Lazy, Lazy,Lazy?

No, just busy, busy, busy...

This is my excuse for being lax in the way of blogging. In truth, I forget that not everyone I know is on Facebook, and therefore do not have minute to minute updates of my crazy schedule.

In case you were wondering, my trip was AWESOME! We truly could not have picked a better place to go. Weather was gorgeous, food was almost too good, and we went on three great tours.
The night before we left, I stayed at my friend Kristin's place, since she lives nearer the airport, and we had to be there 3 hours before (read: 4am!). We decided that there wasn't much point in going to sleep, so by the time we arrived in San Salvador, we were running on 48 hours of no sleep. But, as soon as our luggage hit the room, we were in our bathing suits and off for a swim, drink and snack. I think we took a nap before dinner. Needless to say, we went to bed early that night, but were raring to go the next day.

We went to the orientation deal, where they tell us about the resort, and about all of the different tours that they offer. After booking our tours and our a la carte dinners, we were going to go play in the ocean, only to discover that the tide was out, and daily remains so until about 3 pm. So we lounged by the pool, sipped our drinks and read our books. But when the tide came in? Woo hoo! 8 to 10 foot waves that knocked us onto our asses! It was a blast.

The next day, we went on our first tour, which was the Mayan route. We saw lots of Mayan pyramid ruins and a few museums with wonderful pottery finds and tools. Our next tour was the coffee tour, and this was by far my favourite. We went to the coffee plantation in the mountains, saw the coffee trees, and the greenhouse where they have the baby grafted coffee trees. We also saw 3 monoliths on the only private archeological site. Next we went to the factory where they process the coffee (that you drink at Starbucks!). It was like being in a 3 hour episode of "How It's Made". We saw production of coffee from berry to green bean. We also got to sample some, and it was sooooooo good. Bought some coffee there, as well as coffee bean jewellery which was pretty neat.

Our third tour was the Culture and Crafts tour. We saw a beautiful church, and lots of open-air craft markets where we spent the remainder of our spending money.

The rest of the time at the resort was spent relaxing, reading, eating, drinking, and dodging those huge waves! We were all reluctant to leave, especially since we came home to snow, snow and more snow. (Props to Kris, who saved my ass on the way home by packing light. I was 5 pounds over, and she was 5 pounds under, so I got to take her weight limit for my luggage. Thank GOD! Or else I was looking at a $50 overage fee.)

And speaking of snow, holy crap! I don't know what we are going to do if it snows again. Where to put it? Our yard already looks like Whistler. Some guys are coming tomorrow to install the chair lifts.

The good and bad of it: March Break. The good? I don't have to make lunches at 6:30 am. I don't have to harass the kids into their snowsuits for the school run. Homework is a leisurely thing. We get to hang out with Flat Stanley (more about that later). I get to do fun stuff with the kids, like LEGO land, Chapters craft afternoons, and playdates that include the moms.

The bad of it: It's March break. Which means that for 7 days, I have to keep 3 kidlets from killing each other for 14 hours a day instead of 5. I don't have any alone time. My living room floor is ALWAYS covered in both LEGO and Thomas the Tank Engine (and friends!).

But hey, you know me. Mrs. Optimism, right? Ha ha. Yeah, I know, my maiden name will always be Miss Sarcasm...

Tomorrow I'm going for session #2 of Ty's speech therapy block, while Oma minds the other two. Tuesday I am hopefully having a kid and mom playdate. Wednesday we are off to LEGO land. Thursday to Chapters...not sure about Friday...maybe Maple Syrup Festival on Saturday at either Bronte or Montsberg. And Sunday I'm taking Phoenix and Keegan to the 80's Toy Expo, so that should be fun.

Now. About Flat Stanley. Ever heard of this fellow? He is a book character created by Jeff Brown. To sum it up, Stanley Lambchop is a boy who is flattened when a bulletin board falls on him. He survives and makes the best of his condition. He is turned into a kite by his brother, nails some art thieves by posing on a museum wall, and can be mailed to his friends.

In 1995, Dale Hubert, a third-grade school teacher in London, Ontario, started the Flat Stanley project, where the kids involved make their own "Flat Stanley"s and document the things that they do with him. Phoenix has to do this with his Flat Stanley during March break, take pictures of F.S. doing different activities, and bring the pictures to school after the break and talk about their adventures. So far, Phoenix's F.S. has been snapped playing with LEGO, and snow-blowing the driveway. Will post pictures at the week's end.

