Life in the 3-K world

Well here we are and fall is knocking at our door...well she knocked, I tried to not let her in but she prevailed and is here anyways. Or is it? Is it really considered 'fall' if the leaves haven't changed colour yet and my flowers haven't died? hmmm that's a ponderment in itself for those who have nothing better to do with their time.

Anyways, much to my dismay, September is here, school has once again started and life is gearing up for our fall and winter activities. Will I have ANY free time? Hmmm so far I think not. I am very thankful that we plan on doing some ferocious vacationing this winter. Especially because our summer was frightfully crappy weather wise. There were not very many hot days and one could have lived without central air condition if they had to. *Note to Big Daddy: I said COULD have, not that you SHOULD have*

Joseph is in grade 3 this year and Trent started Kindergarten. I remember back to when Joseph started Kindergarten I was sooo worried he wasn't ready and was terrified of all hell breaking loose. But he flourished well beyond my wildest imagination and is now in grade 3. GRADE 3 PEOPLE!!! AKK!! I remember grade 3. I think that was the first time I got sent to the Principals office. I had pants-ed someone. Ohy, grade 3. Joseph is wickedly humerous still and wildly smart. Last year I will admit in grade 2 he didn't get much academic stimulation so I am very much looking forward to him having to face some challenges and work himself this year.

Trent is in Kindergarten *sob* I thought he was beyond ready, I was ready and I thought he was ready. Well his actions this week are screaming that he was not quite as ready as I thought he was. I remember when Joseph started kindergarten, after about a week I one day dropped him off, went back out to my van and bawled my face off to the point of near hyperventalation. I could not believe how bull by the horns he was being. I think I cried because I wanted him to want me more (and lets face it Trent never slept at that point so some sleep deprevation was added to that mix). I really did I was sad that he was all "See yah Mom" without looking back. Well here we are a few years later and I thought Trent was beyond ready I was prepared. I am about to loose my mind and go back to my van and once again cry to the near point of hyperventalation not because I want him to want me more. I need him to need me less. He doesn't want to go to Kindergarten and that makes me sad. I know once he gets there and gets doing fun things with the kids he's ok. But I want him to want to go. I hope over the next few weeks his zest for it will pick up. I know he'll be fine and I'll be fine but these 6 adjustment weeks are always so much. You think ahhh they aren't going to get me this time and then wham like one of the boxing gloves on WIPEOUT'S sucker punch wall, it gets ya and down you go.

And then there is miss Addie and well at the fine ripe age of two she thinks she is a preschooler. She marches her little self into that school says goodbye to Joseph walks Trent to his classroom and the down the hall to the preschool room she goes. It's a good thing I have been involved in the preschool so long our family is like furniture in there or the teacher would question what the heck was going on. Addie know's no different. For the last two years of her life that is where she wound up every school morning. Can you blame the girl. I can attest though if I walked out the door and left her at the preschool she'd be fine and involve herself in whatever they were all doing. Hmm, too bad they didn't take two year olds.

That sums up life in our home these days. Between the kids, me working evenings and weekends, Big Daddy working weekdays there isn't much room left for much else. I have to look at a picture of Big Daddy once in awhile to remind myself what he looks like. We don't see one another too often, usually in passing...but it's what we do and it works... for now. When it quits working i'll worry.

Let's catch up!

So... I know... I haven't blogged in so long. Most of you have probably given up on even coming here to read all of my intelligence and whit.

Life is busy, kids are busy, work is busy and I love those moments that are so not busy. Those are my favorite times so I try to savor them. There should be a few more of them now that our baseball season is over.

It is very difficult for me to come to terms with the fact that this school year will be over in two days. TWO DAYS! Joseph will be done grade two!!! Didn't I just drop him off at Kindergarten and now he's leaving grade two? Realistically Joseph is ready for grade three. I however, have some apprehention and concern about class placements. I hope it all works out and I have to have faith that at then end of the day what will happen is what is meant to be and will work out for the best. At least I know Joseph will make the best of wherever he winds up.

My bigger apprehention is that my Trenter will be going to Kindergarten this fall. AKK! That terrifies me. Like I said before I dropped Joseph at Kindergarten and he came home from grade two.... what if THAT happens again. Trent is more than ready and he is so open minded about it all. Much moreso than I could have anticipated his personality to be.

