Cheers!

This month is full of celebrations. It begins with Easter- and in the case of our wedding, they actually shared the same date in 2009- April 11. So, next, naturally we celebrate our wedding anniversary.

(Just ignore the cigarette in kyle's mouth in this picture lol)

Next comes Kyle's birthday- April 19th. And, in the same vein, when we learned we were pregnant, the due date we were aiming for was April 4th. So, there would have been another birthday to add...but, thankfully not! Enough happens in this month already!

Here's the card I made for Kyle. He turns 36 this year. Yikes!!

And lastly, Kyle's dad celebrates this birthday in April, too. His isn't until the 28th, but we're planning to celebrate their birthdays together this year. My parents, Kyle's dad and step mom and some friends here in town (hopefully) will be coming out on the weekend to help us celebrate.

Next on the agenda: make his birthday cake!!

Same Old...

My poor kids. Being away from us for two entire weeks was fun for them, but they sure didn't want to let us out of their sight when we got them back. And then, things didn't slow down for them for another 3 days after picking them up. Since it was easter weekend that we picked them up, we had made plans to meet up with my family to celebrate. So, on Saturday, we had a bunch of family over and a huge dinner, and on Sunday, we met up with Kyle's dad and step mom for lunch on our way home. I think the last two and a half weeks thoroughly pooped them out. They napped an entire 3 hours yesterday afternoon. It was bliss for me (I got some scrapbooking done while they slept), and I'm sure it was pure bliss to them too: sleeping in their own beds, and FINALLY some peace and quiet! (OH- and Saturday morning I had my hair done- grey's filled in- and then styled so I wouldn't have to worry about doing it after I got home!! I still had to make a mashed potato casserole after my appointment was done).

 The first time I've put make up on in over 6 months. Maybe a year. Seriously. Like, I put on the whole nine yards- tinted moisturizer, eye shadow, lipstick...usually its just a bit of mascara if I'm going to put anything on. It felt good!

 Addison playing with her Easter necklace

 Addison searching for Easter eggs

 Addison (but, really both girls) enjoying their wind up chickies

 mama and papa

 mama and Maren

 Dad and some freak...just kidding. Its my loveable sister!!

 Jeremey preparing his Greek salad for supper

 daddy and Maren in her pretty Easter dress

Auntie and Addison in her pretty Easter dress.

How was your Easter??

Last Week

It was a busy week last week. The kids went to visit their grandparents in Oyen, and I took the liberty of fixing up my house a little more during their absence. Here's a sneak peek:

The first two pics are obviously befores. The entire house was painted this awful beige colour. I think it wouldn't be so bad, but the problem is they did a terrible job of painting! Husband thinks a 10 year old painted our house. There was paint on the fixtures, on the hardware in the bathroom, on the tile surround in the showers; and the worst part of it was that they did only one coat of paint. It makes it dingy looking. And, to make matters even better, they painted over spots that needed patching up, so there's slightly brighter/darker squares all over the house. In a way, its pretty hilarious, but in a terribly sad kind of way. So, needless to say, a new coat of paint has freshened up our place immensely! Not to mention, its made it more ours.

At first, I was not pleased with the grey we wound up with to paint our bedroom. I wanted something that complimented the blue of our bathroom a bit better, but I have to admit, I am very pleased with the results. There is quite a bit of blue in it, and its beautiful. Honestly, I consider our bedroom my sanctuary. I just need to break out our curtains and bedsheets, and it'll feel even better. My mother in law is working at re-finishing the frame for our bed (I want it to look antiqued), and once that's finished and in our room, pictures will follow!

Painting ate up three days last week. I'm pretty proud of myself for even working up the gumption to do it and get it done. I just kept thinking about the end result and how great it would feel. Yesterday, I got to ride shotgun with husband. This is what he did:

I can't remember how big the compressor was- 28 feet wide, I think, and he said it weighed 63,000 lbs. He didn't haul it out there, someone else did that. I didn't get any pictures of them matting the bridge and then talking the truck driver through driving it over...that was the neatest thing I've ever experienced. Listening to them coach him and make sure he didn't get hung up on the bridge was pretty cool. Its one thing watching it on tv; its a totally different ball game when you experience it first hand.

On lease, he took it off the other truck, and spotted it (basically placed it) where they wanted it. In the end, it wasn't quite where the consultant wanted it, so they wound up using husbands' truck to muscle it into the space they needed it (remember, it was 28 feet wide, and they wanted it in a 29 foot wide space). Yep, my husband is that good- and I don't mean to sound snobby. He's pretty amazing at what he does. He did it, and the worst thing that happened when it was all said and done, was a scratched building next to the one he just put on the ground.

