Moving out

Good bye blogspot.

I am trying out a new blog site.  I am over at words press.  I will see which I like better and stick with one.  So for now if any one is actually reading this, they can check me out over at:
http://ryanamandadyck.wordpress.com/

So I'll see you over there!
Amanda

GO CANADA!!

Olympic fever has hit our house.  We are surprised about this.  Ryan and I both thought that it was cool that the Olympics were in Canada, but we don't usually follow them.  However, that has changed this year.  After watching the opening ceremonies at my parent's house, we have watched some Olympic event since.  I have even, to my mom's shock, watched curling. 

There are events that I never even knew existed.  Most years I have most enjoyed watching figure skating, that has changed though.  This year I haven't watched figure skating once.  I am loving the skiing and snowboarding races the most.  It`s impossible to get bored watching these events.  I am also enjoying speed skating.

I have heard people, like my cousin Ryamond for example whining about the amount, or lack of rather, medals Canada is getting.  I have three words for you.  SUCK IT UP!  Let`s be proud of the athletes that have trained their entire lives to get here.  They are living their dreams, and the last thing the athletes that haven`t earned a medal need is some couch potato judges.  I am just thrilled with the fact that we are no longer the pathetics hosts without gold on our own soil.  So far we have 3! 

I am super proud to be Canadian, and I am super proud of our athletes.  The only athletes I think we do have more a right to judge a little more harshly are the hockey players.  For as much as these professional athletes are paid in the NHL, they should have no problems beating the crap out of every other country out there.  There should really be no contest with any other country besides the States.  That game takes place this afternoon.  Hopefully the Canadians will come out on top.

GO CANADA!!

Amanda + Ryan = True Love Forever!

Ever have one of those days when everytime that you think about your spouse, you just smile?  Today I am having one of those days.  I just need to shout from the rooftop, that I have the most amazing husband ever.  I am so in love with him, I can hardly stand it.  He is the most amazing man ever.  I have never met anyone more supportive, and caring.  I love him so much, and I am so appreciative for him.  God has truly blessed me with the perfect man for me.  Despite the flaws that each of us share, as we near our 10th anniversary, I can still say with 100% honesty, that I am so blessed to be married to him, and he is my soul mate.  I doubt whether Ryan will read this, as he isn't an internet junkie like myself, but here's to you Babe!  I love you with all my heart yesterday, today, and for all our tomorrows. <3


PS I know that I am a bit of a cheese ball, but if you were married to a man like mine, you would be too!

February Thus Far...

It's been a while, so I thought I would update. There isn't a whole lot happening with us right now. Life is fairly simple. I have been busy with regular family stuff with a touch of added drama that I am not going to get into. (What a jerk hey? Way to dangle a carrot in front of your face, then snatch it away. Oh well, deal with it.) Someday I may let everything out, but at the moment it is all fresh and new, so I am not ready. I will just ask this of you, pray for me. Thanks.


Anyway! So there are a few things that are coming up. Ryan and I are celebrating Valentines weekend by ensuring that he won't get me knocked up again. Poor guy! We get to go get his little men hacked away at on Friday the 12th. After which we are planning on heading out to Calgary for the long weekend. Which makes me sound evil. Like I am trying to force him into a long drive to go see my family after his traumatic morning. Well, it was his idea, and the family is very well aware that come Friday morning the plans may change, and we may stay home. My parents have even agreed to have their bags packed on Thursday evening so that they can head out here straight after work if Ryan can't handle the drive. I have the best parents!

So I kind of feel weird about the whole vasectomy thing. While I am nervous for Ryan, and I dread the knowledge that this will hurt, and I don't like him to hurt, I can't help but deep down somewhere hear a small whispering voice say, "Suck it up princess!" I mean, I gave birth. I had my hoo-ha cut up and stitched up, and then I wasn't able to adjust it out of the way to sit. No, I instead had to sit right on it. Did I fail to mention that at this point I was also getting a gross lack of sleep because I had this tiny HUGE responsibility in our room waking me up to crack the crap out of my painfully engorged milk cartons? Not to mention that with Malachi, the first week of healing also had me dealing with the very stressful and scary issues of having my tiny baby boy in the NICU, and my older baby girl missing me, and hating her new brother. So yeah, somewhere deep inside of me, I don't feel too bad for the guy. I think it helps that Ryan isn't the kind of guy who laments about it for weeks to come, and I can almost guarantee that he won't milk it for all it's worth either. 

