Bible Study Gone Bad!

For many years I thought about joining a bible study at church. It seemed like the proper thing. . I'm a Christian but hadn't really picked up much bible knowledge since the stories I learned in Sunday School, and that just seemed wrong to me. Especially now that my own kids are in Sunday School, I can't have them getting ahead of me!!! Buuuuuuuuut I would picture sitting in a room, everyone very serious and quiet and discussing deep subjects with extensive biblical knowledge. I'd be put to shame and well to be honest, I didn't picture it as being much fun but rather dull and stuffy.

In the last couple of years I've joined a few different book studies and have found them to be much better than I'd expected. It turns out they're all normal people with real lives! Our latest study was the Alpha course and we did a previous one in the fall, Power of a Praying Woman. I have to say I loooooooove this Monday night group full of other young mothers, some grandmothers and everything in between. The range knowledge, experience, love, support and encouragement in that room, week after week is phenomenal. As we get into discussions and talk about our own families and our worries or fears or share funny stories, things tend to get rowdy. Yes, rowdy. We have woken the hostess' kids up on more than one occasion I'm sure with our antics and howls of laughter. It is such a great feeling to be able to spend time with these ladies and my life is blessed with the input and sharing this group has given me.

I'd like to introduce you to my Alpha Chicks, they really are the best!

Mother's Day Part II

Yesterday afternoon we went to my parents' to have dinner with them for Mother's Day and the kids wanted to go exploring in the woods and see the river.

on the way they explored Grandad's new toy, the "gang plank" as he calls it.



thanks to their gymnastics lessons, they were able to make it across easily!



Sweetie was most of the way across when something else caught her attention and she just hopped off and moved on to the next adventure.

Hanging out down by the river is scary with these three. You look away for one minute and someone's stepping into the water! The current right now is raging and they have no fear!

some nature photography.... I don't think National Geographic will be in touch anytime soon.

bouncing around!

I had a great Mother's Day, the kids got me flowers on Saturday, made cards for me Saturday night with the babysitter (she brought her own supplies and everything!) and every time I turned around on Sunday, one of the girls was blowing me kisses or giving me a hug and telling me "Happy Mother's Day!!!!!!!!! I LOVE YOU MUMMA!!!!!!!!" and I got to spend it with another super duper mother, mine! What more could a girl ask for?

Happy Mother's Day!

I have inherited the cherub choir director position and I was so impressed with my crew's performance today. I told them they're all my rockstars :)

Friends Forever

My longest standing friend (most know to get out before it's too late ;), was in town this week and came to spend a night at my house Friday night. Stacey & I met in Mrs. Perry's class in Grade 2 so this means we have been friends since I was 6 going on 7. Over 30 years ago. Wow. She has witnessed more blunders, fashion faux pas and every awkward phase I ever had and never bailed.

There is a comfort in a friendship like that. If they made it through all that stuff, how can you ever go wrong? They already know the worst, the best and all the in between and have influenced it or been party to it. You don't have to worry about impressing them (although I did clean like a fiend Friday afternoon but that was more of a health concern than showing off), or entertaining them. You are just you, the you that you've always been, the you they expect, know and love.

Stacey was worried about crashing at our place, that it might disrupt our schedule too much. Luckily, we are totally the drop in-able type of household. She (and anyone else!) could have called 5 minutes from the highway exit and I'd still have insisted she come and stay with us. No reservations required for friends and family.

There aren't many people that I'm still in touch with from high school, never mind Grade 2 so I'm always pleased to hear from her and get together whenever I'm up her way or she's down here. She's coming through again this summer with her boyfriend, his 2 teenage sons, her own son, and her Labrador puppy and I can honestly say that I really really hope they'll come and stay a day (or more!) with us on their way. If she can give more than 5 minutes notice, that'd be great though :)

Park It!

We went to the gym this morning (I had circuit training, they had gymnastics). When they finished their class, Murray took them to the flower shop & they each picked out some flowers for me. Sweetie got me a mixed bouquet, Lovey picked out a pot of azaleas and Honey picked a purple potted plant that I forgot to check the tag for the name. Then they came back & picked me up at the gym. We got home, had some lunch & then went down to the park. They were very excited to go to the playground as they haven't been there since last fall. They talk often about how they miss it & have been asking to go back.

They had a blast on the equipment and getting Daddy to push them on the swings. A great day outside in the sun & fresh air!

After the park it was time for Mummy & Daddy to get ready to go out for dinner! The church was having a theme dinner that we'd gotten tickets for. It was a treat to have a night out with friends and we should really do it more often! Our babysitter handled everything fine! It was her first time on her own (her mum had come with her the first couple of times) so I wasn't sure if they'd give her any trouble but she says they didn't..... would she really tell me if they were brats? LOL

Another Sleepover

We seem to have started a dangerous habit. Whenever PD days fall on Thurs & Fri, I seem to be booked for a sleepover! Unfortunately, and I missed her ALOT, Koas couldn't come this time but I was still in good company with Babycakes & Weezie.



We had an early supper and had lots of time to playoutside afterwards. My girls greatly look forward to the teens coming over and they get spoiled rotten with the attention. They ran around the yard, played on the swings, had a game of tag & piggyback races/fights. LOL At some point, Sweetie stole Weezie away for some quality bonding time. Not sure what they were up to but I figured Weezie could handle it.

Since I have babysitters in the house, I'm free on Friday morning to go to the gym and the kids are all perfectly happy here at home and don't miss me a bit. It's a win win and the teens, if they consider it at all, think it's a small price to pay. I am loved!

Some Cool Cats!

Yes, I am still alive! Last Thursday I had another sleepover for some of the girls from church, Weezie and Babycakes. They brought the movie "Twilight" to watch. After seeing the movie, I could resist the temptation of the books no longer! I'd been avoiding them, having heard they were highly addictive. I am no good with tempting books. I cannot be trusted. My children suffer. It was so bad that even Murray noticed that housework wasn't getting done. However, that's all behind us now as I just finished book 4 today and am now playing catch up on various duties!



The girls found the Halloween makeup and Sweetie brought it to me and asked if I'd make her face pink. I immediately thought "Noooooooooo!" but then decided "why not?" especially since they'd been practically orphaned since Friday :)

After I got started on Sweetie's face, Lovey & Honey decided to get in on the action and add some extra touches to theirs and Sweetie decided she'd go with that look also.



As I painted up each face, the other two observed and gave their commentary as I progressed. "ohhhhhhhh Sweetie, you just look sooooooooo adorable like that!"

After supper, the girls made boats out of applesauce cups and "sailed" them in pans of water. The Polly Pockets had some interesting adventures while I was at the gym.

It would appear that there was some capsizing and tsunami action during my absence but all was easily wiped up and I didn't have to get out the mop so all's well that ends well!