It has been a long, somewhat insane and yet wonderful day. My day started with the buzzing of the alarm clock around 5:00am. Did you know that it is still dark at that time now? Ugh. By 5:45am, I was at work preparing for a long and crazy shift. I might have even been trembling just a bit. Saturdays tend to be busy with large orders as families and groups of people come in for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and whatever. I knew that today would be no exception; however, a glance at the schedule showed an alarming lack of bodies to work with. Two people had already called in sick. Another shift was crossed off though I don't know why, and another shift was crossed off because the person had been hit by a truck yesterday! Ouch! The person who worked the 11pm to 7am graveyard shift stayed until 9am to help us out, otherwise we would have had only 3-4 people when we typically have a minimum of 5. There were no other staff coming in until 11am. I only received one of my two breaks and that wasn't until 11:15am. However, despite our lack of bodies and the endless line-up out the door for hours, we worked hard and well. I was on the sandwich bar, a position I am proficient at although I tend to dread working there during crazy times. It is a demanding position which requires speed and the ability to multi-task well. I did well today, but I still asked to be somewhere else after I had my break. My arm would not have tolerated 8 hours of slicing and spreading. A lot of my job bothers my arm when I have tendonitis, but slicing/spreading motions seem to be the worst.
After work, I came home and cleaned up. Kane picked up our new shed which needs to be assembled tomorrow. Then, Kane and I went to our old church for a banquet in honour of our old pastor who will preach his last sermon as pastor of that church tomorrow. He's been the pastor there for 17 1/2 years! It was good to go, and I'm glad that we did. We both have a lot of respect for Pastor Larry and his wife. They are good, godly people who love the Lord and lead by example. While I really don't miss many things about our old church, I do miss them, and now they are leaving. I'll never be able to read Dr. Seuss again without thinking of Larry. Wherever he is led next, I know that God will bless him and cause him to be a blessing for His glory.
It's just after 10pm now and my eyelids feel like sandpaper. I am so tired and my arm hurts. Go figure. Tomorrow is a new day. I'm not sure if we're going to make it to church, but I plan on raising the cover on my grandpa's organ and playing some hymns. "Playing" is an exaggeration. I don't know how to play a piano let alone an organ, but I can play the basic notes with one hand and that's all I need to know. In church last week, we sang the hymn, Be Thou My Vision. Having grown up in the church, I've heard it many times before but I was never a "fan" of it before. I fell in love with it last week, and then tonight at Larry's celebration we all sang that same hymn. A good reminder to keep my focus where it belongs.
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Monday, September 25, 2006
| You Have a Melancholic Temperament |
 Given enough time alone, it's easy for you to find inner peace.You tend to be spiritual, having found your own meaning of life.Wise and patient, you can help people through difficult times. At your worst, you brood and sulk. Your negative thoughts can trap you.You are reserved and withdrawn. This makes it hard to connect to others.You tend to over think small things, making decisions difficult. |
What Temperment Are You?
Saturday, September 23, 2006
Timber
I went to work this morning shortly after 7am and returned shortly after 3:30pm, but I came home to a vastly different place. Until today, we had a massive blue spruce smack dab in the middle of our front yard. This tree was huge! Our old neighbour regularly worried about that tree falling on his house and wasn't afraid to tell us that we should chop it down. The tree was healthy though and there wasn't any good reason to cut it down.
Still, Kane has always harboured a desire to be rid of it, and I have resisted. The expense was always heavy on my mind, plus it provided lots of shade and most likely noise reduction as well. It did but not any more.
Kane knows someone who does this sort of thing as a hobby and offered to do it for $80. How could we pass up that? It's done and there's no going back. My front yard is a littered mess of branches and chopped up trunk pieces. In fact, if it weren't for the chunks of the trunk, it looks as if a giant stepped on our tree and flattened it. We'll give away the usable wood and have the rest chipped, also for a good deal.
The difference is amazing! Even around supper time, there was so much more natural light in our living room and front foyer, because there is no tree blocking it out. When we look out the front window, we can actually see the construction across the street and the mountain and orchard instead of branches. What will Maggie do for entertainment now that there will be no birds in the branches to meow at?
Still, Kane has always harboured a desire to be rid of it, and I have resisted. The expense was always heavy on my mind, plus it provided lots of shade and most likely noise reduction as well. It did but not any more.
Kane knows someone who does this sort of thing as a hobby and offered to do it for $80. How could we pass up that? It's done and there's no going back. My front yard is a littered mess of branches and chopped up trunk pieces. In fact, if it weren't for the chunks of the trunk, it looks as if a giant stepped on our tree and flattened it. We'll give away the usable wood and have the rest chipped, also for a good deal.
The difference is amazing! Even around supper time, there was so much more natural light in our living room and front foyer, because there is no tree blocking it out. When we look out the front window, we can actually see the construction across the street and the mountain and orchard instead of branches. What will Maggie do for entertainment now that there will be no birds in the branches to meow at?
Canucks, eh!
Last Sunday, we went to see the Vancouver Canucks training camp practice and scrimmage in Vernon. It was an awesome opportunity to see our (Kane, Casey and I) favourite NHL team in the flesh without spending oodles of cash and driving to Vancouver. Sam was disappointed that we couldn't see his beloved Maple Leafs but Toronto is just a little bit further away!
