Week in Review

i haven't written in awhile, and i am not sure where this post will lead me...but alot has happened in the last few weeks, so perhaps a summary.

Chris and i took the boys to the midway that was in town last weekend--Isaac and I loved the rides! I think i have a boy who is going to be a great asset to me in the future when rollercoasters are in front of us...as opposed to my husband who turns green just looking at them! Isaac and i did this airplane ride at the midway where the plane went up and down and actually ended up making me sick...but he was thrilled with it--"like starwars!" he said. Here is a pic of it:



My sister is having a baby!! And though everyone close to me knows that, not many know that she had an ultrasound this last saturday (which i missed-boo!)--and she is having a beautiful BOY!! Check out the little guy giving a thumbs UP! How cool is that?


I will do a full post on Court and Ryans wedding because it was an amazing weekend full of old friends that have become very important to chris and i. But here is a couple shots to tide you over til then! We had a big girls night (laughs, dirty jokes, boobs, food, fondue.....) (this was the shot just prior to the ta-ta cleavage shot!! maybe we'll show that later....we'll see!)
I think what made it such a great night was that EVERYONE was there....we all came back together and between all of us, in the past few years, we have 'traveled and lived in others parts of the world, gotten married, are having kids, buying homes, changing jobs'....seriously--between us all, it's been an exciting gauntlet of things! It was so great--but more on that on another post.

Well, its 10 pm, Chris and i ran tonight and my muscles are sore--so its time for a hot bath and the ritual of chatting with my sis while in the bath...i'm sure her muscles are sore from carrying that big boy in her belly!! This is the best part of pregnancy--right where she is--1/2 way--big enough to feel all the kicks, not too big to feel like a beached whale...sigh--i loved being pregnant..(but don't get me wrong, not enough to look at chris that way again!)

I am off to kelowna this week to stay with my sis....on my way through i am picking up the phil and ted stroller; red in color (not the lime green from the last post), and Rachel, if i don't love it, you get first dibs! ADIOS!

New Addition?

Nope-not pregnant--definatly!! But this or may not be my next stroller--what do you think? Any opinions? I have sold almost ALL my strollers - at least all of the ones that could carry both my children, so no long walks this week (boo)....


It's the lime one below and its in vancouver so i need to figure out a way to get it over here or use it as an excuse to go over....thoughts? Think it would be a good buy? i don't love double strollers they are huge, and this can convert to one or stay a single...

WHAT THE HECK IS THIS!!!!??????

i am honestly crying inside to have woken up to this awful sight! i know, i know....in my past life with no extended winters and grey blahs-this would be a delightful sight--but for a soul that is just holding on to the idea of a summer that may one day appear - this is horrible.....and its STILL snowing as i sit here to type....sigh.Somebody please tell me, lie to me, and say this long long winter will be over soon. i can't keep living on this lake with a jetski already in the water...just waiting to be riden....much longer...

Summer? Hello summer?? are you there??

The weather is seriously whacked out! i drove through a blizzard AGAIN on my way home from town this afternoon! But it was ok...i had a great day with my friends--this morning Amanda and i walked our loop together and i didn't need to stop ONCE to tend children - yay a little muscle burn! And afterwards, we headed out to see Christie and her place spontaneously was the meeting place for Karen, Faye and all their kids...so we had a blast this morning.

Here are some pictures from the weekend....the fountain in lake cowichan is a definate attraction (when the highschool kids don't put dish soap in it!).





We are just getting ready to head over to Marg and Gordons for dinner since chris's grandma is visiting for a few days and thinks the boys have forgotten her! But here is the greatest part---Christie made lunch this afternoon, Marg is making dinner, there is a group in this weekend that is being catered and we get to JOIN IN!! Know what THAT means??? Sharon does not cook til monday!!! Life, sweet life...its being sure to love where you're at, right Megs?

More Cautious??

I just read a friends blog and she has been real careful not to put pics on her blog of her girls due to creepy viewers. Now, i never really think that other than friends and family read my blog--but here in the last post i have 2 shots of little elliot bare bummed! Now i am starting to think that i should be protectiing them a little more from weirdo's out here in web space.....what do you think? I could always put a password on so you have to be invited to read my blog, or just be more cautious of what i post of the boys...but i would need to totally start over if that was the case?

I need advice.....

