Life At The Beck's

Old pictures from the Beck side of the family tree

2012-01-08T15:18:00.004-07:00

Aaron and I have spent about 10 hours going thru hundreds and hundreds of old pictures from his mom and scanning them.

And amongst those pictures we found this one:

This was taken at Aaron's parents 25th anniversary dinner ... which will be 15 years ago this May. Look how young we were, lol!

Happy Birthday Ma !

2012-01-04T22:15:00.002-07:00

My mom is one of my best friends! She's a great role model, person to chat with, Nannie to my boys, caregiver, she keeps Dad in line (ha ha), a wonderful mother in law to Aaron and she's my mom.
What more can I say?
Wishing you a whole lot more of what we've already experienced and some new experiences just to keep it fun!
Love you!

Geez Louise I hate adding receipts up!

2012-01-03T21:42:00.002-07:00

It's indeedio that time of year when I'm figuring out how much of my income was spent on my dayhome. I have a large Ziploc freezer bag filled to the brim with my receipts. Does that beat a shoe box or is a shoe box better? Ha ha.

Oh, the grocery bills. Eye-yi-yiye groceries are expensive.

It's good that the kiddos and I like to bake - flour, sugar and eggs go a lonnnnnng way around here.

Not to mention all the things we make with our Jack o lantern's, lol.

But the bottom line would have to be I wouldn't trade careers for anything...no matter how much I dislike the paperwork!

A quick glimpse of our Christmas

2012-01-02T18:09:00.002-07:00

Here's Nannie and Me with Thing 1 and Thing 2.

Our last day of holidays was about as productive as the others. Which is not really productive at all but very relaxing.

And I'm back, lol

2012-01-01T20:47:00.002-07:00

After a long hiatus I think I'll make an attempt at posting on the blog again. Please note I did say attempt.

We rung in the New Year with some lovely friends of ours and tried something new to us. Cooking meat on hot stones. I'm sure there's a fancier name for it than that but it is exactly what we did, we started with cheese fondue and then took it up a notch to the hot stones. Tres fun, I highly recommend it if you're looking for a long leisurely dinner with some friends.

What made last night even more fun was that all of our children get along really well. No one felt left out of anything, no tears, no drama just good ole plain fun. It was the perfect evening really.

Today we had a lazy day, we all kind of lazed around for the most part of the day and then headed out to the movies to see We Bought A Zoo. It was a fantastic movie! Every member of the Beck family enjoyed it. Very thought provoking at times. We can all do anything for 20 seconds!

Happy New Year everyone!

Alex's Hip Hop Party

2011-06-20T19:11:00.008-06:00

Alex is an August baby BUT in order to celebrate with his school friends he asked for an end of the school year birthday soiree. He was thinking outside the box so to speak and asked for a dance party. It was AWESOME!

The boys hip hop routine they made

2011-03-20T13:13:00.001-06:00

This STILL makes me laugh!!!

2011-03-18T08:15:00.000-06:00

Bowling 101 via Thing 1 and Thing 2

2011-02-21T23:06:00.000-07:00

The apple didn't fall from this tree, lol.

2011-02-01T18:12:00.002-07:00

I love the sunshine and so do my boys. Yesterday it was so cold outside that when the sun came in thru the front door I sat in the sunny hallway with the dayhome kids reading stories.

Obviously JT takes after me, this afternoon he curled up with a pillow and blanket and soaked up some rays.

A playdough filled PD day

2011-01-31T12:40:00.002-07:00

What better way to spend a minus 26 day than playing with playdough?

We outdid ourselves once again!

2011-01-28T13:00:00.002-07:00

This morning Jessica's Dayhome came to Lesley's Dayhome for a playdate for both the kids and the grownups. We made invitations for the Valentine's Day party while the kids played in the playroom and coloured at the big table with us. It was a great way to spend the morning now that it's getting cold out again. It was nice not having to bundle up over the last few days - we were totally spoiled! Yesterday we even got to do our big walk around the pond. 10 kids, 2 adults, 1 stroller, 1 wagon, lots of kids walking/dawdling/rolling in the snow. It was quite the sight to see!

Time for this mom to get her head out of the sand!

2011-01-23T22:58:00.002-07:00

It's been an emotionally draining week for many many reasons. Some thing weren't even related to me directly but it involved one sweetheart of a little girl that I know losing her mom at the tender age of 3.
Stuff like that just makes you stop and put things into perspective a little bit doesn't it.
What's really important in life? Family, health and happiness are my top 3 - always have been and probably always will be.
Moving on to the situation that does involve me and my child directly:
Domestic violence has had a HUGE impact on my youngest son. And it didn't occur within our family/extended family and he never witnessed anything.
What happened was he seemed off all week and Wednesday he finally broke down and spilled the beans. Apparently his buddy at school confided that his parents split because the mom was punched in the face by dad. Oh em gee, I wasn't prepared for that.
So, poor Alex has been feeling really sad for the mom and his friend. He just can't understand how this could happen.
I've talked to quite a few people about this and as adults we don't understand it so how the heck do we explain it to our kids.
For the past five nights his bedtime prayers have included this family. He's prayed to God and asked him to help the mom find a new husband that won't punch her in the face.
Kids tell it like it is and don't sugar coat anything do they?
It's become really obvious to us that Alex is a really sensitive guy and he holds stuff in. I can see we're going to need some help with this topic.
Any suggestions? I'm really not sure what to do.

Just Grapes and Chocolate Berries

2011-01-21T21:40:00.003-07:00

This is long overdue but worth the wait!
Tonight I caught the boys reading in bed all snuggled up in their quilts that Mom made for them for Christmas.
JTs is Just Grapes and suits his personality. It's funny but when I seen the purple it reminded me instantly of the year he wore a pair of cut off girl corduroy pants as his Hulk shorts. Hilarious!

And then there's the Chocolate Berries which is so Alex. He's the sensitive earthy guy in our family. I think the rustic colours are definitely him. Good picks Mom!

And whom was Alex reading to? Spirit Bear of course, lol. That kid puts a smile on face time and time again - warms the heart. My Mom is definitely a master quilter! One day she might actually start selling them...it will be a long time coming though because she still has a few projects on the go. We all have the "I wants".

Thanks Mom!

Why didn't I take pictures???

2011-01-14T21:57:00.002-07:00

Picture it - a nice leisurely evening of drinking cocktail after cocktail with my folks. Then my oh-so thoughtful husband tidies up and starts the dishwasher before we all head off to bed.

About thirty seconds after it started I thought to myself "Hmm, Aaron must have bought dishwasher soap when he was out today. Better check just to be sure. Nope. And apparently dishwasher soap is not interchangeable with liquid dish soap in case you were wondering.

There were bubbles everywhere!!!

After about 20 minutes of scooping out bubbles from the bottom of the dishwasher and rinsing the soap down the drain of the dishwasher we were good to go.

