Autumn in Edmonton

Well, we've had a mix of weather so far this fall! We've been as low as -3C and as high as 20C! The weather can't seem to make up it's mind! The past 2 weekends have been gorgeous, but we have also been busy with visiting, geocaching and holiday celebrations! Yesterday afternoon, we finally got out to take some family pictures with the tripod! My plan is to send some good ones out (or a good one) with the Christmas cards! So, I'm keeping the gooders to myself! Here are a sample of our autumn photos!

Fiona's First Day at School

Yesterday was Fiona's first day at school. Well, technically, it was an orientation day! Friday is the first full (or half) day without parents present. Fiona loved it. She had loads of fun and is excited to go back on Friday. I never had any worries about how she would do on her first day. Maybe, that's why I wasn't that emotional about it. I knew, and know that she is ready for this step. She's always been a very social girl, who loves to meet new friends and try new things. I hope she hangs on to this forever, and stands her ground as a strong female. My brain is already rushing ahead to high school, and praying that she marches to her own beat and doesn't get sucked into all the negative behaviours of peers around her. Perhaps, this fear is a result of working in group homes for several years. I have to remember: Not ALL teenagers are up to something mischievous! :)

Here are some photos from her first day...

My Poor Neglected Blog!

I see it's been exactly one month since my last post! I used to keep up so well with my blog. I am blaming this totally on Facebook!! I tend to post pictures and tidbit updates on there, so this poor blog has been left in the dust!!!

Thought I'd give a quick update today, though!!

Summer has been ultra hot here this year. We've been in the 30's for a few weeks, except the past couple of days have been very comfortable... 24C is just right!! Have a new van (new to us anyway), with A/C has been a God send!! We have had it almost a month now, and still have to sell our Caravan. We've not listed it anywhere... it took us almost 2 wks to get to cleaning it out after having company for the majority of July!

Fiona's starting school this September. As long as she's 5 by November, I think, they are able to start this fall. She's so excited!!! When we attended the open house, she was disappointed she wouldn't be 'learning' anything that night! lol It's hard to believe she's almost 5!! We've got her new backpack; pink and black as requested! She has one needle left to get before school starts, and that's tomorrow evening... the 3rd round of her HebB shot. We got the MMR last week.

Kieran is still getting into lots of things... fearless as ever!! He's the most challenging part of having 3 kids!! He's talking lots and starting to put multiple words together for form makeshift sentences. It's neat to see him progress in such short stints! He is still getting up early in the morning... not 5am like before, but closer to 6am now. Jason tells him it will be remembered when he's a teenager, trying to sleep in!! :o)

Rosheen is 6mos, and healthy as ever. She's got a huge smile and is quite content most of the time!! I think she's starting to teeth or needing some cereal before bed, b/c she's waking more through the night than before. She used to get up once, and now it's 3 times in the night!!

That's a quick summary. We're hoping to get the basement reno's done this month when Jason's parents visit. It'll be nice to have a rec room if nothing else!

Ttyl!

A little late... but

HAPPY 140th BIRTHDAY, CANADA!!

I don't know that we took any pictures on that day! My God things really slow down with 3 kids... pictures, that is!! We're so busy packing everyone up that the camera often is forgotten!

Thank you Lisa, for hosting yet another fabulous back yard BBQ! The kids and us had a great time.

Mika - Big Girl (You Are Beautiful)

What a great song!! It's about time....

Happy 2nd Birthday, Kieran!

It's hard to believe it's been 2 yrs since Kieran was born... he still feels like my little baby boy! He's now graduated to toddler status, and somedays it seems older since he's constantly trying to all that his 4.5 yr old sister, Fiona, does!

Today we had a spiderman cake, chips and pop! The Clyde's stopped by for a visit, and brought him a cool inflatable pirate ship! He LOVES it! Perfect thing for him- thank you, guys! Jason's been diligent about posting pictures from today... not all are loaded yet, but lots have been posted on our picasa webpage... Check them out here:

Kieran's 2nd Birthday PICS!

Neil Young Old Man

This is a bit nostalgic for me. My dad used to listen to a lot of Neil Young on vinyl when I was younger. I didn't appreciate it then, but I really enjoy listening to Neil Young now... This is one of the songs that make me think about my childhood... Saturday mornings...
Thanks, Dad!

Young Folks

Hopefully this works! I love this song, and can't seem to get it out of my head once I hear that distinct whistle!! Enjoy!

Original Azize - Bellydance-1955

This is traditional bellydancing... she's got some great moves!

Mum out for some cache!

Katrina Geocaching!

Jason took the day off work today, so we took advantage of our early rising kids, and hit the trail for some geocaches! Jason picked a spot not far from us, at the Strathcona Science Centre (now closed). We got 4 caches this morning... One of which I found ALL on my own! Here are some photos!

The one with me looking at my hand... that's the micro I'm holding, with a rolled up piece of paper to sign! It was magnetic, and stuck to a bolt under the flagpole's skirt.

