waiting waiting waiting

I am waiting for this boy to get home. He left at 4:15am in a swirling, blowing snow storm. He went all the way up to Rogers Pass to Golden for work today. He phoned me at 5pm they were filling up with gas in Revelstoke. Oh the waiting... I hate waiting. He is only fourteen.
My husband has gone into town to pick up his logging truck. He left it at the mill until the roads froze. He washed it as it is to be inspected on Saturday so it needs as little mud and snow as possible. When he washed the truck he weighed it before and after. After chiseling snow, mud and ice for over three and half hours it took off 4,ooo pounds of weight. Is that not amazing!
We have quite a bit of snow here now. We have some great snow piles for the kids to play on. The ice is clear just no kids to play on it. My two younger kids had a sleep over last night then went out to toboggan for the day. They still are not home. Sam phoned and wanted another sleep over I usually say yes . But now I just want them all home.
I hope you are all having a nice New Years Eve. Let it be safe and fun. I will talk to you all tomorrow.

I just realized that these to look a like. Nan was not too sure...Half the time Dalt is making a funny face or a weird noise so it is hard to tell.

Who is he fooling! This is Christmas eve I think the excitement was just too much. He does read mainly at night before bed but none of my kids are die heart readers.

Looking quite pretty in her new out fit.

Here he is wearing Grandpa's pants. It always amazes me how clean they can look.
Today we starting cleaning our rooms, sorting, moving things. It seems to be an on going thing. How do people keep there houses spotless all the time. I need a maid!!!!!!when I said I do I am sure I was saying I do need a maid. That was twenty years ago and she still has not shown up. My house can go from wonderful to disaster in one evening. In our room I changed our bed I did not like the gold Actually I did like it it just was not me. I like our room it is quite white with some pink thrown in . I just worry my husband will come in with grease on him. It amazes my how clean all the white stays as I usually have a revolving door through our room. I have been trying to make a CD all evening. I bought lot of songs through I tunes over the Christmas break. People make is sound so easy I have been trying for ages and I can not figure it out. No point in asking my husband he doesn't know much about computers so I guess I will keep at it. My middle son is going to work tomorrow he is going to be picked up at the bottom of the driveway at 4:15am. So I absolutely must not sleep in. He will be working the full day until 6pm . I will totally be tuning it out he will be on a very bad road, a lot of winter driving to Revelstoke.
Well I must run and try to figure out this CD. Have a wonderful evening.

Relaxing

I think our house was too warm on Christmas Eve

Do you think she is comfortable
Today my day started at 3am. I woke up to put wood in the fire then I could not sleep. Some of the kids went off to hockey in Kamloops at 6am. Some of us headed out side to get chores done then it was off to town to take my daughter to work. I spent a full day cleaning the house taking down Christmas decorations. Our tree was dry and it now resides out in the chicken house. We moved the Doves outside also. I hope they are making a house in our Christmas tree. I will write more tomorrow as I am too tired.

Snow Drift

This is what happens when you meet up with a Snow Drift. Snow Drift wins

Today we had to do a lot of juggling to make it all work with one vehicle. We had to get kids to work and a hockey tournament. It did work but we have to try and figure it out all over again tomorrow. I don't seem to be accomplishing a lot lately just getting chores done and the house. I have not done anything fun with crafts for ages. One thing I have done lately is I am keeping up with the printing of my photos. If I can keep up with that I won't get bogged down with them.
I am waiting for my husband and Miss Hyacinth to get home from the hockey game. My son is in Salmon Arm visiting friends. I am sure there is a girl involved he wanted to go pretty bad! Well I am off to have tea. talk to you all soon

Jord has grown up so tall and handsome. Dalt is right behind him he is starting to grow now too and he is just as handsome. Here they are with their cousin.

Smiles of Christmas

I hope you are all having a wonderful holiday. It unbelievably warmed up today to above zero. It was so warm. I spent quite a bit of time outside went for a nice walk did some work. I also spent some time walking through the goats, Alpacas checking everyone out. My family area all skating down at the arena. We rented the ice for one and half hours tonight. The boys also skated this morning for two hours with my youngest son's team. I did not go I am sure I will be at the arena before I know it.
It is quite sad I have to start thinking about taking my tree down soon. It is quite dry. I feel like I just put it up.

Beautiful Curls

Miss Hyacinth drew these picture for her Uncle Rob

Snacks for Santa

He tell us "I'm not excited just can't sleep" Then comes flying out of his room "quick mom check the computer and see where Santa is I can't sleep"
Today was a nice day I had tea and cookies with my niece. It was so nice to visit. She lives quite far away so I don't get to see her but I talk a few times a week on the phone.
It snowed a little more today and the temp is still cool but it has warmed up. The kids have done a lot of skating, snow boarding and playing with their new toys. All is good I will write more soon. Happy Boxing day.

