Where have I been these last few days?!

I do exist, I swear! It has been a tough couple of weeks. I've spent most of my time helping my dad prepare for his 100+ people BBQ for his company (Canada Loyal). It was a western theme. We had horseback rides for the kids, western music (live), a bouncy castle for the kids, everyone was provided a cowboy hat, the food was amazing, and the weather was PERFECT. I really felt the hard work that my brother, my father and me put into it, was well worth it. I was happy to help and felt a great reward. There was an auction for those that earned "Canada Loyal Bucks". For every life insurance, investment etc application sent in from June-September equals $1000 to spend. So if you put in 5 insurance policies for business, you received $5000 of "Canada Loyal Bucks" to spend at this auction. The items were paid for by the company, and there were such great things to buy! A big, flat screen TV, mountain bikes, household appliances, tools, Digital cameras etc.

Here are a few pictures of what it looked like, and how much fun we had. I have also taken photos of what we won at the auction. Not much else to post about, I have a lot on my mind that has nothing to do with my last few weeks. I need to talk to someone verbally. Not sure if anyone wants to hear. Bah, whatever.

A service project at the Ranch.

My little brother, Lance, has been staying with us for about a week and a half to help out around the house. We've been busy cleaning up the back yard, and painting and just having fun. Its nice to have the help from family. What a blessing. Since he was here for so long, my father requested that he come back home to Nanton and help out at the ranch to prepare for a HUGE Canada Loyal BBQ. Canada Loyal is the new company that my dad and Jos work for. This BBQ for the employees and their families is going to be about 100 people.

I offered my services to help out. Dad asked me to be in charge of booking a bouncy castle for the kids. I have found one for pretty cheap, and will deliver to Nanton. WOOT.

Dad looks around the property and notices that he needs some serious help cleaning up, and doing yardwork. Since most of dad's kids are grown up and busy doing their own lives, I volunteered to help. So I packed up the kids for an overnight stay to help. We started our drive to Nanton, and spent the night. In the morning dad quickly got me and Lance busy doing hard labor. I had the assignment of weeding the whole yard. I said sure. But I had no idea what I was getting myself into. His property around the house is like 3 acres!

Lliam was left in the house with Anthony. Anthony is pretty good at telling me when the baby is crying. So off I go to weed the gardens. About 1/2hr into it, Anthony yells out to me "Mom! The baby is crying!" I started walking back to the house, and I walked in the house, and noticed the baby SCREAMING hysterically! I couldn't see him on the couch in his car seat I stuck him in, it was tipped over. Lliam had wiggled out (bad mom award for not strapping him in) and fell from the couch to the floor! He was face down on the carpet and sporting a nice bump on his head! After a little panick grab and soothe, and a little yelling at Anthony (did I say I was panicked?) for not telling me the baby was hurt. I feel awful about yelling at Anthony about it, he DID come and tell me the baby was crying. I guess I thought he would have said something like "Mom! The baby fell, and is crying, come quick!" But I still have to remind myself that he is only 4 years old.

So after that fire was put out, and put Lliam on the floor this time, I went back to work. Thinking that I'd ACTUALLY get this weeding done in a day (since that's all I packed for and expected to be going home that night) I was so wrong! SOOO wrong! Taking care of 2 kids, nursing every 2 hours, naps, lunch and snack time, I was able to get about 1/3 of it done that day. Well, I guess I could stay just ONE more night. I don't want to leave a job unfinished. So we stay another night. This time, I have help. Step sister is home from school and was able to take care of the kids when I was outside, and when I was inside nursing, she was outside weeding too. So it worked out well for us. Later on that afternoon, we were able to take a break and go horseback riding. I haven't gone out on a horse since I passed out on a horse last. (July 30th, 2007). Things sorta feel different after you have a baby, so riding wasn't the most comfortable things I've done lately. LOL Dad has been trying to get step sister to barrel race. That has always been one of my dreams in life. To barrel race! I just watched her do the course and I knew that it was something that I wanted to try. But I'd have to get my confidence back on a horse again.

