website

Check out this sweet blog for food storage and other ideas. Thanks Jacquie.

how do you explain it?

Levi is always very excited to see who gets what under the tree. Any unfamiliar present that is placed beneath the tree is almost immediately recognized as new, and Levi wants to know to whom it belongs. I always say, "It's to _______." He is then a little confused and says, "No, Mom, there is only one of __________. There are not two of __________."

So I thought that I would be smart and explain that when something is to someone, it doesn't mean that they are two years old, but indicates that the present is for them. He looked at me and said "Hey! I am four!"

pictures

I won some family portraits last spring at our Relief Society service auction. We had these done in September, and I thought that I would share. I really like the pictures, I just wish my hair didn't look so ridiculous in some of them. Niki Nagy is the talented camera woman.

potty time

**potty-talk disclaimer**

This last week we have been having potty try-outs for Enoch. Is he ready? Does he even have a clue? Until today I thought that this was pointless. He has yet to even pee on the pot.

But, just today I found him playing in his room. I was doing dishes and thought, "Oh no! He has gone off by himself." As soon as I entered the room he looks at me and says "not poopy." There he is pants up and all, with a big mound right behind him.
HE PULLED DOWN HIS PANTS, POOPED, AND THEN PULLED THEM UP AGAIN!! He is so busted for having a brain. Now I just need to teach him where to go. Apparently he's got the how down to a science.



Now it is the next day. Here I thought I had Enoch: Boy Genius in the family. Not so. It is Mommy: Not-So-Smart, instead. His poop just ran down his leg and fell out. He is too skinny to have his undies fit him right.

This is going to be a long haul, isn't it?

full-time mother, part-time linguist

pranamo ............... piano

vasmormers .............. transformers

opus crime ................. optimus prime

madelynne ................ anything small or baby-like

***** ................ bridge (am I ever glad I figured that one out)

off ................ on

red ............. any color except orange

furry goat mother ........... fairy Godmother

the language of love

I feel loved when...

The Five Love Languages

My Primary Love Languages are probably Acts of Service and Quality Time

My Detailed Results:
Acts of Service:	8
Quality Time:	8
Physical Touch:	7
Words of Affirmation:	6
Receiving Gifts:	1

About this quiz

Unhappiness in relationships is often due to the fact that we speak different love languages. It can be helpful to know what language you speak and what language those around you speak.

Tag 3 people so they can find out what their love language is.

Take the Quiz!
Check out the Book

This was interesting and not really much of a surprise. I giggled a bit taking the test, cause every other one seemed to focus on gifts, which certainly aren't my focus. But, maybe they would be if we didn't live off student loans??.......

one week

March 5th was great, it was so close to February that I could almost count myself in with that month of expectant mothers. Not anymore. I just got word today that my date has been pushed back to the 12th. I shouldn't be surprised, they moved Levi from the 1st to the 11th. Oh well, I should look at it as though I have one more week to prepare.

what are the odds??

Picture a two year old, screaming his head off at the hospital. He is face down on the floor with his head in his hands crying for his life. Legs are sprawled out wide and people are looking in disbelief. No, Enoch did not have an accident or anything, and we did not have to go to the ER. While we were at the hospital today for Levi's eye check-up, Enoch happened to see another child with a blanket that had the same backing on it as his. YIKES. Knowing what happens at home if Levi even touches is "banky," it was quite the scene trying to pry him from the innocent tike sitting safely (thankfully) in a stroller with some sort of barrier between the two. Enoch was not a happy camper! You would think that we would be safe from something like this happening, considering that the blanket was hand-made by a stranger living in a small town in west-central Saskatchewan.

my favorite season

Spring came and went and I barely even knew it. Summer was here, only it was too quick and not so hot as usual. Now it is fall and it is beautiful, warm and sunny. The trees are incredible. The leftover flowers are bright and I don't have to worry about watering my grass every other day. There is no need for sunscreen to look out the window, and I haven't gotten out my bug spray for weeks. Leaves fall from the sky like snow only they don't cause me to skid off the road out of control. I get to wear cozy sweaters and jackets and enjoy hot chocolate in the mornings.

I love fall. I always have and I always will.

I wrote this a while back and never posted it. Now I look out and see white and want to cry. Well, maybe not cry, just yet. Give me till half way through January and then I will bawl my eyes out.

just braggin'

Levi is normally one who likes to say he can't do things. If I say, "Put on your coat," he will try to tell that he can't. Then I say, "Yes you can, you've done it before." After which he will usually put on his coat or do whatever it was that I asked him.

This is not the case when it comes to picking up his toys. He never knows how, never remembers*, and never does it unless I am there doing it with him.

But tonight was different. I had 30 minutes before people were coming over for a Relief Society meeting, and after rushing in the door as I was trying to get the kids a quick snack before bed ---Enoch decided to barf all over the kitchen floor. I gave him a bucket, which he refused numerous times, only spreading the disaster elsewhere. Finally I got him in the tub and started cleaning up the disgusting mess everywhere, and asked Levi to pick up his train set. AND HE DID!! And then he picked up all his cars, and all his books, and even all the odds and ends toys and put them away, too!!! I was so grateful for and proud of him. Thank you Levi for helping me when I was stressed.


