Wednesday, April 30, 2008

My Heart is Full

Another day of complete and utter joy with these two.
There was an in-service day and parents were away
So I was asked to do the honor of entertaining for Tuesday.
I stayed over Monday night. I got there at around 9:30.
As dad put it “Lee, I had them settled in bed and read to when you got here”.
(Hey, I didn’t force them to come flying down the stairs and attack me with love and hugs … Its really not my fault)
So 90 minutes later (yes, 11:00)
After a skipping rope lesson, a game of catch-the-sticky-frog-as-it-falls-from-the-ceiling, and my small overnight bag unpacked (not by me) and each individual item put in its very own drawer - they finally went to sleep.


Storme deemed my purse "too messy" and decided she needed
to organize it. So she dumped it and proceeded to find a pocket
for everything .....
So I took pictures of Skyler, who had no real interesting in cleaning
Zen Sky
"people really do this" he said (emphatically)


Trying to capture the ball mid-air. Someday I will
learn to use the camera.


Heartbreaker. He just might be right!


This ball was full of red goo. We found out first hand.

He squeezed it too hard and it burst. Luckily, the mess

was contained to his palm only.

Lots of fun skipping. Its a little tough being
5'8 skipping with a kid's rope. We did, however,
manage to try out some new tricks.

I was fully expecting a nice, leisurely sleep in (til at least 9am – don’t kids need 10 hours sleep ???)
But alas, 7:35 they came creeping in “Rise and Shine Sleepy Head” while one gallantly opens the curtains and secures the tie-backs.
Ugh. I am so tired. So very very tired. But seeing their sweet little shining faces, I am energized and only have a day to spend with them, so I’d better get going.
Breakfast.
Eggs and Turkey Bacon. And they want the picture that’s on the package.
Scrambled Eggs on toast with the bacon on top.
That’s easy enough. If I knew where everything was.
At least Skyler does. So he is trying to get a pan out of the drawer for me, and the egg he’s holding between his chin and chest – surprise – falls and cracks inside the drawer, hitting several pans along the way.
After the clean up, I managed to put together ‘the picture’ and everyone went away happy. (Though I’m not sure I’d win any culinary trophies)

11:15 we are finally driving down Quinpool. Quickly dropping in to my place, off to Starbucks for a much needed hit. Storme got hot chocolate (with whipped cream and chocolate drizzle), Sky nothing (he's pretty low-maintenance.

Next Stop- DoH – charmed everyone there. Even my director. Who said to them “you’re good looking little buggers”. Sklyer puts his hands on his hips and says
“We’re not buggers, we are children”. They weren't too insulted because they went away singing “Au Revoir les amies, au revoir . (Good bye my friends, good bye) We were all in stitches.

CHECK OUT THE JEANS !!!
Hugo Boss ... and Storme's Diesel sneaks !!!
They are so tall now.


A morning chat before we start our day's activities.
(not aware of me snapping away)
Please note Stormes' specialty: The Snack Bag.
Always.


Peace Out (complete with the fist on chest motion first)

Then to Opa. Paper table clothes and limited crayons proved very interesting. Trying to manage whose turn it was with red was a tad challenging in a public place (where I work, no less) but it went quite smooth and we had a blast. The surprise Kadafi for dessert was so much fun too. Kadafi (I am spelling it wrong) is a greek dessert made of shredded phylo soaked in honey and sugar, topped with custard, topped with whipped cream, topped with Pistachios and Almonds. Simply to die for. Sky and I ‘devoured’ it (direct quote), something he learned from Fancy Nancy. (see link. Great books) He kept turning it over because he loved the "noodles".

http://www.harpercollinschildrens.com/HarperChildrens/kids/gamesandcontests/features/fancynancy/

Serious Concentration - drawing a blueberry bush and a shed.


Storme's final piece
Then we hit a small toy store on my street - Woozles. Such a cool spot. (see link)http://www.woozles.com/

They wanted a treat at Freak Lunch Box instead of a toy.
(no photos allowed in Freak Lunch Box -v. cool store)

They love to mug for the camera

Then to Adam’s.
To his new place first. Walls are painted, fixtures are in. It looks great.
Then to his current place where video games were booted up, with the “HE plays these”? surprised inquiry from 6 year old about 27 year old.
Adam was hungry, (really, really hungry – the kind of hungry that you stay out of harms way) and announced he was going to make a sandwich. Storme tapped my arm and with her big eyes, looked up and whispered ”If he's making a sandwich, I want to help”. Saying no to her is simply impossible, even for a hungry guy. So patiently and gently, he let her painstakingly peel the summer sausage off and place gingerly, piece by piece on the bread.
Don’t get me wrong. They both loved it, with Adam giving her the ins and outs of sandwich making. I was in the living room and I could hear her say “lots of mayonnaise, you like lots of it?” Then I could hear Adam “And the trick is … “ It was very cute.
She was very proud of herself!






Then she decided she was still hungry – after implanting the tricks of the trade she’d just learned (snacking while making) she spied the Peanut Butter – and asked for a spoon.

Digging In


And..... this is the face that launched a thousand kisses!
and will make you burst out laughing when you should
be stern ...


Knuckleheads

I had so much fun with them. I had them run towards me
while I continually shot. I can't put them all in , but this one
captured the spirit of the day the most!

It was then time to go … off to Swimming lessons, then home to the next babysitter. I truly didn’t want the day to end.


Coming down the "twisty stairs". They absolutely love him
(I think the feeling is mutual!)

