Calm....

S the day improved drastically and the afternoon has actually been really nice...I cleaned and tidied the house....did some laundry...and then we got into the car and went down to pick up the girls from the bus....

We all headed in to town to the mall and I treated the children to a magazine each in Chapters before going to Grandma Lees for cake and slushies (jello and choccy milk for me, muffin and choccy milk for Sam)

Then we ran in to Safeway for a few supplies - the girls chose pizza and salad for dinner tonight which is PERFECT because its fast and easy.

Laurence didn't come home from school because he's sleeping over at his friends house. Chris didn't come home from school because he is in a basketball match in SP today and will be home later.

Lloyd is staying a little later at work to say goodbye to one of the directors that is leaving today...he didn't go to the leaving party last night so wanted to take the guy out for a few drinks I think.

So thats my day....my evening should be quiet and lazy...Lloyds gong to rub some deep heat treatment stuff into my back when he gets home and hopefully the pain will be gone tomorrow....

Another sunset for you...

I Love Winter....

For Lloyd

What a day baby! Just want to say I LOVE YOU!!!!! And - I TOLD YOU SO lol! Positive thinking baby ;) Positive thinking!

I am married to the most amazing man EVER...so sweet, so kind and generous, so thoughtful and such an amazing business man :) I am just so very proud of you baby!

BUT - any more comments about me and old age and you're outta here ;) lol!

You know you married a good'un when even his staff and colleagues think he's amazing :) I'm not sure I posted but at Christmas all his staff put together and bought him a HUGE basket of goodies from Starbucks....AND gift certificates to the movies...but best of all, was the card they gave him that was 'to an awesome boss' and they had all signed it saying how great he is :) I was so so proud....nices thing we got for Christmas I think :)

So yes, I got me a good'un here :)

Love you
x

Isn't it funny...

Isn't it funny how some days you wake up and nothing that you expect/ planned actually happens...but instead, you are thrown all these new thoughts and ideas and 'stuff'.......

This morning I was hoping to go to Parentlink and then shopping but my truck pedal won't move so I can't go anywhere far as I can't reach the pedals safely.

Then I bend over to get Amber in her crate and OUCH my back snaps and I can barely move.....agony!

Then I switch on the computer and see a message from an old school friend - totally out of the blue...

then my sister sends me an email showing me that my ex is moving house and hasn't bothered to let the kids know...not that that should surprise me as they also have two siblings they know nothing about!

Then my ex writes to say he wants to come and visit the kids in the summer! Hasn't spoken to them for 6 years - no letters - the occasional birthday card...and all of a sudden wants to visit the kids!

Then Lloyd phones to say there is a big meeting at work and he thinks his contract is going to be cancelled (there were signs lately that it might) so he has been in meetings all morning....and just phoned to say all is well and that his contract is fine :)

Of course with the provincial elections looming, who knows what will happen to the health service/ contracts etc etc.....

So here I am barely able to move......now a few emails have passed backwards and forwards from my ex I am feeling happier about that....Lloyds job is fine...I amde a decision to write back to the old friend.....and Lloyd is happy to run the errands I was supposed to run today....so all is well.

So I went from waking up happy......hurting my back.....panicking over emails and Lloyds job....to now feeling good about it all and not worried at all...and so thrilled for Lloyd because instead of losing his contract they told him what a FAB job he has been doing for them.....

All is well in my world again :) well, apart from my back! I need to wash the kitchen floor and do some laundry and clean the kids bathroom as Susie ahs a friend sleeping over tonight.....but Lloyd says not to do anything at all but rest!

I can't do that lol so off I go to clean! `

Happy Birthday my friend...

I want to wish a HUGE Happy Birthday to my wonderful friend Nathalie. Nathalie and I went to Brownies together as children...and then we were in the same class at Preston School (with Louise too) for five years...

Today Nathalie is 36 years old :) She has just welcomed a beautiful little girl into her life...baby Lucy and is happily in lurve with Mark :)

they were thinking of moving to Calgary or Kelowna as Mark has family here....but right now they live close to London in the UK.

Happy Birthday Batty Natty!

What Chinese astrology sign are you?

The Chinese New Year Festivities are this week....with that in mind, what sign are you? I am a pig - it was 'our' year last year.....this year I need to look after my health...



Contrary to its rather negative reputation in the West, the Pig of Chinese Astrology may be the most generous and honorable Sign of the Zodiac. Pigs are nice to a fault and possess impeccable manners and taste. They have so much of the perfectionist in them that others may be inclined to perceive them as snobs, but this is a misconception. Pigs are simply possessed of a truly luxurious nature, one that delights in finery and riches (in surroundings, food, lovemaking and otherwise). This Sign believes in the best qualities of mankind and certainly doesn't consider itself to be superior. Pigs also care a great deal about friends and family and work hard to keep everyone in their life happy. Helping others is a true pleasure for the Pig, who feels best when everyone else is smiling.

