Home again, Home again..

Sadly enough this time for good. Holiday time for me is DONE .. we got back on Mon am just in time for me to get ready for work at 3pm!

YIIIKES !

Sooo YES as you can see..we've had a good few weeks of fun & sun ...First upcountry to the rivers then over to Vancouver Island to the ocean..yea I know I'm looking more than a bit like I'm a Summer Girl..
Geees standing next to girlfriend who we went to see for her B-day umm it's hard to figure which of us looks MORE native !
not to mention that I've partaken of more than my share of summer treats & libations... unless I wanna take to wearing A Mumuu... Gonna have to say -
Yep time to get back at things SERIOUSLY ..Ulllp
So on that note -I've thrown myself headlong into thing by somehow volunteering to captain our team for the Blends Mini challenge .. I don't know what I'm really expected to do..but if nothing else it'll keep me on track & from slinking off into the sunset when the going gets tough !
Here's a few pics of the goings on over the past week or 2...
& yes we DO do things besides fish ...really! ~LOL~

Gone again!

Off for another jaunt...take care all!

Back for the momment..

Well we're back home for a few days... WOW- LOTS to catch up on I see!... the "events" around Blogland & Tracker..& the NEW forum set up by our own wonderful JESS!

I still haven't had a chance to look into blogs yet.. I've been doing a nonstop laundry & catching up with gardening has been an adventure! So in the mean time Here 's a few pics of our week..

the first pic was our last night.. Hmmm yes -a very relaxed pair we are... ;)


I have to say- I do LOVE being up there.. once you realize there is nothing you really have to do.. it's great!!.. the biggest decision to make is whether it's gonna be a bathing suit & a wrap kinda day..or throw on a sundress!

Hair & makeup are total NON issue since you're in & out of the water all day.

& YES -Sqishheeees are very much a Tradition at "The Cabin"..& have been apparently for over 30 yrs now! ;)


the next is of Jamie & Jess finally taking a break the day we went tubing... those things are FUN...& a workout to stay on..like Lat pulls from Hell! - akkkk ~lol~

& then there is the cute one of Steven & Kennedy - Jamie's "brother" - Uncle Tom's little one.. She thinks "Steben" is the greatest thing since sliced bread & will follow him anywhere!

the last one is of Steven with a Kokanee he caught..a Kokanee if you don't know is a land locked Sockey salmon so they're protected as they aren't that common ...so needless to say this little guy went Back :D

LOTS more got taken with Uncle Tom's camera but it's a REAL film one so I have no idea how I'd get them on here! :P

I'll check in with ya'll as I can in between chores!

Have a great week..!

Hope you all stay, or find your way to being well this week :) ... We're off for the cabin-- as soon as it cools down enough to drive !

The summer is slippin by!

Wow how did it get to be the middle of July already?? Akkkk... Time is going by too fast!
The only Good thing is that it mean that after my next 3 days on ...I'm on HOLIDAYS for just over Three weeks! YAY!!! whooooo hoooo :)

First off-We'll be heading up to the cabin for a week.. Total back to nature living ( read- NO running water! ).. but right on the lake which is gorgeous & lots of fun for Jess & Steve ( & maybe a friend or 2 this yr - yep more fun!!
& because it's so dry up in the Okanagan there are are no nasty bugs to bite us, so Jamie & I sleep out on the deck under the stars ;)

after a few days back home here I think we'll be heading up to a camping weekend for my girlfriends 30th...Yea Stef I'm sure there will be MANY SQUISHEEES happening all over the place that weekend! ~lol~

& after that we may try to head over to Vancouver Island to see my Aunt & Uncle who the kids love to visit & hopefully get a day or so of ocean fishing in...

Yep- things to look forward to ...:)

Yep I'm a Rookie...~lol~

OK So this was my attempt to change the look of my blog...hmmmm ok so this did NOT work out the way it was supposed to...- It's missing all the pretty stuff around the edges...& the pic is WAY too big!...but it's time to go the gym...& then watch darlin daughter play her heart out at the end of her "quick start' band thing...

Anyone out there know how to make the whole thing fit... I'm up for HELP!!!!

Aaaaaaarrrrgggg!

No this is not me still in pirate mode! It's me more than just a bit pissed at things in my world right now.

For starters I managed to mess up my neck several days ago - probably having to do with restaining the whole front deck -
I'm a bit particular..OK ok.. A lot particular... So I was all scrunched up in bizarre positions to get into some of the areas ... To get it JUST right. End result it looks great...Me NOT so much!

