Dream a Little Dream

Dreams are funny things. I often say that I could make a fortune by selling my dreams as movie scripts. Wouldn't it be interesting to try?

I had a dream last night that was quite disturbing. In fact, it was disturbing enough to wake me up. I looked at the clock, cracked my hip, and rolled over before falling back to sleep. Once asleep my dream continued but in a slightly different vein. This time, it was as if I was awake, remembering my dream and needing to do something about the events in my dream. A dream with in a dream, so to speak.

In the first dream, I was a witness to an incomprehensible act committed by a friend. I cried and screamed and struggled to make my friend stop, but my efforts were in vain and I woke up. In the second dream, I felt this overwhelming need to ask my friend about the situation in my dream. While I could not (and cannot) rationally believe that my friend would ever do what he did in that first dream, I knew that it was still a question needing to be asked. How weird is that?

Like I said, dreams are funny things. Why do we have them, and where do they come from? The origin of some dreams are easily ascertained, but others creep in without apparent rhyme or reason.

As a child, I had a recurring dream, or rather nightmare, about a shark. The dream began in a grocery store in the meat aisle. A shark would jump out and begin chasing me. He did not swim, but ran after me using his tail fins as feet. It's a dream...it doesn't have to make sense. I ran out of the grocery store, which was the only building in sight, and began to run down the road with the shark nipping at my heels. Eventually, I reached a gas station, a small, abandoned building with only a pop machine inside. I ran into the building and climbed up onto the top of the pop machine, thinking that I was finally safe. The shark entered the building and could not reach me. But then, to my horror, water began to rise from the floor, filling the building and bringing the shark ever closer to me. I was trapped. End of dream.

Where did that dream come from? I don't know. I would have been 3 years old when Jaws came to theatres, but I have no recollection of having seen it in my childhood. I also can't imagine that my parents would have taken me to see it either. But here I am, 20+ years removed from that nightmare, but I can remember it as if I had dreamed it last night.

Do our dreams mean something? Anything? I do not believe that we can translate each and every dream into a message or a sign, but I do believe that God can use dreams to speak to us. Believing that God can use dreams though is a far cry from believing that He speaks to me in my dreams. Why would He do that? It is much easier for me to attribute my dreams to stress or fear than it is to think that God has a message for me.

In high school, I frequently had dreams of being late for class or forgetting my locker combination. Now that I have a part-time job, I sometimes dream of being late for work or of my alarm not going off when it is supposed to. Such dreams are easy to nail down.

Late in my third pregnancy, I had a dream that my baby was born and was two years old. She had dark hair and walked up to someone I knew announcing that her name was Abigail. Our Abby was born with dark hair, although it is now blonde. She isn't as outgoing as the Abigail in my dream, but she is the girl that we were hoping to have.

It's not too often that my dreams include "real" people that I know. Even when my dreams do have such people in them, the situations are rarely "real" life. I like it like that. It's easier to forget a dream that is far removed from reality, but lately, I've had more dreams with "real" people in situations that may not be exactly "real" life, but they aren't as far removed as I would like. These dreams are much more difficult to let go of. They make me think and pray. They give me cause for concern or hope. Yet, they also present new difficulties. Do I share those dreams with the people within them? Do I keep it to myself? Does such a dream mean anything, or was it just something I ate?

I don't know.

Dreams are funny things.

The Lady in the Water

So the pool is up and filled and cold. Very cold. The kids didn't care. Too much. They've been in and out all afternoon. After helping Abby plant her little garden and doing some weeding, the pool was calling my name.

I'm not really much of a swimmer, and cold water is enough to keep me hot and dry on the sidelines. But, there comes a point when the heat and grimey-sweaty stickiness on the skin just can't be tolerated anymore, and the pool beckons with sweet promises of cool refreshment. Silly me.

I knew it would be cold, and it was. I had barely put my foot into the water on the other side of the ladder when those sweet promises evaporated. It was colder than cold. It was freezing! And, it was too late to back out. Have you seen the iced tea commercials where someone takes a drink and falls backwards into the sidewalk, except that the sidewalk gives way to a splash of water? That's what I did. I stood backwards on the ladder and simply fell. If you're going to take the plunge may as well do it right.

The water was so cold that even staying immersed and moving about did not keep me warm. After a couple of minutes, I'm sure I lost feeling in my hands and toes, and a cramp could be felt waiting in the wings. I am not usually so eager to get into the pool, and though it was colder than I like, it was refreshing.

Some Random Shots

Casey putting his cleats on before a game.

















Another shot of poppies from the front yard.
















Abby practicing cartwheels at the ballpark.






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Canada Day and 13th Birthdays

It feels nice but kind of weird. We have a long weekend without the cracking of a bat or the sound of baseballs popping in leather gloves. It is Canada Day, and we are able to stay home and enjoy the weekend. Imagine that.

Our enjoyment is limited though. There is much to be done, so a free weekend needs to be spent wisely. The pool is now being slowly filled with water; it will likely be ready when the weekend is over! The patio and deck have been swept and cleared of junk and is waiting to be scrubbed clean. I've cleaned and vacuumed the inside of my van. I'm surprised that my kids had room to sit back there; it was that messy!

The weekend hasn't been, nor will be, all work and no play. Kane, Casey, Abby and I went out for dinner and to see the X-Men 3 movie last night. We enjoyed the movie, although I wasn't thrilled with some aspects of the storyline, but that's the way movies go. Casey has gone to play at a friend's house. This is the same friend with whom Casey watched The Grudge several weeks ago. Kane did talk to the step-dad who was apologetic, saying that he would talk with his step-son about it. Sam is not even home this weekend. He is playing ball at a tournament out of town.

Sam was picked up yesterday. I was at work and missed seeing him off. No wonder I was distracted at work! Kane did make it home during the day to see Sam off, so at least there was a parent here. His team should be warming up for their first game about now, so I hope they play well. Sam will be gone until sometime Monday, depending on how they play.

Speaking of Sam...I'm at a loss as to what to get him for his 13th birthday next week. Any ideas? I want it to be something special for this milestone but not too expensive or extravagant. The only idea I've really had so far has been a teen Bible. He has a children's Bible that he was given at his baby shower. It still works just fine, but he's growing up and might not like to carry a Bible with children on the cover to youth group. But, I don't know if that is something that he would really want to get for his birthday. When I asked what he might like, he couldn't give me an answer. I suppose that is a better response than rattling off a wish list a mile long, but I sure could use a clue.

Raise Your Arms If You're Sure

Yesterday, I bought Sam his very own anti-perspirant. He was less than thrilled. This morning he asked if he had to use it and groaned when I said yes. He'll be thirteen in thirteen days! Now that I've already bought the anti-perspirant, I need to think of something for his birthday. What do 13 year old boys like?

Weekend Wrap-up

What a weekend! Could I just have a weekend to recover from this weekend? I really need it, but I'm not going to get it. I'm even working four days this week, so no time to recover during the week either.

Sam had his final tournament. They lost their first game Friday night. It was a tough loss, because we could have won that game, but that is how it goes sometimes. Saturday, we lost again. We kept it close for quite a while, but couldn't hold get enough runs in the end. It didn't help when Sam started off the final inning by injuring the home plate umpire. Sam swung and fouled the ball right back into the ump's throat. He was down very quickly, even twitching at one point. It was a scary situation to watch, but we had several parents in attendance who work in the medical field. An ambulance was called right away. The ump ended up being alright, and the game continued about twenty minutes later, but I think our team was shaken up by the whole thing. Sam struck out, as did the next two batters, and that was the game. We did win our final game today though.

Casey also had his final tournament of the season. They lost their first game by only a couple of runs. I missed that game, but it was apparently a good, close game that could have gone either way. They lost their second game, too. This morning, they soundly won their first game and tied in their final game. Can't complain about a finish like that!

It was a hot weekend for baseball, and the days were long. I'm glad the season is over, but now we are facing the All-Star season. Can you hear the weak enthusiasm in my "voice"? Actually, I am looking forward to the more competitive season. It is a short, busy season, but there is some quality baseball, and my kids are involved! That is exciting!

Casey will be playing Mosquito 'AAA', and Sam will likely be playing PeeWee 'A' now, not 'AA', as we had thought. Well, we had thought that he wasn't going to play All-Stars at all. His coach, and the PeeWee director, talked with Kane, practically begging Sam to play with the 'AA'. Sam is such a consistent batter. They needed his bat. He'd be free to ump during the Valley of Champions tournament. He'd play second base and field. Sam was told all these things and decided that it was enticing enough for him to play. He called his coach. He went to a practice last Thursday. Friday night at his tournament, the assistant coach talked with Kane. Now, we're not so thrilled! Apparently, he has different ideas about Sam than the director. Sam would be in the field or sitting on the bench and would really do better playing in 'A'.

My blood is simmering, I admit it. I am far from impressed by these current events. You're short 'AA' players for All-Stars. You continually ask Sam to play, even promising him certain things. You're going to fill up the roster with players from a neighbouring association. And then, you turn around and tell us something different than what we were already told and give the impression that our son isn't good enough to be on the team. That stinks! Sam didn't want to play. You talk him into it, only to tell him that he's not good enough to be fully utilized, so he should play with the 'A' team. Right. But, you're going to bring in kids that didn't play on our team at all, so you have enough "good" players for your team. Okay. Then, why even bother putting the pressure on Sam to join the team?