*I recall as a kid always telling my dad that I couldn't remember how to mop the kitchen floor. Whenever it was my turn to do that chore, I would ask him to show me again. And he did. (What a nice guy, hey?) I guess the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree.

7 things

1) I eat green M'n'Ms last. If there is not a green one left, I won't eat any at all.

2) There are certain squares on my parent's lino in their kitchen that I walk on, and certain ones that I don't. This started years ago and I follow it whenever I think about it.

3) I used to throw out my peanut-butter and jam sandwiches in elementary. I just couldn't hack the same old anymore.

4) I am really, really cheap, just like my Dad.

5) For example; when I moved away to school I made a list of things that would help me save money. One of them was to only use the washrooms at school. I admit I didn't stick to it for very long, but who even considers that unless they are super stingy?

6) I love to read but have to be careful cause once a start a book I can't put it down. My poor kids!

7) I nap 5-6 days a week.

I hate tagging people, but if you want to do this, feel free.

back in the day

This was just too cute not to share. This is Josh around 6 years old.

randoms

Our joy school Halloween party.


The boys and cousin Madelynne.


Here are 2 pictures from when my sister, her three girls, and my mom, and the dog came to visit in September.

family home evening meets joy school

In joy school we have been talking about our bodies and all the wonderful things they do; like seeing, hearing, walking, jumping etc. (Joy school is an at-home pre-school Levi is in that is run by the moms of the kids in his class). We have talked a lot about muscles and blood and bones and such stuff. The one thing Levi has really taken a liking to is the fact that we have red blood cells. There is also a book he loves that shows a body without skin so that you can see all the muscles.

Today when we closed family home evening, his request for a closing song was "We gently take off our skin."

So I made up a song that dealt with us taking off our skin and seeing our muscles underneath, much like the book we had been looking at earlier. Next, Levi made up a song about Jesus losing all his red blood cells when he died for us. I don't know if I should be proud or mortified.

pumpkin patch

We have been to the pumpkin patch a couple of times this week. The first time we went we got pictures and I haven't yet put them on my computer. These 2 pics were emailed to me from Laura, who was nice enough to get a couple of pictures with Levi in them. (Maybe he was just blocking her shot of Jost, who knows?). Anyways, enjoy.


And Enoch this whole time was playing with a dinosaur under a table. Roar!

always look....

...on the bright side of life....

Josh and Levi are both sick. Throw up sick. It is very sad. But the great thing is that Levi understands what a bucket is for. Yeah!

my little guy

Levi loves to go downstairs and play with his cousin, Madelynne. The only problem is the door does not lock and he sneaks down there whenever possible without permission.

Today he was trying to go downstairs, and hearing the door creak open I asked him to stay upstairs. He ignored me and continued to try to sneak down quietly. I asked him if he were being disobedient, and yielding, he responded and told me, "No, I am not disobedient, I am just disappointed."

literal levi

Recently as my mom was visiting she mentioned something that I always knew, but had never realized. Levi is a very literal child. He corrects me on things all the time. This makes me laugh, cause I think that growing up I was the same way.

I asked him if he wanted to sit in Enoch's chair. "No mom, that is a booster seat, not a chair" was his reply.

The other day I asked him to sit on his seat at the table. The Elders were over, which means he gets to sit on the piano bench. he was very disturbed that I would call the piano bench a seat. "No mom, this is a bench."

We call his nighttime training pants his 'nighttime undies', and he does not accept a slip-up when I say diaper.

If I ask him to do something, like get his socks and shoes, for example, he has to do it in that order, no exceptions. If I try to speed things up and get his shoes for him, he will make me put them back and he will get them.

Today I asked him to pass the toy monkey to his cousin, Madelynne. He informatively reminded me that the toy was a gorilla, and not a monkey.

I can't recall similar stories from when I was as young as Levi, but I do recall in high school driving friends crazy with my literal logic. And now I think my husband suffers the same as well. Some things never change.

giving thanks

Top 10 things I am thankful for that aren't so obvious...
1) I shampooed my living room carpet last month.
2) Toothpaste, when used in small amounts, no longer makes me upchuck.
3) We have new, quieter neighbours next door.
4) For my calling, at least I get to learn lots!
5) I have yet to see snow this fall.
6) I live in Saskatoon.
7) My kiddies are naughty cause we all learn from it.
8) My husband is in school.
9) I love living close to 5 different parks.
10) The library. Bring on the free movie rentals!!

i bet you could use a little more "warm" these days

A friend is having a quilt give-away. Check it out to see if you can be the lucky winner!!

enoch the beast

I love my son. He is sweet and oh so kissable and smart and silly and loves to dance crazy and he likes to say "I la lou". He is cute and friendly and smells good. He loves to bathe and help with dishes and likes to sing the clean up song while he actually helps to pick up toys.

