One of the things I really love about living where we do is how close we are to everything. I don't have vehicle access during the day, which can be a challenge, but I have enough things within walking distance that we haven't suffered too much. We have an excellent medi-centre literally steps from my back door, which has really come in handy. I took Seth there today to get him a stronger prescription for what feels like his 137th eye infection (he's got a blocked tear duct that will probably have to be surgically opened), and then hit the mom and pop drugstore next door to get his new eye drops.
I have fond memories of heading to the mom and pop drugstore near my house as a kid. My brother and I would head there immediately after receiving our $1 allowance - they had penny candy on a rotating display right near the front door. Kyle and I would usually get 100 sours (in a little brown paper bag), and then eat as many as we could before the insides of our mouth were too raw to continue. This drugstore by my house is very similar...just a few of each item on the shelves, discount chocolate bars, "surprise bags" (for a boy or a girl) and small candies for a nickel. I love the idea of the boys going over there and carefully counting out their allowance money for the patient older lady behind the counter. Admittedly, I do 99% of my shopping at the big chain stores, but there's something to be said for friendly little small businesses just down the street.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Our Excitement for the Day (/Month/Year/Life)
I'd been hoping for something blog-worthy to happen...be careful what you wish for!
Let me set the scene for you: Emmett's school bus has just arrived, and I throw my coat and boots on to dash outside and get him. Please note: I have just worked out and I am sweaty, have seriously greasy hair and am wearing yoga capri pants. I leave Seth inside while I get Emmett off the bus, and Em and I come up to the front door. Which is locked.
Please also note that all house keys are either inside the house, or with James (who is a 45 minute commute away). My cell is also in the house, of course.
Okay, what to do? Don't panic, don't panic...at this point Seth is sitting on the other side of the door, screaming. I know my back door is locked (with the deadbolt), so that option is out. I ended up calling 911 from a neighbors house, and 2 nice police officers showed up a few minutes later. They calmed me down enough to remember that we could probably break in through one of the living room windows in the backyard.
Let me describe the current state of my backyard...the grassy area behind my backyard literally has higher than knee deep snow, some of which is packed, some not. The officers and I were randomly sinking into it as we treked down 9 units to get to my yard. The yard itself only has 2 feet of snow, but also about 14 bags of garbage and recycling that we've been throwing back there to avoid hiking it down to the dumpster about 150 yards away each time we have a full bag. I figured, who cares, no one can even get to the backyard, no one is going to see it!
So we finally get into my garbage pile/yard, and I'm looking through the window and Sethers is nowhere to be found. Greeeeeat. Meanwhile, one of the officers is cutting the screen off of my window, which *thankfully* was not locked. This window is about 12x18 inches, by the way. We figured the easiest thing to do would be to fish Emmett through the window and get him to open the door. (Emmett, BTW, has been totally cool up to the point and clearly doesn't even know something is wrong. He's been mostly admiring the officers' nifty uniforms/belts!) We stick Em through the window and instantly he knows something is not right and starts to panic. He's quite upset and can't manage the back door deadbolt, but we convince him to go unlock the front door and open it. Meanwhile, Seth comes to the window, and is quite amused that mommy and two strangers have just put his big brother through it!
The officers and I head back through the snow and get to the front door...Emmett is rather upset (although he was being heavily praised for saving the day!), Seth is performing a little jig for our visitors, and I'm (just barely) holding it together. All's well that ends well, and the officers are on their way. I'll probably be their easiest call of the shift!
I've learned my lesson...NEVER step foot outside the door without my key. And take my garbage out!
Let me set the scene for you: Emmett's school bus has just arrived, and I throw my coat and boots on to dash outside and get him. Please note: I have just worked out and I am sweaty, have seriously greasy hair and am wearing yoga capri pants. I leave Seth inside while I get Emmett off the bus, and Em and I come up to the front door. Which is locked.
Please also note that all house keys are either inside the house, or with James (who is a 45 minute commute away). My cell is also in the house, of course.
Okay, what to do? Don't panic, don't panic...at this point Seth is sitting on the other side of the door, screaming. I know my back door is locked (with the deadbolt), so that option is out. I ended up calling 911 from a neighbors house, and 2 nice police officers showed up a few minutes later. They calmed me down enough to remember that we could probably break in through one of the living room windows in the backyard.
Let me describe the current state of my backyard...the grassy area behind my backyard literally has higher than knee deep snow, some of which is packed, some not. The officers and I were randomly sinking into it as we treked down 9 units to get to my yard. The yard itself only has 2 feet of snow, but also about 14 bags of garbage and recycling that we've been throwing back there to avoid hiking it down to the dumpster about 150 yards away each time we have a full bag. I figured, who cares, no one can even get to the backyard, no one is going to see it!
