OMG!!!! I am so excited about this!

I spent the better part of the afternoon working on a mini album that I am planning on giving Avery's preschool teachers. I saw a stationary set made from floppy disks on Etsy, and I thought using some to make a mini album would be a perfect way to use the millions of disks I have and can no longer use because I don't have a disk drive!I also bought this Scenic Route paper last year and never ended up using it for any of Avery's school stuff. Talk about using up old stuff! Old disks! Old paper, reused chipboard from paper packs, and a good chunk of my ribbon stash got raided!

I have talked to most of the preschool moms, and have asked them for pictures of their kids at school to include in this album! I can't wait until the end of the year!

10 Randoms on a warm summer day...

Hey Carol... this is just for you!

1. I love that the kids can play outside all day with there water table.

2. I have the comfiest lounge chair. Its the greatest.

3. I like it doesn't take alot of effort to clean up after meals on the bbq.

4. Spending time outside allows me time to catch up on nature. Yesterday we seen three cock pheasants in our yard. (stop snickering)

5. I enjoy a hot summer day with a cool breeze. I love the breeze accept the wind. I don't like wind.

6. A comfy hammock.

7. I could care less about sunscreen. (actually, I am a sunscreen nazi, but it wouldn't work if I said that...)

8. Our nieghbors just got a trampoline. I can't wait to go their and play with there kids.

9. I love that the kiddie pool is dark enough to warm up quickly. It warms up faster then the water table...

10. That was really hard. I don't have the patients for this.

OUCH!

Never has a chair been more loved

than the one I have in my scrapbook room. It was a Mother's Day gift from the kids and Grant and I went to pick it out last week. I was in a desperate need for a new one. My old one had a pin missing on one of the casters, and a wheel kept falling out. This in turn caused me, and sometimes the kids, to also fall out. It was past its prime. It was no longer adjustable, and was just awful.
My new chair.......... is leather, three-way adjustable, has great lumbar support, and the arm rests are also adjustable. The only problem is, if Grant thought I spent too much time in my scrapbook room before.... he will be very unimpressed ;)

It pays to take your long lens.................

so in a whirlwind trip to the zoo today, I managed to get these shots. I have never taken my big lens with me and I don't know why. I get decent pictures with my other lens, but not this good. and today was the first time I have been to the Calgary Zoo and saw a tiger doing something other than sleeping. It was laying down. Big difference.... ;) But then it yawned. I am going to pretend it is roaring, but alas, it was just a yawn.

And the pic of the baby gorilla. too cute. I love that they look so grown up and so tiny at the same time.
So, that was our two hours at the zoo. Quick, and perfect.

And... a quick, impromptu 10 randoms about the zoo.
this is what I have learned about my trip to the zoo today.

1. The parking lot that you think is too far away, is actually the closest one.
2. The standy uppy strollers are awesome. Especially if you have three kids. I don't but if I did.... they'd be awesome.
3. Some people who work there don't know everything. Some guy told us there was no such thing as a macaroni penguin. Whatever dude. You need to watch more Diego.
4. It helps to have a friend there to watch your out of control son so that you can get the perfect shot of the tiger.
5. When the animals are all outside things go a lot faster. "there are the hippos and the giraffes! okay, next lions. Oh, they are sleeping. Well off we go." Seriously, we saw all the cool things in less than an hour. The rest of the time was spent going to the bathroom, feeding babies, and playing at the park.
6. Speaking of the playground there..... yikes. I have never let my kids play there, and today, they did. That is the scariest place on earth. I would rather put Avery in front of the Volturi than let her play there. You could so easily lose a kid! And isn't that the perfect place for some creepy pedophile to snatch your kid right up.
7. There is a guy who works at the zoo and his job is apparently two-fold. The first part of his job is to drive that little train around, and give little kids rides. The second part of his job is to insult zoo patrons about their "bad wagon driving". Whatever dude, you are driving a pretend train.
8. Having a zoo pass is worth every penny. Especially since it will soon cost you $5 to park at the zoo.
9. Baby animals are cute. Even baby warthogs. (or whatever they were.)
10. I still have two 2 for 1 passes, and a free child admission.... I guess I will have to go back soon with Arren and her kids!

