Gadgets
I love gadgets!
I just got two nifty gadgets that make me oh so happy. One is new to me but not new but that's ok because it is so cool. It is a palm pilot. Yeah. I've been playing with it for two days and trying to figure out all the things I can do with it. So now, hopefully, I will organize my life AND can take my ebooks with me when I do all the running around I do in the car with and for the kids and their activities. Of course, I won't try to read and drive at the same time, that would be bad.
The second one is an mp3 player. I have wanted one of these for a while but I'm cheap and figured I could make do with my discman. When I found the headphones to the discman I discovered they were broken and thought this was a great excuse to buy an mp3 player! I just bought a low end one to see if I really use it or if it is just another neat gadget I want to have but won't do anything with. So far it has accompanied me on my walk along the dykes with #3 child. Therefore, I think of it is a fitness assistant because I can (a) keep time to the music and get a good pace going (it's crucial not to have anything too slow or too fast) and (b) not get bored out of my mind and turn around and go back to the car because I can convince myself to go "just one more song" before turning around. I did discover it is wise to look around you before singing along with the music. That's also when I took one of the ear buds out of my ear so I could actually hear some of the other stuff that was going on around me.
Next gadget I want is a KitchenAid waffle maker. Why? Really no reason other than one of the other bloggers brought hers to a brunch we were having and it is truly amazing. It made one beautiful waffle after another and I didn't see any sticking to the griddle or any messy dripping or anything. Now that may have been because she is an excellent waffle cook (and trust me those were some good waffles so you know she is) but I think it had to do with that neat contraption too. It is so cool, it spins so that you can do one side and flip it and do another side. Plus, hers was red and it would match all my other Kitchen Aid appliances. I really want one.
Daddy's Hands
Daddy (dh) and #3 child - Sept 2006
You could read quite a story, in the callouses and lines.
Years of work and worry had left their mark behind.
I remember Daddy´s hands, how they held my Mama tight,
And patted my back, for something done right.
There are things that I´ve forgotten, that I loved about the man,
But I´ll always remember the love in Daddy´s hands.
excerpt from Daddy's Hands as sung by The Judds
A lot of witty but no energy to write it
Yep, I've got great anecdotes and funny stories galore but you will have to use your imaginations folks. The illness that hit everyone just smacked me up side the head and said "how you doin'!"
Ok the stories and anecdotes are probably not that great but the story of our anniversary night away with baby is rather amusing. At least, it makes me laugh because otherwise I'd just get annoyed about it. Will tell it at some point as soon as I can find my brain cells in the fog that is my head right now.
I thought I would just leave you all with this image:
dh took baby from me 1/2 hour ago to put him to bed - I guess they didn't make it!!
Three Sick Kids and a headache for Mom
While a lot of things happened over the last few days (the comedy that was my anniversay night away being among them) all three kids are sick and that's about all I can focus on right now.
I think dh is getting sick too.
That's the one thing about kids, one gets sick and it's pretty much going to hit them all. The baby is having a rough time because the only comfort he knows is me and nursing. As much as I love him it makes me tired.
It's amazing how much kids want their Mommy when they are sick. Even the independent ones. It is kind of nice to cuddle with them and not have them moving at 100 miles an hour. It's just too bad it takes them being sick for it to happen. Now that dh is home I'm going to try to make some soup. My special everything but the kitchen sink soup should help (well it's not really called that but I don't know what I have yet so I made it up! LOL).
Writing, editing and moving on
About a million posts ago I told you I'd let you know when my entry for the contest was up so I am, you will find it here. What I cannot tell you is which entry it is. We are not allowed and I do not want to be disqualified as a number of people were last year. Therefore I say, go, read, support the writers. All it takes is a few minutes of your time and a cup of coffee. There are historicals, paranormals, contemporary and suspense. It is only one chapter so it doesn't take long. Vote! Voting is important and if you really like something let the author know. This isn't a popularity contest but rather to find out who writes well and what story you might like to see read more. I know that not everyone who stops by here will like this kind of writing and that's fine, to each his/her own.
On another writing note I have applied for an editing job. Who knows if I will get it as I was editing while taking care of my fussy baby today (he had his 6 month shots yesterday and while he was great yesterday today he is not a happy camper). However, I thought I would give it a shot as I don't seem to have a lot of time to write my own stuff so maybe I can help others with theirs. It was interesting because the test manuscript they sent was not a genre I would normally read so it made it a bit harder. I had to put aside any bias I might have and just see the work as good writing or bad (similar to the above contest) and make or advise any changes I felt would make it better. Honestly, I did struggle a bit because you have to balance between cutting stuff that isn't needed and not being too critical. You want to encourage the writer not shoot them down. In addition to doing edits as if it was an accepted manual I also had to advise whether I would accept it, reject or send it back to be revised and resubmitted. It's easy enough on a test manuscript but how would it feel to tell someone that you don't like their work and won't accept their manuscript? Writing is such a subjective thing. Anyway, if they like what I did I could be making a small income again. I asked to only start part-time and it's definitely not a lucrative thing but it would feel nice to be able to contribute both to my family and to society in general.
