Thursday, June 28, 2007

Make up brush update!

We had found one make up brush in our walk-in closet up on a shelf a day or so after we had them go missing.

I am happy to report that I found my angle brush tonight as I went to tuck the girls into their beds. I stepped on something through the carpet. My first guess was a pencil. I pulled back the area rug, and there it was!! My brush is back! All brushes are now present and accounted for! A small victory today!

The latest and greatest in our household is floss. Yes, dental floss. I sure hope the kids do not get any cavities with the way the floss has been flying these days. My two gals aka Double Trouble got into my first container of minted dental floss. I had to go a buy a new package. Cliff picked up a HUGE container for me. I had it in my makeup drawer, and low and behold, can you guess?

In my drawer and find large, long strings in my drawer, and I should have noticed also the large strings on the stairway...yes. They pull it out and do what? I don't know. I just hope this floss will last me for a little while anyways.

Did you know that when Cameron was little and had friend who had thing of dental floss in his pocket. He offered a piece/wad to Cameron, and he bundled it up into a little loop-like bundle and SWALLOWED it?! I had to call the nurse hot line for that one. She said he would poop it out. I guess he did, but I did not go digging lol.

Oh the stories, oh the stories. Ah, life with kids!!

The Graduates

It was a big week or two in our household. We had many milestones reached and memories made.

It is officially summer vacation (although the weather would lead me to believe it is still fall.)

Carly graduated from Preschool, and is moving on to Kindergarten and joins her brother and sister at school in September.

Claire finished up Kindergarten and is moving onto Grade One, which means full days for her and she CANNOT wait! Claire won an award for "your Kindness to others"

Cameron, finished up Grade Two, and is heading into Grade Three. He came third in his class for amount of books read, and won a gift card to Chapters. Cameron won an award for "Good Citizenship."

Catie, well my little lady is getting set to enter a two day a week preschool class starting in September. Our next challenge with her is to get her fully potty trained. And, to hopefully grow out the mullet, which has an additional chop chop on off the top. Yes, you read this right. Claire cut the top off of her hair, and Claire cut her own locks off the side. I can assure you, the scissors are HIDDEN!!

Caroline has officially taken to walking and practically runs everywhere! Yay Caroline! You are a true-toddler now!

It will be a wonderful September, but I am not going to wish away our summer vacation. The kids have lots of fun and exciting things to do this summer. So, we will take it day by day. I know it will be FABULOUS! I am looking forward to having my babes all at home together with me!


Congratulations kids on all of your accomplishments! I am so proud of you all. We love you all.

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Taco Chip Tuesday

Today our little "Catie Climber " whom we also refer to as our "Monkey Girl" because she loves to sit down on her bum pick up a foot and look between her toes. She likes to make fun monkey sounds and she is a climber!

So today, Catie decided to climb into the pantry door and pull out red taco chips (actually two bags.) She decided to fill a plastic purse with taco chips. And then the taco chips went on an adventure with her. I found taco chips in the kitchen, family room, office, living room and hallway. I would say almost like a taco chip trail! Yup, she is an advanced little monkey!

Carly my helper-girl wanted to do all of the vacuuming. So, out came the vacuum and she did all of the surfaces with my directions. She did a great job! I have found no more evidence of red taco chips anywhere. We are talking two-half bags. EVERYWHERE.

Oh, and our sweet Caroline ate the leftovers that were not picked up by the vacuum.

Oh the daily adventures of a large family!

A Baby Story Rant

I love watching A Baby Story on TLC. I love it when they feature larger families. This particular family they featured yesterday was having their fifth baby. A boy after four girls. They were all seven and under like our family is currently. Except our boy is the eldest.

The thing that bothers me about the mom I watched is that she said that having five kids is easy! I was watching and I thought to myself. Lady, you have no idea. Right now that little boy just lays there and eats, sleeps and poops. He is the easiest out of the five of them RIGHT NOW. Just wait until you have an older child and he starts growing up!!

Anyways. It was just how she said it. She said It is easy to have five kids. She said it is easy because I am organized, we have schedules and we have rules that the kids follow.

