Pork Tenderloin anyone?

I have to admit, I am not a huge fan of pork (roast, chops or loin) but when I noticed that the tenderloins were on sale this week, I decided to give it another try. At $1.40 for one normal size tenderloin it was worth a shot! I scoured the web (ok just Krafts website lol) and found this recipe for Garlic Pork Tenderloin with Barbecue Sauce:







http://www.kraftcanada.com/en/Recipes/RecipeTemplate?recipe_id=87014





All in all it was very quick, easy and tasty! It needed to cook a little longer than what the recipe says so make sure you use a meat thermometer. I served it with applesauce instead of the reserved bbq sauce and my whole family enjoyed the meal. It has earned a spot in my recipe box and I will definitely be trying more recipes for tenderloin. Hopefully it comes on sale again soon!

Anyone have any recipes to share?

House of Leaves: To finish or not?

When Johnny Truant attempts to organize the many fragments of a strange manuscript by a dead blind man, it gains possession of his very soul. The manuscript is a complex commentary on a documentary film (The Navidson Record) about a house that defies all the laws of physics. Navidson's exploration of a seemingly endless, totally dark, and constantly changing labyrinth in the house becomes an examination of truth, perception, and darkness itself. The book interweaves the manuscript with over 400 footnotes to works real and imagined, thus illuminating both the text and Truant's mental disintegration. First novelist Danielewski employs avant-garde page layouts that are occasionally a bit too clever but are generally highly effective. Although it may be consigned to the "horror" genre, this novel is also a psychological thriller, a quest, a literary hoax, a dark comedy, and a work of cultural criticism. It is simultaneously a highly literary work and an absolute hoot. This powerful and extremely original novel is strongly recommended for all public and academic libraries.-Jim Dwyer, California State Univ. Lib., Chico Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc

Most of you that know me, know that I love to read. I always have a book close at hand to pick up and read when the opportunity arises. Lately I have been shaking up my reading by reading two books simultaneously (the last 2 J. Patterson books and one of my "Outlander" series books). That didn't go too badly. I think because I was in need of a change of writing style and both Patterson books were quick reads. It was really nice to get totally into a book, to not be able to put it down. That doesn't happen very often these days. Which brings me to my next point, and the whole reason for this post.

My good friend Heather (Hi! Heather! - miss ya!) and I often read books together as a way of keeping close and trying to narrow the distance gap. Reading and being able to talk about the same book makes her seem not so far away. Kinda cheesy I know, but totally true... anyways! She mentioned that she was interested in this book and that she had heard good things about it. So, I ordered it from the library and was surprised by it's size. It's almost like a textbook and that's not where the similarities end. I also only had 3 weeks in which to read the book and no chance to renew. The basic story sounded very very interesting but the writing style is awful and very difficult for me to follow. There are changes in font, lots and lots of references and footnotes, pages and pages with only one line written (not sure if that's for dramatic effect or not, I didn't make it that far).

I hate to admit this, but I am going to have to stop reading it. There are very few books that I can honestly say I did not care to finish but this was one of those books. I have read approximately 50 pages and while I am interested in the basic plot, I can't get past all the things that I mentioned above. It makes the book very very hard to read. I suppose that for some, it would seem a challenge, an obstacle to an otherwise great story, a true test of will, you get the idea. Unfortunately I think I am at a point in my life where I don't want to waste my time. I don't have a lot of free time anymore and so I want to spend what time I do have very wisely and if that means putting a book down in favor of something more enjoyable than that's a sacrifice I am willing to make.

So, I will be returning this one to the library, hanging my head in defeat, that I could not read it. At least not right now, maybe when I don't have a 3 week deadline. I guess I will return to Claire and Jamie!

Goings On...

The last week or so has seemed busy, but after looking over it, it wasn't really that bad. I guess because Bee is off I spend more time with him than writing. But don't worry! He's starts 3 more night shifts tomorrow so it's possible that I will have lots to ramble about.


