Dressing ourselves:)

Addy chilling with her cuz:)
Imitating Elmo..one of her favorites right now:)

Putting iggle piggle to bed:) her new thing, playing make believe..I love it!

Sometimes we wear boots with pajamas because we are cool like that!

we also like to wear our canucks hat backwards with our oatmeal, again because we are cool:)

Basically we just like to wear our hat backwards all the time:)

And we like to walk like an old man in our moms wedding shoes:)

Well this is an update post on life. Its been a while:) but when I looked at the pictures over the last month, I realized that they had a theme...my almost two year old dressing herself! Crazy girl:) Never a dull moment in our household..never;)!

May was another busy month for us...no suprise there! Its amazing how much my life has changed in the past 5 years, and to be honest I don't think I have caught up to it yet..hopefully one of these days I will:) but for now, we keep going! May was overall a good month, from what I can remember. Between the exhausted, the wondering of whats going to come next and everything else that life brings, there was some fun moments. I started to get out more, which was good. I mean with work and everything I am out ALOT, but not fun out:) I started to play a bit, go out with my hubby to hear our friends band, see a movie with my girls, dinner out, girlsnights in..it was good. I need more of that in my life, it really does fuel my fire for life as I am a people person. Sometimes I just have to remind myself of that. but its hard, a never ending learning to balance it all..as the guilt of working three nights of week tells me I should stay home, or not leave Addy with nana again so I can escape for a bit with Dave..I fight it to remind myself, don't forget about you..because without you..meaning me, this ship doesn't keep sailing!:) so I have to continuely remind myself, like most of us mommies out there do; its ok, its ok to still want to have a life, live it, and love it!

So with that we move into June. Which has had an intersting start. We have got smacked down with some lovely car bills the last few months, another one coming, and than on top of the so much uncertainty regarding Dave's job. He was off for awhile which at this point means I will be taking a week off in July by myself, but he went back to work yesterday. and I praise God for that! I definetly can focus on the things that seem to continuely don't want to go "our" way but I am constantly reminded to be grateful for all the good in my life, and the blessings that do over flow..but its hard, I am human, I am selfish, and some days its just dang hard! But I know most of the time thats just fatigue talking, pure, exhaustion. So i give myself a cup of grace, and move forward, because all the good is in moving forward, perserving, finding the hope and loving what you have been given to love in this moment. We have lots of birthday celebrating to do this week, and that is so exciting! Addy turns two next week so this weekend will be FULL of celebrating, so I will be back with the updates on all that!

This is my something to love;) And its a pretty good something to love...good things to come in fair skinned, blue eyed little packages..she keeps my heart going every day:)

Movie Review

I went this tuesday night with some girly friends to see this gem:) I loved the book series by Emily Giffen, one of my favorites actually! So I was so excited when I heard it was being turned into a movie! I have to premise by saying, I know the base of the plot isn't the most moral thing in the world, but he who cast the first stone..so anyways, I thought it was great! The actually was good, pee yourself laughing scenes, and just fun:)
I Also love going to a movie on a clear sunny night, when their is buzz that feels like summer time and makes you feel alive! It makes me excited, and having great company isn't so bad either:)! So if you like chick flicks..go see it!!

When I think of Easter..

