life as we know it

A long awaited update...

2011-07-05T20:47:00.004-06:00

It's been quite a while since I last posted, but it was for good reason. You see, I forgot my password and username for my blogger account. How silly?!

A lot has happened since Caleb's first birthday. He has been busy growing and entering toddlerhood with force. He started walking at 15 months. He is thriving at daycare! He loves his sitter and I love leaving him there, although I would like to be at home with him. However, financially it's just not a possibility.

In April we went to Saskatoon for a neurologist appointment for Caleb. While we didn't get a definitive diagnosis regarding Caleb's seizures, we were told he most likely has epilepsy. At this point we do not have to give him medication, but if he has another seizure we will have to. Praise the Lord he has been seizure free since Christmas!

Most recently, Caleb started wearing glasses. It's only been 5.5 days and he's doing really well keeping them on. We first noticed that Caleb's left eye was turning in around the time he was 10 months old. I waited and waited for a referral to the eye specialist but never got one. In May, while at my eye appointment, I mentioned to my optometrist about Caleb's eye. He told me to just make an appointment for Caleb with him. We got in much quicker and now we're on the road to, hopefully, correcting Caleb's vision. He's quite farsighted and is slowly realizing that with his glasses on he can see better! We go back to the optometrist in 3 months to see if Caleb has made any progress.

Happy Birthday

2011-02-11T13:59:00.004-06:00

Dear Caleb,

Today you are 1! We made it through the sleepless nights (and there were many because somebody didn't know when daytime or nighttime was), and now you're sleeping through the night. You are a bundle of energy, making me laugh constantly throughout the day. Right from the start, you knew what you wanted and weren't (and still aren't) afraid to let your daddy or I know.

You have taught me how to love in a way I didn't know existed. My love for you runs so deep! I know understand the saying "there's nothing like a mother's love". You bring so much joy and happiness to our family. I love your little smile and how your eyes dance when you smile.

We have seen you grow from this helpless babe to an (almost) independent toddler. I get so excited for you when you learn how to do something new! I love how proud you get of yourself when you finally master something. The day you learned how to crawl, I don't think I've ever seen you smile so big! The world just got bigger to you. You are now working on the next big milestone...walking. I can't wait to see you take your first steps all by yourself.

I'm looking forward to seeing what this next year will bring, the things you'll accomplish and what you will teach us.

Happy 1st Birthday Monkey!

Love,
Mommy1 day old

1 year old

Picture update

2010-11-12T10:25:00.004-06:00

It just dawned on me that I haven't posted any pictures from our trip to Ontario. They're on facebook, but because blogger is sometimes...well most times, a pain when trying to download pictures I've procrastinated. Anyway, here is a smattering of pictures from our wonderful visit with my family.

Four generations!

Great-Grandma and Caleb

Our little sock monkey

Thanks!

2010-11-08T13:49:00.002-06:00

Thanks to all of you who left comments on my last post. Thank you to those who reminded me that this is a good place to record the memories that are being made here daily. Especially with my little monkey, Caleb. I know I'm not very good at leaving comments on the blogs I read and for that I apologize...I'm a google reader user.

I realized, after writing the last post, was that I was looking for some sort of recognition. Kind of shallow, isn't it? But I need to remember that I'm writing this blog for myself, my husband and now for my little man, Caleb. I'm going to keep this blog running as a record of Caleb's life. AND most of all, I'm not going to go looking for comments!

Thanks again ladies!

Is it worth it?

2010-11-06T21:03:00.002-06:00

I've been wondering for a while now if I should continue with this blog. Does anyone read it anymore? It's not that I'm looking for comments, but it would be nice to know that my blog is being read. I know I don't post that often, so please don't leave!

Please leave me a comment if you're still reading ;)

Wow! It's an update!

2010-10-20T11:02:00.003-06:00

This blog o'mine is just not getting the attention is wants lately. It could be that I've been a bit preoccupied with a busy little guy, facebook and life. I'm not going to apologize for the lack of posts, as this blog isn't the most important thing in my life. A lot has happened since I last posted. Since my last post Caleb successfully started sitting for long periods of time (where I don't have to have pillows surrounding him as he figured out how to keep his balance). He has been eating like crazy. This boy loves his food! He also loves trying to feed himself now, which is making meal times fun! While we were in Ontario visiting my family, Caleb discovered how to get up on all fours. It's really quite cute watching him rock back and forth and seeing the determination on his face. It's like he's saying "ok, I've got this figured out, now why can't I move!"

We travelled to Winnipeg for the Labour Day weekend to visit Mike's family. Caleb did really well in the car until the last hour when very loudly proclaimed his displeasure about being in the car. We had a great time there. It's always great to see family. We went the Winnipeg zoo the day before we came back and that's when Caleb had a seizure. It was a pretty scary situation. One that I hope to NEVER repeat. Praise the Lord, he hasn't had another one. But it's been nothing but doctors appointments and tests for the little guy. He's such a trooper and seems to be taking it all in stride.

The beginning of October, we flew to Ontario. Caleb did really well on the plane. He was charming the flight attendants and they were quite taken by him. We were there for my youngest sister's wedding and to visit family. None of them had met Caleb yet. Kim & Bruce's wedding day was very beautiful. We couldn't have asked for better weather. AND the leaves in the fall are gorgeous! It's been a long time since I last saw an Ontario autumn. We had such a great time visiting my sisters and mom. I also spent some quality time with my grandma. It was neat to see her and Caleb interact. Caleb was quite taken with his great grandma and vice versa. My mom was thrilled to finally meet Caleb. Poor Caleb had a camera always pointed at him.

We are now home and it's really nice to get back into our routine. I will post some pictures in another post...I may do that today or not. But they are coming.

A world of discoveries

2010-08-17T21:04:00.004-06:00

Caleb is now 6 months old, half way to being 1! He is turning into quite the little man. He smiles all the time, talks non-stop, and isn't afraid to let us know when he's bored or had enough of whatever he's doing. He's rolling ALL. OVER. THE. PLACE. I never know where he may end up. Most times the couch or recliner gets in his way and he will protest quite loudly his displeasure. He's sitting up for a few minutes at a time now and seems quite pleased with himself when he realizes he's doing all by himself. We're introducing more and more solids to his diet. So far he isn't a fan of peas, or mixed vegetables. He LOVES sweet potatoes and squash. He will happily eat bananas, apples and peaches if they are mixed with oat cereal. It takes a lot of coaxing to get him to eat fruit by itself. Caleb got to meet his Aunty Dags. She was in Regina visiting for a few days. She's off to Costa Rica! Will miss you Dags!
Mike has started new hours at work. We're not impressed that his hours have changed and it looks like there will be this way permanently. These new hours don't leave Mike a lot of time to spend with Caleb during the week. That being said, I'm SO thankful he doesn't work shift work.

An update....finally

2010-07-07T15:26:00.004-06:00

I realize I haven't posted in a while, but life has been busy since Caleb entered our world. When I do have time to blog, I find myself either doing stuff around the house or relaxing/napping. I don't know how many of you check in here anymore...sorry for the lack of updates on our little family. So, please bear with me as I try to update more often. I've had many ideas for posts floating around in this head of mine, but they never get written. I seem to come up with the best ones while I am trying to fall asleep (I really should keep a notebook beside my bed). Anyway, I can't promise that I will be more diligent at writing on this here blog o'mine.

Caleb is growing like crazy! Hard to believe that just a mere 5 months ago he entered my world and changed it completely. He is such a smiley boy! His smiles make my heart melt. Just recently, he figured out how to roll from his back to tummy. I know that most babies learn how to roll from tummy to back, but I guess my little man decided to do things that aren't the norm. He has discovered a love for the jolly jumper. He will squeal with delight while jumping. It's really cute watching him in it. Who needs TV when you have Caleb? It's very entertaining watching him discover things and how to do things.
We have recently introduced rice cereal to him and he LOVES it! He gobbles it right up. I plan on introducing other foods to him in a couple of weeks. It should be interesting. He will not take a bottle and while that makes it hard for me to enjoy more than 3 hours away from him, I feel very blessed to be able to nurse my little boy. The little moments we have together leave me feeling very enriched. He sure loves his momma! Over the past few weeks, he has discovered that daddy is a pretty cool guy. He smiles for daddy when he arrives home from work and will giggle for him too. I love seeing the bond that is beginning to form between father and son. I look forward to seeing that continue to grow as Caleb gets older.
We have in recent weeks had an issue with Caleb not going down for naps. It was getting to the point where I thought I was going to lose my mind! I am not a huge fan of the "cry-it-out" method, but when desperate times call for desperate measures you gotta do what you can. We have now entered a time where he is recognizing that napping is actually a good thing and is going down much easier.

Mike and I haven't had any time for just the two of us since Caleb was born. A date is long overdue! We hope to remedy that soon since Caleb is now in bed for the night anytime between 8 and 8:30. Two of my girlfriends have offered to come watch Caleb for us so we can enjoy an evening out this Friday. We will most likely take them up on the offer. Our last date was on our anniversary 2 weeks before Caleb and it was just a dinner out since I wasn't feeling the greatest.

That should get you all up to speed with what's been happening around this household.

3 months

2010-05-11T09:38:00.003-06:00

Today, you're 3 months old.
You have brought so much into your daddy's and my life in such a small amount of time. We are so thankful that God chose us to be your parents. You are a such a happy boy, regaling us with your toothless grins. We love hearing you trying so hard to get that laugh out. It makes my heart swell. You've figured out how to fall asleep on your own, which makes mommy & daddy happy. You are now sleeping through the night, waking up around 4 or 5 am for a quick feed. You are a very loved little man!
Happy 3 months!!

Love, Mommy

Blessings

2010-04-26T13:21:00.004-06:00

I was planning on posting about Caleb when was 2 months old. He's now 2 1/2 months old. Crazy how time flies! Life with Caleb is sure different. I love being his mom. I love the tender moments we have while I'm nursing him. He will often smile at me before he begins to eat. He is such a happy little guy for which we're quite thankful. He was colicky for a few weeks, therefore he was not always happy. He is beginning to show signs of his personality. He smiles a lot and is starting to "laugh". It's great to see him smile and coo at the simplest things (like the mobile on his infant seat). We think he is going to be a hockey fan. We've been watching some of the playoff games and have noticed how intently Caleb is watching the TV. While the game is on we don't hear a peep out of him! He's definitely a Canadian boy! ;) We are officially going to Ontario in October. I booked our flights last week and am very thankful to Westjet for having an awesome seat sale. My youngest sister is getting married Thanksgiving weekend. It will be great to finally see my family again. It's been way too long since we saw everyone. This will be also a time for Caleb to meet his Grandma, aunts, uncle (and uncle-to-be) and cousins.

I leave you with some recent pictures of Caleb.

Stolen Love

2010-04-01T09:50:00.006-06:00

This little man has stolen my heart. He is such a joy in our lives. He's really starting to smile now (although most of them are provoked by tickling his neck and chin). He is (for the most part) a very happy baby. I didn't know it was possible to love someone so much.
He loves to lie on the floor and kick his legs. In fact, I don't think he stops moving unless he's in a deep sleep. He makes the cutest noises ALL. THE. TIME. (eating, sleeping, playing) He is beginning to love his swing, I know this because he has fallen asleep in it.
He is definitely our little miracle!

One Month

2010-03-12T11:12:00.002-06:00

My little man is (as of yesterday) one month old! I can't believe that he's been in our lives for that long already. I can not imagine life without him now. He's been a pretty good baby...except for some colic, we've adjusted quite nice. He's changed so much in the past month, losing his newborn look and getting cuter by the minute!

2010-02-19T17:44:00.003-06:00

Caleb has arrived!!

