Steve got home at midnight Thursday, and I was sound asleep! I also had to get up and be at work for 8:15 am, so we planned to take Calum out for a birthday supper and spend some time together that evening. We had a great meal opened presents and stayed up way too late. Calum is a little bummed Steve won't be here Wednesday, but we did our best to have fun with him all weekend. Saturday we had to get some groceries and we went to the movies (Old Dogs--it was SO funny, way better than we expected) and hung out at home for the evening.
My Dad came over Saturday night on the way home from the airport. We hadn't seen him in about a month, so the kids were super happy he visited. They had a great trip, but he said it was very tiring. Dad was telling the kids about how he and "Grandma" rode camels in the Eygpitian desert--how cool is that????
Today we stayed at home and put up the Christmas tree. It turned out really nice and the kids did most of the decorating. Go figure.
Dad came over for supper (and Steve was glad bc he was dying for a home-cooked meal and we had been eating out since Friday!) so we bbq'ed salmon and it was delish! He also brought the kids some souvieners from Egypt and Israel. My mom stayed in Toronto on the way home and is visiting with Charles, Elaine and James. She'll be home on December 7.
We ordered a DISHWASHER today!! Woohoo!! We had thought about getting a countertop one and decided against it, and really wanted a built in one, but our countertops are 1/4'' too short for a standard height dishwasher and we couldn't find a shorter one anywhere (that and we didn't want to lose the cupboard space). So we ordered a portable one. It's a full size dishwasher, with a counterop finish and looks really nice. I even got the "tall tub" kind, so I beleive it's a big bigger than standard, which is good for us. We re-arranged the dining room a bit and made a spot it should fit in nicely there. I ordered black so hopefully it won't look too bad!! I'll just have to pull it over to the sink at the end of the day, I'm hoping this won't be a big deal and thinking it won't be bc I do dishes for 5 at numerous times during the day, so compared to that, it should be fine.
Here it is: NEW DISHWASHER!!!!!!
It'll be here on Saturday, just in time for Steve to get it ready for me :)
I also ordered the kids new backpacks (again) from MEC, and some new maternity clothes from Ricki's for me. I must say, retail therapy really takes the edge off being alone :)
Steve will be away for Calum's birthday next week...booooo. We're going to take him out over the weekend to celebrate while he's home and I just booked his and Ainsley's party at Ed's Indoor Play Place, and it's on a Friday, so Steve will be home for that.
Parent teacher was really good. It's very humbling to leave a school, that your THREE kids attend knowing teachers are all pleased and have NO concerns with any of them. I'm very blessed!! Everyone got all A's and B's on their report cards too, awesome!
UP because New Moon was soooooooo worth the wait and I loved every single minute of it and am now reading the book again, LOL! The movie was awesome, even if the reviews weren't great. I loved, loved, loved it!
UP because Ainsley stayed at Emily's all night, and went to Boston Pizza and got her hair done in curlers and had Emily over to play Saturday night. She had a great weekend!
UP because Calum had his first play date with someone from school and the kid is an angel. Not annoying, rude or rough, which we've encountered before, but a truly great little kid. His mother, in fact, is Ainsley's teacher.
UP beacuse Steve could feel the baby move on my belly last night. So far, he seems to be a night owl, great!
UP because I got so much stuff done around the house today--floors washed, all my laundry done (including some jackets, shower curtain, lots of extras) and it's all put away. I also finished trimming the garden for the winter and we decorated!!! We almost put the tree up, but I think I'm going to wait and get a real one this year, it's been a while. Also I'd like to take the kids to pick one out at a tree farm with a friend of mine and her kids.
UP because my kids are so good, helpful and have given me many hugs and kissed and "I Love You's" today when I really needed it.
DOWN because I can't order from Tyme online and am in desperate need of maternity clothes. I might have to make a trip to Halifax of Toronto just to shop!!
DOWN because I haven't booked a birthday party for the kids yet and Calum's birthday is in 10 days!! And I still haven't gotten a present for him. He isn't asking for anything and is in a "nothing" stage. Blah. I need some good ideas.
And my biggest DOWN is Steve left for Toronto today. I have been a crying mess all evening. He will be home on Thursday, BUT, I'm sad bc this is the way it's going to be for the next 6 months. We both had a freak out last night and today and weren't sure if we made the right decision for him to be working away so much. After much talk, we decided that the right decisions aren't always the easy ones and time will tell. It's going to be hard at first, so it's easy to say we made the wrong decision right away.
I miss Steve already. I missed him all day and he only left this evening. I am trying to be happy for him and help him see that his is a huge step in his career and that in the long run, the travel will be worth it, esp pay wise. It's hard to leave though, and the thing we are sad about is missing the little things---Christine's constant word mix-up's, Calum's cute phone calls to his "girlfriend" and Ainsley, just being herself and making us laugh 24/7. It's those things that I won't have him here to share with, and that makes me sad. I will email him a million times a day and we'll call each other in the nights, but I will miss him around the house, fooling around and making me laugh.
It really feels like I am living the perfect life--all I ever wanted was Steve, to be married and have kids and I have both and feel so grateful and blessed. I am SO happy with my life and have to focus on the positive things that are going on, not the fact that he's gone--because he will be back and all will be better!
