Happy birthday Mr. Snelldog

It is Justin's Birthday today and what better way to say 'Happy Birthday' then to spotlight him in my blog and tell the world how much I love him and what a great person he is?
I know he will love it! (wink)
But a blogger must do what a blogger must do.
Justin-
I REALLY love you.
You are an absolutely amazing person. In fact I am pretty sure you would be hard pressed to find a person in this world that doesn't like you. Everyone likes you. Especially me!
You are a go and do it kind of person. And I like that about you. You aren't afraid of any one or anything- or making a fool of yourself if need be.
You are hilarious. I love your humor. You make me laugh every day and my favorite times are when we laugh until we cry.
I am very proud of you and all the hard work that you put into school and family and church. You work very hard and it shows- and I appreciate it.
I am always amazed to see how your mind works- you can fix anything anywhere any time- especially if you have a zip tie handy!
You are a great father to Ruby and she loves you very much- I love to see that she is a dada's girl.... you deserve it!
You are a great husband. I am truly blessed to be part of your life.... I love you
And I had to tell the world. (or atleast our little blogging circle of friends and family)

As A Precursor- I DO BRUSH AND FLOSS

Today was get things done day. Justin got the emissions test on our van done and I am happy to say that it passed- a definite relief. Then we went to visit my most dreaded professional of all professionals-

THE DENTIST- dun dun dunnnnnn

Yup- my most dreaded- and i don't use that term lightly....

I hate the dentist. It all stems back to the genetic make-up of my parents teeth that they so lovingly passed on to me. (I think I mostly blame my dad. I am pretty sure that he has the same cavity prone teeth as me and my mom has great teeth).

Hi- my name is Cheryl and I am prone to cavities.
There... I said it....

And when I say prone I don't mean that I get 1 or 2 every time I go to the dentist- I mean I get 8 to 10 every time I go to the dentist. (and I go every year)

So this year the count is as follows
Justin: 2 Cavities
Cheryl: 1 (very small) Cavity*

Yup that's 2 to 1. I am the (lack of) cavity champion of 2009!!

A picture of us and our newly shining smiles!!!

* I am not going to mention that my mouth is pretty much all fillings- so there isn't a lot of room for cavities in the first place...

Another comment on the dentist- The Hygienist that Justin and I got could have seriously worked for a company that tortures people.
I have never had my tartar dug out so intensely and with as much zest.
The suction has never sucked such a high blood to saliva ratio.
My eyes have never shed so many tears.
And my gums have never swollen to such a size as this.
But truthfully my teeth have never been so clean.
So I ask you was the Hygiene Nazi worth it??

See you in the movies

Justin is upstairs singing to Ruby right now (her favorites include snowman, insy-winsy spider, eieio, and twinkle star) trying to get her to sleep and as I listen to him through the baby monitor it reminded me of my dad- every night after family prayer as we were saying good night he always said (and still does when we are home) 'See you in the movies' (meaning see you in your dreams)
I like it
Its a good memory
I say it to Ruby now
I hope that one day she will say it to her kids too....

Spring

Well if you didn't think that it had sprung before- now you have proof. Some random person has named today the official first day of spring- or was it yesterday? There seems to be some confusion on this but I am going to say it is today!
YEAH FOR SPRING!
We snellabrated by going to the temple with Clark and Jayne.
Thank you Shandelle for babysitting for us!
Here's to many more spring adventures in our near future!

