A couple more pictures and other stuff...

Whew, one day without anywhere to go! I got to actually go for coffee and have a bit of a chat after my morning run. I can't tell you how much I missed that!
We've been running around like crazy people all week because my middle two are in a play (The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe) tomorrow. The practice schedule has been a bit grueling for us all. Maddy fell asleep at 7:30 in a chair last night and didn't wake up until after 7 this morning. Poor baby!

Finished (for now) driveway...
I thought I'd post some pics of the final product. Maddy helped her dad drive the roller thingy (yup that's it's official name) around this morning.

Here's the view looking up. If you squint in the sun and kind of look for it, you can tell there's a square hole up top for the new garage:) We're parking in it right now so that kids can ride bikes on the actual driveway. They are loving this new space!

Love that garbage pile. SO pretty!

Oh and here's our cutest tiniest biker...

It's official!!!!
Well we've done it! The sign has moved so we officially have a nice curving driveway. It's amazing how this has suddenly made all the pain of the last few days go away:) We were having a coffee this moring thinking, "maybe we should just pave the sucker". See how we get sucked into more projects. They're all lurking there waiting to be found.


I'll post pictures of the "yard" aka: large expanse of dirt, another time. Hopefully it won't rain because little rivers of mud will be flowing all over our yard. Now onto Project: plant grass and build retaining walls...see how that one snuck up on me too!

More days and dollars...

I know I showed you day one of project driveway but as most of our projects seem to go, this one took on a life all it's own...so we are now on day four. I know this is happens every time anyone takes on a renovation but it cost waaaaaaaaaaaay more than we thought and took waaaaaaaaaay longer.
It's so cool to drive up our long winding driveway though and park on the other side of the house. VERY COOL! And worth every penny. (Actually I don't know if this is true as I don't want to know the final tally) Our upper yard is suddenly much, much higher as the dirt has to go somewhere right?! AND Kev decided to dig out the foundation for the new garage....yes, a new project is in the works cuz we don't have enough things started already. Ha!
Here's an almost finished pic.

I didn't take any today of the whole thing as Kev was out with the roller thingy until it was dark. Oh how our neighbors must love us:) Isaac wanted to try it out so badly:

Brilliant plan number 1097...

I'll start with a picture of "old driveway". Notice proximity of house to road - not good and is what started this whole craziness.

We had this amazing idea that digger could dig up tree on side of old driveway and deposit it in new hole on end of said driveway, thus blocking it off and fulfilling our obligation to the city. Oh such a perfect plan, what could go wrong?
Number one: Hooking tree to digger. Ever tried this? MUCH harder said than done!

Number two: lifting said tree with digger. Totally hilarious actually...

Number three: Standing tree up in hole at end of driveway. This was pee your pants funny. Kev likened it to trying to stand a fork tines up on a table.

Number four: Tree is officially dead. Now thinking we will build a fence:)

Onward and upward...
We are officially done which means we've paid the dirt movers etc and the rest is up to us. I'll post some pictures of the upper yard or as I like to think of it, the dirt pile. The kids had to have a bath again tonight. It should be a fun summer:) I will mention again how I was NOT a gardener, landscaper or any kind of "yard-er". Whew, sink or swim baby, sink or swim:)

Thank you Lord!
On a more serious note, I am totally thankful for this place! It's amazing to think this is only the beginning of our yard. I can't wait to see what it looks like this time next year! I am still overwhelmed by the vastness of our project but excited at the same time!
Enjoy the journey right?!

Update on the yard...

Day One of project move the driveway...
This is suddenly such a huge part of my life, I figured I'd better put a little blurb out there for friends and family:)
For those of you who don't know, we are moving our drive way. Sound simple right? WRONG!!!
This is a crazy thing to do! (just in case any of you are seized with a sudden desire to do it lol).

Here is the machine at the start of the process...


We had to fall trees and clear brush (see other blog entries for pics of this madness).
All those huge fallen trees had to be moved... Check out Kev's cousin Arlyss in his new machine!




