Hey Humble Readers...
Autumn has well and truly fallen on the Shire. The trees are golden, and the leaves are crunching underfoot. When they're not too soggy to crunch that is. It's been raining a lot over the last few days, and with the rain has come some crazy cold weather. Normally this time of year our daytime high is 16C... nice crisp fall weather. Today's high is 5C (and it currently feels like it's 1C). I am so close to turning on the furnace it isn't funny, but I'm trying to hold off for as long as I can.
Oh, and we woke up to a skiff of that white poop on the ground this morning. Yuck!
*****
One weather related complication that is rather unique to Canada is planning for Halloween. I'm wracking my brain trying to come up with some cute costumes for the wee-lings, that are both weather and stroller friendly (for Pip at least). I have an idea that would be super cute for Pippin, and would work over a winter coat, but it doesn't jive with him being in the stroller. Maybe I'll hold it off for next year. Ginny is another story entirely. I have a good idea if the weather is warm-ish (above freezing), but if it's chilly (read: arctic) then I don't know what we'll do. If it's super cold, then we'll probably just trick or treat around the mall (they give out candy at each store) rather than doing the neighbourhood.
*****
I've been to the gym once so far. I fully intended to go this morning, but Pip woke up screaming just as I was getting ready to go. The other night I did 8km on the stationary bike, 3km on the treadmill, and the weight circuit. It felt good, until the next morning. LOL It will be difficult to get back on the bike tomorrow morning (and yes, I WILL go).
*****
We are planning to go to a Fall Festival at a local farm on Saturday. I'm looking forward to it, just as a nice outing for all of us. The weather is supposed to be nice, and I'm hoping to get some fun pictures of the wee-lings. We are also going to be picking out our pumpkins, and maybe the last of the fresh local produce for the year.
*****
I've been doing a lot more laundry the last few days... we have been having diaper leak after diaper leak. With both wee-lings. We haven't had a dry morning in days. I'm not sure what's changed. Maybe it's time to consider moving them up into the next size.
*****
Pippin has become obsessed with the dishwasher. He pushes buttons, turns the dial to start it, and takes dirty dishes out. Silly boy. We also may have gotten a word out of our not-so-talkative little boy. I was waving at him the other day, saying bye-bye, and he looked at me, waved, and said buh-buh. Haven't been able to get him to repeat it, but it was the first actual word we've had from him.
*****
Ginny loves having "jobs to do". She helps load the washer and dryer. She sets the table (cutlery, salt and pepper, condiments), sweeps the floor under the table after lunch, sorts and folds laundry (granted it isn't neat), and helps take out the garbage.
But most of all, she loves to help make dinner. She does simple things, like transfer the diced potatoes to the pot or spread the broccoli out on the baking tray. Last night she spread mustard on the roast with a little help. The night before, she helped combine all the veggies for the casserole. Tonight she'll be helping to make the buns to go along with the chili we're having. It's fun having her help, and we get to talk about the colours of the food, about numbers (how many potatoes is Mummy peeling?), and about food groups. I've noticed an increase in her willingness to eat more vegetables (yucky hasn't been in her vocabulary in quite a while). And she's so proud when Daddy thanks her for helping.
Showing posts with label halloween. Show all posts
Showing posts with label halloween. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
A Hobbit-ish Halloween & Ghost Story
Hey Humble Readers!
I hope you're all having a fun and safe halloween. Ours was fun, but quiet. It's so cold outside that the few kids in our neighbourhood have likely gone to indoor events, and thus we haven't had any trick or treaters at our door.
Ginny had fun going out for a half hour or so with my Beloved (very bundled up under her costume). She got a ton of candy from the neighbours and got to be out in the snow with Daddy. Then she came home and had chicken tortilla soup to warm her up.
My pumpkins turned out well, I think. It's been 5 years since I last carved a pumpkin, so I started out with something basic. Carving this small jack-o-lantern was my warm up.
And then I stepped it up a little with this one especially for Ginny... Perhaps next year I'll go with something a little more complex.
Last weekend the wonderfully witty Stork (at Stupid Stork) accidentally began a ghost story fest in her comment section, and I wanted to elaborate on the story I shared. I want to preface this with the fact that I'm not one to see faces in every shadow or jump at every little sound. I consider myself a fairly grounded person, but these little happenings were very real.
When I was five years old, I (with my bio-family) moved into an old house. It was a bungalow built in the 1920s. My parents were renting with the option to buy.
We moved in at the end of the school year, so I had the whole summer to explore our new home. There was a bit of an odd layout because the house had several additions built on over the years. The only access to the only bathroom in the house was through my bedroom. There was a parlour off the living room, a huge dining room, and two kitchens side by side. It was a kooky little house.
