Garbage

So I am taking the garbage out and suddenly the bottom comes out of the bag and I have stinky disgusting garbage all over the threshold of our back door. GROSS. So I get some latex gloves from under the sink(thank goodness for Daniels clean up project way back when in Saskatoon). I gag as I pick up the rotten garbage. I split it between two garbage bags to be sure that it doesn't happen again. This time I get both bags out side, just off the step. I decide to go get the little bit of garbage that is down stairs and under the sink, after all there is plenty of room in both garbage bags. As I pick up the garbage bags, the bottom comes out of one of them once again spilling the same rotten, stinky disgusting garbage all over.  Double GROSS. I think it was worse the second time. Double bagged it this time. I don't want to have to pick it up again. I do finally get it successfully to the other side of the road. and I didn't ever actually throw up. That alone I am thankful for.

Remembering

I'm not sure exactly what it is that has changed in me. Maybe it is because I have kids now. Maybe it is because I am older and understand it better. Maybe it is because my perspective it different. Maybe it is simply that my hormones have been all messed up because I've had kids. But what ever it is, I find myself so much more emotional when it comes to thoughts of the incredible freedoms that we enjoy in this our fair country. Even simply singing our glorious national anthem brings tears to my eyes. Last Friday, Kathryn's school hosted the Remembrance Day Ceremony. Watching our handful of Veterans march in made me tear up, and then we sang Oh Canada and I was a mess. I thought to myself, how that in not to many more years we wont even have these brave Veterans to remind us of all that we have because of those, like them, who fought to preserve it. And then I thought that it is possible that in not to many more years, we may have far to many modern day Soldiers, that we will cry over and give thanks to for their daily bravery to keep us free and safe. I know that there are many of our brave men and women serving over seas to help create and keep peace. And I honour them for their efforts. But it is not the same, maybe because it isn't close to home, and it is not our own freedom that is directly being threatened. But how quickly can that change? In only days the world economy was suddenly in big trouble. It doesn't take long for things to change. Now I don't mean to sound so pessimistic, but we know that there are troubling times ahead. And because of that, we must remember what we have and how we got it.As the Last Post was played followed by a moment of silence, I closed my eyes, let the tears run down my cheeks and thanked my Heavenly Father for the country I live in, for freedom and peace. I thanked Him for the gosple that also brings peace and safety. And the for the knowledge that even in troubling times that may lie ahead, we will beable to find safety and peace through our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
My cousin posted this on her blog. It is a letter that was sent to my Great Grandparents when their son(my dad's father's brother) could not be located after he did not return from his last bombing mission over Germany.

(Click here to read it)

I couldn't even imagine what it would be like to wait for almost a year, not knowing what had happened to your child, only then to recieve a letter confirming your worst nightmares. To all those who have experienced this, in years past or in days not to distant, all I can say is, may our All Loving Creator, our Saviour bless you and your family for your formidable sacrifice, and comfort you in your pain and suffering. Thank you for giving all that you had to give, so that all of us now enjoy freedom, peace and imense comfort.

Halloween

Here are my totally cute Halloween kids. They had so much fun carving pumpkins and dressing up. Kathryn put together her costume all on her own from stuff that we had in our tickle trunk and she insisted that her face needed to be painted green. She did a great job. Tansley went through a total of 4 costumes before it was time to go trick or treating. I took her picture in this lady bug, but soon after she had to go to the bathroom and didn't quite make it, so she ended up going trick or treating as a hairy monkey. I don't have a picture uploaded yet, but I will get it soon. Kymberly was just so darn tooting cute in her cow costume. I just wanted to hug and kiss her over and over.

A Beautiful Sight

Remember this?

The grass all dug out by me

Daniel's part of the digging

Well it eventually turned into this...

Beautiful Tomatoes

And today it looks like this...

And from that we got all of this...

We brought in so many beautiful carrots. This is by far our best carrot year ever...which wasn't really a hard record to beat. Our first year we didn't get any...that might have had something to do with somebody digging up every last carrot in the middle of the night before they were even big enough to call baby carrots. The other years an elderly sister in our ward let us use her garden spot. She lived only a block away, but still it was hard to really care for a garden, so the carrots were never thinned when the should have been thinned. This year, I was really able to baby my garden to my hearts content. Our tomatoes, tho slow, also produced beautiful tomatoes, so perfectly round and a really good size. So far I have had enough ripe tomatoes to make one delicious batch of salsa, and soon, I'll have plenty more to do more salsa and stewed tomatoes. My only disappointment were my cucumbers and my cherry tomatoes. Neither of them produced much of anything. I got barely enough cucumbers to make two 2 quart jars of pickles, and a few nice big ones to enjoy eating.  All in all it was a good harvest year. I today as I dug up the rest of the carrots, I felt satisfied with the results and extremely blessed. I look forward to next year, mainly because I won't have to dig out my garden spot first, I can just go directly to planting. YEAH!

In addition to my gardening, I have also been having tonnes of fun and making huge messes canning various fruits. Take a look and my beautiful storage shelves.

Top shelf and half of the second shelf are pears
Third shelf and other half of second shelf are peaches
Forth shelf is red apple sauce made from my crab apples, apples from my sisters tree and Gala apples I bought for wicked cheap at my favorite local grocery store. My crab apples turned the apple sauce red.
Fifth shelf is apple pear sauce...so yummy!
Sixth shelf is whole crab apples(stems an all) canned in a thick syrup...it's like apple sauce on a stick.

