31 - The Tale of the Missing Bagel

Let me set the stage for you. We just got home from getting groceries. It is 745pm and McKenzie is running around enjoying her last few moments of freedom before bedtime. I have finished putting away the groceries and am packing things up for lunch while Mike is letting the dogs out and finishing up a load of laundry. I take my bagels out of the bag and set them on the counter. I turn to the pantry to get freezer bags so I can package them individually. Everything is very quiet. I turn around to head toward the bagels and...wait...didn't I buy three bagels?!? Where did it go?!? I look around and then hear from the living room, "Yummmmm! Donut!"

"Aha! Bagel theif!" Caught red handed. Apparently she came into the kitchen, took the bagel and left all so quietly I did not hear her and so quickly that it was done in the time it took me to get a few baggies out of the pantry. Impressive!
What could I do but let her enjoy her ill-gotten gains!?!

30 - Odds and Sods

We bought this chest/bench at Ikea awhile ago for some additional storage in the bedroom. We (and by we I mean Mike) finally got it all put together today.

Here's our very own Barker's Beauty showing it off.
Big step today! We took the side rails off of McKenzie's bed. She has been in a big girl bed for 6 months now...can you believe it!?!

McKenzie was pretending to be a kitty before bed tonight...a kitty that really wanted the camera.

If ...

...at first...

...you don't succeed...

Try, try again!

bonus video:

29 - Spring is in the air...

...or at least the stores! My friend Jenien and I popped into a few stores today and when we were in Old Navy saw they had some super cute kids clothes out for spring. Jenien, ever the indulging aunt, bought McKenzie two pairs of new shoes and a cute t-shirt and a pair of light weight pants that can be rolled up into capris.

Couldn't decide which pic I liked better.

In this one her feet just look so "floppy"

but this one shows the shoe better.

They are runners with real laces but a zipper on the side so it is easier to get her into them.
I actually have to take the shoes and shirt back. The shirt has a small stain which we did not see in the store and the shoes just fit her so I will need to get 8's instead.
Hope she grows into her feet!

28 - Our little STAR

"Jazz hands"

27 - 51:97

I may have mentioned it before but the 2 courses I have to take this semester are really quite easy. One is document processing and one is keyboarding. For someone not familiar with a computer these would be challenging courses.

I use a computer every day at home and work so am fairly comfortable on them which means that the only really challenging part about the courses is working up the energy to log on and cover off this basic stuff.

Tonight I took a crack at keyboarding. To make it more fun I thought I would jump ahead to the Advanced lessons. The goal of the course is that by the end you can type 30 WPM with a 95 or 96% accuracy.

One of the advanced lessons was Romeo & Juliet Act 1 Scene 1

The screen displays what you have to type and you have at it!

Has anyone read Shakespear lately, anyone over 25?

I always liked Shakespear but found it challenging. I have found in the last few years though that everytime I come across it; it gets easier and easier to understand. Why is that?

I thouroughly enjoyed this lesson, picked up some stuff from the first act that I don't remember "getting" before.

This was actually fairly challenging to type but I am still averaging higher than required to write the final. Unfortunately I have to log 60 hours of practice to write it.
Thankfully they also have some typing games online to help with my hours count.

26 - Greasy hair and new furniture

Here is McKenzie doing one of her favourite things. Drawing/colouring. Her hair looks a little greasy because last night I doused it with baby oil. She seems to have a patch of cradle cap back. Mike washed it this morning but it is still quite greasy. Does any one know at what age she should stop having this reaccure? Should I be concerned. She seems to get it once a year around this time. Should I be taking her to a doctor?

Mike and I have been looking and looking for a table that is no more than 24 inches tall, more than 24 inches wide and no more than 16 inches deep for a side table beside the sectional downstairs...yeah it was almost impossible. Today i stopped in Home Sense and they had a ton of new furniture in. None that were quite right and just as i was leaving I spot three trunks of varying sizes. I borrowed a tape measure from customer service and thought it might work. Took the largest one home and voila...table!

25 - Baby Girl

Talked to my mom tonight to tell her that I heard an expert on the radio today and I was right that she should not be eating expired food. Yogurt one or two days past due not so bad...the cheese whiz 2 years past it's best before date should probably be retired! She made a request that tonight I get a picture of her baby girl so ...

...then I realized this is who she meant!
Just kidding, I clued in when she told me to get her to say Hi to Grandma. I tried Mom but she only had eyes for her dark chocolate ice cream and blueberries.

Mmmm bedtime snack. I actually don't like this ice cream or blueberries but she thinks it is great so more power to her.

After dinner we went out and got a few things we needed.
A new laundry basket (need)
Dryer balls (need)
New books for everyone (super duper need)
**Mommy got 2 books because she reads faster than anyone else.**


Bed time for McKenzie, then I watched Castle and now it is off to bed for me.

