(Click on me and I sparkle!)
Merry Christmas to all!!
Friday, December 24, 2010
Horray for Handmade!!
I have JUST completed all my Christmas projects!! PHEW!! Thank goodness!! Here's a sneak peak at what some people will be receiving this year! :)
Hope you all have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
xo
Kiefer's Quilt. Hope he likes it!
Baby blankets for friends babies.
Two snowflake blankets for the 'twins'.
PJ pants for Paul WITH pockets. Do you KNOW how much longer pockets take????? (For some probably not long...for me...LONG! LOL)
I lied. I have ONE more project for Derek - but that one can wait till boxing day since we won't see him till after Christmas! LOLHope you all have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
xo
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Who would imagine a King?
I really enjoy singing to my boys. I especially love singing to them while I am nursing and putting them to bed/sleep. Last night I sang Kiefer to sleep with Whitney Houston's "Who would imagine a King?" from the movie Preachers Wife.
I LOVE this song. I get emotional listening to it, as I think of my boys as my kings. Okay ya, they aren't "THE King" that she is talking about, but around this castle, they are the Kings!
The two places I get a little misty are, "You could grow up to be anything..." I feel like I'm going to be a big part of that. I'm going to be the one to instill them with knowledge and confidence to get out there and TAKE what they want. To have the passion and drive to do it.
The next place I get a bit misty is at the end when she sings, "One day an angel said quietly, soon he would bring something special to me, and of all of the wonderful gifts he could bring, Who would imagine a King?"
Paul and I experienced a miscarriage our first pregnancy. I was 10 days away from the 'sacred' 12 week mark. It ripped my world apart. I realize now that this is a small tragedy compared to some out there - but at the time, for me, it was HUGE. I wanted to get pregnant again right away. Nothing in my world could be right again until I was. It was only 5 months of trying again, but it seemed like forever, especially with OB's whispering in my ear that I'm going to have problems, so I might as well just get on the drugs now.
It was the last month of trying on our own. I didn't feel ready to chart my temperature, take drugs every day, start down such a clinical process. I thought something "bigger" had His hand in it and I was hoping He would just grant me my wish soon! Paul was insistant on only taking a pregnancy test when I was over a week late. Then one night, when I was only 3 days late, I had a vivid dream. It was a small child, a boy, talking to me. He was poking me over and over again. Calling me. "Mommy. Mommy. MOMMY. Wake up Mommy!" When I turned to look at him, he said to me, "I came back Mommy, tell Daddy I came back".
I woke up with a start half wondering if it was a dream or not. It was 6 am. I poked Paul and said, "I'm taking a test".
November 8th, 2004. The test was POSITIVE. My little peanut did come back. I feel like that dream was my angel.
"One day an angel said quietly, soon he would bring something special to me, and of all of the wonderful gifts he could bring, Who would imagine a King?"
Who knew, 6 years later, I would have THREE Kings.
I am very blessed.
THANK YOU GOD.
I LOVE this song. I get emotional listening to it, as I think of my boys as my kings. Okay ya, they aren't "THE King" that she is talking about, but around this castle, they are the Kings!
The two places I get a little misty are, "You could grow up to be anything..." I feel like I'm going to be a big part of that. I'm going to be the one to instill them with knowledge and confidence to get out there and TAKE what they want. To have the passion and drive to do it.
The next place I get a bit misty is at the end when she sings, "One day an angel said quietly, soon he would bring something special to me, and of all of the wonderful gifts he could bring, Who would imagine a King?"
Paul and I experienced a miscarriage our first pregnancy. I was 10 days away from the 'sacred' 12 week mark. It ripped my world apart. I realize now that this is a small tragedy compared to some out there - but at the time, for me, it was HUGE. I wanted to get pregnant again right away. Nothing in my world could be right again until I was. It was only 5 months of trying again, but it seemed like forever, especially with OB's whispering in my ear that I'm going to have problems, so I might as well just get on the drugs now.
It was the last month of trying on our own. I didn't feel ready to chart my temperature, take drugs every day, start down such a clinical process. I thought something "bigger" had His hand in it and I was hoping He would just grant me my wish soon! Paul was insistant on only taking a pregnancy test when I was over a week late. Then one night, when I was only 3 days late, I had a vivid dream. It was a small child, a boy, talking to me. He was poking me over and over again. Calling me. "Mommy. Mommy. MOMMY. Wake up Mommy!" When I turned to look at him, he said to me, "I came back Mommy, tell Daddy I came back".
