Thoughts From The Wells

How To Not Go Crazy in 21 Days

2011-12-15T22:40:00.000-07:00

Seeing as how we have travelled 1500 miles to visit our family over the Christmas holidays (yes, all by truck, and yes, all with a 3 and 5 year old), I thought I'd share my ideas on how to not go crazy when visiting family for this long. (We are the mercy of our families, and have to play nice, otherwise we'd be homeless...oh yeah, and we love them)

How To Not Go Crazy in 21 Days (whilst living with family over the Christmas holidays)

*ahem*

10. Eggnog and rum. Lots of rum.

9. Lots of outings with friends while leaving the kids under the care of any available Grandparent. (Much of the time it's a dump and dash - dump the kids with the Grandparent and dash out the door)

8. Make funny "parental" faces to your siblings when your parent says something that's reminiscent of the Costanza's. Yelling out "GEORGIE!!!!!" helps, too.

7. Allow yourself to roll your eyes as often as you feel will keep you sane, but not so much that they get stuck in the back of your head. (I know that could never happen, but I've come close)

6. Realize that every time you see your parents, they are getting a little older, and will say things that don't make sense. (For example: last night, my Dad says, "you do realize that you are at the age where, when you are trying to figure out who a person is just by their name that they may come from a generation after you, right?" WHAT?!)

5. Retail therapy.

4. Look forward to all of the driving we have to do to get home after this is all said and done. All of that glorious "just my little family - alone time".

3. Bury myself in my computer pretending to be researching gifts or the weather, or how a little dog from New York ended up being found in Arizona 8 years later.

2. Know that my mother in law means well when she keeps asking to give my 5 year old daughter an ipod for Christmas. Leap Pad will do, thankyouverymuch.

1. Be able to very discreetly look over at my husband with an expressionless expression and see that in his eyes, he gets that I'm ready to lose my mind from the chaos that is 21 days with the family over Christmas holidays.

***disclaimer - I love both of our families very much, and acknowledge that although I'm pretty wonderful, they probably also have their own coping mechanisms for having me around for 21 days***

Lest We Forget....

2011-11-11T08:09:00.000-07:00

courtesy of google images

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

-Major John McCrae

God bless our fearless soldiers, and those who are left waiting for them.

I Did It!!!!!!!!

2011-11-02T11:12:00.000-06:00

After only 8 months with Arbonne (and if we're being honest, only 3 serious months), I have gotten a promotion to District Manager!!!! I'm so darn excited!!

This company is completely amazing! The opportunities that they are offering their consultants are truly incredible - it's becoming clearer and clearer to me that this is a company that takes care of its people!!

I am so fortunate and blessed that I chose this journey 8 months ago, I can't wait to see where I am in a year, 3 years, 5 years.... I have the opportunity to stay home with my kids, chose my own hours and live my life the way I want to! That totally sounds like an infommercial....LOL! But in all sincerity, it's true!

I heard the other day that only 1% of Canadians have even heard of Arbonne....that is such exciting news - I just can't wait to keep sharing this company and watching how amazed and thrilled people are about these products!

Soooooo excited!!! (can'tchya tell?!?!)

If I Had A Nickel For Every Time I've Been Peed On...

2011-10-20T20:25:00.000-06:00

Let's just start off by saying I knew this was going to be hard. It was hard with my daughter, and I have no idea what I'm doing with my son.

Potty training sucks.

I have no idea on how to train a boy. He won't stand up and will only sit on the potty with his legs so wide apart he looks like he's training for the 2024 Olympic gymnastics team. The one thing I do know is this:

legs spread wide = hips being raised = peeing device being raised = ever so patient Mom, who sits on the floor singing Wiggles songs ad nauseum, gets covered in pee.

And, it usually happens 5 minutes before heading out the door. (I may or may not have left the house with teeny tiny pee spots on my shirt this morning). Don't judge.

I know so little about training a boy, that I've had to ask questions of my husband about what I can do and shouldn't do (I don't want to hurt the poor boy, and I am looking for what I'm missing....). I am met with strange looks from hubby, strange enough that I want to throw a roll of toilet paper at him (or at least sit him in front of the line of fire...)

With all of this aggravation, there is still a cheer of victory every time he does pee, and the gummy bears taste oh so good! Now with the introduction of licorice as a "poo" treat, I'm afraid potty training isn't only going to turn a few hairs white, it's going to add inches to my hips.

But.

If I never see another diaper again, I'm willing to sacrifice my rock star hips, 'cause I'm a good Mom like that.

BREAKING NEWS!!!

2011-10-15T19:16:00.002-06:00

My good friend, Single Infertile Female is hosting a holiday shopping party!! Holidays. Shopping. Seriously, how much better can it get?!

Okay, so here's the lowdown!

1. The Arbonne holiday shopping party starts today, and ends in 10 days on October 25th. Only U.S. residents are eligible to participate (sorry to my Canadian friends, I can't include orders from other countries in an American party).

2. Visit SIF over in her blogfrog community to get information, share what you love or just to read what others are saying about amazing Arbonne products!

3. Visit my Arbonne website here to browse all of the fantastic products.

4. Email me with any questions or orders. (This is an important one!! If you order off the website, you won't be included in the benefits of the party - for every $500 sold, I'm giving away a Pampermint set to one lucky person who places an order!!!)

courtesy of Arbonne.ca

(I mean seriously, can't you just smell it?!)

5. Have fun!! I'm so excited to be able to introduce these fantastic products to everyone!

6. And, finally, please, please, please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions! I'm always here to answer questions and love "educating" people about the benefits of our products!!

P.S. Many of the holiday products are great gift ideas for that special teacher or coach - it's something new and different and will surely be appreciated by whoever is the lucky recipient!!

Techno Dumb

2011-10-15T09:24:00.000-06:00

I like to think that I'm up with the times. (How's that for an opening old person saying?!)

At 38, I do think I'm still pretty young. Relatively speaking, of course. However, with all of the new gadgets (another OPS) and computers and phones coming out at lightning speed, I will admit that I am ignorant when it comes to matters of technology.

I am a firm believer that my 3 and 5 year olds don't need anything more than the barbie and princess "computers" they have (totally learning oriented). When my nieces and nephew got into the new technology, I was a little taken aback.

This was actually said by me a couple of years ago:

"I can't believe that a 5 year old needs and I-pod! That's ridiculous! I don't see any reason.....what?.....it's an I-PHONE???? Oh Good Lord....."

My mother in law has offered to buy my 5 year old an I-phone for Christmas for "educational purposes". Right. As I try to bring my blood pressure down, and try to be appreciative for the gesture, I can't help but think "what the hell is this world coming to??".

I feel guilty when my kids watch too much tv. There's no way I'd stick them in front of an I-phone. Not now, anyway.

I have a feeling I'm going to be "that parent". You know, the one who is last at getting their kids into what's hot and happening (OPS).

The other day at playschool, my son's EI worker asked if he used the computer, and if so, she would bring in her laptop to give him some "activites" to do. Really????? He's 3. In my mind, 'nuff said.

The only interaction with our computers that our kids have is when we show them a video of something they would enjoy, usually from Youtube. That's it.

Am I doing my kids a disservice by not introducing them to the newest technology out there? Maybe, maybe not. I see kids with cell phones at the age of 7. That isn't going to happen in my house.

But, then again, I've been known to eat my words now and then.

Never say never. Perhaps getting my kids into technnology will actually give me a clue. You know, about I-pods and such.

Recess Was Her Favorite Subject....

2011-10-07T12:58:00.000-06:00

And, now....not so much.

While the hubs and I were traipsing off in Vegas last week, having a grand old time, enjoying our 15 years of blissful marriage, our sweet, friendly, innocent, doe-eyed little girl was getting punched on the playground at recess.

Yep. Socked right in the eye. By a little boy. A 5 year old little boy.

Apparently what happened was that she asked him to play and he said no. I'm assuming her feelings were hurt (she just wants to be friends with everyone!), then she asked him again, and then he punched her. This was verified by other kids, so it leaves me to wonder: how does a 5 year old know to punch with a closed fist, and why would he do that to begin with? What has he seen in his life that has taught him that's it okay to punch?

I have sympathy for this boy. I mean, did he see his Dad punch his Mom? Does he have an older sibling that does this to him?

My daughter seems to be doing okay after a few days of not really wanting to be at school, and keeping a sharp eye out for any adult to be close to her, but I'm sure this has changed her thinking about how other kids are. I'm so sad for her that this had to happen during her first few weeks of her school career, but after seeing how all of the other kids are so happy to see her at school every day, I'm sure she'll be just fine.

The school takes a hard stance on bullying, and this boy has been "grounded" from recess for a week, and then he has to be with a supervisor the whole time he's out for another week. While I was picking her up after school on Monday, he came over and apologized (again) to her, and she got very nervous and managed to squeak out an "it's okay, thank you". I thought it was brave for him to come over on his own in front of her Mom to apologize to her. Hopefully this will change his ways, as this isn't the first time they've had an "incident" with him.

It makes me wonder how many parents sit their kids down and talk to them about bullying and about how they treat other children. It makes me think about the "my kid would never do that" mentality and how it happens more than we think.

It's been a good lesson for her, in the way she treats her brother (and I'm sure all siblings have their scraps) and in the way she treats others at school.

Hopefully the rest of the school year goes smoothly, and all we have to deal with is uneaten fruit in the lunchbox at the end of the day!!

Let's Move ON

2011-10-06T11:40:00.000-06:00

I just need to get a post up, any post, to move the lip waxing post outta here - I cringe every time I see it! ha!

Vegas was awesome, won some money to help pay for the trip, and had a fantastic anniversary dinner (can't wait to do it again, and this time we're not waiting 15 years!!)

Christmas shopping is upon us and I've been really busy with Arbonne parties, the holiday line is A-mazing - there are going to be a lot of very happy gift recipients this Christmas!! The kids are doing great in their schools, the boy is doing great in speech therapy, and things are just chugging along!

Potty training is another story - this boy is so stubborn, I'm not sure what to do here. I think I'm going to opt for no diaper, no underwear, no pullup - we're going commando (well, he is, not me!) to see if that will motivate him to use the potty. I need to drop everything and have this child live on the potty for the next week. Starting tomorrow (we are home all day tomorrow and Monday is a holiday) I'm dropping the hammer!!

Oh, and no snow yet! On October 6th, that is a huge feat here up north, every day without snow is a great bonus!

Now to go get those leaves off my lawn....

My Lips Are Waxed

2011-09-24T08:58:00.002-06:00

I've never thought of myself as being old. I don't have grey hair, I still think of myself as 25 and I got carded yesterday. Yes, that's right - a 38 year old got carded! Waa Hoo!!!

However, I've finally decided to acknowledge a problem I know that I've had for some time. My upper lip was starting to look like the testosterone was taking over a little too much. In asking my sister if it looked like it was darker, she said that it looked fine (bless her heart, she didn't want my wrath). In light of our upcoming trip, I decided to do something about it.

Let me back up a little. The last time we were in Vegas, I was walking through a casino, and 2 drunk guys stumbled by me. One of them said something to me, something that sounded like "nice moustache". I'm sure that's not what he said, he probably said something like "I need cash", but then again, I'm pretty sure he didn't.

So the wheels started turning. You know how when you stare in the mirror at your eyebrows, and pretty soon they are big and black and bushy, and it's all you can see? Well, that's what my upper lip looked like. Couple that to the fact that I'm sure I grew a mini beard when I had my kids (that my hubby made sure I knew about, just in case I couldn't see it myself), I have a complex about facial hair.

So, yesterday I took the bull by the horns. I did an at home wax kit - sorry, not paying $35 to have my brows and 'stache waxed when I can do it myself for $5. I am pretty sure it worked, although it's still a little too pink to tell for sure, but hey, it couldn't be worse, right?

I am coming to the realization that bad things happen as we age. Facial hair, sagging body parts, memory loss....

courtesy Google Images

Now....what was I saying?

My heart melts!

2011-09-23T08:57:00.000-06:00

So much has been going on with the big girl starting school, today is show and tell (my bet is there will be at least 78 barbies...) and there are new friendships being made every day. My daughter is, shall we say, a loud, unabashed free spirit. She has the biggest heart and the best intentions but isn't quite in the know about socially acceptable behaviour yet (as I'm sure all kids her age aren't to some extent). She makes her teacher laugh daily, and was called a "silly monkey" by said teacher last week (or so she says - she also has the biggest imagination).

Well, she has found her twin. Yep, there really is another kid out there as, well, out there as Jayda. It is the funniest thing to watch them meet on the playground every morning - with screams and hugs as if they hadn't seen each other in years. That just melts my heart. One of the things we want for our kids is to have wonderful, meaningful relationships with their friends, and I definitely see a long friendship between these two kids. So awesome!

It's only been 2 weeks since school has started...wouldn't that be something if she found her true BFF 2 weeks into kindergarten?

Letting Go...

2011-09-14T11:23:00.000-06:00

I am a type "A" personality. Just ask my husband, who is driven crazy by my 'I want everything done my way' ways. In my defense, I like to think I'm pretty darned organized and even headed about it. Except when we live out of a laundry basket full of unfolded clothes for a few days, but I like to think of it as having my priorities straight.

But I digress...

Anyhow, being this type of person, I also tend to let things get to me, creating a little gnawing feeling in my stomach. I worry about the little things, wanting to do something about them right. now. Last night I had a bit of an epiphany - I vowed that when things start to get to me, I am to immediately do something self-gratifying. Whether that is eating ice cream, folding the aforementioned laundry, going for a walk - whatever gives me a boost at that moment. The trick to this is, when I do one of these things, I have to slowly let go of whatever is bothering me.

And last night, it worked.

I tend to make things complicated, when really, most things are quite simple. Easy to say, hard to remember.

And, I think it makes me easier to live with.

Now excuse me while I go fold my laundry....

Nose To The Grindstone!

2011-09-13T12:59:00.000-06:00

Well, fall is here and it's time to get back down to it! Jayda has started kindergarten (full days, every day!) and Cash starts playschool in 2 days, so I am putting my nose to the grindstone.

My days are now filled with working my business. I love this business, I believe in the products and love the freedom and flexibility it gives me! Heck, I took the summer off and don't regret it for a second!! Being new to this city, it is providing me with the opportunity to meet new people, and share exciting products that I love!

Previous to moving to the north, I was a contact lens technician and optician. The business I got my roots in is a high end boutique type of store, with awesome quality frames, lenses, everything! I quickly realized that there is a definite benefit to buying for quality, not just for price. I'm not a name brand snob, but I do appreciate high quality products. I think that is why I love this business so much - it's not the same as other businesses - the research and ingredients that go into these products is absolutely incredible - and the proof is in the putting.

If you'd like to check out what I'm so excited about, and working so hard toward being a success in my endeavour, check it out!! The new holiday line is out, and I'm just about jumping out of my skin at how much I love the yumminess of these products!!!

I so appreciate all of my clients, friends and family that are understanding what the fuss is all about here! It truly is an awesome business to "work" for!

FORWARD MARCH!!!

So Giddy I Could Spit...

2011-09-01T12:10:00.000-06:00

Okay, I wouldn't spit ('cause that's just gross), but I am just so darn smitten with all that's been going on lately...

First off, a parental visit from my parents a couple of weeks ago - my kids were thrilled, as was I - my Mom is the cooker, cleaner and all around house lady that gives me a major break from my life while they are here. Needed that break!!! We had such a great visit, and look forward to their next visit (more on that in a bit...)

Secondly, my sister and her other half were here last week....what a great time we had!!!! They are total foodies, so we ate like kings - my thighs will confirm that!! We also had a fantastic time with them, and can't wait for them to come back!

Thirdly (is that a word?) my mother in law is due to fly in tomorrow for 8 days....it should be a really good visit as well, the kids will wonder why no one is coming to visit after she goes home!! We used up all of our visitor cards within one month!

Jayda is starting kindergarten next week - so thrilled for her (and for me! ha). She is so excited! Should be a nice change of pace around here, as I will have more time to take the little man to speech therapy at will and not have the constraints of having to lug 2 kids around everywhere.

My Mom and Dad are coming back at the end of September to watch the kids for a week while Dan and I jet off to Vegas for our 15th anniversary!! Dan doesn't know we are going, I'm hoping to hold off telling him until Mom and Dad are on our doorstep - if you know me, it's been really hard to keep this trap shut, but so far so good!!

And, finally.........Arbonne has launched their holiday line - I'm so flippin' excited - this stuff is awesome!!!!!!!! I promptly placed my order this morning so I can share all that is yummy Arbonne holiday goodness with all of my peeps here - and now I'm just waiting for the mailman to come and deliver the goods!! Check the line out - get some Christmas shopping out of the way now, you'll be glad you did later!!! (Just don't use it all up yourself before you wrap them! ha!) www.clairedonison.myarbonne.ca

Hope you had a great summer everyone!!!

I Want To Give a Shout Out....

