Bits & Bites

There are SO many things that I have planned to post and yet life seems to get in the way...sooooooo

I thought I post some Bits & Bites

A few weeks ago (or so) we were off to Whitehorse for something or other
and as usual we stopped at Auntie Stacie's on the way home for...

...a quick diaper change,

a yummy snack & a much needed friendly visit!

I do I mean "friendly" !!
Sarah was ready to take the entire team home with her!
That girls is DOG CRAZY!!

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Some time before that...

We had some snowfall mixed with RAIN!!

All of the weakened trees from the summer snow storm

were in crisis again

Sean walked a few kilometers,

banging the heavy snow off all of the trees

in hopes that they would spring back to a height

allowing our vehicles to pass

I drove behind him with the girls in the truck

and got out to help where ever I could!

Oh the joys of living in rural Yukon!!

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Ahhh, then there was a moose!!

Isn't she beautiful? or was that a HE?? Not sure...Regardless...what a wonderful sight along the Alaska Highway!!

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I think I'll have to post some more bits & bites later...as for now, I have two little critters to feed :)

The finished product...

Do you remember WAAAAAY back on November 1st, when I posted about a baby quilt that I had asked "The Thread Bearers" to make for a friend...
I showed you a photo of me working away on my block & what it looked like when I was done with it! It was the first block that I ever made!!
Well...I never did show you the finished quilt did I?

13 women worked to put this together!!
I was SOOO excited to see just how beautiful it turned out!

Here it is!!

My bug is the blue butterfly in the bottom right corner in the photo above,

and the top left in the photo below!!

If you click on the actual photo,

you can see, in better detail,

just how well it turned out!

Since then, I've completed my FIRST QUILT, which you might remember seeing on my Dec 31st Christmas Post:)

I now have TWO more on my plate...One will be started & finished this weekend (I hope) It's another one just like the last...for the girls...

The other quilt, well...I can't tell you anything about it because it's a surprise...Heck, I can't even tell you who it is for!!

SOOOO...somewhere between family chores & twins, I've got my hands extra full these days!!

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Have you ever known a quilter?

They really DO suffer from an obsessive condition don't they??

And another thing...

I'm always amazed at the people that live up here...

It seems that 99.9% of the Yukon residents are brilliant closet artists!!

I am SOOO lucky to have an opportunity to learn from these extremely talented individuals!! Perhaps some of their skill and creativity will rub off onto me one day :)

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Hay Mum:

Not only am I learning to quilt but I'm also learning a few new Blogging tricks! If you click on the underlined words in this post, they will take you back to the posts that I was refering to in the script! Isn't that nifty?? Then all you have to do is hit the back button in the top left corner of your computer screen to take you back to this one! Go on...give it a try!!

Traffic jam ...

First off these are NOT my photos...I took them from the Internet!

I don't even know who was so fortunate to take them!

BUT...

...this very shot could easily have been mine last night...

On my way to the local store for a loaf of bread & some bananas,

I found a cow & calf on my road!

Because the snow is deep & capped in an ice crust,

Mum didn't want to give up the road!

Once they are in deep snow, they can't move quickly enough to escape the wolves, and even if there are no wolves around at the moment...their shins can be ravaged by the hard crust!

Instead, she took her calf, that was about the size of this one,

down the road in front of my truck!

I was SOOOO glad that I was driving my new 1/2 ton instead of my tiny little car...especially when she turned around and looked right at me!!

You see, a Mama Moose KNOWS she is big & powerful & for her to challenge a mere vehicle is NOT unheard of! Heck... a few summers ago one kicked a Grissley to death for killing her calf!

Anyhow, the two sauntered in front of my car for a good long time.

At one point I stopped to see if she'd look for a safe place to leave the road.

The two just stopped & stood there in front of me!

I really needed that bundle of bananas for the twins & the store wasn't going to open it's doors after hours just because I'd been held up by a moose or two...

With this in mind, I tried, gently, to nudge them along!

With icy roads, I was careful not to send them into a frightened run for fear one of them would silp & break a leg...I also couldn't help but worry that I was sending those two magnificent creatures straight onto the Alaska Highway (as it was only a stones throw up the road). Suddenly their saftey was far more important than a bundle of bananas...I stopped again.

Finally, once in the residential area, Mum found a break in the snow & bounded into the bush, taking her child with her!!

So...I ask...

Who has ever watched the TV show "North of 60' "?

Well, for a very long moment, I felt like I was in the middle of their filming set!

