Molly's Birthday Party

Sunday we attended Molly's 7th birthday at Planet Gymnastics in Pickering.  The girls always have fun there and come home wiped out.  It is a bunch of energy burning fun and with friends and cousins to boot.

Molly's theme this year was Monster High.  Now I have figured out I am not up on the fads of today again as I have no idea what Monster High is.  So off to google I went.  And yeah, okay, interesting.  Well after discussions with Sue we came up with a borrowed design for the cake and flavours so off I went. 

I have also realized that I need a new blue colour, my blue colour turned way too dark and not the pretty royal blue it was supposed to.  But oh well that just means a trip to my cake store and some fun looking around on an off day.

Everyone loved the cake, I used the kid icing this time which is super sweet but they are not a fan of my buttercream and it was for the kids.

Kiya wanted to be kooky

Mylee really likes cake

Happy Birthday Molly! Hope you enjoyed all your gifts and are ready for all the adventures that age 7 brings.

Shopping

For the record, I hate clothes shopping.  I don't like standing infront of a mirror trying to figure out if I like the way something looks on me.  Heck, I don't like standing infront of a mirror normally with clothes I already own.

The one thing I do like about shopping though is when my kids are learning the process of budgeting.  This year Kiya came into a little bit of money after making a deal with her daddy.  Each time we have gone to the mall Kiya has bought herself a little something.  Now this is where my fun comes in, not only do we have to budget for the money she has brought with her, I also make her decide if this is something she truly wants or whether it is just something that will spend her money and sit in her room and collect dust.

The last time we went to the mall over March Break, Kiya decided to take her $40 that she received in her red envelopes from a family friend and bought herself some shoes.  Now they aren't your typical shoes but they were something she had seen with her grandfather.  So it was not an impulse buy.  This is the kind of shopping trip that I truly enjoy, when my girls go out and find something that they have thought about for a while and the joy they experience in making the purchase themselves. 

Mylee also got shoes that day, and she has been wearing them around the house for a whole week.  I think we are all just waiting for spring so we can show them to our friends.

St. Patrick's Day

I woke up this morning to a very excited Mylee. 

"Mom, come see the toilet is green" she yells from my bedroom door.

Conveniently Kiya decided to sleep in our bed so I told her to go find out what her sister is talking about as I wasn't quite awake enough to understand. 

"Mom, there are green footprints in the bathroom and on the toilet, you may want to see this" Kiya says giggling and bright eyed. 

So off come the covers and I trudge into the bathroom half awake and low and behold this is what I find

It seems we had a little visitor in the night and he had made a big mess in the bathroom and on my dining table with some little green footprints.  Not impressed that I have a mess to clean up I turn on the lights in the other room and there is a note on the table and 2 packages of rainbow coloured skittles.

It appears a little leprechaun named Seamus decided to visit the girls.  I bet him and Sherry are friends. 

March Break Boredom

I have come to the conclusion that I need a car.  Not only to get to the schools I work for but also so we are not stuck at home sitting infront of the tv or whining about having nothing to do.  I asked the girls if they wanted to do anything special today and they said no.  Now Kiya is in my room watching tv while Mylee plays on the Wii and I am trying to get stuff done for the weekend so that I am not pulling my hair out last minute. 

We can normally keep ourselves busy for March Break but the weather is so icky outside that coming and going by bus will only cause us to get sick.  We need some entertainment, or some nicer weather so we can even just go for a walk. 

Of course you realize it is Wednesday, the longest day of the week because it is smack dab in the middle.  Lets hope that tomorrow brings something more fun...or at least some nicer weather, was hoping to go to the zoo this week. 

Hope you guys are all enjoying your break, for me I prefer work lol.