Christine and I are on our way to New Moon and Calum has a friend from school over...they have been playing the Wii for way too long, but are having a ball!
Good luck Ains :)
It's a BOY!!!
I had an ultrasound this morning and we were SO surprised to find out it's a boy! I was sure it was a girl, and had so many girl dreams, I was shocked!! The tech did her thing, then asked Calum and Steve to come in and see the baby, so we asked her if she could show us a shot between the legs, so when she did, his legs were wide open, LOL, and you could clearly see boy parts. Then the tech said "I bet you can guess what it is now!!!" So yeah, we're stoked! Calum had a perma-grim on his face the whole time and I was so glad I brought him with us.
I have another ultrasound in 4 weeks, when I reach 20 weeks and I can't wait to see him again! His name will be Owen Joseph and I'm so in love....
Your baby's crown-to-rump length is approximately 4 inches and she now weighs approximately 1.75 ounces. Your baby is close to the size of a softball and you can easily tell that you are pregnant now! If you wear maternity clothes or a swimming suit, other people will be able to tell that you are pregnant also. You can probably feel your uterus about three to four inches below your bellybutton.
Where does the time go???
So busy this last week--between the dog and school, it's been a hectic week!
We went to see A Christmas Carol this week, which I was dying to see, but MAN! It was so scary!! I would never have taken Ainsley had I known it was so frightening! It was even scary for Calum, but he didn't seem to mind. I really liked it, but would not recommend it for anyone under 6 or 7.
I'm starting to feel better this week, and am weaning myself off my Dicletcin.
Calum, Ainsley and I got our H1N1 flu shot last night. Poor Ainsley is terrified of needles so she really had a hard time. C and I got along fine. The kids have to get our regular shots on Thursday and then go back in three weeks for the second half of the H1N1 shot. They better not get sick after all these shots.
My ultrasound is next week and I really, really don't want to find out the sex but Steven is insisting we do. He also wants to do the UC baby in Halifax, which is fine by me, since if I DO find out, I'd get some good shopping in while we're there :)
Winston got his stitches out today and he is back in wild dog mode.
We went to East Side Mario's for supper, since I was craving their garden salad, lol and we had such a nice meal. The kids are such good company and so well behaved when we're out, it's actually quite enjoyable to go out with them.
Steve starts his new interchange term on Monday. We're not sure if he is leaving for Toronto next week or not, but he will be on the books for the next 6 months as a Commerical Account Manager, woohoo! (Now I just want him to stay home and do the same thing here, not away).
Can't wait to stay at home tomorrow and relax. I need to do some work on my report cards but am glad to not have to leave the house.
We picked up groceries for Christine tonight, she needs to bring ingrediants to make "Chicken Cordon Bleu" at school on Thursday. How fun is that???? We buy the ingrediants and she takes them to school, makes supper and brings it home for us! And this is part of the curriculum!! I love that school!!! And, I don't have to cook Thursday night, even better :)
Ohhhh and I'm super excited that I am finding out all these people are pregnant at the same time as me!! Last night we found out my SIL (on Steven's side) is pg, a dear friend of mine in Halifax is pg with #3 and another friend in Halifax is pg with #1. YAY!!!
He's doing well, his personality is back--and his energy level is almost back to normal too. You would never know to look at him that he is stiched from the top of his stomach to the bottom.
This last week has been so busy. Halloween was good (although it's my least fav holiday!), I managed to plug through and trick or treat with C & A, while Christine went with Bethany and her older sisters (alone, agh!!). They got more treats than they will ever eat, and I'll be sending 90% of them to the food bank before too long.
I had full days this week (up until yesterday), which made for a tiring week as well. We also went out Christmas shopping two nights this week to get a start on things.
Christine has her first babysitting gig last night. She did great. She babysat two kids (5 & 2) for about 4 hours and got along fine. She took crafts, books and her first aide kit with her, lol, and she seemed very comfortable going. Maybe this will turn into a regular thing!
I came home early from work yesterday bc my stomach was very sore--cramps and sharp pains. It was off and on all day. My parents came in for supper last night, we ended up ordering Chinese since I didn't feel like cooking. They left this morning on their journey to Egypt!!
I stayed home from work today and will tomorrow as well, I'm still not 100% and want to rest a bit more. I went to the dr's this morning and everything seems great. I was a little worried about the cramping, but he thinks it's just something going around. The baby's heartbeat was 161 and loud and clear! So far I've only gained ONE pound. I have no clue how, I would have guessed at least 6-7 by now. I actually lost a pound in the month too, so I went up one and lost one. Go figure.
Lots of rain and yucky weather tomorrow, I'll be SO glad to stay home in bed :)
What an emotional 2 days!
Yesterday morning, the vet called us first thing and said that they did another XRay and that the tumour seemed more "managable" so they were going to operate. Phew. We of course, ok'ed this and thought about him all morning. On Monday night, they weren't sure that he would even make it through surgery, so we really didn't want to get our hopes up.
