Single Parent...

I am feeling VERY alone these days. Tyler has been working in Swift Current ALL week long. I miss him terribly and I am coming to my wits end. He is putting in very long hours working 2 jobs. The promotion he got as Area Supervisor hasn't turned out like I had planned. One of the oil rig operators in Swift broke his collar bone a few weeks ago and will be on disability for several months. So needless to say Tyler has to cover his area working on the rig. So he is doing double duty. He is tired and wants to be home with us, and we want him here with us! It must be draining and tiring for him just like it is for me I am sure.

Taking care of the kids and the whole house by myself is getting me down. I am beginning to feel overwhelmed with all of it. Tomorrow is garbage day so that is yet one more thing on my list I have to do. My flower pots have been neglected and have been suffering for this heat. I have to admit that the dog has gone without food for a day or two as well. So many thing on my plate, I just can't seem to get everything done. I find myself looking forward to the kids bedtime. A time when I can finally unwind and have some peace and quiet. I can't count how many times in a day that I hear the word "Mom, I need..." Somedays those words are music to my ears, and others they aren't. Am I a terrible mother for thinking that? Am I terrible to countdown the hours, minutes, seconds until my children fall asleep? I guess I am just feeling very heavy laden with all the responsibility of being a "single" parent for awhile. I know that this will pass, but when is the question?

While Tyler has been gone it really has made me realize just how much he does for me and the boys. From taking Tyson downtown with him to do an errand, to taking out the garbage faithfully every Monday when he is home, that is such a help. I miss those few extra minutes of sleep in the morning when Tyler gets up with Carson to give him a bottle. Little things like that really make a difference to me, and in those simple acts it really shows me how much I am loved by him. I sure don't take for granted all that he does for me. I hope that I can better show him my appreciation for all that he does. He is the hardest worker I know, and the most dedicated person to his faith and family. I love him, and count my many blessings everyday for God bringing him into my life when I needed him!

My heart goes out to all those women who have no choice but to be a single mother. How they do it everyday is beyond all my comprehension. To have to go to work to support their family, and then come home and have all the household responsibilities in my mind is more than one person can muster by themselves. But so many women do this, and are succeeding in raising wonderful families. They are courageous and strong, when I am sure they have many "alone" times. I am thankful and very fortunate that my "alone" times are short and far between.

I Have Been M.I.A. Now I'm BACK!

Sorry I have been MIA for awhile. We have been busy camping and playing outside, and I have to admit that we have been napping and watching WAY to much t.v. It has been SO hot outside that I just can't bare to go out there in the afternoons. So needless to say Tyson has been able to watch more t.v. and play the computer more than usual. Why haven't I been scrapbooking while being inside? I don't even know the answer to that. I guess I haven't been in the scrapping mood lately. Come fall I will hit it full force again. I will have all those fun summer pictures to do lo's for.

We spent last weekend camping at the Oldman. We went with our good friends the Cook's and Douglas's. There were more kids than adults, which can prove to be challenging, especially when the men leave for 6 hours and go fishing, but we had a great time. It was so fun to play cards all day long in between chasing kids all over and making sure they weren't falling into the raging mountain river that was FREEZING cold. All in the all the kids were good and played well together. Thank goodness though for the outdoor toys I brought. They were a lifesaver, even if they did take up the whole inside of the trailer to bring them. As all the adults were sitting in front of the fire, after ALL the kiddos were finally in bed, we decided that camping is great and these are memories we are making, but man is it a lot of work, but so worth it! I took some really cute pictures of the kids playing in the river stripped down to their underwear. I will share them later as I left the camera in the trailer.

The only downer that we encountered was that the fridge in our trailer went on the fritz. Before it was freezing everything and now it isn't even getting cold. What a PAIN! We managed though to put our perishables in other fridges and we made out okay. Now the 1978 trailer is in the shop getting fixed for our next camping expedition. I guess that is what you get with a 26 year old trailer.

My sisters, mom and I went to Phantom of the Opera on Thursday night. WOW is all I can say. It totally exceeded all of my expectations. The music was so beautiful, the sets amazing, and the acting perfect. It was totally worth all the $$ I spent to be able to go. I had my niece Brooklyn come and watch the kids for me while I went to Calgary. I know it was a very long day for her, but the kids loved having her watch them and she did an awesome job. She was able to stay for a few extra days and I spoiled her while she was here. It was SO fun to have a girl around. I did her hair and makeup and I just loved being girlie with her. Plus I enjoyed her company SO much as Tyler has been working ALL week long in Saskatchewan.