Our new favorite past-time

Yup it has happened- while waiting for my phone to be replaced Justin and I have decided on another little friendly competition between us.
Rescuing the dummy phones.
Have you ever wondered what happens to the perfectly good dummy phones that are no longer of use to others? Well worry no longer! They come to our home and we take care of them!
It is now a fun game to go into any cell phone store or kiosk and ask them the question- do you have any dummy phones that our sweet little baby girl could have to play with? She just needs some toys and she likes dummy phones- well at least for a minute or 2.
Right now we have about 5- we had 6 but lost one- poor lotus- you were my favorite....
We are collecting

Retro Phone and New Hoodies

Just call me a phone wrecker....
that is what I am, I can't hide it anymore....
I didn't realize the severity of my problem until yesterday when Justin was on the phone with Rogers and telling them of my woes. 'There was milk spilled on her first phone so we switched to her old phone and then she lost it....what do we do now?'
Well I'll tell you what we did- we were able to get an unused SIM card activated and I started to use Justin's old phone. Then it wasn't working very well- not that it ever really worked well (I really don't like that phone)
So what phone is she using now you ask? I love retro things so what better phone to use than my very first cell phone? It has no color, no camera, no GPS, no email, no Wi-Fi, no tetris, no contacts, in fact I am surprised that it even texts! But I LOVE it... Using it now brings back memories of when it was in its prime! It may have even been the first Nokia to use a SIM card... What a great phone- it fits perfectly in the palm of my hand.... Though I wonder what will be the fate of this phone....

Don't get me wrong I am still looking forward to getting my Nokia E71 back....

As for the hoodie side of this blog... We all have our challenges- mine being the ability to keep cell phones alive and Justin's being his ability to keep hoodies in his possession.

Justin loves hoodies and inevitably (for Justin) is always losing them- He has lost an innumerable amount.
Right now he has
lost: 2 blue gap hoodies,
1 black and grey jc penny hoodie,
one black esprit hoodie (if anyone finds this at their house please let us know as this was the most recent loss)
and these are just the ones that we remember...
in his possession:
the Grey hoodie- that we seem to always find (even though I would rather it got lost)
his green GAP hoodie
and a few days ago we bought him a new black and white striped hoodie.

And I wonder what will be the fate of this hoodie?

My Own Little Angelina!!

This past weekend reminded me of why I love the summer time!
Friends, family, freckles, fun- need I say more?
Parks, playgrounds, parties
Sunshine, smiling, summer (what reminds me of summer more than the word summer)
Running, rain, Ryan Seacrest
ok- I couldn't think of any other words that started with R- but Ryan seems summery enough
The sun is shining and I feel great- I feel alive and my soul feels rejuvenated!!

Doesn't this picture just scream rejuvenated soul?

We had such a great time Snellabrating in Detroit with the Weibes and, I am glad to report, we had many wonderful Sneibe adventures! We shopped, ate, went to church, went for walks in the park, shopped some more (of course), had a surprise early birthday cake for Justin, Played games, laughed, joked, and to end out the festivities went to the Detroit Zoo!



The Zoo was amazing! (I would like to thank our personal tour guide Jenny)
We were able to see a lot of really cool animals for instance:
Anteaters!!! They were amazing!
and Penguins- which Ruby really liked
The seal exhibit was another favorite


I am not sure if Ruby got the full experience- as she was busy with business a lot of the time....

This zoo is unlike any I have been to- (now that isn't saying a lot since I have only ever been to the Calgary zoo) but it was a really fun adventure....

I really love this picture! Look at the sheer joy on their faces!

To end out the day Ruby decided that she would like to go for a run. Now let me remind you that Ruby doesn't quite have the coordination that is required to run successfully (I am sure that this will come- unless she turns out to be more like me...) and she BIFFED it... This was her face as we were leaving the zoo-

My very own Angelina Jolie- except I think this one is way cuter!

Thanks Jenny, Jared, Eli, Baby Weibe, and Winston for having us and entertaining us! We are looking forward to many more Sneibe adventures...
And for all you readers out there stayed tuned for a special guest blogger in the next few days!!
As a side note- I love the store Anthropologie- unfortunately I can't afford anything there but I really love their style...

