The Memories of the Past Week

What a week....it feels like it has just been swept up from underneath me, and all that is left are the memories of what used to be.
Christmas is such a busy time, and there is so much hype leading up to the big event, and then in a matter of 2 days, it is all over. It kind of leaves me a little depressed after though, there is so much excitement for a month before, and then boom....it's over. People have been telling me that I better get used to it though because it is the same with a wedding, although it is a lot longer then 1 month of planning, and then in 1 single day....it is over!!!!! With Christmas at least we can look forward to the next year, but I guess with the wedding I will not have another one to look forward too.....I hope!!!!
We had a great Christmas at the Strachan and McLaughlin households.
We started our Christmas by going to church on Christmas Eve with Curt's mom, dad, Abner, Karen and Destiny. That always get me wound in the spirit. That was about the only thing that did it though. When there is no snow on the ground it is sure hard to make yourself feel like it is Christmas!!!!
After church we went for a drive around town and looked at all the light, went back to Sid and Lois's and had a snake, watched a Christmas movie, and headed home.
Christmas day we woke up and did our present exchange between the three of use. Lexy, Curt and I must of all been VERY good this year because Santa was extra generous to us!!! We then headed back over to Curt's parents and had coffee and Bailey's in the hot tub, had brunch and waited for Trisha and Clint to show up to open our presents. They were running late, so we ended up having to open gifts without them there. After we got spoiled, we packed up the remainder of the unopened gifts and headed over to Curt's grandparents place to do our visit and present exchange with them and the rest of the McLaughlin family.
After we were done with the McLaughlin's, it was time to go and see the Strachan's. We went over to my mom and dad's for our family Christmas. My dad had to work on Christmas day this year, so we had to wait to open our gifts until he got home. He was to be home in fairly good time, but it ended up that he stopped at my aunt and uncles in Atwood, and his truck brook down. His company called a mechanic, but they couldn't fix it, so he had to leave it stranded in Atwood, and hitch a ride back to town with the mechanic.
Once he arrived, we opened our gifts with my parents, Cara and Justin, and my grandma Robinson. We then had a traditional Christmas dinner of lasagna, chicken wings, hashbrown casserole, and salad (we were having turkey the next day at my mom's family Christmas, so we thought that it would be nice to just have something simple), and cleaned up. Before we left we decided to have a heated game of pass the ace, and of course, neither Curt of I won!!!!
As usual, Curt and I both were spoiled by both of our parents, getting way too much....but greatly appreciating it.
So Christmas is all over for another year, and only 361 more sleeps until next year!!!!
Here are a few memories of the past week:

Curt and the dogs on Christmas morning at his parents house....... Curt and I gave Destiny the 'Deal or NO Deal' game, so after she opened it, Sid was teasing her and asking her where her dress was, so she went to the bedroom and changed into there flowergirl dress from Ryan and Nicole's wedding.......Curt and Trisha @ Grandma and Grandpa McLaughlin's place on Christmas day.......

Grandma Robinson opening her gifts.......

Lexy opening her gifts (with a little help from her dad).......

My mom opening the ring that my dad got her (for my mom and dad's 25th wedding anniversary she wanted a today, tomorrow, forever ring. she didn't end up getting it because they took a trip instead, so this year when both of her daughters got engaged, she thought that it would be great if she could get a new diamond the year that her daughters got thier's.....she got it!!!!!).......

The Night Before Christmas

by Clement Clarke Moore

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."

Friends Christmas Party

Last night was our friends Christmas party.
This is the second year that we have had this party, and it is always a blast.
Everyone had to bring a gift that would suit their gender and we did a Christmas gift exchange. Also new this year, everyone had to bring a shooter for everyone else. This resulted in some pretty messy people by the end of the evening.
It was an early night, compared to some that we have had in the past. We were in bed by 1:30. I guess that is what happens when you start at 4, and when you get older!!!
Anyways, here are some highlites of the evening:
the Christmas gift exchange our mad game of Pictinary the guys in the hot tub over at Curt's parents Just a few more days and all of the Holiday festivities will be over for another year.
It is always such a busy time, that we do not get the chance to see everyone that we would like to. So for those of you that we have not had a chance to have a Holiday visit with,
From our House to Yours.....Merry Christmas.

