Bobbi's Bio in 365

December 1 - 31, 2009

2010-01-02T09:35:00.000-08:00

December 31, 2009
Saying goodbye to an interesting year full of learning and growth, and looking forward with hope and joy to 2010. I know that I'll enjoy looking back on this year in photos, and remembering how much I was blessed. Here's to another year of photos, memories, and love!

December 30, 2009
TJ was lucky enough to get a set of baking supplies for Christmas so she could start learning to bake with a real oven. We started out baking these scrumptious cupcakes! She even had to learn how to separate eggs to do these. I think she's off to becoming a pro in the kitchen!

December 29, 2009
We love to do our part for the planet - i.e. recycling. I think we started about 6 or 7 years ago, and we have done it ever since. It feels good to know that a large bin of paper, cardboard, and milk jugs are put to good use instead of filling our land fills.

December 28, 2009
We were invited out to our friend's small town to go skating at their indoor rink. It's been 10 years since I was on skates, and it was a first for our kids. They all did surprisingly well, and we all can't wait to go again!

December 27, 2009
Probably my absolute favorite Christmas decoration is our Christmas Card tree. I love watching it fill up over the weeks before Christmas, and being able to see all of my dearest friends and family greeting me each day.

December 26, 2009
Boxing Day shopping was made so much sweeter with a gift card to Reitmans, and a $100 visa card (both gifts for my birthday). I bought some jeans, 2 tops, a scarf, and a purse. Score!

December 25, 2009
Merry Christmas! Our girls are modeling their favorite gifts from Santa this year.

December 24, 2009
Our traditional Christmas Eve Nativity play was greatly enhanced this year when we had some new friends over with their sons and new baby girl! We finally had some BOYS to add to our nativity! It sure made our Christmas Eve a memorable one.

December 23, 2009
A new tradition? Sleeping in front of the tree on Christmas Adam (which comes before Christmas Eve!). While only 2 of them managed to stay in front of the tree (TJ and BB decided after a while to sleep in their beds) it was magical while it lasted!

December 22, 2009
Do you think Santa Claus will like his Christmas cookies? I'll take the chance of answering for him and say HECK YA! these buttercream iced sugar cookies are right up Santa's alley, I bet!

December 21, 2009
31 years young. That's my story and I'm sticking to it! I mean, an OLD lady wouldn't get a New Moon T-shirt and an ice cream cake for her birthday, would she? Naw!!

December 20, 2009

These moments together with the girls being so little are fleeting. I wish I could freeze time, sometimes. I guess a photo is the closest I can get. This shot shows so clearly their interests right now. BB can always be seen holding a book. She loves to look at them, trying to read, figuring out the words. And JJ is clutching Clarisse the reindeer to her chest. She loves her. And the two of them together couldn't be closer. Always playing together, having fun. I wish these moments would last.

December 19, 2009

Every year we drive around one evening to enjoy the Christmas lights around the city. Our favorite spot is always our Legislative building with the huge trees lit from top to bottom. It's breath taking to see live!

December 18, 2009

JJ loved making her first popcorn snowman! It was sticky, it was sweet, and it was fun! Isn't he cute? His name was "Girly Snowman". You figure it out, cause I can't.

December 17, 2009

It's Snow Biz!! I really enjoyed the girls' Christmas concert this year - lots of beautiful music and fun dancing. It's always exciting to watch them perform. They are so talented and brave.

December 16, 2009

Lately I have felt so alive and happy. I love every second I've been spending with my girls, even in a cold van running errands. My life is good!

December 15, 2009

Beauty is found everywhere in nature - even on the tiny ice crystals growing on my windows!

December 14, 2009

Family home evening at Boston Pizza - courtesy of a surprise gift certificate in the mail from our cousins, Mark and Christie! YES!!!

December 13, 2009

What a fun change for us! We had the sister missionaries over to dinner tonight! Our girls loved seeing that women can serve missions for the church - and do! We can't wait to have them over again on Christmas!

December 12, 2009

A cold snap hit us this week - minus 50 degrees celsius turned this mug of boiling water into snow crystals in a second! That's chill to the bone cold!

December 11, 2009

Lyndon's work put on an awesome children's Christmas party at the Science center this year. Face painting, treats, movies, gifts, and of course- a visit with the big guy in red, who was in extra jolly good form tonight! Good times!

December 10, 2009

Hot chocolate, donuts, and a movie. Yes, yes, and yes! One of my favorite indulgences during the cold winter months!

December 9, 2009

Annual tithing settlement, where we get to declare to God, through our Bishop, that we are full tithe payers, as well as have the opportunity to discuss and be reminded of the many blessings paying tithes and offerings brings into our lives. I know there are so many blessings we have received from living this law and even more blessings that I'm not even aware of.

December 8, 2009

Making a gingerbread sleigh was a little shake up from our traditional gingerbread house night! That sleigh looks good enough to eat!

December 7, 2009

Game night was only made better when TJ created her own board game that helped us learn math while having fun! It was such a creative idea and we all had fun!

December 6, 2009

I love teaching Primary. I think it's my favorite calling ever. I find myself getting super excited as Sunday draws nearer because I get to see the kids in my class and get to share in some awesome testimony building lessons with them. I think about what a privilege it is to be entrusted with the teaching of these special little ones. Such a powerful thing. But more so, they teach me every single week. I come away strengthened in ways I didn't expect. I love it.

December 5, 2009

A Caribbean Christmas was the theme of our ward Christmas party this year! Jerk chicken, floating fishes, tropical smoothies, and some Caribbean dancing made this a warm get away without getting away!

December 4, 2009

Why not bring the snow indoors with some one of a kind paper snowflakes? We covered our sliding glass doors with these gorgeous and unique creations!

December 3, 2009

Christmas downtown in the city is always a beautiful sight. The buildings lit up from top to bottom, the Christmas trees and ornaments decking out the foyers, and the lights and decorations hanging from the street corners always puts me in the Christmas mood.

December 2, 2009
TJ is blooming into quite the artist. She loves to draw and her drawings become more and more detailed. I hope she cultivates all of her talents because she has been blessed with so many!

December 1, 2009

Where did Frosty the Snowman meet his wife?At the SNOW ball, of course!!!

And then they had a family.. aren’t they cute? Courtesy of my craft savy girls!

Nov. 1 - Nov. 30, 2009

2009-11-30T17:22:00.000-08:00

Nov. 30, 2009
Family Home Evening Activity - Puppet show. In particular, the Nativity story.

Nov. 29, 2009
Our city's football team went all the way to the Grey Cup this year! It was a close game - we lost in the very last play of the game. SO close to bringing home the cup. Maybe next year!

Nov. 28, 2009
We enjoyed a nice evening out for Lyndon's work Christmas party. We even snuck in a dance or two.

Nov. 27, 2009
End of November and finally the snow starts to fall. This will be just the first of many, many days of shoveling snow. Blech! Let winter officially begin!

Nov. 26, 2009
I finally found the ultimate dinner roll recipe. Easy, pillow soft, and delicious. This recipe is a keeper!

Ingredients

3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
5 teaspoons active dry yeast
5 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup margarine, melted

Directions

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm milk, water, sugar and salt. Remove from heat, and mix in the eggs and yeast.
Measure flour into a large bowl. Make a well in the flour, and pour milk mixture into it. Do not stir. Cover with a lid, and let stand for 20 to 30 minutes.
Pour melted margarine into flour, and mix well. Add more flour if too sticky. Knead lightly. Cover, and let rise for 20 to 30 minutes.
Shape the dough into rolls, and place on a baking sheet. Let rise again for 20 to 30 minutes.
Bake rolls in a preheated 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) oven for 15 minutes, or until done.

Nov. 25, 2009
The latest form of entertainment around here has been playing with Patches and letting him run around and on top of them. He's quite the character.

Nov. 24, 2009
It's exhausting putting up all of those Christmas decorations. But, it is energy well-spent. After all, there is something about the glow of Christmas lights and red and green that brings such joy and cheer to our home.

Nov. 23, 2009
New Moon Mania has hit! I went to see this movie for the second time in 4 days tonight. Well worth the ticket price, I must say. There is something about this series that just transports me to another world. Everyone needs something like that ONCE in a while :)

Nov. 22, 2009
I made this fun nativity fridge magnet set out of some free clip art from the internet. Behind each piece is a fun Christmas activity to do - one for each day of December leading up to Christmas. Should make our December full of fun!

Nov. 21, 2009
I can't believe how lovely the sunsets are here. The sky just bursts with color - reds, oranges, purples, blues - it's breathtaking! God must certainly be an artist!

Nov. 20, 2009

Nov. 19, 2009
Western Day at school! Yee haw and giddy yap!

Nov. 18, 2009
Sad day. We said farewell to Oreo the Hamster who passed away late last night. TJ was heartbroken - she loved him. We all did. We held a little funeral service, and TJ's best friend was there for moral support. Hard life lessons to learn, but I'm glad we were all there for each other.

Nov. 17, 2009
Everyone got their H1N1 immunizations today - except me. Why? Because I'm not a child, not a teenager, not a high-risk adult, or an adult who works in the medical field. BUT, I'll get my shot eventually. None of the girls even made a sound or shed a tear. Brave little gals.

Nov. 16, 2009
Dad was in an accident today. He was bucked off a horse as he was doing a routine run on them, to exercise them. He bruised his lungs, bruised his hip, shattered his collar bone, and broke 4 ribs. It is scary how quickly things like that can happen, and it gave me moment to pause and think of my dad and how much I love and miss him.

Nov. 15, 2009
We had a wonderful couple from our ward over to dinner. They are so interesting and fun. It was such a great visit!

