I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!

Searching For A Little Help Please

2009-01-29T10:08:00.003-06:00

I am reaching out to anyone who has knowledge, either first hand or not, of ADHD and its treatments. What I am mainly looking for is to find out how medications affect kids when they first start taking it, the type of medications that are out there, and any possible side effects. I am looking for the good stories, the ugly stories, everything. I thought I'd put it out there and ask just in case someone has some personal experience with this, and who I may be able to talk to or ask questions about it.

Any information, help, assistance, advice, etc. is welcome and appreciated.

Thank you all.....

Housey House

2008-06-12T16:04:00.002-05:00

Things with the house are winding down somewhat. We're about 95% finished on the inside, and about 10% on the outside. It feels as though this has been going on forever, and there is no end in sight. If you don't draw a line, it could go on forever. There is always something to do to the house. We're very happy with the results so far, so I thought I'd post a few more pictures.

More Renovation Stuff

2008-03-07T13:05:00.008-06:00

We are continuing with the renovations / home improvement stuff, and have completed 3 out of 4 rooms on the second floor. Jake's room will be next. So far, we're very happy with how everything is looking. We even got our new livingroom furniture today (sofa and loveseat) that we ordered on December 8th. Took a while. Anyway, everything is looking great, and my back is killing me! Par for the course, I suppose. Here are a few more pictures.

Renovations

2008-02-27T21:01:00.003-06:00

As most of you already know, we are trying to renovate our house so we can sell it in the spring. We're hoping for June, but it may be later than that. We have crapped out more money at Home Depot in the last month than I thought was ever possible. They love us. I'm sure they know us by name when we walk in there now. It's pathetic. If we don't go there one day, it feels like something is missing. We know exactly where everything is, and how much it costs. On the positive side, we have learned ALOT since we started all of this. The first major thing we did was the bathroom. It's about 98% complete. We're just missing baseboards and casings for the doorway, but that's all going in tomorrow. Once they're in, all I have to do are a few paint touch-ups, and voila! One month later, we have a new bathroom. Flooring and all. I thought I'd post a couple of pictures because I'm pretty happy with the outcome. It has been pure hell, but it's very pretty now. I'll show some before and after shots. Okay, one before, and the rest are after.

The next major venture will be the flooring. We are replacing the existing linoleum and carpet on the main level with hardwood (well, laminate) and new linoleum. That will be pretty major, but that's okay....hopefully it pays off in June!

Miss Anna Mae

2008-02-25T07:51:00.002-06:00

February 23, 2008

My niece, Anna.

Happy Birthday Jenn!!!

2008-02-09T10:45:00.001-06:00

Happy birthday Jenn!! I hope you have an awesome day today, and fun when you go out tonight. I still remember the day you were born (yes, I'm THAT much older)....you were soooo sweet, and you still are. You are the best sister anyone could possibly have. Thanks for being such a great friend to me.

Have a GREAT day!!

(ha-ha!! now you're one of US!!)

Some Oldies

2008-01-07T16:23:00.001-06:00

Band Concert 2007

2007-12-19T10:03:00.000-06:00

Here's a clip from Kelsey's very first band concert the other night. It was awesome!!!!!

Yay Kelsey!!!

2007-12-07T22:07:00.000-06:00

Kelsey's basketball team was in a tournament this past week, and she was in one of the local newspapers TWICE!!! The first time was on Tuesday in a story about the game from Monday night...she was one of the top scorers, and then today, her picture was on the front page of the sports section...in colour no less!!! So super cool!! For those of you reading this who don't know Kelsey, she is on the bottom left grabbing for the ball. It was the coolest thing to see her in the paper today! They lost the game, unfortunately, but the tournament was lots of fun.

First Birthday Party

2007-11-03T16:46:00.000-05:00

Today we had Jake's birthday party with his friends from school and day care. This is the first of its kind for him. I know there are many more to come, but he was pretty excited for today. We all went bowling and had pizza and cake after opening presents. The kids were all very well behaved, including the boys. The only thing they had to be told more than once was, "no wrestling", and I had to separate them from the pile of themselves they made on the floor. Only a couple of times though. No one was hurt or upset, but I just didn't want things to get out of hand. God, boys are sure different from girls! We set up the bowling so that the boys were in one lane, and the girls in the other. Figured it would work out best that way. The boys finished much faster than the girls, but that's partially because being boys, the faster, the better. Girls are more dainty. Even bowling. We all had a really good time and now Jake is playing with all the awesome gifts he received today. Seriously....NICE presents! Thanks everyone!

Trick or Treat!!

2007-10-31T20:03:00.000-05:00

Another Halloween, another crapload of candy....

Really though, the kids had a really good day and lots of fun going door to door. Kelsey had all kinds of activities at school, and Jake had two field trips. One in the morning to the Children's Museum, and one in the afternoon to a care home to show off their costumes. So cute!

Kelsey is still out with her friends, and Jake and I have been home for about half an hour now. We only went out for an hour or so, but the two of us had lots of fun.

Here are a couple of pictures I took today....

Scrutiny and Vulnerability

2007-09-21T20:43:00.000-05:00

What is it about starting a new job that makes us feel so nervous, vulnerable, and out of sorts? It's got to be the worst feeling in the world. I don't know if I'm the only one who feels this way, to the point that I do, or if it's a common thing that everyone experiences. Maybe I'm too sensitive, maybe I'm too insecure, maybe I just need to suck it up and forge ahead. I'm really trying. I really, really am. I've been busting my ass these past two weeks. I don't know. What I do know, however, is that for every good day I have at my new job, there are about 3 bad ones that follow (that could be a bit of an exaggeration, but that's how I feel right now). When I say 'bad', I don't mean that I want to up and quit, but little things happen that add up over a couple of days that make me feel really shitty about the decision I've made. It's not like I'm doing a job that is very specialized or high tech, or anything like that, I mean, a friggin monkey could do my job, I'm sure. And I wouldn't doubt that a friggin monkey would do a better job some days. Anyway, suffice it to say, I'm not having a very good day today.

The people in the branch generally speaking, are very nice. They really have been helpful when I have questions, and no one has made me feel as though I have been bothering them with my lack of knowledge. The other day I came home and was asked how my day was, and I responded by saying that I think I have a pretty good grasp on the job itself, so things were good.

Today.....not so much. A certain individual who is not my direct supervisor, talks to me in a very condescending manner (that is, when she decides to speak to me at all). The rest of the staff, especially the ones who report directly to her, kiss her ass. I don't like that either. It makes me quite sick to be honest. I will never kiss ass for any job. I will always do my job, and I will always treat my colleagues with respect, but never will I go out of my way to shove my nose up someone's behind because it might make that person like me more. It has never happened to this point, and it never will. Maybe that's why I always end up in pissy jobs. Small price to pay? Yes, it is. Anyway, there was a moment today where I wanted to take this person and tell her to stop talking to me like I was an idiot. The phony, forced laugh that comes out of her makeup caked mouth is enough to make me want to scream my head off. Maybe it's better that she doesn't like to talk to the 'help' so I don't have to be subjected to it often.

What I would like, and actually somewhat, expect when someone starts a new job, is some praise. Just a little. Whether I'm doing a stellar job or not, throw me a freaking bone! Give me something positive rather than .... "ooohhh....Charlene....uhh...I have something to talk to you about..." It can never be a talk about the great job I've done in the two weeks I've been here, can it? It has to be something that you think I've done wrong, but really didn't, but you have no one else to blame except the new girl. Who happens to be me.

Call me off my rocker, but should we, as workers and employees, not have standards from our employers as well? Shouldn't that be a two way street? I want to type up a list of mandates that I expect my employer to follow instead of only having to follow and meet their requirements. Why doesn't it work that way?

Again...am I too sensitive? Maybe. Do I like to be praised for my work (once in a while is fine) as opposed to being watched over like a hawk, and feeling scrutinized? Hell yeah! Does that make me abnormal?

I really am glad I left where I was and made this move. I just wish things felt a bit less uncomfortable. In case you weren't sure, I hate that feeling. I don't know if I conveyed that earlier. I really have been doing my best, and I have not heard once that suggests that I might be doing an okay job. It kind of makes me feel shitty.

On a positive note, the weekend is here, and I could not be happier. I had a couple of drinks after work (one being a 'Chargerita'...I actually really do have a drink named after me), and that made me relax a bit. That was until I came home to Jake wheezing his little lungs out. Poor guy. But...for me, that's minor. That's where I excel. Looking after my kids. I know I do a good job with them, and I don't need anyone to tell me that. That's the best, and favourite job I've ever had.

Pictures

2007-09-02T09:55:00.001-05:00

These are some pictures from a few things we've done over the summer, so I thought I'd share.

Untitled For No Reason

2007-07-05T07:32:00.001-05:00

Hi Everyone!

Atkins, Ears and Soap

2007-06-05T14:22:00.000-05:00

First of all, I want to congratulate Kenny on his milestone...he has lost 40 pounds in about 2 months' time. He has been sticking to an Atkins diet, and it has worked wonderfully. I know he wants to lose more, but the first 40 ... wow!!! Way to go, Honey! I am very, very proud of you!!!! You look fantastic!

Next on the list.....ear infections. Three out of the four of us have had ear infections in the last week. Mine was sinus and ear, Kelsey had both ears infected, and now Jake has one ear that's infected. I don't remember the last time I had an ear infection, but I know for sure it's been at least 25 years. Yikes! Even for Kelsey to have one at age 12...very odd. The doctor thought that of both of us. Jake on the other hand...seems to be a common occurrence with him these days. Especially in the last year. He's probably had 10 of them. The doctor is referring him to a specialist, who will look at the possibility of tubes, or an alternate solution.

At the end of the week Jenn will be here, and I can hardly wait! I can't wait for her to see the kids, and for the kids to see her. I think Kelsey knows she's coming, but Jake does not. So, it will be an awesome surprise for him. I think he's the only one in the whole family who is in the dark about it. It'll be fun!

Kenny's mom is at home now. She was discharged from the hospital this past Sunday. She'll have to be on blood thinning medication for a minimum two years. This will involve weekly visits to the doctor for bloodwork. It will be a pain in the ass, but better than what could have happened to her.

Last Friday, my mom and I went to Grand Forks for the day. It has been many, many years since I've had a shopping trip in the States. Before we went, the only store I cared to bring anything back from was Bath & Bodyworks since we don't have that store here. But......after seeing all the different cereal varieties, I indulged a little bit in bad-for-you kinds. I bought 7 boxes of cereal. Couldn't pass it up. I did manage to get some things from Bath & Bodyworks. Six hand soaps, a body wash and a body lotion. I wish I would have bought more soap. Another 10 bucks wouldn't have killed me. I was worried about duty and tax at the border, but it was nothing. Now I know for next time. I just wish we could get Bath & Bodyworks products in Canada without having to travel to the US. Oh well....makes for a good reason to go.

I have no new pictures to post since there is something wrong with our camera, and I haven't been able to use it. I hope it's still under warranty because I really don't feel like buying another camera.

That's it for today. I hope all is well with everyone, and I'll see you either on here or Facebook.

This Week...

2007-05-25T23:55:00.000-05:00

...has been the week from hell. I know everyone who knows us is aware of what's gone on. Now that things are seeming to be settling, we can take a breath. We are both exhausted, and Kenny is stressed and tired and, well, we can all understand I'm sure. Thank you to everyone who has called to check in, and to Mom for looking after the kids during crisis time, and also during decompressing time. Not sure what we would have done without you. We can always count on you, and you have no idea how much you're appreciated.

I'm Finished Painting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2007-05-17T15:16:00.000-05:00

This is the colour, although it turned out a little darker in the picture. It's lighter than what's showing, but close enough. I am going to be putting all my paint supplies away because I am sick to death of looking at them already. I'm so happy!!

Three Years!

2007-05-16T14:51:00.000-05:00

Wow...three years on May 14th.....how time flies hey? In total, Kenny and I have been together for eight years. Kelsey was Jake's age when we met. Hard to believe.

Anyway, this post is a couple of days late, but better than never.

Thanks for all the phone calls and good wishes!

Tin Grins Are In!!

2007-04-23T19:52:00.000-05:00

This must be true, because Kelsey had her braces put on (I like to call it "installed") last Friday. Out of her group of friends, she was 4th out of the 6 of them to have them installed. Another friend found out just today that she also has to have her teeth straightened, or realigned, or whatever the terms are nowadays. Kelsey and I were just talking and laughing about the fact that the whole group of them minus one will have braces, and she said, "As if we all need braces". I can't imagine any other reason for them being put on, considering what they cost. So....I'm pretty sure you all need them. Anyway, her mouth has been pretty sore since Friday night, but she's persevering. She looks so cute (as if she wouldn't have!), and they actually make her look different. More mature or something. Not sure, but they do look good on her. She'll have to go for tightenings every 6 weeks or so, and at that time, she can choose a different colour to be put on. The first go-around is teal (as you can probably see in the picture), and she said next time will be either pink or purple. I'm sure there are some pretty interesting colour combinations, but I must say the coloured ones are sure different from the braces I was used to seeing as a teenager. Also, what's up with braces being installed at such a young age now? I'm not at all complaining, but years ago, kids were 14 or 15 when they were first put on, and now they're long removed by that age. It's good though because they don't have to go through too many years of high school with them on. Life is rough enough at that age.

Anyway....nothing more to report.

Take care all...

Help Please!

