Spoiled...

This is a very old/late post but I had already started it and really wanted to blog about my birthday so here it is anyway...better late then never right?!?

What a fantastic birthday! Where to begin!?! The night before my birthday I received a HUGE box from my parents (and you know that's always a good sign!!! ha!ha!) Well they didn't disappoint! Whoa! I was BEYOND spoiled! Everything fits perfectly! My favourite is this red jacket that makes me feel like a million bucks (with the LuluLemon stuff coming in at a close second) but I really just love it ALL! Thanks Mom and Dad! Here's me (wearing my NEW red jacket) out for supper!!!

My birthday morning started with a phone call from my parents, my in-laws and Steve (who is in Texas) and when Abbey, Michael and I came downstairs, Barb (our caregiver) had a cake with candles and gifts for me to open! Fun...but then I was late for school. oops...I don't think you should have to work on your birthday anyway! ha!ha!

My classroom door was decorated with cute pink balloons (I have yet to figure out who put them there but they sure did make me happy!), my colleagues were so sweet (beautiful cards, Wunderbars, Coke...they know me well lol!) and my class was wonderful!

I couldn't wait to get home at the end of the day because when Steve called this morning, he told me to lift the cover on the water cooler for a surprise after work. So I ran home at the end of the day to look under the water cooler cover and sure enough, there was a nice card from Abbey and Michael wishing me a happy birthday but there was also instructions on where to get my second surprise. A scavenger hunt! Fun! So off I went to the dining room to get my second clue. In the second drawer on our china cabinet, I found Lindt chocolate and another clue. I then had to go to the basement and look under a side table where he had glued another card and instructions to my final clue. By then I was really excited so I was running up to the bedroom skipping every second step. The final destination was Steve's underwear drawer and tucked way at the back I found a Bulova box with the most beautiful watch in it. Could my husband be any better?!? He had planned it all before leaving on his trip! So sweet! Love him!!!

So...the night continues!!! I'm outside playing with the kids and my caregiver arrives to babysit because my friend Mary and I were going out for supper together!

Just as I'm coming in, a huge bouquet of tulips was being delivered. I LOVE tulips! They are such happy flowers and they remind me of the Tulip Festival which is always SO much fun in Ottawa!

So Mary and I are chatting all the way to New Minas and I'm thinking we're going to have a nice quiet meal together and maybe catch a movie. Well, to my surprise, Mary had planned for the whole gang to meet us there! YAY! I cried! It was such a fantastic night! I'm so lucky to have such wonderful friends here! Thank you so much for making my birthday extra special Mary! I had a blast!!!

So, here's the "gang" or "KDS Sorority" hee!hee! from left...me :-), Mary, Lauren, Sarah, Pam, Stephanie, Jaimee and Sara! Fun bunch for sure!!

So with all this excitement and spoiling, I'm wondering how I can plan that Steve is away on my birthday next year?!? ha!ha!

All Better!

It's been a while since I updated this but if you would have seen the state I was in last week you'd understand. Ugh! It all started Monday night...I had whole body aches (think arthritis, fibromyalgia, bursitis all in one...okay maybe a little exaggerated but you get the point) but I went to my Card Making group anyhow. Steve warned me against it but I love my card group, it's a fun bunch and we always create such amazing things. Anyway, I just felt awful and even more awful when I got home (NEVER EVER EVER eating cream cheese anything again!!!).
I oofficially knew I had the flu! Yikes! but it all made sense...of course I had the flu. Steve was set to go away for two weeks and you know how I love to make things difficult for myself. I was sooooo sick, I had it all if you get my drift. UGH UGH! On Tuesday though, Steve came home with the mail and I was delighted to find a beautiful card and gift from my best friend TANYA. I cried when I read her card...partly because of her kind words but also because I so needed that pick me up in between pukes! Love you T! xo

So I was off Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday but I dragged my butt in to school Friday for only God knows why (teacher guilt....almost as bad as catholic guilt!) but by Saturday the flu had been downgraded to a cold and I was able to function. It was a rainy blah day so off to Roo's we went to meet up with our friends Sophie, Jackson and MARY!!! The kids always have a blast together (and the Mommy's do too!!)




Here are the kids on a little merry-go-round in the mall. Amazing how happy $1 can make them! :-)







Sunday was great and then the weekend was done already! Where does the time go?!? Monday, was well, Monday....are those ever really that good?!?

Today I started my day off with a cute little bag sitting outside my classroom door...I knew in an instant that JILL had been by! (and it's always fun when she does that!!!) She made me tons of beautiful cards for my birthday that I can't wait to use. She is so creative! This picture doesn't even begin to do it justice but you get the hint.

Thanks Jill! You are so thoughtful! (and I'm honoured to share my birthday with you too!)

Now to tonight, I was having my friend SARA over for supper (I cooked, she's brave eh?!?) and after we were finished she took Abbey and Michael in the other room and came out singing "Bonne Fete" holding a cake. DQ...my favourite! So sweet and very much appreciated!

