Remember those shoes that I bought for Stephen for his birthday? The weirdest thing happened when I returned them. I had purchased them at Fred Meyer. Fred Meyer has a rewards program and every four months they mail you some coupons worth some dollars off based on how much you have spent there. They also have some really good coupons like $5 off kitchen gadgets or 50% off one clothing or shoe item.

So, I had the 50% off coupon which I used when I purchased Stephen's shoes. So, the shoes were regularly $70 but I got them for $35. When I returned them, I expected to get my $35 (plus tax) returned to me, right? No! The lady explained that they could not give me another 50% off coupon (I figured so much) so the $35 that I had saved when I used the coupon would have to go on a Fred Meyer gift card and I could get the rest back in cash. HUH? I dont' get it. So I buy a pair of shoes for $35 and they give me $70 back when I return them? That makes no sense whatsoever?! I mean what is to stop me from going back with my NEXT 50% off coupon and buying a winter coat for $200, getting it for $100, then returning it for $200? So they are out $100!

I need to call Fred Meyer and see if this is really right. But I think I will wait until after I spend my $35 gift card.

Our dinner party last night was fabulous! A great time had by all! Stephen made a wonderful dinner (grilled lamb, tzatziki sauce, garlic mashed potatoes and grill asparagus). Appetizers were baked brie (one with phyllo and one without to accommodate a wheat allergy) served with my favourite crackers (Mary's Gone Crackers Black Pepper). Dessert were those fabulous wheat-free brownies (my sole contribution to the dinner) with a raspberry coulis and a small scoop of ice cream.

I had banished my children to the upstairs to watch a movie until bedtime and they a great job of staying upstairs and going straight to bed after they came down to say good night.

I was striving to make the table look "perfect" for dinner and I realized that I needed some flowers to go with the glassybaby votives in the middle of the table. I thought "I'll just cut a couple of tulips from the garden". Easier said than done. My brilliant idea of trying to climb the retaining wall using a plastic patio chair and nearly stabbing myself in the heart with the kitchen shears when I fell (not once but TWICE) was somewhat successful in that I was able to cut three white tulips (the rest were too far gone). However, getting those three tulips came at the cost of a 30 minute time-out from dinner prep whilst I bandaged my lacerations and abrasions then Stephen plucked 25+ splinters out of my hand which I received in my unsuccessful attempt to break my fall (I grabbed the very old and rotting wooden posts on the retaining wall). If only I had the camera running - I am certain it would be worthy of the $10,000 Grand Prize (if even for stupidity).

Anyway, after a good cry, I went to Safeway to buy myself MORE tulips. The table looked great and I had a good story to share with my guests (while Stephen just shook his head).

Tomorrow, I will be making wheat-free brownies for a dinner party. Of course I had none of the strange ingredients and had to buy them at Whole Foods (or "Whole Paycheck" as Margi referred to them - and she is not wrong!).

Wish me luck!

The reason I asked about the colour of Dex's hair is that we had to apply for passports for the kids because we are considering a trip to Toronto this summer.

We went to the courthouse to apply and the person who was notorizing it told us that the passports would take 8-10 weeks!! They would arrive back past the date in which we had planned to leave. And the kids' birth certificates are attached to the application so we don't have those now either (ok, I do have an additional copy for each of them just-in-case).

Anyway, we had to use the "Expedited Service" the applications for a cost of $60 each. (on top of the regular passport fees!). And even then it is possible that the passports may take up to 4 weeks. YIKE$!

Bottom line, we might not be going to Toronto when I wanted to since Stephen refuses to by tickets unless the passports are in hand. That definitely will put a crimp in my Summer'O'Fun plans. :\

Guess who lost their two front teeth?



And a quick question - what colour is Dex's hair? Please post your opinion in comments section. I've asked ten different people and 5 answered one way while 5 answered another. I told them no "-ish" allowed. Think of what you would write on a passport application.

When Stephen was in university (well, I should clarify and say was an undergrad since his university career spanned over 10 years!), he said it was his goal to wear running shoes or "runners" to work every.single.day. This was in the mid to late '80s so at my part-time job in a bank, I wore wool skirts, silk blouses and blazers with ridiculously large shoulder pads. I always wore Hanes Silky Sheer in "Barely There" or "Barely Black" nylons and on my feet - 3-inch high, blakc, patent leather pumps. The thought that someone might wear runners to work seemed unlikely and so preposterous to me! I mean unless one was a gym teacher, who wore runners to work?!

Stephen's summer jobs were never what I considered conventional. He stripped phone wire for Bell Canada for a few weeks one summer (until Bell workers went on strike). He was then a quality control agent for an auto parts distributor, testing brake and signal lights. He worked in the campus bar at university. One summer, he worked for the Lottery Corporation where he drove around sticking 6/49 lotto stickers on the windows of every corner milk mart/variety store/drug store in the east end of Toronto.

And guess what? He wore runners for all of those jobs (though perhaps he might have worn construction boots for the Bell job...I cannot recall). He was happy. He was fulfilling his goal.

Graduate school brought new job opportunities. He taught a walking class at a university in Indiana (wearing runners, of course!). He was also a researcher where he sat at his desk, quite comfortable in his runners.

When he moved to Minnesota for his PhD, he worked in a research lab and his PhD is in Human Factors. The research lab was part of the school of Kinesiology (Gym, basically - ok, not really so no nasty comments, please!). Upon graduating, he continued to do research for the U. Again, no need for dress shoes or clothes. In all, seven more years of living his career goal.

Next came the move out here to the west coast where everyone is casual. He loved the idea of working for a Big Company where he could wear his runners. No way he could wear them to the companies where I worked over the years (bank, large insurance company, big blue computer company, financial advisor company).

All through the years, I have been trying to get him away from the runners. I tried to convince him to look at something other than runners in stores. Nope. He has never been interested. Non-runners were not part of the goal.

For his birthday, I decided to surprise him and buy some "dressy" runners with hopes that he would be something he would like. Ok, so they aren't really runners, but they kind-of sort-of look like them. They are leather and suede and would really, really good on him. No luck. He at least gave me the courtesy of trying them on but I know he was just humouring me. Back in the box they went.

So, really! Why have I been trying to get him to sway from his goal of wearing runners to work every.single.day? I am not sure. Perhaps at the beginning I was jealous that I was cramming my feet into pumps while he got to wear his Nikes. Even when my jobs became more casual (never so much that I could wear runners!), I was still trying to get him to try other shoes. And now as a SAHM, where I get to wear runners to work every.single.day (or I could if I chose to do so), I still want him out of those runners and into something "dressier".

I won't try it again. Really, I am proud of him for achieving his goal. He is proud that he has not had to sway from it. I'll let him wear his runners in peace.

Stephen's birthday is tomorrow so I spent today running around picking up things. He wants Nachos for dinner. From the local brew pub. I guess I can go in and order them to-go, right? I hope so.

My mother is feeling better and so her trip is on. She is going to shuffle her visit a bit. She'll stay with Jean-Paul and Marilyn (and baby-to-be) first then come here.

Ok, I am trying to blog and watch "Heroes" which I had dvr'd last night. I just found out that (whisper) OMG PETER DIED! So I have to go and pay better attention to the show!!!

At our last book club, P. brought a birthday cake for me that said "You Rock" because I often joke that I (Friggin') Rock! It was a sweet gesture and I had a little piece of the cake. Well, apparently I thoroughly and completely offended P (according to D) because I did not take the cake home that night. Huh?! I did not realize that I was supposed to. I mean we were at book club and everyone just takes home what ever is left over from what they brought (is that sentence even the slightest bit grammatically correct?). So, it never OCCURRED to me to take the cake home.

Geez, I guess I friggin' suck!

Dex had a baseball game today and we had to be there 30 minutes early. A few minutes after we arrived, another mom arrived with her son, who is on Dex's team. Then she looked around and said "Where is Tate?!". She started looking around frantically and said again "Where is Tate?!. I knew that look and that fear. I asked her quickly how old Tate was and what he was wearing. Tate is four and was wearing a jean jacket with a hood attached. I took off running, calling for Tate and scanning the crowds. The ball fields were jammed! Four teams (kids, coaches, parents and siblings!) arriving for two baseball games, plus two flag football games just ending and a soccer game. Cars and vans and trucks were driving around the parking lots and driveways. It was madness!

In a couple of minutes I found Tate walking behind the second ball diamond. I said "Are you Tate?" He looked at me warily and nodded. I told him that his mom was looking for him and that he should run back to the other diamond where his brother's team was. We ran back together but when I saw his mom, and she ran towards us, I stopped running. Then I burst into tears.

The same thing happened to me three years ago. We were at Jackson's t-ball game. Cars was a baby and in a stroller. Jax's team was playing t-ball on the soccer field and Dex was playing at the playground directly behind the field. Stephen and I were scanning the playground equipment what we thought was regularly when suddenly Dex was gone. Vanished! Stephen and I realized at the exact same moment and there was this crippling fear and we both stood there, paralyzed. We did not know what to do next. As with today, there were several games going on. Dozens of people wandering around. Everything was happening in slow motion. What do we do. I said "My son is missing!". It came out as a whisper. OMG, it was real. He was missing. I took a big gulp and said louder "MY SON IS MISSING!" Stephen was over at the playground, peering under the stairs and up the slide, as if he would find Dex hiding in plain sight. "MY SON IS MISSING!" A couple of moms came over and asked me what he was wearing and what he looked like. I felt sick to my stomach and felt as though I was going to faint.

