It's a Mom's Life

Kub Kar 2012

2012-01-31T21:15:00.002-07:00

Jackson is not big on the whole "designing" aspect of Kub Kar building. This year he wanted to go as simple as possible. Here's the finished product. He won the "Best Named Car" award.

Funny twist of the night.......and people, this was NOT planned or coordinated. Here you see it. A paper kar, an eraser kar, and a pencil kar. How cool is that?

The paper kar won the whole show.

Next year is our last Kub Kar year. I think I'll have to light a fire under Jackson. We'll need to go out big.

Found Things

2012-01-14T20:21:00.001-07:00

I'm not naming names. I promised.

So the on going saga of the Totoro puzzle has come to its conclusion. Some folks related to me, one of whom will remain anonymous and it's not my dad, returned this week from an extended stay with my sister in Tokyo.

One of the items brought back were these two puzzle pieces. Puzzle pieces, you ask? Yup. The original replacements to our first puzzle last spring. Apparently they were left behind in a drawer.

SO, if any one you know needs spare Totoro puzzle pieces......have them get in touch with me.

4000 Little Pieces

2012-01-08T19:56:00.001-07:00

You may recall in the spring of this year, Sean and I were tackling the ongoing drama of the lost and so difficult to replace puzzle pieces to our first 1000 piece Totoro puzzle. In the end, neither earthquake nor sudden disappearance could thwart us and the replacements to the replacements exchanged hands in New York and brought safe and sound to our home.

Another delivery I picked up was to be a second 1000 piece Totoro puzzle, but Diane bought all three of my options and I came home from New York with a suit case full of puzzles. We finally got around to doing them over the Christmas holidays.

3000 pieces.......well 2999 pieces (yes, we once again find ourselves in the replacement saga) in 8 days. They are now framed and on our basement wall, some color in our underground cellar.

It was a fun activity for Sean and I. The boys were doing their own things, but we were all together - every night for 8 days. They weren't too concerned about our project, except for the odd occasion when Jackson would come by and pick up a random piece.

"Oh, this one goes here!!" and pop the puzzle piece in the right spot.

Way to go kid, your dad and I just spent 20 minutes staring and finding nothing.

Now we are back to life and finding those moments to all be together in the same room is getting difficult again. But I am happy we had 8. I loved being together.

Another New Year

2012-01-02T11:43:00.000-07:00

The trees are coming down today.....the Christmas ones.....not the ugly ones in my front yard....darn. No appliances died this year. Christmas was REALLY quiet. We have almost completed our third 1000 piece puzzle in a week. That is how the year ended and began.

We did a lot of things this past year. The boys are growing, Sean did some building, my professional life took left turns......just your normal day to day stuff.

James went to Cuba, he got his driver's licence, and he just keeps motoring through school. He's been on a date 75% of weekends since he turned 16 and never with the same girl twice in a row (my rule).

Jordan is growing taller and has learned that he does have some athleticism in him. He plays basketball and he likes to run (though he's not doing much of it at the moment). His piano is improving and if we can unglue his itouch from his hand, I would call that a minor miracle.

Jared keeps showing us that he's a trooper and is working hard at school. My fear is that he'll do too well and will lose the help he gets when it's due to that extra support that he succeeds more than we ever imagined. He's showing more humor this year and is showing his musical talents through choir and band. He's in a play which will be performed early this year. Jared was so excited to get a speaking part. It's given him the chance for extra curricular activities after school. He spoke in front of thousands and was just as excited to speak in church right before Christmas...only a couple of hundred then. Small beans.

Jackson is so much fun. He is laid back and easy going. He rarely gets into a fuss. Sounds like I am talking about someone really young......he's almost 10. I can't get over how practical he is. Christmas this year was so hard when buying him gifts because he couldn't see the need to buy something that his brothers already owned just so he could have one of his very own. He loves gr. 4 and gr. 4 loves him. His biggest stress in life? What instrument is Mom going to make him play in middle school? Umm.....saxophone.

Sean built his workshop in a small garage at the back of our property. We used it for storage, but this year the conversion began. There's electrical and windows (old ones from the house - Sean is changing out our windows slowly). I almost feel bad about having to leave it behind one day, but he deserves an even nicer shop. He's putting it to good use.

At the beginning of this year I thought I would leave the bank behind and start fresh working as a student support worker in the school district, but funny things happen along the way. Budget cuts, followed by uncertainty of when I would get another contract, the needs of the family, and a new manager at the bank who was relentless......I went back to the bank the day after school was out. I took a term contract to cover a maternity leave for a teller. My only demand....if I am coming back and you want me to stay, then you have to move me up the ladder and make it worth my while. They did. In less than 6 months I was pulled from the term contract and put into a permanent position. The training is long and hard, but at the end I will have my lending credentials and licence to sell investments. It's a higher level job than when I was first married, but much of it is familiar. Full time again after almost 14 years. Four kids now. Let the juggling get more complicated.

It was a good year overall. We learned some things. We built some things. We continue to succeed at times and fail at others, but we always get back up and try again.

What do I think this next year will bring? Probably more of the same, but for me personally, I think I have big lessons to learn this year. Don't know what they are yet, but I can feel them coming.

Confessions of a Lulu-lover

2011-12-28T22:05:00.002-07:00

I like Lululemon clothes. They are comfortable. I mostly love them for their running clothes. I am a Lulu-lover.

SO........imagine my excitement when my Christmas present from my sister arrived. Lulu gift card. Heaven. I could shop......guilt free.....yes, heaven.

Sean took the card away and stashed it. A few days later I was on the Lululemon website and found this.

This is not me

I had to have it.

Problem.

I knew this was a sell out and I didn't have extra cash lying around.

Solution.

It took a little bit of time (Sean, take note of the little part), but I found the gift card. I purchased the pullover and returned the card to it's hiding place.

It was my secret.....well it would have been a better secret if I had shipped this package to my work instead of home.

Since it was shipped to the house, Sean saw the package. But instead of asking me about it, he just sweat for two weeks that I was spending the mortgage $$$$$.

I finally came clean on Christmas eve to him and much to his relief, I think. Yes, the mortgage is safe.

I love my jacket. I love that I bought it early. I was right. It did sell out. How tragic would that have been?????

Now for anyone who says that karma will find me, I am excited to say that since my term contract didn't qualify me for a Christmas bonus at work, my boss gave me a $200 gift card to Lulu!!!!! I have some left on my sister's card too.

Shopping anyone?

Fun Gifts

2011-12-24T16:34:00.001-07:00

My friend Antonia designed and did up this shirt for me and other friends for Christmas. I love her creativity and better than that, follow thru.......
Runner Woman - I LOVE that!! Thank you. Antonia, you are amazing!! Love ya!

We are opening gifts tonight and eating stuff like this. Merry Christmas Eve!!

Put On the Brakes!!!

2011-12-20T18:14:00.001-07:00

Lord have mercy!!!! James passed his driving test!!!!

Christmas Funk

2011-12-19T14:47:00.000-07:00

Something happens to me every year right before Christmas. I get in a funk. It's odd. Probably not unusual. And I stay that way until Christmas morning. Decades, people. This has been going on for DECADES.

It's this lonely kind of feeling......like being invisible to the world. I'm tired. I'm reflective about life. I crave quiet, yet on Christmas Eve you will find me in the busiest place you can find. There I stroll through the crowds and deep in my thoughts.

I took the afternoon off work today just so I could sit in a quiet house. I haven't done this in a long time. I'm alone.....for another hour. It's nice. But soon the kiddies will be home. The silence will be replaced with chatter about the day, televisions, and music playing. I'm not really alone. I am surrounded by people I cherish. I will feel alone though. It's part of the annual process.

I will shake this feeling. I always do. But I am mindful of the many who feel like this most of their days. They live this.

Why not take the time to brighten their life, if even for a small moment.

Play In Peace

2011-12-01T20:28:00.001-07:00

Like most homes, it's a real treat when the kids just get along. I have to say, it was nice to see these two just sit together, draw and sketch, and talk about the other person's pictures. They sat together for more than an hour. Just loved it.

Wind

2011-11-27T17:31:00.001-07:00

It's mega windy right now. MEGA. Fires burning on the north side of town. Grass fire burning on the west side of town. It's nasty. I'm grateful my roof is in tact. Now my two ugly trees in my front yard......well, they could blow over. I'd be totally fine with it. I hate them. I even figured it could be of service to our neighbors across the street if this furious west wind blew them over in a miraculous southward direction and landed on their problematic vehicles. Then they could get cars that worked. They are nice folks.

See. I'm totally thinking of the other guy rather than myself :)

A Day In the Life......part 2

2011-11-23T18:13:00.001-07:00

This post was originally titled "In the Navy" with "something he found in his closet" written under this picture.

A couple of minutes after I posted it, we all realized that perhaps it had an alternate meaning to it.

Not gonna lie. I laughed myself to tears, but in the spirit of not offending or making light.....I'm editing my post.

It is true. He did find this outfit in his closet.

Jared does his classic photo bomb in the background.

A little up in the air and blurry, but this was Jordan's outfit he selected when we went out shopping the other night. I wanted to make sure I got this posted tonight.

We'll pretend this is Jackson. My friend Karri surprised me with a case of caffeine free Coke from the states. Love you!!! Thank you!!!!!

The likelihood I will get more than one or two cans is slim so Sean told the boys that if they wanted one then they had to kiss their mother. Jordan was not receptive to this idea, because I obviously have major cooties, and refused to do so. Thank goodness for him, Jackson took one for the team and kissed his mother so his older brother could have a can of the coveted soda.

Tonight's polls suggest that Jackson is the favorite.

A Day In the Life of Boys Growing Up.......

