Ugh..... it's been 6 months already?!?!?!

It's definitely been a long while since I've posted - guess that's what happens when you don't have a computer at home!!! Anyway, it's been a busy summer so far, with working and stuff. I'm down in the Hat visiting family and attending a little reunion of sorts for my old school. It will be so great to see old friends again!! I also have to give a shout out to a cute giveaway going on at Little Munchkins blog. Check it out http://littlemunchkins.blogspot.com/2009/06/and-now-giveaway-youve-been-waiting-for.html. Not sure how to make that a snazzy link, so this will have to do!

Where's That Darn Camera?!?!?!

I wish I could find our digital camera. It seems to have sprouted legs or wings and disappeared. I think it fled to the laundry room, but can't seem to dig it out! I say all this because this blog is mighty boring without pictures! oh well, not alot I can do about that now.......

Life is still busy

We have some big things coming up - my work has changed locations to a be-a-u-tiful spa here in GP. plug - The Vine Luxury Spa - It's brand spankin' new and just awesome. It will be a great place to work, but the move is a real pain. We have alot of stuff! It's a wierd transition to work out logistically, but we'll survive!

Paul is getting laser eye surgery later this week which means we're at the very end of the RCMP application hurdles and a few thousand dollars lighter. It's exciting that we're nearly done (they will continue his background check while we wait the mandatory 3 months post-op) only the physical/psych tests left!

On a more fun note (and cheaper!) I've joined my very first quilt swap.

*sounds so incredibly cheasy* but it's actually really "hip" - the latest rage.
I think I'm really over-thinking the whole thing, but I guess that's normal for me so why stop now???? I just wish I had more time/space to pursue this little hobby of mine. *And money*
I'm excited to recieve the fruits of my latest etsy spree in a couple weeks. It's like Christmas - only all the presents are for you. I guess that would be more like a birthday then.......Anyway, enough silly ramblings for now - I'm out!

Another One Gone

I can't believe it's 2009 already.

Time is going by way too fast these fast few years. It doesn't seem that long ago that I was looking forward to 2002 and graduating from high school. It even seemed a long way off. Now look at us! Yikes! It's been a great year. Definitely had it's ups and downs. The beginning of the year brought me back to work full time which was born out of necessity and practical thinking. Maybe that's why this year seemed to go by so much quicker - I wasn't at home watching Syd learning and changing. I'd just come home and see that it happened - almost overnight! Sad, but true. I'm definitely ready to be at home more with her. Financially, it just had to be done. It's been tough, but I can proudly say that it's changed the way I look at alot of things, like grocery shopping (or shopping in general!) and even Christmas. It was hard to give to others when you just want to spoil you! But it really puts things into perspective, making it easier to see what's really important.

This year also seemed to bring some health issues that were really frustrating. Like gall stones and surgery to remove my gall bladder, getting my wisdom teeth out, and other more strange, mysterious illnesses. Sometimes it seemed like one thing after another! But I survived! We also had a few really great, close friends move away which really changed our lives here. We miss them all so much! But we've also been able to grow much closer to others near to us, who have been such blessings! Our group at Pathways Christian Community has been great. It has been such a growing experience that started with Open Waters two and a half years ago. We are so excited to be where we are right now! The changes are really encouraging and we're spiritually content. Okay, I'm not sure "content" is the right word, cause we want to grow more - to not only recognize God's hand, but His face.

Paul also started his application process for the RCMP late this summer. It was moving along really quickly, but seems to have slowed in the last couple phases. He's still in it, but he needs to have laser eye surgery. $$$$$$$$$$ It's frustrating that this is all that seems to be standing in the way, but it will make the whole process at least 3-4 months longer than it would without. We're trying to set this up at the moment. Thankfully we're almost at the end! It's getting exciting to think of where we could be in a few short months. Where we'll be, what life will look like, that sort of thing. crazy to dream of where this time next year will leave us. I just need to slow that kind of thinking down - save it for next year!

I think I've found the best website - ever! It's like a free-for-all for people just like me! Short on cash but addicted to music. Seems too good to be true.... It's a playlist site online where you can look up whatever music you love and put together a list 200 songs long and listen to it wherever you have internet! It's at www.playlist.com - that's it! I'm thinking of adding my Christmas playlist because it's so festive! Hmmm... I wonder if I can post 2???

My "Christmas Cheer" playlist has got me in the mood for snow, fresh baking, and a Christmas tree. I have a real hankering for a Christmas tree! I've been successful in getting a bit of baking done, but I stick to making small batches and I don't think the cookies are gonna last long! I really don't think Sydney will mind that at all - she had so much fun helping me make cookies, dumping in the flour, etc. and holding the electric mixer "for me". She really didn't want me to do much of anything! Every day she asks Paul if she can "help cookies". She's wanting him to tie a tea towel around her waist just like I did for her the other night. And she's trying to drag the piano bench over to the counter so she can stand and help. We got some cute video, that's for sure! I'm really looking forward to Christmas this year. Not too sure why..... probably because Syd is getting old enough to be really excited over the little things we take for granted - like all the "pretty lights" on houses and trees. We can't come home at night and not have them on, she makes sure of that! I was wearing a reindeer scrub top to work the other day and she noticed when I got home and was constantly complimenting me on my "nice shirt". And we can't go outside when it's snowing outside and expect her to follow, she's too busy trying to catch snowflakes in her mouth. Actually, I'm not even sure she know that's what Paul was showing her the other night. She just stands there yelling "Ahhhh!!" up at the sky. Oh, kids are too funny!

