Finally!!

Today I went for my prenatal appointment.  I am 13 weeks, 2 days and I finally heard this little one's heartbeat!!  Everything else is in proper working order.  I have even managed to lose 5 pounds!  Ultrasound is booked for the end of January.  Keep your fingers crossed that this baby shows me what it is because I need to know....

We are under the Christmas gun right now.  We haven't gone shopping yet and we still have no tree up.  The plan is to go shopping tonight and I hope we get it all done in one shot because I am not really in a shopping mood.  The plan is for the tree to go up tomorrow and to come down before New Years.

We are only 2 weeks and a few days away from our trip and I cannot wait.  It has been stupid cold here for the last few days and it is expected to hang around for at least another week and beyond that, who knows?  Bring on the Florida sunshine!  There is a 50-something degree temperature difference between here and there (-25 here, +27 there).  I totally live on the wrong side of zero.

Just another note that has absolutely nothing to do with anything else.  My cat snores when she sleeps!

Have a great day.  Will try to update more....if you care.  :D

December

I cannot believe that it is already December.  In 8 days my "baby" will officially be a teenager.  In 24 it will be Christmas.  Have I mentioned that I still have not done any shopping.  This year we are not having a big Christmas so I keep telling myself that everything will be ok.  We have a pretty good idea what we are getting the kids and have pretty much decided to limit our gift giving to our kids, nieces and nephew, parents and my grandparents.  No brothers this year.  I feel kind of bad about it but gift giving is getting increasingly harder as everyone pretty much just buys what they want when they want it.  Honestly, I am just not feeling that creative this year to think about giving an original, thoughtful gift either.  Bah humbug!!  

Actually, I am rather looking forward to Christmas.  As much as I loved being in the Florida sunshine last year there is just something about being home.  Now if home were in Florida....well, things would be perfect.  Speaking of Florida (another reason for a slimmed down Christmas....something has to be slim around here and it isn't me), just a month and a day now.  I cannot wait!!

On other home news.  I have been working with Ryleigh on potty training.  She has been doing really well.  We still use diapers but when we are at home I more often than not find that she has removed her diaper herself and spends the day running around bare bummed.  She is learning new words almost daily.  This is a relief as we had to take her for a speech assessment in October.  I thoroughly disagreed with the speech pathologists suggestions on how to encourage her to start speaking and have completely ignored her advice and Ryleigh seems to be doing just fine.

Camryn and Darian have both recently received their report cards.  Nothing is really shocking on either of them.  They are both good students who just need to put in more effort.  Hmmmm....that sounds vaguely familiar to me.  Could it be that I have heard that for a number of years about myself?

Baby is doing well I guess.  I don't go back to the doctor for another 2 weeks so there is not much to report there.  I need to schedule myself for some blood work.  Ick.  I hate needles.

On the agenda for the day is some laundry folding and probably some napping.  Oh there is that whole pesky making dinner thing too.  Maybe if I start thinking about what to make now I might have some sort of clue by this afternoon.  For now I must take my children to school.

A Case of the Mondays

I do believe someone would get their ass kicked if they said that.  Let the ass kicking begin.

Monday.  The beginning of the week....a very important week.  Payday week.  Week 10 of pregnancy.  Week 13 of the NFL.  Week of Happy Macy's Parade/Football Day to our American friends.  Well if any of those things are important to you then it would be an important week.

A week in which I am hoping to once again begin to feel human and not sloth-like.  I was all ready to do laundry this morning (as planned yesterday) and then my plans got rail-roaded by a feverish little girl.  Last night I picked up Ryleigh after she had cereal for supper...again (it is the only thing she will eat lately, but at least it is something).  Ryleigh was boiling hot.  Her temperature was almost 102.  We broke out the tylenol just to discover it was expired, just like my prenatal vitamins.  Me thinks it is time to clean out the medicine cabinet.  Fast forward a bit.  My Dear Nathan bought new tylenol, we gave her a shot and hoped that it would help her sleep comfortably.  Well, it did make her comfortable....comfortable enough to stay up until after midnight watching cartoons in my bed while My Dear Nathan slept beside her and I slept on the couch.

I did not do laundry this morning.  I went to sleep while Ryleigh watched cartoons in my bed but this time she slept after a few shows too.  She still had a bit of a fever left but she seems good to go now.  She is good enough to have mimmi-uuush (mini-wheats) for lunch, followed by a bag of cheetos.  All necessarily served in a beebee bow (baby bowl) as the normal bowls are totally unsatisfactory.

This week is also the week that my maid service ends.  Maid service you ask?  How do piss poor people afford maid service?  Well I have a maid thanks to a new route of punishment that I am taking.  Darian had gotten herself into trouble at school and rather than take the grounding route which is not effective on a girl that does not go out anywhere I chose to make her my personal maid for 2 weeks.  I figure that she may not think of it as a punishment but thought that after 2 weeks of being at my beck and call for anything from getting me a drink to washing my floors that she would think twice about fooling around in school.  If nothing else it got some of the housework done.

It is now 2:00 and I am awake.  I should find something more to eat and actually get my ass downstairs to do laundry.  Apparently no one has clean socks....I never know because I don't wear them.  Have a nice Monday.

First Appointment

I went for my first prenatal check up this morning.  Ryleigh did not think it was that exciting.  In fact, it really wasn't that exciting.  I got some paperwork to get needles (I hate needles), I got felt up and I peed in a cup.

I am just over 9 weeks so I didn't think that I would get to hear the baby's heartbeat and I was right.  The nurse practitioner wasn't even going to try due to how not far along I am but decided to give it a shot because apparently my uterus is large.  I guess you would say that is a good sign.

I still don't really feel pregnant.  I am just tired.  I could easily chalk it up to the time of year as it always screws me up.  Short days + no sunshine =  tired Nancy.  No pregnancy needed in that equation.

I will go again in 4 more weeks.  I hope by then I feel something.

November

I cannot believe it is November already.  That means that winter is going to be here soon and I don't much care for winter.  It is cold and snowy and just yucky all over.  

One reason that I am glad that it is November is that I am now less than 2 months away from our trip to Florida.  I can't wait.  I hope that it is nice and warm and sunny in Florida while it is the complete opposite here in Wintertown.

My Dear Nathan will get a few extra days off in November which will be nice on everything except the bank account.  The bank account has taken a hit as of late due to broken ankles, short notice trips to Las Vegas and assholes who break into my van and garage and take my can stash.  The short notice trip to Vegas wouldn't have been so bad had I won a big jackpot like I was supposed to!!  I guess I will have to try harder next time. ;)

November will also see the first of many doctor appointments for me.  I go for my first prenatal checkup on the 18th.  I am excited and so hope that I hear this baby's heartbeat.  I didn't hear Ryleigh's heartbeat on the first visit but she was determined to do everything differently...nothing has changed.

November is also the month that I plan on continuing the many renovations that need to be finished around here.  I have advised My Dear Nathan that I want the main floor of our house completely renovated by the time this baby arrives.  We will be putting Ryleigh into the bigger bedroom, which will need to be painted again, so that baby can have her room.  The list is long but I think we can do it.  It will involve many cans of paint, a few swear words and eventually new floors.  I hope.  If not...I am moving.

Where has this year gone?  Has it gone by as fast for you as it has for me?  

Oh So...

tired.  The only thing that I have been able to do for the last week is sleep.  I don't think that I slept this much when I was pregnant with any of the girls.  Even while we were in Las Vegas I needed to go have an afternoon nap...what am I?  80 years old.  I napped...in Vegas.

Since we have been home it has not been any better.  Would you like to hear about what a horrible mother I am?  Ok...here goes....no calling Social Services on me though OK?  

My girls wake me up approximately 10 minutes before we need to leave to get them to school on time.  They get Roo ready to go after they are ready.  The only thing I need to do is get dressed and drive.  By the time we get home 30 minutes later I am ready for a nap.  The dilemma then becomes what to do with the 2 year old.  

I make her some breakfast, which is usually peanut butter toast and some milk.  I can usually stay awake while she eats but once she is done...this is when the spectacular mothering begins.  You know those door knob covers that prevent little hands from opening the door?  I have some of those, only one of them....it is on the inside of my bedroom door.

Thats right.  I lock myself and my 2 year old into my bedroom.  I turn on Playhouse Disney for her and she lays on Daddy's side of the bed, watches cartoons and her Mother sleeps.  It is so bad that I know what time it is by whatever cartoon is on.  I don't know what else to do.  I need to sleep otherwise I am liable to snap at the most innocent of requests.

I cannot wait to get through the next 6 weeks.  I am hoping at that time that I will be able to stay awake for stretches longer than a few hours without needing to sleep like I have just been on a week long bender.  On the plus side though...I am only tired.  I do not (yet, knock on wood) have morning sickness and am generally not feeling bad (assuming I get 20 hours of sleep a day).

Now that I have had my morning nap, which today is fueled by the fact that Ryleigh kept me up most of the night, I need to have lunch.  After lunch....probably a nap.

