Friday, January 1, 2010
I hold it!
Happy New Year to everyone! After a rather long hiatus, I can say that our family holidays are officially done. We all had a fun time with holiday prep, lots of family around, a trip to see Auntie Lisa, and now a detox for Hubby and I. For real. Somehow I have to find a way to detox The Destroyer of sugary treats.
Hubby and I are one week into a 30 day cleanse. All is well so far and I have lost 6 pounds. I am feeling fantastic. I have energy. I go all day long without stopping. I have a list a mile long of things I want to do this year. I will have it all for you in the Who's DDM section. Click here for that. I haven't written there since October. Slacker, I am.
The holidays are a time for indulging. That I did. So much so that on Boxing Day I had to take a Zantac. I have never taken one of those in my life. Too much rich food. And so we got all the treats out of the house on the 26th and vacated our house of anything else that a Zantac would like to attack.
The Wee Ladies had a super time. The Destroyer especially. All she asked Santa for was a candy bracelet. That's it. She got three. So for Christmas Day and the day after, she wore them around her neck and wore them down. She was caked with white goop all around her mouth and down onto her neck and chest. It was a true sight to see. She asked me this morning for another one.
Sugar is her weakness. Anything sweet. Or refined. Like Kraft Dinner. She loves these things so much she wants to carry them around with her. She walked around with the unopened Gummie Life Savers that were left in her stocking. For days. And I would try and take them away at which point she would yell, "I hold it!" Eventually I found trails of wrapper around the house. It was a gradual process. She does the dame thing with the KD. She will randomly go into the cupboard and parade around shaking the dried macaroni inside. I will say, "We have already had lunch!" She practically spits, "I hold it!" in my face, knowing full well we are not having it to eat.
So it is increased fruit, oatmeal with flax, apples and honey. It is granola with vanilla yogurt. She is digging it and besides the comment about wanting another candy bracelet, she really hasn't asked for anything else sweet. And she really hasn't attempted to help herself like she was doing. She is not reaching into the cupboard that is at her height looking for the Digestives, granola bars, or raisins.
Maybe it is because I finally got my act together and removed it. Not from the house, but to another location. We have to have Digestives! Isn't that like a childhood staple? When we were kids, we occasionally got the chocolate covered ones.
One of my resolutions: Keep The Destroyer from eating too much sugar and monitor more closely what she is snacking on.
And the same goes for me.
All's I'm sayin's all. Labels: Mission, Reflection, The Destroyer
Monday, December 14, 2009
All I want for Christmas are my Bubble Lights
We have temporarily lost some of our tree lights and ornaments. After packing and moving right after the holidays this past year, we have stuff in a variety of locations. I thought we brought all of the Christmas stuff with us, but I have discovered that my NOMA Bubble Lights are MIA. I am crushed. Click here for a refresher from last year.
This past weekend, we went out into the woods and emerged with our Fraser fir. It is smaller than years past, but it is because we have way less space. It is a good size, a normal size, if you will. We agreed that we had been overdoing it in the tree department. We found a nest in last year's tree. This year we have a smallish tree with lots of character.
I sent Hubby down into the crawl space to retrieve the decorations. Among hundreds of boxes labeled 'kitchen stuff', he only found one box of decorations for around the house and one box of tree lights mixed with one small box of glass ornaments. I asked him to check under the first of three boxes labeled 'fondue set' for the rest. Nothing.
WHERE ARE MY BUBBLE LIGHTS?
I can't go through Christmas without my Bubble Lights. These things are the best kind of fire hazard you could have. They don't make them like they used to anymore. And every year, keeping with my own personal tradition, I insist on heading into the local Canadian Tire and asking the staff to point me in the direction of the Bubble Lights. They stare at me like I am some crazy off the street. They don't know! They probably weren't even born when Bubble Lights were at their all time height in popularity. Kids these days.
Even EvieG is upset that there are no Bubble Lights this year.
We went for the multi-coloured twinkle lights and threw in a couple strands of LED lights to do our part for the environment (tree cutting excluded obviously). The box did have the disco ball and Santa lights. But I must have packed the Bubble Lights in bubble wrap and hidden them at the bottom of the box with the circa 1979-gold-spray-painted-dried-macaroni ornaments. And the rodent-nibbled-waffle-cone-popcorn-meant-to-be-an-ice-cream-cone-with-a-red-pom-pom-on-top ornament.