The other thing that may or may not happen is a possible future "business" for myself.  (I think it's lame calling it a business,  when you are buying into a party based selling business.  More like a scheme or something.)  Anyway, I am thinking of selling Norwex.  It is awesome product, that I truly believe in, but I don't know if I am cut out for the party based money making schemes.  I tried it before with Beauty Control... you didn't know that?  Oh, that would be because it lasted about 10 seconds.  I had one party then anyone else who promised to host a party for me bailed after several attempts to get them to follow through.  At least I didn't leave that experience bitter. *thumbs up!* I'm not actually bitter about it.  I got the product paid for with the only party I did have, and I want to achieve that at least with Norwex as well.  Which is why I have been trying to get parties booked, and line up a salon to buy Norwex products from me before I even sign up under my sister-in-law.  If I can get the salon on line at the very least, then I am in.  I will buy the entry kit, and try to go from there.  I hope that it does work, as we could really use the extra finances, and I could really use some time out of the house without my kids every once in a while.  If you have kids, I am sure that you can relate. 

Anyway, that's about all that is newsworthy, and I aware I use that term extremely loosely.  So until next time, God Bless!

New Years

Warning: My spell check is awol, so forgive any errors!

Happy New Years out there!  We had a great, and crappy new years weekend all rolled into one.  We headed out to Calgary on New Years Eve, and I was finally able to rid myself of the awful haircut I have been trying to grow out since the afternoon I had it cut.  My amazing hairdresser/cousin was able to put a smile on my face, my nauseated face.  Yup, I got sick the morning we travelled west.  After Kendra brightened my life, we went to our bestest friend's house.  Where Jen and Dwayne spoiled us with gifts of masculine coloured sippy cups and Apple Jacks, (yum!).  We had a semi-great time with them.  Ryan and Dwayne had a blast acting like 10 year olds, while Jen watched my son climb all over her furniture, as I was repeatedly making trips to their lavatory.  So our fun plans to ring in the New Year were cut about 4 hours short, as we made our way over to my parents house, so that I could feel like death warmed over in the comfort of someone else's house.

I hoped that I would feel better come morning, but no such luck.  Instead, Ryan joined the bandwagon.  Our poor kids!  We were sitting on the couch freezing and sweating together, while our kids were trying to open their Christmas gifts from Gramma and Grampa.  Problem is, Ryan and I had to take breaks in between stockings and gifts, and the kids had to wait until we were able to make our way back to the living room.  They were so good about it too.  Very patient, and no whining at all.  What amazing children I have been blessed with!

Later on new years day, my parents had a whole swack of company come over.  My grandparents, an uncle, my sisters and their families all gathered at mom and dad's place for a delicious meal of prime rib.  At least I am told it was delicious.  Ryan and I were holed upstairs in an effort to not only keep everyone else from getting sick, but in an effort to keep from getting sick again ourselves.  We both felt bad, and I made a large effort to hang out downstairs with the family as much as possible, but that was not an easy thing to do. 

The next morning we were both feeling quite a bit better, and were able to spend the day with the family that gathered around the house again.  It could have been worse, but the one thing that Ryan and I agreed on was the fact that we both needed the chance to relax, and getting sick certainly forced us to.   Not only that, but because we got sick at my parent's house, we were able to rely on someone else to help us take care of the kids.  This is not something we do often.  We rarely get babysitters, and we take our parenting responsiblities VERY seriously.  I felt bad letting my mom step in so much, as it is my job to take care of my kids, but I let her do it anyway.  Let me tell you something though, it was so nice to be able to relax, and have a break.  Thanks Mom!  You are the best, seriously!  No one is better than my mom!  (ha ha, remember Mom?)

This was the first time that Ryan and I have ever been sick at the same time.  We tend to either get sick at completley seperate times, or pass what we are coming down with back and forth.  It was a little strange, because before he felt sick, I wanted him to help out with the kids a little more, and give me the chance to relax, but then once he got sick, I didn't want him to do a thing.  I wanted to do anything I could to help him feel better.  Is this the way all spouses are, or is it just me?  I just felt so badly for Ryan, maybe because he rarely gets sick.  Although maybe it was because when a lot of guys get sick, they turn into total and complete babies.  A lot of men seem to have a "No one has ever been as sick as I am, since the beginning of time." kind of attitude.  However, maybe love is blind, but I am convinced Ryan doesn't have this attitude.  He has to be practically knocking on death's door before he's let getting sick get in his way.

Anyway, I am just glad that we are both feeling so much better and that our kids, and from the sounds of it, none of the rest of the people we visited, seemed to get sick as well.

Apart from the flu, we had an awesome time seeing our family and spending time with everyone.  We found out that Katy is doing amazing with her soccer team, and that Brooke is also headed in the same direction!  We are so proud of you girls, and we are impressed with your detication!  We love you girls so much!

I am just hoping that my mom got a few good pictures of the kids over our visit, as I was obviously pre-occupied, and hardly got any. :(  I know that she was video taping when the kids were opening presents, so we should be good!:) 

Happy New Year everyone, and God bless!

