ok yeah I have all these grand plans … then all hell breaks loose. I will announce winners and post another part of the contest tomorrow. After a much needed sleep.

J received the offer letter from the university! YAY!

We are gathering quotes for moving companies. In hopes we can fly. We have to get approved for extra costs.

We found out that our little American (aka Ethan) cannot travel by air to get to Canada. The little guy forgot to apply for a passport.

Wait he can’t apply for a passport because he needs proof of Canadian Citizenship. That takes 6 - 10 months from the US.

I really really like the kid and want to bring him along.

After a few calls … the kid can apply for a US passport, fly home THEN you know make it all official that he is Canadian. (we applied for the passport this morning, paid an insane amount extra to have the US passport asap)

We almost had to fly to a border town, hop over then fly to Halifax. Ethan and I would do that alone, Canadian Airlines do not allow pets on the plane.

I was going to take Ethan and do a house hunting trip to Halifax. Now I am back to looking online and sending links to anyone and everyone we know that is, has been, or knows anything about Halifax for advise. One place I looked at was like total GHETTO, another I was told I would RUN to the car …  yuck. Being a university town rent is totally outlandish, especially since we want to save for a house. BTW … thank you Erin for all your help … you so totally rock!
oh yeah …

I think I have pink eye. (actually I think not now … I am just exhausted) Becca has been amazing through all of this. The kid is behaving like a saint. It is freaking me out.

sigh

I feel so lucky that I am on list of bloggers to review books. I have had so many awesome opportunities. The latest addition has been Deceptively Delicious, by Jessica Seinfeld. I received it a few weeks ago but with the move coming up, trying new recipes was not really a priority, no matter how nutritious and yummy they sounded.

Then we decided to have a picnic after Ethan’s baptism. I decided to try out one of the deserts from the cook book! I baked the Lemon raspberry Cupcakes. The recipe called for pureed beets and squash?!?! J was not convinced that it would taste good. I was determined to try it!

I was so impressed with the baking process. It was fun and they look like the picture! I rock! So I packed them up and brought them to the picnic. I have to admit my daughter is a veggie girl. She eats a lot of fruit and vegetables, so I am not at a loss trying to fit them in, however extra is always good!

The cupcakes were a hit! Both three year olds ate every last crumb and I had the bragging rights that they were uber healthy. (even the adults were fooled into the scrumptiousness!)

There has been some debate as to whether “tricking” kids into eating vegetables is a good idea. I would propose another approach. Rather than tricking them and deceiving them, BRAG~! Tell them (maybe once they have tried it) that there is a scrumptious veggie inside and that they liked it! Eating healthy does not have to be gross, that should be the goal for teaching kids to live a healthy life.

In order to make the purees I needed a new hand blender. We used the one my MIL got for us till it fell apart! I had no idea how updated they were since our dinosaur! It was like magic. Beck did a review on Urban Moms a few weeks ago, and although I did not get one quite so fancy I am so excited about it. Is this the definition of domestic? When one gets excited about kitchen gadgets?

Ok to geek myself back, Leopard is COMING! And my dear sweet internets, I am hitting the Apple Store after is release!!! Weeeee!!!!

Like Becca’s temp tattoo? She HAD to have one … is this a sign of what is to come? At least she is pretending to be a mermaid in the tub as a result.

I received a AMAZING package in the mail yesterday … a box full of BOOKS … swwoooon! Thanks Holly! I (heart) getting fun mail. Hope you are all receiving your silks, books and make sure to enter for a Market Bag.

Ok I am sure you do not want to read how crazy my life has been this past week. Babies who are in families that are organizing an international move are not allowed to get sick! Ethan did not get that memo!

The baptism was beautiful, wonderful, spiritual and blissful. Ethan’s eyes were all gooby and he was happy yet on the verge. Thankfully today we were goober free, although he is still stuffed up. It was wonderful to have friends present at the church and we had a fab picnic at a playground afterwards.

I know you are all eager to discover what it takes to get your name in for one of the two hand knit Market bags! Since hearing that we were trekking to Halifax before January, J & I have been debating how we will get there, our stuff there and not be total wrecks by the time all is said and done.

