Phoenix Project: Day 80

Friday night was school fundraiser night and I really appreciated how much work the parents and teachers put into creating a successful and profitable night. I am so glad that KC has been able to attend such an amazing school--she's doing so well and is making really good friends. We are truly very lucky that she was accepted into this program!

Phoenix Project: Day 79

Another busy day! When I got home from work I realized that we didn't have any granola bars for the kids lunches for Friday. I decided to whip up a batch of cookies--and they were delicious. As I was finishing them up I remembered that I had volunteered to bring a cake into Kailyn's school fundraiser on Friday. So I quickly mixed up a homemade cake and I was mixing in the final ingredient, pure almond extract, when it hit me that ALMONDS can't be in a nut-free school. So I had to finish the cake I started and then start a new NUT-FREE one. Did I mention that I was racing out to a 7:30 meeting??

Best part of the day? That would have been when Bob stepped in to help me make the 2nd cake for the school. He also stayed up with me while I decorated it. I am so glad that I didn't have to stay up late all by myself ;)

Phoenix Project: Day 78

I was at work today and my co-worker sent me a link to peopleofwalmart.com. I came across a photo that made me laugh so hard that my boss thought I was crying and came out of his office to check on me. When I could compose myself, I showed him this picture:

Phoenix Project: Day 77

Today I went to the gym, then cleaning with Kelly, back home to clean up and then off to see the Elisa and Aimee. I had so much fun chatting and doing pedicures for the ladies...we stayed up way too late and ate a lot of junk but it was totally worth it!

Phoenix Project: Day 76

Today was kind of a crappy day but I had 2 really great pick-me-ups:

1. Find a word that sounds ridiculous and say it 10 times fast. I like mukluk...just saying it makes me crack up!
2. I went to pick up a few things from Walmart while KC was at ballet and I have a friend that works in the McDonald's. When I saw her and told her I was having a bad day and that I needed a diet coke, she gave it to me for FREE. I tried to tell her the diet coke totally made my day but she didn't believe me--but it really did make it a million times better!

We have the book, "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day; it's about a little boy who has the worst day ever! Everything that could go wrong does and the moral of the story is that some days are like that--terrible, horrible, no good, very bad--even is Australia!

Tomorrow will be better ;)

Phoenix Project: Day 75

Today Bob and I were down in Windsor for another ward conference and Kelly and Richard kept KC and Lukas. It was a great day but by the time we made it back to pick up the kids we were both exhausted. Kelly was wonderful and asked us to stay for dinner--which was a really big deal for me because I was so tired and the last thing I wanted to do was go home and make supper. That was definitely a highlight for me!

Phoenix Project: Day 74

Today was...

...FUNNY! Bob received a phone call earlier this week from our friend Mike. He asked Bob if he would come to his 4 year old son's birthday party dressed as BATMAN! Mike said that he'd rent a Batman suit and all Bob would have to do is come over and eat cake and play with the kids.

me: I guess this means that you'll have start practicing your Batman voice.

Bob (in a very realistic Batman voice): I am BATMAN!

me: What the?!?? Do you practice talking like Batman on your way to work or something??

Bob: NO!.........Yes. Why wouldn't I?? IT'S BATMAN!

When Bob gets to the birthday party, Romeo (the birthday boy) is so excited to see him! Batman asks, "Romeo, who's your favorite super hero?" and Romeo responds, "It's Ba...it's YOU!"

We had a great time at the party and Bob was a fantastic Batman. When it was time for Batman to leave, he said good bye to all the kids and then raced up this steep hill behind their house and launched himself up and over their 10 foot fence. It was so FUNNY! All of the adults were crossing their fingers that he would make it over--it wouldn't have worked if Batman fell off the fence! Lucky for all of us, he cleared it!

Phoenix Project: Day 73

I had an awesome day planned for today. The kids had no school so I took the day off work. I usually go to the gym on Friday mornings so our AMAZING kid-sitter came over bright and early to watch the kids while I was working out. When I came home I wasn't feeling very well so I took a cat nap on the couch while the kids were watching movies. Bob and I had planned to drive to Toronto on Friday night to visit the temple but Bob called early in the afternoon and said he'd heard rumors that the building was closed for cleaning. I called to confirm and yes, it was closed.

We were a little bummed but decided that we'd go to the Detroit temple tomorrow instead. It turned out really great because we spent the night in with the kids doing our favorite Friday night things...movies and popcorn!

Phoenix Project: Day 72

Lukas has never been a good sleeper. He went to play at a friend's house after school today and after dinner we were sitting around talking with friends. After a while, I noticed that Lukas had disappeared. It took a brief search to find him:

This is the coffee table in our living room--I guess he wore himself out!

Phoenix Project: Day 71

I got a facebook message from a friend and when I read it, I totally laughed out loud! She shares a facebook account with her husband (which I should consider doing as well because Bob NEVER uses facebook--I think he has 40ish friend requests that he hasn't seen yet) Here's the message in it's entirety:

Alberta's calling....Oh, and just so you know, I'm completely NUDE while typing this! (Well, not COMPLETELY... I've got a towel on my head!) And this is Lisa*. Not Mike*. Again, that'd be weird(er).

Ha ha!! It was so funny!