The vet called a little while later to say they successfully removed the tumour (and subsequently the spleen, as it had been damaged as well). The tumour did however rupture, and that's a concern bc the vet said that his insides were full of blood clots and while they tried to get all they could, it's likey that if the tumour is cancerous, that cells would attach themselves to other organs and begin to grow more tumours, so best case scenario is that he would have 3-4 before we'd see them return. We're PRAYING that is wasn't cancerous; we'll find out within a few days.
We went to visit him today (the kids drew pictures for his cage) and he seemed ok--he was wagging his tail when we walked in, and even came out to see us. He looked sickly and I'm sure he's in a lot of pain. But, he's here and I know we made the right decision to operate and not put him down right away.
Hopefully we can take him home tommorrow and we'll care for him at home and make the best of however long we have left with him. It's sad that is took this to realize how much he does mean to us (ME in particular).
On a bright note, I'm just over 13 weeks! YAY I'm in my second trimester already!! Where does the time go??? I guess I"m just so busy, that the days are turning into weeks. My pants are all tight now! We can pick the heartbeat up right away now, and the kids have heard it a few times now.
You would now recognize your little bean as a miniature but fully formed looking baby if you were to peer into your belly with a microscope. Your baby is actually quite large by now, a whopping 3 inches long in some cases and weighs in at roughly .7 ounces. Still, this is small potatoes compared to how large you're baby will get in the upcoming months.
By 13 weeks pregnant your baby's intestines are working on maturing and your baby's tiny pancreas is working hard to produce insulin. This will help your baby regulate her blood sugar levels in the months and years following delivery. During pregnancy week 13 your baby's eyes also start to move closer to the center of your baby's head.
Steve is leaving the week after next for Toronto. He is going or 2-3 weeks, then working home for 2-3 weeks, which is awesome, so much better than leaving for 6 months!! He still gets the same benefits he asked for, woohoo (we can pay the $1800 vet bill now!!). So, while my parents are going to be in Egypt for the month of November and Steve is leaving me, I'm still optimistic things will work out :)
We got a call about an hour later saying there was a large mass (grapfruit sized) in his stomach, which they thought was either his spleen, very swollen, or a cancerous tumor. Keep in mind Winston is only six. We were so sad. They told us it wasn't good news either way. We could either put him down or they could operate and they can't give us any idea of how that will even turn out (let alone the $1200 cost).
We went back in to see him, and possibly say good-bye, and poor Winston was hooked up to an IV and totally out of it. I was almost glad he wasn't "happy" to see us, it would have been even harder to leave him there.
They will do another XRay in the morning and we will see if the mass has gotten any smaller and we'll make a decision then.
As much as I joke that Winston annoys me, Winston is an excellent dog, excellent with the kids and very much a part of our family.
We're so sad and hope that God give us and Winston some peace in the morning.
Stupid, LJ, I just posted a new entry and it disappeard!!!
We're on a little get-a-way this weekend. Steve has a conference HERE and I decided to tag along. My parents have the kids for the weekend and I am keeping in mind that these quiet get-a-ways are going to be few and far between soon!!
Steve golfed Highland Links today (and was very excited). I however, and still fighting and AWFUL cold that I can't take anything for, so I stayed in the room, had a bath and cozied up into bed with the laptop, and Christine's Breaking Dawn book (that I've already read numerous times). It was heavenly.
The view from the resort is amazing, although I forget the camera and when I dropped the kids off at my parents, I tried SO hard to remember to take Dad's, and yup, forgot it too. Dammit.
My throat is so sore. I hope to God I'm not getting sick--but how could I NOT be, being surrounded by little icky germs all day??
I'm so careful at home, making sure the kids wash their hands as soon as they get in the door as well as myself. But there is something lingering in this house! Steve had the aches and pains last week, we all had a sore throat, and Calum's teacher called this morning to say he had a stomach ache :( Hopefully this will pass quickly.
I can't wait to talk to my friend Michelle- we went to university together at SMU and then got our BEd's together at ST.FX. Not long after we graduated, she (got married, had a third?? baby) and moved out west with her hubs. Anyway, she had another baby a few months ago and now has moved HOME! (Well, about 4 hours away). I got a message from her yesterday and she is going to call me this week with her new phone number!! It'll be so great to catch up again, it's been TOOOOO long. Michelle and I have been through a lot together and have gone on many adventures....usually with a child or two in tow!
We heard the baby's hearttbeat for about 5 seconds tonight...I think we're going to nickname the bean Houdini bc finding the heartbeat is NOT easy! Anyway, I am 12 weeks tomorrow, a satisfying milestone! My belly is seriously bulging and my clothes and getting way to snug. I need to get more bloodwork done this week, I was going to go this morning but the rain made me stay in bed....and I am half hoping it rains tomorrow too so I can put it off another day!
I was looking for some pictures on the comp and came across this:
It totally makes me LMAO!!!! Typical Ainsley!! HAHA!! I also took this Saturday night before Fright night, isn't he the cutest Darth Vadaar?
Off to eat a bag of chips and suffer from heartburn all night :)
It was exactly what I needed!
