Saturday, September 24, 2011

Beware of Flying Lego!


Hi all!


I thought I'd throw in a pic from the party we did last weekend. Yes, the red carpet affair was quite something! The limo was definitely a nice touch.


Well, I think I'm all ready for the word on the street festival tomorrow. Cash box ready, books counted and loaded, easels, posters and business cards. Thank goodness for my hubby, his help and support is neverending.

I'm looking forward to this event. The weather is supposed to be fantastic, and I always like meeting new people. With any luck, a few more wee ones will become familiar with Lexi, and A Crazy Day.

So, if you're in Saskatoon tomorrow between 11 and 5, come downtown! We will be on 23rd street between 3rd and 4th Ave. Bring the munchkins!

Now, on to what will be my beautiful new bathroom. We are officially done hanging drywall!! Do I hear a Woot! I think I do! We even managed to keep the injuries to a minimum. I did learn, however, that catching a sheet of drywall that I thought was attached to the ceiling on the back of an already sore neck is not a highly recommended activity. Do not try this at home.

We have also discovered that fitting the tub and shower into place will not be without it's challenges. I'll let you know how it turns out. But first, there is much mudding, taping, sanding and painting to do before we really get to that too deeply.

For the upcoming week, I'll be getting ready for the Unity Trade Show next weekend. I likely won't be home in time to get my ramblings up Sunday morning, but I'll be sure to get them up as soon as I get home, either that evening or Monday morning.

On Wednesday I need to compose the letter to send to the toy brokers, the rep at Hasbro has made available to me.  I think the reason I haven't written it yet is, I'm simply not sure how to word it. I'm sure something will come to me.

I apologize if these ramblings seem a little flat this week. I gotta say, with renovations, work, kid stuff, and book stuff, I'm feelin' a bit tuckered out tonight.

Maybe it has something to do with the whack from the drywall, then again, it may have something to do with getting smoked in the temple with a giant lego tower! This is something else I wouldn't recommend as an activity. Yep, you would be surprised at the velocity at which a 20 month old little boy can hurl a lego tower from a distance of 3 feet. In case you're curious, and to protect you from the end result, I can tell you it's enough to leave a pretty nice bump with a bit of a bruise as well.

Thanks for reading these ramblings, I do appreciate you taking the time. When I started writing this blog, I never dared to dream that anyone outside my own family would be reading it. It amazes me every week, when I see new readers, from 5 different continents now, coming along on this adventure.

Thank You.


Until Next Week,


May the lemons life throws at you become, not lemonade, but the bite after a shot of tequila.
May the ups and downs that occur, not bring on motion sickness only the feelings that thrill ya.

May you see every trial and tribulation as an opportunity, not an obstacle in your pathway.
May you see them as the forks in the road they are, not the hurdles they first seem to be.

May you take on the challenges that come charging at you like a bull seeing only red.
May you take them by the horns, tame and calm them, until out of your hand they are fed.

May you remain in the driver seat, steering your life with purpose and with cause.
May you keep in mind that no matter what's handed to you, it's your life, show it who's boss!


www.margyreidbooks.net

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Live a Little, Learn a Little!



Yeah, the picture doesn't have much, if anything to do with this week's ramblings, I just really like it.

Hiya folks!

Some pretty cool things happened this week!

Yep, my baby daughter, a welder, therefore the least intimidated by power tools, came to visit for a few days and reclaimed her title of "Queen of the screwgun" ! Now the walls in what will be my new beautiful bathroom, are drywalled! All that remains naked of drywall is the ceiling, and we hope to have that rectified very soon.

Also during this week I got in touch with the corporate office at Hasbro. I was so nervous writing that email. I was terrified of wording something wrong, or not sounding businessy enough, or that they would read it, get a little chuckle, tell me I'm an idiot, and send me on my merry way. I was thrilled to hear back from them within 24 hours!

