Friday Fragments - Post of the week

...because this is the only post I've been able to eke out.

Check out my girlfriend's place for Friday Fragging( Mrs. 4444)

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For those of you who are curious, this is the song that I got my last blog title from:



Pretty cool video, eh? Jacob Hoggard, was my fave to win Canadian Idol Season 2 - he came in third, but I'd say he did okay. I don't even remember who won that year.

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We've spent the whole week sniffling, recovering from a cold that we suspect was passed to us by a 3 year old cute-as-pie passenger on my trip to Montreal last weekend. My niece, who hasn't yet learned to cover her mouth when she sneezes. No matter, it was a great weekend of family. And I love weddings. More on that in a less fragmented post.

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Have I mentioned that I joined a book club? I may have, but I don't remember. I'm really feeling the mid-40s milestone - hitting me especially since when I took a closer look at my hair the other day I noticed that I had all sorts of white underneath. That's the pain of black hair - the grays and white are just so difficult to hide. Well, except from the person who's in major denial and probably needs a vision test that will likely end up resulting in * gulp* bifocals.

Back to the book club. I just finished reading "The Book of Negroes" - I believe it's called "Someone Knows My Name" outside of Canada. It wasn't chosen for my next club, but since I've joined, my passion for reading has been ignited and I'd been looking at this for a while. (a side note: the author, Lawrence Hill, comes from fairly famous Canadian heritage, and is the brother of Dan "Sometimes When We Touch" Hill. Just thought I'd mention it as I have a thing for trivial information.)

When I was a child, I used to read under the bedcovers until late in the night. Hiding.

Now I'll stay up well past midnight, and then sneak into the bathroom to catch a few minutes here and there.

Still hiding. Some things never change.

But it was well worth it. What an epic read. Loved it.

Next, "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo".

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Nothing majorly up for the weekend, and that suits me just fine.

Wishing you a great one.
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Friday Fragments -I'm not perfect, but I keep trying

Check out my girlfriend's place for Friday Fragging( Mrs. 4444)

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I always struggle a bit with the title of my posts. I remember when I was intensely into the blog world, thinking about things like SEO, tag lines that would attract readers, etc. Nowadays, I usually just pick something out of my virtual hat.

The title of this one came right from the radio, at the tail end of a song that I've usually tuned out because it's been so over played. It struck me as perfect for this morning. Can you tell which song it was?

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We got up early yesterday morning to rush off to Cross Country practice. The boy was visibly a bit slower than usual - after all, he's never before played almost two straight hours of soccer at the intensity of the previous evening. I asked how he felt.

"Great, Mom. That was so much fun. But I think I should pass on the cross-country this year. I want to focus on the soccer, and save up for tonight. I don't want to be too hard on my body. I'll try out for cross country next year, if I don't make it into rep. "

And off he scampered, to log on to Xbox Live to chat with his overseas best friend.

Hmmmm, I suspect the Xbox had something to do with it. But I think 4 hours of soccer over two days is enough physical activity to balance that. I breathed a bit of a sigh of relief. I could do the shuttling, but it's great that he's taking charge of his own schedule and making his own, logical, decisions.

I am so proud of him for his dedication and ambition to make this soccer thing work. He's been finishing his homework at the after school program, making sure I sign his agenda, keeping me apprised of what's going on and then eating, getting himself ready with his soccer gear, even helping me get his sister ready in between. If he makes it on the team, the excitement will carry us into the crazy schedule.

You must be feeling the glow from me beaming through your screen.

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What kind of commenter are you? Because of time constraints, even if I get to most of my fave blogs, I either don't get a chance to comment at all, likely because I have nothing cheeky or clever to say. And I think "great post" is somewhat lame. For me anyway.

Or I'll write comments of epic proportions. Crazy, eh?

I wonder how I had the discipline to work from home, when I was blogging with greater intensity. Oh yeah, I didn't really - explains why I was often working into the wee hours of the night. I suspect that a lot of bloggers blog while at work. I've made a decision not to do that, even during my lunch break. Just my own rule - not judging, or anything. It'd be easy enough to do as I have an actual door (yeah, big thing... I had an office for years, then went to open concept, which was tough after having a real door... so when I took this job it was imperative that I got my door back. How Les Nessman of me. Speaking of which, didn't you just love WKRP?
Oh wait, you're too young to remember.)

