More photos

You can see more photos by clicking here. Enjoy! More later... Cheers!

Holiday Recap

Christmas was amazing. Simply put. Christmas Eve was spent with Andy, Liam, my Grandma and my parents. We had munchies, visited, watched Liam walk/stumble around. He's getting really good at it now! He catches himself before he stumbles, and seems to be getting the hang of this whole walking thing pretty well. We thought he would have more teeth for Christmas, but we're still waiting, and he's still chewing like crazy.

Andy had to work Christmas night, so we had to wake him up in the morning. Made coffee, opened our stockings, and then moved onto presents. Liam didn't want much to do with it, and was fussy with his teeth, but he was excited when he got his Wonderpet stuffies, beanies, and dvd's. My parents got him the talking Ming Ming, which he loves! We took our time opening presents, feeding Liam, opening more presents.

Some of my gifts included a gift certificate for a 1 hour hot stone back massage and pedicure at Juliet's Day Spa (thank you Andy). I have never been to a spa before, and would definitely love to be pampered. My mom put together an amazing cookbook for me, full of all of our family recipes. Thank you so incredibly much Mommy, it definitely made my Christmas-I love it! My Grandma gave us Discovery passes for the zoo and a gift card for Boston Pizza--thank you so much Grams! And Mr. and Mrs. H--I love the cookware! Yep, I might be the only person that builds my wish list around cookware! I got an angel food cake pan, cake serving plate, a new dutch oven, silicone coated whisk, a healthy cookbook, and a sweater. I may be forgetting something, but thank you again Mr. & Mrs. H--I love everything! They also gave us a digital meat thermometer and gorgeous steak knives. And Andy's brother Craig got me a skillet and the Gordon Ramsay game for the Wii--Amanda, you comin' over?

I also got PJ's from my mommy, tinkerbell pillowcases, a tinkerbell ornament, tinkerbell slippers, tinkerbell band-aids, soaps, a mini-muffin baking pan, and other things. They also gave us gift cards for restaurants, and they are paying for a night in Edmonton, when we go hopefully in the spring. Andy gave me ornaments, tinkerbell socks, J-Lo perfumes, bath bombs, Lush products--I love that stuff, last season of Roseanne, a new hair dryer--it has a straightener attachment, chocolates, the new Reba CD collection, the new Pink cd, 2 shirts, 2 sets of pj's--one of them tinkerbell, of course.... I know I am missing stuff.

Liam did well, lots of Wonder Pets stuff, Little People stuff, dvd's, books, bath stuff, clothes, pj's, socks, etc... And Andy had a technology heavy Christmas. He got a blu-ray player, dvd's, 360 games, hockey tickets (from me), ornaments, books, gadgets, toys, and other goodies.

All in all, it was a good Christmas! Went for turkey dinner at my aunt and uncle's---sooo yummy! And Liam loves playing with his 2nd cousin Kris... too cute!

Should run, Liam is having a hard time settling tonight, so it's frustrating! Will write more later! Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. And Amanda--it's you, me and the wii! Okay, that's too funny...

Makes You Wonder...

I have been really good at regular blogging lately. Could be the cold weather that keeps me in, or the crazy last minute shoppers bombarding my favorite stores (one of them being Wal-Mart), or just the fact that I have more to write about. Tis the season to blog apparently. Liam is finally napping, thank goodness. I'm really hoping that those teeth cut soon, he's having a horrible time with them. I have tried to take a peek in his mouth, but to no avail. He was even drooling today, and there is always something in his mouth to chew on. Poor little guy. He threw up a few times last night, and didn't have a good sleep, so this morning he was a little miserable. I have booked a check-up on Monday for him with the doctor. I need to be reassured about his lack of eating chunky solids, and hopefully figure out something other than ovol for his gas issues--which only affect him badly when he is teething...

Am patiently waiting for more Christmas cards in the mail. Have sent out 42 cards, with photos and letters (and this blog address), and have received 5 or 6 so far. I sent out around the same last year, and got around a dozen in return. Hmm...

Andy went out to Okotoks today to see his parents. He said the city roads on the way were slippery, especially around Chinook Mall, but the highway was perfectly fine and dry. Crazy. I'm glad he made it safely, and he should be returning soon with a full "sleigh". He'll be going to his Uncle's later to drop off pressies too. You'd think he was jolly old Santa himself!

Really need to get working on my foodie blog--I have a ton of recipes and food finds to put on there! And I will probably re-do the background and colors. I love it!

Am having a guilty pleasure moment--watching Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Is it a bad thing that I can still recite the opening song? I know some of you out there can do it too, you just won't admit it.

Might try to hit the mall tomorrow. Would really like to hit Lush for a few last minute pressies for Andy. I know it will be crazy busy, and I meant to get there last week, but the weather was horrible. So, I'm going to brave the crowds and craziness tomorrow. Will keep you posted if I come back in one piece or I have a shred of sanity left in me.

We're starting new Christmas breakfast tradition this year. We're going to make an "unusual" breakfast every year. Something we wouldn't have on a regular basis, or ever for that matter. This year, we are doing Captain Crunch French Toast, from the show Diners, Drive-In's and Drives--it's on every Friday night on Food Network. The show is fantastic, even though some of the dishes are a heart attack waiting to happen. Make sure you check out the show! Should be fun to come up with something every year for brekkie!

Should run, need to be a little more productive, but this dang couch is sooo comfy! Cheers!

He's Napping...Sort of..

So Liam didn't nap yesterday. He crashed at 4:45pm, in the car, after visiting with my parents. He slept until 7:30pm, then didn't go back to bad until about 11pm. Sigh. Whoever wants to tell me that teething does nothing to a little guy can come visit anytime. He's not miserable or fussy, don't get me wrong. Just very unpredictable, which can be hard, as he was on such a good schedule. His diaper rash seems to have improved--we found a butt cream that had a higher percentage of zinc oxide in it, and it's easier to apply. So far, he has been napping for almost 2 hours, which is amazing. He was so sleepy before he went down, that he would crawl to a pillow on the floor and fall onto it.

