Where Was I?: May 2008

Summer is for the Zoo

Saturday, May 31, 2008

Talking with my sister in law the other day on the phone, we decided we should make plans to meet at the zoo this summer. I love the zoo, but worry about the kids being sunburned. Last time we took the boys not only were they sunburned but wind burned too!

I think we should plan to go soon, before it gets too too hot out, and then as long as I remember to re-apply sunscreen regularly, they should be fine. Last time we went to the zoo the boys were running around the little park area and we ended up bringing home ostrich feathers and one really colorful peacock feather.

I heard that our zoo has a pair of snow leopards on loan form one of the bigger zoos int he province, so hopefully they are out and about so we can see them!

Victory!

Today, while shopping I did what I do every time I pass by the little shirts and dresses for pets. I stopped and sighed becuase our dog is much too big to fit any of the - WAIT!

Today! YAY! I found not only the cutest little dress for Smokey, but a nice fleece lined winter coat for her too!

The biggest challenge was convincing hubs that Smokey absolutely needed the outfits. I think my winning argument was that Tigger has her big cat condo, and that was a big investment - a good investment, but a big one.

So in the end we walked out for the store with both outfits! Victory was mine this day!

When we were young

Sunday, May 25, 2008

I got married a month after my 20th birthday and became a mom two months later. I love my boys, my husband and my life, but sometimes I wonder what me and hubs missed out on. We met in university and instead of joining fraternity's and playing beer pong all night, we spent our time walking down the brick paths holding hands and kissing under street lamps.

Neither of us are saddened that we did not spend months of our lives getting high and drunk, but we will, I think, always wonder about the atmosphere we missed, the people and fun. Did you join a fraternity? Do you have a lot of fond memories of the parties and gatherings that went on?

Flowers

After months and months and months of waiting I finally went in yesterday morning for my tattoo session. When I made the appointment with Mike three months ago I was concerned becuase I wanted my tattoo to be a certain size, and he wanted it to be..well, smaller. I left it up to him becuase I trust him.

After all, he took my half-assed ramblings about baby dragons and dragon flies and the boys and made me this:

I was pretty excited to finally get down and get the tattoo started, and I was even more pleased when Mike put the trace paper on my arm and the tattoo was just as big as I had wanted. I admit that I am quite curious about what the finished product will be, and it will be hard to wait another three months to get it done, but so far, I like the direction it is going!

Money in MY Pocket!

Thursday, May 22, 2008

This is my brother's truck. He has souped it up beyond belief, a new grill, different "special" headlights, new wheels - and a lift kit !

I cannot even get into it without help now, its so high!

He is in love with his truck, and treats it like his baby. Every time I see him he is either vacuuming out the inside, installing a new gadget or washing and waxing it.

I think it would break his heart if I told him how much he could have saved had he bought all his truck supplies at Wheelfire. Money that he could be spending on ME!

Next time he talks about replacing his rims and tires I will have to explain to him that he can save a ton of money buying discount Player wheels and rims at Wheelfire.

And then? I will tell him that with the money he saved, me and his wife will go out for manicures AND pedicures!

it's a good plan!

Gonna have to dye my hair Blond

I just had the stupidest moment ever.

Its a pretty nice day, plus 18, me and Logan headed to the back yard to put water in the dogs pool and water the peas and carrots. before turning on the water me and Loagn swooped down and studied the ground for any sign of growth.

Here's one, he would point and say, and I would tell him "Nope, another weed" and he would pick it and toss it in the bucket.

We finished studying the carrots and wandered over to where the peas would soon be sprouting. I thought to myself. That looks so odd, like nothings been planted yet, but searched for signs of new life with Him anyway.

Then we got the hose and started to water the garden. Just as the spray hit the end where the peas were I realized why it looked so odd, so..unplanted.

They weren't planted - at all!

Turning off the hose, me and the boy headed to the house to get the boxes of Pea seeds and planted them. Something we had forgotten to do two weeks ago when we did the carrots.

Hope it isn't too late and they are able to grow!