Nov. 14, 2009
After a trip to the library, TJ had an armful of books about our Province, ready to get to work researching for her paper which is due in a few weeks. She loves school work, and loves to learn. I hope she continues with that love as she grows!

Nov. 13, 2009
Playing 'Apples to Apples' had us in stitches at our girl's night. I had no idea I was "boisterous" and "Unnatural". But those were the cards I ended up with. These girls make me laugh SO hard. I had a blast.

Nov. 12, 2009
I had some time to work on my own star book. I loved looking through old photos of the kids, and picking out shots that represent my idea of what family means. Things like laughter, togetherness, love, and faith. I love this project!

Nov. 11, 2009
It was a day off for Remembrance Day and we wanted to do something special. We had little cash to do any outside activities, so we settled on setting up a movie theater at the house. TJ made tickets for everyone for popcorn, candy, and pop (juice boxes) and even set up a theater in our family room complete with numbers on the doors telling us what theater it was. We watched the latest "Tinkerbell" movie and did lots of cuddling.

Nov. 10, 2009
Each year the school puts on a wonderful Remembrance Day Assembly which never fails to touch my heart. B an TJ were both in the choir where they sang songs reminding us to be examples of peace and to remember all of those brave men, women, and even animals who willingly gave up their lives for freedom. Wonderful to be a part of.

Nov. 9, 2009
Nothing better than a photo scavenger hunt for Family Home Evening! We had a blast going around our house taking pictures of things like our least favorite chore, a good hide and seek spot, our favorite outfit, and of course... our favorite movies. I even learned a few things about my kids while having a blast together!

Nov. 8, 2009
Sunday came much too quickly! Our last day!! Boo!! We went to church, then sat around visiting most of the day. Who knew we would still have things to talk about after a week of nothing but visiting?! Well, that just us. We complete each other! LOL!

Nov. 7, 2009
Lyndon was in school, and had the van, so we decided to make the hike to the Bulk Barn not far from our house. It took a good 25 minutes each way, which made getting there all the more yummy. We had to trek through a muddy field, but it was worth every inch of caked on dirt!

Nov. 6, 2009
Friday we dubbed "Jammy Day". Who needs to change out of their cute PJs when there is nothing to do but scrap and make an impromptu trip to 7-11 for some slurpees?

Nov. 5, 2009
Today was spring roll day. We spent the morning making nearly 200 of these YUMMY Vietnamese spring rolls. They turned out SO GOOD!

Nov. 4, 2009
We got back to work creating. I worked on my star books, and also did up a few scrapbook pages. We filled up on Halloween candy and some sparkling cider. Nothing like spoiling ourselves!

Nov. 3, 2009
THIS IS IT! On a whim, we decided to check out the Michael Jackson film "This Is It". It was cheap night at the theater, so we got in for under $5. The movie was as iconic as Michael was. We lost a genius when he passed away this year. It was a wonderful movie.

Nov. 2, 2009
My sister, Laurie arrived from Calgary today! I was more than ready for a week long visit with her. Let's get ready for some fun!

Nov. 1, 2009
A fun overnight visit from Kaly and Matt, along with their Dobermans - Jinx and Dolche! They are the sweetest dogs. I just loved having them over!

Oct. 1 - 31, 2009

2009-11-01T10:19:00.000-08:00

Oct. 31, 2009
Happy Halloween! What could be cuter than a poodle, a puppy, a vampire, and a tiger? Not much! They had a wonderful time trick or treating - TJ with her friend, J. B with her friend, J, and the little girls with their daddy. I stayed home to hand out the goods - halloween pencils! It was a spooktacular halloween!

Oct. 30, 2009
Black and orange day wouldn't be complete without some serious facepaint! My girls won the prize for the best dressed - tickets to the movies!

Oct. 29, 2009
One of my new church assignments is to be the Bulletin Specialist. This is my second one this time around. I love doing this!

Oct. 28, 2009
I made four of these orange leaf necklaces for our girls to wear to school on black and orange day! I also made them some bracelets, earrings, and flower barrettes to wear in their hair!

Oct. 27, 2009
Our Stake trunk or treat! We brought a Fairy Queen, a Ballerina Princess Fairy, a Tiger, and a Vampire to join the fun.

Oct. 26, 2009

After a suggestion from a friend at church, we took the kids to a local candy store for our Family Home Evening treat. WHOA!! This was the coolest candy store EVAH! We found candies we hadn't seen in years there! They carried candies from around the world, as well as some interesting treats like scorpions inside lollipops!

Oct. 25, 2009

A very tranquil and lovely Sunday. The kids did well in their Primary presentation, and besides an unexpected head ache, it was a lovely Sabbath day!

Oct. 24, 2009

Yay! We won this CD as a prize at our awesome Stake Anniversary Ball. I correctly answered the question "what month was our stake organized?" Um.... October? Hence, the anniversary ball? Boy, am I ever a smart cookie!

Oct. 23, 2009

JJ's first family day at Pre-Kindergarten! She made her very own scrapbook page. Nice work, JJ!

Oct. 22, 2009

Amazing what about 10 minutes can do to a dresser and a bunk bed? Why can't my kids figure this out?

Oct. 21, 2009

Took the plunge and upgraded from CS2 to CS4! I love the new features, the added control, but don't love the new learning curve!

Oct. 20, 2009

Some very chic art work courtesy of a little artist called "Bayboo!". Fridge worthy, for sure!

Oct. 19, 2009

We put up a few autumn/halloween decorations for Family Home Evening. The kids' favorite by far is this little inflatable witch. It's better than candy!

Oct. 18, 2009

We were invited over to our friend's home for some delicious dinner and good conversation! Sure love you guys! Thanks for taking such good care of us!

Oct. 17, 2009

Family portraits - courtesy of my camera and a tripod! Thanks, guys!

Oct. 16 2009

Date night! Off to see "G.I. Joe" and dinner at Tony Romas! Can't see a movie without some delish Milk Duds, either!

Oct. 15, 2009

After babysitting some of our friend's children rather last minute, they surprised us with a gorgeous bouquet of a dozen roses. They were so fragrant and beautiful!

Oct. 14, 2009

Doing our part to feed the hungry - dropping off a bag of non-perishables to the food bank!

Oct. 13, 2009

What better to do with unwanted snow than to make it into a fun snowman - with no face? Well, it's a work in progress, and at least I can see my green grass again!

Oct. 12, 2009

So sad to see Mark and Christie go. The kids just love them and their girls. In fact, they wanted to go home with them! Sad to say good bye to welcome visitors, while the snow (the unwelcome guest) sticks around!

Oct. 11, 2009

The sky light inside the Legislative building. We took the tour with Mark and Christie while they were here.

Oct. 10, 2009

Oh happy day! The Halvorsons came to visit for Thanksgiving! We had such a blast visiting several spots around town, like this Hay Maze!

Oct. 9, 2009

More snow. Lovely. Why couldn't it wait another month or so? Such an unwelcome guest!

Oct. 8, 2009

Our first real snow fall since last winter! The crystals make me cringe. Winter is on it's way!

Oct. 7, 2009

Taking a walk to Wal-Mart. Wasn't too bad of a walk! Will probably do it again!

Oct. 6, 2009

Good old Windex, makes my mirrors sparkle and the sun shine through my windows! I love you, Windex! (Is it a little weird to love a cleaning product?)

Oct. 5, 2009

This is cheese. Gendered cheese. Just so you know - that is "boy" cheese on the left, and "girl" cheese on the right. JJ only likes "boy" cheese. You would think she would like girl cheese, seeing as she is a girl, but no. It all makes sense - we make GRILLED cheese sandwiches with the cheese slices and she thought we were saying "GIRL" cheese sandwiches!

Oct. 4,2009

JJ was sure pooped today. Hope she isn't coming down with something!

Oct. 3, 2009

Bright eyes.

Oct. 2, 2009

Bayboo showing me her school book, reciting the poems they are learning.

Oct. 1, 2009

Picture day at school! My beauties all gussied up for photos. Gosh, I make cute kids!

Sept 1 - 30, 2009

2009-10-03T19:32:00.000-07:00

Sept. 30, 2009

Out come the rain boots - torrential downpour! You'd think it's Spring, not Autumn.

Sept. 29, 2009

Nothing says Autumn like being buried in leaves!

Sept. 28, 2009

TJ making her own lunch... AND her sister's. Growing up more every day.

Sept. 27, 2009

The winds here are absolutely crazy! THIS officially beats out Chicago for the windy city award!

Sept. 26, 2009

An evening out with some great ladies from the ward after the General Relief Society broadcast.

Sept 25, 2009

The kids did their Terry Fox run today. I caught them as they passed by our house.

Sept. 24, 2009

While waiting for a photoshoot to begin, I snapped this photo. Quiet tranquility. I wish my life were as tranquil~!

Sept 23, 2009

The weather has been so warm this week, we took every opportunity to walk to and from school.

Sept. 22, 2009

Visiting the geese at the lake near the Legislative building.

Sept. 21, 2009

The older girls tried their best to cheer up BB after she lost the game of Chutes and Ladders. It did eventually work! (These pics were taken on our phone - sorry for the quality!)

Sept. 20, 2009

Playing on the Wii! Always entertaining :)

Sept. 19, 2009

An amazing night out with great friends, great food, and great music! My first night at the symphony!

Sept. 18, 2009

Lining up for their turn at the pinata at Justus' birthday party!

Sept. 17, 2009

I've been enjoying the time I still have together with JJ on the days when she's not in Pre-School. I'll miss these days.

Sept. 16, 2009

Bumble Bees busy gathering the last pollen before the cold weather sets in!