I woke up with a start half wondering if it was a dream or not. It was 6 am. I poked Paul and said, "I'm taking a test".
November 8th, 2004. The test was POSITIVE. My little peanut did come back. I feel like that dream was my angel.
"One day an angel said quietly, soon he would bring something special to me, and of all of the wonderful gifts he could bring, Who would imagine a King?"
Who knew, 6 years later, I would have THREE Kings.
I am very blessed.
THANK YOU GOD.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
How to make Christmas Trees that you can EAT!
By request, I'll try to do a step by step of how to make our tasty Christmas trees!
Ingrediants:
cone shaped ice cream cones (sugar cones usually work well)
green melting chocolate
green or white coarse sugar
green icing
smarties or mini M&M's (or other small treat for decorations)
1. Melt green chocolate in double boiler. You can also microwave it in smaller batches. I learned the hard way that once you burn this chocolate (it goes soft but then starts to get harder again) it will NOT get softer again. It will get harder and harder and harder until you end up with a big burnt mess!! You have to melt it on a low temperature in order to get the best melted chocolate.
2. Use basting brush to brush green chocolate onto cones. I immediately sprinkle the coarse sugar over the chocolate on the cones and invert them to dry. They don't take long to dry - by the time you do your last cone, your first one will be dry.
3. When dry, use green icing to put on decorations. The kids like doing this part so I usually let them and it makes for fun trees!
** I got fancy and bought a mold that made the stars. I used yellow melting chocolate for this as I couldn't find ANY candies that we could use that looked like stars. **
Ingrediants:
cone shaped ice cream cones (sugar cones usually work well)
green melting chocolate
green or white coarse sugar
green icing
smarties or mini M&M's (or other small treat for decorations)
1. Melt green chocolate in double boiler. You can also microwave it in smaller batches. I learned the hard way that once you burn this chocolate (it goes soft but then starts to get harder again) it will NOT get softer again. It will get harder and harder and harder until you end up with a big burnt mess!! You have to melt it on a low temperature in order to get the best melted chocolate.
2. Use basting brush to brush green chocolate onto cones. I immediately sprinkle the coarse sugar over the chocolate on the cones and invert them to dry. They don't take long to dry - by the time you do your last cone, your first one will be dry.
3. When dry, use green icing to put on decorations. The kids like doing this part so I usually let them and it makes for fun trees!
** I got fancy and bought a mold that made the stars. I used yellow melting chocolate for this as I couldn't find ANY candies that we could use that looked like stars. **
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Oh what a night!
WHEW!! What a night!!! My night started out with my neighbor coming over and telling me she didn't appreciate me shovelling my snow across the street. I have started to shovel our driveway DOWN the driveway and completely across the street. I don't leave the snow in the middle of the road like MOST of our neighbors - I figure I would be nice and push it completely across the street. Well, apparently ONE neighbor doesn't appreciate it. She told me when the plow comes by, she then has to go dig herself out. Uhm, we ALL do lady. None the less I apologized and said,
"well you see the banks are so high I can't lift the snow anymore and I don't really have anywhere else to put it"
"Well, I know there's no where to put it but then I have to dig myself out. I only have a tiny little one car driveway so thanks!"
Wait a sec. I have a THREE car driveway that I shovel out BY HAND, while my kids are napping, or they "help" me doing it all. Little Miss across the street has a SNOWBLOWER for her ONE car driveway. So....uhm, you want me to throw my snow, god knows where so you can save an extra 5 minutes using your snowblower on your ONE car driveway? Seriously? Am I being punked? Where's Ashton?
After that I thought, I'm NOT going to take this out on the kids, so went ahead with our planned "tree decorating". I had some left over supplies from the Christmas trees (see last post) I had made, so thought, what the heck, let the kids go nuts and decorate them and eat them. Well, they did have a great time, but the kitchen got TRASHED in the process. A whole tupperware container of M&M's was TOSSED across the kitchen and spilled everywhere. To top it all off, Kiefer was REFUSING to eat anything. (Meaning another night of waking up for both of us....grrrrr.)
BATH TIME! I got Kiefer done relatively quickly. I took Kiefer out and put Parker and Blaine in. Enter trouble. I was changing Kiefer into PJ's when I hear Blaine squeel "that's too many bubbles Parker!!!". I run into the room to find an EMPTY bubble bath container and yes, WAY TOO many bubbles!
Boys in PJ's. Boys in BED. No stories. No snack.
