Day 25 - Put Your iPod on Shuffle, First 10 Songs

Well, this was a bit difficult, since I don't actually have an iPod. Jason did put my music on his old iPod nano for when I was in the hospital with Jonathan but it hasn't been used since and I'm sure it needs to be charged!! However, apparently, I can open iTunes and put it on shuffle and since Jason had to rip my CDs to that to put them on the nano...here is my list of 10 songs:

1. Man Like Me - Steve Larsen

2. What I Really Want to Say - Steven Curtis Chapman

3. Wave Over Wave - Great Big Sea

4. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear - Josh Groban

5. Little Drummer Boy - Audio Adrenaline

6. Barque in the Harbour - Great Big Sea

7. For Future Generations - 4Him

8. I Want to Be the One - Lonestar

9. Must Be Love - Lonestar

10. The Sycamore Tree - Paul Brandt

Really, I listen to very little music...this list isn't quite representative (since I only have one Lonestar CD but about 5 Paul Brandt CDs) but you can see I listen to some local artists, Great Big Sea, Paul Brandt, Contemporary Christian and Christmas music! That's about it. I'm kinda picky about my music (I think I'm just picky about a lot of things :D) so there aren't very many artists on my playlist!

Until next time...

Day 23 - Favourite Vacation and Day 24 - Something You've Learned

Well, did I tell you that Jason found my receipts for me...sitting on a table in the basement. I had checked the basket next to that spot but not on the table. Seriously...some days!! Anyway, my year end is delivered to the accountant and now I can relax a bit! I will even be caught up with my blogging after today! Yay! So, here we go.

Day 23 - Favourite Vacation

I'd have to say that my favourite vacation was the one Jason and I took for our first anniversary. We went to France for three weeks. We had such a great time riding the train, exploring the country and eating the food!! I didn't get to practise my French as much as I'd like but I did use it a few times. There are tons of stories I could tell but that might get kind of long (though if you want to hear them, feel free to ask!) We really enjoyed the north of France. It was quiet and quaint and so full of history (especially since Jason's a bit of a WWII buff). We spent time at the D-Day beaches and Vimy Ridge:
This was the least touristy area that we visited and I think we really like that! Also, we got to stay in a castle (13th century, I believe) and that was awesome!

We did spend some time in Paris, though 5 days was a bit more than we would have liked (but good, otherwise we would have had to go to Switzerland to get to Paris to catch or flight home!). Due to striking, the Metro was not a practical choice so it was a good thing that our hotel was just around the corner from the Eiffel Tower.
We also walked over to Notre Dame (but it was a VERY long walk and by the end of three weeks we were used to walking everywhere so that may give you an indication!) Isn't the stained glass gorgeous?
I also got to see Monet's famous garden in Givernay! This was a quaint little town, as well and the irises were in full bloom when we were there!

Those are all the photos that I have scanned from that vacation but we also saw some of the castles in the Loire Valley and spent time on the Mediterranean coast/in Monaco (we even went to the F1 race there)! It was a fantastic vacation and we loved every minute of it!

Day 24 - Something You've Learned

Wow - that's wide open and could be anything. There are many things I've learned in life and many things I have yet to learn. Here are a few things (big and small) that I have learned:

1. God's plans are better than mine. Period.

2. The first day in a foreign country, we always mess something up!!

3. Problems are really just adventures.

4. It's OK if things aren't perfect or done my way (OK, I'm still working on learning this!)

5. Socks don't go missing in the wash if you put them together when you take them off

6. My kids' behaviour often improves at the same time as my attitude.

7. Things are rarely as bad as they seem.

8. Pens migrate. Even after the drawer has been loaded with several...they all seem to disappear.

9. It's not so bad to do the dishes everyday before going to my "fun" things.

10. Kids make you laugh.

There you go, some things I've learned!

Until next time...

Falling Further Behind...

