Finding me and meaning

silence

2011-11-29T06:30:00.003-05:00

It's early morning and I've just received some groceries through Grocery Gateway. Do you see the vans driving around your neighbourhood? Well, after running out of lunch things for Courtney and not being able to go out in the afternoon, I pulled the trigger and ordered for a 6 to 7:30 AM window. Yep. That's pretty early for me. Now, I am sitting in the morning darkness, listening to the rain outside and enjoying a bit of silence.

Seems like the weather may finally have figured out that it's near winter and with less than 30 days to Christmas. We've had some flurrries here a few times, some cold gusts of wind, a bit of rain, but otherwise it has been mild, warm even. Time enough to rake up leaves, get x-mas lights up ( paid someone - ha), and move summery type stuff into storage. I've not started to decorate the house yet, the pile of boxes stacked in the basement. I'm looking forward to December and am hoping that it will snow...a bit, just a bit so that I won't have to shovel.

We feel settled in this old house. Still getting used to it's quirks. Still unpacking and decluttering and finding a home for all of our things. The kids are enjoying school. Grade 3 and pre-school. In a couple of years, it will just be me and cat at home. Likely by then, she will no longer be so crazy and will be a normal cat and hide somewhere warm and dark and sleep the day away.

Here are some pics from a the Santa Claus parade a few weeks ago.

Look how big they are getting!

filling up the backyard

2011-08-16T21:49:00.002-04:00

The kids have been playing outside this summer. Our playset finally came. It's huge. Maybe, they won't be in the neighbour's yard so much now. We will have to install some kind of walky talky system so I can hear what is going on down there. It's full size, so if you are full size and feel like playing on it too - come on down...

Getting ready for our trip to Cape Cod. Lots to do before we leave bright and early on Friday. We will do as last year and split the drive going down. Except this time, I am shopping at my first ever LL Bean store, and doing some outlet shopping on the way ( to kill time) before we get our rental. We are by the ocean again, and apparently the blackout curtains will black out the beam that shines from the lighthouse. Better be the case, or we will all be in trouble. We are checking out the lovely spot of Chatham this year....and if we are so daring...will try to get over to Martha's Vineyard.

Still working on moving out of the old house. Will miss my deadline to have the house cleaned out and clean before we leave for our holiday.

And then it will be back to school...it is sneaking up ever so fast.

Moved in

2011-08-11T14:11:00.004-04:00

Well...pretty much.

Never mind that we still have a whole floor filled with stuff at my brother in law's garage/loft. And, there are still boxes in the old house and a basement that needs to be packed up. Goodness, do we ever have a lot of stuff.

Still, it's nice to be getting settled. Junk everywhere. And, not have to worry about tidying because someone is coming to view your house. Just your stuff everywhere. Though, after almost 4 months of the house being on the market I kind of got used to a tidy house. It is nice to have things put away, to live with less, and to start and and end the day with tidiness. So, it's funny for me to write that it's a bit stressful having stuff everywhere. Boxes. Stuff. Finding new homes for everyday things, and trying to cull and discard or recycle things that we really don't need. It's hard.

Our new place is coming along. Ja's been hacking away at the trees, cleaning them and pruning - if once can call sawing off branches. The garden is a mess, and after such a long dry spell and heat, it will likely be next year that we make an attempt to landscape.

For now, we are enjoying being close to downtown. The kids playset should hopefully get installed tomorrow, which will keep them busy having fun in our yard and not always the neighbours.

I can't believe summer is almost over. How quickly is has passed, I feel like I missed it a bit with all the house business. Back to school is just around the corner.

Anyways, here are some pics.

Guess who is 3 today!

2011-07-19T09:01:00.002-04:00

Happy Birthday to my Jeremy!

We are having a party on Sat, but I think I might just adopt birthday week from a friend this one time, as I don't have anything really ready for the lad.

We got the new house last week, and it's been busy going to and fro. Still having open houses and showings almost daily, so non-stop action. Yesterday, Beautie the cat escaped from the new house and that was very exciting for everyone. We found her eventually under the car - I guess when it's a scorching 30plus weather, even a cat will seek out some shade.

Today, we will drive into Toronto to hang out with Ja and maybe indulge in some sushi!

Hope everyone is staying cool somehow.

Desperately seeking St. Joseph

2011-06-02T16:42:00.003-04:00

So, our house has been on the market for over 6 weeks and to be honest between you and me, I didn't think it would take this long to sell. I love our house and the smaller yard has worked for us, if it weren't for the wanting to put a big pool in, we would stay here forever. Our realtor tells us that feedback has been good, and no haters. Some folks saying its not what they are looking for, fair enough. The market has been quiet and with the sun finally out to stay ( fingers crossed), I am hopeful that we will have a SOLD sign up soon. Sold.Sold.Sold - there I've put it out in the universe.

It't interesting putting your house up for sale. For me, it makes me a bit more stressed, anxious, and fixated on the desire to sell the house. I troll online regularly to see what has come up on the market, what has sold recently, what hasn't. It probably just adds to the stress. Ja tells me to not think about it and to not worry, but how can I not?

It's lucky that we packed up so much, and have trained the kids to mostly tidy up after themselves, so keeping the house tidy and clean hasn't been too bad. Just before we put the house up, I bought the new dyson slim vacuum and I love it. It has made cleaning the house so much easier and for once, the floors are clean of bits of debris, which I have to say the swiffer products just don't handle well.

We have until the summer to sell, but I'd like to stop cleaning, so if someone can please locate a St. Joseph's statue, I would sure appreciate it. It's told that burying one on ones property and can help speed up a sale of a house. I'm not supersticious, but anything to help suits me just fine.

But until then, we'll just keep watering the lawn to keep it green, buy pretty flowers for the rooms, and clean clean clean. Oh, throw in a bit of wishing and hoping too.

Happy Easter

2011-04-25T23:07:00.004-04:00

Hope you guys had a great Easter. Mixed weather here from rain, to sleet, to overcast, sunny and cold.

No confusion on what to do with chocolate eggs though.

House is so clean, can eat off the floor these days.

Spring Cleaning

2011-04-17T21:30:00.003-04:00

This year, we have started spring cleaning a bit early. Yesterday, we tidied up the yard, and this morning before it started to drop big fat snowflakes, Ja was up on the roof cleaning the eaves. All this we did selfishly to primp and preen to get the house ready for sale. Yes, we are selling and moving. The last couple of weeks, we have been de-cluttering, packing up, throwing things away, doing renos, painting, getting things fixed and corrected all to lead up to this week. We list tomorrow and have an agent open house on Tuesday. I have never monitored the weather more in my life, as a nice sunny week would be great, though, Ja thinks a rainy week would be all right too as they wouldn't be thinking of our the yard that needs a bit more tlc. Still, I think we will be ready. Tomorrow, Beautie, the cat, gets a little vacation at the Cat's Castle which Jeremy and I visited on Friday, and it's nice for a cat kennel. Only cats too. It will help make our cleanup easier during the first week, which everyone tells me can be unpredictable. Nice weather will mean that Jemmy and I can be outdoors and play at the park. Something which he really enjoys at the moment. He's all into big slides and can't wait to wear his wet pants.

Otherwise, life here in our little corner keeps puttering along. It's a round of Spring activities and we've switched up some of the days that Courtney does her activities. I have a few more car pools in place, so it's not as much driving around which is nice. I'm looking forward to summer when we will not have something to do every day after school and we can just enjoy the outdoors.

Wish us luck with the house thingy. It will be nice not to be cleaning all the time, and to get back to cooking in the kitchen.

I'll try and post some pictures of the kids this week. Jeremy is talking a lot more these days. You can almost understand him 50% of the time, he's got a great sense of humour, and Courtney, she has long long hair, claims that dark blue is her favourite colour now and has now read book 3 of Harry Potter. They are both growing up so quickly.

March Break

2011-03-16T20:16:00.007-04:00

A mid trip update.

I'ts 8pm and it feels like 10pm. It's pitch black out and it was pitch black out at 6am when we awoke. The kids have been sleeping for almost 2 hours now. It's been a long day of driving for Ja, of being hot and patient for me, of no napping for Jeremy and of waiting in lines for Courtney. Still, it's been a great day. We are about mid way through our trip to Anna Maria Island in Florida. The weather has been beautiful, the views breathtaking and refreshing, the crowds minimal with exception of on the roads, but I think that's just because it's Florida and practically everyone is retired, so why rush? or drive faster than 30mph! We spent much of today in Orlando. A surprise trip for the kids to Island Adventures at Universal Studios Theme Parks. We were in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and it was a blast. Seems like Island Adventures is geared a bit more for an older crowd, out for thrills and merchandise shopping. Still, we took a few rides, pretty much anything that our kids were tall enough for and had a wait time of less than 15 minutes. After getting a time entry ticket to Harry Potter world, we played in Dr. Seuss world. Turns out, Jeremy likes the rides...well not the spinny ones or the dark scary ones. Once we got into the wizarding world, the rest was a bit of a blur. Lines, excitement, people, cool buildings, more crowds. I have to say though that this is one of the few places were there were plenty of washrooms and people moved quickly through them. Might be because there weren't too many little wee kiddies - they were probably at Disneyworld. It was a bit of a disappointment to not be able to go on the ride that takes you into Hogwarts, but a combination of the 2+ hour wait plus Courtney might not have been tall enough and gutsy, meant that it would be a next time thing to do. Jeremy was great, hanging around and waiting.

Some pics from previous days. Taking it easy, enjoying the good weather and each other's company. Spotting dolphins in the bay, making lots of noise chasing birds, and sunsets.

Tomorrow is another easy day. A bit of driving as we drive up the coast to check out Spring Training with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Me want some candy

2011-03-02T20:37:00.003-05:00

Really. That is what Jeremy said to me this morning as he opened the "junk" drawer and tried to reach for some food. I told him that I needed to take a picture of this. He laughed then repeated his request. I asked him to show me what he wanted to eat....fortunately, it was only dried fruit. Mind you, this is not my favourite kind of dried fruit as I read post puchase that it was dried sweetend fruit. Oh well...luckily, the kids forget quickly and the candy fruit is almost done.

Long weekends are the best

2011-02-22T14:41:00.004-05:00

Hope everyone had a fine Family day long weekend. Over here, we headed up to Collingwood and had a mini-break ski vacation. We stayed at the Seasons at Blue which was outfitted with a small kitchen, fireplace, dvd player and view of the ski hills. We packed up food and drinks and holed up in our little rooms for a couple of days. Since Courtney took up skiing over the holidays, I took it upon myself to get us outdoors a bit more. It was nice to get away, though a bit busy as we ended up buying a house while we were there. On top of work emails, Ja was fielding calls from the realtors, wooing hotel staff to print and fax documents for us. We are still in the throes of house buying but if all goes well, the paperwork will be signed off end of the week and then we just wait until mid, July to take possession. Exciting times, but the move date is so far out it's hard to anticipate. There is still so many "things" that will happen in our lives before we get to July. Still, it is moving to know that there will be change.

In the meantime, we are de-cluttering, downsizing, getting rid of stuff because honestly, we have a lot of stuff and the new place it well...smaller. Big back yard for everyone to play in, so hopefully, we can get rid of a bit of plastic and take in some fresh air when we move too.

Ja got some shots with his phone on skiing, but here are some from the cameras. If you can imagine, I did a bit of skiing. Used muscles that have been dormant for a very long time. Ja did some snowboarding. Jeremy some toboganning and mini-skiing too. And, Courtney, she was the ski bunny. Lessons, lots of skiing. She was exhausted from it all.

Bathtime fun

2011-02-07T14:36:00.004-05:00

At our house, bath time is not a winding down time. For some reason, the kids get really energized in the bath and have a lot of fun splishing and splashing to the point that Ja only occasionally lets both of them bathe at the same time. It riles Jeremy up and he can't settle for bedtime.

Still, they are pretty cute together. Seems like the bath is a small swimming pool to them. They were both practicing their bubble blowing.

Hope you are having a good Monday! Snowy and cold here....and quiet too - glad that Jemmy is napping today.

snow day

2011-02-02T11:42:00.004-05:00

So, it is a snow day for much of SW Ontario. Although, in my books, it's not a snow day like when I grew up. Still, the kids are excited to be out in the snow. Even Jeremy who is still not that used to being out is enjoying it. They will only be out for a few minutes and are bundled up warmly. When the wind is still, it's not too cold.

still making cards

2011-01-28T15:23:00.002-05:00

Here is a card that I made for a friend turning 40. I was really happy with it. Inside, I used chipboard numbers to say "40", then stamped "and fabulous". It's nice to be crafting again. It's been a long dry spell. At least, the supplies really don't go bad...just wondering if they might go out of style.

*stamps and supplies CTMH, except for flower which is probably Prima, and sparkly white paper which is SU.

2011-01-28T15:18:00.002-05:00

a bit blurry, but you get the idea. kids growing up.

No tricks, just treats

2010-11-04T12:53:00.005-04:00

So, I am still coughing like a seal. It seems to come and go based on how much sleep I get. Courtney has not caught anything which is quite amazing. I think it is all the garlic rich Boursin cheese that she eats. Jeremy, well. He's sick on and on. He is a trouper and fortunately for him is an expert at blowing his nose. Really. If you heard him blowing without seeing him, you might think he's an adult. That's how good of a blower he is.

Yesterday, we said goodbye to our French friends who came to visit for a few days. It was wonderful to see them and spend some time with them and their kids. Courtney got to miss 2 days of school and even got a late night of watching movies with the babysitter. This morning she was exhausted and I had to wake her for school. Too much fun! and it's not even the weekend.

A quiet birthday for Ja. 38. Wow, we are getting old. The night before we went out to see Wicked and tried out Jamie Kennedy's Gliead Cafe. Food was great, definitely recommend it, and the sold out show was entertaining. Story was good, and songs too. the strength of the show was the 2 main singers and the storyline. It was nice to get out and have a date night with other grownups. It was a fortunate night. Smooth and quick drive into Toronto. Lucky with parking spots. No rain. Everything you could want.

I got some holiday brochures in the mail and it makes me realize that the holiday season is just around the corner. I really want to have the house nice and festive this year. But first, I need to clean house. Anybody have tips on how to do a clean sweep? We keep bringing in the new and hanging on to the hold. I don't know if I'm a romantic, frugal, practical, pack rat or what?

Here are my little harry potter lover, as Hermione, and Jeremy as an astronaut. He didn't really understand halloween and didn't like being out in the dark. During the morning, he was Nemo the clown fish, by night , astronaut. As you can see...no allegiance.

Check out the attitude on Courtney. I hope she keeps her confidence and "fiereceness" for the right times.

