No rest for the wicked.

Coloured my hair.
Getting it cut.
Braving the post office.
Helping Yo pack.
Blowing my nose.


AM I CRAZY?

Babies!

I love babies.

Soon, sooner than I would have thought, there will be a few more babies within my reach for me to rock to sleep. NONE of which will be blood related to me.

I'm very excited for both of my little baby-bellied friends!!! I can't wait!

Ahhhh....snow.

Nothing brings out the crazy drivers like the first snowfall. On our way home from Glenmore after picking up our computer we witnessed a few 'almost' accidents and one real one. I hate driving in the snow, but I know that I have to drive with extreme caution and it's not because of my driving, but because of those other people that think they can drive the same way whether there is 6 inches of snow on the road or it's bone dry.

This is Linus's first snow. He's so inquisitive that he actually looks up to see where the snow is coming from. He seems to be enjoying it. I don't think Sally is too thrilled with him messing up the snow before she gets to it. Both of them decided that instead of peeing on the pretty snow, they would pee on the cement of the patio.

Kerry's looking for a snow removal company, he thought I had told him of someone whose hubby had a bobcat or something and was thinking of doing business with it this winter, but I can't remember. Was it you? Contact me if it was.

I made 2 batches of poppycock this morning, before 9 am. I had to call my mom to get Jenn's recipe because I can't find mine. In the past we have used the recipe that requires an abundance of oven time, and stirring of the popcorn. About 2 years ago, my friend, Edmonton Jenn(she was Kelowna Jenn back then), gave me a bag of her poppycock (I hate that name). I ate most of it before I realized it and had to toss the bag in the back seat of the car while I was driving so that I would have some for the rest of the family. I got the recipe from Jenn, made it, gave some to my mom. She had made the old recipe and loved Jenn's so she took her 'old' stuff to work and let the girls there eat it and made new stuff. It's delicious! I know, where's the recipe? That would require me going up stairs and I'm on a roll right now...remind me later.

And why were we getting our computer from Glenmore you ask? Well, do you remember a few months ago how I was venting that someone's games take up a huge amount of space on our hard-drive? Well, after installing itunes I couldn't convert a picture in PS7 from colour to black and white because I didn't have enough space. So we bit the bullit and got a bigger hard-drive, and more RAM. Now everything is faster which means...

1. I will spend less time on the computer because I don't have to wait for things to load

2. I will spend more time on the computer because I can do more things, faster.
3. Shaun will buy another huge game and install it and bung up the computer.

2 down...lots to go

I usually don't give away my handmade creations, mostly because I don't think anyone would want to get them, partly because I don't want to part with them. But this year, I've had a change of heart. And so I have started making a few things.
Last night's class was the clipboard and I decided to make one with the group. I am going to use it our Christmas wish list. The whole thing is mod podged so it's durable.
The frame is a dry erase board that I did today for Shaun's girlfriend Jenn. I descretly asked her what colour her bedroom was..."Hey, Jenn, what colour is your bedroom?"
Tomorrow is my Tags and Tin class. A special guest is coming from far away, but I can't remember if it's Switzerland, Sweden, or Denmark. I know it's not Greenland, or the UK. How bad is my memory?
And today, my mom, Emily and I had lunch with Della and her little Dorian at Taki's. They came up from Seattle to stay with Maziar's sister. I haven't seen them since Dorian was a few months old and he's 2 1/2 now. Super cute little dude!!!

Another week closer to Christmas!

These are the tins that my friend, Nancy asked me to make. I'm shipping them off today Nancy! They are filled with cards and envelopes and I want to keep them, both of them. I think she's giving them as gifts, maybe she'll give one to me!


We made a 'bib' card at our stamper's group last night. It wasn't as hard as I thought it might be but then I did have instructions and if I had to do it from scratch, you can bet it would have been a problem.
For the wreath card, I used the scalloped punch and 1 inch circle to make the wreath. For both cards, I used patterned paper to encourage everyone to buy their paper this month while it's on sale. It's working too, I've bought more patterned paper than ever before for myself. Darn I'm good!
I'm liking my ipod more each day. I still only have 24 songs on it. I think I need to just start plunking them on, whether I 'love' them or not. That's my problem, I can't commit to the songs.

