Wednesday, May 31, 2006

E's First Day Of School

Today was E's unofficial first day of school. I know some of you are thinking, "Now how is that possible? It is the end of the year and E isn't old enough to be in real school." I volunteered in D's class to day and Ms. K said that E could come. So I prepared a home and school journal for E and got him a really cool pencil. As luck would have it there was an extra desk in the classroom. He sat with the Grade two's so he was in a group older than D. He worked in his book and when they were discussing animals in science Ms. K had an animal sheet for him to colour. Then he played at recess and sat at story time. We left at the beginning of lunch. And he was very sad to go. So sad that I had to bribe him with food and a movie, which he is watching right now.

During morning meeting Ms. K introduced E and told the group to welcome him and show him around. He got to buddy read with Claire and David. She also told the class that he was coming to school in September and that they should treat him nice when he comes. That made him feel so great. He wants to go tomorrow but of course he cannot. I just think there are not enough French fries in the world that will make things better when I tell him he can't . Its a good thing disappointment fades with time. I would run out of money.

I'm just glad that it went so well. This experience has increased his desire to attend school at least 10 fold and that's a good thing. I don't know what I would do if it was the other way around.

Monday, May 29, 2006

Week 4 day 1

I will be copying this post into my 14 in 14 blog. I have not done so well this last week. I keep trying to do what I need to and then my blender breaks or I go camping or I need to grocery shop. Enough with the excuses. The point is I've fallen off the wagon and I need to get back on. I really don't want to work out today and its going to take all that is in me to get me to the gym.

Breakfast 7:52

4 Yves breakfast patties = 180cals
1 safeway select waffle = 80 cals
3/4 cup fruit= 70cals
1 cup of milk = 110 cals

Total = 440 cals

Maybe if I stay home from the gym and do my pilates today and clean my disaster of a house. If my place is organized maybe I will feel better. I am Chaos personified right now. Too much going on and something is going to give. I'll see how I feel at lunch.

Lunch 12:30

Crispy Bacon Ranch Salad =360cals
Tablespoon of Ranch dressing= 45 cals

Total = 405 cals


Snack 4:00 pm

A granola bar = 150 cals

I still haven't worked out but my bed is made and I have my grocery shopping done and I bought a blender (man they are expensive) I'm feeling less chaotic but still not under control. I just haven't caught up from camping and I'm tired.

Saturday, May 27, 2006

Bang?

Here I sit in my living room, wide awake at 5:55am. I was sleeping peacefully, having an adventurous dream, when I got to a scary spot and opened my eyes. I would have gone back to sleep except there is this extremely loud noise. At first I thought it was the crack of dawn, but much to my dismay it was moaning and not the painful kind. I've tried covering my head with pillows, but that was too warm. Just when I thought they were done it all started up again. I so want my own house. I believe the only persons who should be "moaning" in my house are my husband and me. I guess this is what I get for wasting away all my money when I was young. I could have had my own house by now, but noooo, I get to rent and right below the lair.

Friday, May 26, 2006

I Need A Case of Biore Pore Perfect Strips STAT

As some of you know we went camping this past long weekend. A long deserved trip. My husband and I have not been anywhere longer than 2 days and 2 nights that didn't involve a family reunion and 16+ hours of driving, but after 8 years of marriage our family is turning a new leaf. We are going to camp as much as possible this summer. Woo hoo.

We camped at Waterton/ Glacier International Peace Park (on the waterton side). I've been there plenty of times. I really like it there. I like it more than Jasper or Banff because it is less commercial, but some of my bias might be attributed to the fact that I rarely went to Jasper or Banff and I like what I know.

Anyway we camped at Crandall Campsite, a more woodsy sight for the more serious camper. It has flush toilets and glacier cold running water in the bathroom. No showers. That's ok some of snuck into the townsite campsite to take one. I admit I was one of them, but despite my bathing, I was still extremely dirty. As we were coming home, I was scratching the back of my neck. When I was done and my fingers had retreated I noticed a filthy scum of dirt and dead skin underneath my finger nails. Gross. Mr. Wonderful told me to relax and that's just a part of camping. I KNOW, I was just excited about how dirty I got. Don't even get me started about the kids, they didn't have a bath/ shower. But let me just say there is nothing like camping to build up the immunity. But enough about getting dirty, Here are some of the things I remember about the trip.

-Smores with nutella
-Smores with nutella
-hiking with my boys
-seeing a baby bear (my first one, I was in a car, it was in a tree)
- Ice cream in town
- Campfire (D and I made one, one morning)
-Darcy Farting (he is quite talented and musical)
-Racing or friends around town in the peddle bikes
-Throwing rocks into the lake
-playing at the park
-finally getting D to Pee by a tree (my boys don't stand up to pee weird I know)
-Using our new griddle and it working
- Forgetting almost everything useful. I normally remember everything and this time I forgot everything including a pump for our air mattress. I almost cried.
- having to clean the bath tub after everyone got clean.
-Jiffy pop
-E falling onto the fire pit and not getting severely burned. He didn't fall in the fire but tripprd and put his hand on the metal grill. He had ice on his hand all night and in the morning no pain or blistering. It was a miracle.
-Getting home and sleeping in my own bed where it was warm (I forgot my own jacket and long sleeve shirts for mountain nights, I remembered everyone else's)
-The smell of rain (only one night)
-Being sad that we had to come home.