Am almost ready for Christmas. Will be doing a bit more baking, and putting together some treat containers for Uncle Fix-It (Jim), Andy's parents and my Grandma. Andy is heading out to see his parents tomorrow morning, and to load up the "sleigh". Thank you so very much for everything Mr. and Mrs. H., in advance and in general. We will be going to Mom and Dad's for Christmas Eve nibbly's, then after Liam goes down, we are going to watch Scrooged and National Lampoons Christmas vacation. Definite holiday classics!

Should probably run, will update more later. I love this new layout! Cheers!

Changes

Let me know what everyone thinks about the new look on my page! I had to do something to spice it up a little! Cheers!

Check this out

Please check out this adorable poem, written for Pearl. She is the daughter of aquaintances of mine. Definitely rings true for a 14 month old. Enjoy, and let me know what everyone thinks!

A Long Day

Liam was up at 8:45 am this morning. Good and sensible time to be up. Nap time is usually 1pm-ish. Today? Not-so-much! He finally crashed at 8pm this evening, wasn't too moody, even though he couldn't sit up straight near the end. He is teething really badly, which usually means they are about to cut. I've changed alot of icky diapers today, put on and cleaned up alot of penatin cream--thank goodness for leather couches, and had pukey laundry created--after I had put the last load in the dryer this morning. Yes, it could be worse. I suffered minor bite wounds today, got a little slobbery, and got clung onto worse then static cling. It wasn't too bad. He's supremely cute at times when he is overtired. Bad part was, I was exhausted. I had stayed up the night before cleaning, doing laundry and decorating more for Christmas. Plus, we've been cooped up in the house together for the past 4-5 days. It's a wonder we're not plotting against each other yet. But tomorrow is another day. Hopefully his diaper rash will have eased up with the half tin of cream on his tushie. I'm going to get him out a bit tomorrow, get him a change of scenery.

Have posted the yummy recipe for Hamburger Minestrone Soup on my other blog. Perfect comfort food for these bitter cold days! Hope you all enjoy!

And Manders, I hope you have a wonderful birthday tomorrow! Sounds like last night was definitely fun! You're only 30 once! Huggers!

Should run, going to get back to my sappy movie watching... I can actually kick back and relax, as there's not alot of cleaning left to do--still have to make a few bottles and run the dryer... Night... and he stirs... Please stay asleep! Please stay asleep! hmmm...

Brrr....

With all the cold weather and snow that we have been having, I have to admit, I'm becoming a bit of a homebody. Yes, I'm happy to be at home. To people that know me, this is not how I am at all. I like to be on the go, out and about. So, I have to say, in some respects, I appreciate the icy cold weather. The roads are still slippery, so definitely prevents me from getting too far. So I have been at home with Liam, catching up on chores, wrapping, baking, laundry, and watching endless episodes of The Wonder Pets. Made 2 more pans of Five Layer Squares today, which are horribly addictive. Got adventurous tonight for dinner and made yummy Tuna Pizza- thank goodness for bread machines--makes pizza dough prep easier!

Am working on my second load of laundry, as Liam decided to throw up before he fell asleep. It hadn't happened in a few nights, as I had been giving him ovol the past few nights, but didn't tonight. So, partially my fault... Sigh...

Going to try to focus on cleaning again tomorrow, finish up some wrapping, and try to get out Friday morning to finish up some shopping. Will leave Liam with my dad, makes the trip go a bit faster, and I won't worry as much.

Really should get back to cleaning, but the couch is unfortunately comfy, Liam is stirring, and...did I mention the couch is comfy?! Plus, it's after midnight... Will finish up my Christmas cards tomorrow, and hopefully get them off by Friday. Thank you again Andy, for printing off all the letters for me. Will run out tomorrow and get 3 more stamps...

Mom, Dad, and Grams are coming for coffee and goodies on Friday. My dad doesn't think I'll have the place completely cleaned before then, but I will (try) and prove him wrong... Better get back to it... or to bed... Cheers!

Okay, One More Song...

I love this song! Definitely has a very strong message!



My Grown Up Christmas List by Amy Grant

Some Christmas Cheer!

Sorry Manders, had to snag this too! I absolutely love this song! Any of her Christmas music is beautiful and I listen to it every year. Enjoy!

Second Blog Is Up And Active!

(1) Liam is stylin'! (2) Liam doing Dad's hair! (3) Notice the finger? Yeah..

Hey all! Have started up a second blog, dedicated to food finds, recipes and experiences. Will be posting links in this blog to various sections in the new blog. You can view the new blog HERE . Hope you all enjoy! Make sure to bookmark it! I will try to update regularly.

Have been doing lots of holiday baking the past week, will keep everyone posted as to what I'm baking!

Should get back to my Christmas cards and finishing my wrapping! Cheers!

Down With A Cold

It has been awhile since I last blogged. I have definitely wanted to, and should have, but I always seem to find something else to do. So I am on downtime right now, sick with a horrible cold. My eyes are all watery, my nose is like a broken faucet, and my head is extremely congested. Thank goodness for decongestants and lots of kleenex. And, TLC is doing their Wednesday night Jon & Kate Plus 8 marathon, so I'm all set. Liam is sort of sleeping right now, I can hear his aquarium bubbling away. He has been pretty up and down lately, mostly from teething and all of it's joyous side effects. But he's not absolutely horrible, so I can manage. Just can't blow my nose around him--he tends to cry alot.

Christmas is definitely coming fast. Still have some shopping to do, but the majority of it is done. Have to wrap it all, mind you, but I need to buy more wrapping paper and supplies. Put up the tree and decorated it over the past 2 days--it looks gorgeous. I was definitely worried about Liam this year, and the tree staying in one piece. He tried to slyly sneak over to it today to touch a few of the ornaments, but nothing major. He loves the shiny silver balls, as he can see himself in them, and giggles.

Am going to work on my Christmas cards, letters and photos over the next few days, and hopefully get them in the mail for Monday pick up. Still have to decorate a bit more, do even more baking--I've been baking up a storm lately. Am definitely going to be more organized next year for Christmas though, get some baking done early, have the cards in the mail the beginning of December, have presents purchased and wrapped by mid-december... sounds great doesn't it? I say it every year... It's always my New Year's Resolution!

Dad is doing alot better now, they have taken both bandages off his foot, and he can walk without his cane. Definitely has been a scary time for everyone involved! He's bounced back very well, just has to take it easy, as it swells up alot.

