Ella's creations

 
 

We have been having a creative week this week so I thought i'd share it on here.
The gingerbread might not be the prettiest you've ever seen but we had lots of fun decorating it and eating the candy!!!
Aren't her little handprints adorable. Can't wait to have a wall to hang it on :)

Our new nephew

Darryl's brother and his wife just added to our family by adopting a gorgeous little 2 year old boy from Thailand, Jayden, as a brother for our other gorgeous nephew Carter. This is making going away a little bit harder since we won't get to meet him until next summer.
Aren't they gorgeous?!

And speaking of in-law's...well my in-law's (D's parents :), they are coming tomorrow for a visit. I know, some people would not be excited about this, but we're looking forward to visiting before we head off for 6 months and for the girls spend some time with their nanny and poppy. They are so blessed and fortunate to have 2 sets of wonderful grandparents who are obsessively crazy about them.

Hot water drama

We woke this morning to find that we had NO hot water :(

I noticed it wasn't getting cold when I washed my face last night but at that point I was too tired to care. Today I am realizing all the things I need hot water for and very thankful that this is a rental...therefore not really my problem :)

Thank goodness for the gym where I was able to shower today.

my daughter the romantic

Ella's bestest friend in the whole wide world is her little friend Elijah. They've been tight since they were 5 months old, lol. And their b-day's are only 20 day's apart. They are so cute together.
So yesterday she recieves a picture in the mail from him that he drew. It was a picture of his family, mom, dad, him and his brother...and Ella. He told his mom that he had to put Ella in there b/c she's his sister and therefore in their family. Too cute.
So anyway, today Ella wanted to write him a thank-you note for the picture and send a picture back. She said, and here's the romantic part, "I'll draw a picture of me and Elijah holding hands in the grass picking flowers for our mommies".
Ahhhhhhhhh. So sweet.
Are girls and boy's really that different? Where do little girls get this stuff? I can't imagine a boy coming up with one like that. Too funny.

It never ends

Ok, sorry to complain a little on here but i'm cooped up in this house and therefore have no other outlet:)
So now, Zaiah is still sick, D came home sick yesterday and Ella started last night. AHHHHH. Patience please! I don't know how much more I can take , between the whinning, the mess (you know what kind of mess I mean. The kind of sick that comes with a bad gastro), the laundry that follow's the "mess", and being quarentined to the house....I was out of the bed more than I was in the bed last night. I was not fit this morning for anything. Thank God for coffee!!!!

Poor little Zaiah is loosing weight by now. They both have great energy and an appetite so that's good.
Ella was traumatized by what was happening to her "in the bathroom". I had to explain everything over and over to her in the middle of the night.
Ahh, the firsts....lol.

And to top it all off...it WON"T STOP SNOWING HERE!!! D didn't even bring any out door winter clothes b/c its usually not too bad untill the end of Decembre but its like only this surrounding little area around London that is getting any snow. The girls are loving it b/c now they get a little taste of winter and won't miss the snow all together but it is a pain in the a.. for us.

Fiji, 5 weeks, focusing on FIJI....

That's what has been happening in the Young household this last week. I hope you can stay clear of the stuff. Wash, wash and wash your hands :)

Life Links- Your Past

Wow. This will pretty much hit home with everyone on some level. How are you broadcasting yourself is the question. Check out the link below. Make sure you catch all the links J put's up and the viedo clip of Extreme Home Makeover. Have a great week!

http://www.lifecentre.org/pages/page.asp?page_id=43796

sicky-poo

My week with my sis was so fun and just what I needed to help get me through these last couple weeks here in London. But unfortuanetly, thanks to Zaiah, it ended with a bang.
Zaiah came down with a stomach flu thursday, poor little thing, and so on the way to the Hamilton airport both Ains and I started feeling "carsick", or so we thought. Thank God we both were able to make it safely back to our homes to be sick in private. Poor Darryl. He is practicing his bedside manner and orderly skills this weekend. It will make him a well-rounded surgeon, lol.

So, on the bright side, with bikini season only 5 weeks away again for me, this may kick start a diet. :)

Expelled-No intelligence allowed

We watched a really interesting documentary tonight by Ben Stien called Expelled. You can check out the link below to watch a little clip. Then go get it at you local movie store :)

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=iV8sN1UngFY

Sisterhood

YEAH, My sister is here to visit! We get to do sisterly things like shopping and late night movies and latte's!!! She is recently engaged and this will be my only opurtunity to enjoy the pre-wedding fun with her. My friendship with my sister makes me so happy to have two daughter's that will hopefully be great friends too as they get older.

Ahhhhhhh :)

Life Links: Crazy Love

http://www.crazylovebook.com/

Check out this link and go to Video's and click on The Awe Factor.
Its a pretty amazing perspective heh? We are small... God is big

mmmm, my new find!!!

For any of you who live in London, or if you ever spend anytime here you have to check out this wonderful new cupcake place that just opened called razzle dazzle cupcakes. They are not only tasty but beautifully decorated and there are so many original flavors and combinations.
I've been to the cupcake store magnolia's in New York (made famous by Sex in the City) and the one in Calgary and these, in my opinion, are no competition.

