crunch time

less than a week until halloween.

I thought I was on top of it,

but really, I have one kid's costume done, and it still needs accessories.

yikes.

and Cory and I , and the big boys need something for the church party on Saturday.

(as well as the 3 younger, who will need something for Friday school parties.)

so, I was looking on line for costumes, and these ones on Amazon caught my eye.





(the last 2 for the big boys. the matching ones for Cory and I)

I am leaning towards the where's waldo. pretty simple.

must get busy.

I will let you know how it turns out.

37 things

1. it is getting colder here. I guess it is time to pack away the flip flops. sadness.

2. it was our sister saturday yesterday. is there anything better than a day away from the kids to do crafts with fun ladies at the church? i think not.

3. I hit Bulk Barn yesterday, and spent way to much money on halloween-ish candy.

4. I bought the candy to put in some fun jars I picked up at Value Village.

5. I don't think the candy will make it to Halloween.

6. I am getting that picture of us on that bridge blown up big. it should be here next week! can't wait.

7. I ordered some awesome boots on line from old navy, but then days later they sent me an email saying they were out of stock. I was so sad.

8. I continue to be on the look out for awesome boots that can be dressy, or casual, and are not too expensive. anyone know of any?

9. I am going to swear off bejewelled blitz on face book. that game is a time sucker. but it is so fun. nope, need to avoid it. and read books to my kids!

10. there is a tiny bit of snow on the ground this morning.

11. I love chocolate.

12. I bought a pumpkin a while ago, and cooked it up, and have been using that in my muffins and cookies and breads I have been making. way cheaper than buying canned pumpkin. so delish!

13. I look forward all week to my sunday afternoon nap. love.

14. time to put on the flannel sheets!

15. I am itching to go shopping in the states. why is it so much funner to spend money down there?

16. I hate the smell of ketchup.

17. it drives me crazy when my kids are looking at the computer over my shoulder when I am on it, but I do it all the time to them!

18. I guess I need to tell Cory what I want more! that man just goes out later, and gets me what I want, but am too cheap to buy for myself, and gives it to me for gifts. so sweet.

19. I really want to make some quilts. must get busy cleaning up my craft room, so I can get in, and get things done!

20. still love knitting sweet little hats. Ben wants a hat, but it isn't so fun making big boring hats.

21. Chocolate covered jubejubes are such a great invention.

22. how do people come up with these things?

23. I am not good at coming up with new ideas, but I love copying other people's brilliant ideas!

24. and thanks to the internet, there is no limit to the ideas out there! what a time sucker.

25. cheese is so yummy.

26. but really, all I eat is cheddar and mozzarella. I am sure there are other good cheeses out there, but I am not to adventurous with my food.

27. but I did go out with a friend for bubble tea the other day. interesting. and yummy.

28. I love polka dots.

29. still love to eat ice. weird, but I am so addicted. good thing it has no calories.

30. we are going to try to do Christmas on the super cheap this year. I will be sure to share any ideas I have, any great ideas you have are more than welcome!

31. Cory is getting so old!

32. good thing he is always going to be older than me!

33. it's my birthday today.

34. I am 37.

35. wow, that sounds sort of old too!

36. the primary kids sang the birthday song to me twice today, because the presidency felt bad because they forgot it was my birthday today. that was embarrassing.

37. good thing when they said there were no birthdays this week, sweet little Maggie piped up with - it's my mom's birthday today! what a fun kid!

last weekend

we headed to Banff- Cory was running a leg of a relay race there-

and on the way, we stopped to see our super adorable new baby niece/cousin.

so little, and so sweet!

after the race, we headed to some water falls, took a self portrait picture

(teenagers are so fun)

found a cool looking tree- such awesome roots!

set the timer and took a group shot by the falls-

but you can't really see them- they are right behind us.

oops.

and of course, hit the candy store there.

I find it funny that we will buy the kids each a bunch of over priced candy there,

but at home always tell them no, I will not get them that average priced candy.

silly tourists.

gets us every time.

it was a fun family get away! we should do it more often. (but take our own cheaper candy, and avoid the expensive candy stores!)

she's too big.

so this morning, I had the opportunity to pick up some tickets to go see these fun guys in concert-yep, the wiggles. but then I found out the concert would be this saturday, and we are planning to be out of town on Saturday.

I told Maggie the news, and thought she might be a bit sad,

but she said-

only one and three and four and two year olds like them.

