It's Not Over

With just a few leaves hanging on the trees, November has come to an end. My blogging felt forced a lot of days but I always love that the 11th month gets me back in the the rhythm of writing.

I seem to have a pattern after my daily posts to kinda disappear a bit, and I want to try to avoid that this year, if possible. So tomorrow is the first day of Christmas Advent. I have a great Advent calendar that has little cupboard for each 25 days leading up to Christmas Day and each year I have crammed little candies in them for the kids. But this year, during my girls shopping weekend, Jill, Stef and I came up with 25 pre-Christmas activities to do with the kids. So instead of candy they will get a slip of paper describing our "event" of the day. Like tomorrow's is, "letters to Santa" and one day might be, "making hot cocoa" or "getting our tree". You get the idea, don't make me do a puppet show for you.

I Did A Bad Thing

I watched, "Toy Story 3" with the twins this morning. Got myself all weepy over my oldest growing up like he's in a hurry to get out of this place or something. I mean look at those big ole' teeth my boy has. . .

So tonight I went into the depths of the computer to find some of his baby pictures.
I had to call Matt in the room to look at this one. We just starred at it, gobsmacked.

Heading off to bed tonight, but not before I sneak into his room to give him another kiss. He'll be a day older tomorrow, ya know.

Brotherly Love

Me and my big brother Ben. Just got to see him and his fabulous family yesterday. He's a pretty great guy. After he got over that, holding-me-down-suspending-lugies-in -my-face, phase.

Thanksgiving Redux

I am having my last Thanksgiving of the year with my brother and his family. We are watching Elf and laughing. Laughing is my favorite. Thought I'd share this picture of me in Canada having tea. This is a self portrait of my reflection in a tea pot. I'll call it, "Instant Botox".

Is It December Yet?

I am feeling uninspired on what to post about as I am approaching the December finish line. But thankfully I found these fun pictures of the twins and our friend Emily. Em is a creative soul and we had a finger painting day at her place.

Photo by Jabes.

Love you Em. Thanks for the fun day!

Being Real

This may cost me tens of readers when I admit this but I absolutely love cranberry sauce. It has to be on my Thanksgiving table each year and because I am over-the-top classy; it has to be in the shape of a can. But look, I put it in a glass dish so it felt no shame jiggling next to the beautifully smoked turkey, cornbread casserole, and mashed butter potatoes.

If you've chosen to still take a chance on me despite my love for the high fructose corn syrup atrocity above, you will be rewarded. Read on for life changing information.

On the flip side I love real whipped cream. NOT cool whip, not spray from a can . . . (although that has it's place), real cream that you pour in a mixer, turn on high, take a shower, come back and find thick creamy cream (is that redundant?). Usually I use powdered sugar to sweeten whipped cream but this year I used Maple syrup. Again not the fake stuff but real from Canada eh, from a tree, maple syrup. Yes it's a bit more expensive but you can't beat the flavor and it's much better for you. No sugar high then crash. Anyway back to the whip. So I flavored this years whip with the syrup and oh. my. word. I was in euphoria. I dolloped a bit on the pumpkin bars and sweet baby Jesus I had a hit.

Because I'm Fair

My posts seem to be weighted towards Phoebe lately so I had to show you guys her cute counterpart. Here's a picture of Jabes from this summer. My cousin Jordan showing him how to properly hold our family's instrument of choice.

He makes that guitar look good.

Snow Joy

Our neighborhood got just a dusting of snow overnight. Looked like God just sprinkled powdered sugar over my house. It was the perfect opportunity to take those dreaded Christmas Pictures. Phoebe came out with me first and I got some great shots of her in her Winter coat.

She is pure JOY that girl.

First Comes Love

First comes love . . .

Then comes marriage . . .

Then comes baby . . . .

. . . with a hairline identical to his daddy's. (Seriously Tim, you can drop the paternity test, that is your child.)

Owen Michael

Born to Shelby and Tim

Saturday 11/13 9lbs 3oz 20 3/4 inches long!