A Pig with no one around to appreciate its giving nature is a sad sight. Pigs are so magnanimous they can appear almost saintly; this can lead some less-than-well-intentioned souls to stomp all over this Sign, and the bad news is, the Pig will take the blows! Pigs make great companions in part because of their refusal to see the more negative or base qualities in a partner, but that rose-colored view can lead to this Sign's allowing itself to be taken advantage of. Contrary to their seemingly benign dispositions, however, Pigs can be quite venomous in response to being crossed by a lover, friend or business partner.

Pigs are highly intelligent creatures, forever studying, playing and probing in their quest for greater knowledge. They can be misinterpreted as being lazy, however, due to their love of reveling in the good stuff; this Sign could happily spend hours on end making love, napping, taking a long bubble bath or dallying over an incredible spread of rich foods. Pigs tend to make wonderful life partners due to their hearts of gold and their love of family. Even so, Pigs can be rather exclusive, choosing to spend time with those who will appreciate them most and ignore the rest of the populace. Pigs would do well to realize that there's more to life than being needed. When they open up their world to a diverse group of people, they will truly bloom.

Inspiration...

lifeaslou.blogsome.com/2008/02/04/a-year-long-journaling-challenge/

She's done it again!

This is the lady who created my gorgeous snow mini album...and I head to her blog when I need inspiration - her work is just so beautiful.....

Take a look at what she is working on for this year...

oh and if you head to her main blog page and scroll down you will see her amazing 'magic' boxes.....I plan to make one of these for Valentines Day....they remind me a little of the magic of Explosion boxes...like the one I made for Susannah last year:

escapingthecity.blogspot.com/2007/04/explosion-box.html

Up and at 'em...

Abigail has been busy for the last hour writing out her full name and address. She has known her phone number for a while now but we need to practice her address....she's also already done several worksheets from her folder - about the letters V and W......and one where she has to read a sentence and decide if it is accurate from the picture shown...

She obviously woke up in the mood to work! I on the other hand should be getting dressed and organized...but here I sit....

Louise!!

If they sold Aunt Bessies here I would use those too ;) We would have them every week lol - I did find some ready made frozen yorkshires a couple of years ago - at Save-On-Foods I think...but haven't seen them since so we make our own!

I miss Aunt Bessies!

And instant gravy! They don't sell that here either so you always have to make it in a saucepan - so much easier to just boil the kettle and mix!

They are sllllllooooooowwwwllllyyy catching on to easy open tin cans here though...I remember in the UK almost all tins came with the ring pull to open them - but very VERY few cans here do....so we have to use the tin openers ;)

And what makes me laugh is they just recently started advertising NEW Nescafe Cappuccino sachets!!!! Yet I was drinking those when I left home at 17!!!

Ok my little gripe is over - on the whole I LOVE that this country is so far behind - because its also far far behind in crime, in graffiti, in drugs, in violence, in expense, in overcrowding etc etc so there are benefits too....

Catch up...

The last week of January was a bit of a flop....the temperatures were so cold that we couldn't really go outside...no walks or sledding or anything and for a few days I didn't have a vehicle as L took it to work to be safer. His care is 4x4 but its still just a car.

My older 3 were home for 4 of the 5 days because it was so cold.

We did go swimming on the Friday and we had friends here all day Monday and Tuesday, so the children were happy and busy. A had her friend J here on the Monday and enjoyed that very much.

We didn't do much if any 'school' work...but lots of game playing, chatting, reading etc etc took place.....and lots of curling up to watch movies by the fire....it was a slow week all in all and we were glad to start getting back to normal today.

Mind you this week isn't 'normal' either as the older three are only in school three days and we have a party to get ready for this weekend, so lots of errands to run....maybe NEXT week will be normal.....although then it's A's birthday!

Our money theme for January continues..

Our main math theme for January was 'money' and we have continued with this in to February. Today we played a few games of money dominoes. A has to figure out whether the pictures of the coins or notes math the amount written to see if she can pair them up.

This is great for her addition as well as coin and note recognition...and recognising amounts written in numeric form....

Creation station....

A spent much of this morning cutting out hats and glasses and door hangers from her magazine......she then dressed S up as Diego and made him a watch to go with his outfit....cutting the watch from paper and drawing on the clock face....

Chickadee dee dee dee dee....

Just playin' around......