Mushy mommy brained

The forecast was for nice and sunny, so I was told. I rarely read the paper or watch the news so I am not really in tune with what is going on. I know I should and I miss my daily dose of newsy goodness. However truth be told I actually feel lighter and less burdened when I don't read it. There is just so much negative news and I get so down in my soul after the fist few pages.

I don't mean to be self centered. Last week a friend mentioned how I live in my own world. It kinda is true. I am so into what I do with the kids and Dave and into what is happening in our home I don't always remember that the world is going on around us.

There are superbug's making their rounds, wars and weather issues. Political storms and award shows. I know they are there, I just don't know the details. 

Now back to my bubble.

On the way home from gymnastics this morning we passed a few playgrounds and schools. Every time this happens Kaitlyn gets excited and begs to stop and play, "pweeese mommy, pweese, let's play, now!"

Since Ethan had just fallen asleep I figured we might as well stop and kill a few moments and let him doze. We parked right next to the structure so I could keep an eye on the little man  and ventured out of the truck.

It was cold and the wind howled in our ears. 

Kaitlyn shivered and said, "mom, let's go get hot chocit."

I smiled through chattering teeth and after our 36 seconds outside we were back in the truck.

If I had realized it was supposed to be so cold I would have brought hats and socks, brrr.

We headed to our local coffee spot and snapped up some chocolaty goodness. "warm tummy now mommy."

Yup, nice and warm. Perfect for today.

Ethan woke as we arrived home and we spent the rest of the day being cranky. All of us. Well, not Dave, he got to work and the late shift at that, lucky dude!

Not that I could ever do his job but I was not having fun with the kids. My ear hurt from the wind and I was tired from only 4 hours of shut eye the night before, whine, whine, I know, it could be a lot worse.

However it seemed they were clingier since I just wanted to lay around and not play and thus we were all irritable.

Finally I decided we must do something to pass the time. Preferably something fun till daddy comes home so at least he has happy people even if the house is messy.

We cracked out the paints.

It got messy and a little out of control but was totally fun!

Dave came home mid bath to two children overjoyed to see him. I think they were totally sick of mom the troll.

The bath water after, the loveliest shade of grey blue. Even the face clothes couldn't be found. 

That sums up my bubble day. 

Maybe I should go watch the new so I don't feel so mushy mommy brained.

Still kicking...bug's butt's.

Remember when I wrote this post? Well.....wonder why I haven't been around the last few days?

They are back!!!!

I have been cleaning and sweeping and vacuuming.....and sleeping when I get a moment. Those blasted bugs!

I suppose it would have been good if I had swept under our bed over the winter and made sure no textiles touched the floor. But that was not my reality. I do not like to dust in our bedroom without a window open and Dave had hammered it shut for the winter. I finally cracked the seal the other day and got the spring clean on.

I was surprised to find the creepy crawly's but shouldn't have been. While sweeping out the mega bunnies I came across a few Cheerios's, most likely a few months old. I must keep on the under the bed situation now!

I dealt with the little nasty dudes and moved on to the next room. I am soooo afraid now!

However I suppose this was for the good. It kicked my sorry butt into gear and I am also dealing with my gazillion loads of laundry I was putting off. I am hoping that by the end of this week the whole house is in order and running like a well oiled...uh....uh....hmmmm, I am not sure what. But you get the picture. Machine?
So I am back-ish, we'll see how well this cleaning kick goes. We still have to have fun, dance like ballerina's and eat ice cream too so it might take longer than I hope.

I am also massively inspired by the cleaning and am dying to renovate, paint walls, canvases and do some sewing, if only I had 8 arms and 4 heads!

On a completely different note, what do you think of my new blog design?

If you have a regular computer screen(not wide screen) how does it look, does it all fit?

Please let me know so I can tweak away if need be, thanks a bunch!

Fresh air

It has been one of those weeks. The kind that just slips away.
It's not that it hasn't been good but sometimes I just get to a point where I kinda crash.
Life has been busy, too busy. I tend to push myself and after all the goings on over Easter weekend and having to have a clean house for a card party on Monday and then trying to keep going Tuesday, I crashed.