We brought our old camera, but we weren't allowed to use the flash or our zoom lens. One of the security people was reluctant to let us bring the camera into the arena; she thought it looked "too professional". Uh, sure...we're real professional photographers trying to pass ourselves off as frazzled parents with hyper children in tow. Guess we didn't fool her! Ironically, we noticed many people using flashes and many zoom lens, some even bigger than ours, but we are law-abiding citizens and kept our flash and big lens in the camera bag.
The practice sessions were somewhat boring, somewhat interesting. Having been to nearly all of Sam's hockey practices over the past four years, I've reached the point where the aura of watching a practice has faded. However, it was interesting to note that even professional hockey players don't always get it right and need to be corrected or shown what to do by their coaches!
The scrimmage game was more exciting but somewhat lacklustre. Only one goal was scored and at the opposite end of the ice from where we sat, but we still had good seats. We were certainly much closer than we could ever afford to be at a real game at GM Place!
Casey getting his Canuck jersey signed by Fin the mascot.
Roberto Luongo, our new (and better?) goalie.
Casey took this photo of his favourite player, captain Markus Naslund.
You can't really tell, but the two players are Henrik and Daniel Sedin.
Casey wearing his brand new hat that he purchased himself. He was able to get it autographed by Markus Naslund, Sami Salo, and Henrik Sedin.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike2.5 Canada License.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Sick Day
Abby is sick today. She came into my bedroom sometime around 3:30am to let us, or more appropriately, her dad know that she had thrown up. Good ol' dad cleaned up the mess and settled her on the futon. I woke at 7am to hear her vomiting again.
So, here I am at home with a sick girl instead of heading off to work. It's been a long time since I've had to call in and say that I can't come in for a shift, but she's too young to leave home alone especially when she's sick.
I think today will be a quiet day which will be nice as tomorrow will be an insanely busy day. Laundry is in progress, the dishwasher has been emptied, the garbage is out for pick-up, and there really isn't anything pressing to do for the rest of the day. I hadn't planned on doing anything until after work anyway, so things are good.
I finally found a Gamecube version of Lego Star Wars II yesterday! It only required a search at virtually every possible store in the city, but I found one. In fact, I bought the last copy at Toys R Us. The boys were so excited, but Abby and I were the first to play last night. If she's up to it, we can play some more today!
So, here I am at home with a sick girl instead of heading off to work. It's been a long time since I've had to call in and say that I can't come in for a shift, but she's too young to leave home alone especially when she's sick.
I think today will be a quiet day which will be nice as tomorrow will be an insanely busy day. Laundry is in progress, the dishwasher has been emptied, the garbage is out for pick-up, and there really isn't anything pressing to do for the rest of the day. I hadn't planned on doing anything until after work anyway, so things are good.
I finally found a Gamecube version of Lego Star Wars II yesterday! It only required a search at virtually every possible store in the city, but I found one. In fact, I bought the last copy at Toys R Us. The boys were so excited, but Abby and I were the first to play last night. If she's up to it, we can play some more today!
Friday, September 15, 2006
Cooler Days
The first official day of autumn is on September 23, but I can feel it edging ever closer already. These past few days have been cooler and mixed with rain and sunshine. Up until last night, we still had several windows open in the house. Now, I think only my bedroom window is open very slightly, and while I am not ready to close it yet, I am chilled. I put on my jeans this morning...first time wearing jeans since spring. I'm even wearing a sweater. Also, I've pulled out my fleecy pajamas and a return to the hot water bottle isn't too far in the future.
The kids did not have school today and I did not work. It's been a rather nice day. The cool weather is a great excuse for using the oven as often as possible, so I baked some banana bread this afternoon, and I have scalloped potatoes cooking for supper. In a little while, I'll put a pork tenderloin in the oven, too. But, I'm still cold and barefoot. I'm not ready to give up my barefeet yet.
My hands are feeling stiff whether from the cold, an impending flare-up of tendonitis, or my having played Gamecube for the past hour or so I do not know. Maybe a combination of all three. I finally had the time and desire to tackle the Star Wars Lego game. The boys mastered it in long ago, but I had never tried it. I like simple games without the need to memorize a gazillion different combinations of button-pushing skills. The Lego game is actually just hard enough to challenge me but easy enough that I can succeed. I've finished Episodes I and II already! Of course, I've had to fend off the boys left and right. They don't seem to believe that I am fully capable of finding all the hidden treasures or navigating through the podrace or battling Count Dooku. But I am. They are looking forward to the release later this month of Star Wars Lego II which is the original trilogy. I'm also excited. The original is my favourite.
Speaking of Star Wars...I bought the original trilogy on DVD earlier this week. For Sam. For his 13th birthday present which we had not bought yet. We do have this trilogy on VHS, but alas, we have no vcr anymore. It conked out and we never bothered to replace it as we use DVDs all the time now. Bad news for all our old VHS tapes though. What sealed the deal for me was that these new DVDs include both the original theatrical versions and the newer, retouched versions. Now, we just need to replace our Episode I tape for DVD. Sam and I are big SW fans, in case you didn't know. Maybe I'll talk the rest of the family into watching the Empire Strikes Back tonight. It's my most favourite episode. Think they'll bite?
The kids did not have school today and I did not work. It's been a rather nice day. The cool weather is a great excuse for using the oven as often as possible, so I baked some banana bread this afternoon, and I have scalloped potatoes cooking for supper. In a little while, I'll put a pork tenderloin in the oven, too. But, I'm still cold and barefoot. I'm not ready to give up my barefeet yet.
