tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21621429344007741582024-03-19T07:23:39.274-04:00Us vs the KidsGwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01012938287986084439noreply@blogger.comBlogger445125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162142934400774158.post-85012337415208513272012-09-06T20:42:00.000-04:002012-09-06T20:42:45.827-04:00First Day of School: Nursery SchoolI have felt a little bit sorry for Sarah. She doesn't go to daycare. She doesn't have any children to play with when the twinnies are at school. So Dan and I decided to sign her up for nursery school. She was very excited.
Today was the "big day". Our littlest one started school (2.5 hours twice a week).
Before Sarah and I left for the nursery school, I took Sarah's photo...just like I did whenGwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01012938287986084439noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162142934400774158.post-48513820083811677812012-08-29T08:07:00.000-04:002012-08-29T08:07:38.435-04:00First Day of School: The Second GradeGwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01012938287986084439noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162142934400774158.post-73065815615024713972012-04-01T20:59:00.000-04:002012-04-01T20:59:35.940-04:00Take A PillThe other day, Sarah came into the kitchen as I was taking some penicillin. Thinking that I was sneaking one of the children's Flintstones vitamin, she asked if she could have one of my pills.
I explain to the little cherub that I was taking medicine that would help to make me feel better.
Sarah asked, "Will it make you stop yelling?".
I replied, "No, darling, that is a littleGwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01012938287986084439noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162142934400774158.post-74715992414833540632012-03-31T20:04:00.000-04:002012-03-31T20:04:34.788-04:00Status UpdateA busy month. Business trip to Halifax. A "summit", and various other-work related demands. March Break. The Experimental Farm. St. Patrick's Day Parade. The maple syrup farm. I've been in overdrive.
My New Year's Resolution was to teach the children about the world around them. Each month, we learn about other countries. So far, we've done Scotland, El Salvador, and China. Dan and I have not Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01012938287986084439noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162142934400774158.post-9822996506955437102012-03-10T08:11:00.000-05:002012-03-10T08:11:08.695-05:00WinterI'm loving the weather this "winter". Just today, I saw 17C in the forecast on the weather network.
In February, it was warm enough for the children to go "scootering".
In March, it was cold enough to build a snowman.
We'll probably be at the beach in April. Or we'll be moaning about a blizzard.Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01012938287986084439noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162142934400774158.post-67488261077433308202012-02-09T05:35:00.000-05:002012-02-09T05:35:36.010-05:00Just Three More YearsMy brother, Duncan, was a better parent than I was. Even though he had no children of his own, he knew exactly what I was doing wrong, and he always had some advice (or judgement) to pass along.
Duncan once said to me, "Who is in charge, you or the three year old?!". He thought I was kidding when I said "The three year old". He started into his holier than thou, boring old rant. You Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01012938287986084439noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162142934400774158.post-52372083895860917242012-02-07T15:14:00.000-05:002012-02-07T15:14:00.170-05:00Picture Perfect (Yeah, Not So Much)I wanted some photos of Sarah. Nice ones. With her smiling. Sarah didn't feel so inclined...
This was the best I could do:
Although I do love:
I've decided the fault lies with the subject and not with the photographer.Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01012938287986084439noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162142934400774158.post-86060706484818281152012-02-06T10:23:00.002-05:002012-02-06T10:23:20.236-05:00My Last Sleep In Day Was January 3...2005Friday: I wake the children up at 6:30am so they can have breakfast, get dressed, and be ready to catch the bus at 7:30am. Like every school day, they refuse to get up and cry "It's dark outside! It's still night time!"
Saturday: Bethie wakes up at 6:15am. She immediately wakes Katie up, and the two of them start rearranging the furniture in their room until I come in and yell at them to BE Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01012938287986084439noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162142934400774158.post-24540214922199809262012-02-02T14:53:00.000-05:002012-02-02T14:54:14.893-05:00And Then There Was FebruaryI've been busy. January just flew by, and it looks like February will follow suit. Between work and home and the minor concussion that I received after bouncing my head off the cement stairs, the entire month is a bit of a blur.
