Birds Nest Update

Click this link to see what kind of birds that have set up nest in our geranium hanging basket.


http://museum.gov.ns.ca/mnh/nature/nsbirds/bns0402.htm

Quirky Christa

My friend Jody, who by the way is expecting, sent me this poem today. Thought I would share:

I cannot change the way I am,
I never really try,
God made me different and unique,
I never ask him why.

If I appear peculiar,
There's nothing I can do,
Please accept me as I am,
As I've accepted you.

God made a casting of each life,
Then threw the Mold away,
Each child is different from the rest,
Unlike as night from day.

So often we will criticize,
The things that others do,
But, do you know, they do not think,
The same as me and you.

So God in all his wisdom,
Who knows us all by name,
He didn't want us to be bored,
That's why we're not the same

~Author Unknown~

Kenda's Tattoo

As you know, Kenda came to visit. Last night we decided to put on "temporary" tattoos. However when she got talking to her mom and sister she convinced them she had gotten a real one, in the first 24 hours that she had been here.

We know her sister believed the tale as soon as she asked "Did it hurt!?"

What do you think? Think it could pass as a REAL tattoo of a pink octopus?

Camping Last Weekend

Kristen & Chris around the fire

Me - Chillin by the fire
Getting ready to go home
A superhero stopped by to see if we needed rescuing from all the ants

Kristen in the Garden

So here is why I'm so ANAL....

I was very rushed this morning, felt like I was going around in circles. Decided to go to the porch to put on my shoes and noticed Steph in the driveway. Grabbed my lunch and coffee and ran out to the garage (was leaving my house keys with Kenda since all the spares are in use)...so I was all in panic (that has to be newfie slang) cause I couldn't get the stupid garage door open and I was afraid that Steph hadn't seen me and was going to ring the doorbell and wake Kenda.

Anyway, I finally got the door open and we were driving up my street and realized I had forgotten my purse. Steph said "well we can go back", I said "there's no point I'm completely locked out (locked the door from the garage to the house on my way out)" so we had to go back to her house to get her pass (she had forgotten her's at home and we need it to get into our office) cause mine is, you guessed it, in my purse.

And this takes me back to why I'm so anal, anal in that I HAVE to be organized. If possible I prepare whatever I can the night before, for work the next day (lunches, outfits, etc) but last night we were late getting home (ball hockey) and I stayed up watching a bit of Big Brother with Kenda so I didn't have a chance to do anything. Then somehow I hit snooze a 2nd time this morning, neither Kristen or I heard it, meaning we were 10 min later getting up. I know 10 minutes isn't a huge deal but just enough to throw off the whole morning and my routine! And because of that I forgot my purse! My lifeline,....do you even realize how much stuff can actually fit in a woman's purse?!?!?

I can guarantee I'll be organized tonight and I won't forget my purse tomorrow!

P.S. Purse is in green, cause it was my favourite green purse that I had forgotten :(

A 2nd blog?!?!!?

Yes I'm nuts....I've started a 2nd blog

Here it is:

http://carpooladventures.blogspot.com/

Monday Musings

Weekend: Went camping, had great weather, a great time, was exactly what I needed after such a roller coaster of a week. Will post pictures later this week.

Kenda: ARRIVES TOMORROW! So excited, outside of my parents she will be the first family to ever visit me from home. Have LOTS to do tonight, cleaning, laundry, baking (muffins & cookies, yum) etc, etc, etc :) All worth it!

Scrapbooking: Still haven't done a thing! However Kristen and I have been talking about getting my own little scrapbooking area set up in the basement so there's no packing up and unpacking everything that I own (not that there's THAT much, but enough) everytime I want to scrap. We've been doing a bit of brain-storming and Kristen has great ideas. I'm so impressed cause I really thought it was going to be a project that I would have to "direct" him with, but it appears he has better ideas than me, so I may let him design and build to his hearts content and just let it be a surprise.