To top that, we heard from someone else that one of the players on Sam's team was telling people that Sam was the weakest player on the team. This is the regular season team being talked about. The kid saying this is a good enough player, but he's certainly no better than Sam, and Sam is far from being the weakest player on the team. On the contrary, he's one of the most consistent players on the team. By what criteria is this kid basing Sam's ability by? Pitching? Well, our coaches haven't let Sam pitch really this year. Sam is a consistent pitcher, but he doesn't have the same speed that most of the pitchers have. However, there was one boy on the team who has pitched a fair bit whose pitches are no harder or faster than Sam's. Sam's been relegated to the outfield, second base, and the occasion stint at third. He's made far fewer errors than everyone else on the team. Sam doesn't always have a big hit, but he manages to get on base more often than not, and he can hit a decent ball. How does any of this make Sam a weak player? The weakest? But, I guess I shouldn't be surprised. I'm quite sure that this comment or attitude has been nurtured by this boy's mother, because, of course, her son is a wonder child.

So, Kane and I no longer want Sam to play 'AA' All-Stars this year. Why play with a team when the coach doesn't want you? Why play when the coach is promising you a nice piece of sod in the outfield and a piece of bench? Why subject your son to all that when the 'A' coaches are also courting you, and they would love to have you pitch and catch and play all the positions? Why let yourself be treated as a second class player, when the 'A' coaches would treat you like a star? Sam now wants to play 'A'. Quelle surprise! He would have so much more fun, and he would learn so much more. Plus, perhaps the biggest bonus of them all, the Provincials for 'A' are being held here in Kelowna! Not only would he be able to play at the Provincials, perhaps the chance of a lifetime, but he doesn't have to leave home to do it!

As I type, Kane is talking to the PeeWee director on the phone. He is telling him that Sam no longer wants to play with the 'AA' team but the 'A' team. I wonder how that conversation will go. In general, I think the director has done a decent job, and I think he is a good coach. However, he seemed to basically hand the reins over to his assistant coach (and good friend) for most of the season. The assistant coach played things very politically, and I've not been impressed by that at all. The one weekend that the assistant coach was away and the director actually ran the show, there was such a difference all around. The kids seemed lighter and more relaxed. The positions were rotated much more, and the batting order changed quite a bit, too.

I hate sport politics. I hate politics, in general. Unfortunately, there is no escaping from either, and the older the kids get, the more political their sports get. Sad but true.

Change of Plans

So, it turns out that we may have two boys playing All-Star baseball this year after all. Are we ready for that?!

Sam played Mosquito 'AA' All-Star ball two years ago. It was a love/hate kind of season with an obnoxious coach and no fun allowed. While Sam still loved playing ball, the All-Star experience was ruined for him.

Last summer, we made the executive decision that only one child could play All-Stars, as we couldn't afford the money or time to have both playing. Sam wasn't interested in playing, but Casey was. Instead, Sam continued to ump and racked up a lot of money in the process. Casey played on the Mosquito 'A' team and had a great time. Our association hosted the Mosquito 'A' Provincials, so he had the privilege of playing in that tournament.

It was rather amusing during the try-out process last year. We had so many kids and parents ask us why Sam wasn't trying out for the PeeWee All-Star team. The coach was almost begging Sam to come out to play, but he refused. Up until yesterday, we all thought that this summer would follow the same pattern as last summer. Sam would ump, and Casey would play All-Star ball. End of story. Right?

The PeeWees have already had a couple of try-out practices; however, attendance has not been as expected. In fact, they haven't had enough interest to field both a 'AA' and 'A' team. Once again, we have been asked why Sam isn't trying out. We've given the same answer as before...Sam would rather make money by umping.

Last night, the PeeWee director once again talked with Kane about Sam playing All-Stars. This time, he brought out the big guns! He was willing to let Sam have the Valley of Champions tournament weekend off in order to ump, but he would need Sam to commit to Zones and Provincials to play. Sam could travel with his family to Provincials on the Island. However, he also made it clear that Sam would not be able to pitch or play catcher. Instead, he would play second base and outfield. What he really wanted Sam so desperately for is Sam's ability to bat and get on base.

So, we explained the proposal to Sam last night and asked him what he thought. To my surprise, he jumped at it! We reiterated the limitations he'd be facing. We questioned his sincerity and motivation. Did he truly want to play? Or, was he just saying that because his coach wanted him to play? He would not be shaken. In fact, he even phoned his coach last night to say that he was now interested in doing All-Stars. Hmmm.

It is not too late to change his mind. Officially, the All-Star teams cannot be selected until after the spring season is over, and that isn't until after the coming weekend. They do have a practice tonight, so Sam will go to that. After, we'll grill him again. Does he really want to do this?

We could tell him that he cannot play. Having two in All-Stars will keep us very busy. While the possibility is highly remote, there is a chance that Abby could be playing in an all-girls team as well. I can't imagine all three playing ball for the month of July! Honestly, I think I would go insane, but it is more likely that we would just have the boys playing. Even then, we will need the month of August to recuperate, I think.

We could tell Sam no. It was easy to do that last year; he wasn't wanting to play anyway. Suddenly, it has become more difficult to say no. He's needed and wanted and might have the opportunity to play at Provincials. How many kids can say they've done that? It's an opportunity that can either be grabbed onto with both hands or simply pass by. Too many hoped for opportunities never even enter our horizon. You have got to grab it while it's here.

Go for it, Sam!

This is me

I Don't Know How by Margaret Becker

Feels like it's all gone crazy
Lying here tonight
Just can't work it out
And I wish that You were nearer now
So I could feel You by my side 'cause
I know You'll make it all right

chorus:
And I don't know how
Anybody goes without something to believe in
I don't know why we do
And I don't know how
Anybody finds their way without something to believe in
I just know I need You

And I don't know what I'd do without You
Where I'd go
To find some kind of a peace
'Cause even when the night comes down
And I find it hard to breathe
I still feel You're right here with me

chorus

And slipping through my curtains
Is a light coming off the street
Right now it's the only light I see
And even on the nights like this
When I'm driven to my knees
I run to You and I know
You cover me

chorus

Heavy Heart

Progress is in short supply when it comes to the bowel battle with Abby. We've been giving her Senekot for several days now, and even though it is quite disgusting, she has become fairly quick at taking it. But, no results worth noting. We don't know when she last had a significant bowel movement which is cause for concern...and action.

I popped into the health food store between ballgames this morning in search of another natural laxative of which I've heard positive reports. A helpful clerk noted my distressed face and offered her service to me. I should have taken that opportunity to run in the opposite direction. When I told her what I was looking for Cascara in a liquid form, she pointed me towards the capsules, which were not what I was looking for. Of course, then I had to explain why I really wanted a liquid and not the capsules. I should have known better than to open that door. Her immediate response was, "Oh! I wouldn't give that to my child, if I were you!" The next fifteen minutes are somewhat hazy in my mind. Truth be told, as soon as she made that initial comment, I knew that I was in for a lecture and basically shut off my brain. It wasn't that she was rude or uncaring. It wasn't even that she didn't have useful information to share. On the contrary, she was informative and seemed as if she wanted to help; I just don't know how helpful she really was. It is easy for a stranger to say that we don't need to give Abby such a strong laxative, but does that stranger fully comprehend what we're dealing with? This is not a case of feeling a little constipated this morning. To put it quite bluntly, I don't think that Abby has pooped more than the size of a walnut in over a week. It could even be two weeks. Does that sound like routine constipation? I don't think so.

I did end up buying the Cascara in capsule form, but I also walked out with a few samples of what the clerk recommended I use instead. I gave her one sample today. It tasted good, she liked it, but we haven't seen any action yet.

After the health food store, I walked into Save-On Foods to purchase an enema. I didn't want to make that purchase, but we know from experience that laxatives alone won't do the trick. Until the blockage is cleared, the laxative only does so much.

Tonight, after coming home from a great weekend of baseball, Abby had a shower and watched a documentary on elephants; her favourite animal. Then, it was time for the enema. I gently explained the process to her, and she burst into tears. My heart shattered into a million pieces. While I administered the enema, Abby bawled and bawled, and it was all I could do to keep myself from bawling, too.

Nothing. No progress. No change. I hated what I had to do to my little girl, and it was seemingly all for naught. My tears come now, knowing that this terrible thing will need to be repeated, and we'll need to use suppositories. My daughter will cry many tears, and I will be unable to do anything but join her.

Casey

Casey doing the long jump.

June 7, 2006

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Sam

Sam pitching

June 2006

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Poppies

June 13, 2006

In my front yard

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Abby

June 2006

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Drive-Thru Etiquette for Dummies

Having worked in a drive-thru eons ago at McDonalds and now at Tim Horton's, I have often been amused and frustrated by the customers; I could write a book, but instead I'll just make a helpful list.

