Wednesday, December 26, 2007

New Poll Question

Being the holiday season, many families have different traditions and ways of celebrating the holiday especially with their children. I, personally, have never taught my kids to believe in "Santa Claus" however I know other people who do and feel that telling your kids there is no such thing as Santa Claus is just mean. What do you think? I know that many of the movies today are around the theme of "if you just believe" (ie. Polar Express, Miracle on 34th Street)...
What do you think? You can vote below, scroll down and keep scrolling to the end.

Thursday, December 20, 2007

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

These pictures were actually what I woke up to two days ago (Tuesday) but I've been so busy the past few days that I'm just getting them posted. Beautiful!




Our house from the road


Closeup of the frost


A street close to home, I love all the trees lining the road



an ornamental apple tree






The past couple days I've been busy wrapping presents as starting this weekend I'll be working a lot and won't have time to do this then. The kid's last day of school before Christmas break is tomorrow. They are so excited, only five more sleeps before Christmas!

Monday, December 17, 2007

Christmas At Our Place




Voila our Christmas tree! The decorations are mostly Disney characters and also some homemade ones by the kids as well as "special ones" to represent specific special occasions.









My nativity scene. I love Precious Moments and since I didn't have a nativity scene(until this year), my mom thought this one "had my name all over it" and I needed it for my collection.







Our stockings hung by the fire with care.












I got a garland this year and it matches the candle holder (pic coming up). Looks much nicer in real life than the pic does here. :( Peacock feathers and gold fruit -very pretty.








View of candle holder from the top










Candle holder from its spot on top of baker's rack.










Christmas advent picture that Wynn got from Sunday School. Cut out one picture per day up to Christmas and stick it on the big picture. On Christmas see "Who Is Coming?"










Another craft Wynn made at Sunday School. "Each evening after prayers are said, Take off one link and hop into bed. When only the star is left to shine, Then you will know it's Christmastime!"










Refreshments are served. I have so many recipes that I like at this time of year. But have narrowed it down to 3 that are specific to moi. First I'm going to share our brunch with you -

Potato Picante Pie (make the night before)

5 eggs
2 1/2 cups frozen (shredded) hash brown potatoes
1 cup (4 oz) shredded Monteray Jack cheese
1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
2/3 cup picante sauce (salsa)
2 green onions, sliced
1/4 tsp. salt
6 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

In a bowl, beat eggs. Stir in hash browns, cheeses, sauce, onions, and salt. Pour into a greased 9" pie plate. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake at 350 degreees for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with bacon; bake 5-10 minutes longer or until center is set. Serve with additional picante sauce if desired.
Makes 6 servings

During the day, many appatizers and dainties are available to munch on. One of my favorite and very simple to make is called -

Surprise Spread (serve with crackers)

1 - 8 oz pkg cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise

Mix above ingredients well and spread on a pizza pan or glass dish the size of a pizza pan.

1 cup seafood sauce
2 - 4 oz tins broken or cocktail shrimp
2 - green onions (chopped)
1 - tomato (seeded and chopped)
1 - small green pepper
2 cups mozzarella cheese (shredded)
1 cup marble cheese (shredded)

Spread seafood sauce on cream cheese. Layer shrimp, green onions, tomato, pepper, cheese.
Serve with crackers & Enjoy!

[OK, one more appetizer that we just love to eat, many of you probably have your own recipes as it is so popular but here is the one I use -


Mushrooms Neptune


1 pkg (8 oz/250 g) cream cheese

1 can (113 g) shrimp, drained

1 can (113 g) crabmeat, drained

2 green onions, finely chopped

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/8 tsp garlic powder

1 tbsp lemon juice

dash hot pepper sauce

30 large mushrooms


In large bowl or electric mixer, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add shrimp, crab, green onions, Parmesan cheese, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, lemon juice, and hot pepper sauce. Beat until fluffy. Remove stems from mushrooms. Spoon cheese mixture into mushroom caps, filling generously. Place caps onto cookie sheet. Bake at 425 degrees for 8 - 10 minutes or until puffed and lightly browned. Serve immediatley.

