Summer Days

Its almost here!!

SUMMER!

Hi its Heather- the PLANNING one. Sometimes I am one of those OCD people when it comes to planning. In fact- because of what is likely to happen to our little family this summer- planning is becoming even more intense.

What I mean is- if I am going to be husbandless for a while, I am going to need LOTS of projects to do with my kido's. I mean above and beyond all the family reunions we have planned! Things to keep our summer days flowing smoothly. So I have been on the look out for the perfect way to keep track- and I found it.... right here!

on. the. blog.

Apparently I keep hearing our family members really enjoy this blog, they tend to feel more a part of our lives- even though we only see them once in a while. SO- I am going to make our SUMMER DAYS LIST right here on the blog, and then attempt to keep you all updated on how we are doing at accomplishing it! Sound like a plan?? So in no particular order, our-

          Summer Days

have a fire pit                  face painting

go to a spray park           build a fort

make homemade pizza  marble slab ice cream

visit the zoo                     do a paint project

do service for someone  visit grandmas

go camping                      go to a movie

walk a dog                        build a sand castle

visit a petting zoo           have a picnic

have a pajama day          backyard BBQ with family

plant flowers                   visit a amusement park

tie-dye a shirt                  go to the park

water balloons                mail a letter

make a collage                go to a pool

homemade lemonade   go to park lake

play a board game         take someone dinner

paint with pudding       melt crayons

have lunch at work with dad

make cookies                go bowling

make popsicles             do a treasure hunt

write a card                   go on a hike

have a popcorn fight   have a cousin party

do a puzzle                    slip and slide

sidewalk chalk             watch some fireworks

walk around Indian Battle Park

roast marshmallows   put the sprinkler under the trampoline

go to a car show           pitch a tent in the backyard

“I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs.” Mosiah 24:14

BIG BURDEN- HuGe

As you know Slave Lake, Alberta was struck by fire- no pun intended. Look here and here for the story and footage if you live under a rock.

Well for the last 6 months or so Martin Construction- the company Justin works for, has had major slow down. In fact last 2 months have been the worst ever. Honestly no one is building houses right now, no one is doing renovations therefore work has been extremely hard to come by.

Then Slave Lake happened. Dale (CEO Martin Construction) has been to Slave Lake and is getting work for his workers.... a really good thing- work wise. A really sad thing family wise. From what we understand Justin will be away from home for the next 6 months- 2 years. 

We are in the process of coming to terms with this huge change. So many things run through my mind constantly- I feel like my head is going to explode half the night. 

I have major concerns that keep me up at night, mostly with how my 2 girls are going to handle it, the baby wont know any better, but my little 2 year old and 3 year are going to be crushed. They are both Daddies girls and every time I think about him not being there to see them everyday I.....

So, because of this news we have decided to be induced. Justin needs to be ready to go whenever the work starts, and we want him to have as much time with this baby as possible before he leaves. I am due June 8th but that could go even till the 16th. So we scheduled June 1 as our day, but Mommy is hoping he decides he's ready before then and comes naturally... but we shall see.

But, I am really trying this new positive thinking method, and its helpingish. Luckily the Lord knows me, how I feel and react to things, so prayer is helping too.

All I can say is 

“I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs.” Mosiah 24:14

Flower Pots

I'm not sure if this makes me
a) anal
b) bossy
c) organized
d) controlling
but I do it anyways.When it comes to Kid Crafts or Projects, I tend to do them on days when the girls are extremely bored, after a while of doing nothing, or with continual bad weather.

Love the Chipman tongue 

I bought these flower pots ages ago, planing on letting the girls paint them and then plant a flower. But we had Parent Preschool and Preschool Soccer was happening, Easter then showed up, and all of sudden we had fantastic weather for like 2 weeks, and with Baby Brother on the way Mommy has been sewing/crafting for him so the KID Crafting got shelved.

But after it raining for 5 days straight- and Mommy not having tons of energy to expend on outings the girls were getting rather bored and owly.