Material Girl

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

I am a size 12, or ten, or even 14 - it really depends on what clothing brand I am trying on.

Today I was in the city with the boys, Parker (8) had a doctors appointment (it went well). Since we live in a small town, and the price of gas is so high, whenever we are in the city we tend to do all the errands that need to be done at the same time.

The boys and I headed to Wal*Mart, Parker needed to buy something of a top secret variety for an upcoming Fathers Day project, and I was on the hunt for a pair of board shorts. I was rather shocked to find that the local Wal*mart has size TENs in the plus size clothing section! I am now, according to Wal*Mart at least, a plus sized girl. And you know what? Fine, that does not big me much, but what about the younger girls, the teens? When I was a teen, a size ten equaled slim and pretty, now the girls are chubby if they wear a size six!!!

It's times like this that I am really happy I had three boys.

And the shorts? I could not find what I wanted in womans, plus size or not - I wanted shorts that hit my knees - so I headed over to the mens department and found what I wanted within minutes.

Next hot day (it was super windy today) I will ask Parker to snap a picture of me in my new shorts for you!

Small Town Living - ending?

Thursday, May 15, 2008

When you come into our town VIA the main entrance, there is a map of the whole town. Or. A map of the whole town as it was ten years ago! Now, if they were to update it, it would be at LEAST three times the size!

Because we are so close to one of the provinces biggest cities (if not the biggest)(cant remember which one is bigger, here or there) a lot of families with kids are moving here, smaller class sizes, less crime. Really, it;s perfect, its small town living, but ten minutes from the shopping malls.

While a huge portion of the towns growth is residential, we are also seeing some commercial real estate. We just got a HUGE new grocery store. Well, it's not quite open, but by summer it will be! I've heard rumors that we will be getting a Tim Hortons (A huge donut store conglomerate in Canada) and I have also heard rumors of a 7-11 coming to town.

Both the donut store and the 7-11 (mmm slurpies) would be awesome, but the best would be if we got a McDonalds. Holy Cray would I love a McDonalds. I'd be broke all the time, but damn, I'd be happy!

Mornings : My Nemisis!

Based on the fact that my son asked no less than twenty times If I would be able to come to his Grade Three Musical this morning, I figured out that he really wanted me to go. I'm smart like that!

Unfortunalty, his musical was being held at nine fifteen. IN THE MORNING! Sigh. I had hubs wake me up when he left for work. Ugg. Six Fifteen, and immediately hopped into the shower. I was hoping the water would help wake me up, but that didn't work. My next step was to get coffee into me - for sure that would help!

It's times like this, when I have to be up and *gag* dressed int he morning that I wish we had a coffee shop capable of making a capresso for me!

I have NEVER been a morning person, in fact, the older I get, the worse I am in the mornings, but I am positive that if I had a better, quicker way to get caffeine into me, I would be able to deal, at least, a bit, better!

Turn left at Walton Street

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

last night Hubs and I watched the movie Untraceable. Although it was sickening with its display of how horrible people can actually be, it was a really good movie. In one part, the FBI agent, played by Diane lane, was inher SUV and encountered a traffic jam. She had a GPS system, which had vehicle tracking and a cool disembodied voice. The voice from the ceiling told her how to get out of the traffic jam so she could get home sooner.

Thats neat.

A few weeks ago, my inlaws also purchased a GPS device and when they implied that I was jealous or that I might like one, I said, No, I have no need of such a thing. Now though, after watching untraceable, I think it would be really really cool!

Just Breath

With a cat - who lives the shed, and a dog - who also enjoys her fair share of shedding, as well as having two smoking parents - even though they smoke outside, our sons get their fair share of dirty air.

Blue boy has what I like to call seasonal Asthma. In summer, when the pollen and crap is flying off the trees he has breathing issues, and in the winter, when he gets his colds, one after the other, he needs to keep his inhaler handy.

One thing we have looked into getting for our home is one of those air purifiers, becuase every little bit helps..

