Passing the time, maintaining sanity

OMG!  Is winter over yet????

I don't think that we will ever see green grass again!!!  Winter has over stayed its welcome, and from my conversations with friends, family and stranger's, I'm not the only one that is ready to sucker-punch Winter in its FACE!!!

The Russell's are desperately trying to keep our sanity amongst all this white.  Some days are better then others.

Clay celebrated his Birthday March 21.  We kept it a small party of 3.  Clay took William fishing the Sunday before (like father, like son- William loves fishing just doesn't have the endurance yet!)  My husband being the man he is told me his favorite food was Pizza and carrot cake.  So all I really had to do was find Panago's phone number and figure out how to  use my food processor to shred the carrots for the cake.  The cake turned out well, (http://www.kraftcanada.com/en/recipes/all-time-favourite-carrot-cake-85365.aspx)   Ive made this one before and it was awesome.  This time I tried to cut the fat by cutting the oil,  I used 1c of apple sauce and 1/4c of Oil (instead of 1- 1/4c of oil).  Still got tonnes of compliments but I felt it was a little moist, so next time I would just do the apple sauce.

 Hanging out on Dad's "car bed", the "car bed" has actually made it in the house several times since this, and has been the source of several disagreements between us and William.

 "click!"  LOL first time he did this... SO FREAKING FUNNY!

 That's right 25!!! + 3 years old!  The icing didn't turn out well In my opinion,  I haven't done cream cheese icing for a while!  (I made special little cake's with Cool Whip for my Allergy child.)

So as I was saying we are kinda home bound due to the sidewalks being impassible and waist high snow in our back yard.  I cant really take the stroller out, so the sled is getting use.  I can't take William out to the back yard as he will be swallowed by the snow.  We go "swimmin in the water" about once a week , we still take some walks with the sled and Tessa.   But mostly sit inside the house and google warm vacation ideas.

William has been finding "art projects" through out the house... This was my favorite:

 Thank god for google!!! After my initial freak out.  I googled "How to remove Sharpie" and found an idea to use tooth paste!  It needed some elbow grease but it all came off!

With all the "time" I have to dream about warmer weather, I have been planning ideas for my garden.  I'm thinking about container gardening this year.  And really wanted to attempt to grow some tomato plant's from seed. So after talking to my mom and finding out I should have started these things from seed in February, I took a trip to Walmart and picked up an indoor "greenhouse" for me and William to start some Tomatoes and cucumbers. (I'm not too sure about the cucumbers and only got them because they were called "Green Cucumber Dragons" with a dragon on the package and thought William would like the whimsy of it.  I don't think he actually noticed).

 Filling the greenhouse with water to expand the peat pellets!  William called them cookies, and yes, he tried to put them in his mouth.

 Expanding the peat pellets... Or baking the "cookies"

 William decorating the Popsicle stick labels for the greenhouse.

Finished PRODUCT!!!

Lets hope they grow!  It will be interesting to see if my Mother's green thumb has been passed down to me.

It was a great little project for us this morning to help break up the boring-ness!  And although William was more in to trying to eat the peat pellets I think that over the next weeks he will be excited to watch the little plants grow and I'm excited to see the color GREEN AGAIN!

What do you do to help pass the long winter months??

Birthday Extravaganza number 2!

Weekend number 2 of our birthday celebration's!!!

We headed down to Airdrie on a Thursday evening.  Friday we got to visit some friend's that we haven't seen for a long time!  Clay's sister Candice and her boyfriend Dustin came out too and hung with William.  As all aunties do she totally spoiled William!

We held a birthday bash for William for my side of the family at my Mom and Dad's place in Airdrie.

A simple party with decorations, cake, food, presents, family and a couple of crazy 2 year olds!

He got so many wonderful gifts!  Thanks to everyone who spoiled my son!!

After gifts we did cake!  William knew exactly what to do this time!  Hunter and Stetson enjoyed the cake too, although Stetson wasn't suppose to have any, he snuck a taste when his mommy wasn't looking!  HA HA.

