Take That!

So, the past couple of days have been "one of those days!"

Yesterday, we had to put one of our cats down.  Now, while that is unfortunate, it's not breaking my heart.  And yes, I do have one!  She was getting old, was diabetic, urinating throughout the entire house and we had put this off for quite some time.  We finally had to make the choice and just do it.  It's crappy that taking the animals and having to put them down has become part of my job description in the house, but it is and I deal with it.

From noon on, I answered the same questions from Abby,

"where's Tiggy?"
"when's she coming home?"

The 2 year old just doesn't get it.

Then, we picked Hayden up from school and the pair of them argued, cried and yelled at each other until bedtime @ 8:00. My patience was thin.
This fighting continued this morning, plus throw in some non-listening ears and I was ready to hang them both up by their ankles! I could clearly see it was going to be one of the those mornings when I get them ready and make them wait in the car for about 10 minutes before I come out.  I mean, I can't hear them fighting in the garage!

Just as I have had my last outburst with them while trying to explain to Hayden that he has incorrectly put on his snow pants for the 2nd time in a row, the phone rings at 8:20 am.

First off, the only people who call our house is my parents, Brian's brother, telemarketers and collection companies looking for my father-in-law.

It was one of the latter.  First off, I know this because of the number and secondly, there was all of that standard background noise.

The conversation (if that is what you want to call it) went like this!

me:  WHAT!

her: excuse me?

me: WHAT DO YOU WANT?

her:  Is that the proper way to answer the phone?

(now I'm really steaming, like I need phone etiquette from her, I do reception for a living)


me: YEAH!  IN THIS HOUSE IT IS!

her:  you really need to go and take a course on manners!

me: YOU DON'T LIKE IT?  DON'T CALL HERE!

At this point, she then hung up.  I think I have now found a new way to answer the phone when these people call.  No better way to air out your frustrations then to the person on the other end of the line you don't want to talk to.

Now, some of you are saying....that poor girl, it's just her job!

Know what I say?  Occupational hazard.  You picked a career choice that is un-savory and you have to deal with it!  Don't like it?  Find a new job! Plain and Simple. 

Take a page out of my book, yell at the telemarketer.  You can always apologize if it's a legitimate call!

Just A Quickie Tonight

I wanted to meet my target of a blog post today, but am short of time.

I will refer you over to my other blog where I am writing about my weight loss journey.

It keeps me honest and tonight, I hit a milestone that just made me want to skip on home.

Thanks for sharing in the joy with me!

Monday, Monday, How Are You?

Would you rather spend the rest of your life without a significant other, or would you rather have a partner who is extremely difficult?

This is an easy one to answer.  I would rather spend my life without a significant other.  To be in a committed relationship with someone you struggle with daily is draining, both emotionally and physically.  I am lucky enough to be in a great relationship and I know how fortunate I am.

Every relationship has difficult times, anyone IN a relationship can contest to that.  Do you not find it tiring when you are in one of those patches?  Can you picture yourself doing it everyday?  How exhausting it must be. 

Anyhoo!  Just one more thing you are blessed to know about me!

It's noon here right now....the sun and blue sky are just starting to show themselves.  It's cold and windy though. 1degree right now!  I have decided that as I get older, I like winter and the cold less and less.

I keep hoping that every winter will be different and I will find a new-found love for it, but NOPE!

To think, I lived in the Yukon for 2 years and LOVED it, even the winter and would love to live there again.  I'm an odd duck!

All Craftiness Aside...

What is your favorite quote?

I have this exact same magnet on my fridge.  I think it's a good motto for life!

Like I mentioned last night...things have been super busy around here crafting.  I am taking a couple minutes from the paint to sneak this post in before the clock strikes midnight!

Wondering what I am crafting?

This is just a few of the things we are making, but they are my absolute favorites!

Which Would You Choose?

Ready to get to know me a bit more?

This one is quirky but I couldn't resist:

Ninjas or pirates?

I probably would have to say Pirates.  I mean, they have the good treasure and get to see lots of different places on their ships.  Ninjas are sneaky!  

Check out this Ninja video out of Toronto.  I saw this quite some time ago and it made me laugh.  While I prefer pirates....these ninja's are pretty awesome!

Well, sorry folks...that is it for tonight...I gotta get crafting.  I'll blog about that in the near future!

Hello! My Name Is:

So, I was trying to think of interesting things I can do on this blog....considering I have signed myself up to try and blog everyday.

I am not that interesting of a person.

