trick or treat and a stupid dog

So we are getting ready to go trick or treat - the clones are ready to go... and Kyle is holding Max and then he isn't and Max is running away - so I drop everything and go off after him.  He eventually makes his own way back to our house - ass - we go to about 10 houses - because seriously - they don't need much and we mostly just go to visit family and not to go to strangers houses and then we get home and - where is my wallet....

Right... gone... so I walk around thinking I've left it on the truck and when we drove off it fell off - so I walked out through a few corners from the house - no luck - came back - looped around the house - searched the driveway, road - on and on and then I come in the house to help with bed time - and then go back out to look again - another lap - I'm thinking out which cards need to be replaced soonest and do one more sweep and there it is on the lawn.. nothing missing - just sitting there...

And so ends another Halloween.

because I'm sure you need a laugh...

Alittle Halloweiner Jib Jab

halloweiner

Bake sale Thursday morning - so I'm up late getting the requested 'werewolf' cupcakes complete - Kyle found them on YouTube and so we all watched the video and then I made them... they actually turned out pretty nice and apparently yummy - didn't try one...

And tonight we carved pumpkins - I was at work all day in PG and got back late - got home to the innards removed and pumpkins ready to carve - so that was a nice surprise - so we decided to take on a bit of a challenge this year... something different....

Any guesses :)

We are taking it easy tomorrow - I'm bagged and need rest or I'm going to fall apart - the writing is on the wall for that.. so we will get some rest, some candy, and enjoy the day... maybe even take in some fireworks tomorrow night... 

love to you and hope everyone has a safe weekend :)

xxoo

jam sandwiches

Sodium benzoate
Potassium benzoate

Both of these are preservatives

Both of these are added to jam to increase shelf life


I'm up late and annoyed by a ham commercial - the little girl has a jam sandwich every day because her mom won't make her ham sandwiches because ham has preservatives... but what's that - the company has a product that doesn't have preservatives so now they can have give her ham sandwiches...

What pisses me off is that I'm going to have to pay more for healthy foods that don't have preservatives which is crap!  Don't preservatives cost money - if you give me the raw goods with out the shit in it wouldn't that be cheaper - doesn't that mean one less piece of machinery needs to add stuff and less people are involved in a simplified process and so there is savings and that means the consumer might save something - not a freakin' chance -

Why am I up so late.. well it is bake sale day tomorrow and Kyle wanted werewolf cupcakes... and they took time... and I had to work late tonight... long week here - working nights - and now with my brief vent out I guess I'll try to sleep... I guess.

just a quick...

HOORAY

I've been working for hours on something that I really wanted to get completed.
And I did it... now for some sleep... some well earned sleep...

a good product

Benylin makes a great vapour plug-in.  You (very carefully) insert a thin tab into a electrical plug-in and it scents a room with the smell of vapour rub.  It is great.  No mess on your skin or the kids - no fear of someone getting the rub somewhere it shouldn't be... it gets plugged in at night and then runs over night... great - bestest thing!  Love this product - plus it actually smells up our living room and I love that smell... so now my living room smells like vapour rub and Michael likes it in his room - as he has a mild cold right now.

I bought this at Shopper's Drug Mart.

blinded by pure awesomeness

We went to Nazko today and my dad - inspired by some tv show made a cake

Wow - right - I mean - looks pretty awesome - extra awesome...

And then.. something from the VERY unexpected file :)

That's right... the inside is green, then a orange layer of icing, then pink, then a purple layer of icing and then blue... WILD!!!!

And that's my dad - wild and crazy :)

and so... I did it!

Fried Green Tomatoes

Here are some lovely green tomatoes that my parents lovingly grew out in Nazko this summer...

Alright - so the tomatoes are cut into 1/2 inch slices - and then they sit for 15 minutes - after being sprinkled with salt and pepper... if you like that.. so they drain a bit... but these green ones didn't have much to drain... 

Once they've drained then it is time for coating them - dipped in milk (1/2 cup), then flour (1/2 cup), then eggs (2 beaten) and then 3/4 cup bread crumbs and then they get ready for cooking... 

