Accidently on purpose…….

Things seem to be going well these days….

~School is going good for BOTH kids…..Ariana has more homework and things seem to be a little tougher for her this year, but that’s ok, she needs the challenge….Owen is really loving school (after the first few days of tears), but everyone can definitely tell that he is still 3, not quite as mature as the rest of the class.

~Owen started swimming lessons last Sat. and did very well….he went with the group with no problems, paid attention to the lifeguard, did all of the activities with no issues…I’ve seen such a change in this little boy in the last 2 months! I’m so proud of him!

~Ariana started yoga last Mon. and seemed to like it….although she said that her hands and feet were sweaty and slipping on the yoga mat, I told her, well, honey, sometimes we all need to sweat a little, hahahaha!

~We’re working on cleaning up and fixing up the basement to make it into a more usable and comfortable space to live in. If we need to stay in this place over the winter, I need more living space for my family and my sanity. I’d like to set up  my sewing machine permanently, a computer for the kids permanently, and a TV and toys space for the kids. It’s been a mess much too long and we’re feeling a bit claustrophobic with the space we have now. We can’t really afford to move into someplace bigger right now as Chris’ work is slowing down. So, this will have to do for now.

~I’ve decided to make a quick trip home to see Grandma, probably for the last time. It’s one of those bittersweet things that one has to do in life. I’m sad that I can’t be closer, but thankful to 2 great friends for making my trip possible.

Ugh, my dishes are leering at me from the kitchen counter and I know they aren’t just going to disappear. Yay me.

School. Packing lunches. Signing agendas. Reading newsletters and notes. Trying to figure out Grade 6 Math. I can’t wait!!!

This summer has been a very busy one for my daughter. She’s been here, there and everywhere. And on days where she was just expected to “be”, she didn’t know what to do with herself, she was “bored”. I can’t believe how bad I feel now, as an adult, that I ever uttered that word to my mother. It is a nasty word. One “boring” day, netted her almost $20.00 (shared with the kid up the street) from a iced tea stand. Good thing for Mom’s idea, maybe I should get a cut?….So, now as I hear the sounds of papers shuffling and backpack zippers, I have to take a deep breath and thank the school system for saving my sanity. I NEED this child to go back to school. She’s losing brain cells as fast as I’m losing my patience. School will be good all around!

Now, my almost 4 year old would have to disagree with that statement. He is NOT ready for school. He doesn’t really want to go to school. Thankfully our classroom visit isn’t until the 11th and then he will start slowly, and end up only going 2 or 3 days a week. I think the transition to school is going to be a tough one for him. He’s not good with new places and people. But, once he starts getting into a routine, I think he’s going to love it. It’s just that I can’t convince him of that right now. I wish this could be easier for him.

In the middle of a storytelling program at work (in the Dementia Unit), standing in the middle of the main lounge area I heard this come out of a residents mouth (think 90 year old smoker-husky-voiced lady)……

SIT DOWN WOULD YOU? YOU’RE  MAKING THE PLACE LOOK UNTIDY!

We laughed and laughed until there were tears….

While sitting in the community centre at work on Thursday….

Ethel (looking out the window at the clouds): I sure hope it doesn’ t snow!

Me: Snow? Ethel, it’s August! It had better not snow!

Ethel: It’s August??!!

Me (giggling): It sure is…..

Oh, the joys of working with Alzheimers!

Does getting a new haircut give one a new outlook on life? I hope so…..cause I chopped it all off today! I let my hairdresser go to town with her scissors and voila–A new me!

My kids like it. My other half seems to not hate it. I like it, I think?…..it’s really going to take a few days for me to get used to having shortish hair. It’s not shaved down or anything. And it’s not Jon and Kate Plus 8 hair. It’s just shorter than I’ve ever worn it. But, I really needed a change.

Ariana also got her hair cut. The majority was just a trim but the big difference for her was the bangs that she requested. After it was all said and done, I’m not sure she’s happy with them. Oh, well….too bad—too late now! I think it looks awesome, she’s got great hair. A little on the thick side (that is an understatement) but great! She’ll either get used to it and keep them or they will grown back in in no time. She’s also lucky to have fast growing hair like her mother.

Now it’s Owen’s turn. Do I keep it long on top and short at the back and sides or do I buzz it down? He looks so good with longish hair, I really don’t want to keep buzzing it down. I cut it myself last time and did a pretty good job. Maybe I’ll try it again this weekend.

