Happy New Year!

So, are you making any New Year's Resolutions this year? I usually make the same one every year - eat better, exercise more and lose weight. I think I have a head start on the 3rd one tho - this is the first Christmas where I started out 20 lbs. lighter than I did a month ago. Hopefully I can keep it up.

Christmas was nice - it was good to be home with family again. I missed my beautiful nieces - I love spending time with them. The weather driving down and coming back could have been better. The highways were clear(thankfully) but the visibility was crummy. And then poor Kiana came down with a stomach bug halfway thru Saskatchewan. There can't be anything worse than being sick on the road. Oh well, we are home again.

Seeing as today is Monday, I am posting my 7 things today again:


1. I am so grateful for good health - we have colds and stomach bugs at our house and you really appreciate feeling good when you don't!

2. Wealth - we got alot of wonderful gifts from family and I am so grateful for everything we have. I so often take what I have for granted and only want more. I forget to thank God for what I already have

3. Family - I got to meet some of Chris' family for the first time this holiday season. Chris hadn't seen his cousin in 26 years and I had never met her. It is great to meet and get to know his family - and they are so wonderful.

4. Chris - my wonderful husband is so patient with me - some days I drive him to the brink but he still waits my tantrums out and listens to me rant and rave.

5. Snow - I really don't like the winter or the snow, but the past few days has been so beautiful. While we were driving through Manitoba and Saskatchewan it was really foggy. The fog had put a layer of hoar frost on everything and it was just magnificent. It was the most beautiful drive I have ever experienced.

6. A new year - its a time for new beginnings and fixing old mistakes. Its like I've got a clean slate and I get to try to make it better this year - to be a better person this year. One of these days I'll get it right. Until then I keep trying and am continually thankful for the forgiveness of the Father.

7. Friends - I always post this one, I know, but this is consistantly true. I have been blessed with so many wonderful people who love me and bless me in so many ways. I cannot imagine a day of my life without all of them in it. I am a truly rich woman!!!


Well, I hope you all have a wonderful New Year's Eve. Don't party too hard - have a drink for me! Cheers all - I love ya and look forward to seeing you in 2008!!!

Wishing all my dearest friends near and far a blessed Christmas and lots of new and exciting adventures in the New Year. I love you and will miss chatting with you for the next few weeks. I look forward to chatting with and seeing you all again in 2008. I love you all very much.

Its Monday again

and I am manic. Only 4 days left until we leave for home and I have a MILLION things that need to get done. Today is laundry and packing day. It would be a ton easier to get things done if the kids weren't both home sick with colds today. Good thing its a quiet week at school and they won't be missing much. We had a nice weekend tho. We spent some time with a friend of Chris' and his wife. Darren and Chris have been friends since they were 16 - they even lived together for awhile. So having them in Edmonton is pretty cool - feels like home.

I am kinda nervous and excited today - I have a job interview with Edmonton Public Schools as a Teacher's Aide. I REALLY hope I get this - its pretty exciting. I figure with my experience with Autism, ADHD, ADD, GAD and SID I might actually have a shot. It's this afternoon - keep your fingers crossed for me please!!!

Here are my seven for the day. You might see a theme here today - I am like a little kid when it comes to Christmas. It's my favourite time of year so alot of my thanks today is Christmas related!

1. My girlies - I am so thankful for all the girls that I get to crop with every month. Went to Urban on Friday night and had a wonderful time exchanging Christmas gifts, eating and laughing.

2. Coffee - waking up in the morning to the smell is enough to get me out of bed in a REALLY HAPPY MOOD!!!!

3. Traditions - the comfort of Christmas traditions and the good memories and feelings that come with them.

4. Wrapping gifts - the excitement of knowing that you got someone EXACTLY what they wanted and how excited they will be when they open that special gift.

5. Chocolate - there is nothing better than comfort food - especially at Christmas. That's when the best chocolates come out.

6. Christmas carols - filling my house with the sounds of Christmas makes me feel all comfy and cozy inside

7. Going home - there is nothing better than spending Christmas with family. No matter what happens during the year, its the greatest place to be!


Hope you all have a wonderful week!!!

Another week is coming to an end

and I am very happy about it. It has been a crazy week of finishing Christmas gifts and getting the kids hither and yon for all their activities. The kids had their Christmas concert at school last night and they had so much fun. Kiana and Malachi both love being on stage and being the centre of attention. They did really well and it was a wonderful evening.

I am very excited as well. I have a job interview with Edmonton Public Schools as a Teacher's Aide. I figured that since I have experience with Autism, ADHD, ADD and a variety of other disorders and disabilities I might as well try and put my knowledge to good use. I applied yesterday and got an interview for Monday afternoon. Please keep your fingers crossed that this works out for me.