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I must, must, just say: Jon Hamm.

He was in town for the TIFF. Sigh and double sigh.

Hey, I still love my husband. But this guy, he's even Jon Stewart's "free pass".

So, I can be forgiven for just looking.

Come to think of it, I think I love Jon Stewart too.

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We're going to a family wedding tomorrow. My family on my father's side.

This will be the first time that we'll be together with our family, our larger extended family, since my Dad's funeral.

Weddings and funerals. Family time.

Wish me luck. I think it might be a bit of an emotional weekend.

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Thank goodness I'll be seeing my husband again tonight.

Yeah, he's been away all week playing "surfer dude" at a work event down in San Diego (remember the Bruno wig... yeah, I'll let you imagine that in your mind...)

And I can't wait. Boy do I miss him.

I just sat down and I can't get up

When packing up his school bag this morning, the boy took out a piece of paper ..

Boy: "Hey, Mom. I need you to sign this permission sheet. I should bring it back today."

Me: "Oh, what's it for?"

Boy: "It's for the cross-country team. I'm going to have to be at school every morning at 8 AM on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Starts tomorrow. It's gonna be great!"

Me: "Uhhhhhmmm, o-kay. You do know that we're going to the rep soccer practice tonight, right?"

Boy: "Oh yeah. But that's at night, so I can so do this in the morning."

Me: "I guess we'll just have to get you to school and then I can bring G back and wait with her for the schoolbus at the regular time then ..." (by the time I get to the school and back the bus should be just about coming by to get her ...I'm so logical, it astounds me).

Boy: "Yeah!!!!" Enthusiastic? An understatement.

It was 8:30 AM. I was already tired.

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So here I am, almost 11 PM. I've got this meme-ish thing in mind, as for some reason I thought it was Thursday. It seems like it's been 48 hours since this morning. These are 13 things that I did today - after work.

1. Took the boy to the orthodontist. He got his braces off today - yay!!! Now he just needs a retainer to keep everything in place until his eye teeth grow in say in about 2 years... and the payments will keep on paying until the bigger payments start again.

2. Shopped for an outfit for the boy for the family wedding we're going to on the weekend. Three shops, in half an hour, in heels that were killing me.

3. Dealt with the girlie wanting to buy mittens to add to her mitten collection at home. Couldn't find a tissue for the tears when I said no.

4. Bought a wedding card.

5. Dealt with the girlie wanting to buy a stuffed animal in the card store. Still couldn't find a tissue.

6. Picked the boy up again after his appointment and brought him to all the stores again to try things on. Waited in a super long line at the Gap because it was 40% off day.

7. Got the kids home, popped a quiche in the oven.

8. Made sure the boy finished his homework while I unloaded all the lunch bags. Tried to get them to eat quickly so we wouldn't be too late for soccer practice.

9. Packed the girl's dinner as she wasn't hungry. Packed dessert and water for the kids as I hurried the boy to get in his soccer uniform. Packed the chairs into the minivan, and my computer for work to complete the memo I'd started earlier in the day.

10. Drove to soccer practice, set up the chairs, the DVD player, and patted myself on the back that I'd remembered to grab jackets for myself and the girlie.

11. Watched the boy play for 1.5 hours, at a level that I'd never seen him play before. Watched the girlie play with another little girl at the playround, didn't notice her fall and clip her chin on the balance beam, looked at the girlie in surprise that she DIDN'T cry over something that would be totally bruised. Fought with the mosquitoes hovering around my head.

So did NOT get to the work memo.

12. Drove home with the kids, and en route picked up my Pampered chef order from my girlfriend's.

13. (and then some). Ran a bath for the boy, got the girlie cleaned up, warmed up the boy's second dinner, let him watch the rest of America's Got Talent; vacuumed because the dust bunnies finally got the best of me, did the dishes, made the kids' lunches for tomorrow, got them into bed...

