I never learn!

I should learn NOT to make plans...whenever I make plans they never turn out! Most of my plans this week didn't happen.....oh well...nothing that can't be postponed....

This morning I was going in to town to Parentlink with Sam and Abby for a while...but it has been snowing fairly heavily all morning and as its a little warmer, the roads and snow are all slushy and slippery.......Hwy 14 is really bad and there has been a big accident between here and Sherwood Park....there was freezing rain this morning in Sherwood Park too.......so I will stay home.

I think I have a cold starting too...I have popped some Cold FX and will have raw garlic for lunch today with cheese and crackers....and more Cold FX later......my throat is sore and I am all achey :(

I HATE colds :(

Chris was supposed to go to Rock and Ride tonight with friends but has cancelled - I'm glad if the roads will be bad, as Lloyd was driving them. Rock and Ride is when they close off the indoor amusement park at West Ed Mall and it is for teens ONLY...they get security checked as they go in and it is a very safe environment..the local radio station has a dance floor and plays music all night and its just a fun time...they get to ride all the roller coasters and have fun with no adults or small kids there......Chris has been a few times.

We haven't decided what to do on Family Day yet...I was thinking maybe we would go bowling...or maybe if the weather is bad we could just buy a couple of dvd's and curl up with some treats to watch some family movies.....we're still kind of getting over our exhausting holiday.....

Next week I have a meeting at the school about a trip they are running next year to Quebec City......the boys have the chance to go to Quebec City for a week at Spring Break.....It's for Social and French I guess.....so we are going to the meeting to find out more about it. I may drag Lloyd along too.....Laurie says it may cost about $1500 each so we need to find out about that first...with two of them wanting to go, I guess we need to know whether it will be worth the money first....we'd like to go down to NC next Spring really...househunting maybe :)

Lloyd picked up dinner at Joey Tomatoes last night.....he had the Thai chicken stirfry bowl and I had the Diva Salad.....I am sooooo glad I picked that because it was DELICIOUS....I haven't had it in a while but was really in the mood for it and it was a good one! I gave the big crispy thing to Susie, and I had the garlic bread instead....so much for our plans to not eat out much this year......it seems we never eat at home!!!

Well, I don't feel well at all so I am going to curl up and watch Nanny McPhee with Abigail and Sam and maybe read a while.........watch the snow fall and maybe snooze...

Oh I forgot to say...as we turned into our driveway on Wednesday night, a HUGE Owl flew out from beside our little bus shelter...it had a mouse or shrew or something in our feet and was level with the hood/ bonnet of the car...its wingspan was enormous and it just flew straight in front of the car....all lit up by our headlights.....it was amazing....it had lots of flecky grey feathers....many of the owls around here fit that description so I guess it could have been any one of them....

At last!

I forgot to say how nice it was to give and to receive Valentine cards to 'Husband' and 'Wife'.................

:)

How special those names are........

Angel of the heart......

Lloyd just called and asked if I had found his gift yet....so he gave me another clue and I found it :) The children were helping me look too...

Here she is.....Angel of the heart....to go with my other Willow Tree ornaments.....I had the lady holding the baby for Mothers Day a year or two ago.....the man holding the baby was gift to Lloyd from my Mom when she came to stay after Sam was born.....the couple were a gift from Lloyds parents for Christmas and now I have my angel too :)

I like that they each mean something. I think collections are best if each one means something to you..from the person who gave it or the place you bought it.....

I used to know a lady who collected Boyds Bears ornaments but instead of waiting to receive them as gifts or for special occasions, she would just order them and buy them as soon as they were available....to me that collection was meaningless.

I collect snow globes but I would never order them from the web or anything...each one has been a gift for a special occasion or I have bought during a special trip....or has hidden meaning within it from someone special.....

I'm not big into collecting really and the Willow Tree ornaments just seem to be turning into a little collection piece by piece.....

This above is my altar...my place up high for special things of mine.....out of reach of little hands :)

Lloyd - thank you baby, she is beautiful :) Happy Valentines Day :)

A Valentine Sunset for you.......

