Today I was a good mom

I hate being cold so I don't really go outside just to be outside. I realized the other day that Porter hasn't really had a lot of opportunities to play in the snow so Neil took him out to play and I watched from the window. He loved it and it made me feel like a bad mom for not taking him out sooner.

The weather has been nice the last day or two so this afternoon I pulled off my bad-mom-hat and took my little boy to play in the back yard. He loved it and I didn't even freeze. I am really looking forward to summer with this little man!

My latest love affair

I can't wait to bring her home.

Tag, you're it!

Jennifer tagged me and I decided I'd only do it if my photo was cool and it IS so here it goes.... you're supposed to go to your 6th photo album, find the 6th photo and post it with a story. This is mine:


This photo is of my husband Neil (best friend/ex-fiance at the time) mountain biking in the coulees. This is the day he crashed and BRO-OKE his leg. I couldn't leave it at that so here are a few more photos of that special day!


A 10 inch plate, 12 screws, a week in the hospital with 6 months on crutches and he's as good as new! And the best part is we DID get married too! He got off his crutches 3 days before our wedding and he finally gets the plate and screws out this fall.

I tag Catherine, Sara, Heidi and Mandy (and anyone else with a great photo!)

Four years and counting....

It was on February 19, 2005 that Neil and I got married; today marks our 4 year anniversary! I know every wife wants to believe her husband is the best but I'm sorry, Neil really is! It is a cliche thing to say but I truly married my best friend. We have shared an incredible 4 years together and they really only seem to be getting better!

Here is a little peek of our (cold) wedding day!

Terrible... Fourteen Months??

I'm not sure what broke into my house and took over my little boy but I don't think I like it. Over the past week or so he has become a real little rascal and doesn't show signs of stopping. I thought behaviors like this weren't supposed to hit for another 10 months! The following is only a sampling of the past week's antics:

-One afternoon Porter got into my sewing drawer and dumped out all my bobbins, D rings, and every spool of thread. He then un-spun one spool through the entire basement.
-The other morning he threw his full sippy cup into the toilet I had not 3 minutes earlier just peed in (ya know, cause it's not like I get to use the facilities with the door closed or anything).
-He INSISTS on pulling out the chairs to climb onto the kitchen table 7 MILLION TIMES A DAY!
-I found him eating his dad's deodorant.
-I don't know how many times he has waded up to his little ankle in the cat's water dish, and then splashes it around so I have to change his socks and pants... and mop up the carpet.
-He has broken umpteen necklaces and one headband
-He wanders off a few times a day, climbs into his Chariot (of which he can't climb out) and then just yells "stuck...stuck....stuck..." until I come rescue him.
-He is very persistent and when we take him to another room to "talk" he just screams through the scolding and then starts to laugh.... LAUGH.
-Last but not least, and certainly my favorite - he gets into the box of tampons and scatters them throughout the house. On more than one occasion I have seen him giving them to Wesley (I still haven't decided who actually gets to them first) who then hides them under the couch and under my bed. It's seriously ridiculous.

I used to hear moms tell stories like these and wonder, "Well where were you while all this was going on?!" Now I know.... in the time it takes to clean one mess they've gone in the other room to start on another one.

But man this is one cute mess!

Well.... here goes nothin'

By no means am I a vegetarian but I'm sure my consumption of meat is well below the average of other's. Growing up in my home dinners often consisted of a plate full of home grown veggies and that's how we liked it. We did eat our fair share of chicken, hamburger and boerewors (South African sausage) but that was pretty much it. So when it comes to choosing meat and cooking meat, I'm really at a loss. However, tomorrow I plan on making history. I am going to cook a roast. I went and bought one... I chose the one that was wrapped the nicest, all the cuts and sides mean nothing to me... and tomorrow I am going to cook it. I have a rough idea of how this should go but if anyone wants to offer me some great tips I'd be more than happy to hear them!

Things I'm loving right now

Mini Eggs - I eat an offensive amount every year... mmmmm!

