Taking Some Time Somehow

this weekend seemed a write-off... when I contemplate it on Friday... I almost got all stressed out and then just reminded myself... just take each thing moment by moment.

stayed at work until about 8 on Friday night... getting things ready for the workshop on Saturday... Connecting with Parents... for the NSCCA AGM. Then my and the kids did a couple of errands and before you could say holy sh--! the evening was completely gone!

got up at 5:45 on Saturday morning... went over my notes again and again... what a disgustingly blustery wet day... torrential rains and major wind... gross to drive and even grosser to haul an overhead projector, a flip chart and more! argh!

enjoy the workshop, the chance to talk and connect with other professionals in my field... and then the day became my own at 3 p.m. I was too wiped to contemplate my errands or going to the office... so I headed home and put on jammies... that was a super decision!

I walked in and my youngest said "come see the clean house"... my hubby and kids had done tidying and the floors were mopped too! was delightful. I snuggled on the couch with my kids and said thank-you several times. There was a roast in the oven and it smelled divine! I watched several shows from the DVR including several episodes of Between the Lions and Signing Time... me and the girls were silly, dancing and singing and enjoying each other... practicing signs and reading too... was awesome!

then later on, after a scrumptious meal made by my hubby (I did mash the potatoes) we took a moment or two and then in stereo said let's dig out the Halloween decorations! so we headed down to the basement and started to send up the stuff... we also hung out as a family in the living room while Lisk tried on some sweaters and coats to see what was too small... we sort some laundry and there was some bugs bunny viewing too.

after the girls went to bed, I got my mom's bday present ready... it took quite a bit of work actually... and then did the dishes that I ignored to look for Halloween stuff.

the evening felt lovely... low key... yet productive... snuggly and delish too....

today... headed off to church with the girls... I was reading and so they needed to get themselves organized... they lost their pew as they got up to go to the bathroom before we processed up the aisle... they were standing by the altar and I was at the back with the priest and they were looking at me like "what should we do?" and I raised my shoulders like... "uhhhh..." and they squished in the front.

While Big D had catechism (sp?), Lil D and I ran home and made sandwiches. We changed our jackets and Daddy handed us some juice... we picked up big D and headed to the playground for a picnic lunch. I was sitting there eating my pb&j with the girls... with a brisk cool breeze, glorious blue sky and they were inhaling their cheese sandwiches to get on the slides... and for a second thought about all I want to get done today... and then thought... this is too nice to miss... they played for an hour! I sat and enjoyed the weather and a cheesy romance book... ahhhhhhhh

Then, when they said they were done... we headed to Walmart to do a return, to Superstore to pick something up, and Zellers to do another return.... At Zellers... there was a huge line up and some seriously slow people doing the returns... SERIOUSLY SLOW.... but I thought... my kids are content... they were trying to scale a pile of boxes of Doritos right by me... and being pissed and crank-asses wasn't going to make the line faster... I did tell the lady that budded in front of me to go to the back of the line though... and she complained the entire time she was in line... mouth, mouth, mouth... I was sooooo close to asking if complaining had ever, in her entirely long life, achieve a quicker wait time... but I just kept biting my tongue and supervising my kids as they continued to alternate between the flyer flipping, toy discussion and dorito climbing.

once we go to the office so I could do some work... I noticed a tree / bush out front whose fall foliage is gorgeous... it has green, yellow, orange and red all at once.. I took cell phone pix but they do not do it justice... but I realized that although it is a busy day... I have remembered to take time to see the leaves... and to enjoy the breeze... may you do the same! :)

Pay It Forward Exchange

Pay It Forward Exchange

It’s the Pay It Forward Exchange. It’s based on the concept of the movie “Pay it Forward” where acts or deeds of kindness are done without expecting something in return, just passing it on, with hope that the recipients of the acts of kindness are passed on. Here’s how it works. I will make and send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment to this post on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I do not know what that gift will be yet, and it won’t be sent this month, probably not next month, but it will be sent (within 6 months) and that’s a promise! What YOU have to do in return, then, is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog / facebook note. (Note: reply must be made on original blog so if you are reading this in my facebook... click on the link please)

my 18 + year old cat and daily rituals...

today began with me waking bleary-eyed... yet again... and shaking my head in disgust that I do not possess the youth and vigour I believe I should somehow have...

pound, pound, pound on my 8 year-old's door that is mostly open... "get up D! school!" a flashback to my mom waking me up hits... feels surreal... almost like an LSD flashback (I have read how they feel... LOL)... I shake it off... debate whether to wake my other one yet... naw... I will wait ten minutes or so... stumble into the master bedroom... yes! I was asleep in the guest room again due to his SNORING! stumble, stumble...