Here's the website: www.razzledazzlecupcakes.ca

6 weeks to go

Hard to believe that our time here in London is almost up. 6 weeks until we are off to Auckland, NZ and there is so much to do. I finally got around to making a few calls about getting us and all our stuff to the airport (picture 2 adults, 2 kids, 8 suitcases, carry-on's, stroller and two carseats) Its gonna be CRAZY!
I also finally got Jax booked on a flight home to NL to stay with a friend. The list is long and the time is speeding by. A place to stay once we get there would be a really nice one to check off the list.
Fortunately we have visitor's comming starting next week pretty much until we leave so that will be lot's of help and company for the last few weeks.

Remembering

In Flanders Fields
by John McCrae, May 1915

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep,
though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

In memory of my pop, Joshua Goobie.

Just curious...

Are you easily motivated and driven? Do you like to challenge yourself when it comes to exercise, education and other day to day things that you have on your list to do?
I have to admit, I find it hard sometimes to be motivated to do things, so i've been thinking a little about what get's me motivated. I am a huge procrastinator in some area's of my life and then i'm a planner in other areas. When it comes to connecting with people and helping others I can usually get my act together. But when it just comes down to me i'm a procrastinator. I need the push. I will put off exercise, dieting, cleaning, laundry, bills, even house hunting (we have no place to live in NZ yet).... I don't like to worry about things earlier than I absolutely have to, and I find that I am one of those people that if I have a busy day or week I can get a lot accomplished. The more I have to do in one week the more I will get the other things done that i've put off. I need the pressure and the deadline. Anyone else like that? And how do you get the motivation you need if you need to get things going?

For you people, like Darryl, who are easily motivated and like to challenge themselves, what's the driving force behind that self motivation? Do you need lists and just love the sense of accomplishment when you cross things off? Is it the ways or culture you were raised in, are you OCD :)?
How do you get motivated each day?
Do you have something you listen to in the morning,
Do you exercise in the morning?
Do you take quiet time to do devotions, or journal...
or is it just plain caffeine??

I'm curious

Life Links

Check out a talk about the trival pursuits of our life. Which of the things in your life are trivial and which are meaningful?
Trivial Pursuits: http://connectionschurch.ca/sermons.html

Tomorrow, I want to chat about what keeps you motivated each week?!



http://connectionschurch.ca/

I've been tagged

I've been tagged by Christy to write "Random Facts About Me". Here are the rules: Link to the person who tagged you. Post the rules on your blog. Write six random things about yourself. Tag six people at the end of your post. Let each person know he or she has been tagged. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.


Random Facts About Me:

1)I have been with Darryl since I was fourteen (yikes)
2)I am a retired (lol) hairstylist. I used to teach with Redken.
3)I have a fear of elevators that is getting worse
4)I do a really great motor boat photo
5)I would love to learn french and sign language
6)I love going to the spa

I only have two other bloggers that I keep up with and they have both already been tagged so if you have a blog send it to me. Or leave me fun facts about you on in my comments.

Unusually beautiful weather

It is like 20 degrees here in Lonodn, ON today. I cannot believe it. Its NOVEMBER. If you saw my older post it snowed, really snowed, last week. Very strange. It has been beautiful and warm all week. The kids have been playing at the park in short sleeve shirts.
Its working out well for us b/c we haven't been investing in any winter clothes where we will be leaving it all behind at the end of December and heading to another summer :) Everything the girls have is either slightly too small or too big, mine and Zaiah's coats don't zip up, we have mis-matched and old everything....We were quite the site last week.
If only it could stay like this untill say Dec, 24th!!!!

Life Links

I think I may do something new on sunday's on my blog. Whenever I hear or watch something impactful or something that made me grow in some way, I think I will post it here for anyone who may be intereted. I love to share things that inspire, encourage or keep me accountable so here's the first:


By: Jason Boucher

http://www.lifecentre.org/pages/page.asp?page_id=43796

Copy and paste the link

Trick or treating

We had such a blast with the girls last night trick or treating. We took them to a friends house to go with their little girl and b/c we live in a retirement community that was probably in bed by the time we went out. Or maybe it would be against the condo rules to trick or treat there. Anyway, the three of them were hysterical learning this anual tradition for the first time. After just one house i'm pretty sure they would have been fine to go home b/c they thought they had scored the loot. Imagine it like them, going to some stanger's house, saying the words trick or treat and they dump more candy then their parents have ever given them into their bag. With every house they got more and more excited and Ella would run up to me and say "Look how much I got". Lauryn would almost scare everyone with her enthusiastic "TRICK OR TREAT" as they opened the door, and Zaiah would turn and run if the owner if the house was dressed up. She was so cute b/c she didn't know what she was doing. She was just following the big girls and once Ella and Lauryn got their candy Zaiah would be happy enough and go to leave with them instead of trying to get her own candy. Once she caught on though she was having no part of actually putting the candy in her bag. She wanted it OPEN now!

It was so fun to re-live my childhood excitment through their experience especially now while they think just 3 candies are GREAT and they are not out for the pillowcase full. To lessen the sugar crash we all resorted to watching a little friday night Dora. Yes, its come to friday nights with Dora. But it's all worth it!

Today November 1st is All Saints day and my baby is 2. Wow, two years goes by so fast. We are so blessed!