Friday Fun

Found this over at a friend's blog, Everyday Me.  I think it is hilarious (and sure does ring true, haha)  Enjoy.

101 update

I have to keep reminding myself to look at my 101 list... I've been neglecting it as of late.  So much has been going on lately.  Either way, I have managed to get a few things on the list done, which I have posted already, but I will post a little more here...

64. Remove dead trees from yard
Finished that in September!  My husband chopped down a LOT of branches at the end of the month to make things pretty for the bonfire on the first!


62. Fix fire pit area (done Sept9, 2010)
You can read about that here.

73. Take a dance class
I actually am taking one now!  Yup, my husband enrolled me in belly dance for September through November.  It is a lot of fun... a bit difficult as well... but fun!  Now to practice more often at home...

94. Host a bonfire
Done October first!  You can read about it here!

Here are the things I wish to accomplish October through December...

24. Clean out garage/storage behind/above garage

Now to find some help with that...



32. Help with a play
Mainly, the Christmas play/etc our church does.  I've already been asked to sing...


34. Make Christmas shoe boxes each year (2/3)
Working on one now!


58. Renovate office
I want this done by Christmas as a gift to our little family.

60. Make kitchen curtain
Come on... this one should be easy... I just need to do it already.

69. Wash carpets
I decided I would do this after most of the messy work in the office was done, before moving things back in there... so it sort of goes along with #58.

71. Learn to play guitar
I wanna play Christmas songs around then...

91. Go to a worship service
There are plenty during the Christmas season... I should not have a hard time doing this...

93. Host a Nintendo Party
I'm plotting one now...

100. Get a massage
Come on... really... is a phone call that hard to make?

And, since my list is so close to done, here are the rest of them...

47. Finish cross-stitch





75. Take a course in web design

86. Go to Encounter or Empower Weekend




101. Create another 101 in 1001 list

I hope to finish these items soon enough!

Costume Party

On Friday, my sister and her fiance had a costume party fundraiser for their wedding. It was a blast!

I decided I wanted to make our costumes, and I wanted our family to go 'together' as something.  My husband was vouching for Star Wars, and while it would be fine to have me as Leia and him as Han Solo... I was NOT about to attempt making ewok costumes for the kiddos.  Or even R2D2... neither of the kids would like those.

So, I opted for something... more fun.  At least to me...

Meet, the Toadstool Family!

 Yup, Mario, Princess Toadstool, Toad and Toadette!  We made quite the family photo!

It was a lot of fun... dancing, watching the kiddos dance in their costumes, guessing who people were, eating good food... a great time!

 Here is Mario... he's in the modern world, looking at his text from Toad telling him his princess is in another castle...

I never really did take the opportunity to look at the silent auction prizes, but there was a LOT there!  It looked great!

 Where's Waldo?

I'm not including too many pictures of other people, but I HAD to post this one of my cousins.  I think it is hilarious!  I posted more photos on Facebook of other costumes at the party (there were some great ones!).

 We ended up winning a few prizes... best boy (although only one other boy under 12 dressed up at all), best girl, and best couple.  SO glad we didn't win best adult male and best adult female as well... that would have been awkward...

Ok, that one pic in the collage above with me holding Bram... I was trying to mimic the thing on Super Smash Brawl... where Peach pulls out Toad as her shield.  I mean, look at him!  Who on earth could hurt someone that cute!  (that said, if someone did, they would feel the wrath of Mama Bear Peach... watch out, hooligans!).

I think my sewing machine deserves a bit of a break!  Especially after sewing and stitch ripping and resewing my dress.  Sheesh... you think patterns would be a little more accurate on their sizing!

Can you believe I consented to sew the girls flower girl dresses for the wedding?  Oh boy... sorry sewing machine, your break will be short lived.

Five MONTHS!!!

What happened?  How time has flown!  How is it possible that you have been in our lives for five months already?  Little Bram... you sure aren't as little anymore at a strapping 16lbs.  You even have your first tooth already!  

I feel so blessed to have you in our lives!  You are such a wonderful little person!  I love your laughter, and your ability to make me laugh even when I'm not feeling especially happy.

I love how you seem to think everything that comes within a few inches of your face means you need to try to eat it... it's so cute watching you open your mouth into such a wide grin, only to see you try to gobble up my nose minutes later.