1. Don't pull into a drive-thru while you are in the midst of a cellphone conversation that cannot be put on hold. Please don't tell the restaurant employee to wait until you finish your conversation; you're holding up the line.
2. If you drive a big, diesel truck, it would be helpful to shut your truck off while ordering. Believe it or not, but it is quite difficult for the drive-thru employee to hear your order over the noise of your truck. In fact, it is also difficult to hear the order before and after your truck, too.
3. It is helpful to know what you want to order before attempting to order. We don't read minds, and if you say that you want a black coffee, no sugar, that is what you will get. How are we supposed to know that you really meant a coffee with cream and no sugar? Say what you mean and mean what you say.
4. Please don't get short with us when we are required to ask you questions about your order. We want you to receive exactly what you want, so we need to ask whether your sandwich is on white or whole wheat bread or what kind of donut you would like.
5. Likewise, if we read your order back to you, we do so for your benefit and not to waste your precious time. Take the time to actually listen to us as we read back your order; it could save a lot of hassle and make sure you get what you wanted.
6. When you pull up to the order board, there is no need to shout out, "Heeelllooo!" as if there was nobody home. Also, if we welcome you and ask you to wait for just a few seconds, please don't proceed to rattle off your order. We typically don't ask you to wait for the fun of it. Usually, our hands might be full, or we might be in the process of talking with another customer.
7. If you are ordering meals for half a dozen people, please consider coming into the restaurant to order. No matter how fast our service, such a large order still takes time to place and prepare. Really, you're not saving yourself any time by using the drive-thru.
8. There is a garbage can a few feet from the drive-thru window. Please use it instead of asking us to handle your garbage. Should we pass our garbage out the window for you to dispose of?
9. Unless you are married to the person serving you, there really is no need to call them "sweetheart" or "darling" or any other word expressing familiarity and affection.
10. Remember to stop at the order board to place your order! It is easy to see how you might forget to do so, but shouldn't you be paying better attention when you're driving? Failing to place your order at the order board can cause confusion, because your order isn't in the proper queue. You might not want to pay for and receive the order behind you.
11. If after taking your money, we tell you that part of your order is on its' way, please do not drive away without it!
12. Breathe when you place your order. There is no need to say a largedoubledoubletwoextralargetripletriplesablueberrybageltoastedwithstrawberrycreamcheeseandahoneycruller all in one breath! Not to mention that taking a few breaths also makes it easier for us to hear every item you order.
13. If we're busy and food preparation is slow, please be patient. We understand your frustration; we feel it ourselves, but remember that you're still getting your meal in good time. Would you rather have your sandwich made incorrectly in 30 seconds or correctly in two minutes?
14. When you are waiting in line, why not count out the change that you're going to pay with? We don't mind your handful of quarters, nickels and dimes, but maybe count it before you get to the window. If you're waiting for the car in front of you to receive his order, you may as well be productive.
15. Using a drive-thru loses its' meaning when you need to get out of your vehicle to pay the cashier and pick up your food.
16. Back to the large diesel trucks...if you are kind enough to shut off your truck while ordering, please warn us before starting it back up. We value our hearing.
17. Please do not order from the passenger or back seat of the vehicle. You should realize that it is difficult to hear someone ordering from these positions. You wouldn't think so, but it is.
18. You might think it is cute to let your dog lurch out your window in hopes of a goodie, but do you really want the hands that touch your food to be touching an animal?
19. Driving with kids can be frustrating sometimes, but try not to yell at your kids while at the order board. We can hear them and you. Background noise really interferes with our ability to hear through the headsets. It doesn't matter whether that noise is a crying child, music, a loud truck, or nearby construction.
20. Speak up and speak clearly.
21. Know which drive-thru you're at. You look foolish for ordering a Big Mac at Tim Horton's. A Tim Horton's employee might not know what size you are referring to when you say "tall" or "venti" or "grande".
22. When we ask you if you would like anything else, be clear in your response. If you say no, mean no. If you say yes, then continue ordering.
23. When ordering at the drive-thru, there is no need to ask for your order "to go". That's kind of the purpose of a drive-thru.
24. If you're at a donut shop, don't be surprised that they don't have ketchup! Make your requests reasonable. Your servers aren't miracle workers.
25. The person serving you may only be working for minimum wage at a fast food restaurant, but they are still people. They work hard and deserve to be treated with respect and courtesy. If you do, you'll find the service that much better!





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Heavyweight

I have a killer headache gathering forces inside my head. So much is going on, yet so much remains the same. It's been a day!

My boss has seen fit to hire at least four employees who have reached, at most, the tender age of 14. I'm not completely sure of all the ages, but I do know that one is 13 (the same age as my Sam!). We're desperate for new employees. The "help wanted" signs have been in place for months, but are we really that desperate? They are great kids, well mannered and bright. All homeschooled, so they are able to work during the day. Still, I just can't imagine sending Sam off to Tim Horton's for a part-time job. Perhaps if they were simply washing dishes and clearing tables, but they aren't. They are working the front counter, the drive-thru, and the sandwich bar. We have adult women who struggle on the sandwich bar, because it can be a highly demanding work station. Customers, whether in drive-thru or in-store, can be rude and belligerent at times, enough to stress adult employees. How can a young teen handle that stress? Why should they have to?!

Thankfully, work issues and stress can be shed as I exit the restaurant door. Other issues just can't be so easily ignored. For a long time, there has been a dark shadow off in the distance warning of impending doom. Sounds so lovely, doesn't it. When Casey was 3, he had encopresis. In a nutshell, encopresis is extreme impaction and constipation. Chronic. Some people manage to "cure" themselves or outgrow it, others suffer through it for the rest of their lives. For over a year, Casey had regular visits with a pediatrician. There were daily enemas, suppositories, and laxatives for months. It was not a fun time, but it passed. Casey has been problem-free for a long time now. However, there have been times over the years when we have been concerned that Abby may be following in her brother's footsteps. We'd be concerned for a while, and then things would seem to be okay. Lately though, things are looking less rosy and more gloomy by the minute.

The warning signs are beginning to shout at us, and I'm left wishing with all my heart to avoid traveling this road again. I don't want to go through this another time, too much was taken out of me the first time. I don't want to take my daughter to a doctor for formal treatment; it was bad enough watching Casey endure the embarrassment and discomfort of rectal exams. How could I put my little girl through that? I don't want to feel incompetent in my parenting, because others don't understand the problem. I don't know that I could deal with doctors and nurses that don't understand the problem. Been there, done that!

So, we need to take steps to nip this in the bud. Regardless of whether we treat it ourselves or seek medical help, this is a long haul kind of issue. It can't be cured overnight or in a weekend; months is more likely.

The Umpire Strikes Back

My son the umpire.




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Carrying a Grudge

Casey went to a friend's house for a sleepover yesterday. We picked him up at 8:00am, because he had a baseball game at 9:00am. His friend's mom had Casey ready for us and assured us that he had received plenty of sleep. Past experience has shown us that Casey typically sleeps very little at a sleepover, and we all know how a lack of sleep affects his attitude and ability to function.

As we drove to the ballpark, Casey proudly informed us that he and his friend had watched the movie, The Grudge last night. I think my eyeballs popped out of their sockets! We have several movie channels on our cable package, so I've seen parts of The Grudge, both the original Japanese version and the American remake. Frankly, I'm not a big fan of horror movies or anything along that line, and we most definitely would not let our kids watch that type of a movie. We've had that conversation with our kids before, especially Casey, as he is the type of kid that desperately seeks approval and attention, even to the point of doing something he knows is wrong if his friends are doing it.

Peer pressure is something that parents need to be aware of. We certainly are aware of the potential, and we pray and try to take proactive steps to prevent it or, at the least, lessen the effects. Sam is a rather independent soul, not as quick to follow the crowd. I don't know that Sam would necessarily always speak up for himself or what he believes, but I do trust Sam to make the right choice more often than not. Casey is on the opposite end of the spectrum; he is quick to follow, and that concerns me.

Kane is going to talk with the mom of Casey's friend; apparently, she was well aware of the movie the boys were watching. Situations like this are the reason why I much prefer my kids to play at our house when with friends from school. The original plan was for Casey's friend to come sleepover here. I don't know how or why that changed; I was out for six hours yesterday watching Sam ump a ballgame. When I came home around 2pm, Casey was already gone.

Of course, despite being told that Casey had plenty of sleep, he has been tired and cranky all day long. He held up well during his ballgame, but that was first thing this morning. By the time we were driving back home, he was snarky and ornery. The "happy" mood continued for the rest of the day. Thankfully, he is now in bed, and there is only silence down the hall towards the bedrooms. I'm not sure how much more attitude I could have taken today. Am I really ready for summer break in just a few more weeks?!

I am rather irritated about the Grudge thing. Just watching parts of the trailer for that movie freaked me out, and I'm not easily grossed or freaked out. Casey does tend to get more emotional, especially at bedtime, after watching movie with intense or scary scenes. He knows better. He does! Just a couple of weeks ago, we were watching something on TV...I can't even remember what it was, but there was a scene that was a little intense. Casey immediately covered his eyes, and I was so proud of him for realizing his limits and taking steps to protect himself. Obviously, being with his friend over-rode any build-in safety parameters he had built up in his brain. Guess I'll be praying tonight for sweet dreams for Casey.

