Just do

Re-structuring our basement...it looked like the garbage dump had thrown up...I only wish I were kidding. I did NOT take any "before" pictures as I am certain my camera would have broken. Again, wish I were kidding. 

We moved in here fast which means we packed and unpacked even faster.  Things have run amuck and these places are small...the basement just had things crammed into it...piled precariously with hopes nothing would fall...

Well, I have thought about it and thought about it...ran ideas through my head, himmed and hahed about what I could/should do... Today I began to just do. I have thrown out a couple boxes of stuff, a big black garbage bag and have one more of those to go in the trash right now.  I moved a few things around and I am on the way to having an area where the kids can bring their few toys (namely Bug can as Jellybean doesn't play toys too often...she is "10 and a half you know".. There is a spot where they can sit and read if they want to or at least bring the book up to their room without having shelves of books in their teeny little rooms. 

I will put after pictures up once it is complete...this may be awhile as we need to buy shelving units to safely pile our rubbermade bins of stuff...

I only wish I were kidding about how bad this is...but it will get better...each item I throw out helps...right...right...?

A community destroyed

by wild fires. This town has been leveled by raging fires - destroying countless homes, businesses, dreams...
I have spent most of today on facebook with a friend of mine who lives in Alberta, the province this is happening, organizing a clothing drive to send donations with her mom to help as much as we can, at this time.

I have lost my home in a fire...I know how that feels.  I have never lost my enitre town to one... I can not imagine how much greater the loss and devestation must seem to them right now.

I ask that you will join with me in sending positive thoughts for Slave Lake residents and the despair and clean up they face.n Help is coming from all across Canada.  If you are wanting to help, please contact your local Red Cross, Salvation Army... there are numerous donation drop-off spots across Alberta, just click here to find one near you (if you are from Alberta).

I hope that their hope is renewed and strengthened by the generosity of Canada, by a nation rallying around them...

Spring Cleaning?

Heck no! I like to call it Spring Purge.  I went through my bedroom today - ok, I am still going through my bedroom but it was getting lonely in there and I just neeeded a bit of a blog break. Blame me? No. Didn't think so. {Grin}

I have gotten rid of SO much stuff in there it is... well, shameful really.  You see, I tend to prioritize my cleaning in order of visibility, guest visibility to be more precise and ours too I guess.  How much time to we spend in our room? How much time of that is spent with our eyes open to see the rubble around us the clutter piling up? Sadly, our bedroom is, then, the very last place on the face of the planet in our home & yard to see organization... heck, let's be real...a broom and dustpan even.

Soooo, today I plopped myself in that room and I vowed to have it ship shape by bedtime tonight. I had a few distractions so I may be pushing bedtime back a smidge... I purged clothes (I still have pants that can go but, I need to replace them with something before getting rid of them), I purged papers and boxes and books and...the list continues...but now, although I truthfully have a few more things to get off my bed as that was the master sorting area, the improvement is almost "bus driver, move that bus" shocking. If Ty Pennington were here with grandiose gestures and shouting, I am sure we would all be crying at the "big reveal".

Alas, I was too ashamed of the state of said room to take any before pictures (no one ever said I wasn't genuine) so the effect of any after photos will be lessened. You know, if I take any after photos.  They can't even be classified as "after" since there was no "before". They could only be "currently" and who has ever heard of that!?

Hoping to get my basement done soon.  In need of time to purge that and get some shelving units and all that jazz to declutterify our ugly basement...yep...uuuugly! It is an unfinished basement and in a clutterific of a mess. Moving may be the only fix for that... :-D

And then she made me cry

Went to visit Rush for Easter...

She made me cry...

Not in a bad way either.  She didn't do anything hurtful or mean or say anything nasty or the like. No, what she said was beautiful and heartfelt and touching and made me cry.

Rush wants a tattoo.

Now, most parents would be freaking out, especially any Christian parents I know, would freak right out over this fact. NOT A TATTOO!!!!  What can I say to her wanting a tattoo? I have one and I want another.  My husband has two and wants another. How can I condemn her for something I have? She got a nose ring.  I found that funny because so do I.

Anyway, back to the tattoo that she wants...

She wants to get a tattoo of a monarch butterfly.  Why? Because I have a tattoo of a monarch butterfly with the konji for Faith. Her reasoning...she wants a tattoo that will honor the mending relationship that she & I have. She told her dad that her & my relationship has never been better. We held each other and cried - happy tears of restoring relationships.

In honor of this new level of restoration, I may get some touch-ups to mine and, perhaps, add something for my Rush - and I know just the thing some blue flowers...

I am certain I heard a couple of you gasp but that's ok... {grin}

The salad is made

"What salad?" you may be asking.

The salad we are taking to The City tomorrow as we go celebrate Easter with my daughter Rush, my mom, my step-dad, my brother and his family and my sister and hers!

THAT is what salad.

What kind of salad?
Oh so glad you asked.  It is ever so yummy.
Spinach
Field Greens and Herbs organic mix (presidents choice brand)
dried cranberries
walnut crumbs
crumbled feta
canned mandarine orange segments (broken)
Kraft signature olive oil Tuscan Italian dressing

Great just like that or with grilled steak or chicken.... yumalicious!!!

Bits n Bytes

*there is still snow on the ground but not very much; it is melting very quickly. This time of year reminds me of my granny....and our walks searching for the first of many things - crocus flowers being one of them.

*one of the joys to this province we live in is that we have snow and/or cool to cold weather for 9 months of the year. Not cool but what can you do aside from moving (and I am not up for that at this season in my life)?

*these April snows (and sometimes the May snows -shudder) are perfect for snowball fights and, if enough falls, snowmen! That is a big plus!

*Bug got sick two nights ago - very sick, very suddenly and was one pretty wiped out little boy.  His only symptoms were an incredibly high fever, no appetite and those wonderful nightmares that come with fevers. To have my boy sleep all through the day, you know the little munchkin is down and out, health-wise.

*The end of July is getting closer and closer and I need to get my butt in gear working on our family tree book.  It has gotten as much attention from me as y'all have the past couple weeks.  I have quite a few days off in the upcoming week for Easter so I should be able to make quite a dent in my workload!

*Tomorrow we are going to a friend's house for a Newfie Jiggs Dinner! Yumalicious!!!  Any of you (besides my friend, Spin) know what that is?

*Sunday we are leaving to go to "The City" and will be having Easter Dinner with Rush, my mom and step-dad, my sister and her boy and possibly my brother's family (I am not certain on that part though).  Looking forward to it! The Boyfriend may even be there depending on what his parents say; we had a nice visit with them on their anniversary when we took them out for sushi a few days ago.

*I need to get pictures on here again.  It has been a long time since I have uploaded any pictures! Yikes! Bad blogger...

What did I tell you!?

The VERY next day! What a roll I am on!!!

Anywho... funny story... (at least when you work for an eye surgeon)

Bug says to me the other day, as I am trying to take a nap: Mom, open your eyebulbs!!!!