On Monday we are getting an exchange student from Japan. She will be here for 9 days. I think it will be a fun experience. I am looking forward to it. I am hoping to take lots of pictures so that I can make a mini book for her after she leaves. I hope she enjoys her stay while in Canada. I really hope my kids behave and don't drive her totally crazy.

Exhausted!

I am totally exhausted. The morning always seems to come WAY too soon. You would think I would have gotten enough sleep, I usually get 8-10 hours. But still I am tired. Most days I have a nap when the kids nap, and yet I wake up and feel tired. What is wrong with me?? I just feel BLAH... I would love to do a body cleanse but I don't know what one to do. If ANYONE who read my blog knows of anything I could try, I would love the info. Anyway...I'm off to have a NAP!

Attack of the ANTS!

We have lived in our house now for 6 years. I USED to brag that our house has been virtually "pest" free. No spiders or ants or another creepy crawly things. Well that has changed! AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Lately I have noticed teeny tiny ants crawling around. Today as I sat down to the computer I noticed a trail of them crawling into the speakers. It totally grossed me out! Out came the RAID, and zap they were dead. Tyler also found some in the front entry way. YUCK! I know they are so tiny and very harmless, but there is just something about things that crawl around and get in to the smallest of places. I will be keeping the can of RAID very close near by in case I see another invasion happening.

The "MEAN" Kids..

We just got home form a few days away camping. Our little family of 4 loves to spend time together and we especially enjoy going camping. There is something about pulling your "home away from home" behind you in search of the perfect spot to park for the night. We decided to try out Little Bow Provincial park. The campground was situated at the bottom of a long hill, it had lush vegetation with many mature trees and bushes. It is a boaters paradise, with a huge reservoir to boat on. Needless to say that there were so many campers there that I felt like we were in a full parking lot with trees. You weren't secluded from your neighbors and this is something that Tyler and I both didn't really like. We made the best of it anyway and had a good time, although early the next morning we packed up and headed to another campsite in search of something a little more private.

Tyson is a very personable child. He isn't afraid to talk to strangers, although lately he keeps asking me if these people are strangers and if they are kidnappers. Yes I have tried to drill it in his little head that there are some bad people in the world and we have to be catious. Anyway, there were a bunch of kids climbing a tree that was by our campsite. Naturally Tyson wanted to play with them. The kids were a few years older than him, which didn't bother him, but seemed to bother them. Tyson of course was too short to climb the tree without our help, so the other kids kept telling him he was too small. They were calling him a baby, and saying that he probably still wore diapers. Meanwhile I am taking this all in and am feeling heart broken that some little kid would treat my child that way. Tyson continued to try and play with them, and they kept making fun of him because he still had training wheels on his bike. The kids were also using language that I don't allow Tyson to say. He told them they were saying bad words and they shouldn't say them anymore. The older kids said they were allowed to say swears because the were 8! As I sat there and listened more intently on the situation my heart kept breaking. At such a VERY young age these children were already being unkind. Tyler told me not to do anything, that it didn't seem to be bothering Tyson. Well it was bothering ME! Finally I couldn't take it any longer and went over and told the kids that if they couldn't be nice then they couldn't play together. I took Tyson aside and told him that he couldn't play with those naughty kids ( a word that I should have used with them because from then on Tyson kept referring to the kids as the "naughty kids." LOL), that they weren't being nice and they weren't saying nice words. He asked me if they hated him, of course I told him NO! He then told me all the unkind things the kids were saying to him. How could my heart not break for the way they were treating him. I know, I am a very over protective mother. I know that I won't be able to keep him from unkind kids all of his life. But I can teach him to be kind to everyone. This is a quality that I want both my boys to acquire. It reminded me of a primary song, and I sang it to Tyson. The words are:

Jesus said love everyone,

Treat them kindly too.

When your heart is filled with love,

Others will love you!

How true these words are. We MUST be kind and tolerant at all times to others. Deep down I know that the "mean" kids didn't intent to harm or hurt Tyson. But on the other hand, we never now when something we might say may offend or hurt another person. We MUST think before we speak. Remember the golden rule,

Do unto others as we would have done unto ourselves.

A Book You MUST Read!