B. E. D.
Kiefer didn't seem tired at all so I tried loading a video on my computer only to discover, BRAND NEW laptop (on loan from Paul's work) has a virus. Will not let me do anything.
"Please load antivirus software. Computer is affected"
Okay load software. Run software. NOPE. Not working.
"Software infected. Please run antivirus software"
THAT IS MY ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARE!!!!! This is getting on my last nerve. Pull battery and leave computer for lovely computer genius husband to deal with.
Nurse Kiefer. Both sides. TWICE. Not looking tired ONE BIT. Almost 9:00. He's usually alseep by 7:30. In crib. Screaming commences. Door CLOSES.
HUGE SIGH. Shoulders fall.
Laundry has been off and on. Service man 'repaired it' a month ago only to break a few days later. He came back two days ago and fixed it again. SO much laundry to do. On a night like tonight do I dare open the laundry room door?
NO.
WINE. MUCH WINE IS NEEDED NOW. Did I mention I am flying solo tonight???
So I thought, what will cheer me up??
Answer: My boys. Despite the fact they were a part of the stress to begin with, they are what grounds me. So here, for your viewing pleasure, are their first pictures. First picture after birth, and first picture clothed. :-) I hope you enjoy. It always brings a smile to my face.
"well you see the banks are so high I can't lift the snow anymore and I don't really have anywhere else to put it"
"Well, I know there's no where to put it but then I have to dig myself out. I only have a tiny little one car driveway so thanks!"
Wait a sec. I have a THREE car driveway that I shovel out BY HAND, while my kids are napping, or they "help" me doing it all. Little Miss across the street has a SNOWBLOWER for her ONE car driveway. So....uhm, you want me to throw my snow, god knows where so you can save an extra 5 minutes using your snowblower on your ONE car driveway? Seriously? Am I being punked? Where's Ashton?
After that I thought, I'm NOT going to take this out on the kids, so went ahead with our planned "tree decorating". I had some left over supplies from the Christmas trees (see last post) I had made, so thought, what the heck, let the kids go nuts and decorate them and eat them. Well, they did have a great time, but the kitchen got TRASHED in the process. A whole tupperware container of M&M's was TOSSED across the kitchen and spilled everywhere. To top it all off, Kiefer was REFUSING to eat anything. (Meaning another night of waking up for both of us....grrrrr.)
BATH TIME! I got Kiefer done relatively quickly. I took Kiefer out and put Parker and Blaine in. Enter trouble. I was changing Kiefer into PJ's when I hear Blaine squeel "that's too many bubbles Parker!!!". I run into the room to find an EMPTY bubble bath container and yes, WAY TOO many bubbles!
Boys in PJ's. Boys in BED. No stories. No snack.
B. E. D.
Kiefer didn't seem tired at all so I tried loading a video on my computer only to discover, BRAND NEW laptop (on loan from Paul's work) has a virus. Will not let me do anything.
"Please load antivirus software. Computer is affected"
Okay load software. Run software. NOPE. Not working.
"Software infected. Please run antivirus software"
THAT IS MY ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARE!!!!! This is getting on my last nerve. Pull battery and leave computer for lovely computer genius husband to deal with.
Nurse Kiefer. Both sides. TWICE. Not looking tired ONE BIT. Almost 9:00. He's usually alseep by 7:30. In crib. Screaming commences. Door CLOSES.
HUGE SIGH. Shoulders fall.
Laundry has been off and on. Service man 'repaired it' a month ago only to break a few days later. He came back two days ago and fixed it again. SO much laundry to do. On a night like tonight do I dare open the laundry room door?
NO.
WINE. MUCH WINE IS NEEDED NOW. Did I mention I am flying solo tonight???
So I thought, what will cheer me up??
Answer: My boys. Despite the fact they were a part of the stress to begin with, they are what grounds me. So here, for your viewing pleasure, are their first pictures. First picture after birth, and first picture clothed. :-) I hope you enjoy. It always brings a smile to my face.
PARKER
BLAINE
KIEFER
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Christmas Trees GALORE
It's been two years in a row now that I have made my "famous" Christmas tress for the boys for school. Only the last two years, they were in the same class/school. This year they are in different classes, so that means DOUBLE the Christmas trees. Well just to spice things up even further, Derek put in HIS request for the seasonal timber as well!!
Here's a picture of just 25 of the 70 trees I made. Phew!! And today, the Christmas Concert day, turns out to be a SNOW DAY!! The trees have to wait another couple of days I guess!
