The Lights Are On!

Got the Christmas lights up on Saturday...wanted to take advantage of the good weather. Mike and I were having guests for supper and I wanted the lights on the house for when they arrived. So while Mike toiled in the kitchen, I did the lights (some may say that's a bit of a role reversal but it works well for us). I had bought some new LED lights...colored ones, per Graham's request. I had great intention of hanging them on the gutter...so I sat there and attached all the plastic hangers to the lights, then got up on the ladder and it was then that I realized that the wonderful new rain gutters we got to keep the leaves out will not allow the clips to attach...okay, plan B. I pulled all the clips off the lights and hung then on the railing with the garland, and then used the old icicle lights on the top. I thought it looked nice, but Elysia informed me that they don't match...she liked it better when they were all white, Graham likes the colored ones...I think it's actually a good comprimise.

We also have the polar bears that I love and the little Christmas tree on the step. This year we added these little LED snow flakes that change color along the path...I think it looks nice, with just a hint of tacky (not too Griswaldy).

Elysia spent a couple of nights in the city with her friends from Halifax, they still keep in touch. She came back last night with Josee...who was picking up Jeff and Connor from the airport. Their flight was very late, so my tired little daughter arrived home at 1:30 in the am...stumpled into the house, up the stairs and fell into bed...hmmm...sounds like something I used to do in my youth.

Graham had two birthday parties to go to yesterday, which he loved. He was out while we had our little dinner party. As usual Mike pulled out all the stops. We had a lovely meal and apparently some good wine (I'm not much of a wine person). My husband did partake in the wine consumption and was feeling a little glow last evening which was evident in his snore volume!

Today Elysia had a soccer game and scored the winning goal. She did really well, especially considering she was ready to have a nap, this late night thing is not for her.

Oh yeah...the worst thing happened...the dishwasher is on the fritz! Not exactly what you want to happen when you are having guests for supper...I was up until 11:30 last night cleaning the dishes...all the while hearing my husband snore...not exactly a mating call! Just kidding honey, you know I love you. He did say he was sore this morning, I may have "nudged" him a little to try to get him to stop. He says I snore but let's be honest, it doesn't bother me because I don't hear it!

Pretty Snow!

Yes...it snowed and it snowed and it snowed! Not sure what the tally is but it seems that the snow started Friday night and did not stop! Mike said "That's it, we're getting a snow blower!" We were going to last year but by the time we decided they were all gone...then you forget what it's like and think it won't be that bad...well it is! Shoveling snow sucks! We did not see a snow plow in our subdivision until 10 last night. I was able to get the car in and out, only because we spent a small fortune on studded snow tires this year. One guy asked if our Caliber was four wheel drive...I told him no, but I was! We invited mom to stay Friday night, did not want her home by herself if the power went out. So her and Sofie moved in and were only able to leave this morning. Once we got the driveway cleaned and mom's car on the road for her, she wasn't long in leaving...come to think of it, she almost ran out the door...hmmm...should I take that personally?

I told Tracey I would post some pictures of the snow in case she forgot what it looked like to have more than 5 cms fall at once (and shut down the city of Nanimo).

Graham has been enjoying the snow. Him and his friend, Connor were out almost all day yesterday, trying to tobaggon in the back yard, or making a fort, or shoveling. He's out with Connor now. Elysia was at a sleepover on Friday night, took me two tries to get her, wasn't a problem with my vehicle but the three pickup trucks blocking the road to her friend's house because they were stuck! Last night she slept in our room on the cot...told her she had three choices: sleep on the cot in the room with Grandma, sleep in the bed with Grandma, sleep on the cot in our room...she wanted another choice, so we mentioned the cot in her brother's room...she slept in our room...apparently she was concerned about the snoring from her Grandmother and her father (okay...maybe me too). She said she had to get her Ipod to drown out the noise. She had two soccer games today, an hour apart. They won one and lost one...she played well, nice cross in for an assist on a goal.

On a sad note: Mike's uncle Lester passed away last night. He had been battling cancer for a while...so if there is a God in heaven, that man is perched up there with the best seat for every Nascar race!

Ode to Mike

Well, apparently I did not mention my poor, poor husband, Mike in my blog today...as he was so kind to point out...

MIKE
MIKE
MIKE
MIKE

Flu Shots!

Yes, it's that time of year again. It's time for flu shots. We've received since Graham was born, so his sister blames him for it...I told her she has it because of her asthma and that I blame both of them for it! It's not that bad, about every 3 years though I think they leave the needle in...there's no way around it, it does sting. The kids know that they are allowed to cry after the fact if it hurts but not before...they've been really good about it the last few years, I usually bribe them with ice cream though.

We had our first snow of the season last night. It was a pretty good one too. Elysia and I had hair appts in Wolfville and quite honestly, the drive there was not that great. We have spent a bloody fortune this year putting studded, winter tires on both cars but unfortunately not everyone on the road has done that. I found both cars have worked well in the snow. Graham was very excited about it, Elysia...not so much, she was worried it would still be snowing in the morning and it would curl her straightened hair. The woes of a teenage girl. Elysia and Sarah had died Elysia's hair black on Sat night, I really liked it but Elysia did not and kids at school were making comments, the hair dresser was able to soften the color a bit last night so she seems happy with it now. I was there to remove the skunk stripe from the top of my head. How did I get so much freaking grey hair?!

Mother is heading out Sat night so we will be babysitting Sofie...sorry Sarah and Connor, I offered. We love having the dog, she's pretty cute. Mom said she loved the snow last night, ate about a pound of it and was having fun slipping in it.

Guess I best head back to work...haven't checked my lotto ticket yet so I have to work!