So, on to a totally non-writing subject. When I wrote my anniversary blog I mentioned the big, horny toad I had to deal with before, thankfully, getting smart and moving on to my wonderful dh. There's a new song out by a young artist that totally makes me laugh as it reminds me of that toad and what I should have done/said (well I would never really do this but it sounds good!). On visiting a fellow bloggers site I noticed he had this video playing and he told me how I could get one (thanks Phats!!) so here is the song and video - enjoy:
Carrie Underwood - Before He Cheats. Video taken down now (edited Sep 18/06)
Happy Anniversary....wanna buy some coffee?
I first have to say Happy Anniversary to my dh! 
8 years ago today we were married in what can only have been the best wedding ever. When I dreamed of my wedding I never knew the reality would surpass the dream. I waited a long time for my dh (I'd like to say I went through a lot of frogs beforehand but it was actually just one big horny toad!! ugh!) and when he arrived he came disguised as my best guy friend. He still is. There is nothing I don't tell him and no better man I could have chosen to be the father of my children, my life partner. The road from there to here wasn't always smooth but the journey is what makes the memories, the bumps only serving to make us appreciate the highway.
Dh is doing well today, so far I've received a card AND a happy anniversary phone call. Tonight we will celebrate by attending an Alpha course. No, not very romantic but at least there's dinner. We're going away, albeit with baby, on Friday night to one of our favourite local (well sort-of local) hotels River Rock Hotel - I wonder if they will mind the baby in the upscale Italian restaurant there. It's the only one there we haven't tried and we really want to. I will also be bringing a bottle of wine with us to the hotel - I tried this wine at Magnificent M's a couple of weeks back that was awesome. They know their wine in that house and the guests reap the rewards.
Now for the coffee... Anyone want some? We're talking Fair Trade Organic Coffee (10 kinds) $13.50/lb CAD. We also have Premium Belgian Chococlate $2 ea and various types of cookie dough ($10 for a bucket or $12 for 49 preformed pucks) - oh yeah, you know it, I'm hocking my kid's wares to raise money. This is for #2 child and the BC Girls Choir. If anyone is interested please contact me (and if you need to raise money for your kids you can come knocking here too, it's only fair). If interested you can email me at mcilfirstthreelettersoflastnamehere@telus.net or post in the comments section how I can touch base with you. I will ship it too if you want to pay shipping.
Where were you?
I know there will be a lot of remembering and where were you's today (the song playing, for today only is Alan Jackson's Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)). It has been 5 years since that day when the world changed forever for everyone, no matter where you lived, where you were born or who you voted for. I know exactly where I was and what I was doing, I doubt I will ever forget.
However, today I choose to look at the face of my children and know that there is love, faith and hope in the world.
Freaky Fish & Ballerinas
So after I got over my crankiness of yesterday and really this whole whirlwind week, I thought I'd post about some of the things in my world right now...things that make me go "hmmm".
The first is our fish. First of all he's a goldfish and he's very large.
I'm not sure you can see how big he is in this photo but if you look at the shell and/or even the plug and see how much bigger he is maybe you can. He's huge. Dh says he's almost big enough to filet, which just scares me 'cause, ew! Anyway, yesterday I was looking over at him and he did this weird head bob thing and I thought maybe he was having a fishy heart attack. I lifted the lid on his tank and he swam up and opened his huge mouth for food and I swear if my finger was too close he would have eaten that. So now I think his headbob was really saying "Pssst, over here, come a little closer. That's right, feed me, feed me." Yeah, he's a weird, freaky little fish.
#2 child starts dance lessons next week. She is over the moon excited. Between the singing and the dancing I think we're already in trouble but she loves anything girly. And what is more girly than a pink dance outfit and ballet slippers:
Isn't she so adorable? I had to beg her to take this off afterwards, of course. She wouldn't have but I told her we had to keep it extra special clean for our first day of dance class and she bought it. Last week she went to the store in her Angel costume. She left off the wings and insists it is actually a princess costume but all the same it was an interesting look to go shopping with Daddy in. He doesn't mind her dressing up or even doing his hair or anything. I do have a picture of dh in a tiara, or some kind of headband with a bow, but I'm pretty sure he wouldn't want me to post it so you're going to just have to imagine it (and no it's not a good look on him!)
Cranky
Did you ever notice that when you are cranky the smallest things will annoy you and everyone has an opinion? And that opinion is always opposite from yours? Even when you are trying your hardest to be nice?
Yep, just smile and walk away Michelle, smile and walk away.
...and we're back
I've decided that vacations with young children are both hard and fun all at the same time. Especially when you are in a very small space with them and especially with my children who picked this weekend to test their authority to the limits, constantly. We only left on Friday afternoon and by Saturday morning we were ready to pack up and leave. We were all sharing a bedroom and you can only confine 5 people in there for so long before someone's going to lose it (mostly me, I admit). Luckily, after telling them that they had the option to behave or leave immediately (and no we were not bluffing, we were ready to go) they chose to stay and things were mostly better after that.
