It's the last day of school in our district. I'm not one of those people who dreads having the kids around all summer, this morning I woke with a tummy full of butterflies; anticipation for the incredible summer the boys and I will have.
We will be rock climbing and mountain biking weekly. We'll spend countless hours in the pool at the Y and reading books under our favourite tree at the park. The kids will be cooking most of the summer meals and in appreciation of that, ice cream will become a food group in and of itself.
But today I will sit.
I will revel in the silence that will not show itself again for another 67 days.
I will read a book.
I will take a nap.
I will drink enough of this quiet and peace to satiate me until the coming of September, when the leaves start to crinkle and the garden has exhausted itself.
I will be still.
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Why Declining Your Vote Is A Shitty Idea
The interwebs of Ontario have been abuzz with articles informing you of your right to decline your vote during the upcoming provincial election. Facebook is full of it, people being amazed that they have this option and talking about how they're going to decline their vote.
I think that's a shitty thing to do. Maybe slightly better than not showing up to the polls at all, but still shitty.
There seems to be a popular opinion out there that declining your vote will change the system. We'll just get all these jerks out of power and pick somebody new, right? Wrong. Declining your vote means you're making a conscious decision not to vote. That's fine, but even if 99% of Ontarians declined their vote, the person and party with the most votes will still win. Yes, your declined votes get counted but that doesn't mean that if more people decline to vote than to actually vote, that we'll just be left with no leadership at all.
Declining your vote is just that, you are declining your right to vote. It is not a vote for "None of the Above" as some have read it to be, it's the same damn thing as not voting at all. If you don't vote, even fewer people will be ACTUALLY voting. That means an even smaller number of people will be choosing what kind of leadership we sit under.
So do me a favour, will ya? Take an hour an look at the platforms of all the parties and candidates in your riding. None of them will be perfect, no one is. But pick the one that suits you, your family and your hopes for our province the best. Then vote for them. They may not win, but at least you'll be making your vote count for something instead of just crossing your fingers and hoping that politicians hear your declined votes and change their ways. Picking any option is better than standing on a principle that has no legs.
I think that's a shitty thing to do. Maybe slightly better than not showing up to the polls at all, but still shitty.
There seems to be a popular opinion out there that declining your vote will change the system. We'll just get all these jerks out of power and pick somebody new, right? Wrong. Declining your vote means you're making a conscious decision not to vote. That's fine, but even if 99% of Ontarians declined their vote, the person and party with the most votes will still win. Yes, your declined votes get counted but that doesn't mean that if more people decline to vote than to actually vote, that we'll just be left with no leadership at all.
Declining your vote is just that, you are declining your right to vote. It is not a vote for "None of the Above" as some have read it to be, it's the same damn thing as not voting at all. If you don't vote, even fewer people will be ACTUALLY voting. That means an even smaller number of people will be choosing what kind of leadership we sit under.
So do me a favour, will ya? Take an hour an look at the platforms of all the parties and candidates in your riding. None of them will be perfect, no one is. But pick the one that suits you, your family and your hopes for our province the best. Then vote for them. They may not win, but at least you'll be making your vote count for something instead of just crossing your fingers and hoping that politicians hear your declined votes and change their ways. Picking any option is better than standing on a principle that has no legs.
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Easiest Recipe Ever
I am a marriage Master, let me tell you.
Me: "Wouldn't bbq pork chops be great for lunch babe?"
Him: "Hmmm, that actually sounds perfect."
BOOM. Dinner for the kids is made and I didn't have to lift a finger.
Me: "Wouldn't bbq pork chops be great for lunch babe?"
Him: "Hmmm, that actually sounds perfect."
BOOM. Dinner for the kids is made and I didn't have to lift a finger.
Thursday, May 22, 2014
I'D NEVER SURVIVE IN PRISON AND CHAINSAWS MADE OF GLITTER WOULD BE AWESOME AND MESSY
I left a spade out on the lawn the other night and didn't remember until I had been in bed for a bit. I dismissed it and tried to sleep until my head was filled with images of someone stealing the spade and murdering someone with it. The police would trace the spade back to me from the time I was using it while wearing flip flops and almost chopped my toe off and they'd come to investigate and my neighbour would be investigated because the spade actually belongs to him and it would just be a big awful mess and I could never handle prison, although I bet I could DIY some awesome shit from just a bedsheet and a carton of cigarettes, so of course I got out of bed and brought the damn spade inside.
In other news, neighbour Stan has decided to build this on his half of our shared lawn. I tried to tell him you can't build a tree from wood. . .
 |
| You can get wood from a tree but a tree cannot be made from wood. |
. . . but he's a redneck and he listens to nothing. He tell me that next, he's building a WALL around this mess. Maybe that'll be an improvement. But I've been taking care of his lawn for 2 damn years while they've been busy being hermits and HE COVERED UP MY ROSES with his homemade mulch so I can't help being a little trolly.
To lighten the mood, here's a picture my child made of a chainsaw with glitter glue. Everything can be pretty AND useful.
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
JACKASS OF THE MONTH - March 2014
I haven't posted a Jackass of the Month since November because I don't want to be all negative all the time and frankly, I've seen a lot of great things happen over the last few months but today it all changes.
Because I saw this at my kid's school. And you truly have to be a jackass to tag an elementary school. Perhaps even more than a jackass to tag it with 420.
Because I saw this at my kid's school. And you truly have to be a jackass to tag an elementary school. Perhaps even more than a jackass to tag it with 420.
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| <font face="sarcasm" colour="angry red">Thanks, Jackass.</font> |
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
This Dance
I'd like to think that I'd be the perfect mother to a daughter. I would teach her to climb trees and appreciate fine literature. I would play Lego (not the pink kind) with her and I would read comic books with her while sitting under a tree at the park. I would teach her to love herself and her body as they were and help her understand that the opinions of others rarely matter. My daughter wouldn't suffer from bouts of depression, cutting, or suicidal thoughts - because I would teach her that she mattered more than any of that.
But I'm not the mother of a daughter and I won't ever be.
So I'm coming to you, dear internet, because we all know that the internet will never, ever steer us wrong.
Every day at the gym I see mothers doing the most awkward dance with their young daughters as they come from swimming lessons. The moms, they hold up a towel around their girls while they also help them peel off wet bathing suits, dry off and put on new clothes, all while still holding up that towel, in a secluded corner of the women's change room. The dance is floundering, both mother and daughter get frustrated as they try to learn the steps to something that clearly requires about 16 arms to pull off. At the end, the mother is usually using her "mom voice" to tell her girl to hurry up because they're late for dinner (dance class, music lessons, etc).
Earlier during the day I've most likely watched yet another video, read a blog or perused an infographic about how we need to teach our girls to love themselves.
And yet, at night, in the confines of a room exclusively for women, mothers and daughters dance this impossible dance.