Little Elliot

For all you reading my blog lately and wondering if i have gone off the deep end, the answer arrived today to why i have been on this hormonal rollercoaster.....For so many years, i was on the pill and didn't experience the highs and lows of a normal girls pms!! Since deciding to get my body totally back to basics, i can't read the signs yet.
So, with this in mind, i am trying to appreciate the boys all the while thinking "Are they ALWAYS this crazy??!! Do i just cope with them better when i am not hormonal??" So, here are some shots of Elliot being totally adorable tonight...an escape from the bath and his hunt for his shoes since he knows he never is allowed out without shoes!! And being the good mom i am, he had wet hair so i made him wear a hat!

This is a shot of Elliot saying goodnight to all his family.....every night chris finds that Elliot settles faster if he has had a chance to say good night to all his grandparents and aunts, uncles, cousins and mom and dads pictures...awwww

The Ups and Downs.....

Having toddlers sure can feel like a rollercoaster ride sometimes--i saw my last post was 'my 2 favorite boys'...well, i was tempted to call this post something different...but we won't go there.

Seriously, i haven't been on coping mode for awhile now--i can normally last until their bedtime--but today from 3 onwards--i was a ticking time bomb and Chris was definatly their bodyguard!! Isaac just doesn't be quiet-EVER!!! And normally i can take it, and sometimes find it quite endearing......but this evening, he was more annoying than usual--loud, obnoxious and despite being yelled at and told to be quiet and behave every few minutes, he was still happy, singing to himself and hopping along..."WHATEVER MOM..."is what he is thinking i'm sure!!

Grrr....but now, they are quiet--i guess thats a sign too--when they crash before the door even closes behind you, you know its cause they were tired and begging in their own (totally lame) way "Put me to BED!"......

SIGH........i hear the couch calling....

My two favorite boys.....

Walks these days are way more fun now that Isaac and Elliot run and chase eachother. The other day isaac ran to Elliot and Elliot wrapped his arms around him and there they stood in the middle of the road hugging and laughing. Amazing moment that i hope never leaves my memory.
Elliots new favorite little shopping cart--he collects things from around the house--the other day he had collected a baby in the buggy, 4 soothers, 3 magnets and a jar of sprinkles....all treasures!

Kite Runner spoiler--if you haven't seen it, don't read this post.

I watched the Kite Runner last night. What a movie. i think that it means more as a story since i have 2 little boys of my own and that my prayer for them often is that they will find a best friend in eachother.

i think this movie was in my dreams last night and affected me so much was partly the reaction i saw chris have when the little boy, who was so loyal to his friend by not giving up his kite to the bullies and then got raped for it, left the room and couldn't watch anymore because it upset him so much. i was initially mad at chris for not being able to watch a really quick scene that was meant to really set the stage for the story (his fast forwarding of the scene put me into the middle of the movie enstead of the few minutes it was meant to forward to and i was confused for a minute!). But on further thought, it really was a horrible thing to watch, though the scene lasted for only moments, it is the epitomy of what evil is. And that the friend who was being defended arrived to find his friend in the situation and just ran away. The reaction i think has disturbed me more than anything.....why didn't he yell? why didn't he tell his dad after he saw it happen? I hope that our boys will tell us when things happen to them and not bottle it up and cope on their own. Chris hasn't spoken too much since he left the room last night....he is still pretty disturbed, and i think it took me a little longer to mull over the depth of all those emotions portrayed in that movie. You fell in love with Hazara from the beginning of the movie and to see the abuse he took based on his loyalty to his friend Amir (who didn't stand up for him in childhood but made up for it in the end) was a shocking event to wrap your head around.

Kids are so precious and there are such bad things that could happen to them and to keep them from harm is a full time job. And then there is worrying that you can't keep them from all harm that keeps you up at night.

Time to post.....

i realized this afternoon that it has been over a week since i have written, and i think you can always tell when i am a little blue by my lack of communication. I will always tend to hunker down and just try to get through til things get better. Nothing is wrong...all is fine, but the weather has just gotten to me! All this grey sky, driving through blizzards, feeling hail--and all at the end of march!! It just started making me so MAD!! Yes, i started to let the weather dictate how i was feeling in my life!! And my life is wonderful---so whats the deal??? i am just SOOOO ready for summer, i think its been the hardest winter for me to get through, to date actually.

But all is fine now...i actually have some projects on the go, my old friend Kim came over last night to spend the night and we made gyozas and salad rolls, went for a quad ride and a hike, we laughed lots and i haven't done that in awhile.....and TODAY the sun is shining! Isaac is off with chris in duncan for a few hours, elliot is snoozing.....life at this moment is pretty fine!

the sun is calling, so enough of this indoor stuff--thats what baby monitors are for right?

CHEERS!!