We have been going to playgroup once a week, and it's been alot of fun. Definitely good for Liam to get out and socialize. And he been to see Santa twice now, have posted the picture from his first visit at Fort Calgary.

Other than that, we have just been getting ready for Christmas. Also need to figure out a date, as we will be having friends over for munchies, sort of an open house. Should run though, there is silence now, so I can go to sleep soon! Night!

This might be a novel...

I really need to get back to blogging, but things get hectic at times. By the time I get a chance to blog, I'm either too tired or Liam needs me. Nonetheless, I'm here n0w, multitasking, but here. Am watching part one of the Jon and Kate Hawaii special. They are renewing their vows, and the scenery is gorgeous. Would love to vacation there, I know Liam would absolutely love it.

We had Liam's "better late than never" official birthday party yesterday with the family. It turned out wonderfully, and Liam had such a special day. Thank you to everyone that came to celebrate-I'm especially happy that Dad was there-it wouldn't have been the same without him. And the food was amazing. Note to self: DON'T expect veggies and dip to be eaten when Mom has all her yummy goodies on the table. The food was fantastic--thank you mom! Liam enjoyed all of his presents--he got some great books, adorable clothes--we love the sweater vest, it is adorable!, and some great toys. He has been playing with his Little People train alot today!

Halloween was fun. We took Liam trick or treating---yes, I know, he's too little for candy--but it was more for the experience. There was some great decorated houses--yep, I decorated our place, still need to take it all down. I'm a little slow on that... He was an adorable little turtle and thought it was fun to visit people!

Other than that, have been doing lots of cleaning, getting caught up on laundry, and working on Christmas shopping. Have got about half of it done, which makes me a little less stressed.

Should run though, this won't be as much of a novel as I thought. Until next time! Cheers!

Please Read

Due to recent events, I will be restricting who can view this blog as of Wednesday October 29. You will receive invitations by email to continue viewing this blog. Don't worry Manda, you'll be first on the list!

Have been kept busy with Liam the past few days, he just seems to be getting more active by the day. And adorable. And big!! Oh my! Things that he couldn't reach a few weeks ago, he can reach beyond them now! Silly growth spurts...

Will be making many changes in my life over the next while. It's definitely time for change and a fresh start. Will keep everyone posted over the upcoming weeks as to what is going on, but it will definitely be for the better, I shall assure you. It's about taking charge, and not having other people badger me and try to tell me how to live my life, when they have no business or right in doing so.

Am off to a halloween party at a funeral home tomorrow--how ironic, hey?! Hope to see you there, Manda. We will definitely try to do coffee this week--need to gab...

Until next time, Cheers!

Weeks In Review

(1) Daddy and Liam on the slide! (2) Liam in one of the cars! Weee! (3) Sweet little Emma--awww! (4)Aidan in the Diego cruiser! Vroom!

It has been a busy few weeks, and I have been neglecting my blogging. So I am back at it, to do a summary of everything...

Dad is coming home tomorrow for good. He came home for Thanksgiving weekend, and he did extremely well. He used his walker for the most part, and even helped do some prep for dinner too! I can't wait to have him home for good, I miss him so incredibly much. And Liam misses him bunches--he giggles and smiles at Grandpa's picture that is on our fridge all the time. Dad will still have skin treatments, physio and doctor's appointments to go to, but for the most part, he will be okay.

Liam seems to be taking a small break from teething for now. He is up to 5 1/2 teeth. I say 5 1/2 teeth, as he broke almost half of one off almost 2 weeks ago, when he fell and did a faceplant. I was horrified when I saw the blood, and I rushed him to the dentist, just to be on the safe side. He didn't do any gum or tissue damage, and sat and giggled the whole time he was there. He still has 2 teeth coming that have been going up and down for awhile.

Did a trip to the zoo this week. It's amazing how much more Liam enjoys it each time we go. He especially loves the fish and the monkeys. The animatronic lion in the Africa exhibit is especially cool.

Also visited Coffee n' Scream with Manda, Aidan and Emma a few weeks ago. It is a coffee shop/play place for kids, and they absolutely loved it. It's a great place, inexpensive, and a good way to tire the kids out! We went with my mom tonight, and Liam played hard for a good hour!

Am off to go grocery shopping tomorrow morning, and then to pick up Dad in the afternoon and bring him home. On Sunday we get to go to Chuck Cheese's for my 2nd cousins birthday party. Should be fun--haven't been in sooooo long!

Should run, going to get back to my guilty pleasure--Dog The Bounty Hunter. Laugh if you want, I love it! Til next time! Cheers!

Teeth...They just keep coming!

Liam just can't seem to stop teething. He cuts one, and the next day it seems like he's got more coming! He's been better the past 2 days, before that though, he was alot of work. Very fussy, and his sleep and appetite was off. He'd also throw up at the drop of a hat, after I had got caught up on all my laundry.

We went and picked up the toy box that Grams got him for his birthday. It's a Little Tikes one, and it holds a ton of toys. Thank goodness, I was getting tired of weaving my way around toys. He seems to like it, and beats on the top of it like a big drum. Too cute.

Nothing too exciting has been going on lately. Went to Michaels today and picked up a few halloween decorations and some fall themed window clings. Cleaned all the windows today, and Andy got the balcony all cleaned up. Vacuumed, cleaned, did dishes. And now my left wrist is killing me to bend it and put weight on it. Will keep an eye on it. Pretty sure I just overdid it today. Gotta love fall cleaning.

Am going to try to get Liam to the zoo tomorrow. Need to enjoy the nice weather while we can. Hopefully he has a good sleep tonight, will definitely make the trip alot easier that way.

Watched the season premieres for ER and Survivor. ER had both Andy and I in tears. It was great opener for the last season of an amazing--and long running--show. And Survivor... I'll give it a chance, but last season wasn't the greatest. And we've got a new season of Pushing Daisies to watch, as well as Jon and Kate Plus Eight. Even Dog the Bounty Hunter is back from being on hiatus for awhile. Sadly, it's my guilty pleasure. And Two and a Half Men... too funny! And Ghost Whisperer! I swear to everybody I don't watch TV... partially true, because Andy records all this stuff for me, and I eventually watch it.

