slowly getting over the weekend

Wow that was an impromptu blogging break I didn't mean to take.

This weekend was way tougher than I had imagined it would be. Don't get me wrong, I had a great time and laughed from one end of it to the other, but still it didn't come without a cost. The kids are long since used to Mike being away at meetings and obligations, but they are not used to me being kinda sorta gone and they gave my Mom a run for her money this past weekend I'm afraid. I am endlessly appreciative of my Mom for coming and staying with them so I could be off doing other things. I swear I just ran my tail feathers off from last Wednesday straight through to Sunday night.

Here's the hot points:

Live tweeting the fair was lots of fun. I am very curious to see how many texts I exchanged over the weekend because while I was texting in updates to facebook and twitter I was also texting with my Mom at home with the girls, Mike to keep in touch with him and HPH & ML when we got separated so we could hook back up...... just to name a few.

I wish I'd had a pedometer on this weekend just to see how many actual steps I walked.

The weather Friday was insane here. We lost power in the afternoon and they closed my road not long after that. I had no idea when the kids' bus was coming or if they were getting off here or at the sitter's. My house phone wasn't working. I had a Mom at my house who's daughter hadn't gotten off the bus at home or at the sitter's and the neighbour was stuck in traffic and her boys were not handling her being late well at all. Mike was stuck at the fair with no power while the wind tore apart the vendor's booths outside. Friday was like Armageddon.

The weather was just weird all weekend. We froze and we roasted. I got a teensy sunburn.

We "celebrated" Papa's birthday with pumpkin pie and singing in the middle of the school fair building. People applauded... probably because we had stopped singing.

I ate a deep fried Mars bar. Oh yes I did. It was delicious. I also had a taste of deep fried butter. It was odd... kinda like a deep fried pancake ball with a melted butter centre. We drew the line at chocolate covered bacon.

Seeing people run across the grounds at you to win a prize is really pretty exciting. Having folks ask you every time they see you what they won..... gets old really really fast. I mean really fast.

Who knew showing your cow was such a complicated process? Thank goodness my little buddy Brad was there to explain it all to us.

I reached a point on Sunday evening when I'd just had enough. I had hit the wall, but there was still more to do, the school fair building needed to be dismantled and I really wasn't sure I had it in me to help. And then the little old lady appeared out of no where, she patted me on the shoulder and thanked me for volunteering. It gave me the push I needed to get through that last hour or so. I don't know who she was, but I was thankful for her kind words.

Even though I was up to my eyeballs in stuff this weekend when ML called to see if I wanted to go to the market with her and the boys, I decided to step out of my life and go. Oh yes there was lots I could and should have been doing at home. Instead I said nuts to that and headed out the door.

The market was crazy busy. Like so many people at times you had no choice but to go with the flow. There was no stopping and browsing in places. I had gone with $20 in my pocket and a plan to grab some more from the ATM. Yeah, big mistake. There was no getting near an ATM. I strongly suggest you arrive with cash on you, just like my buddy ML did. Thanks goodness she could bankroll me.

I did score some killer deals, like candy coated mini chocolate chips, a fairly hefty bag for a buck. I usually use mini m&m's in the kids granola bars. The last scoop I got at the bulk barn cost me $5. I probably should have picked up more. Then there were the red peppers. Only $10 for one of those baskets. I spent most of Sunday turning that into a whole lot of red pepper jelly. Yum!



I also picked up some killer cinnamon butter. It tastes just like the center of a cinnamon bun. It's the best on toast. Abby and I are addicted already. I also grabbed some smoked pork chops, so good, but hard to find outside of the market.

Our next stop was the Apple Harvest Fest in ML's hometown. We had a great little walk through town. The kids tried on hats.



Totally adorable hats.



Abby felt strongly she needed this, for her next visit with Uncle Dave.



So see, if I had stayed home and cleaned toilets, I would have missed out on all this fun!

lesser of two evils

Which would you rather hear from your 4 year old as she cries her face off...

Option A - You don't like me!

Option B - I hate you!

Speaking from experience, they both pretty much suck the big one.

friday high five - fall tv shows

Another thing I love about fall... the new TV schedule. Nothing like a hot cup of tea and a fresh ball of yarn to turn into a scarf while I watch my favourite shows.

