one heck of a cold day man!

Tueday Jan. 17th/2007

Today was sort of a reg. day... got up extra early checking on weather...

Got kids dressed, and took them with me to my amazing Chiropractor. She is sensational!
Healthy Link Chiropractic! Then dropped Lil D off as had to take Big D to a specialist appt. Popped home super fast for a meeting with a friend to help wordsmith a letter and then Big D and I headed downtown for the consult. Holy mackerel! Can't even begin to discuss that experience! me-- speechless!

Then we did an errand and went to Winners and we tried on lots of clothes... but only bought one thing on sale! we were good! off to Walmart for some things work needed and a universal remote now that I moved the tv from basement to playroom.

Here is Big D on a ride at Walmart!



Once home... had pretty good evening with the fam. Big D has given up t.v. for 3 days for a school assignment. So we had kids music on while homework was worked on and we also set up the game "Chicken Limbo"... seriously...

Then as it was Crazy Hair Day at daycare... I tried to get the colored hair product out of Lil D's hair... she was sobbing... so we did a sink shampoo.. and she was tickled pink to wear a "turban" afterwards.

Ended the day with a new episode of Boston Legal. I have to say... I seriously love this show. I laugh every single week... love it! G never fails to get a kick out of me laughing over it. It is so fabulous! Love it!

Week 2 of Vacay... Week 2????

do you know what I just realized... in my entire life of working...
I have never had two weeks off in a row! never!

I had a month off when Big D came but I went to work every day from 4:00 - 6:00 during that month... which was insane...

and then when Lil D came along I took 6 weeks off. Which was wonderful in that I was a mom again but we were moving and packing and well it was also insane.

I have been working full time for 17 years now and never had two weeks vacation in a row... it is just really cool! and the amazing ladies holding down the fort at work are fabulous!

So I did tons around the place last week and on the weekend... still some stuff on my list of to dos but big stuff is done. So this week is to relax and do little stuff...

Now I am sure that two weeks of fun and relaxation would be cool and great etc. But doing stuff around the house has been so wonderful for me cuz it is always on my mind and now the reward is this week... Many of you have said that I am insane having read my blogs and my list... LOL

So today was a hair appointment. My wonderful neice always colors my hair. It is very very very rarely that I have ever had my hair professionally color... Yes... I am serious. Probably 3 times total. But I did today... I let her choose the colors too! I said whatever you decide... go right ahead... LOL... black, blonde, red ... whatever.... I am in your hands... LOL

the salon was eerily quiet... as in no stylists... no customers... was freaky really...
apparently January is quietest month and Mondays are quietest weekdays soooooooooo....

took a book with me... my all time fave author ever!!!!! Brand new... given by a dear friend last week... saved it to start today! thanks K! This is the book if you are interested! I love Bertrice Small!

so she colored it a dark brown with a tinge of copper in it and did foils of both blonde and red!!!! for you more conservative folks I am sure this sounds like a rainbow head... but no! It is fabulous! love it!

Nikki is the most amazing stylist with scissors and color! and everything else too! If you ever wanna check her out she works at HS Studio (click on the word to check it out!).



I was leaving and the snow started... I popped into Penningtons to see if there were any good clearance items... lots on sale... but I could smell a mark down in the imminent future... so while the red price tags were interesting... I could just sense the need to wait... even with my gift certificate / coupon in my purse... so I asked... and I was right!!!!!! whoooooo-------hooooo! I am good! 2 DAYS FROM NOW... ON WEDNESDAY... EVERYTHING ON SALE GOES DOWN ANOTHER 50% OFF THE SALE PRICE! U KNOW U R GOOD WHEN YOU CAN SMELL IT TWO DAYS BEFORE THEY DO IT!

Went to work to show off my new "do" and pick up Lil D. Roads were getting bad. We decided to close early and I left it in their extremely capable hands and headed home to meet the plumber and as Big D would be getting off school.

Plumber did not show do to bad road conditions...

Turned on my mini-lights throughout the house with the fake boughs... while we are now officially entirely de-christmassed... I love these... they make you feel cozy as the snow falls...

the kids loved my hair... hubby complimented it too!

I laid down on the bed in the playroom while kids were playing happily and was reading that book... thanks again Kath! and I passed out! a lovely nap! :)

so this evening I re-organized another ton of stuff and think I will fold laundry while I watch Golden Globes... have a great night guys!

Cinqo

day 5

as u know.. day started off very bad... with school scaring the crap out of me

the morning flew by with phone calls coming in...

