Happy Sugar High Day!

The kids are sleeping peacefully, bellies full of sugary goodness. The husband has a bunch of youth (the male variety) over watching a classic Arnold Swarzeneggar movie and I am sitting at the computer listening to some rockin' Jack Johnson and eating chocolate bars that will do nothing but add anguish and inches to my waist. Yes our day was pretty eventful. Started with a workout session for moi (in advance of the forthcoming sugar), followed by the creative carving of 2 pumpkins, lunch and naps for the kids while I made a batch of pumpkin sugar cookies, then came the costume creating! I must say that our little cowboy and his fair maiden of a sister looked pretty darn cute! The husband shaved off his beard leaving a handle bar mustache behind. We used some eyeliner (it is good for something!) to create a matching one on the boy and they finished their outfits with plaid cowboy shirts, vests, hankies, cowboy hats and boots, and a toy gun and holster. It was perfect! Callah had the cutest little long red dress with white full length apron and a little bonnet. So cute! Then of course we did the rounds by car, showing off their cuteness to their Great Grandma and the other ladies at the seniors place, and some friends from church. My two cowboys did rounds before supper and then I took the boy out again for a bit after. He made quite a haul. Should keep him nice and hyper for a few months! Oh joy oh happy day....

Tomorrow at Mom's should be interesting. Dr. Dale Ardell will be there answering all sorts of health questions from us Mom's. Should be a good one. This Thursday is the Mom's Nite Out. Don't forget to line up a babysitter if you already signed up! 6 @ BP's. 8 @ Minto. See you all there!

I have a few blogs I look at from time to time. One of them is my pastors (his whole family, minus one kid, has blogs. They're quite interesting and comical. You can link to them here) and one of his last posts is a religion quiz. This is how I ranked.

You fit in with: Hindu You ideals mostly resemble those of the Hindu faith. Spirituality is very important to you, and you value family, friends and life above other things. You have incredible faith, and will live a very worthwhile life. 80% spiritual. 60% faith-oriented.

Take this quiz at QuizGalaxy.com

I hope you had a good night and I'll be praying for you and your patience in the next few weeks as your kids complete their sugar highs. ;)

A Little Drool Goes A Long Way

Callah does this thing where she sticks her tongue (which I think is unusually long for a little girl) out as if to say "blah". She does it really fast, continually, over and over. It's honestly really hilarious, and when she's done, the bottom half of her face is smothered in baby drool. She was doing it yesterday while we were shopping and I laughed the hardest I have all week.

Kid's can be so amusing.

cold feet, wood chips and insulation

I can remember feeling really insecure, almost scared sometimes, returning to school after being home sick for a few days. Ever feel like that? I kinda feel like that now. Like I need to have something really relevant or important to say. I'm afraid, I don't have much tonite. The past week and half, my husband has been on holidays. Good for him, bad for me. It's like when he goes on holidays, somehow my "job" does double everything. Not only am I cleaning up after the kids, but suddenly I'm picking up things for him too. When is it my time to go on holidays? Well, as a side thought, if your reading this in Prince Albert, the Mom's Committee is planning a shopping/Sundog craft fair day in S'toon the weekend of Dec. 4-5. We're not sure of the day yet, but it'll be our time!! I'm already looking forward to it, and I'm not a fan of shopping or craft shows!!

So like I said, he's on holidays. I will give him credit tho' as he did spend a week visiting my family. True we were building a shed for my parents (and what a truly beautiful shed it is too!) but we all now how hard it can be visiting the in-laws. However, somewhere in the time span of last week he really hurt his back. He's been seeing the chiropractor since last Saturday. It's not getting much better. So now this long list of stuff we wanted to do on the 2nd week of his holidays hangs on my shoulders if I want them done. Monday went by and nothing got done. Tuesday went by and nothing got done. Today tho', we had arranged some help yesterday to re-insulate our attic. That went smoothly, and alot quicker too, which gave us time to cross off another item: wood chips. I think I can honestly say I'm not looking forward to doing that again anytime soon. So Wednesday is ending and we got 2 big items crossed off. Finally, I can sleep at night! :)

Yesterday's Mom's went pretty good. I had another case of Callah Cling. So I brought her in the Mom's room with me. I wasn't alone that morning as there were a few other "clingers". We're going to try something new next week.

I want to mention something. Monday was a really tough day for me. It seemed like Callah was eating EVERYTHING (I mean everything, dog poo, pine needles, paper, fluff, mud, etc...) and I constantly had to keep an eye on her. Matthias is starting to get a little jealous of the attention Callah needs, so I try to play with him as much as I can. Slurpee cups fell on the floor, I ran out of potatoes for supper and had no vehicle to get more. Things just kept adding up and I felt like I needed out. You can take the word "out" however you like. For me, I needed to get away, get away from the house, from the children, from the husband, everything. Luckily there was a prayer group that night that I could go to. If you ever feel like that, like your world is falling apart and you feel almost scared of what just might happen. Talk to someone. Phone a neighbour, friend, family, anyone and tell them how you feel. If they were ever a mother themselves, chances are they'll know how your feeling and help out how they can. Life's too short to blow it on a "really bad day".