Devastated.
The fact that I don't have my old ornaments and retro lights bums me out big time.
I sucked it up. We bought one of those buckets o' ornaments for $25. They are plastic and they are all silver. So they do sparkle nicely with the twinkle lights. And it will work out fine because we won't risk losing anymore oldies but goodies in the loose grip of The Destroyer. We lost a few last year. So far we have had a lot fall but they just bounce and roll along the hard floor. If anything, I am going to have to go and stock up on extra hooks. I have noticed that some have fallen like pine cones and then I have to search for their proper branch. And they make the hooks green now so they camouflage. The breakable ones have gone 36 inches and above.
I am actually considering attaching the tree to the wall with fishing line. I see The Destroyer pacing back and forth in front of the tree looking like she is ready to pounce on her prey. I figure it is a matter of time before it all comes crashing down.
At least most objects on there are plastic. And I think we did use the fishing line last year. So maybe it's a good thing we don't have our old ornaments and Bubble Lights. I wouldn't want to risk losing them forever.
Ho hum. I will miss turning out the lights and sitting in front of the lit tree watching the mini lava lamps work their mesmerizing magic.
All the more fuel for me to come back next year bigger and better. I will make it my mission for 2010:
Find Bubble Lights, buy replacements for the existing dried up ones, and expand on current collection through online purchasing.
All's I'm sayin's all.
Labels: DDM, Mission
Monday, November 23, 2009
Illness Infiltrates
Illness is infiltrating our house. EvieG was off most of last week with a virus. May have been the HiNee (H1N1) or some other bug. She is still coughing a bit. The Destroyer has a urinary tract infection. I am entering week four with a head cold. But I started taking Cold FX.
Have you tried this stuff? I feel like I am Speedy Gonzales. What a way to gain some instant energy. The ginseng and echinacea combined makes for a super duper sense of accomplishment. I was vacuuming tonight at 8:30. What is wrong with me?
As a preventative measure, I say take one of these a day and you'll be running a marathon by next spring. I am like the little engine that could.
I still have a cold. I can't smell or taste anything. I am coughing but mostly at night and am stuffed up in the sinuses. The sinuses have carried the brunt of this illness. So I went out and bought one of those teapots for snot.
Have you tried one of those before? What a weird feeling of relief! You lean forward tilt your head gently to the side, stick the spout of the teapot in a nostril let it pour into the sinus cavity and come out the other side. Don't lean back or you will feel like you just chugged part of the Gulf of Mexico. The first time I tried I did it twice just because it felt so cool. And then I realized my kitchen shutters were wide open for all the neighbours to see. Tea through her nose? That girl really is strange!
I can't wait to beat this thing. It has been one of the worst colds I have had in a very long time. At least I can take cold drugs now. I always hated that about pregnancy. It was like a death sentence when you were sick and were told that you had to stick it out. Like preparing us for what is to come with babies. A lesson in strength, stamina, perseverance. I cheated. I used to take Buckleys. Just like I still cheat and turn on the TV when I can't take anymore.
Here's stamina for you- TV and a Cold FX. You will have the entire house, cleaned, scrubbed, and dusted, all in minutes.
All's I'm sayin's all.
Labels: Battle, Mission
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
My sewing + thread = bird's nest
I can't sew to save my life. It is beyond terrible. It is so bad, I will tell you exactly how pathetic it is.
EvieG is in ballet this year. She loves it, which is great. She is at a dance school that requires my attention to detail. I have to have her in a certain outfit, her hair has to be in a pony tail or ballet bun, and she has to wear pink leather ballet slippers.
These slippers are my nemesis.
We bought the slippers only to learn that I had to sew the elastic straps to the sides in a criss-cross. I thought to myself, Really? Can I pay someone to do it? I can barely sew the Sparks' badges onto her hot pink sash, let alone sew straps to ensure they fit right. I can't even hem pants. Or put the button in the right spot, for crying out loud!
I had one week to get it done.