We went out Friday night with our neighbors for supper, which was great. We hadn't seen too much of them since Disney and desperately needed to catch up. They even treated, saying it it was a "baby celebration meal!" which was even nicer :)
Last night we went to Fright Night at the Wildlife Park. It was fun, but the wait was awful! We dropped Ainsley off at my parents yesterday afternoon bc there was no way in heck she wanted to go! After taking her in Haunted Mansion in Disney, it was just NOT happening. Anyway, the trail was great, it took about 20 mins to walk--and Christine and Bethany were terrified! I had to cover Calum's eyes at some points bc it was FREAKY!!
Today NJ came to visit and I stayed in my pj's all day. It was heavenly. Calum had a bday party (I'm sure it's the 6th?? party he's been too since school started) and that was the only time anyone left the house. It looked cold and it had rained on and off, so I didn't mind being home. I also got all of the winter stuff out of the bsmt and washed everything so it's ready to wear. I had to buy Calum and Ainsley new jackets--the ones from last year are a bit too small but will be good for play wear. Christine's jackets still fit, and it was new boots for everyone. I think Christine is going to buy her own Uggs this year (maybe she'll buy me a pair too :P)
Can't wait for Amazing Race & Desperate Housewives tonight :)
YAY! We heard our baby bean's heartbeat today, loud and clear at 155-165 BPM. It was amazing!
Yes, I'm pregnant and just now coming to grips with the fact that things are good--we are healthy and it's OK to be happy and NOT worry about everything. I got all my bloodwork back today and am EXCITED to annouce the pregnancy to the world!
We told the kids on the weekend and they were really happy. Ainsley kept (and still) says "Are you tricking me?" out of the blue...I guess we play way to many tricks on her-she doesn't often believe us!
I am 11 weeks, 1 day. Our baby is the size of a lime (and since we seem to have gigantic children, it's probably the size of a REALLY LARGE lime!).
"As your pregnancy continues during pregnancy week 11, your baby is almost large enough for you to nestle in your palm. Most babies are just under 1 ½ inches long by now and may weigh as much as .3 ounces. Your baby probably resembles a large lime (in size, not shape)!"
Crazy!!
Everything else is good. We're still waiting for an answer from Steven's boss on his counter-offer. I have a feeling they will accept. I'm ok with that and know that I can handle it and have to look at the awesome perks in the whole situations ($$$ and trips to TO!). If it is meant to be, it will happen.
Can't believe tomorrow is Thursday already. The weeks are flying by. I started taking Diclectin last week for morning sickness and it has really bee a lifesaver. I was on it with Ainsely too, but this time, the ms is just SO much worse. Maybe bc I'm a bit older? Or it's been so long since I've been pg?? Not sure!
My mom is so sweet. I was telling her how funny I thought it was that we got rid of everything baby after we had Ainsley and that I needed to start all over again. I was also telling her that I have NO maternity clothes and that I'll have to start buying some soon. Well, she was in Halifax last week and was so nice...she went to Thyme and bought me some maternity clothes!!! I was SOOOO happy! I love my mom :)
Off to get some rest....
Friends of ours were home for the weekend from Halifax, so we got to go out with them Saturday for a delicious meal! It was great to see them and say CONGRATULATIONS to Lisa, who is due in March with her first baby. We then got some movies, went to church and went to my parents for the weekend.
The weather was beautiful Sunday and Monday and the kids got LOTS of outside time and slept amazingly. We had Thanksgiving dinner yesterday and it was nice not to have to cook for a few days and catch up on some rest.
We went to see Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs today and the kids really enjoyed it.
I haven't talked to Charles yet, but he's home safe and sound from India and I'm sure enjoyed spending an extra long weekend with Elaine and James!
Still no word on the "Toronto Move" yet. Steve met with his boss on Friday and he was told he will find out if what he asked for will be accepted or not in the next week. I just can't wait to find out either way!
So part of what is on my mind is Steven. His boss wants him to move to Toronto for 6 months. I have mixed emotions for many reasons.
First of all, we've done the long distance thing for two years. I hated that time in my life; I was pg with Calum, had just had Calum, hated where I was living, I'm %100 sure I had PPD and was just in a bad place. So when I think about doing a long distance thing again, I feel dreadful.
But, we are in a completly different point in our lives- I know this, but it's hard for me to grasp.
It's a compliment for Steve to be asked to do this, and for that reason, I'm happy for him. His boss wants him to start up and Economic Development Office in Toronto. He is an Economic Development Officer, so this would fit well. He is capable of doing this, and obviously his boss thinks so too. It's quite a task.
So, on Friday he was made an offer. We though about the pros and cons for quite some time and are still on the fence. He would get a substantial raise during the 6 months he'd be gone (on an already EXCELLENT salary), he would be guarenteed a higher position/pay scale when he got home (wow!), and many other smaller perks. He would be flown home every second weekend, and all his meals and accomodations would be paid. This all sounds good, but the fact that he would be away from me and the kids for six months stinks.