Easter 2008

It was a busy day for my family yesterday! Andrew and Sarah invited us over to celebrate Jack and Lucy's birthday in the morning and then in the afternoon was a big Easter Egg hunt hosted by Marg and Gordon for my babygroup. It was a beautiful day....here is a little video snapshot of the day. Enjoy!

Shameless Self Shot......

photoshopped and edited while babies slept...... Took like 80 shots and 4 were good..why is that??!! What do you think?

Covert Mission

Do you ever sneak into their rooms really late at night to put away their laundry? Its easy with Isaac, not so much yet with Elliot--but i swear, its almost serene doing it while listening to their peaceful breathing. A whole basket takes me 10 minutes in the middle of the night that would take me all day normally!

Would our moms have ever let us do this??

So-just a deep thought here, but can you imagine if the fridge was that big to us as adults now? Like we could stand in the door and put our foot on the ledge and look at all our food at our leisure? Can you imagine!!!??

6pm bedtime???!!

Yes, you read the title correct--6pm bedtime!! Picture this--the ideal mom has dinner waiting on the table at 5pm--both kids are in their chairs eating homemade macaroni and cheese and caesor salad..working man walks in and just sits down to eat. After dinner around 5:25ish--working man plays with children up in the playroom attic for 20 minutes while mom cleans up. 5:55 mom calls out the time--6:05-both kids in bed and by 6:15 the yelling and cursing has stopped and only the sounds of snoring can be heard from both rooms.

Just an illusion? Normally YES--of course thats an illusion silly--but tonight, in this household---a reality.

Sigh....and this calm, happy mommy still sees daylight outside, so she heads out to do some puttering in the yard while hard working man gets ready for the Canucks game.

The End.

FINALLY.................

sigh.....its been a great day! I have realized something quite profound about myself this weekend. I can feel good about being in this house, on this property and not leaving....if my house is clean. My biggest and most constant obstacle is physically being able to stay on top of my game! Living in this house is literally LIVING IN THIS HOUSE!! And it never ends.....at this moment, the house is CLEAN! and i feel Calm. Do i need to work on trying to be content whether or not my house is tidy? i realize its an uphill battle, and one that is normally only won when the kids are asleep---but how i feel right now seems to make it worth it.....

It really was a great day though--we all went to victoria with chris so he could play his field hockey game...while he was doing that, i sold my sit n stand stroller to a girl who used to know me from qwanoes and only asked since my name on my email address looked familliar--so..she bought that stroller (she doesn't even have that 2nd baby yet---some people are such keeners!). And i bought a double jogger since i really missed that other one i sold a few weeks ago---didn't know what i was buying til i got there and it turned out to be a double Chariot jogger--had a few spotty mold parts that have scrubbed mostly off..but i picked it up for $40--so i am thrilled.

Life feels good tonight...calm, healthy, happy, content..and i can smell my bread baking....what could be better?

what now.......

It's been a long week with Chris working the last 13 days straight and i have been out almost every single night....so my life is feeling a little out of balance at the moment.

The weather has also turned....not as sunny,hence neither am i!! What am i doing? Well, let me answer that with : cooking and housekeeping! ugh--and lately, when we do get out for a walk and elliot sees chris--there is no consoling him until he is in chris's arms and when we leave, i am Cruella deVille stealing him away as he desperatly waves his arms back to daddy screaming. I remember this stage with Isaac, i don't remember being as annoyed.

Well, my mantra these days is "this too shall pass....."

I am just bored with the routine of life this last week and every other option available to me is just alot more work....know what i mean? Easier to stay where you are in the comforts of routine, however mundane, than to branch out on another adventure where naps and snacks are not at your disposal...what do do, what to do? i will always choose the adventure...eventually anyways!!

I love that i have 2 boys who love to entertain eachother since it sort of takes the attention off me..until they get hungry again! ;-)

Gabriola.....

As i sit here this morning, Isaac is happily playing a word game on the computer next to me, Elliot is sleeping and i am recovering from a great night away on Gabriola Island with my old friend Kim from Junior High. I just finished reading my friend Megs blog and she was recently chatting about this: We always knew how important girlfriends were in our lives, but how much more vital they are to us since our kids have arrived. And its so true--when else in your life will you give every ounce of your energy to somebody else without asking for or needing anything in return and unless you find ways to refresh-how utterly exhausting that actually is.