Twas the night before Christmas and all the through the house

Me getting cuddles

Everyone looking so clean and beautiful

Happy kids
Today was a very nice day. It did start very early the kids were all waking up at three am but did not get up until just before six am. We had a lovely morning exchanging gifts. Then off to Mom and Dads for a visit, coffee and gift exchange. We then went out to do chores. Then off to town to visit my Mother in law and husbands family. then we came home visited my niece and her family and then enjoyed a wonderful supper my Mom cooked.Everyone is really tired tonight. My husband is already in bed sound a sleep and the kids are all in their rooms. As soon as I finish my tea I am off to bed.
I am not planning on doing anything tomorrow except chores. I do hope to sleep in the morning . Usually when I can sleep I am not able to. Have a wonderful evening. Merry Christmas.

Christmas Eve 2008

What a fun night we had. We ate lots and lots of treats. Mom and Dad came over we visited, sang a couple of songs, opened a few presents did I mentioned we ate. Sam was tracking Santa all night on the computer. It was 9:50 pm and he came out of his room and told me to go to the computer. He needed to track Santa because he could not sleep.

My poor husband had to work all night and all day. Then on top of it my boys were going to the dump and the trailer broke down. It took them all day to get a tire back on and get the trailer back home. The boys were so long outside they were knackered tonight my middle boy had been in bed for quite awhile now.

The kids opened presents among themselves tonight. They exchange gifts between them and then also exchange gifts with the cousins.

You can see Oma in back ground singing she found some lovely songs on our computer.
Merry Christmas talk to you all soon

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas!

With all the news and talk about not saying "Merry Christmas" anymore totally breaks our heart!
People getting fired because they said Merry Christmas. They say It's not right to Say Merry Christmas anymore. It is just too sad for words. Our world is so harsh and mean now.
However I absolutely refuse to let it change me!
Please no matter how you celebrate if you go all out shopping, decorating big parties do so with pride, love and joy. Or if you light a candle enjoy every second. Do what makes you happy. Be thankful for everything you have. Life can be so wonderful and even at trying times there is good.
I hope each and everyone of you has a very, very Merry Christmas. May everyone have peace and love. Remember why we have Christmas and be thankful. Best Wishes to you all.

When our power went out the other night we noticed our Chandelier made this lovely Shadow on our ceiling. How wonderful is this great snowflake. It was the silver lining to our night. If the power had not gone off we would have never know how clever our light was.

This very amazing fruit basket came from my sister and husband in Hawaii. It is so full of great things. It is HUGE we actually weighed it. It weighed in at just over 25lbs. When we open it tomorrow I will take a better picture to show you. We wanted to wait until my husband is home. He found out today he now has to work tomorrow.

Yesterday the sun came shining out. It was still cold but the snow was beautiful. The snow is like fake snow, like the kind you through out of a bag. I was analyzing the snow and each piece was a perfect snowflake. It is truly amazing how each tiny tiny snowflake is so amazingly perfect. It all sparkled like tiny fairy lights. When one can take a few breathes and slow down Winter is really gorgeous. The frost on the trees, the river is iced over except a few spots that is sending out steam. The ice on the roads sparkles. If you look hard enough you might even see a tiny little fairy out and about:) The windows have been decorated by Jack Frost in the night. Now if I can only remember all of this when Winter is testing my patience.
Have a wonderful day today. If you have snow or ice go out and enjoy it take a few pictures. If you don't live where is snow make paper snowflakes, google snow paint snow. Enjoy today

Christmas Love

Mimzy

Isn't George (black cat) so cute giving Sparkle a cuddle. Don't let their cuteness fool you they are so bad. As we were leaving for town yesterday I was backing the van up and I could see inside . Sparkle was was hanging off my Canary cage!

I could not post last night it was just too hectic. We did five trips to town (approx. 20 miles each way) yesterday. That is not counting the logging truck. The first time we were only gone a couple of hours. When we got home the water pipes froze up again. It is just crazy. My poor husband after being up since 12:30am came home to lay under the house until supper time. I had to drive my daughter to work and we said good bye to him under the house at 5:45pm. She has a horrible shift 6:30 until 10:30 not really worth the trip in. My brother in law is home for Christmas so he was up for a visit also. Then my son went in to pick her up. He also brought a friend home I could hear them talking until 3:30 this morning. I woke up at 2pm to put wood in the fire and that was it for me wide awake. So I got up and cleaned my room and looked at a book.
It is still really cold here. I need it to stay around -10 no colder then I can handle the water and it is easier on the animals.
Yesterday the kids were skating on the ice rink. They just love it. They stay out for hours. I need to go into town to look for some old skates for Dalt. His feet our growing so much now and we do not let them where their hockey skates at home. It is too hard on the skates and the last thing we need is to buy new skates. We already had to buy I think two or three pairs this season. My one son has seven hundred dollar skates. If I took all the money we have in hockey equipment the hockey equipment we are using right now. I could take a nice chunk out of my Mortgage!
Well I must run I have to drive my daughter in to work. Have a wonderful day

Decorations

These are lovely glass balls. That sit on our coffee table.

