Trev Tribute

About as close as I will get to being one with Trevor Linden.....*sigh*

We Are ALL Canucks

I know we are all supposed to be Canucks, but I want to know where my 7 figure salary is for being a Canuck. And while we're at it, where's my jersey and my devoted fans??? Because if we truly are all Canucks, I believe the organization has gone waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay over it's salary cap.


Passion in the basement???? That sounds like something else besides hockey...

My Love Affair is Over

That's it!!! I can't take this any more. The whining. The hiding things behind my back. The constant voracious appetite. That's right, we're through.

I have been going a little crazy lately, thinking that I must be losing my mind. Every time I do laundry, it seems I can never find complete pairs of Kinsey's socks. I always think maybe they are hiding at the bottom of the laundry basket. But after every load, there seems to be more single socks than before. I never suspected that the love of my life, my washing machine, was actually eating them! Well, I think it's more accurate to say it was storing them in its little hamster pouch for consumption later. Look what I took out of it's clutches this morning:

Now, any mother of a baby will tell you, that's a lot of baby socks. But it wasn't just stealing them. It was breaking them down in its own gastric juices for later consumption. Leaving them looking way different than their non-consumed counterparts. Look at exhibit B:

The socks on the left are the ones that have been left lonely and partnerless for the last few months. The socks on the right were the ones ruthlessly abducted by our Whirlpool Devil Spawn washing machine. Note how discoloured and malnourished they look?

Now, in exhibit C you will see the mouth of the greedy bugger. If you look closely you will see there is a lot more space for more consumption.

Now exhibit D shows us a picture of our suspect. If you see it, do not approach it. It will, I repeat WILL eat your socks!!! It answers to the name of "Whirlpool Devil Spawn". Simply note it's location and keep your socks and underwear locked up tightly.

Anyone have a "Get out of Jail Free" Card???

You realize I have teeth now, right? I could gnaw my way out of here. Now where did I put that card.... maybe if I just look cute and stare at her with my big blue eyes, she'll take pity on me.

The Tooth......

Make that 2 down, 18 to go. And for my listening pleasure, Kinsey cried for over an hour straight tonight. She was inconsolable. Being a mother rocks!!

The Whole Tooth and Nothing But the Tooth

Much rejoicing will be had by all, as Kinsey finally has her first tooth. In other, slightly less "rejoicable" news, her second tooth is also coming in which means, you guessed it, no sleep for me! The past two nights she has been awake constantly from 2:00 to 6:00 (yes, that's in the AM, which I believe stands for Are you Mad to be up at this hour????). At 6:00 both mornings Steve has gotten up with her so I can get a few more minutes of sleep. I know this sounds crazy, but I am not at all thrilled with this little routine (Kinsey not sleeping I mean). If she wants to have teeth so badly, she should get them in on her own time, when it doesn't interfere with my sleep. Hmmmm......that sounds really selfish, doesn't it.... But I'm a much nicer mom when I get some sleep (pretend I'm saying that in a really whiny voice).

One tooth down, 19 more to go.

Monkey's Uncle

On Sunday, Kinsey and I went over to Erin's house to babysit (or monkeysit). When Uncle Jesse and Auntie Robyn came back, Kinsey had a nice cuddle on the couch with her Uncle. I'm not sure how nice it was for Jesse, considering his lips and face were manhandled.

Arms full of Monkey

Here's Kinsey and Uncle Jesse, and one of her favourite cousins, Erin. Imagine having all this monkey in one place! Where's the bananas???

Get a Little Closer

Don't worry, objects in the pictures appear closer than they are. You and/or your computer will not catch any viruses or illness from looking at the photos. I have the latest in baby-to-computer virus protection. Should you get ill within 24 hours of viewing these photos, there is something wrong with your immune system. And, no, the blue eyes are not digitally altered.

Vomitrocious

Well, Kinsey and I are slowly recovering from a lovely bout of "gastroenteritis" which is a pretty fancy name for throwing up all over the place. I had to take Kinsey to the ER again on Sunday night because she was dehydrated from her vomit-fest. Three trips to emergency in less than a month. Life doesn't get much better. I hope she's planning on giving me better gifts than a stomach bug as she gets older. A full night's sleep might be nice. I know I know. Kids don't just give those away. They have to be earned.