Yield: 30 mushrooms]



I love shortbread and eggnog at Christmas time but since I moved out to Manitoba (about 11 years ago) I have developed a new holiday favorite -

Vinarterta

Dough layers: Filling:
1 cup (250 g) butter 2 pounds (900 g) pitted prunes
1 cup (250 ml) sugar 1/2 cup (125 ml) sugar
2 beaten eggs 1/2 to 1 tsp (2 - 5 ml) cinnamon
1/4 tsp (1 ml) salt 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla
2 tsps (10 ml) baking powder
4 cups (1 L) flour

Dough layers:Mix as cookie dough - cream together butter and suger. Add the eggs.
Sift dry ingerdients together. Gradually blend in to butter and sugar mixture. Chill well.
Roll dough into 6 flat cakes 8 to 9 inches (20 to 22 cm) in diameter and 1/8 inch thick. Use pie plate or dinner plate to cut circle. Poke with a fork. Bake at 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) for 8 - 10 minutes.
Filling:Boil prunes until well cooked. Add sugar, cinnamon and vanilla.
Spread between layers. Let stand 24 hours
Vinarterta may be iced with butter icing.


For more Christmas Tour of Homes go to Boomama's blog.

Christmas Tour Of Homes

Oops! I posted my place this morning however, I'm still trying to figure out how to change to date of a post to the date posted if you started early (before the post date). Help, anyone you knows or can help me.

Christmas Tour of Homes

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Christmas At Our Place




Voila our Christmas tree! The decorations are mostly Disney characters and also some homemade ones by the kids as well as "special ones" to represent specific special occasions.









My nativity scene. I love Precious Moments and since I didn't have a nativity scene(until this year), my mom thought this one "had my name all over it" and I needed it for my collection.







Our stockings hung by the fire with care.












I got a garland this year and it matches the candle holder (pic coming up). Looks much nicer in real life than the pic does here. :( Peacock feathers and gold fruit -very pretty.








View of candle holder from the top










Candle holder from its spot on top of baker's rack.










Christmas advent picture that Wynn got from Sunday School. Cut out one picture per day up to Christmas and stick it on the big picture. On Christmas see "Who Is Coming?"










Another craft Wynn made at Sunday School. "Each evening after prayers are said, Take off one link and hop into bed. When only the star is left to shine, Then you will know it's Christmastime!"










Refreshments are served. I have so many recipes that I like at this time of year. But have narrowed it down to 3 that are specific to moi. First I'm going to share our brunch with you -

Potato Picante Pie (make the night before)

5 eggs
2 1/2 cups frozen (shredded) hash brown potatoes
1 cup (4 oz) shredded Monteray Jack cheese
1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
2/3 cup picante sauce (salsa)
2 green onions, sliced
1/4 tsp. salt
6 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

In a bowl, beat eggs. Stir in hash browns, cheeses, sauce, onions, and salt. Pour into a greased 9" pie plate. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake at 350 degreees for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with bacon; bake 5-10 minutes longer or until center is set. Serve with additional picante sauce if desired.
Makes 6 servings

During the day, many appatizers and dainties are available to munch on. One of my favorite and very simple to make is called -

Surprise Spread (serve with crackers)

1 - 8 oz pkg cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise

Mix above ingredients well and spread on a pizza pan or glass dish the size of a pizza pan.

1 cup seafood sauce
2 - 4 oz tins broken or cocktail shrimp
2 - green onions (chopped)
1 - tomato (seeded and chopped)
1 - small green pepper
2 cups mozzarella cheese (shredded)
1 cup marble cheese (shredded)

Spread seafood sauce on cream cheese. Layer shrimp, green onions, tomato, pepper, cheese.
Serve with crackers & Enjoy!