Really now, I know I live in the Yukon & all, but...a Cow Moose & Calf in

down town Haines Junction impeding my efforts to get to the store before it closes? THAT, friends, doesn't happen every day!

Not that this has anything to do with last night's adventure...

I just have this thing about Mummy's with twins...

no matter what the species.

:)

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Wishing that all of your traffic jams

are as fabulous as mine ;)

It was a big night!

There was Music in the Junction tonight & Daddy took Mummy, and Sarah & me out on the town!

It was our first chance to wear our new dresses

that Grandee & Grandad bought us for Christmas!!!!

Given the fact that Mum & Dad think my sister threw up on me earlier,

Mum opted for a sink bath :) I wasn't too sure at first...

and I think I still like the big tub better but,

I really did smell & I really wanted to wear my dress !!

Sarah, (the one who did the throwing up)

didn't have to have a bath because

she threw up on ME

instead of on herself!
She's looking rather sheepish here, don't you think?

It did feel good to get all cleaned

& dressed up though :)

and Sarah IS looking rather apologetic!
O.K...She's forgiven...Besides, what's a bit of spit-up between sisters anyways??

I just LOVE my new dress!!

And my woolen booties just look SO fashionable with it!

As you can see,

We were all ready for the big concert !!

Riveted to our seats (actually to Mummy's lap)

the music began!

My sister Sarah was absolutely engrossed

in the performance tonight!

I couldn't stop dancing all night!

or clapping my hands or singing along...

I just LOVE going to concerts!!

And with "My Martin" as my surprise date,

the night was a total blast!

The singer tonight, Tamara Nile,

was not only wonderful,

she really liked us too :):):)

SHE asked if she could get her picture taken with US!!

Then we bought her CD & she signed it for us :):):)

We are working on a stellar music collection...

Uncle Ian's CD is still our very favourite though!!

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Well time for bed, because Mum & Dad are just exhausted!

My Sister & I could go for another round & party all night long...

Oh well, we'll have to put away our party dresses

and dance booties till another night...

:(

I can't wait till the next concert in the Junction!!

Hay Grandad...They finally did it !!!

...they grew HAIR!!!

Adelaide got my straight locks...

but her hair is really really thick! WOW...

& she got her Daddy's bright blue eyes!

& William's soft wiskers...
oops...I mean, disposition!
(& she got a friend in Clare!!)

See those luscious bangs!
Long & swooping already & not even 15 months yet!

Yup...the hairy one on the left would be Adelaide!!

Where did my "Baby" go??

She looks all grown up!!

As for that other grand-daughter of yours, Sarah Grace....

She's just FILLED with a head of celtic curls!

Just look at those ringlets!!

I can't get enough of those curls!!

Of course until...

she is a 6 years old screaming

as I try to comb the knots out!!

Ahhh...but for now...

How beautiful!

Hummm...Did she get them from Grandee??

From Daddy??

Sure didn't get them from you or me!

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Well...

Guess those BALD days

are a thing of the PAST!!

along with their gummy grins...

and my long leisurely afternoons...

Dear Adelaide & Sarah,

How very lucky you are...

From the day your Daddy said he wanted a family, I began to dream...From the day I knew you existed, that dream consumed me. From the day I heard you would be "TWO", that dream doubled!! And the day you were born, my dreams came to life.

While I was still in shock from the new of twins,
Grandee & Grandad laughed,
a laugh straight from the heart!
Then after a night of NO sleep from a head that wouldn't stop reeling,
Grandee listened to me babble on, for what must have been hours.

I can't even remember what we talked about,

but it calmed my mind...
Today, Grandee & Grandad have already given you
more than many children receive...
They have given you a family steadfast in love & support.

Aunt TJ & Cousin Cameron,
sent you treasures from their very own Nursery,
to welcome your arrival...
making family seem not so far away.

When you were tiny, Aunt Tori taught you the song

"Head & Shoulders, Knees & Toes".

I never knew the word "toes" could inspire such a reaction!

While it made you giggle,

it brought tears to my eyes!

Then there is your Aunt Maureen.

She has been there every step of the way!

She once told me that with Grandma FitzGerald now gone,

she'd do her best to fill that gap...

With Aunt Maureen in your lives, there is no gap,

for she continues to swaddle you both in a blanket

woven from the fibers of the past & present.

......................

Your Aunt Eileen & Aunt Margaret have arms

that reach all the way across oceans to hold you.

