Cute idea

Ok, please don't think less of me, but.... today I watched the Martha Stewart show. It's true, but I can honestly say it was the only channel we had, the only other one we have was for some reason not working, and it's the View which isn't much better I agree. So why did I turn the T.V. on? I don't know, but I found a really cute idea, so cute it needs to be shared. I know Shari will love it 'cause we're crazy knitters. They use a knitting machine (cheaters) and then felt it in the washer, I didn't even know you could do that, so cool!


She makes lots of different animals into backpacks or pillows, so cute! She knits them using wool yard and then turns them into felt and adds the little finishing touches. They have the template on Marthas site, but I couldn't get it to come up. I also went to the original site to look at what else they have. Enjoy, I did. Ciao

touque or thong?

Oh Linds, you'll love this. I'm looking for a touque pattern for my bro and found this instead!



Does that beat the old patterns you found at your parents? Hilarious, I couldn't stop laughing!

This is a true test to see who still reads this blog. Is it indeed just Linds as I had thought, or will I get comments from Grandma and Mom-in-law, yipee! Love you all!

The Best Thing Ever
FOUND by Sam in New York, New York
It was the first nice day of spring so I decided to go to Central Park. I found a nice plot of grass to lay down on and eventually fell asleep. When I awoke this was folded up behind my head.

Linds you totally got me addicted to the found web site I saw this on there today, it was SO SWEET!

For the non facebookers

New Pictures
My froggy

theres some links for some updated photos, I hope it works! I feel bad neglecting the people who don't have facebook! Sorry guys!

I kinda updated on our life last time, it was a sorry excuse for an update. But really things are just in a nice groove and theres not much to talk about. I still feel like I want to hibernate. I'm just holding back from getting the Christmas decorations out. I'll wait a couple more weeks. I am using my Christmas mug already (eggnog in the coffee every morning) Oh and don't judge me for drinking coffee while I'm pregnant 'cause I refuse to be judged on that. I tried, I really did. I choose to believe that it's good for the baby. And of course listening to Christmas music:-) Oh and my Christmas list is complete and reveiwed and edited and expanded and revised. I'm ready. Except for the cards. I've been working all week trying to find a simple layout for nice Christmas cards and I just don't like anything I do. I have a friend who throws stuff together in a few minutes that always looks so amazing. I should break into her house and steal her cards for ideas, or maybe I could just ask. Or maybe we could trade brains for awhile.
Ok, that's enough rambling for one day. I'm getting a bump, I have no clothes that fit, it's more frustrating than it seems it should be. Even my sweat pants are tight, what the heck, it's my tummy that's supposed to grow not my butt! Waahhh!!!

I took these last week. I gave her a haircut on Corryns request, hee he. I've been trying to put pics on facebook, but it's not working for some reason. I've been wanting to just write an update on life lately, I guess it's that time again. Life is moving into winter and it certainly feels like it. I feel like we're getting ready to hibernate. Getting canning, cleaning, cooking done. I love the feeling of getting lots done, and I've been getting LOTS done the past few weeks. I love winter. It's so cozy. I love eggnog, and Christmas and soup and pumpkins and mittens, and ice skating, and sleds. Not to say we have all of that already, but I'm looking forward to it, and I've been having fun prepping for it all.
I've been reading good books lately too. Right now I'm reading "The Omnivours Dilemma" by Michael Pollan. I highly recommend anyone to read it. I learned more in 50 pages than I learned in three years of high school. I know I wasn't the best student, but what I'm saying is, he writes in such a clear way, even I can understand.
I don't know what else is up, just life, and it's good. I actually really don't like writing without knowing who is reading. The fact that this gets imported onto facebook means LOTS of people could be reading. I just don't want to sound superficial. Does that make sense? Kinda sad I guess. But it's been nice connecting to people lately, and I guess I'll just leave it at that.

Summer Update

I really want to put summer pictures on here but our internet never works, so you'll all have to be patient. We've had a fun summer though. Lots of good weekend trips, picking berries etc. The last two weeks we spent, oh just about everywhere. We were in Oregon for a week. A couple of days were spent at the beach with all of Matthews siblings and families. It was just wonderful to see everyone again and get all these little cousins together! Then we were in B.C for a week just relaxing, hiking, and baking in the sun. It was so good to see good friends again and some family. The pictures are coming soon and are a lot more exciting, just thought I'd let you know we're still here, just kinda boring I guess. Actually not boring enough which is why I haven't been on the computer at all. I'm working again which gives me some computer time, but still no pictures. Ciao

More on Walking

Just a quick note to say that there is a youtube video of some of Katelyns first steps. Just go to www.youtube.com and search for Walking Wonder or Katelyn Hildebrant and it should come up in the list. I was talking to my mom on the phone while recording, fun times. This was just the funniest thing in the world to me and I realized that that is just part of being a parent. Enjoy!

