Cottage Life

I could get used to this life.

We arrived at 3:00 on Friday afternoon, checked in by 4:00, and were all unpacked and relaxing by 5:00.

Yesterday Mom rented a golf cart for us to drive around. It was so much fun! I've never driven one before. Ian let all three children practice driving it on the beach.

My children and nephew have been swimming, swimming, SWIMMING, both on the beach and in the pool. Yesterday they took a break to mini golf and play on the huge sand dunes.

I think the children and I will stay a few extra days. I'm loving this time with my mother.

Talk to you soon!

So Excited!

If you've been following me on Twitter, or happen to know me in real life, then you've probably gotten used to me saying I'm so excited!! by now.

Because I am so excited!

My mom rented a cottage for a week and she leaves tomorrow. I am so happy for her because she hasn't had a vacation in years. She was there for a weekend in June and we joined her there for the day. It made me so happy to see her so content and rested, with some sun on her face.

So here's the I'm so excited part.... she's invited us to come for the weekend!! We're leaving tomorrow as well and will return on Monday.

Don't try to rob my house while we're gone...I have peeps watching out for us everywhere ;-)

I.can't.wait. I haven't vacationed with my mom in almost 14 years and have been wanting to for so, so long. And to go with my whole family is such a blessing.

Tomorrow night we're planning to go and see the fireworks, then we'll sit around the fire and make s'mores. YUM! I might even join in on some Beach Yoga on Saturday morning :-)

I'm sure I'll have lots of pictures to show you.

So excited!!

Tuesday's Treats ~ Mint Chocolate Cake

My Ian loves mint and chocolate.

Put them together and that man is in heaven.

So... I did :-)

~ Mint Chocolate Cake ~



You'll Need:
1 chocolate cake mix
For Frosting:
1/2 a cup of butter, softened
2 cups of confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon of water
1/2 a teaspoon of peppermint extract
3 drops of green food colouring
For Topping:
1 & 1/2 cups of chocolate chips
6 tablespoons of butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon of peppermint extract

Step One:
Prepare cake batter according to the directions on the box. Pour into a greased (bottom only!) 13 x 9 inch pan and bake for 35 minutes.

Step Two:
In a large bowl, combine frosting ingredients and beat until smooth. Spread over cake.

Step Three:
For topping, melt the butter and chocolate chips in the microwave. Beat until smooth. Stir in extract. Spread over frosting and refrigerate until set.

I am not a huge minty fan personally, so I didn't know if I would even end up trying this cake.

BUT!

I did, and it's so light and has just the right amount of mint. I really liked it.

Ian's rating: 8/10

Book Review: The Reluctant Entertainer

True hospitality is not about being perfect, cooking a fancy meal, or spending a lot of money. Rather, it's about an open door and an open heart.

Popular blogger Sandy Coughlin offers a simple but savvy approach to help women break free of the anxieties that keep them from opening their homes.

Emphasizing the forgotten goal of entertaining--connecting deeply with others--she shows how women can use the gifts and talents God gave them to reach out in love.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

I don't know about you, but I am definitely a reluctant entertainer. So when the opportunity arose for me to review this book, I was all.over.it. I couldn't wait to have it in my hot little hands.

Just look at that book cover. Does it just ooze charm and hospitality? And that's just the cover. It's full of ideas inside.

Author Sandy Coughlin is absolutely delightful and her passion for entertaining and building relationships pours from every page. Her gift of hospitality is contagious.

She touches on every topic ~ who to invite, how to serve, what to serve, how to set a lovely table, how to ensure that conversation flows and includes everyone, and my personal favourite... how to let go of perfectionism and perceived expectations.

I am a very nervous hostess. Let me rephrase that for you. I'm a very, very nervous hostess. I usually start stressing out moments after the invitation has been given. What will I serve? What if my house isn't clean enough? Will they notice that spot on my carpet? Is my house good enough to have guests over? What will we talk about?

And so on, and so on.

I have missed countless opportunities for fellowship because of my internal dialogue.

Sandy talks about where to find great table settings and decor on the cheap but classy, how to set a mood and to reach all five senses.

