A Little Bit Of This And That....

*so I did a little redecorating on the ol' blog today. Am I the only one who gets bored with the way their blog looks? Their blog title? I could change it every day if I wasn't so lazy.

*We'll see how long this one lasts.

*I was looking back at some of my pictures from England....

*Ummm not helping my longing to go back.

 

*I'm just past 12 weeks now(at least I think that's how far along I am...going to head to the doctor's when I'm back in good ol' Canada in a few weeks and get that all figured out).

*I had about 2 whole days where I didn't feel like complete and utter crap. Annnnnd I'm back to feeling sick today.

*good news? I got a vacuum in today during my 1/2 hour feeling OK, hurray!

*bad news? I feel complete shame at the amount of crap in my Dyson.

 

*all I want to eat is this.....

*and it's all the way in Grenada....how do I get around that??

*where did this little girl go???

*said little girl has been going through a no-nap phase. No fun for me. 

*Yesterday and today she's made up for lost time with 3 hour super naps. Yay for me!

Looking Back....

I was going through all my old blog posts yesterday while I was sitting outside and Aubrey was splashing away in her kiddie pool. I was going through and labelling them all (pain in the butt and I don't know why I felt compelled to do so) and I happened upon these pictures of our apartment in Grenada! It's crazy to think that we lived that differently less than 4 years ago!

Because we weren't there permanently, we rented a place that was furnished and let's just say, it was NOT my taste. But it did the trick. The kitchen had no hot water and for the first few months I would boil water every time I wanted to do the dishes! That got old really fast and I said to heck with it. I bought dish soap that was antibacterial (that cost an arm and a leg) and called it good. I'm sure the amount it cost to boil the water on the propane stove, not to mention trying to cool down the house after using said stove, worked out cheaper to just buy the spendy soap. That's what I'm telling myself anyway.

Hahaha! The couch was the most hideous fabric/color I have ever seen, so we covered it with a quilt we brought along (naively thinking we'd need it to sleep there. ummm not quite!).

This area was also our guest room :) This apartment was small, but didn't feel super small because of the high ceilings. But when we had guests?! It was jam packed! We'd put a good ol' air mattress out here and call it a guest room. Best part was when Astrid(my sister) and her husband Jo came to visit with their son Jacob, we all squished into our bedroom! Willy Wonka style. Well, not quite, they slept on the bed and Zach and I took the air mattress on the floor. Ah, the joys of having the only AC unit in the house be in the bedroom.

I thought this was funny, it's what I wrote in the original post.....

"The bedroom, the only room with A/C. Needless to say, we are in here most of the time. Zach has his desk in here, so this is where he spends his endless hours studying(while I spend endless hours sleeping!). Yes, that is Zach having one of his infamous power-naps:)"

and the bathroom, oh the bathroom! I was classy to say the least....but it was a bathroom and a toilet IN the house, which is more than a lot of people had in Grenada.

And last but not least......

The classy shower head.... Bare exposed wires! IN a shower. I don't know how we didn't die?!?

I didn't think that I could love the house we are in more than I already do, but after seeing these?!? I LOVE MY NEW HOUSE!!!

There was one perk to our place in Grenada....we had a cleaning lady! It was built into the cost of rent and it was fabulous! At times I wished we could have just saved the money and I could have cleaned, but it was nice to help a local lady who really did need the money more than we did. But I always had this feeling she was looking at me thinking I was lazy for not cleaning my own place! I would try and not be home when she was there, I just felt too guilty! I always felt like I had to explain myself to her, "No! I would clean my house, but it's built in the rent! Don't hate me please!!". Ahh good old Menno guilt ;)

Ahhhh Dusk

I love dusk. Seriously, it's the best time of day. Everything looks so hazy and dreamy, I can't get enough! Back when we were in Grenada(yes...I still have pictures to post from that trip...and I'll probably never get through posting them all, to be honest), I could sit on the balcony at dusk and just feel God. You know what I mean?? There are just certain times in life, and in a particular day, that you know God is just showing you His love and you feel His arms around you. I get that reassurance every time I see the sun starting to set and the world is ablaze with an orangey glow! Makes me choke up and want to bawl, every time...you know, the good kind of bawling:)

One particular evening (that Aubrey and I had been able to escape our "hotel vacation"), we were down in the Grand Anse area and we took the time to just relax on the beach before hopping on the bus and heading back to the hotel. It was one of my favorite moments in Grenada, Aubrey happily playing on the beach...getting sand absolutely EVERYWHERE, and me in my glory snapping away with my camera. I didn't want to leave....and neither did Aubrey...so we just stayed. And basked in the beauty that God has created for us. Aren't we all just so blessed?!?

Funky Foliage

So I still have not uploaded a lot of the pictures from my parents visit so I'm going to fall back on my trusty shots from Grenada :)

I've been doing a little sewing while my parents are here, but not much....just not feelin' it right now. Which, to be honest, is so not good because I have to finish my mom's birthday present(apron) by the time she leaves...on Tuesday....oops. What is it about sewing?! I LOVE to sew, but have to really be in the mood to make any proper progress?? Could it just be my procrastinator genes coming through.....yup, I feel like blaming it on them. I'm almost done the apron too....should just get it done and over with! Put it(and me) out of it's misery! I guess I really haven't had that much time to sew....we've been busy sight seeing and going to the DMV. Yup, you read right, the DMV. Good times.... There is nothing like getting the run-around at a government office(read= over-crowded, dirty, hot...) and waiting in line for 4 hours to be told, you will NOT be getting said license today and Oh, you have to take the written test that you are not prepared for...and fail it! *Insert weeping and gnashing of teeth* Talk about a kick to the stomach. And now I get to go back next week and try again...fun.