It was a long day, and lots of stuff got done! But still, we didn't have it finished. So I stayed ANOTHER night. Thank goodness I brought enough diapers. So now we are into staying on until Saturday. We finished the weeding, and then decided to help out with the pruning of the trees with the men.

We were busy climbing trees, cutting down dead branches, and slicing those branches into smaller pieces for the firepit. THAT was hard work too! I don't think I've had such a great workout! Here's hoping that I've lost weight. The girls job was to collect all the branches that have fallen, and put them in a pile.

Dad loves to reward hard work with fun time. So he got me and step sister to go out and catch the horses, who were right by the barn. As soon as we got near them they high-tailed it out passed our lake in the back 40! That is about a kilometer walk just to get back there. Well, since we were prepared to catch the horses, we thought we'd just trot on after them. BOY, in the hot sun, and in cowboy boots it seemed that it was a harder feat than I figured. In the absolute furthest part of the property, we finally caught the lead mare, Shawkay. Once we caught her, then all the other horses will follow. Step sister was getting a little tired from the walk, so I asked if she wanted to hop up on Shawkay and ride her while I lead her back into the barn. Of course, who wouldn't pass up a free ride back to the barn? To get her up on the horse, she stepped on my kneeling thigh to hoist herself up. That was a bad mistake on my part. She dug her heel of her boots right into my thigh...good thing she's onlyh 90 lbs! But seriously, I'm sporting a boot sized bruise on my thigh because of it! We started our trek back to the barn. I jogged for a little bit, and as I was jogging, I lost myself in a hole! Yep, a huge bader hole. My whole leg went straight down the hole. I wasn't hurt, I just disappeared into the prairie for a second. Step sister couldn't see me through the brush. I just had to laugh! Of course falling into a hole was something only I could pull off! I brushed myself off and started back on course back to the barn.

We got the horses saddle and we were ready for one more ride. We just took them for a lap around the front section. I was gaining my confidence back in the saddle. When we were done our ride, we decided to take the horses around the barrels. I had never tried it before, and it looked like fun. So off I go!

It was so much fun! I didn't go very fast or anything, and the horse didn't really know what the big deal was to run around 3 barrels. I think that I'm definately going to do it again next time I'm at dads.

After dinner and a nice jacuzzi soak, I was finally ready to head home. Jos was very happy to see us home.

Its nice to have a great family to serve, have fun with and count on.

A new member of the family

I know its been about 4 months since our 9 guppy babies were born, and they've been thriving well. No deaths yet. That fish tank was pretty bad luck for the first few weeks we had it. Well, turns out all the brothers and sisters smooshed in that tank must really love each other, because we have another baby in it! I knew one of the sister guppies was preggers, cuz she's HUGE, and only one baby came out. LOL I guess she carries the baby weight like I do!

A little Update

On wednesday, my older brother came by (the one who owns the house) and he hauled away a few more things from the back yard. Yay for things getting done around here! While he was here, he was sorting through his mail (which is still delivered here after a year!) and discovered he had a package. He opened it up, and it was a Wii Fit. I have been dying to get one of those for quite some time now. He said he bought it for someone, (someone else, I take it) and he decided to give it to me instead. Yes, to me! WOOT. I've used it every day this week (except for sunday) and I've seen progress. Anthony loves it, and I love it!

A funny video!!



Thursday was a good night at girls night. After we finally figured out what we were watching, we watched "Dan in Real life" funny movie, it just takes a while to get into it.

Fun times anyway. I love my girlfriends. They really make my stomach hurt with laughter.

Friday night was date night with Jos. We went to see a movie. WOW it was so much fun. We joined the many people who have seen "Dark Knight" Yes, its like 2 months late, better late than never eh?

Then on Saturday, Jos and I went out for dessert with a friend from BC. OH man, dessert was gooood. Catching up with friend from BC was amazing, and I see good things in our future. More to come on tha one!

I am dying to show ya'll what our back yard looks like now. But I'm sorta enjoying Cyn's stressing out about it. LOL

I started refinishing 2 dressers today, and I feel so accomplised. LOL ok not so much, but my life is really coming together!