Sooooo, as of now, we have a counter offered drafted up and if it is accpeted tomorow, he will go. He added a few things to the original offer, like flights every weekend---even if he doesn't come home, there is a flight available for ME to go up. I would also be able to take the kids and alternate one at a time, which would be awesome, because we would be able to see my brother, SIL and James!! Woohoo!! He would have a furnished condo, so we would have a decent place to stay and since I don't work until 11:15, I could technically fly home on Mondays. He is also asking to work a 4 day week and on his weeks home, he would either come home Thursday after work of stay until Monday night.
So many decisions!
I know that things will work out and whatever is meant to be, will. I'm praying that the right decisions are made and that we all find peace and happiness with the coming months...
School is ok---still not loving the half job I have, but I'm getting used to it. The class is overall low, so it makes planning with the Grade One curriculum challenging.
Christine started volleyball and I'm so glad she got into something other than soccer, just to try something new. Ainsley is loving her gymnastics and I think there are 5 ? girls in her class in the same time slot. Calum enjoys his swimming too, so that's good.
Steve got home yesterday, he was working in Moncton since Sunday, so we packed up and headed to my parents. It was so great to be out there. They were happy to have us and bent over backwards to accomodate us, as usual.
There is SO much I need to get off my chest, but it will have to wait........I want to relax tonight and not think about much of anything!
I was wondering today if it is possible to get TOO much sleep! I've been averaging 9, 10 or 11 hours a night lately. I guess I should be glad I have the time to sleep, but still!
Calum has a huge gash on his ear :( The kids spent the night at my parents on Saturday (so Steve and I could go out!) and they had a great time, as always, but Calum got quite the cut. I guess him and Ains were playing on the play set my Dad built and Ains was on top and Calum on bottom and Ainsley THREW a metal bell at him (bugger) and it hit him in the head and sliced the side of his ear. Poor guy, he was upset and pissed at Ains for a long time! No wonder!
Ainsley is doing well in Primary, but I think she's slightly bored. She tells me she traces letters and colors all day. That sucks. I hope that she doesn't end up doing that all year, because that would be really lame. The Primary program is so much more than that,,,,I'm praying that it becomes more challenging and hands on.
Christine still loves jr high. I really can't believe she loves it so much. I hated jr high. It was all clicky and caddy, YUCK. She is so good though. her marks are excellent, she helps out at home and read, reads, reads. She definitely stays out of trouble, thank god.
My parents are heading to EGYPT in a few weeks. This is a place that my Dad has wanted to go forever and my mother would never go! They are literally running out of places they haven't been and I think she figures she might as well! They are going to have a great time (as will we-house-sitting :)
I'm also getting used to teaching a new Grade. I must say, I enjoy Primary more and this year the kids I have are really low, so it's a challenge.
I'm also enoying this week before swimming, gymnastics and soccer start up again!
Maybe I should go back to reading, LOL! I still have some summer reads left before I have to hit up the bookstore.
The week is flying by. I think I might actually get to take advantage of my 50% job tomorrow. Tuesday I had to get up and take the kids for their first day, Wednesday Ainsley had a dentist appt first thing in the morning, and this morning, I had a dr's appt! Tomorrow I'll get to chill for a bit before I have to be at work. I'm excited :)
Ainsley's dentist appt went as I expected. She was fine for the first little bit and asked a million questions about what and WHY they were doing things. She also had to look at and hold everything that went near her mouth. They managed to clean her teeth, but only got halfway through the flouride before she had a complete freak out meltdown and started screaming hysterically that they were not allowed near her mouth anymore and she was DONE! At least there were no cavities and she is clean. I won't stress about the fact that only half her mouth is protected by flouride!
I registered the kids for swimming today, so the craziness offically starts all over again very soon. Yay!
I forgot what a pain in the ass making lunches was...I find it so annoying! Especially since they all like different things, it's such a hassle.
I feel almost human again after sleeping pretty much all weekend. The kids loved being home as well, all they wanted to do was play with their toys. Cute.
Ainsley has a dentist appointment tomorrow morning and I hope this one goes better than the last. We had to leave because she wouldn't cooperate :(
So it's back to the old grind--the phone has been ringing with people calling to rejoin things and retun things...blah blah. I want each of the kids to pick an activity to participate in and now's the time to register. We're begging and pledding Calum to join hockey but he won't budge, LOL!! I guess it's back to swimming agin! Ainsley wants to go back to gymnastics again and Christine (since she is in jr high) can play a few school sports this year. She wants to play volleyball, so I hope she likes it.
Ainsley and Calum had their first day of school today. Christine went last Thursday, but the other two were still jetlagged and in bed. Everyone got along great. Christine had a schedule now and rotates classes, which she loves. She is even taking a cooking class!
Calum's class will be split next week, so we're looking foward to two smaller classes soon. I think there's 20 in it now? The cap in the regular board is 25, so I LOVE that they have way smaller classes at the French school. Ainsley only has 12 in her class, which is awesome, but her best bud Emilly is in the other class. I thought she would mind but she really doesn't! I also love the fact that the French school is Pre-Primary to Grade 12, so they will all be at the same school, always. Happy mom!
Off to rest some more.......
- Mood:
sleepy
I plan on doing nothing this weekend. My parents want us to come out for the weekend and just the thought of packing a bag right now makes me want to pass out!!