[OK, one more appetizer that we just love to eat, many of you probably have your own recipes as it is so popular but here is the one I use -


Mushrooms Neptune


1 pkg (8 oz/250 g) cream cheese

1 can (113 g) shrimp, drained

1 can (113 g) crabmeat, drained

2 green onions, finely chopped

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/8 tsp garlic powder

1 tbsp lemon juice

dash hot pepper sauce

30 large mushrooms


In large bowl or electric mixer, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add shrimp, crab, green onions, Parmesan cheese, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, lemon juice, and hot pepper sauce. Beat until fluffy. Remove stems from mushrooms. Spoon cheese mixture into mushroom caps, filling generously. Place caps onto cookie sheet. Bake at 425 degrees for 8 - 10 minutes or until puffed and lightly browned. Serve immediatley.

Yield: 30 mushrooms]



I love shortbread and eggnog at Christmas time but since I moved out to Manitoba (about 11 years ago) I have developed a new holiday favorite -

Vinarterta

Dough layers: Filling:
1 cup (250 g) butter 2 pounds (900 g) pitted prunes
1 cup (250 ml) sugar 1/2 cup (125 ml) sugar
2 beaten eggs 1/2 to 1 tsp (2 - 5 ml) cinnamon
1/4 tsp (1 ml) salt 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla
2 tsps (10 ml) baking powder
4 cups (1 L) flour

Dough layers:Mix as cookie dough - cream together butter and suger. Add the eggs.
Sift dry ingerdients together. Gradually blend in to butter and sugar mixture. Chill well.
Roll dough into 6 flat cakes 8 to 9 inches (20 to 22 cm) in diameter and 1/8 inch thick. Use pie plate or dinner plate to cut circle. Poke with a fork. Bake at 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) for 8 - 10 minutes.
Filling:Boil prunes until well cooked. Add sugar, cinnamon and vanilla.
Spread between layers. Let stand 24 hours
Vinarterta may be iced with butter icing.


For more Christmas Tour of Homes go to Boomama's blog.

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

I Need These

Yup, another giveaway. I can't imagine actually having $200.00 to spend just on jeans. Maybe that is what I have to do rather than be the scrooge that I am about shopping for myself. To find out out I'm talking about, go to this site. I rarely ever get out shopping for myself, thus the reason I wore maternity jeans for the longest time. Perhaps a place like True Jeans is what I need, rather than the bargain shops that I usually go to. And wow! $200.00 on a jeans shopping spree - I still can't get over that. Considering the most I've ever spent on a pair of jeans (for myself) would be $40. I wonder if you can buy the shape/figure of the model in the jeans you purchase....now THAT would be priceless!

He's so excited :)

My six year old has his first loose tooth! On the way home from school, Wynn announced, "I have some exciting news to tell you! But since you are cold, I'll tell you my exciting news as soon as we get home." (The tempurature was dropping as we were walking home from school, so yes I had asked everyone to walk quicker as mommy was getting cold!) True to his word, as soon as we got in the door, Wynn told us he has his first loose tooth. The front right one on the bottom, and we all got to wiggle it. Many other kids in Wynn's class and his cousin who is 2 days younger than him have all had their first loose tooth long ago, some are even missing two. How old were your kid(s) (if applicable) when they got their first loose tooth?

Monday, December 10, 2007

A Busy Weekend

Whew! Am I glad that weekend is over...now we can slow down a bit. :) Cliff & I went to his work Christmas party on Friday. Saturday afternoon, Autumn had her winter show for rhythmic gymnastics and Wynn also had his Christmas sleepover that day for Beavers. Then, on Sunday (before I returned from the sleepover with Wynn), a friend came over to start painting the walls of the hallway and staircase as the walls are so high and I really had no idea how "I" was going to do it. I don't have pics from the party but I must say that Cliff sang Kareokee (not bad I must say) and I danced some. (Probably a good thing I don't have pics of that! :)!) I also don't have pics of the painting as it is still in process, instead I'll post pics of when it is done. However, I DO HAVE pics of my kids and their w/e activities.
AUTUMN: (sorry I didn't get the pics edited yet, hope they are not too dark)






WYNN:


Making Christmas crafts


Rolling out their personal pizza crust


A little bit of tomato sauce then toppings


It's done & looks good...Let's eat!


