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Sunday, December 30, 2007

2 More days of 2007

Well we are almost at the end of the road of 2007. Two more days and it will be a whole new year to look forward to. I must say, this year has gone SO fast...between work and the kids in school and keeping the house up time just seems to run away doesn't it? Hmmm...I wonder what the highlights of this year would be?

  • William starting grade 7 and Jacob starting grade 1. This meant that for the first year in about 20 or so, I had all hands in school full time. which meant a lovely late summer holiday for me. Yay!!
  • Hallie was born on August 7, 2007. She is growing like a weed and such a little doll. We all love her so much.
  • Jennifer started working at Home Hardware.
  • Matthew got remarried - again. tee hee.
  • Lily was born on March 5, 2007. Jennifer and Williams FIRST first cousin. Another doll for us to love and adore. What IS it about these little girls???
  • On a sad note, James' mom died in June 2007. She was very very ill and at the end her death was expected, but it was terribly sad nonetheless.
  • I turned 37, James turned 39.
  • Jennifer hit the downtown scene with a vengeance as she turned 19 this year.
  • William went into his last year as a "tween", turning 12 in February.
  • Jacob went officially into a school ager as he turned 6 in October.
  • Mom and dad FINALLY retired this year. Their last day of work was in November and they are absolutely LOVING not having to go in and clean anymore.
  • Lots of wedding planning this year as Corey and Amanda are getting married on June 23, 2008. I love wedding planning!
  • Lindsey and Jamie got married and are now expecting little Nolan Gray in March. All of these babies!! So exciting!
  • To top off the year our roof went on the house. We are still awaiting proper fixing as the snow has made it impossible to get up there, but at least it will be done when the spring comes.
  • we had a wonderful Christmas and we will have a great New Year. Bring on 2008!!
What a great list...I think I will turn it into a scrapbook page :)

Thursday, December 13, 2007

It's too early for this!!

You know, we have had green Christmases since I started scrapbooking...I would say thats about 5 years now. We have had SOME snow but certainly nothing big and never barely enough to make it look like Christmas. Until now. December 12 and we get socked with 25 cms. It's too EARLY!!! I'm not READY!!

Although it does look gorgeous out there...all white and soft and quiet. And with Christmas around the corner it DOES add an air of festiveness I suppose. Ok fine...let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

In other news Jacob had his christmas concert on Monday night! He was a red candy cane on candy cane lane. It was SO sweet. I would post pictures but my camera was just pissing me off and not taking nice pictures - the flash would work and then not work and it would focus and then not focus...piss me off...no nice pictures. But I swear...he was UBER cute!

Jennifer is finished exams...woohoo!!

William got a filling yesterday and now his cheek is sore...so he is doing a lot of complaining.

And thats my life - boring as usual LOL!!!!

Friday, December 7, 2007

When it rains it pours

Damn the rain...and the snow. And then the rain that melts the snow!!!!

My house is leaking. Quite badly in fact. **SIGH** I woke last night to the sound of RUNNING water...oh yes, it was running from Jacob's room ceiling and making a huge puddle on the floor. Then I looked and it was beating in through the top of his window as well. I was SO upset...James came home and after a good long talk and a few tears from me we decided that the best thing to do would be to cash in the RRSP's and get the roof completely re-done.

I was so proud of that little pot of savings we had too you know?? It was a little bit of hope in an otherwise bleak outlook on the future. Oh well, what can you do...I guess we are lucky that we HAVE the money put away and we can use it if we have to and you know, the kids are all healthy and happy and warm and fed and dry. Thats all that really matters right?

I do say though...I must have been some bad AWFUL person in my other life...cause I am most definitely being punished for it bit by bit in this life.

What a cheerful entry this turned out to be. Oh well. Gotta take the good with the bad :)

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Holy Crap the RAIN!

It is POURING out...literally pouring out of the heavens. It has been raining like this all day and it's getting slightly ridiculous. I WISH my camera took good pictures in the dark because I would love to be able to post a picture of how high the river is behind the house. It's slightly frightening actually...the water has crested the banks and has now made a tributary THROUGH the woods and down the dirt road. It's about two feet from my back gate. I've seen that river high before but this is one of the highest...

Hmmm...I wonder if I actually brave the rain and go DOWN there would my flash be strong enough to take a picture??

I think I'm going to give it a try....

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Christmas is coming

Yes indeed it's that time of year again. the time when I get itchy to clean the house and shop and decorate and listen to holiday music. I LOVE Christmas...I always want it to start early and I never want it to end. But it is also stressful. I always want more you know...more money, more gifts, more decorations...it's like a never ending list of wants...

As the children get older and as *I* get older I am starting to realize that really, this time of year is all about family. About being together and enjoying what we have. Christmas is a time to remember and rejoice, to look back on the year and be thankful that we are all safe and happy and together.

SO...in a few weeks when I am in a frenzy of shopping and cleaning and cooking and I am losing my hair from the stress of it all...I shall look back on this post and I will laugh...ha ha ha...at how I waxed prosaic about the Holidays. And I shall post about my foolish notion that Christmas is about MORE that gifts, cookies and a clean house.

So until then...I will enjoy the peace of the PRE-Holiday season.

Friday, November 9, 2007

There!

Isn't that subtle? A small change but I like it...adds a bit of interest to an otherwise blah black background (HA! say that three times fast!)

Now I need a new header...something simple...something ME. Time to expereiment with PSE...Bwahahahahahahahaha!!!

Thursday, November 8, 2007

Note to self

When testing out said new templates, be sure you don't erase all of your personal information and links.

Doofus.

Random thoughts today

So I LOVE the black of this template, but I was recently introduced to the glory that it Blogger templates on the web (Merci Beaucoup Jennifer Dawn) and I am thinking about changing this one up. I'll stick with the black but I may add some things. If I do I will have to change my title banner which sucks so we will have to see...therefore, a new template is more than likely forthcoming.

I have to say...I am LOVING doing this 365 project. Just LOVING it. I love taking new pictures everyday to represent my life. Its a good thing.

I haven't scrapped in weeks. Seriously, its been weeks. I have to get back into it, I'm starting to long for my scrapbooking room...thats always a good sign that I need to jump back into some paper and glue.

This wine is lovely. It's cheap but lovely.

