2008 in Review

We decided to just have a night in with the kids, wow no different then any other night. My husband has to be at work for 8am the next day so we played some Wii, bathed our rug rats and tried to have everyone in bed so we could enjoy our Japanese food and a movie. All in all it was a relaxing night, and relaxing is a great way to bring in the new year.
As we were sitting talking we started to reflect on 2008. Here are our reflections:
During this past year we went from being a low income, student family living in a low income housing unit to finally owning a home, being business owners and finally having enough money to breathe.
We went from being a family of four, to a family of four plus one on the way. We've moved away from family and friends and now live in a 'city' (I use the term generously) where we don't really know anybody.
We enrolled our son in public school, we were just about sued by another pharmacy, had extended family issues, found another home for our dog, replaced a furnace, lost control of my bladder and as I am looking down at my exposed belly ( I am watching the baby kicking) I am noticing new wonderful (sarcastic) stretch marks. It's a wonder I am not on some prescription medication.
My hope for 2009? Simple, simplicity.

A little bit of this, a little bit of that...

This week I finally did something very grown up, I purchased a bedroom set. In all my 10 years of marriage I have never had a bedroom set. I tried to buy one with classic lines so in the next 10 years it won't look too dated. So along with my new set, coming today YAY!, we are deciding on paint colors and installing a closet organizer. *when did I become an adult?*
This week I gave up our dog. Do I have regrets? Probably everyday I do. I think to myself, maybe if we tried harder and just stuck it out... oh well I have to keep telling myself she is happier. I received a report from her new owner yesterday. She is living on an acreage, she is playing lots outside and inside with their little puppy, I need to be happy for her and I am. I am just sad for us. One day we will go on a puppy journey again, this time for keeps.
This week I have been dropping subtle, okay maybe not so subtle, hints that I need an upgrade on my wedding ring. We affectionately refer to it as my 'starter'ring. Please don't get me wrong, I love my ring and it holds great memories and sentiment for me, but I am thinking a bigger diamond wouldn't hurt. I have my eye on a white gold solitaire that turns my knees to mush and turns my hubby's stomach because it may be a 'little'pricey, but hey we celebrate our 10 years together this summer!!
This week I need to get groceries. We are living off bread and soup, sad. I just dread going grocery shopping with my two boys. In the town where I live I have to hit a few places to get what we need and dragging two rammy little guys through a shopping center isn't my idea of a pleasant time. It starts out alright, then the pushing and shoving starts, I start threatening and giving the odd, so you can't see, pinch to tell them to smarten up. They start swinging and crawling on anything in sight. Just writing about it has made up my mind I will NOT do that with them today.
And finally this week I reconnected with an old friend. We haven't talked on the phone for 10+ years. She is from my town, grew up here, so when she heard I lived here now she called me and we had a great talk. It surprises how much you can actually miss someone and not know it. We made plans to get together the next time she's in town. Really nice to talk to her again.
So that is my week. Seems like a roller coaster and chaotic, sometimes that's how our weeks go. I think next week I will chill a bit.

I've been tagged

Well this isn't necessarily the 4th photo from my 4th folder, that one was really hazy, so I chose one close to it.
Summer '08 the first summer in our house. This is the one half of my backyard that actually has grass. Our kids had been so bored we purchased them this swingset to help keep them out of my hair a bit. Funny that didn't seem to work :O)