And Addie, well...she is Addie. Walking, talking, Sass machine. She is adorable and knows it. She has found this new niche to her life. All of a sudden she has decided that she is Daddy's girl. It saddens me because she was such a Mama's girl for so long. However, on the other hand it thrills me that her and Big Daddy are getting some time to foster their relationship. Plus at 8am on a Sunday all I hear from her crib is "Dad?... Dad?..... DAAAAAD???" Sorry Big Daddy, it isn't me she wants .

Our kids never fail to be whipper snappers and it keeps us in laughter. The other night at the grocery store there was a cart in the middle of the aisle full of reduced priced stuff. It definately wasn't there the day before. There was a woman standing there looking through the stuff. It was stuff like face wash, bandaids, tampons, film, batteries, and other stuff. There were some items that appealed to me so I grabbed them and put them in my basket. We then walked over to the milk and Trent leans over and hisses through is teeth in a great parental quiet yet stern voice. "MOM! That was soooooo rude. You just took a bunch of stuff out of that womans cart! What were you thinking?!"
Any possible response eludes me.

Well, July is going to be crazy and I hope to have a much slower August which will give me the opportunity to spend time with just my kids at the pools and spray parks.
Joseph is also working on learing to ride his two wheeler... Ok people I know he is 7. Better late than never right. He is starting to get the hang of it and I am sure by the end of the summer Trent will want his training wheels off. So hopefully we can get in some family bike rides this year.

Hope you all have a great summer!

The Lesser of Two Evils

Lately I try to avoid talking to people. Why? Because the polite ones say stuff like "What's new with you?" And, well, if THAT isn't a fully loaded questions these days I don't know what is.

It seems like a phase where I am tired of explaining all that is in fact new with us. Not that new is bad...I just get tired of telling it over and over. It was like when we bought our townhouse, everyone and their dog stopped by to see our first home purchase...It was so nice to have so many people love us and be proud of us that we had bought our first house. But in the same regard I got so tired of showing people around. You get to the point where you just want to say, I'll sit here with my kids and you go have a look around...just don't look in the closets, Oh wait and ignore the underwear on the kids bedroom floors and if you find any stray dirty diapers while your upstairs could you be a peach and bring it down with you.

Life has changed for us in some pretty big ways as of late.
I have a job.... a new job at the hospital, job. As Joseph would say in code it's the new J-O-B. I have been there for over a month now and yet he still spells J-O-B. That's a story in itself. I guess that's the throw back from asking him to keep it a secret for a few days. 5 weeks later is still in his mind "a few days."

Regardless, I like my new J-O-B its a huge change of pace from daycare. The daycare thing just wasn't healthy for my family...full time daycare that is. My kids suffered in ways my kids should never have to. I read the signs and made some choices. No more full time daycare! It was like the weight of the world has been lifted. I don't think *I* realized how stressed it was making me. Thus started the job hunt. I still have some part time daycare kids who are fantastic, they have great parents and they are great kids who I love having over once in awhile and it is FUN. Which, in my opinion, daycare needs to be. I really enjoy doing the daycare thing part time... do I enjoy the daycare or the kids... the kids really. They make me laugh. I like that it's a change of pace for my kids but it isn't every day all day long. It's like being the fun Aunt, you aren't responsible for them ALL the time so you can feed them fun stuff, do fun things and not worry about doing educational acitivities for a certain time frame each and every day, or worry that your feeding them all the right things. I am not left at the end of each day or week wondering if I did enough to shape them into good people. With part timers, they go home and their parents can worry about that. I just get to colour with them and play connect four and tickle tag.

Making the choice to go back to a J-O-B outside of the house was a long hard decision. Harder than quitting my old J-O-B. It came down to what was best for my family and as much as my not being here some evenings and weekends will be hard, in the long run it is the lesser of two evils. The fact of the matter is that I get to be home all day, every day and can do preschool stuff and grocery shopping, make supper and most importantly to Big Daddy and I, our kids are being cared for by US.

