TWO

Woohoo.

Sleep in Heavenly Peace

At one of our craft nights to prepare for Christmas, Cara and I wore our pj's.  It was just one of those days and we were tired.  Joanne couldn't wear hers because she didn't have any suitable ones.  Joe (Superstore) has really nice fleece pjs and they are Cara's favourite but she couldn't find them this year.  Last Friday I found them at the Superstore for $8.49.  They didn't last long as they were gone in a couple of days.     I got all three of us matching jammies.   Here we are at our annual cookie exchange last night.

Little Miss Independant goes Christmas shopping

Lydia decided a while ago that she wanted to buy everyone gum for Christmas.  So today we hit Dollarama and bought lots of gum.  Tomorrow I'll give her scrap pieces of wrapping paper and some tape and she can go at it.  Should keep her busy while I bake. 



Speaking of independant, yesterday she told me it was time to clean up the kitchen and that I needed to help her.  This morning she told me that the gifts I wrapped last night needed to go under the tree and that I didn't do it "pawperwy"

10 more days

I buckled down and got some sewing done last night.



I made a stack of pillowcases last night. 10 pillowcases and 3 gift bags. Need to find the other page to cameron's cloth book and make a couple more diapers and then I am done sewing. Why I don't do this earlier, I'll never know.
Finally figured out a gift for fil, girlfriend and her son. Whoonu- already had it in the gift box, a tin of sweets and some pictures framed.
Other than that, I am finished with gifts.  I've finished shopping and ready to wrap.  Tonight is a baking night and I need to label 50 cd's.  Over the past few weeks, I've been recording our circle time at playgroup.  Dh burned it onto cds for me and they'll be handed out to the kids at the Christmas party and potluck tomorrow.  How cool that they get to take home their own songs to sing along with.

I just got a card from my bestest buddy from Jr high.  Her boys are handsome.  Good thing they live so far away from us.  I might have a problem with Hannah if we saw them more than every few years.

I came across this advice today.  Sounds good to me.

It doesn't really matter how much you want to accomplish today; your pace will likely be set by circumstances that are beyond your control. The best you can do is remain clear about your abilities and your limitations. If you don't overcommit, all should work out okay. But if you take on too much, even the simplest jobs could suffer. Pace yourself, work hard, and don't apologize for what you cannot do

Fourteen...

Days until Christmas. 

 

By now I'll be in the kitchen, getting the turkey in the oven.  We're usually up by 5:30.

So does the 2 week crunch send you into a tailspin?

Try this as a destresser



Paint your toes red and go barefoot around the house.  The shiny toes will brighten your day.

Countdown to Christmas- YIKES

 Do you like my Christmas countdown?  I stole it from Family Fun.    It's not on the mantle though.  I'd have to have a higher mantle and matching socks.  I think I'll try and collect Christmas socks in January.

 I've been crazy busy.  Our Home and School did a pasta fundraiser and it was going well so we decided to do one for our church as we are sponsoring a refugee family of 11.  I've learned that when you suggest a project, the project is yours. :)  The pasta was ordered Thursday, arrived Tuesday and I sorted the 180 bags during nap time.  Getting it out of the house tonight.

Tonight is a birthday party for Jesus at the church.  I made individual cakes for the kids to decorate.

Lots left to do.  Sort and wrap the kids gifts and pick up a couple of items.  I know, I know Helen, I should have it wrapped already but I need to visualize it.   I need a meal plan and list of holiday recipes.   Saturday, a friend is taking the kids for a couple of hours to make sugar cube castles.  I think she's crazy but since I can't remember us going Christmas shopping together, I won't tell her.

I have my brother and sil's gift ready to mail to Atlanta.  Cara is taking it to mail in the US. Faster and cheaper.  I need to pick up some more Christmas flannel to make more pillowcases as gifts.  Secret Santa gift is ready for the mail tomorrow.  My mom's gift is done.  Mil's is thought of, just need to get it.  Sisiters are done.  Nieces and nephews, just about.  Fil, no idea.  Teachers, need to wrap.

