Dazed, Confused and Exhausted

Inspired by Bill Cosby

2012-01-01T19:20:00.000-04:00

So, do you remember Bill Cosby's stand up routine? Specifically, when he says that he though his name was "damnit" and that his brother's name was "Jesus Christ"? If you haven't heard it you should try to track it down.

My 6 year old son is an expert dawdler, especially at bedtime. I also call my husband a scammer...he was always able to scam his mother into anything that he wanted. So I have told my son that he is a dawdler on a regular basis and I have told him that his dad is the scammer (when he wants snacks, video games, etc.).

Before we left Grammie and Grampie's house today, my son turned on the water works and ended up with peanut butter cups, dill pickle chips and fruit juice for the way back. When we were travelling I told him that he was quite the scammer...to which he replied "no, I am a dawdler". PRECIOUS MOMENTS!

Unprecedented

2011-11-30T21:40:00.000-04:00

I did something yesterday that I honestly didn't think I would. I joined Weight Watchers. I had considered it before but it is incredibly expensive. Hopefully some support and accountability will get things going. Fittingly, I started on a Tuesday, which is the night that I indulge myself by watching The Biggest Loser. The two seem to be a good pair. Today was the first day and it seemed to be okay. I was even able to have some buttery popcorn while I watched Survivor! Lots of popcorn and lots of points. I am sure it will take me a while to get used to this system but I need to be a quick learner - gotta get my money's worth!

AMAZING

2011-11-13T20:18:00.000-04:00

I can't believe our Thanksgiving weekend is only 1.5 weeks away! We are making progress though. The flooring is being laid in the basement. We purchased a new toilet and sink for the basement which should be installed next weekend. It will be nice to have everything done. One of the perks of our small house is the finished basement. It just wasn't "finished" very well. It has taken us a lot of time to get a little bit of money to work on it. Not to mention motivation...at least now we have motivation. It's starting to look good - for a basement. Our small house has small rooms but with the basement we do have 5 bedrooms...right now one is a computer room and one is a storage catcher...eventually though they should be 5 functioning bedrooms. That helps us have our family for special occasions. Two bathrooms provide a perk when you have a house full of people.

WILD WEEK

2011-10-18T11:11:00.001-03:00

It’s a wild week! Last night was basketball practice and my son got his first basket. He was very excited and danced around for the rest of the practice. Tomorrow night is swimming and the final evaluation for the next level. Friday is my son’s 6th birthday and a PD Day and basketball game night. My husband is going to help coach on Friday because the coach can’t be there and the other dad assisting will be late. That’s what he gets for being on the side lines telling me all of the things that the kids should be doing. As a former high school basketball player he was itching to get out there anyway. Saturday the grandparents are coming over for my son’s birthday...some yummies and presents. On Sunday my son is having his first birthday party with friends. He has invited 3 friends to come. It is going to be low key and unorganized. My son is more interested in playing with his friends than having games and that is fine with me. The only planned activity is “make your own pizza”...and of course cake and presents. After this weekend birthday season is closed and I will be on to Christmas preparations!

PS – No mouse caught yet, I guess peanut butter isn’t enough. Cheese and poison are going out next.

LIVING IN FEAR

2011-10-15T01:06:00.000-03:00

Yes, it has finally happened...I am living in fear. Those that know me know that my phobia is mice. Please understand that phobias are inexplicable fear. My rational mind knows I shouldn't be but I am still terrified, nearly hyperventilating and ready to throw up. You see, as of 4:00 am this morning my husband informed me that he thought he saw a mouse in our house. He had been playing video games for a while and I really hoped that his eyes were just playing tricks on him. Tonight, however, while we were watching TV I saw it run across the kitchen floor. I'm not sure the cat saw it but she jumped off of my lap when I jumped. My husband, valiant that he is, tried to catch it but it is a fast little bugger. Well, that was it...I left in search of mouse traps. My first stop didn't have any but I was not returning home without some. In fact, I had difficulty making myself drive home at all. If it wasn't pitch black and raining I probably would have packed up and taken my son to a hotel or driven to my parents' house. Instead, I am anxiously awaiting the "snap" that hopefully signifies our unwanted houseguests demise. Peanut butter is to die for!

Interesting

2011-10-01T17:35:00.000-03:00

Something interesting happened today. After our trip to Costco for gas and groceries I went online to do some banking. I knew that my student loans should have been taken out yesterday or today. I found that one of my loans withdrawn was $42 no the usual $103. In the back of my mind I recall our bank loans officer mentioning that it should be done this fall. I called student loan to confirm that my loan is paid off but of course they are not open on the weekend. I guess it will have to wait until Monday - but it looks as if one of my student loans is finally paid off! I graduated (for the last time) in 1998. I still have one student loan which I am paying and my husband has two. It looks like we will be paying well into our 40s.

BACK-TO-SCHOOL AND CRAZINESS

2011-09-24T12:35:00.000-03:00

The last 2 weeks have been crazy! I guess that's what back-to-school time is all about.

My 5 year old son has swimming on Wednesday nights. Last week he started basketball as well. Practices are on Monday nights and games are going to be on Friday nights starting in a couple of weeks.

On Friday we went to see Japandroids - the guitar player happens to be my husband's brother. We hadn't seen him in a dozen years so it was great to go out to the concert and get to chat with him before the show. Saturday my friend got married so my friends and I went out for the ceremony, reception and party. It was a beautiful fall wedding.

On Tuesday we had meet the teacher at my son's school. His teacher seems great...but she has a lot to live up to since his kindergarten teacher was excellent.

Today is my little brother's 32nd birthday. I hope he has a great day - I know his wife will spoil him!

School

2011-09-10T10:26:00.000-03:00

This was my son's first week back to school. My baby is in grade 1...the time really flies! We had a fabulous teacher last year which sets the bar high for this year's new teacher. Hopefully, she is awesome too. My son likes his new teacher - which is most important. Two of his best buddies are in his class again this year which has helped with the transition. Truly my son is more resilient that I am with the change. I still miss his kindergarten teacher!

One of the teachers at his aftershool program has moved on too. I will really miss her, she was really great at giving updates and feedback. I wish her best as she furthers her education but she shall be missed.

We are into swimming lessons and basketball starts in a week. I think it is going to be a busy year!

Vacation

2011-08-06T12:20:00.007-03:00

We had our first big family vacation. My husband, son and I travelled with my mom and dad to Baltimore, MD to visit with my brother and sister-in-law.

On the first night (Saturday) we stopped in Hartord, CT and had a nice stay at the Holiday Inn Express. Being unfamiliar with the area we were relieved when we arrived at The Chowder Pot IV http://www.chowderpot.com/index1.html. The parking lot was full and the locals were willing to wait 30-45 minutes to get a table - it must be good! Boy were we wrong!! The food was very disappointing. Perhaps as Atlantic Canadians we just know what seafood should taste like. It was an expensive meal for the best thing on the table to be the complimentary bread. My calamari and shrimp were good, but I only ordered calamari...I didn't get the order fixed because we had waited so long to get our food to start with. Oh and they even made my son's chocolate milk so powdery that it was terrible.

On the second night (Sunday) we had arrived in Cockeysville (our true destination). We were treated to a homemade lentil stew with pesto bread. My sister-in-law is an awesome cook.

Our vacation adventure began on Monday when we headed out to the Baltimore Zoo. It was incredibly hot! On our way we stopped at Haute Dog for the best hot dogs we have ever eaten. It's like a hot dog cart only it is a small business stand.

After our haute dogs, we had a great trek through the Baltimore Zoo and I took over 400 photos. When we were finishing up at the chimpanzee area there was a thunderstorm warning, encouraging workers and zoogoers to seek shelter. Did we do that - no...my husband thought we should push on and finish the zoo - we only had the children's section to complete. We were about halfway through it when it downpoured. There was no waiting it out either! It was a crazy thunderstorm, we were all soaked, my son jumped in puddles...we had a blast.

Then we dragged our wet behinds home and got changed for dinner at Woodberry Kitchen http://www.woodberrykitchen.com/. This was a highlight of the entire trip. We had a scrumptious dinner with great appetizers, main (mine was steak) and dessert (smores cake). It was a great atmosphere and great food.

On Tuesday we decided to "relax". The boys went shopping...and the girls went shopping. The girls left at 11:00 am and got back around 6:00 pm. Did I mention that we only went to Target and Costco? We had a blast! On the way back my sister-in-law picked up BBQ from http://www.andynelsonsbbq.com/. We had pulled pork, ribs and chicken for dinner. It was finger licking good!

On Wednesday we headed out to Maryland Science Center. It was another hot day with lots of walking. We took a picnic lunch to eat while we were there. For me the highlight was the dinosaurs. It was very interactive and my son really enjoyed it. He also really enjoyed the picnic lunch.

When we got back home my sister-in-law treated us to vegetable lasagne (Jamie Oliver's 30 minute meals). It was awesome, and probably not something I would have made for myself. We also decided that there was no way any of us had the energy to go to the aquarium on Thursday so we chanaged our reservation to Friday.

On Thursday the boys hung out and played video games. The girls went to Mom's Organic and out to a local farmer for fresh food, with a stop at Bagelmeister for cookies. Thursday was a local crab dinner with shrimp, corn on the cob and fresh bread. We found out my son is a pro claw cracker!

On Friday we headed out to the National Aquarium. Once again it was crazy hot! We spent the day in the aquarium...I could have stayed a lifetime just watching the sharks. The dolphins were great too. When we arrived they took our photo and we picked that up on our way out.

It is only the second photo we have with everyone in it. The first one was about 5 years ago. We were all exhausted and decided that take out pizza would be best. We ordered from a Seasons Pizza and the pizza was awesome.

Just like that vacation was ending. Saturday we headed home with a stop at the Holiday Inn Express in Lawrence, MA. Sunday we only had to make it back across the border. We were lucky enough to make it through without any hassles. Then it was home sweet home.

I am looking forward to our next family vacation.

METALLIFAX

2011-07-16T10:43:00.002-03:00

My husband is a HUGE Metallica fan so we went to Rock the Hill in Halifax to see them live. The bonus was that one of my favourite bands - Seether - was also playing. I am also a Metallica fan and they put on a good show but I would say I was more there for Seether and they didn't disappoint. Shaun Morgan is awesome! We could hear the concert from our hotel. We didn't rush over at the beginning because we thought 6-7 hours would be enough for us. We skipped the winner of Clash of the Bands - Death Valley Driver and Matt Mays. Protest the Hero was playing when we arrived and were in line for merchandise. Then it was SEETHER which ended way to soon! Coheed & Cambria were next and then finally - METALLICA. Metallica performed for 2 hours with fireworks, smoke and fire. It was an amazing concert. Did I mentioned that it rained - most of the concert but no one really cared and everyone had a great time. About 28,000 of us!

Sick Kid

2011-07-07T07:47:00.000-03:00

I knew it was not going to turn out well last night when I woke up to my 5.5 year old vomiting in his bed. Once we got it cleaned up, the sheets changed and had him ready for bed it happened again. That's when I decided that I better check for a fever. He had a very low fever but it did explode after this. Today we are home for a sick day. After his medication wore off his fever returned. The worst part is that he was scheduled for a visit to the zoo with his summer program. It would have been his first trip to the zoo. His dad and I played it up...how much fun it would be and now he can't go. So he is very sad in addition to being sick. On the up-side we will be taking him to a large zoo later this summer.