I have sons. I have boys who love to parade around naked, inside and out. I have a son who looks forward to the weekends because I've told him he can go without underwear on the weekend if that's really what he prefers. Gross, I know, but it's what he likes. But I'm completely ignorant when it comes to girls. My mom didn't do a bad job raising us, not at all, but I also know that my sisters, nor I, have much in the way of self confidence. We're all self-conscious, even my gorgeous sisters who are both smart, successful, and incredibly beautiful, who both fit into negative number jeans and have the kind of giant tatas that women pay thousands of dollars for. They're both absolutely perfect, and they both have self-esteem issues.
So where does it start? By not letting your daughter spend 10 seconds naked in the women's change room, are you setting her up for a lifetime of being so insecure she can't look at her naked body in a mirror? Or does it start later than that? By showing girls that it's not okay to be naked for a minute in a room with other women are you placing your own body image issues onto her? Is insecurity something we can avoid with the right upbringing or are we all destined to feel poorly about our physical bodies at some point?
Years of going to the gym, it wasn't until after 30 that I felt comfortable dressing in the open of the change room instead of a bathroom stall. It's not my mother's fault, this I know, but I also wonder - if she had let me go free when I was 3, would it have taken me until I was 30 to take the chance of having another woman see my breasts?
But I'm not the mother of a daughter and I won't ever be.
So I'm coming to you, dear internet, because we all know that the internet will never, ever steer us wrong.
Every day at the gym I see mothers doing the most awkward dance with their young daughters as they come from swimming lessons. The moms, they hold up a towel around their girls while they also help them peel off wet bathing suits, dry off and put on new clothes, all while still holding up that towel, in a secluded corner of the women's change room. The dance is floundering, both mother and daughter get frustrated as they try to learn the steps to something that clearly requires about 16 arms to pull off. At the end, the mother is usually using her "mom voice" to tell her girl to hurry up because they're late for dinner (dance class, music lessons, etc).
Earlier during the day I've most likely watched yet another video, read a blog or perused an infographic about how we need to teach our girls to love themselves.
 |
| Credit |
And yet, at night, in the confines of a room exclusively for women, mothers and daughters dance this impossible dance.
I have sons. I have boys who love to parade around naked, inside and out. I have a son who looks forward to the weekends because I've told him he can go without underwear on the weekend if that's really what he prefers. Gross, I know, but it's what he likes. But I'm completely ignorant when it comes to girls. My mom didn't do a bad job raising us, not at all, but I also know that my sisters, nor I, have much in the way of self confidence. We're all self-conscious, even my gorgeous sisters who are both smart, successful, and incredibly beautiful, who both fit into negative number jeans and have the kind of giant tatas that women pay thousands of dollars for. They're both absolutely perfect, and they both have self-esteem issues.
 |
| ItalyStuck |
So where does it start? By not letting your daughter spend 10 seconds naked in the women's change room, are you setting her up for a lifetime of being so insecure she can't look at her naked body in a mirror? Or does it start later than that? By showing girls that it's not okay to be naked for a minute in a room with other women are you placing your own body image issues onto her? Is insecurity something we can avoid with the right upbringing or are we all destined to feel poorly about our physical bodies at some point?
Years of going to the gym, it wasn't until after 30 that I felt comfortable dressing in the open of the change room instead of a bathroom stall. It's not my mother's fault, this I know, but I also wonder - if she had let me go free when I was 3, would it have taken me until I was 30 to take the chance of having another woman see my breasts?
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Bus Pass, Thy Name Is Freedom*
We became a car-free family on December 22. It wasn't by choice. There was an ice storm the day before and the day after my husband went to start the car and it smelled of fire and the entire electrical system was shot. We towed it to a mechanic who said the ice storm caused an electrical fire and the car was a write-off. We tried to get insurance to cover it but the insurance company wanted us to put out a whole bunch of money we didn't have to have the engine ripped apart and "prove" that there was an actual fire and not just a short.
So we got bus passes.
The first week I was all, "BUS PASS, THY NAME IS FREEDOM!" It was great, we could go to all the places we wanted without having to worry about the amount of fuel in the tank and living so close to downtown, we have multiple busses to choose from every time we leave the house.
My freedom, however, was short-lived.
In short, buses can suck. Commuting to work has never been a problem for me via bus but doing errands is a whole different ball game. If I need to drop something off in the next city, I can spend an hour and a half on the bus for a five minute errand. Doing laundry by bus is torture. It seems laundromats are a dying breed and dragging your dirty laundry across town on a bus is not nearly as much fun as it sounds. Who knew?
The worst part is the buses that never come. Back when I was a car person, I would scoff at the person showing up 45 minutes late for work with the lame "my bus never came" excuse. But for reals, now I know it's true. Sometimes buses just don't come. In fact, it's happened to me 4 times in 3 weeks. On the same bus route.
It's shitty any way you look at it. But especially during winter. And especially when you have 2 kids with you who are freezing cold. During a snow storm. Or freezing rain.
Our town has an express bus route that is the bomb. Whenever I have the chance to take it, I'm incredibly impressed at the speed in which I can get around the city. It also has the great feature of real-time info displays at all of its stops. You walk to the bus stop and the display shows you exactly when the next 2 buses are coming and it updates as buses go through traffic, it's really quite amazing. And frankly, these real-time displays need to be at every bus stop, or at least at every stop that has a bus shelter.
For those nights like the one when the bus was supposed to come at 8:19 during a pretty good bout of freezing rain and it didn't come until 8:55. There's a bus shelter at that stop but the kids had to stand out in the rain because there was a group of teenage boys in the shelter and when I asked them to make some room for my boys, they replied "back off, bitch". Or the Sunday afternoon, when 5 cm of snow fell during the half hour we were in Michael's and the bus that only comes once per hour, didn't. And there we were, standing at the side of the road for 45 minutes. Real time info at the bus stop would have warned us to go find somewhere to hole up and stay warm until the next bus time instead of waiting for the bus that would never appear.
I understand why bus companies can't always send out replacement buses when a bus can't finish its route. But I also now know what it's like to be on the receiving end of the bus that doesn't exist. And it blows.
So bus pass, I still love you, because you give me freedom to go places I wouldn't have gone when I was busy worrying about the amount of gas in the tank but sometimes you make me yearn for sunny days and my bicycle, the only vehicle I know that'll get me everywhere I want to go, whenever I want to go there and the only fuel it needs is the food I'm already eating anyway.
*when you arrive, that is.
So we got bus passes.
The first week I was all, "BUS PASS, THY NAME IS FREEDOM!" It was great, we could go to all the places we wanted without having to worry about the amount of fuel in the tank and living so close to downtown, we have multiple busses to choose from every time we leave the house.
My freedom, however, was short-lived.