I think I kinda sent the whole thing into spasm the other day trying to get a workout in that included overhead triceps...( yea ok call me stupid- I figured it was fine by then...ahhhh NO! )
So needless to say I've been living on Robacacets & visits to my Chiropractor & doing NOTHING except riding the bike to do cardio .Bleeaaaaaaaaa!!
Did I mention that when feeling depressed & pissed at your self ... It's much harder NOT to just say F' it & eat crap ? More arguements than ususual with myself about that to say the least!

Then the topper today --- My darlin husband's ex has reared her altogether nasty, spiteful ugly head again & where this latest intrusion into our life will go... I know not..

Anyone got a corner I can borrow to curl up in??

*sigh*

Guess what we went to see??

Yep... & it was GREAT!! Just walking up to the theatre to head in was fun with all the reactions & overheard comments -- SOO many people saying- "Awww, we shoulda done that!"
And you know me..Any excuse to play dress ups is fine by me :P
& this was well worth it!
Fun evening to say the least!

Party on the patio..

Finally have a sec to get these up & show you some of our celebration on the weekend.. Friends of ours took some as well but these I took before the rest of the gang showed up & I got too sidetracked making Strawberry Margaritas & Pina coladas!! ( we had a total Red & White theme...Including the foods & drinks! )
& As you can see the girls got into their red jello just a bit too much! That's what I get for blinking for a second! akkk! ... All in all-- a fun time tho! :)

Happy Holiday Weekend All !!!

well it Friday night ..& I'm still doing prep work.. rumour has it that apparently we're having a Canada Day party here tomorrow~! ( that 'll learn us for telling anyone we got a new BBQ~ lol~ the weather is supposed to be hot & sunny so poolside is where we'll be ..
Hope you all have a wonderful Holiday JULY 1st or 4th which ever you celebrate!

And so it begins...

Here we are 10am on the first day of the kids summer break & Me determined NOT to lose my focus!! So far we've done a VERY interesting LBWO..
went up in the play room.. & put on Steven's Greenday CD... WHOOO HOOO talk about Energy!

Did DB squats ( called them "teacups" since we were pretending to be able to balance a tea cup on our leg at the bottom)
Then Plie squats.. Called them" ballerinas".. Well -for obvious reasons!
Next was stiff legdead lifts..Called them "good morning stretches" you shoulda heard Steven saying good moring to EVERYONE in the family with each raise.. ;)
Finally was some fun lunges.. I had the kids do them with arms straight out & we called them "Frankensteins" & we were giggling thru those!

So 3 sets of 15 or so..( we sometimes forgot where we were ~lol~)
& Now off for a bikeride in the sunshine! ...

Have a Great day all! :) I'm Back in my Happy place :)

I'm tired of looking at Me...

So enough with the pics already right?? ~lol

Have had a VERY busy weekend & then went back to work last night...Again on a dif ward..So no time for checking blogs..& during the day time there's too many inside chores to get done that I've neglected all weekend. ( the weather has been sunny & HOT so it was full on Yard work among other things! )
I am trying to balance my need for getting things done with my need for checking on you all!
Oh yea.. Did I mention that I feel "yucky' - throat is sore..One eye is weepy.. I'd like to chalk it up to allergies...but I don't think so..
Just run down I guess - Not near enough sleep.. I need someone to send me a bedtime reminder to GO to bed! ..Instead of staying up after work & reading.. & or eating crap!
Hmmm- & also think Auntie is on her way ...*sigh* or is that "Grrrrrrr"?? Yep grumpy , hot & tired- I'd say apathetic too..but I don't feel like it right now.. Yep- I need to snap out of this ..

hair is done..

Hello All! Well my hair is done... Took longer than I anticipated since he did a whole chit chat/ consult before we began.. but NO pics aren't up yet.. Had some issues trying to take & the upload them earlier ...So maybe my dear darling will do it if I walk him through it from here at work.. ;)

Then you all will have to tell me what you "honestly" think.. Not just what you think I might wanna hear.. But what you really think. -- I'm still not sure myself..

EDIT..well here's one of my "self portraits" yea that was funny tryin to do ~lol although you can't really see just how dark most of it is now..I know it's supposed to lighten as the "demi-permanent" comes out ..but for now it's really dark! I guessI'll have to give in & let Jamie take some more pics tomorrow You get a better idea of just how much it looks darker I think when it's straight ---but we'll see if do that --( I really don't like to bug him about taking pics for me..make me feel all self concious)
Any who it's darker & shorter by several inches & now has these crazy gold streaks in it too... again .. I'm still not sure!

Now I've done it..

Well almost! ..~lol ~ I've finally bitten the bullet & have an appointment for tomorrow AM to have some one DO something with my hair! Those of you in Blendville that regularly go & get your hair cut or coloured or whatnot.. I envy you. I've had long hair for as long as I can remember & the last time I had someone professionally put colour or streaks in it was in ..ummmmm 2000~!
Yea pretty pathetic eh?? Part of that is that I've had all sorts of ups & downs with my world & have actually had periods of such extreme stress - that CHUNKS of my hair fell right out.