And the recipes... Oh I have to tell you about her mouth watering recipes! They are interspersed throughout her book for dishes like Chicken Divan, homemade ice cream and Dill Bread.

But that's not all. She even gives several suggestions (including recipes!) of appetizers, main courses and desserts! I love it when the guesswork is taken out of entertaining.

She told me (yes, by reading her book she is, in my mind, my new bestie) how to organize and stock my pantry so I'm always organized and ready. She told me how to budget my time so I'm not running around like a chicken with her head cut off on Dinner Party Day. And - oh, take a moment to savour this thought with me - she even encourages that everything be ready to go one hour before the guests arrive so I can relax.

I cannot even imagine what that would feel like, not after years of doing that final 3-minute-race-around-the-house-to-make-sure-that-things-are-ready-while-shrieking-at-my-husband-and-children thing I always seem to do.

But this book has sparked something in me and makes me feel like maybe I don't have to have a perfect table, (or carpet, or decor, etc) to have guests over. That hospitality isn't about showing people what you have or don't have. It's about connecting with others in a comfortable setting and making them feel welcome in my home.

I can do this!

If you are a reluctant entertainer like I am, I strongly suggest that you pick up this book. It is more than worth it.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

Saturday Afternoon Sewing Project: Toddler Nightgown

I've been itching to sew lately, so I pulled out a project I started a few months ago but ended up putting away.

Remember when I made this nightgown for Jordan?

It was hard! All sorts of gathering and itty bitty arm holes.

BAH!

This time I chose the nightgown on the bottom left of this pattern.



(Ignore the big pink arrow, that was the first night gown I made)

I had cut the pieces out a few months ago and then packed it away. I'm glad this part was already done because not only does it take (me!) a lot of time to cut out the pieces, it makes me very nervous in case I do it wrong.

I pulled out the instructions and decided to work on it for as long as I could before I needed to place a 911 call to my mom for help.

About ten minutes in I gave up on the instructions because I couldn't make sense of them and decided to just wing it. How hard could it be to sew a few pieces together?

I'd love to be able to insert a tutorial here (ha ha ha!) but I don't think anyone would be too impressed with how I completed this project! Both my mother and my mother-in-laws are fantastic sewers (or is that seamstresses?) and they would have just sat shaking their heads at me the entire time.

And here it is, all finished:

**special thanks to Ian for making my pic look all pretty!

Jordan was dancing around while we took pictures, and was so excited when I put it on her. It was about two inches off the ground, which is good, but it kept getting tangled around her feet when she was climbing all over the couch. Every time her toes got caught she'd yell "Ow!Ow!Ow! HEP! HEP!"

Eventually she stopped asking for help and started trying to free herself, end ended up ripping the skirt part from the bodice.

Sigh.

Oh well. I'll fix it eventually.

While it is far, far from perfect, it does look like a nightgown, and I did it all by myself.

Throughout the process of making these two nightgowns, I have learned that I don't like sewing clothing. I prefer to sew things with straight lines.

Someday I'd like to make curtains for my kitchen. That should be a good Straight Line Project!

5QF ~ Aug 14 Vloggy Style

Want to play along? Head on over to Mama M's blog My Little Life and get in on the fun!

Ch-ch-changes

I had the hardest time falling asleep last night. Finally I gave up trying at 3am and came downstairs to watch tv until 4:30.

Lots going on here these days.

Most notably, I will be returning to work in the very near future. Hopefully not for forever, but definitely for an undetermined length of time.

I'm trying so hard to be gracious about it instead of being miserable like I was last year when Ian was laid off.

I don't think I'm succeeding and end up trying not to talk about it at all.

But last night... ugh. I felt like my chest was being crushed with anxiety and breathing was hard. Ever been so sad that you can't even cry? That's what I felt like last night.

I have been a stay at home mom for almost three years now, with the exception of the four month temp assignment last year.

I love being at home. I am happy here.

I started thinking about who I would find to watch Jordan. How would we get three kids up, dressed and out the door to get to work on time, with only one car?

