this past weekend has really made me think about all of the blessings in my life... but, long past due is a tribute to one of my oldest friends.... jennifer rogers.

jen and i first met in grade 9.... umpteen odd years ago, and we have been friends ever since. she has seen me through boyfriends and breakups, my wedding and pregnancies... a few tears and countless times of laughter.

jen was there for me unconditionally while i was struggling to deal with my post partum depression. a simple phone call and she was here as soon as possible.... in fact, i'm surprised she hasn't gotten any speeding tickets lately! she would come over, just sit with me, and let me cry. i didn't ever have to tell her the reason, she was just a huge support by not leaving me alone. even when i thought i wanted to be left alone, jen was calling, checking on me, and being generally annoying. she was one of the major factors that pulled me through the depression. i can always count on jen... she is such a constant and stable feature in my life that i don't know what i would do without her sometimes.

so, jen, this one's for you.... i want you, and everyone, to know what a fabulous person you are. i only wish that i could do more for you in return!

i love you and i am so very glad that God put us together and we've remained friends for so long.

here's to many more years of all the crazy stuff that keeps us together!!

our congrats go out to manda for graduating with honours!!! a 95% average!!

although, to be honest, i never expected anything less!

wow! the wind sure is blowing today.... i love the extremes of weather we have in our part of the world. today is the kind of day where you curl up with a hot cup of tea and a good book...

in fact, the weather network says that NORTHWEST WINDS 60 GUSTING TO 90 KM/H LIKELY TODAY.

THIS IS A WARNING THAT DAMAGING WINDS ARE IMMINENT OR OCCURRING IN THESE REGIONS. MONITOR WEATHER CONDITIONS..LISTEN FOR UPDATED STATEMENTS.

weather warnings!! woohoo!!

and the weather network also says;

VERY STRONG NORTHWESTERLY WINDS OF 60 GUSTING TO 90 KM/H ARE EXPECTED IN THE WAKE OF THE STORM OVER MOST OF SOUTHERN ONTARIO AND EASTERN ONTARIO TODAY. AT 10 AM HOWLING NORTHWEST WINDS OF 70 GUSTING TO 85 KM/H WERE REPORTED AT PEARSON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. THESE WINDS ARE STRONG ENOUGH TO CAUSE DAMAGE TO TREES AND KNOCK DOWN POWER LINES AS HAS ALREADY BEEN REPORTED IN THE TORONTO AREA EARLIER THIS MORNING. THE HIGH AND GUSTY WINDS WILL ALSO MAKE DRIVING AND WALKING QUITE DIFFICULT SO MOTORISTS AND PEDESTRIANS ALIKE SHOULD EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTION ESPECIALLY IN EXPOSED AREAS.

i guess we won't be going for a walk today!

so, on sunday, we went to church, as we do on most sundays, and although we were in the nursery this week, we still got to hear the sermon, sing the songs and etc... on our way out, we stopped by our mailbox and there was an envelope in there with our names written on the front. lately this has not been unusual, we've been getting a lot of cards for ephraim. i didn't think too much of it, and we headed to the car. in the car i opened the envelope and there was $200 cash in there! no note, no nothing! what a huge surprise! and what a huge blessing!

so, our heartfelt thanks go out to our anonymous donor! God has definitely blessed us through you!

ja started working days yesterday.... what a weird switch!! as a result, the kidlets and i missed our church group and have not been getting showered and dressed until about 11:00 a.m. but, what can ya do? in order to have the car, i would have to get up at 6:00 a.m. to drive ja to work. not a fun thing when you also have to wake up and load up two sleeping children.

oh well. maybe ross and manda will get tired of having their van broken into and give it to us!!

four homemade jessie cookies and a glass of cranberry cocktail for breakfast.... yum yum!!

Bear in the Big Blue House is our new favourite show. we get to watch it every night right before bed on treehouse. this show is not grating on an adult, and who could help but to love those fuzzy characters!! i think treelo is my favourite... aside from bear of course!

Bear in the Big Blue House features a charming cast of Muppets that educate and entertain through childhood exploration. The series introduces a group of wonderful new characters. Bear, the host of the half-hour show, is exuberant, playful, curious, funny and filled with civility and concern. He speaks directly to the audience and invites them into his home each day to play, learn and sing with his friends Tutter, the mouse; Ojo, the little bear; Pip and Pop, two otters; Treelo, the lemur; and Luna, the moon. Together they explore such diverse concepts as art, water, shapes, gravity, friendship and safety.

you know, i think i even learn some things from this show!!

i cannot believe how gorgeous it is outside tonight! usually we try and go for a walk every night, and it usually lasts about 20 minutes or so. tonight we went further than ever, and we were out for a good 40 minutes! i know that doesn't sound like much, but when you're carrying a seven week old, and trying to get an 18 month old to hold your hand, that's a long time!

I was determined that my beautiful daughter would NOT get attached to those hugely annoying teletubbies. it was not going to happen to me. i was not going to be stuck in front of the television for half an hour every day listening to "uh oh!" their very strange and annoying way of saying "hello". but, alas. like all parents, i have learned to make exceptions to my pre-children notions of how i would actually raise my children.

every morning at 10:00, we watch those blasted tubbies. we say hello to tinkywinky, lala, dipsy, and (our favourite) po. every morning at 10:30 we say goodbye to tinkywinky, lala, dipsy and po. i simply do not understand the attraction of the tubbies to children. but, my beautiful and intelligent daughter is fascinated and overjoyed when they come on.

the only good thing is that sesame street, that beloved show that has been around forever follows the tubbies. cookie monster, big bird, the count, elmo.... they're all still there and take me back every time i hear, "sunny days, keeping the... clouds away!!" i love the fact that i already know all these characters (well, mostly, there are some new ones!) that my daughter is just being introduced to. sesame street is a little crazier than i remember, but they still bring out the two hippos dancing in tutus when the letter of the day is 't'. and the count still counts everything in sight.... cookie monster is still like some drug crazed maniac when he's around cookies....

it's so nice that some things can stay the same.

now this is a happy face.... isn't she adorable? check out the new pics by clicking on either keyzia or on ephraim.