BTW, I ordered two Knights of The Lunchtable; The Dodgeball Chronicles to donate to ds's school on behalf of his teacher and TA.  They came damaged from Scholastic.  I called the company on Friday and replacements arrived on Tuesday.  They have a 100% guarantee.

Dear Santa

Dear Santa

I am three years old.  Do you remember coming to my birthday party?  That was fun.  I would really like to have a Rose Petal Cottage to play in with my friend, Kate.  If it won't fit in your bag,  I also like Groovy Girls.  The Christmas one or the rockstar would be nice.

wyv y.rc355\-8d,m.,m iooolttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttgjkk gghnhnjjhn om[p9ngi

Merry Christmas Santa.

Dear Lydia Claire:

Hi, my name is Pepper Minstix and I am the special elf who helps Santa with all of the email he receives during this busy time of year.

No matter how busy Santa gets at the North Pole, I know he takes time to read all of his letters! You can expect to get an answer from Santa within the next few days.

Thank you for writing to Santa and please write to him again next year!

Happy Holidays
Elf Minstix

Round and Round we go.

Do you ever want to get off the merry-go-round of life?

I only wish that weekends were nice and calm and boring.  Nope.   I've got so much to do between now and Monday that I feel ill just thinking about it.    Tonight we have Kid's Club and Youth Group.  Thursday is judo.   Friday is my birthday but I'll spend it geting ready for Parker's party on Saturday.  I need to find a gift for him.  His birthday is Dec 28 but I agreed to have his party a month early.    There's a craft fair this weekend but I know I won't have time to go to it just like I missed the last one. Saturday will be dh getting groceries while I do laundry, judo, party and then Lydia is going with a friend to see Franklin's Christmas.  Sunday is church with a meeting afterwards, getting homework done and fitting in a family movie night?  Oy.  My head hurts.  When to start the Christmas baking or find a couple of hours to do some shopping?  Do I make myself a cake or not?

Off to tackle Mt Washmore so it's done by Saturday and I just have to put the 20 million loads away.



That's 48 hours worth of laundry.

Advent Conspiracy

 

No matter what your personal or religious beliefs, you've got to admit that Christmas has become over commercialized.  Christmas is no longer what it started out as and it's so easy to forget the true meaning of the season.  I've come across this video lately and thought it was good food for thought.  As I am part way through my Christmas list, it reminds me not to overinduldge.  I'm going to make every effort to refocus on our family this season and not the external forces around us that are saying spend, spend, spend.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVqqj1v-ZBU

Need some help on quality gifts from the heart?  Check this out.

http://www.rethinkingchristmas.com/

Little Miss Independant

Growing up my cousins collected the Little Miss and Mr. Men books.  We had a few as well but not nearly as extensive as theirs.  I'm wondering if there is a Little Miss Independant.  I have one that lives at my house.  Last week a friend was coming over in the evening.  I came upstairs from doing laundry.  Lydia was in the kitchen washing dishes.

 

I asked her what she was doing.  "Cara's coming, Mommy, I doin dishes."   When she was done she grabbed a towel from the laundry and finshed drying the floor she had "washed".

Another day, I found her downstairs putting together a doll playpen that I had packed away.  So much for downsizing the toys.



Then there was potty training her baby.



Last night she  finished eating and when I thought she was putting her dishes in the dishwasher, I found her helping herself to more Kraft Dinner.



She still uses water bottles on a daily basis, just to avoid cups getting knocked over because she can fill them and get the cover on herself.

More Green Deals

Yesterday the kids had the day off school for parent teacher conferences.
The kids and I stopped at Value Village. We were looking for a bag of plain Lego. Ds is having a Lego birthday and we wanted to put lego in the treat bags. We found a box of Lego with over 25 people in it and accessories. We also found a large box of K'nex AND an American Girl Doll 2008. The American Girl Dolls retail for $100. I got her for $2.99. She's in mint condition with gorgeous brushable hair.   Lydia is in love with her new "girl" Claire.





Might not look like a lot of Lego but the pieces in it were awesome.