Walking Wonder

Our little girl took her first official steps today! Don't make fun of how many pictures I posted, I'm a first time mom and this is seriously the hight light of my life! We knew it was coming, she's been very steady standing up for awhile, and could lunge towards us for a few days. Today she just woke up from her nap, stood up on the deck and walked towards nothing. Then she kept doing it! So exciting! I love that as a mom these things truly are the most amazing things in the world! She also dumped an entire box of crackers upside down, and of course this was thee most hilarious thing I'd ever seen. I love that about being a parent. It's 1am and I just can't sleep! It's frustrating. My mind is just racing. I'm getting the going back to work jitters. I'm analyzing everything. Trying to imagine exactly what it will be like and just how terrible it will be. But if I think like that then of course it will be terrible. But like everything else I have to remember that God is in control and that's why anything is possible. If I did it on my strength alone I would be a weepy mess in the corner. It's a miracle!
I'm gonna try to fall asleep again, I'm pretty sure I had regular coffee tonight thinking it was decaf, oh well at least I got this done!

Happy Birthday Katelyn!

So it finally came. My baby is one! She's still my baby until she can say otherwise though. She's my little snuggler, and still wants love when she falls. I just can't get enough of this kid! I honestly didn't want to put her to bed tonight. We were having so much fun and I just wanted to nibble her all up! She got so many sweet presents for her big day, what a blast! Check out some pictures here. We love you all tons, and you should all really get facebook, it's so wonderful to get connected with people from so long ago. And it would simplify my life.... I'm not selfish nope!

Links to pictures for non facebookers

You can check out pictures of us on facebook even if you aren't a facebooker I don't think the "May Long" one works, but once you're in one album you should be able to look at that one too.

May Long

This 'n That

Wedding

Katelyn Cutness

Need I say more?

This is today, this picture could never depict how cold and depressing it is out there. I'm making soup, nuff said.

This picture was yesterday, building the deck, playing with the idea of putting the garden in, waaaa!

I just took these pictures today. If anyone knows how to flip these pictures on blogger, let me know. Do I have to do it before I upload them, how annoying! Matthew is almost finished our deck, yay! I have big dreams for our yard this summer. I started some veggies in peat pots and the beans are already almost 2 feet tall! I really need to get them in the ground, I'm scared about how cold it still is though. Ok this picture of Katelyn, so FUNNY! She fell asleep sitting up in her crib. She's done it before but this time I remembered to grab the camera. Last time she had crib rail marks on her little forehead, poor girl! She's so funny. I can't figure out how to turn it sorry. Enjoy, talk to you soon!

May Long Weekend

I posted a bunch of new pics of our WONDERFUL weekend on facebook (for those that still just read my blog you should sign up for facebook so you can see my pictures) This past weekend my cousin Curtis got married. All the cousins and everyone was here, it was so amazing. My grandma also turns 80 today so we were also celebrating that. It was better than I could have ever wanted. It was just so nice for us to all laugh and be dumb together. Most of them are gone already, boo. I'm so distracted and need to feed my little girl some lunch so I'll talk to you all lates! Ciao

Hello hello faithful blog readers. Our internet has been down a lot lately so I figure I should take advantage now while I can. Between entertaining friends, being a mom, running fun errands, and starting the building of our next two houses, it's been a busy week. We've had a lot of people over lately, I love it! Our bestest friends from here just moved away this week, I'm more devastated than I was prepared for. We've been friends and neighbours for what feels like our whole lives (in reality it wasn't even three years!) They stayed with us their last two days here, it made it feel like they were just on a trip visiting and it was normal. But driving by their old house all weekend is a painful reminder of their absence. They will be dearly missed. We build houses with my dad for a living and we started another two last week. Matthews dad is coming up tomorrow to help out. It's always SO nice to have him, we just wish his Mamma could be here to. Besides the fact that he brings us wonderful treats from the States, its just nice to spend time with him and use his help. At the end of this month my whole family is staying with us for a big family weekend, I'm so excited. I've been thinking about it constantly for months already, it can't get here fast enough. My bro hasn't even seen our house! My cous is getting married and my Grandma is having a big 80th birthday party. All the cousins etc. will be here, I LOVE my family so much. Life is great. Katelyn is growing, and is cuter everyday. I really like facebood lately (this blog gets imported into facebook so you can read it there too). I love finding people I haven't talked to in awhile. At the same time it's weird wondering who is reading about me and seeing my pictures. I started this blog so long ago and thought only my fam was reading it. Now I have troubles just blocking out the thought of so many people and just writing. Anyways, thats all for today. I have to get some sleep my body is feeling worn down. Oh and I didn't have any new pictures, but I like posting pictures, so here is the highchair that I want. I really like the one we have, it's very vintage but it's also falling apart. Ciao

Tupperware

Yipeee I just won an intense bid for Tupperware on eBay, I'm so excited. Yes it's true, my life is about plastic food containers, woo. This would have cost 250.00 new. It's barely used and I paid 39.00. This chick tried to outbid me in the last seconds, but I was too speedy. That was my first close call, it was so much fun! I gotta go feed my baby night night milk, ciao!

