I have been (just slightly) stressing over our upcoming holiday. Trying to figure out what to pack, and trying to make it as light of a load as possible! I thought I would wait until Thursday to pack, however strongly feel I need to pack NOW. Don’t know if it’s the pregnancy, or God whispering, but I’m going to listen either way! So tomorrow, I’m going to pack most my clothes that I plan to take (other than the clothes I still need for this week), along with kids toys, movies and some of their clothes. I may have the boys for a few extra hours, or an entire extra day this week that is completely unexpected so perhaps I do need to pack now and stay on top of this just in case!
My belly is growing at a very quick rate! I can’t believe it!! Orlund took some pictures of me standing (ones that were later deleted, so I didn’t stand pretty) and WOW talk about looking pregnant already! I’m hoping Wednesday at my Doctors apt I’ll get to hear the little heart beat! (14weeks!).Well, during all this stressing, We did take some time out to have some fun! Check out Orlund’s latest blog entry for one picture. And here is another (not the best quality, but still fun to take!).

Hovering over Mommy! OH What fun!!

Well it’s 10:32pm… I usually feel so sick at 10:30pm that I crawl gagging into bed and lay there feeling ill until I finally drift into a deep sleep. But I just ate a big bowl of itchy ban noodles so I’m feeling okay (for the moment). The rest of today was wonderful. After I finished blogging Orlund and I visited while the girls played about. Then we went for a walk over to Mac Park to the BG Urban Grill to try their smoothies ~ got a 2 for 1 coupon in the newspaper. YUMMY! And I checked out the rest of the menu as well, very reasonable prices.
After our smoothies and walk we had a quick lunch and then it was nap time. After naps we jumped in the car and headed to the fabric store. Unfortunately they wouldn’t let me return some things I’d purchased, however I got the threads I needed. Olivia stayed with me. Joy went with her Daddy to Princess Auto. Orlund was shocked when Olivia and I came to find him, he thought we’d be in the fabric store all day… nope I just put my head down, ignored the adorable materials screaming my name, and got just what I needed. *Yay Me*. We then decided since we were already in that part of town to go check out the Dodge Grand Caravan’s again. We had gone once before, but the sales guy seemed a bit ‘slimy’. I know, I know, a lot of them are, but this guy we didn’t care for. Luckily when we pulled up another guy came out. We liked him. He gave us some more options and pricing, the other guy we saw as we entered the new guys office. Gave a little smile and pretended we didn’t recognize him. We know who we will be dealing with now at least….now just to meet with our financial adviser. Then we will start the actual wheeling and dealing.. LOL.
Well Orlund is shutting down and it’s now 10:41pm, I’d better hit the sack before I hit the ill…..
Good night all

Oh and I also learned today (the hard way) that just because your first child never took their diaper off during nap time, doesn’t mean your second child wont….yuck!

