Take what you get.

This is as good as it gets.

Family pictures (or pics in general), with little kids, is HARD!!

I need to help out more often..

One of these things is not like the other..

It's been one of "those" weeks. Well, kind of.

You know what I mean?

"those" as in : 'It's hard to believe tomorrow is Friday.' and 'where in the world did the week go?'

While I worked 2 extra days outside of the home, my husband has lovingly watched over the kids and the house. He's vacuumed once, and finished a few loads of laundry. He's good to have around.

He didn't however, notice something was out of place in the cupboard. Maybe because he may have put it there?

Can you see it?? Look close.

It's there. Way up there in the middle, right hand side. Pink lid?!

Out of place, not because it's cotton candy. (we LOVE cotton candy)

Out of place because

IT'S EMPTY!!

PUUULLLEASE tell me who puts an empty container BACK into the cupboard???

Must have been a joke for mom.

(living with someone with OCD tendencies is very trying)

It worked.

After a long week. I stopped. And laughed.

Such simple things.

Autumn.

It's not hard to notice that winter will be upon us very soon. So soon, in fact, that we put up our Christmas lights tonight. Ahem, um, MIKE put up the Christmas lights. Sorry.

We (okay, MIKE) doesn't like to keep them up all year long, BUT he also doesn't want to fall off the roof after the first ice storm. Soo....he opts for mid October while it's just cold enough to'feel' it, but not cold enough to get frostbite.

Once I am past the fact that it won't be summer again for quite a few months (okay, will it ever be summer again????) , I'm resigned to the knowledge that autumn, in Canada, is a BEAUTIFUL time of year. (as I'm sure it is in other parts of the world as well.)

Not only does it look beautiful, but it smells beautiful as well.

What does beautiful smell like?

Crisp. Clean. Fresh. Spicy. Warm. Cozy. Colourful.

Can one actually smell all those things?

I think I can.

Hannah & I took a walk yesterday to collect some leaves for the house.

If you overlook the roads & the wreckers lot,

you will find that we live in a gorgeous neighbourhood.

It is Colourful. Fresh. Crisp. Spicy. Clean. Warm. Cozy.

It smells so good.

We are blessed by the beauty.

Of our neigbourhood.

And by those that surround us.

Pizza Soup

All I can say is YUM-O!

For all those people that have requested a copy of yummy pizza soup

...here it is...go make it. SOON!

IF you like

meat (or pizza!!) try this.

YUM!

Ingredients: (feel free to substitute)

1 jar (14 oz) of pizza sauce

3 empty jars full of water

1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1/2 red onion, chopped

1 cup baby tomatoes, cut in quarters (or 1 can diced tomatoes, drained--which is what I use)

You might like mushrooms as well?

2 already-cooked Italian sausage (I cook mine up while I'm putting the rest of my groceries away. then I freeze it)

1 cup sliced pepperoni

8 fresh basil leaves, chopped (or 1/2 T dried)

1 T dried oregano

1/2 to 1/3 cup of dried pasta (I use penne, and I use almost a cup--as per Mike's request)

shredded mozzarella cheese (to add later)

The Directions.

Use a 5 or 6 quart crockpot for this recipe.

Wash and prepare veggies. (including tomatoes!!)

Dump them into the crockpot.

If not already cooked or cut up... Cook and cut up the sausage into small pieces.

Add sausage and pepperoni to crockpot.

Add basil & oregano.

Pour in the pizza sauce, and follow with three empty jars of water.

Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours. Everything in this is already cooked, so you are really only heating through and allowing the flavors to meld.

Thirty minutes (or so) before serving, add the dry pasta, and turn to high.

Garnish/top with shredded mozzarella cheese.

ENJOY!!!!!

Oh to be a fly on the wall.....

Me: "I thought you guys weren't really friends anymore? You told me she was being mean?"

H: "People change don't you know?"

H: "Oh wow!! You don't often see that everyday!"

Me: "See what hun?"

H: "A grandma driving a bus!"

I: "ummm.. I accidentally threw the remote at Hannah's head."

I: "Hey mama. Do you know what 'they' call testicles?"

Me: "ahh..what?"

I: (with his hands around his mouth) whispers, "NUTS!!!"

H: (doing share & show for school)

"Mama. Why do you think I always forget that part?"

Me: "because we sometimes don't pay attention, honey."

H: "Thanks mom. Thanks. "(quite serious with hands on her head)

Me: "huh? "

H: "thanks for that mom." (still very serious)

me: "thanks for what?"

H: "for saying that. I really needed to hear that."

H: (crying in her room)

Me: "oh honey, what's wrong?"

H: "why do I have to be so skinny? Nothing that I like fits me."

(IF ONLY EH???)

I: "Did dad work yesterday?"

Me: "He worked last night, yes."

I: "But did he work yesterday. Like that day before the other day that was tomorrow?"

Me: "Huh?"

I: "Mom, did you tell dad how much you spend?"

Me: "yes"

I: "Was he impressed?"

Me: (giggle) "No"

I: "Mad?"

Me: (heehee) "No. He knew we needed snowsuits honey."

I: "Oh. okay."

In the back seat of the car, playing with little people. Who are kissing each other.

A: "oh daddy, me wuv you, me wuv you, ME WUV YOU!!"

I: (who is getting very upset) "MOM! How do I get it to stop that?"

Me: "what to stop honey?"

I: "My penis. It keeps growing."

Me: (giggle, giggle)

H: (quite perturbed) "If you'd stop touching it, it would go back to normal you know???!!!"

Old becomes...new! (to us)

If you haven't already realized it, I LOVE a good deal. I am always working on "a project". Usually, something old, cheap, ratty. I then try to revamp it, and work it into our home. It works like the 'thrill of a good find'. I almost feel like I'm being a better mom/wife by finding something and fixing it. I'm wierd like that.

A few Fridays ago I was driving to work and, low and behold, THIS beauty was sitting on a curb. Patiently awaiting the garbage man. Er, person.

SHOCKING!! I know!!

All it took was a knock on the door, and a heft into my hatchback. Oh yeah.

And I wasn't even late for work!

( I still don't know why the lady was looking at me like I had 3 eyeballs??)

Yesterday, I decided to deal with it. A coat of melamine paint (leftover from THIS project), some spray paint (special thanks to Mikey for the use of his camo spray!!) and some new hardware slides for the back of the drawers (they were broken...$4)

Not bad eh??

Ofcourse it's not perfect. And far from new. But it was free. And it will work!

Besides. Hannah LOVES it!

Oh. Our little angel was working on a project of her own. Imagine!