And then into some oil for frying - I didn't use as much as the recipe said - it suggested that a 1/2 inch of oil be in the bottom of the pain - I definitely didn't need that - they cooked for 5 minutes on each side

And here they are - all ready for my tummy :)

They go ok with ranch dressing... but only ok - maybe it is that my ranch dressing sucks right now...

Looking for a better suggestion.  And yes, I'm the only weirdo in my house that likes them - Kyle tried them and choked it down in an effort to get Michael to try it... but then gagged and said he couldn't do it - Andy tried it to - he made an equally pleased face...  oh well - more for me :)

hooray

I'm making fried green tomatoes... so happy my parents were getting rid of the green ones today.... can't wait... photos to follow :)

a new fav

A new tea shop opened in Quesnel - Steeped - they are right across the street from my office - they have a cute set up and lots of great tea ... and so as a result of them - I have a new favorite tea (ok - my all time fav is never going to change - it is candy cane lane - and they only put it out at christmas... so I stock up for the year when it comes out... )


Kyoto Cherry
This wonderfully flavored organic green tea is created using a traditional Japanese Sencha green tea and flavored with Montmorency cherry and subtle rose. This tea was created to honor "the spirit of the season" in Japan, when the cherry trees are in full bloom, and delicate smells of the new season cherry blossoms float throughout the Kyoto cultural center. The cup is bright emerald green, fresh and smooth, and boasts excellent depth and body. This tea delivers a wildly exotic character!


With a tsp(ish) of honey - it pretty much makes my day :)


Alright - and speaking of tea - I think I'm going to do that and have a bath 

awesome

"hey mom"

hi

"wow - your hair looks great"

really, you think so

"yes, it looks just like willy wonka"

freakin' awesome!

alright... so much for the new hair cut :)

guess who's bored...

Alright... so please play along... this was spurred by the cup from the previous post...

Careful, the beverage you’re about to enjoy is extremely hot

Careful, the beverage you’re about to enjoy is extremely hot

Careful, the beverage you’re about to enjoy is extremely hot

Careful, the beverage you’re about to enjoy is extremely hot

Careful, the beverage you’re about to enjoy is extremely hot

Careful, the beverage you’re about to enjoy is extremely hot

Careful, the beverage you’re about to enjoy is extremely hot

totally doing this...

From Hello Adorable - being promoted by Starbucks on facebook

http://www.helloadorable.com/blogs/helloadorable/how-make-your-significant-others-day-361

hi ho

The guys are in bed - well mostly - I've got some work to do... so I'm watching Lord of the Rings (one of the top five standby background fillers - watched Iron Man the other night... and Ratatouille - couldn't sleep).  I've had an allergic reaction to something two nights in a row - my eyes fill it up and get scratchy - runny nose - stupid... anyway - such is life...

Max is sick - tonight he wouldn't leave the front door - just sat there and then started shaking - freaked me out 'cause I thought he was going to bite me.  Then after a couple hours he followed me upstairs and plunked himself down on the couch and passed out.  Maybe he is just growing, but he has me a bit freaked out.  It is one thing for him to have another home and something totally different for him to die... he is definitely off tonight... I'm just wondering if he ate something - the dog eats everything...

Alright - well I better get to it... just got shouted at by the boys to turn off lord of the rings - the music is bugging them... sheesh... alright - forth standby.. Love Guru... I guess.... we'll see - maybe I'll just flick on Iron Man again... gotta love Apple TV :)

birthday sunday

Today we took Kyle and a bunch of his buddies to the farm - we left late, then things weren't really as planned and then we got back here just as parents were coming to pick up kids - but the kids had fun and that was all that mattered.  The kids learned about electrified fences, peacocks, tractor rides and more.

We made a Star Wars cake - a ship - it had just enough cake for everyone.  This is great because I hate having piles of cake left over that no one eats.  I've made gigantic cakes in the past and everyone eats a tiny square and then there are piles left over. We also made some more of the Star Wars cookies - and they were a hit...