Greetings

from the Calgary International Airport.  The current time is 2:04 a.m.  The current temperature sucks compared to the glorious 30 degrees I was experiencing a mere 12 hours ago in Las Vegas.  My Dear Nathan and I are in the airport waiting for our 7:15 flight from here back to Edmonton.  We arrived here from Vegas just an hour ago and are so very excited about our camp out here :P

Las Vegas was great but another trip is definitely in order...you know one where I am not pregnant or with my family.  Actually I had a great time with my family this weekend.  My little brother got married this weekend.  For those of you who know my brother you will understand when I say that the weekend was not without a little Joe drama.  In the end it all turned out beautifully though.  I have a new sister-in-law who is just made for my brother and I got to go somewhere warm.

I can't wait to get home and have a good sleep in my own bed.  I cannot believe how easily time slips away in a place that literally never sleeps.  I kept wondering why I was so tired only to look at the clock and see that it was some crazy hour.  I think that the earliest that we made it to bed was 2:00 and of course, that was after donating some money to some hard up slot machines.

We didn't arrive until late Saturday night and with all the plans that my brother had made for us we did not have an opportunity to check out any of the Cirque Du Soleil shows, of which there are 6 (by my count...there could be more).  We did go to a burlesque show at the Crazy Horse in the MGM Grand which was pretty neat but not a show I will soon be attending soon again, at least not with my parents and brother that is.

I got to spend an afternoon in the spa at our hotel.  I got my nails done and a pedicure.  My Mom also graciously offered to pay for me to get my hair done.  I am sure that if she knew that it was going to cost her more than $300.00 she may have reconsidered.  I am going to admit right now that I am a horrible pregnant person and got my hair dyed.  I figure that I dyed my hair while I was pregnant with Darian and there isn't anything wrong with her so I should be OK this time too.

I am sure that there is more to tell but as of right now I have t minus 5 hours to go in this god-forsaken airport and I want to go put on some comfy clothes for my long night....

Yay!!!!

A picture paints a thousand words....  :D

Update

Since my last post I am happy to say that I am up and around again.  I went to the surgeon 2 weeks after being released from the hospital.  He told me that I needed to wear my Air Cast for one more week and after that I was free to walk on my foot unaided.  I am driving again and have once again resumed my life.  I never knew how nice it is to be able to choose to do something or not.  When you just can't do it....well, it really sucks.

I am 3 days away from a very much anticipated trip to Vegas for my brother's wedding.  I am looking forward to a couple of kid-free, husband only days.  Oh and the whole wedding thing too. 

 :D

Thanksgiving has come and gone for another year.  We hosted dinner and had 17 family members here, both from my family and My Dear Nathan's family.  We have enough turkey to feed an army from now until next Thanksgiving.  I am very impressed with myself as I baked a couple of kick ass loaves of bread.  I really do enjoy baking bread.  (Can you say dork?)

As of now I am doing laundry for our trip and trying to get the house tidied up after our whirlwind weekend.  Enough procrastinating...bring on the laundry!

Laid Up

I suppose that I really have no excuses for not blogging.  The only one that I can think of is that I am sleeping.  I have been doing lots of that lately.  It's the drugs.  I will explain.

On saturday night I took my girls and one of Darian's friends to our community league Corn Fest.  We got there early, had something to eat and then I noticed the dessert table.  They had cookies that I really, really like.  The girls had already headed outside to play at the park.  I decided to bring Ryleigh some cookies, so off I head towards the door.  I should have just sat my fat ass down and not went anywhere.

The stairs out the door at my community league are sinking into the ground.  I went to step down and fell.  Hard.  Awkwardly.  I knew when I hit the ground that things were not good.  I managed to twist both my ankles.  The strangers around me finished laughing and then came over to see if I was OK.  I wasn't.  I knew that I was not able to put any weight on either of my feet.

Long story short....I got an ambulance ride to the hospital, where I proceeded to spend 5 hours only to find out that I twisted my left ankle and broke my right.  My break required surgery which I put off until Sunday as My Dear Nathan was on his way home from work in Fort Mac and my kids were at home waiting for me.

Sunday came.  I went to the hospital, had my surgery, which went well.  I spent the night there and came home on Monday.  My football team lost and my neighbours have decided to call me names  (I am being very sensitive about it right now as I am horribly embarrassed about falling in front of strangers).

All in all it has been a shitty few weeks.  My husband is working out of town, the toilet broke, my cat died and now I am laid up for at least 2 weeks.  I have a metal plate, 6 screws and 12 staples in my ankle and I can't take care of my baby.

Thankfully my Grandparents live near and are here taking care of us.  My Dear Nathan is able to come back home and work here again but he is in Fort Mac for another 4 nights.  After that I am going to have to figure out how I am going to take care of Ryleigh during the day.

I will be going back to the surgeon on October 6.  I am hoping that at that time he will tell me that I can start putting weight on my foot then....it will make it easier for me to do things around the house.  All in all it is going to be a long few weeks. 

Connection?

I have been trying for months to get my house and life organized.  I have so many things that I want to do.  I need to paint my entire upper floor so that I can get new flooring and baseboards.  Before this can be done I need to clean my basement.  

We purchased storage shelving months and months ago (sometime in March I think) that is supposed to be set up in the basement so that I can move some stuff from upstairs down there so as to create more space.  I have gone through and gotten rid of tons of stuff but there is still so much more to do.

I have a spare bedroom that one day I would like to put another baby in but it is the black hole for everything that doesn't have a place in our house.  I get in there and clean it out and it looks great for about a week and then it is piled full of shit again.

My bathroom is hideous as is the ensuite in my bedroom.  I would love to have them redone but I have neither the time nor the money to do it at the present moment.   My kitchen tiles that I keep talking about grouting....yea, we put the tile on the wall over a year ago.  Our kitchen has been in a state of renovation FOR A YEAR!!!

I have never been at home for this long before.  I always went back to work or to school after my other girls were about 1.  I have not had to entertain a toddler all day long.  I have never lived in a house where we have done major renovations.  I have never not had an income for so long.  All of these things contribute (I think although I am no Dr. Phil) to my feeling like I am walking around in circles all the time.

In an attempt to gain some insight and advice on the subjects I have done loads of searching on the internet.  I have found a few websites that offer advice....for $9.95 for 3 months or after you finish our short survey which then turns into a bazillion other surveys in your email.  I have found a few blogs on the subject as well.  

I have started to notice something about these organization blogs though.  The vast majority (like 99.8%) of them are deeply religious women.  They have all their shit in order, neatly I might add, could give you an entire inventory of their bathroom cupboard or deep freeze all while baking dozens of muffins for their church, in between homeschooling their 12 kids and doing a bible study.  

What the fuck?  Is that why they call it "organized" religion?  Do you need to "walk with the Lord" and then all of a sudden your home looks like the maid from Brady Bunch lives there?  Is this what I have been doing wrong all this time?  If I clean my house will I find God?  Is he what is under my ginormous laundry pile?

If I become organized will I become religious or is it that you need to first be religious in order to get organized...either way I think I need to find me a bible, but where the hell do I begin to look in this disorganized hell hole?  ;)

Lame Wednesday

Today has not been nearly as productive as yesterday was.  I have not quite finished the laundry.  I have only 2 more loads left downstairs, soon to be 1.  I have put away everything from yesterday though.  My kitchen tiles still have not been grouted a second time.  I am hoping that I will find the motivation to do that while I take Camryn to her first Guides meeting tonight.

Tomorrow is going to be another busy day.  We have Meet the Teacher at one school and Family BBQ at another.  I am leaning towards the BBQ as then I won't have to make supper.  I know, I know....lame-ass mothering....oh well....free is the right price for anything.

I am hoping to start attending my WW meetings again as well.  I was going to go in the morning but I think that I will just try to get to the evening one as we will be out anyway.  We will see.....I just really need to get back to it!

Friday is a PD day for one of the girls.  I will have to get all 3 of them up to take the other to school though....ugg....I wish they could all be on the same schedule.  Friday is also the first night of Scrapbooking/Social Night at my community league.  I am hoping to go but will have to see how the girls are.   I don't scrapbook but I am still trying to finish my cross-stitch.

Well I should run to finish off cleaning my kitchen but I doubt the grout is getting done tonight.  Again.

Tuesday

I started out today with a plan.  I have to do laundry.  I have done some laundry.  I haven't yet put it away but it is cleaned and dried.  2 out of 3 isn't bad.  

I also managed to decide what I was going to make for supper early enough to take it out of the deep freeze....now I just have to make it.

I set up my new printer and have started to print out sheets for my new venture.  A household notebook.  I have read about such things on the on-line and figured I would give it a shot.

I also printed out my awesome Gail Vaz-Oxlade interactive budget.  Starting next week (after payday) I will be using her jar system.  I am hoping that this will help curb our spending, particularly in the area of groceries.

I am also going to try selling some of the girls clothes that are too small.  I usually just donate them to Goodwill but figure why should they make all the money on them.  I could use the extra cash.  I have a few bags of stuff to go through already, now I just need to find the desire to do so.

I would also like to find some ideas for home-made Christmas gifts as we are going to have a slim Christmas so that we can have more spending money in Florida.

Sad Day

Monday started out alright and then it all went downhill from about 7:00 on.  