This week involved family/christmas photos, visit to Santa Claus, Dinner with good friends, baking, shopping/errands and more baking! oh, and maybe a little cleaning :) I really don't want this blog to become one those "we did this... and then this" kind; so I will just share some recent pictures and call it an entry! Hope you don't mind!

We got a lot of snow and Lea had lots of fun helping me shovel it! I LOVE the colour of her new snowsuit!

Anna showing our cat "Cole" some love! Notice how they are almost the same size!

The girls waiting to see Santa!

Top 100 Books

For quite some time now, I have been looking for a top 100 books list to see how my reading compares and to also encourage me to read more true literary works (but really, who says what "true literary works are"?) In any case, I stumbled on this list and one of my goals is going to be to read all the books on this list. It may seem like a big task but I am up to it and I think that it will be a great way to read some true classics. I am not giving myself a deadline in which to do this, just that I would like to do it in my liftetime!

The books in bold are the ones that I have read:

Top 100

1.The Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown)
2.Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)
3.To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee)
4. Gone With The Wind (Margaret Mitchell)
5. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Tolkien)
6. The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien)
7. The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (Tolkien)
8. Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery) * I would like to reread
9. Outlander (Diana Gabaldon)
10.A Fine Balance (Rohinton Mistry)
11.Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Rowling)
12.Angels and Demons (Dan Brown)
13.Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling)
14. A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving)
15. Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden)
16.Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Rowling)
17. Fall on Your Knees(Ann-Marie MacDonald)
18. The Stand (Stephen King)
19. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban(Rowling)
20. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)
21. The Hobbit (Tolkien)
22. The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger)
23. Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)
24. The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)
25. Life of Pi (Yann Martel)
26. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)
27. Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte)
28. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (C. S. Lewis)
29. East of Eden (John Steinbeck)
30. Tuesdays with Morrie(Mitch Albom)
31. Dune (Frank Herbert)
32. The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks)
33. Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand)
34. 1984 (Orwell)
35. The Mists of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley)
36. The Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett)
37. The Power of One (Bryce Courtenay)
38. I Know This Much is True(Wally Lamb)
39. The Red Tent (Anita Diamant)
40. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)
41. The Clan of the Cave Bear (Jean M. Auel)
42. The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)
43. Confessions of a Shopaholic (Sophie Kinsella)
44. The Five People You Meet In Heaven (Mitch Albom)
45. Bible
46. Anna Karenina (Tolstoy)
47. The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)
48. Angela’s Ashes (Frank McCourt)
49. The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck)
50. She’s Come Undone (Wally Lamb)
51. The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver)
52. A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens)
53. Ender’s Game (Orson Scott Card)
54. Great Expectations (Dickens)
55. The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald)---Several times.
56. The Stone Angel (Margaret Laurence)
57. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Rowling)
58. The Thorn Birds (Colleen McCullough)
59. The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood)
60. The Time Traveller’s Wife (Audrew Niffenegger)
61. Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)
62. The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand)
63. War and Peace (Tolsoy)
64. Interview With The Vampire (Anne Rice)
65. Fifth Business (Robertson Davis)
66. One Hundred Years Of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
67. The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants (Ann Brashares)
68. Catch-22 (Joseph Heller)
69. Les Miserables (Hugo)
70. The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)
71. Bridget Jones’ Diary (Fielding)
72. Love in the Time of Cholera (Marquez)
73. Shogun (James Clavell)
74. The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje)
75. The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett)
76. The Summer Tree (Guy Gavriel Kay)
77. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith)
78. The World According To Garp (John Irving)
79. The Diviners (Margaret Laurence)
80. Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White)
81. Not Wanted On The Voyage (Timothy Findley)
82. Of Mice And Men (Steinbeck)
83. Rebecca (Daphne DuMaurier)
84. Wizard’s First Rule (Terry Goodkind)
85. Emma (Jane Austen)
86. Watership Down(Richard Adams)
87. Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)
88. The Stone Diaries (Carol Shields)
89. Blindness (Jose Saramago)
90. Kane and Abel (Jeffrey Archer)
91. In The Skin Of A Lion (Ondaatje)
92. Lord of the Flies (Golding)
93. The Good Earth(Pearl S. Buck)
94. The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd)
95. The Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum)
96. The Outsiders (S.E. Hinton)
97. White Oleander (Janet Fitch)
98. A Woman of Substance (Barbara Taylor Bradford)
99. The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield)
100.Ulysses (James Joyce)

Wow, I have scored an even 25/100. How did you do?