A few days ago I picked up a pair of Ugg boots for Lydia.  $4.  We'd looked everywhere for black boots and had settled on a pair of boys boots.  Well now she has a stylish pair too.

If someone could tell me how ot get the mothball smell out, I'd be more than greatful.

It's a wrap.

That's what they say in the movie business right?

I just came up with a new holiday tradition for our house.  I'm going to gather up the Christmas movies and wrap them.  We'll celebrate the Sundays of Avent by watching a family movie together.  But when I suggest movies, there's always some bickering over who wants to watch what.  Now we'll just pick one without knowing what it is.  It'll be a great way of winding down a busy weekend .  Kids in their jammies, an easy supper and some popcorn.

Here's some of my favourites.

   



The Polar Express

I'll take suggestions if you have a favourite holiday movie.

To Yoga or Not to Yoga

My right shoulder has been messed up for a couple of weeks causing pinched nerves and lots of throbbing.  Today at playgroup I turned to reach something and I feel liek I have a kink under my left shoulder blade.  Tonight is my yoga class and I need to figure out if yoga will help it or agravate it.  Honestly, I don't think I have the energy for it.  I stayed up way too late last night watching City (comedy) council on our local cable station.

Maybe Lydia and I can do some yoga today.

Menu Plan Monday

I'm back on the Meal Plan Wagon now that I have ground beef in the house again.   Every Wednesday it's on sale at On The Vine for $1.99/lb.  I just never seem to be able to get there.  I stocked up last week and cooked and froze enough for 13 meals.  that is if, dh keeps his paws off of it.

 I also have a new to me deep freeze.  Woohoo.    Our deep freeze always seems full so there's no room for freezer meals or baking.  Mil was getting rid of her deep freeze and I was more than happy to take it.  I cleaned it and plugged it in last night.    I'm planning on using one for meats and meals and the other for baking and frozen fruits, jam...

Need help with meal planning?  You can check out my google calendar  http://www.google.com/calendar/render?tab=mc&gsessionid=J9J4lOkmRXb8dMubKyBEcQ  Click on a meal and the recipe should be there.  Although if you need a recipe for tacos or chili, you need more help than I can give.  I also came across this blog if you need more ideas.   http://orgjunkie.com/

Today we're having crockpot ribs.  MMMMMM  can you smell them?

Dear Santa

I love you.

Games for Preschoolers

So with Christmas coming, I thought I'd give some reviews of games that we have.  In the past couple of years, we've accumulated a lot of Cranium games.  One that we recently purchased for Lydia is Cariboo.      http://www.hasbro.com/games/cranium/browse.cfm?page=&product_id=21399

 I could explain how it's played but we don't really play by the rules.  It's an openended game, easily adapteed to what your child's needs are.  It was recomended by Lydia's Speech pathologist.  I ask her to say a word on a card (provided by the speech program) and then she gets to use the magic key to open a box.  If she finds a ball, she takes it out and puts it in the hole and when all the balls are found, the treasure chest pops open.  She loves the game so much, she'll even play it on her own.

I just picked these ones up for Christmas gifts-



Put the puzzle together and use the game cards to search for differnt objects.  Circle the found objects with a dry erase marker.  I picked this up at Winners for $6.99.  I like that it's a prereading game and leads them to read by using cues.  I'm not sure if it's readily available as it's not on the Cranium site but Amazon still carries it.

I also found Talking Tracks Monkey Safari  http://www.hasbro.com/games/cranium/browse.cfm?page=&product_id=21501

Again at Winners for $5.99.

More big hits with preschoolers- Hullaballo dvd game by Cranium.  We have the original one as well but I find it hard to hear so when I found the DVD version for $5 last year at Walmart, I told everyone I knew.  We often use it at church with an extra set.  It's a great moving game.