Since being out here, the question we've been asked most often is, "When are you coming back?" Honestly, I have no idea. The move was much harder on the kids and it more expensive than anticipated. We LOVE all our friends and family in Alberta and miss everyone very much. We are clueless as to when and where our next move will be.

Miss you all! I hope you're enjoying spring out there as much as we are here ;)

*Names have been changed to protect the innocent...

Phoenix Project: Day 70

I have been looking forward to today for WEEKS! I went to have my hair done...this is probably one of my favorite things and even though it hasn't been that long, my hair has grown really fast and my roots were ridiculous! Lukas was talking to me a few days ago and asked, "Mom, when are you going to have your hair done? It's been the same color for a really long time!" I went back to being a brunette in September and apparently, that's a really long time to keep the same color!

My hair is done and looking fabulous and yes, there will be pictures soon.

Phoenix Project: Day 69

I was on the computer today looking for a new bike for Lukas. He has outgrown his bike and we're trying to get him to ride without training wheels. I was only searching for a few minutes when I found one that was perfect! We packed everyone up and drove down to take a look. Lukas really liked it! Hopefully in the next little while he'll be riding around all by himself!

Phoenix Project: Day 68

My apologies again for the delay--my computer is temperamental at times and it's been difficult to get it to work properly.

Today was a unit conference in La Salle, which meets in the Windsor building. I LOVE travelling to visit the different wards/branches:

1. They feed us and the food is usually AWESOME--I think anything I don't have to cook myself is awesome.
2. I get to know a lot of the girls and their leaders.
3. I get to dodge giving talks in my own ward ;)
4. Did I mention the food?

It was a great visit and I got to catch up with some of the girls and was introduced to their new leader (who is amazing and has great taste in shoes!) Next week, I'm back in Windsor for the Windsor ward conference...hooray!

Phoenix Project: Day 67

Saturdays are a day that I really look forward to--it means the work week is over and I can sleep in...except that I get up early and go to the gym and then it's racing around trying to do everything before I have to go back to work. Today was a little different though. We had a youth activity for kids 12-18 and it was being held at a building that was 1 1/2 hours away. We had a spiritual message, games, bbq hamburgers and hot dogs, more games and we rented a pool for the 12-13 kids to go swimming while the older kids had a dance.

The entire evening was great and the kids seemed to have a lot of fun BUT the BEST part was watching the kids play Red Rover. They were so funny! (I tried to upload the video from my phone but it didn't work.) I'll have to keep working on those videos so I can post them too.

But, it was a great night! Many thanks to those that worked so hard to make this activity a success!

Phoenix Project: Day 66

It's MOVIE night! If Lukas has a good week at school, he gets to pick a movie to rent on Friday night. He had a great week so Friday night we went to the local movie store to pick something out for him. He decided to get AstroBoy and we crashed on the couch with KC and watched the movie together. I love these nights!

KC was a good sport and watched the movie but had to let me know that she's getting too old for cartoons.

Phoenix Project: Day 65

Work has been so busy for the last couple of weeks. We're getting new accounting software so we're being trained on how to use it; this means, on top of what we have to get done already, we have a LOT to learn. Lucky for me, the lady I work with is amazing with accounting EVERYTHING and she's a great teacher. Busy work = bigger pay cheque too so that will be nice.

After work today I had a meeting with some of the other youth leaders and youth to discuss upcoming activities and projects. I am so impressed with our youth--they are such amazing kids. It has been so fun and uplifting to be able to work with them. I am so excited for the activities that we have coming up this summer! It's going to be so FANTASTIC!!

Phoenix Project: Day 64

Today we went to KC's school for their Sharing Night. All the grade 4s performed singing, dancing, piano, recorder (my least favorite instrument) and a readers theatre. It's so amazing to see how much they've grown and developed since September. KC absolutely loves her school and, even though it's a long day and an hour long bus ride.

She's working on a medieval project right now and all their activities have been about that time period--she loves it!!

Lukas even had a good time watching the older kids perform.

Phoenix Project: Day 63

Today was a really busy day at work. We're having a youth activity this Saturday and I'm working with a partner to plan the activites for the younger teens. So, while I was sorting through a bunch of papers on my desk, I got an email from my coordinating partner saying that he needed to help fill in with the older teens and wouldn't really be there to help me. I totally understood his position but I was a bit nervous about how I was going to entertain these teens.

Before I even had a chance to respond to his email, I got another email from a different committee member volunteering to come up with games and help me with the activity.

HOORAY!

Phoenix Project: Day 62

The best part of today was that Bob came home early (for him) and was able to pick up KC from ballet. It was so nice to be able to drop her off and come home for the night--usually I have to drive to work (in the morning) on the south side of the city, leave there to pick up KC from school on the east side, drive home to the northwest side so she can get changed into her ballet clothes, drive her to the dance studio (which is only 7 minutes from the house), come home and start dinner and leave 40 minutes later to go and pick her up again.

It was just so nice to come home and kick off my shoes, make dinner and SIT down ;)

Phoenix Project: Day 61

After church today we met up with friends to have dinner. On our way home the kids saw a wishing star. Lukas said:

Do you know what I wished for? I didn't wish for anything for myself...I wished that all the people in the world that don't have food will have some.

I was really taken back. I didn't realize that he could comprehend the needs of others and actually want to do something to help. Kids can be really amazing!