She went on to say that people who find it hard to have five kids must not be organized, scheduled. We have rules that the family follows. From what I can gather her husband worked six days a week. And when he was home he was home at 7:30 at night, each night. And she says that is easy. I say she is lying. She says who cares if the house is dirty. I have a dirty house. Who cares if we eat dinner at 7:30. I say to that, if you had a schedule and rules that would all be taken care of and wrapped up already. Yes.

I have five kids, I am very organized, and I have a daily schedule. I can tell you my home is not dirty, and we have meals as a family almost every night. We find the dinner hour a very important time of the day! My husband works, mind you he comes home a lot earlier around dinner time. But, it is not EASY! I may make it look easy at times, but as you have come to know me. I know my readers have seen MANY posts about my bad days (like my yesterday for example!)

I just cannot believe somebody would just say that! It is easy!! I would say some days are easier than others, but I would not say it is EASY. In my experience, raising five kids has been very challenging, I give until I can give no more. Raising children, whether one or six or ten really can tax a solid marriage and relationships. At times I want to breakdown and run away. Some days I say I could have six more kids. Don't ask me when I am cleaning poop up! I would say at that point?! Why did I have kids?

Anyways. I just wanted to put my two cents in. Did anybody catch that episode yesterday? She just really bothered me. Even one child is not easy. She said she could add ten more kids in, and it would be easy because she is organized and scheduled. Wow...mind blowing to me.

I would say raising five kids has been rewarding, challenging, frustrating, interesting, trying at times. Difficult at times, and I have been stretched to my capacity at times.

Easy is when the kids are all in bed and asleep, and you can see them all recharging their batteries for the next day. That is when it is easy!! Because they are all on their "scheduled" sleep time lol.

Every day is a new day. I am thankful for that.

I know my life is going to get even more challenging with having six kids ages 8 and under. I have kids in pretty much every age and stage. I know it is not going to be EASY! I will just take it a day at a time. I know we will make it!

End of rant!

the rac came back...

...the very next day! And then the next day again!

I don't live in a zoo. (Well sometimes I really feel like I do!) I promise.

But lately, we have experienced a lot of "wild life" in our own backyard. We have had these mischievous raccoons who come out to play at night. The sensor light went on last night. I thought it may be our cat Albert. I looked all around. It was the raccoon. He was on our roof. And of course I yell upstairs to the "Raccoon Hunter" aka Cliff to say to him the raccoon is BACK! Cliff opens the sliders and I hear him make a lot of noise. He was really scared (the rack) not...he just stayed on the roof...and headed towards Cameron's window. My goodness. I said to Cliff this is because he plays with the animals!! They LOVE our house.

Since we have moved we have had Canada Geese fly over, seen three wild rabbits prancing through our front yard and surrounding area, birds of all types, well loose dogs (I don't think that really counts now does it?!) and now these raccoons. We also have horses and cows a short walk away! We think it is pretty neat. Well, except for playing raccoons on our roof at twelve midnight.

It is amazing what a move does. It may not be a move to the country, but at times it is so very close!

Yesterday...

May I never repeat yesterday again! Today I am thankful for a brand new day.

It was "one of those days" where nothing I did went right. Most of it happened because of the kids! I kid you not! My morning started off OK. We just did not get started off on the right side of the bed. We were almost late on our way to drop off the kids. But we got there on time! THANK goodness. I pride myself on being on time! That is one of the values of our family. And then, this happens quite often. I had to change the 5th poopy diaper JUST before leaving to pick up Claire from Kindergarten. Thankfully that class usually is a bit late in getting out. We got her! We all got home, and somehow I managed to trip on something with Caroline in my arms and baby in my belly. I cracked my right toenail down to the middle of my toe. Yuck. It is a mess. Wouldn't you know I am getting a pedi on the weekend!

Next, kids open up a cabinet and about 2 of my votive holders crash and smash on the tile. I start cleaning that up. Carly had an accident in the bathroom! A toilet is overflowing, there is poop on the clothes, the stool, the floor and everywhere accident. This is when I go? What am I supposed to do now? What should I do first kind of moment. Get the glass cleaned up. Close the bathroom door in the meantime. Get the vac out to get the rest of the glass. Then attack the bathroom. Which I did thankfully without throwing up! Yuck. It was quite the juggling act yesterday.

