today marked the end of my little *vacation* – the girls spent the last 3 weeks up in Cape Breton with their Aunt Pammy and Uncle Archie and cousins…they had a BLAST! And I spent a luxurious 3 weeks doing as little as possible! lol My house stayed very clean, I cooked *IF* and when I wanted (which honestly wasn’t that often) took a day and went to B’water to the movies all by myself (saw Eat, Pray, Love – not getting the best of reviews apparently but I loved it) and just very much enjoyed my alone time – did some visiting here and there, hung out with some friends here and there…I sooooo very much look forward to my summer breaks and this afternoon I headed to Truro to meet them at our half way point to bring them home. It was good to see them again

And now we have a mere 2 weeks left of summer before they girls head back to school – and I will very likely head back into the work force again (well, not unless I perhaps win the lottery which isn’t all that likely lol) I really don’t *want* to go back to work dammit, but I’m going to have to unfortunately. I *am* however going to look at another house next week – not to buy but another rental…it just may be less a month then what I’m paying here…and is supposedly much easier to heat…little smaller then what I’ve got which is good…soooo…that might be a change that might happen. If it saves me money it’s a GOOD thing!

Because seriously??? Finding a house to buy has become IMPOSSIBLE. UGH. I’ve been looking for 18 months now and seriously thought I’d have found something by now *sigh* I was soooo sure about the last house I went to see in April…and when it got snatched away from me?? UGH. Just ugh! lol Oh well….better things to come I guess

and with it, the crazy Nova Scotia weather. One day we’re sweltering in unbearable heat, and the next it’s cool, foggy and rainy. ugh. We had a really nice visit last week from the girl’s Aunt Julie, Uncle Peter and cousin Jessie who drove down from Ontario to spend a week out to Molega Lake…they arrived on the last day of Privateer days (which SUCKED this year so badly lol) and we all went to the fireworks together. A few days later they popped back into town and kidnapped the girls for the night (wheeee!) and then I went out to their cottage the next day to hang out with some old high school friends who were also there, we had a BBQ, and then the girls and I headed home. From there they were headed to Cape Breton for a day or two, then New Brunswick then home again. It was great to see them…havent seen Jessie in 2 years and what a little sweetie she’s growing up to be! She reminds me so much of Alyssa at that age

and speaking of Cape Breton – Pam called last week and asked if she could please have the girls for a few weeks – of course I said yes!!!! LOL So they are leaving on July 30th and coming home August 19th. Yay! Megs is excited about going, Alyssa not so much – I’m apparently a horrible mother for making her go. Oh well. Mama NEEDS a break!

Absolutely nothing on the new home front. Pretty much giving up on that idea *sigh* Which sucks. Would be nice if something good would finally happen for me honestly. Oh well. Enough about that, eh??

Happy Father’s day to my Daddy! I completely spaced out on buying cards this year – *sigh* – what can I say? Sorry!! Again. Oh dear. lol I’d love to say that it’s been because I’ve been sooo sooo busy with wildly exciting things – but no. Can’t say that. I just suck apparently. Oooops?? But I *AM* sending out lots and lots of Father’s Day hugs and kisses his way!

And life as of late has been pretty boring and mundane – nothing to report, nothing to blog about (which is quite evident seeing as how I’ve not blogged in over 2 months!) But really – I can only talk about the boring stuff for so long right? Nothing new on the home buying front – I was so close to having one I could almost taste it – but of course it slipped through my fingers. I think I’m done – unless the perfect house comes on the market in the next week or tow, OR I win the lottery?? It aint happening. I *AM* however still on the lookout for another house to rent – one that’s outside of town (or at least somewhere quieter) and something a heck of a lot cheaper a month. So anyone out there that knows of anything LET.ME.KNOW!! ok??

School is finally winding down too – Megs has 3 full days left and Alyssa has one exam to write on Monday. She would have had 2 but she really really knuckled down and brought her math mark up well past the exemption line (as in, if students carry a 70% or above in that subject they don’t have to write the exam) and she went from 63%?? to I think a 75%?? Something like that. She’s also done her work experience at White Point too I believe – one more block of 100 hours to do come September and THAT will be over too. I can’t believe my baby girl will be entering her final year of high school come September. Holy Hannah! I’m old.

Happy Easter! Or belated Easter at any rate! We had the most perfect long weekend here…or as perfect as it could be – the girls had an extra long weekend – no school Thursday, Friday or Monday…the weather??? Has been extraordinary – temps nearing or over +20′C, the evenings are nice enough you can sleep with windows opened…the peepers have started so they lull you to sleep at night, the birds are singing and wake you in the mornings…ahhhh….near bliss really!

