My Bubble Has Burst

That new soap, the one that smells so lovely- grapefruit and bergamot. Yeah, well, the pump doesn't work. I've got a lovely bottle of soap that I can't use. Do you think that they would take it back at the store? Would it be worth the trip? Would the manager sigh and let me feel her exasperation at my request? Would the second bottle stop working just the same as the first? It's totally useless. I'll probably just keep using it the way it is, having to pull up on the plunger between each squirt, squishing foam everywhere, not keeping it on my hands. When I begin to scrub under the water I will realize that I don't have enough soap on my hands to get a good cleaning. I mean, I know that it is really the rubbing that gets the germs off, but will my hands be clean enough to continue making supper? Will I get my kids sick because I've been let down by a company that bottles foaming hand wash? Sometimes it's just all too much.

BAD DAY... SO FAR

Before I had kids, a bad start to my day would usually entail waking up late, having no clean clothes and not having enough time to finish my coffee. That's a walk in the park compared to now! Let me just give you a synopsis of the first hour of my morning...

I woke up with Lexy resting her heels on my throat. How was I managing to breathe? Although...deep is the oxygen deprived sleep.

Once we were awake and Lexy was being cute enough for me to forget that she had just been trying to kill me, Sophie , having heard us from the other room, came bounding in to play. Lexy, would have none of this and began to declare that everything on the bed was hers. Shrieking ensued and while under the covers, where I couldn't see, Sophie became frustrated enough that she bit Lexy on her side so hard that she drew blood and a giant welt through Lexy's pajamas! I've never seen such a horrified and pained face on the little girl. After some usual scolding, apologizing, screaming, and crying things had calmed down and the girls began to play nicely together. Even giggling and calling each other by pet names!

Lulled by the quiet, Jon and I began having a conversation. BIG MISTAKE! When I finally went into the kitchen to pour myself a cup a luke warm, over-brewed, but lovely strong coffee, I noticed Lexy standing at the counter on her chair, bottle of 3-in-1 Oil in front of her, and gingerly putting it into her hair as if giving herself a shampoo! Oh MY Gawd!!!! 

Now, Lexy is child who gets her hair washed about once a month. That's about how often  either of us can stand it. Given she really doesn't have that much hair at all, and the stuff she's got only grew in the last month, that seems like a reasonable schedule. But NOW what am I going to do? How am I going to get it out? We are at one good soaping, but as enough time has passed for her hair to dry I realize just how much oil is actually in her hair. I can smell her lemony oil odor from here. Or is that me now that she's rubbed herself all over me? Well, on with the next hour of my day....

SOPHIE GALLERY

QUESTION OF THE DAY

O.K. I actually have two queries:

1. Why does the dental hygienist, after giving you a fluoride treatment, ask you not to eat or drink anything for half an hour, when you have to sit and wait for the dentist to come into the room for at least that long anyway? It's not like they have a buffet or open bar there to 

to temp you to ruin the protective coating.

2. Why are Jon's mens' vitamins called "The Ultimate One" when it clearly states on the bottle to swallow two per day?

ZOOM ZOOM

We may have thought we were snowed in before, but last night it was so impossible to drive that we had to park the car three blocks down in the school parking lot. We trudged down the hill this morning, one kid in the sleigh (two were in until we tipped one out), one kid in arms, two shovels, and dug the car out. Sounds like an adventure, I know. But last night at around 10:30, Jon mentioned that he should get his snowboard out and take a run down Josephine Street. I said, "Of course you should"! And there you have it! Jon's first run in two years; his first run down a city street. He yelled to me, "This is great!" as he flew by.

NEW YEAR

Uh... I've fallen into the trap of the new year's yearning to be a brighter, better person! I've signed up for exercise classes, compiled some healthy new recipes, am keeping the television off more often, working on keeping my brain agile... In the back of my mind I know that yearning for better habits at this time of the year almost always sets up disappointment from broken promises, but I'm still hopeful, willing to give it a good try. Maybe I'll even start flossing my teeth! But first I should take stock of what an excellent year I just had. It'll be pretty hard to top.