HOHOHOHOHOHO

6 MORE SLEEPS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday Grandma

Thursday was my Grandma Robinson's 84 birthday so last night we went to my Aunt Lois and Uncle Ron's house for cake and ice cream to celebrate.
When it came time for my grandma to blow out the candles, two little helpers jumped right up on her knee to assist with the task at hand. Here is to many more birthday celebrations with my grandmother!!!!

Get Your Christmas Elf Name!!!!

Mine would be (as Sandi): Daffy Fluffy-Paws
(as Sandra): Happy Fluffy-Paws
Curt's would be (as Curtis): Chipper Twinkle-Toes
(as Curt): Goofy Twinkle-Toes
What would yours be??????
http://www.jokesunlimited.com/christmas_elf_name.php
post a comment in the comment area and let us know what yours would be!!!!

All I want for Christmas is.......................

*****SNOW*****

10 More Sleeps

Here Comes Santa Clause Here comes Santa Claus!
Here comes Santa Claus!
Right down Santa Claus Lane!
Vixen and Blitzen and all his reindeer
are pulling on the reins.
Bells are ringing, children singing;
All is merry and bright.
Hang your stockings and say your prayers,
'Cause Santa Claus comes tonight.

Here comes Santa Claus!
Here comes Santa Claus!
Right down Santa Claus Lane!
He's got a bag that is filled with toys
for the boys and girls again.
Hear those sleigh bells jingle jangle,
What a beautiful sight.
Jump in bed, cover up your head,
'Cause Santa Claus comes tonight

ONLY............

12 more sleeps until the big guy comes!!!!!!

Double The Trouble

My friend Laura is pregnant with twins, as I think that I have mentioned before.
She currently has a little girl, Addy, who just turned 1 on November 11, and has two on the way. When these two decide to present themselves to the world, she will have 3 children all under the age of 18 months.
Not only his she going to have sleepless nights, but she is also a business owner (she owns her own hair salon) and she will have to keep up with that!!!!
Last week she found out the sex of the twins.....two boys!!!!!!!!!
She is a brute for punishments, and I feel for her:(

The Urn's are COMPLETE!!!

If you can remember I told you about these urns that we got last year that cost an arm and a leg, but did not come covered in grapevine, the way that we thought that they would.I am happy to say that they have finally got wrapped in the grapevine that we got about a month ago, and they look great with our Christmas arrangement in them. I have to say....it certainly was NOT worth paying her the $75.00 extra to get her to cover them!!!!

WHAT THE HECK IS ALL THIS WHITE STUFF?????

Lexy was not too sure about the snow again this year, but tonight she is loving it again....out rolling around in it and then coming into the house and shaking it all over the floor!!!!

A Day of Winter Creations

Yesterday I finally talked my mom into doing our Christmas greenery arrangements.
Last year we went to a ladies place, and for $5.00 we filled our own pot with the stuff that she had went to the bush and got, and we didn't have to clean up the mess after we were done.
This year I thought that it would be fun if we went to the bush and got our own greenery and did our pots in the garage. The clean up part was not that much fun, I definitely would have paid someone $5.00 to come and do that!!!
Curt, dad, mom and I headed out around noon and picked up some berries and dogwood on the Race Coarse side road, and then headed over to the Maple Keys Sugar Bush to find these three different kind of trees that we need to get branches from. Deer hunting season started today so we did not want to have to go into a bush to pick the stuff, just in case there were some early hunters, so we found all of the branches that we needed on the edge of the bushes.
After we had gathered all that we needed we headed back to mom and dad's and mom and I set up our work station in the garage. We were out there for quite a few hours putting our arrangements together. It was fun. Since I have moved out on my own I have found that my mom and I have a lot in common, and pretty much every season we get together and do some sort of outdoors craft....some great mother/daughter quality time.
In the end I did two VERY large arrangements (one for my front door for my urn, and one for Curt's mom), a medium arrangement (for my side entrance), and two small arrangements (another from my front...... ......and another for the side).
Yesterday morning I was out at Zehr's getting groceries and seen there arrangements sitting there and so I thought that I would check out the price.....$149.99 for most of them!!!! That included an urn, but still.....we saved ourselves $100.00, and they look just as good, if not better, then the ones there!!!!