Storytime around the campfire


Breakfast time - making breakfast burritos


Stick the tail on the beaver

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Blog Party


You are invited to a party that is having a very special blog giveaway. Go to Tamara's site and read about her story of three years of blogging and the story of the angel bear she is giving away. It really touched me - don't forget your box of kleenex. And while you are there leave a comment to encourage Tamara too.

Free Candle

Yup another giveaway! :) Vanilla Spice, that's the one for me. Which one is your favorite? Go to this site and check them out and enter yourself in the giveaway. Don't forget to enter your name and mention you heard about it from me. Good Luck!

Walking With The Dinosaurs

I know that I'm kind of late getting these pictures posted. Especially considering the show was Nov. 30th. No excuses, I'll just get to doing that right now cause when I give my word, I do WHAT I say I will (just not always WHEN I say I will) *embarrased smilie*



This is my gang anxiously waiting for the show to start.








Liam showing off his dinosaur shirt. "Soft & Fuzzy"..."Boy is he in for a surprise!"










No Picture Available (mine didn't turn out) - The Triassic Period. The environment was very harsh, with deserts and dry wilderness. There was no grass and no flowers. There were no dinosaurs at the beginning of the triassic but many amphibians and reptiles. At the end of the period, the first sauropods appear.





The Jurassic Period - The continents shift and the climates worldwide become wetter and warmer. The deserts retreat and are replaced by lush forests and vast open fern prairies.






The Stegosaurus - at 9 meters long and 4 meters tall, this is one of the most easily identifiable dinos.







Mass fire burning and killing all the vegetation









Rain has put out the fires but there is no vegetation so many of the herbivores dinosaures died out.


















The Cretaceuos Period - the continents continue to break up and there is more bodies of water forming and the sea levels were high. In the skies, the Pterosaurs were common. Dinosaurs on land continued to diversify and dominate the landscape. New species of herbivores emerged and new carnivore groups developed.




For the first time, flowering plants appeared and became the dominant flora.


















Here comes mommy T-Rex! That little guy in the corner would be her baby that the other dinos are cornering...

















Mommy T-Rex and baby. T.Rex was one of the largest terrestrial carnivores of all time. It stood approx 4-5 meters high, was about 12-15 meters in length and roughly 6 tonnes in weight. It was one of the last dinos to exist prior to the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction event. It's not certain what caused the demise of the dinos but the most widely accepted explanation of the mass extinction of animal and marine life at the end of the late Cretaceous is the collision of a meteor into the earth.

Monday, November 26, 2007

I Can't Believe It...Actually I Can!


What an ordeal that was! This used to be where we had a sliding patio door. It was soo cold in the winter, we had to put plastic inside and outside because until then you could feel the cold air radiating through. We got it changed to an insulated garden door with brass grills to match the rest of the windows. Sounds easy enough, right. NOT! When the installers started removing the frame of the old door, part of the wall started cracking and falling! Needless to say, the guy inside yelled to the guy outside to "STOP" and said in a confused tone, "This isn't supposed to happen!?" When you build a door, you are supposed to have a header that holds the wall up and THEN the frame is inserted. There was no header so the door is all that was holding the wall up. So they just inserted it temporarily and came back with all the tools/items they needed two days later and constructed a header, put up new drywall and inserted the door correctly and sealed it. This picture doesn't actually make it look too bad, but you can see where the piece about 3'' high is above the door that was replaced. Sooner than later I'll have to get around to painting that part of the wall white like the rest. The guys kept apologizing but I more than understood. In fact, I just shook my head and told Cliff, "Now you have another (true) story of the peculiarities of this house." Honestly, we have come across so many goof-ups of when this place was built or renovated - windows, plumbing, structural just to name a few. On a positive note, we were lucky to get the door changed just before the snow came to stay.

