At Grandma's house

So after our 8 hour ride on the bus, we spent the night at Grandma Great's house before heading off to the ferry to cross over to Nova Scotia.

Princess Snifflefritz declared that Nanny's house had a magical fairy garden and was immediately in love with it.

She woke up super-early in the morning, but I managed to get her to lie down long enough to fall asleep on the couch.  I didn't find a blanket for her, but she was so tiny, she cuddled up under a pillow sham that I found.

Both Princess Snifflefritz and Little Prince were fascinated with Grandma Great's dog. 

Little Prince slept in a playpen that was already there.  This whole trip was exhausting for him and he wasn't a fan of it. 

Princess snifflefritz loved all the flowers she found in Grandma Great's yard.  I had to remind her not to pick the flowers.

Little Prince really reacted to Grandma Great's dog.  Every time he saw him, he would squeal.

Even if he doesn't always look at her, you can see how much Little Prince loves his big sister, Princess Magpie.  I LOVE their bond.

Little Prince Sleeping in the playpen.

Playing in Grandma Great's magical fairy garden.

Their favorite play toy was a pile of sand in front of Grandpa Grumpy's shed.

They made sure to investigate every little vignette that Grandma Great has in her yard.

After spending so much time on the bus it was good for them to stretch their legs.

Visiting Grandma Great

I made reference to it yesterday, but I wanted to make a bigger mention of it here.  This past week, we had a chance to meet up with Grandma Great and have a visit with her while she happened to be in town.  We haven't seen her in over a year and it was fun to introduce her to Little Prince and to show off the 70 lbs I have lost.  She is such a wonderful person and it was great to see her again.  Here are some pics from our day.

Grandma Great

My Mother-in-law is sweet. She is concerned about me overdoing it. She saw my 28 -week pictures and said that I looked too tired. She is worried that I am wearing myself out. She said that as far as she is concerned, I am supermom doing way more that any mom should. I LOVE her. I love that she is concerned. I told her not to worry. I am tired now but it will be better after the baby is born and I am not so tired all the time.

The truth is I am tired. It is a lot to be doing right now being 7 months pregnant, with a 14 month old, and homeschooling my 7 year old and packing up my house to move. But this is temporary. Once I am finished moving and I manage to get through Christmas and having a baby. Life will settle to a more normal pace. I just have to survive the next few months and it will all be okay.

Too sweet!

Grandma Great submitted some pictures of Princess Magpie to a provincial magazine called the "Newfoundland Herald". I knew nothing about it and was surprised when a neighbour told me she was in the magazine this week!

One of the things that was keeping me busy and out of blogland today was grocery shopping. It isn't an exciting thing to be doing but it is a production when you take the whole family and it can be quite exhausting when you are about 7 months pregnant. While we were out shopping, Prince Charming reminded me that we should pick up a copy of the Herald. Now Prince Charming was tired this morning so he decided that his best job was to keep Princess Magpie occupied driving her up and down aisles while I did the majority of the actual pickup of things. This system worked for me and I was tickled to hear that while he was driving her up and down aisles he was being the proud daddy and showing all the store clerks that she was in the Herald and proudly displaying her picture for all to see.

Not Me Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

I absolutely DID NOT start packing and look up to find my 14 month old daughter playing with my bra and then stop to take a picture. I would never find that amusing! NOPE! NOT ME!


I certainly DID NOT a lovely new outfit from Grandma Great and then proceed to give Princess Magpie a chocolate covered granola bar! I would never do such a thing. NOPE! NOT ME!

Upon getting up this morning after finally finding a place to move to, you know I DID NOT wait until 10:30 to get started on our homeschooling finishing up some moving phone calls first. NOPE! NOT ME!

I really DID NOT keep checking out my new house all day. I am not so excited that I am obsessed. I would never be that excited over such a silly thing as a house. NOPE! NOT ME!

I DID NOT get totally thrilled when I was talking to the lady who would have been Princess Belle's teacher this year and she expressed how much she thought I was doing the right thing for Princess Belle by homeschooling her. I don't need her approval and it didn't matter one bit that she told me that she knew Princess Belle and the school environment really was not the place for her. NOPE! NOT ME!