What if one of the children was sick?

What about Willow? He is still crated when we go out because he eats everything. He'll be confined all day. What kind of a life is that for him?

I remember what life was like when we both worked. It was rushed and hectic. The house was a mess and we ate a lot of takeout. I couldn't keep up with everything and I was exhausted all the time. Now we have one more child and I just can't imagine how I'll do it all.

I remember feeling like a failure and I'm not too anxious to go back to that.

I know. Women all over the world go out to work every single day and they aren't complaining about it.

I know.

I just feel so sad.

No more Bible study on Wednesday mornings.

No more leisurely visits with my mom.

My mom has offered to watch Jordan for the first month so we I can get a couple of paycheques in the bank before I start having to pay huge daycare fees, and to give her a chance to get used to not being with me all day.

I'll need new clothes and shoes.

And get my hair done.

Sigh.

I keep hoping that something will come up so that I can continue to stay at home but there is nothing.

Ugh. I don't even want to talk about it anymore.

I'm going to bed.

/end whine

Colossal Baking Fail

I thought it would be fun to introduce Jordan to the wonderful hobby of baking.

I decided that we would use this recipe for chocolate chip cookies.

I washed her little hands and pulled a chair up to the counter so she could work at her eye level.

She chattered away as we worked together, waving her hands and speaking very excitedly, eyes wide.

She added the ingredients I measured out with such....flair.

And when I say flair I mean messy.

I loved how she'd shout "YAY!" and clap her little hands after each step.

I was so distracted by her total adorableness that I may have incorrectly measured an ingredient.

Flour.

I only added 1 1/4 cups when I should have added 2 1/4 cups.



And I left them in the oven too long.

Oops.

Did I mention I was distracted by her adorableness??

So, this is the disaster that is sitting on my kitchen counter right now.



Not the first baking fail, and certainly not the last.

I won't be firing my little "sous baker" quite yet.

Book Review: The Bishop

FBI Special Agent Patrick Bowers's cutting-edge 21st-century geospatial investigative techniques and impeccable logic have helped him track some of the country's most grisly killers. But those skills are pushed to the limit in this new installment of the highly-acclaimed, award-winning The Bowers Files series. This time it's a congressman's daughter who is found dead even as her killers launch a spree of perfect murders in the Northeast. With nothing to link the crimes to each other, Agent Bowers faces his most difficult case yet--even as his personal life begins to crumble around him.

Known for his intricately woven, masterfully plotted novels of high-octane action and spine-tingling suspense, Steven James delivers once again. The Bishop is a gripping, adrenaline-laced story for readers who are tired of timid thrillers.

Strap on your seatbelt and get ready for a wild ride. The game is on.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Oh.my.word.

I don't even know where to START to review this book.

Fantastic. Suspenseful. Riveting. Masterful storytelling.

Oh yes.

Apparently this book is the third in a series, but was fabulous as a stand alone novel. The author creates vibrant (and creepy!) characters that keep you hooked. The storyline is fast paced and I found myself reading late into the night, unable to put it down. Preparing my daughter's breakfast, novel in hand.

It was that good.

Just when I thought I knew what was going on, the story would change and I'd realize I was wrong. Twists and turns everywhere!

I liked the different story lines that occurred throughout the novel, and how they all tied together in the end.

This is - by far - one of the best suspense novels I have read in a very, very long time. I'm going to have to look into the author's other work to see if I like it as much.

PLEASE NOTE: With the offer to review this book came a very heavy warning that stated the book contained violence and graphic descriptions of disturbing crime scenes, taking the reader inside the minds of psychopathic killers. Please keep this in mind should you decide to read this book for yourself.

This book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Tuesday's Treats ~ Grandma's Homemade Brownies

Sam and Julie had a wonderful time at their grandparents house this weekend. They went swimming and fishing, saw a parade, went to a festival and saw Toy Story 3.

It sure feels good to have them home again, let me tell you. The house feels so empty when they're gone. Jordan missed them a lot too.

