Man, what a beautiful morning to wake up to!!
It's been a good weekend. Yesterday we went for dinner for Jer's dad's birthday and then back to their house for a party. The kids went to my niece's birthday party earlier in the day and James had a ball hockey game so they didn't come for dinner but they came to the party after.
Today is for laundry and I'm going to get the kitchen floor washed. I started it yesterday but ran out of time. We're having grilled pork tenderloin for dinner tonight...I do all the sides and Jer does the BBQ'ing, I hate the BBQ, it freaks me out lol. I'm definitely missing Jer being home on Sunday's right now, usually we go for a drive with the kids, come home and have family dinner but with him working all we can do is the family dinner.
This week is pretty uneventful. No appointments or anything, just cubs and ball hockey for Jonah and James. The weather is supposed to be great all week so I'll likely try and get Marryn out to the park a couple of mornings. It's been too cold and wet the last 2 weeks after I take Jonah to school.
Other than that I'll likely continue planning our camping trip and Florida trip in the fall. I've already booked our camp site in August from the 10th to the 19th. I'm SO excited about that, we haven't been able to get out the last couple of years and we've really wanted to, it just never lined up. This year it works out perfectly, we are borrowing Jer's dad's trailer again and they're gone away for that week as well and won't be using it. We'll be putting a trailer hitch on our new van as well so that we can haul it ourselves this time, last time we needed him to bring it to us at our camp site.
Florida, even though it's like 7 months away, is a big thing on my mind right now! We'll be there over Halloween so we're trying to decide if we want to go trick or treating door to door in a place called Celebration, Florida, or if we want to spend an extra $80 per person and trick or treat IN Disney. We'll already be there that day anyway so we'll have experienced all the decorations and characters and everything, I'm just wondering if $80/pp is worth it for trick or treating or not...I'm leaning toward Celebration but we'll have to see. We'll also be visiting Universal Studios and Adventure Island to check out the Wizarding World of Harry Potter! THAT is the main attraction for me! I really think it will be for the boys as well and since my mom is coming with us and Universal is a little more older child oriented, Marryn might stay with Grandma for the day when we go there. I just don't think she'll enjoy Universal as much as the boys will. It's less princess and more Harry Potter and the Simpsons lol. Other than that, our villa has a pool in the backyard so we'll likely be spending a few days just relaxing around the pool side. We want to go to the beach one of the days we're there so the kids can check out the ocean but we haven't decided if we'll go to the Gulf or Atlantic side yet...our villa location is right in the middle. I've heard good things about both sides so I'll have to look into it more. I think Jer wants to find a place to rent a surfboard for a couple of hours with James and I think the Atlantic side is better for that. There is also a Ghost Tour that I'd like to check out...we may do that the night of our anniversary. I'm so looking forward to this, our first real family vacation!
Now that I've talked and blogged about my ruminating the recent hurtful events, I'm feeling SO much better about them. Talking to the people who really matter about how I was feeling and realizing that I don't need to be ashamed of feeling sad that a particular friendship has ended has really helped me gain some perspective. So thank you to my husband and my best friend, for helping me realize why I was rehashing it all the time. It makes total sense and I think I'm finally able to start moving on from it. It feels good to be able to start moving forward again. It was the one thing I said at the beginning of it all was that I didn't want to dwell on it. I had put everything tangible away, I didn't reread or over think everything yet I was still having the issue moving forward. I think I just needed to talk through it a bit more and acknowledge my sadness and not feel bad that what I was feeling WAS sadness after being angry for a couple of weeks.
There are much better things to be focusing on in just this year alone! Grieve, wipe the dust off and move on. This year started out not the greatest but it's going to END fantastically!!!
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Good Morning!
I love it when I'm up before the kids and the sun is shining and the birds are chirping :) It certainly puts me in a good mood!! It gives me time to do my internet thing and then get some cleaning done without any children underfoot. And then I can spend time and focus on them when they do get up instead of being distracted by dishes from the evening before or laundry that I haven't started yet.