So which are the five I'm looking forward to watching the most?

1. Grey's Anatomy. I came in pretty late to the party on this one, but I'm glad I did. Oddly enough I only started watching it because Michael insisted that we should because everyone else was. Now... he won't watch it with me. He can't stand Cristina and feels all the storylines are ridiculous. Anyway I am dying to see how last season's bloody finale plays out.

2. The Office. I have to admit I was pretty underwhelmed with this past season. There was still lots of great moments, but I felt like the whole Saber storyline was weak and Kathy Bates (as much as I love her) was miscast here. I am looking forward to seeing how they wrap up Michael's storyline (I'm guessing Holly will make a reappearance) and who will end up at the helm of the office. I'm secretly pulling for the Nard Dog.... he gives the best backrubs in the office.

3. Survivor! Are you kidding me. Still love this show. Now that Abby's bedtime is 9pm, she can stay up to watch the whole show, she is beyond excited. I think Old vs Young is going to be interesting to watch. Mike has Shannon (ha! funny coincidence) in his work Survivor Pool, so I'll be pulling for him this season.

4. GLEE! Oh my gosh I love this show so much! I can't wait to see where the New Directions are headed now and what they'll be singing when they get there. And what Sue Sylvester's going to do to take them down. Love it!

5. Modern Family. This show is right up there with The Office and Arrested Development in my books. I love watching Ed O'Neil on this show. I was afraid he'd been type cast forever as Al Bundy, nice to see that not to be true. I can't wait to see more of Cam and Mitchell. I still laugh whenever I think of that clown episode. Oh and Claire and Phil, sweet clueless Phil. And Manny... he's just trying to bring style back to travel.

What are you looking forward to seeing back on TV this fall?

the official first day of school post

Gah! The eyes... they should be open!



So yesterday was MyPie's first day of school. I have to say getting her off to school that morning was way smoother than I was anticipating. Now if you know anything about Mike and I, you know that we are going with the whole.... it takes a village to raise a child thing. Meaning my kids have very involved grandparents, so it was quite the entourage that saw Miss Maya off on the bus. Just 5 adults and the kids.



Of course I made the mistake of snapping some pictures as soon as we got to the stop. I say mistake because after we were done local photographer extraordinaire and one of my best girls The Mommy Project showed up and asked if we'd taken some pictures. We had, but they were not the best... I've shared them with you anyway, but gah! Well I should clarify, the ones of the girls, super adorable, the ones of the blogmother... not so much. The lesson here.... when an uber talented photographer offers to take a few pictures for you.... ALWAYS take her up on it.



Abby has not exactly been keen on the idea of her little sister starting school. She's worried that Maya is going to cramp her style and she certainly hopes I'm not expecting her to look after Maya all day.



Lucky for MyPie The MP's little Jamie was more than willing to play mother hen and she ushered Maya into line to get on the bus, promised to sit with her and to find her at recess. This thrilled Maya to no end because she LOVES Jamie and would tell you that they are BFF's, but she doesn't get to spend anywhere close to enough time with her.



So Maya got on that big yellow bus with her little bestie Jamie and she had ML's oldest son waiting to welcome her on and make sure she was doing okay while her Momma stood on the sidewalk with a wee tear in her eye (I wasn't going to admit to it, but The MP totally caught me). And I think that tear may have turned into a tiny weep if I hadn't noticed that she'd covered her eyes with her hand as the bus pulled away and then I bust out laughing. So very cute. So very Maya.

photo an hour - first day of school

So my little MyPie is going off to school today. Her very first day of JK. She's been spinning around in circles in the kitchen since she got up shouting "I'm going to school today!" so I think she's going to do alright. But how is this poor old Mommy going to do? Well I booked the day off work so I could celebrate the graduation of my youngest daughter into the public school system by eating chocolate and quietly weeping in my darkened living room until it was time to get them from the bus. Just kidding... kinda.

So I'll be taking these photos with my cellie, so this is not a project that will be big on photo quality, just a little glimpse into my first day as an "empty-nester".

