Only 6 days until I see my Mommy!

Only 5 days until I say goodbye to my classroom for 2 weeks!

Only 5 days until all four of us get to spend 15 days together!

I am SO excited for this Christmas break! Skating, swimming, toboganning, making a gingerbread house, cooking with my mom, having a houseful on Christmas day, hangin’ with the Big Guy, dates whenever we feel like it. Ahhhhhhhh.

We took the kids to see Santa today and got some brual pictures from the mall chick. Primo was so excited he just ran up to Santa, hopped up on his lap and started talking non-stop. Bella was pretty pumped but just sat on his lap but big eyes.

Five more days of work. Five more days of work.

I can do this.

Primo talked his ear off and kept interrupting him. Bella said Merry Christmas to him and told him she wanted a new puppy in a purse.

Best.

Do it.

That is all.

November 27, 2009

Dear Santa,

What is Rudolph doing today?

I would like you to bring coffee for my Mommy, another barbecue for my Daddy, a toy dog in a purse for my sister Bella and can I please have a pinecone from Infinity & Beyond and a toy Buzz Lightyear?

Can you please phone me so I can talk to you on the speaker phone?

Thank you very much and Merry Christmas!

Love, Primo

I didn’t tell him anything other than to ask a question at the beginning. No tips to ask for anything for other people. He’s just that kind of a kid.

And Bella’s, which was written cooperatively.

Dear Santa,

How are you doing? Do you like pink? I like pink. It’s my favourite.

For Christmas can I please have a puppy in a pink purse that I saw at Costco? Every time I see her I say “See you at Christmas, Puppy!” so I’d be very happy to find her under the Christmas tree at my Grandma Betty’s house on Christmas morning. My brother Primo wants a Buzz Lightyear and a pinecone please. I want pink. Did I mention that I love pink?

Love, Bella

It’s a “Pay it Forward” thang, and here’s how it works:

The first five people to post a comment here will get something from me, chosen especially for you. Or your kids, if you have some. I might even make it. If you’re in Canada it might be food, but I don’t know that I can send baking across the border.

This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:

1- I make no guarantees that you will like your bribe gift, but I hope you will.
2- I will give you something with you in mind.
3- Supposedly I have a year to get it to you, but it will NOT take that long. It might take 11 1/2 months, but not 12. Oh no. Canadians may get fresh baking in a month even.
4- The item will be a surprise. You will also need to send me an email with your mailing address if you are one of the first five commenters.

Here’s the catch: You must do something similar on your blog and offer something to the first five commenters on your blog who agree to play along.

So the first five people who comment here, and are willing to pay it forward on their blogs, will get a gift in the mail from me!

When you get your gift, please let me know. If you like it, please post a photo of it on your blog and tell people that I am freaking awesome and that they should add my feed to their reader. You know, so they know when I post once a week. Heh.

Who’s in? Are there five of you who actually have blogs and aren’t my real life friends & relatives?

Saturday morning we went to a town nearby for the annual Santa Claus Parade – our second time going – and the kids had an absolute blast. Primo shouted at “Merry Christmas” at everything that went by ~ “Merry Christmas horse!” “Merry Christmas dog!” “Merry Christmas truck!” We thought the highlight was going to be Santa at the end, but he looked at me and said “but where”s the real Santa? At the North pole, right?” Yeesh. He’s too clever for his own good sometimes. We had the kids all bundled in snowsuits & boots because of the chilly wind and they were toasty except their hands & cheeks. I wore Sorels and Hot Chilis (long johns for winter running) and my winter running shirt under my parka so I was fine, but the Big Guy was chilly in his hiking boots & jeans. We always take Timmy Ho’s out with us so we were all well fed & happy. I don’t let my kids eat candy – particularly candy that’s been on the road – but that didn’t bother them at all. They agree about the whole “food on the road” thing.

