Gold-panning at the gem mine :)

The guy who ran the mine spent ages talking to the children about all the different types of gem stones, explaining what the ones they found were.....and showed them a Geode and the amethyst inside....they each came away with a bag of gems to take home.  Sam had 17 :)

Driving the dino-car

And Abby on the monkey bars:

Easter babies petting zoo....

A minute to myself....

There were a few moments during the day where I got to sit on a straw bale in the sunshine and relax...catch up on facebook - add a few pictures and enjoy people watching!!!  The children were busy in the playground or petting zoo for so long that I got to just enjoy a moment or two to myself :)

Sexy boots huh???  ;)

Mud glorious MUD!!! :)

 The highlight of the day for the kids was playing in the mud!!!  We had specifically brought our welly boots because we knew it would be really muddy there...and it WAS!!  HUGE puddles and lots of lovely squidgy squelchy mud :)  Sam was in his element and adored it.  Mind you, so did the girls :)  Even I was squelching my feet in the mud :)

Springtime in Alberta :)

Snapshots from our Easter Saturday....

One of the highlights of my day was Sam who had pulled off a fluffy piece of Pussy Willow and talked about it for a long while....he asked if I could make him a blanket filled with them as they are so soft...and he kept calling it 'Wussy Pillow' by mistake :)

Love him :)

Prairie Gardens Easter Festival.

We had such a FUN day today.  Susannahs friend Cassie slept over last night, but we made sure not to have too late a night, so we could all get up and head out today!!  We headed up to Bon Accord to the Prairie Gardens for their Easter Festival.  I bought an annual pass last week through one of those daily deal things....It gets our family in to every festival they have this year and it was only $60!!!  It would cost us nearly that just to get in today!!!

Tractor trailer rides, egg hunts, fishing pond, petting zoo with baby animals...haunted house (yes it was open lol) big go carts, crafts to make and do...face painting, bale mazes, gem mining....so much to enjoy :)  

We were there until after it closed...and I came home EXHAUSTED but happy :)  

How well do you know me?????

Saw this and love the interesting questions...

1. When do you feel happiest?  When I'm with people I can truly be myself with.....when I feel safe and secure in my life.....when I feel loved.....when I'm relaxed and creating...whether that be art, journaling....a blog post...when I'm outside in the sunshine...

 2. How do you take care of yourself?   I surround myself with people who believe in me and care about me.  I make sure to take time for myself - whether that be by soaking in the bath, creating art, tanning, or sitting in a coffee shop with my journal...I take my meds regularly, don't miss meals, take garlic capsules regularly.  

3. Are you internally (by yourself) or externally (by others) motivated?   I am motivated by others a lot...probably more so than by myself - but can motivate myself when I really want to do something.  I am a hopeless procrastinator though and tend to leave things until the last minute and work to a deadline better.

4. What do you do for fun?   Pub quiz on Thursday nights with Samantha is always so much fun!!  The piano duelling at the bar was also really good fun!  The yorkshire pudding cook-off we're planning will be a lot of fun :)  Flirting with Nigel on facebook is fun :)  Going out with the kids to places like Katies Crossing, roller skating, swimming, even hiking up a mountain - is great fun!!  :)  Breakfast with Val is always fun!!  Time with Christie and Sid is always CRAZY fun!!!  Getting covered in paint and modpodge while I work on a canvas is good fun too :)  

5. What intimidates you?   Not much....I can't think of anything right now...a lot used to...but nothing much any more....

 6. What is something you're proud of?   I am VERY proud of my children - all of them are such amazing young people - each with their own special personality :)  I am proud of my artwork and how it is developing!  I am so VERY proud of my home and how I turned it from an empty shell 6 years ago into a LOVELY country home filled with personal mementoes and special pieces that mean so much to me.  

7. Finish this sentence. I never.... stay down for long....I'm very grateful that I have the positive and optimistic personality that I have - because no matter what I go through and what I have to deal with, I never stay down for long :)

8. Favorite vacation spot?   Canmore!!!  Yes of course I love Florida and New York and I'm sure I will love Hawaii and Vegas when I go....but my heart is in Canmore and I will always return and I know that as soon as I arrive there I feel lighter and more myself and like I 'belong'.....

9. Today is a (rate from 1 - 10)   probably a 7.  It was a lovely day.  The sun was shining, the children were happy.  We had lovely foods, time to relax and a trip out...Susie has a friend sleeping over and I relaxed in the bath....so all in all a lovely day!!

10. Finish this sentence. If you knew me really well you'd know who Mr TDH is......you'd know when Nigel is arriving and how long he's staying and you probably know how I feel about that......you'd know what is on my list of 40 before 40......you'd know who Amber is and why she's sooooo special to me (and I mean HUMAN Amber lol - not my gorgeous dog who we lost last year sadly)......and if you knew me well you'd also know why I'm finding it so hard to figure out this new relationship with Mr TDH......