That summer and the following fall, odd things began happening. Things my parents, initially, chalked up to it being an older home. Cupboard doors that would open and close on their own. Noises in the second kitchen (we used it as a storage room). Hushed voices heard in the parlour. By Christmas that year, my bio-mom was feeling that there was something pretty strange about the house.
It started with my sister, who was then three years old. She would have conversations, full on conversations, with someone who wasn't there. At first my parents thought she had an imaginary friend. Then one day, my bio-sister described the little boy who she claimed to be talking to. He resembled no one in our family's acquaintance and what really threw my mom was how my sister described his clothes. My sister had described him as wearing the knickerbockers/short pants that young boys wore through the 20s and 30s. How would a three year old (in 1980) know the word knickerbockers?
Around that time, things got a little weirder. My bio-mom is a long-time smoker. She had ashtrays in every room, placed beside the spots where she normally sat. She had several spares in a cupboard in the kitchen. Right around Christmas, my mom's ashtrays started disappearing. She would sit down in her favourite spot in the living room or the parlour, would light a cigarette, and would look for an ashtray that was normally on the table beside her, only to find the side table bare. She would have to go to the kitchen to get one of the spares from the cupboard. Often, she found the missing ashtray in the cupboard. It was an upper cupboard, that I couldn't reach, and my bio-dad at that time was working out of town on a regular basis. How had it gotten there? Eventually, the ashtrays would move even after she set them down, or so she claimed. She would get one out of the kitchen, set it down beside her, light up, and then settle in to read or watch tv, and when she needed the ashtray it would be on the other side of the room.
What or whoever had a problem with my mom smoking also had a thing for my toys. Every night before bed I had to put my barbies and toy dishes away in my closet. I started getting into trouble for pulling my toys out in the middle of the night, because they would be scattered all over the floor in front of my closet in the morning. I swear I wasn't getting out of bed at night (my room had an old-fashioned linolium floor and I was scared of how the pattern looked in the dark. I kept my feet carefully tucked under the covers all night), and because my parents had to go through my room to get to the bathroom, they would have noticed my toys being left out after bedtime. They were being scattered after midnight and before I would get up in the morning.
Then, at Easter that year, the Easter Bunny brought my siblings and I a swing-set for the back yard. It was not uncommon to see one of the three swings moving while the others were still when there was no one near the swing set. And there were times when two of the three swings were swaying in the wind, and one would be perfectly still, as if someone was sitting on it.
We moved out of that house about a year after we moved in. I don't remember much of the discussion about why we were moving, we just did. I can tell you, that in the new-to-us house we moved to, my bio-sister didn't have conversations with her little friend any more. She said he wasn't there. And my mom never had any issues with her ashtrays moving, and my toys stayed put at night. And the all the swings swayed in the wind.
Not really scary, just my bio-family's encounter with a mischevious little ghostie. :) Do you have any ghostie encounters to share?
I hope you're all having a fun and safe halloween. Ours was fun, but quiet. It's so cold outside that the few kids in our neighbourhood have likely gone to indoor events, and thus we haven't had any trick or treaters at our door.
 |
| Pippin guarding the candy bowl |
Ginny had fun going out for a half hour or so with my Beloved (very bundled up under her costume). She got a ton of candy from the neighbours and got to be out in the snow with Daddy. Then she came home and had chicken tortilla soup to warm her up.
 |
| Our little puppy dog |
 |
| She was so excited she couldn't stand still. |
And then I stepped it up a little with this one especially for Ginny... Perhaps next year I'll go with something a little more complex.
Last weekend the wonderfully witty Stork (at Stupid Stork) accidentally began a ghost story fest in her comment section, and I wanted to elaborate on the story I shared. I want to preface this with the fact that I'm not one to see faces in every shadow or jump at every little sound. I consider myself a fairly grounded person, but these little happenings were very real.
When I was five years old, I (with my bio-family) moved into an old house. It was a bungalow built in the 1920s. My parents were renting with the option to buy.
We moved in at the end of the school year, so I had the whole summer to explore our new home. There was a bit of an odd layout because the house had several additions built on over the years. The only access to the only bathroom in the house was through my bedroom. There was a parlour off the living room, a huge dining room, and two kitchens side by side. It was a kooky little house.
That summer and the following fall, odd things began happening. Things my parents, initially, chalked up to it being an older home. Cupboard doors that would open and close on their own. Noises in the second kitchen (we used it as a storage room). Hushed voices heard in the parlour. By Christmas that year, my bio-mom was feeling that there was something pretty strange about the house.
