Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Baby It's Cold Outside!

Winter hit us this week. The Hero is out dealing with their first accident of the season to prove it. I hope no one is seriously hurt. With the white stuff also comes that bitter cold that I can't adjust to. I want to curl up on the couch with my coffee and watch food network all day. The magic thing about the white stuff is that it kicks you in the behind and makes your realize just how quickly Christmas is approaching. The Hero had to take a trip south so the crew and I went to get my Mom and she stayed overnight. Yesterday we did a marathon shop. I managed to cross a few people off the list but really need to get at it. It was only yesterday that I realized how much time I don't have. Now I'm hoping and praying the weather improves so I can get out there again. I have probably mentioned before how much I hate driving. Winter driving with the world's morons, who are deluded into believing that driving an SUV or a pick up truck makes them invincible, is even worse than regular driving. I'm of the mind set that there is no sense hurrying to my death on icy roads so I don't take chances in the passing department. I think a 360 spin into the ditch during my first winter with a license scared me for life. I'm also hauling precious cargo most times and they are worth more to me than redneck dummy riding my tail because they are in a hurry to get to Tim's.

Be safe out there!

Thursday, November 22, 2007

Perceptions

I've recently been involved in a discussion about Jon and Kate Plus 8. It has been interesting to hear the different opinions about this family. Some people say they are so "real" and that is refreshing for a reality show. :S Others cannot stand how Kate is a control freak and snipes at Jon constantly. Some agree her behavior is over the top but excuse her because she has 8 children. Jon needs some backbone to stand up for himself are other opinions. I wonder how people in this discussion are perceiving each other by the answers they are giving. I wonder how many of those defending Kate are like her. I wonder how many against her are unlike her or maybe want to be unlike her.

Then my mind goes on to think of how people would perceive my own marriage. Would they say that the Hero needs a backbone, that I am a doormat, that I snipe, that either of us is a control freak, that he is a jacker, etc? Would they think we have a good marriage or a rocky one? I think of how we behave around others. We both have a sarcastic sense of humor, could that be perceived the wrong way by those looking in? I tease the Hero that no one else would put up with him and he agrees with me. We banter back and forth. Does that look like dishonor or disrespect to strangers or to those that know us? Do we really care what it looks like? We have come such a long way in our relationship and we truly have a fantastic marriage. I wonder if that is the witness we give to the world. I wonder all these things and then the Hero comes home from fire practice the other night saying that they all seem to think we have the perfect relationship. I ask why they think that and he says "I guess because I never talk badly about you. The fact that I work from home and we spent so much time together yet we can still have fun and stand each other." So I guess our witness is solid despite our sarcastic humor and crazy banter.

When we know love matters more than anything, and we know that nothing else REALLY matters, we move into the state of surrender. Surrender does not diminish our power, it enhances it. ~Sara Paddison

Friday, November 16, 2007

Ramblings

I've updated my favorite things list and added it to my links list in the margin. Check it out for updates as I discover new favorite things.

Today was report card day for the crew. Kodiak is totally rocking out the Jr. High experience. I'm very proud of him. La Diva is also doing quite well but needs to pick up that spelling mark. She is an atrocious speller. Iceman is struggling but I knew that already. I'm not overly enthused with his teacher and his report card has confirmed my concerns. I'm really disappointed that the discussions I had in the beginning of the year with the speech therapist and his teacher seem to have fallen on deaf ears. Maybe I'm jumping the gun and perhaps our parent-teacher conference next week will make me feel better. However, I'm pretty convinced he has dyslexia. I'm looking into getting him some help through Sylvan Learning Centres. The positive thing is she says he is working really hard and his marks for effort reflect that. He truly enjoys school so I hope that we can get him the help he needs to succeed without being discouraged. He asked how he did in his report card. I told him that he is working really hard, trying his best and that is so AWESOME! Turtle is doing very well. He is a smart cookie and tries to chime in when I'm working with Iceman. That ticks off the Iceman so we've worked out a system so Turtle is off somewhere else when Iceman and I are working. While it would benefit the Turtle to be with us it is too hard for Iceman when his younger brother is getting it and he is struggling.

The Hero is on the west coast today. He just emailed me that he forgot to consider the time change when he went to check in for his flight. He's a whole hour ahead of the game. LMBO! Sounds like he had a productive trip. We will be glad for him to be home. He's done more traveling than usual as of late and I miss him when he's gone. Shhhh, don't tell him.

I finally did some much dreaded sorting of our equivalent to a junk drawer. We have these 2 baskets that are dump zones for the Hero when he walks in the door. They were overflowing with junk. I tossed, sorted, returned things to their proper place and had an empty basket. It's amazing the weird things you find in these catch alls. Just a few of the odds and ends that I discovered today:
  • ear protectors, those big safety kind for operating heavy machinery or mowing the lawn
  • a pee in a bag kit~ for men to pee in when they can't find a washroom. Essentially it turns hard when you pee in it and is biodegradable. :S
  • lip balm
  • flashlights
  • tetra helmet stickers
  • pens and pencils
  • gum
  • allan key
  • various keys and keychains~ for what I'm not sure.
  • business cards
  • receipts
  • measuring tape
  • CDs of photos I've yet to have printed
  • sunglasses
  • safety glasses
  • lanyards
  • screws
  • paperclips
  • elastics
  • moist towelettes
  • gloves
  • rubber gloves
  • CPR mask
  • waterproof notepad
  • Sharpies
  • lint brush
  • mini pack of clorox wipes
  • a sucker
  • a plastic fire chief badge
  • a hotwheel car
  • glowsticks
  • loose change
Hey Giada is going to Martha's Vineyard. Cool, I've always wanted to visit there. Guess I get to go tonight courtesy of Food Network. I always watch Food Network, TLC, HGTV, etc when the Hero is gone. It keeps me company and is far more interesting than COPs, Detriot SWAT and the Military Channel.

