TOMATOES!!!

Look at this!!! This is a tomato turning red from my very own tomato plant!! To say I'm excited is a bit of an understatement! You must understand, I don't have a green thumb ... at all! I have never managed to keep anything alive ... until this year!!! This year my green thumb is a very light shade of green and this is so exciting to me!

Look at these beautiful tomatoes!! THEY ARE SO PRETTY!!! My Grandma was a wonderful gardner! She was amazing!! Her yard was so beautiful! Every year I was always lucky enough to get some of my Grandma's tomatoes! They were so delicious!

I really can't help but wonder if there's a little help from my grandma with my green thumb. It's only been since she passed away I've been having some success. Lowe's (the big construction type store) went door to door last January, on the coldest day of the month I might add, giving away a free houseplant as promotion to their new store opening nearby and the plant is STILL ALIVE!! It's the first houseplant in my life that I haven't killed! I also have a houseplant from my grandma's home that she had that is still beautiful! It's pretty exciting and I'm enjoying it more than I thought!

In other news ....

Look at my poor little Chiefs lips! After swimming lessons this morning (Yes he's in swimming lessons and he's kicking butt! This child is something else!!) he was running to the truck when he tripped and did a face plant! His poor little lips were split on the inside and fat on the outside! He's such a tough guy though, he didn't cry long and is happy as a clam now! Amazing!

I have won the Lotto!!!

Is it really Monday? How did this weekend and first day of the work week go by so fast? It seems like time is moving really fast these days! It's exciting but also a little unsettling! I've found myself thinking about the summer when I was 5 ... I remember it quite well and now The Captain is 5 and I'm realizing he's probably going to remember much of this summer too! That's such a crazy concept to me! I don't know where the years are going!

I've found myself in a lot of prayer lately. I have to share with you a moment where I felt God speaking to me in such clarity! Last Friday I bought a lottery ticket. I don't buy them often but I was grabbing a couple things at the grocery store and went to the customer service line since I had so few item and the sign said "Lotto Max $20 Million!!". I couldn't help myself! I bought one with the extra. Last night I jumped online and checked the numbers (I didn't win) and afterwards started thinking about if we had won, I looked out the window and said a little prayer "God please let us win the lotto". As soon as I said it my the words "You have won the lotto ... You have won the lotto ... You have won the lotto"! I really realized then that I have won the lotto in so many other areas. I've got the most wonderful and amazing man I share my life with. After 10 years with Greg I feel an overwhelming amount of love and passion for him! I feel loved more and more each day by Greg! I see first hand so many couples just coasting through life living in the same home but I have won the lotto with my partner and marriage!  We have 3 spectacular children! They are smart and healthy and funny and kind! I have won the lotto with my children. I have Jesus in my life!! I live in country that I have the freedom to love Jesus and practice my faith without fear of being condemned! I have won the lotto with my faith!

We are so very blessed! I still do pray that I am open to God's plan for me and our family as I'm still feeling like we haven't quite hit the mark but I know by opening my heart to His plan we'll be on His path!

Friday's Five!

1. I'm counting down the days until our next holiday (in August) to Montana!  I loved this past holiday and am itching for the next!! :)

2. My Man got a new Rocker haircut and color!! He looks like a total rockstar!! I'll post a pick ASAP! He's so damn hot!! Yes I said it! DAMN HOT!!!

3. On Wednesday night I spent the evening with someone I hadn't seen in 16 YEARS!!! I re-connected (via Facebook) with a girl my oldest brother went to school with. We became very good friends and she and her husband came to Calgary! They came over around 7pm and didn't leave until almost 1am! We had the BEST visit! Her husband is wonderful and it made me very thankful for technology!

4. This morning I made a Pancake Breakfast for my sister in law "The Stylist" (she's a hair stylist and yes she did Greg's hair) and my 2 nephews and my parents! It was so fun! I love summer holidays!

5. I love the Twilight Saga!! LOVE! I've read the series 4 times! Again ... Don't judge me! HA!

Refreshed!

For the first time in months I'm really feeling relaxed and refreshed! I feel like the past year has been GO GO GO and our holiday to Montana this past week was exactly what I needed. We went with my whole family (Greg and I with our kids, my two older brothers and their families and my parents), there was a total of 8 adults and 8 kids. I can't lie, I was skeptical, I was nervous, that's a lot of people and kids in once place for 4 nights! Well I had no need to be! Having the family together I think added to my ease and feeling of peace since being home. It was SO great to spend time with my brothers!! I mean SOOOO great! Even though we all live within 5 minutes of each other we really don't get the quality time being busy with our families!

I can't wait to share with you our time away in Montana. I'm waiting on some pictures (my sister in law took a ton and is giving me a disk) and then I'll tell you everything!

I definitely feel a new and rejuvenated love for my family! I feel more rested than I have in a long time. There is a peace in me I've been longing for. God is great! He knew what I needed and I'm so blessed to have a family that can help bring me to this place.

I have to share this picture with you. It's Cutie and her Uncle this past weekend, they love each other so much. He doesn't have a daughter so seeing him with mine melts my heart! It's love!

And Life Goes On ....

This afternoon we got back from what I would say may be my favorite trip to Montana EVER! I will have a BIG post about all the fun.

Today I've got to share with you about someone VERY special to me. Today is my Grandma's Birthday. My dear, so very loved Grandma died December 8th of last year, 2010. My heart ACHES and my eyes well up just writing that. It's been 7 months since I last saw her and yet the pain I still feel at times is unbearable. I was very close with my Grandma and love her dearly. We talk about her still all the time and my sweet little kids tell me they feel her in their hearts. Today she would have been 86. What a blessing she lived 85 wonderful years! My Grandpa (her husband) who is alive, heartbroken and 94 years old misses her so much it quite literally makes my chest ache. They celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary the month before she passed away. This is the first birthday of Grandma's in 65 years that he hasn't celebrated with her. Are you crying yet? I am! Ha!

So on a happier note. Here are the things I LOVED about my Grandma.

1. She LOVED to dance
2. You could tell her any secret and you knew it was safe
3. She supported me in everything I did
4. She loved my husband and saw him ... really saw him!
5. She loved my Children (my daughters middle name is after my Grandma)
6. She loved Jesus and was pure in her faith
7. Everyone loved her
8. Never did she speak badly of anyone
9. She loved my Grandpa and was a the best wife, she made me want to be the same kind of wife to my husband
10. She was an amazing gardener and had the most beautiful yard
11. She loved candy
12. I will never have a Vodka, water and cranberry juice without thinking of her
13. She was beautiful
14. She served God and others in her daily life
15. She loved me and I love her ....

I could go on and on. She was truly an amazing woman, wife, mother, sister, aunt, grandmother and friend. She has shown me how I want to life my life.

I will see her again and I look forward to that day. I miss her every minute of everyday. I know she's dancing with the angels ... I love you Gramie!

My brother played this song at the end of her Eulogy at her prayers service the night before her funeral. I will hold this song close to me forever. 

Waiting on an Angel