It was last Saturday. The slippers were sitting on our bookshelf. I stared at them. As I settled into bed, I took out the hot pink thread that I used for Sparks and a needle. I put the thread through the needle. I attempted to stitch. The thread got caught up somewhere between the inside and the outside of the shoe and I couldn't straighten it out. There were loops everywhere. After 3 attempts, I cut the thread off and threw the slipper across the room. I had a nice pile of thread on my side table.
Three days passed. I told Hubby last Sunday that we needed to get this done and that I was going to pay someone to do it for me. He scoffed at me and told me he would do it.
I agreed and repeated that we had to have these by Wednesday.
No problem, he reassured me.
Last night the slippers still weren't sewn. Crap. I concluded I was screwed and that I would be scolded at ballet the following day by the instructor because EvieG would be without shoes.
I bucked up. I told myself, I can do this. I can. I can. I can sew the friggin' straps on these friggin' slippers.
I tucked myself into bed and pulled out my arsenal of needles, and my hot pink thread. I selected a big needle, figuring it would be easier to maneuver through the leather.
It broke. In half.
Some more thread to add to the pile.
I then picked out a teeny needle, figuring it would slide through easier. To push a needle through leather is tough work and I didn't have a thimble on me at that time. I mean, who owns a thimble? When I think of a thimble I think of Thimblina, or some fairy tale where a little fairy sits on top of a lovely silver thimble and then makes a nice house out of it where all of the little forest animals and fairies come to play, until she is swept away by the Thimble Prince who whisks her away to the bigger and better thimble palace.
I opened my side table drawer and pulled out my tiny bottle of medicated eye/ear drops to use as a makeshift thimble.
I punctured the bottle.
Again, I tore out the thread and added it to the growing pile. I moved the leaking bottle to the side table.
I tried one more time and successfully completed three stitches. I used the heel of the other shoe as my thimble.
Hubby came in. He looked at me and asked why I looked so frustrated. I showed him the slipper. He took a look at it and said, "This won't last! You only have three stitches in this!" and then he looked at it more carefully. He then asked, "Isn't this strap supposed to go across the shoe?"
I started laughing so hard I cried. I finally got one strap sewn and I sewed it to the WRONG SPOT!
I was so angry by this point that I threw the slippers across the room.
I told him he was doing it, and gave him a deadline of Wednesday afternoon.
He did one shoe last night. And in a totally different way than I did. He strategically placed the stitches on either side of the leather seam. Why didn't I think of that? He finished the other slipper this afternoon. With needle-noised pliers as his thimble. Why didn't I think of that?
The good thing that came out of all of this was that I realized A) I will never sew again unless I have a thimble, or needle-nosed pliers and B) I will never sew again. Who am I kidding? C) All of the thread I went through will make one nesting bird very happy.
I can't wait to find the nest in the bush out front lined with hot pink thread next Spring.
All's I'm sayin's all.
PS Hubby must have been a seamstress in his former life. EvieG loves her shoes that much more thanks to him.
PPS October Who's DDM is done. I am waiting for my web page helper to put it up for me. Keep checking back! Labels: DDM, EvieG, Hubby, Mission
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
DDM Cab Company
We've been running around a lot the past couple of weeks. From here to there and there to here. I have started up a new business. And it's called DDM Cab Co.
There are a few things my customers must do.
- Buckle in at all times. - Keep the antics to a minimum. No crying, sobbing, shouting, arguing, spitting food, or colouring on the seats. - Keep all hands and feet inside. - Don't litter inside the cab. Take garbage with you. - No throwing. - No pets allowed. Snails and caterpillars must remain in the bushes. - Take all belongings. - Stay seated until the vehicle comes to a complete stop. - Keep shoes and socks on at all times. - Use manners when requesting music selections. - Use manners at all times. - Stay out of the front seat. - Extra change is for tips, not the CD player.
As we drive from the YMCA to home to choir practice and Sparks and back again, I continually enforce my rules. I am the driver and need to concentrate. I have to watch the speed limit and look out for cops. If I feel that my customers are not obeying the rules of the cab, I will abruptly pull over, tell them I will drop them off then and there and then ask them how they would like to proceed.
Once they are silenced, we continue on our way.
Cash only. Debit not accepted. Coffees welcome.
All's I'm sayin's all.
