Wednesday, October 29, 2008

grandkids and God


thought you might find this cute :)

Monday, October 20, 2008

Tonight's Dessert




This is dessert for tonight. Pretty cool huh?

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Old fashioned v ersus new and improved

Yes I know I know!! Stop repeating conversations that I have with my grandchildren they are boring to everyone reading them hehehehe. Too bad.. my blog.. my stories lol..

Thursday's conversation between 4 year old Rosaleen and I as we are taking pictures of our little vegetable and herb garden that she has been helping me water and tend all summer. I took pictures and she wanted to see them on the little window on my camera. I have a Kodak Instamatic normal camera.

Click Click

R: Nana let me see
M: You can 't see, it's not that kind of camera
R: Yes just look in the window at the back

I show her the back... no window.. she ponders for a moment

R: then just hook it up to the computer
N: You can't hook this one up it doesn't have a spot to connect
R:Yes it does
N: no it doesn't
R: Yes it does
N: no it doesn't
R: Let me see

So I show her and she turns it around and around and I have to watch to make sure she doesn't open the door to ruin the film

R: SO how do we get the pictures out
N: We take them to the store
R:Why
N: Cause they can fix the pictures and then give us real ones
R: So the ones on your computer aren't real ones?
N (sigh) yes they are real just a different kind of real
R: So Nana just get Papa's camera he has a REAL real one that takes REAL real pictures (the emphasis on REAL is hers)
N: well Papa is at work right now and Nana wants to finish these pictures right now so we can take them to the store. I don't want to wait till he comes home
R: Nana you need a real camera
N:Yes I know I do but right now this is the one that Nana has and I like it and it works perfectly fine for me
R:well it only works if you are old fashioned

WHAT??? Where did she learn that word from and in that context???

Note to grown children of mine------

You will know that compared to your Memere's camera where you had to put in a NEW flashbulb for EVERY single picture you took my camera IS a new AND improved camera!!!

Tomato plants

Sage, Thyme, Oregano and Garlic Chives

Last of the Basil

Thursday, October 09, 2008

Scoop of the Race


Well here I am .. the end of the race. It has been an emotional journey, a physically demanding grueling at times, physically painful most days but I persevered and was determined I was going to do it if it was the last thing I do. I was expecting to do it alone with Keith but then some of my children rallied around me. And that surprised me but will tell you why that was later. I picked up the run kits the day before and I noticed she put 2 t-shirts in mine and so I asked why I got 2, 1 of them pink. She said "Oh all survivors get a pink shirt". I looked her straight in the eye and said "In our family we are all survivors." She was stumped at that one.

We had to get up very early and be at the train station by 7:30am. Now you all know and have been reading how I have been training to do this 5K run in under an hour. I was so determined to do it. We had 2 little granddaughters who have been in training with me and they were determined to be doing this race. I thought that meant IN the strollers. Nah,... not so much. Anyway when we got there and although we were early somehow we were in the wrong spot at the beginning and when he headed off we were about 3/4 way into the group of over 13,000 people and it probably took 10 minutes just to get to the start line.

It also took us till about the 2K mark to get going. I really wanted to get moving but those little legs of the toddlers just would not meet my stride and they didn't want to go into the stroller. It was a RACE!! So the little girls actually did over 3K of the race on their own 2 feet.During the times that Keith and I could convince then to sit in the stroller with the promise we would run very fast, I would run ahead and then wait up ahead to wait for the others to catch up. At the 4K mark all I could focus was finishing under that 1 hour. I lost focus of why I was doing this. I lost focus of who I was with and what they had given up to be there with me. By the time these thoughts were coming up I was coming up over the Cambie Street bridge... as I crested over the bridge I saw paramedics doing CPR on someone. It brought me up very very short. They kept moving us along and when I got to the bottom of the bridge I told Keith I would wait there for the others and explained what had happened and how I was feelng. He said I would not be able to make my time and I said I already made my time. My children and grandchildren and my soulmate are here.. what's an hour in the grand scheme of things??