Am going with mom tomorrow afternoon/evening to see Dad and bring him dinner. He's doing well, has 1 or 2 more skin treatments to go. Still a long road to recovery, but he's handling it extremely well.

Should run, need to tear Andy away from video games so we can watch some tv before I go to bed. And I need to finish some laundry, and get my brownies out of the oven soon. Cheers!

Mixed Bag--Can Be Offensive To Some Readers... Sorry...

The mammoth donairs...my goodness...so yum-o!

We experienced donairs like no others yesterday. Andy and I went to Jimmy's A & A Deli over on 20th Avenue and 14 St. N.W. We had never been there before, but have heard great reviews about the food. We ordered large donairs, which is the usual size we order anywhere else. He ran off to prepare them, and we browsed picking out a few other things. Then we saw them. They were huge. Well, huge is an understatement. They were giant, mammoth things, bigger than our heads! We nervously paid and got 2 free desserts--we should for what we paid for all of our food there--and were on our way. The thing with Jimmy's? No prices on the menu. Definitely a downside. The upside to Jimmy's? The food is amazing. The donair meat is fantastic, the pita's are fresh and chewy, and the sweet sauce is homemade and perfect. We probably consumed enough garlic though to scare off a ton of vampires, but nothing a good swig of scope couldn't cure. All I can say is yum-o!!! Will definitely return there, but will NOT get the large ones.

The upside down church in Ramsay

And for the possibly offensive part of this blog. My apologies in advance. There is a new, and very large, art exhibit in Calgary. To be more specific, in Ramsay. It was purchased from Vancouver, and moved and constructed here. It was a combined effort from Glenbow Museum and Torode Real Estate. I think it's an amazing sculpture, but the artist's (Dennis Oppenheim-world renowned artist) views and opinions can be a tad different. He definitely expresses his opinions through his art work, as it is titled Device to Root Out Evil. It has been considered very controversial to some. Something to see for sure though, take a spin through Ramsay, it's at 803 24 Avenue SE, just off of Spiller Road. And while you're there check out the building behind it, Ramsay Centre. There is an amazing coffee shop, and nearby, on Spiller Road, a place that sells buffalo products. Apparently they have good lunches too!

Andy's birthday was today. He turned 31, and enjoyed his pressies. We are celebrating on Friday and having dinner at his parents. Will try to get to Tony Roma's on Tuesday evening, celebrate Liam's birthday too! I can't believe he is turning 1 already!!

Went to the portrait studio today. Liam didn't want to sit still, was tired, and teething. We managed to get a few nice pics, so will pick those up in October. Went and brought Chinese food to Dad for dinner and had a good visit. Am going to do a Superstore trip tomorrow to get some photos developed, and have a visit with Great Grams as well. Am going to cook salmon and new taters tomorrow night for dinner, yum-o!

My Dad and Liam--Buddies Forever

Should run, need to get some cleaning done, even though the couch is so comfy, and bed is calling my name.. Cheers!

Coming to terms...

The past few days have been a rollercoaster ride of emotions, to say the least. I consider myself to be a very strong and courageous person, who can usually overcome any obstacle that gets in the way. My strength and courage must have been tested too heavily this past month, leaving me feeling very raw and exposed. As it always proves true in my life, when it rains, it pours. I find myself sitting here, getting more and more agitated and provoked. Simple noises are grating on my nerves, I have turned the volume down really low on the television and I seem to develop a nervous twitch when a loud car goes past. Some of this could be the result of a rough night with minimal sleep last night, agreed. I also find, when under alot of stress, I tend to become very edgy. The phone ringing is the worst thing. It has been ringing all day. Yes, I could easily silence the ringer, but it's not quite possible when it could be dad or Grams calling. So, I or Andy quickly hit the off button when it rings, so it doesn't grate on my nerves too much.

This really sounds like I'm just crabby or cranky, I agree, but Liam was having a day all on his own. His teeth are stubborn, and his gums look so painfully sore. I feel for the little guy... We kept him busy today though. Went to the weight loss clinic this morning. Andy lost 4.5 pounds (way to go) and due to alot of fast food, I gained 1.2 pounds. I had a feeling I would, so it wasn't a huge surprise. We went for our treat lunch at the gourmet hot dog place, visited with the owners--we were going there even before I had Liam, and they have seen Liam since he was basically a newborn. They're like his adopted grandparents.

Went to Confederation Park tonight for a walk and to take pictures. I have been having a blast taking gorgeous pics of Liam. We did the same thing last night, after having dinner and doing some shopping at Deerfoot Mall. He also went for his first ride on a little carousel last night. $6 later, he was having a blast, but to get him off of it, oh my! I see why some parents tell their children that the ride is broken!

Going to see Dad tomorrow morning. Bringing him cheese, salami and olives, as well as leftover ham dinner. He is starting to get tired of the food there--personally I don't blame him! It would get boring after awhile. They have him doing some painting on some planter boxes there, so he isn't going as stir crazy.

Am trying to find Liam a playgroup. Will make some more calls tomorrow to figure a few more places out. And Manda and I are trying to work out some coffee and play dates--gets us all out and about, and keeps the kids happy. I am also trying to teach Liam social skills and how to adapt to different situations, as well as maintaining the schedule that we have worked so hard on the past few weeks. Teething sometimes messes it up, but usually it's like clockwork with him!

Andy's birthday is coming up on Saturday and Liam's on Tuesday. Can't believe how fast the year has gone!

Should run, am going to read some of "Pride and Prejudice" so I can sort of look like I know what I am talking about at Manda's book club! It's very good so far, definitely enjoy the writing style as well as the moderated usage of wry humour. Cheers!

Catching up.

It's been a little while since I last blogged. It has also been very hectic the past few weeks. But I shall try to get everyone caught up on our happenings since the last blog. Here goes...

We had part one of Liam's birthday celebrations on Thursday. We did it early, so that everyone we care about would be able to celebrate with us. We had a full house, fired up the bbq, and had a great time. Liam learned how to open presents, with help of course. He wouldn't eat and cake or ice cream, but he did say the word "cake", which was adorable. And we had a beautiful cake, in the shape of a turtle, done by Andy's dad. Thank you again Mr. H, it was a hit!! We will be having the big family party later on, once dad is out and on the mend.