I'd planned to have my parents around but they arrived at the farm and then left in a few minutes - lucky for me one of the great people I work with came with her son and helped me out all day... it was super helpful!  My parents came back to the house and then hung out while Kyle opened a raft of gifts.  I gotta say that the gift thing bugged me - it was too much.  The kids pretty much get what they want - ok - except chocolate every request... - but there are piles of gifts here - and it makes me think that maybe next year will be different...  what was very cool was seeing Kyle put together a lego project - he struggled and struggled with it and then realized he'd skipped a page and then made this wicked black shark - it is awesome - it is one of the coolest lego products I've seen...  he also got a lego model car (thank you, aunti paula) and I can't wait to see him put that together.

Pictures tomorrow - I've got work to do tonight and I want a bath before I get into that.. oh and did I mention that I'm totally tired and would really just like to go to bed and sleep for more than eight hours in a row...  night night

hoover, naw, we named him Max

And tonight - in a new adventure with the dumbest dog ever - after a long week of destroying and eating garbage - the owners of said dog have pretty much "baby" proofed their house now - and so it came with a bit of surprise tonight to see that said little pooch wasn't feeling good.  He lurched and threw up directly on my couch... and what's this... what do we see... a freakin' marble!  He ate a GD'en marble, folks.

And so there is our life - cleaning up throw up from our dog and cat... AWESOME - two hands up!

Tomorrow is the big birthday party - we are going to take them to the farm and play there for the afternoon - come back here for some good old fashion Star Wars cake - woohoo...

Good night my loves - good night :)

Dream no small dreams

Every time I post I go back out and read it and make sure there are no major errors - on this evening I'm sad to report that I also noticed the weather and it says MINUS THREE... and to that my friends, all I have to say is

boo

boooo

So I've been sick pretty much since my last post.  It was awful and I got very little sleep last night as a result.  I stayed home today - it was that bad... and my email isn't working so I couldn't even do email... so that was for the best - I really just needed rest... didn't really get that - but I'm calling it an early night and heading to bed... c'est la vie...

xxoo

what's it like to be pathetic

My coffee maker went the way of the dodo and it hasn't been replaced... and so creativity stepped in this morning and used the following "device"... yes - you are looking at my strainer, and a stainless steel bowl 

And yes, it worked - wasn't hot by the time I got a cup - but... well it was still coffee....

And from the cool file... I got these very awesome star wars cookie cutters in the states - it is probably the best thing I've bought this year... AWESOME!  The guys helped make the dough and then taste tested them - wicked fun!  

Hooray for another day off - I totally needed it... now if my back and side pain would let me sleep through the night... ahhh... so much fun getting old.

Dog

Dog for sale FREE!  To a good home.

Tonight is the last night that I want to pick up destroyed garbage - the dog is insane.  INSANE!
I took the guys to watch Andy play hockey tonight - something I haven't done in years - I left at 8pm - I was home at 9pm and there it was - everything - everywhere.   This is not the first time - he can't control himself - we don't like leaving him at home because he is so crazy.

So that's it - we've had a family meeting and it is time for Max to find a new home.  It sucks - but this is stupid and he deserves a family that can pay more attention to him and we can't keep living like this.

He is fixed, and we've spent a fortune on him but we are just going to give him to whoever wants him.  As long as it is a home where he we will be loved and played with he is yours.  I realize that hearing about him destroying garbage might not be that appealing to someone else but I know he would be a smart dog if someone had more time to give him.  Right now he barely even gets our weekends and gets very little time during the week.

Half pomerian, half maltese - mostly cute - especially when he wants to be.

a site to check out for my big city friends

So we went to PG for the day and just hung out.  Despite my a-hole attitude for half the day it all turned around and we survived and came home.  I'm still feeling tired from the trip and I'm also caught back up in my office chaos - my assistant decided to move on and gave me a letter to that end on Thursday - so I'm dealing with that - and trying to figure out what is the next smart steps... I'll keep plugging away at it.

