Pool party!

We just hosted our very first party at the pool for Riley yesterday! We had fun. The hardest part about it, was preparing and packing up to get the party to the location (and not forget anything!). It was a quick 3 hours though, spent swimming, games with a lifeguard, cake, goodies, presents and more swimming. He had a great time, and luckily we had brought everything we needed.
Then we had the cousins and his friend Ben come over to play after supper and 2 of the girl cousins slept over.
The kid was spoiled! and is still busy digging through his new toys. We all enjoyed the warm weather on the pool deck...here's some pics...






We missed you Anna and Heather!

Christmas is done, already?

Well, thankfully Greg is still off from work. But isn't it sad...all the anticipation and preparation, and then it's all over so fast!!
We had a great day. Spent the morning at home, then went to G's parents later in the morning and stayed til bedtime. Did some sledding, ate a lot of turkey. The kids did great and were so happy with everything.
Today Riley woke up at 4am and I found him downstairs setting up his new Wii game. I'm like, "Riley!! Not yet, buddy. It's only 4am and we have some sleeping yet to do." He was up as he had so many things he was so excited to play with!
Today we went on a sleigh ride, which was fun. I'll leave you with some shots....hoping you're all enjoying the holidays...





We still have more plans...the annual Davidson/Aylard Family hockey game tomorrow night. Our ugly sweater party the next. Riley's 7th birthday pool party the next night. New Years...

Home again

Greg and I did a whirlwind trip back to Calgary for his work party on Friday night. The kids were spread out among the family (THANK YOU!) so we could enjoy a quiet trip on the frigid road. Seriously it was so cold that I could barely pee in the toilet up in the Summit of the Roger's Pass. There was nearly an ice layer on the water in the loo and my body could barely function. The roads were thankfully clear and dry.
The work party was lots of fun, though there was some kind of problem with the heat and it was almost cold enough to need a coat during the entire evening. Greg works with a great crew of people and they are fun to hang out with. It was especially great to catch up with our good buds Andrew and Lisa. After a bit a vodka and dancing, I finally stopped shivering and enjoyed being a free adult, and actually forgot for a few seconds that I am usually at home preparing food and/or wiping bums.
We finished up most of our Christmas shopping in Calgary, while waiting in major lines of traffic and people in line-ups. It reminded me how glad I was to not be in a city with small children who really have a hard time waiting.
We stayed in a hotel which ended up hosting a native pow wow the same weekend. The first night we had to endure loud brawls and lots of swearing right outside our door. Oh well, we really did enjoy our time alone (the first time since Hawaii!), almost two years ago! And tonight, even though we loved the quiet, we were happy to reunite safely with our little men.

Us Elves

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Let's lighten up the mood a bit!

(many more on Facebook)

The Economy

For a busy mom like myself, who doesn't get too much time to associate with the working class and talk about "grown up" things like weather, economy, technological advancements and real estate...it's still hard not to notice that things are changing when it comes to our economy.
We were all well warned that the real estate market just simply could not keep rising at the rate it was. Fortunately we sold our Calgary house when we did, and we made quite a profit on it. In fact, it nearly doubled. However, we needed a van and spent quite a bit on buying our house here that needs many huge upgrades like a new deck, new windows and a new roof (to name a few!) We are forking out a hefty mortgage payment and still are tackling our student loans (DeVry is NOT cheap!). We need to make a fair bit of money, since we only have one income, to just cover the bills. This doesn't include any extra money for fun. I feel blessed that I'm able to stay home with the boys, and frankly, unless I had a well paying profession, it would cost more for me to go to work and have my 3 kids in childcare. We would end up spending more for me to be driving to work and have work clothes, food, etc.
Salmon Arm does not have many opportunities for employment. It never has. There was a bit of a boom in the construction industry as people from the coast were moving here to retire and building houses. I think that trend is starting to slow down. We have only made it here because Greg has kept his job in Calgary and can work online from home. So far his job is going along fine. Though we sometimes bring up the idea..."what would happen if Greg were to lose his job?" We pretty much know that we couldn't make it here. The job that Greg has as a web developer is found more in the city. He would have a much better chance finding a new job in a bigger place. I'm kind of a small-town girl myself, not a huge fan of traffic, but yet do love the shopping and places of entertainment and even the large crowds at times. At this point, we kind of have the option of where we want to be...but maybe one day we won't and will just have to go where the work is.
Are you doing anything different lately to spend less? I think we can all learn to live with less for sure. I think it's crazy how we've come to think that we should have all the things that everyone else has but no one can afford. Our kids have TOO much stuff, they don't even realize it. They think that the money magically appears in the bank account. If something breaks or gets lost, we can just get a new one! We are working on that. We did our Samaritan's Purse Christmas boxes for the kids who don't have presents and tried to emphasize it may be all these children get!! We aren't getting our kids as many toys this year and are trying to pick out things that are more educational or even are more of a need than a want (shoes, toothbrushes). We don't eat out very often, and since we're in a small town, we don't have many things to go and spend money on.
Would love to hear your ideas, and what, if anything, you are changing.

Christmas letters?