Thursday Thirteen #84 - Thankful Thursday

Thirteen Things that Twisted Cinderella is grateful for. I thought that this felt like a good day to share some of the things I am thankful for. So here are some of the blessings in my life that I am forever grateful for (in the order they popped into my head): Prince Charming - I can honestly say that without him, the rest of my blessings would not exist. He is loving, fun, caring, honerable, my greatest defender and my closest friend. Princess Belle - she made me a mom. Before she came into this world, I had spent my whole life under the impression I was unable to be a mother at all. She changed my world and showed me just the depth of feeling true love brings. Princess Magpie - after five long years of trying, she came into our world with a bright sunny smile and has kept us smiling ever since. She is pure sunshine and happiness and having her convinced us to tempt fate and try our hands at being parents for a third time. Our New Arrival - coming in January to a hospital near here. This baby was hoped for, and prayed for and we never expected this little one to decide to make an appearance as soon as this. We are just so blessed that we didn't have to wait another five years! Our neighbourhood - like any neighbourhood, there are good things and bad things, but I know living here that I will never be alone. In the case of an emergency, I always know that there are quite a number of people here that I can turn to. There are community outings, and celebrations. There is a lovely community center with so many wonderful programs. And thanks to this neighbourhood, I even have my very first garden ever! Grandma Great - Not only did she bring the love of my life into this world, but she also gave me her love. She became another mother to me, one whom I could turn to for anything and who loves me unconditionally. Notsosnowwhite - She is a listening ear, a dieting companion, a big brother companion, a friend and the sister I have by choice instead of simply by chance of birth. My blogging friends - they are a source of amusement, information, support and friendship. I have met so many wonderful friends in all these years of blogging and I am so lucky to know each and every one of you. My parenting group - There is something wonderful about this group of women. We came together as new moms and grew together as friends. The health care system here - for all it has its short comings, it has saved the life of my grandmother, my best friend and my father. It is working to diagnose and me understand my beautiful daughter, Princess Belle. The Summer Sun - I have always had troubles in the winter when the sun is so seldom seen. But in the summer, when the sun warms my skin, I can feel my soul sing. It lightens my spirit and makes me feels gloriously happy. It only gets better when I get to enjoy it with my family. The Homeschooling Community - They turned the nightmare that public schooling was to me into an opportunity to love my daughter more my teaching her myself and to learn so much more about her and how her mind works. I am so glad we get to go on this journey together. Life - I am so grateful today for every aspect of my life, my family, my children, the life growing inside me, the friends that surround me, and all the joys yet to come. I am truly blessed.

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Saturday 9

Saturday 9: The Phone is For You

1. Your phone rings. Who is the most likely caller? On my cell, it is definitely Prince Charming on my house phone, probably my MIL, Grandma Great.

2. How long to you chat on the phone each day? I don't chat much. When I used work, I used the phone all the time. I hate to use the phone at home.

3. Who do you speak to the most? Grandma Great, or my best friend.

4. Do you often not answer if a certain person comes up on your caller id? I will not always answer if it is a 1-800 number, other than that, I will answer.

5. Do you phone friends at work? No, I rarely phone anyone

6. Do you make personal calls at work? I used to phone home to check on Prince Charming and Princess Belle once a day.

7. Who do you always say “I love you” at the end of the call? I always do.

8. Do you use a landline or cell more often? I use a landline most. I rarely use my cellphone

9. Who in the blogosphere that you haven’t chatted with but would like to? There are a few blogger friends that I would love to chat with.

Enjoy your weekend~!

Saturday Photohunt -- favorite

Theme: Favorite Become a Photo Hunter

The theme this week is Favorite. My first thought is that I should post a pic of my favorite people. I have some lovely pics of my family whom I adore more than life itself. But then I thought about it and I decided I had to something different. I decided to share a pic of the favorite place that I have ever lived. This was the view from my kitchen window. You see that water out there, that was the ocean. It was lovely and quiet and I actually knew all my neighbours and I counted myself lucky that Grandma Great was one of them.

