Monday...

Well today was a pretty relaxing day. I feel SO guilty when I get nothing done that I mean to get done...like today. When Fabe is off it sure makes it hard to get anything done around here. But it was all done on the weekend so really?

Now tomorrow I just have THAT much more to do. And I have to get it done...this is the plan for tomorrow:

*laundry all caught up again
*pack up my cook books and other kitchen stuff not being used
*pack up ALL of my magazines and books from my bedroom
*mail my HUGE bag of mail @ Shoppers
*make a good supper
*Attend Rikki's basketball game

Wednesday- I'm going to coffee at a friends house then I have to go to buy my organic supper for Thursday night supper...

This weekend the kids were SUPPOSE to go with my mom to Fort McMurray however Mack now has a bday party to attend so we'll see. Hopefully Kennedy will go at least...then Macks friends mom said that Mack can stay over there for the weekend so we'll see.

Other then that, nothing much to report. It was a nice quiet weekend at home. Macks friend stayed the whole weekend (3rd in a row!) and Sunday we went shopping with mom and Rikki. It was nice...

Saturday.

Well I was very happy that today is here. I was able to sleep in until almost 9am! Felt wonderful! Last night I went out with some wonderful ladies...it was SO nice to get out and meet up with some old friends!

Mack has a friend over and Kennedy is just here alone. No Rikki here this weekend, she might come tonight though! Not too much planned for today-just the usual Saturday stuff. I already made my veggies, meat and eggs mix. And a V-8! Today I'm happy to report I am 14 pounds down! In just about 3 weeks, 14 pounds! I think thats great! And, its been easy! I don't find the treadmill 'easy' until after the first half hour.

Not too much planned this weekend!

Read those ingredients!

Sweetner: Looks whats in the Splenda! (it cut off the English side!) but I'm sure that stuff isn't good for you!

Peanut butter: Instead of the 5-6 ingredients...natural peanut butter has 1 ingredient-dry roaster peanuts! Wow...imagine that!

My friend told me her natural doctor told her not to eat anything that she doesn't know what the ingredients are. Why would we? If someone handed me a mystery food and told me to eat it, I wouldn't! But then, after reading ingredients I just trust that this food is good for us-they sell it, must be safe! Well, after I bought some products from the organic store I was SHOCKED to read the stuff -peanut butter! Wow! Even with my "Healthy Harvest" spaghetti noodles that are 100% whole wheat...its amazing!

Our FIRST ever completely whole & organic supper!

Which, of course I couldnt eat the noodles but the sauce and extra lean ground beef I could (and did)-I had it with spaghtetti squash!

I told the kids I would like to start with a meal a week that is 100% whole/organic. I made spaghetti, corn and they had milk. I'm looking forward to making some changes this year and getting better food in my family. And maybe I will increase if from 1 night-we'll see! As well, I changed over the staples like salt and sugar to raw products. When we move I will be changing alot more, but right now I don't want to add that to my list. I vision ways to make this change!

Supper was a huge hit! The kids liked it, there was no complaints!

Some new things in the kitchen!

I was really excited from my recent trip to Planet Organic-first time I had ever been there. It was so awesome and SUCH an eye opener for me. Wow, my friend and I spent 2.5 hours there reading the ingredients on everything. We were SHOCKED at what goes into 'our' regular foods. Wow, its pretty bad actually. Makes me think about 'no wonder the high cancer rates', etc. I'm hoping this year to makes much healthier choices for my family.

Dextox!

I picked up this daily detox from the health foods store last Tuesday. I add it straight into my water bottles and drink it during

the day. I haven't noticed any difference but I sure pee more often (lol!). Its a nice cleanse as you don't have to change your diet or anything like that. Its great...and simple! I am still following the South Beach diet and I thought that I would take this chance of good eating to 'detox' my body and organs from all the 'bad' stuff that I had put into my body before...like I said, its not making a huge difference but it feels better to know I'm making the effort. I stop doing it on Tuesday for a week then I do it again the following Tuesday for a week. They said it will take about 6 weeks to completely do the proper detox, which would explain why no difference at this point of the detox.

Relaxation...

There isn't anything more relaxing than sitting on my chaise lounger chair with my favorite quilts and a good book. I have since finished reading my book "While My Sister Sleeps"-it was a very good book! The thing that I love about this room upstairs is how much sun comes in...there is a fireplace in this room but there isn't any point of having it on during the day...it just is SO bright! I love it...

Behind on Blogging!

Sorry!!!! Just been SO busy!

