Happy Holidays from our family to yours!
It has been a busy, busy year and have many stories and pictures to share.
For now, I leave you with this year's Santa visit memory.

My little pumpkin ( pre falling off the chair and crying uncontrollably)

Lets keep this {short} and { sweet}

For Halloween festivities this year, Annie was a little China Doll.
Courtesy of my friend Jessica in China who sent Annie a beautiful dress over a year ago, and I have been waiting for the perfect moment to wear it. She had also sent me a gorgeous purse, which when I found Annie immediately longed for to go with her dress. Chopsticks in hair, facepaint on gladly, but wiped off in 0.4 seconds.

As for Dale and I, we went as an Oreo cookie. The pictures hardly do it justice, as I spent hours tracing out the pattern of an oreo cookie... twice. Upon reflection, we aren't a big PDA couple, so having to face each other and cuddle didn't happen a lot , not lending well to the premise of the costume.

My blog won't let me upload pictures. 

And that makes me sad. Very sad.

Our little Turkey

Only suiting that she was born on Thanksgiving weekend. And I can remember like yesterday, yet is was two years ago today, giving birth to a beautiful baby girl. My little Annie.

She is 2 years old, and already a striking personality. She is loving and gentle, yet determined and confident.
She talks a mile a minute, and for the most part you can pick out every word. It is an amazing feeling being able to finally communicate with your child.

She is such a sweetie pie, and will give 'squeezers' and kisses, even 'nose kisses' and 'fishy kisses' out to those she loves and feels comfortable with.

She is 'short and stout' and already wearing size 3, sometimes 4 clothing. She is a great eater, always has been, still sleeps fairly well ( the renos and moving houses have put a kink in her night sleeps, but we will forgive her for that- she still just a babe and has troubles sleeping in other's houses/beds).

She loves to be outside, going for walks and playing at the park, and also loves her quiet time snuggled up with her blankies and soothers.

She loves to read, loves to colour and really just get her hands on anything.

I could write pages and pages of my sweet little thing, but the I wouldn't have the time to soak up all that is her on this very special day.

Thank you to those who have supported us as parents, and her as a growing little person. It takes a village to raise a child.

So Sorry for the delay, but so many things have gotten in the way...

FAQ ( Frequently Asked Question)


Are you on budget?
No! Aren't all renovations over budget? I am actually surprised with how good we have been trying to stick to our budget, but some things just come up and you have to go for them!  Eg. built in vacuums, new sewer lines...


When are you moving back in?

It feels like never! Every week I get a different story! I am really hoping for the first couple of weeks in November.  We are way behind our schedule. Way behind.

Are you happy?

The house is gorgeous!! I can't even explain my excitement to have what we are going to have. a kitchen eating area, a basement, a closet, two bathrooms.... the list goes on and on! The real excitement is taking those walls of a house, and turning them into our home, creating a place for a lifetime of memory making.


Where are you living?

Still with my Mom and step dad. They have been amazingly gracious in letting the 3 of us crash their lifestyle for a couple of months!

 Wowsas! Look at the house before! We will be painting and trimming the same colours-ish!You can see the wood below on the new house, where the old house was!

WELCOME
Crosby Jack Bransfield
He is cute as a button and being the best baby for my dear friend Katie.

Congratulations! Luv you already!

Week 10

Life this week ( because lately it changes... alot)

Thank you for your well wishes. You must have sent positive energy my way, because things are starting to look up. I have accepted the fact that the house is going to take longer than I want and had planned for. C'est la vie. It will be so worth it in the end. I owe my Mom the world right now for taking us into her home, with open arms, indefinately.
On the work front, our numbers switched and I went from a dreaded 4/5 split to a straight four ( same as last year). It is going to make a world of difference, especially right now with our chaotic lives.

Annie has transtioned fairly well this week. I wish I could say she missed me this week, but I doubt she did.
She refused to nap at thte first day of daycare, the first time in her existence. This better not be a new thing.

Got to go for a bike ride last night for the first time since the begining of August. Wonderful to be on the trails and connecting back in with some of the ladies. Even snuck in some beer and nachos after.

We got laptops a work now. So no more fighting over our laptop at home. YIPPEE. But will we have time to surf and post once the unpacing and cleaning and organizing begins?!

I think its safe to say I have about a month till I'm home. Home sweet home.

it was only Fair

We took a much deserved break from the house, and went to the Armstron Fair ( I.P.E.).
We knew Annie would love it, but she LOVED it. She loves animals, and tractors and treats. It was heaven for her. She was SO well behaved, and we had such a nice family day ( minus the drive where we bickered about renos and money).

Here are a few pics of  us turkeys, as well as a turkey we saw, having bad hair days.

Week 9 

because it made me smile

I'm having one of THOSE days.
I feel like bursting into tears over everything, every 5 minutes.
I'm tired. Overwhelmed. Underwhelmed.
I feel like a bad parent. I feel lazy. I feel fat. I feel out of the loop from my friends this summer. I feel like I don't even know where to begin when looking at my house or my classroom or even the pimple laying right on the tip of my nose.
Retail therapy helped for about an hour yesterday, then I stepped out of the mall, into the real world. And realized I didn't have that money to spend.
The sad part is I don't even want to do anything about it, except sleep. and hide. and cry.

Stairway to Heaven

The stairs are in, and are absolutely amazing. I got goosebumps and near tears when I walked in and saw them/walked them for the first time.

The stairs on the left ( looks likea black hole) go into our basement... access we have never had before. We will put our old original front door ( circa. 1940) there and put our washer/dryer, deep freeze, cold storage, etc. downstairs. 

The stairs on the right lead to our oasis upstairs. There is a quaint little landing with a window and ledge beneath ( for books, plants... yay!). I purchased a really cool rod- iron -looking chandelier for this space, but I'm thinking it may be too big and may be suited better for our master bedroom. 

Once upstairs, you will be able to look down to a portion of the new living room space. 

I jsut can't WAIT. 

I am so home-sick, and today is the first ime we went there and it felt like it was all coming together. Starting to feel like a home again. 

OH YAH.... forgot.... the majority of the roof is now on.... so,

RAIN AWAY Rain Gods. Put out those fires!

3 Years of Wedded Bliss

... I remember the day like it was yesterday.

The stress and excitement leading up to it, the nervousness during, the love ever since.

Happy anniversary honey. I love you to bits and pieces.