a learning lesson.

I have been not the greatest mom lately. You know when your husband is gone all week, and when he's back you are so busy catching up on everything that you don't feel like you have had a break at all. You are waiting for everything to be finalised on your house selling, however you still have no-where to live when that happens which is in less that 4 weeks.. you get the picture.

Well my patience has been thin to say the least. However, yesterday my friend Steph invited us over for a little kid party. I wasn't sure i could go, due to it been Ethans nap time, but i felt i needed to go, and off i went with them. They had a great time and as we visited, i learned a huge lesson from her. She was talking about her kids ( she has 4, aged 7,5, and twin 2yr old girls), she was laughing saying one of the twins was waking up every 20 mins inthe night, and she said, even when she does, i just have to smile at her, she's just so cute and sweet, and mine. i thought about that alot, there are so many times, where i know i have a frown on my face from a spilt drink, hitting each other, fighting. Or i am just trying to get something done and i have 3 of them calling my name at the same time, but i stopped today, and everything they asked for, needed, or whatever, i did it with a huge smile on my face, and it made a huge difference to my day. So Ethan got into my mandarin oranges yesterday = 4 poopy diapers, but every time i smile and tell him how cute he is. or Ella who cried because she wanted all the cookies her friend brought around, and i just smiled and told her no, but i loved her!

I really admire people who have the patience of a saint! My other friend alwyas tells how she never heard her mother raise her voice EVER. she's a mother now, and she's baffled how she did it.. but she did, can u imagine never having ever raised your voice to your children. How great. So, i am very inspired right now! thanks Steph for a great day ..oh and great food :)

SOLD!

Yeah,

I am so happy to report we sold our house. Well we have an accepted offer, he said he has no trouble with finances, but the condition isn't off yet, should be this week. I am thrilled. It only tool 3 weeks, and in this market thats great. We got what we wanted and we move out in 5 weeks. AGHH. We have always had a deal when it comes to moving, ( and we have moved 8 time in 9 years) Dayna packs and I unpack. It has worked perfectly until NOW. Dayna is not here all week, so I am all alone left to do it. I am hopeless at packing, it's true. One great thing is i can throw away stuff and he won't be able to stop me. He is such a horder. He has assignments from school that he has had filed awya for the past 7 years. Never looked at them, but kept them.. aahh, no longer shall they be.

We might have found a place to rent/buy. It's small but it's cheap. We will live in it until our home is built. We were planning on renting, until we found out our mortgage payment would be $250 a month versus $1000 for rent!!! we will jsut either renting it out when we are done or sell it.

Now this week, since Ethan has been absent, I went looking at show homes. Oh, how i love to do this. I seriously could go daily. I liked alot, apart from one gastly ultra modern, WEIRD spaceage house. I guess i am very traditional!! I found a few plans i really liked, so we will see what happens. Too bad we can't just bu a house already new and built. Also when you are moving to a village of 300 people ( yes 300), then the options are more than limited! But we will get it done.. somehow.

boys will be boys

Wow, Boys for sure are different from girls. Ethan has always climbed everywhere. He's had stitched twice in 6 months, fallen down the steps 3 times in one week. he's had a gooseegg for a month straight becuase he keeps bumping the same spot. He jumps off everything, if you are there to catch him or not. Seriously, my nerves are in tatters. So what do i do???... i sent him to Grandmas for a few days. He's 2 in 2 weeks, and he never spent the night away from me. Since dayna is there during the week, i felt really ok about it, as Dayna would still be with him inthe evenings. I can say, it's been blissful. It was so easy just having the girls. We went to the movies, out to dinner, looked at show homes, played lots. I have missed him like crazy of course, and he comes back tonight, and i can't wait to see him, but it was a wonderful break for sure.
Here are some pics i took last week, of course wearing my shoes!!!

feeling old

me when Ethan was born

the day i went home from my mission ( 1997)

my mission.. LOVED IT!

me @ 16... boy am i glad for CHI products!

me at 12.. look i was skinny LOL

So i am turning 35 in December, and i am starting to feel really old. Today I was thinking, my skin is starting to look old, I have wrinkles and a few grey hairs. I burst of my micro dermerbration machine and scrubbed my skin til it was RED... ooops. My body aches, i swear sometimes bending over and then getting back up i feel like i am 100 years old!! I look back of photos from when i got engaged or my mission, and think, wow, i was 21 there, and 25 there, and now i am 35, where did the time go?? I also remember my mom turning 40 and I thought she was old.. and she was only 23 when she had me.. yikes, am i gonna be the mom at Ethans school where they think i am the Grandma? So, i am feeling sorry for myself. PLUS, it doesn't help, that i have to say i am still trying to lose 30lbs. what the heck is wrong with me. I can't get past this, and i have to, i 100% have to. I do not like how i look, i feel bad. I feel sorry for Dayna i told him he got stuck with the fat old wife ( he's 5 years younger than me)!!