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Ta - Da!



After checking several stores and not being able to find a microwave (who would have thought...), we finally went to Home Depot (one of my favorite stores:) ). The problem then wasn't IS there one, but rather WHICH one. Well, we finally decided and there it is on the left. It is a combination microwave/convection oven. I must admit I've never used a convection oven and so was a little hesitant at first but Hubby thought this would be easier as well as more energy efficient. I'm open to trying new things, especially if they make things easier for me in the long run! :) Have any of you ever used a convection oven? Are there certain things you prefer baking or cooking in it? I'll have to let you know how it goes.

In other news, my mother, my kids, and I went to attend a Saturday evening service at Church Of The Rock, yesterday evening. A boy who is in Wynn's grade 1 class and his family attend so it was nice to know someone there. The kids really enjoyed and so did both I and my mom. I enjoyed the music, the service, and the mood/environment. My 4 year old daughter and her friend were dancing in the aisle during Praise & Worship and all the kids enjoyed the kids ministry. I'm hoping to go back this coming Saturday and there is also a home-group near where we live that I would like to find out more about and hopefully attend. More than anything, I would really like to go as a family (moi, Hubby, & kids). I think DH would probably like it. He grew up in the Catholic church and now doesn't have much to do with church. He does not agree with the Catholic teaching but whenever he's gone to a more charasmatic church with me, he has been uncomfortable and for lack of better words, "freaked out". The pastor and the congregation are of a younger generation and I think he may feel more comfortable getting back into the church setting here. Last night's service was on Acts chapter 1 and us being "Transformers" It was very good and the pastor was very down to earth, real, and in his own way - funny. Here is a joke for you - (Q) What do you call a transformer's sister? (A) a transister :D.

Saturday, November 17, 2007

Prayer Basket

Tamara at Training Hearts is having a giveaway for a prayer basket. It is such a creative idea and I know that my prayer life is lacking so thought maybe this would be a cute way to make it more fun. All you have to do is leave a comment with your email. Check it out!

Friday, November 16, 2007

Blog Giveaway

I just entered my first blog giveaway at Yes, They Are All Mine. All you have to do is visit the site and leave a comment by Nov.21.

On the homefront, my microwave "bit the dust" this afternoon. The saying "you never realize what you had until it is gone" is so true. Just the little things. I was getting supper ready for the kids and I kept hitting myself cause I kept "forgetting" I had no microwave. The kids were having tacos - no problem right? Wrong! I'll just defrost the ground beef in the microwave....NOT! I'll just warm up the tortillas in the microwave...Not! Even left overs aren't much good w/o a microwave. Speaking from experience - I had cold spaghetti for lunch - Blagh!! We'll be out picking up some Christmas gifts tomorrow, I don't think a microwave can wait that long....so guess we'll be shopping for one of those too.

Thursday, November 15, 2007

I'm SOOOOO Excited!!!!!!

What started as a typical evening call from my mother ended up being the best news I've heard all day. Now when somebody asks me, "What's new?", I can tell them...........are you ready for this?.............I may very likely be going to New Zealand next summer!! :D Mom mentioned that she is going next June as it will be her oldest brother's 45th wedding anniversary and all the family are getting together. Apparently she didn't make it last year for his birthday so upon threat of death (just joking - just a little big brother/little sister lingo) she is going for this special occasion. My brother is going to accompany her and for some odd reason she had never thought I would want to go. Like DUH!!!! Mom!!! I'm sooo excited, I will get to meet my other half of the family, see the beautiful country of New Zealand, and get to see New Plymouth (the city I was born in). My mom is also looking forward to the trip even more now cause she gets to take both her kids back with her.
I still can hardly believe this is going to happen and not just a dream. Just the other day when I was talking to someone re the possibility of completing my 101 in 1001 list, I used the example of my goal "to visit New Zealand" to say "like that will ever happen in the next 2.75 years..." Well, guess what - it just may happen!!