Farewell

This is something I have been wanting for a long time, or so I thought. I know I have complained, probably shed a few tears of frustration over it, and yet now I am shedding tears because I miss her.
Two days ago a very nice man and his wife drove to our little neck of the woods and left with our dog Willow.
When it truly came down to making this decision we waivered quite a bit. This man was interested a few weeks ago and just as I was about to give him the go ahead my dear husband said he just couldn't do it. He promised me we would find a way to make it work, he was going to prepare our enviornment for our dog so we could enjoy her more and I would have less maintanence with her.
Wouldn't you know after resigning myself to this and looking forward to the said changes things at work for my husband have gone crazy. He will be working more and it doesn't look like it will be letting up anytime soon. So our dilema is do we keep our German Shepherd, a poor girl who isn't getting excercised or stimulated much just so we won't miss her? Do we give her to a man who won't stop emailing about her even after we told him no a earlier. I guess the decision finally came when he emailed again and told us he purchased a German Shepherd pup from the breeder our dog was from and that Willow would have an acreage and a friend to play with all the time.
Needless to say I miss her, I didn't think I would but I do. I keep checking my email for pictures and updates of her. It's been a sad few days around here.

My Favorite Things, Oprah eat your heart out!

My dear Flutter posted her favorite things, here is a list of mine.


1) I have found these cleaners to be the bomb!! I have tried other 'green'products and was sorely disappointed, but these clean, there is actual suds when doing dishes. The bathroom all purpose cleaner made my tub sing for joy and I didn't loose a layer of fine nose tissue in the process. Refreshing and mild. Snaps to you Clorox!



2)
When my husband called me from work stating he was picking up a Wii I was a little hesitant. Another gaming system in our house, something ELSE for our kids to fight about. It has turned out to be a wonderful gaming system. It's very interactive and we have a ton of fun playing together as a family. Wii sports is great, it forces you to get up and move. The day after my boxing match on Wii I was stiff and sore, now that normally isn't a good thing, but it was the most exercise I have had in a while. Everything in moderation, right? Snaps to Nintendo, great system!

3)
No this isn't for the bedroom, it's not a torture device, at least not for humans. The choke collar has been a lifesaver, not for me but for my willful, crazy dog. Seeing that the weather is close to -50 degrees that animal is in the house all the time. So you can imagine a German shepherd who is still a puppy, all be it a LARGE puppy, who has energy to boot and with no exercise, she's a disaster. The instant I put this on her big neck she turns into a submissive dog again. So snaps to whomever invented this scary, but wonderful device, without it she may have ended up at the pound.

4) WARNING- this is not for the faint of heart. This sauce with kick you in the stomach and laugh. It brings a unique burning sensation to your mouth and the acid reflux may have you reaching for the Tums. Why would I recommend this, well it has a mouthwatering, vinegary, gingery taste that has me reaching for more. I crave this sauce and eat it on sandwiches. The few seconds before the burning starts to take over, before your sense clear and your nose is running like crazy, before all that there is a moment of satisfaction. It tastes so good- my mouth is watering even writing about it. So if your brave enough to try, have a bowl of ice cream at your side and jump in, yes it may be painful, actually it will be until you build up a tolerance for it. I guarantee you will feel like you may have been transported to a warm tropical island. No I'm not talking about hell, it's before your mouth is engulfed in flames, it's that few seconds of bliss that make it all worth it. So... snaps to President's Choice for making a great sauce!

5)
I received this sheet set for a gift from my folks. Now I wouldn't recommend these for those hot summer night that have us tossing and turning. These sheets are for those cold -50 degrees night kind of like the ones we are experiencing now, damn winter weather. Anyway don't get me started on our COLD Canada winters, these sheets are warm, soft and even luxurious. Yes I will go so far as to say luxurious. My little boy crawled into bed with us one night and asked if I would take these sheets off my bed so he could have them. Of course I told him to forget it, these are mine my friend. So if you suffer with winter like we do you will enjoy this little bit of comfort.