Made the spider cupcakes for CJ's school halloween party. From Martha Stewart. Time consuming, but not difficult. She was so disspointed that they weren't a hit at school. I guess maybe all that black and black licorice scared the kids off...and they went for safer looking food. Next year, I'm going to do some witch fingers!

Happy Sunday!

2010-10-24T11:17:00.002-04:00

Yesterday, we awoke to a loud thump. Ja ran into the room to find Jeremy standing. He was crying and said piteously, "me fall". He was outside of his crib. And, he was still in his sleep sac. Wonders of wonders, how did that happen? Later in the morning, Ja removed the front piece of his crib and turned his crib into a day bed. He's now a big boy! We put a pillow under his crib frame, which turned out to be a good thing as he rolled out a few times last night. I hope he's a quick learner and we can get back to sleeping through the night.

Last week, Courtney lost another tooth. So, that makes 5! She barely has enough teeth to eat. Oh, she also had her annual checkup and she's doing just fine. Still on her curve, 50th percentile for height at 46 inches and 25th percentile for weight. Seems like as long as she stays on her curve there is no concern. So, maybe, just maybe, I can cut her slack on her eating habits. It's hard to change, to probably not.

This week will be busy, with a full set of activities for Courtney and Jeremy. Ja's away in Dallas for a few days, and on Halloween, our friends from France arrive for a quick visit. It might just be the right time to test out my new slow cooker.

With the exception of Courtney, we are all still a bit sick. Fighting something flu-like, cough-like.

Here are some fun snaps of the kids. Those silly glasses of hers finally broke.

Fall fun

2010-10-12T14:56:00.003-04:00

Well, we finally made it to a real pumpkin patch and it was so cool. It was a huge pumpkin patch. The kids had fun inspecting the pumpkins, finding baby ones, rotten ones, green ones, smashed up ones. Jeremy was especially interested in the worm that we found on one. (It was in the dirt stuck on the pumpkin).

A bit rainy, but good fun.

Who knows maybe we'll come to Dyment's farm next year. They had a corn maze, mini put, zip corn, tractor ride, hay barn, multiple play areas, yummy things to buy...and of course the pumpkin patch.

Our little bear

2010-09-03T08:58:00.004-04:00

Every child has nicknames. They get them when they are born and pick up new ones as they grow and develop. Some seem to be more common than you think like "peanut" and others are more unique.

From the very start Courtney and Jeremy have had mostly different endearments. I know I consciously try to call them different things.

For Courtney there is: peanut, little one, sweetie, cutie, cj, princess, sweet pea, monkey, baby

For Jeremy there is: cashew, jbear, jem, jemmy, little bear, little dinosaur .....hmm I thought there was more for him.

We picked up this costume for him when were were in the states as he is just the right age to start to play pretend and dressup. I hope it will still fit him in a couple of months. Both Ja and I love him in this costume, but it is not his favorite. He's a bit hot in it and like to just roar for a bit in it. Yesterday, I picked up an astronaut costume at Costco and he loves it! Just brought it over to me to wear and yesterday had it on for hours. He's pretty cute in it too. Sorry, no picture of it yet.

No plans for the weekend. Just taking it easy and cleaning house as we have a number of houseguests in the coming months.

Packing up and getting ready to leave

2010-08-27T21:21:00.003-04:00

So Ja had this crazy idea to leave tonight. But, I think that's pretty much been forgotten as it is now 9pm and we are still tidying up the place and getting it ready for check out. i guess that is one of the perks of staying at a hotel or resort, you just get your stuff ready and you go. Still, it's a quiet nice. Our last night before we head back home. Long drive back as we are hoping to just drive straight through.

We were talking about favourite things today and Courtney said that she just liked spending time with us, and buying her new cuddly lobster toy, and eating lobster and swimming and playing. I can think of lots of good memories this trip. I can also think of the worst and that is the beds. They were so hard, especially as we were here for a week. I think I've gotten just to a softer bed with a pillowtop! I can't wait to just get back home and plop in my bed.

The last couple of days were so different from the start of the vacation. First of all the sun came out. It seems like the whole world also came out here as roads, restaurants, beaches suddenly became packed with people.

Thursday, we lounged around much of the morning and played on the beach. Turns out Jeremy has toughed it out and the desire to be like the rest of us and go bare feet on the sand and made him swallow his dislike for sand on his feet. Of course, he gets every opportunity to now complain when he gets it on his hands. Save when he is playing and digging in the sand. Feeling the end of the trip draw near, I suddenly had the urge to buy something. The girls went to Harwich in search of shops, but instead found shop, the Potted Geranium, a cute little gift shop. Some nice things, but not what I was looking for. Many times I was temped to just buy something, anything...but I didn't. I think I have shopper's remorse, always pining for what I could have bought at some store that I'll never go back to. Ja says I do it everytime that we travel and it's the shopping that I like, not the buying. But, I'm not sure that I am convinced.

On our way back "home", I took a little detour to stop and a small bridge/dock where I had noticed some boats and a little bypass over the water. Nice spot fo pictures I had thought. When we unloaded out of the car, we quickly discovered that the two people already on the bridge were fishing for blue crabs, the same ones that are in Maryland, they told us. We learned hot to fish for crabs, using simple gear. Bait, some raw chicken, mesh back, net, long string, bucket and patience. Also, a tip to keep your fingers to yourself when you try to get them into the bucket. They are feisty and crabby and will take a chomp at you.

After Jeremy's nap, we zipped into the car and headed north to Gray's Beach or Bass Hole. A magazine depicteda gorgeous bordwalk over marshes. We checked it out and it was an amazing sight. Glad we snuck that it. We had dinner at the Lobster Boat. I thought it was OK. Ja loved the twin lobster meal for $20, and the kids - ugh. they've been eating hot dogs and french fries. I guess, it's a holiday.

Today, after Ja took Margaret to the bus station for her solo trip into Boston then into Toronto, we headed to Chatham. I read that you could take a little shuttle boat to an island and visit a beach where you could see seals. We'd heard that they were in abundance this time of the year, so much that sharks were coming inshore to feed on them. I tried calling the shuttle to get more information, but the number no longer worked. So, as we are explorers, we headed towards Chatham and somewhat used the force and very luckily we found it. Not the fisherman's pier, but a little dock amidst a cute little neighbourhood, where a boat took us ( just us) to South Beach.

All, I can say right now is that it was amazing. We only spent an hour there, but it's someplace that if we come back to Cape Cod, we would come again and stay for longer than the hour. The boat service is on demand, and we could only really afford 1 hour in time because of Jeremy's napping needs, we could have stayed there for longer. It was beautiful and we didn't even walk much of it. Seals? We did see one. Playing the in surf. No swimming allowed on that beach, for us humans. But that's ok, this place was amazing. Idyllic. We were so lucky to have gone. The boat ride over was great too. We all loved it. Jemmy a bit wary, but he did it. He was also a real trouper with all that sand in his feet and hands too. Back on the boat for the short 10 min. ride to "land", and we headed back into Chatham which is a real bustling Cape Cod town. This is where we want to be next time. I'm not sure if we'll be able to be beachfront, but we realized today that where we were was really more of a beach town, where as, Chatham and some of the other spots we visited were really more seaside town.

Lunch was uneventful, a quick sandwich place, maybe even bordering on bad. Lots to see and shop for. But, we were running out of time.

Back at the beach house, Jeremy finally settled in and had a good 3+ hour nap. We were all waiting for him to wake having spent the afternoon frolicking in the sea and swimming pool. We were starving. When he finally did, we left our latest for dinner, just past 5pm, a bit worried that we would have to wait for a table. We ate at the Hearth & Kettle. It was OK, not great. Ja's chowder was pretty good though. I liked having all the vegetables though - I'm always surprised by how little they are offered in restaurants.

It's near 10pm and I'm exhausted. I'm sure there is something that I've missed and I will upload pictures when I get back, this connection is just too slow.

In Cape Cod

2010-08-25T14:12:00.012-04:00

A brief summary of our trip so far. I'm still a bit sick and tired now because the kids are excited and a bit over tired still from the drive down and so they've been waking up closer to 6am than their normal 7. Fortunately, most things are open by 9am and when the weather is good ( or not) the beach is only steps away for us.

Day 1. Fri. We leave Oakville, early and cruise through to the states crossing the border in no time at all. Courtney sees a sunrise for the first time and is so amazed by it. The drive is long and movies on the car dvd screen help to keep them occupied but since they were up early ( we woke them), they are antsy and restless. We arrive in Albany and check into the Hilton Homewood Suites hotel. Jeremy has a short nap and then we jump in the pool and have a quick swim. A long wait at the Olive Garden for dinner. The salad is still as I remember from younger days, but other than the abundance of food, it's not really for us anymore.

Day 2. Sat. We leave early and set off for the Cape. Lucky to be going in the right direction as we drive by stand still traffic on the I90 outside of Boston and into Cape Cod. We arrive around noon and need to kill a bit of time before our rental is ready, so we have lunch at place called Joes, not your average. or something like that. And, it wasn't too bad, not really good, but at least you could see all the ingredients, and things looked they were made from scratch. We browse around Barnes and Noble and leave Hyannis to get lost getting to our vacation home in South Yarmouth. We finally arrive and get the tour of the place, seems like it's a lot of work and cost to upkeep a holiday home. I hope that we leave the place as we found it. It's a beautiful day and we are excited to spend a coastal week.

Day 3. Sun. A bit overcast and grey. Windy enough to dig out a kite and fly it. By the afternoon it is blistering. We still explore the beach. It starts to rain. Margaret arrives via Boston on the bus.

Day 4. Mon. Windy Rain. We are tourists today and head into Hyannis to explore the JKF Museum and to visit the Cape Cod Potato Chip factory. Free tour and free samples for everyone. Afternoon is not good weather, but we still head out and get wet on the beach...from the sideways rain. It's not cold at least.

Day 5. Tue. Windy Rain. But, we head out and drive to Sandwich in Upper Cape. It's a beautiful little area and more what I was expecting of Cape Cod sans beach. We visit the Sandwich Glass Museam and then find a little farm stand and pick up purple beans, carrots, honey, husk cherries, blueberries and cherry tomatoes. Finally some vegetables. Determined the afternoon, Ja and Courtney still go for a dip in the sea. A little body boarding, I think for bragging rights.

Day 6. Wed. Torrential in the AM. We are drenched within seconds of trying to get into the car. We drive to Provincetown, the tip of Cape Cod in Outer Cape. After an hour of driving in off and on showers, we arrive and park in a fairly empty parking lot. We scurry to the Portuguese Bakery and Cafe for refuge from the rain and to dry off. We are all soaked. Jeremy doesn't like the weather outside. By the time we are ready to leave the Bakery, the rain has died down somewhat and we start to walk along Commercial Street. It's suppose to be the people watching street. Our plan had been to climb up Pilgrim's tower but that would have been pointless given the weather when we arrived. As time passed, the weather improved so that by the time we had finished lunch at the Lobster Pot, the sun was out. So was the fog and the crowds of people. What a difference. The mood was quiet, almost peaceful and relaxed as we were surrounded in wetness. The streets were quaint and narrow, the town dating back to the 17th century, the shops empty of people but filled with all kinds of things that nobody needs. As we left, it was a different Provincetown, you could feel the energy, a pulse to this little town. Leaving, we could clearly seen the amazing coastal scenery, lush from the environments with sand dunes as a backdrop, was breathtaking. For now, there is a break in the rain, the sun is sneaking away. Ja and Courtney tried to swim in the pool, but it was freezing from all the rain that fell. So, they are sunning on the beach. Funny stuff. She is giddy to be out free and dancing in her swim suit. There is possibility and excitement in her eyes that just maybe will be a hot and sunny day. I hope so.

Day 7. Thurs...

And now there are none

2010-08-13T13:56:00.004-04:00

Well no baby big teeth.

One big tooth out is cute. Two is a lot of sillies. I can't wait to see what else she sticks up there. Already I think she's done, gum, bread, noodle. Endless fun having a gap in your teeth.

It's the weekend and we might have a garage sale tomorrow. I've been de-cluttering, but we just have too much stuff that we don't use anymore or need and not enough room to safe it for a rainy day. It's supposed to rain though, so maybe we'll still be stuck with it. I hope not, it will be a nice change to have a de-junked house. I don't know how it adds up so quickly.

In celebration of her teeth. I'm making 'no wobbly teeth allowed" foods, so that corn, ribs, and hopefully some crunchy potatoes to go with that.

Have a good weekend everyone.

Bike news

2010-08-08T18:38:00.005-04:00

The big news this weekend is that Courtney can ride her bike sans training wheels. Earlier in the week when we went riding, she just had a feeling that she could do it. So, on the weekend, Ja took off the wheels and right from the first push she was doing it. A little bit more practice is needed for confidence, turning, pushing off and general control of the bike, but for some reason...hoping off it is easy and needs hardly any practice at all. I think she's going to catch her leg when she does it, trip herself and bring the bike down on her, but maybe the bike is too small and she and her lanky legs are ok for this trick. She's pretty happy and proud that she can finally do it. Yeah for Courtney!

It's already August

2010-08-03T13:26:00.004-04:00

...and it feels like August. Summer is warm and muggy. The kids and I are almost ready to get back into the school routine. Every second day or so, Courtney will now mope around about missing her friends. Fortunately, we went to the library this morning and stocked up on some books. They will hopefully last a day or so, although she reads them non-stop and voraciously. So, 13 books to one kid could be like a prison sentence, to her it' just enough to get cozied up on the couch with a cuddly wrap and get taken away into a story.

I've got some lovely pictures to post up from our mini holiday in Calgary. It was lovely to see old friends and to spend time with them. The kids all get along and other than the summer crankies from too much sun, water, fun and long days. Calgary has changed a bit from the last time I was there. It just feels different. The vibe is off to me. There are new buildings, new structures and old landmarks are gone. I depend on landmarks to get my bearings so to say that I got lost a few times is an understatement. We stayed with some friends in the south of the city, then some others more central and in between that, we hung out in the Rockies in Banff and Canmore the few days leading up and away from Jeremy's birthday. Here are some of Banff, up Sulphur Mountain. It was a perfect day, a bit overcast and cool going up, but clear and sunny at the peak. Almost as soon as we were done lunch, it started to pour rain.

Happy Birthday to Jeremy

2010-07-20T00:12:00.003-04:00

What a big boy. 2 today. Looking good in your birthday suit. A bunch of singing and some cream puffs is all you get for your birthday....that and a ride up the gondola.