Sounds Familiar

So you know that overplayed Lady Antebellum song, "Need You Now"? I always felt like it sounded so familiar but couldn't put my finger on why. Then the allegations swirled about them ripping off the Alan Parsons Project, "Eye In The Sky". Check it out and make the call, plagiarism or inspiration.

This is What Happens . . .

. . . when three stay at home moms get ready for their day of Starbucks, Christmas shopping and Cheesecake Factory.

Hey Maybelline, call us.

Teatotaler

Tobin was incredibly charming today after school. He came home after his class had a mini Thanksgiving feast with his little Indian headdress. The twins was were oohing and awing over his craft and he told him he'd show them how to make them at home. Sure enough as soon as we entered the mud room, Tobin was pulling out construction paper, markers, scissors and a stapler. He was the perfect teacher and helped them make their own headband. It was so endearing to see him be such a good leader and having them all get along so well. While they were doing arts and crafts I was packing and baking getting ready for my 8th annual holiday shopping trip with Stef and Jill.


I brought tea for everyone . . .

My girls had way better ideas bringing THIS

and THIS!!

Shopping tomorrow!

Little Momma

When I went to tuck her in I found her like this. Lined up all her "babies" on the pillow and covered them all carefully. I asked her if she wanted to move up, so her head could rest on her pillow. She says to me, " I'll stay down here so I won't hurt my babies." I kissed her cheek knowing she is going to be the mother to my grand babies and I am already proud.

Because You Know You Want More

If you have an extra few minuets in your day and you'd like to see exactly how long human intestines are, then I strongly encourage you to watch these videos by Dr. Oz explaining Celiac Disease.

It's always a dice roll when you travel with a food intolerance. When you don't prepare your own food it is literally scary to eat. My experience this last week in Canada was so awesome. Every waiter was very knowledgeable on what foods they served that would be ok for me to eat. Matt and I even found a g-free pizza by the slice restaurant. Just another reason I love our northern neighbors.

Me Rockin' Five

This is me at five years old. Outside my house in Boise, Idaho. In case you can't tell by my sophisticated method of scanning old photos, (taking a picture of a picture with a cruddy camera) my personal bike license plate says, SMURFS on it and my overalls say, Disco. Pretty sure I invented cool.

Cold Water

Like waking up to a glass of cold water in the face, that's how our relaxing trip north of the boarder ended. Driving home we were all missing our kids. We called the excited little people with updates along the way to build the anticipation of our homecoming. An hour before home . . . the phones of all three of the men in the call started ringing. SWAT call out. The kids were so disappointed that they couldn't be with their dad tonight. They made me promise to wake them up in the middle of the night when he gets home. Back sprinting through life tonight.

SACKBUT

Last night in Victoria. We are all laughing so hard playing Balderdash. Making up definitions for minimally used words.

Play along and try to pick the real definition out of the ones we made up. (obvious note: if you cheat and look up this word via the internet, dictionary or phone a friend you will be disqualified and bad luck will follow you for the next seven years so that you will always have to stop at the red lights and everyone will forget about your birthday. Believe me it's not worth it.) First winner will win a Canadian Loony. That is worth a HUNDRED of cents.


The word: SACKBUT

Possible definitions:

1. A small pocket sewn on the inside of a soldier's uniforms during WWI.

2. To remove the inner organs from game animals so it may be preserved for slaughter.

3. The reinforced bottom of a potato sack.

4. The sac that holds poison in bees and other stinging insects.

5. Sealant used to seal bottoms of grocery bags.

6. An ancestor of the trombone.

Leave a comment with your best guess. Fingers crossed.

My Day

9am wake up on my own.

9:30am ate cereal, fried potato pancakes (from our mashed potatoes last night), and coffee with friends while watching youtube videos.

10:00am leisurely get ready for the day without once having to put anyone in time-out or ask if anyone finished their milk.

11:00am Toured a castle. I love history, architecture and going into people's homes when they are gone. So this was thrilling for me!