In short, buses can suck. Commuting to work has never been a problem for me via bus but doing errands is a whole different ball game. If I need to drop something off in the next city, I can spend an hour and a half on the bus for a five minute errand. Doing laundry by bus is torture. It seems laundromats are a dying breed and dragging your dirty laundry across town on a bus is not nearly as much fun as it sounds. Who knew?
The worst part is the buses that never come. Back when I was a car person, I would scoff at the person showing up 45 minutes late for work with the lame "my bus never came" excuse. But for reals, now I know it's true. Sometimes buses just don't come. In fact, it's happened to me 4 times in 3 weeks. On the same bus route.
It's shitty any way you look at it. But especially during winter. And especially when you have 2 kids with you who are freezing cold. During a snow storm. Or freezing rain.
 |
| Credit: Region of Waterloo/GRT |
Our town has an express bus route that is the bomb. Whenever I have the chance to take it, I'm incredibly impressed at the speed in which I can get around the city. It also has the great feature of real-time info displays at all of its stops. You walk to the bus stop and the display shows you exactly when the next 2 buses are coming and it updates as buses go through traffic, it's really quite amazing. And frankly, these real-time displays need to be at every bus stop, or at least at every stop that has a bus shelter.
For those nights like the one when the bus was supposed to come at 8:19 during a pretty good bout of freezing rain and it didn't come until 8:55. There's a bus shelter at that stop but the kids had to stand out in the rain because there was a group of teenage boys in the shelter and when I asked them to make some room for my boys, they replied "back off, bitch". Or the Sunday afternoon, when 5 cm of snow fell during the half hour we were in Michael's and the bus that only comes once per hour, didn't. And there we were, standing at the side of the road for 45 minutes. Real time info at the bus stop would have warned us to go find somewhere to hole up and stay warm until the next bus time instead of waiting for the bus that would never appear.
I understand why bus companies can't always send out replacement buses when a bus can't finish its route. But I also now know what it's like to be on the receiving end of the bus that doesn't exist. And it blows.
So bus pass, I still love you, because you give me freedom to go places I wouldn't have gone when I was busy worrying about the amount of gas in the tank but sometimes you make me yearn for sunny days and my bicycle, the only vehicle I know that'll get me everywhere I want to go, whenever I want to go there and the only fuel it needs is the food I'm already eating anyway.
*when you arrive, that is.
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Stagnant Statues
Back in December, I wrote about a statue project being proposed in Kitchener. Kitchener city council vetoed the plan on Monday night, after seeing the results of an online public opinion poll that ripped the project to shreds.
There are so many reasons cited for why people don't like the project, from the monetary cost to the dubious history of some of our former leaders and the location (both in the park and near The Luggage Project).
I was a not-so-quiet opponent of the project, both in regards to the subject matter and the placement.
Since Monday's vote, Kitchener has been lambasted by people saying the vote was shortsighted. Mayor Carl Zehr expressed his disappointment and the National Post covered the story a few times. I think Kitchener Council was right in voting no based on what the proposal was, and that the proposal itself was the problem.
As a citizen, when I heard of this project I heard, "This is what we want to give the city. This is exactly where it is going to go and this is what it will cost and all you have to do is say yes and allow us to go ahead." Herein lies the problem. Not once did we hear about other possible locations for the statue, we were given an ultimatum of sorts and it sat heavily in the pits of our stomachs.
Would public opinion have been different if the proposal had been to put the statues scattered throughout the park or throughout the city or in a different location, like McLennan Park or out at Woodside? I think so. While I'm still not crazy about the idea of Prime Minister statues for several reasons, I think my opinion would have been significantly altered had the proposal called for the statues to be placed throughout the park. The placement of this project is key and as a regular park goer, I didn't want to see that open space marred in any way.
We still may see statues in Waterloo Region, the organizers approached media today to say that several other locations are interested in the project although of course, none in Kitchener. I'm happy my council said no to statues as the proposal came forward but in the same respect, I wouldn't have been mad if they had wanted to continue to talk about the subject and discuss alternative locations.
Hey, if Waterloo wants to host those statues, all the power to them. I may even go visit them once. I just hope they make an informed choice on where and how to place them and don't eliminate a valuable open field space to do so.
There are so many reasons cited for why people don't like the project, from the monetary cost to the dubious history of some of our former leaders and the location (both in the park and near The Luggage Project).
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| www.kitchener.ca |
I was a not-so-quiet opponent of the project, both in regards to the subject matter and the placement.
Since Monday's vote, Kitchener has been lambasted by people saying the vote was shortsighted. Mayor Carl Zehr expressed his disappointment and the National Post covered the story a few times. I think Kitchener Council was right in voting no based on what the proposal was, and that the proposal itself was the problem.
As a citizen, when I heard of this project I heard, "This is what we want to give the city. This is exactly where it is going to go and this is what it will cost and all you have to do is say yes and allow us to go ahead." Herein lies the problem. Not once did we hear about other possible locations for the statue, we were given an ultimatum of sorts and it sat heavily in the pits of our stomachs.
Would public opinion have been different if the proposal had been to put the statues scattered throughout the park or throughout the city or in a different location, like McLennan Park or out at Woodside? I think so. While I'm still not crazy about the idea of Prime Minister statues for several reasons, I think my opinion would have been significantly altered had the proposal called for the statues to be placed throughout the park. The placement of this project is key and as a regular park goer, I didn't want to see that open space marred in any way.
We still may see statues in Waterloo Region, the organizers approached media today to say that several other locations are interested in the project although of course, none in Kitchener. I'm happy my council said no to statues as the proposal came forward but in the same respect, I wouldn't have been mad if they had wanted to continue to talk about the subject and discuss alternative locations.
Hey, if Waterloo wants to host those statues, all the power to them. I may even go visit them once. I just hope they make an informed choice on where and how to place them and don't eliminate a valuable open field space to do so.
Thursday, February 13, 2014
How Does It Smell With One's Head Up One's Arse?
I am a shitty, unreliable blogger. I would make excuses for this and promises to become better but I'd just be lying. It's like making a new year resolution.... what's the point if you know you're going to fail?
I will however, try to post more awesome things that I find on the interwebs here... like this sportscaster, one of the few who doesn't have his head implanted firmly within his ass (at least on this issue).
I will however, try to post more awesome things that I find on the interwebs here... like this sportscaster, one of the few who doesn't have his head implanted firmly within his ass (at least on this issue).
Friday, January 10, 2014
Nailed It.
Usually I'm pretty good at crafting so when I saw these pretty little snowglobes at I don't blog I figured they'd be perfect Christmas crafts for the boys to give their aunts.
Super cute tiny jars and little finger puppets I found at the party store, ready to roll.
I followed the instructions, for real. Waited a full 24 hours after gluing the figures in the jars before adding the water, glycerine and glitter.
