Fun stuff!

I know that I haven't written anything in a dog's age on this thing...and you would probably rather have a real update....but I found this on another blog and thought it was cute so I did a little copy and paste action and here you go! You bold the stuff you have done in your lifetime. You guys should try it too! Would love to see your answers!


1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disney
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch (does a craft count???? I taught myself cross stitch!)
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice (does the Venetian hotel in Vegas count???)
29. Seen a total eclipse (I think I have...I remember something in highschool with a welding shield and a video camera in art class...not sure if it was a partial or full eclipse though..been a while since I was in highschool!)
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing (it wasn't fun!)
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Seen the Lincoln Memorial in person
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone (sort of...i am pretty sure i had a broken toe once)
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible (I have tried...I will some day!)
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Totally copied a post from someone else’s blog to your own

Hope you enjoyed this little snippet into my life! I promise to update soon. I have so much to catch up on!

Grammie

My Grammie and Grampie on their 50th

Today would have been my Grammie Corkum's 90th birthday. Tonite I am going out with my Dad and the family to celebrate her special day. Unfortunately she won't be celebrating with us. She passed on 7 1/2 years ago after a long battle with cancer.

My Grammie was an incredible woman. She lived at home (with my Aunt Marge after Grampie went) up until the bitter end. She dealt with many physical difficulies over the years. Her foot was crushed when she was younger. She had knee and hip problems. Cancer took her breast and then eventually took her life; but nothing ever stood in her way. She went about her daily life without so much as a groan. I remember fondly a talk we had when she lost her breast to cancer. She didn't want us to be afraid so she showed my sister and I her scar and explained why she had the surgery. Obviously she was getting on in years and her skin was not as tight as it once was so she had this little piece that came out on one side. She said to me "Look Rach! I'm growing a new one!" That was her sense of humour. She always made me laugh. She never wanted us to be afraid of things or shy away from her.

Grammie loved having her hair played with. I spent hours upon hours brushing her hair and pinning it back for her. She always wore her hair the same way. She loved to cook too. So many of her dishes I look back upon fondly. I can almost taste her fish, her cinnamon buns, her tea biscuits. She made the best food! All real traditional comfort food. We used to snap beans and shell peas from the garden. Pick strawberries and raspberries. She taught me a lot about growing things. I have certain plants in my house and in my garden that I have to remind me of her. Makes missing her not quite so hard.

Grammie loved her soaps. If I watched them with her and the couple on TV kissed she would always say something to make me blush. Kissing was so gross back then! It made her laugh to see me.

Grammie was also ambidexterous. She had great penmanship with either hand. I got my left handedness from her (that was her natural hand....school caused her to become two handed). It's something that I take pride in. She also always kept these little pink peppermints in her hutch. It was a real treat to get one of her candies.

My Grammie and my Grampie had a great love. They were both stubborn as mules; that was quite evident especially in their early years, but nothing or no one could ever come between them. They used to kiss in a certain way. They would rub noses and then kiss and rub noses again. It is truly the cutest thing you ever saw. I loved to see how much they loved one another after all those years. As they got older and infirmities set in it used to touch me so deeply how they would do all these little things to make life easier for the other.. They were the essence of true love.

My Grammie and I were both born with a terrible affliction. We call it being born with your bladder behind your eyes. We could both cry at the drop of a hat. Our yearly visit out East was always so wonderful and meaningful. Leaving them was always so hard. My Grammie and I would cry and cry forever on leaving day. Saying goodbye to her was always the hardest part. Something I never quite got over.....especially the last time.

So cute together

The last time I saw her was in 2000. I was newly pregnant with Jenna and Ethan had just turned 2. She loved to spend time with her great grandson. I know he meant a lot to her. I wish he could remember her. In 2001 her health took a bad turn. She was riddled with cancer and her body was just tired. She had fought the good fight and went to be with my Grampie. I rushed a picture of Jenna, who was a newborn, to her so that she could look upon her great grandbaby before she went. Her picture was taped beside her bed. I'm glad she at least got to see what she looked like before she died. It was a blessing that she went. She had been through so much; but it is hard living in a world without her in it. I haven't been back to Nova Scotia since she passed. I am scared to deal with the fact that she really is gone. If I go there then I have to face it. Right now I can almost pretend that she is in Nova Scotia and all is well. I plan to make the trek out there this summer and I know it will be painful...but I have lots of wonderful memories of my Grammie and I know her spirit lives on with my Grampie where she belongs.

Happy 90th Birthday Grammie. I miss you more than you will ever know. I will love you always and look forward to being with you again someday.

Love Rachel

September thus far!

What a wild and crazy month we've been having so far! With me back at work we are slowly progressing to a new "normal" around here. I'm starting to get used to my job but would still love something that is more "me". Food service is not where it's at! LOL

The kids are adjusting well to school. Ethan's teacher Mrs Kuttenkueler or "Mrs K." for those who have issues pronunciation- is a FANTASTIC teacher. She is working well with him. She even spent her Saturday watching the shows that Ethan talks about so that when he starts going into his little worlds she can better reach him. Amazing attention to detail! He has even made a friend named Trent which is a HUGE deal in Ethan land. It's hard to play in his world because it's so hard to understand. I'm his mother and I don't get it half the time! We're hoping come soon there will be play dates with Trent and that this is only the beginning of a great friendship to span the years at Mt Albion.

Jenna has been doing well. Her teacher Ms. Harwood is pregnant and leaving soon (this is teacher #8 in her school history). And due to a huge influx of new students Jenna is now being switched to a new grade 2 class with a whole new teacher. I am hoping the work will stimulate her more. Right now she's bored and never gets any homework. I think she would actually like some homework. I really sense a desire in her to learn.

