3 things

quilt in progress

house in progress

i am sewing.  i am watching the house progress.  i am listening to good music.

here is a great piece of advice.  start going to concerts.  who's music do you love?  go see them.  it is worth it.  it is invigorating.  it is rad.
we saw coldplay last night.  we also saw their show several years ago when they came through calgary. they sounded amazing, the set was great.  chris martin is a genius.  amazing performer.  inspiring.

inspired me enough to buy a plane ticket and make plans to see them again at the hollywood bowl. the venue of venues. it just could be the perfect evening.  i'll let you know may 2.

the blog

i was lamenting about "the blog" tonight.

why isn't it cooler?  prettier?  more with it?  fancier?  up-to-date?  making money?  making a difference why aren't i one of those LDS blogging power players?  attending blogging ho-downs?  advertising?  getting free stuff?

i guess in my mind "burtonsnorth" doesn't really mesh with what i think my blog should be and why i really blog.  my objective is to achieve a pictorial journal of our family's life over the years.  i should/could give more detail and fodder. there are lots of things i like and love and think are neat out there on the world wide web and i guess i could post about that all day long.  but i mean really, do i need to post a mood board with what to wear to a baby shower?  or gifts to buy for the guy that has everything?    nah.

so why do i think it needs to be anything other than what it is?  the bottom line is:  it doesn't!

coming to that conclusion, this evening i had a hoot going back in time and looking at what we were up to last year at this time.  truly, the beauty of "the blog".  tonight i also received a email from a mother in okotoks who suspects her child has FPIES.  she told me she googled "FPIES and CALGARY" and burtonsnorth popped up.  she had questions and concerns about doctors and what our experience was like.  that, my friends, is awesome.  i hope i can help her.

good job little blog.  you are just perfect for me and making a difference.

P.S.  Our dear friends Brad and Holly Cook's daughter Tavi passed away this week.  I can honestly say they are the nicest people we know.  Brad has been there for us, helped us, been concerned for us over the years.  Please check out this site and if you feel inclined, donate.  I promise you it will be completely worth your while.

www.fundly.com/tavicookmemorial

back in the saddle

bye guys!

family in malad

stuccoed

eli's annual EEG, tired and sleep deprived pre-test

post test

bonus photo:  ida's magical day at disneyland

it's thursday.  we have been back to reality since tuesday morning when eli headed off to school.  everything is back in full swing.  i like full swing.  it is good to have routine.  

we had a bit of a spring snow fall today which is still coming down as i type.  it may just be a snow day here tomorrow.  the snow greens everything up, great moisture.  just yesterday i busted out my townie and went on a inaugural spring bike ride with ida in tow in the chariot.  it was great.  

we had a really nice spring break.  we stayed with family in utah, nevada and california.  we stopped to see family in idaho.  

we have had 2 deaths happen this past week in our immediate circle of family and friends which has been surprising and sad.  it makes me reflect on my testimony.  it makes me want to be a better person.  it makes me want to strengthen relationships.  it makes me thankful for the gospel of jesus christ.

still trippin'

balboa

director of photography doug and his lovely wife emily

pre-easter egg hunt

aunt patrea

as tall as grandma now

grandma kathy

we are the last leg of our trip.  we are back in salt lake city right now.  it snowed last night.  i think we have seen every type of weather over the last 2 weeks.  it has been well rounded in that respect.

because i am crazy about instagram right now, 99% of the photos posted here are from there.  i have a few on my SLR i need to retrieve and post.

lots to blab about.  next post.

travelling update

montana

idaho

salt lake city, utah

st. george, hot rod

arizona

nevada

cold/windy las vegas morn

yo.  we are in ladera ranch, california.

we have:  driven to and stayed in salt lake city, st. george, utah, las vegas, nevada and ladera ranch, california.
we have:  spent two long, full days at disneyland and california adventure.
we have:  enjoyed beautiful weather and fun times with cousins.
we have:  been invited to a movie premier on monday night up in L.A. ?!?!  how fancy is that?  more on that later...
we have:  eaten delicious sushi and mexican food.

i feel like we have been gone longer than it's really been.  a week and a few days has seemed like a month.  time is weird that way.

more to come...

holy smokes, great falls!

september 12, 2010.  age 8.

march 21, 2012.  age 10

tonight i am reporting from great falls, montana.  we have had a few eventful days.  our spring break plans went up in smoke the last few days as we have been monitoring the road conditions to vancouver.  due to avalanches and road closures, we decided at the 12th hour to head south and make our way to california.  pacific northwest!  we will get to see you someday!

eli had a orthodontic appointment on tuesday where they surprised us with removing his braces.  such an exciting day.  since september 2010 they have widened, separated, pushed and pulled his teeth around.  for a year he had internal head gear pushing his lower jaw forward prompting it to grow.  his pallet was split, his brackets broken off a dozen times or more, he became a regular with the ladies that worked on him.  can i tell you he didn't complain once.  eli is an endurer.  he never boohooed, he never became frustrated, he never was bothered by the pain and inconvenience.  maybe deep down he was, but he never complained.  i am so proud of him.  when he originally got his braces on, we wondered if he was too young and won't be able to handle it.  the dude owned it.  i love him for that.  his mouth is now prepped and ready for his last baby teeth to fall out and his adult teeth to move in. {on that note, as we were brushing eli's teeth the night he got his braces off, 2 molars fell right out.}  i am sure down the road he will have another round of braces to fine tune them all.  at that point it will be cake compared to the last year and a half.  good job eli.  way to go.