Right away, the snowglobes went all cloudy and I'm in my kitchen growling about cheap glitter.
"Dammit. I knew I shouldn't have mixed dollar store glitter with Martha Stewart glitter. Martha probably puts some magical properties in her glitter that make it completely incompatible with dollar store stuff because you know... Martha Stewart."
But I wait another 24 hours thinking maybe it just needs to settle and they'll be fine.
They weren't.
Oh yes. I used glucose instead of glycerine in the water.
Bloody brilliant.
But for the record, I still wouldn't be surprised AT ALL if Martha and her super glitter had something to do with it. Because, you know.... Martha Stewart.
**Thanks to Alex at I don't blog for letting me use her pretty snowglobes to showcase my spectacular fail. I'm getting pretty used to making my friends look extra good. ;)
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| SO CUTE, RIGHT? used with permission from I don't blog |
I followed the instructions, for real. Waited a full 24 hours after gluing the figures in the jars before adding the water, glycerine and glitter.
Right away, the snowglobes went all cloudy and I'm in my kitchen growling about cheap glitter.
"Dammit. I knew I shouldn't have mixed dollar store glitter with Martha Stewart glitter. Martha probably puts some magical properties in her glitter that make it completely incompatible with dollar store stuff because you know... Martha Stewart."
But I wait another 24 hours thinking maybe it just needs to settle and they'll be fine.
They weren't.
They've continued to sit on a shelf until last night when I had an absolute revelation. In the cupboard, grabbing a spice jar and I see the glycerine. Sitting right beside the tub of glucose.
Oh yes. I used glucose instead of glycerine in the water.
Bloody brilliant.
**Thanks to Alex at I don't blog for letting me use her pretty snowglobes to showcase my spectacular fail. I'm getting pretty used to making my friends look extra good. ;)
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Warm Sunny Days and Harvest Festivals
Holy moly it's cold outside! Yes, yes I know Western Canadians, it's much colder where you are on a more consistent basis, but there's a reason I don't live where you live... COLD. I was once offered a heckuva job in Alberta, a Chef's dream job, making more than double what a Chef would make in my area but I'm just not made for -30+ weather. No. Thank. You.
Anyhow, I thought I'd revisit some warmer, happier times when my friends at Martin's Family Fruit Farm invited the community to celebrate a successful harvest with them. I love these people, not only do they feed my family delicious local produce all year round but then they invite to come have fun and eat free food?!?! All kinds of awesome.
The day started out with lots of fun for the kiddies, including a bouncy elephant and the amazing balloon and face painting creations of Breanne.
Ahhhhh, I feel warmer now, don't you? If I close my eyes and snuggle up under my blankets, I can almost picture my own vegetable garden basking in the sun of summer 2014.
Many thanks to the fine folks at Martin's Family Fruit Farm who feed my family 365 days a year, your exceptional service, commitment to quality and top-notch delicious apples make it easy for my family to eat healthy and local all year round!
You can find Martin's Family Fruit Farm at 1420 Lobsinger Line, RR#1 in Waterloo, less than 5 minutes past the St. Jacob's Market. They're open Monday to Saturday and always have a great selection of local produce along with apples, ciders, local eggs, cheese, milk, jams and maple syrup.
*This post was not sponsored.... unless you count those delicious treats we got to eat at the Harvest Festival. I just freaking love this farm and think more people should take the time to know where their food comes from. #KnowYourFarmer #LoveYourFarmer #FarmersFeedCities
Anyhow, I thought I'd revisit some warmer, happier times when my friends at Martin's Family Fruit Farm invited the community to celebrate a successful harvest with them. I love these people, not only do they feed my family delicious local produce all year round but then they invite to come have fun and eat free food?!?! All kinds of awesome.
The day started out with lots of fun for the kiddies, including a bouncy elephant and the amazing balloon and face painting creations of Breanne.
Who needs hay rides when you can sit on a tractor and pretend to drive it? We had to drag N away from the tractor after a huge lineup formed behind him. Luckily, the tractor stayed in the same spot for a while so we were able to take a quick "ride" in the weeks after the festival.
Much to my chagrin, the boys tasted their very first candy apples. O looks worried about it here but I think it was just the sun in his eyes.
And then we picked up our groceries for the week. The retail store was so packed we only grabbed a fraction of what we usually buy from the outdoor stand, there's was no way we were squeezing into that store! The apples pictured here are Ginger Gold, by far our favourite apples. They're early season September apples so we can only get them for a few weeks but we usually eat though 2 bushels before they disappear. Those carrots came in a 10 lb bag and we're so spoiled by how sweet they are, no one in my house will eat carrots that come from anywhere else. I appreciate that the family handpicks all the produce that appears in the store from the Elmira Produce Auction (this is a terrible video but it does show Steve Martin at auction buying delicious local food!) or from farms they have relationships with. You can't get any fresher without growing your own. When I buy peppers from Martin's, they often last for more than 2 weeks in the fridge. From sketchy winter market vendors or the grocery store, their lifespan is usually measured in days.
Many thanks to the fine folks at Martin's Family Fruit Farm who feed my family 365 days a year, your exceptional service, commitment to quality and top-notch delicious apples make it easy for my family to eat healthy and local all year round!
You can find Martin's Family Fruit Farm at 1420 Lobsinger Line, RR#1 in Waterloo, less than 5 minutes past the St. Jacob's Market. They're open Monday to Saturday and always have a great selection of local produce along with apples, ciders, local eggs, cheese, milk, jams and maple syrup.
*This post was not sponsored.... unless you count those delicious treats we got to eat at the Harvest Festival. I just freaking love this farm and think more people should take the time to know where their food comes from. #KnowYourFarmer #LoveYourFarmer #FarmersFeedCities
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Mousehunt
The first time we saw him, he was sneaking around a corner and stealing food from the cat's dish.
Whatever, we said. It's just a tiny mouse, we said. We'll buy some mouse traps, we said.
We thought it would go something like this:
We baited the traps with cat food (because that's what he seems to like), then cheese. And he got both off without setting off the traps. So Neighbour Stan told us to bait the traps with peanut butter. The little bastard somehow managed to eat off all the peanut butter without setting off the trap. So I coated the traps in some nice sticky honey and stuck some delicious multigrain bread on top for good measure. The malicious mongrel got the bread off the honey again, with traps still set for action.
Our house basically looks like this now:
We've got glue traps. A multi-catch humane trap. A homemade humane trap. It foils them all.
We're dealing with some sort of mouse super genius here.
My husband may or may not have been talking about buying a shotgun. Obscenities have been yelled, directed towards a mouse the size of a clementine. Baiting a trap the other day, I promised my son it was safe. In a show of spectacular parenting, I then proceeded to let the trap go on the boy's finger. We wait with bated breath for a SNAP which, as it seems right now, may never happen.