I helped Jennifer write a Folklore paper this week....its titled "From Fear to Fantasy - the Evolution of Fairies in Tradition and Culture" Nice eh? I came up with the title...

Jacob had a good few days. YAY!! breathe a sigh of relief, knock on wood, throw salt over my shoulder and turn around on the spot three times fast. It was a good three days. Let's see what the weekend brings.

I'm going out for lunch tomorrow! Nachos at Fog City...I'm drooling at the thought. AND work is paying for it because I am taking out some people that we work closely with. Can't get any better than free nachos!!

Tomorrow is Mom and Dad's last day of cleaning buildings for FOREVER. YAY Mom and Dad!!



And thats about it...I'm off to bed.

Monday, November 5, 2007

ACK!! My Arteries!!

You know, falling back in fall and gaining that extra hour isn't all that its cracked up to be. The THOUGHT of gaining an extra hour of sleep was tempting, I'll give you that...but in reality, it threw everyone out of whack and made for a very uncomfortable, out of sorts, moany groany sleepy Sunday.

Everything was good up until about 6 a.m.- when Jacob decided it was time to get up for the day. The daylight was breaking and for him - it was rise and shine time. OK...so he played his game and I dozed next to him, no problem. Then James went to work and when he got back we went swimming at the Aquarena. After swimming we headed to Walmart and Jacob was hungry so we had MacDonalds for lunch. Now, I usually try to avoid eating there but today I was feeling hungry so I had a Big Mac Meal. Excellent.

Then we went home...which is where time seemed to suspend itself and we entered the Twilight Zone of darkness at 5 in the evening. The night was NEVER ENDING. I NAPPED at 4...NAPPED!! Me!! I never nap, it screws up my night sleep...but I napped and couldn't get myself up. Jacob was unusually good and quiet so James and I got enthralled with Conan the Barbarian. Now come on...CONAN?? I must have been in the twilight zome because I NEVER have any interest in those sorts of movies.

Jenn and Will went to Cle and Debbies for supper and I swear, James and Jacob and I roamed the house like stalkers. We went from one room to the other, looking at each other, searching the cupboards - am I hungry? No I just want to eat....but what? I have no idea...I just want to eat. Finally James handed me the phone book and said "Call something...anything. lets just get some food". Then Jacob says "I want shrimp!!" Jennifer had the car so James and I looked at each other and said "Ah fuck it" and we WALKED TO CHES'S...CHES's after a meal of MacDonalds not a few hours before!

My poor arteries...I can feel them clogging as we speak. And lets not talk about the 20 pounds that feast of chips, dressing and gravy on top of a Big Mac put on me.

Damn. It's all the clocks fault! I completely blame going back to standard time...there is just no other explanation!

The Ches's was some good though buddy.

Friday, October 26, 2007

Friday Friday Friday

So it's Friday.

This has been, by far, one of the longest weeks of my life. I have no idea why but it seemed like every single day was Monday...with the weekend nowhere in sight. The days dragged, the nights were intolerable. It was just a BLAH week. So I have to say that I am glad it is over.

Jennifer has gone to a Halloween party tonight and tomorrow she heads to George Street for Mardi Gras. She wants to dress up as a peacock tomorrow so I have been tasked with making her headpiece. I have all the materials and Mom and I are going to get together tomorrow to make it...I'm actually looking forward to it :) I'll be sure to take pictures actually...I missed her tonight because she left too fast, I didn't have time to grab the camera...but tomorrow I will be sure to get some pics for my 365.

I need some wine. I think I have some in the fridge actually. Yeah...wine would be nice.

Saturday, October 20, 2007

My funny William

I have to write this down because you know me, I'll forget it next week.

William had his first English test this week. He had to know 6 short stories and the author of each, all of his literary terms and then he had to answer three questions on an unseen short story. I was a bit worried because this is his first time actually doing a "real" English exam and I wasn't sure how he would handle the time pressure and whatnot.

So we studied together and I quizzed him and we talked about how to answer the questions yada yada yada...

He comes home and tells me the test went well. Next day I asked him if he had gotten his test back yet and he said:
"No,but Mr. Mercer told us that most people did really poorly and that only two people actually answered the questions the way they were supposed to be answered and he read out one person's test that was the ideal way to answer a question...the one about conflict in the story"
"Oh man, William", I say "how do you think you did on that question then?"
And completely deadpan, not even a smile and with a shrug as he is pouring his milk, he says: "Well I suppose I must have done alright seeing as it was MY ANSWER he read out"

And he came out with a 94% - second highest mark in the class...and he was rotted about the fact that the "other guy" got a 95%

LOL!!!!! Gotta love him eh?

Birthday week!

Yes thats right, it's been the week of Jacob's SIXTH birthday. I know that we all say this every year but holy moly...WHERE has the time gone?? I have to say that a part of me is so relieved to have gotten to this point. It hasn't been the easiest six years, we have gone through so much emotionally, physically, financially. Jacob has been a wonderful, frustrating, amazing, sweet, maddening challenge. But I think we are at the light at the end of that long tunnel. After six years of wondering WHERE the hell we managed to find someone as spirited and headstrong as Jacob, the time is finally here that we can look at him and say "THERE'S our boy" :) I am so ridiculously proud and in love with him, I wouldn't trade him for the world :)

So on Sunday past we had his party with the family. We offered him a party with his classmates and friends but he decided that he would much rather go out to eat and then come home to have the house decorated, his cake and all of the family here. Excellent! So thats what we did...and it was SO much fun. He got sooooooo many presents and he was thrilled with every signle one of them. The best by far was the wrestling ring that Neil, Sheryl, Corey and Amanda gave him. He opened it and looked at it and was in complete shock. He hugged the box and said "This was SO EXPENSIVE. I NEVER thought I would get THIS" and then he shook his head and stared at it and whispered "I'll never beat this up" LOL!! James got all teary eyed and had to leave the room LOL!!

His actual birthday was Wednesday the 17th and he came home from school all excited because he was the days "Birthday Boy" and he got a present from his teacher AND they sang happy birthday to him TWICE AND "you're not going to believe this Mommy, but in gym during announcements, Mrs. Elkins (the Principal) said my NAME and Happy Birthday to Jacob Moore who is in Grade 1 and is six years old today. Me Mommy...she said MY name!!" LOL!!

So it was a good week.