(1) The gorgeous turtle cake (2) Liam opening presents

The people we wanted there were Tina, Alex and Shelby. They live next to my parents, and over the years, we have all become very close. Tina made the final decision after giving many chances, to leave her husband. I know it was a tough decision, but she needed to do what was best for the kids, so she is moving them out to BC to live with her parents. They need a fresh start and need the support of family and friends. It wasn't an easy decision for her, but she couldn't keep living her life like she was. We all went up to see dad last night so he could say goodbye to the kids, and it it was heartbreaking. Alex, who is the sweetest little boy, told my dad that he wants his legs better soon, and gave him hugs and kisses. My dad broke down, which broke my heart. He is going to miss them dearly, especially Alex, as they had become good buddies. My mom and I said more goodbyes today, which left us all balling our eyes out on the front step. I know that it is what's best for the kids, and for her. She is a strong, passionate and amazing mother, who deserves nothing but the best. It's an honour to call her not only a neighbour, but a friend, and we will definitely be doing a trip to BC to see them in the spring. May she continue on with the same strength, courage and passion in this new chapter in her life. And may her little ones remain as adorable as ever.

(1)Liam with Alex and Shelby (2) Miss Shelby--very proud of this picture.

Dad is in the therapy/rehab centre. As of Tuesday coming up, it will be a month since the accident. It is definitely getting harder and harder to leave him after visiting. It hurts to see him in there, and I feel absolutely helpless. It will be another 5-6 weeks in there. They have been doing treatments on the skin on his foot, and he has another one on Monday. They are not the most pleasant, but it will speed up healing. The infection that was in his foot did set him back by 2 weeks, but he's strong and will pull through all of this. He has a long road ahead of him, but we'll be there every step of the way (that sounds like a bad pun). Plus, all the rest of the people there get a kick out of Liam and I, and we seem to make their day a little brighter. Mom, Liam and I are going tomorrow night to have supper with Dad, which is always alot of fun, plus the food is really good. Alot better than regular hospital food anyways.

My dad with Liam--the highlight of his day

That is pretty much all the updates for now. I'm exhausted and need to get some sleep. Cheers all!

The Big Chop

I cut off my hair a few days ago. Well, I didn't personally, a hairstylist did. I went from having hair half-way down my back to 2 inches long. It's spikey in the back, I love it! I haven't had it this short in over 2 years! That's the big news. I thought it was time for a change. With all of the chaos in my life, I needed something different, some form of positive change. It worked in a sense. I love the possibilities it gives me!

Dad is doing better. They put him on antibiotics for his foot though, as it was getting red and icky--the best and only way to describe it nicely. I've seen it, and for someone who can handle anything, it was, well, icky! But his mood and attitude are getting back to normal, so that is definitely an improvement. He gives the nurses and other patients a hard time, definitely like him...

Have been up to the hospital every day with Liam to visit. Liam seems to be his favorite visitor, and he has enough strength now to lift him which helps his arms alot.

Have been trying to get all my cleaning and laundry caught up on, but with all the stress lately, my MS has been flaring up, so it's been tricky. Got more pain meds though, so at least I have options. And instead of pushing myself, I have been giving myself down time when I need it.

Tomorrow we're going for dinner at my mom's, with my aunt and uncle, cousins and Grandma, and Dad will have leftovers on Monday when we go to visit.

Should run though, Liam is having a good sleep for now. His teeth have been getting him alot, so it's been up and down...

Night all!

In The Blink Of An Eye...

...life can change dramatically. It can leave us reeling, raw, emotionally drained, scared and altered. In the blink of an eye one horrifying event has altered our current paths in life. On Tuesday, my dad had an accident at work. He was painting on the roof of a very large house, the ladder skidded out from under him and he fell. He fell off the roof, hit a lower roof, then hit the cement driveway. We got the horrible news from his customers, who weren't home at the time. I had just gotten home and gotten Liam down for his nap, and my mom called. I thought this was odd, as she tried both numbers, even though I had just left her place not even an hour prior. She said "Melissa? You have to come get me. Dad broke his ankle." What is usually a 20 minute drive took me a mere 8 minutes, and I ran into her house. She informed me that Dad had fallen off the roof and we had to get to the hospital. He works alone, and his customers were not home. Thankfully it happened in the front of the house, so there were people walking past that got help. He was rushed to hospital, and taken straight to trauma.

When we arrived we saw him. First off, he was green from head to toe from the paint that went with him. He saw us and started crying. They had already put him under once to work on his foot, and were doing numerous tests, x-rays, ultrasounds, and ct scans.

Skipping forward. He dislocated the bones in his left foot, as well as tearing tendons and ligaments. The bones did exit his foot, and he has had surgery on it already. His right leg is broken, he broke the tibia bone. He has had a surgery on it as well, and there are pins and rods etc.

He will be in hospital for quite awhile, followed by alot of rehab and physio. His spirits are good, and not relying on heavy painkillers now. He loves visitors, so we make sure that we are up there as much as possible. We are exhausted and stressed, as well as concerned for the future.

The main point is he is alive. Apparently, when he fell, the 2nd roof slowed his fall, and when he hit the driveway, his head landed on a small patch of grass. Yes, he has a long road ahead of him, but he at least has a road...

Please keep him in your thoughts. And thank you to everyone for visiting and all of your support. It definitely keeps him going!!

Onward... Liam has had a few rough days. He is working on 4 teeth, which is causing his moods and tummy to be off kilter. We had a rough night last night, and the day was tough. Not alot of sleep, and my MS is flaring up very badly among other problems. I'm going to try to get more sleep tonight, and take it easy tomorrow, probably stick around home quite a bit. Am going to try to get a doctor's appointment for Liam and I tomorrow, just to get everything checked out. I also need a new prescription for some MS pain meds, as last night was almost unbearable.

Weigh in went well last Monday. Andy lost 5 pounds, and I lost 4.2 pounds! He is down by 73.5 and I am down 25--70 total since I had Liam though.

Should get some sleep though! Night all!

I'm A Lobster....Pass The Butter Please!