William enjoyed hanging out with his cousin's and especially liked playing with Mac.  William insisted on playing "Hockey" all day with Mac,  Mac was exhausted!  But it really took the pressure off of me and Clayton!  Thanks KIDDO!

Although maybe not as elaborate as the first weekend , everything was wonderful!  Thanks to everyone who came out these past weekends to celebrate this 2 year milestone in our little boy's life!  We are grateful for all our wonderful family and friends!

A family Picture from the weekend...

 

 

Birthday Fiesta!

It happened, yes its true... My little baby boy has now officially hit the big number 2!!!! 

For me It doesn't feel much different then when he turned 23 months, but it feels WAY WAY different then when he turned a Year old!  He's SOOO BIG NOW!  So many changes happened over these last 12 months... We moved from Walking to RUNNING, babbles to simple SENTENCES, and tears to Full blown TEMPER TANTRUMS! 

Like a true eccentric TYPE A personality that I am I went totally wild with the party planning for my baby's 2nd birthday.  And because of logistics opted for 3 different parties on 2 different weekends...

A friend 'Explorer' party, Clays side and My side party.  This past Sunday we held a Casual 'EXPLORER' friend's party and Clay's Family party at our place in Whitecourt.

However the party's were not the only celebrating we did this weekend, as William's actual birthday was on Friday. 

The morning of William's Birthday He woke at 7am(ish) to a whole lot of BALLOONS!
which didn't leave his hot little hands until bedtime that night.

Goofing around on the day of his birthday with an Early birthday present he received the day before... This is Williams "House"  a good place for 2 year old to hide balloons and other contraband.

The infamous BALL PIT! This MAGICALLY appeared on William's Birthday.



Birthday Gifts from Mommy and Daddy- Picnic table and Dora of course!



I had to work the Friday evening of William's actual birthday so we did CAKE on Saturday for William.  His reaction to the sparkler. 

Friday and Saturday was pretty low key and William enjoyed the simple pleasures of a birthday, a few gifts, cake and lots of singing "HAPPY BIRFDAY!!!"


But on Sunday William Woke to a DORA The EXPLORER WONDERLAND!
(Dont judge... Yes I know that Dora is mostly considered a 'Girls' thing, but my Son ADORES her, and watches her show everyday.)

The Theme was an EXPLORER PARTY

MAP- First you go through the Jungle, then Across Crocodile Lake to get to William's Birthday FIESTA!

 The Jungle with the Swinging Vines

Crocodile Lake with Dora's Pirate Ship

 The Birthday Fiesta!!!

 Swiper made it too...

And Tico and Benny!

More Balloons and a Happy little boy!

 Went Big on Decorations this year and Opted for an easier cupcake option.

The birthday craft- Decorating a "Back Pack".  Even the big kids like it! 

A couple of "back packs"

 Birthday Cake #2.

 William and His best Friend Joey... can you tell they hang out together a lot? lol!

William and Joey opening gifts

Awww, Look what you got Clay! 

Kaidyn and Tristian playing with the cool Diego gift they got William!

After this awesome fun morning William had a good nap and Clay's Family Arrived for the 2nd party.  All Clay's Grandparents made it out along with his Mom and Dad and Auntie Meagan and Uncle Matt.  We had a great visit, some supper and of course more CAKE and Presents!

 Opening Gifts with Baba

He totally Knows what cake is now! And Even Blew out his Candle by HIMSELF!


A long and fun day!  The only draw back is that I'm pretty sure William now thinks that his birthday will always be 3 days long, as he has had special things each day this weekend, and continues to sing the Happy Birthday song each day to us.  Teaching him birthday celebration limits will be difficult as we still have one more celebration to do next weekend... Oh well!

 Playing with his train set at the end of the long day!

NOW HOW AM I GOING TO TOP THIS NEXT YEAR?!?!?  LOL!