Sept. 15, 2009

JJ's first day of Pre-Kindergarten (our school system's pre-school program). I was just a little teary eyed to see her looking so grown up!

Sept. 14, 2009

Collecting slugs from our garden. Ew!

Sept. 13, 2009

Listening to Elder Gibbons from the quorum of the 70 was such a highlight to my week. He was so uplifting, so encouraging, and offered what I want to take as my new mantra "You're better than you think you are!". Amen!

Sept. 12, 2009

Saturday spent purging and organizing our STUFF. It looked worse before it got better, but it felt amazing to get rid of clutter and give us some breathing room!

Sept. 11, 2009

With JJ starting pre-kindergarten soon, I am going to miss our quiet time in the mornings. She plays so nicely on her own, but she is more than ready for a little more.

Sept. 10, 2009

Meet the teacher night at school! The girls have been blessed with wonderful teachers - so kind, smart, and fun.

Sept. 9, 2009

TJ was so proud to plan, organzie, and carry out a fun picnic/bike ride date with her daddy.

Sept. 8, 2009

TJ the fashionista! She comes up with some fun outfits - putting together the perfect accessories, sometimes matching, sometimes throwing conformity to the wind. I'm excited to see where her fashion sense takes her.

Sept. 7, 2009

Fun at Pumpkin Hollow on our Labour Day Monday.

Sept. 6, 2009

This is a regular sight around our place Sunday mornings. The girls are only allowed their scriptures, a notebook, and a pen in sacrament meeting, and they remain quiet and reverent (MOST of the time). I'll miss seeing those little tiny scripture cases as they grow.

Sept. 5, 2009

Yes, it's September, but still warm enough for Freezie Pops! Yum!

Sept. 4, 2009

Time to get to work scrapbooking!

Sept. 3, 2009

B looked so beautiful today. I caught a glimpse of the young woman she is becoming. Such beauty.

Sept. 2, 2009

HOT today! Hot enough for a picnic and play time at a water park.

Sept. 1, 2009

The older girls in school - JJ and I enjoyed a hot chocolate at the Book and Brier to celebrate one of last mornings just hanging out together.

August 1-31, 2009

2009-09-12T15:33:00.000-07:00

August 31, 2009

First day of kindergarten for Bayboo! And boy was she ever ready! She didn't even want me to walk into the classroom with her, she just wanted to race off and start school. Such a fearless girl (either that, or she's just embarrassed by me!)

August 30, 2009

Lyndon making phone calls for the High Priest group. He is a constant and stalwart example of church service, trying very hard to do everything he can to serve. He always puts his family first, but his church service is so important to him. I admire how dedicated he is, and his desire to always be improving and growing in his testimony. I love this guy!

August 29, 2009

Harry Potter birthday! TJ was invited by her good friend, Brayden, to a super fun Harry Potter birthday party. She took a "potions class", visited Honey Dukes, and came home with tonnes of fun magic tricks.

August 28, 2009

Today I had all four of my wisdom teeth removed. Everything went smoothly and besides several days of soreness, there were no complications. SO HAPPY about that. My girls created a scrapbook page for me with all of their photos on it to help me feel better.

August 27, 2009

A special day on two counts! FIRST Bayboo turned 5 years old! YES! And TJ and B started school today; TJ starting grade 4, and B starting grade 3. They were so prepared, their outfits picked and layed out for the first day. We took some pics, watched them find out who their teacher would be, then left them in the hands of the school! Always a bitter sweet moment.

August 26, 2009

Using our last day before school to play at a local waterpark (one of MANY here). It was so fun and relaxing, even for me. I was laying out on a blanket, reading a book and thinking how fast summer seemed to go! I wonder if the girls were thinking the same thing?

August 25, 2009

I couldn't created an album of my year without including a picture of Superstore in there, somewhere! We buy our groceries, toiletries, much of our clothing, EVERYTHING here. We're so glad it's just a hop, skip, and a jump from our place. It sure is SUPER!

August 24, 2009

Musical chairs. What more can I say?

August 23, 2009

Thanks to our good friends, the Burgesses, we have our fridge stocked with all this fresh veggie goodness! I whipped up some delish zucchini brownies, bread, stir-fry - you name it! And still have lots to spare!

August 22, 2009

Ward service project. Goal: get the church and it's grounds spic and span! I was busy getting the cleaning caught up around the house, so hubby took the girls over to the church to help. So nice to see what a great turn out we had. If I didn't have the church, who knows how many service opportunities our family would be involved in?

August 21, 2009

A day at the beach! Okay, so it was more of an evening, and it was too chilly to swim, but still lots of fun to be had! Did I mention that the water was near freezing?! BRRR!

August 20, 2009

Many lazy summer days spent playing at one park or another. TJ is chillaxing on a tire swing. Oh, just feel the heat!

August 19, 2009

Oh, this is reality, folks. My kitchen being messy. It happens. It likes being this way, in fact. But I can't stand it. I cleaned it up within milliseconds of me snapping this shot.

August 18, 2009

When you live in a household where 5 of the 6 residents are girls, you get a lot of this happening:

August 17, 2009

The little J bird turns 3! It seems to me that in the last month or so, she has matured in leaps and bounds. She chatters away about everything and really has her own thoughts and ideas. She has become very independent, wanting to try everything by herself! And she can certainly hold her own with her big sisters!

August 16, 2009

Celebrating Bayboo and J bird's birthdays together while Grandma and Grandpa G were in town.

August 15, 2009

JJ being so melancholy. Even with a beautiful rose from our garden to cheer her up, she looked so forlorn! She is probably the moodiest of our girls, and she's almost 3! YIKES! Cheer up soon, my little J Bird!

August 14, 2009

My B girl. She is truly coming into her own this year. She has decided she loves to wear dresses. Every. Day. Not just denim skirts, or jumpers - we're talking fancy, lacy, frilly, flowery dresses. As girly as girly can get! But, why not? She's a girl, afterall!

August 13, 2009

Poor kiddos, sick again! Or still? Either way, the fever, the cough, the lethargy. It was like a vicious cycle going around and around our house this summer! Just Bronchitis for these two this time. Some anitbiotics and they were as good as new!

August 12, 2009

Who says you can't bake in the summer time? And nothing beats good old fashioned choco chip cookies! MMMMmmmm.

August 11, 2009

Are you tired of seeing us at water parks? Well, it's the next best thing when you don't live super close to a nice beach. Our girls made friends with this cutie during our trip today.

August 10, 2009

First knitting project. A hat that is too small for JJ, who loves to wear it anyway and stretch it to it's limits. Still, I finished something. I'm going to keep learning and try more projects!

August 9, 2009

Bayboo and B and I were off to church alone with daddy taking TJ and JJ to the doctor. It's been a blessing to live close to the church so we can walk on a beautiful summer day like this!

August 8, 2009

Sushi!!! We tried our hand at making some delicious sushi with an amazing sushi chef as our instructor. I loved every second of it, even when I ate so much my stomach was sick! Thanks, Chef Jonas! (And check out his website at www.sushisurfer.com !)

August 7, 2009

Whatever the sickness is that has gripped our family this summer, it sure knocks us out! Poor JJ just kind of passes out wherever it's comfortable. Poor baby.

August 6, 2009

Excitement! BB wanted a specific hair cut that I wasn't going to try doing myself - not with her fabulously thick, wavy hair! So, off we went to a hair dresser's to get it done professionally. BB was very shy about it, but was pleased with the results.

August 5, 2009

The sewing bug bit me and I tried my hand at these two simple patterns. The doll was for Bayboo's birthday. The reversible tote? For me!

August 4, 2009

I love this picture. I love how close they all are. I love TJ's weird sense of style. I love how similar their hair color looks! I love these girls.

August 3, 2009

Another sewing project - a practical one. This camera (the Canon 5D) is SUPER heavy, which is great for reducing camera shake, but BAD on my poor neck. Thus the need for a padded camera strap cover. This was easy to sew and got me itching to sew again!

August 2, 2009

Such a blessing to live close to a temple. We can drive by there with the family for FHE, we can visit as a couple, or we can go, along with the community, to the temple gardens open house like we did tonight. We brought along our friend, Philip Gross, who is staying in the city for a few weeks this summer. It was a perfect night (except for the mosquitos!).

August 1, 2009

Surprise! It's a parade!! I can't remember what the parade was for, but parades always get me excited!

July 1 - July 31, 2009

2009-08-11T11:14:00.000-07:00

July 31, 2009On a visit to our local science center, the hunkster hubby tried out the ... hmm... what do you call this thing? The vomit inducer? Well, he tried it and got quite the ab workout, too! Brave, brave man.

July 30, 2009TJ impresses me with her determination to learn the piano. I have been lax in teaching her, so she decided this week to sit down and learn the accompaniment for "A Child's Prayer". In just a day she has learned to play the entire first page!

July 29, 2009Few things rejuvenate my spirit like a night out with ladies like these. Good food, lots of laughs, and good, wholesome discussion. Loved it. Thanks for the girls night out!

July 28, 2009We're very exciting breakfast people. These are the regulars, except the special K is usually mini wheats. Yep. Ball of fun type people, we are. BUT the kids like, and we like. Nothing like starting out the day with some great cold cereal.

July 27. 2009TJ has become quite the big helper! She loves to do what I'm doing, be where I am, say what I say. I know this will change, but I'm enjoying it while it lasts!

July 26, 2009Bayboo's pneumonia lasted for a long time. She just wasn't her bubbly, fun loving self. She fell asleep at the kitchen table from sheer exhaustion. That's what a Sunday relaxing at home can do to ya!