2007-04-05T09:44:00.000-05:00

I need some help. Kenny is currently on a low-carb diet (a la Atkins), and is getting extremely bored with the food. We need some meal and snack ideas so he doesn't fall off the wagon. He's doing awesome with the diet so far, but is feeling a little down about the boring meals. Does anyone have any suggestions? He doesn't like any kind of fish or seafood, so that limits us a little bit. I've looked on the internet for meals and recipe ideas, but thought I'd ask for help from all the carb-counters out there. I would greatly appreciate any help, ideas, advice, and suggestions.

Dear Christopher

2007-03-21T22:42:00.000-05:00

Chris, I feel terrible that I didn't say anything on here about your new job. You went away on training, and I haven't been on here. I didn't mean to leave you out, and I just wanted to apologize. I didn't do that on purpose.

I know you're feeling a bit out of your comfort zone right now, but you're so good with people, you could sell anything. I know you'll be very good at your job once you settle in. This may lead to other things down the road, but I know you'll succeed in this position, and I know you'll enjoy it.

I hope your first week wasn't too gruelling.

Talk to you soon.

Good Luck, Jenn!!!

2007-03-13T00:21:00.000-05:00

Good luck on your first day of work, Jenn! I know you'll be great!

The kids will be fine, and after the first 10 minutes of being at the office are under your belt, you'll be able to focus on the training. I can't wait to talk to you to find out how everything went.

Hey, at least now that we'll both be working days, one of us won't be left waiting for the phone to ring!

Have a great first day!!!!!!!!

How 'Bout These Ones?

2007-03-08T14:25:00.000-06:00

Oldies But Definitely Goodies

2007-03-03T22:14:00.000-06:00

What memories these pictures bring...long gone are the days of diapers and bottles. In some ways I miss all of that, but in other ways, I'm kind of glad we're beyond those stages. Probably because I'm getting old. Oh well. Anyway, just thought I'd share. Bye for now.

Bad Blogger! (Me being the Blogger of course)

2007-02-26T00:41:00.000-06:00

I know, I know...it's been too long. I've been so extremely tired, plus our computer crashed a couple of weeks ago and we lost EVERYTHING, including the pictures I took when I was in Toronto. So, we're just trying to reload everything, and hopefully it will all be back to normal.

The pictures of Kelsey and Jake are only two in a series of some pretty funny ones. I was seriously trying to get a nice calm shot of the two of them since I haven't done that in a while, but they were giddy and tired, and super funny, so every time they were ready, and I was about to press the button down on the camera, one of them would start laughing, or make a funny face, so that is how all the pictures turned out. It was really quite hilarious actually. I gave up after about the 6th or 7th try.

Jenn posted alot of the pictures on her blog, so I don't want to repeat what she's already shown. I'll try to take some new ones and put them up. Plus I was trying to post pictures a while ago, and this site wasn't being very co-operative, so I gave up.

Anyway, I'm off to bed....two more shifts to go!!!

2007-01-26T12:31:00.000-06:00

I made a banana cream pie yesterday with meringue on top, and had to take a picture because that was my first ever attempt at meringue. Turned out not too bad. The pie wasn't as good as I was hoping....the filling ended up being a little watery for some reason and made the crust soggy. Not that it will stop any of us from eating it...

We can now watch dvds and videos on our computer, and Jake is completely thrilled with that idea because he can sit uninterrupted and watch whatever he wants. He sat like that for 30 mins without even blinking.

The next shot is play-doh breakfast that Kenny and Jake made. Anyone hungry?

And the last one is old already...from Christmas. Doesn't that seem like AGES ago?

Anyway, just thought I'd put another post.

Look out! I'm on a roll!!!!!!!

Good Day...

2007-01-25T12:51:00.000-06:00

So we have a new computer. A new computer that I am really out of the loop as to how to operate. It can do so much, but I am so behind with technology, I'm just starting to learn how to do things like burn a disc. I can burn a music disc, but haven't attempted a dvd yet. I don't even know if we have the proper software to do so. I am so clueless with this. It's so great being able to look at our bank account on a nice huge screen. And quickly. That's about the extent of what I try to do on here. I know we can do video editing, create albums, all kinds of groovy things, but I feel so old and behind the times. I love the fact that we can listen to virtually any kind of music we could possibly want. Downloading is a breeze on this thing. We also have a printer, which we've never had before, and it's so awesome. Kelsey can print her school stuff, and if we ever get around to it, we can buy photo paper and print some pictures. I just need to be patient and spend some quality time with this puppy and I'm sure I'll learn something.

Other than that, we're just plugging away. Kids are fine, we're fine. Putting up with the cold weather, and just watching the time go by until it's nice out again.

The biggest event coming up is Kelsey's birthday. She's going to be frickin 12 years old. I can't get over that. I even get emotional when I think about it sometimes. She's growing up do damn fast, it's scary. I feel so fortunate to have her for a daughter though. She is such a good kid. I know I always say that, but it's true. I never have to worry about whether she's done her homework or not, or who she's hanging out with, or the things she's into. I know she's going to be experiencing many changes over the next 5 years, and we're just at the start of it, but I know she'll be okay because she has her head on straight. She knows the difference between right and wrong, and I know she'll stay out of trouble for the most part. I'm sure there will be the odd thing to deal with during her teenage years, especially once she's in high school, but we'll roll with all of it. Or maybe we'll just have to lock her in her room until it's time to start university. From what I understand, she wants to be a kindergarten teacher, so I will definitely encourage her to follow that path if she's serious about it. She may change her mind as to what she wants to do, but will always be behind her 100%. I must add that she's becoming quite the baker. She makes amazing chocolate chip cookies, and I know Chris will vouch for that one.

Mister Jake is healthy, and hasn't been sick since before Christmas, and that's how it's going to stay. He is getting very much into letters and numbers, and he can recognize several of them. He is also expanding his drawing horizons, which is totally adorable to me. I love his artwork. He's going to be starting French Immersion Kindergarten in the fall, and he told me the other night before bed when we were talking about it that he "already knows Dora French". So, I guess he's off to a great start. Maybe he, like his mother, one day will be able to count to 10 in four languages. I hope he can beat that.

We haven't won the lottery yet, so unfortunately, we're still working. I'm working the sucky shift over the weekends, and still hating it. I don't hate the job, I hate the shift and the crappy stuff that goes on around the job. But, I'm sticking it out until something better comes along.

Well, that's my post for today. Just a little catch-up one for now.

I Said....

2007-01-18T15:20:00.000-06:00

.....SOON

Coming Soon!

2006-12-29T12:38:00.000-06:00

A post....

Doctor's Offices

2006-11-20T00:34:00.000-06:00

I've had quite a bit of experience with doctor's offices, nurses, doctors, hospitals, clinics, specialists, etc. over the past few years, and I must say it is a very rare thing to find someone who works at these places who is nice. I don't expect nurses or receptionists to gush and make a big deal when a patient presents themself, but I do expect them to at least be nice. I don't think it's much to ask. I know offices can get really busy, but that's the nature of that world. People who aren't feeling well generally tend to visit these places, and the last thing they need is to be snapped at for asking a question. Not nice.

I have one major complaint about the clinic I go to. In the summer I had a migraine that lasted 5 days. I've never had one before, and this one was pretty intense. I don't know if they get much worse pain-wise. Anyway, because I'd never had one, I went to see my doctor, who I think is great. No complaints about him at all. He prescribed some medication and said it should start to work pretty quickly. Well, it didn't. I had to go and see him the next day because I was no better. At that point, he decided I should go for a CT scan, just because this was something new, and it was pretty bad. He told me that I was on a short list because of the migraine, and I could receive a call to go for the scan anytime. Meaning, that day, middle of the night, or whatever. Anyway, I got over the headache, and after a few weeks, hadn't heard anything about the scan, so I called St. B. to find out how long I should expect to wait. I was told 16-18 weeks. So, I didn't call again. Last week I started wondering about it since I hadn't heard anything yet, so I called St. B. again, and they said they had an appointment for me on September 22nd, and I didn't show up. I hadn't even been notified of the appointment, so that's why I was a no-show. The woman at St. B. was actually nice, and said that they had faxed my doctor's office on August 29th with my appointment time, and it was up to them to let me know when to go. I didn't receive a phone call, a letter, or anything. Plus, I've been to the doctor I don't know how many times over the last couple of months, and nothing was mentioned about it.

Anyway, I managed to get squeezed in this coming Friday, thankfully.

I'm not worried at all. I might be a little concerned if I had more migraines and headaches, but I've been feeling fine, so I really don't think they're going to find anything at all. I'm only going as a precaution. I don't know how long it takes for the doctor to get the report, but I'll have to call them to let them know that I'm going for the appointment, and I'll have to stay on top of them to make sure they let me know when the results are sent. I only hope for their sake that they're nice when I call.

That's my rant for the week.

I'm just getting home from work, so I need to go and unwind somehow. Maybe I'll just go right to bed.

Bye for now.

School

2006-11-17T13:53:00.000-06:00

Today was the very first ever Parent-Teacher interview for Jake. I met with his teacher, and found out what he's been up to at school. All in all, a good review. There are a few things we need to work on at home with him, but nothing major at all. Apparently he's very serious. He and Breanne are attached at the hip. They're very chummy. He loves playing with cars and trucks, and at the sand table. He's very outgoing with his peers, but when he has one on one time with the teacher, he clams up. One of the comments on his report was "very quiet". That was in reference to him telling stories. He is very much like that, but they're working on it.

I'm going to be volunteering in his class next Wednesday, and I can't wait for that. I know Jake will be thrilled, and those little kids are just soooooooo damn cute!!! When I was younger, I always wanted to be a kindergarten teacher, and now I know why. They are just priceless. The teacher is quite anxious for me to be there too, but the only thing that scares me is that we're going to be doing crafts. I can't do crafts. I suck at crafts. Poor kids will go home with their projects and their parents won't even know what it is.

I also found out how to get in touch with my nursery and kindergarten teacher, Erika. She used to be the vice principal at Jake's school until about 2 years ago. I told Jake's teacher that I would love to contact her somehow, and told me what school she is now working at. She also encouraged me to call her, so I think I will. She was my favourite. I think part of the reason I wanted to be a kindergarten teacher was because of her. Is it too late? Have I missed the boat? I guess so. I couldn't possibly go through 4 years of university at this stage. Yikes.

Anyway, it was very cute to talk to his teacher about him today. They learned about opposites the other day, and he told me this last night. I drilled him on a few, and he's got it. So cute. I also learned that Breanne's favourite colours are pink and purple.

Quiz Time Compliments of Kenny

2006-11-13T00:42:00.000-06:00

1) What is your favorite band and why? Tragically Hip because they're cool and they're Canadian. They're cool because they're Canadian.
2) What is your least favorite chore around the house and why? I have two. i) cleaning the bathroom because it's sick; ii) garbage duty, also because it's sick
3) What is your ideal holiday? I've always wanted to go on a cruise to someplace hot, but for something short term, Toronto
4) What is the most annoying thing someone can do? Make the same noise over and over and over and over
5) What is the best thing a person can do? Make others feel comfortable around them
6) Who is the hottest celebrity? John Stamos, John Bon Jovi, Ryan Reynolds
7) Who isn't a hot celebrity and should go away? Jessica Biel
8) What is your dream job? Stay at home mom
9) What was your worst job ever and why? Telemarketing. No need to explain.
10) If there was one body part you could change what would it be? Weight is not one of them. My nose.
11) Where would you live if you had to move(out of where you currently live)? Vancouver
12) Have you ever been in a fight? Not a fist fight
13) Have you ever been fired from a job? Not that I can remember
14) Have you ever quit a job and told off your boss? I've never burned a bridge
15) What is your biggest regret? Losing touch with old friends
16) What do you wish more people could do? Put hard feelings aside and get along
17) What could you do better? Seriously?
18) If you could be someone for one day who would it be and why? I don't know of a specific person, but some superstar so I could know what it would be like to have worries such as what to spend money on, what to wear, and actually having choices
19) Do you consider yourself to be non-judgemental? I think I'm becoming more non-judgmental as I'm getting older, but I still need to work on that
20) What is something that you need to work on to become a better person? Reference previous question. In addition to that, less sensitive

2006-11-09T22:16:00.000-06:00

Whoa...thanks for letting me post only one picture.

I have more, but I'm not able to put them up here. I shall keep trying.

Anyway, here are the kids on Halloween. Their costumes were both GREAT.

Nomemory

2006-11-09T21:48:00.000-06:00

We were infomred at dinner tonight that the new month is Nomemory. Jake has been learning the months and days at nursery school, and shared what he learned about the new month. He knows that Emma's birthday is in December, so he's definitely understanding it. Not that I didn't think he would, but it's cute to hear him enlighten us with his knowledge.

Nomemory brings another grouping of birthdays. Today is Kenny's (HAPPY BIRTHDAY KENNY!!!!!!!), next Wednesday is Sharon, then Grandma and Denise round out the month with theirs.

I am taking Kenny to the Moose game tomorrow night, which is part of his birthday present. He opened gifts today, and then I'm taking him out tomorrow. He's never been to the MTS Centre, so he's looking forward to seeing it for the first time. I've never been to a Moose game, so that's a first for me. I'm really excited for our night out. It should be fun.

Hopefully by tomorrow I'm feeling a little more rested than I've felt these last few days. I'm now working 10 hour shifts 4 days a week. They end at midnight, so it really makes for an extremely long day. My days off are Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, and this week also Saturday, so I'll have a nice little stretch before I start back to work on Sunday. It really sucks having to work Saturdays and Sundays since those are the days my family is at home. I miss them alot. I miss putting Jake to bed at night, I miss going shopping withKelsey, and I miss my evenings with Kenny. But, I've been trying to make the most of my days off. They seem to be very full with lots and lots of things to do. I love being busy, but sometimes too busy isn't a good thing. I tend to plan everything for my first day off, which is a big mistake because I end up having so much to do in one day. Oh well. I'm sure if I didn't work at all (my dream), every day would be that busy. I'm sure one day when I'm old, I'll be wishing for these days back.

