I'm Grateful...

Reading Angie's blog today was that "little something" that I needed to put things in perspective.

I got home this morning around 6AM, after being at work since 1AM, and although I was able to sleep for a short while, I was still feeling tired and not too tolerant of Blade NOT washing his hands after going to the bathroom AND telling me he had.

....then I read Angie's blog....

You know what, I'm grateful that Blade is finally "going to the bathroom", and not having any accidents (even when he had diarrhea) (...too much information?...).

I'm grateful that even though Dave worked ALL night, he stayed up and let me sleep while he made sure that Chay got off to school okay.

I'm grateful for a little boy that tells me he loves me multiple times an hour. His latest thing is telling me "I love you very, very, very, very, very, very, very.....much". It's surprising how many very(s) he can get in. And then he'll follow it up by trying to outdo himself with the number of very(s).

I'm grateful for a daughter who is responsible with what she needs to get done on a daily basis. And that although she is over whelmed at times, still takes the time to help her brother with his studying because she knows that I'll get home from work late and that time is not ideal for Chay and me to be studying.

I'm grateful for a bigger boy who is able to make his own choices and deal with the consequences.

I'm grateful also that I have kids that are able to run around, sing, yell and able to make a mess with toys, food, clothes, whatever.

My home may be small and unfinished, but I'm so grateful to have a roof over my head with heat, running water and a way to keep and prepare food.

I'm grateful that Dave and I have jobs and are physically able to perform our jobs and take care of our children.

I'm grateful that I'm typing this with little arms hugging me all over and a little boy climbing all over me telling me, "I love you very, very, very, very, very, very...much!"

Now to go on with my day...

Thanks for reading.

A couple of weeks in review

This initial picture is displaced but it does show what I have been doing the past few days. Yes, that is scaffolding in my house...and yes, I did go up on it. I did not however, set up and get to the next level which is at the two boards on the right. I don't know if I can do that. I've been doing the faux painting on some walls and ceilings. If you look zoom the image and look at the area above the "x" by the board, you can see the level I could get to before having to go higher. I don't like heights and although the platform is only 6 ft above the ground, when I'm standing on it, my pulse goes up, my toes tingle....

With all the weird angles on the ceiling I just have to figure out how I'm going to get to the tops of the walls by the door and do the ceiling. Another 4 feet up is more than I think I can handle. Dave knows that and has said "you may have to show me how to do". Now, if that isn't love...

Nicole was actually sitting at the table talking with Chay one day and then told him "I can't take you seriously when you're sitting there with Mickey Mouse ears". He's just the right height for that to occur...the rest of us can sit at the table and carry on a serious conversation (that is if we can hear everything that is being said...ie "tell me the story of cheeses").

AND I love a great sale! Old Navy was having a 50% off clearance items and despite going the afternoon of the second day of the sale, I still managed to get all the items below for $80! Chay got some much needed pants (he has officially graduated to the men's department for clothing...ouch). I even found a couple of pants for Dave (he's a very popular size). Nothing for Nicole and me though.

Nicole can have a very abstract mind at times and after eating a wonderful breakfast of Dave's "homefried potatoes" and scrambles eggs, Nicole found a new pet chicken on the table. After seeing the photo of the "chicken" I was surprised by how different it looks from the actual thing. It's too "embryotic" looking in the picture. Nicole left her chicken there but it didn't last the day...

The reason why I didn't make it to the initial day of the sale, waiting for the doors to open, is being a the husband of a friend from work was very kind and brought over and set up the scaffolding for me. There really are extremely KIND people out there...as Sharon and Darren know all too well. Al was climbing and walking around the scaffolding like he was walking on the ground. He had me get up on it while he was there and I was surprised that I did it and didn't lose all control.

...so, this is what it looks like in the front of our house...

...the good thing is, we have our own private jungle gym in the front of our house...

Blade has been having alot of fun swinging on it and climbing...he has no fear whatsoever. Dave has been giving him a "5" on his dismounts.

Nicole has been seen swinging and climbing on it also but I know that she would not be happy if I posted the picture I have of her swinging so, I'll just post this on.

Chay loves climbing up and sitting on the platform. It has been good for him because he "thought" he was afraid of heights but I don't see any evidence of that.

Last week, Dave took Chay to the Car show and Chay took a lot of pictures of some of the cars. I don't know which one was his favorite so I just picked on. Chay came home with a bag full of car books and even plastic and reusable bags for me to use (he likes free things, he truly is my son!).

"You didn't know I could do this before"

The "men" working on Chay's science project. Chay came up with the project on his own (really) and planted seeds and will use bottle water, tap water, dechlorinized water and microwaved water to see how it effects the growth.

We picked up Alana on Sunday to share some of her Birthday week end and Blade and I made some coconut cupcakes using the larger tapered cups I had. I also forgot I needed buttermilk and tried the substitute of mixing milk and vinegar. Let me tell you, the substitute does not produce the same results as the buttermilk, either that or it was just me...I did kind of over bake the cupcakes a little.

Chef Blade

I know that Blade really enjoyed the cupcakes! My opinion is that these cups give too much coconut cupcake for the amount of icing. The smaller cups have a more ideal proportion of icing to cupcake.