Thursday- Business taxes all day at Lisas house
Friday- Same.
Saturday- 5 kids, need I say more?
Sunday-5 kids, again. Then went to moms house to pick up a new chair for her and supper at her place.
Monday- Business taxes done, off to meet with accountant. A friend needed some 'support' so off I went to her house, and retuned home with her 4 year old son.
Tuesday-Still had the 4 year old but met with another friend at the mall for the day/lunch then off to meet 4 year old's mom at my house...had a 1 hour visit there.
Wednesday (today)- ABSOLUTELY nothing but cleaning...

I am a home body. I really am. When I work full time, I dream about getting home. I don't persay love being home all day right now, but I LOVE when I get home. I love to be home. If I didn't leave my house all day long or even all weekend, its fine with me. So when I have been so busy these past few days...its hard on me. I crave to be home. So today, I am staying put. I do have a few errands to run later, but forsure nothing 'right' now. I was going to go to the gym today but I am not even doing that, I will treadmill it.

Today my list is:
*laundry (ugh, its overflowing!)
*Kennedy bedding (pink chalk and white bedding don't go well together!)
*go through Kennedys old clothes, donate them
*go through Macks old clothes, donate them
*clean the mainfloor-mop and everything.
*put laundry all away
*organize 'things'.

Plus, I want to have a good supper.

Diet- I am still following it. I will confess on Sunday night at my moms I ATE supper well and according to my diet...but I had dessert. My way of thinking is that I have stuck to it for 2 weeks! It was a bisquit bun, raspberries and whipping cream. Out of that, I am allowed whipping cream. Thats all. But it was okay because I knew that I was still staying on track. And Monday, I woke up and still followed my diet~so its all good. I'm still down the 10-ish pounds but I can sure tell on my tummy area now. I think the walking is doing wonders for my tummy. I still am walking 45mins-1 hour everyday...even did the weekend! I was excited as the Sears catalog came and it is the Spring & Summer one. Well, with Mexcio only 2 months away now I was thinking if I worked really really hard from here on in, I could actually order some new things and feel good being in them!!! Wow! All of my summer shorts, etc are at the trailer-which isn't plowed in the winter so I have to order suff...so I might as well work hard and enjoy wearing the stuff I order!

We went to see the house last night-I love it so much so far! They are putting in the lights tomorrow, can't wait to see that!!!! The harwood is going in this week they said, but carpet not until another few weeks. The granite looks awesome! I love it so far! I feel SO at home there...our neighbors house is finally started...mainfloor is almost all done! It looks like it will be so nice!!! I'm a little nervous about moving back there-the 'what ifs' like 'what if it was someone who set the house on fire, and it wasn't really electrical?" kinda scary. I know the fire investigators would have known and the smelling dogs didn't 'hit' anything...but still, the thought is there. I just can't wait to make the house 'ours' and to care about decorating and making it look good...I cannot wait!!!!! We are SOOOO close to the end date-its been a LONG year!

Well, I have to get Kennedy's lunch packed...and send her off...

Have a good day!

Yippeeee!

10.5 pds down thus far, and no signs of giving up!

I actually need to loose 3 more pds to be where I was before the daycare. Over the past year of daycare...and getting a discount at Dominoes pizza (lol) I gained 12.5 pds so my first mini-goal was to get back there...then the 'real' weight loss begins (kinds a fun way to break it up rather then looking at the WHOLE picture!). So anyhow, 3 more pds is my goal! From there, I was to focus on each 10 pds at a time...Vs. 50 pds! Sounds so overwhelming, 50 pds!!! Anyhow...I'm very happy with my first 10 though. It came off pretty easy. Eating isn't the concern, its fine. But I'm still dragging my butt to the treadmill everyday...hopefully soon I will 'want it'. Hopefully by the time its spring I will just walk outside to change it up a little bit!

I was HAPPY to step on the scale today to see I have lost that much in 1.5 weeks!!! Yeah!!!!!

Things from my very quiet Wednesday...

This afternoon my friend Lisa had to cancel with doing our taxes so I came back home. I don't have the tv on, its just silent. The sun is pouring through the windows...it feels so nice! These are some shots around the house of things I'm loving today....

1) Photo of Fabian and I. I loved this photo SO much that I had it framed. I just love looking at it. It makes me really appreciate how lucky I am to have him in my life. The picture says it all to me, happiness and a feeling of contentness. He makes me so happy and I know that he is someone I can always count on. I appreciate that there are days that I'm bitchy and he still loves me...days I need a shoulder and he gives me a hug...days I need a break and he kicks me out of the house...days that I need help and he jumps up to do it...I'm so very lucky and sometimes we don't always see it....

