I quit my job on Monday!

Yep, you heard right, I quit my job on Monday. Some of you have a confused look on your face right now thinking what job is that? I'll tell you....the job I quit has no monetary pay. The job that I quit has really loooonnng hours, and has no lunch breaks, or coffee breaks. It is a job I've had the longest in my whole life, and I'm not 30 yet. This is a job I've dreamed of since I was a little girl. This job requires a committed and confident woman, a woman who can juggle more than 1 or 2 or 3 things at a time and still keep a little smile on her face, or try to keep one on. It is a job that will keep you on your toes. And on Monday at around 5:25, I quit it. And then around 5:50, I reapplied and was accepted without question. The job is a Stay at Home & Home school Mom of 4 beautiful children. It is a job that I will never quit, never choose to work outside the home and quit raising these wonderful blessings. A job that has so many rewards, some rewards that won't be evident till we get to heaven. This job has lots of hugs and kisses, and sweet gentle I love you's. It has many options, like getting up and driving to a near by city to meet up with my dad to get a new remote for our satellite tv. This job is endless, and worth while.

I've been thinking alot about Stay at home moms lately. What a job we have! It has been proclaimed that it is the hardest job on earth. People have said it's like working 2 full time jobs. Mostly they are right, but you know what, I wouldn't want to do anything else in this world. I love my job. And I am allowed to quit once in a while, cause it makes me think long and hard about what I am quitting! I read from Psalm 51:1-2 today. It is so good:

"1.Have Mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love, according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. 2.Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin."

I often say those first 6 words during my day as a stay at home mom. Our children have the unfailing love that is talked about in this verse, they love us no matter what we do. God loves us like that too, it says so right there in that verse. It is an amazing feeling to know no matter how much you think you fail as a mother, God loves you, and will blot out your transgression and cleanse you of sin. Love it!! Thanks be to God!!

Hope you have a great week, and up coming weekend! Wishing you many blessings!

The Bathroom, I LOVE IT!!

Sorry I didn't get to post a picture on Saturday or Sunday. Just too busy. And I didn't get the last coat of colour on till yesterday afternoon. I don't have a full before picture but here it what it looked like prior to what it looks like today.

BEFORE

AFTER

We still have the little thing to put up, toilet paper holder, towel rack, shelves (which are coming from Ikea in Edmonton thanks to my high school class mate and friend who is bringing them home for me) mirror, shower curtain, chair rail. But don't ya just LOVE IT!!!!! I do!! It looks like you are in a different house when you go into that room!!! I wish all the other rooms looked like that! I'll post a picture of the final final result probably late into next week!! We are heading up to Saskatoon next week for some family birthday fun!!

Keep reading for more weekend fun:

!!!Surprise!!!

And I was!! My husband, along with help from my sister and mom, surprised me with a birthday party on Saturday at the Golden Mile bowling. Here's the story of how it unfolded:

About a week and a half ago my sister sent an email to me asking if we could attend Riley's birthday, and that is was going to be a surprise. I was a little suspicious for a few reasons, why would she have a surprise party for him, he's only turning 29, and why wouldn't she have it at the north end, they live closer to that bowling place. And when I asked her if she wanted us to be there early, she didn't have an answer for me until just this past Friday. Also a few other things, my hubby was acting weird for the past few days. On Thursday I was out, and I was talking to my sister on my cell phone (it was like 9am) and she got a beep, and had to go. I hung up and tried to phone home, the message cut in right away which means they are on the phone (strange for him to be on the phone so early in the morning, he was off work on Thursday, remember) When I got home I hit redial on the phone and it was my sisters number. I asked him and he played the I don't know card, and I didn't push it. I didn't want to be the one to push him into telling me. And I didn't want to jump to any conclusions, and be disappointed. So I left it. Also, my mother-in-law came this weekend, when 3 weeks ago she had mentioned maybe coming up at Easter. But I honestly didn't think that she would be at this surprise party. So, that' the story! It was a lot of fun, a lot more people there then I thought, and my hubby did a wonderful job!

Today is the Day!!

And tomorrow! The main bathroom is getting finished!!! Whoo hoo! My darling hubby took today off to finish the hard stuff, and we are currently covered in paint!! So much fun! The plumber is coming tomorrow at 1 to put the toilet and sink in place and hook them up! So we NEED to get the floor and baseboards in TODAY! What put us into overdrive is we have company this weekend, my MIL is here today, tomorrow and Saturday and there is no where for her to be private in a bathroom with a toilet or shower. As a family, we are all ok with using a small half bath off our bedroom, but I'm not comfortable with others using it regularly over a period of 2-3 days. So, for 1 day, she can use our toilet, and then tomorrow she can use the main bathroom toilet, and so can we!! I will post pictures then of the almost final result. I have some Ikea shelves coming to me at the end of March, so it won't be 'finished' till April. I plan on putting the first coat of colour on this evening!! The floor is about to be put into place, I'd better go and be of assistance to my hard working, handsome husband ;)

Stay tuned for pictures, hopefully Saturday or Sunday!