I've also officially started my Christmas baking. I have 7 little fruit cakes slowly baking in the oven right now. Can you smell the spices? Hmmm...cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves...smells like Christmas at my house. And rum, can't forget the rum. I made these babies last year after my mom bought some locally made cakes for a rather outrageous price. I'm crossing my fingers in hopes that last year's cakes weren't just beginner's luck. They were the best fruit cakes ever! I converted at least 3 people after they tried my cakes, converted them from hating fruit cake to eating it daily. It probably helps that it's soaked in a bottle of rum.

I will be without a computer for most of Monday, good thing I work on Mondays. We've filled this one up and are adding another hard drive. I can't wait. Maybe I'll be able to convert a picture to b&w without the computer saying I've got no disk space/memory to do it.

Kelli's Frosty Morning Dog Owner Advice...(*GROSS*WARNING*)

Tip # 1: do your poop-scooping before the frost melts...poopsicles are easier to pick up and don't smell as bad. (unless of course, like this morning, one of those is fresh and it's the last one you have to pick up and all you had for breakfast was coffee and your snow shovel of poop is full and you can smell that last warm log and you start gagging and can't stop and are then very thankful for an empty stomach and only the taste of coffee and a strong arm that held that poop filled shovel while you were gagging and meant that you didn't dump at least a dozen poopsicles on the cement) Told you it was gross, now go back and look at the pretty cards!

I know it's big...

but I don't care. Besides, it gives you an up close look at the beautiful ornaments that were available at the craft sale this past weekend. You can see the details, and tell that each one was made with loving care!

The sale went great. Set-up is a breeze now, although, it doesn't really feel like it that night, it's much better than it used to be. Friday is a busy day with all the last minute running around and stuff, but Saturday, the actual day is pretty mellow, this year I actually taught a class in the a.m. and I couldn't get in to the church until 5 p.m.

I had a pretty wide variety of crafters this year. They do such a great job, very good quality stuff and they take their 'crafting' seriously. I can't say the sale went off without any hitches, but I've made a note of them and will hopefully nip them next year.

I huge thank you goes out to my 'set-up elves', they have an eye for where to put things and even though I tell them where to stick it, they still make a mean display. Thank you, Elaine, Kathy, Heather, Tara and Wendy! And thanks to the muscles, Shaun, Kerry and Kurt. AND a big thank you goes to all the wonderful, pleasant shoppers! Thank you for being patient, and making line-up before we opened, and for not over throwing us when the cheque register didn't work.

If you missed the sale and want to get one in before the end of the year, let me know, there may be an impromptu one in the works.

my new toy or I'm a spoiled spoiled girl.

I have The BEST hubby ever.
He came home from work and said he needed the van to go back to work to pick up something for ME. I went down the list, Is it sausage? No. Can I eat it? No. Can I put it in my ears? Seriously, I don't know why I asked that. He said parts of it I could put in my ears. He also made hand gestures about how big these things were. Still no idea.
When he told me, my first thought was lucky him, but I got new huge speakers for my b-day in August and it's a work perk so it's fair. But then he said...You can have it and we can use your birthday speakers for the computer. I jumped up and down, which proved him wrong, he said I would giggle and clap my hands, whatever!
So now I am the very proud owner of a 80gb Ipod w/video and a svelte Bose docking speaker thingy for it. I so don't deserve these and have no idea what to do with them.
It's amazing how your life can change in an hour.

I remember...

I think today is the day that comes around every year where I ask myself "Self, why are you doing this sale?" And my answer is, as of lately, because the other crafters need Christmas money. If I don't do it, I have this serious problem where I think that some people won't have any money for Christmas. I do enjoy the planning of the sale on 360 days of the year. The rest suck.

I have a to-do list as long as my arm and it's 9 am. and I'm not showered or dressed and I have certain places I have to be at specific times today and well, I don't feel like getting dressed. Maybe I should go out in my PJs and people will ask why and I will reply "oh, I'm so busy, I am planning the best craft sale in Kelowna, you should come!" and then they will because there interest will be piqued. I think that's the right word.

