Got some good stuff out from the library this week. Got a cute book called something like "What I love best about mom" and then you flip it over and on the other side is "What I love best about dad". And the two stories have the exact same things listed that the kid loves best - but the pictures are adorable! When we read it to Madi, Mark read the dad part and I read the mom part. Very cute book. We also got a kids "exercise" video. Madi loves doing her exercise - very funny. I got some good Christmas CDs and the Jack Johnson Curious George one. And some other goodies...

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Ran the 5K Santa Shuffle today with Mark, Marcie and the entire Church family. Good job on the organizing Jen! (and helping out Sarah & Natasha) It was fun, I made it, and I won a Swiffer! What could be better? Think I need to work on my speed, but all in all it was fun. Thanks to Marcie for not running at her usual pace but hanging out with us slow guys.

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Stupid clumsy list of things that happened to the Jeffersons at the Santa Shuffle

1. Eden insisted on going "pee" so I took her to the washroom (she never actually pees on the toilet but likes to try) and when she got off she tripped and hit her head on the toilet and got a bleeding lip. Right when the race was about to start.

2. Going to get in place to start running, I was walking along in my usual daze and kicked out a crutch out from someone using crutches! Nice.

3. Then the race starts we all go to run and I turn to wave at the girls (thanks Sarah for watching them) and ran right into the person in front of me HARD. Classic.

And just a  few more random spills and scrapes.

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Eden's new favourites... Fave line is "No problem!" Fave song is "jingle bells" - only song she wants to hear when in the van (for the last 3 months). Eden has a new favourite game. She grabs whatever Madi has and just runs away full speed and hides with it - even if Madi isn't chasing her. It's funny to watch.

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Kept Madi home a few days from school because of this nasty cold. Hope she's better tomorrow! They're both hacking away.

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Trying to teach Madi that when we're at the dinner table it's nice to talk to each other about our days and catch up with each other. Tonight she rushed away from the table then came running back and said "Soooooooooo Dad. How was your day?" Her tone of voice was hilarious! Just like we as adults do when we realize we forgot something - try to ask all smooth.

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All Madi wants for Christmas is dinosaurs. She's on a Land Before Time kick. I think she'll be happy with what we got her... unless the fickle 4 year old changes her mind.

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I was getting after Madi for something the other day and said "Madison, how old are you?" (in my best mom scolding voice). "I'm five." No you,re not Madi. How old are you? "I'm five,  mom" She insisted on being five. I said think about it, how old are you. "Hmmm, three?" This kid can never remember being 4. Ever since she turned 4 almost 3months ago she has never been able to remember her age. Funny.

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Madi's slowly getting better at her printing, but she's doing good at typing. Every day she wants to type her name, "mom" and  "dad" (since she knows those letter from her name) on the computer. Taught her what capital "E" looks like so now she can type "Eden" too. Could you imagine as a kid knowing how to type before you could print?

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I ordered my studio lights last week - should be here in the next few days!! Can't wait!

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We decorated for Christmas this week! My sister and I traded trees - hers was too big for her apartment and we had a small one. As usual with Marcie, we got the better deal - her tree is perfect! Pre-lit which is so nice! Mark thinks I'm silly for not wanting to let the kids decorate the tree - honestly, they don't care (yet). Madi was so excited to put the tree up - and so I was letting her help and before I could put the different parts together (which took about 2 minutes) she was bored and asking if she could go. Only thing she really wanted to do was put a star on the top of the tree which she did. I think whenever we get around to moving and if we get a rec room (please, please please let our next house have a rec room) then the girls can have their own small tree. Mark thinks that's really silly but I don't. I love the mismatched Christmas trees of kids decorations  - just not sure I want it in my living room. What do you guys think?

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Finished Christmas shopping! Everything. If I haven't got it, Mark is getting it. I don't want to go back to the mall because I have no self control and always buy too much. I like shopping too much and waste money and spend guilt and money too freely.

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I reached "Lifetime Member" status at WW. Meaning I hit goal and didn't go more than 2lbs over it for 6 weeks. So now, I have to weigh in at least once a month and maintain and I'm free for life. I set my goal high so that I could have room to gain/lose while staying in lifetime status. I have now lost 20lbs. Only a few more to go to hit my personal goal. I still plan to go to the meetings weekly so that I don't slip up! Easy to catch myself after a bad week - harder to catch myself after a bad month (or two!) I might just be able to wear a bathing suit on the beach when Mark and I go away in January after all!

Saturday night my favourite Monica is doing a concert at the FRWY cafe - if you're in town, you should definietly catch it!

Went to hear MOnica tonight - GREAT concert. Incredible musicians. But in true Krista form I had to go and do two royally stupid things.

Stupid Thing # 1 - I caught my hair on fire.

I was leaning at the bar talking to the beautiful baristas and tehn turning to talk to my sister, and I was thinking "I don't know what Miranda is making but it sure stinks and is smoking a lot." Then my sister says to me, "Ah, Krista you're hair is on fire." Yep - that smell wasn't Miranda's cooking but my hair! It stunk!

I have one other memory of the small of burning hair and it also has to do with Monica - I accidentally burned her eyelashes and eyebrows with the BBQ. WHoops.

Stupid Thing # 2 - Be careful what you say

So Marcie and I are having a conversation, joking around and stuff during the concert. Then half way through the concert - into the second set - Monica mentions that the concert is being taped! We turn around and the mic is right between us at the table about a foot from our chairs. Yikes! That's right - everything we had said was taped. Nice.