Lesson learned.

Life is never easy even when it seems so.

Justin Bieber cookies, lol

2011-01-12T13:21:00.002-07:00

Last week Alex and Aislynn asked to make Justin Bieber cookies have never heard of them before and am pretty sure it's just something they made up. It was almost the end of the day so baking was out of the question so they made playdough cookies. Friday afternoon as soon as we got home from school they asked again to make Justin Bieber cookies. Kids don't forget a thing do they? I opened up the cupboard trying to see what kind of ingredients we had and lo and behold I seen the answer : Cherry Jello Cookies in a jar. Aaaaaah (that's the angels singing in my head as opposed to a scary scream, by the way). THANK YOU JANINE! You were definitely a life saver.So we threw everything into the mixer, rolled them into dough balls, flattened them out and used our playdough letter stampers to make our very own Justin Bieber cookies. They were very tasty - I probably ate at least half a Bieber's worth ;o)

Embrace being Canadian and learn to love the cold :o)

2011-01-03T20:51:00.003-07:00

The boys and I decided to go snowshoe'ing around Troll Falls out in K Country today. It was beautiful! If you've never tried it before I highly recommend it.

Thing 1 and 2 - Glee karaoke at its best

2010-12-27T11:29:00.000-07:00

Who said pajama parties can't be co-ed?

2010-12-01T05:31:00.000-07:00

This is from last months pajama party. As promised there are no pictures posted of the boys in their pink nighties and fuzzy slippers, mwah ha ha ha...one day when they least expect it BAM I'll have those pictures ready. Kidding. ... Maybe ...

And at what age am I too old to be wearing zebra stripes? (please say at least 60, please say at least 60, please say at least 60, lol)
And my dahling husband wearing his "don't pretend like you don't want some of this" shirt. Why oh why did I buy him this? Oh that's right, it was for sleepwear. It was a pajama party which means fair game, right?

Fave song of the day

2010-11-30T10:18:00.000-07:00

Santa doesn't roar Liam, he says HO HO HO!

2010-11-28T10:49:00.000-07:00

Busy day at the Beck's once again

2010-11-28T10:12:00.002-07:00

A few birthday pics

A few karate pics of JT

A few karate pics of Alex

Karma at its finest

2010-11-26T07:23:00.003-07:00

A few weeks ago our youngest went to see our family doctor for a checkup and do talk about some health issues. He's a bit on the husky side and we were wondering if we should be concerned now or if he's just in need of one good growth spurt to even out. Well, the doctor had zero bedside manner and gave poor Aaron a talking to about healthy food choices. Hmm. Has he met our other son who has the exact same diet as his brother and is a stringbean? That's why we were thinking it could have been something else.
Anyways - the whole point to this is that I said : I think I need to start actively looking for a new family doctor. In Calgary that's pretty much unheard of, we're actually lucky to have a family doctor.
Well, lo and behold we get a letter in the mail yesterday that our family doctor is going back to surgery and giving up most of his family practise so we have 3 months notice to find a new doctor.
It sucks getting dumped. It feels just as bad now as it does in Grade 11, lol.
I can see why he wouldn't keep us on his preferred client list though. We're generally healthy people that only see him once a year for routine checkups. It's like we're being punished for being healthy though?

Mom's CAN be cool. Really, they can

2010-11-23T08:24:00.003-07:00

I had heard about these belts from another mom and just had to find them.
It became an obsession. The belts themselves are pretty cheap - $20. The taxes/import duties/shipping on the other hand are not. $20 per belt. Which makes each one $40. BUT in the big picture Aaron and I would pay that much for a nice belt so who am I to judge?
Heather found the belts at a mall by her place but there's no such kiosk at Southcentre or Chinook Centre. Maybe Market Mall?
If I can manage to keep them a secret they'll be for Christmas...no guarantees though. They're just SO COOL. And my kids will actually be able to buckle/unbuckle them without a problem, lol.

Who needs to pay for entertainment when you have kids that do it for free?

2010-11-22T18:15:00.000-07:00

Snowboarding 101

2010-11-21T16:13:00.003-07:00

The boys tried out snowboarding this weekend with some lessons Saturday/Sunday. It was definitely hot and cold. Yes they loved it but man oh man was it ever flipping cold out there! Sadly enough it was exciting to see it was only minus 16 this morning. Welcome to Winter!

Some Friday humour from cousin Lee Anne

2010-11-12T09:51:00.000-07:00

At a dinner thrown in her husband's honour, a man turned
to Madame Chretien and said, "Your husband has been such
a prominent public figure with such a busy schedule. How
quiet retirement will seem in comparison. What are you
most looking forward to in these retirement years?"

"A penis." replied Madame Aline Chretien.

A hush fell over the table. Everyone heard her answer yet
no one knew what to say next. Jean leaned over to his wife
and said, "Aline, in Hinglich dey pronounce dat word, "Appiness."

It's days like this that we stop to appreciate what really matters

2010-11-11T23:19:00.002-07:00

Why does America have way more variety than Canada?

2010-11-10T21:45:00.001-07:00

Yummy!

2010-11-09T13:25:00.002-07:00

My foodie friend sent a nice treat in her son's backpack for me today. One tea bag, some frothy milk a dash of spice and mmmmm a little slice of heaven.

It pays off to read the manual sometimes

2010-11-08T18:14:00.003-07:00

Apparently my camera is wayyyyy cooler than I thought. Who knew it could even do this stuff? I thought my friend had the same camera that I had but then seen her lovely colour accented H'ween pics and then had second thoughts.

So, when Aaron was at hockey the other night I dug out the manual and then yesterday remembered to charge the camera batteries and then this morning.

Voila.

The kids and I discovered something new. Where did the colour go? What colour should we accent. Nathan liked red the best because of his Diego shirt ;o)

You know what I love about tonight?

2010-11-07T21:17:00.005-07:00

Finding out at 9 o'clock that my child did indeed NOT complete his homework that he started last night.

Guess what we're doing right now?

But we did manage to have a relaxing day up until this point...

Seriously? Was I really attempting to climb up the wall? ...shaking my head...I dunno folks...

All I wanna do is just zum-zum-zumba!!!

2010-11-06T22:12:00.002-06:00

That's next on my to-do list.

Have you checked it out yet? Any Zumba choreographed by Nathan Blake looks like so much freaking fun if you're into dancing and not giving a crap if you look like an ass while doing it.

Welcome to Holland

2010-11-05T13:03:00.002-06:00

This is a must read for everyone. It's an essay written about embracing the differences in our children.

It wasn't that long ago that our son was described as non-typical and labelled as developmentally delayed.

I think I've forgotten those feelings of guilt that I caused this, or the frustration from other parents and family that just couldn't understand or accept that he was different.

Reading my wonderful friends blog and how she's feeling as she expereiences this has brought back all these feelings and questions.

It's not a happy place that's for sure.