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

First one completed!

I finally finished typing my list of 101 things to do in 1001 days. And even posted it to my blog as well as the master list for this meme. I found the home for this meme at this website. Others who are participating in this meme and there lists can be found here.

For this meme, I would like to tag BJ and Andrea, if they have time and would like to participate. I'll send a message to those who have been tagged to let then know.

Just a note

Oops I just posted something now but it came up as dated Nov.11. Guess that's because that is when I started it but I thought it would have today's date as I was editing it today. *??Shrug??*

Just in case you read my list and wonder about the color coding...I'm not quite done yet. It is a work in process.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

42 Sleeps Left!

Normally around this time of year I can proudly say I'm almost done my Christmas shopping. Not this year... Instead, not counting somethings I ordered in the mail a couple months ago, I just started my shopping yesterday. I'm not sure why I'm so slow getting started and organized this year. Perhaps it is the lack of snow on the ground, perhaps I'm sidetracked with other things (like painting my house, perhaps I'm just procrastinating and that is all there is to it. Whatever the case (the latter is prob the closest), I need to get organized. How about you? Are you ready for Christmas to come in 42 sleeps?

Sunday, November 11, 2007

The 101 Things To Do In 1001 Days Project

After figuring out what a meme is and viewing various ones via a Google search, I came along this meme and thought it would be a good motivator as well as fun. It comes from this website: http://triplux.com/dayzero/default.asp? Being a person who likes to make lists as I seem to remember things better and have a better chance of accomplishing them if I do, this seemed like a good meme for me to do and blog about. Also, it will help me get organized and hopefully accomplish some things I have been procrastinating about as well as some that will help me grow as a person in various dimensions. So here it goes...! P.S. I must say that upon viewing some other lists I am borrowing some others' ideas for grouping the "things" as well as charting my progress with various colors.

The Mission:
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).

Why 1001 Days?
Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple goals such as New Year's resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organising and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.

Some common goal setting tips:
1. Be decisive. Know exactly what you want, why you want it, and how you plan to achieve it.

2. Stay Focussed. Any goal requires sustained focus from beginning to end. Constantly evaluate your progress.

3. Welcome Failure. Frequently, very little is learned from a venture that did not experience failure in some form. Failure presents the opportunity to learn and makes the success more worthy.

4. Write down your goals. It clarifies your thinking and reinforces your commitment.

5. Keep your goals in sight. Review them frequently, and ensure that they are always at the forefront of your thinking.

Start Date: November 12, 2007
End Date: August 9, 2010

Purple Bold Text - finished with completion date
Yellow Bold Text - in progress

My 101 in 1001:

HEALTH
1. lose 5 pounds (Feb 4, 2008)
2. lose 10 pounds (June 13, 2008)
3. lose 15 pounds
4. lose 20 pounds
5. do aerobic exercise daily for 3 months (25/90)
6. get a gym membership (July 2008) -I actually had one through work but it is so far away I don't use it very often. I got one at the local YMCA and also am able to take my kids for swimming lessons too.)
7. drink 8 - 8oz. glasses of water a day for 3 months (35/90)
8. visit the gynecologist 2 times (0/2)
9. get my teeth professionally cleaned by a dentist (0/1)
10. never eat after 8pm (225/1001)
11. go to bed by 10:30 (95/500)

SELF IMPROVEMENT/ WELL-BEING
12. stop chewing my fingernails
13. get my Beginner's Driver Licence (Jan. 11, 2008)
14. get my Full Driver Licence (March 27, 2008)
15. pray daily (2/1001)
16. read my Bible everyday (20/1001)
17. attend a new church once a month for a year (9/12)
18. attend a parenting course with hubby to learn & practice better discipline
19. learn to control my anger, don't yell at the kids for 3 months (0/3)
20. take a trip (other than work) w/o hubby or kids (June '08 - New Zealand & Aug'08 - New Brunswick)
21. make a new friend (0/1)
22. say one nice thing to someone else daily (175/1001)
23. get a pedicure for the first time (0/1)
24. get a professional massage (0/1)

