The girls has their formal enrollment into Sparks and Brownies this week. WE are all very proud of you.
November 5, 2009
October 27, 2009
It's the most wonderful time of the year...
Sorry, I haven't posted since last week. We've been quite busy around the house with activities and parties hosted by us.
I had a jewelery party last week too. Thanks to everyone who ordered. I closed the party yesterday and our product should be here late this week.
The girls finally got their friend birthday party. We went to the Costume Closet and had a great dress up party! We had about 12 kids there and they all had a great time. I will post pictures but just not today. Then everyone came back to our house for a brief play and cupcakes. The girls enjoyed themselves. The house, however, looked like a cyclone went through.
This week the only changes from the normal is that both Georgia and Finn will get their H1N1 vaccines. (Only they qualify this go around.) And the kids have several Halloween parties through activities and school during the week. This year our family will be dressed as The Incredibles. All 5 of us. I have made us t-shirts and we all have black masks. Don;t worry- there will be a photo record of this.
Scott is also very excited that this week is the Winnipeg Comic Convention (or ComicCon for those who speak geek). Scott and Wayne have been planning on going since last year. Both were quite upset when they found that the Wpg ComicCon was at the same time as our trip to Vegas. There was pouting. But they are keen to go this year. Will and I are happy to let them go alone.
I had a jewelery party last week too. Thanks to everyone who ordered. I closed the party yesterday and our product should be here late this week.
The girls finally got their friend birthday party. We went to the Costume Closet and had a great dress up party! We had about 12 kids there and they all had a great time. I will post pictures but just not today. Then everyone came back to our house for a brief play and cupcakes. The girls enjoyed themselves. The house, however, looked like a cyclone went through.
This week the only changes from the normal is that both Georgia and Finn will get their H1N1 vaccines. (Only they qualify this go around.) And the kids have several Halloween parties through activities and school during the week. This year our family will be dressed as The Incredibles. All 5 of us. I have made us t-shirts and we all have black masks. Don;t worry- there will be a photo record of this.
It is Halloween later this week! My high holiday. Check your local listings for the standard Charles Schulz classic "The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown." Of course you could always go with any of the horror classics if you are feeling brave. (Halloween, Saw 1-5, Hellraiser etc.)
Scott is also very excited that this week is the Winnipeg Comic Convention (or ComicCon for those who speak geek). Scott and Wayne have been planning on going since last year. Both were quite upset when they found that the Wpg ComicCon was at the same time as our trip to Vegas. There was pouting. But they are keen to go this year. Will and I are happy to let them go alone.
Funny Story: Scott was at home yesterday with the kids as Julie needed the day off for personal reasons. He was laying on the couch reading a BOOK.
Georgia came up to him and exclaimed "Daddy! You are reading a book. I didn't know that you could read. I am so proud of you!"
Two minutes later Olivia came into the room and saw the same thing. "Daddy, you 're reading a chapter book! You know those books don't have any pictures, right?"
October 17, 2009
Tooth Fairy
We had a visit from the Tooth Fairy last night. Olivia lost another tooth.
It was a particularly gruesome sight yesterday afternoon as she had this tooth dangling by a little thread of skin or a nerve. There had been some minor drama at school during lunch but it was resolved.
She didn't want to pull it out. But she did and felt better afterwards.
Olivia wants everyone to know that she is finding things out about the Tooth Fairy. Olivia left a note under her pillow last night asking the Tooth Fairy if s/he was big or small. The return note said "I am small." Olivia is determined to find out more by pulling out more teeth if needed.
Revelations about the Tooth Fairy aside, I am just relieved we can got back to her brushing her teeth normally.
October 15, 2009
Thankful
We had an awesome Thanksgiving. We had all of the Abels and the Friesens for a big feast on Saturday. The Abels stayed through the weekend- so we did another feast on Sunday. Mom and Dad stayed home so that Dad could recuperate from his recent knee surgery. We all thought his recovery would go much faster without 3 little "helpers" jumping on him. (He is doing well.)
On Monday we went to the Pumpkin Patch in Oak Lake with the James family. We all had a great time until it started snowing! (I've got some pictures that I will post tonight.)
We had a great weekend! It was filled with family, friends, too much food and a house that was way too hot.
Obviously, we all have a lot to be thankful for as we are all very fortunate. We have healthy and safe families and friends. We are in no risk of going hungry or un-sheltered. We have warm seasonal clothes. We have good jobs and even if those jobs went away we'd still have good earning potential and marketable skills. There is so much more that I could add to this list!