This picture is our lake about a month ago. Now our lake is filling up with water. The lake was dug behind our house much to our surprise and delight. Everything is melting so much, spring is in the air. I love it! We played outside today and the BBQ is broken in. Tim and Aria came over for delicious steak tonight and we tried Fat Bastard Shiraz. It was alright, pretty much like any other wine, but I'm pretty picky so other people might really like it. I'm spoiled 'cause Matthews bro and sis-in-law gave us such good wine when we were down there last, nothing can compare. An update on our friend that I mentioned in my last blog.... they're still doing great, I don't know if I said that last time. They are so filled with peace it can only be from God. Keep praying, and pray for their family and friends too, it's really hard. She's still in the hospital, hopefully home tomorrow. I got to talk to her for a bit today. I made her a basket with stuff to fill her time and focus her mind. I've been really emotional all week, but am feeling a lot better now. Thats it for today, I love facebook and am so addicted. Our internet has been really sketchy, which is a blessing in disguse, otherwise I wouldn't get anything else done. Ciao

Facebook

We were in Calgary last week for Easter. Katelyn did her share of the driving, helpful little tyke. It was so unbelivably cold while we were there. Other than that it was really good. Trav and Laur were in town which is the main reason we went. It was so fun to hang with the friends again, and to see the fam. It's good to be home, but hard too. We got home to find out our best friends here lost their baby. She was about 20 weeks pregnant (halfway) and they found out they were having twins but both had died. I'm feeling pretty weighed down and sad right now. They are doing so well. Please pray for them and the people around them. They need the support right now. God is really covering them in peace right now, and we are reminded that this is not hopeless. We live a life with hope, praise God!
I'm trying out facebook to see if I'll like it and stick with it. So if you wanna check that out in the next few weeks I'll post pics 'n stuff. You'll also be able to access this blog from there. I don't what the link is for it. You can just search my name on facebook.com and it should come up. Thats all for now. Cheers
Holls

Long Time!

I feel like it's been forever since I've written! I've been yearning and longing to be here and talking to you all. Our internet is TERRIBLE! I want to cry when we don't have net access. I actually did cry one of the first days whilst on the phone with the repair company. A lotta good that did us. It's completly a fluke that we have access now and I'm praying I'll still have it when I'm done writting this. Ok, I may be a little dramatic, but I have missed my computer the past couple weeks.
The weather here is goregous! I am fully infected with the most wonderful spring fever. I didn't realize how much I missed the fresh air and sun. I mean I've been outside this winter but it just feels so much different in the spring. We still have 10 foot snow banks in our front yard. BUT, I was able to take the stroller out today because some of the roads are pretty dry, yipee! I love outside.
My biggest most excited new news is that I got to milk a cow this weekend!!! It was so much fun. Ok actually really weird, but the whole farm experience was amazing. One of my biggest dreams is to have a small farm. I want to be as self sufficient as possible. It has a lot to do with health, but also just the experience and work and all that. I want chickens, a cow, a goat, some horses, some sters, dogs of course and we'll see what else. Oh and I want a huge red barn and a beautiful house with an indoor pool and a massive veggie garden and green house. Oh man fun times. I'm so excited to start my garden this summer. I'm gonna get my seeds this week and start some of them inside since our growing season is pretty short.
We had Matthews soccer team over for dessert tonight. It was a bit busy, but really nice to have them over. We invited the team and wives/girls etc. I WAS THE ONLY GIRL WAAAA!!! It was ok though. I made peach and blackberry cobbler and that super easy and delicious chocolate pudding cake thing. They ate every drop and would have had twice as much I'm sure. I used 8 cups of peaches, I mean this thing was MASSIVE. Anyhoo.
We've actually been having so much fun lately. Hanging out with so many amazing people. I feel so good lately. I'm really emotional right now, but I also feel really open to loving people. I've had so many amazing talking with people lately. I don't even know how it happens, God just meets us and gets us going, it's great. Some guys are still here and Katelyns having a hard time staying asleep. We need to have more kids so theres more noise in our house and she becomes a heavier sleeper. Well I guess theres more reasons to have more kids. I'm reading A Clockwork Orange right now. I love it, the language is just hilarious. I'm so into it now I natually want to use his quirky words (slovos). I'll spare you, but read the book. Be prepared though, it's sad and disturbing.
I don't have much more to say. We're going to Calgary for Easter (the motivation was actually to see you guys T&L, don't be offended anyone else but you're always there and we love you all tons). My motivation is also to shop for super cute rubber boots. For me, not Katelyn as you may have thought. It's gonna be a very muddy spring. I guess that's it for now, hope you're all doing great. Love you all

