Sunday, February 21, 2010

Stranger and Stranger still...

We had some interesting company last night. My brother, Tim, who lives out west flew in to surprise the fam. And it was quite a surprise. My "other brother".. Jeff.. brought Tim and a friend, Joel, over.

This is Jeff, Tim and I.
Tim is not an axe murderer regardless of how much he looks like one.

Joel is one of the funniest people I know.. always has been!


Jeff is just happy to be let in out of the cold.



He has a little space issue!!



Poor Teddy. He is ready for the next installment of the Grinch.

The children weren't quite sure what hit the house. Lots of laughs. Courtney thinks they are all crazy.. and wants to know when they are coming back. She even called her Uncle J to find out when they would be returning. Not today, child... not today!!


Thursday, February 18, 2010

My Ugly Frog has been defeated!!!

Ok, this has been a loooong day. My hands and feet are cramped.
... but my mudroom looks great!! The kids were freaking when I kept saying bring me all the coats, all the boots, mittens, ski pants... bring it all in!!
"But it won't fit! We want it to look good!"
I wouldn't cheat though.. it was amazing to get it all in!!!


This is the door that was covered by the big wardrobe. I'm not really sure who put the wardrobe in front of the door... The drawers on the wardrobe are labelled for hats, mittens and scarves. I love my new labeller and hardly have any chance to use it.


I decided I had never taken ownership of this closet. It was depressing. Now it has 2 coats of fresh paint... actually the whole room does. The colour is called Scrimshaw Ivory.. tint 1 from Para.
This corner still isn't real pretty, but honesty is important here. I needed a spot to store a few things. Here they are. There are no steps to this outer door.. and a 10 foot drop... so I don't mind covering it up.


Here is my bench. Now it is able to be used!! whooo hooo!! I need to get my curtains up, but that is a job for another day. I'm tired.

There you go, Jenn. One ugly frog taken care of!!

Ugly Frog Contest

Today is the Ugly Frog Contest at Mom's No Chaos Zone. Since I have a huge ugly frog in my house, I thought I'd enter. Its only today, so if you see this please enter!

To make myself accountable I took pics of before so I could post it for the world to see. Keep in mind, it has to be fixed by tonight.

Are you ready for this?

This is really embarrassing!!

And here (drumroll please) is my mudroom!!!

After taking this shot I thought, it doesn't look too bad. Did you know there is an exterior door behind this cupboard... and a coat closet??

This buffet is supposed to be in the dining room... dust free. I remember purchasing the green bench so the kids can sit down and put on their boots... which are now all over my living room instead of in my quite large mudroom.

I could have spun this pic around so you don't have to get a crick in your neck... however, the pile was dizzyingly (is that a word?) high. This looks smaller somehow.

You literally have to walk on stuff to get into the room. This is one ugly frog.
To top this all off, the bottom half of the walls isn't primed. The room has to be painted as well. Can we get it all done??
Today our homeschool will be experimenting with a Co-operative Work Project. Let's see how it rolls!!




Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Followers link

I thought it would be neat to add a follower link on this thing. I'm not sure what the benefit of being a follower is. For those of you who follow this thing whether a link is there or not... could you press the button and tell me what the deal is?? Do you get notified if I put on another rant?? Do you get frequent flier miles for reading the story of my life... trust me, if I really shared my life you'd all run of screaming!!
Please try it out and let me know.
I have an inquiring mind... I want to know!

What I've learned from the police this year

These are some things I have learned from the police in the past year or so.



--- Putting a knife in someone's face and threatening to kill them is ok... even if you brag to the police that you did it.

--- Its ok to stone one's neighbors.

--- It is not ok to laugh and play in your own yard if your neighbors psycho abused dog doesn't like it ... even at 2 in the afternoon in the summertime.

--- Booby trapping your neighbors porch is just fine, esp if earlier in the day you threatened to cut same neighbors small children's f'in necks with a hoe.

--- It is most certainly fine to keep someone else's child FOR LIFE if they are allowed to stay for a sleepover. Taking clothes and a toothbrush obviously means they are being kicked out of their home.

--- If the parent of that child decides to go pick up their child, it is fine to accost them and physically harm them, because they are coming on your property to take your "new child."

--- It is fine to keep someone else's child and have the original parent charged with trespassing if they go near their own child.

--- It is fine to charge the real parent for kidnapping if by chance they actually get their child back. It is NOT fine to have someone charged for kidnapping if they take your child and won't give them back.

--- It is fine to speed down a highway, lose control, cross a yellow line and passing lane to hit your car. After all, everyone speeds. What is your problem??

--- It is ok for the police to talk to a parent and then turn around and tell their child the exact opposite of the agreement with the parent.

--- When you are robbed, and know who did it, the police will contact the person who robbed you... but not you. They will not come to the home where the theft took place, or call wronged homeowner who filed the report... except for when they call to say ... "I spoke with the person you claim stole from you. He said he didn't do it and we believe him. Ma'am, no you have nothing to say about it .. case closed."

--- The RCMP actually sleep all night and do not respond to calls after midnight. It doesn't matter what is going on... they need their rest. OK.. after filing a complaint about that one, someone got in a "talking to." I got a half hearted apology, but they would not give me a written apology which was what I had asked for.