Shawn is still successful at his job. He keeps making his company lots of money which keeps them very happy. LOL He is doing a wonderful job as the gospel doctrine teacher. I am amazed at his capacity to teach and speak in a public forum like that. I have absolutely no desire to do so myself. I think I would faint before I got up there! I am very proud of him and the hard work that he does. So grateful to be his wife.

My dear friend Marni turned 40 this month and we celebrated her birthday with a huge dance at a local hall. Lots of people turned up. Friends DJ'ed and we partied like it was 1999! LOL The theme was hawaiian and it was great to see those who did dress for the occassion. She's an awesome person and deserved to have an awesome night. I hope she liked it!

Still no more progress made on the house....we're terrible! We were all into it for a while and now we just can't do it anymore. I'm still hoping we will find our way back to it soon. Lots to do! Keeping my fingers crossed. Anyway, thanks to all those who still read. Sorry my entries have been sporatic at best. Wishing you all a wonderful fall!

My "little" job

So once the kids are back in school again for the year I get a little job to keep me busy while the kids are in school. This year I started working at Quiznos a few blocks from my house.

So far it has been a rough go. I am absolutely exhausted and I don't think I am doing as well as I should be. Maybe I am being hard on myself but there are moments every day where I feel like the STUPIDEST person on the planet. I thought a place like Quiznos would be easy but I was so wrong. There are like 30 different recipes you have to know by heart, then there is the "easy" register which I always manage to mess up, and all the food prep that keeps you busy throughout the day.

I'm working Mon to Fri from 9-2:30. So while it's only a 5 1/2 hour shift I am pooped at the end for being on my feet the whole time and I never have a break. We're just too busy.

Now that being said I really like the people I work with. I could not have a more accommodating boss. I have 2 days off next week because the kids have a PA day and Ethan has an eye appointment. I have learned a lot and feel like I have made strides...Just wish it came to me easier.

And then there are the aches and pains of us 30 somethings. When you're 21 nothing hurts and once you hit 30 it all hurts. My wrist is in a permanent state of pain and my back has knots up and down it. I am going to have to invest in better shoes. And maybe find a way to get gloves over a wrist brace. LOL That should be fun!

I got my first paycheque today though and that was a nice treat. I'm going to get a few things for myself...all that work deserves a little treat. I am thinking a nice purse would be awesome.

So I'm gonna tough it out a little while longer. If anyone knows of a job that pays decent and requires much less pain...let me know and my views might change! LOL

Anyway, this new job has me exhausted! Hope this message finds you all doing well!

Boy am I ever behind!

Alright, I admit it....I suck at keeping this thing up. I shall try to do better in the future. In the meantime, lets put the berating aside and I will catch you up on a few things happening the LaFrance abode.

So we have finished the little bathroom upstairs as much as we can for now. The shower rip out/replacement will have to be a spring job as I don't have it in me financially or energy-wise. But I have fixed the vanity, painted it a beautiful chocolate brown, installed a new countertop, sink and faucet (YES ME!! lol) new fixtures, lighting and painted it. To cover the HIDEOUS shower we painted the outer tile white (we aren't using it so it shouldn't scratch) and hung a shower curtain to hide the awful 80's glass door. So now it looks like a beautiful spa getaway. The mood is so much calmer than the old yellow and blue theme. I love those colours but the tones were harsh and made you feel anxious. Just glad it is done for now and hopefully it won't be too long until we have a new shower in there.

In other house news we tore down the one shed and now have much more lawn. Turns out there was a HUGE dirtpile hiding behind the shed so we have turned that into a new garden that will have some pretty annuals but will mostly be a fruit and veg garden. My dinnerplate hibiscus is out in bloom and I am so excited! I wish I had pictures to download. Soon I promise! While the vast amounts of rain were crappy for our social lives, our basement (ugh...don't even get me started) and our pool time; it did wonders for our plants. Next year we plan on builing nice retaining walls around the beds and raising the dirt level to ammend the soil so that they can do that much better next year. I never thought I would be that into plants....go figure!

The master bedroom remains undone. I think Shawn and I are just exhausted....maybe at some point this month we will tackle that one. Maybe by then I will have some photos! LOL

My sister Sarah came up to visit for a few days. It was great to see her again. We hung out by the pool, went shopping, got my haircut and went to the Winona Peach Festival. It was an all round good visit. I often wish she lived closer so we could do things like that more often. It's hard not having family close sometimes.

We took the kids to St Jacobs the weekend before school started. The Lego store there is one of their most favourite places in the whole world. Got some yummy veggies at the market and toured the stores in the village. Then we took a quick juant to Waterloo where there is a great park with a zoo of sorts and a splash pad. It was a fun visit made all the more fun by our travelling companions the Thompsons. Their kids went to our kids old school and over the last few years we have been fortunate to become friends with them. We love our visits and the kids really love seeing the people they miss.

We have been given Church callings now too! Shawn is now the gospel doctrine teacher and I am activity day leader for the girls (formally known as achievment girls leader) I just got called this last Sunday so I have yet to do anything as far as my calling is concerned, but I am so proud of Shawn and how well he is doing in the calling. Think I would get in trouble for flirting with the teacher??

The kids started their new school on Tuesday. So far things are going well. Jenna has adjusted well (as if there was any doubt) and Ethan has had a few bumps but it hasn't been a bad transition. The teachers are very involved and are easy to work with. It's always nice to know that you have someone with a vested interest in having your kids succeed and be happy working with you. The LRT has been FABULOUS. She spends time with him every day so far. I hope that she continues to have a close working relationship with him. I am not sure how much of that he got before.