I have been so naive to mental illness. I have very little knowledge about the disease. I have never know anyone personally, or had anyone in my family who has suffered with this disease that takes over your mind and body. I have heard about "crazy" people, people who aren't right in their mind. I have even seen people act out in ways that aren't "normal." To me it has always been something of a mystery, something that I hope I would NEVER experience, and something that I have always put at the back of my mind. I guess you would say I had the typical stereotypes that others have about the disease of mental illness. All that has changed now thanks to the author of this book, someone I know not very personally but whom I am an acquaintance with. This remarkable book called "These Painted Wings," will change your view of mental illness. I am thankful for HER courage to tell her story. After reading this memoir of her life I marveled that the person I know could have been the person she wrote about. She is now a complete polar opposite than the person she writes about in her book. I too am a believer that this illness can be beaten, that people who suffer with this illness can become healthy, that their mind and body can be reclaimed for themselves and they can live a normal happy life.

As I sit and write this entry I am saddened because someone in my family has been diagnosed with a mental illness. She is seeking treatment in a hospital. After reading "These Painted Wings," I now have hope for her, and want her to read the book as well. At times the book may seem dark, and very sad, but the outcome is so very very hopeful, an ending that couldn't have been written better if it were a Hollywood movie. And to think that it is a REAL life outcome, a life full of miracles, hope and much healing. I encourage ALL to read it, even if you don't suffer from a mental illness, or even know of someone (like I did), it will change your mind, make you very empathetic, and enlighten you on the subject of this disease.

My Little Sea Turtle...

The past week Tyson was involved in swimming lessons. This was his 3rd year, and he proved to have more confidence in the water than the year before. He is fearless when it comes to water, which is a good and bad thing. He is quite short for his age, and was the shortest in his class. The teacher had a little dock that would be placed in the water for the kids to stand on because they couldn't touch the bottom of the pool. My little dare devil proceeded to walk off the dock and try to swim on his own without a life jacket. With his head barley above water and his cries for help I think he realized that sometimes it is best to obey the rules that have been set for us. Teacher Megan told the kids to stay on the dock when they didn't have a life jacket on, but my child always pushes the limit, and because he did he found out what the consequence of his actions would be.

Often times in life we tend to "push" the limits or boundaries that have been set. We speed in our car because we are running behind or we think the limit is too slow. As I reflect on my life I can recall many times when I pushed the rules, bent them to my own devices, or even broke them completely. And time and time again I paid for my mistakes. Growing up I was they type of teenager who had to "learn for myself." I could be told a thousand times but until I found out for myself I wasn't a believer. Sometimes the actions that I took were harmless, and sometimes not. Now looking at my 2 beautiful, vibrant boys I wonder what decisions they will make in life. The world is a much more cruel, dangerous place for them than it was for me, and that wasn't very long ago. I am scared of who they might become, of the friends they might choose, and of the choices they might make. How can I protect them? Should I keep them looked up in the house under my watchful eye all the time. Surely this isn't very realistic. How can I be assured that they will follow the principles that Tyler and I have tried to teach them? I have come to the conclusion ,and a peaceful feeling that if Tyler and I apply the principles and teachings we were taught and with much prayer and trust in the Lord out children will make right choices and turn out to be good people, ones who love their family, have faith and trust in a greater power than themselves, who are good citizens, and who will make us proud of all the hard work of raising them.

Today in relief Society we were taught about the importance of keeping a journal. I have done this on and off throughout my adolescence and into adult hood. I am happy to have found a love for blogging. I type so much faster than I can write, and this encourages me to write more often and more when I do write. I have marveled at those who have so diligently kept a personal record of their life and the events that have taken place in their everyday ordinary life. I have loved reading over my grandparents journals, how I have learned from their struggles, and their accomplishments. I know that more times than not when I write it is just the everyday mundane goings on of my life. But every once in awhile something very special and life changing will happen. If I am in the habit of writing the everyday happenings I will be more than like to record those precious memories that I would never want to forget. For the lesson today I am thankful for the reminder of the importance of keeping a journal for my posterity.

Home Sweet Home...

I feel like I haven't been home in a LONG time. We just got back from almost a week of holidays. It was so fun to finally go camping. Tyson has been waiting and waiting to go, and finally we did. Every year we plan a family camping holiday with my family. Each year we have gone somewhere different. Most years it has rained, which put a real damper on things. But this year I am happy to report that we had NO rain! The weather was beautiful! We enjoyed quading and taking in the glorious mountains that surrounded us.

Here are a few pictures:

My sister caught this HUGE frog. The kids loved holding it, and Tyson was sad that we didn't bring anything with us to take the frog home in.

A little side note, the tiny garden frog that Tyson caught at his Grandpa Pilling's house awhile ago..sadly died yesterday. :(

Both of my boys had so much fun being outside able to roam where every they wanted, as long as we could still see them. I believe that letting them explore increases their independence and self confidence to do things on their own. Often times I see these mothers whom I call "hover mothers." They don't let their kids venture off on their own to explore. They are always within reaching distance. I have to wonder if they are doing their children a service or if later on it will be something that will turn out to be detrimental to their character. There is a fine line between hovering and being to lenient. I like to think that I am somewhere in between.

More About Me!

FIRST NAME? Jodi
WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Not that I know of, my parents just liked the name.
WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? Oh Wow...I can't remember, it has been a LONG time.
DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Not really, I would WAY rather type on my computer and print it off.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Black Forest Ham
DO YOU HAVE KIDS? Yes 2 boys.
IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Yes!
DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? I used to when I was a teenager, now my blog serves as my journal.
DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? Sometimes.
DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes
WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? NO WAY!
DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Not usually. I tend to wear shoes that slip on and off easily.
DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Physically, somewhat. Spiritually, I'm constantly working to become stronger. Emotionally, yes.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? I'm not a big ice cream eater, but I do like Maple Walnut with Coke slurpee, and Hagen Daz almond bar.
SHOE SIZE? 7 or 7.5
RED OR PINK? PINK!
WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? I tend to gossip a bit too much :(
WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My uncle Jamie, and my grandpa.
WHEN AND WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Cardston, AB Canada, 1977
WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Kaki capris, I'm not wearing shoes right now but I was wearing my PINK crocs.
WHAT IS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Fortune Delight tea, scrambled eggs with onion, cheese, back bacon & green pepper.
WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? The kids movie in the background.
IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Razzmatazz, I'm actually not even sure what color this is, but I think the name describes me perfectly :)
FAVORITE SMELL? Apple Cinnamon
WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED WITH ON THE PHONE? My sister Tiffany.
THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU MEET? Hmmm...this is a hard one. I would have to say their teeth.
DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? Nothing totally spectacular. But I believe I have been blessed with creativity, and organization.
FAVORITE DRINK? Diet Coke
FAVORITE SPORT? Bike riding or hiking.
HAIR COLOR? Blonde/brown
EYE COLOR? Hazel
DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Nope
FAVORITE FOOD? Thai food & CHOCOLATE!
SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDING? Happy endings for sure!
LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Chronicles of Narnia
WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Light Aqua
SUMMER OR WINTER? SUMMER!
HUGS OR KISSES? Kisses.
FAVORITE DESSERT? Cheesecake or Brownie Pudding.
WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? The Girls.
WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? ItÂ’s black.
FAVORITE SOUNDS? Babies/children laughing. Crickets.
ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? The Beatles.
THE FURTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME? Jamaica,Cozumelm, or Grand Cayman Island.
IF YOU COULD HAVE DINNER WITH ANYONE WHO WOULD IT BE? My greatgrandmaa, Julia Bullock (she died when my grandma was 15.)

4 Things About ME!

4 Things You May Not Know About ME!

A) Four jobs I have had in my life:

1. Drugstore clerk
2. Hardware store clerk
3. Dental Assistant/Office Co-Ordinator
4. Scrapbook Store Clerk/Teacher

B) Four movies you would watch over and over:

1. The Notebook
2. Into The Blue (anything really with Paul Walker...he is such a HOTTIE)
3. Dirty Dancing
4. The Patriot

C) Four places you have lived:

1. Cardston, Ab
2. Provo, Utah
3. Taber, Ab
4. Coaldale, Ab

D) Four TV shows you love to watch:

1. So You Think You Can Dance
2. Y & R
3. CSI
4. Most reality t.v.

E) Four places you have been on vacation:

1. Las Vegas
2. Jamaica
3. Mexico
4. Grand Cayman Islands

F) Websites you visit daily or often:

1. Ebay
2. Various blogs
3. TD Canada Trust
4. Weight Watchers

G ) Four of my favorite foods:

1. Thai Food
2. Mexican
3. Spinach Dip
4. CHOCOLATE

H) Four places I would rather be right now:

1. Anywhere that isn't RAINING!
2. On a beach listening to the ocean waves, soaking up the sun
3. Calaway Park
4. Camping

Another New Member...