What else.. well I thought I'd share a great site that I've been using for a while... it is called groupon.com - it is only available in large centres - so my Vancouver and Calgary friends can totally benefit and those of us that visit can also benefit.  It is very simple for us people - the users - you just sign up for the city you want and then you get emails with huge discounts - I mean - half off on healthy living stuff (massage/wax/hair/etc), restaurants and more.  I used this while I was travelling because I thought I might have free time to use some of the coupons - I was wrong... usually the coupons are good for a long time - like up to a year on some of them and some of the deals have been really good - half off on a spa treatment is always great... and you don't have to do anything other than sign up and then pay for the coupon - so buy things you know you will use...

ah... cold season - hello

And so Kyle becomes the first to get sick... he isn't too bad - he has a pretty nasty sounding cough - and while this afternoon and early evening he remained upbeat about going to school tomorrow - tonight he is saying he'd rather not... so tomorrow looks like a mom and son day in the office - as Andy and I both work tomorrow - and my one meeting may be cancelled.. well - one of two... but the other one is ok if Kyle is there...

It is turkey weekend - amen - and we bought a 15 lb'er which we'll cook up on Sunday night... I think... quiet this year - we are going to go to PG on Saturday - if Kyle is ok enough to travel - and with any luck get our skates all sharpened this weekend and go skating next week in the evening.

Michael is doing pretty good - he has a runny nose, but he is doing pretty well.

Alright - well the cougher is calling... time to run :)
hugs and smooches and life without colds to you... night

Tired.. but not...

Jet lag is sooo not my thing.

I'm tired and just want to fall asleep but can't - my jaw is terrible - it is stress... I have a little bit...
It is so bad right now though - well I've actually never seen it this bad - I'm a whole tooth off from centre right now and if I want the top and bottom to line up I nearly have to cry to get my jaws to line up... and what is sad is that I know they use to.

I managed to get my laundry done today - so that is great news - cooked a real dinner, and then was sick from it because I'm just not feeling good - but the guys enjoyed it.  I made little mini quiches - which were a hit - plus a shepherds pie that was a little bit sloppy - but good enough... need to find my kitchen groove again - it was nice to be back in the kitchen though - just nice to cook and eat vegetables and not have to worry about what kind of food will be available today... even went grocery shopping - funny how you miss those things... three weeks of no grocery shopping - it was like I had some madness...

Alright - so I'm going to soak in the tub and read the paper... might as well try that out... had tea and that didn't make me sleepy.

made it

Thought you'd like to know :)

Yesterday was SUPER long... super duper... there was fog for 4.5 hours - thick, terrible - fog.. blah - giant honking blah...

I need about 24 hours of sleep - alas I'm going to work tomorrow...

tomorrow, tomorrow

Alright my lovely friends - here is the last of the crazy flights.  Tomorrow morning I'm off to Minneapolis to Vancouver and then I drive home - AMEN - I'll have pics over the next few days - had a busy weekend with tours and site visits... insane really... plus I'm burnt and it is only 60 degrees here which is about 12 degrees... ish... burnt just the same..

Love to you - xxoo - miss you - hugs - smooches - and you know.. some of that too :)

kansas city

Well I definitely felt like Dorothy tonight - what a place - I do feel like I went to another place...
I'm staying with the Marriott and it is wicked - I'm so glad this is the last hotel - it is a studio style so you get a sitting area and... a kitchen and get this... they give you microwavable popcorn - I'm happy.  I love

I was brave tonight and went for a walk - I left nearly three hours ago and just walked back in - I've been trying to assess downtown evening safety and lighting programs, etc.  Cleveland FAILED - they suck at night lights - it is scary and I wouldn't suggest people walk around - Indianapolis - pass - but not with flying colours - they have blocks that are well taken care of and lit and blocks that are creepy and you know it isn't a good idea to go down there... Kansas City - well again - there are blocks that are great and blocks that are definitely not - I walked 25 blocks to go to a jazz club - I got within a block of it - the block had very little light and what's that... oh - look - it is six cops busting some guy - one on the ground, shouting - madness... and so I exited - stage right - and started walking back - I made it about 6 blocks - found a grocery store (a very nice one) and bought some dinner - lame crappy mid-west sushi - which isn't really sushi - but I was hungry and didn't want to sit in a restaurant alone and then walked one more block and could see it was time to stop... so I got a cab and listened to the owner of the cab rip my cabby a new one over the air system - he cursed him out like you wouldn't believe - AWESOME!