--- If a person is deemed as a pillar of the community, say like an emergency room doctor or a pastor, they can do whatever they want. If their victim is deemed as a low life.. say like a single mom of 8 children... it is ok to victimize them without censure. And how dare that single mom have a problem with it!!!

I am not going to be bitter, but I will also never have contact with RCMP if I can help it. Egotistical idiots all of them. I haven't met one of them that didn't just completely lie about everything.... oh no.. there was one last summer, but he was frustrated with the rest of them too. He is also very young and probably thinks there is still some honor left in the force.

There isn't.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Another Week... Another Day at Emergency

For the third time in under 3 weeks, Caitlyn has been in emerge.
She is having some weird trembling/shaking going on in the muscles of her arm. It has gone on for up to 3 days at a time.

Today I'd had enough. It was time for some bloodwork!

The doctor was great. They took 6 vials of blood.... Did I mention Cait is terrified of needles?? Oh my!! She was a trooper. I couldn't believe how well she did. Most of the tests came back normal. Some of the blood had to be sent to another hospital in the "big city" (ha ha) for further tests.

I attended the Ultimate Women's Expo online this weekend. There were women there who had very sick children among other struggles. I remember thinking how happy I was that I didn't have any sick kids. Its not that I have anything against sick kids, I just didn't want mine to GET sick!! I'm realizing that fleeting thoughts like that should be pushing me to get down on my knees and thank God for the gift of health we have been given. I need to be thankful for everyday we are not dealing with a health crisis.

If I am in a position where I need to deal with a health crisis, I need to be thankful for everyday to lovingly care for those I love. Should something happen and I lose that child, its getting down on my knees and giving thanks for the beauty of the life that has graced mine and taught me more about His love for me, and thank Him that this is not the end.

For today... I thank God for the health of my children. I thank Him that I can serve my children by showing His unconditional love to them.

In fact, I think its time to go and get the snacks ready for tomorrow. Tomorrow... the day I call my family doctor to schedule my daughter for her first visit (and hopefully last one!!) with the neurologist. I'd appreciate your prayers!!

Canada wins Gold!!

You have to wonder... who thought of it first???
Some crazy guys skiing... moguls no less... who had this crazy idea..

LET'S PUT A JUMP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HILL... NO!! HOW ABOUT 2 JUMPS!?!?!?

After a few days of moguls with jumps on the hill.. one of them starts doing flips... and the rest is history. Now I'm not sure what kind of "idiots" think this is a fun thing to do... but it sure is fun to watch!!
... especially when you win a gold medal at the Olympics!!

Congrats to Alexandre Bilodeau for winning the first Gold Medal by a Canadian in Canada!! We have been more than gracious hosts so far by letting the competition place just ahead of us. Its time!

Saturday, February 06, 2010

Jack's Party Day

This is Jack... this is his pre-birthday party... he will be 6 Monday!! Whoo hoo!!!
Jack is very excited about cake, balloons and gifts. He was extremely calm and patient though!! My baby is growing up! FYI he is NOT a baby...

It only took about 12 puffs to blow out the candles


Justin thoroughly enjoys his ice cream


Josh is a more of a frosting kid


Lots of cousins and friends to frost some cookies because, obviously, cake, ice cream and cupcakes are not enough sugar... no way


Jack sitting with Ellie?? How did that happen?? He was joined at the hip with Brett and Luke.. wasn't he? She is kinda cute... hmmm

Even the big boys can't resist cookies with a little pink frosting!!
Look how serious they are!! Damara...( if I spelled that right... it was hard to reproduce the name on the card!!) looks like this is the most important thing she has ever done in her life!
It was actually a very relaxed day.. weird, eh??
It was too cute when Brett suggested I open a bakery so they could all come and buy cookies from me. Sheesh, you'd have think we could have said that before I gave away all my stock!! Poor Brett left wondering if I was going to charge him for the cookies he carried home. Betty Jo.. please convince him I wasn't serious! and tell Cole we found his wallet and didn't steal a thing... honest!!!
















Friday, February 05, 2010

Organization, here I come!!!

Someone dropped in to meet me today. A mom of one of Caitlyn's new friends. Lovely lady.... and wanted to see my kitchen... loves the fixer upper thing. This kind of thing only happens on the nights that instead of doing the supper dishes right away I sit down to watch a show with the kids. sigh...
At least she saw that I spend time with the kids! The little boys.. and Jack.. were already in bed and came down to meet Ashley and her mom, Darla.
When I sent them back they trooped right upstairs which was terribly impressive!
"Did they just do what you told them too??"
"Yes, its called obedience and I expect it."
"Wow, they do well."
Turns out it didn't really matter if there were dishes all over the kitchen. They are now done and I am ready for more visitors... anyone??

I have shelves in my closets!!!!
A total of 12 new, big and amazing shelves!!
Organization, here I come!!

Except I seem to be incredibly drained. Everything is quiet, but I find myself on guard waiting for something to happen. And I think that I really need a break.. one where I can get away and not have to worry about the kids... I don't think that will happen for years.

On a high note, I went to pick up Matt and Cait from Matt's volleyball game against VCA and joined up with some good friends from home. How fun to sit down with 4 ladies and just chat.

The kids have started the movie, so I must run.