite as grumpy because I had a child free evening which was nice.

I have pictures to add so I should do that while I have the chance.

Have a FAB weekend everyone - what are you all up to?

Thank you

A big thank you to those who have/ or plan to sponsor me - I really appreciate you believing in me and for supporting such a wonderful and worthwhile cause!

Aug 30, 2007

Please consider sponsoring me...

www.cibcrunforthecure.com/html/personal_page.asp?track=2190686&languageid=1

Please do consider sponsoring me to run 5k and raise funds for this wonderful cause - all money raised goes to The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. I am not yet half way to my goal of $300 and every little bit helps! You can pay via credit card by clicking the above link....(participant: Jane Thorpe, location: Edmonton) or you can send cash or cheque to me - please make it payable to Jane Fernandez and then I will add your donation via credit card so you will see your name and amount on my site and will receive an official thank you! All donations need to be received prior to the run on September 30th.


Please remember that every little helps! You can sponsor me from across the globe - either by credit card or with cash.....(if you would like to pay in pounds via cheque then please make British cheques payable to Lloyd Thorpe and he can pay them into his UK account and we can again use our credit cards to add the amount to my site....

I hope that makes sense :)

Gorgeous day...

With a forecast of 27c today we are off to the lake again. Susie has her friend Hayley staying and they are busy scrapbooking at the table - I took some pictures of them this morning and printed them off....Susie is using the supplies we bought last week on our trek to the scrapbook store :)

Oh and BIG news - Sam used the potty this morning!!! For the very first time - only problem being that he wants to pee standing up - just like his Daddy - and of course if you pee from high up in a potty, it splashes EVERYWHERE!!! Still, he did it! What a big boy :)

Tonight I get my quad bike back from the garage - yay :) I can't wait to ride it and be able to go out with the girls on theirs....and Laurie will be thrilled to go out on it too :)

Have a great day everyone - enjoy the gorgeous weather :)

Aug 29, 2007

Worlds tightest jeans



Click on the above picture to get a clearer look ;)

Worlds tightest jeans

We shopped 'til we dropped........

My feet ache, my head hurts and my back aches. Shopping with Susannah is EXHAUSTING! But we had fun - she has a new hair cut (I didn't grrrrr LONG story!) and we both have new shoes and new clothes (and even new jewellery wooooooooo!!!!! )

More later - my gorgeous hubby is home :)

Aug 28, 2007

Poor Annabel. Poor Laurence.

The shock of being attacked by Sugar was just too much and Annabel, Laurences rabbit, died a little while ago.

What do you say to a heartbroken little boy when he has just watched his pet rabbit die?

Charlie-Barley soaks up the sun...




Charlie sunbathing at the front of the house this afternoon - looks like she tired herself out by watering the plants with my watering can.....

Sugar with Abigail





Abigail is enjoying spending a lot of time with Sugar - constantly taking her for little walks around our land...

Sam in the jungle.....




Sam stomping through the jungle of weeds that is our front flower bed :)

Sugar.....



A pic of Sugar from this afternoon - just before she got hold of Laurences rabbit, Annabel.......Annabel screamed out - we managed to get Sugar off her and she seems ok now just a little shocked.....Laurence as very upset though - I did tell him that it was his fault for leaving her out......and of course now the children can't understand why Sugar tried to eat Annabel because I had told them she is a vegetarian!!!! lol!

Scrapbooking.....



I did these two layuts last night and today.......still finishing up my Florida album....

Told Charlie a joke and she fell over laughing!




Q: A blonde is walking down the street with a pig under her arm. She passes a person who asks "Where did you get that?"

A: The pig says, "I won her in a raffle!"

How messy are you?

Are you messy? Do you like to be surrounded by clutter? Or are you a neat freak? How messy is too messy?

I was watching Gill Deacon this morning and the whole show was about mess and clutter. David Freedman - the author of The Perfect Mess was a guest and was basically saying that its healthy to have a little mess - it equates to less guilt if you relax about the home and you have more time to enjoy life.

He also said that even messy people normally ahve a personal alarm system that goes off if the mess gets to be too much and then they sort it out - so those who pile clothes on a chair will normally let the pile get to a certain size and then sort it all out and pack it away properly....

He said that most successful people/ creative people are messy and have messy desks. He said that Germans are the most neat nation and that Hitler was extremely obsessed with neatness....

It was an interesting show.

Did you know that Einstein, Arnie and Bill Gates are all messy people? And Einstein has a famous quote:

"If a cluttered desk is the sign of a cluttered mind, then what is an empty desk a sign of?'

Career choices....

Why on earth would someone choose to become a Colonic Hydrotherapist????? Who would choose to suck poo out of people all day every day?

The Lunar Eclipse





I waved Lloyd off this morning just after 6am and as he was leaving I noticed the moon was partially eclipsed. I had forgotten that it was happening today and we slept through almost all of it. It was still neat to see. I took these pictures and then thought I'd take another look in a few minutes - well five minutes later the sun was up so high that the moon had vanished!

The last total Lunar eclipse here was in 2004.