I mean, I could ramble on about my kids, but let's be realistic....everyone who has kids is experiencing the same things and if you don't have kids, you get tired of yet another story about kids!

Disclaimer: 
Please don't think I am by any means suggesting I will not write about them....I  TOTALLY WILL!!!

So, anyway, I decided to look up a list of fun "get to know you" questions and will include one everyday.

By the end of this month, you will be my bestest friend, full of "Amy-Knowledge", in summary, your life will be complete!

If you were stranded on a lonely beach, what are the five things that you would want to survive?

1. Chocolate
2. Anita Blake Series - books by Laurell K Hamilton
3. My pillow
4. A fan
5. My family

These are the things that are pretty important to me, filling all my needs.  Listed in no particular order....I am not suggesting that chocolate outranks my family....but it DOES help me deal with them some days! :-)

The Men Have "Movember", Bloggers Have NaBloPoMo!

What the heck is NaBloPoMo right?  It stands for National Blog Posting Month.

I have a friend  who has participated in the past, but I never have.  Also thanks to her for this blog post....I kinda copied what she had to get started...hope there is no copy-right infringement!

I felt this blog is a bit neglected and needs a reason for attention, so here you go!

Enjoy the month to come and if you blog....why not join in!

                      

Parenting Promise Rebate!

When I met my husband....I knew he was the sporty type.  Played baseball and hockey.

I am NOT a sporty type!  I mean, I made sure I got my 1 mandatory high school gym credit out of the way in grade 9 so I could forget all about it.

So, I knew going into our relationship that any kids we had would be involved in sports.

Once Hayden was born and started to get a bit older, I made it VERY clear that I am not a "sport's mom"  Don't expect me to go and sit in the stands every week.

At the age of 3, Hayden played T-ball.  I went once!

For the past 2 springs, Hayden has played soccer.  I could count on one hand the number of times I went over the course of both years.

This year...it's hockey!

Hockey is Brian's THANG!!!!  He played competitively with the Sudbury Wolves growing up and I know it's his dream to have his kids play.  He was so excited to get Hayden all signed up.

I was very excited too!  The plan was, he would take Hayden and Abby each week while I stayed home. For me this meant....TIME ALONE AT HOME!

The week before Hayden was to start, Brian got a message saying they were looking for help coaching.  He originally vowed NOT to coach unless they needed someone.  (which is pointless to say, because they ALWAYS need someone!)  But, he agreed to coach!  Suddenly, my dreams of quiet time at home came crashing down around me.  With Brian coaching, it means Abby can't go now!

Anyway, with that dream dashed, I was still holding strong to the fact that I would NOT be taking Hayden to his hockey...EVER!

And so this is where that parenting promise rebate comes into play.  This week, Brian is away for work.  Hayden is scheduled to be on the ice every Saturday and Monday.  This Saturday was the first week and he had to miss it due to illness.  I had told Brian earlier last week that I would not be taking Hayden on the Monday, because it would be too much for me to get home from work, watch Abby AND get him dressed to play.  I know, I know...you are probably saying "I'm a mom and I do that!"  Well Good For You!  And I mean that in a non-sarcastic way....it's just not in my realm of interest.

This is the point of the story where I blame my mother!  Your mother you say!?!?  YUP!  We were over there for a visit on Sunday and I was mentioning that I would not be taking Hayden so as to make my life easier.  She clearly stated that I HAD to!  Not fair for him to miss two practices in a row!  THAT only encouraged my darling husband and here I am, Monday night...giving you the details of hockey practice on this fine Monday evening.

It was just as I expected...perhaps worse!

IT SUCKED!!!

It's hot and crowded in the dressing room.  I'm sweating like a pig in the midday sun, trying to wrangle a 5 year old into a jock and shin pads!  I get him dressed in good time, put the mouth guard in and start to gather up the stuff we took off into our bag for afterwards.  This is one of the turning points.  Hayden PUKES!  All over.  I do what all mom's do...put out my hands to catch it!  The mouth guard made him gag and throw up, and he didn't know enough to spit it out of his mouth.  So now, I have a dressing room FULL of people watching me.  I have to get the coach to go into the bathroom between the dressing rooms to make sure the door to the other dressing room (full of teenage boys) is closed so I don't have to embarrass them, because I am SURE they would be more embarrassed being caught with their willies hanging out than I would be to see it (I have a 5 year old boy...remember!)

I get him cleaned up and most everyone else is heading out to the ice.  Don't be surprised to learn that at this point....I really did try to convince Hayden to go home.

