Betty Boop...

This snow globe was a gift from my Mom and Dad...for a few reasons.

a. I collect snow globes.

b. I LOVE Betty Boop

c. I practically LIVE in the bath tub.

d. When I turned 18 my Mom made me a birthday cake - it was Betty Boop bathing in a Champagne glass of bubbles so when they saw this in a store window they said they HAD to get it for me but had no idea how they would get it TO me - until they heard Lloyd would be in England and would be visiting them!

I LOVE baths. Baths are how I de-stress. I HATE my bath. It is grey and rusty and a nasty shape with a steep back and its metal and cold and horrid. It is in the kids bathroom which means I have to decontaminate the room before I relax in the bath every time :( Anyone with boys will know what I mean.

I can not WAIT to have my own bathroom and be able to design it myself and choose my own bath (I want the same one we had in the villa in Florida - we wrote to the owners and got them to find out the make etc for us lol so when we asked them if we could rebook for this year they remembered us by saying 'oh yes we remember you - your wife liked our bath'!!! hahahaha

I already know how I want my bathroom - with shelves etc for all my bubble baths - I use a LOT of bubble baths..... and the angle of the back of the bath is important to me as I like to relax back and not get a stiff neck but I find those pillows silly. And I do not want a corner bath in my bathroom - maybe in the kids bathroom but not in mine. And I don't want jets in my bathroom - again maybe in the kids bathroom but NOT in mine!

And under floor heating in my bathroom will be a MUST :) And heated towel rails is a MUST too :) We had them in Scotland and I miss them soooo much!

Sam writing a card...

Sam writing Susannah's card....

My birthday sunset.....

For Val....

My male dessert from Tuesday night ;) The server said we had filthy minds but the funnel cake was solid and yet the penis was detached from the rest of the funnel cake and 'placed' between the 'balls' of ice cream perfectly ;) Hmmmmm something tells me this had been planted ;)

Have to say though that the funnel cake wasn't very well endowed ;) lol! or maybe it was just cold between the ice cream hahahahaha!!!

Birthday Girl..

Susannah at Montana's last night..Susannah turned 11 yesterday :) she asked for a couple of DS games and a 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid' book.

Good news

Patsy's tumour was benign. She is doing well. I'm not sure if any of you are following her blog (link on the right) but the hospital posts and pictures are quite amusing :) Her friend Greg is a wonderful photographer and writer! :)

Montanas

My artwork - the tables at Montanas are covered in brown paper and they supply crayons so you get to colour and draw all over the tables :) I love it :) The server was saying that one day there were three guys in there and the table was covered in Picasso style artwork that was so good she told them not to spoil it and she kept it! This is my artwork.....not worth keeping hahahaha ;)

And some of the animal heads on the wall - they also have a big truck up in the ceiling, a canoe, and all kinds of things around the place and the new kids menus are FAB....the kids have to look around the restaurant and find the things in the menu and then colour them in - like the truck, the canoe etc etc - its really cool!

Very impressed with the new restaurant!!!! Service was good - they were very busy so food took a while to get there but the staff were great and very friendly and helpful!

Family celebrations...28th

Yesterday was Susannahs 11th birthday and so last night we went out to celebrate both our birthdays because we couldn't celebrate mine as a family on Tuesday because the girls had had dance class that they couldn't miss (Susannah is dancing for the Mayor on Valentines Day) .

Susannah requested to go to Montanas which is a Cookhouse themed restaurant with animal heads on the walls and a rustic feel to it. On birthdays they sing to you and put a moose head thing on your head! We took Sharons advice and went to the new one on 17th Street.

Of course we got there and I asked them if they could do something special for Susannah for her birthday and then Chris announces to them that it was MY birthday yesterday.....sigh.......oh I love my firstborn ggggrrrrrrr.........and of course he brought his video camera with him grrrrrrrrrr............loooooove my Son ;)

And of course Susie who had WANTED to do this the day before all of a sudden changes her mind and thinks this is NOT a good idea hahahahaha TOO LATE girly we are IN THIS TOGETHER...so throughout our dinner the bell keeps going off and the staff run through the restaurant up to poor embarrassed people and start putting these enormous horns on their heads and start singing to them with fireworks going off in desserts in front of them........OH MY GAWD thats gonna be ME!!!!!!! And Lloyd keeps saying 'hahahahahah thats gonna be YOU Jane'!!!!! And to think that just two days ago I was saying how much I loved him.......

Well anyway....it happened....I stared at Susie through the whole ordeal apart from one point where I glared at Chris and at the camcorder and stuck my thumbs up - WANTED to stick my middle finger up but of course was surrounded by all those happy singing Montanas staff and 5 of my kids so it wasn't an appropriate time.........sigh........

