Sunday, December 18, 2016

Ten Things of Thankful

I don't know if there is going to be a TToT this wk, but I am going to do one, anyway.

1) A Roof Over our Heads

We have been having a cold snap for the last week. I am VERY thankful that we have warm cars (our is working now..yay!), clothes, and a roof over our heads. Very thankful, indeed!

2) My Job

I love my job...the kids, my co-workers, WHERE I work..love, love! We even got a raise a couple of weeks ago! I also love that it less than a 10 minute commute! There were also a couple of Money Trees that went out (one being last minute), and we raised almost $700 btwn the both of them! I love that we are all so generous and caring. There was also a "Winter Clothing Drive" that was done (again, last minute) for another school in town, and SO MUCH was given!! Not to mention the Christmas Food Hampers, etc. Did I mention the goodies that we always get??

3) Date Day

Anker and I had doctor's appointments on Tuesday, so we went to our appointment (where we were told that our tests and scans looked good!), and went to grab groceries for dinner, to the drugstore, etc. Hey, it wasn't exciting, but I will take what I can get!

4) CHRISTmas

I haven't been AS into Christmas this year, which is weird, since I won't be working it for the first time in three years. But I still do LOVE it!!! I am thankful that Christ came for us as a baby, died on a cross, to save us from our sins. And the fruitcake and tarts don't hurt, either. LOL

5) Calico

She is a nut ball! She has been doing a lot more playing recently. She is definitely coming out of her shell. She has also been staying on our bed longer at night (she usually just comes in and cuddles with A, then heads off), often laying on the bed.

6) Christmas Pressies

The parents in our class were so generous to me. I got a couple of really sweet cards. I got a lot of gifts, including Starbucks GC's, chocolate, candles, and Christmas socks. Did I say that I love my job?

7) Christmas Movies

Ok, it's a very trivial thing to be thankful for, but I love all the cheesy (and classic) Christmas movies that are on right now. I have gotten a few out from the library, and I have been watching a lot of them on TV (we got back a few of the good channels again!!).

8) A Short-Lasting Cold

Well, it isn't really short-lasting, but I am very thankful that the cold I got wasn't too bad. I only missed one day of school, and I probably could have done it, but I decided to stay home to try to rest. A lot of other ppl at work took a week or so off. I am thankful that mine wasn't too bad.

9) Winter Driving

I really dislike winter driving, especially when it's compact, and or slippery. Well, I have to say that, for the most part, I have done fairly well in driving. Ok, so I didn't go up the hill last night with Isaac, nor did I go to church last wk, b/c of the snow, but when the roads are clear (ish), I will go up there. I did end up going up the hill today!! I was late, but I would have been anyway, as I am usually late for things (except for work..ha!). I am very proud of myself, I gotta say! I went to my brother's and SIL's, where I asked for lunch (doesn't anyone else do that??), and hung out with them for an hour or so, then went to Walmart, and went to my boss' for an open house.

10) Christmas Traditions

It looks like Anker and I are starting our own Christmas Traditions...well, we already have a few traditions, like buying one (or more) Christmas ornaments, and deciding on a theme for our tree, baking cookies, etc. But, it looks like we have been doing /starting a new one....which is buying Starbucks Packaged Christmas Yearly Blend Coffee. I think this is our third year (or maybe second), and it is a fun tradition. It is cheap (ish), and Christmassy.

Ok...I found 10 Things to Be Thankful For!!

(for additional pictures, go here to take a look.


Saturday, December 17, 2016

Feeling Like A Hermit

I have always been a social person. I love people, I love going out for coffee, visiting with friends, etc. The last few years, however, I have been definitely been staying in more...and by more, I mean, actually MORE. Maybe Anker is rubbing off on me, I think. LOL. (he could honestly stay inside 360 days of the year, and not be bothered to get out). I DO get out, of course. I have a job. I run errands. I go to church (sometimes). But I definitely have been staying in more. It helps that our noisy neighbours have left (I never wanted to be home, as they were pretty noisy). At night, I come home, and pretty much don't move from the bed until bedtime. I think it has to do with it being winter; cold and or snowy. My job is awesome, but it is very taxing, so I often don't feeling like relating to/with others at the end of the day. I did get out twice last wk (for the Christmas concert), and other than errands, I didn't go anywhere. I had a few invites to places, but, because of the weather and the road conditions, I chose to not go to them (H's concert at church, and something else that I can't remember). I had a friend drive me to my SIL's place for the party last Friday, as I wasn't sure on how the roads would be. Today, I picked up my brother from the airport, and I was supposed to take him up to A and Ks, so that our other brother and his wife could take him home..now, it was mostly to do with the roads (it started snowing about 2 this afternoon), but in all honesty, I didn't really feel like hanging out with people (yes, even my SIL) for a few hours. I did enjoy time with my brother, which was nice; we went to McD's and he had supper, while I had a hot chocolate. But I was tired, and I couldn't wait to come home and watch movies. I AM looking forward to hanging out with church family tomorrow...I am in the nursery, and K and I may hang out after. I also DID go to H's school concert a week and half ago, and afterwards, we hung out at their house for a bit. K invited me to something up at their church; they have a dessert night every year around Christmastime...I have been before with my friend Jill.I was kind of wanting to go, but I knew my week was going to be busy; in the end, Anker and I had doctors' appointments, and we ran a few errands together, and we got home around 7. Anyway...I am finding that I am wanting to go out less and less at night. And on weekends. Ha! Or, maybe I am just more choosy, as to who I spend time with, and where I go.