As for me, I started a new job this week at Quiznos. Now I know this isn't anyones idea of a dream job but it's something to keep me busy while the kids are in school. I work from 9-2:30 Mon-Fri so it is perfect as far as letting me be the mom I want to be. We will see how things like holidays and PA days go, but for now it suits me. I feel a little overwhelmed still. There are over 20 sandwiches I have to learn how to build, and learning the routine has been interesting. I never get to sit down which is bad in one way and good in another. I hate being bored on the job. We had a lot of that post Christmas rush at the portrait studio. But man I am exhausted!!!! It's go go go all day long. I am having the hardest time remembering things and getting the hang of it. I am sure it will come. The boss said during my interview it takes about 3 weeks to a month and I am only on day 2. So hopefully it won't be too long before it all kicks into high gear and I become a sandwich making phenoem! Wish me luck!!

In other news....my bro in law and his lovely wife, and our friends Rob and Victoria are buying a house (not together obviously! LOL)!!!!!!! I am so thrilled for all of them! I know how happy we are to finally have a home of our own, it's nice to see others have the same kind of happiness.

Anyway, after a long day or work and kids that's about all I have in me for now. Sorry I haven't been doing my blogging duty. I will try to make it up to you soon! Thanks for reading!

Back to work blues

So now that the summer holiday is nearing it's end it's time once again for me to find a job. It's very difficult because of what I want and need from a job makes it nearly impossible to find. The kids are in school from 8:40 until 3:00 so I need to find a job that will only book me within those hours because there is no one to watch my kids. I have no family or friends nearby and with what I would make at said job would not cover the cost of daycare. So that being said I stand a good chance of also needing PA days off because of the kids, and holidays that aren't closed. I know....good luck Rachel! My job last year at the portrait studio was great as far as allowing me that opportunity but I am not going back there. I am not looking for full time work or something that keeps me super busy but with the kids not home all the time it's nice to have something to keep you a little busy. Plus now with the house we could use any extra income that we can get. Even if all it does is help pay for Christmas and incidentals. So while I haven't officially begun my search yet I hope and pray that something comes my way that lets me be the mom I want to be yet also lets me help contribute a little bit financially. Wish me luck! I have a feeling I am going to need it!

Lie to me!

What is it with the incessant need that kids have to lie? At this point we haven't dealt with any major lies in this house ala "this party is adult supervised and there will be no drinking" kind of vibe but it happens all the same.

Take this morning for instance. I must have asked Ethan 5 times to brush his teeth. Every time I would say "Ethan have you brushed your teeth yet?" and he would reply that yes he had....Well he obviously hadn't because his toothbrush was still dry and his mouth smelled like my kitchen garbage can. So after the last bald faced lie I called him out on his lying behavior.

There is not much in the world that a mother hates more than when her kids lie. And they all do it, it's human nature I guess....but man do I hate it! And they start so young! The "I didn't do it's" and the "I don't know"'s start pretty soon after they learn how to talk. Is there some innate reflex that tells their little minds that Mom is stupid enough to believe that the ice cream on the couch just walked itself over there? Do they think we will not figure it out? It's worse when there is more than 1 of them....because then you are never 100% sure who the culprit is.....and they team up too. "Look if neither of us cracks then she can't punish us because she won't know who to punish!!!!"

So we had a nice long talk today about how it's not good to lie. Laid on the the guilt a little thicker than normal but I think I got through to them.....if only for today. (if only for the next hour? LOL)

My kids are nuts!

OK so I thought it was my duty to have a nice lighthearted post as opposed to the ones I have put up as of late. So here a some videos of the kids...mainly Jenna. They should all bring a good laugh!

This is Canada Day at Pier 4. The kids are hopped up on ice cream and are movin' with the groovin'. Well Jenna is...Ethan is just trying to keep up!



Here is some more of Pier 4



And then there is Jenna in our pool being a total ham but as you can see starting to get the idea of how to swim!

I've got the DIY blues!

OK so this all started with painting the small bathroom. I thought it would be a little thing to keep me busy and some of the bigger projects I would handle at a later point. So before I painted I needed to get the incredibly bad caulking job off the wall where it meets the shower. As I am taking if off (no small feat) some of the tiles start to come off with it! Can you imagine? Turns out the caulking is all that was keeping some of them on! So I have lost about 4 tiles thus far and the shower project that was meant to be put off for a significant amount of time has now been bumped up the schedule. As it stands now we are getting quotes from various sources and are deciding how to proceed with the shower fix.

So anyway back to the bathroom. The vanity needed to be painted. It was already pained white and badly. I wanted it to be a dark dark brown. In doing this I needed to take off the hinges. As I quickly discovered though, the screws were stripped. So thus began an hour long lesson in patience as I twisted and pried the hinges off the cabinet. Which of course meant I now needed to buy new hinges. So eventually I got my cabinet painted and the new hinges are on and it is back together. Ta da! It looks great....almost. It became glaringly obvious how disgusting the vanity top now was. And the sink....it has a couple of chips in it that now stare at me whenever I use it. So another trip to Home Depot to buy a new counter top sink and faucet. UGH! Oh and in all that I disconnected a light fixture in the bathroom without killing myself!

So next step it to get rid of the ugly ceramic toilet paper holder in the bathroom. Well I cut through the caulk there to pull if off the wall only to discover that it was actually sitting IN the wall. So now I have this big 5" x 7" hole in my wall. Hmmmm.....I don't think Polyfill will stretch that far! So I take a piece of wood, cut it to fit between the joists put it behind the wall, in the hole. Then I take some drywall screws and screw the wall to the wood. Then I take a piece of drywall and cut it to fit in the hole. I screw that in as well and then I take Polyfill to fill in the gaps. It worked like a charm! So once we get the counter top (Thursday) we can put that in (with the sink and the faucet YIKES) I can finally sand and yes, paint the bathroom.