The woman who replied to my email was very helpful. Apparently, they don't accept unsolicited material and ideas for toys. The process goes through people called "toy brokers." Now there's a job I never knew existed! She also gave me a list with the contact information of the brokers that they deal with on a regular basis. In much more refined language than I am about  to use, she then advised me to go through brokers only. It covers my butt so no one can rip off "Lexi."

Also on the book front, I received another email from McNally Robinson. Yep, they need more books! I guess they are running short once again both in Saskatoon and Winnipeg. They also informed me that one of the school divisions in the province came in and bought 19 copies of each book and are going to be using them in a literacy program throughout their division! How cool is that!

To top off a great week, we went to Kindersley last evening to do a karaoke show for a "red carpet" party.  My cousin's little girl turned 8, and was having a red carpet birthday party. The guests came as celebrities, they went on a limo ride, and my two youngest daughters, dressed in gowns, escorted the guest into the party. This is where the Justin Beiber cut out made his appearance! He didn't exactly stand like he was supposed to, so he was duct taped to the wall of the house so kids could get a picture with him.

For the first time in 12 years we almost had to cancel a show. We loaded the truck and left, then developed a weird shimmy. We came back, my hubby had a look, made a fix that we hoped would hold, and we were off again. Well, we didn't get very far when the temporary fix gave way and we had to turn around, again. As we were limping the truck home, you guessed it, the drive shaft fell off!

For those who are maybe less familiar with the underside of a vehicle, let's just say this. No driveshaft, no drive. Knowing there is a little girl with her heart set on this party, we had to think of something. So, my hubby caught a ride back home and grabbed our car. Our very little car. We crammed the essential equipment into every nook and cranny, and were on our way! We were a bit late, but we made it! We set up, covered up during a bit of a rain shower, but ended up with a show where a bunch of little ones could be rock stars for a night! One side note, you haven't heard Katy Perry's Firework song until you hear an eight year old, hopped up on birthday cake and soda pop sing it!

So, for the upcoming week.

I'll be prepping for "The Word on the Street Festival" which takes place in downtown Saskatoon, next Sunday. It's the first time Saskatoon is hosting one, but they have been held in Vancouver and other cities in the past. It looks like it is going to be a great experience. There are going to be readings, things for the kids, and all kinds of books, of course. Their website is www.thewordonthestreet.ca if you'd like to check it out.

Also this week, of course, bathroom. Soon, it will be done very soon. Right????

So, until next week.


May every opportunity that comes your way be one you can grab onto with unadulterated glee.
May each one provide multiple chances like the spreading roots of an old oak tree.

May those chances turn into multiple blessings, be it making smiles, friends, or some cold hard cash.
May you be sure to grab the opportunity when it comes, for sometimes they pass in a flash.

May everything you're wishing for, be exactly what you truly need, to make you your truest you.
May it all come to fruition, in one way or another, even if it's not the way you thought it should do.

May we all understand that sometimes what we think we want isn't always what we need.
May we truly get that, in the end we inevitably look back and say "Aha!" Aha indeed.

Until next week!

Sunday, September 11, 2011

I'm Late......I'm Late..........!!!!!!!!


Hi!

Sorry I'm late today, the first pic shows you what was waiting for me when we got home from doing the wedding in Elbow, the second pic, shows you why I was putting it off.


Let me begin by letting you  know that the wedding last night went GREAT! We ended up booking another wedding in that area for next summer! We had phenomenal feedback all night and  a 4 hour standard wedding dance turned into a 6 hour marathon! They were really nice people and a crowd ready for a good time. Lots of Fun!

We stayed at a place called "Sarah's Cove". They rent out condos for less than the price of a hotel room in Saskatoon. Full kitchen, a little deck with bar-b que, a pool, hot tub, next door to the marina and gorgeous golf course. I hope we can go back when we can really get to spend some time and enjoy it.

So, that kind of explains why we were dragging our heels a little coming home. But, the longer we put it off, the longer we have no shower! I know, sponge bathing and washing your hair in the kitchen sink sounds romantic and all, ok, maybe I was just trying to convince myself it didn't suck, either way it's getting old....quick!