Oh, I almost forgot, I had Jacob back for his follow up appointment about his throat and it is STILL infected so more antibiotics. And I have it now too. Lovely. Both of us with strep throat. Thank God its not too bad now, by Wednesday's birthday we were both on the mend :)

Monday, October 15, 2007

Two new layouts!

I have been in a bit of a scrapping slump lately. I found a new website called Scrap Shanty and so far I am loving it there. there is no store, no kits, nobody trying to sell anything and best of all...no one has any advantage in cybercrops or whatever because they are kit subscribers. I REALLY like it there and it has inspired me to scrap more. SO...here are my latest pages...the first is a scraplift challenge and the second is based on a sketch :)

Jacob on Topsail Beach




And our baby Hallie, sleeping like an angel

Saturday, October 13, 2007

On the mend

The hospital called us this morning...Jacob's lab results came back positive for strep throat. Which REALLY pisses me off because I TOLD them at the hospital that he had an infection and they didn't believe me. So he was 24 hours without antibiotics. SO not right...the poor little thing suffered so much...and he is still not very stack there. He is still screaming at night and he won't eat hardly at all. If he is no better by Monday then I am marching back up to the Doctor.

In other news...we have our new beds!! WOO!! I have been wanting a new bed FOR.EVER. Ours was springy and old and lumpy and it hurt my back every single night. Last week Cohen's had a sale on so we bit the bullet and bought a Queen size bed for us and a single bed for Will and for Jacob. Three new beds!! We can't afford it really but holy crap what a difference it is making to our sleep. So in the end, I guess they are worth it :)

Neil came by this morning and took Jacob with him to the dump. He dragged all of the old beds out and piled them in his truck and then bundled Jacob up and took him for a ride. he was thrilled! so now Jennifer is out shopping, William is on the computer and Mom is in the living room coloring with Jacob. That reminds me...I must take a picture of that :)

Thursday, October 11, 2007


This is my night last night. at the emergency Room with Jacob. He has a throat infection and I KNEW it was going to get worse so James and I bundled him up at around 9:30 p.m. and off we went. Luckily it was empty and we got in right away. Unluckily, they said that his throat would be fine and never gave him anything....so right on schedule we go to bed and are awoken at 3:00 a.m. by Jacob's screams. *sigh*

He stayed up almost the rest of the night. By 4 he was throwing up and by 9:00 I had him right back to Dr. Button. He was so sick that I had to sit on the floor of the waiting room with him in my arms because if he sat alone in the chair he would topple over. Thank God Dr. Button saw us as soon as he got in and he was ROTTED because Jacob's throat IS infected and he could not understand why they didn't give him any antibiotics last night at the hospital. So now he is pretty concerned about the pain Jacob is having. It seems to be on the middle and right side of his belly. Right side meaning appendix area...not good. So now we have to watch him like a hawk and if his fever goes up (already it has) and if he can't walk ( I wouldn't know because he won't actually get up to try) AND, and this is the big one...if he has what is called "Rebound" pain after you press his right side (press his side it hurts, let go and it hurts WORSE and so far, that isn;t happening) then we have to go straight back to Emerg.

So he is sleeping right now...he hasn't thrown up since 2:50 and it is now 4:02. So he is keeping his medicine down in him anyway...while he is asleep I am popping online to update a few things and then I am back to my continuous watch of his every move.

Sick kids...I swear...there is nothing worse.

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Yawn

*YAWN*

It's 10:43 p.m. and I am tired. Its been a long day for me. I had a meeting all morning and then at lunchtime I did a "Wednesday at Noon" teleconference presentation with a Dr. friend of mine on smoking cessation. Its a pretty cool set up...like an hour online course where docs link in and they can ask us questions and stuff. But man was it ever tiring...

So I get home, pick up James, head to Walmart, decide to get Mickey D's for the kiddos for supper, set one foot back in the house and look at my Jacob who has gone white and is complaining about a sore throat. Check his head - Damn a fever. Off to the Janeway we head...luckily we were only in there for about an hour. Not bad at ALL from start to finish. Diagnosis of a virus with a possibility of strep...so they swabbed his throat and now we are home. NONE of the children are asleep yet as I am fairly sure Jacob is going to be home tomorrow. Thank God Mom and Dad can babysit :)

But it is now 10:48 and I am dropping...so it's time for stories and cuddles with Jacob, a nice goodnight to Jennifer and a rippy roary eyed fight with William to PLEASE FINISH your homework for goodness sakes and GO TO BED!!

LOL!! What a fun life.

Sunday, October 7, 2007

Happy Thanksgiving!

It's turkey day!! Well technically, tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day but we celebrate on Sunday because it is easier to cook a big turkey on Sunday.

I however, will be cooking no turkey as we are all headed over to moms for a feast this year (and well...every year, Christmas, thanksgiving - always at Moms...but I digress). I have decided that I am going to eat breakfast and then try to not eat for the rest of the day because I want to positively gorge myself tonight....let's see how THAT goes shall we? LOL!!

So it is 8:20 a.m. and Jacob has already been up for over an hour....even though he didn't drop to sleep last night until almost 11. I swear that child just does NOT need much sleep. Must be nice - I am sitting here falling asleep sitting up. Will is still in bed and Jennifer was out to a wedding last night but she has to work at 10 so I assume I will hear her puttering around soon.

Right! Off to fill myself up on breakfast...I wonder if there is any bacon left in the fridge....??

Saturday, October 6, 2007

Saturday blues

It is 9:00 a.m. and already this day is shaping up to be a bad day. Sigh...I wish that I could have one weekend where I do nothing. Just scrap and play online. Drink lots of coffee in the day and wine at night. I wish I could have a weekend where I did NOT have to go shopping, clean the house, cart children around, break up fights, run errands, do laundry or even visit with family. Well that last one I love doing so its not that bad...but STILL!

Over the next two days we need to get the oil changed in the car, go all the frig way out to Costco because James won't buy Halloween candy anywhere else, clean the house, wash clothes, bring Jenn to and from work twice because she gets an hour for lunch and the poor child has to eat, go to Walmart and get things that we need, buy groceries, go out to Corey's with Mom tonight because she is sitting with Willow while Corey and Amanda are in Montreal, visit the baby because I have not seen her all week and I am having withdrawal symptoms, go swimming with Jacob AND at the end of it all..finally sit to a lovely Thanksgiving feast prepared by my mom. No turkey in my oven this year - thank GOD.