It started with my sister, who was then three years old. She would have conversations, full on conversations, with someone who wasn't there. At first my parents thought she had an imaginary friend. Then one day, my bio-sister described the little boy who she claimed to be talking to. He resembled no one in our family's acquaintance and what really threw my mom was how my sister described his clothes. My sister had described him as wearing the knickerbockers/short pants that young boys wore through the 20s and 30s. How would a three year old (in 1980) know the word knickerbockers?
Around that time, things got a little weirder. My bio-mom is a long-time smoker. She had ashtrays in every room, placed beside the spots where she normally sat. She had several spares in a cupboard in the kitchen. Right around Christmas, my mom's ashtrays started disappearing. She would sit down in her favourite spot in the living room or the parlour, would light a cigarette, and would look for an ashtray that was normally on the table beside her, only to find the side table bare. She would have to go to the kitchen to get one of the spares from the cupboard. Often, she found the missing ashtray in the cupboard. It was an upper cupboard, that I couldn't reach, and my bio-dad at that time was working out of town on a regular basis. How had it gotten there? Eventually, the ashtrays would move even after she set them down, or so she claimed. She would get one out of the kitchen, set it down beside her, light up, and then settle in to read or watch tv, and when she needed the ashtray it would be on the other side of the room.
What or whoever had a problem with my mom smoking also had a thing for my toys. Every night before bed I had to put my barbies and toy dishes away in my closet. I started getting into trouble for pulling my toys out in the middle of the night, because they would be scattered all over the floor in front of my closet in the morning. I swear I wasn't getting out of bed at night (my room had an old-fashioned linolium floor and I was scared of how the pattern looked in the dark. I kept my feet carefully tucked under the covers all night), and because my parents had to go through my room to get to the bathroom, they would have noticed my toys being left out after bedtime. They were being scattered after midnight and before I would get up in the morning.
Then, at Easter that year, the Easter Bunny brought my siblings and I a swing-set for the back yard. It was not uncommon to see one of the three swings moving while the others were still when there was no one near the swing set. And there were times when two of the three swings were swaying in the wind, and one would be perfectly still, as if someone was sitting on it.
We moved out of that house about a year after we moved in. I don't remember much of the discussion about why we were moving, we just did. I can tell you, that in the new-to-us house we moved to, my bio-sister didn't have conversations with her little friend any more. She said he wasn't there. And my mom never had any issues with her ashtrays moving, and my toys stayed put at night. And the all the swings swayed in the wind.
Not really scary, just my bio-family's encounter with a mischevious little ghostie. :) Do you have any ghostie encounters to share?
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
This Scares The Hell Out Of Me
Humble Readers,
I came across this story online a couple of days ago, and it just blows my mind.
The gist of it is that presumably a group of kids, incensed that one of their neighbours didn't hand out Halloween candy, wrote him a letter of complaint. Here's what the letter said (spelling/grammar is copied verbatim from the letter):
Dear Mister:
Just in case you didn't know, last night was Hallo'ween. The lady who lived there before made us candy apples. Last night there were no candy apples. Come to think of it there was no candy at all from your home!
We think that is just wrong and would like you to rectify this for next year.
Chocolate bars would be ok since you are a mister and probably don't know how to make Miss Toby's candy apples.
Chips we get too much of.
Thanks
Children of the Hood...
Ps: Don't give us apples we're not allowed to eat anything that isn't packaged.
If you feel bad, you can deliver the candy to us all on the weekend. Maybe Sat, we are all pretty much out of candy by then, and it's cheap to buy now.
I am absolutely appalled that any kid would write and deliver such a letter. It seems clear to me that the parents were involved, at least a bit, as the language of the letter doesn't strike me as that of an elementary school or middle school student. It sounds like an adult trying to sound like a kid.
The attitude of entitlement and greed exhibited by these kids (and their parents) is shocking, and honestly it scares me for the type of world in which Ginny and Halfling 2.0 are going to grow up. I hope and pray that my Beloved and I will be able to instill an attitude of thankfulness and understanding in our children.
(I think this qualifies for Kristin's WTF Wednesday, don't you?)
I have another post percolating about the culture of false fairness that seems to have developed over the last few years. It seems to tie in with this one, but I need to think it through a little bit more before I put it out there.
I came across this story online a couple of days ago, and it just blows my mind.