July 25, 2009The stake pioneer picnic! An annual tradition, and our first time going. Fun games, delicious food, and great company (oh, and can't forget the phenomenal fireworks!) made for a memorable Saturday.

July 24, 2009I spent the afternoon sewing up some bonnets and little aprons so our girls would have something remotely pioneery to wear to the pioneer picnic. And I'm glad I spent the time making them so my girls could wear them for .05 seconds, then take them off for good. *sigh* At least I got a picture or two.

July 23, 2009
Mmmmm.... swiss chard. A favorite of mine growing up, and now a favorite around our place. Boiled just slightly then soaked in vinegar. Yum!

July 22, 2009
I have spent more than a few hours on this laptop writing about our summer trip. My blog is also my journal so I like to spend time writing down the details so I won't forget them! I'm so glad to have those memories recorded, though. Even if my fingers are aching from typing!

July 21, 2009
Yep. Addicted. It's a fun and simple game that teaches kids (and who am I kidding... ME) about how you reap what you sew. You can't buy anything in this game until you've worked to earn money. You can't harvest unless you've planted, and you get to feel satisfaction as you see your farm grow! Fun stuff.

July 20, 2009
Some bounty from our garden. While our pea plants have been producing huge amounts of snow peas, we all eat them as fast as they grow!

July 19, 2009
Our drive home - met with much construction. We were so excited to see our house and sleep in our beds!

July 18, 2009
The GIFT GAME. We each choose a number, then when our number is called we get to choose to unwrap a gift from the HUGE pile of wrapped gifts in the center, OR steal a gift from someone else who has already opened one. In the end, we each end up with a gift. This year was SO funny. It's always lots of laughs when the 20 something nephew ends up with fuzzy slippers, or a purse :)

July 17, 2009Congrats to my sister, Dori-Ann, and her new husband Garth on their beautiful wedding! So glad I was asked to photograph it.

July 16, 2009
A fun day spent at the water park in Kelowna, BC. Besides Bayboo getting sick later in the day, it was a wet and wild good time!

July 15, 2009
We spent the day enjoying the wind in our faces, swimming, waterskiing, knee boarding, and tubing on my dad's boat out on Kalamalka lake. It was a blast!!

July 14, 2009
When I was younger, we would vacation in the Okanagan valley (Penticton) every summer, and I had a little friend there ('Z') and we would do this exact thing - use our towels like wings and play "butterfly". It's fun to see my daughter doing the same thing and having such a great time.

July 13, 2009
Wouldn't it be lovely to have the skill to build a house like this? That's what my hubby's cousin did. It was a gorgeous place!

July 12, 2009
We stayed over night with Hubby's cousin, Mark, who lives right on the lake and though it was getting late, we still were treated to a fun ride on their MONSTER of a boat. We're talking 13 people on this thing. It was so fun.

July 11, 2009
Okay, I can't express how fast and terrifying this boat is. I mean, can you SEE how little BOAT is between me and that freezing cold water?? But fun? OH YEAH!

July 10, 2009
While staying with the B family on vacation, the kids had a blast jumping on the trampoline (memo to me: buy one for next year!) until it became dark enough for the fireworks!

July 9, 2009
Getting up close and personal with a cheetah and Hogle zoo in Salt Lake City, UT. Should I have been nervous that there was only that chainlink fence in between me and this beauty?

July 8, 2009
The view from the 26th floor of the Church Administration Building in Salt Lake City Utah.

July 7, 2009
Cuddling with a buffalo on Antelope Island on the Great Salt Lake! Good thing we chose a buffalo to cuddle and not one of the thousands of humungous spiders that surrounded the Information center!

July 6, 2009
We were treated to a surprise invite from one of hubby's childhood friends, Banyan. The food and the company were great. It helped that they also have 4 daughters - all the same ages as ours!

July 5, 2009

A beautiful sabbath day spent walking around Temple Square. No better way to spend a Sunday.

July 4, 2009One of my favorite days from our trip - visiting the Thanksgiving Gardens in Lehi, UT. Breathtakingly beautiful and serene. I loved it!

July 3, 2009One of the HUGE perks (for me) of staying at our hotel was the freshly baked cookies for the guests every day. My favorite were these milk chocolate chunk cookies. Oh drool!

July 2, 2009Busy day our first day in Utah! We did the Welfare Square and Humanitarian Center tours, followed by an afternoon at "This Is The Place Heritage Park", and finally an evening at the Conference Center for a Tabernacle choir rehearsal and a tour of the building. Phew!

July 1, 2009
This is what you do when your laptop screen has a terrible glare and you want to watch a movie. Not attractive, but it works!

June 12 - June 30

2009-07-23T09:04:00.000-07:00

June 30, 2009

The much anticipated trip to the USofA commenced today! I even got to use my shiny new passport to cross the border. You can feel the excitement sizzling in the air!

June 29, 2009
It's a good thing our Barbie house is big enough to accommodate 4 girls! They spend hours playing together with it.

June 28, 2009
Singing all of those Primary songs is exhausting work!

June 27, 2009
It may have been chilly, but I enjoyed our June Enrichment 'beach party' all the same!

June 26, 2009
Just another moment that warms my heart. I love that my girls love each other!

June 25, 2009
We visited Rick Hansen park for the very first time today! It's a great park, and even with the horrible wind, we all had a great time!

June 24, 2009
Doing some gardening as a family. Looks like the peas are coming up nicely!

June 23, 2009
Each summer it's like magic to see the plants coming up and the colors starting to appear. I just love it.

June 22, 2009
I know it's wrong, but I felt such pride for my girls who were so courageous to share their talents in front of their entire school for the yearly talent show! They both sang songs and did fantastic jobs!

June 21, 2009
I love to spoil my husband because he spoils me every day. I think I succeeded by serving up his favorites - steak, Vietnamese Salad rolls, Chinese Spring rolls, and Korean Kimchi. It was delish!

June 20, 2009
Why did it take us so long to go for a double date with the C family? We had such a blast, even if my mini golf game could have been better ;)

June 19, 2009
While my friend and I stayed home with the kids to make some Chinese Spring rolls, the hunkster hubby and his friend enjoyed a round of golf - the first one my hubby has managed to do in over 2 years. He LOVED IT, and it made me remember to help him get out golfing more often.

June 18, 2009
In my mission to learn to make my favorite Asian dishes, we discovered a great Asian food market in our city. The people who work there were so friendly and helpful and we managed to get everything we needed to make our spring rolls, salad rolls, and Kimchi!

June 17, 2009
Bayboo had her very last day of Pre-K today! She has loved it and grown so much from being with her classmates, and learning from her fantastic teachers. Now she is ready for kindergarten in the fall!

June 16, 2009
I've discovered that one of my favorite flowers is the Iris. I only discovered this after learning that my yard is full of them! I find them so uniquely beautiful.

June 15, 2009
Oh, to find the simple joy in a sprinkler again! It's a definite summer tradition that my children enjoy, and I enjoyed myself as a child. I love seeing things come full circle!

June 14, 2009
After purchasing my new camera for my business, I sold my older one to my friend. She is a quick study and has a definite eye for photography. I can't wait to see what she does with it!

June 13, 2009
One of our favorite spots to visit in town is the Legislative Building and the grounds around it. It is just gorgeous, especially in the summer months!

June 12, 2009
We have been blessed to have such a sweetheart for a babysitter! We have been able to count on and trust Cassie with our house and our children, and they just love her!

June 1 - June 11, 2009

2009-06-13T15:43:00.000-07:00

June 11, 2009

Front tooth #2 came out first thing in the morning after putting up a good fight. In the end, B won out with a drive to be front-toothless by her field trip that day!

June 10, 2009

Little miss 'J' reminds me of Alice from the Twilight Novels. She rarely just walks - she dances, skips, jumps. And she's even got the pixie-like short hair!

June 9, 2009
We love to have the missionaries over to dinner. This set is always prepared with fabulous and memorable object lessons. This one was about listening to the promptings of the Holy Ghost and you'll always be led to do what is right.

June 8, 2009
It was Bayboo's turn to pick our Family Home Evening game. She chose a rousing game of Littlest Pet Shop.

June 7, 2009
Our successful attempt at a group shot of our girls before church on Sunday!

June 6, 2009
Nasty pic of me, but this is basically what our Saturday evenings entail - baths, jammies, and mommy drying their hair in preparation for church on Sunday. We were also listening to some Abba on the laptop :)

June 5, 2009
Our first visit to Western Pizza, and we were happy! That pizza was GINORMOUS! Yum!

June 4, 2009
TJ performed "You're never fully dressed with out a smile!" with her school choir. It was a fantastic performance, and she was quite the little actress!

June 3, 2009
Shish Kebabs, Skewers, or whatever you like to call 'em. Delish!

June 2, 2009
Took a "craft" day and worked on getting TJ's school album up to date! Now to finish B's!

June 1, 2009
We get to enjoy the sunshine, but hubby was back at school for a week. We know it will be such a blessing when he completes his MBA next Spring!

May 24 - 31, 2009

2009-06-11T12:35:00.001-07:00

May 31, 2009
Bayboo has been sounding like Winnie the Pooh personified. She walks around saying "Oh, bother!" when things don't go right...best yet? She says it with her best British accent ;)

May 30, 2009

I love these shots because they capture me doing what I love - I'm so glad my hubby shot these while I was shooting a lovely wedding party. I think it's the first pics I've seen of ME photographing someone :)

May 29, 2009
We met daddy after work and played at a fun park in the beautiful downtown core of our fair city.

May 28, 2009
Posy pins - frayed, adorable, easy to make posy pins. Made these all in about half an hour. And I'm in love.

May 27, 2009
You know it's finally Spring when you see the street cleaners coming down the way. YAHOO!