2010-02-14T19:01:00.004-06:00

Caleb John Friesen arrived 17 days early on February 11th, 2010. We are very excited to have our little man finally with us. He has brought so much to our lives already, it completely blows me away.
Wednesday night I was feeling really uncomfortable, but wasn't thinking that I would have my little guy the next day. I didn't think it was the beginning of labour. I went to bed, slept uncomfortably and woke up at 2:50am with really bad back pain. So, I stood up and that's when my water broke (or so I thought...I actually thought I peed myself at first). I woke Mike up and we started to time the contractions. They were very irregular, so we weren't really sure what we should do. I decided to call Labour & Delivery and see what they would recommend. The nurse told me that if I wasn't 3-4 cm dilated, they would send my home. The contractions were getting stronger, so we decided to head to the hospital. We arrived around 4 am and headed up to Labour & Delivery where it turned out that I was 3 cm dilated. Around 6am, we called Jen, our Doula (who by the way is absolutely an amazing Doula) Labour progressed steadily throughout the day. I am pretty darn proud of myself that I only had a shot of morphine to take the edge off the pain. Around 2 or 3pm, I was fully dilated and FINALLY allowed to push. I began to push and push and push and push and push...after about 1 hour, my doctor didn't think I was going to be able to push him out. I was given the option of forceps and the vacuum or a c-section. By this time, I had nothing left in me to push anymore and it was guaranteed that Caleb would come out. We opted for the c-section.
Caleb was born at 6:11pm Thursday, February 11th, 2010. He weighed 7lbs, 5oz and measured 20 inches long.

We are so blessed to have Caleb join our family. My heart swells every time I look into those beautiful eyes of his (well, when they're open) or look at his sweet little face.

36 days

2010-01-19T17:13:00.005-06:00

I stayed home from work today, I didn't want to but I woke up this morning with a very sore back. I couldn't stand up straight for a bit! It's much better now, thanks to the back massage device we have and a nice warm shower. The pain I've had has also made me feel kind of nauseous. I had a feeling that today would be a bit rough as yesterday I was feeling a LOT of pressure in my pelvic region. Baby has definitely dropped, so I'm breathing better. But as I have discovered throughout this pregnancy one positive thing brings a "negative" thing (please don't think I mean the "negative" as being bad...just an uncomfortable thing).

We're pretty much ready for baby to come, but not too soon. The room is ready, the car seat will be installed this weekend, I hope. We need to buy a few items still, like diapers, wipes, etc. Also, I'm on the hunt for a cute outfit to bring baby home from the hospital in. I didn't realize how difficult it is to find a gender neutral outfit that isn't a sleeper! We may just have to buy an outfit for a girl and one for a boy.

By the way, as the title says, only 36 days until baby is supposed to make his/her grand entrance into this world.

Ultrasound

2010-01-13T16:01:00.002-06:00

Here's an update on the ultrasound we had on Friday, January 8th. It was exciting to be able to see the baby again. What difference since our 20 week ultrasound! Baby is head down which is good. Everything is looking good and baby is healthy. According to the tech, baby is weighing approximately 5 lbs right now. I don't think I need to be worried that baby is going to be too small.

On another note, please pray that Mike and I would be able to find a bigger place to live within the next few months. We had an interview with a Co-op housing here in Regina last night. We're really hoping that they accept us and that something turns up soon. We're looking into a 3 bedroom townhouse...with rent being SO much cheaper than anywhere else! It would be great if we could get in there soon.

Long-awaited belly pics

2010-01-05T20:17:00.003-06:00

The pictures you all have been waiting for are here! I'm just about 33 weeks along in these pictures.

We're on the final leg of this journey....

2010-01-04T12:02:00.005-06:00

At my last appointment, my doctor seemed a little concerned that baby was too small. She noticed that I hadn't gained any weight in the 2 weeks since my last appointment and that I was measuring the same as before. She is sending my for an ultrasound this Friday to check the baby's size. I was upset about this at first because I thought that maybe I haven't been doing everything right. But I have since come to realize that Baby Friesen just may be a small baby. After all, I was only 5 lbs 9oz when I was born (I was full-term and healthy). So now I'm looking at this ultrasound as an opportunity to see the little monkey again before he/she makes their grand entrance into this world.

Baby is moving around so much that and I'm so enjoying that feeling. The heartbeat is good, and I'm feeling pretty good most days. It's getting incredibly harder to sleep comfortably at night what with leg cramps and indigestion. The recliner has come in handy for those nights that are really bad. Mike has been so wonderful through all this. He takes such great care of me. I love this man every more every day. He's going to be such a great daddy.

We have the baby room almost completed. There are just a few small things that need to be done. Since we don't know if we're having a boy or girl, decorating the room is a bit of a challenge. I'm wanting to go with chocolate brown & sage green colours for the room. That way I can easily add girly colours to it if we have a girl. If anyone has any suggestions I will gladly take them.

Belly pictures are coming soon! I promise. Oh. I have only 20 days left of work!!

Belly Picture Update

2009-10-25T17:10:00.003-06:00

It's been a while since I last posted a picture of my belly. I'm now 22 weeks & 4 days along in this pregnancy. I am feeling pretty good, can't really complain about anything. Baby is moving around a lot, which is a very exciting feeling! I love it. The movements are getting stronger and I'm feeling baby move more and more.

Anyway, here's the latest picture of my belly!

Baby Friesen

2009-10-09T20:57:00.004-06:00

Today was the day we finally got to "see" the baby and it was the most amazing experience ever! Baby was moving around a lot and kept trying to get his/her hand in his/her mouth. So cute!!

I leave you with some of the first pictures of Baby Friesen

Ultrasound...tomorrow

2009-10-08T13:20:00.003-06:00

Tomorrow is the big day! I'm so excited to finally "see" the little one growing inside me. I'm praying that everything will be okay with baby.
I've been feeling baby move around a lot lately. What a great feeling! I can't wait for Mike to be able to finally feel the baby move.
We don't plan on finding out what we're having, so I won't be sharing that news with you all. But you can all look forward to a picture or two being posted.

Until tomorrow...

Surprise!

2009-08-27T21:25:00.004-06:00

I'm pregnant!
I'm 14 weeks, 1 day into this pregnancy. So far, things have gone relatively well. I've experienced extreme exhaustion and some nauseousness.
We're very excited about this little blessing God has given us.

Just thought I would break my blog silence to announce this piece of exciting news.

Is this good-bye?

2009-04-17T14:11:00.003-06:00

For the past few weeks, I've been toying with the idea of shutting down my blog. It's been great to have a place to write down my thoughts, but as time has gone on, I've been writing less and less. I still haven't decided whether I will be gone for good or if I just need a break. There is a lot going on in my life right now that blogging has taken a back seat.
So, for the next while (I don't know how long), I may or may not post. I just thought I would let you (the 3 or 4 of you who stop by) know what has been going on with me. I'll still be around by way of comments I will leave on other blogs.

Until next time,
Kelle

An Interview with Jen

2009-02-21T13:26:00.005-06:00

A few days ago, I received these questions from Jen. She had been interviewed on her blog and I thought that it was neat idea. Besides, I needed to post, but I had no idea what to write about. So without further adieu, here are my answers. I hope you enjoy them!

1) Do you think Regina will be your long term home? Your families are both long distances away. Do you think you'd ever pick up and move to Winnipeg or Ontario?

I truly believe that Regina will be our home for many years. We both love it here. I don't think that Mike and I will ever move to Winnipeg or Ontario. There would have to be a very good reason for us to move to either place, besides our families. We have great friends here, a "family" that has adopted us as their own and a church that we like.

2) I know you and Tiffany are BFFs and two peas in a pod. What do you think it is that keeps you so close and do you remember what drew you to each other in the first place?

Tiffany is the friend that I have always wanted growing up. I honestly think that if we were born in the same year we might have been separated at birth! (hee hee). Anyway, what do I think that keeps us close? I believe that it because we are "kindred spirits" and that we have a lot of things in common. We started our friendship with being open and honest with each other. There's nothing I can't tell her and I know that it's the same with her. Our relationship began when I told her I could take her to the church for KD night (mid-week children's club). We were both volunteers at the time and I drove right past her building to get to church, so I thought it would be nice of me to do that. Turned out to be better than I thought! She's now my best friend and is more of the sister that I have always wanted (I have 2 sisters, but we don't have the type of relationship that Tiff and I have).

3) What's your favorite thing to do on a date with Mike?

I love staying in and cuddling on the couch while watching a movie. It's cheap and I can stay in my sweats (or pj's)!

4) I know you and Mike are hoping to have babies soon. Do you want a whole house full or do you think you'll be happy with one or two?

I have always wanted 2. However, at this point, considering that we are struggling with getting pregnant, I will be happy with one.

5) I know Jordan and I always dream about what we are going to do when the kids move out, when we retire, etc. Do you and Mike have any of those dreams, like spending a year in Italy or houseboating for months on end?

We haven't really talked about this much, but we both have always wanted to travel Europe. I am really hoping that we can make this happen some time.

If you would like to join in on the interview, follow these directions:

1. Leave me a comment saying, “Interview me”.
2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. I get to pick the questions.
3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions

My Love

2009-01-25T16:45:00.004-06:00

On Tuesday, I have the honour of being married to this wonderful man for 2 years. I know it's been only 2 years, but, seriously, it feels a lot longer (which by the way is a good thing). I have been greatly blessed to share my life with Mike. I am continually amazed at how well we "fit" together.
He is the most sensitive and caring man I could ever imagine. I am forever thankful that God decided to have our paths meet.
He is so supportive of me and has been right beside me through all my health issues this past year.
He has been and is my greatest encourager, keeping me going when I want to throw my hands up in the air and quit.
He gets me. He is always trying to understand me, which I know can be quite a feat somedays.
He is my best friend and lover.
And the thing I love about him the most. He has a great love for the Lord and is constantly striving to grow deeper in his walk with the Lord. Which in turn challenges me.

Happy Anniversary Babe!
I love you more today than I did 2 years ago!

Happy New Year! (7 days later...)

2009-01-07T20:56:00.005-06:00

Wow! A whole month without a post. It's not that I haven't wanted to write something, I've even sat here looking at a blank page and thinking about what to write...and yep! you guessed it...no post written. Christmas was great. We spent a wonderful 4 days with Mike's sister and her family. While we were there, we decorated cookies with the kids (as well as a gingerbread house), went tobaggoning (something I haven't done in literally years!) and mostly visited. New Years we spent with friends (thanks Dana & Susie for having us over!).

I successfully completed the elimination diet that my Naturopath put me on just in time to enjoy Christmas dinner and all that goes with it. It was hard at first to cut SO many foods out of my diet for 3 weeks, but it was definitely worth it. It's amazing how well I feel. I am pretty impressed with how well I controlled myself on not indulging in all the sweets and what not that go with Christmas. During the 3 weeks I lost 6 pounds (a NICE bonus!!), and I joined Curves. I have been slowly re-introducing the foods I eliminated back into my diet. I have discovered that a lot of the foods I eliminated I need to eat in moderation now. Dairy is a big issue, but that was no surprise as I am lactose intolerant. I go back to see my Naturopath this Friday, so we'll see where things go from there.

Hopefully this next thing won't be too much information, but I'm going to share it anyway. Most of you know that I struggle with having a regular cycle. I was excited to actually get it twice in a row, and I thought things are getting on track. However, as I sit here and write this I'm, once again, waiting for it to show up. According to my calculations I should have gotten it a couple days ago. And to stop everyone from asking I'm not pregnant...which makes me feel disappointed (again). I was reminded, again, that God is in control and that I need to trust Him. Isn't it funny how we always need to be reminded of that? So, from this point on, I'm going to do my best to remember that and not try to go about this all on my own. He knows what's best for me and I need to remember that.

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas...

2008-12-07T16:33:00.004-06:00

Our tree is up, the house decorated and fresh snow on the ground...now to finish Christmas shopping. I can't believe that it's only about 2 1/2 weeks away. This year we're heading to Beausejour, MB to spend Christmas with Mike's sister and her family. I'm looking forward to getting away for a few days.

In other news, I've made it through one week of the elimination diet and no coffee. I feel great! I'm amazed at how well I actually feel. I've also joined Curves and am excited to see how things go there.
Have a great Sunday!

The Big Day

2008-12-01T19:39:00.007-06:00

Friday was the big day. My appointment with a Naturopath. It was an hour and a half long. It was a very interesting and informative 1 1/2 hours. The thing I like about Naturopaths is they don't "chase symptoms", but rather find out what is causing the problem and stopping it there. She focused a lot on my liver, as she seemed to think that is where my problems may stem from (she came to this conclusion based on my answers to her questions). She put me on an hypoallergenic diet to determine what foods are triggering certain symptoms. I am not allowed to have any dairy, soy, wheat, sugar, coffee or corn for 3 weeks. After, the 3 weeks, I'll be challenging my body by re-introducing the eliminated foods. It's been an interesting few days as I've been trying to figure out what to eat. It's been a bit hard to not be able to just grab something from the cupboard to snack on. But, I'm not going to focus on what I can't have, but rather what I can, and keep reminding myself that this is going to help with figuring out things. I'm hoping that during these 3 weeks I'll lose some weight as well, which would be a bonus. The naturopath also out me on a Seed Oil Rotation for my cycle. I'm hoping that it does help with that. I see her again in January, so hopefully, I'll be seeing the results that I hope to get.

