Day 91 Tricky Lentils

In order to cut down on the uric acid issues from meat (now and then Allen struggles with gout), we eat lentils a fair bit. They're a good source of protein and really inexpensive! I have converted Jill. She appreciates the benefits of lentils now. Not Peirce though. He's still a hold out. He pretty much refuses to eat them.

Tonight I made sloppy joes with green lentils. They had lots of great spices in them. A perfect blend! We had home made bread, toasted it, and put the sloppy joes on the toast. Peirce wolfed down one piece and was well into his second when he said, "Wait a minute. Are you tricking me into eating lentils??!"

No tricks here. I'd never trick when it comes to lentils :)

It was a great dinner. Pasta salad, coleslaw and sloppy joes on toast.

Day 90 She's Home!

They left Kona last night at 10 pm and arrived here at about 10 am. That's a long night!! She was eager to get changed and get to school though. After all, she hasn't seen her friends for 10 days!

We're all so glad she's home!

Day 89 Home Alone

Today my kids are back in school, but I still have one more week of spring break (one of the reasons this is my favourite holiday!) I am very rarely home alone....but this is one week when I am. It is nice to have such beautiful weather to enjoy it. I enjoyed puttering around, reading for hours, exercising and having leisurely cooking time.

I love my sunny kitchen. Today I cleaned the window sill and the windows in the kitchen as well as wiped down some cupboard doors and put away stuff that seems to have been sitting on the counters forever.

Look at that clear counter! (Never mind the other counters....all things in time) :)

Love my kitchen window. The last few years I have been keeping plants alive. Big step! I am getting more courageous about gardening!

Some of my favourite things for remembering Destiny are kept here:

- the porcelain flower was from Joanne Hogg. She wanted to give me something that would last to remember Destiny. 

- the girl with outstretched arms was from my next door neighbor who wanted to remind me that I was strong and could get through hard times. 

- the little girl was a clay figure Jill made to remember Destiny. 

- the rock was from the "ceremony of remembrance" we went to at the Rockyview Hospital with a number of other parents who had stillborn babies......oh what an experience that was!

I love cleaning up this little space and shining up the windows. The sun shines in my kitchen in the mornings. It is a glorious place.

Day 88 Animal Lovers

Jill sent us this photo this week:

...so Peirce decided to try to replicate it: 

Funny boy.

Even Chico agrees.

Day 87 He is Risen!

Every year, when this happens in my garden, it amazes me. Despite my poor gardening skills, despite the ravages of winter, and despite the neglect my garden receives from me, it comes back every spring. 

Easter is like that. Even though I am clearly imperfect, Jesus still loves me. It's a miracle and is as sure as Spring. Because he lives, even after dying so terribly, so will I. And so will you!

Day 86 Cousin fun

I'm cheating today. Peirce took these photos. He and his cousin did a big photo excursion downtown today. He is a really good photographer!

  

Day 85 Good Friday: Cheesecake, Jenga and Triathlons

Today we celebrated Good Friday by spending the day in Lethbridge. It is my moms birthday on Monday so we doubled up on the celebrations. Grandma made dinner and Allen made one of his original cheesecakes. Yum!

We also went over to the Letourneaus and had an evening of visiting there. Great day! (Rats. Forgot to take pictures!)

Jill had a day off at her swim camp today. They celebrated by doing a triathlon (??!!)

Day 84 Badminton

Today, I live the time with Peirce during Spring Break. We spend time together every day.

Peirce and I have been playing the best of three games every day during spring break. It's not going so well for me...but I'm getting better. When I get rid of this cold I plan to cream him! :)

Day 83 Friendship

What do I love about spring break today? Long drawn out coffee shop conversations with good friends! There is nothing like a steamed milk with hazel nut syrup and a good conversation!

Today I met my good friends, Lana and Lucy, at a Second Cup and we had our bi-annual catch up session. I am so grateful for these two. We have been friends since university. We have each had different struggles, but have remained friends for 20+ years. Each of us have very different lives. We have changed a lot since university. Our friendship has remained strong. We have celebrated happy events through the years and helped each other through tragedies. Marriage, divorce, death, babies, struggles in our careers and fitness.....those have been some of our topics over he years. We don't see each other a lot, but I know that whatever I come to them with, they will love me and support me.  They are simply fantastic people.