And now for the rest of the evening, I have to finish that memo and e:mail it to my group in preparation for a meeting with my boss tomorrow.

Please tell me you're as exhausted as I am. It would make me feel just a tad better.

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There is a colossal bottle of wine sitting in my fridge, and I am so tempted to drink it. After all, it goes so well with sandwich crust, doesn't it? Yes, I admit, I am a human garburator much like my Mom was when I was little. The kids don't eat crust and technically neither did I. Until I became a Mom.

Unfortunately there is still work to do. Alcohol will not help at this late hour.

Despite all my complaining, whining, bitching about how tired I am...I know that my Mom did all this and more for me when I was a kid. So many lessons, so little time ... but I was enriched. I look back at my childhood and I used to think that I missed out on so much, not having enough free play time, being so scheduled. But now as a Mom, I appreciate it. A lot.

Seeing the look on the boy's face after practice, hearing him shout for me to ask if it was okay to go to practice again tomorrow night... yes, he wants to do it again...reminded me that this was what I had signed up for.

When we decided to have a family, it was always our intent to let our kids try anything they wanted to (that was legal and within reason, of course). And now that they're asking, yearning to learn and to try new things, we've got to do it. Because despite all of the "what about me" that strikes me every so often, I have to remind myself that, this, this IS what I wanted. This is what We wanted. IT IS all about the kids.

They will only be kids for so long. And as exhausting as it can be and believe you me, it is ( because I really am getting too old for this) ... this is the time to cherish it, the newness of experiences, the thrill of sport, the fun through their eyes. I know this is just the tip of the iceberg, that more fun awaits us as they get older, and each become their own person. But honestly, they're a sure-fire investment.

For I also know that in 20, maybe 30 years from now, they too, will appreciate it.

And the ROI will be just awesome.

Friday Fragments - I need a Bruno Wig#

Check out my girlfriend's place for Friday Fragging( Mrs. 4444)

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"If you've ever wondered whether you made a difference in someone's life, consider this as one time that you have".

Wow. I guess things are going pretty well for me at work. And I am so humbled.

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As I was driving out of the parking garage last night, I spotted a fellow walking to his car. There was something in his gait, his profile, the way he wore his hair, that was so familiar. He looked a lot like a good friend of mine from highschool and university, who I hadn't seen in over 10 years. Curiosity got the better of me, so I slowed down my oh-so-sexy minivan and with a smile on my face, peered at him as he turned to face me (he must have felt my eyes drilling into the back of his head) ... and of course it was SO NOT him!!!!

Gahhh!!!

So I put the pedal to the metal and I shot out of the garage like a bat out of hell.

Wonderful. Now he thinks he's got this old lady Asian cougar who will stalk him every night.

Yay me.

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My boy announced last week that he wants to try out for competitive soccer. Which is actually great news - I mean, at this point, if he shows a passion or enthusiasm for anything, I should be thrilled right?

Looking at the schedule though, we've found out that the time commitment is incredible. We're talking a minimum two to three 2 hour practices a week, plus 2 league games a week. FIVE days a week? When would he do homework? When would the girlie have time for her activities? When would we have a life?

I want to encourage him, and certainly the man does too, but with hubs' work and travel schedule, and with me working full time and likely traveling to Europe four times a year, how can we deal? Or more likely, how will I deal - because this will fall on me. That's the way it is, that's the reality.

I'm the one close to home.

I'm the one who does the scheduling, the pickups, the schlepping...and I'm freakin' out a bit at the prospect.

If I were a SAHM of course, this would be a non-issue.

Shit.

I'm such a selfish thing.

We can't discourage him, though. I guess we'll have to see how he does, and take it from there.

If he's good and he loves it, we will manage.

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How was the first week of school for everyone? For my Grade 1 (full-time school-ager now, don'tcha know) girlie, the first day was "awesome". Her teacher is young, pretty and nice. You don't need much more criteria than that! The Grade 5-er was thrilled that he's got his best pals (well, with the exception of a best bud that moved to Switzerland now) in his class. And his teacher does not believe in full class punishment if one or two bad apples spoil things. Which was a huge deal for him last year (and something I was actually pretty pissed about myself, but never got around to raising with that teacher before the year ended-- my bad ...)