I am too big.

crisis averted.

but I still think it would have been fun.

thankful

so thankful for my family,

for a friend who will take cool pictures for us!

for yummy turkey dinners,

for parents who serve a mission

for warm fall days

for so much!- we are so blessed.

- it was thanksgiving here in Canada yesterday.

(and thankful that my kids are back in school today!)

so sweet

I found a blog a while ago- not sure how, but you know how it goes-

one links to another, and on and on-

anyways,

her name is Kayce Hughes,

she has 7 kids,

a gorgeous house,

a fabulous clothing line,

and her house and her family were in country living a while back.

(my favorite magazine. how cool is that!)

anyways, she is giving away this awesome necklace.

isn't it beautiful?

love.

check her out.

(but don't enter, because I want that necklace!)

one more

are you tired of my blue lily pictures yet?

I still have to decide what to do with them all.

what to enlarge, where to hang,

oh, the possibilities.

what a deal.

Maggie and I went here-

with some of this-

and got some of these.

awesome!

(and I had a free coupon for a medium drink, so we had that as well.)

bought a burger for maggie- without onions and mustard, and called it lunch.

not the healthiest, but certainly yummy.

and a deal that can't be beat! (free)

we did it yesterday, but they are doing it today to- so grab some play money and get some real fries!

reading

I just picked up this book at my library- (on the new book shelf, that you can only check the books out for one week on),

the authors name caught my eye (she wrote the sisterhood of the travelling pants books)

I had never heard of the book before,

but it is really very interesting!

(how do people come up with these things?)

I haven't finished it yet, but can't wait to see what happens!

in looking for a picture of the book, my google search came up with the info that they are making it into a movie! I would love to see it! -due out in 2012, I think.

I recommend reading it!

(a few swears. just so you know.)

it involves reincarnation.

just so you know.

but I won't tell you anything else!

eta: I changed my mind. I finished the book, and want to say- don't read it.

don't read it yet. I sincerely hope it is a series, and there is more to come, because man alive, it left me hanging.

(and there is some hanky panky, so maybe the movie will not be watchable. we shall see.)

so wait. until the series is all out. and the story has a good ending.

and that is my advice.

thursday

1. see that girl in the picture- the one with the long skinny legs? she loves skinny jeans. her mom- not so much. where did she get those long skinny legs from anyways? her dad, I think.

2. who came up with the idea to put those elastic button things (maternity style) inside the waist of kids jeans? I would like to say that that was a genius idea. genius.

3. my tomatoes are now ripening at a crazy pace, and since I am the only one who eats tomatoes, I think I will be bottling some up today. (my family does eat them if they are in very small pieces in sauces and such.)

4. I hope to finish season 3 of Alias today (if I can get my tomatoes done this morning) but I don't really want it to end. thank goodness there is a 4th season.. but it is at my sister's house. I might have to go for a drive soon.

5. I scrapbooked on the weekend. this is big! it has been forever. really. I think I want to do some more now. maybe this weekend. Cory will be so happy!

6. those pumpkin milkshakes were yummy. I thought.

2 of my kids took one sip and said yuck. 2 others loved it. the 5th- not sure, I had to leave before his bus came. I don't know that he even tried it.

7. the weather is beautiful here lately. now we see the sun. it wasn't here for most of the summer. but now it comes out. crazy.

8. yes, it was cold and cloudy on tuesday when I started baking my potatoes for the soup, but by supper time it was sunny and beautiful. but we still ate the soup. and it was good.

9. and I can't think of any more randomness to share, so I am ending with 9!

happy thursday to you!

autumn

-still plugging away at alias- middle of season three now.

- potatoes baking in the oven for baked potato soup for supper. yum.

(with a side of potato skins. yum yum.)

- it is warm, but rainy here. perfect day for soup.

- making these for after school snack. I think they will be delicious. will let you know!

it's a cozy kind of day!

(another picture by bluelily)

fun

thanks bluelily!

fall

this week for activity days (yep, that's my new calling in church)

we went for a walk down by the river and took some pictures.

what a vivacious group of girls we have. full of life and fun. good times!

favorite

eating her favorite snack (popcorn, with butter, and salt and vinegar flavoring)
in her favorite spot ( on the furnace vent when the furnace is on)
wearing her favorite pants (I call them her rock star pants- bold and bright) what a life!

I think she likes me

what do you think?