New haircuts all around—what’s next? New house? New car? New job? Bring it on…..:)

It’s August 12th and this weekend is the first chance we’ve had to go to a beach. The weather has been so crappy this summer we’ve not really had a hot enough day to go, or if we did, I was either working or we’ve had something else we needed to do. This weekend’s forecast is calling for hot temps and lots of sun. Ariana’s coming home on Friday night. We’ve got some nice beaches just a short drive away on Lake Erie (for those that don’t know Ontario, you NEVER swim in Lake Ontario unless you want to get really sick with some disgusting bacterial disease). All of this makes me want to run to the beach, and I’m not a huge beach person. I like it and crave it sometimes, but I don’t need to live there. Owen has not had the chance to play at the beach. To build sandcastles, play in the surf, search for “stuff” or just plain “be” at the beach. He’s 3.5 yrs old, the perfect age to enjoy the beach. Plus, I’ve got a new bathing suit that I haven’t used yet and a camera with space for lots of pictures. Maybe this is just whatI need to get out of my slump….

I’m not sure why or what I can really do about it, but I’m in a bit of a slump.

Not completely happy at work. Getting fed up with the home we are living in. Feeling like life really isn’t going anywhere.

Bit of a downer, aren’t I?

The only thing that’s exciting right now is that my brother and his fiance are expecting a baby in February. But, they live a million miles away…..

I want so badly to move. To find a home that we can truly be happy in, not just live in because it’s cheap rent.I hate living in the suburban ghetto. The kids are a bad influence on my son. The neighbours are weird. The landlords are slumlords who never do anything to fix up the place–unless someone calls the TV station to complain. I want out of here.

I want something to happen at work to change the dynamics of the place. I love what I do but the department I’m working in is a bit sketchy. We aren’t all getting along like we used to. The boss has changed her attitude and it’s making the rest of the team miserable. We are getting a new general manager soon and hopefully that will bring along a lot of positive change. I need something to happen at work….soon.

I want to learn something new. I want to join a team or take a class. I need some new friends. Someone to chat with, to do things with. I’m far away from family and my long time friends, and it’s starting to take a toll on me.

School is starting soon. My girl will be in 6th grade and my boy with be starting JK. This will bring a lot of changes, I know, but none of them are truly for ME. My other half is immersing himself in bike riding, a pursuit that he thoroughly enjoys, and is trying his best to include me. But the problem is, is that I’m not as interested in it as he is. I love to go for a ride with him and the kids but it’s not something that I want to take up as a hobby. I used to play basketball and volleyball, maybe I need to do that again. I’ve been contemplating learning a musical instrument or another language.

I must thrive on change because this “same old same old” is for the birds.

3 weeks came and went very quickly. The most difficult of the entire 3 weeks of renos was the days where the cognitively well residents were out of there “home” for the day. They hated it. They complained all day. They just wanted their rooms/beds/stuff back. It was tiresome. The 2 weeks/4 days per week with the dementia residents off their home area went extremely well. They were easy to please. Easy to re-direct. Fun to be with….We were so worried about those residents. We really should have given them more credit. And, the floors look amazing!

So…..it’s now Thursday night, 4 days into the meal plan and so far I’ve only made 1 meal exactly to the recipe. That was Monday night….it all went downhill from there.  Monday we had Bacon Egg and Cheese cups and they were awesome! Tuesday was supposed to be Chicken Pot Pie, but after reading the recipe more thoroughly it dawned on me that everything in it needs to be cooked, and then cooked again in the pie….we wouldn’t be eating until 9pm!! So, we ended up having baked chicken breasted with stir fried rice. Wednesday was supposed to be Slow Cooker Lasagna. It ended up being regular lasagna….didn’t stray too far with that one but we did end up eating a tad late that night. Tonight was my work night and so I wanted a slow cooker meal to feed the rest of the family with ease. But, even better than that is leftovers and thanks to the large pan of lasagna, they had just enough for tonights meal. Tomorrow? I don’t know if I can do it…..I may just find a reason to order in pizza or stop at the wrap place….no, no I won’t….yeah, maybe just this once…..no, Carla, stick with it!……ugh, I suck.

Ok, so I seem to be one of those people/mom’s out there that kind of flys by the seat of my pants when it comes to making supper. Get out the ground beef/chicken/sausages out of the freezer in the morning and hope for the best when I get home after work to cook. This has not been working well at all. I either forget to get the meat out at all or I just throw together something with no effort. I just can’t do it anymore. My family is bored, I’m tired of the same old same old and we end up spending too much on takeout. So, this week I’m going to try and live by the list I made. I found 5 recipes for this week and bought all the groceries yesterday.

Monday: Bacon, Egg and Cheese Cups

Tuesday: Chicken Pot Pie

Wednesday: Crockpot Lasagna

Thursday: Shredded Beef on a Bun

Friday: Mom’s Hot Dish (beef and rice casserole)

So, we shall see if I can follow my plan…..I really need this to work for my sanity.