At 2:01 today I...

was realizing that I may have to think of something else to do on Tuesdays as preschool is very scheduled and every time the alarm goes off we are doing the same thing...

Circle time. My phone interrupts the goings on and my surreptitiously turning off the ringer to take a sneaky picture is going to get old fast. I didn't realize until now that I've rarely worked at 2:01 since I've started recording it. Too bad, too. It was my easiest post of the week and the quickest to write too.

Now I'll have to give you something insightful every Tuesday instead...

kxx

Goodbye summer

Last night we had one of our last dragonboat practices and as we came off the water in practically near dark, it's really hitting home that summer is over. I not only feel sad, I'm devastated. Here's why:

• I hate my fall clothes. It's not the styles... they're fine. I hate that they cover every inch of me. I hate socks. I hate layers. They make me look even fatter. I hate hiding my pedicure inside clunky shoes (except for my Fluevogs... they're perfect)
• Don't get me wrong, I like the fall colours but every time I see those leaves, I know that in less than 2 months we could potentially be looking at -20C temps, snow or freezing rain. Plus the leaves only look awesome for a couple of weeks then they are brown and on the ground. Boo.
• No good holidays until Christmas
• Not only is dragonboat over, but I have to put my bike and running shoes away. Granted I don't have to stop running outside, it's just that on the days when you breathe in and the nose hairs stick to themselves, you kinda don't want to get out of bed to exercise. Until spring.
• My house is cold. We really need to get more carpeting around here. The all over hardwood is warm and wonderful in the summer but in the winter that first step out of bed may as well be on needles.
• It's dark. So so dark.

I'm just feeling depressed about it. Even though the weather is nice, I can't stop thinking about the inevitable. it's like someone is super sick and even though they may healthy now, you can't help but feel sad about the future.

Okay... bright side:

• No bugs
• Christmas
• I can make soups, lasagne and other heavy dinners again. I'm glad because they're easy and I get lazier in the winter
• Um... 

Well that is something.

kxx

Photo Dump!

Some shots from the previous few weeks I found on my phone...

We had a "microburst" storm a few weeks ago that knocked out our power for 24 hours. I went to bed shortly after dark because I just couldn't think of anything to talk about. With my own family. Sad.

This felon looks exactly like Elliott. It scared the shit out of me. luckily he was out of town when this idiot was misbehaving.  

Not impressed with the 8 degree pouring rain dragonboat festival weather. When I got home I had Scott turn the heat on in the house.

This was my delicious lunch that day. Yup, a stellar day all around.

Audrey and I had gone to a hair seminar where the stylist gave demos on how to take care of your hair. If you think I went for myself, you'd be wrong.

I was so proud of this train track setup I made that I had to take a photo for posterity. I seriously have doubts about this toy being for children.

Dragonboat festival number 2. I was complaining about the lack of footholds for us strokes. As you know, I like to complain. Turns out there was no need.

Because we came in first in the B final making us 4th overall. Pretty sweet.

How many of these freaking photos do I have on my hard drive? So annoying...

kxx

at 2:01 today I...

was interrupted in the middle of circle time by the alarm that tells me to take this photo. How embarrassing. Anyway, here's the shot I managed to sneak while pretending to shut off the ringer...

That's Celina and we were about to learn about the letter "C". But first we do calendar. Good times...

kxx

Weird!

So over the summer Elliot was at camp and I was planning a trip with Audrey to Toronto. Unfortunately we were only there overnight and we took the train so we couldn't get to his camp to see him. I was letting him know this by text and I sent this:

Innocuous enough, right? But check out what the predictive text box says on the right. In case you can't see it, it's "#HIMYMFinale"

How incredibly bizarre. It had nothing to do with what Elliott and I were talking about and I had never tweeted about the finale which for the record was a total gyp and negated the whole run of the series for me but that's neither here nor there. My point is why would it insert a hashtag I never used but probably thought? is my phone finally reading my mind? How terrifying. I may be jolly on the outside but it's pretty dark inside this shaved head of mine. Okay, phone, what am I thinking about right now?

kxx

D'awwww...

