For our New Year’s celebration this year, we decided to devote ourselves completely to the children (duh – story of our lives and we love it) so we threw a “Noon Year’s Eve” party for them and their friends (and, therefore, my friends). We had about 18 people here including us, and just ate some delicious potluck food, played, wore party hats & blew party horns. We did a countdown to noon and then screamed and kissed and hugged. It was all wrapped up by about 1:30 and the rest of the day was ours to clean up & hang out as a family. Once the kids were in bed, the Big Guy and I watched the Flames game as we do every New Year’s Eve, drank hot lemon water and relaxed. We headed to bed shortly after eleven because Bella had been up crying three times already so we just took her in with us. I was technically up well past midnight (thanks to my new toy) but the BG and Bella were snoring beside me by then.

New Year’s Day brought some great friends from out of town for brunch (have I shared my fruity french toast recipe with you? Because OH, it’s freaking amazing.) and then as we were about to head to my school to play in the gym another friend from out of town called and they were on their way over so we didn’t end up leaving the house all day.

I don’t really believe in resolutions simply because it’s time to buy a new calendar, but I do intend to drink more water and more hot lemon. Whether it’s a new year or not. And I still don’t have a new calendar. So there.

Yesterday we went tobogganing in the park behind our house, went to a live performance of Robert Munsch stories and then went to the school so I could check out my room before Monday and BG and the kids played in the gym. By then it was time for supper-bath-bed, thank goodness. We were beat. Then it was time to tackle the 10 bins of Christmas crap that covered our basement floor after being shoved down there so we could entertain upstairs. It’s all away until next year now, and if I ever get time to wash the cat hair and crumbs off the floor it will almost be habitable.

We took all three animals to the vet over the holiday. Thai is fat, Mavi has a yeast infection in his ears and Chloe has thyroid cancer, hypothyroidism, her body is eating her teeth, and a bunch of other things. Oh, the joy of loving animals. They get old too quickly. Thai and Mav are 6 and Chloe is 14, so nothing is out of the ordinary. The vet’s recommendation for Chloe is that she get $400 bloodwork soon-ish, and then we cure her cancer with radiation at which point she’ll go into isolation because she’ll be radioactive. If the radiation didn’t kill her, the isolation surely would. Her life expectancy with treatment. Average of 3 years. Without treatment? Average of 3 years. So, I think the decision is to love her and keep her happy as long as we can without major interference. As it stands, she eat & drinks, pees & poops, plays, purrs, and is as happy as ever. She just drinks and pukes a little more than she used to. She’s 14. I’ve had her since she was 8 weeks old. I don’t need to make her suffer. It’s a hard choice not to do a bunch of treatments, but at 14 I just don’t think it’s fair to her to make her uncomfortable in order to extend her life by maybe a few months. As I said, she’s happy & seems perfectly healthy right now and my gut tells me she’ll be that way for a while. If not, we’ll deal with it when the time comes. And when the time does come, how the hell do you explain euthanasia to children? Gah.

On that lovely note, Happy New Year! May 2010 bring you peace, and many many hugs.

Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart. -unknown

Saturday morning we went to a town nearby for the annual Santa Claus Parade – our second time going – and the kids had an absolute blast. Primo shouted at “Merry Christmas” at everything that went by ~ “Merry Christmas horse!” “Merry Christmas dog!” “Merry Christmas truck!” We thought the highlight was going to be Santa at the end, but he looked at me and said “but where”s the real Santa? At the North pole, right?” Yeesh. He’s too clever for his own good sometimes. We had the kids all bundled in snowsuits & boots because of the chilly wind and they were toasty except their hands & cheeks. I wore Sorels and Hot Chilis (long johns for winter running) and my winter running shirt under my parka so I was fine, but the Big Guy was chilly in his hiking boots & jeans. We always take Timmy Ho’s out with us so we were all well fed & happy. I don’t let my kids eat candy – particularly candy that’s been on the road – but that didn’t bother them at all. They agree about the whole “food on the road” thing.

After the parade we took Bella home for a nap and Primo & I went to Costco to get some groceries and then to the big Christmas craft show where I bought Bella hair pretties to match her Christmas outfit and Primo spent his money on treats for the dogs. Too sweet. He’s incredibly kind & thoughtful for a three year old sometimes. He loudly interrupted a busy woman at her booth to say “Can you please make a coffee for my Mom?” because he thought we’d waited long enough. And wait until you see his letter to Santa – what he asked for was too cute, and he saved himself for last without me even telling him to ask for things for anyone else. Love that kid, man. I’ll post both of the kids’ letters later this week.