And to make matters worse, (again I'm complaining), my personal assistant has me scheduled to do a class tonight and one tomorrow. She's such a freakin' slave driver(no offense meant to any slave drivers reading this). But doesn't she realize that I'm kind of pre-occupied this weekend. Maybe she did that to help take my mind off the ever growing list of stuff I still have to do, or maybe she figured the weekend would go faster if it was filled with activities. I'm sure she doesn't remember the year I go sooooo sick after the craft sale that I couldn't even open the door to greet the crafters and hand out the cheques the week after, because I remember that, I remember what happens when I get run down. (flashback to the 11 days after DL trip, ahhhh Disneyland, I'd give my right arm, it's useless anyway,to be back there)

I am becoming a master of procrastination and grumpy blog posts. I apologize if you came here for happy thoughts. All I can say is normally I dislike Mondays and this week won't be any different, and that's being optimistic. One happy thought is that my Kerry is taking Monday and Tuesday off to be 'helper'. He's so nice. Poor Kerry, he'll wish he was back at work arguing with truck drivers when I'm done with him.

The stew was the 'best stew ever'. The muffins were delicious and nutritious. The meatloaf is in the freezer, as are numerous muffins and containers of stew.


Don't forget...
Sunday, November 18 9 am - 5 pm
The Benvoulin Heritage Church Craft sale
I'm not kidding, I'm just bragging, when I say it's the BEST sale in town. Ask around, THEY will tell you.
If you like crowds and line-ups and grumps, come early, that's when the selection is better.
If you come and I don't talk to you and have the look of serious concentration, just walk away. I will push the wrong button on the cash register if I open my mouth.

Meat, MIni Oranges and Muffins

I went to Costco, and got out spending under $300, just under, but still under! I have officially started my Christmas shopping. And I got stew meat and made a huge crock pot full of stew and then I made 2 huge meatloaves. I plan on being very busy, too busy to make meals in the next week.
My mom and I found mini mandarin oranges today. They are by far the best tasting oranges I have ever had. I like all things mini, like the small jugs of chocolate milk, short handled screwdrivers, and people(meaning babies).

Judy gave me a delicious Fat Free Yogurt and Bran Muffin recipe, along with a sample on Tuesday and this is the BEST FF recipe I have ever tried.

2 c. plain non-fat yogurt
2 tsp. b. soda
3/4 c. b. sugar
1 c. sugar free apple sauce
2 tsp. vanilla
4 tsp. b. powder
1 c. berries or raisins
2 eggs
2 c. bran
2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
Measure yogurt in med. bowl and add soda (let stand but not too long or you will have a great science experiment). Beat sugar, eggs, and applesauce. Stir in bran and vanilla. Sift flour, b. powder and salt. Add yogurt mixture and flour mixture alternately to egg mixture and mix until moist. Fold in other ingredients.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, with NO liners, I used spray, they will stick to muffin liners because they are fat free. Let sit in pan to cool and they will come out easier.
24 muffins - 1.5 pts.
16 muffins - 2 pts.

She's funny

I know what she means.

Where do you find your creativity?

a mantra for today

I love my puppy.
I love my puppy.
I love my puppy.

Even though he chews on curtains while I blink. I love my puppy.
Even though he thinks frosty grass means he should dig a hole to China while I am standing right there watching him. I love my puppy.
Even though he can search and destroy Emily's items while I am in the bathroom. I love my puppy.
Even though he bites me when he's excited. I love my puppy.
Especially when he poses for pictures for me. (I bribed him with candy Rockets, I never said I fed him well.)

I {mad-face} Mondays!