We were just sitting at home, watching t.v., another uneventful night.  I hear a knock on the door.  When I looked out the window I see that there is a police cruiser parked in front of my van.  Sure enough when I get to the door there are 2 police officers standing there.

My heart dropped.  I immediately felt like I was going to puke.  My mind started to race....why are they here?  Oh.  My.  God.  What happened to Nathan?  Thankfully it had nothing to do with Nathan.

Unfortunately it had to do with one of my cats.  :(  We have (had) 3 of them.  Ariel is the Momma, then there was Squeak, her baby, and Zodiac...the replacement (will explain this another time).  Ariel and Squeak were both outdoor cats, much to my neighbours dislike.  When we went out of town on friday I made sure that they were all inside as I didn't want them out all night.  We tried to keep them in during the night, for their safety and our sleep.  They liked to come meowing to come inside sometime around 5 am.

Squeak and Ariel went outside on Saturday night when we got home.  I sort of wondered on Sunday about Squeak as I had not heard him but didn't really think too much of it.  Until last night.  The officers told me that a lady walking her dog found him deceased in the field behind a neighbourhood school.  She also told them that she has been seeing coyotes out there recently.

Squeak met up with one of them and he lost the fight.  The police had a forensic team look at him to ensure that there was no foul play (as that has happened here in the city) and then he was sent to our pound.  I need to call them tomorrow.  I don't want to.  I want my kitty to come home.

Naturally, I had to tell my girls.  They wanted to know why the police were here, why they came in and why I was crying.  They took it so well.  They are naturally sad about the loss of our kitty but know that it is better to know what happened than to wonder when or if he would have come home after disappearing.  They made me laugh through my tears, telling me about all the mice he will have to chase in cat heaven and wondering whether or not his wings will be big enough to lug his big butt through the sky.

Not the best pic that I have of him on this computer....but when I tell the story of Zodiac the replacement I will have a great one.

Monday

Another exciting week begins....Roo and I are going to join one of my friends on a trip to Costco.  Costco is always exciting because we always find way more stuff than we originally intended to drag home.  This time I have a list so hopefully I can stick to it.  

I was going to go to see Rancid and D.O.A. tonight but I don't think that I will have anyone to watch my girls for me so I guess we will just have to watch football....darn lol.

We have Girl Guide registration this week so I can only assume that by next week the Mom Taxi will be in full swing.  The girls also start piano lessons this weekend.  At the end of the month Roo, Camryn and I start swimming lessons.  I am looking forward to participating with Roo.  I haven't done anything like this since Darian was little and I was pregnant with Camryn.

This week Moms & Tots starts at our community league as well.  I have planned to attend every week in order to meet new Moms and give Roo the opportunity to play with some new friends.  Hopefully this will help out in the clingy department.  I would love to be able to go back to the gym in the mornings but Roo hates the daycare and just cries when I try to leave her.  Fingers crossed because God knows that I need to go to the gym.

My Dear Nathan will be home this week.  I am very much looking forward to it.  His birthday is the day before he comes home so I am going to make him a nice big meal this weekend.  At least that is the plan and I know that plans have a tendency to change.  This turn-over has been easier than the first but I still miss him when he is not here.  I thank my stars everyday that I have a man that is willing to do what he does for his family.....I am a lucky woman.

Enough rambling for now....I should get some laundry in before our field trip.....ahh the exciting life of a stay at home Mom....I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Tagged, by name even.... :)

I was tagged by Tess (at least I hope it was me...) so here goes....

ONE WORD

1.  Where is your cell phone? Table

2.  Your significant other? Nathan

3.  Your hair?  Flat

4.  Your Mother?  Ali

5.  Your Father?  Kevin

6.  Your favorite thing?  Football

7.  Your dream last night?  Positive

8.  Your favorite drink?  Beer

9.  Your dream/goal?  Superbowl

10.  The room you're in?  Living

11.  Your hobby?  Unsure

12.  Your fear?  Loneliness

13.  Where do you want to be in 6 years?  Content

14.  Where were you last night?  Driving

15.  What you're not?  Healthy

16.  Muffins?  Nope

17.  One of your wish list items?  Motivation

18.  Where you grew up?  McMurray

19.  The last thing you did?  Typed

20.  What are you wearing?  Jersey

21.  Your TV?  On

22.  Your pets?  Cats

23.  Your computer?  Connection

24.  Your life?  Improving

25.  Your mood?  Meh...

26.  Missing someone?  Definitely!!!

27.  Your car?  Minivan

28.  Something you're not wearing?  Watch

29.  Favorite store?  Liquor.....lol

30.  Your summer?  Short

31.  Like someone?  Yes

32.  Your favorite colour?  Black

33.  When is the last time you laughed?  Tonight

34.  Last time you cried?  Thursday

35.  Who will resend this?  Dunno

Anyone who reads this is tagged.....Cammy?  Emma?  Joy?  Anyone?

Gone For A Night

In an attempt to keep myself occupied I am going to Calgary...for the night.  Actually, the trip is more for the eye appointments that my kids have tomorrow afternoon.  

I plan on going shopping with my Mom tonight when we get there and spending way too much money on clothes for my girls.  Tomorrow afternoon we will have our eye appointments in Calgary and then make our way to my Mom's optical office to pick out new glasses for Camryn.

I figure that I will stay and have supper with my parents before I head home tomorrow night.  I must be at home on Sunday morning to watch football.  All.  Day.  Long.  I have been waiting for this Sunday since February.

This post is hereby nominated for "Most Pathetic Post Ever".  Anyone second the nomination?

New Year

I cannot believe that tomorrow is the official end of summer.  The girls will go back to school tomorrow.  Grade 8 and Grade 4.  Yikes.  That is only 4 and 8 years away from graduations....hmmm, funny how that worked out.

The Roo baby and I will try to make better use of our time together this year.  We are going to try to make it to Moms & Tots every week.  We are already signed up for Parents & Tots swimming lessons and will just generally try to venture out of our home more often.

In my attempt to make it out more I am also going to try to make it to the gym a few times a week.  I have fallen off of the Weight Watchers wagon and have maimed myself horribly.  I think that I am probably at an all-time high of fatness and it does not feel good at all.  I have only 125 more days until Florida...do you think that I can lose a pound a day until then?  Probably not huh?  That would be spanking great though!!!

I always feel like the start of a new school year is the REAL new year, not that fake January 1st.  I am going to journal my new and revised resolutions for the year and hope to high hell that I have the courage to change what needs to be changed.  

Weather

It is currently 13 degrees celsius.  This is only monumental because not more than 48 hours ago it was 30+ degrees celsius.  This is what you get living in Alberta.  So help me if I wake up in the morning and it is snowing I am packing up and moving to Florida....Fay and all.

Apologies

RE: yesterdays post about friends and the lack thereof.  I, do, in fact have friends here.  I have a handful of great friends here.

I was having a pity party yesterday and am really trying to make the best of the situation that is ahead of us.  As a last word on it just know that I would rather poke a million hot needles into my eyes than send my husband to Fort Mac.

On the positive side:

- I believe this is my 100th post!  Yay for me!!  100 posts!  I think I will make yummy blueberry muffins (recipe courtesy of Kyddryn).

- I had a great day with my girls yesterday.  We went shopping.  We went to the park.  We caught up on some episodes of The Mole.  Just a nice relaxing day.

- I had a great time camping with my girls and my Mom last week.  The weather was great (minus the sun burn....my stupid fault as I forgot my toiletries bag which contained our sunscreen), the water was warm and I didn't have to sleep in a tent.

- I had a great weekend.  My parents had the kids.  My Dear Nathan made me a great dinner on Saturday.  We progressed on some renovations that are long over due and then spent Sunday afternoon with my in-laws/friends house.

- While at the in-laws my Awesome Father-In-Law didn't say anything that made me want to kill him.

- Only 142 more days until we go to Florida.  You may think that it is crazy to be counting down already, but I will admit that I started at 220!  We have made great progress.  :D

- We are going to CrueFest tomorrow.  Well, not Roo but everyone else.  Motley Crue is Camryn's favorite band and she is something excited about getting to see them.  I am sure that I will enjoy watching her more than any band that takes the stage.

Pity Party - Table for One

Next Monday, how I dread thee.  

It has been just a hair over a month since My Dear Nathan began his new job.  The new job that pays better and has better hours than the sweatshop that he had previously been working at.  The new job that is a union job with benefits and a pension.  This is the same new job that is making me dread next Monday.

We knew that because of the fact that My Dear Nathan is working for a union shop that there may be a chance that he would have to go and work out of town.  I thought that I would be able to deal with it should it happen.  Well....it is happening and I am not sure how to deal with it.

Work wants to ship My Dear Nathan to Fort McMurray.  I would rather send him to Siberia myself.  I have issues with the City of Fort McMurray.  I don't like it, don't miss it and don't want to send my husband there.  

The shift is 10 days in, 4 out.  It could be worse but I don't think that I have ever spent more than a week apart from My Dear Nathan.  I also lack severely in the friends department.  My Dear Nathan is the only one that I have here.  What am I going to do with myself?  Who is going to entertain me?  Am I really this pathetic?