In other news, I think the 5 months of teething may be producing actual teeth now. I felt some hard jagged bits in her mouth today. They may be teeth, or just more teasing.

Once I'm feeling 100% I will post some more pictures, along with some information that's a tad more exciting. 13 days until Ontario!!!

The Second Annual Sis-In-Law Sushi Soiree

Here are the top 10 things about this year's Sis-In-Law Sushi Soiree (in no particular order)

10 Robyn, Shelley and Karen
9 Homemade banana tempura
8 Homemade vegetable tempura
7 Discovering that I really like sake (a little too much)
6 My favourite sushi place now delivers!!!
5 Kinsey got to play with all her favourite aunties
4 Aliya made menus for everyone and had a good time
3 Good conversation (although I fear I monopolized most of it with my tales of woe)
2 Of course the great sushi
1 We get to do it again next year!!!

There you go. Much fun was had by all (hopefully). This night is pretty much all that kept me sane during my week alone. Next year I hope to be child-free for the evening. Here's to my wonderful sis-in-laws!!!

The Suckage of Life

Alright. So this is going to be a Blogrant. Or a Brant. Or an E-rant. So this year, Steve decides to take the longest ski trip ever. Not that he doesn't deserve it. He works hard. He is always working. And he helps out so much with Kinsey. But I am only in day four of my "alone" time (which I have not spent a single moment alone) and I am tired, worn out, cranky, and downright tired of being by myself, but not by myself. I have just finished nursing Kinsey (she only slept for 2 1/2 hours). The first 30 minutes were spent with her screaming bloody murder because I, foolishly, thought maybe this time I would try giving her a bottle so she would sleep longer. Or to give my tired body a break. Not a chance soul sista. She's so used to being cared for by only me, that she revolts when she senses a chink in the armour that is her life and her eating. Right now, if I put my jacket on and she doesn't detect any movement towards putting her jacket on, the tears they start a flowin. Oh how my life, it is a suckin. I think I feel a country song in the writing. And just you wait. Steve is going to come home on Sunday hung over, tired, cranky, and he's going to spend the rest of the afternoon sleeping. I think I may have to sit at the end of the bed and stare at him with hairy eyeballs till he wakes up. *sigh* I know he deserves the trip. I know it's only once a year. But I am needing some alone time (really alone, with no kids) like you wouldn't believe. Well, now that I've ranted, I should patter off to bed as I'm sure Kinsey will be awake in a few hours. Hmmm....would it be mean to phone Steve and wake him up every time Kinsey does? Yah, I know......but it's tempting! Ciao.

Rap Master "K"

For Christmas we got Kinsey this Learn Around Playground. Which she absolutely loves. A little too much. I go to sleep hearing "Rockin to the numbers, this show is LIVE, rock and roll to the number five", among other tunes. Oh how I long for the days when I had normal, adult tunes stuck in my head. In fact, I'd trade for some soothing sounds of Raffi. Please, save me from the Leap Frog woman and her sickly sweet voice....pleeeeeaaase!

100 Things About Me

100 things about me - can you stay awake past #10?