Last nights sunset for you......I took a break from getting ready to snap these pictures......Lloyd was nagging me to put the camera away and get dressed to go out :)

Birthday cake time....

Abigail with her Spongebob Squarepants cake on Tuesday - her 5th birthday.

grit...

I am fed up with having grit all over my house.....we have a large mud room and don't wear our shoes and boots in the house but somehow..maybe on socks or slippers....grit seems to work its way constantly into the house.....I figure its from the grit they put down on roads and in parking lots when its icy......it drives me crazy and its o tiny to sweepm nwell so you HAVE to vacuum it up...

In winte it's grit from the roads eveywhere and in summer it's sand from the play parks andthe sand box everywhere.....one day I will NOT have gritty floors!

I wonder if I will miss it.

Brit Fish and Chips

Last night was date night AND Valentines Day.......Lloyd and I decided not to go to any of the busy restaurants but instead thought we'd go to Brits...the British style fish and chip shop in Edmonton.....Lloyd had been before but couldn't remember what it was like or hat they did but I was really excited to try a taste of back home.....

We got there and put in our order at the counter...it was very authentic really.....kind of like Palmers in Yeovil where you can eat in or take away....we found a table though and waited for our order....and waited...and waited....and waited........an HOUR later they brought our food!!! Lloyd had kept saying he was going to say something but I didn't want him to and told him to just enjoy the time with me (lol) but after 45 minutes we were both fed up.

When the food arrived...it was ok.....the battered sausage was nice (Mum they do mushrooms in batter too!)Lloyds steak and kidney pie was mircowaved which always makes pie pastry HORRID (yuck!) the chips were ok - kind of like a not very good chippy would serve back home...but they were as close as I have had here I guess....

Portions were not very big and it cost $30.....which although it is not much for a meal out, for sausage and chips its a lot.

Anyway...I'm glad we have been but I wouldn't hurry back....it was fun reminiscing about the chippy back home.....but thats about it! And we hadn't gone to Joeys because we would have waited for a table but in the end we probably waited longer for our food in Brits!!!

I have to say also...we aren't used to eting greasy food like that any more.....I can't say I actually 'enjoyed' the food.....when you can see theoil coming out like that it puts me off!

Lloyd gave me such a sweet Valentine card.....I still haven't opened my gift though...it's up high somewhere and I haven't found it! And when we got home last night we forgot! I guess I will open it tonight :)

Thursday flying by......

Lloyd left for work late today so he stayed and had coffee with me before he went....thats always a niceway to start the day compared to waking up when he has aready left...

I took Abgail to preschool and ten went into town with Sam to get a few things...we stopped at Grandma Lee's for chocolate milk and shared a cinnamon roll before heading back to Abigails preschool for the Valentine party.....Sam and I jined in with the parachute game at the end.....the frut platter I made for the party went down well -there is hardly anything left :) ..............Abgail came hme wit lts of treats and Valentines from he friends......

once home my Dad called to say that my Mum had her op yesterday and came home today! Still a little groffy from the anaesthetic!!!! I guess they needed the bed!!! So Dad is playing nurse I guess.....Mum had assumed she ould be in for the weekend! Dad said her tummy s very brised...hope you feel better soon Mum!

I did some laundry and vacuumed (I vacuum almost every day at some point...it's my favourite chore! and tidied my bedroom...cleaned the kids bathroom......spoke to Lloyd on the phone who met Darren for lunch today.....no news or gossip though!

Then the school phoned to say Laurie had a migraine so I drove down and picked him up and we just got back....he seems ok now and just made a tea for himself and a cup of coffee for me......

Lloyd is going out for drinks after work to say goodbye to a colleague who is leaving....they are going at 4:30pm but he only wants to stay an hour so he will only be a little late...he's picking dinner up for us on the way home :)

I bought some Disney and Florida scrapbooking supplies today so I can get started on our trip scrapbook......