Stephen had taken off running. Across the soccer fields (why do they play baseball on soccer fields?!) over to the school portables. He emerged between the portables with Dex in his arms. Dex had run clear across to the school portables and was playing between them. I never felt so relieved in my whole life. I cried - sobbed - with relief.

So, today when that mom was missing her son, Tate, I knew how she felt. That fear and disbelief. Thinking that any moment you will spot him and so forcing yourself to slow down and look harder and closer at all the groups of people. Wanting so badly to think that you were just scanning too quickly, that he is "right there" but you missed him the first, second, seventh time because you were looking too quickly, too frantically. But also knowing that he is just.not.there.

Because it has happened to me, I had made a decision. A decision that I would never just stand there when a mom was missing her child. Never. I have helped a couple of moms in the past but mostly the child was just right there (hiding under the stairs of the climber in the park or behind a bush). Sometimes I cannot do more than that because my kids are with me. Today, it was fortunate that Stephen was there and he had Cars and Jax (Dex was practicing on the field) so I could help that mom find Tate.

She grabbed Tate and hugged him hard. Then she took him to the car where I know she had a good cry. She came back when the game started and told me that she had made a decision. A decision that she would not just sit there when a mom said her child was missing. She told me that I was the only mom who helped her look (I hadn't noticed). That actually surprised and dismayed me. Really.

Anwyay, Tate was found. Dex's team played well and the sun peeked out for about 20 minutes. A happy ending.

A semi-warm day today. Spring?

I taught Art Start in Dex's class today. We studied Johannes Vermeer's "Milkmaid", concentrating on the light and shadows. Then the kids drew still life photos of some flowers in cobalt blue bottles with pears (I took the bottles in from my blue bottle collection). They worked with pastels which were actually very chalky. Anyway, it was fun and some of the kids really understood the light/shadow thing and it was exciting to see their results. I had to take Cars with me today which sucked because he was in the way a bit.

I freaked out a little when I went into the class to gather last month's project and it was GONE! The teacher gave it away to be showcased at the school district's resource center but I need it for the Art Auction night on May 10th! She promised it would be back by then. The kids studied Matisse's "Les Bêtes de la mer" and they cut paper sea creatures and glued them on the pages. They turned out really cute so I decided that those art pieces would be featured at the Art Auction. Anyway, I hope they are back on time! Please-please-please!

Tonight the PTSA was sponsoring a talk on "Stranger Danger". I had planned to but things got hairy after dinner. There have been a few attempted abductions around here lately and people are getting skittish - calling the police anytime a teal or white van drives by.

From sheriff's office:

"Citizens are asked to call 9-1-1 if they see a truly suspicious vehicle in their neighborhood. However absent some sort of suspicious activity, please don’t call 9-1-1 if only a white or teal van is seen, as this ties up call receivers and prevents other callers from reporting incidents."

Notes have been sent home from school so now my kids freak out when they see a white or teal van. The most recent letter from home mentioned a red van. Soon it will say beige, silver and grey and that will cover just about every van around here!

Anyway, I am sorry that I missed the talk at the school tonight. In the meanwhile, we'll just re-watch "The Safe Side" dvd and try to condition my kids to be cautious but not frightened of every van driving around.

More blather

Nothing new really. I took the kids swimming this afternoon (early dismissal) and then we went directly to Jax's baseball game. As much as I complain about baseball, I am enjoying watching the games at this level because the games are quicker than the coach-pitch and t-ball levels. Between the two kids we have 2 practices and three games each week and it is a lot, especially when Jax has to be at his games 1 hour early and Dex needs to be there 30 mins early. I wish it would warm up so I don't keep freezing my ass off every other day at the games/practices!

Tomorrow is our first MOPS meeting in over a month (last one was canceled due to snow then none over Easter/Spring break weeks. Our creative activity is YOGA! Ha - no craft to prepare. :) I still need to sort through 1000 silver beads though and start 55 bracelets for the May 3rd meeting (45 for the moms and 10 for the volunteers for babysitting).

Maybe I can get a couple bracelets started now...

Just Blathering

Our neighbourhood is finally getting the locked mailboxes this week. Only a year later than promised.

Jax started taking the WASL this week. Every morning for the next three weeks he will be writing this test. I know that a lot of people are not happy with this test and now the teachers are teaching to the test. Beth is very interested in this issue.

Terry is going to quit the club we go to and start going to Gold's Gym. I am so bummed. No work out partner! I hope this is not the end of my work outs. I really need some sort of accountability (i.e. meeting up with Terry) to get going. I did take my first Step class tonight and enjoyed it although I am a complete and utter klutz. Half the time I was facing the wrong way! Anyway, I will try it again next Monday and decide if I will keep going.

We filed our taxes today. Why on earth do we wait 'til the last minute every year? The minute the taxes were filed, Stephen ordered a new computer (from Dell of all places - friggin' Dell!).

My mom is starting to feel better (finally!). I hope she continues to improve because she leaves in just three weeks on her west coast tour (Edmonton, Seattle, Vancouver). I am looking forward to seeing her (I think the pneumonia took the Killjoy out of her).

In-laws are on their way to Houston tomorrow to visit MIL's sister who is gravely ill. Last week they actually thought that this trip might end up being a funeral trip but Stephen's aunt is hanging in there. She has lived in the States for over 50 years but wants to be buried back in Toronto with her parents. I am not sure why but I find that surprising. But if I think about it, I guess if I were to die I would want to be buried there too.

Cars needs a haircut soooo badly. As swimming lessons his hair is in his eyes all the time. Speaking of swimming, he no longer cries (as long as I buy him candy or chips afterwards). He actually caught some rings for the first time ever last week and today, he was strongly encouraged by the Swim N a z i to jump into the pool on his own (normally he insists that I walk him to the diving board and then he jumps almost into the arms of the swim teachers). I am really proud of him. And of the Swim N a z i for getting him to swim. She is firm with the kids, does not kiss the butts of the parents and she gets results!

I finally bought all (well almost all) of the supplies for MOPS crafts for the year. I am waaaay under budget this year because of the snow storms which canceled three meetings. And a fourth meeting (this week) we changed to a yoga demonstration. It is good that I am under budget because Hospitality is over budget (and still needs more money). I have some great ideas for next year and one craft already done (it was from a canceled snow day). Plus someone is co-chairing with me so it will be much easier next year.

Ok, end of the blather for today.

Jax turned 9 yesterday. Wow - 9 is huge!!

To celebrate his birthday, he had a sleepover birthday party on Friday night. I really did not want him to have a sleepover but after looking at our calendar for the next month, we could not find a day that would accommodate a chunk of time for a party at some other place or even to a movie (baseball is killing me!). So, we decided on a sleepover on Friday night (both older boys skipped their practices for it).

Anyway, I had planned an Easter Egg hunt in the dark but it was POURING rain and several of the kids did not bring coats or pjs (just planned to sleep in their clothes) so that was out. Our house is plenty big for 5 people but not for 10 so it was certainly a tight when the boys wanted to run around. Anyway, we had pizza for dinner, cake and ice cream then Jax opened presents. We played 2 games of bingo until everyone won (this was painful because when we were playing 4 corner bingo, the second last ball was B4 which two of the boys needed in order to win).

After bingo, it was jammie time and they watched a dvd, then a couple of episodes of Spongebob and then it was lights out. I gave each of them a flashlight and a glow stick. Of course there were tears (tears!) because someone did not get the colour they wanted (mental note to only buy the SAME colour glow sticks if we ever do this again). The boys talked well past 11:30 (I slept on the couch in the living room) and the first awoke at 5:15! They were all awake by 6am! Stephen had to leave at 8:30 to take Dex to his baseball game. All of the kids were picked up by 9:30 which some parents actually grumbled to me was too early! Huh? My kids never sleep past 7am so I did not think it was too early at all, especially since we had a day of baseball to deal with.

Jax had such a great time. I am so happy that he was happy. Since yesterday was his actual birthday, after his game (3-6pm) we went to dinner at Red Robin and came home for more cake and presents from the family. I went to bed when they did (8:45 - they stayed up to watch "Survivor" which they could not watch on Thursday because of, you guessed it, baseball).

Here is a picture of the birthday boy in his uniform (and with his long, frizzy hair).

Stuff

Book Club last night was interesting. We were to discuss "Suite Française" by Irene Nemirovsky. I was looking forward to the discussion because I found it so interesting and the letters in Appendix 2 were fascinating. Well it turns out that several people did not even read the book! So the hostess gave a brief recap, we spoke for maybe 20 minutes about the book then talk turned to other things.

We had some good laughs but the dynamics of the group have definitely changed. There are a couple of people who do not like each other. As well as a couple of people that some find odd so you can definitely feel the tension at times. Two people were away this week too so we'll see how things are next month. Could also be that J was just serving drinks with liquor (Cosmos and some coffee-type martini) rather than wine which tends to mellow people out a little (geez, we sound like a bunch of lushes!).

Today, I was supposed to teach Art Start in Dex's class but Cars was up a lot in the night with croup (again!) and he has a cold. I feel horrible at having to cancel. We've rescheduled to next week.

Now I'm off to pick up balloons for Jax's b-day party. More on that tomorrow.

IMDB Challenge

This is fun! I got it from Miss Arrogant's blog:

1. Think of 10 shows you currently watch or have liked over the years.
2. Find those shows at Internet Movie Database.
3. Copy down 3 Plot Keywords (they are mini descriptors of the show).
4. Make a list on your blog minus the actual show name.
5. Have visitors guess which shows they represent. No cheating!