The bunny came Easter morning, bringing the usual assortment of chocolates, treats, gifts – silly stuff as usual – play doh in cool pastel Easter colors, bottles of bubbles, skipping rope for Megs, Webkinz for both girls and each girl got a huge container of water balloons – and because the weather was so nice, they’ve been having a lot of fun with them LOL Alyssa had to work both Saturday AND Sunday morning at the Lodge – she didn’t enjoy that at all (neither did I actually lol) – she’ll be really glad when this work term is over…she’s not liking it out there at ALL! She really misses the girls at Transcotia…and she did a lot more “real” cooking there then she’s doing now – told her to get her resume ready and we’ll take one down there – maybe she can get a part time job there for the summer!

House news – not what I was hoping (but really shouldn’t be surprised) my 3rd and final offer was once again rejected *sigh* so now I’m just sitting back and waiting (not so patiently really) – I still want this particular house, but not so much that I’m willing to pay what they want for it…for one thing I don’t believe it’s worth their asking price (and the home inspection I paid for pretty much agrees with me) and two? I also believe that if I can just stay waiting patiently, after a few months perhaps my last offer will be looking pretty good to them LOL Knowing the history of this house – history as in when it was for sale the last time and knowing it couldn’t sell then because of the price, knowing that as far as I know right now, I’ve been the only one to see it since it went back on the market 6 weeks ago…well, I still have a teeny tiny bit of hope maybe of getting it. We shall see – and who knows what might come available while I’m waiting right?? I’m just really hoping to be settled somewhere before school starts in the fall.

Have a great day!

So – what’s up my faithful readers? Do I still even have faithful readers? What’s new here? Well, not too much really – it’s now March Break, no school for the kiddos this week – you’d think we’d be enjoying sleeping in every morning, doing nothing, but no…poor Alyssa is working most of the week, and morning shifts at that…so not only does SHE have to be up, so do I, so I can drive her to work at 8:15am – ugh. lol

Speaking of Alyssa, this past Wednesday (the 10th) was her 17th birthday…a very low keyed event as far as birthday’s go – Kev and Tracy, Val, Josh and Breanna came for cake, she woke up that morning to a lovely bouquet of flowers from me and in a couple days we’re going to head to Bridgewater and take in the new Alice in Wonderland movie and do some b’day shopping. Couple pics:

in other news – I *may* have found a house. I don’t want to say tooooooo much about it just yet, that’s just a sure bet I’ll jinx the whole entire thing – but please…keep your fingers, toes, eyes crossed that maybe, just maybe something good finally works out for me, ok??? I really really really REALLY want this to work out, okies?? LOL

and I promised my Dad I’d post SOMETHING before I went to bed tonight, and include some pics from the storm on Wednesday…so here I am, 12:30am, sitting here watching some Olympics (GOOOOOO Canada! Didya SEE the men’s hockey game Thursday night…leave it to Syd the Kid Crosby to make a superb winning goal during the shoot out, eh?? lol) and thinking – hmmmm – what am I going to write about tonight? There isn’t much to say really, so yea…the girls and I are doing well, Alyssa made it through her exams last month and brought home a pretty decent report card. She’s informed me that during her March Break from school she’s going to finally go write for her driver’s learner permit *gulp* She finished up her first work term for her course at school, doing 100 hours at Transcotia restaurant – she loved it! and on her last day, the owner gave her a thank you card with $50 in it! So I’m guessing she was pleased with her work. She’s since started another 100 hours working out at White Point Lodge – where she’s already been told that if all goes well, she can have a full time job for the summer if she’s interested. She is – because she says she’d like to save for a car now. *gulp* lol And well, Megs is Megs School is going well for her too

And now some pics of the most recent storm:

and finally – the snow banks over at the Superstore…we figure it’s going to be at least sometime in May before they’re gone! LOL

what’s up? Not much here – kids back in school (thank GOD! lol) and me? not a thing new really. My brother Pete left on Monday, had a showing on the house on Monday too – so there was some mad, serious cleaning going on once he left! Still have all the Christmas stuff up, in all it’s glory – didn’t really get a chance to enjoy my tree over Christmas so I’m enjoying it now LOL It will be down over the weekend tho *sadness* The girls and I headed to Bridgewater yesterday so we could all spend our Christmas loot – lordy we all love gift cards and the fun they bring with the shopping LOL Kevin and Tracy gave me one to my MOST favorite clothing store and with their sales, my gift card AND a coupon I had I was able to get 2 new prs of pants and 2 new shirts – WOOT!