They have sent you treasures from Europe,

treasures that you will pass on to your daughters...

......................

Although our family is spread far & wide,

they are forever doing things to include you in their lives

& they are filled with a love for you,

with a love that is only known to family.

Yesterday was one of those days that drove this home for me...

A parcel came in the mail from Vancouver.
In it was a CD of Uncle Ian singing along with his guitar.
These songs aren't ordinary songs known to other children...

These songs of Sled Dogs & Brumbys, of Winter Boots & Furry Mice...
are songs written for you, sung for you, played for you, by your Uncle Ian.
They were written for you & you alone.

Any music is a gift, but this music is golden!

Let's hope that the rest of the world doesn't discover your Uncle Ian's hidden talents, for if they do, we would surely have to share him with millions!
I'm certain that Grandpa FitzGerald, who was a musical man himself, is smiling &
the North Star is sparkling just a tad brighter,
as you dance to your Uncle's tunes, from your breakfast chairs. I am equally certain that you will play those very songs for your children some years from now !

.......................

As you grow through life, there are many things that I hope for you!
One of those things has already come true...
The love of family!

I can hear that you have woken from your mid-days nap and your sounds are happy.

...How very lucky I am ;)

We'd be NAKED if it weren't for Aunt Maureen!!!

Pssssst...Sarah Grace here reporting!!

It's TRUE...

If it wasn't for our Aunt Maureen I'd still be naked...

Heck, for that matter, so would my sister!!

It's not that my parents don't do their best but...
Walmart isn't exactly Fashion Central...
it's 100 miles away from our palacious cabin
(let us live in our fantasy world while we're still short, thank-you very much)
and
we keep GROWING!
Poor Mum & Dad are having a hard time

keeping us in cloths !!

Thanks to Aunt Maureen,

we have these rather smashing Pink-Poke-A-Dot Play Suits

Finally, something our FEET aren't being strangled in!!!

"Today's Parent" really should consider this outfit for their next cover shot !

Here, Baby Adelaide Anne, my older sister,

is modeling the "play suit" in comfort & style...

all the while, in matching gear,

I can be found inspecting the socks...

GREAT COLOURS Aunt Maureen...That Lime Green is Heavenly

(a tad over-sized perhaps, but we'll eat our Cheerios & before you know it,

they'll fit just fine!!)

But then again,

they could double as...

a couture hat on the runway in Paris!!

Apparently my SISTER thinks they were meant for HER!!!

Not to worry, I'll share...

(but the Lime Green ones are MINE!!!!)

I couldn't help but notice she honed in on the

Purple Hearts!

That's fine...

I think the blue & cappuccino flowers

are more my shade & style anyways...

For two girls, this whole sharing thing really IS working out!!

We don't REALLY sleep stuck to the wall

(as it looks like in the photo above)

If your tilt your head to the right...

(a little more...almost there...a wee bit more...yup! That's it!!)

you'll be able to see this picture as it was intended...

Two perfect little angels bedded down for the night :)

Wait a second here...

not only did Mum post this pic up on end...

SHE DRESSED ME IN MY SISTER'S SUIT

& HER IN MINE ! ! !

We really need to have a talk with that Mother of ours!!!

By the way...did you notice my luscious blond ringlets??

OK OK OK ....

Enough about how cute I am.....

This report is about my

Aunt Maureen and all the cool stuff she sent us this week...

Did you see all the fancy threads ??

We won't have to be naked anymore this month!!!!!

(well...we weren't REALLY naked)

Wow ... with all of these new cuddly outfits to show off,

"Today's Parent" will be calling by morning, I'm sure...

I wonder which outfit I should wear for the photo shoot?

humm I really love this pink one...

but the purple hearts are Aunt Maureen's Favourite...

maybe I should go with the blue/cappuccino flowers for Mum?

ohhhhhhh....

What to do? What to do? What to do?

Golly-Gee...Being adorable really is tough work...

but thanks to Aunt Maureen it's bearable ;)

"Exactly how much longer are they planing to live with us???"

What was IN those Brownies anyways??

Here we go!!

It's BROWNIE time!!

Ah OH ...

This is SERIOUS....

Don't mess with my brownie!!!

Yaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!
Chocolate!!!!!

My brain it turning into
CHOCOLATE!!!


I NEED SUGAR

I AM a Brownie!!!!!

hehehehehe

Brownies are happy food!!

*****

Note to self...

Restrict brownie intake

because

They turn into Chocolate Monkeys!!!!!