Friday was my mom's 60th birthday and my siblings & I had planned a family night out - bowling in hopes that Mom would think that was all we were doing for her birthday. Saturday we had a big surprise party planned with family coming from the island and friends. Friday night we all had a great time - we had to divide into two lanes as there were 12 of us bowling. In the first game my brother beat us all with a score of 209 (my score was a whopping 95) The second game went a little better for those of us in my lane. My mom beat us all with a score of 205 and I managed to break a hundred with a final score of 110! In both games my brother got a turkey (3 strikes in a row) in the final frame.& Saturday morning we all headed out to Langley to Jacques' house where we were having the party ( in case you don't know - Jacques in my mom's boyfriend) so that us kids could set up everything while Jacques occupied my mom. We had to set up shelters & tarps because the forecast was for rain. That in itself was quite the adventure as we tried to figure out how to arrange the two canopies we had along with tarps to make the largest space possible as we weren't totally sure how many people were going to show up. When Mom showed up, she was totally surprised and it was fun to walk her around the house where her mom & aunt Ann & uncle Ray were waiting. They had come over from the island on Friday and had stayed at my aunt's house.
My sister had arranged to rent a cotton candy machine that she had at her wedding as my mom had loved it and while we were picking it up at the party place we found a sash that said "60 & Sensational" I knew that we needed that for Mom as she was a Snowball Princess back when she was like 18 or 19 and how fun would it be to have photos of her now in a sash! She thought it was quite funny! It was also one of the few things that were for birthdays over 40 that weren't about being an old fart or being over the hill.
It was a lot of work but well worth it - it was a lot of fun to see all the people that came by to celebrate with Mom and also have us all just hang out together.
Baby Ticker
Sunday, September 30, 2007
trial & error
I love learning new things for my blog! Especially how to alter my template's HTML and figuring out how to do what I want to do by searching online through other tutorials and also just by trying out things and seeing if that gets the result I want! Tonight I wanted to have the "posted at" line underneath my signature image and not beside it and while it took some tries - I got it and it feels so great! Knowing that I can change things on my own is a great feeling!
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
A new blog tool
Today's post on Blogging Basics 101 was about blog editing programs and after reading the accompanying tip, I decided to check out ScribeFire which is a FireFox add-on and since I use FireFox and love it! I thought, it might be way cool! Well, I am writing and posting this all on ScribeFire which is a full feature editor that works within FireFox. It is super easy to add & use and you can add multiple blogs to it and post to all of them from the same place! I think that I may be better at keeping up to date on the blog when I can post while still doing other things online as ScribeFire only takes up the bottom part of your screen so you can still have other pages open.
It is quite easy to change colours and many other options as well all at my fingertips.
It is quite easy to change colours and many other options as well all at my fingertips.
Monday, September 17, 2007
a garage sale...
So, this past Saturday we had a garage sale (organized by friends of mine) to raise money for all of Ronel's immigration fees. We had a TON of stuff - donated by my mom, sister & her family, brother & his girlfriend, my friends and some of my own stuff as well. With everything really pulled together in like 2 weeks, we had a great day, there were 5 of us manning the sale and we had a lot of smaller items and we took pretty much ALL & ANY offers (we did turn down two which were way too low!) and we made a great deal of money!! At last count, we made $770.72!!!! That alone is 1/2 of the paperwork fees and with other money I had already we are about $350 away from me having the $1500 needed to file the paperwork, but Ronel also still needs the estimated $200US he needs for the medical exam. Tonight, he told me that none of the doctor's offices will actually tell him the exact price but want him to come in - I told him to tell them that he lives 4 hours away and that it isn't easy for him to come in, just to find out how much the exam will cost! That is so frustrating!!!
Well, with all this money raised, I am hoping that we can file all the paperwork by the start of 2008 and I hope to have Ronel home by the start of 2009!!
Off to get some rest! Still tired after all the work for the garage sale - way more work that I ever remembered! Oh, and if anyone local reads this - We will be holding another garage sale in April to help with the rest of the funds Ronel & I need to get him here (exit visa, plane tickets, etc) If anyone has any items that you would like to donate, please contact me - We can take it now and store it until the sale!
