Who needs a knife when you can use your fork?!

As long as I can remember I have always cut stuff on my plate with my fork. I know, there's a knife sitting right there.....blah blah blah. Actually, my dad, brothers and myself still cut things with our forks to this day. People call me out on it all the time but i really don't know I'm doing it...farm girls aren't supposed to be refined..are they? 

 My youngest brother Tyson came up with this BRILLIANT idea to invent a fork with a knife built into the side of it so it's all one utensil(smart, eh?). So, every time we get together we always joke about this little invention and how useful it would be and how we could make millions with it. 

 Well, I was wandering around the mall this afternoon out of sheer boredom and stumbled upon this little trinket in Paper Roots. I let out a little squeal and immediately called Tyson to break the news to him...

Sorry Tyson... I guess you will have to start on your milk invention and hopefully no one beats you to it! : )

For those of you who use your fork as knife, isn't this brilliant?!

The Wuzzles!

I have been overcome with a bad case of boredom since I arrived home from my little long weekend trip to Oxbow/ Portage. Colton stayed at Grandpa and Grandma's for a weeks vacation, so I am bored out of my tree. My dayhome kids are either on holidays or sick, so my week has opened up to...well, I guess you could say boredom. I am trying to think of things to do that I can't normally do with Colton. Do you think I could come up with anything fun for me to do? NO! So I took a little trip to the VV Boutique (Value Village) and wandered around there for a bit watching people frantically searching for western garb for Stampede this wknd and fighting politely over who gets the last cowboy hat in the store. I could have sat there all day with a smile on my face watching people politely step in front of each other to get the last of something good. There were a few savages rooting thru the ugly-and-only-wear-for-Stampede shirts and pants. And then there were the on-lookers wishing they had the nerve to get in there and rummage with the rest of them. Me, I stood back and watched in amazement and confirmed in my head why I have not been to the Stampede in 4 years and have no intentions of going for a long time.
Anyhoo....the point of this post is to show you what I stumbled upon that just about brought tears to my eyes. I caught a glimpse of something orange and plastic sitting on a top shelf, so i stood on my tip-toes and reached way back and picked up this intriguing item. It was a plastic Wuzzles lunch kit! Exactly like the one that I used to use from K-grade 3! I couldn't believe my eyes! It is in MINT condition and comes with a thermos that looks like it has NEVER been used! I was ecstatic and grinning from ear to ear. Unknown to me there was an older lady watching me and she came up after a moment and said, "That lunch kit means something to you, doesn't it?"  I just about burst into tears (not sure why?) and said, "This is the exact lunch kit that I used to use when I was in Kindergarten!" She smiled and said, "You know you need to buy that right?" I just smiled and toddled off to find another treasure.
Maybe tomorrow when I am looking for something to do I will pack my little lunch kit with a lunch and head to the park and enjoy a 'Wuzzle-filled' afternoon with my orange lunch kit and thermos.

On rainy days

This is what I have been busy with on our lovely rainy days. They look great and they add a punch of color to any room/space. 

Loves and Insecurities...

This is a post all about me...and all that I offer and do or have done...

1. My biggest fear(s) are snakes and water. I have mentioned my snake fear before and it is an extreme fear. Growing up on a farm infested with them you would think that I would be used to them. I think my fear started when I was little and I watched my Uncle Kelvin pour salt on one and it literally shed it's skin on the spot. TRAUMATIZED!
Water..growing up on the prairies there are very few bodies of water. The thought of going on a cruise makes me very anxious. I will likely never go on a  vacation cruise just b/c I am terrified of sinking and a whale eating me (childish I know, but that is me). Hopping out of a boat in deep water to swim makes me panic b/c i don't know what is swimming underneath me. Watching whales/fish on t.v. makes me shiver b/c they are so big and I don't know how to swim. Those of you who enjoy whale watching...you are crazy! It is rare for me to go into a body of water higher than my waist.

2. I am a people watcher. I went to a hockey game this winter and i couldn't tell you who won the game..I was far too busy watching people. I have put myself in a few situations b/c I don't realizing that I am sitting there with a smirk or a sad look on my face.

3. I LOVE babies! Babies, babies, babies!

4. My dream job would be to work in a hospital cheering up sick kids or rocking/comforting crying and sick babies. I love to see happy children and to know that I can help comfort them.

5. I believe in disciplining my children. This is a very touchy subject for me b/c I am very passionate about it and  I will stick to my guns and argue it to the death! If you don't want an honest answer when it comes to discipline...don't ask me questions b/c I may tell you something you don't want to hear. I can't watch Super Nanny b/c it makes me furious..

6. I love to sing!  I grew up going to church every Sunday and sitting beside my Grandma(who has a beautiful voice) who taught me how to harmonize and sing. This is something that I will cherish forever and forever be thankful for. It is a gift that I have been blessed with.

7. My left lung has collapsed twice and I have had part of it removed. Humidity and I don't get along very well. So, my dream of moving to Fiji will never become a reality..sniff sniff

8. I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy on April 25, 2007. He was 8lbs 4 oz and 21 inches long. He was named Colton Reese Taylor and he is my pride and joy! He brings a smile to my face everyday. He is compassionate, caring and determined and tells me everyday that he loves me.

9. I run a dayhome which allows me to raise my own child and to have the joy of helping mold other children as well.

10. I don't have alot of close friends, but the ones I do have I cherish and love like family!

11. I dream of one day opening my own little bakery/coffee shop...needing to win the lottery first though.

12. I enjoy true war movies. I could watch Band of Brothers over and over again.

13. I am obsessed with baskets. My house is full of them and they keep me organized.

14. Summer + garage sales = happy Jen

15. I'm handy and crafty.

I may add to this list later but for now..this is me! Is there something unique about you that I don't know about?