Started off bad, I should have stayed in bed. The power went out during the night, and then back on again, I only know this because the fax machine made a bunch of beeps when it went on. Then the power went out again and Kerry had to get up with the dogs, and sit in the dark for 20 minutes but at least I got to sleep and had a little giggle at Linus trying to navigate up the stairs in the dark.
Then I get the call from the caretakers of the church and there was an incident with the sign guy, it's pretty much a he said/they said thing. Major lack of communication on every one's part.
Then I go to work. And it's too much for me to assume that people look at products when putting them out, too much to think that they can even read. But I guess they can't and it's wrong for me to assume 18 plus year olds can do things like that. Anyways, makes for a long day when you have every other item in the wrong spot and you have to correct that before doing an actual order. And don't even get me started on the kid whose mother thought I looked like a daycare. I had to tell the kid, more than once and quite firmly that I was going to the bathroom and she could not come with me. What gets me the most is that her mom didn't know me from a hole in the wall and didn't seem to care that I could have taken this kid to the can with me. Ugh!
And I took a pork roast out of the freezer last night and put it in the fridge and of course it's not thawed yet, so I let it sit on the counter for a bit, but that kind of grosses me out so it wasn't long. And when I went to put it in the oven it was still frozen. Do I care at this point? No. It will be roasty on the outside, red on the inside, just the way I love it. (that's sarcasm)
So I came home and ate 1 1/2 chocolate bars, not snack sized ones either.
I have a class tonight and I promise to be in a better mood if it kills me. If I'm not, they will put me in a better mood. This group is freakin' hilarious. I better tell them that I have high expectations of them tonight.
Sally's having one of those days too. Stupid humans put her sheepskin bed in a stupid taken apart kennel and now she has to sleep in it all crunched up. (I placed it there temporarily because Linus likes to chew it, the kennel is looking for a home and hasn't found one yet, this is NOT where we expect her to sleep or even encourage her to sleep because it just doesn't look comfy).

There, I've ranted, vented and made for a very grumpy blog post.
If you're name is Janice, call me back, I don't know which Janice called me and don't want to call all the ones I know.

I {heart} Fridays!

Today is Friday.

One week and 2 days until the Benvoulin Heritage Church Craft sale. I'm not really bragging when I say it's the best sale in town and you shouldn't miss it. I've hand picked the crafters and I think I'm pretty picky. The 'girls' I have picked are extremely talented and always out do themselves every year. Seriously, don't miss it. I cringe when a week later someone asks me when the sale is and I tell them they missed it and they cry. Don't be that person.

The Health Unit Nurse called to check up on Emily and her mysterious immunization reaction. During our conversation, I mentioned the ill feeling I get with eggs and asked if it's possible E. is allergic to eggs and that's why she reacted. It's not but then we got to the flu shot and my working at Cottonwoods with WW. And yes, I should be immunized and that I'm a 'care giver' and it's free so I should stop by the clinic across from Zellers. Yay, I have to work today and will be right there. Boo, it's a needle. I told the woman that I must be allergic to the shot because I was getting an ill feeling just thinking about it. Well, I went, I did it, I had to sit off to the side like a bad girl for 10 minutes to see if my tongue started to itch and swell. I know I was fidgetting and I know I was starting to freak out, not because I was having a reaction but because I was thinking I might have one. And that lead to a nurse speeding over to me and asking in a very concerned voice if I was alright because I didn't look alright, which freaked me out more. What do you mean I don't look alright? I had on make-up, hair was done, I had on my new outfit and thought I looked pretty good when I left the house. She offered me cookies and juice which I turned down, I think it was a peace offering for saying I didn't look good, at least that's what I think she mumbled after I pummelled her.

Then I went to WW. I like Fridays at WW.

And if we didn't think it was 'the season' yet, with the craft sale and everything, we know it is today. Kerry called from work...
Kerry: It's Stieneke Sausage time.
Me: How much and how many?
Kerry: $5 a pound for pepperoni, $5 a coil for ham sausage.
Me: How much did we get last year?
Kerry: Can't remember. How many can we get for $200?
Me: What? You have $200 to spend on sausage.
Kerry: Ah, maybe?
Me: 5 peps, and hmmm...make it even 9 sausage.
Kerry: That's even?
Me: Yes, 5+9=14, that's an even number.
Kerry: Oh.

I didn't say it was a funny story. I just said that it's a sign that Christmas is coming. Craft sale, sausage, shopping.

Speaking of shopping, anyone have any charity shopping night at the mall tickets?


I like this picture...You can see Shaun and Emily just getting sprayed by the juicy watermelon and Kerry is waving and waving (I have 4 shots of him waving like that as the 'train' moves), he has no idea he's about to get it.

I miss Disneyland. I told Kerry I would give up all my Christmas gifts(yes, I've been good and am planning on getting some) to get the hardwood flooring installed, but he said not likely to happen until at least January. But I would also give up my gifts and Christmas dinner to got back to Disneyland. There's no laundry to do, floors to sweep, dogs to train, lunches to be made in Disneyland. Oh, it's warmer there too.

Smarter than a 6th grader!