Unfortunately, he is also two. He is at the unavoidable age of tantrums and screaming, crying and whining, foot stomping, rule protesting, food throwing, drink spilling, toy grabbing and bedtime prolonging. If you have a two year-old, you are likely nodding you head because you know exactly what I am talking about. I am just so thankful that kids go through this stage when they are still light enough to be picked up in a hurry and cute enough to still be so lovable.

I worry about when my kids will be teenagers and go through this whole stage again, only without smelling good or looking as cute.

kinsmen park

Here are some pics that are a little dated but need to be shared anyways. Levi (especially- just look at the faces!) and Enoch really had a fun time on this outing, it was great to go together as a family.

aftermath

Everything has been going well. We arrived at the hospital at 7 am, and it wasn't until 9:45 that I could actually convince Levi to wear his hospital gown. He sure is vocal about anything that he opposes as the entire day surgery unit can attest to! There were at least 5 other kids there yesterday (all of whom wore their gowns without a fuss), waiting around for similar surgeries, so it was nice to know that Levi isn't exactly a guinea pig for the doctor. It was also comforting to see other kids come out of surgery with their eyes intact before Levi even had to go in. Levi went into surgery a little after 10, and was out by 11:15. He slept it off at the hospital for awhile, and then came home and slept it off some more. He refused to open his eyes until we turned on Little Mermaid last night (we don't own it, so it was a novelty). His eyes are still crossed, but not as much. The inner sides of his eyes are really red a bloodshot, too. We had a doctors appointment this morning, and she said that's normal and that we need to wait and will be evaluating his eyes again in 2 weeks.

Levi is more himself today, crawling around like a lizard in public and fighting with his brother as usual. He is no longer grumpy like he was yesterday. I think our only big challenge left is getting drops into his eyes every 2 HOURS. This is a major struggle every time and has to be done for the next 2 weeks. Any tips?

big day

Tomorrow is the day. Pray for luck!

writer's block

I have not had much of anything to write lately. Most, if not all of you may know that I am pregnant, but I felt like I had to write something so here is the official announcement on my blog. Baby is due on March 5th, and Levi has named her Kagakagakeegan, and is very adamant that that is the name. I will hate to break it to him when the day arrives...

Oh, and we do not know if it is really a girl, Levi wants a baby sister and I am more than happy to continue with that little dream.

surprise visit

My mom likes to really pack a car. Enough that at times I think when she casually asks people if they might be able to take a package with them on a trip, they consider making alternate arrangements.

My mom had a bunch of stuff to send me this weekend, only the "fedex" was no longer going. So this afternoon she made the alternate arrangements, and my mom, sister and three nieces are all headed out here today. Oh, and a puppy. YIKES. This house is childproof, but it certainly isn't puppy proof. I am really excited to see everyone, though.

Erin C: This is your chance to meet the infamous anonymous commenter, bring your kids by and they can meet the puppy, too!

speed date

As most of you know, Levi has strabismus, or crossed-eyes, and has been waiting for a surgery date. We were told that he would be getting a date at the end of November or early December. We got a phone call from the hospital, and he will be having his surgery on the 26th! Yikes. That's way faster than I am ready for.

childhood memories

Have you ever had a conversation with someone about how great the cartoons were in the good old days? (I'm talking 1985-90 give or take a few years). Remember Gummi Bears? Smurfs? Transformers? Thundercats? The Green Forest?

Then usually the conversation turns to how silly, ridiculous and unimaginative cartoons are these days. I am not talking about Simpons, Disney/Pixar movies etc, more about the Saturday morning cartoon genre.

We have recently rediscovered one of my all-time favorite cartoons, Ducktales. These shows were awesome, I tell you! My neighbour had them all recorded onto VHS, and my brother, sister and I would borrow tape after tape and watch these priceless animation wonders for hours. WE LOVED THEM!! I can still remember the theme song. (A-whoo-hoo!!)

But the sad thing is, along with this rediscovery, I have come up with a new discovery: the show is absolutely abominable. Uninteresting, plotless, boring, you can barely even understand what any of these silly ducks are saying!! All these years I have thought that creators and writers and animators have lost their skill, but really I am just a lot harder to please. I think I would have been just as happy with the sad Saturday renditions of today as I was with the glorious drawings of yesteryear.

twenty-eight

As children in my family, when we celebrated birthdays we always had a special test that we had to pass before my mother would make us a cake. It was a fairly easy test, the same one every year. My mom would ask us how old SHE was, and we would have to say 27. That was my mother's magical age of youth and beauty, I guess. Once we would say she was only 27, then the festivities would continue as normal.

Today I am officially older than my mother. I know, I know, the math doesn't quite add up, but oh well. I am 28 and have decided to no longer care about birthdays. I was SO SAD to turn 20. I could have been a teen forever. I have a picture of me a week before I turned 20, in front of a license plate that read 4EVER19. Oh well, I have decided to follow the attitude of a good friend and just no longer care. I am 28 and I am lucky to be alive!

second guess

This week we got a very late letter in the mail saying that Josh is accepted into U of A for education. Yes, so nice of them to give us a fair amount of time for planning, I know....