I just wanted you all to know that we are grateful for all that we have. And that most certainly includes you- whatever family or friend who happens to be reading along.
On Monday we went to the Pumpkin Patch in Oak Lake with the James family. We all had a great time until it started snowing! (I've got some pictures that I will post tonight.)
We had a great weekend! It was filled with family, friends, too much food and a house that was way too hot.
Obviously, we all have a lot to be thankful for as we are all very fortunate. We have healthy and safe families and friends. We are in no risk of going hungry or un-sheltered. We have warm seasonal clothes. We have good jobs and even if those jobs went away we'd still have good earning potential and marketable skills. There is so much more that I could add to this list!
I just wanted you all to know that we are grateful for all that we have. And that most certainly includes you- whatever family or friend who happens to be reading along.
October 7, 2009
Happy Birthday Olivia!
Olivia is 7 years old today! She is 7 going on 13!
Scott drove into Winnipeg on Monday night after work and was bemoaning the fact that he was missing Monday Night Football while he was driving- just like he missed MNF 7 years ago on the night Olivia was born. Somehow the things he remembers most about the night of Monday October 7, 2002- of course aside from becoming a father for the first time- is that Minnesota was playing the Bears. And that he was so occupied that he forgot to get his free pizza from Dominos for fathers in waiting.
I remember the night very clearly. My main moment was the moment just after she was born and I was waiting for the doctor (or Scott) to tell me about the baby. I think that moment goes in sort of slow motion for mothers delivering vaginally. The moment the baby is out is such a huge physical relief but there is a different kind of anxiousness that builds in those scant seconds between the delivery and the announcement.
I remember the doctor telling me it was a girl. And my main thought was "I know." Followed shortly by "Just give her to me already."
Olivia's in-vitro name was Mabel. We had called her a "she" from the very start. It could have gone either way- and I would have loved the baby all the same- but I was so very glad that she was a girl! And that she was healthy and intact and most importantly... alive. I stressed about that and I knew the only way that I could put that feeling to rest was to hold her in my arms and see her with my own eyes.
And finally there she was. Her little skinny body and her enormous head. In all her red headed glory. (Genetics are a weird and random thing.) Ten perfect little fingers and ten perfect little toes. And both Scott and I knew that our lives would never be the same again- in the best possible way. Our hearts grew exponentially that day. The night she was born we though that our hearts could not possibly grow any bigger with love and pride for our new baby girl. What did we know?! We were very new at the parent thing.
And that bring us today... today Olivia is still a red head and has thankfully grown into the size of her head. But she is also infuriatingly smart, funny, caring, brave, self assured, affectionate, polite, a good big sister, a good friend, a talented artist and budding musician, a dedicated student, an enthusiastic reader, a great swimmer and an exceptional daughter. We could not be more proud of that little girl.
Happy Birthday, Baby!
(I'll post some pictures of her a little bit later today.)
Scott drove into Winnipeg on Monday night after work and was bemoaning the fact that he was missing Monday Night Football while he was driving- just like he missed MNF 7 years ago on the night Olivia was born. Somehow the things he remembers most about the night of Monday October 7, 2002- of course aside from becoming a father for the first time- is that Minnesota was playing the Bears. And that he was so occupied that he forgot to get his free pizza from Dominos for fathers in waiting.
I remember the night very clearly. My main moment was the moment just after she was born and I was waiting for the doctor (or Scott) to tell me about the baby. I think that moment goes in sort of slow motion for mothers delivering vaginally. The moment the baby is out is such a huge physical relief but there is a different kind of anxiousness that builds in those scant seconds between the delivery and the announcement.
I remember the doctor telling me it was a girl. And my main thought was "I know." Followed shortly by "Just give her to me already."
Olivia's in-vitro name was Mabel. We had called her a "she" from the very start. It could have gone either way- and I would have loved the baby all the same- but I was so very glad that she was a girl! And that she was healthy and intact and most importantly... alive. I stressed about that and I knew the only way that I could put that feeling to rest was to hold her in my arms and see her with my own eyes.
And finally there she was. Her little skinny body and her enormous head. In all her red headed glory. (Genetics are a weird and random thing.) Ten perfect little fingers and ten perfect little toes. And both Scott and I knew that our lives would never be the same again- in the best possible way. Our hearts grew exponentially that day. The night she was born we though that our hearts could not possibly grow any bigger with love and pride for our new baby girl. What did we know?! We were very new at the parent thing.
