Distractions

Sometimes we need a distraction. Some things can't be changed and you just have to deal with them. This past week, was a case of that, for me. Being sick, with sick kids and a sick husband..... I just had to suck it up and let it run its course. I felt like going to bed and sleeping for a week....While others slept, I went to the beach and then picked Kristin up from school. We went to an old Artillery Fort that was built in the 1890's, and explored a bit. Sometimes distractions are fun :)
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A promise

It is far to early to be thinking of spring. These buds that I found in our yard hold out the promise though that it will be coming. How nice that we can always count on certain things.

The wild life

This adorable little guy was looking for something to eat. I threw him a few cashews and he let me take his picture :)
These squirrels are not native to here and are slowly taking over. Our native squirrel is a very dark color. Still, they are super cute! :)

Drizzly Days

Sunday was drizzly, misty wet day. Not really wet enough to call it rain but dismal all the same. If you live anywhere along the coast you know what I mean. It was a planned picture day and I did attempt but the day was pretty dark, not the promising sunny day the weather forecaster predicted. I still had fun. Fed some seals by hand at Fisherman's Wharf, got some fresh air and chats with a friend. I did get a few pictures too

Pieces of me

Today I was trying to take some new pics of me. I thought I would update my profile pic as it is a couple months old. So I took about 200 pictures (okay yes 3/4 of them was me making faces at the camera! ) and I only got a handlful that I don't hate and only because they are heavily cropped. :) Oh well better a piece than nothing, I guess.
I was going to write today about how I received a win that I was notified of yesterday. I won a Homebasics contest, "Monthly Clean Up and Win with Vim Draw", I won $1000. I was very excited to get the email. Frankly it couldn't of come at a better time! They did an email money transfer and I have alsready received the money. Gotta love contests!

Some body flog me!

I fell off the wagon, resolution wise.
Tonight I had to do some grocery shopping..... well there were SO many good deals. I walked away from lots of them....But there was these diego play sets (my twins are really into dora and diego) and were on for 4.44 from 11.99.
I will put them away for Easter or maybe Valentines.
Everything else I bought was okay. I got bulk packs of meat and split them up, only the fruit and veggies that were on sale. I even bought discount creamo, lol. It expires in a couple days but that it okay I will bake with what ever is left over from tea and coffee.
I am disapointed in myself, but it could of been a lot worse.
I definetly need to go shopping an infrequently as possible. Staying right out of the store seems to be the key :(
After all my worry about the picture taking that was supposed to happen tonight, the owner never showed up. So I got my picture taken again with the employees and took my certificate and left. If I don't go shopping there I won't have to see the pciture, lol. Another no shopping bonus!

Tomorrow

Tomorrow I get to go and pick up my certificate I won. My $2000 travel voucher. I have to go meet the owner of the store and get my picture taken with him. I hate getting my picture taken! I always look worse than I think I do, and trust me, that is saying a lot!
One advantage of being behind the camera is not being in the pictures. I don't seem to have any say in this, as they want everyone to know I won. Their words, not mine, lol. I am completely happy being anonymous. I have no idea what I am going to wear......
I don't know what is going to be done with this picture. Is it going to be just hung in the store? Will it go in the paper (Heaven forbid!)? On Christmas eve when I received the call that I had won this, the manager asked me to come in and pick up a certificate saying I had won. She insisted on having a picture with me and the employees that were working at the time. Her camera wasn't work right so I had to stand through a bunch of shots and I know my face went from "happy that I won" to "taped on fake smile", with the, "are we done" look.
Oh well, I guess I won't care when I am sipping margaritas on some cruise... :)

Can you keep a secret?

I recently received a copy of Sophie Kinsella's book, "Can you keep a secret?" in the mail. I am only few chapters in and I am finding it a very good book. Very funny, light reading. After a long day I enjoy curling up with a book, a nice entertaining book... nothing that makes me think too hard or stresses me out.....this seems to be one. I hear that all her books are great, I just might have to check them out after this one!

Just days to enjoy

The first day of the year was wet and cold... but hey at least it wasn't snow! Kristin and I met up with some friends. We went for lunch and then because nothing was open, we went to the beach. The kids threw things in the water, finally ending up in the water! Kristin had snow boots on that we waterproof up a bit from the sole, not waterproof enough for water though. When we got in the car she was wiggling around her feet and said, "can't you hear the water?" I got out of the car and went around to her side, pulled off one boot and poured out at least 2 cups of water from each boot. Little beggar! Very cold water it was too.
Anyway, while the kids played us adults "played" with our camera's. As always there were lots of swans and geese, there was also some sand pipers and little ducks. I really enjoy seeing them and they are fun to take pictures of.

