Short-term memory

I had something killer to blog about and have now forgotten it. It's not writer's block, more of writer's forgetfulness.

So I'm writing instead about books.

Ho hum, for those non-readers out there but whatevs.

I have read The Memory Keeper's Daughter twice and it was just as good the second time as it was the first. And both times I borrowed it from LouLou. I actually forgot I'd borrowed it - good thing I didn't write my name in it like by Jodi books, ha ha.

I recently came across the movie based on this book at Blockbuster but have yet to rent it. The books are always better-you know the deal.

So now I've borrowed another book by Kim Edwards and made the mistake of checking the reviews and they weren't that stellar so now I'm dragging my feet. I should have gone into blindly and made my own judgement because now I don't even want to read it.

I will though, if not just to punish myself for researching it first.

What are you reading?

My Celebrity Twin

Last night at Party Central AKA Gary & Diane's I was told that I reminded someone of Catherine Zeta Jones. Yes it could have been the a-a-a-a-alcohol talking...

So, of course today I'm googling her pics thinking I'm hot-shit. Ha ha.

Hmm...I don't think I look like any of these celebrities.

Have you ever been told you resemble a celebrity?

I personally know someone that looks like Judd Nelson from The Breakfast Club...

He is SOOOOOO my child!

Last week JT decided we were going to have a dance-off. That's right, just him and me trying to out-dance each other in the backyard. Lucky for me he never thought to take pictures :oP

Let's not rush into anything...

But I'm really starting to warm up to the idea of a trampoline for the empty spot where the climber will be leaving. It is more permanent than an inflatable something or other but it looks like something the boys would LOVE!!!

Timmmmmmmmmmmmmmmber!

That would be the sound of our tree fort falling down - don't worry dayhome moms it hasn't happened yet.

We've had the playfort for 4 summers and I can vouch that we got our money's worth out of it. We are outside virtually everyday on the swings, climbing the rock wall and sliding down the slide. But sadly, as our boys and girls have grown the playfort has been used and abused.

We've tightened it for the last time today :o( We've discussed replacing boards and such but we would essentially be replacing every board. So, our plan is to chop it off at the knees so to speak and keep the fort part to be used on ground level as a fort still. The boys are too big for the playhouse, ha ha.

And as a replacement? Well, we'll have the Little Tikes set coming back in the next month or so...and then Aaron's thinking of one of these:

Something inflatable that wouldn't have to be such a permanent fixture in our backyard. Aaron likes the rock climbing wall idea and I like anything with a safety net all around it.

Let's face it, we like to entertain and that climber takes up alllllllot of space. It was fantastic and I'll definitely miss having picnic lunches up top with the kids. Alex will miss the swings the most and JT who can finally do the monkey bars will miss practising in the mornings before school.

What a FUN FRIDAY!

It was a PD day for the boys which is always a nice relaxing day. I only had one dayhome kindergartener so along with my two boys we went to the cheap movies and seen Up. It was better than I expected - everyone enjoyed it and it was only $3 each :o)

Next came Bunco night which was a hat theme - as you can see by the pics. We almost had The Village People...

And after Bunc0 we headed to Karaoke to celebrate Jenn's birthday. I'm not a huge karaoke'r BUT when they called me name I did go up to sing and would go again.

Would you want to know?

On Tuesday while walking over to the bus stop to pick up one of my Kindergarten'ers the kids and I saw a skunk. Up close and personal. I think the skunk was probably about ten feet away from us when it registered what it was. I know nothing about skunks and how far they can spray so rest assured we avoided him as he scurried back into his burrow. Which happens to be under someone's front step. (FYI for my neighbours it's the house on the corner with the fence that's only half-way.) So today we walked over and the kids saw the owner going into their house and the boys were yelling 'hey mister, where's your skunk?' and the guy kind of smirked and I said 'we seen the skunk go under your porch'. Well, I got a dirty look. WTF? Did he think I was making fun of his houseguest situation or didn't he realize that a skunk was living under his step? Or maybe he's just an a**hole.

How did having a baby change your life?

What was the biggest thing that changed after having a baby? My girlfriend (with no kids, yet) and I were talking about that this morning. Which has made me stop and think about what the biggest 'sacrifice' was. And I've come up short. I've come up with a lot of changes but there wasn't really any one ultimate sacrifice.
Drinking? I could live without it when I have to
Sleeping in? Besides my teenaged years I've never been big on sleeping in
Lifestyle? Aaron and I didn't go out all that much leading up to kids so that wasn't difficult
Spontaneity? That must be it. We can't just decide to go to a movie or to dinner or anything without making a plan that involves a babysitter. Which finding a sitter is easier said than done sometimes. But worth it - we love family time but love grown up time too. Restaurants without paper napkins are generally quiet places without kids ;o)

For a funny Dad's perspective on how life has changed go here.