I keep being reminded of how the money will help.  Debt will be paid down, money saved for 2 trips to Florida that we have planned for next year.  School starts soon and I want to finish my renovations.  All of this will be helped by My Dear Nathan being away in the Pit of Despair that is Fort McMurray but money does not sleep next to me every night or make me laugh or rub my feet.

I can only hope that this is a short lived situation and that there is an angel riding on his shoulder for every 5 hour stretch that he needs to spend on the highway to hell.  Pity party over....for now :(

Only 3 More Days

I am so excited that I could just pee my pants.  Believe me when I say you will be sadly disappointed by what has me all worked up.....and probably will stop reading this post but if you make it to the end you will win a cookie.

On Sunday, the NFL starts pre-season games.  For those of you who may not know I.  Love.  Football.  I love every Sunday from September through to February.  I also love Monday nights and the occasional Thursday and Saturday.  It is a big event around here.  Every Sunday I get to sleep in while My Dear Nathan and our girls prepare our snacks for the day.  Then approximately 5 minutes before kick-off MDN comes into our bedroom to wake me up.  I then park my ass on the couch for a day of football watching and eating.

Our girls participate as well but mostly for the food.  Camryn will often watch part of the game with My Dear Nathan and me.  Darian has no interest at all.  I think that we need to start exposing Camryn to other sports though, in particular hockey.  We are Canadian after all.  I thought about this last night as we were watching My Dear Nathan play hockey.  After watching someone fall due to a vigourous cross check Camryn commented, "oooooo, what a tackle!"  I just shook my head laughing and did not bother to tell her that this is the wrong sport.  

(I apologize if you have made it this far.....there are no cookies.)

Busy Days Ahead

We have such a busy few days ahead of us.  My house is an absolute sty.  I can't believe that it takes so long to clean and so few minutes to mess up!!  I have loads of laundry to do but have already started on that.  I even put some in the wash at 1:00 this morning when I couldn't sleep.

We have to get some of our camping stuff together as we are going camping for 5 days with my parents.  I am looking forward to spending some time with them and my girls.  My Dear Nathan will be staying home and working his tail off for us, as he always does :)

My older girls are cleaning up the basement after having their cousins from Calgary stay with us for a few days last week.  It was nice to have some company but I think that has contributed to the mess that is my house.  We were on the go for most of the week last week, taking in Capital Ex.

My Dear Nathan has his last hockey game tonight.  I think that because it is the last that we are going to go cheer him on.  I could be totally wrong about it being the last game though as we are unsure if he has made the play-offs.  In any case I think that he is ready for a bit of a hockey break before winter comes.

Instead of procrastinating about where I should start, I probably should just do it.  Here I go....

(I just read this post and realize that it is crazy and all over the place....must be a reflection of my house)

Ho Hum

It is worth having people in your life that drive you completely bonkers?  People that when you don't see them for a weekend you find it refreshing?  How do you handle them?  How do you distance yourself from them without it being painfully obvious?  How and where do you meet people that don't drive you nuts?  I wish I was a kid still.  It was so much easier to make friends......

Vampire

It is much to early to be awake.  For me, it is much too late to be awake.  Why, oh, why must I be a creature of the night?  Why is it that it takes me forever to train myself to sleep when it is dark and be awake when it is light?  And why is it that it takes only one night to revert back to my vampirism?  

What to do at 5:15 in the a.m.?  

Bad, Bad Blogger

You know you are a very bad blogger when reality television gets in the way of your creative thoughts.  I keep having all of these ideas for great posts but then some mind-numbing television show comes on and I get hypnotized by it....speaking of which....Big Brother is coming on soon.

Only 7 more days.  As of next Thursday I will have my 3 girls home with me for the summer.  I am very much looking forward to it.  Our summers are generally spent flying by the seat of our pants.  We have a standing appointment with the Calgary Stampede and we are very excited that this year My Dear Nathan will be joining us for 5 days of Stampedin'.  We are even taking a "night off".  While my girls stay with my parents, we will be livin' it up like a couple with no kids!

The girls and I will be going camping for a week in August with my family.  Not sure if My Dear Nathan will be joining us for the whole trip (not likely) but we are hoping that he can take a day off to join us.  This camping trip will be a celebration of sorts as my Grandparents will celebrate their 50th anniversary in August.  We will also be celebrating our 10th anniversary (which was in May and was the reason for our trip to Florida) and my parents 30th anniversary which is the day after my baby turns 2.

OMG!!  My baby is going to be 2 in a matter of weeks.  I cannot believe how fast time flies by.  She is a funny little thing.  She talks up a storm, problem with that being is that it is her own little language.  Every now and again she says something that is clearly english but other than that it is just a string of "uh-uh's".  We are hoping that she will start picking up some more words as the summer progresses.  I am sure that with her sisters being home that it will come sooner than I expect.  

Speaking of sisters....Camryn has finally learned how to ride a 2-wheeler.  She is so very impressed with herself.  Her only problem now is that her bike is too small.  I took her out to look for a new one yesterday and we believe that we have found "the one".  We just have to wait for Daddy to approve the size.  I think that this will be the first time that we will only have to buy one new bike.  Darian is still good with hers but she does need a new helmet.  

With Darian this summer I am hoping to improve our relationship.  She has been having some troubles the past few weeks and I am hoping that we can get everything out in the air and start coming up with some solutions.  She is much closer to her Dad than with me and I am mostly Ok with that....I just wish that she felt a little more comfortable with me...so that is what I am going to work on.  Wish me luck as she is only 12 and I have heard that it only gets worse from here..... :(

Well....there are my ramblings.  I was hoping that I would just sit down, start typing and something brilliant would come out....guess today was not the day.  If you have made it this far....you are a trooper!!  Have a good day.  Hope you have lovely weather where you are, I think we are going to have some sun today, which makes me happy :)

I'm Back

Well I am back...have been for sometime now but just have not been feeling like I had the ability to blog.  I have been very tired and think that I am finally getting caught up on the sleep that I have been missing out on for sometime now.

Just some updates....our trip was awesome!!  I cannot believe how much I have fallen in love with Florida.  The weather is spectacular, the beer is cheap and plentiful, clothing is reasonably priced and I have found a store that sells fat chick clothes that do not require you to be 10 ft. tall or a million years old to wear.  I bought $350.00 worth of clothes before heading to the airport to come home....I also had to buy a new suitcase to fit it all in!!  

We have already planned and booked our next trip back.  We will be going back for 9 days in January.  We are going to be taking my parents and the girls with us.  We are very excited and have already begun our countdown....only 204 more days!!!  (Yes, I am obsessed as some people like to say but seriously...if you have not been to Florida you have no idea so please do not continuously ask me what the appeal is.....it is as annoying as me asking you why you choose to go camping every summer....duh, because you like it!)

On the downside....I was doing well with Weight Watchers right up until I stepped off the plane in Orlando.  After that everything kind of went out the window.  I enjoyed food and drink of every variety and rationalized it all by saying that I was walking alot.  Since I have been home I have continued to enjoy and indulge....only without the walking.  Knowing that I have not been a good Weight Watcher I decided that the best way to enjoy Florida is be being a lot lighter.   I attended my first WW meeting in a month yesterday.  I have managed to gain back half of what I have lost in the matter of a month.  It took me much longer to lose it.  Why oh why must weight be so much easier to put on than to take off????

So besides Florida and WW nothing much interesting has been going on here at the Schmoo house.  We are trying to get projects that we started sometime ago finished along with getting ready for summer.  I cannot believe that the girls will be done school in a matter of weeks.  I am looking forward to it because I am tired of having to leave my house to drive 5 minutes everyday.  I am also looking forward to spending sometime in Calgary to do some Stamdedin'.

Well this post is starting to go everywhere and explain nothing so I will bow out now before I really get confusing.  Sorry for the hiatus....I guess I just needed to get the blog juices flowing again.  Hope you enjoyed.

(Cammy....I miss ya too.  Hope you are OK...call me....maybe I can come out for a visit before you go home....would love to see you again).

Update

Well....Ryleigh is feeling much better now.  Thanks to everyone for their concern.  

Mommy, on the other hand, is not feeling so great.  Ryleigh passed on her cold to me.  I leave tomorrow :(  I also got the luck of getting an ear infection.  I went to the Doctor yesterday and he gave me some antibiotics which are supposed to help but as of right now my ear is totally plugged and I feel like I am living under water.

I am just about finished packing.  Only 2 more hours until we leave to take the kids to my parents.  We fly tomorrow morning at 8 a.m.  Cross your fingers there are no delays and that my ears hold up.

See you all in a week or so!!!  Have a great long weekend!

Poor Baby

I think that my baby is getting sick.  This is not good.  Ever.  I don't like it when my babies are sick but this time I am being especially selfish about it.

I don't want to leave my sick baby while I am away basking in the sun.  I don't think that my Mom would like it if I left my sick baby with her while I am away basking in the sun either.

I have a feeling that it could be a long night tonight.  While I went to the gym tonight (yep, you read that right, I went to the gym) My Dear Nathan put all of our girls to bed.  He said that Ryleigh went quite willingly.  She usually does but not that early.  