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Good night!

what's cooking wednesday

It's that time of the week again. Time to let me all know what you've been cooking up in your kitchen. My kitchen's been taking a break after the marathon of cooking and baking it went through this weekend. And I baked two more cakes this week... I only actually needed one. There was a horrible cake related accident with the first one.

But enough about me... what are you cooking?



What is What's Cooking Wednesday and how can I play?

What's cooking Wednesday was born out of a desire to get out of that what's for dinner rut. Playing is easy, on Wednesday post a recipe that has been tried and tested by you and then pop over here and add your name to the Mr. Linky. When entering your name also add the name of the recipe in brackets and make sure you link to your What's Cooking Wednesday post and not just your blog's front page. *All front page links will be deleted!* Don't make me be a jerk. And don't forget to link back here, the home of What's Cooking Wednesday.

So for example I would write Shan (Speedy Chicken Stir Fry) in the name section. For the URL section I would post this: http://shanrev.blogspot.com/2007/10/whats-cooking-wednesday-speedy-chicken.html

I'll let you in on a little secret, my WCW recipes are almost never made on a Wednesday. So feel free to cook and photograph whenever you have time and join us posting on Wednesday

happy birthday grandma sandi

So Saturday was the night of the big rockin' 60th birthday party for Grandma Sandi. It was a real collaborative effort to pull the whole thing off. Papa OldBeard was not used to be on this side of the party planning duties and his nervousness that the whole party go off without a hitch was equal parts cute and annoying and I mean that in the sweetest way possible.

It was great to be able to hang out with family members I don't often get to hang with, even though I should.. like... all the time, because they are some super funny peeps.



My sisters-in-law showed up with that giant plant. I don't even want to tell you how many "giant bush" jokes that led too.... you know, because we're 12. Ahahahaha it still makes me laugh just thinking about it.



I could not resist these roses for Grandma Sandi. Aren't they just gorgeous?



My girls, of course, were right in the thick of it for present time.



I was insanely happy with how the cake turned out and so was Grandma Sandi.



It was just a great night. Lots of laughs and lots of love. If everybody had half as much fun as I did, then we did okay!

my besties are the best

Wow this weekend has been a whirl wind of cleaning, cooking, baking and decorating. Grandma Sandi was turning 60, so we had a big ol' party here for her. I'll share all the fun details with you... promise, but before I do I have to say.....

I wouldn't have been able to get through this weekend without the very awesome people I have in my life.

Mike tackled the outside of the house, making sure the lawn was cut and the yard and deck tidied.

ML hit the grocery store with me and helped me fill my cart fuller than a shopping cart should ever be. Then she helped me put it all away because she's awesome like that.

My best gal Robin showed up Friday night and helped me prep most of the food for the following day. You wouldn't believe the broccoli she chopped for me. It was just a shade under a truckload. All so I could make the biggest broccoli salad that has ever existed in the history of the world. She washed my dishes and made 25% of her girls fold my towels while another 50% of them entertained my kids.



The best part was when they both showed up Saturday night and let me mingle with my guests while they put out all the food, cleared peoples plates, put away all the food, cleaned up and washed my dishes. So awesome! I've never experienced one of my own parties from anywhere but the kitchen. I got to hang with my extended family. They are some very funny people. Oh the laughs. A million thank yous to my best girls for doing that. What you did was such a gift and I love you both for it. And thanks for being such good sports about the endless jokes we made about "the staff". You guys are rock stars.

Another big thank you goes to my partners in party planning crime. We pulled off a most excellent birthday party. I thank you very much for all the help, it was greatly appreciated. And I can only hope you had half as much fun as I did. Thanks for the laughs!

i heart facebook

This Abby and her "new to her" bike. It's a hand me down from my niece and it's nothing fancy, but Abby loves it and it gets her around town with her bff's.



The evening before Abby and I snuck out for a little bike ride down the trail and when we got home I wheeled "my bike" - which is also a hand me down to Abby bike, but she doesn't like "mine" as much as the one she got from her cousin - into the garage. Abby left hers in the driveway. You should put your bike away in the garage, I told her.

Nah, it's fine here and I don't know if I'm finished riding it yet.