My hands are feeling stiff whether from the cold, an impending flare-up of tendonitis, or my having played Gamecube for the past hour or so I do not know. Maybe a combination of all three. I finally had the time and desire to tackle the Star Wars Lego game. The boys mastered it in long ago, but I had never tried it. I like simple games without the need to memorize a gazillion different combinations of button-pushing skills. The Lego game is actually just hard enough to challenge me but easy enough that I can succeed. I've finished Episodes I and II already! Of course, I've had to fend off the boys left and right. They don't seem to believe that I am fully capable of finding all the hidden treasures or navigating through the podrace or battling Count Dooku. But I am. They are looking forward to the release later this month of Star Wars Lego II which is the original trilogy. I'm also excited. The original is my favourite.
Speaking of Star Wars...I bought the original trilogy on DVD earlier this week. For Sam. For his 13th birthday present which we had not bought yet. We do have this trilogy on VHS, but alas, we have no vcr anymore. It conked out and we never bothered to replace it as we use DVDs all the time now. Bad news for all our old VHS tapes though. What sealed the deal for me was that these new DVDs include both the original theatrical versions and the newer, retouched versions. Now, we just need to replace our Episode I tape for DVD. Sam and I are big SW fans, in case you didn't know. Maybe I'll talk the rest of the family into watching the Empire Strikes Back tonight. It's my most favourite episode. Think they'll bite?
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
I called the elementary school yesterday morning and talked with the principle briefly. She recommended that I first talk to Casey's teacher about my concerns before talking to her. Makes sense and I kind of thought that she would send me in that direction. She offered to pass the message on to Casey's teacher so he could call me. I waited all yesterday. He didn't call, but I was prepared. I had written out a list of my thoughts and concerns, so that I wouldn't forget a detail or get too flustered.
Around 8am today, he phoned. Great timing! Not. The kids were still home and making a lot of noise as they prepared to leave the house. Casey quickly caught on that I was talking to his teacher and was hovering to listen in. I was worried that the phone call might consume a serious amount of time leaving me unable to properly see the kids out the door. In the end, I don't think it mattered. The call only lasted a couple of minutes and was a complete waste of those few minutes.
He called knowing that I had some concerns but not knowing what they were. I explained that Casey had been worried about being in this class even well before we knew he would be in this class and the reason being rumours that this teacher is a hard teacher. I also explained that I had told Casey that he very well might need to stay in this class, that changing classes might not be the right decision or even an option. I said that my concern was that Casey might get overwhelmed or lost in the class, and I asked if he understood what I was saying.
No. Quite simply no. He did not understand my point at all. His response was that both grade 6 classes have the same learning outcomes and requirements and course outlines. Gee, I think I knew that! I certainly wasn't implying that his class was doing something totally different, but I know that different teachers teach in different ways. In his opinion, Casey is an average student and should have no difficulties in the class. He was gracious enough to allow me the privilege of having a formal meeting with him, but I declined. What purpose would it serve? There are parent-teacher interviews in a couple of weeks anyway, so I said that I would wait until that time.
So, the conversation ended with me feeling...not taken seriously, dismissed, foolish. I didn't go into the conversation expecting Casey to be moved into the other class. I wasn't insinuating that this teacher was not a good teacher. All I wanted was to make sure that he was aware that Casey might struggle in his class. They've only been back at school for a week and already Casey has mentioned on several occasions how hard some work has been, especially math. Sure, Casey may have average student marks and be average student material, but that doesn't mean that much more than the paper the grades are recorded on. Grades and marks are subjective. I think that Casey can succeed in this class, but it won't happen without a hawkish eye keeping watch on him. The last thing I want is to get his report card in a few months or the next term or two to see him struggling.
Around 8am today, he phoned. Great timing! Not. The kids were still home and making a lot of noise as they prepared to leave the house. Casey quickly caught on that I was talking to his teacher and was hovering to listen in. I was worried that the phone call might consume a serious amount of time leaving me unable to properly see the kids out the door. In the end, I don't think it mattered. The call only lasted a couple of minutes and was a complete waste of those few minutes.
He called knowing that I had some concerns but not knowing what they were. I explained that Casey had been worried about being in this class even well before we knew he would be in this class and the reason being rumours that this teacher is a hard teacher. I also explained that I had told Casey that he very well might need to stay in this class, that changing classes might not be the right decision or even an option. I said that my concern was that Casey might get overwhelmed or lost in the class, and I asked if he understood what I was saying.
No. Quite simply no. He did not understand my point at all. His response was that both grade 6 classes have the same learning outcomes and requirements and course outlines. Gee, I think I knew that! I certainly wasn't implying that his class was doing something totally different, but I know that different teachers teach in different ways. In his opinion, Casey is an average student and should have no difficulties in the class. He was gracious enough to allow me the privilege of having a formal meeting with him, but I declined. What purpose would it serve? There are parent-teacher interviews in a couple of weeks anyway, so I said that I would wait until that time.
So, the conversation ended with me feeling...not taken seriously, dismissed, foolish. I didn't go into the conversation expecting Casey to be moved into the other class. I wasn't insinuating that this teacher was not a good teacher. All I wanted was to make sure that he was aware that Casey might struggle in his class. They've only been back at school for a week and already Casey has mentioned on several occasions how hard some work has been, especially math. Sure, Casey may have average student marks and be average student material, but that doesn't mean that much more than the paper the grades are recorded on. Grades and marks are subjective. I think that Casey can succeed in this class, but it won't happen without a hawkish eye keeping watch on him. The last thing I want is to get his report card in a few months or the next term or two to see him struggling.