Just when I thought he'd run out of surprises in our life together, yesterday I came home to this:

I know it's simple and probably cost less that a large Starbucks coffee but honestly, it was the sweetest thought in ages. I love surprise presents. And just so we were clear, I ran through the requisite questions about why this suddenly showed up in the house:

1. What did you do?
2. How bad is it?
3. Where is the damage?
4. When is the court date?
5. How much is bail?
6. How long will it be out of commission?
7. How long is he/she/it staying for?
8. How many am I cooking for??
9. How long do you expect to be looking for work?
10. Elliott/Audrey/Henry wants to go to school where?

After I got the answers I was hoping for and using my married woman powers of observation (no sweaty upper lip, no shallow breathing or excessive blinking), I deduced that these posies were totally on the up and up. Flowers from my husband with no ulterior motive. Aren't I a lucky gal?

kxx

At 2:01 today I...

was cracking up as the kids literally lost their shit over 2 squirrels chasing each other in and around our yard and up that tree. They (the kids) were screaming and running all over the playground, totally freaking out. It was hilarious.

Wouldn't it be a trip to be 3 again and experience simple things for the very first time? The world would be a better place if we were all so easily amused.

kxx

Just a quickie...

It's nearly 11pm and I've been so tired lately that I promised myself an early bedtime so here's a quick story from preschool...

I was sitting at circle time with a child on my lap. She sweetly stroked my arm over and over as we listened to the other teacher read a story. This went on for about 10 minutes as we shared what was an absolutely lovely bonding moment.

When circle time was over I gave her a grateful squeeze for such a calm, relaxing time. She looked up at me with a sad look in her eye.

Me: Oh my goodness, sweetie, what's the matter?
Sweetie: It didn't come off.
Me: What didn't come off?
Sweetie: The brown.

Kids, eh?

at 2:01 today I...

Getting my next appointment in December.

was at the dentist. Again. Nothing drastic just yet another cleaning. They have me in the chair every 3 months because of my supposed rampant gum disease. Or something. Seriously, when I see my teeth they look and feel fine but the dentist pretty much has me at her mercy. How do I really know what's wrong? I'm not a gingivitis expert or anything. It's like taking the car to the garage. I could have a simple air filter problem or a flammerjib could have come loose from the tracilation joint. Who knows? But I'm not getting in my car with that flammerjib flapping all over the damn place. The mechanic knows best, right?

kxx

A day late and a dollar short

Okay, more like 3 days but it's here now. The worst mother ever presents her bedraggled children on their third day of school. I'm so not that mother that year after year, fastidiously takes a photo on the first day of school in her child's brand new outfit, new backpack bursting with shiny new school supplies.

Nope, these kids are wearing cruddy old (and probably not clean) clothes. In fact I'm pretty sure Henry slept in that tee last night. Their school supplies consist of nubby pencils with the erasers chewed off and backpacks with poke holes and mystery stains. But at least they're smiling. Without much badgering from me I might add.

All of these monsters are now in high school. God save me.

kxx

At 2:01 today I

A mix of decorating stuff and paperwork. A pretty good description of preschool teaching

was at my new job. Yep, I don't know if I mentioned it here but my 3 years of being Jew"ish" have come to an end. I was so very sorry to have to leave but sometimes you just have to move on to greener pastures. So no more "Morah" Karen, no more delicious latkes and no more Peshach (among other fun holidays). Boo.

My new preschool is great but the big problem (and it's like this everywhere new, don't get me wrong) is all the information about time tables, field trips, allergies, music days, baking days... plus setting up the room for parent orientation tomorrow, forms, tidying and organizing. After a long lazy summer, my brain was pretty much smoking when I got home today. It'll be second nature in a few weeks but right now it's pretty overwhelming. Then when I got home I had to cook dinner for the gang before I ran out in the pouring rain to dragonboat practice.

Long story short, I'm tired.

kxx