Bride from Nov. 18 killing herself laughing....

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Shy little girl at a wedding I did - loved how she is clinging to mom.

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Bride and Groom from Nov. 24 enjoying one of the warmest November days ever!

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Flower girl studying the intricate wedding cake design...

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My handsome hubby - talked him into letting me try out my new lights!

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Eden enjoying the Christmas decorations...

 

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Since people seem to enjoy the random posts...

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Today I had to do a bunch of errands  in the west end right after I picked up Madi from school so I told the girls I'd take them to Burger King because it has a good play land.

Madi says "No, they told me it doesn't have a playground."

Me - Who? Who is 'they?'

Madi - Paulette Bourgeois (to you non-parents... this is the author of the Franklin the Turtle books. Not sure why she and Madi were discussing Burger King...)

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While at my printers today there was a woman in there I hadn't met. My printer is a family run business, and Liz (the mom) introduces me to everyone in the shop.  Today while my two girls are chasing their dogs around (the store has their two dogs in the place) and wreaking havoc I meet this woman - who's job it is to teach etiquette to young kids. Seriously. This is her web site. So, she is desperately trying to find me a business card - can't blame her. I'm telling Mark about this at supper - and he's saying "sign them up! That's what I want for Christmas - for the girls to go to etiquette classes." Then, as soon as he says that he says to Madi "can you please use your fork?" (for the 100th time) to which she replies "Of course, it would be my pleasure." Our jaws dropped. Had she absorbed some etiquette just from us discussing classes?

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My girls are taking turns sharing being sick. Quite fun. Madi was home from school three days last week. She seems to be better and now Eden is sick. Eden is a very sad sickie. She looks so dreary and it breaks your heart. She oozes green gunk out her nose day and night. She sleeps ALL day - we take Madi to school then come home and she goes to bed until I wake her to go get Madi again at lunch. Then after lunch she goes back to bed until supper. Thankfully we're going to the doctor tomorrow.

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I enjoyed people's comments about decorating the tree. As I wrote about how I wanted to decorate it I felt so shallow. Not sure why I like to decorate it so much - I mean I do really enjoy it and love to see it take shape. If you've been t omy home you know I'm no anal housekeeper - my home looks like I have kids! - I guess the tree is my one creative outlet in the home. Growing up we each got a new ornament every year - loved that tradition. What I have done with the girls is I get the an ornament every year with their photo from that year on it. I'm starting to re-think the nicely matched Christmas tree....

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Tomorrow is our 10 year anniversary. VERY hard to believe. Sunday Mark and I couldn't wait any longer and exchanged gifts. He gave me a beautiful ring. I'm not a big jewelry person - only things I wear are my wedding rings and a hand me down watch. And earrings when I can find a pair. But I LOVE my new ring. LOVE! I was really hoping for one but hadn't said so. So now I have two rings I will never take off. I was admiring it today as I drove and Madi said she wanted to wear it. Off the cuff (bad move) I said "When I die each of you girls can have one of mom's rings now." Rookie move. Madi is all upset thinking I'm dying. "People don't die, mom!" So we had to have the deat h talk and try to explain death without scaring her. Fun.

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Madi was all upset on the drive home from school yesterday because she had called Noah - one of her best buddies - "stupid", So, I made her call and apologize (she got the answering machine). His mom said today Noah couldn't remember it - but apparently Madi did! Trying to teach the concept of nice words.

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Did I mention that Madi and Eden named our new car "Gate-dog"? And Madi faithfully calls it that. Has a nice ring to it...

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So, I am one of the many people who's says we need more community and such in church and that small groups is the key and yada yada yada... but why am I not committing to a small group? Light bulb "aha!" moment went on (yet again) last night about that. As usual I am quick to forget that I need to be part of the solution rather than the problem.

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How is it December already? Happy Birthday, Kathryn by the way!

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I'm excited that my side of the family (the Halls) are getting together over the Holidays. I'm so use to having my extended family spread out and not seeing any of them ever - this will be a treat! More and more family is moving to Southern Ontario and then some others will be visiting. I heard even my Uncle John and Aunt Naomi from the Yukon will be here. Should be fun!

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My nephew Cohen is HUGE! Adorable but huge! You would think he is 6 months old - not one month old. Really big adorable guy!

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Did you know "Joe Fresh" clothes at the Superstore (which I absolutely LOVE!) are designed by Joe (can't remember his last name) who started Club Monaco and 'discovered' Alfred Sung? Kind of cool. Read an article on him last night.

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Eden is on this kick of "stop calling  me Eden. " "I'm not Eden" Funny, but yet can be frustrating.

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Madi freaked out yesterday because it had been library day and we had never read her last library book. Guilt award goes to me. I felt awful. But we had gone to the public library and gotten out a ton and honestly, I forgot all about her school library book. With her being sick so much last week I hadn't looked in her backpack much. She says "I couldn't find a wish star to wish on but I wished EVERY day [funny she never mentioned it then] that we would read my library book and now it's gone and I'll never read it and..." Just heap the guilt on, Madi! Let's just say we're reading this week's library book a LOT.

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Madi could care less about colouring, writing, drawing, etc. Eden will sit there and carefully try to colour in the lines. It is just very funny to see the difference in personality already. Yesterday they painted. Madi did a coupe quick swiped on as many pages of paper as she could - all in the same colour - and she was done. Eden carefully sat there and painted using different colours and slowly painting her artwork.

Same with temperature. Madi loves being cold. She loves her food cold. Her bath water cold. She is always taking off her coat - even today in this freezing weather! As soon as she gets in the car her shoes and socks are off. She wants the windows down and heat off always - winter or summer. Eden on the other hand loves being warm. She'll eat her food right out of the oven piping hot. She loved being in the hot tub with me while away at the hotel. She loves cuddly warm blankets. Very funny. Madi even one time I brought her blankie to her straight from the dryer - and she says "awww... I like it cold." Weird, kid!

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Madi was SO excited about the snow! She ran around yelling "Santa's coming! Santa's coming!" And when she came down today she said "why are there no presents under the tree? There's snow outside!" I guess snow = Christmas to a 4 year old.

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.