Christmas in a nutshell

Well I am having a hard time keeping up with this whole blogging thing. For some reason I have lots to say but I am so uninspired to put it all down.
We had a wonderful Christmas in this house. It is so much fun with the kids to see them on Christmas morning. I think though that from now we will not put any presents out until Christmas eve. We also got a real Christmas tree this year. Smells sooo good.
For the first time ever in my life we also did a gingerbread house. That was also a lot of fun and looked great on the table. I love Christmas!

Cans for Comments

I am so excited to be doing cans for comments on my photography blog. You can check out the details at www.kenzie-kenziesphotography.blogspot.com

A Bathroom Rennovation

When we bought our home just over 3 years ago the previous owners had done a beautiful job with new carpet and flooring, paint, light fixtures etc... One thing that was really not done well though was the bathroom.
Now we only have one bathroom in our house for the 6 of us so any work that we wanted to do would certainly be a little inconvenient. It had to be done though.
Luckily for me I have a super duper handy hubby who can tackle any job and make it look easy.
He replaced the flooring with ceramic tile and of course the toilet had to come out for this first job. It was out for a good 12 hours while we ran to the nearest convenience store, mom and dads and the good old ice cream pail to relieve ourselves :)
Thankfully we got the toilet back on and next comes the shower tile. Out with the old and in with the new. I think it is so refreshing and nice looking. Now comes the fun part... paint!!!!
So after being without a toilet we were without a shower. So off again we go to the "rents" place for a shower. Luckily one of us is still small enough to bathe in the sink :-)

Falling off the wagon

I just can't seem to keep up with this blog thing. I guess I just don't have anything that important to say.
Or when I do I don't seem to blog about it. Facebook is like such a daily blog that you can just post whatever you are thinking anytime that to put it all in one paragraphy here just doesn't happen all that often anymore.
I guess I could say I got a new camera but of course have already mentioned it on fb :-)
I took the kids out for fall family pics and even managed a self timed one of ourselves as a family! I must say it turned out pretty good considering I was the one running back and forth.







I know this sounds crazy but I'm kind of waiting for the snow to fall. Birthdays and Christmas are just around the corner but with no snow it is hard to get into the groove.

Fear vs. Fact

It seems the whole world is in an uproar over H1N1 and what to do about it. Everywhere you turn there is some sort of "news". Vaccinate against the deadly virus, don't take this poison, It is too new, There is a pandemic, and the list goes on and on and on.
What are we to believe though? What is the best thing for us and our families? I believe that everyone chooses what they think is the best for themselves and their families and we just need to run with that.
We will not be vaccinating and just practicing very good hand washing etc... I am not comfortable yet with the vaccine although I have seriously considered it for Corey who is asthmatic.
Some of the safe guards we are taking here at home are:
-washing our hands as soon as we come in from any public place
-taking our vitamins
-trying to eat a well balanced diet with lots of fruit and veggies.

All I can do is hope I have made the right choice for myself and my family. If God forbid one of us gets seriously ill I will then of course question my choice and wish that we had taken the vaccine. However, if we get the vaccine and suffer some serious side effects or death due it I will be kicking myself for that choice as well. Is it a lose/lose situation? I don't think so. If we all live today like it is our last day then we should have a fulfilling and happy life :-)

Hypocrite?

As most of you know I am a wanna be hippie ;) I cloth diaper my kids, I wear cloth pads myself (TMI I know...) I use reusable everything I can and only natural products for cleaning as well as on my skin and my children's skin.
I've been thinking a lot lately though about the fact that I don't follow this lifestyle for my diet. If anything I consume more "poison" in my eating habits then anywhere else in my life. With all the chemicals in our foods and additives it is no wonder the human race is full of disease and behaviour problems.
So, I wonder why am I so concerned about our environment and the world we live in but not my own body? The answer I would give is that our world needs to last for generations to come and so my children have a healthy environment to grow and live in. I wonder though wby I don't think my children deserve a healthy mom to grow and play and live with?
I have read quite a bit on "clean eating" and this is something that totally appeals to me. I realize it is quite a task to take on but I would really like to try this one meal at a time.
If anyone has any great tips or books or websites please leave a comment.