It made me think of the solar eclipse a few years ago - I remember my friend Faith had come to visit for the day and we took the children up to the playground near my home in Stockport. We were so far north in the UK that we didn't get a total eclipse - but it did become like twilight in the middle of the day. Very cool!

Aug 27, 2007

Louise

I'm so sorry to hear your Mother in Law is so seriously ill...you are right, Cancer is a very cruel disease. One of my best friends from England died of cancer a few months after I arrived in Canada - it was such a shock.

All I can say is just be sure to take lots - (and lots and lots) of pictures of you with your Mother in Law, with your boys (together and separate) with your Mother in Law and especially of your husband and his Mom.....those pictures will be so important!

Thinking of you!

How????? Tell me how!!!!!

So we get a letter from Costco today, saying that a Polly Pocket set that we bought last DECEMBER has been recalled - the magnets in it are falling out and are dangerous if inhaled!

We have to return the toy for a refund!

So can someone please tell me HOW THE HELL we are supposed to find all the correct pieces and return them???? Do they KNOW how small these toys are? Do they REALISE that little girls are not known for keeping all their little bits and pieces in one place for almost a YEAR!!!!!

I don't know where the hell it all is - do we have it all? Has it gone up the vacuum? What bit goes with what set?

So it would be interesting to know how many they actually get returned!!!!!!

Just another manic Monday.....

Actually it hasn't been too manic really. I sat in bed and finished a letter this morning. Then I went on my treadmill for a while, then did sit-ups...then showered....pottered about doing laundry, spending time with Sugar, chatting with Lloyd....reading my running magazines for articles on 5k training (I'm a little obsessed right now lol - I have an obsessive personality - what can I say? lol!)

This afternoon I drove Chris into town to meet his friends - they went to see the Mr Bean movie. After we dropped him off, the rest of us went to Tims for coffee....Sam had JUST fallen asleep as we arrived so he wasn't in the best of moods...it was a little stressful but not as bad as it could have been.

Came home and sent some emails....printed off a few things I needed.....made supper...now the girls are going out on their quads and Lloyd is going to fill my truck with gas. I may scrapbook later or if my tummy doesn't feel better, I think I will soak in another Radox bath :)

Some interesting news (lol) - I have now learned to swallow 7 tablets all at once!!! :) Quite an achievement lol!

Oh and I found another run to take part in :) I'm going to start collecting race tshirts (they give you a free t-shirt every time you sign up for a race!)

Oh and Chris phoned to say he's sleeping over at his friends house - that wasn't a big surprise though lol - I expected him to ;)

My tummy hurts :(

I think I know why.....

I think I know why I have had such awful tummy ache for the last few days - coffee! I used to get bad tummy ache if I drank too much Tim Hortons coffee. And this last weekend I drank too much! Had horrible tummy ache yesterday. This morning I was better but this afternoon I had a double-double and ouch my tummy is the size of a beachball and is AGONY again :(

That'll teach me! I had switched to having either the vanilla yoghurt and berries or chocolate milk when I'm at Timmy's but I went back to coffee because of the cooler days lately. Big mistake!

Sponsoring us from over seas

Just a quick post to those of you who have emailed me about sponsoring me for my run! Yes you can sponsor me from overseas by using a credit card and signing up online via the email I sent out - thats the easiest way, but if you'd like to pay by cheque then thats fine too - you can always send me a cheque paid to me and I can pay via credit card on the site and your name will be with your amount so you can check I didn't run off with your money ;)

Canadians can make a cheque to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation but anyone out of Canada can't do that but a cheque payable to me can be paid into my British account and I CAN JUST PAY THE CBCF DIRECT here oops sorry hit caps lock.

If that doesn't make sense then please Email me :)

I really would appreciate all and any sponsors!!!! Its such a great cause.

Fort Ed Run for the Stollery....

Check out my post in Running To Mickey....anyone want to run this one with me?

join our group!

My good friend Carole-Anne is organizing a Close to my Heart group. If you scrapbook and love the CTMH supplies then please consider joining - the ore of us who join up, the more free goodies we(meaning you if you join up!) will get :)

Basically you commit to spending a minimum of $25 every month for 10 months (if 10 people join) and one of the months YOU become the 'hostess' so YOU get all the free goodies that a hostess of a party would get....it changes each month :) You don't have to attend each month - you can just send in your order and payment each month and then one month you reap the rewards :)

There is so much I want to buy from CTMH anyway...so I am signing up for this group.

If you would like to join up too then contact Carole-Anne at: carole-anne@shaw.ca

and you can see some of the CTMH goodies at: www.closetomyheart.com/

Have I explained that well enough????? I hope so!

I'd also love to recommend the Canadian Scrapbookers group Maple_Leaf_Scrappers which can be found at yahoogroups.com Carole-Anne started this group with some friends and although there are members from across the country, there are MANY from Edmonton :) lots of swaps and get togethers too!

Sugar*

Sugar is doing great here now - she didn't eat until last night but today she ate no problems - although she seems to snack more than eat lol - has a little then saves the rest for later.....But she seems much happier now. She enjoys coming inside and can race up the stairs fast! She wouldn't go in her crate when I told her to, so then I said 'In your bed' and she went straight in! So she must understand bed more than crate!