Saskatchewan Christmas

I hope everyone had a great Christmas because we sure did! We went to Lawson's Christmas Eve Candlelight service, after which we went to Ryan's parent's house, and put up the tent in the basement for the kids, and Uncle Tyler. They loved sleeping in it. Isaiah and Tahlia went to sleep very quickly, Jenna... not so much. She was too excited, but I can relate. I have always hard a hard time sleeping the night before something I am looking forward to. Which means I probably won't have a great time sleeping tonight, because tomorrow is going to start the best part of our Christmas celebrations, for me anyhow. We are going home for the weekend to see my family! I can hardly wait!

I thought I would share a few pictures from our Christmas with everyone. So here they are!

This is actually just before Christmas. Malachi was playing with my empty hot chocolate cup, and having a blast, so I took a few pictures, and I just love this one.

This is a shot from our dining room. Someone has cleared off the snow on the pond to make a few skating rinks. I just need to get Jenna some skates, so we can get her out there!

Malachi LOVED his fruit snack candy canes. He kept saying "Whoa!" I have a video of it right here:

Here's Jenna with her stocking. Stockings have always been my favorite part of Christmas!















Here is my ALMOST completed Nativity scene. This year the stars were added. All I need is the stable, and apparently my father in law wants to hand make it. I love my nativity scene!







I'll add more pictures, and stories I am sure after New Years when I get home from going home for the holidays.

By the way, in case you are wondering, the Christmas Eve service went well, and I remembered all the words to "O little town of Bethlehem". The only hard part for a lot of the parents during that service was keeping the young ones away from the baking table in the foyer.

Here it is, two days before Christmas and I am questioning my sanity. Ryan's mom called me yesterday to ask if I wanted to go shopping with her today. I was sitting in my pjs during this phone call, at noon, and was grateful for the invite. I need to get my kids, and self out of the house. So I responded with a yes. Now I am re-thinking my hasty response. Do I really want to be stuck in a mall with all the procrastinators and many men that need to get their wife a gift yet? Who knows, maybe I'll run into Ryan. Maybe not, it's too soon for him. Maybe I can host that impromptu "Procrastinators Unite" meeting that I've been meaning to get around to. Whatever, as long as she drives. I hate the whole Christmas musical parking space game.





Speaking of parking lots in the winter, I have a beef. A few weeks a go Ryan and I took the kids on a beautiful day to Costco. This balmy day sat at -20, although quite a bit colder with the windshield I am sure. On our drive around the parking lot to find a spot, I paused behind quite a few empty running vehicles before finally finding a spot. There were at LEAST 30 cars left running. To quote a dear friend, "here's the thing..." I am not a tree hugger by any stance, but I do think it is up to us to do our small part to at least be friendly to the environment. One of the very least things we can do is shut off our cars! If you are going to be shopping for an hour, seriously? Does your radio need to be kept warm? We turned off our car, and returned an hour later, and had a warm car by the time we left said parking lot. Since this day, I have told this story to other people. We have had responses, like: " Well, I only leave my car running when I am running in for a minute" Oh, so you are like some of the moms I see at preschool, leaving their empty cars running while we pick up the kids. Why though? If you are only running in for a minute, your car doesn't have the chance to get cold. Many people are only doing their part because when they return their bottles, they get a deposit back, or turning down the thermostat brings down their gas bill. Same principle applies here folks! Gas isn't cheap, any you'd save a lot of it by turning that little key to the off position. Not to mention that if I was a car thief, I am pretty sure that I am going to go for the car with the key still in the ignition...





I have recently seen a production better than Broadway could ever hope to produce. Jenna's preschool had their Christmas party/concert. I was a total paparazzi. I filmed each song, separately, so that it would be easier to share, and I could take pictures in between. I have always found little kids performing super cute, but I have never felt the joy of watching my own precious child up there. Oh my goodness, I loved it. It was enough to make me become some crazy stage mom taking my kids to auditions, and change my name to Deana Lohan. (Lindsay Lohan's mom, for those who are pop culturally challenged. Or blessed, I think I know too much sometimes.) The kids did a great job. There was only one crier, and one typical kid who knew all the words, and sang them at the top of his lungs. The rest knew the words as well, for the most part, it was one of the rare times when you actually hear the kids singing with the teacher. (By the way, I know the videos kind of suck, but I was trying to watch them at the same time, and not through the camera.... obviously.)
Needless to say, I have never been more proud in my life, and I can't wait until next year. even more than that, I can't wait until the church productions when Malachi and Jenna will both be in them! I can't think of anything better.

Well shopping awaits, so I must go. Sigh... I really do want to get out of this house, but I don't know if I am looking forward to this or dreading it. I will have to let you know. This is probably my last to chance to wish you all a very Merry Christmas!!!