Best. Photo. Ever.

Wanna see the Best. Photo. Ever.

When this photo was taken almost 2 years ago, I remember feeling Extremely Overwhelmed.

Thinking to myself..... how the stink do people have children this close together (14 months)??

Well we made it through, and I would do it again.

SO.... We ARE doing it again.

Justin and I are EXPECTING our 3rd Child on June 8th 2011.

Yup. Our family is growing and I happy to say at 13 weeks, I am SO thankful for the 2nd Trimester. 

This pregnancy was not fun for 6 LONG weeks. I have never held the toilet so close, we became good friends, and once again I lost weight in the first trimester.

But things are going much better now, and Justin would LOVE for me to say.... 

he is cheering for a boy... so pray for a him. 

Playing Outside

As Dianne was getting the girls ready to play at her house, they stopped and played outside on our big snow mountain.

The girls played so well that morning together... then K ended up not napping and was kinda a grump but heading outside to play in the snow sure cured her! (note: remember that self!)

It's been WAY to cold for the girls to play outside yet this winter except for the other day. It was beautiful.

K thought it was fantastic and A couldn't stop grinning!

I sure do love these girlies... they make my heart sing.

Christmas Craft

**First a special thank you to Aunt Dianne who visited with me whilst I crafted and for taking the girls with her back to her house so I could finish!

Last December I saw this idea at Blue Cricket Design and stuck it in my To do Folder for Christmas.
It was simple project... only taking a bit longer cause I cant find my circle cutter thingy!

Inside each envelope is a Christmas Activity for the girls and I to do during the day, and a scripture to read as a family to remember Christmas is about Jesus.

We start December 1st. I am hoping K is old enough to get excited about it, and she will look forward to it, I know A will just be happy to be there!

Rocking Around the Christmas Tree!

Fehw! K feels like we made her wait for AGES before we put our tree up!

 It was all the girls could do to wait for daddy to put the lights on!

K was very into helping and she loved singing with mommy some Christmas Songs!

 A helped too... but she was much more interested in the dancing christmas tree that she found. Its one of those 9.97 ones at Walmart. We got it for K's first Christmas and it's still going strong! Yah.. its fantastic.

It was much more fun this year, with the girls helping more and sucking/chewing on less!

As we go through December I will show you some of the beautiful nativity's we have in our decorations!

A day

Guess who pooped on the potty?!?!?!

Just once. So we got the potty out and we'll let her sit on it for a bit, get used to it... and we will go from there!

She was so happy with herself!

On another note....

Don't you just wish you could clean your house once every 2 months??

I deep cleaned the house yesterday and just wanted to leave it....

(we won't even discuss the mop head after)

as soon as the chairs get taken down and food gets made, it seems like it never happened.

Does anyone else feel this way.

Oh well.. the joys of being a housewife!

Monday

Monday was busy.

I mean we've done our regular routine.... and then just stuff!

Monday Dawn stopped by with new little hats for the girls- well.... she dropped by in the morning to check the fitting with one she made and it fit A, so she left it here and said she would bring over K's later. Well at lunch K was explaining to dad how Dawn made a hat for A but not for her.. and Dawn showed up right then. You should have seen K's face, she was SO excited! She ran to Dawn beaming a smile from ear to ear. Thanks friend my girls LOVE the hats!

We headed out to Parent Preschool that afternoon, but not before I caught K watching cartoons on my dresser in the clean laundry. She said she needed to be higher to see all the details! LOL

Monday evening we headed into Costco to pick up things we ran out of... like tomato soup, chicken noodle soup, mixed veggies just basics that belong in the storage room and we dropped $300 just like that. Curse you Costco.... I NEVER walk out of there spending less then 150!

So we stopped and finished our shopping at Walmart and decided to eat at East Side Mario's for dinner, cause Monday Kids Eat Free. SO get this.. we fed all of us... for $23 WHAT?!?! We spend more then that at MCDONALDS! And we were stuffed and brought food home! I still cant believe it. So next Monday your out as a family go to EAST SIDE! Not McDonald's!

On the way home we stopped at Grandma Selman's house for the last time. Grandma moved into the Lodge a couple months ago, and as of December 1st her house is being rented out. So we stopped by so Justin could help move some furniture and so he could see his mom and say a sad goodbye to a house that holds many happy memories.

 We finally got home at 9:00 and we were welcomed by a drunk who ran into our garage as the door was opening. great. The girls and I got out and Justin drove this fellow (who was lost with NO coat in -25) 1.5 blocks away back to his screaming wife (no joke) and mother.

Interesting day.

I really need to stop blogging and clean the house soos we can decorate for Christmas!

Gone

We gave Zeus back.

That's right folks, it lasted a month. Everything was going fine, until Zeus figured the zap from the fence wasn't that bad. So he would just walk over it.

