hollyzhobby

Santa Cupcakes

2011-12-12T12:21:00.001-08:00

Hohoho! Not going to win any cupcake wars, but these Santa Cupcakes are still edible.

A little bit of Christmas Spirit

2011-12-11T12:24:00.001-08:00

While I'm usually bahhumbug this time of year, I cringed and broke down by getting this little Christmas tree.

Horsing around at the Flip Gym

2011-12-09T08:26:00.001-08:00

Did he mention to you that he's having fun?

Brenda's Tetras quilt

2011-11-26T04:12:00.001-08:00

Hot off the frames, here is the completed quilt made for Brenda. What a joy to make!

My Karate Champ

2011-11-15T13:17:00.000-08:00

After a week of competing in Spain, we just desperately wanted to go home. Flight after flight was delayed, missed, overbooked, screwed up and we ended up locked in a closed airport trying to contact family to save us, finally arriving home, no thanx to any airport assistance, 12 hours later than scheduled. The most painful, experience of my life. Definitely lost the amazing race on this leg.

Never in my wildest dreams

2011-11-15T12:58:00.000-08:00

would I ever have thought I would go to Spain. The resort was beautiful, the scenery is breathtaking, a stones throw from the beach and a short walk to some touristy shops. Ben and I stayed for a week so that he could compete in the World Championship Karate Tournament. The venue, while usually closed this time of year, was filled with hundreds of competitors from all over the world making a most amazing experience for Ben.

Halloween

2011-10-05T11:12:00.000-07:00

This looks more like a Halloween project than a school project. Good job Ben!

Vistor came for Breakfast

2011-09-07T05:55:00.000-07:00

Snickers watches intently as her squirrel friend nibbles away at a tasty morsel.

Hello Cupcakes

2011-06-02T14:14:00.000-07:00

These are fun to make and look so pretty :)

WKC Team Canada 2011

2011-05-24T08:09:00.000-07:00

2011 Qualifier for Extreme Forms

2011-04-12T02:44:00.000-07:00

Chicago

2011-01-31T02:54:00.000-08:00

Snowdays Festival featured these amazing snow sculptures at the Navy Pier.

Winter Wonderland quilt

2010-12-11T10:45:00.000-08:00

http://www.etsy.com/listing/64065231/winter-wonderland-quilt

Take a look at this cute quilt. Very bright and festive, this will warm you up on those chilly winter nights.

Snails Trail

2010-11-10T15:12:00.000-08:00

I've been frantically piecing this full sized quilt together. I wanted to try the snails trail pattern which has become the medallion bordered by checkered 1" blocks, another border of 3" blocks and then a border of 1" strips with log cabin corners. You like? I sure do. I still need to get one final plain border on it to bring to approx 90"x90". I'm anxious to start working with some new fabric I ordered. So this quilt top will have to wait to go on the frames.

Every 10 years or so

2010-10-20T06:17:00.000-07:00

It's nice to get some new furniture. The new dual recliner sofa and recliner chair feel like you're being cradled in a cloud. Sooooooo comfy.

Case 39

2010-10-02T08:27:00.000-07:00

Enjoyed this movie very much. Luv a good horror every now and then.

http://www.case39movie.com/mainsite/case39_main.swf?dl=videos

Jill's Quilt

2010-09-10T02:35:00.000-07:00

Do you detect a theme here? Snickers!

New quilt frames work!

Finished on time for their 6monthiversary.

Finished Ben's Quilt

2010-09-01T03:41:00.000-07:00

Ben's in blue, and next up is Jill's in purple. Snicker's gives final approval. Yup, it works :)

Making Muffins

2010-08-05T06:33:00.000-07:00

MMMM Muffins,

Exploding with apples and raisins, these bran muffins are smelling sooooo good. You know you want one :)

Photo Quilt

2010-08-03T07:38:00.000-07:00

Piece by piece, this one is coming together. I was quite pleased with the "Walmart" photo centre fabric photo. After the diagonal border is complete, I will put a solid dark blue border and make up a heartsy type quilting motif all around ♥

Success with the Coleus

2010-08-03T07:29:00.000-07:00

I am definitely getting the seeds from this batch of coleus. I am absolutely thrilled with the mix of colours and foliage. I do so wish they would germinate and sprout to this level much much sooner but happily they will last well into the fall.