Well, Jason tells me I'm supposed to post since I'm getting further and further behind! Real life has been taking up time lately! I've been trying to get a year end together and then it's teacher and staff appreciation week this week so I was at a work day today (not that they're any fun :D) and I really had a good time! It is so awesome, getting to know some of the other parents and some of the teachers a bit, too!

Also, I love this layout so much that I'm going to share it here. For credits you can go here to my scrap blog! I love this page so much and isn't Jonathan just adorable?!

Oh yeah...Xander passed his swimming lessons!! I was so excited for him! Now, we just have to keep him practising so that he doesn't lose it all before the next set of lessons in the summer!

So, Day 21 is a picture of yourself. Well, there are very few of these! I am behind the camera 99% of the time, unless I tell someone to take a picture of me and then they usually look like I told someone to take a picture of me! Anyway, I like the ones from Christmas but I've shared several of those already and they always have someone else in them so this time, I will do a picture of just me! This was taken after I had a makeover from my MaryKay lady! I've edited it a bit but that's what photo software is for! :)

It's not my favourite photo of me but it's not too bad! This leads well to day 22...

Day 22 - What's in Your Makeup Bag?

Makeup bag? What's that? If you see me very often, you'll know that I wear little to no makeup. I just don't bother for the most part but I also often can't get it to look how I want it to! I actually wore eyeshadow to Jason's Christmas party and that's the first time in ages!! I have managed to purchase mostly MaryKay makeup now...it's very high quality so I really like it. I have a blush, a couple of eyeshadows, brown eyeliner, eyesicles (glittery white highlighter), foundation and some mascara. I use MaryKay's hydrating gel on a semi-regular basis and that has definitely improved some of those lines I'm getting!! Oh, and this is not actually kept in a bag...it's in my medicine cabinet!

That's enough catch up for today. I'm excited for the next post...my favourite vacation...I'd better find some photos to go along with it!

Until next time...

Playing Catch-Up: Days 19 & 20 - Something You Miss & Nicknames

OK - I've not been that busy but I have a few days to catch up on! Technically, today (Sunday) is day 21 but I'll just post a couple a day until I'm caught up! It's not so much that I've been busy but I've been trying to do all my accounting up in order to plan...for that I have to be on the other side of my computer! By that, I mean I have to boot into Windows instead of using the Mac operating system...I can use the internet and stuff there but the settings are all wonky so I don't! (It's easier than setting them up...I don't spend that much time over there.) Though, get this, I'm trying to finish up my year and I've got all the receipts entered except July...any guesses why? Well, it seems I have lost an ENTIRE MONTH of receipts. Seriously. They're probably all lost in the same place, at least :)! Maybe it's like the receipts I lost for the organization I'm treasurer for...gee, I found them under a stack of envelopes right under my nose! Anyway, all that to say I am doing two days today!

First, some chatter...not much has been going on lately but Xander is doing really well with his private swimming lessons. It's great to see how fast he's progressed with the individual attention! Now, he can go with his cousin this summer. That was the goal! Wow, that's the only exciting thing going on here. Tomorrow is Valentine's Day but we don't do anything because we're not big Hallmark supporters ;)! Xander will have a swimming lesson, instead! I do love the candy, though, so I picked up a couple of things. Now, on to the 30 days...

Day 19 - Something You Miss

I've tried to think of this and figure out what to write. I'm having troubles, though. Of course I miss my family because we don't live in the same place and I'd love to see them more but there are phone conversations and enough visits that I don't have this real feeling of missing them. I do miss the carefree days of childhood, on occasion. You know, the days when someone else had to figure out where the water in the ceiling is coming from and how to pay for the new furnace...those days! But, I love my life so I can't really say that I constantly long for those days. I miss having a big stove...it's been 15 years and since I lived at home but 24" is just NOT 30". I also miss being able to buy gobstoppers in bulk. I haven't been able to find them again and that used to be my "thing". When I was (basically an intern) I used to keep a container on my desk. A box doesn't go very far so I always bought in bulk. Now I can't find them (if you know where to get them...let me know!!) There you go, a few things I miss!

