we just got back from Fargo and we had a wonderful time! we didn't shop all that much (shocking i know!) but i did score some shirts, a sweater, lots of bath and body works stuff, and darcy picked up lots of shirts, and a pair of shoes. other than that, we relaxed a lot. it was so nice to get away and focus on 'us' again. the weather was crazy nice (5 degrees celsius today) but it was so super windy on the way home. there were a few cars, and semi in the ditch and a bad tuck/ camper trailer accident on the way home due to the windy conditions. thankfully we had a safe drive home. just some pics of our getaway....

it was no c'mon inn, but still very nice.
it felt clean but still had the old gross
hotel fuzz blanket

we got a 'spa package' with our room
the olay lotions smell devine

jacuzzi suite

all dolled up for delish supper at...

I AM FREE!!!!!!

exams are done! i can't believe it! that was the longest two weeks of my life, and now, i can sit back, relax (sort of, there's a lot on my 'to do' list) and not open my books for a whole glorious week and a half. that feels nice! since i am pretty booked this week i started my baking spree yesterday. i made chocolate chip cookies, and today i am making a double recipe of ginger snaps and a frozen mocha cheesecake! i also decided i want to take on the task of baking break. we l-o-v-e Stella's fresh baked multi-grain bread, so i decided i am going to make my own bread! it can't be that hard can it? now all i need is a good multi-grain bread recipe, so if you have one let me know! i can't seem to find my camera cord to upload pictures of the first cookie baking experience...so this will have to do. i never knew what all the hype was about with having a kitchen aid, but now that we have one, i finally understand!

fontanels....

now that i have everyone's attention on such an interesting subject....
just thought i'd give a quick update about exam. they are going really well, i am half done now which is so exciting. thursday after noon at 2.00 i will be done! my week off is already filling up fast, but i am glad i won't be stuck at home and board everyday! darcy and i booked a few nights away in fargo in a jacuzzi suite at Americinn - i know that it's no Comon inn but i am still super excited to get away and have some much needed 'us' time! (sorry that this post was dull, it was mostly for am!)

school....

these next three weeks are going to be tough for me (and darcy for that matter!) i have exams coming up the next 2 weeks...so if you think about me in that time you can send up a prayer for me! my exams are the 12th, 15th, and 16th of next week and then the 19th, 21st and 22nd of the following week. i can't believe i am going to be 1/4 done after the 22nd. school has flown by so far, and hopefully continues to do so. i look forward to being done and starting to work, so i know this is what i want to do....it's just so tough to get there. i hear this next semester is easier, so hopfully there will be less tears shed and i can feel at least half sane again!

Christmas

Christmas began on the 20th for us this year. with the kornelsen and friesen (mom's side) falling on the same day we decided to not drive the extra hour to winkler and went to the kornelsen gathering at joe and carols. almost everyone was there, it was nice to spend time with family we see far too little. it's funny how this used to be the calm quiet gathering, but with the addition of 8 little kids in the last few years, it is anything but calm and quiet! darcy and i stayed out for night at his parents place since we were having Christmas with them the nest day. it was a wonderful day filled with lots of food, games, presents, laughter, and sleep! we then headed to my parents place for 2 nights to cut down on driving, darcy had to work monday and tuesday. on the 23rd we went to nick and jacquelines for darcys dads side gathering, it was nice to spend time with family we don't see often, and jacqueline even planned a craft for us!

after a long 3 nights away from home we headed back to the city and relaxed and had our Christmas on the 25th. we had such a relaxing day together it was wonderful to spend our second Christmas together in a new home...i got to thinking and in 4 years we will have Christmas in 3 homes! yikes i hate moving.

on the 26th we packed our bags again and headed back to rosenort for a night with tyler and stef. the 26th was the waldner gathering, for the last few years (maybe only 2) someone (usually auntie m i think) puts together a little program for the family to enjoy consisting of singing, little kids reciting their poems or singing songs, and then every family says a blurb about their family or what God has done in their life that year. the highs, the lows, the times of growth, and times of struggle are shared, and for that time that people are sharing our family seems really close, in some ways we are but everyone has their own busy life. but when it comes down to it our family is there for each other, when someone is hurting, we hurt with them. it is truly a blessing to be part of such an amazing family. i got to connect with a few aunts and uncles and cousins that i only see at gatherings, it was really nice to connect with them. i never really made an effort to talk to them at gatherings, it was usually just a "hi, how are you doing" but this time i sat down and had a really good conversation with them. if i have learnt anything this Christmas it is that family is so important, and we need to take time for each other, even when life seems too busy.

the 27th marked the day of our last Christmas gathering at mom and dads. am, erik, and the girls came to mom and dads for brunch, and after games, jayda naps, and maddy nuggles we dug into presents. more games were played more food was eaten and a wonderful Christmas was had by all!