SOCCER IS OVER

Whoo hoo! We get our Saturday's back, with nothing to do!! Cept of course to work on our reno's!! Which btw, are coming along very slowly, as to be expected with 4 children and other things to do. We've got the gyproc up, and the mud is done, now sanding, and priming. We bought a few more things this weekend. So once we get all the 'hard' work done, then comes the fun part. Decorating! If you take a look at the picture, that is the old paint, just flaking off the wall....what a mess! Thank-goodness for shop vacs, and for wives who buy them for there husbands for Christmas ;) And by the way, that strip of colour on the wall isn't the colour the bathroom is going to be, for those who were wondering!

I'm feeling a bit better from Thursday, but it's still weird, I don't feel 100%. But glad I am able to do things, last week I couldn't do anything. Our house is in such disarray, I can't wait till it's back to normal (somewhat normal anyways)

I stamped last week, even though it wasn't a card for my daughter (I went into my collection for that) I've been doing alot of crocheting! My mom taught me how to years ago, and I was re-acquainted with it recently when my daughter Emmalee was introduced to it at AAA. I'm not making anything special. The kids all want me to make them a little blanket, so I've been working on Noah's. Emmalee is a pro though, she's made soo many little dish clothes, and has been giving them out to Sunday School teachers, soccer coaches, and Faithbuilder leaders. She's so proud of herself! Every time we go to the store now, she wants to go look at the yarn!

So, anyways, back to my card. It was the colour challenge 101 (b) on SCS
Here it is:

The buttons I got at dollarama, and the ribbon I got in the ribbon share (she's having another one, with some nice ribbons) I was just in, and the thinking of you stamp I won as blog candy from Amy R.

It was fun to stamp a little, but I have so many other things on my mind. I hope to get some more stamping done this week. We have a birthday gathering to attend on Saturday.

The weather is bitterly cold today, it is -11 right now at 3:30pm, with the windchill however it's -20!! Hoping for a warm up for tomorrow though, forecast said +12 on the weekend for tomorrow, but as of right now the forecast says +7 for tomorrow. We sure are getting teased with the warm weather. Official first day of spring, tomorrow, March 20th!!

Happy Day

Yesterday was a happy day!! Our daughter turned 6, and other than my illness, we had a great day. Opened presents after breakfast, went to Chuck E Cheeses for fun and lunch. And went shopping afterwards. They all had a blast at the CEC place. We had fun too as parents, watching them. I wish I had pictures, but I forgot my camera. We were the only ones there at 10am. One other kid came and left in the time we were there, and as we were leaving, two other familes came. In 2 1/2 weeks we celebrate another birthday, our baby will be 4. And then me 2 days after...I'm turning 30, gulp.

Nothing more has really been done on the bathroom, the plumber did come and did what he needed to do, but we've been so busy with things. One piece of gyproc is cut, and ready to go in place, but I guess the plumber needs to come back and change something he did. I hope I can paint this weekend! I'll post some more pictures if anything gets done!

Last weekend of Soccer!!! Whooo hooo. Then starting on April 2nd, the kids are doing gymnastics with our local homeschool group. And that runs until May 14th, then on May 16th they start swimming.....And then nothing till fall. No outdoor soccer for us this year. It's just too much.

We got a big dumping of snow yesterday. In one hour we got maybe 10cm. I didn't go out an measure, but it looks like alot! But, I'm sure in the next 4-5 days it will all melt again!!

As for my illness, I'm not sure what is going on. But if it continues, I will go to the Dr. Please pray it doesn't continue, I don't like not feeling like myself.

{1 step forward, 2 steps back}

SIGH.....That's what it feels like today. My hubby got the new sub floor in, but had to rib out the wall under the mirror so that the plumber can come in and change the drain pipe. I guess that is happening tomorrow, and he is doing something to the toilet area too, and then we get to do the gyproc and lay the lino, then the plumber has to come back and put the toilet and sink in....I don't see an end in sight at this moment.