Thursday Thirteen #59

Thirteen Things on Twisted Cinderella's Mind! I have a yucky cold. Go figure, I finally start to get my diet under control and I get a miserable cold. I have a diet blog to share my weight loss journey. I have gained back everything I have lost, but I did just have a baby and I know I can lose it again. I made a decision with Princess Mag-pie that I would try to include more pics of her and I together than I had with Princess Belle. I am so self-conscious about my weight right now (and I was after Princess Belle) that I want to avoid photographic proof. But then when I look back at pics of Princess Belle as a baby, I see so many of her with everyone else but me. So this time, I am biting the bullet and taking pics (or getting Prince Charming to) even if I feel like I look bad. Grandma Great is coming to visit today and I don't have the energy to clean up. My floor is a disaster. Princess Belle has really enjoyed Day Camp this summer. Day Camp has taken her to all kinds of events and areas of town that I wasn't even really aware of and that I probably wouldn't have taken her to. I love that for her. I want to get more involved in visiting the areas of town that tourists go to see. Living here, I really don't do that and it is so much fun when I get out like that. I updated my template. I started out just changing the header to include Princess Mag-pie and then it evolved into a whole new color scheme. I really love how it turned out. I loved it so much, I made some changes on my diet blog as well. I love to rearrange things and given the fact that I am not allowed to be moving furniture right now, rearranging blogs is the next best thing. LOL I love love love to be organized. It makes me feel so good to look and see and feel organized. I also love love love to be stocked up on things. I love to look at my cupboards and see lots and lots of stuff there. I love to see my pantry full, more full than I could possibly eat between now and the next grocery day.

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Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen Things in Twisted Cinderella's world yesterday. Grandma great sent me a box of maternity clothes. I love them! I am one stylish mama now! We had fun going to the park yesterday. Princess had a great time.Princess is too funny. By the time we got off our street she had invited every kid on our street, even the big ones!! I don't mind taking some kids, (the kids next door, for example, are good kids and would have been welcome to come with us) but not every kid on the street! And on top of that, I managed to get some things done in my house despite the amount of exhaustion I was feeling. That made me feel a little better emotionally. We did get some good pics while we were out though.

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Random thoughts

I have been thinking about home a lot lately. Not the home I grew up in, well it would be hard to narrow down the list from the the more than 40 places I have lived. But when I think of home, I think of somewhere I only lived for 6 months. I think of the people I knew there, of the way they made me feel a part of things, of the way that it so quickly felt right. I also think of the fact that in all of my more than 40 moves, moving away from this place was the only place that made me cry. Truthfully, being near Grandma great was a large part of what made that place home and I think anywhere that I could live that would be near her would feel like home for me as well. I think of the Christmas morning, I made muffins and biscuits and Grandma Great and Grandpa Grumpy came over and shared them with us while we opened presents. I guess I just miss having family near by. I miss small towns and spontaneous gatherings over a fire in the backyard or simply a nice cup of tea with someone who made me feel like I was her daughter from the first time I met her. It could be because I am 19 weeks pregnant or because I am sick but I am a little emotional today. I am thinking of home.

Quiet Days

Well, it is a quiet day here in our house. Princess is playing happily in the kitchen, singing and pretending chopsticks are drumsticks. Notsosnowwhite is upstairs wrapping presents and Prince Charming is sleeping. Grandma great gave me a bag of Maternity cloths that are really nice and comfy. I am thrilled to get them and she says more are going to come after Christmas.

I am feeling good today. No morning sickness so far and no headache. I have to admit that the lack of morning sickness makes me a bit nervous, but I guess that is normal for anyone in my position. Have a great Day and in case you can't drop by before, Merry Christmas!

Thirteen things

Thirteen things About Twisted Cinderella This Week We have been working for a week now to get the cable company to straighten out and give us the right channels. They keep screwing up. Ugh sometimes people drive me crazy. Work is going well, but training is driving me a little nuts. I have done this before. I know what I am doing, just let me get out there already. They have made a lot of changes at work, which lead me to believe that it will be less stressful. Princess was sweet and cuddly tonight when I was home. We had fun giggling and cuddleing and tickling before she went to bed. I realized today that she only has approximately 2 more weeks of day care before she is done with it for good. It won't be too long before she starts kindergarten. I can't believe she is that big already. Prince Charming spent hours on the phone in one night trying to get the cable straightened out. Cable shouldn't be this complicated. I am going to get groceries after work tomorrow. That is kind of fun for me. Grandma great said she would send me a gift card for my anniversary. I love the idea of going to pick out something at the store. I have been trying new recipes lately and having fun doing it. I called a bill collector and made payment arrangements today. I am proud that I did it myself that I didn't let myself get bullied, and I didn't hide behind Prince Charming and make him fight this for me. I called, I lay down the law about what I could do and I got things done. Yay me! I am so glad to be working and getting us back on our feet again. Links to other Thursday Thirteens! (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

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Feast Fun

Click on the picture to join in the Friday Feast Fun! Have a Great Friday

Appetizer

What is your favorite fruit?

Hmmm that's a tough one, I love all sorts of fruit, maybe kiwi or strawberries.

Soup

Who is someone you consider as a great role model?