Scary to say the least..Finding the spots that I couldn't see were... well traumatic & horrible -I don't wish that upon anyone! Try having someone tell you that there is a huge bald patch at the back of your head...It isn't fun.. & since then I've had to really baby it to have those areas grow back in..

Now I've decided that everything is healthy enough to actually do something..& frankly I'm bored with my hair -not in a" OK cut it all off way" -- but I think I'm ready for SOMETHING different..
Any suggestions?
I've got till tomorrow Am to figure out what to tell him.. :P

Friday night..

Well it's Friday night & unlike MOST of you blends I'm NOT out having fun..or even at home having fun!.. in fact I'm stuck at work.. & on a different ward the past couple of nights soo I've been rather busy & haven't had any time to check in on you...let alone have anytime to tell you about my world.

.. This week I've been good about the gym.. & WAS good about eating up until last night... I seem to have fallen down the rabbit hole with Alice the past few days..I'm feeling like I'd like to run away & hide..sinking into a depressive funk..& want NO neeeeed to eat Chocolate... Akkkkkk ...

well that's about it for now..

Something mindless for a rainy Tuesday..

Well I'm just off to the gym.. ( yay me!) But wanted to say a quick-"Thanks "for all the Birthday wishes over the weekend & give you all something new & fresh to look at..

Feel free to change the names-- tell me which Mother's ( heck or Father's ) names YOU think should be substituted!! ( any of our dear blends might fit into Some of those spots some days ~lol ) :P

GROUP THERAPY . . . . . . .

A psychiatrist was conducting a group therapy session with four young
mothers and their small children. "You all have obsessions," he
observed.

To the first mother, Mary, he said, "You are obsessed with eating.
You've even named your daughter Candy."

He turned to the second Mom, Ann: "Your obsession is with money. Again,
it manifests itself in your child's name, Penny."

He turned to the third Mom, Joyce: "Your obsession is alcohol. This too
shows itself in your child's name, Brandy."

At this point, the fourth mother, Kathy, quietly got up, took her
little
boy by the hand and whispered, "Come on, Dick, we're leaving."

Things that make you go Hmmmm...

Well these past few eves at work with time on my hands due to our dropping pt count I've been doing a LOT of reading here on the 'puter. & let me tell you it' s been interesting to say the least.

I've had a chance to catch up on the latest Drama story unfolding over at Tracker... & even had a chance to play PM tag ( say Hi Jess! ~lol) I also got to read thru some of the threads around there & had to shake my head at the fact that as much as time goes by & things change in the "real" world...NOT too much does around there!
On that same note.. I wandered in on the "new" ...Ok..NOT so new R section that I had turned off ages ago when it was silly & frankly I wasn't gonna be opening that sorta stuff at work anywho...
Welllllll ...What a read!-- & I see where some of you have been spending your free time! ~lol

Gotta say ...If you know who the players are & the gist of how things are meant...it plays out like a very funny sitcom...full of one liners & sarcasm.
Mind you I'm not quite brave enough to jump into that pool just now.. I'm the first to admit I don't have the time or the wit to keep up!

On another front... I read today Deb's blog about the site meters... Talk about a *Twilight Zone* moment.... It's VERY strange she should blog about it since I've recently put one in & the things it has shown me in the past few weeks are rather well.... Enlightening to say the least! ..Enough that I felt the need to write about it.
It's neat to see that some of you visit even if you're not up to commenting ... or maybe I'm just being boring! ~lol
But I also have found that it shows exactly where from & who is visiting my Blog -
very interesting ... Yea things that make you go Hmmmm for sure!

Ah well -as I've said before I must be part cat - I'm just naturally curious & "I don't wanna miss a thing!..."

So for me this eve it's back to Tracker lurking & or Blog cruising... choices, choices...
& you...Whoever you are .. Enjoy---.Whatever your reading pleasure! --- But ya know- saying Hi is allowed too! ;)

Hey..blogger's working..

Silly Blogger has been acting up the past few days... I took it as a sign from the Gods that I had "nothing" worth reading or something... ~lol
So now it's Thurs & I'm back to work... Things at home have been crazy busy with kids...

Is June insane in everyone else's world too??

We had a bit of a scary event the other day...Jess cut herself with a recently sharpened boning knife while trying to make her & her brother bagels for breakfast...
I came downstairs to her sitting on the window seat holding her hand in a napkin.. She'd had the presence of mind to wash it & them was sitting bec some months back her best friend has almost passed out when she saw the blood from a cut finger doing an apple . So full points for being smart there.
I took a look at it & from the shape & direction of the cut I didn't want to muck with it too much cause it looked DEEP...
Jess said it didn't hurt too much so two sturdy elastoplasts later there was no bleeding & I took her to school hoping I was wrong & that it would be fine & not need stitches...

