A picture is worth 1000 words..

We've been a little preoccupied with illness/injuries in our family.. and I had a reading spurt where I managed to read 6 books in the last month...  Hooray!  Now we're all healthy and mostly chocolate chip free I thought I would catch up and post a few pictures of what I've been up to...


Friday night fun at the gym:

Here I am flipping the 250 lbs tire.

Now, here I am right after throwing up...

BA HA HA.   I wasn't actually throwing up..I was looking for some identifying marks to determine how much the tire weighed since my trainer thought it had the information on it somewhere... Such a flattering photo...

I work out (like the song) :)

I'm not a believer of the cabbage soup diet or any similar fad diets. I believe you should be able to have everything in moderation.  Moderation being the key word.  Lately, my moderation hasn't been so moderate.

I work out so I can eat.  If you don't count running around after the children and washing floors by hand at least once a week (4 kids, remember?),  I work out hard about 5 hours a week doing kickboxing, cross training and swimming. Perhaps I am overindulging a tad too much lately.  In an effort to lose those last 10 stubborn pounds that have taken up permanent residence on my lower half I've decided I need to cut back on a few things we usually stock.

1.  Diet Coke.  As I sip a diet coke as I type I know this one is a constant struggle for me.  (It is so much easier to grab a cold caffeinated drink in our house.  I don't drink coffee, By the time I get around to drinking my tea,on those days I actually find time to make it, it is already cold...  Mmmm cold tea.  NOT.

2.  Open bags of chips.  I detest Ranch Chips.  However, if there is an open bag of ranch chips laying around it usually takes me about a handful to remember how much I really really hate them.  No more buying chips.

3.  Milk Chocolate Chips.  Mmmmm.  Just thinking about them makes my mouth water. We were going through a one kg bag of milk chocolate chips a week and most of them weren't making it into the cookies or muffins that they were intended for. I even labelled the jar POISON in attempt to thwart any intruders. It didn't work. Jeff and the girls weren't fooled either.  Perhaps the happy face makes it less of a deterrent?  Maybe I need to work on the label a bit, or just not buy them.  I think we'll secretly go back to semi-sweet chocolate chips and I'll record the first person who attempts to eat a handful of those!  Bahaha.

4.  Snacking while making school lunches at 10 pm.  I'm not intentionally trying to become a sumo wrestler but perhaps if I continue down this path you may see my name associated with the sport!  :)

Stacey "sumo mama" does not have a nice ring to it.

I think that about covers it.  I'll keep you posted.  :)

Shopping

I took the boys grocery shopping today.  We didn't need much so I thought we'd be quick. They boys haven't been grocery shopping in a while as Jeff usually does it. Alone. Now I remember why..

They are sooooo fast!  Initially, they were trying to be helpful.  One grabbed bananas so the other would grab bananas.  How many bananas do you need?   All of a sudden it seemed like they were grabbing random things off the shelves and putting them in our cart.  It was like a whirlwind around me.   Our 2 year old even put a head of cauliflower is some unsuspecting elderly lady's cart.  Luckily, we both saw immediately or else she would have had a surprise at the checkout!  (and probably wondered if she was going crazy)

I was putting things back where they came from as fast as I could catch them.  I didn't catch everything.  Finally, almost an hour later we got to the till. I gave the cashier 1 package of freezies and 1 extra box of crackers.  I still managed to come home with the items below that I did not put in the cart.

1 box of Hot Wheels Sugar Water.  I don't think there is any juice in it at all.
1 overripe tomato.
1 whole orange in okay condition.
1 head of cauliflower which had been in the elderly lady's cart.  I felt bad for it and figured we'd use it at least.
1 box of Mario Gummies which I swear I took out of the cart. They somehow made their way back onto the conveyor belt unbeknownst to me.

I forgot to mention the dancing at the till.   I'm glad they had fun. Myself, I would consider it a sanity workout.

