This is not the face of fear....

Can you believe this is our little Elle? She's growing up so fast! This is the second time she crawled in as many minutes, and it was the 22nd of February. It was funny to watch her try and learn to crawl because she would get up on her hands and knees, and then stand and bear walk for a few strides. That quickly ceased and she figured it out. She was so determined to get where she wanted to go, she never cried when she would face plant. (She's seven months in this video)

Photo Dose

Brace yourself- here is January and my birthday in photo form. Enjoy.

I wish this was better quality, but it was taken at night with an iphone, so it is what it is. This is me snow-shoeing with 4 ft. snow shoes. That was super fun!


Sam's spiderman Band-aid


My 3 little Pigs


Max helping with my birthday waffle supper


Sam "helping" with my birthday cake


We folded Elle with the other laundry


Happy Elle before church


Max asked me one day- "Would you like me to build you a one hundred out of Lego?" uh, sure Max. I didn't know what the heck he was talking about. Then, two seconds later, he shows up with this. I wish I had something to mark with one hundred


Raclette night


The boys at the raclette


Elle's first food- rice cereal. Not well received.


"You want me to eat WHAT?"


Cute little Max


Max's spaceship

Dad+Max+Lego= FUN (for them)


Peek-a-boo Max!

Green Eggs and Ham

"I am Sam.
Sam I am."

The first two lines of Sam's favorite book, Green Eggs and Ham. Whenever I do the voice of the dude that doesn't like 'that Sam I am', he looks at me like I'm telling him I don't like him. I ask him all the time, 'Are you Sam I am?' and he ALWAYS replies, "NO! I just SAM!"

There are some things that make up my little Sammy, and, good or green eggs and ham, make me love him even more.

Sam is:
*Two-period.
*loving his silly hairline and telling me "It's grows up, mommy". Which it does, and then grows down. Think of a wave and you've got the front of his hair.

*enamoured with Max. He follows him around and does EXACTLY as Max does.

*a friend to Lego Men everywhere. "Look mommy, I found a Lego man" pulled from his church pants pocket. Or. "Where's my Lego Manses?"

*not laid back, but wants to wear the Hang Loose shirt Grandma and Grandpa brought back from Hawaii. He makes the sign with his little hands and tells us to "hang moose".

*excited to see his dad. I picked him up from nursery today and the first thing he said was "Where's my dad?" But with the sweetest little voice and the cutest little hair tuft in the front.

*fearless. You name it, he's climbed it. and jumped. or fell.


*sweet. "May I have this nacho?" as he takes a crumb from the plate.

*underestimated and sometimes overlooked. it makes me sad to say, but lots of times Sam gets the 2 year old bad rap. Max never went through the search-and-destroy-stage, so I often compare the two which is wrong. Sammy really is a sweet, wonderful little kid that teaches me love and patience everyday.

I love this little dude, and know he's got a lot more to teach me, and maybe one day I can proclaim, "I do like them, Sam I am! I do like green eggs and ham!"

THAT explains it!

2010 was not my year. I have never had so many mishaps, accidents, or general unluckiness.

The Chinese Zodiac has proven why.

I am a rat. Rats are charming, and -ahem- elegant. Last year was the year of the Tiger. Tigers are fast paced and CRAZY. Rats, therefore are non- compliant with Tigers. WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THIS BEFORE NOW!?

Seriously, though, I cannot figure out why this year has been so WEIRD! I was never so happy to welcome in a New Year because my friend and I are always joking about 2010 just being the worst year of all time for me. I won't go into all the insanity, but know this- 2011 has got to be better than previous.

Or at least I had hopes of this being a reality.

Last night some chick on her cell phone ran a stop sign, and I hit her. T-bone style. So frustrating. However, we only had to wait for an hour for the Police Service to get there, and my van ended up being drivable. No tow- truck needed. Upside: not my fault. Downside: my back hurts. Oh well.

I really hope 2011, or the year of the Rabbit brings me better luck. I found this online though: "This year is generally considered as an unfavourable year since 2011 will usher in the Wood Rabbit in a Metal Year. Since the metal element generally works against the wood element, expect at least some uncertainties and continued troubles carried over from the roller-coaster Tiger Year."
Oh. boy.
At least I can brush last night's incident under the rug, and chalk it up to the fact that the new zodiac year doesn't begin until February Third.

Maybe, though, I should invest in one of those weird gold cats with it's paw up and put it in my front window. You're goin' down, Rabbit!