I used to sell Discovery Toys and Playful Patterns is a great game for so many reasons.  https://www.discoverytoyslink.com/ecommerce/control/product?PURCHASE_STATE=STANDARD&product_id=2930  As well as Games to Grow on and Oh Rats.

http://www.amazon.com/Discovery-Toys-Games-Grow-Board/dp/B0011CY82M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=generic&qid=1226721440&sr=1-1

http://www.epinions.com/review/Oh_Rats_Puzzle_Game/kifm-review-202E-ADC80B3-3A36E239-prod1

They're not available from Discovery Toys anymore but if you know a consultant or check Ebay and Amazon, you might luck out.

New to Me- Great Deals and going green with clothing

So if you know me, you know I love a good deal.  I previously worked at a Frenchies store and I accustomed to paying dirt cheap prices for clothing.  It causes me great pain to pay full price for clothes when it's really just a waiting game.  I live 2 minutes from the mall and within 15 minutes of about 6 second hand stores and those are not consignment prices.  Being so close to the mall, I can  stop into The Children's Place on a regular basis to watch for their Monster sale.  I have an Old Navy connection who likes to share Friends and Family discounts or sends out an alert on a good sale.

This summer a new used clothing store opened and it's owned by a guy from dh's hometown.  The Clothesline is much neater and I would say has better quality than most Frenchies stores.  Hannah needed new black pants and so we went tonight on a mission to find some.  It was our plan to go to The Clothesline, Superstore, Super Frenchies and then Old Navy.  I like to pay the cheapest price possible but I'm  not opposed to paying for a specific item.  We struck gold tonight at the Clothesline.  I found her mint condition black cords form the Children's Place.  They fit perfectly and the embellishments on the pockets are stitched on and can easily be removed.  As soon as we walked in the door, I saw a white blouse for her.  A plain white blouse in her size is hard to find so we grabbed it.  I also found black dress pants for Parker, a red Children's Place top for Lydia, A sweater for me, a great quality sheet from IKEA and a sleep sack for a friend.  The grad total was $20 and change.  Sweet.

Next stop was Old Navy.  I used my Friends and Family discount and got 30% off the jeans and dress I found for Hannah on clearance.  I paid $15 and change.  Woohoo.  Although nothing beats the year I hit a .97 sale just before her bithday.  She got 10 pairs of jeans, tops, pajamas....  She's just now hit the end of that pile.

I think that's just about it for holiday clothing for the kids.  Parker could probably use a sweater but it won't be the  end of the world if I don't find one.

Crafting with Cara and Sarah- Countdown to Christmas

Ok, not so much this week.  Cara came and babysat so I could go to a City Ward- Let's Talk Meeting.  Pretty sad that it's the first time in probably a year that we've had a babysitter and we go to a city meeting.    It's amazing how much more interest I have in politics after battling the government over EFI.  Anyway we have a new city council and there are far too many issues that smell bad in this city.  There's the 2 year sick leave policy for city employees that the city is proposing, a decaying water system- we still have wooden pipes in some areas, issues with garbage collection, pension board lawsuit, coziness between the city and developers.  Anyway, thanks to Cara, I was able to go and got to have my voice heard.  It also helped that there were no seats left and I ended up sitting on a bench with the mayor and the city employee who was taking notes.  I got to comment directly to them about my concerns.  Oh and I showed everyone the water that I collected in August  http://blog.canadianparents.com/sarahnb/2008/08/25/smartest-city-vs-dumbest-city/

Christmas is...

Tonight at Kid's Club we started learning this song:

Christmas is a Time to Love.

Christmas is a time
Christmas is a time
Christmas is a time to love

Christmas is a time
Christmas is a time
Christmas is a time to love

We often start to worry and people get upset
When things don’t go all right on Christmas day
What we should remember in all the push and shove
Is Christmas is a time to love.

Maybe things don’t sound right or look the way they should
And maybe they’re not perfectly in tune
It really doesn’t matter, let’s keep our eyes above
‘Cause Christmas is a time to love.

The kids will be singing it at the annual Christmas dinner.  It's such an important message and exactly why  we should be organized in our Christmas prep.  So we can enjoy the fullness of the season and make room for others. 

Funny thing is, this song is from a musical that we did when I was in the 8th grade.

Psalty's Christmas Calamity.

