1) First I have to give a huge THANK YOU to Holly for my new banner!!
And I'm sure she would like to thank me for the snacks I brought last Friday...even after she mocked me..."what are you, 12??" I believe were her exact words. Who mocks Wagon Wheels...that's just unheard of! They are my current addiction or "snack crack" as I like to call them. Have you had one lately? Either they have really shrunk from when I was a kid or my head has become ginormous! Anyway, I don't think she'll make fun of my choice of snack again since she seemed to enjoy the one I gave her...LOL!!!

2) For those of you who did not enjoy the mood music my blog played, you'll be happy to hear...nothing...I've taken it off.

3) I found a new product at Costco that I love! It's an all natural liquid laundry detergent called ECOS. It's detergent and fabric softener all in one..clothes smell fresh and clean...ahhhhhh.

4) One of our local radio stations is playing a new list of 107 songs every Saturday. For example, one week was the top 107 songs of the 80's (my favourite decade of music), another was the top 107 songs from movies but my favourite list was the top 107 One Hit Wonders. Check it out here. I was so sure "Video Killed The Radio Star" would be Number One but it was number 4. My other favourite "Ballroom Blitz" didn't even make the list!
A friend and I were debating over what would be in the top 10. I said Video and they said Da Da Da would be...alas, twas' not to be...thank you, I enjoy being right...it was number 34!
What's your favourite "One Hit Wonder"?

5) Emily was recently working on a list of chores for herself and Jesse. The list was pretty even...he'd feed the dog in the morning, she'd do it at night, they'd both make their beds, one would set the table, one would clear it..that sort of thing. Then as I'm reading it, I get to the end of the list and she's written just one more little chore on Jesse's list...SCOOP DOG'S POOP! I cracked up...I'm not sure if he knows about that one or not!

6) Last weekend I saw 3:10 To Yuma. If you enjoy westerns you will LOVE this movie! I was so pleasantly surprised...I don't mind westerns but for some reason I really had no desire to see this one. I'm not a huge Russell Crowe fan so that was part of it. I should say I WASN'T a Russell Crowe fan...until now! He was fantastic in this movie! It's less a western and more just a movie about a journey two very different men end up taking together because of circumstances in their life. LOVED it I'm telling you!!!



7) If I wasn't a believer in the whole "everything happens in three's" before, I am now! (This is my self-pity part of the post...I think I'm entitled every now and again!) Tuesday my day was going along pretty good other than the fact I was extremely tired. My husband had been away since Sunday and I just don't sleep very well when it's just the kids and I. I stay up really late and wake up a few times. Anyway, everything's fine and then right at the end of my work day, the last half hour in fact, three things occurred. First I get a work email that I won't go into detail about (I don't want to get dooced!) but let's just say it was from my boss and totally sent me in a tailspin, then I get a family phone call that also did not make my "happy" list of the day and then to top it off I go to the daycare to pick up the kids and they tell me something that Jesse has done that does not have a place on my "Wow, I'm doing a great job raising my kids" wall plaque! Three things, one half hour...thankfully the rest of the week went much better.

8) My latest itunes downloads:
My absolute favourite at the moment...Matchbox Twenty...How Far We've Come
Jewel...Drive To You
Howie Day...Collide
Cobie Caillat...Bubbly
Kelly Clarkson/Reba McEntire....Because of You

9) Quote Of The Week...
That it will never come again is what makes life so sweet...Emily Dickinson

Have a great weekend everyone!

Twas' like the night before Christmas in my little world
Where the children are nestled, and on my couch I am curled
The stockings aren’t hung but they’re clean and away
And if St. Nick wants to drop in, he’s welcome to stay

But please heed this warning and listen with care
It’s season premiere week, only talk if you dare
It’s finally here, shows are all on their way
Some old friends and new ones, how many will stay

And oh by the way Mr. Network hot shot
Stop changing the schedule, just pick a time slot
Don’t start on a Sunday and then move it around
Just leave it alone, where it can always be found

But oops, I digress, from my lines filled with glee
This week is heaven on earth, for a junkie like me
From Wentworth who’s Michael, and Eric who steams
To Rob Morrow and Lowe, oh, I could just scream

There’s just too many men and so little time
I must go and watch and be done with my rhyme
Good night fellow viewers, I’m glad you stopped by
I hope you enjoyed it, I really did try.

My Uncle Don and Aunt Irene recently celebrated their 50th anniversary! About 40 family members and friends gathered at a restaurant in Brampton to celebrate the fun, fabulous couple that they are! Uncle Don is my mom's older and only sibling and unfortunately, a Montreal Canadiens fan, but what can you do...every family has something to endure...lol!!
Seriously, they are such a great couple and so much fun. Our families don't get many opportunities to spend time together so this was a very special occasion!

On the left is my aunt with her four fabulous children, Steve, Kim, Karen and in front is my "blogger-wanna-be" cousin Sandy! I love these guys, they are a riot and I make sure I tell each one they're my favourite (but of course, you REALLY are Sandy, don't tell the others!).

The picture on the right is the next generation of cousins. From the left is Jesse, Steve's daughter Samantha, Emily, Kim's son Tom (her daughter Lindsey had just left), and Sandy's three sons, Scott, Jeff and Kevin.

