Friday, December 25, 2009

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas friends, I'll try and post details on our fantastic day tomorrow.

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Saturday Night Adventures

Saturday night we had our good friends Chris and Ronnie and their two kids come over. Back in the day (before we were parents, and honestly, when they only had one kid, b/c you know everything is different when you only have one kid) we used to be over at their house all the time. Two or three nights a week. But babies were born, and jobs changed (Chris works late shift now), and so getting together with them is quite a challenge these days. And the two evenings a week Chris has free, everyone likes a piece of his time. So we scheduled ourselves in, and had them over.

Ronnie brought the kid's Christmas presents, and gave Duncan this giant 54 piece Thomas floor puzzle. Duncan LOVES it. He has done it probably 10 times already since last night. So that's a hit.

They left around 9:30, and we made it to bed around 11. These days I've been letting Cordie sleep instead of getting her up before I go to bed, but she was stirring, and I was tired, so I decided to get her up and nurse her to avoid going to sleep only to be woken 30 minutes later by a hungry girl.

I noticed then that her breathing was different. I thought "hmmmm....". Fed her, put her back to bed, but I never totally fell asleep, listening to her.

Flash back about 5 weeks when our friends Cynthia, Gus and Connor were visiting from Edmonton. Gus is an Emergency Physician. Connor had a croup "attack" while they were out. So the next day Gus was very matter of factly explaining to me (at my questioning) about croup, how it presents, what it is, what to do about it, etc... So when Cordie woke up at 12:30 crying and coughing with that deep wheeze/seal like bark I knew exactly what it was. I'm glad I knew, b/c if I didn't I might have been a lot more worried. I said to Bill "Cordie has croup, I need to take her to the hospital". So we bundled her up and off I went. It was kind of funny b/c I wasn't in the least bit worried or panicked, and this showed at the ER because they asked "have you had a child with this before?"

For the record I'm not someone prone to panic or anything. I'm actually rather "matter of fact" about some things, but hey, when you think your child can't breathe, you might be prone to being upset.

OK, it's now 10 PM and I started this post I think some time this morning. So let me 'splain... no, that would take too long, let me sum up. Doctors checked Cordie out, otherwise was fine, yes she has croup, expect it to "wax and wane" over the next 5 days. They gave her something to breathe in which would make it easier for last night (which it did).

Got home at 2:30 AM, fed her, was WIDE AWAKE. Both of us were (Bill was waiting up at home for us). I finally fell asleep around 3:30, Bill, not until 5 AM. I was up at 6:30. Soooo... I was a bit tired today.

Into Sunday adventures quick. We decided to still go to church b/c hey, if we're tired, we'll be tired no matter where we are, and it was Duncan's Sunday School performance. We didn't think he'd go up with the kids, but I brought the camera just in case. No, not even remotely. In fact, he wouldn't even stand with the kids in practice before they went up to sing. And, this was hilarious, as we're sitting watching all the other children he says "Hey, look at all my friends!" My parents were laughing at him. My Dad asked why he wasn't up there too, and Duncan just grinned at him. Cordie gave my Dad lots and lots of good cuddles, which was really, really sweet.

We left early, I got a nap in, got some quilting in, Duncan and I went grocery shopping and almost got T-boned by an idiot who didn't notice the red light and also went sliding on the wet pavement when he tried to brake. Even more stupid, I wasn't even the 1st car through the intersection - that's how red the light was!! But I saw him, braked, and we avoided it. Grrr... you don't mess with me, but even more, you don't mess with me when I've got my kids in the car!

And here we are. Sunday night. I'm going into the office tomorrow with Cordie to wish people a Merry Christmas. Mom is coming along, and then we're going on to do some shopping (after meeting Theresa for coffee).  I'm done shopping, but it will be a fun morning.

Carole out.

