Day 66: Canadian Tire

This is a store that is like Sears, Home Depot and Walmart all rolled together. I love it. I just like to go and wander around and look at stuff, which Nick hates. He'll only go with me if there is something we need to buy.

Also they have these:

This is Canadian Tire money. You receive a certain amount whenever you purchase something. You save them up and spend them like cash in any Canadian Tire store.
I currently have 65 cents worth saved up. I figure in three years we should have enough saved to buy something nice.
Like a house plant maybe? Or a really nice rake.

Day 64: Mormons on parade

Lydia, Diana, Linda, Marilyn, Kathleen, Gail, Sherree, Jeanette, Myriam, Linda

Today I joined this group of lovely ladies from church for a service project. We donned these very stylish and flattering vests to clean up a section of road.
I was very excited for this project because I thought it would be an opportunity to pick up dozens, maybe hundreds of Tim Hortons cups. People of Canada, you let me down when I needed you most.
I found a total of three Tim Hortons cups. Another lady in my group found two.
I was so dismayed, I didn't even ask the other groups how many they found.
My friend Gail says maybe the coffee drinkers of Ontario read my blog and have been shamed into throwing their cups in trash cans. Maybe...but then what would I take pictures of?

This is the sign in front of my kids' school. 

Tim Hortons Camp?

Day 63: This blog's for you

You may have noticed that I am not posting much lately, and when I do I'm not writing much. That is partly because I have not felt much like writing, and partly because I have been found out.
This blog has been infiltrated.
By Canadians.
I have people commenting on posts at church, or telling me "I've heard so much about your blog!"
I am hesitant to write about the things I find odd because inevitably someone will tell me that not all Canadians think/say/do those things.
Yes, I know, dear Canadian friends. You may be surprised to hear that not all Utahns are Republicans! It's true!
While I welcome anyone and everyone to read my blog, please know that I am mostly writing to my friends and family in Utah, to show them things that are different here.
It's never been my intent to poke fun (OK, maybe a little) but never in a negative way. Our experience here has been very positive so far.
Every person I have met or even briefly encountered has been extremely friendly, polite and very willing to help. Thank you thank you thank you for your kindness.

(couldn't help myself)

Day 59: I like to move it move it!

I am now a member of this

Glad to be getting back into this

Excited for this

this

and this

I've heard good things about this

Nervous (but excited) to attempt this

I have been assured these things hold 1000 pounds. I asked.

I might give this a second chance. Or not. Too ouchie!

Yay me!

Day 55: Wake up

I have fallen into a rut these past couple weeks.

My couch, daytime TV and I have become much too friendly.

As I sat pondering a schedule or some other way to organize myself so as not to spend all day sleeping and/or watching Judge Joe Brown,
I was reminded of a song my kids learned in preschool. (link)

When the red, red robin comes bob, bob, bobbin' along, along

There'll be no more sobbin' when he starts throbbin' his old sweet song

Wake up, wake up you sleepy head

Get up, get up, get outta bed

Cheer up, cheer up the sun is red

Live, love, laugh and be happy now

So what if I were blue, I'd still be walking through fields of flowers

Rain may glisten but still I'll listen for hours and hours

I'm just a kid again doing what I did again, singing a song

When the red, red robin comes bob, bob, bobbin' along

Good advice, Mr. Robin

Day 54: Giant Tiger!

(en français s'il vous plaît)

How to describe this store...it's somewhere between a dollar store and Walmart, or like a small version of Kmart. Or maybe Big Lots (used to be MacFrugals) in Provo? With a grocery store. 

And lots of cheap crap. 

Not that there's anything wrong with that. I'm a fan of cheap.

We have been trying out different stores to see where the best prices are. I don't think we'll be doing much grocery shopping here. 

They have some good prices, but not a huge food selection. It may be a good alternative to the dreaded Walmart for stuff like socks and underwear for the kids. 

Someday we'll get this all figured out. 

Day 52: Love from home

Here is my couch where I sat wondering what to do today.

Here is the brave and strong man that delivers my mail. 

(not really, but it's a great picture - courtesy CanadaPost)

Here is the package that my actual mail person brought. 

Here is what the package contained.

The problem?

Girl Scouts don't put nearly enough cookies in the box  :(

*Thanks Martha!*

Day 50: Peace

Last week was rough, but all is well.
Nick and I got up early this morning (on a Saturday 8AM is very early) We went to the local farmer's market to buy lovely veggies, fresh bread, meat and the best butter (you have to get there early or the good stuff is gone) then ran a couple other errands.

Back home at about noon, we were all peacefully enjoying the day - Nick on his laptop, Deven out adventuring on his skateboard, Emma and Christa reading, Ethan playing his computer games.
I was reading a church magazine filled with pictures of Temples.

"We should go to the Temple today."
I said, expecting Nick to say no, not today, too far, other things to do...but to my surprise he said, "OK. Let's go."

So we did!
It was beautiful and peaceful and just what I needed.






PS - Thanks for the encouragement, Denny. It means a lot :)

Day 48: In memoriam

 Our friend Parrot was 12 years old. He had a good life. I guess Canada was too much for this old guy.

Day 45: Venture

Because the kids had the day off school, we decided to take the advice of a local and venture an hour south to Lake Erie.

Day 44: Thankful

Today I am thankful to have my family gathered together, listening to uplifting words, singing He is Risen, and eating sickeningly sweet cream filled chocolate eggs.
I am thankful that the kids are not too big to be excited about getting coloring books for Easter, and that they spent several hours happily coloring.
I am thankful to be in this beautiful country. The doors and windows are open wide to let the sunshine, cool breeze and the sound of singing birds in to mingle with the Tabernacle Choir.

Most of all I am thankful for our Savior.

Day 43: Good Friday

(sorry day 43 is late...let's pretend it's still Friday)

Remember the lattice I want to have on my fence? This is the day it was supposed to happen.
This morning there was a pancake breakfast at church followed by a hike casual stroll through a conservation park.

(wet dog)

After we dropped the whiny kids and wet dog off at home, Nick and I set out for The Home Depot for some lumber and screws.

First we stopped by Value Village to see if there was anything interesting to be had.

Closed for Good Friday. OK, no big deal.

Next stop - Home Depot. Closed. Lowes? Closed. Mom and Pop local lumber store? Closed.

"Well, lets try Walmart" says Nick.

"If it's not open, I'm going to push something over." I say.

Guess what. It was closed. Tim Hortons cups tumbling like tumbleweeds through the empty parking lot.

Nick - "Do you want me to let you out so you can push something over?"

Me - "No, I'll be OK"

Help me out here, Utah friends. Does everything shut down for Good Friday there? I didn't think so, but I'm not sure I'm remembering correctly.

Day 41: Sunshine

Good golly it's beautiful outside today!

I spent the day out in my little yard raking, pulling weeds and digging grass out of the cracks in the patio.

This is the view from my bedroom upstairs. 

The whole yard is probably only 160 square feet. I'm totally OK with that. 

Much less to take care of and all the dog does is lay around and poop, so it's perfect.

That lattice on the ground is our project this weekend. It's going up on the fence so I can grow vine-y plants on it to make the yard feel more private.

I always think everyone is looking at me when I'm outside...