Listening to Porter call for Niles - "Ni-oh..... Ni-oh!" I can't get enough of it!

Making pancakes for my family in the morning. I used to hate pancakes until Vicky gave me a great recipe and told me to eat them with PB and homemade syrup - delish!

Going to bed early ... okay "early" - does 11:00 count?!

My jeans that actually fit. Yay, a pair I can't pull off still buttoned!

Conversations with Neil. We've had some really great ones lately, I love that boy.

My new hairspray - LaCoupe Volume Fix. It's got a strong hold and the smell makes me think of Mexico : )



Sometimes little pleasures can make a big difference.

Hear ye! Hear ye!

Like I mentioned it had been a while since I last blogged and now that I am using blogger again I can't help but be impressed by all the new and improved applications. While perusing through the gadgets I found one that especially caught my eye - "poll." If there is something I love it's taking a survey! And what a better time to survey the public opinion than when I have my own burning question!
In November I dyed my hair dark brown and now that my roots are showing and the color is fading I have to decide whether to dye it dark again or go back to the ahem... 'natural' blonde I have always been. I know, I know, it's trivial but let me know what you think! Humor me and vote and we'll see what happens. I've added a poll, and left out the third option - "I don't care about your stupid hair Michelle!" because come on... it's a poll.... on a blog... have some fun.

I'll toast to that!

My mom is an amazing shopper. If there is a sale or a bargain to be had she will find it. She's that person that sees something for 30% off, takes it to the till just to be told it's another 50% off that! She's always finding great deals and I like to think a little of this luck has rubbed off on me. Well yesterday it definitely did!

I was out shopping for a new toaster oven as our toaster died last week and we decided to replace it with a toaster oven because of it's additional functions. We gave ourselves a $50 budget as really it may just end up being a glorified toaster and it's not like we need anything fancy. While in the neighborhood I went to Zellers (as I refuse to shop other places) to see if they had something for that price. I was looking at a few toaster ovens that were $49.99 and as I was figuring that one of those would be sufficient I saw it. Laying on the top of a box of a much bigger, shinier and fancier toaster oven was a sale sign. The price was regularly $79.97 but it was marked down to $35. Wahoooo I thought! I looked the toaster oven over and was impressed by it's far superior capabilities and quickly picked up a box to put in my cart. I looked back at the sign to make sure I had the right toaster oven before I took it to the till. Sure enough it was the only Black and Decker toaster oven priced at $79.97 so it had to be the right one. That's when I noticed that the dates for the sale were Dec. 1 - Dec. 28. My heart had only a second to sink before I thought of every shopping tip my mother has given me, one of which included - "If a sale sign is left up they have to honor the price." With her confidence and my own assertive attitude, I took the toaster oven to the till and sure enough it rang up at $79.97. I kindly told the cashier about the sign I had seen and after a phone call to a less than helpful department clerk, the cashier and I went back to the toaster oven aisle to further investigate the situation. The department clerk wanted to argue the toaster oven I had wasn't the right one... the staff stocking shelves had mistagged the boxes.... and on and on. The cashier was on my side the entire time and I just stuck to the policy that if the sale tag is left out you have to honor the price (which the cashier herself had already said). It was a short debate and soon I was back at the till purchasing a $79.97 toaster oven for $35!! I SAVED more than I was originally going to spend!

I brought it home and it looks so pretty on my countertop. We made toast for breakfast and I'm making dinner in it tonight, I'm pretty sure it's my new favorite thing.

Here I go again....

Since I have joined the force that is Facebook I have somewhat neglected this blog. I enjoy the networking of that medium but have really missed a place where I can expand on my thoughts and happenings of the day, so I return. A lot has happened since those days of being called an "ugly biotch" downtown and although I can't promise stories so exciting so often I will do my best to post things of interest and opinion. My days are now filled with mothering and cleaning and although I do miss my dress pants, I wouldn't change a thing. Here's to a whole new Mitz.