Lil D and I opended all the new play dough! :)

this afternoon, I made a ton of phone calls making appointments for next week. Monday has a work / friend lunch, and a plumber visit & a meeting at night. Tues. brings Big D and I having an appointment. Wed --- a facial! ahhhhhhhhh! cannot wait! Thursday --- even better --- a massage and pedicure... now that is vacation!!!! I also plan on walks, music, books and movies.

MelBel is coming over to help me this weekend! I love her sooooo much!!!! Not just cuz she helps me... she is very cool too! I think we will get tons done! and have fun too!

All the stuff around the house will be either done or relegated next week cuz R-e-l-a-x time will be here!

At suppertime, me and the girls took some of their many dolls for walks in little strollers. It was beautiful out. Not cold... just crisp. We had a lovely walk and great fun together!

I had another "found myself" moment too... they were running ahead of me on the sidewalk and being silly with the little strollers... and I suddenly felt a big welling up of love... and thought I am a Mom! I love being a Mom. It is part of who I am and I love it! And I was just so thankful and proud of them and of us having a great time... etc... you know... being in the moment... was great!

When we got back, we went to the pizza place, ordered some delish pizza for sup, then rented some dvds and bought different types of ice cream to have for dessert. The perfect end to a lovely evening... yum!

(so happy the evening was better then the morning!)

scared me like never before

I got a call at 9:56 a.m. today that took my breath away, scared me to death, sucked my soul, aged me 30 years, and then some. The school called me and said my oldest was not there... the Safe Arrival line. I screamed "What!???!!!!" into the phone. The woman was clearly taken aback and shocked so she stated she would check and call me right back. For me time stopped, I looked over at my other child and felt like my heart had stopped, I was holding my breath, I started to put other clothes on and gripped the cordless phone like it was the oxygen it was for the moment. When it rang again.... about 3 minutes later... I was so frozen I did not answer on the first ring... I pressed the button on the second and tried not to scream, as I frantically said "Yes????????!!!!!!!!!!" "She is here after all Mrs. D" and then the tears came... running down my face... I began gasping... I managed to ask "are you 100% certain?" "Yes, I saw her myself. My child is in that class." I thanked her and hung up. My little one asked what was wrong. I explained while crying, and while I am sorry she saw her mom so upset, she needed to know everything was fine, that the school had thought something was wrong with her sister but they were wrong and she is fine and that mummy had been scared but now I am crying cuz I know she is alright and sometimes you cry when you are happy. The principal called moments later and I gathered myself to ask for the reason behind this happening and what consequences would take place. We spoke for some time.

I am still shaken.

day four....

believe it or not... not much to say about day four....

regular morning hubub

went to a Fundraising Committee meeting at the Home of the Guardian Angel at lunchtime. Was there until just before Danielle got off school.

Watched Oprah, still De-Xmasing!!!!!!! why am I surprised... we had 5 decorated trees in our house....

took kids to supper at Zellers. I love the Skillet Restaurant! G had classes.

Big D fell in love with a stuffed animal that was not on clearance and therefore while she was an absolute dear, I was not buying it. She can buy it in 6 weeks with allowance or she can ask Daddy to get it for her for Valentine's. She was fabulous in the store, pushed a cart with cat litter and laundry products in it, while I had a cart with storage containers in it. She had a very sad face on. I asked her "If mommy had lots of money to buy it, do you think I would?" and she responded "no, because you think I have to earn it and it was just Christmas, but it is sooooooo cute" and it was said in a voice that was like the sadest thing on earth had just happened.

This is not quite the item in question. It was a brown and white dog. Was much bigger. (All stuffed animals drive me nuts now a days but the big ones really kill me!!!!) and it stood up. But it did have the big eyes... The big eyes that make us as grown ups think ... what a freaky looking thing.... like Susan Sarandan in stuffed animal form! Same big eyes that make little girls sigh and say.... isn't it cuuuuuuuuuuuttttttteeeeeeee!

The other one... holy energy Batman! was here and there... was like Speedy Gonzales was at Zellers. She was here and there and everywhere... I was tired already but watching her was like.... and when I finally got her to listen she had a complete meltdown at the cash... sobbing on the floor etc....... so I thought about it... pick her up and walk out and discuss with her at home... or do it here and now the right way while people want to pay. I did it the right way... the loooooong way... don't know where I got the energy or the ability to ignore stares and glares. And when it was done... I hugged my suddenly exhausted little Speedy Gonzales and I paid for my purchases.

needless to say when Grant came home from class... I had an icepack on my head.. the lights out and Gray's Anatomy on.

find yourself

I told someone I was gonna find myself recently... course I mostly meant it as a joke...
cuz I know who I am... a mom, wife, daughter, ECE, director, etc.....