She is getting lots of walks and lots of time outside with us and has stopped looking at the end of the driveway for Christie :)

She's so good that Lloyd wants to know why our dogs aren't that good!

Christie emailed from Sicamous today and said she is having a great time. I told her that I am teaching Sugar naughty habits just the same as she teaches Sam naughty habits when we go out for breakfast ;)

Mommaspaz!

Really? Will you really join us??? That would be soooo cool! The cost should be really low - basically we will split gas money (it's $90 to fill my truck and it takes almost a full tank to Jasper and as we won't be driving much there it should be $180 max between however many of us go. Then I think Christie said the room is $60 a night for as many people as we can fit in lol! So the more of us who go the cheaper it will be!!!

So it should be a cheap weekend and the more that come along the cheaper it will be :)

It would be so great if you could join us :) we can pick you up on our way :)

Too cool!

Who else???? who else???? Christie is trained in outdoor survival - I was telling her on Saturday that if I was stuck on a dessert island I would rather be stuck with her than Lloyd lol! Lloyd would be great at building a shelter and lighting fires but thats about it lol...I know with Christie I'd survive :)

Aug 26, 2007

HIking in Jasper in October?????

Christie and I are heading to Jasper for a weekend in late September/ October. I have 6 spare seats in my truck :) who would like to join us? We will be hiking near Maligne Canyon amongst other places...and Christie promises to keep us safe from bears :)

We will be staying at the Hostel by the Jasper Tramway.....

It should be a fun girls weekend with lots of fresh air and laughs :) It would great to have others join us - even if you don't know us well or have never met us, come and join us for the weekend and make some new friends :)

consider.....

have a read of my latest post at Running To Mickey...and consider joining me in either The Santa Shuffle or The Resolution Run....or both :)

It would be great to have someone to run with :) (or waddle with lol!)

Sunday news

This morning Lloyd and I went to Safeway to get some groceries - we decided that as Parker arrives next week, and as the children go back to school next week, it would be better to wait until next weekend to go to Costco. So we just did a weeks worth of grocery shopping today. Safeway have sooooo many FAB deals right now that I was pleased we went! Sam came with us.

After Safeway we went to Chapters where I tried to exchange a book that I bought online - but they couldn't do it because their computer system is down today - so I have to go back - I did get Laurie book 4 of his series though (Alex Rider). We had coffee in Starbucks and Sam had a fruit bowl but got into a juicy dribbly mess lol!

After that I ran to the scrapbook store to get the Fall issue of Canadian Scrapbooker magazine! In the Winter issue, a lady I chat with on Scrappers Haven is going to have 3 layouts published - isn't that FAB????? I love her pages!

Oh and Scrappers Haven are already getting people to sign up for the next round of Iron Chef - come along and sign up - its a really fun contest! www.scrappershaven.ca

This afternoon I have spent replying to Emails and signing up to take part in the Run for the Cure......I also made a rhubarb crumble for supper tonight and prepped a big bag of crumble mix which is now in the freezer so I can throw a crumble together next week one night for Lloyd and his friend who will be staying.

I also baked a batch of oatmeal raisin cookies.

I have horrible horrible tummy ache today and may soak in the bath this evening - although I DID plan to scrapbook at the table while Lloyd works on some projects at the table for the company taking us to Whistler.

Oh and I forgot to blog the other day - part of our week away in October will be by the US border - so we are hoping to cross the border into Washington State for a day of shopping :) woohoo :)

Right now my girls are upstairs dancing to Abba songs, Lloyd and the boys are outside throwing a few more things in the big bin. The girls have been on the quadbikes a lot today too....oh and Sugar has been on LOTS of walks today.....but she hasn't eaten anything yet so I think she's missing Christie a bit......hopefully we can persuade her to eat this evening....she is such a great dog and has had a blast in the woods and up on Marys land.

Or sponsor my boys?

You can also choose to sponsor one of my Sons - Christopher Fernandez or Laurence Fernandez - both running in Edmonton with me :)

My first run!

www.cibcrunforthecure.com/html/personal_page.asp?track=2190686


GULP!!!! I've done it now!!!! Too late to back down!!! I've signed up for my first 5k run! Through the streets of Edmonton....to raise money for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. A wonderful cause...and a wonderful reason to put my nerves to one side and just DO it!!!!

Laurence and Chris are going to run with me - I have yet to fill in their forms though...but if you would like to sponsor me - or one of my gorgeous boys :) then that would be amazing!!!!

September 30th at 9am I will be in Sir Winston Churchill Square in Edmonton waiting to start my first 5k run :)

Wish me luck!!!

For some reason I can't get the link for my own page to work here it just takes you to the main page......weird...so if you'd like to sponsor me, you can just search for Jane Thorpe under participants and I am running in Edmonton :) thank you!

Aug 25, 2007

Sam helps out......






Sam helped shovel and carry garbage to the bin...much of the afternoon he wore HUGE workmens gloves and looked so funny!
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