Tuesday happenings...

This morning we went out for breakfast with Val......which was as lovely as always...although I didn't go prepared with games for Abby and Sam and they were a little tired and cranky from late nights and playing outside and they were bored and annoying...we still enjoyed breakfast and it was lovely to hear all of Vals news and get caught up with each other....

After breakfast we came home and spent the afternoon outside...catching butterflies and frogs and playing in the mud....sitting in the sun......playing with the dogs...cats....enjoying being here in the peace and quiet.  I was left wondering how long we will get to enjoy this beautiful acreage for......and how my little boy will find living in a subdivision instead of all this land with trees and pond and land to roam all day...he soooo loves being outside and playing here with all this space.......

Tonight Chris is off to the movies with some friends...

Susannah and Laurence are recovering from their track and field day......I bet they will flop and watch a movie with the little ones.....

Porcupines and other 'creatures' with quills ;)

Last night Lloyd and I went to watch Susannah sing in her Choir evening...it was so lovely....I especially loved when they sang 'I Believe'....

Afterwards I had to take Susannah somewhere briefly, and Lloyd went back to the house to spend some time with the children.....and then Susannah and I went back to join them.  When we got home there was quite a fuss going on because there was a porcupine in the wood where Sam and Abby have their 'den'.....

Lloyd took me down to see the porcupine and it was fun trying to get close enough to get a picture and Lloyd clambering in the trees to get a picture of it from the front (not possible lol) and Abby was crying because she thought the kitten was going to die cause he was sniffing the porcy lol!

It was a lot of fun - kind of crazy and like the good old times when we were a real family :)  

We got Sam inside and bathed him together and chatted and stuff and I made Lloyd a sandwich and then it was time for him to go and he told me how great he thought I was doing - how much better than himself (this is true) and that he was proud of how great I am doing......

But actually I didn't need to hear that from him - it didn't feel that important coming from him - and that felt even MORE important....because really - I am proud of ME :)  I am proud of how much I have changed in a few short weeks - of how much I have coped with and how much I have done....and how much I am facing......

The worst I could have imagined happened - and you know what?  I'm ok :)  

Mothers Day morning.....

Please excuse my groggy early morning appearance.....Susannah was determined to take pictures of me despite me being sat in bed with bedhead hair ;)

I don't have a picture of my mug yet.....it's in the dishwasher.....oh and Daughtry's new CD...

Thanks Lloyd for the little gifts you picked out......

Busy Monday....

Today was a busy day...Laurence was home from school, so I took the opportunity to do a few errands...I had to get some things done at the bank, with the lawyer...and sorting out some people to come and give quotes re renovations....

The water guy has to come out because our well water is going black...and we are having problems with the iron levels in it too - even the new washing machine is going yellow inside and the white kitchen sinks are stained black......so he is coming out to sort it.....I should have just called him like I had planned to - but stupidly I sent Lloyd a text.  Why do I do THAT??????  I knew to call Barry!!  But I did the dependent thing and sent Lloyd a text.....duh!!!

I never learn........I really don't need him any more to do stuff like that - I'm more than capable....although he took the last cheque book!!!  Why????  But he's bringing it back tonight thankfully - and the mail key!!

I stopped in at the local store today and got chatting to some British lady who has just moved here from Cambridge.....she's living in some womans garden??????  hahahahaha  anyway that was nice.....I grabbed some squeezy cream and came home and made waffles for the kids for a really late lunch....

Yummy waffles with cream, syrup and chocolate chips!!

Susannah is staying at school for a party and then I am heading there just before 7 for her Choral evening.....I get to hear all the songs the choir has been learning all year.  It should be really nice :)

Apart from that, chores, kids stuff, normal Monday stuff :)

Val had her BIG day today - her Daughters are now legally and well and truly HERS (well, and James') Woohoo!!!  :)  

And Tess was at the docs for her results...although didn't get her results....sigh....so has more waiting to do.........

So both Tess and Val were in my thoughts today xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Oh and Laurence surprised me today - he bought me the new Daughtry CD online......then put it on CD for me for the car :)  He's such a sweetie :)

Minnie Mouse...