He spent the next 30 minutes rolling around on the ice.  At the 30 minute mark, he was ready to go home...but be damned if after all that I was letting him leave 30 minutes early.  So I gave him a drink of water and told him to get back out there, because if we left now, we were N-E-V-E-R coming back!

I did manage to snag some pictures so Dad could see how everything went and how his little tike looked out on the ice.!

In the end, Hayden had fun and that is what counts!  I laughed to myself when I heard him talking to Brian on the phone, recounting tales of how he did so well and skated the whole time! (which is false btw, he spent more time rolling around on the ice like a sick puppy!

But I have also vowed...next time, I am hiring a teenage boy (think the neighbour boy next door ) to take him and deal with the crap of getting a little one ready to get out on the ice!

Life As We Know It!

It's September and in the world of parents that means one thing...BACK TO SCHOOL!

It was a biggie this year.  Hayden started grade one and as of day two, he loves it!

We have not had any problem with him going off to the big yard and the last two mornings have been tear-free, which is a HUGE deal for me, it hasn't been that way since about March.  He apparently just loves me so much that it made him cry at every drop off, school or daycare.

I did take some pictures of the first day, but Abby took my camera today and then while I was trying to get it from her, she ran into the desk, fell to the floor and dropped the camera.  It broke the shutter and now the camera won't turn on!  Crap-ola!

Anyway, that has been the big deal on the family front.

On a personal front...my mom and I are trying our hand at a new craft venture.  I just love to be crafty and last year, we did a craft sale.  I had wanted to do one for so long.  We took both crafts and baking.  The baking sold very well, but on the craft front...we didn't sell very much at all.  My aunt actually took the majority of the crafts and sold them at her office, so we did fine in recouping our costs, but not in the format we wanted.

This year, I suggested to her, we start trying to sell our items through our friends and groups on Facebook.

We are not doing it because we HAVE to in order to support our family.  For me, it's about wanting to take something fun and share it with others.

This is the craft we are starting with!

Tom The Turkey

Isn't he cute?!?  I sure think so!  He's perfect for Thanksgiving and it's a bit closer than I give it credit for.

I am working on a couple other crafts too, but don't have any complete to share yet.

I am also going to work on starting a website to have all of the craft items available in one place to view.  Like I said, we are not doing this to make millions by any means...just share our passion. I say "we", it's my passion, but mom has gotten roped in because she is better at the detail painting than I am and she can't resist her darling daughter!!  We decided to name ourselves LyAmy Krafts (pronounced Lame-e).  That is just another sign that we are in this for fun, I mean...who calls their crafts LAME? 

I also thought, this format will let us do the crafts as an order in comparison to having 20 on hand and no homes for them.

So, dear friends...if you are reading this, I would REALLY appreciate it if you shared this with your friends.  I also have a "poster" on my Facebook page with the details.  Stay tuned for more crafts shortly, both for the fall and winter!

That Which Creeps Me Out!

So, in my last post, I let you in on a little secret….my fear of frogs.

I wish my list stopped there, but it doesn’t. 

This post is inspired by something Abby said to me Monday morning, and I will fill you on those details in a bit, but first, I thought I would summarize a list of other non-important/real things that scare me and what I have self-diagnosed as the root of it.

1. Frogs…ok, so you already knew that but the root…I blame my Aunt….as a young kid, she enticed me into looking at the one she had and then continued to throw it in my face!  Thank you for that!  Guess that is what happens when you are her “little sister” type niece!
2. Open Closets at nighttime – as a child, my parents let me watch Poltergeist on Beta tape!  Probably not one of their stellar parenting moves…but they paid for it with countless nights of nightmares and waking up to me sleeping on the floor next to their bed…..but because of this movie…I am afraid that I will get sucked into the closet.
3. Creepy Crawlies under the bed – probably because of the reason listed above…not sure…but some nights when it is dark and I go to bed by myself…I hop into bed as fast as I can…it’s the same reason I MUST sleep with my feet covered.
4. Swimming in the river – let me be a bit more specific….river in that I cannot wade into….I used to all the time as a little kid, I was PRACTICALLY an Olympic swimmer….but then I got older and put some careful thought into everything that is swimming in there with me…you know, like Frogs, snakes, fish and turtles big enough to take off a foot!  You can’t blame a girl!

This last one is what I will end my list with.  My list could go on for many more pages of stupid little things, but this one brings me back to my point earlier with Abby.

Dolls!

And doll-like clowns!

