Happy Canada Day! How Canadian Are You? Quiz

Maclean's has recently published a survey just in time for Canada Day.


http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/06/28/how-canadian-are-you/

You Can Do Anything You Want!

Last week it suddenly hit me like a ton of bricks.  My days at home with my daughter, just the two of us, were about to be over!  She would be starting full-time school in September.  And soon her two brothers would be home for the summer.

I panicked.  My precious 1:1 time - almost gone?  How did that happen?  I needed to make the most of the time I had left.

I don't think I overdid it at all.  On one day alone, I took her to Tim Horton's, then for bowling, at which we had pizza and went on the bumper cars.  Then I took her to the Purple Pony for ice cream.  When we got home I was completely exhausted and all I wanted to do was lie on the couch with a book, but when my daughter asked me to play dolls with her I instantly jumped up and yelled, "Of course!  Let's do it!"

The only thing that kindof nags at me about that day is that my daughter beat me at bowling.  Fair and square.  Yes, she had bumpers and I didn't.  But...she is four years old, so....that pretty much cancels that out.  Oh well.  I just hope she had fun.

It's So Hard to Let Them Go, Isn't It?

My oldest child, my first son, is almost ten years old.  I find that he really wants to be independent already.  It's so difficult, because you want to keep them safe, but they also need to grow.  It's a very fine line, like everything else.

He wants to ride his bike to school, which I allow because he doesn't have to cross any busy streets to get there.  He loves being able to do this on his own.  I was talking with another mom about how she lets her child do this as well.  The husband jumped in, "And can you believe it?  She actually makes him phone her when he gets to the school!"

"That's absolutely ridiculous," I responded incredulously.  "I just go to the school and check that his bike is there so I know he arrived safely!"  Moms, eh?

But some of my son's friends live across busy roads, and now they want him to bike with them there.  I've had to do some safety training about how to cross the roads, and luckily he's cautious.  I hope he keeps that even when he's fifteen!  (He will, right?  Right?  Don't burst my bubble yet.)

Watching him bike away sometimes is hard. (Sometimes? Who am I kidding?  Everytime!)  He still looks so young and vulnerable.  Inwardly I rage at every car that drives too fast down our road, thinking, "Don't you know my son is riding his bike on this road?"

I remember when he was two, watching him walk over to Santa at a Christmas party.  I felt the exact same way.  I could tell he was scared (and who wouldn't be, walking toward a huge man dressed in red with a big beard?) but he walked over anyway.

I guess there will always be milestones like this; all you can do is hope you've prepared them properly.  Somewhat.  Hopefully.  I need a drink.

Anne Taintor Is Hilarious

I love her captions so much; they make me laugh really hard.  Not that I can relate, or anything.  Because I can't.  No way.  Not at all.

Greatest Day of my Life!

This is the greatest day of my life!  I bought a plastic table cover for $8.00.  And it will be sooo worth it.

This was my life before:

1) launder tablecloth
2) beg children to please, please, don't spill anything on it for at least 30 minutes so we could have one meal with a clean tablecloth
3) barely smooth it over table before it is covered with chocolate pudding, spaghetti sauce, or covered in spilled milk
4) sigh
5) bravely remove tablecloth
6) add (while trying not to look at it) to large, unwieldy pile of laundry
7) return to #1

This is my life now:

1) launder tablecloth
2) cover it with the plastic cover
3) watch without any stress whatsoever as it is covered with food and drinks
4) make the kids wipe it off
5) smile

And the best part is that the plastic cover is just so classy!

Wintersleep at Burlington Music Festival 2012

Last night some friends and I saw Wintersleep at the Burlington Music Festival.  Wintersleep is an indie rock band from Halifax.  They were amazing! 

The festival had a great atmosphere.  It was a beautiful night.  The festival was mostly right on the waterfront.  The beer garden was right in front of the main stage; what great planning!  There were several sailboats anchored in the water.  There was tons of food and vendors.  There were many different music options all over the place.

As one of my friends said, it was nice to get out of 'Mommy mode' for a little while and enjoy some great music and a happy, lively atmosphere.

Proof that Baby Carrots...Aren't

I had heard that baby carrots weren't really mini at all; that they just took large carrots and cut them up.  Well, here's the proof.  We found this very large carrot in a bag of  supposedly 'mini' carrots.  It was a very exciting moment for all of us, which is proof that we all really need to get out more.

Great Song Lyric Quotes

Some of my favourites right now:

Cath...
by Death Cab for Cutie

" as the flashbulbs burst/ she holds a smile/ like someone would hold/ a crying child"


Title and Registration
by Death Cab for Cutie

"the glove compartment is inaccurately named/and everybody knows it"

Sloom
Of Monsters and Men

"the books that I keep by my bed/are full of your stories/that I drew up from/a little dream of mine/a little nightmare of yours"