Canada Day

2011-07-07T07:44:00.000-03:00

Canada Day was a great day. We went to see Cars 2 and it didn't disappoint! Then we headed to my parents' house to visit with my brother and sister-in-law. We had a great visit but I stayed up too late every night. The only blemish on our visit was an hour or so that my son had an earache. After getting the proper medication we were able to get it under control. The worst part of the weekend was the goodbye part - as usual. Visits are too short. We will get to see them again later this summer though and it should be lots of fun.

Summer Vacation

2011-06-18T14:11:00.000-03:00

I can't believe that there is only one week of school left and my little boy will be finished kindergarten and on summer vacation. It should be a fun week for him. Monday is a cultural presentation, Wednesday is a sundae celebration, Thursday is the school picnic and Friday is a half day and the last day of school. Luckily, my son's afterschool program is offering full day care through the summer. He really loves it there and they are awesome. This week they are going to the park on Wednesday and having a pizza party on Friday. His summer program has theme weeks every week including a trip to the zoo and the aquarium. He will also be going to the swimming pool once a week.

Vacation

2011-06-18T14:06:00.000-03:00

Vacation has been on my mind. Who knew preparing could be so much work? It is a process and I admit we dawdled a little. Passport paper work for 3 people, photos, guarantor and attendance at the Passport office. Luckily, we didn't dawdle any longer - with the Canada Post strike it will take twice as long as usual to get our passports. At least they are guaranteed a week before our trip. Figuring out how to get 5 people and luggage packed into one vehicle for hours and hours of driving. We are getting our roof rails installed and trying to find a cargo carrier. Plus, I have been checking to see what foods can go into the US and then on the way back into Canada. I was warned about children's "long" birth certificates and ordered one for my son just in case we need it. I have to notify 2 insurance companies of our travels and 2 credit card companies so that they don't refuse purchases well outside our normal geographic range. I was also warned to get a "green card" for our camera, DS and portable DVD player proving we had them when we went into the US. It is definitely a learning process.

XBox 360 Sale

2011-06-04T09:02:00.000-03:00

Why, you wonder...would I care about an Xbox 360 sale? Well, I don't really. I am not a gamer at all but my husband is. Do I really see the need to have all of these games - no - but I do know that we are going to have them so when there is a good sale, I do see the point in getting them cheaper. Futureshop is having an Xbox 360 sale http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/category/id/PCFSXBOXDays.aspx and there were about 6 games my husband wanted. I could not be that indulgent, so we compromised on 4 games. Each game was a $20.00 savings so I look at it as having saved $80 on games he was going to buy anyway!

Savings

2011-05-28T22:28:00.000-03:00

I sent my husband to Canadian Tire yesterday. There were a few items on sale that we wanted to get. We needed one more air mattress for camping and the Coleman one was on 25% off. There were a couple of items that we picked up for birthday and Father's Day presents as well. The best part - at the bottom of the receipt where it said that I had saved $90.00 - now that is savings!

Now onto my ongoing love affair with Wal-Mart. Generally, the prices are better than anywhere else near us. I have jumped on the bandwagon of their "Ad Match". I have done it once before and the cashier was flustered so bad that she charged me $12.00 for a bottle of pop so I had to then go through the customer service line. Tonight, I tried again. My main motivator was that I wanted 1 sale item from 4 different stores. In this time of crazy high gas prices it just didn't make sense...any savings on groceries I made I would lose in gas expenditure. So, I went to Wal-Mart with my flyers. It really paid off! This cashier was calm, cool and collected. I was organized - of course. Sure, it took an extra minute to get my order done and I know the guy behind me didn't appreciate it...but it not only saved me money - it saved me time (running around to various stores).

It won't be long now and our Costco will be up and running. It is being built right now. I look forward to checking them out.

It's Been a Long Time

2011-05-21T20:22:00.000-03:00

Being someone that loves to read blogs you would think I would be better at keeping mine up to date. In my defence the netbook went in for repairs for 2 weeks...but I have been slack in addition to that.

We are in the process of getting our passports done so we can go for a visit to Cockeysville, MD. The planning has been fun. The only stress is getting the passport done...and the photos are the only catch. I know it sounds lame...but I don't know when we will do it - I have been trying to get a haircut but it hasn't worked out. We are getting photos done next weekend so I have to do it soon.

My son and I made it to "Food for Show" again - this time it was Alvin and the Chipmunks, which my son loved (even though he has it on DVD). Then he was on a roll sending me to the Bulk Barn, Giant Tiger, Lawtons, Sobeys and Atlantic Superstore. I was wiped out by the time we were done.

Lunch - Epic Fail!

2011-04-27T18:57:00.000-03:00

Last night I made my son's lunch for today - as is my routine. I put a few of the components in the fridge. This morning I put the rest of the components in his lunch box and all was ready. BUT...when I picked him up this afternoon he told me he forgot it on the bus. I asked why no one called me so I could have brought him lunch. He said one of the kids in his class told the teacher he didn't have a snack and they got him a snack. Unfortunately, today was a short school day so he headed off to his afterschool program. They didn't know that he didn't have a lunch, because he didn't tell them...so he ate no lunch. He asked me about his lunch box and I told him the bus driver would probably have it tomorrow but we would make him a new lunch to take. When we got home.. GUESS WHAT...there it was on the kitchen table. Apparently my son, and his father both forgot to take it this morning. It was waiting in the spot that I always leave it in the morning.

Food for Show

2011-04-16T14:16:00.001-03:00

This morning we made it to the second Food for Show at the our Empire Theatres.

It was a replay of How To Train Your Dragon. As with most kids movies we have it on DVD but it was nice to see it on the big screen.

We love movies, TV and reading. It is a great summer to have a child! We are looking forward to Hoodwinked 2: Hood vs. Evil, Cars 2, Kung Fu Panda 2 and Smurfs. The only downside to this great lineup is that it is insanely expensive to go to the movies, and of course we have to have treats!

Those are just the kids movies. There are also lots of movies for my husband and I coming out this summer. Unfortunately, we have to be very choosy about what we see due to the cost.

Hooray

2011-03-22T18:07:00.001-03:00

After a trip to the clinic yesterday and antibiotics for tonsillitis I came back to a crazy day at work. Apparently, the paralegal work distribution issue came up at a meeting and the ball was rolling. By the time I left work I was back to working for my primary lawyers again! Hooray! I will be busy at work but it shouldn't be so crazy any more. It has been stressfully busy since September/October so I am looking forward to going back to being normally busy.

Food for Show

2011-03-21T18:40:00.005-03:00

On Saturday morning our local Empire Theatre did its first "Food for Show".

It was a replay of Monsters vs. Aliens. My son and I enjoyed it. We took in our non-perishable food items and bought 2 kids' packs and had a great date. I asked him if he liked it (even though he has seen it because we have it on DVD) and he said he liked it better than Rango. They are going to be doing this on a regular basis to support the local food banks which is awesome. It also provides us a chance to see some movies we missed on the big screen.

Hit the Wall

2011-03-21T16:24:00.000-03:00

So what do you do when you hit the wall? I have been stressed at work for 6 months now. I brought my crazy workload to the attention of the lawyers I work for and some cared (but can't do anything about it) and some didn't. Christmas came and went and when annual review time came I brought it to the attention of the office manager. I was told that there would be a redistribution of workload in my group (paralegals) so that I wouldn't be overworked, as there were others that were not as busy. This was delayed by a vacation, actually two vacations (management/lawyers) and now someone is on stress leave. I understand all of these situations but at the same time it makes me realize I am clearly not as important to the firm as the other people. When I inquired last week about when the changes would happen it now appears it is now April/May. It has been a problem since September and personally, I find that unacceptable.

One issue is that it is affecting my health. I am usually a very healthy person but since the beginning of January I have had a lung infection, viral inner ear infection with vertigo and now tonsillitis.

The biggest issue is that despite being prepared and informed, I cannot find any suitable alternatives. I do check the job sites regularly but it is hard to find something of interest, that I am qualified for and that pays what I get now.

What I am left with is frustration, illness and lots of stress. I have to be the one to be patient as I look and try to find something else to do. I guess we will see which happens first, I find another job or they make the necessary changes at work. Clearly they won't miss me until I am gone.

Being Sick Sucks

2011-03-20T08:34:00.000-03:00

Normally, I am a healthy person. This year has not been so lucky. In January I had a lung infection and vertigo. The vertigo episodes lasted about 3 weeks.

Friday afternoon, I started to get a sore throat and by supper I had left ear pain and a fever to go with it. I am dosing Tylenol and Advil alernately and it brings the fever down but doesn't seem to get rid of it. This morning my entire throat feels like there is broken glass in there which makes extremely difficult to swallow. If I can get through today I will go to the clinic tomorrow.

I am starting to get cranky. The only food I have had since Friday afternoon was a chicken thigh yesterday. I just can't face the swallowing. It hurts to breathe and swallow or drink water. Hopefully the latest dose of medication will dull the pain and I can get some food down. The good news is I have lots of fat stored so I can last for a long time without food.

The kicker is that I know why I have been getting sick - stress at work. The stress meter went up again on Friday and bang! It's not as though I haven't brought it to anyone's attention. My workload has been insane since September and I brought it to my bosses' attention in October. I brought it to the office manager's attention in my annual review in February but nothing has actually happened yet. I guess I better get serious about it because it is affecting my health.

Bread - $35.00 a loaf

2011-03-13T20:37:00.000-03:00

Yes, you read that right. The real story is that I went out to get a loaf of bread or two but came back with much more. I knew going in that my son needed new rain boots and splash pants. I have been considering getting rain boots this year as well - it has been a wet winter and looks like it will be a rainy spring. This is the first time I have bought rain boots...and probably the first time in 25 years that I have worn any. While in the boys' section I found some clearance items as well - Spiderman pjs for $9.00 (50% off), Spiderman long sleeved t-shirt for $5.00 (more than 50% off) and a Marvel Superheroes long sleeved t-shirt for $5.00 (more than 50% off). Now you can see how I spent $70.00 when I went in for bread.

Rango

2011-03-13T11:38:00.000-03:00

As part of our March Break activities we took my 5 year old to see Rango. Don't get me wrong - it was good and it was funny. My critique would be that it was clearly for older kids and adults. There was some language, sexual innuendo and a very scary rattlesnake. I know because the first time they showed him my son jumped off his seat and started holding my hand. I didn't enjoy it as much because I could tell my son wasn't really enjoying it as much as I had hoped. On one trip to the bathroom I asked him if he liked the movie and he said yes. When I said that it was funny he said "yes, but I haven't laughed yet". That would be because all of the jokes were not intended for him to understand. So, overall I liked Rango but I wish I had taken my son to see Gnomeo and Juliet instead. I think I might have been a bit more disappointed becaue it was a $50.00+ mistake.

