Marble Maze

Adrianna was so excited to get working on her project as soon as she learned about it! She spent some time drawing out plans of what it had to have and what she wanted it to have then she and her dad started building.

Here is the finishing touch (with the top part cut off...there was a spiraling black pipe).

The Open House was today and it was fun to see all the different marble mazes that kids (and parents) came up with! It was especially fun to watch father and daughter work so hard together to make the ultimate marble maze!

Your Old When......

Tonight Eli and I were working on his sight words for school and one of the words he had was OLD. This is how our conversation went.

Jokingly I said, "dad is OLD."

In a tone of disgust he replied, "no he's not!"

So I replied, "Okay then grandpa is OLD."

"No. Great-grandma is OLD because she has a longggggg neck," he said in a matter of fact tone.

Happy Birthday Eli!

We had lots of fun celebrating Eli's birthday today. It started off with him taking cookies to school to share with his classmates, I'm pretty sure he was bouncing off the walls with excitement!

After school we went to Jungle Jac's where he and his sister ran around like crazy people. It was all good! Then it was home to pick up dad so we could head out for dinner. For the last couple of weeks his choice has been A & W something mom and dad really weren't looking forward to but last minute he changed his mind to have dinner at Red Robin's because of this......

...........yes, it's ALL about the birthday sundae (don't forget being sung happy birthday to as well, he's not old enough to be embarrassed by this yet)!! After a great birthday dinner it was back home.............

.......where he politely took a call from Grandma & Grandpa Haddad in the middle of opening presents. Thanks Papa Jack & Gramma Donna for the birthday message we'll call you tomorrow!

Of course, we can't forget

about the cake!!

We are so blessed to have Eli in our family! He is such a kind hearted spirit who always knows how to bring a smile to our faces, often conveyed with hugs. He definitely doesn't know how to hide any emotion that he is feeling, which is such a treat as he generally is sooooo excited about everything and anything.

A Beautiful Sunday Afternoon

We decided to take advantage of the beautiful sunny day and headed out for a walk for the adults and a bike ride for the kids.......Eli didn't make it very far before he decided that he and dad could walk his bike back to the truck! Just maybe someday he'll WANT to ride his bike!!


Meanwhile Adrianna had a blast riding wayyyyy a head of everyone then back again and then wayyyyy a head of everyone (she's the red spec you see in the picture above). I'm not sure if it's the bike ride or the independence she likes the most!!


Its days and sights like this that remind us why it's so great to live where we live. Could we ask for anything better on Sunday afternoon in the middle of February!

The Tickets Are Purchased!!!

NO, this has nothing to do with my previous posting (I wish)!! It has to do with these guys.........

RUSH

It's kind of funny how it all happened. Yesterday, I was heading to my sisters house and on the radio they commented about Rush coming to town - WHAT?! I didn't get the full details so I had to wait until this morning to search it out online. Sure enough they are performing on May 29th at GM Place!!

I was going to surprise Les but well......I'm not too good at keeping a surprise so I mentioned it to him. Of course Les NEVER shows any excitement about anything but I KNOW he is and with his financially responsible brain the answer was no (a very very weak no I might add) but I forged ahead as I knew exactly the person that would be as excited as him.

After speaking with his cousin it was a unanimous YES! The tickets are purchased and the guys are being treated to a night out!! I think I'm as excited as they are!

So VERY Envious

Today my sister phoned me VERY VERY excited. For Valentine's her hubby surprised her with tickets to Hawaii. Can I just say that I am very very very very ENVIOUS - beyond words ENVIOUS. Trust me it has nothing to do with the Valentine's part just so much more.

Such A Beauty

She wasn't very excited to have her picture taken but I had to. Always a beauty but this morning she especially took my breath away.

Threading - A New Experience

I am one of those unfortunate people that have the 'very hairy gene'. When I was on chemotherapy and had lost the majority of my hair it was an odd feeling to be so hairless but also nice, however, it didn't stay away! Now I'm finding myself complaining to my sister about how much hair growth is on my face how I need to get my eyebrows shaped and trimmed (really the hair is a little excessive but gratefully its fair).

Tonight Tricia and I stopped at a salon to have some threading done. I have heard of this technique and how many women like it over waxing but had yet to try it out until tonight! Tricia went first and it was quite interesting to watch as the lady bobbed back and forth like a chicken with one end of thread in her mouth pulling back and forth against Tricia's face with the other end of thread. At times I swear I saw tuffs of hair fly off her face (sorry Trish but I'm just telling it how I saw it)!

It was then my turn. I DID it. It really wasn't that bad. While my face was being done it felt like I was molting (so I'm sure I looked just as Trish did), which I guess in a way I was. I do have to admit that I had my upper lip waxed rather than threaded, watching Tricia flinch with pain told me I would not be able to handle it (I'm such a wimp)! I'm happy to say that my eyebrows are trimmed and shaped; my face is nice and smooth.

What's even better is that I'm not feeling so self-conscious about all the facial hair that I'm sure only I noticed!

New HAIRdo

I have HAIR!!!!! So this is the new look. I'm constantly asked if I like it but REALLY it's strange to look at myself in the mirror and to one see hair and secondly straight hair!

Me over the last 10 months.

It really is amazing what hair, eyebrows and eyelashes

do for a person!!

A NEW Appliance. Oh Ya!

Our ancient old microwave finally started to act its age so we decided to kill two birds with one stone, get a new microwave AND give me some more counter space. Of course I can't help but add that we got an incredible deal!!

Happy Chinese New Year!

Eli cheerfully woke everyone up this morning by calling out, "Happy Chinese New Years AND it's hot lunch today!!"

Then quickly asked, "what do we do to celebrate Chinese New Years?"

Well.....he learned all about it today at school where they not only got to try some Chinese food but also made this cool dragon hat! BUT we also can't forget about the pizza hot lunch either!!

Loving My Weekly Menu Planner!

Anyone who knows me knows that I have OCD tendencies! Actually I think we all do but just MAYBE I sometimes get carried away!!! I LOVE to be organized to the point of REALLY having a hard time being spontaneous. However, because of my freakish organizing and OCD ways my weekly menu plan works FABULOUSLY.

A few years ago I did an enrichment activity where we made up Weekly Menu Planners (I've pictured mine above and really it needs artist appeal instead of looking like a Grade 3 project but it works). On the front of each card I have the name of the meal and on the back I have listed all the ingredients needed to make the meal. This makes it soooo quick and easy when I sit down each Sunday night to plan out my grocery list for the week. I make my weekly menu and than flip it over for a quick reference of what I might have to add to my grocery list.

SO why am I so excited about this if I've been doing it for so long? With the health issues I had this past year I didn't put a lot of time or effort into my meals and so I'm just starting to get with the program and I'm remembering how AWESOME it is. Not only does it work with my quirky ways but I SAVE soooo much money, my head is just spinning with what to do with all that extra CASH (yeah right)!!

President Thomas S. Monson

Those of you who read my blog know that my family and I are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Many of you may not realize that on the 27th of January our Prophet President Gordon B. Hinckley passed away.

This morning on BYU TV I watched the news conference announcing the 16th Church President - President Thomas S. Monson and his counselors President Henry B. Eyring and President Dieter F. Uchtdorf.

President Thomas S. Monson's stories, humour and spirit have touched my heart many many times and I look forward to sustaining him as our Prophet.