So we finally get into my garbage pile/yard, and I'm looking through the window and Sethers is nowhere to be found. Greeeeeat. Meanwhile, one of the officers is cutting the screen off of my window, which *thankfully* was not locked. This window is about 12x18 inches, by the way. We figured the easiest thing to do would be to fish Emmett through the window and get him to open the door. (Emmett, BTW, has been totally cool up to the point and clearly doesn't even know something is wrong. He's been mostly admiring the officers' nifty uniforms/belts!) We stick Em through the window and instantly he knows something is not right and starts to panic. He's quite upset and can't manage the back door deadbolt, but we convince him to go unlock the front door and open it. Meanwhile, Seth comes to the window, and is quite amused that mommy and two strangers have just put his big brother through it!
The officers and I head back through the snow and get to the front door...Emmett is rather upset (although he was being heavily praised for saving the day!), Seth is performing a little jig for our visitors, and I'm (just barely) holding it together. All's well that ends well, and the officers are on their way. I'll probably be their easiest call of the shift!
I've learned my lesson...NEVER step foot outside the door without my key. And take my garbage out!
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Five Little Degrees
It's amazing what a temperature of 5 little degrees above zero in January can do for one's psyche...I swear I feel like a new person! Being a one car family, the frigid temperatures and the more than 2 feet of snow we've gotten this month has basically made me a shut in. But today the sun is shining, the snow is melting (if only a little bit!) and the kids and I got out there and enjoyed it. I feel lighter, more energized, and definitely more productive!
Not that the past month has been a total waste, mind you. I've been in the kitchen constantly, whipping up all sorts of gluten free stuff. Emmett's preschool provides a snack every day, which at least half the time isn't safe for him to have. I could just send whatever I have on hand along, but I really don't want him to feel left out so I've tried to send along a GF version of the day's snack whenever I can. Today they're having chicken noodle soup and crackers, so I sent along some homemade chicken rice soup (even made the stock from scratch!) and some GF "saltines". (Which, no joke, are about 10 times better than actual saltines...buttery and with that crunchy cracker texture!) Earlier this week I sent GF gingerbread dough so Em could make cookies with the other kids (and then hunt for them after they "ran away" from the oven!). James says I'm doing a great job at making sure he doesn't feel deprived. It's nice to know I'm good for something! ;)
In other Emmett news, he'll be going to the full day kindergarten program at Tevie Miller School (a special needs school for kids with communication disorders/delays). James and I were really impressed with our school tour and we think he's going to do amazing there! The early ed program at Hazeldean has already done wonders for him...he has made SO much progress in the last year. Now he can say things like "Mommy, I no go to school. I want to stay home and watch "Espiggable Me". My friends is nothing there." Every day he tells me that his friends aren't at school so he can't go either. Interesting excuse, I must say! (Of course once he gets to school he's so excited he can barely remember to take his coat off ;))
Seth is moving into a "copy everything the adults say" phase, and starting to verbalize a lot more. We drove by McD's the other day and heard sweet little cries of "Fwies!! Fwies!!" from the backseat. His favorite thing right now is trying on James' shoes and hats, while checking himself out in the mirror and calling himself "pretty!!". What a character!
James is going to school in 1 month, for what will hopefully be the last time. I am very much looking forward to having the apprenticeship portion of his career over and done with (although not nearly as badly as he is, I assure you). At least he'll be heading back to class in a sweet new ride...our old car needed major repairs, again, so we decided to get a new car. We ended up buying a Toyota Matrix lease return...talk about an upgrade! Now, I'm very much a low maintenance, frugal/simple living, couldn't care less about appearances kind of girl, so it's super weird for me to be driving this really nice new car. Maybe it'll grow on me (I will admit, I'm loving the working trunk and heating system. Yeah, it doesn't take much to impress me.). James is having the time of his life though! Now he can worry about school and not about stalling out randomly on the Yellowhead, so that'll be a nice change. :)
Not that the past month has been a total waste, mind you. I've been in the kitchen constantly, whipping up all sorts of gluten free stuff. Emmett's preschool provides a snack every day, which at least half the time isn't safe for him to have. I could just send whatever I have on hand along, but I really don't want him to feel left out so I've tried to send along a GF version of the day's snack whenever I can. Today they're having chicken noodle soup and crackers, so I sent along some homemade chicken rice soup (even made the stock from scratch!) and some GF "saltines". (Which, no joke, are about 10 times better than actual saltines...buttery and with that crunchy cracker texture!) Earlier this week I sent GF gingerbread dough so Em could make cookies with the other kids (and then hunt for them after they "ran away" from the oven!). James says I'm doing a great job at making sure he doesn't feel deprived. It's nice to know I'm good for something! ;)
In other Emmett news, he'll be going to the full day kindergarten program at Tevie Miller School (a special needs school for kids with communication disorders/delays). James and I were really impressed with our school tour and we think he's going to do amazing there! The early ed program at Hazeldean has already done wonders for him...he has made SO much progress in the last year. Now he can say things like "Mommy, I no go to school. I want to stay home and watch "Espiggable Me". My friends is nothing there." Every day he tells me that his friends aren't at school so he can't go either. Interesting excuse, I must say! (Of course once he gets to school he's so excited he can barely remember to take his coat off ;))
Seth is moving into a "copy everything the adults say" phase, and starting to verbalize a lot more. We drove by McD's the other day and heard sweet little cries of "Fwies!! Fwies!!" from the backseat. His favorite thing right now is trying on James' shoes and hats, while checking himself out in the mirror and calling himself "pretty!!". What a character!