Grocery Shopping

2011-03-11T13:48:00.001-04:00

Okay, I love grocery shopping! Today, since I am on March break I was able to go out early today and by myself - a real treat. I went to 5 different stores to get the sales. I only did this because all of the stores are close to home and I did it all in one trip out.

First, I hit the Atlantic Superstore - I do my sale and regular shopping here. One of the deals they have on today is Cracker Barrel Cheese (500g) for $4.99 which is a good deal in our area...almost half price so I got 3. This was probably my best deal there.

Second, I hit Sobeys - I sale shop here. They had a couple of sales on I wanted to get. Inside round roast for $2.99 lb and I picked up two "quick" ones that are supposed to cook in 1 hour. Coke and Pepsi 2L were on 4/$5.00 which is a good deal here so I got 8. The other deal was Del Monte canned vegetables - no salt which were $0.99 and I got 12.

Third, I hit Victory Meat Market - our local meat/produce place. They have great prices for vegetables and meat. I picked up some salad fixings - radish, carrots, celery...and some onions. All for $5.66.

Fourth, I headed to Walmart - love it! I went for Jane's chicken at $6.00 per box (half price)and Premium crackers at $2.49.

Fifth, and last, I went to Lawtons. They have 591 ml Powerade on for $0.69 each - this is an amazing deal. I got 10 and left 2 for the shoppers who come after me. Only 2 flavour choices but that is an amazing price!

As you can see I like to stock my pantry and freezer. I buy on sale and almost only on sale - other than milk. I stock up on sales so that I can avoid paying regular price on other grocery trips. I take a list and for the most part I stick to it.

Menu Planning

2011-03-10T19:41:00.000-04:00

Many of the blogging moms that I follow sing the praises of menu planning. I haven't been able to do it in the past...and my husband is famous for saying "I don't know if I will be in the mood for that". Since it is March Break here I thought I would give it a try. Let's just say that the plan wasn't followed...but it's essence continued. My 5 year old helped me plan it.

Sunday - beef roast and potatoes
Monday - sloppy joes
Tuesday - pizza...but ended up being leftovers
Wednesday - pizza leftovers...but ended up being pizza
Thursday - chicken...but ended up being leftover pizza
Friday - fish...but ended up being chicken
Saturday - meatloaf
Sunday - shepherd's pie

I'm not sure where the fish will fit in now but I do plan to buy it and fit it in, either by changing the weekend or putting it on next week's menu. As you can see essentially everything got moved by one day due to a "leftovers" night. I guess I will consider it a small success for now. Hopefully we will have better luck next week.

Fridge

2011-03-09T21:12:00.000-04:00

So the fridge quit yesterday. We quickly moved the freezer items into the deep freeze. We discussed the pros and cons of calling a repairman or buying a new fridge. We were afraid of wasting money calling a repairman only to find out that it couldn't be fixed or it would be very expensive. After much thought we went fridge shopping. We finally found one we liked and when we were going to buy it we found out that only the floor model was available - no discount. It looked good but who knew what could happen to it by the time it arrived at our house. We decided to pass on that. We ended up going to Merrithew's Appliances - they sell and service appliances. In the end we arranged to have someone come look at our fridge today. The repairman arrived today and was in and out in about 30 minutes. Luckily, he changed a switch for about $35 and the fridge is working, plus service call it was about $100. WHEW! It paid to have it repaired this time. If it had been the compressor we would have been going for a new fridge.

Wishy-Washy

2011-03-08T22:13:00.000-04:00

I am feeling kind of wishy-washy...not sure what I want to blog about. I am interested in lots of different things but I can't seem to make a commitment. I read lots of great blogs too. I like watching movies, watching tv and reading. I like baking and cooking. I like grocery shopping, couponing and saving money. I like being a mom and wife.

This week is March break in our area so my son is off school but going to afterschool each day (his choice). They have great activities planned and he doesn't want to miss out. He has had fevers for the past 3 nights but none during the day.

Friday I went to my first wine and cheese party. The challenge: I don't like wine...or never found one I liked. Now I can say I like a couple of blush wines - barefoot white zinfandel and pomegranate zinfandel. I would always choose a mixed drinke (aka Alabama Slammers) or beer first but there are some tolerable wines, I guess.

Saturday my mother-in-law watched my son and gave us our belated Valentine's Day out. We went and saw "I am Number Four". I really enjoyed it, lots of action and it had some original content.

Sunday was quieter. We went to my son's swimming lessons and did laundry and dishes...the kind of stuff we always do on Sundays.

On Monday it was pouring rain here. I went out long enough to go shopping with one of my friends over lunch. I did some Easter shopping at Michael's. I love 50% off coupons!

Today we planned to go and see "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader". We made it to the twoonie movie but there was a lot more stress and anxiety today. The fridge freezer was not working properly...we emptied it. We waffled on whether to buy a new one or call a repairman. I hate to throw money away by paying someone to tell me it can't be fixed. We found a new fridge we liked but in the end we went with the repairman. We should know tomorrow if it will be fixed or have to be replaced. Luckily, we don't have much to spoil in the fridge and the freezer stuff was transferred to the deep freeze.

What's to come? I am scared to find out.

Inspired by

2011-02-05T20:13:00.000-04:00

Tonight's meal was inspired by a meatloaf recipe in "Eat, Shrink and be Merry". My 5 year old is reasonably fussy so I tried to find something he might actually eat. After checking out the recipe in the cookbook I went to the internet and found a recipe that I thought might work in my house.

The meatloaf recipe uses lean ground beef, oatmeal, ketchup, an egg, onions, parsley, salt and pepper. There is a sauce topping which is ketchup, brown sugar and mustard. Instead of making a loaf I chose to make 12 muffins.

My husband was skeptical...he's not the ketchup fan - that's the 5 year old. He was sold though - it was a hit. Not that we will be eating it every night but it will go on the rotation. My son would not eat it - he's not a fan of ground meat yet.

A SUCCESS

A Day Late

2011-01-31T21:21:00.000-04:00

I am a day late with my recipe. I got side-tracked with a play date and not reading the recipe closely...it requires marinating. Today's recipe from "Eat, Shrink and be Merry" is The Loin King from the chapter "A Chorus Loin".

The Loin King

Marinade:
brown sugar
ketchup
balsamic vinegar
olive oil
soy sauce
garlic
curry powder
ground coriander
ground ginger
salt
freshly ground pepper

boneless pork loin roast

Mix marinade ingredients, then put it and roast in a plastic bag and seal. Allow to marinate overnight in refrigerator. Cook at 325 degrees for about 2 hours. Reserve marinade and bring to boil in a small saucepan to put over the roast during the last 20 minutes. Allow to sit covered with foil for 10 minutes.

The Verdict: a complete success - in my eyes. I would definitely make it again. My husband also commented that it is good but he is not a fan of pork and he has a real aversion to fat - so really it is a very good review.

Groceries

2011-01-29T11:08:00.000-04:00

This morning was one of those days that I got to go to the grocery store by myself. I went nice and early and it was peaceful. I was rushing a bit so I wouldn't be too long. Today's question is "is a BOGO worth it"? In my experience ABSOLUTELY! You do have to know the store and the prices. One of the big chain stores in my area does BOGO but you will find that the price they are doing the BOGO on are actually higher than the regular price. Today I went to The Atlantic Superstore, my usual store, for their BOGO sale. They do not mark prices up before they do the BOGO sale. I saved $33.94 on toilet paper, Advil, sliced meat, blueberries, and bread. The best part was that it took me from $5.00 over budget to under budget!

A Blah-Shank Redemption

2011-01-23T21:11:00.000-04:00

Tonight's adventure starts with a nice bone-in ham. Check out "Eat, Shrink and be Merry" in the chapter "A Chorus Loin".

The Blah-Shank Redemption
fully-cooked bone-in ham
whole cloves
pure maple syrup
grainy Dijon mustard
cider vinegar
ground ginger

You cut the surface of the ham in a crosshatch pattern and place a clove in the centre of each square. Cover loosely with foil and cook for 1 hour and 40 minutes at 325 degrees. Then put the glaze on and cook uncovered for another 20-30 minutes. Let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

I am sorry to say that I am already skeptical as it finishes cooking in the oven. The cider vinegar is a powerful smell and the grainy mustard causes concern too - but we will wait for the taste test.

The verdict: it was very yummy! When I asked my husband he said "oh yeah, it's goooood". It's a keeper. We will probably use it again the next time we have bone-in ham. You just can't beat it either, I bought mine on sale for $7.00 and we both ate it tonight and I have 2 containers of ham left...more than we will ever eat! Some will get frozen for future use. I have to praise my new Henckles knives because without them I never would have gotten the ham carved.

Salmon Cowell

2011-01-16T18:49:00.000-04:00

Today's recipe from "Eat, Shrink and be Merry" is from the "Seas the Day" section. I took a quick look through the cookbook, and since salmon and haddock were on sale, I decided to make a salmon dish this week. Surprisingly, there were no recipes for haddock in this cookbook. Tonight we are having:

Salmon Cowell
frozen orange juice concentrate
hoisin sauce
soy sauce
gingerroot
grated orange zest
crushed red pepper flakes (optional - I used them)

Whisk together the marinade and put it and the salmon in a resealable plastic bag for 30 minutes. Grill on an oiled survace for 3-4 minutes per side or broil for about 8 minutes.

When I was getting the marinade ready my husband asked if every recipe from this cookbook was going to have hoisin sauce. I told him I doubted it but we are 2 for 2. I am hoping for a better result this time. Our Salmon Cowell will be served with basmati rice.

The verdict: I thought it was okay and should be called Salmon l'orange because that's what the sauce tasted like. My husband thought it was okay but nothing special. As in, he wasn't excited and won't be asking me to make it again.

Groceries

2011-01-15T12:27:00.000-04:00

It seems like forever since I got groceries. I think it has been 3 weeks and I normally go every week. My routine is to shop on Saturdays which was interrupted by Christmas Day, New Years Day and illness. My husband was sent out a couple of times but he likes a nice "short" list.

Last night I perused "Eat, Shrink and be Merry" and the flyers and decided tomorrow I will make Salmon Cowell. Salmon was on sale and I only had to get some orange juice concentrate (also on sale) and one orange for zest. I also bought a club pack of lean ground beef so I may see if there are any good recipes in the cookbook for it as well.

The store was busier than I expected for before 9:00 am but it went smoothly. I stuck to my list, except Cheerios which I forgot to put on the list but did remember to buy. I even stayed on budget. My pantry is nice and full...just the way I like it. I know I have lots of stuff for my son's lunch at school. His school offers hot lunch 3 days per week but he is a picky eater so we have stuck with packed lunches. We also love the school milk program. It costs about $5 a month and I know he has milk for lunch.

Fake 'n' Bake Chicken

2011-01-10T21:00:00.000-04:00

Okay, I admit I didn't put a lot of effort into this week's recipe. I have been sick with a lung infection and vertigo. I didn't even buy my groceries, my husband did. As a result, I am making a recipe that I have all of the ingredients for - but had tabbed to try anyway. Although I am a litigation paralegal I am not familiar with copyright. I just can't imagine I am able to give you the complete recipe without reprimand so I will give you an abbreviated version. Remember - all recipes are from "Eat, Shrink and be Merry". This recipe is from the "Poultry in Motion" chapter.