All week we have been weighing our options. Why are we in Saskatoon? Why are we in school? Is this the right thing? Where are we supposed to be? Should we stay or should we go? Honestly, for me, the idea never really appealed to me. Once we move to Edmonton it will fulfill the circle we started years ago when we first got married and swore we would never live in certain places. Those being Idaho, Deathbridge, Saskatoot and Dedmonton. Once we move there and end up loving it like the rest of the places (Idaho excluded), I feel like the world could collapse into itself from the irony of it all.

We have decided to stay. Why trade one cold winter for another? Maybe if it was Bermuda or something.

I just hope we are right.

enoch is two!

Last Sunday was Bo-bene's birthday. It was a bit of a gloomy day for him, he woke up with a fever and sort of dragged around the house all day. We still had a cake and opened a couple presents, though.

Here is how he spent most of the day when not pretending to want to eat cake.

brain teaser

I came up with this brain teaser in the wee hours of the night.

Point A: You are behind a door with a sleeping, dead weight child on the other side of it who fell asleep on the floor instead of his bed.

Point B: A child is feeling sick in bed in the same room as the first child.

Question: How fast can you get from Point A to Point B, will it be in time to get child B to Point C, a toilet????

Answer: No matter how fast you are, even if you are Superman, you will be standing helplessly at Point A by the time it is too late.

enoch's prayers

They have been going something like this:
M=Mommy. E=Enoch

M: Dear Heavenly Father.
E: Father
E: Batman!
M: Thank-you for Batman
E: Spiderman!
M: Thank-you for Spiderman.
E: Doc Oc!
M: Thank-you for Doc Oc.
M: Thank-you for my family.
E:
M: Amen.
E: (angrily) Star Wars!!
M: Thank-you for Star Wars.
E: Amen.

breaking dawn

Have you read it?
I didn't know what to think. I read it this weekend while staying at my in-laws. They were so nice and would find ways to watch the kids so I could sit and read. Talk about a vacation!!!

But really, what to think? I don't want to say anything for fear that someone hasn't read the book yet, but I need to talk about it with someone. Have you read it?

primary talk

Levi gave his first talk in church today. It was so cute! I was up there helping him, and he was speaking loud and clear as we was basically eating the mic. He did a very good job, the microphone just needs to be sanitized.

Here is his talk:
My name is Levi. I know that missionary work is important. I have two grandmas who were baptized because of missionaries. The missionaries taught them about Jesus and Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. I am so glad for missionaries who taught my family the gospel.
One of the missions of the church is to Proclaim the Gospel. That means its our job to share what we know about Jesus. We can invite friends to primary, gave away Book of Mormons, be good examples and feed the missionaries. Why wait until we are grown up to be a missionary? We can be missionaries now.

Afterwards Levi jumped down and ran up to his daddy to give him a big hug. He was so proud of himself. And we of him.

saskatoon bugs

When one moves to Saskatoon there are a few things that are likely to happen eventually over time.
First, we developed a love for Smallville. That started when we came out here to house hunt.
Second, we developed a sixth sense to watch out for crazy drivers. You would be amazed at how red of a light people will run here.
Next, we discovered how much we miss chinooks.
Along with the previous lesson learned, we have realized to get outside and enjoy good weather while it is here.
Last, and this is something I never thought I would catch, is the running bug. A lot of people here run. Rain or shine, winter or summer, inside and out. People here (not all, of course) seem to like to run. I am now one of them. I love to turn on my ipod and run down the cracked streets and listen to my feet hit the pavement. There is something so peaceful about it. This is one cold I hope to have caught for a while.

spray play

This town is famous for all their spray parks and fun things to do outside during the summer. If only the summer months would last forever...

here you go mom

By request:





We got back a few days ago from a trip to Calgary. It was fun but super busy.
Here are a few pics from the zoo. You can tell in a few of the pictures how hot is was. We were fryin'!

traffic accident

So today Josh and I went for a bike ride to the library. At an intersection a few cars had to stop to let us cross. As we were crossing I managed to lose my shoe on the road. I dismounted to pick up the shoe, because all of a sudden my feet didn't seem to have the ability to work properly. Next, as I was bending over to pick up my shoe my shirt caught the bike seat and I was stuck. Any way I moved, and the bike was following me. Once separated from the bike, I couldn't manage to get back on the bike; I was feeling very stupid and self-conscious at this point and didn't dare hop on just in case I would suddenly fly over the handlebars. All this and the whole time I am thinking, "Man alive my mom was right. I shouldn't wear flip flops while biking."

I just hope I made some drivers' day and that they can laugh at my stupidity.

halo heaven

Josh went to a Halo party last night. Or should I say this morning? He got home at 4:45am, does that make it yesterday or today?

potty update

I haven't mentioned Levi in a long time in regards to his potty behavior. What we have been doing lately is putting a pull up on him at night, but only after he has fallen asleep. Last night we simply forgot to put him in his "nighttime undies" (because they are NOT diapers!), and he woke up dry as firewood. Woohoo!!!!

killer kijiji

I have been checking things out on kijiji for awhile now, but haven't really gotten into it until recently. As in last night recently. I bought Levi a used bike (way better than the $60 new!), and a bunch a nice clothes for him for ten bucks. AND I also sold my car bed, without having to pay for advertising or anything. Thanks kijiji.