After a fun playdate with Little Mommy and a lunch out and then a jaunt in the park I could barely stand, I was zonked.
Do you ever feel like you just need a break, a really good long uninterrupted nap?
I did.
Thank you Dave for the nap time. I was so beat. Like my legs were weights and my fingers little lead sausages.
I could barely keep my mouth closed, it wanted to hang open and drool it was so tired. I slept like a...midwinter bear, I think. Well it was good anyway.


Today I decided to chill. Take my time and just go with the flow. No pushing, no schedules....no screaming kids.
Well the screaming part didn't work out, seems no matter what Ethan puts up a fight when I try to get him into the house.

Maybe a part of my crashing physically and mentally had to do with all the fresh air we have been getting. Kaitlyn has napped the last few days as well and she doesn't normally.

Since it has been nice lately we have been outside a lot. Walks around the neighborhood, jaunts to the park and playing in the yard. Way too much fresh air!


We have kept busy, there have been crafts and outings, but the truth is that I am still wiped. With the kids going down early and wanting to get up before 7 I find that rather than blogging I am tumbling into bed hours early to keep up with them.
I am loving the warmer weather and the walks, it feels so great to be out doors.
Now off to get more sleep. I feel like a slug and a glutton for wanting to sleep so much but my limbs are getting so heavy and my jaw is sagging.

My brain is having a really hard time trying to find words and I am backspacing 5 letters typed to 1. I think this means I must tune out.

I have missed you all, good night!

Bunnies, candy, cookies and wet bums

Sunshine, glorious sunshine. This was one of my favourite things as a child....to find the warm sunny patch on my mom's kitchen floor.

This morning Kaitlyn and Ethan spent nearly an hour playing with their shadows in the warm glow.
I was so glad for the distraction and cleaned as fast as possible to get ready for their egg hunt.



As it turned out Ethan was cranky and tired by the time I was ready and we ended up with the lamest egg hunt ever.

I hid all the egg's and goodies in pillows and blankets and toys on the sofa. Not much of a search, but more of a crazy dig with squeals.

After the sugar buzz started to wear off the tired cranky clinging began. I was trying to get a triple batch of scalloped potatoes put together for Easter dinner and it was not going well.

Ethan was miserable and stood pulling on my legs as I peeled and sliced 20 something potatoes. I found a blanket and layed it on the sunny patch on the kitchen floor, miracle, it worked!
He pulled the dish towels down off the stove and sat in the sun hugging them for the 30 minutes it took me to finish my prepping.
Kaitlyn was antsy and was in her first of two daily growly hours. Since she no longer takes a nap she goes through two hours a day of grouch city.
The first is when she should have a nap and the second is when she is crashing from not having that nap. If we let her she would take one around 6 PM but then as we know way to well she would then be up till midnight. As it is we push through the rough spots and she is in bed between 7:30 and 8 pm. Much better!

Anyway we kept plugging away and as the potatoes baked (under TT's watchful eye) we went for a walk to see Pretty in pink.

She lives one block away. Not even a 5 minute walk...really only a block. However this was the afternoon I decided that we didn't need a stroller. Ha!

It took us over half an hour to get there.
We explored every puddle, every sidewalk and even a few porches.
That was the longest block ever!


Ethan brought along a few comfort items. A magnetic pen and my dish towel.
I think I will have to bleach it now, it is black!


Kaitlyn kept running ahead and then turning back to yell, "Come on Ethan, come on, come on now!"
She would then spin and dance and twirl and then run up and down the little "hills" of driveways.

I wished so badly that Dave was there to help me coral them but he was working. Seriously, did you know you can get your cable installed on Easter Sunday?
He had bookings and worked a full day. I was so surprised!


When we arrived at Pretty in pink's she had all the fixings ready to make cookies. Kaitlyn loves to bake cookies and this was to be a fun treat for her. However for some reason she played shy and we ended up watching them get made instead.
Chocolate rolled in sugar, so delicious!

While they baked the crafts were brought out. Easter ornaments. How perfect!

Pip is so fun and no matter what has something fun up her sleeve.

Ethan has always had a little special place in his heart for her and flirts to no end. Today however he was a little distracted by her new phone.
What is it with guys and electronics?
Pretty girl/phone/pretty girl/phone......like there should be any question!