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

My mom had some prints made from photos on her digital camera, including several photos that I had taken. Both pictures here are of Casey. The top photo was taken mere minutes before I buzzed his hair in March. The bottom photo was taken shortly after the "buzz". He didn't immediately like the change, and while I do think his longer locks fit him perfectly, I quite like my little boy with short hair, too. Either way, hair grows, and he can grow it longer once again after the summer's heat has given way to the chill of winter.

Brushing Up

After nearly two hours at the dentist yesterday, all three of my children were declared cavity-free and sported freshly cleaned and fluoride-treated teeth. Casey has had two spacers in his mouth for a few years now, because he had two badly decayed baby teeth pulled well before their time. He has complained about those spacers ever since they were first put in. He can't chew gum. They hurt or they wiggle. So, I reminded Casey to talk to the dentist about the one spacer that has given him the most trouble. It was quite loose, so the dentist removed it with the idea of replacing it with a new and improved version in a couple of weeks. Never one to be happy with where he's at, Casey immediately began complaining about his lack of a spacer! It feels weird to not have it. He likes his spacers and wants it back.

Good grief! I hope he realizes that he won't have those spacers in his mouth forever. Eventually, the time will come for the permanent teeth to erupt, leaving no room nor need for spacers.

The Sound of Music

As we were driving home from the ballpark this evening to the tunes of Whiteheart, I got to thinking about our stereos and tastes in music. My van has a tape deck and radio, both in working condition. Our previous family van also had a tape deck and radio, but the tape deck didn't work. Way back when we had an actual "car", we went to the expense of having a quality tape deck installed. For years now, I've wanted a CD player in my vehicle; actually, I'd prefer to have a tape deck and CD player, but if it comes down to either-or, I'll keep the tape deck.

We do have a CD player at home. Actually, our little stereo holds 3 CDs and has a dual tape deck. It isn't big, but it was affordable and does the job just fine. Our music collection certainly isn't immense. We enjoy a variety of music; we're just too cheap to make buying new music a priority. When the cost of a new CD is equal to a new pair of shoes for the kids or a two week supply of juice boxes for school lunches, there just isn't money to spare.

However, I do love music, which is not to say that I'm musically inclined. I did a two year stint playing the clarinet in grade 6 and 7, but I didn't enjoy it. I'm also not sure that I was really any good. It probably also isn't highly known that I did a lot of singing when I was younger (saying that makes me feel old!), but I did. My sisters and I regularly sang in front of our church congregation, although I remember my feelings of embarrassment over that. Besides taking part in elementary school choirs, I also did perform a couple of solos for music festival type events. I've sung at my uncle's wedding. I was in the Glee Club at my junior high school in grade 7; we performed as part of the musical, "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown!". In grade 9, I was part of a school choir which sang more contemporary numbers like Wham's "Wake Me Up Before You Go". (I think I just dated myself.)

Was I, am I any good? I'd tell you no in a heartbeat. I'm sure I could sing better than many of the "hopefuls" that try out for American Idol, but I have the good sense to know that I'm not good enough. So, I sing with the congregation at church or in the privacy of my home or van. But back to music...

I think I've decided that I am okay with not having a CD player installed in my van. Even though I have a tape deck in the house, I never listen to my tapes at home. Just my CDs. In the van, I often simply listen to the radio, but I do put on a tape from time to time. Naturally, all the tapes that I own are "older" music, but I'm okay with that, too. Music isn't something that goes out of style to me. The fashions on the liner may have changed drastically, but the music and the words still have the ability to draw me in. Sometimes, I even prefer the "older" stuff, but I do like the "new" stuff, too.

In my CD player, I have Tchaikovsky, Itzhak Perlman, and Margaret Becker. Last week, I was listening to Grammy 2006 Nominees, Mandy Patinkin, and Seal. When I am working on a big household project, I like to listen to The Temptations, Neil Diamond, or the Beach Boys. In the van, I have tapes of Michael W. Smith, Whiteheart, Margaret Becker, Allies, and the soundtrack for the Prince of Egypt.

Working for the Weekend

What a day! I worked from 8:30am until 2pm, and I think that the only time I was able to stop moving was during my 15 minute break. It was insanely busy, non-stop, but it was a good day. Busy is alright by me, so long as I'm working with good people and the customers are in a good mood, too.

Of course, now that I'm home, I really don't have much time to sit and relax either. I'm off to Vancouver for a whirlwind weekend of shopping and visiting with friends. We leave tomorrow morning and hope to return late Sunday afternoon or early evening. Sam has a baseball tournament this weekend with a game tonight. Casey has floor hockey after school for an hour, the kids have to deliver newspapers, and I need to make supper before we leave for baseball. Also, I need to have a bath, pack my overnight bag, paint my toe nails, do a last minute load of laundry, wash dishes, and make sure I've laid things out for Kane. Maybe after all that I will be able to sit and breathe and relax, or I could just go to bed then.

It's Wednesday. The middle of the week. I worked a four hour shift today, which was too short to merit a break but long enough to work up a sweat and a sore back. The good news is that tomorrow is a day off! Life is busy, exhaustion arrives and never truly leaves, and my mind feels overworked...

But, there are things I want to say while I remember them. There's no real sense of order or importance; I haven't had enough caffeine to make too much sense yet.

-I love my husband. He holds my hand when we walk together. He opens the van door for me and holds doors open for me to enter first. He helps with the dishes, which is really an asset with the dishwasher out of order! He makes a great omelet, too.

-I am liking my water pik. After having my teeth cleaned a few weeks ago, on the dentist's recommendation, I bought a water pik. I hate flossing, so this gadget has become my favourite new tool. On the dental flip side though, I have become highly aware of how frequently I keep my teeth together. Not a good thing, according to my dentist. At rest, your teeth should not touch! I suppose that this new awareness is a good thing, but it is seriously affecting my sleep patterns. Even in my sleep, I am consciously aware of where my teeth are at now. I just want to sleep and dream about anything but my teeth.

-We watched When a Stranger Calls last night. (no baseball!) It wasn't really what I would have liked to watch, but the selection at the video store was rather lacking. The movie was alright, predictable though, and just suspenseful enough to keep the adrenaline coursing through my body. In the end though, it was just another formula movie with scenes that make me comment on stupid characters and obvious plotlines. Maybe, if I truly were in a scary situation, I wouldn't be as sharp as I am simply observing the situation, but I highly doubt that I'd leave the safety of a house to run outside looking for help. In the dark. Through the woods. But, that's just me!

-I haven't had any time to sit and do any writing for quite a while now. Frustration! Double frustrating when there are words and phrases floating through my head with no where to go but out my ear and into space. I should, could keep a notebook and pen handy in the van or by the bed. Trouble is that the good ideas always pop in when I'm unable to take that opportunity in hand, like while I am at work. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to pause life once in a while?

-Canadian Superstore has the absolute best blueberry bagels! Trust me...they actually taste like blueberry.

Brokedown Appliance

It was bound to happen someday...our dishwasher has broken. I don't know exactly how old it is, but I do know that it has been in this house for more than fourteen years. Realistically, this dishwasher is likely about twenty years old, which raises the big question. Is it worth repairing? We don't know the answer to that. We don't even know what is wrong with the machine in the first place. It could quite easily cost as much as half the price of a new base model, but would we truly want to repair such an old appliance? New machines are more efficient and require less energy which converts to long term savings.

I guess we'll need to try and find time to do some comparison shopping. We can't afford a big, fancy dishwasher with all the bells and whistles, but I'm sure that even the machines at the cheaper end of the spectrum have different options available. It would be quite nice to have almost all of our appliances matching. We bought a new refrigerator when we moved in here in 1997; it is white. Our microwave is also white. The stove, which is probably almost as old as the dishwasher, is an almond colour. Our now defunct dishwasher is a lovely shade of gold.

In the meantime, I guess I need to be more diligent about washing dishes by hand. I have no choice really. With seven people in this house, dirty dishes pile up quickly. I hate washing dishes!! Sounds like a good time to get the kids more involved...

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

We just got home after our third baseball game in yet another tournament. Casey's team is playing in a neighbouring association's Mosquito tournament, and have we played well! So far, we are undefeated, finishing first in our pool. Tomorrow, we are guaranteed one more game, and if we win that one, we're in the championship game. It would be awesome to make it to that final game, but I am just so impressed with our team's effort. Winning is just the icing on the cake!

We froze during the game last night, but thankfully the rain held off. This morning, I looked out the window and noted the ground was wet, but despite clouds, we stayed dry again. In fact, the sun even made fools of us all. Parents showed up with layers of clothing on their backs, but it was sunny and hot by our 3pm game. I knew I should have worn capris this morning; instead, I wore jeans and a hoodie.

