ready for take off...

Vegas 2010- day 1

suitcases packed...Zack and Reilly off to my brothers...Carsyn and Gavin ready for Grandmas...passports and plane tickets...American money...dog to the kennel...everything checked and double checked...good to go...right?

Wrong...we board the plane (but not till after we were both felt up by the kind folks at security), get all buckled in, go through the procedure of the emergency row responsibility with the flight attendant (this is where we like to sit so Brian has lots of leg room) and are thinking that in a few short moments, we'll be up and on our way. A few minutes pass and the flight attendant comes on to tell us that maintenance is just checking on something and we'll be on our way shortly. About 10 minutes later, the pilot comes on..."Ladies and Gentleman, this is your Captain speaking...this plane is broken!" WTF? Seriously? So, we all deplane and are told that they will have a new plane here in about 15 minutes from the hangar and we'll re-board and get on our way. That 15 minutes turned into 2 hours...meanwhile it's supper time and all the food places once you pass security are closed so there is nowhere for us to grab a bite to eat... I am a nervous flier as it is...add in some light headedness from needing to eat and I was just asking for trouble. So, we sat and waited...what else were we to do right. Finally, we get to board the new plane...go through the emergency exit row procedures again and this time we taxi to the run way and are up and away!!
The flight was pretty uneventful...unless you count me barely making it to the bathroom to throw up...lol! I am grateful though that if you are ever going to hear those words come out of your pilots mouth, that they are while you are still grounded!! (turns out that one of the cargo doors wouldn't close)

We were a tad disappointed that the plane landed on a different runway than last years trip...we landed right next to the Strip last year and were hoping for that again as we flew in at night this time and wanted to see it all lit up. Oh well....we're here...safe and sound!!

Grab our bags, a cab and off to Bally's we go. Didn't take too long to get there, which made me happy cause we were already 2 hours later than we were supposed to be...tired and hungry.

Upon checking in, Brian tried something he had read about on the net...slipping the clerk a $20 bill and asking for complimentary upgrades...totally worked. She upgraded us to a Junior Suite!!



The room decor is a tad outdated but whatever...we weren't entertaining guests in our suite...lol! I made good use of that soaker tub though!

As tired as we were from a full day of travel and knowing we had to get up at 5 AM the next day to prepare for our Grand Canyon tour, we still headed to Margaritaville for nachos!! They were just as good as we remembered them to be. Finally, at 12:30 AM we hit the hay...exhausted and oh so happy to be there!!

living in Sin (City)

We leave tomorrow for our 5 day fun filled trip to Sin City!!!
What happens in Vegas....will be posted on the blog when we return!

tick tock

wow...time is sure flying by...haven't posted here in over a month...that's kinda embarrassing actually. The truth is though, I just haven't had a lot of free time since the new year began.
Zack making the club volleyball team keeps us very busy, hockey 4 days a week and music lessons twice each week makes me think we should install a revolving door and set up the kitchen with those warmer trays you see at buffets...would make it easier with all the coming and going around here. Things *should* start to slow a little now that hockey is finished...well at least until the younger two start soccer!
I had such a great start to the year with my 2010 word "organize" and that too has faded off. This is a must for me to get re focused on as I do not want to spend my summer vacation doing tings around here this year. Hoping that with this first weekend free coming up to tackle a good chunk of the garage and getting Casryn's room repainted. Would love to find time to scrapbook too as the Wednesday night thing has kinda fallen to the side as well. Watching 2 straight weeks of the Olympics at night sure didn't help anything around here either. I couldn't help myself....we watched more of these Olympics than any others...must be partly cause they were on home soil! Was hard not to feel all that Canadian pride hey!!
In just over a week, Reilly officially hits the teens! He seems pretty excited about being a teenager. I guess I'll take some comfort in that too and blame his hormones for the changes in his behavior...lol!
Lastly, it's all of a sudden only 17 more days till Brian and I leave for Vegas!!
I'd say we are just as excited this time as we were last year. We have tickets to see Phantom and booked a tour of the Grand Canyon. Hoping to see the Beatles Love by Cirque de Solei as well. Will hit a few of our favs from last year aaaannnnd, I get to go shopping at the outlets this time!!!
Now I gotta run or I'll be late for work.
Miss you all, take care!

once in a blue moon

it seems is how often I have time to update my blog!
I am embarrassed that it's been almost a month but at the same time can't believe it's been that long! Where does the time go?
Well, 2010 has gotten off to a pretty good start for us...I love having Brian home everyday and even more so that he cleans the house and does laundry so after I get home from work I can relax...even scrapbook! He even does most of the running around with the boys to music lessons and sports. It'll be really hard when he goes back to work but for now I am going to enjoy every minute of it!
With so much help from him, I have been scrapbooking at least once a week. We have nothing Wednesday nights so that's usually a scrappy night and the last couple of Saturday's have been scrappy days too. Here is some of what I've created lately...
this was for a no photo challenge..played with Maya Mist for the first time...

this was a sketch...so happy to have the camera handy that day....lol...

still working on the trip to Vegas...