10 Randoms... New Garage Sale Knowledge

So the garage sale was successful, but I learned some things about garage sale-ing. I am not a huge garage saler myself, but I have heard about the diehards... and I think we met some yesterday.

1. There will always be a garage sale early bird. You could have only one thing set out on your table, and there is someone there ready to pounce...

2. Drive bys are very common. And I think it is funny that someone will drive by very slowly, and try to judge whether or not they should stop. I mean seriously... how can you tell if there is something you want when you are in the street, and the tables are on a driveway or in a garage??? Too funny.

3. You might as well start to pack up after lunch. We made huge sales in the morning, and only sold about $20 more in the hours after lunch.

4. As soon as you start to pack up, someone will come by and want something. (And the someone is usually someone who "drove by" earlier and didn't come in)

5. Garage sales are better on a nice day. We were so lucky that Mother Nature cooperated. The day was gorgeous. Maybe too gorgeous. I think I got too much sun.

6. Holy hagglers..... Who are these people looking for a better deal than what they are already getting. I am so not a wheeler and dealer. I think that if something is priced, that is what the person wants for it. If it is ridiculously overpriced then I don't think making an offer is silly, but haggling over a dollar??? Seriously?

7. People will always complain about the price of something. I had a BRAND new, never worn, still on hanger with tags baby outfit and a lady asked me how much. I told her $2. (It was three pieces btw), and she said, "Really? For this?"

8. A friend who lives in Central Alberta said that at a garage sale she went to yesterday in a small town close to Red Deer some of the same stamp sets I sold for $4 were being sold (and bought) for $15! why oh why didn't I go up north?!?!? ;)

9. Some people come looking for the "Free Box", will take the free stuff, and nothing else. I would feel very guilty just taking free stuff. I would buy something I didn't want just to make myself feel better.

10. In the first couple of hours we were making a pretty decent hourly wage... but as the day wore on, the wage did too. I am just happy that I have a good deposit for my 18-250mm lens!

So... I still have stuff left, and my friend Catherine is planning a multi-family garage sale this summer. Hopefully I can get the next payment for the lens then!

Layouts #85 and 86

I don't know what I was thinking... Why in the world did I think I could get up early, garage sale all day in the hot sun (finally), and then crop for seven hours??? Well, I did my best. Our garage sale was very successful... but I don't think if I do one again I will go much past noon. No one really shows up after lunch, especially on a nice day. But I am a lot closer to my new lens than I was on Friday...
And after the sale, and after curling up on Haley's couch with the best blanket ever...... I accomplished two layouts, while battling some sun/heat/pomegranate cooler induced illness....

So, these are what I got done last night. The Ride On layout is with the new Bo Bunny Grease Monkey line. It is so perfect... so perfect for these photos. The colors are right, the concept works, and the best part..... I actually have a real gear on the page compliments of Carol's passion for re-purposing. She took apart a Glue Glider refill the other week with the hope of using something from it... well it works here... (Old stuff? The Riff Raff gears were something I bought last summer, and the black brads were borrowed from Haley...)
And the So Pretty layout was one that I had hoped to pump out in 30 minutes so I could head home, but then I got the brainwave to cut the flowers and scallopy edge out with my craft knife. Well, that is never a quick approach. But I love the outcome. And I used stickles on several of the flowers. (Old stuff? the buttons have been around forever, and the ribbon and PDQ chipboard are also from my stash.)

TFL and have a great rest of the weekend!

Ugh

my tulips. I love that they grow no matter what...