The gist of it is that presumably a group of kids, incensed that one of their neighbours didn't hand out Halloween candy, wrote him a letter of complaint. Here's what the letter said (spelling/grammar is copied verbatim from the letter):
Dear Mister:
Just in case you didn't know, last night was Hallo'ween. The lady who lived there before made us candy apples. Last night there were no candy apples. Come to think of it there was no candy at all from your home!
We think that is just wrong and would like you to rectify this for next year.
Chocolate bars would be ok since you are a mister and probably don't know how to make Miss Toby's candy apples.
Chips we get too much of.
Thanks
Children of the Hood...
Ps: Don't give us apples we're not allowed to eat anything that isn't packaged.
If you feel bad, you can deliver the candy to us all on the weekend. Maybe Sat, we are all pretty much out of candy by then, and it's cheap to buy now.
I am absolutely appalled that any kid would write and deliver such a letter. It seems clear to me that the parents were involved, at least a bit, as the language of the letter doesn't strike me as that of an elementary school or middle school student. It sounds like an adult trying to sound like a kid.
The attitude of entitlement and greed exhibited by these kids (and their parents) is shocking, and honestly it scares me for the type of world in which Ginny and Halfling 2.0 are going to grow up. I hope and pray that my Beloved and I will be able to instill an attitude of thankfulness and understanding in our children.
(I think this qualifies for Kristin's WTF Wednesday, don't you?)
I have another post percolating about the culture of false fairness that seems to have developed over the last few years. It seems to tie in with this one, but I need to think it through a little bit more before I put it out there.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
11 Weeks: Slowly Waking Up... Maybe?
Hey Humble Readers...
I hope you're all doing well and that you had a fun Halloween weekend. We had fun taking Ginny out for her first trick or treating adventure.
On the pregnancy front I'm feeling more human every day now, which of course then brings angst of the "oh-my-gawd-do-I-still-feel-pregnant?" variety.
How far along? 11w0d
Maternity clothes? Not yet. I am noticing a few changes in my body already tho.
Body Oddities? M/s has eased off almost completely (only really hits if I get too hungry which can be hard to balance with the GD), dry skin, periods of extreme fatigue (altho it is getting a bit better), alternating constipation and IBS flares, constant hunger, acne, bruises from insulin injections, back ache
Sleep? Also improving, but still not perfect. I still have to nap at least once a day, and I'm usually fading by 8pm. I have been able to sleep for longer stretches at night, altho the fact that I've been attempting to increase my water intake has had an impact on my sleep. Also, I'm starting to find it difficult to get into a good position to sleep... I'm a tummy sleeper, and that's starting to become uncomfortable these days.
Best moment this week? Totally not pregnancy related... taking Ginny trick or treating last night.
Worst moment? Having my blood sugars tank while at a very stressful meeting at church on Sunday. Not cool!
Movement? Not yet, but I'm so aware of every little twinge in that area that I'm constantly debating "movement or IBS?"
Food cravings/aversions? Still longing for spicy foods... we have buffalo chicken burgers once a week now. I'm also obsessing about cookies, and I know it's entirely because I can't have them. Cottage cheese is still on the no-fly list. I'm also struggling with water... I am normally a water person, but I just don't want to drink it these days.
Rings? Still on, and still loose.
Gender? Not going to find out, but I'm leaning toward 'girl' this time around. (which, of course, means that it will be a boy)
Intense Dreams? Yes, mostly about things I'm worried about forgetting... like getting my bloodwork done on time for my NT scan, and booking the photographer for Ginny's first birthday pics.
Medical Concerns? On 200mg of prometrium 2x a day until 12wks (almost done... yay!), Gestational Diabetes (insulin 5 times a day... levels almost settled for now), High blood pressure (on 100mg of lobetalol 3x daily), continued heartburn (on 150mg of zan.tac 2x daily)
What I miss? Sweets (only because I can't have them), energy, being able to eat whatever whenever I want (not having to wait until my next blood sugar check)
What I look forward to? My NT scan in 13 days, finishing the prometrium, getting started on making my Christmas gifts
Emotional State? Pretty mellow, with occasional bouts of frustration at being tired out. There are so many things I want to get done right now, but I'm lucky if I can get dinner on the table most days
I hope you're all doing well and that you had a fun Halloween weekend. We had fun taking Ginny out for her first trick or treating adventure.
On the pregnancy front I'm feeling more human every day now, which of course then brings angst of the "oh-my-gawd-do-I-still-feel-pregnant?" variety.
How far along? 11w0d
Maternity clothes? Not yet. I am noticing a few changes in my body already tho.