The Movies and March Break

Arriving 3 hours earlier than the movie was supposed to even start, we stand in the line to end all lines and end up being told at the end (as the sign flashes low seats) that our movie is sold out.  Granted I could have purchased online but I HATE using the credit card for online purchases unless it is absolutely mandatory.  So I have disappointed both the girls that we won't be going to see a movie in the theatre today, instead we went shopping. The girls bought shoes with some extra birthday/Xmas money they had been saving, and I picked them up Wreck-it Ralph because we would have spent the same at the theatre for a movie to watch anyway.  And then we got some kernels popcorn.  So a day that started out crappy, ended up being a pretty good experience in compromise, plus there is nothing like snuggling up in jammies, sitting on the couch with your own bag of popcorn and bottle of juice and watching a movie with your mom and sister. 

Tomorrow is another day and another adventure.  I am thinking of starting the crystal set that we bought forever ago and never opened, or maybe a trip to Michaels for some craft stuff and another ride on the bus!

A First For Me

Move over Julia Child....lol.  No I am kidding, but wouldn't that be nice to have her skill and my good looks...tee hee.

Our friend Jeoff travelled to Nova Scotia for work last week and ended up bring us home a lovely treat.

Yep, lobster, flash frozen and still looking at me lobster.  Now I guess I better explain my craziness on this one.  I am not a fan of any of my food looking at me.  When the roast pork comes at the Chinese dinners we attend and the head is still on the plate I have to refuse the food or I will gag on it.  Same with the chicken...thanks but leave the head out of sight.  Plus I don't like touching any type of fish or shellfish or whatever that can still look at me.  It grosses me out.

So I boiled the water, then took the tongs, because someone wasn't brave enough either, and placed the lobsters in the water.  Then put a 1/2 cup of butter and 2 garlic cloves on the stove to melt for dipping.  They cooked up fabulous, or so says Darryl and Ryan who ate the tails.  As they pulled apart the claws and remains of the body Darryl asked me to make a brisque, all I could say was find me a recipe.  I had never actually made one before, remember I am the pastry girl, not the actual food girl.

So about an hour later, as I followed the recipe to a tee, out came the most incredible smelling soup.  Darryl raved about it while he played his online game and I was quite shocked at myself for creating something that smelled so incredible and inviting.  Shellfish is on my do not eat lists as it makes me itchy and causes my throat to close, but can I tell you I was dying to try this one. 

Thanks Jeoff for the special treat and allowing me to achieve yet another first on my road to life!
Cheers!!!
Oh did I mention I get to finish the bottle of wine that we bought specifically for the soup...tee hee for me!

Karoke

To kick of the beginning of March Break Starlazer Karoke was hosting a kid's event at Kornerstones.  Kornerstones is a bar at Birchmount and Ellesmere and is quite a cozy little place.  The kids were treated to colouring and crafts, dancing and singing, a special guest and tons of prizes were won.  I was secretly hoping for Marlie tickets but alas I was out of luck this time. 

The last time we attended Mylee got up there first and sang as best she could and did so well, this time she was much more confident and got up there doing her thing with no problems.  I was also surprised Kiya got up and sang as easily as she did.  Normally she is one to stay back in the shadows and sing with someone rather than sing by herself.  But up she went singing Mamma Mia by ABBA, then both girls sang Girls Just Want to Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper and then they individually sang Want U Back by Cher Lloyd (a song we have been bouncing off the walls to at home. 

By the end of the night the girl were exhausted, and then the big news came...someone was sleeping at someone else's house.  Now the coordination behind this one was a little wonky but in the end my girls went to Uncle Paul and Auntie Sue's house and I got to go out and watch the hockey game with Darryl. 

Here is my babies singing their hearts out! (hope it works)

Sneaking

What an interesting morning this morning.  As I woke up I realized I could not move wedged firmly in between Mylee and Darryl in my bed; knowing I was fully capable of movement I shimmied my way down the bed to turn off the beeping and utterly annoying alarm clock.   Kiya was still snuggled into bed so I gently woke her up and went to brush my teeth.  Next thing I know Kiya is on the floor in her pajamas organizing her pip squeak Crayola markers.  So I tell her to get dressed and get upstairs to eat and brush her own teeth.  Five minutes later I had to say the exact same thing, except I clued in that she was fully intending on taking said markers to school today. 