Hmmmm, not fittin' like it used to.

2010-08-03T07:25:00.000-07:00

They are definitely making the baskets smaller. "A" for effort Snickers!

Dreaming

2010-07-28T03:29:00.001-07:00

The quilt frames I have used all my life are on their last legs. I have been drooling over this fine looking setup. mmmhmmm I find it hard to justify spending such a large amount of $$ on a hobby but they do look so lovely.

Peace, Love and Happiness

2010-07-28T03:06:00.000-07:00

"To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did. When God takes something from your grasp, He's not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better. The Will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you. God our Father walk through my house and take away all my worries and illnesses and please watch over and heal my family in Jesus name, Amen."

Cats in the Window

2010-07-19T16:22:00.000-07:00

There you go. These silly little kitties just make me smile :) And how about the paw prints running around the border?

New Computer Centre

2010-07-12T08:02:00.000-07:00

Here is the newly assemble computer centre. This has a lot more storage spaces but Snickers has to watch out for the ceiling fan. Yikes!

Cats in the Window

2010-07-12T03:25:00.000-07:00

This popular print is so adorable with it's whimsical cats. I love the attic window pattern here and the colours are brilliant, bright and cheery. Check out the border quilt motif. Snickers denies any part of it, they are not her paw prints.

Flooded

2010-06-07T16:56:00.000-07:00

There is always someone out there that has got it worse. For those people my heart goes out to them. We are assessing the damages here from the recent flooding. We got 6" of water in our basement, most of which has gone down. It's kind of ironic that the thing that alerted us to the flooding to begin with was my sewing machine. The weight of the water had pushed the petal down and the sewing machine started running. Bob must have wondered why I was sewing at 2:00am and went to check. He was startled when he stepped into ankle deep water. Not knowing how to shut the machine off, he unplugged it. I went to bring it upstairs tonight thinking it would be fine and I could probably still use it. Nope. I plugged it in and it just runs and runs like a maniac. It won't stop unless it's unplugged. Freaky.
The smell is nauseating as we try to remove undamaged stuff to higher ground so that the clean up crew has less to worry about when they get in to do their thing. I can't wait to get that saturated carpet out. Hopefully we will get the water heater operational tomorrow. It is going to be a nightmare going through everything in the crawl space. There is 10 years of accumulated storage going on in there. Fun and games. Time to get back to it. Signing off for now.

Patio Swing

2010-05-31T03:14:00.000-07:00

Years ago we purchased this patio swing with a jack and jill. The cushions lasted awhile and there is nothing wrong with the set itself. So when it came time to replace the cushions, do you think we could find anything to fit? No sireeeee. New designs had since come out, the company that made the outfit we had no longer had replacements for that model, and the new stuff just didn't fit. So we found some lovely cushions that fit great on the jack and jill and then crossed our fingers that if we bought 3 for the swing they may magically fit. No magic. So we squished them together last summer and just made due. This year I got brave. Took me long enough to get the nerve up, but finally I took the plunge and cut up one of the cushions, sewed it back together and stuck it in the middle. Viola, it fits now!

Next I need to tackle that sad weather beaten canopy. Wish me luck!

From drab to fab. The old canopy disintigrated in my hands when I took it off, with the exception of the areas that were duct taped.

Sparrow Family

2010-05-30T08:08:00.000-07:00

Every year the sparrows return and have at least 3 sets of babies that we have noticed. Here is the first batch we have seen this year. Mom and dad do tag team feedings. They are absolutely run ragged feeding these little munchkins. It is amazing to watch and listen to them chirping away now that the baby robins have flown the coop.

