Playoff Happenings

I call this post what it is b/c it seems that our evenings revolve around any and all Canucks games lately.... hmmmm, wonder why that could be?? Anyways, the kids had hair apointments with a stylist from Canal Flats last Thursday and this happened to be Aiden's first experience with a real hair cut (other than my own work of art around the edges or with the razor of course!). He wasn't so sure about the whole experience... I can just picture what might be running through his little mind - "Hey watch it lady! You nearly snipped my ear clear off!!!" or maybe, "Hang on just a minute now, what exactly is going on here?! Did I give my consent for this?" Aiden is still the only one not smiling... little does he know it's much easier if he just sits still for one minute! Ooooo ~ the blowdryer! A life (I mean, tear) saving device at the hair salon. Atalie, on the other hand, continues to be a girl after my own heart! She loves any opportunity to feel "pretty" and have someone pay attention to her feminine side:) She sat as still as a log the whole time (as usual). Pleased as punch! Aiden still seems less then pleased, however. After the kids' hair cuts they had just enough time to have a quick play in the playground (leaving 30 minutes to game time, that is). Atalie isn't content on the swings unless you're constantly pushing her as high as you can! These seesaw's are a bit big, but this sheepish-turned-brave little girl doesn't seem to care... note the space between her bumb and the seat:) Atalie's newfound outgoing personality flocks to kids like a magnet to a fridge! She made a little friend this day, who she ran around the park with, screaming her name in delight! haha:) I admit it was quite adorable to see her in her element like that! Aiden displays the art of doing the twisty slide with rubber sole shoes: STEP ONE: Inch your way up to the slide STEP TWO: Assume sitting position STEP THREE: Let go and -- uh oh. Slight degree of difficulty during this last turn. STEP THREE (retry): Let go again, this time keeping outside shoe in a little more. STEP FOUR: Prepare for landing and resume balance!

BANG BANG BANG...

....BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG *silence* "Aaaaiden, do you want help out?" *silence* "Ya!", he calmly replies (insert a big toothy Aiden grin). This is, apparently, a new found delight for our 20 month old mischievous son. Aiden is surprisingly happy these days, though certainly not at night! Three new teeth have sprung up in the past week, with a definate two more on their way and a mouth-full of bumps also ready to spring forth! Yikes, I do not envy him!!

A new business in the making.

And that business is Mary Kay! To be perfectly honest, I was less than pumped to consider this idea initially. I had a big stereotype image of Mary Kay women in my mind, and didn't consider myself to be the "perfect hair & makeup, pink Cadillac driving, jewellery covered, suit jacket & pencil skirt", type of person. Also, I don't consider myself a great sales person b/c don't enjoy the feeling of trying to convince someone of a product. However, I came to see that Mary Kay has been around for so long that women (and men! not just makeup here you know) have come to trust her products - and from the feedback I've been receiving I'm hearing that most everybody already knows of the quality. I also respect the business, and earned success, that she has built up with a faith & family motto. So... I thought I'd sign up and give it a go! My goal in starting this business is to earn money to purchase photography equipment... which is funny b/c I used my saved photography earnings to purchase all my start up supplies for MK! I admit to feeling weary about that last part, however I've been praying for an opportunity to earn some money, knowing from experience that nothing earned is without risk, I think that this could be a good one. Without that extra photo-earned money, I wouldn't have been able to purchase my first chunk of products and supplies. Besides, MK has a 90% buy back, which means if I change my mind at any point in the future, I can resell all my product to MK for 90% of what I purchased, no matter how much is used or unused (under the condition I can't consult for MK again in the future). So I'm actually excited! I've been experimenting with the products from my start up kit and have been pleasantly surprised with, literally, everything! I get all my products (skin and makeup) at half price, thus earn 50% profit on everything I sell! I'll tell ya right now that I'm not out to earn the pink Cadillac (which is actually a VERY nice car!) or to set up a million skincare appointments per month or set a record for number of recruited consultants... I just want to learn the business and do well at which ever level I choose to do it. I am, after all, still working on my photography, babysitting during weekdays and looking forward to camping outings with my family this summer!! I think that should do for now;) So, if anybody needs some amazing skin products and fun spring eye colours, let me know!! If you have something in mind you'd like to try, I am more than willing to send you a full size product to sample -- and if you don't like it you can send it back to me with no strings attached! :)

Mmmmmm... chocolate!