My class (or half class) seems pretty good this year. I have a few challenges that I can spot right away, but doesn't every class?? The new principal seems pretty good. I've had the same principal for three years but he retired in June. It seems like a whole new school with three of my dear teacher friends have gone on to different schools....and a new principal. There will be an adjustment period for sure. I'm just glad I can rest for an extra day this weekend!
- Mood:
excited
What an amazing time!!! Our trip was absolutely unbelievable. It was truly so much more than I could have ever imagined.
We had a great start to our trip. We drove to Halifax on Thursday and stayed overnight at the airport hotel. The kids all swam in the pool and stayed up way too late! We had to be at the airport at 5 am, so while I thought I was going to have a hard time getting everyone up, the excitement had them up and out the door in no time. There were 15 of us leaving the hotel (in the dark!) and filled up a whole shuttle bus. We met Norma Jean at the airport and formed our group of 16!
The flights went well—the kids really enjoyed the plane. We had to switch flights in Toronto, but by the time we landed there, it was perfect timing for breakfast. We landed in Orlando at 11 am (I think?). The kids were counting the palm trees on the runway! We got a Disney Express bus right to the resort and checked in around lunch time.
The resort was BEAUTIFUL! And totally geared for kids, which was awesome. There were three swimming pools, a shopping mall area and an arcade. We got 5 rooms and were so thankful that they were all on ground level and the one Steve and I were in was adjoining with Christine and the other three girls. She absolutely loved being in her own room and being with the girls! The five rooms were pretty much right in a row too, so that was great.
After we checked in and got settled, we headed to Downtown Disney. That was such a cool place---so much to see and do. We had supper at the T-Rex restaurant and while we all loved it, Calum thought it was the coolest place ever. The restaurant was obviously dinosaur themed and the décor was like nothing I’d ever seen!
We were so lucky to have been travelling with such an amazing family. The five boys (ages 18-25??) were an amazing help. They ate with Calum, pushed strollers, always had C or A in their shoulders and did all the rides with the kids. Ainsley loved having the three girls around and did all the girly things with them. The boys had a soft spot for her and I must say, she was slightly spoiled! It was also great to have NJ with us—someone to be crazy with and of course, an extra set of hands!! Man, we’ve traveled a lot together since Grade 8! I don’t think we’ll ever be able to travel alone again!
Saturday, we went to Magic Kingdom. It was really hot that day, but despite the heat, it was amazing, walking down Main Street and seeing the iconic castle. It was beautiful and surreal. Some of the rides we did that day were:
- Swiss Family Treehouse
- Magic Carpet of Alladin
- Jungle Cruise
- Pirates of the Carribean ***One of C!alum’s favorties!!! SO AWESOME!
- Splash Mountain ***Awesome**
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- Haunted Mansion **Awesome, but scared Ainsley TO DEATH!
- It’s a Small Word
- Mickey’s Philharmagic
- Tommorrland Speedway
- Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin *A FAVORITE!! And we got to met the “real”| Buzz on the way in, SO cool!
- Astro Orbitor
- Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor *So funny!
The best thing about our trip was that we got to do EVERYTHING we wanted to do (sometimes 2, 3 or 4 times with NO lines. Seriously, we walked on most rides. We had NO waits at any rides that took more than 10 minutes.
We went to the Crystal Palace that night for supper and it was character dining, so we saw Tigger, Pooh and Eyore. The meal was amazing and in between supper and dessert, we stood out on the deck and watched the fireworks at the castle. They were breathtaking.
Sunday, we went to Animal Kingdom. We loved this park so much, we went back for a whole other day! Some of the things were did here were:
· Kilamajaro Safari (we did this twice bc we were in awe that the animals were so close to us). We saw elephants, rhinos, hippos, lions, cheetahs, etc within arms reach. Calum was in heaven!
· Kali River Rapids (also did this twice). We got soaked and loved it!
· Expedition Everest (scary!!)
· Dinosaur *This was my favourite and Calum’s. It was scary, realistic, fast, just awesome! The dinosaurs were so lifelike it was scary as hell!
We also saw a some shows, like Lion King—OMG, the music and costumes….wow! It’s a Bug’s Life 3D interactive show (AMAZING!), Finding Nemo, the musical. Oh, and a Birds of Prey show!
We ate at Tusker House Sunday night and the buffet was delicious. Thank GOD we were on the meal plan, the server brought the bill for all 16 of us and it was almost $600!!! Gotta love FREE DINING!
Monday, we went to Blizzard Beach, which was awesome too. The water rides were really fun and Calum and Christine both did Summit Plummit!! I love thrill rides but you couldn’t pay me to do this. It was a 52 story drop……..the boys really turned Calum into a daredevil. He did EVERY ride with them.
The three water parks we went to had real sand all around pools that were designed as beaches. I thought that was the neatest thing ever. It was really like you were lying on the beach, in the sand, LOL!
Monday night we went to Chef Mickey’s and had a great meal. It was character dining too, so we got to meet Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and Pluto. The kids got their autographs! The hit was the make your own sundae bar with every topping under the sun! The boys all had sundae eating contest and Calum was nearly sick L
Tuesday went to Epcot. This was another place we could have spent a whole week! We went on:
- Spaceship Earth, this was in the Epcot “ball” and really cool!