Have you ever dealt with an evil mouse genius and lived to tell the tale?
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Can Your Children Trust You?
When I was 9 I got one of these for Christmas and it made me really angry.
It wasn't because of the gift, in fact, it still stands near the top of my best Christmas gifts ever list (usurped only by the electric typewriter I got a few years later). What upset me was the fact the I got it from "Santa".
I knew Santa wasn't real but my parents, my stepdad in particular, insisted on perpetuating the Santa myth. I was mad because when I tried to thank my parents (because holy crap, BEST GIFT EVER!!!), my stepdad kept saying, "Don't thank me, it's not from me, it's from Santa." I appreciated this gift so much and I was mad because I couldn't properly thank them for it.
The next year the same thing happened when I got this.
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| insert fan-girl squeal here |
I knew by the time I was 12 that when I had kids, I wasn't going to do the Santa thing.
The first few years after we had the boys was easy, they were too young for Santa anyway. Two years ago, I decided to tell the kids the truth, that Santa isn't real. At first my reasoning had to do with greed and debt and shopping stampedes and giving credit for the best gift ever to some fictional fat guy. And as I did this I realized that I didn't want to lie to my kids.
I don't want to bribe my kids to be well behaved by telling them that someone is watching them while they're sleeping and awake. Santa withholds gifts from naughty children and gives to the "good" ones. But tell me, if your kids really are naughty, will you be withholding their gifts? I want my children to trust me and to know that I'm always doing the best I can for them and lying to them just doesn't fit.
We had a few scary patches last year when they decided they wanted to share their knowledge with their friends but we've since fine-tuned our tradition.
Now, our Christmas season has become magically wonderful. The boys know that Santa isn't "real" but they also know that Santa is the spirit of the season. They enjoy watching Christmas specials with Santa in them, they run around the house pretending to be Santa and his reindeer and when I took them to see Santa at a local event, they looked at me with such knowing little looks, going along with the fun and thinking it was hilarious that other people *actually* believe this stuff.
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| Merriam-Webster |
Instead of bracing yourself for the day when your kids realize that Santa isn't real, and dealing with the heartbreak, loneliness and mistrust that follows, why not tell them the truth from the get-go? We've had a lot of Santa fun in our house without once having to worry about what will happen down the road when they find out the truth.
Monday, December 16, 2013
Perfect Playdough
By far, the favourite activity in our house for a long time has been play dough. It's one of the few activities that my boys will sit down and play with for an hour WITHOUT FIGHTING. So obviously, I always make sure we have some on hand.
I've been making this particular recipe since I was about 13 and had tiny sisters. I have no idea where the recipe came from but it is by far the best recipe I've ever used. It's also way way better than that name brand stuff that sells for a small fortune.
So here's my recipe for absolutely perfect playdough. 'Tis the season for sharing.
Perfect Playdough (makes 2 lbs)
2 cups flour
1 cup salt
4 Tb cream of tartar
1 Tb oil
2 cups water
4 Tb cinnamon (optional but oh-so worth it)
Food colouring
Mix all the ingredients except for the food colouring in a saucepan, stir well and cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until it becomes a big clump.
Remove from heat and knead for about 3 minutes. I'm lazy and often make triple batches so I use my KitchenAid mixer but it's simple to knead by hand. Separate and mix in any food colouring at this time. I like gel food colouring because I always have it on hand but liquid works well too, although the colours won't be as vibrant.
I've been making this particular recipe since I was about 13 and had tiny sisters. I have no idea where the recipe came from but it is by far the best recipe I've ever used. It's also way way better than that name brand stuff that sells for a small fortune.
So here's my recipe for absolutely perfect playdough. 'Tis the season for sharing.
Perfect Playdough (makes 2 lbs)
2 cups flour
1 cup salt
4 Tb cream of tartar
1 Tb oil
2 cups water
4 Tb cinnamon (optional but oh-so worth it)
Food colouring
Mix all the ingredients except for the food colouring in a saucepan, stir well and cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until it becomes a big clump.
Stored in an airtight container or plastic bags, this will last for months.
Enjoy!
My oldest son is very "feel-y". He loves it when I pop the playdough into the microwave for about 15 seconds before he starts playing with it. I have to admit, it feels great between your hands when slightly warmed.
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Standing Still
A couple of well-meaning history buffs are attempting to bring a little {still} life into Kitchener's Victoria Park.... by erecting 22 bronze statues of former Prime Ministers surrounding Victoria Parks Commons (that giant open space near the clock tower).
The Statue Project plans to raise $2 million towards the project and has asked the city to kick in $300,000 toward the statue bases and installation. They have also asked the city to provide charitable receipts for donors.
Kitchener City Council heard the pitch and has decided to move on with public consultation in the New Year. Local councillors raised some good points, wondering why a project like this should be based in Kitchener, rather than Ottawa. Our own capital city doesn't even have statues of every Prime Minister. While raising questions, Mayor Carl Zehr admonished councillors for making it difficult for the project to move forward, calling it a "gift" to the city.
While I rarely agree with Kitchener City Councillors, I was in complete shock when I heard voices of reason. Why would a project of this magnitude not be looking for federal funding? This is hardly the kind of project that should be solely funded at a local level. Why in Victoria Park? Why Prime Ministers?
THE SUBJECTS
James Howe wrote and suggested that the statues, instead of being placed around the only open space in Victoria Park, be placed at the rapid transit stations that will be part of the much argued about Ion system. I'd go a step farther and question the choice of Prime Ministers as statue subjects.
Do we really need more reminders of the privileged white men who are taxing us on a daily basis? Do the homeless that sleep in Victoria Park need reminders of the men who have continually cut services and funding, possibly contributing to the position they are currently in? Were our former Prime Ministers good people? Bribery, alcoholism, Hitler-admirers and the fathers of Residential Schools... (*edit: read more about the good, the bad and the ugly of Canada's Prime Ministers over here at My Contention)
Does anyone care about our former Prime Ministers outside of history books? Do we need a reminder about how close Woodside was to closing only last year? If people are not visiting the former home of a former Prime Minister, one who graces our paper money no less, will they travel to visit Victoria Park because it has some statues? Councillor Frank Etherington thinks the project will bring tourism to the region. Likely?
Something I see from local residents is the suggestion of having statues (somewhere) yes, but not (solely) of Prime Ministers. Why not statues of prominent Canadians? Visitors to the KW area WILL make a special trip to Victoria Park (or elsewhere) if they could pose with a statue of William Shatner, Margaret Atwood, Chris Hadfield, Wayne Gretzky, Terry Fox or David Suzuki. Statues of GREAT Canadians. Statues of people we as Canadians care about. Kim Campbell may have been our first female Prime Minister but for a job she held for less than 6 months, is she deserving of being immortalized in bronze for a lifetime?
