Well that was FUN - Not!

Oh My that was the worst 24 hours of my life.

I thought I was just tired yesterday morning, but I dragged my ass to work anyway. about 10am I started feeling real yucky and spent a little time in the bathroom, well two different bathrooms because I didn't think I should turn our main bathroom into a toxic waste dump. I waited until I had a break and then made a run for our bathroom in the basement floor which "services" less people.

By 11 I had my head on my desk and thought I better head for home while I still could. I got home and went to bed till about 3:30 without even knowing what happened. I thought maybe a shower would make me feel better since my body hurt all over. I was VERY VERY WRONG. That 3-4 minute shower was the worst thing that ever happened to me. It felt like ever pellet of water was making me want to hurl. Excrutiating.

Back to bed and then kids and hubby came in about 6:30 I woke up and had a freezie. nectar of the gods that gave me enough of a sugar rush to drink some gatorade which made me feel expontially better. Just in time.

Right on cue. My precious little three year old has a nose bleed which as I was cleaning her up cause her to start vomiting profusely all over me, her bed her pillow, everywhere.

After a full on room change and clean up. I was exhausted and went straight back to bed and hubby picked up the slack with the boy and getting him off to bed.

What a night. This morning we are just kinda taking it easy watching ALOT of TV and sipping our water juice gatorade and haveing some dry toast.

Hubby had to go help BIL move and I am on my own today. the boy has a birthday party at 2 so I will be taking him bowling with his buddies. Thankfully MIL is available to look after the girl this afternoon making my life way easier.

thankfully this is supposed to only last 24-48 hours. I should be tip top tomorrow for my day of rest. Oh wait maybe I will have to go to work to make up for the day that I lost on Friday...we'll see.

Christmas list - check!

My sister and I went out to the mall tonight to finish up our shopping. We just needed a few things each and we hoped it wouldn't be too busy as most people would be our at Christmas parties.

We were RIGHT! It was still busy but not crazy. the lines were moving and it was actually not painful to get everything done.

I still feel like I am forgetting something but oh well. I'm sure I'll figure it out and have to make one more trip.

I am really proud to say that I think we did really well this year. We got special things for family and friends and did not go overboard. We got the kids their Skuut bikes and one small art set for each of them, which they will love. We got them little toys in their stockings and I think that will keep them busy till all the other stuff kicks in.

This year is much calmer and less frenetic.

Today we made a popcorn string for the tree, because, just because.

A card or two

Just a quick post to justify the last hour in peace.



and this one


If only I could have a few more hours. sigh!

Where's the Olympic Spirit?

I have viewed these olympics with mixed feelings. No one can deny Michael Phelps, he has worked hard and trained well and deserved all the praise and medals he has won at these olympics. I am impressed by Dana Torres coming back for what her 4th-5th olympics?

Our totally underfunded Canadians have exceeded our medal total from Athens so rock on to them. Imagine what we could do with actually funding and training facilities that are not shared or donated.

But I am disturbed by a few things I have seen and heard. People judging Usain Bolt the Jamician runner who has been accused of "showboating" and "gloating" over his fellow competitors. Anyone who can run 100m in less than 9.7 seconds can be as happy and "showboatiey" as he likes. The entire Chinese Gymastic team is being investigated again after they have already provided idetification and verification of the gymnasts ages, because there are rumors that many team members are under age. there were two DQs in the mens 200m sprint for steping out on the line. COME ON PEOPLE DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT SHAVED AND EXTRA .25 OFF THEIR TIME.! I think not.

Last but not least I read today that a Marial Arts competitor Kicked a referee in the FACE (are you kidding me?) Because he was upset with the refereeing.

All I have to say is WOW!

Holy Hell Batman

I am tired. DH and I just finished a quick tidy up of our outdoor dinner party for my birthday and our anniversary. I would like to say it was for our friends BUT it was for our family. Not that I don't like my family because I do. We just have this annoying unspoken unwritten rule that says who ever is hosting has to do ALL the work and those attending don't have to do ANYTHING.

Now I still can't complain because DH and I live BESIDE my MIL which meant we split the prep and cooking for todays event and she did most of the clean up because I looked after all the kids (2 of which were mine so again can't be complaining).

I made my world famous RIBS which were AWESOME if I do say so myself and since there are... Oh... NONE left out of 15 POUNDS of ribs I would say everyone got their fill.