Here's a picture of just 25 of the 70 trees I made. Phew!! And today, the Christmas Concert day, turns out to be a SNOW DAY!! The trees have to wait another couple of days I guess!
Friday, December 10, 2010
I'm dreaming of a white Christmas...
Maybe I should really take this to heart! Take the edge off all that holiday stress! ;)
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Mother of the year award goes to....
oh geeze....
Monday, December 6, 2010
I have loved also...
So the ying yang of it all makes me want to post an "I love" post too. Because I'm not SO grumpy that I don't love anything either! I have MANY loves, many MORE than my hates, so here are just a few of them. :)
I love snow. (If it could just avoid falling on the roads and drive life would be perfect!)
I love SUSHI. LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE SUSHI.
I love watching my boys sleep. I love reading them stories before bed. I love hearing their stories for me.
I love watching my boys eat my home cooked food. It makes me feel like a good mom.
I love blogging. Been doing it since April 2004.
I love my husband. He's not perfect. Far from it. But he's perfect for me. And our family.
I love bed. I LOVE sleeping in. (I don't think I remember doing it...it's been so long...LOL)
I love being pregnant. Like LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE it. I wish I could have 15 kids. But then that would just be weird wouldn't it?
I LOVED giving birth vaginally. It finally made me feel like a true woman. It healed something deep within me that I'm not sure would have ever healed had I not tried.
I love brunch. Like anything and everything that you would eat for brunch, I love it.
Did I mention I love bed??
I love looking at houses and dreaming of what our lotto 649 house would look like.
I love my life. It has it's ups and downs, but I honestly wouldn't trade it for anything.
I love my girlfriends. Each and every single one of them. Whether I've known you since I was 2 or known you 2 days, you all add value to my life and I love each of you for it.
I love my family. Both immediate and extended. We have our quirks, but I think that makes me love them all even more.
I love shopping.
I love massages.
I love Starbucks.
I love Timmies too.
I love entertaining and don't do it enough.
I love being a mom.
I love God.
I'm lucky. I have a good life. I have never spent a sleepless night at Sick Kids. I have lost very few people in my life. I have had the honour of being VERY close to those I have lost. I live comfortably. I have never starved, or been dying myself. And really, how do you top the last one??
I love snow. (If it could just avoid falling on the roads and drive life would be perfect!)
I love SUSHI. LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE SUSHI.
I love watching my boys sleep. I love reading them stories before bed. I love hearing their stories for me.
I love watching my boys eat my home cooked food. It makes me feel like a good mom.
I love blogging. Been doing it since April 2004.
I love my husband. He's not perfect. Far from it. But he's perfect for me. And our family.
I love bed. I LOVE sleeping in. (I don't think I remember doing it...it's been so long...LOL)
I love being pregnant. Like LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE it. I wish I could have 15 kids. But then that would just be weird wouldn't it?
I LOVED giving birth vaginally. It finally made me feel like a true woman. It healed something deep within me that I'm not sure would have ever healed had I not tried.
I love brunch. Like anything and everything that you would eat for brunch, I love it.
Did I mention I love bed??
I love looking at houses and dreaming of what our lotto 649 house would look like.
I love my life. It has it's ups and downs, but I honestly wouldn't trade it for anything.
I love my girlfriends. Each and every single one of them. Whether I've known you since I was 2 or known you 2 days, you all add value to my life and I love each of you for it.
I love my family. Both immediate and extended. We have our quirks, but I think that makes me love them all even more.
I love shopping.
I love massages.
I love Starbucks.
I love Timmies too.
I love entertaining and don't do it enough.
I love being a mom.
I love God.
I'm lucky. I have a good life. I have never spent a sleepless night at Sick Kids. I have lost very few people in my life. I have had the honour of being VERY close to those I have lost. I live comfortably. I have never starved, or been dying myself. And really, how do you top the last one??
Friday, December 3, 2010
I hate....I hate...I hate the word hate...but I have a lot of hates today!!!
I hate being late.
I hate being SO late that you miss something entirely.
I hate people standing me up and I HATE when the odd time I do it to others. (I'm sorry if this was YOU at one point!!!)
I FREAKING *&%#$@!!!! HATE dog poo in my house!
I hate dog poo anywhere but especially in my house.
I hate whining. I would rather hear CRYING than whining. (Does that make me a bi*ch?
I hate feeling grumpy. I want to eat when I feel grumpy.