So....back to the Gabriola story----me and kim....we met at summer camp and were instant friends back in the summer heading into grade 8 at that infamous private girls school we both started. last night, she made an amazing dinner (i swear i sat there and ate slowly at my leisure for 1 whole hour!!, cheesecake for dessert, hot chocolate in front of the fire and then we crawled into bed (her hubby was gone) around 11:30 since we were both so tired and ended up chatting and giggling until before 2....there is nothing like a giggle with an old friend over memories when you were younger like that random huge winnipeg wind that picked us up and literally blew us into that bank window! I still wouldn't have believed that happened if it hadn't happened to me!! But we had some great times, and there is nothing like laughing about those old stories to remind you that you were once young and carefree......

So-i am home now, i feel like i had a mini vacation--that island is a whole other world and her home is almost magical-yes, i will be back!! So, this morning being so refreshed and happy--we have had a wonderful morning of reading stories, playing playdoh (which by the way, is totally overrated), rolled around with them, colored.....we have 2 offers on the table for the Youbou house, Chris was so excited (and confident apparently) that he went out with the boys last night and bought another flat screen tv since our last one bites). So, assuming is all goes through...debt free!! Life is good..i know-i know--boring post-no drama to write about.....well, chris is home and has lunch ready--so later gater!! leave comments!!!

Maiden Voyage!!

The last few days...

we've had some good times since the sun has been shining the last few days....since the ambulance incident, elliot hasn't fully recovered--but he is still trying to be a sweet little guy.
This is chris and elliot on the tractor today doing some yard work together. Elliot is still a rookie on the tractor unlike his older brother, hence the totally stunned face

This shot below is chris and i rolling out carpet from cristins house (they are getting hardwood--so we got their carpet for our room up in the attic where the kids play)....so this is us rolling it all out on our front lawn at 10 at night! We are currently in the process of cutting it to fit and laying it upstairs--and it looks awesome

And this is it almost done!!!! These are my 3 favorite boys playing with my latest thrift store find--MarbleWorks!

And this shot is thrown in just for giggles of my man in earlier, younger days!

oh isaac.....

Setting the scene: i am sitting on the bed with elliot while chris is getting dressed..we are just chilling out, enjoying the morning..when:
in runs isaac with BOTH hands full of his snotty kleenex's....throws them at chris and yells "BOOGER FIGHT"...and runs away. His adaptation of their pillow fights..how creative, i guess.

Elliot and the Ambulance

elliot woke up last night around midnight with his airway closing up enough to scare chris and i. We rushed him outside and watched him for a few minutes in the cold air but at some points he had some real trouble breathing in air - and chris was noticing that Elliot kept pointing to the van which he took to mean 'i need help, lets go!'....so we buckled him into the van and while chris was grabbing his keys and wallet from inside, elliot started just freaking out...enough to make me realize i was not equipped to make this long drive with a baby with respiratory problems! I know about croup and that being outside is good and we were outside for awhile, but twice elliot couldn't take in air--so i unbuckled him and went to call 911. Cristin and I had been playing nintendo til about 11:30 and as she was about to leave - this all happened! So, in a hurry, we were trying to figure out what to do with sleeping isaac - and its amazing how quick everything can happen-too quick for even a 'quick thinker' like me! ;-)

Within 5 long minutes both mesachie lake first responders and the paramedics arrived. So we got a fun ride in an ambulance (not really since i was the one sucking on the oxygen by the time we got to the hospital -- i was feeling so nauseous from the ride). I thought it was pretty funny that i was the one with the oxygen mask on as they opened the ambulance door at the hospital and to have Cristin standing there when the door open....what a nice sight! my friend!!

Unexpected as i thought she went home....but there she was...in my fearful (and sick) moment as a parent-she always seems to be the one there...and as a side note i was thinking earlier--she has always been one step ahead of me on many things--getting a van, announcing pregnancy, going through labor, sick kids at the hospial, cool strollers.....and now-standing by me as i go through it.

Elliot was calm but still with labored breathing. They gave him some steam medicine (twice) which threw him over the edge having the mask against his face (chris held him still and had trouble--that kid is strong!) but they kept him (and me) overnight to see how he was in the morning...so, he and i slept from about 4 til 8am and he was up to old tricks pulling on all the instruments on the wall, sucking apple juice through a syringe (he loved that game)..happy as can be. ......