So, if Casey's team wins tomorrow morning, I am presented with some complications. Sam will return from his youth camping trip around 2pm and will need to be picked up from the church. No problem there; the final game starts at 3:30pm. However, Sam has his own game starting across town at 5pm, meaning he needs to be there by 4:15-4:30pm. Since Kane is Casey's coach, I would need to transport Sam to his game and miss most of Casey's. I wouldn't even have the option of dropping Sam off early and heading back to Casey's game, because Abby has a practice at 6pm. The good news is that another mom on our team has been helping scorekeep this weekend, so she should be able to do the job...assuming we make it to that final game. If we don't, then it really doesn't matter. :o)

You know, I think this is the first time that any team my kids have been on has played so well in a tournament scenario (well, Abby's tadpole team was undefeated a couple of weeks ago, but there were no play-offs in that tournament). We do have a couple of skilled ball players, but we do not have a stacked team by any stretch of the imagination. There are 3 or 4 kids on Casey's team who have never played baseball before, so Kane and I are so excited to see the development occuring and playing out on the field. That's what baseball is all about!

Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head

Another night of baseball, another grey and overcast day. Both Sam and Abby play ball tonight. Will we get wet, or will we stay dry?

I love the rain. I really do, but I'm ready to see some sunshine again. If we didn't have to be out at the ballpark every night, I wouldn't mind all this rain. We certainly need all the moisture, and I don't even mind being out in it once in a while; just not all the time.

It's not raining at this very moment, but the sky looks a little ominous. Even if it were to start raining, we'd still likely be playing. Sam played in pouring rain Monday night. Anyone sliding into home plate would have needed a snorkel and flippers.

A Long, Long Weekend

It has been a long weekend, and not just because it is a holiday long weekend. Our baseball association hosts a Mosquito tournament every May long weekend. So, we played, or rather, watched Casey play a lot of ball. The first two games of the tournament Saturday morning were delayed on account of heavy rain. After pumping out puddles and a lot of raking, we played our first game in the rain. The rain stopped shortly before our second game of the day, and the sun came out to play.

Sunday was hot and sunny. I tried to stay out of the sun. Really, I did, but I wound up sunburned on my forearms and face, nonetheless. Casey played two ballgames, and the boys won the Gamecube game they wanted in the silent auction.

We had only one game this morning, and the rain was back. Thankfully, it was only a drizzle which came and went and came and went. We weren't back home until about 3:00pm, and I went to work on a late lunch/early supper. We ate, we watched TV, Kane napped, and Sam practiced trombone. Now, Kane and the boys are at Sam's ballgame. Abby is in the bathtub, and here I am.

I really hate missing my kids' games, but Abby didn't want to go, and she needed a bath. As much as I want to watch my son play, I am exhausted. I've reached the point in this crazy baseball season where I can't keep track of the days anymore. Is it the 19th or the 20th? I'm a day behind most of the time now; it's a good thing I keep my daytimer in perfect running order! What would we do without it?!

Tonight is the season finale for 24. Will Jack save the world again? Of course, he will. The bigger question is will I be able to keep my eyes open while he does it.

A Driveway with a View

I needed to use up the last couple shots in the camera, so I stood at the end of my driveway and snapped this one. I'll never get tired of the beauty of God's creation.



This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike2.5 Canada License.

Tadpole Tournament

Mother's Day weekend is traditionally the Tadpole baseball tournament, and this year was no exception. The weather was hot and sunny. Abby has been practicing her cartwheels for the past couple of weeks and took advantage of the big grassy park before a game.
















For the first time in RMBA history, or so we've been told, we had an all-girl infield! Abby played shortstop that inning and is stopping the ball in the photo.














Here's Abby up to bat. She has been hitting very well so far this season, even hitting a double in a regular game Monday night.





This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike2.5 Canada License.

Keep Moving or Drop

I won't write about yesterday and spilling tea and chili and wanting to slap a co-worker. Instead, I am going to talk about today.

"Don't be fooled by the calendar. There are only so many days in the year as you make use of."
Charles Richards

It is a day off, although my boss has called three times and left a message on my voice mail twice. He probably also tried to call me on my cell phone. Persistent fellow, but I've got call display! In one of the messages, he asked if I could work on Thursday. I can do that; just not today, please.

It is now 11:00am, and I've been busy. The last load of laundry is in the dryer, the dishwasher is waiting to be unloaded and clean dishes are drying on the dishrack. I have a couple of loaves of banana bread just about ready to come out of the oven, I've swept the floors and tidied the living room.

My stomach is telling me it's time to eat lunch before I do anything else. I'm entertaining thoughts of baking some muffins yet today; there are still some ripe bananas to use up. Then, the rest of the afternoon is free to relax...mostly. Supper needs to be ready very early today, but it can still wait until the kids are finished school.

Abby has a ballgame tonight across the dreaded bridge. This will be her fifth straight day of baseball, and I will need to wash her uniform tomorrow as she has team photos. Casey has team photos tonight, and Sam's are tomorrow before his game.

A nap is sounding more enticing by the minute...

Mothers

"The most important thing she'd learned over the years was that there was no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one."
-Jill Churchill


Mother's Day is rapidly approaching. For me, it just wouldn't be Mother's Day without a baseball tournament to attend and so, we'll be spending several hours at the ballpark for Abby's mid-season tournament. I think I'll keep Casey away from the bleachers this Mother's Day; I don't need a broken tooth for a gift. We typically don't really do much for this special day or Father's Day. The kids might make something at school or the opposite parent will remind them to make one at home the night before. Sometimes, there might even be a small gift, but we really just keep things low-key.

Still, it is nice to feel appreciated, at least for one day. While I know my family loves and appreciates me, it is easy to feel lost beneath the piles of laundry and dirty dishes or to feel squished between errands, appointments, and this activity or that one. Moms do a lot, we put up with a lot, and we give a lot. Sometimes, what we receive in return just doesn't seem to add up correctly. But, as I keep telling my husband, it's the little things that matter most. Flowers are lovely, but I'd be thrilled if the kids (and 'big kid') picked up after themselves. An expensive gift prettily wrapped is nice, but nothing warms my heart as much as hearing my kids say that they love me. Being taken out for dinner is a treat, but I would just as soon see my husband and kids make the effort to put a meal together for me at home. It doesn't need to be gourmet or perfect. It's the thought and effort behind it that count.

And just like that one of my sons snarks at me, and I am irritated. He thinks that life is so unfair. Well son, it is unfair. Deal with it. He can pout and growl at me all he wants; he'll still want me to tuck him into bed tonight, and I'll still love to do it.

Angela and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day

Yesterday was not a good day. Not completely anyway. The sun was shining, and it was much warmer; we didn't freeze at baseball last night. I got a bit of tidying done, including vacuuming. I made puffed wheat squares which don't hold together the way I remember them as a kid. So, those were the positives.

Maybe the day wasn't really terrible and horrible, but I sure was in a snarky mood! I've been frustrated for several days over a problem with our baseball website. The timing is terrible; we're in the midst of our season, and the problem was within a program that is used frequently. At last, it looked like everything was back to normal yesterday...until I went to make some changes. It works, but it's still not where I need it to be, and I don't know how to fix it.

Of course, being home all day yesterday left me with plenty of time to stew over my problems with Sam's ball team. It still bothers me, but I'm not feeling quite so close to the boiling point today.

The other day, I had washed a pink t-shirt of mine along with some other clothes. I was surprised to see a rather large blotchy stain on the front when I put it on yesterday. Where it came from I don't know. It certainly wasn't there when I put it in the wash. I did laundry yesterday, too, so I washed the shirt again, spraying it with stain remover. After the wash cycle, I pulled it out for a visual inspection. Not only was that stain still there, but there were more! Lots more...all over the place, and nothing wrong with all the other clothes in that load. More stain remover and another wash cycle made no difference to the shirt, but I was quite irritated. The shirt is ruined, and I didn't spill a drop on it. I'm still fuming about that.

While driving to pick Sam up from school, a wonderful lady in a white SUV cut me off. "Cut me off" might not be an accurate description. A vehicle was stopped on the side of the road in my lane, I had enough time to change lanes comfortably, so I shoulder checked and signaled. The white SUV was directly behind me and began to signal a lane change at the same time as I did. There was enough space between us to allow us both to change lanes, but this driver decided it wasn't good enough to be behind me. She greatly increased her speed so much that I was forced to cut back into my lane to avoid a collision. Then, she whipped right past me. I confess I let loose a few words that I typically don't say. Stupid idiot! And no, those aren't the words I was talking about.

I received an email last night regarding a baseball tournament and the need to find parent volunteers for a whack of things. Okay, no problem, except the email listed time slots to be filled by each team without mention of which team we were. I assumed we were the same number as we normally are, but no. When I asked then for clarification as to what number we were, instead of being told the answer, I was told that information would come with our tournament package. Yeah, okay, then why send out these emails in a panic and a huff with a rapidly approaching deadline to have the volunteers in place when you haven't given out the package yet?! Or, should I add mind reader to my list of abilities?

See how snarky I was?

On our way to baseball last night, I realized that I had forgotten to bring some photos for a parent that I've been holding onto for a month or so now.

Also on the way to baseball, we went through a Tim Horton's drive-thru for a cafe mocha for Kane, a French vanilla smoothee for me, and a box of timbits. As we pulled away, I opened the box eagerly anticipating a honey cruller timbit with my name on it. Wrong. There wasn't a single honey cruller timbit; proof that this just wasn't my day.