Hi. My name is Bluepaintred, and I take pictures

Today I transfered 141 pictures from my camera to my computer. And. Those are just the ones I took today. AND. I do this almost every day. I worry that I will fill my hard drive to the point the computer slows down enough I will need more computer memory.

I have been looking at external hard drives, they seem to go on sale quite often, and there is the added safety of having my pictures stored on the external in the event that my laptop ever crashes and dies.

I think, after the scare we had when the boys dumped a glass of water on the other laptop, that this will be a great investment. So. What kind of external do you use? I'd like to get something that has LOT of storage. 5GB or there abouts. I do want to make sure I get a good brand, or name, or whatever it is called, though...

Pop!

Every July I schedule a complete physical. This year I am thinking about having my doctor refer me to a dermatologist. My exema, while *sorta8 under control with medicated ointment, still flares up more than I like, and on top of that, I seem to have developed acne.

Whats the difference between acne and just a break out of pimples anyway?

If I do see a dermatologist, I am sure they can tell me, and recommend an acne treatment that will help clear it up.

Once that is done, I am going to find a chiropractor to help me with my back. OMG it hurts today. In five more minutes the kids will be in bed and I will be hopping into the hottest bath in history to try and work the kinks out!!

Spring Shed

Tigger shed. she sheds and sheds and sheds. Then? She sheds just a little more. :o(

We have been using the FURminator on her, but the only part of her body she wants up to brush is her back. When we try to do her belly or sides, we end up a bloody mess. Literally.

Is there some kind of pet supplements we can use that will help her shed less??

Or should I shave her? Hubs keeps saying no! you cannot shave a cat, but I think it would be great fun! Just think of how cute she would look, a wee naked kitten running around!

Yep. I think I'll shave her!

Fail

A month ago I ordered one cubic yard of pea rock to be delivered to my home. While the rock itself was cheap - 33 dollars, the delivery charge brought the bill up to 98$. I had asked for my pea rock to be delivered in the first week of May. Today it finally came.

Except, they dumped a load of crush rock in my drive way. Thats like going to the auto body shop asking for led tail lights to be installed and finding tea light candles in their stead.

The reason I wanted pea rock was becuase the other types of rock make it impossible for the kids to play on it barefoot. Last summer I had to nurse a foot better a million times - the kids would cut their feet on the rock.

Just to show you what kind of difference I am talking about, here is pea rock:

and here is crush rock:

A BIG difference!

And Boom! it's done

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

We finished the dog house this evening. All that was left was putting up the lattice (I did that in the afternoon) shingling and putting up the "Smokey" sign.

We made a few mistakes while shingling the roof, but as it was our first time, and it is only a dog house, we have unanimously decided to forgive ourselves. Finishing the peak of it was a bitch to do, I know damn well that we did it wrong, but we did the best that we could. I think it will keep the rain out for the season, and if need me, a new bundle of shingles is under 15 bucks at the hardware store so we can re do it next year.

If it needs it.

I would have taken pictures of the finished house, but by the time we finished, we were all starving. tomorrow I will take Smokey out and take some pictures of her in it.

By the way, is it normal that she was scared to death of her new house and I literally had to pick her up and put her in it? WTF? Oddness.

She likes it just fine now.

Christmas : Only Seven Months Away

Monday, May 12, 2008

I like to start my Christmas Shopping early. VERY early. In fact, If I am not done by October's end, I am quite disappointed in myself.

Hubs has always been very easy to shop for, he is not a clothes horse, preferring plain black jeans and t-shirts (preferably with a snappy one liner on them) and his only hobby, really, is gaming. So every Christmas he opens up a few games for this or that system, gets a few new shirts and jeans and bam! He's done.

He has a PS1, PS2, and PS3, as well as a PSP. he plays games on his laptop, and the two older boys each have a GameBoyDS lite, the baby has an old broken Game Boy Advance - he has yet to notice it does not work - so games for any of those systems are a good bet in our house.

