It was so a Monday....

If I'm having a bad day, I don't have even have to check the calendar. I just know its a Monday. How do I know its a Monday? Something always goes wrong.

My Monday mornings are filled with making a lunch for T then packing her and R up in the car for the very short trip over to her kids program. Sounds easy enough, right?

I drop her off and then run errands before briefly touching down at home to fed R and me before picking her up again. I have four straight hours with just one kid but those four hours seem to just fly by....way too quickly I might add.

My Monday mornings are filled with productive errands. Its the Monday afternoons that seem to be a challenge. Not only is T exhausted when she gets home but the 'powers that be' seem to think its funny to throw monkey wrenches into my plans.

Last week it was T putting a DVD into the player and having it jam up the machine.

I had to first take the DVD disc player apart. Then I had to take the 5 disc carousel apart to rescue a precious Wiggles DVD that had jammed up the gears.

After 45 minutes of removing screws, getting out the tweezers, extracting the DVD then trying to figure out where the screws where supposed to go, it was all fixed. Ever notice that no matter how hard you try, you always end up with more screws than you seem to have holes that they fit into?

As I replaced the player into its slot in the entertainment centre, the cat purred a You go girl!, R gurgled a congrats and a very grateful 3 year old promised to never touch the DVD player again.

This week?

Well, let me start with the fact that I hadn't planned on running errands this AM. It was going to be a quick drop off for T and then home.

Why? R is teething and is very cranky. Yesterday's trip to the pumpkin patch was interspersed with my very grumpy boy's very verbal complaints that he didn't care to participate in selecting pumpkins thank you very much. He just wanted to nap in the quiet of his room. Truth be told, I could have done without the crowds too.

But a quiet morning at home was not in the cards this week.

No, I had to get formula at Target. And well, a trip to Target wouldn't be complete without scanning the clearance racks in the kids clothing department. I was after all already in the kids section to get formula, right? Then there was the DVD display with the new release of a movie T had mentioned she'd like. It was bundled with the both the DVD and Blu Ray edition. Makes sense to plan ahead for Christmas, right?

Then it was off to a local lumber yard to track down corner trim pieces. That involved two stops. One to the original store to pick up 6 pieces, then one to their storage yard down the road to pick up 6 more pieces that were at the warehouse.

I swear I was the only XX chromosome in either of the lumber places. At least I didn't get "Well, hi there little lady, what can we help you with today?" That would have been very bad.

Then it was time to return home for a quiet morning of house cleaning...yeah right. The road to hell is paved with good intentions. I got a couple of items ticked off my list before I discovered my laptop had been attacked by gremlins.

By gremlins, I mean it wouldn't start. Not. At. All. Apparently a .dll file had gone missing.

Missing DLLs have been going missing on my laptop for sometime now. I guess the gremlins have found a new food source!

This time however it wasn't just a dialog box, alerting me that I needed to do something. No, it completely prevented even the login screen from coming up. It just sat there, staring at me., going Nana Nana Boo Boo, too bad for you! R napped in his seat so I had time to try to find a solution.

I knew the day was coming that I would have to reimage my laptop so I knew exactly where the boot and install disks where located. But that didn't mean I remembered how to do a reinstall. Its been a while.

Truth be told, I've never been a hands-on PC tech. Basic troubleshooting is about as far as I get without Google. And only having acces to Google, on my smart phone just wasn't cutting it.

Then R needed to eat. The clock ticked closer to the time I needed to be leaving to pickup T.

No, re-imaging my computer wasn't in the cards for this morning, thank you very much. No, I had other plans. Au contraire, ma cherie, but it was. One thing I learned from last time was to store all things important on the D drive otherwise you lose them when you have to reinstall everything. That was the only smart thing I did in preparation for today.

After several attempts to get the boot disk to work, I figured out what I was doing wrong. The system BIOS isn't the most explicit in explaining how to do this (nor where the instructions from the manufacturer that came with the boot disk).