FAMILY/ RELATIONSHIPS
25. go on a getaway vacation with hubby (no kids) once a year (0/3)
26. go on a family vacation (with hubby & kids)(0/1)
27. sit down and read to the kids daily (205/1001)
28. have a devotional with the kids weekly (15/143)
29. tell the kids daily I love them (340/1001)
30. kiss Hubby goodnight (330/1001)
31. play 150 games with my kids (56/150)
32. paint Autumn's fingernails once a month (6/33)
33. get kids to school before 8:50am (55/300)
34. take kids the the library once a month (2/33)
35. teach Wynn how to tie his shoe laces
36. teach Autumn how to tie her shoe laces
37. potty train Liam
38. reply to each email received the day it was received for 3 weeks (15/21)
39. write and send one snail mail letter per month, just because (2/33)
40. to send 10 random friends anonymous gifts (0/10)
41. make a will

HOME
42. paint staircase (Dec.17/07 - Thanks B!) & stencil wall (me)
43. paint upstairs hallway (Dec.17/07 - Thanks B!)
44. paint main floor hallway (Dec.17/07 - Thanks B!)
45. organize and file loose recipes into a binder
46. organize and file unfiled documents (Jan.30/08)
47. keep things filed for 2 months (0/2)
48. organize my bedroom closet and get rid of anything we don't wear
49. organize the kitchen and get rid of anything we don't use
50. clean out and organize the coat closet getting rid of things we don't use or need
51. get the upstairs bathroom remodelled
52. grow and maintain a beautiful perennial garden for a whole year/growing season
53. more efficiently use the two compost bins I currently have, one only knows my kids waste enough food!
54. re-stain the deck
55. build a pergola over the deck
56. build a pond garden
57. create and stick to a weekly menu for 8 weeks (1/8)

FINANCIAL
58. keep bankbook balanced for three months (1/3)
59. write down all transactions for three months (1/3)
60. pay off all home-improvement related loans (0/5?)
61. pay off credit cards (0/3)
62. accumulate $1000 in our Savings account and keep it there for emergency fund
63. take a money management course
64. make & maintain a monthly budget
65. keep monthly grocery bill under $450 for a year (3/12)
66. save for & buy a vehicle for Cliff (& I) to commute to work

FUN
67. take a ballroom dancing course with hubby
68. dance (waltz) with hubby at a public function
69. do a fast dance with hubby at a public function
70. learn to skate on my rollerblades
71. finish books I've started including: Geisundtheit
72. ... My Sister's Keeper (March 4, 2008)
73. ... The Strong-Willed Child
74. ... Woman First, Family Always
75. ... Love & Logic Magic For Early Childhood
76. learn to play the piano
77. learn to sew
78. make a scrapbook of Wynn
79. make a scrapbook of Autumn
80. make a scrapbook of Liam
81. learn to swim
82. bike trails near my house yet unventured
83. figure out how to bike from my house to work
84. ride a roller-coaster
85. participate in Gimme Your Stuff: http://gimmeyourstuff.blogspot.com/
86. learn to drive a stick-shift

TRAVEL
87. visit Betty-Jo & Company in New Brunswick ( August 18 - 24 '08 !)
88. to visit New Zealand ( June 22 - July 4, 2008 :D !!!!)
89. to take kids somewhere on a plane trip
90. to travel on a train
91. stay at our timeshare cabin for the first time
92. go to British Columbia and see the West Coast I've yet unseen (June 22, 2008 - 8 hour layover going to NZ)
93. take the kids to DisneyWorld

WORK
94. take the Wound Care Workshop at work (Nov 22, 2007)
95. get my certification in Gerontological Nursing
96. update my CPR and be confident with same

OTHER/BLOGGING
97. blog several times a week for 6 months/24 weeks (7/24)
98. finish, type and post this list (Nov. 14, 2007)
99. blog about each of my 101 tasks as completed
100. get someone else to do this 101 in 1001 with me
101. near the end of the 1001 days, create a new list including those tasks left undone

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Picture Tour Of My Home


This is the view from the front door looking down the hallway.