Sandy and her husband Andrew were also celebrating a milestone anniversary...their 25th! The picture on the left is them opening cards that Emily and Jesse made for them and laughing uncontrollably (ok, maybe I'm exaggerating a little!) at the "25th Anniversary Survival Kit" I put together...cause you know they need my help. I don't know how they've made it this far without me...lol!! Their "kit" included things like...mouthwash, ear plugs, handcuffs, hand sanitizer and name tags that said "If found please return to" and had the other's name and address on it. Sandy thought the name tags would definitely come in handy when she gets old and forgetful. I think she wore it the next day! Seriously though, they are two of the nicest people, and I want to wish them another 25 years of happiness together!

I want to make sure I mention the video that Karen and her husband Jeff put together. It included pictures and videos and was all set to music. It was absolutely amazing! I can only imagine how long it must have taken to put it all together.
The evening was a huge success! We had such a good time and it was so nice to see everyone again. Love you guys!!!

Let me start by saying I really didn't need blog material. I'm very far behind in posting many things...all nice, summery, and event-filled. This was not planned or welcome!

Let me also start by pointing out a few things...
1) I NEVER carry cash. I'm a debit, credit kind of girl.
2) I NEVER leave my purse in my van overnight.
3) I NEVER leave my van unlocked all night.

Can you see where this is going? You're a very smart bunch, I'll bet you can.

Last night after work I planned on taking Jesse shopping for pants but I had had a migraine on and off all day and by the time I got home I didn't feel well and decided to lay down for a bit before we went. Before I knew it, it was after 7 so we didn't go. I did manage to watch Prison Break later (which was VERY good by the way!) but then went to bed.
This morning I'm scrambling to get to work on time (as usual) and I can't find my sunglasses. Looked in the van, in my purse, in the house, back in the van...you get the picture. Then I'm in the van, having given up on finding them for now, and I look up at my visor and the little envelope with my Alan Jackson tickets is gone! Then I look in my wallet which is in my purse down between the seats and some cash (which I normally never have) is gone, then I notice also missing is my Mastercard, Amex...and my CAA (what's up with that?)!

So yes, I went to bed, forgot to bring my purse in and forgot to lock the van and some F#@*ING LITTLE PUKES stole my stuff!!
What are the odds that the ONE night I forget to lock it, this happens! They have a lot of nerve too because our motion sensor lights would have lit up the entire front of the house and the driveway. Not to mention that they (and I guess I should thank them for this) must have stood there with the interior lights on as well while they PICKED THROUGH MY WALLET and only took those few things! Unbelievable!
At first I was so upset but it was my own fault and it could have been so much worse. Yes, I'm out a decent pair of sunglasses but they're replaceable and my tickets will be replaced, I can pick them up that night and whatever poor saps buy mine will not get past the door! The whole cash thing bothers me, I just can't believe it. When I say I never have cash, I'm not kidding, usually less than five dollars but this one time...Saturday my two girlfriends paid me back for the baby shower gifts I had bought for a friend of ours and Sunday my other girlfriend paid me for the two High School Musical tickets I sold her...all cash and all in my wallet! Just this one time, I'm glad I'm a bit of a "spendthrift", I had spent a chunk of it at the show and on dinner after.

The upside to all this...they missed a twenty dollar bill that was tucked in between some receipts, I'm not spending countless hours replacing every piece of ID I was carrying (including the kids and my health cards), I had cheques I hadn't cashed that would have been a nightmare to replace and I also had two prepaid Black's digital print cards that they didn't take. I know, I'm out the cash and sunglasses but I'm doing my best to find the "glass half full" in all this.

Lessons learned everyone?? Shall we review?? Don't leave your purse in an unlocked vehicle, don't carry so much crap in your wallet and purse, especially if it's important, and take a photocopy of all your ID and keep it somewhere safe!! I always had good intentions of doing that but never got around to it.
One of my co-workers was shocked..."you're all stocked up and ready for the end of the world but don't"....yes, thank you, I GET IT!!
It's a good thing I didn't write this post this morning when I was going to...would have been a much stronger adult only version! That's the great thing about having a blog, the venting really helps. I feel much better now, broke, but better.

Well, the first day jitters are over...mine that is! Emily started Grade 3 on Tuesday and today Jesse went for his first day of Senior Kindergarten. His class will be Junior and Senior mixed together so they like to stagger the starts for the first week. He said there were only four boys there today and all he did was "play, play, play"! He has the same teacher he had for JK last year. She got married this summer and had told the kids what her new name would be. Jesse was a bit worried this morning that he would forget her name. Tonight when I asked him if he remembered he said he just didn't call her anything today.
Emily was in a 2/3 split class last year but is in a straight 3 this time and she has the same teacher again this year. She was also very happy to find that her closest friends are in the same class with her.
They were both so anxious to get back to school. I think it's going to be a very exciting year!

Friday, August 31...the tenth anniversary of the death of Princess Diana. I can't believe it was 10 years ago. I remember it like it was yesterday. It's the "where were you when" question of our generation (well, that and of course 9/11)...in my opinion anyway. Her death affected me deeply. She was an amazing woman and no matter what she did or didn't do, I think her greatest legacy are her two sons who I think she would be very proud of.
Three memories that will always remain with me, two happy, one so very sad...the first would have to be the wedding, the second was when my girlfriends Marianne, Marlene and I were able to see her when she and Charles visited Toronto. She gave us the royal wave when she was driving away after a visit at a hospice. It seems silly now but it certainly was exciting then! The other memory is that of watching William and Harry walk through the streets of London with their uncle, father and grandfather before the funeral. As if it wasn't enough that they had to deal with the death of their mother, they had to do so in the public eye. At 12 and 15 years of age, they handled themselves with such grace and poise, truly remarkable.
I saw this video on Karen's blog, didn't think she would mind me copying it.