Today we added yet ANOTHER member to our family. Say hello to Squishy. He is a Tiger Salamander. Tyler's Dad found him in their basement, they live in a very old farm house that has a dirt floor. Of course Tyson was thrilled! It took him a little while to warm up to the idea of holding him, but now nothing holds him back from picking up the 5 inch long reptile. Is it a reptile? I'm not quite sure of all the specifics of this little creature yet. We did make a stop at the local pet store to learn more. For now though Squishy will live outside in a converted Superstore bin. Maybe after he has grown on us we will more him to a more permanent home inside, in a tank. I am beginning to feel severely out numbered with all these "boys" in our home. For now though I am content with my adventurous boys. Tyson is definitely a BOY's boy!

Time to Re-Arrange...

My mom spent the weekend with my sister and I. It was fun to spend the weekend together. We went shopping, out to eat (just the girls), and to garage sales. Saturday afternoon my mom came over to my house and we got talking about my living room. I mentioned to her that I needed a little "pick me up." We have lived in our house for 6 years now and I have never changed they way my living room looks. The furniture hasn't been moved, the pictures and accessories have remained the same. I felt in a rut so to speak and just needed to be revived. My mom is a GREAT decorator and has a good eye. So we began rearranging things in my living room. Furniture was placed in a different spot, the fireplace mantel was dejunked, cleaned, and then had a few items place back on it. Shelves were hung, plants were removed, lamps were cleaned and changed around. I am SO happy with how it looks now. I kept telling Tyler that it feels great to switch things up a bit, and that it didn't cost me a penny! That is really the amazing part. I made due with what I had and it still looks like a new room.

This little re-arrangement got me to thinking about other things in my life that need a pick me up. It seems that life gets busy, priorities change, and you get out of the habit of doing things that you once did. I can think of several things in my life that I need to put back in place. One of them being FHE, (Family Home Evening). We have set aside Monday nights for FHE. This is a great opportunity for us to spend quality time as a family. We sing Primary songs, and have a short spiritual lesson that the kids can relate too. We usually finish up the night with a game or a story. It is something that Tyson looks forward to, but as of the last few weeks we haven't made a good enough effort to put this night into practice. We need to get back on track!

I am a firm believe that life with never be easy, things don't easily fall into place, but through constant effort, patience and perseverance anything can be accomplished. Things that once were a habit can easily become obsolete in our life if we don't make an effort every day to accomplish the task we set out to complete. I myself know that I have had many roller coaster moments where at times I am on the uphill and others on the down hill. But amazingly enough after a downhill slide there is yet another hill to climb. It is important to reevaluate your life regularly. There will always be room for improvement, but it is also important to give ourselves credit for our many accomplishments. My challenge it this: think about things in your life that may need a little "rearranging." Set a goal, and carry it through. :)

George Strait & Garage Sale...

Last night Tyler and I went to Calgary to see George Strait. Tyler won tickets a few days ago from a local radio station, so we were thrilled to go. The whole night was AWESOME! There were 2 opening acts before George came out to entertain. Miranda Lambert & Tracy Lawrence were great performers. Tyler was happy to see both of them, and much to our surprise we didn't know who the opening acts were going to be until we got there. When George Strait came out on stage the whole Saddledome was electric, and the noise could have blown the roof off the place. He was such a gentlemen, and very gracious. He sang about 20 songs! It was great, some oldies and some new ones. It was a solid 1.5 hours of him singing. Even though we didn't pay for the tickets I'm sure those that did felt it was worth every penny! So now I have seen George Strait in concert and I would recommend it to ANYONE! On a sad note, I heard the Dixie Chicks were coming and I want to go SO bad! But I found out they are coming on a Sunday...so I won't be going :( I'm bummed out about that. Oh well, better to keep the Sabath Day holy.

My sister and her friend are going to have a garage sale on Saturday and I am going to go in it with them. I am looking forward to it, and at the same time DREADING it! It will feel great to get rid of some unused, cluttering up my house items. But going through ALL those items is going to be a DRAG. It is something that just has to be done though, and once it IS done it will feel great. One of my motos is that if you haul all your junk outside for a garage sale, what doesn't sell DOESN'T come back in the house. So after the sale I will pack everything up and take it to a thrift store. Goodbye JUNK! So wish me luck in my challenge to go through my collections of "things." I have also decided to part with a lot of scrapbooking supplies. If I haven't used it by now, why not let someone else have the chance to use it. So we will see how it goes.

Is The Sky The Limit??