Book Review - The Lake House by James Patterson

The six children have escaped horrifying government experiments, a childhood in captivity, and a frightening brush with death. Living out in the world for the first time, they yearn to be reunited with Kit and Frannie, the couple who saved their lives. And Max, the leader of the flock, is seized by an overpowering fear that the kids are about to face a danger greater than any they've ever known.All that the children want is to return to the one place they have ever felt truly protected-the waterfront cabin known as the Lake House. But in order to get there, they must thwart the sinister plans of a survivor from their worst nightmare-plans that not only keep Kit, Frannie, and the children in constant peril, but also threaten the future of human existence. And it's a battle they must be willing to pay any price to win.THE LAKE HOUSE is the completion of James Patterson's most original and compelling story ever-a conclusion that millions of readers have awaited for years.

This was another very quick read for me (2 days again!). I was anxious to find out the answers to all my lingering questions after I had finished reading the first book and I must say that I am very dissapointed. The author did not revisit the past story at all. Basically he took the characters and created a somewhat new, and I must admit less interesting plot line. There seemed to be so much less character development and interaction in this book. If I had not read the first one, I am not sure that I would have enjoyed this one at all. It was good to put an end to the story and all, but I don't think it took two books to do that. Another quick trashy read.

It's beginning...

to look a lot like Christmas!

Yesterday morning we woke up to our first layer of snow. We had gotten a little bit of snow a few days earlier but not enough to stick around. The weather forecast was saying 15-20cm (6-8 inches) of snow was going to fall overnight. I haven't actually measured how much snow we got, but it's quite a lot!



Last year we didn't get much snow, I remember wondering if I was going to experience my first ever "green christmas", but I also remember not being too upset about the lack of the slippery white stuff. Considering I was 9 months pregnant, it's easy to see why! I think we might be in for a lot more snow this year. I guess it's soon time to break out the sled!

We got our family Christmas photos done yesterday, and I must say, it went a lot better than I had expected. We managed to get a couple of good shots that I am sure you will all see in a few weeks ;) I had to remind myself over and over that we were not going to get the PERFECT shot, that realistically with 2 kids under 2, the odds of getting a photo where both girls are looking and smiling at the camera are pretty much equal to me winning the lottery. Once I had that in mind, it was a lot easier! Kids have a way of making us think more realistically lol...

I would like to wish all my American friends, a very wonderful Thanksgiving! I am so jealous that you are eating turkey with all the trimmings! Seems like ours was months ago, wait! it was! lol... Enjoy and be Thankful!

Clementines - Christmas is just around the corner!

I know that Christmas is just around the corner when I see these little orange balls of sunshine in the produce section! Ever since I was little I can remember eating zipperskins (what we call them in my family!) up to and through Christmas. In fact, the toe of my stocking always held one or two and that was my breakfast before heading downstairs to check out the presents!

I am so happy to be able to continue the tradition and so far my girls seem to love these oranges! Lea has been eating 4 more more a day (not all at once of course!) and Anna likes them too.

Another sign that Christmas is just around the corner:

That's right! Our lights are up! We won't turn them on unitl the 1st of December.

I have started making a mental list of all the Christmas-related things that I need to do: update Christmas card list, have portraits done (appt is booked!), shopping (i've started), baking (in the planning stages!), i'm sure there will be lots more to add to the list in the next few weeks. For right now those are the things on my mind. Just thought I would share lol...

Ummm gross?

Lea has another cold. She coughed all night long. I am all for independence and learning to do things on your own and whatnot... Her new skill is to blow her own nose which I think is great (except that she's not very good yet!)

I must say though that I draw the line at her using my clean dishcloths to blow her nose???? Ewwww. Gross. Guess who's washing towels today (on HOT water setting)!

