Shake Shake Shake, Shake Shake Shake, Shake Your Bottle

About a week ago we got our own Soda Shaker. After about four tries and watching the instructional video, it worked. Yea! Now we can make our own pop. Our problem was our pop tasted like vinegar. But now it doesn't. Its all in the technique

Chicks and Chocolate, A.K.A. Hen Party

Tuesday, jenthemom, Beautyshop momma and I visited A day in the life of a blonde. We went to her house for a last hurrah before her baby came. There was brownies and no bake cheesecake for the two prego ladies and Veggies and crackers for the two who were not. Actually it didn't work out that way. I have no will power. I think I could almost eat anything in front of me, its some sort of oral thing. My solution is not to be around it, but I have to eat sometime.

Now back to my story...

We went there to pamper the blonde and ourselves. Pedis, manis, and waxing were on the menu, but we were laughing so hard we forgot (plus there was food). Its probably a good thing too because who can paint a decent toenail when your doubled over and imagine trying to wax. Waxing is serious business; not for the lighthearted. So what if things didn't go as planned.

I think the blonde secretly wished all of the laughing would induce labour. Nothing! I feel bad for her she seems so uncomfortable. I do hope it comes a week or two early. The babe should stay in there just long enough for the lungs to finish developing and then out it should come. Unfortunately for me it didn't happen that way for me. Both my kids were a week + overdue. I honestly hope that doesn't happen to the blonde. However I have a bit of a confession to make. Most of the time I secretly wish pregnant ladies to go over one week. I don't want anything bad to happen, just that the gestate a little longer. I know I'm a sicko, but misery love company, or I just want to be more normal. Just to make it clear, I don't want the blonde to go over. She is miserable enough already.

So here is to a bunch of women getting together, talking about sex, and eating chocolate. Oh look my husband is shaking his head over there in the corner. I bet he wishes he had mental "earplugs". Oh honey you know I would never ever talk about us;)

I Want To Ride My Bicycle, I Want to Ride My Bike.

One Week Ago

E: "Can I have a bike mom?"
Me:"Not right now."
E: "Can I have one for my birthday?"
Me: "Yes possibly."
E: "When is my birthday?"
Me: "Not until August. It is a long time."

E: "Dad can I have a bike for my birthday?"
Dad:" Yes but that is a long time away."
E:"OoooKaaaay."

Six Days ago

E: "Can I have a bike mom?"
Me:"Not right now."
E: "Can I have one for my birthday?"
Me: "Yes possibly."
E: "When is my birthday?"
Me: "Not until August. It is a long time."

E: "Dad can I have a bike for my birthday?"
Dad:" Yes but that is a long time away."
E:"OoooKaaaay."

Five days ago

E: "Can I have a bike mom?"
Me:"Not right now."
E: "Can I have one for my birthday?"
Me: "Yes possibly."
E: "When is my birthday?"
Me: "Not until August. It is a long time."

E: "Dad can I have a bike for my birthday?"
Dad:" Yes but that is a long time away."
E:"OoooKaaaay."

Four days ago

E: "Can I have a bike?"
E: "Pleeease can I have a bike? I want to ride like D."

Dad "Maybe we should look in the bargain finder"

Dad finds a bike pays for it only to find out its not the size that was advertised. Its too big. Not to worry, we can put training wheels on. So we go purchase some training wheels. Can't get them on because the frame is bent. Crap we are out $45.

Fast forward to today

We return the training wheels and buy a new bike with training wheels already attached. Then we buy a helmet and a bell.

E:" Dad can I pleeeeaaase ride my new bike? Can I please ride it now?"
Dad: "Not until after lunch."
E: " I don't want lunch I wan to ride my bike."
Dad"We could take it back."
E: "NOOOOOOO"

We ate lunch
After lunch it was time to pick up D. I tell him he can ride his bike to the school. On the way there he started singing

"E____'s got a yellow bike.
E____'s got a yellow bike.
He is riding it to school.
He is riding it to school."

I must say his maiden voyage was far better that D's was and I think I've taught him that if he is persistent enough, he can wear me down to getting what he wants. Now what am I going to do with this other bike?

In Heaven There Will Be No Phones

For those of you who hadn't heard about my previous phone bill problems check here. Well guess what we have been sold again. This time my cell phone bundle with home phone has been separated like twins from birth. Yes This time they billed us wrong. I fell a little bad for the customer service guy who called me this to time see if I was happy with my service (he is probably thinking open can worms everywhere). He managed to calm me down but really is it that hard to get a bill right? The thing that gets me is right after we went line by line and discovered yes I do need a credit he asked me if I wanted to make automatic preauthourized payments. Are you kidding? Why does that always happen? Why do they offer me something that would cause me more frustration in moments like this. How much longer would it take to get my money back? All I have left to say is that whe I die there had better be ESP or something instead of phones.

The Heat Is On

I am not much of a sports freak but just so you know...
Calgary won their first playoff game.

Lets Go Flames, Lets Go! Woo Woo.

Come On Baby Light My Fire. Try To Set The World On, FIRE!

I started writing this as a comment to Fourth Fret's Pyro post but I had so much more to say.