And in my defense, I've only had to do a full install a handful of times in my life so I'm cutting myself some slack on how long things took. I even debated on spending 50$ to get the local geeks to look at it.

After I got the initial re-image done, it was off to pick up T. That went relatively well, all things considered.

Upon returning home, the laptop had to take a back seat to T's need to eat (since she didn't eat her lunch while she was out), R's need to nap/eat and then T's absolute need to ride her bike.

Once everyone was fed and watered, I returned to restoring my PC. There were about 37 Microsoft updates, programs to reinstall, favourites to import and of course laundry to be done.

Wait, why was there laundry to do? I just did a major load of kids clothes yesterday. We should be all caught up right? RIGHT?

Oh no. T got paint on her new (albeit cheap) shirt and R, well he decided to add a little laundry of his own.

R had gone down for a nap but decided that he wasn't too into sleeping or playing. So I did the thing that always works in this situation, put him in his swing. TO add a little spice to his day, he has taken to leaning in his swing on a 45 degree angle. He's tied in and normally, this isn't too much of an issue, I just prop him back up and all is good.

However, today was Monday and that just won't do. No, I didn't noticed his position until I heard that sound that every parent dreads. The "thunder from down under" could be clearly heard across the room. I chuckled to myself when I heard it that it was going to be bad.

My worst nightmare did not come close. Within seconds of checking on R in the swing, I could see that I was in for yet another load laundry.

There was poop EVERYWHERE. Little boys seem to have a habit of shooting it straight up their backs and out of their diapers. But this time it was a little more than up the back...it was out the side, down the leg and all over the swing's cover...charming.

Ah yes, it was Monday. Go big or go home, baby! My boy went big.

If I happened to have missed the constant gnawing on his thumb, the crankiness or the burgeoning white buds on his gums, I couldn't miss the crazy bad poopy diapers that accompany my children's teething.

R had to have a bath. R's dislike of the bath tub or any form of bathing rivals the cats'. In fact, the cats take to having baths better than R. I have to say that the howling does get to you after a while.

If the howling wasn't enough, T wanted to help. Apparently Scooby Doo just wasn't as interesting as R covered in poop!

So here I sit at nearly 12am at night, still trying to get things back to 'normal' on my computer. Everything of value has been backup-ed, just in case when I go to turn on my laptop tomorrow, it really does decide to finally go bust.

Oh Mom, those are just love thumps

I've written often about the feline curmudgeon I live with. His name is Gryffin and he is not fond of small children. In particular a loud 3 year old who lives with me too.

Yes, Gryffin now tolerates T, he always has but he gives her a wide birth. Because of this, I always know when T gets up in the morning, even before she opens her door.

Gryffin likes to sit quietly on my lap as I enjoy those last few moments of solitude and sip my coffee, soaking up any attention he can get. Without warning, he stops purring, tenses and his ears perk. That's the first sign that T is moving around in her room. I can't hear any noise but those feline ears can, despite his age.

With R, Gryffin has been different. Gryffin seems to have taken a shining to the boy. He makes a beeline for R's room the minute I go to put him down for a nap. He even sits in there after I've put R down for a nap.

In fairness to my feline friend, he did this too with T, however it didn't happen until she was nearly 2 years old. R is only 4 or so months old. T was equally as quiet as R at the same age, so it can't be it.

Tonight, as I fed R his last bit of formula, I rocked R in our rocking chair. I wasn't seated more than a minute when the door was pushed open and a little grey furry body made its way into the dimly lit room. Gryffin proceeded to make room on my lap for both R and him.

At one point, he turned his head opposite R's (after I might add, Gryffin gave R some love nudges with his nose) and thumped him with his tail. You know, love thumps. I think Gryffin figures that R is supposed to pet him. R was too tired to care or to comment.

The tail love thumps are what Gryffin does to us adults when he wants attention. He stands quietly by our legs and whacks us with his tail kinda like "Hello, I'm here therefore you must pet me. Now." He can be rather passive aggressive when he wants to be, unlike Phenix who is right there up your face when she wants attention.

