I have found myself being pulled down into the darkness that comes with winters here - grey, overcast days. We have had the occasional day of sunshine which has been nice but overall, the weather is wet and it makes it hard to want to go out. As much as I am loathe to say it, at this point I would prefer to have some colder days with snow on the ground because at least the sun might shine a little more often. And really, I don't hate the snow as much as I proclaim. I just hate that our region is so ill-equipped to deal with it and everything comes to a screeching halt. When we were in Minnesota in November, there was a significant snowfall the night we arrived and through the next day. However, the day after that the main roads were bare and the side streets were very nicely plowed. I know it is unreasonable to expect that here due to the infrequency of major snowfalls, but it would make life easier.
I haven't been exercising as often as I should be and I have been carb-loading for no other reason than that carbs taste good! I had pasta last night with a butter/ sauteed onions/garlic sauce on it and it was so good. I was sad when it was all gone. And I have eaten at least one (Thomas Thin) bagel with cream cheese almost everyday for the past 2 weeks. With some cucumber slices - heaven! Carbs totally make me bloat, make me fat and make me lethargic (and are probably why I haven't felt like exercising). I need to eat some food that will energize me!
Well, time to take my Vitamin D and get on with my day. I might even make it to the gym today.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Besides voting in November, I did my first ACTIVE political move today. I have sent rote emails to political candidates before but today I called Rep. Dave Reichert's office. I called to let him know that I did not want him to vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Of course, as a Republican, he will vote for it but I felt that I had to let him know (well, his office) that I didn't want him to do that.
We'll see what happens. I honestly believe that universal healthcare creates a strong, healthy society which makes for a great society.
We'll see what happens. I honestly believe that universal healthcare creates a strong, healthy society which makes for a great society.
Friday, January 07, 2011
What's this all aboot?
My kids were making fun of my Canadian accent today. I barely have one left but there are certain words that my kids say I say "wrong". One is "Sorry" and the other is "Mom". Now, I pronounce Sorry the right way - Sore-eee instead of Saw-ree. Or Sow-ree. Either way it is WRONG.
And while I do write "Mom", I pronounce it "Mum" (as do virtually ALL Canadians) but my kids say MOM. It does irk me a bit and I have often, over the years, told them they are saying it wrong.
Of course there is also the ZED vs ZEE. I will admit that I have virtually Americanized myself into saying ZEE but it was only after Jax corrected me for the umpteenth time a couple of years ago that I finally conceded and decided to say ZEE. I do usually have to think about it though so when spelling things, I pause when I get to ZED...ZEE!
Anyway, the kids had a good laugh at me tonight. I told them that they would be made fun of if they moved to Canada for their accents (which really are not "bad" since they have grown up out here which is virtually accent-free). My nieces have a blend of southern (4 years in Florida) and midwestern (6 years in Illinois and 5 years in Minnesota/Wisconsin/Iowa) and sometimes it hurts my ears (sorry girls). Fortunately, their accents are just slight. Whew!
And while I do write "Mom", I pronounce it "Mum" (as do virtually ALL Canadians) but my kids say MOM. It does irk me a bit and I have often, over the years, told them they are saying it wrong.
Of course there is also the ZED vs ZEE. I will admit that I have virtually Americanized myself into saying ZEE but it was only after Jax corrected me for the umpteenth time a couple of years ago that I finally conceded and decided to say ZEE. I do usually have to think about it though so when spelling things, I pause when I get to ZED...ZEE!
Anyway, the kids had a good laugh at me tonight. I told them that they would be made fun of if they moved to Canada for their accents (which really are not "bad" since they have grown up out here which is virtually accent-free). My nieces have a blend of southern (4 years in Florida) and midwestern (6 years in Illinois and 5 years in Minnesota/Wisconsin/Iowa) and sometimes it hurts my ears (sorry girls). Fortunately, their accents are just slight. Whew!