Missing **** Update

Have you seen this baby?  She's missing and was last seen 2-3 weeks ago.  She may be wearing a diaper and her rubber boots.  No raincoat or hat.

Update-  Baby Kate has been found.  I searched this entire house, emptied baskets of laundry.  I finally found her in our closet under some clothes.

When I first saw this doll in the stores, I fell in love with her rubber boots so my mom bought her for Lydia's birthday.  I had to wait months to give it to her.  I have to say that I love the Little Mommy and Sweet as Me line of dolls by Fisher Price.  I grew up with my own Fisher Price dolls, Baby Ann is in another blog post.  I still have them.  Lydia got the FP newborns for her first Christmas and this year I have a couple tucked away.  Unfortunately I haven't been able to find their clothes anywhere but from the FP website.  They are the cutest though.

A Green Halloween

It was a green Halloween in our house.

Growing up we never bought costumes.  We always found what we needed to make them and we were never allowed to be scary.  Them's were the rules.  Pretty much the same rules apply in my house.  I have mixed feelings about Halloween.  Do I want to encourage celebrating a holiday that is associated with evil and gore?  Not really but do I want to ostracize my kids my not allowing them to have fun with their peers?  Nope.  There will be many times during their lives when they will have to stand for their beliefs.  I'd rather let them have fun and be kids while they can.

So Hannah went as a Recycled Halloween Costume.  She had bits and pieces from different costumes and a recycling sign around her neck.   People though it was clever.

Parker went as Indiana Jones.  I started working on his costume in June as he was into Indiana Jones with the movie coming out.  He had wanted to buy a whip at Walmart for $25 so I made him one for $1.   He had the coat, boots and pants and in the summer we found the scout shirt and water bag at Value Village.  The hat was my grandfathers hat.

Lydia wore the same costume Hannah wore when she was three.  Little Red Riding Hood.  It's a nice warm fleece cape that Aunt Sarah brought back from Turkey.  When Hannah wore it, Parker was a baby and he went as the Big (little) Bad Wolf. 

I went as the Big Bad Wolf.  I used my butt ugly fur coat that I usually wear with my butt ugly owl hat.  (purchased 5 years ago on Halloween day when I was working at Frenchies)  I wore the same wolf ears that Parker wore.  That fur coat has kept me warm on halloween for five years now.  I'll have to re-purpose it again next year.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

It's work night tonight

It's going to be a productive day.   Went to playgroup today and I wore my orange Great Pumpkin sweater.  Lydia is now watching the classic Charlie Brown movie.  It's always on late and the kids never get to see it so I downloaded it this morning.  Someone is coming to pick up the sofabed that is taking up space in our basement.  Woohoo.  Then I can rearrange and make a better play area. Cara is coming over to do some card crafting, I am sewing and our girls are going to a middle school Halloween dance.  :(

I can't believe I have a child old enough to go to a dance.  I'd love to go and spy.  I'll post pics later of their costumes.  They are pretty awesome.

When Momma is sick

I was struck with the stomach flu yesterday.  While we were at playgroup.  Hopefully I didn't pass it to anyone else.  I started to feel very nauseous so we left early and stopped on the way home for Natural Source Gravol and gingerale.  Not fun to do with three kids in tow and one of them asleep.  The gravol did the trick for a few hours but by 3pm, I was sick.   The extra kids left by 4pm.  I'll skip the rest of the gory details.  Jeff had to take the older kids to their activities and Lydia stayed home with me.  She climbed in bed to watch Family Channel but said I was yucky so she kept her distance.  Every once in a while she'd say "How you feeling?"

This morning as I packed the kids lunches, she packed hers.  I really didn't have it in me to argue with her so whatever she wanted, went in her lunch bag.  She did a great job.





We've had a great lazy day.  She's played dollhouse and on the computer.  We watched Alvin and the Chipmunks and had great naps.

Now if only the laundry was done....

Crafting with Cara and Sarah- Countdown to Christmas

So how do busy moms get their crafts done in time for Christmas?  Book the time.  Cara is working on Christmas cards this year and I am making hair clips, doll diapers, a cloth book and pillowcases for gifts.  Last week me made the commitment to craft on Thursday nights.  Jeff takes Parker to judo, drops him off and then goes to watch Survivor with his aunt.  The girls are in bed by 7:30 and Cara gets to escape bedtime at her house.