Damn its a busy life. Sometimes I wish it would slow down a little. But then again, if it did...wouldn't I be bored?

Friday, October 5, 2007

365 photos

On one of my online sites I have started doing a 365 photo challenge. basically every day you take a picture having to do with your life...so at the end of it you have 365 hopefully meaningful pictures for your memories. I'm really excited about it and so while I am posting the pics on that site I also started a blog to keep them all in one place and have them easier to navigate.

So I am now the proud owner of TWO blogs...lets see how this one is going to work out LOL!!

Melissa's 365

Special and heartfelt thanks to my friend Cheri who designed the title banner. I wonder if I ask nicely would she do one for here too??

Dusting off the cobwebs

Soooo...right.

Back again :) This summer was so busy and things were a little crazy there for a while so I let the old BLOG slide. Now that the kids are back in school and things are not so hectic during the day and night, I think I will start this baby up again. At least I am going to try...I've never been much of a journaller. I always think that I am much too boring and really don't have a lot of interesting things to say. But you know...I'm going to try to use this to record some memories and thoughts and feelings. If nothing else, it will be fun to look back on in a few years and remember what I was thinking at this particular time.

SO...new things with me in a nutshell:

1. JAcob is in First grade and he LOVES it. He is staying in for lunch every day and he LOVES it. Enough said. :)

2. William is in Grade 7 at IJ and HE loves it (who ARE these children??). I am still treading very carefully around saying that they are doing good because as soon as I say it outloud then all hell will break loose. So I am not saying they are perfect, but we are getting there.

3. In June we lost my mother in law to COPD and cancer. It was a difficult time for us all - she was ill for such a long time and the end came as a blessing. Jacob is handling it quite well, very maturely and matter of factly. I fear that James has not really come to terms with it yet but he is such an introvert that it is difficult to get him to talk about it. So we'll have to see how things progress...

4. Jennifer is in MUN and she hates it. LOL!! No seriously, she is doing Science courses and has now discovered that she HATES science. Ah well...better for her to realize it now before she is in a faculty or something. Next semester will be all arts courses for her and I predict that she will be a much happier camper.

5. We have a new baby in the family!! Neil and Sheryl had Hallie Elizabeth on August 9, 2007 and she is the most gorgeous thing you ever laid eyes on. I am completely in love with her. I will post some pictures up soon.

6. I have recently discovered Facebook. And in turn...my PARENTS have discovered facebook. Mom is too much a wimp to get her own account so they spend alot of time in the day going through my account and watching all the videos people send me, looking at pictures and just generally catching up with family. So its all good. Funny mind you...but good.

Aaaaannnnnd thats about it. Everything is staying the course and not changing a whole lot. See why I have such trouble keeping this thing up to date?

Sunday, May 20, 2007

Finally! Some answers! Ala Dave B.

I recently read your latest blog entry, and hate to see you in such turmoil. With this in mind, here are the answers to the ten questions that seem to be giving you so much trouble:
1. Yes, it is.

2. Yes, it is.

3. I have them. I have this thing for socks.

4. Because you've been brainwashed by their asinine little ditties. Its the same reason I once caught myself humming the Playtex tampon jingle while walking through the Village mall.

5. Answer to both parts: he keeps his nuts in a little jar by his bed.

6. Everything tastes better when your Mom makes it. If your Mom made you a dogcrap sandwich, it would still taste like dogcrap, but would (in your mind) be far superior to other dogcrap sandwiches (assuming you had some basis for comparison).

7. Mob mentality; its not the cost savings, its because everyone else seems to be doing it, so the lemmings figure all those people can't be wrong.

8. Its one of those recessive gene things; if you and James weren't so frigging calm, Jacob wouldn't have to pick up the slack for you two

.9. They run a disproportionately high number of Playtex tampon ads during that particular show; see question #4.

10. Those are not their children; they're being abducted. Call the police.

There you have it - you're welcome.
Dr. Baker

Monday, May 14, 2007

Things that I just don't understand...

1. I have seen Return of the King 25 times now...and every single time Aragorn utters the phrase "My friends, you bow to no one" my heart skips a beat and burst into tears...sobbing uncontrollably. Isn't it about time I stopped that?

2. Why is it that every single morning I still have to fight on William to get him to go to school?? He's 12!! I've been playing this game wih him for 7 years now...isn't it about time that he realized that yes he IS going to school no matter how much he moans?

3. Why do I have so many odd socks? Where are the matches???

4. Why do I hate the PussyCat Dolls and everything they stand for and everything that they represent but yet I know the words to almost all of their hit songs?

5. How does Chris Martin from Coldplay get his voice so high? And WHY does his voice go right through me and give me cold shivers?

6. Why do sandwiches taste so much better when Mom makes them?

7. Why do people go insane filling up their cars with gas right before the price goes up a PENNY? Is that 40 cents SO important that you have to wait in a lineup at the station to make sure you get gas at the "bargain price"?

8. Why is Jacob trying to drive me to the mental one tantrum at a time? I'm calm enough, his father is calm...where does all of this ANGER come from??

9. Why can't I get enough of House M.D?

10. Why do people still smoke in their cars with children in the backseat?? Seriously...why??

Thursday, May 3, 2007

Dropping off one more page

I have another one too but I can;t post it yet. On a whim I entered it in an online contest at Pagemaps.com. There is no way I will win but I thought it would be fun to try...I'll post it next month after the contest is over :)


For now, there is this one - cousins!


The joys of Facebook

So I have a new addiction - Facebook. I can't believe the people on there that I know! 90% of my family memebrs under the age of 40 are there...which is WICKED becasue it is a quick and dirty way to get updates on everyone and share pictures and sing out and stuff...I am talking to old friends that I thought had forgotten about me...and meeting new ones...it's SO cool.

In other news...Jennifer has a job!!! WOO!!! I am so thrilled about it...and it is in a great spot too...just up over the hill at Home Hardware. James is salivating at the thought of a discount...we'll have to see about that one...

Monday, April 16, 2007

The Times They Are A Changin'

Ever wake up one morning and notice that things around you are just....changing? children are growing....people are getting married and having babies, others have new jobs, new paint in the house, all of those little life things that are so every day and normal but yet...very very noticable when they happen all around the same time?