(the teal-ish scallopy thing is packaging from some Prima flowers)

a little hockey inspiration from Wayne Gretzky for Reilly...

(my new camera takes the most amazing pics...I am in love!)

had to get proof of Reilly being the one to come out on top..at least once...lol


There are a few more but I'll save them for another post.

For those of you that haven't heard, I found out last week I am getting glasses. I ordered them on Monday and will have them by the end of the week at the latest. I'll share a pic or two when I have them. Just in time to try them out for night driving as Zack and I head off to a volleyball tournament for his club team. It's in our old neck of the woods so we both plan to visit with friends in between all the games he'll play. Wonder how said friends feel about coming to us at the gym?

I have one other bit of news I am so excited to share...does anyone remember where Brian and I spent last Spring break?

Hope you all are well...take care

2009 Year in Review

I'm sure we're all thinking the same thing...where did it go? It sure flew by fast...another year has come and gone and with that it allows for some reflection on what was and some anticipation for what lies ahead.

2009 holds some great memories for us...our first family camping trip was a highlight. The excitement of purchasing supplies and packing up...the fun we had along the way...even more so once we got there. It really was an awesome time!!
I look forward to more of those kinds of adventures in 2010.

A major highlight for Brian and I was our trip to Vegas...it really can't be summed up into words. It was not only jammed packed with things to see and do, but it was like the honeymoon we never had...it was great for our relationship..just us...away from it all at home. We are extremely grateful that my Mom took the time to come stay with the boys and is willing to consider it during Spring break so we can go again.

Once hockey and school sports ended, baseball for Carsyn and soccer for Gavin started. This kept us busy right till the end of school.

I had a great weekend in Winnipeg meeting up with friends to scrapbook and just hang out in June...seems this has become an annual event for me. One I look forward to more than the girls know.

We spent a lot of time hanging out in the backyard pool during our summer vacation...I am not sure I have ever looked more forward to those 2 months off than I did in '09. I love my job at the school but after being a stay at home mom for so long, returning to the work force full time/working with the kids I did...it was a much needed break. It allowed me to be more prepared for going back in September.

The boys are growing up so fast...Zack started shaving this fall! He has also completed his drivers ed course but has not quite gotten around to booking his road test...not sure if that's teenage laziness or nerves. A definite highlight for him was being selected for a club volleyball team he tried out for in the city. It gets stared in January and runs till May. Reilly is still playing hockey and becoming quite the player. he also made the Jr. boys volleyball team with the school. He had his first crush and fell pretty hard when that ended. He's such a shy quiet "nice" guy that I am almost certain this is the first of many heart breaks for him. Carsyn had a rough start to 5th grade...maybe adjusting to the "big' school wasn't as easy for him as he thought. Good news is, he seems to be settling in finally. He also started with electric guitar lessons this fall and is loving that...me not so much when he's practicing at home...lol! Mix that in with Gavin's drum lessons and the noise level in this house increases substantially! Gavin is experiencing great success in 2nd grade and is loving not having me work in his class this year!

Brian is still sub contracting and away from home a lot. It's getting harder on all of us instead of easier and is going to hopefully change this a bit when he renews his contract at the beginning of the new year.

All in all, '09 was good to us and we look forward to what 2010 holds.

May the New Year be everything you want it to be and more!!

t'was the night before Christmas

and I wanted to wish you all the happiest of holidays with those you hold close to your heart. May you share many memorable moments filled with love and laughter.

Would I blame you if you all bail on me...not one bit!
I can't say how sorry I am that I have not been around much...sheesh...I just don't know where the days go. Well, I do but I won't bore you with those details.

So, it's December...anyone completely ready for Christmas...shopping, baking...cards...the whole works all done? I've started the shopping...barely but I do have a good idea of what I need to buy it's just a matter of finding the time to get to the city to pick it all up. Good thing we get out of school on the 18th...it might be the 19th that I get it all done...lol. Gotta get through Gavin's birthday tomorrow and then we can shift gears and out up the tree and other decorations. I have been listening to some Christmas music though and it sure has me in the mood to celebrate the holidays. We're doing secret Santa's at school too...this is going to be so much fun...better get my thinking cap on and come up with some clever ideas to reveal myself.

Some of you may have heard that we have a new pink baby in our family...my niece Deklyn was born on November 4th...I am sooo excited to shop for her!! She is too cute!! Can ya tell I am a proud Auntie...lol

Well, have to keep it short and sweet...things to do...the most important of which is to stay warm...man the weather sure changed quick...brrr!!

Take care everyone...I miss you!!