2011-07-29T13:33:00.000-06:00

As you may or may not know (oh, come on, you all read my blog religiously, don't you?!), our son is having issues with his speech and behaviour (although he's come a very long way in a few short months).

Just about the time that our first speech therapy appointment happened, and some other issues were suggested to us, a sweet gal by the name of Becca started up a blog. Becca is a pediatric speech-language pathologist, who very obviously cares about what she does and the people she works with. Her blog, Child Talk, is an amazing resource for parents who are in the thick of dealing with these and other issues with their kids, or parents who are just entering the scary and uncertain world that faces them and their children.

I just wanted to spread the word about the amazing blog that Becca has started, she welcomes questions through her website and had been more than helpful to me when I sent her a freaked out email in March. She talked me down to just mild hysteria (kidding!).

I see the work and caring that she puts into her blog, so if you yourself can't use the information, but know someone who can, please pass her blog address along!!

Thanks Becca!!!

It Starts This Early??

2011-07-24T08:40:00.002-06:00

I remember elementary school. I even remember kindergarten to some extent. I remember playing with all of the kids, making new friends and the exciting feeling of being on my own, if even for just a morning every day. I remember forging a new with friendship a girl, someone with whom I would be best friends with for the next 8 years.

I also remember being in grade 4 or 5, having our petty, typical girly spats, being friends with someone one day, and fighting with them the next. I get that kids (especially girls) are like that, and that it's the norm. I also know that kids are cruel, remembering that I was cruel to a kid or two along the way and remembering kids that were bullies to everyone on the playground. I get that all of that is a part of growing up, learning how to treat people, learning how to develop relationships and learning lessons from the way you yourself are treated.

But. My daughter is 4. She is a very personable little girl, not a shy bone in her body. We are new to this city, and when I took them to the park, I figured it might be a good chance to meet some other little girls in our area. When we first got there, there was a girl, probably a year or two older than mine, whom Jayda invited to play. (It's actually pretty cute, she'll walk up to any little strange girl and say, "Hi, my name is Jayda, do you want to play?") They played really well, and then the little girl had to go home.

It was then that another couple of little girls arrived, and Jayda approached them to play. The first little girl (we'll call her Ring Leader) said, "No, I don't know you and haven't seen you before" and then walked away, ignoring Jayda when she introduced herself again. I resisted the urge to do anything about the situation, especially when Jayda's face turned sad and she walked over the bench to sulk for a few minutes. And this wasn't a pouty sulk, this was a hurt sulk.

I get that kids can be mean and discluding, but the kicker here is that RL's Mom was standing right there. Maybe I'm way out of line, or what they call a "helicopter parent" or whatever, but if it were my kid doing that to someone, I would be stepping in and correcting the behaviour. I get that I'm not going to be choosing my kids' friends as they get older, but is there anything wrong with guiding them to try and make the right choices in the way they treat others?

I left there feeling hurt for my daughter and feeling like the other parent dropped the ball on this one. As I was discussing this with my husband after we got home, I lamented that if I ever caught one of my kids treating someone else that way, they would be corrected even as they were doing it.

Or, something like that. But with harsher words.

In the end, I explained to her that even thought that girl left her out, the important thing was that she was friendly with the girls and invited them to play. The important thing is how you treat others, and if they don't treat you nicely back, you go and find someone else who will, ignoring the meanness.

Easier said than done.

This is going to be a long 15 years, probably more so for me than for her.

Now excuse me while I go trim my Mama Bear claws....

Royally Amazing!

2011-07-06T23:21:00.002-06:00

So, we met Will and Kate today. No. Really. We met Will and Kate. The famous ones. The royal ones.

I still really can't believe it.

And, I can't believe how much of a royal bandwaggoner I've become. Just a couple of days ago, I was lamenting to my husband how incredibly unfair it was that 2 people like that have it totally made in the shade, while I have sudsy dishwater dripping off of my elbows.

You see, they are visiting our city (the one we just moved to 3 weeks ago - good timing, huh?!). My hubby is on security detail for their royal highnesses. Long days, a lot of heat and mosquitoes made him a little cranky about it. We talked about how, for no reason other than bloodline and some sexy lingerie* did these two folks fall into "one of the richest and most famous and most beautiful therefore most happy" people in the world.

*

courtesy of google images

No envy here. None. Just dishpan hands.

Anyway, we both were thinking that it really wasn't that big of a deal that they were here, and I didn't have even an inkling to go see them (I'm not a crowd person, especially with 2 crabby kids).

Hubby happens to text this morning, saying that they are checking out of the hotel (I'm pretty sure this may or may not have been privileged information) and to get our butts down there in a very short amount of time. I begin to daydream about Kate complimenting me on my pj bottoms, but flinching at the hole in my t shirt....

We end up getting the heck down there (I'm pretty sure if I'd been given more time to think about it, we wouldn't have gone - I was on autopilot) and wait. There I stand with 2 kids - one looking pretty good, like the little princess she is (except she put her WINTER princess boots on with her dress - awesome), and the other kid with bedhead (this was the only day he's slept in for a year), a football shirt and a rip in the knee of his jeans (I swear I didn't know about the rip - I think it happened when he fell trying to pick dandelions on the way to see their royalnesses - don't ask about the stupid weeds...).

And, the kids start to get antsy. As I look around at the other 5 or 6 kids, I realize it may have been a good idea to bring flowers, or wash my kids' faces or even run a comb through. Ah well, we'll never see them again, and maybe if we look that bad, they'll consider making a donation towards our cause. Or not.

Anyway, they finally come out and, well, wow. What a stunning couple. And, she's gorgeous (although my husband says I'm hotter - atta boy). And the kids met them. After shaking William's hand, my son proceeded to shake the hands of the security guys, prompting William, with a laugh, to say he was "curious". (what does that mean in British speak?) My daughter was taken with Kate and could only squeak out a "hi".

The first picture is my son shaking William's hand, and the second picture is my daughter (in the middle with the pink and green dress) staring in awe at Kate. The pair was very gracious and took time to talk to the kids, I was impressed!

So, now I guess I am a fan. Not a die hard, royal following fan, just a person who has a new found respect for the future King and Queen of England.

Pretty cool day.

The Rain Ain't Got Nothin' On This!!!

2011-07-04T20:22:00.001-06:00

It's been raining here all day, and I wanna go outside and play!!!! My kids are wrangy, I'm antsy to do something outdoorsy, and I'm hoping that the sun decides to come out to play tomorrow!

So, in the absence of something fun to do outside, I'm planning something fun for the summer - my sister has agreed to host an online Arbonne party - one that will include girlfriends from around the country and beyond - the only stipulation to you taking part is that you need to have glass of wine in hand (or the beverage of your choice), some me time at the computer, and have some fun browsing my website of fantastic Arbonne product! We are launching the party in the next couple of days, but I want to let you know that we will be including a prize to one or more people that place orders. If you would like to place an order, please do so by sending me an email - I'll be in contact with you to get your information, and place all of the orders together under this party.

I'd love to see people from everywhere take part, so kick back, relax and enjoy perusing the yumminess (is that a word??) that is Arbonne!! (My fav these days is the Seasource Detox Spa - heavenly!!!!)

Visit my website at www.clairedonison.myarbonne.ca, let me know when you've had a look and I'll add you to our list of "party people"!! If you have ANY questions about the products or would like some recommendations, please email me at clairedonison@live.ca - I loooooove to hear from you all!!!

I AM CANADIAN!!!

2011-07-01T08:27:00.000-06:00

Happy Canada Day everyone!! And yes, even if you're not Canadian, we are so darn hospitable and welcoming (and apparently not self centered in the least) , that we'll let you celebrate right along with us!!!

So, in honor of the birthday of this awesome country, here is a list of why I love Canada:

10. We drink Vico, not chocolate milk (maybe just one for the prairies)

9. We wear bunny hugs, not hoodies (pretty sure another one for the prairies)

8. We can drive for miles and miles without seeing a town or city.

7. We can step out in -40 C and declare that it's "refreshing".

6. We do say "eh" and are proud of being able to be recognized right away as a Canadian because of it.

5. Tim Horton's. Enough said.

4. Hockey. And, the CFL - the best football league in the world - heck for that matter, the Riders aren't only the pride of Saskatchewan, they are the pride of the whole darn country!!

3. Proudly being able to wear my flag in foreign countries.

2. We have 4 distinct seasons, and they all show themselves with a vengeance.

1. There is so much patriotic love for our country, sometimes just hearing a crowd sing our national anthem brings tears to my eyes.

So, Happy Canada Day my friends, and to our friends to the south, Happy Independence Day on Monday, have a wonderful, country-loving weekend!!!

My Grief

2011-06-27T20:59:00.000-06:00

Hello, I'm back from the move. Let's start off by saying that I'm so incredibly thankful for the house we are able to live in, I've been driven by the alternative and I almost cried for the people that have to live there. As I told my husband, "you're lucky, because about this time I'd be one miserable bitch". Enough said. So, in a nutshell, things are great, the move went relatively smoothly, and we are pretty much unpacked and settled.

Something has been really weighing on my mind lately. I'm usually a glass is 3/4 full kind of girl. I find that without thinking, I'm always making a positive comment in light of a shitty situation. In fact, when our couch didn't arrive with the movers (yes, they lost a damn COUCH), my Mom laughed at me when I said, "well, at least we'll have more room in the living room for the kids to play". Yeah, that's usually the kind of girl I am.

The downside to this trait (it was hard to find a downside...get it? hardy har) is that I think - and I'm no shrink - but I think that I may be repressing feelings. No, I don't have repressed feelings about my missing couch (which, by the way, will be here in a few days). I think I hold things in and try to ignore the negative so much , that when the straw is breaking the camel's back, I lose it completely.

I'm afraid that this might happen in our current situation. Because my 3 year is severely speech delayed, and he needs major therapy, my husband and I are both concerned, obviously. But on top of that, he has some strange...um...mannerisms. I wouldn't exactly call them totally weird and strange all of the time, but he is definitely a different duck. He bops along to the beat in his own head sometimes and seems to be in his own little world as well sometimes. I do see some tendencies that professionals would love to label (I refuse to let him be labelled - we work on solutions, not labels), but I'm having a hard time admitting it, especially to my husband. My husband is overly critical, not of my son, but of his behaviours, and doesn't want him to be different. He doesn't want him to be teased, to be slower than the other kids, he doesn't want him to be an outcast.

I totally get that. But every time he starts getting worked up over it, I really try and downplay it. 'Maybe he'll grow out of his immaturity, maybe he'll start talking really soon, really well, for sure the other kids will love him - look at him - he's the most adorable kid ever made'....that kind of thing. When my husband is overreacting, I'm under reacting. But I do see things about our son that makes him a little different from other kids. I don't want to admit it. Maybe it will go away. Maybe once he gets to preschool, he'll start to act like the other kids and not have everyone stare at him.

He is the happiest kid I know. His eyes light up, he loves singing and dancing, he can actually tell me what numbers are what on a page (numbers his almost 5 year old sister doesn't know). He's really smart, and I see that about him. But I fear there really is something else there. I don't know what it is, but he goes for his first speech therapy appointment in our new city next week, and I'm excited and terrified at the same time. I don't want to hear what I don't want to hear.

Maybe I'm not repressing feelings, maybe I'm just denying them all together. I refuse to wallow in this, this kid is a terrific kid, and we'll come out on top of this. It's just scarier than hell to go through.

Top 10 of The Week

2011-06-03T21:24:00.000-06:00

So here are the top 10 biggies of the week (it was a pretty slow week, so hopefully I can come up with 10 - maybe 5 good, 5 bad....we'll have to see...)

Ahem*

10. Snow in June. That's all I'll say about that.

9. This daylight-until-one-in-the-morning thing is really screwing with my clock. It sucks when you're sitting there watching tv at night, and realize it's 1 am, and you aren't even tired yet. And it's still bright out.

8. There is a vole living under my shed. So thankful that I didn't meet him until a week before we move.

7. The guy that was appointed to us to help us with our move through my husband's work is a total moron. Ummm, return a call much???

6. I'm starting to realize I'll miss living here, but mostly miss the people. We have been pretty much shut in for the last 2 years (except for summer, which lasts 4 months out of the year - the rest is winter - only 2 seasons) and I so won't miss that!

5. We sold our vehicle, so we don't have to pay $1200 to barge it to our new post (there are no roads to drive out of here in the summer)

4. I'm eating licorice nibs as I type this. Yum.

3. My 4 year old requested Gwen Stefani videos before bed tonight. With a side of Katy Perry. 4 years old. Awesome.

2. We're having take out Chinese tomorrow night. Not a big deal, right? For me it is. A. I don't have to cook. B. There is one place to order out from here (actually there is 2 but I don't feel like ordering food poisoning, so I'll pass on the second). C. I cook every. single. night. therefore, refer back to A.

1. The most awesome-est thing happened today!!! Okay - backstory - we are moving to a place where the cost of living should be illegal, and houses are in the $stupid range. So, we have decided we need to pick a rental place out of the choices that hubby's work provides. There are very few houses on that list, and a couple weeks ago, we got a call that we got one of these houses. HOLY CRAP!!!! That was so lucky....until they called and said they made a mistake, it had already been promised to someone else.

So, back to plan A, moving into a row house, with no backyard for the kids, no room for any of our stuff, blah, blah, blah. When asked what the chances of another house coming up were, we were told to not get our hopes up. So, we sulked for a few days, and I came to the conclusion that we would be happy no matter where we were living, and maybe something better would come up eventually.

Still with me? So, hubs is in the new city today on our house hunting trip, and he calls them this morning to make a time to meet them to look at row housing. Well. He is informed that a house came up yesterday and our names are on it!!!! I'm so damn pumped!!! If it were just me and he, it wouldn't matter, but damn it - I want a yard for the kids - I don't want to deprive them of anything.

So, with that chills-down-your-spine-hair-stand-up-on-your-arms story, I'll just leave you with....

Have a fantastic weekend friends!!

Check It Out!!!!

2011-05-23T20:40:00.000-06:00

I am so very excited tonight!!! A pretty terrific friend of mine has agree to do a product review for me. And.....I'm doing a giveaway through her blog. I'm not going to go into specifics because she pretty much has all of the bases covered....

So....what the heck are you waiting for??? Get on over there!!!!!

Things I Know About Today

2011-05-22T08:14:00.000-06:00

It's Sunday (Sunday, gotta get down on Sunday). Hubby's day off. The weather is rockin' it out here, so I see some sort of fatigue-inducing fresh air activities for the kids. As I sit here with my coffee, I'm thinking about what's been going on with us lately. We were told on Thursday that there was a house available for us to take when we move, and Friday it was given to someone else. Major bummer. But, I just keep telling myself that it will all work out in the end, and it doesn't matter where we live, as long as we're happy (I'm really trying to convince myself that living in small row housing is just as good as a nice big house with an attached garage). Anyhow, I've turned my thoughts to what I know for sure (being type A, I like to have certainties, I don't do well with sitting back and going with the flow). Here is what I know for sure:

- I didn't get my laundry folded last night because I was engrossed (yet again) in the first Sex In The City movie, just priming myself for part 2, which I haven't seen yet. I know, I'm still trying to get into 2010.

- I have waffle batter sitting in my fridge waiting to be cooked for breakfast. Love these waffles! They are made with yeast, and I let the batter sit overnight, and well, they are divine!!!

- The weather has been awesome! Three days before we got home from holidays, there was a major snowstorm here, and I thought we'd still be shovelling out, but Mother Nature (thankyouverymuch) decided to change her mind on that and melt it all herself.

- My daughter is sporting a huge black eye from the playground. Monkey bar - 1, sweet little girl - 0.

- I'm still so excited about my new business, and have some exciting news coming up about that, so stay tuned!!

- I am stalling on actively trying to potty train my son, am I lazy or is he just not ready? I think I'm lazy. He's 3. In my defense, I am offering smarties and pee treats to him, he is just really stubborn (too bad he's so much like his Dad! ha)

- I wasn't taken away in the Rapture everyone has been talking about, which kind of worries me. I heard (correct me if I'm wrong) that all of the good Christians will be taken to heaven on May 21st, and the rest will be taken to hell 5 months later. I'm thinking this means I didn't make the cut. A little worriesome.

- My kids are awesome. That is all.

Have a great day, hoping your weather is as great as ours!

The Chaos That Surrounds Me

2011-05-19T20:44:00.001-06:00

In my life, I have found a few certainties, some of which are:

- if one kid sleeps through the night, the other won't
- when you drop a piece of toast on the floor, it will always fall peanut butter side down
- just when you start thinking life is as it should be, a curve ball (or two or three) get thrown at you

Don't get me wrong, my life is pretty damn good, I can't complain. But, I will - just a little.

I can now make light of this (a little bit), because I'm a couple months removed from the initial kick in the crotch.