So these pictures are for Brandy....on Monday she was telling me that she LIKES this crap...she LIKES to be embarrassed like this on her birthday!!!! lol! Well, rather this than a male stripper I guess...because I tell ya if ANYONE does that to me on my 40th I swear I will KILL them!!! lol! In fact for my 40th I plan to be out of the country!!!!

Tuesday - my birthday!!

My birthday was so much fun! Thank you to everyone who was a part of it! From the messages on Facebook, the messsages here, my birthday cards, my gifts, phone calls, the artwork and creations from your little ones I was given, the creations you made for me yourselves! And especially to those of you who came out for the evening on Tuesday - THANK YOU!!!! :) I had so much fun!

Here are a few pictures of our evening at East Side Marios! Tess, who booked everything, wasn't able to come along in the end and was missed terribly!!! She'll be there next time!!!

In the main picture of everyone from left to right: Val, Stacey, Jane, Samantha, Rhonda, Sharon

Monday - our Anniversary.

On Monday, Abigail, Sam and I headed to Kidz Quarterz where we met Brandy and her Daughters Kaeli and Regan for a few hours. We ended up being there almost 4 hours!

I had left Chris at the mall the whole time and by the time we went back for him he was a 'tad' bored ;) even in the library!! His friends had been and gone! He'd had lunch.....had his Starbucks....had enough of the mall ;) luckily he wasn't grumpy though!

Everyone kept asking how Lloyd and I were planning to spend our anniversary - expecting ys to say it was going to be extremely romantic! Well, I'm afraid I'm going to disappoint you all! Monday evening was the only time we could get any errands done, so on Monday evening I had my hair cut, we went to Best Buy to get Susie a couple of DS games for her birthday, we ran to Save on Foods to grab a few groceries we needed (it was the nearest one to my hair salon) and we ran to Wok Box!! And that was it!! Lloyd had a cold and didn't feel too good and I've been popping garlic capsules like crazy the last few days to make sure I don't get it lol!!!

So no, not particularly romantic ;) but we were together! The card he gave me was ridiculously sappy :) to the point that it made me roll my eyes and laugh! and then smile :) He loves me :)

Oh so cute....

elizabethkartchner.blogspot.com/2009/01/remain-calm_27.html

I just LOVE these pictures of Elizabeths Daughter in the button jar on her scrapbooking desk......as someone who has a life long LOVE of button jars (and a big button jar on the sideboard in her bedroom)....I can appreciate the little girls hand in the jar and the temptation to climb up on the desk, welly boots and all.....

TONIGHT!!! Come and join us!!!!

Tonight!!!!! 7pm. East Side Marios. Baseline Road. Girls night out/Dinner. Why? Because we didn't get to go out at Christmas because SOMEONE could hardly walk...... ;) Oh and because I need help to forget I've turned 37.... ;) hear that??? Help me FORGET!!!!!!

NO REMINDERS!!!!!!

So if you read this it means you are invited and VERY welcome to come and join us!!! We are not a cliquey bunch :) Just keep your mitts off my funnel cake!!! ;)

If you want to let me know that you're coming to confirm numbers feel free to Email me - JaneThorpe@syban.net

Yay - so excited and can't wait to see everyone!!! Still time to say yes and come along and join us! So if you can make it last minute then DO!!! If you think you don't know anyone then don't worry about it - five minutes of being there and you will know everyone :) Trust me I TALK!!!! I can talk for Britain :) So come along and feel welcomed :)

Sounds like good news!

Patsy is out of surgery and it sounds like very promising news :) She remains in my thoughts!

The Vicar of Dibley...

Lloyd gave me the entire collection of 'The Vicar of Dibley' on dvd for my birthday :) I am so happy :) What a wonderful surprise!!! Whenever I watch this on tv I am always laughing out loud! You can see clips of these shows on youtube or catch episodes on various channels on tv......and they always air the Christmas specials every December....Wonderful :)

In my thoughts....

Patsy from 'Patsy's Ponderings' blog is currently in surgery.......I don't know if anyone else here follows her blog but I have followed it for a long time now and very much enjoy it. Her surgery date was an easy one to remember ;)

Anyway.....please keep her, and her friend Greg who is at the hospital with her, in your thoughts.....

I am checking in regularly to see how she is doing as Greg is posting regular updates for everyone. Her blogs and podcasts are very popular.

uh oh.....

This is Lloyds idea of entertaining Sam while we were at Rexall PLace watching the ice skating......taking him to the pet store and buying a hamster!!!!

