Trees

  Trees. Oh trees. I have grown up smelling trees. In the forest, burning in my fireplace, stacked against the walls of my house, and in the form of piles of wood chips taller than me. My dad also smells like trees constantly. This is what happens when you're the daughter of an arborist!

  

 

 My brother in law is also into trees.  He's been heli-logging now for a few years. Or dangerous tree removal for heli-loggers. Something like that. Anyways, all the boys got together and got a few loads of firewood over to the church on the reserve. Gotta keep everyone warm!

 The Marks brothers take the finally 'chop' and down she goes! Abe's handy with the axe. Hiya!

 The kids love watching the action and I had to peel them away after an hour. I was sick of standing in the drizzle and Jamison likes to be held when the chainsaw is running. One day it'll be him out there bucking up some logs, it's in his blood ;)

The Craziness That is Mine

**Original date of post January 2011**

This week has been crazy. I am exhausted to the point of being grumpy, and with a baby who doesn't want to sleep more than 4 hours at a time right now, I am exhausted, tired and grumpy.

My mom flew out Thursday (we decided on Wednesday to move home) and we packed up an ENTIRE house in three days, as well as looking after the kids, obviously. We also deep cleaned the kitchen and bathrooms, the rest of the cleaning will be done when the house sits empty.

Then we said goodbye to Saskatchewan. It was snowing and cold and I didn't feel sad to say goodbye. But I did feel sad to say goodbye to my friends, I will miss you guys!

I can feel my patience wearing thin as I'm embarking on another move. We are again living in disarray. But I am HAPPY to be moving HOME! I never thought this day would come until we were old and gray (I actually have already found my first gray hair, I guess my Dad was right, kids do give you gray hair).

Life is upside down so I will blog more later! And we are all getting sick right now too so the focus will be on surviving! Here's to a busy month!

 

To Be

Sometimes, when mothering two babies you forget to take time to just be. In the midst of changing diapers, wiping faces, washing dishes and making dinners, finding time to sit in peace and allow your mind to stop whirling seems all too rare.

For a mom of little ones 10 minutes of stand still seems so far from reach. To not be thinking about the table and counters that need cleaning, the carpet that needs vacuuming, the kids that need feeding....

Don't forget to take time to just be.

 

Oh Boy

Finally another post! Although I follow blogs religiously, I keep neglecting my own! I would like this to stop! I feel like I have traded my virtual life for a real life again, I've been so busy enjoying being home I haven't even written neither online or on paper. This is very odd for me!

So I am back again, hoping to do better the next few weeks. I found my memory card for the camera, so finally I was able to upload some new photos!

Jamison is growing like a weed, he is 17lbs this week! What a cha-dunka-dunk! I call him my cannonball. He is still in the 75% for length as well. Amaris is still 25lbs, like she has been for the past year. And man is she talking, and creating, and imagining, and saying the most hilarious things. She also called somebody stupid this week, and that upset me. Ah how life changes.

There is over 1500 pictures on my memory card. I think it's time to get a new memory card or delete some, this is taking forever to upload!

Christmas 2012

 

Merry (Late) Christmas!

 

Our Christmas for 2012 was lovely. Jamison is a fresh two now, and Amaris is almost four! Time seems to be moving faster and faster every year. Jamison's favorite gift this year was his guitar. It is a wooden six string and he loves preforming for everyone. He sang and played it so much that by the end of Christmas day his little fingers were covered in blisters! He also screamed and screamed to stay up late so he could keep playing and singing for our visiting family. What a ham!

                         Jamison always thinks Papa's food tastes better! Amaris wore her new PJ's she got for Christmas all day, including Christmas dinner!

Boxing Day we went to Starbucks and for a walk. I got to try out my new camera! David bought me a Canon Rebel T4i. It is rather lovely. Can't wait to learn how to use it properly!

                            We finished boxing day by eating turkey dinner at the inlaws. Gramma and the kids sang and played their guitars, it was close to the cutest thing I have seen to date. Jamie got so into it, tapping his foot and singing, and Amaris picks up all the new songs word for word before I even can!

Adding a little cowgirl to the music always makes things more fun!

 

December is always a lovely month!

A Cheapo Like Me

Some people are spurred by concern for the environment. Some people are trying to be healthy and organic. Some people are trying to stick it to 'the man'. Me, well, I'm mainly just cheap. Two of the things that I do also fall under healthy and organic I suppose, but the thing that makes them winning to me is CHEAP.
  A few things I do:
 I make my own deodorant.
 I make my own laundry detergent.
 I water down my mascara.

Okay so that last one is pretty simple. You just add one or two DROPS of water to your used up mascara and you get like another couple weeks out of it!

 The other ones, maybe you've never tried before? Try it!!

Deodorant

 1. Put 1/4 cup each of baking soda and cornstarch in a bowl with 15ish drops tea tree oil. You can do more or less of the tea tree oil, depending how much you like/hate tea tree oil. Be mindful though that tea tree oil helps counter bacteria and combats smell!
2. Stir in 2 TBSP of Coconut Oil. This can be found in most any organic section, and often the lard/shortening section of the grocery store.
3. Mush into a soft consistency. I often microwave my coconut oil and stir it in softened. Then smash it into an empty deodorant container (or just put into a small container) and refrigerate. After it cools, it will stay the shape you put it in even after you take it out.

 I have had great luck with this, and have always found it wins out over my B.O. Thank God.

Laundry Detergent

This works just as well as any you will buy at the store. Check out this link for the recipe I always use:
 Roger And Rosaleen - Laundry.... Again!

 You only need to use about 1 TBSP per load, works out to a lot cheaper than store bought! Also, you can read reviews for front loading, or HE Washers. It works, apparently. You can find borax and washing soda in the laundry sections of your local grocery store!

Baby Brain

    Oh my goodness, do I ever have a bad case of baby brain lately. And by lately I mean the past three years. It feels like the past year has been the worst. Ever since my youngest got mobile and I am now chasing and refereeing a 3.5 year old and almost 2 year old. I am forgetting appointments, playdates, passwords (ahem, I have forget my blog account password three times in the last 8months and had to change it over and over again!). WHAT IS GOING ON!!!

  I've heard this is normal to go through 'baby brain'. Only I thought that just meant when you had JUST HAD said baby. Not almost two years later.

  I have always been a book-smart person, as in I thrived in a school environment. I feel like I need to go back to school to get my brain kick started back into gear! I told my mom the other day that I feel like my IQ has dropped drastically since having kids....maybe that's because I can't successfully complete a thought without being interrupted anymore. ;)

 Well, a few photos to prove that this brain power loss is worth it: