making BuffaloVeggieLasagne....

...And it smells mighty good bakin'in the oven right now! Our weather is SO crazy! I love it-I am on my way to being some kind of arts and craft addict, no i guess i'm not that bad. Recently I heard there is a fine line between insanity and creativity. How true is that? I really want to make tons of Christmas stuff but mostly it will happen when I am asleep, that is in my dreams. My brain is excited but my energy is still too low. Need more rest and a lot more WATER! I guess the reason so many grandmas have the time to create is because they don't have all consuming little ones under foot or giggling under the covers a with flashlights. My little monkey can read! I can't believe it. He'S reading up a lostorm. It is very exciting to be a part of that. Speaking of books...
The books are here! Contact me for pickup or drop off. This should be a good one! I love MaryEllenEdmunds. She is such an interesting, funny, amazing women, one of many who inspires me. Wanting to join us? You can contact me. We're even trying to set up a virtual section where others can participate online for some outoftowners wanting to participate. Remember for every purchase you can receive Deseret Reward Points which can go directly toward purchases anytime.

Pictures stolen from Tricia's blog, check 'em out

Hematoma!

Wow who knew magnets could provide a 5 year old with hours of fun on a white board easel! Anastasia had a nasty fall and has fat lips, cut lips, and a yuchy bloody mess on her top gums, spent day in ER yester, discharged from suture room with popsicles and advise only, keeps bleeding, off to the doctor. Poor baby is very unhappy and doesn't like to eat, only nurse, why did i not think of poopsicles, frozen bananas good too, update to follow

Are you Crafty?

Sleep need sleep

Well I peed on a stick and it says we are not pregnant but my body and heart say and feel differently. I was however very surprised how it affected me. It was disappointing. Daddy was relieved. We were both getting used to the fact that #3 was coming a little sooner than expected. I am still late though, we'll see. We looked at a cute little house on Durham Street, a bit small but very cosy. Why am I so tired?
More later
betty

I'LL GIVE YOU THREE GUESSES

AND THREE CLUES:
Everytime I sit down in the car I immediately fall asleep or want to.
Nausea galore.
Now we really need to move.
It's too soon to say anything to anyone but I couldn't contain my excitement so I thought I would publish it for the whole world to see.
Congratulations Josip and Daniela! You two are doing a good job growing that precious little baby girl-Jilian.

Another day another dollar

Brutal and busy in emergency and all over the hospital the majority of the time. Why don't they lock the front doors? Possibly it has something to do with the hypocratic oath or compassion or healing or politics or money or obligation. Yes, we are trying to uphold some integrity and provide the best care even if you have no fixed address. Some people think their patients are the only ones who need immediate attention. There are a few who seem to be unaware of the seriousness of the emergency, trauma, intensive care, surgical and other acute care patients. I am glad to be gone from there tonight. I almost lost my

patience.

My boss remained calm and asserted herself while appropriately expressing her disatisfaction as well as the frustration experienced by those affected by various injustices however minor they may seem. All without seeming like a bee with an itch too. Thank goodness I have such personable co-workers who have a sense of humor and stand up for each other while still providing quality care and caring about the patients as much as one can when desensitized by the frequent exposure to complex situations. They look out for each other as well as forgiving and fixing and spotting minor errors that if left unchecked could cause difficulties later on. They order pizza on rainy days like today. It is good to be accepted despite imperfections and to be celebrated for ones strengths. Everybody wants everything stat!It is difficult to prioritize without adequate information. Imagine the patient is sick. How vague is that? Don't we fill our facility to the brim with ill people needing attention? Remember the children's game where you sit in a circle and one person starts by whispering some strange statement into their neighbor's ear and then as it is passed from ear to ear the metamorphisis occurs. By the time the statement has arrive back at the origin it has been change beyond belief. It no longer makes much sense even if it was pure nonsense to begin with. That is what some conversations I had this afternoon and evening came close to being like. We have been feeling the effects of 'Welfare Wednesday' combined with bad road conditions due to dark and rain and the craziness of the outside world. It feels good to get home safely. It would be good to be a cat on days like this, a domestic cat of course, who ahs a cosy home. Must sleep now.

