The Long Way Home

The Long Way Home by Supertramp is running through my head while I'm looking at these pictures. We drove on the Icefield Parkway down to Calgary and I was lucky to grab these pics along the way.

It was a great drive down. The roads were a bit icy in spots, but there were hardly any cars out, it was lovely and quiet.

It was a great day for stopping along the way to breath in the icy fresh air, and snap a few pics.

7th Inning Stretch

On the way back home from BC after Christmas, we decided to stretch our legs along the way.

Sunwapta Falls is a great little spot to do just that. I haven't seen it in the summer, we usually make better time on the roads, but it sure was a pretty spot in mid-winter....

Peek-a-boo

Wait a second...I feel like I'm in a 'Where's Waldo' print...

Maybe if I just stay still they won't see me.....

D-oh! Couldn't help it...I have to look to see if they're looking!!!

Whew!!! I think I'm safe....they're just passing through....

Sticki-dooing

Ski-dooing is alot of fun.

OOoo!ooooo!!! Let ME drive!!!!

The royal wave, and they're off!!! See???!!! You can easily fit three on this thing!!!!

The Gift of the Year

I was trying to think how I would introduce this, and those who know me (and know me well) know it is a very rare occasion that I am at a loss for words....but I was laughing so hard that someone 1. would think to invent this, and 2. god love my mother-in-law, but we had plenty of yucks at her expense.

Hindsight, of course, is 20/20...I only wish I had captured my brother-in-law's stunned expression when his 4 year old daughter yanked that bad boy out of her Christmas stocking....

Bbbbbbbbbbahahahahaha!!!!

Under the Tree

Christmas, is after all, for the kiddies.

I say this all the time, but I really could care less if I never received one present under the tree, my joy is seeing the reaction of the people I have given presents to.

Sometimes due to logistics or distance, a gift certificate is the best choice, but when you can, something well thought out and from the heart wins hands down every time.

What girl doesn't like a pony???

"Ooooohhhhh, it's a PO-NEEE!!!!" That make it all worth while for me. I was surprised at that, considering I think the poor dear was still half asleep!

The funny thing is at that time my mother-in-law was in the process of making a fabulous fruit salad while this was going on, and somehow the pony got named 'Grapefruit'.

I have absolutely no comeback for that one!

Santa's Reindeer

We came across Santa's reindeer on the way to the cottage for Christmas.

Lucky for us we were paying attention, it would have been a tragedy for Santa trying to haul that sleigh short a few reindeer!!!!

Christmas Eats

My family gears most of what we do around food.


I'm not quite sure if it's the French or the Greek in me, but when we get together, there are lots of eats to be had.


This Christmas was spent with my inlaws at their summer cottage. The weather cooperated and we were able to go walking and skidooing (sticki-dooing by some).


Christmas Eve's Eve was great, I was very touched that my mother-in-law went to the trouble of making sure I had tortiere (as is my side of the family's christmas tradition on the eve of Christmas)....she even had pickled beets!!! ....so I was in heaven!


Next day came the trussed up bird. My father-in law reminded me of my grandfather the way he trussed up that turkey...had the turkey been alive, it wouldn't have stood a chance!

Gold, Frankincense & Myrrh

When these three words are mentioned in one single sentence, many images come to mind:

-Three Wise Men (ha!! had they been that Wise, they would have asked for directions...ba duhn duhn)

-Birthday gifts - I'm not sure how a newborn would have played with these items...of course it's the thought that counts

-Riches both valuable and mysterious

Yes they could be all of the above, but in my household we are very fortunate to have the Three Wise Men all rolled up in one Little Bear.

Worth more than any gold, Paden's first Christmas card that he wrote in his own hand.

The clay lady came to visit the school and this was the end result: a lovely little snowman in the forest with a candle/campfire....you could say Frankincense - we just call him Frank for short.


Last but certainly not least is myrrh. What the heck is myrrh???? Very good question.

I'm not quite sure myself, but I think it would look similar to the lovely little flecks that accompanied the candle craft that Paden did at his daycare program.

I wouldn't trade these riches for any others in the world.

We are so truly blessed.

Thank you Paden for your lovely gifts to us - I promise to hold them dearer than the greatest treasures.

Professional Christmas Spirit

Sometimes it's hard to get into the Christmas spirit...not so where I work.

When you think about it, you spend a good chunk of your waking hour at your place of work. So why wouldn't you have a little bit of fun?

Why not, indeed???!!

We decided the best way to get into the festive spirit, was to have a 'Colorful Christmas Cubicle Contest'. We just finished renovating the work place, and what better way to spruce it up than with a bit of garland???

So that's what we did.

The local television station caught wind of it and came out to film the story and be the judge as to who merited the 1st Annual contest 1st prize.