(don't worry andrea, I think we got a couple of good ones!)

thank you

to people who are willing to help the helpless (k)
to people who have been so very patient with me (j)
to sweet ladies who are willing to trade beautiful things for sweet little hats (c)
to great sisters who tape disney movies and wants to watch them with me and my girls (s)


life is good!

go bananas!

first meet of the year, long distance running track team.
(they don't get the desire to run from me, that is for sure!)
Sadie came in 75th of all the grade 4 girls, and the first one from our school team!
yay, Sadie!


Jed came in 30th of all the grade 6 boys. not first from our team, but he did really good!
I caught this unfortunate picture-






good thing there will be more races-
I can practice my action photography,
and hopefully get a better shot of Jed!
(their team is called the bananas. fun stuff!)

afternoons

well, now that I have the afternoons with no one around- what am I doing to keep myself busy?

well- I am in the middle of season 2 of this show-love!
and doing a bunch of this while I watch it.
oh how I love my afternoons!

Thursday thoughts

1. I did not shed any tears on Maggie's first day of kindergarten. I just walked away a bit baffled. such a big build up, then I just leave her there and walk away. and I was free. I think I smiled most of the 1 minute walk home.

2. Sadie has been walking Maggie home- so I just drop her off, and don't worry about a thing - till the kids come home.

3. boy, with all afternoon free, I should really have some fantastic after school snacks waiting for the kids. not doing so great at that so far. maybe today.

4. 3 hours goes by really fast. so much to do, so little time.

5. or just that much more time to waste. all. by. my. self. love it!

6. I have been fighting a cough for almost a week now. last night I propped myself up in bed, slept with a bunch of pillows under my head, and didn't wake up with a coughing fit for the first night in a while. it was nice.

7. how come when you get a good nights sleep, after a few bad nights, you always feel more tired that morning? I don't get it.

8.and since I have this disease, I have been making weird humming noises as I fall asleep. very strange. Cory said I didn't do it last night. I guess the pillows helped with that too! strange stuff.

9. I spent my alone time today at the clinic and the xray place. seems I might have mild bronchitis. nice.

10. my photographer friend is doing a workshop this weekend, and Maggie gets to be a model for the group! fun. more cute pictures coming! yay!

11. the tub is calling me, so I must run! hot bubble baths are oh, so nice!

the long awaited day

Maggie and I have been waiting for this day for a long time.

she headed off to Kindergarten,

and I headed home to a quiet house.

I am a bit sad though- she usually gives me a hug and a kiss when she or I go somewhere, but I didn't get one this time.

I will have to make sure to get a big one when she gets home this afternoon!

what now?

does anyone else feel a bit sad-
now that Mockingjay is here, and has been read...
I liked it. I liked the whole series.
but now it is over. sad.

it feels a bit like Christmas. - the anticipation, the preparation, the shopping the cooking,
so much fun,
the morning- so exciting.
then that afternoon, it's like- well. now what do we do?
you know what I mean?

but I do believe that I read somewhere that they will be made into movies.
I guess that is something to look forward to!

before the calm

the last few days of the last week before school began,

we got to sneak in a little vacation.

we headed south.

and climbed up bear's hump.

and it was extremely sad how hard it was for me to get to the top.

and crazy windy.

and there were cute little chipmunks.

and a random kid behind my family. weird.

and Maggie was freaking me out with the strong wind blowing, and the edge of the cliff, and the chipmunk would come, and she would run, and I thought she was going to fall over the edge. thankfully we all made it out alive.

and going down was much easier.

thank goodness.

I do love Waterton!

then we stopped in Cardston, to see our two great grandmas.

and our future aunt playing the piano and singing for the sweet old folks.

and the boys found the beauty salon. and thought it was the best.

(but the picture is not so hot, but those boys were so into it.)

then the next day,

off to writing-on-stone.

to play in some hoo doos.

all summer long, all I wanted to do was raft down a river.

well, the river at writing-on-stone is a great rafting river, but the weather that day was not the best.

so, Cory inflated all the floaties, we carried them down to the river, walked up a bit, a few of us got in, rafted for a couple of minutes, with Maggie crying the whole way, got to the beach, got out, and that was it.

it took longer to inflate and deflate the floaties, than we were on the river.

sad.

maybe next year. on a super hot day. ahh. that would be nice.

they're back

back in school that is!
they actually went back on Monday-
but it took me this long to get my pictures to my computer.
shameful, I know, but Maggie and I have been busy.
(she starts next week)
(and I can hardly wait. we are both equally excited!)

