Happy Sunday

This is why it is Happy Sunday. As you all know, my weakness is Tim Horton's blueberry fritters. And, as the closest Tim Horton's is 4-5 hours away, I haven't had one since we were home on vacation in June. For whatever reason I have had a monster craving for them. My friend Sasha just returned from a weekend in Saskatoon with a surprise for me -- 3 fritters! Well, now there are only 2 fritters, resting comfortably in my freezer. When they are completely frozen, I am going to cut them into bite size pieces, to save them for as long as possible. The trick will be not to eat all the pieces at the same time! Thanks Sasha, you ROCK!

Happy Sunday eve

Tomorrow will hopefully be a Happy Sunday in my house. I'm not going to explain until I know for sure, but knowing my "connections" it should be a very happy Sunday in Tina land. I'll leave ya to think about that one for a while.

In other news, I got nothing. Nothing exciting happening here. It's Rob's weekend off, so of course he's working right now. The joy of being a manager of a Northern Store. I had a guard shift last night, and was offered another one tonight but had to turn it down as Rob has to work in the morning, and there is no way I can work 12-8AM and then stay up with the kids until Rob comes home.

Hmmm.. I feel obligated to blog as I know how frustrated I get when others don't update their blog. I just received another section of Tawny's in-progress book, and I love it. She's sending me another section so I must go check and see if it's there. And I'm sorry to all my family who logs on here to see pictures of the kids (Aunt Rosemary) but I'm on the laptop and there are no pictures on here of them. So you'll have to check back tomorrow for that!

And finally, thank you so much to all who jumped over to Colby's blog and left comments. He was so excited to see so many people commenting. I am going to let him take pictures tomorrow of whatever he wants and post to his blog, so make sure you check it out!

New blog!

A little boy I know has made his own blog and would like everyone who reads this to go and see it. Please take a second to jump over and see, and leave a comment. We have been working on journals all summer to keep up with his printing, but now that he is back in school we have decided to take a new approach. This was completely his idea, and will be a good way to encourage him to read and improve his spelling. Take a peek here and add it to your favorites. The deal with him making his own blog was that he has to make a post everyday, even if it is only one sentence. So, the more comments he has, the more he will be encouraged to keep writing.

Thanks Elise!

As you can see, I have added fish to the side of the blog. I was reading Elise's blog the other day and the kids saw this on her blog. They loved it and for the better part of 1/2 and hour they "fed" the fish and laughed. Colby asked me if we could have fish here, and so I added it here. I can't take any credit for the creativity of it, as Colby picked the backround, the fish and food color. But I wanted to thank Elise for the idea.

What I wanted.. and what I got

This is what I wanted. I asked the boys to sit on the couch so I could take a new picture of them. The next pictures are what happened over the next 10 minutes.

Joey actually took his socks off so he could throw them at Colby.

Even when they wrestle they smile and laugh! (Most of the time)

Typical big brother.

Package from Nanny

Yeah!!

Joey just woke up in this picture, as you can tell.

New Crocs! Spongebob!

Colby's first day of school

He refused to take a good picture. Waiting for the bus. The bus picks him up right at the end of the driveway.

Look what I found!

I love Ebay.

Taken tonight

Colby's not the only one who is growing up overnight!

A very rare look behind the camera.... me! Mommy smooches!

The boys

"Take the damn picture Mom."

Can someone PLEASE tell me when this child grew up?? I nearly cried when I was looking at some pictures I took of Colby and found this one.

Youth vandalism cancels Behchoko summer festival

A popular summer festival in Behchoko, N.W.T., has been cancelled this week due to an ongoing rash of youth vandalism in the community, local officials say.

The annual Happy Days Festival was supposed to start Friday night and run all weekend. The festival normally includes a Saturday night dance, a softball tournament, children's sporting events and other activities.

But Craig Yeo, a spokesman for the Behchoko community government, told CBC News that local officials decided earlier on Friday to cancel the festival.

"The community government is worried that if things are put up to support the event — equipment and things — that it won't be there in the morning when they go back," Yeo said. Yeo said a vehicle was set ablaze in Behchoko on Tuesday morning, and about a dozen young people broke into the local Northern Store on Wednesday. Seven were arrested Thursday night, in an alleged attempt to break into the community's cultural centre.

The problem of vandalism and violence among young people has escalated to the point where a community watch group has started patrolling Behchoko's streets between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m. every night.

The volunteers' nightly patrols made for another reason the Happy Days Festival was cancelled — Yeo said there was a lack of volunteers available to help stage it.

Group lobbies for proper youth centre

Many residents in the community of 1,900 have blamed the problem on a lack of proper facilities for young people.

A former youth centre is housed in a building that currently does not meet safety codes, while construction continues on a big, new sportsplex.

Appearing at a community government meeting Wednesday, a group of youth representatives said they need a place where young people can feel comfortable being in.

