Kid Candids

Haven't posted pics of the kids lately.  Here are a few candids...

 Asked Dylan to smile nicely for a picture of him in the sweater grandma knit him.  This is what I got.

 Phew!  Got one that shows his sweetness.

 She looks like a TEENAGER here.  Ok, at least grade 6, not 6 years old.

 Loved this day.  Cold, rainy, windy.  This is what Sophia chose to wear and went out to enjoy the weather.

 Dylan was hot.  I came in the room and this is what he was wearing.  His face is priceless.

Enjoying the March heat wave.

Photo tip: If you click on one of the pictures, you can view them all in a larger format and can go through all pictures in a photo album style.  Just found that out myself.

Life of Leisure

I tend to get irritated when comments are made about the activities of stay at home moms.  I have recently been upping my exercise and like posting my runs on Facebook.  Kind of a log for myself through another website that automatically posts to facebook when sent from my phone.  I had one comment "I want your life".  Simple enough, yet it upset me and made me recall other comments made to "my life".  Sure I don't report to an office 8 hours a day and get a paycheck at the end of the week.  This does not mean I do not work.  As in any job, you can be good at what you do, efficient in time management, productive... or lazy and do the bare minimum.  I feel I do the former and start my day between 6 and 6.30.  I start by immediately making kids lunches and snacks for school, making their breakfasts and ensuring they EAT those breakfasts.  The lunches are made with care and I cut up fresh fruit and provide a variety of wholesome foods that are not prepackaged and place them in reusable sandwich and snack bags that I sewed myself.  I get on the kids to be dressed and sometimes have to assist in this and we are out the door by 7.45am.  I do a double drop off - one at 8.15am and the second at 8.45am.  Some mornings there is even an errand done in between.  After dropping off Dylan I have my day planned and this includes my 35minute run.  I am organized so that I don't waste gas in my errands for the morning and run is inserted in a way that I can still get everything done.  I don't think anyone thinks an office parent is living a life of leisure when they go to the gym before or after work, yet, because my job isn't really viewed as a job, I am seen as having it easy.  There are stresses and challenges in all jobs and they are what you put into them.  I redid my bathroom, scraped and painted the house, do most of the house chores - trash, laundry, yard work, snow shoveling, cooking, cleaning and these chores are 7 days a week.  Sometimes I gripe about stuff and am told it was my choice to be here.  Yes, it was my choice and I don't regret it.  I can still have gripes about the bad stuff.  I had gripes at the office too.  Both were legit, yet staying at home I am supposed to suck it up and not complain?  I like to vent - (ahem, like now).  Keeps things from building up and having a blow out.  So, for all moms - working and at home: I respect you and feel we are all doing what we want, faced with challenges that may be different, but challenges none the less.  We work hard and should be proud of that.  I intend on getting back into the office life soon and will feel frustrations not being able to accomplish all that I have been able to while at home - maybe only hit one grocery store instead of the three or four I get to in order to save money.  I DO look forward to a cleaning lady :) and interacting with adults about adult issues.  Getting away from the kids to appreciate them more while we are together...  I am scared to re-enter this work force being out of date and touch with what has been happening.  But I am also looking forward to tying a part time gig and having a life outside the house.  I am not really "real housewife" material.  Not fluttering from one social gathering to the next like a lot of moms around here I know.  I don't sit at home buying fancy things for myself and home.  I do look forward to more money in the wallet so that I CAN do some updating though :)

So, that is that.  Snip snap snout.  This tales told out.

Spring skiing and the sillies

Went for our spring ski on Saturday.  Perhaps our last one of the season.  Kids did GREAT despite a rocky start.  Dylan did his first accidental rail and was having fun hopping on his skis as he went down the hill.  This hopping led him to the mini jump run and he had fun going over those.  Sophia was a little speed racer and I could barely keep up with her as she sped down the blues squares!

Another fun weekend activity was the big hamster event.  Sophia and Dylan got their first hamsters today!  Not sure if Dylan really wanted one - he was very hesitant and will not pick his up yet.  We decided to get him one in case he wants one in a few months after getting used to Sophia's.  They are sharing a cage and you can only have them share if you get them at the same time (otherwise they don't get used to each other and will scrap).  They are dwarf hamsters and are VERY tiny - more like mice.  Maybe if they are really into them we can find them some teddy bear hamsters like I had growing up...  Ahhh, Timmy, Cynthia and Nausicaa...  Sophia named hers Fuzzy Bear and Dylan went with Jack.

Looking forward to Ainley and her crew's visit at the end of the week.  Has been  a while.  Should have good weather for them :)

Long time no blog

So, it has come to my attention that I have not made any new entries lately.  Not that I have been so busy, just not inspired?  Kids are doing well.  Dylan has been loving the play date action and requesting more and more.  He has had about 4 so far. 3 of them here.  The boys have been nice and well behaved.  Dylan is SOOO cute with his anticipation for the next one.  He will set aside his favorite shirt and pants at the beginning of the week to keep them clean so he can wear them for his playdate.  Current fav's include the batman shirt he got for Christmas and now a tiger t-shirt one of the grandma's brought back from india.  He likes to wear these with his two favorite "exercise" pants - one has three stripes and the other 1.  He has added the vest that my mom knit him at Christmas into the favorites list.  He wouldn't even try it on over Christmas, but yesterday it was not only requested, but added to his fav list.

Sophia is doing VERY well with her reading.  She is full on reading now and LOVES to practice on her own.  She spends 10 to 15 minutes after stories at bed time reading to herself.  She also enjoys writing her own books.  She staples a bunch of papers together and then writes and illustrates a story. 

The kids continue to take gymnastics lessons and we have added Swimming into the pile.  There is a little overlap right now, but gymnastics should be done soon.  I am psyched with Sophia's swim class.  We are paying for a group lesson, however, no one else has signed up which means she is actually getting a PRIVATE half hour lesson.  I think she will really do well in this class.  I accidentally signed Dylan up for the wrong level - one lower than he is supposed to be in.  I was happy to have them in at the same time so I am keeping them in it and the instructor will just treat him like he is in the upper level.  Works out well, I think (hope).  He is more timid this time around (maybe afraid his eye will get wet) so this class isn't as into head bobs and stuff that he actually finally got into at the end of his last session.  Hope he can move up.  He is not as big a fish as his sister.  She LOVES the water - as in being in it and swimming.  Dylan rather be on the shore and throw rocks in it or run through the waves and watching the splashes he creates. To each his own, right?

The bathroom is pretty much done - just need towl bars and toilet paper dispenser.  I taped the closet drywall and Ethan installed some shelves.  Nervous about the kids taking over this space as their new playroom - literally.  I am hoping Ethan paints is this weekend before they take complete possession over it and I never get my linens and bathroom/ cleaning products out of the bedroom!

Will post some pictures soon!  (kind of promise)