I'm going to try and post pictures again. Blogger hasn't been cooperating with me lately. I'll see what I can do.

Take care everyone, and I will talk to you or see you soon...

BOO!

2006-10-31T11:34:00.000-06:00

Happy Halloween everyone! There are a couple of people in our house who are just a little excited to get started trick-or-treating tonight. Jake thought we could go out after breakfast, but when I told him we have to wait until after day care and supper, he seemed okay with that. Kelsey said their party at school is going to be "lame" because they have an assembly this afternoon, and it's going to cut into their party time. She's going sans parents tonight in Riverview with a group of friends, so that should be fun for her. I'll post pictures of the kids in their costumes in a future post.

We had our party here on Saturday and thought I'd put up a few pictures.

I Must Say...

2006-10-22T13:48:00.000-05:00

I just can't stand how cute the kids in our family are.
Each and every one of them. Just look at them. Who could argue?

Here's What I Mean...

2006-10-19T08:08:00.000-05:00

These didn't turn out in order, but can you see the concentration? Cake eating is very serious at our house.

We don't even mind being burned, as long as at the end of it, we can eat cake.
We don't stop for candles. They taste pretty good too, you know.

And then we're oh so tired afterwards. It's hard work.

Happy Birthday Jake!

2006-10-18T09:26:00.000-05:00

I think it's safe to say that Jake has come a long way in the four years he's been around. Just think back to four years ago today where he was. At this time on that day he wasn't even born yet, but he was sure anxious to be. I wonder if at 10:02 tonight I'll start to have pains? I'll be at work at that time, but we'll see :)

I sent cupcakes (or, muffins as he calls them) to school to share with his friends today, and he was pretty excited about that. I'm sure all the kids will go home at lunch time covered in chocolate. Oh well. I'll take the blame for that one. I still have to ice his birthday cake that I won't be here to share with everyone (do I actually sound bitter?). He has to have a cake on his "real" birthday, and including the cupcakes, this will be round 3 of cake eating. Not that my kids have a problem with that. I don't know if any other kids out there can inhale cake like mine can. Don't get me wrong, I don't see that as a fault. I'm actually quite proud of that fact.

Thanks for all the gifts and phone calls over the past few days - someone has been very excited around here.

Jarret, Amy & Jake

2006-10-01T17:32:00.000-05:00

It's the beginning of October Birthday Season in our family. Today is Amy, Jarret is on the 15th and Jake is the 18th. We have a November Season (Kenny, Grandma, Sharon, and Denise), and a February Season (Kelsey, Mom and Jenn). We have a short December Season (Ed and Emma), April (Jeffery), May (we all know who), July (Christopher), and August (Eddy).

On that note, HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMY!!!!!!!!!!! We all hope you had a great day at Marineland today!!!

I don't have much to say today. Well, I do, but it's all stuff that we all know about. My job situation, Kelsey being sick, Jake splitting his ear open, Emma, and...well, that's about it I guess.

The kids are both into the school routine, and now there are only 9 months left until summer holidays. I guess the next thing on the agenda besides the birthdays is Halloween. We'll have to get costumes organized before too long. I think we're going to have a Halloween party for Kenny's work friends, so that should be fun. I haven't dressed up in a costume in years. I have no idea what I'm going to dress up as, but I'm sure I'll figure something out.

That's about it for me for now.

I'll be back soon. I promise.

http://www.jdrf.ca/

Some Recent Pics

2006-09-16T09:23:00.000-05:00

Promises, Promises...

2006-09-15T23:56:00.000-05:00

I know I promised to post more often, but guess what? I broke my promise. I'm sure all you die hard readers out there have been suffering from withdrawal symptoms, and for that I apologize. I know how much you all LOVE to read my blathering.

A few things have happened since I last posted. Summer ended. Well, kind of. It's the middle of September and the temperature reached 31 degrees. Strange. What's even more strange is that it is SNOWING in Calgary today. Well, maybe not so strange for Calgary, but it's just funny how Winnipeg is always pointed and laughed at for its bad weather. Not this summer.

Kelsey went on her big vacation to Florida and the Caribbean, came back with the darkest tan I think she could possibly get. Not long afer her return, she started grade 6 (barf). Jake had his first day of school this past Monday, and he loves it. Nursery school. I remember my nursery school teacher, so I hope he has as memorable an experience as I did.

I've come to realize that my new job may not be the route I want to take career-wise. The idea of it sounds great, but my experience in the last 3 1/2 months hasn't been all that spectacular. Not sure what to do at this point, but I do know that I have never felt as stressed and run down as I have since I've been working the new job. I've been sick a few times, worried, anxious...not an experience to write home about. So, I need to make some decisions. I was sick this past week and had to miss 4 days, so now I'm fretting about going back on Monday. I don't know how they're going to react, but I was legitimately sick. What started out as a sore throat and feeling "ucky" turned into asthma and bronchitis. I was out of commission for almost a whole week. I'm starting to feel better now, although I'm still coughing quite a bit. I'm on a fair bit of medication too ($270 worth), so I'm hoping once it's finished I'm completely over being sick. I haven't had to use puffers on a regular basis in years. Plus I'm on the same stuff Jake is on. We take 3 of the same medications. Kind of cute, but not really. Back to the work thing for just a second......if I had my way, I wouldn't have to work. I know for us it makes no sense, but in a perfect world, I would love to be able to stay home with the kids and look after the house, meals, all that stuff. I do my share of it now, but work gets in the way of how I would like to do things.

Friends of ours are expecting a baby at the end of the month, so I was in the basement tonight digging out some of our 'stuff' that we're giving them. I feel kind of sad parting with it, but I know it will all be well cared for, so I'm not worried. I think they're having a girl, but if I'm wrong with my prediction, they'll be laughing in the clothes department. We have bins of Jake's clothes that I'll just give them. I'll keep one or two sleepers (the preemie ones) for nostalgic reasons, but I'd be more than happy to pass everything else on to them.

I don't know what else......it's extremely late, so I should get to bed. I don't want to be wiped out all weekend. I'm tired of laying around.

Thanks for reading my blather blog, and see you all soon...

Here's a little something for you.......

http://www.rathergood.com/gaybar/

Some Photos

2006-08-13T21:30:00.000-05:00

Summer So Far

2006-08-12T08:01:00.000-05:00

Here we are in August..the summer is winding down, and that is sad. I know there are alot of people who would be happy about that...the ones who don't like the heat. I'm not one of those people though. I'm so glad our summer has been hot and dry. I know I talked about that in my last post, and I won't get into it again.

Anyway, things have been somewhat busy for us, and it's great. We spent a weekend at a cabin a couple of weeks ago, and here are some pictures from that....

It was alot of fun. The cabin was quite nice, and I just realized we didn't get any pictures of the inside. Oh well. I'm sure we'll go back. It's a really great spot.

Besides that weekend, we haven't gone anywhere else, but have been trying to keep busy by doing other things, like trips out to Lockport for supper, going to the Forks...that kind of thing. Kelsey is away on her cruise right now, and I can't wait for her to get back to hear about how awesome it was.

I have nothing profound or controversial to talk about this time, but I'll be sure to start thinking of something for my next post.

Gotta run for now...I can't tell you how many times I've heard "MOM!!!" while I've been on here.

TTFN...

Welcome Rain?

2006-07-25T18:41:00.000-05:00

It actually rained for a little while this morning, and I can honestly say I have never come across so many Manitobans who were so accepting of it in July. It's been a while since we've had any, and I think the state of the grass, plants and flowers makes that very apparent. I totally would have been okay if it rained all day because it's been so dry. I don't think there's much more in the near forecast either. It's been quite a few years since we've had such a hot, hot summer with hardly any rain. I love it! This is what summer is supposed to be like. I know, there are alot of people who don't like the heat, and that's fine, but for me personally, I hate winter. I really do. Our summers are so short-lived, I don't care if it was 30 above every day from May until September. That's just the way I am.

I am fully aware that I pay very close attention to the weather, both in winter and summer. I asked my mom one day if she thought it was the farmer in me that is so concerned, but she said that it's the Manitoban in me. Makes perfect sense.

The forecast for this coming Monday is 40 degrees. Can you believe that? I know it's going to change, but if they're going to forecast a temperature that high, why not make it completely unbelievable and say it's going to be 52 or something? At first, the forecast for this Saturday was 38, now it's changed to 25. Why even bother forecasting that far ahead? It never stays the same. Oh well. I guess shock value is worth something.

We're heading out to St. Malo this weekend. We've rented a cabin, and I can't wait. All four of us are SUPER excited. It will be really nice to get away for a short time. We'll take pictures and I'll post a few on here next week sometime.

I hope everyone's having a great summer so far. Those who are on holidays, have been on holidays, are moving far, far away, and those who get to go on Carribbean cruises.

See you all soon....

Last Night's PARTY!!!

2006-07-22T15:54:00.000-05:00

Last night we had a going away party at our house for Jenn and Jeff as they are moving to Toronto next week. Man, oh man...what a time it was!!! There were about 40 people here, including Jenn and Jeff's friends, family, some of Kenny's friends from work and one or two of my own friends. It was so much fun! Too bad it was a going away party, but at least everyone came to say their farewells to Jenn and Jeff. I'm not going to get into THAT right now because I'll save that for later. I don't feel like being sad today. I'm feeling the effects from last night, and that's about enough to deal with for one day.

I wrote a little poem (or whatever you want to call it) for Jenn and Jeff that I read to them at the party last night...here it is:

Before you head east, way out yonder

Here are some things for you to ponder

This poem not once did I rehearse

The one about you moving to the "Centre of the Universe"

Opportunity knocks, and you must fly

Before it all passes you by

Who will I call ten times a day?

I know, I know, you'll only be four hundred dollars away

Thanks to technology, we can stay in touch

The distance between us will only feel like this much

The fun you'll have will be like out of a book

And when you see him, say "Hi" to Dan Cook

The concerts, the games, you'll be living the life

You'll be the envy of Kenny's wife

Who's going to make fun of my poker style?

No one to laugh when I have chips in my pile

I still don't understand how to play that game

But the times we did were fun just the same

The kids have become so darn close

It's the family times we'll miss the most

But we'll save and we'll save and we'll plan and we'll plan

So we can take them all to Canada's Wonderland

Jenn, I'll call as much as I can

Because, you know, I'm your biggest fan

Jeffery, Jeffery, you're one of a kind

I'll keep you as my brother in law if you don't mind

Jarret and Amy, well what can I say?

Those two little beauties brighten anyone's day

We all wish you well, good fortune and luck

But please don't cheer when the Leafs have the puck

So long, farewell, it's not the end

It's the start of a new life, a new job, and new friends

My intention was not to make anyone cry, so I tried keeping it light and fun, but of course as soon as I said "Jarret and Amy", I had trouble. But I'm not going to talk about that any more. I'll deal with it all next week when I have no choice. Should be fun.

Anyway, finally whoever looks at my blog has something new to see. Now that things are seemingly back to normal for me, I promise to update more. I miss the therapy.

See you all soon.......

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

2006-05-31T21:50:00.000-05:00

Change is inevitable as we all know, and the older we get, the more change we've experienced. I am fully aware of the fact that the changes gone on in my life so far are only a drop in the bucket compared to the ones that lie ahead. I wonder what those will be? More job changes? Moving? A financial windfall? More kids are out of the question (almost medically impossible), but what about more nieces and nephews? Different hair colour? New cars? There's no point in even guessing, because only one thing is for certain where this subject is concerned, and that is the fact that more changes will take place.

The biggest change in my life right now is my job. I am no longer with RBC's "Contact Centre", which is a glorified term for a call centre. I made the break a week and a half ago when I was offered a position with another bank's training program to become a Personal Banking Officer. The difference between the two jobs is that one involved being chained to a desk talking to faceless customers and listening to their bullshit, one after another, day after day, realizing that there is no difference between any of them, really. It got to the point where I could predict what each customer was going to say before they started talking. The new job will be far more plesant meeting people face to face and doing their banking for them. It will be far more personalized, and it will do wonders for me personally. It will be more challenging and rewarding, and it will provide alot of opportunity for advancement. I know that last part sounded like a want ad, but it's true. I'm nervous, excited, scared, anxious, as well as proud of myself for taking the plunge to do something more meaningful career-wise. The part that scares me the most are the courses I'll need to take in order to actually perform this type of job. I'll need to become licensed to sell investments (mutual funds, etc.), and this scares the shit out of me. I'm so worried that I'm not going to "get it" and then I'll have to look for another call centre job, which is the last thing I want to do. The worst part is the first day of a new job. Everyone knows this feeling, and I hope to hell that I never have to experience another first day again after this. I would love to start a lifelong career at this and actually retire from the same job. When I'm 50. That only gives me 15 years, so I know that's pretty doubtful. Okay...60. At the latest. Which brings me to my next topic.

Today is my 35th birthday. Yes, that's right, I'm 29. I can't believe I'm almost 30! Seriously though, being 35 isn't upsetting me, it's the fact that in five years I'll be 40 that's making me crazy. Five years goes by pretty quickly. Kenny and I have been together for 7 years now, so another 5 is nothing. Jake will be almost 9, Kelsey will be 16, and I'll be 40?? That's stupid. I don't have to worry about it yet, so I'll just enjoy being a cougar as long as I can.