Day 20 - Nicknames

This is easy...I give them to everybody and I have none myself. No one has ever called me anything other than Sandra. I once had a teacher call me Sandy and my entire class freaked out on him so that never went very far! I never cared one way or another. However, I give nicknames to everyone I know, almost! I even shortened my brother Rene's name to Ren. So there's the skinny on me and nicknames!

Well, lookee there - two days done! I'm starting to talk-type goofily so I'd better go now!!

Until next time...

Day 18 - Something You Regret

Well, today is all about regrets! Or, rather yesterday since that first line is all I got typed and then the baby started crying. He did not have a good night and I'm not sure why but we all survived. Today the kids all went to Aunties and I got to have a bit of a break. It was actually somewhat productive and I'm very happy about that. Hopefully tomorrow will be productive, too! I should be doing a double post here but it's late so I'll do the double post tomorrow!

Anyway, I don't really have regrets. Sure, there are the little things, like I regret losing my temper with the children or I regret that we couldn't go to a certain event but I don't think I have any really big regrets. There is one "dating" situation that I kinda regret as it stifled a lovely friendship but time passed and things were all good again (and since I was, like, 13 or 14 at the time, I'm not sure it really counts :) ). I don't believe in dwelling on things, but rather, holding them loosely. I think that there are things I wish I wouldn't have done or said but that needs to become a learning experience. Forgiveness needs to be sought and then the regrets are to be gone. (PS if this isn't too coherent, I think I'm tired!) I guess I just don't see the point of wasting my time regretting the past when I need to live the present and plan for the future. Maybe someday I'll regret something but not right now :)!

And with that, I'd better go to bed!

Until next time...

Day 17 - Something You're Looking Forward To

Well, this is kind of a general topic...there are so many things. I realized that I look forward to much! I enjoy the things that go on around here and I am excited for many big and little things that will come up. Here are a few things that I am looking forward to...

1. Mom's group tomorrow morning (and a new study on worry & anxiety!)

2. Spring

3. Finishing some projects (cross-stitch, renos, organizing)

4. Going to Calaway Park this summer

5. A possible major train trip in a few years

6. Renovating the rest of the house

7. Hanging out with my family for a long weekend in February!!

8. Seeing friends

9. Getting my accounting done

10. Buying new socks and a crib mattress

There you go...a few of the things I'm looking forward to! Some of them are closer than others but they are all special in their own way!

Until next time...

Day 16 - Dream House

Well, today was a quiet day at home (though I was babysitting but that's no big deal when the kids just play and watch shows!) Though it was quite funny. After lunch I made the kids turn the TV off. Of course there was the why? What should we do? kinda questions. So I told them they could do puzzles or play toys...then I thought some more and said...or someone could clean my kitchen and my bathrooms need to be done too! What do my children do? Do they play toys or maybe a game? Nope! Evan decides he wants to clean the bathroom and Xander gets all excited about doing the dishes! Crazy kids. Now, I did have to sneak in to the bathroom to see what Evan thought cleaning it was and he had the toilet brush out happily swishing away at the toilet! It was pretty cute!

So, today's post is about my dream house...I can't afford my dream house (reference point#14 on day 1's list of interesting facts). I love huge old homes and big wrap around porches and staircases that branch off in either direction...I love in floor heating and jet tubs and body sprays in the shower. I love river rock tile and granite countertops. I love kitchens big enough to feed an army out of! My perfect house would be something with all the charm and character and hand work of an old house but brand new so there was little to no maintenance! I don't have my dream house but I do live in my reality house (good thing it's not a dream or we'd be pretty cold right now!). I love the house we have (with a few caveats). Maybe I should say that I love the house it could be and hopefully will be over time. The location is perfect...it's a nice size so that we don't have to worry about space. I do hate the current kitchen but it will be fabulous once it's renovated. The bathrooms needs to be redone and so does the basement but they are gorgeous and perfect in my head (if only my bank account would agree!!) However, those quirks are part of what allowed us to even afford this house in the first place so I'm OK with them!

Until next time...