I need not remind you, oh faithful readers the utter disaster hiring a moving company was last time we moved (like yesterday *sigh*). However, this is a big move, over a great distance. We were pretty sure that we wanted to u-haul it, but that will take us like ten days on the road with an eight month old and a preschooler, driving separate (one in the van on in the car). At the very least, we would have our stuff with us, arriving just before Christmas, set up a tree in the hotel, celebrate then look for a place right after the holidays.

As of late, we have talked about the moving company again. Ethan has not been a great traveler lately and ten days on the road is a long time. Our intentions are to ask beg for more cash for moving from J’s new employer. If granted, we are thinking of flying to Halifax, and send our gear with a moving company. Choices. Choices.

So in order to qualify to enter for a chance to win a Market bag answer me this:

Which mode of moving would you choose?

Hire a moving company, lose all control, hope for the best and fly out, hotel stays for upwards to three weeks? Also, potentially paying upwards to a months worth of wages to assist in paying for said choice. (cat would be flying IN cabin with us)

Or…

Pack up your gear, the kids, the cat and with walkie talkies, patience, and a good sense of adventure & humour, haul your gear yourself. We have gone the u haul route a few times before. In fact that is how we trekked from Canada to California, and honestly I feel really comfortable moving this way. Just with the kids, it being winter …

Share your thoughts … You have until Wednesday Midnight. Later this week you will have a chance to win a Bomb Town T! w00t!

I know I was suppose to have put up the Market Bags portion of the Great White North Contest, however my baby has been quite beside himself. Almost two weeks ago his first tooth popped through, yet he has been miserable for a week now. On Thursday he developed a low grade fever (my kids are not really fever kids so it freaks me out), he has a rash and just is not himself at all. Classic Ethan smiles at everyone, is generally happy and content. Teething Ethan is miserable! He scowls at people, cries, can’t be put down, can’t be held unless just so and totally bummed.

His condition is so severe I dragged him to the doctor just to rule out the possibility of infection.  Thankfully the doctor believes he has a virus that he is fighting (as well as pushing out that other bottom tooth), she even took a urine sample. Since I previously had a baby girl I had never witness the bagging of the area … it was odd but effective. Ironically it appears that Ethan ~*may*~ be feeling a little better.

Ethan is going to baptized this Sunday after mass. Friends of ours are g0ing to be present, then we will all go for a picnic at a playground to celebrate.Today we are off to pick up some supplies in Santa Fe, then I need to do some baking and meal making.

Having two children is wonderful. When one is sick. Wow. It is hard. I felt so torn emotionally. Becca, although an angel throughout this teething time, has been exceptionally needy as well. Wanting to sit on my lap, cuddle and have a lot of together quiet time. All things I normally long for, missing it from my preschooler. However, with a miserable baby attached to me as well, it was hard to fulfill her needs. Plus, when J was around, that needfulness disappeared and she was her normal self, if not a little hyper. My body literally aches from cuddling, holding, rocking, soothing and bouncing. Teething sucks.

So I will be announcing the contest soon. I need to get a picture of the most recent Market Bag that I knit just for you to have a chance to win. This means next week you will have the opportunity to win Market Bags and a Bomb Town T! How thrilling! I sent off all the silk packages (except one I hope to send today or Monday)! Have a Fab weekend!

Being Breast Cancer Awareness month, and the fact that my themes are giving people headache’s I have done a redesign. This is based on some amazing coding by others. I just spruced it up a tad. Psst JJ look at the bottom … way down …

If you were having issues, please let me know if they are resolved now? Is it loading better?

I stayed up way late to work on this. That is a problem for me. Once I get going on a design I just can’t stop till everything is just so.

Even if my adorable baby is wretchedly in pain and miserable due to teeth cutting through his innocent gums like razors. Poor kid is beside himself, so bummed and so cranky. And here I am up WAY past my bedtime, putzing around with a theme. ugh. must go to bed. Oh I have a new found love for homopathic medicine. The stuff rocks. Not only did I use some for my foot (that is all better) but it was the only thing that helped out the baby. He smiled for the first time in hours. This from the kid that smiles all the time.

Becca goes for her first dentist appointment tomorrow.

I finished the second market bag for the contest that I will post later this week (egads is tomorrow Thursday? err wait today is Thursday) …. Going to bed now!