The Pool is Officially Open

2010-05-25T05:55:00.000-07:00

When Ben jumps in

Attic Window Quilt

2010-05-18T20:02:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I waited this long to try this pattern. The mitred corners were my biggest worry but they are actually coming together quite nicely. After this one is done I want to use the rest of my "Cats on the loose" material for this pattern. Oh what fun!

Ta Da !

2010-05-15T09:48:00.000-07:00

I'm loving it!

In a few short weeks

2010-05-03T15:31:00.000-07:00

or two extra long weeks this will become a Double Wedding Ring quilt.

Note to self: although this is going to be absolutely gorgeous, the pattern I used is not circular enough for my liking. Will need to modify templates for future projects.

QUILT GIVEAWAY

2010-04-24T06:29:00.000-07:00

It's time to pay it forward. I would like to send this sweet little quilt to a happy new home. Leave a comment here or at hollyzhobby.etsy.com to be entered.

THE WINNER IS........JONI!!!!!
Thanx to everyone for your wonderful compliments. Happiness to all!

New neighbour has moved in

2010-04-20T06:28:00.000-07:00

Just noticed the other day that we have some new construction. A single family dwelling has been built with a young family moving in. Looks like mom is doing a little nesting before the little ones arrive.

Texas Blooming Stars

2010-04-01T18:38:00.001-07:00

Busy, busy day today. Life kept getting in the way of what I wanted to do the most. But I managed to get the fabric and complete one square of the custom order for a dear sweet lady in Texas. I hope she loves it. I am thrilled with the results so far.

Don't ask me how

2010-03-23T04:03:00.000-07:00

Someone has mischief written all over that sweet little face.

Aerial - Check it out

2010-03-12T03:54:00.000-08:00

Someone was a very happy camper. He got his aerial down several times that night and fortunately the camera was rolling.

Doest thou protest

2010-03-03T03:46:00.000-08:00

We need to follow the rules, however they're not always set in stone, and sometimes we need to take matters into our own hands to make the change.

Signs of Summer

2010-02-23T03:11:00.000-08:00

It's right under all that white stuff.

Another great tournament weekend

2010-02-08T03:02:00.000-08:00

Ben is transitioning well into the black belt division. I was so proud to see him perform the new kata he choreographed and has practised so hard at.

Pennsylvania Tournament

2010-02-05T08:19:00.000-08:00

Lightning Strikes!

I thinx we is outa water...

2010-02-03T05:36:00.001-08:00

Snickers could barely wait for me to empty the case of water before she lunged in and took over the space. I would really like to know what goes on in her mind. How much fun can this be? Oh well, it entertained her for quite a while.

Happy Groundhog's Day

2010-02-02T13:32:00.000-08:00

Wiarton Willie saw his shadow today which means six more weeks of winter. I was hoping he wouldn't see his shadow so that there would only be six weeks til spring :)

In the Works

2010-01-20T08:09:00.000-08:00

Here is a preview of the project I am currently working on:

Have a great day.

2010-01-09T07:40:00.000-08:00

Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day that says,"I will try again tomorrow."

Happy New Year

2010-01-03T08:01:00.001-08:00

When nothing seems to go right....go left!

Bah Humbug

2009-12-25T07:58:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas one and all. Not much in the spirit of things this year. Instead of putting up the Christmas tree we ended up throwing it out. I only wrapped one present. Making turkey tomorrow. I never have been a festive one and with the kids being older now I don't see much point in putting on the show. I just want to finish this year off. Maybe next year I will make an effort. As always the only gift I want is peace, love and happiness for all. Seasons greetings and a Happy New Year.

Brrrrrrrr

2009-12-16T05:35:00.000-08:00

Is it a sign that it is time to give up the Ice Caps when you go through the Tim Hortons drive-thru and find out your window is frozen shut?

