My poor little neglected blog was calling my name today, just begging me to say something interesting. Not sure if this will be interesting, but here goes...
I spent the whole morning and a bit of the afternoon volunteering at the kids' school. Now I've got about an hour until I have to go pick everyone up from school - I can't believe how fast those 6 hours go. My volunteering today consisted mostly of doing rather complex (in my opinion) photocopying jobs. I don't know how teachers find the time to do this kind of stuff, in addition to managing their classrooms! Teachers amaze me, and I'm so happy that all 3 kids have such great teachers. I'm pretty thankful that I can be involved at the kids' school, and especially that we live so close, so going back and forth a few times every day is not a big deal.
Winter has finally arrived here in southern Ontario. We had a very warm November and first few days of December, so I guess this was inevitable. I realize this is nothing compared to the Alberta weather right now, but man is it miserable today! It's only about -5, but with the wind whipping fiercely around, it feels much colder. We're spending a lot more time just getting out the door each morning. I'm trying to manage all the extra pairs of mitts, boots, snow pants, hats, scarves, and coats that first need to go on everyone, then come off again after school. Add 3 tired kids and their backpacks, put in a small space while they all try to get their gear off simultaneously, and it makes for some pretty crazy moments! These are some of my least favorite moments about winter. Summer is so simple in the "gear" department! I think we're all really looking forward to the Christmas break and not having a schedule for a couple weeks.
On January 31, Stefan and I are headed to St. Lucia!! He found a smokin' deal online late Saturday night, with packages discounted between 50 and 65%. We hadn't been planning to book a vacation, but this was too good to pass up. We had less than 2 days to book, and somehow we managed to find friends to look after the kids in record time. Talk about great friends! We will be staying for 4 nights at the Sandals in St. Lucia, and I can hardly wait. We were in St. Lucia almost 5 years ago, when I was pregnant with Logan, and Stefan spent about half our trip being horribly sick. He even spent a night at the hospital, while I slept alone at the resort. It was not a good time. We're looking forward to having a much better time this time around, and praying no one gets sick! Not a good way to spend a holiday that you've spent so much money on and been looking forward to for so long.
We've got a busy weekend ahead, with me working tonight and tomorrow, and hopefully getting our Christmas tree on Sunday. I think I'll go crank the Christmas tunes now and spend a few minutes relaxing before the busyness starts up again. Hope you have a warm weekend!
Friday, December 11, 2009
Friday, November 13, 2009
Broccoli, Christmas trees and cinnamon buns
Thanks for all the kind comments from my last post - you really do make my day! Today is a PD day and I managed to find some time to blog. Imagine! The kids are all playing in the basement with a friend, I've got cinnamon buns (definitely not raw but definitely yummy) in the oven and I'm slurping a delicious green smoothie. It's a little different today. I added just a smidge of broccoli and yellow pepper, as well as a clementine orange and the usual strawberries, banana, mango, spinach and kale and a few other things. It's fantastic! I'm wanting to try a recipe for a smoothie that is just broccoli, yellow pepper, banana and water, but I thought I'd work my way up to that slowly. I think next time I'll toss in 2 oranges - it makes it taste so fresh. I love all the kale that's in there as well, as I've tried kale in other forms and don't really like it. My old blender left unpleasant bits of kale in my smoothie, but my new blender pulverizes it into smooth perfection! Kale is apparently one of the best things for you, so full of disease-fighting properties, that I love loading up on it. Our family has opted against the H1N1 shot, so I'm hoping to stay healthy this way.
I was asked how I manage to find time to read all those books. The books in the Twilight series are all around 500 pages each. They're a pretty easy read, and I'm a fast reader, but it still takes some time. Usually I'm up reading pretty late at night, or I read on my breaks at work, or I find time when the kids are at school. I try not to neglect them too much, but the housework does tend to get neglected sometimes. It all does get done eventually, and we do eat on schedule. Somehow, I squeeze it all in. Priorities, right??
This week marks the milestone of one year since Stefan started his new job here in Ontario. That was an incredibly stressful time, and I'm so thankful to be on this side of it! Stefan started his job here in mid-November and spent the next month and a bit pretty much commuting from Calgary to Toronto, coming home for a couple days at a time. In the meantime, I tried to keep things normal for the kids in Calgary, which was difficult considering I had to keep the house in spotless condition for all those showings. Every time we left the house, it had to be perfect, just in case. I spent much more time yelling and stressing than was good for us. In the end, it was all for naught, as the people who ended up buying the house saw it when it was completely empty. To add to the stress, the weather in Calgary was so bitterly cold that it always felt like so much more of an ordeal every time we had to vacate the house for a showing. We often crashed at my sister-in-law's place, which was very much appreciated. We stayed with family in Calgary once our house was packed up and then lived out of our (many) suitcases for the next 2 weeks. What a relief to actually get into our new house, but then the work really began to get everything unpacked! We missed out on having a Christmas tree or doing any decorating, so I am very excited about having Christmas in our new house this year. I'm anxious to get started on decorating, but will try to hold off for a few more weeks.
The past year has raced by in such a blur, but I'm thankful to be where we are. Of course, we very much miss family and friends in Calgary and wish for more frequent visits. On the other hand, we enjoy being close to other friends and family here in Ontario. We are once again blessed to have moved into a great neighborhood (although my 2 neighbors in Calgary will never be replaced). Our kids all have good friends and classmates on our street and they are able to be outside in the nieghborhood without constant supervision. There is hardly any traffic, and there are always lots of options of kids that are available to play. On Sunday we had 8 kids playing in the backyard while I did some yard work and I loved it! I loved seeing how they all interacted and the fun things they came up with to do. I didn't even mind feeding them all a snack!
I've just taken the cinnamon buns out of the oven and I would love to share one with you! Come on over, any time!!
Must run to get everyone ready for a birthday party. Have a great weekend!
I was asked how I manage to find time to read all those books. The books in the Twilight series are all around 500 pages each. They're a pretty easy read, and I'm a fast reader, but it still takes some time. Usually I'm up reading pretty late at night, or I read on my breaks at work, or I find time when the kids are at school. I try not to neglect them too much, but the housework does tend to get neglected sometimes. It all does get done eventually, and we do eat on schedule. Somehow, I squeeze it all in. Priorities, right??
This week marks the milestone of one year since Stefan started his new job here in Ontario. That was an incredibly stressful time, and I'm so thankful to be on this side of it! Stefan started his job here in mid-November and spent the next month and a bit pretty much commuting from Calgary to Toronto, coming home for a couple days at a time. In the meantime, I tried to keep things normal for the kids in Calgary, which was difficult considering I had to keep the house in spotless condition for all those showings. Every time we left the house, it had to be perfect, just in case. I spent much more time yelling and stressing than was good for us. In the end, it was all for naught, as the people who ended up buying the house saw it when it was completely empty. To add to the stress, the weather in Calgary was so bitterly cold that it always felt like so much more of an ordeal every time we had to vacate the house for a showing. We often crashed at my sister-in-law's place, which was very much appreciated. We stayed with family in Calgary once our house was packed up and then lived out of our (many) suitcases for the next 2 weeks. What a relief to actually get into our new house, but then the work really began to get everything unpacked! We missed out on having a Christmas tree or doing any decorating, so I am very excited about having Christmas in our new house this year. I'm anxious to get started on decorating, but will try to hold off for a few more weeks.
The past year has raced by in such a blur, but I'm thankful to be where we are. Of course, we very much miss family and friends in Calgary and wish for more frequent visits. On the other hand, we enjoy being close to other friends and family here in Ontario. We are once again blessed to have moved into a great neighborhood (although my 2 neighbors in Calgary will never be replaced). Our kids all have good friends and classmates on our street and they are able to be outside in the nieghborhood without constant supervision. There is hardly any traffic, and there are always lots of options of kids that are available to play. On Sunday we had 8 kids playing in the backyard while I did some yard work and I loved it! I loved seeing how they all interacted and the fun things they came up with to do. I didn't even mind feeding them all a snack!
I've just taken the cinnamon buns out of the oven and I would love to share one with you! Come on over, any time!!
Must run to get everyone ready for a birthday party. Have a great weekend!
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Bitten...
I have a confession to make. (Which is apt, I suppose, based on the title of this weird little blog). One of the main reasons I haven't been blogging as often as I should, which translates to once a week or so, is because I have been thoroughly sucked into the teenage world of vampires and werewolves. I have never once in my life had any interest in these creatures until just a couple weeks ago when I decided to see what all the fuss was about with Twilight. Just because it's an international phenomenon doesn't mean that I'm going to like it, I thought. Well, as it turns out, I do like it. A lot. Never before have I devoured 500+ page novels so quickly. There are 4 books in the series (in case you don't already know this). I'm reading the 3rd one, and anxiously awaiting the opening of the second movie next month. The 4th novel is more than 700 pages. No problem. I'd like to pace myself, but that's just not happening.
Part of what intrigues me about Twilight is that the author is a mom about my age with 3 kids, just doing her thing, and wakes up one morning with a dream so vivid she has to turn it into a novel. Fast forward a few years, and now her husband stays home with the kids while she rakes in the millions and is adored by her countless fans. Incredible! Haven't quite figured out my million-dollar-international-stardom idea, but I guess I'm still young (relatively).
Moving right along, then...
We had a great time in Boston. The drive was enjoyable, the water resort was a blast (especially because we had the whole place practically to ourselves), we got to wander around Harvard, and it was just fun to get away. Fall was beautiful there, but it is equally as beautiful on our street and in our backyard. There are some absolutely stunning colors, ones that I didn't see too much of living in Calgary. The kids are excited about jumping in some leaf piles, as soon as we rake some.
I wanted to mention how touched I was by all your comments when I wrote about my mom. I read and reread those comments and so appreciate each of you. It was interesting how each person that commented could relate on such a personal and specific level. Thanks for the love.
Another emotional day this week, as Monday was 2 years since my uncle was killed. Sometimes it's still so fresh and raw and other times I find myself trying to convince myself that it never really happened. Like my cousin said, the pain doesn't lessen, it gets worse as time goes on. My heart still breaks for my cousins and aunt who are just left with his memory.
Not sure how to smoothly segue onto the next topic from here...
I've been getting asked a lot about how the "raw" is going. Well, it's still coming along, slowly sometimes. I don't care how passionate I may be about raw, but I enjoyed my Thanksgiving turkey thoroughly, and there is just no substitute for that! Nor is there a substitute for the Butternut Turkey Soup I made as leftovers (which the kiddos loved - ha! they do like squash!) or the Cream of Turkey Soup... Both were so delish, and very healthy and most important, gobbled up by my munchkins. (My Oma used to laugh at Connor, who, at age 2, announced at her dinner table that he did not like squash. Guess he does after all - if only Oma could see him now!).
But, I digress. I have been a very faithful green smoothie drinker now for almost 4 months and I'm still loving them. The only thing that could make me love them more, I decided, was a proper blender (you know, one that actually gets rid of all the chunks). Well, I have saved my pennies and used some early Christmas money, and my beautiful new fancy-schmancy blender should be here in the next week or so. I really can't wait. It's silly to be so excited about an appliance, but blenders are probably my favorite appliance ever. I even ordered it in RED!
Lunch and snacks are often raw, but really nothing fancy. I've tried quite a few different raw recipes - some were good, some not so much. Supper is pretty much never raw, but does include even more veggies than before, many of which are indeed cooked. I can't give you an exact recipe for my green smoothie, as it varies slightly every day. So instead I'll just list some of my favorite ingredients and you can try for yourself, if you dare! Definitely leave me a comment if you try one, or leave me one anyway if you don't because they sound too odd. I eased into my green smoothie over a couple days, but the transition really wasn't all that hard. Here goes:
Blend together a rather large quantity of any greens you can get your hands on, using water as needed. Greens I use are: spinach (definitely the mildest and "smoothest", a good starter), collard greens, swiss chard (white and red), beet greens, kale (one of the most super of the superfoods), dandelion greens (I have found these beauties in several different grocery stores). I've even tossed in romaine lettuce and butter lettuce. The key is using a variety and mixing it up. You can use one or several, but just change it up every so often. I shove my blender full of greens and it blends down into approx. 2 cups of green sludge. Smell it. Then go stick your nose in the freshly mowed lawn. Then close your eyes and see if you can tell the difference! Yum. I've never tried the green sludge on its own, and probably never will. Some people do. If you do, I'll send you a prize!
So now you need a lot of yummy fruit to disguise the grass clippings. I like adding at least some frozen fruit, partly for creamy consistency, and partly to make it cold. (However, once I have my new blender, I'll be able to add ice and actually have it blend!). Some of my favorites are: bananas, mangoes, peaches, raspberries, strawberries, cherries, blueberries, pears, grapes. I have yet to toss in an apple, but might try it. Any combination of these fruits should work, although I always use a banana - it just seems to be a good flavor "masker". I also toss in extras such as flax and hemp seeds, which are very good for you, supposedly.
I'm going to leave you with that for now. Thanks for stopping by and checking out my ramblings!
Part of what intrigues me about Twilight is that the author is a mom about my age with 3 kids, just doing her thing, and wakes up one morning with a dream so vivid she has to turn it into a novel. Fast forward a few years, and now her husband stays home with the kids while she rakes in the millions and is adored by her countless fans. Incredible! Haven't quite figured out my million-dollar-international-stardom idea, but I guess I'm still young (relatively).
Moving right along, then...
We had a great time in Boston. The drive was enjoyable, the water resort was a blast (especially because we had the whole place practically to ourselves), we got to wander around Harvard, and it was just fun to get away. Fall was beautiful there, but it is equally as beautiful on our street and in our backyard. There are some absolutely stunning colors, ones that I didn't see too much of living in Calgary. The kids are excited about jumping in some leaf piles, as soon as we rake some.
I wanted to mention how touched I was by all your comments when I wrote about my mom. I read and reread those comments and so appreciate each of you. It was interesting how each person that commented could relate on such a personal and specific level. Thanks for the love.
