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!
Saturday, April 25, 2009
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!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
