Moving On...

Well, I need to re-evaluate the purpose of this blog. I do enjoy blogging and since I'm now bored of puzzling and card-making is difficult due to lack of space in the basement, I think it's time for me to return to blogging. The problem is that my computer cannot upload pictures from my camera. The USB port/thingy is no longer working. I suppose the computer is just old and needs to be replaced. The list of "needing to be fixed/replaced" in this house is dangerously long...not that I've made a list because it's just too depressing.

So...this could be a good thing (for me) but a bad thing (for you!). This may mean you will be subjected to reading my opinions...something which I admire other people for doing, but yet I don't enjoy sharing too much because that just leads to disagreements and misunderstandings and awkward conversations. Or, at least, it CAN. It doesn't have to. I have the right to disagree with you. That doesn't mean I don't like you, it just means I don't agree. There are lots and lots and lots of people in this world with whom I disagree with on at least one thing. Probably 100% of the people I know. :) I see that as a good thing. Variety is a GOOD thing, except when it comes to baking (chocolate, chocolate, chocolate).

I'll try my best to update regularly. Today is Natalee's birthday - she's 4! Andrew and Wyatt have colds again. This is the third virus in our house in the past 5-6 weeks and I loudly admit that I am not a fan of sick kids. Or sick people, in general. Something about sick people grates on my nerves like fingernails on a chalkboard. Someone once suggested to me that it may be because my brother was sick a lot when we were kids and I felt "neglected." Yes, this Someone was a counsellor. We won't go there today. :) (For those of you unfamiliar to that specific symbol, it is a smiley face and my way of injecting humor into my online writing.)

I'm disappointed that I won't be able to share pictures of Natalee's birthday cakes, party's, and presents, but I promise to still take pictures. I guess if you want to see them, you'll just have to come by in about 10 years when I finally get my pictures printed out and into albums. Maybe THAT should be my new hobby... :)

"Away in a Manger" by Natalee

A little Christmas

There's not much exciting to report - or see - from our Christmas. It was good, we saw both sides of the family on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, it wasn't too cold, we remained healthy until Christmas Day was over, what more could you ask for?


Caleb and Joshua read "Benjamin's First Christmas" before presents. It's a cute story about the Jewish innkeepers son who witnesses Jesus' birth.
Fun mitts for Wyatt!

Kitchen stuff for Andrew.

Spy stuff for the boys. Natalee got some pink/baby doll stuff.

My Favourite Things continued

1. Sleeping Toddlers!

2. Puzzles. I managed to finish 3 - 1000 piece puzzles in the last 2 months! I'm working on another 1000 pc. puzzle but I have a feeling it's not going to get done any time soon. I'm just puzzled out. And it's a tough one.

3. Cute boys. In their pajama's. Bed time soon! :)

4. Banana gumdrop loaf! I made 5 loaves this Christmas season.

Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures Part II

If you recall in Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures Part I here I was having problems with Wyatt's napping. So here is a whole post dedicated to Wyatt and his unusual/extra cute sleeping positions and places.

The Classic Santa Picture

I must say I am REALLY thankful the photographer was on the ball and snapped this picture before Wyatt ran away from Santa! I tried to get Wyatt up on Santa's knee one more time but he would have nothing to do with that! (Yes, I did laugh, but not outloud).

Natalee and Andrew were happy to have their own little moment with Santa.

Baby Turns 2

No comment.

For Wyatt's birthday, I baked up some yummy cookies. I think he liked them as a present.

The Puppy the boys picked out was a hit.

This truck was also a favourite.

Eating cake. To quote Wyatt, "Mmmmmmmm!"

Cool, fire! No, he didn't blow out his candles or burn his fingers. :)

This the The Cake! (No, I did not make this). Pretty neat, heh?

The picture does not really do it justice.

A Few of My Favourite Things

Wyatt making me laugh...(he had me put a diaper on his stuffed frog, whose belly is much larger than his)

My Girly-girl.

My boyz.

Christmas fruit cake - after.
The making of Christmas cake on Remembrance Day. Definitely one of my favourite things.

I like it that my oldest son still needs his Buddy. Even getting up at 2 a.m. the other night to get Buddy from the dryer because my son was loudly complaining in his bed because he couldn't sleep without him. :)

Hiking in the snow.

Working out. :)

I also like it that Natalee can now put on her own socks, that Caleb read 198 pages of the new "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" in one day (leaving him only 8 pages to read before I was even out of bed the next morning), that Joshua is the best source of entertainment for his siblings, and I also like it when Andrew says at 7 p.m. "I'm tired, can we go to bed now?" And that Wyatt now falls asleep without any problems these days, even though he can now open his door. It's like he had to figure out how to open his door before he could learn to fall asleep without playing the "chase me back to bed" game. And that 13 years ago (November 10th), Mike proposed and I said "yes."

Thing Five

Wyatt loves the fluffy white dandelions.

Giant baby. He's almost 2!

A clown puppy. With his wierd oldest brother in the back.

A clown puppy playing.

AJB Inc.

I asked Andrew to take a picture of my haircut a few weeks ago...this is his camera work.

Natalee really really likes playing with Andrew. They play so amazingly well together in the afternoons and I think Natalee is sad when the bigger boys come home since that means Andrew doesn't spend as much time with her.

Obviously a budding photographer. :)

His paperbag scarecrow craft.

Andrew and Natalee really enjoyed dressing up in Halloween costumes.

Andrew was most proud of decorating THIS cookie.

Halloween 2010

Caleb, skeleton; Andrew, pirate; Natalee, pumpkin; Wyatt, puppy; Joshua...bad guy?

Cookies we decorated.

And cookies we ate. :)

Our jack-o-lanterns.