Sometimes I need to vent. And sometimes it has to happen here because Tara is unavailable to lend her ear. And she is good to vent to. She lives in a different town, so she often doesn't know the people who are driving me crazy, and can offer an objective point of view. But she was gone yesterday... so my only course of action is my blog.
I don't even want to go in to specifics, but I will just say that as a 30 something woman myself, I am shocked and amazed at the behavior of my peers. I kind of always thought, that as a grown woman, I would be surrounded with other women who know how to maturely deal with issues and problems. I didn't think I would encounter other women who would complain, talk about you in front of your back, say "I-Told-You-So" whenever something happens, or who develop some sort of gang mentality. Seriously.
I am pretty sure that we are all out of high school. We don't need to put others down to make ourselves feel as though we have more power over others. Is that really a priority??? And, finally, on a more personal note. I don't like being talked to as though I was four.

And now... on happier notes. These are some pictures I took last night at supper (Cohen's first attempt at corn on the cob), and in the yard as we planted our garden.(I love that he was holding the cob like it was a piece of watermelon)

I recently pulled out my 80-320 lens. Why didn't I do this earlier??? I love that I can zoom right in, not have to crop when I go to print, and I think that I get better quality... I don't know why I think that... but... oh yeah! I also bought a flash diffuser for my camera mount flash. (avery swooshing down the slide)

I am going to Nicole's to take pictures of my niece Nadia today, and that diffuser will come in very handy.

Just because

What I should have been doing, was putting my kids to bed. Instead, we decided to plant my containers tonight. I don't know why... I am sure it will snow tonight, only because I planted them. Anyhoo, when I finished that, the sun was setting, and the light was gorgeous... so I took a few pics of the kids.
These are the sunsetty ones..... just so you know that I know what the lighting would be like....

These are the two favorites I got of Avery and Cohen tonight.

Cohen was running around the yard, and it was hard to keep an eye on him, until he found the lawnmower... he climbed up on it, and he was in heaven.... and isn't this the funniest face? I love it. i just bought the Bo Bunny Grease Monkey paper today... this is so going on that....(hey ya'll, wanna ride???)

And this picture of Avery is out at our pumphouse. I was having no luck getting pictures of the two of them together, so I just asked Avery to sit for me. Cohen was hamming it up in the background, which was perfect. It made her just the right amount of happy.

(I really wish she didn't have that coat on....)

And, I think that the proceeds from the garage sale on Saturday are going to go towards a new lens for my camera. I was looking online last night, and I found an 18-250mm lens... omg. how perfect! And it was $549... but then I called my old boss in Rimbey, and she is part of the fotosource chain, and she thinks she can get me a much better price! Yipee!!!

And, with the purchase of the new lens, it is time for me to cut the cord on my film SLR. It was my first major purchase in my life, but I haven't used it for over two years. And it has so many great accessories.... but.... I have entered the digital age. (It is such a good camera.... it even let me spill a rye and coke on it about a year after I got it... and nothin'... ) so... if you want a Pentax Z1P with a lens, camera mount flash, shutter release cord, and handle, let me know.... ;)

Garage Sale!

Haley and I are purging. (Not our lunch or anything)... just all of the stuff overwhelming our houses. So, we are having a garage sale at her house in Okotoks on Saturday! Come one, come all! I am hoping to get rid of a bunch of kids' books and toys, as well as a tonne (literally) of Stampin' Up! stamps, and some scrapbooking odds and ends. So if you have nothing to do on Saturday, and want some great deals on great stuff.... watch for the signs... (They will be Cricutted of course...;)

getting the price tags ready

two whole years of CK magazines.... 2006, 2007, and maybe... even 2008

a tote half full of stuff.... stamps, cross stitch, candles, patterned paper.....

and a small sampling of all the stamp sets I want to be rid of

So... just a teaser... I might even put up a few more....if you're lucky ! :)

I'm an Auntie! ! ! ! !

My sister went into labor this morning at four o'clock! She is such a trooper. They had their second daughter around 11:45 this morning! My BIL Aaron called and said that everyone is doing well. Baby was 8lbs 9oz, and has lots of hair. (Not a surprise considering Annika had so much). He said Nicole is doing well too. I have a feeling that they will be home tomorrow. I will be making a trip To Calgary as soon as I get the call that they are home....
Pictures to follow....
Yahoo!!!!