NANNY-NOSE

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NAN!! I LOVE YOU!
Nan turns 24 today! Since it is her birthday I thought that it would be a good excuse to write my first spotlight post.
A few things about Natalie that you should know:
Natalie is amazing- she is someone that I really look up to.
Natalie is a good writer- I am trying to get her to write a blog so everyone can enjoy her writing but she hasn't jumped on the blogging bandwagon yet- I am sure one day she will be the next JK Rowling so keep your eyes open for her
Nan has a good sense of style and always looks nice
Natalie is incredibly smart- she got 100% on her the written part of her English provincial exam- (Just an example of her intelligence and good writing skills)
Natalie is very beautiful
Natalie is an amazing mom and she and Taylor (her husband) are raising some amazing children!

Natalie is very spiritual and is close to her Father in Heaven- something I admire
Natalie is better than me- if you knew her you would like her more than me- no doubt in my mind
Natalie is willing to do anything for anyone- she is extremely compassionate and kind- hearted
Nan is super fun and is someone that I love to spend my time with- I am really looking forward to going home in the summer
Natalie makes me laugh

Natalie never wears red and barely wears pink- she doesn't think that it goes with her awesome red hair (which is never frizzy and always looks nice)
Natalie is a very thoughtful person and is always mindful of other people and their feelings
Natalie is a strong woman with strong faith
Natalie is someone I admire
I feel truly blessed to have her as my sister (I feel truly blessed to be in the family that I am and to have all my sisters!)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
I love you!

The Little Fountain That Couldn't

So Justin and I have been trying to think of something to put in Ruby's room that will make a little noise and will, if all goes as planned, help her sleep better. During the winter months we have used a small heater- which worked well- but now that the weather is getting better we are looking to other sources of noise. We have tried a noise maker but she didn't like it and only slept a very short time when it was on. So we have been brain storming and Jus decided that a fountain would be the one to rule them all!! I wasn't so sure... He has been looking for one in every flyer possible and just yesterday our dreams came true and XS Cargo had the perfect fountain! SO- Justin went and bought it. It was $10 and looks like this:

It was going to be perfect- I didn't want anything too big or too much of an eye sore so when I saw this I quickly changed my stance and decided that this could be the answer...
Maybe this was to be the first XS Cargo purchase that would fulfill our expectations, that we would keep, and that we would be happy with.
So Justin quickly went to work putting it together (which can be rather difficult when the instructions aren't really instructions- thank you XS Cargo) while Ruby and I awaited the moment where we would hear the whirring of the pump and the soothing trickling of water...
The moment had arrived- Justin eagerly added the water and turned it on- we all waited.

NOTHING!!


NOT A SOUND!

'But it says 'The fountain's gentle flowing waters provide a calming effect as it soothes nerves and restores body, mind, and spirit. Creating a natural sense of peace, it helps to humidify your environment while adding a striking focal point to your decor.' It should work- its a TRANQUILITY fountain' says a deflated Justin.

Seriously- who would have thought that a fountain from XS Cargo would be SO quiet?
It did live up to other XS Cargo expectations as it only trickled water down the left side as opposed to the whole front as it was supposed to...
So in short XS Cargo has fallen short again- And we are looking to get rid of a fountain if anyone is interested.
It's REALLY quiet....
Justin's next noise maker endeavor- the odor remover he saw at XS....
I'll keep you posted.

Story of the forgotten banana bread

Once upon a time...
there was a mother (Cheryl) and her daughter (Ruby) and they were having an exceptionally good morning!

They got up and said goodbye to the dashing Justin

And began their day
They made some delicious whole wheat banana bread

And while they were waiting for it to cook (it takes 1 hour 10 mins)
They put on a little Jonas Brothers and danced in their living room

Then they decided to go outside before it got too cold and windy
So Ruby got on her galoshes and her vest and toque and opened the door to the beautiful sunshine!

Then they closed the door- and Cheryl realized that they had locked themselves OUT of the castle..
So they played outside for a while and when it became to cold and windy they knocked on the door of their kind neighbor Jayne

She willingly let them in to play and use her phone so they could contact Justin to bring home a key in between classes
After a short wait their knight on shining bicycle came with key in hand!
And the damsels in distress were saved- and so was the banana bread!!
It was delicious!!
THE END

SNELL-ABRATION!!