For Auntie Felicia

This post is for Auntie Felicia, however feel free to enjoy even if you're not Felicia. I've been neglecting her lately. She needs pics of her niece! It was also her birthday last week yipee!

All this picture taking makes a girl tired, I'll just suck my fingers for awhile, that always makes me feel better.

Wanna a piece of nanna? I'm wearing this cute dress from Auntie Jos today even though it's COLD outside. Daddy put little jean capris from Auntie Laura with it, so adorable!!

Yea, like I said, it's COLD here! I took this picture last week. To shovel our drive way you honestly have to throw the snow onto a 10 foot snowbank, it's so tiring!!

Awww I love you too sweetie. She was so grumpy while taking these sunny pics, just needed some lovin'.

Gotta love those pretty blues.

We love you Auntie Flee, hope you are having a great day! Oh and even though I've told you this story I'll tell it again for everyone else. Last night I put Katelyn to bed at 8ish and she just played for a bit in her crib like usual and then went to sleep. When I checked on her around 10 she had fallen asleep sitting up with her forehead leaning against the crib rails and her little feet poking through the rails. She had brutal lines on her head when I laid her down, and she just sucked her fingers through the whole thing, so cute. Ciao everyone!

Swimming!

Matthew came with us swimming yesterday, it was great! She was a little fishy. She even got dunked this time. Last night I had a really random dream about swimming in the ocean by Texas with Katelyns cousins and dunking all the kids (in a nice way of course). Weird.
I got an email from a friend that wanted me to clarify what's up with the house building stuff. So for those that are newish readers to our blog, I will explain. Last year we were living in an itsy bitsy little apartment while Matthew taught at PRBI (which is also where we met). When we found out we were pregnant we started looking for a house to buy. We got talking to my dad last Christmas and decided to build instead because it's also a good investment, especially up here the way this crazy market is going. So my dad financed building two houses which we started on last April. We moved into one in Augest and finished up the other one (which is next door) to sell. The owners just took possession which I talked about last post. Now we have two more lots and we're ready to do the same thing again (only we'll sell both this time). We're really excited about this whole endevour and planning on doing this for the time being. Hope that makes sense.

Building

This is an account of last weekends adventures of finishing the house we just sold:

7:30am Katelyn wakes up early, we have so much work ahead of us, so we reluctantly roll outta bed for a quick breakfast.

8:30am we're fed and dressed and at the house (nextdoor) Katelyn "helps" as I prep whatever baseboard and trim is up so I can paint it. The most annoying thing I will face today is thinking I'm done and then finding more trim that was put up that needs prepped and then painted, argg!

10:00am Katelyn is so tired. Nap time. While she falls asleep I use the 20 min "break time" to pay bills and make phonecalls, funtimes. Back to work until lunch. My knees are killing me and I feel like we haven't gotten anything done!

12:00am I feed Katelyn, make sandwiches, drop her off at our other next door. I haven't even met our wonderful neighbour yet, and she offers to babysit, thank you thank you! They are so nice, while I'm at it I'll just say how thankful we are for all our neighbours. We love them, including the ones that just moved in once we were done, so layed back and just fun to be with.

after lunch: Rush back to work while eating my sandwich on the way. The house is still a mess, and their moving in TOMORROW!!! I wash windows and bathrooms. Now theres more trim to prep and paint. Did I mention how bad my knees hurt?

2:00pm Katelyn did great with her new friends, time to nap again. It's so nice that she sleeps all the time still. Jeff (new neighbour) asked what we give her to make her sleep, guess we're just lucky. So far we've sat down for about 45 min today, waaa!

4:00pm Katelyn wakes up, eats and goes to Ryan and Leahs for more play time, thanks guys! And mommy is back to work and still I feel like I'm not getting anything done, I am seriously discouraged and panicy at this point.

5:30pm Katelyn is home, I decide to make supper while she again has a little cat nap. I navigate through the jungle that used to be my kitchen to make "gormet KD" is that an oxymoron? We eat, then try to bring Katelyn over to play while we work. She's so grumpy. At one point I'm literally holding her and painting. This lasts 'till 7:30. We head home, both covered in paint, very nice.