Rogers sucks

I was going to write a nice long post as to why Rogers sucks. But Bill did a good enough job of it. So I just want it reflected on my blog to my reading audience that Rogers really sucks. And so help me, once my contract is up, after 14 years of being a customer, I am GONE! I'm both disgusted and disappointed in them.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

The preschool Christmas Party

Today was Duncan's preschool Christmas party - and last day of school for the break.

So they had a PJ party. Duncan was thrilled with this because he always wants to wear his pjs all day, and if you don't get him out of them 1st thing in the morning you will have a fight on your hands. (What helps with this now is that he likes to pick out his own clothes and dress himself (with some help) which I think is awesome).

I went to pick him up after and as usual when we're walking to the car "Mommy, I had fun!". And so starts the game of interpret what he actually did at school that morning. You can bet they sang a song or two, so I always start with "did you sing a song?" "Yeah, I did!" "What song did you sing?" "Frosty the Snowman and we sat down in chairs". I interpret this to mean they played musical chairs to Frosty the Snowman. And then "the bridge fell down!". Oh, they played London Bridge is falling down. I wonder if he is amazed that I know all these things. He did learn how to single Jingle Bells at preschool, which is so cute. It's too bad he hasn't learned the songs for the Sunday School program as well. Okay, I think Away In A Manger is a bit harder for a 3 year old. Frankly, I'll be surprised if he even goes up front.

I had to run an errand at Staples after getting him, and I figure no one will need to know he is in his pjs as he'll have his jacket on, and his boots. Well, Duncan decided the had to take off his jacket in the middle of the store, and lead me on a merry chase before I could get him out the door. So I'm sure a few people noticed the pjs (Lightning McQueen ones, if you're wondering). As Bill pointed out though - when you're 3, you can get away with it.

Also at school they gave him a wee present. And so I told him that he had to put it under the tree, and so (really, in his mind, being new at this Christmas thing) he hid it underneath the awesome dinosaur tree skirt I made the other week. I thought that was so cute!!

Tomorrow one of his friends from preschool (and his Mom, and little brother) are coming over for a play date, so that will be fun.

Whine, whine, whine - I have a cold. A nasty thing that settled right into my chest. It's brutal. And Cordie has a cold, and is teething, and we think going through another growth spurt (7 months old already!) and so she's just an unhappy little girl. Poor pumpkin. She's fine when I'm holding her, but that seriously impaired what I could get done today. Oh well, she is my priority.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Christmas Meme

I finally decided to do this one... you know, less than 9 days left, I'm not sure it counts!