What does kijiji mean, anyways?

P.S. Punch it out on your keyboard, it is fun to spell.
kijiji kijiji kijiji kijiji kijiji kijiji kijiji kijiji kijiji kijiji kijiji kijiji

mother

So.... how to write about me. Hmmmm...... How does one write about herself in an interesting manner, when her life is absolutely ordinary? I have the answer: she writes about her mother!!

My mom is a convert to the church. She joined in Kansas, while away from her hometown of Stillwater, Oklahoma, studying. She met my Dad there and was shocked when she first came to Canada to meet the family. She was expecting ice fields and dogsleds. (I now know that although southern Alberta does not necessarily fit that description, Saskatoon certainly is an ice field for most of the year).5 kids and many moves later, I am in the picture, growing up in Calgary. I have many memories about my mom.

I learned that she is much smarter than me the hard way. When I was around 16 I lied about seeing a certain movie with my friends, telling her instead that I was viewing How to Make an American Quilt. The next day after school, I find sitting on the dining room table a quiz just for me. Turns out my mom had caught the matinee of the Quilt movie, and wrote me up a short answer test to see if I had actually seen it. Of course I failed, and I was banned from movie theaters for the rest of the year.

My mom is very thorough. When I moved away from home for the first time my mom managed to send me 5000 miles away with six extra large moving boxes of everything but the kitchen sink. How we got all that transported by airlines to Texas for free is a mystery to all but her. I had a microwave, springform pans, duct tape, string, thumbtacks, laundry basket..... you name it, and I had it as soon as I walked in the door. Included was even a list of food to buy at the grocery store AND a separate list for Walmart for cleaners and an ironing board.

My mom and I look alike. We are the only blond-blue-eyed Cahoons of my immediate family. It sort of made us the black sheep. There are some pictures of me and when I look at them, all I see is my mom. Weird.

My mom is a very safety conscious person. I think the only time I was ever grounded was when I rode my bike without a helmet. Of course, I left the house with a helmet on - I would just stash it in the bushes once I was around the corner. You would think that a 15 year old would be smart enough to see a 15 passenger beast being navigated by their mom, cruising along the road. Unfortunately for me, I was not, and I was so busted. (Apparently I really would have needed the head protection). I later earned the nickname "Safety Sach," and consider it a trait of hers that I inherited.

This post could go on and on but I think I will end here. It is much easier to write about my mom than it is about me. I now see why a person can write a whole book about their mother. But, I think when we write about our mothers, we are really writing about ourselves. Because without my mother, who would I be?

lurker alert

I had the best comment the other day. Someone who I have never met left a comment. We attended the same institute class way back in the day. I thought it would be a good idea to have a post that sums me up so that anyone who may not really know me can get a better idea of who I am. BUT- turns out it is a lot more difficult than I thought.

I guess I am just not as interesting as I thought I was.

father's days

Daddy has had a lot of father's days lately.

Just about everyday it is father's day to do all the work around here. Its his job most days to feed the kids, play with them, teach them, love them, bathe them, read to them, and put them to bed. (I still love them, but am exempt from many of the other tasks for the summer). He has been real busy but has done such an incredible job! I am real proud of him. My kids will have big shoes to fill one day when they themselves become fathers.

the boots

These boots are Enoch's bread and butter. They are the cherry on top of his ice cream sundae. The apple of his eye. His joy and delight and his everything. He wears them in the house all day and would wear them to bed and to church if we let him. He doesn't mind the extra weight, or the fact that he always gets stuck in his highchair cause he is wearing moon boots that more than double his size/body mass. He loves them, and just like the boots that light up with every step, he lights up whenever they are on.

sunday thoughts

For the past three years Levi has gotten up and always wanted to come right into bed with us in the morning. I loved it! He would cuddle and just lay there for up to an hour. But he is so big now. He gets up and goes straight to the family room.
It all started a few weeks ago when Levi figured out what exactly he could do with lego. He would wake up, and instead of being all excited to see me, he would be excited to go and play with his lego. Now he doesn't necessarily play with his lego, but he'll just get up and go and play with whatever. He never bothers with me till he is hungry. Half of me likes this cause he is learning to be independent. It also means I can keep sleeping. But the other half wishes for my little boy to stay around forever. What am I to do if I have a hard time dealing with his small step of self-reliance, when one day he will live on his own possibly miles and miles away from me? How can I ever let go when easing up is so hard to do?

I remember when I moved away from home for the first time. My parents took me to the airport and I had to walk through those glass doors into the customs area. Swoosh! And just like that my parents were shut out from me and I was on my own. I was sad. I was scared. Did I show that to my parents? I don't know, I certainly tried not to. Were they anxious, worried, sad.....? I'm not sure.