Book Review - When the Wind Blows by James Patterson

Frannie O'Neill is a young and talented veterinarian living in Colorado. Plagued by the mysterious murder of her husband, David, a local doctor, Frannie throws herself into her work. It is not long before another bizarre murder occurs and Kit Harrison, a troubled and unconventional FBI agent, arrives on her doorstep. Late one night, near the woods of her animal hospital, Frannie stumbles upon a strange, astonishing phenomenon that will change the course of her life forever....Her name is Max.With breathtaking energy, eleven-year-old Max leads Frannie and Kit to uncover one of the most diabolical and inhuman plots of modern science. When the Wind Blows is as unique a story as has ever been told, filled with suspense and passion.


This was the first James Patterson novel that I have read. I enjoyed the storyline and found it to be a very quick read (ie. 2 days). It was so nice to deviate from the Outlander series for a little while and read something somewhat trashy. The story was definitely interesting and had me wondering what was going on for the duration of the book. My love of all things macabre was very intrigued and I was more than a little disturbed at some of the descriptions. One of the down sides of this book is that it was very poorly written and nothing has really been explained. I hope the sequel will clear up some of the questions I have.

I would definitely recommend this book if you are into genetic engineering/biotech/sci fi type stuff. It was not so much murder mystery which seems to be more his style? (based on other reviews that I have read) It was enjoyable and I am looking forward to reading more works by this author.

Do you know the muffin man...

CARROT PINEAPPLE MUFFINS

1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. flour
1 c. grated carrot
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
2/3 c. oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. drained crushed pineapple


Beat eggs and sugar. Add remaining ingredients and beat well. Fill greased muffin tins 3/4 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Yield 12.

-------------------------------------------------------------

I found this recipe online and have made these muffins twice so far. The first time I made only 6 muffins and I don't think they lasted 2 days! The kids love them and I think they are a great way to sneak in some fruits and veggies. I love making muffins because they are relatively easy, use only one bowl (most of the time!) and smell delicious when done. I like to think of them as a healthy treat but the reality is that some are as calorie laden as cupcakes!

I am planning to play with the recipe a bit to try to lower the fat and sugar content so feel free to make any suggestions. This time I cut the sugar to 3/4 cup and we'll see how they turn out. I also plan to try replacing some of the oil with applesauce. I am sure you could also add raisins, nuts or even coconut and use whole wheat flour. It's a great basic muffin recipe! If you have any advice on ways to alter the recipe, please feel free to share!

What's really odd if that every time I make a recipe, I never seem to get 12 muffins! I guess I overfill my cups.

Video - Anna

I decided that on top of all the pictures of Anna, a video is even better! So, here she is gracefully going down the stair into our living room :) Enjoy!

You can tell Lea is way too used to being in front of the camera lol... I don't even need to prompt her to say cheese!

All About Anna!

I have noticed that the majority of my posts have to do with Lea. So, I have decided to dedicate today's post to my other little girl, Anna banana :)

She is so wonderful to be around (when she's not teething, and even then really...) and brings so much joy to our lives. I really can't remember what life was like before she came to be with us. She is always smiling, laughing and just generally all round happy. She LOVES to eat. She is on strictly solids now and doesn't want anything to do with jarred food (hallelujah!). Her fave pastimes include terrorizing her sister, pushing chairs around the dining room floor, playing with the blocks and shape sorter (I noticed her just yesterday putting blocks into the bin. A new feat for her!) She loves books, and if her sister is reading them, she wants them even more! Actually, she wants whatever Lea has lol... I see lots of squabbles in my future! She really loves music and plays with her music table a lot and enjoys dancing to the Wiggles as well.


She doesn't seem in any hurry to walk which I think is quite interesting. I think that she is fully capable but chooses not to. She enjoys scaling my leg instead, usually when i'm rushing around the kitchen trying to make dinner!



Here are some recent pictures of her for your enjoyment!