In other news, it is once again Roll Up the Rim to Win time at Tim Hortons. My friend's husband won a GPS. I have won a coffee and a "donut". And, wait, let me roll up my rim here to see if I won anyting....and...hey! A coffee! Sweet. If I win the GPS, I plan to strap it to the stroller and take off to the wilds with Ty. Right now, I'd be happy to win a loaded Tim's card to pay for my nightly caffeine habit. Happy drinking everyone!

On that note, I am off to bed. Even though there's no school for Phoenix and Keegs, Ty still goes 3 mornings a week and tomorrow is one of them. Regardless, he is up at the crack of my crack so I have to be up with him, lest he should wander about the house, in seek and destroy mode. Hope you all have a good week, and I shall return with our photo essay of the adventures of Flat Stanley.

Time's A-Tickin'

In only 9 days, I will be outta here! My friend Kristin and I have booked ourselves a girls' vacation. One week, all-inclusive, and guaranteed no shovelling of snow. We are off to San Salvador, El Salvador, where this upcoming week, the weather will be sunny, with highs between 30 and 33C, and lows around 18C at night. Pretty sweet.

As the Queen of Procrastination, I have surprised even myself at the amount of pre-planning I have done for this trip. I cleaned out my drawers and closets. Tried on a bunch of summer stuff, and put in a haphazard pile, all of the clothes I intend to pack. I bought a couple of new shirts, a pair of shorts, some capri pants, and 3 new bathing suits. I have sunscreen and chapstick. Cameras locked and loaded to go. And most importantly, I have written up a Husband/Father Survival Guide for the week I am gone, as Mark is taking the week off to be Father of the Year while I am away.

I was surprised at the amount of stuff he needs to know; after all, they are his kids too. He lives in the same house as we do. As my friend would say, God is in the details. Like what time school starts. When it ends. Which days they each attend. Pizza Day. Dance-A-Thon. Library days. Spelling homework. Reading logs. Writing practice. Language therapy. Medication. How to operate the washing machine, and dryer. All of these big and little things and more. It's enough to make one's head spin. My friend Darra said that seemed like too much work to even leave the house.

I say, girlfriend, it is worth it. Take the time, to take the time out. So needless to say, this will be a very busy week for me, getting everything ready to go, not just for me, but for the FOUR boys I am leaving behind.

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On a separate note, how often do you do laundry? I seems, no, it is the reality, that around here, I put the laundry away, and fill up the baskets again. It is never-ending! I am doing laundry as I type! (Okay, well, the machines are, but I have to load them, and fold or hang stuf...so you know what I mean).

Speaking of laundry...have you seen the new Gain commercial? The one where the guy puts on a shirt, and spends minutes smelling and stroking it, until his wife walks by and looks at him like he is some kind of freak? Well, recently, after a static-cling-induced rage of my husband's, I bought some Bounce dryer sheets. Today I washed towels, and threw one of these in. I got out the shower a while ago, and spent a creepily-long amount of time smelling my towel. So soft, so fresh! I guess the Gain Guy and I have some bizarre connection. And that really weirds me out.

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Yesterday afternoon, I took a rare nap. Not planned, just passed out on the couch, with the back-of-the-mind assurance that Mark was home for the day, and was watching the kidlets. It was such a nice nap. Nice dreams accompanied said nice nap. Until Ty Superfly Snuka, in a rare moment of top-rope aerialist flying attacks, body-slammed me from the end of the couch. He laughed until he peed himself (which he didn't care, mom will change his diaper anyway) and I counted broken ribs. Kripes! (Mantra of that day? "Children are a blessing. Children are a blessing.")

Well, I suppose that I should go and fold the next load of laundry. Even though it is 10:30 at night, and the kidlets are asleep. And husband is in bed watching a movie. Sigh. How long till that vacation again?

Death By Toddler

A conversation I had today with Ty, after opening his bedroom door to discover that he had taken every single one of 500 wipes from the container, rolled it into a ball, and stashed them all over his room:

Me: OH..........MY..........LANTA! TY!!!! Are you trying to torture me?
Ty: Yes.
Me: Well, don't do that Ty. It's not nice to torture your mother!
Ty: Okay.
Me: Never do this again, got it?
TY: Alright.
Me: I mean it.
Ty: Okay. Alright....I yuv you!
Me: (sighing) I love you too...Are you going to go for a nap today...without destroying your room?
Ty: No.

Rage Beyond Rage, plus a bit of Despair

Today I am feeling rage beyond rage. In past postsI have talked about my son Keegan, and how he has been struggling for years now with a language delay. He was in a pre-school speech and language program, which did wonders for his language development, then was promptly kicked out upon reaching the school system. The "wise" reasoning behind this? Because apparently students receive these services through the school board and they can't "double-task".