I wanted to tell you all about a fabulous event I attend once a month, it’s called “mom’s night out”. It basically is held one night a month at a different restaurant at 6pm. No kids. No husbands. Sound fun? It is!
I’ve had people say to me that this ‘night out’ must consist of a lot of gossip. I mean lets face it, there are usually 5-15 women out for dinner. We must gossip all night right? How about I tell you what Mom’s night out means to me, and you tell me if it’s all about gossip….
First things first, Dinner out at a restaurant. Who doesn’t love that? You get to choose whatever you want to eat/drink. You don’t have to cook it or clean up after it. Dinner out is always fun even with the kids. BUT, when you don’t have kids, it’s even funner! When you are a mom, out for dinner with your kids you have ample to keep you busy ~ Do they have to go potty? (usually just as your food arrives) did they soil their diaper? Are they being to noisy for the other diners? Are they making a mess? Eating nicely? You order fries as your side, but really you’d rather a salad ~ but kids like fries. Our girls are very well behaved, however they can get to be a handful because well….restaurants are boring for kids.
So dinner out without kids is fun. Dinner out with the husband is fun, however really if you are a SAHM like me what do you have to talk to him about? he listens to me every single day. It’s nice to have a fresh set of ears to ramble on to.
We talk about our kids. Yup we do. Is that gossip? I don’t think so… We talk about milestones they made/missed, struggles in school, at home, etc. We all give advise and comfort one another in the decisions we’ve made. It helps to know you aren’t such a bad parent after all. We talk about work, school, housekeeping. I found out I’m not the only person who makes lists to do everyday! Nice to know I’m not as weird as I thought I was
Sure you know, I’ll admit it. Sometimes gossip does come up. I think rather rarely. I mean really, can you see 15 ladies sitting out at a restaurant gossiping? Rather hard to do. We are human so gossip pops up, usually though, just if you are carpooling and you need some advise on a relationship.
I’ve heard some ladies say they don’t want to come, just because they figure it will all be gossip. I feel sorry for them. They are missing out on a web of friendships. I find after Mom’s night out I feel uplifted. Alive. Ready to face whatever life throws at me for another month.
I thank Jamie who organizes and reserves the place and time. All the fabulous ladies who attend, and help me with all my life throws at me. And of course my Fabulous husband who takes care of our precious beautiful little girls. Thanks Hunny!
If you are a mom living in my town, you don’t have to attend our Church to attend our Mom’s night out! Just pop me a message and I’ll email you the info (when I have it) for the next one! We love having new ladies to make connections with, it’s a friendly environment and you’re sure to have fun!!

I really should post more pictures… unfortunately I can’t find my camera…I should get on that eh?
Today was a good day. I started off not feeling the brightest, but it turned around quickly with a nice walk. The boys arrived at 8:20am, while I was still wishing my AMAZING mom a happy Birthday on Skype. After we signed off and the girls and I ate breakfast I loaded up the strollers… That’s right strollers. I had promised the kids once summer hit we would take a walk to the local 711 for slurpees. So I got the double stroller (picked it instead of the bike trailer as it has cup holders), then strapped an umbrella stroller to the side of it. So I only had to push 1 stroller but I could have 3 kids riding. Joy doesn’t like to walk when it’s really hot out. Strapped the 3 littles in, made sure Gabe held on and we were off. It is a short walk, about 15/20minutes. I then learned a VALUABLE lesson…. little itty bitty slurpee’s cost only about 10cents less than a gigantic huge slurpee. I paid $10 for 4mini slurpee’s, 1 large slurpee and 1 pack of candies. Next time (if there will be a next time) I will bring our own cups, buy 1 huge slurpee pour the slurpee into our cups for the kids and I’ll drink what’s left over. That will cost around $2. I might grab extra straws from 711 but otherwise it’s to expensive for them each to have their own! I told Gabe my plan, and as I started to explain I said that each of the kids would have their own sippy cup (straw kind) and he blurted in “NOT ME”… Yes you too! I told him to listen until I’m done talking, once he finished listening he thought it was a smart idea.
Well I am happy that summer has finally hit. And although it took it’s time getting here, it seems to have hit over night.
Olivia loves pushing limits and is constantly testing me right now. Joy loves talking back…… sigh… Good thing they are so cute eh?

Olivia just wandered over to me showing me her soil covered fingers. The look on her face said it all “please mom, clean this off I don’t like it”. The soil around her mouth told me she didn’t like the taste. Told her to stay out of my plants. Perhaps now that she’s tasted it she might listen. Joy was a child who wouldn’t push the limits, at least not often. Olivia is a child who lives to push the limits. We have fun.

I have a list, rather simple list, but none the less a list. The list is of everything I need to do this week. With the exception of keeping on top of the chores once done ~ example; I have Clean kitchen on list, well I will have to do this about 3/4 times a day, but it’s just written on the list once. I could get the entire list done today. TODAY. Will I? Probably not. My mind is ready to do the list, my body is not. I’m going to have to push through and get at least some  more of the list done. It’s nap time. Nap time slows me down. If I could put the girls down and come out to work on things it would be fine. But I lay on the floor, getting Joy to lay still enough to fall asleep. I usually fall asleep. I wake when she’s asleep, but then I usually have a hard time getting motivated again.

