25 Things About Me

This has been going around facebook for a while and I was tagged a few times but just didn't feel like sharing it there so I've posted it here. You just might learn something new about me - enjoy!

1) Am just as in love with my husband as I was the day I married him - even more.
2) I love how well my children get along and play. I especially love listening to them play.
3) I have three sets of parents (mom, biological father, adopted father), which means I have 1 brother, 1 sister, 1 half sister (really a sister - I grew up with her my whole life), 2 half brothers (one of which I grew up with my whole life), 9 stepsisters and 4 stepbrothers. Out of those step siblings 4 I’ve never met, 7 I’ve met a couple times and 2 I see whenever I see my mother.
4) Spent 8 weeks in Brazil in my early 20’s visiting a friend and found out while there that he was gay but he had never told friends or family. Had a blast touring around the country and meeting fantastic people!
5) My dream is to become an Accredited Genealogist. What area I want to expertise in I don’t know yet.
6) Have been self-employed for 12 years. Before children I had an office front, since children I have worked from home.
7) I like to read…I’m always reading books by different authors. Got to love the $4.99 or less table at Chapters!
8) When I was in grade 10 I tried out for the basketball team. The scariest thing I had ever done. Didn’t make it but was so proud of myself for trying.
9) When I was in grade 4 my sister and I were caught stealing at the corner store. When asked which of us put the other person up to it I instantly blamed my sister when in fact it was me who did. I still feel so bad about it.
10) Being a mother is the hardest role I’ve ever had in my life. I also tend to have very high expectations of myself as a mother and often feel I fall short.
11) At one time my cooking skills consisted of burning water. I now consider myself a pretty good cook and enjoy trying out new recipes regularly; I especially love all the cool kitchen gadgets!
12) My spices are in alphabetical order. It makes sense to me. I don’t have to go searching for a spice – its right there where it’s supposed to be – alphabetically (see #22).
13) I hated being the only blonde in my family receiving all those blonde jokes. I think because of that I always wished for black hair.
14) I have the most amazing in-laws. Yes, I’m one of the few that love AND get along with my in-laws. From day one they have welcomed me with open arms and treated me like a daughter. Thank you.
15) Recently I’ve begun gardening. I’m still in the learning processes but I’m surprised at how relaxing I find it. It was just flowerbeds until last year - I had a small vegetable garden too.
16) My favourite color is yellow; it’s such a beautiful color.
17) I love living close to siblings again and getting together with them and their family.
18) I have a difficult time leaving my house when I know the closet doors in my front entrance are open. Okay, truth be told I have to close them before I leave my house otherwise it really bothers me (see #22).
19) I’m more of a romantic then I’d ever like to admit.
20) When younger I loved writing stories. I haven’t done it for a long time but would like to start doing it again.
21) Battling breast cancer was the hardest illness physically, mentally and emotionally I’ve ever experienced but the lessons learned have been endless.
22) I tend to be very particular about some things to the point of being obsessive….just ask my family!
23) When I was about 19 years of age I broke my baby finger playing basketball with some friends. I had to have surgery and two pins were temporarily placed. It was the weirdest feeling when they were pulled out.
24) I’ve really gotten into blogging but am very particular about how everything looks and is positioned. I have to enter things on the dates they happened, it’s very difficult for me to multi enter events on one post (again, see #22).
25) My hair was so straight as a child it wouldn’t even hold a curl. All thanks to puberty it became unmanageably curly and I had no clue what to do with it until my sister became a hairdresser.

Scouting

Last night Eli started cubs. As many of you know Eli is a very touchy/huggy kid and so we tried to stress to him the importance of giving personal space to the boys and leaders - not everybody likes hugs so he might want to try not hugging when at cubs.

This morning walking to school Eli informed me that he never hugged anybody then quickly asked, "do I have to do that every Thursday night?"

The Newest Gadget!

POPOVER PAN

I recently discovered popover pans and can't believe how much of a difference they make. With the deeper narrower pan these really 'pop' and are huge (picture below doesn't do it justice). Oh, how I love new successful finds!!!!

It's Great To Be Eight!

I hate doing this but I have to back up a week. Last weekend we celebrated a pre-birthday party for Eli with my brother and his family and my sister. We had dinner (sweet & sour meatballs by request), opened presents and had birthday cake, which was provided by Nikki - our cake decorator in the family and she did a fabulous job (as always)!!

Fast forward to today and it was an extra special birthday for Eli. He turned 8 and was able to be baptized on his birthday, he was so excited! The day was shared with family, friends (and school teachers).

Last night Eli picked 'China' food for dinner, so it was off to our favourite Chinese restaurant.