2) Water. Haha, I'm in the bathroom about 30 times...tomorrow I'm going to count...I'm HONESLTY going to count. Its horrible...am I dropping pounds from water drinking OR from walking to the bathroom every 1/2 hour...wow....brutal!

3) Bandit...feeling the camlness around home today...snuggled up with my favorite quilt on the couch...

For The Hockey moms...

I tried being a hockey mom when Mack was about 5 years old. It wasn't easy back then with Fabe working weekends with Shaw. Actually hauling around Kennedy, going to the dressing room with her and Mack. TRYING to figure out HOW to put his equipment on..it was bad. Finally, as soon as the season ended...so did I. I knew from that season on, I will never put him in again. Its too hard. Lots of Macks friends play hockey-but they have both parents to help. Bad excuse but you gotta thing, Kennedy was still a baby (18 months!) back then...it was Hard for me!

I saw this book and thought about my sister. She has my nephew Braeden in hockey right now and (like me) her husband often works nightshifts for the plant or weekends. She has Matthew to haul around too. I feel for her, because I have been there. I found this book that I am going to mail to my sister, its made from kids drawings and has words of appreciation from kids who have hockey Moms. Its so cute!

For all the hockey moms out there, Kudos to you...I know that I could not do it (ever)!

Tuesday with Aeva...

Aeva's mom will be so happy to see these photos! Last month, with all of the photos I made I made her a photo book from http://www.snapfish.com/ (where I get my photos developed) and her mom loved it! It was so special!

These are some shots from Tuesday with Aeva. She is SO cute, I love her! Sadly, they are moving so I won't be able to take her anymore (moving to Ontario!) I am really going to miss her :o) She is now crawling and pulls herself up to things-she's such a good little baby!!!!

Wednesday...

Well today I slept in a little past my normal wake up time (15 mins past!)...so I jumped out of bed and got Mack up for his shower. But thankfully he got ready quickly and it wasn't that big of a deal. I got Kennedy off to her bus and just did 'damage control' from the busy morning (cleaned the kitchen, made beds, etc). I was going to enjoy a quiet morning however I thought I better get on the treadmill for a litlte while. I have been doing 1 hour everyday (except the weekend) since the 4th. So I did 45 mins today, and I will either take Bandit for a walk for the other 15-30 mins or do it on the treadmill. Yesturday I have Miss Aeva for the day so I did 1 hour before picking her up then I still took Bandit for a half hour walk. I enjoy walking outside more then the treadmill so when it is nice out then I would rather that. Today Mack is getting his braces on so I am not sure that I will have time later so thats why I left only 15 mins later to do, thats easy!

With Aeva yesturday I took her to the indoor playground at the rec centre. It was great! I met up with a few friends, it was nice. They had to leave pretty early but her and I hung out until she was getting tired/hungry. We got home, I fed her lunch. I gave her a nice bath, then was was very tired. She slept for 3 hours!!!! During that time, I did the cleaning. Fabe was off so he went and picked up his mom for the day for a visit and since it was his day off, I didn't have to cook! Yah! I took Aeva home about 6 pm. I was tired last night but like I said, took Bandit for a walk still. It was beautiful out, I had my Ipod on and away we went! I love it! I love being able to walk in the same area as my old -new house! I'm just so thankful that we got a place literally blocks away from there! I feel safe in my hood!

Today, well not too much. I'm going to work on laundry. The house NEEDS a vacuum job but we'll see. I promised Kennedy a fast-food lunch today (lol)...so I have to be at her school for that. Then, I'm going to my frineds Lisas house to start sorting my business tax stuff to take the accountant on Monday. Hopefully not too much damage!!!!

Then, I take Mack for his braces...which he will have on until next summer (at the lastest) could be as early as this time next year. Just 12-18 months...wow...it will be weird seeing him with them on, I think!!!!

Thats about it! Thursday, I'm not so sure whats going on. Probably at Lisas to work on the tax stuff again...

Nothing major for the weekend but I realllllllly wanna go to Ice on Whyte. Kennedy is having a sleepover so maybe I will take the girls there!

My Monday.

Today I woke up with a HORRIBLE headache, it was just awful (withdrawls from carbs maybe??) but anyhow I got the kids to school then went back to bed and slept for 1 hour. It helped, thankfully. I got up, ate and did the usual tidying and stuff around the home. Its 7:22pm and Mack is with his tutor which means we are kept upstairs so we can keep the session nice and quiet. I'm up on the chaise lounger (love it!) in my jammies still. It is so nice! Kennedy is in the backyard from 4pm with the neighbors kids. She hasn't even eaten supper with us yet. Mack and I ate. Fabe was at the house the last time I talked to him. They began painting today-the final coat. Wow hey? The flooring will be next but not until a few more weeks. I'm just so excited to be there, but I know I will be there so I can wait.