Well I should go and put the Turtle and Iceman to bed. I may just open a bottle of merlot tonight. I think I've earned this week.

Thursday, November 15, 2007

25 Things you may not know about me

I have a friend that has a 100 things list on her blog (hey Shannon) but I think I may have trouble coming up with 25 let alone 100. I'll give it a shot. Let's see if I surprise anyone.

  1. I love to read cookbooks. Yes read them. Sometimes I cook from them too but mostly I read.
  2. I hate socks but as I age I have to wear them more often than I care to because my feet freeze.
  3. I like to pop zits.
  4. I cannot properly make anything that requires rolled dough. I have a severe handicap when it comes to rolling dough.
  5. I cannot make puffed wheat squares to save my life, they are either hard as rocks or do not stick together. I can make just about anything else but not something as simple as this.
  6. I have a love affair with purses but in these past years I rarely buy them. However, I drool over them and spend much time looking at them in the stores.
  7. I have a card problem. I've been better the last 2 years with no Winners nearby to raid on a regular basis. I used to clean out the clearance rack of stationary very often. I love note cards. I love paper. It makes me happy to open my metal container that stores them all. I can kill some serious time in a Hallmark store or any store that has paper. I love to go to scrapbook stores to drool over the paper but I can't scrap to save my life.
  8. I love wine and could drink a glass daily but I don't.
  9. My favorite sweet treat is white chocolate almond bark.
  10. I have created a cookbook of all my favorite recipes. It is on the computer but I have not made a hard copy of it.
  11. I played alto saxophone for 6 years. I also played organ.
  12. I used to speak fluent french but I can barely keep up to a bilingual speech in parliament anymore.
  13. I did my first income tax return at 12 but my dreams of becoming an accountant were crushed by my Math 10 teacher. Thanks Mr. Tucker. I've struggled with math ever since.
  14. I'd love to run a B&B one day.
  15. I am not a cat person at all. I don't even like Garfield. Bling Bling Kitty is the only exception but she is mostly human.;)
  16. I cannot stand for anyone to touch my belly button.
  17. I hate to vacuum.
  18. I collect nativities and Christmas angels.
  19. I have a bread problem. I love great rustic breads but my body doesn't love them. I've gotten a handle on it but I yearn to eat a loaf of dark rye or sourdough every now and then.
  20. I love cheese. I have not met a cheese that I didn't like. mmmmmmmmmm .... Cheese!
  21. I have zero tolerance for out of control children and no respect for the parents that have created them. Yes I know mine are not perfect. Trust me I'm far from perfect as well. I also know some children have special issues. I just have no tolerance for wildness and disrespect.
  22. I have really good discernment. I can see things in situations or people that others don't see. If I had to rate my accuracy it would be in the 94% range.
  23. I was born with black hair. It fell out when I was a few months old and came back blonde. Now it is whatever color I feel like which is mostly red with various highlights and lowlights.
  24. I hate driving. In a perfect world I would have a chauffeur.
  25. I want to write a book on parenting/being a wife one day.

That was hard. There is no way I could do 100. Can you do 25?? I'd love to see your list.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Change

Winter is coming. So far the snow has not been sticking. Today the wind was bitter cold and howling. Everyone was complaining but we are pretty lucky to not have snow. I hate this limbo time of year. I love autumn, all the colors, the beautiful weather and especially getting back into routine after a summer of freedom. Then comes late October and November... the trees are naked save for a few tenacious leaves hanging on for dear life, the ground is brown, the plants have been pulled or have gone into hibernation, the wind is bitter and the sun spends more days hiding than coming out to play. It is the gray, gloominess that gets me down. As much as I dread the cold that comes with the snow I appreciate the blue skies and sunshine. Right now I'm deprived of the sun and it's making me grumpy.

While I'm waiting for the season to change I'm going to try to change my attitude about this time of year. I really want to hide under the covers until the sun starts shining again. I don't feel like doing my daily chores or being around people. But I'm going to do my best to push through this mini season of gloom and look forward to the season to come.

Looking forward and making some changes:

  1. Change blog template, this seems bright and happy to me right now.
  2. Stop being in denial that the year is almost over and Christmas is almost here.
  3. Get back on track with my exercising. I've done really well and lost almost 20 lbs since September!! I'm feeling great but I've been slacking on my exercise. I need to stay motivated despite the gloomy gray clouds.
  4. Stop making excuses and call to volunteer with the local organization to help families in need this Christmas.
  5. Get my gift list sorted out.
  6. Make my baking lists.
  7. Plan date night.
  8. Finish my 100 list.
  9. Find something to wear to the Christmas Gala.
  10. Start decorating.
  11. Blog more regularly.
That should be plenty to help me focus on the good stuff and stop wallowing in the blah of this limbo non-season of gray.

Friday, November 09, 2007

Remembering Thoughtfully


November 11th marks Remembrance Day or Veteran's Day in North America. I encourage you to take a moment of quiet reflection and prayer out of respect for the men and women who have paid the ultimate sacrifice.
Remembering Thoughtfully....

Men waiting anxiously

Soldiers fighting fearlessly

Search for freedom endlessly

Death toll mounting daily

Blood flowing continually

Women and children crying hopelessly

Civilians dying needlessly

Orphans searching desperately

Heroes are made unexpectantly

Praying for freedom and peace eventually.

By Kodiak, Age 11 © November 2006


Friday, November 02, 2007


I've been really trying to apply this to my life. Today it has proven to be more difficult than other days. I'm only human right? I'm posting this to remind myself to let it go. If you are interested in getting these daily pearls of wisdom than you should visit HeartMath.