2011-11-22T22:16:00.001-07:00

James.......He seems relatively comfortable with himself. He doesn't take himself too seriously as evidenced in this picture. So when a girl comes over to him while he is at work and says, "You are a total babe, and I think you are hot", giggles and runs away......well, that freaks him out a bit because he doesn't know if he just got teased or if it was serious. Regardless, as his mom, I feel the need to quote that girl EVERY chance I get. He went completely self conscious after that experience. So funny!!

Jordan......I had to show him pictures of frost bitten ears and a frozen dead guy this week. He won't wear a toque on those cold days because it will mess up his hair. He's Mr. Gotta Look Good for the Ladies. He tried a new look that Mom paid for as an early Christmas present, which we know she will totally forget about and continue her Christmas shopping for him like it never happened. Went over quite well and must get a picture of it soon. He looked pretty awesome. It's pretty fun shopping with him.

Jared........He's in a play at school. There's choreography that he is learning. There's a part where the cast are on their knees like they are idolizing someone. Well Jared is not comfortable with that because idolatry is against the commandments. Who was the teacher who described the dance move that way??!!! Excuse me!! Autism!! L.I.T.E.R.A.L.!!!! I tried to reason with him and then Sean tried. This is a "to be continued" event. At this point he won't participate in that particular dance and song. He's having a great time with the rest of it. Music is so good for him and to see him have a speaking part is awesome. At least he refuses to do what he's not comfortable with. That brings me some comfort.

Jackson......When a teacher tells you your baby is intelligent and mature beyond his years and hard working and shows leadership and is well liked by absolutely everyone, you tend to think things are going pretty good. I didn't even give her the box of chocolates until AFTER she said all that. He is loving his report card and his teacher and his class. He puts chairs out for his classmates. I'm lovin' this kid. Can we PLEASE skip puberty. I don't think I could handle seeing him go all angsty on me.

Because I am the Mom and I Want To

2011-11-11T10:51:00.001-07:00

Scenario: End of birthday group date. All kids are leaving my home. James' date is the last to leave.
I am standing in the living room with Emi-Lou in my arms. James is on my right. Date is on my left.
"Thanks, James, for asking me to be your date on your birthday." "Yeah. Thanks for coming." Exit left.

Now. Perhaps I should have left the room. Given them privacy. Made the conclusion less awkward.

No. I was having too much fun!! No physical contact barrier breached. A little awkwardness is good at sixteen. No. I wouldn't change that.

A 5'2" mother with a Bichon Shitzu is not as intimidating as a father in a rocking chair with a shot gun, but it's all I got. I'm gonna work it.

Sixteen

2011-11-10T21:07:00.001-07:00

There is a coming of age when you turn sixteen. It's like waking up one morning and all of a sudden you have opportunities that are so.....adult.

You can take a driving test. You have more employers willing to hire you. You can switch classes at school without parental consent.

Sixteen years ago this came out of me.

Yes......"Crap! It's cold and bright out here! Put me back in!!"

Now he is this

Really, he does smile.

My children aging bothers me more than my own aging. I really like my kids and I am glad I get to be their mom. But I woke up this morning and this boy named James is now considered a young man who can take a driving test (but not until he gets a haircut).

Well, Happy Birthday, Firstborn. Mama loves ya and you will always be my baby.

Best Plans Thwarted

2011-11-05T18:27:00.000-06:00

Last week Jordan was informing me that he wanted to see Paranormal Activity 3. Scary, jumpy movie. I was not impressed. I seriously dislike those kinds of movies and really didn't think it was appropriate for Jordan to see. Rated 14A, I was confident that his plan would go nowhere since he and his friends are only 13.

Jordan again informed me that the plan to see PA3 was under way and it seemed as though my approval or disapproval was a moot point. Interesting. Who was the parent who would be the "A" part of the 14A? How would they get in without an adult?

I made the decision to let him go so he could perhaps learn a lesson. Because I was not given a specific adult chaperon name, I assumed that the boys would try to get in on their own and the staff at the local movie theatre would stop them at the gate and I would pick Jordan up, disappointed but having learned a valuable lesson.

Long story short.....My plans were foiled. No adult. The boys got in. The movie scared them all. Jordan's afraid of the dark now. He says something good did come out of the experience. "Now I say my prayers every morning and I sing church songs all the time!"

Last night James phoned from his job at a theatre and said the staff were seeing a midnight showing of Lion King 3D. Did any of us want to come? Sean and I were too tired. Jordan said it was too late. Seriously, I don't get it. I offered to let him stay out until 2am and he turned me down. Like it's going to happen again any time soon? Jackson wanted to go. I thought that would be fun. Little Jackson. Night owl Jackson. A midnight movie with his big brother. Lion King. 3D. I'd be the cool mom and let him go.

Party pooper Dad quashed that plan. In the end, no one saw Lion King.

Two mommy plans thwarted. Don't know that either were the smartest of plans, but the intentions were good.......right?

The Cape

2011-11-01T17:59:00.001-06:00

Capes are cool.

Just ask James.

He's worn one for four days.

Halloween is over now and the Cape should be put to rest.

At this point it gets creepy seeing him wear it.

They blow around in the wind. They look sinister.

Capes are cool, but creepy after Halloween.

The Ups and Downs of Halloween Night

2011-10-31T20:02:00.000-06:00

Up from my chair. Down onto my chair. Up. Down. Up. Down.

James got Mega-pants-ed at school today (my understanding is that the Mega means really pants-ed to the point where the deed doer actually apologizes, but no worry, the novelty boxer shorts stayed in modest place). In this case......Down......Way down.........Up. No. He doesn't get embarrassed by it. He finds the best remedy is to embarrass the person that does the deed. Very secure in himself.....at least he seems that way.

I opened the door to two middle school girls who genuinely looked disappointed that I answered the door. I don't think they came for my popcorn.

The Benefit of Wind in the Fall

2011-10-26T18:22:00.000-06:00

Saves me a bit if work.

When Life is Cut Short

2011-10-22T08:18:00.001-06:00

It's been a tough week in Southern Alberta. Last weekend a tragic vehicle accident on a gravel road near one of the smaller towns took the lives of four teens.

When I read about it, I felt like I was hit with a two by four in the chest. I didn't know any of the kids or their families. I do, however, have children in that age range. I am a mother. Worse, I am a woman. What do we do? We immediately put ourselves in the shoes of these mothers and it's our own child that perished.

Now I am NOT going to assume that I know what these parents and families are going through. I don't. I can imagine, but I can't go beyond that. What I can say is that I had a few real feelings that I shared with James about how I never wanted to experience what these dear families are and I know I was not the only mother in the general region who did that.

James will be old enough to take his driving exam next month. Most of his friends are already driving. I often spend my nights when he is off with his friends worrying just a little that something might go wrong. I can't help it. I want them to make choices that keep them safe.

Funerals for these teens have begun and will conclude early next week. Four funerals. Six days. I know there will be some who attend all of them. I would find it near unbearable to do that. My boys have good friends with good families. I wouldn't want to bury any of them. I find joy in their accomplishments. I smile as I see them growing up.

It's times like these you are reminded that we don't know what our ultimate mortal timetable is. We are here to learn and grow. I know some people who would be elated to leave this world - not because of any feeling of depression or hopelessness, but rather because the peace and splendor that lies ahead after this life, I am confident, is a better gig. Personally, I am not in a rush. I want to be here for as long as possible. Why? Because there is so much to learn. Because there is so much to experience and so many challenges to overcome and be strengthened by. Because there is so much joy to be found and I want to get really good at finding it.

But we don't know what our mortal timetable is, so I am reminded that I can't waste my time. I need to use it wisely. My time is valuable. Your time is valuable. Every single second.

Gratitude

2011-10-20T21:08:00.001-06:00

I was kind of busy through the whole Thanksgiving thing. Aren't I suppose to blog something Thanksgiving-ish?

Hmmm.........

I am thankful for husbands who gives their cranky wives a back massage after he's had a gruelling day at work.
I am thankful for sons who are only annoying in an age appropriate way, and are mostly awesome most of the time.
I am thankful for friends who are so much fun to shop across the border with and for those friends who couldn't make it but would have been fun too.
I am thankful for a home to live in even when it doesn't feel like the home I want to live in.
I am thankful that no one cared that I roasted two chickens for Thanksgiving instead of a turkey.
I am thankful that since our family is all alone for Christmas this year, the idea of tossing all tradition out the window and eating pizza is a definite possibility. (Can't wait to blog that!!)
I am thankful for my life; for the easy parts and the difficult parts.

It kind of scratches the surface, but it's a start.

Goal!!!!!!!!!!

2011-10-15T20:55:00.001-06:00

Fun Fact: When I play a computer game (and I'm not saying I play games often, because I don't) and win, I start over again with a new user name solely to beat my high score.

I think I was in Victoria for a total of 33 hours. That includes sleeping time, getting what I needed for my run time, and race activity time. The other twelve-ish hours were spent seeing my brother and his family, my Auntie Susan, and my 94 year old grandma. It had been over a year since I'd seen my brother. It had been way over 2 since seeing my aunt and grandma. I miss them all.

I will just start by saying that I LOVE this run. The Victoria Marathon, or half marathon in my case, was so well organized. It's a Boston Marathon qualifier. There were past Olympians, Olympic hopefuls, world class triathletes, a retired NHL hockey players, Kenyans, and slobs like me. It was awesome!!!

Who wouldn't find a good omen in opening your front door in the darkness of the morning to see a family of three deer standing on the front lawn. They just looked at me and peacefully walked across the street and watched me from the corner as I got into the car. I couldn't imagine a nicer way to start my day.

I arrived about an hour before the race, in time to hear the early marathon start........that's for the slow pokes. They get a two hour head start. If I ever run a marathon I hope they give me the four hour head start.

I worried about my body. I ran only once between Melissa's and Victoria. My ankle hurt. I spent a whole hour warming up. 5200 other half marathoners began to arrive over the next hour. There were a bunch of us. I like to start at the back. Once the start was signalled, it took me five minutes to get to the start line. And the run was on...........