I'm definitely feeling better already after yesterday's blog post. Not only was it good to write it out (I've always been one to write out how I'm feeling and ALWAYS it makes me feel better, even if just a little) but my wonderful husband also put things in perspective for me. He said, no matter what you do or say, nothing will change the way that person feels about you and the way you live your life. Nothing will ever be good enough. Right now, you don't work outside the house, but we see how damned hard you work inside to take care of our kids and me and cleaning and whatnot. They don't see that. And even if you went out and got a college or university degree and started working full time at a career, that person would say, "Well, your husband paid for your education and now your kids are suffering because you're not home to take care of them and cook meals and they're having to be little slaves while you both work". And it dawned on me that he is absolutely right. No matter WHAT I do or say, this person will feel the way they feel...there will always be some reason to diminish what I am doing for my family, whether it be inside or outside the home.
I can only improve myself in the ways that I think I might be lacking. And I am and have been doing that for quite some time now. He acknowledged that for me too, and that really helped. I could not have asked for a better husband, that's for sure!!
So after a comment left yesterday about how maybe it's time for some counselling because I keep thinking about everything, I took a warm bath and got introspective. Do I really need counselling? No. I need time to grieve the loss of a friendship that I thought was pretty important. It's like a death. You don't just move on and forget about the person. You think about them. Go over what you wish you could have said or did before they "died" and eventually you think about them a little less every day or week that passes. You'll never forget, but you move on with life. Everyday gets a little easier and you cope a little better with the loss and hurt.
I'm happy and confident in the way we're living our lives. I don't have to answer to anyone but my husband and children who have assured me that they are happy and it's clear that they are healthy. And that's really all that matters. Friends will come and go but my family will be there for the rest of my life. They're the ones who will see me to the end of this life. They are what's important. I will make it my mission to remember that every single day and not take them for granted!!
I'm definitely feeling better already after yesterday's blog post. Not only was it good to write it out (I've always been one to write out how I'm feeling and ALWAYS it makes me feel better, even if just a little) but my wonderful husband also put things in perspective for me. He said, no matter what you do or say, nothing will change the way that person feels about you and the way you live your life. Nothing will ever be good enough. Right now, you don't work outside the house, but we see how damned hard you work inside to take care of our kids and me and cleaning and whatnot. They don't see that. And even if you went out and got a college or university degree and started working full time at a career, that person would say, "Well, your husband paid for your education and now your kids are suffering because you're not home to take care of them and cook meals and they're having to be little slaves while you both work". And it dawned on me that he is absolutely right. No matter WHAT I do or say, this person will feel the way they feel...there will always be some reason to diminish what I am doing for my family, whether it be inside or outside the home.
I can only improve myself in the ways that I think I might be lacking. And I am and have been doing that for quite some time now. He acknowledged that for me too, and that really helped. I could not have asked for a better husband, that's for sure!!
So after a comment left yesterday about how maybe it's time for some counselling because I keep thinking about everything, I took a warm bath and got introspective. Do I really need counselling? No. I need time to grieve the loss of a friendship that I thought was pretty important. It's like a death. You don't just move on and forget about the person. You think about them. Go over what you wish you could have said or did before they "died" and eventually you think about them a little less every day or week that passes. You'll never forget, but you move on with life. Everyday gets a little easier and you cope a little better with the loss and hurt.
I'm happy and confident in the way we're living our lives. I don't have to answer to anyone but my husband and children who have assured me that they are happy and it's clear that they are healthy. And that's really all that matters. Friends will come and go but my family will be there for the rest of my life. They're the ones who will see me to the end of this life. They are what's important. I will make it my mission to remember that every single day and not take them for granted!!
Friday, April 27, 2012
Letting go
I've spent a bit of time in the last few days researching about why I'm having such a hard time letting go of a few things that have happened recently.
No matter what I do or what I say to myself, these events keep replaying in my mind over and over again. I'll be doing fine and then I'll be standing at the sink doing dishes and before I know it I've gone over the whole thing again. I think about what people have said, what they've done and what I can do or could have done to prevent it or change it in some way.