Naaaaaaa!

Karate Banquet Demos

2009-12-13T06:24:00.000-08:00

I think I know someone who would like to see these, over and over and over. You know who you are. :)

Personal Trainer

2009-11-01T07:15:00.000-08:00

After we finish all our Halloween treats we need this guy.

Here's looking at you

2009-10-28T13:04:00.000-07:00

This is my sorry attempt to make Halloween treats...eyeball donuts. At least they taste good.

8' Grand Champion Trophy

2009-10-13T04:21:00.000-07:00

Proud Grandma with Ben and his Grand Champion 8' Trophy from this weekends karate tournament.

Spending too much time on the computer

2009-09-25T03:30:00.000-07:00

I was feeling guilty about spending too much time on the computer and not being motivated to exercise more. Here is my latest and greatest attempt to put in my time on that treadmill.
By rigging up a board over the treadmill arms to put the keyboard and mouse on, I am able to play on the computer and burn calories at the same time. The time passes quickly and I really enjoy my time on the treadmill now.

State Champion

2009-09-21T03:25:00.000-07:00

Final tournament of the MSKC and Ben has successfully defended his title as Overall Underbelt State Champion. He was first in his division in forms and sparring and second in weapons for the year. At this last tournament he brought home a first in forms and second in weapons and sparring (DQ'd). Another banner year!

Trophy Room

2009-09-13T07:34:00.000-07:00

We have now transformed this room into the trophy room. There are still some championship belts, poster and belt promotion certificates to find homes for but most of Ben's awards are situated. There are over 100 awards-trophies, plaques, belts and medals and probably another 20 before the year is done if he keeps up the good work. I am so thrilled with the metal shelving we found at Ikea. That had to be the most difficult of tasks to find what I was looking for.

Try this and see what kind of crazy list you come up with.

2009-09-03T10:58:00.000-07:00

Go to Google.com and do a search. Type your first name and the word "needs" after it. Copy and paste (main part) what the top ten things Google says you "need"
Holly needs:
1-obedience to learn how to walk nicely on a leash
2-the loo
3-a Home
4-A Hero
5-voter approval
6-your vote to get organ donation on telly
7-to protect the football better
8-Help
9-Her own TV show
10-to know

Awwwww

2009-08-23T04:29:00.001-07:00

Yes, I know I'm not supposed to be on the counter...but look how cute I am.

Tournament Circuit

2009-08-16T09:41:00.000-07:00

Ben has been in fine form at his recent karate tournaments. He has brought home 6 first place trophies from the last two tournaments he has entered.
He likes to play with the videos we take by putting them to music and here is a sample from this weekend
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WR1Z7Skx_U&feature=channel_page

My new toy

2009-08-13T03:17:00.001-07:00

Here's my new toy. I've always wanted a food dehydrator. They look like fun. So on day 1, I filled it up with apple slices. Day 2, there were no apple slices. Next I tried banana slices. They too are disappearing quickly. I want to attempt some fruit rollup (leather) somethingorother. This dehydrator doesn't come with a special tray for that but I think I can rig something up with either saranwrap or parchment paper to line the trays.

Tim Hortons Contest

2009-07-31T17:46:00.000-07:00

Please check out my Tim Hortons contest entry here http://www.everycup.ca/story/the-winning-combination. I would really appreciate you views, comments and ratings.
Thanx to everyone for their support.

Ready for the frames

2009-07-01T12:35:00.003-07:00

Twisting Spiral Heart Quilt top is now completed and ready to be put on the frames for quilting.

Finger Lickin' Fifteen

2009-06-28T14:00:00.001-07:00

Here is the latest in the series of Janet Evanovich's books that are so much fun to read. The characters are hilarious and adventurous. Once I pick up one of these books I find it hard to put down and I anxiously await the next in line. #15 comes out June 23.

