Easter Sunday

I believe most people have their Easter Dinner this evening.... But keeping to the usual unusual-ness of our family, we aren't. lol.

Tomorrow will be a day filled with baking, cooking, family and friends! I'm looking forward to hosting it here!

In the meantime, today was more errands (the girls needed rubber boots, as did I, etc.), so we spent a good part of the day running around from store to store in this wonderful weather.... But before we left the girls dropped off Easter Cards they had made for our neighbors and one of their friends (We'll call him Prince F)... It was adorable! They ran up to his home and excitedly handed him their cards! Then they made plans to gather once we were back from our shopping day....

So once we were back they promptly called Prince F to see if he could join us for popcorn and a movie later, he could! The girls went and played outside while waiting for him to come over.... It was nice to see them playing in the sunshine and puddles! Chalk was used to make a soccer field in our cul-de-sac.... So fun!

Once Prince F joined us, the kids played outside while his mom and I chatted... Then it was time for a tour of our house and then movie time!

Popcorn has been made, they're bouncing back and forth between the family room where the movie is playing and the den (basement) where the air hockey table is, etc.

All in all today has been awesome!

Oh! Here's a few pictures I took with my phone (have others taken with my camera)  from this mornings Easter egg hunt!

Sisters! ♥

The hunt is on! Helping each other! 

Found them all!

Having a Kinder and making the surprises!

The final photo of their baskets before candy was consumed! lol

**I forgot to mention, when we got back from shopping there were two Easter cards for the girls waiting... Made and delivered by Prince F!

"Good" Friday...

All religious points and such aside...

Where the heck did the "Good" part of Good Friday go??!

From the time I woke up (my kids get up before me because, well, they're crazy... lol) I could hear my kids arguing... And being bossy towards each other....

Then they pulled it together and giggled through breakfast (thank goodness!)....

And then we headed out to do a weeks worth of errands in a few hours.... 

It went alright (besides many "Keep your hands to yourself" comments from me) and we hit four locations and home in 2 hours! Phew!

And then the real chore... It's their responsibility to keep the basement (AKA: The Den) clean, which I've asked them to do for the last few days.... They swear it gets clean but then they play afterwards.... And well you can guess what happens...

So downstairs they went, to vacuum and dust... Ad put everything back in its place.... And then I heard it... Bossiness. Ugh.

Tears. Yelling. More bossiness.... More yelling.... Arguing... Stomping and "MOMMY!"...

lol

Yes, "Good" Friday... lol

All in all though, they sucked it up, got their chores done and are happily playing with a box of toys I pulled out of storage (which they haven't seen in 7 months)... With the knowledge that they need to sort through it and decide what to keep and give away by bedtime.

How's your Good Friday going??!! 

p.s.

 It's actually been a pretty awesome day... The weather is wonderful (I wore my Keens out and just my sweater!), the sun is shining, my girls are happy and healthy.... And we got everything done today that I needed completed in 2 hours! Phew!

Random....

This actually made me laugh out loud.... lol.

It was posted from our local animal shelter, Edmonton Humane Society. 

If you're ever looking to give an animal a forever home, definitely check them out!

April Showers Bring.... A New Bog!

Well, sort-of. lol.

I've decided it's time to actually put some effort into my blog.... Or at least try to put some effort into my blog.

So.... here we go!

* I will be participating in the following:

Mish Mash Monday's: Music, Movies, Magical.... It's a Mish Mash of things!
Wordless Wednesday's: Photo or Illustration with no written context from myself.
Tough It Thursday's: Fitness topics written by a qualified trainer as well as a guest blogger who is a student in theatre!
Favorite Friday's: I'll post about some of my favorite things and would love to hear about yours!

* I will be hosting a daily challenge that I will post a blog about at the beginning of the month (or, ya know, the last day of the month so you can be prepared)... Don't feel that you must do each and every day.... It's more of a challenge to myself, join me if you'd like. It will be a mix of things not just a photography challenge. There will be a link to the daily challenge on the right hand side of my blog, don't forget to check it out!