2008-11-13T17:22:00.004-06:00

I decided to go ahead and make an appointment with a Naturopath. The appointment is November 28th. I'm very excited about this appointment. Maybe, just maybe, I will get some answers and be put in the right direction to a better me.

Puzzled, Confused, etc

2008-11-06T08:55:00.003-06:00

I called my doctor's office yesterday to see if the results from my bloodwork were in. They were and according to the receptionist everything is normal. I'm a little confused and puzzled about that since my body seems to be telling me otherwise. However, as I thought about the results last night, I wondered if taking the Fertilaid supplements had something to do the results being normal, as Fertilaid is suppose to restore hormonal balance. At least I know there is nothing major wrong with me, but a part of me still wonders if there is actually something going on. I will be making another appointment soon to try and get some more answers. In the meantime, I'm going to continue to try and lose weight, exercise regularly and be VERY conscious of what I'm eating. Hopefully, I will get the results I'm looking for!

We're getting somewhere

2008-10-31T15:45:00.003-06:00

Today, my sister Leslie, turns 30! Happy 30th Birthday Leslie!

In other news, I'm still waiting for the rest of the results from my bloodwork. There were only 2 tests that I have received results for. My thyroid is fine and I'm not in menopause! Hopefully I will hear about the rest very soon.

An epiphany

2008-10-20T10:42:00.004-06:00

I did it. I finally made a doctor's appointment to figure out why my cycle is all crazy. What brought me to do this was on Friday while spending some time with God, I came across a passage in Job. Basically, it said that God is in control and that we need to trust that he knows what is absolutely best for us. You see I knew that, but I didn't fully know it in my heart. So, after spending some time crying out to Him, I now feel content and have peace about this whole not getting pregnant thing. I told God that if He doesn't bless us with a child, then He is going to have to take away this desire I have.

I was also talking to a dear friend on Friday and she reminded me that in order for God to bless us, we need to "prepare for rain". What that means is I have to do what I can in order for pregnancy to be possible. So, that brings me back to the first part of this post. On Wednesday of this week, I will go to my doctor and start the process of figuring out what's going on. I actually think it's a hormonal thing...something that can be fixed with a simple prescription. I'm praying that is the case.

Thankful

2008-10-11T10:06:00.006-06:00

There's something about celebrating Thanksgiving that gets me really thinking about what I'm thankful for. Some of these things are those which I tend to take for granted. So, I've decided to share a few of the things that I'm thankful for.

1. My family - I am so blessed to be a part of a wonderful family. I grew up in a family where both my parents loved (still love) Jesus. In seeing this, my sisters and I all came to know this love when we were just itty bitty. I was also blessed to have a grandmother who prayed and shared her love for Jesus with us. I love you guys!!!

2. My husband, Michael - I feel extremely blessed to share life with him. I'm very thankful that I listened to what God was telling me when I met Michael. I would have missed something so special and wonderful. I could not have asked for a better man to share my life with. He is my best friend, my partner in life, my strong shoulder(s), my lover. I love you Michael!!!

3. My wonderful friends - I have the best friends in the world. I truly believe that God places these people in your life just at the right time. My best friend, Tiffany is seriously one of my favourite people! She KNOWS me and still loves me for who I am. She also doesn't put up with my....um...crap. Love you Tiffy!!

4. My faith - as I shared in #1, I have been so blessed to have been given a chance to know Jesus. Life would have been so different if my parents didn't come to know Jesus. I am so thankful that I have a relationship with God. He is so much bigger than we can ever imagine! Thank you Jesus for loving me and for giving me so many blessings which I don't deserve.

So, there you have it, a small list of things I'm thankful for. What are you most thankful for this Thanksgiving weekend?

We're on the mend!

2008-09-29T09:39:00.002-06:00

My weigh in this morning brought a huge smile to my face! I have finally reached the 5 lb loss since starting WW! I actually said "thank you" to the scale! How crazy am I? I'm finally seeing some results!! Yay!!

I'm no longer feeling icky...the antibiotics are doing their magic (only today and tomorrow left to take them). Before I know it, I'll be feeling like myself again.

Since I've been not feeling well lately, I haven't been exercising, so tonight while watching Heros, I will be on the treadmill.

Have a great day!

Some answers

2008-09-23T18:07:00.005-06:00

So, it turns out that I have a bladder infection, which would explain why I've been feeling nauseous. However, I still have some unanswered questions. Those will have to wait until this infection is cleared up.

I've begun taking a herbal supplement, called Fertilaid. It's suppose to help women who have irregular periods and/or do not ovulate regularly. I'm really hoping that this will help increase our chances of getting pregnant. I'm not forgetting that God is in complete control, but He knows my heart and the ache I have to hold a baby in my arms.

It was kind of bittersweet today at work. Someone brought in the special cupcakes (there's a tradition in our office that if you are pregnant, you sneak in these cupcakes and the rest of the office guesses who it is). It was bittersweet because while I was/am happy for this woman, people kept asking if it was me, as they were trying to figure out who it was.

On a lighter note, I bought the new Karen Kingsbury book today. I'm looking forward, with some sadness, to reading the final book about the Baxter family.

We're getting somewhere...

2008-09-23T12:31:00.002-06:00

I was down another 1.1 lb. Yay!! Slowly, but surely, I'm getting there. In other news, I phoned my doctor today to see if the results from my bloodwork were in. I have an appointment to see her at 5pm today. Hopefully, I can get some answers and start on the road to feeling better. Thanks to all you for praying! It really means a lot to me.

More to come later!

Still frustrated

2008-09-21T13:07:00.006-06:00

I'm still feeling icky, but am getting better. I'm finally starting to feel more like myself again. I went to my doctor's appointment on Friday and told her how I've been feeling...she sent me for a pregnancy test. Sadly, I'm not pregnant. Hence, the frustration with how I feel. On top of how I've been feeling the past 2 1/2 weeks, I managed to get the cold my husband had! Lucky me! Anyway, my doctor then sent me for some blood work. I'll find out early next week what the results are. I'm hoping that something shows up because maybe it will explain the way I feel! And maybe, just maybe, I'll be able to get back on track with my weightloss. That has also been a source of frustration with me! At least I'm not gaining any weight! I'm starting to wonder if I may have a hormonal imbalance...which would make sense, since I haven't had a visit from dear Aunt Flo since July (she has a history of not visiting regularly). I just want some concrete answers! Is that too much to ask??

Life is moving along alright, Mike and I are doing well inspite of how we've been feeling. In the past couple weeks, both of us celebrated our birthdays. Mine on the 12th and his the 17th. Mike took me to a wonderful place to eat...The Diplomat Steakhouse. The best steak I have ever eaten! It was simply divine! He also bought me a birthday cake with the Disney princesses on them (I love anything Disney!). For his birthday, I took him to Luiggi's for some pasta (he would eat pasta all the time if he could). Both of us have never eaten there before. We will definitely go back again, the food was great.

I will keep you posted on the results

Another update (boring title, but I couldn't come up with anything creative)

2008-09-15T15:03:00.005-06:00

So, I weighed in this morning, and I was the same as last week. All in all a good week considering it's been filled with eating out and birthday cake.

I'm still not feeling myself which is very frustrating as I have no idea what's wrong! Arg!! I have a doctor's appointment this Friday, so hopefully I can get some answers then. I don't like feeling like this! I sometimes wonder if my mind is playing tricks on me, but then I feel crappy when I'm not even thinking about it.

Here's to hoping I get some answers!

Quick update

2008-09-08T09:46:00.002-06:00

I was down 1.6 pounds this morning for my weigh in! Yay me!!

I'm still in a bit of a funk, but doing better than I was on Friday!

I'm on an emotional rollercoaster...and it's not fun!!

2008-09-05T16:57:00.005-06:00

I'm not really sure where this post is going, but I feel the need to get somethings off my mind. I've been in a "funk" lately and I'm not sure why. My emotions are all over the place. Mostly, I'm "myself", normally happy, optimistic, cheerful, etc. However, the past few days, I've been feeling like something just might snap! Today, for example, I woke up excited about my day off. Now, it's been a great day at home relaxing, but I've snapped at my husband 3 times today! 3 times!! I feel absolutely terrible for that...because there was no reason for me to snap! We had to take our car into the shop again today (the stupid engine light came on again), so I had asked him if he could drop the car off and get them to take him to work. He looked at me and said, "it's not raining, couldn't you do and then walk home?" (Side note: we live a block away from the shop). I looked at him and said, "I thought you were going to do that?" and then I proceeded to say "FINE! I'll do it!!" In the end, he did take the car in. Anyway, the two other times I snapped had to with the same issue. We've been waiting all day to hear what was/is wrong with the car...so, I guess, since I have been frustrated with the wait, poor Mike got to hear me upset...again.
I feel so terrible for that, as normally, I wouldn't react that way. I'm usually pretty level-headed.
I've also been quite frustrated with my weight loss. I'm staying within my daily points and exercising (although I haven't been exercising every day). I'm not seeing the results that I would like. I've been on Weight Watchers since the beginning of July and I've only lost 3 lbs total. My clothes are fitting better, but I would like to see the weight coming off!! I'm getting to point of giving up, but I said that this time around I wasn't going to let discouragement get me! I'm going to keep at it. I KNOW I can do this!! I have an awesome support system (my wonderful husband). Without him, I probably would've given into discouragement and quit a month ago!
Here's to figuring things out!!

2008-07-25T14:45:00.002-06:00

Apparently, this is my 100th post...wow! I have nothing special planned to celebrate this "milestone"...however, I will inundate you all with what's be happening in my somewhat interesting life...actually it's more mediocre. ;)

There hasn't been too much happening here, just the same things day in and day out. Work, work and more work. I am looking forward to having a week off in August! It will be nice to just hang with Mike and do as we please. We're planning on heading up to Saskatoon for a night and head to Scott's Parables (since we don't have a Christian bookstore here anymore)...we're feeling out of the loop when it comes to Christian music and books and stuff.
The B12 is working like a charm...I'm feeling more like myself and that's great!
I've started Weight Watchers (again) and this time I'm determined to keep at it no matter what!! I am inspired by my college friend Amanda. She is looking absolutely fabulous and if she can lose that much weight, so can I, right? My husband has been a wonderful support with this journey I'm taking. He's doesn't tempt me with food that I should avoid...in fact, we rarely have any "junk" food in our house. Mostly because I'm trying to lose some weight and he's been working out. Veggies and fruit have become our mainstay...if I eat any more carrots, I may just turn orange!! ;)
It's been slow going with the weightloss, but I'm seeing results. I'm on the treadmill 6 days a week, for at least 30 mins. I'm pretty darn proud of myself for keeping this up (of course it does help that my wonderful husband gives me incentives)
Well, I think that's all for now...I will try and keep you all updated on the weightloss...my goal is to see how much I can lose in 3 months. Because one never knows what the future holds, right?
Have a wonderful weekend!!

Update

2008-06-19T12:49:00.003-06:00

Just a quick update on what's been going on with me. I had made a doctor's appointment for last Friday to figure out why I have been feeling "off". I had a physical the beginning of May, so I thought maybe something had turned up in my bloodwork. Turns out, I have a B12 deficiency, which would explain how I have been feeling. Anyway, I have to take B12 supplements along with Folic acid (as that was low too). I was hoping the reason I was feeling "off" was due to me being pregnant...not the case and that's ok. Hopefully, I will be soon ;) I am feeling so much better, thanks to the B12 supplements.

I'm losing my mind!!

2008-06-06T08:47:00.003-06:00

It seems that I have a theme going this week. Everyday after work, I drop my stuff off in our apartment, grab the mail key, check to make sure I have not locked the door, go get the mail and come back. Yesterday, however, the system didn't work! I locked the door and wouldn't you know that it was an evening where I had to be some where!! I NEVER lock myself out...I always double, no triple, check that I haven't locked the door when I go to check the mail. I had to call my dear, sweet husband at work to see if he would be able to come home early. Thankfully, he was abel to come home.

