The Business of Halloween......

Little Ewok leading the way...... Ewok would continually check out what they put in his pumpkin before saying 'thank-you'...guess he needed to know if they deserved a 'thank you' or not!

Looking like a total dork in this shot, but i was a pilot.....

The 'loot'

Very proud!

Time for sparklers in the backyard....

NOW the fun of halloween can BEGIN!! (....According to Elliot anyways! ..He stripped off as quick as he could to get down to business!!!)

Happy boys....it was a great night!

BumbleBee and the Ewok.....

Just when you think you have one of your kids 'pegged'...he surprises you!! You think you have him pegged because any time you try to get him to wear some new shoes or a new shirt, or anything fun, its met with resistance...but apparently not when it has to do with being a little Ewok that gets candy......My friend Aja made this really cool Ewok costume for her little girl...unfortunatly, the little girl would scream bloody murder if it came near her......quite devastated but wanting SOMEONE to be able to get use out of it....she handed it over to Elliot...who LOVED it!!

And here is Bumblebee......you know, transformers.....

Thanksgiving take 2!

Thanksgiving at the Burdges this year saw the kids a year older, and Oscar was able to sit at the table with us, which was very exciting! As always, Isaac was thrilled to join up with his 2 favorite female cousins....he doesn't see them as often as he'd like. Marg, as always, made a huge feast that was so tasty! Elliot LOVES this train book that Grandma has.......

Thanksgiving 2009 - the folks swoop in for 48 hours!

Thanksgiving 2009 found us happy and healthy this year....and at HOME!!! We were thankful that my folks came for 48 hours to celebrate thanksgiving with us AND give a hand with a couple days of solid work around the house we are in the midst of reno'ing. We laughed alot this weekend....like here: the shot following this was Isaac knocking Nona on her butt.....priceless.

i love when this woman comes to visit, as short as it always is...it always involves alot of food! She made the most amazing Thanksgiving feast.....and makes it look so easy...we are still eating the leftovers!!

and since the kids arrived....alot of crafts: here she is helping the boys make the table placemats for the feast.....

Even Elliot isn't immune to dads Bunny Ears...sigh....Elliot, you will learn to watch for that when you get older if you are sitting next to grand-dad....also, you need to remember not to yawn in from of him, or you'll get a big, (sometimes) dirty digit shoved into it....;-)

Lots of jedi lightsaber fights.....

Guess who won that round?

And then all the work at the flip.....painting......(moms first time with a spray gun, though you'd never know it!)

Lots of demolition....and we got the RIGHT GUY in charge of that (according to him! ;-)...though he didn't think enough pictures got taken of him.......how could that BE?? i mean, LOOK at him! So handsome.....AND handy!

Mom and i did alot of this......

And the token shot of the man behind the whole project......

The boys pulled their weight too.....staying busy and finding eachother very good company, for the most part!

Sharing peanuts.....

Mom and i took a little hike on their last morning....she loved the red house out on the left.

Lots to be thankful for....mainly my wonderful family.....

Bubble Gum....why my kids don't get it....

Well, Isaac was allowed to have it when he turned 5....but the only reason was that when he started asking for gum at 2, i thought he would never, ever turn 5!!?? That was like, FOREVER away!!

Anyways.....this story is more about Elliot. Isaac has his gum, i try to be fair....so i turn around to Elliot in the car and give a run down of the 'rules' for bubble gum...knowing full WELL that he isn't 5, but has he never been given the 'when you are 5 rule'....so we're fine right? "DON'T touch with your fingers, DON'T take it out of your mouth, and DON'T swallow..understand?"...i get the nodd....so i tentatively pass it over and place a small piece of strawberry bubalicious into his awaiting mouth that already has some drool spilling out the side......

I watch him......he is doing it right.....i face forward for a moment....i turn back....no more chewing.

"ELLIOT!! Where is the GUM????"

"I Eat......more peez mama"

Sigh......Should i have known he doesn't know the difference between the word "swallow" and "eat"??

Chris told him that next time he took a poop, he would blow a pink bubble out his butt.......i am still laughing about that one.....seriously....still laughing as i type.....

Friday......whew....

Another long, but notable day......Jazzercise and looking like dorks, my friend cristin joined me this morning.....i seriously watch the teacher and think i must look like that, and then look in the mirror and am like 'NO!! C'est pas MOI!!!'

Pick up Elliot from preschool, Isaac from Kindergarten, lunch with chris, and then the afternoon of 'confrontations' began! All things come in 3's:

1) Elliots brand new $50 shoes that are a month old are falling apart....the woman at giggle gear was like i don't know how he plays, so i can't see how he is 'wearing' them (???) but she did offer to get the local cobbler to fix them, reglue the soles back on and put new inserts in....good enough...merci.