We have peace and quiet, can chat if we like or watch Thursday night tv while we work.  I think Joanne might be joining us.

 





It's great knowing we have this time set aside to get these projects done.  We're both procrastinators.  There are times when I think about getting my stuff out but remember our craft date.  It's easier to do when you aren't multitasking.

Great news!!!!

Ok, I had to come back and post this story.  I used to work as a nanny for Mary Jean.  She is also friends with my mom and they both had breast cancer in 2005.    http://www.cbc.ca/canada/prince-edward-island/story/2008/10/21/pe-mammography-irving.html

Mammography unit donated to Charlottetown hospital

Last Updated: Tuesday, October 21, 2008 | 5:00 PM AT Comments7Recommend6

CBC News

Mary Jean Irving presented the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Foundation with a donation of $750,000 on Tuesday for the purchase of a new digital mammography unit.

While the contribution was made on behalf of her company, Master Packaging, Irving said the donation was personal. In 2005 she was diagnosed with breast cancer and told she only had months to live.

She received extensive treatment in Boston, and now that she's healthy again, she said she wants her hometown to be able to offer the same level of care.

Irving's donation, paired with the Charlottetown hospital's fundraising efforts over the last year, means the QEH now has enough money to replace both of its existing mammography units. The two current units use film; one is nine years old and the other is eight.

Machines breaking down

Head of radiology Dr. Kim Hender said both units are in desperate need of replacement. The older machine has been breaking down regularly and is reaching the point where it can no longer be repaired.

The mammography procedure for patients will not change with the new units, but the pictures won't have to be developed and so will be available more quickly, and it will be easier to move them around for specialists to read.

The new machines are due to arrive in four to six months

Au Revoir

Looks like I won't be blogging much for a while.  My computer is dead and I really despise using a laptop.  Hit the wrong spot on the mouse pad when you are typing and the cursor jumps to another spot.  PITA.  And I don't have any of my bookmarks or access to photos.  Grrrr

Out of the cocoon

It's amazing to see a child develop isn't it?  Usually we see the biggest differences between infanthood and toddler hood.  I can't tell you how many ways my son has changed in the past year.  I wrote this blog post on the weekend  http://blog.canadianparents.com/sarahnb/2008/10/18/what-has-happened-to-my-kid-alien-abduction/
Today he played in a soccer jamboree.  It was simply for fun and his school had three teams playing so each team played three times.  Parker chose to go in nets.  Yup, the unathletic kid up against a team of wild kids, trying to kick a ball at him.  He caught the ball!! 

I was also speaking with the OT who assessed him this summer.  I told her he was in Judo three times a week and how attentive the instructors are in helping him.  She was very impressed and said if he is doing that then there really isn't a need for him to have physical therapy to work on body awareness and gross motor.  We're doing it all through Judo.

At church it's been mentioned recently how Parker seems to have absorbed so much and anytime they quiz the kids on what they've been learning, he has the answers.....now that his sister has moved up in age groups.  He's also been coming up with obscure questions lately.  It's interesting to see the things he's thinking about.

What has happened to my kid? Alien abduction?

What has happened to my boy? Jeff bought him a book last night, Knights of the Lunch Table: The Dodgeball Chronicles.  Parker has not stopped reading it. It's a graphic novel and 150 pages. He's to pg 92.  Seriously I caught him doing Hannah- type stuff today. Like standing in front of the laundry basket that he was supposed to be emptying, and reading. Right now he's laying in front of the fire place reading while the tv is on 3 ft away.

 

Parker does not have a love of reading like his sister.  It's near impossible to find books that he will willingly look at let alone read.   Avatar and now Knights of the Lunch Table are really the only books he wants to read.