THE PLACEMENT
Victoria Park has one completely open space. It is used for soccer games and yoga classes, music festivals and extreme frisbee. It is a truly wonderous space and in my humble opinion, should not be messed with. What are the chance of these statues getting damaged during set up or tear down of park events. Will the placement of these statues change the way events need to be set up? Will it take more time? What are the chances that someone will get hurt in a soccer or frisbee game with these statues surrounding the playing field?
I wouldn't suggest statues in our park at all but, if that's the only place the statues could go, I'd suggest spreading the statues out throughout the park and turning the entire park into our own version of Canada's Walk of Fame.
THE MONEY
Mayor Zehr calls it a gift to the city. But there are some gifts we are not in a position to accept. If the gift is not cohesive with our local arts plan, if the gift will cost us money and if the residents don't want the gift, we cannot accept it.
Even IF, the Statue Project founders offered to fundraise ever last cent of the project and asked us for nothing, does that require the city to accept the gift? Absolutely not. Obviously a flat refusal is out of the question but I think we can dig deeper and try to collaborate on a spectacular project that will be a boon for our city. One that supports local artists, respects resident wishes and celebrates the diversity of our area.
THE CONCLUSION
Leave the politicians in Ottawa.
If we're going to support any sort of statue project in Kitchener, make it one that celebrates people who are unique, innovative, enlightening and glorifying.... the kind of Canadians who make us proud.
 |
| The Statue Project |
The Statue Project plans to raise $2 million towards the project and has asked the city to kick in $300,000 toward the statue bases and installation. They have also asked the city to provide charitable receipts for donors.
Kitchener City Council heard the pitch and has decided to move on with public consultation in the New Year. Local councillors raised some good points, wondering why a project like this should be based in Kitchener, rather than Ottawa. Our own capital city doesn't even have statues of every Prime Minister. While raising questions, Mayor Carl Zehr admonished councillors for making it difficult for the project to move forward, calling it a "gift" to the city.
While I rarely agree with Kitchener City Councillors, I was in complete shock when I heard voices of reason. Why would a project of this magnitude not be looking for federal funding? This is hardly the kind of project that should be solely funded at a local level. Why in Victoria Park? Why Prime Ministers?
THE SUBJECTS
James Howe wrote and suggested that the statues, instead of being placed around the only open space in Victoria Park, be placed at the rapid transit stations that will be part of the much argued about Ion system. I'd go a step farther and question the choice of Prime Ministers as statue subjects.
Do we really need more reminders of the privileged white men who are taxing us on a daily basis? Do the homeless that sleep in Victoria Park need reminders of the men who have continually cut services and funding, possibly contributing to the position they are currently in? Were our former Prime Ministers good people? Bribery, alcoholism, Hitler-admirers and the fathers of Residential Schools... (*edit: read more about the good, the bad and the ugly of Canada's Prime Ministers over here at My Contention)
Does anyone care about our former Prime Ministers outside of history books? Do we need a reminder about how close Woodside was to closing only last year? If people are not visiting the former home of a former Prime Minister, one who graces our paper money no less, will they travel to visit Victoria Park because it has some statues? Councillor Frank Etherington thinks the project will bring tourism to the region. Likely?
Something I see from local residents is the suggestion of having statues (somewhere) yes, but not (solely) of Prime Ministers. Why not statues of prominent Canadians? Visitors to the KW area WILL make a special trip to Victoria Park (or elsewhere) if they could pose with a statue of William Shatner, Margaret Atwood, Chris Hadfield, Wayne Gretzky, Terry Fox or David Suzuki. Statues of GREAT Canadians. Statues of people we as Canadians care about. Kim Campbell may have been our first female Prime Minister but for a job she held for less than 6 months, is she deserving of being immortalized in bronze for a lifetime?
THE PLACEMENT
Victoria Park has one completely open space. It is used for soccer games and yoga classes, music festivals and extreme frisbee. It is a truly wonderous space and in my humble opinion, should not be messed with. What are the chance of these statues getting damaged during set up or tear down of park events. Will the placement of these statues change the way events need to be set up? Will it take more time? What are the chances that someone will get hurt in a soccer or frisbee game with these statues surrounding the playing field?
I wouldn't suggest statues in our park at all but, if that's the only place the statues could go, I'd suggest spreading the statues out throughout the park and turning the entire park into our own version of Canada's Walk of Fame.
THE MONEY
Mayor Zehr calls it a gift to the city. But there are some gifts we are not in a position to accept. If the gift is not cohesive with our local arts plan, if the gift will cost us money and if the residents don't want the gift, we cannot accept it.
Even IF, the Statue Project founders offered to fundraise ever last cent of the project and asked us for nothing, does that require the city to accept the gift? Absolutely not. Obviously a flat refusal is out of the question but I think we can dig deeper and try to collaborate on a spectacular project that will be a boon for our city. One that supports local artists, respects resident wishes and celebrates the diversity of our area.
THE CONCLUSION
Leave the politicians in Ottawa.
If we're going to support any sort of statue project in Kitchener, make it one that celebrates people who are unique, innovative, enlightening and glorifying.... the kind of Canadians who make us proud.
Friday, December 6, 2013
PS, I love You
Last year I scaled back big time on my volunteering, in part so I could take a bigger part in being a part of our school community. I joined the school council, took over the greening efforts at the school, started working for the Nutrition For Learning snack bin program within the school and amped up the hours I worked at our Nutrition For Learning Breakfast Club at the church across the street from the school.
Working with the kids in our school has by far, been the most rewarding volunteer job of my life.
I love walking through the halls and hearing "Hi Nicolas' Mom!" I love getting a chance to peek at my children during school time when they don't know I'm watching. I love being on a first name basis with so many staff. I really love when I work in the staff room because I get to overhear teachers talking about techniques they use to help kids "get it".
But most especially, I love walking through the hallways after all the kids have gone home, before the custodians (bless their souls), have swept up and finding stuff like this:
Because Moms, you are awesome.
Thursday, December 5, 2013
The Experts Aren't Always Right
**There is an update below the original post...
They say you shouldn't write a blog post when you're angry but I figure what the hay, I do angry well.
I work with a group that works with kids. Because our kids eat, we also provide toothbrushes for them.
Last year (and years previous), the toothbrushes were stored in a box that was fitted with a few (brand new) heating grate covers. The heating grate covers worked well, they stored the toothbrushes upright and had separators in them that made sure the brushes stayed about 2" apart from each other. Each toothbrush also had a travel cover on it and was marked with the child's name.
When we asked Public Health to provide us with toothbrushes this year, they told us they didn't like our storage system and they came in to give the kids toothbrushes and show us how to store them "properly".
When the day finally came, the Public Health officer provided each child with their own toothbrush, travel cover and tube of toothpaste and put them in a plastic ziploc bag. I questioned the bag and asked the official why, knowing that the toothbrushes would not dry out if sealed in a baggie. Our team was told, "They may not dry out completely but at least this way, the kids will only be getting their own germs and not someone else's."