What does it look like here... ahhhh - well here are a few pictures...

I got to my hotel right at dusk - so I'll get piles more tomorrow - lots to check out and see... turns out there might be some baseball and nascar in my future.

xxoo - love to you!

kansas

I'm bagged - kaput...

My arms are so sore from dragging my damned bags around today that I could nearly cry.  I know... a few more days till I go home - two more flights - AMEN!  Today's flights were good - more turbulent than the others, but they were comfortable and the crew was nice.

I should also thank the Kansas City airport for free internet.  I'm waiting for a cab and have a bit of a wait ahead of me.

What about Kansas City...

1. While it is called Kansas City it is half in Kansas and half in Missouri - I don't know what part I'm in...
2. They have over 200 water fountains in the city - 2nd to Rome, Italy
3. 2 million people live in the city - that's more than half of BC's population
4. Walt Disney was from Kansas City
5. The McDonald's happy meal was invented in KC

More later - once I finally leave the airport I'm hoping to take some photos and spend some time on my thesis...

october 1... really

And another retarded flight plan... note how A to C also looks like the smart route but apparently - is not.

Indianapolis was pretty cool - I'd definitely send people here.  There were some great lessons for community revitalization that I'll be taking away from this - woohoo :)

Alright - night my loves - this daily flying thing is draining me like nothing I've ever experienced.
Love to you :)
xxoo

(Paula - I love you - thank you for your voice mail and email - I miss you so much)
(Mel - thank you for putting up with my texting at flight - I love you - you don't know how much I appreciate you putting up with my crazy behaviours)

raging panic

It is nearly 4am here and I'm sleeping - not well - but sleeping and I start having pain in my left side... (left) and it jolts me out of sleep and in two seconds my entire body goes - it is appendicitis and you are in the USA... (insert expletive) - I just sit there and try to calm down... it is ok - where are the positive mantras - why am I having a meltdown... but now I can't sleep I'm wide awake - could this be true - and so I hit google and see... and there - thankfully - it says right... and then I check my hands to make sure that it is left and not right,... but it is too late my body is full of adrenaline and now I can't return to sleep - I haven't watched tv in over two weeks - I think I will try that to get back into... try and get another couple of hours sleep... madness... stupid, freakin' anxiety..  just needed to write... this too will pass - just anxiety... just panic... and now I'm freezing...

*yes - I do actually have out of country insurance for this... but seriously... that is just something I don't want to have to use.

night - ish

tomorrow's flight plan

Sheesh - so today was a bit much - I arrived from Columbus to Atlanta Georgia - way south - and there airport is HUGE - I mean I had to take a train to get from where I landed to where I need to take off.  The Atlanta airport people were nice - one talked to me about God and blessed... in fact - that has happened twice today.   Blondes from Canada in America - watch out :)  It could be a video... but not that kind...

Anyways - then I flew back up to Cleveland and made my way into town to check out the downtown for my thesis - I was pretty disappointed and that only grew as the lights went out.  The downtown is poorly lit and the signage isn't great - they could definitely make improvements.  I understand the city has had tremendous change with the recession (a word that people try to avoid here) but it is a shame when the buildings are beautiful.  I got to go to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - the building is wild - the items inside... well you can't take photos - so you have to have a really good memory and they kind of missed the music that I really really like - no Metallica section, no Pearl Jam, no Sharon Lois and Bram :)

Anyways - it was a whirl-wind tour and now I can't sleep.  So I'm going to work for a bit and then crash for a few hours and then....

Here is my day tomorrow - and again - see how it would be far smarter and less environmentally damaging for me to fly from A to C but no... they have to add in B and so I'm flying to Detroit tomorrow... - shorter flights though and that is good - looking forward to visiting downtown Indianapolis.

xxoo my loves :) 

good night

on a jet plane (i hope)

So I'm back on the road again and now it is time to work on my thesis - hooray.  60 pages on community revitalization and some wrap up on another paper I'm working on right now. I fly to Cleveland today... here is how I'm getting there...