I love sea level!!! I ran so comfortably. I had the biggest smile on my face at 10K because I could still breathe!! The streets were lined with people cheering on the runners. I made sure I passed the two 175 year old runners because there was NO WAY I was going to let them beat me. I struggled with the old man who kept passing me, but I don't know if he was running or speed walking. I think he ended up beating me, and if that really was speed walking then I just have no words for that.

Us slow pokes cheered on the winners who were in the home stretch when we were barely past 8K. At 14K we cheered on the marathoners and caught a glimpse of the Kenyan runner who won by 12 minutes and had won the Montreal Marathon just two weeks earlier.

At 15K I got those darned butt cramps again. I pulled over to stretch. I kept on running. By 18K I started to feel like my end was near and I was so close. I found a familiar face. I stopped to take a picture. Shannon, you were the best police officer on duty along the race route. You clapped and cheered us all on. Seeing her was enough to keep me going to the end.

And the end came.......2:28:20 was my official time. I maintained my 10 and 1 run program and only made a potty stop and a stretch stop. I beat my Melissa's time by 8 minutes. I beat my first Melissa's time by about 28 minutes.

I loved this run. It was like a regular Saturday run. The weather was perfect, which made it more lovable. I find I get a little emotional before a race. Something about being in the midst of so many people and we all have this same goal......to finish. I contemplated life on this run. I missed my running peeps. I texted them and Facebook status updated on my walks, because it kept things light for me. Heaven forbid I take myself too seriously.

All sorts of people crossed that finish line. Some were fit looking and others looked a little marshmallow-y. Some were young and one was 89 years old. He was the oldest. He finished the half in 3:13. Can you find the inspiration in that? I sure did.

I crossed the finish line. I got my medal. I got my chocolate milk. Prayers work. I did not hobble and haven't since. It's like my ankle was never hurt.

A few short hours after that, I was on a plane back home. I was greeted by the gang. I love the gang.

I love to run. I hate to run. But I mostly love it. It is my therapist. I've watched video of me crossing the finish line. I look like I gained 20 pounds and I certainly don't look like some of these fresh daisies that finish looking the same as they did 13.1 miles earlier. But I clean up well.

I'll have to run Victoria again. I'll use the same name, but you know my only goal will be to beat my high score.

I always have to beat my high score.

Miracles

2011-10-02T22:17:00.001-06:00

It's not my story to tell, but I am reminded today that miracles are real and they still occur. Sometimes prayers are answered for what seems an impossible request. The courage of others inspires me. Their faith motivates me to strengthen my own.

It was the best way to end my day.

First Run Down......

2011-09-25T19:36:00.000-06:00

After last year's goal of running a half marathon in honor of turning 40, I asked myself, "Deb, what are you going to do next year to outdo this year?"

It's how I am sometimes. Type A. Overly ambitious. Crazy. Take your pick.....Sean picks the last one.

Goal 2011: Run two half marathons in two weeks.

Sure. Why not?

I went back to Melissa's in Banff this past weekend. It wasn't a girls' getaway. No. I thought taking the man who thinks I am crazy would be a much better plan. He could hold my chocolate milk at the finish line for when I finally would drag my sorry butt over it. And before I forget......he was awesome and didn't mock me once......I don't think.

I went into this race with two goals:
1. Do not EVER look behind me - it's not productive and it's energy consuming and it throw me off balance.
2. Run the hills as much as possible.

I did those things. I only looked back before I passed another runner (kind of like changing lanes). I ran all the hills except 1/3 of the last one and most of that was on my scheduled walk anyway. My time was 20 minutes faster than last year.

I did learn some things.
1. Banff is almost double the elevation I am used to. I started too fast and by 6k I was sucking wind and not getting any. I started out passing a number of runners. "Hey, you! I want that 1354th finish. You can finish 1355th." By the middle, I realized that was silly. My pace slowed by choice and by the fact that I was breathing poorly.
2. I still hate running in warm weather. It was a gorgeous day in the town of Banff. I think I like running somewhere between -12C and 6C.
3. Chocolate milk at the finish line is a great motivator.
4. I really drink a lot of water while running. How do people do it without?????

In the end, I walked about 10 minutes more than I wanted to. I got major butt cramps (I don't know what the proper term is) during the last 1K. My ankle is swollen and I am limping around.

But I finished!!!!! I got my chocolate milk!!!!! I was NOT last!!!!!!

So I get a two week break to fix myself and off to Victoria for half number two......going from a run at 4500-ish ft. above sea level to 75-ish ft. above sea level. I'm told this makes a huge difference. There just better be a lot of water for me to drink.

Everyone's a Comedian

2011-09-05T15:23:00.000-06:00

I ~~have~~ ..........uh, had a whiteboard on my fridge. It fell off. Need to glue the magnets back on.

Anyway, I wrote on it

"Hug your mother"

because really that

IS THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE EVER!!!!

Pretty sure about that.

Seems a certain Sean and his son James, both of whom think they are rather witty, thought writing the following would be loads of fun.

"Chug your moth"

Yes, they do think they are rather funny.

The Facebook Status

2011-09-01T22:10:00.004-06:00

Facebook. So big. I'm glad that my kids don't take it too seriously. One of the things I enjoy are some of the status updates James posts on his page. Sorry all, this blog entry is just my way of remembering some of my favorites over the last few months.

My favorite part of school is coming home, taking off my make up, and putting on my sweat pants....

If anyone can guess the color I'm thinking of right now, I will give them a..Michael.... And a hug and a kiss.... LIKE MY STATUS!!!!

I can't log in to facebook....

Guy: Would you like to dance?
Girl: No
Guy: You must not have heard me right, I said you look really fat in those pants...

If you live right, there really isn't such a thing as death...

Whether you're awesome or cool put this as your status (If you...)
wanna start a potato farm. [Comment with :D.]
Think I look good in a sombrero. [Like.]
If you think I'm a good sea horse tamer. [Comment.]
If you wanna play uno, be honest. [Comment with a lol (drowning man).]
If you want me to take care of your unicorn. [Comment, and leave a ♥.]
If you're awesome or cool. [Make this your status.]

Do you believe in love at first sight? Or should I walk by again?

Hates it when you can't find someone on facebook cause you never got their last name... It's like learning what to do if you're on fire while listening to loud music, all you get is stop and drop.... Then what?

I just read that small amounts of stress is actually healthy and will help get rid of a cold faster, and at the bottom in a small note it says video game stress counts.... Super Mario World here I come....

is sick, I'll bet if this status gets a lot of likes I'll get better quicker... SO LIKE MY STATUS!!!

popcorn is an antidepressant

Vote for me at tomorrow's student election!! (James wasn't on the ballot)

Do you ever get the feeling you are being watched? Well guess what.... It's me, all of the time, every day.. Yeah I'm talking to every single person who reads this status.. Now like this status..

I don't believe in judging people based on skin color, hair color, intelligence, mental stability, musical taste, height, weight, age, favorite sport, or if they are aware that Zelda isn't the elfy looking guy in the tunic... For me it all comes down to which three Star Wars movies the other person thinks of when I say Star Wars trilogy.. I mean what else REALLY matters? Clone Wars was the only good one anyways

What do you get when you cross an atheist with a dyslexic? Someone who doesn't believe in dogs... HAHA...

Coulrophobia is the irrational fear of clowns... I've now gotten over that... I now have Ablutophobia - fear of bathing....

Pickup line for a guy trying to get a girl: Cute, you're growing a mustache too? We must have a lot in common... Would that work? I need feedback....

Fun Fact: Light travels faster than sound.. That's why sometimes people seem bright, until they open their mouth...

First Day of School

2011-08-31T19:33:00.002-06:00

We survived with smiles on our faces......

'Nuff said.

Computer Time

2011-08-24T22:40:00.001-06:00

Fridge Mounts

2011-08-19T20:17:00.000-06:00

So I am not a fan of mounted animal heads and I am not a fan of fridge magnets, but combine them and this mama may have to make an exception.

My sister and parents took a trip out to Banff while she was here visiting and brought this home for Jackson.

I'm thinking it's kind of cute.

Puppy Trims and Training

2011-08-17T22:36:00.002-06:00

Emi-Lou is 4 months old now. She's growing like a weed and learning new things everyday. She will sit on demand most of the time now. Sometimes we can even get her to lie down, but that is proving a little challenging.

We took her to the vet last Saturday for her second round of shots. We asked that some of her facial hair get trimmed because we could no longer see her face and the groomers wouldn't take her until her rabies shots were done.

Her hair was trimmed around the eyes. It only took three people to get it done. I've got a little fighter on my hands. So we got the "it would be a good idea if you start training her to stay still for grooming because if you don't you may find that you can't find anyone to give a the periodic cut."

Today we got our chance. Little Lou Lou Bear got into some tar in the shed/workshop that Sean is fixing up.

Sean and I managed to get it done, but it may have been too much of a temptation to leave it. It blended in anyway. No. We love our little Lou-Lou. Looks like we will start trimming her daily now to get her used to it. She's getting awesome treats for rewards. Hopefully it won't take too long.

Days Off

2011-08-17T14:37:00.002-06:00

Took pictures with my phone and somehow I managed to delete them. I can be technologically challenged sometimes.

Regardless, I've been busy shopping and going to movies and having "High Tea" at the Prince of Wales Hotel in Waterton. It's odd going to Waterton without your hiking shoes.

I've never experienced High Tea, even in all those years living in Victoria. It was yummy, though I felt like a trip to Subway was in order after. I learned "Tea" is what you do AFTER you eat lunch. Kind of like a mid-afternoon snack. One more part of me is "gentrified". That's a word I learned in New York.

I'm back to work tomorrow. How time flies.

I warned them I might do this.......some of you need to update your blogs!!!!!