After the parade we took Bella home for a nap and Primo & I went to Costco to get some groceries and then to the big Christmas craft show where I bought Bella hair pretties to match her Christmas outfit and Primo spent his money on treats for the dogs. Too sweet. He’s incredibly kind & thoughtful for a three year old sometimes. He loudly interrupted a busy woman at her booth to say “Can you please make a coffee for my Mom?” because he thought we’d waited long enough. And wait until you see his letter to Santa – what he asked for was too cute, and he saved himself for last without me even telling him to ask for things for anyone else. Love that kid, man. I’ll post both of the kids’ letters later this week.

Random Interjection: Bella only peed in her diaper twice all weekend (except during sleeping hours). Whee!

My friend was in town for a quick supper so I dropped Primo off & ran out to meet her & her fiance at BP’s, & then rushed home again for bedtime. After student-led conferences two evenings this week (after school one day and at bedtime another day) and a dinner out with my staff on Friday I’d missed enough quality hours with my babies so it was time to get home and stay home. Saturday night was cuddle time. Sunday morning brought a little Christmas photo session in the living room so I can change out the photos in our entryway frame (results below) and then…I can’t remember what we did for the rest of the day. How is that possible?

8 THINGS I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO:

1. December 18 – Christmas vacation time with my family!
2. Getting to my Mom’s place and finally relaxing.
3. Having my friend shave our dogs before Christmas. They’re super shaggy & my clippers are broken.
4. Moving our mortgage in a few years and no longer paying double what everyone else pays.
5. My mother in law getting here tomorrow so I can have a break and go out with the Big Guy.
6. Finishing Primo’s family tree project tomorrow and getting it mounted. Inspired by his new subscription to Chirp magazine.
7. Sleeping in Saturday. (Did you hear that, Big Guy?)
8. Retirement.

8 THINGS I DID YESTERDAY:

1. Played with playdough with my kids at 6:30 am.
2. Made my family their daily green smoothie.
3. Watched more than one old PVR’d Rachel Ray & Dr. Oz show after the kids were in bed.
4. Laundry. What’s new?
5. Made a dairy-free broccoli salad so the Big Guy could enjoy it.
6. Read a chapter of my current book – The Shack.
7. Was grateful for such amazing childcare. When I announced that it was time to leave in the morning they ran to the door and said “Yay! We love (her)!”
8. Ate chips after supper when I shouldn’t have been eating at all.

8 THINGS I WISH I COULD DO:

1. Keep my mouth shut.
2. Sleep in at least once a week.
3. Be chipper & energetic on 3 hours of sleep a night.
4. Have money left at the end of the month to save.
5. Find a reasonably priced house cleaner.
6. Win a lottery so I could stay home with my kids until they’re in school and not need a house cleaner.
7. Shop at a better & less expensive organic grocer.
8. Retire

8 SHOWS I WATCH:

1. Dexter
2. Survivor
3. Desperate Housewives
4. The Office
5. Parks & Rec
6. The Amazing Race
7. Dr. Oz
8. Rachel Ray

8 FAVORITE FOODS:

1. Anything my mom makes.
2. Fresh, sweet strawberries.
3. Pineapple.
4. Cheese and anything with cheese on it. My husband’s new dairy allergy just may kill me. Recipes please!
5. Chocolate milk.
6. Mocha latte.
7. Any fresh fruit that’s perfectly ripe.
8. Celery with cheez whiz. No, I’d never let my children eat cheese whiz.

8 PLACES I’VE TRAVELLED:

1. Las Vegas
2. Cuba
3. Prince Edward Island
4. Bathurst & Fredericton, New Brunswick
5. Niagara Falls
6. Vancouver & all of it’s bits & pieces & Whistler
7. Fairmont, Radium & Kimberly, BC
8. Everywhere, Saskatchewan

8 PLACES I’D LIKE TO TRAVEL:

1. The UK to see old friends
2. Prince Edward Island again, and hit all 4 maritime provinces
3. Disneyland
4. Montreal, PQ
5. Quebec City
6. Hawaii
7. Italy (and I’d have to hit France too. And Germany. Might as well make it a gooder.)
8. The Oregon Coast

And I? Have ten more comment sections to go and I’ll be done my report cards. A week early, thank you very much.