Oh how things have changed

"Here Mommy, let me help you with your boots." came the kind words from my 5 year old today. He is quite protective of me, especially now that I am pregnant. He often will tell his father to be nice because I am a pregnant mommy. He will join me in complaining about the mess the dog makes, often stating that Mommy is pregnant and can't do all the cleaning. He is a sweet boy.
I remember being pregnant with my 1st baby. I remember how careful we were about everything. My husband doted on me, would run out for Burger King at the drop of a hat, rub my ever growing tummy with lotion to prevent stretch marks, and would often play classical music for the baby.
The second pregnancy was a stressful time as we were in the middle of a move. I had pregnancy brain and almost burned down our house. The tummy rubs became less, I now had complaints about having to go out at night for a craving run and the time spent talking to baby, I don't know if we even did that.
Now onto the third baby. Again came at a stressful time, husband starting a new career, we didn't even talk about the baby much for the first while. I don't even take the time to rub my belly with lotion, I think I've played music once for the baby, and I don't even think to ask for a craving run. But tonight, that little voice of my son brought tears to my eyes. You know what, I deserve to be pampered a little bit, and you know what else, it felt good to be pampered, even if he's only 5.
Thanks little guy, you really made me feel cherished today.

1998

I was driving the other day, probably to pick up or drop off one of my kids at something. As I turned on the radio a song played that took me back to the year 1998
At that time I was working at a restaurant as a waitress. I had become pretty good friends with alot of the staff, we hung out after work and had great times together.
On this particular day it was my birthday, I was turning 23, and my boyfriend (my lovely hubby now) was across the country at University. My friends being sweet and taking pity told me they were taking me out to dinner.
We arrived to the packed restaurant, took our seats to get ready to order. All at once our waiter appeared with a guitar and proceeded to serenade me. Everyone stopped and stared, I'm not sure what shade of red I actually turned, but my friends thought it was hilarious. Now the song he sang had to be changed a little, see my eyes aren't brown their blue.
When my friend and waiter were planning this little ditty my friend didn't know off hand what color my eyes were so they came up with a plan. The plan was whatever color my eyes were, he would wear that same color of shirt so when the waiter/singer came up he would know what color to substitute. It was a fun night, one I won't soon forget.
What a great memory!

Inspired

After reading my fellow blogger's post it inspired me to post a little ditty for your viewing pleasure. This song brings me back to riding in an old Chevelle, windows down, dust in my teeth. My brother and I in the backseat, no seat belts, no air conditioning and this song playing on the radio. My mom trying to harmonize, my dad whistling with a toothpick in between his teeth. We were hot, sweaty and dust covered. What a great memory!! Thanks Cocotte for the inspiration!

Product Review

This here product PROMISES a clean sparkly shine. My poor dishes, especially anything with black plastic, have come out looking like they were dusted in baby powder. I am so disappointed in this product.
I am all for being green, and I am trying to do my part, but let me tell you something friends I need my utensils, plates and cups not to look like there is dried milk all over them.
So just a little FYI- this product does NOT work. I am now off to rerun my dishes through using some harsh, chemical ridden cleaner. Do I feel guilty? A little, but my dishes will be clean. :O)

Kegals, shmegals...?

Let me preface this by saying I would have it no other way right now, I am grateful that I am pregnant and I am TRYING to enjoy the journey. TRYING...
Pregnancy this time around has been anything but easy. Now this could be because I am in my 30's, or the fact that I wasn't in the greatest shape to begin with, or maybe because I didn't do that damn kegals that Oprah and Dr. Oz always say we should. My confession is, (whisper) I have a bladder I can't control.
Ever morning I battle vomitting and wetting myself as I am attempting to brush my teeth. My husband finds this to be hilarious. There I am bent over the sink, legs crossed to prevent an áccident, all the while gagging trying to hold back the vomit. The one phrase I keep muttering to myself as I do this dance every morning is, 'this better be a girl.'
The other day as I was crossing a busy intersection with my husband I felt a cough coming on so I had to stop, cross my legs and cough, in the middle of the street as cars are waiting to drive! Yeah it's a big joke to him, Mr. ' as least I don't wet my pants when I cough' guy. Maybe I should do kegals, but they feel weird, and like I don't have enough to do.
Maybe I'll just invest in some pantyliners, that's what they are for right?