1. I have 2 daughters, Aliya (7) and Kinsey (8 months) and I love them to pieces (can I say I want to squeeze them till their feet turn blue????? ;-) )
2. I am a teacher and
3. I love my job but
4. Marking and report cards suck and constantly remind me that
5. I am the world's worst procrastinator (see??? I couldn't even put this as number one. I procrastinated it down to #5)
6. I am currently into scrapbooking and card making but I don't want to be a stereotypical scrapbooker, so this blog is really keeping me in the "cool" zone
7. Actually, when I say I'm into scrapbooking, I think it's more honest to say I like buying scrapbooking supplies, and very infrequently I actually make a card or a scrapbook page.
8. I am a hideously disorganized person trapped in a highly organized, perfectionists body which means
9. My life and home are chaotic and disorganized except where I have been able to organize them perfectly (check out my filing cabinet - it is labelled, organized into categories, colour coded, the works. Anything that isn't filed??? All over the freakin place)
10. My husband Steve likes his life and home clutter free, but couldn't give a rat's a** whether it is organized so
11. Guess what we fight about??? However,
12. I love my husband very much. He is very kind, loyal and I know he loves me. And he puts up with me and understands me, which is very important.
13. He is 13 inches taller than me and has no concept of the fact that when he puts things in a really high cupboard, surprise surprise, I can't see them!!
14. I love love love our washer and dryer (not as much as my girls, mind you). If our house ever catches on fire I'm bringing the girls and the cat to the neighbour's and going back in for them. The dishwasher and the microwave??? I'll leave them to burn.
15. Even though for the past 7 years I have filed my taxes using telefile, which does all the calculations for you, I still go through the entire package and calculate my taxes myself because I love doing the math.
16. I taught math 10 in summer school for 2 years, and I would go home and do the questions myself that I assigned....and I enjoyed it....and sometimes I did extra questions.... ..because
17. I love doing the math
18. I need everything to be spelled correctly.....and pronounced correctly, with syllables properly emphasized (like saying Chinese Food, not Chinese Food) It's just one of those things.....I can't explain it.
19. I am a total night owl. Like right now. It's 3 in the morning, and I'm doing my best blogging. Someone needs to do something about this. Quick.
20. I love chocolate.....the darker the better (Green and Blacks 70% cocoa....mmmmmm)
21. I hate pina coladas and getting caught in the rain (and I don't have half a brain - I have a full one - okay, maybe 3/4's)
22. My cat Noah is the only thing in my life that has remained constant for the last 12 years
23. So has the fact that I am the worst at cleaning his litter box before it gets to the point of no return. Another one of my procrastination victims.
24. I love books. I love to read. And I love to keep my books in pristine condition. I am so anal about it, I won't let Steve borrow my paperbacks because he bends them and breaks the spine (double gasp!!!).
25. I think after I get to #100, it will be clear to myself and all who read this that I need some professional help with all my eccentricities and perfectionist tendencies. In fact, some people may choose not to associate with me after they realize what I am really like :-)
26. I am a very loyal friend and I forgive easily. In fact, some people have really upset me, but they will never know because I got over it before I saw them again. But if you are really mean to me or do something unforgivable, I will probably never talk to you again.
27. I have a bizarre, sometimes witty, sometimes downright annoying sense of humour. But only with people I am comfortable with so
28. When people first meet me, they usually think I am quiet, or snobby or aloof.
29. When my brother and my dad and I get together, it usually turns into a contest to see who can get the best barb in. And usually we are all trying to say the same thing, since we all have the same sarcastic wit.
30. We also can come up with a song that matches almost anything you say (Everything you say....we'll sing it for you (to the tune of Everything I Do... by Bryan Adams)) See?
31. Pregnancy by Numbers: 2 pregnancies, 63 hours of labour, 8 cm dilated (that's in total over both pregnancies people), 2 caesarians, 12 ultrasounds, 1 D&C (while pregnant), 5 rounds of clomid, 2 fathers, 2 rounds of castor oil (eeeeeeew), one 12 days late (Aliya), one 8 days early, 2 hospitals, lots and lots of laughing gas, 2 epidurals, and 2 amazingly beautiful, healthy daughters
32. When I was 5 I wanted to be a septic tank truck driver. I had no idea what septic was. I think I might be single if I had chosen that option (Hi, I'm Jenn, I work with sh*t)
33. When I was 10 I wanted to be an architect so
34. I spent most of my preteen years designing houses (cause that's all they do, isn't it??)
35. I didn't get into PDP the first time I applied and
36. If I didn't get in the second time I was going to move to Kitchener and take the architecture program at the University of Waterloo (another 5+ years of University)
37. My favourite colour is red
38. My favourite ice cream flavour is Mint Chocolate Chip
39. My favourite coffee beverage is a single grande non-fat no-whip mocha, but
40. I really dislike coffee
41. Unless it's masked with lots and lots of milk and sugar and chocolate (or cinnamon dolce - whatever the heck that is!)
42. I could spend hours and hours in Chapters. And thousands and thousands of dollars (if I had them).
43. I sometimes buy children's books and read them just for fun (My latest purchase was the last Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants book)
44. There are only 2 men in the world I would leave my husband for: Colin Firth (ohhh Mr Darcy!!) or Trevor Linden. Odd choice, I know.
45. I could watch all six hours of A&E's Pride and Prejudice over and over and over and over.
46. I have seen every episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer....three times. I only have the box set of season 6......Christmas ideas anyone???
47. I actually thought it was a well written show with great depth of character....that may make me weird but it's not a far stretch given the other 46 things about me that you have just learned.
48. My favourite band is Spirit of the West
49. Barenaked Ladies are up there too
50. I had my first "date" when I was in grade 5. Kent Schymanski took me to the Dairy Queen for a banana split (his parents came too)
51. I had my first "boyfriend" in grade 7. Our relationship went like this: Do you want to go out? Okay. We held hands once. I went to his house once. He went on vacation and never called me when he got back. Does that mean we are officially still dating, since there was never a "I never want to see your face again" conversation?