* I will host guest bloggers! Whoo hoo! So please, tell everyone you know! I have some topics in mind and would love to to hear what you have in mind!

With the above I will still be posting about our family life, things happening around here, etc. I just thought having a bit of structure might be helpful!

I hope you continue to join "It's A Zog World!" on our journey, and bring your friends along too!

~Mista

A bit of snow...

So today Edmonton, Sherwood Park, Leduc and areas received a bit of snow.... just.... a bit....

Source: The Edmonton Journal

Source: The Edmonton Journal

Source: The Edmonton Journal

Source: The Edmonton Journal

This then helped in causing a 90+ vehicle crash on the Queen Elizabeth Highway (QE2 - aka: Highway 2) with hundreds (300+) of folks being bused to nearby hospitals. Somehow there was only four major injuries and a ton of minor injuries. 

 Source: The Edmonton Journal

 Source: Global Edmonton

 Source: CTV Edmonton

 Source: The Edmonton Journal

Source: The Edmonton Journal

Source: The New 925 Fresh FM's

Source: Unknown

Source: Eddy Heisenberg Mah

So far they have shut down the QE2 both ways (they were up to a 3+ hour wait time to get through the highway)... The Anthony Henday has also been shut down (the ring road that connects Edmonton to the surrounding areas)... 

Tow Truck wait time is at 8+ hours...

Source: Mike Lawrence

"80 car pile up on QE II… looking out of my front windshield and I wonder why?"

If you have to drive anywhere today, please drive insanely safe.... You never know where the freezing rain and drifting snow will take you.

I'll be updating my FB all evening... And if you're stuck and not able to get home, stop on by here! We're always happy to see friends safe and sound! Even if it's just until things clear up!

Short week, Loooong month ahead!

So this Friday is a PD Day.... Amazingly enough, I forgot (I know, I'm in shock too! lol)...

And then the following week is Spring Break.... Which is followed by Easter Weekend... And then a four day week which consists of Zoe's Allergy Appointment... THEN on the weekend my parents head out to LONDON for a few weeks.... All while I run the Boutique!

Did I forget to mention that the Husband leaves for work (you're going to love this) on the FIRST DAY OF SPRING BREAK. lol.

Ahh yes.... lol. So for a few weeks I shall be:

1) Trying to regain the schedule/routine the girls and I had for years before the Husband was home for four months.... All during Spring Break (oh yes, a 'schedule' shall happen..... tomorrow..... maybe... lol).

2) Run a Boutique.... I actually am really excited about this... And for the fact that the reason I'm doing this alone is because my parents are in LONDON! I mean really??!!! Yay!

3) Work hours... W-O-R-K??!! What???! lol It's been a loooooooong time... But thankfully these past few months I've been able to work and learn as much as I can while the Husband was home... I cannot thank him enough for taking over the daily household schedule with the girls so I could work 14-16 hour days with my Mom to get things ready!

4) Oh yeah, I forgot.... I took over the hot lunch! Right, should probably purchase all the food items and such needed for that.... And remember to show up that day! And pick up the food from the location too! lol.

5) Did I forget to mention that the first full week back to school in April isn't actually that? It's another four day week..... Friday being a PD Day (and then the next Friday is Hot Lunch).... Yup.

6) Remember that we changed the Boutique hours to accommodate my crazy schedule with the kids and home... lol. So I better be there!!! ;P

7) Somewhere in there a Husband may or may not come home... We're not really sure what his new schedule is going to be... lol.

8) Easter???! Really? Ugh, Suppose I should plan something there..... *sigh*....

9) Happily dog sitting Friday's to Sunday's! Yay!! Willow is going to have a blast.... The girls have no clue this is happening!!!! :)

So overall I'm hoping that I end up looking like this throughout the stages of the three weeks.....

Hot Momma....

Sure, stay up late.... Not set schedules... WhatEVER....

Schedules... Easy, right??!

EASTER. GAH!

Back to.... Work? Full time??! Whaaaaa???!

Except its at 9am... Must.Not.Forget!!!

Right.... PD Day....

