What do you think??

I was playing around in photoshop this evening, and I need your help! What do you think of the edited version? Too much? or would you take it in a whole different direction? Perfect the way it is? Or do you like the orriginal best??? Let me know what you think!!

Orriginal:

Edit:

The wise man..

built his house upon a rock...

Did you ever sing that song when you were little? I was one my of favorite Sunday School songs, the wise man built his house upon (up on ?) a rock, and the foolish man built his on the sand. Silly man.

Well from what the backhoe opperator told us, we are definatly building on rock! Or at least some VERY hard dirt, which I guess is just as good in building terms.

It's getting so exciting to drive out to the new house and see the progess! We still haven't sold our house, but have had some very positive feedback from people interested, so here's hoping that happens soon!

A couple pictures to tide you over, and yes, there will be more coming this weekend, because there are a bunch on my camera that haven't quite made it to the computer yet!

(and again, still no spell check in blogger, someone, anyone??? other then typing it in word and pasting it over here, is there a spell check shortcut that I'm missing somewhere???)

I cannot tell you how much fun I am having picking out paint colours. Markibly MORE fun then Jamie is incendently.

And I leave you with some picutre I took last weekend of Jamie and Donovan checking out the pond that our property boarders. I LOVE these pictures. My problem now is trying to decide which one I like the best!!

New House - Day 1

Today was the day! We started building our new home! I am so excited!! Jamie and I keep looking at each other like, "really??? is this REALLY happening?" and the answer is always, YES IT IS!

First a few pictures of the "before". This is our land, those of you who have been reading for a while will remember about 3 years ago when we bought this. It's about 10mins outside of town, and about 5acres. And we love it, we think we are so lucky to have water on our land, since as the title of this blog states, we live in a desert!

Dig Day! Eight years ago when our brother and sister-in-law built their dream home, we all gathered on their lot to watch the shovels hit the ground, and we had hot chocolate to celebrate (well to celebrate and because it was early morning on PEI and COLD). Well since today we broke a record for HEAT (my truck read +36'C today, not sure what the offical temp was), Donovan and I stopped at the store to get a slush to celebrate breaking ground on the new house. This was a VERY big deal for Donovan, as this was not only breaking ground on the home he will grow up in, but the first time he was allowed a slush, all to himself!

Here you can see the footings being dug for part of the garage, as well as the basement being dug out.

Yes I know, you are all wondering, "How can I get hair like yours??" well here's what you do. You go out on a windy day, with your hair tied back, and then have a camera man (thanks dad) that doesn't let you know, YOUR HAIR IS STANDING UP LIKE A SPIKE!

Donovan, pondering everything. Looks to me like he's ready to say "hey guys, how about a little more this way???"

Daddy and Donovan checking everything out.

I just like this last picture. I think it's a great one of Donovan and Grandpa. (ok, maybe a touch over exposed, but hey, that's what photoshop is for right???)

Thanks for sticking with us on this journy, I'm sure there will A LOT more picture posts to come!!

Ladies and Gentlemen, it has begun!

... or WILL begin tomorrow!

We finally got the phone call to go out to our land and verify the position of the house, because tomorrow, TOMORROW!!!! They will start to dig the hole for the house!!!!

Seriously, I am SO excited. I can't believe this is actually happening. I know I've said that before, but again, it's still true, so excited!

It felt like years (probably because it has been years) that we were in the planning stage, and then this summer we finally decided to actually BUILD it. At that time it felt like "wow, I can't believe this" and then people asked when would we start, and we said, "In the next few weeks" and we said that for, well A LOT of weeks, and now, now we are starting TOMORROW!!!

So other then taking pictures of the progress along the way, we need to sell the house we are living in. So um, any mojo house selling vibes you want to send our way? Feel free to send them!!

I will update with pictures tomorrow, I can't wait to start this next stage of our lives....

(also, can someone tell me why the new blogger doesn't have spell check anymore?? Or HOW I go about spell checking in the blogger compose area??? Thanks!!)

I Rock

Somedays I just kinda feel like I rock. And today, was one of those days!
You know the feeling that you get when you make, fresh from scratch Corn Salad and then when you are done you CLEAN THE KITCHEN, all while your child is napping?

No? You don't know that feeling? Well I do know that feeling, and today, right this min, I feel like I rock.

of Friends and Family

Well THAT was a longer break then I had anticipated! Sorry about that! Things just got crazy around here, and I was out of the habit of blogging, and well, it obviously just didn't get done.

Rather then drone on and on about what I've been up to (vacation in PEI, trying to sell the house, busy with both jobs), I'd like to just talk for a bit about something that's been on my mind lately.

I was raised to cherish my family, that family, all family, near and far are important, are THE MOST important things in our lives. Our families are what grounds us, family is what teaches us who we are.

I always thought that once you were family, you made an effort to get to know each other, to support each other, and to be there for each other. But I'm beginning to see that that's not always the case. I've found that there are a lot of members of my family, who are only "family" when convenient. Who are only there for you if they feel like it, or if it benifits them in some way.

I've been told a few times that I'm not invited to welcome to certain "family" event because it was an event only for "close friends and family". And I stopped and wondered, am I not family? I mean when does family stop? Is it only siblings, and our parents? Or do cousins count? If cousins’ count, do the people your cousins marry count?? For me personally, they ALL count, family is family, and I don't draw lines one way or the other.

I often feel like I have made an effort to get to know new members of my family, only to be treated as an outsider. Is it because I don't go to the same church as they do? Or, because I'm not Christian enough for them? I know it takes more effort to get to know me, if you don't see me once a week in church, but I always thought that family was worth it.

When they were hurting, I was hurting, I cried tears of sadness when they experienced tragedy even though I didn't "know" all of them. I’ve celebrated with them when they got married, or had babies. Why? Because they are FAMILY, because families are supposed to look out for each other, and be there for each other.

But the more I think about this, the more I believe that our friends are the family that we choose. I have been blessed in my life with some really good friends, friends who take the time to make an effort to get to know me, and friends who are there for me whether it's convenient for them or not.

I don't want to get jaded, and I don't want to put walls up and block people out of my life, but I sometimes wonder, at what point is it ok to stop trying? or IS it ok to stop trying? If family isn't as important to someone else as it is to you, then what?

I don't really know if this post is going to make a lot of sense, I'm still really trying to get everything straight in my own mind... but please feel free to add your input, or personal experience in the comments, I'd love to hear what you have to say about family, friends, and everything in between.