We went to the lake with all three kids and for the first time ever I heard dh say that the water was cold. He normally dives right in but he was having a tough time and the kids and I thought it was funny. My dh is pretty goofy sometimes. #1 child had a lot of fun on his whale, #2 child decided that she didn't really like being wet and I was trying to figure out how to get #3 child into his inflatable turtle which is still a bit too big for him and then he decided the water was too cold too so that was the end of that. After a nutritional lunch of hot dogs dh took the older two to the park so that I could relax on the deck in the sun since the baby was sleeping. That lasted 5 minutes and #3 was awake again so we did a little deck dance and back to sleep he went. After awhile I couldn't take the sweatiness of the baby and I together (I had him covered to protect him from the sun and he loves the heat so he was a happy camper) so I managed to get him in his swing in the shade and he stayed asleep. I got to sit in the sun and read a whole magazine, it was wonderful. We all went back to the lake again and I managed to go in up to my waist (what?! it was freakin' cold I tell ya!). When #1 child started getting goosebumps and he was shivering we decided we'd call it a day (no point in making the child sick just because the water kept him happy and out of our hair for awhile!). Honestly he and dh were the only ones of us who could take the water for any length of time, although #2 child was happily creating rock castles (not the sandiest of beaches at Cultus).
We then had a fabulous dinner and a rousing game of Junior Monopoly (you get to buy amusement park rides instead of real estate) where #1 child beat everyone, although dh says it was beginner's luck. Yeah, I don't think so, there was nowhere in the rules that said you could borrow from the bank to pay your admittance for these amusement park rides when you were out of money yet dh kept borrowing and paying back and borrowing and paying back. There's your problem right there buddy! LOL I couldn't confirm that when you had no money you were bankrupt and therefore out of the game since the only instructions we had for Junior Monopoly were in French and dh didn't believe me when I said I could read them. Ha - shows what he knows. I read that he had to go directly to Lunch and when he passed Go he could not collect $2.
I also read that when he landed on #1 child's amusement park ride and said child owned all of that particular coloured rides that he had to pay double the ticket price!
On Sunday afternoon our friends arrived to join us for our last night at the lake and they looked more tired than we were. They had already crammed a lot of activity and driving in to a very short time period and they needed to decompress (I originally wrote decompose and then realized why that didn't look right!
). We cooked a lovely dinner, which seemed to take forever to make, mostly because I had never grilled corn on the cob in its husks before but wanted to try it because one of those cooking shows made it look easy. When I had asked the corn boy I bought the corn from about how long you would cook them like this he informed me that most people don't eat the husks - huh, you don't say! Therefore I had to ask the ever intrepid, adventure girl to help me in assessing corn doneness. She can also fearlessly brand steak so stay out of her way when she has hot tongs!
Today we replenished our weary selves with a hearty breakfast of bacon and eggs, cleaned the cabin and then set off for Giggle Ridge mini-golf. This is the coolest mini-golf place I have ever seen. I'd like to share photos but as we forgot our camera we will have to wait for the cupcake man to send me some or to post his own. I didn't play but the baby and I watched everyone else aget a really nice, high count for strokes. Wait, in golf that's a bad thing! LOL No matter a good time was had by all, except #2 child did not understand where her pretty purple ball went on the last hole and she was a bit concerned about this. After that we tackled the bumper boats with #2 child and me in one boat and #1 child in his own. Everyone else decided to sit it out. May I say that they were oh so wise as to this very minute I am still not feeling all that great. Of course the object of this was not to spin the bumper boat, over and over, in circles so fast that you wanted to be sick so I have no one to blame but myself. It's just that spinning made my daughter laugh so hard and her laughter makes me laugh and there you go. I understand the object is to just bash (er, bump) in to other people's boats and get them wet so in between spins we went after #1 child and anyone else in our way. When emerging, ever so elegently, from the boat I just about pulled the attendant in to the water with me so it really topped the ride. Good thing that the cupcake man was distracted at that point because, honestly, I did not need that moment captured on film.
Feeling very dizzy and decidedly nauseaus (and after my pregnancy I definitely never need to feel that again) I thought it best to call it a day. My children thought otherwise as the wanted to go on the go-karts and dh had to give them a lecture about appreciate the things that they were given and adventure girl said something about children in Africa not getting to ride on go-carts or bumper boats or something to that effect. Then there was something about wildebeasts and gnu but it all went over my head as I tried to concentrate on getting back to the cabin and not be ill in the dead grass. My appropriately contrite children apologised and thanked us for the golf and the bumper boats and then promptly got in to some kind of something with the toys back at the cabin and I pretty much lost it and told everyone we were leaving. I actually only meant my family but adventure girl and cupcake man left in a blink so I think I may have been a bit overzealous. Sorry about that.
See...fun and hard all at the same time. We really did have a good weekend. Now we need a vacation - oh look school starts tomorrow.