The look on his face on our way home was just of sheer adrenalin. He looked like he truly enjoyed himself, and he said so, too. He just loves stuff like this. He loves the challenge, and he loves driving a big bed (that's the workhorse of a truck he drives. It means he can take big things and heavy things, and because of the guy he is, and worker he is, he can do things consultants etc. won't want other people doing). He's got a pretty good track record. He was thinking about taking a truck push position, but because he enjoys driving this truck so much, he's thinking now he might just continue doing what he's doing.

It was an early, early day, and today I'm tired, but it was such a great day riding around with husband. Its been 2.5 years since I got to do it last, and I immensely enjoyed it!

Home Work

We have a new addition in the house.

Well, for only the next week. But, she's still a new addition.

Sister dropped by the other day on her way through our area to check up on one of the medics, and she asked if we would babysit for her.

Of course we would.

We're babysitting her cat, Neruda. She's sooo beautiful, but kind of crazy. She hisses at everyone and everything, and has been mostly hiding in the basement or in her carrier at the top of the stairs. Poor thing is probably going nuts wondering where she is and where her mama is. I've tried spending a bit of time with her throughout the day, talking to her and petting her when she lets me, just to make sure she doesn't feel completely abandoned and unloved. Its a bit hairy around here with TWO cats in the house. They haven't figured out who's boss yet. I think both cats are pretty much chickens...I know Gregory doesn't have the courage to show her he's the man. But, I also think she's too chicken to claw him good. She hisses like crazy and she growls like she's possessed, but otherwise she hides behind the couch up here, or she stays hidden somewhere in the basement.

Poor girl.

Phase one of my most recent project is complete. Phase two will hopefully begin tomorrow.

That is???

Painting.

The bathroom feels as though its the bottom of a glorious, warm blue pool. And, what excites me even more is the bright whites that the cabinet and toilet offer against the blue we chose. Its going to be s.t.u.n.n.i.n.g!!!!!! Next, I want to change out the lino that's in there. Its ruined in one spot- it looks like a burn of some kind. One day it will come out, but not for a while. The colour on the walls is so much nicer than the dirty, grungy feeling brown that was on the walls (every.single.wall.in.this.house) before I painted the bathroom. And, sadly (or excitingly) I've already started researching another colour for somewhere in my humble abode. Husband tells me to just go right ahead. Play, he says. Alright. Twist my rubber arm. I'm so thankful for the behr app on my iPhone! Its such a great tool!!

Lesson to remember for next time I go paint shopping: stick.with.behr.paint. At a store that sells behr paint. I don't think the colour matching computers are as accurate as they could be.

We had quite the...adventure...coming up with the correct shade of grey that I wanted for our bedroom. And, we didn't end up with it. Unfortunately. Its in the right colour family that I wanted, just not the right shade. Best part is, it can be changed. Worst part is it can be changed. I love the end result, but could totally do without all the work thats involved! LOL

And, to treat myself for being so industrious and ambitious today, I scrapbooked a little. I didn't get much done, but that's ok. I absolutely love the final product!! Maybe later this week or this weekend I'll get more done!

Next on the agenda: tackle our bedroom. Wish me luck- its going to be a large area to paint!!

Vacate

We are reconnecting, husband and I, while the kids are gone to grammy and grampy's for the week. We're enjoying our time together so much that we're thinking we're going to do it a little more often; every so often, the kids can go and visit their grandparents, and we'll 'vacate' for a couple days. Even if we don't necessarily go away by ourselves, the time alone to rekindle the flame in our relationship- and just strengthen our relationship- is something we both strongly desire.

Day time is definitely quiet, and for the most part I am enjoying it, but I'm finding myself somewhat longing for the chaos every day typically holds. The sun has been shining and its been warm, and I can't help but think to myself that this is perfect weather for the three of us to be spending outside. Not that they aren't experiencing a lot of activity and outdoor fun at their grandparents. I know for a fact they are. I just miss them. Life isn't the same without them, and truthfully, before today, I never thought I'd happily admit that. But there it is. The truth (and, it isn't the 'cold, hard truth'. Just...the truth).

The last two days have been spent scrapbooking my heart out. I am planning to get a few things done while the kids are gone- mainly painting our bedroom and ensuite; but, there are smaller projects I plan to get done: washing out the fridge, clean the house good, relax. Today I am having trouble motivating myself to do just that: wash out the fridge. Part of me wants to do something other than scrapbook, but the other part isn't motivated to do anything other than scrapbook. Oh, life's dilemma's!

So, these are the last few layouts I've made. The top one is of Maren completely undressed at the bottom of the basement stairs. She had just gotten out of the bath and apparently didn't want to be dressed! I love her goofy little grin in the one pic...

The middle one captured their first 'daddy and me' date. Kyle's begun taking the girls out on dates- just them- so that he can spend more quality time with them, and so I can have a little bit of quiet time for myself. And, they definitely DO make his world go round.