For me...this weekend I noticed alot of changes around me:

1. William is taller than I am now...no big deal as I am fairly short but he is only 12...and I am well....not.

2. When James lifts Jacob into his arms, Jacob's legs fall below James's knees.

3. Jacob can't really fit on my lap anymore, he can curl up in a ball but he is really getting too big.

4. Jennifer is finished her first year of university and now she is job hunting.

5. Speaking of Jenn, her friend Sarah's parents are going away for 10 days and leaving Jenn and Sarah to house-sit. So do these girls plan a big blow out super party?? No....they are planning a sit down dinner party and are discussing which wine will go with which meal...

6. Matthew is getting married....again. Enough said.

7. Sheryl is showing. Like wearing maternity clothes showing...

8. Corey and Amanda are getting married next June and are planning on trying for a baby right way. My baby brother as a Dad...too crazy to consider.

9. I need to paint every room in my house...when we moved it needed nothing...now all of a sudden...it does.

10. Mom is applying for her Canada Pension. They are thinking about quitting most of their buildings they clean up and actually retiring.

So many changes...so many people growing up around me...so many times I look in the mirror and see my Mom's face over mine. Change is good. It is healthy and it is a part of life...but sometimes...it seems like everything changes at once...and it takes a moment to get your feet back underneath you.

Friday, April 13, 2007

Speaking of scrapbooking, I did a few more pages...I like to do at least two pages a week...it keeps me grounded :)








Let's talk about junkie's

I was just going through my I-tunes playlist and it struck me as funny...I don't think I could say that I like a particular kind of music. I mean, lets see here, my playlist goes from GreenDay to Genesis to Neil Young to Rush to Justin Timberlake to the Dixie Chicks to Eminem to My Chemical Romance...there's no common bond! Well except for the fact that it is all good music that is LOL!! I even have a few Weird Al songs thrown in there for good measure. Now THAT is a talented guy...who would have ever thought someone could be SO clever with music??

Anyway, I am a music junkie...and a coffee junkie...and damn it all I loves my wine. Seriously love it...so much so that I have to be VERY aware of how much I am drinking because the last thing I want to do is follow in certain family members footsteps and develop a full blown addiction to alcohol. That would mean that I would have to give up wine and there is NO way I will let that happen...so I monitor closely...funny when you think about it.

What else do I obsess over...well scrapbooking of course...thats a given.

And if I miss an episode of House or Criminal Minds I am off kilter for the rest of the week or until I see it. Now THAT is weird...

So I guess I am a junkie to many things...but you know, my passions are kind of what make me who I am...they define me in some ways...what I like and don't like, what makes me happy and gives me pleasure. Know those and you sort of know me :)

Wednesday, April 4, 2007

New pages!







April Showers

*Sigh*

Rain. It's nice enough I suppose...but relatively dreary. Rain makes me sad, not bawling my eyes out turning into a sobbing mess sad...more melancholy I think. Everything is so dark and shadowy, everyone walks with their heads down or with faces covered by umbrellas. Although, one good thing about rain and fog...it is getting rid of the dreaded snow. WOO! In another few weeks I just might be able to see my flower beds...

On a completely unrelated topic, James and I are going to dinner on Saturday night! How exciting is that??? A sales rep gave him a gift certificate to the Keg and Mom has graciously agreed to babysit the young'uns and so WE are going to dinner! I am so excited...we so rarely get out anymore...between an extreme lack of money and an even extremer lack of people willing to stay with the kids (ok, I'll be blunt, willing to stay with Jacob) we never EVER get to go anywhere by ourselves. So this is a royal treat let me tell you :) The GC is even enough so that we might be able to splurge on a whole bottle of wine! weeee!!!

Friday, March 23, 2007

Funny little epiphany

Jacob is going to be in Grade one in a few months. He is finishing kindergarten in a few months and then after summer break he will be in school from 8:30 - 2:30 every single day.

Doesn't seem like a big deal eh? Well last night it took my breath away. Literally took my breath away and blood rushed right to my head and I actually felt sweaty and clammy just thinking about it. Panic attck? Fear? Disbelief? RELIEF? I have no idea...but if I close my eyes and think about it, I feel that way all over again.

I've been doing alot of thinking about Jacob in the past oh - five years or so. He has been the most challenging and interesting of the three children. He has been the most idle and the most spirited. He has been the most loveable and the funniest. All three of the children are special in their own ways - Jennifer is the gentlest and has the softest heart, William is the smartest and has the driest sense of humor....but there is something about Jacob that just throws us all off balance - it always has really. And I think last night I was all of a sudden faced with the reality that this baby, this child that we have struggled with for so long..is actually growing up. Sure he is still flipping out at every opportunity. Sure he is still hard to get along with and so ANGRY so often...but he is also helping me cook supper, he is calling friends on the phone, he is sleeping through the night, he is doing things for himself and holding conversations with adults that are sensible! And in school he is one of the sweetest, most considerate, most helpful and pleasant children there.

I think last night I just realized that we are really and truly getting there. The light at the end of this tunnel is becoming more than a pinprick...it is getting bigger and bigger...and a part of me is sad to see it so (a BIG part of me)...there is another part of me that just is so happy that we made it through...and everybody still in one piece too! No small feat let me tell you. :)

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Come Away With Me

Come Away with me in the night....
Come away with me

*sigh* Nora Jones....the womans voice could melt butter...

And a very appropriate song too....last year I was asked to go away with a group of my closest friends...to St. Louis, where they were all meeting for the first time. And I couldn't go. Money being what it is, and living on this island which should NOT be so isolated but actually is REALLY expensive to fly out of...damnit all there was just no way I could go. So the trip was last weekend and I have been looking at pictures and videos of the trip for the past few days and I am crying every single time. I missed my friends. I should have been there and I am literally mourning the loss.

So my husband has determined that in order to keep me from going completely off the deep end that we will start saving NOW for the next get-together! Woo!! I'm in baby!

You know, I think that this weekend and not being there really made me realize something. I realize that I have real, true, actual friends. The ladies that I have been chatting to and sharing with and laughing and crying with over the past five years are much much more than anonymous words on a computer screen. They are real women who LIKE me and whom I love in return. What an amazing thing!! I always say that I don't have any real life girlfriends - someone hurt me badly many years ago and I am simply unable to form that sort of bond with another woman....and then I realize that I HAVE bonded with other women...I HAVE girlfriends IN REAL LIFE - in my life, right now. The KIT girls are my friends and I am so so very proud to be a part of this wonderful group of women.

