Putting my order in Now!

That is: My order for the patience of a saint.

I'm not a huge morning person like I used to be. I enjoy getting up quietly to coffee and a book or snuggles. Well, I'd best get over it. I can't complain- when Kyle goes to work at 7 Hayley stirs and I join her in her bed for another hour or two {She's in a twin bed}. But once that time is up there is NO quiet. In fact, its the opposite: like a broken record Hayley beings with whatever word she wants first that day and proceeds to say it, or a chain of words, over and over and over again. Like... at least 50 times each. This morning was "Diaper. Diaper." and so on. I said "yes, let's change your diaper." Then I said "yes, we've changed it." "Yep, that's your doll's diaper." And so on. When kids start doing this they're just learning. One thing to remember: you don't have to respond every single time. Another thing to remember: they aren't trying to annoy you. They are precious and getting smarter by the day. And while she does grow smarter, I will be ordering in a LOT of patience. As sweet as she is and as harmless as this activity is, it isn't like music to my ears I'll be honest!

Then... around 11 we headed to Safeway for some fresh spices & produce as we do frequently. Today I thought I'd change it up and let her walk in stead of sticking her in a cart. I didn't have much to buy so I just brought my green bags and then she asked to bring "Baby Hannah" {a doll} and her "Stroller. Stroller. Stroller. Stroller..." So we began our shopping on the card aisle, chosen by Hayley and company. She wanted to go down every. single. aisle. It was like pulling teeth to get her to just come down the few aisles I needed to hit up! So there I was again ordering in some more patience! By the time I got to the spices Hayley had abandoned Baby Hannah {now riding in the green bag with some ginger and onions} and it was all I could do to get her to stand and wait in the till cue! I thought to myself, "Oh hey, they invented something to avoid this: A shopping cart!" So all a could do is laugh. We survived & she's already asking for her "nap. nap. mommy nap time. mommy nap time..." before we've even eaten lunch! So maybe it wasn't the worst idea in the world.

ps nope, I didn't get any pictures!

Here's to "normal"

So we've made our return to Edmonton now. Everything went quite smoothly. The plane was delayed in-air because of strong headwinds, which we are now feeling down on the ground in blustery, snow covered Canada as March is starting to head towards April. It's been sitting around zero degrees celsius most days.

Hayley is learning all about keeping on her socks, mitts & touque.

Friday: Arrive @ airport way too early in the AM, wait forever for 2 trunks, 1 suitcase, 2 gate-checks, 1 pack-n-play & a carseat to show up in baggage claim. Drive 45 mins from Airport to friend's house where Hayley promptly goes to bed & mom and dad stay up far too much longer trying to find things in our trunks that arrived here from Africa before us (7 in total). Spent the rest of the day making 2 runs to Superstore, unpacking & napping.

Saturday: Why wait for the fun times? Met up with friends and hit up the West Edmonton Mall indoor waterpark. *MOMS for your future reference: Don't take your kids to the warm controlled climate, people-packed waterpark on your first day back in Canada during cold & flu season then promptly leave the mall and head back into the snow on a moment's notice.

Sunday: Sure enough, Mom & Baby girl have signs of colds. Hayley even had a cough coming on.

Flash forward to the following Saturday after a pretty miserable first week on the couch with kleenex, saline and vicks: We are in the Stony Plain E.R. and Hayley is diagnosed with pneumonia.

Flash forward to our 3rd weekend in Canada and we are finally on our feet again. This past weekend finally felt normal. Kyle worked all week last week & Hayley & I were home together/running errands. Hayley was back to her normal happy self Friday as she made her (second) debut to Kyle's grandparents flawlessly. We spent Saturday night with close friends grilling, sipping tea & coffee & chatting it up- wives sitting in the kitchen, husbands on the couch with firearms of course... this IS Alberta!

So here's to "normal" finally! As I type Kyle is at work, Hayley is dancing to some Colbie in the living room & I'm about to throw some supper in the croc pot (aka my BEST friend).  Oh, and there's still snow on the ground outside where we'll be having our afternoon walk in down filled coats.

Final touches

Today during Hayley's nap, I made my last pecan pie with fresh pecans from my grandpa's tree for a while!

{This is my Grandma's (aka Nanny) Famous Recipe, not just any pecan pie!

1 C White corn syrup

1 C Sugar

1/2 stick (aka 1/2 cup) butter, melted or softened

3 eggs, beaten

1 Tbsp vanilla flavouring

Mix together, then add in 1 C chopped pecans

Pour into 2 uncooked, regular pie shells or 1 deep dish pie shell. My hubby prefers homemade pastry shells, or you can buy them frozen or get the Pillsbury pie shells ready to mix & roll out. 

Bake @ 350 for exactly 30 minutes. I usually set my timer for 20, then 10 more judging by the colour of the shell & if the filling has set yet. }

Pecans are a dime a dozen down here in Alabama, but when we return to Edmonton they can be pretty pricey at places like Safeway & Sobey's.

Besides making this lovely pie:

We packed the last of our bags for returning to Canada today finishing the count at 2 trunks & 1 suitcase weighing exactly 50 lb, 1 pack n play, 2 rolling carry-on's around 20 lb each and 2 backpacks: 1 for the laptop, 1 is our diaper bag... both from MEC obviously :)
{WE WILL NEVER TRAVEL THIS HEAVY-LOADED AGAIN I PRAY, but you have to do that going to and from foreign countries for months at a time!}
This big pack was the last airplane pack leaving us with just one more pack when we move out of the basement suite into our rental in a couple months.

I got together a gift basket for my cousins who are expecting their very first baby girl, Lily Adele.

We had a crock pot roast for lunch.

I went on a diapers & wipes run to WalMart. Although, its looking more and more like Miss Hayley is ahead of her time and will be beginning to potty train once we're settled into our own place again. Just in time for the twins' little diapers TIMES TWO.

My mom & I made cement stepping stones for her garden with Hayley's handprints & some tile mosaics in them.

And now I've blogged! And I'm exhausted!