So, at the end of June last year, I sat in a room with a bunch of teachers and therapists etc., who told me that they were going to apply on Keegan's behalf to enter a program that is one term long, called the early language development centre. Then I was told that because he didn't spend a JK year at the school, he was not elegible for the centre in September, and they would reapply for the February-June session. I was supposed to hear one way or the other by Christmas break. I didn't. I called the school today, and apparently, they received "rejection" letters yesterday, and Keegan was one of them. No reason was given in the letter. And apparently, if I want more answers I have to call the school board.

All of his assessments, from the developmental pediatrician, to his speech pathologist, to the educational assessment psychologist all agreed that Keegan has a language delay that puts his language 2 years behind where he should be. If he does not receive intervention at school, he is at risk of a learning disability by the end of Grade 1. So, here we are.

I was so counting on him being accepted into this program. Everyone was telling me that he was a perfect candidate, and now he gets nothing. Rage. Beyond. Rage. And...despair...at the thought of having to carve a new and difficult road outside of school for his learning opportunities. Eff.

Holiday Round Up

Well, it has been quite busy around here since I last posted. December was a very chaotic month. I was mostly consumed with the planning of my father's 70th birthday party, which took place on the 16th.Those of you who are local may remember that day as "The Arrival of the Snowstorm From Hell." So, my planning of the party, which was supposed to have 70 attendees, with a rented hall, and a boatload of food, ended up being myself, my husband, my kids, two of my brothers and about 10 die-hard family members and friends. The weather definitely put a HUGE damper on the entire affair, but for those that did make it, we all had a good time. Just a little defeating to spend so much time planning, and have it ruined by weather. Sigh!

So with my energy being wrapped up in all that, I found myself with less than two weeks to go to Christmas, and no baking or shopping done. Needless to say, time was of the essence in those remaining days and I was a whirling dervish of activity. As usual, I was stressed to the max and fretting all the while, when, in the end, everything turned out beautifully. This was aided and abetted by the fact that most of the Christmas entertaining was out of my hands. We had a fabulous Christmas Eve dinner and present-opening bonanza at my sister-in-law Ela's place. Christmas morning brought breakfast with my Dad and two brothers, and another round of presents. Then we made our way to my Auntie Cathy's place for an amazing dinner (and yes, more presents! Kripes!) Boxing Day was my entertaining day with my brother and his family coming out for the day.

I thought we were done, but it didn't really end there, which is great too. We got to see a lot of friends, and spend time with family, as the kiddies were off for another week, as was my husband. Tomorrow I have put aside as a day of ultimate vegging, before starting back into the school and homework routine.

We were lucky enough (knock on wood) to have escaped any major illnesses over the holiday, unlike many of my friends and their families who were visited by the Grinch in the form of the Norwalk virus. Not the way you want to lose weight, from what I have heard. I am glad to hear they they have all crawled back into the land of the living. I hope the New Year brings good health for everyone! (Oops, too late. Just got off the phone with my friend Kris who thinks she either has Norwalk or food poisoning from take-out souvlaki. Hugs (from a distance, mind) Kris!)

In other news, I am slowly creeping back into the working world, with proofing and copyediting jobs being thrown my way. It is nice to get back into that scene, and to realize that I have not put any of those skills into the mental recycle bin over the years.

With the advent of the New Year, many people have asked me if I have made any resolutions. I told my friend Shane, "Only to not make any resolutions!", but that is not really true. I think we all see the beginning of a new year as an opportunity to make a new start, and to try to develop some good habits that have fallen by the wayside. I am going to try to get on the treadmill, and am seriously going to put energy into giving up my greatest vice of all. CHOCOLATE. I think I would gross you all out if I told you the amount of chocolate I consume in a week. I honestly believe, if I eat half-way decently, and give up the chocolate, I could lose 20 pounds in a month. So, there's my goal. On February 7, I will let you know if I made that forecasted target.

The other thing I am going to try to do, is to devote a minimum of 1-3 hours a day to my writing. Only I can make that time, and I really want to get back to it. Excuses only go so far.

So, to be a cliche, what are your resolutions? Any? Stubbornly none? Broken them already? Let me know in the comments, and keep me posted on your progress. Let us all be inspirations for each other.

PS. Oh yeah, my other resolution? To get to bed before 11:00 pm on week nights. We'll see how that and the 1-3 hours of writing fall into place together.

Take care.

Poetry Corner by Two of My Favourite People

The first poem is by my son, Phoenix, called, "On the Night I Was Born".

On the night that I was born,
the whole world came alive with thanksgiving.
Trees were swaying and the
stars were dancing.
And it rained all night, and its
boom was like a drum.
On the night that I was born, I brought wonder
and magic to the world.

