We've Finally Organized!

Here is the finished product of our new chairs in the living room and the new futon for the spare room! Duane asked his brother to come over this week to assist with moving the big couch out(I think I would've had a hernia if I even THOUGHT about lifting it!)and into the garage for storage. I had tried to put the futon together the week before last, and I was pretty unsuccessful, so Duane did it for me :) My hero! We can finally have couples stay the night without me having to take apart the twin bed every time! Yay! Hmm...this may require me going out and purchasing some double bed sheets(I only have queen and single)! I like the thought of that!
We've bought new picture frames for the living room (lightweight, cheap ones) so that we can finally have some color and a "homey" feeling in there. As we're not allowed to put nails in our walls, we've got to use these lightweight 3M sticky hooks. We can't put anything big up...but we'll deal with these for now so that we can have some of our artwork around! This is a shot of Duane and Kevan's office...yes...Kevan has a second office at our house, AND his own key! This is where Duane spends ALL day unless he's out driving his bus, being the awesomest bus driver EVER! The kids love him :) I'll have to hang pictures in here too, I think! It's Duane's turf, though(I won't even go in there to clean for fear of throwing something important away), so I should maybe let him deal with that one!

I think this is all for now, folks! Tonight's another insta-mommy night(aka. babysitting), so I have to leave in a few minutes and I've got to do a few other things first...like...making coffee. VERY important :)
Catch ya later!

~K~

Our Traditional Anniversary Pictures...year TWO!

Because it is tradition in my family, Duane and I went out and had Kevan take a couple quick shots of us for our anniversary. I'd like to a few more...something more edgy...at some point, but for now, these are nice! Kevan was kind enough to oblige, although he and Duane had been out at a photoshoot already that day, and I think he may have been tired...but he did it anyway :) Thanks Kevan! I got them the other day(off Duane's computer), and edited them myself...and if I do say so myself..I think they turned out pretty well!

I think this sepia one is my favorite!


~K~

Sorry...

Hey all. I apologize for getting anyone's hopes up...but Duane and I have decided to keep both the couch AND chair that I have told everyone we're getting rid of! So no, the chair is NOT in the alley waiting to be picked up, and we picked up a key from our landlord yesterday to get into the garage to store our couch for future use.
Sorry!
Oh, and Alisha...I'm sorry I made your heart sad that we were parting with the couch! But no worries...it'll be around for awhile longer :)

~K~

The Current Condition of our Spare Room

Here I go with another blog that has no real purpose...
Just so that everyone knows...because I know that EVERYONE really cares about the state of our spare room...this is what the room looks like.

It is like this because, as you may be able to tell, we have an extra chair and a futon now that we have to find space for!. Here goes a background story(now I KNOW you're all cringing and probably logging off because you don't have time for a Lucas rendition of a story...sorry!). The other day I was puttering around on usedcalgary.com and happened to come across a faux leather chair and ottoman set like the one I just bought Duane. I thought to myself, "wow, I think I'd really like one as well, and this one's cheap, and then we can get rid of that big, ugly couch!"...so I phoned, and the other night we went to pick it up. It was slightly cheaper than the one I bought Duane, and is only a year old and in mint condition...VERY good deal considering how much they're really worth. While at the house picking it up, we noticed a futon as well, and while I didn't want to say anything about it(Duane had told me a few months ago that we didn't need a futon right now, and we could wait), he decided to ask them if it was for sale as well! It was. Yay! They were literally selling everything for rock bottom prices because they're moving to Ontario and just needed to get rid of stuff. He told them we'd take it, but it wouldn't fit in our car. They came by last night to drop it off while Duane was in Airdrie, and now it's sitting in the middle of the floor in our spare room. The reason behind me wanting a futon is because whenever we have guests over for the night, we have to take apart the twin bed that is currently in there, and move it downstairs so we have room on the floor to lay out the two mattresses from the bed! And every time we have to take it apart, it's always me that has to do it! I despise taking that bed apart and putting it back together! Well, now we will take it apart one last time and store it in the basement. We'd thought about giving it away, but my mom made a good point when she said that some day we'll have a bigger house (and kids) and need that bed. So for now we'll store it. The couch, however, NEEDS to be dealt with, because we're now keeping the ugly flowered chair(and re-covering it) and putting the glider/rockers where the couch is and putting the ugly chair back in its former corner. Confusing, I know. So if anyone knows anyone who needs a big pullout couch(FREE), let us know! The couch itself is in great shape, but the pullout mattress could use replacing, and you'll probably want to cover the couch...it's kinda scratchy.