Out crazy stump...


And guess what the kids are doing...



Kids + dirt = kid heaven!

Show us your hands...


Well that was day one. I got the word from hubby that they somehow, accidentally hit the septic tank. Yes, that is as nasty as it sounds so I best go and see what needs to be done. These things always become more complicated then you originally think (read: cost waaaaaaaaay more money!)

something new for me....

I don't usually go for these weird kind of things. They kind of remind me of those questionnaires I took from Teen Beat (or Cosmo or whatever)lol, where you tried to figure out what kind of a dater you were or whatever. Anyway, this one actually describes me pretty well so I'll throw it out there:)
Happy Day! I here we might get to +27 tomorrow.

You Are 40% Open Minded

You aren't exactly open minded, but you have been known to occasionally change your mind. You're tolerant enough to get along with others who are very different... But you may be quietly judgmental of things or people you think are wrong. You take your own values pretty seriously, and it would take a lot to change them.

How Open Minded Are You?

week of sun...but rain today...

Working on the yard...

Well we don't seem to have enough to do these days so...we are moving the driveway:) And painting the house, and building the girls a deck, oh and landscaping. I think we may be insane but things have to get worse before they get better. Right?! Someone back me up here. I'm kind of freaking out cuz we've bitten off quite a huge chunk of work with this one. I have faith in my husband and I know it will look amazing in the end. It's jut the process that scares me a bit.


Check out these great pictures of Levi and Kevin as they clear the brush in anticipation of the awesome digger that will come and clear the way for our new driveway.


sun lover...

I love the sun. I know this doesn't make me weird by any stretch but it gets crazy rainy here. I mean it was beautiful, summer-sunny beautiful last week. My youngest boy turned 9 at the end of April and we had a joint party on Thursday with his cousin. We had 17 kids hunting for candy and playing in the yard. It was so amazing. I wish I was my kid, really! Happy 8th Emilee and Happy 9th Isaac. We all love you!


And today, it's raining like there has never, at anytime been a sun:)

Everything is better when the sun is shining...

I'm not sure what more I can add to that statement. It just. Is. True.
I am growing to love the lower mainland more and more everyday but the unending days of rain do get right into your soul sometimes. I find myself feeling as soggy and grey as it looks outside. Not today though!

note of thanksgiving...
I was reading about Feudalism with my son and nephew. What a crazy world that would have been. Being born into wealth and privileged was like winning the lottery. It didn't happen to many but for those few, wow! The rest of the poor blokes kind of got the short end eh?! We were talking about the differences in our political systems and I was struck with how blessed we are to live here, in Canada, in 2007. Despite the horror in our world, we are surrounded with so much choice and beauty. I feel sad sometimes about what we choose to make of our great fortune. I'm sure God looks at us and weeps some days. On an upper note though, I am grateful everyday to live here, in Canada where my children can grow up safe and happy.

Little choices...big differences...
I think it's the little choices we make to do the right thing even when no one is watching that accumulates into a life of greatness. I listen to some people and am in awe of their peace and wisdom. I think they've learned the secret of taking the little steps everyday.


War with the scale...
I wonder if this is what I'm to be learning from my weight watcher's journey. I had another little freak out time lol. I'm such a loser sometimes I'm embarrassed to be me! But it will make everyone else feel superior so perhaps it's a good thing. (I'm doing my part and all that).
I'm not sure how good it is for me to have a scale. I begin to stress the day before my weigh in and start to stand on the darn thing waaaaaaaaaay too much. Like there's really anything you can do the night before to affect your weight in any real way!
Anyway, it's probably good for me to lean to work through my craziness:) My husband is not so sure. He thinks it might be like a Crack addict just buying a pipe to have in the house.

Oh and about the Canucks...
My hubby is bummed. I couldn't care less but I'm glad to have my evenings back ;-) (yes I'm mean and unfeeling about the whole sport watching thing)
Hopefully those of you that care have recovered and are throwing your support behind Ottawa.