The second poem I would like to share, is by my talented friend Christy. She wrote this poem and gave it to me for my birthday, stating that although it wasn't entirely about me, she felt it captured the essence of me. I love it:

Love

Love has big blue eyes, blonde hair and hot pink,
crescent moon-shaped earrings.
She has a wide ass and two rolls of fat over the top
of her black jeans.
She can pick up small objects with her pretty blue-painted toes.
Talk to her--it's so easy.
She smiles, looks in my eyes and slowly takes my hands in hers. Her hands are large and warm.
She likes to dance.
She whispers a secret in my ear.
We cook Kraft Dinner. We eat.
We study the colour orange.
After, it's time to walk the dog.
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(And to be fair, I only have one roll of fat...)

Thank you both for such lovely words.

Deja Vu

I took Ty for intergration screening on Thursday. This is basically a series of skills tests to see if he has any developmental delays. Sadly, he does. We went in knowing that he was delayed in speech and language, so that was not a real surprise. However, he also scored as having delays in fine motor (pencil grasp, bead stringing), and cognitive learning ( following instructions, understanding task instructions).

When we went through this process with Keegan, and got his test results, I came home and cried for three hours. This time I swore under my breath in 7 languages. (Talented, I know...) On the one hand, at least this time, I know what to expect, and generally what I have to do to get him on track. And with Ty, we are getting him in the system a whole year sooner than Keegan, so that can only be to his benefit. On the other hand, it is really, really sad. Especially since they want me to place Ty in a preschool immediately so he can access services.

I had intended on placing him a few mornings a week in the fall, so he could get socialized and ready for JK the following year. Ty is my last child. I wanted him at home so I could enjoy what is left of his "baby" years. I had Phoenix home until he was four. Keegan had to go to preschool at 3 1/2, and that was very hard for me. To have to put Tyger on a bus and send him away from me at such a tender age (for even a few mornings a week) is ripping my heart out. I know that it is what it best for him. I know that. But it doesn't make the decision any easier.

For all that I post about his horrible antics and hair-greying activities, he is my baby. I want him HOME. To put it in the most succinct way possible: this SUCKS.

Sigh.........................................

So today, I called the preschool to have him put on the entry list. I will hear back on Monday. In the meantime, I intend to spend every little second enjoying Ty in the 100% time we have together. Until I have to pass the reins. For a few hours a week.

Official Titles

You know, I tire of filling out the occupation part of forms with the word "homemaker". Firstly, it is outdated, and secondly, it doesn't even come close to a job description. Sometimes, if they ask to just fill in the blank, I write "MOM". But that doesn't cover it either. It think they should give you more space to fill in all of your accreditations and roles. Mine would look something like this:

BAAJ=Bachelor of Applied Arts-Journalism
ALHC=Associate Life and Health Claims
FLMA=Fellow Life Managemant Association
MOM=Most Outstanding Mother

Other titles or roles:

Wife
Daughter
Sister
Cousin
Aunt
Godmother
Friend
Housekeeper
Cook
Laundress
Seamstress
Costume Designer
Baker
Speech and Language Therapist
Occupational Therapist
Nurse
Doctor
Psychologist
Photographer
IT Specialist
Communication Liason
Homework Tutor
Diaper-changer
Potty-trainer
Proof-reader
Editor
Volunteer

...and maybe Procrastination Expert? As you can see, with all of these "titles", homemaker just doesn't cut it.

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In keeping with my role this month as staff costume designer, I went out this evening and picked up the rest of my supplies from Fabricland to assemble the costumes for myself and the kidlets. Of course, Phoenix being Phoenix, changes his mind at the 11th hour, so I had to scramble to organize the filing system in my brain to accomodate his costume choice. It's all good. Now I just have to put everything together. And I think this year, the glue gun isn't going to do the job. I am going to have to break down and sew. And as you may imagine, with my hurtin' hands, it's not going to be a fun job...but I did, in the interest of personal safety, pick up a thimble for preventative medicine.

Other roles employed lately have been homework tutor (helping Phoenix with his general homework, (well, supervising its completion), studying for spelling tests and a social science test), nurse and doctor (Mark, Keegs and Ty all have colds, and Ty's asthma has flared up a bit, so there's all that to deal with), speech and language therapist for Keegan and Ty, and on and on.

Quite a lot to do, in a job that provides no paycheck. But the benefits are awesome! (Read: love, hugs, and kisses).

PS Any titles I may have missed? Post them in the comments...

Here We Go Again...