1:00pm Went to the coolest Irish pub for lunch and had the best seat in the house with my back to fire place. I drank the best apple peach cider yummiest thing that I've ever had the privilege of sipping through a straw. Had a scrumptious brie, roasted hazelnut, grilled, chicken with a fig vinaigrette salad. Best part was I didn't have to take anyone to the potty and then check them to see if they wiped well.

2:30pm Shopping in downtown Victoria. Beautiful shops, maple syrup everything, and a hat store that had all of us giggling in front of the mirrors. Best part was I didn't have to have a heart attack tyring to keep little fingers from breaking anything.

5:00pm We had sushi. Just because we could. Best part was I didn't care that there was no "kid friendly" menu items cause my kids are 200 miles away eating grilled cheese sandwiches with grandma!

6:30pm More shopping . . . Got myself a great bag in Chinatown!

7:00pm Went to yet another beautiful pub for drinks. Best part was I wasn't getting anyone ready for bed by doing the five "P's" Potty, Polish teeth, PJ's, Poems, Prayers. Our nightly going-to-bed routine. Minus the whining for water, extra snuggles, "he-keeps-talking", I need a night light, what are we having for breakfast in the morning . . . .

8:00pm More exploring this great city. Best part was no kids along to beggs for junk they didn't need. We still bought them junk they don't need but it's so much better when they are not around.

9:00pm Found a great little Italian restaurant that we wanted to have desert at . . . after our half hour wait of smelling the food, dinner sounded like the better idea. So glad we did. We all wished for electric scooters for us to get home on with how much food we consumed.

11:00pm We just got back to our room and I am watching a great movie with our friends, drinking a cup of tea, eating flourless chocolate cake and loving the heck out of this life. Best part, no bed time cause I've got no four year old that's going to wake me up at 6am demanding breakfast!

Let's be clear: I miss them. I miss my boys and how they smell after they wrestle. I miss my Phoebe and how she follows me around and asks how she can help me. I was ment to be a momma. Their momma. Can't wait to see them soon.

Maple Syrup Love

My internet problem is figured out, but my post tonight is going to be short again. We are having a blast as my love for maple syrup and Celine Dion are growing at an expeditious rate. We went to Buchart Gardens today and played paparazzi on each other. I have so many pictures to post but again tonight, I'm going to keep it simple. I'll give you the blow by blow when I'm not on vacation. Perhaps I'll post them instead when I'm home ignoring my kids while they fight in the room next door. As for now I think I'll have another glass of wine and watch Blades of Glory . . . ta ta for now.

Oh Canada . . .

Oh Canada how your internet is so soooollllllllooooooowwwww. After a few try's of trying to post an excellent road trip post this is all you are going to get tonight. This is our group of misfits exploring Canada. More tomorrow . . .

Awkward

So here it is 11:30 and I still haven't posted today. For good reason though. I'm packing to leave the country. Canada, that is. So in the middle of me packing kissing my babies and making a million notes for the house-sitter I give you this gift before I leave . . .

An awkward family photo of me. Circa 1981.

Leave a comment and tell me your favorite thing about this photo. And Mom, I'm sorry but I had to post this. Tomorrow I'll post pictures of the road trip! Canada Baby!

Get-A-Way

Super spoiled this season with lots of get-a-ways without kids. Matt and I got to spend a weekend last month at a beach house my cousin owns in Bandon. I love a good storm on the coast and that is just what was ordered up. Rain pelting the windows and winds up to 77 mph were the perfect backdrop to playing cards, watching movies and eating ice cream. Oh and currant wine . . . I almost forgot about the currant wine . . . . almost. Here's a few pictures I snapped along the way.

This is our attempt and a cute candid picture with the timer setting on my pocket cam . . . lets just say we didn't pull it off.

And then it just got worse . . .
So I decided to photograph Matt's frickles instead. That's fried pickles for those who don't speak Bandonese.




We found this drift wood structure on the beach that was pretty cool. Looks like beach combers add little bits at a time.