May 26, 2009
Our poor little tulips, fighting for some sun and warmth during the coldest Spring in 3 decades!

May 25, 2009
Reaping the benefits of learning how to sprout! Yum!

May 24, 2009
I love our little house - some of the time :) When it looks so quaint and still, it makes my heart smile :)

May 1 - 23, 2009

2009-05-25T16:13:00.000-07:00

May 23, 2009
Hot Spring day, lots to do, much fun had! Mom did a photoshoot, Dad took the kids to the store, then it was off to a fun EMS open house with demos, balloons, and food! Then it was off to Evraz Place to play and look at the animals.

May 22, 2009
End of May and we BARELY were able to plant our vegetable garden! Frost warnings, snow, and freezing rain has prevented us so far. CRAZY! I'll be so glad to see our carrots, onions, peas, tomatoes, and Swiss Chard coming up!

May 21, 2009
Quick song practice for Lyndon, Bishop Howie, Bro. Bates, and Bro. Harker - they were singing a hymn for the Stake Priesthood meeting while Hubby played. They were missing one member of their quartet, though - Bro. Millar, who joined them for another practice later.

May 20, 2009
Jersey day at school. Well, we aren't a "sporty" type family, so we had zero jerseys around here. Therefore, a trip to Le Village was in order. After a short look through the boys' section, we came away with three cute jerseys for our girls to wear.

May 19, 2009
Tuesday was a slow day, doing nothing but laundry and editing pics from the photoshoot on Saturday. I loved every second of the boring, slowness. Hubby treated us to a dinner out at a favorite Chinese restaurant nearby. It was the perfect ending to a perfectly boring day :)

May 18, 2009
We headed out to the YMCA to play, since nothing else seemed to be open on this Victoria Day Monday! We played at the indoor play structure for a while, then realized that our day pass also included the pool! We got the kids in their swim suits and all headed into the pool for some fun. We loved it. The water was so warm - even in the regular swimming pools!

May 17, 2009
Sunday was like most Sundays - busy and wonderful. We magically all got out the door early enough for a quick picture and time to race back home to look for forgotten church keys :)

May 16, 2009
When grandma and grandpa visit, we put them straight to work! They were so awesome to purchase fabric and foam to help us recover our kitchen chairs. They look like new! I LOVE them! They worked so hard to help us - I am so grateful!

May 15, 2009
Grandma and Grandpa G arrived with little cousin 'S' in tow! We visited for a short while before heading off to bed. It was hard to sleep while we were so excited to have them here!

May 14, 2009
On Thursday (May 14) the girls had a day off school, so they decided that, while cleaning their room, that they would like to rearrange it. Okay - sounds fun! We moved furniture, washed walls, scrubbed down dressers, desks, you name it! In the end, the girls love their 'new' room. It gives them lots of space to play, AND we managed to get rid of bags full of trash and give aways. Nice!

May 13, 2009
Spirit days at school are here again! TJ and her BFF, Chassity, dressed in the same jeans, sweaters, and jackets - and even did their hair the same way. So fun to have best friends!

May 12, 2009Monsters vs Aliens 3D! What a great movie - even JJ kept her glasses on the whole time. It's amazing the technology we enjoy today!

May 11. 2009
Family Home Evening treat #2046 - okay maybe not, but it certainly COULD be. We treated the kids to some cones at our favorite ice cream shoppe - Milky Way!

May 10, 2009
Mothers day. "And thou shalt in thy daughter see,
This picture, once, resembled thee.~Ambrose Philips"

May 9, 2009
What a wonderful day for me. We had our Stake Relief Society Meeting and I was able to attend 3 wonderful workshops. This one was my good friend, Ketrisse, who taught about finding joy every minute. She was the perfect one to teach this class and it was awesome.

May 8, 2009
Dentist time once again. Seeing as we now have coverage, it was time for a family visit! Good news - zero cavities! Which is quite good seeing as it had been nearly 2 years since we've seen a dentist!

May 7, 2009
Mr. Oreo - he's a humongous hamster - seriously verging on rat size, but the sweetest, most gentle creature I've met. Since buying him back in December, he's never bitten anyone, and is so patient with the girls who love to maul him a few times every day!

May 6, 2009
The girls know that they are allowed to have friends over ONCE a week. Our lives are too hectic to have them over more than that. This was TJ's turn to have a friend over - and who else but Chassity? They enjoyed their time by playing board games.

May 5, 2009
Seeing as we're nothing if not a family of winners - our girls entered a video for the WCB safety video contest, and WON! They each won a prize pack including T-shirts, stickers, coloring books, whistles, crayons AND $100 to the Cineplex theaters! WAHOO! It pays to be safe!

May 4, 2009
B finally lost her front top tooth. Isn't that a HUGE rite of passage? She was thrilled to lose it and even more thrilled with the moolah the tooth fairy left her :)

May 3, 2009
Oh happy day! Lyndon finally returned home from his school trip to Brazil. We were ALL over joyed to see him again, and it had nothing to do with all of the fun gifts he brought back for us!

May 2, 2009
TJ won FIRST PLACE in the Queen's City Comic Contest by drawing a one - page comic above, The prize was $100! We were SO proud of her. She is quite the little artist!

May 1, 2009

Dreaming of hubby who is enjoying his time in Brazil. It's true what they say - absence DOES make the heart grow fonder!

April 30, 2009

2009-04-30T14:16:00.000-07:00

Some might say "What big shoes to fill!", but my thoughts are, I hope the shoes she fills are much better than mine.

April 19 - 29, 2009

2009-04-29T13:59:00.000-07:00

April 19, 2009

We are slowly trying to read through the Book of Mormon with the kids. Slowly. They can only sit through maybe a page before the ants in the pants show up. But, as we plod along, I am noticing the light going on in their minds and they are starting to grasp the principles being taught in the scriptures. It's a wonderful thing!

April 20, 2009
Brazil. A country none of us really knew much about. So, we sat down together for Family Home Evening to do a little research on it. Lyndon and the girls really enjoyed it. I didn't. I didn't enjoy learning about the place that was taking my husband away from me. In fact, I may have developed a slight grudge against the place. I *might* get over it, if Lyndon takes me with him next time :)

April 21, 2009
Passport time! Not sure why I put this off. Probably a fear of long line ups and passport photos. I survived the horrible corpse-like photo, and even better -absolutely NO ONE in line! YES! I was in and out in less than 10 minutes. Maybe this passport thing will grow on me.

April 22, 2009
I helped TJ at her Achievement Days activity. There were 12 girls there and they were one craft short. TJ made me proud by immediately raising her hand to offer to go without so another girl, a visitor, could have one. What a doll. Her teacher smiled and offered to bring her a pot to paint another day, which she did, and we all painted pots together on a future Family Home Evening.

April 23, 2009

There is a lot to get organized when you plan to travel out of the country. My heart was aching watching him pack, knowing that he'd be so far away for 10 long days. Is it normal to be excited for him, jealous of him, scared for him, and miss him all at the same time? And all before he's even gone?

April 24, 2009And he's off... Many hugs were given. And I did not cry, or blubber, or lose it. Really. At least, not too badly. And not in front of him. Much. I'm a big girl and this is no big deal. We'll all be fine. Seriously. I missed him the moment he was out of my sight. Who am I kidding, I missed him before that. But I'm happy for him. So happy :)

April 25, 2009
We had 5 young women and their YW leader billet at our house from Winnipeg this weekend. They were so sweet, though I didn't actually get to see much of them. They spent from 8am until 11pm at the church for the conference, so I basically was here while they slept :) They left me this sweet card and a lovely gift - a bar of strawberry soap from the Body Shop. My girls all wanted to use it so they could smell like perfume.

April 26, 2009
Do you ever just thank your lucky stars for a certain someone in your life? I do from time to time. In my case, I have a certain FAMILY in my life that I adore and who were kind enough to invite me and my girls over to dinner (and some wonderful adult conversation) while my husband is away. They are truly some of our very best friends, and also some of the most Christlike people I've ever had the pleasure to know. I mean, who has the wheaties to invite 5 extra mouths over for dinner? These folks, that's who! I enjoyed visiting with Ketrisse and watching her sweet relationship with her children.

April 27, 2009
Ooooh la la. These would be what I call a "Sweet" success. I've never before made cinnamon rolls, but in my ever increasing attempt to keep busy this week, I thought I'd give them a shot. Oh, heaven! They turned out PERFECT!

April 28, 2009

Oh, what do you do in the Springtime, when all the world is white? Take it easy and scrapbook, that's what! Thankfully the temperatures warmed up enough that it was all melted by evening :)

April 29, 2009
Lyndon is still alive and well in Brazil, seeing the sights, eating the food, enjoying the company, and missing us. It's been hard on us both, but being able to chat online at night has helped.

April 4 - 18, 2009

2009-04-18T11:47:00.000-07:00

Saturday April 4, 2009
Watching the most wonderful sessions of General Conference. So touching, so emotional, so true, so uplifting. I wish Lyndon didn't have to be in school and miss it.

April 5, 2009
Busy trying to keep the children occupied with good activities during Sunday's Conference sessions. They did church coloring sheets and activities and enjoyed themselves. Hopefully they also caught a little bit from the talks, too.

April 6, 2009
Easter Family Home Evening - a sweet little lesson on the last days of Jesus' life on earth, and the joy of His glorious Resurrection. We learned the Children's Primary song "Did Jesus Really Live Again?" which is one of my favorite Easter songs, then played a fun game together. I love Family Home Evening - even when the planning can seem to get in the way of other things that need to be done, I never regret doing it.