Today has been a good day..I feel so much better...it was above freezing today woohoo!!! I went to twon in a t-shirt!!!! It's funny but back home you can't go out in just a t-shirt at 0c......but here after -25c 0c feels like a heatweave and all us Albertans head out in t-shirts and no jackets :)

It would be so nice if this was IT for winter.....but we still ave March to come and that is when we normally get the most snow.........so we can't put away the coats and snow boots just yet :( No matter what the Groundhog says!

We met :)

And so I met Val today....after years of emailing and chatting and planning to meet...we finally met! We met at the restaurant at the Esso garage which is just around the corner from my home really yet I had never been. I walked into the restaurant and was met by a lady with a big welcoming smile so Val was easy to spot!

It was so comfortable...it didn't feel like meeting a stranger at all! She had her gorgeous baby boy with her - who was fast asleep in his car seat having just had his injections.......The menu is vast for a roadside cafe...everything from steak to chinese to pizza to all day breakfasts....

I had cinnamon toast and coffee - VERY good coffee by the way! Sam had pancakes and Abigail had toast and bacon...I was still on breakfast really but Val had been out for the morning and was on lunch time lol so she had pizza and it looked really good!

Anyway we chatted about this and that....about people we knew and about acreage life......it was fun and I hope we do it again soon!

I think I may take Sam to that restaurant on Tuesdays when Abby is in preschool....and I think I may also go there now and then to write in peace!

My Dad just called to say that when my Mum got to the hospital this morning there was no bed for her so she had to wait 4 hours.....they called Dad this afternoon to say she finally went down to the Operating Room late afternoon and is now back on the ward.....Dad visited and said she seemed fine but drowsy from the anaesthetic still........he will call with an update tomorrow.

The children finish school early today so will be home soon.....although I am not sure who is coming home...whether Susie and Chris are going to their friends for a few hours or whether just Chris is......

Susie came home yesterday to say that her friends are starting a band and would like her to play the drums.....she asked if she could earn some extra money for a drum kit......I said I am NOT having a drum kit in this house lol.....but she said her friends parents have agreed she can leave it there for practice (are they insane???)

She's 9 and she wants to be in a band.....I know I know as a good parent I should be encouraging her but why the drums??????? I moved to this acreage for some peace and quiet!

I still have the most awful heartburn and indigestion imaginable...just awful .....off to take more Eno's and curl up and read until the kids get home....Lloyd is finishing work early hopefully.....we have plans for tonight :) I am looking forward to it :)

I hope you are all having a great Valentines Day! I am sat beside a card addressed to me from Lloyd but I think I will wait to open it when he opens his....he said my gift is in the house somewhere up high but I have no idea where.......we will open them together later.

Happy Valentines Day 2007!!!

We had a difficult night here with Sam.......he fell asleep on me on the sofa last night at 6pm........and by 4am this morning he was wide awake and very restless....keeping Lloyd and I awake too :( we are very tired now. I also woke up with the most awful heartburn too and I have no idea why.....terrible heartburn so Lloyd got me some Eno's and I had two glasses of that which helped a little......YUCK!! My chewable heartburn things didn't work at all and I have no Gaviscon.

Lloyd went into work later today and stayed to have coffee with me......the children went on just before 8am with my altered tin and all their Valentine treats for friends......

It is so windy outside this morning...it was 25c out here at Northern Bear....and -35c with the windchill...needless to say the children were wrapped up well to go for the bus!

I don't think they are doing much work today at school...it seems to be all parties and celebrations......I think Susie and Chris are going back to their friends home on the bus tonight for a while.....

I have to leave in just over an hour so I should go and get dressed....I'm so looking forward to meeting Val! I need to go wake myself up properly.....Abigail is dressed and ready but Sam and I are still slobbing out in pj's....although actual Sam isn't in pj's as he fell asleep in his clothes last night which is how we left him!

Abigail is currently riding her new bike around the main floor in her snow boots!

Oh I am so so sleepy....could do with curling up in bed and watching daytime tv junk all morning! But I AM looking forward to brunch! :)

Have a great day everyone....