I then find about a dozen baby carrots strewn about the family room. I also find an opened pink apple sauce in Catie's delicate little hands in the living room. I take that away to only discover there is also pink apple sauce on the carpet in a couple of splotches and on the TV. It is also squished into the on and off button. I cleaned that mess up.

Later on, I find multiples or shall I say dozens of Kleenex pieces strewn about the family room. Apparently it is all the rage to make clothing out of Kleenex because it stays nicely on your clothing! I didn't know that, did you?

All of this took place really in a short couple of hours. I also had a KILLER HEADACHE that would not go away!! Imagine That!!

The day was not all lost, as when we went to get Cameron I saw our nice neighbour Gary (who saved us from the pit bulls a couple of days back) I met his wife, his daughter in law and son. And, a few of his grand kids! That was really nice. I also met two more ladies from our hood: Flo and Barbara! I LOVE our hood! It is like an old fashioned street! Gotta love that.

Anyways, that was a bit about my day yesterday.

Sunday, June 24, 2007

Just one more


Our Family Photo (for now)

A group shot of the 7 and a bit of us!

Cliff and I


Sisters in Birth Order: Cathy, April and Amy

Don't Give Up, You Are Loved

This is another song (and lyrics I posted awhile ago!) I just love the words! Don't give up! You are loved!

Daughters - John Mayer

This is the video to the lyrics I posted awhile back. Cliff thinks of his girls when he listens to it when he is driving around. I think that is so sweet!

LEANN WOMACK *I HOPE YOU DANCE*

I just think this is a beautiful song, and it so full of wonderful insights. It just gives me the chills when I listen to it!

Rob Thomas - Little Wonders

I really love this music. It just speaks to me about life with kids. The little wonders that are the children of the world! How wonderful life is! Have a listen!

Friday, June 22, 2007

The Week in Review...well what I can remember of it anyways!

Edited to add something that I forgot:

A yellow school bus trip to the Vancouver Aquarium on a primary fieldtrip that included Cameron and Claire and hundreds of other K's, Grade 1, 2 and 3! I got to sit on the bus with my other friend Lisa who is also pregnant with her sixth baby! And we are due 5 days apart! How cool is that! We all got to see the beluga show, the dolphin's, sharks, a turtle and many more cool things! And, a lovely drive through Stanley Park! And the day was sunny and warm! It was a wonderful day!


Two raccoons partying in our backyard a couple of evenings back. Cliff and Cameron were on raccoon watch, whilst I tried to sleep. I wake up to see a raccoon with one of Catie's nice pink sandals in its mouth. One raccoon even licked our slide! I know the kids leave lots of goodies around! I wonder what he or she sampled? Must have been delish!

Walking to school yesterday, a nice neighbour by the name of Gary, told us to turn around and go back the other way as two big pit bull dogs were loose on our street. Thankfully the owner noticed they slipped out of the side gate and got them back. Gary introduced himself to us and the girls, and let us park ourselves and the stroller under his front entrance for safety! There are nice people in the world! Thanks for the help Gary! You made our day, and made us feel very safe!

A great prenatal appointment with good news from my triple screen blood work.

A surprise MAC book hidden in my office for me to find! I can now be online ANYWHERE in
the house! Thanks my love!

Wandering around the mall with my MIL last night as I let Cliff do the cup feeding for Caroline as I am trying to wean her! Tonight will be day three and FINALLY finished! *fingers crossed*

Plastic pools and colourful Popsicles on a summery day with the kids! Listening to them yell and scream and have fun splashing each other.

The first day and the longest day of Summer! We love summer at our house!

Watching my little Carly graduate from preschool today! And now, she is ready to go to Kindergarten in September! Imagine that!

Going to McDonalds tonight for a big fundraiser and seeing lots of families and friends from school and helping to raise funds for a great school! I wonder how much money was raised in the two hour time period! It was a lot of fun!

Watching the kids sit and eat their dinner together and have fun!

Working on a letter of complaint about a realtor (from the buyers side of our last home) who really didn't do a wonderful job. Feeling satisfied that I am going to say something FINALLY, and do something about it instead of letting it go like I usually do! I am tired of letting things go! It is time to stand up, and start making complaints when they are needed! YES!

I am looking forward to the peace and quiet that night brings in our home! I am looking forward to our weekend! I love the weekends as all of us can be together!!

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

he loves me, he loves me not...