And that bring us today... today Olivia is still a red head and has thankfully grown into the size of her head. But she is also infuriatingly smart, funny, caring, brave, self assured, affectionate, polite, a good big sister, a good friend, a talented artist and budding musician, a dedicated student, an enthusiastic reader, a great swimmer and an exceptional daughter. We could not be more proud of that little girl.
Happy Birthday, Baby!
(I'll post some pictures of her a little bit later today.)
October 1, 2009
Uncle Bobby's Wedding
I read Neil Gaiman's blog everyday. He is easily one of my favourite authors.
He included this link for an excellent letter written from a librarian to a concerned parent regarding a book that he did not plan on removing from the shelves.
http://jaslarue.blogspot.com/2008/07/uncle-bobbys-wedding.html
This is an excellent read!
He included this link for an excellent letter written from a librarian to a concerned parent regarding a book that he did not plan on removing from the shelves.
http://jaslarue.blogspot.com/2008/07/uncle-bobbys-wedding.html
This is an excellent read!
September 30, 2009
Part 2: Fried Rice- The long version
Okay, this happened last night and I had to tell you part 1 to explain part 2. (Jen-story, remember?)
It took a while but I finally managed to get past the tuna/ cod incident. I can laugh about it now. Kinda. I am not unlike most mothers- I have the stunning ability to completely forget the most absolute pain. I learned only enough from the incident to stroke fish off any potential menu list but little else.
Okay, it’s Tuesday night and we need to be at Girl Guides in 30 minutes. I’m the first to point that I am not Rachel Ray and if we want to eat something other than grilled cheese or pancakes I’ll have to put on my thinking cap.
I need a meal that is vaguely healthy and quick. Healthy is hereby defined as having at least 3 real food groups. I’m not saying I made good decisions but here was my thought process:
1. I have left over pork roast but do not want to repeat last night’s meal.
2. Kids eat the pork better if I chop it up small, put it in something and tell them it is chicken. Ask any parent- they know this as truth!
3. Vegetables in the fridge: broccoli, onions, red peppers, carrots and frozen corn. They like everything except onions. Note to self: chop onions to no larger than nanoparticle and I’m set.
4. My kids will always eat rice. (NB: The tuna/cod incident was the rare exception.)
In my brain, last night, 1+2+3+4 = fried rice! I really should have known better.
Dinner is ready and we have 20 minutes until it is time to leave. I explain that everyone needs to eat their dinner before they can go out this evening. I place a bowl of rice in front of everyone. Georgia is whimpering already.
Olivia: (tone of disgust) WHAT is this?
Finn: It’s rice. (Starts flicking rice at his sisters- digging to see Batman at the bottom of his bowl.)
Georgia: I don’t like rice with sauce.
(Side note- my kids don’t like sauce. Whether real or perceived. A mere implication of sauce offends them. Deeply.)
Jen: There is no sauce. You have 20 minutes please eat your dinner or you cannot go to Girl Guides.
Georgia: (digs out nanoparticle sized onion, points to it) There are onions in here.
Jen: (lying) No there isn’t. That’s rice. (Make a mental note to look up what is smaller than a nanoparticle.)
Finn: Me no like rice. (Flicking rice on floor this time.)
Olivia: Why did you make THIS for dinner? This isn’t fair! Daddy would have made something good!
(Ouch.)
Jen: You like rice. You like chicken. (Again with the lying!) You like broccoli and corn. That’s what this is.
Olivia: NO! This is rice, chicken and broccoli all mixed up. It is NOT the same!
The next 17 minutes were occupied with Olivia’s very logical monologue about how if I just made things that they liked for dinner that it would be easier for everyone. And the unfairness of having to eat what I had made when I KNEW that they wouldn’t like it because it was all smashed together. (She is a smart kid. I really should have known that.)
Georgia just sobbed continually about having to eat onions (Seriously, does that kid have microscopes for eyes?!) and Finn just flicked rice until there was more on his shirt and the floor than in his bowl. Everyone was excused to go to their room. Me included. Scott came home late to find the girls crying and a disturbing trail of rice going down the hall. No one went to Girl Guides.
I'm not sure I can laugh about this one yet. Check me in a couple of months- I’ll have forgotten by then.
The short version: I made fried rice for dinner and it went over just about as well as the tuna/cod and asparagus. There was just as much shouting involved. No one went to Girl Guides.
