Some Days Require A Little Crazy... 6,5,4,3,2,1 Switch!

I am a very unhappy person for the entire month of March.

At least I have been every year past.

I am hoping that being aware of it is going to make this one different.

It's to the point that my sweet friend Emma once told me that I had to "get a grip because I was looking like a crazy b!%*$."

(If it was not those words exactly it was something close.)

March is miserable (in years past) because I am done. Done with winter, snow, cold, darkness, brittle nails and salty/muddy boots.

And while I know that we have in fact been quite spoiled this winter with a great LACK of snow, all other irritations continue with the dry ground too.

As I am completely aware of this malady coming for me like a train wreck, I have decided to get off the tracks and run for the nearest Tim Horton's.

I am making THIS March ROCK. I am going to get out of the house (even if it means unnecessary driving to get The Hubby to and from work to have the car), I am going to do my hair and get out of my hideous grey sweatpants daily. I am going to have coffee with girlfriends and on days that are harder than others I am going to have dinner and a nice LARGE glass of wine.

No one else in our family seems to be affected by March quite like I am. Which is a good thing. The ins and outs of the waking hours between 6:30am and 1:00am are loopy enough without ALL of us on the brink of placing thousands of dollars on credit to pack up everyone and escape to a milder, sunnier climate for, oh, say, a MONTH!

Realistically though (unless some fairy godmother lands on my bank card) we are trapped in our charming little home surrounded by caring family and friends and COLD air for all of March.

And though previously I have been a little GRINCHY during that dreaded, horrid, repulsive, disgusting, exhaustive, never ending month, I have survived it. I'm sure I will again, only this year I would like to be smiling on March 31st.

... I can't believe I am going to say this...

everyone needs a little crazy in their lives.

Even in March.

(Sometimes)

Adorable Husband... Happy Birthday.

The Hubby celebrated another birthday last Friday.

I have adored him since I was 12.

I remember sitting on his bunk bed beside him at his 14th birthday party while all his friends thumbed through the pages of his awesome new Michael Jordan Biography.

I definitely adore him more now than I did then.

We've been through a lot... together.

He loves life. Really Really. First his Faith, second our family and third... music.

I'm a lucky girl.

He is talented. Stupidly talented. He is kind. (To a fault). He lets me be me. I am free to create and have friendships and be off Mommy-duty without complaint. (I was explaining to a friend that if I told him I wanted to be a stockbroker and get a PhD in astrophysics he would want to know how we needed to make it happen. THAT supportive.) He dotes on our kiddos. And they think he is the greatest man alive. He cares about his friends and wants the best for family.

Like I said... I am a lucky girl.

Happy Birthday Angel.

And on a similar note my sister celebrated her birthday on Saturday.

She is pretty darn spectacular too!!! Really Really.

Happy Birthday Steph(ie).

(Finally, I am almost through day 5 of no bread or dairy. Tired. Blah) Ick.

40 DAYS... Beginning (again) today.

If within the next 40 days I post anything remotely happy/cheerful/positive/NON-angry call it a miracle.

I have mentioned that I am participating in Lent this year.

And since I went and ruined DAY ONE, today is now officially my DAY ONE.

NO BREAD OR DAIRY.

Ugh.

It hurts even to type that.

I am a carb-a-holic and now I am well and determined to behave.

(This was also going to be extended to coffee due to my previous hate of black coffee and thus the need for cream and sugar. I am thrilled to announce that the coffee at Tim Hortons this morning was so fresh that I will now be drinking BLACK COFFEE!)

Along with normal daily craze... I will be updating YOU people (though I may very well be writing to solely my father who checks up on this when he leaves my house) on my battle with the ever elusive CARB AND DAIRY ADDICTION and overcoming it.

Now excuse me while I go and make MORE COFFEE!

Is It Wednesday Again?

The Hubby works on Saturdays.

Yes, I think that sucks too.

In our home Wednesdays are the new Saturday.

So much cooler.

Stores are less busy.

Banks are open.

There is good afternoon TV.

Best of all, I HAVE A CAR!!!

(Being a one-car family is slightly limiting.)

Robin called this morning and asked if I would like to do something.