That's it for now. Hopefully my next post won't be too much longer.

I'll post about my first day at my new job. Maybe.

Aaaaaahhhhhhh.........

2006-05-17T12:17:00.000-05:00

I have to say that my favourite smell in the whole world is when the lilacs are in bloom. I've loved lilacs since I was little, and maybe it's because they bloom around the time of my birthday so I make the association with spring, and the most awesome day ever, which by the way, is May 31st. Jake and I went out for a walk this morning, and that's all I could smell...lilacs....it made me so happy. We don't have a lilac bush in our yard, but one day I will. I want the purple ones and the white ones. I know the white ones don't smell as nice as the purple, but they look pretty. May has to be my favourite month of the year. Everything is in bloom, the days are nice and long, and it's the start of summer. Plus let's not forget my birthday. Even though I'm not a youngster any more, I still love my birthday. Along with that, there's Mother's Day, and it's also mine and Kenny's wedding anniversary on the 14th. May is nice.

For our anniversary this year, we had dinner at the new Keg on McGillivray, and we weren't supposed to give each other gifts, but Kenny did anyway. He gave me a diamond anniversary band. I was so surprised. He gave it to me at the restaurant after we ordered dinner. It was sooo nice. The ring is very pretty and I love it. I was saying to him a while ago that it would be nice to have a plain gold band that I could wear all the time, even without my actual wedding ring, and he remembered.

I'm still debating about having Charbecue this year. We skipped last year, but maybe we'll do it again this year. It would be an excuse to get together if nothing else. The weather has been cooperating, so chances of it being nice the last weekend in May are pretty good too. Looks like the long range forecast is about 20 degrees for that day (the 27th). I should decide soon if we're going to do it or not. Maybe try something new this time. I don't know. It would be nice to have the bbq and then maybe have a bonfire later on. I'll decide soon and let everyone know. I'd have some new people to invite, so it could be fun. New ears to tell our stories to.

While I was checking the forecast, it's saying 32 degrees for this coming Tuesday!! Can you believe that? That's crazy! It will more than likely change, but holy crap. That's hot. I guess that's May for you. Along with all the nice things I just talked about, the weather can be pretty unpredictable. Remember the lovely 29 cm of snow that fell on May 11, 2004? I do.

Anyhow, that's all I've got for today. I know I'll have more later in the week.

What A Week!

2006-05-06T20:33:00.000-05:00

This is my first weekend after working my new shift. I really like the changes, the biggest ones are being home at night (I even went to Wal-Mart a couple of times), and being able to sleep. Our days start pretty early since I'm up by 6:30, but it's worth it to me. It's nice to be here at night for the kids and to get everything ready for the next day. I have Wednesdays off, but this past week I had to take the kids and Kenny to doctor's appointments, so it was a little busy, but it's great having a day off in the middle of the week to get stuff done. I'm going to miss Fridays off, but this set up is much better in so many ways.

One crappy thing about this week is that we found out Kenny might have Lupus. He's been sick on and off since I've known him, and it was only this week we've found a doctor who has made sense of what Kenny has been going through all these years. It is very difficult to diagnose, and there's no one "Lupus test" that can be taken to determine yes or no whether someone has it or not. I'm sure it will be a while before we have a definite answer, but in the meantime he's really suffering. He's in pain all the time, and the only thing he can do right now is take pain killers like Advil or Tylenol. If the testing comes back positive, Lupus is normally treated with prednizone, which is a steroid, which has some pretty horrible side effects. It's not the greatest drug to be on, but it works for Lupus symptoms. There is no cure for Lupus, but it can be managed. The trick is to figure out what causes flare ups so those triggers can be avoided. I don't know much about it yet, but I've been looking around on the web to see what I can find out, and all the information is pretty much the same. No cure, no definite or consistent symptoms, everyone who has it goes through something different, and it's managed with steriods. I'll keep looking and trying to find out what I can. The worst part is seeing Kenny going through this. He's really limited as to what he can do in a day, including work. It's hard sometimes seeing him in so much pain and there's not a thing I can do to alleviate it for him. He can be fine when he first gets up, but as the day progresses, the symptoms start setting in, and they move around from his hands and feet to his back and thighs, and so on. The pain seems to find new places to come out every day. He just needs alot of understanding and support, but I wish I could do more. Hopefully one day soon he'll have some answers, but for now we just have to try and get through this rough spot until more tests can be run.

http://www.lupuscanada.org/

Kelsey Has To Stop Being Shellfish

2006-04-29T23:02:00.000-05:00

Well, we had to find out the hard way that Kelsey has an allergy to shellfish, or so it seems. For sure shellfish, possibly seafood in general. She had a reaction after she ate some fries that were probably cross contaminated with seafood after being fried in the same oil. She has never reacted like this to any food before, although in the past every time she has eaten any kind of fish or seafood, particularly shrimp, she has gotten a stomach ache, and has even thrown up afterwards. Last night's reaction involved lip swelling and tongue tingling. Not good. I gave her some antihistamine as it was happening, and it started to calm it all down. We (me and my mom) took her to emergency because I don't know alot about anaphylactic reactions, and thought it would be a good idea since this was her first one, to have her assessed by a doctor. As it turned out, she had to stay for observation for 4 hours because apparently after antihistamine has been taken, the reaction can come back. So, they just wanted to make sure she was okay before sending her home. All was well, and she's fine today.

She has to carry around an epi-pen and antihistamine with her at all times now, because who knows if she has another reaction how bad it will be. After I told the doctor about the stomach aches and vomiting in the past after eating seafood, she said it makes total sense that she had the reaction she did last night, so it was pretty much confirmed that she has this allergy. We now need to take her for some formal testing to find out what else poor Kelsey is allergic to. We picked up the epi-pen today, received instructions from the pharmacist as to how to use it, and now I need to write a note to the school, and Kelsey is now amongst the group of "special" kids with allergies at her school. Whatever. As long as we know and are prepared in case it happens again.

I'm just glad it happened the way it did. It was weird because I was eating crab (not crap) and shrimp for dinner, and kept trying to coax her into trying a bite of the crab, but she wouldn't have anything to do with it. I keep wondering what the hell would have happened if she actually ingested a bite of the actual meat. Scary.

I was really scared. I've never had to deal with anything like this before, and if it had been a worse reaction, I don't know what I would have done. I think I held it together pretty good in front of her, but I think if it had been any worse, an ambulance would have been called.

I know she's allergic to penicillin, rabbits, and now shellfish. She also gets stomach aches after she's eaten ranch salad dressing, so maybe she has an allergy to an ingredient in that. I'll make an appointment to go and see her doctor, and she'll be referred to an allergist from there. And THEN she'll be wearing a piece of Medic Alert jewellery at all times.

God already with doctors and hospitals and medicine and sicknesses in this damn house!!!!!!! Jake on an ongoing basis, Kenny at the start of this month and he's still not any better (still don't know what's wrong with him), me with my sinus infection and asthma, and now Kelsey and her allergies. When does it stop? If anyone knows, could you please tell me so I have an idea? Thanks.

No wonder I'm in a pissed off mood today and completely exhausted. I think I've had enough.

Oh yeah. I won $10 on Super 7 last night.

So, So Close!

2006-04-27T01:26:00.000-05:00

Tonight was my very last 1:00 a.m. shift. I cannot express how happy I am that I will no longer have to come home to work to a dark house and everyone has been sleeping for hours by that point. I will no longer have no say in how much sleep I get each night, AND I will no longer have to work on weekends. Sunday is my last "old" shift, but because I have to start at 9:00 on Monday morning, the higher ups have allowed me to work an earlier shift that day. 1:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Not bad.

I had to pack up my desk tonight and say good bye to some of my co-workers since after tonight, we will no longer be working together. I will still see most of them, but the ones I've become friends with will be working a similar shift to mine, although on different teams, but I'll still get to see them, which makes me happy.

It was kind of bittersweet tonight. You know how you kind of get used to something, even though it may not be the greatest thing? Well, I think that happened with this night shift I've been working. I was comfortable with the routine and all, and I felt a little sad driving away from there tonight. The hardest part of it is putting Jake into day care. I know he'll be fine, and I know it's a good thing for him, but he keeps telling me he doesn't want to go. He'll settle in and love it in no time. He really has no choice.

I'm going to miss being at home during the day. I have a schedule of shows I like to watch. Especially Y&R at 1:00 every afternoon. That was always my down time. I don't know when I'll get to see Y&R any more, unless I ask a certain someone's husband to possibly, maybe, download episodes for me so I can watch them all at once. Hmmm...there's a thought. I'll have to talk real nice to him...right Jenn?

I know I'll be working a pretty sweet shift. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. That will be nice, especially in the summer. I'll really miss having Fridays off as I've had for the past 2 1/2 years, but I could probably get used to Wednesdays off too.

One thing I've promised myself during all these changes is to do something to move up in that place. I'm getting restless doing my job, and there are alot of other opportunities I could explore. So, that is my goal for right now.

I wasn't even sure I'd make it through my whole shift tonight since I've been sick. The cough wasn't too bad throughout the night, and the only pain I had was my eye feeling like it was bulging out of my head. Well, that plus the headache that just goes along with a sinus infection. Other than that, I managed to get through just fine.

I don't know when I'll update again. I'll try over the weekend, but we'll see what happens.

Time to medicate.

Bye for now.

Sunday Night/Monday Morning

2006-04-24T01:37:00.000-05:00

What the hell was up with the weather today? I had the kids dressed in shorts and tank tops, and then around 4:00 the temperature just dropped. I went to work wearing capris, sandals and a tank top. When I left, I felt like I should have been wearing woolies. And boots. And maybe a jacket. So weird. I think it even snowed at one point throughout the evening. Bloody lovely. Haven't we had awesome weather lately though? We've been so lucky on the weekends. Two in a row..not bad. From what I understand next weekend is supposed to be nice too. We damn well deserve it! The crap we put up with all winter. I seriously thought it was not going to end this year. But here we are. We even saw people planting flowers today. A little premature there, but it's nice to see everyone so anxious. Seems like all the yard work has been done, and everyone is more than ready for summer. I can't wait. We might even have Charbecue '06 this year. I'll keep you posted.

Oh yeah....this was my last Sunday shift working until 1 a.m. Next Sunday is my last shift before the changeover to days, and I'll be working 1-7, which will be a nice change, but even NICER is the fact that I won't be working Sundays any more as of May 1st. Just a little exciting. I like the thought of having a semi-normal life once again. For everyone who doesn't know, things around my house are NEVER normal, so I don't even really know what that means. Maybe one day I'll know.

Anyhow, I'm off to bed. I'm tired, sick, and still feeling oh so shitty from my awesome time out on Friday night. I'm paying big time for that one. But at least I have about a year's supply of coffee to show for it.

Off Days

2006-04-11T01:15:00.000-05:00

I don't mean days off, I mean off days as in "bad" days. I had one of those at work tonight, and came home feeling really shitty about it. The night didn't end off the greatest with my supervisor, and because it was at the end of the night, it's going to sit with me and I'm going to let myself think about it until at least tomorrow afternoon. Why can't I just leave it at work? I've never had any issues at all with my supervisor, so maybe that's why it's bugging me so much. I usually am able to get through my shift with no problems, I don't usually have to ask her any questions, or transfer any upset clients to her, but tonight for some reason, I asked a million questions, and I wasn't able to think straight all night. I went to work feeling dragged down and really tired, and it really affected everything at work. At one point, I had to transfer a pissed off client to my supervisor, and right at the end of my shift, I had another customer who wanted to speak to my supervisor. When I went to her and told her, she actually let out a sigh and made a face while rolling her eyes. Like I wanted to deal with an asshole at 1:00 a.m. myself. She's the fucking supervisor (not the supervisor of fucking...the effen supervisor). Anyway, I told her what was wrong, and she basically told me to do what the client wanted. She wouldn't take the call. So, I had to look like the idiot and go back to the customer, and help him when I just argued with him for five minutes about why I couldn't. Also, the people who sit near me had to hear the whole conversation, and then the next thing they see, I'm giving the customer the information I was told to give him. I looked like an asshole. Or, I felt like one anyway.

When I was driving home, it hit me that I had a bad day today. I really did. I haven't had a bad day at work in a really long time, so I guess I'm entitled, but it's still really, really shitty. This is how I have to end my day. I'm sure she's not bothered by anything that happened, and I'm sure she's on her way home right now, and I'm the last person on her mind. So why do I have to waste my energy, time, and brainspace thinking about this? Sometimes I wish I was the type of person who didn't give a shit. But I do. Why can't we have allotted days off for times like this? Especially when it's affecting our work. I'm sure I completely annoyed the hell out of my supervisor tonight. I shouldn't really care since I'm not normally like that. I guess I'm feeling a little embarrassed about it and that's why it's bugging me so much.

I can only hope it's not like that tomorrow.

Speaking of tomorrow, Jake has an appointment for a hearing test. I told him that we have to go to this appointment, and he asked why, so I told him because we need to know how well he hears. He seemed satisfied with that.

Well, off I go for now.

Hellooooo

2006-04-06T01:20:00.000-05:00

Wow..it's been a while. Alot has happened since my last post, but I don't know what to say at this point. Hmm..I was on holidays, Jake was sick and taken to emergency, Kelsey had a tooth pulled, Kenny was sick and taken to emergency, basketball starts up again this week (YAY!), I'm off for 3 days now, our vacuum is broken, I have a ton of laundry to do, the car needs a wash, our snowman is completely melted in the front yard and all that remains is his hat and scarf, I'm really hungry right now, but I'm too tired to eat, and I want to win the lottery.