But sometimes, I do not like being predictable. Sometimes I hate it. For example, last Christmas, Hubs had his gift (opened!) a full month before Christmas! (He did not want to wait the last 30 days and I have trouble saying no)

This year, becuase I have been saying NO! for so long, I think I will get him either a Wii or an xbox 360. Both systems would be a hit with the boys, and most importantly, either system would shock hubs!

Also? The baby will get a GameBoy DS for Christmas this year. Santa is nice like that!

The Bed Bugs (me)

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Blue Boys' room*

Yesterday we spend 700 dollars on a "big Boy" bed for Blue boy. He had been previously sleeping in the bottom half of a bunk bed (one of the wooden kinds that comes apart, Stuperman had the top half in his room) The boys got into the habit of bed jumping at the inlaws and broke Stuperman's bed. Instead of buying the baby a new bed we decided to give him Blue Boys bed and repair and sell the other side.

When we built the boy's rooms downstairs we made these cute little alcoves (the darker blue paint in the photo) and as you can see, we thought ahead and put in an electrical outlet. We plan on adding a built in desk when the kids are older so they have a quiet place for homework and study. Stupidly we forgot to put any type of internet connection like a Cat5e Keystone jack, but hopefully by the time the children need and internet connection in their room, there will be a better form of wireless, one that will provide coverage to the entire house.

The set in space in blue boys room is literally TWO inches too short to fit his new bed and bookcase headboard, Which really sucks, so when it comes at the end of the month ( I had to order it online, becuase after a full day of bed shopping we found absolutely nothing even remotely close to what we were looking for), instead of nestling into the perfect spot for a bed, it will have to lay completely opposite.

Blue Boy has approved of the bed change, but it still bugs me!

(If you would like to see the bed we ordered, click here, his new mattress will be arriving tomorrow)

*this was taken during construction, you can see a wee bit of the baseboards sitting in a pile waiting to be installed. they are up now

Please don't rain

If it does not rain, the doghouse, but for the shingling, is done. (if it rains I will have to sand and repaint) Hubs wanted to shingle it the other day but I did not want to have to work around the shingles, worrying about getting paint on them,.

The boys ended up picking a navy blue ( three coats to cover) and a pure white ( two coats to cover) so it has taken this whole week to finish it up.

And I put carpet in. Just a piece of leftover that has been stored int eh furnace room for five+ years.

What? spoiled? No, Smokey is not spoiled, why do you ask?

(pictures of the dog house will have to wait until after the roof is done btw)

Finding Yourself

Saturday, May 10, 2008

My inlaws recently got one of those nifty GPS devices for a gift and are now trying to learn all they can about gps tracking. I think I should show them, since they have the internet now, a few good sites on GPS machines.

At least that way they would stop calling eight times a day asking for Hubs to run over and fix whatever part they have messed up that time!

owie

My head is absolutely pounding. It started yesterday and I dosed myself up with tylonol and advil, but today I switched to my allergy pills in hopes it is something seasonal. It's been an hour since I took the pill, so it should be working by now. I think I will go try a bit more tylonol. Hopefully that works becuase today is Saturday which of course, means it is movie day with the kids.

When the ants come out to play

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Back in February I bought an AntWorks Antfarm for Blue Boys Birthday in April. What??!! I like to be prepared!

Anyway, His birthday was two weeks ago, and yesterday was the first day we caught sight of active ants. The kids ran in screaming ANTS! WE FOUND ANTS! So I got a Tupperware container and we kidnapped 26 ants and brought them home (The kit said 20 - 25 ants, but I doubt that one extra ant matters..right??)

There they are, just wandering around, aimlessly. The blue gel stuff you see is both their home and their food. It was developed by NASA to test the effects of ants in a zero gravity envinroment - which my kids think is awesome and means that the ants are going to be ANTronauts soon. (The boys have told me this about 8 million times since yesterday, they love word play)

I like the fact that it has the LED lights on the bottom as Blue Boy still requires a night light, and our plan is to leave the ants stationary on the counter so we can all watch them dig their tunnels, and then, once the tunnels are established, move it into his bedroom.

I love getting the boys unusual gifts, like this! ( I think they kinda like it too)

Labels: kidtalk

Dammit!