So I decide I can wait until Thursday before I attempt any more DIY and frankly my house is falling apart. There are beds to make and dishes to do and laundry to wash. So I decide, you know what, the bathrooms could use a good cleaning. The tub surround in the big bathroom is reprehensible. I swear the previous owners lived in a dirt trap. So I have my little scrubby sponge and my Vim and I am scrubbing away at the soap scum when I try to clean the yucky caulk. Well, doesn't it come off the wall! Turns out the previous owners caulked over the old stuff without first removing it! Jack of all trades, masters of none these people!

So after 5 minutes of removing 2 layers of caulk (that should shock you all because caulk is INSANE to remove) and applying stuff to melt the little leftover bits I went to cut some trim. There are spots in 2 of the bathrooms that were missing trim and I felt that while I was waiting it would be as good a time as any. Then after a little while, I attempted my first caulking job. I am notoriously messy so I was smart and taped off the sections I was working on. It looks pretty good. Better than what was there before if I do say so. I noticed while I was doing it that the faucet never had anything to seal it...ever! So I made sure I did that too. The tub area also has a window so I resealed that as well. All of this because of soap scum in my tub!

So I have decided that cleaning only leads to bad things happening. This house is apparently held together by dirt so I should just leave well enough alone. I was quite happy to paint and rest on my laurels until we could afford to do more, but apparently this house will not let me. Sigh! That being said, I am glad things are getting fixed. I hope I did a good enough job to not warrant having someone come in to fix my "messes". Guess we will find out! Looking forward to Thursday but part of me is scared that I will just screw something up there too! Maybe I will just let my father in law do it!

I hope to have some pictures for you soon and as soon as we decide what the heck to do about the shower (aka "bane of my existence") I will post it.

Oh and it should be noted that the kids for the most part have been great while mom is going through all of this. It hasn't been easy for anyone. I hope tomorrow I can hang out with them in the pool and just relax and enjoy them. I have some pretty awesome kids I must say.

So I am going to sign off for now. I need to take a breather from life and just lie catatonic for several hours.....wish I could have a bath tonight!

A decade in the making

This past weekend we celebrated our son, Ethan's 10th birthday. It's hard to believe so much time has gone by so quickly! It feels like yesterday that we discovered we were pregnant! Well our little man has grown up into a fine young boy and we are so incredibly proud of him. He has had so many challenges come his way but he always manages to persevere. In his own "Ethanesque" way of course! I am so excited for what awaits Ethan in the future but so sad to realize what has already become the past. I saw Bear in the Big Blue House on the other day and I showed it to Ethan. He LOVED that show when he was tiny. That tidbit of information appalled my 10 year old. The fact that he ever liked a "baby show" was apparently too much. He is still pretty snuggly which I am grateful for. Not sure how much longer I am gonna get the mommy love. It is sure to become an embarrassment soon enough. He has come along way from my chunky little baby boy. Oh to have just one day again where he could be tiny. We would have our afternoon nap on the couch together just like we used to....and he would actually eat decent food! LOL (for those who don't know....Ethan is VERY picky....another nice aspie trait!) I miss having him actually fit in my arms. He's all legs now! I know everyone reading this will want to tell me to have another but after 2 great kids....I am not sure my luck will hold out on me a third time. Plus there are genetic things to consider....but all I know is the day my son was born was one of the best days of my life and I have been so blessed to be his mom.

Anyway, back to the party!! We had lots of people show up to celebrate his big 1-0. There was the LaFrance's and the Corkum's of course but there were also a lot of friends there. Even two from his old school which really meant a lot to me. Making friends does not come easy to kids with asperger's and Ethan is particularly afflicted with this attribute. The one even wanted Ethan to come to his house and play as soon as possible and the two of them were planning sleepovers and stuff. We had a lot of family friends as well. Our real estate agent even stopped my to wish Ethan a happy birthday and bring him a card! That was so sweet! It was great to spend the weekend with the people we care about the most. It ended up being split into a 2 day event because of work commitments but in some ways that made it nicer. Everyone enjoyed the pool and the slide which was great. This was our first pool party and it worked out well. I hope in the near future we can have an open house and have everyone come and see our accomplishments....will have to see. A big thank you to everyone who helped make this a special day!

Ethan asked my friend Shari to make his cake. it's a book (fittingly) and it has his 2 favorite Pokemon characters on it.....I don't know anything about Pokemon though to tell you who they are!

Opening Presents!

Blowing out the candles!

Hanging out on his new pool lounger!

Jenna thoroughly enjoying the lounger herself!
Marni and Dave
Opening Presents part 2

Week 1 in our new home

OK so we're in...and we are all still alive. Life as a homeowner has certainly proved interesting thus far. I might end up re-interating stuff from the previous post so I apologize in advance if any of this is "old news"

So Friday, we get the key around 1 and we boot it to the house with our van full of stuff. Only when we get there we realize "Hey this key doesn't work!" We check it against the side door, the back door....nothing. So we call our lawyer. He gets the lock code from the previous owners and we are finally in. The remainder of the keys are promised to be there by the evening. It's been a week and still no keys. Our friends Marni and Dave let us use his work truck to bring lots of stuff over. Our friend Aaron comes to hook up our cable, internet and phone and then we end the day collapsing in our beds at the old house.