Well, just when I had thought the journey was reaching, if not completion, then at least a flat stretch of road during which I could set the cruise control and coast for a bit, it turns out that Ty need speech therapy as well. As he is now about 2 1/2, he should be using 2 and 3 word sentence combinations, and aside from the few he knows, like thank you, all gone, oh boy, etc., he is not really doing so on anything close to a consistent basis. It could be that he is just a slow talker, but I thought the same thing at first with Keegan, and so this time I am willing to err on the side of caution, and get him into speech therapy a year earlier. Maybe it will help to avoid the receptive language issues that Keegan has now.

So today, he had his first session. It went pretty well, I think. He was a bit shy, as he had never met the speech path before, and he was introduced to many new toys and things. But she managed to coax a few words out him with the aid of toy and food bribes. (Hey, he likes goldfish crackers! Who knew?)

So he goes for the next two Mondays as well, then we take a break to work on all of the goals that the speech path will set for him.

In other news, I had a slew of tests run lately, determining that I am very low in iron, so I am on a supplement for that, and eating lean beef twice a week. My thyroid was acting up, but showed okay on the last test, so I am going to be tested monthly for the next little while to ensure that it isn't fluctuating any more. I had some other tests run as well, and when I get my results back (hopefully this week) I will update on that as well.

School is going well for the boys. Keegs had a few hiccups at the beginning, but I think that they were just due to transition anxieties, and now his teacher reports that he is a very eager student, very willing to please, and contributes regularly to discussions and loves music and library time.

Speaking of library time, at his school, they have this great program in place, where every child in the kindergarten class gets matched up with a grade 4 reading buddy, who helps them pick out books in the library, and reads with them. Keegan's buddy is Mitchell, and he adores him.

Keegan informed me today that he and his girlfriend Rebecca are going to get married, but they are taking Grandpa's advice and waiting until they turn 6. Too cute! Must be a Carroll child, with a girlfriend (and pseudo-fiancee) at the age of 5!

Phoenix's world has turned quite social these days. He is delighted to be going to 3 birthday parties in the space of a month. His reading is much improved this year, and his teacher has indicated that he is now ready to start reading chapter books! Far cry from the kid who used to go into tearful convulsions if you tried to get him to read even a sentence last year. I am quite relieved. It was killing me to have a kid that hated to read, when I am such an avid reader! I couldn't understand. Books. Reading. What's not to like?

Next month I am taking Keegs and Phoenix to get their eyes tested. And also next month is Ty's global assessment, which if you remember from when I took Keegan, is basically a general testing to see if he has any delays in speech, language, fine and gross motor, behaviour and all that jazz. If he has two or more, he will be eligible for the subsidy and subsequent assistance when he goes into preschool in the fall.

Mark spent all day Saturday hosting the Field and Stream Rescue Team's 1st Annual Freezer Open Golf Tournment. For his first year doing it, it went rather well. People were very good about donating prizes for the event, and after all expenses and stuff, he was able to raise about $600 for the cause. I know that next year will be even better! Good job babe!

And speaking of Mark, he and I will be celebrating our 1o year anniversary this Thursday! It's been a wild decade, and I am so glad we were able to live it together. Here's to at least 8 more decades together! ( I realized that we the other day that we had coasted through the 7-year itch without even noticing! Must be a good sign.)

Hope everyone has a good week, and enjoys some better weather than the overcast drizzly crapola we are getting here. Bye for now...

What are you "fancfl" for?

Thanksgiving....turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie. The best part of Thanksgiving for me lately has been asking the kids what they are thankful for.

At school, Phoenix drew a turkey, with handprints for tailfeathers, each listing a thing he was thankful for:

"I am fancful for...Canida, Water, Family, Frends, Trees, Life and Food".

Keegan's read "I am thankful for: turkeys."

I asked Ty what he was thankful for. He smiled, and said "Honey!" Thanks, babe.

What am I thankful for? My husband, my boys, my dad, my brothers, my great, great friends both new and old, my wonderful in-laws...I am thankful that after each day, I still am here to experience the next one. Spontaneous hugs and kisses. A letter in the mail. A genuine smile from passersby. For the worst of days that make me more appreciate the good ones.

For my life.

Product Plugging

Thought I'd take a break from the usual crap about my life, and promote a few products that I have purchased at could not live without:

Best jeans EVER: Cruel Girl Madison jeans
Best chocolate: Milk Mint Meltaways from Walker's Chocolates
Cleaning products: Mr Clean Eraser
Fantastic Orange Power Cream Cleaner (for glass stovetops)
Laundry: Spray 'n'Wash Dual Power
Chappy Lips: Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm
Cold Sores: Abreva (expensive as hell, but worth every penny!)
Hair Product: Sunsilk hair cream (for those prone to fizz)

The best thing I have purchased all year was from the Regal catalogue. On the box, it has the label "as seen on tv" so there were probably commercials about it. If you are like me, and have dry, severly cracked heels and calluses, you must buy the "Soft n' Smooth Foot Care System". Basically, it is like a belt sander for your feet. It comes with this electric sander (which takes 3 AA batteries), with little sandpaper-esque attachments, and buffer pads. I should have taken before and after shots of my heels because the difference was amazing!