I'm not sure where my mind is these days...if I don't write something down, I will promptly forget. I've been feeling "off" lately and I can't quite put my finger on it as to why. Hopefully, I'll have some answers soon.

Anyway, I should get back to work, but I just wanted to share that little story with you readers (all 3 or 4 of you).

Coffee Break

2008-06-03T19:54:00.003-06:00

Yesterday afternoon myself and two co-workers sat out on the cafeteria balcony to enjoy the nice weather. We were sitting in an area that had more sun, so therefore we were farther away from the door to the cafeteria. What happened was we got locked out!! At 4pm the caf closes...however, there are 2 other doors that lead back inside from the balcony. Turns out that both of them were locked as well. It's a good thing that one of the ladies happened to have her cell phone on her. We called one of our co-workers to let us in, she came but she was unable to unlock the door. Since we had a fire in our building a couple weeks ago, the smokers are no longer allowed to smoke on the balcony, thus the door being locked from both sides. This wonderful co-worker called the maintenance man for us. Turns out he was on his way home for the day, but he told her that the commissionaire would be able to let us in. So, by the time he let us in our 20 minute coffee break turned into 45 minutes.

2008-05-30T17:27:00.002-06:00

Two posts in one day!? I know it's a bit shocking, but what are you going to do, hey? Anyway, I thought I would give you all a bit of an update on what's been happening here in the Friesen household. We went to Winnipeg Mother's day weekend to bury Mike's dad (we couldn't bury him as we had to wait until the ground thawed). It was good for Mike as he was able to have some closure with his dad's death. We were planning on visiting with his mom, but when we arrived at her house on Sunday, she did not answer the door. We thought this was weird as she knew we were coming and that we had planned to visit her. We left Winnipeg without seeing her and she has offered no reason for her not answering the door, other than this...she thought we would come see her on Saturday after the burial (which she did not attend). Needless, to say, my husband is not impressed and neither am I.
In spite of the reason we were there, we had a wonderful visit with Mike's sister, husband and their kids.
In other news, my job is continuing to go well. I'm learning lots and am finally feeling comfortable. What I mean, is that I finally feel like I know what I'm doing. I enjoy the people I work with. It makes coming to work every day a lot easier.
Last Friday night, my friend Tiffany and I got together as we do every Friday. We decided to make bread last Friday and what should have been a simple thing turned into an adventure. I'll add some pictures soon...we made a lot of bread! Thanks for the fun Tiffany!
I'm going to end this now...time to eat supper...mmm...chicken wings....

Spring

2008-05-30T11:27:00.005-06:00

I'm excited that spring has finally arrived here on the prairies! We've been experiencing some nice weather lately. Mike and I took full advantage of the nice day we had on Wednesday. We went for our first walk of the season around the beautiful Wascana Park. I also wanted an excuse to use our new camera. I'm hoping that we can make this a weekly thing, we'll see. Here are some of the pictures we took...Enjoy!

Life happens...

2008-04-21T20:04:00.003-06:00

I'm not going to apologize for not posting regularly on here. I do not always feel I have anything to post about and I'm sure you readers (what's left of you) care about the everyday stuff going on here with the Friesen's. However, I did think it was time for an update on what has been happening around here. I have been in my new job for almost 2 months now and I'm feeling slightly overwhelmed with all that I have to learn yet. It's a crazy amount of stuff!! I've barely scratched the surface and at this rate I'll never get it all figured out. Just as I do, the programs will change (the joys of working for Government). I LOVE that I have a permanent position now and I no longer have to worry about my term ending. Mike's job continues to go well, although he says that there are days where he thinks he's working in nursery (apparently there are some not-so-mature people that work there).
Mike and I have successfully gotten through the first year of marriage. I must say that this past year has been one of tremendous learning and adjustment. However, it has all been worth it. I'm married to the most caring and understanding man and he gets me!
I have discovered a new crafty thing that I LOVE!! I'll have to take some pictures and post them! I never thought I would like decoupage stuff, but while on a Women's Retreat a couple weekends ago, we were taught how to decoupage tiles. SO FUN!! I'll have to write about the Retreat in another post.
Now, to get back to Jon & Kate Plus 8!!

Bitter and Sweet

2008-02-07T21:14:00.000-06:00

Why does something almost always happen to our car when we go away? This past weekend we headed to Winnipeg for my father-in-law's funeral. The drive there was going great - the roads were awesome, the sun was shining and it wasn't -50 Degrees! Anyway, about halfway between Brandon and Portage la Prairie, we felt something rumbling...turns out we had a flat tire! So, we pull over to put the spare on, which takes us about an hour to do. Do you know that not one person pulled over to see if we needed some help? So much for "friendly Manitoba"! We were very happy that Wal Mart was open late. We got 2 new tires put on and about an hour later we left Portage. We finally got to my sister-in-law's place about 930pm! Only about 3 hours behind schedule. However, we are very thankful that God was watching out for us...the tire could've blown and we might have spun off the road. In spite of being there for the funeral, it was nice to see family again, and to finally meet other members of my husband's family.

Most of you know that I applied for a permanent position with the provincial government. When we left for Winnipeg, I still hadn't heard anything about the job. However, when I went back to work on Wednesday, there was a wonderful email waiting for me. I GOT THE JOB!!! YAY!!! I don't know what my start date is yet, but I should know within the next day or so. I'm so happy as this means I never have to worry about another term ending and if I'll be able to get another one.

Anniversary

2008-01-28T09:07:00.001-06:00

Yesterday, my husband and I celebrated our 1st anniversary. We headed out to Moose Jaw on Saturday and spent the night at the Days Inn. We wanted to do something special for this milestone. The room was absolutely amazing, as was the customer service. We booked the "Romance Suite" - it included a jacuzzi tub, a king size bed, a complimentary bottle of wine (yum!). It was wonderful to be able to get away...even if it was just for the night.

I have the most amazing husband...he is so sweet and wonderful. He puts up with me and all my quirks. He is so perfect for me!! It's hard to believe that I have been married to this amazing man for a year already! I'm looking forward to next 50 plus years with him. He is my soulmate, my best friend and most of all he is a follower of Jesus.

I love you babe!!

Interview!

2008-01-18T09:39:00.000-06:00

I'm so excited!! I just received a phone call from the PSC (public service commission) asking me if I would like to come in for an interview. I just wrote a prescreening test for this job and I must have done well on it!! I'm super excited!! This is the first permanent position I have applied for that I have been contacted about. So, I'm asking for your prayers. My interview is Tuesday, January 22 at 1pm. Thanks in advance for the prayers!!

7 Weird and/or Random Things About Me

2008-01-17T21:06:00.000-06:00

Ok, so I was tagged by 2 people, thanks Jinny and Tara R
So, here goes...

Here are the rules:
1. Link to the person’s blog who tagged you.
2. Post these rules on your blog.
3. List seven random and/or weird facts about yourself.
4. Tag random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.
5. Let each person know that they have been tagged by posting a comment on their blog

1. I can not go to sleep knowing that there may be a drawer or door open! I will lay thinking about it and finally have to get up out of my nice cozy bed to check and make sure they are all closed!
2. Ok, so this one goes with my anal-retentiveness. All our CD's and DVD's are in alphabetical order. Did you know that you can find what you're looking for much easier that way? I used to have them all alphabetically by genre, but my husband thought that was too much ;)

3. My socks have to match my outfit. Enough said.

4. I have a fear of huge bridges. I get all sweaty and panicky when I have to go over one. I actually have to close my eyes real tight (so tight that I see "stars") until we have crossed it.

5. I have a space between my big toe and the one next to it. They don't really touch each other.

6. I love playing video games. Since there has been no new episodes on tv at night (thanks to the writer's strike), I've been playing more.

7. I have to have balance. What I mean is, again relating to my analness, things in my home have to balance each other. For example, each end table matches the other. I know I'm a little crazy, but that is what keeps me sane! ha ha

I tag Wanda, Angela, Amanda F, and Kelly D.

2008-01-08T22:02:00.000-06:00

I saw this on Wanda's blog and thought I would answer the questions and post it here.

1. Were you named after anyone?
Nope.

2. When was the last time you cried?
today

3. Do you like your handwriting?
sure do

4. What is your favourite lunch meat?
turkey, ham

5. Do you have kids?
nope, but hope to someday

6. If you were another person would you be friends with you?
yep

7. Do you use sarcasm a lot?
a little too much

8. Do you still have your tonsils?
yes

9. Would you bungee jump?
not on your life!!

10. What is your favourite cereal?
does oatmeal count?

11. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off?
I don't wear shoes I have to tie if I can help it. I'm too lazy!!

12. Do you think you are strong?
sometimes

13. What is you favourite ice cream?
Heavenly hash...I love it, but unfortunately my stomach disagrees with me!)

14. What is the first thing you notice about people?
their eyes

15. Red or pink?
both

16. What is the thing that you like least about yourself?
I'm not really sure, there are a few things...

17. Who do you miss the most?
my dad (he died when I was in grade 12)

18. Do you want everyone to send this back to you?
it doesn't matter

19. What colour pants and shoes are you wearing?
I'm currently wearing my pj's (red flannel with penguins on them) and I'm barefoot

20. Have you ever re-gifted?
yep.

21. What are listening to right now?
my husband watching wrestling...on a dvd!!

22. If you were a crayon, what colour would you be?
purple (it's my favourite colour)

23. Favourite smells?
freshly baked bread...it reminds me of my grandma (she always had fresh bread when we visited)

24. Who was the last person you talked to on the phone?
my hubby

25. Do you like the person who sent this to you?
I like the person I stole this from (she didn't exactly send this to me!)

26. Favourite sports to watch?
If I had to choose, hockey

27. Hair colour?
dark brown

28. Eye colour?
dark brown

29. Do you wear contacts?
on occassion

30. Favourite food?
I love potatoes, nachos, popcorn...it's hard to narrow it down right now, since I'm hungry and should get something to eat for supper

31. Scary movies or happy endings?
depends on my mood

32. Last movie you watched?
The Simpsons Movie (I was surprised by how funny it was)

33. What colour shirt are you wearing?
red flannel pj top with penguins on it

34. Summer or winter?
why is spring or fall an option??

35. Hugs or kisses?
depends on who is giving them ;) hee hee

36. Favourite dessert?
if I had to choose, then it would be apple crisp

37. Most likely to respond?
I have no idea

38. Least likely to respond?
again, I have no idea

39. What book are reading now?
Persuasion by Jane Austen

40. What is on your mouse pad?
sunflowers

41. What did you watch on TV last night?
I didn't watch TV, my hubby was watching a wrestling dvd...about Hulk Hogan

42. Favourite sound?
silence (after a busy day at work) ha ha

43. Rolling Stones or Beatles?
Beatles!

44. What is the furthest you have been from home?
Victoria, BC.

45. Do you have a special talent?
not that I want to reveal here! (hee hee)

46. Where you born?
Peterborough, Ontario

47. Whose answers are you looking forward to getting back?
It will be interesting to see if anyone actually reads my blog anymore. I look forward to seeing if anyone will do this quiz.

Girls Gone Wild??

2007-10-27T09:59:00.000-06:00

The Women's Ministry team organized a "Girls Friday Night Out" last night. We went to a movie and out for coffee afterwards. We saw "Hairspray" and I have to say that is one of the funniest movies I've seen in a long time. The sight of John Travolta in a fat suit AND in drag was hilarious!! If you want to see a good chick flick, this is the one! I loved it!! This night was great and just what I needed, and it ended on quite the interesting note. The evening began with me picking my best friend Tiffany up and a new friend Susie (she just moved from BC). After the movie we went to Kelsey's...awesome nachos!! So, as we're driving down Albert St, I noticed the police has set up a spot check. I pulled in and did as the policeman said. I handed him my licence and registration, not thinking anything of it. The policeman looks at me and says "Ma'am, your licence is expired." I said "it can't be, I'm sure I renewed it! Maybe I threw away the new one". He had to make a call in to check if I did renew my licence. Turns out I have been driving a whole month with an expired licence! I called Mike and found out he hadn't renewed his either. The lovely police officer gave me a ticket (the first one I've ever had!!) for driving without a valid licence. Brian, Tiffany's husband, came to pick her up and Susie drove me and my car home. It was quite the ending to a great night. Can we say "Girls Gone Wild"?!