Hard day's work.

Well it’s time to get Joy on the potty and Olivia drinking her bottle. Just felt like sharing my day today. I have the boys every day this week (other than today) from 8-4. Please pray for my sanity….. On a more serious note, but about praying ~ Please pray for Charlotte. She’s going back up to Calgary Children’s for some scheduled tests, but she’s been having a rough few days, please pray it passes quickly and she’s healed!

Well this past week has been a busy one. Worked everyday except Monday. Tuesday and Thursday we even walked Gabe to School…. that’s 1.7Km walk, Google say’s it should take only 21minutes(walking). I timed it. Just walking there with kids, without stopping, would take us 1hour!  We took a picnic lunch and had a leisurely time getting there. That was fine. The walk home, not so fine. I had the bike trailer as the stroller. the 3 little kids all weigh roughly 20-30lbs. It can hold 2 children with total weight at 100lbs. I figured I’d stick all 3 in there. NOPE. not going to happen. I figured I’d carry Olivia (lightest) as they were all to tired to walk. Joy refused to go in. We were outside a high school (that I might add was on it’s lunch break ~ so yeah, lots of people watching), Joy was screaming 1- she wanted to go to school with Gabe, 2- she was to tired to walk, 3- didn’t want to go in the stroller. Olivia was screaming, well, because she felt like it? NOT cool! I finally strapped Olivia back in with Solomon, told Joy to hold on or she’d be left behind and walked quickly. It worked, Joy was so busy trying to keep up (while holding on) that she couldn’t cry. Finally she said “mommy no run run. No run run mommy”. awww. Broke my heart. So I carried her. Yup. We had only gone maybe 5minutes before she was to tired to run anymore. So I carried her, once in a while she would throw a fit kicking and screaming. (once in a while is more like 3/4 of the way home). And Olivia was crying/screaming because she was tired but didn’t want to go to sleep. Lets just say I wasn’t very impressed by the time we got home. But they all slept good. Thursday I attached an umbrella stroller to the front of the bike trailer (sure I looked goofy!) but it worked. I convinced Joy to sit in it and get strapped in, and away we went. Unfortunately I didn’t drink enough on this walk, so although we made it home with less effort I was done in. Even zonked out for a couple minutes while the kids were down!

That isn’t all that happened this week, but that was the part that took the most effort! It was a long week, as they all are when I have the boys until 5:30pm. This next week I have 2 days off (in a row!) and they happen to be the days that Orlund is in Vancouver for training. So I have the car. I have WAY to much I want to do. lol. Got a project (or two, or three) at home to do and some much needed shopping (grocery/needs) that I need to do out. Going to have to pick and choose I guess!  (I have a few pics of my stroller contraption, I will add later tonight ~ hopefully).