Mammogram

Yes...that's right...now that I am the big 4-0, I have to have an annual mammogram. So I called the 800 number today to get an appointment and guess what, they had one today at noon...so I thought, okay, I won't be able to work myself into a state so I took it and went. It was painful but was not the horror I had imagined. The nurse/technician was awesome, although I told her when I was done that I wasn't staying any longer because she was no fun! She chuckled.

Got Graham's head beaned (sp?) the other day, some kid in his class has lice and we are not taking any chances. I was only going to get the sides done with the clippers and the top cut with scissors but he said "nope, get it all"...I like it on him but I worry about his little coconut getting cold.

Elysia and Sarah dyed Elysia's hair black the other night. I like it alot, I think it looks great on her but some of the idiot kids at school have been making comments (skunk, goth)...AGH!

Mike has been working at Capital Health in the city the last couple of days. He's home tonight. I will say that I may have slept in the middle of the bed for two nights with no fan to freeze me and there was no snoring beside me and no one to complain if I snored...but, of course, I did not enjoy it.

My dad had his hernia repaired last week and all is well...he started to tell me that it was a little stiff and swollen and I told him those were words he could never use with me to describe his "nether regions".

Work as always is interesting. My boss is leaving...which I am not happy about. She's my buffer and my saving grace in this place and she has taught me alot and I will miss her! Had a meeting with the big bosses yesterday to kind of lay things out there and told them I hate meetings, that most are a waste of time (especially depending on who is running them). God, I hate when people ask my opinion cause I have to give it. Not always what they want to hear.

Remembrance Day

Today is Remembrance Day. It has a special meaning in our house. Yes, we remember those who served. My father was in the airforce over 20 years. My great uncle (my Grandma Roy's brother) is buried in France.

But nine years ago today, our son Graham received a gift of life! Actually our whole family received the gift of his life. Graham received a heart valve transplant 9 years ago today...we also remember that today! Some days it seems like yesterday and some days it seems like an eternity. Some days is so very real to us and some days it's like it was a dream. I have very specific memories of that day...the nurses taking him early in the morning and thinking we just saw him alive for the last time...I was hopeful but really didn't think it was going to work...he was so sick and why should we be so lucky...anyway, enough of that! We are thankful and happy and he has some souped up parts in him that we cannot keep up with all the time.

I am not working today...that alone is a miracle, I am sure if they could have they would have made us work. Yesterday about four the boss brought it up...yeah, that's the time to make a decision...good management skills as always. So what do I do, I wake up at 6:15! What's up with that??

We had a pretty busy weekend. Watch Connor play a couple of games of hockey, they were in a tournament, won all their round robin games but lost a tough battle in the cross over. The game against Dartmouth though Sat night was pretty exciting. Elysia had a soccer game on Sunday, they tied but it was a good game and Elysia is having a great season.

Josee and I are heading to the city on Thursday to do a little Christmas shopping, would like to actually be organized this year. Ah, who am I kidding, I'll still be out there at the last minute!

Halloween

We managed to carve about a dozen pumpkins this year...and yes, lady, we used stencils. Some lady made sure to inform her husband and children who were admiring our pumpkins that we used stencils like it was some crime against the Great Pumpkin...buck up lady...!!

Oh yeah and another thing that bugs me...when your child is so small that they cannot walk to the door, do you really think you should be trick or treating when their bag is full and the bag in the wagon too...do I really think the 18 month old is going to put away two bags of candy?? I'm not really fooled by that.

We had a super Halloween this year. Thurs night was the family dance at the school...I dressed up in all my batty splendor, much to my children's dismay. I told Elysia the only thing missing was my sign that said "I'm Elysia's mom". I took Graham and his friend, Connor to the dance...Elysia is too cool for the family dance, of course. Graham had to meet his "date" Nina there...she was there, I wasn't introduced. Not sure why, maybe it was the two foot bat hat I was wearing. I don't know why they call it a dance, when it's the family dance, it's all the little kids and all they do is run. Graham was the character from the Scream movies. Worst part was that his costume was equipped with a blood pumping heart, that when he squeezed it, blood would run down the mask...yeah, enough to bring a tear to a mother's eye, what happened to the good old days of sports heros and animals??

Elysia and her friends dressed up as a pajama party, they were pretty cute in their pig tails and pj's. Elysia trick or treated with her friends, while Mike or I took Connor and Graham around.

Sofie was with us for Halloween. She came equipped with her own Halloween costume, she was a pumpkin. She didn't like the hood part, if it was over her head, she wouldn't move...poor thing, it had come down while she was coming down the stairs and she just stayed there, not sure how long she was there, but I found her in the middle of the steps with the hood down. She managed a couple of turns around the block and then she sat on my lap giving out candy but she was pretty pooped so I put her in the house and she passed out on the blanket on the couch still in her costume, she wouldn't even open her eyes when I came in the house.

Sunday, it was leaf day...we had to clean up the yard, I think the skunk was looking for grubs and slugs hiding in the moisture under the leaves...oh yeah, skunk made an appearance during the trick or treating, he did retreat back under the culvert next door before he decided to "trick" anyone. Back to the leaves...best thing we did this year was buy a mower with a bag attached. We just mowed over the leaves and dumped them into the green bin. Our back we blow them down the back bank. Something that took us two days last year, took us a few hours this year. Elysia had her second soccer game. She did really well, set up some nice passes and even scored a goal. It was a little anticlimatic as we all thought it went in behind the net, but it was a goal none the less.

Oh yeah, and my mother, who seems to think she has some claim over the dog, came and took her back last night, we miss the silly mutt!