I have heard a few cries from the crib tonight but nothing that indicated that she wouldn't just roll over and go back to sleep.  I was informed by My Dear Nathan that we have no milk though.  I am thinking that I should be going to the store for milk instead of writing (boring) blogs.  Should I walk?  Hmmmm....

Good Things....

Having been a bad blogger as of late I will report on only happy things.

Today it was nice outside.  When it is nice outside it is nicer inside because Mommy can send children outside and out of her hair.

I only have 9 more days to wait until my trip.  I am so excited that I could pee my pants.  I do have to admit that even though I have not yet left that I already miss my babies.  I am crazy.  

I had a good weekend.  We spent our Friday night celebrating My Dear Nathan's big hockey win.  I am pleased to announce that he was voted Goalie of the Year.

Canada's Worst Handyman 3 starts tonight.  I love this show.  I think this one is even better than Canada's Worst Driver.

My Dear Nathan is on call this weekend but does not have to work on Mother's Day.  I hope I get a nice necklace to go with my new dress.

I bought a new dress to wear to Cirque Du Soleil at Disney World.  Although I am a little sad that I couldn't buy a smaller size (bad, bad Nancy for not working hard enough to lose more weight) I am happy that I look better than I did at Christmas.

Last thing is the Happy Monster Band.  Google it and then listen to the Monster Hoe Down.  I have been singing it for a week.  Claw left, claw right.....now double claw!!!!

Camryn Gets Revenge

In my effort to conserve water I bathe 2 of my children together.  I always have (age appropriate of course).  I also shower every day with My Dear Nathan (sorry for the wealth of personal information).

Camryn and Darian used to bath together all the time.  I will never ever forget one fateful night though.  Camryn must have been around 2, making Darian 6-ish.  Our one and only bathtub was upstairs in our tiny house.  We ran the water, tossed our kids into the tub and then went about our business.  Everything was going swimmingly until we heard Darian screeching at the top of her lungs for her Mommy.  Thinking that something was wrong, we both bolted into the bathroom.  Upon our arrival we found Darian straddling the bathtub, a foot on either side, while yelling.  Camryn, on the other hand, was happy as a clam.  Just sitting and playing.  It only took a second before we realized what it was that Darian was screaming about.  Camryn had pooped in the water.  It was a priceless moment.  We plucked our children out of the sewage, cleaned the tub and then proceeded to clean our children.

Camryn has got her revenge tonight.  She wanted to bathe with her baby sister so we obliged.  We ran them the tub, gave them the toys and left the room to go about our business.  Tonight, however, there was the teeny-tiniest call of "uhhhh.....Mommy?".  I almost didn't hear it.  I muted the hockey game and answered.  It the calmest voice I have ever heard Camryn replied "Ryleigh just pooped in the bath".  We bolted to her rescue, expecting to see her straddling the tub ala Darian.  Nope, she simply got out and waited for us to come and rescue her.  Ryleigh was not pleased to have to get out but we promised her that she could get back in....just as soon as we removed all the toys, all the poop and scrubbed the tub.  Now I have dirty tub toys, a clean tub and pretty soon will have clean children.  

I can't help but wonder when (or if) Ryleigh will get her revenge....that and how the hell am I going to clean all the tub toys?

Bradford Ex-crap!

Remember how I was saying that I was going to blog about what Awesome Father-In-Law had waiting for me when I came home from Disneyland?  Well here it is....in all of its glory.

These lovely things are not for me specifically but for my 8 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER!  Yes, you read that right.  At some point in her 8 years my little Camryn may or may not have mentioned that she likes dragons.

Any of you who have been reading will know that I have been incessantly complaining about trying to get my house decluttered and organized.  I have gone through boxes upon boxes of stuff that I thought that I needed.  I have realized that I needed none of it.

I realize even more that I DO NOT need crappy Bradford Exchange anything in my house.  Not only are there these 2 dragons in my house but there is also a number of wolves (that belong to Darian) and some other crap in large styrofoam containers.  It would not have been so bad if my children had actually asked for any of this shit but they did not.  My Awesome Father-In-Law took it upon himself to buy them these lovely pieces.

I get that he is just trying to give his grandchildren something but why these?  These....totally age inappropriate, totally home cluttering, totally ugly specimens.  The best part though?  Is that this is a series.....of 8!  I do not have room for the 2 that we have what the fuck am I going to do with 8?

My favorite part is the scantily-clad warrior women on them.  I am sure that they are Camryn's favorite part too.  Groan!  What am I going to do?  Anybody wanna adopt some dragons?

Tired!!

It.  Has.  Been.  Snowing.  For.  Days.  Who the hell pissed off the weather gods?  I am so tired of the snow.  How is it possible that in the last 3 days we have received more snow than we did the whole 2 weeks we were away.....in DECEMBER!!!

I have shoveled our sidewalk because the snow gets too deep during the day to leave it for Nathan to do.  This morning, after getting home from a horrible attempt to work out at the gym, I just left Ryleigh in our van (running of course) to watch Spongebob while I tried to clear a path to our front door.  I have left the back for Nathan to do.  It is garbage day tomorrow and I will have no part of hauling any garbage out through at least a foot of snow.

The worst part of this, besides the fact that it is nearing the end of April, is that there does not seem to be a stop to this hideous weather until after the weekend.  Ugg.  Groan.  Retch.  Alberta weather is just not impressing me right now.  Good thing that I only have 22 more days until I go to Florida.

**I would add pics but this damn thing is not working.

***I would also like to add that my boys won their hockey game on Sunday!!!

A Meme

I was not tagged per se but this is from Kyddryn.  You can visit her here.

1. What was the last hot thing you touched?  Does my husband count?  lol.....

2. Do you have an eating disorder?  Sometimes I don't like to eat.  The thought of it kind of makes me sick...but I do eat because it is one of those pesky things that you HAVE to do.

3. As a child, did you ever take swimming lessons?  Yes I did.  We used to live in a townhouse complex that had a rec centre and that is where I took swimming lessons.

4. What was the last movie you watched in the theatre?  I have no clue.  It has been so long since I have gone to the theatre....probably some sort of Harry Potter movie and I still haven't seen the most recent one.

5. Do you have siblings?  Yes, I have 1 younger brother.

6. Ever had braces?  Although most dentists that I see assume that I have, I haven't.  I have been fortunate enough to be born with perfectly straight teeth.  I guess it is the least the universe could do since I am fat.

7. When was the last time you kissed the last person you kissed?  Sometime around 3:30 this morning...

8. What are two things you get made fun of a lot for?  My incredibly small ears and the fact that I really like Disney right now....

9. How old are your brothers and sisters?  I have no sisters but my brother is 28.

10. What was your favorite movie as a child?  I remember really liking Annie.

11. Do you know anyone with the same name as you?  Yes, my daughter's Brownie leader has the same first name and one of the guys that Nathan works with has the same as my middle name.

12. What do you smell like?  A Mom?  Nancy?  Oil of Olay soap?  I have never really sniffed myself.

13. What's your favorite month?  Probably July because there is Stampede, Capital Ex, usually nice weather and my baby's birthday.

14. Do people ever misspell your name?  Yes, not so much my first name, but definitely my middle and last name (both married and maiden).

15. Are you a mean person?  No, although I am sure that my kids would tell you that I am.

16. What was the last sporting event that you watched?  I am watching curling as I type this.  But before this it was a hockey game.  And after this it will be a hockey game.....sigh....I can't wait for football season to start.

17. When you're home alone, do you still close the door when you shower?  Yes because I am never, ever home alone and if I am having a shower it is one of the very few toddler free moments I get.  Besides if the door is open and Ryleigh comes in, it usually means that I have to let her in the shower with me.

18. Has a friendship ended recently that you wish hadn't?  No though I do feel like some are strained but I am not sure how I feel about it.

19. You win the $100 million power ball lottery - what do you do?  First, I wonder if a Canadian is allowed to win a power ball lottery.  Second, I pay off debts, build a new house and have another baby.  Take a nice, extended vacation and put money away for my kids.

20. Are you a beach person or a snowy mountain person?  Well right at this very moment I would have to say a beach person as it has been snowing for 2 days here.  Have I mentioned that it is mid-April?  Have I mentioned that this time last week it was 24 above?  And now?  It is snowing.....lots!

21. Can you watch scary movies alone?  No.  I don't like scary movies at all and don't watch them.  Most of the time I don't watch them because they are too stupid and my life is too valuable to waste watching mindless crap....unless it is some sort of reality tv show.

22. Would you rather stay home all day or be out and about?  Well I usually like to stay home all day but every now and then I need to get out before I burn my house down.

23. Do you like to keep the peace or be confrontational?  Depends on who I am with....there are some people that I love to argue with.....Awesome Father-In-Law is one of them.

24. Are you more likely to be with a large group of people or a few close friends?  A few close friends.

25. Where would you like to live?  I am very content here in Edmonton....I don't know enough about other places to change where I live....I don't like change.