Wednesday, January 05, 2011
Cars redeemed himself and was able to earn back 2 of his evenings (he still went to bed right after dinner tonight).
Bad dentist appointment for him today too - 4 cavities! Yikes! They are all between his teeth and thankfully all are baby teeth. He has a bad gag reflex so I cannot floss for him (my fingers make him gag). I bought him flossers and he told me that he was using them but apparently not. And bad mom that I am, I do not supervise his tooth brushing. (he pushes so hard to be treated like his older brothers that sometimes it is just easier to do that and then things like this happen) :\ Anyway, it was an ordeal to get the x-rays today (took over 20 minutes) because he kept gagging on the bite-wing (are they still called that even though they don't look like that anymore and they are digital x-rays?).
So to get his teeth filled, they are going to have him take some nitrous oxide. I have never had it (I think because of the expense - it not covered by insurance). I also asked that he has his work done by the more experienced dentist. The other one who works there is nice enough but I think she is a little impatient with children. It was a little awkward to ask for Dr. N only and the receptionist said (a little too loud IMO), "DO YOU WANT ME TO FLAG IT SO YOU SEE DR. N ONLY?" I thought for sure that Dr. S was going to be walking around the corner to find out who the receptionist was talking to! Ack! Anyway, I said it was just for any restorative work for the kids that I want Dr. N. So we have to wait a month to get in to see her but that's ok.
In the meantime, Cars now gets a flossing supervisor every evening.
Bad dentist appointment for him today too - 4 cavities! Yikes! They are all between his teeth and thankfully all are baby teeth. He has a bad gag reflex so I cannot floss for him (my fingers make him gag). I bought him flossers and he told me that he was using them but apparently not. And bad mom that I am, I do not supervise his tooth brushing. (he pushes so hard to be treated like his older brothers that sometimes it is just easier to do that and then things like this happen) :\ Anyway, it was an ordeal to get the x-rays today (took over 20 minutes) because he kept gagging on the bite-wing (are they still called that even though they don't look like that anymore and they are digital x-rays?).
So to get his teeth filled, they are going to have him take some nitrous oxide. I have never had it (I think because of the expense - it not covered by insurance). I also asked that he has his work done by the more experienced dentist. The other one who works there is nice enough but I think she is a little impatient with children. It was a little awkward to ask for Dr. N only and the receptionist said (a little too loud IMO), "DO YOU WANT ME TO FLAG IT SO YOU SEE DR. N ONLY?" I thought for sure that Dr. S was going to be walking around the corner to find out who the receptionist was talking to! Ack! Anyway, I said it was just for any restorative work for the kids that I want Dr. N. So we have to wait a month to get in to see her but that's ok.
In the meantime, Cars now gets a flossing supervisor every evening.
Tuesday, January 04, 2011
Where are the earplugs?
Cars is upstairs wailing away "Waaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Waaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" because I sent him to bed 30 minutes ago. He had had a fit when I told him it was shower time. He said "But *I* want to go last" (Jax was just getting out). I told him that he did not have that option tonight and he immediately threw himself down on the floor and said NO! Geez, is he like 2?! (he is in fact 7). He refused to get up so now for the next three nights he will go to bed right after dinner. And, he will go to school stinky tomorrow because he did not have a shower.
Cars the stubborn streak in him is admirable because he does not easily cave to pressure from his older brothers. However, the stubbornness is sometimes too much and the word compromise is not in his vocabulary. It is so frustrating when he digs his heels in, especially when it is over something like this - refusing to go for a shower so he ends up in bed with the lights off at 7:15pm.
Hoping he falls asleep very soon so the wailing will stop. And I hope that he learns a lesson from this.
Cars the stubborn streak in him is admirable because he does not easily cave to pressure from his older brothers. However, the stubbornness is sometimes too much and the word compromise is not in his vocabulary. It is so frustrating when he digs his heels in, especially when it is over something like this - refusing to go for a shower so he ends up in bed with the lights off at 7:15pm.