7:30pm Ok we've been working for 12 hours, aren't we done yet? The house still has tools and supplies everywhere. I still feel like we haven't done anything. Katelyn is much happier at home, so I get to sit down for half an hour to play, change, and feed her. I miss her so much and just want to cuddle and play. But she's tired and I still have SO MUCH TO DO!!!

8:30pm I go back to work once the Munchkin is asleep. Jeff, Ashley (homeowners) and another friend and his little girl are all over helping now. I look around and so much is getting down. There is a ray of light on the horizon. Tenley, the little girl, is so cute. She's almost 4, going on 15. She definitly cheers me up.

10:00pm Our little helper goes home. I'm so tired I can't talk, my knees are throbbing. If I have to paint anymore trim I'll scream. Did I mention I have swimming next week, my knees will be black, hilarious!

12:00am The rest of the helpers go home and I say we'll only stay another half an hour, haa haa very funny

1:00am I decide to do a quick once over to make sure all the doors and baseboard are painted before going to bed.

2:00am I'm still finding trim needing painting. I'm so tired and so unorganized I think this is taking me twice as long as it needs to. We finally start cleaning all the tools 'n junk out. I want them to come tomorrow and be surprised at how much we got done and how good it looks. I clean the floors and counter tops and call it a night

3:03am my head hits the pillow after 20 hours of work. This is a record for me. My body is so achey I feel like I'm sinking into my wonderful cushy bed.

4:00am Katelyn starts crying, which is unusual for her. I literally can't move outta bed, I just pray she stops crying right away. I feel like I've only slept 5 minutes

7:30am Katelyns awake again. My brain feels lose in my head. The slightest movement causes it to rattle against my skull sending shivers of pain through my already throbbing body.

8:30am Baby is fed and happy. I take her with me to the house to finish painting the last bathrooms trim. The house looks great. I let Matthew sleep hoping he doesn't feel as bad as I do. I always get paranoid if I think he's going to get sick, I don't know why, I just hate it when he's sick.

10:00am Katelyn goes for her nap and Matthew wakes up to get a little more work done. I try to sleep but my mind is going to crazy thinking of all the little details I had meant to do but didn't.

Let me tell you, it has been so amazing to be done that house and feel a little normal now. My house has still not recovered the week of neglect it received. I still have clean laundry strewn about. Katelyn loves pulling herself up onto the baskets and playing with the clothes, mostly the underwear, very funny.

Anyhoo, that gives you an idea of what we've been up to. I didn't think to take pictures of this whole thing, otherwise I'd post those. Our neighbours had us over for dindin last night. I was almost like having deja vu. Just weird to be in there with furniture and everything. I thought this would motivate me to finish our house, but seriously nothing could convince me to get on my knees for more baseboard right now. So I'll just continue to look at these nail holes and patch jobs and I'll like it thank you very much!

Back in the Saddle

Well I'm just gonna keep posting when I feel like it whether or not I get comments. So hopefully all you faithful readers are keeping up and not missing anything. I've been spending way to much time just digging and finding little gems on the net, like this one. If you got to the open letters on that site some of them are just hilarious! My favorite thing lately is to read comments on peoples blogs and find other blogs and so on. I've been finding some pretty funny stuff. But I have accomplished stuff too. I printed off a passport app, I found an important phone number, I tried to find places in Edmonton with good art..... We're going to Edmonton this weekend, yipee! Anyhoo, the munchkin is awake early from her nap so I'll post some pics and be done.

This is our little elf child, this ones for you mom 'cause you got her this funny little sweater. She was pretty snuffly in the nose that day and really clingy so I set her infront of cartoons (also from Grandmie), worked like a charm.

Matthew was SO good to me for Valentines. Sent me on a treasure hunt and ended up in the house we're building with candles everywhere, music, "champane" (which I spilled everywhere) and dark Lindtt chocolates, he knows me so well. We listened to the songs he wrote me while we were dating. It was so good to go back to that place and just really appreciate him again. I always promised myself I would never forget those first feelings of love, appreciation, and romance. But the truth is, you just get used to it. It was a really good night, did I mention that we danced? Not only that, we danced to Harry Conic Jr. Christmas, oh yea we're cool!

Ok, she looks like such a big girl here, she's not actually climbing onto her little car, more likely she's confidently and cheerfully falling off! This Busy Bee shirt suits her, thanks Alissa!

This is my all time favorite pic of the munchkin to date. Note the avacado all over her face. Matthew and I killed ourselfs laughing over this one.

I took pics around the house of stuff I like. I like my bamboo. I had some in Switzerland, I miss it.