Another emotional day this week, as Monday was 2 years since my uncle was killed. Sometimes it's still so fresh and raw and other times I find myself trying to convince myself that it never really happened. Like my cousin said, the pain doesn't lessen, it gets worse as time goes on. My heart still breaks for my cousins and aunt who are just left with his memory.
Not sure how to smoothly segue onto the next topic from here...
I've been getting asked a lot about how the "raw" is going. Well, it's still coming along, slowly sometimes. I don't care how passionate I may be about raw, but I enjoyed my Thanksgiving turkey thoroughly, and there is just no substitute for that! Nor is there a substitute for the Butternut Turkey Soup I made as leftovers (which the kiddos loved - ha! they do like squash!) or the Cream of Turkey Soup... Both were so delish, and very healthy and most important, gobbled up by my munchkins. (My Oma used to laugh at Connor, who, at age 2, announced at her dinner table that he did not like squash. Guess he does after all - if only Oma could see him now!).
But, I digress. I have been a very faithful green smoothie drinker now for almost 4 months and I'm still loving them. The only thing that could make me love them more, I decided, was a proper blender (you know, one that actually gets rid of all the chunks). Well, I have saved my pennies and used some early Christmas money, and my beautiful new fancy-schmancy blender should be here in the next week or so. I really can't wait. It's silly to be so excited about an appliance, but blenders are probably my favorite appliance ever. I even ordered it in RED!
Lunch and snacks are often raw, but really nothing fancy. I've tried quite a few different raw recipes - some were good, some not so much. Supper is pretty much never raw, but does include even more veggies than before, many of which are indeed cooked. I can't give you an exact recipe for my green smoothie, as it varies slightly every day. So instead I'll just list some of my favorite ingredients and you can try for yourself, if you dare! Definitely leave me a comment if you try one, or leave me one anyway if you don't because they sound too odd. I eased into my green smoothie over a couple days, but the transition really wasn't all that hard. Here goes:
Blend together a rather large quantity of any greens you can get your hands on, using water as needed. Greens I use are: spinach (definitely the mildest and "smoothest", a good starter), collard greens, swiss chard (white and red), beet greens, kale (one of the most super of the superfoods), dandelion greens (I have found these beauties in several different grocery stores). I've even tossed in romaine lettuce and butter lettuce. The key is using a variety and mixing it up. You can use one or several, but just change it up every so often. I shove my blender full of greens and it blends down into approx. 2 cups of green sludge. Smell it. Then go stick your nose in the freshly mowed lawn. Then close your eyes and see if you can tell the difference! Yum. I've never tried the green sludge on its own, and probably never will. Some people do. If you do, I'll send you a prize!
So now you need a lot of yummy fruit to disguise the grass clippings. I like adding at least some frozen fruit, partly for creamy consistency, and partly to make it cold. (However, once I have my new blender, I'll be able to add ice and actually have it blend!). Some of my favorites are: bananas, mangoes, peaches, raspberries, strawberries, cherries, blueberries, pears, grapes. I have yet to toss in an apple, but might try it. Any combination of these fruits should work, although I always use a banana - it just seems to be a good flavor "masker". I also toss in extras such as flax and hemp seeds, which are very good for you, supposedly.
I'm going to leave you with that for now. Thanks for stopping by and checking out my ramblings!
Friday, October 9, 2009
A Quick Hello
I just finished a yummy bowl of apple crisp, made with apples that the kids and I picked at a local apple orchard. Topped with some vanilla ice cream, it was absolutely delish! Not exactly a raw dessert, but, too bad! I was thinking of heading up to bed and reading, but I heard my blog calling my name, rather impatiently, I might add. Just a warning to manage your expectations about how coherent this post will be, as I'm getting pretty sleepy.
Speaking of raw food, some of you have been asking for updates. I'd like to say that I have totally given myself over to the raw food lifestyle and there's no turning back, but that would be lying. It certainly is a challenging transition to make, and I'm realizing that I need to be organized and plan things out in advance a little better if I'm going to prepare a raw meal. I've been doing tons of reading, and have loads of good recipes just waiting to be tried. Some I have tried and they've actually not been very good. It's turning out to be a very slow process for me, but that's ok. I've been having my daily green smoothie, and rarely miss a day. That's been the biggest change I've made. My smoothies are full of so many greens and fruits, that I know I'm doing my body some serious good. I've also been really good about having lots of raw snacks and have dramatically increased my fruit intake. I'm not allowing myself to feel any guilt over any non-raw food I eat, as a habit 35 years in the making is going to take some time to change.
I think I'll save any further thoughts for my next post, if I want it to make any sense. I'm fading fast here.
Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving! I am looking forward to sharing a (non-raw) turkey dinner with my family, plus my mother-in-law and uncle. SO much to be thankful for!!
Speaking of raw food, some of you have been asking for updates. I'd like to say that I have totally given myself over to the raw food lifestyle and there's no turning back, but that would be lying. It certainly is a challenging transition to make, and I'm realizing that I need to be organized and plan things out in advance a little better if I'm going to prepare a raw meal. I've been doing tons of reading, and have loads of good recipes just waiting to be tried. Some I have tried and they've actually not been very good. It's turning out to be a very slow process for me, but that's ok. I've been having my daily green smoothie, and rarely miss a day. That's been the biggest change I've made. My smoothies are full of so many greens and fruits, that I know I'm doing my body some serious good. I've also been really good about having lots of raw snacks and have dramatically increased my fruit intake. I'm not allowing myself to feel any guilt over any non-raw food I eat, as a habit 35 years in the making is going to take some time to change.
I think I'll save any further thoughts for my next post, if I want it to make any sense. I'm fading fast here.
Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving! I am looking forward to sharing a (non-raw) turkey dinner with my family, plus my mother-in-law and uncle. SO much to be thankful for!!
Monday, September 28, 2009
My Mom
I'm thinking a lot about my mom today, who would have celebrated her 66th birthday today if she was still here. I'm having a hard time imagining what she would have been like. I still picture her as young and fun and healthy and happy. When I think of my two aunts (my mom's two sisters) and my Oma (my mom's mom), then I feel like I have a sense of what my mom would have been like as she got older. I guess that's the closest I'll ever get. I do know that she would have loved being a grandma and I wish so much that my kids could have known their Grandma Kathy. They understand who she is, but apart from a few old photos and some of my stories, that's all they'll ever know of her.
A few things I'm remembering about my mom today.... the twinkle in her eye, her heartfelt laugh, her fun spirit, cuddling on her lap after kindergarten on the rocking chair, playing games, jumping on the trampoline in the heat of summer with the sprinkler on and lots of soap suds, having the best birthday parties, and always feeling secure and loved. I can't help but wish/long for her wisdom and advice now that I'm a mom. Funny how we can sometimes think of our own mothers as the experts, although there was definitely a time when we thought we knew so much more than them.
Wishing I was celebrating today, not just remembering,
tkb
A few things I'm remembering about my mom today.... the twinkle in her eye, her heartfelt laugh, her fun spirit, cuddling on her lap after kindergarten on the rocking chair, playing games, jumping on the trampoline in the heat of summer with the sprinkler on and lots of soap suds, having the best birthday parties, and always feeling secure and loved. I can't help but wish/long for her wisdom and advice now that I'm a mom. Funny how we can sometimes think of our own mothers as the experts, although there was definitely a time when we thought we knew so much more than them.
Wishing I was celebrating today, not just remembering,
tkb
Monday, September 21, 2009
September Sentiments
I have just spent the last half hour re-reading all my previous blogs and comments. It was so nice to read the comments that were left -all the support sent my way for all my crazy backyard adventures was much appreciated! I now have a big goofy grin on my face, because I feel so loved. I'm sure all but the most faithful readers have given up on me by now, so I do apologize to those of you who actually did notice my absence. You totally make my day whenever I hear from you.
I don't even know where to begin. I suppose a brief update is in order. (You're probably already snorting with laughter that I would suggest that I could give a brief update. I have never been known for my brevity, and actually, I seem to be getting less-brief as I get older. Oh help).
The rest of our summer was fantastic. Although we never did go camping, as we kept telling the kids we would, we did spend a great day at the beach, lots of days at various pools, hours upon hours in our cooled-down hot tub, and lots of sleeping in and relaxing. As much as we all enjoy our time together, and the lack of routine, there seems to be something built into the kids, that after 10 weeks of being together non-stop, something's gonna blow. It actually starts earlier than 10 weeks, but everyone starts to get at each other (everyone except my hubby who is not around the rest of us all day long). The whines get whinier, the noise gets louder, the arguments become more, well, argumentative, til we're all (just about) ready for school to begin. I truly love summer - if I could have one season all year, it would be summer. But kids need routines, too, and summer doesn't have those (at least not at our house).
But when September arrives, I find myself dragging my heels just a bit, trying to slow down its inevitable arrival. All of the sudden it's the first day of school and I'm setting my alarm, and making lunches and hurrying everyone out the door and I wonder if summer was just a dream. I look at Connor, all ready for grade 3 and I really can't believe it. He's in a portable this year, just like I was in grade 3, and his teacher is wonderful and he seems so happy to be back. Then there's Taya, who was pretty ripped off with her staggered start - she was rarin' to go! She has the same teacher this year, which is great, at least until mid-October, when the regular teacher is back from mat-leave. And then there is Logan. Ahhhh. My sweet baby is off to school. My tears were bittersweet, that's for sure. It wasn't that long ago that he was 5 pounds and not much bigger than a bunch of bananas! I was worried for him. He's always had a harder time than the other two when we leave him (Sunday school, etc.). So often there were tears. But wouldn't you know it, he was so grown up going with his teacher, this time leaving me, and this time it was my turn for tears. Truthfully, however, my tears didn't last long. No time for that when I'm off to get my hair done!!! Woohoo!
It certainly seems to help Logan that he and Taya are dropped off in the same area, and their classrooms are very close. He likes knowing that his big brother and sister aren't far off. (Or maybe that's just me). He's so excited after school, telling me all about his new adventures. So even though it's bittersweet that they're all in school (T and L go all day Tuesday, Thursday, and every other Friday), I'm a happy mommy, knowing they're all in the same school and (hopefully) loving every minute of it.
I'm planning to work some of the days the kids are at school, which allows for a few more evenings at home. C and T will be doing gymnastics again, and C is doing piano. I'm hoping to still have some time for volunteering at the school, running, and whatever else I can squeeze into those precious few hours!
I don't even know where to begin. I suppose a brief update is in order. (You're probably already snorting with laughter that I would suggest that I could give a brief update. I have never been known for my brevity, and actually, I seem to be getting less-brief as I get older. Oh help).
The rest of our summer was fantastic. Although we never did go camping, as we kept telling the kids we would, we did spend a great day at the beach, lots of days at various pools, hours upon hours in our cooled-down hot tub, and lots of sleeping in and relaxing. As much as we all enjoy our time together, and the lack of routine, there seems to be something built into the kids, that after 10 weeks of being together non-stop, something's gonna blow. It actually starts earlier than 10 weeks, but everyone starts to get at each other (everyone except my hubby who is not around the rest of us all day long). The whines get whinier, the noise gets louder, the arguments become more, well, argumentative, til we're all (just about) ready for school to begin. I truly love summer - if I could have one season all year, it would be summer. But kids need routines, too, and summer doesn't have those (at least not at our house).
But when September arrives, I find myself dragging my heels just a bit, trying to slow down its inevitable arrival. All of the sudden it's the first day of school and I'm setting my alarm, and making lunches and hurrying everyone out the door and I wonder if summer was just a dream. I look at Connor, all ready for grade 3 and I really can't believe it. He's in a portable this year, just like I was in grade 3, and his teacher is wonderful and he seems so happy to be back. Then there's Taya, who was pretty ripped off with her staggered start - she was rarin' to go! She has the same teacher this year, which is great, at least until mid-October, when the regular teacher is back from mat-leave. And then there is Logan. Ahhhh. My sweet baby is off to school. My tears were bittersweet, that's for sure. It wasn't that long ago that he was 5 pounds and not much bigger than a bunch of bananas! I was worried for him. He's always had a harder time than the other two when we leave him (Sunday school, etc.). So often there were tears. But wouldn't you know it, he was so grown up going with his teacher, this time leaving me, and this time it was my turn for tears. Truthfully, however, my tears didn't last long. No time for that when I'm off to get my hair done!!! Woohoo!
It certainly seems to help Logan that he and Taya are dropped off in the same area, and their classrooms are very close. He likes knowing that his big brother and sister aren't far off. (Or maybe that's just me). He's so excited after school, telling me all about his new adventures. So even though it's bittersweet that they're all in school (T and L go all day Tuesday, Thursday, and every other Friday), I'm a happy mommy, knowing they're all in the same school and (hopefully) loving every minute of it.
I'm planning to work some of the days the kids are at school, which allows for a few more evenings at home. C and T will be doing gymnastics again, and C is doing piano. I'm hoping to still have some time for volunteering at the school, running, and whatever else I can squeeze into those precious few hours!
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Stay tuned...
I've been realizing that summer is not conducive to blogging, so lest you think I've given up on this altogether, I haven't, and shall resume more regular blogging very shortly, once the kids are back to school. *giddy shrieks of delight followed by bittersweet tears*
See ya soon!!
See ya soon!!
Monday, July 27, 2009
I'm Still Here
Apparently I haven't blogged in awhile... I guess that's summer for you. Did you miss me? Did you even notice? Don't worry, you can't offend me.
We've already had a pretty full summer around here. We spent the first week of July at a cottage (or rather, a beach house as it was called) on Lake Erie. Our great friends Steve and Angie and their kids joined us, and the week was fantastic! There was plenty of room in the house for all 9 of us - we were the 4th guests at this cottage, so everything was clean and new. Our room overlooked the lake, and we would fall asleep and wake up to the sound of the waves. Some nights the waves were intense and the crashing on the beach was enough to keep us awake, and other nights it was so peaceful we could hardly hear them. One night we were awoken by a huge thunderstorm. I got out of bed to close the windows, lest they blow off their hinges. Well, the one window didn't close from inside, so I had to go outside to push it closed (we had a large balcony off our second floor bedroom). So there I was in the howling wind and driving rain, in my underwear, trying to get this window closed, while lightning is flashing all around me. It must have made a ridiculous sight, if anyone was watching. Just glad I didn't get hit by that lightning...
