May 13, 2011

This week Kaili has been doing dance stuff every day after school. She had a performance last night and will be performing again tonight. Unfortunately, I am working both nights and will miss it. I guess Ron is buying the DVD so I will get to see it at some point. I finished her vest with 1 day to spare. It isn't perfect, but it will do--and the $150+ savings by doing myself was worth it! The next one should be easier, especially if she and I can manage our schedules so that I will be able to fit it to her.

The cold has essentially cleared up and I am left with the allergies everyone else has right now, the pollen is coating everything in yellow at the moment.

I'm trying to get a few chores done, then I'm headed off to work. I am really looking forward to Mom's visit next week, and I managed to get the time off while she is here. Now, it would be awesome to get a stretch of nice weather for her visit too!

Post Mother's Day Post

I got a call from work on Saturday evening asking if I could come in yesterday. I told them if they couldn't find anyone else, I would be there. I thought that some of the folks I had heard lamenting the lack of hours they were scheduled to work would jump at another 5 hours--guess not!

I woke up with a stuffed head and sore throat, but Dax made me hashbrowns for breakfast, and that always makes one feel better! Then he, Kaili and Elizabeth brought me handmade cards and flowers. Ron and I delivered the bake sale goodies to the school on our way to church. After Sacrament meeting, Ron took me to work instead of attending Sunday School class.

When I got home from work, I called and chatted with Mom for a bit. By the time I was finished, they had quite the spread set-up for dinner; steaks, asian salad and tomato/cheese/herb bread. The kids had all been busy baking all day too. Adam made a devil's food cake, Kaili made cupcakes and Dax made the low cal brownies I like to take to work with me. Also, the African violets that didn't survive the move from Kamloops have largely been replaced after yesterday.

We ended the day by watching "The King's Speech". . .It was a very nice Mother's Day for me and I definitely was blessed to have "felt the love". I am so grateful for my family. I do miss having my Mom next door and wish my grandmothers could see the influences they have had on me as well as on the the children they either never met or barely knew.

Oh, and the stuffy head and sore throat has blossomed into a full-on cold, I was hoping it was only allergies!

Chocolate covered cherry cupcakes!?!

I have nearly completed Kaili's dance vest, but I needed to come up with something to contribute to a bake sale fund raiser for Ellie's class tomorrow. . .yes, they are holding it on Mother's Day. Anyway, I stole an idea from Robin for decorating cupcakes, but I wanted them to be something different without being too bizarre flavor-wise. As I was perusing the cake mix isle after work yesterday I saw a cherry chip mix. Then I grabbed a can of ready made fudge frosting. . .yeah, I know. . .I shoulda done scratch. Anyway, I did the cherry chip cupcakes, then dropped a cherry from some canned pie filling in the center of each cupcake before baking. They all got a coat of chocolate icing, then Kaili and I did the marshmallow flower thing to finish them off. I made 6 extra, so the fam got to taste test (they passed-the cupcakes, not the fam).

After spending my morning madly stitching, seam ripping, altering, re-stitching, baking and decorating, Dax had come home from his job and was telling me about his plans for the rest of the day. Kaili and I were just finishing up the last of the cupcakes and I mentioned I could take Dax with me when I went in to work at 12:30, then he could hang with his Dad and Ellie at the mall. Dax then says "Uh, Mom if your leaving for work at 12:30, shouldn't you get going?" It was 12:25!!! I had a shower, grabbed lunch, brushed teeth and hair and was out the door in 10 minutes, kinda reminded me of the old fire-fighting days.

Looks like they are short-handed tomorrow, so I will be working tomorrow too now. I feel like I gotta make hay while the sun shines. . .Hope everyone has a nice Mother's Day!

May 5, 2011

On the way to work this morning, I discovered this little gem blooming next to where we park the Sonoma. I just love these Trillium and was very happy to find some of them growing in our yard.

The dance vest is coming along, though I haven't done any work on it today. I found out that Kaili will need it for her dress rehearsal next Wednesday evening, so I will have to get cracking! I also have cupcakes to make and decorate for a fundraiser at Ellie's school on Sunday. I am planning to steal Robin's marshmallow flower idea for them. I plan to get a picture and post it when these projects are completed.

We have had a lot of people out at work and I have been picking up quite a few extra shifts lately. I am still waiting to hear back from Canada Citizenship about the extra documentation they called me and said they needed a month ago.

People are starting to really complain about our late start to spring, but I guess it will get here when it is good and ready to get here. We have been getting more sun, but it is still staying pretty cool.

Sunday at the Spit

Yesterday, May 1st, was the first day for campfires down at Goose Spit for this year. The day dawned bright and sunny, but was breezy and cool by afternoon.The hot dogs, hot chocolate, roast marshmallows and banana chocolate cake were happily consumed by everyone. Our furry children even got to eat a hot dog or two. We gathered with a few friends after church and had a hot dog roast down at the Spit. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and relax a bit. There was a brief observation about in the old days, when woodsmoke negated the need for deodorant at one point. . . yeah, I don't think so. Do ya think Kaili and Holly have enough marshmallows on that fork??? I think there were about 10 of them on there.

Today is all about removing the smoke smell from various articles. I also need to get going on a certain velvet dance vest, as I am quickly running out of time to do so.