Here's a good review and when he's done, Parker will be giving his own review of the book. http://comicsworthreading.com/2008/09/25....all-chronicles

1st Annual Great Mitten Challenge

One of the most dreaded fall chores is sorting through the mittens.  I despise it.  This year I thought why not make a game out of it?  It's getting colder out and I always have to go digging for mittens for the first time for Halloween night.  So this afternoon I gathered the kiddos and gave them each a basket.  Lydia was to gather the hats, I did scarves, Hannah and Parker were to pair mittens.  All the odds got tossed and all the too small hats and mitts will be donated.



Before- I think we have way too many



Yes we do!



We lost a kid in there.



This is the face of a cheater.  Quite deliberately, while I was explaining the game, Lydia cathered an armload of hats.  She stood by her tote and said "ready, set, go" as she dropped her load into the tote.  Quite proud that she's young enough to get away with it.



All together now.



It's more fun with cowboy boots.



End result- 1 basket of mitts, 1 basket of hats and scarves, 1 bag to toss and 1 bag to donate.

Tomorrow's project- coats and snowpants .  I honestly don't know how larger families keep it all organized and everyone outfitted.

Lydia is quite enthralled with the changing of the seasons.  At first she was worried about the trees and wanted to fix them by putting their leaves back.  Now she's excited that when the leaves are gone, we'll get snow.

And we'll be ready.

Charges Dropped

I am so glad to see an end to this story.  http://www.cbc.ca/canada/prince-edward-island/story/2008/10/14/pe-fraser-charges.html#socialcomments

 Master Cpl. Robbie Fraser was charged with manslaughter after an incident in Afghanistan.  I'm pretty sure Robbie Fraser went to my high school and therefore would have been in the reserves with my brother and friends.

An accident is an accident and does not equate to manslaughter.  Even Walsh's wife wanted the charges dropped.

And more PEI news- http://www.cbc.ca/canada/prince-edward-island/story/2008/10/06/pe-intercity-bus.html?ref=rss&loomia_si=t0:a16:g12:r4:c0.123139#socialcomments

I also went to school with Caroline Bertram.  She likes to stir things up and she is a get'er done type of person.

I recommend.... Sudsmuffin

Getting ready for my shower this  morning, I remembered a foot soak that I had picked up quite a while ago at Sudsmuffin  I never have the time nor ambition to soak my feet.  I put the plug in the tub, tossed some in and started my shower.  What a refreshing way to wake up.  I think the peppermint and tea tree would be great combined with the steam for a cold.  Check out their cool promo to earn free Sudsmuffin stuff.  http://skinfulscentsations.com/streetteam.html

But before you go, take a look at this yummy muffin of soap.  http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=7432160

A Fall Stroll with cousins

Make a Smilebox slideshow

I'm stuffed, how about you?

We had a great meal with just our family this year.  It was much more relaxed with no company coming.  I had intended to turn the oven on before we left for church, the turkey was ready and just needed to be turned on.  Oops.  As we got there I realized I hadn't turned the oven on.  Left Jeff and the kids for Sunday School and booted 'er back across the city.  Good thing, I also forgot to turn the crockpot to low.  We would have had cold turkey and crispy dressing.

I had to take some pictures.  Lydia was so funny.  Oh, I "wub" 'weet potatoes, I "wub" mashed potatoes, I "wub" corn, I "wub" butter.  In the past we haven't been able to keep cranberry sauce on the table as she would eat the entire bowl.  This time she wasn't so keen on it.  Speaking of cranberry sauce, I've never had to make it as my mother always gives me a jar for Thanksgiving/Christmas.  I never knew how easy it was.  Was she trying to pull one over on me?  It's 1 bag of cranberries, 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water.  Boil til the berries pop.  If you want to get fancy, use orange juice instead of water.  Who knew it was so easy. 

I found a great squash casserole.  I don't eat the stuff but Jeff loves it and his sister grew them this year.   http://www.kraftcanada.com/en/recipes/baked-squash-casserole-111387.aspx

I think I'll start assigning dishes to the kids to help with.  Hannah can do the cranberries, Lydia  tears the bread for the stuffing- she did yesterday.  Parker can help peel potatoes.

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The cake was a big hit.