it was merry!

I meant to post this before Christmas, but time got away on me, and here it is now.
We had a great Christmas down at Cory's parents house. Sadly, it had been about 15 years since we have been there for Christmas, so we were definitely due! If only Jack hadn't have gotten sick, it all would have been perfect. Darn that Jack!
Happy Holidays- we are loving staying up late, sleeping in, and eating way too many treats!

rudy

 our elf on the shelf has returned. 

he is a fun little guy- but has not been found for the last two days.

heehee! sneaky guy.

craft sale or bust

sad to say, it might be the bust.
that sale was not the best.
I did come out with $15, after the table cost. yikes. that is a pretty low hourly wage for a day of sitting there. at least I got a free wrap, apple and cookie! bonus!
and...
I am doing it again this weekend.
here's hoping I make a lot more money.
I am a glutton for punishment.

craft sale

I am a craft sale sucker. the chance to make crafts, and sell them for money? yes, please.
then I go.
and sit.
and sell a tiny bit.
and vow to never do them ever again.
but yet, I am.
doing one again.
next weekend.
and I am having such a hard time deciding what to make and sell,
so here are some pictures (all stolen from pinterest) of things I want to, or have started making.
tell me, would you buy them?
what would you like the most?

or, I was also thinking of banners made of burlap that say merry christmas, or joy, or other christmassy sayings, or crocheted snowballs for an indoor snowball fight. or just cute bags made out of vintage sheets. I only have a week left. I seriously need to focus and get busy!
any thoughts? I would love to know what you think!

7/12?

so, my 7 people 12 times this year didn't really happen. 

but it was time for family pictures.

and Ben's girlfriend Mikayla is an aspiring photographer

and I am all over getting family pictures taken!

so we got together and we got this super fun picture.

I adore it.

thanks Mikayla!

any time you want to practice, and I can get them to all co-operate, 

we can play some more.

a picture

 

I took pictures.

it was fun! It has been a while,

and I am no pro, but I really liked this one!

I thought I would share.

do you like them Shari? you can be honest. (maybe)

this morning

hi.
it's been a while!
I have lots to share
about summer
and last weekend
but lets start with this morning.
and this girl.
this sassy girl- at least most mornings.
and this morning was no exception.
I was doing her hair and she sassilly said-
-I can tell you didn't go to hair school.
and I said- maybe I should.
and she said- no, you should go to school to be a vegetarian.
and then I tried to clarify if she meant a veterinarian or a vegetarian, but she was too sassy and stormed off.
then was sweet and smiley with her lalaloopsy guy in his diaper. (she got him for a gift, I am sort of anti lalaloopy- they give  me the creeps.)

oldies

 I haven't pulled out my big camera for way, way too long. I got it out to take on our little summer vacation, and had to get the old pictures off of the memory card. I took the girls out a while ago and took some pictures. I did a bit of editing on them- not too sure that I like them how they are, but I can always change them up later! (digital cameras and computers are so fantastic!)- I might have done a bit much on their eyes in that picture. they look a bit freaky!

I am really just delaying my to do list which involves cleaning the bathrooms and mopping up the kitchen. and laundry. not really fun, but I guess it must be done!

oh, and today we have 3 teenagers in our family. Jed is 13 today! yikes. we will be celebrating later. poor boy with his birthday in the middle of summer. always something going on.

last weekend

we drove down south a bit, and stayed with some fun family members

we went to a neighboring smaller town to run a little race. 

we got on our nice white race shirts, and our cool new shades.

then we ran.

and people threw colors at us.

and it was a really hot day. and Maggie didn't really make it through the whole race,

but she did pretty good!

 it was probably the funnest race I have done!

and then after the race, they gathered up the left over colors,

and there was a big fight.

and we got even more colorful.

(my hair still has pink in it 4 days later.)

then we washed off a bit in the lake.

cleaned up,

went to church the next day,

had the yummiest brisket I have ever had

(I don't think I have ever had it before, but it was so yummy)

then we drove back home.

it was a fun weekend- that last one.

hopefully we can do it again next year!

Family fun

although Ben seems to be working all the time this summer
we did manage to all be home on a monday night,
so we headed out to the bowling alley.
we are not very good bowlers. My grandma Thomsen might be a bit ashamed of my lack of skills.
but Ben managed to get two strikes in a row, and Cory got one- but we were trading turns, so he might have got 2 if given the chance!
bowling shoes are oddly comfortable.
just saying!

hot stuff

 ben is a lifeguard. we have visited his pool twice- well three times if you count the time we got there right as it was closing because it was thundering and lightening. which I don't really count because we never even went in. then the time we went and it wasn't too busy, so his boss let Ben come in the water and play with us. that was fun. then the next time someone barfed in the pool, so we all had to get out. (and ben had to scoop it out. he works hard for his money. ha.)

 it is super hot here this week. - the big boys are gone to scout camp. so the girls and I are sleeping downstairs in their beds. I am glad they are gone. it is way cooler down there.

we hit the beach with some cousins the other day. cool water, hot sand. I do love the sun. might have to hit the spray park tomorrow. or somewhere cool. we went and saw the Lorax today- good to hang out for a couple of hours in a nice cool movie theater! yay for that!

happy Canada day!

barbeque with family

no parade this time (church instead!)-

but that's okay- it was rainy and cold earlier, 

but now it is sunny and perfect

for the fireworks tonight.

yay Canada!

true north strong and free!

school is over.

last day of school was yesterday. (even though the junior high/ high school students have had exams and most of the days off for about a week already) now they are all officially done.
so,
we had to go get slurpees.
it is tradition.
let the fun- and the madness begin.
(Ben missed out on slurpees. he was working. he is always working. he is a lifeguard! making the big bucks and getting super tanned. rough life. we don't feel too sorry for him.)

peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip deliciousness

forgive me if I have shared this recipe before,
and kick me if I haven't, because if you are anything like me,
they will be your go to cookie.
you will eat too many. but you will love every single delicious bite.
and since last week one day was indeed peanut butter cookie day,
and I am a bit lame on my blog posting lately (obviously)
but once you make these,
I think you just might forgive me.
a little.

Peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.
(I found them on pinterest. I do love pinterest, and I think I should devote a post soon to many new recipes I have found, and loved on pinterest.- or you should just follow me on there, and repin what might look good to you. just an idea!) okay, on with the good stuff:

1/2 c butter
1/2 c peanut butter
1/2 c sugar
1/3 c brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1/4 tsp salt
1 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 c rolled oats
1 c chocolate chips

mix up, and bake ate 350 for 10 minutes.
(go ahead and double it- trust me. and I use half whole wheat flour, and half white. so good!)

chapters

all of a sudden she discovered them.

then she just couldn't get enough of them.

a whole one on Saturday, 

and another on Sunday.

chapter books.

I think this might be a quieter summer than I thought.

yay!

mother's day

oh - those kids.

such fun.

and trouble.

but, it was a happy mother's day!

7/12 part 3

this was actually may,
but let's pretend it was april, k?
only took one shot.
too bad - I think my eyes are closed.
better luck next month!

belated

my sweet little Maggie girl turned 7 a while ago.

A while ago I took her out and did pictures.

I finally got them onto my computer.

what happened to my baby? she is a baby no more.

(but still likes to cuddle on the couch in the morning- I will take it!)

draw something

way  back on easter weekend,
one night we were hanging out with Cory's family,
and there was about 8 of us all playing draw something
on our own individual electronic devices,
but all playing with each other.
I thought it was hilarious- all in the same room,
yet playing our own things-
at least we were all playing together!
it is a very fun app.
if you have the means,
I highly recommend it!

stay off the roads (and sidewalks!)

look out world.

there is a new driver out there now.

yikes!

spring break

spring break. it was a while ago. my blogging has been really lame-o.
but, hey, better late than never, right?
so- 4/5 kids were in swimming lessons. 2 in the morning, and 2 in the late afternoons. I made more trips to the pool that week than I have all year! 3/4 passed their levels. pretty good considering they haven't had lessons in probably 2 years. yikes. must be better about that!
and blogging.
and cleaning.
and so many other things!

7/12 - part two

February's picture.
only a few months late.
and I actually didn't do one in March.
Must do one in April.
it is like torture to try and get a picture of everyone together.
but it looks like we had a bit of fun.
but then it probably all turned into a big fight.
but that was so long ago-
we'll pretend it ended blissfully in a wonderful group hug
and sing-a-long.
ha.
no way that would happen.
but sometimes we do have fun together!

april fools

I told my kids about how when I was little,

on April Fool's day we would wake up and say-

look outside, it's snowing!

haha, April Fools!

but this April Fools day,

it was no joke.

we woke up, and it was snowing.

yuck.

but it is already gone, so I guess it is all good.

I made the kids some jello, but put it in glasses-

so it looked like juice!

haha.

it was a happy, yummy april fools!

stuff

- the pit of despair is now empty.

all the mess has just been relocated to a smaller space.

-Maggies soon to be bedroom is in the process of being painted. it still needs one more coat.

(it looks white, but it is really a light pink. I maybe should have gone a shade darker.)

-we are officially on spring break now.

- it snowed hard on Thursday. of course.

- four of the kids are in swim lessons over the break. I will be making at least two trips to the pool daily. so much fun.

-Sadie still claims she will not be attending her lesson. she does not want to go in the deep end.

we will see about that!

the pit of dispair

I am attempting to clean out my craft room

so that Maggie can have her own room.

it isn't going too well.

I think it is getting messier and messier.

I am trying to do some work each day in there.

today I moved a chair down to its new location.

at this rate she might have her own room when she is 12.

but that might be pushing it!

Maggie (and Ben)

well- an update on Ben-

he is home- came home on Friday.

but is laid low with a sore throat and stuffed up nose.

he is definitely on the mend,

and I am hoping he will be back to school soon,

so I can have the house to myself again!

and yesterday my baby turned 7.

wow! time flies.

we had dinner and cake with my family on Sunday,

we are postponing her family birthday dinner until Saturday when everyone will be home,

and we are having a small party with friends on Friday evening.

a week full of birthday fun!

lucky girl.

hanging

so,

Ben is hanging out at the Stollery,

nurses and doctors are constantly visiting him.

he gets to eat popcicles, and drink juices, and watch whatever he wants on his own personal tv.

he has ITP. I couldn't tell you what that stands for even though I have been told many times. I should really write it down- it basically is

weird red spots on his legs.

from very, very low platelets in his blood. hopefully he will get more soon.

I am going to visit him shortly,

and taking him some homework.

that might make him happy.

but probably not.

he is doing fine. he has his phone handy. a book to read. a cute gown to wear.

what more could he want?

oh, maybe some more platelets. lets get going on that!

silly teenagers

so,

you know when you see crazy things,

like teenagers out in the middle of winter

with shorts on,

for example.

ya,

well,

this past weekend,

one of mine

was one of the crazies.

he did say his legs weren't cold

but his face was.

nice.

a bit of a close up.

yep,

silly teenager

in shorts

shovelling on a cold day.

nice.

my girls

my silly, sweet,

messy room making,

adorable, crazy girls.