Let me take you back to last July. (For the record, this may get a little long). I mentioned to the nurse at our health center that I had concerns about our son not talking. He was 28 months at the time. I was of the opinion that he would just wake up one day and decide to talk (as every story I ever heard from anyone I've talked to about this has gone - to that I say ppptttthhhhhhh). Fast forward to March when we finally get an appointment with a speech therapist.

This gal was fairly young, and new to her job - but I wasn't holding that against her. Yet. Our appointment was 1/2 hour long, and 25 minutes of the appointment consisted of her observing him and asking me questions. She spent a few minutes on seeing what he could say, if he could identify pictures, etc. After our "appointment", she tells me that she is concerned that he is on the autism spectrum. And, several times she told me "I know this is very hard to hear right now". Really? Maybe you should reserve judgement until someone qualified looks at him. (sorry, I'm getting ahead of myself...)

I'm frozen.

Before I freak out on her (which, let's face it, any parent in denial would do) I readily agree to a referral to a pediatrician and occupational therapist. Now, where we live, appointments don't come quickly (see: July to March above). So. I go home, and inform my husband of what just went down. We both proceed to take turns in causing more panic in the other, all the while focusing on nothing else but what weird behaviour our son is exhibiting at any given moment. (When did he start doing that? Is that normal? What the hell does that mean?)

I think it was a full day and a half before I stopped crying, that time full of thoughts about what his future would be like, and how I was going to beat the crap out of any kid that dared to bully my sweet, sweet boy, because clearly, the therapist had just given him a death sentence.

Enough of that crap. Luckily, the kids and I were flying "home" for a visit, where there is a wider variety of care for cases like his. I get that he has a severe speech delay, and I wanted another opinion on that, seeing as how the last gal told me to "just keep doing what you're doing with him". Clearly that was working, lady.

I managed to contact a lady who not only is an occupational therapist, but also owns another company with a speech language pathologist. (Not sure what I did to deserve that shiny gem, but it lifted about 1000 lbs. off of me). She heard my story and told me that they would work around us and see us whenever we could get there. I love this woman. Love.

I took him for an assessment with each of them, and after all was said and done, he does have a severe speech issue, as well as some immaturity/behavioural issues, which could be attributed to the lack of speech. Oh, and no autism. Surprise surprise. Not a word you want to be throwing around to parents when clearly it's not autism at all. But, I digress.

We are getting together a clear plan of what we need to be doing for him, and I feel a lot better about the whole thing. Yes, it would be easier if he just talked and acted like other kids, but on the other hand, he is healthy, alive and happy (and oh so silly!!).

I always try to see the lessons in things, and the big one here is how much compassion I've gained for parents who have autistic children (or any special needs children for that matter). These kids are so awesome, but I caught a glimpse into the unbearable heartache these parents feel. To envision your child's future as grim, as I have for a brief moment, is the biggest hurt I've ever felt. I pray to never feel it again, yet I know that there are so many parents who live it every day.

To put the cherry on the top, we found out we are moving by June 10th (thankfully to a larger center where speech therapy is readily available). I hate moving. But, that's for another post.

For now, we are teaching and praising new words, enjoying every little milestone and just hoping for the best.

I Thought We Came Here To Get Away From This...

2011-04-16T07:54:00.000-06:00

Mission accomplished! We flew home last Friday, successfully I might add (as in: no one was injured, permanently physically or emotionally damaged, or thrown out of any airport or airplane). With that being done, I said that I probably won't travel with the kids by myself again next time (which I believe is what I say every time we arrive back home), so we'll have to see.

At this point, please remind me of these words 8 or so months down the road when it's time to do this all over again. Please.

Anyhow, we made it home to my inlaw's city, and the following day we travelled to my home town 2 1/2 hours away. Where I live now, there really is no driving. Unless you count driving the 24 seconds to the store, post office and bank.

Yes, I drive. Don't judge.

The drive to my hometown was awesome, and even though spring around here entails having to look at brown, dead and muddy land everywhere, I loved being able to see the ground! I haven't seen the actual ground since last fall, and I missed it. Spring was just trying to burst out of the ground here and I loved the moist/muddy/fresh smells that were filling the air.

Until.

Last night, we got about 3 inches of snow. Seriously???? We just left the extremely far north to get away from this (well, and to see our families). We still have 10 foot snow banks in our front yard, and we have to go through this all over again?

Time to get the shovel out. Again. But, at least my hubby arrived safely last night before all hell broke loose weather wise. For that I can be thankful.

It's been a long week with appointments, and a very trying one. Our 3 year old son has some developmental issues (which I'll blog about soon), and to be truthful, I'm ready to just forget about having to make decisions for the next little while. On top of that, we just found out that we're moving in June. We get back from holidays May 16th, and we're moving in June. Yep.

Lots on my mind, but I just keep telling myself that everything works out in it's own time. It just has a way of doing that.

So, for now, I'll shovel, and not worry about the rest.

Outta Here Baby!!

2011-04-08T10:43:00.000-06:00

Well, I'm off to the great warm south today with the kids in tow! (If you never hear from me again, they got the best of me...)

I'm going to be checking in and even *gasp* posting about our holiday, so don't think I've disappeared from the face of the earth....

If you are wanting information on Arbonne, or needing to order or need to get a hold of me, I'm taking my laptop with me, and will be checking in every day, so send me a line!

clairedonison@live.ca

www.clairedonison.myarbonne.ca

Have a great weekend!! :)

And Now the Good Stuff....

2011-04-05T14:11:00.000-06:00

Okay, how much of a downer was I last night? Man, I can barely stand to listen to myself whine....

Anyhoosey, here is a list of awesome things going on right now....

- I get to fly home with the kids on Friday (it's Friday, Friday...haven't heard the song??? Youtube it! Don't hate me!).

- I get to see my Mom and Dad and sister on Saturday - so happy to be going home to see them! Not that I'm not happy to see my inlaws, I just have a better time there when my hubby is with us - both of them work and it's not quite as labor intensive with the kids when he's there.

- I do have the most awesome kids - my son is a laugh a minute, and I think my daughter is going to be the most eccentric little gal around - she loves weird music and clothes - remind me of this when she goes goth...

- It's really, really trying to be spring out there - I'll give Mother Nature a break, as we live so far north, but she's got a month to get rid of the snow and start shining that hot sun!

- My Arbonne business is taking off, and I have the best clients a girl can ask for. I'm so appreciative of all of the positive feedback I'm getting, it kind of makes my heart glow! :)

- My house is a mess, but I don't care right now! I'm hanging out with my girl watching Uncle Buck - great for some laughs!

Have a great day! :)

There I Go...

2011-04-04T22:06:00.000-06:00

Disappearing again!

I've been doing a lot of reading, but not a lot of blogging lately...

Life around here is about to get super crazy, and I'm not looking forward to it! I'm not a person to be worried by things, I have no problems falling asleep at night and don't let things gnaw away at me. But, lately, I've been worrying about anything and everything.

So. In an attempt to get these stupid thoughts out of my head, in no particular order, here they are!

- I fly out with the 2 kids alone on Friday for a 3 1/2 hour and then a 1 hour flight. Alone.

- We are gone from here for 5 weeks to visit family (isn't that enough of a stomach eater?!?!) and back for 2 weeks before we move.

- The previously mentioned move is to another city, an hour flight away (we are in a remote area only accessible by airplane during the summer, ice roads in the winter)

- Did I mention I've got 2 weeks to get ready for the move after holidays? 2. Weeks.

- I'm not looking forward to moving with a 3 year old and a 4 year old.

- We were told at my son's "speech therapy" appointment (this is in quotations because I think the SLP got her credentials from a cracker jack box) that there was concern about him being on the autism spectrum.

- Spent 3 days crying and freaking out after said appointment.

- Started smoking again after almost 2 months of being smoke free after getting this wonderful news (and believe me, I know that there is no good reason to start again, no excuses. I just didn't give a shit about my quit at. all. at this point)

- Going to have to pick out a school for my daughter to go to in the fall for kindergarten and have no idea what school will fit her the best - trying to do research, but until we get there, I'll have no idea.

Okay, I'm leaving my issues here for tonight, not rolling around in my head keeping me from sleeping (and if you've ever met me on little sleep, I don't function well at all). I'm thinking my next post will be a list of great things going on in my life....

I'll give you a preview..

- My two awesome kids, I could spend all day laughing at them. Goofs.

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

2011-03-18T21:50:00.001-06:00

The good:

It's my birthday today!! Yay me!! I've always been a birthday person and love to celebrate everyone's birthdays - I love baking and decorating specialty cakes especially for the kids!

And there was a Toy Story cake that I made for our daughter and I can't find the picture right now (it really was an awesome cake).

I'm no professional, but I love making special cakes!

The bad:

I didn't get a cake today. And, if you know me, one of the best parts of birthdays to me is the cake. Love me some cake. Chocolate, vanilla, whatever - gotta have me some cake on a birthday. I didn't get cake, but my sister did send me some mini easter cream eggs - that pretty much makes up for it (not totally, but pretty much).

The ugly:

It wasn't until my husband received an email from a friend of ours (who shares my birthday - we're, like, 2 hours apart) asking dear hubs to wish me a happy birthday from said friend, that he actually realized he forgot my birthday. At 3 in the afternoon. At that point, he frantically tried phoning me for an hour (I was out with the kiddos running errands). He finally got ahold of me and proceeded to make excuses about how he was in a rush to get out of the house in the morning, how he's been busy all day, yadda, yadda, yadda.

I informed him that he does this every year, and that I wasn't surprised (a little choked, yes, but surprised, no). He didn't need to make excuses, as he was only digging himself in deeper.
So, what did I get for a gift, you ask???

Part Four:

The Very Ugly:

Ingredients to make nachos. Yep, you read right. I am now the proud owner of a bag of tacos, a tub of sour cream, a jar of salsa, and an ittttttyyyyy biiiiiiittttttyyyyyy bag of pre-shredded cheese that cost him as much as the large block of cheese I buy every month does. Ummmmm, is this supposed to make up for the cake???? We've been married almost 15 years. Ya think he'd know?

Yeah, this is the same guy who frantically bought me a pair of tennis rackets at 5:45 on Christmas Eve the year we got married. I don't play tennis. He thought it would be something fun we could do together. They been used once. The fun must have really overwhelmed us. Ha!!

Anyway, that's my birthday in a nutshell. Oh, and I got a ton of awesome birthday wishes from all of my friends and family on facebook - I'm so lucky to have such an awesome posse!!

What is One Thing You Want To Do Today?

2011-03-12T08:40:00.000-07:00

I want to take this nice day, grab my camera, and drive to some of the most beautiful places in the area to take some winter pictures. Being that it's March, winter won't be here forever (that's what we keep telling ourselves anyway!), so I want to take some pics before all of the mud and dirt and ick of spring appears. I really do love spring, but because of the make up of the ground where we live, it doesn't exactly soak up the water, so we have giant mud puddles until the sun dries everything up. And that ain't very picture worthy (although the kids love it!).

I'll post pictures of my adventure!

The State of My World

2011-03-10T22:49:00.000-07:00

The Good:

My new Arbonne venture is going great - I am still so excited about this!! I love it when people love this stuff - it confirms to me why I love doing this!

My kids are hilarious! I just love to laugh at them and the silly things they do - they crack me up and I'm so amazed to see they have the senses of humor that they do at this young age!

We are less than a month away from heading back down south to see the fam dam. I'd better get a move on with all of the stuff I want to get done before we leave!

We have some exciting news - I can't share yet, but hopefully soon - I am a horrible secret keeper!

I am 6 weeks and a day smoke free! I'm doing awesome with my quit, but am a little nervous to go "home" and be quit. I know I can do it, it's just that sometimes family gets my bp up, and my cravings kick in.

I'm getting more blogging in, which makes me happy, and I have a few new followers, which is awesome! Love to see comments and love to check out everyone else's blogs as well! Welcome!!

The bad:

My heart hurts for a few people tonight - not to get into specifics, but it's hard to see people hurting when you know you can't do anything for them.

I need to organize my house AKA: dejunk!! I am lacking a little motivation, hopefully that will come to me.

It's still bloody cold here. -40 C (that's -40 F for my American friends as well!) is getting really old. And when the weather does turn nicer, the wind picks up, jacking up the wind chill. Yeesh - I wish spring would come already!!

That's about it for now, how has your week been? Happy weekend everyone!

The ABCs of Me!

2011-03-09T10:28:00.000-07:00

I borrow this one from one of my fellow bloggers, Sweet Pea. Hop on over and give her a visit, but in the meantime, here are the ABCs of me!

A. Age: 37 (for now, I turn 38 on in 9 days!)

B. Bed size: Queen size
C. Chore you dislike: the endless mounds of laundry in this house!
D. Dogs: Not now, we had to put our beloved Harley down a couple of years ago. We really miss her.

E. Essential start to your day: Don't even talk to me until I've had my coffee!
F. Favorite color: Green

G. Gold or silver: Gold.

H. Height: 5'4"

I. Instruments you play(ed): Piano, french horn, trumpet
J. Job title: Director of In-House Operations - HA! Me too Sweet Pea!

K. Kids: 2 - Daughter - 4, Son - 3 next month.

L. Live: Northern Canada, less than 60 miles from the Arctic Circle
M. Mom’s name: Penny
N. Nicknames: Roo, Cliff, Clairebear
O. Overnight hospital stays: Tonsils at 7, children's birth X 2
P. Pet peeves: Crumbs on the floor

Q. Quote from a movie: "I tend to think of myself as a one-man wolf pack." Zach Galifianakis - The Hangover

R. Righty or lefty: Righty.

S. Siblings: Older sister, younger brother - that's right - I have middle child syndrome (whatever that is!).

T. Time you wake up: If the kids are nice, 8 am on a day with nothing scheduled, 7 am on playgroup days.
U. Underwear: Gosh, I hope so.
V. Vegetables you don’t like: Not crazy about lima beans, and I just made kale chips the other day - epic fail!
W.What makes you run late: My children and my husband - it's pretty much everyone else's fault!
X. X-rays you’ve had: Dental
Y. Yummy food you make: I love to cook and bake, and my sweet hubby says he loves everything I make. (hey that rhymed!)
Z. Zoo animal favorites: I love polar bears (I guess we live in the right place!), and the dolphins at sea world.

Who's next? Please let me know if you've done this too, so I can read about you!! (that rhymed, too! ha)

What Do You Remember?

2011-03-06T22:43:00.002-07:00

I came across a post on facebook today that reminisced about things that remind you of childhood. When was your childhood? Mine was in the late 70's and 80's (from what I can remember, I was just a wee one in the early 70's). As I read this post, I suddenly was hit with vivid memories - a couple of them brought tears to my eyes - I had such an awesome time being a kid!! Here are some of my favorites from my younger years:

Running through the sprinklers on a HOT day.

Riding your bike as hard as you could until your legs burned.

A first kiss at the roller rink, and though it was supposed to be special, it was the most disgusting thing I'd experienced thus far in my life.

The first day of school.

The last day of school.

Christmas morning.

Going on a vacation - it was all fun - all of it. There was no packing, no driving, no stress - kids don't have to worry about that stuff.

Cream of Wheat on the stove on a cold winter's morning.

Crawling into Mom and Dad's bed after a bad dream.

Four square, hopscotch, dodge ball, tetherball.

Game days, whether it was for ringette, volleyball or softball.

Having a true BFF.

Having a fight with my true BFF.

Making up with my true BFF.

Favorite teachers.

Watching lightening storms from our picture window.

Camping, and wandering through the forest for no reason other than to just be there.

Opening birthday presents first thing in the morning on Mom and Dad's bed.

Friday's pizza night. Every Friday.

Saturday morning cartoons. Accompanied by cold pizza.

The Flintstones. Family Ties. Cheers. The Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show. The Waltons.

Olivia Newton John. The Bee Gees. David Cassidy.

Sleep overs.

Only having to dial the last four numbers when I phoned anyone.

Summertime freedom with cement so hot, you couldn't walk on it.

Wishing I could grow up. Faster.

My New Favorite Things!

2011-03-05T15:00:00.000-07:00

So, being a brand spankin' new Arbonne Independent Consultant, I have discovered that I have some new favorite things! (besides my hubs and kids!). These new faves are things that smell yummy, things that are soothing, and things that make me smile!

Numero uno fave thing:

The FC5 line of shampoo, conditioner and body wash. Mmmmmm......smells so good, and works even better. We carry one type of hair care, because it will adjust to your hair type! Awesome stuff! And the Invigorating Body Cleanser (doesn't that sound like a spa in a bottle?!) is just as awesome! Love this stuff!!

My second favorite thing these days is:

Now, this stuff is amazing!!! Not only is it anti-aging, it is also reversal! I have been using this product for a month - it consists of face wash, toner, renewal serum, day creme, eye creme and night creme - and I have seen an incredible difference in my *ahem* happy lines (as I like to tell my daughter they are called). As I looked in the mirror last night, I couldn't believe how I couldn't see the lines on the outsides of my eyes anymore! I wouldn't believe it if I didn't see it. And, all of the products smell amazing!!!