- Ellen’s Energy adventure (hosted by Ellen De Generes)
- Mission Space
- The Seas with Nemo & Friends
- Test Track
- Soarin’ ***AWESOME!!!
- Honey I Shrunk the Audience
The country pavilions were really interesting too. It actually felt like you in that country, LOL! We ate at the Coral Reef restaurant that day and the restaurant was underground and one wall was all a glass aquarium. We saw sharks, sting rays and scuba divers while we ate!
Wednesday we went to Typhoon Lagoon. The best part about that park was the wave pool. It had 6 foot waves. I needed to put life jackets on both little kids the waves were SO huge and the current was strong. They could have stayed in that pool all day but we did end up dragging them on some water slides!
Wednesday night was “Adults Only” and the older kids babysat and Steve and I, R & G and NJ all went out to an Italian restaurant in Epcot. The meal was delicious and it was nice to have a few hours of quiet!!
Thursday we went to Hollywood Studios and it was another hoooooot day. Some of the things we did were:
- American Idol, so cool and authentic
- Journey into Narnia
- Voyage of the Little Mermaid
- Playhouse Disney Live On Stage ** Ainsley’s favourite!
- Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage Musical
- Rock N’ Roller Coaster ** A favourite for everyone, including Calum!! Did it twice!
- Twiglight Zone Tower of Terror….OMG SO SCARY!!! Did that one three times!
We went to Hollywood & Vine for supper and it was pretty good. We had tickets to the Fantasmic package but Steve and I took C & A back to the resort for a swim since it had been so hot that day.
Friday was a sad day L . Norma Jean and the boys all headed back to Sydney. Calum cried for quite some time in the morning, missing the boys and Norma Jean. We were all sad to see them go!
Friday we went to Aquatica. This was by far, the most amazing water park. There was a massive water play area for kids, that I would have paid any price to take my kids too. We could have stayed on the play area all day. The rides seemed to be a bit better here too. We loves Aquatica!!
We went to the Polynesian Resort for the “Spirit of Aloha” Dinner show that night. It was a traditional Hawaiian meal and show. It was awesome! The kids were happy bc instead of chicken and ribs, the kids meal consisted of a hot day, mac & cheese, pb & j sandwich, goldfish and a cookie. A great line up for little people!
Saturday, we spent the day at the outlet mall. To me, this was really overwhelming! There were literally so many stores, you couldn’t decide were to go. I stuck to the kids’ clothing stores and got lots of back to school clothes and sneakers.
Saturday night was my favourite night. We got to eat IN the castle with Cinderella. Ainsley wore her gown and we got three photo packages with our meal. Cinderella kissed Calum’s cheek and while he about died from embarrassment, he loved it! The castle was unbelievable and while we ate, Cinderalla, the Fairy Godmother and the mice sand and dance and came from table to table. Amazing! We also stayed to watch the fireworks again and it was just as awesome the second time round. We also did a few other rides (yay for no lines!!), Peter Pan, Winnie-the-Poo, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, etc.
Sunday we went back to Animal Kingdom and went on some of our favourite rides again. It was a much slower paced day, which was nice, since we didn’t have a lot of down time until this day.
We ate at Boma Sunday night, which was at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. I remember this Lodge from Jon and Kate plus 8, this is where they stayed! The kids realy enjoyed this meal, which was buffet, and ate fruit, fruit and more fruit…..and the desserts…OMG, I had to snap a picture before I left!
Monday we went back to Hollywood Studios and did a few things we missed on Thursday. We did the Buzz Lightyear 4D game/ride, watched High School Musical 3 (the musical), did Expedition Everest again, Tower of Terror and a few other things. Monday night we went to Planet Hollywood and we LOVED it! It was really loud—the music was a little deafening…but the place was filled with memorabilia from movies that was really cool!
Tuesday was our last day there and we went to Sea World. My favourite thing ever was the Shamu show, Believe. It was amazing and it made my cry! I had to video tape some of it because I want to watch it over and over! The other thing about Sea World was the rides—OMG, they were the craziest rides in all of Disney. We went to Manta and Kraken. I was terrified but glad I went on them. The kids got to feed sharks and see lots of marine life. It was awesome!
Today is was off to work! I only have a 50% position this year---I declined the 100% Primary position bc I didn’t want to travel…so although I have to get up in the morning and go to work, it’s only half days…a nice way to transition being off of the last 10 weeks J
Here's some pics, I'm trying to figure out how to put them in an online album.
- Mood: happy
The kids were so good in the car and it made the drive a breeze. We were lucky none of the other hotel guests were in the pool bc it was dominated by 11 kids (although some were in their 20's!). We're all excited and ready to go in the am. I'm impressed by my mad packing skills and already have everything re-packed after this breif stop over and clothes laid out for tomorrow.
Smooth as ice I tell ya! Let's hope it keeps up for 13 more days :)
- Mood: excited
I'm all packed and ready to go, I'll be putting my laptop in my carry on in a few minutes and will hopefully have a chance to connect to the internet at some point tomorrow night.