That's right - not A to C like it should - a one hour a flight - that is what I booked - nope I'm going A to B (Atlanta Georgia) and then back to C - WTF!  So needless to say I'm not happy about that - six hours versus one - ridiculous - but the US - it seems that people are just use to this ridiculousness - that it is ok to have to travel in this fashion.  So that's my day today - more tonight... xxoo love to you :)

male highway

how do you spell done

Alright - I'm tired... I can barely stay awake through sessions and it isn't from a lack of sleep, but I'm just burned out and lonely - (I know - it is a pity party just for me).  And while I'm definitely getting good ideas for my thesis (diploma program) so that is good - I have some great ideas for downtown/community revitalization - so that is all sitting in the positive court.  And yes, I'm in a major American city where you certainly wouldn't know there was a recession in this city.  I've seen a few homeless people - but very few... count them on one hand - went to a mall yesterday - a 1.5 BILLION development and it is all high end - Tiffany, Chico, Apple, etc - and it is swarming with people and they are shopping it up!  I also walked to the Ohio State Buckeye Stadium yesterday where they hosted 105,000 people at the game... not me - I just decided to walk around a bit.  What else... well here are a few photos from some of the evening stuff...

View from the nose bleeds - three rows from the wall of the building... note the Canadian flag...

Here is Little Big Town - VERY GOOD

What's this - I'm closer and on a different side of the building... how did that happen....

10 rows from the floor - this is the opening of Sugarland

There encore included Little Big Town - it was good too

$22 for this concert

Here are the Coors Light girls and boys cleaning the ice... 

And here are a few of the Pittsburg/Bluejackets game... 5-4 Pittsburg...

If you can see the flags going off in the distance of this photo - between the flag guys was the canon.

And more lame intermission activities...

This was another $10 game.. unreal!

So while this stuff is interesting and fun while you are there - it would be better with family - and I wish they were here to see some of the  stuff... to be honest - this place isn't that great and outside of the sporting features the business improvement area is run down and has only a few blocks where the surface is maintained - the mall I went to was too far from downtown and nothing to just browse and look at.  The zoo was something I was kind of interested in, but it is more than an hour away - so I'm not sure how they can call it the Columbus zoo - it is halfway to Cleveland... and now - back to class.

columbus ohio

I arrived in Columbus Ohio - the buckeye state - the buckeye is a nut... for your information.


Last night I got in and took the opportunity to go and see an NHL game - Bluejackets/Capital (I <3 the capitals) - $10 and because the Bluejackets were taking the beating of a lifetime there were good seats open - so here is the view from centre line - 18 rows up...

WICKED

Today I was talking to someone about what to do in Columbus and she said - oh well there is going to the game - and I immediately say - well I went last night - it was great and she just looks at  me... like I'm from another planet.. you see the game - was football... welcome to the USA - where football is king and the playbook is the bible... and so she told me about a game this weekend.

Hockey here is totally different - during the intermission they did this...

This is beach ball rolling with flippers for prizes... yep... and then they have cheerleaders who clean the ice - they cleaned the ice about 5 times in the 3rd period - completely unnecessary - but I guess people like that.. and then they had a canon go off when there was a goal - a real giant loud canon - I guess I'm just too use to hockey being the "game" and nothing else.

Anyways - I'm heading out to take some pictures to share what Columbus looks like - nothing like Quebec - I'm sad to not here french anymore and keep expecting people to bust out in it or for people to look at me in confusion because they don't know what I'm saying.  

What I've learned again on this trip - American's don't smile enough - they should take lessons in smiling and loosening up - let us all live happy lives... 

sick

So I've spent the last two days trying to get better. Turns out that when I don't have kids and husband around I forget to eat properly - and so I skip meals or food for the day and then get sick - awesome.... or I got a flu bug - I don't know - something...
today was the big finale to the first conference - big evening, awards today... (didn't get any) and then they show case the next conference... didn't come off as very appealing - so we will see...