10 Randoms... May Long Weekend

I grew up in central Alberta, and May Long Weekend was the first, and sometimes biggest party of the year. When I was in high school, plans for May Long started in March.... and I don't know why we needed to plan. It was always the same. Same location, same campspot, same people. So, I am older, and wiser, and now know that May Long Weekend isn't such a big deal. So this is my list of 10 things I have learned, or miss, or don't miss about May Long Weekend.

1. We would all go to Medicine Lake when I was in high school. I don't even know where it is. I never drove. I couldn't get there if my life now depended on it. I do see that a bunch of my Rimbey facebook friends are there this weekend though. Old habits die hard I guess.

2. Royal Reserve. It was my drink of choice when I was younger. When I didn't really have a palette for alcohol, and didn't really have a bank account to support something a little costlier (and better tasting.) But, I did have quite a nice collection of RR stickers. (Lame, I know).3. Tattoos made from bug spray and beer bottle labels. For those of you who have no idea of what I am talking about... (Tara...) you completely peel the label off of the beer bottle, spray your body liberally with bug spray, put the label (picture side down) on your arm (or wherever), and hold it there. When you take it off, you have a reverse image of the label. Classy? No. Cheap thrill? Yes.

4. Campfires. Who doesn't love a good campfire? Who doesn't love the crackling sound of the wood? The smell... oh wait. I don't love the smell of people who have spent the day sitting around a fire. But at the time... it smells good. And I don't even like roasted marshmallows, or hot dogs... or anything else cooked on open flame.... But I do like a good fire.5. May Long Weekend usually meant snow... or rain, or both. It was rarely nice. Rarely. Seriously. Why would you get excited about sleeping in the snow? Why?

6. Meeting new people from all over. And making immediate best friends that you will never see again. I don't know how many pictures of people I don't know or remember are in my photo albums.... And of course, they were guys I thought were hot... Seriously???

7. Getting dirty. And not caring. Until you got home.8. We used to party with the farm kids after two in the morning. They were just getting there. We were already well into it... and now... I just sit at home, not waiting for the farm kids, because I married one. And he doesn't come in until well after two!

9. Those funky drink cups that you would try to one up your friends with...
10. I don't miss the panic to get a camp spot, the long nights of getting into trouble, the lying to your parents about where you really were, the hangover. I am happy to go and visit people who are camping this weekend, but I don't need to be the one doing it....

Happy Victoria Day!

Just Beachy MNC Kit

I was busy yesterday working on kits. I finished three! This one is one that is so out of my comfort zone, but I really like it. Christy gave me the paper with the sea monster on it, and told me to roll with it. I kept the idea of a sea monster, but with a full set of Thickers, you can change this one up to anything you want. You could even turn it into a fairy tale theme!

TFL

Busted MNC kit... (#84)

This Busted! kit is one i designed, and everyone was laughing when I bought it. But.... are the pictures not perfect for it???? This was Cohen's vaseline fiasco... and I hesitated to scrapbook it because I knew that one day this kit would come out, and I would have the perfect pictures for it! (I did modify it slightly from the original design... but I had too many pictures, and wanted to include all of them.)

TFL!

Anatomy of a Photo Shoot

(I have no liability insurance... just these two!)

(Cindy and Christy assembling kits.... lol)



(Jennifer WORKING it...)

(allison in action... watch out for doggie doo doo!)


(when we weren't working the camera, we were killing ourselves laughing)

It was the day I had been dreaming about for a very very long time. The day that all of the Monday Night Class girls could get together. We didn't all make it. There were four or five of us missing, but today was the first day that most of us got together.


(Colleen and Tracy braving the elements)

(Christy... looking FIERCE)

They came from far and wide to my place (by far, I mean Pincher Creek, and by wide.... I guess I mean Calgary). The weather was not super cooperative, but Allison can make anyone look good, and she did with us. So we huddled together in the wind and cold, and watched magic happen!