I'll post pictures later

Thursday, May 18, 2006

West Alberta, Mountain Momma.


Okay bad adaptation to John Denver's Country Road, but thats where I am headed. We are going camping in the rockies. We leave tomorow so forgive me if I don't post or read for a while. Hopefully I won't be eaten by a bear (my husband is too big , my children are too small, I think I'm just right.) I hope the weather is nice too. This is where we hope to go. Its first come first serve so wish me luck.

Monday, May 15, 2006

Stampeder's Fan Fest

The Pictures are in no particular order.



They had inflatable obstacle courses too.





It was sign your kid day





Ralph the Dog is a personal friend of my ours. His dad said that Ralph might be able to show up at D's bday party

Saturday, May 13, 2006

Dear Lucy

That is always the name I imagined the toothfairy to have. My son is coming up on 7 years and has been very disappointed that he hasn't lost a tooth. WELL THIS JUST IN...Today he was eating an apple and felt some pain. He asked me to wiggle his tooth. Yup its loose. He is excited yet a little apprehensive, understandably. He is afraid of feeling more pain. The tooth right next to it is wiggly too so I wouldn't be surprised if my son was sing all I want for my Birthday is some new front teeth.

Way To Grow D

Friday, May 12, 2006

I'm Sad

Most of the time I post about meaningless fluff and superficialness but today I feel I need to vent if you will about something that I find so frustrating.

I am lucky to be living in the area that I do. I live within the boundaries of a school that serves more of the affluent members of our fine city. Although this school is older and smaller than the ones I grew up in, it is clean, we have wonderful teachers and great opportunities for the kids to spread their wings. This last winter, they intaduced a new ski / snowboarding program for Grades 1 and 2 (Grades 3 through 6 have been doing it for a while). Although I was a little scared of sending my baby down a hill with nothing but a helmet and wrist guards, I thought it was a great opportunity. I paid the $129 and sent my young one of on a bus to experience gravity at its finest. If we couldn't afford it the school would pay for it.

A few months later I was at a baby shower where they were discussing the state of some of the schools in our city. Some of the ladies were student teachers and were telling us what it was like on the inside. This one girl was talking about a school in the NE (I don't know which) were they don't even have enough funding to supply themselves with paper or pencils for all of the kids. Luckily this year a company that she was working for to put herself through school, sponsored the school she was student teaching at. The company bought them all of the paper they needed and other school supplies. She said she was concerned about what the school would do next year when her company chooses another school to sponsor (spread the wealth I guess) its not the like the parents in that community can do it.

Fast forwars to 3 weeks ago. My school (the one my son goes too) was having a milestone birthday party. Because of the party, they suddenly received thousands of dollars in extra funding to give the grounds and insides a bit of a face lift. Yes the new awards shelf looks lovely (much better than the old yet satisfactory one) and the grounds are better for maitennace (less watering, and mud tracking due to mulching and rock beds) but I can't help but wonder if that money could have been better spent. My son gets to go snow boarding for a week while others kids, not too far away are lucky if the have a pencil and a piece of paper to practice their printing and spelling.

Now I wouldn't be so upset if my school was a private school with private funding, but it is not. As I understood it the school gets a certain amount of money for each child they have on record by the end of September (an idea that I don't fully agree with) so why does my school get all of this "extra funding"? Of course I am assuming enrollments are about the same, but I think they are higher in the poorer school. I also understand that parents in our community can afford to buy their children the supplies they need, were that isn't the case for the other school. Yet how can their be such a difference.

When my son was younger the philosophy was to shop around for the school you wanted your child to go to, but throught school closers and consolidating enrolments are high for the capacity of the school. D's teacher said they won't be able to take any children out of the school boundaries for next year. She even said that included the children already attending who live out of bounds. There are at least 3 or 4 kids in D's class that this will affect. That sucks!

I wish there was something I could do. Some way to give more balance. This is our kids' futures I am talking about. Its really important, yet I don't know what to do or where to start. I wish I had more ideas. I wish I knew influential people who wouldn't mind parting with some money for the sake of our children's and countries future. But who am I? A stay at home mom who knows no one and although is extremely frustrated, is still grateful she lives where she does, because if it was somewhere else I think I would be more frustrated.

Banana From Heaven?

Today Dakota went out side and found a banana, still in the peel, right by our front door (actually our only door). The funny thing is I needed a banana for a shake I wanted to make. I'm scared to eat it though, I don't know how it got there or who it is from. Wired.