I remembered this back-burner craft the other day and we set to work!
In fact - because I have no energy, I am way more relaxed when it comes to mess. Justin might even venture to say TOO relaxed but thats silly!
So the girls spent about a hour painting their flower pots, and hopefully some time in the next week or so we can take them to Home Depot or Walmart or some thing to pick out a flower.

Life As I Know It

• This is what A looks like after a hard day of playing outside. There are days she WILL NOT leave her pants on- and sometimes... I. don't. care.

• Friday night the family was jumping on the Trampoline, the girls ended up sitting on Justin and K is inspecting his ears. Then she says "Daddy you have sprinkles in your ears!" I was laughing so hard- then K gets offended and says "Don't laugh at me! Daddy where did YOU GET those sprinkles?"At that point Mommy could hardly breathe!

• For the last week A calls Justin Daddy-Oddy. It is so funny. She knows it drives him bananas, and so when she really wants something she will say "pee Daddy?". But the rest of the time it's Daddy-Oddy, she already has found his buttons, and it make me laugh!

• This morning while folding laundry K watched "The Pacifier" - she keeps telling me she wants to watch it again.. she loves the man. Vin Diesel is her man. 

• K is also extremely sensitive right now, she loves to make up songs and stories and if Daddy laughs she gets SO offended. She is constantly crying "Don't laugh at me!" she is so precious.

37.5 Weeks

I ain't complainin' 
But I'm tired, so I'm just sayin' 
What I think 
And if we're being honest 
Than honestly I think I need a (DP) drink 

Extra #1 check.

I am LOVING my new Calling.

Last week was the first Extra RS Meeting with the new Presidency, and I thought it went good!

We did a craft night, turn out was great and the crafts were soo cute.

I had every intention of taking photos, but I was exhausted before it even started - so photos did not get done. Special Thanks to Pam from Craft- T who had supplied all the crafts (below) we did!

First Extra RS Meeting check.

Second Extra RS Meeting is coming up in June and I am stoked for it!

We are "Cutting the Apron Strings" with the YW who are graduating- gonna be fun.

Car Seat Re-Cover

Before:

After:

Ever seen a tutorial and think to yourself- that is SO Freaking CUTE/Fantastic!!

I wouldn't classify this project as extremely hard and scary- although I did at first- I would classify it as TIME CONSUMING!!


This project took us 2 days of constant sewing... and laughing and eating and drinking DP.

The amount of time you spend with a seam riper is ridiculous, and bias tape makes me want to rip out hair- BUT I had major help with this project- huge thanks to Amelia and Tisha and Lisa and Jen for being there.

Tisha re covered her car seat as well and it was so fun to have her here. She is professional seamstress and she helped us along, showing us something tricky and stopping us from making big mistakes!

Amelia was also great- she sewed just as much of my car seat cover as I did. I  love her because she is a perfectionist- and I get frustrated cause she's a perfectionist. We work well together- I'm more of a work-it-out-as-I-go kinda girl.

Lisa- comic relief. Need I say more.

Jen- thanks for helping with the kids!!

Dont you just love Tisha's girlie Car Seat Re-cover!!!

Its stinking fantastic!

Would I do this again?- Um.... possibly.

Did it turn out as cute as I thought it would? Yes.

1 2 3 Pose

Parent Preschool came to a end last Monday. Just like last year we celebrated by heading to the firehall to look at all the fire trucks and try on the firemen gear.
And just like last year, my girlies didn't want to "mess me hairs"

I wish there was more to tell about the event, but I have girls. They thought it was cool to "drive" the trucks and take pictures, and as you can tell by the above photo, K posed in each one!
She was all about her look and flip flops, the trucks were just a backdrop!! LOL

Middle of May-WHAT??

Obviously you know the date-
These last couple of weeks have FLOWN by during the day at light warp speed- and have come to screeching halt at about 6:00p.m.

The weather has been oh so beautiful and the girls and I have been keeping busy soaking up the sun. I had forgotten what rag-a-muffins my girls turn into during summer days.

From Iphone

They have been outside by about 8:30 every morning and play hard all day. The park is a frequent play-mate as well as the stroller and bike trailer.
Slurrpies and juice boxes pelage my existence, as the girls have to ask for them constantly! Cousins and friends are over all the time and the trampoline and swing set are the most used family appliances right now.