Oh yeah, we’re eating f***ing pancakes all week again.
Part 1: The Tuna-Cod Conundrum
WARNING: this is a patented Jen-Type story (aka the long version of a short story.)
A while ago I decided that I needed to broaden our horizons when it comes to what we eat for dinner. I decided, for reasons that I have since forgotten, that it was time that we all try to eat fish as a meal. Most of you know this already but neither Scott nor I particularly enjoy fish. In the wise words of Scott’s late grandfather “it doesn’t appeal to me.” Scott and I will on occasion eat canned tuna or salmon but the kids have always opted out.
I was reading a magazine that presented a lovely baked cod as a family favourite. The cod was plated artfully with a spiced risotto, broiled asparagus and sprigs of parsley or dill or something. It was gorgeous. I foolishly decided that this would be the meal to introduce fish to the family.
Gagging while getting the fish out of the package and into the oven seems like a rough start but I am committed to healthy eating! I can do this! I am just plain tired of eating pancakes and grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner. It also seemed like a good idea at the time to substitute plain white rice for the colourful risotto. I knew the kids liked white rice and this would give them something familiar on the plate.
Hindsight being what it is plating this meal was also a mistake. White fish on white rice with shriveled asparagus crossing it doesn’t look as lovely as I had imagined. The kids flip out that their food is touching each other. They all declare that they don’t like it just by the smell alone. (I am not totally disagreeing with them but I am committed to this and must follow through.) We all sit down and look at our plates.
Scott: Okay, kids let’s eat our dinner now.
Finn: What is this? (Pointing to the cod)
Jen: It’s cod.
(Puzzled look from all kids.)
Jen: It’s a type of fish. It’s yummy. Let’s all try it. (I put on a happy face and swallow some fish. Smile falters while chewing.)
Georgia: (touching nothing) I don’t like tuna.
Jen: It is not tuna. It is cod and you need to try it before you decide if you don’t like it.
Olivia: No. I don’t. I don’t like tuna.
Finn: What is this? (Pointing to asparagus)
Scott: It’s asparagus. It’s a vegetable and it makes your pee smell funny.
Georgia: I don’t like smelly pee. (I glare at Scott and motion for him to eat his fish to show them. He does so, slowly.)
Finn: Me no like aspar-gus. (Points to rice) What is that?
Jen: Rice. All of you like rice. Please eat your dinner.
Fast-forward 3 minutes and we all have cold plates and we are still no further than…
Finn: (Shouting like we are all hearing impaired while frantically pointing to his plate) Me NO like aspar-gus AND tuna!
Jen: (I yell.) It’s not tuna! It’s cod! Eat your bloody…
Georgia: I don’t like smelly tuna pee.
By this point everyone except me is howling laughing. I excuse everyone- immediately! They sensibly run for their lives.
None of us ate our dinner. Scott could only choke down half of the cod. I vowed that they would all eat pancakes until they all turned into a flipping pancake!
Family favourite my ass!
A while ago I decided that I needed to broaden our horizons when it comes to what we eat for dinner. I decided, for reasons that I have since forgotten, that it was time that we all try to eat fish as a meal. Most of you know this already but neither Scott nor I particularly enjoy fish. In the wise words of Scott’s late grandfather “it doesn’t appeal to me.” Scott and I will on occasion eat canned tuna or salmon but the kids have always opted out.
I was reading a magazine that presented a lovely baked cod as a family favourite. The cod was plated artfully with a spiced risotto, broiled asparagus and sprigs of parsley or dill or something. It was gorgeous. I foolishly decided that this would be the meal to introduce fish to the family.
Gagging while getting the fish out of the package and into the oven seems like a rough start but I am committed to healthy eating! I can do this! I am just plain tired of eating pancakes and grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner. It also seemed like a good idea at the time to substitute plain white rice for the colourful risotto. I knew the kids liked white rice and this would give them something familiar on the plate.
Hindsight being what it is plating this meal was also a mistake. White fish on white rice with shriveled asparagus crossing it doesn’t look as lovely as I had imagined. The kids flip out that their food is touching each other. They all declare that they don’t like it just by the smell alone. (I am not totally disagreeing with them but I am committed to this and must follow through.) We all sit down and look at our plates.
Scott: Okay, kids let’s eat our dinner now.
Finn: What is this? (Pointing to the cod)
Jen: It’s cod.
(Puzzled look from all kids.)