I did, however, manage to start working on some projects that I am interested in. First, I want my children to realise that there is a big wide world out there beyond Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01012938287986084439noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162142934400774158.post-83141264786205431382012-01-08T14:11:00.000-05:002012-01-08T14:11:02.091-05:00Into The Future...I'm afraid of dying.
Ever since Melissa died, I think of dying every day. I'm terrified that I will be hit by a truck...and vanish. Vanish from my children's lives, from their memories, from their hearts.
I worry about their lives without me in it.
I worry about them being "haunted" by my memory. What snapshots of me will they remember? What will they hold close? What will slip through theirGwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01012938287986084439noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162142934400774158.post-54129361490469968412012-01-05T08:15:00.001-05:002012-01-05T08:15:44.049-05:00The Year of NatureI live in suburban Hell.
All the houses look the same. White front doors, two cars in the driveway, and a tree on the small patch of yard out front. Each house has a 7' fence, cordoning off their own little plot of land. It's a relatively new development, so there are only a few gardens. When I stand on my porch with my back touching my front door, I can see 64 sets of windows that over Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01012938287986084439noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162142934400774158.post-50187670306723631272011-12-21T09:02:00.000-05:002011-12-21T09:02:29.217-05:00Tis The SeasonI don't like Christmas.
I never have.
Even as a child, Christmas caused me a lot of stress and anxiety. I had convinced myself that my parents would forget to buy me Christmas presents. They would only realise their oversight Christmas morning, when it was too late to do anything. And then they would be upset. So the weeks leading up to Christmas, I would worry and worry. Christmas Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01012938287986084439noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162142934400774158.post-90274135461858721372011-11-23T10:03:00.000-05:002011-11-23T10:03:22.897-05:00The First SnowIt snowed last night for the first time this season. I was informed of this at 5:20am...when the children demanded that I take them outside to play. They were informed that Mummy doesn't do snow angels at 5:20 AM.
By 7:15am, I happily took the children outside because I love them (and a little bit because the whining was killing me).
All I can think of when I see this photo is that I need to Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01012938287986084439noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162142934400774158.post-6234289261763038072011-11-14T08:29:00.000-05:002011-11-14T08:29:36.157-05:00Halloween: In PicturesBetter late than never, right?
Carving pumpkins. Sarah and I are in charge of "directing the operation"... which means that we don't get dirty!
Katie
My two Harry Potters...Katie (left) and Bethie before school
Bethie, Sarah, and Katie. They wanted to stand in front of the decorations. I wanted them to stand in front of the lovely Burning Bush. Turns out the desire to go and beg the Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01012938287986084439noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162142934400774158.post-44143180006202568122011-10-24T20:11:00.000-04:002011-10-24T20:11:15.832-04:00They're WinningA sign that the children are winning:
After a day of working and taking care of the children, Dan and I sit down to watch TV ...I wake up to him snoring.
That's right, we both feel asleep within 30 minutes of sitting down. Sigh.Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01012938287986084439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162142934400774158.post-79179675378812448622011-10-18T08:40:00.000-04:002011-10-18T08:40:00.420-04:00WalkingDan and I took the children for a walk around Mud Lake on Thanksgiving weekend.
The twinnies saw this sign:
They then informed me that dogs were not allowed to bicycle on the path...and then they skipped away. Because banning dogs from bicycling through the woods made sense to them. I would like us all to rally together and fight this ban. Because if there were bicycling dogs, I think they Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01012938287986084439noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162142934400774158.post-22284644943527341112011-10-16T21:20:00.000-04:002011-10-16T21:20:58.746-04:00The Pumpkin PatchTo add complications to my life, I insisted that Dan and I take the children to the pumpkin patch...a couple of hours before we were expecting people for Thanksgiving dinner. Keep in mind that the turkey was not in the oven, I was supposed to be at home waiting to have my dishwasher installed, and I hadn't bought all the groceries I would need for the party. The children were eager. Dan was less Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01012938287986084439noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162142934400774158.post-8964993845704421692011-10-15T08:17:00.000-04:002011-10-15T08:17:18.368-04:00Giving ThanksIt's very important to me that my children have fond memories of the holidays. Like I do. So, I try very hard to make these days happy. Am I successful? It's kinda hit or miss...