A quote for Valentines Day......

Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength while loving someone deeply gives you courage.
by Lao Tzu

Two little five year olds.......

The top picture is Abigail this afternoon with her 5th birthday cake. The bottom picture is Lloyds Mum Terry, with her 5th birthday cake!

Unfortunately taking a picture of Abigail with her cake outside was not possible today as it was -19c most of the day!

two bites...........

Sobeys two-bite cinnamon scones are to die for! They are so so good but they do not take just two bites to eat them...and they are so good you can never stop at two bites! I knew I shouldn't have bought them!!! I am sat here having a coffee and some scones while I wait for the potatoes to boil....

The children got home around 3:15pm...they'd had a good day and had lots of news......Susannah took a poem to show her teacher - one she had written at home last year...and the teacher loved it so much she asked to keep it and wants Susie to read it to the class tomorrow!

They are all excited about the Valentine Celebrations at school tomorrow....if they were still homeschooled we would have been heading to the science centre tomorrow for the homeschoolers workshops....we were really disappointed in the last ones though....so I don't think they will mind missing that! We will head to the science centre soon though to see the Lego exhibit...it was in Calgary last Fall when we were down there.......I wish they would change the science centre exhibits more often...the children get bored after a while...we didn't bother to renew our membership this year.

Val called to confirm brunch tomorrow....I am so looking forward to meeting her!

Christie - remember the words you gave us...the magnetic words? Well we didn't have anywhere to use them as our fridge is not magnetic......so today I bought a magnetic board and I am going to attach it to the big mirror in our bathroom...and then Lloyd and I can leave each other messages each day! I am going to leave the first one there for him to find tomorrow morning! Thank you!

So the Doc gave me new meds today and this afternoon I looked up the monograph for the drug (handy that DH works with Pharmacists sometimes lol!) and it says I should take these new meds with Imitrex or other drugs that effect blood clotting properties in the blood!!!! So why on earth was I prescribed them when the Doc knows I am on Imitrex???????? So Lloyd is checking with his colleagues as to whether I should take them or not......you know some people would just take any drugs they were prescribed and trust the Doc...or would just read the drug company's info sheet and be satisfied...but I like to know the truth about drugs I take....so I always read up as much as I can and search for people who have taken them and ask about side effects etc.....half the time people get side effects not mentioned in the info sheet......

Anyway, we will wait to hear back from Lloyds colleague...he works on the Electronic Health Record so these are the Pharmacists MOST up to date with drug interactions...

Tomorrow Chris has to take money to school for an auction...(did I already write about this?) the girls in his class were given a brown bag each and they have to fill it with a lunch they have made......then the boys have to bid for the lunches...and they get to eat lunch with the girl whose lunch they buy! So how much would you send???? How much do you think he should pay for a lunch? Of course he wants to buy the lunch of the 'hottest' girl in class...so he wants to take the most money...but his friend says he is taking $25!!!! $25 for a brown bag lunch!!! Am I being mean or is that a lot???? I think $10 would be better but I will give him $20 and no more!!! It's a sandwich and a bag of chips kind of thing lol!

Lloyd just called to say he's on 21 and will be home in a few minutes :) actually he called and said 'stick the kettle on!' and I told him he would be home in time to stop me eating the whole box of cinnamon scones!

Tonight I want to work through some of the book club questions about The Glass Castle. Once the kids are in bed at least!

Finished!!!

My first altered paint can is finished......it's a gift for the staff at school...full of candy and treats for Valentines day. I love the handle but I'm not too happy with the actual sides of the tin......

I have a few more of these to do though so I have some to practice on......I love them! You can by the empty (unsused) paint cans at Home Depot for about $2 or $3!

For Isaac..............

Here is a picture of Abigail with the lovely card Isaac chose for his cousin! Hello Isaac....you see, you chose the card and posted it and it came all the way over here to Canada on an airplane and the postman brought it to Abigail!

Abby says 'Thank you'!