Labels: Battle, DDM, Mission
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Curb the crave
I am rebooting my system. Officially. I went to see a Holistic nutritionist last night and she is now the person who will provide me with a plan that consists of foods I can tolerate. Because after I left there, the only thing I can pretty much eat is dairy and barley. I am going to cleanse my system.
I have a history of intolerances. My brothers tease me about it all the time. I can't eat this and I can't touch that. I do not have any severe, life threatening allergies, but there are foods that my body tries to pick a fight with and sucker punches occasionally. The past few years I have become careless and have eaten more of the foods that I should be avoiding. The result is now sluggishness, hormone imbalances, fatigue, and irritability. I have been a real peach to live with. I can't eat those either. I have a stone-fruit allergy.
Some could argue that this is motherhood making me like this. It is to a certain degree, but it is out of character for me to break into tears at 3 am when I am supposed to be sleeping. I never have issues sleeping. Ever.
I made the call. The call for support to get my body rid of all the crap and start putting in what it likes. And cocoa isn't on that list either. Or alcohol. Or coffee. I'm screwed. She told me my body is not happy with me right now. It is like it is giving me the silent treatment. Like it's telling me to talk to the hand cause the face ain't listening.
This isn't forever. And it's not like I am going all Jekyll and Hyde every time I eat something that is not in the 'cool crowd' according to my body. I am detoxing and cleansing so in the end I will be able to eat whatever I want.
She tested me for food intolerances. She is making me a meal plan to abide by for the next 2 weeks. I don't have it yet. I am to drink 8 glasses of water today. I actually did it. From consuming a couple of coffees and a glass of wine and maybe a glass of water, I went over the 8 glass limit today. And it wasn't too hard, after I put my mind to it. I am dehydrated, calcium-deficient, zinc deficient, and a sugar/caffeine addict. I have had a headache all day as I go through withdrawal; as my body drop kicks the toxins away from my general area.
I love sweets. Anything starchy and sweet. Or chocolaty. I am that girl who without fail, walks down the cereal aisle and slows down to gawk at the sugar cereals. Every time. I never cave in to those, but I am sometimes very close. And it wouldn't be for the Wee Ladies. Oh, no. It would be all for me. I would hide it in its special place- 2 boxes behind the Brownberry Stuffing and to the right of the 5 lb bag of potatoes. Honey Comb, Sugar Puffs, Lucky Charms..... ooooh. Oh, and Count Chocula. For us, it is actually in reality a lot of fruit, granola bars, yogurt, teddy bear crackers, and whole grain everything. This is why I thought we were doing alright with our food and sugar intake. Apparently what I thought was good sugar, or low sugar, is still too much sugar. I never went for the Viva Puffs or Wagon Wheels, although I slow down in that aisle too. Holistic Lady looked at the menu I provided. "But there's hardly any vegetables on here!" she scolded. I said, "Well, we always have veggies for dinner." In her German accent, she sternly responded with, "That's not enough." OK, you win. I need to work on it.
So we are all going to get an overhaul; the Wee Ladies and Hubby indirectly. We will be living by a relatively wheat-free, fish-filled menu with I'll-have-veggies-with-that. And there is no dessert until you have eaten dinner. And dessert will be something like lentils, rice cakes, or Spitz sunflower seeds. Nuts are forbidden. I am legitimately allergic to tree nuts and mildly to soy and peanuts. I always eat PB and have increased my soy intake greatly over the past few months. I guess my body hadn't decided to let those things back into the cool club.
I am going to keep progress reports on this journey over the next few months as I straighten myself out. I will keep you up to date with what I am doing to make my life healthier. I want to have the energy to keep up with the Wee Ladies. I don't want to be moody like I have been at times.
I don't want to be as acidic as the litmus paper told me I am. Because according to Holistic Lady, that's when the toxins take over. And that is when you increase your chances of hitting up the Marble Orchard before your time. I don't want people to say, "Well, she was nice. But she could have avoided it. She should have said no to that last Timbit."
Plus, I don't like the word acidic. I don't want to be full of acid. That would make me poisonous.
Hiss.
All's I'm sayin's all.
Labels: DDM, Mission, Responsibility
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Crest Oral B Blogger Challenge Complete
I was asked to participate in a one-month challenge by Oral B and Crest. I went to the dentist before beginning this challenge to get an overall report of the current state of my mouth. I then used both Oral B and Crest products over the course of a month and then after the elapsed time, I returned to the dentist to see if there was any improvement in my mouth.