Prizes were given out, and it got pretty competive between Sales, Accounting, and Payroll.

But the most important part is that everyone had alot of fun and alot of laughs!

Ho HO HOOO!!!!

Nooooo, not another chocolate.....

I'm not much of a sweet tooth generally speaking...

I tend toward the popcorn/potato chip genre, but every once in a while it is lovely to have one of those sweet little confections to pop into your mouth...

However, today, I had had just about enough.

Bernard Callebaut, Godiva, Laura Secord, Purdy's....I think I've tried, I'm sure, at least one of each kind over the last two weeks. 'Thank you for your valued patronage over the past year....here have another chocolate!!'

Tis the season....ho ho ho...hold the chocolates. Crimeny!!!

Here's the thing, and I think it's genetic, because all the women in my family will most likely say the same thing - if it's not there, as in, the line of sight, it's not a big deal....

The problem is when you KNOW it's there, well, you just must have....it, them, the box....

And to take it one step further, and my sisters will concur on this, that we were raised in such a way that we 'ate everything that was on our plate', so who are we to go against the 'nature/nurture' philosophy that we were lovingly reared on....

....speaking of rear, after all that chocolate indulging I'd better be dusting off the treadmill!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Most people who know me will attest to my inability (or desire) to be politically correct most times.
Sometimes that does work in my favor, other times - not so much.

I was speaking to my sister today about being on 'this side of the pond' for Christmas.
We got into the discussion about how much more 'Christmas' friendly they seem to be everywhere else except in North America...heaven forbid someone actually says 'Merry Christmas' outloud.

Hello!
Every year, I can't wait, I mean, really, really can not wait to be able to wish someone, anyone, a Merry Christmas. I love it. And you know what??? So do they.

Starting December 1, out it comes....'Merry Christmas'....at the gas station, the grocery store, the bank, you name it...the salon, the mall, the convenience store, the coffee shop.

'Thank you...and Merry Christmas'... sometimes it's funny to see the looks on people's faces.
I love it.
You say it....then you get the double take....then slowly, ever so slowly the smile appears and gets bigger and wider...they give a quick nod and then say, 'yes! Merry Christmas to you too!'

The way I see it, life's too bloody short to worry about 'offending' someones otherwise delicate sensibilities on saying Merry Christmas....
Happy Holidays, Season's Greetings, Best of the Season to you....screw that marshmallow wimpy way out!!!! Strap on a set of jingle balls!!!

Be loud, be proud...'Merry Christmas to All!!!!'...after all, 'tis the season....whether you're politically correct or not....and while I'm at it Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Feliz Navidad and Joyeux Noel.

Deep Observations....by Mark on Weiners

Okay.
Why do they sell hot dog buns in packs of 8, but only sell the weiners in packs of 12?

Deep Observations....by Mark on Speedometers

What's the point of having a speedometer that goes to 220 kms per hour when you're only permitted by law to drive 110km/hr?

Not the Venti, Grande's Plenty

I admit it. My name is Lisette, and I'm a latteholic.
Sad, truly.

We decided to pick up a little 'pick me up' for the drive up to Edmonton to get Paden on Sunday, and stopped by Starbuck's.

They would be horrified if I walked in and asked for a 'double double'!!!

'I'll have a grande peppermint white chocolate mocha with whip please' I tell the barrista at the counter. That's alot of thinking - size, item, accessories...

The cute little barristo making my mocha asks, 'What was that again?', with marker in hand so he can identify it on the cup. 'You want me to repeat that??? Oy, you're hurting my head' I laugh. 'It's good practice' he quips back. Cheeky little thing...cute though, as I wonder if he's actually old enough to be working in there...heehee

So out we go to the truck, lattes in hand. To the right of the truck in the next parking stall is this guy, bent at the waist rubbing his finger on the side of this little Acura coupe. So feeling equally cheeky at seeing his backside I say, 'There's nothing you can do about the dirt, it's winter, you'd better get used to it!!' The guy stands up straight, turns around and lo and behold it's my little barristo!!!

He was pretty good natured about the barb and says,'I just got it painted'.
So I guess he is old enough to work in there as he must have a driver's licence.
Mark comes around from the other side of the truck to look at this little sport's car.

'Niiiccce car', I said. Guy's like it when you tell them they have a nice car.
'Obviously we're in the wrong line of work my dear', I say to Mark.
We think maybe we should be working at Starbuck's!!!!
Barristo boy thought it was funny...I think it's rather sad (not really)......heehee.

Canadian Idle

Before you say, 'hey you've spelled that wrong', i'm here to tell you no I haven't.
Canadian Idle, Calgary Idle...this is what we do on the way to work - or better this is 'how' we get to work...we idle to work because every wimp with a driver's licence is paranoid about snowflakes!