The last favorite thing I'll tell you about (because, really, I could go on and on, that's how great this product is) is a protein shake:

These are Arbonne's figure 8 protein shakes. I have never met a protein shake that I have liked. Seriously, I never saw the benefit in them, and why would I take something with no benefit if it tasted like chalk. Seriously. I got the vanilla flavor in on the advice of the sweet, patient and generous gal who has agreed to take me on as a new consultant (bless her heart!). Well, lemme tell ya! Not only is this shake (which comes in powder form) vegan, gluten free, chalk full of vitamins and minerals, etc. etc. etc., it is yummy with a capital yum!! I add it to my smoothies - a little yogurt, banana, wheat germ, flax seed, milk and a scoop of shake mix - oh man, it's heaven in a glass!! And when I don't have time to make this heavenly concoction, a scoop mixed with milk gives me my meal replacement (and a little sweet fix, too!). I heart this product! A lot.

There are some really awesome and amazing facts about our products:

All of our proprietary ingredients are:
*Botanically Based: A proprietary blending of science and nature based on herbal and botanical principles.

*pH Correct: Skin care pH of 5.5 ensures maximum benefit.

*Hypoallergenic: Voluntary human testing meets Hypoallergenic substantiation claim criteria.

*Dermatologist tested: Voluntary human tests done under the watchful eye of an independent dermatologist.

*No animal testing: We never have and never will!

*No animal products/by-products: Plants and herbs together with science and technology offer superior benefits.

*No mineral oil: Occlusive oil that can interfere with skin functions as well as advanced delivery systems.

*No chemical fragrance or dyes: Dyes and fragrances are known irritants and can cause allergic reactions.

Oh, I love this company! And, to boot - I have this amazing opportunity to make a living for myself and my family, and have an absolute blast doing it! I am so excited about having my own Arbonne business, and so happy that I can confidently show each and every product to people, knowing that they are true, quality products.

If you would like to find out more about the products, would like to request samples, or are looking for your opportunity, please have a gander around my website or leave me a message here!

www.clairedonison.myarbonne.ca

Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-02T09:35:00.000-07:00

Feel Good Friday

2011-02-25T10:37:00.002-07:00

Click over to Lia Sophia Tomgirl to link up on this week's Feel Good Friday!!

I haven't done Feel Good Friday for quite some time, but I'm feelin' pretty darn good this Friday!

I did something I have always wanted to do, but was too scared to. I started my own home business. I am now an Arbonne Independent Consultant. This is a company I really believe in and I love their products so much that I'm willing to spend my time and money giving people the opportunity to love them as much as I do, and encourage them that they too can make a living for themselves!!

I am feeling pretty good today because I am proud of myself for taking this step. My story is here on the first page. I have felt more energy this week than I have in a long time. Not only am I challenging myself with new things, I am finding that I have more energy during the day for my kids. It's a win-win! Happy Mommy = happy kids! Ha!

I'm finding that because I've always worked in an industry where the customer always comes to me, this is a real challenge in changing my marketing strategies. I'm learning a new way to do business, and I'm soaking up all of this information. This business has real potential for me to make some real money and give me real personal/professional satisfaction, and I'm so pumped!!

But mostly, I'm having a Feel Good Friday because I did something I never thought I'd have the courage to do. That is big for me!

My New Adventure!

2011-02-23T00:37:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to announce that I am now officially an independent Arbonne consultant!! I love these products so much, and love the fact that they are actually "healthy" products, no animal testing, no using animal products or by-products, almost all of the products contain no parabens, the list goes on and on.

And, these products are amazing! I used the kids line for both of my kids, who had horrible spots of eczema when they were babies - the lotion cleared it right up. After trying everything, this stuff worked! I revisited the products when my hubby was having some really bad skin problems a while ago. He tried a sample of the face cream, and right after using it, the redness went away, and he said, "Claire, I can't believe I'm beautiful again!!!!" I had to laugh, but he has tried every face cream out there, as well as prescription creams that I knew were so bad for his skin. I have to add that the hand cream is divine - mmmmmm, smells amazing and absolutely no grease! A-mazing!

Anyway, being a stay at home Mom, and being used to working, I was getting antsy. When this opportunity presented itself, I jumped - partially because I look so forward to working again, but mostly because I love and believe in this product so much!!

I am officially starting my new business this week! I'm hoping people love this product as much as I do!

Check out my new website and have a look at the different products - there's something for everyone! If you have any questions, please leave me a comment here, or email me from my website!

www.clairedonison.myarbonne.ca

I'm so excited!!

2011-02-17T23:40:00.000-07:00

I have something really big for me on the go and I'm so excited!!! I've decided that along with being a wife and Mom, I need to step outside the box a little. (No, I'm not running away to join the circus or anything!)

I am waiting until I get a little further ahead in my plan, and a little more prepared, but I should be unveiling the big news next week sometime.

My mind has been going a million miles a minute with plans and strategies and ideas...I've never done something like this before, and I really believe I can be good at this....

So excited!!!

Stay tuned.....

Happy Valentine's Day!!

2011-02-14T22:01:00.000-07:00

Hope you're having a wonderful love day - love for your spouse, love for your kids, love for anything - heck, even love for that big piece of chocolate sitting between you and the remote control!! (That would be me I'm talking about - hubby is on the other couch on his laptop). We had a nice dinner (roast and french fries - we are all about the classy food for special occasions!), some chocolate fun, and even a cake that we decorated today - there's always a reason for cake!

So, in honor of this "jour de l'amour", I have the official valentine's day quiz extraordinaire!! (Not really, but play along anyway!)

1. What would your ideal gift be from your lovie?

My ideal gift would be a day without any work around the house. Sleeping in, having breakfast made for me (and I wouldn't care how messy the kitchen got because he would do the dishes), an afternoon to go out shopping, or play on the net, or do some writing or whatever I wanted. Supper made for me, again no clean up required on my part, and nice long bath, a great chick flick movie, and then off to bed in freshly laundered sheets and duvet. Sigh....oh, and the biggest part of the day would be not having to deal with screaming kids!

2. They say that when you're really in love, you'd give your life for that person. But, would you give your last chocolate (or whatever you have a hard time giving away)?

My last piece of chocolate? No way. And, he knows it. He doesn't ask for it any more.

3. What is one thing you would change about your love?

I wish he could dance. I don't mean, get on the dance floor and get down to Beyonce or Cee Lo - I mean really dance with class, waltzing, two step, wedding dance kind of dance. My hubby has no rhythm. He thinks he does. He also thinks he can sing. In fact, the other day, he was telling me he can sing as good as Elvis. riiiiiight....

4. What is one thing you would never change?

I would never change the way he is devoted to his family. He loves his kids like no other Daddy, and would do anything for all of us. His heart is only for his family, and I will probably never know how lucky I am to have someone's heart like that.

5. What is a funny quirk he/she has?

He makes up words. And he thinks they are real, or they should be real. For example:

Bandwaggoneer - not just a bandwaggoner, this person is the leader of people jumping on the band wagon.

Suffercate - this word makes total sense to him - when you suffocate, you definitely suffer.

Now - your turn. Share. 3-2-1 Go!!

Appliance Queen

2011-02-01T13:35:00.000-07:00

Oh, how I love new appliances!! It's a rush every time I order a new small appliance for my kitchen (or other gadgets for around the house!). No, I'm not addicted to shopping, in fact I detest shopping. So much so, that I won't go to Vegas with certain friends because all they want to do is shop. Not my idea of fun.

Back to my appliances.

Where we live, it's very difficult to do any shopping. We have to order pretty much everything over the internet. Suits me fine - I'd rather be shopping in my jammies anyway! One of my favorite purchases has been my bread maker. I heart this bread maker - it even makes jam, would you believe? Well, believe it, it's true!

photo courtesy google images

I've had my bread maker for a little over a year, and use it at least every other day.

My latest purchases have been a waffle maker and a toaster. I really like my new Cuisinart toaster, but I looooooove my new Belgium waffle maker! Love, love, love.

photo courtesy of google images

I think one of the reasons I love this waffle maker so much is the fantastic recipe I found to make the waffles. It is a little complex, uses yeast, and is best if left overnight. So, the plan is that I will make this waffle dough (it really is a dough - not runny at all!) on Saturday night, and we have yummo waffles every Sunday morning. Doesn't take much to make this prairie girl happy!

Day 4

2011-01-30T12:26:00.000-07:00

It's now day 4, and I have to say I'm doing pretty darn good! I've had cravings here and there, but nothing unmanageable. Today, though, I woke up with a screamin' headache and the feeling like my eyeballs are going to explode - but I might just be getting sick, who knows...

When you're doing something like quitting smoking, try to lose weight, etc. they say that the most successful people are the ones who seek support from others. I never really bought into that, as I'm a pretty private person and very proud, so I hardly ever ask for help. However, I searched Google for a quit smoking support board and found one I thought I could hang around with. I registered, introduced myself, and found myself faced with a whole mess of welcomes and congratulations from its members. Now if that doesn't make a person feel good....!

I have also posted on another board that I frequent and was met with another onslaught of well wishes. Two things occurred to me in all of this. One, people just wantto encourage others and share their experiences with them. Two, the encouragement and support from complete strangers does wonders! I feel completely stronger in my quit because of all of the great comments I've gotten.

I truly believe this applies in no matter what you're setting out to do - quit smoking, lose weight, change habits, anything.

Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to give me their support, every single comment does make a difference!

I Quit!

2011-01-28T10:29:00.002-07:00

Edited to add: This post is my Feel Good Friday!! I can't imagine feeling better about anything right now than not smoking!! Hop on over the Tami's blog to join in the fun!!

So, I have a little (actually gigantic) ugly secret. I am a smoker. Check that, I was a smoker. I had my last cigarette a couple of days ago. I'm doing good, still craving a smoke like crazy more often than I would like, but I'm fighting them off, and slowly, very slowly getting control of this awful death grip.

I know that probably most of you reading this aren't smokers, and probably have never smoked. (People like me seem to be in the huge minority these days!) It is so hard for someone who someone who hasn't gone through this to understand how hard it is at times, just as it's hard for me to understand how it is it be really sick, or depressed or any of the things I'm not. Smoking, not wanting to smoke, quitting smoking - it gives me a whole crap load more empathy for people in their own difficult situations.

You see, I have this great husband. And, these two great kids. And I think it's incredibly selfish to be smoking, polluting my body, killing myself, when I have this great family. And, that's not even mentioning the other members of my family and my great friends. Where the heck would they be without me? I mean, come on, I would be doing the world a huge disservice by killing myself through smoking.

The day I had my last cigarette, I had a talk with my 4 year old daughter. I told her I needed to talk to her, that it was really important. I think she thought she was in trouble for something, or that she was sentenced to her room for not cleaning it. I sat her down, looked deep into her eyes, and said, "Mommy is not going to smoke anymore. Smoking is so bad for me, and I love you guys, and I'm not going to smoke." She tilted her head, and seemed to get tears in her eyes, mirroring mine. She thought for a minute and then softly said, "but Mommy, if you hold them carefully, you won't burn yourself!"

Out of the mouths of babes.

That just kind of makes me realize how precious the gifts I am giving up are to me. Like I said before, I think smoking is selfish. I am a hypocrite (or I was!). It's funny, because when people found out I smoked, they were surprised. I am a 37 year old Mom to 2 young kids, seemingly healthy gal, and smoking is a disgusting little habit - one reserved for other people. Not me. Well, I'm a girl who started smoking at 14, was part of a group growing up where 90% of her friends smoked, watched practically all of them give it up years ago, felt left out because I just couldn't seem to get rid of this nastiness. But, now I'm saying good bye to it for good.

I'm missing it a little, but not for long. I'm going to realize how great it is to not be tied down to this addiction.

I'm not going to be that chick that sneaks outside for a smoke anymore, smelling like stinky butt.

I'm going to do this. After all, I don't have it so bad - there is always someone else out there getting through much bigger struggles than mine - and I have so much to gain from this!

Bullet Points

2011-01-18T23:07:00.000-07:00

Hopefully that title isn't going to make some total left wing nut think I'm trying to insight hatred...

I digress.

- My daughter called my hubby a "meaniac" because he scared her on purpose the other day. Love that she created a new word. She's 4. I'm calling Websters. And maybe Guinness.

- I have a cut UNDER my fingernail. It hurts a lot. And I can't get it to heal because of all of this handwashing I'm doing to try and stay alive this winter (or at least a little healthy).

- I have a gajillion programs PVR'd that I haven't watched. I refuse to delete anything - I'll get to it...

- This winter has been so cold and indoorsy- I literally sat here and though if there was actually a way I could climb the walls. It looked like fun. Couldn't do it.

- We are buying a treadmill. Hopefully soon. And, hopefully we'll be more motivated to get on it and use it than we are about ordering it. Living up north sucks for having stuff shipped to you. Nobody will ship the heavy stuff - too costly.

- I am sick and tired of the foxes stealing dirty diapers off of my front porch and leaving them on my driveway. I realize this makes me sound like the trashiest of the trailer park, but I keep them in a plastic bag, frozen on the porch so I can take them across the street to the bin at night. Damn foxes.

- I really like that the sun isn't going down before 4pm - and I really like that I can finally see the sun over the roofs of the houses across the street. For a couple of months, we don't directly see the sun, it's hidden by buildings. Gettin' out the SPF.

- I should have made my New Year's resolution to go to bed early every night. Takes away from my "me" time, so midnight or later is usually the norm.

On that note, I'm going to bed!

Needing to Remember What I've Always Believed

2011-01-14T23:40:00.000-07:00

My husband is in a job that moves us around. A lot. In the last 10 years, we've moved 4 times. And, we are on the move again this summer. There are multiple issues surrounding this move. Our daughter is starting kindergarten in the fall and it's important that we go to a community with a good school.

courtesy of google images

Let me rewind a little..

We live in the extreme north of Canada. Like, 60 miles south of the Arctic Circle. North. A lot of the communities up here have a lot of social problems, alcohol problems, etc., therefore, they maybe aren't the best place for your kids to be socializing. However, these communities sometimes have wonderful teachers at their schools, a lot of times, these teachers also come from the south to work. Many times, it is difficult to find anything for your kids to do in the community, and with the extreme cold weather, we don't even leave the house on a lot of winter days.

Why are we here, you ask? Well, with our kids being so young, and with my hubby gaining a promotion to move up here, along with the fact that there is a lot of money to be made up here (read: savings for the kids' educations and our retirements), it seemed attractive to us. And for the most part, the north is a wonderful place. I come from a place of extreme cold in the winter from time to time, and we are normally home bodies anyway, so this place kind of fits like a sheepskin glove, so to speak.

We have an opportunity to move to a place where hubby will be working away 2 nights a week, and we only get paid to travel home 1 time a year (as opposed to 2 where we are here). It's more expensive to get out of (there is a road, and it's a 7 hour drive to much cheaper flights). The major up side is that the school and preschool in this town is apparently very good. The more I think about it, and talk about it with my other half, the more sense it makes to us, and the more we are leaning to moving here. In the end, with all other details out of the way, the experience for the kids is the most important thing here.

I must sound pretty conflicted, and apologize for babbling, but, like I said - the more I think about it, the more it makes sense. I love coming to cold, hard convictions. Hopefully this will be one of them.

And, I need to remember what I've always believed - you are always just where you should be, and you are where you are for a reason.

Sometimes easier said than done, but in this case, I might be starting to buy it...

New Year and I'm Back!

2011-01-04T15:00:00.000-07:00

Wow - good thing I don't get paid for this gig!!

It has been a long while, the last few months have been craaazy! Home for a visit for 1 1/2 months, back home to the Wells at the beginning of December, Christmas party after Christmas party, trying to get ready for Christmas, hoping/praying/pleading for gifts to arrive in the mail before Christmas (because the only stores we have here only sell $14 milk and $20 Cheeze Whiz). Whew! It is now January, and now that Christmas and the visit from the parents is all over, I can take a deep breath and promptly ignore how thick the dust in on my shelves.

Ahem.

Anyhow, I was reading a couple of blogs lately and saw that they did a 2010 questionnaire instead of a yearly recap. Sounds good to me! So, thank you Tami at 29 and Holding and Jen at The Tale of Two Coins. I hope when I read this after I'm done, my year sounds at least a little exciting!!

1. What did you do in 2010 that you had never done before?

I'd never been to the Bahamas, and we went there in March, so I guess that would count!

2. Did you keep your New Year’s Resolution, and will you make more next year?

I don't make resolutions, because I don't have the discipline to keep them. At all. I try everyday to be just a little bit better than yesterday, more patient, kinder, etc. It doesn't always work, and depending on how badly the kids are fighting, I may lose my daily resolve by 10 am! But, at least I'm still trying everyday - that's what counts to me.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

No, but I have a friend that is pregnant now, and I'm waiting for a phone call from my sister any day now to tell me she is too. (Maybe not, but I can dream, right?)
4. Did anyone close to you die?