A Milestone

2011-08-11T17:54:00.000-06:00

James. The gigantic baby of the family. Gigantic because he is the oldest. Gigantic because at 15 he stands at least 6 ft and dwarfs his 5ft 2in mama. Gigantic because even with a haircut (this picture is NOT the haircut) his head is and was and started out huge.

I am forever grateful for C-sections........4 times. Gigantic heads are a tradition in this house.

Okay, perhaps his head is not huge, but child birth can skew one's perspective - give me a break.

James. He's taking driver's ed. He has not killed the instructor. He has not killed us. Let me tell you, Jackson trembles and prays in the back seat. Sixteen is around the corner. License time is soon.

To top that off, he just got his first job. Official job. Not a work with your dad and get paid kind of job. A real job with, hopefully, direct deposit.

Another milestone in the Mama Deb history book.

Puppy Life

2011-08-10T22:34:00.002-06:00

Our little Emi-Lou is growing up. Fast. She's a frisky little baby - all fur and all teeth. She loves to play and wrestle.......

Emi-Lou.........shadow boxer

She loves shoes and we often find her sleeping with them in the closet.

She loves her Gracie

She loves to help Sean lay the paving bricks

We are completely in love with this girl. What a great addition to our family she has been!!

Confession

2011-08-08T17:10:00.001-06:00

I have a feeling that some people think I am this......

....Organized. Tidy. I have it together.

Usually, and Sean will agree, I am something like this........

.... Disorganized. Messy. Hey, I CAN find things.

I do, however, have moments when I get sick of the mess. I can clean up.

Maybe it will last. Who knows???

Paint Till You Drop

2011-08-07T18:17:00.001-06:00

No pictures. No evidence. Just my word.

I finished work on Friday and went to Okotoks with Sean and James to my Aunt Carla's new house. She just bought a music school/house there and needed help with painting the studio. Off we went.

Sean and I like painting and we took James along for some "work experience". We like to hit the ground running and run we did. We arrived around 8pm. We ate Chinese food. We started filling holes in walls and taping the rooms until 10:30. When Carla and Ken went home. Sean and I decided we needed to start the first coat so we did and finished at 3am. We slept until 7:30am and by 8am we were painting again.

By the time 5pm arrived, we finished the second coat and touch ups in the studio, a bathroom, first coats on the two upstairs bedrooms, and 7 doors and two closet doors.

The studio went from a red orange to a happy corn husk yellow. The doors are now white. There were 6 of us painting on Saturday. All that is left now is to paint the mouldings white and re-hang the doors, which Carla and Ken will take care of.

Major transformation.

We returned home exhausted, but we had great fun getting there. Now back to the work around our own house.

This is going to be a great music school. Okotoks is lucky to get such a talented lady!!

Super Awesome Get Things Done and Have Some Fun Long Weekend

2011-08-01T21:46:00.003-06:00

I love a good project and with this house we have had many. It's NOT my forever house. No. While I am happy with the work we have done, it ultimately does not meet the needs of our family. I want a newer home. I want a bigger home. I don't plan to settle for the one we are in. Does that make me materialistic? Maybe. Don't care. I am ready to move up. And I digress.......

One of the projects that have been on the list is the backyard patio. The paving stones were sinking in spots and water would pool near the house......not good.....so we knew it would be something that would require our attention sooner than later.

My usual M.O. is make a mess of whatever area I want improved (ie. demolition of some sort) then attention has to be paid to it or it continues to be a) an eyesore or b) a safety hazard. I began to create both.

Sean's been working on our back shed and converting it into his new workshop. He is getting kicked out of the garage with our numerous guitars and drum set. Once Sean got the electrical up and working he began to tackle the patio. We even got the boys involved pulling up bricks.

We are extending the width by about 4 feet which was on my wish list. We pulled up the rotting wood beams and replaced them. As of press time it is full of fill and we need to haul in the sand and level it so we can start laying the stones in. The beams are painted a charcoal gray as is the foundation of the house. It was necessary to do that because at some point a previous owner decided blue would be a fantastic color to combine with green and painted the foundation. Once this main part is done, we will take care of the lower level and the side of the house. We did it the summer we moved in, but we can do a better job. While I would LOVE to build an entirely new patio/deck it is not in our budget to do so. We are reusing everything we can. It's an older house anyway. Our interlocking bricks are discontinued and we were worried about how we would make it all work with the extended patio, but Sean got some from a client who had the exact same bricks and needed to get rid of them. SCORE!!!!

He's had major luck on the free stuff lately. Free 40 inch flat screen LCD. Free bike for him to work on......side project. Free bricks. I am far from a junk collector.....He did well.

This is my new window in my bathroom. Sean put that in Thursday, I think. Glad to have a window back in there. Just need to find new moldings to go around it. We have dark wood moldings so I need to find something that will match everything else. Now......what did Sean do with the old one?????

He cut a hole in the shed/workshop and framed out a new home for the window. Now there is electricity AND natural light. He's planning on replacing some more windows in the house and two more will find new homes in this shed.

Side note: This was the shed project two weeks ago......

Old roof

New roof

And that brings us to the fun today......Sean went to Calgary. I ran 15.2K (emphasis on the .2) James had his first driving road lesson. The boys and I went to Waterton and hiked to Bertha Falls. I thought it was 3km and turned out to be 5km-ish. James and Jared saw two bear cubs up a tree and we had to wait around until the mama could coax them down and leave the area. We feasted at Subway (family Waterton tradition) and James drove us home. My legs are hurting and I am shuffling around tonight, but it was fun.

Back to work tomorrow. How time flies. And it was time well spent.

Super. Awesome.

Out With the Old.......

2011-07-28T20:12:00.001-06:00

.......and in with the new

It's hard to believe I have worn out a pair of running shoes. Very. Very. Hard.

I am in love with these shoes. They are not pink. Pink would be bad. Not a pink lover.

As soon as I put these babies on, I wondered where they had been the last few months. Nothing like a new pair to make you realize (besides all the pain my body is in at the moment) the old ones needed to go.

I realized the other day that I have 8 weeks to Melissa's, my 22k run in Banff, and did I mention the Victoria Half Marathon two weeks after that........I am SO behind schedule. Must run more!

My body hurts. It hurt last year too, but I have all new pains this year. Went to see my awesome physiotherapist, Bruce, today. I don't let anyone inflict as much pain on me as he does. Got to have a great visit with his wife, Amy, who is also a great friend while getting treated. It can't get better than that.

I brought home some toys to use to help in my treatment. Everything is on loan, but it still felt like Christmas. I'm excited to feel better. I need to run. It keeps me sane. There are times I'd rather be in pain and run than not and be groggy and grumpy. That is my alternative.

Now. Perhaps it's because I am getting older, but looking at myself exercising in a full length mirror is not as pretty as once was. I'm looking bubbly. Maybe pillowy. Take your pick.

Oh, on a totally different subject. That little fur ball with teeth we call Emi-Lou actually has eyeballs!! Look!!

It's 9:30pm........

2011-07-27T21:35:00.001-06:00

and I can't go to sleep.

Because of this going on in my bathroom

and the results of my procrastination lying all over my bed.

The house we were once going to flip is now the house we use to learn how to do all sorts of fun and wonderful things. Welcome to Windows 101.

Laundry folding? I try to skip that class as often as possible. Perhaps not tonight though.

I Just Want to Go to Japan.......

2011-07-25T22:12:00.001-06:00

........and get my nails done. Like these.......

I meant to blog this a long time ago. These belong to my sister. She lives in Tokyo. It`s ALL gel. I love how the pink (though I would NEVER do pink) gradually fades to clear closer to the cuticle. For anyone who gets color gel nails......this means NO obvious color line as your nails grow out. These were Diane`s New York nails.

I don`t think anyone around here knows how to do this kind of thing.

And so, I think I need to go to Japan.

Musings

2011-07-23T22:15:00.001-06:00

I saw Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows with the crew today. I wept through most of it. How I will miss Harry.

There are a lot of tacky men's shirts out there. Who in this world gets paid to make that stuff and who are the women in these men's lives who allow them to go out dressed like that?

I'm having issues with my blog design. I don't like the Blogger templates and I can't find a template out there in World Wide Web Land that isn't too cute for my taste. I like a darker background because it highlights my photos better, but it's kind of dark overall. I'm feeling rather difficult to please at the moment.

Oh, and keep your nostrils clean. You never know who may accidentally look up at you.

The Print You Leave Behind

2011-07-18T20:33:00.003-06:00

Often we never know what kind of impact we have on others. Those moments usually fade away with little thought on our part. Sometimes those same moments make an impression on someone we may or may not know.

A young boy stood before a gathering of boys and men and shared a small part of himself, just because he felt like he should. A young man in the crowd heard, felt, and was touched. He happened to share that experience in a ward Sunday meeting. It was that moment that had the most impact on him through a week of activities. Someone in that meeting was a friend of my parents.

We seldom realize the extent of our reach. We think what we say and do is of no consequence to others. Well, it is of great consequence.

We just never know.........

Bears Hump 2011

2011-07-16T22:31:00.002-06:00

Last weekend Jackson and I had planned to hike Bears Hump, but it was a windy weekend and we decided to abandon those plans and just wait for the brothers and the dad to return from Helaman's Encampment. This weekend was looking rather lovely so we all headed out to Waterton for the day.......except Jordan.....been there......done that.......

Even James wasn't eager to go, at first. Then I ran off the list of what he and Jordan could do around the house while we were away.....You know.....walk Gracie at least twice, make sure Emi-Lou pees outside, scoop the poop, prep the yard for mowing, mow the lawn, pull weeds, clean bedrooms, etc. James had a change of heart and decided to go. Jordan, who is the dictionary definition of "stubborn" still wouldn't come along, so "Cinderella" stayed home and got the work done while the rest of us drove and hiked.

Did I mention that I ran almost 10k this morning? The million dollar question: Would Mamadeb need to be carried off the trail?