Neverland

2009-06-28T06:13:00.000-07:00

A great tribute to Michael Jackson would be to turn Neverland into a Themepark for all to visit just like Elvis's Graceland. Just think of the possibilities, his music could be playing throughout the park, memorabilia, video theatres and plenty of fun rides and petting zoos, all things Michael loved and all things people loved about him.

Jon and Kate plus Eight

2009-06-22T08:58:00.001-07:00

Though I don't regularly tune into watch this program, I occasionally catch a promo or see a tabloid blurb about the Gosselin family. So the burning question is: What is the big announcement to be revealed on tonight's episode?
A. Jon and Kate are going to get divorced.
B. They are going to cancel the show and work on their marriage.
C. The whole family is moving into the Dr. Phil house.
D. Kate's pregnant.
What's your guess?

Karate Tournament

2009-06-20T10:53:00.000-07:00

Today Ben won 1st in forms and 1st in sparring. Love the belts. I am glad each tournament has different trophies or belts or you might think I just keep taking the same pictures. Ben has won well over 100 trophies, belts and plaques since he started competing less than 2 years ago. Yay Ben!

Twisting Spiral Heart

2009-06-19T15:51:00.000-07:00

Oooooh I like it. This is the first heart pieced today. If you click on the picture to enlarge it the colours show up a little better.

Twisting Spiral Heart

2009-06-19T03:27:00.000-07:00

I anxiously await the arrival of this:

Twisting Spiral Heart - Paper pieced quilt block pattern.

I have been intrigued by this pattern for quite some time and finally broke down and bought the pattern from the very talented etsian bcheri's shop -piece by number. She has numerous quilt patterns for foundation piecing that I absolutely love.

Old City Hall

2009-06-16T14:53:00.001-07:00

So who did kill Katherine Torn? We may never know. Why would anyone suspect it could be anyone other than Kevin Brace. Without giving away any details, Robert Rotenberg's first novel is a murder mystery you'll enjoy. It will keep you guessing to the very end. I enjoyed the very descriptive outlines of the settings and characters giving you a close connection, a feeling that you've been there and know them. Mr Rotenberg draws from his expertise as a criminal lawyer and Torontonian to make this story very believable.

Icecream Cone Cupcakes

2009-06-14T07:09:00.001-07:00

They're fun to make and fun to eat. Make your cupcakes in icecream cones.

For Sale

2009-06-12T15:56:00.000-07:00

Finally, I have completed the Blooming Stars quilt. It seemed to take forever. I love the way it turned out with the star motifs I used in the borders.

Tree roots in the sewer lines

2009-06-11T06:32:00.000-07:00

For several years we were being visited and revisited with this plumbing problem. It seems that tree roots kept creeping into the sewer lines by the street and backing up into our downstairs bathroom. Either in late spring or fall we had to call out Mr. Plumber to eel out the pipes every year to the tune of several hundred $$$ each time. So last fall came and went without this usual routine event. I nervously anticipated the nasty event with every flush or shower. Spring arrives and is nearing its end as summer approaches. Still no need for our Plumber friend. Don't get me wrong, I am delighted that we can be rid of this ritual.

So without any scientifical proof or research I have developed a theory that coincides with the arrival of our recent family member. When we got Snickers back in July last year I decided to try flushable kitty litter for convenience sake. I have a sneaking suspicion that something in the kitty litter or in Snickers business is keeping those tree roots from growing into the sewer lines. Whether or not this is factual, it's my story and I'm sticking to it. Nice job Snickers.

Pool's Open!

2009-06-08T03:40:00.000-07:00

From this:..............................To this:

The pool looks so inviting now that it is open. I'm just waiting now for mother nature to warm things up a bit before I jump in.

Hi Mom. It's me, Lily.