Liam is officially a starfish now. He finished his lessons on Friday, and passed with flying colors! I am so proud of my little fish, and so was the teacher. He absolutely loves the water and kicks his little legs like crazy! We felt bad that swimming lessons were over, so we went to Cardel on Saturday afternoon to get some more swim time in. We had an excellent time. Stayed in the water for an hour, watched Liam crawl through the wading pool, went through the swirly river thingy (note: Liam does NOT like life jackets), and splashed around.

On Sunday my parents picked Liam and I up, and off we went. We headed to the Saskatoon Farm by Okotoks, checked out the plants, Daisy the big, and the store. It is an amazing garden centre/berry picking farm, and we really enjoyed it. We then headed into Okotoks to have lunch, then on to Black Diamond, Turner Valley, and Priddis. We then made our way back to Calgary, and stopped at our landlords house to pay the rent. She is a very sweet woman; made us excellent coffee and had goodies galore. Liam really liked her and loved her backyard with all the trees.

Went to get my eyebrows waxed with Mom on Monday, then took Liam to play at her house. Tuesday was more visiting at my parents place, and out for coffee with Grandma and Liam.

And today we went to Heritage Park. We took Liam on his first boat ride, went all through the trains, saw the animals, hit up the bakery, and had a wonderful day. Liam absolutely loved it, and next time we will definitely do a train ride. Then we went and saw my parents tonight and played on his swing.

Tomorrow we are off to Bowness park with Amanda, Aidan and Emma. We are going to go to the wading pool, spray park and playground, and have a picnic lunch. Should be fun, and Liam gets to play in the water.

Friday Liam is getting his immunization shots, so we will see how he is. We do need to do grocery shopping, but that's about it. And Saturday we are going to the park with my Grandma and her doggy for a walk.

Should run though, need to get some sleep, and hopefully keep Liam down for the night... And he's awake....s

He drank up all the water..

Went for Liam's fourth swim lesson today. Andy got to see the little fish in action, and even videotaped it! He needs to do some editing on all the clips, then I will post it on here for sure. Liam started his day off tired, but still had blast in the water. He didn't sleep good last night, even threw up, due to guzzling his bottle. After swimming, he fell asleep in the car as we ran around doing a few errands, and woke up when we got home. He hadn't slept en0ugh, so he wasn't the happiest. Andy cleaned the fish tank, and we took Liam for a walk. First to the chinese market, then to the drug store, then down to Rotary park, where we witnessed a near drowning in the wading pool, due to a mother's carelessness. She let her 1 1/2 year old play in the wading pool by himself, while her and a friend were a good 10-15 feet away, gabbing. We thought he was just playing and dunking himself in the water, apparently he was struggling in the water, and couldn't get his head above the water. She rushed in and pulled him out thankfully, but can we say "stupid"? Or irresponsible? He was a couple inches taller than Liam and the water was up to about his chest. She should have been in the water with him! Nonetheless, he was saved....

We walked around the park area, then around all the side streets, laughing as Liam giggled at the trees. We had a great time, and tomorrow will do another huge walk.

Went to mom and dad's tonight, so they could show Liam his new swing. He absolutely loved, was going hysterical with laughter in it.

Should run though, need to switch our swim stuff to the dryer, and get to sleep. 4 hours last night just didn't cut it. And tomorrow is Liam's last swim lesson, and he should get his starfish badge. Saturday we are going to Cardel to swim. They apparently do a parent/tot swim program in the fall that is inexpensive, so will definitely take advantage of that, and probably meet Amanda out there. Night all... my eyes are too heavy to hold up...

He Must Have Been A Fish In A Past Life

Liam with Mommy at the park

Liam had a busy day today. He had a huge breakfast--his favorite right now is oatmeal with apples, peaches and bananas. It's from an organic company--yes, he prefers the organic baby food. Now, I don't blame him. I have tried some of the baby food, and read the huge lists of ingredients. Some of it tastes disgusting, I'll admit it. Some of the ingredients, such as spices, lentils (yeah, that's give them to a gas prone baby), lemon juice, chicken fat (yes, it's in a few of them), are truly not necessary to an immature palette. The organic products at least have simple ingredients and taste good. And they agree with him, that is the big plus!

After breakfast, I got him dressed in his adorable swimming outfit. My mom bought him matching swim trunks and a swim shirt, both of which have UV protection built into the fabric. He knew something was going to happen, and was excited as soon as we got in the car. As we got closer to the pool, I told him he was going to play in the water, and he squealed. We got into the pool, and he turned into a little fish, blew a few bubbles in the water-granted he choked a bit, but he didn't cry at all. The teacher was sooo proud of him! And we are the only ones in the class, which works out well. He had an absolute blast, and wanted to stay in after the lesson was over. My mom took a couple of pictures, and will take lots more tomorrow, so they will be posted in the next few days. We went to McDonalds after for lunch, and he fell asleep on the way home. The swimming must have wiped him out, as he napped for 3 hours!

Liam with Grandpa P.

Tonight we went walking around the neighbourhood with my parents, and down to Rotary park, where we played at the playground. Liam loves the swings and the teeter totters, and watching other kids play.

Liam loves the swings!

Tomorrow it's back for more swimming. Can't wait! Next Wednesday, I have booked a trial class at Gymboree for us. It's good that they offer a free class, then we can see if we want to register for more classes. I want Liam to experience as much as possible.

Should run though. Need to get back to my cleaning and baby proofing. Night!

Shot night

Had a slow relaxing day today. Went to Wal-Mart first thing this morning, to buy some Liam-proofing supplies. Was in the baby section and the power to the entire store went out. That store can get amazingly pitch black really fast. Momentary panic set in, until the lights flickered slowly back on. Relief. Then they went out again, and announcements over the loud speaker, advising staff and customers to head to the front of the store. A few cart collisions later, I weaved my way to the front of the store, just as the lights were coming on. There is always something happening when I shop there, I swear! Managed to finish my shopping; bought door catches and corner protectors. Andy's parents gave us baby gates. The reason for all of my panic? Liam is crawling. Not just dragging his bum pitifully across the floor. Nope, he is on all fours and ready for action. He pulled out all the video game cases last night, and enjoyed turning off the cable box repeatedly. And he loves the idea of opening and closing doors. He had a look of confusion on his adorable little face when they wouldn't open anymore. We also put a screen over the cable box and dvd player. Will do more baby proofing tomorrow. And the next day. And the day after that. And the day after that.... You get where I am going with this.

