For Halloween hand-outs I decided this year would be different. I have put together little baggies containing home-made treats. Each kid gets a Monster Pop (decorated Newton cookie on a stick) and a Witches Finger (finger shaped peanut butter cookie with a colored almond for a finger nail). While packaging the treats our own little ghoul had to have one too. I guess they passed the taste test because Jesson's Monster Pop disappeared in a flash. Visit the Kraft Canada web link on the right for other great Halloween ideas. Happy Halloween! 

While at the farm, Jesson got his first ever ride on a tobogan.He really enjoyed it and seems to be getting used to the snow too. He has spent a little time exploring outside, but not for hours on end like he would before the snow. 

Happy 80th Birthday Auntie Verla!Grandma & Grandpa McNally hosted a get-together yesterday at the farm to celebrate Auntie Verla's birthday. Lots of food, fun and visiting had by all. 

It was much easier to dig deep into the toy box when I let Jesson use a step stool. I asked him how big he was and snapped this picture of his answer. 

Well, lookie here!! I believe this is my husband....sleeping ON THE COUCH....WHILE WATCHING A MOVIE no less. Jesson was napping when Scott crawled onto the couch to watch a quiet movie. I'm not sure if it was the fresh air and shovelling, or the cozy feeling of being warm when it's cold outside that got to him. For years he has bugged me about my inability to stay awake through a movie. He has also said "don't sleep on the couch, if you're that tired, go to bed". Well, here's my proof that sometimes we break our own rules, hey Babe?? Not only do I have it on film, I now have witnesses who have seen the evidence too. BUSTED!! XOXO 

When Jesson had had enough of the snow, we stuffed him in to the stroller and went for a walk. This seemed OK with him, as he didn't have to mimic Frankenstein in his new boots, he could just watch the snowy scenery go by. 

Winter is here...at least temporarily. This afternoon we all bundled up for some play time in the fresh snow. Jesson resembled Maggie Simpson once we were done putting on all of his new winter clothing. We kind of expected him to like the snow because he's such an outside kid, his reaction was completely the opposite. We tried sitting in the snow, he cried. We tried walking in the snow, he cried. We tried eating snow balls (fresh ones, of course), he cried. I guess it will take a ride or two on the snowmobiles before he'll become a winter lover. I'm sure he'll be hooked after the first outing!

Yesterday was Mommy's Day Off! I headed to Saskatoon to have lunch with a good friend, and attend a friend's baby shower all by myself. Scott and Jesson had a wonderful day together. Just so I wouldn't miss anything Scott took a few pictures of what they (Jesson) had been up to while I was gone. The poor cat took the brunt of Jesson's house-bound frustration due to the snow storm. Everyone lived through the day, and it was a welcome breather for me to say the least. Thanks Daddy! 

Last Friday a cold spell passed through and Jesson and I decided we would go for the mail anyway. While digging through the box of winter apparel, Jesson chose Daddy's big furry hat to wear (I didn't actually take him outside like that). That night when Daddy was home I put the hat back on Jesson and told him to go show Daddy. He did, while wandering with the cordless at his ear again. You're probably thinking he gets that from his Mom! While I do spend more time on the phone than his Dad, Scott is the one who wanders from room to room while on the phone. I guess he picked up both behaviours. 

Jesson LOVES things with buttons and cords. This morning he spent about 15 minutes walking around the house babbling into a cordless phone with a dead battery. Grandma and Grandpa Nicholetts have an old play phone at the lake he enjoyed chatting on over Thanksgiving weekend and this cordless seems to be filling the void at home. Jesson also LOVES to do whatever Daddy is doing. This includes watching a movie with headphones on. Scott had been watching quietly when Jesson was napping and as soon as Jesson got up, he saw this and had to try it too. He's such a boy! 

Here it is! A portion of the new tub surround is viewable in this photo. Jesson wasn't thrilled about us snapping pictures while he bathed, but he seemed OK with being back in his tub again. I think he was really starting to enjoy bathing in a big Rubbermaid storage container.

These snapshots point out the lovely hammer dent I spoke of in my last renovation posting. Along with that I have to find a method of covering the overflow hole too. The cover that was there fell apart, and the new styles seem to have the wrong hole patterns to get the screws to match up, yippeee! The next time there are reno's to do that require anything more than moving a couch, I'm gonna think twice! It does look much better now though. 

My Little Mammies! ;-)

Yesterday Scott, Jesson and I made the trip to see the surgeon in Saskatoon about my “micro calcifications”. The surgeon’s name is Dr. Hansen and he is very easy to talk to and was quite willing to answer all of my questions patiently without looking at the clock or pacing around the room. After grilling him for 15 minutes, I feel he has my best interest in mind and isn’t just out to make a buck by cutting me open. Yes, after a long discussion, surgical biopsy is really the only option.

Dr. Hansen described the calcifications as little spots spread all over the place. He said they compare to using a straw to shoot paint at paper. For this reason it would be next to impossible to properly locate sufficient cells with the less invasive needle biopsy method. Although, on my left side, there is a cluster of these little spots grouped together close enough that he’s positive he’ll get a good sample to test from there. Dr. Hansen had been doing breast surgery for 33 years and I’m only the third woman he’s seen with bi-lateral calcifications of this kind. Don’t I feel special! When he said that I almost laughed because “I’ve never seen that before” is usually what we hear from the car dealership when we show up with a problem. He did say that the likely hood of finding malignant cells in this type of tissue is only 2-3%, which is somewhat comforting.

So, I guess when “the call” comes in we’re off to Saskatoon for day surgery. The procedure is supposed to go something like this – I first go to the radiologist again who will locate the cluster using the mammogram machine and while I’m still compressed in there, he/she will insert a little wire (with a hook on the end so it can’t move around) into the cluster for the doctor to follow in surgically – then we cross the street to City Hospital to have surgery, luckily that part is under general anesthetic. The whole thing is only supposed to take part of a day. I’ll attempt to document as much a possible about the whole thing.

If you’re reading this on our Blog site and I have not yet phoned you in person, I apologize but if you're upset you’ll just have to get over it. Between doctor visits, an ailing cat, and chasing Jesson, I will eventually phone everyone but these things take time and feels like I’m phoning to ask people to feel sorry for me and that’s a little uncomfortable. Besides, I write a story a lot better than I can tell it in person so now you have the details.

Take Care, Jacki

It was a cool morning on October 1st when Jesson could be held hostage in the house no longer. I bundled him up the best I could with what was available and out we went. The picture is a little fuzzy due to his speed. He spent about a half hour literally running from place to place outside enjoying the fresh air. He slept very well that afternoon!