And yes...I WILL meet them next year...mark my words :)

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Lord grant me Patience

Too bad these BLOG'S don't have smilies...there is a really good one of a person tearing their hair out and then another who spins in circles waving their arms madly...yeah...thats me...

I have come to the stark realization in a very short period of time that I am actually NOT going to escape much of the foolishness of puberty when it comes to William. Not only that, but he is going to be a BAAAADDDDD teenager. Stubborn??? OMG I've never seen anything like it before in my life. Last night I actually screamed at him for the fist time in months...literally screamed at him. The child would NOT move from the friggin' computer, he had to go to his Grandparent's house for supper ...I even gave him fair warning...he was on the computer for SIX hours straight and he HAD to move. His muscles are going to atrophy I swear...and he had the nerve to look at me and just say "No.I'm not going. I am not moving"

HA!! In your dreams mister!

So I unplugged the computer. So there. Take THAT you stubborn teenager you.

So off he went vicious. VICIOUS with me. And I didn't care.....well thats what I told him anyway...in actuality I was heartbroken and out of sorts for the rest of the evening. But he didn't need to know that...

So he comes home and everything is ok, he's still crooked but he's smiling so thats a good sign. Then this morning JAcob goes down to play on the computer and William has locked him out. Deleted Jacob's account and put a password on his own account (Windows XP) with a hint that says "If I can't play on my computer no one can"

Where's that smilie of a person who's head is exploding??????

I'm not ready for this drama. The child needs his father. I don't care what anyone says. So Matthew if you are reading this - get your ass home. I'm not doing this alone buddy.

Monday, March 12, 2007

My week in a nutshell

  • Jacob gets the stomach flu
  • Jacob goes to Hospital because he is SO sick - all is well but he is still sick
  • William gets the stomach flu
  • Dad gets the stomach flu
  • Rebecca's baby is born! WOO!! Yay Lily is here!
  • Visit Rebecca and Lily - newborns- sigh!!!!
  • William has the Kiwanis Music Festival - yay! Second place in his category!
  • Talent show at the boys school
  • Education week activites all week for the boys
  • I get sick - NO stomach flu go away! No time!!
  • Jacob is doing well with his sticker chart
  • Jacob chooses to go bowling as his reward and completely flips out during the excursion - note to self: no more bowling as a reward
  • Two big reports at work
  • No time to scrapbook - boo-hoo! Going through withdrawls
  • All of the stress has made me snapish and waspish and I yell at my husband - ALOT
  • James and I make up - only to be thrown completely for a loop by Jacob freaking out and tearing the door off the Entertainment Center
  • Realize that I haven't updated the old BLOG in a week and so try to update it with a lame list that doesn't even come close to reflecting how crazy last week really was

And so....thats it in a nutshell...update tonight with pictures!

Friday, March 2, 2007

Impulsive Aggression

Sounds interesting eh? Basically it means that Jacob has anger management problems that need to be addressed. Funny, I didn't think I actually NEEDED a professional to tell me this, but once she did I somehow felt better. Like I wasn't alone, there are others like him, Jacob is not an anomaly and no, I am not raising the next Ted Bundy.

So we have a plan..and we have to see Dr. St. John now every month and each month we will try something different until we find something that works...on the far end and nowhere near us yet is medication, but we are not even discussing this possibility until all else fails. So I have hope. The glimmer of hope really is that Jacob is amazing in school. He is always cheerful, always helpful, never gets into trouble...so he is CAPABLE of controlling himself...it is just that he has all of this energy and all of these emotions and while he tamps it all down in school, when he gets home he explodes like a volcano. It makes SENSE finally...now we just have to try to find a good solution that works for him and that we are comfortable with :)

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Let it Snow! Let it Snow!...oh shut up....




No explanation necessary...yes that is my house...and my husband..poor fellow. I swear to God we are getting a snowblower next year if I have to sell my body to get it...It took him 4 HOURS to shovel the driveway on Saturday...4 HOURS...he was beat to a snot by the time it was all said and done. Notice that the snow is now OVER my fence...the children can literally walk over it...a six and a half foot fence and it is buried...ridiculous.

The Bruise that Ate Manhatten


Look away! Look away! It's hideous!!

But at least my leg is still intact - no broken bones...just a big bruise (on my calf AND on my ego). Honestly, the picture doesn't even do it justice. I measured it with a ruler today as I was trying to explain it to Laura...the monstrosity is 8 inches long by 5 inches wide...and man oh man is it EVER tender!

Luckily I am unable to really GO very far because of all this snow...see next post...

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Snowed in


Snowed in. This is just silly. I mean, this snow! My goodness, there's just too much. That's a picture of my poor garden up there, the snow is OVER my six foot fence! It has no where to go! You shovel so much and the banks are almost as high as your house...and now they are speaking for more on Saturday! GAH!!! I'm moving to Florida as soon as my children are grown...this is ridiculous.
In other news, I almost broke my leg yesterday. I know...for someone so delicate and gentile HOW could I have been so clumsy?? HA! I am a lumbering ox and I know it....I tumbled over myself getting out of Jacob’s bed last night…DESTROYED my leg. I thought for SURE it was broken. I was crying, Jacob was screaming, William was running for ice saying “Move your toes!! Can you move your toes???” and poor James was trying to calm everyone down. You should SEE the wicked bruise I got…it’s seriously 6 inches long by about 4 inches wide. If I was skinny I would have cracked my leg right off. Now I am hobbling about feeling like a fool…
So between the bruised up leg and the snow mountains, I am fairly crooked about it all...


Wednesday, February 14, 2007

From the mouths of babes

Yesterday was a RIDICULOUS day. Jacob was in a snit. There is no other way to describe it...he was in a snit. Everything bothered him, he was bored, he was tired, he was hungry...he was completely out of sorts. And when Jacob is in a snit you'd better watch out - you'd get a toy up the side of the head faster than you could say "Watch out!"

So after an evening of being verbally abused by a five year old, torn and bruised from trying to keep him out of trouble and exhausted from dodging flying toys I decided that he just HAD to go to bed. My patience was GONE, I was tired and House was on at 10:30...that child was GOING to sleep if I had to knock him over the head to do it.