So, a little pity party for me. Why can't we just stay at like 21!! :)

her are a few pics from the past.. fun to look and a little depressing LOL

My first birth as a doula!

This week was so great. I attended my first birth as a Doula. 'E' called me at 6pm, to say she was sure she was in labour, and that her contractions were about 3-4 mins apart but only lasting 20 seconds. so she would call when they became longer and stronger, and things were going well at home. So i headed off to look at the new show homes with my friend Lana. we got thorugh 1.5 homes when the phone rang again. Her husband said they were now 1 minute apart, so i told them i would meet them at home ( she wanted to labour there as long as possible). I went and she was in alot of pain, so we headed to the hosptial. This was at 7pm. Her contractions lasted ALONG time, the poor girl stuck at 5cm for 10 hours!!!! she was a trooper though, and 17 hours later, a beautiful baby girl came to the world. she weighed 8lbs exactly and they named her Ambrosia 'Brosie'. she is as cute as can be. I never thought i would want to see what was happening. I never looked when mine were born but i just happend to be at her feet, helping her push, and saw everything, and i LOVED it. i thought i would be so grossed out, but i wasn't at all, i thought everything looked so much better than i ever imagined! LOL.

I really loved it. i was exhasuted. 17 hours without a break is hard work, but i loved every second, and i was so proud of her!

I can't wait for more to come :)

bedding..oh i love new things!

Well since we are SOOO up in the air about what type of house we are going to build ( yep, we are back to the drawing board), i can't think about it anymore without my head hurting. So for this weekend, i am going to focus on all the lovely new things i am going to buy LOL. Actually the only things i will be buying for the new house is new bedding for us. i decided my sleigh bed set it just fine for now. We need a big boy bed for Ethan and i am getting him this one i think.. LOVE Ikea! lOL

So here are the bedding I am looking at. I want my room black and white, and Dayna will be so happy, since i am English I LOVE colour, so he will be happy that i am not making him paint it some crazy colour. So what do you think? Do you have a favourite, tips, any you have seen you want to share.. go right ahead!

* as of now, i have narrowed it down to 2, but i won't say til everyone has commented, it's fun to see what others would choose*, oh and as lynn pointed out about the colour, i forgot to mention i am painting one wall green, and having green accessories around!

Heidix

we have a house plan!

Well we are still not 100% sure if we are going to build or buy a house in Rosemary. It looks more like we will end up building. Which is overwhelming and scary, but exciting too. After looking over 100 million plans, this is the one we kept coming back too!
http://www.nautahomedesigns.com/houseplan.php?HPID=292&PG=1&PLANNUM=TS165
I am useless with plans, i like to look around show homes and decide what i like and don't. So if any of you are experts and see something that doesn't seem right, PLEASE let me know! lOL I am changing the kitchen so it has a big island.

Ella starts pre-school

Today was the day, i sent my baby girl off to Pre-school. She woke up and was so excited. She ate breakfast, which in itself was good. She got ready in her new clothes, and let me do her hair. It's the same one grace went to, so she knew the teachers, but as soon as she got there, her face dropped. We found her name tag put it on, read a story together and then it was time for us to leave. she didn't cry, but she looked so scared. I kept smiling and waving, and inside i wanted to pick her up and tell them i had changed my mind. I KNOW she will be fine. She needs something, and has outgrown nursery at church, so this will be great for her. doesn't she look adorable!

Jace & Jens wedding.

Dayna's youngest brother Jace was married on Saturday, so an amazing girl. We are so thrilled to have her in our family. I am no longer the only 'in-law' daughter. Jen is from British Columbia, so we travelled there for the wedding. It started Friday, we packed up, and i have to say i was dreading it. 6 hr drive, with 3 kids, and especially Ethan who HATES his car seat, and I am very strict about them keeping in their car seats. We set off, and they did SOO good. Seriously, prayers were heard. The scenery was like nothing i had even seen anything like it. However, i am such a nervous passenger some of the windy roads with the HUGEST drops at the side of the mountain freaked me out!.. WE stayed in a hotel which was a first with the kids, and they loved it. Our room overlooked the pool, so thats all they wanted to do. Which was find with us. We spent alot of time in there.