Bears Hump is a steep 1km hike UP. I did run some of it, but mostly I was relieved when Jackson or Jared needed a rest. They all drank my water - cold water with a wedge of lemon and lime. That's my signature running water. A little snobby, I know, but I won't run or hike without my lemon water. Regular just won't do.

It was fantastic at the top. No wind, great views, and chipmunk-y things that the boys got to feed, thanks to some nice folks who shared their sunflower seeds.

Don't feed the wildlife.........right....

Jordan baby, we missed you. I told him that. Last year we were missing Sean. This year Jordan. I also told him that our next hike is a no choice hike. He's coming. I'll drag his sorry @%#&*. Well, the next hike will not be a "been there, done that" so I don't think it will be an issue.

For a girl who grew up around oceans, I am loving my life near the mountains!! And my strapping boys did not have to carry me off the trail. What a relief!!!

Helaman's Encampment - The Jared Story

2011-07-13T18:52:00.001-06:00

One of the great things about the camp were the guest speakers in the evening. There were Young Men's Presidents and former NFL players. Not your boring ward level stuff. No. Bigger.

On the last evening of the camp President Beck, the Young Men's President over the whole entire church came and froze with the rest of the gang. Now from here I am relaying the account from what Sean and the boys have told me. They are certainly free to correct me, but here is as close as I can get........

My understanding is that Pres. Beck spoke about being missionaries or becoming missionaries. Some time during his talk, Jared decided that he needed to go to the bathroom, which Sean let him do. As Jared made his way to the aisle, he let EVERYONE know where he was going. During this time it seems Pres. Beck asked for a handful of boys to come up and share what they felt they could do to be or become good missionaries. I don't think Jared heard any of this.

The port-a-potties were located behind the stage and big TV's so he was walking towards the front. Suddenly, Sean realized that Jared never made it to the potties......he was in line to get on stage!!! As Jordan and James realized this too, I think there was a sense of panic. Should one of them get him? Did Jared know he was NOT in the potty line up? Did he know why there were boys lined up to go on stage? What was he going to say? There are approximately 3200 men and boys in the audience. What if he froze? Yes. Mild panic.

After the first couple of boys went up and spoke, Sean decided the Jared couldn't do worse so he sat back to watch the outcome.

Jared stood there in front of those 3200 men and boys and said that challenges are hard. He had two - autism and ADHD. Sometimes people were annoyed by him and that was okay. Having his challenges made things hard for him, but Jared said he knows that he should never quit or give up and that he needs listen to the spirit. Then he kept trying to talk and Pres. Beck did a good job trying to end the speech and move on.

Jared can repel, climb walls, hike long distances, and speak in front of 3200. The best part for Jared was the fist bumping from other boys all the way back to his seat. I don`t know if he ever made it to the bathroom.

This is a photo from my friend Karri. Thank you so much for the visual of such a great experience. I wish I had been there to witness it myself.

Helaman's Encampment

2011-07-12T22:13:00.004-06:00

Last week Jackson and I had the house all to ourselves. Yes, I am back to work now, so really Jackson had the whole house to himself and tolerated sharing it with me and grandparents.

At night the two of us hung out and watched movies and "Deck Wars" and "House Hunters". Jackson is an HGTV fan. What mother wouldn't consider him the fave child!!! We taught Emi-Lou how to pee outside. We went out for dinner. We took in Kung Fu Panda 2 and agreed that the 3D effects were well worth our money. Saturday was supposed to be our day for a hike in Waterton Park, but alas, the wind was so strong that day. We opted for the house and waiting for our other smelly men to come home.

Where were those smelly men? What would you do to celebrate 100 years of LDS scouting in Alberta? How about a camp with 2000 scouts and another 1200 leaders? Yup. Simple. Easy.

It rocked!!!!!

I hear they ran out of sutures, but no one died so I think that's a success. After five nights and six days, Sean, James, Jordan, and Jared came home smelly, and dirty, and tired. They had lots of stories to tell. It took two days to do all the laundry, including the sleeping bags, but we are slowly getting back to normal.

Jordan opted to take his most expensive, white hoodie to camp - against my sage advice. I think it's almost as clean now as it was before he left. He came home with blisters on the back of his ears. Yes, sunburn. Why? Because he didn't want to ruin his hair with a hat. His biggest accomplishment (in his eyes)? His hair stayed awesome for the whole camp.

Please, someone explain that one to me.

Jared was lucky to go since his twelfth birthday is two weeks away. Sean gave up a week of work to be Jared's "helper" and it turned out to be more than a good thing as our ward only had one other leader there consistently. He did really well and I am so glad he got this experience.

James was with the older group and I am waiting for some pictures of him. I hope there are some out there. This could be Cuba all over again.

Tomorrow: A Jared Story

This is How It Happened......

2011-07-01T20:31:00.002-06:00

Last night around 9 pm-ish, I was on Facebook and a colleague of mine posted that she had puppies to give away. Sean and I have talked about getting Gracie a friend, but we've never really seriously done anything about it. We have our hot dates to the pet store to check out the pups and we check Kijiji on a regular basis, but acting on it was not in our plans.

Well I saw the pictures and their story and I knew I had to see them. Sean was out on a "man date" so I arranged a visit for this morning. I figured he'd say No in the end, but paying a visit wouldn't hurt. I'm sure it's nice to come home near midnight to your wife telling you that there's no sleeping in because we have puppies to see.

The pups came from Saskatchewan. Their owners split up. One moved out and the other went away to work for two months so the mama and her babies were fending for themselves under the porch. A neighbor, who's daughter is also a colleague, began checking on them and called her daughter about what to do. In the end, the neighbor took the mama, the pups were picked up and brought here and hopefully they all have a home now.

Happy ending. Dogs rescued. New caring homes. We have a cutie and we call her Emi-Lou.

Gracie took to her better than I thought, though she hasn't left her alone for most of the day.

Must. Sniff. The. New. Dog.........

She's the same size as my guinea pig friends. Why does she smell like a dog?......

We've tried to show Gracie extra love today. Poor girl, a new princess is in the house.

Sean has not said No, but he hasn't said Yes either. He's only said, "Like you are going to send her back." True that.

Happy Canada Day!!

Uh Oh ........ part 2

2011-07-01T10:11:00.002-06:00

Emi-Lou Francesca Zeck.

Uh Oh......

2011-06-30T23:21:00.000-06:00

I may display poor judgement in the morning.

Quiet Summer Morning

2011-06-30T09:37:00.001-06:00

I have a list of things to do, but I can't get out of this chair. The boys are asleep, except Jared who is now eating (shovelling) Mini-Wheats. There is a cool wind outside. I had a nice run early this morning. I've updated my calendar and I have a better chance of not forgetting something now. I had breakfast. I've read blogs (some of you need to update yours!!!!!)

This afternoon I am back to the bank for who knows how long. My contract is done with the school district and I've said my good-byes to some great staff and some darling kids........some of whom are etched into my mind and heart and I worry for them. I loved them.

So back to the bank it is. I'm back to full time. I'm back to wanting to move forward. And if I can't go forward.....perhaps more transition ahead. It's been thirteen years since I worked full days. My feelings are mixed. There's that push and pull that comes with motherhood. There's the guilt. But I looked at my boys. Apart from Jackson, I leave after they leave and I get home an hour after they get home. Jackson leaves for school minutes after I leave for work. I looked at my boys and I saw level headed, responsible young men. I talked to my boys. They support me.

I get enough vacation time to take some of it for their school activities and still have enough for the big stuff. I just have to stick to my priorities and stand firm. It feels easier to do that now than it did when James was a baby. Perhaps times and attitudes have changed a bit.

So here I sit on my chair. Jared has disappeared.....probably to the basement to conquer something Xbox-ish. It's quiet. Soon that list must be tackled then the race begins. If only I could slow down time.......

Happy Father's Day

2011-06-19T14:22:00.000-06:00

This year celebrations of the parental kind have been low key. I was ill for Mother's Day and Sean is sick for Father's Day.

That's not what today's blog is about. No. It's about Jackson.

This is our family.......according to Jackson. Why I have a pink bow is beyond me. I hate pink. Sean looks like a leprechaun. Jackson, of course, is the coolest of the bunch. I LOVE this picture. It's getting framed for our family room.

I did not know that Jackson was such a little artist.

I thought it was the perfect Father's Day gift.

A Good Day

2011-06-17T21:42:00.000-06:00

I dislike PAT's. Provincial Assessment Tests. Didn't like them in BC. Don't like them here. HOWEVER.......when Jared's teacher for math and science emails me and starts with the word 'WOW'......well I can't not celebrate the fact that he got 66% on a tough math PAT and 82% on the science PAT.

I can't not celebrate the fact that I discovered this week that Jackson is a pretty good artist. I didn't know he could draw as well as he does (future blog).

James played his last jazz band gig of the school year today. There's a celebration in that too.

And I come home to Jordan trying out a new piano piece and working hard on it and regular lessons are over for the summer. Celebrate!!

I pretty much like my boys. It's a good day!!

I Am A City Girl.......or at least not rural......

2011-06-15T22:11:00.002-06:00

I had to meet up with a grade 1 class for a field trip to a farm today. I had to find that farm. The end of the story is that I mostly, accidentally found that said farm. The beginning of the story is that I wasn't paying attention to the road and missed a sort of big sign and didn't take the small sign seriously.

When a farm is known for it's corn maze in the summer, one (meaning me) would think that its sign that said, 'CORN MAZE' might be larger than the approximately 12"X12" sign I drove PAST. Really, it must be a copycat farm. And so I kept driving.

I never passed the lake I was supposed to pass. My odometer was telling me I should have arrived by now. Do I turn around? Do I keep going? So my Spidey senses had to kick in and I took a left at the next intersection.

I hate gravel roads. I especially hate the kind that make me feel I will sooner than later lose control of my car and land in the ditch.