That's about it. Nothing too exciting for now, but I'll think of something and post again soon.

End of Week Stuff

2006-03-23T01:42:00.000-06:00

What a way to end the week....I say this in a positive way believe it or not. Tonight was my last shift before starting holidays until April 2nd, and I had a really good night.

At the end of each quarter, each sales group has an awards ceremony, at which the centre's top performers are rewarded and recognized for their efforts. A couple of nights ago, my supervisor came to me and said that I would be off the phones on Wednesday from 7:30 - 8:00 beause she wanted me to be her guest at the awards ceremony. This was the first "invitation" I'd ever received since starting there. I was quite happy about this because there are always snacks, and each ceremony has its own theme that the supervisors running it come up with. The food always coincides with the theme. This one was a St. Patrick's Day theme, therefore the food they served........green. Kind of gross, but cute at the same time. They had cream puffs and someone filled them with green whipped cream. Nice to look at, but nasty to eat.

Anyway, when it was my supervisor's turn to speak/hand out an award, it was for ME! I was so cheesed. It was a "Client Experience" award from a call I had many weeks ago where the client had been with the bank for 68 years. So, I mentioned to the client that I thought this was amazing. He then told me that he has been a client of the bank since he was 11 years old and his mother opened the account for him, and he's never banked anywhere else. I told him that I was impressed at how long he has been with us, and made a bit of an ordeal over it. The client was pretty happy at the end of our conversation. Anyway, at the time, my supervisor thought this was great, and she was so happy that I would think to bring this up with a customer ("you can't buy advertising like that!!"). So, this is what I was rewarded for. It wasn't a big tangeable prize, but I received a little certificate, had my picture taken (barf), and got a little recognition within the centre. So, it kind of made my night.

There are so many prizes and awards to be won within this company, and the ultimate is a cruise that everyone has the opportunity of winning. The prize is a trip for two, all expenses paid for 10 days on a Caribbean Cruise. There are about 8 employees from our centre who went this year (the cruise is always in January), and this is my ultimate goal. I was thinking that I should not leave the company until I've gone on one cruise. That could take years, but whatever. A cruise?? That has been my dream since I was about 13 years old.

Anyway, I suppose I could have condensed that whole story quite a bit, but that's just not my style. Unless I'm talking about my foul-mouthed three-year-old. Who is getting sick by the way, because I'm starting holidays. Isn't that always how it goes?????????????

I am now heading off for my short little slumber and dream about Children's Hospital........

'Night

When's The Snow Gonna Melt?

2006-03-22T01:32:00.000-06:00

I didn't realize it until about midnight that yesterday was the first day of spring. It was kind of spring-ish outside. Everything was melty and dirty, but there sure is a hell of alot of snow that still needs to disappear. I am sooooo sick of it already. I know we've had it easy this winter, but come on....it's the end of March and we're nowhere near green grass yet. The cold temperatures hit at the end of February, and some cruel, cruel joke is being played on us now..."Let's just drag it out as long as we possibly can...Manitobans don't need summer...it's just going to be winter again in a few months anyway. Why go through the hassle?"

I don't know who I'm quoting, but I'm imagining whoever decided to prolong winter like this is saying that and laughing really hard right now.

One part of me makes me think spring is around the corner. My aching knees. That usually happens when a weather change is soon happening, and from what I understand, it's going to be +4 on Saturday. Usually the weather change I'm referring to is from cold to warm. It's a good thing, but I suffer a little.

God, I sound like I'm 90.

On a more positive note, it took me literally three minutes to get home from work tonight. I pulled out of my parking spot at work at 1:08, and turned the car off in the driveway at 1:11. AWESOME! I love that. That's probably the only part of my shift I'm loving right now.

One more night and I'm on holidays until April 1st. Think I'm excited? I'm not sure yet. I'll let you know at this time tomorrow.

'Night.......

Kelsey

2006-03-21T01:41:00.000-06:00

...brought home her report card from school today, and I couldn't be more impressed. Her marks all went up from her last report, and the teacher's comments were amazing! It wasn't like that so much during the first term, but what a HUGE improvement this time. Not that her last one was bad by any means, but this is her teacher's first class after graduating from university (or "teacher's college" according to more historic times), so I think she was also trying to settle in and establish herself a little bit. In other words, Kelsey's class is an experiment to her. I'm just kidding...

I wasn't actually sure why there are 4 possible grades that can be given out, 1 being the lowest, and 4 being the highest, when we have always been told by teachers, "we don't give out 4s". Why not? Why have them then? Nothing like restricting a kid's confidence. (She got one 4 on this report, by the way).

I have had a few issues with Kelsey's schooling this year, and this is the first year that has happened. I don't think I'm being unreasonable with my opinions, but at the same time I don't want to be "one of those parents". So, I will pick and choose what I formally bring to anyone's attention. I like to stir the pot every now and then, but not if it will have a negative impact on Kelsey.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to the years ahead once she's out of Riverview and has more exposure to various teaching styles. I know not all of them will be ideal (reference Mr. Dunbar's Grade 11 English class for anyone who remembers that fiasco), but it will prove interesting to see how she is able to handle the variations. I know Kelsey will always do well in school (no pressure), but I really think she needs to grow from where she's at now. I'm not saying she's too good for the school she's in, but she needs a change, and she'll be more than ready after next year.

When I think about what I just said, that will mean I have a child in frickin JUNIOR HIGH!!!!! I'm about to throw up at the thought of that. But, as long as she stays focused, and involved in at least basketball, she'll do alright. I do have a certain level of expectation of Kelsey, but nothing unreasonable that will turn her off of school by the time she's 14.

Anyway, I was very proud of her today, and she will be rewarded for her hard work.

Some Bitch Kid

2006-03-20T12:49:00.000-06:00

This is another Jake story that I can't stop laughing about every time I think about it.

This morning he was looking at a CD case that was cracked (I know, that's probably a surprise to everyone...a CRACKED CD case). Anyway, he asks me, "Who cracked this?" I said, "I'm not sure. Who do you think?" His three-year-old response: "Pwobwy some bitch kid".

Yes. That's right. Some bitch kid cracked our CD case.

What Does A Migraine Feel Like?

2006-03-20T01:23:00.000-06:00

I'm pretty sure I had one this weekend. I woke up with a "headache" on Saturday morning, and my first thought was "Fuck! Now my day is going to suck ass!" Or something like that... I don't get headaches often, but I knew this one was a doozy. It was kind of a burning sensation going on in the left side of my head. A deep, intense burning sensation. I took 3 Tylenol right away, which didn't even touch it. As the morning progressed, so did the pain. About 2 hours later, I took 3 more pills hoping like crazy it would at least take the edge off, but no such luck. I was starting to panic because Kelsey was involved in Hoopfest at the U of W on Saturday afternoon, and the last thing I felt like doing was being in a huge gym filled with hundreds of kids screaming and playing basketball, and hearing the coaches yelling at everyone all at different times. I think I would have felt this way regardless of the headache. Anyway, I didn't want to miss it, so away we went. With every word I spoke and every step I took the pain got more and more intense. In the gym I thought I was going to die. The pain was now in my eye as well as my head, so I was doing GREAT at this point. Oh yeah, I felt nauseated too. Anyway, it took just over an hour to finish up, and while we were in the car I realized we weren't headed for home, we were going to the end of season wind-up at the coach's house. That was even more appealing than being in the gym. Anyway, it was a little more relaxed there, but it didn't help the head at all. I came home after this and took yet another 3 Tylenol. I thought for SURE this would do it. Thinking this, we packed up the kids (we had one extra since Kelsey had a friend sleeping over that night) and headed to Wal-Mart to do some shopping. Why didn't I stay home? I thought to myself, "I'm such an idiot". I just wanted to be at home, in my bed.

We finished up there, headed home, fed the kids, put one to bed, and then I got into my pajamas and got comfy on the couch. I STILL had the horrible headache. I took an Advil Gelcap at this point, and it finally took the edge off, so I figured I was out of the woods at this point. I was even laughing at stuff on TV. I was so happy....until it started to come back about half an hour later. I almost started to cry at this point. I was so pissed off that my whole day was consumed by this asshole headache I had, and that it was my last day off before going back to work. Kenny sent me to bed, and I fell asleep about one second after I closed my eyes. I woke up 13 hours later. Still with a headache, but nothing like the day before.

Was this a migraine?

I'm not totally sure, but I think so.

I'm telling you, the next time I wake up with one of those, I am NOT getting out of bed for anything. I don't care what is going on, I'm staying put until it's gone. It was not worth suffering.

I just hope this isn't the start of some evil cycle of bad headaches. I don't have time for that kind of crap. Not that anyone else does either, but it's just not something I'm hoping for.

The Dreaded Sunday

2006-03-12T17:35:00.000-06:00

You know how in my previous posts I've done on Wednesdays, how happy I sound because it's the start of my weekend? Now take that level of excitement, but reverse the feeling of joy into the feeling of sadness. That's how I feel on Sunday afternoons. I have to return to work for my gruelling 4 day week. Yes, I know, 4 days doesn't sound too bad, actually it may sound somewhat pleasant to most people, but for those who don't know, the shift I work SUCKS.

I cannot wait until May 1, which will be the beginning of me never having to work Sundays again, as long as I stay at this job. (I'll probably never take a job anywhere if they have Sunday hours anyway). I want to be able to cook a nice dinner, spend the evening with the family, and once the kids are in bed, Sunday night is my favourite night to watch a movie. It always has been. But, for now I must suffer through it and do what I have to do.

Supper is cooking as I'm typing this, and I have to leave for work in approximately 40 minutes. Yuck.

Anyway, time to check on the potatoes.......

Inconsideration

2006-03-11T19:38:00.000-06:00

When you say you're going to do something, do it. When you say you're going to be somewhere at a certain time, don't be late. If you're picking someone up, don't make them wait. And on the other side of the coin, if someone's picking you up, dont' make them wait. Other people might be relying on you, or rearranging their lives for you as well. Or, if you are going to be late, LET SOMEONE KNOW!!!

There are the people in this world who are consistently late ALL the time. Do they not know how long it takes to get somewhere? Do they not know how long it takes to get their family out the door? Do they have clocks or watches? Or do they just plain not know how to tell time?

Other people can be seriously affected by the lack of concern others show when it comes to being somewhere on time. It can be very frustrating and annoying, and it's just plain inconsiderate.

If you're late for something once, you should remember what made you late that time so it doesn't happen again.

I know shit happens and sometimes it can't be helped. But what is up with the people are always late, without fail, every time there is an event, or getting their kids to school, or whatever the occasion?

I would never want to be known for being perpetually late.

That would just be embarrassing.

Here We Are Again...

2006-03-09T01:33:00.000-06:00

It's that time of the week again. The much anticipated weekend.

It's going to seem like something is missing since Kelsey doesn't have basketball on Saturday. We do however, have registration for the Spring League, which doesn't start until mid-April. But, her team from the Winter League is registered for HoopFest which takes place at the Duckworth Centre on March 18th. I am so looking forward to that. I think she'll have a blast. It's kind of like a skills competition, and from what I gather it's an all-day affair, so it should be fun. After that I guess she'll have a couple of Saturdays off and then we'll be at it again. I love it though. I think she's found her thing finally, well, since swimming has been discontinued (she already knows how to swim so why continue with lessons any further than age 8?) Anyway, I am so happy that she's found basketball and she truly does enjoy it. Her last two playoff games were so exciting, and they weren't even playing in the championships. It was very intense nonetheless. She played so awesome, and between the two games she played that day, scored TEN, yes TEN, baskets. It would have been eleven, but one was not counted for some reason. She was even setting picks, and everything she did just looked so natural.

Anyway, she's looking very forward to playing in the spring, and I think we're going to enroll her in basketball camp at the U of W this summer. It will be a week long session, 8 hours per day. I think it woul be so beneficial to her. I really think she'd learn alot. I even heard an ad on the radio for it today. There are teams that she can actually try out for, but I'm not sure I want to start getting her that competitive quite yet. She's only 11. There's lots of time for that. We'll see how this next session goes.

We took Jake bowling the other day for the first time, so maybe that will be his sport. We can all congregate at the local alley and cheer him on the same way we cheer Kelsey on at basketball, "Comeon Jake!! You can do it! Spare it up!! Spare it UUUUUUUPP!!"

Seriously though, he had fun. It took over an hour to play a game, and he had to use the same ball each time, so we had to wait for it to come back before he could roll his next turn. On a couple of turns, the ball stopped dead in the middle of the lane, so I had to walk down the platform (NOT on the alley itself because I'm sure I would have been shot), and retrieve the ball. It was pretty funny. Next time you see him, ask him how he bowls. He'll show you.

I'm going out with a friend (Gwendolyn, or more commonly known as Gwen) on Friday night for appetizers and a drink or two or twenty. I'm not sure where we're going, but it's just going to be the two of us. We work at the same place, so we're getting together for drinks and rants. I'm looking forward to it. I just have to remember how I felt all day last Saturday after I drank a bottle of wine the night before. I had a whole lot of regrets that day, let me tell you. I don't want to feel like that and waste a whole day again. Mind you, our Saturday was so busy last week, I didn't have time to feel shitty.

Friday during the day is going to be busy. Jake has a doctor's appointment, and then Kelsey's choir is singing in the afternoon. Then I have to come home and get ready for my date.