When I unloaded them from the truck, Sklyer said to me “Leanne, this was the best day of my life.” After a few seconds of thinking of the enormity of this statement, he revised it to “Welllll, DisneyWorld was my favorite day … but ….”
And I was laughing too hard and hugging him too tight to hear the rest.
But I didn’t need to because it was one of my favorite days too ….

Monday, April 28, 2008

FIN-AL-LY !!!!




Wahoo! May 16th, 2008.
Lululemon opening ON MY VERY STREET!
I could throw something and hit it from my house
(if i had REALLY good arm)
May as well throw my wallet .... 'cuz thats where
all my extra dough is going to go.

Bay Getaway

My Carhartt boy
(and duct taped jacket)

'The Office' Marathon
(Micheal getting yelled at by Jan)



Adam a little annoyed that he's trying to eat
and I'm testing out the settings on his camera.



Some self portraits





Long, Leisurely Nothingness

Just another weekend in 'The Bay'....

Saturday, April 26, 2008

Thanks Mo

... for my new header.
you are so very talented.
share some of those genes would ya?

Monday, April 21, 2008

Next Street Over From My House ....

THIS WAS A HEADLINE IN TODAY'S PAPER:

METRO IN BRIEF
Mon. Apr 21 - 5:22 AMSuspect sought after woman sexually assaulted
Halifax police say they have "an excellent description" of a man in his mid-20s suspected of sexually assaulting a young woman in a driveway off Queen Street in Halifax early Sunday morning.
Staff Sgt. Sean Auld said a 20-year-old woman was walking along the city street at about 1 a.m. when she was approached by a stranger and forced into a driveway.
Her assailant fled on foot after the assault, he said.
The woman went to hospital where she was treated for her injuries and released.
The suspect is described as a black man in his mid-20s, 5’1" tall with a muscular build. He had a thin beard along his jawline and short, black hair, just a little longer than a buzz cut.
He was wearing a navy hoodie, black jeans and Air Force 1 sneakers. He also wore a large stud earring and a silver watch.
------------------------------------------

So this is what I have to worry about , coupled with the guy who escaped from Corrections
Officers who were transporting him from the jail to the hospital for day surgery. He un-shackled himself on the trip over in the back of the paddy wagon and took off on the officers.
Please (for everyone involved) don't let me start ranting on the fact that he gets day surgery (while wait lists are a huuuge issue in Nova Scotia and part of the branch I work in with the Dept of Health) .... and that the Corrections Department don't have means of restraining (tazer etc). And the fact that they were too out of shape, er, physically ill-equipped, to run after the 'attempted murderer and prolific bank robber'. This guy is up on something like, 23 charges! He's my age, broke out of Dorchester when he was in his early 20's. The sad part is, this guy is smart!
Like one of the discussion boards said, all they have to do all day is sit around and think about ways to escape .... so if he has a proven record of escaping, and being charming (the officers guards were down, because he was chatting to them on the way to the hospital), its a pretty
lethal combination - putting so many people at risk.
ugh. see? you got me started. I'll stop now.

I guess I won't be walking home from Opa now after my shifts anymore!
So because some dirtbag thinks he can go out and ruin random girl's life by attacking her,
I have to spend money on a cab to get home at night !

'cept this guy from Sunday morning was only 5'1. I could step on him ....
I'll have to get Kenny to show me some moves to take this guy down.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

RRRoll up the Rim to ....what?



I've not won a thing yet.




Everythings Just Ducky in My World


So, in addition to my $1 sock-a-mania, Adam bought
this duck for Ellie (his parents dog) and when he picked
me that Sunday to go down for dinner, this is how he
pulled up to the house.
He'd been driving like this for some time.
Its a wonder I can hold my head up as I walk Spring
Garden Road !
In reality, I found it very funny and we continued driving
like for the next block or so!
Oh. And Ellie freaked over it.

20 Cent Socks


Like them?
I splurged and bought 5 pair.
Frenchy's.
Yarmouth.

Roughan


He was afraid his skateboard would
blow away because (it was quite windy)
so his Grandmother told him to go put
a peice of wood on top of it.
We looked out a couple of minutes later,
and he was huffing and puffing and struggling,
his back arched trying to get wood from the woodpile
to his skateboard.
And he wasn't even finished at this point.
In the end, there was about double that on top.


Sliding down the patio door.....

Who Does This Look Like??



Nate perhaps?
I found this in the Deacon's Bench at Mom and Dad's.
There were 4 poses. Equally adorable.

Brotherly Love


Nate on his way over ... to play with Jonah's toys

Jonah making efficient use of his time and safe-
guarding them ....

Nate gave up and went back to HardHat Harry.

Just Nate


He is simply edible. I love him.

He loves his blankie


Watching "Hard Hat Harry" before church.


Wondering what we were doing on the other
side of the room


Going in for a closer look.


Couldn't resist the self portrait.



The Hair - Does it Run in the Family?




Good to the last drop


Making truck noises as he played with his many
Lightning McQueen Dinkies.


Wishing at this point, I'm sure, that I'd just STOP
taking pictures of him .... Driving home from
church .... Found a frog at Mom and Dads. I think
its his anyway!


Monkey See, Monkey do.
(and yes, my face IS that shiny. Its new illuminating
powder. I think I overdid it.....)

Jonah wants "To Be a Man"


We can't figure it out entirely.
He just came upstairs covered in marker.
(permanent, of course)
And the marker was found in the downstairs
bathroom on the sink.
So, the conclusion was that he was trying to
draw a beard .... Don't know, really.
What struck me the funniest, is that neither parent
even flinched.
Even when the word permanent was mentioned.