  1. Have you started your Christmas shopping? Almost done! I have one more thing to buy! I'm super happy about this.
  2. Tell me about one of your special traditions. Well, we're kind of having fun creating our own traditions as a little family. However, our church is one of the only ones that has a Christmas Day service. Being of Dutch descent, we traditionally sing a song called 'Glory to God' at the end of the service, and I totally love that. 
  3. When do you put up your tree?This year it was right at the beginning of December because Duncan wanted the Christmas tree.
  4. Are you a Black Friday shopper? No. Mind you, we don't have Black Friday up in Canada, but I also don't go down to the States to do shopping.
  5. Do you travel at Christmas or stay home? We stay home. I think it's quite unlikely we would travel out to Newfoundland for Christmas for various reasons. We have toyed with the idea of going on a trip - like to Hawaii or something over Christmas one year - and we may do that yet.
  6. What is your funniest Christmas memory? Bill spilling punch on my parent's carpet. It was when we were dating and he flew out to visit - his first visit out here. White Carpet. Red Punch. But the funny part is that my Oma (grandma) (rather a stern woman) was sitting there when it happened. She gave Bill the "Oma Eye" and informed me that she had carpet cleaner under her sink at her place (next door) and I should go get it and clean the carpet. So I go to the kitchen and inform my Mom that Bill spilled punch in the living room and Mom says "oh, no matter, we'll take care of it later" but I told her "Oma is making me go get her carpet cleaner".... Mom rolled her eyes but there was no arguing with my Oma. So there I was, on Christmas day, on my hands and knees, scrubbing the carpet in the living room under my Oma's watchful eye until she deemed it okay. To this day there is a lamp that covers that spot :) Thinking of it, I'm blessed Bill still married me after he saw the family he was marrying into!
  7. What is your favorite Christmas movie of all time? A Christmas Carol. Although I love (and have) the original Miracle on 34th Street (like Nancy, not the lame remake).
  8. Do you do your own Christmas baking, what’s your favorite treat? I do, but I don't do much because we don't do a lot of entertaining, so I really don't do much in the baking dept. Because what we bake, we eat, and that's not a good thing.
  9. Fake or real tree? Right now - fake - because the cats were routinely knocking over the real ones. But I think eventually we'll go back to real - because we do prefer it.
  10. What day (as a mom) does the actual panic set in to get it all done? Christmas Eve around 8 PM :)
  11. Are you still wrapping presents on Christmas Eve? yes! I inherited that from my Mom (hi Mom). She and Dad have been known to be up until 3 Am wrapping.
  12. What is your favorite family fun time at Christmas? Well, we're kind of working on that, as this is the 1st Christmas Duncan is getting into it. I'll let you know. :)
  13. What Christmas craft do you like the best? Making ornaments for the tree. 
  14. Christmas music? I love Christmas music. Right now Josh Groban's "Noel" is my favourite, but the Michael W. Smith Christmas album is one of my standing favourites. I also have certain singles I just love.
  15. When do you plan to finish all your shopping? I have one thing left to buy, so, soon. 

Monday, December 14, 2009

Today - December 14, 2009

Today…

Outside my window: it's snowing. They are calling for 15-30 cm, but in my heart of hearts, I just don't think we're going to get that much. I hope Duncan still has school tomorrow.

I am hearing: Bill is blogging - so him typing away. The sound of the humidifier in Duncan's room.

I am thinking: Not a whole lot.

I am hoping: that Bill doesn't have too hard of a time getting in tomorrow, and that Duncan has school - simply b/c there are only two classes left for the year, and he loves going.

I am reading: I picked up a cheesy Harlequin Christmas romance.

I am creating: I've got the top done of the second quilt I'm working on. So now I need to layer them (what we call sandwiching in the quilting world) and get to quilting them.

I am wearing: my pj pants and a t-shirt, and slippers.

In the kitchen: tonight was breakfast chicken with fries and corn (breakfast chicken is a rotisserie chicken). Also on the menu this week is slow cooked pasta with Italian sausage (funny story - it called for ziti pasta, but turns out ziti is not common up here. I know now it's like penne, but was looking for ziti at the store today. So the manager in charge of general merchandise asks if there is anything he can help me find, I tell him, I'm looking for ziti pasta... poor fellow looked so perplexed. He'd obviously never heard of it before, and couldn't help me, but you could tell he felt bad he couldn't help me. I picked up rotini instead - I like rotini - holds the sauce better), baked chicken and kale, shake and bake chicken, and grilled steak on pasta with tomato pesto sauce.

Plans for the week: Well depending on the weather, Mom might baby sit tomorrow night and we want to go see the Disney A Christmas Carol in 3D at the Imax. We love the Christmas Carol story in many forms, and have heard this rendition is great. And with that fancy dancy new bridge right by here, we're only 10 minutes away from the Imax, instead of the old 45 or it would have taken before. Bill is taking Wednesday off so we can finish some stuff like shopping, so I won't be going to MOPS -which is okay, it's just a social. Thursday is Duncan's last day of school before Christmas and they are having a pj party, so I need to bring a fruit tray for that. On Saturday I think we're hoping to get together with the Bells - whom we haven't seen in ages.