Last night as I watched the National Spelling Bee, I was captivated by the intelligence of these children. As I began to think about their dedication, studying, and commitment to this event it amazed me that children of this age (10-14 year olds) could have what it takes to endure such a gruleing event. Not to mention the countless hours they spend memorizing words, learning the origins of words, and the pronunciations of words. I was thrilled that a Canadian girl, an ALBERTAN girl made it to the final 13 competitors. I was even more thrilled that she made it down to the last 2 contestants. Although it isn't a face paced sport, I was sitting on the edge of me seat (well bed) watching it to see who would win, to see who would have the dreaded bell ring when they spelled a word wrong, and it was so exciting to see the look of relief when they didn't hear the bell sound. It makes me wonder what lies in store for my 2 little boys. What will they be interested in, what will they strive to achieve? There really are millions of possibilities out there for each and every one of us. With a lot of dedication, commitment, hard work, support and perservirance anything is attainable. Tyson has been asking me a lot lately about the moon, telling me he wants to go there. Who knows, maybe he WILL go to the moon one day. Only time will tell. The sky really is the limit to what we can achieve...or is it?

Winners!

So this afternoon Tyler and I were sitting on the couch talking and listening to the radio. On came an announcement to call in to win tickets to the George Strait concert being held on Monday. Both Tyler and I, without telling each other, started to dial the radio station phone number. Mine was busy many times as was his cell phone, but, all of a sudden his phone rang on the other end. He was so surprised to find out that he was caller number 9, the caller they were looking for. I was shocked and excited. Now all he had to do was answer a question. He motioned for me to come and listen to the question so I could help him answer it. The question went something like this, "What Georgian born actress was engaged to Keifer Sutherland and 3 days prior to the wedding called it off. Later she married Lyle Lovitt, who is the celebrity? I immediately said Julia Roberts. So that is what Tyler told the announcer, and I WAS RIGHT! WOO HOO. Now we are on our way to George Strait on Monday. Tyler was glad that I knew the answer because he later told me that he would have answered Lorie Morgan. Lorie Morgan...who is that? I have no idea. So we are both so excited to go see one of Country music biggest super stars! For those of you who aren't country music fans you won't really appreciate the win, but we are SO excited!

Summer Agenda challenge...

While reading Sophia's blog this morning she gave us a challange to post what was on our Summer agenda. Our summer days are already getting very full and busy...and FUN! We have so many fun things planned, I can hardly wait for the days to come.

Here are a few of our plans:

* Calaway Park
* Park Lake day trips
* BBQ's
* Camping at Wasa Lake & Surveyor's Lake
* Silverwood Theme Park & Waterslide
* Running through the sprinkler
* Late night bike rides
* Candy Parade
* Annual Parade BBQ at Grandma's
* Pilling Family Reunion

There are many more activities I'm sure we will participate in during the summer. The weather has be absolutely beautiful the past week and it looks like there is more in store for this week. Tyler is off today and is going to his parents to pick up our travel trailer. I can't wait to get it cleaned out and stocked up. Then we can just hook and and go if Tyler doesn't have to work the next day. This year we are going to have so much fun camping. The kids are the perfect age. Carson is walking, and more adventurous & Tyson is old enough to understand and know the boundaries we set for him. Looks like we have a fun SUMMER ahead of us!

Here are a few pictures from last year...

Beautiful Weather...&...No Camera!

This whole week has been absolutely beautiful! It sure feels like summer is here...I hope it is here to STAY! The kids and I have enjoyed many hours outside basking in the warm sunshine. We were even blessed to have Tyler home for a few days during the week. We spent one of those days at a local park/lake. We invited my grandma to come and enjoy a picnic with us. We packed a very yummy lunch and picked up KFC to top of the meal. I also packed the balls & bats, and the bubble blower. Tyson enjoyed playing on the playground, and also tossing a ball back and forth with us. Grandma H. was impressed with how well he could hit the ball. I can't wait for him to be old enough for T-Ball, I know he will enjoy it a lot! Carson was just his happy-go-lucky boy as always. He found delight in pushing the stroller all over the place. He really is the happiest baby I know!

Here are some picture from our day at the park.

On Friday Tyler didn't have to work again so we decided to head to Calgary and go to Calaway park. We haven't taken Tyson there yet, and we weren't sure if he was still to little to enjoy it. Last year though I did take him to Whoop Up Days and he LOVED the rides that he was big enough to go on. So we figured that he would like the rides at Calaway. Well needless to say when we bought our seasons pass (cheaper than buying a regular admission, so if you go 2 times you more than paid for 1 admission, we though it was a good idea.) we found out that the park wasn't open until the NEXT day! I had looked on the net before going and it said that they were open. Well we were really bummed! All was not lost though because it was a GREAT day to go to the Calgary Zoo. I did forget one major thing though...the CAMERA! I never, ever forget the camera when we go places, well this was the first...and the LAST! I guess we will be making another trip to the zoo before the summer is over so we can get the "zoo photos." I know my sisters want to take their kids, so we will tag along with them. It was a fun day, and Tyson's favorite part was the little crocodile, and the play area. It was the perfect weather, a little over cast and cloudy, but still really warm. And there weren't a lot of people. It was a PERFECT Zoo day!