Caroline Mae in a field of daisies.

Sunday, June 17, 2007

Cinderella Hair

Am I Cinderella? Am I living the Fairytale?






Catie always comes up to me and tells me I have Cinderella hair. She comes up from behind, pulls my hair, and touches it. I guess I have "yellow hair", but hey, who can resist Cinderella? Come on now!!



I can relate to Cinderella. Yes, I can. I bet some of you can too!


  • Mommy, I need grapes

  • Wipe my bum

  • Read this story

  • I need my hoodie

  • I need new books

  • I want that

  • I need that

  • Where are my shorts?

  • I want to wear that dress

  • Can you comb my hair?

  • ...and the list goes on! Sometimes the questions (make that demands) never end!

I think I already have my fairytale ending though. I have met my prince.


And wow, I am such a lucky woman!






Happy Fathers Day Cliff!

The King of our Castle
(aka as Daddy, Dad, Uncle and Cliff)
Today we celebrate Dad! And all things Dad!
From the kids:
  • I like him making pancakes
  • I love it when Daddy tickles me
  • I love it when Daddy makes cereal for me
  • My Daddy makes my bed sometimes
  • I like him because he is funny
  • His hugs and his tickles
  • I love everything he does
  • He hugs me at night
  • He kisses me at night
  • He gives us treats when we go through drive thru
  • He can make us feel better
  • Daddy does good first aid
  • He changes our diapers
  • He dresses us
  • He loves us no matter what we do

From his Wife:

  • His ability to cope with chaos
  • His immense love for his family
  • His laughter
  • His smile
  • His dedication to me
  • His dedication to his kids
  • His love for me
  • He provides for us
  • He gave me five beautiful children
  • His sense of humour
  • His love for me during this sixth pregnancy
  • You give us beautiful kids!
  • Your support
  • His love for his parents, family and friends
  • His handyman abilities and skills
  • His hugs
  • His strong hands
  • His strong shoulders, arms and back that give me big hugs
  • His ability to keep me grounded
  • He keeps me safe
  • He always knows the “right” thing to say -- he’s reasonable.
  • He is always cool, calm, and collected.
  • He always give 110 percent
  • He is always willing to do the dirty work -- diapers, toilets, dishes, recycling
  • He is SWEEEEEEEET!
  • He chose me!
  • He makes me feel beautiful
I love you Cliff! You rock my world!
Enjoy your special day!
We love you,
Cathy
Cameron, Claire, Carly, Catie, Caroline and sweet number six
xo

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Sports Day and Bike Parade




Here is one photo from Sports Day. The kids decorated (well Cliff decorated Cameron's bike using my idea of tinfoil and pipe cleaners to look like flames in red, yellow and orange) and I decorated Claire's bike using pink tulle, fake flowers, ribbons, bows and bunnies in a basket. Cameron took 1st place in the Grade 2 category, and Claire took 2nd place in the Kindergarten category! The kids were on TEAM RED, and TEAM RED won Sports Day! Go Team Red!

It was a fun day. I wish I could show you all more photos, but Blogger is not allowing me too. I think I am near my maximum, so I might have to start a new blog, and get rid of some of my others. Not too sure. Anybody experience that problem? This has never happened to me before.

Friday, June 15, 2007

Daughters - John Mayer

I know a girl
she puts the color inside of my world
She's just like a maze,
where all of the walls all continually change
And I've done all I can to stand on the the steps, with my heart in my hands
Now I started to think maybe it's got nothing to do with me

Fathers be good to your daughters
Daughters will love like you do
Girls become lovers, who turn into mothers
So mothers be good to your daughters too

Oh you see that skin,
it's the same she's been standing in Since the day,
she saw him walking away
Now she's left cleaning up the mess he made
So fathers be good to your daughters
Daughters will love like you do
Girls become lovers, who turn into mothers
So mothers be good to your daughter too

Oh Boys you can break find out how much they can take
Boys will be strong, boys soldier on but
Boys would be gone without warmth of a womans good good heart
On behalf of every man looking out for every girl
You are the God and the weight of the world

So fathers be good to your daughters
Daughters will love like you do
Girls become lovers who turn into mothers
So mothers be good to your daughters too
So mothers be good to your daughters too
So mothers be good to your daughters too