If you look to the left you see the livingroom (we will go there after we come back downstairs.)



Turn to the right and you are looking up the first landing going upstairs.



Turn to the left and eight more stairs going up to the 2nd landing.



If you turn left again there are two more stairs and you are upstairs. Turn left and you are at Cliff's & my room. This pic is obviously taken from in our room facing outward.




Looking into our room from the door. The windows face the front.


The other end of our room.


Looking out our bedroom you see the boy's bedroom straight ahead. The stairs are directly to your right. Autumn's room is on the left side of the hall and the 2nd floor bathroom is opposite it on the right side of the hallway.


The boys room. That would be Autumn on the top bunk.


We will turn clockise and view the room. 1st turn right, the bunk beds.


1/4 turn right again, the shelving unit.


1/4 turn right again, the door is open against the wall with the closet.


Come out of the boys room and to your left is the bathroom. You can see where we had to cut part of the wall to make our new toilet fit and you can see the chipboard underneath. You can't really see from this picture, but there are three layers of flooring/tile.


The vanity we want to change.


The shower/tub.


Across the hall is Autumn's room.


Look inside and to the left you can see her closet.


Turn around and there is her dresser. To the left is the door and we will go back to the main floor now.


Looking out Autumn's room and heading downstairs.

Going downstairs. These are the walls I want to paint. I'm thinking of a peachy color. I have a friend who has offered to help as these walls are so high.


Look up and you see the window at the top of the stairs. I like the natural light.


You can see the stairs/landing we have just come down and we are going into the living room.


This is my bookcase along the "hallway wall".


And the other side of the living room facing the bookcase. This picture is taken from the dining room. The long wall behind the loveseat and shelves have the FibreWall (it is hard to see it in this picture) as well as the wall we are facing going to the dining room.



Now we are looking from the living room and walking into the dining room. You can also see the kitchen to the far right. Behind the table you can see part of our patio door that goes onto the deck in the backyard. We are getting this door changed to a french door on the right and a side vent on the left, sometime this month.


Standing in the same spot turn around 180degrees and you see the rest of the dining area. (Boy, does this pic every look cluttered!) Anyway...on the left side is my pantry and on the right is the computer. And my kids artwork plastering the wall in between.


Turn back around and voila my "one-bum" kitchen.


From the kitchen, you turn right and start down the hallway. Your first door on the left is the main floor bathroom.


Another view just inside to the left.


A couple more steps down the hall and the next door on your left leads here. You can go straight out to the attached garage or go down a couple steps and turn right and you are going downstairs to the basememt.


"Caution: Enter If You Dare" You are standing on the landing wondering if you should go down there!....



Here are the stairs you are walking down to the kids play area.


First we are going to detour to the right. Beyond the baby gate is the chest freezer, furnace, hot water tank and at the back the washer & dryer AKA my "laundry room".


At the right past the furnace and pipes is my washer & dryer and a soaker tub/sink.
Not a very good picture of the area but it is too small to get much in any other way.


Heading back out to the main area, it is an L-shape. You see the kids play area straight in front of you.


And to the right you see the family room/tv area. We tried to designate the difference in "rooms" by changing the color of the walls and the carpet.


This area actually used to be two seperate rooms but we took out the dividing wall to make the room bigger and more functional. This is where Cliff was rearranging things off of the two now empty shelves at the far wall and onto the cubie shelving unit. Where the empty shelves are is where Cliff would like a large (42") flat screen tv on the wall. As I said, he likes to dream. :) And below our Nursing Diplomas you can see my electric fireplace that I got last year for Christmas.



...THUS ENDS THE TOUR OF OUR "HOME SWEET HOME"!