I guess the fact is that the downfall is that Big Daddy and I are once again at a place where our time together is limited. We once again have opposite work schedules. That is hard. I think I really packed that part of my married life away once Big Daddy was finished university. So, to unpack that part of life and almost in a sense re-live it is bizarre. But it is the choice we have made. Paying to send our kids to childcare just isn't for us, right now. Will it ever be, who knows. We just weren't ready to do that right now.

What else is new... Joseph has had to get new glasses because he is growing and is headed off to see an ear, nose, throat specialist about tubes in his ears and a tonsillectomy. Its a scary proposition. But facts need to be faced. We'll go and see what the pro says. He is losing teeth faster than the tooth fairy can collect them. We are on a a corn on the cob hiatus as of right now....

Trent never ceases to be Trent. He had some tough issues going on with my doing full time daycare. Thankfully he is bouncing back and is returning to himself which is so great to see. As much as I as a mother get frustrated with his enthusiasm sometimes, to see him not be so over zealous about everything was even more frustrating. Trent is back to his zesty self and loves life to the fullest. The other day right in front of one of his pals he smooched me and he ran back to his friend and said "you know, I REALLY love my Mom" ~swoon~ He is one smooth talker. I get more compliments from my four year old than I have in all my life.

Addie, what is new with her. I mean she is 16 months old what isn't new with her. She is our baby-girl. She is growing like weed, eating like a horse and FINALLY knows What a kitty cat says. It is really cute. She says "beeeowwwww" I guess we need to work the the mmmm sound. But little miss Addie knows how to say her name, nose, please, thank you, mama, dada, gramma, grampa, papa, jojo (joseph), tey (trent), purple, baby and a variety of other words. She definitely has the gift of gab. If you are on the phone she will proceed to lay herself on the kitchen floor and cry because she thinks that she needs to talk on the phone. Oh dear Lord help us... girls and telephones.

Also, I mean we just wouldn't be who we are if we didn't pack even more stuff in. We are on the hunt. The house hunt. It's be on-going for awhile now but we are in a more serious position now. We had to 'get there' mentally. Ok, I was there Big Daddy wasn't...he's now there. We are moving, when and where is to be determined. It's a scary prospect. But, I just have to have some faith that things will work out as they are supposed to. I know what I want, but what we end up with may be something totally different.

To top it off we are trying to find the time to get the kids to their activities. It's busy, it's fun and we relish in family movie night even more so now.

So, my apologies for being slack on the blog. That's life sometimes... some thing's gotta give. Today, it was my lunch dishes...they are still on the kitchen table because I felt the need to blog. I wonder if they magically rinsed themselves and crawled into the dishwasher???
Ya, I doubt it too.

Can we say "BUSTED!!"

Sometimes as hard as you try your kids do things that.... well... give away the farm so to speak.

Now lets just say that I like to spend some time on the computer. Right. Let's just say.
Addie and I have gotten into a bit of a routine that after breakfast we go downstairs for her to play and I check in on my facebook addiction. It's a well laid out plan that benefits everyone. Addie gets to play with all of the toys and I get to supervise.

I guess because Big Daddy isn't home daily when this goes on he didn't realize how rigid our routine could be. But Addie speechlessly informed him.

This morning after being awoken boy Joseph saying that he elbowed Trent in the face and there was blood. We all got up and were sitting around the kitchen table having breakfast. Thank you Eggo. Oh and for the record, Trent was OK. There was in fact some blood and little bit of a split lip...but nothing major. Have kids, you'll soo realize that if the blood isn't actually squirting out profusely, it isn't 'major'.

After breakfast Big Daddy was cleaning up the dishes and the kids were in the living room playing. I refilled my coffee cup and was standing in the hallway. Miss Addie spotted me and instantly ran to the basement door in anticipation that I would open it and we would head downstairs for our morning rituals.

That in itself tipped off Big Daddy and he asked if that was our routine since she seemed to know it so well. I couldn't hide it any longer could I.

It's just one of those things about parenthood. Your kids can tell you so much without ever speaking a word.

Colour blind with love

As long as I have known Big Daddy he has been a manly man. He is the type of guy who doesn't care if his clothes match or if his house is clean and won't eat vegetables because they are too girly. But to share one of his deep dark secrets, Big Daddy has a favorite blanket. Not ONLY does he have a favorite blanket it is pink. OK, let me clarify. I along with most of the world would call it pink. But Big Daddy being the manly man he thinks he is says it's purple. I guess purple isn't quite as girly as pink. But really, lets be realistic and call a spade a spade a light purplish colour is just as girly as pink.

