Sunday, February 21, 2016
Alice is 5
Alice - BIrthday Questions - 5 Years Old
1. What is your favourite color?
Yellow
2. What is your favourite toy?
My Barbie house
(Which isn’t technically a Barbie house, but a Fisher-Price
dollhouse)
3. What is your favourite fruit?
Blueberries
4. What is your favourite tv show?
Hayley’s
Magical Playhouse (A Youtube product video series)
5. What is your favourite thing to eat for lunch?
Grilled
cheese
6. What is your favourite
outfit?
The outfit
I’m wearing right now. (A blue polka-dot dress)
7. What is your favourite game?
Tic Tac Toe
8. What is your favourite snack?
Strawberries
9. What is your favourite animal?
Kittens
10. What is your favourite song?
You are my
sunshine
11. What is your favourite book?
Dog on Log
12. Who is your best friend?
Claire (“I
love you too Alice!” said Claire who was over for a play date.)
13. What is your favourite cereal?
Corn bran
squares
14. What is your favourite thing to do outside?
Play
15. What is your favourite drink?
Water
16. What is your favourite holiday?
Christmas
17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night?
Stuffies
18. What is your favourite thing to eat for breakfast?
Toast and
yogurt drinks
19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday?
Cheesy
potatoes, pork chops, apple sauce, broccoli and cauliflower
20. What do you want to be when you grow up?
A nurse and
a mom
Saturday, February 20, 2016
Science Centre (Pre-Alice Day Fun!)
When we needed to postpone Alice's party I reached out to Emily to see if maybe her crew wanted to go to the Science Centre, and yes, the answer was yes. It had been quite a while since we'd been. I honestly can't remember the last time I went, but it has been a while. Emily and Jinx managed to get passes from the library so it was a free trip which is even awesomer!
The first stop was the kids area, because how could it not be?!
Then it was lunch time and nap time for Hazel. So we said goodbye to Hazel and Jinx and continued on our way to enjoy more of the Centre!
We had lots of fun, as we always do. Then it was time to go as we had an appointment to keep.
Next up Nit Wits. It was time to get a clean bill of health - we hoped! We paid for each girl to be checked - me included. And nothing. Not one thing, nit or otherwise. THANK GOODNESS!
Then it was time for a haircut and McDonald's. I got a $13 cash only haircut at this very interesting "salon" in a mall at Ellesmere and Victoria Park. We had a fun day, even if it wasn't the day we were hoping to have. Alice was very understanding, and hanging out with the Lim-Anderson's - always a good time!
The first stop was the kids area, because how could it not be?!
Next up Nit Wits. It was time to get a clean bill of health - we hoped! We paid for each girl to be checked - me included. And nothing. Not one thing, nit or otherwise. THANK GOODNESS!
Then it was time for a haircut and McDonald's. I got a $13 cash only haircut at this very interesting "salon" in a mall at Ellesmere and Victoria Park. We had a fun day, even if it wasn't the day we were hoping to have. Alice was very understanding, and hanging out with the Lim-Anderson's - always a good time!
Friday, February 19, 2016
Lice Round 2
It's been a crazy, crazy week. And yet, it has been so lovely in lots of ways. So, in January, poor Kate, for her birthday she got lice and a strep infection. I'm not sure that we ever really got rid of the lice. We did a treatment, nit combed, followed lots of different advice, but while we "kind of" checked her for the next week, we didn't keep nit combing. Kate got itchy again, but she said it was different, that it was just dry skin - a conversation we'd had in January before we'd figured out she had lice in the first place. And truthfully, I'd been itchy too, but I didn't want to think I had lice, so I ignored it, but it just wasn't getting better.
Tuesday morning, after the Family Day long weekend I found a louse while showering. I didn't know what to do. I had plans on my desk, but I had so many things to do at school, I couldn't not go to school. So I went, but I was walking around dazed and confused, not to mention that it was crazy snowy on the drive and I was late, and it was just all a blur.
