Rain, Rain, Go Away...

It's been raining for most of the day.

And yesterday.

And I think even the day before.

Our back yard has barely any grass in it.

Mostly mud.

(damage due to a fence going up late last summer)

Which is a wonderful combination with our dog.

This is Shelby.

She was our baby before we had babies.

She's a Boxer Lab Cross.
She used to be 5 lbs.

And we encouraged her to bark. Silly us.

Now she's 75 lbs on a good day and a little louder than the yipper she once was.
But we love her. She's a special girl.

And our kids love her too.

I was yelling at her today to "STAY ON THE MAT!" while I ran for a towel to clean her paws.

She was following me through the kitchen, leaving muddy paw prints everywhere.

My daughter called her over and pat her on the head and said in a sweet voice,

"You're a good girl, Shelby. It's okay. Mommy can just wash the floor. No big deal."

HMPH.

I bit my tongue.

We all love Shelby.

I just don't appreciate her free expression on my kitchen floor.

Mom would be proud....

Yeah, my mom would be proud--in fact I hope she's reading this!

My dad--well, he would have been annoyed and dismayed, but then when I got home he would have been secretly thrilled.

My hubby? He was moderately pleased but very annoyed when I wanted to do it again at 6:30 the next morning.... :)
What is IT you ask? Junk hunting.

Yes. I called my friend Jenn from down the street and we prowled the neighbourhoods of our town looking for all the treasures hidden in other people's junk.

Saturday was large item pickup in our town--for the dump.

Everyone was just putting all their junk to the curb.

Well not ALL of it was junk--not to Jenn and I!

What a time we had Friday night.

I used to do this with my mom when I was a little girl...Now don't look so disapprovingly--it's like a FREE garage sale! You'd have done it too!

We left at 7:30pm and didn't get home until 10:45pm!

Jenn's hubby just couldn't believe his eyes when we called him out of the house to see all our treasures--but I dare say that he was pleasantly surprised.
This is what my van looked like before the unload.

I don't know if you can tell but I couldn't see out my back window for the junk piled so high.

In this pic you see a toy lawnmower, a toddler mattress (yes a clean one), a ride on toy in the back, a practically brand new bouncy chair and an exersaucer...

Another view--here you can see the blow up pool...
And there was so much more!
Jenn found a great clock (which we found out doesn't work -I guess some junk really was junk) and a coleman stove. A blow up pool for her babe this summer. And toys.

Me? Well, my kids are older so I got all the ride on toys.

We found a bag FULL of girls toys like a mom just emptied the entire contents of her bedroom into it. So instead of rummaging and wasting time, we just took the whole bag! Barbies and My Little Pony's!

I also found a huge TONKA truck for my dear boy--oh he's ecstatic! I just have to wash it all up.

My best snag? Well actually it wasn't mine...

My disapproving hubby couldn't help himself when he saw a man putting THIS on his front lawn.

LOL!

I think I'm rubbing off on him :)

Confessions of a Shopaholic

So I have to confess that I am a serious shopaholic.

I'm being really serious. I think I invented the concept of retail therapy.
When my dad was ill and we would visit my parents it would be an all out scramble to the stores. I had to hold myself back! Or my husband did :)

This is turning into a whole other post but I will fill you in on something here.
My parents (well my mom now) live in the States. They are Canadian but moved to the States for my mother's job (also another post).

Well Hallelujah!!!!!I LOVE AMERICAN SHOPPING!
You American's just don't know how good you have it!I am especially enraptured by one particularly inviting and wonderful place.


Yes. Target.

My friend. My home away from home.

Remember that movie where the girl lives in Wal-Mart and eventually has her baby there?
Yes--I want to live in Target. I don't however want to deliver another baby at this point--but if it meant that they would let me live there...then I might be persuaded.

That aside, there's also the wonderful world of outlets!!
Now you may know this but not all outlets are created equal. It's true. The ones in States closer to Canada don't have deals as good as the ones deeper into the U.S. of A.

I LOVE to visit my cousin (another post) in Georgia, not just because she's wonderful and brilliant and just plain lovely altogether--but her shopping is INCREDIBLE!
So maybe I joined blogging to make more American friends so I can come visit and shop at your outlets... anyone live close to a real good one?

Shallow, eh? (I say eh? alot...I can't help it--I'm Canadian!)

Wow! I've gone on a shopping tangent--sorry.
If you've made it this far then you'll find out the reason for this post today.
I just had my wisdom teeth out and have been homebound for 6 days. I was even in too much pain to visit my second hand shop yesterday--and it was a half price day!!
Well-no more. I'm packing up the kids and we're going to the mall.
My dear son is in desperate need of new sneakers and I must go. Martyr that I am.

Wish me luck.

How do I begin?

This blog thing is not new to me. I've been addicted to reading other people's blogs and life tidbits since October of this year.
Yes.
ADDICTED.
My family can attest.
But it's not because I lack a life. My life is full--everyday jam packed, to the brim--spilling over.
With kids.
Whom I love and enjoy. I do. I love being at home. I am fortunate that my hubby likes it that way too.
But anyone who knows me, knows I am social. The blog world is like a party that I've been invited to and it doesn't matter what I wear, what time I show up or if I have spit up on my shirt. No one cares. It's just life. In blog land. YAY!

Why did I want to start a blog? Good question.
Maybe for therapy purposes.
Or is it to have my voice heard?--I highly doubt that. Nothing that I have to say is going to be profound. Just the opposite in fact.
I guess...just...cause.
I know, I know. I always tell my dear daughter that that's not an answer but it will have to tide you over 'til I can think of a good one. :)

So what to expect from this little bloggy of mine?
Well. Probably some mushy emotions about my dad and how wonderful he was.
Definately some updates on the dramas in my dear daughter's life, as being 4 and female lends itself to drama--heck! being 30 and female lends itself to drama!! At least it does for THIS girl! LOL!

And lastly--I hope to post about my crafty creations.
You see. I say hope because I am a woman of good intentions. And am inspired by so many things and talented people around me. And I have a stash--oh do I ever--0f crafty stuff.
So I'm hoping that being accountable to you my faithful bloggy followers, will persuade me to start finishing my humble beginnings in many millions of projects.
hmmm....I hope.

Anyway I bid you farewell and promise to be back soon.
Goodnight blog land.