Back home, we dove right into VBS and swimming lessons, with a good dose of sleeping in. All 3 kids went to VBS for 3 hours, 5 days in a row. It was... well, I don't want to say blissful, lest you get the idea that I don't like being with my kids (because I do), but I really, really enjoyed getting a whole bunch of errands done all by myself. I went for a few runs, wasted some quality time at Indigo, went for breakfast with a friend, and even attempted to give blood. I say attempted, because I was denied. Apparently, because I gave blood as a teenager under a different last name, there was some confusion, although I'm sure I've given blood since I've been married. Part of the problem was that they had labelled me (a 100 pound 16 year old) a fainting hazard. I certainly don't weigh 100 pounds anymore, so pretty sure I can handle giving some blood! It was actually kind of sad, as I know they're desperate for blood right now. Anyway, got a call tonight that it's all sorted out, so I can give blood again. Not sure when, though, with 3 kids in tow. Guess I'll have to wait til September when everyone is off at school.
I had planned to give you a little raw food update, but I have just realized that it's really late and I need some sleep! Don't hold your breath or anything, but my next post will definitely not be so long in coming. See, now I have to prove myself right!
Hope you're having a happy summer!
We've already had a pretty full summer around here. We spent the first week of July at a cottage (or rather, a beach house as it was called) on Lake Erie. Our great friends Steve and Angie and their kids joined us, and the week was fantastic! There was plenty of room in the house for all 9 of us - we were the 4th guests at this cottage, so everything was clean and new. Our room overlooked the lake, and we would fall asleep and wake up to the sound of the waves. Some nights the waves were intense and the crashing on the beach was enough to keep us awake, and other nights it was so peaceful we could hardly hear them. One night we were awoken by a huge thunderstorm. I got out of bed to close the windows, lest they blow off their hinges. Well, the one window didn't close from inside, so I had to go outside to push it closed (we had a large balcony off our second floor bedroom). So there I was in the howling wind and driving rain, in my underwear, trying to get this window closed, while lightning is flashing all around me. It must have made a ridiculous sight, if anyone was watching. Just glad I didn't get hit by that lightning...
Back home, we dove right into VBS and swimming lessons, with a good dose of sleeping in. All 3 kids went to VBS for 3 hours, 5 days in a row. It was... well, I don't want to say blissful, lest you get the idea that I don't like being with my kids (because I do), but I really, really enjoyed getting a whole bunch of errands done all by myself. I went for a few runs, wasted some quality time at Indigo, went for breakfast with a friend, and even attempted to give blood. I say attempted, because I was denied. Apparently, because I gave blood as a teenager under a different last name, there was some confusion, although I'm sure I've given blood since I've been married. Part of the problem was that they had labelled me (a 100 pound 16 year old) a fainting hazard. I certainly don't weigh 100 pounds anymore, so pretty sure I can handle giving some blood! It was actually kind of sad, as I know they're desperate for blood right now. Anyway, got a call tonight that it's all sorted out, so I can give blood again. Not sure when, though, with 3 kids in tow. Guess I'll have to wait til September when everyone is off at school.
I had planned to give you a little raw food update, but I have just realized that it's really late and I need some sleep! Don't hold your breath or anything, but my next post will definitely not be so long in coming. See, now I have to prove myself right!
Hope you're having a happy summer!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Cut the Crap! (aka - Teresa's epiphany)
I can honestly say that I've never before used the words crap and epiphany in the same breath, and I'm guessing you could say the same. There are just not a lot of opportunities to use those words in general (well, ok, maybe the first one, but it's borderline rude sometimes), never mind together. So, what's it all about? I'll tell you, while I sip my honey-sweetened green tea. (If I begin to sound a little delirious, don't be alarmed - I didn't fall asleep until after 2:30 last night, and my 10 minute "nap" today, didn't really make a dent in the sleep deprivation deficit).
We all have problems that we face on a daily basis (and if you don't, I want to know your secret!). Some of us face huge challenges, perhaps with health, jobs, family stuff, etc., and lots of us just have sort of regular, day-to-day problems. That's currently where I'm at, and I'm very thankful for that. I truly have nothing to complain about, and the things I do complain about are things that I can take charge of and change. My biggest "complaints" were a general feeling of perpetual tiredness (I don't go to sleep every night at 2:30), generally not feeling motivated, brain fogginess, occasional headaches, skin that's starting to look its age, and those extra pounds that don't feel like they belong on my body and that some of my clothes were becoming adverse to. Anyone else have similar problems? Maybe I should call them issues....
I have been feeling myself falling into a rut, and it's getting deeper and harder to pull myself out of it. Sure, I'm running more, and trying to get enough sleep, but those things weren't really making the impact I was hoping for. It's also pretty hard (for me, anyway) to just tell myself to eat healthier - I love my food, both the good and the bad, and plenty of it! iRun so I can enjoy my food! I'm a true "meat-a-tarian" as the Wendy's commercial puts it - it's a personal choice!
Then, last week, I was checking out a few blogs that I happened across, and all of the sudden, a giant lightbulb came on above my head, and I knew what I needed to do - cut the crap! I realize this is not rocket science, and I'm kind of laughing about how simple it is, but when something just suddenly makes sense to you, you wonder why you never really got it before. In a nutshell, I've decided to make my diet as raw as possible, something I never would have imagined doing in a million years. Everywhere I was reading, people were talking about the great improvements they had when they went raw - more energy, less tiredness, mental clarity, better skin, and of course, proper weight management! There it was - all of my problems could be solved with one solution!
I'm not about to call myself a vegetarian, or a vegan, because there are certain foods I'm just not willing to give up, ie. salmon, potatoes, coffee (with the good stuff in it), my homemade cinnamon buns, cheese - actually, there are quite a few things on that list. The point is to add as much raw food into my day as I possibly can, and then not feel guilty about the rest. In less than a week, I've already decreased my desire for some of those things, and I'm slowly cutting out some of the crap! My goal with this is not to try to live to 100, but to live whatever years I have in better health.
I read a suggestion to start by going raw one day a week, but I've come up with something that works better for me. Seeing as how supper is a family event at our house, and I don't make separate meals for people, I'm going to leave it as is. But breakfast and lunch are perfect chances for me to eat raw. It feels fantastic to eat raw all day, then thoroughly enjoy a cooked dinner. Does the cooked meal cancel out all the raw meals? I don't think so - I think any positive changes are a step in the right direction.
I've already tried a bunch of unusual foods this week - some were great, some not so great. My staple so far is the green smoothie. I've always enjoyed a good smoothie, full of fresh and frozen fruits, juice, yogurt. But now I'm starting my day with a green smoothie and I'm surprised to find that they are very tasty, and oh-so healthy. I blend up a mixture of spinach, chard and a little kale with some water and it turns into a beautiful bright green frothy mixture. Then I add (this varies) a frozen banana, frozen mango, fresh or frozen strawberries and raspberries, some flax seed, some hemp seed (loaded with protein), and maybe a date or two for extra sweetness. It actually turns into an odd brownish-green color, but it is a fantastic breakfast! I'm looking forward to throwing in some fresh peaches when they're in season.
You're probably thinking how unappetizing it is to drink spinach, and yes, it does sound weird, but fortunately all the fruit makes it taste yummy. Trust me, I wouldn't drink it if it wasn't yummy! So there you have it, my foray into the world of raw food. I'm excited to see some results in the coming months, and will let you know what happens! I have an incredible amount to learn about all this, but I do love to read, so doing the research and finding recipes should be quite entertaining for me. I'm quite excited about the new raw cookbook (it's probably called an uncookbook) I just bought and hoping to be inspired!
My green tea is gone, my eyes are watering, and my family is all snoring away happily, which means I need to get to bed, too. Tomorrow is Canada Day, so sleeping in is on my agenda. Thanks for following along with my crazy ramblings. As always, I love to hear your thoughts, so keep 'em coming, even if Blogger doesn't let you comment on here.
Happy Canada Day!
We all have problems that we face on a daily basis (and if you don't, I want to know your secret!). Some of us face huge challenges, perhaps with health, jobs, family stuff, etc., and lots of us just have sort of regular, day-to-day problems. That's currently where I'm at, and I'm very thankful for that. I truly have nothing to complain about, and the things I do complain about are things that I can take charge of and change. My biggest "complaints" were a general feeling of perpetual tiredness (I don't go to sleep every night at 2:30), generally not feeling motivated, brain fogginess, occasional headaches, skin that's starting to look its age, and those extra pounds that don't feel like they belong on my body and that some of my clothes were becoming adverse to. Anyone else have similar problems? Maybe I should call them issues....
I have been feeling myself falling into a rut, and it's getting deeper and harder to pull myself out of it. Sure, I'm running more, and trying to get enough sleep, but those things weren't really making the impact I was hoping for. It's also pretty hard (for me, anyway) to just tell myself to eat healthier - I love my food, both the good and the bad, and plenty of it! iRun so I can enjoy my food! I'm a true "meat-a-tarian" as the Wendy's commercial puts it - it's a personal choice!
Then, last week, I was checking out a few blogs that I happened across, and all of the sudden, a giant lightbulb came on above my head, and I knew what I needed to do - cut the crap! I realize this is not rocket science, and I'm kind of laughing about how simple it is, but when something just suddenly makes sense to you, you wonder why you never really got it before. In a nutshell, I've decided to make my diet as raw as possible, something I never would have imagined doing in a million years. Everywhere I was reading, people were talking about the great improvements they had when they went raw - more energy, less tiredness, mental clarity, better skin, and of course, proper weight management! There it was - all of my problems could be solved with one solution!
I'm not about to call myself a vegetarian, or a vegan, because there are certain foods I'm just not willing to give up, ie. salmon, potatoes, coffee (with the good stuff in it), my homemade cinnamon buns, cheese - actually, there are quite a few things on that list. The point is to add as much raw food into my day as I possibly can, and then not feel guilty about the rest. In less than a week, I've already decreased my desire for some of those things, and I'm slowly cutting out some of the crap! My goal with this is not to try to live to 100, but to live whatever years I have in better health.
I read a suggestion to start by going raw one day a week, but I've come up with something that works better for me. Seeing as how supper is a family event at our house, and I don't make separate meals for people, I'm going to leave it as is. But breakfast and lunch are perfect chances for me to eat raw. It feels fantastic to eat raw all day, then thoroughly enjoy a cooked dinner. Does the cooked meal cancel out all the raw meals? I don't think so - I think any positive changes are a step in the right direction.
I've already tried a bunch of unusual foods this week - some were great, some not so great. My staple so far is the green smoothie. I've always enjoyed a good smoothie, full of fresh and frozen fruits, juice, yogurt. But now I'm starting my day with a green smoothie and I'm surprised to find that they are very tasty, and oh-so healthy. I blend up a mixture of spinach, chard and a little kale with some water and it turns into a beautiful bright green frothy mixture. Then I add (this varies) a frozen banana, frozen mango, fresh or frozen strawberries and raspberries, some flax seed, some hemp seed (loaded with protein), and maybe a date or two for extra sweetness. It actually turns into an odd brownish-green color, but it is a fantastic breakfast! I'm looking forward to throwing in some fresh peaches when they're in season.
You're probably thinking how unappetizing it is to drink spinach, and yes, it does sound weird, but fortunately all the fruit makes it taste yummy. Trust me, I wouldn't drink it if it wasn't yummy! So there you have it, my foray into the world of raw food. I'm excited to see some results in the coming months, and will let you know what happens! I have an incredible amount to learn about all this, but I do love to read, so doing the research and finding recipes should be quite entertaining for me. I'm quite excited about the new raw cookbook (it's probably called an uncookbook) I just bought and hoping to be inspired!
My green tea is gone, my eyes are watering, and my family is all snoring away happily, which means I need to get to bed, too. Tomorrow is Canada Day, so sleeping in is on my agenda. Thanks for following along with my crazy ramblings. As always, I love to hear your thoughts, so keep 'em coming, even if Blogger doesn't let you comment on here.
Happy Canada Day!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
24 Hours...
...or one day. That's it. Perhaps I had it coming. But I got distracted from cleaning up the kitchen this morning, because the weather was just so beautiful outside, and it was supposed to be raining all this week. I was sitting in my chair, feeling only slightly guilty that the house was not cleaning itself while I was basking in the sun, when Taya shouted the dreaded word (that 5 letter 's' word). I bolted up from my blissful state and watched as she grabbed it and carried it around. My daughter is so brave. Then I casually reminded her that the creature would be much happier on the OTHER side of the fence, so she marched to the fence and threw it over. Actually, she missed on her first attempt, as the fence is much higher than her, but she picked it up again and this time it made it over the fence. First it hit a branch, where I thought it might become stuck, but a couple seconds later, it landed in the leaves. I know it will be back, but for now, a few more hours (I hope) of peace.
Taya, Logan and I had a great morning at the Farmer's Market, where I loaded up on local potatoes, yams, peas, tomatoes, strawberries, raspberries, and rhubarb. We'll enjoy some of it for lunch, then later I hope to make some sort of yummy pie or crisp. I love this time of year for delicious fresh produce!
Taya, Logan and I had a great morning at the Farmer's Market, where I loaded up on local potatoes, yams, peas, tomatoes, strawberries, raspberries, and rhubarb. We'll enjoy some of it for lunch, then later I hope to make some sort of yummy pie or crisp. I love this time of year for delicious fresh produce!
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Don't Tell the Kids
It's best if you don't mention this if you should talk to my kids, but there was an encounter today in our backyard, involving my strong and brave (and studly) spade-bearing husband, and.... something else. My husband won the encounter, and let's just say that I should be a little more relaxed now as I recline in my birthday chair. (Really, I do get work done around here. But sometimes it's just nice to sit for a few minutes, you know). I think that's all I'm going to say on that subject for now, but like I said, please don't mention it to our kids. Although they are fairly comfortable with the whole "circle of life" business, we'll just leave out this part for now.
