Just so you guys know.. sorry for not saying anything about any of that, but i dont really like to talk alot about it.. I just feel a little bit funny. But i do NOT have a boyfriend.. if i did i would tell you guys. I just asked betty and she was like ya her mom asked her if i have one, but she said that No i do not. He did ask me out on Monday, like last monday, but it ended with me saying that i need more time. And he got that. We had a little talk on Sunday night, i guess im a little dumb when it comes to stuff like that, cus it was not very long. And betty kinda talked to her guy and he was like wow he must have been quite upset..MAybe he didnt get what i meant when i said that i wanted to be like good friends first... maybe he thought that im not interested whatsoever.. Why do i always have to mess stuff up? Maybe i should talk to him agian, and get it straightened out.. with how things are going now.. id probably make things even worse.

Soo. i just decided to give a bit of an update.. I have now officially quit at Mcdonalds.. well kind of. They said that we can just let them know what days we would be able to work. Me and betty start working at the asparagus farm, which is about 25 minutes away, and we start at 7:30. And we already dont have to work on Tuesday cus the ppl on the farm are busy with other stuff. And there is not alot of asparagus to pick yet cus its not at the best part of the season.Apparenntly its really really hard work. But oh well should be interesting.. I think i might actually miss it at mcdonalds a bit, the ppl are alot of fun to work with. but i guess thats how things go
Anyways thats all i was gonna say. Just so you guys know :D

moldy frog

I thought I had a sick, blueish possibly moldy frog jumping in my house (nope, not the first time I found a froggy in my house).  upon closer look, I discovered the frog was/should be green... it was covered in lint.  Must have been camping out under the sewing desk a bit too long!  I released him/her/it back to the great outdoors with out harm... nope, no pics... I guess my brain just doesn't work like that!

another funny one from Mikenzie

Mikenzie got 2 filling today.  The dental assiatant told Mikenzie they were putting her cheek asleep so they could "clean" her teath.  When we got home, I noticed she had bitten her cheek a few times, so I told her not to talk too much, and had her sit i nthe lazy boy with a finger in her mouth protecting her cheek.  After about a half an hour, she come to me and says " Mom, can you look at my cheeks eyes, and see if it's awake?"

Hahahahaha!  I laughed to myself, gave a little chuckle.  Oh how her mind works!

From a 2 year old

Ruby is giving us loads of smiles now. AMber and i have gotten alot and poor dwight hasnt gotten 1 yet. She looks intently at him but she hasnt let her mouth work the magic. Both pictures were taken when she was 3 weeks.

Dwight was bugging the girls at the supper table a few nights ago. He was talking about ruby and where she came from.............and he said

I made ruby
and Leah looks at him and says very matter of factly. No DOD did. (GOD) :)

The girls had a hoot with their aunty ro

Hey at least one is happy!

Jewelery making

So, I have just delved into the art of making jewelery!  Lots of fun, and lots of learning so far!  I have to buy more chain to make more necklaces, but can go hog wild on earrings!

These ones are super simple.  

Buy the top part, buy the bottom part, take a pair of pliers to them for about 5 seconds, and your done! 

Kyleigh is modeling them here, so they look a lot bigger than they actually are.  They are just over 1.5 " round.

 

Bad News/Bad News

Ok this will probably all be good news to you all :P but just in case you guys did actually miss me or whatever it is.. But I plan on staying longer in Australia... Me and betty have been looking up stuff on the internet and we called the place or whatever you want to call it but.. We kinda have it figured out now about what we have to do.. There is definetly alot of stuff involved. First you have have had 3 months of specified work in regional Australia.. which we dont have yet.. but we will when its needed.. When we have worked that many days then we have to apply for the 2nd year working visa.. And then when/if that is accepted we can then buy a one way ticket home for way later, and then get health insurance.. So me and betty are no longer employed by Mcdonalds..We should probably tell them that now.. cus our first day of work at our next job is Aug 29..Im looking very forward to this job then the other option.. This job is on an asparagus farm, the ppl who own it our from our church, and they are really nice, they actually dont have alot of work at the moment but she said that she would really like to help us out, so she said that she would find stuff for us to do :D The other option would have been an abbtoir..We'd be in this big factory place thing i guess, i never saw it, but its where they butcher sheep, package it, and the stuff gets sent like all over the world..Its huge.. So im glad we arent doing that. Im glad that im done at mcdonalds now though.. Well actually i think i will miss it.. it was fun at times actually. didnt think wed be done so quick there though cus at the moment me and betty are at Eric and Marys.. Starting today me and betty will be babysitting all 6 kids till sunday.. ages 8 months - 11. they are good kids though. Should be fun though..
About staying here longer i just think that there is not that much waiting for me at home, or really much for me at home.. Well obviously theres you guys but thats a given, i do actually miss my family, and it sucks that i cant see any of you. Oh ya mom, i talked to your cousin, i dont know what to call them, And Amanda and her husband are really nice ppl, so thats nice too.
Anyways i hope you guys have a fantastic day with whatever you are doing :D

More holiday!