When I went to the dentist, they told me my overall oral health was good. But I have a mild case of gingivitis. Most of it is in between my teeth. My plaque and tartar levels are fine. But the gingivitis is there because I am not a consistent flosser. I only floss when I feel lots of build-up between my teeth. This is not a good habit to be in. I made a pact with myself to start flossing regularly after this challenge was over.
For the next month, I used the Oral B Vitality Precision electric toothbrush. I brushed twice a day. I brushed for the allotted two minutes. After the two minutes were up, the toothbrush would change its speed and rhythm to let me know I was done. There was only one speed for this brush.
In the morning I used the new Crest Pro Health Day toothpaste. It is a blue, minty gel with a mild gritty texture. At night I used the Crest Pro Health Night toothpaste. This is a thicker minty toothpaste and was even more textured than the day product. It felt like there was even more sand mixed into it. These fluoride toothpastes work to whiten teeth, freshen breath and battle cavities, gingivitis, plaque, sensitivity (hot and cold), and tartar.
Once I finished brushing, I used Crest Pro Health Antiseptic Oral Rinse. This is an alcohol free rinse that is supposed to kill germs that cause bad breath, plaque, and gingivitis. I was also to use the Crest Glide floss, but because I wasn’t a regular flosser, the dentist told me to continue my normal routine in order to get the most accurate results for this challenge. So I only used the floss when I felt I needed to.
I stuck to this challenge really well. I did what I was supposed to do without problems, even though 2 minutes sometimes seemed like forever with the Wee Ladies running around in the morning.
I liked the toothbrush. It got to all of the teeth and polished well. My mouth felt really clean using it. I charged it every 3 days or so, when it started to slow down in speed. I like to really give my tongue a good cleaning with my toothbrush. I felt that the small head of this brush did not do as good a job as my manual toothbrush. I also found that after this challenge was over, my gums and teeth felt more sensitive to the touch and to hot and cold temperatures. I concluded that I could have pressed too hard while I was brushing. I have not continued to use the electric toothbrush and have gone back to my manual toothbrush where I feel I can control my brushing a little bit better. I am still using the Pro Health Day toothpaste. It feels and tastes fresh. It is light and makes my mouth feel clean. It makes me feel good about starting the day without really bad morning breath. I think it has a tangy taste to it and the minty flavour doesn’t seem to last long. It does the trick though.
The Pro Health Night toothpaste is a real hum-dinger of a toothpaste. It is thick and creamy and grainy. You brush your teeth with this stuff and you really feel like you are giving your mouth the gears. It leaves you feeling really clean and it’s almost like you can see the coffee stains disappearing. It is more heavy duty as far as the sandy texture and the only thing I worry about, after having discussed this with people in the dental field, is how it affects the enamel on my teeth. I will not use this long-term, but will get it out a couple of times a year to give my teeth the what-for; to whiten and brighten them.
The Pro Health rinse is great. I never used a rinse, but I do now. Twice a day. I swish and gargle for 30 seconds after I brush in the morning and after I brush and floss at night. It leaves me feeling super clean, like if I were to smile in the mirror, my teeth would give that shiny little sparkle and include the dinging sound like in the cartoons. I feel like the germs are dying on contact with this stuff. I am on my second bottle. And I bought the big size.
I always used Oral B Satin floss. Not anymore. I love the Crest Glide floss. It is thicker, doesn’t cut my gums as easily, and had a hint of mint. It is gentler on my gums and shows more evidence of food. I am a fan of this floss and it is now my floss of choice.
I went back to the dentist for my ‘after’ appointment to see if my gingivitis had improved. It has a little bit. The biggest problem area is at the back of my mouth in between the molars. Hey, it is a step in the right direction. I’ll take it. My biggest problem is the lack of flossing, which I am already improving on. I have been flossing almost everyday since the challenge. They told me that once I start flossing more, I will see a noticeable difference in my oral health.
I thank Oral B and Crest for this opportunity to try out some new products. I will gladly use the rinse and floss consistently. The toothpastes are products I will use sporadically. I will not use the Vitality Precision toothbrush regularly. I am definitely more of a manual toothbrush person.