April 7, 2009
Swimming lessons for TJ - last day. Parent Day. Play day. They pretty much splashed around the entire time, enjoying themselves, having fun. I was glad I decided to go - I never want to miss things like this.

April 8, 2009
Bayboo and her little pre-Kindergarten class had been working for 2 months to learn a Metis Rabbit dance to perform for their parents and other classes.

The story goes that a Metis hunter, while on his way home from the hunt, saw several rabbits lined up beside each other, and several dogs lined up beside each other, facing the rabbits. One dog would chase the rabbit around the lines in a figure eight pattern, then they would trade and the rabbit would chase the dog, then the next rabbit and dog in line would do it. The Hunter ran back to his home and showed the "Rabbit" dance to the others in the home and they all learned it. It's very lively and fun. I was so proud of my girl - she knew every step without help and was chosen to be the leader "rabbit" in her group, even though she is by far the tiniest in her class :)

April 9, 2009
A familiar sight for Lyndon as he rides the bus to and from work with mostly the same people each time. We're blessed to have access to a great transit system so I can have a vehicle during the day.

April 10, 2009
TJ's 9th birthday party! This year she decided on only inviting one friend and going to see a movie at the theatre. Sounds good to me! She was sooooo excited all day, driving the rest of us batty with her giggly chatter. I'm taking it all in, though, because I fear the time will come when she won't be so quick to want to chat with me. I hope that day is far off!

April 11, 2009
Easter celebrations! In our family, we have the Easter bunny visit on Saturday so we can focus on the Savior on Sunday. We had our Easter basket hunt, decorated eggs, and went on a little bike ride. A wonderful, warm, fun Easter day!

April 12, 2009
The Howies invited us over for a turkey dinner! To our pleasant surprise there was another great couple from our ward there to enjoy dinner, too- the Burgesses. This couple blow me away with their testimony, service, and genuine love for others. It was such a pleasure to spend the evening visiting with them and getting to know them better.

April 13, 2009
TJ turns 9. I love this girl. She is an example to me, she is a good and faithful daughter - to us, and to her Heavenly parents. We love her and have felt blessed to have her as a part of our family these past nine years! Now I can look forward to the next 9!

April 14, 2009
Hooray for warm Spring weather and no school! We spent the morning at a fun park near our house. The girls especially loved this sill twirly dizzy thing. Crazy kids.

April 15, 2009
Cool cat in a hat. Lyndon needed to buy a hat for his trip to Brazil, so what could be more fun than accompanying him? The girls all looked smashing in their mountain man hats, but my hubby looked HOT in his!

April 16, 2009
How many Barbie movies does it take to make a mommy go insane? Probably 1, but we're not taking any chances. Our girls LOVE these flicks, the music, the stories, the beautiful princesses. What's not to love?

April 17, 2009
BB surprised me by making my bed. What a sweetie - and a pretty awesome bed maker at that!

April 18, 2009

Now that the weather is warmer, I can always find at least one of the kids in the back yard. This day was spent making a make-shift playground out of logs and planks of wood. Ingenuitive!

April 3, 2009

2009-04-04T10:10:00.001-07:00

The semester is ending - which means, Finals, group projects, presentations. Which means Lyndon has spent hours and hours in our little home office, working on his papers, doing research, and compiling reports for his group projects. I don't envy him the work, but I do envy, a little, the continued growth and learning.

April 2, 2009

2009-04-04T10:01:00.000-07:00

The kids have spent almost as much time outdoors in our yard as they have inside these days. The weather has hovered around 2 degrees above zero, but the cabin fever has won out and outside they go!

March 29 - April 1, 2009

2009-04-01T12:54:00.000-07:00

April 1, 2009Let's say that JJ dressed herself for April Fool's day. Let's say that I knew about her backward pants and shoes on the wrong feet before I let her out the door. Let's say this was all on purpose. Yeah, we'll go with that....

March 31, 2009
My dinners are so tasty that they just exhaust my children from the sheer jubilation of eating them. She was so overcome from the delicious pizza that she just couldn't finish her salad and veggies.

March 30, 2009
Monday night means Family Home Evening - and since we are trying our best to coordinate our lessons with what they girls are learning about in Primary we had our lesson this week on how Children contribute to our family. We acted out ways that we can help to make our house into a home. Daddy acted out his favorite thing - a fire in the firepit in the backyard to roast hot dogs on. TJ and B acted out being kind to each other (such a stretch - ha!) and we all had a wonderful, happy, uplifting evening together!

March 29, 2009
This has been our reality for over a week. Joy.

March 20 - 28, 2009

2009-03-28T18:09:00.000-07:00

March 28, 2009
Spring is finally starting to appear here. With temperatures barely reaching above zero, the kids couldn't resist getting out to play in the backyard.

March 27, 2009
Hubby and I went on a much needed date! We were going to attend the temple, but my hacking cough would have been very distracting to the other patrons, so we went to a movie then went to smooch in front of the Legislative building!

March 26, 2009
The much planned for and anticipated Twilight Movie night! We watched the DVD, ate ourselves sick, and played a trivia game for fabulous prizes! Aren't we smashing in our red, black, and white??

March 25, 2009
Is this Spring?? Lyndon had to drive home from his business trip amid gigantic snowflakes and icy roads. It was beautiful, but I couldn't enjoy it through the worry.

March 24, 2009
We were feeling sad because Daddy wasn't coming home today as planned due to extremely icy road conditions, so we cheered ourselves up by making some Elmo and Cookie Monster cupcakes. It worked - they make us smile!

March 23, 2009
Day two of the Convention. This was lunch time.

March 22, 2009
Lyndon arrived at his hotel for his work convention. He stayed at the Hilton - such a nice hotel! Too bad I wasn't there to enjoy it with him!

March 21, 2009
A super yummy meal at an awards banquet with Lyndon's work! I ate way too much!

March 20, 2009

Fun trip to the bottle depot to recycle our bottles and cans! It stinks, but we got $25!

March 19, 2009

2009-03-19T12:42:00.000-07:00

Thursday. 3 of 4 kids in school. Busy weekend ahead. I was excited to do the grocery shopping for my husband, who usually does this crazy chore. JJ was great company, cooperated very nicely -and we filled up the cart to overflowing. It's kind of amazing how much food 6 people can go through in a week!

March 18, 2009

2009-03-18T12:32:00.000-07:00

Relief Society Enrichment night - R.S. Presidents Garden party. It was phenomenal! Delicious food, great company, and a delightful play complete with moving words, cute dances, and entertaining songs. I especially LOVED the Beatles "I wanna hold your hand" and the Barber Shop Quartet's numbers. So much fun! I'm so glad I went!

March 17, 2009

2009-03-17T09:29:00.001-07:00

Happy St. Patty's day! Or, happy green day - however you want to look at it! It was green and white day at the girls' school - and thankfully we managed to pull together enough green to go around :)

March 16, 2009

2009-03-16T09:26:00.000-07:00

Time to sing and dance! JJ finally did her duty on the potty. After figuring out how to pee pee on the potty a couple of weeks ago, we thought we were on our way to having her potty trained. Not so. #2 was a ways coming. BUT, today was the day! She finally did her #2 on the potty! HOORAY! What a big girl!

March 15, 2009

2009-03-15T09:24:00.000-07:00

What a great husband I have. After I was down and out with a sick tummy, he was busy cooking up some delicious spaghetti with meat sauce and mushrooms. What a great guy.

March 14, 2009

2009-03-14T09:22:00.000-07:00

Saturday at the Science Center! We've been there many times, but it never gets old!

March 13, 2009

2009-03-13T09:21:00.000-07:00

Homemade fresh salsa.... 'nough said!

March 12, 2009

2009-03-12T09:19:00.000-07:00

Slow day - hanging around, having friends over to play, showing off on the piano - you know, the regular stuff :)

March 11, 2009

2009-03-11T09:14:00.000-07:00

Finally got to work on my "What Makes a House a Home?" mini album. After a crazy week last week, it was nice to focus on something completely creative!

March 10, 2009

2009-03-10T09:11:00.000-07:00

Hubby showed up from the store with this gorgeous gal! She is fabulous and ALL MINE, BABY! I can't wait to hop on and take 'er for a ride (as soon as all this stinkin' snow melts!).

March 9, 2009

2009-03-09T09:09:00.000-07:00

Rough day today. I totally screwed up dinner, which was painful because I tried SO hard on it. I was so, so sad. My hubby brought me these incredible flowers and my daughter typed out this beautiful note for me. What would I do without family? They are truly my light and my life.

March 8, 2009

2009-03-08T09:07:00.000-07:00

A very chilly, though restful Sunday. This icicle hanging from our house in the back yard was easily as long as my arm. HUGE! I am so glad we have the four seasons here. I need to experience the bad to appreciate the good things ;)

March 7, 2009

2009-03-07T09:05:00.000-08:00

Stayed home with the girls and cleaned. They were very cooperative! By the way, is it weird to love a vacuum? 'Cause I do. I really love her. (Yes, my vacuum is a girl - what else?) She's a good girl - does a great job. I hope she sticks around for a while :)

March 6, 2009

2009-03-06T09:03:00.000-08:00

I organized and served at a luncheon for 55 missionaries, the mission presidency and their wives. It turned out great! We served Taco soup and veggies. Yum!

March 5, 2009

2009-03-05T09:01:00.000-08:00

B FINALLY lost her second tooth. I'm not convinced it was ready to come out, but she can be very persuasive. That little baby tooth had no chance. Out it came, along with most of the blood in her body! Ew. All for a shiny loonie (dollar coin). Priorities?

March 4, 2009

2009-03-04T08:59:00.000-08:00

Hubby had an unexpected foot surgery today. Unexpected, but a blessing all the same. I'm grateful to have access to good health care in our Country. It has been a blessing on many, many occasions.