Playhouse Fun

For Lea's second birthday we bought her a doll house. It came with lots of furniture and a family of people. She has played with this house on an almost daily basis and it never ceases to amaze me the "domestic" things that she has learned. The mommy is often found cooking in the kitchen, the baby in the bath or the stroller and the dad sleeping.


In my house, we try to sit down at the table and have our meals together. It's not always an easy task and i'm sure it will get much harder as the girls get older, but I just had to share this scene from this morning. Lea asked for some Cheerios after I had given some to Anna, and Bee found this scene on our coffee table:


It's neat that the Mommy and Daddy are sitting side by side and they have Cheerios on their plates! Too cute!

So you can sing it too!

Please, join me in my misery :)

Toddler Communication - A fine Art

It is so amazing that I can now have conversations with my 2 year old. She can tell me what the wants for breakfast and snack and clearly makes her needs known. She is now stringing 4 words together and I am assuming is well on her way to forming sentences. What a long way she has come from that little tiny infant. Every day she is comging out with words that I didn't even know she knew. Just this morning she said "Lea sneeze need Kleenex" and she then proceeded to blow her nose all by herself. Who is this big girl? and what did she do with my baby?


One of the most amazing conversations we had was regarding her diaper. She finds them all to be "too tight" (her words) so we bought her a bigger size and different brand (Huggies size 5 since you all wanted to know!) Now we explained to her that these were new diapers, that they were bigger and not as tight; hoping that the 10 mins of whining "too tight" would cease. For the most part it has worked. But, when I changed her the other day she told me "newones not tight 'member?" And I was totally floored. I'm not sure if she really understands the concept of "remember" but it was quite amazing to hear it come out of her mouth.


They say that toddlers are sponges, and I can say that at this point, that is absolutely true. Now I just wish she would slow down a little!

There is something very odd about the angle at which this photo was taken, but the result always makes me smile! Hopefully it will for you as well :)

Smart Meters

According to Ottawa Hydro:


A Smart Meter monitors and records how much electricity you use and when you use it. It then communicates this data wirelessly to a central computer. When time-of-use (TOU) prices come into effect, they will vary depending on the time of day, the day of the week, and the month of the year (summer or winter).

This technology will provide customers with the information they need to make choices about how and when they use electricity.


Smart meters:

- Look like standard digital meters and fit into a standard meter base (modifications are not necessary for most installations);

-Measure and store electricity consumption data over short time periods, usually an hour;

-Communicate electricity consumption data automatically to a central computer, usually by radio frequency or power line communications; and

-Do not automate any customer equipment or electricity usage patterns.

Smart Meters will not automatically result in energy savings. Smart Meters will allow customers to view their hourly electricity consumption profile and will help them identify periods where they may wish to consider shifting usage to manage their electricity costs.

https://www.hydroottawa.com/smartmeter/index.cfm?lang=e&template_id=356

These "smart meters" are the province's way of getting us to become more energy conscious and to create a "conservation culture". On the whole I think the idea of being able to see your energy usage on an hourly basis is a really neat idea. And I think there are really great, easy, inexpensive ways to conserve energy (using compact fluorescent bulbs, covering windows with plastic, turning the ac up or the heat down) but I am not 100% sold on the idea of charging for energy usage based on On-Peak, Mid-peak and Off-Peak hours.

I realize that there are way too many customers involved to consider everyones situation but for me, as a stay at home mom, I am going to find it very difficult to do most of my chores (dishwasher, laundry etc) before 6 am or after 10pm. Does this mean that I will be hit hardest? I suppose I can try to avoid doing it during the On-Peak hours (11am-5pm). I think what frustrates me the most is being told when to do things. I know that it's a choice and that I can choose not to follow their suggestions but in an effort to save money (and thus electricity) I will try to follow their guidelines, but I am not happy about it! There are certain things; like turning down the heat that I cannot do as aggressively as others because of the girls so I guess it's important to cut back in other areas.

I will continue my energy saving ways (using the delay start option on the dishwasher to run it at night) and will try to keep the time in mind when doing other chores like laundry. (You know, it would be nice if washers and dryers were made with time delay options as well).

