My New purchase

Yesterday I broke down and went into town and got some winter wear.  Since Tayler needed my toque I needed a new one, then Dylan lost his good winter gloves so guess who gave up hers for him - What a mom!

And I needed a new scarf as mine has been put in a safe place - who knows where that is!

I have never liked wearing toques but with the temperatures that we have been having it has become a necessity! So what do you think - I love it! Go figure - I wore it all last night and I still have it on this morning 

My new hat and silly smile 

This is how I looked when I fed Spice last night - I couldn't wear my glasses because I couldn't  see at all!
My hair was totally frozen and dripping when I came in and warmed up !

Sunday wasn't chilly compared to Wednesday

You know its cold when :

The snow squeaks (yes it squeaks, I found this hilarious when I first realized it)

A bucket of water gets a layer on ice in 5 minutes or less

There is frost on the inside of the windows in the house

My hair turns white with frost

The air sparkles (its so pretty)

Now when its REALLY cold - it rains when you open the door to go outside

Ice on the inside of the windows 

Last nights Temperature at 9pm (clock an hour fast)

This morning at 6am

 As I drove in this morning the thermometer in my car read -40 from home to 100 Mile House, where it warmed up to -39. 

OK now its chilly!

We woke up Sunday morning to 4 1/2 inches of new snow and more falling and very chilly temperatures of -14 or so, no wind though thank goodness. 

I took these photos yesterday morning and then forgot to take the camera out again while we were sledding and just having fun in the snow with the kids! 

Why is that???  

Super cozy inside - see the smoke from the blazing fire in the fire place

 

There was no snow on the chicken coop on Saturday 

Shayleigh LOVES the snow she can be found in many snowbanks rolling around and  just being goofy!

Today there has been frostbite warnings on the radio for the next couple of days and winter storm warnings too, I just checked the Weathernetwork and it says 100 Mile House, BC - -21 today BUT tomorrow -27 to -28 (with out the windchill) Ekkkkk - I am sooooooooooooooooo looking forward to my stew tonight for dinner and cozying up by the fire with the kids and a book or maybe a movie or maybe the wii - hummmmm so many choices! 

Stay warm! I know I will! 

Baking Frenzy!

You know those days when you fell like doing something and you go at it full tilt!

Well this is what I accomplished last Monday! 

A double batch of chocolate, chocolate chip cookies, three loaves of bread, cinnamon buns, cheese swirls, dinner rolls and granola! 

What an accomplishment! 

New Years Party

New Years Eve! 

I worked that morning and grabbed a few eats on the way home for the party at Karen and Dougs 

Every year they have a big feast, huge sledding hill and a homemade pinata for the kids!

Dylan decided he wanted to go Mikes house and spend New Years with his family - so we were one kid short but Tay and Russ had a blast. Russ and I conquered the sledding hill together! While Tay watched and waited to hit the pinata!

Sledding Hill - pretty sleep so were going pretty good - and this year no wipe outs for Kelly (unlike last year)

Fat Cat Banker pinata! 

Oh and a potato gun! 

Pizza, Pizza anyone! 

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!

I can't wait till I can hit the pinata! And Yes it is set up in their living room! 

Russ taking his turn

Tays turn

After 7 kids and almost 2 turns each, the banker finally exploded!  Money (play) Chocolate Coins, and Chocolate bars (to look like gold bars) !

Trying on the hat

Me Too! 

3,2,1 HAPPY NEW YEAR! and Yes Russ and Tay made it till 1:30am! 

Resident Moose

I ride share with my neighbour and we have come upon these two moose three times over the past two weeks.

This was taken a couple hundred yards from the end of our driveway yesterday morning.

Kitchen Project

Nothing like beginning 2011 with a big kitchen project!

March 2010 I was so excited to get the first part of the cabinets in!

Well after almost two years we have decided to continue working on the cabinets to try get them done and easier to use and much nicer to look at! 

Ed is making our counters tops out of OSB, here he is laminating three sheets together

Routing the edges 

another disaster

heres the rest 

We painted the insides white to make them brighter and easier to clean 

Now each shelf slides out, the top drawers need to be done and the doors

Still lots of work to do but its coming. Hopefully we can get a little farther this weekend.

Boxing Day

Boxing Day was a flurry of visiting friends and family as many as we could fit in! 

Marg and Ted and Grandma

Erin, Alan Little Dylan and Sawyer

Andy Laurie Travis and Cole

Matt and Leanne Hayley and Jessie 

Mom and Dad!

Pretty good I thought ! 

Surprise we're in Victoria - Surprise Sawyer grew a moustache

Hanging with Family 

How long has it been since you played Rumollee
 (I have no idea how to spell it!)

Cutie Cousins in their new outfits! 

Are they not SOOOOOOOO Cute together! 

Heading home! 

Sunrise!

I had to get a picture of this sunrise it was so beautiful!!!  

Christmas

This year we decided to surprise everyone and spend Christmas with family and friends at the coast. We told the kids the night before we left and I had these three sets of eyes staring at me like I was crazy - I asked what was wrong and they all said "What about Santa? How will he know we have gone to the coast?" After a few minutes of thinking they ran up stairs to leave the Big Guy a note in the tree facing the fireplace - where he comes in the house!

Tay and Jess inseparable the whole time we were there 

Christmas Eve it has been tradition we spend it with Barb and Gord and their family. I remember many times staying up till all hours laughing and listening to stories. After missing it for two years we were so happy to be able to make it down record time on Christmas Eve to have dinner with everyone again! 

Christmas Eve dinner kids table 

Christmas Eve Dinner Adult table (haha)

I forgot to take my camera to my brothers on Christmas day. We had a wonderful breakfast of waffles and bacon and the kids went crazy opening gifts and playing.

Ed and I went over to Rick and Jos to have lunch with them and Hans and Gisela (Jos parents) we had a really nice visit. After lunch we headed back to Mom and Dads to get ready to go to Gerry and Leonas for dinner 

Mom having fun with Tay and Jess dancing around the house 

Super yummy dinner at Gerry and Leonas! 

Lots of Family enjoying the holidays together

Kid table 

More gifts from Gerry and Leona, Tay and Jess got the same outfit. Boxing Day at my parents Tay and Jess were dressed in the same outfits, it was so cute. 

Home Made Gingerbread Houses

This year we planned out homemade gingerbread houses. I made the dough and Dylan drew the houses and we all worked together rolling and cutting. 

We discovered our architectural skills were lacking when we went to put the roofs, they fell in! Our problem : we made them as long as the walls! which meant we had to make some renovations before the roof would stay on "top" of the house. We figured it out and with lots of icing they worked out pretty good. 

Ed was watching us laughing away and being thankful Kelly did not build our house! 

I will stick to gingerbread houses! 

Decorating! Lots of candy and icing and sampling! 

Proud Russ 

Dylans finished house 

Tays done - just cleaning out the icing bag

OH OH - we left them alone with their houses - the next day half gone

"But they are so good"

Mommy look candy storage 

Two days later there was nothing left - but I know they come by it honestly - gingerbread with icing and candy mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm good!