Kristin's ramblings

you can't fool me, yogurt

2009-06-29T20:46:00.003-06:00

I love yogurt. The more natural, real, the better. I love my homemade crockpot yogurt (even if nobody else in the house does). I really enjoy yogurt.

Which is why I'm so disappointed. Did the yogurt makers really think we were that stupid? That slow? That they thought they could sneak it by us?

The "big" containers of yogurt are now pretty much universally 100 grams smaller. Sure, many of them have fancy new "fridge door friendly" packages. Still.

Yogurt, did you really think we were that slow, that we wouldn't notice?

I'm watching you, dairy, my eyes are open.

something I'd like to do

2009-05-19T22:49:00.003-06:00

Today, yes today, it's snowing. It's been an icky day weather-wise and my only inclination has been to do...next to nothing. Which is pretty much how I spent my day with the kids. They played, we read books, I kept the music flowing as needed, fed them, baked bread, folded some laundry, and played on ebay.

Maybe it's the out of season weather. Maybe it's that I'm feeling like a change. Whatever it is, I've got an idea in my head. I want to check out of everyday life for a stretch, take the kids and RV our way across North America. Just imagine the education our children would get, seeing so many parts of the continent. Getting to experience geography, culture, travel....all while traveling like turtles with our home on our backs.

I'm not thinking in the next 6 months or anything, but rather in a couple of years. When all three kids are school age, probably all reading, and ready to handle a bit more adventure it would be more feasible. With the right RV, and vehicle to tow it (which we don't currently have), it could be totally possible. Even if we managed to work out a 6-12 month leave from work for the hubby, and some careful financial planning, this could happen. I have dreams of driving through places we've never seen, taking pictures of the kids on both coasts, and everywhere in between. The learning experience would be invaluable for us all. It could be life changing.

The problem is that the hubby thinks I'm kind of crazy.

I admit it

2009-05-10T22:26:00.002-06:00

I am not, nor never was a fan of boy bands. I am generally not a huge pop music fan. I tend to not like the overly likable celebrities.

But Justin Timberlake? Whole 'nother kettle of fish. I think it's the cute guy tied up with enough self confidence to be able to be self-depreciating and able to laugh at himself. Watched SNL last night with him hosting (while DH hung out in the basement watching the hockey game) and laughed. A lot. I have a bit of a celebrity crush, I think.

I can admit it. Who is your celebrity crush? You know you have one.

I lied

2009-05-02T11:45:00.001-06:00

I bought the cell phone. It's on a pay as you go plan (for now), so I'm not planning to use it all the time...but still, it's pretty and it is MINE.

cell phones

2009-04-29T15:55:00.002-06:00

This past weekend, I went to our local trade fair at the arena with my friend J. (Although, that hardly narrows it down - almost all my good friends here in town have names that start with J, it's almost like a pre-requisite)

We did some good shopping. I found some scrapbooking supplies, and we both found really nice necklaces. Then I stopped by one of the booths and was looking at cell phones. Found one I really liked, and it was a great deal. It's really strange though, I haven't been a regular cell user since we moved here. I had a cell back in Vancouver, and I used it quite a bit. Now? Hardly ever. We do have a cell, it's technically the hubby's, and we got it for work-related reasons. It hardly is ever used. If one of us is on the road out of town, we take it, otherwise, it's mostly unused. Even now that I *have* friends in town, we're all moms...it's so much easier to facebook a message or email than it is to call. Then we can respond when it's easier. I'd love to have a cell, specifically *that* cell phone, but I really don't *need* it. In fact, I can count on one hand the number of times in the last 4 years that we've been even slightly stuck with not having two cell phones.

It's actually kind of nice knowing that I don't need to be connected this way. I'm easy enough to track down without me going mobile. Nice. Really.

accomplished!

2009-04-28T19:46:00.001-06:00

Today was a big day in our home, finance-wise. We paid off the van today. We now fully own both our vehicles. This is a very good feeling.

