Vacation time....

With all the taxes, RRSP's, private tuition fees and mortgage payments bogging us down... we decided this year to just bite the bullet and go away for spring break. I am tired of paying everyone else...and yes that means that our main bathroom will probably not be renovated till later in the year...but we only live once...and with Justin on his way to university in less than 3 years...we don't have much more family vacation time left. We have decided to go to COSTA RICA...since we have already taken the kids to Mexico and Jamaica...we wanted somewhere new and exotic but more importantly...HOT!. It's a bit risky because Central America is not the norm for spring breakers but with some brand new all inclusive resorts opening up in the last year it seems to becoming the new down south spot to experience. My family likes adventure...me personally I prefer to lie my fat arse on the beach and read all day while lifting my hand once in awhile to sip my pina colada but one must compromise so I said I will do 2 or 3 excursions off the resort including horseback riding in the jungle and visiting the active volcano. I am looking forward to creating some wonderful memories and to get the heck away from this SNOW! Stay tuned for updates after our return...just hope I don't get eaten by a BOA CONSTRICTOR!!

Valentine's Day isn't just for couples...

I woke up early this morning so Katie and I could drive down to Toronto to take my Nana to church on this Valentine's Day. We don't go to church often these days although all three of my kids attend mass regularly at their Catholic schools. Going to church was something I only ever did with my mom and Nana....a deep memory from my childhood.....my mother trying her best to sing the choir songs while my Nana listened attentively to the sermon...me always fidgeting in the pew trying to relieve my boredom by spying on people and counting how many coughs I heard during the service....anticipating the moment when we could step out of the church but only after Father had walked to the back of the church. Today I stood with my Nana once again as I had done so many times before in childhood taking in the faint smells of candles and listening to the songs of praise...but this time I looked around at the parishioners wondering what life they had that brought them to mass....most in wheelchairs, all veterans as my Nana insists on going to mass at the hospital where Grandpa lived during his Alzheimer years. I think about how quickly time has passed and feel a sense of sadness when I see my Nana with her walker, out of breath and trying to drag her leg with each step. She is an amazing woman who lost her mother as a child but somehow knew how to love her children and grandchildren. This time at mass I am not wanting the time to end but to stand still......looking down at my daughter with my hands on her shoulders just as my mother had gestured to me in church...I realize that she is now playing my childhood role probably hoping that she too can get out quickly and wondering why her mother drags her to mass. Well my darling I am doing so to teach you about love. Love that my Nana showed me all those times she took me to church. Church is a place to remember those in your life, to teach you to be a better person and live each day with kindness. So when my Nana is no longer on this earth...we can go to Church to remember and thank her for giving us such a wonderful gift.

girls and boys weekend...

Most women would probably be upset that their husband of soon to be 17 years would be away on Valentine's Day for a BOYS WEEKEND...but not me.....nope ...nadda...because my husband he is doing something that is so much more meaningful that buying me flowers, chocolates or jewelry (although I have never seen a Tiffany's box I wouldn't refuse!!)....anyways.......nope my husband is spending time with his boys....taking them skiing in New York State with their Uncle and cousins......a gift that cannot be matched..........Brian is so consumed with the everyday trials of work that getting away is exactly what all my boys need!... Katie and I will manage just fine back home....we are getting our pedicures today with some funky paint design, seeing the Tooth Fairy movie and going for dinner....tomorrow we hope to visit Nana and take her to church and then do some SHOPPING on Bayview Ave in Toronto in the afternoon....Monday the boys are back...and everything will be like it was yesterday!! Happy Valentines to all those sweetheart Dad's out there who understand what love really means!

recommendation for dog owners...