Here are mine:

1) Mad Cow Disease/Courtroom/Social Commentary
2) Suburbia/Suicide/Plumber
3) Doctor/Hospital/Seattle
4) Roommate/Monkey/Insecurity
5) High School/Basement/Wisconsin
6) Advertising/Murder/Apartment
7) Memory Loss/Villain/Cheerleader
8) Detective/Jury/Social Commentary
9) Montage/Hit in Crotch/Slapstick
10) Awkward/Workplace/Pretzel

Let me know if you do it too so I can try to guess yours!

Cosmo Wednesday

Guys are out for their wings night so Laurie, Ash and I decided to meet at my house at 5pm for dinner. Kids had McDs, we had salad with turkey breast and a Cosmo. It was fun. I really miss Cosmo Fridays.

Busy time this week which is completely stressing me out. Tomorrow I have a doctor's appt which I totally spaced on the time and my appt is shortly after the kids get out of school and no way for me to get there on time. Then we have to be back here for Jax's baseball game. What am I going to do? Aargh!

Tomorrow night is book club. I finally finished the book which I really did enjoy. Then Friday I have to teach Art in Dex's class and it is Jax's sleepover b-day party! Yikes!! I am running out of time!

Cars and I did manage to get some b-day party supplies for Jax today though. Stephen and I still cannot agree on a present. Jax might end up with nothing!

My mom spent most of her Easter in the ER. She had had a bad cold all week and when I called her in the morning to wish her a happy Easter, she was sobbing and saying she did not know what was wrong. I immediately called my aunt who told me that she was just about to go over to pick my mom up to take her to the ER. Turns out she has pneumonia (which took hours to confirm because she had to wait forever to get x-rays taken). Apparently when I called she was having a bad reaction to the Dimetapp with codeine she had been prescribed the day before. The doctor assigned to her case at the ER had been my dad's PCP for years before my dad got sick. The same doctor who kept telling my dad for years that he only had reflux /heartburn and told him to take more maalox. Turned out to be stage IV esophageal cancer. :\ He came in and told my mother that just the night before he was talking about my dad to someone. Anyway, I hope this pneumonia diagnosis is correct.

My Easter was much less interesting. It was a good day all-around. We got up early and went to the 7:30am Mass (Stephen even went with us - another Easter miracle!) and when we arrived home the boys hunted for eggs. The past few days have been mostly dry so our backyard bog is almost dried up which meant the kids could play out there. Stephen cooked dinner (turkey) and made the best gravy ever using some tips from the cooking lesson he took. I went to be at 7pm with a migraine. :( I was asleep by 7:30 but awoke at 11:30 and did not get back to sleep until sometime after 3:30. Aargh! I did get to read a huge chunk of my book ("Suite Française") for book club so I am no longer worried about finishing it on time.

Today, I am exhausted from the weird sleep so after swimming lessons I think Cars and I are going to come back here, curl up on the couch and I will read and he can watch a movie.

I am a procrastinator. I do leave things for the last minute and am I prone to put off things indefinitely that do not need to be done by a certain time. This explains the three 18" stacks of paper on top of my filing cabinet in our closet. All paid bills, medical records, receipts, warranty information, credit card offers, credit card cheques, etc. that needed to either be shredded or filed in the cabinet instead just sat there, getting higher and higher each month.

Today, I tackled the piles.

For 4 and a half hours, I sorted by bill type and receipt type. I put the "to be shredded" stuff in one pile and I shredded it all (I almost wore out the poor motor of our shredder - which had not seen any action in over two years - and I had to clear paper jams about 10 times!). Then I filed it all. I did not spend the time to put everything in date order but just jammed the items in the corresponding hanging file.

What I have not yet filed are the receipts from the insurance company that we get for every doctor's visit/service we receive. That pile is about 8" high itself. Stephen says I should just toss it all (well, I would shred it but I think it would kill the shredder). Going through all that information too was kind of a throw back. Cars' birth (yes, I was *that* far behind on my filing!!), Cars' emergency room visit for bronchitis when he was just 3 months old, Dex's speech evaluations and speech therapy sessions, tons'o'allergists visits for Jax (including the notes I took at one when the doctor said he will *not* outgrow his allergy), Stephen's sinus surgery, my breast biopsy and subsequent f/u mammograms). How can I throw all that out?! Do I throw it out? Do I keep it? What do I do with it?!

And I vow to file my bills/receipts at least once a month. I wish I could say I would do it weekly (or better yet - daily!) but I know better than to set myself up to fail. :)

One

Taken from Margi's blog:
You.
Can.
Only.
Type.
ONE.
Word.

(Not as easy as you might think.)

1. Where is your cell phone? bench
2. Describe your boyfriend/girlfriend/S.O.? man
3. Your hair? grey
4. Your mother? worrier
5. Your father? missed
6. Your favorite item? chocolate
7. Your dream last night? yes
8. Your favorite drink? water
9. Your dream car? fast
10. The room you are in? kitchen
11. Your ex? none
12. Your fear? spiders
13. What do you want to be in 10 years? comfortable
14. Who did you hang out with last night? family
15. What you're not? slim
16. The last thing you did? drink
17. What are you wearing? capris
18. Your favorite book? entertaining
19. The last thing you ate? kisses
20. Your life? fine
21. Your mood? neutral
22. Your friends? far
23. What are you thinking about right now? sleep
24. Your car? van
25. What are you doing at the moment? typing
26. Your summer? fun
27. Your relationship status? married
28. What is on your tv? fights
29. When is the last time you laughed? hours
30. Last time you cried? afternoon
31. School? Toronto

Copy.
Paste.
Answer.
Questions.
In.
ONE.
Word

Last day of spring break today. Stephen took the day off and we planned to do something fun for the kids. We decided early this morning to go to the zoo since it was going to be a glorious day. Apparently every other person in the Puget Sound area had the same idea. We arrived at the zoo about 10:45 - much later than I had anticipated but we had to stop at Safeway to buy some sun screen (as I mentioned - a GLORIOUS day!).

The first zoo parking lot is jammed packed and a huge line of people at the zoo entrance. The next parking lot is the same, as is that zoo entrance. The next lot was full too but finally at the 4th lot we found the very last spot. We got out and in line behind 75 other people. Stephen and I looked at each other and said "Forget this" and we turned around and went back to the car. We decided to try the Aquarium so we drove downtown Seattle. We spent 30 minutes looking for a parking spot. We tried the metered parking all along the waterfront but found nothing. We went in two parking ramps and drove around and around. They were both full. Forget it! We drove back to the Eastside and had lunch in Bellevue. Then we went mini-putt golfing and took the kids swimming at the club. Not exactly the day we had planned but it was good just the same.

We came home, ordered pizza and then Stephen mowed the lawn (heh).

Now for the shameful part of the day. I did not go to church. I did not take the kids to church. Good Friday and I skipped it! I feel so guilty! :(

Y'know that bridge. The one that I don't like. Well, here are some of the reasons why not!
520 Bridge collapse 1 and 520 Bridge collapse 2

*gulp*

Ok, so we've done nothing exciting over this spring break. The kids have been skateboarding at the park a couple of days. They went to a b-day party yesterday and today Jax and Dex went on a playdate. As I mentioned, Cars still had swimming lessons and preschool this week.

Our lawn still is not mowed and I am terribly embarrassed about it. I am thinking of buying an electric mower so I can do it myself. I just don't know how to use the gas one (how to mix the oil and gas together and how to start it). Stephen is ADAMANT that he will not teach me how to do it. I am pissed off. Perhaps I will dig around the garage to find the user's manual.

I spent 2 hours today shredding stuff. Mostly old receipts but also some documents and those d*mn checks that the credit card companies send.

Jax has decided that he wants a Gameboy DS for his b-day and Stephen is considering getting him one. Um...no. He has a Gameboy Advanced already (rarely uses it) and I just don't think we need another game system in the house at the moment. I want to get him a new skateboard since his is a crappy one (was really a scooter but we did not install the handle on it). He *loves* it though because it has Star Wars on it but he really cannot make turns on it. Jax also wants an electric guitar and again, Stephen thinks it is a grand idea. *sigh*

Can you tell that this has been a contentious week at the Pez household?

:'(

One of my worst nightmares:

Allergic 13-year-old dies after eating burrito

These deaths always frighten me. Teens don't like to seem different and take risks that they should not. So many anaphylactic reactions and deaths happen to teens because they take these risks. I can't say that I hope that Jax and Cars will know better because this girl knew better too. I just hope it never happens.

It is day 2 of spring break. We really did not do much yesterday. Or today. Cars still has swimming lessons and he still has school this week because his school follows the vacation schedule of another school district. I watched Ash's kids this morning while she went to physical therapy then the hairdresser came over and cut hair for me, Jax, Dex and Ash when she arrived after her therapy.

We have a b-day party to go to tomorrow so this afternoon we'll go out and get a gift. Cars wants to buy the boy a Star Wars transformer. He is just turning three so I think that just might now be the right gift. We'll see...

Ramona posted some photos on her blog from her visit here so go take a look.

Spoiled Rotten

edited to add photos...

Well, I was utterly and completely spoiled rotten on my birthday. Stephen sent Ramona and I off for a pedicure in the late afternoon. My feet have never felt so soft or looked so pretty. Embarrassingly enough, the pedicurist broke two files while grinding down my rough heels! LOL

I bought myself a couple of "seconds" at Glassybaby as well as some of their "china babies" which were made in China and not the same quality that their hand-blown ones here are. The kids gave some to their Sunday school teachers today since it was the last day of class for the year. Ramona bought 13 china babies to give as gifts! I hope they survive the flight home in her luggage!