Tyson has been saying some really funny things lately and I think I should keep a record of it. So why not do it here.

When I was in Chicago he got diarrhea. His uncle Bronc asked him how he was feeling and he replies with, "fine but I have the very quickly poo's." How funny is that!

We were driving in to the city and Tyson noticed the old water tower. It used to hold water, but was recently turned into a fancy restaurant. He asked me what it was and I told him, "It is a fancy restaurant where mommies and daddies go to eat a nice dinner, usually steak." That seemed to satisfy his curiosity and we proceeded to go to Burger King for lunch, and also so the kids could play at the play land. When we sat down to eat Tyson said to me, "Mom this is a fancy restaurant." I couldn't help but laugh to myself. It sure isn't hard to please a 3 year old.

We bought Tyson a 2 wheeler with training wheels the other day (pictures to come soon.) The first day we went for a long ride and were surprised at how well he was doing. Although he couldn't seem to concentrate on where he was going, and talk to us at the same time. Tyler said to him, "Boy that is a real cool bike you have!" Then Tyson replies with in his little sarcastic voice, " I know dad, now stop talking about it!" This kid, he just cracks me up!

Well there you have a few of the many many funny things my adorable son has been saying. I plan on documenting more of his funny mannerisms, and comments. It will be SO funny to read them to him when he gets older.

All Gone...

All of the puppies have now gone to their new homes. One by one the new owners came and picked up their puppy. It was sad to see them go, but to me it was bitter sweet. I have enjoyed having 7 little fur balls in our home. But now they are HUGE and getting into everything, and chewing on everything, including the new plants I planted! Tyson was heartbroken when Batman was picked up. He cried plenty of tears, and said he was very sad that we couldn't keep Batman. I have been trying to explain to him for the past few weeks that we weren't going to be able to keep any of the puppies, but I don't think he or I realized how hard it would actually be when it was time for them to go. All seems well with him now, although he still mentions his beloved puppy. It was a great learning experience for him to have to be responsible for these dogs. He didn't hesitate when I asked him to go and feed them, or put them back in their bed for the night. He would spontaneously go out into the yard and play with them. He was always carrying on of them around, usually Batman. He loved those dogs, and with surly miss them. Who knows, maybe someday again Maggie will have another litter of puppies.

Here is a collage I made my mom for Mother's Day. The size will be 10 x 6, and I will put it in an 8x10 frame. It was SO hard for me to get a picture of Carson holding a puppy. 1 they are too big now for him to hold, and 2 he wouldn't sit still! So this picture will have to do. The puppy with Tyson of course is Batman. I am happy that I have these pictures to show the kids when they are older, it will help them remember these beloved pets of ours.

Chicago...An Awesome City!

I am home from a wonderful, fun filled 5 days spent in the "Windy City," of Chicago. Tiffany and I were so excited to go and see a taping of the Oprah Winfrey show. By the end of the 5 days though we were excited to come home and see our families.

Chicago is a wonderful, busy bustling city. All told in the metropolitan area there are over 8 million people. It is hard to really fathom a city of that magnitude. As you fly into the city it seems to go forever and ever. Streets, cars, schools, shopping centers go on for miles and miles,and there are thousands of people going busily about there day. The people of Chicago are always in a rush. If you happen to wait at a green light for even a second after turning from red, you will be honked at. The people there aren't very patient, but friendly none the less.