And, I am not being paid to promote this, so you know, it's really good!

If you have any recommendations on anything, I'd love to hear them! Leave me your list of fave things in the comments.

Happy shopping!

Poetry Corner: Hints of Housework Haiku

Chores: A Haiku in 5 parts

By: Shannon

Washing and folding
Baskets never empty here
Damned laundry fairy

Why do you always
Leave dishes on the counter
Not in the machine?

Toilet paper roll
It seems to only get changed
By my own two hands

Diapers you fill up
Oh! What is that aroma?
You little stinker

Shampoo on your heads
Lotion on your round bellies
Powder on your bums

59 Reasons Why I Think Ty Is Turning Into Stewie Griffin

It all started in January when he discovered how to get out of his crib/playpen. I knew then that I was doomed. This is a kid who has the face of an angel, and the craftiness of the devil himself.

Since that fateful day, he has thrown a total of 19 coasters into the fishtank. He has ripped pages out of 3 of my books, and destroyed 14 of his books. He took the cap off of the shampoo bottle and poured it onto the bathroom floor. He has totally unravelled 3 full rolls of toilet paper. He has pulled uncountable amounts of Kleenex from the box, then proceeded to shred them into 18 trillion pieces. He has gotten into my icing gels, and turned his hair into punk streaks of violet and turquoise. He has taken utensils out of the kitchen drawer and hidden them in various parts of the house. He has systematically taken every piece of clean and folded laundry out of the basket and dumped them all over the floor. He has broken 3 pairs of glasses (2 of mine, and one of Oma's). He has pulled the cable from the tv. He has ripped out stereo speaker wires. He has bashed 3000 dents in my pine dining table. In the fishbowl upstairs he has placed a Webkinz cat, his stuffed dinosaur, a notepad, a light-up UFO toy, and the baby monitor. He has locked me out of the house while I check to see if we have any mail.

And today, in the space of 1.2 nanoseconds, he ran ahead of me into the kitchen, opened a drawer, grabbed the scissors and ran off with them. I went the other way to intercept him, and while trying to pry the weapon from his tiny but amazingly strong fingers, and avoid him taking out an eye, he opened and closed them 6 times in succession on my thumb.

He is okay. I am not. Ou-effing-ch!

Now, I know that you are reading this, thinking, what a bad mother! Isn't she watching him? But that's the point. He sits and waits. And waits. And waits. For that one minute where you are momentarily distracted by the phone or doorbell or concern from another child or your spouse, and then he leaps (oh-so-silently) into havoc-wreaking action.

My aunts will remember the horror stories that my mom and dad told about my brother Paul, and his dastardly deeds as a small (and not so small) child. So I ask you, where is the karma? How did I end up with the kid that was, by all rights, supposed to be his?

But. Then.

He runs into my arms. He pats my face gently with his small hands. He snuggles around until his cheek is nestled against the skin of my neck. He presses his forehead into mine and looks into my eyes. He calls me "Honey". And I think, he may be trying to drive me over the fine edge to insanity, but he's sweet. And warm. And affectionate. And he's mine. For better or for a whole lot worse.

The New Bible Arriveth

My children seem to have embraced a new bible. Perhaps you have seen it. I'm guessing you even clutched one to your chest for 5 months of the year like my kids do.

The Sears Christmas Wish Book.

The Holy Grail of all things toy (I mean, who cares about the jewellery, clothes, and furniture crap the rest of the book is filled with?). It arrived last week, and already naturally falls open to the page sporting the newest Transformer toys.

"Mom!" Keegan said of a movie replica of Bumblebee, "YOU HAVE TO BUY ME THIS!!!!" Phoenix took a glance, shook his head and said, "Forget it, Keegan. It's way too expensive. Put it on your Grandpa list."

I have to admit, I love seeing the two of them squished together in a chair with the Toy-bible spread across their laps, pointing to this thing and that, occasionally calling out a price, ($17.99???) with the hopeful look that says, I hope this is within a decent price-range for mom to consider...

And with a slow smile lighting up my face, with a look that is almost Grinch-esque in quality, I realize with glee that even though it is only August, I can now put the Santa-threat into full effect for compliance in all matters right up until Dec 25.