It seems right that after visiting with them I should have the chance to deliver some of the final products from our RS Anniversity party. We made sewing kits, as requested, for the Women's Emergency Shelter. 

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When I came home I made a darn good dinner. Sure was white though! LOL

Balsamic chicken, cauliflower, potatoes and coleslaw. It tasted delicious!

The Gentle Life

I should post something I love about Spring Break every day! 

Today I love how nothing is forced.

I wanted to make spaghetti squash chow mien for dinner. I was able to cook the spaghetti squash in the morning and let it cool so I didn't have to try to deal with it when it was super hot. Seems like a little thing.....unless you have tried to empty out a super hot spaghetti squash!

I also made banana chip muffins. I could get the bananas out of the freezer and let them defrost naturally. 

Allen came home with 50 pounds of Callebaut chocolate chunks last night. They are beautiful in muffins!

...and now I think I will finish my book :)

Day 82 Jill in Hawaii

Day 81 Time for Cooking. Yea!!

One thing I love about breaks from school is having more time to cook. I quite enjoy making great meals. I worked in the kitchen all afternoon today! We had Sister Harding and Sister Creech over for dinner. 

The menu was:

Sweet potatoe and black bean chilli with kale

Rice/quinoa

Asian slaw with homemade dressing 

Baked vegetables (carrots, zucchini, cauliflower and brussell sprouts)

Desert: apple crisp

I thought the Mandarin missionaries were comin too so I made a lot. Yea for leftovers!!

Day 80 I'll Go Where You Want Me To Go

After a few experiences where I didn't listen to the whisperings of the spirit recently, my new focus is to do a better of job of listening to and following promptings.

When I didn't listen:

1. The day our car was stolen, I had noticed my wallet in the car as I went into the house. The thought that went through my head was about my SIL who had her window smashed and window stolen. I thought, "It would be a sad day if that happened to me too." I then left my wallet and went into the house. That night our car was stolen. It has been a real pain in the neck having to replace everything in that wallet! If only I had listened!

2. Recently, as my son was going into the church for activity night, I thought I should tell him to leave his ipod in the car. My thought was he shouldn't be listening to it during the activity. He should be paying attention to the activity....but I also decided I didn't want to be a motherly nag....so I didn't say it. That night someone stole his ipod at the activity...really disappointing for him and sad for me because I should have listened!

It's always interesting when you realize you should have listened and didn't. I'm ready to have experiences where I DO listen and have good experiences :)

All week, I've been feeling like I should go to 6th ward this Sunday. One of the benefits of a stake calling is having a good excuse to go to different wards. I felt kind of weird about it...why should I go to 6th ward. I figured though I had had the thought enough times that I should listen.

I did go. It was a nice Sunday. I felt very comfortable there. I arrived just as the meeting was starting so I decided to slip into the back, even though the chairs there are very hard. I looked over and saw this tiny Phillipino woman and knew that I knew her. She is about 4' tall. Her feet hardly touch the floor when she's sitting on the church chairs.

Turns out she is "Bing"! She is a good friend of Allen's family from the Phillipines, where his dad served his mission. When she came to Canada she lived with them. She must have hugged me 25 times when I told her who I was.

Day 79 Good bye

Today Jill left for her training camp in Hawaii. I am going to miss her. This morning we went and brought her grad dress pattern and then went out for breakfast at one of her favourite coffee shops....the girl knows coffee shops! 

She is going to have a great time. We are very excited for her. And we are very excited that we don't have to get up for 5:30 swim practice. 

Allen thinks we should send her away for two weeks....or more! I disagree. 

This is half the group. The rest left earlier. 

 7:00 sleep ins here we come!! #swimparentproblems

Day 78 Picture Book a Day

We have been reading a book every day in my class. Well, almost every day. These pictures show how we are keeping track of it. 

It has been a life changing experience for me. We have been able to have many discussions that we never would have had. We talk about words that would have never come up otherwise. My students have moments when we are learning something in language arts and they make a connection back to a story we have read. It warms my heart! I may read a book a day with kids for the rest of my teaching career. 

Day 77 Snow and Blossoms

My Christmas cactus is blooming again!!

They say it blossoms at Christmas. Mine must think it is Christmas because it looks like this outside: 

Day 76 Silly Games

Jill always has a silly game to play the boys love it. I love this little series of pictures.