I’ve worked full time, done crafts, read a gajillion stories, watched Super Why ad nauseum, cuddled, tickled, kissed, sang, been the soccer mom, been the swimming mom, decorated the house for Halloween, packed all of that away, decorate the house for Christmas, hung out with my husband, prepared for the conference I’m presenting at this week (Out of town! Bringing my husband! Leaving my kids with my mom! Free date! First time ever!), cooked meals & kept two deep freezers full, baked cookies, baked muffins, stayed (almost) caught up on the laundry (but not the putting away thereof), and a little of this and a little of that. And we’re all happy. And it’s all good.

How long until this comes crashing down on me?

Bella, as the fairy princess (”faiwy pwintheth – I PINK!”) and Primo as “Sergeant OurLastName.”

Trick or treating was a HUGE hit. They just loved running to all the neighbours houses and shouting trick or treat as they shoved their buckets in their faces. Neither of them ate any candy though – they came home and devoured cheese, crackers and a veggie tray before bed. They had each had a chocolate earlier in the day and I think they’d had enough. The Halloween Fairy made a very poor choice in bringing Primo an Incredible Hulk toy. He spent the day saying “HULK SMASH” and smashing random things – including his sister. The Hulk now lives on top of our fridge. The pony for his sister was far less violent. Who knew?

Poor orphan children only had four pumpkins each this year:

They each scooped out and designed a jack-o-lantern, made a Mr/Mrs Potato Head with us and painted two mini pumpkins independently (by far their fave).

And some bonus cute that you may not have seen:

Slightly belated, being that they’re 3 1/2 and 1 3/4 now, but better late than never. It’s not like I didn’t have the shirts in time – I just forgot.

Just some of the many things that I can’t keep up with as a working mom, but I don’t want to give it up completely so I’m just getting in here when I can. I’m aiming for once a week right now.

I have some of the cutest pictures ever to share with you – just have to get them shrunk to blog size, which I used to think took no time at all until I was a full-time working mommy. Gah.

Today’s my Halloween party in my classroom and the kids also have one at their dayhome. Bella’s a fairy princess (”PINK!”) and Primo’s a police officer (”I’m going to police all the bad guys into heaven or jail, Mommy.”) We’re all looking forward to our respective days and I’m even more looking forward to picking them up at noon and just hanging out.

Last Saturday we skipped Primo’s swimming lessons to head out to the local petting zoo/pumpkin farm for the annual family photo shoot but it was pouring sheets of rain so instead we came home and did a makeshift shoot of the kids in my m=un-studio and then watched The Incredibles, made milkshakes & popcorn and built a fort with the Fortamajig.

Sunday we made the first two pumpkins that currently reside in our house. Bella made a Mrs. Potato Head witch and Primo made a Mr. Potato Head pirate. Cute, easy and not messy. A perfect first attempt!

Yesterday afternoon the kids each painted two mini-pumpkins while I made supper. Primo chose the primary colours plus white and made purple, light blue, light red and painted two beautiful little creations. I did the same activity earlier in the week with my class of six year olds, and all but two made their paint look like poop. Heh. Bella wanted PINK! and only PINK! so she created two beautiful and bright pink pumpkins and then proceeded to paint her hands and arms right up to her elbows, and then her cheeks. Then she said “Pinkalicious!” Ha! She’s hilarious.

Last night we also opened the tops of the two jack-o-lanterns-to-be and scooped all the guts out to roast the seeds. This afternoon we’ll carve the faces. They both want happy faces but the rest is yet to be decided. I roasted the seeds (and the seeds from my classroom jack-o-lantern for my students) last night after the kids went to bed, in butter, salt & sugar. Mmmm. I even saved them some. They’ll taste them today and we’ll see how it goes. Primo used to love them and a couple o months ago decided that the granola with the “green things” was Daddy’s and I had to make him different stuff so you never know.

I have photos of all of this stuff. A good blogger would post them here. Me? Not so much.