So far, so good.

For Mom, well, there's the adjustment of having to make double the number of lunches and snacks. But at least both sandwiches were gobbled up every day.

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I've been wanting to get to the Gap for weeks now, ever since I noticed the line of "perfect black pants" that hit the magazine stands in August. And since I'd bought up pretty much every major fashion magazine in August, I was totally suckered in by the advertising.

Today I managed to get there, while I was having my car emission-tested.

And lo and behold, they were on sale for $25 off!!!!

Even better, I took sizes 4 and 6 into the change room with me, thinking that this was, well, wishful thinking.

Can you believe that I was swimming in the size 4?

What up with that???

The sales girl walked by and said, "Oh boy, those are way big for you. You need to go down a size. What do you have there, a 4? I'll pick you up a 2..."

And off she went.

A TWO???? The last time I was a two, I think I was 12 years old.

Something is definitely up with the sizing these days.

But who the hell cares.

I'm a frickin' size TWO!

I love the GAP.

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Hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

#PS. I know the title of this post is totally nonsensical, but yeah, the hubs bought one for some reason, and it would likely serve me well now with my underground parking situation and all...

Last Blast of SAHMness

My brilliant blog pal Mrs. 4444, has come up with another treasure -



An opportunity to post a favourite post from the previous week? Rather difficult for me as my track record these days is barely one post a week. Please bear with me then, as I dust off my archives for what was on my mind a year ago this weekend.

This is a combination post, and it's a wonderful reminder of the power of the blog. For those new here, I contemplated a major life shift this time last year- moving from SAHM to full time career woman after being at home for almost 5 years. And I made that leap, armed with the confidence of my family - and that of my online family. The support that I received on this blog, the comments and encouragement, helped make my decision that much easier.

I am now at a really good place. It hasn't been easy - far from it - I think I've faced a couple of the biggest challenges of my career ever, all while balancing life at home with two active kids and a husband with a busy career of his own. But the fact that I can sit here and say, "Yeah, it was absolutely the right decision" is an EXCELLENT thing.

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Ready or Not:(originally posted Sep. 2/09)



It's happening. It's really happening.

But somehow I knew, even back when I first got the phone call and my interest was tweaked.

Despite all the hee-ing, haw-ing, the self-doubt, the tears about whether it was time, I knew if I went in for the interview, I would get it.

And I did.

In a few short weeks, I will wake up from my almost 5 year "nap" (um, yeah, right...) and step into my new reality.

As the kids bug me about when their next playdate is, about the excitement of seeing their friends again, about getting on with their lives, I KNOW that they are more than ready.

Me? I'm scared. I'm terrified.

But mostly, I'm excited.

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Friday Fragment (originally posted Sep. 4/09)

I took the kids to see "Bedtime Stories" again, but this time in the open air at our nearby soccer field.

It was the last of a series that ran in our community for the first time this summer. We met up with good friends, set up our lawn chairs, got out the popcorn, and enjoyed the film under the bright moonlight. It was fun to see the kids chattering way, little G giggling with her BFF, while stuffing her face full of popcorn. The boy intensely playing with his DS, but at least interactively with his friend (and BFF's big brother), cracking up at the game and at the movie every so often.

As the evening cooled down, and the girlie started to get tired, she climbed up on my lap for a snuggle. At first I was hit by a tinge of sadness. After all, I'm not anything if not melancholy.

This would be the last carefree summer with the kids. No more hanging out, at friends' pools, popping over for impromptu coffees with other moms in the neighbourhood, shuffling the kids off to the library for programs or just to catch a few moments with the magazines and books. At least not during the day. Oh I know, your heart bleeds. But it has been a very special time for our family.

Nothing lasts forever. Then I realized that it's not entirely true. The sadness faded away and was replaced by the loving cuddle of a little girl who was nestling her tired sweet face into the warmth of her mother's embrace. Her mother embracing the Now.

This, this is what I cherish, this love that I have for my kids, my husband, my family.

And this love, it ain't ever going away.

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Enjoy the last blast of summer.