They do have a good time together!

Day 75

Allen is out of town having to tough it out in Scottsdale, AZ. Poor guy.

Chico waiting for Jill at the pool.

That means I'm doing all the driving. Today I got up at 4:30 to take Jill to swimming at 5:00. She forgot to mention that she decided to not go this morning. She has a test today. She really does need the sleep. 

That's ok.  Can get so much done this morning, right??

....if only I can make it through the day. So tired!!

Day 74 Piano Lessons

I taught piano lessons for years. I quit teaching them when I started teaching school full time. This past month we had an online auction and everyone was asked to donate something. I decided to donate three months of piano lessons. The first lesson was today. It is so fun to do this again. I have different skills and confidence than I had before. I think it is going to be a great experience!

Day 73 Spanish Ward

Today I went to the Spanish ward in our stake for their ward conference - my first ward conference. It was sure interesting to sit through meetings where you don't understand anything. Singing was okay. Looking at words syllable by syllable to a tune that I am familiar with wasn't too difficult. It was even enjoyable. But listening to speakers was another story. For a while I tried the headphones, listening to the translator. I couldn't differentiate the sounds. It was pure cacophony! If I could have blocked out the speaker and just heard the translator it might have been ok - but I find myself trying to listen to each at the same time. It was terrible. I really feel for people who have to come listen to a language week after week they don't really have mastery over!

Day 72 Storybook Theatre

I am still sick today. I should have stayed home, but Peirce and I were supposed to go to Storybook Theatre. That is hard to miss. I really love Storybook Theatre.

Tonight was The Paperbag Princess. Isn't this set amazing?! When kids walked in there was a gasp. It looked so dreamy! 

The costumes were amazing. They cast perfect people for the parts. It was laugh out loud funny. The music was great. 

So glad we went!

Day 71 Sick

 I missed taking a picture I went home from school early because I am sick.

I am going back to bed.

Update (I am back blogging!): this is really from the next day....but I think it counts.

My mom drove all the way from Lethbridge and brought me chicken soup!! I feel so blessed.

I was asleep. I had put earphones in because my neighbors were doing some noisy yard work and so I didn't hear the doorbell. :( 

Day 70 Starry Night

I forgot to take a picture today! I borrowed this one from a Google search.

Tonight the scouts did astronomy. I sure am grateful for how much Peirce enjoys scouts. He has had some really great leaders. He has some good friends in the program. It really has been a great experience. 

Day 69 Stake Work

Having a stake calling is interesting. I have a greater appreciation for what people do on a stake level.  I have continually been impressed by out new Stake President's mantra: to love the people we serve. That is he true gospel. It is what matters most.

I had to chuckle at this. While I was wasting time before the meeting started I came across this sign. Someone has named their child Fudge?! Influenced by Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing??

Day 68 Cinnamon Buns!

Peirce is becoming the cinnamon bun expert in our house.

They're so beautiful!

Day 67 That's All Folks!

Today was Bobby's last basketball game. Although, I wonder if "last game" is kind of in the category of "most important game" my dad always had on the day's agenda.

I have really enjoyed going to his games. I am not sure his mom is as big a fan of him playing basketball. It takes away from his study time. I tend to think it enhances study time and makes him plan his time a little wiser. 

Whichever is right doesn't matter. All I know for sure is I really enjoyed the run! I hope he plays again next year. 

Their last game was at Bishop Grandin, home of the ghosts.

Day 66 Home Movies

This is my family watching a movie together.

Incredible multi taskers, I guess!

Day 65 Stake RS Anniv Party

Great women to work with! We pulled off a stake RS Anniv party. Phew!!

Day 63 Anticipated Reads

Tomorrow we are going to read these two books.  Can't wait! Frankenstein is a parody of Madeline.

I am thinking it might inspire us to make our on parody.  I feel a new writing project percolating!

Day 62 Beautiful Teeth Too!

Our beautiful girl is soon going to have the most beautiful teeth to match all the other beautiful-ness about her!

Looks like soup and pudding for the next few days!

Day 61 Sometimes I say......Who Cares?!

I often come home to this. If someone forgets to lock Chico up he gets in the garbage. He is always very sorry. He can't help it though. He seems to have to do it.

But today, who cares?!