FRIENDSHIP COOKIES These cookies taste like cake...why? B/c they're made from cake! They're made from the simplest cookie recipe I've tried yet... I made them b/c I knew that while I was away this weekend, Kevin and the kids would appreciate something a little "less" healthy in the desert-department of our kitchen (and gobble them up before I return, hopefully!!). You'll need to mix up: ~ 1 Large Egg ~ 1/2 cup Cooking Oil ~ 1/4 cup Water ~ 1 Box Chocolate Cake Mix (2 layer size) ~ 1 cup White Chocolate Chips ...drop 1Tbsp dough onto cookie sheets, bake 12 minutes @ 350 degrees (F), let cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, transfer to cooling rack -- DONE! (makes about 40 cookies)

My WEEKEND AWAY!!!!!

I'm about to embark on a lovely 48 hours away from my family! I have to laugh as I re-read that first sentence... I already know it will be strange, and a little sad, as I give kisses and hugs goodbye and watch the truck drive away without me in it - infact, has that ever happened other than when Kevin takes the kids to the park after dropping me off at Superstore for a massive grocery trip? Nu-uh, nope! Soooooo, the idea of sleeping in for two whole mornings, reading a book (wait - a book? I haven't picked up more than a Parenting magazine in ages!) without having to jump up to wipe a bumb or runny nose, sitting down to a meal that isn't luke warm b/c I've been cutting up kids meals or getting 6 different drink orders from the fridge, even possibly sitting in a hot tub without having to entertain and keep afloat a little person ~ ~ ~ are all astoundingly attractive options!!!!! The girls (girls, being some other women whom I've yet to get to know very well), from the First Baptist Church in Cranbrook, are heading to The Lodge in Fernie for two nights this weekend. What's instore? Nothing but relaxation. Hard to believe isn't it? I'm definately excited about this:)

Computer + Technology Illiteracy = Frusteration

So I admit to having frusterations with my old computer b/c the monitor was small (couldn't see the whole screen for most webpages) and we contracted a nasty virus which eventually ate up the whole motherboard and toasted the computer. That sucked. Overall though, there are many days in which I wish I had my old, tiny piece of crap back... it seems that the simplest tasks have become dauntingly irritating these days. I'm sure I could spend hours infront of this thing, googling Troubleshooting problems, fix the problems, and then contract new problems b/c everything is advancing so fast that it feels impossible to keep up without spending your life infront of the computer to do so!! If anybody knows the solution to one of the following problems, I'd appreciate a quick note from you in the "comment" section of this post. Thank you greatly ahead of time!!! Otherwise, consider this a venting post and move along:) 1st Problem: My printer has been working perfectly (though never as good as my old one, I'm learning) until yesterday when I tried priting various things. It won't recognize that I want to print. I've tried photos, letter-type documents and online forms (all of which I need very soon!). It prints fine but won't receive the signal or something... I've tried restarting my computer, checking for viruses (none), holding the power button on the printer for a long time (was recommended at one point by the HP guy trying to help solve a different printer problem), checking the print settings, everything that I know - which I admit to be very basic. 2nd Problem: We can't seem to burn CD's properly. I'm usually able to burn photos onto a disc, however we've never been successful with music. Is it something to do with Windows? We have Windows Vista Home Premium (32-bit), and although I've heard negative comments about Vista, overall I've had no problems with the program - until now... having said that, I'm not so sure Windows is even the problem. Ideas?