52. I had my first "kiss" when I was 13. His name was Shiloh (aaaaahhhh). We met on Texada Island and I was saying goodbye to him at the ferry, with my grandparents. We snuck down the dock and had a wee smootch. We were supposed to see each other a few days later, but he fell off a slide and broke his leg. I never saw him again.
53. I had my first......oh never mind
54. I went on a school trip in grade 8 to Russia (Leningrad and Moscow) and London. It was very cool.
55. I went to the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands for one semester. It was not so cool. Because when I say I went to school, I didn't actually take any classes, because there were none available in English. So I paid for 15 credits of university, so financially it felt like I was going to school, but I learned nothing. Except that it sucks to pay for school and not learn anything.
56. While I lived in the Netherlands I traveled to Belgium and France. There I learned that I don't know enough French to travel to French-speaking countries.
57. While on the bus to France, I had to pee. There was no potty on the bus for the 9 hour drive. I left the bus at a stop and peed behind a pole (loooong story). While I was in the pants-down prone position, the bus drove away with all my ID and money. And I didn't know where I was. Or the phone number of the place I was staying. Or how to say "Holy crap my bus drove away" in Dutch. I dare you. Ask me how I got out of that situation.
58. Also while I lived in the Netherlands I got a job with a professor from England. I was entering data from studies into her data base. I got paid handsomely for my work. But, as the Python boys always say "Money doesn't buy you 'appiness".
59. I am a huge Monty Python fan and my brother and I can break out into "Pythons" at the drop of a hat.
60. There's nothing an agnostic can't do when he doesn't know whether he believes in anything or not (one of my favourite Pythonisms)
61. Your highness, you are like a stream of bat's piss.......WOT?????......I mean, you shine out like a ray of gold when all around is black (another fave)
62. Someday I would like to go back to the Netherlands so I can truly appreciate the country.
63. I would also really like to go to Scotland and "get back to my roots".
64. It's very sad to say that I am one of those weirdos that likes the sound of bagpipes. It makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up.
65. So does the ensemble music from Les Miserables, which I have seen 5 times and absolutely love.
66. When I was a pre-teen I used to belt out the songs from Annie at the top of my lungs with my bedroom window open in hopes that a casting director from Annie would happen to be driving by and cast me in the musical. Apparently they don't come to Surrey.
67. I used to sing in a barbershop choir called the Sweet Adelines. We even sang the national anthem at a BC Lions game. Don't worry, I didn't belt out songs at the top of my lungs in the choir.
68. I can carry a tune, as long as it's not too heavy.
69. I have played the following musical instruments: violin, clarinet, flute, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, trombone, trumpet, and piano. All in varying states of proficiency.
70. I absolutely love having a bath. It is one of the most relaxing things on the planet. I do realize, however, that frequent baths are bad for the planet, which isn't so relaxing. So
71. I try my best to be as environmentally friendly as I can in every other way to make up for my bath addiction.
72. The movie "An Inconvenient Truth" was good, but has freaked me out. I want my daughters to grow up in a world that is going to survive. So everyone who is reading this better be doing their part to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Please!!
73. I said Greenhouse gas emissions. Not gas emissions. Sheeeshh!!
74. If Matthew Fox, Matthew Perry, Matthew McConaughey. Matthew (Matt) Damon, Matthew Modine, or Dave Matthews asked me to run away with them, I would seriously consider it.
75. On of my favourite books when I was a child was "Danny the Champion of the World" by Roald Dahl.
76. One of my favourite things to do at the beach is go "crabbing". That involves finding a fairly substantial rock, flipping it over, and watching all the crabs scurry away. We then try to catch the largest one we can and "sex" it. That didn't quite come out right. We figure out what gender they are.
77. Incidentally, one of my least favourite beach activities is suntanning. Because it requires a bathing suit (no one needs to see that) and it's boring. And I have only 2 "tanning" phases. Burnt, and unburnt. Red or white. Crispy or non-crispy.
78. I don't function very well with boredom.
79. I love sleeping with a cat on the bed. There is something comforting about having a lump of fur sleeping on your feet. However
80. Steve hates when Noah is on the bed, so
81. When Steve is away (like right now), Noah sneaks onto the bed and sleeps beside me. Shhhhhh, don't tell Steve!!
82. Also, when Steve is away on his yearly boys skiing trip, I sneak all my sisters-in-law over for our annual "Sis-In-Law Sushi Soiree" because
83. I have the best sis-in-laws a person could ask for, but
84. I don't let them sleep on my feet ;-)
85. Up until two years ago I hated sushi. Now I eat sushi whenever I can. I've even started eating the raw stuff.
86. My favourite sushi roll is a BC roll. Lucky I live in BC, huh? Smoked salmon sashimi is becoming one of my favourite non-rolls.
87. Edamame rocks
88. I am a very sentimental person. I have kept cards people have given me since I was a teenager. This might explain why my life is so cluttered. I have a hard time letting go of things that have any kind of sentiment attached.
89. I just recently "let go" of all the notes I took in university. That's right. I kept every single scrap of notes from every single class I took at SFU. And grade 11 & 12. And it was hard to get rid of them (don't worry, I recycled them). However
90. I kept all the papers I wrote.
91. I wrote a lot of papers in University. And I should know. I still have all of them.
92. My bookshelves are cluttered with books on how to de-clutter and organize. Maybe I should start by getting rid of those books.
93. Ironically, my computer is highly organized and I send any and all files that are not used to the recycling bin. However, I have kept every e-mail that friends and family have sent me.
94. I do erase voicemail messages though.
95. Every night that Aliya is with me, we tell each other 3 good things about the day and 1 good thing about the other person.
96. I try to laugh with Aliya every day (not at her)
97. I try to be a good mother and
98. I try to be a good wife and
99. I try to be a good friend.
100. The end...