I hate stuff going on sale AFTER I buy it. Even if I can get a price adjustment for the $5, how much is it going to cost me in gas to go back?!
I hate the price of gas, now especially, but always really.
I hate the dentist. I mean not him personally, but I hate going.
I hate dry skin. So dry in the winter that it cracks down to the flesh. My poor hands and feet. :(
I hate cold. I hate cold and wet even more.
I HATE grumpy people when you are shopping. Isn't it FREAKING CHRISTMAS?? Time to be jolly and spread cheer?! STOP CRUSHING MY CHEER people! Just stop it!
I hate having to put on airs. (?) Did I say/spell that right? I hate that i'm a bad speller.
Phew...I'm feeling a bit better.
I like being able to vent.
I hate being SO late that you miss something entirely.
I hate people standing me up and I HATE when the odd time I do it to others. (I'm sorry if this was YOU at one point!!!)
I FREAKING *&%#$@!!!! HATE dog poo in my house!
I hate dog poo anywhere but especially in my house.
I hate whining. I would rather hear CRYING than whining. (Does that make me a bi*ch?
I hate feeling grumpy. I want to eat when I feel grumpy.
I hate stuff going on sale AFTER I buy it. Even if I can get a price adjustment for the $5, how much is it going to cost me in gas to go back?!
I hate the price of gas, now especially, but always really.
I hate the dentist. I mean not him personally, but I hate going.
I hate dry skin. So dry in the winter that it cracks down to the flesh. My poor hands and feet. :(
I hate cold. I hate cold and wet even more.
I HATE grumpy people when you are shopping. Isn't it FREAKING CHRISTMAS?? Time to be jolly and spread cheer?! STOP CRUSHING MY CHEER people! Just stop it!
I hate having to put on airs. (?) Did I say/spell that right? I hate that i'm a bad speller.
Phew...I'm feeling a bit better.
I like being able to vent.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
And the beat goes on....
This is a picture of my, now, four year old son, banging away on his birthday present - a junior set of drums. He FREAKING LOVED THEM.
Now for a bit of back story. Two summers ago I enrolled both the boys in a soccer program. Parker loved it. Loved the outdoors, the running around, the playing with his friends. Loved every aspect of it. Blaine - not so much. I pretty much had to threaten, bribe, beg, plead, bargin and do anything I could to get him to participate. I will say, one week he got stung by a bee on his finger so that pretty much did him in for the rest of the season. Okay, so scratch soccer off the list.
The following fall, I enrolled the boys in a skating program at a local hockey arena. I figured they could get their skating skills down pat, and it would get them ready for hockey. Again, Parker loved it - even though he really wasn't that good at it. He loved the games, the races, the fact he was one of the biggest, he even loved getting his skates laced up. And AGAIN, Blaine - not so much. Okay, strike hockey.
Conversely, I have a USB key that plugs right into my car stereo and at any given time there is about 70 songs loaded up and ready to play. Blaine can name all of them (pretty much). "Mom, play Boom Boom". "Mom, play Ice Ice baby". "Mom can you play walk a million miles?" "Play the Susan song"
He has made up some of his own names for the songs but he knows EXACTLY what song he means and what he wants to hear. That certainly made for interesting car rides - Blaine, what is Boom Boom? And the Susan song?!
As a baby, I would sing to Blaine while I nursed him. Oddly enough, every time I hit a note slightly off key, he would giggle. At first I thought it might be a coincidence so I started throwing notes off on purpose to test the theory. Sure enough, giggles followed. One night, during a rendition of "I'll love you forever" my voice cracked. I guess that was something new to him and quite humorous apparently, because he giggled so hard milk came out his nose! I figured it out then, that this would be my musical baby.
It was probably about 6 months ago that Blaine started asking for drums for his birthday. Paul and I knew that he was musically inclined, but to be sure Paul brought Blaine to the local instrument store. Blaine was like a kid in a candy shop. His body started to shake seeing all those instruments in one place. He didn't know which way to head first - taking a few steps forward and then darting to the right, then the left, then closer to the back of the store, then closer to the front. There was just so much to see, so much to BANG ON! It solidified for us that we WOULD expose him to music and make sure HIS true passions would be nurtured and fed and we would encourage him in any way we could.