After the Wal-Mart adventure, I dropped the car off to get the windows tinted, and headed home. We gave Liam breakfast; he loves his oatmeal and fruit. And yogurt. He can't get enough of it. We bought him 3 packs of mini-go's tonight. That should hold him for a bit.

Went and did our grocery shopping tonight. Managed to cut my grocery bill by about $55. I'm getting really good at this! I am so proud of myself!

All is well with the doc's appointment for me. Switched my prescription so that should help. And Liam's check-up went very well. He is 31.5 inches long (11 inches more than at birth), 26 pounds 9 ounces, and right on target for his age and then some. I'm so proud of my little peanut.

Tomorrow is still up in the air. Not quite sure what we will do, definitely water the plants and a walk in the morning. Then after his nap, we will go to mom's so I can clean up the car and visit.

Liam starts his Starfish swim lessons on Monday. They run for the entire week, I can't wait! He absolutely loves the water and it will be good for both us to learn about different ways to play in the pool together. My mom is going to come and watch for the first 2 days, then Andy will come the last 2 days.

Should run though. Need to do my shot, and try to get some sleep. He's been stirring for awhile now, but he is still sleeping. Night! And to all of my readers who don't leave comments, tsk tsk!

A Trip To The Dentist....

Yes, my hand is in a cow's bum!

So today I went to the dentist. I went for a routine check-up, cleaning and x-rays. I guess I shouldn't say routine, as I had been avoiding the dentist for quite some time. Not a fear thing, just a "I-am-lazy-and-don't-want-to-go" thing. So off I went today with dreams of sparkling teeth and a big smile. Well, my "neglect" is leading to 2 more cleaning sessions, I had to fight gagging on the x-rays (I gag very easily), and to say the least, it really hurt. Yes, it was hurting. Not in a I can't stand it kind of way. It was uncomfortable. My gums are still sore. That is not the worst of it. I have cavities. Notice the plural usage of the word? Yes. Cavities. I have avoided them all my life, never been cursed with a single one. So I have not one, but four. Three need to be treated/fixed, while the other one will be monitored. I have an appointment next Tuesday, and they will be removing my top right back tooth. It is not a necessary tooth, not worth repairing, as there are two teeth missing below it, so it doesn't even aid me in chewing. Then I go back twice in August for the remainder of my cleaning sessions. I better be able to see myself in my own teeth after that! Just kidding. In September I go back for two fillings on the other two problematic teeth, and a repair on a chipped tooth, due to my not-so-innocent tongue piercing. And yes, my tongue piercing is not in my mouth anymore, and neither is my lip piercing. Two very smart moves on my part, done slightly too late, but nonetheless, hopefully the damage will repair itself. The one thing I will say is, thank goodness for benefits. And the goodie bag they gave me was definitely decent--the usual toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, breath mints, mouthwash, and the best and most ironic part-a Starbucks gift card. Now that's one way to ensure repeat business at the dentist--promote something that stains your teeth! Too funny!

Liam and mommy

After all of the torture, I returned home to see Andy and Liam. They were doing well, and Liam was quite excited to have me back home. I've found when he is really tired, out of sorts, or teething, it's best that I am with him, otherwise he can be a little fussy. He had a huge poop, which required four hands and most of a package of wipes, then was off to sleep. Slept for 2 hours, I gave him another bottle and laid down with him for another hour. All in all, three hours of sleep, and he was happy as anything when he woke up. Went to the mall tonight and met up with my parents. Walked around, got him some new t-shirts from Old Navy---I love that store, and had dinner there. Came home and put him to bed. Long but easy day.

Have been putting off cleaning the house again, but will definitely get caught up on it tomorrow. Are thinking of going to Sunterra Market tomorrow--my mom got Liam some organic baby food there, and I'd like to check out their selection. I also have a coupon from my birthday for a free slice of cheesecake. I'm all for sweet indulgence, so will definitely take advantage of that one. In the afternoon, Liam and I have our doctors appointments, so we can find out how he is doing, and we can find out my test results, and see if we can figure things out. And Liam will be 10 months old tomorrow! How the time flies!!!

Should try to get some sleep soon. Leave your comments, just so I know who is reading this! And Jane, I will show pics of Miss Lucy to Liam tomorrow and see if he says "hi" back. Too precious! Goodnight all!

When Do I Get To Relax?

Has been a busy few days. Went to doctor today for some concerns with myself and for Liam's check-up. He fell asleep though, before we got there, so we made the decision to re-book. He has been wiped out all day, as we were going non-stop all day yesterday. We went to the Sun & Salsa Festival in Kensington for a few hours, went to visit mom, then drove out to Okotoks to see Andy's parents for turkey dinner. It was alot of fun, we went for a huge hike to the river, had a delicious dinner, and had a good visit. Liam crashed on the drive home, and went to bed shortly after. His teeth have been bugging him too, and the heat gets to him a bit, so all in all, poor little guy!

Am going back to the doctor on Wednesday for my blood work results, then we can see what is up. If you're that curious, you can email me if you want. Otherwise, I will try to give details in a few days, depending....

Other than that, went to visit my parents tonight, and Liam went walking with my dad in the backpack carrier. He loves it, and hangs on to his shoulders.

Tomorrow I'm off to the dentist, and for our usual walk with Liam in the morning. He always has to check out the front of our place, and loves the garden stakes...

Wednesday, Andy is taking the car to get the windows tinted. Thank you Mr. & Mrs. H., Liam thanks you too! After that, it's off to doc for Liam and I, then maybe to the gourmet hot dog shop. I love that place, and I want to give them the hotdog towel we bought them. Thursday, sigh, Liam is having his third round of shots, hopefully he reacts better to them than last time. And Friday, well, the days events will all depend on how Liam is. Guaranteed is a a trip to Superstore for sure! We shall see if we can do anything else.

Until next time, good night!

It's a crazy busy week,

Hope Y'all Had A Good Stampede

It has been a very busy week, so blogging has been out of the question. But I shall try to cover the past week or so in a blog...