 You love people.  Everyone comments on what a happy baby you are.  As long as someone is there to say hello, or to pay you some attention, you are the happiest little boy around.

 You love to watch everything around you.  You fight your naps because you want to see what is going on!  Why on earth would we want you to sleep if there is so many interesting things around!  You might miss out on something important, after all!  ;)

 You are a thumbsucker... a fistsucker... a fingersucker... and a bibsucker.  If you can grab it, into your mouth it will go, and it will proceed to get drenched in short order. Bibs are a clothes'saver in more ways than one.

 Your grin is contageous.  I cannot help but smile back.  Neither can anyone else it seems.  You make your sister's day by smiling at her.  And she loves to play with you and make you smile.

 How you have grown!  You are such a cuddly little boy.  I could just squeeze you!  Especially when you giggle.  You love "the eensy weensy spider"... especially when I tickle you under your chin.  You explode with laughter.  And clapping your hands together brings more laughter.  So does clapping your feet.

 You love your sister.  I caught her calming you down the other day... after I put you down for a nap, which you didn't agree with, I had to leave the room to let you 'cry' it out for a little bit.  After only 2 minutes, you were quiet... until I heard giggling and didn't see your sister around.  Sneaking into the room, I caught her playing on the couch near you, playing peek-a-boo behind the pillows, causing you to giggle and grin as you lifted your head up high enough to see.  I managed to catch a bit of video...

 You are so strong already!  You hold yourself up so well!  And your feet are almost always in motion... although not successfully propelling you forward yet.

My dear little boy, you are such a joy!  We are so blessed to have you in our little family!

I love you, son!

Randomness

Boy, another post with that title.  I guess it's not so random then, is it?

The other day I was at my mom's house, and I just HAD to post these adorable pics of M in her grandmother's wedding dress...

And I HAD to post about some great deals I got at the local LW!  I love that store!  For less than $30 I managed to score all this stuff!  I'm going to be using a lot of it in the Christmas Shoeboxes I will make this year, and I am super excited to get started on those!

 MOst of the stuff was 25cents each.  Serious.

Oh, and the pic below?  See the candle holders?  Normally, each of them is $30, and I got them for $7 each.  Yup... WOO HOO!  I'd been eyeing them for awhile now!

In other random news, we have been experiencing a lot of stress in regards to... work.  WE'll just say that.  I'm not sure how much I am permitted to post, so let me just say that we could really use prayer.  I know, a bit vague, but until I know what I am permitted to talk about online, I will have to leave it at that.

Thanks again to everyone!  :)

Birthday Bash

Early this month we celebrated two birthdays in my family... my husband's and my daughter's.

So, for all of you to enjoy... a photo story!

Since my husband doesn't really care about the cake except eating it, I decided to make it more for my daughter's sake (plus, it's more fun that way, haha).

We had a bonfire, which I was so thrilled to be able to have!  This is the first time we have used the firepit!  Yee haw!  Now I want to do more!

Mini cupcakes are the perfect size for all the little kids who came as well.

My lil boy... he was content in his carseat... for a little while... watching the flames.  But since he is so cute he didn't stay there for long :)

The birthday duo!


CUtting the cake... well... ok... removing the teapot, haha.

M is so intent on that cake!

And of course, eating it!

My dad and my daughter!

My sister and my son!

There you go!  Pics of the event!  I feel like I was running around like crazy, trying to see where my daughter went (when she wasn't eating, she was disappearing, haha.  And would you know, she loves popcorn?).  Thanks to everyone who came!

Oh, and this checks off one more item in my 101 list... #94, host a bonfire.

Challenges

Well, I posted at the end of September what the challenges for September were... and concluded that they would also be for October.  Last week I challenged myself to wash all the outside windows and to paint the doorframe (which desperately needed it).  This week I didn't challenge myself in anything outside.  I've been failing at this lately.  Ah well, my focus this week has been on getting things ready for the book launch, getting the third quarter for the farm paperwork done (believe me... not fun), and working on costumes for next week friday as my sister and her fiance are having a 'costume party' in the place of a wedding social.  It promises to be a lot of fun!  I'll be dressing up our whole family as the Mario gang (Mario, Peach, Toad and Toadette), hopefully for under $10 (it has only cost $5.25 so far).  Hardest part is that I need to sew my dress from scratch... and have been having nothing but issues with the pattern (back of the pattern said I was a size 16, and the pattern itself said I was an 8... which I noticed only after cutting the fabric for a 16... yeah, not really thinking on my part).  My kiddos costumes will be easy enough... just need to make the headpieces and use regular clothes for the rest.  My husband needs his hat made, and maybe a 'moustache' as well.  And I still need to find blue overalls (jeans would work fine, but I haven't seen anything at the mcc yet).