Monday, September 11, 2006
September 11
It is already a little past 2pm and I wonder where the day has gone. On the one hand, it feels as if the day is nearly over and I've done nothing, and yet, the flip side is that I have done a lot. The kids were off to school shortly after 8am and by 8:30 I was at City Hall to pay some taxes. Home again before 9am, I started laundry and loaded and ran the dishwasher. A little tidying in the living room, gathering recyclables scattered throughout the house, and taking out garbage...then, I wasted some time on the computer doing nothing remarkable. Fold a load, change a load. Eventually, it was nearly 11:30 and time to take my dad to the hospital for his knee surgery. Dropped him off at the main doors and hurried off to the college to pay Kane's tuition for his apprenticeship class. Of course, I didn't realize that there would be a line-up at the registrar's office, so I eyed the clock like a hawk while waiting my turn. I had to pick my mom up from work at noon. It was noon when I finally left the college and was soon at my mom's place of employment and then on to Superstore for grocery shopping. A full cart and an hour or so later, we made it back home. Groceries are now put away and I've eaten lunch and changed another load of laundry. Casey and Abby will be getting out of school in about fifteen minutes, and thus the reason why my day feels so short.
I still will need to pick my dad up from the hospital whenever they finally release him. It could be anywhere from 4-7pm. Kane and the boys have ball hockey tonight at 7:30 which means there is potentially a vehicle issue to work out. Kane's work van only has two seats and wouldn't be suitable for picking up my dad and his crutches. I'm not going to worry about it yet though; it's only an issue if my dad is released later rather than sooner. The downside is that I will probably miss out on my girls' night. Oh well...
Tomorrow is another day off work and most likely another busy day. I didn't make it to Wal-Mart today to drop off a roll of film, so that will be at the top of my list tomorrow. After my last photo developing experience there, I'm not exactly thrilled about this trip, but the developing won't cost me a pretty penny so I can't complain too much. Unless the service is just as bad as last time. I also need to go to the library. I finished my stack of books a few days ago, and the library called this morning to say a hold is in. Naturally, Wal-mart and the library are at opposite ends of the city and my house is smack dab in the middle of the two. I hate running all over town and back and forth. One other side trip tomorrow to pick up some tickets and drop off the money for them. A friend bought tickets for me so my family can attend a training camp practice/scrimmage session for the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday. I am so excited! Casey will be virtually on cloud nine; they are his favourite hockey team. Sam will most likely express his disgust and lament the fact that his beloved Toronto Maple Leafs are so far away, but I doubt that even he will be able to dispute the excitement this opportunity brings. I don't miss baseball anymore, but now the hockey itch is beginning to spread. I love hockey.
On a more somber note, today is the 5th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States. I remember that day. Like every other weekday, I was home with the kids. Sam was 8, Casey was 5, and Abby was 3, and those were still homeschooling days for us. Back then, I was heavily involved with an online group of Christian moms, and it was through that group that I first heard anything about the attacks. All it took was one email to send me to the TV where I sat and watched and cried and prayed. That was also the day that I was to meet an online friend in person, and I did. It was a surreal kind of day. It was a terrible day but a stark reminder of the darkness our world is under. I cannot imagine living in a country torn apart by war on a regular basis. I cannot imagine living under fear and persecution. So many people do. I am thankful and blessed to live where I do and to have the freedoms that I have. My country is not perfect and certainly not immune or invulnerable to atrocities, but I do not need to live in fear.
I still will need to pick my dad up from the hospital whenever they finally release him. It could be anywhere from 4-7pm. Kane and the boys have ball hockey tonight at 7:30 which means there is potentially a vehicle issue to work out. Kane's work van only has two seats and wouldn't be suitable for picking up my dad and his crutches. I'm not going to worry about it yet though; it's only an issue if my dad is released later rather than sooner. The downside is that I will probably miss out on my girls' night. Oh well...
Tomorrow is another day off work and most likely another busy day. I didn't make it to Wal-Mart today to drop off a roll of film, so that will be at the top of my list tomorrow. After my last photo developing experience there, I'm not exactly thrilled about this trip, but the developing won't cost me a pretty penny so I can't complain too much. Unless the service is just as bad as last time. I also need to go to the library. I finished my stack of books a few days ago, and the library called this morning to say a hold is in. Naturally, Wal-mart and the library are at opposite ends of the city and my house is smack dab in the middle of the two. I hate running all over town and back and forth. One other side trip tomorrow to pick up some tickets and drop off the money for them. A friend bought tickets for me so my family can attend a training camp practice/scrimmage session for the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday. I am so excited! Casey will be virtually on cloud nine; they are his favourite hockey team. Sam will most likely express his disgust and lament the fact that his beloved Toronto Maple Leafs are so far away, but I doubt that even he will be able to dispute the excitement this opportunity brings. I don't miss baseball anymore, but now the hockey itch is beginning to spread. I love hockey.