The bbq at the funeral home was excellent. Liam had a great time, got to visit with tons of our neighbours. And the food was fantastic, we over did it, but it's stampede time...

We went to the zoo on Tuesday with Emily and Chris. It was a beautiful day, and we had an awesome time. Liam loves the outdoors and the animals.

During the week we were back and forth to my parents house, preparing for the yard sale. Friday, we hit the Stampede. Liam had a blast, really enjoyed the animals, and we got some adorable pics! It was Quebec day, so they were giving out coupons for poutines---they were huge! So yummy though! And we bought a bag of beer nuts to share, a tradition started by my grandpa.

Saturday and Sunday were spent doing our yard sale at my parents. The weather was great, busy as anything, worked on my burn/tan, and we walked away with $200. Liam played in his pool both days, he's turning into quite the little swimmer--kidding.

We used the money to buy a breadmaker, can opener (the one that doesn't leave sharp edges), a salt and pepper grinder set, pool toys for Liam, a folding kiddie chair for Liam, and random other things. Definitely worthwhile... the breadmaker is sooo much fun! The first go at it turned out a little bigger than we expected, but it was still tasty. We also bought a carrier backpack for Liam--he gets bored with his stroller, and he's too heavy to carry in your arms, so the backpack should work well.

Tomorrow we are off to Aidan's mad hatter tea party. I found Amanda some tea cup and saucer sets at the garage sale across from us over the weekend, so hopefully they will work for her. Should be fun, and Liam loves being around kids.

Should run. Enjoy the pictures! cheers!

Broken Down

It was a low day today. I woke up exhausted, as did Liam. We didn't sleep well, which I knew was the start of a bad day. I couldn't shake it off, which was rubbing off on Liam, who was as tired as I was. And he was having a hard time napping today. It was a day of frustration and alot of tears. Later in the afternoon, after having an argument with my parents, and hanging up on them numerous times, things got a bit better. Coffee kicked in, I vented it all out, and Andy woke up. He is off for 3 weeks, which gives me an immense sense of relief. He played with Liam while I cooked our not-orange sweet potatoes--they were soooo good though, despite the lack of normal color--they were white. Barbequed drumsticks and sweet baby carrots... definitely a plus to the day. I'm in a way better frame of mind. Liam fell asleep at 7:30, has woken up twice to have bottles, and is STILL asleep... not sure how the night will go, but we shall see. Hopefully he's not up too early.

Tomorrow is the stampede BBQ dinner at the funeral home. Sadly, I'm a geek. I love it. I love the theory of it. I look forward to it every year. Good food, good company. Love it. This will be Liam's first year there. Should be awesome. We are taking Liam to the Stampede on Friday. We'll see how it goes, stay as long as possible, show him all of the animals and rides. Should be fun for all of us.

And we will be hopefully going to the zoo on Tuesday with Emily, Chris and Kayden. I love it there, and Liam has really been enjoying it more and more.

Lots to get done this week, need to sort through all of our stuff and get it ready for next weekend's garage sale. And keep the laundry and cleaning going too, mostly tomorrow.

Should run though. My bed is calling my name and I'm almost there. Cheers all!

Love CAN Conquer All...In Many Ways...

Apparently love can conquer all. She is not leaving her husband. He has agreed to go to counselling and do whatever it takes. He took the kids to a waterpark. He worked--a bit. He spent the day with the family. He has until December, or she will leave for good. She had all the lawyers booked, the U-Haul was booked, and her mind was made up. The love each other dearly, so we shall see. Hopefully he makes good on his word and his promises. For the kids sake. For her sake. And for himself.

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A woman I went to high school with, and worked with later on passed away at the beginning of June. I found this out through facebook. It gave me shivers reading her tribute page, watching a video of her taped less than a month ago; she had a smile on her face. Thinking of her family, friends, her husband, and, the worst part, her 2 little kids. She was my age. Beautiful, genuine, sweet, outgoing, and she had such a bubbly personality. She touched everyone's life that she was a part of. She was an excellent mommy--she was expecting the last year of high school. I remember that well, she was scared as hell, but excited. That is how she lived her life. Apparently her last days were spent in sadness and inner pain. Her family wishes to keep her death private. Understandable. They are devastated, as it happened so quickly. Some saw it coming, others did not. I am deeply upset by all of this. I knew her through high school, I was friends with her friends, I chatted with her from time to time. She loved soccer, her friends, and her kids. She loved life as best she could. She definitely will rest in peace and in our hearts.

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Liam went swimming in his little pool for the first time yesterday. He absolutely loved it! He splashed and laughed at himself. He has been busy scooting around on his bum lately, and trying to pull himself up on anything that will hold still long enough. He was saying "hi" alot tonight, it was so adorable. He does something new every day it seems!

I think the reason why her death has hit me hard, is that she was a mom. To 2 children. They are the most adorable children, they look like little angels. The pictures of her and them, they looked incredibly happy and sweet. Now they have no mother to grow up with, to share their lives with, their adventures. They will not have a mom to wipe away their tears, share their laughter and secrets with, to grow up with. Not only did we lose a beautiful young woman, 2 innocent little children lost their mother. That is something that I find completely unimaginable. She was one of the those people that you could just picture being a great mom. She was so loving and passionate. How do you explain that to children... that their mom is gone because, put simply, she was too sad to live. Yes, they are young, but, their little hearts and minds will never forget their mommy. I truly hope she has finally found peace with herself.

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Onward...have been postponing cleaning the past few days, but will get caught up over the next few days. Did my shot on Wednesday night, and it hit me really hard the next day. Was exhausted, and moody, and had wicked headaches. Also have a few other health issues going on, but we shall see how I feel after they are taken care of.

Am going downtown with Liam and mom tomorrow, see what is going on for stampede down there. Will be going to the annual stampede bbq dinner on Monday night at the funeral home--yep, that's right. Good food, family and friends. We even have a cowboy hat and western shirt for Liam, can't wait for our little cowboy to go.

Weight loss update: Andy is down another 5.3 pounds, so he is down 64.8 pounds! WAY TO GO! And I lost another 2.8 pounds, so am down a total of 27.6 pounds (total 71 after Liam!!).

Should run, need to make bottles, and get the dishwasher at least loaded. OH! And switch the laundry. Dang it! Cheers!