James is going to school in 1 month, for what will hopefully be the last time. I am very much looking forward to having the apprenticeship portion of his career over and done with (although not nearly as badly as he is, I assure you). At least he'll be heading back to class in a sweet new ride...our old car needed major repairs, again, so we decided to get a new car. We ended up buying a Toyota Matrix lease return...talk about an upgrade! Now, I'm very much a low maintenance, frugal/simple living, couldn't care less about appearances kind of girl, so it's super weird for me to be driving this really nice new car. Maybe it'll grow on me (I will admit, I'm loving the working trunk and heating system. Yeah, it doesn't take much to impress me.). James is having the time of his life though! Now he can worry about school and not about stalling out randomly on the Yellowhead, so that'll be a nice change. :)
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Christmas Eve Eve
The presents are wrapped, the goodies are baked, and the house is starting to become presentable. I'd say we're just about ready!
The kids have really been fun this Christmas season. Every morning the boys are excited to get their daily chocolate ration from our advent calendars. Every afternoon Emmett asks to listen to my circa 1983 Raffi Christmas album (I've taught him to say "Let's get our Raffi on!"...so awesome.) While Seth is still in toddler Christmas Oblivion, Emmett knows what's coming. He heard me say the word "presents" the other day and shouted out "Presents? Santa's coming! Oh, I hear the doorbell!" Someone clearly isn't used to living in a house with a chimney. ;) He also sat on Santa's lap at the preschool Christmas party, which is HUGE for him (he usually has a total "stranger danger" reaction when he sees Santa).
I'm really looking forward to spending some time with my family this weekend. I can't wait to see my boys in their matching Christmas eve PJ's (matching outfits is probably my *favorite* thing about having same gender kids), opening presents and enjoying all the goodies I made for them. It's all so exciting and magical for them, and watching them enjoy things totally makes my Christmas. I vividly remember being Emmett's age and fully believing in Santa, lying in bed on Christmas Eve and pretending my hardest to be asleep (and hoping Santa couldn't tell!). It's hard to believe that now I'm the one telling kids to go to sleep so Santa can come!
Merry Christmas!
The kids have really been fun this Christmas season. Every morning the boys are excited to get their daily chocolate ration from our advent calendars. Every afternoon Emmett asks to listen to my circa 1983 Raffi Christmas album (I've taught him to say "Let's get our Raffi on!"...so awesome.) While Seth is still in toddler Christmas Oblivion, Emmett knows what's coming. He heard me say the word "presents" the other day and shouted out "Presents? Santa's coming! Oh, I hear the doorbell!" Someone clearly isn't used to living in a house with a chimney. ;) He also sat on Santa's lap at the preschool Christmas party, which is HUGE for him (he usually has a total "stranger danger" reaction when he sees Santa).
I'm really looking forward to spending some time with my family this weekend. I can't wait to see my boys in their matching Christmas eve PJ's (matching outfits is probably my *favorite* thing about having same gender kids), opening presents and enjoying all the goodies I made for them. It's all so exciting and magical for them, and watching them enjoy things totally makes my Christmas. I vividly remember being Emmett's age and fully believing in Santa, lying in bed on Christmas Eve and pretending my hardest to be asleep (and hoping Santa couldn't tell!). It's hard to believe that now I'm the one telling kids to go to sleep so Santa can come!
Merry Christmas!