Top shelf is jams from last year. I never did get around to making any jam this year.
Second shelf has some tomato sauce(last years), canned beets and apple pie in a jar.
Third shelf has the beginnings of my salsa and my small selection of pickles.

I love opening the door to my storage room and seeing my shelves all full of bright coloured jars filled with stuff I created. I feel like a genius. I feel amazingly grateful for my many blessing. For the blessing of a great harvest and for the blessing of my gifts and talents that allow me to fill these shelves with beautiful delicious food. Life indeed is great!

random answers

My friend has this posted on her blog. And since I haven’t blogged for a spell I thought I’d copy this.  
1. I've come to realize that my last kiss: was simple, brief but not with out passion.
2. Last night: I was sick...yuck.
3. I drink: when I am thirsty, or when I am craving something sweet
4. I eat: delicious food frequently
5. I love: my family, all of them. Brothers, sister, parents, cousins, aunts uncles, nieces, nephews, grandparents, In-laws in all varieties and of course, and most importantly, my own husband and children. I love them all. I don’t know what I would do with out any of them. Life is always a party when there is a family get together.
6. My bedroom is: a bit of a mess :(
7. My love life: more than I could ever have asked for.
8. I hate it when people: don’t do what they said they were going to do.
9. Love is: fabulous.
10. Marriage is: the biggest adventure of my life.
11. Somewhere, someone is thinking: “am I good enough? Strong enough? Smart enough?...” YES YOU ARE!
12. I always: laugh...at least I try too.
13. I have a secret crush on: it’s not a secret anymore...it was outed along time ago.
14. My cell phone: is non existent
15. When I wake up in the morning: I make breakfast and lunch.
16. Before I go to bed I: lay awake thinking for hours about nothing that is really that important to lay awake thinking about it.
17. Right now I am thinking about: these answers.
18. Babies are: cute and cuddly. Stinky and sticky. Lovable and funny. Grumpy and screamy. And possibly the most unpredictable creation ever...which makes them the best thing in the world.
19. My house: is sufficient for our needs, and I absolutely love it.
20. Today I: try to get through some of my to do list.
21. Tonight I will: lay awake thinking about nothing yet again.
22. Tomorrow I will: try to get a through some more of my to do list.
23. I really want to: be better at keeping an organized, tidy house.

Taking my name in vain.

Why is it that every sentence, partial sentence, or utterance must be preceded by "mom"? Every time my children open their mouths to speak the very fist word is always "mom". They may find that they use much less energy speaking if they would just say what they have to say with out pausing in between sentences to have me respond to them with a "yeah" or "is that right" or "really" etc. And then of course, there is the ever popular silence that follows. "Mom?" "yes honey?" "........I don't remember." Do they just need to hear my voice? Make sure I am still within hearing distance? Do they think I am just going to disappear? Not only that, but my three year old will keep repeating what she has
said until I repeat it back to her nearly word for word. Why does she
need to hear me say it to know that I've heard her? Even if I respond
with any other statement she'll say "no" and then repeat what she just
said.
A typical conversation goes something like this
Tansley: "Mom?"
Me: "yeah?"
Tansley: "Mom, do you want to play the grandma game?"
Me: "sure, I'll play the grandma game"
Tansley: "mom, what should I call you?"
Me: "I don't know, what do you want to call me?"
Tansley: "Mom, you can be Jay"
Me: "OK"
Tansley: "mom, you can be Jay"
Me: "OK, I'll be Jay."
Tansley: "Jay, look at this beautiful flower, Do you think it is beautiful?"
Me: "yes it's pretty"
Tansley: "No, do you think it is beautiful?"
Me: "Yes, it's beautiful"
Tansley: "Mom?"
Me: "what?"
Tansley: "Mom, what are you doing?"
Me: "I am hanging laundry"
Tansley: "Mom, I thought we were playing the grandma game."
Me: "I have to finish hanging the clothes."
Tansley: "mom, why are they dirty"
Me: "because people wore them and then got dirty, now they are clean and I am hanging them to dry."
Tansley: "mom?"
Me: "yes Tansley?"
Tansley:" Mom, when are you going to be done?"

There aught to be a limit on how many times a child can say the word "Mom", for the sanity of all Moms!

Kathryn's Birthday.

Kathryn's 6th birthday was on Monday. Daniel had the day off, so we decided to go up to Kathryn's school and surprise her with cupcakes to share with her friends at lunchtime. She was hilarious...she acted so silly. Daddy kept getting after her...I don't know why...she gets it from him.

For Kathryn's birthday dinner she requested sunshine toast (toast with a whole cut in the middle with an egg fried in it). An unusual request, but simple and easy to prepare. Kathryn was lucky enough to get two birthday cakes, one for her actual birthday and one for her birthday party.

Kathryn insisted in inviting her entire grade one class...all eight of them. We decided, and by "we" I mean "I", that we didn't need more toys to clutter up the play room, so we had a "toonie" party. To explain, each guest brings a card with a toonie(a $2 coin). Kathryn then gets to use that money to buy a birthday gift of her choosing. The birthday party was a hit. The weather was great, which was a good thing because all of the games and activities were outdoor games. Not that I needed to organize any games, the kids would have played in the enormous amount of leave for the entire two hours.