My uncle, who is also my Godfather, died in June.

5. What countries did you visit?

We went to the Bahamas in March, and to Vegas in November. My passport was well used this year!

6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?

I am always trying for more patience. I am a self admitted type A personality, so on the rare occasion, patience is hard to find. I guess I would like to have better parenting skills this year. Our kids are growing so fast, and they are such awesome people, all I want in this life is to do right by them.

7. What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

The kids' birthdays are always important to me, as I never thought I'd be able to celebrate the birthday of one of your kids like everyone else was able to do. Those two days are really important to me every year.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I would have to say not going insane in a place 2000 miles from home, where you can't drive out, you can only fly out, staying home with the kids 24/7/365. No really, my biggest achievement this year would be being able to save a whack of money up here. One of the reasons we moved here was to give ourselves a really big financial boost, enabling us to pay for some of the kids' educations and our retirements. We're getting a good start here.

9. What was your biggest failure?

I don't know if I've had any colossal failures this year (at least I hope not!!), but I think as a parent, I'm always worried about if I'm doing the right thing with the kids. I know I've done a lot wrong, but hopefully I've done a lot right, too!

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Nothing major, thank goodness, but a week before we left for Vegas in November, both hubs and I got sick. And we spent the week sick in Vegas. But, I'd rather be sick in Vegas than at home!

11. What was the best thing you bought?

The best thing I bought would be our PVR. Oh. My. God. I don't know how I lived without it. Seriously.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

Well, that's a tough one. I could get all political (but really, when it comes to politics, whose behaviour ever really merits celebration?), but I'm going to have to say my hubby's. He is also type A, so don't get me wrong, he's no angel, but he has been so patient with me this year, he just really loves me so much, even when I can't stand myself! Yes, I can get cranky at times!

13. Whose behavior made you appalled or depressed?

Hmmmm......I am going to have to go with certain *ahem* politicians. I just don't get how some people can be so shortsighted, and so married to party politics that they can't even see what is best for people. And, I'm not even American!

14. Where did most of your money go this year?

Into savings and the stock market.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

I was really excited to go on our trips - it was nice to have a break away from the kids, but inevitably, we started missing them the first day! ha!

16. What song will always remind you of 2010?

Anything by Katy Perry, Adam Lambert or Hedley.

17. Compared to this time last year are you a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?

Happier, about the same + or - a few lbs. (probably +!) and richer - but far from rich! ha!

18. What do you wish you had done more of?
I wish I would have taken up a new hobby - I've been thinking of getting a sewing machine, but I part of my marriage contract was that I don't sew and I don't iron, so we'll see where that one goes!

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Ummmm, eat? No, really, probably stress over things that really I shouldn't stress about.

20. How did you spend Christmas?

We started the day with the four of us opening gifts and cleaning up until about 1 o'clock, then preparing all afternoon for hubby's coworkers and their families to come over for Christmas supper. (Up here, everyone is away from their families, so everyone kind of hangs out together for the holidays - kind of like our own little northern family!)

21. Did you fall in love in 2010?

Nope, just stayed in love.

22. What was your favorite TV program?

I love the Biggest Loser and Dexter. Kind of hitting both ends of the spectrum, huh?!

23. Do you hate someone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

I don't think I can say I hate anyone, but of course opinions change about people.

24. What was the best book you read?

I am just starting a couple of books now, I don't remember any one book standing out this year, hopefully these new books will be good! (Pinheads and Patriots and the Bush book).

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

I didn't discover any new favorite band or singer, but I'm pleasantly surprised at Gwyneth Paltrow. She can really sing! Loooooooved her on Glee!!

26. What did you want and get?

To go on vacation!

27. What did you want and not get?

Nothing I can think of. I'm the person, who, when someone says "what do you want for your birthday or Christmas" I always reply "nothing - I don't need anything!"

28. What was your favorite film of the year?
I loved Avatar (not sure if I saw it this year or last), and I really liked the new Shrek movie.

29. What did you do on your birthday and how old were you?

I was in the Bahamas for my birthday, we sat around and vegged around the pool.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

More money, right?

31. How would you describe you personal fashion concept in 2010?

HA!!! StayathomeMommychic? AKA - lululemons, hats, sweaters. Veeeery classy!

32. What kept you sane?

My TV, my PVR, my computer - wait - didn't you mean sane from my kids? Okay, I think my kids keep my laughing enough to keep most of my sanity!

33. What celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Again, I heart Gwyneth, but I also love Sandy Bullock. That douche of an ex is such a crap bag. Seriously, I'd kick his ass for her. Anyway, back to family friendly programming.....

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

There were a few, and hopefully as a non-American I can have an opinion about some of these! ;) I just don't get the immigration thing. I mean, if they're there, and not legally, they get deported. So what's the problem? As far as I'm concerned, I wouldn't be opposed to being questioned for no reason, even if I wasn't doing anything wrong. Really, the authorities should be able to request documentation proving they are there legally at any time, for no reason at all. If I were American, I'd be cheering that on. Political rant over.
35. Who did you miss?

After just having spent the last 2 of the last 3 months in close quarters with both of our families, no one. HA! Just kidding. I would say, though, that I miss my sister the most right now.

36. Who was the best new person you met?

I don't think I met anyone this year that I became really close with, but I would have to say in the last couple of years, there is a gal up here that I have become pretty close with.

37. Tell us a valuable lesson you learned in 2010.

I'm not getting any younger, yelling only makes it worse, my kids are full of awesomeness, I am more valuable than I realize.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

"Cause baby you're a firework, come on show 'em what you're worth" Katy Perry "Firework"

Happy New Year!!!

And What About My Week...

2010-10-17T10:13:00.000-06:00

I've taken a little time off of this challenge because we have just gone the 2000km home. And, day 26 gives me a chance to tell you about our busy, busy week!!

So, we live in the Northwest Territories, Canada, but are originally from Saskatchewan, Canada. Where??? you say? Well, my hometown is about 2 hours north of the Canada/U.S. border at Montana. So, I have been busy packing myself and our 2 kids to fly home for a month and a half. Hubby has to stay and work for another 2 weeks, but because he's going to be out of town for most of the 2 weeks, we figured we'd go early.

Anyway, my week consisted of packing, cleaning the house, and trying not to forget anything. I spent a few days cleaning the house pretty good, and am just hoping that with the hubster being there by himself in and out for a couple of weeks, it stays that way! We took the first flight to Yellowknife, then another flight to Edmonton, and finally the last flight to Regina. Travelling with a 2 and a 4 year old is trying, but thank goodness we can get there all in one day.

We arrived at about 10 at night, and are now settling in, and getting ready to take the kids to a Wiggles concert. I'm almost ashamed to say I'm probably more excited than the kids, but only because I can't wait to see their faces at the concert. Should be a good time.

Hopefully I can finish this challenge within the next few days, being on holidays keeps me off the computer, but I will be on every now and again.

Cheers!

Day 24 and 25

2010-10-09T22:36:00.000-06:00

Dontchya just love how I'm doing this 2 days at a time every few days. I'm getting this done, just kind of my way, right?!

Day 24 is where I live. I live in a very remote, very tiny town in the very north of Canada. The town is called Norman Wells, and it is pretty isolated. There are no roads out in the summer, and only ice roads in the winter. If you catch a show called "Ice Pilots NWT" you will see our town quite a bit, as they fly food and supplies to us several times a week. We moved up here for my husband's work (he is with the RCMP) and have been here for a little over a year. Having lived in the same city or very close to both of our families for our whole lives, this was a big move. Especially with a 3 year old and a 1 year old. We do miss home, but we're finding that being away from everything is also nice, we have a lot more time for our own little family, and life up here is very laid back. I love living in the north, and can see why "they" say once people move north, a lot of times, they never move back home.

Here are some pics of where I live, it's quite beautiful!

The barge that brings food and supplies via the Mackenzie River in the summer

Up in the foothills overlooking our town and the other mountain range on the other side of the river.

Fog over one of the lakes that float planes use.

So, that is the town I live in and on to day 25....

my day in detail. Hmmmm, as I said before, it's pretty laid back here, and the weekend days are our family days, as hubby works weekend nights. So, today we got up around 8, watched a little tv, and had breakfast. It was really cold and windy out, so playing in the yard was pretty much out. We played some games, colored some pictures and basically just hung out in our jammies all morning. I made lunch, put some laundry away and settled in to watch some tv - our PVR is my very best friend these days! At 3, our beloved Saskatchewan Roughrider football team played. If you're a Rider fan, you know that the world gets put on hold for a few hours during their games - unfortunately they lost today, so that was kind of a bummer. I made pizza buns for supper and sent hubby off to work. After giving the kids their baths and hanging out with them for a bit, they had their snack, and off to bed for them. I did some cleaning up and am now writing this post, while watching my Saturday night Sex and The City marathon.

I know, I know, it's riveting stuff, isn't it? I do miss living in a place that has more going on, but at the same time, I love not having to have a schedule, and pretty much do what we want. I keep telling myself that once the kids are old enough to be involved in 27 things when they are older, I'm really going to miss these days.

Oh, and I took my turkey out to thaw for Monday - Happy Thanksgiving my fellow Canadians!!

Gobble Gobble!

Day 22 and 23

2010-10-08T09:35:00.000-06:00

These two days call for a website and a youtube video. Could I just cheat and use youtube as my website? No? Okay, here is another great website:

http://www.wikipedia.org/

I know what you're thinking, everybody knows about that site. The reason I'm posting that site is I have a big beef about my wiki addiction. I will admit I go to wiki everytime I want to know something about anything (mostly who died today - so the morbid side of me, and mostly about a tv show or movie I'm watching). Anyway, I jump to this site for the written in stone, God's honest truth about absolutely factual information about everything in the world. I had heard the rumors about information being false on this site, and I refused to believe that my "go-to" had flaws.

That is until Jack Nicholson died.

Or so it said.

As I was viewing the obits one morning on wiki, I was shocked to see Jack Nicholson was dead. The actor, not the golfer. (Hubby always gets them mixed up). A few minutes later, his name was taken off of the dead list, apparently giving him a second chance on this earth.

Apparently, anyone can go on wikipedia and enter information about anyone or anything. It is only taken off if it's discovered to be false. So, information on pages that are widely visited are probably pretty acurate, as I would think false info would be reported by the readers. However, if I wanted to know something about, let's say, the long-horned beetle, the information could very well be wrong and no one would know (or, let's face it, even care). I still have a love for this site, and while everyone mocks it, I still use it with a little more than a grain of salt.

And now for a youtube video:

This is the best video I've seen in a long time, it was between this and a dancing dog, and hopefully you haven't seen this because I think it's freakin' hilarious! Maybe you should get your substance of choice out first, because I can't figure out if I have a really stupid, twisted sense of humor, but both my hubby and I laughed so hard at this:

So, there you have it, hopefully that was your laugh for the weekend!

Cheers and Happy Thanksgiving to all of my Canadian people!

This is making me hungry!!

2010-10-05T22:50:00.000-06:00

Well, these two days (20 and 21!) really tie into each other. Cooking and baking are hobbies of mine, I love doing them on a cold, house bound day, and Lord knows there are enough of those up here! These two days are asking for a hobby and a recipe. Here is one of my favorite recipes:

Buckets O' Bacon Potato Soup - Mamabear Style

Cook 2 - 3 lbs of diced bacon (really depends on how much you love bacon, and how much soup you want to make!) - drain most of the fat
Saute 2 chopped onions in remaining bacon fat
Add diced potatoes, usually 10 or so, depending on how much soup you want and how thick you want it. Cover with water and cook until potatoes are tender but still firm (not mushy!!) Heat 2 cans of cream of chicken soup in microwave on low until creamy. Blend with the soup, add salt to taste. Heat soup (don't boil).
***Top with shredded cheddar cheese when serving***

This is the best cold day, comfort food I can think of - it's sooooo good, and reminds me of my Mom's cooking - she is the original soup nazi!!

Another really quick recipe I have is for the easiest appetizer ever - maraschino cherries wrapped with bacon. It's just like it sounds - wrap a cherry with 1/2 piece of bacon, spear with toothpick, lay on cookie sheets and cook until bacon is crispy. I know, I know, the first time I heard of this, I though - GROSS!! But once I tried them, I couldn't stop! Seriously, you must try these!

I'd love to hear if any of you try these recipes - let me know how they work for you!

Cheers!

Day 18 and 19

2010-10-03T08:22:00.000-06:00

Day 18 and 19 are my wedding, and a talent of mine.

Well, first off, our wedding. It was September 28, 1996 (we just celebrated our 14th anniversary!) and it was one of those big weddings where we just couldn't pare down the guest list. There was never any question it wasn't going to be a "small" wedding, and it's not like we had 500 people or anything but I think there was 275ish invited. Anyway, it was a great day! I had my sister as my maid of honor, and 2 best friends and my sister in law stand up for me. Hubby had 2 friends and his brother in law and my brother stand up for him. I was thinking the other day about what time the wedding took place, and for the life of me I can't remember. Isn't that awful?! After the ceremony, we went for pictures. I can remember having to smile so much that my mouth hurt by the time we were done and I was getting a little bitchy. Not good, but really, the photographer was veeeeery thorough.

The reception was a sit down dinner for about 200. The food was awesome and the program afterward was great too. We had a live band, and everyone had a great time. We were one of the last ones to leave (I've never understood the bride and groom leaving at, like, 10 o'clock - we wanted to stay and party with all of our guests!) I have no pictures to post because all of our old pictures are in storage while we live up north (and I'm pretty sure no one had a digital camera there!).

Day 19 - a talent I have. Well, I like to think I'm pretty good cook. I think my talent with cooking is being able to create great dishes without using recipes. I hate using recipes, and I like to just browse my pantry to see what might go good together. When I get in the mood to cook or bake, I love searching the internet for ideas, and then off I go to make something from the ideas I get. Sometimes I combine 2 or 3 different recipes, and most of the time it works out great!

Cheers!

Day 16 and 17!

2010-10-02T08:44:00.000-06:00

Bear with me as I play a little catch up! I'm on to days 16 and 17 - a song that makes me cry and a favorite piece of art, sculpture, etc.

Alrighty then....a song that makes me cry is Letter To Me by Brad Paisley. I'm not sure why it makes me cry, but I love getting all sentimental about growing up, the good, the bad, the things I wish I could take back - all of it. Here is the video - if you haven't heard this song, have a listen!

Now, hmmmmm, a favorite piece of art would be.....

Naw, just kidding!! Seriously, here is a great piece of artwork that I really like:

"The Scream" by Edvard Munch. I don't know what it is about this painting, I get a mini shock every time I see it. Every. Single. Time. Weird, right? It's kind of like why people watch horror movies. You don't really want to get scared, but you kind of do. That's what this painting does for me.

Cheers!

Award Winning!

2010-10-01T13:27:00.000-06:00

I was given an award!! Seeing as how I have, like, 2.3 people visit my blog every day, this is huge! lol

I'd love to thank Sweet Pea for this lovely award! I think her blog is pretty fabulous, and she is a pretty fabulous gal! Here's how the award works:

- Thank and link back to the person who gave you this award
- List 7 things no one knows about you
- Send the award off to 7 bloggers who you think are fabulous!

Here are my 7 things:

1. I went to university for 3 years to become a teacher, but never finished, and ended up getting my 4 year optician/contact lens licenses.

2. I won $2000 playing bingo a few months ago - the first time ever at the bingo!

3. I am anal about paying off my bills - I pay them even before the bill comes sometimes.

4. I was sad to move our family away from the rest of our families last year, but secretly I'm liking being away from the drama sometimes.

5. I find online arguments on blogs and message boards highly entertaining.

6. I love my Honda Civic that was left behind 2000 kms away at my in laws house. When we go on vacation (ie: back home) I am so happy to see it, it almost brings me to tears.

7. I am amazed that I am still alive after some of the crap I pulled as a teenager. Funny how driving at 14 because all of your friends were drunk seemed like a swell idea at the time.

So, although not riveting, there you have it - 7 things you didn't know about me!

Thanks again to Sweet Pea for the award! I am sending this award to:

Kelly at Blue Frogs Legs

Robin at Lolidots Blog

Mama M. at My Little Life

Tami at 29 and Holding

Nancy at TheNewLifeofNancy

Jen at The Tale of Two Coins

Tina at It May Be a Crazy Life But It's Our Life

Cheers!

Whoops - Yes, I Slacked

2010-10-01T08:31:00.000-06:00

Wow, I leave for a couple of days and it turns into a week? Okay, focus, Claire, focus.

I'll do a couple of days per day from now on, as we leave for holidays on October 15th, and I'll never get to the end if I don't! Time off is dangerous for me! Thanks for lighting the fire Sweet Pea!

Day 14 and 15 - a non-fiction book and my dream home.