Anyways, this 'blanket' resided on our bed for many years until Big Daddy bought me a duvet. I guess it never dawned on him that in getting a duvet that the pink blanket would become retired. But being the quilt of the God's it is we can't ever get rid of it, so in a closet it resides for occasions when it is needed. Like when someone is riding the couch with illness or a bed gets peed in and the original quilt is in the wash.

Night before last Joseph's bedding needed to be washed. I am not the best at laundry as it is and plus well, I have three kids, I forget stuff. Thus, when bedtime rolled around Joseph's bedding was still in the washing machine. Good thing I have extras! So I made up his bed and yanked out Big Daddy's old tattered pink quilt. When Big Daddy saw his eyes lit up with a sparkle and they were full of love...so much so that I think if it were me and the kids or the pink quilt, the quilt has a good chance of winning. As Joseph got out of the shower, dried off and in his pj's he strolls into his bedroom, spots the pink quilt and does a manly arm pump with a loud "woohoo I get the PINK blanket!". What is it with men and this pink quilt? Joseph was very excited. Big Daddy, not so much. He was quick to inform Joseph that the blanket was purple and not pink. However, Joseph with a disgusted look on his face was just a quick to tell Big Daddy "Dad, I REALLY think you need to learn your colours because this blanket is PINK!" while snuggling down under and absorbing its very being. Big Daddy...defeated by an almost seven year old.

I told Big Daddy that we really should preserve the quilt in good condition that way I can put it in his coffin with him. Oddly, he seemed very pleased with that idea. So in 70 years please don't ask me why Big Daddy has a pink blanket in there with him.

Fine Line

The other day it dawned one me that I have now hit that stage in my life where I don't wish days away. Because they are going too fast as it is and I somehow now have a kid in grade two.
But I wondered when did that happen? Does it happen when you have a child? Does it happen at a certain age? When do you hit that point in your life where you quit wishing you were older and start wishing you were younger?
I think we all spent some portion of our childhood trying to be more grown up...it seemed cooler and more fun because you could drive and stay out late. Now, that's all I freaking do is drive I think I solely have worn out the road between my house and the school since with three children it is unwalkable. I also somehow stay up late every night...if 10:30pm is 'late'.

But really, when does that change happen? Is overnight? Does one even make that change? or is it gradual? I don't remember when it happened?

I will admit that I am spending these days not wishing them away. Addie is growing up so fast and I miss have an itty bitty baby in the house. I miss her gurgles and sighs. She is now a walking, talking, sass machine that is only getting more vibrant as each day passes.
Today she fell asleep on the way home in the van and when we got in the house I sat in the rocker recliner and held her while she continued to nap. Big Daddy and I watched whole episode of Big Brother 8 while I held Addie. It was grand. I got to snuggle her and sniff her head and feel her breath on my face. I know that pretty soon I won't have anyone breathing on my face but Big Daddy and that isn't quite the same thing.

Life's little hang-ups...or hangers.

Recently my boys have seen the new movie Flushed Away Big Daddy actually bought them the DVD so as we all know how kids watch movies...we have seen Flushed Away about 3,679 times.

If your a thorough blog reader of mine you do realize that my two sons find any form of under ware or undies entertaining and amusing. Amusing enough that sometimes they wear Two pairs at one time.

In the movie Flushed Away the boys think the funniest part is when Roddy holds up a pair of women's under ware and sings "and the lady wears big undies"

So, me being the hip Mother I try to be, last night as I was folding laundry I held up a pair of Big Daddy's undies and sang the little tune. The boys enjoyed my first showing and laughed ferociously. I proceeded to do it with each family members undies. The boys can dish but they can't take and each of them got offended when I held up their undies on display. To balance out my act I topped the event off with my own undies...however.... I had no undies left to fold, only a bra. So, I sang it about my bra.

Joseph then busts out laughing. He then says to me "MOM!!! That's not undies!! That's your boobie hanger!"

I don't know much about what happened after that as my medical attention was to Big Daddy. He almost needed rescue breathing after falling off the couch and laughing so hard he couldn't intake air.