At morning recess I found myself alone with the VP in the mail room and told her that I thought I had lice. She said no, I said, yes, she said let me check, so she did. She found nits. Then I told her I just wanted to finish the day and then I would go home and deal with it. I walked back into the mail room and she followed me and said, no, you have to go home. I really like our new VP, and she was great.
I started to get organized and felt so lost. I have a concert in two weeks, I needed to have rehearsals, I had finally signed up for a workshop after school that I really wanted to go to. I didn't have time for this.
I had looked at a blog in the morning before school about how to get rid of lice. I stopped at Walmart on the way home to stock up on supplies. We had kept Kate home because she was scratching as much as I was. Ken had checked Alice and Fiona and thought they were fine, and had sent them both to school. After my check with the VP I wanted the girls picked up - but it was already in the works. Ken had gotten a call from Alice's school, she was scratching, they checked and saw nits. He picked up Alice and Fiona and we all met back at the house.
We started the mountain of laundry, and as per the directions on the blog, put the girls in the bath and sprayed their heads with apple cider vinegar. Oh my. I did each little girl separately and the stuff I found. Yuck. And my hair. My long hair that I've been very vain about, that I haven't been ready to cut, well, I wasn't sure how in the world Ken was going to nit-pick my hair, so I made him cut it. We all went to bed with coconut oil in our hair and shower caps on our head, just to wake up and repeat the whole process again.
In the midst of all this I'm still thinking about the concert, and trying to put together day plans. Tuesday was just awful. Wednesday was slightly better, we were getting into a rhythm, the mountain of laundry was diminishing, but still, so gross. And the nit-picking takes a long time. Wednesday night I took a picture of the cuties.
Thursday I was thinking maybe I would go back to work for Friday and Alice would go back to school, but then my friend Jodi was the voice of reason. Thursday the count was about 12 nits for Kate and I, I think 2 for Alice, and none for Fiona, or maybe one.
Friday. Today. It was a nice day. None of us slept in oil the night before as we hadn't found any more bugs, only nits. The girls played all morning and I didn't start nit-picking until just before lunch. I washed all the sheets again, and did a few more loads of laundry, Ken checked me, I checked all the girls. The count today was I think 1 or 2 for Kate, maybe 1 or 2 for Alice, and none for me or Fiona. I feel like we're done, we're out of the woods, we're there. But that's what I thought last time.
I don't know if this case was a new infestation or a case of never properly clearing it up in the first place. I was just looking through some blog comments on the original http://sittingonthebaby.com/how-to-get-rid-of-lice/ post I looked at and I started to feel freaked out again. I don't want to let my guard down. I don't want to be complacent. I don't want lice in my house any more. Ever.
I've enjoyed being home with my girls this week, even if it wasn't under the best of circumstances. I've been reminded as well of when I was still a new teacher. It was May 2002 and I had a concert or play or something, and my teaching responsibilities, and I got a really bad throat infection. It was awful and I missed a week of work, but the world didn't end, and everything came together. It's the same this week. The world didn't end. The concert will be fine (I hope) and I'm reminded of what is most important. My family. I'm so thankful to be a wife and a mother. I love my Ken and my girls so much.
Oh and that reminds me, I think it was Wednesday night when I took the pictures, Alice suggested that Ken give everyone blessings, and he did. It was sweet. The nitpicking is very unpleasant, but the girls really have been so great this week. Here's to hoping that two weeks from now we are lice free!
Tuesday morning, after the Family Day long weekend I found a louse while showering. I didn't know what to do. I had plans on my desk, but I had so many things to do at school, I couldn't not go to school. So I went, but I was walking around dazed and confused, not to mention that it was crazy snowy on the drive and I was late, and it was just all a blur.
At morning recess I found myself alone with the VP in the mail room and told her that I thought I had lice. She said no, I said, yes, she said let me check, so she did. She found nits. Then I told her I just wanted to finish the day and then I would go home and deal with it. I walked back into the mail room and she followed me and said, no, you have to go home. I really like our new VP, and she was great.