My puppy Kaycee is now 11 months old and it was only yesterday that I finally had a great walk with her....you see we did the puppy classes.. training her to sit, stay, and come...she can do a few tricks if a treat is involved...but she just wouldn't stop pulling when walking her....trying to get her to heel required me to pull on her leash about 50% of the walk.....I went to her doggie daycare yesterday completely frazzled with Kaycee that she was just not getting the "heel" command.....I was willing to fork out some more cash for some more obedience classes when the instructor at the daycare told me for $16 bucks he could get Kaycee to heel...skeptical on my part...he took off Kaycee's collar and put on a "gentle leader".....its a type of leash that wraps around the leather of the dogs snout.. just as a bridle is used on horses....it is unnatural for the dog to be pulled by the nose and therefore when walking with the leader they DO NOT PULL.....and just like that.....it worked....we had an extra long walk today and I no longer felt guilty pulling at Kaycee's neck......apparently a dog her size is still fairly strong and can easily pull a small child in a wagon ..so pulling at her neck while walking will not change her behavior .....who-da-thought.....so I am recommending this contraption to anyone who finds that walking your dog is more like a tug -a-war....just wish I had used it sooner.....live and learn........

a new furbaby....( thanks Janet for that term)

My aunt and uncle had to say goodbye to their beloved dog Maverick in October after a large cancerous tumour was found on his backside. I will never forget that day because my Aunt Maggie brought Maverick to my house on her way to the vet. She was hoping for the best but knew from her medical background that this wasn't going to turn out good. I gave Maverick his last treat and a good belly rub before she left. A few hours later my aunt Maggie called to say that "he was gone"...she put him down because his prognosis was only a few weeks to live. That night as she paced her hallway in tears .. she swore to me that she would NEVER get another dog again because the pain was so unbearable....until today.....my aunt and uncle brought home a beautiful Samoyed puppy named DAKOTA....they just couldn't take another day without a dog in their lives...they missed the jingle of the collar, the patter of the paws on the floor and a heartbeat to snuggle up too.....welcome home Dakota...

sometimes you just need to hear it..

Its my fault really...my little Katie..lets just say she is not so little....I am not being mean just factual...she has size 2 feet, is taller than all the other girls and most boys in Grade one and has a waist that is bigger than my 10 year olds..so when her teacher discreetly came to me yesterday suggesting that "Katie get some bigger clothes"...I was a little mortified until I saw Katie bending over in the playground with her panties and butt crack exposed. Dear lord,...my heart suddenly felt weak...my Katie is not small...she is not like the other petite little girls...the teasing has already started and now I must face that she has to get some bigger girl clothes. The worse part is shopping....have you seen the girls clothes...the XL is what the medium size was back when I was growing up..... and do they think that everyone can wear a skinny pant? This is a girl who is active and eats vegetables....in fact she is a way better eater than my middle "skinny" kid but the truth is she is not small. At the mall we headed to a few stores and she could see my frustration when the clothes were not fitting...the bigger waist size makes the pants way too long with the pockets in the wrong places...and..the bigger shirts make her look bigger..this kid is only 6 and she already is made to feel inadequate when shopping for clothes.......finally we headed to the GAP...almost in tears at that point we found a nice mom who worked there and has a daughter the exact age as Katie who also is "bigger"...she suggested the plus size jeans for kids....they give you the bigger waist without the longer length..so a size 8 fit her proportionately... I bought her some long shirts with ties at the bottom that can be worn with leggings and discovered that dresses work better on her than most pants. I try not to emphasize with my kids that the clothes make a person but they need to know that to look good is to feel good. I am just sorry that Katie cannot wear the average size clothes ..but then again ...who wants an average kid!

life....

As I mentioned, my oldest son will be 16 this year and the conversation of getting his driver's licence has come up more than once. Yesterday Justin understood why we don't take that decision lightly. Yesterday, a boy that went to his school only two years before got into his Volkswagen Jetta and drove his car into a tree killing himself, his best friend and critically injuring his other friend. The cause of the crash...excessive speeding on a rural road. It's sad that my boy has to deal with grief at such a young age considering that he already went to a funeral last year ( his friend's dad hung himself) and had to say goodbye to Sean who was killed at the end of grade eight in a boating accident. Life is tough...protecting our kids from the harsh reality of life is difficult. I just hope that he learns from this accident. RIP and prayers to those parents and family suffering.

just an observation....

How is it that I have my youngest still praying to lose her first tooth while she is still in grade one and my oldest submitting course selections for grade 11 making sure he keeps in mind the engineering requirements for university. Justin is dealing with his future and Katie is just dealing with day to day....There may be lesson to be learned....like in my next life...have my 3 kids in 3 years.......no wait...my girlfriend Liz did that....okay guess I just have to deal with the 9 year age difference!