I've been waiting...

Saturday, April 20, 2013

In Denial

I did not wake up to a yard covered in white.  I did not have to scrape ice off the car wind shield and leave it running for five minutes to warm up before heading out to gym class with Grace.  I did not have to dress my daughter like this.
I did not have to push the stroller across the parking lot at the Rec. Centre with all my strength against the wind.  I did not have to drive home in white-outs caused by snow squalls.  No, I did not.  I didn't do any of those things because if  I don't admit to it, then maybe it won't be true.

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Calling on the BTDTs

My time off work is dwindling fast and I've had to force myself to spend some time looking into daycare for Grace for September.  I go back earlier than that but my parents have graciously offered to watch her for a few weeks while I am back at work before I go on holidays.  So, I've visited large centres and private daycare at peoples' houses and I can't find anything that seems "worthy" of my Grace.  It's so difficult to find something that seems perfect and I don't want to settle on anything less than perfect.  How do I do it?  How do I leave my baby with a complete stranger and feel OK about it?  Some of you BTDT people (that's been-there-done-that for you non-texting non-blogger people!!), chime and give me tips and encouragement, will you please?

In the meantime, here's a few shots of Grace just playing around the house.



Monday, April 15, 2013

Today's Perspective

So after the tragedy of today's events at the Boston Marathon, I feel selfish complaining about the weather and I'm sorry for sounding so bitter towards something so insignificant.  It was mostly just meant to be humorous tongue in cheek writing, but in light of today it seems so insignificant.  My thoughts and prayers are with those families tonight who are dealing with the much more heartbreaking news of a future with life changing injuries or a life without their loved ones. 
   

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Good-bye Winter!

Ok, I've hit the wall.  Spring or no spring, I have boxed up the winter coats and boots and hats, the mitts and scarves and they are gone, packed away in the basement for at least 6 months.  
Anyone living in my neck of the woods here in Ontario knows we've had some interesting weather this past week.  Here's how it played out at my house:
It rained Monday, it rained Tuesday, it rained Wednesday (nonstop!!!).  Thursday was the beginning of the ice storm and it carried on to Friday.  Friday morning I woke up to a leaking roof, water all over the kitchen counter and floor and a thick layer of ice on everything I could see.  It looked beautiful from inside the house but outside the weather was reeking havoc on the trees, the roads, the power lines and my roof.  The power flickered and went off a few times Friday morning and by lunch it was gone for good.  After calling Hydro One and hearing it may not be on until 11:00pm Saturday night, I looked at Grace and said "Let's get out of here!!"  Grace and I had been stuck in the house for days unable to get fresh air and we were both going a little stir-crazy.  The roof had stopped leaking at least for the time being and there was not much I could do about it that day with no power/phone to call a roofing contractor.  With my plans for Grace's playdate cancelled, I began the arduous task of chipping away an inch thick layer of ice all over the car.  We arranged with my neighbours to go to Swiss Chalet for dinner since neither of us could cook anything and then on to my parents' to sleep for the night in a warm house (my neighbours said the the temperature in their house was down to 9 degrees Friday night by the time they went to bed, brrrrr!!)  In the meantime, my wonderful father came over in the near dark, cold, damp icy rain and ran a generator to keep the sump pump running and my basement from flooding (it was getting close!).  Thankfully the power came back on late Friday night and we were able to return to a warm house Saturday morning.  Saturday it rained and snowed and hailed ice pellets on and off all day.  It was cold and miserable and I forced Grace to go for a short walk in the stroller later in the afternoon during a break in the weather.  Fun was not how I would describe our walk.  This morning, Sunday, I woke up to everything white. Yes, folks, it had snowed again during the night and everything was covered in a blanket of white.  I checked the calendar to make sure it really was April 14 (it is!) and then Grace and I headed off to Church.  By the time we got home and Grace had finished lunch and her nap, the new snow had mostly melted, so I bundled up my girl again and headed outside for a walk. I could still hear generators and chain saws going all over the neighbourhood, clearing up the damage that was done by the ice and keeping basements from filling with water.  It wasn't terrible but still cold, we still needed a hat and gloves.  Now that leads me to the opening paragraph of this post.  Today was the final straw.  It has officially been spring for almost a month now and I am not going to dress for winter again until it is winter again.  That's it Winter, it's over, admit defeat and get lost!!!!!