Hi ho, Hi ho, it’s off to work I go!

But now? I can’t swallow, I have swollen glands, my ears are plugged, my muscles ache, my skin hurts and I think I might have a slight fever.

And? My desk is a mess, my classroom is disorganized, I have no sub plans and it takes me three hours to make a day of plans.

Guess who’s going to work tomorrow bathed in Cleanwell?

Twenty one months, my sweet Bella! It’s an awkward number to spit out but you are anything but awkward. You are absolutely, utterly amazing and adored by all who are blessed enough to cross your path.

Closer to two than one, you are growing and learning more quickly than I can keep up with. You are a very quick learner. You know your alphabet (26/26 letter recognition and 20/26 letter sounds – all but the vowels) and love to sing it and receive applause. You can count to twelve, and to twenty with a couple of errors in the teens. You know all of your colours, numbers by sight and can even read a few sight words. It took me by surprise when your big bro was watching the sight word DVD and you piped up with a few of the words before the DVD said them. There are no words you can’t say now and there’s no way I could count them. Some you have a unique way of saying, but you try everything. “Chiyapactah (chiropractor), Gadys & Tabos (Gladys & Carlos – Cecilia’s parents), Damma (Grandma), Dapa Tent (Grandpa Kent), Dapa Wodgah (Grandpa Roger), weecyking (recycling)…there are so many, and they’re all so super cute!

You are a very active little girl and love nothing more than playing with your family. You love to go for a run with Primo, which is one of his favourite hobbies. (You both did your first race a week ago – the Run for the Pumpkin 2 km. Daddy carried you for about half of it, and you loved every second of it.) You still have a bit of the bouncy run going on but it’s becoming less and less apparent. My baby is becoming a little girl. Another thing you absolutely love? Jumping! For the past 6 weeks or so you’ve been getting some great air and you are thrilled to bits about that! I think your trampoline training in the back yard really helped.

You had your first horseback riding experience in August with Auntie Cindy. Daddy, Grandma and I took you and Primo out to her parents’ farm and you rode Mandy, the little pony that Ashley rides for 4H. You weren’t so sure about being on her by yourself, but Primo got on behind you and held you and that made it much more enjoyable. The picture of the two of you riding together is the desktop background on my laptop now and you love looking at it.

You love our animal family, and are sure to let them know it on a regular basis. For some reason, you’re especially obsessed with poor Chloe who has no interest in children. The two of you have an arrangement, though, and she sometimes even lets you pet her. It’s a miracle. She runs at first sight of your brother! You say goodnight to her, and Thai & Mavi, every night, and tell them that you “huv” them. You love to lie on the dogs’ bed (especially if the dogs are in it, and you think it’s much funnier than they do).

Though you’re incredibly active and can roughhouse with the best of them, you’re also quite the girly-girl. You love to go shopping, you love your purse (& have started to say “I need money!), you love ponies, stuffed animals, baby dolls, and PINK! It’s rather hilarious. Nobody has ever told you that pink is a girlie colour and I have made an effort to buy you a lot of purple & blue, but you wake up in the morning, head to your dresser and say “I wear PINK! I need a PRETTY for my hair! A PINK one!” If you go in your room and close the door, we’re sure to find you naked minutes later trying to change into something pink. Your babies are almost an obsessions. You have never stopped loving the twins that Grandma Betty bought you for your first Christmas, which you’ve now named “Baby Pink” and “Baby Blue.” Mommy’s friend Cathy bought you “Baby Tyler” who has a soother just like her own baby Tyler whose soother you love to play with. You call him “Baby Ty-ah” and you tuck him in, feed him snacks, kiss & hug him, put lotion on his head after your bath (all of the babies get lotion, actually) and sleep with him. You also have “Sleepy Baby” which Janene, Matt, Liam & Josh got you for Christmas and you love to sleep with her too – she’s your baby that lives at your babysitters house at the moment. You also love to talk on the phone, and several times every day you cry & whine that you need to “Talka Damma Betty!” until I dial her number. You say “Hi Damma! Iss Bella!” and always sign off with “I huvva you Damma! Bye Bye!”

