Maintenance

It was a maintenance day. Haircut, oil change, that kind of thing. I also bought some paint. We have plans to update the living room; paint, pull up the carpet to see if we have nice hard wood floors under, that kind of thing, in May. I just realized that its getting close! The paint I chose is pretty dark. I am still trying to decide if its TOO dark. I put some splashed up on each wall around the living room, but I think I am going to have to do a whole wall to see what I really think. I like the color, but will it be too much?

I've needed a haircut for awhile. I never schedule out for the next one, I just call and say "can you get me in tomorrow?" If not, sometimes I will try to plan it out, sometimes not. Luckily, my gal had an opening. And while I was there, I planned for a color next week. I had Miss I with me and she did really good just sitting, playing with something, watching. Of course she wanted a haircut too, but she really didn't need one. Not after the hair emergency we had a couple weeks ago. The one where I had to take her to which ever salon I could to repair the damage... Yeah, that kind of emergency. Nearly every kid tries to cut their own hair. I did. And the neighbors too!

It's Apple Blossom time! I wish the weather was nicer, it's been hard to get into it. I think it started with not being able to go to the opening-day festivities. Or maybe I'm just not in the mood this year? We have gone to lunch at the park a couple times and My Honey has treated me to ice cream after work a couple times.

We did do the kids parade last Saturday. Miss I wanted to be in it, Bubba wanted to watch. It worked out really well because Miss I's group was number 17 and we had some friends watching the parade near the end so we did both. We all walked in the parade then found our buddies and watched till the end. It was a lot of fun and a really nice day for it. This Saturday is another parade, but I work so I think either a friend or an Aunt is taking the kids.

I did happen to catch this gem though at the park after the parade:


And finally, another sweet soul passed away yesterday.
I posted this about her in November 2007:

"Last week I heard about a young couple who will soon be separated by death. The woman has cancer, she has 2 weeks to 2 months to live. I CANNOT IMAGINE. This couple has dealt with one type of sickness or another for at least the past 7 years, nearly their whole marriage. They are a beautiful example of standing by each other, seeing it through to the end. I know a few men (and women) who might have given up along the way. I am keeping them in my prayers."

We were blessed with two and a half years.
I still cannot imagine.

Sweet child of mine

Oh, the trauma.

Bubba had 4... One. Two. Three. FOUR. teeth pulled today (and a filling)! Unfortunately, he loves the dentist as much as I do (which is to say we would both rather NOT) and the thought of it caused him to break out in hives all week. Well, that's what I think it was, he doesn't have food or any other types of allergies and all of a sudden the day before yesterday he has hives all over...

Anyway, we ventured out to the dentist for what I would consider a major mouth overhaul. Two teeth on the top and two teeth on the bottom, all in the name of making room for the big 'uns trying to come in. I figured he'd need me close, physically, but not that I would be so traumatized.

I sat by his side and held his hand, or rather, he SQUEEZED the ever-lovin everything out of mine. Occasionally, I had to hold down his legs because they wanted to curl up. I had to close my eyes. Duck my head. Couldn't even watch the dentist pluck them out. I wasn't actually sure I would make it without vomiting. But I did. I did NOT make it without crying and I am still on the verge now. I HATED seeing him so uncomfortable. KNOWING how much I hate having stuff like that done in my mouth. I could just go cry for a few hours and then sleep for the rest of the day to get away from how bad I feel for making him do it.

In hopes of making us feel better, we went shopping! He got new Lego's and Avatar and modeling clay. (And he still expects the Tooth Fairy to show up tonite.) I don't feel any better, maybe I need to go to Maurices tonite?

I don't think I can do it again. Teeth pulling is going to have to be a Dad Job. Sorry Honey.

Soccer

Well, we are full-on into soccer. Practice, games, pictures. We gave up Karate this year. I am relieved. It puts a lot less pressure on me to get kids where they need to go and dinner and homework and all that. We may start back up toward the end of May, we will see how it goes.