Logically, I know that I can't change the way people act. Even if it's things they are saying about me. I can't change that. I can't even change the way they think about me even if it's completely skewed. The only thing I can do is remember that it is THEIR issue and not mine. Even if it happens to affect me when I least expect it. I have to remember that it is what it is. Things happen for a reason and fate is on my side whether it's crappy at the time or not.
What I'd really like to do though is stop thinking about it so much. I've put everything tangible away. I don't reread things that were written. And even still, I find myself not only just thinking about it but DREAMING about things that happened, just in a different way...like something in my dream happened as a direct result of this event. Which is clearly my subconscious letting me know I'm not over it.
I wouldn't say I'm angry about it. I'm more hurt than anything else. The person involved was someone I thought was my friend. Like, good friend. When other people said to me, "Do you think so and so may have been involved?" I ALWAYS said, "Nooo, why would they do that?? I trust them, we're close, we share a lot!". Never in a million years did I think they would say the things they said or do the things they did. I really trusted this person and told them my life story. They knew virtually everything about me. And then they turned around and used some of that stuff against me after I trusted them with the information.
Now I find myself questioning EVERYONE. I wonder who else I have trusted has done something similar...obviously not to the extent that this person has gone but even still. It's just a little bit harder to trust now.
So for now, I'm working on it. When I start thinking about it, I try to do something else, redirect my focus on to something positive.
If nothing else came out of all of these events, I have certainly been doing what I can to improve myself as a person, wife and mother. I don't ever want someone to actually think any of the things that were said are true and I will do whatever I can to prove them all wrong.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'm not perfect. I've made mistakes in the past and I'll absolutely make mistakes in the future. However, I will do the best I can with what we have. I will constantly look for ways to be better. Even in the smallest measure.
And I will remember as well:
"Before you judge me, make sure you're perfect!"
I will not judge others by their actions. It is what it is and it's their own karma that they will have to deal with one day.
I will forgive (from a far distance!) but not forget.
I will not wish ill on others.
I will not make the same mistakes twice.
I will continue to be who I am, with peace in the knowledge that I am trying to be the best me I can be.
Even if someone else doesn't think so....that's not on me, that's on them.
No matter what I do or what I say to myself, these events keep replaying in my mind over and over again. I'll be doing fine and then I'll be standing at the sink doing dishes and before I know it I've gone over the whole thing again. I think about what people have said, what they've done and what I can do or could have done to prevent it or change it in some way.
Logically, I know that I can't change the way people act. Even if it's things they are saying about me. I can't change that. I can't even change the way they think about me even if it's completely skewed. The only thing I can do is remember that it is THEIR issue and not mine. Even if it happens to affect me when I least expect it. I have to remember that it is what it is. Things happen for a reason and fate is on my side whether it's crappy at the time or not.
What I'd really like to do though is stop thinking about it so much. I've put everything tangible away. I don't reread things that were written. And even still, I find myself not only just thinking about it but DREAMING about things that happened, just in a different way...like something in my dream happened as a direct result of this event. Which is clearly my subconscious letting me know I'm not over it.
I wouldn't say I'm angry about it. I'm more hurt than anything else. The person involved was someone I thought was my friend. Like, good friend. When other people said to me, "Do you think so and so may have been involved?" I ALWAYS said, "Nooo, why would they do that?? I trust them, we're close, we share a lot!". Never in a million years did I think they would say the things they said or do the things they did. I really trusted this person and told them my life story. They knew virtually everything about me. And then they turned around and used some of that stuff against me after I trusted them with the information.
Now I find myself questioning EVERYONE. I wonder who else I have trusted has done something similar...obviously not to the extent that this person has gone but even still. It's just a little bit harder to trust now.
So for now, I'm working on it. When I start thinking about it, I try to do something else, redirect my focus on to something positive.
If nothing else came out of all of these events, I have certainly been doing what I can to improve myself as a person, wife and mother. I don't ever want someone to actually think any of the things that were said are true and I will do whatever I can to prove them all wrong.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'm not perfect. I've made mistakes in the past and I'll absolutely make mistakes in the future. However, I will do the best I can with what we have. I will constantly look for ways to be better. Even in the smallest measure.