Max-a-roo

Is FIVE! When did that happen? I know I'm a little slow getting to this post- the story of my life- but I couldn't procrastinate this day away. I'll fill you in on the day Max was born five years ago.
We lived in Saskatoon. It was freezing cold, the coldest day that we'd had (-40). Ya, that cold. I don't even have to type the F or the C after it, because it's the same degree of insanity. I woke up on the Saturday morning and knew that I was in quasi-labor. Mom told me to go walk around, so we went out into the freezingness to walk the mall. Someone had stolen our extension cord. Jerky Saskatoonians. So, needless to say, our car wouldn't start. Until a less jerky saskatoonian jumped our battery. Much walking and a lot of nerves later, we went into the hospital at 9 pm when my contractions were about 5 minutes apart. Labored all night and had sweet little Maxen James at 10:20 am December 4, 2005. (Dustin asked me how I remembered the time, and I told him it would be hard to forget a moment like that.)
Here are just a few things I love about Max:
He's so loving.
Max loves to create an imagine.
He has the tenderest heart of any little guy.
He says "Je t'aime, Mommy/ Daddy" out of the blue.
He's so stinkin smart, but says, "It's okay, Mommy. I'll help you get it right." Usually when I'm helping him make something of his own design.
Max is a loyal friend, and tries to include everyone.
He is the class clown, even at home.
He loves volkswagens and will sit forever looking at them with his dad.
Max loves to play with Sam, and even helps him put his jammies on.
He tells Elle how sweet she is about a zillion times a day.
He's a little trooper when it comes to things he doesn't like.
Max hates meat, and you can get him to eat just about anything else if you tell him there is no meat in it.
Max loves to wear hats, especially the ones Grandpa Wilde gives him.
He loves riding around with Grandpa Wilde and asks when we can visit constantly.
He loves it when I read to him, and can say "constantinople" from hop on pop.
Max loves Inspector gadget.
He laughs out loud- super loud- when he thinks something is funny.

Max is my sweet little dude, Sammy's idol, Elle's protector, and Dustin's clone. We love you Max, and can't wait for all you have to teach us with your loving heart!

Merry Christmas

Dustin has been a student for a very long time. (I have been his wife for most of it.) This usually means that we never see each other, except for holidays and weekends. Well, we see each other, but not for the long enough time that you might get sick of one another. Pure wedded bliss. Anyway, these holidays are, for the most part spent with our families. I consider our family to be very lucky to be able to drive for a while and spend the time of year meant for peace on earth, and love, with those that mean so much to us. I have very tender feelings in my heart for Christmases past, the traditions, and the overall feeling of the holiday. I found this poem the other day and it paints such beautiful imagery, and this is what I picture our home to be one day. Especially during the holiday.

A Prayer For A Little Home

God send us a little home,
To come back to, when we roam.

Low walls and fluted tiles,
Wide windows, a view for miles.

Red firelight and deep chairs,
Small white beds upstairs-

Great talk in little nooks,
Dim colors, rows of books.

One picture on each wall,
Not many things at all.

God send us a little ground,
Tall trees stand round.

Homely flowers in brown sod,
Overhead, thy stars, O God.

God bless thee, when winds blow,
Our home, and all we know.

-Florence Bone

With that, I'll add some imagery of my own that old Florence didn't have. This may warm my heart just a little bit more.






Do you have any traditions, or memories that evoke that sense of family in your heart at this time of year?

fondant update

Well, it worked! My fondant worked! I was so amazed. I only had to cook it once, beat it once and it balled so nicely. The fondant dipped really easily too.
Paulette came over last week, as mentioned, to dip our chocolates. It was so fun!!! Paulette made delicious ganache (truffle filling), and yummy-secret family recipe- caramel for turtles. She really is so wonderful. We dipped the olympian creams that I made as well.
Yesterday, my friends Lauren and Erin came over and helped me dip some orange flavored and peppermint flavored fondant. They really did a great job and I was so grateful they were so willing to help get all that done and out of my fridge!!! I hope they'll come over and pick them up soon...(nudge nudge you guys.)
Without further ado, here are some pictures of the most fun we've had since last week!
Next post, Max's 5th Birthday Party! Hang on to your hats!

mid-production


my little "helper"


dark chocolate covered ganache, milk chocolate covered olympian cream, cocoa covered cinnamon-chocolate ganache, milk chocolate mold (Paulette's) with fondant, red foil turtle. DELICIOUS! Thanks Paulette!