Blaine: Goes home on Friday, lucky duck! I don't get to go home til next summer :(

A Beautiful Mess: It's a blog that I'm obsessed with this!! Her name is Elsie, found her address through the ME blog, not only is she a great scrapbooker, photographer, and artist in general. She has such an inspiring attitude and outlook on life. If only I could be half as enthusiastic as her, I'd be the happiest person in the world. She's just amazing! I may have mentioned this in a previous post, but I'm not sure, either way ...here it is.

The ME Blog: Check out Myrna's Blog to see the post she put on there, it's soooo good!

Emotions

It's been a rough week...here's a basic list of the emotions and feelings I've felt since Monday.

- Rage/Anger
- Sadness/Hurt
- Insecure
- Selfish
- physically drained
- giddy and hyper

I don't like feeling like this, it makes me be a person that, I know, is not who I truly am. I know it sounds like I'm playing the victim but I really feel I have no control over this. If I had control over the emotions, then how could I have a completely normal conversation with someone yet "feel" that rage right in the middle of my chest. I think I know "why" I've been like this but it's something that I'm not willing to change right now so I'll have to suffer with it.

That being said, Kristen is the one who takes most of the abuse when I'm like this. I realize he honestly has no idea what to do because it's basically a lose lose situation for him...if I don't know what's wrong at the time how can he know how to deal or react? Whatever he does will more than likely be the wrong answer or wrong thing to do. He might not think or feel this way at all but it is my own thoughts of guilt that I have.

And yet, I find sometimes when I'm at my craziest it's when I truly ask myself those deep down questions, who am I, am I happy with the person that I am, the person I'm striving to become?Am I good significant other or friend? Does the roller coaster emotions force me to think and force myself to be accountable for my actions: both good and bad?? I'm not sure if I know those answers but I do know that I'm the only one resposible in how I choose to react to all of this and hopefully that this "test" proves me to be the GOOD person that I think I am.

Recipe Thursday

On our girls cottage weekend, we visited with a friend of our hosts. Her name is Jane, that's all I can tell you cause that's all I know. So outside on her patio she has a big bowl of nachos and a couple of dips for us to munch on while sipping our margaritas in the hot afternoon sun.

One of the "dips" is such a simple recipe I'm going to share it here. When you first try it you're not sure if you like it or not and then it becomes addictive and you can't stop eating it!

Ingredients:
Nacho Chips
Plain Cream Cheese
Thai sauce

On a small serving dish or plate take a block of plain cream cheese and pour thai sauce over it (Jane used red pepper jelly but the thai sauce tastes the same and is much easier to find in the grocery store).

Serve with nacho chips, you just dip the chip in the cream cheese, make sure you get some thai sauce and voila!! the yummy addictive snack that's not quite hot and spicy and not quite sweet, but oh so good ;)

Hodge Podge...how many times have I used this title?

Don't really know what to blog about today...so going to do some hodge podge instead:

Outfit: today I'm wearing white capri pants, white tee, and a lime green tank layered in under the tee. It's my small attempt at being "in style" since the season is all about tank tops and the colour WHITE! I also transferred everything from my blue purse to my bright green purse to co-ordinate completely. All I need now are shoes in the same colour :)

Plans: tonight Kristen and I are going to the Superstore to get a few groceries for camping this weekend. And I'm really looking forward to buying some small frying pans that are on sale. I've been on an omellette kick since returning from Cuba and these are the perfect size! 3 in a pk for $6.98 can't go wrong.

Dinner: don't have to cook, as he does MANY nights since taking my new job Kristen will be cooking. The menu this evening: bbq'd chicken, with foil pack veggies (broccoli, carrot, cauliflower cooked in foil with butter and seasonings on the bbq) and potatoe (not sure which way these will be done yet...mashed, grilled, baked??)

News: Kenda will be here in 6 sleeps! I'm very excited...she's never flown, been out of Nfld, so many things. She's just like a little sis and I'm really looking forward to having her spend a couple of weeks visiting Kristen and I. The only thing we have planned for sure is going to Toronto Zoo see what else happens while she's here.

Weekend: Going camping at Earl Rowe again with Jen & Chris REALLY want Myrna & Jamie to go along too but they're really dragging their feet in making a decision. I really hope they go :)

Anyway enough babble for one day.........

