We are still here, just haven't had much time for the blogosphere lately. Only two days away from feeling a huge weight off with all this semester's projects handed in. Yeah! This has been a really tough semester schoolwise, and we have all been feeling it. Lots of crankiness and arguing, short tempers abound. Oh well, this too shall pass.
We took part in a primary service project on Sunday. The kids were asked to donate toys to give to kids in need. It was interesting to see two polar opposites in my house. Malcolm wanted so desperately to participate, but our boys toys get an awful lot of playtime so he couldn't find much worth giving. Finally, he came to me with his two stuffed animals, a fish and a monkey. I was surprised when he told me he wanted to donate them because he had nothing else. Tearing up a little, I asked if he was sure. He hesitated, then grabbed them back and told me he really didn't want to, but he wanted to give something. After a bit more searching we settled on a rarely used Diego train set. He took that thing to sharing time and washed it up and made a tag and put on a bow and loved every minute. He still talks about someone getting that train for Christmas.
Shift to Clayton. He looked through his stuff, but for the same reasons as Malcolm, did not find much. This is my child that takes good care of his things, but keeps only what is important to him. He is not a packrat. When I asked if he had found anything he replied, "No, but if they're donating stuff I'll take some!" Ever the optimist? What a chucklehead. I was pleasantly surprised and relieved to find him tying bows on toys and making Christmas cards on Sunday.
Madison tried out for a part in her Christmas presentation and got a speaking part with five or six lines. She is thrilled. We get to hear it so often it will be a treat to hear what it sound like within the context of the play, and with the other parts around it. Clayton has his Christmas "w"rap down. Can't believe concerts are in two weeks. Wait, Malcolm's is next Wednesday! Time marches on.
I am very lax on my regular features due to my high stress level, but hope to resume some creative thought after this week. Thanks to everyone else who's blogs have made me laugh and think about something other than to-do's. Love you all.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
You'll miss this when they all grow up...
I defy anyone who says this to me to prove that they really, truly miss having children under their feet from sun up to sun down destroying your house. Ha!
Vancouverites have been voted the Weather Wimps in Toronto. Normally I would agree, but having been here for over a year has almost lumped me into that category. I know it is not cold by any comparison to where we are from, but when you are not expecting it the effects are exponentially greater. Add to that the ice on everything (I cannot open my van doors in the morning, if I'm lucky to get my key in the lock. I've never used de-icer before now!) and the fact that you have to drive up and down hills everywhere you go and it makes for a completely different winter experience. In Toronto they laugh that everyone here buys snow tires. I did too. Til I lived here. Never owned a pair in Alberta. Now, thinking we cannot go without. It is such a difference having to navigate those hills, and here they are not prepared with their sanders and snowplows to keep the roads in order if snow does come. Back home they give an extra good sanding to the one or two major hills in town and call it good. Out here they'd have to sand every street in the lower mainland to get the same result.
So I say Weather Wimps Unite! It IS tough when it gets cold here because no one plans for it. Nope, everyone told us we'd never want to leave after experiencing winter here. I beg to differ. I would take snow and cold and knowing exactly what's gonna come every single year, but getting surprised when a chinook-laden season rolls in. At least I know what I'm in for...
The bright spot in the sudden drop in temperature is that, not one, but two radio stations in my van are playing non-stop Christmas carols to cheer us all up. Try explaining to a four year old every day that there are still over 30 sleeps til Christmas actually gets here. Oh well. Happy Early Holidays!
Vancouverites have been voted the Weather Wimps in Toronto. Normally I would agree, but having been here for over a year has almost lumped me into that category. I know it is not cold by any comparison to where we are from, but when you are not expecting it the effects are exponentially greater. Add to that the ice on everything (I cannot open my van doors in the morning, if I'm lucky to get my key in the lock. I've never used de-icer before now!) and the fact that you have to drive up and down hills everywhere you go and it makes for a completely different winter experience. In Toronto they laugh that everyone here buys snow tires. I did too. Til I lived here. Never owned a pair in Alberta. Now, thinking we cannot go without. It is such a difference having to navigate those hills, and here they are not prepared with their sanders and snowplows to keep the roads in order if snow does come. Back home they give an extra good sanding to the one or two major hills in town and call it good. Out here they'd have to sand every street in the lower mainland to get the same result.