I'm off to snuggle my littlest girlie...

More disjointed blathering....

Enough with the body issues already!
So I bought a scale. Probably not the healthiest thing but I'm trying to maintain this weight that I lost and I'm finding it hard to stay focused.
Did you know my jeans weigh 2lbs?? And that my weight can fluctuate 3lbs in a few hours. Really makes you think eh?!
Why do these arbitrary numbers matter so much to me?

I'm really not as neurotic as I sound (I hope).

Note of encouragement...
At Bible study last night we were looking at the life of Jacob and Esau. It's a crazy mixed up story but something I've noticed from reading the Old Testament is that we don't have to be perfect for God to use us. He seems to bless us despite ourselves. It may seem strange but it encouraged me.

GO CANUCKS GO!!!

I'm watching (okay so maybe my hubby is the one watching) Vancouver play their game 5 against the Ducks. If they loose, they're out so...Go Canucks Go!!! They're into the first overtime. YIKES!

sleepy, rainy days and other myths...

I found this video...
Click here to see how much worse it can be at the office:) See staying at home with the kids is not that bad.

I think I mentioned that I'm a homeschooler. Since moving to Langley my kids have had the opportunity to go to a homeschool school one day a week. Today is the day! It's so fun for them and a great break for me. I should be running, cleaning and playing with my toddler BUT I'm here, typing. GUILT!! We have Bible study here tonight and the house looks like a bomb went off. Two bombs actually, one is 3 the other is 5.

I look at my poor youngest and think, "I was so much more fun when the boys were little." Maybe I only thought I was though. Luckily, your memory is the first thing to go.

My hubby is 35 on Friday. I know this is going to stress him out (VERY high achiever, married my opposite obviously) and the last thing I feel like doing is celebrating another birthday. Poor guy! I was up 2 lbs at my weigh in on Monday. Although, I'm still under goal weight, I've been quietly obsessing about this since. 2lbs is like a hundred, and what if I don't stop there! YIKES! See there I go...must reign the madness in. See how I can make everything all about me?! It's a gift really!

Oh and this is my all time fav SNL skit. If anyone know where I can get me some of this...
Click here

Okay now I really do have to go for a run! Enjoy whatever weather you're having.

taking the day off...

As a stay-at-home mom, how exactly do I do this you ask? Well, it's like this:

I still get up (but later), run (but longer and at the time the shows I love are on) :
- CityLine
- The View -well today anyway, love Natalie Portman and the charity she is supporting is amazing! I'd heard about it on CBC already. They offer loans to people with no collateral in developing countries to help them start their own businesses. The loans can be as low as $50 and change, especially women's, lives. villagebanking.org

make lunch and then write in my blog. So really it's not a day off, more of a slow down day.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ISAAC (Saturday)!!!!

We had a crazy wonderful weekend. It was my second eldest's 9th birthday on Saturday. He wanted things like another trampoline so he could jump back and forth and a new bike (he's getting his brother's bike so...). Needless to say, he wasn't getting what he asked for and was surprised, in a good way, by all his gifts:) Crazy boy!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PETE (Monday)!!!

My father-in-law turned 60 on Monday. BIG DAY! We had a (sort of) surprise party for him on Sunday. My sil and I spent almost 2 weeks planning and executing the entire thing. By Sunday morning I was ready to curl up in a corner, sucking my thumb and sobbing but by the time we were cleaning up the last napkin and beer bottle, I knew it was all worth it! He was so surprised and thrilled and everyone had a wonderful time. There were loads of people on the deck and in the house and everything looked great!

Someone mentioned that my sil and I should go into business putting these things on and we (in unison) said "no way!". Purely a labor of love baby lol.

Onward and upward...
My hubby just mentioned, as he was on his way out, that perhaps the kids should not take another day off from school...so it would seem that my "day off" is over. I should go and get them started on their math and novel studies.

Have a wonderful rainy Tuesday!