growing in Calgary

SO we are learning a lot about growing plants in Calgary, especially produce. Actaully, that is all I am really interested in. I could care less about flowers. I'll put some out, but I don't really care what is what. Anyways, we tried green peppers this year. A couple times. Preston even bought a heat lamp and no luck. We were aware that they like a lot of heat and sunlight and we didn't get much here until the end of June. Even then, we have been below seasonal so not enough heat for peppers. Tomatos we love and had great success in Kitchener the year before but here we again don't get enough heat and humidity. We don't have a green house so we grew them in the front window where the sun shines and that seemed to help. I also covered some of them in plastic in the beginning stages to keep in the moisture. Anyways, my issue with planting them is it often tells you to put 4 or 5 seeds in and them after they have grown a few inches, to keep the two strongest and pull of the others. I know this is a very different situation, but what if Kate plus 8 found out she was pregnant with 6 babies and the doctors said 'ok, we are going to terminate 4 of them so pick the two strongest" I know they are only tomatoes, but look at my picture. If I had done what they told me, I wouldn't have that cute little tomato today. It was loved and nurtured and it still grew and though it wont be a lawyer or a doctor, it was still able to produce a cute little tomato:)
So, we also planted corn and onions and I learned a tip. Soak the seeds for 24 hours and themn plant - gives them a good head start. I didn't do that with the corn and it is not growing because we put it out in the field and left it hoping it would grow without watering it. We see our peas, beans and potatos and carrots growing and look forward to the harvest!

Tooth Update

There was a raging infection under my tooth when they did some drilling...so I get to have a root canal. All they did was put a temp filling on it, and I hope I didn't experience any pain until they could fit me it. I mean, I hate the dentist as it is, so lets freeze my face twice and dig around in there twice. I guess it is my own fault though. If I actually went to the dentist regularly, it never would have gotten to this point. Poor Penny gets to spend the afternoon with Daddy tomorrow...I anticipate some crying.

Bad Night

So I went to bed last night with a sore tooth. I have about 8 cavities that need to be filled and I was waiting till Prestons benefits kick in, which could be now but he is not on top of it so we are not sure. SO one of my cavities started to really hurt yesterday so I took some Ibuprofin. I've never waited for a cavity to hurt and now I know why. It is a very uncomfortable pain. All I want these days is a good night sleep because Penny sleeps horribly and still wakes up every few hours. Last night she slept 6 hours stright...and I was awake for all of it! The pain subsided around 3:30 and I got a few hours sleep. Of course, I am kid of like "Heavenly father, why are you doing this too me?? All I pray for is a good night sleep and when the baby cooperates, my body doesn't??" ANyways, as I am grumping around the house this morning, I remembered that in my pure exhuastion last night, I decided to quickly do all the dishes and clean the kitchen even though I was tempted to leave it all...which I often do. THank goodness I did because on top of being cranky and in pain, I could have an even more disasterous house than I already have. SO, I guess I should be greatful to my heavenly father instead of questioning him as he perpared me a little for this miserable day:) AND I know it will pass and some day, I will get some sleep! Off to the dentist, benefits or not.

Stampede Week!

It is Stampede Week and I have torn all the ads about pancake breakfasts out of the paper. Tomorrow morning we are going to hit up an Anglican church in town...should be fun. On the topic of food, Preston said we should go on a no sugar diet. I don`t like the generalness of what he wants to do. I`d rather be more specific like No pop or chocolate bars or donuts and no sugar after 6pm or something. SO far, I have had no real sugar today and I am CRAVING IT!! Seriously, if I find any, I will cave. I totally notice the addiction in me becuase I feel really unsatisfied right now.

I stink at this.

I always find my way onto the computer, but only for minutes at a time, so I never fell like I have enough time to blog a proper blog. Adeline is whining right now and Penny is stuck in her highchair so we will see how this goes:) We are having a good summer so far. I took the big kids on a bike ride last night and it was nice to bike around the community with them at a normal speed. I am so excited for Penny to turn one so she can ride in the trailer. I think I will start 3 weeks early and bike the kids to school in September. I would think that I would have to go to a sports store to find a helmet that will fit her tiny little head properly... I can't imagine Walmart will have what we need. Maybe they will, I haven't looked yet. I had a dream last night that I was holding a newborn and bawling my head off because I was done having babies. I feel my family is complete, but I know I am going to miss this little baby stage so much. I always feel so torn. I am exhausted, Penny doesn't sleep well, and I really want her to grow up so I can watch her less cloesly, but at the same time I want her to stay little. One of the tough things about having a baby right now is our garden which we are very excited about. We are growing peas, carrots, lettuce(we ate some last night and it was great!) onions, beans, tomatoes, potatoes, strawberries and raspberries. However, our backyard has so many mosquitoes right now and I saw 3 perched on Pennys head when I was trying to pull weeds yesterday so that ended abruptly.
Preston starts his shirt work MOnday. He has been at this new job for a month as a maintenance electrician, and he has learned enough to start shift. It means he will now work 4 days on, 4 off, 4 nights on 4 off. They are 12 hour shifts rotated between 4 electricians. He is very excited about this job. It was the longest interview process he has ever had to endure, and as long as the plant is there, he hopes to be there...mee too! I am tired of moving and uncertainty.
I am so envious of my friend Kristen who hates running and has been doing it for a while now and getting results.(shout out Kris!!) WHy am I so lazy? I saw this hot bodied woman crossing the street the other day and I told Preston to stop looking becuase I will never have her body and he said I totally have the right build to have her body...I just have to workout. Well, maybe with a boob job:) SO, I went on that bike ride last night and we will see with Prestons shift work if I can use the days he has off productively. And we just booked a cruise for Feb so I am hopng that a goal to have a hot bod by then might help motivate me.
My SIL has just decided to home school her children and I applaude her for trying it out..because I never would:) I like my kids going off to school and giving me a break! In all honesty, I would do it if I had to, but Clayton was sad the school was ending before it ended, so as long as the system is working for us, I am sticking with it. However, I am making an effort this summer to to some teaching. See if I could do it if I had to. I have some work books that I am hoping to make them do a couple of pages every day or two and I have some great I ideas for field trips. I also liked her idea of using everyday situations for learning...like baking. They can help and I can teach them the rules of a recipe and do some math with the measurements. What I want to see is me not saying "forget it! Go outside and play!" So, good luck to me:)
Thats really it with us. The kids got their report cards. CLayton is about a B average student who excels in math, but his teachers say of he focuses, he has a lot of brains. Focus will be a tough one. Kayla is now consistant in everything kindergarten, except for a few social things like distracting others and not paying attention...sounds like focusing is a family problem:) Adeline is almost 2 and can throw some wicked tantrums...it's hard not to laugh and Penny is crawling now. Boo.