2009-06-06T11:47:00.000-07:00

You came into my world the other day and instantly I knew that you were the human for me. I just couldn't imagine you leaving here without me. So here I am now, ready for you to spoil with hugs and kisses. Mom, you're so snuggly you just make me purrrr. Love Lily.

Karate Tournament Results

2009-05-30T15:41:00.000-07:00

This weekend Ben adds three more trophies to his collection. First place forms, 2nd place weapons and 2nd place sparring and 2nd place in Grand Champions (that elusive 6' trophy!). He should be extremely proud of himself for another fine performance. He was up against alot of great competitors.

Sweet Smells of Spring

2009-05-26T08:05:00.000-07:00

Childhood memories come wafting in my open window with the sweet scent of lilacs in bloom. Now that the weather is getting nicer, I love being able to let the fresh air in.

Tis the Season

2009-05-21T03:48:00.000-07:00

The grass is growing, flowers are blooming and every corner you turn has YARD SALE signs popping up. Time to get in on all the action. I haven't had a yard sale in over 10 years. We started rooting through the closets and crawl space. Holy Moly. I can't get over how much stuff has accumulated. Here are a few things, brass knick knacks, movies, books, Archie comics, toys, clothes, mini trampoline and the list goes on as my livingroom gets taken over.

So hopefully the yard salers will come out in force on Saturday. It's supposed to be a gorgeous day.

Stars in Bloom

2009-05-19T17:48:00.000-07:00

Here is the latest and greatest! Another challenging pattern that put me in to a serious bout of procrastination because of how time consuming the piecing was. Soon I will get this up on the frames for quilting. I really love the way the little stars spill out onto the border.

Trifle

2009-05-11T10:03:00.000-07:00

Here is a light, easy dessert that is fun to make and the kids love. I've made these for my children's school classes when they have events, bake sales, projects or parties. I like to make them in the little plastic wine glasses so they are individual and easy to serve. Simply layer angel food cake, pudding ( I made some with chocolate and some with vanilla) cherry pie filling, then another layer of cake, cool whip, and a cherry on top. Voila, trifle.

Way down in Kokomo

2009-05-11T09:46:00.001-07:00

This weekend's karate tournament took us to Kokomo, Indiana and as the song goes we got there fast and took it slow. Although it was one of the smallest tournaments Ben has competed at, his division was quite large as they grouped the brown and black belts together in his age group. This was a great experience for Ben as he gets closer towards the goal of achieving black belt status. He still placed at the top with a second in forms, 5th in weapons and 4th in sparring. Unfortunately we didn't get it on video. The rules were a bit different than Ben is accustomed to. He had to wear a face mask (which he never has done) and it was the kind that looks like a baseball umps mask...he couldn't see out of it. As well, the rules were extremely rigid with light or no contact. Ben is extremely aggressive in the ring and used to full contact. So, although it doesn't fly in Kokomo, he wowed everyone there with an amazing tornado kick to his opponent (would have gotten him 2 points on any other day) but got him DQ'd. He will always be the #1 karate kid in my eyes!

Another weekend, Another tournament

2009-05-02T16:20:00.000-07:00

This weekend's tournament was a 2-day event. After a long drive Friday, Ben competed in the Weapons division and won 1st place. When we got back to the hotel we took in the feature cage match which was rather intense. Today Ben competed in forms and won another 1st place, sparring in his division gave him another 1st, and then he bumped up to the 15-17 year old division to find himself in 1st place again. Competing for grandchampions he was close but not to be this time. The competitors were all so amazing and the tournament ran quickly and smoothly. Way to go my karate kid!

A little gift for someone special

2009-04-28T13:57:00.000-07:00

I thought it would be a nice gift to give this lovely Tea sampler from Teaman. It contains the following quantities of each: 5 teabags of each flavour Raspberry and Peach herbal tea, Blueberry and Blackberry herbal , Mandarin Orange and Mango herbal tea, Chai black tea, Earl Grey black tea, Sencha green tea , Strawberry black tea, Cranberry tea, Vanilla black tea, Gingerbread tea , Raspberry Black tea, Chamomile Herbal tea, English Breakfast traditional black tea, Apple/Cinnamon spiced green tea, and Orange Spice green tea. For a total of 75 teabags, packed in individual 5 packs. Sounds good. Maybe someone will invite me over for a cuppa.