Now it is the last day before March Break and though I love my child she tends to forget things that are important to her, so I didn't want her taking them to school and forgetting them when she will want to use them during this week.  So I tell her no again, and then no again, and then no again.

Assuming I won this little debate I went upstairs and made coffee and ate breakfast pretty proud of myself for holding my cool and maintaining calm so early in the morning.  The morning continued, pretty uneventful, and then it was time to get ready for school.  Dutifully both girls got their snow pants on and their coats and their hats etc.  And then like a bolt of lightning Kiya went downstairs and came back up again.  Now normally this is a regular occurrence but something was off today, something not quite right. 

I then said to Kiya, "you are not taking those markers to school".  And the debate continued.  I told her to plead her case and if it was good enough I would let her.  She did make some reasonably sound points but nothing overly convincing, so as a result the markers stayed home and my nine year old daughter stormed her way to school very upset that I caught her. 

Remarkably, I felt I did a good job.  If anyone had stolen them or one had gone missing she would be devastated. 

Darryl had the opposing view, let her take the markers and let her assume the responsibility.  And I do agree with this idea normally.  I was just unimpressed with the trying to sneak them out of the house. This is an extremely rare occasion as Kiya hasn't done this before, so it will be interesting to see what comes in the next coming weeks and if more attempts at sneaking will happen.  Would love to hear your thoughts too.  Would you have let her take the markers?

Disappointment

As you all know, my kids are my world, I would do anything for them and I typically do. However, I felt completely powerless and defeated when Kiya ended up in tears the other day.  All I could do is wrap her in my arms and tell her she did a good job.  I can't really tell you the story as it still has me rather seething mad.

Kiya decided to be very responsible and ask for something she wanted very badly from someone she thought loved her.  She walked up and asked, using clear, concise words and explained her position, I was very, very proud.  Unfortunately this person ignored her and proceeded to do something quite rude and though Kiya tried her best to hold her own and handle it herself, she broke down worse than I have ever seen.  Something she had been looking forward to all week crumbled right before her feet.  The mom in me wanted to react very negatively and the claws wanted to come out but it was neither the time nor the place, so I did what I could.  Snuggling her up in my arms I told her that some people are just out to hurt others and no matter what she should be proud of how she asked.  Ironically, earlier in the day she confessed something to me and I told her the diplomatic answer, which was the right thing to do, looking back she was fully justified in her opinion. 

I don't understand why people disappoint children in ways that totally break their hearts. I just hope this person can realize one day that their child might receive the same kind of treatment and how heartbroken they would be.  I guess that is why I am so protective of my children.  Kiya is over it now, but really doesn't want anything to do with these people anymore and that is sad and a lesson I hope she would never have to learn.

Catching up

Well again I have fallen behind, but there have been so many changes in my house and in my world that I am trying to adjust to everything. 

For those of you who are interested, I have become a lunch room supervisor for the TDSB and I love it.  Have had quite a few shifts already and have one stable place for now until they find someone permanent.  Seeing these kids makes my heart fill with joy.  I remember why I wanted to be a teacher in the first place, there is something in a child's laugh or smile that just takes you to that special place in your heart and makes you smile and laugh as well.  Though I must say it is a learning curve.  The lunch room is huge and the older kids are definitely make it interesting.  My goal is to learn the first table's names by March Break and then move on to the second table.  Little steps, but I think I can do it.

I have also been volunteering in 2 classrooms as of late.  I work with 5 ESL students and a room full of kindergarteners.  Each day I walk in I am greeted with happy faces and interesting stories.  I try to pronounce everyone's name right but again...learning curve, so many new phonetics and lots of longer names. I got to spend Valentine's day in the classroom and for the first time in a long time got to give out valentines.  Takes me back to when I co-oped in the grade 2 class and how everyone was just so much fun.  I still have the best wishes book they gave me and I have pulled it out and showed the girls and they read the nice things the children back then wrote to me.

So between managing the house, the kids, the husband, the never ending laundry and well just about everything I have added a ton more to my plate.  I think the me in ME is back.  My children don't need me as much as before and I can go out and be a grown up again.  I truly hope I never stop learning because I have just too much fun.