Monday 31 March 2014

Cleaning or Reading?

Cleaning carpets is boring. It is much better with a book in hand!

 Ivan and I.....we're gettin' the job done.


Thursday 27 March 2014

De-cluttering?

The neighbours are de-cluttering. Unfortunately some of it is moving into our house.

Peirce is sewing up a hole in its back.

Tuesday 25 March 2014

Florida!

Jill is at an away camp. The coach takes them far away to work them to death. 1000+ metres a day is the norm, plus a dry-land workout. For Jill it is a snap. She is a crazy worker outer!! She knows how to have a good time too.


Workouts are in an outdoor pool!


Even laundry is a good time!

Can't wait until she gets home so we can hear all her stories!





Cousin Time!


With a dog and four kids, making a long domino train to knock over is hours worth of entertainment (as long as they don't kill each other first!) 

Sunday 23 March 2014

Eureka!!

Ever since we moved into our house almost 16 years ago, I have wanted to make a "library" out of our dining room space. I wanted just the right shelves. Something quite functional that went right upto the ceiling. I thought a rolling ladder would be pretty cool too - but then again,would I really want a ladder in the room all the time?? I have looked at used furniture stores, watched freecycle, and dreamt in over priced regular furniture stores. Nada. Not even something I wanted to scrape and save for.

I think I have found something though! I found it here

Check these out:







I wonder if I could build something like this?? I feel a summer project coming on!!

Saturday 22 March 2014

Extraordinary!

Today our ward had their March 17th RS party. We tried to do something extraordinary....like RS was meant to be.

Leading up to the day everyone was supposed to be doing acts of service. They posted the things people were doing on a bulletin board. Then today they had more service opportunities:
Card making (Easter cards for seniors)

Window decorations for a senior's home

More card making


They sewed bean bags (not sure want seniors do with those....throw them at each other?)

Centre pieces for Easter dinner


These guys were practicing songs....plans to entertain seniors??


Marking Book of Mormons for missionaries to give away


...and a little bit of plain old fun! Silly little boys!


...oh, and food. There always has to be food!!

I was amazed at the buzz of activity when I arrived. Overall, it was extraordinary!!













Flames

Peirce and I volunteered at a flames game last night. It is a swimming fundraiser. Peirce worked in ice cream while I was slinging hot dogs and beer. Harvey the Hound came right into Peirce's stand and stole some ice cream!! Who knew he was a thief?!  Peirce said he made a mess too. He spilled ice cream in the machine, the floor and his paws. When it got in his paws Peirce felt like they were even.


Thursday 20 March 2014

Ice Castle: carnaval d'hiver au printemps

This is what Peirce spent his day building: 


Carnaval d'hiver au printemps!!

Spring Break!

Today is the first day of spring and Spring Break starts for my kids at noon.

Maybe we won't go for a walk.

Makes for some cool pics though! All photography was taken by Peirce on our way to school today.



Monday 17 March 2014

Jill and Her Friends

Jill is such a fun girl. Every week, at church, she has a gaggle of friends around....and often they are under 8.

Me sneaking in a shot during church. Shhhh. Don't tell!

This was after stake conference? Jill is visiting with her friend...but of course her shorter fans aren't far away! :) So cute.




Sunday 16 March 2014

Alberta Open



Another great weekend of racing for Jill. She is a senior now, so the competition field is a little wider. She even races against kids in university! Humbling! She is doing a great job though. She got best times in all her races.





Saturday 15 March 2014

James and the Giant Peach

This weekend while Jill and Allen were away at a meet, Peirce and I had some Storybook Theatre fun. We just read James and the Giant Peach with my Gr. 3 book club. A number of kids went to the play. It is especially fun to watch it when you have just read the book!

I won tickets to James and the Giant Peach on Facebook, so Peirce and I used those tickets. Then we got to see the play again while we were volunteering. 

Waiting for patrons to arrive....yucking it up with his volunteer friends.


It was really well done! I am always so impressed with Storybook Theatre. Never a disappointment!

This was the cast: James, grasshopper, earthworm, centipede, ladybug and spider. They were cast perfectly!



The set was awesome. I was curious to see how they would have the peach roll down the hill and squish Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker, how they would show the sharks and the seagulls, how they would land on the Empire State Building - but they did it! Nothing was left out. It was amazing.

We brought our copy of the book and got the actors to sign it. So fun!!




Proper Words

Allen is away in Edmonton with Jill at a meet. Things worked out so that Allen ended up having a little time with his niece and nephew while his sister and brother-in-law were out. He really gets a kick out of those kids (kids in general?) and so was totally up for it.

He got all set up to read his 5 year old niece a story. He got a bunch of pillows to make them comfy.

Allen: Are you all snuggled in?
Niece: It's just that I don't snuggle with random strangers.
Allen: I'm no random stranger! I'm your favorite Uncle Allen!
Niece: I would just rather you didn't use that word snuggle.

What a kid! She went on to explain that she is much more comfortable with the word cozy.

Schooled!

Oh, then she snuggled right in, with her head in his shoulder, to read the story.

Funny girl.

Thursday 6 March 2014

Back In the Saddle

Must be February. Oh wait....February is over. Thank goodness!!

For the past few years February has been crazy in our house. Allen is very busy with RSP season, and for me it is report card season. We do our best to keep up with the rest of life, but the truth is, it becomes really tricky (and stressful!) in February.

I am back in the saddle though. Time to get back to cooking, keeping up on the house, doing more reading and definitely more blogging!!

Today I was a guest blogger on Kirby Larson's website. I fell in love with her book, Hattie Big Sky and also The Friendship Doll, and have followed her blog ever since. She asked, once, on her blog, for people to let her know if they would be interested in blogging, and on a whim I replied. This week my time came!! You can read the post here.