I think that all driver's licences should be issued in the winter and in order to obtain one, people need to demonstrate their ability to drive in winter conditions.

Needless to say I was an hour late for work this morning. We got maybe 5cm of snow, so now I'm wondering if it might just be better to stay at home if it snows 15cm.....

....works for me.

The Science of Ice

So I'm at school picking up Paden.
They do alot of fun activities with them, and I knew as I was putting on Paden's jacket that he had been outside that afternoon because his mittens were a bit wet.
As I go to zip up his jacket, I notice that his right pocket was dripping...
Now, it's -15C here so I know he hasn't fallen into a puddle!
'Bud, what did you do to your jacket?' I ask as I am attempting to absorb the wetness with my mitt...
That's when I felt the huge bulk inside the pocket.
I open up the pocket to find a huge chunk of ice inside!!!
'I was saving it for later', he says.
I'm like, well, it must have been a pretty big piece cause at the end of the day, it was still the size of my fist!
We both had a pretty good laugh along with the promise that all subsequent snowballs will be left outside where they can live long and prosperous lives!!!

What would you do for a Barcalounger?

Now you can see why it's so much fun going to the hockey games, where else could you get adults to play 'musical chairs'??

What would you do for a Big Mac?

Still on the hockey game....at the intermission they have 'Dance for your dinner'...as you can see it's quite entertaining!! The camera scans the crowd to see who's shaking their booty....and then if the crowd cheers loud enough, they win dinner at mickey d's...

Teddy Bear Toss 2007

Today was a great day. We took our three amigos and went to the Hitmen's 'Teddy Bear Toss' hockey game. We arrived early so that we could find parking.

It was a very cold day today, -18C, but that did not dampen our spirits, we knew we would get to see some great hockey.

There's Paden, Mark, and the three amigos Dave Darryl and Larry.

We thought we did pretty good with our choice of teddy's but these folks really went all out...

And this is where they were tossed after the Hitmen's First Goal of the game....

I got beaned by a teddy or two, but not nearly as bad as the one's seated in the club seat section!!

It took about a half hour to get all these teddies rounded up and on to these trucks...

By the end of the game we were told that the attendance was just over 17, 000 people and that almost 27,000 bears were collected for those less fortunate. It was amazing to see so many bears on the ice!! We won the game, and since the Hitmen scored more than 5 goals, we received coupons for Wendy's burgers to boot! Everybody won today, and it was great!!!

Three Amigos

Dave: 'Hi! I'm Dave'.

Darryl: 'I'm Darryl'.

Larry: 'Woof!'

Dave: 'Dude, why are you barking? You can talk you know, it's a special occasion'.

Larry: 'Oh, okay. Hi, I'm Larry.'

All: '''And we're the three amigos'''.

Darryl: 'You may ask, Darryl why are you just sitting there on the couch?'

Dave: 'Well, we're getting ready to go to a special hockey game'.

Larry: 'Woof!! Woof!!!'....'I mean, that's way cool!!!!'

Dave: 'Dudes!!! How did we end up wrapped up???'

Darryl: 'Oh no!! Man! I'm claustrophobic!!!'

Larry: 'WOOF!!!'

Dave: ' Chill my Dudes. It's all for a good cause. You wouldn't want us to get our fur dirty in the toss wouldja??'

Larry: 'Toss??!! I don't want to be tossed!!!'

Darryl: 'Stuff it Larry, this is for charity!'

Take THAT Linsday Wagner!!

'We can make you stronger....'

No. Wait a minute...that's the six million dollar man, not the bionic woman!


Of course I would never suggest that I'm stronger than the average bear, or for that matter, smarter than the average bear...where am I going with this blahg you ask? I haven't a clue I sez to myself.


I had a thought and than poof! gone.


What can I say? it's hard work to make things funny, so I guess I must be working pretty hard, cause looking back things usually seem funnier than they are when they actually happen.


Take for instance, the other evening. We were still at the point of selling our house when we decided (well actually it was my husband) that we should steam clean some of the carpets.

So off we troddle to the store to pick one up.


Once that was all said and done, I loaded (or tried to) the darn thing into the back of the truck when it developed a mind of its own and didn't want to go back.

So idiot that I am, instead of letting it fall to the ground, I stick my hand out to catch it (cause of course I'm the bionic woman)....and manage to break my hand.


Gasp! you say.

I have gone through life missing , nay longing to know what it like to have broken bones...well wait no longer says the evil steam cleaner!



Doesn't that look bionic to you?

Well think about this....do you have any idea what a feat it was to take that picture? LOL
Or to type this blahg??


As my sister sez, shall I call you a wahmbulance?




Just watch as I leap my house in a single bound....
No. Wait a minute...that's Superman.