Friday, May 27, 2011

Kid's Zone

Took our kids to the Kid's Zone at Spray Lakes today. They have set up 4 bounce-houses, hockey, ping-pong, and basketball in the arena for the summer. On a rainy week like this, it's the perfect solutions to the wiggles.

Lucy and Max went on the giant castle first - the biggest bounce-house there. They both hesitated at the top for a few minutes before sliding down. Something they probably should have worked up to. For a while after, Lucy would only go down on her stomach. But then I convinced her to go back to the castle, telling her that it wouldn't seem so bad anymore now that she had done all the others.

Most times, Max and Logan were a blur, because they didn't hesitate at all. I only ever got clear pictures of them climbing or their triumphant grins at the bottom when the slide was complete.


The kid's paused their bounciness to play a few rounds of hockey with dad. Logan is a natural stick-handler. He loved it. Max kept putting himself in the penalty box. He kept saying, "I did a penalty". Then he'd blow the whistle on the end of his stick to allow himself back into the game.

After two hours we were exhausted (We being mom and dad because Max could have gone forever, I'm sure).

We will definitely be doing THAT again.

Apparently it did tire Max out...I just found him like this:

Thursday, May 26, 2011

I don't know why you say Goodbye...

Lucy is nearing the last few days of school. I think she's the only one. Her school gets out June 2nd...which is totally awesome for me since she's the only one in school. I will definitely take a 3-month summer.

They have had duck eggs in their classroom for the last few weeks, candling them and learning all about eggs. Lucy has been impressing everyone, asking them if they know what 'oviparous' means. (Born from an egg). I tried to convince her that she was oviparous, but she didn't believe me. Surprise surprise.

On Tuesday she was so excited to go to school because she knew the ducks would be hatching this week. And they did not disappoint. 3 hatched over the weekend and the other two hatched during class-time that day.

Note from the teacher:
I arrived in the morning with 3 ducklings who had hatched the evening before. We moved them to the brooder where they could stay warm under a lamp. We had 2 eggs left... the ducklings had both been working hard for a day already to hatch.

The whole class plus teachers and a few moms stood and watched one of the ducklings as it worked it's way out of the egg and finally emerged into the world for about 40 minutes!!! The kids were amazed and had incredible patience. I couldn't believe that the whole group lasted until the duckling finally hatched.... everyone cheered!! It was so exciting and a lifetime memory!!!

Later that afternoon our 5th duckling hatched. During the morning / afternoon the kids each held the 3 older ducklings and cuddled them then we watched them swim at the end of the day.

Hopefully the weather will warm up next week so we can have the ducklings outside with us for a walk and a swim. :)


So while they say hello to some new classmates, they get ready to say goodbye to the others. For Lucy it's a bit more of a permanent goodbye, since we will be moving across the country in a few weeks. I wish we could transport her class and teachers with us. Can't you just hire a teacher to be with your child all the way through school? Oh right, if you have enough money you can. Oh well. Here's praying that the teachers in Ontario are just as amazing.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Success is measured weekly

The countdown to dinner starts at 8am for me. Partially because I am an anal planner (thanks Grandma), but also because I LOVE to eat good food.

This past week has seen a resurrection of dinner. I attribute it to two things: Tyler is home and my desire to cook has gone up; plus I made a very SPECIFIC meal plan for the week and bought all the groceries I would need on Monday. I didn't hemm and haw over each ingredient, trying to scrimp and save. If we needed it, I bought it. I have consigned myself to the fact that there are 5 healthy eaters in our home and it is just going to cost $200 a week to feed us. Of course that includes $40 for formula, so I'm looking forward to losing that expense.

The best part: everyone ate well. I had a whole week of organized dinners and not a peep of, 'I don't like that!' or 'I'm not eating that.'. Whoot-Whoot! Each meal was gobbled up even with snacks consumed in between meals. Most of the meals were no-bake too, since it's been hot.

Awesome week. Do I have the energy to do it again? I guess we'll see. I've already resorted to my default go-to meal - chili and fries. And today we're going to my parents for lasagna...I like weeks like this too. Plus it's raining, so I dont mind turning on the oven.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Big Hill Springs


Yesterday was beautiful and all the Williamson family was together (except for Kari and Barrett) so we decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather by heading to Big Hill Springs Park. I haven't been there in years. As a kid we used to call it the Land of Many Bridges. Awesome. We slathered on the bug spray and ventured out for the afternoon.













Friday, May 20, 2011

Random

Today, Logan sat on the pot...

Actually, IN the pot is more accurate. He pulled it out and sat in it...and then Tyler and I hear him grunted and groaning trying to get out. Boys!

He looks like a midget in this picture because his bum is hidden and his cheeks are puffed up from him trying to get out...no neck.