My mother-in-law always bakes something with the children when they come to visit for a weekend, which is something they always look forward to. They even packed their aprons :-)

This weekend they made brownies, and we thought it would be a great idea for them to share their creation with you for this week's Tuesday's Treat.

And so, we present to you Grandma's Homemade Brownies!



You'll Need:

1 cup of Crisco oil
4 eggs
2 teaspoons of vanilla
1 1/2 cups of flour
2 cups of sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of cocoa
1 tsp of salt
*add 1/2 cup of nuts if desired

Step One:
In a large bowl, beat all wet ingredients together, mixing well. Add dry ingredients.

Step Two:
Spread batter in a greased 9 x 13 pan and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

Step Three:
Once cooled, sprinkle icing sugar over the top using a fine sieve. Cut into squares.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

These are so good!

You know what makes them so amazing? The fact that my little people made them ;-)

Have a great day!

Too Quiet

Sigh.

My house feels so empty since Sam and Julie left to spend a few days at their grandparents' house. They left at 2:30 with no tears this time.

Well...no tears on their part anyway.

After they left I put Jordan down for her nap and the house was so quiet. Our morning together was so boisterous and busy and full of life while everyone pitched in with the housework, dog walking, playing with Jordan and laundry.

When they left the house was so silent.

At first I was all excited. I may even have sighed in satisfaction at some quiet time.

I made mac & cheese for my lunch and didn't have to share.

I tried to turn on the tv but I couldn't get the 8,000 remotes to work together to get things going so I was out of luck there. I'd have to miss my daily appointment with Dr. Phil.

Then I decided to read for a bit. I'm reading Twilight right now. Yes, I know...I'm very late to the Twilight party. It isn't bad. I even re-watched the movie recently and I didn't hate it as much as I did the first time. I think Edward looks like Bert from Sesame Street. The book describes Edward as being beautiful and well... let's just say the casting could be better.

But...I couldn't find my book. I think Jordan put it somewhere because she loves to hide my things.

So I read some blogs and tweeted and emailed.

Then I sort of wandered around the house, looking out the windows, wondering how long Jordan was going to nap for, and thinking quiet time might be a bit overrated.

The landscapers came today, so I sat looking out the window watching them while eating ice cream straight from the carton because I'm classy like that, and there weren't any children around to negatively influence.

I started longing for a telemarketer to call so I could talk to someone.

Finally Jordan woke up from her nap and we hung out in the bathroom while she sat on her potty. I sang and read books to her, gave her three small glasses of milk in hopes things would get moving and we fed each other m&ms.

I figured that while we were in there I'd give her a manicure and pedicure. She was fascinated by the nail polish. She was oohing and ahhing and clapping her little hands.

Tomorrow Ian has a meeting downtown first thing in the morning and is hoping to take the remainder of the day off to hang out with us. We're going to try to go on a date in the evening, and then do something fun with Jordan on Saturday.

And then on Sunday we get to pick up the children and bring them home!! I miss them so much when they're away.

What are your plans for the weekend?

And That's How The Fight Started

My friend Dawn emailed this to me the other day and I thought it was worth sharing here.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

One year, I decided to buy my mother-in-law a cemetery plot as a Christmas gift...

The next year, I didn't buy her a gift.

When she asked me why, I replied,

"Well, you still haven't used the gift I bought you last year!"

And that's how the fight started.....

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

My wife and I were watching Who Wants To Be A Millionaire while we were in bed.

I turned to her and said, 'Do you want to have Sex?'

'No,' she answered. I then said,

'Is that your final answer?'

She didn't even look at me this time, simply saying, 'Yes..'

So I said, "Then I'd like to phone a friend."

And that's when the fight started...

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

I took my wife to a restaurant.

The waiter, for some reason, took my order first.

"I'll have the rump steak, rare, please."

He said, "Aren't you worried about the mad cow?"

"Nah, she can order for herself."

And that's when the fight started.....

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

My wife and I were sitting at a table at her high school reunion, and she

kept staring at a drunken man swigging his drink as he sat alone at a nearby table.

I asked her, "Do you know him?"