Why can't everyone just be accepting and embrace our differences.

It's probably easier to criticize and eye-roll then offer a smile and understanding.

Where's my checklist?

2010-11-04T08:30:00.002-06:00

When is it okay to send your kid to school when they're feeling a bit sick?

No, really. I want to know.

Alex had a persistent cough last night that didn't really subside until the wee hours of the morning. He woke up feeling fine but with the nasty cough still so he's having a home day. He seems good at this point which makes me wonder if he should have just gone to school.

On the other hand I don't want him to spread his coughing germs around the classroom.

Is there a checklist?

Do the teachers get royally ticked off when a sniffling kid comes to school and is blowing their nose all day long or coughing?

What's your criteria for staying home from school?

Women will laugh - guaranteed.

2010-11-03T08:31:00.002-06:00

I asked one of my friends what her plan was for her day off today. Her reply:

"I'm going in for my SCOOCH N SCRAPE".

Priceless. It almost makes it sound like something fun to do like the Hokey Pokey.

Why JOE? Why?

2010-11-02T14:22:00.001-06:00

I love JOE clothes. On OTHER PEOPLE.
Everytime I buy something "JOE" I wind up looking frumpy or pregnant which are two looks I try to avoid on a daily basis.
This will be strictly dayhome use only. The kids don't judge, just wonder if there's a baby coming.

Ew. It's Monday

2010-11-01T07:38:00.002-06:00

JT was wide awake last night.
Sugar high I'm sure you're all thinking but that's only the half-truth.
After trick or treating we headed to our friends and JTs good buddy Andrew gave him a can of Coke which he chugged after showing off his hip-hop routines and having a run around time with his bro.
In Mexico JT had Coke and it didn't really seem to have any effect on him but last night I was woken up at midnight, 1, 2, 2:30, 3:45 and 4:30. At the last wake up JT asked if I remembered that one time when I slept on the couch while he was sick and he just laid and watched a movie...I vaguely remember that, it's been YEARS knock on wood since they've been stay-up-all-night-throwing-up sick. Knock on wood. Anyways, I was just about to say yes we'll go downstairs and then reality set in and I sent him back to bed. It's not like he's sick and why wreck my sleep any more.
It's lucky for JT there's no school today.
Is it coincidence that there's no school the day after Halloween?

That will teach me for leaving the camera at HOME!!!

2010-10-11T20:50:00.002-06:00

Friday night we headed to Great Falls for some Great Shopping (ha ha) and there were about a kazillion things that I would have loved to get a picture of. Stuff like....a grown man wearing tiger striped pants circa Napolean Dynamite...and then how about the LARPER convention at our hotel - complete with faux battles outside on the lawn...and then the Falls themselves.

And I could have probably even snuck in a video of the Becks singing along to some old school tunes last night on the drive home. You know Aaron's practising for a karaoke night...

Yeppers, that will definitely teach me to leave my camera at home.

Sigh...

Long weekend at the cottage

2010-10-05T06:15:00.000-06:00

Obviously I didn't remember to charge the camera batteries before or during the weekend. We have a few pics to share:

Here's Aaron and Alex sitting around the fire waiting for marshmallows...Here's Grandma and the marshmallows and JT ...Alex and I sitting around waiting to toast marshmallows...yummy!!

Corn Maze with my favourite Beaver

2010-10-04T13:04:00.004-06:00

I know, I know. I'm getting really blog-lazy again.

Here's the pictures from my excursion to the Corn Maze with Alex.

He had a great time racing around the maze with his friends. I'm glad the corn stalks were already dry and yellow and that Ashton wore a bright pink sweater because it made it so much easier to find Alex.

Next year I think the whole Beck clan will go check it out together. I had low expectations- it's a corn maze I mean really, how fun could it possibly be? They proved me wrong. We were there for almost 90 minutes and didn't even do both mazes. There are tons of activities too.

Do you like it Hot?

2010-09-30T09:09:00.002-06:00

Last night we belatedly celebrated Michelle's birthday with a Mexican 101 cooking class. It was pretty good - the food was hot, we learned a lot about peppers and we even knew our table mates which made it more entertaining. I heard lots of funny husband stories - mostly about them acting tough and eating hot peppers...I even had my own husband like that to share. And of course Michelle was the only one that had a story about her eating a freaking hot hot pepper that just about killed her. Crazy girl! Yet, was I surprised? No. She's adventurous like that.

We made beef burritos, quesabilla's, enchillada sauce, salsa and had a drink made from hibiscus flowers.

Very fun evening - good thing I wore loose jeans!

Everyone makes mistakes so why lie?

2010-09-28T20:47:00.002-06:00

Today I called my fave waxing studio to re-book my appointment (Darn Beaver Corn Maze field trip got in the way but I'm sure you'd rather pictures of Alex at the Corn Maze than my appt, ha ha.)

Anyways.

I'm greeted with ___ ___, will you kindly hold?

I say "absolutely".

And then the phone is placed on the counter for the next 7.5 minutes. They did not push the hold button or mute button so I just sat there and listened while I washed up the lunch dishes. I know that someone left the studio "smooth and polished" which is code for bare-down-there. Another woman bought a gift certificate for a friend and just lovvvvvvved the wrapping and cute little bow that came with and seriously for no charge? are you sure? and someone that works there is trying to grow out her leg hair so she can go back to waxing....

I tried pushing buttons on the phone to attract their attention. I even called out HELLOOOoooooo a couple times but no dice. They forgot about me.

So, I hung up, called back, left a very detailed message and about an hour later they called me back.

They apologized but were very busy at the front counter. Hmm. I call BULLSHIT and did indeed call BULLSHIT. I said it's not a big deal that you forgot I was on hold but please don't lie to me. I was on hold long enough to realize that I was forgotten but still held on thinking you'd look down see the receiver and pick it up.

Don't be too impressed - I copied the idea.

2010-09-21T08:03:00.003-06:00

But it's cute anyways, n'est pas? And what it makes it really great is that it's easy enough for the kids to make themselves for their friends/teachers.

Pity party - table for one ...KIDDING...

2010-09-19T13:52:00.003-06:00

Aaron's schedule sucks a-s-s.

Instead of taking the bus for a tour of Fredricton and to Amy and Mitch's wedding I stayed home and decorated the playroom...and bugged my parents all day for a playbyplay of what was going on. Sorry about that Mom but I appreciated all the pics :o)

Here's the bus. I'm missing from the pic because I was the photog but woohoo what fun. And here's the alphabet all in place:

Yeah, I just can't get that excited about it either. Still cranky about missing out on the fun down East.