Fake 'n' Bake Chicken
boneless, skinless chicken breasts
hoisin sauce
hickory flavoured barbeque sauce
freshly squeezed lemon juice
grated gingerroot
chili powder
Combine ingredients (except chicken) to make sauce and pour it over the chicken in a baking pan. Bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes.

So how was it? It made juicy, tender chicken and qualifies as a 30 minute meal...we had it with basmati rice - BUT, it was not as good as I expected it to be. In all fairness, I didn't have hickory barbeque sauce and had to use something similar but my main criticism is that all you can taste is the barbeque sauce. That, in fact, was my husband's critique too. So, was it good "yes"...would I make it again "probably not". I could have had the same flavour if I had used watered down barbeque sauce (and I have done that in the past) and I wouldn't have had to fight with the hoisin sauce to come out of the bottle. Okay, so I didn't start with a stunner but there is nowhere to go but up.

Lasagna

2011-01-09T14:43:00.000-04:00

One of our family favourites. Unfortunatey, we just don't agree on what should be in it so we always have it my husband's way - bland. His idea of lasagna is noodles, hamburger, pasta sauce, mozzarella and parmesan cheese. He will allow me to use cottage cheese. I would love to have a nice, robust lasagna sometime again...with spinach, mushrooms, maybe peppers or other vegetables. I have done smaller "his" and "hers" versions before too.

Today I am making lasagna because I have finally thawed some great beef that my uncle gave me - home grown beef. I have also thawed 2 preshredded bags of mozzarella. I highly recommend this. I buy my bricks of mozzarella when they are on sale and grate them with my small food processor. I then freeze them in freezer bags in a size that works for our family. For lasagna I got out two packages, just in case. This is a lot cheaper than buying preshredded cheese and it doesn't have any of those "unclumping" chemicals in it. The only work to this lasagna is cooking the noodles (I often cheat with the ready-to-bake noodles or the fresh sheets of pasta) and hamburger. With only 2 adults eating it (my son isn't sure he likes lasagna), the lasagna provides me with a lot of "freezer" lunch meals at work too!

Recipe Prep

2011-01-03T21:54:00.000-04:00

I have to laugh at myself as I get ready to start. I pulled out my cookbook and I had previously tabbed recipes that I had already wanted to try. How lame am I? I will focus on beef, chicken, fish, and pork. I see I already have a "munchie" tabbed too. A quick review of some of the recipes reminds me that I should invest in some boneless, skinless chicken thighs - we tend to stick with boneless, skinless chicken breasts around here...which I only buy when they are on sale.

Perhaps starting this will eventually get me into meal planning. People who do it seem to have less stress and never have to worry about "what's for supper tonight?" I sometimes do once-a-month-cooking or at least prep and I find that helpful as well.

2011 - Time for Change

2010-12-31T17:02:00.008-04:00

I was thinking about the new year and if I was interested in any resolutions. I don't really believe in resolutions but maybe if there was something that I could commit to. Perhaps I should be inspired...and then I thought of it - "Julie & Julia". If you haven't seen the movie you should. I am not as committed as Julie was pushing to do all of the recipes in a year but I could commit to trying recipes in a cookbook. I love to cook and I have lots of cookbooks that don't get enough use. Not to mention that we could use some change in our regular meals. So for now, I am thinking of committing to 1-2 recipes on the weekend and I will follow one cookbook at a time. My goal will be to try most of the main courses and any appetizers, salads, soups or desserts will be a bonus. I thought about what type of cookbook I would like to try and I considered The Biggest Loser Cookbook and perused it at the bookstore - but instead I decided to commit to the gals I love the Podleski sisters.

So my challenge for 2011 will be to cook at least 1 recipe from Eat, Shrink & Be Merry by Janet & Greta Podleski. One reason is that I love their humour...another is that their food tastes great. The real push is that I have all of their cookbooks and don't cook from them enough! I end up redoing repeats of what we like without trying new things that we know we will like. If I end up getting in a groove I can always expand into Looneyspoons or Crazy Plates - because I have them all. Let's also not forget to support our fellow Canadians! You can follow them at www.eatshrinkandbemerry.com/ and from there you can find their blog. If I accidentally lose weight doing this project I will let you know.

Early Christmas Present

2010-12-20T20:44:00.002-04:00

Well, it's official - it's real...my brother is moving to Baltimore, MD. Okay, why am I so excited that he is moving to the US when I am in Canada? BECAUSE he was in Vancouver, BC and I am in NB so despite being in a different country he is going to be WAY closer! Close enough to see a couple of times per year. We can even drive there! I know that it's probably as close as he will ever come to where I live because he is in the gaming industry...there or Boston - but I will take Baltimore. I hope it's everything he's hoping for. Now just to get passports for my husband, my son and I.

BIRTHDAY

2010-10-22T20:46:00.002-03:00

I survived! Yesterday was my son's 5th birthday. He had a great day. We took cupcakes to his school and he celebrated with his classmates. After school we went shopping and let him pick out a Zhu Zhu pet for himself. We went to McDonald's at his request and he loved it. When we got home he opened a gift from us - another Zhu Zhu pet. He was thrilled and had a great time. Tomorrow is his birthday party - a small party just grandparents, parents and birthday boy at home with pizza and cake. It seems that it is very subdued compared to the parties of his peers but I don't plan to have friend parities until he asks. I dodged the bullet this year but by next year he will probably want one.

Ladies Man

2010-10-01T18:14:00.003-03:00

Apparently I have a little ladies man on my hands. When we arrived to pick my nearly 5 year old son from his afterschool program they told me there had been an incident today. It appears that my son kissed one of the girls. One of the other kids saw him do it and apparently kissing is against the rules so it was addressed. They were good about it and just told him that they have a rule against kissing - that it was okay that he did but not to do it again. His "friend" Gracie told her mom that my son is her friend and she just loves him...and he kissed her today. Luckily, her mom understands the innocence of it.

We came home and told him that school and afterschool have rules about kissing so he isn't allowed to do it there. In fact it would be fine with me if he waited to kiss his next girl when he is 25 years old - and then...only if I like her.

Love and Pride

2010-09-17T19:18:00.003-03:00

I understand that all parents love their child(ren). Most parents are proud of their children too. I am no exception. My son is going to turn 5 years old in a month and he just started kindergarten. Two great things have developed.

First - we have been asking my son what he wants for his birthday and Christmas. He always says he wants whatever people want to get him. Very adorable. Awesome in my book. It does pose a challenge though because we are asking to get some ideas and we aren't getting any of those. I just love that he is almost 5 years old and he isn't giving us a list of things he wants...he will be appreciative of anything he gets.

Second - with the start of kindergarten we have started packing a lunch. He doesn't always get all of his lunch eaten every day. I usually send jello, a small bowl of fruit, a cheese string, a sandwich (cut out with cookie cutters) and a cookie. If he hasn't finished everything he brings it home. Today the only thing he brought back his cookie. We asked him why and he said he ran out of time. He didn't eat the cookie because it was dessert. If he doesn't finish his lunch he never eats his cookie. Even without us there he saves his cookie for last and if he doesn't finish his lunch he brings it back home.

Bully

2010-08-31T21:47:00.003-03:00

My son started his after school program last week - as a day camp. We thought it would be good for him to meet some of the people and the teachers in advance. Tonight my son informed us that Cameron has been picking on him. Today he pushed him to the ground on the playground. That news was just after I had digested that Cameron has been grabbing/pinching his ear every day for "days and days" - so likely since my son started there. We asked him what he did about it and he said he told him "no thanks". You see my son has been with a private sitter and although there were a number of kids of all ages we didn't have bullying - it wasn't tolerated. The kids are all nice and have been "raised" to be polite. We told him that his nice words are great for most kids but for kids that pick on him - bullies like Cameron - they don't work. We did some role-playing too. He now knows that he needs to tell Cameron to "stop" in a loud, firm voice - and we practised. If that doesn't work he needs to tell a teacher. Of course tomorrow Jeff and I will be discussing this with the teachers as well so they are aware of what is going on. I know bullies are sneaky - but really - did no one see Cameron knock him down on the playground? Are they really watching my kid??? When I asked when Cameron grabs his ear he said sometimes when they are sitting, or reading, or playing. This is GOING TO STOP! I have worked hard to make sure that I am not raising a bully but if it comes to it I will tell him to hit him back and stand up for himself - LAST RESORT.

First Girlfriend

2010-08-22T12:40:00.002-03:00

Sawyer's first girlfriend found him this weekend. While we were camping Sawyer was at the playground with about 6 other kids. One was a cute little girl in pink. The next thing I hear is "he's my boyfriend". Jeff and I look at each other and confirm that we each heard the same thing. You see he was a gentleman and let her go down the slide first and that's all it takes to impress these days. When he came over to see us we asked what his girlfriend's name was...and he didn't know (just like his dad). He did go over and ask her name, while putting his arm around her. Her name is Brooke. Her mom came over to meet Sawyer too since he was her daughter's new boyfriend. We found out that cute little Brooke is 3.5 years old. Brooke took Sawyer over to meet her friends and they had their arms around each other - it was priceless. Shortly after Brooke and her family left. It was a short lived romance, they played at the park together for probably 20 minutes.

Vacation

2010-08-01T19:42:00.002-03:00

Don't blink, you might miss it. Tomorrow is the last day of my vacation. I will be taking my son to Grammie and Grampie's house for the week. The babysitter has another week off - but - I do not. It was a quiet weekend last weekend prepping to go to Grammie and Grampie's house...groceries, laundry and packing. Monday we set out with the set-back of a flat tire but we made it to our destination...just a bit late. Tuesday my son helped Grammie pile wood in the morning and helped Grampie finish the wood in the evening. Wednesday we had a visit with Aunt Darlene. After supper my son really enjoyed "mowervision" with Grampie. My son has a facination with lawn mowing and watching everyone within his sight do it. Thursday we went to Uncle Dale's for supper. We brought Dixie Lee with us...yummy...and the best part was that my son doesn't like the skin and I got to have it! He loved the cows except for when they mooed. Friday we had to head home for some car work (blinker fixed and oil change). Saturday was groceries again and a bit of ready-for-school shopping. My son starts kindergarden in 5 weeks! Today we went to see Dispicable Me in 3D and we both enjoyed it. We had no idea what to expect but it was good.

Roadside Assistance

2010-07-27T09:46:00.002-03:00

Vacation - eh? Yesterday morning I took the car in to have the driver's side rear blinker repaired. It was a super quick job and not too expensive. It worked all the way home. Then my son and I packed up to leave for vacation at Grammie and Grampie's. As we headed out the blinker wasn't working any more. We got gas and were on our way. We got about 10 minutes outside of the city and got a flat tire. A little stressful but I could do it, right? BUT I couldn't get the lug nuts off. I called Jeff and he was going to get his mother's car and come out. At about that exact moment a guy stopped to help me. In the end he changed the tire before Jeff got there. Then we had to head back home to get a new tire...and take Jeff back home. While there I called the garage to go back on Friday to get the blinker fixed and have an oil change. Hopefully, all the bad luck is over.

