Yum!!!!!

Lloyd says he's never heard someone so excited about cupcakes before :)

www.randomhouse.ca/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780307460448

Lets just say that this book will be taking its place next to my cookie book and many of its recipes will be baked in my new kitchen!!! My favourite basic cupcake recipe is already a Martha recipe and I am right now watching Marthas cupcake show while Sam and Abby do their school work and Chris snores :)

Counting down the days until June :)

Tired and sad....

We had some sad news today...I can't really share it here...it's not personal to us...exactly, but it does effect us a little and it makes us feel sad. Sad for a friend anyway. We will keep him in our thoughts.

That aside its been a good day. Abigail and I went swimming while Sam was at Pre-K. It was such good fun but EXHAUSTING! Abigail keeps me moving in the water and it is QUITE the workout! She likes me to chase after her running BACKWARDS (against the current) in the lazy river. Well it is NOT easy running backwards in there in the first place especially when you are chasing Abby! I tell you, I certainly needed the few minutes relaxation in the hot tub afterwards!!!

I am tired tonight! It was a long day...the girls have had dance - in fact Susannah is still at dance class. Dinner is done...laundry is almost done...I am going to throw Sam and Abby in the bath and then climb in the shower before going to bed to read.

Lloyd keeps asking me what I want for my birthday next week - and what I want to do to celebrate....and I just don't know.....

Journaling prompt:

I'm working on a journaling prompt for a project from Shimelle's 'This Year' class:

www.shimelle.com/classes/407/this-year-journaling-worksheet/ I thought it might be interesting to post the journaling here too! Why not follow the link and join in with the class? Shimelle's classes are wonderful! I didn't take her Christmas class after all but having seen quite a few finished journals online and an article about the workshop in a recent magazine, I DEFINITELY plan to do it THIS year! In fact, I am NOT making or sending Christmas cards this year - I am instead taking her class :) Less pressure :)

Right now I love....
these colours: deep blues, jewel tones, sandy tones....jade greens.....the colour of watermelon (I'm desperately missing summer)!
these foods: Indian foods, especially the desserts from A Taste of India. And their amazing Naan bread!
these places: My writing/ Creating desk, my bed, the hot tub,
these people: Lloyd (ALWAYS), Kelly Rae Roberts, President Obama and how he has given hope for change to the world,Val, Stacey, my days with Abby and Sam....The inventor of stickles - I guess I'm just a glitter gal ;) Lianne who I can't WAIT to see!!! Tanya who told me today that she thought I was cool when I was little and she watched Thriller at my house!
these activities: sex, swimming, painting, using inks
these shoes: my kickass boots
these songs: The soundtrack from Mamma Mia, anything by Lenka, Chris Daughtry,
these films: Mamma Mia
these books: Kelly Rae Roberts - Taking Flight, Wreck This Journal - Keri Smith,
these types of clothes: jeans, long sleeved T's from Reitmans, ultra soft sweaters from Reitmans.
these spots in my home: my bedroom.
these shops: Reitmans, Bath and Body Works, Michaels, Scrapbook Memories and More, Chapters.
these textures or materials: my ultra soft blanket on my bed, the new heavy bedding we have, paper!!! paint, ink...
these restaurants: Joeys Global, A Taste of India
these days of the week: most days, so long as we can get up and out and I feel motivated to DO something!
these parts of my routine: evenings when I can sit and write or create...
these experiences: swimming with Abigail in the lazy river - sooo much fun! Long dinners alone with Lloyd....
Right now I feel...(bold all that apply)
happy sad busy tired excited nervous energetic competitive aggressive talkative calm peaceful quiet intelligent
proud relieved positive worried confused stressed hopeful committed organised collected in charge blessed joyful
grateful playful upbeat content dissatisfied disappointed noisy still passionate apathetic laid-back serene curious
interested analytical questioning wordy comfortable supported opinionated improved aware light-hearted cheerful

Wow

Obama's speech was so wonderfully inspiring!

If only Canada and Britain had equally inspiring leaders!

Maya Angelou

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/world_news_america/7838957.stm

I think Maya summed it up wonderfully :)

The excitement builds....

Have you been watching the preparations for the Presidential Inauguration on the news? Isn't it amazing how the celebrations are taking place across the GLOBE??? People have flags up in England! Canada! Australia!!! And these are NOT Americans! People really do think that Obama's team will bring change and they are ready to accept America into their hearts again.

Patsy has many posts on her blog throughout the election and running up to today:

www.patsyterrell.com/blog.htm

I love how Patsy ends with:

We can do better than we have in the last eight years, America.
Yes we can.