24 - Our little girl is growing up

October 15, 2008

Snapped this picture 1 year, 3 months and 9 days ago. Even here she wasn't really a "little baby" any more...

Taken today.

...now she is definately a little girl.

23 - Mega Blocks

Was a good day today. Started off with an hour long massage from my favourite therapist. Then came home with Tim's for all of us. Off to a long soak in a hot bath. Finished a good book. Relaxed. Made dinner. We all went out tonight and now more relaxing.

This afternoon McKenzie and I played MegaBlocks for awhile. I wanted to take some pics cause she was so cute and every time she saw the camera she just kept repeating "No Camera!" over and over.

Here is the Giraffe we made. When we finished making the shape I said to McKenzie, "What is it?" and she said "Giraffe".

Next was a chair for Strawberry Shortcake.

We made a Moose too but she is taking it apart here.

It was so funny when she kept repeating No Camera! over and over complete with Star vs Paparazzi antics of holding her hands up, storming the camera or turning away. I really think this adds a degree of difficulty to any posting I do. You'd think she wouldn't even notice the camera after all this time.

Here she is storming the camera.

22 - Artsy Day

Took the day off to take McKenzie to an art class. Not quite what I hoped it would be so likely won't be back. Tonight Mommy had art class.

Went to a Close to My Heart card class. You buy the paper pack, stamp and some do-dads and make some cards then get to keep all the extras. First time I have done it this way. I liked it but I generally do my own cards and not what they tell me to do.

Wanted a few of my own things to ensure I could put my personal stamp on the cards.

Had to fit it all into my travel craft case...otherwise known as a toolbox from Home Depo.
Managed to fit it all in...YEAH.

Here are the six cards I made before I got too tired. As the class is a 30 minute drive away in Langdon and the roads were not perfect I called it a night around 10.

21 - I got new glasses! What do you think?

Now that you have finished thinking of all the polite ways to tell me they look bad...I can tell you that I did not get new glasses. These are the 3D glasses from Avatar with the lenses knocked out. Here they are making the rounds of the family. Mommy above, Daddy below.

McKenzie the little goofball would only stare straight at me and not move when the camera wasn't ready. As soon as it was, she was off!

Even Harley and Zoe got in on the action.

For their patience they received many treats!

The fish were totally uncooperative.

20 - Grade 10

A grade 10 poetry assignment come back to haunt me. How terribly clever I thought I was back then. My mom brought me a copy of the poetry book my grade 10 class put out at the end of the school year. It is almost painful to read it now. Fun to have the keepsake though. I can show it to McKenzie when she is struggling with grade 10 poetry!

19 - Where'd she go?

McKenzie got this large stuffed tiger/pillow for Christmas. She has decided it is the perfect place to hide or to pretend to sleep.

She runs over to it and shimmies underneath.

She then lays down. If she is pretending to sleep she snores and if she is hiding she is pretty quiet. Sometimes all you can see is feet.

And sometimes almost nothing at all. She is under the tiger...you can see her pink toes by his nose.

18 - How many purses does one girl need?

For McKenzie the answer is apparently one per arm. She slung a purse over each arm and picked up her camera and off on her way she went.

For me the answer is As many as she can get. I have a small "thing" for accessories. I love them. I think because no matter what size you are your accessories always fit!

17 - Groove Thang

So happy to be home. It was nice to be with my parents this weekend but I missed Mike and McKenzie terribly!

I know it looks like she is yelling in this picture I tried to take of us tonight but she is actually in the middle of asking, "I have?"

She doesn't really look much happier here but I swear she seemed happy to see me!
Doing her thing. She is so darn entertaining.

16 - Trip to Vernon

I came to Vernon to attend the memorial of Erwin Hoffman. Heard lots of stories and saw lots of picture of him today. The world is a little sadder that he is not in it. His best friend passed away this past fall. They were hunting buddies and Erwin's son, Brian, said at the service that he believes they had a fishing trip planned that none of us were invited too. I liked that sentiment.

The above picture was taken by mom this past summer.

I was looking around my Mom and Dad's place today and noticed that I have given them A LOT of pictures of McKenzie!

Here's my family in about 1981 or 1982. We did not have a ton of family "photos" taken when we were growing up. There are a lot of pictures though for which I am thankful. I guess that is why I enjoy taking so many of my little family now and why I am thankful that we have such a great photographer on stand by:)

My parents farm in 1980. The picture is very faded by the sun but gives those of you who have never been there an idea of the size. It extends to the left a bit and up and over the top of the hill. From the top you can see the north arm of Okanagan lake, Swan lake, and a great view of the valley.

Bobbie, you win!

My sister-in-law Bobbie bet my dad that if you went downstairs to the bathroom that is rarely used at my parents you would find a spider in the tub because you can ALWAYS find a spider in that tub. My dad said No WAY and bet her $5. Don't spend it all in one place!