Lyrics for thought...

It's been a while since I've posted... to be honest, I've become addicted to Facebook! Eek. But thought I'd put these lyrics up, since I've been singing it in my head for days... and I really do love the song! Click the link for below to hear it...

EVOLVE
by Ani Difranco

I walk in stride with people
much taller than me
and partly it's the boots but
mostly it's my chi
and I'm becoming transfixed
with nature and my part in it
which I believe just signifies
I'm finally waking up

and there's this moth outside my kitchen door
she's bonkers for that bare bulb
flying round in circles
bashing in her exoskull
and out in the woods she navigates fine by the moon
but get her around a light bulb and she's doomed

she is trying to evolve
she's just trying to evolve

now let's get talking reefer madness
like some arrogant government can't
by any stretch of the imagination
outlaw a plant
yes, their supposed authority over nature
is a dream
c'mon people
we've got to come clean

cuz they are locking our sons
and our daughters in cages
they are taking by the thousands
our lives from under us
it's a crash course in religious fundamentals
now let's all go to war
get some bang for our buck

I am trying to evolve
I'm just trying to evolve

gunnin for high score in the land of dreams
morbid bluish-white consumers ogling luminous screens
on the trail of forgetting
cruising without a care
the jet set won't abide by that pesky jet lag
and our lives boil down to an hour or two
when someone pulls a camera out of a bag

and I am trying to evolve
I'm just trying to evolve

so I walk like I'm on a mission
cuz that's the way I groove
I got more and more to do
I got less and less to prove
it took me too long to realize
that I don't take good pictures
cuz I have the kind of beauty
that moves

New Pictures from Today

We had a steady falling of snow today... ALL day. What kind of April is this anyway?!?
Climate change??

Happy Easter from Edmonton!

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!

Some of you have probably seen these pictures via email, but I thought I'd post them on here as well, so those of you with slow connections could see them as well! We took the kids to the McLeod Community Centre yesterday for the Easter party/Egg Hunt. They had a great time. They had station tables with different activities to do. It was a bit chaotic; loud and busy! This morning, the kids were up bright and early! They searched for eggs around the living room (chocolate and playdough)! They don't seem too interested in the chocolate yet... hopefully it will stay that way! lol Here are some pictures!

The REAL before photos!

I did some searching on my computer for some pictures of how the bathroom upstairs looked before any work was done. I didn't ever post these when I was showing pictures of our new house, b/c honestly, they were just too gross! LOL Here they are... November 2006...




















And now... (see post below!)

FINITO!

Thanks to my super-handy father-in-law, my birthday present has been installed! Jason and the kids got me the cabinet to go over the toilet, to complete our new bathroom's look... Here are some pictures of how our bathroom looks now... All that's left to do, is nail the baseboards on and paint.

Vanity Installed!

The new vanity is almost completly installed! The counter has to be siliconed to the vanity yet, but it's almost done!! ahhhh.... Thank you Bert! (and Jason)

Our Family

This was taken today... Poor Rosheen was sleeping when we decided to do our photo! lol She didn't quite rise for the occassion!



We tried for a posed photo of Fiona & Kieran... that didn't work so well! lol Kieran wouldn't stay put!















Mum & Kieran

Bu-bye 70's!

Well, the 70's won't truly be gone until both bathrooms are done, and the kitchen gets demolished... but it's a start!

Here's where the old crappy mustard countertop was, and

















where my new natural maple vanity will be installed (today
hopefully)!!

Renovation updates...

Here's some before and after pictures of the bathroom upstairs. It's not quite finished, we've still got to paint and replace the vanity (mirror, towel rack etc... )





































Here's how our breakfast bar is looking between the kitchen and dining area... Bert's been cutting and hammering drywall, putting up metal beads, filling and sanding away!

Easter is on it's way...

Bobbie took this picture today, and it was too damn cute NOT to post on my blog!!

Fiona & Kieran

My Hobby

I wanted to post some pictures of my hobby.. Stamping! I make cards mostly, and eventually plan to do scrapbooking with it! I love it!! lol Some of you may have received cards already for birthdays etc...

All these cards (and everything else I stamp), were done with Stampin' Up! stamps and paper! Cori (link at side), is my dealer! ;)

Renovations... ahem, Repairs.. have begun!

My inlaws arrived last night, and first thing this morning, Jason and his dad were working on the bathroom! Right now, they're fixing the subfloor beneath the toilet. The plan is to lay down some cheap lino until we get to replacing the tub this summer. IT's too big of a job to do in the 2 wks Bert & Bobbie are here... Here are some pictures of the guys working... HOT stuff !

The first pic is bluffy, but it gives you an idea of how things are really looking!








This is where the toilet WAS....

The kids...

These are some recent pictures... Kieran was having fun playing with the sink water... Fiona baked some Naw Ruz cupcakes with Mum, and the last picture is Fiona and Rosheen hanging out together!