However, lest we feel we're getting ahead, the hubby's car really needs new tires.

candy from strangers

2009-04-28T16:50:00.002-06:00

My son's birthday is this week, and I'm in party planning/cake making mode. This year's cake is going to be a golf course theme.

After picking him up from school today, I decided to run him by one of the local convenience stores with me to see if we could find the candy we need for decoration. We didn't have any luck, as that store only carries chocolate bars, ice cream and slushes. So we headed back to the van, when a young man came up to the van window and held up a hand, indicating I should wait a minute. I rolled down the window, and he asked me if I was the woman looking for candy. Um, yes. He said "I can hook you up"....pardon? Then he told me he was the Cadbury man, on a merch trip, and he had some things in his van he could give me. I think one of the packages he gave me might work too.

It just felt like I was being given contraband candy in the parking lot of the store.

spring cleaning

2009-04-06T14:37:00.002-06:00

Right now, I would love to be doing some Spring cleaning. I did some last week, and still have lots to do. The problem is that Spring is, well, springing here. Which means that it's now mud season. It's really hard to get ahead on the spring cleaning, when I'm playing catch up. Between all the muddy outdoor clothes my kids are bringing in, I've got all the dirty spots at our entrances because of the mud they are tracking in. D'oh!

I really want to get everything clean, fresh and ready for Spring. It's just slow going right now.

On a brighter note, I can see more grass in the yard every day!

a wee little vent

2009-03-17T10:12:00.002-06:00

If I'm out for an evening, and my very capable, very loving, very cute husband is home with our children, he is NOT babysitting. He is *parenting*. Please do not confuse the two.

Besides, I couldn't afford his rates for babysitting.

still alive

2009-03-13T17:11:00.003-06:00

Life has just been happening. Vacation to warm destination. Lots of fun with the kids. Trying to dig out from vacation prep and aftermath. Church and school and friends and activities. The deep freeze of late winter.

That's where I've been.

Squeal!!

2009-01-21T21:59:00.001-06:00

Lost!!!

It's back tonight. I have to wait until it's done taping on the vcr (we're so old school) because we are hosting bible study tonight.

My friends are back!!!

moment of panic

2009-01-13T22:44:00.002-06:00

Ever make a decision that seems right at the time, and then totally freak out about it down the road? That was me today. Correction, that was me around 4am, when I woke up from a dream that had me questioning a choice, and how things would play out. Then I laid there for far too long thinking. I've had dreams like that before - the one where I attended my own wedding in black high top runners in a too-short dress, the one where I traded my first child for a kitten, the one where I had a massive milk let down in public (wait, that was a dream, right??).

In any case, I've had a day of wondering if I make smart choices, if I'm just dumb after all.

My husband, in his supportive wisdom offered me the following tidbit. Moses had moments like that, railed at God that he wasn't good enough...and God agreed with him. Yet, God also promised to be with Moses through it all.

I'm not sure if that reassured me or not. Let's just say I haven't spotted any burning bushes lately. Then again, it's still cold.

At least he hugged me before that. I think that redeemed the conversation. It's a good thing he's cute. :)

I'm so tired of winter

2009-01-12T22:33:00.002-06:00

I know it's only January, but I'm so over winter. Friends and family out in BC have been complaining about snow, and I understand that they have had a lot, and it's wet, and the area isn't prepared to handle it. Yadda, yadda.

At least you guys can go outside already! The warmest it's been here in over a month is -19C/-3F. Throw in wind chills keeping us well below -30C/-22, dipping down to -54C/-65....well, I'm done. My van isn't running right now - battery needs a jump. The hubby jumped it on Sunday, then turned it off too early, and it's just too cold to bother doing it again right now. So I take his car. Which reminds me WHY we have a van - 3 kids sitting that close together, packed like sardines with their winter coats, it's just not that fun.