We've been told he "should be" on the ice doing hockey. He "should be" doing what we want him to. Uhm, why exactly? Sure he has to listen to Mom and Dad, but why should I pick what passions he has? And even if I wanted to, I can't. We just aren't built that way as humans. There is something inside us that calls us to our passions. It's something that makes us excited when we wake up, and anxious to go to sleep for the next morning. And no one can 'tell' you what that is. You have to find it. Sometimes it's deep in your heart. And sometimes, it just comes out, like Boom Boom, or Susan.
So there you are. Yup, perhaps a bit insane. But I see it more as supportive. Encouraging. LOVING.
I have never seen a boy so giddy for something for his birthday. Batman, Ironman, nurf gun, none of them evoked the response his drums gave him.
And the really funny thing?? He's actually got rhythm and is pretty good!
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Cake's by Krista
Parker's 3rd Birthday
Derek's 9th
Kiefer's Baptism
Parker's Birthday
Derek's 11th Birthday
Paul's 40th
Blaine's 4th
Katelyn's Farewell
Parker 5th
Derek's 13th
Katelyn's 18th
Kiefer's First
Hallowe'en cupcakes
Friday, November 26, 2010
No "F" word in our house!
In our house, we do not like to use the "F" word. It almost always means there is crying involved, freaking out, and downright melting down. Yes that's right, in our house it is an almost banned word.
FERBER. I do not like it Sam I am. I do not like Ferber I am.
Maybe this post is inspired because I just finished rocking my baby to sleep. A method that took all of 5 minutes. A firm snuggle, a soothing back and forth rock, and a soft rendition of "You are my sunshine" and 5 minutes later he is in la la land.
Who of us wouldn't love a warm snuggle on mom's shoulder, her soothing scent and warm voice lulling us into peaceful bliss?? As opposed to a hard cold mattress and wailing it out until you are just too tired to cry anymore and give up...
I admit it, there are those babies (and we've had them!) who just don't care for the rock, don't care for the swaddle, and are sleep resisitant! Swing? BAH! That's nothing compared to their anti sleep powers! And you gotta do what you gotta do!!
But today, of all days, when I have a 4 year old birthday party to finish planning, fill loot bags, bake and decorate a batman cake for AND make sure we are ready for the WEDDING that follows that party - I am a little short on time. But probably the BEST 5 minutes of my day will be that slow soothing rock and singing my, slightly off key, 'You are my sunshine' and kissing the warm cheek of my baby as I lie him down in his crib.
Maybe Ferber would say it's a waste of precious time. And he's half right. It IS precious time and it won't last forever.
FERBER. I do not like it Sam I am. I do not like Ferber I am.
Maybe this post is inspired because I just finished rocking my baby to sleep. A method that took all of 5 minutes. A firm snuggle, a soothing back and forth rock, and a soft rendition of "You are my sunshine" and 5 minutes later he is in la la land.
Who of us wouldn't love a warm snuggle on mom's shoulder, her soothing scent and warm voice lulling us into peaceful bliss?? As opposed to a hard cold mattress and wailing it out until you are just too tired to cry anymore and give up...
I admit it, there are those babies (and we've had them!) who just don't care for the rock, don't care for the swaddle, and are sleep resisitant! Swing? BAH! That's nothing compared to their anti sleep powers! And you gotta do what you gotta do!!
But today, of all days, when I have a 4 year old birthday party to finish planning, fill loot bags, bake and decorate a batman cake for AND make sure we are ready for the WEDDING that follows that party - I am a little short on time. But probably the BEST 5 minutes of my day will be that slow soothing rock and singing my, slightly off key, 'You are my sunshine' and kissing the warm cheek of my baby as I lie him down in his crib.
Maybe Ferber would say it's a waste of precious time. And he's half right. It IS precious time and it won't last forever.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Get to know me better
These are always fun and a GREAT time waster. LOL
What time did you get up this morning? 7:20 am
How do you like your steak? medium RARE
What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Oh dear, uhm, Date night.
What is your favorite TV show? Dexter
If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? Anywhere it NEVER EVER snows
What did you have for breakfast? egg on english muffin
What is your favorite cuisine? SUSHI
What foods do you dislike? blue cheese, anchoivies
Favorite Place to Eat? Canyon Creek and The Keg
Favorite dressing? House or Raspberry Vingerette
What kind of vehicle do you drive? Honda Oddessey
What are your favorite clothes? Jeans and tshirt
Where would you visit if you had the chance? Hawaii
Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full? "who the hell drank 1/2 my drink?!?!?"