Could the day have gotten any yuckier? Oh yes it could

2010-09-18T21:07:00.002-06:00

For those on FB you know that yesterday Thing 2 had a gigantic poop that plugged the toilet. But have no fear. Alex grabbed towels to soak up the water overflowing the toilet. Thankfully it was just water on the floor.
An-y-ways
After that fiasco I was in no mood to throw on my apron and whip up a fabulous dinner for the fam so we decide to go to Jack Astor's.
Yumm-y!
Thing 1 decided he was big enough to cut up his own steak but apparently he didn't cut it up small enough. He chewed, attempted to swallow and choked. Don't panic - he coughed it up and was a-okay. But then the poor kid couldn't stop throwing up.
The first time it was wonderful, we cheered him on (that's what you're supposed to do when you see someone choking). So we had serviettes ready and when all was said and done I disposed of the evidence, Aaron took him to the washroom to freshen up and then we thought we'd carry on with dinner.
Yeah. Not going to happen.
Poor boy continued to throw up phlegm every 5 minutes, it's like his gag reflex wouldn't shut off.
Thing 2 had zero problem downing his food but after one phlegmy serviette flew across the table (accidentally) and landed in my fajitas I knew it was time to put this meal to rest.
We came home and watched Pirates of the Caribbean in our jammies and had an early bedtime.
Whatdya know - tonight we watched Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and are ready to call it a night.
Guess what's in store for us tomorrow night???

Flips flop season is officially over

2010-09-17T06:22:00.000-06:00

I love flip flops! They're comfy and cheap. You can find them anywhere and they're cheap enough that you really can buy one in every colour and not feel guilty ;o)

See you girls next spring...sigh...

The playroom gets Seuss'd!

2010-09-16T08:18:00.002-06:00

I love Dr. Seuss!

Next task will be to install the alphabet but I still haven't really figured out how that's going to work. The letters work out to be about 15 feet long and the playroom is only 12 feet long/wide. Time to put my thinking cap on...

What made me laugh yesterday afternoon:

2010-09-15T06:38:00.000-06:00

Yesterday Elliot sang Mama Mia! over and over and over again and at completely random times. I was having a blue moment and thinking how life is so unfair when I heard a quiet voice at the lunch table singing "mama mia, here we go again, my my how can I hmmhmm her, hmmmmhmmmhhmmmhmmm" he must have lost interest in the lyrics... Put a smile on my face nonetheless!

Squeeeee! I couldn`t wait until Christmas to share :o)

2010-09-14T07:09:00.002-06:00

Are these not THE cutest ever! My Auntie Brenda sent them last week and we just had to take them in for pictures.
Coincidentally these also inspired our Halloween costumes but you will have to wait until next month to see those. All the Becks will be Seussed!

Yeah I get it, I speak before I think

2010-09-13T21:03:00.003-06:00

I have a "no soliciting please" sign on my front door yet I still have strangers coming to the door looking for me to switch utility companies, switch security companies or sponsor something or other.

This afternoon it was a sponsorship and I told the representative that we support other causes but have a nice day and good luck on your quest. He asked me if we'd consider supporting his cause and I said flat out no. He asked me why and what pops out of my mouth?

We support what is close to our hearts and that's the way we roll.

THAT'S THE WAY WE ROLL????

Where did that come from? Did I forget that I'm white?

I think I actually sounded just a bit like Optimus Prime for a minute. What's his tag line? Autobots ROLL out?

Autobots - roll out sound bite Movies sound bites

Swimming 101

2010-09-11T16:02:00.002-06:00

This morning was the boys' first swim class for Swimmer 2. They were very excited and great listeners. Aaron's working so they were solo in the change room which always causes me a bit of stress but hey, that's life so why sweat it. It's not creepy old men I'm worried about - it's more like the kids whipping their towels at each other and accidently taking out an innocent bystander.
Moving on.
So, the first class was a success. Alex keeps reminding me that to swim properly you kick your feet like you're stomping jelly and wave your arms like you're smoothing on the peanut butter. It's his mantra. All day. Stomp the jelly. Smooth the peanut butter. Stomp the jelly. Smooth the peanut butter. Over and over and at very random moments i.e.when we were at the drive-thru window picking up some Happy Meals. The order person could hear him somewhat and said "I'm sorry we don't have peanutbutter and jelly sandwiches here."
Ba dum bum.

How do YOU fall asleep when you're overtired?

2010-09-10T08:16:00.004-06:00

So here I am last night laying in bed unable to sleep. I think I was overtired because it was wayyyyy past my bedtime so I decide to listen to music. Aaron would have no part of me reading in bed with the lights on. I scroll through the playlists and pick top 200. What a mistake that was. Instead of unwinding and drifting off to la la land I laid there listening to music for another hour!
I was just about to turn off the music and attempt sleep when Hollaback Girl came on and then I was wide awake. "I haven't heard this in FOREVER. This is one of my all-time faves. I first heard it at Jeff and Megan's wedding. Is it wrong that I told the kids she was saying ship instead of sh*t? In my head that made it okay to listen to it in front of the kids.
And then I'm thinking about the music video and cheerleading...and then wondering if the new tv series Hellcats has started yet.
Sure enough it was in the wee hours when I finally fell asleep and you betcha it was in the wee hours when my alarm clock went off.
Maybe I need to NOT pick music as a sleep time aide.

Gwen Stefani - Hollaback Girl found on Rap

It was bound to happen sooner or later

2010-09-09T08:16:00.002-06:00

JT asked me if he could host a Halloween party for him and his friends.

Unlike some of my girlfriends I'm not really into Halloween so much. But I'm definitely into making my kids happy so I'll put some thought into it.

JT didn't think it was a big deal - after all I have grownup parties ALL THE TIME according to him.

So, what makes for a good Halloween kids party? How many kids maximum? What are some good games/activities the kids can do for cheap...because we all know how fast this will turn into a huge expense if I don't set some limits.

Send me your ideas and thoughts!!!

Does anyone even do bobbing for apples anymore?

TMI Tuesday

2010-09-07T08:20:00.003-06:00

Let me set the stage for you guys.
In March I went for my yearly checkup and 7 months later and many, many, many tests later we discovered all the things wrong with this 32 year old body and all the things that are right with this body.
So, the whole point to this boring walk through my life is that I have severe high blood pressure and am medicated for it.
AND THE MEDICATION MAKES ME SWEAT LIKE I JUST RAN A MARATHON!!!!
For real.
I will now be wearing only dark t-shirts that somewhat mask the tell tale Ring of Sweatness.
Is is the end of the world? Um no, but does it still suck anyways? Heck yeah!
Look even one of my fave celebs has the same R of S:

And let's be honest, Kate looks about as happy about it as I feel.
And that's just for non strenuous activities.
Wait until you see me run! I'm not just 'glistening' the water is just poring off me.
I will now be adding sweatbands and wristbands to my shopping list. Then maybe I'll look like this guy and enjoy running again instead of feeling like I need to wear a sign that says 'it's the meds, I can't help it, I DO NOT SMELL'.
Bottom line. I sweat. A lot. But my blood pressure is a-okay which means my ticker will keep on ticking. So in the big picture - who cares if I can only wear dark shirts :oP

My HATE list

2010-09-06T15:11:00.002-06:00

I was TOTALLY inspired by my good friend over at Dog Walking Mamma to do a Hate List.
So here goes:

Know it alls.
People who beat around the bush. Just say it already!!!
People who feel sorry for themselves and have public pity parties. Yes your life may suck but guess what? YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN CONTROL YOUR DESTINY!
Caregivers that do not take their children outside. That includes parents and babysitters.
People that don't pick up dog poop. Ew!
Bushy eyebrows.
Women that say they "don't have time for makeup". It can take as little as five minutes. Tell me you can't tear yourself away from Facebook for five minutes, uh huh. Whatever. Just be honest and say I don't like makeup but don't try and make yourself sound too "busy".
Shiny Lululemon pants. If they're shiny -they're probably way too small.
Jammers. You know. The people that continually say they're going to show and then don't.
My husbands schedule.