What else? Well not much else - I've been busy with the sessions and trying to bone up on my french - I was in one store today and this girl starts talking to me in french and I answer her in english and she looks at me - shocked - you understood my french - I said yes, and that I just didn't speak it that well... so then she was excited that I could understand - especially being from BC - so that was nice... even at the awards show tonight I could piece my way through the awards and winning categories - it was fun... thinking... who know it could be great! :)

Alright - there is my brief update - I'm heading to Columbus tomorrow - two flights - meh - Air Canada because darned West Jet doesn't fly there... so that sucks... but I'm sure it will be fine - both flights are short...

Love to you!
xxoo ;)

photographique

oh la la la

Alright - so I'm Quebec and today was the first day where we had people talking in both French and English and holy man - I thought my head was going to explode. Someone will be speaking in French and you've got a headset on trying with all your might to concentrate on the words the translator is saying to have it make sense but the guy "calling" the conference stutters and doesn't make sense and you just can't understand what the hell is going - I've never been through anything like it - it was like torture because I just couldn't put it together.

I'm not feeling great today - not a flu, but just sick - probably from the food - it isn't the same and - holy - if you like mayo you should come and live in Quebec - they love it here - it goes on everything! literally - I haven't had one meal yet that didn't have it on something or as a side... unbelievable.. and yet there are lots of hot quebec people so maybe there is something different in their mayo.

I'll have photos later today - I forgot my cord, but am boring one from someone so I can load up.

Love to you!
xxoo

quebec - bonjour

So I've busted out bon soir, merci and the days of the week this trip... plus I can still read french so that is great - I left my hotel room at 5:40 this morning to get my first flight to Toronto - then Toronto to Quebec City and basically got here at dusk - I did go for a walk tonight just to see some of the buildings. I've been told that we will tour a bit while we are here and see old Quebec during the day - but we'll see - not a lot of time for that - between classes and conference sessions - little worried that there will be large sections of the conference in french... but we'll see - you see - I can understand slow french, but if they get going.. I have no chance.

It really is like being in another country though. Tonight we got told about the Canadian tax - not the gst like we call it - the Canadian tax - and they are getting charged 6.5% - I kind of laughed because seriously - we are charging Quebec more - no wonder they are pissed.

So it is now 2am - or 11pm BC time - so I'm struggling with the time change - but what's new about that... I guess I'll lie down and try to find some sleep - long day tomorrow - that much I know for sure :)

xxoo

stress

I'm leaving tomorrow morning for three weeks and I'm a wreck. I have so much to do that I don't know where to start. I haven't packed, I'm still working on files from the office - it is a nightmare... on top Kyle broke down over me leaving tonight. Just starting to cry and be sad - it just sucks.

So I'm kind of meandering between files and packing - that will be my next four hours now that the guys are snoring. I'm also trying to set up a scavenger hunt for the guys - so they have something to do every day - to stay connected to the house even when I'm thousands of miles away.

Alright - reporting from the Fairmont Vancouver tomorrow night - love to you!
xxoo

tea for your tub

Um... ok so I bought some tea bags for the tub... now at the time I was very impressed with the scents and thought that would be great in the tub and I could relax and enjoy... um... here is what I failed to calculate...

When I make a regular cup of tea I use a tea bag that is about 3 times bigger than the tub one. Now when I use a regular tea bag I get between 2-4 cups of tea... now in walks the bath tub tea - three times bigger... why did I think that it would scent my whole tub - that is far more than 12 cups of tea... and I know it shouldn't be colouring or flavouring the water - but I wouldn't have even known there had been a scent in the water if I hadn't unwrapped the tea bag myself...

Maybe I'm doing something wrong here.. any advise?

Ps.. We moved nearly everything in the house - less a few minor items - the guest room is pretty much set up, the living room is set up - upstairs and downstairs, the boys rooms are set up - our room has our clothes nearly put away but the room is a disaster but that is because we are going to redesign it and didn't want to set up when it will all just be moved again - I've been able to start packing and that is great... well great and not great - I'm sad about this trip - longest I've ever been away from home... it is all good and fine.. and if you post your mailing address or email it to me (aakcheng atsymbol gmail periodola com) I'll send you a postcard ;)

more xxoo - lucky you :)

east

Tuesday - that's under two days - I'm leaving for three weeks for training - wrapping up my EC D stuff - so I can graduate before the end of this year. I'm heading to Quebec City first and would love to hear some ideas on what I should definitely see and do while I'm there. I don't really have a lot of spare time - in fact - I think it is under a few daylight hours - but if there is something I should really really go and see then... I'd like to fit that in rather than just sitting in my hotel room.