As I got past the age of playing with them and being their “mommy”…around the same time I watched “Child’s Play” and “Dolls” I realized there are some creepy-ass dolls out there...a number of them in being in my closet!

Suddenly, I began to imagine that their eyes followed me or if I didn’t treat them with the utmost care, they would attack while I slept!  I remember buying at a yard sale, this wind up clown that sat on a shelf and played “send in the clowns”…his head moved back and forth to the music.  I had him on the shelf in my room until I was convinced that he kept looking at me.  He got moved to mom and dad’s room shortly after that to haunt them instead.

My last doll haunting was early spring of this year.  I walked out the back porch and sitting in Abby’s baby swing in the backyard was a doll!  I didn’t really recognize it and it was dirty and ugly.  The swing sort of moved back and forth in the breeze and I had no idea how it got there.  Strange and creepy!  I didn’t go near it by the way!

I later learned that the neighbour snuck it there.  They found it in their yard and assumed that their dog took one of Abby’s dolls and tried to bury it…but to this over active imagination, this doll just hiked itself up into the swing to keep an ever creepy eye on me.  In all fairness, my lovely neighbour had no idea of my “phobia” of dolls that come to life!

Anyhoo, back to the link to Abby!

When we cleaned out my grandfather’s house, there was a brand new music box type toy.   A little statue of a clown that you wind up and it spins in a circle.  It has been on her shelf for months now, but I went in to wake her up Monday morning and she says to me while pointing in it’s direction.

“momma I don’t like him”

“ don’t like what, Abby?” (already guessing what she was pointing to)

“that man…he scare me…please move it!”

I didn’t push the issue, just said sure thing and put him in the living room.  I mean, this momma can understand the fear of the clown that moves!  Funny thing is though…I have NEVER pointed him out to her, NEVER wound it up…nothing, just took it out of the box and set it on the shelf!.

Don’t fear though…she is still a baby-aholic.  That girl loves her baby dolls, I just won’t tell her they can come to life and kill you if you are not nice to them!

A Threat In My Own Yard!

Last weekend, we finally got rid of the major threat that had been lurking in my veggie garden for about a month now.

I wasn't sure how to deal with it for quite some time.  I tried to ignore it, but it would pop up occasionally and bring it to the forefront of my mind.

It was starting to impact every trip I made outside.  I hated having to go to pick tomatoes or carrots.  I just gave up and started sending Brian.

But last weekend was crunch time. The tomatoes needed another major pruning and staking.  I hadn't been in the garden more than 5 minutes when this major threat surfaced again!  I screamed real loud and pretty much pole vaulted out of the garden.  Brian ran to my aid, as well as the kids.

I did what any good mom would do when her children are facing a dangerous situation...I sent Hayden right in to deal with it for me!

What was the M.A.J.O.R threat you ask?

This is a life size picture!
For reals!!!

It would be the understatement of the year if I said I didn't like frogs!

I can't even express how much I dislike them!  Oh, I don't mind them if I know they are there and can avoid them.  I can watch them from a safe difference, I mean I did take these pictures.....it's the jumping out and scaring the living daylights out of me that makes me despise them so much.  This little sucker has jumped out at me a few too many times over the last month.  My reaction is the same each time....scream like a little school girl and jump like I just stepped in a bear trap!

True story...I once walked through a field with so many frogs...me gasping each time one hopped...that my abs were so sore the next day, I could barely stand!  I honestly had to stay home from school because I was so sore! ( not that I ever needed much convincing to NOT go to school, eh mom?)

Now, back to the frog in question.  I do my best to not let my fear of things effect the kids.  Hayden was all over that thing.....wanted to catch it so bad I was pretty sure he was going to turn my tomatoes into sauce while they were still on the vine.  We captured him in a HUGE home depot pail....'cause I needed to make sure he couldn't get away!

Hayden fondled that little fellow so many times, I was pretty sure he was going was to wish he had had a run in with the lawnmower instead!

I snapped a couple more pictures before the kids went to release him in the field WAY WAY WAY across the road from the house!

This is my favorite picture!
Buh Bye Kermit...go find your own Miss Piggy!
This one's not interested!

Ottawa Bound

Well, family holidays are over.  Now you have to put up with my blog, overloaded with pictures and video...DEAL WITH IT!!

This year, we decided to head to Ottawa.  It was not our original plan, Niagara Falls was.  We asked Hayden if he wanted to go to Marineland, his response...I want to go somewhere with a pool!