It was not just my birthday but also my SIL birthday (she is a few days before me, it was not just our anniversary it was also my BIL and same SIL (who shares the birthday month) anniversary (whose is a few weeks before us, 3 I think). there were married 12 years ago and DH and I jsut celebrated 5 years (2nd marriage for both of us, if you are new here)

My other SIL who usually hosts this particular event moved this weekend (ugg, she won't recover for weeks)so I feel for her I really do. But FUCK that was alot of work.

So it works like this in DH's family.

Nonno and Nonna - rule both emigrated from Italy very progressive but still are steeped in old world tradition. Really you couldn't ask for a better mix. And she only rides me about going to church 5-7 times a year. They live beside us and really they look after us. I have it good. Nonna probably cooks for our family atleast once a week and at most 4 nights a week. Nonno sometimes he tells the same stories over and over and over again. Sometimes they really get on my nerves, but in retrospect I know he is passing on he knowledge and my childrens history, so I try to listen. Sometimes though, I just give up and go do dishes.

Son #1 and SIL 2nd marriage. 2nd marriage for both. Son one child, SIL 2 kids, no kids together. SIL 1 can be jealous now and then of realtionship I have carefully cultivated with MIL. I say she needs to step out side herself and not take herself so goddamned seriously. Nonna loves all of us. You get what you give, Know what I mean?

Son #2 and SIL - these two have been married for (oh I don't know FOREVER) kidding about 17 years I think maybe 18. She converted to catholisicm so she is IN with a capital I. SIL can do no wrong not that I have seen. She has earned it though. She is very thoughtful, very fun and always willign to help out anyway she can.

SON # 3 and ME - I love my DH and he is a spoiled Italian man - what can I say. Lots of training and electro-shock therapy have helped.

Son#4 - S.O. have been dating for jsut under a year I think (he's private and lives in TO)LOVE this guy, he is interesting and calm (opposite of my DH)He is just a little less than a year younger than me and went to school with some people I know. He jsut returned from Thailand so we did a little catching up. Never enough time to talk with this guy. His S.O. could not make it today but she has graduated law school and is a great gal I really like her so far.

Son#1 daughter and her boyfriend - really make an effort to stay connected to the family and often stop by. My DH was in trade school the same time boyfriend started so they rode back and forth for a few months and we have become close with them.

Son # 1 step daughter and boyfriend - glad to seen D2 with this guy he seems so nice and better yet nice to her. Last boyfriend was a WHACK JOB as in had to get a restraining order whack job!

Other kids include 16 year old boy with NO job lazy as hell and like to hear about it from the rest of us (as near as I can tell)

14 yr old Girl who lets boobs hang out and thinks it's great fun to make fun and degrade her sister to make herself feel good. I sese issues in our future!

12 yr old Girl whose sister is a teenager (see above) who is manipulative in her own right but atleast has the presence of mind to negotiate a WIn WIn to get what she wants. She will be one to keep an eye on.

7 year old boy whose heart is in the right place he is just... a 7 year old boy and accidents happen. He is often the victim of circumstance. It may not be entirely his fault but if he would have thought for a second,,, Crisis would have been averted.

My two the Bugaloo (a little spoiled and a Type A first born used to getting his own way, who is entirely too logical somtimes) and the Peanut (just a crazy two year ol, with a great scowl)

We had a great day until the bugs started eating us to death and then it was a pretty quick clear out. I think NOnna is still putting leftovers away and finally the rest of my family is fast asleep. I think I may crack a cold one and thank the almighty that I made it - ALIVE.

Happy Birth-aversary to me!

A long short week!

Hope everyone enjoyed their civic holiday. Somehow the August long weekend always kicks my butt. The short week that follows always seems soooooo long.

Can't believe that we are through the first week of August already! We are off to t-ball today and then we'll see where the wind takes us. The kids are tired from spending friday at the farm and could probably use a break today. I know I could use a break today. I am tired.

I ran at lunch all 4 days this week I probably should have taken one day off atleast but if you have been reading this blog for any amount of time you will know that I am really struggling with the concept of muscle weighs more than fat.

That number on the scale keeps climbing I am almost back to where I started which after 3.5 months on running 3 times a week. Is just...well...goddamned depressing.