Ben catches a bus to high school. the first one to take a bus to school.
Jack is alone in Junior high.
Jed is top dog- grade 6, Sadie grade 4.
and sweet little Maggie starts kindergarden!
all my kids in school. wow. I thought this day would never come.

halelujah!

Bieber bum

so, (now that i know how to really spell his name)
I before E, and all that,
I was not picked to get the bangs of a young rock star.
sadly, I think voting had nothing to do with it,
but I would like to thank all of you who took a minute to vote!
I felt like a superstar myself!
maybe now I will just buy a Justin Bieber CD-
just to bug the boys!
heehee.

beiber bangs

so-

justin beiber.

not sure how I feel about him.

he does sing some good songs.

my boys hate him

( I think they are jealous of his fame and fortune.)

but his hair- well, what can I say.

don't you think it would look good on me?

well- guess what?

my radio station is having a contest.

(I seem to have a think for radio contests- right?)

anyways, 5 lucky (?!) moms get to have their hair cut like Justin Beiber,

and get tickets to his concert!

so, -

don't you think the look suits me?

you can vote for me! (but only if you want to see me with a hair cut just like Justin!)

go to EZ rock, ( the link should take you right to the cute picture- of me with the girls, go to the yellow, red scale, (when you click on it, and arrow should appear above it) move it to a highish number, somewhere in the red, and click!

then maybe I can get a sweet hair cut! (ha)

- a free dinner,

and a fun concert with Sadie!

crazy stuff!

16 years

this morning a friend of mine called me up,
and said she had something for me from Cory.
and I was all confused, thinking that tomorrow was the day,
but
today is our anniversary-
and he is off on a young men's camp.
but he left something for me!
(it is a beautiful necklace)
so sweet.
I think I might go see a chick flick to celebrate!
(and wear my necklace- just because!)
happy anniversary to me!
(and us!)

did we have a birthday here?

yes, we had a birthday here!

on Sunday it was Jed's big day.
he counted down for about 2 weeks. letting us know how many days until his birthday.
I am so glad it finally came!

1. Jed usually wears his shirts inside out or backwards. (see photo)

2. Jed is a go getter. if he wants something he will figure out how to get it.

3. Jed was the only one born in Calgary. and he loves Calgary.

4. I think he really likes the Calgary Flames because his brothers don't.

5. He likes to bug his brothers. and sisters.

6. he is a real leader. get him around a group of little kids, and he will have them all doing some game, or following him around.

7. he is usually the first one awake. and dressed.

8. I can hardly believe he is going into grade 6.

9. and 11 year old scouts. no more cubs for us!

10. he is a great fly catcher.

11. we love you jeddy bo beddy!

last week-

late last week the girls and I headed to Calgary.
On Friday morning I had a camera workshop with the Blue Lily!

look! haven't my pictures already improved?
kidding. I need so much practice. - but it was really great- there ended up being only two of us to learn, and with the two of them teaching, well, fantastic odds!
they are so very nice.

then after the class, I got the girls- they stayed with Brian and Jessica while I was learning,
(thanks so much guys!)
and we headed to the Calgary zoo.
we had to check out the dinosaurs live exhibit!
it was pretty cool!


then that night the boys came,
and the next day we headed down town to the Calgary Tower.
I had never been there before.
it was pretty cool!

before we left, we had a family photoshoot with Blue Lily.
can't wait to see them!

we had a good time in Calgary!

entrepreneurs

some guys have been paving our street over the last couple of days.
my kids have been thinking hard for ways to make some money.
they came up with a great plan and made a lemonade stand!


(and used up my bottle of lemon juice to make it with!)
I think they did alright.

just minutes before this picture, three guys were buying some lemonade,
but my card was full, and it took me a bit to delete the pictures, and get ready to take more,
but if you look closely, you can see a cup in the worker guys hand across the street!

I am betting they will spend everything they made on candy.
heck, that is what I would have done when I was a kid!- headed down to the smokes and gifts store down the street, and bought some chocolate bars. nice, right?

part 2 (invlolves lots of pictures!)

while in Saskatchewan-
(we really went because I had the three youngest in swimming lessons-
but didn't take any pictures of that!)
we went to the town museum to take some pictures.
oh boy, did I have some fun!

here's Jed-

sweet little Mags-

handsome Jack-

a shot I adore of us girls!

(thanks Leanne!)

Sades and Jules- bcf (best cousins forever!)

stunning Sadie-

crazy Ben-



good times!

man, that school house had such beautiful lighting. I wanted to stay there and set up a studio.

loved it!