I could go on but I think ten's enough.

It's that time of year again - 1st day of school

2010-09-02T13:47:00.002-06:00

JT was doing a happy dance for school. Much different attitude than last year, let me tell you! Here are the boys ready for their first day!

Both boys are very excited about their teachers. JT has a male teacher which will be new for him but that's what he's been hoping for. I've seen his teacher around but kind of thought he was a student or maybe student/teacher. He's definitely young and enthusiastic - kids were literally CHEERING when they found out he was their teacher. That's a good sign, right? And Alex was happy with his assigned teacher too. He was probably more happy to have some of his Kindergarten classmates in his Grade 2 class with him.

Happy 2010-2011 Everyone!

Check out GI Joe's bedroom - I mean JTs bedroom

2010-09-01T20:45:00.004-06:00

The boy is really into Nerf. You may remember me blogging about this time last year that he wanted a Nerf birthday party and how he was trying to make a plan on how we could set up blinds and hiding spots. Well...it didn't really all come together like he had pictured in his head so we went to Laser Quest as a back up and he got to play with laser guns instead of Nerf guns.
So, the Nerf stuff has been living in a gigantic laundry basket on the floor of his closet for well over a year - or probably longer. Last week I got this fabulous idea that he should have a gun rack. It would give him more closet space and I could reclaim my laundry basket.

WARNING - This post contains graphic pictures of muffin top!!!

2010-08-31T08:05:00.003-06:00

Unfortunately it's MY muffin top - as if you didn't see that one coming from a mile away, lol! So why oh why did I choose to believe the salesgirl at the Gap when she said to buy them a size smaller because they'll stretch? Because these jeans haven't stretched one iota.

Now if I STRETCH the muffin top disappears BUT I can't very well walk around reaching for the stars all day, now can I?

Instead I'm just forced to wear loose fitting shirts to cover it up.

Eliminating the muffin top would work too BUT let's be real.

That's your first installment of TOO MUCH INFORMATION TUESDAY! Kidding!

It's too early to WISH in the BOOK, isn't it?

2010-08-27T02:26:00.000-06:00

The Wish Book arrived Monday evening and the kids have already started making their lists.

This is Alex's list. It will need to be deciphered a wee bit. If I read it slowly and sound it out phonetically I'll be able to figure most of it :o) I did figure out I WONT TO HAV A JROM SET is I want to have a drum set. And something about spy gear.

The difference between two generations

2010-08-26T05:20:00.000-06:00

Yesterday Mom and I were chatting and she said she came across the instructions to make a "marshmallow shooter". This is what she was talking about: This is what I was thinking:

He did it! My baby is now riding a 2 wheeler!

2010-08-25T08:03:00.002-06:00

Yes he just turned seven but that doesn't matter. What matters is that he finally built up his self-confidence and gave it his all.

AND HE DID IT! Yeah for Alex!

We took the boys around the big pond last night and he did great - always trying to catch up to his brother. And only one skinned knee.

By the end of the week we'll be a family of four biking around, can't wait.

Oh, that's right - I hate bike riding. Maybe I need a new bike with a huge seat built for comfort because I know we'll be bike riding.

No my kids don't live in a bubble

2010-08-23T08:01:00.002-06:00

BUT, yes it's true. They had never been on a trampoline before Saturday night.

I never put much thought into it until I actually said the words "Nope, my kids have never been on a trampoline before. Ever."

Hard to imagine I know. It's not that they're sheltered, I think the opportunity just was never there.

And now guess what they want for Christmas? Here is a clue I was given : It is big and round and lots of fun. Oh, and good exercise too.

Thing 2 Getting His Groove On!

2010-08-22T14:36:00.002-06:00

Alex is wearing his fave turquoise/brown striped shirt. Just ignore the part where he makes the little girl fall down, lol.

Both boys are signed up for Hip Hop classes starting at the end of September so you can expect more dancing!

Happy 11th Anniversary Aaron!

2010-08-13T08:28:00.002-06:00

I love this song, I always think of me and Aaron when I hear it. Love love love it!And to celebrate tonight we're going to Walking with the Dinosaurs with the boys. Perfect!

Brandi Carlisle "The Story"
- Watch more Videos at Vodpod.

Monday Morning Message

2010-08-02T15:40:00.000-06:00

According to the doc I'm hyper

2010-08-01T21:10:00.002-06:00

Ha ha, you already knew that! What you don't know is that I have severe hypertension.

After all the poking, prodding, pee'ing, and holding my breath I now have an official diagnosis.

Whee!

Really, I think I'm okay with it. It could have been much much worse than severe hypertension.

My cardiologist was suprised my family doctor caught it at my yearly physical as I have zero symptoms besides my high blood pressure. My diet is good, I exercise enough, zero complaints or things I need to work on. Maybe reduce stress in my life. But seriously, I just came back from Mexico ?!? How can I be stressed?

So, I've now I'll be on meds to control my blood pressure and all should be good.

What can I say? Like father, like daughter.

And a video of JT - gotta keep it fair ;o)

2010-07-11T10:48:00.002-06:00

JT has already picked out which shirt he'd like to wear the next time he goes fishing. It's a pajama shirt but no one has to know, shh, it's our little secret.

Maybe tomorrow I'll post a video of Aaron wreaking havoc on our lino/k3. What a painful process this is turning out to be.

Have you heard the expression "Electicity is not a hobby, hire a professional"?

Well, yesterday our professional was standing about three feet away from Aaron as he tried to unplug the stove and electrocuted himself. He wasn't hurt - just a bit tingly.

Next step was for me to switch off the breaker before the pro unplugged the stove.

I should just stop talking right now because before I know it you'll be hearing about the broken dishwasher, leaky backdoor, etc....

Cha-ching!

Alex has been a mover and a shaker for a long long time

2010-07-09T15:47:00.002-06:00

It all started with me looking for printer ink and came across of poorly labelled cds of pictures which led to looking at all of them and copying some to my desktop for later blackmail...I mean walks down "memory lane" of course.

