How about another post?!

Has it been long enough? Again here comes the apologises! I am so sorry! LOL Well kinda....

I have been super duper busy, the boys & I are all still going to school, the one week that the boyfriend is home the boys & I go to the farm for sleep overs as much as possible. Meaning about 5 out of the 7 nights he's home, well 4 nights, the first night is here at the city. I love the way things are! I wouldn't change them at all! I'm having such a great time right now. I LOVE being out at the farm, and I love being back in the city too. Both are great in their own ways.

Steve built an entertainment stand last time he was home. We were talking about the fact that he had no storage for all the DVD's, and that my flat screen TV had no proper stand. So he said he could build an entertainment stand, so we thought the odd angled corner nook in his front room would look perfect for a built in stand, we started brain storming, and off he went! He built most of it the time before last when he was home, and then put the finishing touches on it the last time he was back in. It is a thing of beauty!! I am so impressed with my man! Made out of oak, he consulted with me which colour stain to put on it, asked me to go buy the handles I liked the best, in case he chose the wrong ones... awwww!!! LOL He is a terrific boyfriend! So now that the entertainment stand is done we are brain storming more projects for him to do. Since he also built the utility shelf for the laundry room that I asked for too last time he was home!! LOL The man like to keep busy & tinker.... so I can find him projects to keep him busy! For sure :)

Of course there are still some challenges, because I changed my career goal from DMS to OHS, I have been reduced to part time funding, which means I lost about $1500 a month in income. But I am making appropriate changes, got some struggles, but are working it through. Chin up right?! I did have a few pity party days, but those are gone and I'm moving forward.

School is going great for Ayden & I. I'm back up to my 90% range.... the whole 70-80% was NOT working for me. LOL Its a personal goal, but I do know I can do better.... so I try to and will and can do it! Plus with only 2 courses, it makes life so much easier!

So now I'm just waiting on a grocery store called Save-On to get back to me about an in store interview, I did a phone interview, which I did terrific on. So now to move onto the in store interview. I hope all goes well with that! I'm also going to apply to the small grocery store I use to work for here in Edmonton called Sunterra. It is the place I first got a job when I first moved to Edmonton in 2001!! Where I worked when I met my ex, and ended up working there when I was pregnant with Ethan, if that helps to make one understand how long ago that was!! LOL A few hours weekly there will definitely help with the families income!!

If you saw on FB I took the teens to a comedian tour with Larry the Cable Guy, Jeff Foxworthy & Bill Engvall. It was awesome. Unfortunately I missed most of the show. My 1st choice babysitter didn't show, so at the last minute I ended up getting another awesome girl. But that made us a half hour late to the show. I dropped the kids off by the door with their tickets in hand & they ran in. But parking still took me another 45 minutes.... So I missed all of Bill, most of Jeff, but caught Larry & all of them at the end. It was still way funnier than all get out, and an awesome experience with the teens. Steve was up in Ft. Mac working... so he couldn't come... Too bad! Another time.

But last weekend, Steve, myself & the teens went out to see a movie. No strings attached. The teens sat closer to the front, and Steve & I chose to sit at the back of the theater... well they could hear Steve & I laughing over everyone.... sooooo maybe it's a good thing that we didn't go to the comedy tour together since Bailey thought I was loud there.... the two of us would probably have drown out everything else at Rexall! Ha ha!

Ewan had a tough fever for Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday this week, Aston threw up in his sleep last night... But he has no show of it being a problem for him today... fingers crossed!! So hopefully we can move forward and not be a merry go round of sickies!! PUHLEASE!!!!!

The only kids I didn't mention in this blog was Ethan or Cody... LOL Cody is a good kid. Was throwing up & super sick on Monday and still went in & wrote his English test! What a good boy! And Ethan.. oh my Ethan! He is my love, but I am going to sew his damn mitts/gloves to his damn jacket!! Ha ha! He has gone through so many gloves this winter. He has my good cold weather pair with his name on them. And my fingers freeze at -30 waiting for the van to warm up at school after sitting for 6+ hours! Erg! LOL Kids!! Good thing he is such a good boy too!!

Well how about some pictures & videos now & I shut up ?! Yeah that's a good idea.... well more posts & pics to come next month!!

So here is the entertainment stand I was talking about in progress & finished. With a picture of the man working on it :)

 Some pics of the kids when they were up to go to the comedy tour.

 Boys at my school (pro D day for them) waiting for me to get my stuff done! Nice face in the first pic Ewan.

 Stan at the farm with Cody's helmet on looking at his new quad toy! Uh-Oh... it begins!