Ok, I am only a little bit behind here..not bad:) Easter has come and gone, and mothers day is right around the corner. Personally, they are way to close together this year!
On a quick side note, the sun is out today, so I am happy;) But of course I have to go to work! it always seems to work out that when the sun comes out its NOT on my days off;) Oh well, at least there are lots of windows at my work and I am sure lots of happy people and kids enjoying the glorious sun today!
So back to Easter..We have been watching the veggie tales Easter movie for what feels like a month straight now:) And I can't get the song out of my head.."when I think of Easter, when i think of Easter, when I think of Easter, I think about the lord..". Maybe that is a good thing:)
Good Friday we were off and running as Dave and I were leading worship at our joint service we always do with another church in town. It was great! A long morning though for miss Addy as were at the church at 9am and didn't leave till almost 1, but she did great! We headed out for our new Easter tradition with my parents..greek food:) yumm yumm..
I worked saturday, and than Sunday morning we did our Easter egg hunt with addy..as seen below. She loved it!!! She has been asking "where Egg?" for the past week! best ten bucks I ever spent! after that we headed to church and than over to dave's sisters for turkey dinner..yummy:) We were pretty exhausted by the end of it all, with working weekends in a busy holiday mix it can get a little much sometimes. but we survived:)
I do find it kind of sad though that at this stage in life I am finding holidays to be more of a burden than a blessing?? Can anyone else relate?? Does that make sense? I guess I just feel like at the end of it all, I so desperatly want to have five minutes alone with MY little family:) Since its such a rare and special thing these days! Anyways, the purpose of Easter is something so much greater and that was not forgot this year, as it will never be forgot any year in our household!

My Spring Reading List

I love amazon.ca! Its fabulous! I love buying books from there, and than waiting patiently for the mail to arrive and to open up my new books! I love books. I think the Ipad and kindle are fabulous inventions, but I will never reading books! So with tv coming to an end..meaning no more new shows for the season, not the actual concept of tv coming to an end*grin* I will have lots more time to read!! Here are three books on my spring reading list and more to come on my summer one!

I have just started reading Karen Kingsbury and quite enjoy her:) I have heard great things about this new book so I ordered it!



I read the back of this book in coles awhile back and thought it sounded fasinating, so I bought it! I will give you my review once i am done;)!

Ok, this one is a little different, and no I am not announcing anything:) This is the next book I am going to read on the Doula reading syllabus! Oh breastfeeding..such a love hate relationship we have with you! I took on online small class a few months back about breasfeeding and found some interesting facts that I didn't even know about before, so heres to learning awhole lot more and passing that wisdom on!!

The book that is currently on my night stand is called The last Dance by Karen Kingsbury as well, and so far so good!

Tuesday ramblings

Its Tuesday. Tuesday is our tired day. I don't know why, something to do with the day after Monday, still recovering from the weekend that really isn't a weekend in our world, or because its just Tuesday and that's how we role. Its twenty to ten and my baby is just going to bed! Well, she was in bed and proceeded to talk to herself for an hour, so we brought her out of bed, to play in our bed, call random relatives, because that's what she likes to do, and it entertains her parents, and away we go:)! She is in bed now, hopefully sleeping..hoping she sleeps in but I won't hold my breath!

Easter is just around the corner, so I have lots of baking to do in the next couple of days! I am going to attempt to make Paska again, because it is delish! And I want to start more traditions around here. Things to look forward to, things for my kids to look back on with warm memories...

I will also be baking away because we are celebrating Dave's side of the family's birthdays this Sunday in combination with Easter. Its a busy one! The dessert plan, PW's Chocolate Sheet cake and a new recipe for her Vanilla cream cheese cupcakes!

But first there is good Friday..I love good Friday; maybe that is morbid but I do. I don't think I ever make it through a good Friday service without breaking down into tears. I think I am in awe of the sacrifice HE made for me..it overwhelms me, and touches the deepest part of my soul. I am full of gratitude, humility and thanksgiving for what he did for us that day.

Its funny to now that I am a parent, I get it a little more. I get what it means to be willing to do anything for your child..let alone a couple billion of them. I was watching oprah today because I can..and I love her, and the show is almost done..and it was about a 61 year old mother who was a surrogate for her daughter. Its funny, when she was asked if she thought what she did was extra special or something along that lines, she answered no. She just did what any parent would do for their child who they love..so true. And I get that a bit more now. I am still learning and have a long ways to go, but I get it a percent more now that I am a parent. Now that I know there is no greater earthly love, more powerful, more undescrible, more heart wrenching, or painfully rich than the love you feel for your child. So as Friday approaches I am more in awe than ever, and more recieving than ever of the love HE has for me. Because if I don't recieve it, than what was the purpose?? What was it all for??