Don't Give Up

JOSH GROBAN
You Are Loved (Don't Give Up)

Don't give up
It's just the weight of the world
When you're heart's heavy
I...I will lift it for you

Don't give up
Because you want to be heard
If silence keeps you
I...I will break it for you
Everybody wants to be understood
Well I can hear you

Everybody wants to be loved
Don't give up
Because you are loved
Don't give up

It's just the hurt that you hide
When you lost inside
I...I will be there to find you
Don't give up

Because you want to burn bright
If darkness blinds you
I...I will shine to guide you
Everybody wants to be understood
Well I can hear you
Everybody wants to be loved
Don't give up

Because you are loved
You are loved
Don't give up

It's just the weight of the world
Don't give up

Every one is to be heard
You are loved

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Wonderful Wednesday!

What a week! I am so glad that today is the middle of the week! Two more days until the weekend. That is good.

I am sitting down, drinking my ice water from a plastic sippy cup. Carefully sipping with two hands on each side of the plastic wonder! In fact, I have removed every bit of glass from my kitchen, and have resorted to plastic and Corelle. Yup. And, get this paper napkins and plates for the times when I do not want to unload the dishwasher.









Do you believe me?










NOT! And don't believe me!! I have enjoyed everybody and their comments and I have had a lot of laughs this week! Thank you my friends.

BUT! I refuse to give up my "standards of living" if you will. I REFUSE to cave, if I want to drink my water with lemon and ice in a glass, I will! In fact, I am doing that right now. Water tastes better in a nice glass. It is all about presentation! And, I will continue to do so...now onto a different topic lol.

In the last couple of days a few thing have happened, or shall I say gone missing or become broken. We have dimmer switches on 3 light switches in the house. And now, the tab that moves the dimmer switch up and down have gone missing in Catie and Caroline's room, in Claire and Carly's room and now in the dining room. Where are they? Most likely with the gum that is still MIA. I have one tab remaining, as Claire found it for me. But, it is broken and cannot be replaced. Uh huh.

So, really in the grand scheme of things. Not so bad right. Right. I will just be happy that is all.

This week, we have sports day at school, and we are gearing up for the end of the year activities. We have a preschool graduation ceremony for Carly, a kindergarten graduation ceremony for Claire, we have also a big primary field trip to the Vancouver Aquarium and I am hopefully lucky enough to be picked to go as a parent helper as both Cameron and Claire get to go on this together! How exciting.

Miss Caroline is suffering from a terrible bum rash, which we are treating and today she shows signs of vast improvement. She is taking a few steps a day, but is still wanting to use her knees to get around.

We are also anticipating a visit from my parents today, after lunch which I am totally excited for! The kids love it when they visit!

Other than that, just going to do some laundry what else is new, prepare for lunch and think about dinner tonight. I still don't know what to fix.

Our city is working on a Random Acts of Kindness, and it is very exciting! They are teaming up with local businesses, a local newspaper and asking that all residents do three random acts of kindness between June 16 and August something (cannot remember the dates right now) and I would love to see our family participate in that! I am going to talk about this at dinner tonight to see what we can do as family to do our share! I think it is a brilliant idea! And it really doesn't take much to do!

Well, time to get back to the day to day grind!

Monday, June 11, 2007

walking on broken glass

Wanna hear about my morning? Well, actually about a half hour of my morning? Read on if you wish!

I was finally going to have a glass of water with squeezed lemon and ice. I went to fill up the ice, and then started getting my water from the fridge door (Caroline is sitting on the chair as she has a really bad rash, and I was going to give her some Tylenol to help with the pain of teething and her bum.) After my nice cool glass of water, I was going to give Caroline her medicine.

Where are the others? Two big kids are at school, one at preschool. So, two kids at home. Catie walks over to Caroline and starts to pull her off the couch as I am filling up my glass. I drop the glass to save Caroline who is not yet off the couch. But, heading towards the edge because Catie is yanking on her!

SMASH! CRASH. No, not Caroline. She is fine, Catie is fine. But...my full glass of water (not fine!), lemon wedges and ice mixed with a lot of broken glass is everywhere. On the counter, under the fridge, on the mat, on the floor. It even hit the carpeting. Wow can broken glass fly!

