whirrrr....

is sort of how the week went!







we definitely eat better when daddy is at home. two little kids barely consume enough food to feed one adult. most of the time. cooking for one and a half people is not all that exciting. unless you love leftovers.



we are all set up for some yummy meals this week.



and next week we are going on a mock vacation. or not.



my friend, Joanne is heading to a hot and fun country for the week. with her husband. and other friends. while they celebrate with another friend who his getting married! as much as i'd love to join them, i'm okay with our arrangement. they are leaving their three teenage children at home. with me!



there is no way we could fit seven people in this house and end the week with our sanity intact. so we're hanging out at their house for the week. we are taking the opportunity to get some work done on our house at the same time. messy and noisy jobs are not all that fun with kids.



and i have to admit...i cannot wait to cook in her kitchen! i am soooo curious to see if we can fit my kids and at least one of hers and myself...and work away. can a kitchen be possibly that roomy? we'll find out.



and they have two of the best playgrounds within walking distance. please let this snow melt quickly and let us enjoy every minute of being outdoors....especially in our version of paradise...



and the teenagers? they will either be thrilled when they see their parents, drop to their knees in gratitude that they have no other siblings...or....be begging their parents to get busy and bring home some more babies! one of their children is our babysitter. my kiddos will be in heaven being near her for so long. the other two are a little intimidated by little kids, and slightly stressed about this little people being near them....on the flip side....i'm sure my kids will only see them potential energetic playmates!

this will be kind of like fast-forwarding our lives ten years into the future....yikers!!

wish us luck!

what day is it again?

wowza! i cannot believe how quickly this week is flying by!

it didn't help that we started the week with an odd garage break-in. i'm not sure what the technical term would be when your dear husband forgets his set of keys in the lock of the garage door overnight. and one of the doors to one of the cars was left unlocked. of course maybe it was a blessing?

nothing was damaged. phew! we have had break-ins happen before and it is never cheap.

$10 and some Tim Hortons bucks was all that was lost.

we are so thankful that the keys were left behind and they weren't used to enter our house. so thankful.

i was a little freaked out last night. i had childish booby traps set up in the garage and in the house! they were silly...but i did sleep.

{apparently a brand new garage is more inviting that the run-down shack we used to have. ten years that building stood, and not once did anyone try to enter it. and there were many nights we forgot to lock the door. go figure.}

these two were awesome today. and yesterday. i've had lots of phone calls and errands and e-mailing. they have been most understanding.

and i managed to figure out a way for them to feel rewarded!

i took them out to McDonald's for supper and some indoor playground time. they were thrilled! Aidan shared with Daddy on the phone tonight how much fun we all had today. score!!

i have some pretty tough competition.

we have some neighbors that we love to bits. they treat our children as if they were their own grandchildren. right down to the spoiling!

last night we went over just before bedtime. they were treated with chocolate. cookies. given the taste of mineral water for the first time. actually it was my first time too. they have a toddler swing hanging from the floor joists in the basement. the best part is that they also have a rope tied to the swing...yup the kids were swinging for about an hour. probably good on Zbigs' triceps?!

Aidan was begging to go back again today as i put him to sleep last night. and their bedtime was pushed back about two hours. bed and chocolate are no competition! then, as we're walking home, Kiara shouts, "stars!" how cool is that?

a few nights ago they had some time with grandpa and grandma. Aidan got to help build the railing for our basement stairs. it was very tough for him to be called away to get ready for bed. although i noticed the work went more quickly. coincidence?! Kiara got to give grandma a fashion show in between games. i spent most of the afternoon sorting and organizing her clothing. two major tasks completed! happy grandparents. happy children. tired grandparents. tired children. the parents? happy. and not as tired as usual. hmmm... i like this trend!

now...what to do with them tomorrow?

hello, spring? are you there?

a little bit of weather dyslexia happening these days.

one day we have the sun shining, the wind is calm and there are puddles to slip into.

then the next day is cloudy, with a cold wind. and snow if we're so lucky!

i am getting so confused. i don't get to watch the news very often, and rarely think of looking online at the weather reports. but every time i watch the weather it seems like the trend is just a few days of cold weather, then temperatures above zero. every time. how is that possible?!

Kristian will be in Manitoba this week. all week. the area he is going to is expecting snow. not that he should be concerned or anything. he'll be working, not going on a holiday.