Saturday is moving day. We start out bright and early with the vans packed and the men off to get the moving van. Things run fairly smoothly with minimal injuries and little to no furniture damage. The carpets in the kids rooms are ripped up so they will be sleeping in our rooms until the new carpet goes in. We could not get our family room couch down the stairs so it currently resides in our good living room until we find someone who wants it.

Sunday, we got the kitchen together, unpacked and basically got the house as organized as we could at this point. Also sent Shawn out for a few things. The week continued with the painting of the kids rooms. Jenna's is lavender and Ethan's is a soft smoky green. Painted out their trim white. In the meantime they were still sleeping in our room which meant they would not fall asleep and Jenna snores when she does so it made for an interesting sleep this week. We got the gardens in relatively decent shape. My sister bought me a hydrangea. It's very cute. We also planted the things I brought from the old house. We got the pool up and running. On moving day it was green....yum! We also fixed the one kitchen cabinet that was broken, got rid of the lovely cat pee smell in the one closet, retiled said closet, got longer hoses so I could use my washer etc. On wednesday we had a locksmith come and re-key the locks and change those that were old and wrecked. We also discovered this week that our oven does not work so we are in the process of getting that one fixed. On Thursday the electricians came to change the crazy fuse box to the prettiest high tech panel you have ever seen. It looks so much safer than what we had before. We also put GFCI outlets in the bathrooms. Can't be too careful. I know what can happen when you don't have them. They also fixed some outlets in the basement. When they put them in they reversed the polarization in all them so that needed fixing. Can't wait to get that bill! On Friday the carpet guys came and the kids finally got to move into their rooms. It was a peaceful nights sleep for us! The rooms look great and I am so happy they are in there. Ethan will be getting new furniture, hopefully in the not too distant future so then it will look really great! I also got to work filling in holes in the kids playroom so we can paint it and the kids will have that back. Then that means I can go to work on the rest of the house and they will be occupied. We spent today running errands and puttering around the house. Shawn took the oven element into a store to see if it still works or is dead. If it's just the element we can replace that but if it's not than we are better off getting a new stove. More money! Just what we need! I went to work getting the bedrooms in better order and generally tidying. I called a Church with a pastor who takes furniture donations and I am hoping he calls back soon. The couch takes up a ton of room and makes it hard for us to get around. Plus it will go to either refugees or women escaping violence so that makes me happy. Now it's time to go and paint the kids room. If only we could afford to have someone do that for us! My back is killing me!

But through all the trials and tribulations we are so thrilled to be in our new home and we can't wait to be fully settled in. It's taken a long time to reach this point in our lives....I want to savour each moment. We've been incredibly blessed.

And of course we are again so thankful for those who have helped us this past week. We could not have done this week what we have without your help. You are the best family and friends we could ever hope for.

I hope to update you again soon and hopefully then I can have some pictures to show you.

We're In!!!!

OK so after a couple of grueling days of moving we are finally in our new home. Things are going fairly well with the exception of a couple of snafu's. We have to get rid of our old couch because it won't go down the stairs...and I need to fix one of my kitchen cupboards. I think once we get painted and unpacked and carpets cleaned this will be one heck of a great house though. To all my friends who have attempted to call me since Friday morning, there have been issues with both phone lines (old and new) so if I haven't returned your call it isn't because I am ignoring you. HONEST!! Hopefully we will have a fully functioning phone soon so we can call you. In the meantime I really need to thank the people who have helped up so much with this move. First, Frank our agent for finding us this place, second, Marni and Mom L for helping me pack up, Third Dad L for helping me pack and get the old house ready to leave. Then there are my movers; again Mom and Dad L., Dad C, Marni and Dave, Rob, Jim, Jess, Sarah and Becca. Could not have done this without you people and there is no thanks I could give you that would be enough. You are the best family and friends anyone could ask for and we are eternally grateful. So back to the house I go. Hopefully I will find time to update you over the week. Thanks for reading!

SOOOOO sick! Oh no!

Ok so like moving week isn't one of the most stressful weeks in a persons life to begin with; it just gets that much more fun when you throw a monkey wrench into like say.....getting sick. Well that folks is me today. Welcome to my pity post.

It started last night with a sore throat. Was a little concerned but thought maybe it was just from the AC or something. This morning...throat still sore and I have some lovely swollen glands to boot. By afternoon I had some wicked body aches and chills. I actually went to bed mid day.....I have to really be sick for that to happen.

So now I am freaking out a little. I have to move on Friday and Saturday. Then in the next week I need to start unpacking, and painting, rip out carpet, have the new one installed, have the electrician come to change our fuse panel to breakers and keep my kids occupied. Not exactly a good time to get sick right?

Shawn is going to give me a blessing tonight, and I soaked in the tub for a while. I hope this isn't strep or something like that because I just cannot be out of commission like that this week. Maybe in a week and a half I can be a little bit sick...but not now...

So other than that I think I am actually faring well in the packing dept. Nearly everything is packed and ready to go. Got a few little things to pack and some laundry to put away tomorrow. The kids go to Nana's tomorrow night and will be there until Sat. night. I am sure they will love it. I can't wait for them to get into their new home and once the painting is done and the carpets are laid they will have awesome new rooms. It will be great.

Anyway, this will probably be may last post for a few days at least. Thank you faithful readers! We're having a lot of fun doing this and look forward to telling you of our adventures in the new house! See you again soon!!!!

All About Us!

OK so I saw this on someone else's blog and thought I would give it a go!