Where is the summer going?

2007-08-14T16:45:00.000-06:00

Once again, it's been quite awhile since I last posted...almost 2 months!! Craziness!! Nothing too exciting has happened this summer so far. I've been busy at work, we've actually been putting in some overtime for the past few weeks and it looks like it will continue until the end of September. It's starting to take it's toll on me, 10 hour days are not fun, but I'm enjoying the extra bit of cash on my pay cheque (which is helping finance our trip to Ontario).
Speaking of which, we leave August 25th and that day CANNOT come soon enough. It will be so nice to see my family again and meet my niece for the first time. It will be nice to not have to think of work for 2 weeks. We're also looking forward to spending a couple days with Mike's family in Winnipeg (we'll be stopping there on our way to Ontario).
I'll be sure to post some pictures of our trip when we get back. We're hoping to get to Niagara Falls while in Ontario as Mike has never been there before. We'll also be visiting my grandma, and I want to take Mike to some of my favourite places as a kid. I'm also looking forward to going to the Toronto Zoo with my whole family (my mom, both my sisters, bro-in-law and my nephew & niece). I'm really hoping and praying that our trip this year will be much better than last year (no car issues!)

2007-06-16T15:54:00.000-06:00

Mike and I at my friend Lisa's wedding last Saturday. It also shows off my new look - no glasses!!

A long awaited post??

2007-05-30T21:11:00.000-06:00

I just realized that I haven't posted for over a month! There really hasn't been much happening for me to write about. Life is good and moving along quite nicely. Mike and I have been married for 4 months now and I can't imagine what life would be like without him!
Mike and I are planning on going to visit my family in Ontario the end of August (we're hoping that it won't be quite as humid and hot there then). It always amazes me how climatized I've become to Saskatchewan weather and how my body seems to go into some sort of shock when I'm in Ontario (and I grew up with Ontario weather!!). What a difference in weather!
Anyway, here are some little updates for you. I finally got contacts again (after 4 years without). They're much better this time around. I can actually wear them to work without my eyes feeling like they're going to fall out because of being so dry. I love them!! Last Wednesday my husband baked for the very first time! He made banana chocolate chip muffins. AND I must say they were amazing! He was so proud of himself (I was proud of him too!). I did have to help him with a couple of things, but beside that he did it himself. Who knows what he'll decide to do next?!
I'll have to post a picture of me with my contacts and my new haircut (hopefully within the next few days).
Wedding season has begun. I will be attending the first of 3 bridal showers on Friday, followed by another on Saturday. June is looking very busy. We have 2 weddings to attend (one June 9th and the other June 30th, followed by one July 7th). I'm just glad I get to sit and enjoy them. I'm done with planning weddings and all that stuff!
That's all for now! Hope everyone is having a great week!

5 Questions

2007-04-23T20:46:00.000-06:00

As seen on other blogs that I read quite regularly, I thought I would follow suit and ask the dear Amanda to ask me 5 questions. I always love finding out new things about others, so I will reciprocate.

1. What has been the most drastic change to your life since becoming married?

I wouldn't say there has been a drastic change since I've been married, however there have been many changes. The first being that I need to remember to ask if Mike wants to go somewhere or do something before I just go ahead and make the decision. Before I would just do what I wanted to whenever I wanted. Another change has to be that he's always there! Now, this isn't a bad thing, but I have to make time for myself.

2. What is the greatest lesson you've learned from you parents?

Communication. My parents were always communicating with each other. I don't just mean that they were engaged in conversation, they talked to each other and agreed upon how to raise my sisters and I. They never argued in front of us. Their love for each other flowed into their desire to keep the other happy. My parents also had a deep love for Jesus and instilled that in me. This is something Mike and I both want in our marriage. We want Jesus to be the centre. My mom said at our wedding that her prayer for us is that Jesus would be the third person in our relationship.

3. If you could fix one thing you see wrong in society, what would it be?

Hmmm...interesting question...there are many things about society that I would love to fix. However, I would love to see more places for people to get a nice warm meal and place to sleep. I see way to many people out on the street (especially since I work downtown). We do have a great place here in Regina, Soul's Harbour Rescue Mission but they can only hold so many and it's also program-oriented.

4. Do you prefer pork or chicken?

Chicken. Hands down. Although, I do enjoy a nicely bbq'd pork chop, given the choice I will always chose chicken.

5. What type of cuisine would you like to be a gourmet chef in?

It would have to be Italian. I love pasta. I'm always looking for new ways to do pasta or coming up with my own recipe.

If you found this to be something you would like to do, then follow these directions:

1. Leave me a comment saying "interview me"
2. I will respond by sending you an email with 5 questions that I have decided on.
3. You will then update your blog with your answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanations and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

Addicted?

2007-04-21T13:47:00.000-06:00

So, I signed up for Facebook about a week or so ago, not knowing what it was. I received an email from my dear friend Kelly regarding Facebook. It turns out to be a site where you can find friends, some that you have seen or spoken to in years! Quite an amazing idea, I think. I can almost say that I'm addicted to it. It blows me away that I can see what my friends are doing and who their friends are. I sort of feel like a stalker.
If you haven't checked it out, you should, it's a pretty good site.

Easter

2007-04-09T14:58:00.000-06:00

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter. Ours was pretty good. We went to Winnipeg to visit with Mike's family. We were somewhat apprehensive going there as we weren't sure what to expect. Mike's dad is in a care home and there are some things going on between his mom and his sister.
We left Regina Thursday after work and arrived at his sister's house around 130am. It was a long drive, but no complaints as the weather was very cooperative. Friday we slept in a bit, but the kids woke us up early, oh well. On Friday afternoon we went to see Mike's dad with his sister, her husband and their children at the care home. His memory was off that day, so he didn't know Mike right away. It was sad to see him in that state, and I know it was hard on Mike as being there drudged up memories from his childhood (the not-so-good ones). It was also hard for him to see his dad helpless too. For those of you who don't know, Mike's dad has Parkinson's, dementia and diabetes. The visit with Peter (Mike's dad) went well overall. There were a lot of emotions stirring around in Mike after we left. We went to Smitty's for supper before leaving Winnipeg to go back to Gerri's (Mike's sister)house. Friday night, we watched the movie Flushed Away on TV, it is a really good movie. A lot of humour for the adults and the kids in it. I loved it! But then again, I usually love animated movies. We had a really good visit with Mike's sister and husband after the kids went to bed.
Saturday we headed back into Winnipeg to visit with Mike's mom. It was a very interesting visit. Again, overall, it was a good visit. There were many times I had to keep my mouth closed as I didn't agree with what she was saying in regards to Peter's care. I won't go into all the details here...it will take too long. We visited with her for a couple hours and then headed back to Gerri's house for Easter dinner (her husband's family was coming). It was great to meet some new people.
Yesterday morning the kids were up quite early as you know the Easter bunny had arrived. We watched as they went on their easter egg hunt and enjoyed the gifts he had left for them. There were quite excited as they searched the house for the eggs. They still hadn't found all the eggs yet when we were getting ready to leave for Regina.
I always hate when a good visit comes to an end and that exactly how I felt yesterday.
Mike and I had a wonderful drive back to Regina, once again the weather was very cooperative and I didn't drive once the entire 6 hours!! It was nice to sit back and enjoy the ride!

Blessings

2007-04-02T17:15:00.000-06:00

I thought it was high time I posted again...I haven't really had a whole lot to post about lately, hence the lack of posts. Anyway, life is moving along with all it's bumps and turns, but that's what makes the journey interesting, right? It's been really exciting and also a learning process living with someone who is not just a roommate. I love being married to Mike. We are completely perfect for each other. We're learning that we compliment each other (where I'm lacking, he has and vice versa). I can't imagine my life without him. He keeps me calm as I tend to be a bit excitable and loud among many other things he does.
Work is going alright, it really doesn't seem like we'll be slowing down anytime soon. Usually this time of year, we're all looking for work to do. This year, however, we don't have the staff to keep up with all the paper making it's way to our office. I'm not complaining though, as I'm just happy to still be employed (the joys of being a temp in Gov't). We received some great news today at work. Our union sent out a memo explaining that on our pay cheques in May we will be receiving a signing bonus and also our rate increase. Looks like the members voted in favour of the collective agreement! Yipee!! This is good news as Mike and I have been living pay cheque to pay cheque since we're still paying for our wedding. This "little" bonus will come in handy.
I'm once again reminded that God takes care of His children. EVERY time I begin to worry about money and how we'll pay the bills, rent, etc, I'm humbled by either a tangible thing (like today) or I will hear God saying "trust me". When I do, I'm blown away by his provision for us!!
Also, today in the mail I received a rebate cheque from SGI (car insurance). This is a nice surprise since it will come in handy as we are heading to Winnipeg for Easter to visit Mike's family.
Speaking of which, can I ask that you keep us in your prayers as we go to Winnipeg? We're heading into a situation that's not the greatest. I don't want to go into details on here, as I don't think Mike would like me, but I know he would appreciate the prayers. Thanks

I'm still here

2007-03-10T11:01:00.000-06:00

It's been a few weeks since I last posted anything and I thought it's time I get back at this blogging thing. Anyway, married life is wonderful...I'm enjoying the fact that I don't have to say goodnight to Mike as he leaves my place for the night anymore...I get to roll over in bed and say good night! Married life has definitely had it's adjustments, but it is well worth those adjustments.
Last night I started working on our Wedding scrapbook...I will take some pics of some of the pages when I complete them. I'm so excited to begin this as I love scrapbooking and been in need of a project. I'm SOOO sick of winter, so now I have something to get me through the month of March.
We got our pictures back from the photographer on Monday and I am very happy with how they turned out.
I hope you enjoy them!

Wedding Pictures

Here are some wedding pictures!

2007-02-14T16:13:00.000-06:00

wedding

wedding1

A Wedding Story

2007-02-14T15:09:00.000-06:00

I finally have some time to sit and write about the wedding. It's hard to believe that we will have been married 3 weeks on Saturday! It really feels like we've been married forever. Anyway, the wedding day was absolutely beautiful. Yes, it was cold (this is Saskatchewan), but the amazing thing was that the wind was MIA and the sun was shining brightly! The day before was terribly nasty (and I was worried that the next day would be too), it was very blustery and brutally cold.
It was so great that my mom was there to walk me down the aisle. She is amazing!! And I must say that when I saw Mike waiting for me, I was in complete awe with how handsome he looked in his suit. The ceremony was absolutely beautiful from my own biased opinion. I was impressed with myself for making it through the ceremony without crying. It wasn't until I saw on the table, where we lit the unity candle and signed the register, a single red rose. And on the card with it was simply "Love Dad". It was all I could do not to start blubbering like a baby. It caught me completely off guard. But what an amazing thing to see!

After the ceremony we went to the Legislative Building to get pictures done. We had a blast there!! I'll post some pictures from the photographer when we get them. We had some time between pictures and the reception and since we were hungry, we decided to go to McDonald's. I decided that I wanted to go in...so I did! It was so much fun entering McDonald's in my wedding dress. My friend Tiffany and her husband, myself and Mike and the best man all went in. And yes, we did get a lot of looks. So fun!!

The reception was fun, with a "few" tears during the speeches.
I'll post some pictures that my Mom took.
Enjoy

De-lurk yourselves...I dare you! ;)

2007-01-12T13:48:00.000-06:00

Apparantly, it's "de-lurking" week here in blogland. If you stop by, say hi and introduce yourself!
I'm making a point of doing that on the blogs I read regularly (those I haven't introduced myself to yet).

Video

2007-01-11T22:31:00.000-06:00

Came across this great video by an equally great boy band! These guys were great when I was in Jr. High...hope you all enjoy!!

New Kids on the Block-Hanging Tough

2007-01-11T22:28:00.001-06:00

2007-01-11T17:03:00.000-06:00

As I sit here and write this post, my mom and youngest sister are on their way to Regina from Ontario. They are traveling by train and are due to arrive in Saskatoon around 2am Saturday. Mike and I will be heading up there tomorrow evening to pick them up. I'm a little nervous about driving there since we have had a nasty winter storm blow through (Saskatoon getting it worse then we did in Regina). I would appreciate it you, my readers, would pray for safe travels and that we'll be able to stay awake! Thanks.