I can't remember what we're doing on Saturday. Seriously. I've drawn a blank, but I'm sure it's important. And fun.

Whatever I end up doing the rest of the weekend will include a whole lot of sleep. I need to catch up so badly.

On that note, I am heading off to bed right now for my 4.2 hours of sleep.

'Night

The Unappreciated World of Working in Customer Service

2006-03-08T01:35:00.000-06:00

It was very very quiet at work tonight. By that I mean there was on average, about one call every 20 minutes per representative working in Winnipeg. That's just unheard of, but it's been like that for the past two nights. I know why, but I won't get into it because it won't mean a thing to any of you. It's just a big change from the last two weeks during RSP season.

Anyway, all night the people who sit in my area pretty much "screwed the pooch" all night because there weren't many calls coming in. Usually late at night, the general type of call is to pay one or two bills, or just to get an account balance. Most people don't usually call their bank at that time of night with a big issue. Unless they're crazy. So, I took a call at 12:53 a.m., and the customer wanted to know every transaction in her account, including date, location, type of transaction and the amount from February 22 until today. And of course, there were pages and pages of transactions. So, I started listing off what was in front of me, and each time I told her a transaction, she'd say, "pardon?" So, clenching my teeth, I'd repeat what I had just told her.

My shift ends at 1:00 a.m., and by that time, I'm more than ready to go home. The clock was ticking away. My teammates left for the night, waving good-bye as they walked away from the vicinity, and there I sat trying to "help" this customer (did she really need this information right now??). There was one co-worker still there at the time, so I even turned to her to somewhat complain (without the customer knowing, of course). So, finally at 1:15 we were finished.

Then something happened that has never happened to me at my current job, and rarely happens to anyone where I work.

The customer thanked me for being so patient. She asked me for my name because I guess she didn't catch it at the start of the call, but I can't begrudge her because who really does retain that information anyway? Then she asked if I had a supervisor she could speak to tell them what a great job I did.

I felt so bad. I told her that my supervisor had left for the night, but if she would like, I could transfer her into her voice mail. The customer agreed to this, and I thanked her because that just doesn't happen in every day life, whether you've done a stellar job for someone, or just a good job. Anyway, she told me I deserved it because I work hard. How bad did I feel for complaining? I mean, she didn't know it was the end of my shift. She was calling the bank because she knows we're open ALL THE TIME, and she needed help. I had to remind myself of this for a few reasons. Number one, it's just not nice to be like that. Number two, maybe I've called somewhere in the past where the person on the other end was rolling their eyes or thought that I was stupid for something I've needed help with. And number three...I don't know. I guess there are only two reasons.

I know I didn't sound frustrated when I was talking to her, but there have been times when I've called somewhere and received a very condescending tone from the other end of the phone, and I just don't want to come across that way.

The people who answer phones for a living, or work in the customer service industry, have to keep one very important thing in mind, and that is each caller or customer they deal with doesn't know that you've answered the very same question they're asking you about a hundred times before them.

Sometimes it's hard to bear this in mind, but it is so crucial. As a customer, you never want someone to make you feel like you're bothering them, and as an employee, it's just bad karma to try and make someone feel that way.

What my customer did tonight is something more of us should do. Our first instinct is to call the manager of the pizza place to complain about service, delivery time, driver's attitude, etc. Why isn't it our first instinct to call to commend someone on a job well done, or praise a company for a fantastic product?

I think the world would be a happier place if we took the time do spread compliments rather than complaints. Or VD.

Seriously though, I'm going to start making it a priority to pass on to a manager of a store or restaurant that their employee was great.

What goes around, comes around..........

Geico and Dairy Queen

2006-03-02T01:47:00.000-06:00

This Geico commercial totally cracks me up. Seriously. It's funny. The cavemen are so pissed off, and the looks on their faces is hilarious. Are there any other funny commercials being aired right now? There is one that totally grosses me out and I could barf every time I see it. You all know which one I'm talking about...that's right...the Dairy Queen Popcorn Shrimp commercial. It's a cartoon-like commercial and it implies that the characters (mom and dad shrimp) actually ate their children by mistake. So very wrong, and so very gross. If you've seen it, you know what I mean. Or is it just me?

Anyway, there's my rant for the week.

Once again, my weekend is upon me, and I couldn't be happier. This week has been very stressful with it being the final days before the 2005 RSP deadline. It was extremely busy, but it's now over, and now hopefully things will get back to normal at least somewhat.

This weekend brings shopping, basketball, laundry, errands, birthday parties, and with any luck I'll catch up on some rest. I'm not counting on that though. If I can have one night of more than 4 hours of sleep, I will consider that catch-up. I'm sure I'm not the only one who will be glad when May 1 is finally here.

Doesn't it seem like May is a lifetime away? It just feels like winter is never going to end, and it just had to snow yesterday to make it all so much better. We're finally into March, and that does mean the end is near, but we still have a bit to get through. I guess that's why we appreciate our summers so much. The end of May usually brings "Charbecue", but we didn't have it last year, and it's still up in the air for this year. We'll see what happens over the next several weeks and then we'll decide on having it or not. I'll keep you all posted. Maybe this will be the year we print t-shirts for everyone who comes. "I survived Charbecue '06"...or something to that effect.

On another note, Happy Anniversary to Chris & Denise on February 28th. Two years! Feels like yesterday. Remember how nice it was on your wedding day? It was a beautiful day!

That's it for me, for probably another week.

Sweet dreams.....

TGIW

2006-02-23T01:32:00.000-06:00

I guess technically it's Thursday, but to me it's still Wednesday. I say TGIW because it's now the beginning of my weekend. AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH...........made it through another week. It was fairly uneventful, which is nice for a change. No one was taken to emergency for any reason including illness, and the week just seems to be floating by swimmingly. I am, however, extreeeeeemely thankful that my weekend is here. It takes everything I've got to make it through each night at work, and by the time Wednesday comes around, I'm ready for a break. I am fully aware that I'm not handling these night shifts well. Although planned with good intentions, it's just not what I thought it would be. It's so not worth it to be this tired, to be missing out on everything between dinner and bedtime, basketball practice, and of course, my shows. I'm going to miss being home during the day once I go back to days in May. I'm going to miss my soap, and definitely TPIR (The Price Is Right), but I can't have the best of both worlds. I'm looking forward to the change, and I've also asked for my Sunday shift to be changed in the meantime so I'm not working until 1 a.m. I'm trying to get 5 - 11, which would make a world of difference on Monday mornings. Of course, no one could make any guarantees for me, but I'm staying optimistic. That would mean I'd only be a bitchy zombie 3 days a week instead of 4. I'm sure everyone is now being optimistic.

I'm very much looking forward to the weekend. I'm going for a massage on Thursday and then to a movie, I have a very early appointment on Friday morning, but that's no big deal. We'll probably rent a couple of movies on Friday night if we can't get to one over the weekend...(this is an unobvious hint that we would like a sitter for anyone who is reading this). Kelsey has basketball playoffs on Saturday - one game for sure, possibly two depending on how they do, and then back to work on Sunday (boooooooooo!!!!!!). And, of course there is all the other stuff in between. But, it will sure be nice to not have to go to work for a few days.

I haven't posted anything in a while, and I know this isn't the most exciting post, but I felt the need to update.

If I don't talk to any of you (hahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!! As IF!)..have a great weekend!

This Is Funny

2006-02-20T01:49:00.000-06:00

http://rrrrrrrrrrrrrnnnnnnnnnnhhhh.blogspot.com/

A Jake Story

2006-02-16T01:24:00.000-06:00

Jake went upstairs to go poop. He came back down and I asked him, "Jake, did you get into anything?" He looked at me and said, "Nooo". As he was saying 'no' in typical Jake fashion, his eyes shifted away from me. So, amazingly enough, I wasn't sure I trusted his answer. I went up to the bathroom to find the unflushed toilet, toothpaste smeared all over the sink and his Aerochamber, and all the electric toothbrushes were on.

But he didn't get into anything.

Oh yeah, we need to buy more toothpaste.

Happy VD

2006-02-14T16:51:00.000-06:00

And by that I mean VALENTINE'S DAY. Not Valentime's Day, and not Balentime's Day either (by this, I'm referring to the way adults would say it, not kids). It's a day that is should be filled with love and chocolate. Nothing else. Just those two things. I think I'll wait until tomorrow when everything is 50% off and then buy some goodies. Or even better, Thursday when it's 75% off. Why not? Kenny and I aren't celebrating until Thursday anyway, so why not save a few cents?

Anyway, that's all I have for today. Not much, huh?

TTFN

The Day After

2006-02-13T01:53:00.000-06:00

Okay...well....the party was a hit .. I think. The girls all got along, and they did everything "girlie". They acted silly when presents were being opened, and then once they retreated to Kelsey's bedroom and I thought they were singing karaoke, they came downstairs one by one to show me the horrific makeup they had each applied to their faces. I could not believe my eyes. Even that was upsetting to me. Kenny would have had a coniption if he saw that. They looked like they were getting ready to go to the bar. I had flashes of what it's going to be like when they're 18 years old. I just smiled politely and told them they looked pretty. They did NOT look pretty. They looked like tramps. 10 and 11-year-old tramps.

Anyway, they headed back upstairs, and THEN the karaoke started. Two of the girls came downstairs and were whining because they weren't being sent to Hollywood. I guess they were playing American Idol, or Tramp Idol, or whatever. Then they hid on the other girls who came down the stairs looking for them. I pretended like I hadn't seen them (???). How they were found is beyond me...our house is so huge. Too many places to hide. Anyway, after they were found and all the screaming and screeching stopped, they went back upstairs and continued to sing.

Kelsey came downstairs at about 8:45 to tell me it was time for me to go to her room for the night. I asked permission to wait until 9:00 (so I could at least watch the end of my show), and permission was granted.

The girls were in a hurry to get into their pj's, and apparently they had all washed their faces and were peeling off a mask that one of the girls so graciously provided for all of them (how old are they again???) So, I went up at 9:00, and they watched Sixteen Candles, ate junk food and I thought they were settling down for the night. Kelsey came upstairs at about 11:30, and my plan from the start was to tell them to shut it down at midnight. I'm sorry, but NO ONE needs to deal with a tired 10 or 11-year-old girl the day after a sleepover. I promised the parents I'd shut it down early. They all said things like, "Good luck!", or "How are you going to do that?" They obviously don't know me all that well after 6 years. Anyway, when she came up, I told her it was time to start "winding it down". She said "okay", and that was that. I went to bed shortly after that, and fell asleep right away, as all was quiet on the main floor.

All of a sudden, I woke up completely startled because I could hear from the main floor screaming and laughing and more screaming, and yelling, and talking, and screaming. It was almost 1:00. I was NOT impressed. So, I called Kelsey. She didn't answer. I called again. And again. Finally it was very quiet, and I could hear footsteps coming up to the second floor. I told her once, and once only...."time to shut it down". See, before it was "wind it down". I was giving them time...but now it was time for the party to be "shut down" for the night. And that was the end of them.

7:45 a.m....laughing, screaming, talking, yelling, screaming, giggling....it started all over again. I guess they just needed time to close their eyes for a bit before continuing the previous nights' events. I so thought that I'd be able to sleep in on Sunday, with Jake being away and all...but no. Not a chance. I laid there until 9:00 when Kelsey came up. "MOM! MOM! We're hungry...can you get up now?" So, that was it. I was up cooking breakfast. And, of course they wanted bacon AND French toast. No big deal. Really. While I was making breakfast, they were watching TV. First it was videos. They criticized each and every one that came on. They commented on commercials, sang the jingles, and recited word for word their favourite ones. Then came the big one. The one comment I will never forget as long as I live. Picture this...a bunch of know-it-all pre-teen girls, in the same room, trying to be the coolest one of all of them, watching videos. The Madonna video. "Oh my God!!!!! Look at her FLAB!!!!!" Says one of them. I almost got whiplash. I wasn't sure I was hearing correctly, so I listened in a little. "Yeah! Oh my God! Look at it!" says another. "Blue and pink? Oh my God! Blue and orange would have looked SO much better with that outfit!" "Oh my God! I know! And a pink belt!!" "Oh my God! Look at that! She's like 50, and that guy is like 28!" I couldn't help it. I hadn't said anything about anything until now. I just said very calmly, "Look at her flab?" They all piped up, "Yeah! She's got flab!" Right. And I'm the Queen of England. I didn't say anything more about it. They don't know, and it's not their fault.

Then they started looking for (get this)... infomercials. There was one for a ladder that they've all seen before, and they couldn't believe how much this ladder cost. It was something like 4 payments of $69.99, and they were trying to figure out if that was a good deal or not. They figured it wasn't because that price was in US funds, and then you'd have to pay for shipping and handling. So, the general concencus was no..not a good deal for a ladder.

I couldn't make breakfast fast enough. It was more like breakslow. But, they ate, everyone was happy, pick up time was to be at 11:00, but of course, the last girl didn't leave until almost noon. Good thing for a pick up time.

I think Kelsey had a good time. I'll have to interview her about it after school on Monday to get the whole deal after everyone has, or hasn't talked about it all day.

She got some beautiful gifts like always, and the whole experience made me realize once again that Kelsey has a really nice group of friends.

