Having a downer day...

... feeling rather underappreciated!!

(felt it is only fair to put both sides onto the blog -

usually we tend to stick to the happy, bubbly side -

but that ain't present today!)

 

What to say -

the busyness was good, it went good, it was good,

its pretty much done...

so I guess this feeling is just kind of a 'post-mortem'

to the high that being busy gave me!

 

I must say it is VERY difficult to juggle being/doing

wife

mom

cook

bake

grocery shopping

laundry

tidying

entertaining

visiting

attending the required parties

DESIGNING and PRINTING

and so much more...

 

With most the printing done, combine in a few other negatives

and you have me!

I need to get myself out of this hole!

I feel like I have crashed off the high...

(maybe writing it will help!)

 

Think I am going to call up a good friend and go share a bottle of wine!!!

 

... time to count my blessings...

Yes, there are many and I do appreciate them, I DO!

I guess days like this are important

to keep me humble, to be thought provoking,

to calm me down,

to turn me inside out....

 

Holiday time is hard.... the memories, the thoughts...

being busy doesn't allow me to go there but today I do.

 

Don't worry - I will bounce back, I always do :)

 

New, fresh, bright, spring, happiness... it will come:

  

Going to go make chicken soup!



Christmas Eve picture editing!!

Just finishing off some photo

editing of Ben's sister's family...

 

One of my favorite pictures

of one of my favorite ladies...

Jenn helps us out here most Fridays

and leaves a gleaming house behind -

Ranen loves her, we love the chats!

 

Let me know what your favorite edit of this picture is!!

 

 (original)

 

 (colour edit)

 

 (black white 1)

 

 (black white 2)

 

(old school)

 

(more of this photo shoot to come sometime!)

 

Love you Jen!  xo



Calendars!!!

With a 'hugely' enormous thank you to Cathrine

I am happy to say

the calendars are pretty much done

and picked up by the customers...

 

Here are the last ones on my kitchen table :)

(for the prior to Christmas ones anyway... two more families to do yet!)

this is just some of the orders... so far we did a total

of 262 calendars!!

 

Thanks everyone for your orders!  I appreciate your business:)

 

Couldn't do it without the help I receive

Cathrine for driving out here all the time, for keeping me sane, hugging me

when I'm ready to cry, doing so much of the manual work!!  Thanks a ton!

... time for a fun day out soon!

My mom - for always listening to me vent, taking the kids for a day here and

there, the encouragement!  Thanks a lot:)

...soon I'm coming your way for sometime together!

Ben and Corina - the patience with the 'disaster' around here and

the 'disasterous' me at times - love you!

My kids... really, I love you like crazy!!

 

Also some pictures of the kidlets who have been

(yes, I am going to say it myself - cause it's true)

pretty fabulous these past few weeks!!

... but I do think they are expecting a absolute sit-down

and play day week with their mommy!

 

Have a fabulous weekend

and a blessed Christmas and New Years!

 

... off to visit some great friends for the evening!!

 

 

My Love...

Happy 26th Birthday!

 

**warning - its about to get a bit mushy!!**

How could it not - I love this guy so much!

 

A dedicated, hard working husband and daddy,

who thoroughly loves his little family,

enjoys his job,

quiet - (till you get to know him:),

steady and cautious,

understands his wife's jokes/sarcasm,

lights a spark in his son's eyee

easy to talk to,

likes playing hockey,

pleases me like crazy,

is his daughter's star,

his son's rolemodel,

and his wife's hero!

 

Yes, you babe,.... you make me so happy!

 

You understand me

and our differences compliment eachother so well...

you tone me down (slightly!) and keep me in line; I liven you up... :)

you create our quiet times; I drive us crazy sometimes,

you like organized and tidy; me - well I'm just hopeless in that aspect!

 

 

Thanks for putting up with my weaknesses,

for supporting me,

for holding me up,

for encouraging me,

for keeping me in line,

for caring for me...

 

I love you not only for what you are

but for what I am when I am with you!

 

 

You are the...

peanut to my butter

twinkle in my eye

shake to my bake

blue in my sky

sprinkles on my sundae

flip to my flop

bumble to my bee

jewel on my crown

milk to my shake

spring in my step

beat of my heart

LOVE OF MY LIFE

 

 

I love you

inside & out

backwards & forwards

with my heart hanging out <3

 

xo

Witnessed Yesterday

**Disclaimer:  For the non-farmer... you may not enjoy

this as much as I did!!**

(Some may not appreciate the pictures but I view

it as part of the amazing life cycle... save a life when you can)

 

On Sunday, Ben noticed that one of the closeup cows (a cow 

that is almost ready to calve) was sickly...

She has a fever, wouldn't get up, didn't want to eat, etc.

So on Monday, when the vet came to do herd health they decided

that the cow probably wasn't going to make it...

Instead of losing both cow and calf

they chose to do a c-section on the cow!

 

This is the first time that I have ever seen this done

so needless to say - I was out in the barn!!

