Quick Canada Clips

I'm just now getting to my Canada trip for you.  I'm sorry it's taken so long!  Let's roll and stroll.

I went to Canada on that one weekend when it was spring here.  Remember it?  The whole weekend was in the 70's, and KJ was turning on the air conditioner.  This was out the plane window.  Yes, that's snow.  It even snowed while I was there.  Craziness!

I was one of the first people off the plane.  I told the immigration officer that I was visiting my sister for her birthday.  Mistake number one in a LONG line of mistakes.  He asked if I brought any gifts.  I panicked thinking that he was going to check my bags no matter what, so I told him I brought her some Thirty-One bags, and my slip was marked for inspection.  Ugh.  I went to the side to wait for the officer and opened my locked suitcase to bring the Thirty-One bags to the top of the suitcase, so he could see them right away.  I thought he would see them and let me go.  He came around the corner and yelled at me for opening the suitcase.  He started to go through both suitcases.  I was trying to text Maria standing outside the doors to tell her that I was being detained.  He snapped at me asking who I was texting.  As he's going through my suitcase, he picked up a brown cardboard box that says "Meat Tenderizer" on it.  He asked me what it was and I told him the truth, "My mom asked to give it to my sister.  I didn't know what it was."  He yells that I should know what's in my bag, and I told him that I didn't think my mother was going to give me a weapon for my sister!!!  After he was done going through my things, he asked where we were off to.  I told him about my sister's new business and how I was going to help out for the weekend.  I said I would be working, and yep, you guessed it, he immediately started yelling that I wasn't allowed to work in Canada and yada yada yada.  Good grief!  It was like the Griswolds Go Through Customs.  My poor seester had to wait that whole time.  I'm surprised the officer didn't show up at my seester's work sometime that weekend.

Speaking of my seester, here she is at her desk.

My eldest Canadian nephew.

My middle guy.

And the caboose...a force to be reckoned with.

What's up with my angry vein?  Why is it out in my smiling picture?  Boo!

The night I got there, some of my seester's friends came over to celebrate her birthday.  This was the cake they brought.  Holy Cow!  It was awesome, but I never had a piece.  Paleo bites sometimes!

We told Ri to cut behind the skates, so they would hide it.  By the end of the night, the cake was caving in the backside.

I love this picture.  He looks more asian than I do.  

Me and this ham tried a few pics before we got this one.  

These are Canadian yams.  They were HUGE.

Me trying to peel the beast.  I made Ri that sweet potato hash I told you all about.  They really liked it.

I didn't get one picture with my seester.  :(  That makes me really sad.  I had a great time just hanging out with her and her family.  Now we prepare for them to invade this summer.  Always a good time, and my kids are already planning what fun things we're going to do.  I can't wait for them to get here!  

Our Anniversary Weekend

Well folks, it's been twelve years today that KJ and I have been married.  I can't believe it.  We were thinking that we would take a weekend trip, but since those normally involve having to pay for a place to stay, we decided on a two day trip instead.  Let's start with Saturday.

We were blessed with great weather.  KJ has been obsessed interested in shooting for a while and has collected himself some guns and rifles.  He has been wanting to teach me about these possible protection pieces, so I finally agreed to go with him.  It was intimidating, and I was really nervous.  I didn't want to be a bad shot.  I have to say that I wasn't prepared for just how loud a rifle is when it's fired.  I had headphones on and everything.  It goes through you that's for sure.

I shot two different rifles and went on to the handgun range.  We didn't spend long at it, or at least it seemed that the time flew by.  We went to lunch and dessert and then picked the kids up for my birthday celebration at my parents.  Since my original birthday was Holy Week, we hadn't had a chance to do cake and presents.  

My mom made me a gluten free cookie cake and my favorite Filipino food...Choi Pao.  They're like dumplings but different and better.  I got a Fitbit, which is a fitness tracker that you wear on your wrist.  It monitors your calorie burn, activity, meal plan, steps, and sleep.  Seriously...apparently at 4am I was up and active.  I remember waking up then and trying to wake up my Fitbit because I didn't think I would go back to sleep again, but I did.  We ended the evening watching Saving Mr. Banks.  It was an ok movie.  I wanted more of a determined ending.

On Sunday we went to Church and headed out for a hike.  I used to love hiking when I was younger (I said younger), but I haven't gone in a while because I have kids instead of a life.  ;)  We picked out a new place we hadn't been to and set off.  

It was a gorgeous day for a hike...not too hot, not too cold.  It was great just walking and talking, or not talking, and stopping, and looking, and just being peaceful.  We ended up doing a three hour hike, and my Fitbit logged the whole thing...over 14k steps today.  It's calling me an overachiever.  :)  I think we made a mistake just bringing bars and not actual food for lunch.  It caught up with us in the form of a headache.

We came back and headed down to Nana and Papa's for my last birthday celebration.  It has been such a relaxing and busy weekend.  Let's roll some film.

We got walking sticks for each of the kids.  We're hoping to bring them with us next time.  It looked like a great place.  I have a picture of a snake that came out to snack with us when we stopped for a squat on a rock, but Nana would never read my blog again if I had a snake on it even once.  See what I mean by relaxing busy?  Happy Anniversary, Kevin!

More Easter Pics

I can't believe that I forgot these pics.  Sorry about that.  Without further ado, Easter morning.  The girls wanted their hair wavy, so we bathed them and put their hair in braids.

For the record...my father-in-law made a snide comment about me being able to blog every day since we were off of school this week.  I gladly accepted the challenge and all I have to say is BOO-YAH!  How ya like me now?