So those are my ever changing Tuesday thoughts of the day. Tomorrow is wed, I hope to meet a new baby by Thursday, and than its Friday:)

I will be back tomorrow with my summer reading list because I think its going to be a good one!!

Dad turns 60

What a busy weekend. It has come to a close..way to quickly as usual! But I wanted to get this post up quickly before the week takes off again..and because I am avoiding helping Dave clean up the kitchen at least for a few more minutes;) So my dad turned 60 on wed, so yesterday we threw him a suprise birthday party. He didn't want anything crazy, but we thought he deserved something special. And the thing that I learn more and more, at the end of the day, 30 years from now, I would rather have ten or so people show up at my birthday who know me like the back of their hand, than 100 strangers..just saying.. My mom and dad took off on a two day get away to Harrison and we got into party mode. It took a lot of planning, and co ordinating and working around my lovely work schedule, but we pulled it off. It was so worth it all to when dad walked in to see his family and friends there to celebrate with him. The sun came out in full force, and it was a beautiful evening. We put on a full greek spread, had yummy cake(thank you Shawna..it was fabulous!!!) and ice cream, and I feel everyone walked away with a full belly and a few more laugh lines from all the joy that was going on in the room..success! So try living with this man..see the size of his piece of cake, and than look at the size of him..where does it go?? non of us know! and yes it is annoying:) but I love him*grin*

sixty year olds don't need stuff..they have enough junk..so the gag gifts, and old age jokes were in full force:) Addy and Winnie helping dad open his presents!

YEs, she loves lemons..what a wierdo..but my wierdo:)*grin*

Cleaning up..I know, like I said what a wierdo..she loves to clean up, and I Love her for that!

The spread...and see the sun shining through..it was heaven!

Busted!!

Dad looking at the pics of his life up on the wall..so many memories..

Ok, I know what you are thinking, why is my kid wearing a touque in the spring time?? well it did snow the other day didn't you know??:) Actually, this toque means more to me than most people will ever know. When I was ten years old, my dad's best friend, and my god parents, lost their 17 year old son in a car accident. He was our big brother, he was family by love..and he was the first person I lost. That day is a day that is inscibed in my mind forever, and one that I will never forget. Yesterday, said adopted aunt and uncle brought me his toque and boots from when he was a kid...the water works were in full effect..I cant even begin to describe how touched I was and how cherished these pieces will be in my heart. and this girl loved them..however, I don't think Winnie appreciated her trying to put it on him..she tries..:) he is patient..they love eachother..

And yes she wears pig tails. And everytime she does I smile, because my girls in pig tails:)! and she is a big girl now..tear...

So happy sixth to the best dad around..we had a great time celebrating with you and realizing that old people are funny:)

Dinner Tonight!

So I am sharing a very coveted recipe around here;) So here is the story. I LOVE Cactus Club, its probably my favorite chain restaurant! That is why I am thrilled to know that there is one opening fairly close to us in the near future! woot woot! Spiked frapps.. Im just saying.. Anyways, my favorite thing to eat at this coveted Cactus Club is the Terriyaki Chicken Rice Bowl! Many restaurants have tried to copy, but none come close to this one! So the thing that makes this dish so delish is the spicy yogurt that accompanies it. So one day I did some serious diggin on the lovely internet and have found what I think come pretty close to the real thing. So today i am sharing.. So you need one cup of plain yogurt, 1/4 of mayo, 2 tsp of ranch dip mix, and a 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper. we add a little more because we like the heat around here:) Mix together and let sit in the fridge for at least an hour. Even better I find over night:) mix up your favorite veggies with some chicken, stir fry them up, add some terriyaki sauce. I love the thick one by Golden Dragon I believe is the name, let it simmer with some garlic, maybe some ginger and some red pepper flakes if you dare. Now for the layering. Bowl of rice, drizzle on the yogurt, and than the stirfry on top..and savor every bite!! yummoo...Thats whats about to be in our bellies:)