 

Sometime c-sections are done on cows and then they

are stitched up and both calf and cow do fine...

(this time the cow was put down after the surgery - can't be put down

prior to surgery because then you only have moments to extract the calf

before it too dies)

The cow is given a local anesthetic,

so that it's one side is completely numb and doesn't feel anything.

 

Some pictures:

First the head poked out... immediately the calf took a breath!

And then the rest of the body was pulled out.

The calf - alive and well :)

 

Amazing... I love farm life!

 

A Quarter of a Century!

Yes, it sounds like a lot...

and it feels old to me!!

 

I am 25 today....

I know to many it seems young;

to me it is a big birthday - a milestone!

 

Will be spending this evening

with my family and friends - looking forward to it!

 

It is a busy time of year for me,

but I took the past 2 days off to make a quick

little trip, by my lonesome, to Alberta!

Went to visit the family there, especially my dear grandparents!

Oma has been in and out of the hospital lately and

really wanted to go spend some time with her...

so, I went!!

 

It was lovely, It was great!

Nice to spend time with Oma and Opa, connected with aunts,

slept in after a unbroken night of sleep:)

Had an amazing time with some of my cousins,

had chats with them that will remain in that room,

a fond memory to treausure!

Refreshed!

but I am also glad to be home, loving my hubby and kidlets!

 

One thing I do know, next time we go to Alberta,

it will be for a lot longer than 2 days...

seems like we always make that direction a quick trip

but, next time, it won't be.

(If I am welcome for longer of course!!)

 

I am really enjoying things right now...

 

 (a recent family shot!)

 

I've really slacked in the pictures on blog department

so a bit of catch from the last month or so:

... so Ranen!!

 

Corina took a quick snapshot of us out for a walk: 

Owen enjoys his stand alone jolly jumper... 

this frog was up quite high and he was always trying to grab it and couldn't.

Priceless seeing his face when he finally did!

 (the frog is lower here... after he pulled it down already!)

 

 So happy to have it!!

 

 And don't try take it!!  I am NOT letting go :)

 

 We went for a great dinner by Uncle John and Aunt Wendy!

Uncle John loved getting giggles out of Owen and cuddling with Ranen!

 

A couple Alberta pics...

(not managing to get phone one to upload!)

- and I need to work so not fooling around with it anymore!

 We got together in a room at the care home that Oma is staying at

for Opa's birthday...

 

First time Legacy saw Oma since she went into the hospital... very excited!

Lucas!... you handsome cutie!

 Kieran, you sweet boy - you love the other kids attention...

you are a sweetheart!

 

 Sean, not too sure about this crazy lady were you!!

You handsome little buddy, quite the goof you are!

 

Maddie, the once shy, now not so shy sweetheart!!

You made, me missing my kids, just a little easier!... always ready for a snuggle!

 

Bought some flowers for Ashlee, as a little thanks for having me

crash her house for 2 days!! 

Aunt Jayme has a flower shop in Coaldale (the Blooming Willow!)

She does beautiful work!

Good thing I couldn't take this home Ash, or it might just be sitting

on my shelf!! lol (kidding...)

Thanks so much for having me - you are a hoot!  Love you!

Also visited my Mom's cousin and her kids...
she is a sweet, wonderful mother with very many positives that
I can learn from!!  Appreciated visiting with you Glenda!
Her happy kidlets!!

 

Ok, now back to work

before my customers start reading this and then

fully understand why they don't have card proofs yet!! :)

 

A long time...

It has been a while since I've visited this place...

We are into the busy season, things are going so well,

so I thought I'd put a few pictures up on the blog!

 

The week behind us was an unforgettable week,

Oma Oudshoorn is in the hospital

slowly gaining her strength back, waiting for surgery.

It was a scary week and we hope the doctors

will be given the wisdom in the coming weeks.

Love you Oma!

 

Gotta love Oma cuddles...

 My not-so-little boy!

He has 2 teeth already and he can sit by himself!!

(but hasn't figured how to roll yet, really - he just has too many rolls to roll over!!)

 

 I try take my camera to Mom's whenever we are there

because we have a calendar in the making again

and can always use extra snapshots!! 

Some dear ones of Tayc, Tanner and Sierra!

Packing up, ready to go home!

 

A little explanation:

We had quite a long day last week and the kids were getting tired,

Cayden was camped out on the floor in the printer room and asked Cath

to lay beside him for a while.  I guess when he had the chicken pox

he had one between his toes so they would itch it for him...

Now they are asked to do it whenever he falls asleep because

he has fallen in love with 'wootie, wootie' between his toes!!

You are such a hoot, Cayden!!

 

Last week we celebrated Taycin's 2nd birthday!

Such a sweet, always happy chicky!!

Love you so much Taycin!

Taycin got spoiled from Chris and Richelle with this kitchen set!

What an awesome one!! (I want to be a kid again!!)

You're such a dear!!

 

Hoping for a great week!!