I started to get organized and felt so lost. I have a concert in two weeks, I needed to have rehearsals, I had finally signed up for a workshop after school that I really wanted to go to. I didn't have time for this.
I had looked at a blog in the morning before school about how to get rid of lice. I stopped at Walmart on the way home to stock up on supplies. We had kept Kate home because she was scratching as much as I was. Ken had checked Alice and Fiona and thought they were fine, and had sent them both to school. After my check with the VP I wanted the girls picked up - but it was already in the works. Ken had gotten a call from Alice's school, she was scratching, they checked and saw nits. He picked up Alice and Fiona and we all met back at the house.
We started the mountain of laundry, and as per the directions on the blog, put the girls in the bath and sprayed their heads with apple cider vinegar. Oh my. I did each little girl separately and the stuff I found. Yuck. And my hair. My long hair that I've been very vain about, that I haven't been ready to cut, well, I wasn't sure how in the world Ken was going to nit-pick my hair, so I made him cut it. We all went to bed with coconut oil in our hair and shower caps on our head, just to wake up and repeat the whole process again.
In the midst of all this I'm still thinking about the concert, and trying to put together day plans. Tuesday was just awful. Wednesday was slightly better, we were getting into a rhythm, the mountain of laundry was diminishing, but still, so gross. And the nit-picking takes a long time. Wednesday night I took a picture of the cuties.
Friday. Today. It was a nice day. None of us slept in oil the night before as we hadn't found any more bugs, only nits. The girls played all morning and I didn't start nit-picking until just before lunch. I washed all the sheets again, and did a few more loads of laundry, Ken checked me, I checked all the girls. The count today was I think 1 or 2 for Kate, maybe 1 or 2 for Alice, and none for me or Fiona. I feel like we're done, we're out of the woods, we're there. But that's what I thought last time.
I don't know if this case was a new infestation or a case of never properly clearing it up in the first place. I was just looking through some blog comments on the original http://sittingonthebaby.com/how-to-get-rid-of-lice/ post I looked at and I started to feel freaked out again. I don't want to let my guard down. I don't want to be complacent. I don't want lice in my house any more. Ever.
I've enjoyed being home with my girls this week, even if it wasn't under the best of circumstances. I've been reminded as well of when I was still a new teacher. It was May 2002 and I had a concert or play or something, and my teaching responsibilities, and I got a really bad throat infection. It was awful and I missed a week of work, but the world didn't end, and everything came together. It's the same this week. The world didn't end. The concert will be fine (I hope) and I'm reminded of what is most important. My family. I'm so thankful to be a wife and a mother. I love my Ken and my girls so much.
Oh and that reminds me, I think it was Wednesday night when I took the pictures, Alice suggested that Ken give everyone blessings, and he did. It was sweet. The nitpicking is very unpleasant, but the girls really have been so great this week. Here's to hoping that two weeks from now we are lice free!
Sunday, February 14, 2016
Valentine's Day
I was going to take pictures earlier. I was going to make cards for Grandparents. But I didn't. I took cute pictures and shared them on Facebook instead. I'm not sure how much thoughtfulness counts if you don't follow through... Happy Valentine's Day! I am so thankful to have so much love in my life.
Sunday, February 07, 2016
A Perfect Sunday
A perfect Sunday has to include church. The uplift, the spiritual nourishment, the friendships, and today it was hearing beautiful testimonies of Jesus Christ. It was the first Sunday of the month so that meant fast and testimony meeting. The opening hymn was I Believe in Christ, and it seemed to set the tone for the rest of the meeting. It was a beautiful sacrament meeting.
After church getting the monkeys out of the building isn't always easy. Today it was hiding under tables and posing for cute pictures.
