Must be Monday.

This weekend was busy. Very busy! Ok so for most people it probably was not very busy but for me it was busy. Lots happening. Some of the Zoo got sick, ( Yuck) I'm still getting over from being sick ( more Yuck). A birthday, Church dinner, dessert making that well took several attempts. And I'm sure there is more that I'm missing. Or maybe I just think that there is more and really there is not. Where to start...

First Birthday. Birthdays are so fun, I like birthdays. I like how excited people get when the whole day they are remembered. Everyone loves to feel special. Love to feel remembered and love to know that people are happy that they came to earth. I think there is just something really wonderful about birthdays. I know as we get older, we may not enjoy our birthdays as much as we did when we were kids. But they are magical. There is something important about a birthday, no matter how old you are. One may say that they don't like or enjoy their birthdays, but I'm sure that at the end of the day and no one says anything about your special day, you would feel sad. At least I'm sure they do. Everyone likes some form of praise, especially when that day represents the first breaths you ever took in this world. So any way "Bear" had her birthday. It was great. We teased her all the day before that we just could not remember what was happening the next day. We knew there was something wonderful happening but just could not remember what it was. Oh Bear was so animated that it was going to be her birthday, she was sure of it. The big day arrived and we had a great family snuggle in bed and just doadded on her. What a special girl she is, we were so happy she came to our family etc. She was so happy everyone remembered and that her insistence the night before reminded us. She's so funny. So I went all out. decorated her room and just had fun. Trout was home because she was and still is sick, but that's another post. Trout just shook her head and told me that now that I've done this all the kids will be wanting something. Way to go Mom, you set the bar and now it's just going to get higher.

She came home to this and was just overjoyed. I love making the kids happy on such special days. She was bouncing around and just so thrilled it was her birthday and for those of you who know Bear, you know exactly what she was doing.

On with the weekend and Daddy Warbucks and I got to go to a church dinner just for adults. It was nice to go out on a date. We had great friends there and great desserts. There was a panel of members from other faiths there to discuss their religion. There was so much information it was wonderful. It was exciting to hear about other religions, from the people that live it and not from news, or other forms of hear say. Really was a great time. Of course the icing on the evening was that my dessert that I brought for the evening won an award. Yes, I love winning things, but really who doesn't. I made Nanaimo bars. Yup that is how you spell it. It is a Canadian dessert something that really works well in Canada because it is cold up there. Here the chocolate topping kind of melts. But still good.

So this is what happened. I was making the topping of the dessert and the worst thing that could ever happened happened. My chocolate clumped. I don't know if this ever happens to you, but for some reason sometimes my chocolate takes on a life of it's own and turns in to " The Blob". Thank goodness the thing did not slump out of the bowl and eat someone. Yikes! The frustrating part was that this was not your ordinary chocolate. This was the good stuff. This was the stuff that dreams are made of. The stuff that you can't find in any grocery store, the stuff that I have to call back home for and have shipped to me. I was so mad. I just sat there looking at this disaster and wonder when the sky was going to fall and the end of the world come. So sad. Actually the sad thing is that I felt so horrible about it being good chocolate that I could not just get rid of it. Yup that's right I ate some. Don't judge me, I know if you knew how good this chocolate is you would do the same thing.

Back to the drawing board, this time chips. Hey they worked! I probably shouldn't say this but 3rd times a charm. Yup took me 2 other times with good chocolate clumping to just go ahead and us the chips. ( not very happy in the Zoo that day)

All went well and the dessert was a hit and I still have some left over I made two pans. They are sooooo good.

Oooooooo, so yummy!

Also this week I'm back to my daily routines. Well really I'm trying to get back. Really I don't think that I ever had a routine. I always dreamed of being organized enough to have one. Looked at all the pins on pinterest thinking to myself that life would be so much better if I was organized like these women. HAHAHAHA then I woke up. My life is not normal. I have 5 little ones and a husband. I have church callings, school parties, after school activities and climbing mountains of laundry. And we all know what my laundry is like, or should I shout and you can hear the echo. But maybe if I have some structure I will have time to do other things or maybe read a book. Nah probably not but one can dream. So here is the new

book!

Look how pretty. You better look this new routine won't last long haha.

One of my favorite things about this new layout is the spot to put a idea and inspiration. I love this one and tell the kids all the time. I heard it while running and listening to a Conference talk. Let that be the motto today.

Can't do GOOD while doing WRONG,

Can't go WRONG while doing GOOD.



Look what I found!