Wedding plans are in the final stages...all the little details coming together quickly. I've had a few little snafus (is that the correct spelling?) this past week. The lady who was going to do the alterations on my dress has been really sick with a nasty sinus infection, so she has had to back out of doing them. Please pray for her (she's been sick for a while). I had to quickly find someone else to do the alterations. Luckily, I was able to find someone...crisis averted! We have also had issues with getting a wedding cake. We are going to talk to a baker Saturday afternoon, so hopefully we can get one done now (the person who was going to make our cake backed out as she is too much happening this month). I really hope and pray that we can get a cake done at the bakery we'll be going to on Saturday. Oy vey!!!

I'm feeling the pressure now that the wedding day is quickly approaching...I'm both super excited and nervous and happy and apprehensive. I think I'll be real glad when the day finally arrives (9 months is way too long for an engagement!!)

All the guest favours are done, the centerpieces made. All we have to do is attach the thank-you note on the favours and make the programs and we'll be laughing!

We still have finish moving Mike's stuff into my apartment, but that shouldn't be too big of a job, as he is planning on getting rid of some of his furniture (not worth keeping or saving).

On Sunday I will be going to my first wedding shower. It will be held at my church and I'm so happy that my mom and sister will be there to join me! It all seems a little surreal to me that this is happening. My mom and sister are coming here (no one in my family has ever visited me since I moved to Regina), I'm getting married (something I only dreamed about since I was 5 yrs old and was beginning to wonder if I ever would).

I guess I should end this now as I need to go pick Mike up from work. We are meeting with the pastor tonight to plan the ceremony. Should be fun!

I'm here!! ;)

2006-12-17T15:07:00.000-06:00

It's been a bit since I last posted, but I just haven't had the energy to sit down at my computer and post anything. Wedding plans are in full swing. My dress is in the process of getting altered. I'm so glad that my friend Tiffany's aunt was willing to do this for me. Last weekend Mike and I bought almost everything we need from decorations to flowers for bouquets, corsages & boutineers to buying his suit (yay for Moores having a sale!!). I was really impressed with the fact that only the pants needed to be hemmed, the jacket fit him perfectly. We also had our last premarital counselling session on Thursday. We have learned so much from these sessions. I totally recommend that every couple do this, it is well worth it. You do need to be willing to deal with some hard stuff (it's amazing what will come back to haunt you from your past - I don't mean this in a harsh way, but things that hurt you in the past that you haven't even thought of).
Christmas is approaching fast, and this year it just doesn't feel like Christmas felt in the past. I think it has to do with the fact that this will the VERY first time I haven't been home for Christmas. It's nice knowing that Mike and I will be joining my friend Tiffany's family for Christmas. I'm looking forward to that, as they have welcomed both Mike and I as a part of their family.
Mike and I put up our very first Christmas tree together about 3 weeks ago. It's very exciting to begin our own traditions. Next year will be even better as it will be our first Christmas as a married couple.
On Friday night, my friend Tiffany and I got together and did some Christmas baking. It is so much fun baking with someone else. We made sugar cookies, butter tarts (some with raisins and some with pecans). We also made a Reese Peanut Butter square.
Oh, before I forget! I wanted to share with everyone something that happened to me that just brightened my day on Wednesday! I called my mom and my sister answered the phone, so I was a bit confused thinking that I had called her place instead. Anyway, I was able to talk to my nephew on the phone and he proceded to say "Mike" (he was quite taken with Mike when we were in Ontario this past summer, so now it's all about Mike and I don't really factor into the picture ;) Anyway, he proceded to tell me about Dora, daddy, Mickey and so on. In the background I could hear my mom asking him if he could say my name....and lo and behold, I heard my nephew say my name for the VERY first time! YAY!! Now, I know he knows who I am.
If I don't get a chance to post again until after Christmas, I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas!!

Many apologies...

2006-11-16T15:31:00.000-06:00

So, I haven't been posting that much lately. I think it's partially due to the fact that I haven't felt like posting and that I have been feeling tired and stressed. I'm not making excuses here, but I haven't had the energy to sit down and type something here.
Anyway, there has been a lot happening here these past 2 weeks. In my last post I mentioned that Mike had been offered a job at a call centre. Well, that didn't turn out so well. He just couldn't handle the thought of guilting people into donating money to different charities. He lasted 2 hours into his training last Monday. This past Tuesday, he had an interview at a warehouse and was offered the job. He started there last Wednesday. How wonderful that he found a job so quickly. Praise the Lord!! He is just loving it there. I haven't heard him sound so happy in a while...he was almost giddy after his first day there.
As for me, my job is beginning to take it's toll on me. You see, I work the front counter where I talk to people all day long. Most days, I come home absolutely exhausted. Not a physical exhaustion, but a mental exhaustion. It's the type of job where I have to listen to people complain about how unreliable the healthcare system is and how come it takes so long to get health coverage in this province, etc. And the biggie is how come a birth certificate costs so much, shouldn't they be free? Arg!!! It's so frustrating at times, that I feel like exploding. But I have to remind myself over and over, that I am here to help them, that I have the opportunity to show them Christ, even if it's just a small glimpse.

I'm back...miss me??

2006-11-05T00:41:00.000-06:00

So much for my "2 posts a week" idea! I just can't seem to sit down at my computer long enough to post something. I will try and do better, but I'm not going to make any promises in case I break them (hee hee)
This past week at work has been exhausting. There is usually 2 of us working the front counter to help with the clients that walk in. It's been quite crazy busy the past couple months. Anyway, this past week I was alone at the counter, as my co-worker took a week of holidays. I had help covering the counter for my coffee breaks and my lunch, other than that, I was alone. AND to top the week off, I had to pack up my desk as new carpet was being put in this weekend. I discovered that along with packing my stuff up, I had to pack the rest of my co-worker's desk up plus the 2 shelves located directly behind both of our desks. It made it pretty difficult dealing with the clients and trying to pack stuff up, plus do my regular work. Anyway, I'm looking forward to having a 4 days off next weekend.
Mike and I got our wedding invitations mailed off last week. One more thing for me to cross off the list! YAY!! The next thing to do is to start with the alterations on my dress and to find a suit for Mike.
Thank you for all praying that Mike would find a job. He starts his new job on Monday (Nov. 6th). He will be working in a Call Centre(he will be contacting people asking them to donate $ to different charities), so it will be quite different from the jobs he is used to having. I think it will be good for him to try something new.
Tomorrow (Sunday) my friend Tiffany and I will be heading to Moose Jaw to attend a Bridal Show there. I'm hoping to come away with some ideas for decorating. It should be a fun time...the show is being held at Temple Gardens-Mineral Spa Resort Hotel.
I just noticed the time, I should probably head to bed here.
Night!

I'm the worst blogger ever!!

2006-10-23T14:09:00.000-06:00

Ok, I know that I haven't posted in like 3 weeks, I apologize. I've been enjoying my apartment. I'm pretty much all settled in. I'll post some pictures soon (for all of you who are curious). There have been lots of great things happening, but also some not-so-great things. On the Friday of Thanksgiving weekend, Mike lost his job. They let him go due to indescrepencies with inventory. Now, if they had only given him the training he required then maybe this wouldn't have happened. He's been out looking for another job for the past 2 weeks and so far has found nothing.
Beside the job situation, life has been alright. Mike and I have begun our premarital counselling sessions. So far they've been very informative. The woman doing our counselling is wonderful. Both Mike and I feel comfortable with her. This is a big thing for Mike, since he tends to be a bit more cautious around new people than I do. The funny thing is, when we met her for our first meeting, I discovered that I knew her. She used to be the Registrar at Canadian Bible College while I was a student there.
I've been recovering from a nasty cold I've had for the past 5 days. I actually stayed home from work today. I'm feeling much better, but I thought I would play it safe and stay home today.
Wedding plans are coming along, invitations are almost ready to be mailed this week. I'm later than I wanted to be in getting them out. So, they HAVE to be out in the mail this week.
I promise that I will be more consistent in posting here. I'm going to try and post something at least twice a week.
Later!

I'm still alive

2006-10-01T22:51:00.001-06:00

I apologize for the lack of posts on here lately. Life has been busy, plus I haven't been feeling well. I am hoping that I will get post more regularly on here again. I moved into my apartment this weekend. I'm loving it! It is spacious and bright and lots of storage. I will post pictures of the apartment when I have everything unpacked and in the places I want them to be.
Well, I should head to bed, but I wanted to let all my faithful readers know that I am indeed still alive. Hope you all have a great day!!

Happy October!

It's Official...I'm 30

2006-09-12T23:03:00.000-06:00

It's with mixed emotions that I welcomed turning 30 today. I can't really pinpoint why I feel the way I do, maybe it's because of the anxiety of turning 30 that I brought on myself. Turning 30 has it's great points, I'm moving into my apartment in less than 3 weeks (no more roommates), I'm getting married to the most wonderful and sweetest man ever in January. It's the beginning of a brand new chapter in my life book. I'm excited to see what God is going to do in and through me and where He is going to take Mike and I in our journey together.
As for my birthday, we actually celebrated it yesterday. Mike took me to the Keg for supper, where I gorged myself on ceaser salad, bread, steak and a baked potato! And I'm proud to say that I ate every single bite and didn't regret it :) After supper, Mike and I went to Tiffany and Brian's for what I thought would be just a quick visit with them. However, it turned out that a surprise party was planned for me! It was wonderful! My birthday cake was amazing...a friend, (of both Tiffany and I) made it - she's amazing by the way. My cake was Oscar the Grouch (who is my favourite Sesame Street character). I'll post some pictures of it when I get them downloaded. It was more like a piece of art...I had a hard time cutting it because of the hard work that went into it.
I'll post more about my birthday tomorrow, I need to get some sleep right now...I actually haven't been feeling well the past few weeks. Hopefully, that will change when I'm in my apartment.

A quick update

2006-09-02T17:47:00.000-06:00

Mike and I found an apartment today!! It's beautiful!! The livingroom is huge as is one of the bedrooms. The kitchen is a little on the small size, but it will suffice. The bathroom is a nice size and the smaller bedroom is actually a good size too. There is a lot of storage space too. Brand new carpet and linoleum has just been laid. The bathroom has just been renovated too. I'm so excited about this!! Mike and I both loved it pretty much the second we stepped in. I get possession October 1st, but I might be able to start moving my stuff into it as early as the middle of this month.

Feelings, ponderings and an update :)

2006-08-29T23:36:00.000-06:00

It's been a few days since I last posted something on here. I've been feeling quite exhausted lately. I'm not exactly sure what is making me feel this way...could be a combination of things. It could be that I'm never home; that I never have any "down time", where I'm just relaxing. I'm always over at Mike's place until about 10:30-11:00pm every night. I also feel like I'm constantly driving somewhere (to Mike's place, to church, to my friend Tiffany's - all of which are located in the northend). It really doesn't make any sense for me to live in the southeast part of the city when I'm always in the northend. There's are a few other things that factor into me moving out of my place as well (if you're curious about the details, I will gladly tell you in an email). I'm going to look at a 2 bedroom apartment tomorrow. Hopefully it's nice and spacious. I told my roomate that I would probably be moving by November 1st, but I would like to be out of here by October 1st. I will know something tomorrow whether or not I'm going to take this place (it's actually available for Sept 1st, but I wouldn't move into it until Oct 1st, as it's only fair to give my roomate a month's notice). If you, my blogger friends, could pray about this, I would greatly appreciate it. The plus to all this, if this apartment works out, then Mike and I will have a place to live in after we're married. We won't have to worry about both of us moving our stuff just before the wedding. Now that would be crazy and stressful.
Wedding plans are coming along, the invitations are made (which I already told you). I will take a picture of them soon and post it so you can an idea of what they look like. I have to say that I'm pretty impressed with how they turned out! Anyway, last Thursday I picked up my dress from the Bridal store. It feels so good to have it paid for...one HUGE thing stroked off my list. We have found someone to cater our reception. I have to find someone to make the cake, figure out how I'm going to decorate the sanctuary for the ceremony and the fellowship lounge at the church for the reception. I've asked my sister Leslie to help me come up with ideas. I'm trying to get her as involved in the wedding planning as I can since she won't be attending the wedding (she's due to have their second child around the end of January, beginning of February).
I should head to bed here, as 6am comes way to early!