On a more somber note, today is the 5th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States. I remember that day. Like every other weekday, I was home with the kids. Sam was 8, Casey was 5, and Abby was 3, and those were still homeschooling days for us. Back then, I was heavily involved with an online group of Christian moms, and it was through that group that I first heard anything about the attacks. All it took was one email to send me to the TV where I sat and watched and cried and prayed. That was also the day that I was to meet an online friend in person, and I did. It was a surreal kind of day. It was a terrible day but a stark reminder of the darkness our world is under. I cannot imagine living in a country torn apart by war on a regular basis. I cannot imagine living under fear and persecution. So many people do. I am thankful and blessed to live where I do and to have the freedoms that I have. My country is not perfect and certainly not immune or invulnerable to atrocities, but I do not need to live in fear.
Sunday, September 10, 2006
A New Light
I have been thinking about light a lot lately. It all started with a new lightbulb but not just any ordinary lightbulb. Kane had purchased a new type, a fluorescent-style bulb which produces a cool, white light. Into the living room lamp it went. Kane was not overly impressed at first, but it didn't take long to change his first impression. I loved it.
The light was brighter, whiter and yet easier on the eyes. The difference between this white light and a regular lightbulb's light was astounding. I could almost say it was like night and day. Simply moving from the living room into the kitchen was enough to sell us completely on this new bulb. The kitchen light was so yellow, so gloomy and dim. How did we live with such terrible light? Suddenly, the lighting we had never questioned and simply lived with for years was no longer satisfactory. Quite the opposite, we hated it and wanted only the pure white light in every room of the house.
Thinking of lightbulbs and their output has led me to consider how easily we allow ourselves to become complacent or turned astray. The comparison to my lightbulbs can be applied to many aspects of life: religion, personal, relational, and physical. So many religions have the appearance of light, and so many believe that they walk the right path, yet only Jesus Christ is 'the way, the truth, and the life'. Even within Christianity, beliefs and customs take root in individuals or churches which seem to be good and godly until we hold each one up to the pure light of God's truth. Only then can we see the dingy light we've been living in.
We can live day in and out as we always have never knowing that we are missing out on truly seeing and experiencing life. We tend to live under the light of a standard, old lightbulb unaware of the shadows at the edges, the glare upon our eyes, and the discoloured view we have. And then, something compels or forces us to change our lightbulb and discover real light for the first time.
Ephesians 5:13-14 (New Living Translation)
But when the light shines on them, it becomes clear how evil these things are. And where your light shines, it will expose their evil deeds. This is why it is said, "Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light."
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike2.5 Canada License.
The light was brighter, whiter and yet easier on the eyes. The difference between this white light and a regular lightbulb's light was astounding. I could almost say it was like night and day. Simply moving from the living room into the kitchen was enough to sell us completely on this new bulb. The kitchen light was so yellow, so gloomy and dim. How did we live with such terrible light? Suddenly, the lighting we had never questioned and simply lived with for years was no longer satisfactory. Quite the opposite, we hated it and wanted only the pure white light in every room of the house.
Thinking of lightbulbs and their output has led me to consider how easily we allow ourselves to become complacent or turned astray. The comparison to my lightbulbs can be applied to many aspects of life: religion, personal, relational, and physical. So many religions have the appearance of light, and so many believe that they walk the right path, yet only Jesus Christ is 'the way, the truth, and the life'. Even within Christianity, beliefs and customs take root in individuals or churches which seem to be good and godly until we hold each one up to the pure light of God's truth. Only then can we see the dingy light we've been living in.
We can live day in and out as we always have never knowing that we are missing out on truly seeing and experiencing life. We tend to live under the light of a standard, old lightbulb unaware of the shadows at the edges, the glare upon our eyes, and the discoloured view we have. And then, something compels or forces us to change our lightbulb and discover real light for the first time.
Ephesians 5:13-14 (New Living Translation)
But when the light shines on them, it becomes clear how evil these things are. And where your light shines, it will expose their evil deeds. This is why it is said, "Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light."
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike2.5 Canada License.
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Ain't No Mickey Mouse Operation
My mom just came up to tell me that the mousetrap inside the breaker box just went 'ping'. Ugh...so not what I wanted to hear! I DO NOT WANT MICE IN MY HOUSE! Now I will be paranoid. I can feel the shudders working their way up my spine already. Ick.
Growth spurt: Fact or Fiction?
Sam's growing! It's true. Yeah!
Someone mentioned to Kane the other day that Sam looked taller. Once mentioned, Kane noticed that Sam did look different, so I stood Sam up against the doorpost where we mark off the passage of youth. The last time I checked Sam's height was sometime in August; I didn't record the exact date but it was probably towards the beginning or middle of the month. At that time, he had grown about a centimeter since March. Maybe such growth is respectable, I don't really know, but Sam has not been typical on the growth charts since he was a toddler. Yes, he has grown over the years but slowly, very slowly. He's 13 and has worn size 10 pants for a couple of years. If he didn't wear out the knees, he could easily wear the same clothes for years. Sam's lack of height has been an issue for some time now...at least for Kane. We've taken Sam to the doctor several times over the past couple of years. Nothing is wrong. Nothing to do but try and get him to eat a variety of healthy foods; easier said than done. In the meantime, Casey has grown taller than his older by 2.5 years brother. So, Sam's 1 cm growth over 5 months was interesting, but not nearly as interesting as the growth I recorded yesterday. Since August (so maybe 4 weeks at the most), Sam has grown nearly 1.5 cm!
We're still excited and somewhat disbelieving. It's hard to picture our kids as being adults someday, and while I always knew that Sam would grow more when his body was ready, I'm still surprised. He's growing. Finally, a growth spurt!