We had Thanksgiving at our house. Despite having to work during the days leading up to Thanksgiving, I was sure that I would be able to pull this off.
Then my dishwasher broke. I frantically called Sears, bought Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01012938287986084439noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162142934400774158.post-14129222847449597612011-09-30T09:01:00.000-04:002011-09-30T09:01:43.456-04:00The etoNDan and I got a note home from the grade one teacher. It directed us to read the note Katie had written in her agenda. I must confess, folks, I expected the worst. Like a list of everything wrong with me!
I was pleasantly surprised when this is what I saw:
I studied what she had written, trying to sound it out. After a while, Dan gave me a clue.
Then I wrote a note back to the teacher saying:Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01012938287986084439noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162142934400774158.post-17974838457183476632011-09-22T07:33:00.001-04:002011-09-22T07:33:00.735-04:00Fresh From The VineIn June, Bethie convinced me to buy a watermelon plant. Truthfully, it would be more accurate to say that buying the watermelon plant was a compromise because Bethie had wanted to grow corn. In suburbia. In my opinion, watermelon was a better choice.
So, I bought the plant and stuck it in the back corner of my garden. In the shade. In an area that I barely water. Needless to say, the watermelon Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01012938287986084439noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162142934400774158.post-57553833706024998442011-09-16T07:30:00.001-04:002011-09-16T07:30:01.587-04:00Mr. Cool And The Cow TrainWhen I first met Dan, I thought he was "cool". That lasted for about 2 days. I have spent the last 15 years laughing at Dan for his complete lack of coolness. And yet, there has been no improvement. So the laughter continues...
Dan and I took the children apple picking. And that's when it happened. Dan saw the "Cow Train" and simply couldn't resist a ride!
Some children, Dan, and Katie Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01012938287986084439noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162142934400774158.post-34859226756294249902011-09-15T08:32:00.000-04:002011-09-15T08:32:09.095-04:00Not Good EnoughI'm a lucky girl.
Some people walk blindly through life thinking that they are pretty good, or at least, good enough. I know better. I have three children who are kind enough to give me a detailed list of my shortcomings. The list is constantly updated, and no detail is too small not to mention.
This morning, I was informed that I was a complete and utter failure as a mother. Why? BecauseGwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01012938287986084439noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162142934400774158.post-72432351181375163542011-09-13T09:03:00.000-04:002011-09-13T09:03:00.938-04:00Fancy MoiDan likes painting the walls in the house. He's not particularly good at it, unless you like the ceiling painted, too (I do not). He's also not particularly good at choosing paint colours. I learned that when he painted my tiny, windowless powder room "Holy Crap Blue" (yes, I believe that is the official name).
Although, in all honesty, "Holy Crap Blue" is not as shocking as my Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01012938287986084439noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162142934400774158.post-1508197091966528042011-09-12T06:18:00.001-04:002011-09-12T06:18:00.794-04:00Passing Grade OneI failed kindergarten.
Not the first go 'round. I've been told that I performed brilliantly when I was in kindergarten. As a matter of fact, my father will tell you I was the most clever student in the entire class.
Turns out, I absolutely suck as the parent of kindergartners.
My first big failure last year was that I failed to ensure that my children (who were not yet students of the Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01012938287986084439noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162142934400774158.post-74060906956660545772011-09-11T05:50:00.001-04:002011-09-11T06:18:37.129-04:00BounceJust after Sarah's first birthday, we bought a Bouncy Thing for the children. The twinnies enjoyed the Bouncy Thing, but Sarah loved it. In fact, it rapidly became one of her favourite outdoor activities.
Sarah is constantly asking me or Dan to inflate the Bouncy Thing. When the weather is lovely, we will haul the Bouncy Thing out, inflate it, let her bounce, and then haul it back in. Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01012938287986084439noreply@blogger.com3