Shawn-- 10 years ago:
1. Working at BBDO
2. Just joined the Church
3. Waiting to become a new daddy
Rachel-- 10 Years Ago:
1. Working at Canadian Facts
2. Was incredibly pregnant with Ethan
3. Lived in Toronto

Shawn-- 5 things on my to-do list today:
1. Make it through day without falling asleep
2. Repeat number 1
3. BEO meeting
4. Love up the wife
5. Repeat #4 (maybe I should have a nap)
Rachel-- 5 things on my to-do list today:
1. Get boxes for house
2. Babysit Marie
3. Update blog
4. Clean
5. Laundry

Shawn-- 5 Snacks I enjoy:
1. Nibs
2. Peanuts
3. Pringles
4. Licorice
5. Ice cream with brownies
Rachel-- 5 Snacks I enjoy:
1. Ice cream with brownies
2. Ruffles
3. Dairy Queen ice cream cake
4. Guacamole
5. Reese's Peanut Butter cups

Shawn-- What I would do if I were suddenly made a billionaire:
I would help out as many of our family and friends as possible, and travel a lot, see the world
Rachel-- What I would do if I were suddenly made a billionaire:
I would help my family and friends, build a completely green house and be self sufficient. Travel the world and help people in need. And maybe in there would be one heck of a shopping spree!

Shawn-- 5 places I have lived:
1. Innerkip, ON
2. Hamilton, ON
3. Toronto,ON
4. Hamilton again
5. Stoney Creek, ON (as of the end of the month)
Rachel-- 5 places I have lived:
1. Innerkip, ON
2. Woodstock, ON
3. Brantford, ON
4. Hamilton, ON (Stoney Creek soon!)
5. Toronto, ON

Shawn-- 5 jobs that I have had:
1. Newspaper ad sales
2. Media buyer/planner
3. Paper boy
4. Pizza Hut
5. caterer
Rachel-- 5 jobs that I have had:
1. Try hugs not drugs ambassador (yes it was brutal)
2. Photographer
3. Field Control assistant (market research)
4. Barrista
5. Scrapbook instructor

Shawn-- 3 of my favorite books:
1. any Sherlock Holmes
2. any John Grisham
3. 5 People You Meet in Heaven
Rachel-- 3 of my favorite books:
1. Harry Potter series
2. Da Vinci code
3. Little Women

Mount Albion musings

Today we went to see the kids new school. We were greeted by the principal, Diane Page and Sandy Scott, the LRT. The school is older and in need of a paint job (which it will get this summer) but it looks like a nice school. They did a huge play this year that involved a ton of kids from grades 1 to 8. It was Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. The set designs were fabulous and the pictures of the event were great. I hope that they do something similar next year and we can see about getting the kids into that. We saw which classrooms would most likely be theirs and where the library and french rooms are. There is a big art room as well with a kiln. The computer lab is nice and big and the gym is too. The teachers were very nice and all said hi to us when we would stop in. Poor Jenna was scared at first but after a while she warmed up and got interested in where things were. We got to see the playground which has some great equipment on it (our current school has little to nothing). Most importantly we found out where the bathrooms are! haha

I think it will be a nice school for them. Everyone seems very friendly and I am sure they will like it there. We are coming back in August for another tour just to familiarize them after their brains turn to mush for the summer. I am hoping I can find some time to volunteer in the classroom like I did at the old school. I love working with the kids and miss being in there all the time. So we all left with a good feeling and we are all excited about what next year holds for us.

Jenna's Ramblings

As Jenna gets older she gets better and better at her reading. I hope she becomes as accomplished as her brother who reads about 4 grade levels above where he is now. In the meantime when we are out she loves to read signs and boxes in stores and what not. So on Saturday we are in a little home decor store in Dundas. In the store there are these cards for sale. Jenna starts reading them and all of the sudden I hear out of my daughters mouth "Die B*&^h Die!" Of course I turn my head around so fast I nearly get whiplash and I see my daughters puzzled face. "Mommy what does that mean?" she asks. I tell her calmly (so impressed that I didn't freak) that it is a swear word and isn't nice to use and we shouldn't say it. Her face said it all. She was so embarrassed that she said such a bad word. She apologized and that was that.

Later that night I am on the computer and she points to something on the screen, using the wrong finger if you know what I mean. I tell her that we use our other finger to point and that the middle finger isn't nice to use. She asks me what that finger means. I tell her it's a swear word too. Her face starts to cringe and she says; "Boy I've been swearing a lot today haven't I?" I answered her back calmly but was laughing so hard on the inside. It's at least nice to know that my daughter isn't familiar with these words yet and the thought of using them makes her sad. So while my daughter learned a valuable lesson, I got one heck of a good laugh (albeit an internal one).

A visit to the house!!!

Oh how I wish I had my camera! Yesterday we took a trip to the new house. The current owners promised to have us over so that we could help open the pool and learn how to care for it. It's the first time I have seen the back yard since when we were last there it was covered with snow. It's going to be a great space. The pool is nice. 3 ft in the shallow end and 8 in the deep. Just deep enough for us but nice and shallow for the kiddies! Even Jenna can stand in it! There are 2 sheds which will eventually be replaced with one newer one. Some horseshoe pits which I think will be going and maybe (hopefully) a swing set will take that place. There is a great cement patio and just enough garden for me to handle. I think with a little work we can make that into one heck of a great backyard! We also got to take another look inside to see everything. We had forgotten so much! The current owners are leaving all their old paint in case we want to just touch up which I thought was nice. He showed me how to use the fireplace and showed me some of the ins and outs of the house. They have been very accomodating and we feel fortunate to have them as the previous owners. The tricky part yesterday was keeping the kids out of the pool! We didn't have bathing suits or anything but that didn't stop the kids from wanting to get in there and swim their little hearts out! They are going to love it when we finally get in there! So we get one more visit which will be great. There are things about the house that we will want to change once we get in there. It's a house with 5 teenagers living in it so some things look just a little beat up. I think a fresh coat of paint is all it needs for the most part. We're going to change the carpet in the upstairs kids rooms as well. At any rate I know we will make it a beautiful home. We are certainly up for the challenge! Less than 3 weeks to go! Yeah!!!!!