Non-fiction book - I don't know if I have a favorite other than Into Thin Air, which I've already used for day 3 or 4, and that would just be cheating to use it again, wouldn't it? I am reading the autobiography of Slash, the guitarist from Guns N' Roses right now, and it's a really great book. In fact, I'm reading it for the second time, and it's every bit as good as the first. What a life this guy has led, what a life they lead in this industry. Pretty amazing most of them are still alive!

Dream home - one with a maid, a butler and a chef. Kidding. Our dream is to eventually buy an acreage somewhere close to where we grew up. We will be on the move every few years or so for the next 15 years with hubby's job, so buying one right now is not really an option, but it gives us more time to save up, right? The actual house would be spacious, bright, colorful (no browns and taupes for this girl!) and would have a porch and a great fire pit area for campfires. I haven't thought too far ahead about the real specifics of the house, although I do know that I loved the brand new house we bought a couple of years ago, so I do know I want the latest innovations in pretty much everything! Not asking a lot, right?

Have a great weekend, I sure hope to be back tomorrow! ha

Cheers!

Days 12 and 13

2010-09-22T22:08:00.000-06:00

Okay, I'm slipping a little and need to include 2 days into one. At least I haven't given up completely!!

Day 12 is something I'm OCD about. Anyone who knows me, knows I am OCD about more than a few things, but I'll just pick one for today. I'm totally OCD about not having crumbs on my floor. This is something that is drives me, especially having a 2 and a 4 year old around. I am constantly (okay, like, 4 or 5 times a day) sweeping my floors. We live in housing provided by my hubby's work, and let's just say it's a far cry from the brand new home we owned just over a year ago. I miiiiissssss my central vac. I could just plug it in, zip around, and - voila! Crumbs be gone! I've had to retrain in using a dust pan over the last year which sucks, but at least it keeps the crumbs at bay!

Day 13 is a favorite fiction book. I've always been a fan of John Grisham, and have loved most of his books, but the one I keep going back to is one of his first one. A Time To Kill is a great book (he wrote this book first, had it rejected by many publishers, and then after The Firm, The Pelican Brief and The Client became best sellers, it was reprinted and became a best seller in it's own right). The premise is a black father kills the two white men that raped and left his daughter for dead. It covers the court battle and the inside goings on of racially charged Mississippi during the trial. If you've seen the movie, read the book - it's so much better (aren't they always?)!

That's about it! Cheers!

Day 11 - Me Now!

2010-09-20T23:17:00.001-06:00

Day 11 calls for a current picture of me. Seeing as how I hate having my picture taken (I think that stems from hubby needing to learn how his new camera works, and his constant surprise picture taking of me. I have never in my life seen so many ugly candid shots of anyone. UGH.), I don't have a lot to choose from. Anyway, here is a (fairly, like, within 4 months) current pic of me...

It's a picture of me holding the birthday cake I made for our son. Dontchya love the beer beside me on the counter? Oh, and don't overlook the bottle of wine in a brown paper bag behind it! Yep, we're a little redneck.

Cheers!

Day 10

2010-09-19T21:02:00.000-06:00

So, this is the post where I post a picture of myself from 10 years ago. That's pretty funny. I don't have a picture older than 2 years old of me, I don't have digital pics of me from that far back, and I don't even have any old pictures to scan, as when we moved up north, we put 80% of our stuff in storage, including all of my photo albums. (It really makes you think about how much you can actually live without!)

So, I went to facebook. I went to the pictures that my friends from high school have mercilessly posted. Here is my picture from approximately 10 years ago....

I know it's a small picture, I swear I didn't do that on purpose, but when I try and enlarge it, it's pretty fuzzy. I am the second from the left standing in the gold dress. I know. You wish you had this dress, too. Let me tell you the opportunities I've had to wear it again....

*enter chirping cricket....

Anyway, that is my lovely mug from 10 years ago, hope you enjoyed this little trip into the late 90's.

Cheers!

Day 9 of the 30 day challenge...

2010-09-18T09:07:00.000-06:00

Well, I'm still here doing the 30 day challenge - I'm really liking it, but seeing what I have to post tomorrow has me stumped - but I'll worry about that later! Anyway, today's challenge is to post a picture that I took. That's easy enough, but what picture to choose

I took these pictures on a little road in our town. I know I'm only supposed to post one picture, what can I say, I'm an overachiever! Anyhow, earlier in the summer, the bears were coming into town, so there was a humane bear trap set up. When I saw this I was so excited (I love watching wildlife, and just loved the thought of seeing a bear in town).

Anyway, they set this trap up and the kids and I kind of stalked it. We would go for a drive a few times a day to see if there was anything in the trap. The pictures don't show it, but there is a big bag of bait hanging inside of the trap, so I figured if the bears are coming into town, it means they're hungry. This bag of food would attract them for sure!

Well, this trap caught no bear. Pretty soon they removed it, and I never did see a bear in town. We did, however see a lot of bears out at the dump, and would go bear watch almost every night. What can I say, there's not much to do in this town! I later found out that another town had tried to use these bear traps and they never worked, so they sold them to our town. Apparently the record stands - still no bear.

There is so much about living in the north that I love, and most people up here would probably roll their eyes at me, but coming from the prairies, I have never lived around the mountains and wildlife they have up here. I can see why they say once you live up here, you won't want to move back home.

On that note, hubby gets home today from being south for a week and a half, and as excited as I am to see him, I'm even more excited to see the brand new camera he bought me!

Cheers!

Day 8!

2010-09-17T12:30:00.001-06:00

Day 8 of the challenge calls for a picture that makes you angry or sad. Kind of a downer, dontchya think? Oh well, I guess it's reality, so here goes. I didn't have a picture that came to mind immediately, so I had to go looking for one that correlated to something that makes me mad.

What makes me angry is this:

I just can't get over how bad the economy is, and how many people are losing their homes. People who had good jobs, people who have children, people who thought that their lives would never turn into this. The actions of a few are affecting millions of people who don't deserve to lose the rewards of years of hard work.

We haven't been affected like others have, thankfully, and I can't imagine our life savings, the kids' university funds, everything - wiped out in an instant. It makes me so angry when I hear the government say that things are on the upswing, and that everything is great - ask the people who are a month away from being kicked out of their home, or the people that have been on 50 job interviews with out a hope of getting a job.

I can only hope that very soon, things start to happen for these people, I could handle losing my home, but it would kill me to have my kids lose a stable place to call home.

Day 7!

2010-09-16T21:21:00.000-06:00

Well, on to day 7, where I am to post a photo that makes me happy. Rather than spend 3 hours going through all of my pictures of my kids and hubby, I'll post a picture of where I live (perhaps with the kids in it!)

This is a pic of my kids out at a place called Jackfish Lake, a small campground and picnic spot up in the mountains, about 20 minutes from where we live. It was taken a few weeks after we moved 2000 km from home, and that night was when I knew we made the right decision to move, knowing that the kids would be just fine no matter where we lived.

I love that they are muddy, they ran and ran up and down this road. It looks like my son was going to bite the big one, but he managed to keep it together (pretty good for a kid who was only 16 months old!) They were having so much fun that night, and we capped it off with a bonfire and yummy warm drinks with the new friends we had made.

Day 6 - A Toughie!

2010-09-15T00:01:00.000-06:00

Day 6 asks for 20 of your favorite things. I'm not going to go with the obvious "my kids, my husband, etc..." because I think that those are kind of a given. Instead I'm going to go with obscure things that you wouldn't think of, but make like just a little sweeter. I recently read an article about a guy who has a gratitude blog. Every day, he posts about one thing he is grateful for. These things can be big or small, but they are a little piece of what makes life great. So, I guess that's my inspiration for these choices:

1. My Emu Slippers I got for Christmas last year.

2. My dishwasher. I spent 2 months without it, and I could hug it every day.

3. Spin Brush toothbrushes. They just clean so much better than manual.

4. The northern lights. They are amazing where I live.

5. An email from a friend.

6. A really good hair conditioner.

7. Looking at pictures of when my kids were babies to now.

8. A good movie, a tasty snack and a cozy blankie.

9. Chocolate bars.

10. Going to Las Vegas with my husband for vacation.

11. Laughing until it hurts.

12. The sound of my kids singing, especially when the words are wrong.

13. Popcorn and m&m's - seriously, if you haven't tried this together, you really need to!

14. Season premiers of my favorite shows!

15. A cool fall day with the sun shining enough to keep you warm.

16. Waking up feeling refreshed (hasn't happened in a while, but I remember the feeling).

17. Not only going on a trip, but all of the planning involved (Internet research, buying the ticket, checking and rechecking for lower prices - I'm a little anal that way!).

18. The noise in my house during the day, and the quiet in my house in the evening.

19. Reading a really inspirational story.

20. Deciding to dedicate more time to my blogs, and meeting my goals.

So, there are some of my favorite things, I probably could go on and on, but if you've made it this far in my post, kudos to you!

Cheers!

Day 5

2010-09-14T23:53:00.000-06:00

Favorite Quote....

Well, I've always been a fan of "what goes around, comes around" and "karma is a bitch" (not sure if that's a bonifide quote, but I use it).

I found this quote one day, and felt that it fit my life thus far to a tee:

"It's true that we don't know what we've got until we lose it, but it's also true that we don't know what we've been missing until it arrives".

Cheers!

Day 4 WOO HOO!

2010-09-13T21:20:00.000-06:00

Yeah! I made it 4 whole days in a row! Go me!!
Ahem. Anyhow, today's topic is favorite book.

I love reading (when I get time) and usually only read at night before bed, which more often than not, leads to a very late bedtime. I think the kids know when I've been up reading late, the next day tends to be very early. So, needless to say, I don't get as much reading in as I used to.

Having said that, I just finished a book (for the second time) called Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer.

It is the first hand account of the 1996 Mount Everest Disaster, where on one day (the day he made summit on the mountain) eight climbers were killed and others injured when a storm suddenly came in.

For some reason, I've always been kind of enamoured with Mt. Everest, and find this story so interesting. It covers the whole climb, from his arrival in Tibet, to base camp to the top and all of the intricacies involved in a climb. This is such an amazing, exciting and tragic story all at the same time.

I have always been a huge fan of non-fiction, I find autobiographies intriguing and love true stories of tragedy and triumph. This story is riveting to me, and I highly recommend it to anyone. Like I said, I finished it for the second time (I read books like I watch movies, apparently!) and I will probably read it again in a year or so.

What is your favorite book?

Cheers!

Day 3 Fav TV Program

2010-09-12T22:39:00.000-06:00

Let's just say that living in the extreme north presents plenty of opportunity to watch television. How the heck did I ever live without DVR? Seriously, besides having my kids in the last few years, it's my DVR that has boosted my happiness level by a bajillion percent. That may be a little bit of an exaggeration, but not by much. Anyway, needless to say I have a few favorite shows. I am going to categorize them by old shows and new shows.

Here goes:

(Oh, and by the way, in case you haven't noticed, I have a problem limiting my favorites to just one, so please bear with me!)

Old Shows:

Friends

Roseanne

Cheers

All in The Family

Seinfeld

New Shows:

Chopped

Hell's Kitchen

Survivor

The Apprentice

Dexter

Glee

Arrested Development (kinda new, although it's now off the air)

Of course, this is just to name a few. I generally love a good series, and am interested in getting into a couple of new shows (namely How I Met Your Mother, and Modern Family). It's interesting to me to see more reality shows on the new list than non-reality.

But....if I had to pick just one show to watch, it would be this one...

The Shield. It's now over, and can only be seen in reruns, but what a great show! Michael Chiklis is awesome in this show, the story was riveting every week. If you like a good cop/action/drama, this is the one for you.

So, what's your favorite show?

Cheers!

Day 2 - Fav Movie

2010-09-12T08:26:00.000-06:00

I have a love of movies, as well as music. I love to watch a good movie over and over again. This is something my husband won't do, and shakes his head at me when I'm in the middle of, say, "28 Days" for the 43rd time. (And for the record, I love Sandra Bullock, and loved her before it was hip to do so. Damn that Jesse James - what a dillhole...) Ahem.

Anyway, I will admit that I love cheesy chick-flicky movies, some of which I won't even admit to, seeing as how I'm not a 14 year old girl who will turn to Bring It On when she sees it playing on the movie channel. Okay, it's only because Kirsten Dunst is such a stellar actress. Right. I'm not much for action movies, although I'd never get to watch a movie with the hubs if I didn't ever watch one.

So, back to my favorite movie....

There are a few movies that really affected me, and the more I watch them, the more I love them. Here is a little list:

"Schindler's List" - just amazing.

"Forrest Gump" - another great movie, every time I watch it, it amazes me how they worked history into this movie so cleverly.

"Good Will Hunting" - I love the story of this movie, and love the story behind how the movie was written.

And one of my all time favorites.....

To me, this is a completely brilliant movie - Quentin Tarantino is so brilliant and twisted, I love it! This is probably my favorite of all of his movies, but many of his others are close seconds!

What's your favorite movie?

Cheers!

My 30 Day Challenge

2010-09-11T21:46:00.000-06:00

I stole (okay, borrowed - stole is kind of harsh!) from a blog I have been reading for quite some time. She is a really great read, seems like a really great gal, and has gone through fertility issues as well, so I feel kind of connected to her in some way. She started this blog topic list at the beginning of September, and it seemed like a really interesting way to get to know someone. Here goes my crack at it, and knowing me, I'll get to day 2 and not post again for a month, but I'm really going to give this a good effort!!

Here is the list of topics, and below it, I will tackle day #1...

Day 1 - your favorite song
Day 2 - your favorite movie
Day 3 - your favorite television program
Day 4 - your favorite book
Day 5 - your favorite quote
Day 6 - 20 of your favorite things
Day 7 - a photo that makes you happy
Day 8 - a photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 9 - a photo you took
Day 10 - a photo taken over 10 years ago of you
Day 11 - a photo of you recently
Day 12 - something you are OCD about
Day 13 - a fictional book
Day 14 - a non-fictional book
Day 15 - your dream house
Day 16 - a song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 - an art piece (drawing, sculpture, painting, etc)
Day 18 - my weddingfuture weddingpast wedding
Day 19 - a talent of yours
Day 20 - a hobby of yours
Day 21 - a recipe
Day 22 - a website
Day 23 - a youtube video
Day 24 - where you live
Day 25 - your day, in great detail
Day 26 - your week, in great detail
Day 27 - your worst habit
Day 28 - what's in your handbag/purse
Day 29 - hopes, dreams, and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 - a dream for the future

Day 1

Favorite Song

I have a lot of favorite songs. It really depends on the mood I'm in... I'm the kind of person who would say "oh, this is my favorite song" and then I'd hear another song and say "oh, wait this is my favorite song"... Most of the songs I love have a great memory attached, or some sort of sentimental meaning for me.

Here are a few of my favorites:

"American Pie" by Don McLean - it's just such a poetic song to me about such a sad tragedy. I love anything with a story.

"My Little Girl" by Time McGraw - This song came out in 2006, the same year our daughter (whom we waited almost 10 years for) came along. Just play this video for me and you'll have me in tears.

Pretty much anything by Garth Brooks. Yep, the man is that good. And, better in concert!

I'm not a huge fan of U2, but the song "With or Without You" is such a gut wrenching, all or nothing song, I just love the passion it has.

I could go on and on, but I'll leave you with another one of my very favorite songs:

(I promise, I'm not a 16 year old girl, but you know, because my daughter loves Jacob from Hedley, I kinda have to watch the videos....)

Hedley - Perfect

Cheers!

Wishing...

2010-09-11T08:38:00.000-06:00

Wishing we didn't have to remember this day.

Wishing the family members of those lost didn't have to feel the pain they feel today and everyday for the rest of their lives.

Wishing the people who made it necessary to remember this day for the rest of history were never born. (it's much nicer than wishing they burn in hell)

Wishing that 9 years ago, our day wasn't spent in front of televisions, no matter where we were, open mouths, tears rolling and hearts hurting.

Wishing that everyday further we are from this horrific mark in history, the world can get it's shit together and find a way to live in some semblance of peace.

Wishing that the wishes that really matter really did come true.....

Beary Bizzare

2010-08-05T11:15:00.001-06:00

We live in a small, remote town in the middle of nowhere in the Northwest Territories, Canada. We are surrounded by two mountain ranges, beside the mighty Mackenzie River, and have no roads to drive out on (in the summer), therefore, we can only get out and in by plane. It is a nice town, and our place (provided to us by the government) is not bad (although it's not the brand new house we had at our last posting :( ). I have the kids outside everyday to play in the back yard, and they love it. Our yard is littered with cars, balls, a slide, a playhouse, all of the things a little kid could want.

But.

Lately there have been a lot of bears in town. They usually hang out at the dump, a few miles out of town, but in their infinite wisdom, the ENR (environmental gurus) have decided to enforce the electric fence at the dump. Therefore, the bears are looking for food. They are looking for food in town. With a vengence.

Last week, a bear had torn apart a freezer on someone's deck, and they shot it. This week, a bear attacked someone in a residential area, and decided to break down someone's door to eat their food in their kitchen in the middle of the night. They killed that one, too.

