The dust is starting to settle so I thought I would begin to dabble in the world of blogging once again. I miss learning new tricks from other frugal moms, venting my frustrations but most of all the friendships that emerged.

Since I last reported, our family went from this

To this

Yes you counted right. We now have three little ones.

As one can well imagine, life is crazy. Heck, why sugar coat it, it’s downright insane! I don’t have the luxury of closing my office door for a much needed break (although the bathroom has proved to be a decent substitute) but I wouldn’t change it for the world.

This past year has had it’s share of challenges, mainly due to my little girls health scare at birth. Life gets put into perspective in the blink of an eye and so did my focus. Now that I have settled into a chaotic routine I hope to share some new and improved ways to save money, time and hopefully your sanity (although I may ask for help on that issue from time to time)

For nearly 12 years my family’s farm has run a disabled horseback riding program.  Throughout the summer we have the privilege of working with and witnessing first hand children with special needs blossom.  For once in their lives they are equal to others and can maneuvre a 1200 lb horse as easily as an able bodied person can.

We never knew how much that program meant to us until it personally affected us.

Our beautiful little girl, Mclaren Faith was born over a week ago.  Unfortunately she suffered asphyxiation and suffered damage to a portion of her brain. Miraculously she survived and after several heart wrenching days watching her cling to life she pulled through… but not without damage.   In what way? only time will tell but in an instant our life as we envisioned it will never be the same.  Needless to say our family is in shock and numb and need to make this little miracle our primary focus.

I cherish all of those whom I met through blogging, many of you have become a great source of support.  No doubt I will continue reading some of my favourites, continuing to be inspired by all of the great mom’s that are out there.  Please take care, all of you.

God Bless

Niki

I am still alive…barely.  It has been a crazy month with no end in sight.  I am sorry for not updating this blog, I have no creative excuses.  Truth be told I am too darn tired to come up with any at the moment.

We did survive the big move and are anxiously awaiting the baby, which is now 10 days overdue.  Typical for a little lady to be fashionably late.  I would love to post pictures but for the life of me I cannot find our battery charger which reminds me should be located before the little one makes her appearance.

I promise I will have some pictures of the new arrival as well as her newly decorated nursery.  After two boys I am lovin’ pink…and lots of it.

I have seen some of my favourite blogging friends participate in this meme and thought it would be fun to jump in.  I wrote this up early Sunday morning before the chaos of the day ensued.

Outside my window…

The sun is almost up and the snow is nearly gone. Soon the grass will turn green and the smell of warm earth will enter my open patio screen door.   Not long after it will need constant mowing.

I am thinking… about hiring a carpenter to give us a quote on a custom office unit.  Three kids and power cords is not a good combination

I am thankful for… my wonderful family.  Tonight I have my two older step children (19,21) sitting at the same supper table as the two babies.  Wow! what an age difference

From the kitchen…a hot pot of soaked steel cut oats awaits me when I get out of the shower. Normally I soak them overnight and boil it gently in the AM.  This has cut down even more time and allows me to simply serve instead of constantly stirring to prevent the pot from scorching.

I am wearing…my sweaty gym clothes, good thing I have a cold and lost all sense of smell..too bad for those that have not

I am creating…my children’s individual binders to store info, medical records and accomplishments in.  They were kept in my main home manual but with two children and one on  the way I needed to give them each their own space.

I am going…to spend an hour of school time with Landon while Dane colours.

I am reading…Ha, can’t remember the last time I read a book with more than ten words on a page.  I have made that a resolution but so far it is April and it’s not looking good.

I am hoping…for a smooth and uneventful birth for my step daughter and the strength for her to handle labour in the event her mother does not arrive on time.  Nobody should do that alone.

I am hearing…Dane chatting away to whoever will listen and calling for Daddy, who just turned off the shower.  Soon they will come pounding down the stairs squealing in excitement.

Around the house…Boxes are starting to pile up in preparation for our upcoming move.  I am wondering why I have 20 boxes packed and have not needed anything in them in over two weeks? Do I have to much stuff?

One of my favourite things… my caramel flavoured coffee with lots of whitener.  I know that stuff will kill me but it’s my one bad vice and I cannot give it up.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Saturday we are heading to our local National park for our annual Easter breakfast cook out.  We prepare a large feast of egg mcmuffins, maple glazed ham and all the fixings.  We then go on a long walk and admire the emerging signs of spring.  This has been a yearly tradition since Landon’s birth and anticipate many more years.

Some pics from last year’s Easter egg hunt

To check out what other’s are pondering check out The simple woman’s daybook

Have you seen this list?  It’s making the blog rounds.  I thought I’d play along.  You ‘bold/highlight’ whatever you have done so far on the list.  If you play along too I’d love to see your answers, so let me know so I can hop on over to your site!

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars (on many a camping trip, some memorable some not so much)
3. Played in a band ….at school
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland /world
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child (in the process)
16. Had food poisoning (one bad muscle on New Year’s eve 2001…not so memorable)
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables (can’t seem to master the pepper)

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train (was a form of torture when I was young, think seasick only worst)
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb (not as cute as you would think, they are kind of stinky little things)
26. Gone skinny dipping (in a not so clean lake in a large city after a pub crawl…my head hurts thinking about it even now 12 years later)
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run (on an all boys team when I was 10)
32. Been on a cruise (does a fishing boat count?)
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community (this is my dream vacation, no Disneyland for me)
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelos David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant (does a coffee in a drive thru count?)
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favourite childhood toy (my tattered blankie until it disintegrated several years ago)
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar (I would rather chew on my shoe)
72. Pieced a quilt

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades (would never do this, alligators/crocodiles freak me out)
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle (dumped the guy immediately after)
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous (so famous I forget his name now…it was in an Irving though, we cornered him in the washroom for his autograph)
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone (for 2 days and gave it up after leaving it on the roof of the car)
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day