Abby used static to stick the balloons to her head today :)

Crazy girly...

New hair cut...

I had my hair chopped off a week or so ago.....love the new stylist!!

Definitely going back...with looking after the kids and house on my own its soooo much easier having short hair again....and I love this asymmetrical cut!!  

Not that these photobooth pics show it off lol but I was having fun playing :)

Susies right...I should smile more in pictures ;)  

A good weekend...

It's been a fun weekend...yesterday morning after dropping Chris at work, we all went swimming and had so much fun :)  It was a great morning and we're going to make it a regular thing when the children are at home!!!  Either swimming or doing an activity somewhere....

Then afterwards we had lunch at McD's but to be honest we all thought it was yucky, greasy and nasty...so next time maybe we'll go somewhere else.....

Today was Mothers day and it's been a wonderful day all in all.  Susannah woke me with coffee and then gave me her gifts - a lovely coupon book she had made me full of redeemable coupons for chores etc she will do for me - and also a gift she had bought me on her trip to West Ed Mall last week - a lovely little key fob of the Wicked Witch of the West!!  So thoughtful of her :)

The girls sat on the bed with me all morning and we lazed and watched tv and surfed the web for junk....and then eventually got up......

We headed out to Katies Crossing for their yummy fries, onion rings, ice cream, ice cream floats and a walk around the old trains.....then to Blockbusters for a dvd....and we spent some time with my friend Samantha today too and made plans to meet again soon :)  xxxxxxxxxx

We had plans for this evening but unfortunately they got cancelled,  so we ended up curling up with a movie again...but the children didn't mind at all :)

I came home to find more cards and gifts....including some beautiful words written by my oldest Son.....made me cry :)

I had some wonderful messages on facebook some great friends - sooo touching :)  I have some amazing people in my life :)

Cafe Haven...

Yesterday Val and I had a lovely day out in town.  We met at a little coffee shop called Cafe Haven.  It seems to have been built in what used to be an old bank - there is even a little private room for small groups to gather with coffee, that is in the old vault!!!!

After a long relaxing coffee/ breakfast we headed to the thrift store for a few (lol) bargains......then we struggled back to the car with them all (hahahaha) before heading to Michaels with our coupons for the week!!  Sadly neither of us really found much in Michaels that we wanted - so we headed to Homesense for a stroll round too....

All in all it was a lovely day - we managed to pass over 4 hours just chatting and strolling around the stores :)  

Thanks Val for the great company again - AND for yet again helping me with all my thrift store shopping ;)  

You dump - we pump!

Yesterday we had our septic sucked out 

lovely ;)

Sam likes to watch the truck with the big hose.

Aquarium

Abigail made this 'aquarium' that hangs above her bed from the ceiling - it has starfish, fish, eels and turtles hanging from it.  I think it also has coral.

Going green...

We had sigh winds and heavy rain all night last night.  Lots of LOVELY rain :)  It has really helped green things up in just one night - and the trees are starting to come out in leaves now finally - all it took was a little rain!!  They did promise us more rain showers through the day today - and as you can see from the above picture - which I took a few minutes ago, there are rain clouds around - but we haven't had any rain since it stopped early this morning.

The pond is going down instead of filling up - we need MORE rain :(

Friday Fill-ins!!

And...here we go!

1. Where are my rain showers today? It all seems to have dried up!!  
2. If wishes were horses Abby would be making wishes ALL day because she really really wants horses!!
3. I'd like to see a certain someone right now.
4. When I was a teen, I thought I was fat - now when I look at pictures of me back then I think I could kill for that body ;)
5. One of my mother's favorite sayings was be back before it gets dark.
6. I'd have a hard time doing without my kids - they're pretty wonderful.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to watching a movie by the fire, tomorrow my plans include running errands with Lloyd and Sunday, I want to see what the day brings.