Here are my votives (three are glassybaby "seconds" and three are "china babies"):



Aren't they gorgeous? I want more (real ones, not seconds or the ones made in China)

My kids and Stephen all gave me a Pez dispenser (Nemo, Buzz Lightyear, Mike & Sully from Monsters, Inc.). My friend DeniSe knit me a beautiful afghan that is very cozy and goes nicely in my living room (it is red/gold/beige). Ramona gave me a very pretty cobalt blue vase.



Ramona left today. I took her to the airport and was able to chat with her right up until she went through the xray/metal detector. One of the TSA agents came up to me and asked me why I was "skulking around". I thought I was in trouble until I realized that she was flirting with me! LOL

Anyway, all-in-all I had a wonderful birthday weekend. I am so grateful for having such wonderful people in my life. From Stephen to my kids and my friends (especially Ramona!)! I am blessed.

Finally, here is a photo of Ramona and I taken on Friday night:

Happy Birthday to Me!

I am enjoying Ramona's visit so much! Yesterday I had the day off (Stephen took a vacation day and did my job for the day) and Ramona and I spend the day shopping. I totally splurged and bought four pairs of shoes (Macy's had a rockin' sale). Ramona bought a ton of things and we are wondering how she will get it all home! LOL

Then we had a special Birthday edition of Cosmo Friday with Ramona, Ash, Glo and myself. We had appetizers and a drink there then went to a local restaurant where Terry met us and we ate and drank a little more. It was great fun!

Today (my actual b-day), Ramona and I are heading to Glassybaby because they are having a moving sale. She loved her votives and wants to buy more because she is going to a wedding next month and wants to give them as a gift too.

And on a scary note:

Two 12-year-old girls contaminate their teacher's coffee cup: Lip gloss was intended to elicit allergic reaction

Ramona arrived yesterday! It is so great to see her! We just hung out most of the day. Today we have planned to run to a few stores. I have one sick child who has a very sore throat but that should not impede our plans. He can just come with us. I might stop at one of the Minute Clinics to have him tested for strep. Oh great, now all of my children want to stay home "to play". Aargh!

Complaint Free World

I saw this mentioned today on Oprah -> A Complaint Free World.

I love the idea of it, but what on earth could I talk about on my blahg?!?!?

Do People Really Believe These Types of Email?

A gem I received today that made it past the yahoo spam filter...

Dear Friend,

My name is Mrs.Rosemary C King I am a dying woman who has decided to
donate what I have to charity through you.You may be wondering why I
chose you. But someone has to be chosen. I am 59 years old and was
diagnosed for cancer about 2 years ago,after the death of my husband who had
left me everything he worked for.I have been touched by the Lord to
donate from what I have inherited from my late husband to charity through
you for the good work of humanity,rather than allow my relatives to use
my husband's hard earned funds inappropriately.

I have asked the Lord to forgive me all my sins and I believe he
has,because He is merciful. I will be going in for an operation,and I pray
that I survive the operation.I have decided to WILL/Donate the sum of
$15.5 (Fifteen Million, five hundred thousand Dollars)to charity through
you for the good work of the Lord, and to help the motherless,less
privileged and also for the assistance of the widows.At the moment I cannot
take any telephone calls, due to the fact that my relatives are around
me and I have been restricted by my doctor from taking telephone calls
because I deserve all the rest I can get.

Presently,I have informed my consultant about my decision in WILLING
this fund to charity through you. I wish you all the best and may the
good Lord bless you abundantly, and please use the funds well and always
extend the good work to others.If you are interested in carrying out
this task,i will inform my consultant, so that he can arrange the release
of the funds to you. I know i have never met you but my mind tells me
to do this,and I hope you act sincerely.I decided that 35% of this money
should be taken by you from the total sum upon the sucess release of
this fund, because I am now too weak and frigile to do things myself
because of my cancer.

NB:I sincerely know that a lot has been written about some SCAM coming
out of the world,but I assure you that this will never in any way
associated with that as you will be given the right to verify this directly
with the the finance company where the fund was deposited.

I will appreciate your utmost confidentiality in this matter until the
task is accomplished,as I don't want anything that will Jeopardize my
last wish, due to the fact that I do not want relatives or family
members standing in the way of my last wish.

Your sincerely,
Rosemary C. King
PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR FULL NAME,ADDRESS,TELEPHONE/FAX NUMBER ON YOUR
REPLY FOR EASY AND IMMEDIATE COMMUNICATION WITH MY CONSULTANT..

How convenient that she "cannot take any telephone calls, due to the fact that my relatives are around". What a joke!

And last week I apparently won a million pounds from Coca-Cola in the UK. I am so lucky! ;)

Dex's baseball game was canceled due to rain 11am. At 11:15 the skies cleared and now the sun is shining brightly. Oh well...

Stephen still has the flu but he left this morning on his trip. I called him patient zero and asked him how many people he might expect to infect along the way. I am sure tomorrow he will be feeling better but today? He really should not be traveling.

I did not make it to church this morning because I had to run to Safeway to get him some medication to take with him since the Theraflu he had been drinking comes in 8oz bottles only and it would not be allowed on the airplane. I wonder when companies will start coming out with smaller bottles to carry on because of the airline restrictions? I would love Benadryl to come in smaller bottles because lugging around 4oz bottles in case of emergencies is not very convenient.

Anyway, I did take the kids to their religion class after Mass though. My friend Jane gave me the name of a pediatric optometrist where I could take Dex for testing. I wonder if I should go that route vs a pediatric ophthalmologist. Jane said that ophthalmologist she went to did not detect her son's lack of 3D vision. I dunno...I guess I could do both, right?

The auction last night was a lot of fun. Of course I did not win the boys' class projects at the live auction. The starting bids were $100. Dex's class project (the one with the hands on the wooden game bench) went for $450. Jax's class project went for $650! Here is a picture of that one. It really is lovely.

I came home to find Stephen in bed with a bucket. He has the flu. Ugh. And he is to go on a business trip tomorrow. He has to fly to Detroit and then an hours drive. Not fun if you've got the flu.

Baseball season starts today. Jax's game should be on since the rain has now stopped. Dex has his first game tomorrow.

This'n'That

I am feeling better today. My back does not hurt as much and I am much better spirits. I think those back pills make me feel depressed!

It is pouring rain today. Cars and I went to Costco where I splurged and bought my self a 14-piece cosmetic brush kit for $21.97. It has a foundation brush which I wanted plus all of my brushes are probably 15-20 years old. A Estee Lauder foundation brush is $35 so I figure that I got a good deal.

I also had to find snacks for Jax's baseball game tomorrow as it is our turn to bring the snacks. Costco is really not the place to look for food when you are trying to avoid buying large quantities of snacks that are peanut-free and milk-free. I did pick up juice and some bubble gum for the players. I will have to go shopping at Safeway tomorrow for the rest.

Speaking of baseball, I imagine Declan's practice will be canceled since it is pouring rain. Jax's practice is on artificial turf so it will not be. I will be at the school auction tonight so Stephen will have to handle all three boys in the pouring rain.

I woke up in a blah mood today. It is grey and overcast. I have a chronic back/neck ache and I had to take a muscle relaxant last night but it did do anything but make me super tired and sleep though my alarm clock.

I am feeling a little stressed with all the busy-ness that is upcoming. Baseball is stressing me out already and the season hasn't started yet (starts Saturday).

Ok, off to get the boys from school.

Nothing new really. Just busy with day-to-day stuff.

Yesterday we had snow, hail, rain, sun, thunder and then of course more rain. The sliding doors on my car were frozen shut this morning. I hate this time of the year when it is 45 degrees one day,65 the next, then back to 45.

I bought a pair of jeans and a jean jacket at Value Village because I wanted to BeDazzle them for the auction on Friday night. I BeDazzled the pocket flaps on the jacket and it looks nice. Tomorrow evening a group of us are having a BeDazzler party at Ash's to prepare for the party. I'll BeDazzle my jeans then.

I bought some glassybaby votives that arrived smashed in a million little pieces. Fortunately, the UPS guy had not yet driven away so I ran the box out to him and refused it. The company apologized profusely and said that they rarely arrive broken and promptly sent me out replacements. They arrived a couple of days later and they are gorgeous! (Ramona don't read this whisper: they are a wedding gift for Ramona - only 16 months late!).

And speaking of Ramona, she will be arriving in a week's time! I am so looking forward to seeing her.

Notes to self:

1) Install filtering software on computer children use (in full sight of me) in case I leave the room for a few minutes.
2) Change computer password.
3) Do not let friend's child "google" anything ever again on our computer. Ever.

Another cry-free swimming lesson for Cars although it was questionable whether he would make it or not. The promise of Cheetos kept the tears at bay.

I had a conference with Dex's teacher today (report cards came home on Friday). She had originally sent a note last week saying no conference was needed but I wanted to ask her about his effort (major problem at home and in past years at school) and his reading. The the report card came home and he was not at standard with writing either. Shouldn't it be automatic conferences if kids are not at standard mid-year?!

Anyway, we started chatting then she said that she thought that Dex needed his eyes checked. Would she have told me this if I had not requested the conference?! I mean if she thought there was a problem, why did she not email me or mention it to me when I was in the class teaching Art Start? Hmmm...

So, we need to work on his handwriting too which I guess is not up to snuff. It seems hard for him too because he is a lefty and his hand covers what he has already written. His left hand is always filthy from being dragged across the pencil scratchings on the page. Stephen has really, really bad handwriting so perhaps Dex inherited the "chicken scratch" gene?

On a positive note, the teacher said Dex often thinks of things that other kids do not. She loves that he insists that he must "exercise" his brain everyday. He is very compassionate and wrote a story called "The Hard Thing" about how he had to approach some of his friends in class to ask them to stop teasing a girl in their class. He was worried they would not be friends with him anymore.