And now it is a new day, full of wondrous possibilities. Right? Yeah sure.

"If you follow every dream, you might get lost."

Ironically, this is a line from a song playing on my CD player at this very moment. It's actually not a bad song, but I can't help but find that line rather amusing in a warped kind of way.

Back to today...let's see. I had thought I might bake, but now I'm thinking I'm too lazy for that today. There's no pressing housework until after school when I need to get supper going. There are no errands to run-thank goodness! There is Diet Coke black cherry vanilla in my fridge calling my name. Resistance is futile. Maybe I'll scrapbook or read or start a puzzle...could I fit a nap in there? So many possibilities, so little time.

Mad Dogs Drool

Time to put on my mother bear face and let loose a few growls...simply because if I don't, I might implode.

I love sports. I love watching my kids play sports, but I absolutely hate the politics of sports. There is no escaping it; it's everywhere.

Sam really wanted to make the peewee 'AA' baseball team this year. We knew that he was certainly capable, but we know that he isn't the best ball player in his age group. He made one of the two 'AA' teams. He's happy. We're happy. Right? Yes and no.

I don't want to be a whiny parent. I don't want to be the type of parent who pushes her child for my own glory or benefit. However, I get so frustrated watching a game and seeing favouritism and unfairness and politics. So what if this is a 'AA' team! It is still a house league, not All-Star, not the major leagues. House!

I've watched Sam sit on the bench for at least one, often two innings every game. There are only 11 players on the team, they field 9 players, and they play 5 to 7 innings. It's going to happen that some players sit every game, even a player or two sitting twice, but why the same kid every game? Has Sam been playing horribly? Made lots of errors? Nope. Quite the opposite really. The coaches' kids and the "star" players have made so many errors in the past few games it makes my head spin.

Besides sitting two innings, Sam has also seemingly been relegated to the outfield with the occasional turn at second base. I haven't heard Sam complain about this yet, but I know that he is disappointed. He's got quick hands and loves the infield. He wants to pitch. He loves being the catcher or first base. It's just not happening.

Also, the coach has mentioned that his batting line up is based on batting performance. Fine. Sam has been the last batter for a few games now, too. He hadn't been doing well at bat before, but he did just fine on Sunday; on base every time with walks and singles. Where was he on the line up last night? Last again. He also was on base every at bat last night, so we'll wait and see where he bats on Wednesday.

Honestly, I don't care where Sam falls in the batting line up. He gets to bat. Whether he's in the top four, middle or bottom is irrelevant. As long as he gets on base and generates offense, batting order really doesn't make a difference. He's always been a consistent batter. I think most of his struggles up until now have arisen from being told to bunt when he wasn't comfortable doing that and simply needing a boost of confidence in the batter's box. I took him into the batting cage Saturday morning before his game and worked on bunting specifically but also just connecting with the ball. He did very well in the batting cage, and I believe it was the boost he needed for his confidence. He hasn't struck out since.

I had to leave the game early last night. Kane stayed to watch the final few innings. After the game, he talked to one of the coaches about these issues that we've been feeling, but he worded them in such a way as to not be critical. He asked why Sam is always sitting two innings and what Sam could work on in order to be able to play other positions. The response...well, the line up tonight was a rush job, we really wanted to win this game, Sam's playing better, blah, blah, blah.

I'll apologize now, but that was a crap answer. How could the line up be rushed or pieced together when it is the same line up that you play every game? Of course we wanted to win that game, but what does that have to do with playing kids fairly? I'm sure you want to win every game, but you still have 11 players on the team. Sam's playing better?! I know he's not the fastest runner, he doesn't have the hardest throw or the biggest hits, but just how bad do they think he was playing? Other players have made so many silly, careless errors. Sam hasn't yet. He will at some point because everyone does sooner or later. Sam's not the only player to have not batted well. Until Sunday, our team as a whole had no offense. I don't know...I guess I just find that comment rather insulting. Well actually, I found the whole response insulting.

One player was dropped from the team just prior to last weekend and replaced with a player from a 'A' team. It wasn't a surprise to us as we had heard rumblings for a while about how this player really shouldn't have made 'AA' to begin with. Gee, hmmm...isn't our coach the director for peewee? Isn't that why there are evaluations before the season starts so you can assess a player's abilities? Personally, I don't like cutting a player once he's made a team and played several games with the team. It stinks.

So, I wonder where Sam will play on Wednesday. Will he be in a new position because Kane stirred the pot? Or will he still be sitting, field and second base? If Sam was playing poorly, we'd understand this better. Kane told the coach this, too. But, we're just not seeing Sam play any more poorly than anyone else.

So what is it?

Try It, You'll Like It!

Sam is such a fussy eater. When it comes to food, he is quite particular about what he likes or does not like based on texture, appearance, taste, and of course, everything needs to line up with his mental list of food rules. It can't be too "wet". Two separate items cannot touch on his plate. He loves cheese but won't eat a cheeseburger. And so it goes.

I'm not the kind of parent who forces her children to eat everything that is prepared for a meal. I have vivid memories of gagging down liver drowned in ketchup. I was required to eat a stuffed mushroom cap for my 16th birthday, even though I absolutely detest mushrooms. I seem to remember being required to try calamari when my parents took me out for dinner for my graduation. I've been pulled kicking and screaming down that road, and I hated it. So, I can understand that there are foods that my kids will not like and will refuse to eat. No problem. However, I do encourage the kids to try new foods, because you never know whether you'll like it unless you first try it. Right? Also, there are some foods that my kids often "have" to eat, at least a little bit of, because they do have to eat some a healthy variety of food. I don't particularly care for green peppers or onions, but I will eat them if they are in a dish.

Casey and Abby can be picky, but they are more willing to try something once. Sam is more stubborn, rarely even willing to take a little taste. He can rarely even be bribed to try something new! He's the same way with medicine. He'd rather suffer with a sore throat, a cough or a headache than take something to help alleviate the symptoms.

On Sunday, on our way to baseball, Kane and I stopped for some drinks from the Blenz coffee shop in our neighbourhood. Kane had a strawberry fruitchillo, while I decided to try their matcha green tea chillo. I was intrigued by this green tea drink, but also a little nervous. I'm not really a tea drinker; in fact, I've never even tried green tea, hot or cold. But, I tried it, and it was okay, good enough that I would possibly order it again. Of course, Abby wanted a taste, and Casey wanted a taste. Both liked it. I offered a taste to Sam, who was naturally reluctant. I pushed it, and he relented.

"Okay," he said, "The next time we go to that coffee shop, I want one of those okay!"

This morning, Sam was complaining of a stuffy nose. Gee Sam, I've been offering you allergy medicine for a couple of weeks now! Again, he began to resist, but I think he was suffering just enough to keep that door ajar. I showed him the bottle, reminded him that he had taken some of the exact same stuff last year after being stung by a wasp and not complained about the taste. He relented.

Guess what! He liked it.

You know, kids, this is why moms always tell you to try something new before forming an opinion!

Caught in a Secret

While at work yesterday, I served a mom from Sam's hockey team. She has recently created a local magazine for the 'boomer' generation, at least I think that is the correct generational label. All I know for sure is that this magazine is aimed towards people older than I am.

As I served this woman, she mentioned that Kane had let her in on a little secret. Clueless, I smiled and asked what secret that might be. I wasn't aware of any secrets that Kane might be passing along. It seems that Kane told this woman that I write poetry, and perhaps I might be interested in submitting some for her magazine sometime.

Oh, he told you that, did he?

Ack! I managed to make her extra large double double, while internal panic alarms flashed and buzzed.

Sure, maybe I could do that someday. Polite smile.

It isn't that I don't want to share my writing; it's that the thought terrifies me! I'm getting better, more willing to open my hands and let my heart go, but it isn't easy to do. Maybe it is just one of those things that will always produce equally strong yet equally opposite reactions within me. I'd love to be "published", but that outcome isn't something that drives me to write. I think it would be great to have my work "out there", yet with that comes rejection and criticism. I'm familiar with both and know that there is a time, place and purpose for them, but they still sting.

But, even as I continue to feel like a deer caught in the glare of headlights, I've also begun to entertain the possibility. Just maybe.

Raising the Bar

Sam brought his report card home this afternoon. The first thing he said as he walked in the door was, "You can't give me a hug!" Okay...at least it sounded positive.

It was very positive! Here are Sam's grades from term 1 and this one, term 3:

Advise Team term 1: C- term 3: B
Band term 1: C- term 3: A
English term 1: C- term 3: C+
Math term 1: C term 3: B
P.E. term 1: A term 3: A
Science term 1: C term 3: C+
Socials term 1: C term 3: B
Information Tech. term 3: A (he only started this class this term)

Also, his homeroom teacher wrote, "Super 3rd term Sam!!!" on his report card, and he received an 'academic recognition' sticker and a 'work ethic recognition' sticker. They aren't honour roll, but this report card is simply outstanding for Sam. Not only did he improve his letter grades, but his work ethic marks also improved in all the subjects where he was only 'satisfactory' before. I am so proud of the hard work he has put into his school work this past term!

To celebrate, I took him out for "coffee", actually hot chocolate and brownies, at the new Blenz coffee shop not too far from home.