Congratulations Myrna & Jamie

I've been dying to post to tell Myrna & Jamie congratulations publicly (well as public-ly as this blog gets) on the news that Myrna is PREGNANT!!

I've known for a week now and have been dying to share the good news with the world, but since I was sworn to not to tell, I had to keep it a secret. She's VERY early so I'm just hoping that everything goes well and they can welcome a healthy baby into the world in March.

See Myrna's Blog for more details....

Congratulations!!

Kelso Beach

No I do not think I'm all that! I realize I'm seriously flat chested and white as a ghost, however I did go to the beach and these are pictures from when we were there. Kristen and I went, Myrna and Jamie met up with us not long after. And once we got there we realize another few friends were spending the day there too so we all hung out and had a good time. It was super HOT but really nice to cool off in the water.

Stephs Baby Shower

I was up very early Sunday morning getting ready for Stephs shower but it was well worth it. Seemed everything went over well and she rec'd a LOT of presents for the new baby

This game was called "Don't Let your Water Break" only one girls "water broke"
How big do you think Stephs belly is? The winner was only off about 1.5 inches!!
Myrna, Jennifer & Myself gave Steph a high chair
Once all the presents were opened it was time to put on the traditional "Ribbon Hat" wasn't much ribbon since everyone uses gift bags with tissue paper so Marianne did the best she could with what she had. Good job!
Yummy Chocolate cake!

Pirates of the Carribbean 2

Tonight we're going to see Pirates of the Carribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest if you click this link it'll play the trailer.

I think there's about 10 of us going, for two reasons:
a) We're huge fans of the first movie (most of us)
b) Myrna's birthday is tomorrow so it's an excuse to do something :)

Tomorrow we're going to Kelso beach cause it's going to be HOT HOT HOT somewhere in the high 30's or low 40's with humidex.

And Sunday is Steph's baby shower, only 8 weeks to go! Will post pics of that too :)

Last Weekend

Last Saturday we went by Jen's & Chris's house.

Here's Jen enjoying the backyard. She looks a bit tired...I hear she was up pretty late Friday night when she got home from my house :)

Chris "striking a pose"
Kristen putting mussels in the pot to steam. I never liked mussels before, but I can actually eat one or two now...must be broadening my horizons.

Kristen's turn to be "striking a pose" he's so damn cute sometimes :)

And on Sunday Blaine came to visit us for a while. Don't get to see him a whole lot which is just shameful for a sister to say but I guess that's what happens when you get caught up in every day life and busy-ness.

Last Friday

Last Friday Jen & Chris came to visit, while they were at the house Perry, Corey & Jason showed up. Here's Perry trying some "very old" Wildcat beer that Kristen had stored away in the fridge. According to Perry's expression it wasn't very good, to say the least :)

Jen snuck in a picture of me

Chris telling a story, don't remember what the story was about

Orange Dream smoothie...mmmmm

Tuna Sanwiches (recipe Tuesday??)

I realized not too long ago that I haven't done a "Recipe Tuesday" in a VERY long time...so today will be RECIPE THURSDAY. My friend Vicky always has these tuna sandwiches whenever she's hostessing something and they're YUM-MY to find out it's her mom's awesome recipe, I finally bugged her enough that I now have it to share with you. I haven't made them yet but I will be this weekend for Steph's baby shower.

Tuna Sandwiches

1 can of tuna (in water, not oil)
4 tbsp chopped green onion
Mustard (to taste)
1/4 milk
Pepper
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tbsp flour

Preparation:
In frying pan saute green onion in olive oil (do not burn), then add the tuna, parsley and mustard. Let cook for a few minutes then add milk. Stir constantly, add pepper to taste. Now add the tbsp of flour and stir until no longer runny. If needed add more flour.

Using bread, put mayo on one side and tuna on the other. Cut in triangles and serve.

Scrap Booking

I'm suffering withdrawl....I'm dying to do some scrapbooking but who wants to be inside on hot & hazy summer evenings cutting and gluing paper? As much as I love summer I'm almost wishing it to be fall so it's cold enough that I don't want to be outside as much. Also in the fall I have more of a routine where scrapbooking is easily incorporated into everyday life.