Grandma Great. I really admire the person that she is.

Salad

If you were to spend one night anywhere within an hour of your home, where would you choose?

In a fancy schmancy hotel with Prince Charming.

Main Course

Name something you do too often.

Oh there are lots of those things; drink coffee, eat, check my email, call Notsosnowwhite.

Dessert

Fill in the blank: I really like ___________ because ____________.

I really like Notsosnowwhite because she is so much like me, she is a great listener and I can trust her to be honest with me.

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen Random things about Twisted Cinderella

I have decided to start trying to be healthier in my food choices during this pregnancy. Not really weight related, but just eat more fruits and veggies and less junk. I am so glad that we get to get groceries tomorrow. I am pretty darned low on food at the moment! I made squares last night. They were super-yummy and super bad for you. But it was nice to have a treat. Grandma Great has Norwalk Virus. Poor thing has been so sick. She was in the hospital for 3 days. She is out now and over at her sisters. We wanted her to come here, but she was afraid to pass along the virus to me. I appreciate her concern. We did call into the provincial health line to see if it would harm me and they said it wouldn't but I can understand Grandma Great concern. She is just so overworked and so worn out I need her to get some rest. Grandma Great is one of my favorite people in the world. I was taking pictures of Little Princess in her little leather jacket today. I just love her in it. she looks soo cute with her little pony-tail and her leather jacket. I could just squish her in hugs and kisses. I have been trying new recipes lately. It is a fun way to make the best use of limited groceries. I like finding new ways to cook the same old ingredients. I am embarressed to say, I have not done my taxes yet. BUT, I plan to do them next week. I am going to H&R block. I have done my own taxes for the last 6 years, but I am going to let them do it this year. It is freezing outside! I wish it would warm up and feel like summer already! I want to get outside and enjoy the weather. I am feeling pretty good today, tired but happy and confident that my pregnancy will be okay. (please go over and visit my friend MAMA in love) Links to other Thursday Thirteens! Leave a comment and I will add you here

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The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
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Technorati Thursday Thirteen

Friday Five

1. I made Chicken Pot Pie yesterday. I was really impressed with how it turned out. the pic doesn't really do it justice but it was lovely with a nice whole wheat biscuit dough on top and lovely chicken and veggies underneath.
   
2. Little Princess is finally going through some sort of a growth spurt. I have noticed lately that she is filling out more of those pants that used to fall off of her tiny little butt.
3. I put clothes out to dry on our clothesline for the first time yesterday. I love that I love the smell of fresh clothes, I love the summer feel of it.
4. There was a neighbour meeting last night about vandalism and steps that would be wise to take to help control it. I love that our neighbourhood cares and works together.
5. If I am lucky Grandma Great will be back tonight. It would be nice to spend some more time with her and to give her a break from the family craziness that exists in Prince charming's family.
   

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen Random things about Twisted Cinderella

I love my doctor. She just seems to care and be interested. I think part of it is that she has only been in practice a few years and she isn't one of those, I have been everywhere and seen everything types. I don't see my OB until I am over 6 months pg! That is crazy! Good thing I like my doctor. We went out to dinner at Prince Charming's Aunt's house. It is nice to be at least on speaking and cordial terms with the entire family. Grandma Great is still in town. I hate to see how her family makes her feel pulled in all directions and stressed. She just had surgery not that long ago for liver cancer. I wish they would just appreciate her for the wonderful person that she is. My neighbour's daughter is absolutely adorable. Everytime I see her, I just want to cuddle and hug her! Little Princess actually asked to go to daycare yesterday. I think part of it is because she isn't doing preschool much right now, but part of it is that after the long weekend, she was missing her friends. She really is looking forward to going to kindergarten. I can't believe my baby is going to kindergarten. I had "the baby talk" with her today again. I explained in five year old terms how babies come out of mommy's belly. My method of explaining so far is truthful but simplified, with just enough information to keep her satisfied. I am HUNGRY all the time with this pg. My wonderful neighbour gave me some caramel rice cakes and I snack on those sometimes. I am trying to balance my hunger, my health and my desire to not weight a ton by the time I have this baby. I have decided though that I will NOT stress myself out about weight. If I gain a lot, I gain a lot, I lost it once I can lose it again. In the end, my beautiful baby will be worth it. I am very content in my life right now. (please go over and visit my friend MAMA in love, this is her first Thursday Thirteen!) Links to other Thursday Thirteens! Leave a comment and I will add you here

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
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