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

We have had our Christmas lights up for a couple of weeks now, but with the snow this weekend, it really makes it look and feel a lot more like Christmas.
p.s. Three weeks from tonight Santa comes!!!!!!!!

Why is it when things happen, do they always happen in three's???

Last week seemed to be a week of things going wrong.
On Wednesday night I came home from work and went up and got changed. When I came down I thought that it felt awful cold in the house, and asked Curt if he had touched the thermostat. Being as he does not know how to operate the furnace, this was not possible. I looked at the temperature it read in the house, and it was sitting at 14oC. I told Curt to go down and check things out, as I was on my way out the door. When I got home it was @ 13, so I cranked the heat up to 32 to see if the furnace would kick in. With no luck the next morning it was 10oC in the house.
Wednesday night when Curt got home from hockey the garage door wouldn't go down so he started playing around with it. He got no ware with it, except into a deeper hole. It would sound like it was going to go down, but didn't move. He come up and got me out of bed at 12:30a.m. to see if I could help him get it at least down for the night. After 45min. of fighting, all we could do is park the car in front of the garage, and take any valuable stuff into the house. I hardly got any sleep that night thinking that someone might go into the garage and clean out our freezer, take the beer, or even our bikes!!!
I called my dad the next morning, and asked him to come over and take a look at it. It look's like the plastic bearings are stripped on our garage door opener, so we have to buy a kit to replace that, and he could not fix our furnace, so he had to call a repair man...$$$$. It could have been worse though, it was only a loose wire!!! He did inform my dad when he was there though that our furnace was really old, and we need to replace it shortly, which would run us about $3500.00.........GREAT!!!!
Friday morning I took my car to get the oil changed, and when they were doing it they thought that there was something that need replaced in the engine with a price tag of about $1000.00. I got a report back in the afternoon that they just thought that I needed something flushed out, and it was only going to set me back $89.99....a savings of $910.01....thank god.
I just wonder, why when things happen can they not hit us one month at a time instead of all at once, and to boot, the month before Christmas?????????

Happy Birthday Curt!!!

Yesterday was Curt's birthday.
Mat and Jill came over for dinner...it was a luxurious meal from Zehr's...chicken wings, potato wedges, macaroni and potato salad, and cheese cake for dessert.
I had an appointment in Elmira with Laura so that she could pick out her bridesmaid dress, and get sized, so I think that I got to spend a matter of about 35 minutes with Curt on his special day. It was a dine and dash approach to a birthday dinner.
The big guy got a little spoiled this year. He turned 25 (quarter of a century) and I thought that since he spoiled me with diamonds a couple of weeks ago, it was the least that I could do to get him a good birthday gift. I got him a new pair of Steve Madden leather shoes for work and a new shirt. Lexy got him (although did not hand the cash over when it was time to pay for it) and electric razor. This is something that Curt has always wanted. He is really lazy, and does not like to shave, and usually only does it every 3-4 days. By the 3rd or the 4th day he is pretty shaggy, and some days I can not even believe that he goes to work looking like that. Maybe with the elelectric razor he will shave more often, and not complain that he has to do it.
The guys have gone to Buffalo tonight to the to the Habs/Saber's game. This has become an annual trip for the boys. These two teems always seem to meet up on the weekend after Curt's birthday, so they have made it an annual event to go down there and celebrate Curt's birthday with is beloved Habs!!! Last year everything seemed to go over well, with no arrests or charges (that we knew of) so hopefully it is a repeat of last year!!!!

Happy Birthday Mom......yesterday!

Yesterday was my mom's 4?th birthday and she got to celebrate it by having the day off work.
Since the credit union that she works for merged with another, they had to go to a training course on Remembrance Day (when they used to have it off), but get their birthdays off instead. It kind of sucks because we used to always have Remembrance Day off together and we usually went shopping, and know we will not have that day!!!
Anyways, we met for dinner last night at a restaurant in Listowel. Mom, dad, Cara, Justin, Grandma R, Grandma S, Curt and I had dinner together, and then we all went back to our house to have cake and coffee. We had ice cream cake for dessert, and my Uncle Ron and Aunt Lois come over to join us.
It was very nice for my mom to have everyone be able to get together and celebrate her big day!!!!!
Happy Birthday MOM!!!