Stampede Breakfast and Canmore

2010-07-18T20:15:00.005-04:00

So we waited in line and waited some more. Finally got pink pancakes, much to Courtney's delight. Sausage, blueberry, syrup and a sugary pink cookie to finish. Not too shabby for free. The time passes quickly when you are waiting in line. Of course, you can always squeeze in a bit of line dancing...and pony riding.

All is going good in Calgary so far. The days are long, and the kids a bit more tired each day...but lots of fun and good times with friends. At the moment, we are in Canmore on a mini vacation ( within a vacation!), and the weather has been hot and the views are just breathtaking.

Imagine, having gone for a hike and breakfast all before 10:30 am. Courtney complained much of the hike, I puffed along and Jeremy was content in a back carrier on Ja. We went up to Grassi Lakes and the weather was just perfect for it. With some light climbing, gentle, soft hiking trails, and the occasion hop skip over waterfall run-off trickle, it was a good first family experience.

Can't decide which one I like best

2010-07-05T15:26:00.003-04:00

I have been trying to convince Courtney to stop posing like a hamster, or with her tougue stuck out crossing her eyes. I need her to look normal, sweet, happy.

So, this past weekend, I snapped these while we were in Ottawa for a very short visit. Sure, she is doing a fake laugh( you can't tell can you?), but i don't care. Now, I can't decide which I like best. I miss those days where i have too many photos that are too cute, too fun, too happy and I don' know which to keep. Oh, the ups and downs of this digital photography age.

Presenting...

2010-07-05T15:20:00.003-04:00

My new little niece Kiera. Congrats to my brother and his wife on the safe and healthy delivery on this little girl. Isn't she adorable? How long it seems that my little ones were this small and sleepy. I can see how there is much contentment in being a grandparent (I'm speaking in the very far future of course).

With Gusto

2010-06-29T18:48:00.005-04:00

Somebody who will remain nameless is back to eating with gusto.

Dinner Menu

first course cucumbers with hummus

second course cucumber with hummus

third course 1/2 sliced apples

4th course spaghetti with noodles

and milk on demand

AND

Somebody else who will also remain nameless wishes to be a cowgirl when she grows up.

2010-06-24T19:52:00.002-04:00

Ja's working from home the next couple of days because of the G8 in Toronto. When I drove around this morning running errands, I noticed that the QE was noticebly backed up and it wasn't even a busy time of day. I can only imagine what it might be like. With the earthquake felt by most in the GTA area yesterday, who knows what other surprises may be in store. I called home to Ottawa and everyone was OK, a bit shook up as it's been a while since there has been a quake that could be felt, and so it's a bit with disabelief and confusion as to what to do when one is occurring. I think my mom said that everyone left their homes and stood outside watching and talking. Meanwhile, people were scared in downtown Toronto, panic, not sure what was going on and with the added security in the city, it adds that element of fear. Here in my little burb, things rattled and shook. I don't think you could have missed it, especially if you've experienced one before. We were all napping, and I remember thinking in the dark, how odd it was that Courtney was shaking so continuously and evenly as she slept and also thinking that she must be exhausted to have slept though that shaking. I didn't think too much of it, but did take note of it. Once we were up and heard the quake news, it made sense. I wonder if I would have slept though it myself had I been asleep as the time. Jeremy didn't even notice...though something happened between yesterday and today. He was fussy, cranky, quite expressive in his "nos" all the morning. I hope that one day I will realize the signs and see that he is sick, but for now, and again, I only realized this upon seeing his poor little sleepy face and self covered in vomit. I'm disappointed in myself typing this realizing that again, my little baby was sick in his bed and I didn't understand his cry to respond immediately to him. He's at that stage when he occasionally calls out to us in an attempt to get a extra cuddle and put off night time so.....

Anyways, he's asleep now and I hope that it will be like last time and just be a 24 hr bug. I hope that he will wake up tomorrow morning and be his cheerful, independent and hungry self.

Fortunately, Courtney is well enough. Started her swim lessons which are the highlights of her day.

I can't believe how fast the summer is going. Soon, it will be July.

Hope y'all having a good night. Other than the sickie here, it's lovely summer weather, a bit rainy but I don't mind too much as it never stays too long. I'd rather it wasn't a scorching hot summer myself.

Not too long ago...

2010-06-20T13:58:00.003-04:00

this happened.

Happy Father's Day

2010-06-20T13:50:00.004-04:00

This morning started off early. We've been staying up just a wee bit more than normal and Jeremy's nap has been just a wee bit later and it's all adding up. He's a bit grumpy, fussy and up earlier. No sleeping in for dad today.

Nice breakfast of french toast, eggs, bacon and fruit salad before we rushed off to a birthday party. Courtney and Jeremy's cousin Thomas had his party today at a fun little gym called 'lil monkeys. Luckily, we were the only party there and the kids had the place to themselves. Normally the place is very busy and to be honest a bit zoo-like. Lots for everyone to do though from little babies to bigger kids like Courtney. Just keeping them all separate, safe and knowing where they are can be a bit of a trick.

The house is quiet. Jeremy is sleeping. Ja and Courtney are off to the movies to see Toy Story 3. It's hot outside, in the 30s, and without a pool a nice air conditioned house is the next best thing. I think I'm going to do a bit of scrapbooking, before I have to start working on the big Father's Day dinner.

Hope you are all spending a nice Father's Day too.

What is it about red dye?

2010-06-13T21:13:00.004-04:00

So, the second kid gets to eat stuff at an age that the first born never got. It just happens. It's easier and I'm a bit more relaxed about it. Of course, I feel a bit like a horrible mom when I allow said junk food type foods to enter his little almost 2 year old body, but just so you know, it's not just junk food that I cave into, it's all realms.

Jeremy will be almost 2 years old and this is a small list of stuff that he's already consumed well before Courtney was allowed to. He pretty much eats what we all eat and when I'm cooking fancy spancy, the kids get it too. I never got in the habit of cooking separately for the kids on a regular basis. And since they don't eat that much more when it is kid friendly food, I mostly just cook what I please. Lately, I've been going to a lot of gourmet cooking classes, so it's been lovely smells coming from the kitchen. Mixed in with the occasional quick dinner of egg noodles ( cause it's got some protein in it) and sauce and it almost balances out.

Popsicles with crazy dyes which turns out make him go a bit bonkers
marshmallows
small quantities of chips, cheesies, and nacho chips
sushi and sashimi
nuts
smoked salmon
okra
dark chocolate
falafel
gummy worms

The list could go on....but what I wanted to share is the popsicle, what are they called rocketships?...you know the ones I mean. Growing up, they were the ones that you got from Dickie Dee, or the ice cream truck. Friday was Sports Day at school for Courtney and we all came home licking popsicles. It took a while for Jeremy to get into it and he didn't really finish it, in fact, he only ate the red tip part. But that bit sure left an impression on him. Both kids had the sillies and red cherry lips until bedtime. So, moral of this is...I have to check into these "dyes". They never bothered my daughter all that much, but the little dude he seems to go nuts from it.

Last day at ballet class

2010-06-13T20:51:00.005-04:00

Courtney had her last day at ballet on Saturday. It was parents day, so we got to come in and watch them do their practice. Jeremy was dying to run on and do some dancing too, but he had to make do with moving stools around. It wasn't a full class as a few girls were absent. Her teacher is encouraging her to do as much ballet as possible but, sadly, it is not our little peanut's favorite activity. I can see that she really comes alive when there is more movement, but when it's a lot of strengthening and stretching, I can just see she is a few yawns away from boredom. Still, I think she carries herself with much grace and poise.

And in case, you think she is a ballerina by heart, here she is lazing around in her triple flip clothes and reading Monster by Choice. She's doing a week of gymnastics camp this week, and re-starting again in September. I have a feeling it'll be right up her alley.

Hi!

2010-06-10T22:29:00.003-04:00

This is what Jeremy looks like when he says "haaaa" - which is 'hi' in jeremy language.

weeeeeeeeeeeee

Only 1 week of school left and then it's summer break. Let's see....sports day tomorrow, outing day on monday, closing ceremony practice on wed morning, and actually ceremony thursday starting at 10 in the morning. So really that is 1 full day of school plus bits and pieces. Yep...it's pretty much done.

So I finally uploaded some more pictures

2010-04-27T22:31:00.004-04:00

And lookie what has been in the camera. A bunch of random kid pictures. Jeremy is at such a cute age. Courtney is always getting in trouble. Sometimes her fault, sometimes just by being the big sister - i know not fair, but it happens...a lot.

Just waiting for Ja to come back from a short trip to Calgary. It's a good thing that he's only gone a day or so, I'm taking some liberties with my online shopping. Boy, the sites that I check out on a regular basis is growing...and to think that I used to only buy things for the kids. How many pairs of shoes does a gal need? Don't ask...all of a sudden, I've gone from practically none...to well...enough that I need to buy more clothes to be able to wear them. What a vicious cycle. I said to Ja the other night that if only we could wear pj's all day - that would solve the problem. His response was that they do in China...though there is no signage that discourages it - so it might be one of the few places of 24 hr pyjama land.

Here are the pics that I'm sure some of you have been wondering about.

Happy Easter

2010-04-04T20:08:00.004-04:00

It's Easter Sunday and this is how we spent the day.

Woken up by Courtney who could not believe there were chocolate eggs in the house. She starts to collect upstairs, but is done so quickly that she is jumping to get downstairs. Jeremy is still sleeping but we head downstairs and she starts egg hunting, leaving two rooms so that Jeremy can have some of the fun. Not too long, Jemmy wakes up and he just doesn't understand it. Until that is he pops in a cocoa egg and big smile. He gets it.

After breakfast, we get bundled in the car and within a few minutes, we are walking in the Rattray Marsh. It's a beautiful day, quiet, and lots of birds singing and flying about. The distinct sounds of woodpeckers and swans delight to kids.

Jeremy finally has a good long nap, must be all the chocolate he was sneaking in during the day...or the fresh air. The big kids do some painting and sewing and before you know it, it's dinnertime and the day and long weekend is nearly over.

Hope you had a nice family weekend too.

on quilting...

2010-03-30T13:06:00.004-04:00

I've decided that I can do this kind of quilting. To be true to the craft, I don't think it is really called quilting. More like binding fabric together. I actually almost enjoy it. What's not to like, picking out beautiful fabrics, sewing in straight lines, and a little hand sewing and ta da, done in a day. Well, that's actually not exactly true. I do like assembling the quilt top together, as long as everything is already cut out ( for me - did I really write that? pre-cut...naaah). At the moment, I have a nearly quilted project using some of gorgeous Love by Amy Butler, but it's just sitting behind my machine in a nicely folded pile. See, I decided to try the freehand quilting. I don't know if it's my machine, the pure action of needing to change feet and put on my walking foot, then the other attachment to do the quilting, or the sheer size of the quilt to be, and how I can't move the quilt around easily or really see what I am doing, or the thickness of the layers. But, it frustrates me. I really like to do a bit of freestyle quilting, a squiggly line here and there on smaller projects, but on this large scale, I don't think it's for me. It was a real surprise to find that I didn't mind quilting in a structured pattern. Parallel and perpendicular lines for me anytime.

Here's essentially a yard quilt. Very cute, and boyish. Boy...it's hard to find boy stuff.

And...don't get me started on blind stitching the binding. Let me just say that for me...it's not relaxing. But, I probably haven't done it enough. Like my daughter recently told daddy, "so is it like when you first do it you don't like it very much, but then you get better and easier and then it's not so bad and you like it?. Hmmmm maybe I should be taking that advice.

Did you know?

2010-03-30T12:22:00.004-04:00

Ok, I am probably the last one to find out about this. But. Did you know that you have to pay for the air at the gas stations to pump your tires up? Maybe I went to a fancy cheapo Petro Canada, but after walking with Jeremy in the Chariot for 30 minutes on really flat wheels. It was a bit let down to find out that I wasn't going to get those tires pumped for the walk back home.

To top it off, apparently I don't know how to use a bicycle tire pump either.

So, instead...I hacked away at the hydrangeas and made piles of wet autum leaves ( which I will bag away once I have bags).

Feels more like spring around here. I realize there is lots to do about the house. Guess me and Jeremy will be hanging around here more.

On yummier notes. Last week, I went to a cooking class called Julialicious. It was fun to get out and to eat a fabulous meal. It was a Bonnie Stern class and we got some recipes at the end of it all. I've been trying them all out and find that they need a bit more practice, or I need to follow the recipes. Last night, I finally made the Chocolate cake. It was amazing. Rich and decadent and not a spec of flour. Gluten free! Of course, it was chock full of nuts, butter and eggs But, a small sliver is all that you need. Courtney proclaimed that it was the best cake that I've ever made. Poor kid. I've stopped making such fabulous deserts, she doesn't know what her mom is capable of. I'll be making this one again...still needs a bit of practice with it and the taking out of the 2Tbsp of flour does affect the stability of the cake. Might have to play around with it a bit.

And of other notes, my brother in law and his wife welcomed their 3rd child Sunday afternoon. A cute little Henry Micheal. Jeremy is no longer the baby anymore...of course, he hasn't really been a baby for a while.

Just some pictures

2010-03-27T20:46:00.003-04:00

Just watching Return of the King and am multi-tasking. Here are some pictures of our recent March Break trip to the Club Med in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. We all had a relaxing time. The kids enjoyed playing in the water, and with so few people at the resort ( at least that's what it felt like), we enjoyed the beaches without the fight for loungers or precious shade. We probably won't do a full all inclusive resort holiday for a while...the kids are getting older and it's almost time to see more of what the world has to offer. Courtney seems to have developed an upset stomach on the landing stretch on the airplane, so we might stick to car trips for a bit. Unless...she changes her mind.

Going somewhere sunny

2010-03-05T19:37:00.003-05:00

We are off tomorrow to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic for a week. Apparently, it is hot and humid, but with showers...so we might get wet and not just from the water. We are all looking forward to a change in climate and scenery. It will be fun for the kids as Courtney will really get to enjoy all the activities for kids including a Circus Camp, and Jeremy will love the sand and ocean. The flight isn't too long either and with a big roll of aluminium foil, we ought to transform the kids sleeping space into a real black pit.
So, enjoy the week wherever you are. We'll try not to get too much sun!

Already getting a start on summer

2010-03-02T13:59:00.006-05:00

I have a good friend who lent me a ton of boy clothes which has kitted Jeremy up till about now. Other than a few splurgy items, clothes from family and friends, he's been mostly a hand me down kind of guy. Now, as he'll be 18 months, I am having to plan for his wardrobe. It seems that, like his sister, he seems to already have a penchant for shoes. And, I don't know if it's simply because he sees his sister getting new clothes, shoes, jackets...he is quite receptive to trying things on. He is a regular at shaking and nodding his head these days too, so it's quite cute to see him "agree" to try things on. I suppose, it might be too early still to get rid of all the dress up. I might have to try and get some masculine type stuff though.