You and Primo started going to a wonderful dayhome mid-September (with lots of playdates there before hand and a few weeks at home with Daddy while Mommy got settled back into working). You love it there and are excited to get in the van every morning. From you, I’m lucky to get a hug and kiss before you run off to be with your friends. You just toss me an “I huvva you Mommy!” and maybe a “Seeya haytah!” and you’re off like a shot. Your brother is struggling a little more emotionally for the first few minutes of every day, and that is so very very hard on a mama who’d far rather be at home so I thank you for your adaptability and for being there for him to play and hug whenever he needs it.

I love you passionately my baby girl. I love your smile, your lively & sparkling eyes, your hugs & kisses, your love of learning & your fiery enthusiasm for life. There’s nothing I love more than being a Mommy to you & Primo. You make our world complete.

I huvva you!
Mommy
xoxo

Starting them early…they ran in the under 6 age category for the 2 km race. Primo ran much of it and walked probably 0.5 km. Bella ran about 0.5 km, walked about 0.5 km and was carried the other km by the Big Guy. (Who also, coincidentally, carried the pumpkins they got for completing the race all the way to the van. And then his arms fell off. The end.)

Work is going great. I have a great job, a great group of kids and an awesome grade one team to work with. The kids are loving their childcare provider and come home with crafts, stories and big smiles when I drag them out of her house.

And I got my first paycheck last week and paid off my Visa! So, it’s all good.

I wish I had a job without homework and evening obligations, but I’ll take what I can get. So far I’ve only attended one of the evening obligations (Meet the Teacher night) and left early so I could put my kids to bed so it wasn’t bad. Just missed a little play time, which I hate but can deal with. Last night was a staff social activity which I gladly skipped to be with my kids (we didn’t know when the BG would be home from work so I couldn’t commit) and it turned out great because I fell asleep with Primo while putting him to bed and had a 2 hour nap!

Today is a PD day (on blogging of all things…useless much? I only have three blogs.) and then…

IT’S THE WEEKEND!

We’re doing the big grocery shop of the week, buying shin pads for Primo’s first soccer season that begins next week, swimming lessons, family photos at the local Corn Maze with friends, playing at home and hitting a playground or two…just run of the mill weekend stuff!

Any big plans on your end?

You sang along, didn’t you?

I did.

So did my kids. So, therefore, logically…I did it about seven hundred times.

We just got back from puddle jumping. I taught the kids every rain song I know, which totals…three.

1. It’s raining; it’s pouring; the old man is snoring. He fell out of bed & bumped his head & couldn’t get up in the morning.

2. Rain, rain, go away. Come again another day.

and 3.

(…from which I knew a line and a half, so we came home and searched for them all on GooTube.)

We studied all of the worms that have emerged from the soil, and saw what we think was a centipede too. Primo and I had a philosophical discussion about why we couldn’t step on him and we decided that only God should decide when someone dies – not a Diego rain boot.

I love Sundays.

We spent the day with my father in law. We had to get an oil change and a new van key so we had to take the van to his town and made it into a family day trip. The kids loved exploring Grandpa’s dealership and then we headed out to a lake for the afternoon. Everyone got soaked & filthy but it was great. Grandpa cooked his delicious chicken cordon bleu for supper and the kids, as usual, played on the pool table in his basement. Yes, ON the pool table. These kids get away with so much!

We try to leave there by 4:30 so we can have the kids home by 6 for bath & bed but, like always, we were running late so Primo fell asleep in the van at 6:15. He slept all the way home so when we got here we just plopped him in bed in his clothes and that’s where he stayed. Dirty teeth and all. After several weeks of 5:30 am wake ups we weren’t about to deprive him of a moment of slumber!

Bella stayed awake all the way home watching Franklin and entertaining the BG & I by singing the ABC’s gajillions of times. She loves the applause she gets to she just keeps on going! She didn’t get a bath either, but I did brush her teeth and put her jammies on since she was awake anyway. We got home about 7:30 and she was out by 7:45. An hour later than usual, and I forgot to give her Advil for her blasted molars so we’ll likely be seeing her sometime between midnight and 4 am.