'Tis The Season

2006-02-11T13:45:00.000-06:00

It seems as though in our family there are a few "seasons". There are two birthday seasons - the February season and the October season. Then there is of course the Christmas season. Right now we're coming to a close on the February birthday season. Kelsey, Jenn and Mom. Tonight should be the final occasion for this birthday season as Kelsey is having her party with her friends. There will be five 10 and 11-year-olds sleeping over at our house tonight. This means 5 girls who normally get along with no issues, except (I'm predicting here) for tonight, and I'm going to have to be the referree. I hope like crazy nothing happens, but it's just a recipe for disaster. One of the girls is so unbelievably sensitive, one doesn't see them as much any more because for the first time since Kindergarten, she is not in their class, one thinks she is better than everyone, and two of them are very mature for their age and don't do anything to rock the boat, so to speak. Should be interesting. I could be way off here, and quite possibly there won't be an incident to speak of. I'm imagining fighting over what movies to watch, what songs to sing karaoke to, who has been hogging the microphone, and who sounds really bad. I know Kelsey isn't thinking this at all, but as a parent, I can smell it. I can only hope the night goes off without incident, the girls have a blast, and no one needs me to call their parents in the middle of the night because they're either sick, or miss their own bed. Yes, believe it or not, it still happens at this age.

I don't think I've ever seen a group of kids so babied and spoiled as I have with this group. Not necessarily only these ones, but the others they go to school with as well. It's too bad really. It's to the point where the young teens in the area won't babysit any child who is under the age of 4, because they don't want to have to change a diaper. Give me a break! I dont' know of any of Kelsey's friends who have chores, or any responsibility. Kelsey is somewhat a part of that group, I do admit, but she has some responsibility where her brother is concerned.

Anyway, I'm just thankful that this group of kids are extremely nice, polite, and respectful, and I have no problem with Kelsey being friends with any of them. Kelsey is a good enough judge of character, and has strong enough opinions to not hang out with people she is not fond of, or who are not the best influences. So far, I don't have to worry about that.

So that's Birthday Season #1 of the year.

The next one comes around in October - Amy, Jarret and Jake. So far, we haven't had to go through any issues with kid birthday parties for Jake and his friends, but I know that's soon around the corner. He'll be starting school this fall, and I'm sure the invitations will start coming in the same as they did for Kelsey.

We actually have a third Birthday Season in November that we don't think of in that way because all three birthdays are for adults in the family. Kenny, Grandma, and Denise. It doesn't mean they're less important birthdays, but we don't normally have a party for the adults, unless they're turning 80, right Grandma? (I know she'll probably never see this blog, but I had to say that anyway).

I don't know about anyone else, but I love my birthday. I always have, and I'm sure I always will. I know I whine and complain sometimes about getting older, but when it comes to my actual birthday (I think it's May 30th if I'm not mistaken........Mom...?) I look forward to it. Maybe because it's one day out of the year that really is about me, and I don't have to feel guilty about it.

Anyway, birthdays are very special days, and it seems to me like there are more and more for people we know these days. EVERYONE is having babies...it's so awesome, but it's like an epidemic. Jenn knows one person who just had a baby, and someone else who is expecting, Chris & Denise know someone who is expecting, we know someone as well...it's crazy, but in a good way. Babies are good.

Mom Jeans

2006-02-07T01:32:00.000-06:00

I was at work tonight and was walking past my team leader's desk. She stopped me and said, "Charlene, I LOVE your hair!!" So, I politely thanked her and was about to continue walking, and she started talking again..."You look just like TINA FEY!" Well, I took that as a huge compliment. Before I continue, I should mention that my hair dryer broke this weekend, and the only way I'm able to style my hair so it looks nice is to put rollers in after it's washed. This results in a style similar to Tina Fey's, although this is not what I had in mind. I was pissed off that I couldn't just dry my hair and be done with it. It is such a pain in the arse to "roll" my hair. Although in the end it turned out nice. Also, I just dyed my hair over the weekend, so the colour is a bit different. I guess the fact that I also wear glasses similar to hers helped.

Anyway...I thought that was a great compliment. I love Tina Fey. I think she's hilarious. I don't know much about her except that she writes some pretty funny stuff. One of the funniest commercials she wrote for SNL was called "Mom Jeans". It was based on an incident that actually happened to her, and she wrote an extremely funny commercial about it. I think the term "mom jeans" is self-explanatory, and every time I see that skit, I find something new to laugh at. What I learned about Tina Fey tonight after going on a website about her, is that she is only a year older than me. Interesting. Why I find that important is unknown to me right now, but it meant something anyway. Oh, AND she was born May 18. So, almost a year to the day.

Later on in my shift, my team leader came to my desk and said that she "loved the colour". I told her I did it myself, and she seemed very impressed. Needless to say my ego is a little inflated right now. It will deflate after I go to bed tonight and realize I'll be up in about 4 hours' time. Now, there's something to look forward to!

One thing to mention before I finish here....yay to Amy for being able to get her tea set and tutu back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

TTFN

Uuuuuhhhhhhhhh.....

2006-02-06T01:27:00.000-06:00

Now that I've bored the shit out of everyone with my last post, I should probably think of taking a reprieve from blogging for a short while. There is always something going on, something that's happened to me or the kids, or something to plain old complain about. I just wonder how much of it 4 other people can stand reading it since I talk to all of you regularly anyway. I think I need to come up with a different approach to my posts. Until then, I'll be talking to you on the phone. This post is addressed to Kenny, Jenn, Mom, and Chris. I honestly don't think anyone else has ever been on here.

TTFN

To Reward or Not to Reward?

2006-02-03T12:06:00.000-06:00

At the start of the school year, Kelsey came home and said that her new teacher (who is a new teacher - first teaching job) has a system when the students don't complete their homework, she sends home a note for the parents to sign. I guess this is so we know that our child has not done their job. I have no issue with this.

In September, Jake was in the hospital, and we all know what it's like when this happens. Everyone's lives are turned upside-down. Someone has to get Kelsey from school, bring her to the hospital, and sometimes she stays overnight with someone, or sometimes not. Sometimes she doesn't get home until late and then she has to go to bed. So, during this particular hospital stay, Kelsey had homework to do, but because of what was going on, it was impossible for her to complete it. We sent a note to her teacher explaining why she couldn't do her homework, and the next day, she came home with a homework note to be signed. I thought this was just a formality, and didn't really think much of it.

There was another time Kelsey did complete her homework, but forgot to take it back to school with her. It was over a weekend, and to be honest, I think she left it at one of the grandma's houses. Anyway, she came home with a homework note, and in turn we sent a note of explanation along with it. If the teacher didn't accept that, I'm okay with that. It's up to her to make sure it's brought back to school.

Anyway, Thursday morning everyone was getting ready for work/school/day care, etc. Kelsey says, "you know what happened at school yesterday?" I told her I didn't, and then she said in the morning the teacher asked the class, "Who has never received a homework note?" So, some kids put up their hands, and some did not. Kelsey did not because she was being totally honest. Then the teacher says, "For those of you who have never received one, I'm buying you all pizza for lunch today!!" So, some of the kids had a pizza lunch, and the rest of the kids had to go down to the lunchroom and eat the lunches they brought from home.

Before reading any further, please keep in mind that the school has a strict policy that the kids are NOT to hand out birthday party invitations at school, for this may cause bad feelings for the students who are not invited to these parties. This is printed in the school's monthly newsletter that is sent home to each family. Okay...read on...

I wonder how that made the kids feel that had to go to the lunchroom? Did that give them incentive to never miss doing their homework again, or did it make them feel like shit because they weren't allowed to have pizza?

In case you aren't sure which way I'm leaning, my opinion is the second one.

I couldn't leave this alone. It just seemed so wrong. I've never done this before, but I called the school and spoke to the principal about this and nearly lost my mind when I heard what he had to say (I'm getting pissed just thinking about it).

The principal told me that the teacher discussed this with him at the start of the school year, and that the students were aware that there would be a reward involved for those who did not get any homework notes. They didn't know when this would be happening, or what the reward would be. He went on to say that he fully supports the teacher in her decision to reward the kids this way. He also went on to say that throughout life, there are going to be times where certain individuals are rewarded for their hard work, and some will not (insinuating in the "real world", which shouldn't apply at age 10, I'm sorry to say). I felt compelled to advise this person that I have been in the workforce for many years, and I'm fully aware of how rewards and recognition work. I then verbalized the fact that I am dead set against this system the teacher has introduced, and made a suggestion. Perhaps as an alternative, look at the class as a whole, and if, say, 75% of the class has never received a hoemwork note, reward them together. Just a suggestion to ensure everyone is included, and to give them incentive that maybe the next reward level is raised to a higher percentage. If the class meets it, they get pizza. If not, they don't. The principal pretty much told me without actually saying the words that I didn't know what I was talking about, and that my idea was a bad one. He then added to his comments to say that in that type of scenario, there is always going to be that "one kid" who will sabotage this by purposely not doing their homework, and to make sure they are always the one to receive a homework note, just so no one else could be rewarded. I then said to the principal in a case like that, that would indicate there is an underlying problem, and that if this student does that sort of thing, then maybe the parent(s) should be advised that their child is somewhat disruptive, and this is where report cards come into play. The principal agreed that report cards should definitely be based on individual performance. Then it was my turn. I didn't want to go here, but I had to. I said to the principal that what I meant by this was that Kelsey's first report card of the year was much different than it had been in the past, but not in a good way. She had never received such low marks in certain subjects, and when I asked the teacher about this during parent-teachers, the explanation I was given was that she gave everyone that mark because the class as a whole was lacking in these particular subjects, not just Kelsey, and they need room to improve as a class. I then said to the principal that this contradicts this whole "reward" system the teacher has implemented.

At this point, the principal fell silent. The only thing he could say to me was, "I certainly hope that was a miscummunication". I said it wasn't, because this was the only explanation the teacher had for Kelsey's low marks.

He then said that he would clarify this with the teacher, and either he or "madam" would get back to me to discuss it further.

I have no problem with a student of a classroom being rewarded and/or recognized by thier teacher and the students for a job well done. But to divide them into groups of two, reward one group and not the other....I have a problem with this.

The other problem I have is that the principal didn't back me as a parent for one second. He seems to think that "madam" is doing a fantastic job considering it's her first time teaching. I tend to disagree.

I have one more problem, believe it or not. I think that if the teacher was putting this plan into place, then some sort of communication should have been made with the parents about it at the start of the year. I honestly don't think I'm the only parent who feels this way, and if it had been at least mentioned to us, we would have had the opportunity to voice our opinion about it before the fact, rather than after.

I made this phone call to the school on Thursday. Kelsey told me Thursday evening that her teacher pulled her aside and said she's going to make the pizza lunch up to her because her mom (me) phoned the school and explained the situation behind the homework notes she received. This is NOT why I called the school! I made this very clear at the start of the conversation with the principal...I wasn't calling because "there was a pizza lunch and MY KID didn't get any!!!" I was voicing my concerns as to the effects this may potentially have on the kids who were on the short end of the stick here.

Was it inappropriate for the teacher to tell Kelsey that her mother called the school, or is it just me?

I've never called the school about anything during the 6 years Kelsey has been a student there. I feel so strongly about this, and I feel like I've run into a brick wall. I just don't understand how these teachers and administrators cannot see the harm that they could be doing. I don't know where they think the kids' best interests are a priority in this situation.

Maybe this is my parental overreaction for the decade, but I will stand up for Kelsey and all of the other kids who didn't get pizza the other day.

I didn't hear back from either the principal or the teacher on Thursday or Friday, and at this point, I probably won't. As far as I know, there is another pizza lunch in the works for the kids who don't get any homework notes in the next little while. I hope now they're thinking twice about actually doing it.

WTFF (What The Friggin' F***??)

2006-01-31T01:37:00.000-06:00

Okay. I think I've seen it all. I've seen alot, but now I think I've witnessed the epitome of trash.

Here it is.

I was leaving for work tonight at about 6:30, and while I was walking out to the back, there was a car blocking our driveway. As I approached my car, I thought maybe someone was stuck, or was was having car trouble. To be honest, I started stressing about not being able to get out of the driveway. Anyway, there was a guy standing out there and I could hear him talking to someone, but he didn't see me. When I realized he didn't know I was there, I said, "Are you okay?" All of a sudden, I heard a very loud scream, and looked down to find a woman squatting beside our driveway, in front of the neighbour's garbage cans, taking a goddam piss in the snow. She yells, "Don't look! Don't look! I had to go to the bathroom!! Don't look!" I could NOT believe what I was seeing. I just said in a really disgusted tone, "Holy fuck....", or something like that, and got into the car. The trash (NOT the neighbour's garbage cans) got into their car and took off down the back lane. They happened to be headed in the same direction I had to go, and they must have thought I was tailing them because I've never seen anyone drive down a back lane so recklessly before. It was so stupid.

Where do people come from? Do they not know there are places called GAS STATIONS that actually have toilets they'll allow you to use? Or would that be too embarrassing? Maybe if you're going to relieve yourself anywhere but in a bathroom, maybe choose a more discreet spot instead of someone's friggin driveway at dinner time. Who ARE these people?????

If someone was sick to their stomach and had to pull over in an emergency to throw up, NO PROBLEM! I think an adult is capable enough of holding it just a little longer. Long enough anyway.

Disgusting.