Jax's report card was good. He is a delight to have in class. Stephen said the teacher just wrote that because she is afraid of me and wanted to ensure I did not request a conference.

Cosmo Friday was good. It was a gorgeous day so we invited a couple other moms and their kids so there were 5 moms and 11 kids. The kids played outside a lot of the time on their scooters and ball hockey in the driveway.

Yesterday we invited Ash and her family over for dinner. Stephen made a corned beef dinner with boiled potatoes and cabbage. I never thought I would say this but the corned beef was very yummy. It was a standard dish in our house growing up and I hated-hated-hated it. Probably because my mother would boil all of the flavour out of it.

Today we are just having a lazy day. I might run to Value Village to find a pair of jeans to Bedazzle for the school auction on Friday night (the theme is "Denim and Diamonds" or rhinestones in my case!).

Happy Friday!

Here is a photo of the auction project that we worked on for Dex's class project. The school auction fundraiser is next Friday night.



The handprints go all around the toy box/bench.

Cosmo Friday is ON today because none of Dex's coaches can make it to tonight's practice. Whoo-hoo!

There is a very good article in Child Magazine this month called Allergy Nation. The article does a great job of explaining what parents of child with food allergies deal with as well as how the children themselves cope. Also, it mentions how parents of non-allergic children often don't get it or feel bullied into not feeding their children the particular allergen.

The article also addresses the fact that some parents have filed civil rights complaints with the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) which is where the 504 plans come into play. Here is an excerpt from the article:

Two nut-allergic children in the Union County, NC, public schools were found by the DOE to have been harassed in separate incidents at Antioch Elementary School and Sun Valley Middle School. Among the shocking findings investigators documented: a parent of a nonallergic child announced at a PTO meeting that he'd continue sending his child to the elementary school with peanut butter sandwiches and tell his child to "smear" the peanut butter along the hallway walls.

Can you imagine?! Telling your child to intentionally harm another child?! It is outrageous but sadly what happens and what we might have to deal with. Recently, I saw a photo of a milk-allergic boy covered with hives after having a straw full of milk spit at him at school by another kid. (if you are interested - click here and then go to slide #7 (takes a minute to load)). The accompanying transcript can be found here (scroll down to pg 28-29).

Again, I know the 504 plan will not keep Jax (and eventually Cars) 100% safe but it ensures that we are doing all we can to keep him safe and live a relatively normal life. And it makes the schools responsible for providing a safe learning environment for them.

One sad note in the article cites a study that found children with peanut allergies have a lower quality of life that children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. How sad is that? :(

Cars made it through his swimming lesson without crying. He was on the verge several times but he pulled through and was able to buy some candy afterwards. He is very proud of himself. I wonder if this "incentive" (thanks Kimmer :) will work everytime.

Tomorrow's MOPS craft are thread eggs. Super easy. Super cheap! And very cute! I need to make more tonight as samples.

I took Dex to the allergist today. He has a sinus infection and he needed prescriptions renewed since allergy season is starting. I booked the visit at the Seattle office since I could not get an appointment at the regular office until the end of April (I called two weeks ago!). And it only took me 31 minutes to get there! It was incredible. No traffic and I think I only had to stop at 2 red lights the whole way. When I took Cars to the same office in January, it took 70 minutes! Anyway, since we were early they took us early (that office is so NOT busy) and we were out just a few minutes after the regularly scheduled appointment time! Now, if I knew it would always only take me 30 minutes to get to Seattle, I would never go back to the regular office again!

Ramona arrives in two weeks for my birthday week. Yes, I have decided it will be a week of celebration. Stephen told me I was spending waaaay too much time thinking about my birthday but I told him that when else is my bff going to be in town with me on my actual birthday to celebrate? Probably never again in my life! So, I have to make the most of it. I keep reminding him that he is responsible for the kids *all* day on the day that Ramona and I are going shopping and other fun stuff (still in the planning stages).

I don't wanna go to thwimmin' leth-thonth!

Day 1 of swimming lessons and the crying has started again. He was wailing, "I don't wanna go to swimming lessons!" over and over again as I drove there. He cried when I put in the pool until she told him "NO CRYING IN MY POOL". Then the crying turned to a whimper. He did blow bubbles when she asked him to but he would not put his face in the water (she will push them in if they do not). She has a very hard approach but she is effective. She rightly says that this is a life skill they need to learn and she will not pamper them.

Anyway, I told Cars I would buy him candy (nice bribe) after every swimming lesson that he does not cry. So, he did not get candy today but he said he will try not to cry on Wednesday because he really wants some Sweetarts!

Jax and Dex have their after school Legomation class. If I could be sure that Dex would not forget, I could stay home and have a nap. But, since he forgot last week and I intercepted him on his way to the park, I need to go to the school to ensure he gets to the class on time.

Plastic Info

For Kimmer:

Here are a few articles to start with:
http://www.checnet.org/healthehouse/education/quicklist-detail.asp?Main_ID=353
http://www.checnet.org/healthehouse/education/articles-detail.asp?Main_ID=24
http://www.ewg.org/news/story.php?id=5164
http://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/200311/lol5.asp

Personally, I know that we cannot get rid of plastics entirely in our kitchen, but doing a few little things (getting rid of the plastic plates and cups) is a good start. I am using more plastic containers to send food in with the kids rather than plastic ziploc bags and plastic wrap. Not ideal but, like you said, using glass is not practical for lunch.

Hope that helps!

Plastic-free

I have been doing a little research about plastic cups and bowls and storage containers, and how plastic can leech into food. So, I have decided to get rid of the plastic cups, bowls and plates in our kitchen. I only use them for the boys but started to think that since they are all old enough, we'll now graduate from plastic to something else. Today, I went to the Corning Ware outlet and bought some Corelle plates (2 sizes) and bowls for the boys. I also bought some juice glasses (which, btw, are extremely hard to find). Tonight, I ordered some anodized aluminum cups from UrbanOutfitters.com.

My next goal is to slowly replace our Gladware and Ziploc plastic containers with Pyrex (or similar) glass containers. Of course I will need to keep some of the plastic but I will not store food in the freezer or fridge in it. To change over, it will be expen$ive so I will do it slowly - instead of buying new plastic when I need it, I'll buy glass, stainless or ceramic.

Now, I know not all plastic is bad for you. Numbers 5,4 and 2 are supposed to be ok. Of course Stephen loves taking his lunch in the #7 collapsible Rubbermaid containers that we have and I cannot convince him to give them up. Hmmm, maybe they will accidentally be washed on the lower rack in the dishwasher and the lid will shrink and not fit? ;)

Plastic is such a big part of our everyday life. Plastic on food, plastic seals on bottles, the damn impossible-to-open hard plastic clamshelss around everything from inkjet cartidges to batteries and small electronics. Those things clamshells are so hard to open that someone has even invented a tool to use on them! Even though consumers complain about them, retails love those clamshells because they help deter theft. No kidding!

The biggest problem with plastic is that most of it is made from oil. Oil that we we just cannot afford to be using and wasting by making into things like plastic clamshells and plastic grocery bags. So, by cutting out some plastics, I am helping conserve oil, right?

BTW, I am not saying that plastic is bad but I just do not think that my kids need to be eating it.

And I also do not want them to be eating high fructose corn syrup. We are working on that too...

Oh, I miss Cosmo Fridays already!

Off to book club shortly. I am currently making an Artichoke Dip. This is not the same one that I had been making for Cosmo Friday but this one looks really good too. I found the recipe at IOW for those of you who know what that is. I was at Costco the other day and noticed a big block of the Dubliner cheese mentioned in the recipe so I bought it. That cheese is soooo good! I bet this dip will rock too!

I went to the doctor today for my annual exam. We have decided that I need to have surgery to fix the incisional endometriosis and have tentatively scheduled it for June or July. Because the pain seems to be worst during ovulation, he wants to do the surgery mid-cycle to take a look at my ovaries too. Of course with my worst-case scenario, in my mind I am already imagining that the laproscopy will result in a full hysterectomy or something. :\

Time to fix my make-up before book club since my eyes watered so badly while I was grating the onions for the dip. I look like Marilyn Manson!

I finally was able to get a hold of the swim teacher so I've added six more entries to my March calendar (swimming lessons 2x/week for Cars). The calendar is even more colourful now.

It rained most of the day and was muchcooler than yesterday but the skies are blue now. I hope it is nice tomorrow. Several of my trees have blossomed overnight! The grass needs mowing although the backyard bog will not allow for it for at least another month when it dries up some more.

I just baked some Butter Tarts because I have a hankering for something sweet but I am not eating chocolate. They are still cooling but I tried a couple while they were warm. Not as good as the ones I remember from the bakeries back home but still very good. Mmmmm. I just used a store-bought pie crust so perhaps that is the problem. I have never made pastry from scratch - it scares me!

Stephen is at the cooking class that I purchased for him for Christmas (a one-on-one session with a professional chef). I hope he has a good time.

I finished our book club selection for this month - "Ender's Game". I was a little disappointed with the end but I wonder if it is just because I was rushing through it to make sure I finished. Several people in book club have hated this book so far and one has already stated that she will not read it so discussion tomorrow night should be interesting.

Ok, after swearing to myself I would not do it again, I signed up to do creative activities/crafts for my mom's club for next year. Why oh why? Because I felt guilty because no one else had stepped forward. I did say that I would not do it alone next year then someone else in the steering committee meeting said she would do it with me but she did not want to do it alone either so at least there is someone else to do half of it. Another person offered to do prep work so it will be much easier next year. And I have several ideas for crafts for next year so it will be a breeze, right?