My first thought was to check out Toronto, as it wasn't a real long drive and we could go to the ROM, because he also wanted to see dinosaurs.  I priced out the Delta Chelsea and it was about $150.00 a night.

Brian and I had been to Ottawa about 8 years ago and stayed at one of the Travelodge Hotels that had a great kiddie pool, wave pool and slide.  I priced it out and a room with a poolside view was only $95.00 a night!  Plus, there would be tons to do with the kids.

So, we booked it and headed out this past Tuesday.  We got to Ottawa around 1pm and were able to check into our room a bit early. (travelling mid-week really does make a difference!)  Our room had a balcony that overlooked the pool and added to the kids excitement!  Hayden was pretty much naked by the time Brian and I got in the door of the hotel.  We unpacked the swimsuits and got right to the swimming!

Our View from the room's balcony

Hayden's all ready!

Abby too!

The pool was pretty awe-inspiring to the kids.  It was a huge area and I wish my camera was better, my pictures didn't turn out great but I'm sharing them anyway!  (my blog...my rules!)

Kiddie Pool

Wave pool and slide

We used the pool for a couple hours.  Neither Hayden or Abby had any fear.  I was surprised!  Hayden is usually pretty timid around the water and I wasn't sure if we would get him down the waterslide, despite the fact that it was shallow at the landing!  Once he went down the first time, that was it....he was HOOKED!

They both also LOVED the wave pool!

The kiddie pool was great, because when Brian and I got tired of the water, we could just sit back on the lounge chairs and watch the kids still have fun.

Abby and Daddy chillin' poolside

After the pool, we surprised the kids by going to Build A Bear to let them make their own stuffies!

Hayden stuffing his turtle

Abby stuffing her cat (she was "shy")

Wash and fluff station

Abby during her "meltdown" because the shoes were not for her!
She had to try them anyway!

Hayden and "Speedy"

It was pretty fun and exciting for them.  We then had some dinner and then back to the hotel for more swimming.  The pool was open until 10 each night and we went to bed about the same time.

The next morning, the kids were up at 6 and we had plans to visit a couple of museums.  

The Museum of Nature was the first stop and where Hayden would see his dinosaurs!

Abby was more excited because she got to ride
in the stroller

Hayden all ready to go in

We found the dinosaurs

Hayden and his map

More dinosaurs

Abby checked them out too

Family swim with the whales

Watch out for the polar bear!

Abby found a kitchen to play with

We promised the kids we would hit up the gift shop after the museum and that is what we did.  Hayden got himself a dinosaur egg with a dinosaur inside you had to dig out.  Abby picked out a little "purse" that had a camera inside you could decorate.  She had a minor meltdown in the gift shop because Brian took it away from her to pay for it.  After getting out of the store with her sobbing, Brian pulled her onto his lap for a quick cuddle.  She's on his knee and he says

"Abby, are you peeing in your pull-up?"

"Yeah"

Next I hear:

"Aw F**K,....she just peed all over me!"

Yup, the pull-up leaked and Brian's shorts were SOAKED!

I was nice....I didn't laugh until after he left to take her to the bathroom!  But he was SO mad when he headed to the bathroom, but saw the humor in it afterwards!

From there, wet bums and all, we headed to the Museum of Science and Technology.  We picked this one because we were told it has trains and Hayden still loves trains!

Little did we know until we arrived that during the summer, on Wednesdays and Sundays, you can take a ride on a steam train!

Just as cheap at Peterborough....but a better train!

It was the first thing we did and was great.  It was just a short little 10 minute trip, but exciting enough.  A couple years ago we did a "Day Out With Thomas", but I liked this better.  The train ride was shorter, but the museum was WAY better!  This museum, in my opinion, was better than the Museum of Nature.  It was VERY interactive.  There were so many things the kids to could touch or sit in.

Waiting....

On the train

Checking out the inside of the engine...it was hot in there!

Our train

Telephone booth

Abby's turn

Driving the army truck

Brian's only chance to play as a Leaf

Hayden wouldn't believe this was a snowmobile

Big Bike Ride

Back at the hotel, we again went to the pool for a couple hours, dinner and the pool again.

On Thursday, we went for breakfast, avoided the pool one more time by bribing the kids with a trip to Toys R Us and headed home.

It was great to be away and we plan to do the trip again in the near future.  Next time we will visit the Musuem of Civilation for the kids musuem.

So there you have it.  I hope I have convinced you to do your own trip to Ottawa!  I think it may just be my new favorite vacation destination!