We're excited and in disbelief that all the year's waiting is finally here.
I am so thankful and grateful that we are going--I feel fortunate and again, blessed! I am praying for health and happiness and a trip they will remember for a lifetime. I can't wait to see their faces, I think I'm looking forward to their beaming smiles the most!!
So long my wee blog :) Our adventure begins...............
- Mood: ecstatic
You would think I had nothing to do today....my mom took C & A for a sleepover last night so I could finish packing and tidy up the house a bit before we leave but it was sooooo hard to get out of bed before 10 knowing I had to get up to actually DO something today.
By the end of today, I want everything to be packed and ready to go and in the downstairs hallway so I am not tripping over 4 huge suitcases every time I enter my room. I also wanted to do some cleaning so I don't have to come home and clean! I'll be missing the first two days of school so the last thing I need to think about is coming home to housework on top of school work.
It's hot as blazes again today, but I'm not complaining, I really do love this heat.
Steve got the iTouch working last night and spent a good chunk of time (hours actually) downloading apps (like a level, flashlight, mapquest, etc, all VERY useful things, LOL) and he downloaded some movies and games for the plane. He's lovin' the new toy.
I just started reading this book, it's really an amazing story (LISA--READ THIS BOOK!). I mean, it's not Twilight or anything but it's an interesting story that I has been recommended to me by a few people who like to read the same things I do. I'm really glad I got to read a lot this summer, it's definitely something I really enjoy but some September my priorities tend to change!
Off to do the last little bit of laundy and finish packing :)
- Mood: cheerful
We had a great weekend. We went to R & K's for a bbq Friday night and had such a great time. We haven't seen them all summer and we're so glad we got to hang out with them before the school year starts again and Rochelle and I are both exhausted 24/7 from teaching. We ate, DRANK, had a fire and were still laughing at 2 am!! We were some tired Saturday morning.
We went swimming on Saturday and went to a beautiful beach while on a drive to get some ice-cream, LOL! The water was so warm and we swam and swam (even me). We had Steven's brothers over last night for a bbq and fire. We were so glad everyone came and the kids got to see each other. Our visits are few and far between, so it's nice every now and then to have everyone together and have fun! We roasted marshmallows, made smores and watched another outdoor movie. This was also our first get together since the basment was finished and it was awesome to have a place for the kids to go that I didn't have to worry about tidying up or getting into things...LOL!
Today we went to church, bbq'ed yet again for lunch (and supper for that matter) and enjoyed the sun.
Steve bought an iTouch today and we spent a good chunk of the afternoon trying to sync it with our Nano, download stuff on it and get it online. The later part we're still having trouble with. For some reason it's not picking up our WIFI and we can't figure it out, damm technology.
C & A crashed on the sofa at 6pm, slept through supper and are both waking up now....3 hours later....it's going to be a long night I think!
I'm hoping that the sun stays for another 4 days....then I don't care if it snows, we're going to Disney!!
- Mood: happy
We're leaving in 6 days and I'm freaking out!! I have C & A's stuff packed and most of Christine's. Mine and Steve is all rounded up, just spread all over our bedroom.
The last week has been nice; I was home and able to sleep in and relax and just hang out. I really looked forward to these two week---they were the only two weeks that we didn't have a set schedule.
We went swimming today at my friend E's house---it was soooo hot and so nice to be at a pool today. She is going away tomorrow for a few days and graciously gave us her keys to come back with the kids (it's going to be another HOT day tomorrow). Wasn't that nice??
We're going to our friends house for a BBQ tonight and I'm making the Pioneer Woman's garlic cheese bread to take. The whole house smells like garlic, LOL.
Tomorrow we're having a BBQ with some of Steven's family and a few others. Steve borrowed the projector again with the hopes of playing another outdoor movie....
I have so many lose ends I need to tie up before Wednesday. I got all the kids school supplies yesterday, so that's take care of, I just have a to-do list that is really, really long. Ugh.
Can't wait to get out tonight, it's been a while!!
- Mood: cheerful
This is the coolest thing ever!! Can you believe that there are NO instruments, just people?!?!
www.youtube.com/watch
- Mood:enthralled
- Mood:
angry
I hate being home with nothing on the go, I find it so boring. We've been playing games, play doh, playing in the basement and outside, but I haven't really gone anywhere but Wal-Mart and the grocery store all week (oh and the dr's and hairdressers!). It's not been fun.
I was supposed to go camping with NJ this weekend (sans kids) but the weather doesn't look great. It might turn into a day trip or be postponed all together.
Christine scored 4 goals in her soccer game last night--this should be her back in the lead in her division.
Kids had haircuts this week before we go away and saw the pediatrician. Clean bills of health all around! Ainsley has officially meet the height requirement of 44 inches (without shoes!) for most of the rides in Disney. We're so excited that she is 5 inches taller than average, LOL! Leave it to Ainsley!
I'm on the last Twilight book (Breaking Dawn) and I am SO SO SOOOO in love with these books. I tried to slow my reading down and have something to take on the plane with me, but now I just figure I'll re-read them all anyway!! Love them!
- Mood:
bored
Profile
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif)
lilygirl123- Alana
chasethestars