FREE GOLF!

Our golf courses is getting ready to host there "Free Golf" event again this year.

Go here to register! We are accepting donations to United Way but the golf is free! What is the catch? We get you playing at our course and hopefully you will return! This was a huge success last year and we are hoping for even more golfers this year! Go here to register!

www.silverwinggolf.com/free

Not much

Time that is. We reduced the price of our home to $514,900.00
Since then we have had a showing on Sat morning, then another sunday morning and the people that came yesterday are coming again today at 4. So not much time for anything but keeping the house in order!

Many of you have asked why we are selling, where we are moving etc...

Really it is all to help us eliminate some of our debt. The plan "was" to sell our home and rent a home in auburn bay for cheaper while we build custom homes in Elbow Valley and flip them (barry wanted me to oversee this). In the end we were hoping to have enough saved from our flips for a nice down payment on our next home. But ultimately we wanted to use some of our profits from selling this home to get rid of our line of credit and pay off our credit card. Mostly debt from an old business barry used to have.

But, I told Barry the other day that there was no way I could take on building custom homes right now. Not with Macy and all her appts. Plus... I think when our kids are young, our jobs as mothers is to play with them, spend time with them, take them to do fun things, teach them etc...

So, I devised a new plan and told it to Barry. He likes it!

We are thinking about selling our house for whatever we can get, living with his parents through the summer (while staying in our current ward), and building a Baywest home. There is one that is 300 sqft more than our current one with a wallkout basement and the base price is $50,000.00 less than ours. We will use the lack of a mortgage through the summer to pay off that UGLY debt we have.

I like this idea because
1. It keeps me out of a nasty rental!
2. I will for sure stay in Auburn Bay (where I love the people, Tommy wont have to switch schools and I stay in the ward)
3. I will be able to get excited about a new home! New fixtures, cabinets, tile, wood, granite... So exciting!!

I'm just going to put this out there...

As a nurse, a mother, a wife, an aunt, a person, and a consumer...

I am on Jamie Oliver's side!

They get me through...

Tommy went to Texas today for 11 days. We are all a little more sad, and Kyla is already asking... "Where Pommy Doe, Mommy? I Want Pommy!"

When Tommy was 4 and we first moved to Canada, he was not able to fly alone on the plane. So every time he went to Texas I flew with him. I would fly to Texas, give him to his dad, hang out at the airport, then jump on a flight home. Then I would return a few days later and pick him up, then fly back.

Until I had Kyla, those trips were an extremely difficult and sad time for me. Barry worked longer hours at that time than he does now (if you can believe that). So I would often spend those lonely hours alone, just counting down the hours till Tommy came back.

Since Kyla it has all been a little easier. Not great, but easier! She has been my little buddy and we wait together for Tommy's return! Now with Macy, we'll be the "Three Musketeers" until Tommy gets home and I am shoved aside (since Kyla likes him more and I am sure Macy will one day as well!) I am glad I am shoved aside! There is nothing better than siblings who LOVE each other!

So after that hard day... I came home to a great surprise in my mailbox... My Etsy stuff for the girls! and then... as I started blogging, I heard a knock on the door. This girl (who I love dearly) showed up with her "magic" bag of makeup and gave me a mini makeover. She knows that I LOVE how she does makeup and would have her do it for me EVERY DAY if I could!

Than I check my sisters blog and I see this quilt. A lady in her church, who doesn't know me" made this for little Macy! WOW, I feel so blessed and I only hope we can touch as many lives as have touched ours!!! THANKS!

So tonight I am off to dinner and a movie, excited and glad for a distraction from missing Angel # 1!!!

P.S. May all the blessing in the world go to the person who came up with "bubble shirts" because they are doing a great job at hiding my muffin top and making me feel "oh so confident!"

I'm in shoe heaven!

I must find out how to get these up in Canada!!!

I am already visualizing them on my girls feet!!!

I sit...