Edmonton is home to a growing colony of rabbits. as spring approaches they are getting hungry and tend to be more brave. we see at least one each week that can handle being near us for a length of time and probably hoping we'll take pity and feed them. too bad the nose of our snowman is a plastic carrot. if we did take pity, then they would keep returning all summer and enjoy our garden before we could!

unfortunately for our children....they think that each of these rabbits is the "easter bunny"! well, maybe if it were pink or blue!!

just one of those things

soooo....i am terribly bad!
Kristian just shakes his head at me.

yesterday i signed up for a scrapbook class at Urban. it was amazing!! anyways...my story. i decided that it was also a great opportunity for me to take some new photos of the kids. i made sure they had clean clothes....brushed hair...clean faces...i even got a sheet and prepared a backdrop. yes! i was very proud of myself.

and as they say...pride goeth before the fall. {sooo glad we don't speak like that anymore!}

the kids were awesome. cooperative. smiley. funny. cute. i knew i got some great pics. at least i hoped!

i patted my back and began the download. at 95% complete my computer shut down the operation. due to...not enough disk space.

no surprise that i am in need of a decent storage system and back up. but today?!

not only did i not get to use the new and latest photos for the project. but i had to wait to see how the photos turned out! have i ever mentioned that i have a patience problem?!

i was able to make some room....and downloaded them successfully today. wahoo!!

and this is one of many great shots of these two. yay for us!!


as a reward for great posing i took them to Galaxyland. and it was a great time for all of us. i managed to make it home in time to shower, pack up my bag of tools, choose two photos that i had on hand, and get to the class on time.

this day

where to start?


how about sharing an adorable photo of my little princess..
i love the intensity of her eyes. i feel so captured when she looks me in the eye.
some days she frustrates the tar out of all of us! yet i cannot imagine our lives without her presence.
she keeps it real.
she lets us all know what she is thinking. whether we wanted to or not!
she is sensitive.
she is a challenge.
i wish she could stay small like this forever so that she could forever curl up like a kitty on my lap...but i anticipate the day when we hang out when she is older. i wonder if she will chose the same path that i did when i was a young adult, and invite God to be a huge part of her life. i pray that she will chose friends who are a positive influence on her. i hope that she will have lots of opportunities to grow and become wiser. i wonder what her talents and special capabilities will be and how she will chose to use them? when i let my worrying get out of hand i wonder what traits and characteristics she sees in her parents that she will choose to keep? but i do expect that she will have a fruitful and abundant life! i pray for wisdom for us as we allow her opportunities to become who she was created to be. as any parent, i want the best for her. i don't want her to go through life without any trials or obstacles....but i hope they won't be too hard. i know it will not be a benefit for me to shelter her from struggles.
but this day....
i am grateful she is a part of our family and that her story is just beginning!
as much as i dream about her listening to every word or command we say, and following through....i'm thankful that she is healthy and perfectly a child of her own will!! {i think this AFTER we have been able to keep the floor spill-free for an hour or when she and Aidan are in happy moods while they play}
these are thoughts that play in the back of my mind. don't get me wrong...i do live in the present! fortunately i am not the one in control of her future. yet i still have to daily remind myself of this fact.



and this photo of the sweetest smile on earth...

he is a fiery leader!

he often has thoughtful look on his face. he processes so much more information than i can imagine!

i love that he has a million questions about everything. and he jumps to conclusions about everything! it's a reminder of how little their worlds are, and they try to put their new knowledge into their present framework. wow!

i'm proud that he is thoughtful and caring towards others.

it's frustrating that he can be so stubborn at times!

with all of his talk of robots and building i wonder if he will become an engineer like his dad.

i love how he holds my face between his hands and tells me that i am 'so pretty'.

i do know that he will be a great father one day...he's had a brilliant role model and you can see glimpses of this when he plays with Kiara and other younger kids. i hope that he will also establish a deep faith in God. i also pray that he too will chose friends who are a positive influence on his life and who will also protect him. i hope that he will have common sense and courage and encourage those who need it. i selfishly hope that he will continue to enjoy cooking and baking and will do this for us on a regular basis as he grows! i think that he will be the one who will instigate many discussions that will go deeper than surface conversation. he may be the one who will challenge us when he is an adult to think even deeper.

but this day....

i know with confidence that he desires to be a good friend to others. he is considerate of the needs of those around him. his love is already growing for those who spend time with him. he loves knowledge and thinks of the most amazing questions!

i am very blessed to have two children who are healthy. happy. energetic. joyous. forgiving. loving. caring. polite.

so yes....some days are hard. the kind where you'd sell them to gypsies, if they happened by! after i've cleaned up the fifth cup of spilled milk or third time i've had to change wet underpants or they've hit each other for the tenth time that hour.... the kind of days where you wonder if they will reach their adult years,ever!

it is amazing to me how 95% of the day spent with them is happy and delightful. but that 5% of frustration is enough to drive me over the deep end. why is it so easy to forget the positive and get overwhelmed by the negative? if i ever reach perfection in that area, you will be the first to know!

each day i realize the importance of friends and family. i'm very grateful to my girlfriends who are courageous to keep it real themselves. we can laugh together as we battle the same issues and remind each other that this is life! i'm thankful for family and friends who truly view my children as important and worth investing in. i am very blessed.

so yes, i shared my hopes and dreams for my children. some of them will change and become refined over the years. i see it more as a goal, not a list to complete. and today is more important than tomorrow. today is enough of a struggle, let alone adding the complications of the future!

this day...

i am thankful for the blessings i've had TODAY!

what are you thankful for today?

one day at a time

so much has happened to our family in the past year.

looking at these photos reminded me of our life just one year ago. sometimes our lives change in seconds. and sometimes it is a long process of many days.

in our case it was months.

as tough as it was, i am thankful for the changes. and i'm grateful for that.

good reminders.

better

we survived terrible "two's"day.

we even made it through Wednesday...which i learned was the day of the full moon.

coincidence?

today the sun was shining. brightly. warmly. but better yet...the air was warm enough to get that snow melting!!

bring on spring! we are ready!!