in 6 or 7 hours from now we will get on the road again.  next stop salt lake.

changing/growing/building

in preparation for the trip i realized the kids canadian passports had expired.  we got everything ready to go and submitted them yesterday.  the kids have changed and grown up so much.  kind of fun to see it through their passports.

the temple is just growing like a weed.  it is changing every day. scaffolding is going up and coming down.  kind of surreal.  i wonder what is going on inside?  it must be busy as a beehive.  won't it be wonderful when it is done.

now

the other night i started putting together my blog book for 2011.  i realized that it was considerably shorter than the few years previous. not a lot to say?  fewer entries?  i think so.  what a bummer.  i should have written more.  a lot flies by undocumented.  MUST DOCUMENT LIFE.

today:

it started with cj running down the hallway at 3:00 am dressed in outdoor gear.  "you've got to get out here!  you should see the aurora borealis!  he had heard earlier in the day there would be amazing northern lights and he was right.  i saw some dancing in the sky through the window, but by the time i threw my boots on and a robe, they were gone.  i guess he got a private show.  i have seen the lights over the years.  i remember driving home late one night and thinking there was a fire or a alien invasion going on right about where mom and dads house was in bearspaw.  the lights were so bright and active it was amazing.

i asked ida what she wanted for breakfast.  her response was "PAINT!".  cinnamon corn pops will have to do.

we recently lost our home phone number and cj's studio number through our phone company.  they told us both were unavailable to get back.  today a technician came to the house to install a box where they would give us a temporary number and line and try to retrieve cj's studio line.  imagine my shock when he gave me my instructions and information and the temporary number they gave us was OUR OLD HOME PHONE NUMBER.  the exact number we were fighting to get back.  weird.

ida and i went to IKEA today.  i haven't been there forever.  cj met us there for lunch.  why is the food there so good and so cheap?  how do they do it?  why is IKEA so awesome?  i ate the tilapia while cj and ida ate 30 meatballs between them.  30 meat balls?  i don't know if that is safe....

the house is coming along.  it's really going to be nice.  the layout is perfect.  the views are lovely.  someone buy it?  i don't want to leave it, but such is life.  if you know a couple in need, send them my way.

i got hair cut today!  once every 8 months isn't bad?  actually it is.  totally lame.  but i found a great stylist and i vowed i would see her again, soon.

we have a fly by the seat of our pants road trip planned for spring break.  its going to be crazy.  we just have to end up in SLC by april 5th for a radio lab live show that we have tickets for.  we are going by way of the west coast to san francisco... so, it should be FUN!


note:  this was written 4 days ago.  just posting now.  so much for keeping things "fresh" and "updated".  ha!

hooray hurrah!

ida is potty trained.  did you hear that?  IDA IS POTTY TRAINED.

it just kind of happened last week.  my week was light with meetings and appointments so we pulled out the princess potty, a pair of panties, stayed home and played all week in the living room.  she popped on and off the potty at her leisure.  done.  she has been dry the last 2 nights, taking herself to and from the potty.  i have to say it's pretty awesome.  very unexpected {even though i knew it was about time}.  it's like it just magically happened and now i don't need to do it!  yah for me!  she's pretty proud of herself too.

the house is really coming along.  this shot was taken a week or two ago {so i guess it's a poor representation}.  i am going to go take a look at it tomorrow.  they are installing all the windows and blocking all the cabinetry on the floors.  they are still saying may 7th for possession, soooooooooo.

the weather has been so mild.  crazy mild.  weird mild.  not calgary winter mild.  which i have to say has been really nice.  i'll take it.  thanks calgary!

i owe you.

going down this road...

i have officially decided that procrastination is a big problem.  for me, to me, about me.

i have been trying to put my finger on why i just don't DO the task that needs to get done.  why do i procrastinate?  am i lazy?  am i retarded?  am i scared i'll get everything done and nothing will need me to get it done?  something always needs to be done.  so why do i put off the filing until its a mountain or wait until something becomes overwhelming before i act on it.  i clearly need some counselling.

i bought a book last night.  "the happiness project".  i can't wait to read it, i am scared to read it, what am i going to have to change?  change is hard.  i've got to change.  change is good.  change is great.

it's been such a weird time/place/sphere here at burtonsnorth.  we are in-between change and homes and plans and stuff.  it is hard to document when things are always up up up in the air.

one of my very best friends had a baby on monday.  a little girl named mia.  the picture she sent of her is so sweet.  i talked with megan hours just before she had the baby and when i got off the phone i bawled my head off.  i missed her, i was excited for her, i was nervous for her.  i still don't know why i had such an emotional response.  like a waterfall of emotion busting through a big fat dam.  

i made a quilt for little mia that i haven't sent yet.  PROCRASTINATION.  its on my list of things to do.

believe me.  i've got to change.

dead air

oh man.  this poor blog.  i have ignored you.  jumping back on the horse.

i have discovered instagram.  addicted.

facebook is lame.  i'm tempted to bail but have made so many connections i'll keep it active just to get a hold of people when needed.

i have also discovered indexing.  very addicted.

we have been making selections for our house that is being built.

we sold our van.

eli had half of his internal head gear/braces removed.  he is in the home stretch of teeth fixin' upping. he should have it all removed beginning of april.

cj had his gallbladder removed.  it went smoothly.  he has recovered well.  he is glad it is done.

i have to round up photos to add to this post, so i promise i will be back.  bigger and better than ever on the blogging front.

its important.