And of course, Val, what does Sam name the hamster??????? Cheesy!!!!!! So now we have a hamster!!!! I have told Lloyd that HE is responsible for the stupid thing! NOT me!!!! But when I told him he is also responsible for telling Sam when Cheesy dies, he pouted and looked sappy and pointed at me and told me I was lol.....so I think Daddy will be running to the pet store to replace Cheesy before Sam notices.......

Pathetic!!!! I tell you, you can't leave him alone for five minutes!!!

;)

Two special years with my special man......

Tomorrow I will have been married to Lloyd for two years. Yes it will have been two years since we said 'I do' in Florida...since we spent our 'honeymoon' travelling the globe in Animal Kingdom......lunching in 'Africa'.....hiking through 'Asia'..... ;) what a day that was!!!! So much fun! We had even forgotten to buy the girls matching shoes so they had to go barefoot in the chapel hahahaha!!!! So funny!

www.royalchapel.com/07JaneLloyd.html

And um yeah so I've lost quite a bit of weight since then huh????? lol! WOW!!!! I remember trying on the nicest off white REAL wedding dress that I REALLY wanted to wear but it just would NOT do up :( Susie tugged and tugged :( and to think that now I could wear whatever I liked....sigh......

Oh well.....

But anyway......tomorrow is our wedding anniversary. Next month we will have been together for 8 wonderful years and tomorrow we will have been married for two years :)

Happy Anniversary Lloyd. I love you baby!

a few more....

More pics from the show....

In no particular order....as I have no clue hahahaha!

High School Musical - the Ice Tour!!!

Today I took Susannah and her friend Melissa to Rexall Place to see Disney's 'High School Musical - The Ice Tour' - this was her birthday treat instead of a birthday party as she turns 11 on Wednesday. Abigail came along as she too is a HUGE fan of the movies!!! I haven't seen the movies STILL, but have to admit I LOVED the show and it has left me wanting to see them :) It was sooooo much fun :) Great music, great show, great skating, just all round great time was had by us all!!!! LOTS of pictures to follow!

Admin time.

I will be deleting Albertan readers who no longer leave comments on my blog. I just feel uncomfortable having 'local' lurkers....so this is just to let you know that within the next few days those people will be deleted and that this is the reason why.

I don't mean those who post occasionally but those who just never post any more or never have. I post a lot of detail and private information about myself and my family here and I prefer to only share that with a certain few. Facebook would be where I would put anything for a wider audience.

Thanks :)

Sunday Brunch idea?

www.makeandtakes.com/pop-up-pancakes

Saw this and thought they looked like a great idea for Sunday brunch!!! YUM!!!

Kits for sale....

albumsbyamber.blogspot.com/

Amber is selling off some of her scrapbooking goodies and she has some AMAZING kits for sale! Just take a look!

Wonderful resource

www.k-3learningpages.net/editions.htm


Lots of links for grades K- 3......from an Albertan teacher too.....

Dragon Dance.....

The Dragon Dance was of course the highlight for us at the Chinese New Year festivities and market at West Edmonton Mall today. We had a wonderful time there today. It was soooo much better than just having the Lion dance outside of T & T the way they used to. Instead they cover the ice rink and have a huge market and a stage and have all kinds of displays.......a market and then a dragon dance through the market....things happening all day - in fact all weekend!

We had a great time there then had lunch at Tony Romas. Did some shopping at T & T before heading home. It was a great addition to Abigail and Sams project on China and very memorable!

If you want something fun to do tomorrow then head to WEM to see the dragon dance and look around the market - many of the stalls give away trinkets, calendars, chinese new year souvenirs etc etc. Sam and Abby were given Disney magnets they love too!!! :) I treated myself to a beautiful bottle that has been reverse painted INSIDE by artists in China.....hard to explain but just beautiful and I thought we would have a go at doing something similar with some little bottles to show Abigail how difficult it is!!!

All in all a fun, and interesting day :)

Rythmic Gymnastics

These girls were wonderful to watch!!!! I loved how happy they seemed to be to perform - It really looked as though they were having fun!

Drummers drumming....

Here are the drummers drumming for the dragon dance...to celebrate the arrival of the Year of the Ox....

All the festivities, the amazing costumes, decorations, foods, celebrations, dances.....traditions.....it left me with a feeling that the 'Western' New Year celebrations are a little lacking.....

After we spent time at the Chinese celebrations on the ice rink, we went to T and T Supermarket again and bought some Chinese cakes and breads to try and it was sooooooo busy! bustling with people buying their foods for their parties over the next few days - exciting to be a part of it all :)

I loved how they did it all this year with the big market on the ice rink and the big stage. So much better than past years. I hope the do the same thing in future years - I'm glad Grace told us about it!