I shouldn't complain though, at least Gryffin likes one of the kids. I think the reason he comes in when its nap or bedtime is that the kids are usually quieter and he can snuggle right along with us.

No pain, no gain seems to be his motto with the junior set. He wants attention and he will tolerate the kids to get it. Or maybe he is just mellowing with age.

For whatever his reason is, I don't care, its just nice to have everyone together.

Tickling the Butterflies!

One thing you find in Kansas aside from loads of Wizard of Oz references, tornadoes and lots of wind, is grass.

Grass comes in all shapes and sizes. Some are thin, some are tall, some have tassel like ends, and some have bushy tails. Personally, I find it all fascinating. Yes, I know its just grass but it's just kinda interesting. You don't find a lot of interesting things on the prairie so you have to take what you can get.

The later, the ones with the bushy tails (it resembles a fox's tail) is the kind that has taken up root in my front garden. Let's just say I almost needed a machete to hack through the front garden this afternoon when for the first time since April, it got weeded. Apparently it was a good year for weeds.

Talia too has taken a liking to the bushy tail variety.

I have a huge blanket flower plant in the front garden that resides next to the fox tailed grass. I just I bought this year and it has taken over one side of my front garden.

Its a sea of yellow blossoms save for one splash of red from a petunia plant that grew there all on its own. The Kansas wind does its best to leave little surprises to my garden by depositing seedlings when I'm not looking.

The butterflies and moths seem to like the yellow blanket flowers too. T seems to like the bushy grass next to the yellow blanket flowers. She likes the grass not for any aesthetic reason but just because its great for 'tickling'.

Her father taught her this on a few walks we've taken around the neighbourhood. S grabs some stray grass and points it at T and goes 'tickle, tickle, tickle!' The game starts, T squeals and S runs away. Think a game of tag with a piece of grass. The game continues until they both get tired of it.

Oh what fun, right?! Not if you are a butterfly or moth.

T likes to use the fox tailed grass 'tickle' the butterflies and moths. Let's just say, the butterflies and moths are not so fond of being tickled.

As I start to pull the fox tailed grass, T squeals and says "Oh there my tickle grass!"...Oh dear look out bugs. As I pull weeds, I hear 'tickle, tickle, tickle' coming from my right.

She flops the head of the bushy grass on top of the butterflies and moths perched on the yellow blanket flowers. She squeals 'Tickle, tickle!' as she does.

As one can expect, the flying critters don't stay long after Ms Thing starts with the tickling. Its a good thing they don't have stingers or T would be in trouble.

The conversation that follows goes something like this:

T - "Awwwww! Where'd they all go Momma? I want to tickle them!"

Me - "I'm afraid my dear girl, they don't want to be tickled."

T - "But why?"

Fair question but how do you explain why butterflies don't want to be tickled to a curious 3 year old.

Anyone remember this Looney Tunes skit, it just seems appropriate...I will love him and squeeze him and call him George....

Fool me twice, shame on you!

We all know that old adage: Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice shame on you.

Well, I tried to fool T a second time and it didn't work.

Anyone who knows T, know she has a stuffed friend knows Bart. Bart has been through countless washes and dryer sessions, has been knawed on since T started teething and has had to have his ears replaced.

The poor thing has been dragged everywhere in the house, on every adventure T has ever embarked on and is the first thing she thinks about whenever she returns home, gets in trouble or goes to bed. He gets a loving little kiss goodbye before we leave the house and a Oh Bart I missed you when we get home. And is her baby that she feeds whenever R gets a bottle with Mommy.

We happened upon a duplicate Bart ages ago. We kept the new Bart in the event that something very bad happened to the current Bart.

We used the second Bart during our trip back home last January and T didn't bat an eye. Recently S has been after me to trade up the new Bart for the old Bart. So I tried switching them when T went to the gym with S.

No dice.

She noticed right away that it was a different Bart. The new Bart was bigger and well, nicer looking than Crackhead Bart. That's what I call her old one because he does look a might worse for wear. I tried telling her Bart had had a bath and that's why he looks better. Nope, no go.