So, I've started to shop for the kids spring / summer clothes. I know it might seem a tad early, but then it's done. Over the last few years, Courtney has been able to get away with wearing the same clothes year over year. Now the elastic is stretched and honestly some things are just not for a 6 year old.

Check out these amazingly bright and sparkly shoes that I picked up online at www.zappos.ca Delivery was very quick, and other than the duty/handling charges that were priced in the bill, nothing else due when the postman brought them. This is the first time that something came and I realized to my surprise ( and Courtney's breathlessness) that it was MUCH MUCH sparklier in real like than online. Needless to say, Courtney CAN NOT WAIT to wear them full time.

I have a pile of summery pink fabric waiting to be transformed into things for Courtney, but at least I've gotten some shirts done for the boy. I've used the Kai Shirt pattern from Weekend Sewing book. They were fairly easy to put together, especially if you do it assembly style. Now that I've done these, I'm ganbusters to do long sleeved shirts for the fall. I'm really happy with how they turned out, and all the fabrics had different weights so they all have a different feel to them.

Keeping the kitchen tidy

2010-03-01T13:58:00.003-05:00

The kitchen is one of those rooms that we spend a lot of time in. I'm in there. The kids like to be in there too. Over time, stuff accumulates. It lands on the counters, on the kitchen island, on the kitchen table. Seems like hardly ever where it should go. I don't have a single extra drawer to use as a catch up so I'm also looking for a way to tidy things up.

Here are some chair catch-alls that have been working really great. Instead of putting things in little piles, I now deposit them in a pocket. We each have one. Courtney always has a workbook, doodle pad, couple of chapter books and small toys that lingering around. They don't seem to ever have a permanent home. Now they do. I use Ja's to catch his mail, magazines. Mine is empty...because I always put my stuff away. No...I'm kidding, it's my things to do stuff, magazine cubby. Jeremy will get one soon, probably a modified one for his Stokke char. I'm pretty happy with how they turned out, takes about a yard of fabric and very little time to sew.

March??

2010-03-01T13:15:00.010-05:00

Gosh, is it really March? February seemed so unexciting, repetitive and unassuming. It was also the month that upon adding itunes software for Ja's ipod, my laptop was pretty much full of data. Out of space, not enough memory and so, the use of the computer became tedious and slow. My photos also took up semi permanent residence in my flash card. But, today is March 1st. A new day, a day to tackle the mac. Yep! We are the owners of a MacBook Pro. It feels so much more like a PC now. We had one almost over 10 years ago, eons, another lifetime in computing time. So, I'm giving it a try. So far, so good. Very quick to boot up, quick to upload video. A bit slower to upload photos though, but I do love how it keeps its power when you unplug it and are actually wirefree. Have you noticed that your screen dims* just a bit when you unplug your PC laptop and settle on the couch?

Now that I've looked though the photos, there was of course, some things to share in the month of February. Because, nobody's life is that boring. So, I hope to do a few more posts this week. Especially as we'll be off next week - on holiday. March Break as it is called here in Canada.

Some sewing projects that I was working on. Yes, February was the month that I got off my butt and put the foot to the pedal. I whipped up this nifty bottle holder. Turns out that you can buy similar type things in stores. Who knew? But, the idea had been brewing in my head since Jeremy tags along on our twice daily commutes to Courtney's school ( ha). So, despite my better intentions, he eats and munches in the car. He also drinks from his sippy cup. But - boy is that sippy cup slippery and since he is still wee and his car seat doesn't have a cup holder, not that he'd be able to always get it in....thus the sippy bottle holder. He can put it around his neck himself, takes it off too. It hangs out there so that when he doesn't need a sip, ta-da - it doesn't fall. I did quilt a little extra softness around his neck to give it some cushion. It will fit a bigger sippy cup as well as sigg bottles too. So, we are all happy.

The kids are growing up. I can hardly keep up with their changes. Courtney seems to already be riding that rollercoaster of grumpiness and happiness. It is hardly unusual to hear her muttering. And, complaining that things are just not fair. I am constantly bombarded by sighs and phrases my own mom uttered when I was growing up. Not that I was a handful or maybe I was. But, the growing pains are just beginning. I have joked twice now that I might just have to be in a permanet state of haze by the time the teen age years come. Still, I can't complain too much. She is sweet, sweet to us and sweet to her brother. She's getting leggy and long, still thin as a wire. We keep talking about adding a bit of chub on...but as soon as she starts to eat well, she catches a bug. Probably nothing new here. With all the vegetables that I try to serve up at dinnertime, she almost signs halleluas when catches scent of meat. Jeremy is still mostly a baby. On the verge of toddlerhood. Showing a bit more hrump, shaking of his head, plopping down when he doesn't get his way. But, he is my sweet, easy tempered child. He is so far less extreme in his behaviour. There are sure things that make him happy...and at the moment it is still fruit, cars, trains, trucks and interestingly....books ( about cars, trucks, food and trains). He doesn't stray too far.

Here is a picture of Courtney all decked out in her ballet stuff. I've gotten in trouble by the teacher a few times at not doing the bun properly, so it's a bit deal when we are all looking right.

Well...I'd best go. But, here is Jeremy with his morning snack bag. On his way out. toodle loo.

So petite

2010-02-03T13:11:00.004-05:00

This week has been Courtney's classes turn to present assembly at school. Today, she and another little friend co-shared the french presentation. It was fantastic to see her up there...and speaking french too! When it's all said and done, she'll have stood in front of her student body 4 times. For a quote, for the weather, as the announcer and for a girls dance. Pretty good in all.
But, notice...how petite she is. When she is at home, she seems just the right size, but I can see now that she is still just a tiny little thing.

The girls dance was to the Miley Cyrus song, Party in the USA. Oh Oh, likely a sneak peak of what's to come.

18 months

2010-01-21T13:07:00.001-05:00

Look who is 18 months old now! How time flies...

Toot Toot!

2010-01-18T13:02:00.003-05:00

Jeremy has been watching a bit more TV. He's quite proud of himself when he turns on the TV in the family room all by himself. Courtney takes full advantage and quickly plops herself in front no longer complaining that it is a baby show. She now even watches Thomas the Train!

He still only watches for less than 5 minutes...but I'm sure that will change with time.

Toot Toot! Here they are making the train sign and moving to their own train toots!

running out of time

2009-12-31T13:26:00.006-05:00

It's almost 2010. Remember when it was 1999, and people really thought that the world was going to end. Digitally, catastophically, spiritually. It's seems like such a long time ago. I feel a bit old just thinking of 1999 and 2010.

I'm running out of time and there were things to share since my last post. But, it's going to have to be pictures though. Suffice it to say, that the holidays were nice. It was nice to have company, and see friends and family. We were all blessed with good food, spoiled with gifts and lucky in health and happiness.

Here's are quick pics of pre-xmas.

There - in a moment of time. Winter Olympics are coming.

Christmas Day lovelies.

Happy new year's eve. We'll be staying in, vegging out, trying to stay awake until midnight. Too late to rent movies now, they are probably all gone...might have to do on demand.

on borrowed tech

2009-12-14T11:29:00.003-05:00

So, my computer has a virus. If yours does too...sorry about that. For now, it's with the nice folks at Geek Squad getting a cleanup. We'd been cheaping out and had not installed the Norton Antivirus. Lesson there...don't cheap out if you don't know what you are doing and I suppose if you are browsing the net and shopping online too. I hope to get it back on Thursday, but for now, any posts will be without pictures. Oh, and I had such cute ones too.

Christmas is inching closer and I'm slowly getting things crossed off my list. The shopping is almost done. Almost. I envy those folks who are done early and then just stop. I've realized that I can't just stop. I love to shop too much. Still, almost all the gifts that are out of town have been mailed out. Yeah! Cards are made and pictures are printed. They just have to get to the envelope party now and be on there way. There is hope yet for them to come before x-mas!

Otherwise, the weekend was mellow. Stayed up too late at our first x-mas party. It was nice to see friends that we only see a couple of times a year. We are getting the house ready for my parent's visit next week. School lets out this week for Courtney. I had this huge headache/mgrained last night and had to go to bed at a ridiculously early time. Oh, and Jeremy is a bit sick. Poor little fellow. It is Courtney's x-mas concert tonight so it's not the best time to be sick...but such is the life of the second born. Last week, we did also go see Santa, well just Jeremy. It went OK. One thing that you never read about in books is this little fact, that little kids and babies just don't like Santa Claus. I guess there is little conforting being placed in the arms or lap of a stranger in bright red clothes and whose face you can barely see out of all the whiskers and facial hair. I was quick with the camera so got a picture before any potential bellowing and crying occured. That morning was almost a disaster. I drove around in circles for almost 2 hours trying to get to the mall but somehow kept chosing the routs with traffic or construction. Very frustrating. We'll have to brave the malls this weekend to take Courtney to see Santa....hmmm maybe we'll get lucky?

More another time

2009-11-26T15:04:00.003-05:00

OK. I just wrote the longest post ever on all kinds of stuff, the accident, slowing down, www.tripleflip.ca the kids...and it's gone. So, I'm not doing it again. Sorry guys. Maybe another time.

Here are the pics though. I've never had this happen to me before on blogger before. Man.

How cute is this?

2009-11-26T14:59:00.001-05:00

Courtney used to raise both her arms up and say "uh uh uh" to indicate that she wished to go up. Jeremy on the other hand simply lifts up his leg. How cute is that!

Covetting a bit of Love

2009-11-12T15:20:00.004-05:00

Yes, it's true. I have been secretly buying the new Love collection by Amy Butler. I have great plans to make something fabulous for me, but right now, it's just too lovely to cut up. And though I got a stack of fat quarters, probably itching to turn into a quilt. They look so lovely stacked up don't they?

I also finally got around to completing a baby present. Long overdue. Just a bit of a blanket and a bit of a quilt at the same time. The easiest for me to do quickly. I also made a kimono set out of soft cozy flannel. I'm happy with how it turned out...and you can see Jemmy loves to blankie too. I think he's my child...a thing for cloth.

And yes, we still have a cat

2009-11-12T15:09:00.003-05:00

It's funny. I can remember when we first got our first pet. It was our baby. It felt like we had a child. But now that we have children, Beautie is back to being just a pet and not a baby. Most days, I'm sad to report that she is a third class citizen here. She is not the first to get food, water, cuddles or attention. But, she is a good cat and patient with us and the kids. She also has her oddities curiosities. And, one can never say that she is not good at adapting to change. She's been known to go for a bit of broken cracker or piece of shrimp that has fallen somewhere. She is not entirely invisible either as she adept at placing heself exactly where she might get stepped on, tripped over or petted> ie. she sits right on your hands. She still has a licking fetish, although her latest infactuation is this bookcase that sits in the kitchen. And did I say patient. She hardly ever so rude as to yell out for her food.

I guess we are prety lucky to have her.

Oh, and on the bookcase, she's determined to lick every inch off. She now hops up to the third row of books, balances and licks to her heart content.

A little bit of sewing

2009-11-12T14:44:00.004-05:00

Who knew that an entire dress can be made in an afternoon. I've been taking a break from sewing and now it's mid-November and I have to get a mosy on things. My holiday shopping has already started and is almost done. Shhhh. Lots of wrapping and card making still to do.

It's a school break here for us. Courtney is off tomorrow and Monday and it's supposed to be a nice day. Jeremy is out cold after spending the morning with Nana, that's what we call Ja's mom and Grandpa Julian. It's a lot of fun to go there...especially now that he's spotted Simba the cat.

My diet of not eating an wheat or corn this week hasn't been going well. Oh well. I've been feeling tired so I'm not going to get banged up about it.

Turns out this gracie dress pattern by Portobello Pixie is very twirly. Courtney just loves it. It'll make for a great summer time running around dress. I already have ideas on how to make it a bit more dressier with different fabrics. Guess I'll start off my making a few more though. I'm trying to convice myself to stop bying gorgeous fabrics until I use some up. It's hard. It's such pretty stuff that I can't bear to cut into it. Still, I'm running out of room - so I'll have to start to cut soon. I know - perhaps not the most exciting thing to read about. So, here are some pics.

Oh, and in case you are wondering...Jemmy is not wearing a necklace. It's a walkie talkie necklace. He's all about being just like his big sis now. The little copycat is just getting warmed up.

Let the wild rumpus begin

2009-10-30T12:10:00.005-04:00

And so on this rainy weekend...we are on the cusp of wild things haunting our streets. From our house, a princess and pig along with another kind of wild thing will be enjoying the sugar high weekend.

I was hoping for another indian summery night like last year. No such luck.

And yes... this peculiar costume was made in-house. It didn't take very long and I have to admit that I gave up on the ears after a couple of tries. I might redo it in the coming months or for next halloween. But for now, it will do.

Has anyone out there see the new Where the Wild Things are movie? We've heard mixed reviews. Any thoughts?

Happy Halloween everyone!

Walking is getting easier now

2009-10-26T13:07:00.003-04:00

Well...Jeremy is 15 months now and it is official. He is a toddler...due to the fact that he is toddling. He's picking up some speed and I suspect that he'll be running or walking quickly very soon. He still crawls every so often and does the half crawl had walk with one bent leg trick...and he also likes to crawl/walk on his knees, but most of the time now he is upright.

He's becoming an expert at spotting cars/trucks and dogs. Ja has discovered that the actually has other sounds that he uses for words. There is a b sounding word for bird, there is the chrw sound for trucks/cars, there is the wrrr wrrr for dogs, there is a brblr sound for balloon and corroo for cookie/cracker. His most popular word is mama. Sometimes it does mean me, but mostly it's just what he does, practices his ma ma ma sound.

Today, he had a bit of a running nose, so I hope he's not caught something. He's started to swat and push away when you try to tell him it's time to change his diaper, or time to eat, time to sleep. OK> basically when he doesn't want to do what you are asking him. My favorite is when he signs or babbles something, starts to walk away nodding. It's very cute. On occasion, he will stop and look back at me as if to say, "you coming? I'm heading to the fridge". Very cute times.

Here is the lad, taken over the weekend. He's in 18-24 month tops and bottoms, he's a skinny guy, 6-12 months still with lots of wiggle room. I'm going to recycle some sweatshirts into some cozy pants soon.