Today was a gloriously warm day. It was 70F! After school, the kids played at the park for 1.5 hours. Hard to believe that we had SNOW only 5 days ago.

Marching Onward

I spent this morning updating my March calendar with all the baseball practices and games so I thought I make take Katie's idea and post our March calendar here:

Blue highlighted days = no school (although note that March 2nd day off was canceled to make up the snow days this year)
Green = Jax activities (mostly baseball this month)
Orange = Dex activities (mostly baseball this month)
Yellow = Cars
Pink = Moi (although not all of my stuff is highlighted)

Also on the calendar are birthdays (including mine!), scheduled meals to deliver, doctor appointment, out-of-the-ordinary picking up/dropping off kids, BFF arrival date(3/28!), School Science Fair, sticky note of questions about swimming lessons, etc...

Not on calendar: RE classes (every Sunday after Mass), book club (second Thursday of every month), my regularly scheduled work outs (Mon/Sat), anything of Stephen's (he does not use this calendar).

I guess it is not that bad. Just the end of every week with baseball practices then baseball games AND practices towards the end of the month. Jax and Dex's practices are on the same day (diff times) until the end of the month then they are are the same time but different fields about 1 mile apart.

Thank God Cars isn't playing baseball yet!

edited to add that I use a calendar by MoreTimeMoms. It is called the Family Organizer. I have purchased this organizer for the past 4 years and I love it! Big squares to write a lot of activities. They are a Canadian company but ship to the States too.

Stephen broke my grandmother's sugar bowl today. I was so upset. He did not do it on purpose but he was not nearly as gentle as he should have been with something that is 80 years old OR that is breakable. He's glued it together but you can still see the crack. I want to cry again just thinking about it!

Anyway, after that I just left the house and went to Costco myself. Not a good time to go (Saturday around lunchtime when everyone is there to fill up on the free food samples). But I was able to look at what I wanted and not be rushed.

I skipped working out today and had a nap this afternoon instead. Not quite an even trade.

Now I am off to bed to try to get a handle on this book club book (Ender's Game).

TGIF

I am so glad that this week has come to an end.

We had snow yesterday so the boy's school start time was delayed a couple of hours. Cars' preschool was canceled. The nearly 3 hours I spent preparing the craft for my mom's class was all for naught because MOPS was canceled (not sure if we will be able to do this craft at some other time or not...).

Yesterday, I woke up with a migraine and had to take some meds which of course helped but not without the side effects (tightness in throat and chest) and then later I had a migraine "hangover".

I was on hold with the mail-order prescription company for over 30 minutes because they said they could not put prescription labels on the individual epi pens, only the boxes. They can do it and they have done it in the past but you have to ask them to put in a "manual" renew rather than an "automatic" one but I have to explain this to them every.single.time.

Anyway, today will be better...

I have to drop off a package at the school with an emergency kit for Jax for emergency preparedness. The kit consists of an epi pen, Benadryl and some peanut-free nutrition bars. Then off to the mall to pick up my new wallet (the one that Stephen bought me for Christmas is defective so I had to order a new one. The style of the one I had has been discontinued (problems with the beads falling off perhaps?!) so I had to order a different one. Then perhaps to Victoria Secret to use the gift card I received for Christmas (plus I have a coupon).

Then, I will take Cars to the Lego store to look around. Then back here to pick up the kids and go to Laurie's for our LAST Cosmo Friday. Yes, LAST! Boo-hoo! Dex's baseball practices start next week and they are on Fridays at 4:30pm (Laurie's son is on the same team)! So Cosmo Fridays will be on hiatus until mid-June when baseball ends. Wah!

And tomorrow is Saturday. No lunches to pack. No rushing kids out the door. No homework to do (although we do need to start on science fair projects). I can sleep in until 7:30!

TGIF

What Kind of Intelligence Do You Have?

Your Dominant Intelligence is Spatial Intelligence

You've got a good sense of space and how the world around you looks. You can close your eyes and "see" images. You have innate artistic talent. An eye for color and shapes, you're also a natural designer. Since you think in pictures, visual aids and demonstartions help you learn best. You would make a good navigator, sculptor, visual artist, inventor, architect, interior designer, or engineer.

What Kind of Intelligence Do You Have?

Rest assured, I am in a much better mood today. I decided to forgo the bath and went to bed with the heating pad. And when Cars awoke in the night I let Stephen get up with him.

This morning as the kids were getting ready for school, it started to SNOW! Hellooo? What is that all about? It is almost March 1st and not only have my crocus bloomed but the tulips and irises are coming up and then we get SNOW. Way too much snow this year for my liking. Does Global Warming mean Pacific Northwest Freezing? Anyway, I was just about to report that the snow turned to rain but as I type this, the rain has turned back to snow. Fortunately, the ground is not cold enough for it to stick.

Before I went to bed last night, I read an article stating that many parents are afraid to use epi pens on their children. I can totally relate. When Cars had that allergic reaction to walnuts in early January, I should have used an epi pen on him but did not because he had not been diagnosed with a tree nut allergy. If Jax had presented the same symptoms, I would not have hesitated but I guess I was in denial (and shock!). I now know better.

Crabby

I fell off the roof.
I want chocolate.
I am ornery, peevish and irritable.
I am fat.
I am on the verge of a migraine.
I had a fight with Stephen last night that was all my fault.
I am contrary.
I need to fold 3 loads of laundry.
I am tired because I stay up too late at night.
I am sending my children to bed 30 minutes early.
I am mad that Stephen is working late.

I AM CRABBY!

So, as soon as the kids are off to bed, I am going to draw a hot bath, pick up my book (which sucks but it is a book club book...) and have a little ME time. I would love to indulge in some chocolate too but I gave it up for Lent. *pout*

"Guacamole" has become a word synonymous with "Aloha" to my kids. They say it to their friends when they greet them or when they leave. The love to yell it too. And now their friends say it too. Apparently whenever Ash drives her kids by our house, her kids will shout "Guacamole" out the window.

Another word they love to say is "Nacho". Especially Cars. He drags out the "o" sound at the end and it almost always turns into a laugh for him - "Nachooooo-o-o-o!" I guess if you say it like he does it can be fun to say.

So, people will say "Hello" to my children and they will respond with "Guacamole" or "Nacho". It is rather embarrassing unless they are greeting Ash's kids.

During Mass yesterday, right after I had to separate Jax and Dex because they were thumb wrestling, we were giving each other a sign of Peace ("Peace be with you"), Cars started shaking hands and saying "Pizza Nacho!" in his not-so-little-voice. Of course, Jax and Dex thought this was funny and snickered which only encouraged Cars to say it louder with each hand he shook. People who were sitting not-so-close to us were turning to see what was going on. I tried to shush him but he just turned away from me to wish someone else "Pizza Nacho!".

I am beginning to think he could have toughed it out for the remainder of the year in that Sunday school class.

Grey

Yes, this is yet another post about grey hair. I am still obsessed with my decision to grow out my grey hair and I probably will be obsessing about it until I am old and...well, you know).

Have you seen the new Dove commercial (that they cannot show on tv? - link here). Dove has come out with a line of "Pro-Age" (vs Anti-Age) products, including a line of hair-care products for grey hair. Good for them!

I am not sure what it is but suddenly there is a surge of articles about aging and accepting your grey hair. Where was all the grey hair stuff a year and a half ago when I was looking for it for help - and acceptance - for growing in the grey? Every time I googled "growing in grey/gray hair" I could only find articles about how to hide grey hair, how to cover grey hair, how to prevent grey hair, how to stop grey hair or even how to REVERSE grey hair (by drinking cabbage juice or some other equally revolting thing). Where were the articles about going grey gracefully?!

I found articles which stated it was acceptable for men to be grey (think Anderson Cooper) but not for women. I only found one helpful article which suggested using low-lights to help with the transition. Just one!

Anyway, this all-of-a-sudden interest in grey hair makes me wonder if we'll see any female celebrities deciding to buck the trend and let their grey hair show. Will my other friends with premature grey (because that is what we have right? I mean, I am not OLD!) also give up their hair colourists or boxes of L'Oreal and go with the salt and pepper look too? I hope so. I hope so.

I don't want to be the only old-looking mom on the playground.

Proverbs 16:31
Gray hair is a crown of glory;
it is attained by a righteous life.

Ash had surgery today to repair the torn ligament that stablizes her knee. She'll be off her feet for about six weeks. No Cosmo Friday for her tomorrow but she has her own drug cocktail going at the moment so I don't think she'll mind that Laurie and I will Cosmo without her.

I gave up chocolate for Lent so of course the Girl Scout cookies that I ordered arrived today. I have put two boxes away in the freezer and will let the kids work on the Thin Mints tomorrow.

JP and Marilyn are coming tomorrow evening and will be staying overnight. They're currently taking a driving vacation in Oregon. I went through the last couple of bins of baby stuff that I have and I am going to give them half of the receiving blankets I have and the last baby nightgowns (I love those things!). Look at me getting rid of stuff! Slowly but surely.

Stephen bought me a webcam with a microphone yesterday. It is great! Of course the only other people I know with webcams and microphones are my brothers so I think they are getting sick of me talking to them. I want my mom to get one so she can talk to and see the kids. Oh, and Ramona. Ramona needs one too.

Well, I've survived the kids' mid-winter vacation. Back to school tomorrow for Jax and Dex (although Cars does have the whole week off). Today, after Ash Wednesday mass this morning, we picked up Gav and he spend the day with us since it was Kins' girlie b-day party.