26. What is your ideal profession?  One where I love what I am doing every day.  I am still looking....

27. What is one fear that you have?  Losing my family is my biggest fear!

28. Are you good in math?  I used to be.

29. What's stashed under your bed?  The floor.  There is no space under my bed.

30. Is there anyone you ever regret meeting?  Yes....but I think that if I said who it is it would be mean, and I am not a mean person.

31. Would you rather have room mates or live alone?  Live alone if it was just random people who were my room mates.

32. What is your favorite thing to wear?  Anything that makes me look thinner.  :)

33. Do you give money to homeless people when they ask?  Sometimes.  If I have change then chances are I will give it.  

34. Missing someone?  Yes....wish she lived closer.  The Mayor position still needs filling (in my opinion anyway).

35. You're having a bad day, what is one thing that can make your day better?  My kids being funny.  Or a hug from my husband.

36. Do you keep secrets well?  Sometimes too well....am struggling with that right now.

37. Can you sing?  Yes but not as well as I used to be able too.

38. Any plans for today?  Yep, we are going to watch My Dear Nathan play hockey.  It is the finals.....fingers crossed they win!!

39. Favorite color?  Black....if you don't consider that a color then it would be red.

40. How old will you be in 10 months?  10 months older than I am right now...duh!!  Ummmm....almost 33.

41. What did you do today?  So far, I have done some laundry, changed some diapers, served some breakfast and watched some curling.....not a very exciting day as of yet.

42. Who was the last person who texted you?  Probably Jenn.  It has been a few days since I got a text so I am guessing.

43. What is your current status?  Ummm....married.  Stationary.  Awake.

44. What are you listening to?  CBC Sports.

45. Who can you tell anything to?  My Dear Nathan and Cammy.

46. What were you doing at 12 am last night?  Drinking beer and playing Wii with My Dear Nathan and Camryn.

47. When is the last time you saw your Mom?  April 2.  It was the day we left after going to Disneyland together.

48. Have you kissed someone in the last 2 weeks?  Yes, all of my family.  

49. How many houses have you lived in? 3 of my own.

50. Do you live in the house you grew up in?  No.

51. What are you doing for your next birthday?  I have no clue, probably not much.

52. Are you a social person?  Isn't everyone is some manner?

53. Do you like someone right now?  Yes, I like lots of people.

54. What color is your shirt?  Black and grey.

55. Do you sleep on a certain side of the bed?  Yes but only because there is someone on the other side, once he is gone I roll all over the place.

56. Do you know how to play poker?  Texas Hold Em, yes....but not very good.

57. What are you thinking about right now?  Honestly?  That my house smells like chicken at this very moment.

58. Any plans for this weekend?  Next weekend?  This weekend is pretty much done.  Next weekend we have to work on cleaning the house out more.

59. Do you have anything bothering you?  YES!!!!  Big time....and it really, REALLY sucks!

60. Do you smile often?  I think so.

61. When was the last time you cried?  Friday night, 

62. Have you ever had a life threatening injury?  No thank goodness!

63. Have you ever been in an ambulance?  No thank goodness!

64. Do you prefer an ocean or pool?  A pool because they can be warm.

65. Why is your relationship status the way it is?  Because I said so.

66. What is something that you collect?  Magazines but I really shouldn't.

67. Do you wear any jewelry 24/7? Yes my tongue is pierced and so is my nose.

68. Do you think OJ killed his wife?  Yes.

69. Have you ever been awake for 48 hours straight?  Probably during my dumb teen years.

70. How often do you remember your dreams?  A few nights a week usually.

71. What is the main ring tone on your phone?  Just One Fix by Ministry.

72. What is something that you do too much?  Let people use me as an emotional dumping ground.  Drink beer.

73. Do you shut the water off while you brush your teeth?  Yes.

74. Do you wish someone was with you right now?  He already is.

75. Are you mad about anything?  Same thing that is making me cry, keeping a secret and bothering me.

76. How late did you stay up Saturday night and why?  Until about 4 am, playing Wii and doin' other stuff.  Why?  Because it was all fun!

77. What was the first thing you thought when you got up?  Fucking cats!!!

78. Who were you with Saturday night?  My Dear Nathan, Camryn and Ryleigh.

79. Do you think you will be in a relationship 3 months from now?  Yes.

80. Do you think it will be snowing 3 months from now?  Is this some sort of a trick question?  My answer is.....it better fucking not be!!!

81. When is the next time you will see your best friend?  Sadly, I have no idea :(

82. What highschool did/do/will you attend?  Westwood and Father Merc...I was bad.

83. Who was the last person you talked to last night before bed?  My Dear Nathan.

84. Is there anything that you are craving right now?  Pizza.

85. Have you ever started a sentence with "No offence but..."?  I can't recall but I know I would like to.  That is not true, I am sure that I have and would still like to.

86. Do you drink tea?  Yes.  I like Lemon Zinger the best.

87. Are you happy with your life right now?  Yes...most of it.  Everything in my house is good, wish I could say the same for every one I know.

88. Who do you hate?  I don't hate anyone....dislike...yes, but hate, no.

89. What do you wear to bed?  Nothing.

90. Has anyone gotten on your nerves lately?  Yes.

91. Do you think you'll be married in 10 years?  Yes.

92. What were you doing at 6 pm on Friday night?  Nothing, sitting at home.

So there you have it.  Answers to many questions, nothing very exciting.  I have been a bad blogger.  I will not tag but you feel it necessary, please answer many questions too!!

Have a good day.  Wish us luck we are going to watch My Dear Nathan play hockey today (the finals) and we really want to win!!!

All Growed Up

You know you are a real adult when you get excited about doors.  As I type I have 3 men ripping out my exterior front door.  I am finally getting a new one!!  One from this century!!  WOO HOO!!!

I must be all growed up now as I am excited about getting new doors.  My house is kind of cold and I still have to run to the store to buy door knobs and locks but I will have a new door.  

A Test

I have been thinking I should expand my blogspot knowledge.....bare with me while I test some stuff out....

Do you see anything?  Leave a comment and let me know...

*Edited to add:  I think that I made it work!!  Yay me!!  Those are my stupid cats who I have spoiled by letting the drink cold, running water, which is the only way that they will drink it.  It is a little uncomfortable when I am trying to go to the bathroom....always a pleasure with 3 cats and a toddler present.

Seriously?

I know that you all must be so sick of hearing about house cleaning and organizing and such but seriously?  When the fuck does it all get finished?

I think that maybe I just went about doing it the wrong way.  I wanted to get upstairs done but I cannot do that without having the basement done as I want to move our other computer down there.  I can't move anything down there until the decades worth of crap that I have, for some unknown reason, held onto is gone.

I am trying to sell my crap on the internet right now.  I cannot believe how people seem to want a brand new dresser for the $40.00 I am asking for it.  Fuck, if dressers only cost $40.00 you wouldn't be on the internet looking for them asshole!!!  I have managed to sell (assuming she comes to pick it up) our old 27" elephant (I mean t.v.).  Now all I need to do is get rid of the elephant holder.

Ugly isn't it?  I am thinking that it would make great firewood.  I am at the point where I am just ready to burn everything that I no longer want and/or need.  Do you notice the mess around it?  That is just more crap that I don't need that My Dear Nathan keeps telling me that I can't get rid of because it doesn't belong to me.  What is it you ask?  It is all the shit that he takes from his brothers and his Dad when they no longer want their crap!!  

I decided today that I am going to clean my living room.  At least I can have one room in my house that does not make me want to puke by being in it.  After that I figure I will clean the kitchen but only because I have to make supper at some point tonight.  

I also have to go to work....fun oh fun.  Have I mentioned that I do not think that the job that I am currently doing is worth the $180.00 per month I am making doing it?  Oh to have a maid or at least some help.  Just wait until I find my camera amongst the shit that I have still have to unpack (I know, I suck).  Then you will see why I think that Awesome Father-In-Law is oh-so-awesome.  Because what I came home to the other day....sitting on my kitchen table....is exactly what I need in the midst of my organizational nervous breakdown.  Stay tuned!!!

I am back....

but I am not happy about it.  Ok, that is a lie.  I am totally happy to be back because (caution:  sappy shit coming up) I missed My Dear Nathan.  

Our trip was a very short one, even shorter than anticipated thanks in large part to some snow and a cruddy airline.  I am beginning to think that air travel is way over rated.  At least if I drove to my destinations I could experience the scenery and have to take a longer vacation.  I will not bore you with details, just know that I should have been at LAX at noon on Sunday and arrived sometime around 8:00 p.m., with only 2 of my daughters.  The other one would arrive at nearly midnight with my Mother.  Ugg....we missed a whole day at Disneyland but did spend a glorious day at the Phoenix airport.

Our trip after that was nothing but a blur of trying to pack all of Disneyland and California Adventure into 2 days.  We almost did it.  There were somethings that we did not ride and/or see.  Oo, oo, we did, however, see Cuba Gooding Jr. in the Phoenix airport.  I am sure he took our seats.  

I enjoyed our trip and am sure that so did my girls.  I look forward to taking them back, spending a few more days and of course, having My Dear Nathan with us (no offense to my Mom, she rode all the scary rides with my kids as I, am a total, complete chicken shit).