She was elated to have two Barts. She just couldn't give up the old Bart so the new Bart went back on a vacation...to a spa...in St. Moritz. He's going to send T a postcard.

He may yet come back for a visit but we will have to see. For now, he's sleeping in my dresser.
Eight months ago, she didn't notice, now she does. Fool her once, shame on T, fool her twice shame on Mommy!

Hi Mom, I've lost Dad!

So yes, normally this blog is about the kids and our adventures but this one is just too funny. I think even my dad would agree.

Whenever we have guests visit from out of town, they always have stores they like to visit. For my family, its Lowes, Best Buy and anything involving card making or scrapbooking supplies.

We often joke about the time I let Mom go to Hobby Lobby by herself, equipped with S's cell phone. I tried calling her 6 times from the parking lot as I didn't want to have to get T (who was a young toddler at the time) out of the car and trapse halfway across the store to find Mom. T and I had been runnind errands. The cell phone rang and rang in her purse but she didn't answer it.

On ring #7, she finally realized what the noise coming from her purse was and answered....my family aren't your typical cell phone users.

Now back to our story...

My dad is a man of simple needs. But take him to a large home improvement store and he's in heaven. And may I just say, my house looks all the better after he visits.

This past visit, my parents were down for a longer than usual visit. Dad needed a project and I have a to do list. That meant a trip to the . This time however, I had to go order flooring at a nearby store so I dropped Dad off at Lowes and ran my errands.

I told him to wait over there. By over 'there' I meant the BBQ display. He thought it meant by the swingset display, that was just to the left of the BBQ display.

You can see where this is headed.

Dad told me not to rush, he could stay busy poking around home improvement store. Heavens, who couldn't?

I ran my errands and returned to Lowes. I looked to see if he was waiting by the BBQ display. Nope, no Dad. I went inside to check and see if I could find him.

Countless minutes of searching later, I tried having him paged...three different times. One associate asked what he looked like. I gave her his description. She looked at me and I said, "Yes, I know, I've just descibed the average male customer! I've lost him in the male version of a scrapbook store!"

Meanwhile, Dad was outside, in 90+F heat with his purchases, in a shady spot by the playground display.

He was having his own adventure.

When I tell folks stories of my adventures in Bible Belt, no one believes me until they experience it first hand. Dad finally believes me.

While I was frantically looking for Dad inside the home improvement store, Dad was outside being helped by two ladies who offered to help him pray that I would find him.

Dad politely declined their offer but accepted when they offered to pray for him while they went about their day. About 15 minutes later, I found him.

Divine intervention? You be the judge.

This isn't the first time Dad and I have had a bad time at this particular store. During Dad's inaugural trip to this home improvement store, a guy side swiped my old Suzuki with us sitting inside it. I think from now on, we will go to the home improvement store near us.

Anybody got any Scooby snacks?

I firmly believe one of the greatest joys about being a parent is sharing something from your childhood with your child.

One such thing for me is Scooby Doo. Sounds odd, right?

Not for me. Growing up where I did, channel selection wasn't the best. We had like 6 stations of which, 3 were affiliates to each other so really three, Global, CTV and CBC. If we had great reception, we could get Fox out of Buffalo and maybe PBS however, they were still snowy.

Vintage cartoons and 60s era programs like Star Trek and the Munsters where summertime fares on one of the CBC affililate stations. Scooby Doo was one such 'vintage cartoon'. I could watch those for hours even if I'd seen the episode before.

T was first introduced to Scooby Doo at the doctor's office of all places. R needed to get his shots and the nurse always brings in kid themed bandaids. This time it was Scooby Doo.

Last weekend, T and I spent the better part of the weekend watching reruns of the original Scooby Doo series. It is only now I truly grasp how campy those shows are and how much each episode follows a set pattern of events. Each villian, upon being revealed, says "If it weren't for the meddling kids I would have gotten away with it..."

Even the new series uses the same line is used...somethings I guess do stand the test of time.