Happy Thanksgiving!

HappyThanksgiving! Now we can start thinking about Halloween and possible costumes. Hmmmm...Marvin wants to be a RescueGhost.

Byebye Dad

I just found one really good picture of Dad with Iris. So i had to include it.

Lolo's leaving to go to the Phillipines! We'll miss him but this time he's only going for 3-4 months. He has to return in January so the doctors can check out his liver with a CTscan to be sure the cancer hasn't returned and that his liver is regenerating itself. Tuesday he departs with one suitcase and one big box full of stuff for Yhong, Darius and Yasmin. He's returning to Lagawe, Ifugao. Surely it will be warm and sunny. I will really miss him. He is very kind, gentle, sleepy and really balance out my mil. She gets lonely without him around. They'll be all kissy huggy again when he returns like usual if she doesn't decide to jump on a plane and meet him there in a few months. I think she'll remain in Canada until his return this time. I'm sure it will be strange to go to the Phillipines without stopping at Aunty Norma's place in Manila. Everybody used to visit her upon arrival to the Phillipines. She was very devoted to education and had a wonderful sense of humor. She snored really loud too. It's been a year since her brutal murder. We miss her. Love and prayers for Lolo Julio and Aunty Norma. Doesn't Fayth look cute in that picture with Genny? The ones below that are of Dad at Anastasia's birthday celebration out back.

Patience, gotta get me some...more of it

Congratulations Hien & Ha on your baby boy born this morning weighing 8lbs 2oz. Babies babies everywhere!

"Patience is tied very closely to faith in our Heavenly Father. Actually, when we are unduly impatient, we are suggesting that we know what is best--better than does God. Or, at least, we are asserting that our timetable is better than his. Either way we are questioning the reality of God's omniscience."

—Neal A. Maxwell (Ensign, October 1980, p. 28.

Back to Ikea again

Brutal, we had to go back to Ikea tonight because the two shelves we purchased last night require 32 screws each. For one shelf 9 were provided. How irritating. Oh well we had a nice dinner there, relaxing too. And all for $15. Marvin had macaroni. I had quiche and salad. Daddy had meatballs and veggies. Ana had veggies too but most of them ended up on the floor surrounding the highchair. Marvin got them to give him a free refill of mac n'cheese plus fries just by batting his long eyelashes and flashing them a charming grin. Plus just keep him from asking for what he wants. I dare you. The closet is now neatly organized. That's two down and two to go. Closets that is. When i get around to it i'll post b4and after shots. Get ready world the Manghi's are gettin'it together.

It's all about Food and Thursday

I am not sure why but I've been looking forward to Thursday all week. Anastasia and Marvin and Lola and Lolo and Uncle mark have the 'coldS' I'm still fighting it off. Good. Why do filipinos add 'S's in the strangest places. Tonight we were at Ikea, enjoying the SmallLand services of course and picking up some galvanized steel shelves for the laundry closet. We are getting so organized thanks to Marnie and Savvy Space Solutions. Check out her website http://www.savvyspacesolutions.com/ My husband was giggling in the as is section at a buggy with wood/laminate scraps labelled $15-cart of woodS. He says it with an accent and points out the guy who obviously marked it. He's bugged him for discounts enough times. Calling it, 'using the brown card' Strange since he won't even mark off the 'visible minority' box on any kind of forms or applications. I am so grateful to be exposed to his culture especially the food. My nieces Jessica and Aimee really like it too which was a total surprise. If you don't already know Filipinos and Filipinas are very friendly and giving. They love parties and food. Lots of food! Good food. A lot of honkies don't like the food but I am not one of them. I like the chocolate meat (dinuguan), the kilawayne(kinda like sushi but with smelts), the danackdugan(snouts and ears,my new favorite, especially when cooked by Jhun), the bittermelon salad, champuraddo, caldaretta(especially with goat), calamansi, adobo, arroz caldo, and the scary fishes with eyeballs included, granted kari-kari (peanut butter and oxtail stew)and pinakbet(a name considered for our first child) isn't my favorite but I eat it anyway. I am probably making some spelling errors on the names of these dishes, but i gotta let you know what you're missing if you haven't tried Phillipine cuisine. There's more than rice, lumpia and pansit you know. I was lucky to be exposed to this varied cuisine at a young age however and blessed with a mother who taught me to try everything and enjoy a wide variety of foods. Plus my mother-in-law aka Lola is a fabulous cook! Do you like Pho-the Vietnamese soup? Our friends Hien and Ha just opened a new bubble tea and pho shop on 25th and Oak. You gotta check it out. You'll love the sign. It's near their salon and it's called Gizmo. It's yummy. If you are saying, 'What the Pho?' then you gotta try the Vietnamese food out there. I'm not a foodie but I do like Asian foods. My son's favorite besides mcdonalds is sushi. My daughter really likes cucumbers. I think Patrick's favorite must be pasta because we're always cooking and eating it. He's a great cook and that is lucky for our whole family. Thank-you Carolina for teaching me to make the Caldo from Columbia. We had it tonight again. It's a yummy soup with chicken, cilantro, plantains, squash and corn on the cob inside it. Also congratualations on your new baby boy-Edwin. You have 3 kids now. Unbelieveable!