And finally, I am hanging out with my girlies tonite - Urban Crop!!! Haven't seen them in almost a month and I'm going thru withdrawl. It'll be the last crop before the holidays. I can't wait to hang out, exchange gifts and just get some good scrapping in!!!

Have a wonderful weekend all!!!

Good Monday Morning

The start of another week is here. Only 15 days until Christmas - are you ready yet?! We certainly are. We are heading back home to Winnipeg for Christmas this year again. Because we are, we did Christmas early at our house cuz we didn't want to fill the car with all our gifts for the kids and then bring them back again. Just doesn't make any sense, so we did Christmas with the kids this past weekend. The kids figured they are lucky because they get 2 Christmases this year. They loved all their presents and got spoiled terribly. I, of course, got spoiled from dh as well. Got a diamond heart pendant necklace and my new tattoo. Its an autism symbol that I had done on my ankle. And yes, it is EXTREMELY painful to get a tattoo on your ankle. But I love it and it was TOTALLY worth it.

And seeing that it's Monday - here are my Monday 7:

1. Coffee - I love the smell of coffee in the morning. There is nothing better than a good cup of coffee first thing in the morning.

2. Bath bombs - I got some yummy bath bombs from Lush Cosmetics . What a wonderful luxury.

3. My relationship with the kids - I am so lucky that I have such a wonderful and trusting relationship with my kids. I realized yesterday that they are comfortable talking to me about all sorts of stuff. It isn't a big deal now, but as they are entering the teenage years I am setting the stage for it continuing as they get older.

4. Nieces - I have the sweetest nieces ever. They called from Winnipeg to tell me that they were excited that I was coming for Christmas and staying with them. I love them and miss them terribly!

5. The Weather - I LOVE that its only -5 outside today. It is sooooo warm. This part of winter I LOVE!!!

6. Christmas - I love the feeling in the air that comes about 2 weeks before Christmas. I love the smell, the sounds, the spirit. I love it all.

7. Work - I am looking for a job for the first time in 10 years and I am thankful that I had the ability to be a SAHM for as long as I was and that hopefully I can get a great TA job with EPS!

Hope you all have a wonderful day!

Missing Ma!

See these beautiful wall hangings? My dear friend Ma gave them to me for the past 3 years as Christmas gifts. She was such a gifted quilter and she blessed me dearly with her craft. I put them up in my house this week as I'm getting ready for Christmas. I think that's why I miss her so much - I feel her love in every stitch. She spent looong hours making these beautiful gifts for me because she knew that I would love and appreciate them. I really wish that I could have just 5 more minutes with her just to tell her how much I love and miss her.

Christmas has come

to our house. We decorated the tree on Friday and the kids had lots of fun. I love these two pictures of my kids. I have the greatest kids ever. We had the IKEA Christmas party this weekend too. It was alot of fun - didn't win any prizes but free food and wine is always fun. It was snowing when we left the party last night and it hasn't stopped yet. We will definitely be having a white Christmas this year. And Kiana had her 10th birthday yesterday too. WOW - I have a tween - man, that makes me feel old. I can't believe it!!!

Well, since it's Monday, here are my 7:

1. My amazing tween. I can't believe I gave birth to my little girl 10 years ago. Wow, is she growing up. She has an amazing heart for everyone around her. She is loving and giving. And she has a prayerful spirit. If anyone or anything comes to her mind she prays for them or prays about it. She has taught me so much in her 10 little years. Blessings my little girl! Thank you for being my heart.

2. Malachi is happiest for the little things. He thinks that I am his new hero. I found him the Bumblebee Transformer and he told me I was the best mom in the world. What a $15 toy can do.

3. My husband is amazing. He has a work ethic and a selflessness that warms my heart. So that his employees could have a good time, he worked during his Christmas party so the disturbances going on wouldn't affect everyone else at the party. Everybody had a great time and they barely even noticed that he was gone and dealing with a potentially dangerous situation.

4. Christmas is coming and I am so blessed by the season. I put out my Nativity scene and now I really feel Christmas. I feel thankful that my kids love and focus on the true meaning of Christmas.

5. My amazing friends. I know this is an oft commented thing, but every day I am blessed by the messages, phonecalls and thoughts that they send my way. God has truly blessed me with a plethora of love and support. Just a phone call to say "Hi" or "Oh no, what happened to your windshield?" always brings a smile to my face. Love ya my girls!!!

6. Finding a new church. I always hate trying to find a new church, but for the first time the kids are EXCITED to go to church. They love it and that's reason enough for me. They are meeting the needs of my kids and that's the most important thing.

7. Love of family - my parents and nieces and nephews called Kiana on the webcam yesterday and sang her "Happy Birthday" It makes it feel like they can be here for her party even if they aren't physically here. I LOVE technology - it makes you feel not so far away. I also love that my dad is (in his own little unchanging way) changing just a little and adopting some of this technology!

Hope you have a wonderful day! Love to you all!