"Fine, don't clean up the toys...but Santa and his elves are watching you ALL THE TIME..."

Tee hee hee.

5 Years/A Lifetime

5 years ago, my mom passed away. Some days it seems like I've been missing her for a lifetime, others, it's like it happened yesterday. My mom was the symbol to me of everything good. Good wife, good sister, good friend. Good mom. I looked to her in everything I did; she was my standard on how to do things right. She still is.





Although it has been five years, I still remember her voice, her laugh, the smell of her perfume, and the feel of her arms around me in a hug. I see her in my children; I see her when I look in the mirror.





I can only hope that one day, I will live up to all that she was, and all that she is in my heart.





Mom, I love you and miss you. Today, and every day.





XOXO





Shannon

It Was a Lovely Day

Today was a great day from tip to tail.

Keegan was the sparkle of my day today. He came home from school positively BURSTING with pride. He had written his name all by himself. And I have to say, his printing is beautiful; better than Phoenix's and he is two years older! Plus he actually ate lunch at school, for the first time in three weeks.

We had a great afternoon too. My friend Christy came over with her two daughters, who are the same ages as Phoenix and Keegs, and the kiddies had a great time in the pool. I had a fabulous time chatting with Christy.

Then this evening, Keegan had his last soccer game, and scored the winning goal in the last 2 seconds of the game! Every parent on both sides were cheering! He was so proud. And because it was the last game, all of the kids got participation medals, but Keegan was convinced it was because he got the goal. He practically has sparkles coming off of the top of his head. Too cute.

All in all a great day.

Pictures, Pictures, Gotta Love Pictures

Phoenix on the tree swing his cousin Lucas rigged up.

Keegs and Phoenix kicking back on Uncle Paul's boat.

Keegan driving Uncle Fern's boat. Note the look of concentration!

Keegan's first catch! A good sized smallmouth bass.

Ty giving me the "For the love of God, Mommy, get me the hell out of this canoe!" look.

Keegan checking out a frog. He asked me if he kissed it, would it turn into a beeyouteeful princess?

View from the upper deck.

Front of the cottage.

Back, Baby!

Yes, yes, I'm back from vacation. I know you were all on tenterhooks waiting for me to post, so here I am. (Yeah, right.) Anyway, here's the dish.

We rented a cottage for the week on Pigeon Lake in Bobcaygeon. First off, I have to say that the cottage was beautiful. It was very nicely furnished, clean, and with a completely stocked kitchen, from a salad spinner to an electric knife. Very nice compared to other cottages we've rented which have 3 bowls and a spoon.

The bonus of the week was getting to spend extra time with my sister-in-law Ela, who is one of my very best friends, and her kids, who are the best too. They are very good to my kids, considering the age gaps (my niece and nephew are 10 and 12, where as my kiddies are 2, 5, & 7).

I was looking forward to the week also, because my brother took the same week off, and has a place on the same lake, so I figured we'd get to spend a lot of time together, and my two eldest boys were excited about hanging with their Uncle Paul.

Well, here's the ups and downside (s) to the week: Pigeon Lake, while fabulous for fishing, sucks for swimming. It is choked with weeds and is now infested with dead carp (google dead carp in the Kawarthas and you'll see what I mean), so that meant minimal swimming for the kids. And actually, by day three, officials were advising against swimming in the lake (not because of the virus that was killing the carp, as it does not transfer between species, but) because of the bacteria caused by the decomposing fish. Lovely. So, with no swimming, what to do with the kidlets? Well, there's always fishing.

Phoenix and especially Keegan (aka Izumi) had a great time fishing with their Uncle Fern. Phoenix caught a few rock bass, and Keegan, within 3 seconds of casting his first line, caught a nice sized smallmouth bass. Then he caught a rock bass, and a baby perch (which he declared "so cute!" and kissed it before tossing it back into the water). Mark and Auntie Ela took the kids for canoe rides which they greatly enjoyed as well.

The rest of the time, we read, played countless games of Scrabble (never take on Lucas, you can't win against him!), or ate yummy food. One day Mark and the kids and I went into Fenelon Falls to walk around, and stop for ice cream. We found a great little park there with a fabulous playground, and a nice beach and graduated swim area onto Sturgeon Lake. Mark took the boys and Ela and her kids there the next day to swim.

And as for hanging with Uncle Paul? Well, he seemed a lot more interested in fishing with my brother-in-law, than with spending time with me and my family. Pissed me off, if you want to know (in case you are reading this, buster!). I actually had to send my kids off to him at the dock in their lifejackets to ask them for a ride in his new boat. (N.B. I never was offered a ride in his boat, period.) I also had to invite myself and family to his trailer to check it out. I was annoyed that he spent more time with my in-law and his kids than he spent with me and mine. But what can you do?