AND THEN..

From Iphone

6:00 p.m. hits mommy.

I now have just 3 weeks left, and my hips are not my friends. I am exhausted- I lay down once the girls are asleep and fall into a restless slumber for as long as my bladder/hips/baby will let me!
I am ready to meet this baby boy- I want to see his beautiful face and hold him.... oh soon!!

Time Out For Women- Saturday

Saturday Morning- wake up @ 5:30 in the am. Poor little A was sick throwing up and woke the whole house up! Thanks to Mom and Dad for watching her and K! No point laying in bed- got up and ready for a day of fabulous instruction!

We walked into the conference and got our adorable TOFW bags. We were given a question think about for the remainder of the conference in the opening statements- " Who do I choose to become this year?"

Honestly, I am still pondering that question.

The conference started out with Laurel Christensen (blog)- actually she was a last minute replacement for another speaker who lost her passport on the way to the conference!! But let me tell you she was UNREAL.

Most of her presentation was on a not being a cheerful pessimist, but that using faith = optimism.  

3 points she talked  on

1. Pray with Faith 2. Think with Faith and 3.Live with Faith

The desires of your heart, write them down, take them to your Father in Heaven, pray with Faith, think with faith and live with Faith to be the women you want to be.

She also mentioned if we want to study more on this subject to read the Talk given by Elder Holland at BYU- Cast Not Away Therefore your Confidence. 

Hillary Weeks preformed in between each speaker, and she was hilarious. 

In fact, she talked on having positive thoughts. Her thoughts always had a cute funny spin on them and kept us all laughing and the day moving!

The other speakers that spoke included Emily Freeman, S. Michael Wilcox, Wendy Ulrich and Kris Belcheur. 

I would go into what each person presented on, but that would make this post TOO LONG. So instead if you want to know more about them, google them or go to the TOFW website!

But if you want to see some of Kris Belcheur- who was another one of my favourites- watch this clip!

Kris was not great at keeping us laughing uncontrollably, but she focused on  ~live to look to God~

~turn your complaints into prayer~

~be like the Brother of Jared, accept the winds that blow us~

~its ok to laugh in times of trials~

~be like Nephi, Remembering our trials are for our souls~

~look for joy even when its hard~

~look to God to Live, there is power in Vertical living!~

I cannot wait for TOFW to be around this area again. I am determined to get my mom and sister to attend with me this time- and I hope that I get to go with all my sisters-in-laws and my mother-in-law again too!

WHO??

OK LADIES-

image from likesomecatfromjapan.com

One of you out there- we were having on conversation about fruit and yogurt.
Then I urged you to try fresh strawberries and cottage cheese- you told me "gross".

A few days later we had the SAME conversation and you agreed to try.

The other day, for some reason, this conversation was plaguing my existence. I had to go out for Strawberries and Cottage Cheese- and guess what. It WAS as good as I said!

So for all those other ladies, who were not apart of this conversation- yeah or nay?

What is your favorite easy summer lunch?

Time Out For Women- Friday

This Conference was fabulous~ I have no idea where to start!

A couple months ago, my mother in law mentioned TOFW was coming to Calgary and she wanted to take all her daughters to it. At the time I was sceptical, I would be 35 weeks pregnant and sitting for 2 days sounded slightly uncomfortable. But it seemed like it would be a good experience with just my sister-in-laws and mother-in-law I said count me in-And I am so thankful and grateful to my mother-in-law for taking us, and I positively can not wait until it comes around again!

Mary Ellen Edmunds

I headed up Friday Morning with the girls to High River, and we just hung out that afternoon with Grandma and Grandpa, who watched the girls for us.

Later I met Karla in south Calgary at Sherliyns house and 4 of us plus 2 babies went downtown together. Can I just say how grateful I am that I did not have to drive downtown!?!

Friday Session of Conference, was really good, I was shocked at how many women there were! 

The first speaker was Mary Ellen Edmunds and she focused on Identities. Who am I? She was easy to listen too, and had some cute funny stories, but the best part about her was her LAUGH! 

She would tell some little funny, and her laugh made it even funnier! 