Yesterday, Dex had a b-day party to go to - right around the same time (and very close in location to where I was going to visit my OB/GYN). Ash was to watch Jax and Cars but again, Cars has been a little tyrant so I had to take him with me as punishment to him (he really, really, really wanted to go to Ash's). Now, who is it really punishment for when a 3.5 yr old tags along to his mother's annual pap?

Fortunately(?), the doctor was called out just as I arrived to assist in the labour of a "complicated birth" so my appointment was canceled. A reprieve for both Cars and I.

New Pez!

Last week I saw these Pez dispensers at the grocery store so I bought them for my collection:
.
They are for a yet-to-be-released Disney movie (click on the picture for details).

Today, I decided to go out to www.pez.com and I started shaking when I saw some NEW PEZ!! These ones ROCK!






and the pièce de résistance:



I.MUST.HAVE.THEM!

I emailed Stephen to tell him I want them for my birthday (in March) but I really don't think I can wait! I may just have to order them online today. I am sure that as soon as I do I will see them at the drugstore or grocery store or Target but I cannot take that chance so they will have to be ordered online. Soon. Now!

Where the Devil Are Jax and Dex?

My kids are obsessed with WhereTheHellIsMatt.com. Of course I will not let them say hell so they say "devil" (Jax decided that). Anyway, they want to make a video like Matt. We started today at the Museum of Flight. They danced in front of a fighter jet and then on a retired Air Force One. Unfortunately, dolt that I am - I deleted the video of them on Air Force One. The zoom on my camera is not working and I got flustered and then deleted the video.>:(

Anyway, we'll continue to make videos of them at different places and hopefully have the video together by the end of the summer.

Cars was a complete pill at church. He was climbing under the pews, then on the pews, talking (not whispering), flirting with the people behind us, hiding under his coat, lying on the pew, demanding that he and Dex change places, laughing very loud then shouting out "I WANT TO LAUGH!". It was the longest 75 minutes of my life. I was horrified by his behaviour. Laurie was sitting behind us and whispered to me that I was probably sorry that he wasn't in that Sunday school class anymore! Hmmm - keep him in the class with the teacher who was mean or have him embarrass me in church. Tough call.

This afternoon, Stephen took the boys to the sports store to buy Jax a bat. They ran into Dex's coach from last year. He said that he has requested all of the same kids as last year but Dex was not on his team. Stephen said something like "well, I don't know how it works" and the coach said something along the lines that he DID know how it worked. Not sure if he meant that he knew we had asked that he not be Dex's coach or that the league is screwed up (he made many comments about that last year). Either way, I think the point is moot because I believe he is coaching AA ball and Dex had to say at A ball because of the newly enforced age cut-off rules.

Baseball season is right around the corner. Jax's practices are on Friday night and Sunday morning which totally encroach on "Movie Night" and Religion class. We'll move "Movie Night" to Saturday nights until baseball is over and he'll just have to be late to practice until mid-May when Religion is over.

Dex found out today that he is on the A-ball Cubs. Thank God they honoured my request and did not place him back with his coach from last year. Although, most of that team were older than him so they have probably all moved up to AA-ball this year. L's son is on Dex's team this year but she is upset because she wanted him moved up to AA-ball but there was a new cut-off date for age (April 30) and he has a May b-day. Gav is in the same boat and had to stay at AA-ball while Jax moved up to AAA.

We bought Jax new pants today (he needs black - he's on the Marlins), a helmet and a black undershirt. Dex is fine with what we have (Jax was a Cub last year so we have the belt and undershirt already). Oh and an equipment bag. He'll need to carry his own epi-pen this year and I just cannot stay the whole time at the practices this year (2/week - 1.5 hrs each). The coach is great and wants me to train him to use an epi-pen and make sure he knows exactly where it will be located during practices. Thank God for kind and caring people. Seriously. Thank God.

TGI(Cosmo)F!

This week was a little stressful because I was so busy with sick kids, Jax's V-day party, prep'ing the MOPS craft (ribbon key fob), working on the art auction project, Cars' Valentine's Day party (had to bring a veggie tray so I was up yesterday morning at 6am chopping veggies). Today, I had to run to the school to pick up the auction project (need to put some polyurathane or whatever on it), and get stuff ready for Cosmo Friday. I made a kick-ass artichoke dip and a veggie tray.

With all my busy-ness, I am afraid that Cars has been sorely neglected this week and has watched way too much television. We'll make up for it next week because it is mid-winter break (3 days for Jax and Dex, the whole week for Cars). We'll do some fun stuff. Monday, I might take them to the Museum of Flight where Stephen's work party was a couple of weeks ago.

Ok, back to Movie Night (except that I forgot to return the movies to Netflix so we are just watching Nickelodeon tonight). :(

Ow

Migraine came on a little while ago. I am just waiting for Stephen to come home then I will go to bed. Oh wait, I cannot. Baseball team meeting is tonight. I know he won't like it but Stephen will have to go. Off to dig out the Relpax since I cannot go to bed until is home from the meeting. :(

A Valentine's Day Confession

Valentine's Day today. So many people want to know other people's Valentine's Day plans as if it were such a huge holiday. I mean, it is a HUGE Hallmark day I suppose but why do people act like it is the only day when you show the ones you love just how much you love them?

I have always maintained that I think V-day is overrated. Not quite "bah-humbug" towards it but close. I don't necessarily boycott the holiday but I don't "celebrate" it. Sure, I buy my kids a box of Conversation Hearts (the ones without the peanut warning) and I give them a card. I hang strings of hearts from the kitchen window (but not this year). The kids bring home chocolates and candies, many of which they cannot eat due to allergies. If I think of it, I buy Stephen a can of Smokehouse Almonds (peanut-free but "may contain other tree nuts" so I felt guilty buying them this year so this pseudo-tradition may come to an end now that Cars is allergic to walnuts/pecans). And that's it. Stephen is lucky if I get him a card (I did this year).

The truth about why I think V-day is overrated is that Stephen and I broke up on Valentine's Day one year (1990). He dumped me after we went out to dinner. He dumped me because he had been flirting with a red-headed vegetarian at school/work. I was working full-time and he was still in school to get an honours BA. He was working at "The Pub" which was the pub at our campus of UofT (Toronto). It turns out that he and his friend B had been seriously flirting with two girls and they spent a lot of time together day and night at the U. I guess I was fortunate in that Stephen dumped me before he actually cheated on me. Whereas B's girlfriend was not that lucky and he did not dump her until well after he had begun "dating" E (E, who really is a lovely person. They eventually married a few years after Stephen and I).

Anyway, I was dumped on Valentine's Day. Dumped! Cupid could take his friggin' bow and arrow and stick it!

By the time the next Valentine's Day rolled around, I was still single. Stephen and I had recently begun speaking to each other again (long sordid details here with him stringing me along after the red-headed vegetarian dumped him, then me telling him to FOAD and then him mooning over me, much to the disgust of his family <- so yes, sordid). However, he was away at grad school in Indiana. We were not "together" on V-day but by May, we were officially a couple again (and I had phone bills in the hundred$ of dollar$ to prove it).

The following year, although we were back together, he was still away at school. The year after that? He was living in Minneapolis. The next? We were newlyweds, I was not working and we were flat broke. By Valentine's Day 1995, it was a tradition to do nothing on Valentine's day. Then pressure from everyone and their questions "So, what are you doing for Valentine's Day?" was unbearable so I mumbled "Valentine's Day is not a big deal to us" and that was that.

Secretly though, I would love for him to make a big deal about Valentine's Day. I would love it! Buy me flowers, chocolates (although this really is impossible with the nut/peanut allergies in the house), arrange for a babysitter, take me to dinner, buy me some jewerly. But that will never happen. We don't celebrate it. We don't buy each other gifts for Valentine's Day (ok, there was the coffee table he bought me 2 yrs ago for Valentine's Day but really it was on sale and he just happened to buy it on Valentine's Day, I think.

Since this will never happen, I will continue to say that we don't celebrate Valentine's Day. That it is not a big deal to me. And I will continue to buy the kids Conversation Hearts. And I will make a regular dinner and I will watch whatever is on tv that night.

And wish that I had big romantic plans.

Cars has an ear infection and sinus infection. Dex has a virus that is going around that can cause a fever for up to 7 days! Yikes! He was fever-free today (he just felt like crap and looked horrible with puffy eyes) but he can go back to school tomorrow in time for his Valentine's Day party.

Tomorrow and Thursday are busy days for me. I am looking forward to Friday.

Dex is still sick today but his fever is not as high as it was. No school (or lego animation class) for him. He told me a few minutes ago that his throat hurts and I took a look and I think he has strep throat. Cars' throat is really red too and he has a fever. I called the doctor's office and they are "booked solid" through tonight and so they suggested I go to one of their other offices. They put me on hold then told me that the other closest office is booked solid too and that I could go to their newest office which is 10 miles away. Um, no. Now we have an appointment for both of them at 8:40am tomorrow which means another missed day of school for them both.

I have errands to run for Jax's class Valentine's Day party on Wednesday so I'll have to do them tonight rather than work out. *ugh*

We did not make it to church today. Cars had a bad night (croup!) so we were up often through the night and outside for a while trying to get the coughing to stop. Then he ended up in our bed. He has a cold and has been miserable all day. Dex is feeling better today. He was so upset that he might miss school tomorrow that I think he willed himself well! For some reason it is important to him not to miss a day of school this year. Anyway, if he is better in the morning I will send him to school because and Jax are also starting their after school animation class.