It seems I can't get enough of the 2 peas website, or reading blogs of scrapbookers from the Me blog. I guess it's my fill since I cannot physically go cropping myself.

BUT good news, today it's raining. That means after dinner I will go for my walk with Myrna, do some much needed chores (laundry) and hopefully make an attempt at some pages. Tomorrow night is a late night ball hockey game, so I won't be going, that means a WHOLE evening to crop to my hearts content. I'm so behind I don't even know where to begin, have a feeling most of tonight will be figuring out what to do tomorrow. But at least I'll be doing something to fill the need to scrap ;)

Inglewood Ball Hockey League

2006 ROUND ROBIN PLAYOFF LEADERS
Top 25 Players Stats

#22 Kristen Hann - Almag

Okay, so I know this doesn't make him a great athlete of all time, but I'm proud of him. Steph emailed me this morning bringing it to my attention. Small accomplishment but still worth celebrating. Congrats hunny! Click on the title of this post to go to the website.

Big Brother 7

I've been a fan from the start, and another season begins tonight! I'm really excited but have no idea if I'll get to see the episode. We're always so busy on summer evenings that I don't even know if I'll be home.

And this year is going to be AWESOME cause they're bringing back all contestants from previous seasons! Might have to hire Jen to tape it for me and watch in my spare time...?!?!?

Great Weekend

Now that I've posted a bunch of pictures of the weekend it's time I talk about it. The time went very quickly and was very refreshing. When we got there pretty late Friday night, finally went to be around 1:30am and then ended up chatting with Jen until like 4 in the morning. I sleep with Jen cause there's only 3 beds in the cottage and Myrna & Vicki like their space. Not to mention as previously mentioned I get homesick so it's quite alright if I have company at night. Once we finally decided it was time to stop talking and go to sleep I dozed off immediately to wake up all of a sudden with the homesick bad stomach...it was turning daylight when I finally got back to sleep. It looks like I'm not completely cured, but taking baby steps towards not being homesick all the time. The other two nights we were there I slept quite well, Saturday night cause I was just soooo exhausted and Sunday night cause I had been out in the fresh air all day. I was just as excited to be going home on Monday and I was to be leaving on Friday. No worries Kristen I ended up missing you lots and lots afterall ;) wink, wink

I took almost a whole film of pictures (24 exposures) which Kristen is picking up from Costco for me today, if I have time tonight I will scan and post a couple of the good ones (if there are any). In case you're wondering this manual camera is a Nokia or Canon camera from the 80's, I think, it was a kickass camera back in the day and I LOVE it! It takes great pictures. Kristen got it just before we got together so that would have been 1998. Luckily Kristen prefers the digital so when there's a need for us to take a camera each there's not much dicussion as to who get's which camera. Mind you I've never had any formal training of photography and I've always enjoyed taking pictures but since starting Scrapbooking I've really developed a love for it. Maybe it's something I should pursue as another hobby, we'll see I guess.

We Called Him "Lars"

We kind of had one "guy" on the girls weekend. Don't know if you remember him but he has been previously seen in this post (scroll down to January 29th). Myrna, Jen and I decided his name should be Lars. However Jen called him "Bugsy" all weekend. Anyway here's his couple of photo moments just chillin at the cottage.

Girls Weekend - At the Cottage

Girls at the cottage

Me, just chillin :)

Myrna by the fire

Vicki by the fire

Me & Myrna on the first night

Me walking away from the dock to the cottage

Jen reading and soaking up some rays

Girls Weekend - 2nd Day Trip Friend Island

Our Second day trip was by sea-doo to Friend Island, here's a few of us walking over the rocks.

An old shack on Friend Island.

Girls Weekend - 1st Day Trip: Ojibway Club/Lighthouse

Our first day trip was by boat to the "Ojibway Club" check out the local craft store.

Vicki checked out the local convenience store & found out just how expensive smarties can be!

As we were getting ready to leave we saw this old man with his old boat and dog. Reminds me of Old man and the Sea

Then from the Ojibway club over to the Lighthouse, this the view from the topMyrna took this pic through the window at the top

Jen in the porch of the lighthouse

A bedroom in the lighthouse, a family used to live there.