He originally had chosen Red Robins because of the free Sunday but quickly changed his mind when grandma suggested an ice cream cake after Chinese food.







Eli and dad just before his baptism started. It was such a beautiful baptism and I became an emotional wreck when people started sharing different experiences they've had with Eli. He really is the sweetest and kindest boy. He certainly knows how to make everyone feel special and because of that he definitely leaves a lasting impression.

Happy 8th Birthday Eli!

His Kindness Is The Sweetest

In celebration of Eli's upcoming birthday (tomorrow) I made and decorated some sugar cookies for his class.

I'm not writing this to talk about the cookies but about the fine young man that lives in my house. Every time I think Eli can't get any sweeter or kinder he blows me away with another thoughtful gesture and today after school was one of those moments.

He had a new student added to his class earlier this week (a day later we found out that this boy and his family bought a house on our street). Apparently he hasn't been at school for the last couple days and on the way home from school Eli decided to stop by and deliver the one remaining cookie he had left. It ends up the boy has been sick so Eli was even more excited thinking that it would really make him feel better!

I love this boy of mine and hope that his kindness will always be a part of who he is.

A Couple More

Here are a couple more bookmark corners I've managed to make. So much fun!

Golden Ears Bridge

My friend Vivian D. just forwarded some pictures of the Golden Ears Bridge (taken January 31/09 by a friend), the above picture was one of them. The bridge is on schedule and will be opening in June..... apparently another 10,000 people will move into our community. I guess that explains why Maple Ridge's real estate hasn't slowed down as much as the rest of Vancouver and area.

For us having family that lives on the 'other side' and having a Temple that will open in the new year we are very excited to have this bridge in place soon, it means travel time will be shortened (although a toll booth we feel our time is worth a lot more then the couple bucks it'll cost. Obviously paying a toll is not an issue in our home)!

Wacky Hair Day!

Need I say more?!!

Corner Bookmark

While blog hopping I came across the blog Crafting Happens: My Creative Outlet where a tutorial was shown on how to make corner bookmarks so I decided to try it myself.

It was kind of fun spending a couple hours crafting letting my creative juices flow (I'm generally not the crafting type). Here are my creations so far!

Kitchen Gadgets

For somebody who absolutely hated to cook and refused to learn I never in a million years thought I'd be a kitchen gadget person. I mean I LOVE kitchen gadgets whether it be the smallest or largest of the gadgets I love them all!!

Last week Les and I got on the topic of a juicer. We discussed how good they're suppose to be and that was about it. We went shopping. Not for a juicer but we came home with one.

So here's my new kitchen gadget - the Jack Lalanne Power Juicer Elite..........

What a machine!! So far we've made apple juice, apple/orange/grape/honeydew juice, carrot/ginger/apple juice and its all been delicious. The kids are even liking it (yes, that's with them knowing what's been juiced). Be sure to let me know when your coming over and I'll make a refreshing juice for you!

Family

This plaque hangs in my living room and I LOVE it. Every time I walk into the room I can't help but read it, sigh and move on with a smile on my face.

Cooking101

The kids now help with dinner. They each have a night of the week that they decide what they'd like for dinner and cook it (with moms help). Remember my handy dandy weekly menu planner? Well, now the kids just let me know what they want, it's slipped into the menu planner and I add the necessary items to my grocery list and voila they're ready to go!




Eli hard at work chopping lettuce for the ceasar salad.




This week Adrianna decided on chicken. Not just chicken breast like what she's use to but a whole chicken. She managed to cut the bag open to reveal the chicken but when it came to actually picking it up and putting it into the roaster....well lets just say she wasn't thrilled! I tried and tried to convince her, I even tried to help by standing behind her and with her hands and mine picking it up but she went as stiff as a board and then the tears started (okay, perhaps I became a little sterner when she wouldn't do it until I realized that my parenting skills were sucking wind so I relaxed, explained to her that in time it won't bother her quite as much but until then I'll do the honours) then I put the chicken in the roaster myself. I don't think a whole chicken will be her menu pick for a while!



Adrianna seasoning the chicken and boy was it good!




I didn't understand just how much they pick up watching me comb over grocery fliers, pick out menus and then write out shopping lists until this past week. I asked both kids what they were planning to make for the week when in unison they stated, "what's on sale this week?" WOW, I'm impressed!!!

Decluttering

I've always considered myself a well organized person and for the most part I am but there are a few hidden away spots in my home that aren't and they drive me crazy. Finally the 'crazy' got to me and I did something about it and boy do I feel GREAT!

The following is just one example...a cupboard above the counter we'll call telephone counter (don't we all have one of those) so it's in the kitchen area but not amongst the action of the kitchen.

before

after