Now that most of us have computer and internet access, with the ability to send off emails, blogs or messages...doesn't the idea of sending a Christmas letter seem a little bit of a repeat? I guess it does for me. I've been spilling out my guts about my life and what we're doing, most of the ups and the downs, and I figure that the people who really know me, know that I have a blog and check it out from time to time. Those that don't, get word from those who are reading it!
I had written up a Christmas letter last year, telling all about the huge changes in our life, the new baby, the new house, the move, the new schools etc. and then never did print it off. I felt like it was old news, and that the people I intended to mail a card to had heard it all.
There is something sad about that, in the sense that "real mail" is getting more and more foreign, and most news is old news. We get pictures in seconds on here, instead of waiting days and months to get an updated picture from someone.
I'm thinking I'll send out a few cards this year, with a family picture. If you're anything like me, you may have seen a million pictures, but are they in print?? I am needing to do it for myself as well, but first I'll send out a picture to a few friends. What do you intend to do this year?

Christmas List

Just for fun...

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? either

2. Real tree or Artificial? Real

3. When do you put up the tree? Sometime this week, I hope!

4. When do you take the tree down? Sometime in the New Year

5. Do you like eggnog? Yes, but half milk

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Probably my baby Cabbage Patch Doll

7. Hardest person to buy for? in our immediate bunch, Greg

8. Easiest person to buy for? Liam

9. Do you have a nativity scene? No, but I really want to make one

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? I've done both

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? hmm...don't want to hurt any feelings here, but there were a few ugly sweaters from grandma!

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? It's a Wonderful Life, Elf

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? This year I was early and started the middle of November

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I hope not!

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? I like my mom's Sweet Marie Bars and shortbread, white choc.covered pretzels, hedgehogs

16. Lights on the tree? Yes, and the house

17. Favorite Christmas song? I love most of them! How do you pick?

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? We used to always travel, now we stay

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Yep. Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen, Rudolf

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? A Star

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? With the Engels, Christmas Eve, with the Davidson's, Christmas morning

22. Most annoying part about this time of year? Commercials, especially for kid toys and then the urge to BUY BUY BUY! and forget the fact that it's all about the birth of Jesus!

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? We have all the oldies on our tree, from when I was a kid up til recent ones. I don't have the Martha Stewart tree with matching balls and ribbon. Maybe one day when I don't have kids. Our house looks like a mismatched pile of colors/themes and things. I like snowmen? and angels, well...I like it all.

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Turkey, stuffing, ham, perogies, potatoes, gravy...it's all good with me.

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? I'd like to skiing with my hubby all day with no interruptions. That would be fun.

Feel free to reply with your answers, or copy these to your blog. I was sent this by a friend as well.

All I want for Christmas

At almost 7 years old, Riley lost his first tooth!! I had just brushed his teeth and tucked him in bed and then he ran out to look in the mirror as it was probably hanging there and out it came! It didn't bleed or anything. He was SO excited. I was too. Daddy was out of town still, but Luke, Pam and kids were there to share in his enthusiasm. Claire recently lost a tooth as well.

Gosh, he looks old here...

The other bottom front one might fall out soon as well, hence we'll all be singing...
ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS MY TWO FRONT TEETH...(sing with me now)

Saying goodbye is hard to do

I've said a lot of goodbyes in my days. I've lived in MANY different places and had to leave MANY friends in the years.
This is a little different.
Greg and I decided to move back home last year to be with our family. Both my siblings live in Salmon Arm. My brother, his wife and their 3 kids, and also my sister, her husband and their 2 kids. Greg and I both have our parents here. We have made the effort to get together at least once a week and have done all the birthdays/Christmas and other parties together.
Today it changes. My sister has left the pack. Due to financial reasons, her hubby has decided to move up north to work and help them pay off their debts, and though Anna stayed behind for a while, she is joining him today. Her and the kids are making the drive up to the Hoof (as we call it). It is a loooooonnnnnnggggg way away. Like a visit-twice-a-year far. I am not so happy about this.
I will try not to focus on the negative, but will really cherish the last year we all had together and hope that we made lasting memories, not just for us but for our children. I grew up without any cousins around, and always hoped that my kids would grow up really knowing theirs.
Bye Anna, Callie and Levi! I will miss you like crazy!

(photo by Craig Pulsifer)

Melting

not just our snowmen, either.
There is something about me and this stove in our house. I never had too many problems in Calgary, but here...it's a different story.
Greg left today for a five day work and fun get-away. I'm okay with it, until the clock hits 5'oclock and I realize that he won't be walking through the door! I will not get my 15 min. break today! I have to try to make dinner while the rugrats are going NUTSO! Lucky me.
Today I made spaghetti with garlic toast, peas, noodles and sauce...using most of the burners and the oven. Shea was at my feet throwing large utensils around so I could trip over them. Riley was asking me to look at what he was drawing, while Liam was yelling at me to come wipe his bum.
I'm yelling back...
"YOU CAN WIPE YOUR OWN BUM!! I'm making dinner!" (He's totally capable!)
All of the sudden I heard this POOF noise and I saw a large flash of light in the window! What was that?! I thought it was outside until I turned and the whole back left element was on fire! Flames up to the microwave!
I realized quickly that I had turned the wrong element on, and my microwave splash cover thing was on it and in flames. I quickly grabbed the burning cover and threw it in the sink, then put a pot lid over the flames on the element. It didn't quit. There was melting plastic dripping down into the bottom and burning. I was mostly scared that the greasy vent thing above (in the microwave) would catch on fire as well, or maybe the plastic would drip down into the oven which was on and catch on fire too? I had to start throwing water, and thank goodness it went out soon enough without too much damage to the stove or my dinner!
Had I gone up to wipe Liam's bum, the kitchen would have been on fire. So I'm thanking God for helping me to stay put.
I need a new stove.