This winter is cold, dark (where is my prairie sunshine? where the heck is it already??) and windy. I've upped my omega-3 supplements. Which is helping, provided I take them before breakfast and coffee. Otherwise, the coffee/fishy burps that result are not pretty at all. gak

2009-01-12T22:18:00.001-06:00

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deep turquoise and chocolate brown

2009-01-11T22:01:00.003-06:00

I love clothes. I love makeup. I'm just not that great at either. I can be quite a girly-girl, given the chance. I just don't often get that chance - shocking I know, but with my life and it's pace, there isn't always time to put into my appearance that I might have if I were still without children/working/had money to spend on myself like I once did. I also don't always find the clothes I like best in my size, or to fit my shape (which is pretty, um, round)

Anyhow, I also run into the issue of lack of selection where I live. For clothing and makeup. I have also gotten somewhat out of touch as to what is stylish, as, well, see above. It's not easy to keep in touch with what one doesn't get a chance to participate in, if you know what I mean.

So, I need some new eye makeup. At least, I needed some new eye makeup. It was time, I was feeling a bit repetitive with the eyeliner/shadow combo I had, and my much loved jar of MAC multi-use product was getting low. What did I do about it? My usual, of course.

I walked into a Shoppers Drug Mart and checked out the woman working at the makeup department. If she looks well put together, and well groomed, these women can be really helpful! I walked up to her and said "this is my face, these are the colors of everything, I'm mostly low maintenance, but I'm willing to be a bit bolder. I need some eyeliner, what do you suggest - oh, and it has to be inexpensive".

Amazingly, that is often all these women need! The woman I spoke to while in the city asked me a couple of questions, and led me over to a fabulous (and cheap!!) display of deeply colored eye-shadow duo packs. Pointed out the combination she thought would work well with my skin, hair and eyes. Deep turquoise and chocolate brown. I already had the brush needed to apply, to use them like eyeliner, but with the flexibility of shadow. Win/win.

It is pretty, and I'm very pleased with the new addition to my repitoire of make up.

good parenting moment?

2009-01-02T23:05:00.002-06:00

Tonight, while putting the girls to bed with prayers and songs, we all had the giggles. Mom, dad, both daughters, all giggling. I'm not quite sure what was so funny, but it may have included older daughter trying to sing prayers and saying "that just sounds terrible". It could have been dad doing his "gruff daddy serious voice", that the girls do not take seriously - because, after all, they are adorable little girls who can render him totally powerless with a "daddy, I love you".

In any case, we were giggling. Which turned to laughing. Which turned to older daughter actually throwing up.

whoops.

Now, thankfully, it wasn't much, and thanks to my forethought, there was another sheet under the sheet of her top bunk.

We did react the way any good parent would.

We laughed.

Welcome to 2009!

2009-01-01T12:55:00.002-06:00

My Christmas and time around it was just wonderful. Absolutely wonderful. The kids gifts were all good (it helps when family sends money and leaves you in charge of buying). The events around Christmas all went smoothly enough. We went to a few parties and gathering that were lots of fun. My mom came up for Christmas, and that was good. I didn't get much in the way of gifts, and that was good because what I got was what I needed or wanted.

After spending Christmas here, we headed down to my mom's in the city for a couple of days. That was great too. A bit of shopping, visiting the "Enchanted Forest" drive through light display, fun things with the kids - and my birthday supper out with the hubby. We went to a newer place that does fondue. Lots of fun, and a nice chance to talk and relax, followed by a couple of hours in a bookstore. I had a new outfit to wear, and felt great. We were disappointed and saddened to hear of the death of one of our church members during the post-Christmas days, and that did put a bit of a damper on things.

New Year's Eve was great too. Friends hosted a house party, 8 adults and 11 kids (the oldest 4 are in grade 1). Almost all the kids stayed up until midnight - in our time zone too! We ate great food, had fun conversation, and the kids mostly got along well too. Ahh, wonderful. My littlest had a meltdown as we left, but really, that was to be expected - how often is my 3 year old up until 12:15 am!