So we leave D & L Tues. about 2:30 p.m. and drive to Dinosaur Park,
drive around don't like it so we drive to Drumheller. Arrive at our campsite in Rosedale, just outside of Drumheller, and have a late supper (9 p.m.) Mosquitoes there too!


Next a.m. go to Drumheller and see world's biggest dino, at the info center.
You see your sis' and our mobile unit in front? Got info for things to see and do in Drumheller and also for our next stop, Red Deer area. So decided to go to Reptile World and saw several reptiles. Go figure! The blue dart frog, a Cameleon, turtle, aussie python, and Ro willingly holding a boa constrictor were just a few.



Then we head further up to get to Jarvis Bay, Red Deer area, but...............(don't you just hate buts) Jeff calls and says the barley is ready, when are we coming home. So where do you think we went........................HOME of course! What else would a farmer do. So we were home Wed. evening and Thursday barley started getting harvested.


Of course things do not go smoothly but it is in. This field you see in the pic. is behind the house and we really want that one in before rain comes again otherwise we would not be getting anything off for a long time. It still has wet areas as you can see with the fancy puzzle swathing Dennis did and with the water puddle there too. The other quarter can wait for a bit. You can also see on the one picture where Dad is dumping a load into the catch wagon that we have a new catch wagon. Dad & U. John went to Ponoka to look at an old Mack truck mainly for a box but had to buy the not working truck also. U. John put it on a converter and now we have a catch wagon.
So that was our holidays. The weekend at D & L and ONE night of camping.

Next year better, with EVERYONE, D.V.

Question

The fridge in the office died just before we went on holidays. I know I don't want to do what I did with the microwave so the question is, What kind of fridge so I get. I would like to hear your suggestions. Bottom freezer or not, french doors, not side by side, I know that much. And with my family getting smaller and smaller I won't need a huge one either since we always have to have a second one for the beer. :P
Then when we were getting ready for holidays the fridge in the 5th wheel wasn't working either. It eventually did on gas but not on electricity. Haven't figured out what is wrong there but no biggy either.
Eager to hear your input.

Our 'Enchant'ed day.

Hello again. What! two posts in one day? WOW! For lack of a very vivid imagination this story will have as characters Albertasaurus, Darth Vader, a couple of Mama Bears - one old and one not- and several bear cubs.

On a sunny Monday, Albertasaurus' small tribe and Darth Vader's harem went to the 'Enchant'ed Pond, a mere 40 min. from home base, to spend a day in the water, it being a lovely day. The pond was a welcome site to the cubs who frolicked in the cool water - all but the youngest cub, of course.

Young Mama Bear & T-rex are watching the other cubs in the water

Albertasaurus and Darth Vader, after spending some time under the hot rays of the sun sought shade in the only spot on the beach,because baby cub did not share her shade!
Old Mama Bear joined them too after a bit, though she did have an umbrella that was used for shade also. After the cubs were all out of the water we walked to get an ice cream or float.
then in a train they all went, to get photographed.

It was time to go home but Darth Vader needed to feed his chariot so we went to Enchant but alas no feed station. Whereas Darth made a u-turn, Albertasaurus went down a street and stopped on a dime when Old Mama Bear yelled STOP. Old Mama Bear and Ro-cub got out and looked in awe at what was before them. A sign that read FREE- Please take. So they did and were very pleased with what they took home. And one more item should be mentioned, a two slice toaster that stayed at Darth's house b/c that morning at breaky it was mentioned how it would be nice to be able to toast more than two slices of bread at one time so tada, it can now be done! Oh yes the lovely lady who graciously gave also handed us 2 boxes of wax crayons and 2 colouring books which were given to the little cubs to enjoy.


The end!

Am I nuked?