This challenge made me more aware of the time I spend on my teeth and has helped me establish an improved routine for maintaining a decent level of oral health. My gingivitis hopefully will continue to get better. More than anything, this challenge finally got me to floss regularly. That is amazing. I finally realized that I can take the time to brush thoroughly, rinse, and floss, and not miss out on anything.
All's I'm sayin's all.
PS I included this post over in DDM's Try Ons with pictures. Click here to see it over there.
Labels: DDM, Mission
Friday, May 15, 2009
Conquering my fear of flying from the ground
The Wee Ladies and I are making a habit of heading out to our local airport. I have issues with flying; a love-hate relationship if you will. I want to get past my fear. So I take everyone out to watch the flight training and grab a coffee. Hopefully, I won't be so scared to fly. If I ever get to go anywhere again. Ever. I used to LOVE flying. I would get myself into my seat, buckle in, and watch everything. I had to have a window seat. If I didn't get one, I would talk someone into trading with me. Sometimes, I even fell asleep before taking off. I was that comfortable. But then it all changed. I became a mom. I am now very aware of my own mortality. Slowly over the years, I have become more and more cautious of flying. I don't like the fact that I have no idea who I have trusted my life with. I require a shot or two before take off. I listen for any sounds that don't seem right. I watch the flight attendants carefully for changes in behaviour and expression. I study my surroundings. I know where the exits are. I strategically plan where I sit based on the probability of coming out alive in the event of a crash. I hate flying. It is the ascent and descent that I especially hate because those are the times during a flight when most things could go wrong. I have every possible scenario swirling around in my head. I become a nervous wreck. I twitch and fidget in my seat. I have lines appear all over my face. I am asked by the flight attendants if I feel alright. Every flight I take, which is few and far between, I move closer to Valium. The problem is that I LOVE to travel and I dream about all the places I want to go with the Wee Ladies all the time. I dream about where we can go and what we can do. I never plan the actual travel part. If I want to travel, I will have to fly. So I must get over this fear of flying before my next trip. When is my next trip? That has yet to be determined. There is no set date. But I figure I better get on this whole flying issue before the next trip gets here. And so it has begun. I am rebuilding my relationship with the plane. We went out to the airport this morning. I watched someone in training who was practicing their take off and landing. Every few minutes the plane landed and immediately took off again. We also watched helicopter pilots in training. One guy was on his cross country solo trip today. And then I saw something that made me feel somewhat okay about the whole flying thing. A 75 year old man take off in his self-made plane that is powered by a Subaru motor. He was alone. He was incredible. He made it look so easy. He fueled up, sat and watched a couple planes take off, started his engines, taxied out, and took off. Just like that. I was amazed by his comfort. I wondered if he was a veteran. The fact that he can get into something he built himself, using a car motor, and feel okay about it, made me think that I am likely going to be safe and sound on my next flight. His chances of crashing are far greater than mine would be by the looks of his plane. He was perfectly confident. The Wee Ladies are obsessed with the planes. They even go into the terminal and sit down on the leather couches to read plane magazines. They sat for about an hour this morning watching all of the local air action. Ten bucks says as soon as The Destroyer is old enough, she is going to want to be up in the sky doing air stunts. I wouldn't be surprised. Both of my brothers have their pilot's license. I have been flying with both of them. I thought I was a step away from the Marble Orchard. They got me to the ground safely and were happy I kept the barf bags empty. I am one visit closer to getting over my fear of flying. I figure if I get to know the airport staff and pilots in training, have a few conversations, and maybe even take a couple trips into the clouds with one of the local pilots, I will be good to go. Would I ever feel safe enough to get my pilot's license? If my brothers can do it, I can too. Maybe if I was the one in control, I would be just fine. I might even like it again... For now I will love and hate flying from the ground. All's I'm sayin's all. PS It is May 2-4 here this weekend! Being the long weekend, I will be back next Tuesday. Have a great weekend and thanks for reading! Labels: Mission, Reflection
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Coin collection obsession