March 3, 2009

2009-03-03T08:50:00.000-08:00

JJ and I have lots of time to spend together these days. I love this time. I wish I had had the same one-on-one time with each of my girls. It's special. JJ is full of hilarious sayings, loves to sing (and I mean LOVES to sing) and is the queen of funny faces. Love this kid!

March 2, 2009

2009-03-02T06:44:00.000-08:00

We spoke to our children about finances for Family Home Evening tonight. We read them the scripture in Doctrine and Covenants 6:33 which says "Fear not to do good, my sons, for whatsoever ye sow, that shall ye also reap; therefore, if ye sow good ye shall also reap good for your reward. " We explained how we WORK to earn money, then we decide what to do with our reward. We reminded them of the importance of saving money, and of paying the Lord (since He gives us EVERY good thing), then we then let the children take some of their "fun" money and spend it at the store.

It is interesting to see how particular they are with what to buy when it is their own hard-earned cash in their hands. They often saw something they wanted, but couldn't afford, so we had to remind them that if they wanted something that was more money, they would have to save to get it. It was a good reminder for all of us, actually! A very good Family Home Evening.

March 1, 2009

2009-03-01T12:42:00.000-08:00

*sigh* It was a long day. A long, long, long Fast Sunday. The kids were either bouncing off the walls or whining and crying. No in betweens today. And yet, at the end of this long, long, long day - we can see them all up in the bunk bed, eating some toast, and laughing together. It's makes a long day seem just a little shorter, reminding me how quickly these little moments will pass by.

February 28, 2009

2009-02-28T12:38:00.000-08:00

Scrapbook Saturday! Our ward's first one since I've been here. I got 5 pages done, ate way too much, laughed like crazy, and got to know the girls a lot better. SUCH a great time!

February 27, 2009

2009-02-27T12:32:00.000-08:00

My girls are nuts. Seriously. While making applesauce today, the girls insisted on munching on the lemon wedges after I had squeezed some of the juice into the pan. Their lip puckered up like crazy, but they just kept on eating. Crazy.

February 20-26, 2009

2009-02-27T11:53:00.000-08:00

February 26, 2009
Another day spent editing photos - this time the cute photos of my Niece's baby, A. My eyes are tired from looking at the screen, but it was worth it.

February 25, 2009
Today is the day I think it finally "clicked"! I decided to try ONE.MORE.TIME. with JJ to potty train her. On went the panties, off came the diaper, and low and behold, she not only peed on the potty, but later she TOLD me she needed to go and went again! Now, to get #2 down...

February 24, 2009
Laundry and editing wedding photos. That's how I spent today. And who could wait? I loved getting them done, AND trying my hand at some new texture techniques.

February 23, 2009

We left back for home during a snow storm. The drive was perilous, my heart was racing, and I did this crossword puzzle to keep myself preoccupied. Yes, I do my puzzles in pen (I can't stand how light pencils are). It was a wonderful trip, but it's always nice to get home (especially in one piece).

February 22, 2009

A lovely, slow Sunday starting with church, seeing several friends we miss, photographing my neice's baby girl, then visiting with 2 families we love dearly and miss terribly.

February 21, 2009

K and C's beautiful wedding. The weather was phenomenal, the bride was lovely, the groom - hilarious, and though it was a busy, full day I wouldn't have missed it for the world!

February 20, 2009

After a long trip to Calgary to visit the in-laws before heading off again for the wedding the next day, we were treated by Grandma and Grandpa G. to a fun game of bowling. My kids had never been (other than the Wii) and had the time of their lives!

February 19, 2009

2009-02-19T09:12:00.001-08:00

I woke up this morning to a world of crystals and blue sky. I LOVE winter days like this. Everything seems so clear and crisp, and just beautiful.

February 18, 2009

2009-02-18T08:53:00.000-08:00

The girls were SO well behaved today when we had the Missionaries over to dinner. B especially. She was SO grown up and SO helpful. It warmed my heart to see how sweet she wanted to be and how much she wanted to be obedient to the house rules. Our kids turn into crazy creatures when we have guests over. It's something about that front door opening that turns them into hyper mutants. But not tonight. Wow. I was impressed. After dinner, B decided she wanted to watch a church movie, then read a story to her little sisters. *sigh* How long will this last? Oh, I hope at least until tomorrow....

February 17, 2009

2009-02-17T08:31:00.000-08:00

Before school today, B and Bayboo were playing this WAY FUN game of memory that my SIL made for EACH of her sibling's families for Christmas. There is a matching set of cards for EACH member of the family - from grandparents to aunts, uncles, and cousins. I LOVE IT! Living far from family, this is a fun way for the kids to remember their family members. THANKS, T!

February 16, 2009

2009-02-16T08:19:00.000-08:00

We spent Family Day with ....who else... the family. We took the kids to the local museum and accidentally met up with some friends from the ward. They have kids the same age, but for some reason we just haven't gotten together much - even though we often run into them when we are out at family activities, which tells me that we obviously have the same ideas! We went through the museum, then met up at McDonalds to eat and let the kids run around like crazy. I'm grateful for the fabulous people in our ward - there are just so many of them!

February 15, 2009

2009-02-15T08:12:00.000-08:00

Joanne came for a weekend visit and we had just too much fun (as much fun as you can in the freezing weather!) It wasn't until I saw her again that I realized how much I missed her. Being friends with her is so easy, I just love it. We think the same way about almost everything, and when we don't, we don't care! I had so much fun with her and can't wait to do it again - in the summer next time!

February 14, 2009

2009-02-14T08:01:00.000-08:00

Hubby took me out to a superb Thai restaurant for Valentines Day. It's so nice eating out with someone who KNOWS what to order, and KNOWS my tastes. It was absolutely scrumptious and spicy! This is what we ate, according to Hunkster Hubby:

Carrot Salad (Lyndon's favorite, simple salad)
Yum Nuae Yang (spicy roast beef and vegetable dish)
Tom Yum Gai (very, very melt-your-face-off spicy chicken and mushroom soup)
Pad Thai Tofu (My favorite, noodle-sprouts-sauce, really good)

February 13, 2009

2009-02-13T07:56:00.000-08:00

Few things make me happier than bright, vibrant colors. And when I can EAT the colors - even better! Joanne brought me these adorable sprinkles as a gift when she came to stay with us. How "sweet" of her! ;)

February 12, 2009

2009-02-12T07:38:00.000-08:00

I spent the afternoon making this gift for my hubby for Love Day. It's a mini album that displays 14 things I LOVE about my hubby. Some of them include ones like #2 "You can pull of any hairstyle - and have!" and #7 "You keep your cool in really difficult situations". It was hard to narrow it down to just 14 - maybe next time I'll have to do 365 reasons I love him!

February 11, 2009

2009-02-11T07:24:00.000-08:00

Do you remember how exciting it was to receive Valentines cards from your friends on Valentine's day? I sure do. I remember reading each and every pre-printed word and taking it to heart. Would they sign "LOVE" so-and-so?? Oooooo... what did that MEAN?? LOL! Now, though, the stuff they give out blows me away. I don't ever remember receiving lollipops attached to my cards, or chocolates, or TOYS, or PENCILS. Wow. I admit, I attached heart shaped suckers to my kids' cards - way cute, but what will it be like when THEIR children go to school? Will we be giving away red corvettes with their Valentine cards?

February 10, 2009

2009-02-11T06:19:00.000-08:00

This was TJ's 100 day project for school - 100 white buttons. I used to think 100 was a HUGE number, but looking at this cute art project, it doesn't seem so. How could I have given her 100 buttons from my WHITE button stash alone, and still have that much and MORE left over? How many buttons do I have? I think I need help!

February 9, 2009

2009-02-10T12:04:00.001-08:00

We attended Math Night at my daughters' school - a night where we play math centered games together as a family. It was a lot of fun, and what was even better was seeing how my girls love math and are good at it!

February 8, 2009

2009-02-10T11:56:00.001-08:00

We do our daily family scripture study out of this copy of The Book of Mormon which has pictures and explanations that work well with trying to teach young children (and, frankly, me!) But WOW does it ever take a long time to get through the scriptures with little ones. We have barely made it into 2 Nephi now, and we HOPE to finish reading the entire book together by the end of the year. There will be celebrations if we do!

February 7, 2009

2009-02-10T11:46:00.000-08:00

Ahhh... what a nice day today! It started with the girls running off, with Lyndon, to a Primary party. They all had a blast! They came home talking all about how to love one another, giving me coupons I could use for things like "breakfast in bed" and "help with dinner". I love Primary activities - they are always so memorable!

Before they ran off to the party, though, I quickly nabbed them for a photo (since I had the backdrop already up for a photoshoot I had later). Okay, "quickly" and "photo" should not be in the same sentence where my girls are concerned. I got this shot, but it was off center and B was giving me her goofy smile. But, it is a snapshot in time and I'm grateful I got it.

February 6, 2009

2009-02-10T11:19:00.000-08:00

Tonight was girls night out - a much needed and anticipated one for me. We (myself and 4 friends) went out to eat at a great restaraunt called "Rock Creek" which I had never been to before. It was a nice place with a great menu. I ordered a half sized portion which ended up being too big to finish! That's what I LOVE. We had great conversation and lots of laughs. I just love these gals. I went with Ailyn, Cori, Karla, and Pam T. who are so down to earth and fun to be around. I've said it before, and I'm still amazed that we can talk for over 3 hours and not once was there husband bashing going on. YES! I love it.