So once it snowed on Tuesday last week, and got really cold.... we were stuck between a rock and a hard place. The dog would freeze on the chain... cause he couldn't run around to warm himself up, or we would let the dog off the chain and he would bring back paint cans, shirts and garbage from the next door construction site. Grand.

By Thursday he was shaking with cold... and no... he was NOT coming in the house to warm up.
So we took him back to my little brother.

We felt slightly bad... that is until Mark up and sold him the next day. I guess he wasn't to upset!

The dog did help the girls be less afraid and Justin realized that he is NOT a dog person.

Bye Zeus, I hope the family in Calgary who bought you for a INSIDE dog treats you fabulously!

Update

Considering this is going to be printed and become our family 2010 journal I must post about this huge milestone.

A no longer has a sippy at bedtime or nap time.

That's right we took it away.  We kinda thought it would be like K... 2 days of sad then over it.... but it took WAY longer for A to get over it then K. It actually took us almost 3 weeks of crying, during which I gave in.... twice.

She was just so tired and needed a nap on Monday after 2 weeks of almost no naps I put her in bed with a sippy at 11:00 am and she slept till 3:00. Then we went on a date that night and I conveniently did not tell Aunt Dianne who was sitting. She was just so tired!

But she is off it completely at night and naps now. A big milestone in this family. Go A!

Cinnamon Buns

My grandma Chipman has the BEST bun recipe.

After having the flu rage through our house last weekend, I feel that my hubby deserves a special treat.

Being slightly driving by OCD I bleached the kitchen top to bottom before I even started!
I know, its silly, but I do it.

The other day a friend made this comment: "I am amazed at how much you bake, when you don't even eat it!"
Its true, flour and me.. not friends, but even though I prefer not to eat it, my family still likes cookies, muffins, buns, and cakes!

Ok onto the recipe!

Maries Rolls

3 eggs

3 cups warm water

2/3 cup sugar

2 tbs instant yeast

1/4 cup oil

1 tbs salt

7-8 cups of flour

1. Mix 4 cups flour with the yeast 
2. In different bowl eggs, sugar, oil and water mixing well
3. Add the flour with the yeast spoon full's at a time
4. Add the salt to the rest of the flour. Mix everything
5. Put dough in warm place to rise for 15 mins, then punch down
6. Repeat step 5
7. Make roll and let rise an hour
8. Cook in 325 degree oven for 15-18 mins

Now for Cinnamon Buns after step 6 you roll out and add your butter, sugar and cinnamon roll up, cut and let rise.... but watch them... they can tend to over rise!

Trying to Catch Up!

As I have been under the weather, babies are popping up EVERYWHERE!

Justin's sister Sherilyn had a new baby boy- Beckett William

and 7 ladies from our ward have recently given birth!

So Yesterday I finally caught up and got the last 4 finished!

MOvember

Movember challenges men to change their appearance and

the face of men’s health by growing a moustache. The rules 

are simple, start Movember 1st clean-shaven and then grow a 

moustache for the entire month.  The moustache becomes

 the ribbon for men’s health, the means by which awareness and 

funds are raised for prostate cancer.  Much like the 

commitment to run or walk for charity, the men of Movember

 commit to growing a moustache for 30 days. 

Justin has been participating and I admit I am in extreme 


dislike!


Do something Else!!!! Like..... shave your legs or something



For all you ladies who deal with facial hair on a daily basics...


 I feel for you.

Award Winning Chili

This last Friday night was
Raymond 5th Ward Annual Chili and Pie Cook Off.

Honestly my FAVORITE activity of the year.

Last year my (slight spin off from my fathers) chili won Manliest Chili.

This chili is the BEST, most flavourful chili you will ever eat. My dad actually came up with the recipe, and I do mine based off of his with very slight differences. When we are at my parents house and dad asks us what we want.. this chili is always at the top of our list!

(I put the bacon in after this photo!)

So Friday came and we were all down with the flu. I was sooo disappointed!

I made it tonight for dinner, I had all the ingredients and was craving it anyways.

Nothing new and exciting happening here.
Other then the flu came by for a unwelcome visit.
She stayed for 3 days, she made a huge mess and I hope she never returns.
As unlikely as that sounds.

On another note... I was browsing our photos this morning and came across this goodie.

They sure don't cuddle like that anymore!

Yum

Oh bless

This morning as K walked into my room I could smell barf.

Immediately I was WIDE awake. I ask K if she barfed this morning and she says "no at night in my bed"
So I asked "Did dad help you?"
"No I did it. Don't move the towels Mommy"
"You barfed and cleaned it up by yourself?"
"Don't move the towels Mommy!"

"Why didn't you come get Mommy?"
"Mommy was sleeping."

So I roll out of bed, walk into her bedroom and sure enough on her bed - 4 dishtowels spread out.
I moved one and sure enough.... major barf.