Friday, December 17, 2010
Sweet Procrastination
I've got a to do list a mile long and a house that looks like a herd of wild goats meandered through, so I figured, what better time to catch up on my blogging?
So far this month has been really, really rough for us. The day after we got back from Lethbridge, James got really sick - we suspected food poisoning until I came down with it a couple of days later. When we found out that James' parents were suffering the same fate, we realized that stomach flu was our lovely souvenir from Lethbridge Regional. Thankfully, the kids only got a really mild version, and James and I weren't deathly ill at the same time. Once we started to slightly recover, James got rear ended on the way home from work (not hurt though), and about an hour after that his Oma passed. He wasn't able to attend the mid-week funeral, which was a real let down. Oh, and did I mention I've got my annual mid-December cold? I swear it's become a Christmas tradition.
Ok, I'm really over being this. Onwards and upwards, I say!
It's Emmett's last day of school today before Christmas break, and they're having pajama day! They're having school-wide milk and cookies as well (yay for gluten free oreos!!), I'm sure he'll have a blast. Sethers and I are going to head down at the end of class to wish all of Em's teachers a Merry Christmas, which works out well, because for Seth going to "big kid school" is practically Christmas!
Emmett drew his first self portrait yesterday, which is such a HUGE step for him. A couple of months ago he couldn't copy a horizontal line or draw a circle. I reminded him to draw a circle for his head (which he did, perfectly!), and then just asked him "What comes next?" and he added eyes, a nose and smile, arms, legs, feet and hair! You'll notice I left "body" out of that list, so it ended up looking like one of those Mr.Men cartoons - so cute. ;) I made a big deal out of his accomplishment and he seemed pretty proud of himself!
Seth has been talking more and more...we're starting to get phrases now! He likes to say "There it is!" and "Thanks. Buh-bye!" a lot. I also notice him trying to copy lines from songs and tv shows...he's really trying hard to communicate now. He's also discovered he can push boxes and things around to use as a step stool, so we have to really watch him like a hawk now.
And me? I'm just trying to get into the Christmas spirit. Once my cold is gone, the gifts are all wrapped (2/3s of the way there now!) and my house is back to rights, I will hopefully be full of Christmas cheer, or at least less Grinch-y.
So far this month has been really, really rough for us. The day after we got back from Lethbridge, James got really sick - we suspected food poisoning until I came down with it a couple of days later. When we found out that James' parents were suffering the same fate, we realized that stomach flu was our lovely souvenir from Lethbridge Regional. Thankfully, the kids only got a really mild version, and James and I weren't deathly ill at the same time. Once we started to slightly recover, James got rear ended on the way home from work (not hurt though), and about an hour after that his Oma passed. He wasn't able to attend the mid-week funeral, which was a real let down. Oh, and did I mention I've got my annual mid-December cold? I swear it's become a Christmas tradition.
Ok, I'm really over being this. Onwards and upwards, I say!
It's Emmett's last day of school today before Christmas break, and they're having pajama day! They're having school-wide milk and cookies as well (yay for gluten free oreos!!), I'm sure he'll have a blast. Sethers and I are going to head down at the end of class to wish all of Em's teachers a Merry Christmas, which works out well, because for Seth going to "big kid school" is practically Christmas!
Emmett drew his first self portrait yesterday, which is such a HUGE step for him. A couple of months ago he couldn't copy a horizontal line or draw a circle. I reminded him to draw a circle for his head (which he did, perfectly!), and then just asked him "What comes next?" and he added eyes, a nose and smile, arms, legs, feet and hair! You'll notice I left "body" out of that list, so it ended up looking like one of those Mr.Men cartoons - so cute. ;) I made a big deal out of his accomplishment and he seemed pretty proud of himself!
Seth has been talking more and more...we're starting to get phrases now! He likes to say "There it is!" and "Thanks. Buh-bye!" a lot. I also notice him trying to copy lines from songs and tv shows...he's really trying hard to communicate now. He's also discovered he can push boxes and things around to use as a step stool, so we have to really watch him like a hawk now.
And me? I'm just trying to get into the Christmas spirit. Once my cold is gone, the gifts are all wrapped (2/3s of the way there now!) and my house is back to rights, I will hopefully be full of Christmas cheer, or at least less Grinch-y.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
To Lethbridge and Back
On Tuesday night when I walked in the door from shopping, James had an absolutely downtrodden look on his face. His mom had just called and told him his beloved Oma was in the hospital in Lethbridge. Her health has been declining rapidly in the past few months, and it looked like she might have only hours left. We had to make a quick decision. We knew James could probably only take 1 day off work, so we decided to make the 5 1/2 hour trip down, stay for a few hours, and then come right home.