Day of Champions Tournament

2009-04-18T11:31:00.000-07:00

Great day for Ben. Here is one of his sparring matches. Today Ben came home with a 1st place sparring, 2nd place forms, and 4th place weapons.

Easter Bunny caught on camera

2009-04-15T07:45:00.000-07:00

How cute is that Easter Bunny?!?

Tab's Poetry Corner

2009-04-10T20:38:00.000-07:00

Tab has once again blessed us with another of her fine works. Check out her poem on the sidebar. Thanks my DDD.

The finished product:

2009-04-07T09:43:00.000-07:00

I love this quilt motif and the rich colours. For different views click on the picture.

Ben's Tournament Weekend

2009-04-05T05:54:00.000-07:00

Here's Ben (14-brown belt)in red/white, sparring a 17 year old black belt. He took a lot of penalties, missed out on a lot of points but gave the kid a run for his money.

Overall, competing against black belts this weekend, Ben ended up with 3rd place in weapons and 5th in sparring. He held his own against the big boys.

Ready to go on the quilt frames

2009-03-30T10:46:00.000-07:00

Here is the next quilt top to go up on the quilt frames. It is going to have a beautiful quilt motif in the middle of each wine coloured block, wrapped in lovely ribbons of blue.

Government Services

2009-03-30T07:36:00.001-07:00

Have you had a good experience dealing with government agencies or services. Today I went to apply for our passports. These will be required by June 1, 2009 for everyone wanting to cross the U.S./Canada border. Since our karate kid is competing almost every week at tournaments in the U.S. we needed to get this taken care of pronto. We have a small window of time before the next tournament so I thought if we had to surrender our birth certificates and be unable to cross the border, now was the time. So I went this morning, got a parking spot, paid for 2 hours parking and headed to the office. Let me tell you, they were so friendly, so fast , and so efficient. I forgot to fill out a part on one of the applications which required my hubby's signature, so we got the other two applications taken care of. Then I went to hubby's work (15 minutes away), got his signature, got back to my parking spot downtown, went back to the government office, and finished the application process. We even get to keep our birth certificates. I went back to my car and handed my parking receipt to an older couple who had just parked. I still had an hour left on that ticket! Wow, now that's service. Passports should be arriving at our home in a couple of weeks. I am very, very impressed.

Crazy for KD?

2009-03-24T06:56:00.000-07:00

Great old Mac 'n Cheese has been a family favourite forever. I am perfectly content to eat it straight up, my son has to have the ketchup on it, my daughter likes to experiment with all kinds of concoctions.

Here is my entry to the Kraft Dinner contest. The draw is on Friday and you can win a year supply of Kraft Dinner, a case of 35. Actually that would probably be polished off in a couple months at my house.

Another Tournament under his belt.

2009-03-21T14:19:00.000-07:00

Ben competed in another karate tournament after having a couple weeks off. He came back stronger than ever. He brought home four more trophies to add to his collection. He won 1st in Individual Forms, 1st in Team forms, and 1st in Sparring as well as 3rd in Weapons.

There was a bit of a scramble at the beginning, he was being called to 2 rings at the same time, so he was running back and forth literally between Team Forms and Weapons in separate rings. He signed in at each ring, ran back to Weapons and performed, ran back to Team Forms and performed, ran back to Weapons for scoring, ran back to Team Forms for scoring, ran back to Weapons to place and then back again to Team Forms to place all within a few minutes. It was crazy insane pressure but he did amazing. The day sure went by quickly.