Oh my poor 3 year old was sick last night and took care of it herself.
Oh bless.

Oranges

Hello My Friends.

Been eating any of these yet?!?!

Its still the beginning of November and we have eaten our way through 1 glorious box!

A eats at least 2 or 3 a day. Mommy coming in close behind her!

Friday Night Football

Friday was such a BLAH day.

I have been getting better, but I over did things Thursday with Stay and Play, 100 Chocolate Chip Cookies, cleaning the house and running errands. Any who Friday came and I was exhausted, so the girls played all morning with Mommy supervising from the couch.

Well as Mommy and A had a afternoon nap, K made her way over to Grandma's and spend the remainder of the afternoon over there. Well Dianne and Grandma and Lynette were discussing that nights football game, and K got the idea in her head that she HAD to be there.

So she brought Aunt Dianne over to Mommy to discuss. So here I am 4:00 in the afternoon still in my sweats and the girls were pleading with me to go out for pizza and to the football game.

Mommy gave in and we headed into Lethbrigde for Pizza Hut and the Raymond Comets Zone Finals.

Pizza Hut was a zoo with 35 of us in a group and late pizza's and tears.... but some how we still made it out in 1.5 hours. We then headed over to the Community Football field for the game.

The girls had a great time. A ate MORE pizza and was rather pleased with her hat.

K watched the whole first half with TONS of enthusiasm. She cheered when we cheered and held the program so she could read it to us. I tried to get a better photo but she was mad I was taking one of her and not the players!

Dale had ordered these little footballs for Pee Wee but they failed to arrive before the season was over so his boys brought the box of balls to toss into the crowd. A had 4 before the night was out and had a blast  chewing and throwing them around.

Unfortunately cant say we stayed the whole game, by 8:30 A was crying nonstop and just wanted to sleep so we headed out just after half time. Luckily the Raymond Comets still won, without our great cheering, 30-0 against LCI.

Go Comets!

Chicken Cacciatore

I recently came across this post by Pioneer Women.

I am ITCHING to try this recipe... itching!

Oh my heavens. Does it not look like heaven?!

Sorry Justin, my dear, you might have to pick out the onions, red peppers, green peppers, mushrooms and the tomatoes.... cause momma needs her some Chicken Cacciatore!


























Note: I will serve this on noodles for my family.... but myself will eat just this. YUMMY!

Note2: I did make Justin Chocolate Chip cookies yesterday to make up for this tonight. He will not be happy with my dinner choice, so he can fill up on homemade cookies for all I care! Although it may not be good enough, so maybe on Saturday I will have to make amends with these.

Yesterday

Things I learned Yesterday:

• My children tell Aunt Lisa everything that goes on at our house
• When you break a gel nail AND the real nail underneath it h.u.r.t.s.
• Random older children at the McDonald's Play Center will hit your 1 year old for no apparent reason
• Wawanessa will send you 2 checks in a timely manner if you get mad enough
• If you so much a brush against another sample at Costco you must take it, or it goes in the trash
• Costco no longer gives out trial pairs of contacts if yours are not in stock
• A will no longer transfer sleeping from car seat to crib
• K can play quietly all by herself for 1.5 hours whilst mom naps
• My children LOVE Reese Pieces.  Not the cups
• I forgot how yummy scalloped potatoes are
• When Mommy does not cook for 2 weeks, and then finally does, she is MUCH more appreciated

Why.

This is Why Mommy is no longer in charge of hiding Christmas.

They found it and had it mostly open by the time I walked in.

Dang my bladder.

They played with it all morning.

Mommy is learning about the art of sharing to a 1 year old, again.

Halloween

Halloween 2010. What can I say. It came. It went. Its over.

I know that sounds harsh, but this year seemed less Halloweenish to this family. Mom did not decorate or do any special crafts or treats. In fact it seemed October came and went with out much fanfare. Oh well.

I was lame. LAME O FO.

Poor children of mine.

We did go trick or treating and the girls dressed up as a cow and a leopard!

We did both Trunk or Treats and did a few choice houses. The girls got WAY to much candy!

I feel like this Halloween post is lame, so here's a few pictures of Halloweens in the past!

2009 Halloween

I cant believe how much of a baby A is! Its hard to believe that last Halloween was her first. The girls were so adorable K LOVED her witch costume and I remember A's costume  being super slippery to carry around! It was also just a couple months after her surgery, but she looks rather healthy in this picture!

2008 Halloween

K second Halloween. She went as cuddly teddy bear and Daddy went as himself. This is the first year we did a trunk or treat and we ran out of candy in 20 mins! Boy was I not prepared! It was really warm out, and K had a great time toddling along with the Hardy's and Daddy!

2007 Halloween

K was 1 month old. We didn't do a whole lot the first Halloween, we went and saw Grandma's and family. It was mostly so Justin could get candy from a baby :)
But she sure was adorable!