A HUUUUGE plus...my sex-crazed, pot-smoking, loud-music neighbors moved out today! OH MAN, can you say BLESSINGS??!! I hated them, and I tried so much to be a good neighbor to them. Anyone want to move in next door?
http://www.homerent.ca/property/L17665

A little Late

I have a lot I want to write about my week and my accomplishments. I perfer to wait until I have enough "info" and details accumulated so I can make a blog-worthy post. Turns out, by the time I actually want to post all my juicy stuff, I have forgotten it all, and skip all the good details. So, I will strive to write more often, even if I deem them mediocre posts.

More to come about my week, I have to get the pictures off my camera.

A fun week!!!

This week was chalk full of fun times! Gee, I really love this mat-leave business!!! On tuesday, I drove to Lethbridge for a visit with my sisters. Anthony always looks forward to seeing his cousin Will, and the mischief they can get into together. Will has a bunch of fun toys that Anthony doesn't have, and honestly, we can't afford the toys Will has. That's ok, a nice trip to Lethbridge is cheaper right?! I went shopping at Wal-Mart, and got some necessities (ie. Fluffy spa bath towels for $6 - gotta love that Roll-back!

and some cheap DVD movies,

an organizational unit *small enough to put on our kitchen counter for some clutter relief*)

I brought home a small, but free, TV that I put in our Master Bedroom (Only to watch dirty DVDs at night....Er...I mean, watching my workout videos in the privacy of my own room)

I went to my sister's Ward Corn bust. At least I didn't pass out this time! Woah!!
I guess I haven't blogged about THAT incident yet. On Labor Day was my ward Corn bust. I was so looking forward to it! We got there, and the food was super! The corn was pretty good too, so good I had myself 2-1/2 cobs. After the corn was served, the dessert table appeared. I helped myself to a few treats, mostly chocolate. THEN the ward provided a cotton candy machine for some candy floss (LOL, floss!) After having a small portion of cotton candy, I must have gone into some sugar-induced pass out! I was holding Lliam at the time, so Jos reacted quickly and grabbed the baby, set him down, and tried to hold me up in my chair. I was in and out of consciousness for about 15 mintues!

A couple of guys (not sure if my husband was one of these two guys) hauled me out to a room in the church to assess the situation a little better without the whole ward watching. I came to, and of course had my bawl session of embarassment and disorientation, then started to feel better. Wierd! I haven't passed out since I was pregnant!

Anywho, so I went to my sister's ward corn bust (I'm a glutten for punishment - HAHA) and nothing bad happened this time. I tried to monitor what I was putting in my mouth a little better. It was at Pavan Park in Lethbridge and I hadn't been there before.

It was a cute little park in the North, and it was in the coulees. It was a perfect day for it too. After the corn bust, we took the boys (Anthony and Will) to Galt Gardens, to watch the new musical/laser fountain.

The boys loved to chase each other around the shooting water! They got soaked by the end of the night.

Friday, it was time to head back toward home again. Our next stop was in Nanton, to drop Anthony off at my dad's for him to be tended for the night. I was on my way to a RS retreat with the Cranston Ward. I was invited to attend, and I'm so glad that I got to go! It was in Glenwood at this HUGE (14 bdrm) cabin. There were like 45 people there! I counted about 13 babies there, all under the age of 1) Woah! There were sleeping bags and foamies all over the place, a true sleep over sight! I got into my PJ's, and we started playing those sleepover-type games. Oh man! It was so fun. I met so many ladies, and felt so 'at home'! It was so great to spend the night with my girlfriends! It was just the icing on the cake! Lliam was with me, and was such a good baby. I had my own room so I could be alone with Lliam. He slept through the night!! Like all through the night! It was super!

After such a great weekend, I'm so ready for a great week of continued de-cluttering, cleaning, hauling crap off to the junk yard, organizing, painting, and maybe even kitchen floor replacing! I have help, no worries!

*SIGH* ahhhhh, that was so super! Sorry, I don't have actual photos from the night, but I assure you, I had a great time!