I just finished my delicious smoothie, after a nice evening run, then a soak in the hot tub and a shower. I can practically hear the bed calling my name! But first I'll tell you about my yummy smoothie, which has become a several-times-a-week fixture at our house. My favorite combination starts with some fresh and frozen fruit. There are always fresh strawberries, and sometimes fresh raspberries, and then I add more frozen berries, including blackberries, and then the best part, frozen mangoes. I blend that up with some cranberry or raspberry juice, a little milk, and then add yogurt. I'll often toss in some flax seed and wheat germ, too. Any other fruit can be tossed in as well. Pineapple and peaches are great, but they have to be fresh, not canned. Anyway, that's my recipe for a perfect smoothie!
Adios!
I just finished my delicious smoothie, after a nice evening run, then a soak in the hot tub and a shower. I can practically hear the bed calling my name! But first I'll tell you about my yummy smoothie, which has become a several-times-a-week fixture at our house. My favorite combination starts with some fresh and frozen fruit. There are always fresh strawberries, and sometimes fresh raspberries, and then I add more frozen berries, including blackberries, and then the best part, frozen mangoes. I blend that up with some cranberry or raspberry juice, a little milk, and then add yogurt. I'll often toss in some flax seed and wheat germ, too. Any other fruit can be tossed in as well. Pineapple and peaches are great, but they have to be fresh, not canned. Anyway, that's my recipe for a perfect smoothie!
Adios!
Monday, June 8, 2009
Thoughts of the Day
It's a dreary day today, so I have put a movie on for the kids, which buys me a little quiet time to blog. It's actually stopped raining now, and they really could be outside, but....I just might not win that parent of the year award now. So close. Maybe next year...
When I began this blog, I truly did not have a central theme that I hoped to accomplish every time I wrote. In fact, I really had no idea what it would end up being. At one point, before she'd had a chance to read it, my sister asked me what was the point of my blog. She wasn't trying to be cynical, but was curious to know what it was all about. And I couldn't tell her, because it seems to be about anything and nothing, but mainly about our backyard adventures, which I could not have anticipated. I'm certainly open to suggestions, but if you like my ramblings, then carry on! Mostly, there were and are so many thoughts tumbling around in my head and not being much of a journal-er, a blog seemed the way to go. Plus, it seemed like a decent way to keep friends and family from near and far updated on our lives.
Snake sightings are abounding in our yard, and I am resigning myself to that fact. Sigh..... Last week we had some friends over for a playdate, and my dear, sweet Taya managed to pick up , with her BARE HANDS, a snake. All the kids were fascinated, and I insisted that she take turns letting them hold it. She ended up holding it for maybe 10 minutes, and every time she came a little closer to me, I involuntarily shrunk back. I could not help myself. It actually wrapped itself around her arm, probably trying to escape, but she wouldn't let it. I eventually convinced her that the nice snake would be so much happier if she put him over the back fence into the forest, which she did. I'm not stupid, I know it will be back, but it had to be done. I now don't know if the one I've been seeing which lives under one of the steps, is the same one or a different one. All I know is that there is an undetermined number of them and I hate them ALL! They are just too close to where I want to be. When I walk out into the yard, instead of admiring the sky and the trees and things like that, I carefully search the ground in front of me where I am planning to walk, just to make sure I don't step on any surprises. Today when I saw one of these surprises (it seemed to be lying in wait), I actually swore. If you know me well, you probably know that I really don't swear very much at all, and generally feel guilty when I do. But I swore today. Twice, actually. And I don't feel guilty about it. So there.
So now you're wondering what else you don't really know about me. (Actually you're probably not, but I'll tell you anyway. You really don't have to read it you don't want to, but now you've read this far, you might as well read to the end!). I was terribly shy when I was a kid. People often commented on that about me, and so I assumed it was true. I hated having attention on me at school, and didn't really participate in class that much. That all changed in grade 8, thanks to the drama class I decided to take. I think every kid should have to take at least one drama class. It was the best thing ever (and the best teacher ever, Mr. Fatkin). I developed some self-confidence and the ability to be more comfortable in front of people, something you do constantly in drama. And then in my grade 9 French class, I will never forget the day, I blurted something out for the whole class to hear (I can't remember what, but that's not important) and everyone, including the teacher, laughed!! Not at me, but because what I said was funny! A big giant lightbulb went on above my head that day, and it really made me realize the joy of making others laugh. Now I just need to try to do that without sticking my foot in my mouth. I've done that lots before. So there you have it. Did you learn something new about me?
How about this one. I love chatting with people, pretty much anyone, and sometimes start in-depth conversations with cashiers while I'm shopping. (I think this is going to be embarrassing to the kids one day, probably already is for Stefan on occasion, and probably should be for me - too much information!). One time in the Starbucks drive-thru, by the time I had my drink, I already had made the connection with the barista that we had both lived in many of the same cities across Canada, how long we'd both worked at Starbucks, what our husbands did, and each other's names. (Hers was Dottie, and she was so nice!). But put me on an airplane or in the movie theatre and I want to sit by myself. I don't want to accidentally bump elbows with someone else (unless it's my family) and I really don't want to share such close proximity with someone I don't even know!! On an airplane, if I'm flying by myself, I try to get a row with no one else in it. Heaven forbid that I should ever get the middle seat, stuck between two strangers! Maybe I am a snob after all. I can't handle someone invading my personal space (like those men in the line-up, once again at a Starbucks, who lined up so close behind me that I couldn't step back without walking into them). C'mon, give me some space! I am an oxymoron, a walking contradiction of myself.
And with that, I segue to the pond predator. In talking with others, we have determined that the fish eater is likely a mink. Apparently there are minks living in our forest, although I've never seen one. (If you google mink, you can see just how ugly they are). They are the most likely stealer of our fish, not the ducks, not the snakes, and probably not even the raccoons. Black Spots did indeed survive (and maybe others did too and are hibernating, who knows). We got a few more friends for Black Spots and we're, perhaps foolishly, hoping they survive! In addition to the above mentioned creatures, we have also seen squirrels, chipmunks, mice, possums, rabbits, lots of wasps, and bees as big as birds. Life is definitely an adventure in our little cottage in the woods!
When I began this blog, I truly did not have a central theme that I hoped to accomplish every time I wrote. In fact, I really had no idea what it would end up being. At one point, before she'd had a chance to read it, my sister asked me what was the point of my blog. She wasn't trying to be cynical, but was curious to know what it was all about. And I couldn't tell her, because it seems to be about anything and nothing, but mainly about our backyard adventures, which I could not have anticipated. I'm certainly open to suggestions, but if you like my ramblings, then carry on! Mostly, there were and are so many thoughts tumbling around in my head and not being much of a journal-er, a blog seemed the way to go. Plus, it seemed like a decent way to keep friends and family from near and far updated on our lives.
Snake sightings are abounding in our yard, and I am resigning myself to that fact. Sigh..... Last week we had some friends over for a playdate, and my dear, sweet Taya managed to pick up , with her BARE HANDS, a snake. All the kids were fascinated, and I insisted that she take turns letting them hold it. She ended up holding it for maybe 10 minutes, and every time she came a little closer to me, I involuntarily shrunk back. I could not help myself. It actually wrapped itself around her arm, probably trying to escape, but she wouldn't let it. I eventually convinced her that the nice snake would be so much happier if she put him over the back fence into the forest, which she did. I'm not stupid, I know it will be back, but it had to be done. I now don't know if the one I've been seeing which lives under one of the steps, is the same one or a different one. All I know is that there is an undetermined number of them and I hate them ALL! They are just too close to where I want to be. When I walk out into the yard, instead of admiring the sky and the trees and things like that, I carefully search the ground in front of me where I am planning to walk, just to make sure I don't step on any surprises. Today when I saw one of these surprises (it seemed to be lying in wait), I actually swore. If you know me well, you probably know that I really don't swear very much at all, and generally feel guilty when I do. But I swore today. Twice, actually. And I don't feel guilty about it. So there.
So now you're wondering what else you don't really know about me. (Actually you're probably not, but I'll tell you anyway. You really don't have to read it you don't want to, but now you've read this far, you might as well read to the end!). I was terribly shy when I was a kid. People often commented on that about me, and so I assumed it was true. I hated having attention on me at school, and didn't really participate in class that much. That all changed in grade 8, thanks to the drama class I decided to take. I think every kid should have to take at least one drama class. It was the best thing ever (and the best teacher ever, Mr. Fatkin). I developed some self-confidence and the ability to be more comfortable in front of people, something you do constantly in drama. And then in my grade 9 French class, I will never forget the day, I blurted something out for the whole class to hear (I can't remember what, but that's not important) and everyone, including the teacher, laughed!! Not at me, but because what I said was funny! A big giant lightbulb went on above my head that day, and it really made me realize the joy of making others laugh. Now I just need to try to do that without sticking my foot in my mouth. I've done that lots before. So there you have it. Did you learn something new about me?
How about this one. I love chatting with people, pretty much anyone, and sometimes start in-depth conversations with cashiers while I'm shopping. (I think this is going to be embarrassing to the kids one day, probably already is for Stefan on occasion, and probably should be for me - too much information!). One time in the Starbucks drive-thru, by the time I had my drink, I already had made the connection with the barista that we had both lived in many of the same cities across Canada, how long we'd both worked at Starbucks, what our husbands did, and each other's names. (Hers was Dottie, and she was so nice!). But put me on an airplane or in the movie theatre and I want to sit by myself. I don't want to accidentally bump elbows with someone else (unless it's my family) and I really don't want to share such close proximity with someone I don't even know!! On an airplane, if I'm flying by myself, I try to get a row with no one else in it. Heaven forbid that I should ever get the middle seat, stuck between two strangers! Maybe I am a snob after all. I can't handle someone invading my personal space (like those men in the line-up, once again at a Starbucks, who lined up so close behind me that I couldn't step back without walking into them). C'mon, give me some space! I am an oxymoron, a walking contradiction of myself.
And with that, I segue to the pond predator. In talking with others, we have determined that the fish eater is likely a mink. Apparently there are minks living in our forest, although I've never seen one. (If you google mink, you can see just how ugly they are). They are the most likely stealer of our fish, not the ducks, not the snakes, and probably not even the raccoons. Black Spots did indeed survive (and maybe others did too and are hibernating, who knows). We got a few more friends for Black Spots and we're, perhaps foolishly, hoping they survive! In addition to the above mentioned creatures, we have also seen squirrels, chipmunks, mice, possums, rabbits, lots of wasps, and bees as big as birds. Life is definitely an adventure in our little cottage in the woods!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
In the Backyard
For my birthday, I received a fantastic lounging chair for the backyard from Stefan. I have visions of dozing in the sun while the kids play happily (and quietly) around me, and occasionally replenish my cold drink. Ha! It's one of those chairs that you actually don't have to adjust - you just lean back and the chair leans with you. Very nice. I've put it right close to the pond so when I close my eyes I hear the gentle sounds of the little waterfall and the occasional splash of a frog leaping into the water. I actually managed to relax in the chair a bit this afternoon, and it was all very blissful. Until I opened my eyes, that is. Because as soon as I open my eyes, they dart around, trying to see if I can see any slithering creatures. Even if I don't see one right away, I keep looking, because I KNOW they are there, lurking, waiting. It was only a matter of seconds before I spotted it this time, less than 10 feet away. Not 100 feet, but TEN! Wretched thing. Well, my relaxed state of bliss immediately evaporates as I must now keep my eyes on this thing, lest it should come any closer. I can barely stand to watch it, but watch it I must. I finally grab a stick, which makes me feel a whole lot braver, and I prod it a bit. At least it's afraid of me, although it has no idea just how afraid of it I am. That's our little secret, ok? Anyway, it sneaks away through the rose bushes, past all the thorns, and I have no idea how it's not being injured by the prickly barbs. I feel a little better when I can no longer see it, but then I realize, I can no longer see it!!! It could be anywhere. It's the whole "damned if you do and damned if you don't' scenario. If I see it my skin crawls and I can't relax. If I don't see it, I am constantly watching for it to reappear and I can't relax. I refuse to be a prisoner in my own house this summer! I will continue to feign bravery, and I will also feign delight when my little sweethearts are so thrilled to see (and touch - ewwwwww...shudder....) the malevolent creature.
And so our backyard adventures continue. We have more varieties of creatures than you can imagine, most of which bring us enjoyment or stay out of our way. I can say neither about the slithery creature. Recently some ducks landed on the rocks by the pond, which made for a neat photo op and they seemed to enjoy having a refreshing drink. I think I need to invest in a bird book, because we've seen so many that I don't recognize, other than ducks and robins. I should know these things.
Regarding our fish. Stefan bought 6 more a little while back, to add to the 3 we already had. Each one had a name and they seemed to be enjoying all the room in our pond. And then, suddenly, the fish don't make appearances anymore. There is absolutely no sign of them. And I remember the snake swimming in the pond and I am mad. But honestly, I just don't think it's big enough to eat all those fish. And that's when Stefan remembers seeing those adorable mallard ducks DIVING into the pond. A duck doesn't need to DIVE to get water, but it would need to dive if it wanted to go fishing, which, according to google, ducks will do. So, now I hate the ducks. But it also could have been raccoons or some other creature that prowls in the night that we never see. I can't go around hating all the animals, and so we resign ourselves to the fact that our pond is not meant for fish. I'm not really bothered about the wasted money so much, as it wasn't too large an amount. Mostly I am bothered that I brought these cute little fishies home with me to the safety of my pond, only to have them savagely eaten. I have betrayed their trust, and I have to deal with that. One day, we'll get an aquarium. Indoors.
And then wouldn't you know it. Taya runs into the house all breathless a couple days ago, after several weeks of not a single fishy sighting, yelling, "I saw Black Spots!" She has since claimed to have seen Black Spots a few times, but none of the adults have seen him yet. So who knows. There must be some very secret hideout for the fish in amongst the rocks if one (or maybe more) has managed to survive. I am happy if even one has survived. The guilt is, at least partially, alleviated.