Throw Back Thursday

Here is a post from this day 2009.  That's five years ago according to my fingers, and yes, I counted on my fingers.  I can't believe it's been five years.  Enjoy!

Easter!

We had a great Easter.  HE IS RISEN!  I love the Triduum.  I wanted to try daily Mass for Holy Week, but I didn't get it done having just come back from Canada.  Since I couldn't go that Monday I got back, trying for Tuesday and Wednesday was pointless.  I tend to be an all or nothing person.  Although it would've been nice to go to Mass on my birthday, but at least I got Adoration.

We took the kids to Mass on Holy Thursday.  It was their first time going.  I feel bad about that, but my kids do not do well with no sleep.  I decided I didn't care this year, and we all went.  Holy Thursday plays my favorite song.  When we take the Blessed Sacrament to the back of the church for Adoration, everyone sings, "Stay with me.  Remain here with me.  Watch and pray.  Watch and pray."  It's haunting, moving, chilling.  I told the kids it's what Jesus told His Apostles in the garden before He was arrested.  I'm so glad they got to experience it.

Good Friday brought the Veneration of the Cross.  We all made it to this since Kaelyn didn't have to work until 430p.  She ended up being 10 minutes late and that was leaving right after the Eucharist.  We ended up being the first people in line for the cross.  It was unnerving.  Normally they wipe after every kiss, but this year they wiped down the cross after every 20 or so.  I'm glad I didn't kiss it.  I kissed my hand and touched it instead.  

We normally try to go to the Vigil Saturday night, but we didn't make it this year.  It starts at 8p, and I wanted to take the kids, but we decided with not getting home until 930p Holy Thursday, and the kids not very good that Friday, that we weren't going to try it.

Sunday morning we went to 730a Mass.  Everyone looked lovely.  We went straight to my parents for Easter lunch.  After resting there a bit and hanging out with my other sister's family, we headed to KJ's parents for dinner.  It was exhausting but good. 

Happy Easter!

I don't know what Marley is doing here.

Do you notice anything about this picture?  Yep, my bow is off center.  It's driving me crazy and KJ just rolls his eyes at me.  Doesn't it bother you too?  I know!

My Birthday

So I decided that I'm too old to do 37 random acts of kindness for my birthday.  We had Adoration that evening, and a dentist appt for Logan.  We did accomplish bringing Starbucks to a friend, paying for the person behind us, leaving a big tip, filling machines with quarters at the laundromat, giving money to a homeless person on the street, and buying four Chick-Fil-A gift cards and handing them out at the drive thru.  It wasn't nearly how much I wanted to do, but it still gives my family the tradition for my birthday.  

Bringing the whole family to Adoration that evening was my biggest accomplishment of the day.  I don't think Kaelyn has been to Adoration since before her Confirmation.  That was four years ago, and even though she read her Kindle the whole time she was there, I still like to think she got something from it but is too cool to say so.  

It was a nice family day, and that's all I really wanted.  

Chick-Fil-A is gluten free if you get grilled nuggets...just in case you were wondering.  ;)

The End.

Happy Easter!

HAPPY EASTER FROM MINE TO YOURS!

O Canada!

I'm back!  Did you know I went?  In honor of holy week, I won't be blogging.  Sorry for the short notice.  It's my birthday Wednesday too, so you'll have to wait to see what we did.  Happy late birthday to my seester!  I was there for it which was magnificent!  I was sick on my trip and I'm going to rest up and celebrate Jesus this week.  I'll see you after Easter.  Happy Easter!

Wordless Wednesday With Words-You're Welcome

Spring Daybook

Outside my window...

It's cold and raining.  Boo!

Thankful for...

Easter break, a trip to my seester's house, Kevin, family, random acts of kindness from strangers, little smiles, growing faith, sick snuggles, and that's just a few.

I am thinking about...

New phases of life starting.  I've got some things in the works.  Pray for me, will you?

In the schoolroom...

Lots of activity.  Our co-op is wrapping up this week and there's a push to get all the projects in.  Here's some pics of what we've done.

From the kitchen...

Virus Killing Soup, Sweet Potato Hash, Hamburger Omelet, Cube Steak and Veggies, Gumbo, and eggs and bacon...lots of eggs and bacon.  

I am creating...

A routine through Lent.  We've turned Saturdays into a mini cleaning spree of the house in preparation for our Sunday (Lord's Day) rest.  On Sundays there are no electronics and we just hang out.  This past Sunday was a little busy, so the Lord's Day was kind of stressful, which is the exact opposite of the Lord's Day goal.  Anyway, we've been at it every week this Lent, and I think it's a change we'll keep (within reason).

I am working on...

A new volunteer opportunity at our church.  I've signed on as the new coordinator for The Gabriel Network.  It's an outreach program to women facing crisis pregnancies.  We find them diaper, wipes, car seats, cribs, whatever they need that we can get.  This is done through the generosity of our parish.  I haven't officially started yet.  We're still in the process of handing over the reins.  

**NOTE TO NANA**

I do NOT expect baby blankets for all the babies!  I promise!

I am praying...

For safe trips, healthy family, and Holy week festivities.

I am struggling...

with Paleo.  I'm bored and not branching out.  I need to expand my recipes.  I tend to stick with things I like.  No good.

I am hearing...

Parenthood.  I love this show!

Around the house...

I already told you about my cleaning Saturdays.  I am realizing AGAIN that we have too much stuff.  I'm pretty sick of the clutter everywhere.

A few plans for the rest of the week...

Co-op and Canada!