Jilian are you ready to come out now?

Jilian are you ready to come out now?



Don't ya think they'll make great parents. Uninterupted sleep may be a thing of the past. I can confirm it, parenting is by far the most challenging, tricky, exhausting, rewarding job in the universe according to my limited experience. Ever since I was a little girl I wanted to be a Mommy. I didn't know how much I would sacrifice, love and constant improving on my part it would actually take. Even though it's not all sunshine and roses I wouldn't trade it for the world. It's not all poopy diapers and teething either. Lucky for me there are plenty of others willing to share what did and did not work for them. That really helps. Plus my mom and granny and their limited memories. My grandmother still swears her boys were all trained on the chamber pot by the time they were six months old. Mother in law offers plenty of advice and help too. My mom said I never slept. When I look at my son I know he's a minibetty but more subdued. I can only imagine how hyper I was. Actually I can remember until the ritalin and sugar free diet put a damper on things. It gave me such bad nightmares. Pregnant woman and newborns are everywhere,is it time for another one? We'll see. Pat says with a big goofy smile, "We might have a bun in the oven." Imagine baking and not knowing exactly when to take it out of the oven. Guesswork. Nope there's no buns rising at this time. I'd be feelin' it or puking it up or falling asleep at the wheel, my body reacts pretty quick and really knows asap when something's up or inside. I swear I was physically built to bear children. I didn't know I was so fertile. That other husband must of been shooting blanks like his dad always implied. I can't believe I didn't get pregnant until I was 30. Probably a good thing.

Planet Woman

Wow, I worked out finally with the help of a friend. It felt so good to take care of myself. It's so easy to put that aside until it's more convenient. There are a thousand excuses aren't there? I'll be sore tomorrow.
Check it out at http://www.planetwoman.ca/

There's a hole in my bucket

Wow I really figured something out this week. I went to a meeting a few weeks ago on prevention of depression and all about the illness. The speaker talked about filling our lamps but I'm not a lamp. I'm a bucket. I keep trying to fill up my bucket so I can keep sharing it and have enough for myself too. Everytime (it seems far and few between)I have alone time, a nap, a date with my husband, a walk with a friend, a good read, time for meaningful prayers, time to create, bake, stretch, pick flowers, fruit, actually shop alone for anything, paint my feet, put on make up, bead, stamp, blog etc I do feel recharged but it doesn't last. I keep trying to nurture my soul, lift my spirit but am unable to keep my bucket full. It seems to be leaking in spots. Some days it has large gaping holes. Maybe if I repair the patches I can keep the bucket sustained enough to properly carry the water, keep it clean and quench my thirst. Wow, discovering this has really helped me. Now I just need to know what is causing the cracks where the water leaks out. I was so excited I tried sharing this with my husband but i am not sure he really got it. He suggested getting a new bucket. This is huge for me. If I can determine what is depleting me maybe I can cope better. I know I need to lower my expectations of myself. This week I will work on not criticizing myself. I thought about it. Nobody feels good after being criticized, nobody benefits. I wouldn't do it to others I love. I would focus on the positive and tell them not to worry about it. I will do this for myself. I judge myself too harshly. I am doing a good job, there is a lot going on. Now to find out what is causing those big bad holes. Thanks for listening, this helps. Maybe one day I will brush my teeth slowly and carefully or get a haircut or just sit in the sun with no time to be anywhere for anyone, unscheduled, undiluted, unrestricted hopefully before i come UNdone.