I tried to get a group photo, but my silly XTi decided to stop working properly - so I'm glad I snapped this photo at least. The flash wasn't working, so it's not completely in focus, but I don't care really. At least I captured a moment from our night out.

February 5, 2009

2009-02-05T12:28:00.000-08:00

TJ was getting into the van this morning, and I caught a glimpse of the pre-teen she is becoming, much too early. She is developing her very own sense of style and this morning's ensemble was a good example. The brown jacket, brown tights and boots, the hot pink skirt with the hot pink scarf. Her white sweater hood peeking out. *sigh* Can't she slow down a bit? It's happening to fast for me! But isn't she beautiful?

February 4, 2009

2009-02-04T12:25:00.000-08:00

Big day at our house! JJ went pee pee on the potty for the first time! YAY! It was a major breakthrough in potty training news. She did it all on her own and I was so happy I could cry. Then she had an accident later than night. *sigh* At least she knows what she's supposed to DO in the potty, now, right?

After her bath, I heard her getting into something in the bathroom. I grabbed my camera and headed over. There she was, brushing her hair in the bathroom mirror, singing to herself. She looked over and says "Am I beautiful, Mommy?". Oh yes. Yes you are.

February 3, 2009

2009-02-03T12:21:00.000-08:00

Our van was in the shop today - nothing major, just some loose nuts and bolts. The problem? Minus 30 degrees with the windchill and having to walk the girls to school. What to do with a 2 year old for a 20 minute walk in this weather? Bundle her up and plop her on the sled, that's what! I made the mistake during my second trip out to pick up Bayboo from pre-k of cutting through the field behind our house. I ended up trudging through knee deep snow in ankle deep boots, getting the leg workout of my life. Luckily, JJ floated safely on top of the snow in her little red sled. She was warm - except for her little red nose sticking out of the scarf. WHY couldn't the van break down in warmer weather?

February 2, 2009

2009-02-02T12:13:00.000-08:00

TJ and I had a talk about whether or not she was serious about wanting to continue with her piano lessons. She wanted to skip out on practising because she wanted to play on the computer. I know it's a normal "kid" thing to say, but thankfully - after our little talk - she decided that she wouldn't give up what she wants MOST for what she wanted right now. She got to work practicing a kind of tricky song - one with chords and using both hands a lot - and after a few minutes she was zipping through the song, almost laughing at her success. I hope she'll always make the choice to think about what's best in the long run, and not just what she wants in the moment.

February 1, 2009

2009-02-01T12:04:00.000-08:00

Hubby turned 32 today. What, is that like a third of his life down, and 2/3 to go? I'm SO blessed I get to spend the majority of his life with him :) I made him some English Trifle (his favorite dessert) to celebrate. It's hard to see, but there is a tea light candle sitting on top.

2009-01-31T10:15:00.000-08:00

January 31, 2009 B wanted a birthday party for her "Baby Knows" doll. Hooray for me, she picked the day before Hubby's birthday - so I spent the day baking muffins for the dolly, and making Trifle for hunkster hubby. The girls put together gifts for dolly and doesn't she look happy? :)

January 30, 2009
This was Bayboo's visit to the dentist, very last minute. Poor kid was insanely brave. Either that, or she has a unusually high pain tolerance. Either way - she did well, and I HOPE it's a while before her next visit!

January 29, 2009
While on her visit to the doctor for her immunizations, Bayboo had her hearing checked. She was so excited that she could even hear the quietest beeps. I am GRATEFUL for the blessing of being able to hear, AND the blessing of having healthy children (not to mention access to medical care - it's so awesome to have that).

January 28, 2009

We love pancakes around here, though I usually only make them once a week. The kids would eat them every. single. day. if they could - just not a lot of nutrients in them, you know?

January 27, 2009
In celebration of Family Literacy Day, I went out and bought each of the girls a new book . We spent the evening reading together, and I am so grateful I CAN read. Another blessing to be grateful for!

January 26, 2009
This was the photo I based my "I SPY" scrapbook page on. Their room looks like this almost every day, but I guess I should be grateful that 1. they have a warm room to call their own, and 2. they have plenty of toys to play with. Right? Right??

January 25, 2009
BB, when she started into grade 2, was still struggling with her reading. I was beginning to wonder if she had dyslexia or something. I spoke with her teachers and they assured me that the words she was having trouble with were normal for kids her age. It was little relief.

But lately, reading has started to become more of a joy and less of a pain for her. I find her excited about reading, and she has really started doing well. Some of the words she is reading are REALLY big and she often surprises me with what she can read. I'm so grateful that she is catching on, and that she is beginning to love reading.

January 24, 2009
I spent the day scrapbooking - my "day off" so to speak :)

January 23, 2009
It was "family day" at Bayboo's pre-K class (something we both always look forward to) and we made some fun books together. But the part I think we both love best is when we first arrive and she gets to show me around her classroom. This photo was Bayboo showing JJ a huge shell, and explaining to her how she can hear the ocean if she listens carefully. There are few things I love more than watching my girls interacting together. I love it. It makes my heart sing.

January 22, 2009
This is one of my favorite sights. She is almost always the very first one ready to go, and she hops and skips up to me with that adorable grin on her little face, BURSTING with all the fun she had that day. It's one of those things I want to freeze in time and remember forever!

January 21, 2009
Jeopardy. I love it. Really, really love this show. I love it when I can get the answer that none of the contestants can get. I love it when my husband's head snaps around when I say the question that was so obscure, it seemed impossible. It's fun. I love Jeopardy.

January 20, 2009
I organized the back closet. It stayed like this for about .2 seconds after the girls came home from school. However, I did capture the moment for posterity.

January 19, 2009
I just recently started hanging my jeans to dry. Learned that trick (which is probably in the laundry bible) from my SIL, Tiffany. It keeps your jeans super nice. But, these are JUST a few of my girls' jeans. LOTS of denim hanging around here :)

January 18, 2009

No picture today - went to church and had a fabulous ward conference. We also met with the Stake Relief Society Presidency who gave us a HUGE amount of encouragement and a some very helpful suggestions that I can't wait to put into practise! A very wonderful day!

January 17, 2009
The first "kind of" warm day in a LONG time, so the girls spent hours outside playing in the snow and building snow forts. I *almost* wish I was young enough to enjoy being in the snow enough to not care about the cold nose and wet fingers. Oh, to be a kid again!

January 16, 2009

Not much to say about this pic - just my two babies reading to each other :)

January 15, 2009
It is still dark when I go out to drive my kiddos to school in the morning. Today, the sunrise was absolutely breathtaking! I ran back in the house and grabbed my camera to capture this fiery sight. Lovely.

January 14, 2009
This is often how I find Lyndon, once the kids are in bed and the dishes are done. He is in the office working on homework for school. He just goes, goes, goes with no complaints - ever. He really blows me away with his attitude towards life and responsibility. He takes care of my every need without a second thought, he does jobs around the house without expecting praise or reward, he plays with and disciplines our kids with love, he studies the gospel and lives the gospel and improves upon his weaknesses, and I love him. I really love him.

January 13, 2009
This is a (bad) photomerge of the snow on our back deck. It's piled high and it's so cold that it isn't going anywhere. If the weather warms up, we might have a flood on our hands!

January 12, 2009
Monday is laundry day - voila. Our laundry. (One load of 7 I do every Monday).

January 11, 2009
Reading is probably my favorite stress-relieving activities (next to a hot bath). Lately I've been really into Jodi Picoult books - and my husband has been feeding my habit by buying me a few of her books to keep my busy.

January 10, 2009
It was B's 7th birthday party today. A bunch of 7 and 8 year old girls, some cupcakes to decorate, some games to play, and some gifts to enjoy. All in all, a fantastic day!

January 9, 2009
My husband loves me. He loves me enough to stand in -30 degree weather at a cold and dark bus stop on a Friday morning just so I can have the van for the day. What a man I have. I am the luckiest gal around.

January 8, 2009
B turned 7 today! She got to pick her favorite place to have dinner, so she chose the ever exclusive le' McDonalds. She wanted to play in the play park. You can't argue with that logic. Then we headed to Chez DQ for a yummy ice cream cone for dessert. I love it when my kids have birthdays!

January 7, 2009
JJ sat on her potty for the first time today. She also went poops on the potty today (completely by accident I think). And, she had about a zillion accidents today. But, we'll see how it goes...

January 6, 2009
I spent the morning designing an office newsletter for a friend. I really, really, enjoy working on the computer (shocker, I know). And... I think I'm pretty good at it. Considering I'm self-taught 100%.

January 5, 2009
Is this a portend of things to come? Will 2 bathrooms be enough when those teenage years hit? Points to ponder....

January 4, 2009
Meet Oreo. The biggest, sweetest hamster I've met. TJ received a hamster cage for Christmas with a note saying she could pick out her own hamster after we got back from our Christmas Vaycay in Calgary. She picked out this fat, enormous black and whitish hamster that has been practically attached to her hip since she brought him home. He's never bit - any of use - and he is big enough to not get squished by eager little hands. Lucky him :)

January 3, 2009
The snow is starting to pile up on our deck table. That's a lot of white stuff!

January 2, 2009
Lyndon still had a day off work, and the older two kiddos were back at school, so the rest of us went to our local indoor gardens. With the freezing, snowy weather - seeing all of the gorgeous plants was just the pick-me-up we all needed.

January 1, 2009
Lyndon spent a couple of weeks growing a beard. Why? For the scouts winter camp coming up this weekend. I mean, come on - is that really neccesary? Have you heard of a scarf? Okay, I guess scarves aren't as fun. Whatever. Thankfully, the freezing -45 degree weather caused the camp to be cancelled. Lyndon shaved the beard right after I snapped this pic. Hallelujiah!