So he went off to the finish line so that he could film us coming across. I waited for about 20 minutes before I finally saw them coming down off the bridge. I felt sooo bad. Lareta was waddling like she was 9 months pregnant. When she reached me she told me how much pain she was in. I told her I had painkillers with me and said said she did too but it was in her purse in HER stroller that I had taken off with. I said why didn't you call me I would have come back but her cell was in the stroller was. In our stroller was our son's water bottles. I felt so incredibly bad. Here there 2 children had over come some HUGE obstacles to be there and I had not raced with them. But the race is over and I love them for being there. And next race I do and my family is there my goal is going to be walking arm and arm all in a row everyone finishing at the same time. So what was my time? 1 hour 24 minutes.



This was our team shot:
From far left: Senthia, daughter in law Linda with little Rosaleen in front of her.Son Jody with grandson Darien in front of him. Jody has special soles in his shoes and has incredibly bad knees and anjkes but he was there to do this race with his Mum. Then Linda said well if he was going to do it she would as well. Then it is me with Latitia and little Miranda in front of me. Keith beside me with our daughter Lareta holding baby Kloie with her and granddaughter Britnee on the far right. I had made shirts for some of the granddkids saying I support Nana and some with the same saying except saying of Nana and Gramma and their other grandmother died of breast cancer 2 years ago. Our children had I support Nana, Keith's said I support my Love and Soulmate.I made some for EVERY member of our family even for those that don't live here as I could not have done this without them. Ever.

Keith and I..if this ever happens agin hope you have a husband like Keith. There is NO GREATER love and supportive man then this one. None.

This is a picture of our son Jody, his wife Linda and daughter Rosaleeb


Pictures of our daughter Lareta and her children. I was so sad at the way I had left her behind :( She just had a newborn baby and had been on bed rest for about 4 months before the baby was born. She had dislocated pelvic joint which is still not healed and very painful and here she was to support me and I left her behind. I will remember that moment for a very long time.

tattoo that Rosaleen insisted i needed.. she called them Butterly Kisses :O








I racked my brain trying to figure out what kind of tshirt I could make for Kloie. She is so small nothing I wrote on the shirt would have worked then I thought UH HUH.. I transferred the pink ribbon on her little cheeky butt heheh



Time to go home and these kids were so tired. That was a long run for them!!





One of my mom's cousin who I had never met had written to me when she found out I was doing the race. She called me a Warrior Woman and so this picture was just for her :)







It's been months since they told her about it
The darkness her body possessed
And the scars are still there in the mirror
Everyday that she gets herself dressed
Though the pain is miles and miles behind her
And the fear is now a docile beast
If you ask her why she is still running
She'll tell you it makes her complete

I run for hope
I run to feel
I run for the truth
For all that is real
I run for your mother your sister your wife
I run for you and me my friend I run for life

It's a blur since they told me about it
How the darkness had taken its toll
And they cut into my skin and they cut into my body
But they will never get a piece of my soul
And now I'm still learning the lesson
To waken when I hear the call
And if you ask me why I am still running
I'll tell you I run for us all

And someday if they tell you about it
If the darkness knocks on your door
Remember her remember me
We will be running as we have before
Running for answers
Running for more

Next year I will be training for the 60K race 4 day marathon. As well as the 5K one which I will do with my children and grandchildren and I will walk side by side with them and enjoy the blessings that come with being alive. And being with them. Hopefully you will ALL come join me for either of them. We need to end this disease. I will do it.. Will you do it with me?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0myvLD0zpAM

Thank you so much for listening to me talk about this race for the last couple of months. It has made the whole world to me! Thanks you

Tuesday, October 07, 2008

Race wrap up

Sorry I haven't posted about the race. They took team pictures there but I can't get them till the 8th so as soon as I can upload them I will do a detailed account for the event. Stay tuned to tomorrow!!

Monday, October 06, 2008

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Saturday, October 04, 2008

Wal Mart Super Centre

So Lareta and I finally got around to checking out the new Wal Mart Supercentre. I was supposed to pick up my runner kits but they weren't there yet so we decided to check the store out. We sis the tour of most of it.. then hit the tire section which made us both ill so we left that whole section away.