I wonder what Heavenly Father feels like when he sends us here. Talk about letting go!

play time

I am so impressed with what Levi has been building lately. His inspiration is mostly Star Wars.

good morning sunshine

In Saskatoon the sun never comes up in the winter, and it never goes down in the summer. At least it seems like it.

Levi was up with the sun at 4:30 this morning, asking for breakfast! He didn't go to bed till after 10:00 last night, until the sun was finally setting. At least he is different from his father, who seems to only ever really wake up once the sun goes down.

lost

I have been so Lost lately.

We got rid of TV (cable- and peasant vision is non-existent) a year and a half ago and I have not been able to watch the old shows that I used to really love.
Mostly it has been fine to be without TV. After a couple weeks I stopped caring about what I was missing, and hadn't thought much about it since.
Until I found this wicked website.
All my favorite shows, all the episodes, and without commercials.
First, Josh and I caught up on the Office.
And now I am catching up on Lost. Did I ever miss out on a lot!! It has been quite the treat to watch an episode (or two or three) after the kidlets go to bed.
It just keeps getting better and better. But don't say anything about the season finale tonight- I won't be able to watch it for a while yet.

coming home

The best part of my work day is coming home. To this:

I love getting a big hug from each of my boys, and smelling them. Ahhhh. Baby and sunscreen, is there any better combo?

what is your definition of work?

Levi: Can we go to Walmart and buy a new car today?
Mommy: Not today, Hun, its Sunday and we don't go shopping on Sundays. We don't work and we rest today.
Levi: OK.

20 minutes later....
Mommy: Levi, time to go potty.
Levi: I don't go potty on Sundays.

long weekend

Hope everyone is enjoying their long weekend!

We have been planting and painting and rearranging things around here. Levi and Enoch have switched with the office, and they are now in a nice new boy-blue room, complete with matching beds. The office (I LOVE that show) is a new brown. I am pretty happy with the colors. I will post pics when we get our new camera, because I old one is busted.

Having the boys in beds has really made nighttime difficult. It seems they are so excited and energized once they go to bed, that no one ever falls asleep until there is an injury of some sort or another to dampen their spirits. Hopefully for our sake, and theirs, this new habit will not become the norm.

The boys helped me plant a garden this morning. Note to self: NEVER AGAIN. I got all mixed up with all the interference and I ended up planting peas instead of green beans, and then I goofed again and planted yellow beans instead of green beans. We'll see how things turn out, maybe next year I will get a sitter.

woo hoo!

We got an acceptance letter today from the College of Education. Two more years baby!

miracles

I witnessed many miracles these last few days while away.

First, I gave injections, and lots of them. And I didn't kill anyone, I didn't pass out, I didn't turn green, or cry, and I even stopped shaking after awhile.

Second, I survived getting a LOT of injections. 28, I think. And my jaw still works and I can taste and everything.

Next, Josh survived. The weekend was a little long for him, but the family managed very well. I think the highlight of the "boys" weekend was Sacrament Meeting. Enoch and Levi each managed to scatter their individual snacks everywhere, as though they were feeding a large flock of hungry pigeons in the chapel.

And last, (definitely not least), I survived Winnipeg roads. Have you ever driven there? WOW. (Watch Out for Winnipeg.) The roads are absolutely crazy! I'm taking 3 lanes of traffic over bridges with NO LINES. And I thought 25th Street bridge was scary. There are roads that change names without ever telling you. And street signs so tiny that you never know where your turn is until it is way too late. And parking! The streets are all so narrow that you can only park on one side of the street. Even in residential. Not a huge deal until you make a wrong turn, and you keep turning and turning and STILL can't find a place where you can actually pull over to look at a map. Roads change from two lanes to five lanes and back down to three lanes in the blink of an eye. And they are all off the grid, so they don't intersect at right angles. Yes, it is a miracle that I am alive and that my rental car did not get a scratch.

Despite the horrible roads, Winnipeg is a real nice city. People are very friendly and there are amazing churches and buildings to look at. Thanks to Mike and Diane for letting me stay with them!

new husband

I traded in my husband for the new updated version. Or, for any who remember, the old high school version.
Before:

During:

After:

Levi asked Josh this morning when he saw Josh for the first time, "Are you still my Daddy?"

busy busy

Things have been real busy here since the semester has finally come to a close. I am now the student trying to study for a local anesthesia course, and Josh is taking over childcare, and everything else that goes along with it. It is certainly different. I forgot how hard it is to have to study my brains out when I am already tired. Not much fun. Then add noise from kids and a needy husband (not that he is needy, but I am sure that I am at times), and wow does it ever get difficult. I only have one more week to cram, then it is off to Winnipeg for me. Josh will be alone with the kids for three and a half days! Wish us all luck.

registry

Have you guys ever registered at a store for anything? We did when we got married. It was really fun, taking that little zapper thing and making an ultimate wish list. I know that people sometimes do it when they have babies, too.
Well, I have a new idea that I would like to sell to the powers of capitalism. A gift registry for anyone who is potty-training. Buying toys is the only thing that has worked for Levi, and had I known this before I would have done it a year ago. For a while we were bribing him with Disney cars (from the movie). We have since bought just about every single one. Now, to get him to poop we have promised him a tool set. Result? 5 times in a row, just like that!