These two pictures are to show you what I see from my bed.

It is very cozy and fun. A time or two this little stove has warmed a new born goat (while my husband is at work)
Today was a much better day it warmed up a bit. It is still past -20 but it makes such a difference. I do hope nothing freezes as my husband has to work. He leaves between 12:30am to 1am and will not come home until supper time or hopefully sooner. Two more days of work then he gets couple of days off!
My daughter is working a nasty shift tonight 6"30 until 10:30 it is not too bad. With snowy roads, cold temp. I hate the thought of having to drive in to get her. I am waiting to here if her boyfriend is picking her up. If he is I am heading to bed I am knackered. We had the alarm set in the night so we could keep getting up and not sleep in and forget about the wood. I have laundry ready to go in the night to keep the water line open to the washer. Same as the dishwasher I will put it on either late at night or in the middle of the night. I will just watch the weather. My one daughters room is quite cold so when I drove my daughter to work I picked her up a down fill quilt.
Last night with all our troubles it was not until I went to bed did I think not one fire alarm went off. So tomorrow I am heading to town to buy batteries and maybe a new fire alarm. They really should have gone off the whole house was filled with smoke.
Have a great night.

Playing having fun

Our wild tree

Today has been a day from Hell! I woke up before 5am checked fires, water. Froze up... the cold water in the kitchen. I was so proud how we were keeping our house warm. I went and woke up my husband we panicked filled the fires, carried heaters in nothing. We had to go under the House with the Nelson Herman which is a diesel heater from the shop. We added s steel sign to reflect the heat and finally 2 1/2 hours later WATER. In the mean time we had to get kids to hockey. My oldest son took Sam to town to catch a ride as he is in a tournament in Summerland which is about 11/2 - 2 hours away. When they drove through Aspen Grove the truck thermometer said -42. So our youngest son gets there his gear is frozen solid Poor kid can't play. Meanwhile other two son's go town for a two hour fun practice just about too cold for fun. Back at home our pick up truck refuses to start it was even plugged in. Froze up solid. So the good ole Nelson Herman changes spots to be near the truck with a culvert. I refused to have anything to do with it. I said if it blows I don't want to be around. So I went to Mom and dad's for coffee. Several hours later it finally starts. So now my husband is ready to meet Sam at his hockey. Off he goes so I decide to tidy and put the dish washer on. NO hot water it now has froze up. So I left a message on my husbands cell phone so when he received service he would call. He got to Lower Nicola turned around came home and started it all over again.
Now out to the barn I have to carry water half way across the yard. Taps are frozen so we don't want it to last all winter so I carry it. We have lost an Alpaca and a goat as of today.
All of this went on all day caring fire wood checking water cleaning cupboards so heat flow through.
Oh it gets better then tonight just as I put the perogies in the water the power goes out. I think it was somewhere around 4:30 -5pm not too sure it came n maybe 9:30pm. I was over at my mom and dad's. When the power had tried to come on the pellet stove lit then the power went out again. It was so dark we only had two candles on the kitchen table and I was trying to teach the kids a card game. Our throats starting burning and I could smell smoke. Our pellet stove filled the house with thick black smoke. It burned our eyes, hurt our throats and started to make us feel sick. During all of this my poor husband had to come home again from Penticton several hours away. Leave our youngest son to stay over there ( there is a snow warning tonight where he is playing hockey)We ended at Mom and Dad's to get fresh air. We came back when the power came on to thick smoke, and our water froze up again.... And how was your day?
My brother and his family has not had a good time either. They are at the airport with cancelled flights, missed contact flights, two very tired children...Stress... but it could be worse
Count your blessing say thanks and enjoy your night.

I just love these photos that Miss Hyacinth took. It is good to know they are all capable of looking after the picture department if I am not here.

Isn't he cute. It is actually amazing they caught him sitting still.

Dad with the boys. They looked like they had a lot of fun.

It is cold, cold, cold outside. Lets hope it is killing the Pine beetle. We are managing to keep our floors warm. I do hope it breaks soon. Tonight may be the coldest night yet. I am really worried about the animals. I hate to go out it the morning as I don't know what I will find.
Today only one of my kids went to school. The rest stayed home. Their big brother is home. Middle boys says it is Tradition...and who am I to break tradition. Right!
I had my hair done today which took for ever. Again the days are flying by. My husband is still having trouble with the truck. I guess it is just too cold.
I have started a Christmas book with some beautiful paper. I will take pictures for yo when I get it properly started. I have felt like started a crochet project but I have just not had enough time to research one. It is a start maybe while we have some down time I will get one started.
Have a wonderful night.