Day one of our Chinese New Year studies..

Today we started our project on China - we are doing a little every day this week and will finish next Monday on the first day on Chinese New Year - January 26th 2009. The start of the Year of the Ox!

Today Abigail learned where China is on the Globe, saw where Beijing is, Hong Kong (where our friend Grace is visiting her family), where China is in relation to us, where the Great Wall is....

They made flags, lanterns, decorated a table with decorations for the holiday. Both Abigail and Sam made mini books at their level which talked about the Chinese celebrations and involved cutting, colouring and handwriting.

Tonight we had Chinese food and they ate with chopsticks! We had noodles, rice, beef and broccoli in a gravy....some chicken with pineapple....a variety of dishes to try....this dinner wasn't planned but we've had problems at the house so we couldn't cook here at home tonight so we went with take-out and chinese was perfect!!! I didn't get pictures though! I'm planning to take them out for a celebration lunch next week though and THAT is when I'll get the pictures!

Dream home....do you have YOUR ticket yet???

www.bigbrothershomelottery.org/grandprize.html

I can't remember if I posted...last Wednesday was date night - we went out for an Indian meal at A Taste of India, and Lloyd and I tied it in with grocery shopping...but on the way into town we stopped off at the 'dream home'.

This is the Big Brothers-Big Sisters of Edmonton and Area Dream Home Lottery Grand Prize. It's in Sherwood Park. It's worth 1.35 million dollars and tickets start at $25 each. It's for a GREAT cause!

I have to be honest and say that I wasn't as impressed with the house as I was last year - we went to look round mainly because the kitchen is white... with dark counters and we were hoping to get some ideas re tile/ wall colours. The only thing I really liked was the front doorway/ entrance, and the heated floor in the basement/ bathroom. Otherwise I wasn't keen and yes if we win will be selling ;) Its too small for us anyway lol!

Last years house was lovely. The Master ensuite bathroom was amazing!

If you have tickets good luck!!

Grrrrrr ;)

www.nytimes.com/2007/01/17/business/17leonhardt.html (a little out of date but you get the point ;)

I belong to a site which I enjoy for the inspiration more than anything, but I like some of the people there...however, some of the people there drive me insane! They are so hypocritical!! OMG! They have been going on and on about how they dislike Obama and his tax ideas and how he will be bad for the country....how people only voted for him because he is black (blah blah blah)....and they rave about Bush and how great he was.

Well there are a LOT of forces wives on there - many of whom have husbands who are away - and I understand that must be difficult - just like those women here in Canada who have husbands working away (I'm sorry, but to me a career in the forces is NO different to a career in any other job where you work away for long periods of time - its a choice and I have yet to find anyone who went into the forces because it was a 'calling' - the same way I never met a nurse who went into it because it was a 'calling'....and I've met a LOT of people in the forces.....

Anyway...my point is (yes I'm getting there slowly ...that these women are going on and on about their taxes and how their precious taxes are going to pay this bail out and how they are struggling as it is blah blah yet LOOK at what has been wasted in IRAQ!!!!! and look at how much of their precious taxes goes towards the military!!!! OMG!!!! It's something insane like 43% or something!!! It varies year to year but it's something crazy.......but they don't mention that the amount spent on the bailouts is NOTHING compared to what got the country INTO the debt in the first place which was the bloody MILITARY!!!! and IRAQ and all that wasted money!!!! That doesn't even get mentioned......lets just blame Obama who is trying to get them OUT of the mess shall we????????

OMFG!!!!

Starting to learn about China...

Today is day one of our China theme as part of our Chinese New Year celebrations. You can follow along our homeschooling blog. Today Abby and Sam made mini books, made flags, looked at where China is on the globe and where the capital is and where Hong Kong is (our friend Grace is there visiting her parents right now for New Year). They did some handwriting to do with China, and some colouring and cutting...they made paper lanterns and helped me set up the table in the hallway with all kinds of decorations. We looked at two different ways to say Happy New Year.

We have plans to continue our studies from now until next Monday but I will mainly be writing about them and posting the pictures on the homeschooling blog. In the picture above you can see Abigails book on the left and Sams mini book on the right.

Elk Island Park....

Sunday walk at Elk Island...

National Popcorn Day!!! Today!!!

www.popcorn.org/


Have some fun and learn a little too! Coloring sheets, teachers resources, worksheets, recipes, games and lots more information for this fun holiday!

Lloyds trip back home......

A few pictures of Lloyd back home. The first picture is of Lloyds brother Leigh and his wife Mel, the next picture shows Lloyd with his Dad Chris, and brother Leigh. Lastly Lloyd again with Leigh. Not sure where the picture is with his Mom?????? Terry????? Where are you??????