We walked back home, well sorta. I walked and carried two kids, then carried one and coaxed the other. I am taking a stroller next time no matter what!
Anyway once we got home it was time to pack up and head over to my parent's for dinner.

Of course we had a blast. Can you tell?

I love being with family and this time made me miss our family back in Edmonton and Calgary. We love you guy's and thought of you today. It sure would have been fun to all be together.
Guess Dave and I will just have to get married again to have that kind of party though.

Playing "I am a birdie."

Now here are a few photo's from Saturday. I meant to post them earlier but forgot.
Neither of our children were too impressed with the bunnies. Rather fearful actually.


Though the candy bags and stuffed animals were a big hit.

We met up with a friend at the mall and after chasing the sugar high kids in circles decided we needed a wind down coffee break.

Of course half and half water and hot chocolate for the kids. Nice and warm for our bellies as we braved a chilly windy walk home.

I had promised to kids we would stop at a little playground a few blocks from home on our way by. They ran ahead together....

and then both fell in puddles at the same time only meters from the park.

Not fun!

Later that afternoon Em and Phil stoped by to make more eggs. Em and I worked away and this is what we came up with.

Sorry for such a long post...I will try to cut back in the future....whew!

Easter bunnies and pretty coffee

Ethan is turning in to such a little man. Although he is not talking yet he seems to communicate quite well with his grunts and ''uuhh's."

The thing that is cracking me up the most is his expressions....he is so animated!

Something I loved to do before kids was go out for morning coffee with Dave. We rarely did it and when we did usually just hit the Second Cup drive through. It's funny how after kids doing these mundane simple things takes on a whole new meaning and is accompanied by challenges.

I had this grand vision of us sitting and sipping, talking of dreams and aspirations. 

Who am I kidding!!!

After a few donut holes and a sip of hot (warm) chocolate Ethan kept wiggling and slithering down out of my arms and would run away and make googly eyes at other coffee sippers.

Needless to say we had a few moments of actual conversation and then after chasing kids decided that we should leave the proper sippers in peace and haul our hoodlums back home. 

I smiled but my brain was screaming, Aaaggghhhh!

After coming home I remembered our Easter decorations. Ha, a little late but better than never.

We washed the plastic eggs to prep them for our goodies hunt on Sunday.

Dave picked up little baskets for the kids so now we just have to figure out how to make a scavenger hunt simple enough  for a 1 and 2 year old.

Ethan...this kid! He kept trying to head butt the camera and thought he was hilarious.

I kinda did too and kept snapping.

What do you do to fill space with kids?

I am always at a loss of what to do so we break out the crafts. I am glad that Kaitlyn obliges because I don't know what else we would do all day.

She put the whole bunny picture together all by herself, I didn't interfere even once. Upon completion she marched off to give it to daddy.

He loved it.

I am glad it is Easter. The melt is on and there are grass patches showing every where. Skirt weather and flip flops are just around the corner. 

Not only is this weekend a time to celebrate the death and raising from the dead of our Lord Jesus but also a time to celebrate the new life springing forth out doors.

I love spring!

Last night I got the chance to get dressed up and go out for "pretty coffee".

This was a tradition started by a girlfriend of mine back in E-town around 7 or 8 years ago.

We would get all dressed up and go to a patio or a fancy restaurant and sip a glass of wine or coffee and have fancy food.

I love doing this.

I got dolled up and ready to go. Ethan tried to shoot me with a domino as I got my boots on....he shoot everything with anything. Must be a boy thing. 

Kami picked me up and off we went for some precious rejuvenating girl time.

We sipped and ate and gabbed and then went for a Starbuck's and gabbed some more.

It was so nice to get out without the kids. It is not that I don't want to be around them, but having adult conversation without poopy diapers or little monkey's climbing or running away, aaahh, it was wonderful!

That was a bad run on sentence. Ooops. No time to fix it.

When I came home the kids were still up (it was 11 pm) but within 15 mins were both asleep.

Kaitlyn had left this bunny on the table for me. Auntie TT helped her put it together as a surprise.

I love it!

Happy Easter all!