After waking up at a very early 3:30 a.m. on Wednesday morning, we primped and primped some more to get ready to attend the Oprah Winfrey show. During our trip we spent a lot of time waiting...waiting for trains, for planes, for buses, and for taxis. The weather was nice and there was always people to watch so we didn't mind sitting back and taking in the city. We had to wait quite awhile in a holding room after going through a few security checks at Harpo Studios. Then it was time to go into the studio. It isn't anything like you see on t.v. It is much smaller and a very intimate setting. I was actually surprise that the studio only held 300 people. One of the producers came out and and prepped us for what was going to happen during the taping. She also had us practice exaggerating our facial expressions so that maybe by some chance we would have a few seconds of fame on t.v. Then we were told the topic for the show which was "Betrayal." The announced that Oprah was arriving and the audience went crazy! She entered the studio and we were all in an uproar. She looked beautiful, as always. She was ready to start taping and was all business. It took her awhile before settling in with the audience. We had as a guest Mary Jo Butafuko. She was commenting on the events of her ex-husband and his mistress who shot her 15 years ago. They have been in the new lately when they did a reunion show and sparks were flying. The show continued on with other incidences of betrayal. The show aired only 2 days after taping, on Friday. It shocked me that it only took 2 days to edit the taping before airing. Now onto some info about Oprah. She is an all business type of woman, and it took her awhile before he comedic self came through. During commercial breaks she would comment further on the guests and their situations. She also spoke about her navy blue shoes she was wearing that Sarah Jessica Parker had given here. After the taping she continued to talk about the topic for the day, and joked around a bit. She really does have a great sense of humor and is a compassionate woman when needed. It really was a once in a lifetime opportunity. We watched the taping on Friday and were all disappointed that none of us were shown. Oh well...it was still a fun experience. And NO we didn't get a car, not even a small parting favor, but it was still worth it! Another disappointment was that she doesn't' have a gift store. Totally shocked about that!

After we went to lunch at one of Chicago's famous pizza restaurants called, "Gino's East." Chicago is known for it s deep dish pizza, and it isn't made like our traditional pizza. Everything is made backwards, with the toppings going on first, then the sauce on the top. It was very filling and we enjoyed it a lot.
After lunch Tiffany and I decided to stay downtown and explore the city. Chicago is filled with many things to see and do. From Navy Pier, the Shedd aquarium, Museums, The Magnificent Mile, and Historical buildings. We took a taxi to Navy Pier and enjoyed exploring there. And we also waited...and waited for the free trolley to pick us up. Finally after being entertained by a man who said he worked for the President, and spoke into his cell phone without it even ringing, we headed to the famous Magnificent Mile. LEt me just say, this stretch of road is a shoppers paradise. Everything from fine departments store such as Zach's Fith Avenue, Neimen Marcus to Prada, Gucci, Tiffany, Coach. You name the store and I am sure you will find it there. Not all of the stores were "high end", they also had Gap, the Children's Place, and even Payless Shoes. I found a few stores that I fell in love with. H & M is such a GREAT store, and the prices are cheaper than Walmart... and the clothes are cuter by far!

We also went and ate at the Cheesecake Factory, A TO DIE FOR restaurant! We loved it so much we ate there twice. The portion size is HUGE, and the food is out of this world. The cheesecake is the most creamy, heavenly desert you will ever have. We spent the rest of the afternoon and early evening shopping. Then took our first EVER city bus back to Union Station to go back home.

The next day was filled with more tourist attractions. We went on a trolley tour that took us through the downtown area of Chicago. Our guide was very good and humorous. I didn't realize that Chicago burnt to the ground and had to be built up again. We were able to hop on and off the trolley at locations of our choosing and that was fun. We stopped at the Shedd Aquarium, the 2nd largest aquarium in the world. It was magnificent, and I wish we could have stayed longer. It is a great place to take kids, Tyson would have enjoyed it. Once again we went to the magnificent mile and shopped. They have a 3 story Old Navy! A very fun place to shop at.

Here are a few more pockets from the day.

Lastly, just as Heather was driving us to the airport we had to Shop once more. I found an Archiver's Scrapbook store that was SO close to where she lives. We just happened to stumble across it. Let me just say that this is the BEST scrapbook store EVER. SO HUGE, SO ORGANIZED, such FRIENDLY STAFF! Oh man, I was in heaven. They have a large work room with lots of free demos and make and takes. We also happened to stumble upon this little gold mine just in time because they were having a class and had extras and we were able to buy the kit. It is an adorable metal music box by Prima. It came with all the extras to doll it up. You will never guess the cost.... ONLY $10! A STEAL OF A DEAL. I am going to make mine for my mom for Mother's Day...I hope I have time :(

Anyway, that was a quick run down of our trip. We had a blast! It is always great to go on a holiday, but great to come home as well.

I'm HOME!

I home, I'm happy to see my family and sleep in my own bed, and I am SO happy I don't have to get on another plane, or wait for hours in an airport. I have so much to tell and share and photos to upload. But first I need to spend some time with my family. They all missed me so much, as I did them. As soon as I can I will update on the AMAZING time I had in the "Windy City."