I now have less than ten minutes left until I need to go start my pick ups of kids from school. So, I get out the vacuum AGAIN! (I JUST put the hose away as I had JUST finished vacuuming up the ground in fishy crackers from the carpeting--thanks Catie Girl!) and so I sweep up what I could, then I vacuumed up what I could.

Thankfully everybody was OK! I just have to say AGAIN, white tile flooring is not my friend! I put on my flip flops and I almost fell because they were so slippery with the water, but I didn't want to get glass in my feet. And, EVERYTHING breaks so EASILY! I also find it hard to keep kids out of harms way when glass is involved! It is like they are drawn to the glass chards and I keep yelling GET BACK! STAY AWAY! We don't need glass in our feet and knees!! lol.

End Note: Everybody is fine, kids are fine! I managed to pick up the kids on time and all is good (for now!) I am fine too. I am down a glass, and need to drink more water today!! I started making lunch and I actually found glass on our counter top! Crazy!

Pitter Patter lets get at her!

Big News in our household!
Caroline is WALKING!
Our Caroline started walking yesterday morning, which was Sunday June 10th. She took 2 steps and then 4 steps towards me! We just missed capturing it on film and camera by seconds!


Trying again!


Standing up!


I am so very proud of myself!


I am going to try again! Watch me go!

The biggest cheering section EVER!

Do you see how very happy they are for their little sister!?!


GO, Caroline, GO!


Trying again, and Catie didn't want her photo taken!

It was a wonderful day with Caroline and the kids! We were so excited to be able to watch her start walking together as a whole family! She is just over 13 months.

(FYI: The other kids walked around 12 months)

Today, she walked a couple of steps, and then she took four steps towards her big sister's loving arms! That was a beautiful moment! Soon, she will be off and running just like our other kids! Wow!

Friday, June 08, 2007

Sisters...Catie and Caroline

Taken today, this morning. Caroline is wearing a sweet little birthday outfit from her Aunty Amy. And Catie is wearing a sweet little outfit that her Nonna bought for her.




Caroline has eyes only for the package of goodies!

Mom...maybe an idea for the family photos coming up!

Catie and Caroline (Little Sisters)




My Catie Girl with Peonies




Everything is coming up ROSES

The posie of Peonies brought to me by my Catie girl (above)


Cynthia inspired me to get my camera out and take some photos of the gorgeous flowers in our garden this year. This is the scented Peony that my Papa planted for me in November just before he died the following year. I have brought this beautiful memory with me to three different homes we have lived in. I know my Pappa would be asking me if they are watered. And, I would say Yes, Pappa they are watered. He always told me to be sure to water them. As I have. They are certainly beautiful.



This particular Peony plant means so much to me. When I went though an early miscarriage back in 2003 (June 15) the same bush was blooming, and as I was waiting for everything to finish up, Cliff snipped a whole vase full of these, and brought them into the bathroom. In February, my Pappa died. Now, every year when I see the blooms I am reminded of my Pappa and of the baby who didn't make it into our lives, but is forever in my heart.






Last year, all of the heads of the Peony were picked off, head by head by my Carlyflower. So I never got to see them. This year, my Catie girl. The one who was conceived and born after our miscarriage brought me the first bloom off of my plant.

She actually brought me three, and they are the first picture of this post. The pale one is from my plant, and the dark pink are from the new house. I thought at the time she gave me the flowers. Here is Catie! How lucky and blessed we are we were able to try again, and create this beautiful little girl who brings laughter, love and joy into our family. It really brought a smile to my face. How divine really. Had we not lost, we may never had had this sweet little Catie.




Double Trouble - At it AGAIN!

Yes, my two eldest girls were into my purse today. I go into the laundry room to check on the laundry, and I notice my purse is tipped over. GUM...I run up the stairs and yell GIRLS...hand over my gum package (which is COMPLETELY empty at this point) Claire is hiding under her covers, and the cardboard sleeve is on the ground under their night stand. I say to Carly where is the foil...and that part is in Carly's bed EMPTY of course. Where is the gum that was there? Did they swallow it? Is it stuck in the bed sheets? I don't know. And I am truthfully scared to look for it.

Oh the Toilette Water...and I don't mean the sweet smelling stuff!