So he struggled and he fought. He yelled and he screamed. He cried and he cajoled. But I stood my ground and lay with him singing quietly just being patient (not an easy task let me tell you) and then at 10:00 p.m. he quieted. He lay with me and he was quiet. Then he touched my face with his little hand and buried his face in my hair and breathed "You always smell so good"

And then he slept. And my heart broke. Just broke.

I watched him sleeping and all I could think about was that one little sweet moment. The trials and tribulations of the night just disappeared into a puff of smoke and I lay there and snuggled with my boy.

Funny how these things happen eh? One small gesture and I turn to mush...out of the mouths of babes - he made my whole night brighter.

Saturday, February 10, 2007

The Trouble with Food

The trouble with food is that I have too many children that eat me out of house and home. WHO knew that having one teenager plus one tween plus one kindergartener would involve SO MUCH bloody food??? I swear to God if they had their way I would be chained to the kitchen destined to only serve them. It is midnight...MIDNIGHT and William is in bed moaning about being hungry....and see...they know I can't deal with that. They know my biggest nightmare is having hungry children...so down I trek to the kitchen to get him a cut up apple with peanut butter. He asked for ice cream. YES B'Y! Ice cream at this time of night. I don't think so mister, not on my watch. It's an apple or nothing.

Jacob - God love him, Jacob decided that right before bed he was hungry...and then wanted cauliflower. Now I should know to keep it on hand because he loves it so much, but you know, it's gone and I haven't been to the supermarket to buy more. So he throws a fit. Good lord what 5 year old throws a fit over vegetables??? Know what appeased him? I dare you to guess....nah, you won't get it. Broccoli. He was satisfied with a head of broccoli. O-K..whatever works there Cujo - eat your broccoli.

It's a good thing Jennifer is out tonight, otherwise by this time I would be hearing the pop of popcorn...and smelling it would make me hungry. I think she is addicted to popcorn...

Aaaaaand...now I'm hungry. I wonder what's in the fridge for me to eat?

Tuesday, February 6, 2007

Definition of exhaustion

I am absolutely exhausted...there's no other way to say it. I am actually blurry eyed I am so tired. Yet "House" is on and I must watch..I am compelled to keep my eyes open and watch this show....I know, I'm a nut. If she is so darn tired, why doesn't she sleep you ask. Well because House is on. DUH! Jeepers people get with the program. House, Criminal Minds and CSI...the three shows that I won't miss even if I have to prop my eyes open with toothpicks. Which is looking like a distinct possibility at the moment.

Today was filled with dealing with Insurance people, supper, homework and da-da-da-DAAAA!! the launch of our new mass media campaign. Woooo....applause applause!! Yes yes indeed, the campaign is launched and off the ground. Five months of hard work and MAN does it ever look nice. We were lucky though, we have a SUPER marketing firm working with us...I swear, I had the original vision and M5 reached inside my head and pulled out what I wanted. It was almost scary how close they came to what I wanted. I am SO pleased. And so busy. Hence the exhaustion.

Oh look...it's a House episode I haven't seen..hmmm....

Monday, February 5, 2007

Oh darn it

So Jennifer has had her first fender bender in the car *insert big tragic sigh here* And really, the term "fender bender" is innappropriate...more like "fender scratch-fender dent"...the dent being on the other guys car. According to Jennifer and William (who was in the car with her) she inched out to see around a snowbank because she was turning right...the guy coming down the opposite side saw her inching and hit his brakes and slid on the snow into her lane and thus into her...but they were both going so slow that it was literally a scrape and a tap. Problem is that I can't figure out whose fault it is...Jennifer swears she was not turning and into his lane because of the snow...but the scratch is on the drivers side bumper of our car so it makes sense to say that she WAS into the turn and he scraped his way down.

ACK...I don't know...all I know is that there is no damage on our car except for a small scrape on the bumper...and even if it IS her fault then we will deal with it the best we can...I just have pains in my stomach thinking about it *insert another big sigh here*.

I guess tomorrow will tell the tale, we have buddy's insurance information and he has ours so I will call our agent and see what the next steps are...I mean, I have a funny feeling that its going to be a he said-she said type deal...and if thats the case, is anyone going to believe an 18 year old girl and her 12 year old brother??

Sunday, February 4, 2007

The Big 1-2

Happy Birthday toooooo youuuuu....
Happy Birthday tooooooo youuuuuu....
Happy Biiiiirthday dear William -
Happy Birthday tooooooo youuuuuuuu!

Yes thats right, William hits the big 1-2 today! TWELVE! Isn't that the craziest thing you have ever heard? He is one full year away from being an official teenager - be still my heart, another teenager in the house! LOL Well honestly, I don't think that he is going to be anything like Jennifer was. Jenn was a moody, cranky teen - sometimes. Most of her troubles came from her friends. William on the other hand....geez, I think William is going to turn into a hermit teenager who never sees the light of day. Bahahahahahaha...poor little bird, I shouldn't talk about him ike that on his birthday...

So tonight we are having all of the family over for pizza and cake and presents. Matthew sent me some money for presents from him so he will have some extra here tonight...all the better, more to open! I am really looking forward to it - I love my children's birthdays...

I will post pictures of my big 12 year old guy this evening after the party.

HA! Twelve....un-freaking-believable.

Friday, February 2, 2007

An E-mail from Dave

My bestest buddy in the world - well, except for my husband of course - is Dave. The following is his most current correspondence. We will not even TRY to begin to explain how much I miss this guy! I think if he lived any further away than Nova Scotia I would just have to kidnap him and bring him back home. Luckily, it's only an hour and a half on plane...so he's safe. For now.


Hey babe;

Just checked out your blog - pretty sharp! I have to admit though, it all
feels a bit foreign to me, in that same family-oriented way that wandering
through the baby wear section of Wal-Mart makes me feel... but you know me,
ever the bachelor. I was going to leave a comment, but the site insisted
that I sign up for Google something-or-other; since I happen to know that
Google, Microsoft and Coca-Cola are all in a four way pact with Satan to
enslave the human race, I decided against signing up. If you want to post
this on my behalf, feel free to do so.

Hope everything is good with yourself, James, the kids et al. Take care and
talk to you soon!

Love,
- Big Dave

PS: New and improved Dave is now 19.3% smaller! All the Dave you've always
loved, now in the handy 238 lb travel size! Order yours today!