Today is cause for some good old-fashioned
Snell-abration!!

Justin is currently writing his last midterm of this semester! YEAH!
*when I say currently I mean it! At the exact same time that I am writing this post he is being grilled about pharmacology*

Now let the fun times begin!!!
I get my husband back!!

Well for a few days anyway....
And what better way to snell-abrate then to take another road trip?
WEIBES HERE WE COME!!!
Stay tuned for some SNEIBE adventures!

A Few Things On My Mind

Lately I have been thinking a lot about motherhood and the kind of mother that I want to be to Ruby and to future children that Justin and I may have.

I want to be a good one nay a great one!

I am determined to live more in the moment when it comes to my day to day- Enjoy the moments- treasure them- all of them.

I found a talk given by M. Russell Ballard who is an apostle of our church- you can find it here. I encourage every MOTHER and FATHER to read it.

The whole talk was wonderful but one thing in particular really struck me-
He says-
'I am impressed by countless mothers who have learned how important it is to focus on the things that can only be done in a particular season of life. If a child lives with parents for 18 or 19 years, that span is only one-fourth of a parent’s life. And the most formative time of all, the early years in a child’s life, represents less than one-tenth of a parent’s normal life. It is crucial to focus on our children for the short time we have them with us and to seek, with the help of the Lord, to teach them all we can before they leave our homes. This eternally important work falls to mothers and fathers as equal partners.'
This really got me thinking and re-evaluating who I am as a mother. I had never really done the math. I know that once you are a mother you are always a mother (I know I still rely on my mom) but your role changes. It may seem like the toddler years are the hardest and some days seem longer than others- but it is only one- tenth of my life?!? What?!? And then she's not a baby anymore? Does that really happen? It seems so short when I think of it that way- my perspective changes. I am now determined to do better, be better, teach more, PLAY more, love more (though it seems impossible), BE MORE. I love Ruby so much and I want to be a mother that looks back on my life and has no regrets. It seems impossible but I can try. I want to take this one-fourth of my life and really make it into something amazing. I want to cherish it and take the advise of other mothers and really enjoy it. I don't want it to pass me by...
I want to 'focus on our children for the short time we have them with us'
I guess all I can do is try-
The whole talk is amazing- He goes on to talk about things that we can do as mothers, fathers, and children. I am not going to go into detail but I encourage you to read it!
It definitely made me think-

I love being a mom and I am going to try dang hard to enjoy every moment!!!

Writer's BLOG

Yes- I have been suffering from a little bit of writer's blog- (a condition involving temporary loss of ability to begin or continue writing your blog, usually due to lack of inspiration or creativity- I would like to thank Justin for the term)

I just haven't been able to put into writing the things that are on my mind- at least not in an entertaining way.
Luckily during my workout today I seem to have had a break through and a few ideas for interesting and fun blogs have come to mind-
SO STAY TUNED!!!

Until then- enjoy

Tetris Wars on hold...

You read it right- unfortunately Tetris Wars is on hold until further notice.
MY PHONE WAS SATURATED WITH MILK AND WILL NOT TURN ON NOW...
We are doing all we can to rectify the situation.
And in the mean time Justin is kind enough to let me hone my skills on his phone.
What a worthy opponent...

SPRING

SPRING HAS SPRUNG AND THERE IS A NEW SPRING IN MY STEP
Yup- for all of you that are wondering- sprung is a word... at least in my vocabulary
and in my world- spring has sprung....
I used to think that summer was my favorite time of the year but I have since changed my stance- SPRING is the new summer!! And therefore it is now my favorite time of the year.
I am so excited! The change from drab, cooped up, bored winter to fresh, exciting, sunny spring is amazing! My mood is better and I just feel better in general. I now feel I can tell the world that spring has sprung and I feel GREAT!! I even bought ruby as super cute pair of galoshes to wear in the springy weather- I am just waiting for the rain and the puddles now!! All she needs is a rain coat to complete the look....