This evening. Lucy played outside with Logan. He loved it...and so did I. He LOVES being outside, but whenever he falls down he doesn't like to touch the grass in order to stand himself back up again. Lucy to the rescue. I love this picture, even though it's pixel-y because I had to zoom in so much. She's a good sister.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

House vs. Home

I have come to the determination that waiting to move is getting on my nerves. We decided December 24th that we WOULD move, but now we're not moving until July 14th. 7 months is a long time to sit and think and stew over moving. The first few weren't too bad because there was much else to do, but now that it's only a few months away, we're constantly talking about moving (logistics, etc), but not actually doing anything about it yet, because it's too soon. It's driving me crazy. I'm tired of the topic of moving. I'm tired of it coming up in every conversation that I have, with anyone. It feels like a thousand people (probably less than that, I don't really think my circle is near that big) are constantly asking for updates and putting the pressure on. Have you started packing yet? Are you excited? Will you miss your family? (This question particularly annoys because it seem like it should be rhetorical...ie. stupid. Too harsh?)

Plus the fact that we have now bought a house, which completely sets my mind at ease, knowing we have somewhere to go...but continuing to live in a mobile home when you know you own a house is frustrating. Every time I look at something that needs to be done, I think, "Do I really need to do that now? or should I wait a few weeks until it's closer to the move." What's the point of organizing a closet if you're going to go through it in a few weeks to pack it all up? So instead I live in chaos. Semi-organized chaos.

Our house is basically a hallway. It's tiny. The walls are made out of plywood sheeting...so they're super thin. So when the baby is sleeping, the house is on tip-toe alert. No sounds above a whisper. No games that involve any sort of conversation or noise. No laundry to be done, no cleaning to be done, no vacuuming to be done, because all those things are noisy. So I imagine most mothers are able to get a lot of work done while their baby is sleeping...not I. For 2 1/2 hours every day I am in pause mode, with my nerves completely fried from being on edge the entire time just hoping and praying no one makes a sound too loud to wake him up.

I was like that with the other two when they were babies, but they turned out to be such deep sleepers that eventually the tip-toeing ended and life was normal, even through nap-time. Not so with this one. I'm surprised I have any hair left. He is one sensitive kid. I decided this week that I'm tired of calculating every move we make throughout the day, worrying if it will affect his sleep. (Everything except the noise). He's been sleeping SO well since Tyler got home. Not last night. I'm tired today...maybe that's why I decided to write this rant.

Living in a mobile home also means dealing with ridiculous fluctuations in temperature. Because it is now spring and the weather outside is warmer, the afternoons and evenings get hot in here. It could be 16 degrees outside, and it'll be 25 degrees inside, with no hope of relief until the coolness of night hits...at about 3am. There is no hope for a cross-breeze in this place either. So I avoid cooking with the oven when the temperature turns warm...mostly because the sensitive one doesn't sleep well when he's hot. So I'm paranoid in the mornings when I hear the furnace turn on. Will it warm up too quickly and I won't be able to recover from it all day? But then I have to drag my tired self out of bed to turn it off. I should just change the schedule on the thermostat.

He sleeps in next to nothing. I have a fan on in his room and I keep his door closed all day so the heat can't get in there. The rest of us walk around all morning wearing shorts and sweaters to keep from freezing, because we know turning the furnace on will mean an unbearable afternoon. So we live like eskimos in the morning and desert-island dwellers in the afternoon. I would like to live in a place where the temperature in the house can be moderated fairly easily. Oh wait, I have a place like that...in two months. This is making the countdown batty.

The fluctuation in temperature in our house is what I attribute THIS to as well:

I tried SO hard. This is my plant Lucy gave me for Mother's Day. I watered it...but not too much. Gave it sunlight. Monitored it closely. But when you're house is fluctuating from 15 - 28 degrees every day...I guess it doesn't really have a hope.

The wind is making me crazy too. Spring means wind here. Oh wait...Cochrane means wind. I forgot. We have had plans so many times that I have been ruined by wind. And when the wind rips past this mobile home, it makes the tin walls and roof on the outside buckle and roll and so you hear it...and I mean HEAR it. Again, I sit on pins and needles, worried that the wind will wake up my sensitive one.

He also LOVES being outside and throws a fit when he has to come in, but being outside on an open prairie, totally exposed to the elements is not fun...for anyone. We were going to have a picnic and play in the bounce-house for FHE on Monday. Picnic was canceled due to win. Bounce-house was still a go...because we Cochranites just have to brave the wind. And we ended the evening with popsicles. Logan's first one. This cute face makes me think that I can put up with his sensitivity a little while longer.


I know a house is not a home...but I gotta tell you...I'm looking forward to a different home.