I was jolted from my heavenly dream in the clouds by a harsh light and the sound of streaming water! As I try to roll my still 20 lb heavier body over to look at the time, I hear a little squeak! Then I hear a little mama! Oh, than I hear the click of the TV and the start of my big boys new Indiana Jones game.

I'm not sure if daddy was going for the kill here, but he succeeded. Woke up the whole house!! and it's only 6 am, we were supposed to have another hour or so. We were supposed to still be cuddled together with our warm bodies, hoping that time stops just for one day and we can stay that way for a while!

(So after feeding angel # 3, pumping, showering, Bathing angel # 2, making lunch for angel # 1, helping him beat part of his game, checking that I didn't drain our bank account on yesterdays birthday adventures, checking email/facebook/blog, making breakfast for angels # 1 and 2, grabbing backpacks and keys, driving 5 houses down to the bus stop because it's still too cold to walk, then getting angel # 2 busy with some toys...)
I return to a place of peace and tranquility, with a bowl of mixed berries, banana and yogurt with a shake of Cinnamon for good measure! I sit and ponder on how I will make the most of this "day at home" as I call it! I refuse to leave my house today (that will be a first this week). I will not spend a dime (aside from the fee to start getting my new car registered), and I will take a nap (cuddled next to my two girl angels!)

I am abruptly brought out of my ponder to see that "kelle" has posted again! Her blog is like a drug, I swear! I think it is that she can put into words, the exact feelings of my heart! Every time I read her blog I can't help but think... SHE NAILED IT... AGAIN! Why can't I do that? Why wasn't I gifted as a writer? as a photographer?

at least I have one thing... I do believe I was gifted as a mother. That much I do know!

So after that early and unwelcome awakening...followed by the sight of my three precious angels and the beautiful daddy! I am feeling fulfilled and ready to tackle the day, in my PJ's!

Movie tickets for 5 kids and myself (toddler and baby were free) = $25.00

Popcorn, candy and drinks for 6 kids plus myself = $25.00

Extra bucket of popcorn because they couldn't seam the share =$5.00

Seeing my sweet daughter get stuck in the folding theatre chair = PRICELESS!!!

How do I love thee?

Let me count the ways...

A year in pictures...

Tommy and I have always had a very special "mother-son" bond! He was with me through the divorce and some days the only reason why I could smile! He has an amazingly sweet spirit! He is a great son and a fabulous brother! He can't go a day without kissing his sisters!! Tommy is also such a happy and friendly boy! He is resilient, brave and Caring!!

A few days after Tommy turned 5 years old, he started flying to Texas alone to go visit his dad. I was a mess before that flight! I got special permission from security at the airport to go past immigration so I could sit at the gate to wait for his flight. (This had NEVER been aloud before, good thing I knew the head of security!) Well, when it was finally time for him to board his plane, I was a mess! You know those sob attacks that come on where you can't control the snot coming out of your nose or catch your breath! The kind where everyone around you thinks someone MUST have died! That was me! Well, in true Tommy fashion, he kissed and hugged me, said, "don't cry mom, I'll be back!", than trotted off to get on the plane. The flight attendent quickly returned to me to tell me he was okay. She said, "He is going to do great! He walked right on the plane, straight up to the captain, opened his backpack and showed him his brand new spiderman underwear!"

That is Tommy for ya, he doesn't let much get to him! I love him dearly and could NEVER see my life without him!

Happy 8th Birthday Buddy!!!

Mmmm, delicious!

I went to the health clinic and weighed macy before and after breastfeeding her.

1 oz of weight gain equals 1 oz of milk taken.

She ate a whole 5 oz!!!

WOW!!!

She usually only takes 3 oz from a bottle!

That just makes me feel.... well.... YUMMY!

There you are!!!

"Mom, I want to be able to shake my hair!"

This is a remark we here EVERY time we go to get Tommy's hair cut. He wants long hair, but unfortunately, his hair is too thick and ends up looking like this when we don't cut it!

So the tears flow as we head to "Beaners fun cuts for kids"... until I tell him he can get a treat after. Than all of a sudden he is okay with it! haha Kids, sometimes I just don't understand them!