Hoping he falls asleep very soon so the wailing will stop. And I hope that he learns a lesson from this.
Sunday, January 02, 2011
Happy New Year!
Twenty-eleven (or two thousand and eleven) is here! We rang in the New Year with fireworks and Rock Band and perhaps one too many Cosmos (Ash pours with a heavy hand).
I have some new goals for this year:
1) De-clutter house and pare down belongings (I won't say we have "too much stuff" as that is Stephen's mantra, but I will say that I do have a lot of things that I am hanging onto for sentimental reasons and I think I can let them go. I did that quite a few months ago with a huge rubbermaid tub of sweaters - many of which were over 20 years old. It was fun reminiscing about all of these jewel-toned angora sweaters, where I wore them, when I bought them, etc but I really did not see myself ever wearing them again so off they went.
2) Exercise! I haven't exercised at the gym regularly in a long time. Much of it had to do with the shoulder pain I had. PT has helped immensely but I wonder if the chronic ache is just something that I will have to live with as I really do not want to be on anti-inflammatory indefinitely. Anyway, as part of this goal is to train for the Rock'n'Roll 1/2 Marathon in June. I am doing the walk/run portion so no plans to have to run the whole 13 miles. Wish me luck!
3) Read. It seems that I barely read any books this year outside of book club books. I do read a lot (I am a news junkie and am constantly reading/viewing MSNBC, CNN, The Star, King5, as well as sites like Huffington Post and Gawker.com. However, these do not seem to be measurable reads. I guess I really should take them into consideration when I think about how much I have read throughout the year.
4) Dinner! With hockey practices 4 nights a week, we have severely slacked in the meal planning/preparation in this house. I think because a lot of the things I make are not make-ahead-type meals that can easily be reheated, it has made it difficult to feed the family short of going to Subway two nights/week. I have a few recipes ready to go so we'll see how this works out. Mostly I am worried about Cars ending up eating cheese sandwiches since he is so picky. And Stephen gets soooo irritated that Cars will not try new things. This will be a challenging goal.
I think those are about all of my goals. I still am thinking about working but less so since I am keeping very busy volunteering at the school. Maybe next fall?
I have some new goals for this year:
1) De-clutter house and pare down belongings (I won't say we have "too much stuff" as that is Stephen's mantra, but I will say that I do have a lot of things that I am hanging onto for sentimental reasons and I think I can let them go. I did that quite a few months ago with a huge rubbermaid tub of sweaters - many of which were over 20 years old. It was fun reminiscing about all of these jewel-toned angora sweaters, where I wore them, when I bought them, etc but I really did not see myself ever wearing them again so off they went.
2) Exercise! I haven't exercised at the gym regularly in a long time. Much of it had to do with the shoulder pain I had. PT has helped immensely but I wonder if the chronic ache is just something that I will have to live with as I really do not want to be on anti-inflammatory indefinitely. Anyway, as part of this goal is to train for the Rock'n'Roll 1/2 Marathon in June. I am doing the walk/run portion so no plans to have to run the whole 13 miles. Wish me luck!
3) Read. It seems that I barely read any books this year outside of book club books. I do read a lot (I am a news junkie and am constantly reading/viewing MSNBC, CNN, The Star, King5, as well as sites like Huffington Post and Gawker.com. However, these do not seem to be measurable reads. I guess I really should take them into consideration when I think about how much I have read throughout the year.
4) Dinner! With hockey practices 4 nights a week, we have severely slacked in the meal planning/preparation in this house. I think because a lot of the things I make are not make-ahead-type meals that can easily be reheated, it has made it difficult to feed the family short of going to Subway two nights/week. I have a few recipes ready to go so we'll see how this works out. Mostly I am worried about Cars ending up eating cheese sandwiches since he is so picky. And Stephen gets soooo irritated that Cars will not try new things. This will be a challenging goal.
I think those are about all of my goals. I still am thinking about working but less so since I am keeping very busy volunteering at the school. Maybe next fall?
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