As for the spring in my step- I finally got a much needed hair cut and it feels amazing!! I feel fresh and trendy. It is a little shorter than I wanted to go but it's hair and it grows back! Just look at the bright side- now I don't have to get it cut again so soon....
Here is a picture for you all to enjoy!!!

Inventory of This Morning
Got up and showered
Made oatmeal for Jus and I before he left for school
Did the dishes
Said good morning to a grumpy baby
Made her breakfast
Got her dressed
Read her a few books
Sang her the snowman song
Decided that we needed to paint some boards that I have been waiting to paint
Put a load of laundry in
Got Ruby undressed (so she could paint)
Put some chicken in the oven for lunch
got the painting supplies
Started painting with Ruby
Realized it was a bad idea
Made her chocolate pudding so that she could finger paint with it

Dealt with the aftermath-


She didn't even touch her paper~ I guess now we know she likes chocolate pudding!!!
Wrote this whole blog with her squirming on my lap!
got her redressed
And it is only 10 am.....
I love being a mom

How could you?

How could anyone say that this cutie face was a boy face?

It seems that no matter where we go Ruby is always mistaken for a boy! ' Hey there little guy, buddy, boy, mister.... ' (insert any masculine 'cutsie' name here) Justin and I politely say- 'Say Hi Ruby' or 'She is 18 months old' etc etc. Guaranteed if we go out someone will call Ruby a boy. I have had her dressed in pink pants, a pink top, a pink sweater and a flower in her hair and STILL she is mistaken for a boy... If only her hair would grow... It doesn't bother me too much (just enough to write a blog about) I just find it quite interesting- are people naturally prone to call all babies a boy baby first? Or is it just my sweet Ruby? Well if it means anything Justin and I think she looks like a little girl and a cute one at that!!!

Ruby is growing up!

She is actually doing it- you don't think that it could possibly happen to YOUR little baby- but then it does- one day she is big and talking and walking and eating crayons.... How does the time go so quickly?

Ruby had her first day of nursery today- and she did so well....
Here she is in all her first-day-of-nursery-cuteness...

I just love her so much.

TETRIS WARS!

Ever since Justin and I got our Nokia E-71s Justin has been adding applications-

some we use

others I don't even know where to find on my phone

or what they do...

Like FRING- I know it is supposed to be cool but really what is it? How do I get to it on my phone? NO IDEA-

Anyway this is about a simple game-
some of you may have heard of it-

TETRIS...

I have always been a tetris addict- my old roommates can attest to this....
My favorite type of tetris is the gold block tetris- if you have played it you know what I'm talking about- if not- go and get yourself a nintendo 64 and tetris- I am telling you
you will never go back!!!
(Oh and if you have an N64 and tetris then please invite us over to play:)
Who needs a wii when you have gold block tetris?
.... Anyway....
The unspoken war has been on in our house ever since Justin added tetris to our phones. We have constantly been trying to one up eachother- but it hasn't been a full out battle until just recently
Justin has always been ahead of me- for months and months I have been working feverishly to catch up and get a higher score.
Just when I think that i have done it all my hopes and dreams are dashed-
- once I got an awesome score and came down to show Jus and it turns out that I was playing the wrong version of the game so it didn't count- I never made that mistake again.
- then I was playing and got an awesome score and I knew that it was better than Justin's last score but when I showed him he told me that he had gotten a higher score a few days earlier and just hadn't shown me....
Well today was different- I had gotten a score of 2299-

An AMAZING score- so I came down to show Justin my victory and this is what his top score was:

2299!!!!

We are tied- who will conquer them all?
No one knows.
All I can say is GAME ON!!!

(Now Justin, don't get your panties in a twist, but I have a small hunch that I will come out victorious........)