We took off around 7:30am Wednesday morning. It was pitch black and cold but with a couple of warm blankets and sippy cups of chocolate milk, the boys were comfortable. Thankfully, I was able to prepare and pack lots of gluten free food for my guys on short notice, so they didn't have to go off their diet. The kids were perfectly behaved on the long drive down, and played quite happily for hours in the hospital. James was able to sit with his Oma and hold her hand - she was very weak, but she knew he was there and was happy to see him. I'm so glad he was able to be there for her, and most likely say goodbye for the last time to the woman who helped raise him.
The drive home was very tough. It was already completely dark when we left Lethbridge at 5:30pm. James was in no condition to drive, and I hadn't gotten much sleep the night before. Seth was content the whole way home, but Emmett lost it around Calgary - he cried off and on the rest of the way home. Thankfully we made it home safe just after 11pm and then we all collapsed into bed. I did end up sleeping a full night, but I don't feel rested. I'm glad to just have today to play catch up with laundry/cleaning and just be there for my guys.
We took off around 7:30am Wednesday morning. It was pitch black and cold but with a couple of warm blankets and sippy cups of chocolate milk, the boys were comfortable. Thankfully, I was able to prepare and pack lots of gluten free food for my guys on short notice, so they didn't have to go off their diet. The kids were perfectly behaved on the long drive down, and played quite happily for hours in the hospital. James was able to sit with his Oma and hold her hand - she was very weak, but she knew he was there and was happy to see him. I'm so glad he was able to be there for her, and most likely say goodbye for the last time to the woman who helped raise him.
The drive home was very tough. It was already completely dark when we left Lethbridge at 5:30pm. James was in no condition to drive, and I hadn't gotten much sleep the night before. Seth was content the whole way home, but Emmett lost it around Calgary - he cried off and on the rest of the way home. Thankfully we made it home safe just after 11pm and then we all collapsed into bed. I did end up sleeping a full night, but I don't feel rested. I'm glad to just have today to play catch up with laundry/cleaning and just be there for my guys.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
I'm having a good day.
I'm sitting here enjoying the quiet bliss of "school/nap time". The only sounds are of my ticking clock, my typing fingers and the furnace doing its job. I'm warm, comfortable and enjoying watching the snow blowing outside my window.
I'm feeling thankful. Thankful to live in a safe, peaceful country. Thankful to have my own home. Thankful for my furnace, stove, and hot water tank. (Oddly specific, no?) Thankful that my husband is employed in a job that's in-town and doing work he finds challenging and engaging. Thankful I can pay all of my bills, every month. Thankful to have a full stomach and food in the cupboards (even when it's getting close to grocery day and I have to start getting creative!). Thankful to have two beautiful, healthy, vibrant little boys. Thankful that my oldest son has amazing teachers, therapists and other supports to help him learn and grow. Thankful that my youngest son heals fast and gets over things quickly (he fell head first into the sharp edge of my headboard yesterday and is currently sporting a huge bruise and cut right between his eyes).
I woke up this morning under my warm covers, with a little body snuggled up against me. Emmett always wakes up when James' alarm goes off early in the morning, and as soon as James is down the stairs Em hops into the "big bed" to take his place. I rolled over, gave him a kiss, and the first thing he said was "Mommy, I love you." It was the very first time he said "I love you" without me saying it first.
So yeah, I'm having a pretty fantastic day. :)
I'm feeling thankful. Thankful to live in a safe, peaceful country. Thankful to have my own home. Thankful for my furnace, stove, and hot water tank. (Oddly specific, no?) Thankful that my husband is employed in a job that's in-town and doing work he finds challenging and engaging. Thankful I can pay all of my bills, every month. Thankful to have a full stomach and food in the cupboards (even when it's getting close to grocery day and I have to start getting creative!). Thankful to have two beautiful, healthy, vibrant little boys. Thankful that my oldest son has amazing teachers, therapists and other supports to help him learn and grow. Thankful that my youngest son heals fast and gets over things quickly (he fell head first into the sharp edge of my headboard yesterday and is currently sporting a huge bruise and cut right between his eyes).
I woke up this morning under my warm covers, with a little body snuggled up against me. Emmett always wakes up when James' alarm goes off early in the morning, and as soon as James is down the stairs Em hops into the "big bed" to take his place. I rolled over, gave him a kiss, and the first thing he said was "Mommy, I love you." It was the very first time he said "I love you" without me saying it first.
So yeah, I'm having a pretty fantastic day. :)
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