Only God can have a garage sale raise $770 in 6 hours and have the largest sale item be only $20! We are hoping with more time to get items & more time to promote & prep, the next sale should be just as good if not better! We had a steady stream of people and almost ALL were strangers who saw the signs put up by my mom & also by a friend.
k - seriously am now off to bed!
Well, with all this money raised, I am hoping that we can file all the paperwork by the start of 2008 and I hope to have Ronel home by the start of 2009!!
Off to get some rest! Still tired after all the work for the garage sale - way more work that I ever remembered! Oh, and if anyone local reads this - We will be holding another garage sale in April to help with the rest of the funds Ronel & I need to get him here (exit visa, plane tickets, etc) If anyone has any items that you would like to donate, please contact me - We can take it now and store it until the sale!
Only God can have a garage sale raise $770 in 6 hours and have the largest sale item be only $20! We are hoping with more time to get items & more time to promote & prep, the next sale should be just as good if not better! We had a steady stream of people and almost ALL were strangers who saw the signs put up by my mom & also by a friend.
k - seriously am now off to bed!
Monday, September 10, 2007
sorry for lack of posts!
I have been really tired lately and think I am fighting something but don't know what yet! I had to come home from work early today because I just couldn't keep going - even with sitting down! I need whatever this is to GO AWAY! I have been sleeping ALOT lately and even still, I have no energy! I need to be better at taking my B12 vitamins as I know my B12 is low, but you are supposed to take them with your morning meal and I have no appetite, so it is hard to take them. I think I am going to just start taking them with whatever my first meal is.
Ronel started back at school today - that was hard for me cause now I can't call him whenever I want and I liked being able to call him before I left for work in the morning but his school starts at 7:30am and he leaves his house 15 mins earlier which means, with the current 2 hour time difference - I would have to be up at 5am and be conscious enough to communicate if I want to talk to Ronel in the morning! Plus, school goes longer this year because they have all the classrooms completed and don't need to do school in two shifts. So, I can't even call when I am home on my morning break as he will still be at school!
I have enjoyed having him available at all hours and now I have to actually figure out what time it is there before I call! One more reason to get him here soon! So I can say good morning in person - EVERY DAY!
Arghhh - I miss my hubby~!
Off to bed (again, after being up for less than 3 hours!) so that I can get up for work in the morning!
Ronel started back at school today - that was hard for me cause now I can't call him whenever I want and I liked being able to call him before I left for work in the morning but his school starts at 7:30am and he leaves his house 15 mins earlier which means, with the current 2 hour time difference - I would have to be up at 5am and be conscious enough to communicate if I want to talk to Ronel in the morning! Plus, school goes longer this year because they have all the classrooms completed and don't need to do school in two shifts. So, I can't even call when I am home on my morning break as he will still be at school!
I have enjoyed having him available at all hours and now I have to actually figure out what time it is there before I call! One more reason to get him here soon! So I can say good morning in person - EVERY DAY!
Arghhh - I miss my hubby~!
Off to bed (again, after being up for less than 3 hours!) so that I can get up for work in the morning!
Saturday, September 01, 2007
night out...
Dana called me today and asked if I wanted to go out tonight, I said yes and we went out for dinner & a movie. We went to Red Robin's where we had the worst service! We had the manager come talk to us because I had asked the waiter (who took about 10-15 minutes to come after we sat down!) for their list of gluten free foods (which I had previously gotten when we ate at RR in the US, it was simple!) He looked very confused & so the manager came to tell me that she also didn't know what gluten was and so didn't know how to help me.
After some discussion, I had figured out what I could eat, and the manage took our order - to make sure there were no errors made in preparing it. About 20 minutes later, she came back and apologized because she had forgotten to place our order because she had had a customer complaint that had taken a long time to solve. She told us she had rushed our orders and we would have them shortly. The manager delivered our meals shortly thereafter, but the main part of my meal was missing! She was quite upset that after clarifying with the kitchen that my chicken breast was not a burger - NO BUN, that when they served it up, it had a bun! She brought my fries & many apologies and within 2 minutes I had my meal delivered and the manager also let us know that she was only charging us half price for both our meals.