I spent much of today getting things ready for Jax's class party for Valentine's Day. Tying ribbons around pencils and little packettes of Hershey's Kissables (a safe, peanut-free chocolate treat!), making paper hearts with Valentine's Day jokes on them (What did the farmer give his wife for Valentine's Day? Hogs and Kisses!). The boys also wrote their Valentine's for their classes (I wrote Carson's but he doodled on them) and we taped mini-tootsie pops to the cards. I have not decorated the house at all this year for Valentine's Day. I don't usually do much but I do something! Welcome, Mommy Guilt.

I was in Dex's class yesterday teaching Art Start (we studied "People, and Dogs with Sun" by Joan Miro). Almost half of the class were out with the flu! We've been lucky that we have not had it yet this year (both Stephen and I had a flu shot) but I guess it is just a matter of time before Dex gets sick and then the rest of us do. In fact, today at Costco, Dex insisted in sitting in the cart (big part)and he fell asleep. He feels a little warm now and is lying down. :\

This morning I volunteered at the church for the youth group's "spa day". It was so fun seeing these teenage (and tween!) girls coming in and being all teenage girly and silly and having them oooh and aaah over the make up and spa stuff. And then - this is silly too - I got all choked up because I won't be able to do that kind of stuff with my daughter because clearly I don't have one. I cannot believe the feeling of sadness that came over me. The only other time I felt this way was when I had an ultrasound when I was pregnant with Dex and I knew that the baby was a girl and I felt a genuine sense of loss when they said "there's a penis!". I never had the same feelings of loss when I found out that Cars was a boy (perhaps I was just expecting that news by then?).

Anyway, I know I'll have these feelings again and I'll get over them. I was just so surprised at the sense of loss. Silly, isn't it? Especially when I have three lovely and healthy boys.

Book Club is tonight. I am feeling a little strange because of what happened last time. I am a little uncomfortable around her now.

Tonight is also the first Book Club with our newly expanded membership (adding two new members). Let's hope all goes well. One of our current members made it known to all that she did not like one of the newbies (everyone agreed to expand to 12 people then when asked who they were, that woman sneered when I mentioned the name of one of the newbies - again - IN FRONT OF EVERYONE!).

*sigh* A and I have talked about splintering off into a new group then we realized we had already with Cosmo Friday. And hey, no reading necessary! ;)

I think I have lost my Canadian accent. I guess it has been happening for a while. No one every asks me anymore if I am from Canada. Funny enough, they will ask about Stephen - seems he has kept his. And I just caught myself saying "Bahb" instead of "Bob" (Cars is watching SpongeBahb Squarepants). I actually even cringed a little when I realized I said it. I know it is pronounced Bob, not Bahb so I have no idea why it came out that way. I managed to pick up the Minnesotan way of saying "five" when I lived there too.

One word that I most definitely have not Americanized is "Mom". Now, I know I spell it Mom but it is pronounced Mum.

A couple of people tell me that they can peg me for a Canadian when I say out and about. I most definitely do not pronounce them oot and aboot as many Americans think Canadians do. I think that Canadians just clip the sound and do not stretch those words out as Americans do.

One thing I just cannot Americanize though is my spelling. It's colour, honour, neighbour, odour and centre (ok, that one I will change occasionally). I distinctly remember being lectured in Grade 3 that COLOUR is not to be spelt COLOR and that we were not Americans so we could not spell it COLOR. Of course there is an exception. When I email the teachers, I Americanize my spelling. I don't want them to think I am dumb! ;)

BNL Rock!

I love this Youtube video!

Had to take the Saab in for muffler work at Midas today. Of course they then give us the litany of things wrong with the car (nothing unsafe, just stuff that needs fixing - and fortunately they do not have the tools to run full diagnostics on the car like the dealership does. We figure we need it to last another year then we can look into replacing it. Anyway, at least now nobody turns around to look to see what's coming when we drive up.

Tonight was Stephen's work belated holiday party (basically no one had their act together in December). It was held at the Museum of Flight. I had never been there and it is so cool. All of these old airplanes suspended from the ceiling or parked on the ground and the history of these planes. They even have a Blackbird which is the fastest piloted airplane. They also currently have a Da Vinci exhibit which was very interesting too. I would love to take the kids to see the airplanes. I hope they get as big a kick out of it as I did!

I was at Macy's today buying nylons and the Estee Lauder counter was doing free make up so I had my make up done (but of course also had to buy some). I had a very good hair day too so overall I looked smashing with my make up done and in my new (old) dress.

Jax did ok at his tryouts today. It started pouring rain just before it was his time slot and it was cold so by the time he made it through the six stations, he was soaked and his poor hands were red from the cold. We'll see what team he ends up on...

Tomorrow is a busy day for us. Church then RE classes for the boys (and a MOPS Steering committee mtg for me), birthday party then Super Bowl Party. Our weekend had been just PACKED which is pretty unusual for us.

I went up to read with the boys last night and fell asleep along side of them. I slept from 8:30 until six this morning! I feel like I could do it again tonight.

I had the kids in Dex's class paint the little wooden hands for the class auction project. They look great and will look fantastic once we glue them to the toy box. I hope someone bids on the item! The auction is next month and the theme is "Denim and Diamonds". So one can wear their bling with their jeans. I might buy a Bedazzler and Bedazzle an old pair of jeans to wear.

Cosmo Friday was at Laurie's today but we had to cut it short because both Jax and Laurie's dd had playdates and had to be picked up at 5pm. Imagine our kids' social lives interfering with Momtini time. ;)

I've been busy doing nothing! Just the day-to-day stuff that gets in the way of my blogging and forum time. ;)

Today it was a warm day for January so after school (early dismissal Wednesdays) the kids and I did some baseball practice at the park for two hours. I also baked chocolate chip meringues (yum!), had my hair cut and Cars had a playdate here in the morning.

Yesterday, I sewed two baby blankets and some burp cloths and cleaned the house.

This weekend is a party for Stephen's work. It is semi-formal and I had nothing to wear until Ash lent (well gave) me a dress that she bought a few years ago (before she lost the baby weight - I've lost mine and it fits me fine! lol). Anyway, it is a lovely dress but the hem needs to be tacked up again. I took it to the cleaners today to have them clean the dress and have the hem repaired but they said it would not be ready until Saturday after 4 so I just had them clean it (ready tomorrow after 4pm). I'll have to sew up the hem myself (or perhaps I will just use Stitch Witchery).

Tonight after the kids are in bed, I need to spray paint 25 wooden hands for the Auction Art Project. Then on Friday, I will be going to Dex's class to have the kids paint them.

And this week was looking so relaxing with my Monday nap. Guess I am just making up for it now...

I had a cup of tea last night at 9:30. I was awake until 3:30 in the morning! I cannot believe that the caffeine affected me that much. I didn't think it really ever affected me but apparently I was wrong.

One good thing is that I nearly finished my Book Club book. Although I thought it was a tear-jerker so I spent the wee hours of the morning wiping tears from my eyes.

I was able to get a nap this afternoon. Cars and I went up to my bedroom to watch a movie and we both slept for about an hour and a half. I don't think I could have made it through the day without the nap.

Cars' preschool has their Valentine's Day party for family on February 15th at 11am. Stephen has an all-day meeting that day so he cannot go. At 11am, I will be directing MOPS craft! It is a little tricky too. The person who usually helps me with crafts also has a child in the same preschool (it is at the same location as our MOPS meetings) so she won't be able to take over for me). I hope I can recruit a couple of people to help out because I would hate for Cars to be all alone at his party! :(

Here She Is!

Here's Tara!



I think she looks so very much like Wally (they have matching haircuts although his is mostly grey). I think she looks a lot like my dad too - especially around the mouth.

Little League season starts soon. Next weekend, Jax has to go to the high school's football field to be evaluated. This is the first year that his skills will be evaluated before he is placed on a team. I am nervous for him. He was voted "most improved player" on his team last year so that gives you some idea of what his skill level is. Anyway, he will play at this level for the next two years and I imagine that will be the end of his baseball career. We'll see.

Dex is still at the level where he is placed on a team. I requested that he not have the same coach as last year so he'll start on a team where he doesn't know anyone. :\

Naughty Mommies

Apparently our Cosmo Fridays are very naughty.

The Momtini and the video from The Today Show: Today's Woman.

Fifty-seven percent of women polled on ivillage.com felt it was not acceptable to have cocktails at a playdate. Well, bully for them!

Now I am off to chill the vodka and get the snacks ready for today's Cosmo Friday.

Bottoms up!

It's a GIRL!

My brother Michael (Wally) and Andrea had their baby about 22 minutes ago (2am EST on 1/26) AT HOME! Andrea's contractions started coming quickly so they called the midwife to come check her. When the midwife arrived she said the baby's head was RIGHT THERE and Andrea said she could not make it to the hospital. So the baby (her name is Tara) was delivered at home! How exciting!

Anyway, they baby has yet to be weighed and measured. Both grandmothers were present (my mom was there to watch Fiona since they thought they were heading to the hospital) and Andrea's mom was on the way to meet them at the hospital but had to make a detour to home when it became apparent they were not going to make it. Big sister Fiona awoke to the baby's cries shortly after she was born.

Cars went to school for the first time in over two weeks. They are working at trying to make up some dates for all the missed school (because God forbid they actually REFUND any of our cash!).

Tomorrow night begins the husband's answer to Cosmo Friday. They decided they will start "Wing Club". Tomorrow is the inaugural meeting. Laurie declared that Fridays will not do though since that encroaches on Cosmo Friday so they will have to change it to the third Thursday of the month or something. Cosmos trump wings! ;)

Mystery Box Mystery Solved!

Canadian Favourites called last night to let me know that it was indeed DeniSe who sent me the box of goodies. They apologized for omitting to enclose a card.

Now my kids can safely eat that food without concern that it was sent by a stalker. ;)