CAMPING

2010-07-18T14:40:00.002-03:00

This weekend we did something we haven't done in years...we went camping. Jeff and I went for our belated honeymoon about 10 years ago and hadn't gone since. This weekend we took our 4.5 year old camping - and he loved it and is talking about going back. We took him to New River Beach Provincial Park/Campground. It seemed doomed - when we arrived we found out they had actually booked our reservation for the night before, but we were able to get a spot. I was disappointed because it wasn't near the shower house and water toilets. A small walk from our site brought us to the dry, stinky, toilets. I had to suck it up and made note of the sites I would want when we come back.

I love the ocean and was excited to get in the water. Unfortunately, my son absolutely hated/was afraid of the waves. He refused to go in! That put a damper on our water plans. He did spend some time working on some sandcastles. Then we went up to the playground and he really enjoyed himself. We did all of the usual camping things like cook-out, fire and roasted marshmallows. We tented and Jeff and I determined that we HAVE TO get a mattress or two, apparently we are too old to be comfortable on just a sleeping bag. The next challenge is finding something that will fit in our tent. If we prove we will go camping we will try to get a bigger tent at the end of the season when they are on sale.

Happy Father's Day

2010-06-20T12:09:00.002-03:00

I have always felt very lucky to have my Dad as a father. I'm not sure what it was or perhaps how my parents did it but I have always appreciated my great parents. Don't get me wrong, they aren't perfect, and I got mad at them at times - particularly in the pre-teen (Mom) and teen (Dad) years. I am one of the few people that have parents that are still married - 39 years next weekend.

This particular Father's Day I realized that I (and my brother) are the only children in our family (first cousins) that have our Dad on Father's Day. It has been several years since the MacDonald's lost Fred and only a week since the White's lost Bud. It has been about 4 years since the Johnson's lost Fayne and a year since the Rothwell's lost Lorne. So, I guess I have a bit more to be thankful for.

It is also my husband's fourth Father's Day. By my standards he has not been spending enough time with our son (due to medical issues) - but - just last night he took off the training wheels and started to teach our son how to ride his bicycle. I guess right now we need to focus on quality time and ease up on the standards for quantity time.

Craziness

2010-05-24T18:28:00.002-03:00

That pretty much sums it up. Last weekend was my RNR weekend. My son spent the weekend with his grammie and grampie (my parents). It allowed me to catch up on my TV - just at season finale time, bring home some takeout from a snazzy restaurant, and go to the movies (Iron Man 2). My son had a great time but was happy to see his mom - what more could I ask for. This weekend is the hellishly-hot long weekend. We started off by going to the market and running around to get our grocery shopping done on Saturday morning...chilling at home...and having pizza for supper. Sunday was lasagna baking day and I made sure to get it done early before the sweltering heat hit. Jeff and Sawyer went out to hose down the car - after all my son had seen the guy across the street washing his Corvette. Today was the hottest day and I got to sleep in!!! I took full advantage. Other than a little time outside and a bike ride we have chilled most of the day. I still have muffin making ahead of me and I think I will break out a new recipe.

At work things are just as crazy. One of the lawyers I work for went on vacation and her secretary gave her notice. Tomorrow should be a very interesting day.

Balance

2010-04-17T11:39:00.002-03:00

March was a rough month as my husband's EI ran out and his LTD had not been approved. Luckily, I am a bargain hunter and love to get a good deal on groceries. We had a good stockpile of food and only had to buy milk, yogurt, and fresh fruit and veggies. Of course the car broke down during that time. We were lucky to get our income tax back in the middle of March to save our behinds. Now that we should have a reliable source of income I am stocking up again. It is very comforting to see the pantry, fridge and freezer full.

My husband had sinus surgery this week and I am hoping that it will also improve his migraines. Everyone in the medical field has told us that it won't affect his migraines, but my common sense says that if you remove a huge cyst (almost 4 cm) from the sinuses it might relieve some pressure which might have been causing the migraines (or at least have worsened them). Time will tell - and I like being right.

Weekend Vacation

2010-03-23T02:57:00.002-03:00

Well, okay it wasn't really a vacation but I was chid-free for the weekend. My parents' had my son for the weekend. My dad picked him up from the babysitter's house on Friday and Mom and Dad brought him back on Sunday. It worked out well because I ended up working a bit late on an emergency project...I would have made it to the babysitter's with seconds to spare if I had been picking him up. I had 2 gift certificates for pizza so I picked that up on my way home. It was a different place, Panagos, and we LOVED it. Friday night we ate and watched the rest of our TV shows that we had PVRd. Saturday, I slept in until 8:30 am and then went to get groceries (all by myself). I brought the groceries home and put away the fridge and freezer items before going out to get a long overdue haircut. Nothing fancy, just much shorter than it was. I ran some more errands and went out in search of children's sticker albums which they used to have at Dollarama. I came home and even had a nap. Later Jeff and I went out to get pop (a treat we haven't had in a long time). We continued my sticker album search and after many places I finally found a couple at Walmart for $2.49 each, which is way too expensive but my son wants and needs more - he has a lot of stickers and Easter is coming. Saturday night we relaxed and watched a movie "Couples Retreat". Sunday I slept in until 8:30 am again. I baked some brownies since it was my mom's birthday (although we celebrated 2 weeks ago) and my son was returning home. It was a great weekend. The first thing my 4 year old son told me was "it was great, next time I am going for 5 days". He and his grandparents had a great time, although he wore Grampie out.

Reality TV

2010-02-15T18:54:00.002-04:00

Okay maybe I am a bit of an addict, but it falls under only a few shows: Survivor, The Amazing Race, The Biggest Loser and Food Network. Everything is in full swing! The Amazing Race started last night and Jordon and Jeff are on from Big Brother - and they were first at the end of the first leg of the race. Survivor looks very interesting Heroes vs. Villains and 2 injuries in the first challenge. I haven't decided who I will be cheering for, I like a few of them. The Biggest Loser hasn't inspired me to get moving but I love seeing other people be successful, all of their hard work paying off. For now I will stay in alliance with my buddy Kevin Smith (recent Southwest Airlines incident). Food Network is showing Hell's Kitchen (6), Iron Chef America and Top Chef Masters. I love food competitions.

WOW 2010

2010-01-26T20:01:00.002-04:00

A lot has happened since my last blog. We rang in 2010 - we stayed home and I went to bed early. I am such a big partier. My countdown was a little farther into January - January 7th to be exact. That's when Sean and Holly arrived from BC! I haven't seen them in 1.5 years. My brother and I have been close for years - close enough that he lived with my husband and I before and after we were married. Sean and Jeff became best friends so the arrangement worked for us. Now he is married and lives on the other side of Canada. Holly is awesome - and no, it is not her fault that he is in BC. He went there for work and then met her.

We didn't do anything amazing during their visit...we spent time together. We had some great meals and snacked until we exploded.

We went to our local market and got some great cheese. Despite the fact that they live near Vancouver and have access to all that Vancouver has to offer - they say our Farmer's Market is the best. We also went to the restaurant supply store which is available for restaurants, caterers and the general public. They have great prices. Holly would love to be a chef or caterer so she loved the store.

We went to Mom and Dad's for about a week and had some great meals and family time. I learned a couple of new card games - Guillotine and Dutch Blitz. It was an amazing experience, and I must say Dutch Blitz is much easier when you actually follow the rules!

After returning home we went to the Bulk Barn and Scoop & Save, our local bulk stores. Much to my amazement they don't have large bulk stores in Vancouver. Holly was surprised by what we have access to. I examined both stores more than I have in the past...and will be heading back for some more stuff in the future. My 4 year old son calls the Bulk Barn the candy store. I guess you know what I like to get there!

It was a great vacation but I hated to see them leave. Hopefully, someday Sean and Holly will live close enough that it is a reasonable drive we can make at least a couple of times per year.

The Damage

2009-12-30T22:01:00.004-04:00

Well, I had participated in The Biggest Loser at our office until the beginning of December when it finally wrapped up. I had lost a total of 9-10 pounds in the 12 weeks of the competition. I admit that I did not go on a crazy regimen. Instead I made small, more-or-less permanent changes in my life. So, of course - then there was Christmas. I must say I did not use much restraint around the cookies and squares. Eating them on every whim. So today, as I walked by the "weigh in" room, I stopped to take note of the damage. I was very relieved to see that I had only gained 2 pounds. No, gaining is not great...but it was better than I thought it would be. There is likely to be another Biggest Loser competition at work in a few weeks, but I think I will skip it...I am not competitive and I am tired of donating my $10 each time. I will, however, try to get back on track and weigh myself in weekly to see how things are going.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T15:48:00.003-04:00

It was another fabulous Christmas this year. We spent Christmas Eve early evening at my in-law's having Chinese food and hanging out. Then we went home and my parents were there and we partook of some Christmas Vacation - I can't believe they had never watched it in its entirety before. Then it was off to bed and early to rise...shortly after 6 am. My son is 4 years old and he was very excited. He loved his Santa gift and stocking goodies. Then we waited to start unwrapping until 8 am when both sets of grandparents arrived. In the meantime we baked some gingerbread man muffins. Good, and healthy.

The actual unwrapping took about half an hour. This year my son was an unwrapping machine. He took a quick glance at everything but appeared committed to unwrapping everything quickly. When he was done he checked out the things he got.

Then I began to work on Christmas dinner. I cooked the turkey yesterday as well as the sweet potatoes. That was a great decision and I will do it again. Sure I worked all morning getting things ready but it was a nice slow pace rather than a frantic pace. I had wavered on making a dessert but since I had the time I did an apple crisp - with ice cream of course.

It was a great Christmas. We missed Holly and Sean, but we will see them in 2 weeks and have a second festive season then.

Christmas Celebration

2009-12-19T16:32:00.002-04:00

It's official - I am on VACATION. It was kicked off last night with my office Christmas party. In my humble opinion it was the best one yet. Of course they are really enjoyable for me now that my little guy is 4 years old and loves everything to do with Christmas from decorating the tree, to his Advent calendar and baking cookies. Scotty and the Stars were there...a children's entertainment group and they were really good. My guy was still in his shy mood so he sat on my lap the whole time. There was LOTS of food. There were large gingerbread men to be decorated, a polar bear ornament to make, a reindeer ornament to make and a holiday bag to decorate. Then Santa came and had gifts for all the kiddies. My son's name was called first. He actually went up and sat on Santa's lap and chatted with him. He was very happy with the Matchbox cars he got.

Transformaton

2009-12-13T20:49:00.002-04:00

It happened so gradually I almost didn't notice. I am turning into my mom. This isn't a bad thing, it is just there are moments when it is really noticeable. Today I made roll out molasses cookies from the Company's Coming cookbook. My mom has an awesome recipe for molasses drop cookies, but with it being Christmas-time and my 4 year old loving to cut out cookies I thought I would try it. I was thoroughly disappointed. They were cute snowmen and stars, but they were not dark enough...and I tried one, you can't even taste the molasses. I was truly disgusted. Jeff assured me that they taste fine, but not very molasses-y. I am still disappointed. During this I have my epiphany. I remember my mom being disgusted when she would make something and it didn't taste right or turn out right...even if it was okay - and here I am now with the same thing. I certainly won't be sharing them with family and friends over the holidays. If Jeff didn't voluteer to eat them I would have thrown them out. If I am going to take the time and make the effort I want them to be GOOD. Needless to say I have crossed that recipe right out of the cookbook so that mistake won't be made again.