My microwave died on a Sunday a few weeks ago. I went out and bought one at Home Hardware. Didn't like it. Brought it back two days later. Went to the city so bought one at Costco.
Didn't like it so will be bringing it back on my next trip to the city (which will be soon since we have to do back to school shopping.) Ordered one from Sears,
don't like it and it will be returned next week, I hope. Watched Missy play soccer in St. Albert and bought a Danby,
from Canadian Tire, very similar to the one that just died and still have it and like it. Am I nuked? I ask because some people are laughing at me.

Post About Boring Sewing Stuff (I just wanted to 'show' Karen something I made b/c we talked about it today...Clothespin bag

I bought myself an umbrella laundry tree thingie last week.  I love it!  (The dryer hasn't been used until this morning...b/c I needed my capris dried asap!)    But I found out how very hard it is to grab a clothespin from the basket on the grass while also holding the clean laundry on the line...you discover that your arms are not long enough to do both :)

Karen...since we talked about this today I just wanted to show you what I made mine out of a couple nights ago...fabric scraps from you and the ties are fabric scraps from Tanya:)

Thanks to both of you I now have a (wung-it) clothespin bag:)

Happy 29th Birthday KAREN!!!

You are a special one!!  Hope you have a good day!  :)

Love ya, Jen

kids perspective: from little 'mericans

The girls were arguing a bit this morning as they were getting dressed.
Mikenzie thought her shirt was too long, so she tucked it in. 
Kyleigh looked at her and said "You look like a worker when your shirt it tucked it."
Mikenzie's response"No, Only Mans and boys work"
They actually came out of their room to me to help settle their little argument. 
Oh boy- flash forward 10 years, and I know what I'll be dealing with a lot more... expect they will do the opposite of my opinion!

random rumblings of an wannabemerican

Jenny and I had a rather busy day today! 
It started with a grand idea to hit up costco together. 
Then Karen made a doc appointment for herself.  She was short of breath, and had a very sore throat.
Jen got stuck in a border line up. 
They decided to meet at Milion Smiles Playground instead of Karen's place.
Karen went to the doc where she learned she had tonsilitus, and only about 70% of her normal lung capacity.  the doc sent her to get ex-rays to make sure the lungs were okay.
Karen met Jen at the playground, the kids played for a bit, and then they were on their way.
Karen tricked Jen, and stopped off at Second Chance where they scored on some books, and shorts for Ali.
Then they headed to get the ex-rays done.  (they showed the lungs were A okay!)
Jen waited in the car with the kids, and Karen headed inside.  She emerged 25 min later, and htey were on the road again... the burb needed an oil change, so they stopped off, dropped off the car, and walked to the bank to get some cash.
When they returned, the burb was not done, so the kids played for a bit in the waiting room. 
Finally burb was ready, and away they went (finally!) to costco. 
They got their grub, the school kids gained a backpack each, and they hit the road... finally homeward bound. 
Phew! 
What an exhausting day!

Ruby's Baptism

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Baptism was this past Sunday in the morning for Ruby Lee.
Look at all those girls!  :)

 

AT,G,K,K,K,M,J,A,L @ the Splash Park

 This afternoon we met at the Splash Park and Playground in Garrison.  It's brand new...I hadn't even heard about it.  Aunt T had called the city (b/c they wanted to go as a family last week Saturday) to see where one was and lo and behold...this puppy had just opened up.  I don't think I would have ever known about it unless Aunt T hadn't told me.  And now her kids got to enjoy it twice.  :) 

Here's Garret and Logan trying to spray each other with the big guns.  But the spray, no matter how hard they tried, just does not reach the other person.  Very smart engineers if you ask me:)

Karen and Aunt T where we sat, while a few of the kiddos take a 'Ritz' break.

Grandma gave Aunt T a bit of money to buy the kids an icecream treat for after the waterpark.  We packed up and took the 30 second drive to Cooper's Foods.  We lined them up in the shade on the sidewalk while Aunt T. went inside to get the icecream.

And here they are again, this time with the Drumsticks!  And us 3 moms had one too:)

happening right now...

4 cousins, chillin', and relaxin'...after a very fun afternoon at the Splash Park:)

Whatcom Falls

 Teri and the falls-the falls were about 2 min in the walk.  We kept going exploring all the trails I think. 

 At the bottom of one of the trails- we went as far as we could go- it was very beautiful down there.

 sisters!

Do you think she had fun???  

I think her face says it all!