Maybe I'm organized this school week?? (HA HA HA!)

Ugggh right, I have to cook! Where IS that Husband??!?

I'll spare you the 'shopping for Hot Lunch with kids part'...

Survive this. More to come about it...

Dog sitting... Easy with three cats, right??! Right?!!

How I think I'll be at the end of the three weeks.... Totally, right?!

What my girls will think of me the whole way through.... ;)

Probably how it'll go (minus the pregnant part!)...

Yup.... Except I will have forgotten about the laundry for three weeks... lol.

Maybe I should challenge myself to take photos during these three weeks and post the "reality pictures".... Humm... Thoughts?

Guest Bloggers Wanted!

That's right!

I have ideas... LOTS of them.... And would love, love, love to have a guest blogger write about their experiences about the topic.....

Currently I'm looking for folks that may want to share their words with us about:

* Working Mom Guilt

* Parents who workout with their children (of all ages.... Sports, Running, etc.)

* Morning Routines (how we survive)

*How to survive in this fast paced world with food allergies... Especially in children...

* The pressure to place our kids in organized sports... And the expenses... And the effect on our kids for time commitments.

And more!

Let me know if you or someone you know would be interested in guest blogging! We'd love to hear from you!

:)  

New!

Well for the first day of Spring I thought I would change up my blog design a bit.... I still have more to some but thought this would be good for now....

What do you think??! :)

Also:

 This is what Spring looks like in Alberta.... Right now... *sigh*

UPDATE!

Okay so.... I can't even BEGIN to explain everything that has happened since my last post.... Maybe I'll work on that on the side..... But let me update you on a few new things happening in our lives....

 The Husband has had some time off work (like.... almost 4 months).... We've quite enjoyed having him home (aka: I'VE enjoyed sleeping in an letting him get up with the kids for school... *ahem*).... But are gearing up for him to start work again.... When Spring Break starts (typical, right??!! lol).

From our Hallowe'en Party!

 I'm now a Certified Consultant for Scentsy! WHOOO HOOO! I'm VERY excited about this as I've been wanting to join since 2009.... But schedules just didn't allow for it. Not only was I able to join in September ('cause, ya know, I'm never busy) but my best friend also joined! YAY! We're going to kick some Scentsy butt!! Check out my website here! (The new Spring & Summer Catalog is awesome!!!)

 I'm now working at Apple Box Boutique.... It's this adorable little boutique that sells European-inspired home decor, one-of-a-kind furnishings, custom finishing and the most amazing paints ever! Have you heard about the Annie Sloan Chalk Paint (no, not the Ikea kind)??! It paints ANYTHING (not kidding... Think cement, walls, furniture, fabric, vehicles, glass, plastic..... the list goes on) with no (yes, NO) prep! It's wonderful! We also sell the Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint (this one is fun as it can do a few neat things... Add the Bonding Agent to create a clean paint job or not and have a chippy look - the flaky off look-).... And my boss is out of this world! ;)

 Annie Sloan Chalk Paint colors... Mix them and NOT getting a muddy color!

Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint colors!

 I've done some more photography work.... I offered mini-sessions for Valentine's Day and had a blast! I also was able to photograph a friend and her entire family! And I had the wonderful opportunity to photograph a friend of mine who was debuting her new sound of music! 

Mini-session!

Fun Family Photo!

Lascaux Proxy

 And last but not least I took over the Hot Lunch Program at our school (please remember that we moved... New school.... New program.... Slightly behind the times of our last school... lol). So I'm the new Coordinator.... And it's... interesting.... lol. I'm sure I'll get the hang of it here, but a bit of a learning curve as it's a new 'older' program... I hope they allow me to continue on for next year so I can plan all Summer! Annnd I must give an early 'Thank You' to my friend Tereasa for offering to help me learn this program they're using so there shouldn't be any issues for future hot lunches...  She was my partner in crime at the last school for hot lunch!

 That's about it for now.... I best get some food cooing before we all die of hunger (lol, can you tell that I haven't had to cook often with the Hubby home??! I'm lovin' it!!!)....

 More soon!