Let's break down today. Got up, much to my surprise. Really I thought I would not be able to. But I did get my butt out of bed, half walked and half fell down the stairs to get breakfast ready for " Monster". "Trout" is still sick so she got to stay in bed this morning. So Monster and I ate breakfast together. Or I think we ate breakfast together, this mornings wake up was really early and I'm not a morning person. Heck I'm not a night owl either. Good grief, I think that I only have maybe an hour window when I'm productive, between 11:00 to 12:00. Lunch time! Then my friends it's down hill from there. Anyway, all the Little's got off to school, I think they had healthy lunches, I think their hair was brushed and I'm sure teeth were cleaned. Trout woke up and had her down 2 Advil ( she still has a fever Ugh!). Then off to sleep again. Bug wanted to play Candyland, surprise surprise. I told her I didn't want to play her anymore she keeps on winning. She lovingly looked up and said " Oh mom, I'll let you win this time I promise." Great my kids are already throwing games so that I feel good. I gave in, cause really how could on not, played one game of Candyland ( lost :( ), then off to gymnastics with Bug. Almost fell asleep while watching, yup it's that riveting, came home and gave Trout more Advil. I know you are reading this and just hanging off of every word that is typed. How could this day get anymore exciting. I know I live this life everyday. Got home did some chores, Mount Everest is no longer, now it's more like K2. I think all the fruit flies that I have flew away with a whole banana, and I had no idea what to make for dinner. I know, I know you are now on the edge of your seats. You really want to know what is going to happen next, how more intriguing can my day get. Oh man, it gets so much better.

 I went to the store to pick up what we needed for dinner ( hot dogs haha thought it was going to be something fancy didn't you) and found these beauties. It was as if angelic choirs were singing and lights came down from up above. I had to blink just to make sure my eyes did not deceive me. Ketchup Chips! I know, AMAZING! Most of you are probably sitting here trying to not get sick all over your computers, but I'm from Canada and man Ketchup chips is a way of life. I'm not saying that these suckers are amazing and the best chips ever, I'm just saying I'm so excited for a little taste of home. Daddy Warbucks was not as excited as I was but that is normal. I had to open them right when we got home. Was I disappointed. No my friends, ya they don't quite taste the same but they were good. As good as Ketchup chips can be. 

So that my friends was my big exciting day. Never a dull moment. Okay maybe a few, but when the exciting ones come they are exciting ( if you call finding Ketchup chips exciting,and I do). I hope that your day was just as fun as mine or maybe even better. 

A little side note. I'm so very happy and proud of a good friend who is running her first 5k. She is so happy, I'm glad to see her so excited and happy. Way to go! Holla that's for you friend ( at least that's how I think you spell it hee hee!) 

Well, I'm back in the saddle. Haha does anyone else think of "Sleepless in Seattle" when they hear that. I do but I'm back whether you like it or not. I've had to get things in order and life back together. I'm in a good place right now. Life is good, no life is great! There have been great things that have happened in our little zoo. Many great things. Too many to write about. The one thing that I find is that I need to get writing again. About things that have happened, things that I have thought of and life that is passing by so quickly. Soon I will blink and wonder where time has gone. I'll be sitting on my porch wondering what just happened, my zoo will be gone, the noise will not exists and I will be sitting in silence wishing and praying that it would come back. I know sounds weird but I'm sure that will happen. Or on the flip side I will be travelling the world and living the high life, the life that I have put on hold. Haha, nope I will be sitting on the porch wishing someone would drop by. Okay enough of the "life is passing me by" party, and on to the day.

I wish that I could write something profound and life changing. I wish that I had great words of wisdom to write, something that would change the world. But alas, nope, mind is blank, nothing grand, nothing earth shattering. I did find out today that I'm horrible at 'Candyland". Yup Bug beat me best out of 3. When did this game get so hard. I'm sure it's because she counts cards or has marked them. I'm sure of it. She's pretty sneaky!

Lets see what else. Oh ya, a zoo of 7 makes a lot of laundry. I mean a lot. Crazy amounts. Mount Everest amounts. I need oxygen and a Sherpa just to summit the top. It's crazy. I know that we all know, that but just putting it into perspective. What else, I need a new computer ( hint hint) and I'm not the only mom out there that feels like we do nothing and is bored. Yay, I knew I was not the only one. Sometimes I feel that everyone I know is doing such cool and amazing things. And that I'm the only one sitting at home trying to figure out how to scale all the laundry with out ropes. The only one who has swept the floor for the 4th time ( who am I kidding I don't clean). The only one who falls asleep while reading to their kids. And the only mom out there wishing that someone would call that can carry on an adult conversation ( ok really any conversation that does not have to deal with a princess or going potty). You know what I'm not the only one. There are tons of us that go through this every day. We wake up wondering and feeling the same way. But Moms and Dads would we change this. Would we give up the snuggles, the giggles, the going through clothes and feeling the pangs of childhood marching forward. Would we give up the bright smiles, the snotty kisses, the " your the best mommy/daddy there is is". I don't think so. Those on the outside may look at our lives of one that is not glamorous, one that is mundane, a life that is full of well the same things everyday. But what job gives you the flexibility of maybe staying in bed a little longer with a little someone. Or change in the blink of an eye to kiss a boo boo. Or wear spirit wear all day because someone in your zoo is running in their first ever race. I would say no other job then this. Don't get me wrong there are days when I wish I went to an office. Days when I wish I could come home and not have work follow me. Days where I could wear something that is dry clean only. But this is the best job ever! I really mean it.I have never found such great satisfaction as I do right here, right now,in the trenches. I love my job, 24/7 I love my job.

Plus these little toes are not going to stay little forever :(