Random Interjection: Bella only peed in her diaper twice all weekend (except during sleeping hours). Whee!

My friend was in town for a quick supper so I dropped Primo off & ran out to meet her & her fiance at BP’s, & then rushed home again for bedtime. After student-led conferences two evenings this week (after school one day and at bedtime another day) and a dinner out with my staff on Friday I’d missed enough quality hours with my babies so it was time to get home and stay home. Saturday night was cuddle time. Sunday morning brought a little Christmas photo session in the living room so I can change out the photos in our entryway frame (results below) and then…I can’t remember what we did for the rest of the day. How is that possible?

My grandmother in law is here (in the city I’m in, visiting my mother in law while I’m at my mom’s – not actually HERE right now – in case you’re into details). She’s here from Vancouver and this week has been the first time she’s met Bella. She was here for Christmas 2007 when I was supposed to have her, but she was so damn stubborn even then that G.G. had to leave before they yanked her kicking and screaming from my uterus in mid-January 2008. She acknowledged her presence the first day we went for a visit and when she came to our house last week, but this week she has completely refused to have anything to do with her. She meets her last living great grandparent and I can’t even get a damn picture. Primo on the other hand? Made her day with hugs & kisses and other such stuff. And I got some pictures of him with her. So, there’s that.

I’ve had a productive few days, completely cleaning out all of the toxic chemicals from my mom’s utility room (to the tune of 15 garbage bags, not full because that crap is HEAVY) that my Dad had a penchant for collecting. After I got rid of all that, I organized and labeled to my hearts content and she now has a whole shelf labeled “light bulbs.” Poison wasn’t the only thing my Dad liked to collect.

Tonight we tackled a small portion of the outside area and added a crapload to the pile of poison to go for proper disposal later this week, and created a whole new pile for the landfill. Sorry, Earth. We’ve salvaged lots for a future garage sale too, and are recycling tires and giving away as much stuff as possible.

Though much of my week has been and will be spent among chemicals and dirty crap, I can only do that stuff when my kids are in bed so we’ve still been enjoying our days. On the weekend the kids went for their first horseback ride (pictures to follow when I get them uploaded). It was super awesome. My mom, the Big Guy and the kids and I went out to my sister in law’s parents farm to feed the horses and have a little ride. They also saw a kitten who had just opened it’s eyes, a bunny and a bunch of dogs. And played with sticks and stepped in horse shit. Ahh, country life. They loved every minute of it.

The next morning, my sister in law & I went back out and saddled up some of their neighbours horses and went for a good long ride. It’s been a long time since I rode, let alone galloped free down the side of a highway, and it was absolutely incredible. I wish I had pictures. Instead I have saddle sores and a mosquito bite on my ass. There’s that glamour shining through again.

Saturday my mother in law and I took Primo to the farmers market and then to his Kindermusik class. Once she headed home, the Big Guy took a nap while the kids & I played and then we all headed to a local park & lake for a dinner picnic and play time.

Today I got to sleep in for the first time since Mother’s Day, and spent the afternoon playing with the kids before heading out to do a photo shoot.

The Big Guy has tomorrow off too, so after we get some morning appointments out of the way we all get to hang out again!

I wish we could retire as a family and just enjoy our lives together without any of this work crap getting in the way.

Made it to day three in the No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em tourney of the World Series of Poker. (Whatever that means.)

He’s made it into a pool of approximately 1700 people and there were 6500 to start.

Not too shabby, Gramps!

“Is Great Grandma in the floor now?” (he asks as he’s carefully studying the kitchen linoleum.)

“It’s okay if I put this money in my mouth, because if I choke and die I’ll go see Grandpa Jack.”

Oy. Heaven help me.

My last living grandparent, Grandma C., (this one – wasn’t she gorgeous?) passed away this week at the tender age of ninety eight and a half. She lived through the depression, the early death of her husband, raising four successful children, farming alone, and so incredibly much more. I’ve written a little something to read at her funeral, and wanted to share it here, slightly edited. I’ll be reading it from my PEI cousins, my brother and myself, who collaborated on the memories. And I’ll be saying “we” rather than “I.”

When I think of Grandma, I think of:

Kindness. Grandma never said a bad word about anyone. Even when they deserved it.