now in bathroom... cat litter all over the floor... gross... feels gritty and icky... (sorry to disappoint as my usual scintillating linguistic abilities are at a loss as to how to adequately describe this in more colorful terms). Goddam it! I have to start another day with the G/D cat box!!! now many of you may be grossed that the cat box is in my master bathroom instead of my basement... so I will explain... when we built this house... we did not want to cut a hole in the basement door for a cat door as the cat was pretty old... how much longer could she last? seriously? so... rather then traipse down to the basement I put it there in the master bathroom... which was pretty big so... it is not so bad I thought... I mean our last house had one bathroom and now we have a couple so only G and I would see it... and then I decided to spend the extra money and buy the scoopable flushable clumping litter so it would not stink etc. But every day, rain or shine, I am scooping my cat's crap and pee too.... every freakin' day...

now I must say... I love my cat... really I do... we had two... Cleo and Mischief... they were our babies... b4 we had human ones... and Mischief died... holy shit... jesus h. christ! 12 years ago! my god, it has been a while! anyhooo...... this one is now more then 18 years old... and yes, as I said... I love her... b4 Big D came along making me officially a mom... we found out that Cleo has pancreatic something or other... had to take her to Emergency Vet hospital... paid thru the nose and I was absolutely bawling, I remember how devastated I was.... and then when she was transferred to the regular vet for a stay of 5 more days, I visited her several times a day, touching her furry paw through the bars and talking her through it... telling her I love her... etc. etc........ now, I am trying very hard to not regret those choices... as it has been 10 years since then... around and about... and much as I love her... I think 18 + is pretty G/D long for a cat... seriously! and I have had to deal with my kids bodily fluids regularly and many diapers and pissy drawers and now we are quite seriously thinking of having kid #3... so I keep saying... "Do you see a light Cleo?... if you do... it is ok to go into it... really... go ahead.... I love you but go ahead".... but my cat only see the light of love in my eyes...

well I wanted to tell you about the rest of my day..... did not even plan to vent in a feline manner as such.... but I am quite expended after this diatribe.... so I shall retreat and relax... what verbal diarrhea that was! LOL.... nighty night...

oh and p.s. a pic of my cat was clearly called for, wouldn't you say?

She has her own profile on facebook... you have to go to mine first though... tell you just a smidge more about her... (no, not much... I am not some freak who rambles about my cat's personality!!!)

Maternal Mental Meanderings: GROWING PAINS

well... I have not blogged for what feels like ages... mostly because (to be utterly honest) I never get comments... I am fully aware that this sounds seriously pathetic... but when you take the time to pontificate about life because obviously people do not listen to you in the real world... then you must be seeking interaction in the cyber one... doncha think?

(good god, what the hell am I thinking putting that pic here... that will scare my legions of blogging fans [you know who you are ... the ones who read and then don't comment] away and fast... I look depressed, exhausted, ancient and of course the usual plumpness --- I selected it to make those of you brave to stick around to feel such pity that you will comment!)

anyway... I decided... the hell with it... I will muse on here for my own sake and the rest of you be damned... (well, don't be damned actually... I don't need that guilt!)

so suddenly it is October... feels like I blinked and here we were... can't waste time on that one


One night last week... I was laying there quasi-asleep in the guest room / play room as my husband's sonorous contributions to the house were disturbing me yet again... it was about 5 a.m., when my mommy alarm went off (the one in my head), I opened my eyes fully to see my 8 yr old beside me... she had tears streaming down her face... and when she saw me awake, she began to gasp... picture your maternal reaction to this... so I went on Red Alert (picture the lights and noises on the Enterprise LOL) and queried in a reassuring, calm manner what was going on. Her leg was hurting --- a lot. Damn growing pains. So off we go... I have her sit (clutching her leg) in the hallway as I dash (as fast as my 40 year old fat chick frame can dash) down the stairs for an ice / gel pack... back up... and hold it on... does not do the trick... dash again... get the chewable Tylenol junior... and tears are streaming and heart breaking little moans... I throw the gel pak to the side and grab some hand lotion and start massaging the leg... within moments her face began to relax.... "it's feeling better mom!" well I have to tell you, had I been informed that I had won the Nobel Peace Prize... I could not have felt more satisfaction... although my primary feeling was relief... so I tucked her in with my hands smelling coconutty / very tropical... and headed back to the guest room... I lay there wide awake with this whole good mom thing vibing in my head and heart... when the alarm goes off about an hour later... my bleary eyes blink sort of awake... she sees me upon waking up in her bright pink bed and the first thing out of her mouth is "Thanks mom for helping me last night!" with a big smile... I then feel I can conquer the day!