Tomorrow, I'm taking Aeva and meeting up with some friends at a local indoor park. I'm looking forward to that. I want to take the kids skiing this week and weekend, make some use of their new ski's.

Hope you have a great week :o)))

Scraobooking...

I have been working on a few pages of our various trips to Jasper and Canmore. I really like the pages so far. I'm going to do a scrapbook on "The Mountains" because its a place that I really enjoy being. I'm already dying to head back to Jasper...for the simple relaxation there. I love it. I'm hoping to hit Canmore again soon, but I don't like it AS much as Jasper. I prefer Jasper over Canmore/Banff. I would like to take the kids to the Icefields this summer as well, for a different place to see. I'm going to continue to work on my mountain scrapbook.

Uuuugggghhh, Sorry the pictures came out sideways they aren't taken theat way and I have tried to roate them but they don't stay the proper way...oh well, you get the idea!

My diet.

Well, I'm on day 7 of the South Beach diet. I'm doing pretty good! With exercise and eating no/low carbs for the past week it resulted in -5 pds this week. I was happy with the weigh in today! I'm looking forward to many many more loses of 5 pds. I'm so not ready to cave in yet...and I really really hope that I don't. I NEED to do this. In efforts to ensure I don't eat bad-I am doing a cleanse as well. I bought it from Costco a week ago and started last week but this week, is the actual 'cleansing' as you double dose. I haven't noticed any difference in anything at all, but I guess it doesn't react well with fat, so I don't want to screw that up and pay for it...ugh! So, anyhow...tonight I had spaghetti squash,cauliflower and meatballs, In the photos you will see 'yummy' looking ones then those ugly little burnt ones, those are mine. The good ones have stuffing mixed in there...mine are flavored with soy sauce and seasoning salt...but it was good. I was FULL after supper. I'm going to enjoy 30 pistachios and a diet Rootbeer. I'm trying not to eat past 7pm anymore..I will try to post updates often...

Enjoying the nice weather!

Geesh, it has been so beautiful outside in the past few days! So nice from a break from the cold! On Sunday Kennedy and I headed to the local sledding hill-and it was PACKED. Like, scary packed! I was so anxiety ridden worried about Kennedy smashing into another kid and getting hurt. The whole time, I was like "WHY would I do this to myself?" but thankfully it was good, no one was hurt! Kennedy was thrilled to sled-it was the first time this year. It was a beautiful day!

Friday!

Yeah, I'm so looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow! I need too, really badly! Today was a waste of time. Literally. Well as I mentioned yesturday, we thought the sump pump was going to stop working as there is water in the storage room. Well, in fact it wasn't water...it was the SEWER drain backing up...ugh! So, sewer water is coming up then because the drain and the sump pump are right beside each other it drains into the sump pump and it takes it out...sick! There is NO smell what-so-ever. It was really bad last night (the amount of water) but I did laundry ALL day, dishwasher, dishes, bathed the baby, etc...so the more we used the more it came up! Finally, the landlord came and called his plumber. Plumber said he can't fix it until today (by noon). But in the meantime, we should flush (unless...well you know) but very fast showers, no dishes, laundry, dishwasher, etc. Well I waited ALL morning...nothing. Finally at 12:30pm my cell phone makes a sound to alert me of a message-he called and said he will be here at 3pm! Meanwhile, I'm waitng for Leons to come between noon-4pm. So I sat around all morning waiting. Can't do a whole lot without water. Its almost 3pm so hopefully (okay he JUST called, he will be here around 4pm! omg!!!) Leons has come and gone...yeah so I tried scrapbooking...yah, just not into it. Now I have to go clean that mess up, figure out supper and then the kids will be home. Rikki is staying over. Mack has a friend coming home with him from school...I was REALLY hoping it would be over with by the time they got home...thats a lotta kids for the toilet! Ohhhhhh well...could be worse!

Anyhow, other then that. NOTHING to report. I did the treadmill for 35 mins thinking later I will take Bandit for a walk but I'm not sure anymore since I have to wait...so maybe I will hop back on and finsih 25 more mins...and take Bandit for a good one tomorrow.

I'm just really happy its Friday...I *so* need to sleep past 5:45am!!!

Thursday...