Playing along

2009-10-20T13:24:00.004-04:00

There is something alluring about a big giant real piano. The kids know now that they have to have clean hands and can't bang around. Don't they look comfy up there playing away. You can't tell, but Courtney is actually partially upset at Jeremy making notes because it prevents her from hearing her own notes. Oh well...they will just have to learn to play with each other.

On the hunt for Zhu Zhu hamster pets

2009-10-20T12:50:00.005-04:00

So, unless you are my husband, you've probably not heard of the hours of online searching for Zhu Zhu hamster pets. A couple of months ago, I decided to start looking into what neat fun toys Courtney and Jeremy might like for Christmas. This year, I have decided it will be all about toys. So, after finding a few hot toy lists, I came across Zhu Zhu hamster pet toys. They are already sold out in the States and in the UK too...and a new shipment is arriving in the couple of weeks at your friendly local Toys R Us. I don't know about you, but I will try to avoid that store on weekends and during the holidays at all cost. I can still remember probably a good 10 years ago, when I went into Toys R Us by accident a few days before Christmas and feeling the stress of just being in there...and I didn't even have any kids then...I think I was tagging along with a friend. So, what this means is that I have been searching and using my connections to try and source these pets and accessories. It appears that they are still not in Canada yet...and the anticipation must be building as the clerks at Toys R Us now even know what they are....see I call every couple of days to see if they've come in yet.

Luckily, I have sourced 1 fun house and 1 hamster. I had to go across an Ocean to cousins in the UK - thanks Sam! and across the border for the fun house - thanks Christy. But, I'm sure that once I hear they are in at the toy store, I'll be there. They look super cute, and coincidentally, Courtney has been asking for a pet hamster..so what could be better than a hamster without the mess. So...if you are looking for somthing to gift...or happen to come across Jilly the hamster, or any other than Mr. Squizzles - pick up one for your little bundle of joy...or for mine! I'll probably put some of the attachements on Courtney's wish list too, there is supposed to be a ball, surfboard, car, slide...purse...you get the idea.

Oh, if you would like to check them out - they are at...http://www.zhuzhupets.com/

You can also do a search on key words, zhu zhu mom blog, as they've been doing "parties" in the states to work up the hype. I think they are saying it might win Hot Toy 2009.

And since, we are talking about Christmas. I'll be putting up the kids Christmas wish list soon, that way if you want to shop around or even get something on sale...there is plenty of time to do so.

Substitute for salt

2009-10-18T17:52:00.002-04:00

Try this if you are cutting out the salt. It adds some nice flavour and taste in lieu of salt. I remember 10 years ago using Mrs. Dash for a period of time, but I didn't go back to it once I started to look for something to cut out the salt. I picked it up at one of those shops that sells organic , healthy type foods and haven't seen it in a Loblaws or Sobeys. It comes in a few flavours too, you can check it out at The one that I have been using is called "Yes, Mommy".

It also markets its seasonings as no sugar, no msg and no salt added. OK. I'm not sure why it's also called Pulitzer Prize, but oh well.

Eating differently

2009-10-17T21:52:00.004-04:00

Well, it's been 3 weeks of eating differently. So far so good. A few cheats here and there, but nothing that I am too worried about. After a visit with a naturapath, I am trying to change my diet. Apparantly, cancer runs on my side of the family and so, I am probably more at risk than the guy who doesn't have it in their genes. So, it's more vegetables and fruit and I think it has to do with fibre and cutting out the sugar. So, mom...if you are reading this, you are right. I am doing it now.

What I find the hardest is how to eat all the vegetables in an interesting way. To eat 5 cups a day is hard. And, it gets boring if all you do is...cook the vegetables and pile it on your plate. Never mind that the kids look at it with much distaste. I've also realized that it takes some effort and planning to make it appetizing. The prep of a salad does not involve much, but it does involve prep. So, I have discovered that for me, it helps if you have a lot of it done in advance. I can pretend that I am going to one of those Just add Heat of Supperwork places and just grab and pluck out what I want to cook with and then cook. Too bad the cleanup still exists. Still, when you know it's all washed and cut up and ready to go, it makes it so friendly and eye appealing. Don't you think?

Here's udon noodles with baby boy choy and threey types of mushrooms. Yum!

Thanksgiving weekend

2009-10-14T10:52:00.007-04:00

It was just thanksgiving weekend and it was nice to have a long weekend. Courtney was off school on Friday, so as a treat we all went to an indoor playgym. Jeremy loved it there...all that free space and push toys and of course watching his big sister run around the place. Turns out though that it's not as much fun for a 6 year old when it's just little ole herself playing and running around. Even with a kid brother who is starting to totter more and more, she was ready to go after about an hour.

Saturday was ballet class, then a quick play at the park riding in the wagon. Turns out that Jeremy loves riding in his wagon. He doesn't mind the bumps like Courtney did. He didn't even mind the constant shlumping down into the seat. He's getting the hang of it and knows to grip the sides to prevent him from sliding down...but when you've got an apple in your hand, it does make it difficult.

Sunday was our thanksgiving. We started the day by heading over to Chudleighs to pick some apples. Gosh, it was cold and busy there. I think we were only actually at the farm for a little over an hour. There was some apple picking, sliding, pony riding, appple eating ( of course), animal watching and line standing. It was fun to get out and since I popped Jeremy into the backpack sling - it was very easy to not have to worry about him. It was a great time to go pick apples, lots of varieties in season and to chose from. At 99cents a lb - it's not the cheapest, but couldn't be tastier or fresher...just off the tree!

Ja did the cooking this year. He bought a small $8 turkey and it was OK. I don't know about budget meat...maybe we've been spoiled eating healthier and fancy smancy organic meats lately, but this one was good but not great. We decided to get all dressed up and make it a proper dinner. We rarely have the occasion to put our best on as a family that it was nice to make the effort. Courtey had pulled on this fun pink twirly dress at first, but once she saw Ja in a tie and me in a skirt, she decided she wanted to wear her fancy dress too. Jeremy is a messy eater, so he got a fresh clean shirt pulled over his head. Dinner was fun with the kids sitting side by side. Laughing at something silly. I'm sure there will be lots of sibling sillies coming up. It's so cute and endearing to watch.

Birthday skirts

2009-09-23T13:59:00.003-04:00

So I whipped up 3 lazy days skirts as part of my gift to Courtney. Albeit, they are not her favorite colours, but I love them and hope that she will wear them. It's been 2 plus weeks since they've been made and she's only worn the Alexander Henry Tillbrook Fairies print skirt for a few hours. Is this the end of sewing for Courtney? Really, with her being in school and in a uniform, there is very little time to wear "other" clothes, so I suppose I can understand why she would want to dip into her new bought fall wardrobe and pull on her snug leggings and skinny pants. Yes! Even for my tiny girl, one can buy skinny pants. She loves them of course.

Oh, did I say that I actually made 3 birthday cakes this year. Next year, we are downsizing. Courtney has decided that she is only going to invite 5 friends. It cuts down on the number of thank you cards that she has to write. We've just started them and she is not all too thrilled with the task. After telling me about all the printing that she does in Language class, I think she expects a break at home. Tough Cookie....those cards aren't going to get written by themselves!

Gotta go...Jeremy is calling "mama". Yes. He vocalizes mama and dada now. How very cute.

First steps

2009-09-21T12:45:00.004-04:00

Jeremy took his first steps this weekend.

Saturday morning was Courtney's first ballet class and as she was learning to stand still like a little ballerina angel in white, Jeremy took his first steps. I remember when it was Courtney, it just happened and I almost missed it and then that was it. No more steps. Not so with Jeremy. Ja was even able to grap a video of it for me. It's been a few weeks now that Jeremy has been using his little toy walker to get around the house upright. He's quite rough and confident with it. He can turn, stop, walk quickly, bump things. So, we knew that it would be soon that he would walk. And, it was no big surprise that he took MANY steps as once. In fact, after by Sunday, he could cross our little foyer. Sometimes falling down on his bum, sometimes not. He seems to like to do it with his arms in the air. Not sure if that helps with balance. He also knows it's a big deal and we all clap and cheer him on. It's another milestone. Wow, they sure do come and pass quickly. Courtney will have to watch out now...her little brother will be running in no time.

Interestingly, this weekend, the little lad has also started to vocalize mama and dada with intent. His naps have been off schedule and he is waking earlier, and babbling longer to settle himself at night. He's also stopped signing. I'm hoping it's just his brain and limbs having a lot of communication, because it's sure a lot harder to tell what he wants when he's making moaning and hmmmfing type sounds.

And, as it Saturday couldn't be more excitng or busy..it's was also Courtney's birthday party with her friends from school. That's right...her and 18 of her most intimate grade 1 friends. It was all good in the end....and of course, not enough pictures taken of the whole party...the cute jello bowls that I made...you'll have to just imagine them - so cute. She asked for a fishy, under the water theme...and mama and dada delivered.

Here's her cake. I've decided to go back to using Martha Stewart recipes for cakes as they are so much more superior than most others that I have tried. If only it didn't use so many ingredients...of course that is probably why it's so tasty. To decorate, Jeremy and I went to McCalls baking shop as a last minute whim on the Friday and was lucky to escape rush hour traffic and pick up Courtney from school with no problems. After spending a small fortune there with the idea of making chocolate fishies, I did end up with a bottle of spray colouring...have you tried it before? Amazing...I'm using that one again especially for hard to tint colours. It's gives you that light colour, pastel colour that you sometimes want without the opaqueness and heaviness that sometimes happen when you try to mix a non-primary colour.

Anyways, I've been slack with blogging. I'll try to put up some more pictures from the weekend in the next couple of days.

Here's our little ballerina though...so far...dance is given the thumbs up!

Happy Birthday to Courtney

2009-09-12T21:05:00.003-04:00

Well, Courtney turned 6 today. It's been a nice, fun, busy and long day. There was some treasure hunting this morning at garage sales, some leftover pizza eating, cake decorating, present opening, birthday partying, running after an ice cream truck, brother playing, outfit changing type of day, phone call answering, message listening day, reading and even some scooby-doing movie watching.

Thanks to everyone for their good wishes, hugs, and gifts too. You are all wonderful and we are lucky to have you in our life.

Back to school

2009-09-09T19:43:00.004-04:00

Yesterday was the first day of school. It's nice to be back to a routine. We all attended a long morning aseembly to watch Courtney receive her tie at the Tie Ceremony. It's not quite a ceremony per se...more like a presentation. There are crowds of kids waiting for their ties to get tied for them by helpful grade 8s (some of whom must still get their ties done up by somebody else!), then there are kids waiting to get their picture taken, then there are parents bunching up to take pictures...so ceremony...I'm not sure. Still, it was an exciting time for her. To be in Grade 1, and to be wearing a tie and school blazer.

I almost didn't make it, as Monday, my back gave out. I'm not sure what stressed it, but I was on bed rest hoping that I would be allowed to go to the first day of school. The pain and inability to move, stand, walk was such a shock that I have finally gone to see a chiropractor. Through a friend's recommendation, I took the leap and went for a "non-cracking type" of chiropracty ( is that a word?). He's the only fellow certified by NUCCA in Oakville. Today was my first treatment, having had an assessment yesterday. It was all very interesting. I will share some more details with you once I have formed more of an opinion on the subject. But, so far so good.

There was a bunch of stuff that I made for school and it turned out cute. I'll try to remember to post up some pics.

Sickie kids

2009-09-07T10:52:00.003-04:00

So the kids have caught something. They both were sick yesterday and still a bit off today. Both had fevers and were fussy and tired. Today is better, still it will be a stay in pyjamas / TV day.

Yesterday, I picked up a Mighty Machine video at the video store for Jeremy. He has really taken to vehicles. Trucks, construction, cars, things with wheels. He has even invented his own sign for truck. It's kind of like making the truck sound and moving his arm back and forth like he was moving a play car back and forth. These days he is really happy communicating and identifying things, I think to show us that he understands us...do we understand him?

Here they are this morning watching Mighty Machine. Jeremy is not at all interested in TV ( so far) and will only sit for a minute or two. With Mighty Machines..he sat for over 30 minutes. A record.

Hope everyone is well where you are.

One of those days

2009-09-02T19:34:00.005-04:00

Today was one of those days where, really I should have stayed at home. It was also a day where I wished that the kids were older so that we could all enjoy a day out. With nothing planned and nothing especially pressing to get or do, we sauntered out midday. Ja's in Tulsa and I stayed up late last night ( as I always do watching bad TV), and as a result, am tired today. So, as something nice to do, I pack up the snacks for the kids, grabbed the camera and head out to Coronation Park. It's a nice day for a change. Sunscreen sales must be down this summer, I know I didn't really put on as much as I did the summer before. We head out and the park is not busy and the kids play. Jeremy is already tired when we get there and doesn't really like the park yet. He's so so, well borderline dislike on the swings. He does just fine as long as you don't push him. And, today he's in a bit of a daze, watches the world go by. Courtney, who just a year ago couldn't wait to go on the bigger play gym, won't leave the babies and little kids and ends up playing with a 4 year old and 3 year old. I think she likes to be in charge of everything. Jeremy just sits and watches. He played in the sand once and really llked it. Liked it so much more than grass. He would crawl in the sand, touch it, ignore it and pretend it was like any other kind of crawling surface. But this time, he just sat still. Some sand got on his hand and he moved his fingers around in distaste.

After a while, it was time to go. Already past 11, past Jeremy's nap time. Past him being up for 3 hours. He was starting to get fussy...but we had to stop and get groceries. As I was in the park, I got it in my head to make some kid friendly food, so we stopped. Record time in grocery store. Nothing extra off the list. Then we headed back home and since Jeremy hasn't been eating as much lately, tried to get him to have a bit more food before putting him down. When he finally went for nap it was well after 1. Overtired for him. Took a long time to settle and then he woke up after 5.

I was exhausted too, so I napped too and when I finally got up, had to madly get the rest of the dinner ready. I tried a new recipe from a baby/toddler/kid cookbook. It was called finger linkin chicken potato balls. It did not turn out. Maybe it was me, but I'm blaming the recipe. So, just so y'all know that disasters do still happen in the kitchen. Here's picture proof that it happens in my kitchen. I was not happy at all. Courtney would have nothing to do with them. Jeremy eats almost everything so, the novelty of eating of the fork was the saving grace and he managed to still eat some "mush". Really, it was like the consistently of mashed potatoes. With the smell of burnt food in the kitchen, noisy fans going, hungry children crying and madly signing for food. Dinner was a blur. By 6, Jeremy already started to cue that he was ready for night night. A blessing that the day was almost over. It was almost time to restart fresh again. As, I'm writing the kitchen still needs tidying up. It'll be nice when I get all evidence of failure cleaned up.