Wow, the weekend is over! I got a bunch of stuff accomplished that I hadn’t planned to. And a bunch of stuff NOT done that I had wanted to. I had Friday off work, so I decided to go through the girls dressers and closet. I re-boxed all their clothing (had put in those vacuum bags, however they didn’t stay vacuumed, so had to put back into boxes). A Big job and I did it spontaneously! Hadn’t planned on doing that (although it needed to be done). That was the ‘big’ job I did Friday and I don’t remember most the rest of the day…. although it was productive.
Saturday we went to the Wildlife park. That was a lot of fun! There was a puppet play going on and Olivia thought it was the funniest thing she’d ever seen! She kept looking back at Orlund and I (she was sitting on Orlund’s lap) with a huge grin and would giggle! SO CUTE. Joy found it entertaining, but she just stared. That took up most the day, and I honestly don’t know what I did the rest of the day (geez I’m forgetful).
Sunday we went to Church (1hour early as Orlund was ushering). After Church we headed straight out to Orlund’s Brother’s house to celebrate his birthday. *Happy Birthday Virden*. Enjoyed a fabulous lunch and a good visit. Missed the hockey game (except for a few times we checked the score). I LOVE hockey right now, never really have before. We headed home after a good visit, the girls slept the drive home… as did I. We got home Olivia went for a nap and Joy refused to. I put a movie on for her and decided to take a nap of my own….. well that didn’t last long and I got up and decided to declutter my bedroom. I went through all my dresser drawers, the closet, and even the bin under my bed. I have a laundry basket full of clothes for ‘Sally-Ann’. It felt good to purge all the stuff. (Orlund was working on repairing our fence~ Thanks Honey!).
Today, Monday, I dropped Orlund off at his Dad’s place and went grocery shopping with the girls. Orlund and his dad got more wood for the fence and used their van to haul it. After grocery shopping Olivia took a nap, Joy and I put the groceries away then visited Orlund and Hugh when they arrived at the house. Joy played while I made lunch for us all, and Olivia woke just in time to eat. After lunch I put Joy down for her nap and took Olivia downstairs with me. First I went through the upstairs toys and hauled the unnecessary ones downstairs. Then I went through all the downstairs and crawlspace toys. I gathered some for a garage sale I’m helping out at, in June, and tossed a few others. Then I switched the toys around so the ones from the crawlspace are now out to play with, and vise versa. I also moved the ‘baby’ toys downstairs ~ exersaucer, baby swing etc. Oh I see another toy I forgot to move down, I’ll do it tomorrow.

Well I need to head to bed. It’s after 10pm and I have the boys arriving at 7am tomorrow! yikes. That’s early… I’m usually awake at that time, but not with rambunctious boys! ~Side story, the boys were at Joy’s birthday party and one of the mom’s that was also there asked me the other day “are the boys always like that?” (high energy, rambunctious) “YUP” I replied…. “Wow” she said “that’s a lot of work!”. it sure is.

This morning Joy walked out of her bedroom speaking in clear full sentences. As she got tired through the day her speech started to slip back to it’s old ways, but to start off Orlund and I were both in Shock. She turned 3 today! Well actually she was born at 11:36pm, it’s only 10:30pm so it’s getting close. She turned 3. wow. We had a fantastic birthday party for her, she was completely spoiled rotten. The house was NOISY! 10 kids, 11 adults! NOISY.
Here are the kids ages~
Girls~ 5, 3, 2, 2, 1, 9months. Boys~ 7?, 4, 2, 2(in June). 4 kids age 2!
Olivia was up coughing for most the night, so she slept through most the party. Which she also slept through most of her own birthday party too… hmmm.. perhaps large loud groups tire her out too? I know they do me!
It was a raining day but over all we had fun! Hotdogs, Hamburgers and salad made the yummy lunch. Frog cupcakes made for tasty desert! Orlund took pics, I’ll post soon! (uh huh, got lots of pics to post!).

Well I’m pooped out, and need to find where I left the diaper bag. So I’m sighing off!
Good night and God bless!

My baby turned 3 today…… I just can’t get over it…. 3….

So I should be heading off to bed right now, and Orlund is just about to shut off his computer. So I’m typing quickly, sorry for any spelling/grammar mistakes (although even when not in a rush those pop up!).