He went to bed a half hour or so early tonight. On his own initiative. He was tired, must have been to want to go to bed early. Maybe, he's tired because his body is working hard. At least he drinks a lot of milk!
Someone mentioned to Kane the other day that Sam looked taller. Once mentioned, Kane noticed that Sam did look different, so I stood Sam up against the doorpost where we mark off the passage of youth. The last time I checked Sam's height was sometime in August; I didn't record the exact date but it was probably towards the beginning or middle of the month. At that time, he had grown about a centimeter since March. Maybe such growth is respectable, I don't really know, but Sam has not been typical on the growth charts since he was a toddler. Yes, he has grown over the years but slowly, very slowly. He's 13 and has worn size 10 pants for a couple of years. If he didn't wear out the knees, he could easily wear the same clothes for years. Sam's lack of height has been an issue for some time now...at least for Kane. We've taken Sam to the doctor several times over the past couple of years. Nothing is wrong. Nothing to do but try and get him to eat a variety of healthy foods; easier said than done. In the meantime, Casey has grown taller than his older by 2.5 years brother. So, Sam's 1 cm growth over 5 months was interesting, but not nearly as interesting as the growth I recorded yesterday. Since August (so maybe 4 weeks at the most), Sam has grown nearly 1.5 cm!
We're still excited and somewhat disbelieving. It's hard to picture our kids as being adults someday, and while I always knew that Sam would grow more when his body was ready, I'm still surprised. He's growing. Finally, a growth spurt!
He went to bed a half hour or so early tonight. On his own initiative. He was tired, must have been to want to go to bed early. Maybe, he's tired because his body is working hard. At least he drinks a lot of milk!
Innovations
I bought myself a bottle of Coca-Cola Blak a few days ago, but I haven't yet tried it. Honestly, I'm a little leery, sure that I won't like it. Thank goodness it is only a small bottle. Still, it cost a lot of money for that little bottle! Coca-Cola Blak is a new Coke product with coffee in it. I do not like coffee and rarely do I even enjoy items with strong coffee flavouring. Coffee Crisp chocolate bars used to be the only "coffee" item that I did enjoy, although I now enjoy Tim Horton's Iced Capps on occasion. So, I am scared to try this new Blak, but I am a Coca-Cola girl, through and through. I don't drink coffee, and I don't really do tea either. I can't stand the taste of beer, and I really don't care for wine. Coca-Cola has always been my thing, so how my oldest son became a Pepsi lover is completely beyond my comprehension. If it's Coca-Cola, I'll try it. The bottle is chilling in my fridge until I am brave enough to unscrew the cap (glass bottle, plastic cap). I will be able to say that I've tried it even if I don't like it, but not yet.
I'm also not happy with Lays potato chips these days. It used to be that their ketchup flavour was my favourite. Not anymore. Recently, their bag has sported an "improved flavor" slogan, but, in my opinion, the new flavour is disgusting. I can no longer tolerate their ketchup chips, and I feel bereft. When I am craving potato chips, what will satisfy me now? I try not to have chips too often, but there are times when you just gotta have them. Or at least something salty. Pretzels? Nah...not really my thing. Cheezies? Kane and I disagree on that subject. He likes those puffy, soft cheesies, while I prefer the hard ones. I won't eat the soft ones, not even if that's my only option. Nacho chips are okay sometimes, but I need to be in the right mood. Popcorn is okay but not the same. I miss my ketchup chips. Thanks a lot, Lays!
I'm also not happy with Lays potato chips these days. It used to be that their ketchup flavour was my favourite. Not anymore. Recently, their bag has sported an "improved flavor" slogan, but, in my opinion, the new flavour is disgusting. I can no longer tolerate their ketchup chips, and I feel bereft. When I am craving potato chips, what will satisfy me now? I try not to have chips too often, but there are times when you just gotta have them. Or at least something salty. Pretzels? Nah...not really my thing. Cheezies? Kane and I disagree on that subject. He likes those puffy, soft cheesies, while I prefer the hard ones. I won't eat the soft ones, not even if that's my only option. Nacho chips are okay sometimes, but I need to be in the right mood. Popcorn is okay but not the same. I miss my ketchup chips. Thanks a lot, Lays!
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
School Days
I forgot again. Even after mentally reminding myself at one point this morning, I still forgot to take a 'first day of school' photo of my kids yesterday and today. Do you think I can remember to do that tomorrow morning? Maybe if I write myself a note and stick it in the middle of the computer monitor...
Yesterday was, in general, a good day, but the time flew by so very quickly. I took Casey and Abby to their school to help find their classes and confirm their teachers. As much as we had hoped that there would have been a last minute change, Casey was still in Mr. Tyler's class. He wasn't thrilled about it and looked to be fighting to hold back tears when I left. I was able to meet Abby's teacher, and she seems like a good teacher. From there, I took Sam to his school to help determine his homeroom teacher and classroom. Once we found his name on the list outside the school, he was more than ready for me to leave.
It wasn't even 9am leaving me with over an hour to kill before the library would open. Honestly, I think the library should open earlier; there are so many times that I could have been there by 9am! I could have gone home, but I don't particularly like running about town more than necessary, so I treated myself to breakfast at Burger King, read the newspaper, and arrived at the library about 10 minutes early. I ran into an old friend while waiting for the library to open, so we chatted and the minutes quickly evaporated. It didn't take me long to find a small stack of books. By the time I arrived back home, started some dough in the breadmaker, and caught up on a few emails, it was time for Casey and Abby to walk in the door, which meant it was almost time for me to leave and pick up Sam. Once home again, we made lunch, made cinnamon rolls and triple chip cookies. Next thing I knew, it was 3pm and I had to start thinking about supper.