"Yes", she sighed,

"He's my old boyfriend.... I understand he took to drinking right after we

split up those many years ago, and I hear he hasn't been sober since."

"My God!" I said, "Who would think a person could go on celebrating that long?"

And then the fight started...

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

When our lawn mower broke and wouldn't run, my wife kept hinting to me

that I should get it fixed. But, somehow I always had something else to take

care of first, the shed, the boat, making beer.. Always something more

important to me. Finally she thought of a clever way to make her point.

When I arrived home one day, I found her seated in the tall grass, busily

snipping away with a tiny pair of sewing scissors. I watched silently for

a short time and then went into the house.. I was gone only a minute, and

when I came out again I handed her a toothbrush. I said, "When you finish

cutting the grass, you might as well sweep the driveway."

The doctors say I will walk again, but I will always have a limp.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

My wife sat down next to me as I was flipping channels.

She asked, "What's on TV?"

I said, "Dust."

And then the fight started...

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Saturday morning I got up early, quietly dressed, made my lunch, and

slipped quietly into the garage. I hooked up the boat up to the van, and

proceeded to back out into a torrential downpour. The wind was blowing 50 mph, so I

pulled back into the garage, turned on the radio, and discovered that the

weather would be bad all day. I went back into the house, quietly

undressed, and slipped back into bed.. I cuddled up to my wife's back, now with a

different anticipation, and whispered, "The weather out there is terrible."

My loving wife of 5 years replied, "And, can you believe my stupid husband

is out fishing in that?"

And that's how the fight started...

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

My wife was hinting about what she wanted for our upcoming anniversary.

She said, "I want something shiny that goes from 0 to 150 in about 3 seconds."

I bought her a bathroom scale.

And then the fight started......

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

After retiring, I went to the Social Security office to apply for Social Security.

The woman behind the counter asked me for my driver's License to verify my age.

I looked in my pockets and realized I had left my wallet at home.

I told the woman that I was very sorry, but I would have to go home and come back later.

The woman said, 'Unbutton your shirt'.

So I opened my shirt revealing my curly silver hair.

She said, 'That silver hair on your chest is proof enough for me' and she

processed my Social Security application..

When I got home, I excitedly told my wife about my experience at the Social Security office...

She said, 'You should have dropped your pants. You might have gotten disability, too.'

And then the fight started...

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

My wife was standing nude, looking in the bedroom mirror.

She was not happy with what she saw and said to me,

"I feel horrible; I look old, fat and ugly.

I really need you to pay me a compliment.'

I replied, "Your eyesight's damn near perfect."

And then the fight started........

Tuesday's Treats ~ Ice Cream Sandwiches

I love a homemade fresh chocolate chip cookie.

Slightly warm, please and thank you.

I tried out a new chocolate chip cookie recipe today and fell in love with it. As I munched on one of them I thought "is there anything in the world that would make this cookie taste any better?"

Oh yes.

Ice cream.

My favourite summertime treat is the ice cream sandwich, and so, that's what I decided to make for you today.



You'll Need:
2 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
1 tsp of baking soda
1 tsp of salt
1 cup of butter, softened
3/4 cup of sugar
3/4 cup of packed brown sugar
1 tsp of vanilla
2 large eggs
2 cups of chocolate chips

Toss all ingredients into a large bowl and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips. (I added more than 2 cups because I love an ooey-gooey chocolate chip cookie)

Drop by rounded spoonful onto a greased cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 9-11 minutes

Just before the cookies have almost cooled completely, add a scoop of your favourite ice cream between two cookies and press gently. Roll in sprinkles or eat it as is.

Easy peasy, just the way I like things.

Have a wonderful day!

Sam's Birthday

Yesterday was Sam's 11th birthday, and as I always do on each of the children's birthdays...I cried.

It's so hard to believe that I've been a mother for 11 years already. I look at Jordan racing around and it seems that Sam was that size not very long ago.

He is such a great kid. Quick witted and kind.

I'd love to be able to post a picture of him here, but he doesn't like having his picture taken.

BOOOOOO!

He showed me his birthday wish list about a month ago, and guess what he had written on it?