In case you are wondering, yes, that is a mix of balls that are burnt, balls that still need to be crisped, and ones that look soso but don't keep their shape. Hey, if you pretend that they are a mix of cookies, they look more appetizing. Ugh. What a dissapointment.

This is Courtney

2009-09-02T19:20:00.003-04:00

I don't often get a good picture of Courtney these days. She is too busy being moody, reading, hiding, making scary faces at her brother, being silly or tucked up watching TV. Now that she is almost 6 years old, I think she has also gotten really good at turning, moving, looking away from the camera at just the right second.

Still, on a lucky day, with good light, she's still as sweet as can be.

Here she is with a requested side pony tail.

And here she is hugging or maybe it gripping her little brother, whom I think she sometimes forgets is a little boy, but treats like a play thing. It's not so much that she is rough with him, it's that she isn't gentle with him. Maybe she knows something that I don't.

It has been a long time

2009-08-30T19:10:00.003-04:00

I know. It has been a long time since I have posted and now it's nearly September. The summer has flown by. This weekend, we had the pleasure to attend a wedding of one of Ja's childhood friends. He's know the guy since nursery school. To me, that is so cool to know someone that long and to have stayed in touch. Staying in touch is not the same as it was in my twenties. Now in my mid-thirties and with kids, I find that it's hard to stay in continual touch. I've accepted the fact that the somewhat regular intervals ie. 2-3 times a year with hopefully one face to face in person contact is the minimum of what is needed to stay in touch. Mind you, this is for good friends. Ones that just feel right when you finally do see them or talk to them. Ones where you don't feel the need to know every detail of what you've missed, but do feel a pang of sadness in yourself that you weren't there for all the details and important stuff. Ones, where when you are back together time works in your favour. It feels long and rich when it needs to be, every minute counts and a couple of days or hours feels longer than what is physically is. But, life does go on and in my older age, I'm just not suited to be able to really handle all the details of everyone's life. I used to have such a fantastic memory, but with each season, each child and each addition of a friend's child, my short term memory just isn't as good as it was before. But, back to the wedding. It was a wonderful experience. Our first hindu ceremony. I loved the richess of it, the tradition of it, the mystery of it, and all the ideas that is stands for, the love of couples, the love of parents, and the love of togetherness and also how it brings friends together, forces us all to get together in the same space at the same time. Very nice and so lucky that Ja has friends so that I experienced it. Until the next generation of weddings... the ones where we are the really old geezers, there are only a handful of weddings that we'll probably get the pleasure of attending, and I look forward to them.

Oh, here is a near completion shot of our new mud room. It's clean and tidy and a bit more modernish for us. We cleaned out half the garage over the weekend to allow for one car to park inside so we'll be using this new space more too.

Enjoy the rest of this wet sunday.

New family room

2009-08-09T12:12:00.003-04:00

So, this is what our family room looks like now. I am doing my best to keep it as tidy as when I got back from our visit to Calgary. Ja was busy during those 2 weeks that we were away and put in the build ins, painted, stained, sanded and finished up the room. It is so comfortable and updated. There is also loads of storage space too. I still have to figure out how to use it all.

He's currently working on the mud room. Redoing it and adding another built in. The old closet was ripped out, the floor has been laid and the walls painted. To be somewhat helpful, I picked up the paint roller too. It was fun to be both painting together again...though it was such a small room that really it was a bit unnessary.

I'll post a pic. when it's all done. Should be in a few more days. I'm excited to be able to put all our comings and going back in there and to sort out the garage.

It's Sunday, and I'm a bit tired. My lower back is still hurting a lot. I finally figured out that it has someone to do with my posture, the fact that both kids are getting heavier and lifting them is hard on the body. Courtney is 38lbs, so she is almost legally (by weight) allowed to be in the booster chair. And, it's the way that I bend to pick things up. I have to remember to bend at the knees. But now, it's been nearly a year of bad posture and incorrect bending so my back is hurt. No wonder I can't get the right twist to crack it.

Signing with Jeremy

2009-08-03T12:46:00.005-04:00

I have signed with both my kids, but Jeremy is the most fluent. It could be that Courtney was so literate so quickly. At almost 6 years old, she's reading at a grade 2 plus level. What I remember of her early language years was what a babbler she was and how quickly she picked up sounds and words. It seems like she was talking before we knew it. And, she was always interested in books, looking at them, holding them, ripping them, eating them, but mostly being read to. Jeremy, on the other hand is not quite the same.

He's not so much interested in books except to chew on them. He likes to thumb through them in imitation of his sister and if there are any books that he will tolerate it's the kind that has lift up tabs or touchy things. Lately, he has developed a fascination for cats and maybe dogs, so books with those pictures makes him laugh and smile too. At night time when he it is almost time to put him in his crib, he on occasion will accept a book and sit down to look at it and listen to you read, but that is really not a regular thing. So, the signing as a means to communicate is a good thing. As he is slowly developing his own personality, there is a bit more force in his actions, his hand gestures in frustration and what can only be either complaint or extreem disatisfaction. I fear that we may also be entering a screaming (in a piercing kind of way period) phase. He is learning about things taken away from him and he doesn't like it. Really who does? But, at such a tender age, he just doesn't get it, nor does he have the emotional understanding or control or maturity...as apparantly, say...grownups are supposed to have.

It's fun times. Signing and watching him grow. Gave him something peanut today and so far so good. We'll see in a couple of days when it goes through his system. Only a few more things that he hasn't tried yet. Shellfish, citrus fruit, I'm holding off on dairy again, in case his reaction earlier was a result of it.

Courtney and I were coming up with a list of words that he recognizes and that we have signs for. Of course, he does understand more than he can reciprocate. Speech is late for boys and for the second born, so hopefully, we can get a few more signs learnt and avoid the whole flapping of arms, pounding of tables, general yelling and screaming. I suppose that might work for some people, but a little civility never hurt. It's rewarding for me to have him "talk" so early. Of course, this means that I get to watch him that much more, afterall signs are silent and you have to see them to hear them.

The list of signed words.

Eat / Food, Drinkm Bottle, milk, water, blueberries, strawberries, car, Courtney, daddy, mama, cat, dog, more, all done, silly, no, cute, grandmother, grandfather, bed/sleep, home, change diaper, book, hat, poopy diaper, clapping hands, dancing, mucic, shopping, turn around, sit down, stop, swim, bath, come, up, strauberry, banana, cereal, getting clothes on.

I'm been trying to learn a few more online on some free web sites as we are finding it hard to make them up. After the first few, it does all seem like a bit of arm waving.

10th Anniversary

2009-08-02T11:23:00.004-04:00

So, on July 29th, Ja and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary. Time flies by nicely when it's a good time. We were lucky to have 2 nights to celebrate. On the 29th, we went for a casual dinner in downtown Oakville at a greek restaurant called Collosus. It was nice and the food was good. We shared the tapas for 2 which was a great way to get to know greek food as both of us had only had it a few times. I think this was only my second time. Then the next time, we went into Toronto and saw the Coldplay concert. We were out of luck to have a nice dinner out seeing as it was concert night, thursday night and probably theatre, tourist, movie night so after trying to get a table at 2 restaurants, we opted for Subway. We were done in about 15 minutes. Easy.

The concert itself was good. It was a "live" type concert where Coldplay was more musical and made things a bit more intimate for the 50000 fans by playing on smaller stages and moving around the main floor. The music was good, and it was nice to get up and groove a bit. Our seats weren't horrible but they weren't the best. We didn't get back home until after midnight which was a first for us in a long time. Good thing this long weekend was just around the corner.

Aren't these beautiful? I love fresh flowers. Oh, I know that they wilt and totally die, but still, I love them. The bouquet was so heavy that it was a two hander. I have them in the family room now so that I can see them every day.

The summer has been mosying along with Courtney's tennis camp, swim lessons finished. Only a few more weeks of soccer left too. Dance camp is coming up and then hopefully a visit to Ottawa and then it will be back to school.

Scallops with orzo

2009-07-24T18:48:00.004-04:00

When I was in Calgary, I tried orzo pasta for the first time. It was great. It looks like rice but is actually tinyish pasta. You kind of cook it like a risotto. I didn't use cream, but just some 1% milk as that is all that I had and some low sodium chicken broth which I now always have on hand. There is something about chicken or even vegetable broth that gives food a bit more depth. I also didn't dice the mushrooms and left them quartered which I also will probably continue to do, as I good friend told me, they are a lot tastier and juicier that way. Of course, if you are not a fan of mushrooms, I'm told that the size of the mushroom doesn't alter it's texture.

The scallops were a nice touch, but you could probably top it with anything.

Oh, and in case you are wondering, Courtney eats all this stuff now. I just mini size her portion and if I'm feeling nice, I will separate out the obvious. Now that Jeremy is really getting the hang of chewing, we'll all be on the same food soon. He did have some probably getting all the individual grains of orzo, so maybe he would need it a bit creamier.

The birthday boy

2009-07-24T10:45:00.006-04:00

In the end, it was a fairly simple 1st birthday celebrations. There was no real theme or grand gifts from Ja or I. I did make a birthday cake which claimed to be the best birthday cake ever and was a bit dissappointed as it's not so much the best kid friendly cake, and with the sour cream frosting and my choice of bittersweet icing wasn't quite what I had in mind. Topped with some homemade ice cream it was made it much better. We were surrounded by near by family and some cousins which was both busy, fun, nice and chaotic at different times. I think the kids liked it though, just knowing that everyone loved them is a nice feeling.

I have thank you cards started downstairs and as soon as I have a little photo shoot with the 1 year old, they will be posted out.

For now, here are some shots of the day...mostly opening presents or enjoying them.

New water filter

2009-07-23T13:49:00.003-04:00

Don't you just love it? Well I do. OK, it's a bit slow on the filtering process, but that's probably a good thing right. No point it letting everything pass through. I got all kinds of new ideas after spending some time with friends and hanging out in Calgary in general. You'll be sure to see them and hear about them. But for today, one more:

Check out my new water filter. You can order one online yourself at www.santevia.com or just get more info on it's multi-step filtering process. Courtney loved using it when we were in Calgary and is super excited now that we have one. Best thing is that it just encourages you to drink more water and I'm hoping it will get rid that awful chlorine thing that our water here occasionally has.

Oh and another thing. I've been reading lables on the amount of sodium, mostly because Jeremy can't have any really. So, I keep my ears out for tid bits of info, but did you know? It's recommended that we consume about 1500 mg of sodium. The normal person actually consumer 2x that amount. 1500 mg is about 3 1/2 tsp of salt which when you think about it is pretty gross. But, salt is everywhere. I remember when I was last pregnant, I could not handle salt where it wasn't supposed to be there. I could taste it in juice, in ice cream, in cookies and cakes, Yuck! Last night, I had some pretzles, just the Rolo Gold kind - and imagine my disgust when I saw that a portion size, so that's 30 mini ones has over 1000mg of sodium. OMG. I'm not eating those ever again. I think I'll crush up a few everytime I need to salt some meatballs or something. Wow, low in fat is one thing hight in sodium may not be worth it. So, start checking labels. Food companies are supposed to start reducing their sodium levels per new Canadian requirements, and some have already made the change, so be on the look out for those foods. Good luck and reduce your salt!

Calgary trip - Part 2

2009-07-23T13:29:00.006-04:00

Ok, is this not the goofiest smile on Jeremy. I didn't even know he could be this happy. We are spending the morning at the Calgary Zoo, meeting up with old friends and seeing animals. This is Jeremy's first out and about, so I'm taking the time to show him everything. He's never seen animals before other than ones that are pets in homes...and really, who's kiddng, that means cats and dogs. Nope, not even a pet store visit for the second born. IT's a somewhat short visit, but we see elephants, monkeys, a bear, sting ray, peacock, and a play at the park.

Lots of cute shots of Marie Chantal and Heather's kids too. But I don't think they do the posting online for the whole world to see. So, you'll just have to imagine cute kids. But, hey MC, if you are reading this and need a picture of Loup Loup - let me know I've got one.

Canada Day was spent at Calaway Park. I little kiddie amusement Wonderland rides type of place. The kids eat junk. AKA cotton candy and ride rides all day long. Jeremy hangs out and watches the world go by.

A fun time at the Calgary Science Centre. This is one of the best places to take kids in Calgary. Especially as it's all indoors. It's got lots of exhibits and thngs to do, touch and experiment with.

We get to see our friends Stella, Fred and Emma at a BBQ and ran into other friends, People we used to hang out with a lot before marriage, kids and moving. Everybody looks the same and different.

And before you know it's time to go. Daddy comes in town for a conference and we all jettison home a couple of days later. Jeremy comes is not well leaving and mommy suddenly remembers that Jemmy is not all that well going either. A forehead thermometer is bought and returned after the concern as past. Of course, I probably should have paid more attention to it as Jeremy gets somekind of virus thing when we get back. Not fun. Still...that's another store.

Good bye Calgary. See you again soon.

Some pictures from Calgary trip - part 1

2009-07-23T13:14:00.006-04:00

Here are some of my favorite pictures of our trip to Calgary way back in June. We were away for 2 weeks and it was just enough time to make it feel like I wasn't rushing around doing things. Of course, towards the end of the trip everybody started to feel a bit homesick and was ready to go home. It's not the same when it's just me and kids. It was great to see good friends though and to marvel at their growing kids and reconnect. Sometimes you just have to be there. Thanks everyone for putting up with us.

Arriving in Calgary. Courtney was such a great helper. Jeremy did not nap - hardly at all. Picking up the car rental from Avis was horribly slow. Not sure if I would rent there again.

There's a highchair here so Jeremy tries it out. Seems to really like feeding himself. I bit messy though. Avocado is probably right up there on favorite foods.

A visit to the old house. Old hauting grounds. Courtney doesn't remember much. The raspberries are not in season yet for picking. Too bad.

Even a birthday party to go to. Boy, it's too much fun here. The girls are all at the right age to get along, have fun, eat candy without really checking first.

I even do some shopping. Going to Calgary means saving the PST. So, I pick up Jeremy next size car seat. It should do him until he's a big big fellow. It's the only car seat that folds up and can be strapped onto your back. Mind you, it does weigh a ton. Are they cute, travelling in style in the cute little Kia car that we've rented.

Extra extra read all about it

2009-07-23T13:06:00.002-04:00

Well....drum roll. The moment you've all been waiting for has arrived.

Yes. It's true. That's a hole in her mouth! She was super excited this morning. The other front tooth is also wobbly, now that she's gotten the hang of it, I expect the other tooth won't take nearly enough. Tonight is the tooth fairy visit and she's hoping for a big shiny coin...which she'll be in her piggy bank she says. Good - no dollar store junk for her!

