The Benefits of TV...

I'm feeling a little forgetful today...the whole episode happened over a 20 minute span and could have turned bad. So thankfully here I am posting and laughing about it now.

After I pulled the garlic bread out of the oven to check on it I threw my oven mitt onto the stove and walked away. When I came back I saw it smoking. I had thrown it onto a hot element (which I had just taken the spaghetti noodles off of). I pounded it on the counter a few times to smother it and then took the garlic bread out of the oven to cut some off for the kids (they do not like it if the top gets crusty). I had intended to put the garlic bread back in the oven on broil just to quickly toast the top of it and then got called away by DD who needed my help in the bathroom. By the time I came back to the kitchen, I smelled the burned bread and opened the oven door to a fire. DH got the bread out (which is now stinking up our garage) and we opened our windows while fanning our smoke detector. DS came crawling through the kitchen, "everyone get down on the floor!" Later he told us he saw that on some cartoon. Thankfully all that I am dealing with is a stinky house. I'm just happy it is still standing.

The photography venture has been taking off. We have been doing a number of shoots lately. I just posted some new pictures in my flickr account but here are some of my favourites.

The countdown is on!

It is really beginning to feel like Christmas, with all of the freshly fallen snow and the beginning of Christmas celebrations. We put our Christmas tree up on Friday. It is so much fun as the children get older. Seeing the joy and wonder on their faces is such a reminder of the importance of the little things. All of the ornaments ended up in a little cluster in the middle of the tree (about the height of T and S) :) - they did almost all of the decorating. This year we got to add another little face to our annual Christmas tree photo.


Yesterday, we enjoyed breakfast with Santa with Preston's work. The kids get such a treat with a performance, great food, a visit from Santa and a gift. After the party the kids went to Grandma and Grandpa's while we went shopping. I typically start the day feeling as though I have lots of time and then end up cramming the last hours full of hustling around trying to get my shopping done, which we didn't. I guess we will be doing some online shopping this week.

The Decisions Been Made

It has been a stressful week with trying to make a decision about going back to work. I left it until an hour and a half before my deadline and then forwarded the decision of the hour. So it is official - I'm a stay at home mom (well that and a business owner, LOL). It was a tough decision to make but in the end realized there is no way I could regret staying at home with my children.

We started our Christmas shopping on Saturday, after two photo shoots that morning. The kids spent 2 hours in Toys R Us looking at all the toys and showing one another what they wanted. S and T both bought for one another and of course then wanted to open them. They still haven't spilled the beans!

We managed to get a picture with Santa. S was not too pumped about sitting on Santa's lap so the picture is a true representation, which is great.

Here is a picture from one of the photo shoots. We will post more at a later date.

First Skate

We took the 2 oldest out for their first skate of the year yesterday. It was actually T's first time on skates. I was amazed how well she did! A little hockey player in the making ;) They both skated on their own for a little while and as soon as S finds his confidence he will be off! It is so much fun watching them learn new things.



We celebrated 2 years of Rhubarb Roots this past weekend at the store with a crop on Friday and Saturday. It was a lot of fun...getting together with friends, meeting new people, eating and of course scrapbooking. I got a start on a calendar and am really enjoying the size of it (15 x 7) - it is the scalloped calendar by Making Memories.

The Family Grows

S and T are the proud owners of pet fish. They are so lucky to have such a thoughtful friend who brings them gifts (and asks their parents first ;) ). They asked several times what the water on the counter was for and found out shortly after lunch. It was so much fun seeing their response.

They have been very responsible pet owners so far. T was so sad when she had to leave her fish at home to go grocery shopping, there were quite a few tears. She is trying so hard not to cuddle her fish (an affectionate girl that one). They both were giving the fish kisses through the bowl.

It was a day of tea parties, play and a little cleaning. Such a great day...but here is a little glimpse of a not so great day (the Friday of the online crop). A time out turned bad...he felt it was necessary to write what he was thinking on the walls with a dry erase marker.


R finally has her first tooth and has started taking steps holding onto furniture. She is still INCREDIBLY woobly but I see those baby days running away on me (literally). It won't be long until I am chasing her around and helping her wipe the marker off the walls.

A full nights sleep!

I can fairly safely say that we are through the bumps of the middle of the night wakings. R has slept through 7 nights straight from 7:30 until at least 7:30 the next morning. Wow, what a difference this has made on my outlook. And all it took was 2 nights of holding her instead of feeding her, guess she decided my cuddles were not enough to wake up for. :( Honestly, I may actually miss getting up with her...I really wasn't in much of a hurry to put an end to those midnight cuddles(knowing all along she MAY - yes I said may Dad - be my last baby), but I know it will be better for my sanity and overall health to get a full nights sleep.

I am busy this week planning the 2nd anniversary celebration of Rhubarb Roots. What a difference 2 years and an insane amount of work has made! Be sure to stop in the store this Thursday, Friday and Saturday to take advantage of the sales! Here is a little teaser...think American Crafts.

I think my camera has gone into hiding...I'm going to need to dust it off and take some pictures of the kids...because what am I going to scrapbook in 3 years from now when I am finally caught up? We will be doing a little photo shoot for a friend in the next week or so and I'm really looking forward to that!

On my way to enter the boxes of inventory sitting at my feet. Be sure to check out the what's new section on the site!

Lest We Forget

Thank you to my grandfathers, great uncles and all of the other men and women who sacrificed their lives for the freedoms we are blessed with today! You are all in my thoughts.