A pillowcase made by Mom in a sports theme.

*tear*

What my boy wants, my boy shall get!

I decided to make him three cases, so he could have a choice and to be able to swap them out whenever he wanted.

I had leftover fabric, so I decided to pick up a couple of towels and sew a strip of fabric on each to match his pillow cases.



He loved them. He changed his pillowcases right then and there and declared he'd be having a bath soon and using one of his new towels. I was worried he would think it was a dorky gift, but I shouldn't have been. He was so excited.

Being a novice at sewing, it was really, really exciting to make something for someone else and have it turn out and be appreciated.

We always give a gift to Julie on Sam's birthday (and a gift to Sam on Julie's birthday) so I gave her a towel as well.



We went to my mom's house for burgers and cake for Sam's family party.



The table was so loud with the kids talking and joking. I love loud & happy family dinners like that. I am so crazy about my family.

This week I will be doing the children's laundry and getting them packed and ready to go to their grandparents for the weekend. My inlaws are coming for them on Thursday afternoon and we'll pick them up on Sunday to bring them home. I'm sad already. I miss them when they're away. Jordan will be home with us, and we're hoping to find someone to watch her for a few hours so we can go and see a movie.

That's all....Happy Monday!

Things Kids Do That I Don't Understand ~ Take Three

I love baking as you know by now.

Baking puts my mind in my 'happy place'. I putter around, doing my thing and I am (for the most part!) relaxed and happy.

My children also enjoy baking. Julie has made fabulous Fat Archie Cookies and Sam loves to bake cakes.

I had some bananas that I had to use up, so I asked Jules if she'd like to try her hand at making banana bread. She was all over that idea.

She carefully measured everything, cracked eggs with precision, and mixed it up like a pro.

One hour later we pulled out the most delicious smelling banana bread you could imagine. I couldn't wait for it to cool so I could transfer it to a plate and photograph it to show you her awesome job.

I went upstairs to put Jordan down for her afternoon nap, then stretched out on my bed in front of the fan to cool off. I was gone for maybe 20 minutes tops.

I came downstairs and took one look at her banana bread and just about fell over.

**please excuse my pan-it's a million years old**

Apparently someone couldn't wait for me to put it on a plate or to take a picture of it.

Who does that?

Kids do that.

I don't get it.

I mean, I do get it. The top is the best part of the whole thing, but come on!

I called Ian at work to tell him but I got zero sympathy from him. In fact, he laughed at me.

I know. I couldn't believe it either.

I cut the top off and stuck it under glass to keep it fresh.

I will never understand kids.

Fabric Covered Diaper Wipe Case

I love browsing Etsy shops to see the things that people create.

One of the items I've seen a lot of are fabric covered diaper wipe cases. For some reason I felt as though I just had to have one. I didn't want to order one because a) I'm cheap and b) I hate paying for shipping.

So...

I started looking up tutorials on YouTube and came across several and you know what? Covering a diaper wipe case with fabric isn't so hard.

And it's cheap!

I have had the supplies for this project for a few days now, and decided I'd try it out this afternoon while Jordan was napping.

Here are the two I made today. The pink one was first and I went a little hot glue happy or something.



Want to make one too?

Alrighty then, let me show you what I did.

You'll need some fabric, 3/8" grosgrain ribbon in a co-ordinating colour, a hot glue gun and the diaper wipe case.



I put the case on the fabric and cut around it.



Then I squeezed a thin line of hot glue along the length of the case, just above the lip, and pressed my fabric against it. Once that dried I did the same on the other side and pulled the fabric taut and pressed it against the glue.



Don't worry about your rough edge here. It will be covered up by the ribbon.

Flip it over and do the same on the bottom.



Pretty easy so far, isn't it?

Next, run a thin line of hot glue just above the lip of the case, then press your ribbon against it.

Watch your fingers! That glue is hot.



All done!

At this point you could hot glue on a bow or embellishments to fancy it up, or just leave it simple and sweet.



Side view...



And the finished product again...



This is a really inexpensive craft to do and the result is pretty cute.