Take 'er easy!

Simply Captivating

This Tuesday at Mom's it'll be all about fashion! Ricki's and Reitman's will be putting on a fashion show featuring us Mom's as their models! If you're one of the brave ones modelling, GOOD FOR YOU! I'm kinda bummed I'm going to miss it, it sounds like alot of fun!

I've started reading this book called Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge. It's really good. I'm really enjoying it. One of the things I like is she uses quotes and clips from popular movies, something I can relate to unfortunately (or not however you look at it). I thought I'd copy a bit to let you see what it's all about. There are alot of good parts, I wish I could copy it all, but you'll just have to find a copy and read it for yourself.

"...Women love adventures of all sorts. Whether it be the adventure of horses (most girls go through a horse stage) or white-water rafting, going to a foreign country, performing onstage, having children, starting a business, or diving ever more deeply into the heart of God, we were made to be a part of a great adventure. An adventure that is shared. We do not want the adventure merely for adventure's sake but for what it requires of us for others. We don't want to be alone in it; we want to be in it with others. Sometimes the idea of living as a hermit appeals to all of us. No demands, no needs, no pain, no disappointments. But that is b'cos we have been hurt, are worn out. In our heart of hearts, that place where we are most ourselves, we don't want to run away for very long. Our lives were meant to be lived with others. As echoes of the Trinity, we remember something. Made in the image of a perfect relationship, we are relational to the core of our beings and filled with a desire for transcendent purpose. We long to be an irreplaceable part of a shared adventure."

It's really good. Like I said, I could write alot more, but that would take the fun out of it for you. I like how she says that having children is an adventure...ummm...can I change mine for a trip to a foreign country? Just joking. Hope you all have a great weekend!

A Blur of Thought

The past week I've been thinking alot. Perhaps too much. There's been times when I thought about commenting on here about this or that. Like when I watched the movie "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood". I thought about how hard it is to be a mother and the mistakes that we make in raising our children could be passed on from generation to generation. Unless someone chooses to take action and stop the cycle, therefore creating a new path for her children to follow. Which lead me to thinking about my husband's family, and how he broke the mold of alcoholism and abuse. It is possible.

I also thought about how music can fit into any emotion your feeling. Whether you feel happy, sad, mad or even sexy. When I was a teenager I used to live in my music. It was the only way I felt I could express myself. Of course I've learned a thing or two growing up and don't take it that seriously anymore.

I think about my children. How blessed I am to have 2 of them when so many women I know can't have any of their own. How some women use their children for their own gain, leaving the children with no family that really loves them. How is that fair?

And I thought about the couples breaking up. There seem to be quite a few that I know of. Is there something in the air? In the drinking water? Sure there are times when my husband and I don't get along and the thought has crossed my mind, but I could NEVER leave my children. I could never bare the thought of breaking a vow that I made with God. It's sad.
So I leave you with many more thoughts in my head. Mainly about impending holidays coming up, where to go, how much will it cost, etc...and maybe even something to think about of your own.

Getting Rid of the "Cling"

Anyone have any idea how to get rid of a little cling? I wish I was talking about clothing! My daughter has a case of the "cling" and right now, I don't know how to handle that. People keep telling me to just hang in there, one day I will wish she still clung. But right now...I keep tripping over her!
Anyway I had a great 3 days without my kids in Canmore. Refreshing in a way and yet I came home more tired than when I left. Here's a cute story I rec'd in my e-mail today. Hope you enjoy it!

A mom was concerned about her kindergarten son walking
to school. He didn't want his mother to walk with him. She wanted to
give him the feeling that he had some independence but yet know
that he was safe.
So she had an idea of how to handle it.

She asked a neighbor, Mrs. Goodnest, if she would
please follow him to school in the mornings, staying at a distance, so he
probably wouldn't notice her.

Mrs. Goodnest said that since she was up early with
her toddler anyway, it would be a good way for them to get some exercise
as well, so she agreed.

The next school day, Mrs. Goodnest and her little
girl, Marcy, set out following behind Timmy as he walked to school with
another neighbor boy he knew. She did this for the whole week. As the boys
walked and chatted, kicking stones and twigs, Timmy's little friend noticed the
same lady was following them as she seemed to do every day all week.

Finally he said to Timmy, "Have you noticed that lady following us to
school all week? Do you know her?"

Timmy nonchalantly replied, "Yeah, I know who she is."

The friend said, "Well, who is she?"

"That's just Shirley Goodnest," Timmy replied, "and her daughter Marcy."

"Shirley Goodnest? Who the heck is she and why is she following us?"

"Well," Timmy explained, "every night my Mom makes me
say the 23rd Psalm with my prayers, 'cuz she worries about

me so much. And in the Psalm, it says, 'Shirley Goodnest and Marcy shall follow me all the days of my life', so I guess I'll just have to get used to it!"

*May "Shirley Goodnest" and "Marcy" be with you today,
and always.