Happy New Year

Here we go into another year. Kind of makes you wonder what we are in for! I usually don't make resolutions. This year is going to be different and I am going to blog it all so I have to be accountable!
I am going to be doing a 3 month no shopping starting tomorrow. I am not happy with how shopping has become a past time of mine. Its not that I spend a lot, but it does all add up. I want to fill my time up with other activities and get a rush from them, not from a great "deal" I found. So no shopping for anything that is not essential and no going into any stores. I am purging myself of it all. Okay, I think I am starting to hyperventilate.......
My second resolution is to get back to my low carb lifestyle. I am a carb addict and I need to purge those carbs! I feel way better when I am limiting my carb intake and the fact that I was gestational diabetic on insulin drastically increases my odds of becoming a diabetic. Add to that, that both my Father and Grandfather were diabetic and the odds are not in my favour. I want to avoid that if I can.
My third resolution is kind of a combination of the other two. I am trying hard to cook more from scratch and more raw foods. After having the twins, it was so crazy here that we relied on processed foods a lot. We just had too to survive. I am not happy with us eating it though and want it out of our lives. It is horrible for us and costs way more than eating healthy. So eat better and save money, works for me!
So that's it.. not much else except maybe trying to finish the book "understanding exposure" and actually "getting" it without having my head explode!
I am turning 40 in 6 months. I hate, hate HATE that. I never thought age would bother me, but lately the fact that this is coming up almost makes me have a panic attack. It really gives me a horrible feeling :( I am determined to go into my 40's better than I went into my 30's. I am hoping these resolutions will help with that.

Merry Christmas

It has been a wonderful Christmas. I had so much fun watching it all through the eyes of my little ones. My twins were old enough this year to "get" some of it, and to enjoy it. They loved opening presents! Kristin is young enough to still believe in the magic of Christmas and Santa.
I received a wonderful present, a macro lens. I am anticipating tons of fun with that! I feel very blessed to have had my family to spend this day with. I know there are lots of people that are not so lucky. We have not lost sight of the true meaning of this day.
Yesterday afternoon I had a call from a local store to tell me I had won a contest they were hosting. I won a $2000 travel voucher to a local travel agency. I think the fun part of it, is being able to dream about where I can go now :)
I hope you all had as a wonderful day and felt the peace and love of this special holiday.

Cookies

I love baking. I don't have many opportunities to do much right now but I wanted to make a few cookies to give to friends this Christmas. Nothing says Christmas to me like Gingerbread (or gingersnaps)

Someone posted the recipe on a forum I go too. They are good and great for dunking. Here is the recipe.

Gingersnaps

Hard margarine (or butter), softened 3/4 cup 175 mL

Granulated sugar 1 cup 250 mL

Large egg 1 1

Fancy (mild) molasses 1/2 cup 125 mL

All-purpose flour 2 1/2 cups 625 mL

Baking soda 2 tsp. 10 mL

Ground ginger 2 tsp. 10 mL

Ground cinnamon 1 tsp. 5 mL

Salt 1/2 tsp. 2 mL

Granulated sugar, approximately 1/4 cup 60 mL

Cream margarine and first amount of sugar in large bowl. Add egg. Beatwell. Add molasses. Beat until smooth.Combine next 5 ingredients in medium bowl.

Add to margarine mixture in2 additions, mixing well after each addition until no dry flour remains.

Rollinto 1 inch (2.5 cm) balls.Roll each ball in second amount of sugar in small bowl until coated.Arrange about 2 inches (5 cm) apart on greased cookie sheets.

Bake in 350ºF(175ºC) oven for about 10 minutes until just firm. Let stand on cookie sheetsfor about 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool.

Makes about7 1/2 dozen (90) cookies.1 cookie: 45 Calories; 1.7 g Total Fat (1.1 g Mono, 0.2 g Poly, 0.4 g Sat); 2 mg Cholesterol;7 g Carbohydrate; trace Fibre; 0 g Protein; 62 mg SodiumReprinted from Most Loved Cookies © Company's Coming Publishing Limited

Truck Light Parade

Kristin and I met up with her friend and her friends Mom (who happens to be my friend ) to watch the truck light parade. It was a wet evening but that certainly did not dampen the kids spirits any! The parade was fun. Lots of noise!

(you can click on any of these pics and it will open up bigger)




I love this one :)

Ornamental Snow

We had a cold spell hit us here, feels like -10 with the wind chill 60km winds and about 6 inches of snow. We seldom get snow, maybe a few days a year and our temps are also very seldom below freezing. Basically it shuts our city down when it gets like this, and because none of us are prepared/experienced to drive in it, it is better that we stay off the roads anyways!

When the kids went down for their naps I went out to take pics. I had no gloves and no winter jacket, so it wasn't long before my fingers and toes were numb and my battery was dead in the camera. I was suprised how quick the cold, sapped the battery.

I am sure the neighbors are completely convinced I am nuts.

I played around with textures a bit with these ones. I am not sure if I like them or not. It was interesting though.

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Our poor little humming birds were looking for some food. Not many flowers to be found now. We made sure their feeder was full, and I will also make sure it gets thawed out a couple times a day.