Just booked our (Melanie, Tracy, Sandra and my) tickets for hotel & flight to VEgas this MArch! Can not wait!

It's been a busy weekend - and the girls were in bed by 6:30pm tonight they're so bushed!

Thursday we had lunch with my parents and my Grandma who was down for a few days. So good to see her! Funny thing - while at lunch I recognized two people from high school - of course I didn't put together who they were until after they left (my home room teacher all through high school Mr. Malpass and Phil - can't remember his last name. Mon - you knew him from music...). Thursday night had a meeting with a client at the café then hung out for a bit with Randy & the gang.

Friday was my volunteer day at Madi's school. I love these times in her class so much! Then as soon as we got home and picked up Eden, my mom, Grandma and sister all came over for lunch and then we went to do some Christmas shopping. I forgot how much fun shopping with kids is. Never again.... We did however get pics with Santa - the girls and Santa and then the 4 generations with Santa.  Afterwords, my dad, brother & his family, aunt Bev and mom's cousin Kathy all came over for supper and the evening to celebrate Dave's upcoming bday.

Saturday I had a wedding and Mark was at a clinic so Marcie was babysitting. Since I was going to KW anyways, I met with some clients while there. Then Marcie, me and the girls went to the Santa Clause Parade. I would recommend the KW parade to anyone. It's small - we were late and still had space right at the edge of the sidewalk. It's not flashy, but the girls LOVE it. Then I left to go to my wedding and Mark picked the girls up when his clinic was done.

Sunday (I should note my first day jogging in about a week. Very sad. But I did manage 4km) we had a lazy morning before heading in to Toronto! Mark was at a conference there and had a hotel room to himself - so the girls and I Went and joined him. We swam and watched movies and hung out. It was a lot of fun. Eden hadn't been to a hotel before and just walked around wide eyed. Then I had a photo shoot at a great place in Scarborough. Absolutely fell in love with the property and the kids. I crunched my van backing out of their place though - whoops!

We came home today and the girls and I did Tae Bo (they woke while I was doing it and joined in - hilarious!) before heading to the park for the afternoon.

It was a great weekend!!

Last week, mom and I skipped WW to go shopping. We weighed in and then left. Mistake! I have no self discipline and NEED the meetings! This week I have had zero motivation and have binged like crazy. Think it's partly because I skipped.

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Speaking of WW - whenever I go to a restaurant, I ask for their nutrition info. as most chains have it available. It is surprising some of the things that are really high in calories and fat. For example, I don't always like to drink a lot of pop so I use to order Fruitopia in restaurants. A large Fruitopia is 860 calories (17 points!). Or at Taco Bell, the natural thing to think would be that a salad would be a healthy choice. The Fiesta Taco Salad (or something like that) was also 850+ calories!! More then double almost everything on the menu. It's like Tim's muffins and how horrible they are for you.

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I sat in gum tonight - any ideas how to get it off my pants? My favourite jogging pants I live in... so sad.

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Had a baby shower to go to  this weekend for wee Cohen. It was fun to see all the adorable stuff! Lots of cowboy and plane stuff - as my brother and sister-in-law's dream is to have a horse farm and Dave (and the majority of my family) are pilots.

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Sandra, Tracy, Melanie and I are going to book our Vegas trip this week! We've been scouring hotels and flights for the best deals - can't wait! Just got word tonight Tracy & Melanie are "in" and I'm so excited!!

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Went to the small business office today to ask about grants - they were completely unhelpful. Nice.

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In Eden's ongoing random things she wakes for in the night... couple nights ago she woke up yelling "I want the kitchen! Kitchen!" Weird kid.

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Eden is completely obsessed with "Jingle Bells" - that's all we listen to when we drive. Over and over and over.

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I just finished doing Tae-Bo... what a joke! If anyone saw me flailing around it'd be a good laugh. I"m SO uncoordinated!!

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Today and last night I have felt like crap. My stomach has felt  "yucky" - no other good descriptive word. And pounding headache. Last night I went to bed at 8:30pm and slept until 7:30am and felt as bushed as I always feel. Hope this passes.

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My Grandma is down for a few days visiting. I am so, so, so excited!! I see her tomorrow for the first time. Can't wait!

Today we went to London to pick up our new car ("new" to us that is) and I have to say - got to love technology! On the way down while the girls napped, I pulled out my laptop (don't worry Mark was driving) and did a bit of work. Then while Mark was in the dealer's office paying the girls were restless, I pulled out his camera on his phone and we goofed off taking pics of us girls in the van. Then, on the drive home it was just me and two bored little girls in the van - so I turned on our new portable DVD player (a Christmas gift from mom and Ron - it's PERFECT!) and the girls happily watched Land Before Time (their new obsession) all the way home.

As much as I love technology, I never want to neglect family time for the ease of turning on a TV - I love driving with the girls singing and telling stories and such. But they are 2 and 4 and they get bored very easy. A few hours driving - they need a distraction and this was great! Made the drive so much better!

Anyhow, we're home and we have our new car! Yeah! Mark should be much safer in this once we get all the necessary paperwork done and get it officially on the road and ditch the purple beast.

Madi came home with a note in her bag today from Noah, her buddy at school. It said in his handwriting:

I love (heart symbol) U.

 

Finally did 5km today! It was a great morning for jogging - Saturday mornings are great to begin with as they're so quiet. But it was wet so the colours were really vibrant and cold, so I felt alive.

I'm thinking of doing the Santa Shuffle - just need to register!

Madi was thrilled to have curly hair today - I had twisted it into buns after her bath and let it dry while she slept on it.