Total cost to make: approximately $5.00
Total time to make: 30-40 minutes

5QF ~ July 30

Yippee! It's Friday!!

And not only is it Friday, but it's the Friday of a long weekend. Monday is 'Civic Day' but I have no idea what the significance is. But it's an extra day that we get to have Ian at home with us and that's always a good thing.

I forgot that the window cleaners were coming today. Willow saw someone against our second floor window and charged towards the window barking. It scared the guy so much he almost fell off his ladder. I guess we're even now since they turned on our backyard faucet and left it running for over 20 minutes with no one around.

On to Five Question Friday hosted by my lovely friend Mama M at My Little Life.




1. Did you have a favorite blanket or toy as a kid? If so, do you still have it?

You betcha. It's a blue teddy bear I've had since I was a baby. His fur is all matted down from years of love, hugs and tears. His name is Blue Bear. Catchy, no? Ian named him ;-)

2. Do you dream in color?

Yes. I have very vivid and colourful dreams every single night. I thought everyone dreamed in colour. I feel sad for the black and white dreamers now.

3. How tall are you? Do you wish you were shorter or taller?

I'm 5'9" and have always wished I was 5'6".

4. If you could have anyone's (celeb or other) voice as the guide on your GPS, who would it be?

I'd love Matthew Macfayden to be the voice of my GPS. But not just any Matthew, he has to be all Mr. Darcy/Pride and Prejudice like.



Oh yes.

5. Do you return your shopping cart to the corral or leave it wherever in the parking lot?

I never leave my cart in the parking lot. I either return it to the store or take it to the corral. I think it's rude to just leave it for the next customer to move so they can park. It only takes a few moments to do.

And that's a wrap!

Want to play along? Head on over to Mama M's blog My Little Life and get in on the fun!

Pretzel M&Ms

I have this lovely new friend.

Her name is Robyn and she's the owner of MixMingleGlow.

She's pretty awesome.

I guess she kinda likes me too because take a peek at what she sent me:



!!!

Pretzels and chocolate....salty and sweet... I was in heaven.

We don't have these kinds of M&Ms here in Canada, and knowing of my deep love and appreciation for this particular candy and my inability to score any of these new ones, she hooked a sister up.

The bag is huge.

I may or may not have hugged it. Just a little.

Two minutes after opening the bag for the first taste....the kids showed up out of nowhere, wanting to try them too.

Sharing is overrated.

I let them have two each because I'm loving like that.

Then I hid the rest of the bag.

Mine, mine, mine.

Thank you so much Robyn!! You are a sweetheart!

The Words I Would Say

I'm taking another break from Tuesday's Treats this week because I've been busy! Between baking the cake for Sam's birthday party and then baking 60+ cupcakes for our church's VBS (Vacation Bible School) this week, I didn't get the chance to try out any new recipes.

I'll be baking and decorating lots of sugar cookies this week. A friend has ordered a dozen, and I need to make 120 sugar cookie men for VBS for Thursday. Plus I need to bake Sam's birthday cake for Saturday. So by the time the weekend rolls around I'm going to be totally baked.

Get it? Totally baked.

I think I might have been the only one who laughed just now.

So. I am sure you understand why I don't have a Tuesday's Treat for today ;-)

Besides, I wanted to share something with you.

A friend of mine sent me the lyrics to this song a week ago, and said that it made her think of me. As soon as I read them, I went straight to youtube to hear it and I just fell in love with the song.

Check it out.

Three in the morning,
And I'm still awake,
So I picked up a pen and a page,
And I started writing,
Just what I'd say,
If we were face to face,
I'd tell you just what you mean to me,
I'd tell you these simple truths,

Be strong in the Lord and,
Never give up hope,
You're going to do great things,
I already know,
God's got His hand on you so,
Don't live life in fear,
Forgive and forget,
But don't forget why you're here,
Take your time and pray,
These are the words I would say,

Last time we spoke,
You said you were hurting,
And I felt your pain in my heart,
I want to tell you,
That I keep on praying,
Love will find you where you are,
I know cause I've already been there,
So please hear these simple truths,