The weekend....

Lloyd had to go and pick up his suit on Saturday (which he wore to work today and looked totally scrummy in by the way - a lovely pin stripe Canali), so we headed to West Edmonton Mall for a few hours. On the way we stopped off to pick a fire for the addition (a gas stove to be precise for Val lol). We saw one we liked online and luckily the had the EXACT one in the first store we went in, which meant we didn't have to go to the other two stores we had planned to go to! yay! So that was nice and easy!!! Then we headed to a lighting store to have a look for some hanging light fixtures to go above the island in the kitchen - we saw some that were 'ok' but nothing we 'loved'.......so we'll keep looking.

After that we went to WEM. We spent some time in T & T - the Chinese Supermarket, to stock up on things for our Chinese New Year project this week. We got some decorations, treats, red envelopes, chopsticks etc etc.....and next week will return for the festivities there as Lloyd has to go back to pick up some pants that are being tailored. You can follow our China/ Chinese New Year project on our homeschooling blog (link on the right - it's a private blog so if you'd like access to it please let me know and I can send you an invitation to it!!).

Lloyd picked his suit up from Harry Rosens and while he was there he decided to get himself some jeans - he hasn't worn jeans for YEARS so he tried a few on and settled on two pairs that looked really great on him - so they are being tailored for him this week and he can pick them up next weekend. Kim who works there was saying she has phoned us a few times and she asks for Lloyd but she thinks its Sam that answers the phone and when she asks if Lloyd is there Sam just says 'no' and puts the phone down!!!!! She says its so funny!

We did a little more window shopping - we're looking for some Summer-weight bedding and some curtains for our bedroom but we can't find anything we like....and we went to look at some canisters for the new kitchen that Lloyd had seen in The Bay - very nice but quite small...still undecided about those.

After WEM we drove up to The Cheesecake Cafe www.cheesecakecafe.ca/ for a late lunch - I had never been there before but always wanted to as a lot of people seem to love it there. It was ok I guess - not that impressed really - service was slow. Food wasn't fabulous. I'd compare it to Boston Pizza/ Swiss Chalet kind of quality.....I'd go back...I'd take the kids but I wouldn't rave about it or rush back.....it's not great food. Somewhere I'd go with friends or somewhere casual for fun. The dessert I ordered was ENORMOUS!!!!!! I ate one layer and brought the rest home for the kids!!!! The company was wonderful though - had a great time with Lloyd! Typically though, in the Cheesecake Cafe they DID have some hanging lights that would have looked IDEAL hanging above our new kitchen island!!!!! hahahaha!

Got home around 4:30pm and relaxed....that evening we watched The Bucket List - good movie - sad! In it though one of the main characters wears these FAB bed spectacles that allow you to lie down flat in bed and still watch tv - they are like periscope glasses!!!! Very cool - so I looked them up online and you can get them online (of course hahahaha!).

That was our day! The kids stayed home relaxed, sledded, played wii and ate their way through the rest of the British treats....

Friday night Lloyd and I watched Mamma Mia (I LOVE that movie and have the soundtrack cd too). Lloyd hadn't seen the movie though. Well, I wasn't surprised that Lloyd loved the movie too :) and likes the soundtrack :) last night he was listening to Abba on youtube :) He's such a chick my husband hahahaha ;) He loves Enchanted too and has that video (the one where they are dancing in Central Park) on his iphone - he says it's for Sam and Abby but I have my doubts hahahahaha I swear Lloyds my best girlfriend :) Love you Lloyd :)

6 photo tag

I've been tagged by 'The Beak'...

First, the rules are simple. As follows:
6th Picture Meme!
1.Go to your Picture Folder on your computer or wherever you store your pictures.
2.Go to the 6th Folder, then pick the 6th picture in that folder.
3.Post that picture on your blog and the story that goes along with the picture.
4.Tag 6 other peoples that you know or don’t know to do the same thing and leave a comment on their blog or an e-mail letting them know you chose them

I've been storing pictures on the laptop since October so I don't have that many - only the ones since our trip to the pumpkin patch. My 6th folder was 'Winter Bees' and this 6th picture shows Lloyd moving the bee hive from down by the pond, up the hill towards the garage on 'Bertha' the tractor. It was the beginning of November and we were moving them to their winter home - or so we thought! We actually moved them again two weeks ago and they are now in the workshop where it is colder and they are much calmer and less active. The garage was dark but warmed up too much. The bees seem to like it cold.



Ok so I have to tag 6 people: but I hate doing that, so I will just say - if you read this DO IT on YOUR blog ;)