My last Sunday in primary

I feel like Wendy in Peter Pan being told this is her last night in the nursery. This is my last day in primary of the Hamilton 2nd ward. It's a mixed feeling I have. I have loved all the kids I have taught over the years in my various stints in primary, but I relish the idea of starting new. I have not been in Relief Society for years at this point. I would actually love to have some time to just be taught instead of doing the teaching. I am nervous to see what the new ward will be like but I am comforted to know that I at least know a few people down there. Not to mention that this isn't exactly our first rodeo. We have moved wards many a time before. But I will sincerely miss everyone here. The Hamilton 2nd ward has become family to me. I have a great love for everyone. The young women in particular hold a special place in my heart. I spent 3 years being their counselor. Some of the best years of my life I must say. The youth have this amazing spirit. That zest for life. I really think they helped keep me young! But today as I say goodbye to my primary kids I know that I will be very sad to not have the opportunity to teach them again. I hope to keep my fingers crossed that I at least get to see everyone once in a while. Assuming I get some "calling free" time in Stoney Creek I hope to come back and visit every once in a while. At any rate it's a new adventure we're heading on and I can't wait to see what the future brings!

50th Anniversary

Tonight we are attending a 50th anniversary open house of a couple that we attend Church with. I was fortunate enough to have been able to do their portraits while I was still at the studio and they have asked me to take some pictures tonight as well. It got me thinking of what it takes to make a marriage last that long.

First things first, divorce cannot be an option. I know it's not on the table for Shawn and I so I assume they subscribe to the same thinking. How can you really expect it to succeed if there is a back door you can duck out of when the going gets tough?

Second, a deep love for the Gospel and keeping Christ in your marriage. I know in particular this couple have a deep love for Christ. They read the scriptures daily and have dedicated their marriage to promoting the gospel. It gives you that eternal perspective when you think that your marriage is not only something to have in this life but throughout the eternities.

Thirdly, a sense of humour. I heard a quote once that said "If you are going to look back at something and laugh about it; you might as well laugh about it now!" I can imagine how many times they have looked back on their lives together and found many hilarious things to laugh at.

Fourth, your posterity. Children, grandchildren...they are the ties that bind. i actually believe they are great grandparents now. I hope I live long enough to see great grandbabies.

Fifth, I think you need a bit of stubborness. Not in a bad way but you need that sort of drive to get you through the hard stuff. We've all experienced hard times and it's always better when you shoulder up and keep on going. What would happen if we all laid down and just let the bad stuff take over?

Sixth, realistic expectations. I think television and movies have really warped our sense of what love is. It isn't all passion and excitement. I actually look forward to the days with us on the porch, eating mushy food and rocking in our chairs complaining about the younger generations. It's remembering the little things. It's being there when the other one is sick. It's supporting your spouse. You get out of it what you put into it in the end.

I know there are a lot of other pieces of sage advice that you all have. I would love to hear them in the comments section. For now I have little ones that demand my attention so I cannot continue. But I will close with this. Shawn and I are celebrating our 11th anniversary this year. I am so grateful to be his wife. I know how lucky I am to have found someone so good for me. I only hope I am that good for him. So cheers to 11 years and to an eternity more of them! Love you hun!

What we are looking forward to in the new house

So the other day I wrote about the things we are going to miss when we leave here. So, I thought I should write about some of the things we are looking forward to in the new house!

- Bigger bedrooms, especially for Jenna who has always been stuck with the "tiny room"

- Walk in closets to maximize our clothing storage. There will be one on the main floor and one in our room

-Needless to say, the POOL! We will hardly be inside this summer if the kids and I have our way!

-The new shopping complex opening soon near our house (well, Shawn might not appreciate what happens to the visa card there!)

-Having a garage, oh how sweet that will be!

-The new school and how it will help Ethan to be successful.

-The opportunity to finally have carte blanche to do what I want to my own home. I can decorate exactly how I see fit.

-And of course, finally realizing the long held dream of home ownership! It's been a long, hard road to get here and we have finally made it. Thank goodness it's finally here!

And it goes without saying that we are also looking forward to seeing you all at our new home. Our family and friends have been such a support to us and we couldn't have made it this far without you. Thank you all so much.

Ethan's math test

Ethan, our oldest has a lot of strikes against him. When he was younger he was diagnosed with ADD. We decided after much deliberation to try meds and they have worked wonderfully with little to no side effects.

When he was 7 I went to his doctor and said "I know Ethan has ADD but there is something else going on." I literally said "my son is weird and I can't figure it out." So off to the developmental paediatrician where we first heard of Aspergers Syndrome.

AS is a form of autism. Those afflicted with it have very little in the way of social skills, often have a motor skill delay and problems at school. They also tend to have very narrowed areas of focus. Ethan has many different obsessions but books are his life. He needs them like he needs air. Even if it's just holding it while we go shopping. Ethan also has few friends, walks on his tip toes, can't ride a bike (he'll be 10 soon), needs help with dressing and grooming (although that is improving), He is a master of the english language and speaks as though he is much older than he is. He is extremely sensitive to loud noises. He covers his ears when even the hair dryer is on. He also has extremes when it comes to his abilities in school. His reading for example is the 98th percentile of other kids his age but his math is in the 35th. There are a lot of discrepancies where that is concerned. So much so that he was recently labeled as having a learning disability. That being said he is a wonderful little boy who doesn't let what he has get in his way of being happy and as successful as he can.