Yelling

I do WAY too much of this. Part of it of course it trying to be heard over the chaos of my kids but much more is related to sheer frustration and anger. There I said it. I have known this for quite some time but to actually admit it is a whole different deal.
I consider myself a little bit if an AP (attachment parent) and yelling all the time just does not fit into the life that I want my kids to experience or myself.
I read something quite a while ago about Non Violent Communication. To be totally honest I didn't give it a whole lot of thought or research but I think I might look into this a little bit.
I am also going to count to 10 every time I want to yell. I mean really the things I am yelling about are far from life or death situations so if I need a 10 second countdown to not yell I think it will be worth it.
Anyway that is my thought today. I want a more peaceful house and it needs to begin with me.

Camping at Tulabi Falls Nopiming Park

Our last big hurrah! The "big kids" went to the boat with Grandma and Grandpa and we really wanted to try out Tulabi Falls.
Back in the day when Jay and I were just dating we camped out at Black Lake and it was beautiful. Now Nopiming Park is really situated in the middle of nowhere. There are very few services and no running water or real toilets. Because we were only going for the weekend though we were pretty sure we could rough it for a couple of days ;)
We pulled in on Friday in the dark because of course it is dark by 7:30 now :p Jayson was doing such a good job setting up our big tent by himself and just as I commented one of the poles broke. Totally crappy but what can you do? Jay being the creative and handy guy that he is found a temporary solution and here it is


With the tent being erect we were in business. We had great fire and put the kids to bed. It was a beautiful evening and the stars out there were incredible.
The next morning started like any other morning when you are camping. A big fire and making breakfast. We were going to hard boil eggs instead of scrambling because it is a way easier clean up. However on the way from the cooler to the picnic table our eggs dropped everywhere. So the ones we could save ended up scrambled ;) No big deal breakfast is served. After a while we figure we'll go do some exploring. We grab a map from the office and head off in the van to some hiking trails etc... we figure the kids will nap while we drive and then we can enjoy the rest of the day.
As we are driving down the most gravel and bumpiest roads ever and winding round and round Matthew pukes everywhere. Give it 10 minutes after we have cleaned up as best as we could and it's Jordyn's turn to get sick. Another stop and clean up and Matthew goes again. By this time we are an hour and a half from our campsite in the middle of no where. Obviously we turned back and hoped the puking was done.
Luckily they both fell asleep and we got back to camp.
Had some lunch and continued our day. That's when I broke my toe! I could not believe our luck so far. It was time to pack up and head home.

Oh Yeah... Banff

So I kind of forgot to update about our Banff trip again and to be honest, at this point I really don't remember what days what events happened.
I will summarize it this way. I had a wonderful time. We saw tons of wildlife. There was a bear in our campground. We stayed at Two Jack Lake Main and it was perfect. We drove the Icefield Parkway to the Glaciers, We saw lots of waterfalls including Athabaska. We hiked lots of trails Moraine lake and Bow Falls. We went and toured the Cave and Basin which was really neat.
We went to Lake Louise, Canmore, Jasper, Calgary and even stopped at Drumheller and went to the Royal Tyrell Museum.
We sat in the hot springs at Banff,shopped,swam in cascade pond (it was freezing)

Anyway, it was wonderful and I could easily and happily go back and do it all over again. Maybe next summer ;)

Summer in September

I for one am LOVING this hot summer weather we are finally having! I know some people whine and complain about all this heat but my family is eating it up and savouring every single second we can get.
The backyard kiddie pool is being used daily and we have another camping trip planned for this weekend!!!

Poor Corey-Poor Goldie

I never grew up with fish or little pets. My brother though had hampsters and gerbils galore. We had a dog and I remember when she died but it was a dog.
Well poor Corey has experienced his first death.
His fish Goldie has gone to the big fish bowl in the sky.
Corey bought Goldie with his very own money after saving long and hard at the age of 7 years old. He had his own tank and fed him (when he remembered) ;)
Of course out of all the times for this silly fish to die it had to be when Jayson was away for the weekend.
I waited overnight to decide how to handle this death and talk to Corey about it. He wanted to bury it but could not find a good enough shovel. So we discussed it and I put Goldie in the toilet. Corey flushed and that is when he broke down.
I felt so bad for him and just had to give him a hug and hold back my own tears.