On Sunday we ran into the city and bought paint and shingles for the dog house. the boys settledo n navy blue with white trim for the paint ( And deep brown shingles - those were picked becuase they were on sale)

This evening I ran into the dollar store for a few craft supplies to make Rainbow Man a set of Fox Ears for an upcoming school play. Right beside the sheets of felt I needed were little wooden letters and a cute carved piece of wood on which to glue them. Since we had been wondering how to make a name plate for Smokey's dog house, I snapped them up and brought them home for the boys to Yea or Nay.

They approved.

I just finished painting them - or shall I say I just started painting them. The paint we bought sucks the big one. It's very very very thin. I'm guessing it will take four coats to get it on so that it looks the color it should. And that sicks because we bought the little cans of paint - NOT the big ones.

Sigh

My Three clowns

Holy cow I Love a good rodeo! I love the sights the noise, even the smells, which at times can get kind of dicey, as you know! I think that it is the general atmosphere of excitement the crowd generates, every one feeds of each others emotions and by the time the cowboys start buckin' everyones hats are off and the crowd is screaming!

In our town we have a rodeo every summer. The kids look forward to it, but I get the feeling that if they had the chance to go to a REAL rodeo, if I got National Rodeo Finals tickets, and took them to see the pros in action, they would never again be satisfied with the three cow rodeo we attend every summer!

I have seen roughly a million televised rodeos, but only one real live one, and the difference is astounding. Sitting at home watching the guys take on bulls the size of a car is scary enough, but when you are right there in the stands, your heart is liable to jump out of your chest and watch from the seats beside you!

If you ever get the chance to score tickets to a rodeo, don't turn your nose up, rodeos are awesome!

Labels: hometown, kidtalk, SPORTS

I love then interwebs

I got home from a Kindergarten Tea about an hour ago. My son gave me a cute place mat and a little fact sheet about myself - that he filled in. (I had no idea my favorite color was pink! All these years I have been doing it wrong!)

so i get home and decide I need to scan the place mat and fact sheet so that i can share it with you, the interwebs! unfortunately I had not counted on the fact that I have no idea how to use the scanner, that Hubs had previously done all my scanning for me. Sigh.

BUT. I will succeed! I shall search my scanners make and model online and find the instructions there! You can find anything on the internet, if you know where to look!

So. Eyes on this space, becuase coming soon, all you ever wanted to know about me - done by a six year old!

All natural

Monday, May 5, 2008

I have been fighting with my skin in the last year. Alternately dry and flaky or greasy and pimply. And then, this winter, I broke out ON MY FACE with exema!

It's been horrible, let me tell you. So far, I have found out that anything with perfumes or dyes makes it worse, and have found that using Natural Skin Care has not only greatly reduced the number (and severity) of my exema break outs, but has evened up my skin.

Day Three

Sunday, May 4, 2008

On Saturday we went to my dads to build a dog house and I saw what I *think* is a sign that Rainbow Man is responding to his medicine.

He was still a handful, energy out the wazoo, he still challenged me like an eight year old child is supposed to, but he was able to listen to complex directions and follow through with them. he was able to prove to my dad who is a stickler for safety that he was able to use the saw (With supervision) and is now the proud owner of a video of himself using a table saw!

While the kids were able to take a lot of breaks for simple run around playtime, rainbow man actually worked on the dog house, I'm not sure I have ever seen him do anything with that type of single mindedness and ...dare I say it? Concentration!

Hehehheehhehe

Friday, May 2, 2008

Soooooo. It finally happened!

Our nasty mean tempered annoying neighbors and their horrible kids have moved out!

ANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNND. the new neigbors are in the process of moving in as I type. They have been moving in for two days now, the first day was spent cleaning because the old owners are slobs.

So far, it looks really promising. they have a son about Stuperman's age, and she seems nice. we exchanged pleasantries this morning.

I am very hopeful!

(point in case. In the almost three years we have lived here, Stuperman has not once been on the neighbors deck. This morning he and the new boy from next door spent about an hour playing together on it!)