Jeremy is almost 1

2009-07-18T17:52:00.003-04:00

Tomorrow Jeremy turns 1. Officially. It seems like he's been in our lives for much longer. I guess when you know someone from the very beginning, it might feel like that.

I've not blogged for a while, so I'll try to post a few more extra in the next couple of days to catch everybody up. But, the long and short of it is that we had a great trip in Calgary, Jeremy caught a virus on the way back - maybe measles and Courtney has started her series of camps and swimming. Oh, and end of the month will be our 10th anniversary - wow.

But, here is a picture of the little guy, taken today, one day shy of 1. Splashing around in his bath which he loves.

We're off to Calgary tomorrow - yeehaw!

2009-06-23T13:03:00.003-04:00

So we are off tomorrow and amazingly enough, I have packed up...almost. Usually, I say ( and tell everyone) that I've started packing but the truth is that I procrastinate to the point that I am usually packing up till the last minute. This trip, I am going solo with the kids and I didn't buy a seat for Jeremy and we have an early start, so I decided to really do what I always say and pack up early.

Yesterday, we took it easy as I had a bit of a fall the morning of Father's Day. Really hurt my knees but they are much better today. I was even able to venture to the mall to get CJ to try on something and to buy some slip ons for Ja who likes to putter around in the garage with socked feet (and he wonders why his socks are dirty).

But, here are some pictures of Jeremy at 11 months. Wow, he's really almost 1. I didn't get around to the invitations yet, but there will be a small party at our house on July 19th, his actualy birthdate, so plan to be here, if you can. The party will likely run from 3-7pm, but feel free to come earlier and hang out. I'm really hoping that he'll be awake around that time, but you never know. Lately, he's been sleeping A LOT. For instance, yesterday he woke up at 6:30 am, then napped from 9 to 2pm. Yes! 5 hrs. Then he went to bed already overtired at 5:30 pm and then woke at 4:30 am for some milk, then went back to sleep until 10 AM this morning and I put him down overtired at 1pm and he was so pooped, he refused to even have his bottle. Poor guy! I hope it's not too rough for him adjusting to Calgary and all the excitement there.

Oh, and one more very exciting news to share....yesterday, Courtney found her first wobbly tooth. Lower jaw, front right tooth. She is crazy with excitment from it. Although, not much wiggling or running around today.

Getting ready for Summertime

2009-06-12T11:42:00.006-04:00

Apparantly, Courtney already had a closetfull of summertime dresses. Meanwhile, I have been making her little dresses and summer play clothes. Oh well, she tells me that she likes my clothes best and still wants me to sew for her. How sweet she is. Music to my ears.

Last week, I got some more yummy fabric specifically for summer sewing, all anna maria horner's new Good Folks collection. I am dying to make a summertime picnic type quilt / blanket with it. It just screams cozyness and relaxation. I've almost decided how I'm going to piece it all together. For some reason, although I seem to be buying fabric nonstop and am getting better at buying coordinating patterns, I never have enough or the right mix to follow a pattern. I wonder, do quilters follow pattersn, do they make it up as they go? I don't know? Anybody out there?

Anyways, here's a very fitted (bodice) part Flower Girl dress from the new Heather Ross book, ( yes, I caved and bought it), and it is surprisingly very easy and simple to put together. I used some of the fabric that I brought back from France. It was like rayon type material with absolutely no give to it, so if you are making it, you need something with at least a little bit of stretch to it. Fortunately, Courtney doesn't have a lot of "hips" so we put it on by pulling it on, as it couldn't get over her shoulders / arms. It's a great length and very twirly and dancy to wear.

Also, a few sneak peaks on some dresses that I've been making using some Freshcut from Heather Bailey. One of the patterns is a Oliver & Co that I got from the UK Sew Hip magazine and the other is another Heather Ross from her book. The mock smocking or shirring is a lot of fun and super easy to do. I've got another one in the works...it's put on hold now that I've see how many dresses my little girl actually has. I might have to make it a size 6 just so she can wear it next year too and hopefully all her other dresses will be too small then.

Have a great weekend. Got to run! The base of my lemon tart is now ready for the oven. Getting things prepped for dinner tonight. Still have to pick up the fish though...will be a bit tricky wish, I could have bought it earlier, but c'est la vie.

Last full day of school

2009-06-11T10:23:00.004-04:00

I can hardly believe that today is the last full day of school. As part of the teacher's thank you gift, the parents are putting together an impromptu little scrapbook. Courtney and I worked on it the other day and the only thing that is missing is her picture. I found one from the first day of school and she looks so much younger than she does now that we had to take a new picture of her.

So here, she is...first day of school.

And the last days of SK. She'll be starting grade 1 next year! Wow!

Today is a busy day, getting ready for some guests. We are having a sleepover with Grandpa S and Grandma E as well as some special guests from England. If you are reading this Grandpa S, do pass on to P & L - that we'll be doing "cocktail night" tomorrow. We are looking forward to it all. Hopefully, everyone is hungry as I'll be cooking a real meal. I have rediscovered my old favorite Gourmet and Bon Appetit magazines and have decided that it's OK to allow old hobbies to come back in style. Now...in search of some good fish this afternoon.

Jeremy is snoozing. Since coming back from Sask. He's been sleeping in until I wake him for the drive in to CJ's school, then we come back and he has breakfast then about 10 he has a bottle and has a nap....until about 1:30 or 2 ! Seems like everytime there is a change, his schedule gets changed too. It's nice to have this block of quiet time, but difficult to get anything really done as there is no time to go and get groceries, run errands or play very much. I keep reminding myself to just enjoy the time, it won't last forever. To try and do the things that are important to us. So, I do. The house isn't much tidy, I still can't really keep plants alive or the cat's litter clean, but in the very end, when I'm older with a lot more time on my hands, I'm pretty sure that my best memories will be of the time spent doing things. At least I hope, I won't have regrets and wish that , "i had just made the bed that one time, or washed the floor more, or did the dishes", instead of just enjoying the moments with the kids. I have a feeling that a lot of what goes on in these early childhood years get forgotten and gently erased, but I will remember that I took the time to watch them, to smell them, to laugh with them and to see them discover the life that surrounds them and to make sure that they can count on me. Even though, I will probably not remember, the kids might. These are their formulating memories, the ones that they imprint on forever. It's these early days that will mold them, shape them and allow them to be great in whatever they do. Put another way, it's these early days that will mold ME, shape ME and allow ME to see their greatness is whatever they do. So, I have a job to do, to take care of their being, their vibe, their spirit and let it experience joy, thrill in happiness, feel the spectrum of emotion and believe in them. To protect their innocence, cherish their underlying goodness. and their unequivocal belief in you, their parents. In the beginning, you can do no wrong really. How great is that, when they are young, you get to figure out and practice yours skills as a parent so that when it really matters, you don't screw up as much. You are a more experienced parent.

Lately, I have been thinking more and more about the role and job of a parent. (haha can you tell?) The fact should be that it is not natural to know what the right thing is to do. For some of us, taking care of ourselves never really happened before we were thrown into the need to start caring for someone else. I think of nature shows on wild animals and how they always emphasize creatures that are "maternal" that stick with their young ( or rather allow their young to stay with them) and note that it's not the norm. It's easy to have babies to procreate, for the baby to survive and tell their story is something entirely different. So, I'm going to take these baby days, these learning days not only as a time when my children are learning but I'm going to be humble and take it as my time to learn too. Time really does just fly by and I'm hoping that if I start right now and take the time to practice doing it right, I might just wake up one day and realize that the kids are all grown up, I'm still practicing and it's been all good. I'm not waiting for "that moment" when it matters most. On a day to day, growth basis, it's all the little things that count. Some will argue that it's the big things that matter, but to be honest, I'm not sure if I will know what those "big things" are when they are in front of me. Will you? Did you? Probably in hindsight, but that's nothing new, everyone knows what they should have done. It's doing it when it counts that hard. Parenting, is so very multifaceted and importantly, the job ( if you choose to keep it) is lifelong. It's morphs and changes with age, but you can't get fired from it, you can only quit from it. It's one of those things where you are stuck with it for life, at least I think it is when it's done right. Stuck in the way that you are also stuck with your child loving you for the rest of their life....and that's awesome stuff.

Have a great Thursday everyone.

Happily married

2009-06-09T09:54:00.006-04:00

This past weekend, we were in northern saskatchewan to celebrate my little brother's wedding. Of course, he is no longer little anymore, only younger now. Here they are post ceremony bliss. Congratulations to Kevin and Jessica. Courtney was lucky to be the flower girl and Jeremy, with the time change and all, he made some cameo appearances. I think he was the cutest baby there though, I am probably biased. Other than enjoy some prarie air, see some deer around Wakesiu Lake within the national park, it was just some R&R.

Today is Tuesday and I can't believe that there is less than 1 full week of school left. Courtney will be officially done this coming Monday. I think Thursday will be the last day of any school work as Friday is sports day, and monday is outing day. She'll be going to African Lion Safari ( again) for the full day. What a way to end the school year and kick off the summer. We'll have a good week of sleeping in and taking it easy before we head to Calgary for 2 weeks. That's right, me and 2 kids. I'm going solo there. A bit daunting when I think about it too much. So, don't think about it too much right?

Anyways, just a quick post to check in to say all is going OK. Staying up too late, mostly tired a lot during the days and I have a growing list of things to do. Jeremy turns 1 in a little over a week, plus numerous family birthdays coming up too, so it's never ending.

Quick breadsticks

2009-05-29T08:17:00.003-04:00

It's a wet and gloomy day here. Maybe you feel like some lovin' from the oven? Here's a recipe for some quick breadsticks. I would make them a bit thinner when I do them again and do the twisty thing so that they are rustic like, but they are tasty and a good one to involve the kids as even odd shaped dough gets baked and eaten. We brushed some with butter and parmesan but note that the cheese burns and stinks up the oven.

Recipe - makes for about 2 dozen somewhat thick ones. Oven is at 400F

1 cup flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp b. powder
1/2 t salt
3 T olive or canola oil
1/2 - 3/4 water or milk
option - coarse salt

Combine dry ingredients in a food processor, you could do it in your stand mixer to. Add oil and mix so it's crumbly. Pour wet water or milk and process until in comes together.
On lightly floured surface roll out into sticks.
Place sticks on ungreased baking sheet and bake for 12-15 mins until golden.

Let cool and display standing in a glass for munching.

Shirt in action

2009-05-29T08:12:00.003-04:00

So, I have to say that I love the shirt even more on my little guy. He's worn it a couple of times now and I really can't wait to make more. I have a few projects on the go before I get to it though, including my first dress for myself.

We leave for my brother's wedding at Lake Wakesiu in northern Saskatchewan this morning so hopefully, I can get some shots of me in action.

Here's my cute guy.

More clothes

2009-05-22T09:18:00.005-04:00

Sometimes, I buy fabric because it is just a good price and manufactured by a good company so I know the quality is there. Imagine my surprise when I discover that the fabric turns out to be amazing...just not for the projects that I had in mind.

This is what Moda's Flutterby fabric has turned out to be. It's surprisingly versatile, fun and unisex. It also pairs up well with fabrics that I have trouble finding a contrast too. I don't know, maybe that is because I'm picking the wrong kind of fabrics.

Next week, my brother is getting married. Courtney is the flower girl and I had bought her a beautiful dress at J.Crew a while back. Note to myself, I still have to get her some white shoes. I had been shopping for Jeremy since March and hadn't found anything really, then when I decided I wanted the white / linen look, the selection was picked over. So, in the end, I found this nice sandy linen and made him some simple pants. And, he'll wear this cute white button down shirt that I picked up at Pottery Barn Kids at a great sale price and I still have to work on a tie for him. He's going to look so cute. I just hope he behaves.

Last night, I used my automatic button hole maker for the first time and WOW, I can't believe that I was scared of it. Sure, after the button holes are made, it's harder to line up the buttons or the holes for that matter, but I'm happy with the way my first little button shirt turned out. Looks like it might be a bit big on Jem, but I'll try it on him later on. I can't wait to make some more shirts now. Bit by bit, I'm cutting out my patters and trying them out with the hopes of finding my favorites to repeat over and over again.

It's Friday again. Yeah! Tomorrow is a busy day with driving out to Streetsville for French class for Courtney and then soccer immediately afterwards. I hope to be able to go bike shopping too as she is in dire need of a new bike. Despite it all...she is growing up.

10 months old and 1 day

2009-05-20T10:02:00.004-04:00

OK. The days are passing way too quickly. The last couple of days, I've been feeling a bit blah. I'm not sure what it is....probably not enough sleep. Jeremy is still not sleeping through the night all the time and I think it's going to take years until my body gets reprogrammed to not wake at the slightest sound in the night.

So, I was mentally reminding myself to not forget to take 10 month old pictures, on the exact date and after a mini photo shoot this morning, which is really just me taking a lot of pictures at once, I realize that it's the 20th of the month. I am a day late.

Without further delay, here is Jeremy at 10 months and 1 day.

I can do lots of things like clap when asked. Feed myself small bits of food, or large bits of havarti cheese. I like to slap the table and make loud noises. I can crawl like there is no tomorrow and I can even pull myself up to stand. Sometimes I even cruise just a little bit and I like to pretend to walk. My favorite fun person is my big sister, Courtney, followed by the cat and then daddy and then mommy. I'd rather not drink my bottle of milk as I think that means that I have to go to sleep. I like to yell but otherwise, I'm still a pretty quiet guy. Oh, and my hair is starting to grow...really...really. I also like to listen to music and dance to it too my swaying my head back and forth. My least favourite thing is having a poop in my diaper. Sometimes, I'll just yell and not sleep so that someone will hopefully come to change me. I wonder what I'll be able to do by next month.

Soccer girl

2009-05-18T09:27:00.004-04:00

On Saturday, Courtney had her first soccer game and honestly, it was pretty stressful for me. This is the first time that she has played a game. She really didn't even want to play at all. We got there early and waited for the other kids and parents to come. I didn't realize that the coaches would provide very little coaching and so Courtney was pretty much clueless and I, determined to not be a sideline mom coach, had to clutch my arms tight and glue myself to my little foldup seat the entire time. It felt like a tug of war with myself...and it was killing me watching her watch the rest of her team play soccer as she stood on the field as a casual observer. I know it's her first game, but what a way to drive me crazy.

Good thing she had fun and is looking forward to her next "game". She did get a few kicks on the ball too...so maybe there is hope for her still.

Look what I can eat

2009-05-18T09:25:00.003-04:00

Yes, I am almost 10 months old and I can eat a whole 1/2 avocado and an entire juicy apricot. Never mind the bowl of mush that mommy stuffed into me. Yum!