The only problem is potty-training, like getting married or having a new baby, is breaking our bank. We need a potty registry to keep this thing going.
Hmmmm.... maybe it is not our bankbook with the problem. It is that our 3-year old is way smarter than we are, and is milking this experience for all its worth!

achoo

If you are all by yourself, and you sneeze, do you say excuse me?
I just did and thought it was odd.

is it just me...

Or does everyone have to clean their house before a babysitter comes over?
We are having a sitter tonight, and I have just spent the better part of the morning cleaning the house. That doesn't include that I still need to clean the bathroom, do laundry so that the kids have "nice" jammies to wear, and clean their room so no one sees what sort of pigsty they normally sleep in. I have already given up on the office, there is just no time to worry about that, hopefully this girl is not an internet lover. ..
I used to think that I would never care about things like that, but come on, who wants to see old yogurt on a high chair tray? It's a good thing hockey is over (for us), and hopefully things won't be so out of hand next time

sleepy heads

Today I did not get out of bed until 10!!
Earlier this morning I woke up to Enoch mumbling and bubbling. I thought to myself, unless it is after 7, there is no way I am getting up to get him. I forced my eyelids open, only to see that the clock said 8 o'clock! After getting Enoch, it was obvious that he was still sleepy, so he came back to bed with me and we cuddled for another 2 hours as he slept. Levi got up a little before 9, and just read books in bed with me. What a great morning! Now if only we could go outside...

time for a little note

Things of note, lately;
Enoch is stringing words together, his favorite is "I want _________" (you fill in the blank). He also prefers to eat at the table instead of his high chair.
Levi can FINALLY pee by himself. He just goes and does it, woo hoo! He can now draw pictures of people. They are awesome. He drew one of Josh and pointed out "Daddy's big mouth."
Josh only has 2 exams to go.
I have apparently been shrinking. Today at my yearly check-up, I was told that I was 5'6". Thats two down from what I thought I was. If only they would do that for my weight....

a day to remember

We had lovely day yesterday. After lunch Levi and I went for a walk together, just the two of us while Enoch was napping. He rode his bike (tricycle) and we went at his pace. He had the time of his life, he has never really ridden his bike for more than a few feet at a time before. He got quite good at it; once he started pointing his handlebars in the right direction. Then we came home and played with Enoch in the "back-ard."
We were going out to a picnic for dinner, but before we went Levi had some some cereal at the table and I went over to the computer to check something. Of course, as one often does while in front of the internet, I got carried away and left him for a while. I called out to him to see if he was OK, and no response. That's funny, I thought so I called out his name again, and still no answer. I got up to check on him, and there he is, dead asleep, curled up on his metal chair in the shape of an egg. Head resting on his hands. I guess enjoying the nice weather all day yesterday really tired him out. Thank-you sunshine!!

cheese

Levi wanted to see pictures of me on here... so here they are.

hair cut

I did it! I cut Enoch's hair. He has the very typical, "my mom cut my hair" look. As does Levi. of course, my camera is out of batteries, so you'll have to accept these photobooth pics.

my other half

I love my husband. He is a wonderful person and friend and companion. We have lots of fun together. He does have one big fault, however, and that is that he can not dance. For real. I learned this early on in our relationship, and have since given up on the hopes of Josh one day taking a dance class and falling in love. It just ain't gonna happen. It is not his fault, though. He has a serious condition of where his head is literally to far from his feet, and his neurons just can't fire quick enough to make the movement look good. He knows this. I know this. And now even Levi knows this. The other day as father and son were doing a fun little jig to some music while just playing around, Levi forcefully informed Josh that he was doing it wrong and showed him a better way to do it.

toddler talk

This video is not to show-off how articulate Enoch is, but it does give you an idea of how he is progressing in the speech category. Other than singing Happy Birthday, his favorite thing to say is "doh 'way!!" (Go away.) It is so cute because he tries to say it in such a mean and take-me-seriously sort of way, but how can those big eyes say anything but love me?!

originality

Any guesses as to what this amazing creation is?
Statue? Gun? Eiffel Tower? Elevator? Barn? Sword? Mountain? Arrow?

You would be wrong with all of the above answers. It is the one and only Bahearo.
So, any guesses what a Bahearo is?

progress in recovery

Seems like I have been gone forever!! Following Enoch being sick with baby measles, I managed to come down with some weird flu thing that made my back and neck and head feel like I was in a car wreck. I am on the mend.... just do not ask me how my work out was today.
Here is a picture of Enoch in his misery. Although I think he really liked watching all those movies.

And here is a picture of the boys in the middle of one of their new favorite activities; wrestling. WWE here we come!

update

Just a little update on the kids....