I suppose I will have to wait and see what happens when the program is actually put in place. They are aiming to have the whole province switched over by 2010 so I have some time to get used to the idea!

What is your opinion on the matter? Please share!

De-Cluttering

I have decided that it is time to de-clutter my house. I have a long winter ahead of me so I am hoping to finish this project by next Spring. I know it seems like a really long time, but I have a lot of work to do! For example, there are still unpacked boxes from when we moved in , 3 years ago. I know, I know, I should just throw them out since there can't be anything too important in them, but I just can't bring myself to do it!

The challenge that I am facing is that I like to receive clothes for the girls. I have found that for the most part it is in good condition and saves me quite a lot of money. The problem is that I have boxes upon boxes of clothes, in various sizes and for all different seasons. So, my first step is to go through the clothes and sort it all. My first task has been to go through the clothes that were given to me and keep what I want and give away the rest. I already have 3 bags (ok, 1 is Bees and my old clothes!) ready to go to the Canadian Diabetes Association (they come pick it up at my door! Score!) and the rest I have boxed up. In all honesty, I have never cleaned Leas closet or her change table and she is now 2 years old.

*hangs head in shame*

But, I am doing something about it now and that's all that counts! So Lea's closet and change table are all clean and ready for some shelving so that I can put out more clothes. Her dresser only has 3 drawers and it has gotten too small. Now the challenge is that most of the clothes in Leas closet are going to go to Anna, but her closet is full too! LOL!!!!

One thing at a time right? I'll be sure to keep you posted on my progress! Hopefully that will motivate me to keep working at it!

BTW: Does anyone have any ideas of things to do with old bumper pads? Lea got a great set that matches her bedding but it's barely used and I hate to just throw it out???

Margarine - The Forgotten Necessity

We have been out of margarine for the last few days. Sounds so odd to say since I never run out of anything! (hey, it's true i'm organized). Bee even went to the grocery store for margarine and other items and came home with lots of yummy food but no margarine (oops!) We have since been trying to make do (once again because of Anna's teething, makes it hard to get out and we keep forgetting doh!)

So, the last few mornings Lea's been asking for Cinnamon Raisin Toast, her new favorite breakfast and of course, I have to say no, because (you guessed it!) we have no margarine. So she's been making do with cereal, waffles, muffins and pancakes (poor deprvied child!) but last night, after a long day of dealing with crusty kids, we decided to have Kraft Dinner (mac and cheese to my American friends!). Bee had the pot boiling on the stove and I was ecstatic about not having to cook (and also trying to figure out how to sneak in some veggies!) when it suddenly occurs to me that we HAVE NO MARGARINE. So, what did we do you ask? Did we rush out to the store to buy margarine? Well no, we took it as a sign and decided to get McDonalds instead. Because it's much easier to go through the drive thru then go into a store!

Needless to say, on today's agenda is a trip to the store to get, yup, you guessed it, margarine!!!

*ETA - I wrote this a few days ago and yes, I did make it to the store for margarine and Lea happily had Cinnamon Raisin Toast :)

Sleep, blissful sleep.

Sleep. Such a common subject of conversation among parents of small kids! Sleep is really like an Oasis when your a parent, some days it's there and the next, it's gone. Without any notice, luggage or hint that it's going to leave. But when it comes back, that is a wonderful, wonderful thing. I would buy it chocolates, flowers and bake it cookies if I could!

As you all now know, Anna has been teething pretty hard for the last week or so. This has included very short naps during the day (less than an hour) and frequent waking up at night. At least twice and not just for a bottle and back to bed. She wants to PLAY!!!. This has made for a very tired family. Except Lea, she sleeps through the whole thing!

Yesterday, Anna took two, long naps during the day (I had to wake her up for dinner) and I managed to get Lea to take a nap in her bed, where she stayed for a wonderful 2 hours. That night, as Bee played with Anna I promptly fell asleep on the couch. It was 9:00pm and my youngest child was still awake. How embarassing! Bee nudged me to go to bed after he had put Anna down for the night and I somehow made my way from the living room sofa to my piece of heaven that is my bed. I slept all night. Let me repeat, I slept ALL NIGHT. I did not wake up once, I did not hear Anna once, I did not hear Bee's alarm or him getting ready to go to work this morning. It was WONDERFUL.