"It's all controlled by the youth. It's better," said Marvin Apples, 20, who was at the meeting.

"Some youth can't talk to people. But if you have, like, a close best friend, like us, we do everything according to our rules. You know our youth, we follow the rules. That's why we wanted to have our own facility."

The young people have been offered space at the local friendship centre, but the group said not all young people would feel comfortable going there.

Apples said his group is looking at possibly leasing some land to build their own centre. Resident Jane Weyallon, who showed her support for the youth at the meeting, said the group has already demonstrated that it can look after its own facility.

"They've been paying for electricity and the fuel through doing bake sales and doing a cookout, a community cook out," she said.

"The community, they hire them. And then that money that they make goes back to maintaining the building."

Wednesday's community government meeting started at 6 p.m. and lasted all night. The meeting, and the youth discussion, is expected to resume on Monday.

Thanks to Kara for sending us an email tonight with this link from today's CBC news. For those of you who don't know, this is where we were first transferred when we moved to NWT. Behchoko was our home for 9 months, and it was not nearly as bad then as it appears to be now. When we left last April, vandalism was on the rise. But for the community to cancel this festival really shows how bad it is getting. I must admit, I'm glad we are not there now.

Packages from home and Meadow Lake

Lightning McQueen. Joey LOVES him right now.

Colby started a mail journal to Nanny and Gramma. He wrote to them everyday for a week and then we mailed it back home. This is him reading his journal from Gramma. The feather you see on the page is "a tickle from the tickle queen". He loved it as you can see.

Joey has started potty training. Everytime I take his diaper off he decides he has to pee. I'm not pushing it yet until next week when Colby is in school and it's just the two of us. Although it looks like he's playing with it in this picture he's actually not. At least that's what I want to believe.

This is first fast food the boys have had since we were home on vacation.

Oh how we have missed Subway.

As you can see, Joey was not quite ready to let go of the bag.

Tomato plants

I decided to try growing tomatoes as my sister had bought me a kit last fall to grow them indoors. They have taken off better than I thought they would. As you can see, I ran out of plantars and had to improvise.

Tagged by Elise

I was tagged a few days ago and haven't had the time until now to sit and do this.. so here you go.

My uncle once... danced with my Dad and I during the "father and daughter" dance at my wedding. Never in my life... have I worn flip flops for longer than 5 seconds.

When I was five... my brother was 2 and I put him in a washing machine.

High school was... known at the girl who hated flip flops.

I will never forget... that if it wasn't for my friend Tawny and a very late night conversation on her balcony overlooking The Public Gardens I probably would not have built up the courage to hit on Rob. But she wears flip flops.

Once I met... Kale Brown, who played Michael on Another World.

There’s this girl I know... who is in the process of writing the best book I've ever read.

Once, at a bar... I let a guy pick me up.

By noon, I’m usually:... out of my pajamas, but not always. But never in flip flops.

Last night... I watched "The Love Guru".

If only I had... a more reliable vehicle I would be doing weekend trips to Saskatoon and Prince Albert.

Next time I go to church... I will bring Colby with me.

What worries me most... is Colby's eating habits and Joey's terrible two's. And them wanting to wear flip flops.

When I turn my head left I see... a fan. There are many of them around my house right now.

When I turn my head right I see... the hallway.

You know I’m lying when... I smile and can't look you in the eye.

What I miss most about the Eighties is... calls from my grandparents.

By this time next year... our lives may be taking another big turn. And then again, maybe not.

A better name for me would be... Miss Sneezes-a-lot. Or Flip flop hater. Either is fine.

I have a hard time understanding... people who wear flip flops.

If I ever The next time I go back to school, I’ll... definately take photography courses.

You know I like you if... my kids like you. And you don't own flip flops.

If I ever won an award, the first person I would thank would be... the award presenter.

Take my advice, never... wear flip flops.

My ideal breakfast is... Tim Horton's coffee and a blueberry fritter. Or leftover chinese food.

A song I love but do not have is... thanks to my sister, I have all the songs I love!

If you visit my hometown, I suggest you... take the backrounds and avoid Sackville Drive.

Why won’t people...throw away their flip flops?

If you spend a night at my house... you'll starve to death and die of thirst if you're shy. I'll be nice and offer you something the first time, after that, make yourself at home.

I’d stop my wedding for... the proper footwear. When I got married, my sneakers were waiting for me in the car as soon as we got out of the church, and I wore them all night!

The world could do without...flipflops. And Winnie the Pooh.

I’d rather lick the belly of a cockroach than... wear flip flops.

My favourite blonde(s) is/are... obviously, my boys. And my brother.

Paper clips are more useful than... everything!

If I do anything well it’s... take pictures of my kids.

I can’t help (but)... craving a blueberry fritter, and hating flip flops.