Tuesday, May 09, 2006

14 In 14

A week ago in Palmyra NY, my sister and her boyfriend got engaged. They had been talking about it for a while and even booked facilities but made it official with a ring last week. The thing is they are getting married in 14 weeks. In 14 weeks! Now I know the day is not about me, but to know that my ever widening but is going to be immortalized in photographs has me on edge.

I know I am not obese, but I know that I'm not happy with how I look. So I decided to do something. Yes I've been going to the gym for a year but lets be honest. I average about twice a week and I recently found out that I wasn't working myself hard enough during those work outs, plus I don't eat right. I had decided to join a weight loss group, but found that I can't afford it. Before all you interneters start writing me about how can I not afford it, I'll give you the math. We have two children (4 people) living in Calgary on about $2000/ month and I'm not exaggerating. We make it by with some creativity. Anyway how can I justify spending the kind of money to join a group when I can't feed my kids (and my kids don't have an over weight problem, actually its quite the opposite)? So this is my plan and my request. I want to loose 14 lbs in 14 weeks. I'm telling everybody and I want them to hold me accountable, please don't sabotage me (you know who you are). If you are eating a treat don't offer me some. If you see me going for a treat stop me!

I have chosen a low fat / low calorie eating plan and I will be exercising at least 5 days a week (cardio and strenthening) I will be posting my daily food and exercise journals on a new blog along with some recipes. I want encouragement and positive affirmations. I believe that is important. If I fall, pick me up. I've done well for the last day and a half but I have 96.5 days to go.

Thank you

Sunday, May 07, 2006

I'm Late! I'm Late!

Today as my family was getting ready to go home from church, a lovely girl who has three weeks left in her pregnancy asked me if there was anything she could do to help labour along. I laughed and then told her that of all people to ask I was the wrong person. I went 11 days late with my oldest and 9 days late with the other. Both times I didn't "start" on my own and had to have a proceedure to bring about labour. What can I say, my kids are a little attached to me. I hope I don't have this problem when they are older and it is time to move out, but I digress. She proceeded to ask another couple and was met with somewhat the same response. To my delight I found another person who goes over her due date, but maybe its genetic because she is a second cousin.

So what I was wondering was how common is it to go over your due date? How many of you have? Was there something that you tried to do to enduce labour? And how successful was it (the thing you tried)?

Thanks

Thursday, May 04, 2006

May The Fourth Be With You.

Did you get it? Aren't I punny? I was going to say "May The Fourth Be With Me." but then it looses it's affect when the phrase isn't said properly. As we all know I'm all about properness. Then again I just gave you all a "religious" blessing and since non of you are practicing Jedi, you are probably all offended. I guess my properness flew out the window, where my two boys are about to be chucked out of. Before you get your ceremonial robes in a knot, I live in a basement suite, so really I'm just rolling them on the ground.

May be its all the extra sun we are experiencing but they cannot stop picking at each other and it's driving me crazy. I'm not going to say I never did this as a child, I'm sure I did, but at least my parents had a house with a basement(to muffle sounds of our beatings) and a back yard for us to get our wiggles out. Since a house is not an option, especially in this market, I am calling on all supreme beings and midichlorans to help me keep my sanity, That is why I was going to call this "May The Fourth Be With Me."

Tuesday, May 02, 2006

Never Let Me Go

As you may have noticed, on the side of my blog, I have a section called "From The Wonderland Library". Its been up for a while. Anyway I just finished this book called Never Let Me Go. I was reading it for a book discussion our women's group was having, but unfortunately it had to be cancelled. I decided to finish it anyway. Now that I am done I wanted to discuss it, but as I said before the discussion group was cancelled for this particular book. So I have decided to write somewhat of my thoughts about the book. Unfortunately, most of you, if not all of you, have not read the book so I cannot give too much away.

The author is Kazuo Ishiguro, better known for his Book Remains Of The Day. I didn't have any definite expectations going into this book so I don't know why I am surprised at all by how it turned out. Although I haven't read the Remains Of The Day, I saw the movie and this book left me with the same sort of feelings I had at the end of the movie. Mr. Ishiguro write in a conversational way that, to me, seemed pleasant yet at times I found very slow. Kathy H., the main character, is sharing with us her memories of growing up and experiences that happened after she left school. Because there is a lot of "jumping" with her memories, I found it hard at times to keep things straight, but isn't it that way when anyone shares memories with us. All in all, I did enjoy the book. It wasn't one of my favorites and it did leave me wanting for a different ending. Although I would like all things to be neatly tied up like a Jane Austin novel, this book wasn't that way. The ending that the author chose was probably the correct one for the story. I guess this is something I will have to get used to as I mature in my literary reading. I give this book 3/5.

Monday, May 01, 2006

May Day! May Day!

Someone stole our flames car flag. My youngest sprayed deep woods off in his eye and fell down the stairs. He is having a rough day. My oldest was very sad about the car flag and started to cry saying "This is my life." Its enough to break your heart.