Well, as mentioned below I have my little 'friend' here today. Miss Aeva is now 8 months old and crawling all over the place! She pulls herself up to stuff now, its so cute! Anyhow...right now she is sleeping so I took the opportunity to blog and catch up on the net. I was feeling really bored at the start of the week, like almost a 'depressing' bored. So I was proactive and got myself out. All day yesturday I was out...today I was out. So tomorrow I'm looking forward to just staying at home and running a couple errands but nothing major. Tomorrow I have a couple things to do, but I will save it for the afternoon. I was kinda lost being at home all days, so I just need to fill up my schedule a little bit.

Today our sump pump in this house went. Thank God it wasn't spring or melting right now! In the storage room it is all nasty with soil and water. Its gross! The storage room is right off the family room with has ALL of our new stuff for our new house...I would DIE if we had a flood now!!! (Please God no!). So we called the landlord and he is coming to get it replaced. Just in time for the nice weather coming. I just can't wait to be in our OWN house!!!! March cannot come soon enough.

Today I started a Detox called "Green Envy" its horrible tasting but I get it down with each meal. I wanted to do it because with eating good, I was something to be accountable too. If you eat like crap on it, you will (crap) pay for it. Ugh, nooooo thank you!

And, other then that. Nothing else is new.

This is what I have been up too!

I hate setting 'New Years Resolutions"but I really need to do something about my 'health and weight'. So January 4th I took the plunge of eating healthies. Hopefully I stick to it. I don't know why I don't. But I'm really hoping that I do! I am following the South Beach Diet which is low carbs-not NO carbs...just low and healthier carbs. So far, so good. Not hungry at all. Its great actually! Again, I hope I stick to it. Plus, I Have been walking the treadmill everyday. I aim for 1 hour but only 1 day I didn't get there I did 50 mins. We just bought this treadmill from Costco and Fabe just set it up...its a very nice one-I love the fan built into it..keeps me nice and cool :o)

Some new furniture...

We found a great sale so we grabbed a bunch of furniture. We bought out coffee and end tables (they are not going to be set up here) plus alot of bookshelves and cabinets. Its really good! Plus we bought 2 chaise loungers for the loft. I can't wait to see it all come together!!!!

Aeva!

Today I 'stole' Aeva. I really really enjoy having her for the days. I have been taking her a day a month for mom. I have known mom for many years now, she was in grade 2-3 when I met her..she was very good friends with Amanda. Anyhow, today I picked her up. We went to the mall for a little while, hung out there then we went home. I bathed her (I love bathing babies!!!) and took photos of her...and she is now sound asleep! She is so cute! She is so much fun! Sure makes you realize how much you miss having a baby around :o(

Tuesday!

Well I'm home! I finally updated my blog and realize its time to get more into it again. Holidays are over :o) You can read all about my trip, Christmas and New Years. The kids are back in school now-Monday was very hard for me. I have been sleeping in until whatever time I would like. Staying up late. But I got alot done. The house was in utter-chaos when we got back as we had 'fled' Boxing Day to Jasper for a week. We brought back unused groceries, gifts from my sisters family, dirty laundry, ski stuff, etc,etc,etc ON top of Christmas decor, tree and gifts every where. I was so overwhelmed! We cleaned hardcore for Saturday and Sunday and got it good. We packed up alot of stuff for the new house. Sunday and Monday we bought some new furniture that was on sale, so we had to bring it home...but its all settled in now. House is clean and fairly organized! It was killing me.

Today, I have a few things that need to be done. Our ensuite needs a wipe down, our room needs to be vacuumed, beds still need to be made and I need to get in my treadmill. We bought a treadmill from Costco a few weeks ago but hadn't the time to fully finish setting it up. I told Fabe by Jan4th it needs to be done. Yestuday I did it for 50 mins...it was killer. Today I'm hoping for 30 mins...its a start :o)

Mack has an appt for impressions today for his braces which will be on soon! Fabe is back to work today...so it is just Bandit and I at home...and he isn't much company sleeping on the couch. Well, I have spent about an hour updating my blog which was REALLY behind..so I better go and get something done!

Have a good day!

Some random scenes from Jasper!

I simply LOVE Jasper! I think it is just one of my favorite places to go. I automatically feel sooooo relaxed. I don't know what it is. Maybe how quiet it is? Being surrounded by mountains? The whole town makes me feel so happy! I took Bandit to the dog park when the kids and Fabe were skiing for the day-even it felt better there! As well, I took some random drives all alone...just taking in the beauty of it all. It really makes me appreciate how lucky we are to live in a beautiful province! We are SO close to so many wonderful things...I just love Jasper! To think its only a short 3 hours drive....the closer we get to the mountains I know we are closer to being there...closer to a slower, simpler life...its lovely!