The wedding was beautiful, Jen looked stunning, and Ella was soo precious, she did an amazing job as flower girl!

yeah for family weddings!

Grace goes to school.

She has been waiting all summer for this day to arrive. We have been counting down the days for along time. SHe woke up early, and was pretty excited. She got dressed, and chose her outfit herself. Being Grace, we had a few new things for her to wear, and she chose what felt good that day. Ella was sad that she was leaving, but we kept telling her next week is her day ( she starts pre-school). So off we went. I wasn't emotional at all. We drove there, and then Grace looked scared. she said she was, but right at that moment another little girl pulled up. Grace looked soo happy. They went down the steps and met their teacher Miss Patti. She got them to find their little peg, and put there backpacks on it. Then they said say bye to your mom. The other little girl started to cry and Grace went and stood beside her, i was so proud of her. The other mom walked away, and kept saying " i'm not gonna cry, I'm not gonna cry, as tears are streaming down her face, i was ok til i saw her, and then i jsut bawled all the way back to the car. I was ok after that. Then when we picked her up, she said she has a great time, and could not wait to go back. Where does the time go, she's sooo small. It makes me realise that time is flying by.

we are moving!

Well to say it's been a crazy week, is an understatement. Last week, I was out running a few errands, I arrived home and Dayna said, "so, umh, i was offered a job", i was like WHAT, WHERE, etc etc. He said it was for an oil company as an operator. He has 4 years of school in enviromental science, but the jobs were not easy to come by. It seemed they all wanted experience OR it was who you knew.. and we didn' know anyone LOL. So, then he told me it was in Rosemary. This is the village Dayna grew up in. It's TINY, 200 people, like 1 store, you can't even buy gas there! His parents and a couple of siblings live there still. Even though i am from a big city, i have always been drawn there. So, he went today to check it out, and well, he called tonight to say, let's do it! So, we are selling our house and moving. At the beginning of the week, i wasn't sure if i felt good about it, i was worried about Grace, we just got her in to a really good private kindergarden. I was worried about the changes, the kids, you know. i am still worried about the housing situation. There are non for sale that are suitable. we might have to build, and that just scares me! There might be one house available, which seems to be perfect, but we are not sure if it's really for sale. so, there you go. Dayna might be gone within a few weeks, i will stay here until we sell, and find sometihng new!

crazy huh!

pina colada trifle!

my friend made this, and i am making it today, thought i would share, super easy and yummy!!

How ToHow to Make a Pina Colada TrifleTrifle is a delicious layered dessert that always looks very festive, but is actually quite easy to throw together.


EasyInstructionsThings You'll Need:
* One yellow cake (from mix, or use purchased poundcake).. i used french vanilla
* One 3 oz. package flaked coconut, or as much as you want
1 can crushed pineapple*
One 3 oz. package coconut pudding mix* ( not sure if you can get this in the UK, kinda like angel delight)
8 oz. carton whipping cream*
1/4 cup powdered sugar*
Maraschino cherries and sliced pineapple (if desired)

1.make cake as box states, and then cut it up in 2inch cubes, arrange half the cake in the bottom

2. put about 4 tbs pineapple juice over the cake.

3. Drain the can of crushed pineapple, then spoon half of the pineapple over the cake.

4. then add as much coconut as you like

5. prepare the pudding according to the package directions. When it has cooled a bit but has not yet set, pour half of it over the cake, pineapple and coconut.

6Place the rest of the cake pieces on top of the pudding layer. Then sprinkle the cake pieces with the remaining pineapple juice and top them with the rest of the pineapple, coconut and pudding.

7 Whip the cream in a bowl, stirring in the powdered sugar as you beat it. Using powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar helps the cream to retain its shape.

8Sprinkle the reserved coconut over the top of your Pina Colada trifle. You may also garnish it with maraschino

I ran it!