I know... I know... I fucking know it's not the number on the scale it's how you feel and how your clothes fit. For this I am greatful because A) my jeans look fabulous on my sorry tired ass and B) I think I came within a smidgen of the fabled "runner's high" today. All I know is I didn't feel like a dirty rotten sticky stinky gym sock with a hole in it when I came in from running today.

So life is good.

The Bugaloo is showing signs of his hamstings tightening up again and I can't seem to get a hold of the docs office to get our next round of botox booked. I have been trying to get him in before school starts so he doesn't have to miss a day of school. He's back to toe walking and complaining about it hurting when we ask him to stand flat footed. He has burned through ANOTHER pair of shoes so I will have to break in the spares and go shopping for new spares. Anyone know where I can buy shares in Nike?

The Peanut is progressing nicely through the terrible twos by being...well..what else TERRIBLE! we are on to pouting and generally being disagreeable ALOT. But when she's good she is really good and really CUTE. So we will keep her.

LONG WEEKEND

Gotta love the long weekend. We took the kids out to my parents farm for our first "camping trip" We camped way in the back field so the kids would get the feeling of being out there by ourselves. We spent the evening at the barn doing chores and then had a BBQ dinner with Neena and Papa. Then time to retire to the tent so we took our long walk out to the field and dug out our fire pit and got everything ready for a fire. Then we got the kids in the pjs and blankets and sat them in the chairs to watch the fire. they were totally into it, getting the glazed look in their eyes as they watched the flames dance in the twilight.

I cracked out the s'mores because the bug was so excited about it. Only to discover that he really just preferred the raw marshmellows because the cooked ones were tooo STICKY. The peanut however that that cooked marshmellows was a treat sent to her by God himself. She really enjoyed them. So then happy and sticky we took them back to the tent and read our stories and laid with them in the tent for about 40 mins listening to the crickets and the sound of the water in the creek. The horses thundering back and forth along the fence line because they were so curious about this fire and rather large tent that had invaded their peaceful landscape.

Finally the kids fell asleep and hubby and I sat around the fire and had a couple of beers and watched the stars, which are so much brighter out there away from the lights of the city. I think my hubby got just a peak into how I grew up and why I can't stand the city so much.

I really hope someday soon we will be able to move out of the city.

The next day Bugaloo was up BEFORE the rooster for crying out loud. By atleast 15 - 20 minutes. He announced MOM MOM the sun is coming up! So he and Dad got up and watched the Sun come up and Me and Peanut we slept until 7 or so. We had breakfast in the tent screen room and then we headed up to see Neena and Papa again (because they had COFFEE). Then we spent the morning doing chores and helping out on the farm and packing up the tent. We got home and convinced the kids to have a nap (2 hours later) I thought I had better get some groceries for our house.

We had a great time with the kids for our first trip. Now we can't wait to do it again. I think this will be a great way to spend our summer weekends.

AAAck!

My house is such a god damned mess I don't know where to start.

So instead I have come here to the non judgemental place of procrastination!

My office/scraproom/creative centre is a fucking mess.

I have two workshops to prepare for and I am BEEEHIND! Luckily I am taking two holidays next week on Thursday and Friday and hopefully I can clear out some of the crap.

Why oh why do we hang on to these things!??

I finally got the kids down for a quick nap because I have been hoping to get at this all weekend and now I just don't want to face it!

Does anybody have some words of inspiration??

Well I had better get my ass in gear as I only have another 20 mins left of nap time.

Weekend fun

Let's see

We had t-ball, set up a tent in our basement, shopped for birthday presents. baked bread, iced cakes, made salad, went to a campfire party, LAUNDRY, and went to a birthday party.

Partied it up with baby button (my niece)

Just a generally fun and exhausting weekend. Boy am I glad I have work today.

Looks like it will be an incredibly busy week at work again too.

Tonight I have to do manicures for my other nieces due to Grade 8 grad on Wednesday!

Zoinks I'm going to be tired!

Also packing for another bike trip with hubby. Our 7 year anniversary together.

Say it with me aaaaahhhhhhhh!

Friday!

TGIF.

What a week it's been I don't know if I am still recovering from my weekend at Dover or what. I am so glad I didn't have any activities for the kids this week because i was in bed at 9:30 every night and I'm still tired.

Atleast, the peanut slept through the night and did not come in to say hello at 2:30 AM.

I think she was getting cold (because she kicked all her covers off) so then she would come in to our room to snuggle for 10 mins and then go back to her bed to go to sleep.
oy!