BUSY

2009-11-16T21:08:00.002-04:00

The past week was incredibly busy. I took the week off because my babysitter was in the US for a late/early Thanksgiving with her in-laws. I kicked off my vacation on Saturday with my cousin Jim's wedding. It was beautiful and it was nice to see everyone. Tuesday I found out that my grandmother died after 2 months in pallative care. Wednesday was funeral home duty and Thursday was the funeral. Saturday my boss was given her QC (Queen's Counsel) designation and I was lucky enough to be invited to the ceremony and reception. For those not in the law field this is a very prestigious title and she has certainly worked hard to earn it.

The business isn't over yet...today we got rid of Rogers and had Bell Aliant FibreOp installed. Tomorrow is the first parent meeting regarding kindergarten for my son (next September). Wednesday our car goes in for its annual motor vehicle inspection and I am just hoping it isn't too expensive.

Birthday

2009-10-24T17:44:00.002-03:00

On Wednesday my baby boy turned 4. On Monday we made cupcakes and on Tuesday we put frosting on them. We took them to the babysitter's on Wednesday to share with his friends for his birthday. We had some of the cupcakes at home in the evening. On Wednesday we let him open his birthday cards, a gift from us and the gift we received in the mail from his great-aunt. Thursday morning he asked me if he could have his birthday again. Of course I said no. Later that day a gift arrived from Uncle Sean and Aunt Holly. When we got home there was a card from them in the mail too. So he got to extend his birthday. He was a little disappointed that he didn't get any cards on Friday. Today was his birthday party with Grammie, Grampie and Nana. We had pizza and Madagascar 2 birthday cake. He has been adamant that he doesn't want anyone to sing him the birthday song, so we didn't. He still got upset when it was time to blow his candle out. Then he went off by himself to eat his cake - he didn't want to sit with any of his guests. He loved opening his presents and he got some great toys for his birthday...and some much needed clothes. He has been moody all day...and I think a good night's sleep will help. I just have to get there.

Thanksgiving

2009-10-11T20:23:00.002-03:00

For Thanksgiving I am having a parenting vacation. It started off well with watching TV that was not rated appropriately for my son. The trick was we watched it too early and when evening came we weren't sure what to do. I got to sleep in this morning - kind of. Our cat started meowing and rubbing its paws on things at about 4 am (I think) and kept it up for a couple of hours despite being thrown out of the room repeatedly. I got up late, at 9:15 am to start my day. I might have slept longer but I had a charlie-horse in my calf. I got the laundry and dishes done. The turkey is thawing and for most of the day I relaxed. Tomorrow is our big turkey day when my son returns home with his Grammie and Grampie.

Got KD?

2009-10-05T19:49:00.001-03:00

Tonight my almost-4 year old asked for KD. I tried to divert his attention and encourage him to eat something else, so I said we didn't have any. He said we could make some more, but I once again said we don't have any. He then looked at me in an expression of shock/horror and said "we don't have the recipe?". It was hilarious! He got KD.

Birthdays

2009-10-03T11:37:00.003-03:00

Well we have officially hit birthday month. It got kicked off on September 24th when my little brother turned 30. Jeff's birthday is Monday, on Tuesday we are celebrating my friend Louanne's birthday (it was on Wednesday the 30th), then my son's birthday is on the 21st and my friend Rhonda's birthday is on the 25th. I was going to do a chicken dinner tomorrow for Jeff's birthday - an homage to his favourite, turkey dinner, which will be next weekend. The chicken has thawed well so I might do it today and baby back ribs in the slowcooker tomorrow. Mmmm.

Girl Power

2009-09-19T12:22:00.001-03:00

Monday we received the awesome news that one of my bosses is being appointed a QC (Queen's Counsel). This is a great honour for a lawyer. I am especially excited because SHE is a WOMAN. We have 3 offices in NB and she will be the first female lawyer in our offices to be appointed QC. We have offices in each of the Atlantic provinces and she will be the sixth woman in our firm to become a QC. I hope that she gets the recognition she deserves.

Survivor

2009-09-07T18:12:00.002-03:00

It's only a couple of weeks until the premiere of Survivor Samoa. This is the 19th season and I have watched every season, although I admit to missing an episode or two when my son was born. I had to sleep when I had to sleep. This time around there are 20 Survivors. I have been doing a Survivor pool for a while now and this is the most Survivors we have had. I have never had to get 20 people before but it looks like it is going to work this time. It's really exciting if your person goes to the finals because there is more money than usual. We are going to do a double-blind draw match-up. It is the least complicated and fair.

Once this one is up and running...it will be time to set up for The Amazing Race pool. I love Fall!

TV on DVD

2009-08-16T12:09:00.002-03:00

I can't believe it happened - I actually considered buying my son the DVDs of Toopy and Binoo. I understand it is cute, but I can't stand the show myself and promised not to bring it into the house. Lately, I have found myself PVRing it for my son so that he will stop begging for it. I have developed the ability to block it out when he is watching it. I also use those opportunities to do housework, cooking, etc. I checked it out online and they are about $15 each but I couldn't find any descriptions of the episodes on the DVDs. I did see that they are 54 minutes long, which probably means about 20 episodes. BUT then he mentioned Spongebob Squarepants. He has had a fondness for Spongebob since being at Grammie and Grampie's house - and I don't mind Spongebob. I also remember seeing the first three seasons on sale for $19.99 each. So I checked it out and that is about 40 episodes - of tolerable TV. If I do go out and buy some TV on DVD for my son - I am thinking it will be Spongebob. On another note, I realized how protective we have been with his TV watching. Today when he watched Spongebob he thought something was wrong so he called me over (I was about to have a shower). What was wrong was that a commercial was on - and he isn't familiar with commercials - because all he watches is Treehouse and there aren't any commercials.

Boyce Farmer's Market

2009-08-15T10:41:00.002-03:00

I finally made it to the market today. I wanted to go at 7:30 am when we got up but we didn't actually make it there until 9:30 am. By then it was very busy and incredibly hot inside. We got what we wanted and headed home.

Hunter's Farm - baby carrots, baby cucumber, 6 corn = $6.00
Dalton's Fresh OJ - 2x125 ml = $3.50
Joyce's Home Baking - 12 pan rolls = $3.25
Mulder's Cheese - creamy Havarti = $3.95
Total = $16.70

I bought Hunter's corn last year and it was the best corn I EVER ate. I am looking forward to some great corn this weekend.

Parenting Vacation

2009-08-07T09:05:00.001-03:00

This past week the babysitter was still on vacation, but I was back to work. My son stayed at his Grammie and Grampie’s house and by all accounts that went well. After work today I am heading out to get him and bring him home. I must admit that at first I was surprised by my free time but I figured out what to do with it. Monday, Jeff and I watched the Incredible Hulk on DVD. Tuesday, Jeff and I watched Forgetting Sarah Marshall on Demand. Wednesday, I went to see The Ugly Truth with my friend Janet. Thursday, I got a haircut before I went home and then Jeff and I went to see The Hangover. I guess a review of the week shows that we would quickly revert back to the movie lovers we were if we didn’t have a child. That’s okay, I’m sure we will get there when he is a bit older and things are more appropriate for him.

Birthday Officially Over

2009-08-06T14:45:00.000-03:00

My birthday was a month ago and I have finally spent all my birthday money. I know that makes it sound like a lot...but I have difficulty buying one thing – because what if there is something better later? My MIL gave me money which I put on a large surprise pack I wanted to order and it has a bunch of great things in it. My parents gave me money as well...which I spent on an angel food pan, personal blender, An Evening with Kevin Smith 2 – Evening Harder DVD, Sold Out: A Threevening with Kevin Smith DVD, My Boring Ass Life by Kevin Smith, and the new Age of Daze CD – Hollywood Ending. The only problem with this is that it nearly eliminates my ongoing gift list – the one I get asked for at Christmas and my birthday. Oh well, I will have to try hard to replenish it. Kevin Smith’s new book comes out in September so I can add that.

Vacation

2009-08-01T22:57:00.002-03:00

My one week (10 days) of vacation is nearly over. I have enjoyed being away from work and being spoiled by my parents with snacks and the ability to relax. I spent 5 days at my parents' house...where they were at my son's beck and call. Luckily, they enjoyed waiting on him.

I do have two days left, one for laundry and one for taking my son back to his grandparents' for the week. I doubt this will be a problem because we only returned yesterday and before lunch today he demanded that we return to Grammie and Grampie's house. He is looking forward to getting his own way a bit more, a bit more chocolate milk, and a few more treats. My only concern is whether he will sleep well for them.

As with all good things...vacation will come to an end.

The Plunge

2009-07-10T19:59:00.002-03:00

We took the plunge today and got a pool. Don't get too excited it's not bold and beautiful. The first hurdle is making sure it isn't too deep, because anything over 2 feet in my city requires a fenced yard (mine is mostly fenced) and a self-latching gate. So we found an easy set pool that was advertised as 26 inches to the top of the pool. Today I was off to get the pool, and the chemicals, and a tarp because the ground cover sheets are seriously overpriced, and a cover. It took quite a while to get it filled but it should be ready to go tomorrow in the great weather. It will work for Jeff and I to sit in and cool off, and for our little guy to swim. It's short enough that adults can just climb over the side - no ladder necessary.

Birthday

2009-07-03T21:05:00.002-03:00

Today was that special day...my birthday. Yep, I turned 35 years old. It was a bit daunting...and then I realized that means my brother will be 30 this year and that made me feel better. I guess that I thought I would feel more grown up by now. I thought I would be financially stable - NOT. Just when I was feeling old, I remembered I still have at least 30 years to work - now that was depressing. Overall it is great though, I have great friends and family. Yesterday I went to lunch with Janet, today I went to lunch with Jeff and Monday I am going to lunch with Rhonda. Just making the day last longer.

Canada Day

2009-07-01T16:03:00.002-03:00

Well, they couldn't decide what the weather was going to be like for Canada Day so we took our 3.5 year old to see Ice Age Dawn of the Dinosaur. I am officially disgusted with the theatres. What a money gouge. We took 2 adults and 1 child with treats and it was $65.00! That's insane! Luckily, we went to a matinee so we didn't have to pay full price - oh yeah but because it was 3D they charged each of us $3.00 more (presumably for the horrible 3D glasses). Luckily, there aren't that many movies for him to see in a year - we will have to start saving for the fall movie. No wonder I don't go to the movies as much as I used to. CRAZY. The movie was good, and my first 3D movie. It was my son's first 3D movie too, but he didn't really care for the glasses so he didn't really get the experience. They really should have adult and child-sized glasses.