In any case I laughed when I seen this because Alex is the same way today, he'll just start dancing with or without an audience at any given time.

Enjoy!

Lesley as Beauty and the Beast

2010-07-07T13:17:00.002-06:00

I have to give total credit to Sari for this post!

Here's the Beauty id pic for my drivers license:

And now here's the Beast picture for my Costco card:

What the heck? These were taken pretty much around the same time. Do they purposefully try to make you look bad at Costco???

Auntie Kathryn is 30 today!

2010-07-06T01:02:00.000-06:00

It took her long enough but she's finally joined the rest of the besties in the Dirty Thirty's.

This is not Kathryn but it was at her wedding...it makes me laugh, it's just so "Lesley and Aaron".
Here's me and my girlie:

An unforgettable evening in Banff:

A bit of shopping, not sure what's better the bag or the ear muffs?

My fave pic of Aaron and Katrina:

Hmmm...not sure the occasion but guessing from the LIVE plant it must have been shortly after we moved in and I killed my housewarming plant.

I'm thinking 2003? Alex and his Auntie Kathryn:

Auntie Kathryn helping me get JT ready for his brothers baptismal - more pics of that another time.. Here we are:

Happy Birthday Kathryn!

MISSING...or maybe just hiding from me

2010-07-05T12:51:00.004-06:00

Sorry guys, I came across this picture and just couldn't help myself ;o) See you Sunday?

Alex's Karate Party

2010-06-27T20:26:00.002-06:00

Alex's birthday isn't actually until August but he had his heart set on a karate birthday party and wanted to invite school friends so to accomodate both we had an early party.

I know we'll be having another soiree closer to the real day with his buddies and cousins. I'm thinking maybe a picnic at the water fountain weather permitting. Maybe I'll learn how to bbq by then so we can have hamburgers...probably not though.

Here's a few highlights from the party.

Soccer and Baseball are over - WOOT WOOT!!!

2010-06-24T21:35:00.005-06:00

In no particular order because I'm just being lazy tonight...

Here's JT hitting the ball Once again, in no particular order.
Here's JT getting ready to hit the ball

Here's his dad Coach Aaron getting ready to pitch him the ball

And then we'll mosey on over to Alex's last soccer game. Here's the victory picture

Alex playing soccer

Alex kicking the ball

Alex working on some soccer moves

Alex and the soccer ball yet again :o)

Back to JT running ...hmm...where's he running to? I think it was a foul ball and he was headed back to the plate

JT running to first

Coach Aaron again

Coach Aaron, JT and Coach Rob

JT and Coach Rob

JT on second

JT getting ready to bat again

Did I mention these pictures weren't in any particular order?

Last game chitchat and medal ceremony

The Reds

Ebony and Ivory meet Baby Shay!

2010-06-24T07:48:00.003-06:00

Last night we ventured over with some pink clothes for Shay and food for Mommy and Daddy and oh what a cutie! Michelle said she's stinkin'cute - I agree.

I admit that newborn babies make me a bit nervous. Not sure why, I've had a couple and they survived just fine. I think it's because they're so new and in my head they seem very fragile. I always think I'll drop them.

And for the record I've never dropped a baby, lol.

And mommy is one of those women I love to hate - pure jealousy. Momma is wearing her non-maternity jeans. Nice. I do love her, really I do, just jealous ;o) Did I mention her baby is 2 weeks old?

My son apparently has started a diary

2010-06-16T12:45:00.002-06:00

I thought boys had "Journals"? Diary of a Wimpy Kid must have made it okay for boys to have diaries, ha ha.

I had no idea he'd started this, I was cleaning up his room and seen it laying out.

Yesterday he received his book of secret stuff for boys or something along that lines which includes a lock and key. Looks like he now has a secret diary.

Thing 2 is tougher than his mom!

2010-06-15T13:02:00.002-06:00

The other night as I was brushing Alex's teeth (yes I still brush his teeth, he brushes then I brush just to be sure they're sparkling) and I noticed it was a wee bit wiggly.

And I mean a wee bit.

About twenty minutes later Aaron and I were watching Shooter (love me some Marky Mark) and Alex comes downstairs with his tooth in his hand.

And oh, the blood was gushing. Okay, maybe not gushing but definitely bleeding when it shouldn't have been.

Alex's story is that he was sitting up to have a drink of water when it popped right out into his hand. Just like that.

I don't realllllly believe his story, do you?

Guess what Thing 2 wants to do for his birthday?

2010-06-04T21:11:00.002-06:00

(The bear snouts are shiny not glittery like they kind of look like...)

RG's May 2-4 Weekend

2010-05-24T17:57:00.002-06:00

We had a lovely weekend up North, and pretty much have our summer holidays planned. Love it! It's funny how the cold weather made us plan such a warm holiday. Didn't matter where so much as the temperature, ha ha.

An evening with Liam

2010-05-18T19:36:00.004-06:00

Tonight Auntie Kathryn and Uncle Jeff have tickets to see Celtic Woman so we have the pleasure of Liam's company all night :o) Needless to say my boys were super excited and were fighting over whose bedroom he will sleep in. I'm sure all three of them will be in Alex's room - no one wants to be left out.

We started with dinner and once the sky cleared up from our thundershowers and it dried up a bit Liam, Alex and I headed out for a stroll around Prestwick Pond.

Here's Alex and Liam: And again:

And Liam pointing up to the airplane - he's super excited to pick up Grandma Liz at the airport tomorrow!

Alex and Liam making silly faces. Of course they both wouldn't make their silly face at the same time:

One of many ducks we seen at the pond:

And a short video of Alex and Liam:

They were so stinking cute together!!! It was a very leisurely stroll, no agenda, no rush and we stopped for each and every bump in the sidewalk or crack in the road to stop and investigate.

I'm sure there will be a part two of our evening added tomorrow night.

Happy Date Night Kathryn and Jeff - Liam's in good hands :o)

JT's First Communion

2010-05-10T21:56:00.005-06:00

It was a beautiful event - definitely made everyone a little teary eyed!

To be half as wise as the insightful Maya Angelou

2010-05-04T12:58:00.001-06:00

Read to the end, you will laugh just picturing it happening.
I love the thoughts she lives by!!!
I didn't break the elastic...

Don't break the elastic!
In April, Maya Angelou was interviewed by Oprah on her 70+ birthday.. Oprah asked her what she thought of growing older.
And, there on television, she said it was 'exciting...'

Regarding body changes, she said there were many, occurring every day.....like her breasts. They seem to be in a race to see which will reach her waist, first.

The audience laughed so hard they cried. She is such a simple and honest woman, with so much wisdom in her words!

Maya Angelou said this:
'I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.'

'I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.'

'I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life.'

'I've learned that making a 'living' is not the same thing as 'making a life.'

'I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.'

'I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw some things back...'

'I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.'

'I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one.'

'I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back...'

'I've learned that I still have a lot to learn..'