Dana encouraged the manager (who told us that this was only her SECOND shift on the job!) that SHE had done a fantastic job that evening and not to be discouraged. When we got our bill, our drinks weren't on it, so I went and found the manager to let her know and she said "Thanks, but that is okay" so while we had to wait for our meals, we weren't in a rush and we ended up only paying half the price! It was a blessing in disguise! (Dana & I both actually said that they did pick the right people to mess up orders on - we had lots of time before the movie & didn't have any problem sitting at the restaurant talking,
After we headed to the theater to see Hairspray,
but we were early so we went to Dairy Queen for a blizzard (I had a 2 for 1 coupon) and then went and saw the movie. The movie is absolutely adorable! We both really enjoyed it and loved Nikki Blonsky who plays "Tracy" the lead character. It is a fun, mainly upbeat movie with a great cast, & great music and while I didn't know much about it going in - I loved it! It was a lot of laughter and a really great way to end a Saturday night!
If you haven't seen it, you should watch it - or atleast rent it once it comes out on DVD!
After some discussion, I had figured out what I could eat, and the manage took our order - to make sure there were no errors made in preparing it. About 20 minutes later, she came back and apologized because she had forgotten to place our order because she had had a customer complaint that had taken a long time to solve. She told us she had rushed our orders and we would have them shortly. The manager delivered our meals shortly thereafter, but the main part of my meal was missing! She was quite upset that after clarifying with the kitchen that my chicken breast was not a burger - NO BUN, that when they served it up, it had a bun! She brought my fries & many apologies and within 2 minutes I had my meal delivered and the manager also let us know that she was only charging us half price for both our meals.
Dana encouraged the manager (who told us that this was only her SECOND shift on the job!) that SHE had done a fantastic job that evening and not to be discouraged. When we got our bill, our drinks weren't on it, so I went and found the manager to let her know and she said "Thanks, but that is okay" so while we had to wait for our meals, we weren't in a rush and we ended up only paying half the price! It was a blessing in disguise! (Dana & I both actually said that they did pick the right people to mess up orders on - we had lots of time before the movie & didn't have any problem sitting at the restaurant talking,
After we headed to the theater to see Hairspray,
but we were early so we went to Dairy Queen for a blizzard (I had a 2 for 1 coupon) and then went and saw the movie. The movie is absolutely adorable! We both really enjoyed it and loved Nikki Blonsky who plays "Tracy" the lead character. It is a fun, mainly upbeat movie with a great cast, & great music and while I didn't know much about it going in - I loved it! It was a lot of laughter and a really great way to end a Saturday night!If you haven't seen it, you should watch it - or atleast rent it once it comes out on DVD!
You never let go
Yesterday, on my drive home this song came on the radio. I had heard it before and liked it, but yesterday it hit me -
God NEVER lets go of me - through all of it, everything I am going through - good or bad - God is with me. Now, this isn't the first time I have come to realize this, but I needed the reminder.
You never let go - Matt Redman (slideshow with song at end)
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
Your perfect love is casting out fear
And even when I'm caught in the middle of the storms of this life
I won't turn back
I know You are near
And I will fear no evil
For my God is with me
And if my God is with me
Whom then shall I fear?
Whom then shall I fear?
Chorus:
Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of me
And I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
A glorious light beyond all compare
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
We'll live to know You here on the earth
Yes, I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
Still I will praise You, still I will praise You
God NEVER lets go of me - through all of it, everything I am going through - good or bad - God is with me. Now, this isn't the first time I have come to realize this, but I needed the reminder.
You never let go - Matt Redman (slideshow with song at end)
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
Your perfect love is casting out fear
And even when I'm caught in the middle of the storms of this life
I won't turn back
I know You are near
And I will fear no evil
For my God is with me
And if my God is with me
Whom then shall I fear?
Whom then shall I fear?
Chorus:
Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of me
And I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
A glorious light beyond all compare
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
We'll live to know You here on the earth
Yes, I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
Still I will praise You, still I will praise You
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