 My honey took me out for lunch. I've never had Caesers before until the last time we went to BP's. And now I love them! He's busy looking at toys on Kijiji! LOL

 Oh these pics... I love them! I wanted a nice pic of the two of us, so I got Ayden to take this pic... well... he made a face when I was looking at the camera! What a looser! I *heart* him so much ;)

 And the nice pic, after laughing lots at the last one... well now who's got the last laugh Sneve|?? Your silly face is on my blog!! Ha ha.. he won't care!

 Took a few pics of me in a couple different shirts for doing job interviews.. I like to take pics like this to see how I look in outfits before I run out the door & could look really bad! But as of this morning... I have officially lost 52 pounds :) YAY me! I'm so happy! Just 28 more to go!

 And my van turns 130,000km's!! I've had her since she had about 5km's on it! And yes I take care of her. Steve just did an oil change on her on Tuesday! What a man I got!

Yep

I slept in until 6:30am.... this morning. LOL

I'm not too sure if the kids turned off my alarm, which they sometimes do, or if I slept through it.

Either way now after school.... I have to do my workout...

There.... I let you all know!

Back to the grind!

So today was all of our first day back at school after Christmas holidays...

It went alright. This is the first semester that I have class at 8:15am. Since I've been attending NAIT all of my classes have started at 9:15, 10:15 (some days) & 11:15 (on the truly glorious days). But NOPE, not this semester!! This semester everyday starts at 8:15... Monday through Friday. Good Morning to me & the boys. Not a terrific trade off for a girl who is usually a night owl. But the trade off is I am done at Noon, Mon-Wed. 11am on Thursdays, and 2pm on Fridays.... which having to wait around last semester for 1 & 2 hours between classes.... wasn't that great. So I will get our asses hustling earlier in the day to trade off for being off of school all afternoon! Oh yes!!

However.... this morning was a lesson learned in organization. I got up at 5:45am. I thought that would be early enough.... it kinda sorta was. But I wasn't organized.... so it wasn't enough time. If I had made lunches the night before & laid out the boys clothing as I like to do the night before... it would've been much smoother... but I didn't and it wasn't... lesson learned :) We got out the door at about 7:15... not good!

Today I came home and did a huge tidy. Main floor, laundry, kids rooms, bathrooms, bedrooms, etc... I also did my workout video... as those whom saw my post on FB saw, I fell asleep on the floor about 2/3 into my workout for 20 minutes. LOL Ahhh well :) But it was a productive day, and felt SO GOOD to have my chores all done & ready for the kids to come home this evening.

Now tonight, I have done my homework, I am about to scoot off to make lunches, and set out clothes... which is really no big thang... yes... I meant to write thang... all to make my life a easy transition in the morning.

Here's the plan... and I will never tell you all if it doesn't work out this way... so don't be too concerned if I succeed or fail! LOL

4:45-5am wake up, get tea & water
5-5:45am do workout video
5:45-6am shower
6-6:30am dress, dry hair, me teeth & face put on, organize backpacks, start van, get kids up
6:30-7am dress kids, feed them breakfast, kids teeth & face
7am OUT THE DOOR

Pray, dance, leave offerings.... do whatever you have to do to help me to make this easy... Damn!! My Mom & Don bought me an easy button from Staples.... well crap... I shoulda just pressed that instead writing out all this garbage... Bahaha!! I WISH!!!!

The only hitch in this plan would be to scratch out the 4:45am workout... and reset the alarm to wake me at 5:45, and continue on from there with the shower...etc and skip the workout until the afternoon when I return home.... and we all know my workout consists of sleeping through 1/3 of it... so really... is that really so bad?!

I don't think so at 4:45am ;)

My boys are home!!!

And boy oh boy (lol) did I miss them!!!! Of course... I had to take a picture :)

Hello 2011

Welcome 1/1/11!!!!

I am looking forward to seeing what the next 365 has in store for my sons & I.... It will, as always, be an adventure!

Goodbye 2010

WOW

What a year!! I guess from start to finish it sure has been an interesting one. Many, many changes. Many chances to pick myself up and prove what I'm worth... to myself (most importantly) and to others. Another beautiful year with the opportunity to raise 4 of the best young men I know, yes that is my completely bias opinion. It hasn't been the simplest or easiest of years that I have ever known to live through. But I LIVED through it.... Literally, I did survive this year. That is truly my biggest accomplishment this year. The fact that I was given a chance at life when others may not have survived, not because of inner or outer strength, just because I was fortunate enough to be given another chance to be here to see my boys grow into the young men I know I'll be proud to call my sons. As well as the chance to show the world what I am going to do with myself, and how I will always succeed at all I do.

Good bye 2010....... I know 2011 will bring greater joy, happiness & love to my boys & myself :)

Our Christmas!

Hey everyone!