As I sit on my back deck watching the kids play (and typing this, and keeping a keen eye on the areas outside our 4 foot high fence that a hungry bear wouldn't hesitate to jump), I am a little nervous. I mean, at the dump, the bears are pretty happy, with all of the garbage they can eat, and not really minding the people that go out there to dump their own garbage or just bear watch. It makes me wonder why they want to keep them out so bad, I seem to think that a bear at the dump, happily feasting on leftovers is a hell of a lot more safe there than roaming the streets of our town.

And on that note, it just blows me away at how people just let their kids ride around town by themselves, play in the front (unfenced) yards by themselves. I admit I am a little over the top when it comes to protecting my kids, but I would never let them roam the streets alone, let alone let them play in the fenced yard without me watching at all times.

People are different up here, for sure. Nobody seems to be worried that there are bears all over town, but I guess because I am just an immigrant prairie girl, I am really the one that's different here.

But, I bet I won't get eaten by a bear.

Feel Good Friday

2010-07-29T22:39:00.000-06:00

This is my first time at Feel Good Friday, and I love the idea! I'm going to commit to getting back to my blog (after all of my summer fun is over, as well as my self admitted addiction to bejewelled blitz on facebook - what can I say - I am type A, super competitive, and it's really facebook's fault for posting all of your friend's scores - I. Must. Beat. Everyone.)

Ahem.

Anyhow.

My feel good post is about my daughter. My soon to be 4 year old daughter. Her birthday is on Saturday, and the day she was born will be etched in my memory forever. Every little detail.

You see, she isn't really even supposed to be here. A series of events occurred that, in many opinions, created and saved her little, fragile, perfect life. First of all, she was an IVF baby. She was conceived after 1 failed fresh IVF cycle and 3 frozen cycles. On our second (and last) crack at IVF, we finally got our BFP. We were thrilled (and a little stunned, as I had finally, after 9 years, accepted that we might not be able to have a child).

At my 18 week ultrasound, her measurements were small, and because we knew the exact date of conception, they were concerned. I was monitored closely, and had an u/s once every few weeks to measure growth. I had placenta previa, which was preventing her from getting the nutrients she needed to grow properly. As time went on, her growth got to be less and less.

Finally, when I was 7 months, the u/s alarmed everyone enough to send me to the next big city to have her. That is where I met the doctor that saved my girl's life. This doctor monitored me so closely, I think I could run an u/s machine on my own by now. She kept my daughter inside of me for more than a month after that, and even though she was only 2.5 lbs. when she was born, it would have been devastating had she been born before that.

The morning my daughter was born, I was sent for yet another u/s. It was at this appointment (and definitely kept from me) that the cord was wrapped around her neck twice. The radiologist ordered me to the hospital immediately for a c/s (but not before calling my hubby off of the golf course while he was having the round of his life). Right before they gave me the spinal, they did another u/s, later I found out it was to make sure my baby was still alive.

The next 6 weeks were spent in the NICU, watching her get big enough to come home, with no real ill effects.

Even though it wasn't the ideal pregnancy, so many things happened at the right times, with the right people to allow us to not only meet our daughter, but to watch a perfectly healthy, vibrant, bright tiny newborn grow into our wonderful 4 year old.

That is what makes my Friday so Feel Good!

By the way, this is being linked through this great girl's blog - check her out - you'll love her!!

Some Blogger I Am

2010-06-24T23:53:00.000-06:00

Well, I started up this new fandangled blog, just to blow it off after only 20-some posts. I have to admit, I've been cheating on my blog.

Cheating with all of the nice weather we've had, cheating with my kids in the back yard, cheating taking drives with the kids looking for wildlife...

And we've been having a great time!

I'm loving finally having a vehicle (I didn't have one for the first 8 or so months that we've been here), the freedom to just take off and go exploring is awesome! For those of you who don't know, we moved up to the Northwest Territories, Canada last August for my husband's work. It is way north, in fact less than 100 km south of the Arctic Circle. The weather has been awesome this summer so far, but the winters can get really ugly - one of the perks of staying at home with the kids here is that I can actually stay home if I want!!

We love going to the dump. I know that makes us sound really redneck (and in many ways I will admit we are), but the dump is a huge source of entertainment here. We go bear watching, people watching (it's amazing how interesting it is to watch people "shop" at the dump) and bird watching. I swear our ravens are as big as large dogs.

Okay, not that big, but still.

It certainly is a different world up here, I have become someone who went from panicked type "A" to not really watching the clock to make sure we get some where on time. I hate people like me. How inconsiderate! I fear I'm getting lazy in my new found freedom-from-time-and-responsibility, but the trade off is hanging out with the kids all day, doing whatever we want.

What the hell am I going to do when my daughter starts school and I have to actually set an alarm clock? Does carpooling work if only the other Mom drives? Yep, getting lazy.

Anyhow, I am recommitting to my blog, hoping to share some more pics of the beauty that is the NWT and hoping to get back to writing.

A girl can dream, right?

My 3 Year Old Wants Boobies

2010-05-24T21:43:00.000-06:00

I was going to try and use this blog as just my own, my "time away from the kids", but I just have to share. My 3 year old girl is obsessed with watching me get dressed, obsessed with my bra and my "boobies". I find it quite funny, yet disturbing all at the same time. She loves playing with my bras, pretending she's wearing them, she's even taken a toy with an elastic attached to it, and wore it around her chest, claiming that she, too, has a bra.

Funny stuff.

Until.

I started thinking about all of the things to come with a daughter, and got sweaty palms (that's what happens to me when I think of things like this, or, you know, death and stuff). I flashed forward to the first day of her period, the day she has questions that I know the answers to, but will stumble and fumble with my words, finally faking a coughing/choking episode. With any luck, I won't be faking and I won't recover from it.

I am the kind of person who will ride the wave, thinking that there is lots of time to come up with the right things to say, that I have all of the time in the world to prepare for the inevitable, but I also know in the back of my mind that one day she's just going to spring shit on me and I'm going to do my best deerintheheadlights.

But for now, I'm going to enjoy the cuteness of it all, enjoy the little 3 year old that has so much innocence. So much innocence in fact, that I wasn't surprised at all when, the other day, she asked if I have hair on my bum.

Excuse me while I dry the palms of my hands...

Something I've Always Wanted To Do

2010-05-12T22:04:00.000-06:00

As I approach a number closer to 40 (not until next March, but still - time seems to be going faster and faster), I am thinking about the things I have ambitions to do. Lately, I have been thinking that I would like to run a 5K.

The thought of crossing that finish line with so much pride and satisfaction gets me a little excited! The thought of actually running it terrifies the bejeebies out of me. I mean, really. I'm not a runner. I don't even own a pair of runners. I own loafers (huh, what is this telling me?), I own sandals, sandals with straps, heels, flowers, I even own golf sandals (which I love, by the way). I don't own runners. Therefore, I don't run. But, I think I could run.

I'm not sure how I would start training, or where I would run, or even how long a 5K should take me (I don't care, really, how long it takes, I just don't want to finish last). You know that saying, "you don't have to be the fastest, you just have to be faster than the slowest"? That's kinda where I see myself. Although, I do have to say, I am kind of athletic, I think I could do this. I do pretty much every sport but running.

I think I'm talking myself into this.

By Definition

2010-05-12T21:32:00.000-06:00

In looking back on my life, I guess I've always been defined by something. Whether it was being the daughter with the good grades, or the athletic one, or the musical one (yes, I was a band geek, and yes, I did go to band camp - you don' t know what you're missing!). There was always something there that defined me.

I guess in a way that's good, but I don't want my kids to ever think that that's what they "are". I think it's important for everyone to have something they can call their own, but I certainly don't think it should define them totally. As a side note, I don't think the above labels were ever put on me by my parents, just by myself. Thus the reason for this post.

Is it fair to put labels on ourselves, define ourselves by something we do or have in our lives? I'd like to think that there are many things that define me, totally. I am a mother, a wife, a daughter, a friend, an optician, a golfer, the list could go on and on.

Another reason for this post is that I was thinking back about the time period where we dealt with infertility for 9 years, before we were blessed with our daughter. There was a period where I let our inability to have kids define me. It was all consuming. It seemed that no matter where I looked, someone was asking us when were having kids, someone was pregnant, or I was getting an invitation to a baby shower. It was everywhere, and I felt like I couldn't escape this horrible feeling that my failure to have kids was who I was.

I have a different view of things now that I have come out to the "other side". I would admit, as well, that it is easier to say that it was wrong (for me) to let infertility define me now that we have kids. For those who will never get their chance to be parents, it is easy to let it define them, perhaps for life. I am one of the very lucky ones who can look back on it as a learning experience, a lesson in patience, acceptance and perseverance.

I don't define myself by this any longer, but I do wear the label, the badge with pride. It is nothing you would ever want to go through, but it does change you, and for the better, if you let it. It will be with us forever, when we explain to our daughter how she was conceived, to our children how very much they were wanted and how the pain of the journey never quite goes away.

These days, by definition, a part of me is a Mom, a big part of me. While I don't think it's necessarily a good thing to let one thing define a person, this is one label I will proudly display for the rest of my life.

Break Up

2010-05-09T11:01:00.000-06:00

Over the last week or so, we've been experiencing "break up" here in Norman Wells. The ice on the Mackenzie River is breaking up and flowing towards the Arctic Ocean, and normally it's really something to see. This year, apparently is a little different, in that it's a slower break up, so not as dramatic as in past years. Having never seen this, we are still very impressed! The mountains of ice are really impressive to see, and it's nice to see open water down the river. Here are some pictures we took of break up, it's hard to realize the size of the ice mountains until there is a person standing in front of them (unfortunately, that person was me!).

The river covered in ice with the trees and mountains in the background

Jayda wanted to go swimming, so we tested the water. She decided it was a little too cold!!

Really beautiful ice formations, it really is quite a neat sight to see!

From The Worst To The Best

2010-05-08T14:39:00.000-06:00

I used to hate Mother's Day. I would just dread the day and everything having to do with it. Don't get me wrong, I am very appreciative of my Mom, and celebrated the day with her every year. However, after getting married and deciding to try to have a baby ourselves (with no success for 9 years), I disliked the day more and more, year after year. Commercials on tv, signs everywhere you turn, even people wishing you a Happy Mother's Day (I must have "looked" old enough to have kids, and I guess it was just an assumption). Hate, hate, hate.

I know that hate is a strong word, but ask anyone who has trouble having children when they want to have them. Hate is pretty appropriate.

Mother's Day 2007 became one of my favorite days, after our daughter was born in July of 2006. I feel a little selfish in saying that I hated a day meant to honor my Mom, and like I said, I would celebrate with her every year, but there was a huge chunk of my heart missing, especially on that day. Anyhow, in preparation for "MY" special day in 2007, I did everything I could to instruct my husband on how to make this day the best it could be for me. That sounds very selfish as well, but let me tell you, my hubby's specialty isn't putting a huge amount of thought into special occasions.

He does okay, but he's a last minute kid of guy, so I wanted to make sure I wasn't getting tennis rackets for my very first Mother's Day (another story for another time). I informed him that I was sleeping in that day, and that I wanted a ring from my daughter. That was pretty much it, but it was important that I got a piece of jewelery from my little girl. And to this day, whenever I look at my ring, I remember how special my 1st Mother's Day was, and how long I waited for it.

I am not high maintenance, by any means (even my hubby will tell you that), but, damnit, I was going to get the gift I wanted and spend the day the way I wanted - and I did. Because I earned it. Happy Mother's Day to all Mom's, and to everyone who has a child whom they haven't met yet.

Judgement and Lemonade

2010-05-04T15:22:00.000-06:00

I got insulted today, very insulted. The jist of the situation was that I got called ignorant and a racist. I had made a comment on a message board, first questioning whether someone was Jewish or not (I really didn't know), and second stating that I don't like the double standard that our society has as far as things like the "N" word. I don't feel that one group should be able to use them, and another shouldn't. NOBODY should be using these derogatory terms. So, that's where I stood on that.

After making those statements, I was basically attacked by the author of the post, who called me ignorant and racist. I take great, great issue with this. I am the farthest thing from those things.

Enough of the rehash. What I learned from this was that even when someone doesn't agree with you, even when they have their facts way wrong, even when they try to embarrass you and even when they refuse to even see another side to their own, a person must step back and take the situation for what it is.

I admit I was so very hurt to begin with, the shock rang through my body at being told what my statements meant, even when they didn't mean what someone interpreted them to say. After stepping away from that part of the conversaton, I began to see that this was a person upset about something else that had occurred and that I may have become the punching bag for her frustration with her situation.

Just like we take things out on people when we shouldn't and when they don't deserve it, we still do it. I am the type of person who likes to see the positive side of things, who likes to get something good out of every situation, even really shitty ones. This one is no different, from now on, I'm sure to choose my words very carefully, and give everyone the benefit of the doubt and a chance to explain themselves before I judge. See, there it is - lemonade...

Finding time

2010-05-01T08:51:00.000-06:00

I haven't found time lately to blog, and that really makes me sad. I enjoy blogging and find it cathartic, but with the nice weather we've been having, and a new commitment I made to myself and my kids, I have been spending every waking moment with them on long walks and playing in the backyard. It's not that I'm on the internet all hours of the day, but for sure there are times when I'm telling them "just wait until Mommy is done her 'work' on the computer". I am coming to the realization that they really are growing up so quickly (what they say is true) and I don't want to look back thinking that all I did was spend my time with them playing on the computer (or whatever I was doing). Guilt will do that to you.

As I am typing this, I am in the living room with my son, who is watching tv and playing, and we're waiting for little girl to wake up. Hypocritical, no? Maybe, but I am playing with him, too, causing me to take 3 times as long to get this post out. But, I don't mind being interrupted.

After spending so much of my time with the kids everyday (and, well, I should be - I'm a stay at home Mom!), I've gotten to thinking about what is fair in my "me time" expectations. Really, is it fair to ask for a little time for myself during the day, obviously not when they "need" me, but maybe if they are watching a show, doing a puzzle or playing cars? I know everyone does it, but does everyone feel a little guilty like I do? Do you ever feel like you're taking something away from your kids because you are doing something for yourself?

I've been told that is the joy of motherhood - a permanent, entrenched feeling of guilt. At all times. Mostly self inflicted, but there regardless.

I'm off to play with my kids - it's a beautiful day out there!

37 Things I Know

2010-04-26T01:24:00.001-06:00

Since I turned 37 last month, I thought I would post 37 things I know - whether it is about me or just life experiences. I love reading getting to know you posts, and thought this would be a great way to have you know me a little better.

1. I am a middle child - and don't seem to have as much of an issue about it as a lot of people do.

2. I chewed my fingernails as a child, and was told by a family friend that "no boy will ever like you if you keep doing that". It crushed my ego, and apparently still has an effect to this day if I still remember that.

3. I love cats, grew up with cats, but lost the "animal love of my life" in my dog, who was 13, a year and a half ago.

4. I married at 23, and was told by a few that maybe we should wait. We are both type A personalities, so listening to anyone's opinions wasn't an option. We will celebrate our 14th anniversary this year.

5. I am quick to judge, quick to speak and slow to listen at times.

6. I am outgoing most of the time, but don't like to go out. I prefer to stay home with my family.

7. We struggled to have a family for almost 9 years, and 2 months before our 10th anniversary, I gave birth to our daughter.

8. I always took for granted I would have kids no problem. I'm used to getting my way, so having to wait 9 years was a crushing blow.

9. I think I would die without my kids.

10. I love sports, and hate going to people's houses to watch games because I'm usually expected to hang out with the wives, none of who likes sports. I hate to miss a game.

11. I love chocolate, almost to a fault.

12. I am blunt, almost to a fault.

13. I love my coffee in the morning, and drank it (with caffiene) during both of my pregnancies.

14. I don't have a lot of really close friends, but the few that I do, I would do anything for.

15. I think child abusers will never be rehabilitated.

16. My husband is one of the most open men I know, and the best Dad for our kids that I could ever imagine - he is way too much fun!

17. I love the Biggest Loser.

18. I hate fighting with someone, as I always say the wrong thing, it's taken the wrong way, making it very easy to use against me. I'm not a quick thinker that way.

19. I need to have more patience.

20. I wish I would have gone to Europe when I had the chance as a young adult.

21. I am against the death penalty, until someone does something serious to someone I love.

22. I regret not finishing my university degree.

23. I don't know what I want to be when I grow up.

24. I sometimes have a hard time allowing myself to be happy.

25. I am more my father's daughter than I probably realize.

26. If I had to do it all over again, I would marry my husband again, in a heartbeat.

27. If I had to do it all over again, I would have said no to that first cigarette.

28. I get hungover after 2 drinks.

29. I don't sleep as much as I should, I value my "me" time at night when the kids are in bed, and just can't bring myself to go to bed early.