The supper in the oven is beckoning me, as we need to head to soccer shortly. The kids are having chicken fingers and veggies, and Stefan and I will be having a salad topped with leftover filet mignon and mangoes. Yummy.
And so our backyard adventures continue. We have more varieties of creatures than you can imagine, most of which bring us enjoyment or stay out of our way. I can say neither about the slithery creature. Recently some ducks landed on the rocks by the pond, which made for a neat photo op and they seemed to enjoy having a refreshing drink. I think I need to invest in a bird book, because we've seen so many that I don't recognize, other than ducks and robins. I should know these things.
Regarding our fish. Stefan bought 6 more a little while back, to add to the 3 we already had. Each one had a name and they seemed to be enjoying all the room in our pond. And then, suddenly, the fish don't make appearances anymore. There is absolutely no sign of them. And I remember the snake swimming in the pond and I am mad. But honestly, I just don't think it's big enough to eat all those fish. And that's when Stefan remembers seeing those adorable mallard ducks DIVING into the pond. A duck doesn't need to DIVE to get water, but it would need to dive if it wanted to go fishing, which, according to google, ducks will do. So, now I hate the ducks. But it also could have been raccoons or some other creature that prowls in the night that we never see. I can't go around hating all the animals, and so we resign ourselves to the fact that our pond is not meant for fish. I'm not really bothered about the wasted money so much, as it wasn't too large an amount. Mostly I am bothered that I brought these cute little fishies home with me to the safety of my pond, only to have them savagely eaten. I have betrayed their trust, and I have to deal with that. One day, we'll get an aquarium. Indoors.
And then wouldn't you know it. Taya runs into the house all breathless a couple days ago, after several weeks of not a single fishy sighting, yelling, "I saw Black Spots!" She has since claimed to have seen Black Spots a few times, but none of the adults have seen him yet. So who knows. There must be some very secret hideout for the fish in amongst the rocks if one (or maybe more) has managed to survive. I am happy if even one has survived. The guilt is, at least partially, alleviated.
The supper in the oven is beckoning me, as we need to head to soccer shortly. The kids are having chicken fingers and veggies, and Stefan and I will be having a salad topped with leftover filet mignon and mangoes. Yummy.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
The Merry Month of May
I'm taking a little break from my supper making to write my blog (or do I just say, to blog?). Tonight we're having Mulligatawny Soup and bread. I first tried this soup when I worked at earls many years ago, and it was a feature on the menu. The dominant flavors are curry (although it's not really spicy) and cumin, and chicken, rice, carrots, celery, and apple. It's a very unusual combination, but one of my favorite soups ever, and I love soup. In addition, I toss in some zucchini, some squash, and/or pumpkin (pureed of course), garlic and chili powder. It has a chicken broth base, with some cream, although I use milk, which makes for a very tasty, healthy and not-too-fattening soup! I find the pureed squash and pumpkin give the soup a very nice thick consistency and color, but no one knows they're in there, except me, of course!
The last few weeks have been crazily busy, but mostly fun. Oma's funeral was a really nice celebration of her life, and it was so good to see so much family. I spent 4 days in Vancouver and Langley, visiting friends and family and hanging out with my brand new niece and my nephew. I enjoyed a great run along the ocean and in the forest with my cousin, an evening visit with relatives and a good friend I hadn't seen in almost 9 years, a delicious and hilarious dinner at Milestones with another friend who I hadn't seen for almost 2 years, then lunch at an Irish pub with yet another dear friend. It was really good to reconnect with some wonderful people. I spent an enjoyable afternoon at Stanley Park with my sister and her family and was reminded just how beautiful the ocean, mountains and huge BC trees are! I don't miss the rain, but Vancouver has some scenery that just can't be beat!
Once back home, I was in full birthday party mode. Taya's 5th birthday party was Saturday, the day after mine (my birthday, not my party - I didn't have a party). I'm still trying to figure out what 35 is all about (or half 70, as I like to call it). Here's hoping for a great year, now that I'm no longer in my early 30s. I'm hoping for a girlfriend trip to Vegas in the fall to celebrate. Another weekend away without my family? I have to say that I can appreciate the family even more fully after having a little break, I'm sure you moms understand. Taya's birthday was a lot of fun, and she soaked up every minute of it. We had a perfect day for a backyard party - it really was wonderful. (Other than the snake we saw SWIMMING in the pond. Yes, swimming. Horrid. The girls weren't bothered at all, but I was VERY bothered). The party was very girly and fun. I'll post pictures soon. We bought Taya her first dollhouse and she received some Barbies, so she is one happy little girl!
I have lots more to share about some of our backyard adventures, but that will have to wait, as it is now time to go get Connor and Taya from school. Thanks for stopping by!
The last few weeks have been crazily busy, but mostly fun. Oma's funeral was a really nice celebration of her life, and it was so good to see so much family. I spent 4 days in Vancouver and Langley, visiting friends and family and hanging out with my brand new niece and my nephew. I enjoyed a great run along the ocean and in the forest with my cousin, an evening visit with relatives and a good friend I hadn't seen in almost 9 years, a delicious and hilarious dinner at Milestones with another friend who I hadn't seen for almost 2 years, then lunch at an Irish pub with yet another dear friend. It was really good to reconnect with some wonderful people. I spent an enjoyable afternoon at Stanley Park with my sister and her family and was reminded just how beautiful the ocean, mountains and huge BC trees are! I don't miss the rain, but Vancouver has some scenery that just can't be beat!
Once back home, I was in full birthday party mode. Taya's 5th birthday party was Saturday, the day after mine (my birthday, not my party - I didn't have a party). I'm still trying to figure out what 35 is all about (or half 70, as I like to call it). Here's hoping for a great year, now that I'm no longer in my early 30s. I'm hoping for a girlfriend trip to Vegas in the fall to celebrate. Another weekend away without my family? I have to say that I can appreciate the family even more fully after having a little break, I'm sure you moms understand. Taya's birthday was a lot of fun, and she soaked up every minute of it. We had a perfect day for a backyard party - it really was wonderful. (Other than the snake we saw SWIMMING in the pond. Yes, swimming. Horrid. The girls weren't bothered at all, but I was VERY bothered). The party was very girly and fun. I'll post pictures soon. We bought Taya her first dollhouse and she received some Barbies, so she is one happy little girl!
I have lots more to share about some of our backyard adventures, but that will have to wait, as it is now time to go get Connor and Taya from school. Thanks for stopping by!
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Mother's Day
My Mother's Day started early, with the arrival of my mother-in-law last night. It's so special for our whole family that she gets to be with us , especially on Mother's Day. She's been my mom for more than 15 years already, and it just occurred to me that this is longer than I had my mom for. She passed away before I turned 14, over 21 years ago. I am grateful and beyond blessed that I married into this family, and I've often joked to Stefan that I married him for his family. Good thing he's a good catch!
This morning I was treated to a stack of cards and crafts from the kids, including a book of original poetry by Connor and a paper teapot from Taya. The poem in Taya's gift had the line - And if you get upset with me, stop and have a pot of tea. I had to laugh at that one. I guess the assumption is that Mommy is going to get upset! My gift from Stefan is a pedicure, which will be a bit treat. We had lunch out, which was also a treat.
I've been thinking a bit today about the 3 people who allow me to have the title Mommy. I could not imagine my life without these three, and I want to hold on to each special moment, because the moments are flying past at great speed. The quote, "The days are long but the years are short" is so incredibly true. The days are long with a baby that doesn't sleep and a mommy that is exhausted, and the days feel long when the kids aren't getting along, but when I look back on those days, they have suddenly turned into years that have evaporated. How does that happen, anyway? It's bittersweet saying goodbye to diapers and soothers and naps and bottles and highchairs and babyfood and cribs and naps. I don't wish those things back, but those phases of life were so short in the big picture. I'm thankful for all there is to look forward to.
I'm thankful for my 8 year old Connor, who is already so grown up. His mind works in such mysterious ways (much like his Daddy!). It's not enough for Connor to know that it's about 7:30 - he needs to know that it's only 7:29, or already 7:31. He is the rule-follower (especially when it applies to his siblings) and the planner and the thinker. He would much rather answer 5 pages of math questions than a few short English comprehension questions. He's trustworthy and truthful and generally a very sweet boy. He's always been a Mommy's boy and happily lets me give him hugs and kisses. His life ambition is to be an author, and he gets plenty of practice. He is known to make workbooks, just for fun for his siblings, or to do computer research about animals, just for fun. He daily makes me proud to be his Mommy!
I'm thankful for my 4 (almost 5) year old Taya, a princess through and through. She has a personality that lights up a room and has no problem making friends with anyone and everyone. She's a drama queen and a girly girl, and I love her to pieces! The kids had a sleepover last night and when they were told it was too late to read, Taya, immediately concerned, asked, "Can we still talk?" She also mentioned a few months ago that she didn't ever want to die. Not because she's afraid to die, but because then she won't be able to talk! She will talk to anyone about anything, and often does, loudly. (Must get all this from her Daddy...). She already loves to have her hair, make-up and nails done, so things will be interesting as she gets older! She has a sparkly, bubbly personality that adds so much to our family.
I'm thankful for my 3 year old Logan, our surprise boy, with whom there is never a dull moment! He keeps us guessing and keeps us laughing. Although he really doesn't like attention from people he doesn't know, he knows how to be the life of the party. He is incredibly kissable and smoochable and I'm not ready for him to be growing up so fast. He tries to keep up with his big brother and sister, but can be content to just hang back with Mommy. He does everything with great passion, whether it's sleeping, playing cars or enjoying his food. He has an amazing memory, and lately references many memories about Calgary. He's smart just like his siblings. Our family feels so complete with him in it!
This morning I was treated to a stack of cards and crafts from the kids, including a book of original poetry by Connor and a paper teapot from Taya. The poem in Taya's gift had the line - And if you get upset with me, stop and have a pot of tea. I had to laugh at that one. I guess the assumption is that Mommy is going to get upset! My gift from Stefan is a pedicure, which will be a bit treat. We had lunch out, which was also a treat.
I've been thinking a bit today about the 3 people who allow me to have the title Mommy. I could not imagine my life without these three, and I want to hold on to each special moment, because the moments are flying past at great speed. The quote, "The days are long but the years are short" is so incredibly true. The days are long with a baby that doesn't sleep and a mommy that is exhausted, and the days feel long when the kids aren't getting along, but when I look back on those days, they have suddenly turned into years that have evaporated. How does that happen, anyway? It's bittersweet saying goodbye to diapers and soothers and naps and bottles and highchairs and babyfood and cribs and naps. I don't wish those things back, but those phases of life were so short in the big picture. I'm thankful for all there is to look forward to.
I'm thankful for my 8 year old Connor, who is already so grown up. His mind works in such mysterious ways (much like his Daddy!). It's not enough for Connor to know that it's about 7:30 - he needs to know that it's only 7:29, or already 7:31. He is the rule-follower (especially when it applies to his siblings) and the planner and the thinker. He would much rather answer 5 pages of math questions than a few short English comprehension questions. He's trustworthy and truthful and generally a very sweet boy. He's always been a Mommy's boy and happily lets me give him hugs and kisses. His life ambition is to be an author, and he gets plenty of practice. He is known to make workbooks, just for fun for his siblings, or to do computer research about animals, just for fun. He daily makes me proud to be his Mommy!
I'm thankful for my 4 (almost 5) year old Taya, a princess through and through. She has a personality that lights up a room and has no problem making friends with anyone and everyone. She's a drama queen and a girly girl, and I love her to pieces! The kids had a sleepover last night and when they were told it was too late to read, Taya, immediately concerned, asked, "Can we still talk?" She also mentioned a few months ago that she didn't ever want to die. Not because she's afraid to die, but because then she won't be able to talk! She will talk to anyone about anything, and often does, loudly. (Must get all this from her Daddy...). She already loves to have her hair, make-up and nails done, so things will be interesting as she gets older! She has a sparkly, bubbly personality that adds so much to our family.
I'm thankful for my 3 year old Logan, our surprise boy, with whom there is never a dull moment! He keeps us guessing and keeps us laughing. Although he really doesn't like attention from people he doesn't know, he knows how to be the life of the party. He is incredibly kissable and smoochable and I'm not ready for him to be growing up so fast. He tries to keep up with his big brother and sister, but can be content to just hang back with Mommy. He does everything with great passion, whether it's sleeping, playing cars or enjoying his food. He has an amazing memory, and lately references many memories about Calgary. He's smart just like his siblings. Our family feels so complete with him in it!
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Oma
Agatha Barkovsky, March 7, 1911 - May 7, 2009.
My Oma passed away today, at the ripe old age (literally) of 98. What a woman! I'm sure Oma never would have imagined that she'd live to such an age, especially growing up with such hardship and struggles. She was an amazingly hard worker her whole life - such an inspiration! Going to Oma's house was always a treat, for, among many reasons, there was always an abundant supply of baking. Breads, pies, cookies, buns, you name it. Her raisin bread, which has some German name I can barely pronounce, let alone spell, has always been one of my favorites. Which is weird, because I don't even really like raisins that much. Any meal was a veritable feast at Oma's house. There would be a roast chicken, mashed potatoes, homemade gravy, garden carrots, pickles (homemade, of course), jello salad, two kinds of bread, zwiebach (German double decker buns-mmmm), and a plate with several varieties of cookies for the meal. No one ever left Oma's hungry.
I have an abundance of warm memories from spending time with Oma over the years. From our occasional visits when I was young, to my more regular visits while living in Ontario, I am so grateful to have had such a wonderful Oma. She was always so full of love and generosity and even though her hearing deteriorated significantly as she got older, she still loved to have people around her. She was a talented knitter, and up until recently when her fingers and vision weren't quite what they used to be, she could be found sitting in her favorite chair knitting away. I treasure the stuffed elephant that she knitted for Connor for his first birthday and the stuffed doll she made for me.