100 Thoughts!!!

I just realized this is my 100th post! YAY!!! What do I win??
Blogging has been a great outlet for me over the past few years. Before blogging was I used to keep journals to record my thoughts, adventures and special moments. Seeing how the pen and paper has become obsolete, and because I am soooo with it technology wise (NOT) I thought blogging would be a great alternative.
So cheers to the first 100 posts, here's to the friends who care enough to tune in, it's been a great ride so far.

Just Because

Just because we were discussing it this past weekend, and just because Flutter posted it on her blog as being one of her favorites. Here are my pics, just for you, just because...

The Door:

HOT, HOT, HOT!!!


No Air

Goosebumps~

Are Those Pants Painted On??

" I am finding it hard to concentrate with her here." , " If I was 30 years younger!" These are a few of the comments my husband has told me about regarding a employee at his pharmacy. These comments came from a younger married man, the later from an older married man in his late 60's.
Now the girl seems nice enough, she's a single mom in her late 20's. I guess my question is why would you want to walk around in painted on Lulu Lemon pants all day? And it's not just some days, it's everyday! Then I thought to myself, maybe she can't afford a simple pair of black pants from Walmart. Nope, that can't be it because Lulu Lemon pants are over $100.
My husband says she thinks quite highly of herself, and has a tad of a reputation. I personally don't get it. You can still show off your figure in a classy way without being able to see every dimple and indent of your butt.
Anyway she will be talked to by one of the female management team soon so the men can get back to work. I mean would you want a pharmacist with one eye counting your meds while the other is feasting on the back end of a single mom?? I don't think so!

Ëverything's amazing, and nobody's happy!

"
My husband and I watched this together and boy did it spark a discussion. I see myself reflected in much of the anecdote's and jokes that he's telling. To stop, I mean really stop, and think about what we are experiencing, the technology that is around us would truly have baffled us 30 years ago.
How do we slow down enough to appreciate what is around us? How do we go from being a people that think the world owes us, to asking how we can contribute?
Our conversation took on many thoughts, thoughts about our own life, how we want to live and leave our footprint on this planet.
Questions have been asked, conversations have begun and we are still searching. I believe the desire with those I've conversed with, be it friends or family, to simplify and live a less busy life is there. How do we do it when the world is spinning around us?
Gotta do more, gotta get more. More toys, bigger houses, more cars, trips ect. How does one step off this ride and just be?
For me, I think there needs to be a center to which we cling to, an idea or philosophy. If we do stray from that which we hold dear major upheaval needs to happen in order to re-align ourselves once again. Simply put, not so simple.

"Life is one long struggle to disinter oneself, to keep one's head above the accumulations, the ever deepening layers of objects ... which attempt to cover one over, steadily, almost irresistibly, like falling snow."
~Rose Macaulay

Ticked

This has happened a few times when I've taken my two young boys to the grocery store. As I am going to pay for our items I notice them pointing and commenting on how gross "something" is. They are at eye level with either a men's magazine or an exercise magazine with a scantily clad woman striking a provocative pose.
Now I am not a prude, I know sex sells. What I am opposed to is my two innocent children having to be eyeball to eyeball with some 18 year old baring all.
I complained at one 7-11 store, we called the head office and they apologised and the next time we frequented the establishment it was covered by a plastic shield. So good for them, I guess.

Half Way There..

This is what my baby looks like at this time. I am 20 weeks pregnant, half way there, it's hard to believe.
Seeing how the first half of my pregnancy was a little rough, I am gearing up for the last half to be much more ideal. You see I had all these expectations and aspirations of how I was going to try to be more fit this time around. In my previous two pregnancies I didn't go to the gym once. Pathetic, and now I see myself falling into the same trap. Today I went to the gym for the first time since seeing the two pink lines appear. It felt a little strange seeing that I am tummy heavy, or should I say heavier.. :O) While on the bike I became dizzy after about 10 minutes so I opted to leave, then changed my mind and did my leg work out.
Now I know I can't turn back the scale at this point, sad as that is, but I am hoping to S-L-O-W down the fast rise of the numbers.
So here's to the first 20 weeks being full of surprises and nausea, and here's hoping the last 20 are full of good surprises, lots of laughter and lack of stretch marks.