September 11, 2001

It is amazing to think that the tragedy of 9/11 was already 8 years ago. I know for me it is still fresh and just think of ALL the major changes in the world since then.
A tragedy that has affected us all and yet every year it seems to become more and more a distant memory.
I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when the news hit and what crazy, heart stopping news it was.
I have a heavy heart today for all the families who lost their loved ones on this horrible day and my thoughts and prayers go out to those families :(

Back to School

Today was the day that most parent's have circled on their calendar. It is bittersweet as today is the day that the kids "get out of my hair" and back into routine. It also means it is that much closer to the end of summer though which is a horrible thought :(
I just realized I forgot to send their kleenex boxes to school with them so I suppose I will send them tomorrow.
Kianne was nonchalant about the first day of school and shot me down when I asked her if she wanted me to walk with her. I guess that is what happens when you go into grade 5 ;)


Corey was excited to ride his bike and see all his friends. The only reason he wanted me to walk with him was so I could help him carry his stuff. I guess in grade 3 it is still acceptable. When I realized that he just wanted to use me as a donkey though I sent him on his way ;)

I am really looking forward to this school year and have high hopes for a great year. Corey has a really good teacher that I know he likes and Kianne's so far seems nice. Unfortunately she will always be the guinea pig with teachers as she is the oldest.
So with the first day being done and only 9 more months to go... here's to a Happy Back to School Day for students, parents and teachers :)

Best Long Weekend Ever

Due to a change of plans on the Edmonton side we ended up being in Manitoba. As dissapoining as it was to not be able to be with Michael this past weekend we had a great time anyway.
With summer weather finally arriving we took full advantage of it! We booked a campsite at our favorite place and did lots of hiking and swimming and wading and sightseeing etc...
Of course there were a few bumps to the trip including deflated air mattresses, a big rock in the windshield, a broken ignition that Jay was thankfully able to fix and banana on my most favorite mei tie among other "little bumps" that seem to happen when you go camping with little kids. But the weather was amazing, there were almost no mosquitos and the kids actually slept really well.
The "big kids" didn't want to come so they stayed with their Dad. It's to bad though because I think they would have had a blast with all the kids there. Plus it would have been fun to have them along.
We only stayed two nights just because it was too hard sleeping on a bed of rocks. We got home late Sunday night and then on Monday spent the day at Hecla Island and Morton Park.I still like Opawpiskwa way better but at least we know :)
We are hoping that we'll be able to get out one more time this year for some fall camping seeing as how my September is open!

Welcome Back

Yes I am welcoming myself back. I feel like I have been on a blogging hiatus the last little while. I have all sorts of things to write about but just can't seem to find the time to sit down and do it. I mean for goodness sakes I haven't even finished blogging about our trip to Banff and in 10 days we are leaving to Edmonton.
The kids are in their last week of swimming lessons and registry for fall activities are in full swing. Kianne will figure skate again and both the kids want to play guitar. Corey will finish up soccer in the fall and take a break over the winter before starting up again in the spring. It really works out quite well that the kids have found things they like during opposite seasons. Better for scheduling and great for the wallet ;)
I have been super busy with weddings and have not had a weekend off since we got home from Banff. I have another one this coming up Saturday and then a little break in September. As much as I love it I am ready for a break. I just want a full weekend to relax and if the weather is nice we will hopefully take off.
Like I mentioned earlier we are going to Edmonton for sure the first weekend of September to go visit Michael. If there are anymore nice weekends i.e. not freezing temps we will for sure pack up the tent and head out!

New Books

I am so excited! I just purchased four new books! Buying books is for sure one of my guilty pleasures. I guess it is because they are all for me. No one else in this house will have any interest in them or want to touch them or play with them or even care that they are here. They are all mine.
As most moms know this is a rare circumstance and so I relish in this little delight.
The reason I ordered four is because when you order online at Chapters/Indigo once you spend $39 you get free shipping. Well, for a shopaholic like myself free shipping is really what it's all about :)
So what did I get you ask?
The Time Travellers Wife-After seeing the trailer for this movie I just knew I HAD to have the book!



My Sisters Keeper- Another one inspired from seeing an add for a movie.


Love the one you're with- Emily Giffin. Love this author so had to try it out.



And finally Can you Keep a Secret- Another great easy read author Sophie Kinsella


Maybe once I am done reading them if I am feeling really energetic I may even do a review :)