Fiona woke up really early this morning and went to bed late, so she fell asleep on the way to church. This meant that she slept all through sacrament meeting. This meant that she wouldn't sleep again later. This meant that we could go on an afternoon walk. We've been having such a weird warm winter. Ken and I wanted to walk this trail that we've driven past lots of times, Kate wanted to go find the seedling. We decided to do both.
Our first stop was the Simcoe forests just north of Highway 9. We planted the seedling Kate was given in SK on earth day in April, and meant to go back and water it and check on it, but we never did. I printed off a picture of it so we could try and find it.
Well, after comparing the picture and knowing the general area where we planted, we think we found our seedling and the little thing was thriving!
Next we piled back in the van and drove over to Mount Wolfe Road, just south of Highway 9 and a little bit west of Tottenham Road. The trail. Hmm. I think when the girls are older they might enjoy a trail, but I think for now we should stick with forests. The girls didn't want to walk very far, and we could see the van the whole time and I think this was strange for them. We still had a fun walk. The trail rain along side the train tracks and when a train was coming we walked up the embankment to see it.
I was so happy today. Church, nature, family. Perfection! (Oh and a train!) I love my family. I'm so thankful for all of my many blessings!
After church getting the monkeys out of the building isn't always easy. Today it was hiding under tables and posing for cute pictures.
Our first stop was the Simcoe forests just north of Highway 9. We planted the seedling Kate was given in SK on earth day in April, and meant to go back and water it and check on it, but we never did. I printed off a picture of it so we could try and find it.
I was so happy today. Church, nature, family. Perfection! (Oh and a train!) I love my family. I'm so thankful for all of my many blessings!
Friday, February 05, 2016
Hunter the Hamster
On Monday Alice came home with her monthly newsletter from her teacher. On the calendar the last weekend of February listed Hunter as being available. I messaged Miss Ibscher right away only to find out that he was already spoken for. We then found out that the next available date wasn't until April 9th. We booked Hunter for that date, and then for another long weekend in June. The girls were sad that we had to wait so long, but they understood. All of this was arranged as of Tuesday night. Then on Wednesday we got some sad news. Hunter died.
I read the text in the middle of the day at school, it popped up on my screen and I couldn't believe it. He really was the sweetest little hamster.
I was sad. I was worried about Alice and Kate. Alice was sad, but okay. They'd had a funeral at school and buried him by some trees at the back of the school field.
Yesterday (Thursday) I was the duty mom at preschool with Fiona. I took the entire day and after school we picked up Kate from the bus and then went to get Alice. We had arranged with Miss Ibscher that Alice would stay with her after the bell rang and we'd all pop in for a little visit. We talked about Hunter and hamsters in general, and of course Alice. Miss Ibscher revealed that she would be going to get a new hamster that night.
Kate wanted to see where Hunter was buried so we walked to the back of the field and Alice showed us his burial site.
Tonight Kate and I were sitting in the basement reading some of her French books and we heard Alice crying. I ran upstairs to find out what was wrong. Alice was wearing a little purse and crying. Inside the purse were the pictures I'd printed of her and Hunter. Alice was finally crying because Hunter was dead. She had a cry and a cuddle and then we made a little story about Hunter.
In the end, Alice was looking forward to getting to know Harvey - the new hamster. I think she's slowly starting to understand death. A little. I'm grateful that it's only a little.
I read the text in the middle of the day at school, it popped up on my screen and I couldn't believe it. He really was the sweetest little hamster.
Yesterday (Thursday) I was the duty mom at preschool with Fiona. I took the entire day and after school we picked up Kate from the bus and then went to get Alice. We had arranged with Miss Ibscher that Alice would stay with her after the bell rang and we'd all pop in for a little visit. We talked about Hunter and hamsters in general, and of course Alice. Miss Ibscher revealed that she would be going to get a new hamster that night.
Kate wanted to see where Hunter was buried so we walked to the back of the field and Alice showed us his burial site.
In the end, Alice was looking forward to getting to know Harvey - the new hamster. I think she's slowly starting to understand death. A little. I'm grateful that it's only a little.
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