We came home on Thursday night.  On Friday morning I was very graciously invited to a Bloggers Breakfast.  Which proceeded to be followed by a Bloggers Lunch.  It was a great time, with great new people.  I look forward to the next one and only hope that they did not think I was crazy, lame, or any of those other bad things I tend to think about myself.  

The rest of the weekend I did nothing.  As I sit here typing this my suitcase is still in my living room.  Full.  I really should unpack it.  Right now....I have a feeling I am boring people.  

Time is

so slow.......this last week of waiting for the day to go to Disney has taken forever!!  

I am finally here in Cochrane and am just a mere 12 hours away from being on a plane to California.  The bad part is that I am a mere 9 hours away from having to sit in the Calgary International Airport for 3 hours.  Yippee!!!  Can't wait.  I wonder who will be at the airport at 4 a.m.

I packed everything this morning before leaving to come to Cochrane.  I hope and cross all appendages that I did not forget anything.  Which I am sure that I have because I never pack without forgetting something.  I packed for a week for all of us once and totally forgot to pack My Dear Nathan some underwear.  He....was not impressed.  Me....didn't mind so much.

I need to find something to do with my time.  I am sure that I am more excited about this trip than my girls are...at least for right now.  Will be back in a few.  Hope everyone has/had a great weekend/week!!!

Random

Thoughts......

Ryleigh really needs to go to bed.  She is trying to put on her new sandals and is having zero success with it.  She is pissed off!

I have been really sucking at Weight Watchers lately.  It is a combination of really craving burgers and beer and not having any motivation to do any sort of exercise.

I went to get new exterior doors today.  Fuck me, they are not cheap....can't wait til I have to shell out for new hardwood floors.

Watching The View is always painful, yet I generally turn it on everyday (would someone please hand EH a brain).  Perhaps I can just pay someone to come poke me in the eye with a hot needle as it would probably feel like a better use for my time.

I leave to go to Disney in 4 days.  Darian has no clean clothes and I am down to only 2 loads of laundry to do.  Yet I sit here on the computer, not doing any laundry.

Darian has done her own laundry for almost 3 years now.  I am a horrible mother.  I stopped doing her laundry when she figured that it was alright to use 3 towels every time she showered and change her clothes 20 times a day because, you know, I love doing laundry and really needed to do more.

On the subject of Darian....what do you do when you can't stand the way your daughter does her hair?  She is insisting right now to wear these "pig tails" at the nape of her neck that are about half an inch long.....I want nothing more than to cut them off in the middle of the night.

It would be easier to reach Darian's head in the middle of the night if there was not a mountain of dirty laundry about 5 ft. high surrounding her bed.

I am now going in circles talking about laundry and Ryleigh really, REALLY, needs a nap.

Easter Dinner

Nothing very exciting about this post, just to forewarn you.

This weekend I successfully cooked and served Easter dinner.  ALL BY MYSELF, which my Mother pointed out to me.

I came stumbling home from the bar on Saturday night, put my ham in the oven and went to bed.  Step 1 complete.

The next morning My Dear Nathan got up and cleaned the house while I slept off the jugs of Grasshopper (lots o' lemon) that I had consumed the night before.  Then I asked him to carry the mini-fridge downstairs, go to Safeway to pick up the rest of everything that I needed to make dinner and pick up some wine from the good ol' liquor store.

My grandparents came at around noon, shortly after my parents had called to say that they were finally leaving for their 3 hour drive to bring my kids home and well, since they were here, eat too.

Around 1-ish I remembered that I didn't have any dinner buns.  Instead of asking My Dear Nathan to go out and get some I figured that my parents would be getting close to home and should be able to swing by the grocery store and pick some up.  Wrong.  They were only half hour into the 3 hour ride.  Apparently when they called to say they were leaving they needed to first go through the 2 hour, make sure everything in the house is OK, checklist which is of course required when you leave the house for 12 hours.

My grandparents are sleeping on the couch, because that is what old people do and now I am wondering if I should attempt to bake some buns or send My Dear Nathan back to the store.  I chose the store and some internet surfing.

After all way said and done, I made my ham, some taters, gravy, corn, carrots and coleslaw for dinner.  I did it all by myself (the preparation and cooking that is, My Dear Nathan did the delivery).  Ok, I admit that my Mother mashed the potatoes for me.  Usually I have someone here (my Mother) to help me but not this time.  Nope, this time, I was like....all growed up and cooking family Easter dinner!

Hope everyone had a great one!!!

(Told you it wasn't very exciting...raise your hand if you made it this far)

Technology

I have been driving my van for just about a month now.  I totally love it.  I thought that I would miss my little car but really....I don't.  

The van is nice in that it has satellite radio.  Not the company that I would prefer but I like listening to the radio and the fact that I can listen in the middle of nowhere (like say....Red Deer) makes me happy.

What has not been making me happy is the lack of instructions on how to use the fancy touch screen radio/media centre in the van.  It has the ability to have 12 preset stations, which is good because I have found that all the stations that I like to listen to are all over the dial.  I have caught myself looking at the radio screen instead of paying attention to the road....bad, bad Nancy.

Today, after having tried to figure out the preset button on numerous occasions, I finally figured it out!!  I am so happy with myself.  This is a really good thing considering that next week I have to take the van in to get some fancy U-Connect system put in.  Apparently I will be able to talk on my cell through my van.  I am sure that sometime this summer I will finally figure out how to use it.  Isn't technology great?  I know that things are really complicated when even my tech-savvy kids can't figure it out.

Trying New Things

This morning was a big morning.  I actually went and did something that I never in a million years thought I would.  I signed up, paid for and attended a Salsa Tots class.  

In an effort to lose some (some = very large amounts) of weight I decided that I needed to do something a little more physical than moving my fingertips while typing.  I contemplated joining the gym and then remembered the last time that I did that.....skinny, had way too much coffee, cheery to a fault girls telling me that I will be skinny in no time....yeah, right.  Go fuck yourself skinny gym girl.  Jeez....you think that I am bitter much?

So, gym is out of the question.  I have bought some proper walking shoes and planned 2 trips to various Disney parks within the next few months.  I will be walking....lots.  I am telling myself that the Disney trips will be good for me (minus, of course, all of the food that is a must to eat...like Pineapple Whip and Churros).

(Aside - I am typing this while watching The View....Barbara Walters looks horrid today!!!  Mmmmmmm Carter Oosterhouse, or however you spell it)

Back to the post....so no gym, more walking.  I was watching the morning news one day and saw someone talking about a dance class for Mom (or Dad) and baby, called Salsa Babies.  Not having a baby anymore I thought I was screwed.  Nope.  They have a class called Salsa Tots.  Not giving it a second thought, I signed up.  

This morning was our first class.  Let me start by saying I was totally the fattest in the class....by a lot!  On the other hand though, Ryleigh was totally the cutest kid!  I got over all the "I am so fat" thoughts, remembering that I was there to try to help out that situation.  I avoided looking at myself in the very large mirrors and concentrated on having fun dancing with my baby.  

I was pleasantly surprised when I found myself enjoying it.  Ryleigh mostly participated, there were moments when she would have rather just been running around, but she did dance.  I danced, kind of, but I did not, and will not, jump.  That would just be ugly!  

I didn't pay attention to the perfect-body Moms who probably roll out of bed looking like they just came home from the salon.  I just need to constantly remind myself that I am there to get some exercise and spend some great time with my baby.

Why Men Are Idiots

• they get it from their Fathers
• they are disorganized
• they think that they have told you something that they haven't and then expect you to do something in relation to their phantom directions
• they figure that 2:00 a.m. when you are FINALLY getting into bed, because you are TIRED is a good time to look for some luvin'
• they think that decluttering, organizing and spring cleaning after not doing it for 10 years involves a couple of garbage bags and about an hour of your time
• they think that their Sunday afternoon hockey game is more important than spending time with the family they haven't seen all week
• they take clean clothes off the bed and put them on the floor instead of putting them away
• they figure that women should deal with emotions the same way that they do....by just forgetting about them
• they stink
• they don't tell you when a package that you have been waiting for is delivered while you are at work
• they don't pay attention to the details
• they leave dirty kleenex everywhere
• they argue with you about where to go for supper
• they cannot make a decision if their life depended on it
• they have no sense of urgency
• they hold onto decades old hockey trophies that haven't seen the outside of a cardboard box for 15 years
• they say they will do something and then don't
• they complain about something and then don't do anything to fix it

Now, of course, all of these do not apply to all men in general and they are not just about one man in particular.  It just seems that the last few days would have been much easier to deal with if it were a week where all the men left.

If you would like to add to the reasons, please do so in my comments....pass the link onto all your friends.....I am sure that I am missing some that I would love to add to the list!

Oatmeal.....Again

In an effort to make my large ass a little less large I have been eating oatmeal.  Lots....of oatmeal.  I usually begin my day with a bowl of it.  

I have discovered that I like it better made with milk as opposed to water.  It takes 1 minute, 30 seconds in my beautiful microwave.  When it comes out it is still all nice and smooth and full of oat-y deliciousness.

My most recent daily routine requires that I watch ER reruns while reading blogs and thinking of ways to spend My Dear Nathan's hard earned money before he hardly earned it.  Don't worry, I feed Ryleigh her morning staple of peanut butter toast before I start all my hard work.