..Well Lunchtime came & so did the phone call dragging Mommy out of the grocery store & back to pick her up from school bec it had started bleeding againg & had bled through both thick bandages I had put on & 2 more that they had tried to put OVER those at the school.
Apparently she had listened very well to me saying "DON"T under any circumstances take these off today.." ~lol
I was hoping that the pressure of them would be enough to hold things long enough for the body to start healing.

So off to the clinic where they had to put in 2 stitches.. She was SO brave & didn't even cry out when they were putting in the freezing .. Even when he had to put it in both sides of the finger since there is a secondary nerve that crosses the fingertip..
My poor baby girl.. She just gripped my hand & looked up into my eyes ...
This was definitely one of those moments I wish I could just "take" it for her... Who knew Mommy would be the one shaking.. akkkk I'm such a wimp!

I don't know what I'm gonna do when she gets around to having babies... *sigh*

Monday, Monday..

So I'm pretending I'm Tom today & using song references..~lol~
Seriously tho ... it's Monday & I'm kinda glad of it.. that means back to the gym & routine.

I worked all weekend so that means I mostly stayed out of trouble eating wise ...but there DEFINITELY were some "free day' foods being stuffed in my face during the day while we were running around doing things!
Then Sat night I ended up "stopping by" the neighbours campfire after work ..& had a couple glasses of wine... & we all ended up staying up WAY too late.. just yacking.. funny how these impromtu get togethers end up being the most fun eh?
Mind you.. I think it's a BAD thing when we wandered back over here to continue yacking in the hot tub & I finally had to send the last of the gang home --cause the sun was comming up & the "birdies were chirping"!! ..I don't know how some people can just stay up FOREVER it seems!

*YAWN* yesterday was VERY long & getting thru my shift at work was a real adventure!
I can't stay up late like that any more...remember the days when we'd stay out late & then be ..Go GO Go all day??... Not anymore-I'm too old for this!

So back to the gym, proper sleep & clean eating for this girl! Into week 2 of consistently hitting things seriously!
Today was chest, back & shoulder...with a 50 min cardio on the bike after! ( gotta work off those damn cheeseburger calories ya know! ~lol~

Hope you all had a good weekend.. I'll check in on you later :)

PS... soooo looking forward to hearing how Bev & Jeremy's BIG day went.. I was thinking about them all weekend.. Let's allll bug poor Kim to show us Sooooon! Tee hee!

I've been tagged.. :)

so I've been tagged by our own Cheri
& after a serious amount of mucking around I figured out just HOW that name/link thing goes.. (yea still a Rookie I know! !lol~)

so with out further ado...

I am..still doing really well- had a great cardio day & pretty good on eating :D Feeling happy about myself despite TOM being here to visit - didn't even get much warning.. ( sorry Tom -not you- You are welcome anytime!)

I want.. to keep at things -especially with summer comming find a way to do this WITH kids off school & in the equation

I hate.. people that are deliberately mean or hurtful

I miss .. my kids so increadibly much sometimes when they aren't with me.

I fear.. not being able to 'save' them from being hurt or harmed in life.

I wonder.. how my world would be- had I made different choice at junctures in my life.

I regret.. the things I have done that have hurt others.. so many things I could have handled better or differently.

I am not ..yet the all person I want to be- but I'm working on it!

I dance.. anytime I can- I love it! & always have, with whomever askes me - I think that the asking takes real courage.

I sing.. along with the whatever is on radio as I drive the kids everywhere

I cry..both at happy things & sad.. I guess any overload of emotion really

I am not always.. good at leaving myself enough time to get places.

I make with my hands.. way too much good cooking & baking sometimes.. but it's how I "take care" of those I care about & a good stress release too.

I write..lots of notes to myself, lists & things on the calander..

I confuse.. myself sometimes ( yep Jim- me too)

I need.. to love & be loved.. fiercely, completely & unconditionally

I should.. finish this & head up to spend time with my dear Hubby.

I start.. about a hundred projects in my head on nights I can't get to sleep.. why isn't Home Depot open at 3AM anyways?? ~lol

I finish..Jamie's thoughts& sentances half the time- the other half he's finishing mine !
One day we should get more than one brain eh?


Ok done! & now I tag... hmmm lets see "my life twin" Jennifer & our own amazing Lori Something mindless & fun is just the thing for these girls right now I think...

Anyone else who hasn't done it.. feel free to Hop on the bus too!


G'night all & hope FRIDAY is a GOOD day for you all too! :D