I'm really hoping that we'll be able to see all our families this Christmas holiday so they can all enjoy her too. I know she makes me feel like a kid sometimes - it's crazy how dull we adults can be! I'd encourage you to try something fun and juvenile this Christmas. Decorate a gingerbread house (nice work, Holly!), make a snow angel, catch some snowflakes of your own, or make some maple taffy (another family tradition we're gonna have to get going for ourselves this year!) You only get to have Christmas once a year, so make it count! Do something nice for someone else, too! (And carry that tradition on all year long!)

P.S. I think I've found the best website ever! It's www.playlist.com and it's a free-for-all for people just like me - short on cash but addicted to music! Seems too good to be true. It's an online playlist site where you can search for whatever music you want and create a personal playlist. I've compiled 3 different playlists now. I've posted one on here. Another is called Christmas Cheer and it's really got me in the Christmas spirit. And the best thing is that I can access it wherever I have the internet! (okay, the best part is it's free!!!) Check it out and make one of your own!

Well, fall has come and gone it seems.... too bad - it's my favorite season! It's felt like a busy couple of weeks, though I'm not too sure what I've been doing that whole time to make me feel that way! I love getting out the ol' scarves and mitts, wearing them even though it's not necessary, but I miss the crunch of the yellow leaves as they lay dying on my sidewalk, the nip of the wind as it first makes its presence known. Notice I said "first". It's getting old now and it blew all the leaves away and the remaining ones are soggy. Oh well, at least there's no snow! Sometimes I think I'm ready for it, like the other day when we had a skiff on the ground as I got up for work. I was actually excited! But that feeling quickly wears off when it won't leave and it's been months since I've felt warm!

I'm definitely feeling like I'm "in the swing of things" again this fall. I'm ready to lock myself inside and work on a quilt or two, do some baking or whatever else I feel like. Hmmm... maybe potty train Sydney? uhg! Who am I trying to kid? I just don't have time! Everything is starting up again. Our church gatherings have welcomed everyone back from a busy summer, Downpour has started up again, and work is..... well, work! Not that it's difficult, just takes up a good eight hours of every day! I've been lucky to have a few quick holidays which break up the repetition of living day to day with nothing to look forward to. I had a wonderful weekend away with the ladies as we went to see Celine Dion in Edmonton a few days ago. She's great. It was nice to get away, but I was also more than happy to be home - I missed my munchkin. Okay, and my husband too! And this week is busy getting ready for Downpour, which is this Saturday if anyone is interested. I'm really looking forward to this one. Feeling really comfortable up there and able to feel free enough to worship - and that's what it should be!

So, this is turning out to be a rambling note with nothing profound to reveal, so I'm gonna sign off until next time! Enjoy your Halloween and eat lots of candy!!

I Gave Up...and I don't feel much better......

Alright, so I found something that works out alright to satisfy my desire to appear creative on this blog. My previous background of the girl upside-down with headphones on listening to music was much cooler than this, but it just wasn't working out. Maybe I'll have more patience some other time. Anyway, this is still better than what I had before - even if hundreds, no thousands of other blogs look exactly like mine. Who cares, right???

-Wrong-

I care and that's what bugs me. I'm really looking for ways to be creative lately. Guess I'll have to get back to quilting and music writing to pass the time (and the craving for creativity!) I did have a great, satisfying moment last week, though. I got to see some great pictures that I took of Syd and I'm really happy with how they turned out. If only I had a computer and I could post them on here....... Oh well - for now, you'll all just have to find me on facebook!

In other news, as I wrote if a previous post, Paul is moving right along in the RCMP recruitment process. In some ways it's going too fast, you know? I was anticipating a year or so of waiting and wondering, not 2 months! He will be going to Edmonton to have his big interview on Thursday this week. Be praying he finds favour with the recruitment officers. He is really feeling like this is the type of work he is lead to do and it would be so frustrating if he didn't get in. We'll continue to wait on the Holy Spirit and His leading in this, but it's never easy!
Oh! And it's Sydney's 2nd birthday on Friday - should be a blast. She is too cute! I'll have to get some pictures up of that, too!

Just A Wee Bit Frustrated.....

So I decided that my blog looked way too boring and conventional and decided to give it a much needed facelift. (Listen to me - I've been a "blogger" for one whole post and I already feel like my page is in desperate need of some personality!) Anyway, it's been such a runaround to find a cool background/template to use that said it "just right". The one currently up is great - but I can't seem to figure out how to edit it with all of my information. I think I may have to enter all of my text into the html format in the edit text box. Problem is, I don't remember much about coding as I sort of tuned out that portion during high school. Okay, I zoned out for most of the class. So now I'm left with this dilema - to keep it and continue struggling my way through in the hope that I'll finally get it, or going back to something a bit more, shall we say...... simple - and struggling with feeling like my expression is limited.

*Hmmm........ nope!

Can't settle with that! Here's hoping I figure this thing out! This has been a much needed break and already I feel invigorated and ready to try this - again.