For Alana's birthday we had a Black Forest Cake from Sam's Club.

Each candle represented a lucky 7 years.

The Birthday girl

...and the best part, licking the icing off the candles...

Alana, Nicole and Chay drove up to Park City for the Sundance Film Festival and experienced all that comes with that...difficulty finding parking was one of the things. They even worked on a code word if anyone saw a celebrity. Alana did see someone...I don't know if they used the code word.

....then I got called into work...and had to leave.

...talk about clogged pipes...!

Life continues on with me, keeping busy with work and family. Unfortunately, I've been more tired than usual the past while and going to bed early (I'm embarrassed to document exactly what time), thus, I haven't been taking pictures. And no, I am NOT pregnant! Shame on you for even thinking that...

Today Dave must have gotten just as tired as I was with the water overflowing over the pipe when we washed our clothes because this evening he tried to unclog the pipes...and he was working hard at it. We were both SHOCKED by what he found!

The entire pipe was clogged with old lint, when Dave pulled pieces out it was like homemade paper ( I'm thinking, embellishments for homemade cards...I'm just kidding). The hole by the bronze color is the only path for the water to go through...and that was AFTER Dave shot the pressure hose down the pipe.

I'll spare you a lot of the details but I will let you know that Dave is at Home Depot as I write this.
I'm still amazed that the pipe could be that clogged, no wonder the water was overflowing....how it got down at all is amazing. I'm pretty sure some of the lint isn't even ours.

Nicole is very happy today because clothes were 70% off at "the store" and she took full advantage of that. AND she actually found "the" boots she has been looking for-excited doesn't even describe how she felt about that). Before Christmas she spend an entire day shopping with Dave at the mall to look for "the" boots and then online. She saved $50 (I told her she could have saved $85). She also points out that she did find a few things for Chay. And apparently, on Thursday they will be wearing their matching shirts. That will be a first...I must remember to get a picture of that. Nicole is now wearing Chay's hand-me-downs (I must get a picture of that also). Nicole needed "running" shoes (not runners) and Chay had some new ones he hasn't been wearing because he has now decided that he doesn't want to go running, and so they now belong to Nicole.

Hmmm, I'm just thinking, this may be the year for Nicole.

The change from 2008 to 2009

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I'll do a review of our past few days in reverse order because my computer skills are not on par with those of the rest of my family and I'm limited with what I can manipulate.

We have wanted to go sledding at Sugar House Park since it snowed last week but wanted to go as a family and today was the day we could do it. Unlike in Alberta, the weather has been warming up and melting the snow and so the snow in the park was limited and hard and crusty/icy this morning but, we weren't going to let that stop us. It actually made it a little more intense because it was difficult (if at all) to slow down and more often than not we headed for the area without the bundle of straw.

We rode in almost all combination of riders.

It felt too "fast" for Blade and as he sped down the hill, he was yelling "stop it, I want to stop" but as soon as it stopped, he was yelling "let's go again".

You can tell from the look on Chay's face that he was heading for the break in the straw....

Nicole had skill because she always managed to be safe and hit the straw/hay...don't worry, Chay was fine, he was lying there for effect.

Dave and I however, rode out into the edge of the road, sadly, one of the times we even hit the garbage can. Being the gentleman that he is, Dave managed to get the sled to turn so that he was able to push the garbage can...either that or he was lucky.

(another one of those "I'm turning Japanese-a" moments...or "Asian eyes are watching you" but, I couldn't see anything at that moment...)

My cute happy boy....

My manly "I'm getting worried now" boy....

These pictures sure are ALOT different from the ones on Angie's blog, and for that matter, from the ones on Sheila's blog. I'm that happy medium...

WARNING: THE NEXT IMAGE MAY BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR MENTAL WELL BEING

I worked New Year's Eve and early in the evening I was tired and anticipated just taking a short nap while I stayed in the company of the family while they watched TV and did whatever they did. Little did I know that they were enjoying make fun of me and laughing at me. Chay was so happy that he got such an "attractive" picture of me....and apparently, I snore (softly I'm sure...).

I slept until shortly before midnight. Then I was a wake longer than the rest. We had bottles of "celebration pop" but Chay forgot to take them out of the freezer (I told him to put them there for 30 minutes for a quick chilling, and they were there for a lot longer) and one "POPPED"(exploded) when he put it on the stove. The others had popped their lids abit and were leaking. So, our tradition of guzzling Sparkling apple cider did not happen this year.

BUT we did call home and wished everyone at Grandma's and Grandpa's a Happy New Year and wished Grandpa a Happy Birthday! That tradition continued!

While I was at work New Year's Eve, Dave took Chay and Blade to the zoo. The new merry go round was completed and sweet Chay treated his brother to TWO rides!

This is a tradition - to be pictured measuring up to this orangatang (sp?). I know that along with my kids, Michael and Kristi have pictures like this also.

AND the BEST DAD AWARD this year goes to Dave!

He spent at least a half an hour letting Blade shave his head.

HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone and may we all just be better than we were last year!