but today while crying, watching Oprah, I thought... hey I just found a piece of myself.... no matter how many people tell me I cry too much... I realized today that is a big part of who I am... I am a sentimental, gushy, softie who cares a lot.

joy and loveness

I was carrying on with the kids... and asked if I went away for a week to visit a friend what they would miss... mostly they could only come up with goodnight kisses... shows how much they notice eh... LOL... and in front of them I asked hubby what he would miss... he looked up from his work and looked puzzled... and Lil D said... "you would miss her joy and loveness Daddy"... we all burst out laughing and my hubby looked at her and said... "you are good at this!"

do you remember...?

for those of you who are my age... or around and about... do you remember those thingies we use to rub with a soft pencil on the smooth side and the animal or letter or whatever would then appear on the surface of the item we had laid it upon... ? did I put that really badly?

big D got this rock decorating thing for xmas... and it has them in it! and she should me them and I got so excited I put butterflies on my cell phone and some on my potato bin....

and then I explained to her how they did not have stickers when I was a little girl... we had these things...

my dad's company used to sell tons of them in all different fonts called Geotype... I know cuz I inventoried it... boring!!! LOL but hey man it was a job!

so she felt bad about no stickers when I was a kid so she said... "oh, so your teacher did not put stickers on your work?" and I said ... "Yes... we would get stars... different colors meant different things... and she would lick the back of the star to stick it there." the look on her face was priceless!

Day Three or Jour Trois.. However u wanna slice it! :)

for u visual people, there are a couple of pix... LOL...

& u know I love comments!

started same as others... really... weekdays mornings blur they are so repetitive.

Then once Big D headed to school, I got ready to meet a friend as we were going to Mic Mac. It is on my list you know... LOL. Lil D and I were to meet her on Joseph Howe Dr. by 10:10.

So I am driving along the Bedford Highway at 10:05 and I realize I am not stressed... at all!!!!! It was like an epiphany!!!! I think I heard angels singing .... was lovely! I was not even stressed to go on bridge! and for those of you who know me... that is a big deal! I realized that it was because my time was my own... that was a great feeling...

and then at 10:07 I thought... hmmmmm.... bet my cell phone will ring exactly at 10:10 cuz my friend.... she is not patient... mind u... neither am I... but she is on time and she never takes into account that I am not on time... I DO KNOW HOW BAD THAT IS! at least I admit it and I admit knowing how bad it is. and sure enough, the cell phone chirps out chicken noises at exactly 10:10... I answer it... and instead of saying hello... I say.... "Do you know how predictable you are?" to which she chirpily responded... "and I am on time too!" So I did my return at the superstore where we met up... and then she says... "so we both have to be back by 12, right?" My heart pounded... my stressed feeling instantly was back... "12? I thought we said 2:30....I am certain we said 2:30" so we discussed.

So we got over there to Mic Mac. Lil D made her exchange. She now is the proud possessor of a Magic Silk Hair Cabbage Patch... sorry CP Company... but LaDiFrickin'Da! but as long as she is happy. She got a newborn from G&G for xmas and Big D got the magic hair so and that led to.... her deciding she wanted one and we kept the package closed and exchanged it. She carefully examined each of them and then decided she wanted one with the same dress as her Sissy's has.

She then got to spend her $15 gift card that "Uncle Jo" had given her for her bday. She was a very smart shopper! The little tiny cabbage patches were 50% off. She chose a princess but we found out only the rock stars were 50% off... weird... so we went back to shelf... that was $7.99 and then she chose a sticker case labelled "Best Value" with a sticker book and tons of stickers in it for $4.99 after we looked at a sticker book by itself and then she chose a $2.99 movie! I fronted her the extra dollar and HST. Can't expect a four yr old to know about a gov. wanting it's cut.

We went to Disney store as it was the Semi-Annual Sale! My head was spinning! everything in the store (it seemed!) had a red tag!!!!!! holy smoley! and then it was all an additional 25% off that!!!! so I mulled and mulled as quickly as the allotted eight minutes I was given by my friend permitted... LOL... just kidding K.... and I bought Lil D a pirate shirt to match her Sis' hoody and I must admit, embarrassedly, .... I bought a Jack Sparrow shirt for myself... it was on sale for $9.99 and then another 25% off... :) I also picked up slippers for my other friend who is Eeyore obsessed after calling her and checking in if she wanted me to get them and pay me back. My friend had done her errand so we headed back across the water at 11:45.

Picked up her kids on their lunch break and had a Burger King lunch with them. Lil D was delighted!!!!! Then after dropping them off and having a lil visit at friend's house... her dog is such a sweetie... we played "Throw the fish, throw the fish, throw the fish...... and uh.... throw the fish......" then we headed home as Big D would be ringing the doorbell soon...