You know, it has been a very good week! God is good.

Stashing Food and Other Stories

Casey is a walking, talking stomach. I kid you not. He is. It does not matter that he may have just finished eating supper half an hour ago, he will still come to me with pleas for a snack because he's starving. Nice try, kid. At the ball park last night, he asked if I would buy him fries. I told him, "No, I am not going to buy you any food here. You had supper at home before we came." So, he asked if I would buy him chicken strips!

Last week, I had bought a package of blueberry bagels. We don't have bagels at home very often, and when we do, they don't last very long. One morning, I was looking for the bagels and could not find the package. Casey had hidden it the night before as there was only one bagel left, and he wanted it.

On Sunday, I bought a box of Wagon Wheels. I don't know if I have ever actually bought Wagon Wheels before; they just aren't something that I purchase even though I love them. In my mind's eye, they are a special treat, something I was excited to find in my pillow case at the end of my Halloween trick-or-treating. My mom certainly never bought Wagon Wheels. Anyway, I bought some, because they were on a really good sale, Casey asked, and I caved. Yesterday, while the kids were at school, I had one, leaving only two left. I removed those final two from the box and put them on a shelf in the pantry. Casey left for school early this morning for his running club, so he had made his lunch and gone before I began making lunch for the other two kids. I went to the pantry for juice boxes and granola bars, thinking that I would put those last two Wagon Wheels into their lunches. One problem...where were they? It took some digging, but I finally found ONE tucked in behind some cans of kidney beans! Obviously, Casey had taken one for his lunch and hidden the other for his own consumption later. Won't he be surprised to find it gone.

I keep telling myself to take some pictures of the view from the front of our house, simply because it is in the process of change and has been for a few years now. It wasn't all too many years ago that you would see a pear orchard and a mountainside. The mountain is still there, but it has a road running down it, and houses now pepper all the usable land down the side. The orchard was mostly cut down to make way for a huge development project. The project started with a big pit being dug, a huge crane erected, minimal work done, and then nothing. For over a year-nothing, except the crane being removed. A few months ago, they finally started back to work on the Conservatory and making visible progress. Soon, we'll find our view of the mountain blocked. Gotta love that.

I went to sign my taxes today, so they can be efiled. This is the first time in a very long time that our taxes have been prepared so soon. In mid-March, Kane got into a tax panic. He was snarky towards me for not having the same motivation to sift through mounds of papers to gather tax receipts and such. Instead of simply asking if I knew where these papers were, which would have saved him a lot of time and hassle, he carried on like a bull in a china shop. But, we got the information together, and Kane dropped it all off with the accountant. Only after that did Kane realize that the tax return deadline wasn't until the end of April! For some strange reason, he thought the deadline was the end of March. All that panic for nothing.

So, our returns had been ready for us to come in and sign for a few weeks now. I know that I was reluctant to go sign, fearful that we might end up owing lots of money to the government. It seems Kane was also worried for the same reason. He finally went in on Tuesday and was surprised to find out we're both getting refunds! Knowing there was good news, I went in and signed mine this morning. I hate money.

I'm back to work tomorrow after three days off. What did I accomplish in my days at home? Honestly, not as much as I would have liked. It seems I did a lot of running around. Tuesday, I picked up only a couple of grocery items and had my trip to the dentist. Yesterday, I made a trip to Wal-mart for a few more items for home and for Kane's baseball team. I also stopped at Sears to inquire about a replacement sunglass clip for my glasses. I don't know how or where, but I must have lost mine. Watch me find them once my replacement comes in. After Wal-mart and Sears, I stopped at the sporting goods store to pick up some ball equipment for Kane. By the time I got home, there was no motivation or desire to do any housework, but I did wash some dishes and cleaned the counter before working on a scrapbooking page. Today, I once again had to run around town. First, to the accountant, then back to Wal-mart to buy a birthday present (Abby received the invitation yesterday; the party is tomorrow), and then to the grocery store for milk and bread and another package of bagels. I'm home. I've had lunch, but I just can't feel any enthusiasm about housework. Laundry is in progress though-that's something.

But, we don't have baseball tonight. Or tomorrow either. Casey has a practice Saturday morning, and Abby has a practice later Sunday afternoon. I don't need to go to Casey's practice; I can sleep in instead. I'll miss Abby's practice, because I'll be at work. No baseball for me until Monday night! There won't be many of these long, free stretches, so we need to enjoy them when we get them.

Forget the housework. It's a beautiful day, not that I'm planning on going back out the door, but I can find something else to do, like scrapbooking or reading. That reminds me...I haven't even cracked a book in a long time.

One more thing...a friend recently changed the theme for his blog. It looks great! But, I've tried to leave a comment three times, and it isn't working. So, if you read this Keith, you need to fix that. It's quite frustrating.

Pearly Whites

I went to the dentist today for the first time in about 7 years. That's not true, not quite. I've been to the dentist many times since then, especially in the past year as we've had to deal with the consequences of Casey's broken tooth. However, I haven't sat in the dentist's chair, except to have my wisdom teeth surgically removed two years ago. It's never been high on my priority list, because I rather dislike going to the dentist, and I've been busy making sure my kids get proper care first.

At some point though, you realize that you just need to do it, uncomfortable or not. I made the appointment and pushed all thought of it from my mind until the last minute. Butterflies invaded my stomach as I walked into the office, but they disappeared when I filled in the new patient questions about previous dentists. What did I like most about my old dentist? Hmmm...let me think. Nothing. What didn't I like about my old dentist? Ha! I simply wrote that it is a long story. I'm sure our current dentist would only have to look at the name of our old dentist to understand the tone behind my responses; he's well-known for all the wrong reasons. This other dentist traumatized my then 6 year old son and verbally abused his hygienist. Some people just choose the wrong profession.

My teeth are clean now. The lengthy span between dental visits resulted in a bit of tartar and a small cavity, but my teeth were in remarkably good shape considering. And Kane thinks that I don't do a good job brushing my teeth! I guess quality is better than spending 5 minutes brushing.

A few days ago, I had mentioned to my kids that I was going to be seeing the dentist. Casey and Abby were both quite excited until I told them that they weren't going to be the ones seeing him. Then, they started talking about how that didn't matter, they could simply "see" the dentist. No. They didn't get it. I was going to the dentist while they would be at school! Disappointed again. Where did this eagerness to go to the dentist come from? They did ask me though if I would have the fluoride treatment. The dreaded fluoride.

Yes. I did get the fluoride treatment; the thing I hated most about dental visits as a child. Somethings have changed since then. The trays only need to stay in the mouth for about a minute now. How long did they need to stay in when I was a kid? I don't really remember, but it felt like an eternity, though it was likely only 10 minutes or so. Of course, now there are a variety of flavours to choose from, but they still taste disgusting.

Things That Make You Go "Ouch!"

You know how painful it is to walk off a step or a curb when you're not expecting that drop? Yeah. I know.

Last night, I was walking across the parking lot at my local grocery store, unaware that I was actually walking along the length of a speedbump. Of course, I was watching my destination instead of my path and took that bone-jarring step off the edge. It wasn't far from the ground, but it rattled my entire skeleton, particularly the left side.

The lower left side of my back began to ache almost immediately and is raging unabated today. Just lovely.

A Little Bit of Everything

Let's see...

A friend had a baby boy on Easter Monday. He's had a rough start, but we're praying that he will gain strength and improve quickly.

Sam is an official umpire once again. He did his "test" last night and is certified until the end of the year.

My pumpkin pie is all gone now. I think I only had 3 or 4 pieces (out of 2 pies). Not all at one time, of course.

I am trying a new recipe to use up some turkey and make an easy supper as tonight is another baseball night. It is called Mexican Turkey Hot Pot soup. The picture looks yummy! So, I have turkey carcass in a pot simmering for broth. Smells good.

I cleaned Abby's room yesterday while she was at school. She had plenty of warning and had made some progress, but her closet was a disaster.

This morning, I cleaned my bedroom. It wasn't nearly as bad as Abby's room, but there were clean clothes piled on a chair and the dresser was cluttered with all sorts of stuff. The dust was heavy on everything, and the floor was a busy playground for dustbunnies...the joys of hardwood floors! Now, the floor is swept, surfaces dusted, everything put away, and the bed made. Do you know how much I dislike making beds?

It's so nice today. The furnace is shut off, and I've opened up all the bedroom windows for a breath of fresh air. While Maggie the cat has no interest in being outside, she loves to sit in an open window.

The phone rang around 6:30 this morning. I, of course, was asleep with no intention of waking that early. Kane was up, took a look at the call display and left it unanswered. The rings eventually roused me enough to realize the phone was ringing and to wonder why Kane didn't answer it...until he came to the bedroom to let me know it was Tim Horton's calling. That's a phone call I don't want to take that early on a day off! They wanted to know if I could come in and work today. I called back after 7:00 to say no. I didn't elaborate, but I have plans for today. They aren't important or special, but they are my plans. Housework isn't exactly an important reason to avoid going in to work, but if I slough the housework off, I'll never get it done. Besides, my uniform was at the bottom of the laundry hamper, dirty and wrinkled, waiting to be washed today.