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find any photos of myself on my camera... so pics of everyone else will have to do!

And another one done!

I feel like I have been on a bit of a roll lately with my kits. I think I might have actually hit my groove! And that is a good thing.
This kit is perfect for wedding or anniversary photos, or even a multi-generational layout of parents, grandparents, etc. It features the new Andrea Victoria line from My Mind's Eye.

Dude (#83)

This is the other layout that I accomplished whilst scrapping in HR this Saturday. I just got this MME paper from Haley's the day before, and could it be any better for this layout?? (imagine Chandler saying it, and it really can't be any better)
Old Stuff: thickers, tiny alphas, chipboard stars, buttons. (My stash is getting smaller... which is good, because I just got a schwack load of paper from Haley!)

TFL!

Four (layout #82) and happy anniversary to me.

I felt really sorry for myself yesterday when I woke up and it wasn't raining. I really wanted to go scrapbooking with the girls in High River, but for a while, it looked like Grant would be able to do something farm related. As the day progressed, the weather got worse, and the wind picked up, and it was risky to go spraying, so Grant offered to take the kids, and I left for High River right after I served supper!
I didn't get to spend the whole day with the girls, but while I was there, I did manage to accomplish two layouts. Not bad when you consider I got there around 7 and started to clean up shortly after 11. And Tara and I took a road trip for onion rings. So, I was pleased. It felt like an early Mother's Day present.This is from Avery's birthday last week. I saw this Bo Bunny birthday stuff at Haley's and knew it would be perfect... and there is old stuff on here! the letters are over two years old... I knew I kept them for a reason!

As for the anniversary... I have been blogging for a whole year now. I started last year around Mother's Day with my gift from last year. This blog was my second attempt at blogging, and I have found myself to be a little addicted to it. I even check my blog to see if I updated it! ;)

10 Randoms on being a mother

(nice hair huh? or what about the dark circles under my eyes... all badges of motherhood I guess)

Today is Mother's Day, and as a mother, I like to think there is a day dedicated to all mothers out there to honor and revere them (was that too far??)

So, my randoms this week will be my thoughts about motherhood.

1. I didn't believe my mom when she said that you don't have favorites (mostly because I thought I was the favorite...), but you don't. Weird, because I have favorites of everything else, just not my kids.

2. I don't think saying that you want a break from your kids makes you a bad mom. I think it makes you a normal mom. I honestly don't believe the women who say they never want or need a break from their kids. We all need a break. We do.

3. That said, while I am on a break, I usually miss my kids more than I thought I would.

4. I love my kids more and more everyday. They make me laugh, they make me cry, they make me crazy. But I love them.

5. I never used to "sleep" in... I would sleep until 9ish... which isn't late by anyone's standards... but I would kill to sleep that "late" now. Just once.

6. I am high maintenance, and I fully admit that. This high maintenance made my family wonder whether or not I could actually handle parenthood. Just the other day, my sister told me that she really admires me, and my kids, and (for the most part) how they are shaping up already. I, of course, can't take all of the credit; I have an amazing husband, but I felt good knowing that someone out there thinks I might be doing okay by my children.

7. I can't can't can't wait until Cohen is out of diapers. I hate changing diapers. I hate poopy bums. (Not that there are many out there who love them, I would imagine, but I really hate them)

8. If I didn't have to worry about meals all of the time, I think I would be a better mom. I would have more time for my kids, more time to play, more time to get crafty with them. All I really want is a cook. A full-time cook.

9. I miss the life I had before I had kids. Selfish, probably. But I do. I miss being able to pick up at a moment's notice, and do whatever I want. I miss having money to spend on myself. I miss Grant and my weekly date night. I miss a lot of those things, but I also (most days) love the life I have now.

10. I knew being a mom would be hard. I knew that being a working mom would be even harder, so I am very happy that I am able to stay home with my kids. Motherhood is really the hardest thing I have ever done. I didn't think I would be up to the task, and most days I still doubt myself, but every once in a while, Avery will run up to me, and give me a kiss for no reason, or Cohen will grab my face and stick his slobbery mouth on mine, and it is all worth it.