I am a pyro too. My mother threatened to burn me herself if I ever had an unsupervised open flame. The best was when I wanted a night light, but didn't have one, so I used a candle, but instead of a pillar or votive they were birthday candles and instead of being in a cake they were tied to my wooden bunkbed. I was 4 or 5 and my dad was supposed to watching us. Just as I lit the match, my mom pulled into the drive way. I got scared and dropped the match on my mattress. Somehow we managed to get through it without burning down the house or bed, just a black quarter size spot on the mattress and a burned thumb. Obviously the consequences were not big enough because this spawned many similar instances over many years. Maybe that is why my mother finally threatened me. Ok it is the reason why my mother threatened me.

The funny thing is I am afraid of fire.

Rollin' Rollin' Rollin' Easter Weekend

I don't usually like wasting food. In fact I blame most of my weight problem on this very fact. I don't know when I go to be this way. I remember as a kid never finishing my meal and not caring much about it. My father hated wasted food, still does. Maybe the constant nagging to finish my dinner, when I was young, got stuck in my head and has made me the human garbage disposal I am to day. That being said, I do have certain criteria under which I find it acceptable to waste food. One of those being Easter.

Growing up my family coloured eggs like everyone else. My mom used the vinegar, food colouring and boiling water method. My husbands family bought kits. I've learned to accept that neither way is better than the other. After colouring the oldfashioned way we tie dyed our eggs. How you ask? Get the kit I say.

Anyway now back to my wasting food. It has been a tradition in my family to hike up the closest hill and "roll" our eggs down them. I don't know why we do this or if there is some symbolism in the act but guarenteed you will find us on a hill somewhere launching eggs. It takes some practice to learn the technique that will enable your egg to not break (my egg is still whole). We have contests to see who's can roll the farthest and who's can remain whole the longest. My kids and their cousins had fun, and my dad ate his broken egg.

Sunday morning was a different kind of day. We like to keep our bunnies and our savior separate. My kids did get their basket that morning just barely, because I forgot. In stead of focusing on the bunny we had our kids watch the DVD "Faith In Christ". Thankfully there isn't too much graphic depiction of the torture of Jesus, but I should have know my sensitive 6 year old would start crying. He comes by it honestly. I tried to get him to focus on the resurrected Christ but he was so sad that people could be so mean. We talked about it for a while and by the end of the day he was ok I think.

Monday was back to school and we met up with my uncle later. We had a basketball game at the mini hoops , so the kids could play and my husband could slam. Then we had pie. I like pie. My favorite part is the crust. I guess I could blame my weight problem on that too but I don't have pie too often.

I Can't Believe It.

I can't believe it I am in awe. I never thought that would happen. I bet he feels really stupid.

Happy Marriage 101

One of the secrets to our happy marriage is Date Night. Frequency may depend on the available cash but you should always make time for Date Night. Date Night should be sacred.

Some Less Expensive Ideas:

Renting a movie and wait till the kids are in bed.

Go for a walk (your heart will thank you)

Go for a dessert or hot chocolate

Sit in a book store and look at books

If you have a gym membership, workout together.

Visit a show home (safe for us because we don't have a down payment)

Have a picnic.

Play some cards


Here are some restaurants in the Calgary area we have liked:

The Keg- I had been craving steak for six months. It was about time.

Basils- You need a reservation and its packed but good food



As you can see we don't eat out much or we don't like many restaurants. I think its a combination of both. What are some of the things you like to do or places you like to go to?

The Signs of Spring

The weather has been warm here. My tulips have broken through their prison of soil. Rain has begun to fall. Girls have pulled out their sandals. Toenails have been painted. And yes, oh yes, today I killed the first mosquito of spring.

Link Heavy

Go David

Band/starwars Geeks

Know When To Hold 'Em

My husband and I have been enjoying watching celebrity poker on Saturday. So much so that we went to the local dollar store and purchased a set of cards and poker chips ($2 at your local dollarama). Before I get any gambling lectures, we are not playing for money. Well we discovered that Texas hold 'em is more fun with more than two people. Also we lack the smack talk that you would get with more than just us. I have also learned that I don't know when to fold 'em.
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My oldest rode his bike to school today (training wheels and all). This is a big deal. We bought the bike almost two years ago for his birthday. He rode it the first day and fell. Then he was too scared to ride it for the rest of the year. Last year he rode it twice; once at Grandma's, where the streets are even, and once in our neighbourhood. He fell in our neighbourhood and didn't ride it again until today. He did really well on the way to school not so much on the way back. He fell four times. He told me when he got home he wasn't going to ride it tomorrow. I say yes he is. Tomorrow he will ride his bike and he will get better, but tonight I will hold 'em
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My youngest just tried to leave the house in the funniest normal clothing outfit I have ever seen. He was wearing a t-shirt and shorts two different socks and swimming shoes. One sock was pulled up to his knee and was black and red with a flaming "C". The other sock was short and white. When confronted on his artistic choice of foot wear he said "Dad I like Mrs. Match socks." Tonight I will fold 'em some sock and yes I'll probably hold 'em too.