Throw Kinsey From the Plane

Today, we went over to Erin's house. Erin thoroughly enjoyed pushing Kinsey around on her airplane. I'm not sure Kinsey appreciated her driving skills. Luckily, she recovered pretty quickly from being unceremoniously thrown overboard. At least they could provide a life jacket under the seat cushion!!

Erin, you just make me laugh!

This is Kinsey's reaction to seeing her favourite cousin, Erin. As you can see, she's feeling much better and her old goofy self is back!

Life in a Nutshell

Ahhh, this picture harkens back to a time when life was simpler. It was 2 days before 9/11, 2 days before I went from my 20's to my 30's, 2 days after Steve and I had our first date (when he told me he didn't think we were compatible), one month before Jesse and Robyn got married, and about 20 pounds lighter (eek!), although also one child less. I tell you, I wouldn't trade Kinsey for those 20 pounds!
This was my birthday party at Jesse and Robyn's. Aliya was 2 and still eating moderately well (that's a whole other post I think, food according to Aliya). 2 days later the planes crashed into the World Trade Center and I turned 30, all in one day. And I was still recovering from my failed blind date with Steve. Apparently it just wasn't my week!


Fast forward 5 years.....





Are we still incompatible??

Too late now :-)










How about now???













Too late. He's smitten!!













Me too. And so is she (she loves her daddy!!)





And that, my friends, is my life in a nutshell. Well, most of it. Tune in for more mildly interesting posts.
Jenn