Matthew bought me this plant, pretty. I'm so not a fan of house plants but apparently they improve your indoor air quality, so I'm giving it a try. Our house is SO dry, bad for the wee respitory systems.

Gotta go, ciao!

Happy Valentines Day!

Kisses everyone, well ok not everyone, that's just weird. Much to, I'm sure, some peoples dismay, I celebrate this holiday with gusto. I think it's mostly just 'cause it is a holiday (although people who actually work apparently don't have tomorrow off, odd!). Any excuse to make pretty cards and yummy food is a reason to celebrate never mind if you have a valentine. Theres always people around that would appreciate cards and food. My plan for the day is to be an extra nice girl to my wonderful hubbie. I even cleaned my room! For all the years my dad yelled at me for having a messy room you would think it sunk in. But nope, you should have seen it. Layer upon layer of clothes. I even found some forgotten christmas gifts, still hadn't really unpacked after we got home I guess, epp! So, I cleaned that up so it can be all romantic again. I made a nice little card. Around the house I'm hiding pretty slips of paper with I LOVE..... statements about things I love about Matthew. The reason I put them on pretty paper is so I can put them on a scrapbook page later, smart I know. I'm making him a breakfast sandwich, pizza, steak, and blackberry cobbler. Some of his favorite stuff that he doesn't get a lot. But in order to pull off all this wifelyness I must get some rest. I'm glad you could all have a good giggle at all my silliness, it's just the mood I'm in I guess.
In other (very quick) news. I think Katelyn has a cold. She woke up like three times last night! For a girl who used to sleep for 12 solid hours every night, this just isn't fun. Her noes keeps running and she's just cranky. It was really good to leave her with Matthew today and just get outside for a bit, it's amazing how much it helped! Oh and the most exciting news of all, I'm getting my hair cut tomorrow, can't wait. I'm trying out a new salon for the 20 millionth time in the past year and this time I specifically asked for someone with some talent opposed to the new girl fresh outta hair school. My cousin used to do my hair, she lives in Edmonton and its so unfair to expect her to do hair all day when she visits. Waaa I miss her. Woah backup I miss her for way more than just doing my hair! Anyhoo, enough rambling for one night. Happy day everyone!

SO SORRY!

I do apologize for my absence oh faithful readers! Life is good up here in the very white and very cold north. We seem to have a moose family living in our backyard. I took video of the baby yesterday, very interesting. We've had lots of visitors (my parents and now Matthews parents) which has made life feel a bit crazy. It's just different always having people around. It's been so much fun having them here and watching them with Katelyn (which lets face it, is the real attraction, we're not fooled guys). It's also been so nice to just feed her and then have people so happy to take care of her. I've been getting some sewing done, yipee! I'm trying to finish Katelyns bedding, it's looking good, but I HATE SEWING. I just don't have patience. So far I've run outta thread, sewn something on completly wrong and had to take it apart, and sewn three things that I really didn't need to and will never use. Argg. We sold the house, yipee! Once I see money in my account I'll be celebrating, until then I guess it doesn't seem real. It's a huge relife to have that done. And we've picked plans for the next two that we'll build this spring, and hopefully we'll do two more than that this year, wow busy! Not much new and exciting to talk about I guess. Life is great, and heres some pictures, I took them today.

Katelyn was knawing on this mango today, SO funny!

This is the cutest little dress ever from the best store ever H&M, not to be confused with the one in Canada which isn't nearly as good as the ones in Europe which is where our wonderful friends Trav and Laur got it from, THANKS SO MUCH GUYS! In the background you can see the bed skirt I made, the rest isn't done yet.

And here's her cutie little teefs. Ciao everyone!

Toothy Grin

Here are some pics to entertain you all. She really does have two teeth even though it's hard to tell in pictures. They are so cute (that is until she bites your finger!)


I borrowed this highchair from Cam and Jos and I love it! I still really want the Svan one (below), but this one just needs a little fixing up and it's just cute. Not quite ass modern and convienent but it'll do for now.