So she didn't put it away and I didn't put it away, so it stayed, leaning up against the garage right outside my back door all night. Well at least until 11:30ish. Mike had gone to bed, but I stayed up to have a shower, after which I sat at the computer... which is right at my back door.... to check my email, wrapped in a towel.

Just after I sit down I hear a couple of footsteps on the driveway. Our driveway is gravel, but we have a walkway of patio stones to the back door, so I literally heard 2 steps on the gravel and then nothing. My heart was instantly in my throat even though I figure it must be somebody's dog loose. The light on our garage is on a motion detector and it didn't turn on and I don't hear anything else. A quick peek out the window and I don't see a soul, but I also don't see Abby's bike. I woke Mike and asked if he put Abby's bike away, he hadn't, but he gets up and heads out in the van to see if he could see anything or anybody. He didn't.

We were both pissed and disappointed, I mean what kind of person steals an 8 year old's non-fancy bike? Did they think she had a real Louis Vuitton bike purse? Because that thing was totally fake. Did they think she had wads of cash in her bike purse? Because she didn't just some rocks treasures she's collected while out riding with friends.

So we both post about the stolen bike on facebook and then we go back to bed. This turned out to be both a good and bad idea. Bad because half the school knew Abby's bike had been stolen, while Abby had no idea. We planned on telling her after she got home. No sense getting her all upset first thing in the morning and then dumping her at the sitter's. So when she got off the bus, with tears threatening she asked us... Where is my bike because people at school told me it was stolen.

Who told you that, I asked.

Half the school was talking about it. Jacob told me and Maddie said she thought it was on facebook.

The power of facebook!

Good because half the school knew her bike had been stolen, so when one of the kids from down the street saw a bike abandoned by the rail trail he wheeled it back up to our place to see if it was Abby's. It was. There was much happy dancing going on at our place from both The Abster and myself. The kid who found it, is not one I know all that well... so he probably thought I was a little cuckoo when I was in his face asking what his name was and which house he lived at. He just doesn't realize he's got cookies in his future.

The power of facebook!

Now her bike purse was missing, but Abby went back to where they found the bike and it was there in the grass, all her treasures still intact. As for Abby she is... and I quote... the happiest girl in the world. And her bike, every time she came back from a ride it went right in the garage and I made sure it was locked up tight last night.

what's cooking wednesday - no bake cookies

So What's Cooking Wednesday is a day late, but I'm sure you don't mind me postponing it so I could honour my very awesome Mama. We'll keep that little party going, if you don't mind.....

Growing up these no bake cookies were a staple. Well not these exact ones, but close to it.

Shhh don't tell my Mom, but these cookies may be even better than the ones she makes.

Shhh not because her's are awful... it has more to do with my distaste for coconut and my mega love for peanut butter.

I found the recipe over at the Pioneer Woman's Tasty Kitchen recipe site. Dontcha just love that lady? For real life?

You can find it here: Great-Grandma Lucy's No Bake Cookies






What is What's Cooking Wednesday and how can I play?

What's cooking Wednesday was born out of a desire to get out of that what's for dinner rut. Playing is easy, on Wednesday post a recipe that has been tried and tested by you and then pop over here and add your name to the Mr. Linky. When entering your name also add the name of the recipe in brackets and make sure you link to your What's Cooking Wednesday post and not just your blog's front page. *All front page links will be deleted!* Don't make me be a jerk. And don't forget to link back here, the home of What's Cooking Wednesday.

So for example I would write Shan (Speedy Chicken Stir Fry) in the name section. For the URL section I would post this: http://shanrev.blogspot.com/2007/10/whats-cooking-wednesday-speedy-chicken.html

I'll let you in on a little secret, my WCW recipes are almost never made on a Wednesday. So feel free to cook and photograph whenever you have time and join us posting on Wednesday

happy birthday

Sixty years ago today my Mom was born, the third child and second daughter to my Polish grandparents in the great province of Manitoba.



I'm a very sappy girl when it comes to my Mom. I love her tremendously and appreciate her more than I could ever adequately explain. Things weren't easy after my Dad died, but she saved us. She got us through and made sure that Uncle Dave and I grew up to be functioning members of society. I'm not sure how you say thank you for something like that.