You know your kid is smart when...
Emily was telling us of the new seating plan at school, she is now beside a boy that she has always considered a pest for numerous reasons.
Me: So 'bob' is like the BANE of your existence? (thinking I'm pretty smart, using a 'big' word to talk to an 11 yr. old.)
Em: Yes, that he is.
Me: Do you even know what that means? (because I have an idea but...)
Em: It means he's the thing that bothers me the most.
Me: Uh, ya.


My lack of a brain is the bane of my existence...


But at least I had some mojo and got and am still getting lots done. It's pretty sad when you get a box of scrapbooking products delivered to your door and you find them too pretty to use. It's also sad when you look in your almost empty pizza box and see just bits and pieces of pretty paper in it. Sure, I have a few great layouts, a mini book and a tin full of cards...but I like my whole sheets of un-cut papers and never been opened embellishments, what girl doesn't?
Here's what I did with the November Kit from Pick of the Patch...It's mostly Making Memories Noteworthy stuff. Check out the gallery at PotP, there's some amazing stuff there. Lot's of talent!













I'm making crock pot soup and biscotti, not to be eaten together. I don't mean you can't, I just don't have that planned. I'll make biscuits to be eaten with the soup and coffee to be had with the biscotti.

The craft sale prep is coming along. Kerry said he'd take some time off in the days after the sale, because I'm a pro now and don't need much help in the days before. He's even offered to help do pay-out! He's math skills are better than mine, even though I loved math in school. Sniffing Jiffy markers killed those brain cells. He also said he could just be 'dog-sitter' while I get the stuff looked after. Which brings me to another thing...
WHY didn't anyone tell me that no two puppies are the same? We realize now that Sally was an exceptionally well behaved pup, she never ate anything, didn't chew on things, but she was and still is excitable. NOTHING is safe from the teeth of Linus. Nothing...not feet, legs, hands, love handles, boobs, pillows, buttons, table legs, metal or otherwise, stuffed animals, erasers, curtains,...He's not left alone, I am watching him, but he's sneaky. He can be the SWEETEST sleeping dog and then next thing you know he's trying to rip the nose off Emily's Build-A-Bear Cheetah. And I have no idea where he got the piece of gum he had last night.

The BIG day is coming

And I'm ready.

Tomorrow is upload day for my Pick of the Patch stuff. I've got 2 layouts and an altered item done and I'm pretty impressed with myself. I did my BOM and it didn't hurt.

I did a little back-stitching, lots of inking, lots of my own handwriting, a little Photoshop trick or two, some handcutting and, hold on to your hats, journalling on everything.

How I tie a knot

This is not a great video, it won't be winning any documentary awards.

A Math Lesson

Kerry and I have a little routine at bed time. He must roll onto his right side, I 'spoon' up behind him. We joke that I need my two thirds of the bed. He says he has a quarter of the bed, I say it's two fifths. So last night he was complaining, whining that he didn't have enough room. So I reach over him and touch the edge of the bed on his side, then I reach out and touch my edge. I announce that I can touch both sides, therefore I must be in the middle. Therefore, he must have half the bed. Ah, he whines, but what about the part of the bed you are on, you have that too, if both your hands touch the edge, then YOU are in the middle.
Details, details. So it's been confirmed, I have two fifths of the bed. I'm a bed hog, then I punched him and there was no more whining. Just some quiet sobbing, but I can sleep through that.


I am moving rather slowly on the Pick of the Patch kit. I made a most beautiful coaster album about ME and now I'm stumped. The papers are so nice and kind of girly, I'm having a hard time deciding what to do with them. I only have until Nov. 7th to get a couple layouts and maybe some cards done. It would also be easier if a certain puppy didn't try to eat his way out of my scrap room. He seems to think it's a smorgasbord every time he's in there. Paper, table legs, my legs, anything hanging over the edge of the table, recycling, boxes, you name it, it's not safe. So if I want to get anything accomplished, I have to wait until K. is home and can occupy the bottomless pit of a pup.

But I'm feeling brave this morning and may venture into my room. Yes, I could close the door but Kerry spent a lot of time and patience putting mouldings around the door and would not appreciate it if Linus ate them off. Besides that, you aren't supposed to reprimand a dog after he's done the bad deed(you must catch him in the act), but you can reprimand a lazy dog owner that just wants to scrapbook.

I'm learning.