Where would you want to retire? Mexico Mayan
Favorite time of day? Toe touching time with Paul and then BEDTIME
Where were you born? Barrie Ontario
What is your favorite sport to watch? Paul's hockey or baseball
Bird watcher? Uhm, NO
Are you a morning person or a night person? niether!
Do you have any pets? dog -- Zoe golden retriever
Any new and exciting news you'd like to share? Going to BC in January - is that exciting??
What did you want to be when you were little? a doctor
What is your best childhood memory? Any Christmas or any camping trip
Are you a cat or dog person? DOG
Are you married? almost 7 years
Always wear your seat belt? yes
Been in a car accident? Yes
Any pet peeves? Rudeness - especially not holding open the door
Favorite Pizza Toppings? Prefer not to eat pizza but Hawaian if I must
Favorite Flower? Lily
Favorite ice cream? Don't really like ice cream
Favorite fast food restaurant? McDonald's
How many times did you fail your drivers license test? 0
Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Flight Center. LOL
Done anything spontaneous lately? Every day is an adventure in Kristaland.
Broccoli? I like
What was your favorite vacation? Bahamas getting married with friends and family
Last person you went out to dinner with? My husband
What are you listening to right now? peace and quiet!
What is your favorite color? black, blue, purple
How many tattoos do you have? none...yet
Coffee Drinker? STARBUCKS BABY!!!
Did you learn anything new???
What time did you get up this morning? 7:20 am
How do you like your steak? medium RARE
What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Oh dear, uhm, Date night.
What is your favorite TV show? Dexter
If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? Anywhere it NEVER EVER snows
What did you have for breakfast? egg on english muffin
What is your favorite cuisine? SUSHI
What foods do you dislike? blue cheese, anchoivies
Favorite Place to Eat? Canyon Creek and The Keg
Favorite dressing? House or Raspberry Vingerette
What kind of vehicle do you drive? Honda Oddessey
What are your favorite clothes? Jeans and tshirt
Where would you visit if you had the chance? Hawaii
Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full? "who the hell drank 1/2 my drink?!?!?"
Where would you want to retire? Mexico Mayan
Favorite time of day? Toe touching time with Paul and then BEDTIME
Where were you born? Barrie Ontario
What is your favorite sport to watch? Paul's hockey or baseball
Bird watcher? Uhm, NO
Are you a morning person or a night person? niether!
Do you have any pets? dog -- Zoe golden retriever
Any new and exciting news you'd like to share? Going to BC in January - is that exciting??
What did you want to be when you were little? a doctor
What is your best childhood memory? Any Christmas or any camping trip
Are you a cat or dog person? DOG
Are you married? almost 7 years
Always wear your seat belt? yes
Been in a car accident? Yes
Any pet peeves? Rudeness - especially not holding open the door
Favorite Pizza Toppings? Prefer not to eat pizza but Hawaian if I must
Favorite Flower? Lily
Favorite ice cream? Don't really like ice cream
Favorite fast food restaurant? McDonald's
How many times did you fail your drivers license test? 0
Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Flight Center. LOL
Done anything spontaneous lately? Every day is an adventure in Kristaland.
Broccoli? I like
What was your favorite vacation? Bahamas getting married with friends and family
Last person you went out to dinner with? My husband
What are you listening to right now? peace and quiet!
What is your favorite color? black, blue, purple
How many tattoos do you have? none...yet
Coffee Drinker? STARBUCKS BABY!!!
Did you learn anything new???
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Marketing vs. Parenting
I posted this picture recently on Facebook along with my disgust that chocolate cookies for babies existed. One of my friends made a good point in that she wasn't a saint when it came to what her kids ate, but the MARKETING of this product makes it appear we are being better parents than we really are. I may have been a bit unclear about my opinions as well. The MARKETING of this product is EXACTLY where my issues lie.
How would you feel if you saw a mother handing her barely 12 month old an oreo cookie?? You'd probably think she was nuts. Is this REALLY much better? We are bombarded with images and messages telling us NOT ONLY what to feed our children, but how to parent them (along with all the labels of different parenting styles), what to dress them in, where to send them to school, what to read to them, and the list goes on and on. And along with all these well intended messages are also the JUDGEMENTS. Again, I have issue with the judgement of using such advice, not in the giving of it.
Kiefer's first food was either pizza crust or french fry. I'm not exactly sure which one. CLEARLY, I am no saint when it comes to the nutritional needs of my children either. But when I handed over a pizza crust or hot yummy from McDonalds I was under NO pretense that it was somehow good for him. I knew exactly what I was doing. It was pizza. It was a deep fried fat filled french fry. It wasn't neatly packaged up with a guideline of age limitations and cartoon characters gracing it's cover to make me think that somehow I might be doing some good.