And I will remember as well:
"Before you judge me, make sure you're perfect!"
I will not judge others by their actions. It is what it is and it's their own karma that they will have to deal with one day.
I will forgive (from a far distance!) but not forget.
I will not wish ill on others.
I will not make the same mistakes twice.
I will continue to be who I am, with peace in the knowledge that I am trying to be the best me I can be.
Even if someone else doesn't think so....that's not on me, that's on them.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Concert and a new plan!
Yesterday we went to see Ani DiFranco in concert. It was TOTALLY awesome, she is so great!! Just a girl and her guitar on a stage. So much emotion in her songs, it was absolutely amazing and I love her new album! We also discovered a new band called Pearl and the Beard who opened for her, they were really great as well and Jer bought their album on vinyl :) It was a really wonderful evening and it was just what we needed to unwind after that last couple of days.
Going forward, we have a new plan. After the landlord with the "friend from bible study" who told him that we have garbage piled up outside our unit (which I almost want to post pictures to prove we don't but I won't), irresponsible fires (which are burned in a Chiminea, pictured below, on a patio stone ...least "irresponsible" fire ever!)
and that we "inappropriately holler" at our children....we took stock and really talked about what we want as our end goal. I'm trying to have a positive outlook on this. Do I yell at the kids too much?? I didn't think so but after this, maybe I'll think twice before I raise my voice and try to discipline them in a more constructive way. As for the other things, there is nothing to change because they are absolutely not true. Why someone would feel the need to give us a bad review like that, I have no idea. I just have to think, there was a reason for it....meaning there is a reason we didn't get this house because it wasn't meant to be and we would have likely had problems in the future.
All of that pushed us to really tighten our wallets, strive to save up a down payment and buy our own house. While we can't afford to get a mortgage right this minute, come December when Jer moves over to 5th year apprentice, his salary goes up and we'll be able to then. I did some research on mortgage prices and interest rates and even if we had the highest interest rate, we'd still only be paying $50 more a month to BUY a house than we would be if we were renting from the landlord who listened to his friend. If we have the banks interest rate where it's at now (3.49% or something similar) we'd be paying about $20 more a month (plus a water bill every three month) than we are at our apartment right now! I've looked for about 3 weeks and rent on a 3/4 bedroom house in the are and neighbourhood we're looking runs anywhere from $1250/mo to $1500/mo! If we bought our own, in the same neighbourhoods at the prices we can afford, we'd be paying about $800/mo for a mortgage!! That's a HUGE difference and therefore it doesn't make ANY sense to move right now as much as I dislike the neighbours and how bad I want to.
So our plan now is to put every penny away that we can toward our down payment. Then in December, go the bank and start the process and likely buy by the spring of 2013.
It's 1 year or less. We can do it! I plan on spending a lot of time away from home this summer though to keep my kids away from the kids here since they aren't the greatest influences!!
I'm off to buy a coffee maker to keep us from buying Tim Horton's in the morning!
Have a great Sunday!
Going forward, we have a new plan. After the landlord with the "friend from bible study" who told him that we have garbage piled up outside our unit (which I almost want to post pictures to prove we don't but I won't), irresponsible fires (which are burned in a Chiminea, pictured below, on a patio stone ...least "irresponsible" fire ever!)