A few of my favorite things: I love that Duncan now "gets" stories. When we're looking at books he can tell us what is happening, and I think it's just going to open an whole new realm of stories etc... When he was born we got this Winnie the Pooh treasury, and I've been looking forward to bed time stories when I can read such a thing to him. I love Cordie is just such her own little person. She is getting into everything and has a lot of different verbal sounds already. It's amazing how awesome but different each kid is.

A picture thought:

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Uhg

There are many times during the day I feel like writing a post, but I've just been busy, and haven't.

I write blog posts in my head all the time. At least titles for them.

The other morning it was "Socks in the Dark".

And the next morning it was "Chasting Cats in the dark". Sense a theme here? For the record I neither found my socks, nor did I chase the cats. I went with cold feet, and let the cats jump on me.

Nancy did a Christmas Meme on her blog the other day. I want to do that one. Not tonight.

Bill and I are hungry. It's 10:50 PM and it's bed time. We ate dinner almost 5 horus ago and I am so freaking tempted to order a pizza. We almost never, ever order pizza.

Okay, let's back up. Take out. A few weeks ago we decided we'd try to cut out take out altogether. We don't go to restaurants often, but we do like take out. I like eating in the comfort of my own home. Anyhow, we did fine last week (Mom taking me for Greek on Friday night does not count), and so far this week too. So ordering pizza would totally count as getting take out.

But it would be yummy!

But I will go to bed instead. I should get Cordelia up once to eat yet. Depending on the weather Mom and Cordie and I are heading down to Marysville tomorrow night. We might get snow, and if it looks like we're going to get too much we might need to cancel. I'm honestly not too concerned, but we'll see how it pans out.

Goodnight.

Monday, December 7, 2009

Today: December 7, 2009

Today…

Outside my window: It is sunny but cool. People would even call it "cold" but having lived in the US Midwest before, I call it "brisk".

I am hearing: Bill is home sick today, and is playing World of Warcraft - so I am hearing murlocks being killed.

I am thinking: I need to get on with "it". "It" being all the things I want to get on with today while Duncan is gone.

I am hoping: to get more sleep tonight. It's a theme. I like sleep. I don't get enough of it. Cordie is teething and so is waking a lot more again. Duncan, however, has settled down at nights again, so that's good.

I am reading: Kind of stalled on the reading front right now.

I am creating: I am going to make a tree skirt out of dinosaur themed fleece I have. We need a tree skirt, and I figured "why does it need to be Christmas themed?" and Duncan would get a kick out of it.

I am wearing: jean, t-shirt, my shoes. I didn't take them off when we got home a bit ago as a little girl wanted to eat "NOW".

In the kitchen: mini-meat loaf, baked chicken, vegetarian goulash (that one will be interesting). We were supposed to have a beef brisket in the crock pot this week but no one seems to have any and I really don't feel like running to every meat counter/butcher shop all over town, so we'll skip that one.

Around the house: Well we got the tree up yesterday, which Duncan LOVES. He is so funny. He had to say goodbye to the tree today before leaving. He had a lot of fun helping us decorate it. Christmas is going to be a hoot this year. I still need to get the nativity scene put out, and the much delayed Advent calendar up (I'll get that done today). Bill put the lights out on Saturday.

Plans for the week: Duncan has his 3 year check up tomorrow and then nothing specific until Thursday, and then we're busy. The daycare at our church has their Christmas program on Thursday night and I think Duncan might have fun with that as it is kids his age, so I am planning on bringing him to that. Friday morning we're going to the Baron's for breakfast and to meet the newest member of the family, and then to Duncan's school Christmas skating party, and then Mom and Cordie and I are heading out of town down to the US to do some shopping and have some girl time. We have no idea where we stashed the playpen. Actually, I think I just remembered.

A few of my favorite things: Duncan surprising us by knowing the words to Jingle Bells (they must sing it at preschool). Cordie just being herself. I know, I'm biased, but both kids are just such a joy to our lives.

A picture thought:


My parents got Duncan this little lap desk for his birthday - and he loves it! Here he is colouring a Christmas tree.