Of course I had to email Bee to find out if I had just slept through everything or if it was at all possible that Anna slept through the night and he confirmed that he also got a full night of uninterrupted sleep!

Let's shout out an "ENCORE" and hope to get a repeat perfomance tonight!

No, Not Twins

I knew it would happen someday. Since they are so close in age and often wear the same colours (pink!) but today the lady at the Deli counter of my neighbourhood grocery store asked me if the girls were twins. Now, this is something I have been expecting BUT I didn't think it would happen until Anna was at least walking and they were close in size. To give the lady the benefit of the doubt, they were both sitting in the stroller and had hats on but really, twins????



Do these two look like twins to you?

Why is it?

That whenever I take a toy out for Anna to play with Lea ends up taking it over? Lea has a roomfull of appropriate toddler toys but when she sees the baby toys come out for Anna she's all over them! Case in point, this play mat. It has been folded up in the corner forever and today Anna was trying to get to it so I pulled it out for HER. Within seconds Lea has taken it as her own!

Note the sopping droolly wetness of Annas shirt, and Leas taking ownership of the play mat!

"Look Mom, The Wiggles, AGAIN!"

"We're playing nicely I swear" *bats eyes*

Ok, enough of that, I am off to change Anna's shirt.

Like Mother Like Daughter

They have Wiggled their way into our home!

I always knew that having children would mean making some sacrifices. Animated movies, playing with kids toys, reading kids books etc... but I draw the line at these guys! Lea has fallen in LOVE with the Wiggles. It's not even 8:30 am and she's already asked for their dvd. Of course in the hopes of a few minutes of peace I acquiesced. Is it just me or is is a little odd that 4, relatively normal, possibly straight guys have created this empire built on entertaining little kids? I mean Sharon and Lois had Bram but this is different...

Of course the problem is that their songs are way too darn catchy and the dance moves are so simple even a 2 year old (mine included!) can follow along. But, it's really annoying when your husband walks around all day singing:

Fruit Salad,Yummy Yummy

Fruit Salad,Yummy Yummy

Fruit Salad,Yummy Yummy

Yummy Yummy Yummy

Yummy Fruit Salad!

The only part we know (so far!) is the chorus and even Lea will now complete the sentence chiming in with "yummy yummy" when she hears either one of us sing "fruit salad'. Don't get me wrong, it really is sweet to see!

OMG, I just noticed that I can download Wiggles Ring tunes for my cell phone. How cool would I be standing in line for my Timmy's coffee only to hear my pocket emit the melodious sounds of the Wiggles? Not very I guess... I might as well walk around wearing a t-shirt that says I have kids and drive a minivan (oh wait, I already do!)

So, the moral of the story, the Wiggles are like crack for kids (at least mine) and if you don't ever want to be caught quietly singing the words to "Toot Toot Chugga Chugga Big Red Car" while out in public do NOT let them into your home!

PS: The Wiggles have really been a godsend with Annas recent teething woes. It seems to keep both girls entertained at least for a little while and it gets us up and dancing too! Wouldn't you love to see that!

Teething Bites

Anna is right in the middle of what we assume is teething. Who knew that growing teeth could be such an ordeal! Now, I have very easygoing children but I have been told that teething affects all kids differently and I must say that mine really struggled with it, especially the first tooth. It probably doesn't help that she is almost 11 months old and can most likely feel pain and know what it is, unlike infants or younger babies.

What I can't seem to grasp is how something mouth related can cause so many other body problems. I mean night wakefulness I get, drooling, earache I get, but what I don't get is diaper rash, runny nose and loose stools???? I am sure that it's all part of the process but the fact of the matter remains that my daughter is miserable and there isn't anything I can do to help her (Or so it seems). We have tried Tylenlol, Gripe Water, Advil, Camilia (homeopathic teething aids) and nothing really seems to work. She hardly wants to eat, or drink and doesn't want to be held but don't even think of putting her down on the floor by herself. She will let you know how she feels about that!