Bloom and Grow MNC kit

I don't know if I have ever said this before, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE My Mind's Eye. Love it all. I think I might love it more than Basic Grey, Making Memories, even Fancy Pants (which is a huge statement coming from me.) But this Bloom and Grow kit is made with their spring line, and yesterday, at Haley's, I accidentally bought everything from the their summer line. (and by everything, I mean every little last thing that they offer.)
So I was thrilled when Cindy mentioned to me that Monday Night Class was approached to use some MME. I was so inspired, that I pumped this bad boy out in less than an hour!

Are you kidding me?

Seriously. Seriously? Seriously. What the hell is up with this weather? Does Mother Nature not know it is May? Did she forget that we just had seven months of snow? What kind of a cruel joke is this anyways? This picture was out my back door about five minutes ago. In that time, the deck, and ground are now white. It is coming straight down, and it is driving me crazy. This is stupid. I don't expect it to be all hot and sunshiny all the time. But, as I have said before; it is May. I need a break.

Everyday Fun - MNC Kit

I am feeling sorry for myself. I didn't get to go to any crops on National Scrapbook Day, and my friend Kacey is planning a day long crop this Saturday, which I doubt I will get to make either (unless my rain dance actually works.... and it isn't looking good). So, to boost my mood, I have been putzing around my scrapbook room trying to get a few kits put together. I have been putting this one off for a while, and I don't know why. I love the paper. I even have my own huge stash of it, but it just kept getting pushed aside. But today, Avery was at preschool, and Cohen was down for a quick nap, and so I did this. I am actually pretty happy with how it turned out. I was a little apprehensive about stitching across the title, but I really like it! Wild and crazy, I know...
So, the fun part of designing is done. Now I have to get down to the real work of layout diagrams, and cutting instructions. Real work..... :(

Finally....

Grant is finally in the field. Finally. The stress level around here the last few days has been unbearable. His sprayer was broken, the grain truck he just bought was still in pieces, and then he discovered that his tractor didn't have enough hydraulic pressure to force the seeds into the ground. And, then today, some motor for some fan broke. It is bad enough not being able to start seeding until the beginning of May because we have had so much snow, but I feel even worse for him because everyone around us is out kicking up dust. So, I just peeked out the window, and the drill and tractor are no longer in the yard! They are out making dust of their own. Phew... because now I can finally fill my Farmer John MNC kit with pictures of working farm machinery... and not just "junk" as my daughter calls it!

10 Randoms - Why I Love My Clothesline

Unfortunately, laundry is not a one-time deal. Just like that cat, it keeps coming back! Drying it can thus add up to a lot of energy consumption. It’s estimated that five dryers produce the same emissions as an average size car. Depending on the number of individuals in a family, the dryer may be running multiple times in one week. According to Environment Canada, an average household uses approximately 50KWh of electricity per month to dry their clothes. By using a clothesline instead, they could reduce their electricity usage by 600 KWh per year, preventing tonnes of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere. (www.greenr.ca)

So, because this is the case, I use my clothesline as much as possible. Obviously, there are times, that it isn't feasible, but when it is, you can bet I am outside hanging clothes.

1. I love the look of a full clothesline. It lets me know that my laundry is almost completely done. (for now anyway.)

2. Hanging my clothes out to dry reminds me of my Gramma Roth. She had a clothesline at 4202 and it was really cool. The line came right into the house... super cool.

3. I am always tempted to run through the line of clothes. I think it would be so fun. And so cliche. You know the line full of white sheets, and the breeze blowing. How lemonade commercial...

4. I love the smell of sheets that have been dried outside. It is such a fresh smell.

5. I love that my towels are kind of crunchy. But in a good way.

6. I love that my jeans feel like they have been starched, even though they haven't.

7. I have four clotheslines. Four! How great is that? I can honestly pump out the laundry, and then just let nature do the rest. Then I pile them all up in a laundry basket, and fold it all at the end of the day.