I don't hoard and I try not to keep stuff around to pile up. And so it is not surprising that I am typically not one for collections. The only collections I ever had were a sticker collection when I was 8 and a chewed gum collection on the side of my dresser in my room. My in-laws came to visit last weekend and my MIL brought three RBC Olympic coin collector cards for the Wee Ladies. It has become a mission to find 3 of each coin for them, even at the risk of losing coffee money.  Still stuck on the chewed gum collection? It grossed most of my friends out, except my one best pal who had one of her own. And we contributed to each other's too. We would chew a wad of gum until there was no flavour left. We would get it all balled up, remove it from our mouths, and placed it in its designated spot. I think I had around 40 pieces. It smelled really nice and fruity as I made my way to the bathroom. We were so proud of our accomplishment.  My MIL thought it would be a good idea to have the Wee Ladies collect coins in celebration of the 2010 winter Olympics in Vancouver. So she brought the cards along with a few coins to get them started. We got them placed appropriately and glanced at the chart to confirm which ones were in circulation and which ones we have to wait patiently for. And now we search, collect, and wait for new ones to come from the Royal Canadian Mint. There are 17 to collect in all. EvieG has 6. Spark Plug and The Destroyer both have 3. EvieG has doubled them. My MIL thinks that come the time, they should all trade to make sure they end up with them all. I don't know. Here's what I foresee- DDM: (accepting change from my Starbucks grande mild with double cream) Oh look! I just got the curler! Do we have that one yet? EvieG: No! I want the curler for my collection! DDM: Well, what about your sisters? Spark Plug: I want it! TheD: Ahhhhhhhh! EvieG: Well, I think that we should fill up my card first. And then we can add to Spark Plug's and then to The Destroyer's. How's that sound? DDM: Hmmmm, that's not really fair is it? Can we come up with another idea? Maybe you can trade one of your coins with Spark Plug for the curler? EvieG: Nooooo! I don't want to lose my coins! She has a point. Why don't we just fill up one card at a time? Do Spark Plug and The Destroyer really know what is going on? At least EvieG can actively participate. I think we might have to do this all stealth like because there is no way we will have 3 of the same coin all the time. And if we make it a very public addition to one of the collector cards, and it is not Spark Plug's, she will have a rangy for sure. With this collecting in mind, I have now become obsessed with looking at all quarters and loonies. I am searching through coffee change, my wallet, through pockets, Hubby's change, and am even planning my payments with the intent of receiving quarters for change. What is happening to me? Will I not rest until all 51 coins are in their rightful spots? I will not rest until this task is completed. This is going to drive me to insanity if I am searching for Olympic change for the next year. And you know I will get really annoyed if I keep getting the same figure skating pair over and over and over again. Or if I keep seeing that regular caribou, or special addition in celebration of Canada's veterans. And all I will need is one more. The Olympics will come and go and it will be the damn speed skater that I needed. EvieG is the star of the week at school. We sent her off yesterday with her favourite books, some pictures of the family to share with her class and then the piece de resistance- the coin collection. And she told her class all about it. I am making her into a obsessive collecting freak. We will get them all. Oh yes, we will. I lied. I just remembered my other collection. Bazooka Joe comics.   All's I'm sayin's all. Labels: Battle, DDM, EvieG, Mission, Spark Plug, The Destroyer
Thursday, January 15, 2009
What it takes to get a library card
Getting a library card is more difficult than changing your driver's license in this town. In this mighty cold weather, I bundled the Wee Ladies in their winter gear and set out to check out the local library. I wanted to get all signed up with our own cards and I wanted EvieG to have her own too. We found the library and parked the van. I got out to see if it was open. It was 9:40 am. Nope. Doors open at 10:00 am. And so we drove around for a few minutes as I became better acquainted with the town. We arrived back at the library just as the doors were unlocked. I hauled the Wee Ladies out of the van and through the front doors. We were directed to the children's area which was a big, open space with ample room to sprint around, which The Destroyer did very well. We stayed long enough to toss a few books here and there and replace some in their improper spots. The librarian was nice enough to answer my questions but was likely thinking how much longer until they leave. She directed me back to the front desk to get set up with a card. Off we went as I chased Spark Plug and The Destroyer through the aisles of books, listening to them screech the whole time. Good thing it wasn't busy. I asked the librarian for a library card. "I need to see some proof of residence," she stated. "Well, we