The bad points:
1. They had the air conditioning running at full blast freezing our buns off
2, The staff are not trained very well.. I asked one worker where they kept molasses and was told they didn't carry then.. weird.. then I end up finding it and showing him where it was

The good points:
1. It was great in the fact that we didn't have to climb in and out half a dozen times to go to different errands. Everything under one roof.
2. They have a choice for lunches other then McDonald
3.. They have a hair salon and a nail salon.The good points:
4. It is closer for me to drive there
5. Its closer then going to Guildford

Weould I ever go back. Probably not. I like my neighboorhood Safeway where they call me by name. I can walk there and it allows me to do just a few stuff at the store that I can carry hone. It would be a day truip in going and the would be able tio findhenn

Wednesday, October 01, 2008

Hallowe'en treats

I came across this info and thought some of you might find it interesting seeing as how all these treats are so temptingly displayed all over stores etc.. and if you are tempted after the actual Halloween to dip into your children's goodie bags for "just one treat" hehehe

I don’t mean to ruin everyone’s Halloween fun. It’s a great Halloween. And we all deserve a little treat now and then. And I’m not saying, “Don’t you dare stick that Snicker’s bar in your mouth!” I’m saying everything in moderation. Just for fun, let’s do a little math. Let’s say after your child comes back from trick-or-treating you raid his or her bag and gobble up four fun size snicker’s bars and a Reese’s Cup. Come on…you know it’s a realistic number. That’s a total of 400 extra calories in one night. Then, let’s say for the next four days you basically munch on the same amount throughout the day (darn those co-workers for bringing in their leftover candy)! Your excess calories for five days now amount to 2000. This is fun, isn’t it? Okay, a 135 lb person walking at a leisurely (think walking the dog) pace for one hour burns approximately 215 calories. So to cancel out the five days of candy munching, you will need to walk an extra 9.3 hours that week!

http://walking.about.com/library/cal/blhalloweencalories.htm

Those little Halloween candies looking at you from the bowl, little, bright colored and just jumping up with the sweet chocolate that you know that you love so much are very very evil. You know you want one, you yearn for one or two but as you try you just can not say no….or can you?

Halloween candy is some of the worst stuff that you can eat. It is small so you do not worry too much about the calories (even if you eat 20), it is high in saturated fat, and there is so much around at this time of year that it is hard to avoid. In fact it would be hard to find an office building anywhere in america that does not have a few bowls of Halloween candy lieing around on November 1st.

Here are the calories for some Halloween candies:

Nestle’s Crunch - Fun Size 3 bars=210 calories
Peanut M&M’s - Fun Pack 2 bags=80 calories
M&M’s - Fun Pack 2 bags=180 calories
Snicker’s - Fun Size 2 bars=160 calories
Milky Way - Fun Size 2 bars=150 calories
Kit Kat - Fun Size 2 bars=100 calories
Hershey Chocolate Bar - Fun Size 1 bar=90 calories/ 5grams of fat
Reese’s Cup - 1 cup=80 calories
Butterfinger - Fun Size 1 bar= 100 calories
Twix - Fun Size 1 bar= 80 calories
York Peppermint Pattie - 1 pattie=70 calories
Twizzlers - 1 treat size pkg= 45 calories
Almond Joy - 1 snack size bar = 90 calories
Milk Duds - 1 treat size box = 40 calories
Butterfinger - 1 snack size bar = 100 calories
Milky Way - 1 snack size bar = 90 calories
SweetTarts - 1 treat size pkg. = 50 calories
1 Tootsie Pop - 1 pop = 60 calories
1 Tootsie Roll - 1 small roll = 13 calories

Note: Calorie content is based on 1 serving of Halloween snack or fun size packages, not full size servings found in the candy aisle.

If you are not worried about all of these extra calories over the next week that is fine, but if you would like to avoid Halloween candy and the calories that they offer here is a few tips.

1. Change the way that you think about the little Halloween candy. Most of us will associate these candies with childhood and that carefree feeling, instead think of them as something that will raise your blood sugar and make you jumpy.

2. Eat properly so you can stay away from Halloween candy. If you keep yourself on track for eating then avoiding the Halloween candy is easier because you will not be hungry.

3. Only buy the Halloween candy that you do not like. What may be tough for someone to resist may not be too hard for you to resist.

4. Decide what you are willing to eat ahead of time. Look at the list above, there are some good decisions that you can make that will stop you from making this a weight gain holiday by eating the right Halloween candy. I am a big fan of Tootsie Rolls and those are apparently OK to eat.

5. Just stay away. there is some willpower involved in not eating the things that we are not supposed to eat. Have some willpower and you can stay away from treats, it is only a one week holiday anyway, right?