'I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.'

Please send this to five phenomenal women today... and back to me if you think I'm one also. If you do, something good will happen: You will boost another woman's self-esteem..

If you don't....the elastic will break and your underpants will fall down around your ankles!

Believe me, I didn't take any chances on MY elastic breaking.....
I sent it to a lot of special women I care for...

Love it!

2010-05-03T13:02:00.000-06:00

It's gonna be a busy week!

2010-05-02T20:38:00.002-06:00

Stay tuned for pics of my summer highlights. They are done and are subtle but I'm currently rocking the purple forehead look at the moment. I refuse to try the home remedy of scrubbing it off with Comet so you'll just have to wait until tomorrow and hopefully it will have worn off it's vividness by then.

Heather and Jon are coming to visit this week so we've got a photo shoot booked for Saturday for the g'parents and g'kids and also the cousins together. They all have somewhat matching shirts, same colour but different looks. I think it will be awesome!

We're also prepping for JT's First Communion. Just a small gathering afterwards at Chateau Beck for a late dinner and strawberry shortcake.

Note to self: order strawberry shortcake for Saturday

Today was JT's first baseball practise and Coach Aaron's first try at coaching and it was fabulous. It's going to be a great season!

Catch up with you tomorrow!

J and J are gonna love this one :o)

2010-04-22T09:38:00.002-06:00

I heard that my neighbour doesn't like my loud music and would like me to either turn it up so she can hear the words or keep it down. I may have mentioned this to a friend who sent her son in this beautiful shirt today:

Love it, love it, love it!

Just Dance at the Becks

2010-04-20T12:49:00.002-06:00

RG does JA

2010-04-19T21:13:00.002-06:00

Last night was one of those blah nights when I just realllllly didn't feel like cooking.

Aaron and I gave the boys a few options and they picked Jack Astor's for dinner. The food was awesome!

This is one of the few restaurants where they eat their entire plate, as well as two pieces of cheesy garlic bread (can you blame them) and dessert.

Delish!

I wore plaid shorts Friday night and thought I'd do some complimentary toes...but plaid and polka dots don't exactly go together, do they?

UJ, RG, and AJ

2010-04-16T11:12:00.002-06:00

The boys were very excited to see Uncle Jeff a couple days ago. They didn't quite understand the whole idea of The Kloschinsky's moving to BC. They got that they were moving but not that they wouldn't see them as much. We tried the Skype'ing but our evenings are so busy that it's hard to plan a chat session. H can verify that as she has better odds of getting me on my cell than house phone.

In any case, they were happy to see their uncle and are waiting anxiously for a visit with Auntie and Jon :o)

Me too!

Hey Newbie - what do you think?

2010-04-09T08:18:00.002-06:00

Last night Jenn, Newbie, Tammy and I went to see Barenaked Ladies. It was fantastic! I was skeptical when I seen the opener Joel Plaskett but his music was great. His image of wrangler's with a ginormous red shirt just didn't seem to go with his voice. I think he should go see John Mayer for some tips on how to pull off the jeans and shirt look.

Ed was great - I even liked his singing for the "steve" songs. So as I was watching Ed I realized that he looks somewhat like Puck from Glee (besides the blue eye/brown eye diff of course). Newbie wasn't so sure hence the post. Wish I could figure out how to do this side by side...

Good times, good times! Thanks ladies for the night out - I LOVED it!

The best things in life are FREE!

2010-04-08T06:10:00.000-06:00

Yesterday the boys had a playdate with their cousins'. It was a lot of fun, lot's of time in the new bouncer and playing Monsters vs. Aliens. The part that sticks out the most in my mind is when Easton saw a ladybug flying and was so excited to see it fly as opposed to crawling around. Definitely put a smile on our faces :o)

Why I want to un-friend "friends"

2010-04-07T08:36:00.004-06:00

Nothing annoys me more than people that just lurk around snooping, spying and making catty comments about your life AND NOT SAYING THEM TO ME. Is it so hard to click "like" when you say something that they agree with and show that they are active in your life and not just a LURKER. Hate that.
So are lurkers really friends? Do you have people on your friends list that YOU NEVER HEAR FROM? Does it make you wonder if you're really even friends?
I'll get over it I'm sure... and the blogging will get back on track. My goal for May is to post every day. March and April were a bit of a write-off. I must admit that my emailing has improved though, instead of posting for the whole wide world to see I've been sending some of my gems of a story to my besties.

Thank you Lou Lou!

2010-04-05T15:24:00.000-06:00

(these are watermelons)

Yeah, I know I failed at NaBloPoMo

2010-03-24T16:37:00.002-06:00

So here's what has been keeping me so busy:

Not necessarily just karate, but just everything. When it's nice we want to be out riding our bikes or playing soccer at the park. When it's not nice we want to go to the movies or read Diary of the Wimpy Kid books. They're great.

I'm such a whale!

2010-03-17T13:21:00.001-06:00

Recently, in a large city in Australia ,
a poster featuring a young, thin and tan woman appeared in the window of a gym.
It said, "This summer,
do you want to be a mermaid or a whale?"

A middle-aged woman,
whose physical characteristics did not match those of the woman on the poster,
responded publicly to the question
posed by the gym.

To Whom It May Concern,
Whales are always surrounded by friends (dolphins, sea lions, curious humans.)
They have an active sex life,
get pregnant and have adorable baby whales.
They have a wonderful time with dolphins stuffing themselves with shrimp.
They play and swim in the seas,
seeing wonderful places like Patagonia ,
the Bering Sea
and the coral reefs of Polynesia .
Whales are wonderful singers
and have even recorded CDs.
They are incredible creatures
and virtually have no predators
other than humans.
They are loved, protected and admired
by almost everyone in the world.

Mermaids don't exist.
If they did exist,
they would be lining up outside the offices
of Argentinean psychoanalysts
due to identity crisis. Fish or human?
They don't have a sex life
because they kill men who get close to them, not to mention how could they have sex?
Just look at them ... where is IT?
Therefore, they don't have kids either.
Not to mention,
who wants to get close to a girl who smells
like a fish store?

The choice is perfectly clear to me:
I want to be a whale.

P..S. We are in an age
when media puts into our heads
the idea that only skinny people are beautiful, but I prefer to enjoy an ice cream with my kids, a good dinner with a man who makes me shiver, and a piece of chocolate with my friends.

With time, we gain weight
because we accumulate so much information and wisdom in our heads
that when there is no more room,
it distributes out to the rest of our bodies.
So we aren't heavy,
we are enormously cultured,
educated and happy.
Beginning today,
when I look at my butt in the mirror I will think, ¨Good grief, look how smart I am!¨

Friday Funny courtesy of Janine :o)

2010-03-12T08:22:00.000-07:00

AN ACTUAL CRAIG'S LIST PERSONALS AD

To the Guy Who Tried to Mug Me in Downtown Savannah night before last.