And here is my cousins little boy (Rayahs brother Joel) they came over the other night, fun times. It was a bit of a gong show, it was just one of those nights where nothing seemed to work. But once dindin was done it was just fun to relax and watch the kiddies together. I can't believe how big Rayah is now, such a big sister, in some ways it makes me sad. She used to be so chubby and well yay you get the point.
Anyways. So my new exciting thing to do is..... MAKE CHEESE! Thats right folks I'm learning to make cheese. Cheese is my favorite thing in the world (a close tie with Chocolate, which explains why I lived in Switzerland for a year). While we were in Oregon for Christmas I was introduced to the wonderful world of Kefir and I've been browsing around looking for things to do with it other than make smoothies (which are delicious and SO good for you!) By the way anyone living around here that would like to try making Kefir, I will have tons of grains to give away 'cause Kefir grows and wants to be given away so that you can do it too. Anyhoo, I won't post pics of my cheese making yet, I'll wait until it actually works. Oh but I did make a creamcheese spread with Kefir which was so easy! But now I'm making a hard cheese.
Ok, for those who are extremly bored, I do apologize. This is just what I'm into. Oh man, I have dreams. Last night I was day dreaming 'cause I couldn't fall asleep. I thought up my huge wonderful house on a little hobby farm with chickens and a goat and horse and four little kiddies running around (not kittens, but CHILDREN). Oh and an indoor pool and lots of trees outside. It was fun. Dreams are good. My hubbie just got home yipee! Ciao!

Christmas

Hello again everyone! You would think I've been busy or something because of the lack of blogging. You'd be wrong in thinking that. I've been lazy and tired. I'm seriously wonderding whats wrong with me. Apparently I need vitamin D, I'd rather go tanning. Better yet I'd rather go to Maui or Jamaica. That's right a trip, beach, bikini, cocktail. Sounds good. I've been reading a lot lately and doing the absolute bare minimum of house wifely duties. I make supper, period. If he's lucky I put the dirty dishes in the sink, period. Ok so maybe it's not that bad, but it's pretty pathetic. I'm also too lazy to post pictures right now, but wanted to show you some so go to Christines blog 'cause she has tons of wonderful pics from our Hildebrant Christmas. I'll fill in the Monson ones later (they are on my parents computer so my hands are tied, help me out eh mom?). I won't abondoned this poor blog forever, don't worry. As you can tell from all the spelling errors it's late, I'm dumb, and I don't care. I have a sleepy, wet, restless, adorable, girl on my lap. Oh I forgot to mention, SHE HAS TWO TEETH!!! Yup, last week she got them on the same day and I'm pretty sure she's working on another one, and yes she's still generally an angel baby:-) Gotta go!

I Have A Lovely Brother

We've been having such an amazing Christmas with each other (all of us, not just Ryan and I). My mom got a lap top for Christmas so we've been sitting around playing games and racing each other at puzzles on three different lap tops, how lame! Merry Christmas everyone, lots of love!

Stuff I like:

I like to play with poo.
I like to eat my boogers.
I like to chase cars while barking.
I like to drive like an immigrant.
I like to put my hands in my armpits and then sniff them.
I like to bend over so my butt hangs out.
I like to write nasty things on my brother's blog so he looks like a loser.

I'm learning!

I'm at my parents my brother just posted a very embarissing blog entry but he was well... embarresed so he erased it. It's late and we're tired so I can't spell. Leave me alone. I love comments, thank you all for commenting on my enteries, I love it. I like shopping on the internet. I like shopping a lot. This entery is pointless I'm just trying out the fun stuff my gross brother is teaching me. I'm using his computer and his password for his ignored but still highly popular blog is on here. So I actually posted something about a cheeseball (an entire huge cheeseball). The cheesball resulted in some very high pitched leg lifting farts that drove us all from the living room. Unfortunatly we have three computers in the house right now so he was able to erase it before you could even have the joy of reading it. But now you know the truth. Love you all! Ciao!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS!!!!

I figure since you all are being so wonderful leaving me comments (which is sometimes the absolute highlight of my day) I would write you another blog entry. We're leaving for Calgary TOMORROW!!!! It's 11pm and I still have so much to do, yet here I sit!
- find the needles so I can finish the stockings on the way there
- pack our clothes
- take presents out to car
- figure out what food we're taking and get it ready
- make sandwiches
- drop off treats and cards for three more neighbours
- get a new bank card I lost mine
- call the airline to find out their weight limits (not because of how much we've been eating, but because I finally ordered Katelyns crib and we have to bring it home from Oregon with us)
- get a good nights sleep
- clean my house, I hate coming home to a dirty house after holidays!