Oma was so old for so long, that there seemed to come a point when it felt she'd be with us forever! She had several health crises over the last years, including a fall down a steep flight of stairs, pneumonia and a burst vein in her leg, all of which were scary at the time, but she managed to pull through. She seemed to be able to withstand anything, when really, she was probably so ready to get to Heaven to see Opa (who passed away in 2000). I hope they're having a wonderful reunion. And I hope my Mom gets to join in on this reunion. Still, those of us left behind will miss Oma and her comforting, loving presence in our lives. I kept wishing today for one more chance to see her, just one more chance to hug her and let my kids get to know her. But I feel so blessed for the opportunities we had to see her once we moved back to Ontario. My kids will certainly remember her. I have some great photos taken over the last couple of months. In one she is blowing out the candles on her cake for her 98th birthday, and in another she is playing Uno with Taya. What a blessing that her mind was strong enough to enjoy playing games with her great-grandkids!
Rest peacefully, Oma. You deserve it after working so hard for so long. You will always be missed and always be loved.
My Oma passed away today, at the ripe old age (literally) of 98. What a woman! I'm sure Oma never would have imagined that she'd live to such an age, especially growing up with such hardship and struggles. She was an amazingly hard worker her whole life - such an inspiration! Going to Oma's house was always a treat, for, among many reasons, there was always an abundant supply of baking. Breads, pies, cookies, buns, you name it. Her raisin bread, which has some German name I can barely pronounce, let alone spell, has always been one of my favorites. Which is weird, because I don't even really like raisins that much. Any meal was a veritable feast at Oma's house. There would be a roast chicken, mashed potatoes, homemade gravy, garden carrots, pickles (homemade, of course), jello salad, two kinds of bread, zwiebach (German double decker buns-mmmm), and a plate with several varieties of cookies for the meal. No one ever left Oma's hungry.
I have an abundance of warm memories from spending time with Oma over the years. From our occasional visits when I was young, to my more regular visits while living in Ontario, I am so grateful to have had such a wonderful Oma. She was always so full of love and generosity and even though her hearing deteriorated significantly as she got older, she still loved to have people around her. She was a talented knitter, and up until recently when her fingers and vision weren't quite what they used to be, she could be found sitting in her favorite chair knitting away. I treasure the stuffed elephant that she knitted for Connor for his first birthday and the stuffed doll she made for me.
Oma was so old for so long, that there seemed to come a point when it felt she'd be with us forever! She had several health crises over the last years, including a fall down a steep flight of stairs, pneumonia and a burst vein in her leg, all of which were scary at the time, but she managed to pull through. She seemed to be able to withstand anything, when really, she was probably so ready to get to Heaven to see Opa (who passed away in 2000). I hope they're having a wonderful reunion. And I hope my Mom gets to join in on this reunion. Still, those of us left behind will miss Oma and her comforting, loving presence in our lives. I kept wishing today for one more chance to see her, just one more chance to hug her and let my kids get to know her. But I feel so blessed for the opportunities we had to see her once we moved back to Ontario. My kids will certainly remember her. I have some great photos taken over the last couple of months. In one she is blowing out the candles on her cake for her 98th birthday, and in another she is playing Uno with Taya. What a blessing that her mind was strong enough to enjoy playing games with her great-grandkids!
Rest peacefully, Oma. You deserve it after working so hard for so long. You will always be missed and always be loved.
Monday, May 4, 2009
'Bout Time, Isn't It?
An unusual situation keeps presenting itself at our house. If you have any great suggestions or ideas after you're done reading, please let me know!
A bit of background. Our new neighborhood here in Burlington is great - very friendly, lots of kids, not much traffic and very safe. There are always kids out in the street playing hockey, riding bikes, etc. In fact, our yard used to be an extension of the neighborhood, almost like a playground for anyone and everyone. We have a big yard with a trampoline, play structure, and lots of fun stuff to do, so it was quite an attraction. The people who we bought the house from were sadly going through a divorce, which I'm sure has been hard on their 3 kids (aged 10, 12 and 14). The mom and kids moved just a few blocks away, into something much smaller, and left their trampoline behind. Well, the 12 year old still spends a lot of time in our neighborhood, with the people who live across the street. Every so often, the doorbell rings, and it's this boy, asking to come and jump on the trampoline and play in the yard. Several months ago, we had let him and some other (older) kids come over, but of course they don't want to play with our kids, they want to play with our stuff. This boy still seems to see our place as his, and no wonder, as he grew up here. I always now tell him that no, he can't come and play here, because I feel like that is completely inappropriate, and I don't want a bunch of older kids running through my yard as though it's a public playground. I can imagine how intimidating that would be for our kids. But he doesn't seem to be getting the hint.
I don't have the heart to tell him to please not ask anymore, because the reality is, I probably won't ever say yes. But that probably means he'll just keep asking. I think he's old enough to understand what's going on, and that this is no longer his house. I feel sad for him and his family situation. But does that mean I need to let him come play in the yard? Am I being mean and selfish? We love having people over, and regularly have a slew of kids in the backyard that our kids play with. In that sense, we are not private people. But a part of me does want to keep something for just us, and not open up our yard for anyone who happens to go by. A final note on that subject - once, as a group of boys was leaving our yard, one of them had the nerve to ask if they could go in the hot tub! Should be an interesting summer...
I'd love some input on how to handle this tactfully and kindly! Thanks for reading!
A bit of background. Our new neighborhood here in Burlington is great - very friendly, lots of kids, not much traffic and very safe. There are always kids out in the street playing hockey, riding bikes, etc. In fact, our yard used to be an extension of the neighborhood, almost like a playground for anyone and everyone. We have a big yard with a trampoline, play structure, and lots of fun stuff to do, so it was quite an attraction. The people who we bought the house from were sadly going through a divorce, which I'm sure has been hard on their 3 kids (aged 10, 12 and 14). The mom and kids moved just a few blocks away, into something much smaller, and left their trampoline behind. Well, the 12 year old still spends a lot of time in our neighborhood, with the people who live across the street. Every so often, the doorbell rings, and it's this boy, asking to come and jump on the trampoline and play in the yard. Several months ago, we had let him and some other (older) kids come over, but of course they don't want to play with our kids, they want to play with our stuff. This boy still seems to see our place as his, and no wonder, as he grew up here. I always now tell him that no, he can't come and play here, because I feel like that is completely inappropriate, and I don't want a bunch of older kids running through my yard as though it's a public playground. I can imagine how intimidating that would be for our kids. But he doesn't seem to be getting the hint.
I don't have the heart to tell him to please not ask anymore, because the reality is, I probably won't ever say yes. But that probably means he'll just keep asking. I think he's old enough to understand what's going on, and that this is no longer his house. I feel sad for him and his family situation. But does that mean I need to let him come play in the yard? Am I being mean and selfish? We love having people over, and regularly have a slew of kids in the backyard that our kids play with. In that sense, we are not private people. But a part of me does want to keep something for just us, and not open up our yard for anyone who happens to go by. A final note on that subject - once, as a group of boys was leaving our yard, one of them had the nerve to ask if they could go in the hot tub! Should be an interesting summer...
I'd love some input on how to handle this tactfully and kindly! Thanks for reading!
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Just Some Stuff
I've got about 10 minutes to write this blog, as we're heading out for ice cream shortly. The kids are playing Monopoly with Grandpa and Daddy, and this is my down time. We had an absolutely glorious day today - it felt like the middle of summer. I loved every minute of it, watching the kids play in the kiddie pool, shoot each other with water guns, throw their stuffed animals in the kiddie pool (actually didn't love that part so much, as it created a load of laundry). There were tons of frogs in the pond today, and we all had fun watching them and trying to catch them. Connor (whose favorite animal ever is frogs) did manage to catch and hold one for a bit - he was thrilled! We also saw another evil viper today, but I managed to be calm about it. Definitely helped that there were two other adults there, both men who aren't too bothered by snakes. As much as watching the thing sslither around makes my sskin crawl, I have this weird need to know exactly where it is at all times, just in case. I'm sslightly less worried about our yard being overtaken by those creatures now that I've only seen two since that first fateful day over a week ago. I think I'm going to make it.
Our magnolia tree burst into bloom today and it is glorious. I took lots of photos, so I'll post those sometime. The blossoms are mostly white with a hint of purple and the colors are such a bright contrast to the rest of the yard. I'm not sure how long the blossoms last, so I'm going to make sure to appreciate them.
Connor turned 8 this week and I feel like now he is definitely no longer a little kid. 7 could still be considered "little", but he's not little anymore. I'm thankful that he still loves to snuggle and sit on my lap and give me kisses. He's not embarrassed to see me at school, and hopefully that doesn't change any time soon! He really is a great kid - smart and funny and kind and still full of innocence. I don't know if he even knows any swear words! Or maybe I'm just being naive. It really is hard to believe that it's been 8 years since he was born. I feel like we've known him forever, but then it feels like just yesterday that he was born. I certainly have mixed feelings about the kids growing so fast. It's such a relief to get through certain stages, but then I miss other stages that you don't get back! I know that I need to just enjoy every moment, but that's hard to do sometimes when all you can do is get through those moments with sanity still intact. I am realizing that their problems are not necessarily my problems, and that I don't need to try to solve all their problems. Our new mantra when someone complains that their sibling did something to bug them, is, "Go talk to them about it!" Rather than always separate them and try to determine who's at fault and who needs a consequence, I let them sort it out. (There are always exceptions, of course!) It seems to work. Isn't that what we as adults should be doing when we have a problem? Sit down together and talk til you figure it out? It sure isn't my natural instinct. Anyway, I'm no parenting expert, but every once in awhile you find something that works.
A big thunderstorm blew in earlier to cool things down, but we've all been waiting for our ice cream all day. I'm looking forward to it as much as the kids! I'm running a 10k race tomorrow morning, so I should probably get myself to bed early, although I likely won't. My reward, other than finishing alive, will be going out for lunch at Milestones. I had their Kobe beef meatloaf recently, and it was incredible! (I know you won't appreciate that if you're one of my vegetarian friends).
Til next time!
Our magnolia tree burst into bloom today and it is glorious. I took lots of photos, so I'll post those sometime. The blossoms are mostly white with a hint of purple and the colors are such a bright contrast to the rest of the yard. I'm not sure how long the blossoms last, so I'm going to make sure to appreciate them.
Connor turned 8 this week and I feel like now he is definitely no longer a little kid. 7 could still be considered "little", but he's not little anymore. I'm thankful that he still loves to snuggle and sit on my lap and give me kisses. He's not embarrassed to see me at school, and hopefully that doesn't change any time soon! He really is a great kid - smart and funny and kind and still full of innocence. I don't know if he even knows any swear words! Or maybe I'm just being naive. It really is hard to believe that it's been 8 years since he was born. I feel like we've known him forever, but then it feels like just yesterday that he was born. I certainly have mixed feelings about the kids growing so fast. It's such a relief to get through certain stages, but then I miss other stages that you don't get back! I know that I need to just enjoy every moment, but that's hard to do sometimes when all you can do is get through those moments with sanity still intact. I am realizing that their problems are not necessarily my problems, and that I don't need to try to solve all their problems. Our new mantra when someone complains that their sibling did something to bug them, is, "Go talk to them about it!" Rather than always separate them and try to determine who's at fault and who needs a consequence, I let them sort it out. (There are always exceptions, of course!) It seems to work. Isn't that what we as adults should be doing when we have a problem? Sit down together and talk til you figure it out? It sure isn't my natural instinct. Anyway, I'm no parenting expert, but every once in awhile you find something that works.
A big thunderstorm blew in earlier to cool things down, but we've all been waiting for our ice cream all day. I'm looking forward to it as much as the kids! I'm running a 10k race tomorrow morning, so I should probably get myself to bed early, although I likely won't. My reward, other than finishing alive, will be going out for lunch at Milestones. I had their Kobe beef meatloaf recently, and it was incredible! (I know you won't appreciate that if you're one of my vegetarian friends).
Til next time!
Monday, April 20, 2009
Photos
I am still trying to figure out how to add photos to my blog, but I seem to have managed to get these ones on here. I'd like to be able to move them around the blog, but I haven't figured that out yet. Anyway, you can see our "Fish in Trees" as well as the kids enjoying the pond, in their various states of dress and undress. It's hard to get a close-up of the fish that is more clear, but you get the idea. I am not going to post the picture that I took of the you-know-what, as that would be just too creepy, and I fear certain people would no longer care to read my blog (you know who are you, CK and LD).
Enjoy the photos! I just posted a bunch more on Facebook, so you can check those out too, if you're on Facebook. Ciao!
Enjoy the photos! I just posted a bunch more on Facebook, so you can check those out too, if you're on Facebook. Ciao!
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Crisis Averted .... For Now
Hallelujah!! The fish are still alive! The evil vipers didn't devour them! My relief is astounding, and I pray (figuratively and literally) that they will remain safe in their cozy little pond for a very long time. I decided to do one last "fishy-check" just as it was getting dark, and lo and behold, there they were, swimming contentedly, like nothing had ever happened. Which it didn't, but I REALLY thought it did. I think it's going to be ok - Freddy has come out of the closet, and Goldie and Black Spots have come out from under their rock (oh, and Stefan comes home tomorrow). I now have all frogs and fish (minus Nemo, but not going to worry about him for now) accounted for and any day now all the frogs hibernating in the pond should start to come out as well. I don't mind if the vipers (as Corina calls them - much more fitting and less painful to type) eat the frogs, although I would prefer if they didn't. Stefan and I are already discussing, via phone of course, different ways that we can rid our yard of snakes. I'm thinking of getting them into some sort of container (that'll be Stefan's job) and then sealing the container like there's no tomorrow, which there won't be for the snakes. Maybe dumping something into the container to speed up the 'process', then taking the container as far as possible from my house and leaving it there. That might be considered littering, and then someone will probably find it and discover that someone killed some snakes, then there will be letters to the editor in the local paper and next thing you know, someone's knocking on my door... Hmmmm, I'm going to need a different solution here. Help. Please. Or I may just have to resort to Corina's solution which is to stand on that rock and scream at the top of my lungs until someone comes to save me. Amen to that, Sister!