He is SUCH a good looking little boy! With those big blue eyes and a charming smile!

Too bad he ran from me when I tried to get his picture!

But in the end... mom always wins! :)

Isn't he a cutie! and now we can see his face :)

Be Aware!

We are more alike than different!



Happy World Down Syndrome Awareness Day!

We love you Macy!

TMD...

This is a loud shout out to the blogging community!

Macy has a condition with her blood called

transient myeloproliferative disorder

or transient leukemia

Leukemia is a scary word, but what she has is a condition where her blood cells for the first 3 months of her life look similar to leukemia cells. It resolves at three months.

But I was reading today that Down Syndrome kids have a higher risk of getting AML (Leukemia) and those that have TMD have an even bigger chance. Most of them will develope the actual Leukemia before age 3. This has me a little worried. Any more information from moms out there would be GREAT!

Such a mommy!

Many a nice afternoon after the baby is fed, the house is so quiet and peaceful! This mommy is thinking, hmm... Usually when a two year old is quiet it's a bad thing, but Kyla is so destructive that it is when she is loud that we worry! This time, not the case.

I head out on the man hunt to find out what she's up to. Oh, dear... Hmm, she is sitting in Macy's bed, with her. She has taken Macy's diaper OFF and has decided to rub diaper rash cream all over Macy's sweet bum cheeks! Really cute, quite thoughtful on her part... but, a little like, hmmm that's weird :)

Kyla loves this baby! Sometimes a little too much. I have to keep my eyes on her so that she doesn't get any bigger ideas like... hmm what are some of my fears? Her putting Macy in her baby stroller, carrying her or trying to give Macy a bath...

Sometimes I have to be like a Lioness protecting my cub... from what? My other, older, very independent cub!

But in the moments when I am there to monitor... it is nothing but pure sweetness. I bet they were planning out their lives together in Heaven before they came! Maybe it went a little like this...
Macy - "Kyla, are you still going to love me the same even when I go to earth with Down Syndrome?"

Kyla - "Macy... I am going to be your BIGGEST fan! I don't know who I am without you, I couldn't stand life without you!"

Macy - "Oh, I am so lucky to have a sister like you, our Heavenly Father sure loves us to give us each other, I love you!"

Kyla - "I love you too!"

Wonder

Doctors have come From distant cities Just to see me,

Stand over my bed Disbelieving what they're seeing.

They say I must be one of the wonders, God's own creation,

And as far as they see they can offer No explanation.

Newspapers ask Intimate questions, What confessions;

They reach into my head To steal the glory Of my story.

They say I must be one of the wonders, God's own creation,

And as far as they see they can offer No explanation.

I believe Fate smiled at destiny.

Laughed as she came to my cradle: "No, this child will be able"

Laughed as my body she lifted: "No, this child will be gifted.

With love, with patience And with faith, She'll make her way"

People see me, I'm a challenge To your balance.

I'm over your heads; How I confound you And astound you to know

I must be one of the wonders, God's own creation,

And as far as you see you can offer me no explanation.

I believe Fate smiled and destiny.

Laughed as she came to my cradle: "No, this child will be able"

Laughed as she came to my mother: "Know this child will not suffer."

Laughed as my body she lifted: "No this child will be gifted.

With love, with patience, And with faith, She'll make her way."

Natalie Merchant - Wonder

Luck of the Irish!

I actually have a bit of Irish in me... mixed with English, German, and probably a few other European countries!

That means Kyla has a bit of Irish in her too! Maybe that is why she knew that if she threw a blue and a yellow color tablet into the bath, she would get this!

LUCKY BATH WATER!!!

She really did this herself! I actually thought it was going to turn out brown, because she put a red one in too. But I guess it was meant to be green for St. Patricks Day!

and I couldn't help but take a picture of this! Tommy and Kyla both wanted to fall asleep in my bed last night (we just move them after they're asleep). But I remember wanting to do the same thing as a kid! I always felt safer, warmer and more cozy. Don't they look like angels???