I'm hoping not to have to do it again anytime soon.

So beware of little boys around your grocery cart.  You may end up with items you didn't intend on purchasing!

Curses

My children live in a bubble.   They believe in the Tooth Fairy, Santa, The Easter Bunny, and Leprechauns that prance through the house St. Patrick's Eve leaving coins and candy. Of course, after they have successfully freed themselves of the booby traps that the children have set.  The cardboard box traps are like 5 star hotels.  They tried to entice the leprechauns to stay once caught with barbie furniture, flooring, and jewelery as lures. Although, I think it would take a pretty "special" leprechaun to get caught in one.  I think Trouble even cut a door into hers.  I can't think of an easier escape route than that!

 They are so innocent, or so I thought.  My 9 year old and I were talking about swear words this week.  She declared that people at school told her S-T-U-P-I-D is not a swear word.  WHAT? SINCE WHEN!?  Okay. I don't want her looking like the village idiot at school so we had a discussion about it isn't a nice word and in our house it is not to be used as it is like a swear word.  (Oops! I forgot I-D-I-O-T is a swear in our house too.)

She then pipes up that she know a few more swear words.  Who is this kid hanging around!!?!?  She states she knows the "F" word.   Ok.  I'm not really surprised. I figured sooner or later she would learn that one at school.  It's not as if I can send her with earmuffs to wear on the playground just so she doesn't hear bad words. Then she states that she knows the "C" word.  ACK!  Shut the front door!  Who the heck would have taught her the "C" word in grade 3??!!?!?!  I'm ready to visit her school and have a chat with her teacher to find out what is going on when Trouble pipes up, "OH, you mean CRAP!"   Phew. Maybe they are still a little more innocent than I thought.

Rational

I've been busy reading the Hunger Games trilogy this past week.  I couldn't put it down and it isn't even the type of book I'd usually read.  I didn't accomplish much else in the evenings!

Friday, the 6 of us went on a quick trip to the States during the PA day.   We decided we'd take the kids to Chuck E. Cheese for some fun and do a little shopping.  I think others had the same idea.  Thankfully, Chuck E. Cheese was almost empty but almost all of the vehicles at the mall had Ontario license plates.

 I'm not sure what it is about the large bridge we must cross at the border but it causes my 7 year old to lose the ability to think rationally.   Recalling an earlier visit when we were sitting on the bridge waiting for customs she looked up and asked, "Are we underwater?"  HUH?     

This time as we idled on the bridge waiting our turn she exclaims, "The USA sure is small!   She has seen a map before and knows how large the USA is so I'm not sure what she was thinking.  Fast forward 15 minutes. We are past customs and on our way.  She declares, "Boy, it sure looks united here."  Jeff and I tried to suppress our laughter, unsuccessfully.  I'm not sure where she gets these things.

Yesterday, I ordered the limited edition Alanna Cavanagh tea towel from thebay.com.  Okay, I ordered 3 but 2 aren't for me!  I was probably the first order since I had been checking frequently.   I was contemplating taking all 4 kids to the mall on the weekend, while Jeff was working,  in hopes that they may have them in stock at our local Bay.  I decided the $7 shipping & handling was worth every penny.  I think I may frame it for our 9 year old's room. (Yes, I know it is a tea towel but I think it is too cute to use.)  Alanna Cavanagh even named the cute dog Walter. You can see more of her amazing work at http://alannacavanagh.com/home.html.  I really love her typewriter illustration and hope she does a silk screen of it soon.  Can't wait to get it!

 

  

Stubborn

I love my children.  All of them.  I'm learning to appreciate each child for their own little personalities. Some days are a little harder than others..

We were lucky we had 3 children before we even experienced the terrible twos.   I had no idea what it was like.  I figured it must be parenting issues when I saw a child having a tantrum in a public place.  I no longer believe it is a result of the parenting.   But are the terrible twos related indirectly?