I usually cry... usually? Hell I cry ALL the time, especially at movies and commericals. And when I see children wearing flip flops. That's just cruel.

My advice to my child/nephew/niece youth group girls: Never be afraid to do what you want. And throw away every pair of flip flops you own. They will make your feet fall off.

And by the way... I hate flip flops.

Alrightly, Jen, Kara, Kelly, Kennie and Trudie. Your turn!

We're done... sort of (not in order)

I couldn't resist posting this. He's soo big!

Finally, all mowed. Now we just have to rake.

Rob shows his appreciation of me taking pictures and not helping.

This shows you how big the yard is. Doesn' t he look impressed that I was waiting in the doorway to take this picture??

We finally have the back yard all cut and the firepit built out of beach rocks. I am convinced that there is something that lives in our backyard that did not want us to cut this grass. When Rob brought the ride on home the first time, the belt came off, so landscaping stopped. Then, after the ride on was fixed, he tried it again and something else happened to it and now the blade is seized so it's now at the mechanic being fixed. He then brought home a push mower from the store which died after he finished cutting the front yard. He ended up borrowing the push mower from the detachment to finish the job.

Kids, supper and Doodlebops

Look what I found on Ebay! They are so big that he takes them off. Luckily he hasn't walked into a wall yet looking down at them!

This is what we had for supper last night. Fresh Jackfish with home made onion rings and chips.

Pictures from the last couple days

My sossy children.

We went to Buffalo Narrows yesterday and this rock was outside the hotel / restaurant where we had lunch. By far, the best sign I have seen so far in the North. And, it's a great store!

Bike riding with Daddy.

I'm gonna piss someone off with this one

I just read Megan's blog and she had a post about a woman who was asked to not breastfeed in a store and showed up the next day with other breastfeeding woman to protest. (I didn't read the article but this was the jest of it). Megan agreed with this woman, and although I did start a comment on her blog, due to the length of it I decided to make a post. (And, I left a long comment on someone else's blog and she made a point to stay if you're going to make a long comment you should make it a post on your own blog and reference the original post). Here's my stand on it, and I'm allowed to say it here because it's our blog. I do not agree with making a big production of breastfeeding in public. Yes, it's a woman's right. Yes, it's healthier for the baby, yadda yadda yadda. If you want to nurse in public, the least you could do is be discreet about it. And, before anyone asks, no, I did not nurse my boys. It was my choice and I chose not to. There is nothing I hate more than being out in public and seeing a boob being whipped out. I don't care that there is a baby attached to the end. I don't want to see boobs in public. There are many ways to be discreet feeding a baby that do not involve sitting in a corner or covering the baby's head with a blanket. In my opinion, if you are in a place of business and the owner / manager asks you to leave because you are doing something that makes someone else uncomfortable, don't show up the next day to make a big show about it. That just makes you look like a fool and a twit. And, maybe I'm just silly as a non-breastfeeding mom, but *I* would think that if you are going to nurse in public, it would be better and calmer for the baby to be discreet, as opposed to latching a baby on and continuing to walk around while you shop.

More Northern Lightsning...

This is how the conversation went.

"Tina you have to come see this"

"Where are you?"

"I'm out here!" I say from the front porch.

We sit out and watch for a few minutes when Tina says that she wants to see if a picture will turn out. This is what we saw! As you can see, we have also started "watermarking" some of our pictures. We have heard stories where people's pictures are being copied and published. Not that we think it would ever happen to us, but better safe than sorry! If there is a picture that shows up here that you want, just drop us an email and we'll send it to you.

Stolen from Kara

I have finally found the stroller that would make Daddy and Uncle Adam proud. The perfect way to hunt and walk Joey at the same time. I wonder where I can find one.

Fishing

Right to left. Dan, Peter and myself after fishing for an hour at the point. We could have kept going all afternoon. The fishing was amazing even if it was Jack Fish. Jack fish are like eels up here. If the locals go out fishing and you ask them how many fish they caught, they will tell you how many pickeral they caught and will not even mention that they caught 30 Jack Fish. If they tell you they never caught anything, more than likely they caught a bunch of Jacks.

On the plus side, thanks to Utube, I can now fillet a Jack Fish properly so there are no bones. I cant believe how easy it is.

On the island

Joey and Bree at some point switched hats, and as you can see Joey did not want to switch back. This shot turned out better in my head. I have no idea what type of bird this was, but it was very brave. It came really close to check us out. How many men does it take to light a fire?? I just loved this shot.

He finally played in the water, 2 hours after we got there.

This is one of my favorite pictures. It just screams "summer fun"

Becca playing in the sand.

This crazy, crazy showing off bird.

This is an island about 10 minutes from here. Friends of ours have access to a boat and took us there for the morning. The island is just a big beach and very secluded. We all had a great time. Have I mentioned how much I love it here?