Jen: It’s a type of fish. It’s yummy. Let’s all try it. (I put on a happy face and swallow some fish. Smile falters while chewing.)
Georgia: (touching nothing) I don’t like tuna.
Jen: It is not tuna. It is cod and you need to try it before you decide if you don’t like it.
Olivia: No. I don’t. I don’t like tuna.
Finn: What is this? (Pointing to asparagus)
Scott: It’s asparagus. It’s a vegetable and it makes your pee smell funny.
Georgia: I don’t like smelly pee. (I glare at Scott and motion for him to eat his fish to show them. He does so, slowly.)
Finn: Me no like aspar-gus. (Points to rice) What is that?
Jen: Rice. All of you like rice. Please eat your dinner.
Fast-forward 3 minutes and we all have cold plates and we are still no further than…
Finn: (Shouting like we are all hearing impaired while frantically pointing to his plate) Me NO like aspar-gus AND tuna!
Jen: (I yell.) It’s not tuna! It’s cod! Eat your bloody…
Georgia: I don’t like smelly tuna pee.
By this point everyone except me is howling laughing. I excuse everyone- immediately! They sensibly run for their lives.
None of us ate our dinner. Scott could only choke down half of the cod. I vowed that they would all eat pancakes until they all turned into a flipping pancake!
Family favourite my ass!
September 29, 2009
Calgary last week
Calgary was fine. The course was well worth my time- other than Wednesday morning when I felt slow and stupid trying to solve steps 2 through 10 in the revered Buckly Leverett method for water flood analysis. Right. Apparently I do not do nearly enough calculus-derivative type math anymore. I think that is why my employers have given me a computer and a calculator and access to a reservoir modeling program that will make both Buckly and Leverett it’s bitch.
I did not have Internet access in my room and was unable to blog while away. That makes this the 4th time I have taken my computer with me on a business trip to not be able to use it. You'd think that I would learn! I used it as a really heavy portable DVD player. Yes, I do know they have smaller and certainly lighter versions. I will look into it next business trip.
I had a great visit with Kelly and her adorable children Rachel and Kyle. They came to the hotel for a swim and a visit. Kelly and I also got an adult evening when we went out for dinner and dessert ourselves the following night. It was so nice to catch up face to face with someone I see so rarely and whose life is so much parallel to my own. I, of course, give myself too much credit in that statement. She is short, cute, brilliant and has 2 children instead of 3 but other than those tiny things were are quite similar.
Scott and the kids had a great week too- as expected. Although it is noteworthy to say that I don't know how we would function as well without Julie. Thank you Julie! This week were are all back to our regular schedule. Scott in trial, me in the office, and the kids in school and activities. We have one more week until dance starts for the girls. Gym for Finn and yoga for me will start mid-October so we have a few weeks to wait for that.
Olivia's 7th birthday is next week (OMG!) and we are considering the unthinkable.... a group friend birthday party for both Olivia and Georgia. We had the family party for G on the September long weekend and left off her friend party thinking she should go to school and make some new friends. Now September has practically disappeared and I don't have many choices left. Hopefully it doesn't prove too difficult. Wish me luck!
I did not have Internet access in my room and was unable to blog while away. That makes this the 4th time I have taken my computer with me on a business trip to not be able to use it. You'd think that I would learn! I used it as a really heavy portable DVD player. Yes, I do know they have smaller and certainly lighter versions. I will look into it next business trip.
I had a great visit with Kelly and her adorable children Rachel and Kyle. They came to the hotel for a swim and a visit. Kelly and I also got an adult evening when we went out for dinner and dessert ourselves the following night. It was so nice to catch up face to face with someone I see so rarely and whose life is so much parallel to my own. I, of course, give myself too much credit in that statement. She is short, cute, brilliant and has 2 children instead of 3 but other than those tiny things were are quite similar.
Scott and the kids had a great week too- as expected. Although it is noteworthy to say that I don't know how we would function as well without Julie. Thank you Julie! This week were are all back to our regular schedule. Scott in trial, me in the office, and the kids in school and activities. We have one more week until dance starts for the girls. Gym for Finn and yoga for me will start mid-October so we have a few weeks to wait for that.
Olivia's 7th birthday is next week (OMG!) and we are considering the unthinkable.... a group friend birthday party for both Olivia and Georgia. We had the family party for G on the September long weekend and left off her friend party thinking she should go to school and make some new friends. Now September has practically disappeared and I don't have many choices left. Hopefully it doesn't prove too difficult. Wish me luck!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)