So I say Weather Wimps Unite! It IS tough when it gets cold here because no one plans for it. Nope, everyone told us we'd never want to leave after experiencing winter here. I beg to differ. I would take snow and cold and knowing exactly what's gonna come every single year, but getting surprised when a chinook-laden season rolls in. At least I know what I'm in for...
The bright spot in the sudden drop in temperature is that, not one, but two radio stations in my van are playing non-stop Christmas carols to cheer us all up. Try explaining to a four year old every day that there are still over 30 sleeps til Christmas actually gets here. Oh well. Happy Early Holidays!
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Peace
Madi and Clay both had the same Remembrance Day assignment in computers - to describe what peace is to them. Here's what they came up with. It's interesting to see the differences, and the similarities. Enjoy.
Madison on Peace:
Peace is crossing water.
Peace is the chirp of a baby bird.
Peace is one bite of hamburger.
Peace is delicious scents coming from the kitchen.
Peace is a warm bed on a cold night.
Peace is sitting on the beach in the warm sand on a beautiful day.
Clayton on Peace:
Peace is beautiful flowers in the fields.
Peace is fresh pie out of the oven.
Peace is the sweet taste of cookies.
That's what peace means to me.
Madison on Peace:
Peace is crossing water.
Peace is the chirp of a baby bird.
Peace is one bite of hamburger.
Peace is delicious scents coming from the kitchen.
Peace is a warm bed on a cold night.
Peace is sitting on the beach in the warm sand on a beautiful day.
Clayton on Peace:
Peace is beautiful flowers in the fields.
Peace is fresh pie out of the oven.
Peace is the sweet taste of cookies.
That's what peace means to me.
Getting to Know You....
My sister just posted an entry like this and it made me smile. So I will reciprocate...
My 10 (or 11) Favorite Books
1. Mary Stewart's Arthur Trilogy (The Crystal Cave, The Hollow Hills, The Last Enchantment)
2. The Princess Bride by William Goldman
3. Anything by Agatha Christie, but especially And Then There Were None
4. The Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan
5. Anything by Anne Perry
6. The Anasazi Murders series
7. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
8. Extraordinary Evil by Barbara Coloroso
9. The Hobbitt
10. The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks
11. Where the Wiild Things Are
My 10 Favorite Musicians
1. The Beatles
2. The Tragically Hip
3. George Strait
4. Josh Groban
5. Nora Jones
6. Michael Buble
7. Claude Debussey
8. Beethoven
9. Oscar Peterson
10. Queen
11. Ella Fitzgerald
12. Tim McGraw
Okay, I could keep going in the music department. I always have something playing from all kinds of genres.
My 10 Favorite Movies
1. The Lord of the Rings
2. Pride and Prejudice
3. Indiana Jones
4. The Pirates of the Caribbean
5. Fletch and Fletch Lives
6. The Changeling
7. Psycho
8. While You Were Sleeping
9. The Polar Express
Okay, I can only come up with 9 of these.
Three Places I would like to Visit
1. Egypt
2. The British Isles
3. New Zealand
My 10 (or 11) Favorite Books
1. Mary Stewart's Arthur Trilogy (The Crystal Cave, The Hollow Hills, The Last Enchantment)
2. The Princess Bride by William Goldman
3. Anything by Agatha Christie, but especially And Then There Were None
4. The Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan
5. Anything by Anne Perry
6. The Anasazi Murders series
7. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
8. Extraordinary Evil by Barbara Coloroso
9. The Hobbitt
10. The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks
11. Where the Wiild Things Are
My 10 Favorite Musicians
1. The Beatles
2. The Tragically Hip
3. George Strait
4. Josh Groban
5. Nora Jones
6. Michael Buble
7. Claude Debussey
8. Beethoven
9. Oscar Peterson
10. Queen
11. Ella Fitzgerald
12. Tim McGraw
Okay, I could keep going in the music department. I always have something playing from all kinds of genres.
My 10 Favorite Movies
1. The Lord of the Rings
2. Pride and Prejudice
3. Indiana Jones
4. The Pirates of the Caribbean
5. Fletch and Fletch Lives
6. The Changeling
7. Psycho
8. While You Were Sleeping
9. The Polar Express
Okay, I can only come up with 9 of these.
Three Places I would like to Visit
1. Egypt
2. The British Isles
3. New Zealand
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