Last Night & Today

2006-01-27T09:04:00.000-06:00

So last night Kelsey and I had to go to the store to get a few things we needed for the house. Toilet paper, etc. (I figure if everyone else can mention poo on their blog, so can I!). Anyway, before going, I needed to use a bank machine, so went to the one by my house. When I was about to park the car, I noticed this "woman" walking by the bank. This person I am referring to walks around the Safeway parking lot ALL the time, and I always see her walking up and down Osborne. She approaches people all the time and asks for money. But not in a nice way. It comes across like you owe her money and she's there to collect. Anyway, Kels stayed in the car while I ran into the bank. I did my thing, and as I took a few steps onto the sidewalk, I heard "Excuse me!!" I almost jumped out of my skin. It was the "woman". She was waiting for me around the corner where I couldn't see her, and when I came out, she jumped out at me. Picture her.....she's not very well kept, is quite heavy and a little scary looking. I said "yes?" She asked for money, and I kept walking to the car and said "No, I don't have any to give you". Then she yelled at me, "Grow up you fucking bitch!" I turned to her and said, "If you're going to be asking people for money, maybe you should be a little nicer about it". She then started doing some karate pose at me like she was going to attack me (not that I felt threatened), but then I asked her how she'd like it if I called the police. She moved towards me and was yapping about something that I don't even know because she seemed incoherent. I just thought I should get away from her before she does try something, and that's the last thing Kelsey would need to see. So I got back into the car, and tossed the idea back and forth about what to do, but felt that if I didn't do anything she may try this or something worse on someone else. So.....I called the police to just let them know what happened. They took it more seriously than I thought they would. They asked exactly where and what time it happened, and they wanted a full description of her. I was even asked if she hurt me in any way. I gave them the information they needed and was told someone would be out ASAP to check it out. I feel bad that it had to come to something like that, but it's not the first time she has approached me, and it's becoming a huge nuisance because I know how I feel when I see her, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. So, maybe this will put an end to it. This has been going on for months, and the only reason I took it to the degree I did was because she became more aggressive and slightly more threatening than she has in the past.

I guess I'd better watch my back when I go to Safeway or the bank from now on.

Kelsey wasn't freaked out at all, she said she was glad I handled it the way I did, but I did make sure she wasn't scared.

Leaving Jake at day care today was a little better than it has been all week. He didn't cry when I left today, but after we got there and I was putting his shoes on, he had a look on his face, so I asked what was wrong, and he said, "I have to go home and poop". I said, "No, you can go here. They have a bathroom you can use, but we can't walk all the way home now". He didn't look too happy, but when I handed him over to Mary (one of the workers who is SUPER nice), I said to her very quietly, "Jake just told me that he has to go h-o-m-e- to p-o-o-p (in case you didn't notice, I had to spell it to her because I didn't want him feeling any more self-consicous about it than he already did). My God...he is his mother's son, that's for sure. Anyway, Mary just took his hand, and I said good-bye, and as I was leaving I could hear her asking him if he wanted to go potty. I had to tell her because I didn't want him to be too scared to ask on his own and then he'd get sick. He would never poop his pants and have his snappy fall off or anything like that, but I just didn't want him to get a stomach ache.

He should have a good day today because they're going to McDonald's for yunch. They're walking, so he'll get a ton of fresh air and excercise today.

So, I left and here I am at home ALL ALONE and not even requiring a nap since I didn't work last night. This is such a treat. Mind you, I'm going to clean this house like it hasn't been cleaned in a very long time.

That's my story for today.

Day Two

2006-01-24T09:12:00.000-06:00

Jake and I headed out at 8:30 this morning on what is going to be our daily walk to day care. He had a hard time when I was leaving today. He was trying to say that he wanted to play the Dora Game, but he was all choked up and could hardly get the words out. Not a nice way to leave him there. One of the workers went to him and was trying to get him to play as I was leaving. He told me he wanted me to stay for a "big minute". But I held it together and walked home with my empty sled blowing in the wind behind me.

Anyway, I'm not leaving him there all day today because I knew he'd have a harder time today than he did yesterday. I just know him, and we'll have to work up to a full day. I might just do the half days for this week and see what happens. Mind you, walking at 8:30 and then again at 11:30...it doesn't give me much time to have a nap. I'm so tired, but I'm thinking since I have time alone here that I should clean something. I guess I could always do that later. Apparently it's not going anywhere.

It's nice to see a bit of sunshine out there this morning. The gloominess is getting to be too much. I just don't want the cold weather that usually goes along with sunny skies in the winter. I suppose I should just stop whining about it since I can't do anything about it anyway.

As usual, I'm counting the number of shifts I have left at work until my weekend. And right now, it's two. Tonight and tomorrow and then I'm off until Sunday. This evening shift is really killing me. It's been 3 months, and I'm still not used to it. I don't think I ever will be. May 1 won't come fast enough. I'll for sure be working days by then, and I'll feel more human than I've felt in a long time I'm sure. It's fun getting 4 1/2 hours of sleep every night. I might miss that.

I guess the topic of conversation all over the country today is yeserday's election. I don't know about anyone else, but I'm really glad it's over. All the phone calls that we have been receiving from the various parties (mostly PC) are finally going to stop. I called home on my break last night and was talking to Kenny. He said that someone from the NDPs called him at about 7:45 or so asking if he'd had a chance to make it to the polls to vote. He apologized and said that he did not as he worked late and then his wife (that would be me) had to get to work, but that she (being me again) voted earlier. The person on the phone then asked Kenny if he would like someone to come and pick him up and take him to vote because there was still time. He declined the offer explaining that his kids were in bed so he couldn't leave the house. The person on the phone said that if he didn't mind, someone from their party could come and sit with the kids while he went to vote. I'm not even going to comment on that one.

We were getting phone calls from the PCs on a regular basis over the last 3 weeks. When the advance polls opened, a message was left on our voice mail, "Hello, Charlene!!! This is so-and-so from Michael Richards' / Stephen Harper's party calling!! (the guy was extremely enthusiastic) The advance polls are open today!! If you need assistance getting out to vote, please call me back at ### (whatever number), and we'd be more than happy to come and pick you up!!" It was relentless this year. We had candidates coming to our door and everything. I don't mind so much when it's going on, but towards the end of it all it becomes enough.

Maybe the PCs had it right.....call everyone as often as you can. Not enough to annoy the general population, but enough to make the candidate's name stick in someone's mind. To some people who don't know much about the various parties but only know there's an election coming up, if they hear "PC" or "Conservative" enough times, maybe that would be sufficient for them to decide to vote that way. I think the word "Conservative" gives people a feeling of safety if they don't know any better. Pure marketing. Now all we can do is watch what happens.

Have a great day everyone....

Bingo!

2006-01-23T01:30:00.000-06:00

Safeway Bingo....I'm addicted. What's wrong with me? I just need one letter to spell "Safeway" and one letter to spell "Bingo". Plus, I love circling the numbers on the game card. I never expect to win anything instantly, but all Bingo cards that enter this house go to me. Kelsey and I fight over them. So far, I've had 4 cards with 10 bonus Air Miles each. I know that's not much, but it's better than nothing. I don't plan on travelling with my points because I've been collecting since 1997 and I don't think I've reached 500 points yet. I have 'purchased' a phone for the house, plus some Goldeyes tickets, but nothing more than that. I really think I'm going to start redeeming points for little things here and there. Maybe it would be a good idea to order a bunch of movie passes and let Kelsey give them to her friends as birthday presents. We all know how many birthdays that girl gets invited to, and this might be a good way to save some money on gifts. I'll have to give that some more thought to see if it really is worth it. Anyway, I'm convinced that I'm going to win something significant from Safeway. And by significant, I'm talking a $25.00 gift card. To me, that would be like winning the lottery. If I do win big ($25.00 gift card), all of you will benefit. You can hold me to that.

A few things are going on today. Jake's first day of day care (not sure if this is going to be a permanent decision yet or not); voting; which I will do after taking him to day care since they're in the same building; and playing Safeway Bingo. I'm nervous for Jake because when I asked him if he wants to go to day care, he said, "No. I yike you." But then when I tell him what's at day care, he seems more interested. I know he's going to cry when I leave. That's a guarantee. I'm only leaving him there for a few hours on his first day, and I'll see about working it up to more, but that's only if I decide to continue. With him being in day care while I'm still working evenings, I might be able to get some rest for an hour or two. That makes me almost happy about sending him. I'm not happy about sending him because I know how much he likes to be at home with me, plus the older I'm getting, the more resistant to change I seem to be getting (topic for future post). I'm not big on the thought of seeing him upset when I leave him, but at the same time, I think he needs more than being at home with his tired mother. Maybe if I just remind myself of how I felt at the sight of the chocolate milk he poured out of his cup without me knowing soaking into the carpet in his bedroom, and staining it at the same time, the decision won't be as hard to make. I love being at home with him, and I really enjoy our routine, but I think I'd like it better in the summertime when we can spend alot more time outside. I know he'll be fine, I know he'll be in good hands, but I just need to get through the first couple of days and I'll be fine too. Once I know where to go, I'll feel better. But will they remember we're coming tomorrow? What if they don't? What if I go to the wrong place? Can I leave the sled outside while I take him in? Should I walk down the back lane or go down Rosedale?

One thing I should remember about it all is that I'll be doing alot of walking back and forth between home and day care, so that can't be a bad thing. Then I won't have to feel as guilty for drinking Pepsi. Or eating chips.

I will also vote before I come home. Not sure which way I'm going yet. Green, Orange, Blue, Red.....??? I'll decide when I get there, but I have a pretty good idea. I'm not going to not vote. I don't care what anyone else decides to do, but I just wouldn't feel right personally if I opted not to.

I'm sure I'll be playing my Bingo after Kenny gets home from work. That's usually when the daily Safeway trip takes place. I went grocery shopping the other night and got THREE Bingo cards!!!! I was so excited. I didn't win anything though, but the anticipation while I was playing was more than I could handle. It made me want to play more. At least we're not going to lose our house or car over me playing Safeway Bingo.....

Well, wish me luck with day care! I guess it should be more like, wish Jake luck with day care. I'm sure he'll have plenty of stories to tell about his day. I'll be sure to pass them on.

Joe Joe!

2006-01-20T13:15:00.000-06:00

It's not like anyone who is reading this doesn't know who Joe Joe is. We can all remember the welcoming sound of his mother's voice when it was time for him to go home and have dinner, or rub her bunions, or whatever he did in that house. The sound wasn't welcoming because of her sweet voice, but because we knew this would be the end of the scent that surrounded him wherever he went. There was really no polite way to tell Joe Joe that it was time to go home because he loved being around everyone so much, so if we did tell him that we had to go out, or go in to eat, he'd say okay and turn around and sadly shuffle off home. Not to get all sad or sentimental or start feeling guilty about Joe, but there are some pretty funny stories that will probably stay with us for a really long time. They've already been with us for 25 years, so I'm sure the memories are burned into our brains. I think the first memory Jenn has is that her first friend in the whole world was at age 3 with a 41-year-old mentally challenged man who smelled kind of funny, walked on the side of his foot, and only had a few teeth left in his head that were black.

The funniest thing was watching him teach Jenn (or, Jen-E-Fair who is Chal and Keestofair's sister), how to ride a two-wheeler. The poor guy could hardly walk, but yet there he was (at age 41), holding the back of 3-year-old Jenn's bike, running like a madman to make sure she didn't fall off. It is amazing that he never had a heart-attack.

Remember the first sign of spring living on Dunrobin? The first visit from Joe usually marked it. Then that was it until snow fell. He was a part of many parties and family get-togethers at our house, and he even provided records so there could be more music to listen to. All of our friends and family knew who he was.

Summer wasn't summer until Joe made an appearance. He'd tell us tales about going to the Ex and winning a sailboat, going to the lake, and he'd go on and on about the antics of Hawkeye and Hot Lips on Mash.

I haven't seen or heard from Joe since the day our family no longer lived on Dunrobin, except for a few years ago when Chris was on his route, and Jenn was living on Rothesay. From what I understand, Chris was in Jenn's area, saw him and showed him where Jenn's house was. Jarret was playing outside, and there was a knock on Jenn's front door. When she opened it, Joe and his friend Robert were standing there. Can you imagine what Jenn thought when she saw him?? Her first friend!! And now her child had the opportunity to meet him too! What a feeling! It just struck me so funny. A few weeks after that day, I was talking to Jarret and someone told me to ask him something about Joe. So I just asked him out of the blue, "What was Joe's friend's name?" (As if I knew but just couldn't remember) Without even hesitating, Jarret responded, "Robert". How he even remembered is still beyond me.

Poor Joe has been brought up in so many conversations we've had over the years, but obviously he had an impact on all of us in one way or another. I'm sure every morning when we lived there, he couldn't wait to get outside to see what we were all up to.

From what I understand, Joe's life was much better the last time anyone in our family was in contact with him, AND he had a friend. So, things are probably okay with him. Moreso than when we knew him as kids.

As for his teeth, well, I think they all fell out a very long time ago. He probably keeps his extra set in a jar.

2006-01-19T02:02:00.000-06:00

I'm not sure if I'm doing this right, but I keep being told that I 'should start a blog'.....my 10-year-old has one, so I guess I should get with it and start one too. It's about 2:05 a.m. right now and I just got home from work a while ago, so I'm trying to kill some time before I head off to bed. Letterman is on TV and I'm drinking what else, but Pepsi.

Even knowing how much of a zombie I'm going to feel like tomorrow (technically "later"), I can't just head off to bed, so here I am. I'll just have to make sure to have a nap. After Y & R though. I always try to put my 3-year-old to bed at 1:00 when Y & R starts, and when it's over at 2:00, I usually doze off for about an hour, or until he wakes up. That usually helps, but sometimes it's just not enough.

Anyway, I'm going to stop typing now just in case I'm not doing this right. I don't want to spend too much time typing if it's giong to be for nothing.

I hope to see a few posts, and I'll do my best to keep it exciting for everyone. I'm not sure how I'll come up with a way to do that, but it will be my work in progress.

Take care ......