For an introspective look at how life has changed for a mother read on:

"MOTHERHOOD... IT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFETime is running out for my friend.We are sitting at lunch when she casually mentions that she and her husband are thinking of "starting a family." What she means is that herbiological clock has begun its countdown and she is considering the prospect of motherhood. "We're taking a survey," she says, half jokingly. "Do you think I should have a baby?""It will change your life," I say carefully."I know," she says. "No more sleeping in on Saturdays, no more spontaneous vacations..."But that is not what I mean at all.I look at my friend, trying to decide what to tell her. I want her to know what she will never learn in childbirth classes. I want to tell her that the physical wounds of childbirth heal, but that becoming a mother will leave her with an emotional wound so raw that she will be forever vulnerable.I consider warning her that she will never read a newspaper again without asking "What if that had been my child?" That every plane crash, every fire will haunt her. That when she sees pictures of starving children, she will look at the mothers and wonder if anything could be worse than watching your child die.I look at her carefully manicured nails and stylish suit and think she should know that no matter how sophisticated she is, becoming a mother will immediately reduce her to the primitive level. That a slightly urgent call of "Mom!" will cause her to drop her best crystal without a moment's hesitation. I feel I should warn her that no matter how many years she has invested in her career, she will be professionally derailed by motherhood. She might successfully arrange for child care, but one day she will be waiting to go into an important business meeting, and she will think about her baby's sweet smell. She will have to use every ounce of discipline to keep from running home, just to make sure he is all right. I want my friend to know that everyday routine decisions will no longer be routine. That a visit to Mc Donald's and a five year old boy's desire to go to the men's room rather than the women's room will become a major dilemma. That right there, in the midst of clattering trays and screaming children, issues of independence and gender identity will be weighed against the prospect that danger may be lurking in the rest room.I want her to know that however decisive she may be at the office, she will second-guess herself constantly as a mother. Looking at my attractive friend, I want to assure her that eventually she will shed the pounds of pregnancy, but will never feel the same about herself. That her life, now so important, will be of less value to her once she has a child. That she would give it up in a moment to save her offspring, but will also begin to hope for more years, not so much to accomplish her own dreams, but to watch her child accomplish his.I want her to know that a cesarean scar or stretch marks will become badges of honor.My friend's relationship with her husband will change, but not in the ways she thinks. I wish she could understand how much more you can love a man who is always careful to powder the baby or who never hesitates to play with his son. I think she should know that she will fall in love with her husband again for reasons she would never have imagined.I wish my modern friend could sense the bond she will feel with other women throughout history who have tried desperately to stop war and prejudice and drunk driving.I want to describe to my friend the exhilaration of seeing your son learn to hit a baseball. I want to capture for her the laugh of a baby who is touching the soft fur of a dog for the first time. I want her to taste the joy that is so real that it hurts.My friend's quizzical look makes me realize that tears have formed in my eyes."You'll never regret it," I say finally."
by Dale Hanson Bourke
Chicken Soup for the Woman's Soul

I'm not a fashionista BUT

Jeans should not be rolled up as fake capri's.

These, my friends, are what jeans look like:

And these are what jean capris SHOULD look like:Not this:And especially not this:Some things you just can't cheap out on. If you want to use your jeans to make capris there really should be a pair of scissors involved.

RIP Johnny Castle...sigh....it's just not right

Patrick Swayze as Johnny Castle was my first crush. In Grade 5 Brandy Hartwick had a sleepover and we watched this movie and The Princess Bride (Wesley would have been my second crush, ha ha).

Dirty Dancing was probably my all time fave feel-good movie and in my opinion his best performance - the guy just oozed sex appeal.

What can I say? LooLoo likes Prince, I like me some Patrick. And no Aaron, Road House was not his best movie.

Love you Patrick!

This is why I'm the biggest loser sometimes

RE: Cinnamon Roll Instant Quaker Oatmeal REF.# 055561723A

Hi Lesley:

We're afraid we're no longer making Quaker Instant Oatmeal Cinnamon Roll.

I certainly appreciate how attached you have become to the product, and I'm sorry we can't offer it to you any longer. I'll let our marketing department know you'd like us to reintroduce the product.

Sorry to disappoint you, Lesley. We hope you can find another product you like just as much.

Kind Regards,
DanPepsiCo Canada
Consumer Relations
www.quakeroats.ca


===================================================Original


Original Email:
I can't seem to find Cinnamon Roll instant oatmeal anywhere lately. Has this flavour been discontinued?
If not, is there only certain stores that carry it?
Thank you for your time!
Lesley Beck

Yes Folks, I actually emailed to find out why I can't find oatmeal. Loo-hoo-ser!!! Seriously though, I've had it for breakfast almost everyday for almost a year....so sad yet so very pathetic.

Have a great weekend!

Nanny's 75th Birthday Reunion

Have you ever seen a finer looking Clan?!? Here are a few pics from the party day, these are my amateur pics which is why I have none of the entire clan b/c Mom and I were both IN the picture. I'll post the entire clan pic once I get my hands on it :o)
The party was a HUGE SUCCESS - a few surprise visitors, a surprise announcement from Melanie & Jimmy (I'm sure Nanny's going to be knitting baby booties this winter) and lots of visiting.
We visited at Uncle Paul's, at the hall, on the balcony at the hotel and everywhere in between.