Here is my baby.  He's a tad speech delayed but we're working on it.  This is a picture of him enjoying a snack at Tim Horton's this week while the girls are at school and his brother is at preschool.  Great picture, no thanks to my photography skills.  This picture doesn't show the full story.  It certainly doesn't give any indication that mommy had to carry him into the restaurant while he was fully resisting. If he would have thought to grab hold of the van in his attempt he probably would have.  I can only imagine what he would have said if he could have expressed himself verbally.  As it was, he decided blood curling screams should be enough.  
 

Thankfully, once we got inside he was instantly transformed from crazed child to angel.  He didn't really like the chocolate Timbits that I offered him . (He's only had one or two before ever)  He did request chocolate milk.  That, I can live with.

Today, I carried him again kicking and screaming to the car.  This was because he didn't want to hold my hand in the busy Wal-Mart parking lot.  I am thankful I am able to carry his flailing 42 pound body.  Last week I was especially thankful I can carry him with one arm when I had to carry him screaming, flailing and crying from the park while pulling the wagon with his 40 pound brother in the other hand.  

He is definitely our child.   He seems to be exhibiting a few traits that Jeff and I seem to have, although not necessarily all the best ones.. Luckily, I haven't had to carry Jeff having a tantrum. Yet. :)     

Miller is stubborn.   If he doesn't want to go someplace or do something he's going to let you know.  As he's not yet able to express himself with words it usually manifests itself in screaming and resisting.  

The poor babysitter who has had to brush his teeth on a recent occasion that Jeff and I went said as much. She was paid handsomely that night.    

My mantra at the moment:   "This too shall pass"  

I'm hoping sooner than later or I may no longer need a gym membership. :)  

Allergy Rant

It has been more than 2 years since our 3rd child was diagnosed with a peanut/tree nut allergy. After our initial allergist appointment we were told he was allergic to peanuts and given a prescription for an epi-pen.  Bye-Bye. (Here is where they pushed us out the door..  kidding... at least they didn't physically push us out)  

 We're still learning about the allergy along they way and now have a great Paediatric Allergist Doctor..  For example we just learnt if he's never been exposed to a certain nut, he may not show as allergic to that nut when doing allergy testing.  I know if you don't have a nut allergy in your house you may not have to think about these things so thought I would compile some tidbits for those who encounter somebody with a nut allergy.

Or maybe you can just call it a rant....

Note:  This is what works for us and is just our opinion, we aren't medical doctors or I'd be charging A LOT for these pointers.

1.  Please do not bring/offer homemade baking.  Unless I know you are as neurotic as I am, you are just going to assist in making my husband and his work friends fat.

2.   Anything purchased from the bulk barn, or bulk areas are out because of cross contamination.  Therefore, the flour purchased at bulk barn may have a secret.  And not a juicy one.

4.  Peanut butter is BAD.  Sooo bad.    

3.   Tim Hortons has warning signs in their drive thru windows and state on their website that their products may contain nuts or be cross contaminated.  Therefore, Tim Hortons timbits is not a suitable snack to bring to a preschool party when you know there are children with nut allergies.

4.   Even if an establishment has a sign saying they are nut free ask anyway. At one we used to visit I thought the cookies looked similar to ones I'd seen somewhere else.  I asked and was told there were NO ACTUAL PEANUTS in them, which is VERY different from nut free.

5.   Labels are our friend.  Bring the box of crackers that shows the ingredients and I'm a happy camper. If I don't know the ingredient list.  I won't serve it.

6.  We discovered www.enjoylifefoods.com and some of their products at our local organic bakery  NUT FREE TRAIL MIX.  WHOO HOO!

Let's just say I'm thankful it's just a nut allergy and otherwise he's a perfectly happy & healthy 4 year old.  Can you imagine if it was a chocolate allergy?  I think if I had a chocolate allergy it would be worth the epi-pen and trip to emerg. and daily at that.