Well I am so excited to say that this week, I ran my 1st 5k. It wasn't in a race or anything, but just running at the gym. 6 months ago, i culd barely make it around the block! It feels great. I really am happy that i started running. I can't say i LOVE it, but i love the feeling i get when i accomplish something. I am now aiming for my next goal of 8k. I want to up my time too, i swear my time was super slow, but hey, i made it!

beds, beds, beds

*** above it what i am planning to do with my master room... or something like it!

This is the white one that i really love

this is the set we have now

expresso chocoalte

I would really like to do some work on my guest room. No one hardly ever stays, but I do want it to look nicer. So i was thinking of putting my cherry sleigh bed down there and then getting us a new one. which comes to my next thing. I really want to re-do my master bedroom. I know, i know, didn't i just do it like 18 months ago.. yep, and thats the English in me, always wanting to change things. Right now, it's chocolate & amber, very warm looking, but i am thinking i would like to go brighter, and refreshing. So, of couse been married to someone who owns his own painting company, i know i can get that done cheap! ahha. I think i want antique white on 3 walls and then either wallpaper or an brightish apple green, then with black & white accessories. If you scroll back a few pages on my blog you will see the idea of what i would like. So here are some bed sets i like. I do relaly love the white, but i wonder if 1) if will wreck to easily and scratched up, and 2) will it date way quicker that the others? mmhhh choices!! and i have to bed and plead with Dayna first! haha

Air show

Every year here in Lethbridge there is a air show. I have never been to it before, but my brother in law Dustin won tickets and he was in Utah, so he gave them to us. I was pretty excited and thought the kids would have a good day. Well,it would have been a good day, but it was pretty hot for us all. The show didn't start til noon, which is Ethans nap time, and Ella was scared of the large overhead jet planes. I must admit it was VERY loud. WE stayed 2 hrs, and went home with cranky, scared, tired, and sunburned kids! Oh well, least we tried. It was pretty interesting to see all the different planes!!.. maybe next year!

Swimming time

Her swim instructor walked right in the way! lol

Grace passed her swimming class today. I am so proud of her. She only has 2 things to mark off from her next class too. She loves the water, and is not afraid to try new things. I am so glad she does not take after me in the water. I have tried really hard not to pass on my fear of it. Ella is for sure way more nervous, but I am hoping to get her started soon. Yeah Grace, well done baby.

Family fun @ Henderson Park

We went to the new Park a few minutes from our house. It has been crazy busy there, but we were really lucky, we took them when it was pretty hot out, so i think everyone else was in the Henderson pool!! The kids had soo much fun. It's so nice to have a new park, I LOVE Gyro right by our house too, but it's always fun to go to new places, and then especially here, Grace can ride her bike, we can walk around the lake etc. I LOVe where we live. I Love this part of Alberta, I never want to leave!!

Gymnastics camp.

I enrolled Grace this past week in a fun gymnastic camp. She is naturally really athletic, and really enjoys any type of activity. From been a very young age she was always climbing at the park, swinging, can throw a ball further than I can! So I thought this would be fun. It was at the local Gymnasium. She was there from 9-12 and loved it. They did different activities and things with the kids. She is already taking swimming lessons, which she really enjoys too. I do not want to overschedule my kids with a bunch of activities, but yet i want them to experience different things and learn new things. PLUS they don't fight with each other if they are busy! haha. It's hard to know as a parent what things you choose to do with them, and how often etc etc. I already told Dayna that when my kids are old enough they are playing the Piano, it's not an option! lol The pictures are a little dark..sorry!

Boating at St Mary's

Friends of ours bought a boat recently, and invited us to go boating with them this weekend. It was so fun. A little scary at time ( i will tfill you in on that in a second). I am not the biggest fan of water at all. I knew that this would be fun, so i packed up a picnic and off we went. The boat was so fun. They had these seated tube things, with 3 seats, Grace wanted to go out with Dayna and Hayden our friends son. So i was on the boat with the other kids, and they were been pulled along, when all of a sudden it literally sunk, it was the weirdest thing i have ever seen. Grace got flung off into the cold water, by herself. Before i could even scream, Dayna dived off and got to her. The tube did go over her and push her back under for a second. Dayna said he wasn't scared until he got to the back of the boat and she still wasn't up, but a second later, there she was. Coughing, spluttering and LAUGHING, asking if she could go back in. I was shaking, nausious, and trying not to cry!!! THEN a few hours later, we were all just relazing onthe boat, Ethan kept looking over with Dayna and stood on the wooden bench at the back of the boat, then i hear 'splash' and then dayna leaning over fishing out Ethan who had toppled over. UGH, he was too laughing. Seriously, my heart could not take it. Even though we all had life jackets on, i was scared! Apart from that we all did have fun! lol

Ellas cute cute bob

So yesterday i took Ella to get her hair cut. It was getting long, but bone straight and a little stragly at the ends. She always had food in it! lol So i got a cute bob.. love it