Here's the list of a few 2008 highlights:

Jon sold the restaurant
Celebrated our dear friends' immigration to Canada
We took a cruise holiday to Hawaii with the kids
Became officially engaged
Ran my first 10k race
Got involved in local/provincial politics
Completed skilled trades training at college
Turned 35, a great number!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

One of my New years resolutions is to contribute to my blog on a more regular basis. Sorry to those who have checked here only to discover that it is still Halloween here in Blogger land...

Betty Boop - Betty Boop's Halowe'en Party (1933)

Reverse today's date and you've got the second best day of October. In honour of 18 days left until Halloween, here's a classic cartoon.

Summa-Summa Summa'time

Well, it's almost the middle of August. The nights are getting cooler, and so are the days, since the last rain storm. I've just had another look through the Fall Sears catalogue and picked out a few nice sweaters I might order. I really wish I could locate my other slipper; I haven't worn them for a while and the floors are chilly in the house. Summer is almost over.
Here's this year's favourite summer photo... blue skies, green lawn, and soaked kids.

Kraft Powder Cheesiness

Where the Hell is Matt? (2008)

This may not be the Hokey Pokey, but it sure is what it's all about! Totally inspirational.

HOLIDAY SYNOPSIS I

The first five days of our Hawaiian Holiday were spent on The Big Island; three days in Kona on the west side, and two days in Hilo, the east side. Our first hotel was straight out of the seventies- The King Kamehameha Hotel- it was a huge resort that had lost most of it's charm, but none of its odors. Sophie called it the "stinky hotel". But it was right on the beach, had a great swimming pool and scrumptious breakfast buffet. Outside the property was a huge Banyan tree that was gigantic, but turned out to be one of the smallest we'd see. In Hilo, there is an amazing Japanese park with rows of Banyan planted by sports and Hollywood greats of the 1940's (Babe Ruth, Cecil B. DeMille...). We discovered the Hilton Waikoloa Village ($$$$). Words cannot describe it so please check out their website. We had only lunch and a brief swim there. Perhaps some day Jon and I will retreat there... a honeymoon perhaps?!?
http://www.hiltonfamilyhawaii.com/hilton-waikoloa-village.aspx

Most of the first few days of our trip had an underlying theme: "Find Sophie the Damned Drink From a Coconut We Promised Would Be So Easy to Get in Hawaii". We did find one, finally, and Sophie honored the occasion with antics only immature parents like us could appreciate...

BACK FROM THE CRUISE

We're home! We had a great time and we're glad we are home. Here are a few pictures of our cruise ship, The Carnival Spirit. It was really a giant hotel on water. The staff were so helpful and friendly, the food was great, the entertainment, entertaining...

HAWAII CALLS

See you again soon; when we're tanned! xoxo

TRIPPY LEXY

WE THINK SOPHIE IS FUNNY

A LITTLE AFTER DINNER FUN

As you may already know, Sophie enjoys painting on things other than paper... and especially on herself. One evening the rest of the family decided to join in and try to find out why she finds it so fun. This is the result. Don't try this at home unless you are only a few feet from the bath tub.

HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY LEXY!

KID ART GALLERY

Time to share my favorite art again. I found this one on the dining room table the other night. I love that each figure is completely different than the next. Sophie has drawn quite a few characters here. I was completely blown away when I saw this picture. What a little artist! Sorry Grandparents, but I won't be parting with this one. You'll just have to print a copy for your own refrigerators.

Rockin' Out

When Lexy hears music it's as though she becomes possessed by it. She often holds on to herself, pulls at her clothes, and raises her arms into the air like she can't stand it. And then she "rocks out!" She jumps up and down, sways back and forth, shoots her fingers out to the sides and pumps her hands into the sky... all to the exact beat of the music. She just LOVES to dance. She begs you to put music one for her by pointing at the CD player and then doing a little jiggle to show she wants to dance. This happens at least five times a day. We love it!