Tonight we are camping in the living room after having a pizza picnic. This is our first step into actual camping. We'll see how it goes. Then we are off to t-ball tomorrow morning. Hopefully the peanut does not throw up in the car. Then good friends of ours are having a bbq party at their new house and Sunday we are celebrating father's day and the June birthdays for my side of the family. I had better get some cards made and some shopping done CRAP!

So it will be a busy weekend and then I have to start packing for our trip to Windsor next weekend.

Hope the rain holds off for my run at lunch today. PS I survived the long legged partner yesterday. I had to stop a few times but we are a pretty good match.

I learned I need to run faster. Practice makes perfect.

Have a great day!

Saturday Morning

Coffee ahhhh!

Hubby is out this morning helping a buddy with some electrical work. So it's just me and the kidlets. Bug must be feeling better because her requested Bob the Builder noodles for breakfast and he ate the whole bowl.

So we are getting caught up on our laundry, cleaning out our closets and preparing bags to donate to my sister and girlfriend for their kids.

I always feel so much better when I clear out their closets (and mine) like I can find stuff again and somehow my life is easier.

If only I could get going on the basement! Although hubby has committed to clearing out the garage on the first nice day we get and if we do that it will be easier to clean out the basement since some of the stuff from the basement needs to be kept in the garage.

I don't feel like cooking this weekend. I spent the last two weekends cooking like crazy to put stuff in the freezer for dinners this week. Since we were all sick I didn't go through all that stuff so I think I will take this weekend off and use up the stuff in the freezer.

Still tired.... luckily Bug was only up 2-3 times last night so I got a bit more sleep then previous nights so I am thankful for that. No explosions, no changing sheets in the middle of the night.

Yup I would have to say that's a pretty good night.

Organic Housekeeping

I was hoping this title may inspire me to get some housekeeping done.

You know, if I write about it, it will happen.?

Since my return to full time work, my cousin, Ka (who has a learning disability) has been helping me out by coming once a week to do the vacuuming of our main living area, changing the sheets on the beds and cleaning the bathroom, plus 2-3 loads of laundry while she's here. I can't even begin to tell you how helpful it has been to know that the basics are being covered.

I don't have to worry about cleaning the tub BEFORE bathing my children. NICE!

However, this still leaves the dusting, vacuuming the rest of the house, and the other 10 loads of laundry that my family of four manages to produce in a week.And picking up all the CRAP that we have in our house.

Now that's ORGANIC.

Anyway, I guess I just needed to complain a little before I suck it up and get started on the laundry.

I have been using this new Organic Laundry Detergent and fabric softner called Nature Clean, well I'm not sure if it's new to the marketplace, but it is new to me. I found it in our local healthfood store and two weeks later it was available in my grocery store. So I am sure they have been around for a while. I am minimally ahead of the trend you know.
I quite like it and no one in my family has noticed a difference in their clothes.

I also use their all purpose cleaner for mirrors and windows and counter tops, and the toilet bowl cleaner (which smells like pine) All work just as well as the brands I was using before.

Well, that laundry is NOT going away! I have to get groceries (cereal milk bread) and it has started snowing again.

Have a great Saturday!

S

Saturday Morning Post

What can I say... loads of laundry... crabby kids.
Trying to squeeze in a shower.

Hubby and I are off today to join a parent panel at a seminar designed for parents of kids with special needs that are entering JK or SK and joing our wonderful school system this coming year.

We attended this very seminar last year and found it very helpful so when they asked if we would sit on the panel this year and discuss what was good and bad about our experience we agreed. Now normally only the women end up on the panel...but this year I asked Hubby if he would participate because I believe as a man he will add a very different perspective. Sometimes I feel like the fathers are not given (nor take) a voice in this crazy life of parent of a "special" child.

There are quite often lots of Dad's at the treatment centre and I think they struggle with how to get involved and us MOMs have a hard time letting them get involved.

I think Hubby and I have been able to strike a 60/40 balance in that he always attends major medical events and school meetings and annual therapy reviews and I take care of the weekly therapy and minor clinic and fitting appointments.

We try to make joint observations, homework enforcement (ha JK) and equipment and therapy decisions. I find this way Hubby is well informed and could take over decision making with little trouble if anything ever happened to me? (God Forbid)

It really has created less stress in our family and marriage.

I will let you know how it goes.