Evenings were good. We either sat around the campfire, eating toasted marshmallows and drinking Bailey's-spiked coffee while watching the bats swoop around to eat the mosquitoes, or hid from the bugs and played Scrabble at the kitchen table.

Nights? Not so good. Mainly because Mark and I had what I have come to call "the unwanted roommate"-aka Ty. Ty, from night one, decided that 12-2:30 am was a great time to crawl onto our bed, jump on our heads, and sing what lyrics he knows from the Wiggles, count from 1-10, skip along the alphabet song, and run through his repetoire of animal sounds. NOT FUN!!!!!!! Little bugger! Plus, mid-week his asthma kicked in, so I was on puffer-duty all day and night too. So, Mark and I pretty much need a vacation now from our vacation!

All in all, I would give this vacation a 6.5/10. The kids would score it at least two points higher.

It was a nice place, but not for a couple with three VERY BUSY kidlets, that need to swim.

Did get some nice nature shots though. Enjoy! I will post pictures of the cottage and kidlets tomorrow...

All That's New

Well, it's been a bit. Here's what's new, and not all of it good.

Two weeks ago, on Saturday, Mark had taken the two eldest out for a haircut, as I attempted to put Ty down for his nap. He was coughing his guts out, and I was thinking, KRIPES! Not sick again! He coughing over the monitor got increasingly worse, so I went to check on him, only to find him in the midst of a major asthma attack.

After a quick call to Mark apprising him of the situation, I called 911 and got an ambulance. While waiting for said ambulance, Ty threw up three times (all over the two of us). Stripped us both down, got new clothes, and hustled off to the hospital. He had the Ventolin mask on the way to the hospital, plus three more doses while we were there. His oxygen saturation level was still below the "go home" level of 92%, (he was at 85%), so they sent him for a chest X-ray, and then a quadruple dose of ventolin after that. His levels finally creeped up to 92%. I was told that I could take him home (after being there for 8 hours with no food or drink), but I had to be vigilant with his care, and blast him with double doses of Ventolin every two hours all night. Needless to say, I didn't sleep much that night.

After a few days, the coughing stopped and he's been okay ever since. But jeez, scared the CRAP out of me.

This week, since we had a temporary lull in illness, Ty decided to get this freaky rash, which had me booking down to the doctor's office yesterday in the 90 degree heat. The diagnosis? It's a rash. Yeah, no shit, buddy! Got some cortisone and went home. (Rash is better today).

Keegan is finally settling into "summer school", after a week of adjustment hell (ie night terrors and separation anxiety attacks). That really sucked, but he seems to be okay now. He is making friends and having a great time. I think that it is the much higher level of expectations that is causing his grief. He was so used to being top dog at his preschool, that it's a blow to his ego to come in near the bottom of the social ladder.

So, now we are in pre-vacation countdown, which means that I'e done absolutely NOTHING by means of preparation. I'd better get off of my considerable ass and get moving. The kiddies are really looking forward to it. We are going away with Mark's sister and her family this year, so I expect that it will be an awesome time. Also, my brother has a place on the same lake that we are going to, and he's taking the same week off, so we get the added bonus of "Uncle Paul" for the week too.

Well, I guess that's about all the news for now. If I come up with anything exciting between now and va-cay time, I'll be sure to let you know all about it.

Oh! Almost forgot! Little boy is in his new toddler bed! He's doing great (he's only fallen out twice...) and loves his Bear in the Big Blue House bedding that I scored for him on E-Bay.

TTFN.

Keegan graduated from preschool on Friday. The teachers were more weepy than the parents. Keegan was like a king in his court. All the kids came up to him to say goodbye, and he had a kind word and a hug for everyone. "Goodbye Matthew. You are a good boy." or "Bye Avery! You are sweet!" And the teacher! She hugged him. Let him go. Then pulled him back and hugged him again. "I'm gonna miss that one..." she said to me.

No moss grows on Keegs, though. Tuesday he starts "summer school". We are enjoying his 3 day summer. He got to see his cousins, go swimming, go to a birthday party, play soccer, go to Zooz, fly planes in the park, and hang with mom and dad. One day left! Hopefully we will do something "shady" as I am suffering (no, I NEVER learn) from a crippling sunburn of a lovely magenta hue.

I always end up with the sunburn, but I am known throughout the neighbourhood as the sunscreen Nazi for my kids. If I could only find a suncreen that is non-greasy, and wouldn't make my skin rashy, I would wear it. Honest! (Recommendations welcome).

Hope all the canucks are having a great Canada Day!

TTFN