Transformers

2009-06-28T21:26:00.006-03:00

More than meets the eye. Today, I got to see a movie at the theatre. It's been a while. The last movie was Taken (with Liam Neeson). In the "old days" Jeff and I would see at least one movie a week...now I make it 2-4 times a year. Today was Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. I thought it was great. You got all of the explosions you would expect from Michael Bay. We actually went for 1:00 pm but it was sold out. It didn't apper that the 3:15 pm show sold out but it was quite full. That's also something new. It was always the late matinees that sold out not the early ones. The next movie should be Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinousaur...and then the new Harry Potter. That will probably almost round out the year for me.

FredRock 2009

2009-06-26T22:17:00.002-03:00

Okay, this was actually last weekend. Saturday's headliner was the Black Crowes. Unfortunately, it rained. I don't mean it just rained, it poured. We got 40-60 mm of rain, I don't get this kind of water in my shower. As a result of the weather Jeff had a migraine and I have to be honest, I wasn't looking forward to being out in the downpour. So, we ended up not going to the Saturday shows. Sunday's headliner was Live. Jeff still had a migraine but I ventured out on my own. I was supposed to meet a friend but that didn't work out. I was actually more excited to see Age of Daze. Unfortunately, their set was shorter than advertised, everything was running late. They rock and were totally worth it. Overall, the event was a failure because it lost money. I hope they mange to do it again next year. Certainly our torrential weather dampened the turnout and I would love to see who we could get. The city is very conservative and there have been many whiners about the concert - I hope the city doesn't give in to them. They were complaining about a 2 day concert...PLEASE we all have to put up with a week long Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival every year and I haven't heard a lot of complaining about that...it must be more their style of music - hypocrites.

Treego

2009-06-13T17:47:00.006-03:00

One of my friend suggested that we all try TreeGo and that's what we did this morning. It's essentially an obstacle course up in the trees with ziplines, swinging bridges and ladders. As someone who is scared of heights I was crazy to go in the first place. As a fat, lazy person who hasn't exercised since my son was born, nearly 4 years ago, I probably shouldn't have gone with my fitness-fanatic friends...but it all worked out. It consists of a green course, blue course, red course and black course. They got progressively more difficult. I finished the green and blue courses but the rest of the group finished the course. I did sustain some bruising but that was at the demo course. I tried to use the tarzan rope and ended up hitting my shins. Both shins have some mighty bruises and my left leg also has a good scrape too. It wasn't a good start, being injured before actually making it out on the course. Check it out at http://treegomactaquac.ca/

I made my Amazing Race promise though. When we watch the show I always tell Jeff "I would just do it", it's for a million dollars after all. Now I have done the zipline and it was by far the most fun on the course.

Boredom

2009-06-04T19:31:00.002-03:00

What do you do when you are bored out of your mind – at work? Well, I ended up updating my CV in the new “action word” format that is currently popular. I am not looking for a new job but I haven’t had a lot of work over the past little while. In addition, they are really sticky about internet usage. Not that I would go anywhere I wasn’t allowed, but they are very protective of bandwidth, so I have tried to stay off of the internet as much as possible. You see they switched our office to internet phones, internet fax and our accounting software uses up bandwidth too. I don’t think they increased the bandwidth when they changed everything over, so if too much is in use there are dropped calls, dropped faxes and loss of accounting software. I use the internet quite frequently just to perform my job – but that is okay.

My idle mind is about to atrophy!

I Love Weekends

2009-05-31T19:22:00.002-03:00

Friday night my mother-in-law called to see if my son would like to come over to her house on Saturday. I told her he couldn't because we were going to my parents' for my Dad's birthday (actually June 1st). Then she asked to talk to Jeff but he wasn't available because he was feeling sick and lying down. Then she asked if my son wanted to talk to her on the phone and when I asked him he said "no". So she said she would check in on Sunday. She didn't but Jeff still called to check with her but she was at her mother-in-laws'.

Saturday my son and I ventured to my parents' house for the day (Jeff still wasn't feeling good). We had a great visit in celebration of my Dad's birthday. He turns 62 on Monday. We had bbq burgers and hot dogs which I love! Plus, Mom made carrot cake with cream cheese frosting - my favourite. My uncle brought some beef from one of their cows and I brought back a bunch of hamburger and round steak. Last night was date night...it was an early night but we did watch "Wanted" which is basically and action flick but was good.

Today was the Mulders Meat sale. It was my first time out and I made some rookie mistakes. My son was up at 6:45 am and I probably should have headed out then...but didn't. The sale started 8:00 am. I woke up with a migraine in one of my eyes so I medicated and went back to bed. I didn't really sleep though, probably from the caffeine in the medication. By 8:30 am I called it quits and headed to the sale. I arrived around 9:00 am and stood in line for 2.75 hrs before getting through the doors. What I learned was that the line was much shorter at 11:00 am and 12:00 pm. Made me think maybe I should have gone later. Other things I learned were that next time I should bring a foldable lawn chair and a book. I knew here would be a long line, but I didn't appreciate JUST how LONG it was. There were people that drove 1.5 hours to get there...and that's from people I was talking to. I filled my freezer to it's limit though and spent $72 on what would regularly be $215. I love a good deal.

Busy Day

2009-05-23T19:46:00.003-03:00

It was a very busy day. My son and I went grocery shopping early this morning and got some great deals. Then we came home and put the groceries away (which he loves). Then we woke Jeff up and sent him to his MRI, no news on that yet but the technician did ask him about his sinuses because there was a lot of fluid that they could see. Meanwhile, my son and I took his bike outside for the first time and he had a nice ride up and down the sidewalk until one of the neighbours' dogs started jumping and circling around him. Then we decided to go in for a while. We played some Boogie Bunnies until Daddy returned. We vegged out to some Max and Ruby and then dropped by Auntie Rhonda's house. She has had a bad chest infection so we took over some books for her to read. There were 2 dogs there and my son hid from them and was completely anti-social (a result of his earlier encounter)...but he totally loved the Hulk popsicle she gave him. After we got home we got Jeff up and headed to the Country Pumpkin. Not a lot out there yet except the petting area. He was initially a little timid around the animals but wanted to feed them before we left. He really seemed to like the pig but I prefered the llamas. Back home I started making hamburger patties out of the ground beef we got in the morning...and Jeff went out to try and make us a deck )out of what was left from our previous deck) for the barbeque. It turned out pretty well and resulted in great barbequed hamburgers, corn, asparagus and fiddleheads. Now to relaxa a bit before starting it all over again tomorrow with laundry and dishes...and...

Fox

2009-05-19T19:56:00.002-03:00

Fox is that TV network that I hate, mostly for cancelling shows that I love. It had gotten to a point where I couldn't watch new premieres, because if I liked it they would cancel it. I am a sporadic watcher of Bones (with David Boreanaz) which is probably what has saved it. I do love it and buy the seasons on DVD. This season I decided to give Fox another chance and I started to watch Dollhouse (Joss Whedon). I love Joss (Buffy/Angel/Firefly) and will watch anything he puts out. Jeff and I love Dollhouse but from all reports it looked like it would be cancelled at the end of this season. I was devastated...until I checked the Fox lineup for Fall 2009-2010which was released yesterday and Dollhouse was renewed!!! I can't wait for it - Alpha is still on the loose and you have to love Joss for bringing back actors that he has worked with on other projects.

Survivor 18 Tocantins

2009-05-19T19:50:00.003-03:00

We had a Survivor pool at work. This time around we did a random draw for match- ups and I got JT. This time I was the lucky one because JT won first place. Not only did he win, but he got all 7 votes which has only happened once before...when Earl won in Survivor: Fiji. I wasn't as confident...I thought he could win but I thought Stephen would be a bigger challenge than he proved to be. As a result of his win, I won our pool and $110.00...that's money for me, just to spoil me.

So far I am considering getting Evening with Kevin Smith, Evening with Kevin Smith 2: Evening Harder, and Threevening with Kevin Smith...along with his book My Boring-Ass Life. Like all good Canadians, I love Kevin Smith - and no, he is not Canadian, he is from New Jersey. We Canadians just love him. He can make anything funny.

Unbelievable

2009-05-16T07:55:00.002-03:00

The unthinkable happened...I am up before my 3.5 year old on a sleep-in day. I just couldn't sleep and I blame him. He has been up so early the past several weeks that I don't think I know how to sleep in anymore. So here I am waiting for HIM to wake up so we can go shopping! Of course by the time he gets up and gets ready I won't want to go because it will be to busy. I like to go early in the morning or late at night because I don't like it too busy. It's also supposed to be a nice day today so I wouldn't mind getting started. I know Jeff didn't go to bed until after 3:30 am this morning so I am going to go do everything I want to and forget about him...because he will be sleeping the day away.

Believe Me

2009-05-15T13:31:00.001-03:00

Why is it when you tell people something they don’t really believe it until they see it? For instance, today we went to celebrate a friend’s birthday at lunch. I had said that I hoped that we didn’t eat on the patio because I would get a sunburn. Well, guess what? We ate on the patio...which in the end was a good thing, because when I went inside to use the washroom it was sticky and hot in there. Towards the end of lunch one of my friends noticed that I had a sunburn. I believe I even used one of those “told you so” phrases. I guess I must be prone to exaggeration about these things (not). This is why I choose to eat inside despite the sunshine outside. Even under an umbrella for an hour lunch, I burn. Today there were no umbrellas so I was in the sun the whole time. I have a lunch date next week...I hope we don’t sit on the patio!

Dentist

2009-05-12T07:59:00.002-03:00

Yesterday was our 3.5 year old son's first trip to the dentist. Most people seemed to think that it would be better than I imagined - they were wrong. It started the night before with my son being profusely adamant that he wasn't going to go to the dentist the next day. This was followed the next morning with refusal to brush his teeth, put on his shoes and coat or get in the car. We had to wrestle with him and carry him. There was a further outburst and crying in the car. When we got to the dentist's office he wanted to leave and I had to hold him on my knee. When we were called in for his examination I had to sit on the chair with him and basically straight-jacket him for his exam. Luckily, the dentist has lots of experience with uncooperative children so he did the exam while my son screamed (his mouth was open after all). What we learned is that he has very deep molars that we should keep an eye on and a bit of an overbite that is not a concern now. What it sounds like, is he has my teeth. This could be good because mine never needed braces which would save us about $5,000.00 dollars in the future. After the event he got his sticker and was off to the babysitter's. He was fine after it was over. Last night we asked him if he liked the dentist and he said 'yes', much to our surprise. He sure didn't act like it. He definitely has a fear of the unknown.

Home

2009-05-08T08:54:00.001-03:00

It’s amazing how things change over time as your perspective changes. I remember being younger and thinking that it was crazy that my grandmother and 2 of my aunts lived within 5-6 houses of each other. That’s about 3 of 6 houses in a row on the same side of the street (in the country), that were my family. I just couldn’t imagine why they would want to live that close together. It’s is actually very similar on the other side of the family as well. Now I am at that point in my life where I find that desirable. Of course right now we are very spread out and live in very different places. My brother and sister-in-law live in a big city/suburbs, we live in a small city, and my parents live in the country quite close to town. Now I think that my ideal situation would be with us in the same city...of course my preference is a small city (because that’s where I am) and my parents could be in the country 15-20 minutes away...and as far as I am concerned my brother and sister-in-law could be in the other side of our duplex house...or our next door neighbours...or a few streets over...or somewhere close. I am going to have to put this plan into action when I win the lottery...it doesn’t have to be the small city that we are in now, we can all decide to pick a city in Canada and go there.

