Blogger hasn't let me sign in the last couple days- that's why the delay in the TMX Elmo updating. Well, everything went as planned at Walmart on Wednesday morning, and I got Eva a TMX Elmo at 8:02AM. It was a beautiful thing. Now we just have to wrap and wait until December 9th.

Ok, Eva is teething, therefore extremely crabby/needy/climbing up my leg. So I shall leave you with a picture from this morning of Eva on her rocking horse.

The long-awaited news is here...no I don't have my hands on a TMX Elmo yet- this is way better news by far. Have you guessed yet?

Nate and Christi are officially parents of Aaron Pao-An!!

Here is the excerpt from Christi's blog http://blog.pureshotsphoto.com/:

We're going to Taiwan!!!!!
YIPPPEEEEEE!!!!!! We finally got the long awaited phone call. My heart is pounding and I feel tingly all over. I'm a mom and Nate's a dad - officially!! We are headed to Taiwan in the next few weeks to pick up Aaron! Just after his 9 month birthday! I know they told me not to use this many exclamation points in writing, but I just can't help it!!!! Our and many other's prayers have been answered - with a resounding YES! We'll post pictures after we get home, but for now...I have to pack!

Nich's FAVOURITE dish to order when we go out to eat is Manicotti. So, I thought I would give it a whirl. And it didn't turn out half bad. Just call me super cook.

No, not really.

But, I have started "recipe nights" around here. Yesterday was "Soup Night". I tried a new cheddar-broccoli soup recipe that turned out to be the best ever. And tonight was "Italian night". Tomorrow will either be "Meat & Potato Night" or "Random Night" (which will be yummy Quiche). I havent decided yet.
Hopefully with some more structure around here, i will get out of the recipe rut, where i make the same things every other week. I have a spreadsheet now. And soon I will link each week to a Grocery Shopping List required for the week. Yes, soon this household will run like a well-oiled machine.

Before I married my wonderful, Canadian husband, I used to live across the border in Lynden. And in the little town of Lynden is the best coffee house there ever has been.

The Woods Coffee - have you been there?

I don't know how they have perfected the espresso shot, so it tastes "just right" every single time. And whenever i go, i forget to look at the brand of syrup and chocolate they have chosen. But, seriously, every sip of their drinks is a little bit of heaven.

Nich and I stopped in at The Woods on Sunday, and I wish we lived a tad bit closer. Because from now on I might just be tempted to cross the border first thing every day, to get my morning vanilla latte.

I know you are all sitting at the edge of your seats, waiting to know the outcome of the T.M.X. Elmo hunt.

Here is the update:

9:53 Walk in the door
9:54 Check tmxelmotracker.com and (drumroll please) IT'S IN STOCK!!!!
9:55 Call my Grandpa, who so kindly will help me out, because walmart.com only sells to US customers.
9:55 30 seconds Click on walmart.com to make purchase
9:55 31 seconds "OUT OF STOCK"

Turkey leftovers are officially polished off. We ate the last of the homemade turkey soup for lunch just a few minutes ago. And since I have a bit of a cold, i couldn't have asked for a better meal. I feel so much better now.

Well, how about an Eva update. Last i wrote she was rejecting vegetables and barfing up her meals on purpose. Well, the veggie rejection turned into anything-that-isn't-sweet rejection...then it just miraculously disappeared, and she is back to her normal (still picky) self. She is once again eating her sweet potatoes and chicken casseroles. No fruit added. She is gobbling down her yoghurt and her cottage cheese. Only problem is I can't seem to get her off purees. Every time i try "stage 2" food that is somewhat chunky, she swallows the smooth part, and keeps the chunkees in her cheeks like a hamster. At the end of the meal, i have to fish all the rejected lumps out of her mouth. It's pretty much a gong show. But, hey, i am not complaining, at least she is eating again.

Wow, this post has been all about food thus far. Hmm, my last few posts have been about food.

Changing the subject. Soooo, how about an Aaron Pao-An adoption update? Here is an excerpt from Christi's blog:

YAY!!!!!! You should have seen Nate jumping up and down all around the house and screaming with excitement! I don't think I've ever seen him that excited in all the 8 years I've known him. We received an e-mail from the adoption agency with the news that our first ruling had been set for October 3rd - which has come and gone! Yay! So, that means that as long as no one changes their mind, we will officially (as long as there is nothing else that we don't know about) have a son as of October 18. That is a day to celebrate! Then there is about another 2 weeks or so until they schedule our AIT appointment in Taiwan. After the appt is scheduled we should be traveling over there within the next week or 2. So...we're thinking maybe mid-November. Woohoo!!!! (But - keep in mind - it's all up in the air and could change. Could be earlier, could be later. We still don't know anything for sure. Just like always.) So that's the latest and greatest from the Hardy household. The next update should be that we're going to Taiwan. We can't wait!

Pretty stellar. This autumn has been a "season of waiting" for my brother and his wife, as well as nich and me. They have been waiting for their son, and we've been waiting for our house. Speaking of which, rumour has it that it may be done before December 21st. They just said that date as a worst-case scenario. I figured as much. Our house is pretty much done, its kinda frustrating. It's drywalled, painted, most of the finish carpentry is even done. What is left? Cabinets, floors, finish electrical and a garage door. And apparently that will take over 2 months Pishaw!

But, in all fairness, they have been saying that it is the inspection process that is holding them up. The builders have to stall the progress until a city inspector finally decides to show. So, ok, i can understand that. But, i just want my house, people! Inspected or not.

Soo, Eva is trying to climb up my chair, which is my cue to sign off. Happy Grey's Anatomy night!

Nich and I made our very first Thanksgiving Feast yesterday. Nich conquered the turkey(check out the pic- doesn't it look amazing?) and he also made this delicious curry broccoli-cauliflower dish (thanks for your recipe, Angelina!).
I conquered the stuffing (it turned out just how my mom's does, soo it was pretty much perfect), yams, homemade applesauce, and of course pumpkin pie.

My mouth is watering all over again.

Well, our Thanksgiving adventures included me slicing my finger with a razor blade, Eva throwing up Thanksgiving dinner, and Nich beating us at Settlers of Catan.

All in all, it was a great day, good grub, and fantastic company.

 

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving! I love Thanksgiving. Nich loves it even more. Eva doesn't care yet, but that means more food for us.

The Dykstra's invited us over for Thanksgiving, and it was marvelous. I am still full from the stellar turkey Jennifer cooked, the amazing stuffing, yummy potatos & gravy, sizzling sweet potatos, scrumptious red cabbage, etc etc etc. I AM SO FULL!

And just to think, we are celebrating Thanksgiving all over again tomorrow when my parents come back to town from their Whistler vacation. I hope I'm hungry again by then.

 

I have so much to do. Yet instead of accomplishing great things, i would rather piddle around the internet. I am so lazy sometimes. I need to get up and accomplish great things. As soon as I publish this post, i am going to get up from this computer chair, and:

-feed Eva breakfast
-get Eva out of her pajamas
-put her in her crib with some toys while i take a shower
-unload the dishwasher
-do some laundry
-empty the dishwasher
-clean the kitchen
-play with Eva
-do some bookkeeping (there is this growing mound of paperwork on top of my printer that is getting scarier every day)
-put Eva down for a nap
-do more bookkeeping
-visit my client, so i can get a paycheque
-go to the bank
-vacuum up the puffed wheat and cheerios that have somehow travelled to every room in the house

annd the list could go on. but i should stop typing and start my day. i think Eva is hungry.