So I am on the phone with Sean and out of nowhere I see a sign to my farm. 1km. Elation. Relief. No search parties to be sent out. Thank you Alberta for putting roads in a grid formation. It really works for kids like me who should not be driving out in the country.

So pay attention. Watch for signs. Even the little ones are important. There's a sacrament meeting talk in there somewhere.

Going Downhill Usually Means At Some Point You Have to Go Up Again

2011-06-12T21:29:00.000-06:00

And the girl lived happily after she got her chocolate treat at the finish line. In the mean time, there's nothing better than a long run up a hill. Well, that's what I keep telling myself. And yes, I will train on some hills for next year's Ladiesfest. Really. I mean it this time. Honest. I promise.

When Family Comes......

2011-05-23T22:36:00.001-06:00

.......life is busy and fun.

Sean and Scott's parents and sister came to visit this weekend. It would have been nice to take them around town, but what is a long weekend without rain.

I did manage to get a couple of plants in the ground and some grass seed and dirt on the lawn so the rain is a good thing for a person who can never remember to water her plants. That would be me.

Tonight was a big family dinner out. My parents came also. Good times.

Now it's back to work and school.....

Word......le

2011-05-20T08:10:00.003-06:00

So I am playing around with Wordle (.net, if you want to take a look). It's a fun site to create things with words and give them some kind of artistic value. I was first introduced to this site through a project that Jared did for Mother's Day in grade 4. I finally took the time to play around with it this morning. Yes, two years later. I've been busy. Sean says it's really Mormon-y, but I like it just the same. Now my question is.......how do I take this and get it put on a big piece of stretched canvas in the background color I like?

Mother's Day

2011-05-08T19:06:00.000-06:00

I am happy to celebrate Mother's Day on any other day than the assigned day. Valentines too. It seems, however that I am the ONLY one on the planet that feels this way and so I am resigned, for the sake of my children and my own mother, to "suck it up" and celebrate Mother's Day.

It's always worth the payoff.

This is from Jared. He gave it to me after church today. A few days ago he asked for a duo tang and some paper and I didn't think about it again.

Until today.

This is what he wrote:

How I love my moTHer

By: Jared

Mom, I love you for all the things you do, I love it how you make dinner and how you fold the clothes but most importantly I love you because your my mother. We spend time together to talk about me or to talk about my autism. I feel love around even when dad is there.

You care for me and my brothers. You always know what's right and thats something I like.

I love you with all my heart and I know you love me too. I hope that even though your upset when me or the brothers do something wrong, you'll still love us.

the END

When Jared was diagnosed and I was in a state of fear and sadness and all that goes with officially knowing that your baby has a life long challenge with no fix and only hard lessons and training needed to co-exist with the "normal folk", I wondered if he would ever know how to express his love. I wondered if his expressions up to that time were "learned behaviors" or if true emotion was behind it.

Today I received my answer. Mother's Day or not, I can't find an eloquent enough way to share how it makes me feel.

Beauty in Old Things

2011-04-27T05:45:00.001-06:00

One of the things I am falling in love with about this city (and I know I am not alone) is the way so much of the old has been preserved and mixed with the new. Take this elevator for example.......It's in Macy's and it's original. There are a few like this in the store, along with newer ones. How easy it would have been to take it out and replace it with one that is less rickety, but they've left it - full of stories of a time we can only read about now.

We took a ride around Central Park in a carriage. Our nice driver from Ireland and his horse Duke were lovely guides.

What a great getaway in the middle of a busy city. We enjoyed a beautiful day for a ride. I just thought about how lucky New Yorkers were for this amazing piece of land where you can go and enjoy a piece of heaven for a while in a busy, fast-paced day.

Rigoletto. A tragedy!! Curses!! Silly women falling for players like the duke. The Metropolitan Opera House was amazing. There is such a sense of extravagance and opulence to it. It was a wonderful performance and I learned that the opera cheering I have only seen and heard in dramatic shows is real and loud - even by the seniors who could only shuffle to their seats. Brava!!!!

Two more days in this fantastic town. I have so many more pictures I want to post. The ones posted so far are from my phone. My camera has so much more.

Good Morning From the Gym

2011-04-25T04:59:00.002-06:00

Only took three elevators to get there.

Problem Solving

2011-04-25T03:47:00.002-06:00

This is the sandwich I ordered. It was very tasty, by the way.
How would you tackle this in your most demure manner?

She Has Landed

2011-04-23T23:16:00.001-06:00

I am here. My sister is here. I am in one piece. So is she. The security guy on the airport shuttle is too despite the fact that I took his knee out with my suitcase. Oops.

We checked into our hotel and promptly walked down to Times Square. 11pm and the streets were full. What a sight!!

Time to rest up for tomorrow. There's an Easter Parade and other fine plans. We are expecting rain this week so we are working our outdoor and indoor plans around that. My umbrella is in my purse just in case. I was lucky to find it.....haven't used it since our move from the island!!

I'm looking forward to a great week. This is one fantastic birthday present. Thanks so much, Diane!!

Big Apple Bound

2011-04-22T13:56:00.002-06:00

My boys might miss me. I left my 'not sensible shoes' at home.
Off for a night in Calgary with my favorite man and some Italian food then away I go.
Anticipate blogging on the go for the next few days.

Puzzle - Take two

2011-04-21T07:31:00.001-06:00

So, here we go again. Diane emailed me this morning to let me know that the replacement puzzle pieces for my replacement puzzle pieces for our Totoro puzzle have arrived. They will travel to New York in a couple of days and meet me there, along with my sister (who believes they may be cursed and will keep them in her carry on luggage to ensure that her checked luggage -ie. her clothing - arrives save and sound at LaGuardia instead of Hong Kong).

This is a photo of the replacements for the replacements. I will see you soon.

This has been a long road for our puzzle experience. The frame is purchased. We are ready to complete this thing and hang on the wall in the rec room. More fine art in this house. What could be better?

Wearing Our Hardhats

2011-04-11T20:45:00.003-06:00

CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE........
The folks in the office opposite donned hard hats during the ... on Twitpic

My sister says the Japanese motto is "keep calm, carry on, and be prepared". This office staff is doing just that in the picture. As I write this there have been two rather nasty aftershocks in Tokyo in the last 24 hours. My sister is fine. I'll be glad to have some fun in New York with her in a couple of weeks!!

Good advice: Keep calm, carry on, and be prepared. I'd add that if you are not totally prepared then keep calm and carry on anyway. Then if you can stabilize......start preparing yourself.

Proactivity

2011-04-09T17:21:00.001-06:00

For whatever reason, I like this and think it would be a fun birthday or Mothers Day gift for me. The surprise will be who gets to give it to me!!!!

The Roller Coaster of Sadness

2011-04-08T07:24:00.001-06:00

Oh, the sadness.

Remember a while back when my dog ate a couple of pieces of a puzzle from Japan that Sean and I were putting together?

And then remember when the order form was completed and my mom took it to Japan with her to give to my sister to mail out in hopes that the company would send those two replacement pieces and then there was an earthquake and tsunami that crippled parts of that nation but not the postal service and the puzzle people did indeed replace my partially digested pieces?

My mom packed them up to bring to me and she came by yesterday with all our other totally awesome gifts, but no puzzle pieces. They ran away. We don't know where. Love my mom.....she feels so bad!!!

SO........no completed project yet and my dad is coming to help me start the replacement process all over again and with any luck, when I see my sister in New York (say what??) at the end of the month I will have some puzzle pieces.

I Am a Pessimist

2011-04-05T20:11:00.000-06:00

I know.

SHOCKER!!!!

Well, it's true. Take this Ford Explorer, for example.

We've owned it for three years. Sean used it for work. The time came to unload it. There were too many repairs to justify keeping it.

I thought for sure it would go to Auto Heaven or at worst stay in my driveway until there was some type of Push, Pull, or Drag sale at some dealership. When Sean told me he listed it on Kijiji this morning I think the first word that came to mind was FUTILE.

Well, joke is on me. He got a call within two hours of listing. They came by tonight. Sean gave them the low down on the issues and he still sold it.

I swear, the man could sell sand in the Sahara.

End of Our Flood Chapter - Part 1

2011-04-03T09:20:00.000-06:00

Almost three years ago, when we first moved here, adventure and setbacks were our middle name. Canada Day was especially memorable and now three years later we are experiencing the final phase of our recovery.

As part of a city program, we were eligible for a sump pump and backflow valve to be installed in our home at no charge to us. We signed up for the program over two years ago and I had all but lost hope that it would ever be done.

The cut off was the end of March and we were probably the third to last house to be completed.

Our basement was turned into chaos and jackhammers and strange men rattled Gracie's nerves to the point of exhaustion.

Furniture was moved.

Carpet was cut. Holes were created.

Things were installed.

Inspections were done. Cement was poured.

Cleaners cleaned. Furniture was rearranged (not an understatement). Pictures almost hung. But that's part two. All I will say is I think Sean hates it when I get a big furniture rearranging idea in my head.

.........to be continued.

Decor for Dinner

2011-03-29T06:16:00.002-06:00

A couple of weeks back we had a nice Relief Society dinner.
We went kind of fancy with the decor, but it was pretty easy to pull off.
I have a box of silver sticks if any one needs some.

Cuba........Was James REALLY There???????

2011-03-25T11:31:00.000-06:00

Or more appropriately........Where's ~~Waldo?~~ James?
That was the question when James came home from a week in Cuba for a band trip. Did he really go? Where was he if he wasn't? Where did he stay?

Back in February, when it was freezing cold here, James was sunning it up in Cuba. Well, less sunning and more riding in a bus, but it wasn't here and so I don't care.

"James," I said as I helped him pack his belongings for his first international trip without parents......to a socialist country no less......."take lots of pictures. I don't want you to forget this amazing opportunity." I won't mention the lectures on keeping his passport and cash on his person at all times and not to crack jokes to immigration officials.