After the Public Health officer left, our team still questioned the practise but decided that we needed to follow the rules laid out for us.
Now we fast forward to today, as I help a child find his toothbrush bag in the bin. As I'm rummaging through, I start seeing some really gross bags. Upon closer inspection, a serious case of mould growing in many of the toothbrush bags. *gag*
My germophobic self springs into action, showing the bags to my team and gathering up the supplies to get our kids new toothbrushes. I'm shaking with anger and disgust. Normally, I would have been at this job earlier in the week and would have caught the problem sooner but my a different member of my family has been sick each day for the last week. I'm wondering how many of these kids were brushing their teeth with a mouldy toothbrush yesterday and the day before. I'm wondering why I was brushed off so lightly as I brought up these concerns when Public Health visited us in October.
It's a good reminder that sometimes, you have to go with your gut and against the recommendations of so-called experts.
As a parent, I know my kids are sharing germs every moment they're alive, especially at school. Frankly, I'd rather take the chance of them sharing a few germs because their toothbrushes are under a cover and stored 2" away from another child's toothbrush than brushing their teeth with a mouldy toothbrush that's been festering with bacteria because it's in a sealed baggie with no chance to dry out.
I've asked my team leader to immediately go out and purchase the products we need to make a new storage box. Long term, it may not be the perfect toothbrush storage solution but for now, I'd rather say screw it to the rules than chance any of our kids brushing their teeth with a putrefying bacterial time bomb.
**UPDATE (12/8/2013): Public Health has been looking into this issue. So far, they have let us know that they won't be suggesting this storage method anymore. They are still concerned about infection control and they have asked us to suspend our toothbrushing program until they have decided on a better storage method for toothbrushes. It is not ideal from our point of view but hopefully a new solution will be presented to us soon.
They say you shouldn't write a blog post when you're angry but I figure what the hay, I do angry well.
I work with a group that works with kids. Because our kids eat, we also provide toothbrushes for them.
Last year (and years previous), the toothbrushes were stored in a box that was fitted with a few (brand new) heating grate covers. The heating grate covers worked well, they stored the toothbrushes upright and had separators in them that made sure the brushes stayed about 2" apart from each other. Each toothbrush also had a travel cover on it and was marked with the child's name.
When we asked Public Health to provide us with toothbrushes this year, they told us they didn't like our storage system and they came in to give the kids toothbrushes and show us how to store them "properly".
When the day finally came, the Public Health officer provided each child with their own toothbrush, travel cover and tube of toothpaste and put them in a plastic ziploc bag. I questioned the bag and asked the official why, knowing that the toothbrushes would not dry out if sealed in a baggie. Our team was told, "They may not dry out completely but at least this way, the kids will only be getting their own germs and not someone else's."
After the Public Health officer left, our team still questioned the practise but decided that we needed to follow the rules laid out for us.
Now we fast forward to today, as I help a child find his toothbrush bag in the bin. As I'm rummaging through, I start seeing some really gross bags. Upon closer inspection, a serious case of mould growing in many of the toothbrush bags. *gag*
My germophobic self springs into action, showing the bags to my team and gathering up the supplies to get our kids new toothbrushes. I'm shaking with anger and disgust. Normally, I would have been at this job earlier in the week and would have caught the problem sooner but my a different member of my family has been sick each day for the last week. I'm wondering how many of these kids were brushing their teeth with a mouldy toothbrush yesterday and the day before. I'm wondering why I was brushed off so lightly as I brought up these concerns when Public Health visited us in October.
It's a good reminder that sometimes, you have to go with your gut and against the recommendations of so-called experts.
As a parent, I know my kids are sharing germs every moment they're alive, especially at school. Frankly, I'd rather take the chance of them sharing a few germs because their toothbrushes are under a cover and stored 2" away from another child's toothbrush than brushing their teeth with a mouldy toothbrush that's been festering with bacteria because it's in a sealed baggie with no chance to dry out.
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| Would you want your kid brushing their teeth with this on it? Photo: Courtesy |
**UPDATE (12/8/2013): Public Health has been looking into this issue. So far, they have let us know that they won't be suggesting this storage method anymore. They are still concerned about infection control and they have asked us to suspend our toothbrushing program until they have decided on a better storage method for toothbrushes. It is not ideal from our point of view but hopefully a new solution will be presented to us soon.
Monday, December 2, 2013
Bitten
So I went to my first book swap 2 weeks ago and it was a revelation. FREE BOOKS. Yeah, I know that the library lets you borrow books for free but they also have all these rules and restrictions that require you to return books on time and if you don't, they hit you with fines.
Oh, the fines. I can't afford the fines and I am an irresponsible library card holder so sad as it may be, I tend to avoid.
But back to the book swap. I picked up a pile of fiction and was ready to happily set on my way when I saw the first three books of the Twilight series. I've never been even remotely interested in reading them before but seeing them sitting there, unread and wanting to be loved, I took the plunge and grabbed them, wanting to get to the source of why my sister, cousins and so many others I know are all "Team Edward!" and "Team Jacob!"
Then late last week I was convalescing in bed for 2 days and there were no unread books in the house but those vampire books, staring at me menacingly. So I picked the first one up and started reading.
And I liked them. I read the first three books in those two sick days and when I finished the third, I was honestly upset that I didn't have the fourth on hand. They're not challenging reading by any means and I had a hard time getting into the whole vampire thing but as far as teenage angst and love stories go, they were (surprisingly) good books.
The night I finished the third book I was still stuck in the twilight spell so I decided to watch the first movie. I paid $3.99 to rent it and regretted it within the first 10 minutes. Holy crap what a bad movie! It looked like a home movie, the quality was poor, the acting was terrible and Edward, who was kind of charming and loveable in the books was totally creepy. BUT being my stubborn self, I was determined to watch the entire movie and get my $3.99 worth. The movie stay horrible throughout with one exception... the baseball scene. Some of my favourite geek fantasies involve watching all my favourite superheroes play baseball so it hit close to heart.
I haven't grabbed the last book yet, I'm determined to stick to my guns and only read it if I can get it for free. I likely won't watch any more of the movies even though my sister tells me that the rest are so much better. But I do feel better admitting my secret shame.... I read Twilight and I liked it.
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| Courtesy: Jumpmen |
But back to the book swap. I picked up a pile of fiction and was ready to happily set on my way when I saw the first three books of the Twilight series. I've never been even remotely interested in reading them before but seeing them sitting there, unread and wanting to be loved, I took the plunge and grabbed them, wanting to get to the source of why my sister, cousins and so many others I know are all "Team Edward!" and "Team Jacob!"