Food Network Magazine

2009-05-05T08:34:00.001-03:00

It finally came! I am sooo excited. I got my first issue of Food Network Magazine by mail....and will get it until June/July 2010! It was a fabulous Christmas gift from Sean & Holly. They gave me the first magazine at Christmas and I LOVED it. There was a behind the scenes look at Iron Chef America which I totally love. I’ve only looked at the cover so far but it has the Best Burgers from Bobby Flay and a Summer Grilling Guide so I am set!

Boredom

2009-05-03T18:01:00.003-03:00

So work has been boring...one of my bosses, the one that I get most of my work from has been out of the office for a week and I am caught up. The bad news is that she will be out for another week at least and is tentatively scheduled for 2 weeks. It's all work related but it isn't giving me any new work.

So to fill the time I have been reading blogs...and getting inspired. I actually started another blog with the theme of flyers and saving money: http://canadianflyerfanatic.blogspot.com/. What I have discovered is that I saved $66.00 when I was grocery shopping this weekend. I think that is good. Sure I spent my budget but I also stocked up...and if there hadn't been any savings I would have had to cut some things out.

I have been trying to pursuade Holly to do a blog about her "free" diet. I think a lot of people could benefit from her experience...and recipes.

THE END

2009-04-27T11:32:00.001-03:00

Well, it’s finally over...the Biggest Loser Challenge has concluded. This week I was up 3 pounds, I expected 2 because I knew I was severely dehydrated at the last weigh-in after suffering a week of extreme diarrhea. Overall that’s 8 pounds lost in 12 weeks. Sure, I could have done better...but I didn’t. I still intend to make some small changes and keep watching my weight. It’s quite easy to eat well in the summer with the fruits and vegetables being yummier and cheaper.

WOW

2009-04-25T23:04:00.002-03:00

Yep, that's right WOW. This morning we had a very stressful event. My 3.5 year old son and I went to the grocery store. It was a very nice day and it was warm in the car. He put up a fuss about the heat in the car so as I was getting him in his carseat I started the car with the remote car starter to cool it down faster. Then I grabbed my purse and closed his door to get in the driver's seat...ONLY...the car was locked. No problem, I opened my purse to get my keys...NOT THERE...there they were in the back window behind my son's seat! The car is running, my son is inside, buckled in and I am locked outside. Okay, don't panic. I try to tell him that I am locked out and to grab my remote to unlock the door. He didn't understand and as I found out later he couldn't see it from his seat. Then I tell him to unbuckle the chest piece of his seatbelt...which he eventually does and try to get out of his seat. He attempted to do the bottom buckle but he couldn't (as I expected). I tried to get him to reach over and unlock the door but he said he couldn't reach. I decided it was time to call home and maybe have Jeff try that over the cellphone thing with the remotes or have him cab over with his keys...but he is asleep in the bedroom and the phone is in the kitchen and he didn't hear it. I finally decide to try each door of the car (knowing that they are all locked)...but when I tried the back passenger door, my son reached (from his car seat) and unlocked it manually! Thak goodness my child is tall for his age. I'm not sure why he could reach one back door lock and not the other but hey, at this point I was totally relieved! My 3.5 year old - my hero.

Another interesting thing that developed today was the change from Mommy to Mom. Not exclusively but quite a bit. It' amazing the difference, I am quite attached to Mommy...Mom seems to grown up for my little man.

One Week

2009-04-20T20:40:00.002-03:00

Next week is the final weigh in ... and no, I won't be the winner. I did hit 4th place last week, but from what I can tell there is a significant drop after the fierce competition between first and second. After last Monday's violent vomiting I had a full week of deadly diarrhea...worse than I have EVER had in my life...but there was a 2 pound loss today (-11 total in 11 weeks). I will take it - now just to keep it off. If I could lose one more pound I would be happy with my one pound per week average.

In other news, I found a lump on my pelvic bone last week...I think it might just be an abscess (or some such thing from an ingrown hair or whatever) that hasn't broken, so I have decided to wait 2 weeks and if it is still there I will be visiting the doctor. I have determined that it is better to feel stupid for being seen for something useless, than feel stupid for not going earlier if it was something more sinister. It figures, I don't recall it being there a couple weeks ago... when I was at the doctor. So that I wouldn't just keep putting it off, I told Jeff that if it wasn't gone in 2 weeks I would go to the doctor.

I had a girls night out on Saturday night. I went to one of the gals' houses and a bunch of us had a potluck. It was really nice to get together, a few had drinks, and that was entertaining. It's the kind of thing I should do more...maybe when I feel good even.

Hoppy Easter

2009-04-14T11:39:00.001-03:00

I had turkey dinner on Friday, ham dinner on Saturday, and everything I could get my hands on Sunday. I am an emotional eater, and with all of the bad news I ate everything. Yesterday though, I had the flu and was violently ill. Today was weigh in...and shocker...I was down 3 pounds. I will have to give credit to my violent vomiting yesterday – but in the end I guess it wasn’t only suffering. That brings the grand total to -9 pounds. It really doesn't seem like much over 10 weeks but I will take it.

2009-04-06T19:41:00.003-03:00

More weight that is...up 2 pounds for a total loss of 6 pounds. I do know that I ate...and enjoyed it, so I guess it's okay. Had I been working super hard and that happened I would have been devastated. All of the girls I talked to today were up anywhere from 1-3 pounds. With Easter weekend coming up I figure there really isn't any hope for Tuesday. Oh well, enjoy...and move on.

Weigh In

2009-03-30T20:17:00.001-03:00

Today our scalemaster wasn’t here but many of us weighed ourselves anyway. Today, I was down three pounds (the three I gained last week with PMS eating and bloating). Hopefully, I can keep it off for tomorrow...but the weekend will probably catch up by then.

Weekend

2009-03-30T20:16:00.001-03:00

On Saturday my son and I went out shopping in the morning...the grocery store, the dollar store, and Wal-Mart to get the things I forgot at the grocery store (arg). In the afternoon I took some time for myself. I went out to prepare for Easter – jelly beans, multicolour basket grass, and toys. After all that I thought I would try and get a haircut. I was so happy when I got there and they were open for another 2 hours. It’s nothing spectacular, but I haven’t had a haircut since last summer, so I was thrilled. For date night we caught up on our shows – Legend of the Seeker and Dollhouse.

On Sunday I got to sleep in (mostly). Jeff had a migraine due to the impending storm (which we are having right now), so my son and I went out. It was a great date – we went to McDonalds for Happy Meals, went to the play area, had a ride on the $1 mall rip-off rides, had an ice cream and checked out the bookstore. By then he was tired of behaving so we headed home. All in all a great date – cost $8.39 for meal + $1.00 ride +$2.02 ice cream...not bad at all. Can’t get a man a meal for that price. He’s a cheap date, and it would have been even better if I hadn’t decided to buy some books at Chapters, but at least those will last.

PMS Eater

2009-03-23T09:27:00.001-03:00

Well, I can say that it wasn’t a surprise that I was up this week. It was a surprise that I was up 3 pounds (total loss only 5 pounds now). It was PMS and stressful week. I admit I ate a large bag of chips between Thursday and Friday nights and on Saturday night I ate a bag of Hershey’s kisses. I think I am still a bit bloated so hopefully all 3 pounds weren’t planning to stick around. It was a bit of a reality check...although I haven’t lost much, this is the first time I have gained. It totally sucks! I did enjoy the chips and chocolate though. It’s a shame that I can’t just have them and not gain...I can accept not losing. I guess I will have to get back to the popcorn with dill seasoning...it’s not quite as good as Old Dutch Creamy Dill chips though.

Big Boy Bed

2009-03-16T09:10:00.003-03:00

On a completely different front...we put our son in his big boy bed this weekend. He loved the bed and “helped” Daddy make it Saturday night. Sunday we put it in his room and put all of his new bedding. He loved it and played in his room and on his bed all day. At bedtime he wanted his old bed back, he cried, whined and thought of every excuse there was to get out of bed. Eventually, he went to sleep but he woke up to pee at shortly after 1:00 am and we went through the same torture trying to get him to go back to bed. Our cat, Sassy, loves the new bed and would sleep in there all of the time if she could.

Miracles

2009-03-16T09:10:00.001-03:00

For those that don’t believe in miracles...one happened this morning. You see my bathroom scales and the scales here at the office are different...very different. Not only do the ones here weigh about 6-7 pounds heavier they don’t register the same ups and downs as the ones at home. I admit that the ones at home are the cheap rotating dial kind and the ones here are a health-o-meter and are digital. So it was a long week. We went off track last Wednesday with a bake sale here at the office – I totally indulged. There was so much sugar that it was taking the fast track out. In the evening I even felt sick to my stomach. I indulged in more Coca-Cola in the past week than I have since The Biggest Loser started. Saturday I made Devil’s Food cupcakes for my Mom’s birthday which is next weekend...mmm. So, needless to say the scales were unkind at home...registering from no loss to up 2 pounds. Imagine my AMAZEMENT when I came in and got weighed – and I was down a pound from last week!!! Say WHAT...ohh yeahI! (think Ferris Beuller). That’s a total loss of 8 pounds, and I will be satisfied with a simple one pound per week loss throughout this challenge.

Boredom

2009-03-10T14:03:00.001-03:00

I’ve never actually heard of anyone dying from boredom, but I could always be the first. It’s actually very frustrating as I sit at work and do nothing. I continue to think of things I could be doing – only I can’t, because I sit here and do nothing. It's okay when it's 30 minutes or an hour of boredom but when it goes beyond that it is just too much. What I would really like to do is go home and sleep. There just isn’t enough sleep lately. My son continues to wake up at night…to go to the bathroom…sometimes just because, but it also means that I am being woken up. I haven’t really had good sleep in almost a month now. I am someone that needs my sleep and it really ticks me off to be here with nothing to do when all I want to do is sleep. I have checked out all of my favourite websites and even read the news. If only they would pay me to sleep at home. Unfortunately, here I sit…so I am available when the work hits my desk. Snore…zzz

Illness Has Benefits

2009-03-09T09:17:00.001-03:00

Well, it appears that I my cold/flu may finally be improving. I am still tired and worn out and will have to get a lot of sleep. It’s been a long time since I was sick for this long. I didn’t even get groceries on the weekend. Jeff is doing that task this morning – and he’s not happy about it. The good news is that it kept me from wanting to eat much and at weigh-in today I was down 2 pounds (for a running total of -7). The trick will be not putting it back on when I feel better.

PS

2009-03-04T08:19:00.002-04:00

At lunch yesterday I had a chance to try Nestea Zero and it is my new favourite. It is made with Splenda and I like it even more than Coke Zero (probably because of the aspartame component). Regardless, I am excited that there are 2 zero calorie flavoured drink/pop options out there for me!

My son's fever has finally ended but I now have a sore throat and a bit of a cough. That's what comes with only 3-4 nights of uninterrupted sleep in 3 weeks. Oh well, I will just work through it and move on.