Give your kids chocolate. Let them get it all over their face. Let them love it! Take pictures. But be under NO false assumptions that what you are doing is nutrionally good for your children. The 'good' is in the fun you are showing them. And the LOVE you are giving them. Not in the commercially packaged treat.
END RANT.
:P
We're good!
Blaine makes me laugh everyday. I tell people this, and their immediate response is usually, "like what?" and of course, almost every time, I am at a loss for what to say. It's one of the MAIN reasons I started this blog. So I can refer to it and remember why I'm so blissfully happy soaking in my boys each and every day!
Just two minutes ago, Blaine came to me with an action figure (known as "a guy" to my boys) and very concerned asked, "Mom, can Kiefer swallow this?" While it was on the small side, the 'guy' in question had his arms outstretched to the sides making him a small concern in terms of choking hazzard.
"No I don't think so" I reply, and Blaine returns to playing with Kiefer.
I should have sounded more certain. The next thing I hear is this:
"Kiefer open your mouth"
I quickly poke my head around the corner to find Blaine gingerly placing the small 'guy' in Kiefers mouth, and as I had thought, the outstretched arms couldn't get past Kiefers lips.
Blaine hearing me turns and says,
"We're good Mom"
LOL
Just two minutes ago, Blaine came to me with an action figure (known as "a guy" to my boys) and very concerned asked, "Mom, can Kiefer swallow this?" While it was on the small side, the 'guy' in question had his arms outstretched to the sides making him a small concern in terms of choking hazzard.
"No I don't think so" I reply, and Blaine returns to playing with Kiefer.
I should have sounded more certain. The next thing I hear is this:
"Kiefer open your mouth"
I quickly poke my head around the corner to find Blaine gingerly placing the small 'guy' in Kiefers mouth, and as I had thought, the outstretched arms couldn't get past Kiefers lips.
Blaine hearing me turns and says,
"We're good Mom"
LOL
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
"You can still breath..."
This morning Blaine crawled into bed with us and just as he did Kiefer woke up ready for the day. I dragged myself out of bed to go tend to him and Paul cuddled up with Blaine. Well, I guess as Blaine lie quietly, Paul fell back asleep and started snoring...
Blaine: DAD!! DAD!!! (hand on his arm shaking him a bit)
Paul: (a groggy) ...yes....
Blaine: Stop making that noise!
- after a minute -
Blaine: You can still breath.
Too funny!
Blaine: DAD!! DAD!!! (hand on his arm shaking him a bit)
Paul: (a groggy) ...yes....
Blaine: Stop making that noise!
- after a minute -
Blaine: You can still breath.
Too funny!
Monday, November 8, 2010
Introducing...US!
Iron Man and Wolverine
Mommy and Stinker a.k.a Kiefer
Blaine and Daddy
Parker
Derek, Mommy and Kiefer
First Entry
So here I am starting up yet ANOTHER blog. Hopefully this one will stick. I've tried to make it something that won't change over time. I've been "blondie2bmd", I've been "mommy2b" and I've been "ThorntonMom". All of which no longer apply.
I AM a dynamic Mom. And I always will be. The title of my blog I thought about long and hard. And finally I gave up. Was there NOTHING that could define me in one simple phrase? I sew, I run, I dance, I'm a mom, I'm a sister, I'm a wife, I scrapbook, I facebook, I procrastinate! So FINALLY, just yesterday it came to me.
One of Many. Everything I do is "one of many". One of many meals, one of many friends, one of many runs, one of many KIDS! LOL So here it is. Blog entry number one. And yes, it is One of MANY.
Thanks for reading and I'll try to make it interesting. God knows my life is somedays!
*^_^*
I AM a dynamic Mom. And I always will be. The title of my blog I thought about long and hard. And finally I gave up. Was there NOTHING that could define me in one simple phrase? I sew, I run, I dance, I'm a mom, I'm a sister, I'm a wife, I scrapbook, I facebook, I procrastinate! So FINALLY, just yesterday it came to me.
One of Many. Everything I do is "one of many". One of many meals, one of many friends, one of many runs, one of many KIDS! LOL So here it is. Blog entry number one. And yes, it is One of MANY.
Thanks for reading and I'll try to make it interesting. God knows my life is somedays!
*^_^*
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