On a totally different note, the salmon we had for supper today was delish! I splashed a little lemon juice on the filet, then sprinkled on some s+p and some dill, popped it in the oven, and 20 minutes later, perfect, flaky salmon. The roasted asparagus on the side was pretty yummy too, but I haven't yet managed to get asparagus into the kids. It's much harder to disguise then some other veggies. Top Secret tip of the day: you can sneak pureed/mashed squash into just about anything and it's so good! I happen to like it un-disguised as well, but for those that don't, it's an easy sneaky way to add a few extra bits of nutrition.
Sweet dreams!
On a totally different note, the salmon we had for supper today was delish! I splashed a little lemon juice on the filet, then sprinkled on some s+p and some dill, popped it in the oven, and 20 minutes later, perfect, flaky salmon. The roasted asparagus on the side was pretty yummy too, but I haven't yet managed to get asparagus into the kids. It's much harder to disguise then some other veggies. Top Secret tip of the day: you can sneak pureed/mashed squash into just about anything and it's so good! I happen to like it un-disguised as well, but for those that don't, it's an easy sneaky way to add a few extra bits of nutrition.
Sweet dreams!
Yet Another Crisis
I'm so sorry to have kept you in suspense, but I have barely had a moment on the computer all day, partly because I have to share with a three year old. It's been a beautiful day here, so I spent a lot of time outside. Once again, I have put a movie on for the kids so I can type in peace! Real good parenting, you say. Oh yeah!
Freddy has been found, what a relief! This story is so anti-climactic that it's just silly. I actually did not sleep well last night, thanks to my worrying. I got up a little early and was all ready to drag the kids into the van to drive to the playground, when suddenly Connor remembered that he had put Freddy in the closet. And there he was, right where we didn't manage to find him last night. Usually Connor does remember these things, and he did, just not at bedtime. A boring but oh so happy end to this story.
But, one crisis does seem to beget another. And I'm beginning to wonder if life (or more specifically parenting) isn't just a series of small catastrophes, all designed to keep you on your game. Seriously, the situation with Freddy now seems like nothing compared to the next one. There I was on the deck this morning, enjoying a little mid-morning sunshine, when what to my horrified eyes should appear, but a snake. Oh, it wasn't anything dangerous or poisonous, but if you know me, you know that snakes are definitely at the bottom of my list of favorite animals. There really is nothing I like less than a snake - not even a rat, heck, not even a naked mole rat (which are hideously ugly and are pictured in one of Connor's books - try looking them up on Google images). My skin immediately began to crawl and did not stop feeling that way until the thing was gone from my sight. I followed it, from a distance, as it made its way around my yard, like it knew exactly where it was going. It eventually found its way to the back fence, where it slithered through into the forest to where I could no longer see it. Such relief. It was only yesterday that I had wondered if we might see snakes in our yard, as we do back onto a forest. We've seen such an array of (mostly wonderful) creatures so far, but I suppose this was inevitable.
The horror does not end there, oh no. A couple hours later when I was out in the yard again, horror of horrors, I saw the snake again! Had it come back?! Again I watched as it slithered away (ewww). I was really starting to be creeped out. I went and stood on my usual rock by the pond to check for the fish, and it wasn't until many seconds later when I looked down close to my feet, that I saw yet another snake! I just about hit the roof (figuratively, of course, as I was outside). It was halfway out of the rocks and was not in the least bit worried about me. Well, I armed myself with a rake (any better suggestions?) as that seemed to provide the most protection. I ever so carefully tried to nudge the thing with the rake, and it didn't even care!! I did the same thing to the other one once I caught sight of it again, and it too seemed to have no fear of me. Okay, I can handle spiders and other creepy crawly things, because they are afraid of me!! This is just breaking all the rules. By now my yard is starting to feel like some horror movie set, or something out of a nightmare, and I'm already envisioning moving away (not going to happen). I need to come up with some sort of trap so maybe I can decrease the population somewhat. I'm sure there were 3 separate ones today, and if there are 3, there are more than 3, I'm convinced. All I could think was, at least they're outside, because if one gets into my house, I will be traumatized for life. I am not exaggerating. You might think I'm being over-dramatic (it's been known to happen with me, just ask my Darling Husband), but I really cannot over-state my horror of these creatures. I mentioned this story to my friend, Kim, and she said that she had actually found one in her basement!! She had thought it was a toy, but as she got closer, it moved! Can you imagine!! I would likely faint in fear. She was lucky that her husband was home, and he dealt with it, but these situations usually come up for me on the odd occasion when my husband is on the other side of the country.
Okay, so then I was slowly starting to come to terms with this whole crisis, and realizing how important it is that I do not freak out in front of the kids. Logan didn't seem to care when I told him, but Connor and Taya were very interested and excited when I told them after school. I even....took....a....picture. Can't believe it. They thought it was great. Which brings me to the next issue. We haven't seen the fish all day. Now, one has been "missing" for a few days, so I don't want to be an alarmist, but Goldie and Black Spots are pretty regular. Then I do some reading online about garter snakes, and apparently, they eat fish! They specifically like hanging around ponds. Oh dear Lord. It's been 24 hours, and no fish. These are not small fish either - probably twice the diameter of the snake. I have no proof of this, but I have a very bad feeling. The kids are taking it all in stride, but I am not. I was attached to those little fishies. How dare a snake come along and snatch them from my pond! I paid good money for those so my children could enjoy them! Dastardly. I am hoping to be proved wrong here, but am losing hope. The snakes seem to have done their nasty deed and vanished. I'm sure they'll be back. Evil creatures. At least if they had some useful purpose, I could perhaps handle it, but they don't. (Oh, they do eat mice, but I would rather have a mouse than a snake in my house any day of the week). You can bet I will be lying in wait (figuratively) for those blasted snakes, and when my husband gets home, there's going to be trouble (hope he's feeling brave).
Did I mention how thankful I am to have such a wonderful yard? It truly is a blessing and I really am thankful. It's perfect for entertaining and for the kids to play and see nature, so I will learn to love (or at least tolerate) all the creatures that come along with it. I will even suck it up and be brave for my kids' sake. I am very conscious of passing on my (mostly irrational) fears to my kids, so perhaps this will be a good lesson for me, albeit one I really don't feel like learning.
It's my turn to watch a movie this evening. My friend Kim (as mentioned earlier) is coming over once the kids are in bed, and I'm going to try to forget about all things slithery.
Thanks for reading my blog. I likely will not always post every day, but I'm sure there will be lots more crises to keep it going! I love your comments too - a highlight of my day, so keep 'em coming!
Freddy has been found, what a relief! This story is so anti-climactic that it's just silly. I actually did not sleep well last night, thanks to my worrying. I got up a little early and was all ready to drag the kids into the van to drive to the playground, when suddenly Connor remembered that he had put Freddy in the closet. And there he was, right where we didn't manage to find him last night. Usually Connor does remember these things, and he did, just not at bedtime. A boring but oh so happy end to this story.
But, one crisis does seem to beget another. And I'm beginning to wonder if life (or more specifically parenting) isn't just a series of small catastrophes, all designed to keep you on your game. Seriously, the situation with Freddy now seems like nothing compared to the next one. There I was on the deck this morning, enjoying a little mid-morning sunshine, when what to my horrified eyes should appear, but a snake. Oh, it wasn't anything dangerous or poisonous, but if you know me, you know that snakes are definitely at the bottom of my list of favorite animals. There really is nothing I like less than a snake - not even a rat, heck, not even a naked mole rat (which are hideously ugly and are pictured in one of Connor's books - try looking them up on Google images). My skin immediately began to crawl and did not stop feeling that way until the thing was gone from my sight. I followed it, from a distance, as it made its way around my yard, like it knew exactly where it was going. It eventually found its way to the back fence, where it slithered through into the forest to where I could no longer see it. Such relief. It was only yesterday that I had wondered if we might see snakes in our yard, as we do back onto a forest. We've seen such an array of (mostly wonderful) creatures so far, but I suppose this was inevitable.
The horror does not end there, oh no. A couple hours later when I was out in the yard again, horror of horrors, I saw the snake again! Had it come back?! Again I watched as it slithered away (ewww). I was really starting to be creeped out. I went and stood on my usual rock by the pond to check for the fish, and it wasn't until many seconds later when I looked down close to my feet, that I saw yet another snake! I just about hit the roof (figuratively, of course, as I was outside). It was halfway out of the rocks and was not in the least bit worried about me. Well, I armed myself with a rake (any better suggestions?) as that seemed to provide the most protection. I ever so carefully tried to nudge the thing with the rake, and it didn't even care!! I did the same thing to the other one once I caught sight of it again, and it too seemed to have no fear of me. Okay, I can handle spiders and other creepy crawly things, because they are afraid of me!! This is just breaking all the rules. By now my yard is starting to feel like some horror movie set, or something out of a nightmare, and I'm already envisioning moving away (not going to happen). I need to come up with some sort of trap so maybe I can decrease the population somewhat. I'm sure there were 3 separate ones today, and if there are 3, there are more than 3, I'm convinced. All I could think was, at least they're outside, because if one gets into my house, I will be traumatized for life. I am not exaggerating. You might think I'm being over-dramatic (it's been known to happen with me, just ask my Darling Husband), but I really cannot over-state my horror of these creatures. I mentioned this story to my friend, Kim, and she said that she had actually found one in her basement!! She had thought it was a toy, but as she got closer, it moved! Can you imagine!! I would likely faint in fear. She was lucky that her husband was home, and he dealt with it, but these situations usually come up for me on the odd occasion when my husband is on the other side of the country.
Okay, so then I was slowly starting to come to terms with this whole crisis, and realizing how important it is that I do not freak out in front of the kids. Logan didn't seem to care when I told him, but Connor and Taya were very interested and excited when I told them after school. I even....took....a....picture. Can't believe it. They thought it was great. Which brings me to the next issue. We haven't seen the fish all day. Now, one has been "missing" for a few days, so I don't want to be an alarmist, but Goldie and Black Spots are pretty regular. Then I do some reading online about garter snakes, and apparently, they eat fish! They specifically like hanging around ponds. Oh dear Lord. It's been 24 hours, and no fish. These are not small fish either - probably twice the diameter of the snake. I have no proof of this, but I have a very bad feeling. The kids are taking it all in stride, but I am not. I was attached to those little fishies. How dare a snake come along and snatch them from my pond! I paid good money for those so my children could enjoy them! Dastardly. I am hoping to be proved wrong here, but am losing hope. The snakes seem to have done their nasty deed and vanished. I'm sure they'll be back. Evil creatures. At least if they had some useful purpose, I could perhaps handle it, but they don't. (Oh, they do eat mice, but I would rather have a mouse than a snake in my house any day of the week). You can bet I will be lying in wait (figuratively) for those blasted snakes, and when my husband gets home, there's going to be trouble (hope he's feeling brave).
Did I mention how thankful I am to have such a wonderful yard? It truly is a blessing and I really am thankful. It's perfect for entertaining and for the kids to play and see nature, so I will learn to love (or at least tolerate) all the creatures that come along with it. I will even suck it up and be brave for my kids' sake. I am very conscious of passing on my (mostly irrational) fears to my kids, so perhaps this will be a good lesson for me, albeit one I really don't feel like learning.
It's my turn to watch a movie this evening. My friend Kim (as mentioned earlier) is coming over once the kids are in bed, and I'm going to try to forget about all things slithery.
Thanks for reading my blog. I likely will not always post every day, but I'm sure there will be lots more crises to keep it going! I love your comments too - a highlight of my day, so keep 'em coming!
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
The Unthinkable...
I am currently in a state of semi-panic. I fear that the unthinkable has happened - Freddy is officially missing. I am actually much more worried about Freddy being lost than I am about Nemo being lost (who I'm sure has definitely gone into hibernation). And no, Freddy is not a fish. He is a Frog. Not just any frog, mind you. Here's the Coles Notes version of Freddy's life.
The year is 1993, it's just a few days before Valentine's Day, and I actually have a boyfriend, who I've been dating for a whole month. One cannot possibly miss out on giving a gift when you're dating (it's much easier to ignore Valentine's altogether once you're married). So I head out to the mall, and hit Hallmark in hopes of some inspiration. I don't want to be traditional and buy chocolate. Within minutes my eyes come across the wall of shelves holding, yes, stuffed animals. Not just any stuffed animals, but adorable fluffy green Frogs! They come in different sizes, which means different prices. Not wanting to appear cheap, but also needing to be frugal, I choose a medium-sized frog.
Fast forward 10 years - I now have a two year old who has just given up his soother, and needs something new to become attached to. What does my two year old choose? That same medium-sized frog that I gave as a Valentine's gift (so cheesy) and has now been in the Baerg family ever since. Connor named the frog Freddy, and the two have been inseparable ever since. There have been close calls over the years, bedtime missions to find the missing frog, and even one near-disaster (Freddy somehow made it into an empty cardboard box on Christmas morning, and when we couldn't find him that night, a full-scale search was launched. It took a long time to find him in the bottom of a large cardboard box, underneath wrapping paper in the dark garage). Connor is slightly less needy of Freddy these days, but when bedtime rolls around, Freddy needs to be found.
Tonight, when it was already dark, and the creepy noises had already begun (although I'm not paying them attention tonight) Connor discovers that he can't find Freddy. We do a search in all the usual places, and a few not-so-usual places, and then Connor thinks he might have left him out by the pond. So I actually ventured out into the very dark backyard and looked around. It wasn't even that bad. But no Freddy, and now I'm getting alarmed. We've checked the van, the bathrooms, some cupboards, but no sign of him. Then I remember that Connor had him at a playground this afternoon, and my heart sinks, because I can almost picture him right where he was probably left. Chances are some nice parent will see the Frog and put him on the bench where I can find him in the morning. Or, some wretched teenagers could find him and .....Let's not think about that. I am seriously tempted to drive out right now while the kids are sleeping (and Stefan's out of town) and look for him. Probably not a good idea to leave 3 sleeping kids alone in the house. You know what I'll be doing first thing in the morning... Connor loves that frog so dearly that it would break both of our hearts if we can't find him. Over the years, I've often glanced around at card stores to see if I can find the exact same frog, but I've never seen one. Connor has many frogs, but just one Freddy.