I may not be celebrating with my parents or hubby but I sure feel loved...and my birthday isn't even until tomorrow!!!!

Thank God...

it's the weekend! This week was never ending for sooo many reasons. First, I haven't really worked a full week since the end of February due to my vacation, Easter break, snow days, etc. so it dragged on and on. Second, Steve was supposed to come home from Alabama on Monday night and was delayed (and delayed and delayed...) and finally arrived Wed. afternoon sans luggage. Brutal! One piece arrived today but his beloved golf clubs are still M.I.A.

Although the weather wasn't great this week, me and my outdoorsy children were out and about every day...rain or shine (or major wind!!!) ! I took a few pictures of Abbey and Michael playing (using the school's camera...yes, mine is still NOT fixed but that's a whole other rant!!!)

This picture was taken Tuesday... I think?!? Abbey and Michael jumping in the puddles at the end of the driveway. The three of us walked to the mailbox with our umbrellas. Quite a cute sight! They were able to avoid the puddles for the most part but by the time we made it back home, the temptation proved too great and with me cheering them on, they jumped and splashed as hard as they could. Fun to watch (but even more fun to do I'm sure!!)

Here's Abbey and Michael on their two-wheelers. They are so good on them now! I had them stop long enough to take this picture. Most of the time I see this....

and they're off! It's so nice to live on such a quiet street! I can't wait to go on family bike rides...that's a far way off but it's something to look forward to! For now I'm happy jogging behind them yelling "Arrete au coin!!!" (that's "stop at the corner" for you Angie E. hee!hee!)

Happy Girl!

Those of you who know me well know that I LOVE my Reality TV and I LOVE my Country Music!!! Tonight, my two loves came together!!! Happy Night!! Dolly Parton was the special guest on American Idol! I sang through the entire show (with two of my other favs close by...Wunderbar and Coke!) YAY!

Flying Solo!

Steve left Monday to visit his family in Alabama where they have been vacationing for a month. They are having a wonderful time golfing, eating out and spending time together...sans kids! I probably sound jealous (and I am a little bit because I LOVE being in the sun!) but I've had such nice week with Abbey and Michael. Saturday was awesome! We went to gymnastics, played outside in the beautiful sunshine and Mary came over with Jackson & Sophie for a play date. The day just flew by, actually the whole week did really. Steve gets home tomorrow evening, conveniently missing garbage week prep Ugh! and I'll be happy to see him (as will the kids) but I really enjoyed my time with my babes as well! I'm lucky and thankful to have them! (even when I wake up to Abbey's feet in my face!!!) hee!hee!

Easter Fun!

Bryan and Roberta (Steve's brother and sister-in-law) arrived on Friday to spend Easter long weekend with us. We had a wonderful weekend of good food, good company and good laughs! The kids were really into the whole Easter bunny thing this year. It was a blast! On Saturday night, we had fun dying eggs. I had TONS of them since I had cooked 30 to do Easter crafts with my class but didn't get to use them because of the snow day! (it's the one day I was disappointed that we didn't have school!)

Luckily the eggs didn't go to waste. Auntie Bobby is an expert egg dyer and we had so much fun decorating them. It's going to be an annual activity now for sure!!! Check out how vibrant the colours turned out!

Abbey and Michael put the eggs outside to entice the Easter Bunny to our house. hee!hee! It worked because it was chocolate overload here Easter morning!

FUN FUN FUN!

Here's Abbey and Michael dropping the eggs in the front yard and a picture of the loot. The Easter bunny even remembered the big kids in the family!

The kids ate early and while Steve was putting the finishing touches on his rack of lamb supper, I bathed the kids and set them up watching Dora so the adults could have a nice relaxing meal...and that it was! (and delicious too!) What a happy Easter indeed! :-)

I Deserve a Masters in Procrastination!

So the house is a mess...so much laundry and cleaning up to do! I have SO much to blog about because I had an AMAZING trip. But the funny thing about bogging is, if you don't do it often then you end up with a huge amount to write about and it seems daunting...plus our camera was broken so we used my parents camera and the plan was to make a CD of the pics before we left but the beach was just too hard to say goodbye to early on our last day so my Mom is sending me the CD in the mail. Sometimes you just need to show pictures.

So with ALL that I have to do, this is what I've accomplished so far
1) one load of laundry (I probably have 10 more to do!)
2) unpacked the kids (which consisted of a triage of dirty/clean clothes to wash and not really putting anything away)
3) a banana bread ?????????????? yes a banana bread...talk about procrastination eh?!?

The last time I made banana bread, Steve and I were newlyweds (6 years ago). I called his mother for her famous banana bread recipe that Steve LOVES. He gets home from work and I'm so proud that I've made something for him. Then he says "it doesn't really taste like my Moms" OYE! Needless to say...he hasn't eaten it since. ha!ha! Before today that is. I found my own recipe though and it was delicious!
I still have hope that I will be productive tonight. Steve's making a steak feast so hopefully the red meat will give me the kick in the butt I need!
Stay tuned for the Florida post..it's coming I swear!