So, I suppose my challenge for this week and the next is to finish four costumes.  I also want to do a little raking (which I did yesturday... some), plant some bulbs for tulips for next spring (maybe tomorrow), and I would love to spray my yard for weeds.  Yuck.  I've got plenty.  And maybe fertilize.  That won't be until next week, though.

I need to take a look at my 101 list yet and do a post on that... and hopefully get a few things on there done as well.  Yikes.  Where has the time gone?  I can hardly believe it!

Can you believe my little boy is 5 months old already?  I can't... although he's big enough to be growing out of his 3-6month clothes already...

Have a great weekend!  :)  And happy thanksgiving to all my fellow Canadians!  :)

Turkey, anyone?

Through the Eyes of a Two Year Old

It is so much fun seeing the world through my daughter's eyes.  Perhaps more so now that she talks to me... quite a lot actually. 

- Unicorns are horses with 'owies' on their heads. 
- Sheep 'baa', cows 'moo', puppies howl, kitties 'meow', and pigs smile.
- outside is the place to be.  And to go outside requires removing any play dress up clothes and putting on a jacket and hat.  And shoes.  Can't forget shoes.  Especially after saying 'shoes' 15 times in 10 seconds.
- Purple is the only color we will say regularly.  Purple socks, purple shirt, purple hat... and funny thing is that every time she says it, the item is actually purple.  Now if we could only learn yellow, green, red, etc (yes, she is currently decked out in all purple)
- smiley face magnets are the best toys ever.
- cars go 'beep beep'.
- it is fun to exclaim 'un, oo, reee, GOOOOO" and run crazily through the house.
- we must wear a bow.  Yes, we must.  When we say 'hair' with other strange sounding syllables afterwards, that means we want a bow in our hair (sometimes it sounds like she is saying 'hair cut', ha ha, and she needs one of those too).
- Baby brothers are fun to mimic.  He screams, we scream.  He smiles, we smile.  He laughs, we must try to laugh just like him.  And it doesn't matter what we do, it almost always ends in giggles from both parties.
- Baby brothers don't need naps.  When it is time for him to nap, we must try to occupy him so he doesn't cry... which means he will watch us instead of napping.  Or we must run to mommy and exclaim "rodder crying".  It looks like I am going to have to start putting him down for naps upstairs in his crib instead of downstairs in his cradle.
- Everything is made for standing on.  Including rocking horses.
- Rocks are fun.  We are still unsure as to why, but we must go into mommy's rocks and play with them whenever we get the chance.
- If it can be climbed, we will not rest until we've climbed it.  Every morning we MUST climb the changetable before mommy comes in.  (at least I don't need to lift her to it to change her diaper anymore, haha).
- 'cow' and 'town' sound an awful lot alike.
- We must go to town every single day... or at least ask to go to town.
- Marshmellows are a perfectly acceptable breakfast food... so why doesn't mom give me some?
- Cameras must be 'seen' every time one is pulled out.  Serious. (I pull out the camera to take pictures and it doesn't take too long after M notices it that she MUST 'see'.  "Iyanna SEE").

Well, that's all for now (that's all I can think of anyway).  Aren't kids a hoot?

It's a Launch Date!

I'm so excited... and a little nervous.  I will be officially 'launching' my book, 'Visit to the Seashore', with two of my friends on the 20th of October.  My book proof looks good, and I ordered copies of the book already... hopefully to arrive very soon (the date given was before the 20th, so I should be good).

I'm a bit nervous.  I'm not very good at 'selling' anything.  Mainly, I hope the book just speaks for itself.

You can see more about the event here.  It's at the Jake Epp Library at 7:30pm.  Hope to see you all there!

By the way... anyone have any tips on how else to promote my books?  I'm just doing this one for now, but I would like to promote all of them some way or another.