Yet another update

2006-08-22T00:31:00.000-06:00

It's so nice to have everything cleared up with SGI. I picked up the check this past Friday and what a relief it was to know that I no longer have to wait for it! I was finally able to cancel the insurance and plates on my old car and transfer my package policy over to the Malibu.
Tonight Mike and I met with a photographer and have decided to have him take the pictures at our wedding! He actually attends the same church that we do. I know him from teaching his little guy in Sunday school. I'm so excited about having him do our pictures because he not only charges $600, but he ENJOYS taking pictures and he's good too!
Anyway, I should head to bed here. Here's a picture of the new car, just incase any of you were wondering what it looks like.

An update on the car situation

2006-08-13T23:10:00.000-06:00

I was supposed to receive a letter by fax from the insurance company on Friday. It had something to with the total loss of my vehicle. I have to sign this letter and return it to them before they can issue me a cheque. I didn't get this letter, so needless to say, I was disappointed. I just want this whole thing to be settled so my life can get back to some sort of normalcy. Saturday afternoon Mike and I went out and looked at used cars. We went to one dealership and spent an hour there. We test drove a car and I was somewhat happy with it. I wasn't happy with the salesman...he was too pushy and not very willing to come down to our price. We were only spending a certain amount on a car and there was no budging. This guy came down a little on the car, but that was it. We told him the amount we had and that included the taxes. He promptly told us (after we test drove the car) that he didn't have cars for us there! Now, does that sound like someone wanting to sell a car??
We left there and both of us feeling quite frustrated and disappointed. We decided to head to another car dealership. It was at this one we found a car!! I was so excited! The salesman was super nice and the car was listed at an awesome price!! The only thing with the car was that it was being sold "as is", which means that they (the dealership) weren't servicing the car before selling. Hence, why the price was so low. We took it for a test drive and I fell in love with it. We bought a 2000 Chevrolet Malibu, and it's fully-loaded (a/c, cd player, power locks & windows, etc). I'm very excited that we found a car and that part of this headache is gone! We are picking the car up tomorrow evening and taking the rental back! I honestly believe that the car we bought God directed us too. Mike and I both prayed that we would find a car at the next place we looked after we had that "not-so-good" experience at the first place we looked. The moment I saw the price, I looked at Mike and said "this is our car!"
This weekend was productive in other ways too. On Friday night, my friend Tiffany and I started making the invitations for the wedding and today we finished them! All that's left to is make the reply cards. Mike and I still have to find a photographer and a caterer. Hopefully, we can talk to some people this week.
Well, I should head to bed as it's back to work tomorrow.

My favourite place...

2006-08-09T17:25:00.000-06:00

While in Ontario, we went to a Conservation Park, which has become one of my favourite places to go. It is absolutely beautiful there. My dad took us there years ago when my sisters and I were quite little. The only memory I have of being there when I was a little girl was picking blueberries. Last summer, Mom decided to take me there. So, naturally, I wanted to go back again this year and this time I got to take Mike there. He loved it. It's so peaceful, and there were very few people around. I took a tonne of pictures and I have decided to share a small handful of them with you. Hope you enjoy!!

2006-08-07T22:59:00.000-06:00

And here are some more pictures.

2006-08-07T22:47:00.000-06:00

Here are some pictures of our visit with my family.

I'm back

2006-08-07T10:38:00.000-06:00

We made it back to Regina. It was an interesting drive to Ontario. We decided to drive straight through...NEVER AGAIN!! We made it safely to my mom's house in Norwood, ON, not without something happening to the car. We ended up driving down this NASTY road that had rocks on it the size of baseballs. We were too far down it to turn around and go back the other way because it would put us so far behind schedule. In the end after that road, we had to get the oil pan replaced on my car...transmission fluid was leaking. The first week at the mom's was pretty uneventful. Mike and I went to the Hockey Hall of Fame, which I have to admit, was pretty interesting. There's a lot of stuff there! Well worth the trip to Toronto. I got to spend an amazing amount of time with my adorable nephew (I'll post some pics later). He is such a little ham! I can't believe how much he has changed since I last saw him in January. The first Saturday we were home, was my cousin's wedding. We had a 2 1/2 hour trip ahead of us. It was not a great day weatherwise. Before we left Norwood, it was hailing...and then it would downpour (so bad that you could hardly see in front of you). It was like that for the whole trip. When we were about 10-15 minutes away from Gravenhurst (that's where the wedding was) we were coming around a sharp curve, taking it slow too, we spun off the road and hit a car in the oncoming lane. Thankfully, we were driving slow enough to avoid a major accident. Everyone walked away from the accident. We didn't make it to the wedding, but got there in time for the reception. My Uncle Joe was very kind to come and get us. Then, my sister Leslie drove up to pick us up to take us home. The next day, we went to a place called "the gut". It's a conservation park...and it's really beautiful. We took a picnic lunch there and I took tons of pictures of the scenery. It was so good to go there, especially after what happened the day before. However, now my car is stuck in Ontario. While at my mom's, she had a birthday supper for me (and Mike), since I'm never home for my birthday. We had roast chicken, complete with stuffing and mashed potatoes and gravy. YUMMY! My sister Kim made a cake and decorated it. She's getting really good had decorating cakes. The whole second week we were at my mom's was spent awaiting a call from the adjuster regarding the outcome of my car, whether it would be a write-off or not. I still haven't heard anything and I'm back in Regina now. Thankfully, I have a package policy that includes the cost of a rental. I'm praying that I will hear something from SGI tomorrow. Because I didn't have a car to drive back to Regina with, Mike and I flew back yesterday instead.
It's good to be back, but I miss being with my family too.
I'll post some pictures of my trip in another post.

We're on vacation!!

2006-07-21T01:06:00.000-06:00

Mike and I are leaving tomorrow for our trip to Ontario. We'll be gone for 2 weeks. I'm so excited to see my family again. But first we're stopping in Manitoba to visit with Mike's family. We'll be staying at his sister and brother-in-law's place Friday night and then Saturday morning we'll head into Winnipeg to visit with his parents for a bit. After that we'll begin our journey to my mom's place in Ontario. As I write this I still have to pack...I haven't even begun yet (and it's 1 am). Tonight I had to get a tire repaired as apparantly there was a screw in it. I'm VERY thankful that it only needed a patch job done. I had the driver's side mirror put on this week as well. The other repairs will have to wait until after we return from our trip. So, my car is ready to go, I just hope I'm ready to leave at the time we want to leave by.
I'll try to post a couple times while in Ontario, but I won't have access to the internet that often. Please pray for safety for us and that we'll stay alert while we're driving. We're planning on driving straight through (no stopping overnight) and we're looking at a 2 day trip. We should arrive at my mom's sometime late Sunday afternoon, early evening.

2006-07-16T23:50:00.000-06:00

You Are Ernie

Playful and childlike, you are everyone's favorite friend - even if your goofy antics get annoying at times.

You are usually feeling: Amused - you are very easily entertained

You are famous for: Always making people smile. From your silly songs to your wild pranks, you keep things fun.

How you life your life: With ease. Life is only difficult when your friends won't play with you!

The Sesame Street Personality Quiz

Happy Birthday Mama!

2006-07-15T02:13:00.000-06:00

Wasn't she cute?

Mama and I

I'm SO blessed to have been given you as my mother. You have been and are an amazing mom and now I consider you a friend too. I now see the wisdom behind so many things you've said to me growing up (those things that I thought you were holding me back from). Mama, I admire your strength and your perserverance and how you have find the humour in almost any situation!

I wanted to say that I love you!! Happy 52nd Birthday Mama!!! You're the best!

Canada Day

2006-07-03T11:08:00.000-06:00

I LOVE long weekends. I've been off since Friday and I am off today as well as both days are Stat holidays for me. I work for the provinical government here in Saskatchewan and we get an extra day each year, known as a "floating" holiday.

On Friday, I enjoyed sleeping in and just staying in my pj's for a while. In the afternoon, Tiffany and I went to Fabricland and purchased the material for the bridesmaids dresses. We got it for 50% off!!! Quite the deal :) Friday nights Tiff and I get together and hang out. This Friday we decided to have a sleepover (I stayed at her place). We also decided to give ourselves pedicures and watch a good girly movie. It was sooo much fun!! My feet feel 20x better than before :)
Saturday afternoon, Tiff and I picked Mike up and we headed out to Lumsden for a Canada Day Party that a couple from our church has every year. I always have a great time there. There's a pool, they have a bonfire, a bbq and fireworks!! This was Mike's first year attending and he had a great time. I'm also house/dogsitting this week for some friends.
Yesterday, I again, enjoyed sleeping in, although I didn't sleep all that well. I kept waking up to hearing the licking sounds of a dog! This dog is obsessed with licking his paws...he's been called a lick-aholic on occasion ;) Last night, Mike and I went to Grandpa & Granny Miller's house for supper. Tiffany and Brian and Momma Wandi were there as well. It was so great of them to invite us over for supper. After supper, Tiffany and Brian came over to Mike's place to play Canasta with us.
Today, Mike and I are going to go for a walk in Wascana and after that, we're not sure what we'll do.
I hope everyone had a great Canada Day weekend!!

2006-06-29T21:18:00.000-06:00

I took my car to get appraised at SGI yesterday and they told me there is approximately $2300 worth of damage done to my car. Thankfully, I have a package policy and only have to pay a $200 deductible. So, I'm hoping that I can get it repaired before Mike and I leave for Ontario.

Thank you all for your words of encouragement and prayers! I appreciate it. This week has gone better for me despite the happenings in my little world.

Off the radar

2006-06-27T23:54:00.000-06:00

I apologize for the lack of posts lately, but I've been going through a rough patch and have felt it was too hard to blog about...not sure how to put it into words. I hate when I start feeling like my world is going to come crashing down around me. About a week or two ago my mom gave me some news...and it was a mix of both good and bad. I really can't go into too many details here as I'm not sure I can divulge the information just yet. Anyway, I have been feeling quite angry and upset, hurt and frustrated. I noticed that little things were starting to annoy me, things that don't normally, due to the state of mind I've been in. I have felt grumpy and cranky, that I could snap at any given moment. Just when I thought I was getting a handle on things, that one more thing occured. You know the one thing that will put you over the edge. Last Friday (June 23rd), I went to my car only to notice that the mirror on the driver side was smashed. My initial thought was that a cyclist had crashed into my car, thus shattering the mirror. My friend Tiffany noticed there were 2 dents on my car, one on the hood and one on the trunk. They look like they were done with a baseball bat or similar object. This was the last thing I needed. On Saturday night, I lost it. I finally broke down. Mike was the sweetest guy, he just let me talk and vent...and he sat there listening to me. He then prayed for me and for the situation at home...I woke up feeling much better Sunday morning. I'm in a better place now.
On Monday, I called the police to report what happened to my car and then put a claim into the insurance company (thank goodness for package policies!). Tomorrow (Wednesday), I'm going to get the damage done to my car appraised.
I am feeling more like myself again. I guess we can only handle so much before something snaps inside us. Anyway, this post ended up being a bit longer than I thought it would be. I'm going to head off to bed here since it midnight and I have to get up at 630am!

The trip to Edmonton

2006-06-20T22:33:00.000-06:00

I had a most wonderful time in Edmonton this past weekend. Mike and I left Regina Friday afternoon. The drive to Edmonton was good, the weather was, for the most part, good. It was kind of weird, but then again we do live in Saskatchewan. For a few minutes it would be sunny as we were driving, but then we would find ourselves in the middle of a rainshower, then sun again, then rain...well you get the picture. It was a great time to reconnect with friends, those I haven't seen in a year or two. We stayed with my friend Angela and her husband, Jose and their beautiful baby girl, Katelyn. Saturday morning, my friends Chris and Terra came into Edmonton from Tofield with their 2 little guys for brunch. It was soooo great to see them again and for them to meet Mike. The wedding we came to Edmonton for was actually in Spruce Grove, which is about 30 minutes outside of the city. The ceremony was beautiful. My friend Nicole (the bride) looked absolutely radiant! Between the ceremony and the reception Mike and I headed back into Edmonton and spent some time with Angela and Jose. The reception was in the city, so we didn't have to drive back out to Spruce Grove. At the reception, I was able to see my friend Kelly again. It was great seeing her again. There was a dance after the reception, and Mike actually danced with me! I was TOTALLY blown away that he danced with me. I didn't think he would and I was completely ok with that. We left Edmonton Sunday afternoon, but only after we had gone to the West Edmonton Mall. Mike had never been before, so he wanted to see it and of course I didn't object at all...it's a mall and I have no problem going to one, especially one of that size (hee hee). I drove from Edmonton to Lloydminster and Mike drove the rest of the way back to Regina. The drive back was awesome. Mike and I had some great conversations.