SOOOOOO Tired

This weekend Jill, Cara and I went to Birch Run, Michigan to do some shopping. As you can probably tell by the pile of bags we did very well!!!!
We left on Friday afternoon, shopped all day Saturday and part of the day on Sunday, and headed home Sunday afternoon.
When we crossed the border we had to go in and pay taxes on the stuff that we claimed (well, Cara and I did, Jill got shit lucky).
We got home around 8 on Sunday night and as soon as I stepped foot into my house all I could smell was the stench of vomit.
Apparently Curt had 20 of his closest friends in on Saturday night to watch the Habs/Leafs game and one of them got really drunk and threw up all over my couch cover. After he did that, he went up to our spare bed to go to sleep and got sick all over the carpet up there, as well as the mattress and sheets. Curt had attempted to clean it up, but I think that it had probably sat there for about 12 hours before he got to it, and the stench had time to seep into the carpet. I have know scrubbed the carpet with soap and water, used Lysol and scrubbed it, sprayed the shit out of it with Febreez and there is know baking soda sitting on it. I have no idea how to get the smell out of the carpet without going out and renting a carpet cleaner and cleaning the shit out of it!!!!
Here is my plea: if anyone knows how to get the stench of vomit out of carpet, please fill me in on the secret!!!!!
Between my busy weekend, trying to get some stuff booked for the wedding, and attending to a puck stained carpet, I am exhausted. Almost every night I have been in bed and asleep by 10 and yesterday morning I slept in. I have not done that for a long time, and I still feel sleep deprived.
Thank god we have nothing on this weekend so that I can try to get caught up on some well deserved R & R.

Happy Birthday Addy

Since I am going to be away this weekend, I thought that I better post my birthday wishes to my friend Laura's little girl Addy today.
Ava Adeline Leader will be 1 year old on Saturday.
Addy was over on Saturday night to celebrate Curt and my engagement, and this photo was taken then. Addy will be a big sister to twin siblings in only 5 months.
CRAZY PARENTS!!!!!!

I am exhausted....and I didn't even do anything!!

Yesterday Curt and I had to get up really early and go over to his parents house and tell them the good news. They had been away the night before, so we were not able to tell them then, and thought that we better get it done before they herd it from someone else.
I had plans to go to Jill's cottage to get the grapevine for my urn, so my mom and dad came and picked us up about 10:30. We headed to Belmore to a couple of craft stores, to the Grey Ox for their open house and then to the cottage. We loaded the back of the truck up and headed for home.
I was really tired because I did not sleep very well the night before due to my excitement, so when we got home we decided that we were going to lay our head down and have a little nap. That was soon disrupted with Curt and all of the guys coming over. Curt had invited everyone over to our house to celebrate our engagement!!!!!
Later on in the evening we decided to go to a Buck and Doe in town. We headed there around 10:30, and by 11:15 I was ready for home. Jill and I came home and left the boys to do their celebrating, and as soon as my head hit that pillow, I was out.
This morning I woke up and headed over to my mom and dad's. It was a day of lessons. I was to learn how to make my very first pie....pastry shell's and all!!!! I am to make 2 to take to our church's foul supper this week, and thought that I better do a test run before then.
My grandma Robinson, Jaycee, Cara, Justin, Mom, Dad and Curt were all my test dummies. I am happy to report that everyone loved them, and I have not got any phone calls that anyone was sick from them. I guess I am good to go for Wednesday night. I made the shell's today and they are in the freezer waiting to be filled and cooked on Tuesday. I think that it is going to be Cherry and Dutch Apple for the Atwood folks!!!

SURPRISE.........................