The kids had a good first day at school, although Casey did complain that they only did 1 hour of fun stuff and the rest of work. :o) I asked him how Mr. Tyler was, to which he replied that he was okay. Maybe Casey will be alright in this class after all...but then again, I don't think it is the teacher's personality that will be an issue. He's a strict teacher (which might be good for Casey), but he tends to teach a more advanced level (which I'm not sure will be good for Casey). Regardless, we will just wait and see.
The kids were up before their alarms this morning...two mornings in a row! How long will it last? Sam seems determined to be organized and prepared this year. I hope he perseveres!
While at work today, I kept thinking that my kids were at home. They seem to be ready for the return to routine, and while I am ready for it physically, mentally is another story.
Yesterday was, in general, a good day, but the time flew by so very quickly. I took Casey and Abby to their school to help find their classes and confirm their teachers. As much as we had hoped that there would have been a last minute change, Casey was still in Mr. Tyler's class. He wasn't thrilled about it and looked to be fighting to hold back tears when I left. I was able to meet Abby's teacher, and she seems like a good teacher. From there, I took Sam to his school to help determine his homeroom teacher and classroom. Once we found his name on the list outside the school, he was more than ready for me to leave.
It wasn't even 9am leaving me with over an hour to kill before the library would open. Honestly, I think the library should open earlier; there are so many times that I could have been there by 9am! I could have gone home, but I don't particularly like running about town more than necessary, so I treated myself to breakfast at Burger King, read the newspaper, and arrived at the library about 10 minutes early. I ran into an old friend while waiting for the library to open, so we chatted and the minutes quickly evaporated. It didn't take me long to find a small stack of books. By the time I arrived back home, started some dough in the breadmaker, and caught up on a few emails, it was time for Casey and Abby to walk in the door, which meant it was almost time for me to leave and pick up Sam. Once home again, we made lunch, made cinnamon rolls and triple chip cookies. Next thing I knew, it was 3pm and I had to start thinking about supper.
The kids had a good first day at school, although Casey did complain that they only did 1 hour of fun stuff and the rest of work. :o) I asked him how Mr. Tyler was, to which he replied that he was okay. Maybe Casey will be alright in this class after all...but then again, I don't think it is the teacher's personality that will be an issue. He's a strict teacher (which might be good for Casey), but he tends to teach a more advanced level (which I'm not sure will be good for Casey). Regardless, we will just wait and see.
The kids were up before their alarms this morning...two mornings in a row! How long will it last? Sam seems determined to be organized and prepared this year. I hope he perseveres!
While at work today, I kept thinking that my kids were at home. They seem to be ready for the return to routine, and while I am ready for it physically, mentally is another story.
Saturday, September 02, 2006
September 2
I can't believe it is September already! We only finished baseball four weeks ago; it feels as if our summer has barely begun. My work schedule has been heavy, so I am quite glad to return to my normal weekday hours. Now if I could only get out of working on Saturdays...I'm beginning to strongly dislike working weekends.
I am home alone right now with throbbing feet and a churning gut. Kane picked me up from work before taking the kids to the family reunion; I opted to stay home. Tomorrow, we will all go to the reunion, so I'm really not missing too much. Originally, I hadn't planned on any of us going today, but Kane wanted to take the kids. Okay.
Because of the family reunion (my mom's dad's side), my uncle and cousin are here from Saskatoon and staying with us. My cousin is the same age as Casey, so she is glad to have Abby to play with and Abby is glad to have a girl to play with. They live in Saskatoon, so we don't get to see them very often. The last time was for my grandpa's funeral nearly a year ago. I believe they are leaving tomorrow.
I'm off work now until Wednesday. Yeah! I asked for the Tuesday off, so that I could take the kids to school and get them headed in the right direction. The first day of school is rather chaotic with hundreds of kids and parents gathered together to find class lists posted on the walls. Casey is already disappointed and upset because he knows that he is going to be in a certain teacher's class. We don't really know this teacher, but we've heard that he is strict and teaches at a more advanced level. Nothing wrong with either of those qualities, but I am not sure that Casey is ready for advanced work. I guess we'll start out the year and see how things progress. Parent-teacher interviews take place near the end of September, and if there are any problems, I can always talk to the teacher or principal prior to the interviews. I know that they aren't adverse to moving a student to another class if that is in the student's best interests. Maybe Casey will need to change, or maybe he'll be challenged and succeed. Abby, on the other hand, looks to be in another split. However, she is in a grade 2/3 split rather than the grade 3/4 split. She was in a 1/2 split last year and is in grade 3 this year. I don't know much, but I think that she should be in the 3/4 split simply because she was doing a lot of advanced work last year. It's probably not that big of a deal, and she loves school anyway.