Be strong in the Lord and,
Never give up hope,
You're going to do great things,
I already know,
God's got His hand on you so,
Don't live life in fear,
Forgive and forget,
But don't forget why you're here,
Take your time and pray,
These are the words I would say,

From one simple life to another,
I will say,
Come find peace in the Father,

Be strong in the Lord and,
Never give up hope,
You're going to do great things,
I already know,
God's got His hand on you so,
Don't live life in fear,
Forgive and forget,
But don't forget why you're here,
Take your time and pray,
Thank God for each day,
His love will find a way,
These are the words I would say



Isn't it so encouraging and uplifting? I listen to it about a dozen times every single day and I feel emotional every time.

Thank you so much for sending this to me, Amanda. It has ministered to me more than I can say.

I Survived Another Kiddie Birthday Party

I'm not a fan of children's birthday parties. I can't stand them, actually. I wouldn't even go to my own children's birthday parties except...well they're my children, and missing one would be a huge faux pas.

This past weekend was Sam's birthday party. Not his actual birth day - that's on the 31st - but the day he chose to celebrate with his friends. He wanted a pool party, so we booked a pool and party room at the community centre.

Sam requested a two layer chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. He wanted me to write "Happy Birthday Awesome Sam" on it, but I convinced him that a simple "Happy Birthday Sam" was much more modest, however true the "awesome" part may be.

I managed to convince myself to start working on the cake ahead of time. Usually I bake and decorate a cake on the same day and it's often a disaster. Sam baked the bottom layer, and I baked the top. I piped an edge around the bottom and wrote in blue icing.

See?



We picked up one of Sam's friends along the way. Turns out that it was that boy's actual birthday, and no one in his family was doing anything to celebrate his day. Isn't that so sad?? We don't know the details as to why, but we certainly felt sad for him, and glad he could be there all the same.

Despite the anxiety, stress and worry that settles in the week before my children's birthday parties, everything came together perfectly. Just as they always seem to.



I swam with Julie who chattered away, loving our "girl time", and Jordan, who screeched and carried on like I was going to drown her or something. She is not a fan of the water at all. She wrapped her arms and legs around me and held on for dear life. I'm not going to lie... I loved it. She is a busy little girl and cuddle time comes very rarely, so I just soaked up every moment. After a half hour she finally relaxed enough to splash the water with one hand and look around a bit. By the end of the hour she was sitting cross legged on this floatie thing like a princess, letting us pull her across the water.



After an hour in the pool, we moved to the party room for pizza, cake and gifts. Talk about noisy and messy. Did I mention noisy?

One of my biggest pet peeves about birthday parties is when a parent is late for pickup. If the invitation states that the party ends at 5:00, I need you to be there to pick your kid up at 5:00. Not 5:15...5:00. I have long given up on trying to convince Ian to put SHARP on the invitations. Apparently that's "rude".

Meh.

Ian made several trips to the van in the pouring rain while I waited with the kids, holding the leftover cake and pizza.

One mom came to pick up her son and said "Oh that cake looks GOOD! Can I have a piece to take home to my other son?"

I told her the knife and plates were already put in the van, so I had nothing to cut it with, or to put it on. (All true) Is it me....or is that an odd thing to ask?

Then another man who was standing nearby asked me if I was selling the leftover cake and pizza. I kind of laughed and said no. A couple of minutes later he said "Because if you're selling, I'm buying!" I didn't think he was serious and gave the food to Ian to take to the van, but after a few moments I wondered if the man was hungry and then felt sad for a missed opportunity to give him the leftovers.

We were all exhausted from our day by the time we got home at 7:00. The girls were in bed by 8:45 and I was in my bed by 9:00 watching New Moon, and asleep by 11:00.

So there you go. I survived another kiddie party! I can relax now until March :-)

Today we celebrated my favourite Aunt's (and Godmother!) birthday at my mom's, Thursday we'll be back at my mom's to celebrate my nephew's 18th birthday, then Sam's family birthday party on Saturday.

A busy week for sure, but I'm so thankful for so many loved ones to celebrate :-)