So I really shouldn't be writting anymore, but I wanted to wish you all a very merry Christmas if I didn't get the chance later. This picture isn't super recent but it's the one I sent in Christmas cards so I didn't want to spoil the surprise, but uhh yea I realize now that was pretty pointless.
This are going great lately by the way. The past few weeks have been weird. I feel so happy and content yet we're dealing with all this crap we didn't even realize was there. It's just this weird distance we have with eachother and it's hard to realize it's there. Last night my friend Chanda (I think I still have the link to her blog, if not I'll put it back) came over. God really used that time to change my heart and show me my horribly selfish attitude lately. Thank you Chanda! Honestly it was just one of those amazing times when God really speaks to you. We had such a good talk and such a good talk with God, I could just feel His spirit fill the house. Afterwards Matthew and I talked and again we both just got shivers and felt Gods presence so strong with us. I realize how lazy I've been with my relationships lately. I realized that being with God can be addictive and exciting and it doesn't have to be something you make yourself do. I want that excitment in my relationship with Him. I want to crave Him more. Another cool thing was hearing again and having it really sink in the fact that we are not condemned but FREE!!! What a feeling! When I meet with God I should feel His grace and love not his condemnation. Also that God wants to meet with me even more than I want to. He's just waiting for me to fall on my knees and I'm so stinkin stubborn! It was so good to talk this all out, realize everything again, learn more, and just repent. Thank you Jesus!
So yea I'm pretty excited to feel alive again. I'm so excited to celebrate Jesus' birthday with our families! We're flying from Calgary to Oregon for a few days so we'll see both fams. We'll miss Matthews brother Micheal and Christa and their two kids very much, but it will be a blessing to see everyone else. So I hope you all have a wonderful time this Christmas, and like I said last time, discover the real meaning of Christmas. It's not even about family and good will 'n all that, even though thats wonderful 'n stuff. It's so much deeper and the most exciting earth shattering truth ever. I'm starting to read a book on true Christmas traditions, I'll let you know how that goes. Oh and I just read the complete works of Beatrix Potter, so good! Yes I am still a child sometimes. Love you all, ciao!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!

Happy birthday to me la la la, yipee! I love birthdays especially mine. I slept in today then my amazing hubbie made me french toast with eggnog and coffee, yumm! Then I had an appointment at the bank so they could tell me that I got a sweet Christmas bonus even though I only worked half the year! Thanks RBC! Then I got the mail and had three Cmas cards, a Bday card, a Bday package from my mom (thanks, I love it all!!) a Cmas CD I ordered AND a book from eBay I ordered. I love good mail days! Now I'm chilling getting stuff done listening to my new CD and then tonight I get presents and a surprise date or something yipee! It's the best day ever! I haven't posted for awhile, not since my depressing one.
But I've been busy with the following:

I've been shopping and wrapping gifts for Christmas, which IS NOT the whole focus of this season. I've been trying to get away from that. I think we buy gifts for eachother in rememberance of the first gifts given at Christmas which were for Jesus from the three wisemen. They knew already that he would be a king and not just a baby.

I've been making cards and today is hopefully the day they'll be in the mail. This also isn't the reason for the season, but a good time to wish eachother well and since it's the end of the year a great chance to update eachother on what we've been up to.

Of course always busy with the munchkin who wil be 6 MONTHS OLD tomorrow!!

I've been baking up a storm. I made 4 batches of cinnamon sledges, 2 batches of frango mints, 2 batches of poppycock, 2 batches of whipped shortbread, and I'm still going

unfortunatly I've also been busy eating all the baking which is why I've had to keep baking and baking and baking!

and yes I've also been sick, waaa I HATE being sick! I was so extremly tired the first few days and didn't do anything at all. Feeling better everday now.

So yes I'm definitly in a much better mood than last you all heard from me. I'm trying to not base my self worth on what I do. It really doesn't define who I am! I am the daughter of the King who was born thousands of years ago and he came to this world so he could save me! Thats what really matters. Merry early Christmas everyone, remember the true reason for the season, and if you don't know the true reason, maybe this is the year to find out!

In a slump

Yes it's true, my poor blog is in a slump. I've been reading Lindsays blog (please click link to your right to go to her blog if you wish) and she has such fun stuff on it and I just havn't been motivated to help mine be more interesting. I've also been reading a couple other blogs from girls up here and they cook so much stuff from scratch, work, raise kids, sew amazing things. It's depressing. I tried sewing Katelyns stocking today, it already fell apart. Waaaa!

Things I've tried and failed at
1. sewing Katelyns stocking (that ones for Amy 'cause I know she only reads the lists and looks at the pictures)
2. making christmas baking (failed only 'cause it's been all eaten up already so I'll have to make it again)
3. buying Matthew a nice pair of jeans for Christmas (good thing he never reads my blog eh?)
4. making my blog even the slightest bit interesting
5. buying a gameboy connecter thingy on eBay
6. making and sending Christmas cards by the end of Nov
7. this is to depressing I have to stop

Now something to cheer us all up hmmmm.... shoppings fun (insert unsuccesful link for old navy here). Wasting time on the internet is fun (insert unsuccesful link for www.interesting.com here). Someday I'll learn to post links, I did the whole pic thing right?!?!

MMMMEEEEWAH!!! I kiss you all goodnight! I like this picture, I have a little handbag with this picture on it. I bought it when I was in Switzerland, the little rhinstones are falling off:-(