Campfires. I have great memories of roasting marshmallows in the firepit behind the house at the farm with my cousins each summer.

Eating. If it wasn’t breakfast, lunch or supper time, it was coffee time…which meant more food. There was barely time to clean up one meal before she and Auntie Dot were preparing the next one. I often make recipes that have been handed down from Grandma to my mom & now to me, and good food always reminds me of Grandma. We live near some famous corn producers and my Dad used to say that “That corn is good, but it doesn’t even come close to “Grandma corn!” Grandma used to let us kids run free through her garden picking at whatever we wanted. Whenever we were at the farm, she always took us out with her when she needed to harvest something or do anything in the garden, knowing full well we’d probably just sit and eat & be more of a hindrance than a help, but she was cool with that. She was great at just letting us be kids, and there was no better place than Grandma’s farm to be a kid.

Grandma loved food her whole life. I remember her always taking half of a sweet saying “I’ll just have half.” It was just a few minutes later when she’d go back for the other half and say “I’ll just have half.” At our house, that’s known as the “Grandma dessert.”

Making doughnuts. Grandma made doughnuts each summer with my PEI cousins and I. She was a patient and kind teacher who never lost her cool no matter how much of a mess we made. For what would have been Grandma’s 99th birthday later this year, my family is going to make doughnuts in her honour.

Shucking peas and corn on her verandah. We’d sit out there for hours and shuck corn for dinner or shuck peas just to eat. No peas in the world can compare to the peas from Grandma’s garden. Grandma was the only person I ever heard say the word “verandah” instead of deck or porch.

Her love for animals. I remember going to feed the cats in the hen house with the hot porridge Grandma used to make for them every day. She had this sound that only she could make…”Heeeeer pussy pussy pussy cat. Heeeeere kittykittykittykitty… and they’d all come out from their hiding places for breakfast. We also have wonderful memories of playing with and riding horses at the farm. My PEI cousin Tara, in particular, has a lifelong love of horses that all started at Grandma’s farm.

Feeling grown up. I remember riding motorbikes and driving the garden tractor around the farmyard long before we were legal to drive anywhere else.

Capturing memories. Grandma was often found behind the lens of a camera and took thousands of pictures over the course of her life. She painstakingly organized & numbered them and printed copies for anyone who wanted them. Several of us are camera obsessed (especially Tara and I) and credit that obsession to Grandma. We loved watching her photo slideshows every summer at the farm.

The C. sneeze. We always sneeze in threes!

The C. giggle fit. Something doesn’t really have to be that funny to set a C. into an uncontrollable laughing fit. Often when it’s least appropriate.
Whenever one of us does something a little “funny,” we always say with a smile “It’s Grandma C’s fault” and I hope we’ll continue to blame all of our idiosyncrasies on her, because there are no genes I’d rather have and no better legacy than love and laughter.

We love you Grandma, and we’ll miss you terribly. Give my Dad a hug for me!

Call me crazy, but I’m taking two kids and two dogs to a hotel for her funeral. She would have loved that.

The first June 1 of my life I haven’t been able to either hug or call my Dad for his birthday. I had to stay awake to wish him a happy birthday through my tears before going to sleep. Man, I miss him.

I hope they have ice cream cake in heaven.

We’re making him some sweets today and will sing to him out on the deck. That’s where Primo thinks Grandpa Jack can hear him best; I think because he can see the sky from there.

Happy Birthday, Dad. We all love you & miss you more than you could possibly imagine. Be sure to listen for the really cute little voices singing to you today.

He loved birthdays, he loved parties, and he loved ice cream cake.

Any cake, really.

Funny thing?

He was in his underwear in this picture, and I had to crop it out. If you knew him, you’ll know how typical and funny that is. He was never much for pants at home. That made me smile.

We’re visiting my mom this weekend for her birthday, which was actually Thursday, and I’m spending this afternoon cooking her birthday dinner. Greek, at her request. Mmmmm. Greek chicken, lemon potatoes, greek salad and a big ass chocolate ice cream cake. My brother & sister in law & two nieces will be here for the afternoon too. Tonight after we get the kids to bed, the BG and I are taking off to a blues & boogie wooogie piano show in a town a half hour or so away. Now that both kids are (kind of) sleeping through the night, we can go a little further and stay out a little later which is kind of nice. We still stay home until they’re in bed before we go anywhere because I want to be the one to tuck them in every night. It’s either a control thing or a mommy thing – I’m not sure.

Have an awesome weekend – what are you doing?