We had another busy weekend, and I can't believe it is over already. The weather has been fantastic. There is alot of water all around us. The kids had some fun in it today, wet up to there hinney's and all. Breanna was crying when she came in "I don't like snow, I don't like snow" She was cold...

Hope y'all had a great event full weekend, I know you did Sara ;) Loved your story!!

It has to get worse before it gets better, right?

Well, here is the latest on the bathroom reno's. Slowly but surely it is going to be done. Today my darling husband ripped out the lino and sub floor. He will lay a new sub floor and the lino hopefully later this week. He is off to Saskatoon for the day tomorrow with work, so I doubt he will be into it in tomorrow evening but you never know. It is kind of hard only having one toilet on the main level with 6 people having to use it and the basement bathroom wide open with no privacy ---------------------------------->He's doing a super job, I'm so proud of him! I can't wait till it is done though, every time I walk by it, I picture what it is going to look like!!

Looks like some nice weather is coming our way!! ALL +'s for the next 5 days!! Whoo hoo, let the melting begin!! But again, anything can happen. I recall on April 3rd, 2003 we got knee high dumping of snow!! And we have gotten snow late in May...but whatever.

A week from now my 3rd child miss Alexa will be 6 yrs old!! I can hardly believe it. She's thrilled, along with the rest of the crew, because we are going to Chuck E Cheeses, a once a year occurrence!! It should be fun, it was last year!

I can't wait to share some more pictures of the bathroom reno's!! Until next time....

There is never a dull moment

Well, the soccer games went well, and the kids did great. It was a busy day though, rushing here and there. It was quite the ordeal, getting over 500 soccer kids and coaches + parents and friends/family into a building not equipped for that many people, but it was all part of the 'experience' as my husband likes to put it.

The kids were feeling a little under the weather on Saturday, and it kind of got worse for Emmalee with her asthma, as time went on Saturday evening, and early Sunday morning. We had company after lunch and as they were getting ready to leave, Emmalee informed me she couldn't breathe very well. So off to the hospital we went. I don't like going unless it is a real emergency. And I knew it was. They usually get her in right away, but this time was different. There were no available beds....we waited 3 hours in the waiting room before her name was called, and once we got to the room, we were in there for 3 more hours, and the meds they gave her only took maybe 10 mins......ARGGG I was soooo upset that it took so long, they could have had another bed if they would have just gotten her in and out. It wasn't serious, she just needed the nebulizer. She's fine today.

But it was quite the experience being there for 6 hours, you see alot of interesting folks. The room beside Em's changed 'residence' 3 times while we were there, and the last one was a prisoner from jail, shackles and all, with 2 huge guards. And the lady before, as they wheeled her into the room they said "now miss ___ you better behave in here this time, we don't want to have to call the security. You don't want the police sitting with you, do you?". Right before we left though was sad. Over the loud speaker it was announced "Trauma, 5 minutes. Trauma, 5 minutes. Trauma 5 minutes" And I over heard a nurse saying that it was a pretty bad one too. A snowmobiler. Come to find out today that it was, and he died. When we walked out to the waiting room right before we left and I saw a family member....my heart aches for them today. Her face is etched into my brain. Pray for the family of the 24 yr old man who lost his life yesterday in such a senseless way.

Oh my what a busy busy day...

I'm not used to busy days out and about. I like staying home in my warm house and chillin with the kids! But today we were out of the house at 9:30, and came back briefly to eat lunch, and then jetted off again, and didn't get home till 6. Had a very late supper and here we are!!

We were getting some plumbing work done today, so with the water shut off, and no toilets, I thought it would be best to like, leave the house!! We got a lovely gift certificate for Christmas to the Science Center from Michael's brother and his wife (thank-you very much by the way~if your reading this) and we went there for 2 hours!! And enough left to go for half price another time if we so desire. It was fun. Busy though, I think some schools had today off, and the ones who didn't have the day off decided to make a field trip! But the kids did good, and had a blast....

Then we had our regular Afternoon Activities, and I was a helper in 2 of the classes today, and Breanna wanted me to stay with her in one of the classes, so I didn't get much of a sit down time there either. But that's ok, it was good! I got to chat a little with a friend, and that's always fun ;)

Oh, and when I got home this evening....lookie at what I got in the mail....

Loads, and loads of ribbon!!!!!!!!!! I got in on a ribbon share from a lady who has a blog called Confessions of a Ribbon Addict!! She is often having ribbon shares, or prima flower shares!! I just got in another polka dot ribbon share as well...alright, out with it, my name is Ara, and I am addicted to ribbon....

Tomorrow is another busy day, soccer...soccer and more soccer!!!