Aidan was invited to a birthday party today of a classmate from playschool.

they partied at a nearby pool with waterslides, river and splash area.

Kiara and i crashed the party. the group of boys needed some estrogen in the air, i'm sure!

needless to say, we all had bundles of energy to burn and i think we succeeded. no exaggeration -- i think i saw all the boys vibrate with excitement at the start of the party. after the second hour, you could see they were moving a little more slowly!

i think we will all fall asleep quickly and sleep well tonight. at least i hope!

terrible "two's" day

we need spring!
if it never comes, we're moving to Australia!! (or somewhere where they don't have ridiculously long winters....)

i think we have spring fever. we don't want to leave the house. and we don't want to be in the house. what a terrible dilemna.

and a certain sweetheart needs a nap! yes that would be you, Kiara. you are having a "terrible twos" day.

sigh. if only moments like these lasted longer...

these are those terribly sweet moments that are simply far too fleeting at times.

i like it when this happens.

so cute...

this is a ritz cracker and prune sandwhich....yum?!

what a day. it is nearly bedtime. phew! at least tomorrow is a new day. will spring be here?

baby it's cold outside...

it was not even a week ago that we were watching the snow melt...making a snowman....throwing snowballs....and could feel spring in the air!


now a week later we're ready to throw a snowball in the face of this resurgence of winter!!


yesterday was the day that Daylight Savings Time started. also known as "spring ahead". we turn our clocks one hour ahead. and lose an hour of sleep! to add more misery to this never-ending winter, we also had a blizzard. very cold air. very cold and strong winds. very yuck! no "spring" in this "ahead".


we decided to leave the warmth of our home and drive away in the cold to check out some open houses. {good weather to not worry about crowds...but not good to have the sole attention of fiery and opinionated realtors!} i think if the weather were warmer Kristian would have enjoyed bouncing along the snowdrifts in the city!! one of the communities we looked at has a lake...with a beach...canoes...picnic area... was that not ironic?! if anything, it did give us a chance to be reminded of what summer will be like again.




to imagine not needing our heavy winter coats. hats. mittens. boots.
to imagine not having to come back inside to warm up!
dreaming of cooling off in the backyard with popsicles and sprinklers and water guns!
remembering that the only blizzard will be the kind with smarties and get eaten with a red plastic spoon!!

this morning the wind has stopped blowing. there is a bit of falling snow. but the temperature still says "brrrrrr...."! we're hoping that this will be the last burst of cold weather and we can get back to puddles and watching this snow melt before our eyes....

have a sunny day!

we may have a little fairytale house...but we have wonderful large windows that face the east...perfect lighting in the morning!

we were drawn to the bright and sunny rooms when we first viewed this home 10 1/2 years ago. one of our favourite features.

we have a little friend of Kiara's over today. as she was waving good-bye to her mom from our front window, she adds, "have a sunny day!" does that not make you melt?! she has a lot of really cute litte phrases we get to hear when she visits.

the girls decided to dress up in winter hats and mittens. so i pulled out the princess dresses as well. Aidan is not fond of wearing dresses with his sister....{daddy does happy dances over this fact!} the funny girls kept on the winter hats while they pranced around in their pretty dresses. i suppose they were pretend crowns?

see what i mean about the lighting? totally unedited!

Aidan was the rescue hero fireman. as you can see, he took his role seriously!

i LOVE this photo.

do you think the kids would notice if i snapped photos of them the entire day? can i keep them in that nicely lit area?

you are joking!

yesterday was a beautiful afternoon.

the sun was shining.

and most importantly: the snow was melting!

it was a wonderful sight to see drops of water falling....

even our big maple tree had the appearance of spring!

the snow was the perfect stickiness. the kids built a snowman. on their own. {i had to help only a few times....the head and upper body kept falling off!!}

isn't he cute?!

{the pipe also kept falling out...i think maybe he didn't like the pressure from us to smoke?!}

we ran around the backyard making circles in the snow. ahem! melting snow. it was wonderful.

then we woke up to the last part of a blizzard!!

you must be joking.

nope.

i just got back in from shoveling the drifted sidewalks. and my fingers are numb.

we have a saying in Alberta:

if you don't like the weather...wait five minutes.

so true.

next week the forecast is for more melting snow. i. can't. wait.