Parenting sure can be scary --- to see my little baby not be able to breath was the most fearful moments of my life....honestly.

it got me.....

the bug that has been going around and the one i was so proud to keep missing while everyone around me got it...finally got me. i have become a shell of a woman! You really don't know how much you do in your life until you get hit! Seriously....a little tidying up this morning brought me crashing to the couch out of breath with a wicked pulse increase! whats with that?? i am happy that elliot sleeps the afternoon away and that Isaac is only too happy to lie on the couch watching mickey mouse.....i could have 2 little guys who don't sleep and need constant entertainment and THEN what would i DO???? Luckily-on a normal day these days, both boys are down by 6:30 and the rest of the day is MINE!! Mwhahah!! ah-who am i fooling, i just lie on the couch after that and re-coup from the day! as my mom always says after we visit 'mothering is for the young....' and i wonder 'is that me? is this is how i am supposed to feel as young?' cause i feel old and boring and tired all the time....yet-somehow i get a burst of energy after the kids go to sleep!! Why is that?? Perhaps its just that its the middle of winter in the sticks and i am sick and bored....and its going to get better soon when we can play on the beach again all day long! That, my friends, is the end goal! the finish line, so to speak, to get me through this long winter!! at least then we won't have to play with diapers on our heads to have some fun around here!!

i love chris....

truth be told, i am sick today. i am sick thus everything seems to be bigger and harder to do today (hence my ranting dinner post).

my man walked in at 4 today enstead of 4:30--seriously 3 seconds after i looked at the clock at 4 and said 'lord, i don't think i can do another half an hour', and in he walks.......with that light shining from behind him and from the top like 'touched from an angel' when they reveal they are angels and the music is playing in the background..you get the jest....



i just watched him put elliot to bed all teeth brushed and everything and am currently listening to him sing isaac to sleep...and its 6:26. i love it.....when i can't, he does...how lucky does that make me? and i wonder if he would kill me if he saw the pic i chose for this post! but isn't this how we all see our men when they help us in such big ways that save us? ;-)

Dinner Nightmares.....

I am a good cook, i am!! But the past few years has challenged my confidence in this department big time!! Especially lately-dinner times suck...lets be totally honest here....i hate dinnertime around here. Unless i am on the ball with the crock pot or something that is ready for 5 o'clock (even this has no bearing on whether or not they will eat it!), this is a normal scenerio: elliot hanging off my legs wanting up or something incomprehensible and unattainable at that very moment-oh, did i mention he is also shrieking during this time too? I tried the babygate at the kitchen door like Jon and Kate plus 8--thought that was a sneaky way to work faster....but for some reason, elliot could often throw his body weight against the gate and come tumbling into the kitchen -- to his surprise and mine! so, that didn't last long......ok, but moving on, so i make dinner-whatever it is-today was chicken strips rolled in crushed corn flakes, steamed carrots and herb rice...yum right? Chris and i liked it, elliot ate most of it (which is weird since as of lately, he turns his nose up at everything!!!!) and Isaac is currently still sitting at the table, alone..eating like a turtle--slow as can be???!! sigh....i get so sad about this part of my day--no matter how long i plan what the meal is going to be (which is supposed to be the hardest part of the day) nevermind getting the kids to eat it.....and how maybe its just my negative energy towards the whole process....is just so unenjoyable! There is no 'standby' either--you know, like for when me and my sis were little, the old standby was bbq chicken, corn and potatoes..boring, but definatly will be eaten. Even my old stand-by of eggs is starting to get a run for its money! sigh.....so-this is what i have....

and this is what i want.....even with the deceptively delicius cookbook on my side, its still the hardest part of my day to have that (annoying) desire to put good food to into their bellies and have them eat it! Well, Isaac just arrived with an empty plate..maybe not all is lost, it just takes longer with no distractions and nobody to negotiate how many carrots he has to eat!!

Awesome Week.....

The story of my life has always been that it will be better tommorow....and this week has been no exception. We have some pretty great friends.....here are some shots of Isaac and Elliots friends from baby group and meg and olivia. Amanda and I have been seeing alot of eachother and i love that! We laugh alot together and that is so important to me in this stage of life. This guy LOVES being buzz lightyear....he brings it to me every single time he sees it hanging around....he wears it to playschool and sleeps in it sometimes too. Pretty adorable.
Found a new favorite activity!

Here is a shot of isaac 'feeding the women' at babygroup--they learn at an early age that little girls like to chase, and little boys love to run away from them!


Chris is back into playing field hockey at U of Vic...he loves it. Me and the boys normally pull the van up to the fence and watch from there---we like to support him from comfortable warm places!
Little Elliot watching his favorite man play!
Isaac Froze....



The camp looks gorgeous all covered in snow. Life is good...we are so blessed, i just need to be sure i have my priorities and my perceptions in order. Like yesterday playing in the snow with my boys, laughing and throwing snowballs at eachother in the middle of the day. If i was working, i would have missed ALL that! How lucky am I????