P.S. Funny thing I noticed.... yard waste collection starts tomorrow.  People have their leaf bags out filled with all the debris from their yard and sticks bundled together at the curb.  I wonder they would take it tomorrow if I bundle up that snow that is still sitting in my yard under the trees.  I definitely don't need it anymore!!!!LOL

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Cousin Love Again

Cousin love again, only this time it was me who got to spend time with my cousins.  My cousin Suzanne and Tim came over from Michigan last weekend to meet Grace and baby K for the first time.  Like Tim said, he feels like he already knows Grace through the blog but it was nice to finally have them meet her in real life.  We spent the weekend eating and talking and eating and talking and then eating some more and then a little more talking.  Grace entertained us with all her antics and baby K, well, he was just cute in everything he does.
Here are a few pics from the weekend.  Maybe Sue will send me some of the many shots she got and I'll add to the post?

Suz and my dad

Out for a stroll...


Grace likes to check things out from the doorway.  She'll stand there all day if we let her! Too funny!


Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Happy Easter!

Grace and I had a  great Easter weekend filled with family and church and eggs and chocolate.  Grace handed out marshmallow treats to all the cousins and painted eggs to Grandma and Grandpa.  We had a huge ham dinner on Saturday and a relaxing day of delicious leftovers on Sunday.  We arrived at church just as the Mass was ready to start and being Easter there were more people there than usual.  The usher kindly led us to an empty seat, IN THE VERY FRONT ROW!!!  I panicked, thinking Grace might be her usual monkey self and I would have to take her out for a break, walking past an 0.entire church filled with people, but she was great, she sat playing quietly on my knee for over an hour.  Father thought she was wonderful and of course so did I!  
Grace had her first real taste of sugar this weekend enjoying the marshmallow bunnies hidden in the coloured plastic eggs.  FYI, she likes it!!!!!!
Here's a few pics of Grace enjoying her first Easter egg hunt.  We had been practising all week, me hiding eggs in the living room and sending Grace to find them.  By the time Easter rolled around, she was pretty good at it! 

Handing out marshmallow treats to the cousins



Mmmmm... Sugar.......

Leading Grandpa on a walk

Mmmmmm..... more sugar.......

Just riding my horse in my Bunny pajamas!  Isn't this what everyone does on Easter morning??!



Hey!  I found another one Mom!

Stretch.....

Snowing Again? Really?!??!

Seriously, April 2, and it looks like this

Insert swear words of your choice here.

Monday, April 1, 2013

GRRR. SNOW. AGAIN.

Ok, here is your fair warning.  Do not continue to read if you are in a Pollyanna type mood.  This is not a pretty post.  It's not cute little Easter bunnies and Grace looking all sweet in her Easter pajamas.  All of that will come tomorrow.  Tonight is ugly. Tonight is strictly complaining.  Complaining about our weather. Here it is now, April, and it is snowing like crazy at my house.  And I mean like crazy!  Has been all day off and on.  -1 degrees and white-outs and wind and staying on the ground kind of snow.  I feel cheated!  I'm an outdoors kind of gal and Grace is too.  Most Springs here in the last many years have been warm and sunny with a few rainy days.  The only Spring that I am not at work and it's cold, cold, cold, and snowing until April. We've hardly even been able to go for walks in the stroller, there is still so much salt and sand and snow on the ground.  I'm bitter folks, just a bitter stay at home mom tonight.  I wouldn't come near me if you know what's good for you!  GRRR!