So folks, this upcoming week is getting ready for the party we are doing in Kindersley next weekend and preparing for the "Word on the Street Festival" in Saskatoon on the 25th.

I hate to cut this short, my friends, but, because of my slacking off earlier in the day, it is now 1:15pm on a Sunday, and not one piece of drywall has been hanged! Time to get at it!

So until next week!

May you happen across good people who make your day brighter and better
May you stop squelching the urge to run through your neighbours' sprinkler; life's better, wetter.

May you welcome whatever life brings to you with an open mind and open heart.
May you come to realize that what you want and what you have are not that far apart.

May you be willing to let go of things that make any tough situation only worse.
May you recognize that these negative things only weigh you down and hold you back like some ancient curse.

May these curses in your life be broken by positivity, acceptance and the power of unconditional love.
May they be tossed so far aside, that if you lived three lifetimes, they never again be heard from.

See Ya Next Week!

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Some Assembly Required! Oh No!



Ah yes, as the photograph depicts, genius can come from kaos.  He was playing his little face off amongst all the renovation craziness! (As you can see in the lovely background). I can assure you, although I'm not what most people would call a conformist, I don't usually keep Christmas decorations and frisbees in the living room with my toy cell phones.



This week has been a little crazy. I had to miss a day of work due to my own stupidity. Here's a friendly little piece of advice, if you have been rear ended in traffic twice in the last twelve months, it probably isn't advisable to forcibly rip off wall panelling situated above your head with shear will and muscle power. Your neck will not like it one bit!


Also, this week, I started filling out the paperwork to see if we may qualify for some disaster relief money to offset some of the cost of our basement getting destroyed. It's long and complicated, and, being the government, made way more difficult than logic dictates.  I guess they make it as hard as possible to basically weed out the people who aren't willing to jump through hoops. Luckily hoop jumping and I go way back, and I'm fairly proficient.


Let's move on to another subject near and dear to my heart. Furniture assembly! I don't know if I've mentioned it in past ramblings, but the phrase "some assembly required" strikes a sickening  fear in me that I can only compare to someone who is terrified of heights being forced to run laps atop the safety rail on the roof of the empire state building!

I know it sounds ridiculous, but my hands get clammy, I feel nauseous, and break out into a full on body sweat! Luckily for me, my hubby has no such phobia, and, as luck would have it, is extremely handy.

To make a too long story a little shorter we have now assembled the new vanity. And wouldn't you know it, there was a piece missing from the box. Yep, one of the drawer faces just simply wasn't there. So the girls are picking it up on their way out today.

Oh yeah, did I mention how awesome all four of my lovely daughters and my son-in law are? Today they are coming home, bringing with them the skills they begrudgingly learned growing up, and are going to give us a hand with the renos! Yay! It will make this daunting task a lot more fun!


On the book front, I haven't really been able to get much closer to getting the Lexi puppet picked up by a toy company. I really need to be able to take some time and get to the nitty gritty on the ins and outs of how it is done. I need to know the right people to approach, how to approach them and so on. I think once this house craziness is settled I'll be able to make this a true priority.  I guess I'm feeling spread a little thin these days.

So, for the next few weeks it will be a combination of bathroom, music and books. Next week, the wedding in Elbow, bathroom, the next weekend, party in Kindersley, bathroom, the next weekend, Word on the Street Festival in Saskatoon, bathroom,  the next weekend, a 2 day trade show in Unity, bathroom.

So, my friends, that is all for another week. Kids should be showing up any minute.


May this Autumn fall upon you with a little Summer breeze still on her breathe.
May the colours of wine, chocolate, and fire envelope you like a romantic candlelit hearth.

May the chill in the morning air make you think of hot chocolate, popcorn, and old movies on tv.
May it bring to mind the games that Autumn leaves inspire,throwing, jumping, piling, until only the face you see.

May you look with happiness, laughter and satisfaction on the summer just past.
May you have built special memories within it's duration that will last and last and last.


Until Next Week!