So when I see Ethan acomplish something that is so hard for him I can't help but want to celebrate. Can you imagine my happiness when I beheld my sons latest math test. It was on division (which I remember struggling with) and didn't my son score a 26 out of a possible 27 on it!?! We were all so thrilled! I think his teacher wanted to do a dance! I may just frame it! We really worked hard with him on this one because he has struggled so much; so it's great when you see all his hard work finally pay off. I am so proud of my little boy. He has so much against him and yet he perseveres! So hats off to my hero of the day; my gorgeous, handsome and brilliant little man; ETHAN!!!!!!!!!!

Kids and moving

So we've reached a point where we need to delve into that next level of packing. Where you start packing the things you use on a fairly regular basis. So yesterday I started to tackle the playroom. For those who have seen our playroom you know that is a scary venture! My baby sister was kind enough to come and help which was great. It ended up being a night of negotiations and quickly hiding things behind the kids backs. "Yes Ethan you can keep 3 chapter books but the rest need to get packed for now" Yes Jenna I will keep out the lego but the barbies are going away for now. It made for an interesting night. We broke it up with a nice trip to Hutches for some fries though which made the evening not quite so blah.

So we are back to it today. Shawn was nice enough to hit the local food basics and found some great boxes for me so I forsee some significant process today. Hopefully I can get a lot of it done so that come moving day I will be a lot less stressed out. Wishful thinking? Probably? Eh I digress, yes I am not the nicest person to be around come moving day.....but my cheery disposition always returns! (eventually)

Last month in this house

So as of today we are into the very last month that we are in this house. As happy as we are to finally have our own home I will miss some aspects of living here. Here's what I will miss:

-the lack of stairs a back split has (although I might lose a few pounds climbing down full flights of stairs again!)
-the kids school and the amazing teachers (especially Mrs.DeRoo)
-my daily chat with Shari and how we always managed to linger long past once the kids went inside the school
-the memories we made here. this was the closest thing we had to a "real home" as of yet.
-the neighbourhood park
-living so close to great shopping! (although great shopping is on its way to my new home)

There are more things I know we'll miss but I know how much we are all looking forward to our new home. This is something we waited years for and I know we will make wonderful memories there. Hope that we will have you all in our new home to help make those memories happen!

Bachelor of Webology

Shawn finished his course this week at the Hamilton Spectator. He was required to take it for work. He had a lot of fun learning how to use video and the internet to the papers advantage. On Friday they had a little graduation ceremony. It was total cheese right down to playing "Pomp and Circumstance". He received a diploma for "Bachelor of Webology" and graduated "Magna Cum Laude". At least that's what it says on the paper! We all got a good laugh at it but still I am very proud of my hubby!

Wanna-be photographer

Now mind you I do not own a sophisticated digital SLR ( i wish!!!) but I do think I manage to take some pretty good pictures every once in a while. So I thought I would show off a little of my work! It's something I really enjoy, getting that perfect shot. Please feel free to comment!

The next great book series

I love reading. I am a huge fan of books and that love has passed itself down to my children. my son takes to books like fish to water. His nose is in a book nearly ever waking moment. That of course means books stores have come to love us. But myself I find in a bit of a lull lately. I call it my Harry Potter post traumatic stress disorder. I fell in love with the series about a teen wizard and his fight against evil. I could read those stories over and over again. But now the series is done and I am left wondering where do I go now. I have read several good books in the meantime, but I miss having that series of books to fall in love with. I have often thought about joining a book club, but that just hasn't presented itself to me as of yet. If anyone who reads this blog has any book suggestions I would love to hear them. Word of mouth is as good as a new your times review in my book. So off I go to find my next great adventure! In the meantime here are a few of my favourite potter-isms and jokes.

The house

So for those who don't have facebook and are curious I thought I would tell you about the house. We are moving to Stoney Creek mountain. It's a nice little 2 storey home nestled on a quiet court. We have nice sized pie shaped backyard with an inground pool. The kids are really looking forward to that! There is a little porch out front where the bay window is. The window is in the eating nook of our kitchen. Once you enter the house the kitchen is on the right and the pantry room/garage access is on the left. The kitchen is a galley which some people hate but we aren't the best cooks so it will be fine for our needs. There is also that pantry room right across the hall so whatever doesn't fit in the kitchen can go there. There is a living/dining room with nice hardwood flooring and a small bathroom and laundry room as well. The hall closet is a walk-in so for once all our coats may fit in one closet! The stairs take you up to the top floor where you have Ethan and Jenna's rooms. They are both a really good size. Jenna's has mirrored closet doors so as you can imagine she will have lots of fun having concerts and fashion shows and karate displays up there. Then there is the main bathroom and hall closet to the left then our room on the end. It's a really good size with a walk-in closet and a small ensuite bath. If you went down from the main floor there is a nice family room with a wood burning fireplace and then a playroom area for the kids. It will definitely serve ours needs for now and when the kids are teens but them won't be so much room that we will be lost once the kids are gone. I think we are going to be very happy there.

The Front of la maison de Lafrance

le pool (sorry it was winter when i took these!)

the pool again

hall, like the diagonal tile!

Kitchen nook

Galley with new stove and fridge!

more galley kitchen it will be getting some updates shortly!

living dining room

very pretty

family room...dumb me didn't photograph the fireplace!

Ethan's room

Jenna's roomupstairs bathmaster bedroom (hi Jenna!)more of the master with a view of the walk-in on the left on the ensuite on the right

We are due to have one more visit to the house before we get the keys so I will get some more pictures then and I will post them. Hope you enjoyed my little tour!