Body Oddities? M/s has eased off almost completely (only really hits if I get too hungry which can be hard to balance with the GD), dry skin, periods of extreme fatigue (altho it is getting a bit better), alternating constipation and IBS flares, constant hunger, acne, bruises from insulin injections, back ache
Sleep? Also improving, but still not perfect. I still have to nap at least once a day, and I'm usually fading by 8pm. I have been able to sleep for longer stretches at night, altho the fact that I've been attempting to increase my water intake has had an impact on my sleep. Also, I'm starting to find it difficult to get into a good position to sleep... I'm a tummy sleeper, and that's starting to become uncomfortable these days.
Best moment this week? Totally not pregnancy related... taking Ginny trick or treating last night.
 |
| Ginny the BumbleBee & My Beloved |
Worst moment? Having my blood sugars tank while at a very stressful meeting at church on Sunday. Not cool!
Movement? Not yet, but I'm so aware of every little twinge in that area that I'm constantly debating "movement or IBS?"
Food cravings/aversions? Still longing for spicy foods... we have buffalo chicken burgers once a week now. I'm also obsessing about cookies, and I know it's entirely because I can't have them. Cottage cheese is still on the no-fly list. I'm also struggling with water... I am normally a water person, but I just don't want to drink it these days.
Rings? Still on, and still loose.
Gender? Not going to find out, but I'm leaning toward 'girl' this time around. (which, of course, means that it will be a boy)
Intense Dreams? Yes, mostly about things I'm worried about forgetting... like getting my bloodwork done on time for my NT scan, and booking the photographer for Ginny's first birthday pics.
Medical Concerns? On 200mg of prometrium 2x a day until 12wks (almost done... yay!), Gestational Diabetes (insulin 5 times a day... levels almost settled for now), High blood pressure (on 100mg of lobetalol 3x daily), continued heartburn (on 150mg of zan.tac 2x daily)
What I miss? Sweets (only because I can't have them), energy, being able to eat whatever whenever I want (not having to wait until my next blood sugar check)
What I look forward to? My NT scan in 13 days, finishing the prometrium, getting started on making my Christmas gifts
Emotional State? Pretty mellow, with occasional bouts of frustration at being tired out. There are so many things I want to get done right now, but I'm lucky if I can get dinner on the table most days
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Blog Challenge Day 11: A Recent Photo of Me (AKA the ONLY Belly Pics)
Good Morning Humble Readers!
Okay... so some of you asked a few months ago, and I said no. But now that I'm this close to the end, I thought it was time to document this journey. And today's assignment is the perfect opportunity to do so.
These pics were taken last night, in my school bus yellow living room.
So that's me... right now. Looking (and feeling) ginormous.
*****
Today is Halloween, traditionally one of my favourite 'holidays'. I love carving pumpkins, and I adore seeing the little kids in their costumes. Sadly we don't get any kids where we are living now. I haven't carved pumpkins in the last couple of years either, mostly because I usually would have been scheduled to work.
This year has also been challenging Halloween-wise because of the GD. This is one of the only times of year that you can actually get the good Kra.ft Caramels readily. And don't get me started on mini peanut butter cups *drool*.
So, my question for you all is... what is your least favourite Halloween candy? You know, the ones that were always left at the end of November, the dregs of your loot bag. For me it was the lollipops, and the Rockets (I think you call them Smarties in the US)... those rolls of multi coloured asp.irin shaped sugar tablets. Yuck! But the worst of the worst... those nasty too chewy toffees that come wrapped in the orange, yellow, and black wrappers. Does anyone even make those anymore?
Okay... so some of you asked a few months ago, and I said no. But now that I'm this close to the end, I thought it was time to document this journey. And today's assignment is the perfect opportunity to do so.
These pics were taken last night, in my school bus yellow living room.
 |
| 35w5d |
So that's me... right now. Looking (and feeling) ginormous.
*****
Today is Halloween, traditionally one of my favourite 'holidays'. I love carving pumpkins, and I adore seeing the little kids in their costumes. Sadly we don't get any kids where we are living now. I haven't carved pumpkins in the last couple of years either, mostly because I usually would have been scheduled to work.
This year has also been challenging Halloween-wise because of the GD. This is one of the only times of year that you can actually get the good Kra.ft Caramels readily. And don't get me started on mini peanut butter cups *drool*.
So, my question for you all is... what is your least favourite Halloween candy? You know, the ones that were always left at the end of November, the dregs of your loot bag. For me it was the lollipops, and the Rockets (I think you call them Smarties in the US)... those rolls of multi coloured asp.irin shaped sugar tablets. Yuck! But the worst of the worst... those nasty too chewy toffees that come wrapped in the orange, yellow, and black wrappers. Does anyone even make those anymore?
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