Intervention??

It's sad but true. I was able to kick the habit once, a few summers ago. I went through the with drawls of headaches, grumpiness and fatigue. After a few days I was free, and to be honest the smell of coffee turned me off big time. One major benefit was that I was loosing weight, probably due to the lack of coffee cream running through my cream coated arteries.
Knowing all these benefits why oh why did I fall off the wagon? It started slowly, once the colder weather started the idea of something warm and sweet slowly started to become appealing. It only took a couple of days and I was hooked and have been for a few years now.
I woke up this morning with a killer headache, I popped 3 advil and it took the edge off, but it was still lingering. I tried to hold out, tried to resist because I am pregnant and I know coffee isn't the best, but I caved. The lingering headache had me running to the coffee maker like a drug addict needs a hit. ( okay I know it isn't that bad, I am just trying to paint a picture) Anyhow my body is feeling in sync, my headache is gone and my stomach is full of coffee and cream. Will I ever kick this habit.

Cynical?

My husband has just opened a pharmacy in the city we live in. Due to the fact that this "City" - and I use the word LOOSELY, it's more of a village with a Walmart attached - is out of the way and not close to anything remotely appealing we are having a heck of a time finding pharmacists to want to move here.
We have been relying on relief pharmacists from surrounding towns, and sometimes provinces away to come work for short bouts of time. The one we had in this week was a real character- and I mean that is a strange/mentally unbalanced way. He had problems with having to ring customers with prescriptions through the till, thought it was beneath him. He had countless confrontations with front store staff, and when questioned it was always someone else's fault.
One morning he called us from the hotel he was at, cursing a blue streak saying he just about knocked the F*#@% manager's head off because they accused him of inviting staff into the hot tub.
Well due to so many confrontations, and corrections my husband finally told him it wasn't working and he had to go. We expected and scene and weren't disappointed.
This morning he called my husband to apologise for his actions stating that his 13 year old daughter has been missing since the day before he started working for us, and that he normally isn't this CRAZY~~~
Call me cynical, but I don't buy it. I am a parent, if my daughter was missing I would be glued my family awaiting her return.
So do you think I am cynical or is it maybe women's intuition??? I don't know, my husband is inclined to think it's true, but honestly what parent would take off for work in another province. He is a well to do guy, I don't think they are lacking for money. In my opinion he is trying to make excuses and put the blame somewhere else. Always the victim it seems.

Troubled

I have had this conversation with many people, this notion keeps running through my head. There are days I try to justify it, think I can limit it, yet I keep being drawn back to this idea. It's nothing deep and intellectual, it's about video games and the role they are playing with today's kids. Most importantly my kids.
I have to admit I like to indulge them, I don't watch our time limit and before you know it my 6 and 4 year old have been gaming for an hour at a time. I have become lethargic, slowly allowing 10 more minutes until hours slip by.
I often will tell my kids about what I used to do with my friends growing up. We were outside all the time. Bike riding, playing kick the can, making forts, just playing. I want that for my kids, and all I see most days is them on the T.V , computer or Nintendo. It's up to me I know, I know it is.
We have been going back and forth about getting our son a D.S. I fought it, but he loves it, and there are educational games, we travel alot and it's something for him to do on those long drives.
Tonight my little 4 year old had another migraine, I try to think about what may be triggering these painful, awful headaches that have him crying, clammy, and vomiting. I often wonder if it's the video games, all the flashing lights,and fast movement.
After a night like tonight I think that for what a Nintendo D.S is worth one could sure buy a lot of toys. Toys that trigger imagination, play and movement. I want my kids to have a childhood full of fantasy, using their minds and bodies to role play. I feel like they are being robbed of that and it bothers me.
I am disturbed tonight.

Women's Work

This is one scene from a movie that totally undoes me EVERY TIME!


Post a clip or write about a movie that has impacted you.