QuietWhisperings

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

We got Alyssa’s Gr 11 pics back today….I’m thrilled with all of them, but THIS one??? I love it

Here are the girls in their costumes:

and we had a family photo shoot yesterday at Fort Point – here are some of my favs:

My friend Val’s kids, Josh and Breanna…love this one because we made Megan peek out at them LOL:

Megan and Breanna

Booooo! Howdy ho folks – what’s up?? Not too much here really (as you probably figured out with the silence ha!) About the only thing news worthy with me is….I bought myself new bedroom furniture! ROFL! Yes, at almost 41 years of age, I finally own a completely matching, and very beautiful bedroom furniture…bed, 2 night tables and 2 dressers. It’s gorgeous! See:

I LOOOOVE it!

Nothing new on the home buying front. Nada. Zip. *sigh*

The girls are of course going out Trick or Treating soon – Megan is a witch (again lol) and Alyssa is some sort of fairy sorceress I guess LOL I’ll be wearing my costume from last night, a fair maiden. ha. LOL There will be pics later

Well, ok, I was never actually gone, but it has been awhile since I’ve been here. Sorry. Again. *sigh*  I’m not as into blogging as I used to be I guess…or just don’t have as much to say apparently!  And the last couple weeks have been a bit crazy, surprisingly happy crazy though.  You see, my Dad & step-mom Joan were here for a visit.  A very long over due visit (had to stick that in there I did! hehe) Joan spent most of the time up near Digby with her family, but she was here in Liverpool for 2 nights thankfully!   So yea, my Dad was here :)  It ended up being a really really nice visit.  The girls got to know their grandfather – Megan finally meeting him for the first time – I think she had fun getting to know him and hanging out with him.

Thanksgiving dinner was at my house this year, as it was my turn to host, which worked out well as I have the bigger house lol  The turkey and fixings turned out perfect, we drank our way through uhhhhhh 5 1/2 bottles of red wine (some of which were Kev’s homemade stuff! yum!) and just sat around, stuffing ourselves and talking and talking and talking.  My father has not lost his gift of gab after all these years

Dad and I slowly fell into a routine…call in the morning to say hi, find out his plans, and always there was a trip to Tim Horton’s for a couple large coffees – double double for me, black for him, then off for a drive around the area so he could see what was new, what was the same.  Then usually he’d come back to my  place to see and talk to the girls as they came home from school.  Tracy and I took turns providing suppers, or he’d be at his friend Bob’s, then usually an evening visit either here or at Kev and Tracy’s. Then repeat the next day lol   Tuesday the 13th was Kevin and Tracy’s 25th Wedding Anniversary, Joan was here finally, and Dad took us all out for a fabulous meal at Lane’s (and Braden just happened to be the chef that night so he got to cook for all of us!) I’ll tell ya…that was the BEST night I’ve had in a very long time!!  Tracy, Joan and I enjoyed a few Cosmopolitans (wheeee! my new favorite drink! LOL), Dad and Kevin enjoyed some beer, and the food was awesome.  We sat there for 2 hours – eating, drinking, talking…and talking and talking lol

and they both left yesterday :(   I’m still crying *sigh*   But I am truly so glad they came.  It was a much needed time to reconnect, say things that needed to be said – and to get to know my Dad again.  And I really hope it wont be another 16 years before we can do it again! (hint hint lol)

Some pics documenting the trip:

Thanksgiving – Grandpa and the kids:

Kevin, Dad and I:

Grandpa with the girls:

All of us at Lane’s:

Kev with Joan and Dad:

Braden, my cool nephew the chef!

Me and my Daddy:

and last but not least…Nana and her girls:

I was accosted recently in the grocery store to “get blogging….something…anything!” (Hi Mrs. D!! LOL) so here I am

So let’s see…what’s new?  Girls are doing wonderfully so far in school – both enjoying it, so that’s great.  Megan and I are off to “meet the teacher” shortly actually.

Home buying front:  Hmmm. Where to start??  I mentioned a few weeks ago about coming into some money from my grandmother’s estate.  When the money finally arrived I excitedly started in on my plans on buying a pc of land, and a mini home. I truly thought I was going to have enough money to do what I wanted.  Then the estimates started coming in.  Now? I’m not so sure.  Oh hell, let’s be honest…I KNOW it’s not going to work.  Right now, with the cost of the home/land/well/septic/clearning/work needed to be done to land to place mini home….the mortgage is sitting at just over $140,000  and THAT’S with me forking out over $25,000 of my own cash along with the mortgage.  It’s insane honestly!  My last estimate came in on Tuesday…just to do clearing, prep area for mini home, do a driveway and the septic??? $35,000!!!  (and yes folks, this wasn’t my 1st estimate, it was my 2nd!) Holy hell.  And yet?? Yesterday I made the drive to Bridgewater and met with my friend Shelley…we sat and I excitedly picked out flooring. Cabinets. Counter tops.  Siding.  Only to realize on the drive home that it’s just not going to happen.  I don’t think I’ve actually had a decent night’s sleep in a month because of this.  I wanted it to happen so badly :(  *sigh*

So today I went and looked at a house. Ugh.  That’s all. Just Ugh.  It could work, but it would take a helluva lot of blood/sweat/tears to make it work.  Gotta think on it because really, my options are limited at the moment.  There is just nothing out there in my price range.

At least the return of my favorite show, Survivor, starts tonight!!  Alyssa and I can’t wait!

that would be summer vacation!  It was back to school time today  Alyssa was out the door at 7:40am heading for her first day of Grade 11!  Yikes. Grade 11. I’m old all of a sudden!   She had a good first day, slight mix up with her course schedule which she will hopefully have fixed tomorrow!  And Miss Megs was out the door at 8:20am heading for the bus stop to start her first day of Grade 5! She too had a good day, likes her teacher, was happy with the friends she has in her class this year…so yay! and here they are at about 7:30 this morning:

So, what else?  Finally got some good news last week…almost 2 years ago my grandmother passed away and the remaining family were all left something in her Will.  It’s been a long time getting settled but last Wednesday a very nice surprise was sitting in my mailbox…namely a rather sizable check!  Will there be enough to buy my land and get my new house?? I’m hoping. I’m really really hoping.  It’s going to be close…nail biting, nightmarishly close. But I think this really might be happening.  Finally something good!

Because the rest of my life these days sucks.  There was a guy in my life, had been there for a very long time actually – 2 1/2 years to be exact – and now he’s not – his fault completely, not mine, but that doesn’t make it any easier.  Nor is there anything I can do about it.  Right now I’m going to spend my time with this whole house buying thing…get the girls and I settled for what I hope will be the LAST time. Because I am so not looking forward to moving again!