That story wasn't that long, was it? ;)

~K~

Precious

This morning while I was picking up one of my bus kids(who also happens to be one of my favorite little girls...and one of only 3 girls on my whole run), I was allowed to hold her new baby sister! She's a month old, and they named her Karen! I don't know how they've spelled it, but she's just precious...looking so pure in an adorable white onesie :) I wanted to take her home! On a side note, "my kids" are coming home soon, which means my evenings are again going to be taken up with childcare...insta-mommy once again. And I'm actually looking forward to it.

~K~

Our Weekend in the Mountains

Duane and I went along with Kevan, Leah and Marcel this weekend to check out a supposed "ice cave" out in Kananaskis. Marcel has been back in Canada for holidays for a month...he lives in Liberia and works as a project manager there. Anyway, Duane had checked out this hike online, and said it was only supposed to be a 4 hour hike return...with kids...hmm...that meant a LOT less time with 5 adults. We all met out in Bragg Creek at 10:30, and after taking a wrong turn and driving all the way up to a different trailhead, we started out on our hike just before noon. After doing Cleft Cave last year, this one was significantly smaller and a much shorter trip, but it was still neat to see!
Here are my pictures. Duane has the group shots from the trip, and I'm sure I can get him to put them on here at some point. Oh, and the whole "ice cave" thing...not so much. Our destination...not a very long hike! On the way up We got to the mouth of the cave, and then sat down for some lunch

The view from the mouth of the caveThe mouth of the cave from the insideDuane and I in the back of the caveDuane silhouetted at the mouth of the caveThe neat fossil rocks Leah and I foundThe leaf I found while recuperating after falling off a wall I tried to climb up...stupid roots that broke!

~K~

Duane's Anniversary Present

I decided this year that I'd like to buy Duane a gift for our second anniversary for being such a wonderful hubby! He's talked about wanting a glider rocker, so when I was browsing in the mall the other day (while I was waiting for him to get his blood taken), I noticed this chair and ottoman set on sale. I was planning on buying it right then and there, but it turned out that they were out of stock and wouldn't be getting the next order for a couple days. I left my name and number and waited for the phone call, hoping they didn't call while Duane was home and give away the surprise! They didn't. Tonight he picked me up from work and we went to pick it up. I'm glad to say that he loves it! Even though he's away at a photography meeting and hasn't even sat in it yet...hee hee :)
The nasty flower patterned, wood-trimmed armchair happens to be the item I replaced in our living room (but it WAS covered with a navy blue sheet to go with the "decor"). Good idea? I think so. And by the way, that hideous flower chair is going to be making its way to our back alley in the next short while. If you need/want a tragic chair (that can be covered, and is decently comfortable), and know where we live, have at 'er!

~K~

Duane's Birthday & Our 2nd Anniversary

Last Thursday Duane and I had a bunch of friends over to help celebrate his 27th birthday. There was lots of food, lots of friends and a lot of leftovers! As I didn't get pictures of everyone (unfortunately), I can only post the ones I did get. Sorry for forgetting everyone else! Duane got a new football from Aaron and Megan..and that's their witty card Duane is holding. The other side of it said "To the Man with the Man Face"...it was an old box piece from a NorthFace item...and they made it their own :) The other pic is Duane with Allan and Katie, and Allan's sister Evelyn. Katie is due on the 29th!! YAY! Ok, so I'm excited.

Yesterday, September 4th, was our 2nd anniversary! I had planned to make dinner reservations at DaGuido, an Italian restaurant Duane took me to the night we were engaged, but instead...this is what I came home to! What a guy. It was quite yummy! Thanks honey! He BBQd steak, mashed potatoes and broccoli. We had fruit juice and a new red wine we'd received as a parting gift from Userful :)


~K~