We got engaged!!!!!!
for the details, click on the link
www.theknot.com
and then in you have to type in either of our names (first and last) in the find couple's wedding page area.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Christmas is my most favorite time of the year.
As soon as Halloween is over, all hell breaks loose around our house, and the many, many tote boxes of Christmas decorations get brought up from the basement and begin to get emptied.
On Wednesday night I went down and sorted through all of the decorations downstairs, and made a very large pile of stuff for Curt to take upstairs. I took down off the fall decorations and did the dusting in preparation for the Christmas stuff to be brought out.
Last night the fun began. It was the perfect night to get into the Christmas spirit with all of the snow falling. I got home from work, had dinner, and got to it. It was a big night for my television shows, but I managed to watch/listen to them as I got all my stuff out.
I am happy to report that all totes are emptied, except the one with the lites and the garland in it (those will be emptied this weekend), the tree is up, but not decorated (that will be getting done tonight), and everything is in its place (well, it will be by the Sunday night).
For those of you that are on the countdown........here is something that my mom sent me today, knowing that I would really enjoy it!!!!!
http://home.valornet.com/sabruf2/countchr.html

What a RIP

Last November mom took me up to the Grey Ox, which is this place in Lucknow where you can make your own gapevine trees, twig furniture, ect.
We went one nice Saturday morning and made a grapevine tree for me as part of my Christmas present. She had been up there the week before for their Open House, and while she was up there she enrolled us for the class. There was also this set of urns that caught her eyes, but she did not know what she would do with them. The lady had them filled with greenery for Christmas. From the time that she had been there for the open house, until the next weekend when we went to make the trees, she had also enrolled us in this class with a lady to teach us how to put together Christmas greenery in an arrangement.
She pondered about getting the urns to do our arrangements with, and finally decided on it and ordered them when we were up there doing my grapevine tree.
I was working in Wingham last year, so she sent me up to get them one day on my lunch hour. When I got up there all they were was this metal frame with no grapevine on it what so ever. I knew what my mom had paid for them, and thought that it was pretty expensive for just the metal frame of the urn. I talked to the lady about it, and she said that is all that my mom had paid for, and it would be another $75.00 for her to put this little bit of grapevine on them. WOW....$75.00 to go to the bush, get a little bit of grapevine, and wined it around the urns. I didn't even have to consider the thought of paying for her to complete the urns, I loaded them up, and took them home.
When I dropped my mom's off at her house, I told her that we could go to the bush and get our own grapevine and wined it around the earns for that price.
This is the weekend. Tomorrow morning Jill, mom and I are heading up the the Grey Ox for their open house, and then we are heading up to Jill's cottage because they have a bush across from it that has a whole bunch of grapevine in it.
After we get them done I will have to let you know weather it was worth the $75.00 for her to do it, or weather I made the right, cheap decision.

The Ghosts and Goblin's Where OUT!!!!

Last night it was Halloween, and we were ready.
Monday night Destiny and I made up popcorn balls and special candy bags with some of the good candy for all of my trick-r-treater's that I know, and I pulled all the reject candy (the stuff that we don't like) from the boxes, and threw it into a bowl for all the other kids.
We did not take a count of the kids that we had around, but I can pretty much guess it to be in the high 20's. Last year we had 45-50, so our numbers were way down. Everyone else that I have talked to about it said that they did not have near as many kids as in years past either. I thought that will a P.A. Day for the kids today, and the night being so nice that we would have more then last year, but I guess my anticipation was wrong.
Lexy and I both dressed the part...her in her pumpkin costume, and me and my pumpkin pj's.
We only had a few kids that came around that we knew:
Cloe:

Hayleigh & Emily:

Paige & Destiny (sorry...no pics)

The best Goblin that showed up on our door step was this short bald guy that was all by himself with a garbage bag over his head. He came to the door, and Curt answered it. We kind of felt sorry for this kid, as he was out all by himself, in a pretty pathetic costum, so we filled his bag with candy and sent him on his way............I hope that you didn't get a tummy ach from all of the candy Harrison!!!!!!!!!!!

All that is left is to put the candy away in the cupboard because to me...out of sit, out of mind, and by the time I remember it is up there, Curt will have it all ate.

Tonight on the agenda: Halloween decorations away, Christmas decorations out!!!!!!!