I'm just really loving my life these days. Things feel good. 2008 was a pretty good year. Despite us starting out 2008 with a serious case of influenza in the house, things turned around nicely, and it was great. I can only hope and pray that 2009 is as good. I have some great friends, close by and away. We have travel plans to get out of the snow for a week. We've got ideas for fun things to do in the summer. Middle child starts preschool 2 days a week this month, and the kids are growing and changing all the time.

As I'm thinking about just having a birthday, I realizing how much more comfortable I am with myself. How much more I like myself these days. There is something nice about being in my 30's, something more real than my 20's felt like. I'm more ok with my own flaws and shortcoming than ever before, and that's a great feeling. I'm not thrilled with getting older (um, laugh lines and gray hair!), but I'm not afraid of the maturing and refining that seems to come with getting older. Having a birthday that falls right around the turn of the year gives me a double opportunity to reflect on the past and consider the future. I look forward to this new year, the blank slate before me. May my reflections on 2009 be as wonderful in my mind as 2008.

shouldn't post on an "off day"

2008-12-19T16:10:00.002-06:00

Right now, it feels like everything is coming up Kristin around here. I should avoid posting on a bad day, because then another day or two comes along where it's all good. Really good.

-good news arrives
-good conversation with far away family
-good friends to share coffee, lunch, conversation and time with
-a couple of surprises up my sleeves for Christmas (help me not reveal them too early!!)
-getting most of the cake truffles out of the house so I don't eat them!

So many things to be thankful for...

I'm a busy girl!

2008-12-17T22:35:00.003-06:00

It's cake truffle time!

Just some of the ingredients needed to whip up the truffle-y goodness.

Warm cake, just read to have fun things added and waiting to be mixed and rolled.

Then dip it all in chocolate and package up...and get it out of the house before I eat too many!!

pity party, table of 1

2008-12-16T18:55:00.002-06:00

Sigh. You know how sometimes something someone else is doing or achieving looks good, better than what you are doing? I'm having one of those days/weeks/whatevers. Blah. I don't like it, because a) I want to be happy for them, b) I AM happy for them, c) it's not good to be envious and d) I'm not dissatisfied with things here. Still, it's a little difficult to be all "yay me" when I'm not fully feeling it.

To add to the pity party feelings I'm having, I just realized that I bought the wrong hand soap refill. Sure it was a good price, but I forgot just how much I loathe the smell of that refill. 2l of stinky hand soap to go...

Cold and colder

2008-12-14T17:56:00.002-06:00

It's ridiculously cold outside. Even for Northern Canada in winter ridiculously cold. It was -52 C this morning with the wind chill. That's -61 F for my US readers. Just ponder that for a couple of minutes....

back again? Stupid cold. I remote started the van this morning, and it made the most pathetic whiny noise, like it was completely unimpressed with me calling it to life. I really didn't blame it. We have 3 inches or more of ice on the bottom of our upstairs windows....and the basement windows are frosted over almost completely. There are chilly drafts from our doors, and the windows just seep cold air. Which makes me so happy for a working furnace and good heat that compensates for some air leaks. We don't have a fireplace of any variety, so it's nice to have a warm house from whatever source it comes - a fireplace dvd is a decent replacement to still have the visual of a fire.

Unless the power goes out. Which it did last night. According to the "power line" recording, they didn't know what the problem was, nor when it would be back on. I dug up our tealights and holders, and started lighting them like a mad woman. Both for light, and for some warmth. Then we threw warmer clothes on the kids, and sweaters on the grownups and settled in to enjoy the darkness. Sort of. The kids were all wired up because we were expecting to go to a party, and the excitement of that, plus unanticipated darkness was *so exciting*. I sent them to get some board games and tried to clean up the kitchen in the semi-darkness. Then we read aloud to them, and considered what our sleeping arrangements would look like in an ever colder house.