Hmmm, guess I needed to get that off my chest! Well, at least you have these pretty leaves, etc. to look at while I moan and complain...right?!?

Ya, I thought so..... You're welcome;)

A Little of Aubrey

My parents just got in late last night and Aubrey is officially in her glory! Gifts and treats are already flowing freely and she couldn't be happier:) I figured today was a good day to do a short post, but (for your viewing pleasure) a bunch of pictures of Aubrey from Grenada that I compiled.

Now I'm off to go eat my Coffee Crisp *drool* and, thanks to Astrid reminding my mom, Old Dutch Dill Pickle chips!!

So Excited!!

So these pictures have nothing to do with anything:) They're just cool "creatures" (as Aubrey would say) from Grenada. I just don't like posting something with out a picture and these happened to be loaded onto my blog already. So there you have it;)

I'm off to pick up Zach from the airport in a few minutes and Aubrey and I are so excited! He almost was delayed for a long time, but the airline pulled it together last minute....*phew*.

I'm so ready to have him home.... so is Aubrey..... not sure who more....maybe a tie?!?

Anyway, just wanted to wish everyone a great weekend. I've already been busy sewing away today and will share my creations on Monday!

~*~*~Happy Weekend~*~*~

...I know mine is going to be...

now!

Random Thoughts {Part Deux}

So I'm going to rock the "random thoughts" style again today. You know when your thoughts go in a million different directions and you can't keep up? Well, I'm there...sooo there today.

*I can't seem to think straight...hmmmm should make for great reading for you;)

*it actually feels like Spring right now! As in, Aubrey didn't have to wear a jacket yesterday while we were out! YAY!!

*I didn't think it could be done, but I'm checking things off my "Oh Man My Mom's Coming and My House is a Mess" list!!

*I wonder why I decide that I need to clean each individual spice bottle...

*I've come to realize that when my mom comes to visit, I lose all sense and start cleaning anything and EVERYTHING

*I'm already tired of cleaning and I still have five more days of crazy Menno cleaning ahead of me

*I have so many pictures that I want to post from Grenada that I could start a blog just for them...you may think I'm joking...

*I've been busy crafting a little homemade goodness for my sister's birthday....

*her birthday is on Sunday...she lives in England....it'll NEVER get to her in time...oops

*my brother Ed turns 40 tomorrow...weird! I have 40 year old brother...

*it's weird to have a 40 year old brother...I'm assuming he's thinking the same thing!

*I've had 2 run ins with The Plunger in the last 12 hours

*why do things go wrong(and the gross ones at that)when the husband is away?!

*Why is my toilet not flushing?! And for no reason at all???

*my landlord actually fixed something in our apartment the other day...

*it was not the leak that has been pestering us for the last year...

*my blog decides how far the spaces should be between my "thoughts" and I can't figure out how to change it!

*I watched Megamind last night and laughed SO HARD! Great movie:)

*I love when Will Ferrel does "clean" movies....Kicking and Screaming gets me every time!

*I hate sleeping alone.

*I'm not as good playing "Foot" and "Throw it in the Red Thing" as Zach...Aubrey looked at me funny and decided that we should play a different game.

*Aubrey and I still miss Zach:(

Just the Two of Us...

So Zach is off to another conference and that means it's just Aubrey and I for the next three days. Aubrey is not too pleased about this....

for a few reasons....

1. She's the biggest daddy's girl

2. She can't go on the airplane (me, I'm happy to never fly again!)

3. She can't sit in Number 2 (Got me if I know where she got this from?!?!)

4. She's convinced that Zach's going back to Grenada and he's going to go swimming and she won't

AND...most importantly...

5. She's the biggest daddy's girl EVER!

This poor girl is crabby and sulky (and all the other adjectives that you'd use for a teen-aged girl) when Zach's gone. Did I mention that she can't get enough of him?!? I'm thinking it has something to do with the fact that he will play the most outrageous games with her...all of them ones they've invented together...and with wonderful names like, "Foot" and "There She Is" and the ever popular "Throw it in the Red Thing"... all involving a lot of running around and hiding from me or tickling me...and balls, there are always balls involved! They pretty much have their own secret language, so I get why the poor girl misses him(and not just because I miss the guy too!). He's 150% there when he plays with her... All out and she knows it. She knows that he's head-over-heels in love with her and she feels the same way!

And how could he not be in love with this girl?? I mean look and her with her curls.... Just gorgeous!

......Wish me luck.....

sunsets

My favorite time of day is definitely dusk. I love when the light is all hazy and dreamy:) I love sunsets too, but I forgot how much I loved the ones in Grenada! Oh my word! They have yet to be matched for me...sunsets on the Prairies are beautiful, but man, there is something about the sun setting on the ocean that is so magnificent! I hope you enjoy them as much as I did:)

I love this shot of Zach relaxing...I think it was the only sunset he was able to witness:(