Bubba's first game was Saturday. U-8 is a whole new world. In the U-6 and U-7 leagues they don't have a "keeper" or goalie, the kids all protect the goal when the time comes, but in U-8 they have a keeper. Bubba had a chance to play keeper at the end of the game and he blocked a goal! He was so proud because he used a move he learned at soccer camp during spring break!

After the game we went to get a warm drink (9am is still cold around these parts) and then window-shopped downtown for awhile. My Honey was sick-ish and Miss I had been home from school on Friday with a sore throat so they stayed home.

Later in the day we had team photos and I took the kids to an event called "Touch a Truck." It was put on by a local non-profit, The Toybrary, where you can check out toys for a couple weeks (like the library). Anyway, they had big trucks for the kids to see and touch and climb into. They also had a helicopter from MedStar and a fire truck with a hose running so the kids could "spray" the hose, a few motorcycles (Miss I's favorite), tractors and some race cars. It was pretty cool. I kind of drug my feet getting us there, but I am glad we went. It was neat.

I was pretty restless Sunday tho, so the kids went to grandmas for awhile and I took a walk. Turned out to be twice as long as I anticipated, but it was really nice to get out.

Sunday Adventure in pictures

I hope this looks as cool here as it did on Picnik.

This is a collage of our Letterbox adventure. We had to find the sculpture "Perfect on Petra" downtown then cross the "Riverwalk Crossing" bridge over the train yard. The path leads to a green caboose near the "Pear A Dise" building which houses a miniature train that runs on holiday weekends and frequently throughout the summer. There is a building behind and off to the side which is where we found the pigeon box (which I fell in love with) and the Letterbox would have been in one of those holes or on the top if it had been there. Anyway. That's the adventure in pictures.

As for today. After a relatively quick trip (30 minutes) to the clinic, I have three new prescriptions. One for my daytime cough, a robitussin with codine to help me sleep and something for the gunky eye I have. What are the chances I would get this sick? Very irritating. Thankfully, My Honey is coming home early to take care of me.

OH AND ITS SNOWING. On April 2nd. And I dont mean a little snow, its sticking and going to kill my lilacs and all the orchardists must be stressing. I think the wheat farmers call it "pennies from heaven" but not everyone feels this way. Its

Perspective

It's a good thing I wrote such nice things about my kids the other day because I sure ain't feeling it today.

My wonderful, maturing son, the one who can't get himself dressed, can't seem to find shoes that match and cannot stop singing The Star Spangled Banner no matter how much I yell.

My darling, thoughtful daughter who must antagonize us all. She is a little thing, I tell you. Unfortunately, she is a lot like me and I can't help myself but laugh. I truly don't know what to do with her. When its the two of us we do alright, throw that third person in there and all hell breaks loose. It's almost like she is a show off and trying to see how far she can push us, which is fine, I can ignore her. But her brother must be a tattle tale and keep me up to date second by second what is going on. Mostly, if she's not going to hurt herself or anyone else, I don't care. My motto is "if I see a problem I will take care of it" but there is some kind of fairness button in Bubba that gets pushed and he just feels the need to intervene.

Heaven help us! So today, after being with them for nearly a week, I finally said "TIME OUT!!! EVERYONE TO THEIR ROOMS." Actually Bubba suggested it and I totally said YES! So we all rested. *sigh* I should have set the timer for more than an hour! But is was nice and they are totally chill right now which is relaxing.

I am sure its all the hype that has been our Spring Break. Soccer started, we had 3 days of family at our house, daily soccer camp, 2 days of a sick mom, 1 day of a sick Bubba, more family in town, Easter coming, hockey game playoffs this weekend and .... I am sure I missed something. It's been and gonna be busy till Monday when school starts back up and we get back on a schedule.

I am tempted to take the kids on another Letterbox adventure tomorrow with the intention of replacing the one I know is missing and then hunting for/replacing a second one if we find its not there.