I hope you all had a terrific Christmas :)

We sure did! It was very busy, Steve mom puts on a huge dinner on the 24th, with a present opening. Ethan was falling asleep, literally head bobbing at 9pm, on the 24th. Aston was exhausted. Honestly, only Ewan was the one who wasn't tired.

I must give props to my girl Bailey. She is an awesome girl. She stayed up with me until 3:)0am on the 24th, setting up & getting food ready for the next day, and then she wanted to get up with the little boys & parents when they woke up. Which was 6:30. What a trooper! And a terrific kid!

Ayden & Bailey set up the Hot Wheel sets for the little boys on the evening of the 24th. So again, I have so many awesome kids around me!! I love it!

We woke as said before at 6:30am. The boys had a great time opening presents. Cody & Bailey got what they wanted. Ayden got his Ipod touch, Ethan's main present was a Nintendo DS XL & Aston & Ewan got a Leapster each, which made all my 4 get handheld toys as a main present...they love it.... everyone was so happy!

After present opening it was onto Steve's mom's place for breakfast.... a walk across the yard, literally! And hung out there until early afternoon. Then back to Steve's place to clean up & get on with Christmas supper for the 8 of us.

I took the little boys to the meeting place on the 26th to go with their Daddy. Ayden went to go see his friends in Edgerton. I came back to the farm & went out on Steve's razor (like a dune buggy) with his friends & family, at one point there was about 35 people around the bon fire. Did trail riding, hot dogs, a few drinks & the fire. It was tons of fun!!! Love doing that sort of stuff. then went out that night after zipping home to get changed.... we all smelled like campfire smoke. But all of us at BP's did.... so whatever! ;)

Now it's the 28th, after a quiet day at the farm yesterday Steve & I came back up to the city. He's gone to Fort Mac for work, and now I have until the 2nd to just keep busy and find stuff to do.

I'm going to be working out again... gotta loose that last 40 pounds :) and get ready to go back to school. So doing my workout, getting back to eating better & getting ready for another semester at school come January 3rd.

Missing my boys like crazy!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SO MUCH!!! But it is their Daddy's turn, so I'll just suck it up :)

Here are some pics to enjoy! *MUAH* Happy Holiday's all, hope your Christmas was awesome, and that you all have a terrific New Years!!

Ayden Christmas Morning.

Aston got a Leapster

 So did Ewan!

 More present opening!

 Ethan the present deliverer.

 Sneve (Steve, but the boys & all of us call him Sneve cause that's how the little boys say it) got a saw.

 Cody opening his present.

 Bailey opening hers.

 Cody got a Red Bull helmet... which was freakin awesome in his books! Can't get much Red Bull racing gear in Canada!

 Stan getting a Hot Wheels set from Grandma & Grandpa :)

 Bailey got a laptop... same as mine!

 Pooders so happy to get lots of presents!

 Ethan got a DS XL!

 Stan wasn't as excited to get clothes as Ewan was. LOL

 Ewan checking out his stash.

 Great Christmas morning!

 Steve, Cody & Bailey!

 Trying out the DS.

 I believe this was Aston's book....

 Stan & his Hot Wheels set.

 Ethan wishing his Daddy a Merry Christmas from Grandma & Poppa's house.

 Ayden playing his Ipod at Grandma & Poppa's house.

 Horses at the farm.

 Walking between houses at the farm.. Kong coming to say hi.

 HIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!  Love Fat Winnie (Kong)

Here is Steve taking apart the piano at his house to make room for couches. This piano was SO heavy, it was his ex-wives (her & others were asked if they wanted it... so don't worry). But no one wanted it. So we took it apart before Christmas to use as fire wood. It was rather fun!

 Here is Ayden & Cody cutting up the pieces for firewood.

 I love this picture. Aston & Steve (or as they call each other Stan & Sneve) are such buddies. Stan wasn't feeling well all this day and he just wanted to be held by Steve. It was so sweet. Here he is playing with Steve's cell on Christmas Eve after dinner at his parents house before opening presents. Just rocking back & forth on the chair.

 Ethan playing with Grandma's cell phone & Stan playing with Steves cell phone Christmas Eve. They were playing & talking so well... so cute!

 Christmas Morning at Grandma & Poppa's for breakfast. The Ewan's playing with his Leapster & Stan with Bailey's computer.

 Out after razoring (like quadding in a dune buggy looking thing) to this spot for a bon fire.

 SO FUNNY!! This pic, shows Chris (a cousin) with gas & fire.... do you know how many stories this guy has about almost blowing himself up?! Wonder why?! LMAO P.S. you  can see a razor in the background of this pic. It's not Steve's but his cousins (different cousin) one.