Yes, my little Caroline has a thing for all things messy and dirty. She loves the toilet water, sometimes there are "treats" let me just say that are left behind, or if we are lucky a clean bowl. I heard some splishin' and a splashin' and I thought to myself...Caroline is playing in the toilet again! And so I go a running in there...and yes...toilet water. In her hair, up her arms and dress. So gross. Thankfully the bowl was clean. So off to the sink we went, a washing we went.

She also likes poopy diapers, food off of the floor, and food and crumbs that were just swept into a pile! She goes straight for them. She has even eaten poop (well that is what I think) remember the story about when Cliff came home and found me crying and cleaning up a poop trail all the way down the bedroom, down the hall and in Caroline's hands and mouth. That had to be the WORST thing I have ever witnessed. Your little baby girl with poop all over her, and in her mouth (and when I look back I was pregnant, thus the tears and crying as I RARELY cry!)

We ask the the kids please close the doors to the bathroom, and keep the lid down. But still "somebody" still forgets to do this simple task or tasks for us.

Thursday, June 07, 2007

baby powder and black bedding do not mix

Well, so much for my "quiet time" today. Today, it was my baby powder from out of our bathroom (thankfully travel size) and black floral quilts...and stuffed animals, walls, bed frames, floors and robes covered in baby powder. It took about 1 hour to clean up the mess. Who made this big mess???

Can you guess?

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Caroline 13 months - June 2nd 2007




Photos from Aunty Amy...






Some more photos from Caroline's Party





Tuesday Tuesday

Today was a much better day. I had a lovely day with Jasmyne, and her two wonderful little boys Tyler and Logan. Jasmyne brought me lovely pink carnations, Tim Bits, and delicious fruits for lunch. I gave them a tour of our place, we chatted, chased the kids, and then we walked with our Chariot's up to the school to pick up Claire and Carly from Kindergarten. Carly was invited by the teacher to go to school today.

When we got home, I made eight PB&J sandwiches, and Jasmyne prepared the fruits! And, most of the kids ate them. The fruits were WONDERFUL! A bit of clean up, and then a bit more play and they were on there way back home, and my two littlest went down for a long nap. I had some quiet time, and Claire and Carly got into the hand lotion, and soaked a book, their socks and some of the bed during the quiet time. It was quiet all right, so quiet, and yet so destructive. My double trouble those two. I think all of my grey hairs come from those two kids. Yup...I think these items will have to go onto a HIGHER shelf. They used the bathroom stool to access the items they are not allowed to touch.

I then walked back to school to get Cameron. And then Cliff came home a bit early. With a beautiful sunflower in a pot for me, and the latest issue PEOPLE magazine. And a big hug. The hug was the best.

We had a nice dinner tonight. We had grilled chicken in quescaadillia's as we like to call them. Quesedilla's for all of you out there. They had cheese, re fried beans, tomato, jalapenos. And salsa, sour cream and avocado on the side. Cliff did them on the BBQ and he made the perfect grill marks. They were delicious. I also made iced tea. That hit the spot.

After dinner we watched the news about the flooding concerns. I am thankful to be away from the flood plains. I hope all of my friends that are in a danger area can get out safely, and little damage is done to property and belongings.

Kids are in bed now, and I am glad that the day went a bit nicer. I think it was the company this morning. It was so nice to chat with Jasmyne. Nice to talk to another adult!!

I am still not sure what to do about Catie's mullet. Hope gave me a link to a cute pixie cut. That might be the way to do it. Hmmm. Maybe a consult with my hair stylist is in order. I know if I did a pixie cut I would really have to dress her in dresses and pink lol! Or else she may get mistaken for a little boy. I don't know...the sides are shorn to her head.

Other than that, I enjoyed listening to the new 95Crave station that was formerly Z953. It is going to be good. It is targeted to 25-45 year old women! I guess I fit their target market. I look forward to the next few weeks to see what happens.

How am I feeling? Well, I am feeling a bit better these days. I am 14 weeks and 3 days pregnant. I have belly and I am feeling less sick which is promising. I am ALWAYS tired though. I still get up to pee once a night, and I get back into bed and my husband is snoring. I have to hit him and tell him to turn over. This guy snores on his stomach and it so annoying. I got a call from the vascular surgeon of all people today. They wanted me to come in and do paper work. I told her I was pregnant again and need to be put back on the list. She congratulated me, and asked me to call them when I have had the baby, and I am done breastfeeding. So, basically I will be calling next December or January. Fingers crossed the wait will not be that long. My legs look so bad.