With this whole going back to work crap, I was worried about losing one of my only two days of house time but I’m so glad we went away and spent time with Grandpa while also enjoying a family day. Since I only work until noon Fridays we just did the usual Saturday groceries on Friday (instead of a playdate, which sucked) so we’re pretty much on track for just cooking & a little bit of prep tomorrow and can still have lots of play time. The BG has Monday off so the kids only will be at their dayhome for 3.5 days this week…that will be so nice for everyone! He gets 1-2 Mondays a month-ish off to be with the kids and once my mom retires (Thanksgiving!) then she’ll be able to come hang out with them once in a while too. We’d love it if they never had to spend the full 4.5 days there, but it’s bound to happen – especially when it’s crappy driving weather. The nice thing is that they absolutely love it there and we don’t worry about them at all. (I know! Such a change for me!) Bella wants to go on the weekends too, but Primo’s having a bit of a tougher time. He really likes to go but he wants me to stay there with him. One day last week when he’d had a particularly crappy sleep he called me on my cell at work crying. Ripped my heart right out of my chest and I was ready to quit, but when I called an hour later to check on him he was having a grand old time and was like “Yeah, what? I’m fine! Bye!”

Yeesh. Kids.

I’m tired.

1. My job. Yes, I don’t want to be working but I do have a great job with great hours and I get to work with awesome kids all day. Also I don’t have to drop my kids off until 8 and I pick them up at 3:40, and noon on Fridays. It could be worse. And I have great benefits, a pension and a decent salary.

2. My family. I am so grateful to have two happy & healthy children, a husband who loves me, a mom who is also my friend, in laws & extended families who rock and a few friends who I love like family.

3. Ice cream. I got a cold my first week back to work (snotty little turds) and my sister in law went out & bought me Oreo and Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream for my sore throat. I’m not sick anymore, but I’m still savoring a little bit every night!

4. My home. It’s a crappy layout, needs another bedroom upstairs and is on a park that I’m not a fan of, but it’s ours (well, the bank’s, but whatever) and we have so much more than so many others in the world.

5. Our dayhome. The kids absolutely adore their sitter & new friends, and have an awesome time there. I drag them away every day after work!

Krista has been gone a week tomorrow. Her funeral was yesterday. It was beautiful. A perfect tribute to a truly amazing woman, wide, mother, coach, teacher and friend. I was sniffly, but alright. Until I saw her children walk in holding her husband’s hands. Then I hyperventilated. It’s absolutely unimaginable. Because of their strong faith, they will make it and they will make it well, but still…

On Wednesday, another young woman I used to work with in my pre-teaching life passed away due to pregnancy complications. Another blood clot. The same thing that took our beautiful Krista.

It sure makes you feel fragile and weak and out of control when things like this happen.

Monday will be a year since my Dad passed away.

And now, to top it all off, I’m sick.

Woe is me.

(Not really. I’m just glad to be alive enjoying a long weekend with my family.)

She has a son entering grade one and a four year old daughter in preschool, and she just had her third baby, Sophie, on Wednesday. This morning, just less than 72 hours after the birth, she was nursing Sophie at home and felt some pain in her leg. She asked her husband what the doctor had said about blood clots, and finished feeding her newborn. From what I understand, she stood up after nursing and fell over. The blood clot had gone to her heart & lungs. Her heart stopped. Paramedics began working on her within a very short period of time and were not able to get a steady heartbeat for some time. She now has a heartbeat but is not breathing on her own and is in ICU.

I am helpless but to pray and to ask you to do the same. For Krista, her husband Jared and their three beautiful children.

Updated to add: Thank you all for your prayers. Krista passed away this morning. Please continue to pray for her family and friends.

Just a couple of giveaways to point you toward…

Organic & natural goodies (closes in a week)

One of the two best books ever for girls of all ages (closes end of September)

Good luck!