2) Our Westjet Credit that we have been happily holding onto all year since last years fiasco of expired passports. When i called to confirm the amount and the expiration date, i was told the amount of the credits was for $600 and not $1200 (WHA!!!????) Today was the day i had to call and speak with a manager about it since i was on the phone with another agent last week...so i had been putting it off......A very smart agent did a little more digging on my behalf and found the other credit under my maiden name!!! yes!!!!

3) Chalet stuff i needed to attack with dock problems....but it still took a deep breath to deal with another issue......

Isaac and Elliot had haircuts this afternoon....SO CUTE!! However, Elliot today has been putting me through my paces.....screaming about something, happy......screaming about something, happy.....and it continues. SIGH......i think its getting better...i have taught him a little yoga deep breathing and that seems to help (us both!)

It was 6:46 when i put them both in bed.......long day.....now to clean up the explosion.

This is what 12,106 days old looks like......

you don't say!!!! 60 days and counting til 34.......

It just gets better, doesn't it?

It all went downhill......

and fast! By 4:30, Elliot was still still sleeping (since 1) and isaac had come home with Chris from town feeling not too hot. By 5, he was starting to get a little whiney.....by 6:30 when i got back from my hair cut ready to take him to karate, he was downright miserable--fever, tummy ache, miserable little guy. So, we put him to bed......given both boys a little tylenol...just in time for Elliot to perk up ready to party!!

I tell you....from 8 til 10 i was busy feeding an empty pit called Elliot (who hadn't eaten for pretty much 2 days!).....

They both still seem a little off today, low grade fever, touchy......they are watching inspecter gadget right now (classic!!!) and i picked up an old school sesame street dvd last night at the library since i figured we may be in for a day like this today!!

Here's to hoping things get better and not worse!! There is some scary stuff out there!!!

Tuesday, Sept 29, 2009

Pro-D day yesturday helped us get back to ground zero after being away for most of the weekend. It was nice to hang out ALL day at the house with nowhere to go, fire roaring, kids playing, i got stuff done!

However, today Elliot is off....he has a wicked fever, has no qualms about being put back to bed or even being cuddled by me (which is huge since he normally only accepts cuddles from chris, or from me when i squeeze too tight for him to escape and i don't think that counts!!)

Poor little guy is never sick...but he is quite miserable today..hot, sad....awwww. Got him up awhile back for a cuddle in front of the fire to have some applesauce and some applejuice....he is keeping himself hydrated, which is awesome...but hasn't really eaten for a few days now.

I have to admit, and am trying to keep a perspective that i hope this is only a small flu or cold, and nothing more major like H1N1....but i have enjoyed the cuddles, the head on my shoulder as we walk, the ability to have gotten the flip books all up to date, been able to clean out my freezer and deepfreeze, re-stocked fire wood by the front door....all in the span of about 2 hours.

This morning, my new friend Aja and her daughter came with Elliot and i to Old Navy in Vic while Isaac was in school....both kids napped, we chatted, it was nice.....but Elliot needed to be carried around the store..it was that moment that i knew something was off since he normally prefers to run!!

So.....not much else to say...just figured i would check in....all is good here. Haircut at 5:30 and another potential face-off at Karate tonight. We'll see what happens.

Baby Jack and my Baby Sister come to visit!!

Its 2 weeks over due....but i needed to document the nice visit we had when Carrie and Jack came out! Here are Isaac and Jack at an outdoor concert at Beacon Hill........he LOVES Jack!! Elliot loves Jack too...but in a more distracted way...i think Jack picks up on that (see expression!!)

His mom left to go to the washroom, so he snuck me a couple smiles!

Beautiful mom...

Jack Attack:

Auntie gets a big, wet, open mouther......felt honored since carrie said he doesn't dole those out often!

i love jack

Pointing at some donkeys doing some interesting things......

Carrie a little grossed out by the unsanitary-ness of it all.....'where is the hand washing station??'

Carrie was also there for Elliots first day of Preschool.....this is Elliot meeting his teacher...nice eh?

and she was there for Isaacs first day of Kindergarden

This is how we walk Elliot....we dangle gummy worms in front of him

...seriously, its the only way to get him to keep pace!

Tired mom and baby...really tired.

I need to document that Elliot is holding my hand...something i LOVE and something he doesn't do often!

Chris and i had our 11 year anniversary, so Carrie and i picked blackberries and i made him jam as part of his gift......

The visit is always too short....but we decided when we do this again...our mom has to come along too to give carrie a break...we were both exhausted when it was all over.....but SO good to be with her.....i miss her alot....Isaac and Elliot really miss 'Gak' too!