That is my day in a nutshell. I am sure I am forgetting something, but oh well.

Time to prepare for tomorrow.

Monday, June 04, 2007

just when life was getting boring

Today, has not been such a hot day. Even in the weather department.

This afternoon after a lovely lunch, Carly comes into the house and her finger is dripping with blood. She had stuck her finger in a "forgotten cooler" at the back of the house and cut her finger in a pop can. So, I bandage her up, tell her to get out of her NEW outfit as there is blood on it. So she comes downstairs, NEW shorts on, and bleeding finger. Somehow the band aid "just fell off" I don't buy it. So, back to the kitchen again for a new band aid. I send her upstairs to get dressed. I call her, no answer and her partner in trouble Claire was up there now too. I give the call for 15 minutes until we go get brother from school. They come rushing down which is just unusual. Carly is wearing a special bracelet from her "baby bin." I grab both of them, as I know they have gotten into an important bin. I go in, blood smeared on a white rabbit I gave them from when I was a kid, on the carpet, on the bedding, on 2 more animals. Church bulletins ripped up like band aids, tags with blood on them. I just wanted to cry. I said we have to leave, so grabbed everything I could. Woke the two little gals from their naps and off we went. I slammed my door and I broke a part of it. (way to go stupid!) I was so mad. So, into the car we go. Carly is crying, Claire is crying and I want to cry. We get the boy. We get home, I get Carly to help me with the bedding, and laundry. After all, I felt this was her responsibility. I FINALLY changed Catie and Caroline's bum. Poor Caroline was soaked through her diaper, and Catie smelled like beer (and her mullet...) and when I was changing Catie, Caroline pulled over a shelf! Thank goodness it did not hurt her. So, I picked that up. Threw out the diapers and then...

I call Cliff, all mad. I was ready to lose it. So I took a breather. I have to have some consequences. So, I think camping is out with Auntie Amy, Uncle Tyler and K. And, I said no birthday parties. When I was on the phone, I look outside, and I notice 3 smashed bottles of beer (I don't drink beer by the way) on the trampoline, and on the grass. Gee. Can you say CATIE. I just turn my back for a second and all heck breaks loose.

The part that gets me the most, is that I have worked so hard to keep baby books, records, memories all together and EQUAL for ALLLLLL of the kids. And now, I am mad because it is all upstairs in heap and now I have to try to put it all back together again. I don't want to do that, as I have worked so much at their stuff, and kept it up all of these years. I feel like all of that work was in vain. I guess when Carly asks why she has less stuff when she is grown up, I will tell her why (and have her read this blog entry-maybe I will make a note of this in her book)

So, now I am doing extra laundry on top of regular laundry, I have to throw some stuff up, pick up broken glass. And of course blog about this just to get it out. I better get back to the kids. Who KNOWS what next. All I know is that I need a break.

I am just thankful that nothing worse happened to the kids. Like more cuts...so much glass in so little time!

Sunday, June 03, 2007

Catie has a Mullet (all business in the front, and all party in the back)

This is the closet (well it is her closet) where I found the evidence. I went to hang some clothes up in Caroline's side of the closet and I found big pieces of beautiful hair on the floor. I wanted to take a photo of all of the hair but Cliff cleaned it up before I could take a good picture.

Catie, did you cut your hair? Who, ME??? Are you talking to me Daddy?

And here is the mullet that I spoke of in the title. Yes, Catie has her first mullet. Oh dear, we have family photos in a few weeks. Perhaps they can use her "good side" as she has a partial mullet. What do you call a half mullet? I would say trouble, with a capital T!! Oh my Catie girl...

You ask, where did she get the scissors? From my bathroom drawer (top drawer to be exact) I will have to find a different spot now. I am sure my monkey will find them again...maybe she will give herself a complete mullet...I sure hope not...

****updated to add, that she has given herself a FULL on MULLET...I looked a little closer this morning...and it is a sad sight****

Little Girls' Room - Take II



I picked this chandelier up from Canadian Tire for $70.00 and I just love it. I think Abby might be getting one for her new room too!

Master C's Room