Alyssa got new jeans, jewelry AND her ears pierced for the 4th time – well 3 holes now on one side, 4 on the other if you count her upper piercing in the cartilage – told her I really thought that was enough for now LOL Megs of course spent hers on toys (Barbie stuff) and jewelry and the like. Then we had a nice late supper at Boston Pizza and then home All in all, a nice day

And well – I guess that’s it for now. Boring I know – what can I say?? lol Not much apparently

and it’s coming in with one helluva storm! yikes! We are being pounded here with snow – started yesterday and there’s no sign of it letting up anytime soon. A weather ‘bomb’ they are calling it. Ice pellets have just started, but now mixed in with big heavy flakes too – it’s nothing but white every where you look. My brother Pete was supposed to leave this morning to head back to Ontario, but guess what???????? He’s outside shoveling and playing with the girls LOL It’s going to be Monday, *maybe* Tuesday at this point before he leaves.

Christmas has once again come and gone – it was a low keyed, quiet day – the girls had a great morning, enjoyed all their gifts and very happy with everything they got. Megan declared it the “best Christmas ever!” so I guess once again I did good eh?? We had Christmas dinner at Kevin and Tracy’s and then everyone was here last night for New Year’s Day dinner. Everything Christmas is still up and being enjoyed and probably will be for the next couple days…maybe by next weekend I’ll clean it all up, but for now we are still enjoying the tree and the lights

New Year’s Eve was spent hanging out with some very good friends – a very quiet time actually – well quiet until Mark decided to get the shot gun out and ring in 2010 – things were going well until Crystal decided she wanted to shoot it…and killed her poor deck *snort* Well, not the deck so much but the plexiglass railing…*giggle* It was still a fun evening, and much better then my original plan of staying home LOL

And now some pics from the last week or two – enjoy!

The rest can be seen by clicking this!

and all through the house, not a creature was stirring….at least not a mouse LOL Now there’s a big brother camped out on the sofa, and I’m sitting here waiting on the dryer to finish so I can take the load of towels upstairs and put them away! LOL

The girls headed to bed early – 9:30pm – and haven’t been heard or seen since, and I got all the presents out about an hour ago and nicely placed under the tree, stockings are now stuffed, I’ve got my stuffing made and out in the cold room, I’ll bake it tomorrow, and the only thing left to do is make my gingerbread, but that can wait until tomorrow too. Christmas turkey is at Kevin and Tracy’s this year, so we’ll all be piled into their place at supper time

Today was a hectic, running around with my head cut off, buying last minute gifts kinda day…I always say I’m not going to end up having a Christmas Eve day like that, but I always do. I ended my day in town at the bar having a beer with a few friends, then we headed to Tracy’s Mom and Dad’s for supper, back home for a few, then I went and did some visiting at Mark and Crystal’s for a bit (was a quiet evening up there, just the 3 of us, plus Emily and Clara, their girls.) After that I just had one place to go deliver some gifts to, then it was home with my kiddos and getting stuff ready.

And ready we are – so Merry Christmas everyone! I hope Santa finds you and all your Christmas wishes come true!

sorry…no really, sorry. This place is sorely lacking in updating I realize…the last few months just haven’t been blog worthy I guess. So let’s see – what’s new???

Well both Alyssa and I have new glasses – my first new pair in almost 4 years I think – I tried bifocals (no wait…the new non old sounding name is progressive lenses lol) and let me tell you – they SUCKED!!!!! LOL Hated them, tried them for a week and I still hated them…so back they went and were replaced with new regular lenses. And pretty new frames. I was nicely reimbursed $330 for the switch…and the next day we ordered Alyssa’s new frames and lenses – to the tune of $340. Hmmmm. Easy come, easy go apparently. ha!

Also had another showing on the house last week…thankfully I had 24 hours notice on the showing the girls and I busted our butts and got the entire house completely decorated – Christmas tree and all – whoever was here apparently at least liked our efforts

Speaking of Christmas – probably 50% ready at this point – I’m done shopping for Alyssa, but barely started Megan. Ugh. And I really must get the gifts bought for the away family, and get that all in the mail soon. Christmas cards were done and mailed weeks ago tho – one thing I don’t have to worry about. And in exciting news, my big brother Peter will be home for Christmas! I guess this is the year for the wayward family to come home to see us all! LOL

And as usual, nothing new on the home buying front for me either…a house just came on the market up in Milton which I think if I went to see I might like…it as potential – but it would end up costing me more then I really want to spend. *sigh* I’m getting frustrated at this honestly. Anyway…there’s a rather boring update