Then late last week I was convalescing in bed for 2 days and there were no unread books in the house but those vampire books, staring at me menacingly. So I picked the first one up and started reading.
The night I finished the third book I was still stuck in the twilight spell so I decided to watch the first movie. I paid $3.99 to rent it and regretted it within the first 10 minutes. Holy crap what a bad movie! It looked like a home movie, the quality was poor, the acting was terrible and Edward, who was kind of charming and loveable in the books was totally creepy. BUT being my stubborn self, I was determined to watch the entire movie and get my $3.99 worth. The movie stay horrible throughout with one exception... the baseball scene. Some of my favourite geek fantasies involve watching all my favourite superheroes play baseball so it hit close to heart.
I haven't grabbed the last book yet, I'm determined to stick to my guns and only read it if I can get it for free. I likely won't watch any more of the movies even though my sister tells me that the rest are so much better. But I do feel better admitting my secret shame.... I read Twilight and I liked it.
Monday, November 25, 2013
My Workout Journal - Nov 18-24
After a few months off TRX after my health scare and pure laziness, I returned last Monday. Holy DOMS, people! I was SO sore the next day... I can lift weights and do cardio for hours and never feel the same as I do after a single TRX workout. I'd tell you what exercises the class consisted of but my eyes were rolling to the back of my head by the time we were finished.
Tuesday I hit up the Cardio Fit class. I used to hate group classes because I'm so awkward and uncoordinated but I've come to love them in the last 6 months. There's always someone in the class that's going a little bit harder than you are so I find it easier to push myself. Plus, the instructors are always so darn happy to be there, it's kinda infectious.
Wednesday was technically my off day but I did level 1 of the 30 Day Shred at home. While my husband watched. That won't be happening again.
Thursday was yoga, my favourite class of the week. 90 minutes of zen. I dig this class so much because there's usually only 4 of us in the room which gives the yogi plenty of time to come around and correct us. I do desperately need to remember to take a sweater on Thursdays, however, as the room we're in is quite chilly.
Friday I got sick. I wasn't feeling too bad early in the evening and we headed over to my sister's house for a movie night. As the evening wore on I got snottier and snottier (TMI?), coughing and generally feeling gross. So gross, I didn't even snack. I know, right?
So the weekend was a bust, filled with germs and such until late Sunday night I got out for an easy 3K jog to fill my aching lungs with some fresh air. I thought I would die from hypothermia, outside running is going to hit the backburner until Spring.
I'm still counting the workout week successful, germs and all!
Tuesday I hit up the Cardio Fit class. I used to hate group classes because I'm so awkward and uncoordinated but I've come to love them in the last 6 months. There's always someone in the class that's going a little bit harder than you are so I find it easier to push myself. Plus, the instructors are always so darn happy to be there, it's kinda infectious.
Wednesday was technically my off day but I did level 1 of the 30 Day Shred at home. While my husband watched. That won't be happening again.
Thursday was yoga, my favourite class of the week. 90 minutes of zen. I dig this class so much because there's usually only 4 of us in the room which gives the yogi plenty of time to come around and correct us. I do desperately need to remember to take a sweater on Thursdays, however, as the room we're in is quite chilly.
Friday I got sick. I wasn't feeling too bad early in the evening and we headed over to my sister's house for a movie night. As the evening wore on I got snottier and snottier (TMI?), coughing and generally feeling gross. So gross, I didn't even snack. I know, right?
So the weekend was a bust, filled with germs and such until late Sunday night I got out for an easy 3K jog to fill my aching lungs with some fresh air. I thought I would die from hypothermia, outside running is going to hit the backburner until Spring.
I'm still counting the workout week successful, germs and all!
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Chia Willie, Book Swaps and Ironic Kids
I feel a tightening heaviness descending upon my chest. I'm loading up on vitamin c and lemon ginger tea with honey, sugar be damned. I'm sure that creating germ incubating schools was the responsibility of pharmaceutical companies who want us sick all the time. This thought, of course, led me to google conspiracy theories involving big pharma. 10 hours later, my kids begging to go to bed dragged me out of the rabbit hole.
__________________________________________________________________________________
My 7 old is so funny. Months ago, he wanted to buy a Barbie rolling suitcase from the thrift store. His dad wouldn't let him so he picked out a pink Dora one instead. We were out shopping this week and he wanted to buy princess underwear. I ask him why and he replies, "It's funny because I don't even like princesses."
__________________________________________________________________________________
Book swaps are officially the greatest thing in history. Bring in books, leave with new books. WHY ISN"T THIS A THING ALL THE TIME? I've heard of these things called libraries but they're full of rules and fines and I may be wanted in several cities due to unpaid library fines. Oh Librarian, why you gotta hate on my extraordinary procrastination practises?
__________________________________________________________________________________
Conversations with Stan: It's like a giant black hole of limbo from which you can never escape. DH and I are discussing the boys want of knee socks for Christmas, which you have to shop for in the girls section, and Stan pipes in, "Just buy them some long johns."
Me: "But long johns aren't socks."
Stan: "Sure they are. You can cut them off at the knee. Then they'll be manly and not girly."
DH: "But they don't want PANTS, Stan, they want socks. You know, the things that cover your toes and feet?"
Stan: "We didn't wear those until I was almost 30. We wore long johns. Even when it was below 30. You sure knew when your boots were leaking."
Me: "You didn't wear socks at all when you were a kid?"
Stan: "Yes we did. We wore long johns."
I give up.
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
My 7 old is so funny. Months ago, he wanted to buy a Barbie rolling suitcase from the thrift store. His dad wouldn't let him so he picked out a pink Dora one instead. We were out shopping this week and he wanted to buy princess underwear. I ask him why and he replies, "It's funny because I don't even like princesses."
__________________________________________________________________________________
Book swaps are officially the greatest thing in history. Bring in books, leave with new books. WHY ISN"T THIS A THING ALL THE TIME? I've heard of these things called libraries but they're full of rules and fines and I may be wanted in several cities due to unpaid library fines. Oh Librarian, why you gotta hate on my extraordinary procrastination practises?
__________________________________________________________________________________
Conversations with Stan: It's like a giant black hole of limbo from which you can never escape. DH and I are discussing the boys want of knee socks for Christmas, which you have to shop for in the girls section, and Stan pipes in, "Just buy them some long johns."
Me: "But long johns aren't socks."
Stan: "Sure they are. You can cut them off at the knee. Then they'll be manly and not girly."
DH: "But they don't want PANTS, Stan, they want socks. You know, the things that cover your toes and feet?"
Stan: "We didn't wear those until I was almost 30. We wore long johns. Even when it was below 30. You sure knew when your boots were leaking."
Me: "You didn't wear socks at all when you were a kid?"
Stan: "Yes we did. We wore long johns."
I give up.
__________________________________________________________________________________
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| It's like Movember on steroids all year round! No thanks. |
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