This last one is of Maren checking herself out in the window of the fireplace. Kyle and I installed it a few weeks back (meaning, we just secured it to the wall so that the girls couldn't pull it down on themselves). Her curiosity got the better of her, and I caught her sitting there just staring into it. Daddy caught the both of us staring into it after we had it all set up :)

Marvel

I marvel at the kids on a nearly daily basis. I'm sure they're soaking up more information than I could ever imagine, but every once in a while, I get a sneak peek at what's going on in their little brains (or I should say, what has been going on).

From my lap while we sat on the living room couch, Addison counted all the way to 6. With help, but she can do it. I'm pretty impressed with my just-turned-two-year-old. I'll never know how she learned it, or even where she picked it up, but there it is: my baby can count. Isn't that amazing?! I'm just in awe.

And then there is Maren. My little go getter. During the girls' bath tonight, I warned Maren (as she was about to climb out of the tub) that if she came out, she wasn't going back in. I proceeded to ask her if she wanted to come out. She told me no, and she promptly sat back down. Later on, while I was in the girls'  room dressing Addison, I heard Maren fall. She whimpered a bit, and then it got quiet, which I have to admit, kind of scared me, because she was still in the tub. Maren and quiet just don't work- like oil and water. I called and asked if she was ok, and to my relief, a squeaky 'yes' reached my ears. She was probably getting into something she shouldn't when I asked her that, and she thought she'd been caught. That sounds like my daughter.

When she did get caught, I was walking back to the bathroom from the kitchen to fish Maren out of the tub, and here she had already climbed out. As soon as she saw me, she turned back to the tub and tried scrambling in as fast as she could. But, not quick enough. With one leg swung over the edge of the tub, I caught her and reminded her that if I caught her out of the tub again, she wasn't going back in.

She wasn't one bit happy with me for that. I'm still giggling about it...

The 'wow' factor for me in my little Maren episode, is that she's able to answer me- properly- while I talk with her from another room. I just marvel that she understands what I'm saying even though I am not eye level with her, or even in the same room. Its a.maz.ing!

Oh, my children!!

In the Silence...

I've been sitting here for the last hour and a bit, working on another lo for my scrapbook album, and I can't hear any noise (aka snoring) coming from the room next door. Is he asleep or is he still awake? The question has been bouncing off the walls of my brain for just as long as I've been scrapbooking! Now that I'm ready to turn in, I guess my question will be answered!

We got husbands' C-PAP machine today. This is the first time he's using it, and so far, the difference has been quite dramatic. No snoring. Just quiet. Its a bit disconcerting, but kind of nice at the same time. We are hoping that this makes a difference in his quality of life, in the quality of our relationship, and in the quality of our family. I've suspected for quite some time that there's been health issues there, and after some jolts and bumps along the way, it finally got looked into. Sleep apnea was the result. Now the solution is the C-PAP machine.

Me? Things are moving slowly in that area. I'm seeing the dr. again on Wednesday (one of a multitude of visits), but I've been slow getting the necessary blood work done, so my appointment with him is going to be next to pointless. One thing is for sure: the Cipralex isn't working. I suspect it could be hypothyroidism (which is the diagnosis we're working towards) and my hormones are still probably out of whack. Since the kids were born, everything just seems to be abnormal. Its to the point now where I think I'm going crazy. Gaah!

The kids are going on a mini vacation next weekend. They're going to visit their grammy and grampy in Oyen, and I'm getting a week to myself. Its way overdue, and I'm pretty excited about it, but I'm going to miss my little monkey's something fierce. Hopefully during that week, I'll be able to get some of my health questions answered, too. (Fingers, eyes, and toes crossed...)

Project 365 is going awe.some. I'm actually a nut job for it. I take a ton of pictures so I have a lot of variety when it comes to deciding what's going to be scrapped. Some days, there's more than one lo for a particular day; and, the way I'm thinking right now, I may continue this past 2012. We'll see how I feel in another 6 months. (And, speaking of timelines--can you believe that we'll have been in Whitecourt for a year in April?! Cuh-razy!!)

...And, some candy:

 A wicked snow storm blew through our area last month, and after it was done, someone from our neighbourhood came around with his bob cat and cleaned up all the snow- from our sidewalks, off our driveways, even parts of the street. Every.single.house.on.our.block. It was so kind of him! The girls thought it was their daddy. And yes, their daddy is well capable of using a bob cat, but it wasn't him. Unfortunately. I tried telling them that, but naturally I'm wrong and they're right. It did make for a super cute lo though!!

And, dear husband. And his endearing hatred of milk. Every so often he'll help himself to a glass (mostly just a big gulp from the jug constitutes his 'milk drinking'), and I just had to catch it on camera. I think that may even be the first time I've seen him willingly drink a glass of milk. Again, it made for a great page!