30. I don't eat breakfast most days.

31. I hate most horror movies, I can't stand feeling uneasy for 2 hours, but I watch them because my husband is scared to watch them alone.

32. I would love to find something to do at home to make more money, but haven't found the right thing, yet.

33. I judge people, although I try not to. I also have a lot of compassion for people.

34. I wish I had more time and imagination to write in my blog.

35. I am not a housewife, I am a stay at home Mom.

36. I appreciate how hard my husband works probably more than I let him know.

37. I never could have predicted how my life would go, but through the ups and downs, I wouldn't change a thing. The most important things in the world to me are my husband, my daughter and my son. I would be rich if that's all I had!

2010-04-16T08:44:00.000-06:00

This is my second shot at Five Question Friday, courtesy of Mama M. over at My Little Life.

Here goes:

1. What words do you use on your blog/online that you don't use in real life?

I don't really use any words on my blog that I wouldn't use in real life, it's really the opposite. I swear like a sailor that needs her mouth washed out with soap somwtimes, and I would never put those words to paper (or my blog, as it were). I'm fully aware that my potty mouth is not that attractive most days.

2. Do you still write checks?

Yes, I still write a lot of cheques. I just can't justify taking money out of an ATM and paying them $3 or whatever it is to access MY money.

3. Who was your favorite President and why?

Well, being Canadian, I really don't have a favorite president, although I have to say I admire a lot of them.

4. Are you a yeller?

Oh, my, yes. Bigtime. So much so, I'm sure when we moved into this new town, I alone raised the decible level a few notches. Okay, not quite that bad, but I am definitely the "Type A, need to have it my way, come from a loud family, should have been Italian" yeller

5. Have you ever dumpster dived?
Nope. Not even sure what that is, but sounds disgusting. I've done some other gross stuff, but not this one.

If you would like to take part, copy this button, give a shout out to Mama M. and show us your five answers!

Death, Taxes and Crumbs

2010-04-16T08:20:00.000-06:00

There are a few things are inevitable in life. Some are great and wonderful, some suck rocks. (There's a phrase I haven't used since I was 8) Anyhow, obviously death sucks. I mean, to the point that I find myself thinking about it so much sometimes that my palms start to sweat. Don't think I'm not normal or anything, this really has only started since I had kids, and hate the thought of leaving them alone in this world. Okay, that's enough on death, my keyboard is getting wet...

And then there is taxes. While having someone take a large percentage of money right off the top of your paycheck sucks, and I don't trust most politicians as far as I can throw them overboard, I do believe they are a necessary evil. Here in Canada, we have a wonderful quality of life. Education, health care, infrastructure, I could go on and on. These services are provided by our (sometimes) decent government through the taxes we pay. And let me tell you, most years I love tax time (we usually get a refund), I just hate having to get them done. That's the lazy person in me coming out.

Finally, there are crumbs. One of my biggest pet peeves is walking barefoot on a crumby floor. And believe me, with a 2 year old and a 3 year old running ~~the show~~ around here, there are a ton of crumbs. Just their presence (the crumbs, not the kids) has amped up my OCD when it comes to cleaning my floors. It's gotten so bad, that when I enter the kitchen, I instinctively reach for the broom. Now that we are living in a townhouse (provided by hubby's work) without central vac (oh how I miss my central vac), I can no longer whip the vacuum around the floors a few times a day like I used to. Oh, how I hate, hate, hate crumby floors!!

But, it's not like they'll be the death of me - and even if they are, at least I won't have to pay taxes.

What holiday??

2010-04-15T13:19:00.001-06:00

Okay, so, without sounding ungrateful for a whole month off (actually a 5 weeks), to say the "vacation" we took home really wasn't that much of a holiday. We moved way up north last August, and this was the first time we went home. We were excited, needing a break, and wanting to see friends and family.

Well, the first week or so was great, spent by Dan and I in the Bahamas, although the weather could have been much better, it beat the extreme cold of the north. When we got home, we went to his parent's for a few days, then to his sister's for a few days, back to the parent's for a few days, I went to visit my sister for a few days, and then to my parent's for a little more than a week. After that it was back to his parent's to stay overnight before catching our flight out, over night in Edmonton and then home. I packed and unpacked suitcases 8 times, and we changed beds 8 times over the course of the month. Add to that our days were filled with visiting friends and family (my Mom had 35 of our closest relatives for Easter dinner), running to doctor and dentist appointments, and all of the shopping we had to do for supplies that we can't get here or are much too expensive.

Again, not to complain, but we really needed to get home so we could have a rest. I think when we go home again, we will do it differently - we'll spend 2 weeks at each of our parent's houses and if people want to see us, they can come to where we are. Bottom line. There were people we didn't get a chance to see, but we did what we could do.

Whew. I'm tired just reading this over. Who calls it a holiday anyway? Now, I'm off to relax and do laundry (yes, that is what I call relaxing these days!!)

Missing My Blog

2010-04-06T18:43:00.000-06:00

We've been away on holidays for a month now, and I haven't had time to post on my blog. I miss it. A lot. We have been running around like chickens with our heads cut off for the last little while, trying to see everyone that it seems we've ever met in our lives, and we're ready to go home. And I'm ready to resume my blog, big time! So many things going through my head, so little typing. But that will change soon.

One thought I had in my mind today was, who gives a 1 year old a hard, huge sucker?? Well, my 1 year old has a sticky face, so someone did...and that someone was his doctor. Really. I just about fell over, but that is probably just me being the overprotectivemychildwillchokehowdidweeversurvivechildhood Mom that I am. I worked hard for these kids, I intend to keep them around...

*eye roll*

Mourning My Loss

2010-03-01T01:06:00.000-07:00

So, this weekend, my wonderful, sweet, lovable son decided to end my computer's life. He's 1. (the son, not the computer.) He loves playing with the cd table, all of the blinking lights, and yes, the power button. He even knows where the sleep button is on my keyboard. Yep, he turns my computer off on me when I'm using it by pulling the keyboard out and pushing the right button. Do you think he's trying to tell me something?

He actually switched off the power bar under my desk (this was new), so I turned it back on. And then there was a bang. A loud bang. And that really gross electrical smell. By this point, I though he was going to succeed in burning the house down, but alas, only the computer got it.

I am so sad. I feel like I'm going through withdrawal (although I've stolen my hubby's laptop to keep up on all of the important stuff, you know, facebook, blogfrog, blogger - I'll pay bills later). Couple that with the Olympics being over tonight, and I think I'm going to have to start wearing a patch. Anyway, I loved my old, slowish, overloaded computer. I spent the better part of 2 hours flipping back and forth from searching for my backup disks, to cringing at the memory of what has been lost and not backed up.

This sucks bad. Well, I always try and look at the bright side of things, and I know my son certainly does, too. In fact, 10 seconds after the fateful blowup, he just looked up at me, smiled, and hopped across the room like a bunny. How can you be mad at that?

International Retail Customer

2010-02-27T08:09:00.000-07:00

Okay, let's call this what it really is - closet internet shopping junkie. First of all, I don't spend all day online, ordering crap I don't need like I'm in front of the home shopping channel (although they do have some really great stuff that I just know would make my life better...). We live in a very remote place, where the shopping is somewhat limited. Okay, it's limited to a $15 dollar jug of milk and a $9 frozen cake. Oh, and I think they sell socks. Anyway.

In order to get the regular, everyday things I need for my family, I order them online (the things, not my family). I have mixed feelings about shopping online. I like to see and touch what I'm buying (especially clothes and shoes), but on the other hand, it's like having a thousand stores right in front of your little nose to choose from. Fun times!

I have had pretty good luck ordering online, but have gotten stung by one company in West Virginia that is really pissing me off right now. Keep in mind that this is a great website for kids that sells sports merchandise and looks very professional. You'd never tell from their colorful and fun website that they are a bunch of parasitical ripoff artists. I ordered curtains (hard to find, very specific curtains) for my son's room, and they charged my credit card right away. I waited, and waited and waited some more. In fact, I waited so long that the 120 day chargeback policy on my credit card went by and I screwed myself into losing my money, never to see the curtains. I am a pretty civil person, can have a heated discussion every now and again, but always come out of it respectful of the other person. I have worked in retail, so I know how important it is to keep your cool in business. But this is different.

I decided that I was pissed. I sent them a scathing email telling them I know they've ripped me off and a few other choice words. Then, I went to the BBB and lodged a complaint against them. This is where I found that they have an "F" rating there and that there are 80 complaints against them right now. Shit. Shoulda checked that out before I ordered them. So, lesson learned, and I do feel much better lodging the complaint against them. I don't jolt out of being half asleep at night and seethe anymore.

By the way, that BBB site is awesome, you can find out the rating for any business or charity - pretty cool.

So, I'm going to kiss my $40 goodbye. Actually it's not the $40 I'm so upset at, it's the fact that I looked for these curtains for 2 months and finally found someone who would ship to Canada. I guess if it seems to good to be true...

Five Question Friday

2010-02-25T23:27:00.000-07:00

EDIT: I should add that this nifty little button at the top of this post belongs to Mama M., a blog I recently started to follow. I love finding blogs that I enjoy reading, and this is definitely one of them! 5QF comes from her blog, and I'm happy to take part in this, my very first contribution...

This is my first 5QF, so here goes...

1. Do you sing karaoke? If so, what is your go to song? Not so much anymore, but when I was in university, my sister worked at a karaoke bar. 'Nuff said. My go to song was pretty much anything by Elton John. What does that say about me?

2. What is your favorite coffee drink? My very fav is just coffee with cream, good strong coffee with cream. That or just a regular espresso.

3. If you could choose your own name, what would it be? Seeing as how Princess Consuela Bananahammock was taken by Pheobe on Friends, I would have to say Kate. I love the name Kate for some reason.

4. Were you ever bullied? Yep, by an older boy who punched me in elementary school. I'm not saying I didn't deserve it (I don't remember the circumstances) and it wouldn't have been the first time my mouth got me into trouble, but he really was a bully to everyone.

5. How often do you eat fast food? We live in a place that has 3 restaurants, and all of the food sucks, so I haven't eaten out in about 7 months. And yes, I had fast food the day before we got here. Having been forced to give it up, I have to say that I really don't crave it at all - I only crave a good meal in a nice restaurant.

Motherhood makes me cry

2010-02-25T22:29:00.000-07:00

Well, not motherhood itself, but ever since I've had kids, I've turned into a big mushy mess. During pregnancy, of course, the hormones were flying. I would cry if I burnt my toast or missed one of my favorite shows. I thought that I would get back to normal once I had the baby. Wrong.

Let me preface this with "I'm not a crier". I'm not. I am the one in the family who is pretty together when it comes to emotions. But now I have to say I'm a crier. Well, a closet crier. I prefer to do my crying away from people and in front of commercials or silly chick flicks. The big one lately to bring tears to my eyes is this one:

I discovered this commercial when I found my 3 year old sitting on the couch sobbing her little heart out watching it. I guess she gets her emotional strength from her Mama.

I cry at one of my favorite movies, Armageddon. (Okay, don't laugh too loud, I like cheesy movies). You know, the part where Liv Tyler has her hands on the computer screen, saying goodbye to her dad (Bruce Willis). "No, Dad, don't go, Dad, no...". Ugh, I have tears in my eyes now...

And don't get me started on Steel Magnolias, The Sex and The City Movie where Carrie gets stood up by Big (really, sick, I know), even tv shows like Intervention and The Biggest Loser. I'm as tough and strong as the next gal, don't get me wrong, but I just fall apart when it comes to what I would have, prebaby, called "cheese".

I refuse to watch certain movies with my husband because I know at certain parts he'll do the lean and look. You know, where he slowly leans over and looks to see if I'm crying, and if so, he teases me. This is not the woman he married 13 years ago. I think he's having fun with it.

Just so you know, I draw the line at Titanic.

I'm a chocolate whore

2010-02-25T08:32:00.000-07:00

It's true. I have to have chocolate. I love chocolate so much that I know as fact that a Toblerone bar has 12 peaks on it. I would eat any kind of chocolate bar, plain ones, ones with nuts, caramel filled ones, even ones with fruit (yes, I get that desperate). And I'm a little disappointed in myself.

After I had my second baby, the weight seemed to melt off (please don't hate me, I've never been that "skinny girl". Ever.) Six months after I had him I was below my prepregnancy weight. I was thrilled, and it got me to thinking that maybe if I had another few kids, I could be a Victoria Secret model. Or not. Anyway, having enjoyed being the thinnest I've been in my life, we moved far away from family. (Not because I lost the weight, it's a story for another time). Everyone was sad, and eager to send us "care packages", because as they thought, you couldn't buy a pack of gum this far north in the world. (That's not true, you can buy gum, and a mccain's frozen cake or two if you want).

These care packages contained stickers and books and toys for the kids, and chocolate for me. Why would everyone send me chocolate, do they want me to gain weight? Do they expect me to eat every single one so I don't feel bad?? Oh wait, I asked them to send it...right. So, seeing as how I don't own a scale, I'm not sure how much I've gained back (my guess is less than 10 lbs.), but damn it, stop sending chocolate.

I think they think this isolation has done something to my personality. I really didn't mean to bark at them over the phone, but they really haven't seen my hips lately, and being my family, I know they would understand. And now with going on a hot holiday in 2 1/2 weeks, I'm hoping that my shred DVD will work for me by just sitting in the DVD player. Or I need to find a really good bathing suit.

At this point in my life...

2010-02-23T14:11:00.000-07:00

At this point in my life:

I was born into a wonderful, loving family with an older sister and a younger brother.

I had a great childhood, with a lot of different experiences.

I graduated high school, attended and dropped out of university, and attended and graduated from trade school with 2 degrees.

I re-met (a story for another time), and fell in love with my future husband.

I struggled with, and conquered infertility, being blessed with 2 of the most wonderful miracles I could have ever imagined.

I stood by my husband as his job took us 2000 miles from our families, friends and home.

I transitioned from working Mom into a stay at home Mom, something that wasn't (and sometimes still isn't) easy.

I try to learn from my mistakes, strive to become a better wife and Mom, and try to not be to hard on myself for my shortcomings.

At this point in my life, I'm happy with who and where I am, adjusting to a new place, and looking forward to the rest of life's adventures!

Please get Betty!!

2010-02-22T13:37:00.000-07:00

I am a someofthetime fan of Saturday Night Live. I will watch the show these days if the host is someone I really like. That's about it. I find that most of the time it's draggy, not funny and a little painful at times (although I still love watching the Weekend Update almost all of the time). When the show was really good (with Adam Sandler, Chris Farley, et al) I watched religiously. I still have inside jokes with my sister featuring skits or sayings from these old shows. (Okay, I'm a geek, but I hear that geek is the new cool). Anyway, there seems to be quite a campaign to get Betty White on as host of SNL. I am so excited about this! She is such a great lady, soooo funny and such an icon of our times.

There are facebook groups, mass emails and petitions to get this to happen, and apparently they are really close to getting her on.

This would be an episode I would not miss!! How about you? Who would you love to see host SNL?

Tiger Who?

2010-02-21T09:01:00.001-07:00

Tiger Woods has been dominating the news lately, with the revelations of his infidelities coming to light. Now, I like to read People magazine as much as the next gal (but not Star, or the Enquirer!) so I get that people are interested in the lives of celebrities. He made his public apology the other day (which, if I were to offer an opinion, Tiger, stop reading how sorry you are and just tell the camera). I know for PR, he needed to do this, but really, why do I or anyone who doesn't know him need an apology?

Anyway, in this loooong apology, he mentions he has strayed away from the Buddhist teachings of his youth. Fine and fair. Now the media is reporting that the Dahai Lama doesn't even know who Tiger Woods is. Really? Well that discredits Tiger even more, don'tya think? I mean, I am Catholic and the Pope and I have Saturday tea every week! Come on media, what the heck does it really matter that he hasn't heard of him. So he's not a golf fan - move on.

And speaking of golf, it is the opinion of our household that Tiger just get his shit together and start golfing again. I've turned to PGA events over the last little while, and have given them about 3 1/2 minutes of my attention. I just can't do it. It's not any fun to watch without Tiger. Well, except for maybe watching for John Daly to pee in a bush somewhere, but I digress.

So, for now, I'll keep turning to those golf tournaments in the hopes of seeing that ginormous talent with the Nike logos all over the place. Maybe I'm being selfish, but your personal affairs aren't any of our business, and we miss you. A lot.

Hello From the Wells!

2010-02-20T17:49:00.000-07:00

I started a new blog, apart from my family one, as I was finding that I was having to censor myself when I was writing, and I didn't like that. There are only certain things you can say when your Great Aunt Mildred is reading, and the post before it was about cupcakes or potty training. So.

I am a SAHM to 2 wonderful kids, fairly new to the Great White North in Canada, and finding that there isn't near as much to do here as there was back home. I'm finding the time I'm spending on the computer is in reading interesting blogs or forums, something, anything that stimulates my brain past Treehouse and Playhouse Disney.

If you're reading this, welcome to my new blog!