Mice, work, cake,dreams, kindergarten

You gotta try this, my co-worker Dawn made a chocolate cake with plain dessert tofu instead of eggs and oil, plus a little extra water or milk. It was so delicous and with a cake mix to boot. Rich, moist and a little less guilt inducing. I usually stay away from those but here it goes. Kindergarten has arrived, and with it so much excitement. Gradual entry killing me. Marvin has a delightful teacher. They'll do yoga and tennis in Gym class, without the brutally geeky gymsuits. 2 1/2 hours isn't long though. Finally some well deserved time off from work, even though I haven't really been back long. I can water plants, nurture my soul, do kindergarten, catch up on laundry (just the putting it away part), get the science projects out of the fridge, scrub mildew and create some art. My ambitions are too wild, while I probably won't make soap, do any canning, volunteer, print vast amount of labels with wild abandon, alphabetize, golf, paint, sew, build a 3-D mural or play video games until 4am, I might get to mop the floors, stamp, sing, play, or ride my bike if I'm lucky. Being away from the florescent lights, the phone, battling label printers, burning cds, checking information, verifying patient details carefully, someone yelling, "Breathe and hold it, that's right and exhale" repeatedly, the hum of computers, the smell of the hospital and the commute will do me good. Except that it is definitely easier to be at work, but not as much fun. Last week I told my son the story of the country mouse and the city mouse with apprpriate variations. We were at a cousins' on Sumas Mountain. There was freshly baked buns, sunshine, wild fruits growing everywhere, kittens, trampoline, dirt bikes, go karts, lawn chairs, a creek and people not seen in eons to shoot the breeze with. My son and I pondered which mouse catagory we fall into. Any ideas? This week we'll do the modern version of Never cry Wolf.

Yes that is my husbands butt! (below)

I only had eyes for the children when they had this bath at the Super8 in Auburn. We went to see the Red Hot Chili Peppers at the White River Amphitheatre and they did not start at 3pm like we thought but we all had a good time, dancing and watching. Marvin really likes them now! Hmmm. Glad he can share something with his dad.

ByeByeSummer

We had a fun summer but it went by awfully quickly despite our efforts to keep it slow and simple. I can't wait to see the bare branches and my husband in his long underwear.

Change to walking club time!

Weekly Walking Club Note New Time
Bring yourself! Bring your children! Bring their bikes even. Bring your dogs! Everyone Welcome!
Queen's Park in New Westminster *weather permitting*
10:30-10:45 Tuesdays we meet in front of the Arena across from the Baseball Stadium, just near the Rose Garden
Parking is free and abundant even shaded spots available.
Inside are telephones, washrooms, change tables, vending machines, historic displays etc...
We follow the Millennium Trail back to the Arena & continue walking to the Playground/Picnic Area. Our 2.5km walk takes about 30-40 minutes depending on the speed/size of the group.
We hope this new time when it isn't so hot will bring out more people too.
This park offers a petting farm, spray park, huckleberries, off leash area, concessions, an art gallery and more!
We hope you can join us!
For more information just call
Betty-Ann Manghi 6045239839 or Brooke Jenkins 6042992940
Queen's Park is located between McBride Blvd. and First Street
from Royal Avenue to Sixth Avenue
If you need to see a map go to http://www.nwpr.bc.ca/parks%20web%20page/pdf%20programs/park%20maps/QueensPark.pdf or check my archives SundayMay7thWeeklyWalkingClub post.