Here are some pictures from the weekend.

Angela & I

Kelly & I

Mike & I

Off to Edmonton

2006-06-16T12:54:00.001-06:00

Mike and I are heading to Edmonton today to attend a friend of mine's wedding. Please pray for safe travel. I will post some pics and write about the weekend when I return. Until then, have a great weekend!

2006-06-07T22:40:00.000-06:00

Mike got a offered a job yesterday! YAY! He will be working in the Sears warehouse starting Monday. I'm so happy that he found a job.

Thanks for praying for him :)

The Weekend

2006-06-04T22:04:00.000-06:00

Wow! Another weekend has come and gone. Sigh. Friday after work, Mike and I went to Mosaic. We only got to four pavilions, as it was extremely warm and humid out (the heat kind of made me cranky). The first pavilion we went to was the Ukrainian one. Yummy perogies and cabbage rolls and sausage. We watched some cute 3-5 yr olds dancing on stage...they were way too adorable!! We next went to the Greek pavilion where we partook of some greek dessert (greek doughnuts in a cinnamon-honey sauce)...very tasty and surprisingly not vert sweet. We then went to the German pavilion...we didn't stay for long as there was not a whole lot to see and we didn't want to wait for 20 minutes to see the next show. The last pavilion we got to on Friday was the Chilean one. There were some booths to look at with artifacts from Chile. Some of the booths were selling jewellry as well. I saw quite a few necklaces that I wanted. After that, Mike and I went back to his apartment, I played some Crash Nitro Cart (a very fun and addicting game!). We also watched Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (I think that is the right title - it's the last one in the Star Wars series). I enjoyed it...it was very interesting to see how Anakan became Darth Vader.

On Saturday, my friend Tiffany, Mike and myself went to more pavilions at Mosaic. The first one we went to was the Irish Pavilion. Tiffany was on the hunt for a toe ring. She was wanting to replace the one she broke. Last year, Tiffany and I attended Mosaic and we bought matching toe rings for fun. She didn't find one at the Irish pavilion. We then went to the Chinese pavilion and ate supper there. Such yummy food! Spring rolls, fried rice, chicken balls, sweet and sour pork! So good!! While eating we watched the dancing on stage. Children are so adorable to watch perform. We then headed over to the Ethiopian pavilion and then headed to the India Pavilion where Tiffany and I had some mango ice cream and Mike had a mango milkshake. There was some dancing and singing on stage there...I love watching east Indian dancing. We then headed to the Philippine pavilion where we wandered around and looked at the displays and booths that were set up. The last pavilion that we went to was the Scottish one. We got there in time to see the end of some highland dancing. We stayed and listened to a band for a bit.

Also on Saturday night, Tiffany and I had a sleepover at her place. I felt that I needed to spend some time with my Tiffy as she was coming off a hard week. Mike came and joined us for brunch on Sunday at 1130am. The four of us (Mike & I and Tiffany & Brian) went to this great dollar store here in Regina. After that we all went mini-golfing - such fun!!

And that, my friends, was my weekend.

Just a quick update

2006-05-31T23:34:00.000-06:00

My back is feeling almost normal again! I'm really not sure what I did, except that I must have pulled or strained a muscle. It's been quite crazy at work lately. Why does it seem like everyone in Regina and the province has lost their health card or birth certificate? I swear everyone that has come into the office has requested one of these things or both. How can you lose these pieces of ID? I find it absolutely astounding at the number of people who lose these cards or that they are "stolen". And another thing is the number of times some people have requested a new health card! Some seem to come in at the same time every month, claiming to have lost their card or whatever. And don't even get me started on those people who like to argue with me concerning when their coverage will start after they have moved here from another province or country! I would keep you reading for WAY too long!! Sorry for the venting, it was just one of those days where (it seemed like) everyone who came in to the office had a huge problem or was just looking for someone to argue with.

I will have lots to post this weekend, as I will be going to Mosaic. For those of you who don't know, Mosaic is a time for people to experience different cultures and countries right here in Regina. There are pavilions set up around the city, and at these pavilions you can experience the food, and various aspects of these cultures and/or countries. It is always a lot of fun! I try to go every year. I'm really looking forward to it. Hopefully I have some great stories for you.

Some more rambling...

2006-05-27T14:16:00.000-06:00

I'm so tired of my back hurting! It's getting much better. I can sit longer and am officially standing up straight again (provided that I don't sit longer than I should). I feel like a lazy bum! I haven't accomplished anything this weekend, which irks me, but then maybe this was a way of telling me to slow down.

Last night, like every Friday night, my friend Tiffany and I got together. It's been a while since we last hung out as she and her husband were away last weekend. I love spending time with her. We always have a riot together. We didn't do anything super exciting or anything. We watched a movie, Ella Enchanted, and then played some Karoake on Xbox. What fun! I'm so thankful to have a friend like her in my life. She's the bestest!!!

Mike has been the sweetest guy this week. He's been very concerned for me since I hurt my back. He doesn't like it when I'm not feeling well. He's come over every day and we've just hung out. He's brought me some nacho chips and diet coke with lime (which is my favourite thing!). I sure hope this kind of treatment continues into our marriage! I'm pretty sure that it, but you never know, right? Continue to pray that he finds a job soon, thanks.

Well, I think that enough rambling for today.

I'm in the land of boredom...sigh...

2006-05-25T13:02:00.000-06:00

I'm sooo bored! I came home from work yesterday with a really sore lower back. I thought I would be fine to go to work today, but once I was up and moving around, I thought otherwise. I'm not really sure what I did. All I know is that I must've moved the wrong way while getting ready for work yesterday morning. When I walk, I feel like an ape (all hunched over)! I can't sit for very long before my back is telling me that it's not a good idea. Standing is just about the same. Lying down, again the same as sitting and standing. I guess the good thing about staying home, is that I get an extra long weekend (tomorrow is my regular day off).

On another note, I'm looking for a new template for my blog. Can anyone give me some good sites for one? I've checked a few out, but some of the ones I like, I can't get the images to load. I'm dumb when it comes to things like this. I am looking for a template that has either sunflowers or gerbera daisies on it. If anyone knows of templates like that or where I can find one, please let me know.

Well, I guess I should find another position that will be comfortable (at least for a few minutes).

To post or not to post, that is the question....

2006-05-21T14:54:00.000-06:00

I feel like writing about something, but I have no idea what to write about. Interesting don't you think? I'm just going to let my fingers type and we'll see what I happen to write about. The wedding plans are in the beginning stages, some are starting to come to life. I have my dress (sort of), I've picked my attendants, and Mike's picked his (sort of). I'm starting to feel a little overwhelmed with all the details that need to be worked out.

I know I have 8 months for things to come together, and I should focus on the things that need to get done within the next couple months and not everything. But, before we know it, January will be here! If anyone has any suggestions on how to keep costs down or whatever, please let me know.

I've been enjoying the long weekend. Friday night, Mike took me to see Over the Hedge. What a funny movie! I loved it, but that shouldn't surprise those of you who know me well. I love animated movies. I recommend that you go and see this one. I've been enjoying the luxury of sleeping in (something I don't get to do too often). As I write, I'm still in my pj's and it's 3pm!! I had all these ideas of what I would do this weekend, and I've done none of them. But you know what? It's alright. I still have tomorrow to accomplish some of them. Sounds like the voice of a procrastinator, hey?

It looks like I have found something to write about...it may be boring to all of you, but it's my blog and I can write what I want to! (hee hee)

Maybe I'll go and be productive now...maybe.

Hope you are all having a great long weekend!

Wedding ramblings...

2006-05-18T22:48:00.000-06:00

I've found my dress! YAY!!! Last Friday, I put a down payment on it...I won't be posting any pictures of it on here, as Mike reads my blog. If you want to see what it looks like, I can email you pictures of it. With finding my dress, I feel like that things are starting to come together for the wedding.

During my coffee break this afternoon, I went next door to a flower shop to ask what flowers would work best for a winter wedding. The lady was very helpful and I have decided to go with gerber daisies (which just happen to be one of my favourite flowers).

I'm getting more and more excited about the wedding as the days go by one by one, but I also realize how much there is to do! I'm wanting to keep things simple. I plan on making our wedding invitations, thank-you cards, etc. I also plan on keeping the decorations for the ceremony and the reception simple. What I'm most excited about is my mom and sister(s) coming here! I really hope that things will fall into place so that my sister, her husband and their little guy can come to the wedding. I really want her to be here! If you think of it, can you pray that things would work so that they can be here.

This is awesome!!!

2006-05-12T11:19:00.000-06:00

Check this link out! It's hilarious! And it's kind of funny cuz' I actually remember trying to do some of those dance moves!

I'm still here!!

2006-05-12T10:05:00.000-06:00

I have had a few comments about my lack of posts lately...I realize that I haven't posted since Mike arrived. It's not that I haven't wanted to post, I just haven't been home. I know, excuses, excuses. My apologies.

Anyway, we have settled on January 27, 2007 as the date for the wedding. I'm very excited about making all the plans come to fruition. I have chosen my bridesmaids. My best friend Tiffany will be my matron of honour and my youngest sister Kim will be a bridesmaid. Mike has asked his brother-in-law to be his best man, but he still has to choose a groomsman. We have asked Mike's niece and twin nephews to be the flower girl and ringbearers. I've found my dress!!! I'm going to put a deposit on it today and Tiffany will take pictures of me in it so I can send them to my mom and sisters to see. I might send some of you an email with those pictures, but I'm not promising anything :)

My mom and sister Kim are quite excited about travelling to Regina for the wedding. Kim is just tickled that I have asked her to be a bridesmaid. I would ask my other sister Leslie to be a bridesmaid too, but I'm not sure if they (her and Greg - brother-in-law) will be able to come. Right now, for whatever reason, she's not talking to me.

The colours I'm going with for the wedding will be burgandy, dark navy, forest green with silver accents. I'm planning on using pine garlands with white lights and red berries, with snowflakes (in silver) hanging from the ceiling.

If you could continue to pray that Mike finds a job, that would be greatly appreciated. He's starting to feel a little discouraged.

I will do my best to keep you all updated on the plans for the wedding and with what's happening in my life.

He's finally here!!

2006-05-01T21:52:00.000-06:00

No more talking on the phone or chatting on msn!!! No more weekend trips to Winnipeg for me or Regina for him! Mike is finally here! He arrived in Regina Saturday night. He stayed at my friend Brian & Tiffany's place Saturday and Sunday nights. And they helped him move into his apartment today (I couldn't help him move as I had to work) It was very nice of them to let Mike stay with them. I'm so thankful to them both for their help and I know Mike is too. I don't think they know how much I and Mike have appreciated their hospitality and generousity.

It's soooo awesome to have him living in the same city!! Now, all he has to do is find a job. Hopefully, he finds one quickly. I'm off to bed now, but I just wanted to post so all of you don't think I've disappeared or something!

Pondering...

2006-04-24T17:44:00.000-06:00

I've been thinking a lot lately about why I do the things I do. I try so hard to be the same person with my friends at work and with my family. Why is it that we can so easily be swayed by others? I keep thinking that I need to be a better example of Jesus to those I work with. But oftentimes I fail, I end up saying or laughing at something I know I shouldn't. Last Monday I started a new position at work. I am now working the front counter. This means that primary duty is to help the people that come in either by updating their addresses, health coverage and/or taking applications for birth, marriage or death certificates. I am required to act the same way with each person I help, inspite of how they treat me. This can be extremely hard, especially when they are mad, upset, frustrated or just plain grumpy. For the most part, I have no problem with being in this position, but it's new and it will take some time for me to adjust.

This weekend, Pastor Rob challenged us in his sermon that we are to do everything for Jesus. I am going to try hard to remind myself that I am serving the people that come in for Jesus. If I can help make someone's day a little better than that makes me happy.

Hopefully, the people I work with see a difference in me as I try to stay positive and not complain. And that the people coming to the counter see a difference in me as well.