Big Sugar

Tonight Jared and I had a super fun date night!!!! We were able to get tickets to see Big Sugar play at the University of Lethbridge Theatre!!! They recently reunited and put together a totally acoustic band...so good!!! We had amazing seats...front row on the aisle! 

They developed more of a reggae sound to go with their already amazing blues sound. 

Jared and I had gone to see them when they played the coco cola stage at the stampede years and years ago!!! We walked with Jason and Lalainia from their apartment not too far away. I'm sure it was before either of us had any kids!! I remember it was a super hot day and I wasn't feeling great from the heat so I hung out under the shade of a tree. But from what I remember the band was good!! 

They reunited with all five original members plus 3 new ones!! They played a variety of instruments including a big bass drum, bongo drums, some kind of mouth keyboard, harmonica, bass guitar, a four string banjo and a six string banjo, a slide guitar, a tenor sax, an alto sax regular acoustic guitars and a flute!!! After one particular song Jared looked over at me and said that alone was worth the $40!!!! Gordy Johnson, the lead guitarist, got up with his resonator guitar and sang "wild ox moan"...Jared's favourite!!! He even stepped in front of the mic near the edge of the stage and the acoustics in the theatre were amazing!! 

After the show Jared bought their newest vinyl and we were able to get all of them to sign it!!! I even got to shake the hand of a star!!! Gordy Johnson put out his hand toward me so I shook it and told him it was a wonderful concert, then I got to shake "Mr. Chill's" hand, he played the harmonica in a way I've never heard before!!!! They were all very humble for being such big stars!!! To come meet the fans after says a lot to me!!!

On our way home we were treated to an amazing display of northern lights!!! I haven't seen any for quite some time!!! Truly stunning!!!!  It was a fabulous night!!! We had some good laughs, good food and great music!!!!! I'm glad we were able to go...thanks to a wonderful "Amma" who is always so willing to stay with our kiddos!!! Even if Calum claims she puts them to bed at 7!!!!!

Thirteen Years

Its funny, but I hate the number 13, always have...the funny thing though whenever I like something on Facebook it always seems to be the 13th like!!! Maybe I should start liking the number 13 and things might just turn lucky for me!!!

Anyway, this month marked our 13th Anniversary! Honestly, it has been thirteen years of struggling, growing, and learning...but it has been thirteen years of doing this together....something I am extremely grateful for!  Jared truly is my best friend, and like all friends we can get annoyed or offended but like all good and true friends things always work out and stronger bonds are formed!

Because our anniversary is only 2 days after Valentine's Day we always forgo the Valentine celebrations and stick to going out for our anniversary!  However, on Valentine's Day Jared was out early doing cattle stuff and when he came in he brought in a lovely bouquet of red roses for Emry and I!  9 for me and 3 for Emry, one from each of the boys in her life!!  I surprised Jared with new speakers for our television in the basement!! I do have to admit that watching t.v. without them just doesn't do justice!!!  They are pretty cool!!!

Monday was Family Day and our Anniversary!  We had planned on going out for dinner and maybe a movie if there was one playing we wanted to see!  We did go to a movie, "American Sniper" which was really good...they didn't glorify at all what he had to do but told his story and how what he did affected him and his family!!  Really, really good!!  After the movie we went for a late supper to Earl's and had a terrific meal!  Our waiter asked if we had other plans for the evening and we told him it was our anniversary, he was so happy for us and even more excited when we told him how many years!!!  It was cute to have a big deal made!!!  Jared surprised me and gave me a beautiful rose gold and mother of pearl butterfly necklace!!  So very thoughtful and totally unexpected!!!  I sure love that guy!!

I look forward to the many years ahead and all we will face...together!!!!!

The Pharmacy

Just a month short of two years I have worked at our local pharmacy as an assistant!! I LOVED the work...I learned so much and was really quite good at what I did!!! But it was time to let the job go :( I had whittled my hours down to only one day a week, but then Saturdays came up and covering shifts when the other assistants went away on holidays. I have really noticed a difference in our kids not having me around more! 

Since I also work two days a week at their school I am away from home more than I am home!! And because of this our house is suffering, good nutritional meals are suffering and most importantly our children are suffering!! So Jared and I came to the conclusion that it would help immensely if I were home!!! 

Emry and I write back and forth in a mom & me journal she made at an Activity Days activity, and in the most recent entry she said she wished she could spend more time with me :( with two very busy, very demanding boys it is sometimes hard to find those moments alone!! But tomorrow Emry has an orthodontist appointment and just her and I are going! 

Life passes by much too quick, I blinked and now Emry is almost as tall as me!! There is so much more important things to do than work all the time!! I am excited for an extra day at home where I can put my homemaking skills to good use! I can spend more time with Armin before he goes to school full time!! Life is already hard, why should I add more to it than absolutely necessary...and believe me the absolutely necessary stuff was totally being over looked :( now it's time to get back on track!! Good bye pharmacy, I really did enjoy working there, thanks for all you taught me!!! 

Girls Day Out!!

Yesterday my sister and I were able to go on a much needed sister date!!!! We both had gift certificates for chatters and decided to get lash extensions done!!! Boy was it ever torture....the first time I had them done (by someone else) it was so relaxing, in fact so relaxing I feel asleep!!!! Every time the girl would use the mascara wand to brush the lashes she would scratch my eye lid, it got to the point of scratching my eye lid raw :( Arren even told the girl after, in a joking way, that she felt like she was being tortured for two hours!!!! But the results were great, we both love our new lashes!!!

We got groceries and looked around and then we went to Earl's for supper!!! It was nice to have a long leisurely supper, we visited and laughed and strengthened our sisterly bond!!!!

I sure am thankful for my little sister, she really is a true friend. I look forward to more sister dates!!!!!!

Happy 40th

On Thursday I was able to go to Calgary with my sister to help surprise my older sister for her 40th birthday, which is actually today!!

My mom and aunts had gone earlier in the day to decorate her house and make dinner! Arren and I got to her place just after 5:30pm and we all waited rather patiently for her to arrive home from work!! Just after 6 she called the house and her daughter Maryssa answered...Avi was asking if grandma came and Maryssa said yes so Avi said she was going to the mall, Maryssa pleaded and pleaded with her to just come home. After a few minutes of back and forth banter Maryssa finally hung up the phone hoping her mom would get the hint that she really needed to come home!!! Avi was very suspicious and so instead of parking in her usual spot out front of her house she parked around the corner and went in through the back. Mom had put sheets over the windows but Avi could hear lots of voices inside, she even knocked on the patio doors for at least 5 minutes but no one heard!!! She finally made her way around to the front which we noticed so we all hid in the kitchen!! Once she was in the house we all yelled surprise!!!!! She wasn't surprised by the fact we were trying to surprise her but she was surprised at who was all there to help her celebrate such a milestone!!!!

We had fun with stick on moustaches!!!!

We had delicious meatloaf and rice, veggies, pretzel jello salad, cake, and I brought chocolate chip cookie dough cupcakes!!! We visited and laughed, Avi opened presents and cried after opening Maryssa's!!!! This is a side of my sister I have very rarely seen!!! I was so happy I could be apart of her celebrating. Over the years we have developed a closer more friend like relationship and I am so happy now to be able to call her my sister!!! She has two amazing, caring kids and she does everything she can for them!! Happy birthday Avi!!!!!!!!