I took some pictures this evening of our fish, which I will post eventually. It's pretty hard to get a decent shot of something floating a few feet beneath the surface. What I ended up with was pictures of fish in trees. The reflection is actually quite beautiful. I also got photos of the kids, once again in various states of dress (Connor in his boxers, Taya in her undies, socks, sandles and winter coat, and Logan in his pjs). In honor of our new fish, our dinner of choice this week has been...fish. (It really has nothing to do with the new fish, and everything to do with the fact that Stefan is out of town, and he's not a seafood eater). We've had Sole Parmesan, twice actually, thanks to M&M, then tuna in my couscous for lunch, and tomorrow is our favorite - salmon with mashed potatoes and some asparagus on the side for me. I always hide some cauliflower in the mashed potatoes, and the kids have no idea! If you put too much in, though, it gets pretty gummy, so the ratio is critical. I served yummy yam fries again tonight - I like mine with a bit of basil mayo, Taya likes hers with Ranch, Logan likes his with ketchup, and Connor eats his plain!
So now, in addition to semi-panic, I am also hungry from writing about food. Makes for lots of butterflies in my belly. I think I need to go to bed, so I can be ready for whatever tomorrow holds. Hopefully we find Freddy, and then never again will we bring stuffed animals to the playground!
The year is 1993, it's just a few days before Valentine's Day, and I actually have a boyfriend, who I've been dating for a whole month. One cannot possibly miss out on giving a gift when you're dating (it's much easier to ignore Valentine's altogether once you're married). So I head out to the mall, and hit Hallmark in hopes of some inspiration. I don't want to be traditional and buy chocolate. Within minutes my eyes come across the wall of shelves holding, yes, stuffed animals. Not just any stuffed animals, but adorable fluffy green Frogs! They come in different sizes, which means different prices. Not wanting to appear cheap, but also needing to be frugal, I choose a medium-sized frog.
Fast forward 10 years - I now have a two year old who has just given up his soother, and needs something new to become attached to. What does my two year old choose? That same medium-sized frog that I gave as a Valentine's gift (so cheesy) and has now been in the Baerg family ever since. Connor named the frog Freddy, and the two have been inseparable ever since. There have been close calls over the years, bedtime missions to find the missing frog, and even one near-disaster (Freddy somehow made it into an empty cardboard box on Christmas morning, and when we couldn't find him that night, a full-scale search was launched. It took a long time to find him in the bottom of a large cardboard box, underneath wrapping paper in the dark garage). Connor is slightly less needy of Freddy these days, but when bedtime rolls around, Freddy needs to be found.
Tonight, when it was already dark, and the creepy noises had already begun (although I'm not paying them attention tonight) Connor discovers that he can't find Freddy. We do a search in all the usual places, and a few not-so-usual places, and then Connor thinks he might have left him out by the pond. So I actually ventured out into the very dark backyard and looked around. It wasn't even that bad. But no Freddy, and now I'm getting alarmed. We've checked the van, the bathrooms, some cupboards, but no sign of him. Then I remember that Connor had him at a playground this afternoon, and my heart sinks, because I can almost picture him right where he was probably left. Chances are some nice parent will see the Frog and put him on the bench where I can find him in the morning. Or, some wretched teenagers could find him and .....Let's not think about that. I am seriously tempted to drive out right now while the kids are sleeping (and Stefan's out of town) and look for him. Probably not a good idea to leave 3 sleeping kids alone in the house. You know what I'll be doing first thing in the morning... Connor loves that frog so dearly that it would break both of our hearts if we can't find him. Over the years, I've often glanced around at card stores to see if I can find the exact same frog, but I've never seen one. Connor has many frogs, but just one Freddy.
I took some pictures this evening of our fish, which I will post eventually. It's pretty hard to get a decent shot of something floating a few feet beneath the surface. What I ended up with was pictures of fish in trees. The reflection is actually quite beautiful. I also got photos of the kids, once again in various states of dress (Connor in his boxers, Taya in her undies, socks, sandles and winter coat, and Logan in his pjs). In honor of our new fish, our dinner of choice this week has been...fish. (It really has nothing to do with the new fish, and everything to do with the fact that Stefan is out of town, and he's not a seafood eater). We've had Sole Parmesan, twice actually, thanks to M&M, then tuna in my couscous for lunch, and tomorrow is our favorite - salmon with mashed potatoes and some asparagus on the side for me. I always hide some cauliflower in the mashed potatoes, and the kids have no idea! If you put too much in, though, it gets pretty gummy, so the ratio is critical. I served yummy yam fries again tonight - I like mine with a bit of basil mayo, Taya likes hers with Ranch, Logan likes his with ketchup, and Connor eats his plain!
So now, in addition to semi-panic, I am also hungry from writing about food. Makes for lots of butterflies in my belly. I think I need to go to bed, so I can be ready for whatever tomorrow holds. Hopefully we find Freddy, and then never again will we bring stuffed animals to the playground!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Creepy Noises....
All is quiet here at the moment, at least all that should be quiet, such as three sleeping kids. I don't even hear the sounds of my hubby snoring, as he's in Vancouver right now. So here I am, feeling all alone in my big new house, and hearing every imaginable sound, most of which I just can't place. First there were general outside, windy sorts of noises, but coincidentally, the wind seems to have finally died down. Odd. Then there's the rattling of these flappy things on the outside of the house, some sort of vents for the fans, I think. They sporadically flap around and are actually quite noisy. Then there are these giant floor-creaking type noises. I barely notice them at other times, but tonight they are in full noise-making mode. Just moments ago I heard a new noise from outside that could only be an animal. It didn't sound happy or comfortable. I bravely opened the back door in the hopes of startling the creature into perhaps continuing its night foraging elsewhere, then promptly closed it when I realized how exposed I was. I love that our yard backs right onto a forest - so lovely during the day. But the night brings out the possums, raccoons and who really knows what else. I hope the creatures aren't going fishing in our pond...
...because our family's first-ever pets are now living in that pond! The five of us went to Petcetera, or maybe it was Petsmart, who really knows (it was one that was going out of business) and the kids each got to pick out their very own koi fish! So exciting! They were even 20% off, what a bonus. Discounted fish. Now we're just trying to keep those fish alive, because I learned today that it's too early to be putting fish in the pond. They'll be confused and think they should be hibernating. It's been two days since we've seen Logan's fish -I hope it's smart and is hibernating. The other two seem fine; maybe they're stupid and should be hibernating...I keep looking for dead fish and am hoping not to find any. The kids have been running outside at all times of the day, fully dressed or not, just to catch a glimpse of their fish, which then satisfies them til the next time they all go racing outside. Too bad fish aren't a little more cuddly.
If you're reading this and wondering what the heck is the point of it all, then maybe this blog is not for you. I'm not one to always have a point, and even if I start with one, I don't always end up with one. So, I'm not going to apologize for that, but at least now you know. Consider this your disclaimer. Like my sister-in-law says, sometimes there are just a lot of thoughts in your head and you just need to get them out. (hi Lisa!). I read a few different blogs on occasion. A few are written by missionaries who are updating everyone, another is by a friend who is adopting from China, another one by someone who only eats raw food, and still another by someone with major health struggles who never ceases to encourage and inspire me. I'm not going to promise to encourage and inspire you, although that would be a bonus, but hopefully I can at least make you smile. I live so far away from so many of my friends and family that this seems like a good way to keep up. Maybe it'll even replace the Christmas letter this year - nah, it can't. Oma doesn't have internet yet.
I hope you enjoy stopping by now and then to catch up with me (once you finally found the link - no, the Abundant Bible site is not mine!). I found the most perfect background picture of a palm tree, which is my ultimate symbol of peace, joy and tranquility. There will most definitely be palm trees in Heaven! Hope the palm tree helps you to relax as you sit back and read - hey, why not go all out and enjoy a coffee while you're reading, or eat some chocolate...that's what I would do! (Especially if it's discounted-after-the holiday Lindor Easter Eggs, the big ones...mmmmm. But I digress).
Sweet dreams to you and may your house not creak and the flappy things not flap and the animals just go to sleep already! Here's hoping to a quiet and peaceful night!
...because our family's first-ever pets are now living in that pond! The five of us went to Petcetera, or maybe it was Petsmart, who really knows (it was one that was going out of business) and the kids each got to pick out their very own koi fish! So exciting! They were even 20% off, what a bonus. Discounted fish. Now we're just trying to keep those fish alive, because I learned today that it's too early to be putting fish in the pond. They'll be confused and think they should be hibernating. It's been two days since we've seen Logan's fish -I hope it's smart and is hibernating. The other two seem fine; maybe they're stupid and should be hibernating...I keep looking for dead fish and am hoping not to find any. The kids have been running outside at all times of the day, fully dressed or not, just to catch a glimpse of their fish, which then satisfies them til the next time they all go racing outside. Too bad fish aren't a little more cuddly.
If you're reading this and wondering what the heck is the point of it all, then maybe this blog is not for you. I'm not one to always have a point, and even if I start with one, I don't always end up with one. So, I'm not going to apologize for that, but at least now you know. Consider this your disclaimer. Like my sister-in-law says, sometimes there are just a lot of thoughts in your head and you just need to get them out. (hi Lisa!). I read a few different blogs on occasion. A few are written by missionaries who are updating everyone, another is by a friend who is adopting from China, another one by someone who only eats raw food, and still another by someone with major health struggles who never ceases to encourage and inspire me. I'm not going to promise to encourage and inspire you, although that would be a bonus, but hopefully I can at least make you smile. I live so far away from so many of my friends and family that this seems like a good way to keep up. Maybe it'll even replace the Christmas letter this year - nah, it can't. Oma doesn't have internet yet.
I hope you enjoy stopping by now and then to catch up with me (once you finally found the link - no, the Abundant Bible site is not mine!). I found the most perfect background picture of a palm tree, which is my ultimate symbol of peace, joy and tranquility. There will most definitely be palm trees in Heaven! Hope the palm tree helps you to relax as you sit back and read - hey, why not go all out and enjoy a coffee while you're reading, or eat some chocolate...that's what I would do! (Especially if it's discounted-after-the holiday Lindor Easter Eggs, the big ones...mmmmm. But I digress).
Sweet dreams to you and may your house not creak and the flappy things not flap and the animals just go to sleep already! Here's hoping to a quiet and peaceful night!
Monday, April 13, 2009
The Blog Begins...
I have officially gone past the point-of-no-return, and have started blogging! There's something very final about choosing blog names, URL addresses and templates - I probably couldn't figure out how to undo it all even if I wanted to. I'm typically way behind the trends in life, and it seems no different with blogging. I remember several years back, still in the '90s, thinking, "I would never need to use the internet." I thought the whole worldwide web would be pretty extraneous to my life. Little did I know...
Bucking trends is not always a worthy endeavour, although I did escape without ever buying a shrug sweater (is that what they were called?), a trend a few years ago, that did absolutely nothing for me. But I've heard this blog calling my name for a little while now, so I thought I'd give it a go. The thing that has been holding me back from starting any sooner is the fact that I could not think of a title. How does one sum up all the words they're about to say in one line or less? I resorted to book and movie titles to help me out, and finally short-listed to two. My other choice was the Baerg Identity. One of my favorite books and movies ever is the Bourne Identity, so this seemed very appropriate. There are a few other titles in the series, including the Bourne Supremacy and the Bourne Ultimatum. Those could have worked.... However, I am a big fan of Sophie Kinsella, who writes hilarious British chick-lit. Her Confessions of a Shopaholic series is another of my favorites, and while I do enjoy shopping, it really doesn't define me. So, what defines me? Probably a lot of things, but my love of all things food is definitely defining, so hence the reference to chopping. Make sense? I'm open to other suggestions, so send them my way. Doesn't mean I'll change the title, but I'd love to hear some other good ideas.
I've put a movie on for the kids so I could blog uninterrupted, and it's worked great! However, I can't ignore them forever. Once they're in bed, I've got a bit of time to wind down, make my smoothie, then I'm watching 24. Love that show! (I've often wondered at the irony of three very similar characters - Jack Bauer <24>, Jason Bourne, and James Bond . Just coincidence that their initials are all JB? Any other significance you can see?
Cheerio!
Bucking trends is not always a worthy endeavour, although I did escape without ever buying a shrug sweater (is that what they were called?), a trend a few years ago, that did absolutely nothing for me. But I've heard this blog calling my name for a little while now, so I thought I'd give it a go. The thing that has been holding me back from starting any sooner is the fact that I could not think of a title. How does one sum up all the words they're about to say in one line or less? I resorted to book and movie titles to help me out, and finally short-listed to two. My other choice was the Baerg Identity. One of my favorite books and movies ever is the Bourne Identity, so this seemed very appropriate. There are a few other titles in the series, including the Bourne Supremacy and the Bourne Ultimatum. Those could have worked.... However, I am a big fan of Sophie Kinsella, who writes hilarious British chick-lit. Her Confessions of a Shopaholic series is another of my favorites, and while I do enjoy shopping, it really doesn't define me. So, what defines me? Probably a lot of things, but my love of all things food is definitely defining, so hence the reference to chopping. Make sense? I'm open to other suggestions, so send them my way. Doesn't mean I'll change the title, but I'd love to hear some other good ideas.
I've put a movie on for the kids so I could blog uninterrupted, and it's worked great! However, I can't ignore them forever. Once they're in bed, I've got a bit of time to wind down, make my smoothie, then I'm watching 24. Love that show! (I've often wondered at the irony of three very similar characters - Jack Bauer <24>, Jason Bourne
Cheerio!
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