In between the speakers Macy Robison  (here's her blog) performed for us. She was a cabaret-style singer with songs and music on mothers and the women in our lives. She sang a song  called Just a Housewife  (this is not her singing it). I had never heard this song before, but it hit home for a few of us mothers there. For the record I LOVE being  "just a housewife". 

The second and last speaker for Friday was Heidi Swinton the author of To the Rescue The Biography of Thomas S. Monson. 

Heidi Swinton

A lot of her time was spent on Doctrine and Covenants 84:88, and about how she wrote our Prophet's Biography. Here are a few points I got from Heidi that I want to remember and work on:

• Am I close enough to the Lord that I can feel him on the right and left?
• Do I let my concerns over come what the spirit is telling me? 
• If President Monson, the prophet of our Church, with the weight of the world on his shoulders can  MAKE TIME to visit, say hello, make a phone call and make a difference~ SO CAN I. We are never too busy~ make the time.
• There is one thing I can offer everybody~ I can pray for you.
• Heavenly Father asks us to be better then I am, be more faithful then I am. Let it change my life.

Friday after the conference I arrived back to High River LATE, and on the way home, managed to run over a dead dear. YUP I managed to run it over again~ if it wasn't dead the first hit, I think it was the second. The van and I were fine, Justin on the other end of the phone call was not impressed with me~ especially when it took me a minute to explain I didn't hit a LIVE deer- but a already dead one.

Next post will be on Saturday's Session- a another great day full of inspiring sessions and lots of uplifting music!

True Story- I cried After

He did it.
Painted I mean.
My green is gone, seen only in pictures.

I am thankful for a hard working Husband who can paint and get the whole main floor done in 2 days. Even more thankful that he let me leave my Green for 3 years, even though he extremely disliked it and knew it most likely would be a main factor in not selling the house. I am also thankful for friends who share paint, uncles who feed my hard working husband over the weekend, and cousins who can move couches. I'm trying this new positive thinking method I learned this weekend at TOFW (more on that later). I WILL be especially grateful to the people who buy our house- when-ever and who-ever you come/are.

Before:

After:

Mother's Day

This Mothers Day was rather unusual. As you know Justin painted all day Friday and Saturday while the girls and I were gone, and so after church on Mother's Day we put the house back together. The painting was done, but the house was in shambles so the afternoon was spent working. It was also interesting due to the fact that the girls were up SUPER late the night before and sick all day Saturday- so both little ladies were cranky mick-cranky pants.

Although there were a couple high points to the day I want to remember:

1. K sang with the Primary in Sacrament for the first time today. I know, some of you are thinking so?!? But it was special to watch her for the first time, watch her grinning from ear to ear as they sang, and to watch her wave to A.
2. It was also K first time giving scripture in Primary. Daddy helped her recite JSH 1:17. The verse is rather long, and has some bigger words in it, but she did fantastic. She repeated after daddy, and I admit, mommy may have shed a tear or 2.
3. Justin got me some roses, and a new painted house.
4. A was full of Mommy snuggles when she woke up from her nap.

BUT we did do a little Mother's Day craft for Grandma Chipman.
~The Idea Room did heart handprints as Valentine cards~

     

So did you notice- I forgot it was 2011??

I hope that someday I am half as good of a Mom that my Mom is! 

Keeping Busy this week.

True Story- I cried.

Green.
The color of my house.
I feel no need to go further- this concept has been discussed on here before.

I gave in.

We are painting this week for better luck to sell our house.

We picked the paint. 

*Actually big thanks to Campbell's who had 4 Gallons of paint left, and asked us if we wanted it. We jumped at their offer!! This main floor is going to take at least another 5 Gallons, so they saved us about half the cost. The color is neutral, just what we needed, and it took the stress right out of choosing a "boring blah color"! (Just my opinion, yes some of you like washed out brown and baby poop looking color)

Saturday night Justin did 2 sample pieces, we picked up some brushes and rollers and stuff, and he started filling holes and dents.

True Story- I cried. 

Natural light (House lights off)

Natural light (House light off)

House light on

House light on

By Next Monday hopefully I will have a before and after photo for you....