Date: 2009-05-27, 1 :43 a.m. E.S.T.

I was the guy wearing the black Burberry jacket that you demanded that I hand over, shortly after you pulled the knife on me and my girlfriend, threatening our lives. You also asked for my girlfriend's purse and earrings. I can only hope that you somehow come across this rather important message.

First, I'd like to apologize for your embarrassment; I didn't expect you to actually crap in your pants when I drew my pistol after you took my jacket.. The even ing was not that cold, and I was wearing the jacket for a reason.. My girlfriend had just bought me that Kimber Model 1911 ..45 ACP pistol for my birthday, and we had picked up a shoulder holster for it that very evening. Obviously you agree that it is a very intimidating weapon when pointed at your head .... isn't it?!

I know it probably wasn't fun walking back to wherever you'd come from with that brown sludge in your pants. I'm sure it was even worse walking bare-footed since I made you leave your shoes, cell phone, and wallet with me. [That prevented you from calling or running to your buddies to come help mug us again].

After I called your mother or "Momma" as you had her listed in your cell, I explained the entire episode of what you'd done. Then I went and filled up my gas tank as well as those of four other people in the gas station, -- on your credit card. The guy with the big motor home took 150 gallons and was extremely grateful!

I gave your shoes to a homeless guy outside Vinnie Van Go Go's, along with all the cash in your wallet. [That made his day!]

I then threw your wallet into the big pink "pimp mobile" that was parked at the curb ... after I broke the windshield and side window and keyed the entire driver's side of the car.

Later, I called a bunch of phone sex numbers from your cell phone. Ma Bell just now shut down the line, although I only used the phone for a little over a day now, so what 's going on with that? Earlier, I managed to get in two threatening phone calls to the DA's office and one to the FBI, while mentioning President Obama as my possible target.

The FBI guy seemed really intense and we had a nice long chat (I guess while he traced your number etc.).

;In a way, perhaps I should apologize for not killing you ... but I feel this type of retribution is a far more appropriate punishment for your threatened crime. I wish you well as you try to sort through some of these rather immediate pressing issues, and can only hope that you have the opportunity to reflect upon, and perhaps reconsider, the career path you've chosen to pursue in life. Remember, next time you might not be so lucky.Have a good day!

Thoughtfully yours,

Alex

Um, hello Monkey Feet?

2010-03-10T13:21:00.002-07:00

Yes, no, maybe?

They have arrived and I'm feeling fine!

So far I love them but it's only been 20 minutes and I have yet to venture outside. I don't want to get them dirty yet, ha ha.

They are surprisingly comfortable ALTHOUGH I have yet to determine if I'll need to keep my toenails super short. They have toe caps on the end but I don't want my claws to shred the material part, I'll hate to do that because I love painted toes. And, the bigger the canvas the better the design looks. But I'm willing to sacrifice if the shoes hold up their end of the bargain by being a good indoor/outdoor running shoe.

I'll be testing them indoors tonight and will report back to you!

Lengthy but funny

2010-03-05T06:04:00.000-07:00

From: Allnutts
Subject: Negative people

This is something to think about when negative people are doing their best
to rain on your parade... So remember this story the next time someone who
knows nothing and cares less tries to make your life miserable.

A woman was at her hairdresser's getting her hair styled for a trip to
Rome with her husband.. She mentioned the trip to the hairdresser, who
responded:

" Rome? Why would anyone want to go there? It's crowded and dirty. You're
crazy to go to Rome. So, how are you getting there?"

"We're taking Continental," was the reply. "We got a great rate!"

"Continental?" exclaimed the hairdresser. " That's a terrible airline.
Their planes are old, their flight attendants are ugly, and they're always
late.
So, where are you staying in Rome ?"

"We'll be at this exclusive little place over on Rome 's Tiber River
called
Teste."

"Don't go any further. I know that place. Everybody thinks its gonna be
something special and exclusive, but it's really a dump."

"We're going to go to see the Vatican and maybe get to see the Pope."

"That's rich," laughed the hairdresser. You and a million other people
trying to see him. He'll look the size of an ant.

Boy, good luck on this lousy trip of yours. You're going to need it."

A month later, the woman again came in for a hairdo. The hairdresser asked
her about her trip to Rome .

"It was wonderful," explained the woman, "not only were we on time in one
of
Continental's brand new planes, but it was overbooked, and they bumped us
up to first class. The food and wine were wonderful, and I had a handsome
28-year-old steward who waited on me hand and foot..

And the hotel was great! They'd just finished a $5 million remodeling job,
and now it's a jewel, the finest hotel in the city. They, too, were
overbooked, so they apologized and gave us their owner's suite at no extra
charge!"

"Well," muttered the hairdresser, "that's all well and good, but I know you
didn't get to see the Pope."

"Actually, we were quite lucky, because as we toured the Vatican, a Swiss
Guard tapped me on the shoulder, and explained that the Pope likes to meet
some of the visitors, and if I'd be so kind as to step into his private
room and wait, the Pope would personally greet me.

Sure enough, five minutes later, the Pope walked through the door and shook
my hand! I knelt down and he spoke a few words to me."

"Oh, really! What'd he say?"

He said: "Who f*cked up your hair?"

He may not look like me but he shares my love of reading

2010-03-04T05:40:00.000-07:00

Tuesday night Aaron rented 2012. So, we had dinner, did some homework and got the boys tucked into bed.

At 10:20 we headed upstairs to bed and find JT still awake reading the last 4 pages of his new book he got from Scholastic "The Diary of a Wimpy Kid".

His brother was sound asleep snuggled up beside him - JT said Alex was scared so he was reading to him until he fell asleep.

What a great big brother!

STRANGE running shoes

2010-03-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

Not very traditional but I like the idea a lot. I love running barefoot or sockfoot, shoes and I do not always see eye to eye on things.

Now flip flops on the other hand. Love love love!

Something about large pieces of molded plastic/rubber wrapped around my feet is a bit of a turnoff.

As I was complaining to my good friend about my blisters and why oh why can't I just run barefoot, she mentioned these. I'm in love!

STRANGE boots

2010-03-02T08:14:00.002-07:00

After soaking my nice leather Sketchers yesterday in the marsh at the boys school I decided I needed to invest in rubber boots. Ew. Not a huge fan of the rubber boots.

I went to Wally-World and discovered about 10 different bright annoying patterns. None were better than the others.

I grabbed the black and white polka dotted beauties at first and carried them around the store and then I thought about what jacket I'd wear with these boots. I'm kind of limited to just plain black. My black sweater is nice but it's heavy so then I opted for something HOT to match my HOT PINK sweater.

My eyes still hurt from looking at them. I can (almost) guarantee that these will be hidden under my jeans. I just don't think I can pull off having my jeans tucked into these for all the world (moms) to see and laugh.

I'll be paying more attention to what everyone else is wearing on their feet today...