Happy Birthday to me

2009-05-18T09:06:00.003-04:00

Yesterday was my birthday and today is holiday Victoria Day monday, so it's a long weekend. Yeah!

I got to be the "birthday girl" all day which also meant that Courtney took to calling me "the birthday girl" all day too. One of the perks though was being able to cuddle with her all day whenever I wanted to. So, I really took advantage of that.

The day started backwards with birthday cake and opening of presents. This year's theme from Ja seems to be exercise stuff. I got some new exercise workout clothes as well as a heart beat monitor. Handmade cards were heartwarmning too. Ja made a delicious cake and Courtney helped select the decorations, design and icing of it. It was all a yummy start to the morning. I had decided the night before that I didn't want to go out to a restaurant for lunch having just had a date night with Ja. ( We went to see the new Star Trek movie - VERY good, and we are not even trekkies, as well as tried out the Italian restaurant called Trattoria Timone which was delicious). So, instead, we packed up the kids and went to ..... African Safari. This is an attraction which we never went to as kids, but turns out it was fabulous! Spring is a great time to go because of all the baby animals, but honestly, I bet it's cool to go anytime. There are so many things that I loved about this place. The diversity and number of the animals. The roaming space and habit for them, the fact that they breed and have babies is amazing. The given day, we saw, and I can't remember them all, baby lions, baby monkeys, baby bison, baby fancy horned cow, baby deer and more. We got to get so close to them and watch them move. I much prefer this environment to a zoo's. So, if you are ever in Southern Ontario, make the trip. Pack a picnic as the food's not that great and plan to spend a whole day as we just missed seeing elephant bathe in a river, and they have play parks, a water park, river boat cruise and other attractions too. Well worth the money to me....especially if you want to see animals.

Layer Cake quilt

2009-05-08T14:40:00.003-04:00

Here is my first quilt that I made using a layer cake? with moda fabrics. It went really quick as it was all cut for me. I was lucky to pick up the layer cake at 40% off, but I'm not sure if the convenience would be worth the regular price. I can probably just devote a day or two and just cut things up and then have it all bundled up like a homemade layer cake. All in all, it took a couple of hours of mad sewing, quilting and binding. It is very lofty because of the batting I used ( aka forgot to buy it so had to use what I had on hand), but it's very comfortable and I like how it has a more comforter look and feel to it. It's definitely harder to sew with the bulk. Still, I'm happy with how it turned out and especially that I was able to bring it down for my mom last weekend as an early Mother's Day present. I'm really hoping to make a few more quilts this summer, but they won't be really fancy. I've realized that I'm more of a quick and dirty kind of quilter. Given the way that I do things...maybe I shouldn't even say it's quilting, a real quilter might just look too close and have a heart attack.

It's almost the weekend

2009-05-08T14:25:00.003-04:00

Today has been a good day. The day even started off with smiles and mommy not having to use her "stern voice". Now, the lad is having his second nap like a good little boy.

I'm also pretty happy to have the summer booked up. It'll be summer break in just over a month. I can tell that the weeks will fly by. With Courtney's busy schedule, I'm wondering if maybe I should find some kind of activity for Jem.

Starting tomorrow, it's soccer in the mornings. Soccer runs every Saturday until the middle of August. For the first couple of weeks, it'll be a bit crazy as we double booked her French classes at the same time period. She's really not that keen to be doing soccer and has even said, she'd rather go to French than soccer. I think she just really likes "recess" there. There's also only 3 in the class and she's the youngest, so I think she likes that too. Otherwise, the summer will be busy with clay camp, tennis camp, dance camp and swimming. Add on a 2 week trip to Calgary, a week in Ottawa and a few visits to Orono and there isn't that much time left over to just breath. I really would like to get over to this Santa Clause village and African Safari too. Whew...it's making me tired just thinking about it. This will be by far our busiest summer ever. Have you made plans for summer yet? Cause...'ya know - it's sneaking up.

In Ottawa

2009-05-07T12:34:00.006-04:00

This past weekend, I took a short trip to Ottawa to partake in a spa bridal shower. It was just a small group. We went up to Chelsea, which is the entrance point to Gatineau Park in Quebec to relax at Le Nordik Spa en Nature. We tried out the Nordik baths and it was surprisingly fun and refreshing. Imagine an outdoor spa setting with pools, whirlpools and a wet and dry sauna. Plus, there were firepits and cozy retreats to relax and unwind between sessions. We concluded our experience with a dark chocolate fondue. Then we went out for a late dinner at a small Italian restaurant in Little Italy back in Ottawa.

It was nice to have a little get away and not worry or be entwined with the kids. It was also really nice to see my parents. My dad is due for another little surgery shortly, so it was good to see him and spend some time with them. You can't tell in the photo, but my mom loves to garden and her front garden is just coming into bloom. In a few weeks, it will be awash in colour.

Aren't they cute?

In a few weekends, my brother will be getting married in Saskatchewan. I've started a new exercise program to try and lose some weight. My plan is to buy something to wear last minute. I'm really hoping to go this weekend to check out the new Anthropologie that just opened up North Toronto offf the DVP at The Shops of Don Mills. Of course, if I really think about it, realistically, I should get something this weekend and just be prepared for it. I'm never good with clothes last minute anymore. I had planned on making something myself, but I'm going to let myself off the hook.

Oh, before I forget to mention, I did go to the Creativ Festival show and did some research on sergers. I was set to get a Babylock serger but the price was really really steep. I scored a used one off kajiji and have been having fun with it. It's so nice to have serged seams. I haven't tried knits yet...but I'm sure I'll work up to it.

Here are some pants in action.

Cooking for the week

2009-04-28T14:14:00.003-04:00

A while back, I decided to try and change the late afternoons to free up some time to spend with the kids, in particular with Courtney. With her in school full time, and having to share my time with Jeremy which really means that Jeremy has my complete attention, so she's lost my attention, sometimes I feel like I don't have my connection with her. She's also just started some extra french classes Saturday morning, so precious time lost too. Part of it is her littleness. She still needs a nap in the afternoon on weekends and she still has an early bedtime, 7pm, so there isn't a lot of free time. We probably spend the most time together in the car driving to and from school and that is just lost time. We're either both tired or just wishing to stare out the window. It's strange how my exceptionally chatty daughter all of a sudden has nothing to say in those moments when chattiness would be encouraged. I don't know. I think we are entering the "you drive my crazy" stage. I am dreading the tween and teen years already.

So, what I am re-trying again with more effort is to meal plan. To make all our meals on the weekend so that they only need to be warmed up. At the same time, I'm trying to work on some staples. I have almost always cooked on the go, baking always uses recipes, but cooking is adlib. Every meal is a smidge different depending on what I have in the fridge. I have fond food memories growing up that I would like my children to have the same. Some idea of comfort food other than fast food and kraft mac&cheese. I'm trying new recipes again. Nothing fancy and easy to prepare. I still get a weekly delivery of fruits and vegs so that does make it a bit harder as those freshies change from week to week, but I'm trying.

Doesn't this look good. It's a stuffed veal and mushroom shelled pasta dish. You put cheese on the top, but it looks like boats in a row to me. All lined up to go somwhere. The recipe is from Ricardo, I've tried a few of his recipes and they are always easy and delicious.

What are your staples?

Still here

2009-04-28T14:00:00.004-04:00

We are all still here, but just a bit quiet. I don't know, maybe it is the confusing weather. Summer like one day and grey and rainy the next. I don't know.

Still trying to keep busy, and most days are just me and my little world. You kind of get used to not interacting outside of your world. Your needs for companionship and social interaction fade, but spring and summer are just around the corner and I'm keen to get out. Even if it is just a squirrel or bird that crosses my path. Where do I live anyways? It's like I'm in the middle of nowhere. Reality is that I'm just in the middle of somewhere. Somewhere where life keeps on going. Somewhere where things have a pattern and a routine and doesn't even miss you or feel interrupted when you take a break from it all. Somewhere where you can not really matter. OK, I can see where this is going, spiralling downwards. Really, I am OK. Just a bit bored, a bit tired of being cooped inside, a bit alone by my own choice.

Oh, I finally got around to making a sling. Jeremy is not nearly 20lbs as I'd guessed, doctor's scale last week said 18 lbs. Still in the infant seat, he's a heavy bundle. So, this sling is fun, it's light, portable and I can run in it which he thinks is just hilarious.

9 months old

2009-04-22T14:48:00.002-04:00

Jeremy is 9 months old. I can't believe how quickly the time is flying by. New since last month is the pulling up....still working on it as he's a bit wobbly on his feet. I think it's his big head that is making him top heavy. Also, he's being a bit of a tough guy right now as 4 new teeth are coming through. Every second day is a bit more drooly, but other than drinking less milk, he's not that fussy. He's getting a bit better at picking up little foods though it's more of a shove it in my mouth and hope I aim properly kind of technique. When I look back, Courtney was so much more dainty. This guy gets food in his eye and nose and doesn't even complain about it. Courtney still refuses to do certain things if they will get her hands messy, wet and ucky.

Doctor's appointment tomorrow...so we'll see how much the big fellow weight. I'm guessing maybe 19lbs. I guess, he is a bit of a big boy.

Done: handmade birthday gift

2009-04-22T14:43:00.003-04:00

I have been procrastinating on this, but I'm so happy that it's done. I have to hurry to get this into the mail as it's a gift for a special little girl whose birthday is coming up end of the month. Eeek! - that is days away. Anyways, I hope that it fits. I'm really happy with how it all turned out...very cute and sweet. I did add a little tiny pocket on the shirt just to tie it with the skirt - and also because I thought, how cute to have a pocket way down there, to slip in a twig, branch or maybe a caterpillar?

A few snaps from Easter weekend

2009-04-14T09:55:00.006-04:00

It was the long weekend and the weather was mostly sunny. It was nice to have a bit of family time and to see some extended family too. Jeremy is waking up again in the middle of the night and I'm not sure really why. Perhaps it's his naps or the irregularity of them during the day that is causing this. We were so lucky with sleeping through the night. I'm still working on some curtains for his room, so maybe the dark will help too.

On Good Friday, we went to our neighbourhood Easter hunt. It's a nice event that gets the families and neighbourhood out. The organizers scatter eggs and candies throughout the park and then the kids are released by age to collect and hunt for eggs. In about a half hour, the place is cleaned out. There's also a table of snacks and treats and folks gather to enjoy the weather, watch kids or chit chat with neighbours. Last year, we missed the egg hunt so Courtney was especially excited for it this year. Jeremy came along too, but he was really too tired to really do anything more than observe.

We decorated easter eggs for Sunday morning and in the evening, had an impromptu cooking class for Courtney. I suddenly decided that it was time for her to help. So, she got to dip and batter the turkey parmesan, touched the raw turkey and cut the buffalo mozzarella chesse with a real knife ( ok - the knife was a bit on the dull side). She was thrilled with helping, claimed that it was all her "workings" and ate as very well.

Saturday, we hosted an Easter dinner. I made a roast lamb, stuffed tomatoes, carrots, roasted potatoes and started with a watercrest pear soup. For dessert we had a mocha chocolate cake which was really too much mocha. We had a small easter egg hunt for the kids and it turned out really fun! Courtney played really well with her cousin Thomas.

Easter Sunday started with yet another easter egg hunt. The easter bunny had left a trail of eggs to some easter surprised and hid eggs in the most unusual places. Can you imagine, the bunny even went into her bedroom? (exclamation mark). Then it was opening of some Easter presents and cards. The day passed very quickly and leisurely. We had leftovers, but it was all good.

And, of course, there was lots of chocolate eaten throughout the day.

Ja's in Wichita at the moment, so it's just me and the kids. Back to school today. Not much planned for the day. Maybe some groceries or a walk, it looks nice out...but the wind is still cold. Hope y'all had a great long weekend.

2009-04-13T10:02:00.003-04:00

Evidence
I was not planning this entry, but sometimes things happen...so...

Evidence 1

Evidence 2

Evidence 3

Evidence 4

Evidence 5

Guess someone has snuck in a little taste of chocolate. A bit early I would think. You should have seen the smile on his face and the sound he made when I stuck my finder in his mouth to remove his contraband. It's how one goes from happy to not.

2009-04-09T10:19:00.004-04:00

Ever wonder what happens when you multitask and your nose is not doing it's job?

Answer...slightly burnt baby food.

Courtney was such a light eater...I don't really know if I'm feeding Jeremy enough.

Here's a typical day.

Breakfast
5 T baby cereal. Right now he's on President's Choice Organic Oatmeal with Apples and Bananas.
1/4 cut up banana

Lunch

2 cubes of mama made mush with a meat/protein plus 2 T plain baby cereal
2 cubes vegs
2-3 cubes fruit

Dinner
5 T baby cereal plain made with 3 cubes of vegetable broth
2 cubes veg
2-3 cubes fruit

Snacks
sometimes a mum-mum craker, handful of cheerios, bit of bread

Milk
Probably 2-3 8oz bottles within 24 hour period.

Eating time is a noisy, banging the hands, quick kind of activity. Still not any discernable words yet...to it's hard to tell what he is really saying.

I think he does understand a bit though. In fact, I think he can "tap tap" on something when I ask him to.

What do you think?

2009-04-09T09:55:00.005-04:00

It's nearly the Easter weekend and I'm a bit behind of it all. Somehow, it has snuck up very quietly and tomorrow is Good Friday.
I decided that I was going to make some new easter clothes for the kids and dedicated some time to completing these projects. I made another kinomo set from Amy Butler's Little Stiches and then tried out the free patter from Oliver + S : lazy days skirt which I was surprised turned out so nicely and was very easy to make.

I know...kind of matchy. But I thought it was cute for the kids to be in the same print - which by the way is by Lecien.
Here's also a picture of the skirt in action. Ja loved her "look". Check out the ball cap, eye mask, and multitude of skirts....do you think she has any fashion sense.

Very last minute, Courtney and I whipped up some cookies from the Kitchen for Kids cookbook. This is one of my favorite cookbooks for kid likable recipes. I also like how each batch is a dozen or less...saves from needing the freeze them or from mommy munching on them! We put them on popsicle sticks to make them fun to hold and eat...like little puppets. She's also bringing in some Peeps? I sampled one for the first time last night and I thought it was pretty gross...Courtney liked it though. Her life ( and mine) probably wouldn't have been much different if I'd skipped the Peeps altogether, but I saw them...they were cheap ( isn't all gross food?) and she really likes ducks and chicks right now.

It's turning out to be a nice day here...hope it's nice where you are too.