I think the night waking, coupled with taking care of a busy toddler has made for a very tired Mom. I want my happy, smiley, non wet and drooly, sleep through the night, baby back :(

This Photo is brought to you by Lea! How did I guess? By the finger over the flash of course!

Never a dull moment!

Life with toddlers is always good for a laugh. You never know what they are going to do next! Today, while Bee was cleaning out the fridge (Anna grabbed/dumped the milk container) Lea decided to do some refrigerator rearranging!

She took almost everything off the door...

And made it into a neat little pile on the floor!

A bit about me and us...

So, readers. I guess you would like to know a little about me huh! Right now I am a stay at home mom to my two wonderful daughters Lea (2 years) and Anna (10 months). Most of my time is spent taking care of them and keeping them busy. When I am "off duty" I enjoy spending time with friends in real life and online as well as reading and watching tv. You will most likely hear me rant about my husband "Bee" quite a bit since he's a shift worker and that drives me batty sometimes!

What else would you like to know? Feel free to ask away!


October had been a busy month for us. It was filled with lots of fun activities! We went to the Pumpkin Patch with some friends and the girls had a great time!

Anna in the leaves by a Tree

Lea on some Pumpkins

A couple of days before Halloween we took a walk through the Mer Bleue Bog and saw lots of amazing things! We got to feed the birds right from our hands, we saw a snake and lots of pretty leaves!

Peek-A-Boo!

Anna the tree hugger!

Lea feeding a bird

We also went trick or treating for the first time with the girls, Lea had a ton of fun, but Anna is still a little too young (you know, not being able to walk and all...)

Lea the fairie and Anna the lamb. Aren't they cute!

Mad Props!

I would like to just take this opportunity to thank all my fans. Oh wait, sorry that's my Academy Award Acceptance Speech!

Seriously though, I would like to send out a huge Thank You! To my Awesome friend Heather for all her help in getting this blog up and running!

And Heather, I promise to not be too much trouble but I may need some help from time to time! (Hopefully NOT on a daily basis!)

Luv ya!

Parent - Job Description

PARENT - Job Description

This is hysterical. If it had been presented this way, I don't believe any of us would have done it!!!!

POSITION :

Mom, Mommy, Mama, Ma
Dad, Daddy, Dada, Pa, Pop

JOB DESCRIPTION :

Long term, team players needed, for challenging, permanent work in an often chaotic environment.
Candidates must possess excellent communication
and organizational skills and be willing to work
variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends
and frequent 24 hour shifts on call.
Some overnight travel required, including trips to
primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities!
Travel expenses not reimbursed.
Extensive courier duties also required.

RESPONSIBILITIES :

The rest of your life.
Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily,
until someone needs $5.
Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly.
Also, must possess the physical stamina of a
pack mule
and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat
in case, this time, the screams from
the backyard are not someone just crying wolf.
Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges,
such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets
and stuck zippers.
Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and
coordinate production of multiple homework projects.
Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings
for clients of all ages and mental outlooks.
Must b e willing to be indispensable one minute,
an embarrassment the next.
Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a
half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices.
Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst.
Must assume final, complete accountability for
the quality of the end product.
Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and
janitorial work throughout the facility.

POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT & PROMOTION :

None.
Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills,
so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE :

None required unfortunately.
On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.

WAGES AND COMPENSATION :

Get this! You pay them!
Offering frequent raises and bonuses.
A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because
of the assumption that college will help them
become financially independent.
When you die, you give them whatever is left.
The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that
you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.

BENEFITS :

While no health or dental insurance, no pension,
no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and
no stock options are offered;
this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth, unconditional love,
and free hugs and kisses for life if you play your cards right.


Forward this on to all the PARENTS you know, in appreciation for everything they do on a daily basis,
letting them know they are appreciated
for the fabulous job they do...
or forward with love
to anyone thinking of applying for the job.
** AND A FOOTNOTE “THERE IS NO RETIREMENT -- EVER!!! **