James took 343 pictures. What a great kid! LOVE HIM!!!! Outstanding!!!!! After I deleted the blurry ones there were still 323 shots. Awesome!!!!!

LOTS OF PICTURES OF CUBA.

NO PICTURES OF JAMES IN CUBA.

Oooh!! Pretty area. Where's James?

Not by the ocean.

Not by the houses.

Not mingling with the school kids.

Not smelling flowers.

Not even in the caves.

Nowhere to be seen in town.

Not even playing with the dolphins.

Not even on the beach.

WHERE IS A MOTHER TO FIND HER JAMES IN CUBA?????

FACEBOOK

You heard right.

James, in what I will suppose is Havana

James, by the ocean.

James, mingling with a school kid.

Ahhh......thank you Facebook. Thank you to friend of James who tagged him in her photo album and didn't have her privacy settings set securely. Hey, EVERYONE can see and download your pictures!! You should update your settings.

Pavlov's Theory Put to the Test

2011-03-24T20:10:00.001-06:00

Just wanted to share this little bit of cinematic genius.

Of course I am biased. It's my son!!

When Age Catches Up to You.....Part 2

2011-03-23T10:49:00.002-06:00

And it continues.

Two weeks ago......

At kindergarten - "Grandma, could you help me?"

At our youth activity night - "You remind me of my grandma." - followed by a look of horror in the realization that she completely stuck her foot in her mouth.

Yes, this was directed at yours truly.

And no, I still feel like a young, hot mama.

Another Step Towards Completion

2011-03-17T22:50:00.003-06:00

Apparently earthquakes, tsunami, and nuclear radiation are no match for the Japanese mail system. My sister sent me this picture to let me know they arrived.
I hope I ordered the right ones.
Completely forgot about these while immersed in worry.

My Bed In the Evening

2011-03-17T22:43:00.000-06:00

Watching Chilly Willie cartoons. Remember those?

Just Glad.....

2011-03-11T18:59:00.001-07:00

........that my sister, who lives in Tokyo, and my mom, who is visiting her in Tokyo, are safe and sound after a nasty earthquake and a shut down in the city's transportation system. Each was on her own and made it back to Diane's apartment separately and each in one piece.

Good stuff.

Spoiled Rotten

2011-03-08T21:10:00.003-07:00

Last Thursday I received some yummy butternut squash soup from my good friend Karri. I didn't share. I dined on it for dinner, breakfast and snack. Sheer enjoyment.

Tonight another good friend, Amy, brought over a BIG pan of Rice Krispie squares. The boys are devouring them as I type. There may be nothing left for their lunch bags in the morning.

Later this evening I arrived home to a truck stalking my house. Out popped some young ladies with a lasagna that I am going to bake for dinner tomorrow. It was a thank you for some help I gave them on a song they were learning.

On Thursday another good friend is bringing the boys and me dinner so I have one less thing to do on my regular completely insane night of the week.

Am I spoiled rotten? Absolutely!!! And I am loving and grateful for every minute of it.

When Winning Wins

2011-03-05T19:45:00.000-07:00

Just linking to my other blog this time.

http://ourasdjourney.blogspot.com/2011/03/when-winning-wins.html

Good Thing They Were SO Cute When They Were Babies......

2011-03-03T21:48:00.002-07:00

Sean is away. I am a single mom. I'm feeling rather tired as I get through my day working in and out of the house.

Today I had an extra long work day. I came home to a disaster. Dog not walked. Dishwasher not emptied. Used drinking glasses all over the place (at least 2 per child). Backpacks in the middle of the kitchen floor. No food or water in Gracie's dishes. James was fast asleep. Jordan and Jared were both about two hours over their video game limit. Jared moved on to a full blown AEB (Autistic Emotional Breakdown) after I came home. Jackson was just riding the wave.

My kitchen is clean now. I'm ready for sleep. They really were some of the cutest babies.

When Age Catches Up to You

2011-03-02T18:11:00.000-07:00

At work last week........

Co-worker: "How old are you, Deb?"

Me: "I'll be 41 this spring."

Other co-worker: "Hey, you're the same age as my mom!!"

Debut

2011-02-18T21:40:00.001-07:00

Tonight James, Jordan, and Jared sang in public for the first time - individually, as a trio, three part harmony.......Hey, in our world we like to do things the hard way.

The performance was a big hit and I recorded it on my phone, but we decided to record it again at home because some of the harmonies were off.

So to those who heard this, here's a better version and to those who hear it for the first time, enjoy.

Side note: Originally this was going to be a duet for James and Jordan, but with Jordan's voice changing and a nice dose of chest cold he couldn't hit the high notes. Last night we were rehearsing and I was acting like a freaked out pageant mom. It was frustrating for everyone. This morning I decided to involve Jared and give Jordan a harmony to sing that was easier for him. We started this at about 3:30 this afternoon and performed it at 8:00pm. I had hoped Jackson would participate too (during our quick rehearsal this evening he played the part of the finger-snapping metronome), but in the end he decided to stay out of it.

Can I just say that I am so pleased with these guys and they really are smart, forward thinking boys. When they argued that they didn't want to perform in front of the "old people" - because this was not a crowd of peers - I just said, "Maybe so, but those "old people" have daughters and grand daughters....."

'Nuff said.

A Look Into the Brain of James

2011-02-15T20:30:00.008-07:00

Facebook status for Valentine's Day:

Valentines Day = the only day of the year

it's

socially acceptable to eat other people's hearts

Unless someone can tell me otherwise, I think that quote is an original.

Today In Valentine Land

2011-02-14T21:34:00.000-07:00

Sean is gone for a few weeks and I get to play single mom.

James is being text-stalked by a little ninth grader who is apparently smitten. They have barely spoken to each other, but James is her man.

Jordan is sick, but went to school so he wouldn't "disappoint the ladies".

Jared made a Valentine expressing his affection to a little girl who may not feel quite the same way. We calmly made the decision NOT to give it to her and save the both of them any embarrassment or broken hearts.

Jackson is a Valentine Grinch like his mommy, but together we made gift tags and stuck suckers on them. He may even do it again next year so long as he is not required to give the "dumb Superman ones" away.

And that, my friends, is Valentines in our world.

Duck Beak Pringles Style

2011-02-10T22:15:00.002-07:00

I'm testing out my smartphone blogging

Because Sometimes the Boys Just Wanna Have Fun

2011-02-09T20:28:00.000-07:00

Last night was girls' night out. We run together. It's just logical that we stuff ourselves with high calorie treats together also. It was a fun night. Thank you, ladeez!!!

Sean and James thought they would have fun too. While I was having a great time, they came by the restaurant and drove my van to a different parking spot. It wasn't far from where I originally parked, but.......

You can imagine my reaction when I walked out of the restaurant. Good thing I saw the van fairly quickly, but I was a confused little girl.

More confused than usual.

A Certain Kind of Sadness

2011-02-07T22:54:00.000-07:00

This is the VERY cool Totoro puzzle my parents brought back for us from Japan last spring. It's 1000 pieces. We are not really the puzzle types in this house......mostly because of the losing pieces factor, which is a no brainer when it comes to our family. But this is Miyazaki stuff. Google him if you must. So we finally got around to putting this masterpiece together this weekend.

I know. Crazy. These Totoro things are going nuts. Can you tell why? 998 pieces completed. Nine hundred and ninety eight.

This is actually the same piece. We can't find the other one.

This is the culprit.

This is the replacement puzzle piece request form that I will get help filling out so I can send it to my sister in Tokyo, who can then forward it on to the company that will set the world right again (Umm....Diane, if you are reading this, can I ask you to do something for me?? ;) ), and hopefully the new pieces will arrive at my sister's place in time for my mother, who is going to Japan for a few weeks shortly, to bring back to Canada so Sean and I can complete our puzzle, glue it together, frame it, and then hang it on a wall in the basement.

I'll be happy to post the framed end result......in about 8 weeks. Little bit of sadness around here at the moment.

Kub Kar Jackson Style

2011-02-07T22:30:00.000-07:00

Oh, how the time flies. It doesn't seem like very long ago when Jared was completing his last Kub Kar Rally, which I blogged about elsewhere. He is now graduated from the world of Cubdom and Jackson is representing in a fine manner.

How fun was the rally? So fun. How was making the Kub Kar? Funner. Jackson and Sean came up with a cool idea of a skateboard. Some good woodcutting, bright paints, some awesome letter font, and a bit of fine grit black sandpaper, and a Kar was born.

On My Soap Box

2011-02-04T13:52:00.002-07:00

I do most of my Jared blogging on my other site just because it's easy to dominate this blog with his stories. Today I am linking to that one. It's just less work.

http://ourasdjourney.blogspot.com/2011/02/litmus-test-for-all-of-us.html

Just my musings on parts of life.

My Laugh of the Day

2011-02-02T22:22:00.000-07:00

This made me think of Jared at first view, but can't we see all our children in some way??

Poor Gracie

2011-02-01T17:45:00.000-07:00

Our little pooch has the worst luck, it seems. She is so timid of other dogs. We have tried over the last couple of years to take her places where other dogs will be so she can have some interaction with them and become more relaxed. Sometimes it works, if the other dog is arthritic and/or old and/or super mello. Most of the time though Gracie gets spooked by yet another bouncy dog who knows no personal boundaries, off leash with owners who have no clue. There need to be stricter dog run rules. "If your dog can run, take its leash off" is not a rule.

This afternoon Jordan saved Gracie from a German Shepherd who went for her while on a walk. We didn't realize until after an hour that Gracie had a puncture wound. Jordan got by with muddy jeans, yet I hate to think it could have been worse. Fortunately when Sean went to talk to the owner, the man had been informed about it by the dog sitter. He was nice enough to say he'd help out if we needed to take Gracie to the vet. Ironically his wife works at a vet clinic in town.