Dixie Chicks

Last night was the Dixie Chicks concert in Toronto that I went to with Jill, Beckie and Nicole. It was a fun day!!!
We left Listowel around 11, and headed to HomeSense and Ikea in Etobicoke before we went down town. We were done shopping early, so we headed down about 3, found parking, and then walked to the Keg for dinner.
We were there in enough time to be able to sit down and have a nice relaxing meal. We first got a couple of salads and appitizers and split them between the 4 of us, and then we took our time and ate our meal, then it was dessert time. We had all decided that we would walk back towards the ACC, and stop in at a William or Second Cup, and for those of us who though they wanted dessert.....they could order that, and for those of us who wanted coffee/tea.....we could have it. When it came time to paying I had myself a heart attach when I could not find my change purse which had all my money, my debit card, and my VISA in it. I had to stiff Jill with the bill, and we high tailed it back to the car to try to find it. I knew that I had it in there, because I used it when we piled into the parking garage to pay. When we got to the car it was laying on the back seat, right under a bag.....THANK GOD!!!! We then went to get coffee, and then headed to the ACC for the concert.
It was a good concert, but all I could remember was the amazing performance that they gave the last time that I seen them at the ACC, and I was disappointed with this one. I guess it is never as good the second time around.
It was a late night, and I am defiantly feeling the effects of it today. By the time I crawled into bed, it was 1:45a.m. leaving me with only a mere 5 hours to sleep. That is certainly not enough time for this girl to have her head on the pillow. I need at least my minimum of 8 hours to be able to function the next day. I know that today I felt tired, but I know that I always feel worse on the second day, so tomorrow will be a write off.
Here are a few pics from the concert................I'm off to bed!!!!!!!

A Day of Fall Creations

Today was full of adventures and activities all about fall.
We first got bundled up and mom, Curt and I headed out to the bush to look for pine cones. I am sad to report that we did not find the type of cone that I was looking for. We found lots of the long skinny cones, that you usually find on most pine trees, but not the small, round, fat ones. I am not sure what I am going to do for this project of mine that I need them for, but if worse comes to worse, then I have found somewhere that I can order them from over the internet. I have one last hope though. I have a amish lady that is looking in Millbank for me, and she said that she would bring some in to the bank, and if they are the right shape and size, then I can go and pick them. Keep your fingers crossed for me!!!!
When we got back from our hike in the bush, we carved our pumpkins. I was going to do it last night, when Curt went to the hockey game, but he informed me that he would like to do it too, so it would be nice of me to wait until he was around to do it. So last night, while he was out enjoying himself, I did the best part of it....scrapping out the grinds.
When I was a little kid, and we carved pumpkins, I always remembered my mom taking the pulp and sorting out the seeds, and roasting them for us as a treat, so that is what I did. I always remember the great aroma that the roasting pumpkin seeds left in the kitchen, and I got a little taste of my childhood memories this afternoon when I roasted ours.
So we had two pumpkins to carve, one for Curt, and one for me, and here is our end results.............Bet you can't you guess which one is mine, and which is Curtis's???????????????????

4 Days to GO!!!!

On Sunday Beckie, Nicole, Jill and I are heading to Toronto to see the Dixie Chicks.
I CAN NOT WAIT!!!!!!
This will be the third time that I get to see them in concert, once at Lilith Fair, one other time at the ACC, and then on Sunday night.
We are making a whole girls day out of the event including shopping, dinner, and the concert, nothing that the guys would ever want to do with us. It would be like pulling teeth to get them to go and see the Dixie Chicks and that is why it is a GIRLS DAY OUT, and is going to be SOOO MUCH FUN!!!!
I will have picture of the outing to post on Monday.
(p.s. I hope that you girls have got your vocal cords ready, because I have been listening to their c.d.'s for the past couple of weeks in preparation for Sunday. Hopefully I get rid of this nasty cough)

The Hunt for Pine Cones

I am working on a little project, so this weekend we are going to go hunt for some pine cones.
The picture to the left is the type of cone that I am looking for, and I need about 200 of them, so if anyone out there knows of somewhere in the area that I would be able to find these, could they please let me know. It will make Curt and my job a whole lot easier if we know where to start to look.