Levi had an eye appointment the other week and it looks like he is heading in for surgery once his right eye is strengthened a little bit more. We went again today, to his other eye doctor, and he needs a new prescription for some mild astigmatism that has developed. My wonderful doctor is giving us these new lenses for free, seeing that we just for new glasses in January.

Enoch has been sick for over a week now. I have never had this happen before. A fever since last Sunday!! He did have one day where he was feeling better, but then his temp shot up the very next day all over again. When you have a lightweight as it is, it is worrisome when they have no appetite for over a week. Apple juice, advil, milk, and tylenol make up his diet right now. We took him into the walk-in clinic on Saturday, and they did not really help. They ruled out an ear infection, said it was a virus, then gave us a Rx for antibiotics. I am no doctor, but that makes no sense to me. We are going in to see the family doctor tomorrow, and hopefully we can figure out what is the matter.

As a side note, I got a glimpse of what my life will be like in 10 years or so. I went to the gym today after work, and was blessed with the assault of the strongest BO I have smelt for a while. Sure enough, the closer I got to the flex room, the stronger it got and when I looked inside the reeking room where this odor was originating, there were dozens of little teenage boys doing Tae Kwon Do. Someone please show them what a deodorant stick is!!

tag, i'm it

1. What was I doing 10 years ago?
I was planning grad during "coffee talk" at Tim Horton's.

2. 5 things on my to do list:
a) Get SIN for the kids.
b) Run 10km.
c) Catch up on the last two years of Smallville.
d) Laundry.
e) Find some sort of childcare for the summer.

3. What snacks do I enjoy?
Lately I have been loving whipped cream. On fruit, on pudding, on hot chocolate, or on its own. (Hence I want to run.)

4. What would you do if you were instantly a billionaire?
Move to Hawaii and invite you to come visit.

5. 3 bad habits:
a) Road rage.
b) Nagging hubby.
c) Saying my prayers in the sleep position.

6. 5 places I've lived:
a) Calgary, AB
b) Beeville, TX
c) Rexburg, ID
d) Lethbridge, AB
e) Saskatoon, SK

7. 5 Jobs I've had
a) Calgary Herald Carrier
b) Babysitting
c) Piano Teacher
d) Sterilization Technician
e) Hygienist

8. 5 things people don't know about me
a) Had a small bladder as a child - you figure out the rest.
b) Used to be a bit of a woman's lib supporter.
c) Hate olives.
d) The bigger my kids grow, the smaller my patience seems to get.
e) My face is totally asymmetrical. Don't look, I'm hideous!!

here's to you mr robertson

I had the same English teacher for grade 10 and 12. I didn't mind him. I remember him tearing apart Alanis Morisette's song Ironic as though it contained the worst lyrics ever made known to man.

For the last couple of days her song has been playing in my head as I think about my kidlets.

Traffic jam, when you're already late

A no smoking sign on your cigarette break

10, 000 spoons when all you need is a knife

sick and fevered kids, when the sun comes back to life

At least the days are getting warmer and warmer and there is much more to look forward to when we are all better. Enoch is sure cute trying to convince me that he is not ill. Between screams and cries, he likes to stomp around in his boots and put on his mittens. HINT!

puppy supreme

We do not have a dog. We do not want a dog, at least at this stage in our lives. But today we were entertained by the notion that Enoch is a little puppy, of sorts. After our Sunday nap, Enoch got up and brought his boots over to Josh. (hint). Then he went and found his coat, and then brought that over to Josh. (HINT). Next, he got my boots and brought them over to me. (HINT!!). Just like a little puppy, this guy loves to go for walks outside, or "t'side" as he calls it.

So we went out and walked around the block. It was very fun. The boys all got very wet. Some weirdo in a mini-van thought it would be cool to splash a dad and his two kids. The boys didn't mind at all, and Josh just nostalgically reflected that he probably deserved that.

did i sign up for the right class?

I have always heard how parents, and particularly mothers, have to be a little bit of everything. Nurse, coach, cook, laundress, taxi, doctor, psychic (what on earth is going on in that little head?), maid, accountant, secretary, personal assistant, shopper, sumo wrestler....

Sumo wrestler!? I had no idea that I was signing up for that. Today, after Levi spent a good 30 minutes trying to go "potty" that included at least 10 flushes and half of a roll of clean toilet paper, I decided it was time to quit "trying" and go to bed.

He did not like the idea.

Just picture me sitting on his chest, with my knees covering his arms, and my two arms struggling to get his diaper and jammies on through an assault of kicks and body contortions. I need to go sign up for a wrestling class, cause if this kid gets much bigger, I will start losing these battles.

big guy

I can not believe how big Levi is getting. Today before church he insisted that he do his own hair. We have this stick of wax that we use on him, and today he applied it all by himself. He can now reach the remotes on top of the TV, which is very handy if you think about it. He is learning his letters and is even catching on to what the sounds are for each. He goes to Sunbeams and participates and learns new songs. He is a great big cousin and so nice to little Baby Madelynne.




He is STILL not potty-trained. I believe it is 100% by choice. He used to be pretty good, but in the last 2 days he seems to have forgotten all he learned on the subject. Doh!