Coffee led to grocery shopping, which led to picking The Prince up from school and going on a random shopping trip to IIIIKEEEEA all for the sake of finding centre pieces for Robin and Paul's wedding in August.

(Yes I am aware that it is a long time away. And yes I am also aware that we were using it as a great excuse to go to one of my favourite places.)

(Okay Okay. You twisted my arm. I DID use it as a reason why I had to eat bread and dairy on the day Lent begins and I have decided to give up those two loves for 40 days. But come on... It's IIIkEEEA!)

So my theory is that I will only eat bread and dairy when in the confines of the most inspiring big box store that ever existed.

(And if you cannot reach me it could be that I am hiding down Aisle 14 in Bin 527 for the next 40 days.)

How can I say NO to ice cream when it makes the CHILDREN so happy?

I just wanted to share in their happiness...

Then I came home and changed my new nose ring.

The sparkle had fallen out of the first one and went from looking super hot to totally lame.

Oh, and I blame my parents for my desire for piercing and tattoos.

Not sure why, but I figure someone has to be to blame for why I tortured my poor nose with this itty bitty ring of agony.

(Ah well. I think it is back to looking super hot!)

Have a stupendous Wednesday!

What We Do To Small Children Who Won't Eat Their Vegetables.

I have picky eaters.

But they love smoothies.

We load up the smoothies with EVERYTHING.

Package it in a bright cup.

And

they

are none the wiser!

Sneaky Sneaky...

Be My Valentine Family Day?...

Just before this picture was taken, December 1999, Josh and I had our first silly sloppy teenage kiss in the stairwell of a church on a Monday night worship meeting...

Just after this picture was taken I informed the friends I was with that I was going to marry Josh...

I was sixteen. He was seventeen.

I was right.

Now a decade later I am still glad that I decided that night he was my future husband/permanent valentine... and the kisses have gone from sloppy and silly to passionate and tingly...

But with young kids dates can become random if they are to happen at all, so instead of a romantic dinner we ate at the breakfast place across the street from our house and went to see the movie Valentines Day (highly recommend)... So to top off the random romance we watched Disney cartoons with the kiddos and took them out for some good stuffing pasta!

I'm pretty sure all the couples around us were really appreciative of the screaming and hoopla that was going on two feet away from them. Nothing says "I like you" like a bowlful of caesar salad being launched at your date!

I loved it all the same...

It's kind of fun to see where we were then... and enjoy where we are now...

Soon enough The Prince and The Princess will be with their own dates beside some bratty kids at a restaurant, annoyed, trying to have their dinner in peace, so I'll take pleasure in their miniature company for this stage in life...

And hope that the next time the food stays at our table.

Happy Belated Valentines Day!

But the celebration is only now coming to an end because their was still more love to be spread since Family Day followed today...

So I shared love with my shoes. Sorry. Shoebooties.

SHOEBOOTIES I LOVE YOU.

Yes I definitely LOVE you.

I missed wearing you and the pain you cause my feet so much that I broke my precious rule to never wear anything other than ridiculously comfortable footwear to my in-laws... And I loved having your button sides and almond toes snug around my tootsies for the entire 29.5 minute drive there and the 31.4 minute drive home.

I will not neglect you again.

Oh and Happy Birthday's ALL AROUND!

We celebrated Rich's twenty first birthday and The Hubby's twenty seventh with the last cake Grandma Mac ever made...

(a) We pack in the birthdays in February. I lost track after nine.

&

(b) My mother in law saved the chocolate cake from the freezer after The Hubby's grandma passed away a couple of years ago and kept it just for this occasion... It was lovely... Truly...

It's always worth it to make the time to spend with our families. We are blessed... We actually like spending time with them!

Completing the cheerful nature of our busy long weekend of love and family we CHEERED on Canada as we chomped on pizza and slurped down chili.

Hope yours was just as fulfilling.

Happy Family Day Everyone!

Olympics... Proud to be Canadian.

I stayed up late to watch the Winter Olympic Opening Ceremonies in Vancouver....

And despite the massive amount of yawning....

And the eyes drifting in and out of focus....

I think it was worth the sleep sacrifice!

Wow.... This Country ROCKS!!!