It looks as if Kane's plans to turn our carport into a suite will become a reality. We had our house assessed last week as a requirement prior to securing a new, larger mortgage. The appraisal came in much higher than Kane had expected and even hoped for. He's still in shock over that. Now we're just waiting for a phone call from the lawyer to sign the papers and finalize things, so I suppose we can start planning. It's exciting to think about creating a new space, even if it is for someone else to live in. The boys are excited, because this will also mean that we will be able to reclaim our family room downstairs which means that the boys will no longer need to share a bedroom. After we tucked them into bed last night, they began to argue over who would get the bedroom downstairs. If Casey had his way, he'd have the bunkbeds separated as of last week already. Yes, they'll get their own rooms, but it will take some time before that actually happens! There's a suite to build first.
I think I'm just about ready for the kids to go back to school. Physically, I'm ready, if only because it means my work schedule becomes calmer than it has been during the summer. Practically, I am almost prepared. Casey and Abby will receive their supplies from the school (after we pay all the fees, of course). I tried to pick up a supply list from Sam's school the other day, but the office door was locked and the two secretaries standing inside the foyer made no move to allow me in and never even made eye contact with me. As I drove away with smoke pouring out my ears, I noticed a couple cross the parking lot and enter the office! Ironically, Daniel Powter's Bad Day was playing on the radio at that moment. Even though I only know some of the words, I sang along all the way home. I could relate.
Even still, list or no list, I think I have virtually everything that Sam might need. Based on what he needed last year, I bought the basics of pens, pencils, erasers, lined paper, graph paper, two zippered binders, pencil crayons, etc. All the kids still need new shoes...maybe on Monday we can head into Wal-Mart. I need new shoes for work, too. My feet are killing me.
Two more days without school! I never finished reading To Kill a Mockingbird to my kids. They've now seen the movie, so they aren't as interested in finishing the book and I haven't had time. Maybe I'll move on to an easier, shorter book now that we will be returning to routines and schedules. Lost in the Barrens would be good or something like that.
I am home alone right now with throbbing feet and a churning gut. Kane picked me up from work before taking the kids to the family reunion; I opted to stay home. Tomorrow, we will all go to the reunion, so I'm really not missing too much. Originally, I hadn't planned on any of us going today, but Kane wanted to take the kids. Okay.
Because of the family reunion (my mom's dad's side), my uncle and cousin are here from Saskatoon and staying with us. My cousin is the same age as Casey, so she is glad to have Abby to play with and Abby is glad to have a girl to play with. They live in Saskatoon, so we don't get to see them very often. The last time was for my grandpa's funeral nearly a year ago. I believe they are leaving tomorrow.
I'm off work now until Wednesday. Yeah! I asked for the Tuesday off, so that I could take the kids to school and get them headed in the right direction. The first day of school is rather chaotic with hundreds of kids and parents gathered together to find class lists posted on the walls. Casey is already disappointed and upset because he knows that he is going to be in a certain teacher's class. We don't really know this teacher, but we've heard that he is strict and teaches at a more advanced level. Nothing wrong with either of those qualities, but I am not sure that Casey is ready for advanced work. I guess we'll start out the year and see how things progress. Parent-teacher interviews take place near the end of September, and if there are any problems, I can always talk to the teacher or principal prior to the interviews. I know that they aren't adverse to moving a student to another class if that is in the student's best interests. Maybe Casey will need to change, or maybe he'll be challenged and succeed. Abby, on the other hand, looks to be in another split. However, she is in a grade 2/3 split rather than the grade 3/4 split. She was in a 1/2 split last year and is in grade 3 this year. I don't know much, but I think that she should be in the 3/4 split simply because she was doing a lot of advanced work last year. It's probably not that big of a deal, and she loves school anyway.
It looks as if Kane's plans to turn our carport into a suite will become a reality. We had our house assessed last week as a requirement prior to securing a new, larger mortgage. The appraisal came in much higher than Kane had expected and even hoped for. He's still in shock over that. Now we're just waiting for a phone call from the lawyer to sign the papers and finalize things, so I suppose we can start planning. It's exciting to think about creating a new space, even if it is for someone else to live in. The boys are excited, because this will also mean that we will be able to reclaim our family room downstairs which means that the boys will no longer need to share a bedroom. After we tucked them into bed last night, they began to argue over who would get the bedroom downstairs. If Casey had his way, he'd have the bunkbeds separated as of last week already. Yes, they'll get their own rooms, but it will take some time before that actually happens! There's a suite to build first.
I think I'm just about ready for the kids to go back to school. Physically, I'm ready, if only because it means my work schedule becomes calmer than it has been during the summer. Practically, I am almost prepared. Casey and Abby will receive their supplies from the school (after we pay all the fees, of course). I tried to pick up a supply list from Sam's school the other day, but the office door was locked and the two secretaries standing inside the foyer made no move to allow me in and never even made eye contact with me. As I drove away with smoke pouring out my ears, I noticed a couple cross the parking lot and enter the office! Ironically, Daniel Powter's Bad Day was playing on the radio at that moment. Even though I only know some of the words, I sang along all the way home. I could relate.
Even still, list or no list, I think I have virtually everything that Sam might need. Based on what he needed last year, I bought the basics of pens, pencils, erasers, lined paper, graph paper, two zippered binders, pencil crayons, etc. All the kids still need new shoes...maybe on Monday we can head into Wal-Mart. I need new shoes for work, too. My feet are killing me.
Two more days without school! I never finished reading To Kill a Mockingbird to my kids. They've now seen the movie, so they aren't as interested in finishing the book and I haven't had time. Maybe I'll move on to an easier, shorter book now that we will be returning to routines and schedules. Lost in the Barrens would be good or something like that.
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