Today we went four wheeling - Kyle had a blast and Michael - well he was done about an hour in - good time, good time, good time and then he was just finished and complaining - 'who thought this was a good idea, when can we go home' granted we went for two hours - and it was a lot and it poured... but it was fun and we got outside and did something together.

And then we got home... Michael is going through a box of games and holds on up and then starts screaming - wasp - wasp - he is so shocked that there was a wasp in there in the first place and then for the damn thing to have stung him - well - the wasp must have been barely clinging to life though as it just hit the floor - I can't figure out why it was even in the box... weird... so then he cried hard for about 5 minutes and then worked to get over it... fast forward two hours and he is watching a movie with kyle and enjoying the tale end of the weekend... and look at that - that loops back to the fact that I'm leaving on Tuesday morning and haven't packed anything.

Alright - back to unpacking and then on to packing for the trip.
xxoo + x

today is saturday

I still hate moving...

What else? Well school started - so Kyle is enjoying grade 3... and Michael has one more year until kindergarten - he really could have gone this year, but being the new year's baby means he has to wait.

Tomorrow - if the weather holds - we will be out four-wheeling - there is a big group going and then there is a BBQ afterward.

I leave for Quebec in a couple of days - I'll be gone for three weeks from family and that is a lot - plus I'm bent out of shape about it because I'm swamped at work right now and don't know how to just leave there on Monday afternoon. With any luck I'll have photos to share with you of cities I've never been to over the next three weeks... insane...

Alright - I'm bagged - love to you!
xxoo

u-haul

Alright - so since it is bound to come up and I can't be ashamed about it - I'm just going to come out and say it...

We moved back to town.


I HATE MOVING!

We rented a giant honkin' u-haul and basically moved most of the house back today. It was insane. Lucky for us the kids had a birthday party to go to and we got three hours to move. That meant the living room (all the heavy furniture, the bedrooms - well beds and some of the gear, a little bit of the kitchen and then various other stuff - desks, etc...

I know... you are like - um' hold the phone here ms. thing... what do you mean you moved back to town... what? why?
so here is the list of why...

1. The water burned my skin - even when we got it fixed it still wasn't great and I couldn't drink it
2. There are bears and Michael was afraid every night that a bear was going to come in the house for food (he thought he might be on the list as food)
3. The neighbours had giant dogs that roamed the neighbourhood freely and crapped all over the place
4. The drive (I know - my city dwelling friends - hold on...) 15 minutes (one way) and exceeded what some of us felt was ok (I know we are spoiled - I'm 1.2 km from work and the only reason it takes me 10 minutes is because I have to drop off kids in two different locations... )
5. The house was haunted (ok - it totally wasn't - but that sounded good)

So we are back in the house that is adjacent to the crack shack and trying to settle before school starts - stop rolling your eyes... I see that... I know - I know.. I KNOW!

I also love you! I hope you are having a wonderful evening, my legs burn from the move today - and we still have a bit to go tomorrow.. and then the joy of unpacking stuff... all with the clock ticking on my next departure - I leave for three weeks of training on Sept 14 and feel completely unprepared for it even though I've known it was coming all year.
xxoo

sleep walking

Well - odd as this is - I started sleep walking again last night. I opened my eyes this morning and actually couldn't figure out where I was. I had a blanket, but I couldn't figure it out. I knew I'd slept walked somewhere... and then I got it - I'd transported myself to Michael's room - and Michael couldn't figure out why I was there... said he hadn't called me... so I don't know when or what prompted this... but I thought I'd share... at least I didn't wake up outside... I'm always scared of that.

I'm super tired tonight. Feel like I could sleep for 12 hours... but sadly - it will be more like six... maybe seven - night my friends - more hugs to you! xxoo

nothing

I have nothing important to say or offer tonight - other than please accept this hug from me to you - because we all need more hugs. With love... :) Night night...