Happy Birthday Mom! I love you!

good for the soul

September is well underway and I say let the games begin! September is going to be crazy busy and I'm still rather anxious about parts of if, but this weekend...... this weekend was just good for my soul.

If we're pals on facebook or you follow me on twitter then you already know I spent Saturday shopping with Grandma Linda. Just us ladies. She asked if I'd like to take one or both of the kids with us..... somehow I managed to hold in a very loud HA! and instead politely suggested that perhaps shopping would go easier without a 4 and/or a 8 year old distraction.

It was nice, we wandered in and out of stores and looked at whatever we felt like. Talked about books we've read, books we want to read, and books we just have to loan to each other. I picked up a Christmas present.... a webkinz for Miss Abby. Then somehow we ended up in Old Navy trying on clothes. And me in jeans IN A SMALLER SIZE! I may have done a happy dance in the change room. Okay, I didn't but I did take pictures with my phone and then posted them on facebook and twitter. Hey, I looked good in those jeans. I felt the interwebs needed to know. Even Grandma Linda couldn't keep from complimenting my tush in those jeans. Yeah, pretty awesome! Then we had a great dinner at a little place that had killer pulled pork sandwiches.

Sunday was another shopping trip to WalMart for necessities like Q-tips, deodorant, bras... because I needed smaller bras too.... and a seriously cute pair of shoes to wear to the wedding. Sunday night ML helped me prep for back to school lunches (granola bars and no bake cookies) and for my Mom's birthday dinner the following day. Then we sat and knitted and watched some more GLEE!

Today I spent with Uncle Dave, Auntie Mel, my Mom and TLP. We got to hear all about the Mediterranean cruise she just got back from while we shared a yummy dinner and celebrated my Mom turning 60!! Time spent with my family is just the greatest gift. Even more so when I get to spend time with Uncle Dave and Auntie Mel and Granny. It's not often enough that we're all in the same place. Heck, sometimes we're not even all in the same country, so I truly treasure it when it happens.

So this weekend was just off the charts. I feel very much loved and incredibly blessed.

it's a parade

So a few weeks ago we attended my favourite late summer event..... the Cactus Festival Parade. I'm not sure why I enjoy this parade so much. Maybe because it's a summer evening parade and I don't freeze my tail feathers off while watching it like I do at the Santa Claus parade. Or maybe because we hook up with a gaggle of my favourite peeps to watch it. Either way it's good times.



Y'all know my favourite part of the parade is this....



Those shorts! My gosh, why must they be so short and so tight. I am considering joining the band just to find out. Never mind I have zero musical ability. But there they are year after year, with too much pasty white thigh showing.

As much as we love the short shorts, this little lady here is gaining in popularity.....



That is a ridiculously short dress, my friends! Oy! Luckily, quick thinking HPH remembered her from last year when she wore this.....



Can't wait to see what she wears next year.

Then there was this clown that was trying to pick up HPH. For real life.



We had 8 kids with us and Ronnie here yells out to HPH something about natural redheads. Gross, nobody wants to see Ronald McDonald "on the job" if you know what I mean.



And can we talk about this for a minute? Who wears high heels to walk in a parade. I mean a parade of strippers, maybe and even then only if they were lucite, but a regular old small town parade? I guess you have to admire her dedication to fashion.


Okay, but this was truly my favourite part of the parade... The Abster & MyPie's too. The part they'd been waiting 81 floats for. There's Daddy!



He always stops for a moment and opens the door so he can wave at his girls! They think he is such a rock star. And he is.

fall

So it's September... boy did that sneak up on me. I can't believe Abby's going back to school on Tuesday. Even more surprising, I've yet to have a single moment of anxiety about it. I guess I've finally outgrown it. Phew!

September means fall and I love fall. I think it's my favourite season. There is nothing like a cool fall day. This year September is packed full of all sorts of fun stuff. We are already booked for every single Saturday, from now right into October. That is truly awesome for a social butterfly like myself. I am looking forward to birthday parties, Maya's 1st day of school, meet the teacher night, the first council meeting of the year, jammie movie night, the fair and a family wedding - that I have a good authority will have the cutest flower girl ever. Hint - she lives with us and her name is Maya. Her older sister lives with us too... her name is currently "jealous".

What are you looking forward to this fall?