It was getting chillier in the house by the minute. Thankfully, the power was back within 2 hours. I really think that I take our electricity for granted some days. It's so nice to flip a switch and get light, power, hot water...all at our fingertips. It's so easy to become disconnected with the elements and the world around us until it smacks us in the face. We don't have a fireplace, we can't heat our home without electricity. We can't cook without it (unless we BBQ...which is wintering in the garage, and it's too cold to go out to BBQ anyhow). It's kind of sobering to realize how much we depend "on the grid".

When the power came back on, we headed out to our party, an hour behind our scheduled time. It was nice to be warmed by a glass of wine and good conversation with wonderful friends. It's also good to know who has fireplaces around town...

If you have never been in -40 or colder cold...it's really hard to describe. It's a brain hurting cold. Breathing in just *hurts*. The inside of your nose sticks together when you breathe in, and it's like you get an automatic tension headache from the chill on your face. It's just so, so cold. Your jacket will creak as you move, as though it's about to crack right off your body. It's pretty wild. I can't even fathom NOT having heat in those temperatures. Yet, our ancestors managed. Granted, they had stoves, fire places...but could you imagine not having central heat all day and night? Outhouses in the winter? No performance fabrics like fleece? Heavy winter boots? Brrrrr....

Hello December

2008-12-01T22:39:00.003-06:00

Welcome to the dark days of December. The sun rises at 8:20 these days, and sets again at 4pm...and we aren't even at the shortest day yet.

I'm excited about the upcoming Christmas season, if feeling a bit overwhelmed by all the work to be done with different events at hand.

Shockingly, it's really mild here. Today it was 5C in the afternoon. Which sounds nice...but it really isn't. Just enough warmth to melt more snow to turn into ice. It was really strange going out on errands with the girls today and leaving my coat behind.

There are so many things going on in my head, but so little coming out through my fingers. Oh well, I'll be more vocal here again soon :)

no time to breathe

2008-11-29T20:47:00.002-06:00

The last few weeks have just flown by. Between art class, kids activities, 2 trips to the city, coffee with friends and a whole lot of nuts, it's been a whirlwind.

I'm tired right now, and hoping to avoid laundry. I've got to catch up on that, plus tidying up the house. However, right now, I'm just taking some quiet down time. We all need that some days. Besides, laundry, dishes and clutter will all be there later, when we're ready to face it.

Home grown, homemade

2008-11-12T14:29:00.002-06:00

There is something completely satisfying in taking I grew in the backyard and transforming it. Like these pumpkins:

Transformed into these delicious muffins.

I love the down to earth-ness of making something tasty from something I managed not to kill in the backyard. To take a hard shelled vegetable, work with it, and make muffins, custard, oatmeal, lattes....all from pumpkin. In some ways, it makes me feel connected to the pioneering roots of western North America. Tilling one's own land, growing one's own food. Putting up preserves for the colder months, baking with the materials at hand.

Then I remember that I can google myself up a recipe any time I want it, and tips for growing vegetables in my regions clay-based soil. I've got central heat, and indoor water. I don't have to build a fire in the morning, and I have kitchen timers so I can walk away from my baking muffins and not worry about burning them. I'm really not that pioneering, but I can imagine it, for just a little while.

The muffins still taste delicious, either way.

Silly time waster...

2008-10-31T22:30:00.003-06:00

RULES:
1. Put Your itunes, windows media player etc on Shuffle
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS

IF SOMEONE SAYS "IS THIS OKAY" YOU SAY?
Gone

WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
if I had a rocket launcher

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
Sweetest Thing

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
Smoke

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
My Lover's Gone

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
Hey Ya!

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
Hurray!

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR PARENTS?
Locked Out

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
The 3 R's

WHAT IS 2+2?
I'm Gonna be (500 miles)

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BESTIE?
Thou Lovely Source of True Delight

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Don't Panic

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
Brand New Love

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
Sicily

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Pride (in the name of love)

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
Forgive them Father

WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
In My Place

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Bones

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
Buffalo Soldier

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST FEAR?
You Blanks

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
Love is Blindness

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
Christmas Windows

WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
Jamming