Christmas pictures in no particular order, and am we never did take family pictures....next year!

games at mom and dads

matching outfits from auntie steffy and uncle ty

appetizers at mom and dads

kitchen aid!!!

stories with gramma lill

grandma, grandpa, and me

rook

"steaaaak, where's my steak?"

FRIENDS SERIES!

biggest. stocking. ever

dads new awesome chair we picked out

friesen family

this weekend darcy and i headed out to rosenort for the night. we had our college and career chirstmas banquet at hilda's cabin on saturday. it consisted of a potluck, gift exchange (sadly d and i ended up with our own gifts : ( ), games and spending time with friends. sadly, i have no pictures to share with you....sunday was spent with family, it was nice to go home for a night!

i got up with darcy at 5.25 this morning to trek out to rosenort to bake with mom, amber, auntie martha, and grandma. it was a lof of fun!don't ask....

hailey bird

moms pretty tree

such a sweetie

sleeping madda

kisses

when darcy stops by his parents place.....
banana muffins, bran muffins, soup, rice krispee squares, chocolate sauce, and toffee marshmallows follow his home...mmmm : ) we have such a wonderful family!

my mom...

...is the kind of mom you can phone day or night to talk to when you feel sad
...is there to lend a shoulder to cry on when school is too overwhelming
...will drive an hour to bring me lunch when i've had a tough day
...will come clean the apartment when it is left in a jumble due to inconsiderate neighbours
...helped clean our house before we moved out and cleaned the apartment before we moved in while i sat there, too sick to move.
...will stop whatever she's doing to help us with whatever we need
...will pray for me daily
...send food home with darcy for us
...always thinks about others needs before her own
...hates surprises
...is a better mom than i could have ever asked for
the list could go on and on...but i'll just get to the birthday festivities. all mom knew was keep saturday december 6th open. bring a change of nice clothes, and makeup to get ready later. having that much information she thought....
1. swimming at the hospital across from our place
2. skating on the river behind our place
or
3. that i had arranged to have massages at school. that one was pretty close...

moms birthday surprise....

started off at the fort garry hotel
at ten spa to be exact

the steam room

the lounge area...

...where you waited to be called
for your appointment

the after lounge

the spa was amazing! we went an hour before our appointment to change, and enjoy the steam room, each others company, relax and spending time with our wonderful mother. erik came along to take care of maddy while we were in the spa. it worked out that maddy ate in that hour at the spa so erik could go back to the apartment with the guys for the rest of the afternoon. definitely something we were hoping would work out well. our appointments were at one and we all had an 80 minute relaxation massage. it was wonderful! after we could hang out in the lounge, get food and tea, and just further relax. side note, they made the best cheese and grainy muffins there.

after the spa we headed back to the apartment to lounge around and get ready for our dinner reservations at ichiban. i love going to ichiban, the food is delish and it is so entertaining to watch. mom has wanted to go to ichiban for a while now so we thought it was the perfect way to top off a spa day.

"you can't catch the egg with your
arms folded"

it was such a wonderful day celebrating moms birthday and spending time together with family, exactly what mom wanted! happy birthday mom, i love you!

what have i done?????????

this is what i was doing at 6.15 today.....

this is my "oh man what have i done"
face

.....what'd you do?
on the bright side i got "jade" my stylist from chatters (she was really good, i think i'll go back to her, too bad shes preggers and won't be around too much longer) to do multi-functional (??) bangs, i can wear them swooped to the side if i want. funny story about her doing my hair first off her boyfriend is also a massage therapist! i thought that was kinda crazy, and she was kept asking questions about my hair and said my old hair dresser used to be really good, but she kept getting worse and worse. she said my layers were SO uneven and she had no idea what was going on...but not to worry she'd fix it! she said a few times that she was confused as to why another hairdresser would cut someones hair that way! yikes....good thing i switched! I just need to dye it now, hopefully stef will have time tomorrow morning before our day of awesome-ness!!!!

oh and be honest, what do you think of the bangs its been probably 5+ years since bangs have occupied my forehead.