Thursday, February 1, 2007

The picture that makes me cry

And really...lets be honest here...who WOULDN'T cry at a picture of her daughter, surrounded by friends she loves dressed in graduation gear and holding her high school diploma?? Come on...you would have to have a heart of steel to not be touched by this one! Jennifer - on the far left of that picture...my only girl, a child born out of love and into a strange new world. We beat the odds together Jennifer and I (and ok, I'll give some credit to Matthew here too LOL!) ..the child of two teenagers, we grew up together. Babies raising a baby - how far we have come.

Go ahead - I dare you not to feel a little twinge looking at her there...all grown up.

The second picture that makes me cry

I have no idea why - it could be the look on William's face - that big irresistible grin, those red cheeks. It could be the fact that Matthew is standing behind him looking very "fatherly", it could be the fact that they are together...I have no CLUE what it is but this picture touches my heart every single time I look at it.

Of course, truth be told...pretty much everything makes me cry. I am what they call "soft-hearted"...depending on who you are talking to that could mean that I am a wimp or that I am super sensitive. Either way, I cry at everything - looking at my children, TV commercials, songs, music videos, movies...you name it...I have probably cried about it. But you know, my husband can be very wise sometimes, and he says that my sensitivity makes me who I am...and he wouldn't change me for the world :) So I'll cry at pictures of my eldest son flying a kite with his father, and I'll try not to be too embarrassed about it.

Wednesday, January 31, 2007

I Didn't Do it


That will be the name of the scrapbook page..I Didn't Do it.

You know, I really should learn my lesson. Didn't the great vaseline adventure teach me anything? Oh no...most definitely not. I need to tattoo this to my forehead "Jacob Quiet = BAD"

What is this you may ask? What is he into now?? Why BANANAS of course? Can't you tell by the ooey, gooey mess he is in? Bananas...of ALL things. And people wonder why my hair is going grey....

Two boys fighting

I realized that I didn't go into much detail about Jacob and William's fight yesterday. It was a snow day you see...the second one in less than a week and they were feeling trapped and on each others nerves. At least, thats my theory anyway.

So apparently, Jacob was in the rec room throwing a ball with one of his friends. William was not pleased about this fact and yelled at him to stop. Jacob - being Jacob screamed "I won't! You shut up!" Of course William being William - he grabbed the ball and held it over his head saying "You're not getting this back!" Thats when the real trouble started...Jacob picked up the closest thing to him - which happened to be a CD and let it fly at Will...caught him right below the right eye. DAMN those things can do some damage! William screamed and ran for JAcob and tackled him and proceeded (according to my Mom who rushed downstairs) to stomp on him with his foot. Keeping in mind that William is oh a good 150 pounds and Jacob is about 60 - it was a fairly uneven match.

So Mom and Dad seperated them and Mom gave William a tongue banging for hurting Jacob - meanwhile blood was running down Williams face from the cut under his eye, Jacob was screaming and flipping out and their friends ran for cover. And THAT is when I got called home.

So last night at 10:30 p.m. Mom called me in tears saying "Tell William I am so sorry for yelling at him today! I didn't mean to be so mad" And I tell William and he goes "Well Jacob deserved it anyway"

Ahhhh....all in a day's work eh?

Tuesday, January 30, 2007

End of the first day

Well my first day as an official blogger has been fairly normal - filled with work and children and refereeing fights between the boys, cooking supper and finally getting on the computer once all hands are in bed. See? My life is SO boring...every day is pretty much the same LOL

Jacob was in fine form today. This morning he was so quiet, I was so happy to have a nice few moments to myself but I KNEW...I KNEW that he was up to something. So I was just raising myself off of the couch when he sauntered in calm as could be - his face COATED with various shades of lipstick, eyeliner, mascara (do you know how hard it is to scrub waterproof mascara out of a five year olds eyebrows?? - it's HARD let me tell you). I didn't want to make a big deal out of it so I said quite calmly "Oh, so you found some makeup did you?" "Yes", he says "I look like Hawk now!" Oh-KAY..so he wants to look like a wrestler...niiiiice.

So I soak my makeup ridden child in the bath and then I go work and get called home - see previous post. Everything is all back to normal when I get there...except of course for William sporting a nice big cut under his eye from a CD flung angrily out of Jacob's hands. Lovely. I go upstairs and notice that Jacob's bedroom is in a state so I start to pick it up...and notice that the Game Cube games are MISSING. Just missing...well this is a mystery....so I call out to Jacob and ask him where they could possibly be. Oh, he says, I forgot about that. And over he goes to the dresser and opens up a big crock of Vaseline (WHY WHY WHY was that even IN there??) and says "Here they are! I put them in here!"

YEs, he shoved TEN gamecube games fully into a full crock of vaseline. They are literally GLUED together in this sticky, icky mess. We spent a full half hour just cleaning the darn things up.

Note to self: Next time, get the games out of the room...and while you are at it, take the vaseline too.

First real post

Ok...so my first real post is a rant...and it's a rant about my sons so be prepared..

WHY oh WHY as SOON as I leave the house do those two hoodlems ALWAYS turn into monsters?? WHY??? It is SO not right for me to go to work and have Mom call and tell me that she cannot handle the two of them together and that she is tired and that she can't deal with it anymore. Damnit...*I* can't deal with this for much longer! There is just no need for those two to be at this foolishness...it's a Snow Day people! Get out of the house, stop picking and barking at one another and go play!

Ugh, some days, I just cannot reconcile working full time and trying to raise three children - well, one's almost raised but still....

Hey it worked!

Well well well...it worked!

Now...I just need to figure out how to do everything else - add pictures especially. I like the idea of putting things into one spot. I've never been one to journal or keep a diary becasue I figure I am too damn boring, but you know, this seems ok. Jenn says that it will be nice for me to have a spot to just type out things that are on my mind. She claims that it will help me de-stress. HA! Like that is even possible!

Hmmm..how do I edit my "About Me" stuff I wonder...off to check!

So this is what my BLOG looks like

Ok...I'm doing this on a whim and COMPLETELY confused about it all. Maybe Jennifer can help me later on...but right now I figure I'll post and muddle through. I don't like this template very much but it will do for now...how do you find different ones I wonder?

OK...I'm going to post this and see what happens LOL