Another Day Lived

It seems that not a day goes by that I am not reminded that my boys are not little anymore. That's a lot of nots.
Translation:   My kids are getting older.

How do I know this? Here are a few giveaways:
-They have pit stick- and use it! Ditto with hair gel.
-I dish up dinner and (if they like it) they eat more than us.
-They watch TSN and definitely not Treehouse (but still Teletoon Retro!)
-They will only kiss me goodbye if nobody's watching.
-They are practicing the piano without me begging, coercing, or forcing.
-Today at church someone came to tell me what a good boy I had (not telling which one ;) He had done something without me begging, coercing or forcing!
-We watched 2 littles for a couple days. Dean and Och were lifesavers. Without them, I could not have gotten all 5 of us out the door in 30 minutes or less. They couldn't believe what 4 and 2 year olds could and could not do :)
Finally:
-We were at Toys R' Us yesterday. When given the option of getting an early Christmas present...a LEGO STAR WARS advent calendar...they said "No thanks".

That made me tear up the most!

Silly Thoughts for a Monday

Did anyone catch the MLS cup game? My boys were cheering for LA, but it was a less than exciting game. (LA 1, Houston 0). Och was disappointed to hear it did not make the sports highlights on the morning radio news. Something about a certain "Sidney" playing hockey must have overshadowed it. Go figure.

What do you feed a sick boy if it was perhaps chicken noodle soup that got him sick in the first place?

Some of my favorite people are returning to the city today. I know Karri is bringing me home yogurt (sounds silly, but it's the kind you can't get in Canada). Bruce, what's not in your wallet? (said in the Capital One commercial voice) j/k

post script:
Bruce got home. He had a good time, learned alot and came back a new man. I told him it's like "How Bruce got his groove back". I may call him Stella for a day :)  You should have seen the boys eyes pop out of their sockets when they saw him. They love their dad.

The boys and I spent too much time on youtube the other day.
We're a little behind the times; check out anything by thepianoguys.com  (jon schmidt, steven sharp nelson and guests) especially:
All of Me
Pirates of the Caribbean by Jarrod Radnich (a new favourite)

Welcome Christmas!!!   Come let us Adore Him by the Lower Lights

And lastly...
It was a little chilly this past weekend...or was it?

That's all I got.

Tuesdays with "Morrie"

Ever read this book? I love it.  I love a good human interest story. I love learning from other people's experiences, fictional or not. I think he's a good storyteller.
I wish I could be a better storyteller.
(If you enjoyed Morrie, I suggest the 5 people you meet in heaven. That is, if you're looking for a good, quick read.)
But I digress...

Every Tuesday for the past few months I have the great opportunity to help out some family members. Like Mitch, I am learning that when you give, sometimes you receive even more.
I get to help my SIL and her girl(s). I am reminded of the quote "Babies are such a nice way to start people." She is the most charming little girl! I get to spend time with them in their home. I see that time stands still for no one and life must go on. I recognize the beauty in motherhood and its sometimes mundane tasks. I see what really matters most.
I get to spend almost 2 hours in the car. By myself. That's a long time to be alone, for me anyways. I have become acquainted with a master Canadian storyteller (thanks Dave and Karri), bought the CD 4pack at Costco and have listened and laughed for hours along the highway. I pondered some spiritual enlightenment from the always entertaining John Bytheway. I have listened to some really great music that really moves me. (No Gaga, it's not yours.)


Tonight I am just feeling like even though I can't be everything or do everything,  I can do something for someone.
I'm grateful for Tuesdays.

Remembrance Day 2011

They say remember is one of the most important words in the English language.
Thank you would be the most important phrase.
So today, I Remember and say Thank you.

random musings

For anyone out there that cares, the tally so far this week is Amy 1 Duvet 0
Breakfast of Champions...3 Double Stuff Oreos and a glass of milk !?!
Don't Judge Me


Dear President of The Gap
I have been reading that your sales are plummeting. Perhaps it is because you're retailing terrible clothing. I used to love The Gap. I have fond memories of spending my own hard earned money to buy a pair of jeans there. And I LOVED those jeans. That was many moons ago, and my love for your store has waxed and waned just like those moons. I want to experience that euphoria again. But if my last trip there was indicative of your future sales, you're in more trouble than you think. I found my jeans with the assistance of a somewhat helpful clerk:  Dark wash, long and lean (my jeans, not the clerk). I tried them on. Low and behold (and the only redeeming moment in the changeroom) I needed a smaller size! She came back with the LAST pair in the store. I put them on. They were great. Well, okay, more like adequate. The denim was thin. The stitching somewhat iffy. The price tag was outrageous.
Don't scrimp only quality. Figure out who your target market is.  Sell fairly.
You should know I was at a big box store a few days later. I found a comparable pair of jeans there. In fact, I think they are better than your trousers. They were also 80% cheaper than the ones at your store.

Sincerely,
Consumer Amy

Just found out I'm gonna be an auntie again. Another tiny is joining the Smith family in the Spring. Yay! I  wonder if  he/she will like oreos?

That duvet is now calling me...

Cool Runnings

I am starting to hibernate. The air is cooler, the nights are longer and I am starting to make preemptive and postemptive (?) excuses why I am not out running. Some of my best runs have happened when the mercury dips below 0 and I am layered up so well you cannot tell what or who I am. But this past week I had to concede that my duvet was holding me hostage...again.
I am not competitive. I am not speedy. And I'm not sure I ever will. I'm a social runner. I relish the thought that in the wee hours of the morn I can find a few, or several, like minded friends at our usual meeting spot. We all start together under the yellow glow of the lamppost and then, like taffy pulling, the group spreads apart as we head down the street. We all know the routes. Luckily, because sometimes my legs have to be my GPS as my brain has yet to kick into gear.
As I sit here musing about whether to take a sabbatical for the season, I think about this quip that I recently saw on Facebook (I'm still not on Facebook, but that is another post)

Patient: The problem is that obesity runs in my family.

Doctor: No, the problem is that no one runs in your family.


I guess it's time for me to embrace the season and "Feel the rhythm! Feel the rhyme!"
I WILL be there on Tuesday.