I am thinking, as I eat my "oatmeal" that I need to revise my routine to include eating my oatmeal before I begin ER and/or blog reading.  By the time I begin to eat it the oat-y deliciousness has turned into a sticky, oat-y facial peel.  I still eat it but it is no longer smooth, it is more....lumpy.  The taste is still OK as far as diet oatmeal goes.

Once I am finished my bowl, I have learned the hard way, it must be rinsed out immediately.  If it is not, it moves from facial peel-ish to cement-ish.  I never knew that oatmeal was such a transitional food, I always just used to think that it sucked.

Not Ready to Share

A few weeks ago we had some friends over for some drinks.  During the course of the evening the subject of blogs came up.  My Dear Nathan mentioned that I have one.  He was very gracious and extolled our friends about how talented a writer I am (he must really love me and not read my blog very often).  He told them about how funny (again....being a dutiful husband and one who doesn't read very often) some of my posts are.  I didn't really think that much of it that night but the next few days I did.  

I know that there are 2 people who read my blog that know me personally.  I believe that most other people that read have never met me in real life.  The people that do know me in real life are, outside of My Dear Nathan, the people that know me best.  They have been there for, or heard about, the best and worst times of my life.  They know my sense of humor, eccentricities, inherent flaws, and well....pretty much everything else.

I asked My Dear Nathan not to tell people about my blog.  I think that having people that know me but not KNOW me reading my blog would adversely affect how and what I blog about.  Don't get me wrong, the friends that we were talking about are quickly becoming good friends but will never be on the same level as those who read here.  I am really a very open person.  Most times if you ask me a question I will answer it honestly and openly.  This has on more than one occasion and very recently bitten me in the ass but hey....it is just how I am.

Do you think that I am being crazy?  Would having someone read your blog make you feel uncomfortable or change how and what you write?  I know that there is no guarantee that someone I know won't stumble across this blog and I know that there may very well be more people that know me reading.  For right now I guess I am just not comfortable inviting new people (that I deal with in real life) into my little piece of bloggyland.

Kraft Dinner Juice

Camryn is at home today, enjoying yet another day off of school.  We have decided to partake in the kids lunch staple that is Kraft Dinner.

Usually when I make KD it is not according to the package directions.  I usually just splash in  some milk and add a spoonful of butter (well, it is actually margarine, so as to be more diet friendly) in addition to the cheese packet.  Today when I pulled the milk jug out of the fridge I found that there was more than I needed for KD but not enough to do anything else with.  I decided to just pour the entire contents of said milk jug into the pot.

I noticed that the KD was a little runny but still cheesy enough to eat, so I began to spoon it out.  As I am following Weight Watchers I had only a bit, which will still cost me 6 points.  The rest of the pot I spooned out to Ryleigh and Camryn, giving Camryn the bulk of the box. Camryn has been known to consume a whole pot of KD on her own.  She would like to eat nothing other than KD for breakfast, lunch and dinner if allowed.

I have just been informed that Camryn has too much KD juice at the bottom of her bowl and that she does not like her KD that juicy.  I guess next time I should be a little less liberal with the milk so as not to create Kraft Dinner Soup.

Weird Dreams

This morning I had this dream where I am inside the first house that we owned.  The windows are all covered with very long and heavy curtains, each one pulled tightly shut but the windows behind them are all open.  We (I can't quite put my finger on who exactly is with me) are all inside in the house because there are people outside who are trying to get us.  The odd part of this dream is that it seems to be the guys from Good Charlotte that are after us.

Every now and again I take a glimpse between the curtains.  The scene behind my house is how it really is.  The apartment buildings behind us are the same, right down to the wad of wet toilet paper that we sent up to the 3rd floor with our water balloon sling shot.  I can even see the same cars that used to park at the apartment building out there.  I see Flander's awesome Echo (Flanders will need to be explained in another, very long post) and it makes me shudder.

The sky looks like it does just before a thunder storm at dusk.  It smells like there is a fire somewhere and it is eerily quiet.  The street that we lived on was never quiet as it is only 1 block removed from a major route in the city.  There is a calm that feels so uncomfortable due to the fact that I am scared shitless, trapped inside my little house.

At one point in my dream I see the block surrounding my house.  I see it as I would imagine an out of body experience would be like.  I am seeing everything from above.  Although the view to the back of my house is exactly the same, the view in the front and of the block surrounding it, look nothing at all like what it really does.  My house is the tiny house in the middle of huge, scary, plantation-like houses.  There are many large, leafy trees on either side of the street.

I have no idea what this dream is about.  I know that I am scared and I feel like I am trying to protect someone (this morning I got the distinct feeling that it was my daughters).  I can't let anyone get in the house and I have to stop people from leaving as well.  I wonder why some of the things that I am seeing are exact in detail and appearance but then other things are completely different........it is just weird.  I only write about it here because I feel like I have had this, or a very similar, dream a few different times lately.  Maybe having it here will allow me to look back if it happens again.  Maybe someone out in bloggyland can offer some insight into what it means.

The Biggest Loser

Why do I watch this show?  It is full of people that work their asses off and make me feel stupid for not putting in my Biggest Loser DVD.  After I am all finished feeling like a heap of shit for not exercising I cry because it is so sad when someone has to go home.

As I type this Camryn is sighing and feeling sad for Bernie as he is getting hugged good-bye.  I wish that I had the oomph to do what these people do.  I am thrilled that I have lost every week for the past 6 but I need to work harder!

Happy, Happy

I am finally reporting some good news.  It seems as though lately all I have been doing is complaining.  I apologize.  Here is some good news:

1. I finally have a return flight from Orlando.  It leaves in the early evening so that means that we have an additional morning/afternoon to spend there.  The only down side is that we will not be arriving back in Calgary until almost midnight so my Dear Nathan will have to miss an extra day of work.

2. As I posted about already, I have a new computer.  I love that I can sit here in the living room, watch Roo do her new puzzles, blog, search for dinner recipes (we are having Jiffy Ground Pork Skillet tonight) and altogether ignore my housework all from the comfort of my new armchair.

3. I have new furniture.  Roo and I were playing on our cheap Ikea furniture the other day and well....we broke it.  That same night my Dear Nathan took me shopping for and bought me some new leather furniture.  Couch, loveseat and chair.  The chair is very comfy, I think that it is now officially mine.  No one else is permitted to sit here.

4. I have a new t.v.  Since we bought our furniture from The Brick we also got in on the "buy this set and get a free t.v. deal".  Even better is that it is not some shitty unknown brand.  It is a new, fancy Panasonic HD Plasma.  It is very purdy.

5.  I have a new van.  Circus music be damned!  My family is finally riding in comfort.  We have already packed it full of $800.00 worth of Costco groceries and filled every seat with children!  I even got to use the Stow 'n' Go feature!

6.  I am finished with birthday parties in my house until July.  Camryn had her birthday party yesterday so I am officially finished until Roo's birthday.  Thank god too, because if I eat anymore cake I am sure that I will gain back every ounce of the 1o pounds that I have lost.  Which leads me to my next point.....

7.  I have been on Weight Watchers for 8 weeks now.  As of last Thursday I have lost a total of 10.4 pounds.  I have faithfully gone to my meetings even knowing that I have had a (or a string of many) horrible weekend(s).  I have not been exercising like I should be but I am ready to get back in that routine.  I am going to go shopping for some new shoes later on this afternoon.

8.  I have somewhat organized my kitchen.  I finally have most of my cupboards organized.  I received new dishes for my birthday from my Mom (I love my new pattern!) so they were the catalyst to finally using the very top shelf of my cupboards, even if I can't reach them without a ladder.

9.  The Sears repairman came and ordered a new icemaker.  He did not try to fuck around and make it work.  He did not question my Dear Nathan's plumbing skills (in relation to hooking up the water line for the fridge) and he did not just take the damn thing out, flip it over a few times, re-install it and then leave my house with his fingers crossed that he turned it the right way to magically repair it.

10. I am getting linoleum down my back stairs.  There is nasty, nasty carpet on them currently.  It was gross when we moved in and I have to admit that we have not improved the situation any.  We will still have to live with the carpeted walls (this will be explained when I post pics after the lino is in) but at least the cats have a climbing wall.

All in all, things have been good around here.  We did not win the lottery and we will both have to work our balls off to pay for the above list but we are happy.  Now if I could just get laid.... :)

Excited

This is my first post from my beautiful, new black Macbook. I ♥ my new computer. I heart my Dear Nathan even more for buying it for me.

We decided at Christmas time to fore go the usual underwear and CDs for each other. We talked about just buying something "big" and saying Merry Christmas. We decided that we were going to buy a new computer, more specifically, a new laptop so that I can be ultralazy and surf the internet while watching tv. So here I sit doing just that!

I am super excited because this computer means that on days that I have no idea what I am going to make for dinner I can whip open my computer and all sorts of recipes will fall out of it. This means that my girls can play their computer games without having to put me out of a computer to pay important bills with or something a little more realistic, like read blogs.  This means that I can drag my computer to Florida and post pictures while we are there!!