The most frustrating thing about watching '24' is waiting an entire week for the next episode!

Here's a joke I shared with Sam (he hated it): How do you know it is spring? The "Leafs" are out!

He can cry about his beloved Leafs, and we'll cry over our Canucks and Rockets. This is the only time of the year that I will cheer for Calgary or Montreal, any other Canadian team really. On the other hand, it is baseball season. Who wants to be watching hockey now?!

I decided this morning to put my tea towels, oven mitts and trivets back into the two kitchen drawers where they belong. These were the drawers visited by mice. The traps have sat undisturbed since the beginning of Spring Break. Maybe the mice like the nice weather and found a new home outside?

Get me off this thing

It was a busy but good weekend. I had five days off, worked today, and now have the next three days off. I am so glad. I am so tired.

Of course, I ate too much turkey and such yesterday. No sooner had the table been cleared away than I sprawled on a sofa and napped for over an hour. It's very rare that I nap at all, even when I feel like having one.

Why don't I make pumpkin pie more often? Every time I make it, I receive rave reviews. It's so creamy and scrumptious. Note to self: make pumpkin pie more often!

Kane did the dishes for me yesterday! I hate doing dishes, especially after cooking a big meal.

We are at the ballpark every day this week. Sam had practice yesterday. He also has practice tonight and Wednesday, an exhibition game on Friday, and an umpire test on Tuesday. Casey has practice on Tuesday and Thursday. Both boys are taking a baseball clinic on Saturday. Kane is doing a coaches' clinic on Sunday, and our opening day is Sunday evening. Games begin next week. We still haven't heard anything about Abby's schedule.

Last Saturday night, I finally cut Casey's hair! I admit that he did look quite cute with his long hair, but I know that he would come to hate it during the ball season. He doesn't believe me, but I know my son. Casey wanted it to remain at least a couple of inches long, but it is much shorter than that! He hates it, but it is the Casey of "old". Besides, hair will grow again. I took before and after pictures; I'll post the pics when I can get the cord for my mom's camera.

It is 3:30pm, and I've been on the computer for almost an hour and a half. Not for fun either. One coach keeps making big changes to his schedule which I then have to change and/or enter on the website. If he keeps this up, by the end of the season, just the sight of his name might make my blood pressure soar.

Happy Easter

I took the kids to church this morning on my own. Kane stayed home sick. He was also home sick most of yesterday. Needless to say, I am grouchy. I'm not very sympathetic when he gets sick. It's terrible of me, I know, but does he need to act like the world is coming to an end? There is no question where Casey gets his melodramatic tendencies from.

Still, I enjoyed the Good Friday service. Always do. I think that the Easter weekend services are my most favourite services of the year. It was very nice to have this weekend off work. I do need to work on Monday, but at least I am able to enjoy the rest of the weekend with my family.

Tomorrow will be a busier day than today. I'll be busy in the kitchen, baking pumpkin pies, trimming Brussel sprouts, dicing onion and celery, and making sure the turkey is thawed and ready for Sunday morning. Kane needs to go work on a job. It's not the best day to work, but it's at time and a half, plus it gets him out of my freshly-coloured hair. The kids will be put to work vacuuming, cleaning the bathroom, general tidying, and Sam has homework and trombone practice to attend to. But first, I get to sleep in!

I've decided to forego the hiding of candy and chocolates this year, much to my children's chagrin. It's laziness and an unwillingness to spend more money needlessly. For the past several years, I've put the candies into those plastic eggs before hiding them. Those plastic eggs were stored in the cupboard where the mice decided to pay a visit. Kane washed them all after the first time. Then, he put everything back into the cupboard! Sure enough, the mice visited again, and I wasn't going to wash those eggs again. I tossed them in the garbage, and I don't want to buy new ones. They aren't expensive, but we really don't need the clutter. So, my kids will be given a paper bag with their portions of candy and chocolate. It won't be the same as searching for it all, but they really only want the candy anyway.

Vanity

I do believe I discovered a grey hair or two the other day. I had been to considering re-colouring my hair for a month or so now, but this recent discovery prodded me into almost immediate action. Yesterday, I bought a kit, and today I coloured my hair.

I didn't think I was that vain; guess I was wrong. Meanwhile, Sam is reading over my shoulder and laughing hysterically.

Great Quote

Saw this in my daytimer. Love it.

"I am woman! I am invincible! I am tired!"
-author unknown

Change of Plans

I left for work this morning looking forward to my shift and the two days off which were to follow it. My happy mood dropped like a lead balloon once I got to work and peeked at the schedule. A shift had been added in for me for tomorrow.

It isn't that I hate my job or hate working, but I had plans for tomorrow which I now have to drop. They weren't BIG plans to anyone but me. I need to try and get a doctor's appointment for myself-nothing out of the ordinary, but it needs to fit around my schedule. I have a lot of housework waiting for me to have enough time and energy to do it. Projects stack up quickly, too. So, I wasn't going to have an exciting day tomorrow anyway, but it was going to be busy and productive. Not now. Instead, I have to try and fit two days worth of my plans into Wednesday, the only day I have off now until the weekend. The weekend also will be a busy time for me.

What annoys me about this unexpected shift is that it was unexpected. This schedule was posted last week, and I dutifully made note of my shifts. I wasn't called and asked if it would be okay to add another shift. If they had called, I probably would have said yes. It's the not asking that bothers me. What if I did have important plans for Tuesday? What if I had already made that doctor's appointment? When the schedule for a week has been posted then I begin to plan the rest of my life around my shifts. When I have days off, I make plans, because I want to make the most of what little free time I have.

Saving Time?

Sometimes I am quite glad to see the end of a weekend; not often, but it does happen. I think today is one of those times. We've had a full and busy weekend.

Kane and the boys had a ball hockey tournament at the Salvation Army church on Friday night and most of Saturday. Sam missed Saturday's games, because he had an umpire clinic from 8am to noon followed by peewee evaluations from 1 to 4pm. Abby went garage sale-ing with grandma Saturday morning, and then spent the rest of the day with a friend, first at Planet Spacewalker and then at her friend's house.

We went to church this morning and enjoyed listening to the African Children's Choir. After rushing home to change, we split up once again. Kane and Sam went back to the ball park for day 2 of evaluations, while Abby and I dropped Casey off at a kung fu academy for a birthday party. Then, Abby and I went to Michael's to pick up some cardstock and to Wal-Mart for cheese and cat litter. Kane and Sam went from baseball to a hockey wind-up party at a bowling alley.

We're all home now. Casey has been showing some displays of irritability and grouchiness since he arrived back home. Sam is working on homework and feeling flustered over it. He is also complaining of a headache but refuses to take anything for it. I am quickly losing control of my temper; the time change got to me, too. I hate losing an hour of sleep!

It's a good thing two out of three kids are now in bed...it just might save my sanity.

An April Fool

My kids have been anticipating this day all week long. April Fool's Day. Their conniving little faces have been giggling and smirking for the past couple of days. They delighted in telling me how good they were going to get me, but I couldn't get them to reveal their plans. :o)

Yesterday, Sam kept asking if we had any elastic bands. Silly me, I didn't understand why and gave him the one green elastic that I had. Before he went to bed last night, he made a random comment about how he wished he had a "black" elastic band, and the lightbulb in my head suddenly snapped on with a blinding light. I burst his bubble telling him that he was planning on placing the elastic band on the spray nozzle in the kitchen sink, so I would get soaked when I turned on the faucet. Ha ha! One plot foiled.

This morning, I got out of bed at the usual time of 7am, sauntered to the kitchen and took up residence at the computer, where I sit until I wake up. Kane asked me if I needed to use the bathroom. Not yet I replied. So, he warned me that Casey had put plastic wrap on the toilet seat...with his help. Ah! I went to the bathroom to check it out and make Casey's day without really making his day.

My husband is a rookie! They wrapped the wrap around the actual seat rather than the bowl. There was no way I would have not noticed; well maybe if it was dark and I didn't turn the light on. When I left the bathroom, Casey was waiting in the hall with a mischievous look on his face. I acted like there had been nothing out of the ordinary in the bathroom.

Abby still hasn't put any evil plots into motion, and when I asked her what she was planning her only response was in regards to her brothers. She is going to write love notes to the boys "from" girls in their classes, put them in envelopes and place them in the mailbox. I got a chuckle out of that. We'll wait and see if she actually does it or not. Unless she's that good at keeping a secret, I think I'm safe.

So, I thought I was beyond reach from practical jokes. After all, Casey's wasn't executed very well, and I had figured Sam's out before he had the chance to put it together. Boy, was I wrong!

A short while ago, I was checking on the mouse traps we have had set up for the past couple of weeks. Again. Grrrr. Two of the traps are inside drawers which means they're more easily triggered by human actions. One of the traps had been triggered and flipped over, so I reset it and turned to the kitchen sink to wash my hands. Yup. I ended up being sprayed; Sam had put the green elastic on the sprayer after all! The stinker. Even this morning I had asked if he was going to do his practical joke. No, he said, because I had figured it out. Obviously, he is much sneakier than I gave him credit for.

So, here I sit with a damp sweater and jeans on and slightly humbled.