Boobie hanger.... only my child would come up with that one.

I swore I wouldn't!!!

You are all never going to believe what I have done. I swore through and through that I would never do it! NEVER!!! I feel deep down in my gut that I have sold my soul to the devil. Well, the food devil's if you will.

Me, the accomplished dinner-screwer-upper has done the utterly unthinkable. To boot, I was good at it, it was grand and Big Daddy loves me even more for doing it. So much so, he has asked me to do it again sometime. I don't know if I ever want to do it again, it was a lot of work and I wound up all sweaty, smelly and I feel really.... well.... OLD!

Isn't it that only old people cook turkeys??? Yes, I know your shocked to your very core that *I* cooked a turkey. I will give you a moment to recover since I am sure you are forclempt. To be honest when I tell people they really don't believe me. That is why I took pictures. My family has even eaten said turkey and thus far have lived to tell about it.

Isn't it pretty! Well, not really but I didn't have time to put a bow or anything on it.



I made gravy too! Wanna see?


And my family about to eat it all


Don't look too closely or you will notice the following things:

A) I don't own a roaster that will hold a turkey. So instead I used the bottom part of my broiling pan. It worked since my "lid" was to be tinfoil anyways according to my "recipe".

B) Joseph looks impressed huh! Don't worry it's usual for him. If it isn't Kraft Dinner or Peanut Butter sandwiches that is generally the look I get at all meals. I am used to it now, I let it slide off my back.

C) I do not own a gravy boat. My gravy is served in a Tupperware measuring cup thingy that has a handle. It did the trick.

All in all it was an experience. I am glad that for my first time I shared with no one but my immediate family. That way if I screwed up big time the McDonald's order wouldn't have been too expensive. I however, wouldn't be too afraid to try again for others....some day and hopefully not soon.

Midnight Madness

Are these things that only happen in our house? Or do weird things happen in all homes all across the world while people are supposed to be asleep? I swear my children are at their utter strangest from 11:30pm until around 6:45 am.

Joseph is the good sleeper. He generally gets into bed and dosen't get out again until 6 or 7am. Remember I said "generally" he does get up for oddity's some nights and does occasionally wet the bed. But don't let him know I told you that.

The other night Big Daddy and I are fast asleep. Joseph waltz's in around 4am. *taptaptap* on Big Daddy's shoulder (by the way, how is that for well trained that they go to Big Daddy's side of the bed...sweet huh!). Big Daddy is a heavy sleeper so I am sure there was more than one *taptaptap* until he has to hiss a quietly loud "DAD"

Big Daddy finally clues in to someone being there "what"
J - "I umm, lost my pants"
BD - "you WHAT?"
sidenote ~ Big Daddy is about as blind as they come so without his glasses on he can see pretty much nothing!
J - "I lost my pants!"
BD - "Where?" because I guess that matters at 4am?
J - "I dont know, I woke up and they were gone"
BD ~ reaches over not able to see a thing and his hand hits nakedness "WHAT?"
J - "Dad, I LOST my pants!"
BD - "Well, did you wet the bed and forget to put new ones on?"
J - "No"
BD - "well, go put new ones on and go back to bed"
J - "top too?"
BD - "whatever"

What I don't quite understand about all of this is that in the morning Joseph was infact wearing the same top and bottoms I put on him when he went to bed? It's a good thing I don't drink heavily on a daily basis or this could get confusing.

Saving the best for last

Well, throughout this pregnancy I always thought that I would have this baby long before Big Daddy's birthday. I assumed wrong. I have never been pregnant this long before and today I for once hit the 40 week mark. It is a good feeling on one hand, but on the other it is a feeling as though you need to blow a st. bernard out your ass. But ce la vie.

Today Big Daddy turns the big 3-0. How does he feel about it, he says "ok". I dont think he can see past the homemade chocolate cake. That alone this year is his birthday gift. It took more effort than I needed to exude at this time. Happy Birthday Big Daddy!!!!

Tomorrow is D day. Delivery that is. Induction - 8am. Don't worry people, you can all stop phoning me on a daily basis now, Big Daddy will let you all know the news.

The sad reality is that today is the last day I will ever be pregnant. I hope that I can take some time to relish that tonight. Goodbye maternity clothes, hello regular old fat pants.