Lil D loves to cut stuff... so when we walked in... she got her ladybug scissors to cut open the new toys... and proceeded to cut her thumb... she also cut herself on Monday... forgot about that... she was very upset when I said maybe the scissors are not okay for a zealous cutter like herself... after we first aided... and I opened all the boxes she was happily cutting paper an hour later.

I indulged in an episode of Oprah. It was fabulous! so nice to watch a daytime show... It had the guy from TLC's Shalom in the Home... which I will admit... I have never watched before. What a phenomenal show. It was about Spoiled Kids. And I mean spoiled! Go to the site to see part of the show and read about it!

http://www2.oprah.com/tows/pastshows/200606/tows_past_20060626.jhtml

Some of these kids had diamond earrings and actually every toy from toy department. A friend of mine recently said to me how she was so impressed as she has on several occassions taken Big D to a store. She says she has never been with any kid who did not ask for something in a store. I was so proud. Grant and I work really hard on this. Having said that ... the guest on the show... Rabbi Shmuley is awesome... and I wanna get his recent book.

http://www2.oprah.com/tows/booksseen/200606/tows_book_20060626_sboteach.jhtml

Yesterday, Lil D excitedly showed Big D her new CPK that she got by exchanging the other one and the stuff she bought herself with her gift card. Big D was thrilled for her sister. She did not ask once is there anything for me. Then when I showed her our pirate shirts (Lil D and I's), she was also excited... "cool! we can all where pirate shirts together!" and then they headed off to play dolls. And for those of you who are reeling thinking... how could she come home with Toys R Us bags and a Disney bag and have NOTHING for her other child... get a grip! Big D knew in advance why we were going... she did not have anything to take back and she did not have a gift card. And I got her a Justice League paint and color book!!!! so there!!!!!!

after Oprah, I got ready for a board meeting I had to go to in the evening. G came home. I went to Walmart and did some returns and then the meeting. While at the meeting, I re-newed my work's membership in a resource center... very excited about this!!!! We haven't belonged in a while and I meant to ... but kept forgetting... so...

http://www.stjosephsece.ns.ca/development_frame.html

and so ended Day 3.... ..... ..... .... z-z-z-z--z-z-z-z-z--z-z-z-

The Melanie Present

My neice (you know I can never remember how to spell that) ... gave me a wicked gift for xmas... a basket full of cool tub things... now I must say I rarely, and I MEAN RARELY... have a bath. That is NOT to say I do not BATHE... I do! I am just a shower kind of gal. I use to have a soak now and then b4 the kiddies came along... but now, GUARANTEED, if I am in that tub... a little girl or two are going to come along and ask if they can get in too... so why bother... So this basket had a glass jar full of little beady thingies... I assumed you could chuck them in the water... so I did! and two roses... really neat.. like really roses.. that when you chucked in... they floated with petals open and dissolved slowly... wish I had taken a pic... cuz it was cool, and candles, and lotions... I used all 3 candles Mel! and I am NOT a candle person... do not wish to recieve them (again spelling! LOL) or use them... but after two days of working my tail feathers off I enjoyed every second. NO! Scratch that! I did not enjoy every second. I did not enjoy the numerous times the kids came in and asked to get in. Lil D repeatedly told me that her heart told her to get in..... ya! I know, I know... very sweet... awwwwwwww.... but I was firm... I held my ground or should I say tub! so when I first got in and kept adding hot water to keep my aching back from getting worse... I relaxxed for... about two minutes... my mind was empty for a maximum of two minutes if that... seriously... can't do it... even if I get a massage, I chat to the massage therapist the whole time... how long have you been doing this? do you like it? yada yada.... I just cannot empty my mind... no wonder candles are a waste on me. but the bath oil was delightful! so I yelled for Big D and she got me a book to read... which I did until G brought the kids up for bed and the bedtime ritual was loud and led me to toss the book. I went underwater but I could still hear it all...

My fave part of the basket Mel gave me (& I loved it all :) ) was the note in it:
I have to quote it cuz I loved it sooooo much!

Relax

• relaxation - chilling, doing nothing, enjoying yourself
• relaxation - the act or fact of relaxing or being relaxed
• relaxant - a substance that relaxes
• relaxed - freed from or lacking in precision or stringency
• relaxed - set or being at rest or at ease
• relax - to make less tense or rigid
• relax - to relieve from nervous tension
• relax - to cast off social restraint, or anxiety
• relax - to seek rest or recreation
• relax - to attain an equilibrium state following the removal of stress

and then she ended with...

Take a moment and relax... by any definition you choose. De-stress, relieve, enjoy and be free!

I love her!