Marley and Me

2009-03-18T05:18:00.001-07:00

I went to see the movie Marley and Me yesterday. I had read the book a million years ago and remembered that I had enjoyed it, and it's been forever and a day since I had been to see a movie. The commercials looked funny and I really like Jennifer Aniston, Owen Wilson is pretty funny too. I thought, oh this will be a great light hearted show to see. I love Marley, his antics hilarious, unless you're the one who has to clean up after him. The one thing I forgot, I cried when I read the book. I found the movie to be even more intense, I couldn't just hit the pause button and step away from the screen when I felt the tears welling up, like I would set the book down when I got to the emotional parts. I must have teared up a dozen times during the movie. Wow, what has happened to me? I've turned into such a sap. Oh well, I know I wasn't the only one. Anyone who has ever owned a pet can relate to how attached we get and how emotionally invested we are in these creatures.

Happy Birthday Snickers

2009-03-17T05:09:00.000-07:00

Wow, look how much she has grown. This picture was taken when we first brought Snickers home.

Here she is today, showing how tall she is on her 1st Birthday.

Happy Birthday Snickers!

The Purina website mentions that a cat's first 2 years is equivilent to 24 years to us and that they age 4 years every year after that. So that means Snickers is almost a teenager.

The Easter Bunny is coming to my house!

2009-03-16T08:54:00.000-07:00

I entered a giveaway from feltmeupdesigns and I won this most adorable little felt bunny. Check out this shop, there are the most wonderful little critters sure to make you smile.

HDTV

2009-03-16T05:04:00.000-07:00

Look at my goofy rabbit ears! This is what I have resorted to in order to keep up with technology and to keep up with my Survivor, Amazing Race and other beloved tv shows. My old tv isn't HDTV capable and because our rooftop antennae is also old and missing a few prongs rendering it incapable of pulling in the signals we have had to hook up these handy dandy rabbit ears along with the HDTV converter box.
So I was curious as to why we are all being forced into this new wave of program viewing other than "you get a better picture and more channels" since that answer didn't cut it for me. I was perfectly happy with my fuzzy few channels. So this answer made me feel much better about the whole situation:
Converting to DTV will also free up parts of the scarce and valuable broadcast airwaves. Those portions of the airwaves can then be used for other important services, such as advanced wireless and public safety services (for example, police, fire departments, and rescue squads).

Amazing Giveaway from ByHand Members

2009-03-15T09:52:00.000-07:00

Look at all the wonderful goodies in this:

Isn't this a beautiful, fantastic, awesome giveaway?
How sweet is this?
Hurry to enter by March 18. Good Luck!

Don't forget to register at Made by Hand by Me

Flying Kites on a Sunny Day

2009-03-14T19:24:00.000-07:00

Thats the name of this new rag quilt. I love the print. Daydreaming about a bright sunny day with those white puffy clouds floating around, running barefoot through a grassy meadow, laughing, giggling and watching as kites catch the gusts of wind that keep them soaring higher and higher 'til they almost touch those clouds above.

Paraskevidekatriaphobics

2009-03-13T07:27:00.000-07:00

There you go. They actually have a word for the "Friday the 13th" superstition. Paraskevidekatriaphobics, don't ask me how to pronounce it or to say it ten times fast, I can't even spit that one out once. Some believe that in the Bible, Christ was said to have been crucified on a Friday and the number of guests at the Last Supper were 13 and this is where the ‘Friday the 13th' reference originated from. The number 13 seems to be such an unlucky number that their is rarely a 13th floor in taller buildings. This is the second Friday the 13th this year and if we manage to get through this one relatively unscathed, we are free and clear until November. So cross your fingers, steer clear of ladders and black cats and have a great day!

Treasury

2009-03-11T17:03:00.001-07:00

Dear Sweet Audrey from AudreysCountryCrafts has included my quilt Diamonds in the Rough in her Treasury. I seriously feel so honoured and grateful. Thank you Audrey.