Emotional Trainwreck

As a rule, I am not an emotional person. Sure there are things that make me tear up like a heart felt story or something that really upsets me like unneeded or unwanted drama. But, all in all I can hold it together quite well.  

 It has been a long week and I am tired today, but I am holding it together b/c the weekend is here. I had a couple minutes this morning so I sat down to catch up on my PVR. So, I turned on American Idol (closet AI fan) and settled in to watch who would be on the final 2 next week. This episode was about the final 3 contestants going to their home towns (first time in 3 months). For some reason I found myself tearing up over watching these kids go home and seeing all the community support for them. Well....let the water works begin! I was crying like a little baby! If the contestants started to cry I cried even harder. I had tears rolling down my cheeks and I am thinking to myself, "I am ridiculous, who cries over American Idol?"  Me, obviously! 

 I remember the first time I watched the movie 'P.S I Love You'. I was sitting by myself one evening watching the movie and I started to cry about 15 minutes in and I started to sob and sob. I'm talking gut wrenching sobs! Jeff walks in the door and I am curled up in a ball on the couch and sobbing my eyes out! My nose is running, I can't hardly talk and I was shaking. He just stood there for a second with a horrified look on his face and then said, " What is wrong with you? Are you ok?" I sobbed out an answer, "Yessss,(sniff) I'm just watching a sad movie." (cue the loud honking sound of me blowing my nose). 

 Or there are the times you laugh so hard you cry. I am one of those people and it has brought about a few embarassing moments for me and others around me. You know those people that snort when they laugh? Well, that is me when I get laughing hard and I can't help it or stop. I don't laugh that hard very often but when I do people actually stop to stare! There are times I get laughing so hard I can't breathe, I can't see because of the tears and I can't wipe the smile off my face or stop crossing my legs b/c of the urge to pee.(I know I'm not the only one, so don't judge me for saying it out loud!)

I love watching people that are having a good laugh. It puts a smile on my face to think that they found something that funny to laugh at and I secretly wish I could be laughing with them.

I love a good laugh and we all need a good laugh once in awhile. Have you had a good gut wrenching laugh lately? I haven't and I think it is about time to go out and find one!

Baby Cuddles

Jeff's sister Jen and her fiance Donald welcomed a beautiful little boy into the world this morning at 3:28am. Griffin Thomas Humphrey weighed in at 7lbs 8oz and 22 inches long. Congratulations to Jen and Donald! So wishing I was in Halifax today for some new-baby-cuddles. Wishing Jen and Donald all the joy that a little one brings and we look forward to meeting Griffin in the fall. Just a little FYI ..i love babies, and I have no intentions of sharing him once I get him in my arms! : )

Cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow

for babies grow up, we've learned to our sorrow

So quiet down cobwebs, dust go to sleep,

I'm rocking my baby cause babies don't keep.

This poem hung in our farm house where I grew up until I moved out when I was 17. I memorized this little poem at a young age and I have never forgotten it. Now that I am a mother I can appreciate what this poem says and it is so true! Never feel guilty for cuddling your baby or holding it too much. Once they get to that independent age you have to fight for a cuddle! 

Razor or Weed Wacker?

Things have seemed rather caotic these last couple weeks and I feel like I am falling behind in everything..laundry, ironing, cleaning, organizing and me! Life has been busy but I'm not sure with what though. Summer is finally around the corner and there is so much to do. 

I hate to admit it but Mother's Day weekend was anything but relaxing but I accomplished alot. My house has been driving me crazy for a good 2 weeks b/c i have been surface cleaning and spot cleaning, which I hate doing but haven't had the time or the energy to do a proper job. So, on Sunday, Jeff took Colton out for the day and I set in to do some serious work in my house. It felt good to do a good scrub throughout the house and get things crossed off my very long list and to get my house back in order.

I thoroughly enjoyed a hot stone massage on Saturday. I am trying to remember why I stopped getting massages and i can't come up with a good reason so i figured it needs to become a monthly thing for me. 

 Saturday was also the maiden voyage for Colton's new kite! It has been sitting in a box in the entry way for awhile now and we figured we would give it a try on Saturday. It ended up not being windy enough but it was fun just watching Colton and seeing how excited he was to get his kite off the ground.

 Me...I have been putting myself on the back burner lately..I came to the realization that it is time to take some 'me time'  and I'm going to start that time with shaving my hairy legs! Yikes! I forgot how bad I am in the winter for maintaining my legs (too much information, i know, but I know I'm not the only one out there!) Summer is upon us and i have no excuses and no reason to walk around looking like a hairy mammoth so i need to get in the habit...again. Pathetic, i know! Do I hear an 'Amen' from all the other hairy ladies out there?! 

 Looking forward to getting out more now that summer is here and getting my daily dose of Vitamin D and working on my tan! Summer puts everyone in such a better mood and that makes me happy. That whole grumpy- b/c- of- the- weather is another blog post that I will save for later.

We are really looking forward to having Jeff's dad here mid June for 2 weeks...I may or may-not have started a little 'honey-do' list for him while he is here...he will be rewarded with food. : ) In all seriousness, it will be so nice to have some east-coast company here finally.

Well my daily duties are calling me (no i don't mean shaving my legs) so I gotta run for now! Get out and enjoy your day my friends!