8. I love the fact that by not using my dryer, I am saving money. Saving money means more money elsewhere for scrapbook supplies. Hence, I dry on the line.

9. I love to buy a new package of clothespins. They look so cool all identical in the package. I also love that I dump them all into a Crown Royal bag that hangs on my line. I used to keep my lego in the same kind of bag when I was a kid.

10. Obviously, I love that it is yet another thing that I can do to reduce my negative impact on this world. One of Avery's birthday gifts today was in a reuseable bag that read, "Good planets are hard to find". How true is that?

Happy Birthday Dear Avery................

today is the day. the day that Avery answers the phone, wishes the person on the other end a happy birthday too, and then asks if they have a present for her... nice.
I told her yesterday that she wasn't having a big party like last year because we went to the waterslides in Lethbridge, and she wasn't getting a Lightning McQueen cake like last year either. I told her that I was making her a race track cake instead. Today she told me she was very disappointed in me because i didn't make the Lightning cake. Very disappointed. way to make mommy feel awesome, Avery. Anyhoo, Grant took her for her bath this morning, and while she was in the tub, I make this cake. When she came downstairs, she told me she wasn't disappointed in me anymore, just a little disappointed.
why oh why do we do this? TARA????? any idea????
so I am going to go have a shower, wrap her gift, make the meal, wash the floor, and never, ever do this again. Next year.... build-a-bear....

Three today... four tomorrow....

Today is National Scrapbook Day. It is also the weekend that my daughter's birthday always falls on....
So, rather than scrapbooking with all of my friends, I took a picture of Avery on her last day of being three, and dedicated my NSD layout to her.
Old stuff: buttons, flowers, felt butterflies, ghost shapes, May calendar, brads...
TFL, and happy scrapbooking day....

Gong Show!!

(Cohen in the snow outside the repair shop where Joanne's truck spent a mini vacation)

.(Avery outside the same shop... isn't she happy?)

So, the old adage that everything that can go wrong will sure applied to our mad dash to Great Falls. It started before we even planned to leave. I think point form might be better..... here goes

• the date to pick up Joanne changed three times in less than 24 hours
• Montana was hit be a major spring snow storm, and the roads between Shelby and Great Falls were closed, but we headed out anyway
• ( this is a shot of the amount of snow they received in less than 24 hours)
  
• Grant had to pick up a valve for his tractor in Lethbridge, but they refused to give him any paperwork on it because it wasn't being billed to him. Even when he told them we were going across the border, they refused. They did wish him good luck though. Nice.
• We decided to do a little shopping for Avery's birthday present before we tried the road report again. I forgot that a little was the operative word. We were in Grant's truck, rather than the Tahoe. NO room for anything... let alone a rock tumbler and storage box for Avery's birthday. I got to sit with my knees in my chin....
• We stayed at the Ramada in Lethbridge, and went to the waterpark. This meant a bathing suit for Kimmy. Tragic, I know.
• The roads finally opened at 6pm, but by this time, we had already booked and paid for our room in Lethbridge.
• We made it to the border by 10:30, but they were searching every vehicle... so we sat there for over 30 minutes even though there was really no line up at all....
• We only spent six hours in the States, so we didn't have an exemption. So Grant only spent $250. And I only spent $224. ooops.
• Getting Joanne's truck on the trailer freaked me out. It just barely fit, and every time we hit a bump or dip on the road, Grant was worried that the tires were going to shift on the trailer, and it might fall off. Nice. Nothing like sitting in the back of an extended cab truck worrying the whole way home whether or not the truck on the trailer behind you is going to come smashing through the back window.
• 
• I sat in the back seat for over four hours. Ouch.
• Cohen fell asleep in the truck 10 minutes from home. And was wide awake when we finally got home at 9:30....

But on the bright side, we did make it home safely, the kids both slept all night (once they finally got to sleep), and life returns to normal today.... hair cuts for the kids, and wrapping Avery's birthday gifts....