Dinner at The Melting Pot:

Last night we headed out for dinner with our wonderful friends Val and James - this has now become a monthly date and we really look forward to it - we take turns choosing which restaurant to go to - and this month Val and James chose to try the new restaurant in town - a fondue restaurant called The Melting Pot.

It was our first experience with a fondue restaurant and we all LOVED it - the staff were AMAZING and the slow fun method of cooking at your table while you chat was just a wonderful way to enjoy a meal together.  The restaurant owners were walking around the restaurant serving water and asking everyone how they were enjoying their meals and the restaurant and explaining how and why they had opened The Melting Pot....

All in all it was a fabulous evening and if you want a fun meal out - and have plenty of time to enjoy it - then I wholeheartedly recommend it :)  

Oh and the company wasn't bad either ;)

lol!! ;)

The appetisers/ cheese course:

The entrees:

The chocolate course:

Random Dozen...

1. Ever had any run-ins with the "library police?"   Yes - a book that had a piece missing when we got it home and when we took it back and told them they said it had NOT had the piece missing when it had left the library as it would have been reported last time it had been returned.....I told them that perhaps it had been lost while it was actually being looked at IN the library because it certainly wasn't there when we started to read it!!  I was NOT happy and the lady was sooooo RUDE!!!  She is the grouchy librarian there - always so grouchy!!  The other librarians are so lovely but she never smiles or chats!!  Gggrrrrr!!

2. Do you have a special organizational plan and place for wrapping paper, gift bags, etc., or do you just purchase whatever you need as you give gifts?  I have several gift bags, tissue, wrapping paper etc saved up in my closet...but otherwise I buy as I need....

3. Have you ever been in (first-hand witness) a natural disaster?  No not really - the closest you could count is that the little village I grew up in was snowed in for several days when I was a child - to the point that cars couldn't get in or out and the farmer had to deliver milk and groceries etc.  I remember something happening at some point where water had to be delivered to the villagers as well - not sure what that was about though.....not exactly a natural disaster but the closest I have ever been lol ;)

4. What's your favorite Barry Manilow song? I LOVE Barry Manilow...I think he looks really freaky - especially now when he has had so much work done!!  BUT - his songs are wonderful!!  I'm not sure which is my favourite though...maybe 'I made it through the Rain'  or 'I Write the Songs'

5. What's the best costume you've ever worn?  I wore my Moms wedding dress when I played a 'bride doll' in a play.  Apart from that I don't recall ever wearing costumes....Oh I dressed up as a tramp (hobo, bum???) for a Brownie picnic once - that was a good costume.

6. Which do you use more often, the dictionary or the thesaurus?  dictionary.com or thesaurus.com

7. What's your favorite breakfast food?  Right now green monsters.  Before that it would be Weetabix or applesauce and oats.

8. Have you ever purchased anything from an infomercial?  I don't think so - but Laurence LOVES them and watches them all of the time.  We did just buy the Magic bullet but not from an infomercial - we got it from Airmiles and because of recommendations from friends.  Laurence is loving it though and uses it every day so far.  I'm still using my blender...sigh......

9. Have you ever crawled through a window? Yes when I have locked myself out of houses I have had to crawl through windows to let myself back in!  Or if friends have locked themselves out - I've normally been the smallest person so I'm the one to go in!

10. Do you believe in love at first sight? Not really - I think that tends to be more like lust....I think love grows when you get to really know someone - on a deeper level.

11. How man pairs of jeans do you own?  About 15 - 20

12. If someone were going to bake a cake to honor/represent you, what would it be? (Think creatively, like Duff and Crew on "Ace of Cakes."):  Christie had one made for us for our Wedding when we returned from Florida - it was turquoise (my favourite colour) and it had white hummingbirds on it (one of my favourite birds) - it was beautiful!!!  I loved it!!!  Sadly I couldn't appreciate it when I got home - not for a couple of days because I was soooooo very ill at the time :(  But when I was finally conscious I LOVED it :)  


Apart from that, if someone made me a cake now, I'm not sure....maybe one of my house with the porch and everything....a cake of home  with all of us sitting out on the front porch :)  

Kitty pic....