have only been here a week and I don't have anything like that yet." "A bill?" "Again, we have been here a week and I don't have any bills to pay yet....I'd like to keep it that way just a little while longer." "A driver's license? Or any other kind of statement....a lease agreement?" I am looking befuddled at this point. A lease agreement? She wants to see a legal document to grant me a library card? "Ummmmm, no. None of that." "Well, I will have to see something before I can give you a card." And so I rounded up the troops and headed out the door. I called Hubby, all frustrated. He was heading out to run an errand for work. I picked him up and he dropped me off at the driver's license office so I could do it alone without the Wee Ladies running around and then purposely failing someone who was writing their driving test because they decided to press the wrong key on the keyboard. And good thing he was around to save the day because I wasn't going to have gone out with the Wee Ladies all bundled up and not accomplish anything. If I got them all dressed for nothing, I would have for sure resorted to Timbits. I went inside thinking I would be turned away for this too. But I needed some proof to get my library card! "Hi there. I would like to change my address on my license, please." "Ok. What is the new address?" I recited it to her. "Thanks." Out came a piece of paper from the printer. She handed it to me. I asked, "Is this it? Don't you need to see some other documentation or anything to prove I live here?" "No. This is your temporary license and your updated card will come in the mail." "That's it? I asked, again befuddled. "That's it!" "You know, it is easier to get your license changed in this town than it is to get a library card," I declared. "I know! That library is pretty strict with who they let in!" I left there thinking, I hope I am not out of the circle of trust before I even attempt to get in! All's I'm sayin's all. Labels: DDM, Mission
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Mission: Operation Babysitter
One thing that does not come with you on a move is babysitters. We had babysitters in our other town. A few to choose from. And now we have none. I am on a mission. A mission to search out and locate some babysitters. We had fantastic babysitters. Teenagers who were great with the Wee Ladies. One babysitter always brought amazing crafts in her babysitting bag of tricks. The Wee Ladies adored her; I adored her. And we will miss her. We also had 3 girls across the street who could walk over anytime. They were great too. And so we start from scratch. It is hard. I have been asking around. Any contact that I have so far, I am asking for some help with this. I have even asked Sparkle at EvieG's Sparks group. She is on it. And a few moms are going to try and help too. Until we find someone, there will be no date night. Or mom time, unless it occurs after working hours or on weekends. So we take the Wee Ladies with us to eat out. And what a relaxing time that is. There is nothing like watching The Destroyer reach her Restaurant-Sitting-Threshold. It is like the button shuts off and she checks out. Before we are done our pints. And so we usually ask for the bill in advance so we can chug, pay, and fly. Because it gets to a point where you can only run around the bar so many times. I had to laugh when The Destroyer went up to the bar and tried to climb up to be seen by the bartender.....I thought I heard her ask for a martini with an extra olive. He thought it was a pint of beer with a straw. We will do anything to keep them sitting at the table and occupied while we wait for the meal and try to eat. We break out the crayons, hand them a wet nap to play with, a spoon, even the ketchup bottle. But last night, I pulled out the last resort- the cell phone. Hubby got his playlist going for EvieG, and Spark Plug was playing with the camera on mine. I am sure the last picture stored in the memory is one of my nostrils as I approach to grab the phone. I should get it blown up into an 8x10 glossy. Today I had to wipe it down because it is so gooey from little chicken finger and plum sauce covered hands. Someone please help me find a babysitter! If I can't get out alone between the hours of 9 am and 5 pm, or be able to go for dinner without children, I might just have to go and get a box of Timbits and eat away my disappointment. We don't want that. It just goes to show that a babysitter is a really great thing to have on hand. And you really notice the difference when they are not around or available. I have a call into the Pathfinders group with the Girl Guides of Canada. Surely, one of the girls has her babysitting certification. If we find one, I hope she brings over a box of Girl Guide cookies. All's I'm sayin's all. Labels: Family, Mission
Archives
April 2008
May 2008
June 2008
July 2008
August 2008
September 2008
October 2008
November 2008
December 2008
January 2009
February 2009
March 2009
April 2009
May 2009
June 2009
July 2009
August 2009
September 2009
October 2009
November 2009
December 2009
January 2010
February 2010
March 2010
April 2010
|