Five on Friday

Yes, I do realize that the ol' blog is lacking. Just not as into it lately. Never fear...April is here!

Here are some favourites of/from this last week:

1) Cold Snap.
Kamloops has had a biiiit of a cold snap lately. We are all wusses, so we have been whining a lot. I kind of like it, though. It kills colds...or something!! Last wknd, we got a big dump of snow. We are getting some more, as I type this.

2) Christmas Break.

We are on a 2.5 wk Christmas break. I love my job, but I am needing a break. I think all the kids are looking forward to it, too. We had a fun last day of school yesterday; most of the classes had parties...we did a few things in the morning, and had a party in the afternoon. We had snacks, and we watched a movie. A few of we EA's had a small party upstairs, which was fun.


3) School Concert

The school had its two night epic School concert this last week. It went SO well, and all the kids did amazing1!


4) Feeling Appreciated

I got so many lovely gifts from "my" parents yesterday! I feel so humbled and appreciated. I chocolates, candles, Starbucks gift cards, soap, bath stuff...:)



5) Christmas Decorating and Baking

I know this is a wk or so since it happened, but we did do some decorating, and I did some baking last week. I think we decorated the first week of December. I am not as into Christmas this year...I still love it...I am just not as into it...it is hard to explain...lol. I am usually listening to Xmas music on November 12th..and I usually have listened to all of my Christmas albums 1 or even 2 times over by now. I have usually made dozens of cookies...I have only made two or three batches. Oh well....I guess it is just being with others, right?







I bought this from a friend, from one of the bidding sites, who ended up just giving it to me. I love it!!
Anker made Peppermint Pinwheels, and they turned out really good! I made Craisin Oatmal cookies.
I made Gingersnaps and Snickerdoodles. I am very happy that I had a bunch of willing taste testers :) (AKA staff at work).


6) New Christmas Traditions and Candle




I bought this candle from Avon a few weeks ago, and I absolutely love it!!!

Anker and I have a new tradition of getting the Christmas Blend Coffee from Starbucks each Christmas. We haven't tried it yet (I just bought it today), but I am sure that it will be good. And yes, I did try that Fruitcake Frappicino today, and it was actually not bad.
If I don't write another post before Christmas...Merry Christmas!!!








Sunday, December 11, 2016

Life Lately

Hi! I'm April. I used to have a blog. Anyway, moving on!!

Happy Sunday night, friends!!! I hope your December is going well so far. Our is going pretty well. Here are some highlights of late...:)

Last Friday, our girls group from church had our Christmas party! It was at our friends new place, and we had a lovely evening! There was A LOT of food!! And, two days ago was my work Christmas party...and, surprise, surprise!..Anker came! It was pretty fun. The was great, and he got to meet some of my co-workers, and we played some TV games...very fun!!! It ended at 8, which was a bit early, but considering I was getting a cold, and hubs doesn't like being out too long (esp at/to places he doesn't know many ppl), it was actually good timing.

We had a day and a half off last week. Thursday aft, I spent...well, I don't remember what I did, but I think I went to the library. Friday, I slept in, relaxed in the morning, and then ran out to get a few things, then back here to get ready. Kind of a funny story....I forgot my house keys on the table (not sure why they were there in the first place, but, whatever), and I forgot to tell Anker not to lock the door. He RARELY does, so I didn't worry about calling him. Besides, he is usually up until midnight (esp on the wknds). Well, I get home after 11, and the door was locked, and Anker was asleep. I knocked not super hard, but hard enough that he might have heard. I was debating about sleeping in the car (it's not super cold out at night...yet!!), and I was about to call our landline, when Anker came to the door. He was not amused. Ooops!

I really haven't been feeling the Christmas Spirit lately...I just made my first bunch of cookies today, and they weren't even Christmas cookies. Anker did make some Peppermint Pinwheel Cookies, though. The tree is up, and we have some decorations out and about....and I just started listening to Christmas music the other day. I don't think we will do much baking, except for your general, basic cookie, as we dot have a ton of money for things like, almonds, and other such goodies. It's all ok, though...I shouldn't be eating that stuff, anyway. Thankfully, cookies (usually!) aren't my weakness. We will have a ton of them lying around, and I won't (usually!) eat them all. I also have been watching a bunch of Christmas movies, and that has been fun. My newest thing is watching them on YouTube on my laptop...and at night, I will put one on my phone and fall asleep.

I got a cold on Thursday night, but it is almost gone now! Yay!!! I don't think that I have ever had so much tea in my life!!!


***It is now ONE WEEK later, December 11***

Well, it is now a week later....ugh!! I think I will just finish this post off, and start another one...about this last week...lol. Where was I? Oh yes, I caught a cold...well, it WAS almost gone, but then it continued to linger..bleh. Anker got it bad, so he has been down with that for the last couple of days.

Mom and Dad were in Mexico for 2 weeks (they got back earlier this last wk), and had a wonderful time, but are glad to be back. They went to Costa Sur, in PV, and from their pics, and the pictures on CS's FB page, it looks GORGEOUS! I joked with her that she should have gotten a time share, cause then we can head down there next year :)

Anyway...I will end this here, and then start up another post :)

A Little Catch Up & A Small Rant(and a Surprise!)

Howdy! Well, as my aunt says, "I'm so far behind, I'm ahead", so I think I will take a page from her play book and just st...