So Saturday is my Baby girls 3rd Birthday! Yup. Joy is turning 3!! Where did the time go? I just told her about the party today as she kind of lets things go to her head and I didn’t want it going to her head to soon I’ve been cleaning the house ever since Olivia’s birthday party.. I mean, I’m always cleaning, but I’ve been cleaning keeping in mind I don’t want to be running around like a chicken with it’s head cut off last minute. And I”M NOT GOING TO BE! I worked two days last week, and spent one day doing errands (purchased everything I could early for the party). So every night while Orlund and I watched our TV shows I would write out a list of To-Do’s on my white board I keep on the fridge. And everyday I was sure to check everything off the list (as well as my usual chores). This week I’ve been doing the same thing, however I worked the first 3 days of the week, so kept the to do list at a minimal. Today however I flew at the chores. My plan was to get the house clean so tomorrow I can spend outside getting the yard ready for the outdoor party (although it’s predicting rain…). I found I only needed 5minutes in each room (plus vacuuming) and the rooms were done!** Now I didn’t get the Kitchen or Living rooms done as they are our most lived in areas, so they are for tomorrow (the last minute rooms). I have my list written out for tomorrow and I’m praying I feel motivated so I can get it all accomplished with time to spare. In the evening I will be decorating the cupcakes I baked today ~ SO excited!

Joy’s party starts at 11am. One of our guests and her daughter are coming at 10:30, so if we are needing to do last minute stuff she can keep the kids entertained ~ yipee! I’m hoping that we can have everything done tomorrow so that Saturday morning is spent calmly and with no need to work up a sweat… We will have setting up to do if the weather is nice enough for a back yard party, but all in all that should be about it!

Well my eyes are feeling like they might just close and not reopen here, so I guess I should head to bed!
I will post pics! Just gotta find that silly cord….. Or borrow Orlund’s….

** You might be wondering why if it only took me 5minutes per room why the entire house isn’t done, well I have two kids… two young kids… If you have kids you’ll understand. if you don’t have kids, well then…just you wait! LOL

When I was younger, on the day of my Birthday everything seemed to be magical and special. My mom would always wake me up at the time I was born (around 7:15am), and the magic would begin. Now that I’m a mom, I realize it’s the Mom’s who make the day special and magical for the kids.
I still wake waiting for my mom’s call (she’s in Thailand so it’s not so doable, but I hope anyway). Then I rise and get the girls going with breakfast and getting dressed. There are so many chores always that even on my birthday I can’t stop. I watched the boys on my Birthday. It felt like there should be something special happening just around the corner. Nothing did. At one point I was laying on the floor and told Gabe I wanted to take a nap too
“No you can’t!” he exclaimed
“Why not?” I asked
“Because you have to put the girls down for their naps and do the dishes” guess he’s learned my routines
“But why do I have to? It’s my Birthday”
“Because you are the grown up”
Sigh. Remind me again why kids want to grow up? I mean really, you have to DO DISHES on your birthday!
Solomon had the runniest nose I’ve ever seen. By the time I’d wipe it, throw the tissue out, wash my hands and return to the kids it would be about ready to drip off his chin!! SO GROSS! One thing I hate is boogers and runny noses!! So yippee just another fun thing to do on my grown up birthday. My birthday’s over the years have just become ‘sadder and sadder’, this year I came to the realization that it’s probably due to the fact that I’m expecting the same Childhood magic I used to receive. I’m still young, only 27years old, however it’s time for me to move on from birthday magic to providing it to my kids.
I did get to chat with my mom in the afternoon, that always brightens my day.
Orlund came home, I made the girls dinner and got myself ready. Orlund was upset at me for not getting ready fast enough (as in me and the girls ready), and I was upset at him for not helping me get us ready…. good way to start the evening eh? It was very nice that our friends volunteered to take the girls, Joy is in love with their daughter so it worked out perfect that Joy got her ‘KyKy” fix.
We went to Storms restaurant, it was their crab and Lobster fest.. Yummy food and we had a good time.
We went and picked the kids up, Joy screamed the entire pick up and drive home… we finally got her calmed down in time for bed.
The rest of the evening…. well… it’s not worth typing about.
Sunday’s party was awesome and a lot of fun. I was spoiled as was Olivia.
Next year I think I’ll, just think of my birthday as the day before Olivia’s magical birthday. The preparation day.