So far she seems okay. We've cleaned it out and are watching it. My thing is how has this affected my pooch? I want her to have friends. I don't want to keep her away from other dogs because she's so timid SHE may get aggressive with them. Any suggestions?

May I Just Say......

2011-01-30T15:32:00.000-07:00

I have some handsome, intelligent, funny, and super terrific sons. Really, can I say that!!!

16 Years Ago Today.........

2011-01-28T23:14:00.000-07:00

..........Sean had hair. My lipstick was too dark.

But that didn't stop us!!!!!! Happy Anniversary!!!!

Goal Setting

2011-01-23T20:40:00.001-07:00

Jackson's teacher gave the students an exercise to complete which involved writing down what their new years resolutions were. Jackson, who is a perfectionist in so many ways, responded by crashing his head into his desk. He went down hard on his forehead and he did not get back up.

His teacher knows him well enough now to know that this was just something that was WAY to stressful for him so she let it go. It made me wonder if I have dropped the ball on this idea of goal setting or at least been too rigid.

I don't do new years resolutions. I don't like them. I think of them as my upcoming failures. Hmm......what can I NOT do and make myself feel like a complete failure? I know!!! I'll start on the first of the year!!!!! Needless to say, if you asked my boys about resolutions made at the start of a year they would probably look at you like you were strange.

I do, however, believe in setting goals. I believe in establishing traditions. I just pick dates other than January 1st.

Last year I picked running dates. September 24th was my big one. I ran 22K. I decided that we would have a big breakfast on Christmas morning and anyone who is in attendance must have a Christmas mug. It was a fun time. My parents came with their mugs. I want to carry that on. We participated in our friends' Boxing Day run and brunch and hope to join in their annual tradition each year.

This year I am setting running dates again, at least three or four of them. I am setting some professional goals. I plan to encourage each of the boys to set at least one goal for themselves.

We've done these things before, but sometimes I wonder if we get so rigid in our goal setting that we leave no room for what life throws at us. I am hoping we can be more flexible this year and adjust when necessary.

I don't want my almost 9 year old feeling overwhelmed by these types of things. His poor little forehead.

And I Thought It Was a Girl Problem

2011-01-16T19:34:00.001-07:00

Jordan wakes up at 6:30am every school day to get ready for the day. I realized this past week that he is not wearing his contact lenses so I brought up the issue. He locks himself in the bathroom for 20 minutes each day and I couldn't understand why the contacts were not on the eyeballs.

So what does he do in that bathroom, because according to Jordan he doesn't have time to put in his contacts. He brushes his teeth, washes his face, and edits his hair. Edits? Yes, edits.

He does his hair the night before and then fixes it in the morning. Edits.

My question is, 20 minutes. Really? Brushing teeth, washing face, and editing hair? A boy/man?

We have the morning line up of others who also need the bathroom who have to wait until Jordan is done. I've kind of implemented an open door policy unless......you know.

If this is a sign of things to come with the rest of the boys (James doesn't count because he does the same stuff in half the time) I am really going to need another bathroom.

Didn't think I would have this issue with having all boys.

Poor Puppy

2011-01-10T18:00:00.000-07:00

Every winter Gracie's skin gets so irritated. It's like she's allergic to the cold weather. We always need to keep a close eye on her because she constantly scratches and bites herself in the most unlady-like manner. Really, have I taught you NOTHING!!!!

We came home from church yesterday to find Sean bathing the pooch. She'd apparently started biting her bottom and tail and left herself covered in blood. We are now keeping close tabs on her and using the "cone of shame" when she starts maiming herself.

We know by the spring Gracie will be fine, but it's a long wait and we need to watch out for infections. We've tried medications, but they only take away the itch.

Poor little girl. The picture of sheer humiliation and sadness.

A Boy and His Dog

2011-01-02T16:25:00.000-07:00

Jackson spent most of the week before Christmas sleeping by the Christmas tree. He had company one night.

What To Do When You Need a Good Tacky Christmas Sweater

2011-01-02T16:21:00.000-07:00

I honestly hate them.....Christmas sweaters, that is.....but they are so fun to create for a Christmas sweater themed party!!!!!

Christmas Crafts

2011-01-02T16:19:00.000-07:00

Again. Why pay a ton of money for something you can do on the cheap a year later. Very sad that this year you can't buy these types of trees at Michaels. So glad I bought them last year.

I loved doing these. I can keep them out all year. Just flip them around depending on the season!!

The Family Christmas Photo.......Finally!!!!

2011-01-02T16:14:00.001-07:00

I ain't gonna lie. We took it today. The tree was suppose to have come down yesterday, but I thought maybe I could get the boys without bedhead on a Sunday. They've had bedhead everyday except Sundays this season.

We thought it would be interesting to see how many takes before we could get a decent shot of Gracie. You finally get the kids sort of cooperating then you get a dog. Can anyone say glutton for punishment???

The Last Couple of Months

2011-01-02T14:50:00.000-07:00

How the time flies.

Sean was away for three weeks working in cold, cold weather. I played single mom through all the Christmas concerts and worried with all the bad weather we may not have a dad home for Christmas. But we did. Thank goodness.

Our washing machine died. I only put up one Christmas tree. I finally cleaned up my bedside table. I finished my college course with honors (which is funny because I could never find time to work on it). I fell ill multiple times. I did the majority of the Christmas shopping and managed to not buy any video games!!!!!!!

We were the recipients of many a Secret Santa and some not so secret Santas. We got to feel the love of some wonderful friends and we, too, got to share some of our love. We had the opportunity to be of service to others. Others were of service to us. This was the best part of Christmas this year.

Our Christmas was quieter than the past few and it was nice. I liked that we were more low key. I liked that I could stay in my PJs all day. I liked that we only left the house to drive four minutes to my parents' house for dinner. I liked that after dinner we could drive 4 minutes home and then stay put for a few days and hibernate.

A multi family run around Henderson Lake followed by brunch with those families marked our first day of the year. Jordan ran with me while Sean, Jared, and Jackson walked. James wouldn't get up and because he sleeps in his underwear and weighs 170 pounds, I can't drag him out of bed so easily. I suppose the fact that it was -21C with the windchill would be reason not to drag him outside in his undies either.

Cold or not, it was a beautiful sunny morning and the run was great. The food was great. The company was great.

School starts up again in a couple of days and my feelings are mixed. We have enjoyed sleeping late and lounging around, but I guess we have to get back to real life at some point.

The days are getting longer again. Our winter has been more mild than the previous two and I hope that it continues to be.

What's up for this year? James will be 16. Jordan becomes a teenager. Jared will leave Primary. Jackson will leave the junior levels of elementary school (I always feel like there's a huge difference between 3rd and 4th grade). Aside from that I don't know what is in store for us. I'm a little nervous, truth be told.

Too bad. And life moves forward.

Family Photos

2010-10-30T22:13:00.000-06:00

Thanks to my great friend Antonia for taking our family on. I warned her we would be the WORST photo family EVER!!!! We were. Jackson wouldn't smile or cooperate most of the time. Jared was over stimulated. Jordan never smiles in pictures regardless. James just wanted it to be over. Sean was yelling at kids. I was praying Antonia would be able to get some usable shots. I love the candids. I love that we survived. I love that Antonia stuck it out with us.

Stop the World.....I Wanna Get Off For Just a Little While

2010-10-25T21:37:00.000-06:00

So I mentioned life is busy and it is, but after today I am not going to complain about it anymore. Trust me. Friends have heard enough. I am busy. I am tired. I don't know if I am coming or going. I am a mess.

I started out the school year with a morning contract and now I have one for the afternoon too. I'm taking a course through the college. I have swimming lessons for the boys. They have cubs, scouts, and youth activities. There's piano lessons and extra curricular band rehearsals. I am teaching singing lessons. I'm still picking up a shift here and there at the bank. I am preparing two Christmas programs for church. Next week is our church lady craft night. We are cutting wood and getting other supplies ready. If there are other things, I don't remember because I am not looking at my calendar.

Life is busy. I know that there are moms out there who do more than this, but this blog is about me. I'm looking forward to getting used to this rhythm. Sooner would be better.

My question: Why is it that I keep hearing myself volunteering for more????? There's part of me saying, "Sure! I can do that. No problem." And there's another part of me saying, "@*#?%!! (no four symbol dialog here folks), shut up!!"

I am going to try and squeeze in some fun this week. I made that promise to myself.

Got a nice treat from Antonia tonight. Roger's Chocolates. My most favorite. One of the reasons I miss Victoria. At least I can get it in Banff from time to time. Thank you so much!! And your photogs are great. Looking forward to posting them.

Dear Shelli

2010-10-24T22:25:00.001-06:00

I don't blog for months and now I can't stop. Shelli, this is for you.

Shelli, since we left you we have NOT carved pumpkins. What started out as such a fun tradition with our families is now dead in the water for us. We miss you and we miss our activities. We miss Darren and your babies.

Maybe someday we will start up again, but for now we are Jack-O-Lantern-less and have been for three Halloweens now.

Just so you know, it was Sean's idea in the first place. You know what that means.

We hope to see you soon. Love you to bits!!!!!!

Putting It All Together.....Craft Style

2010-10-24T20:42:00.001-06:00

Tonight we put our little pumpkin project together. Excessive with the flowers? Maybe, but after much deliberation, Jordan and Jackson decided that this was the best way to go.....ALL OUT....and that's how I tend to be anyway.

Michaels sells these kinds of arrangements for around $250-$300 full price and I've always been tempted to buy one. This one has WAY more on it so I don't know what it would sell for at the store. I know I spent so much less and it was fun to make it and make it the way I wanted.

How to store it??????? Better put that on my list.

Now if someone bought me the scroll saw on sale at Canadian Tire this week, I would make a little sign to put on the front. We shall see.

Goes by the front door in the morning.