and that we "inappropriately holler" at our children....we took stock and really talked about what we want as our end goal. I'm trying to have a positive outlook on this. Do I yell at the kids too much?? I didn't think so but after this, maybe I'll think twice before I raise my voice and try to discipline them in a more constructive way. As for the other things, there is nothing to change because they are absolutely not true. Why someone would feel the need to give us a bad review like that, I have no idea. I just have to think, there was a reason for it....meaning there is a reason we didn't get this house because it wasn't meant to be and we would have likely had problems in the future.All of that pushed us to really tighten our wallets, strive to save up a down payment and buy our own house. While we can't afford to get a mortgage right this minute, come December when Jer moves over to 5th year apprentice, his salary goes up and we'll be able to then. I did some research on mortgage prices and interest rates and even if we had the highest interest rate, we'd still only be paying $50 more a month to BUY a house than we would be if we were renting from the landlord who listened to his friend. If we have the banks interest rate where it's at now (3.49% or something similar) we'd be paying about $20 more a month (plus a water bill every three month) than we are at our apartment right now! I've looked for about 3 weeks and rent on a 3/4 bedroom house in the are and neighbourhood we're looking runs anywhere from $1250/mo to $1500/mo! If we bought our own, in the same neighbourhoods at the prices we can afford, we'd be paying about $800/mo for a mortgage!! That's a HUGE difference and therefore it doesn't make ANY sense to move right now as much as I dislike the neighbours and how bad I want to.
So our plan now is to put every penny away that we can toward our down payment. Then in December, go the bank and start the process and likely buy by the spring of 2013.
It's 1 year or less. We can do it! I plan on spending a lot of time away from home this summer though to keep my kids away from the kids here since they aren't the greatest influences!!
I'm off to buy a coffee maker to keep us from buying Tim Horton's in the morning!
Have a great Sunday!
Friday, April 20, 2012
Friday
Today has been a pretty rough day emotionally and I've spent a couple of hours in tears. I was really getting my hopes up for this house we were supposed to see tonight when I received an email from the person renting the home that he had heard some unfavourable things about my family and how we live. He is, of course, mistaken but the story has been told now and it doesn't matter. If he did reconsider we wouldn't rent from him anyway as he is clearly someone who takes hearsay at face value without doing his own research. He judged the book by the review of someone who glanced at the back cover synopsis. He asked for references and a letter from the landlord as well as Jer's employer to verify we were who we said and so on...we had all the documents he asked for...apparently it didn't matter.
Although I wanted this house so badly and I was so disappointed when I received the email, after talking it over with not only Jer but with several other people, I've come to the conclusion that it is what it is and it's obviously meant to be.
That being said, I'm feeling the need to share some quotable inspiration. I was blindsided today and have been frustrated, angry, sad, appalled and just plain irritated since then. I have to believe in karma, I have no other recourse. I do believe that you cannot be vindictive and spiteful without it coming back to bite you at some point. So I will not lower myself to that level. I will not wish ill on people. I will feel sorry for them. And that is all.
____________________________________________________
"What you don't see with your eyes, don't witness with your mouth.” ~Jewish Saying
“Gossip is a sort of smoke that comes from the dirty tobacco-pipes of those who diffuse it: it proves nothing but the bad taste of the smoker.” George Eliot
_____________________________________________________
"Never bend your head. Always hold it high. Look the world right in the eye."
- Helen Keller
Although I wanted this house so badly and I was so disappointed when I received the email, after talking it over with not only Jer but with several other people, I've come to the conclusion that it is what it is and it's obviously meant to be.
That being said, I'm feeling the need to share some quotable inspiration. I was blindsided today and have been frustrated, angry, sad, appalled and just plain irritated since then. I have to believe in karma, I have no other recourse. I do believe that you cannot be vindictive and spiteful without it coming back to bite you at some point. So I will not lower myself to that level. I will not wish ill on people. I will feel sorry for them. And that is all.
____________________________________________________
"What you don't see with your eyes, don't witness with your mouth.” ~Jewish Saying
“Gossip is a sort of smoke that comes from the dirty tobacco-pipes of those who diffuse it: it proves nothing but the bad taste of the smoker.” George Eliot
_____________________________________________________
"Never bend your head. Always hold it high. Look the world right in the eye."
- Helen Keller
"I'm a true believer in karma. You get what you give, whether it's bad or good."
"Sometimes not getting what you want is an amazing stroke of luck."
______________________________________________________
This too shall pass. We have certainly gone through worse. What's important is that we have each other. This will not matter in 6 months, in 1 year, in 5 years.
I will not let the opinions of others define me. I know who I am. I know I'm not what they said and I will continue to live my life the way *I* see fit, not the way others THINK I should be. I am not mean. I am not vindictive. I am not spiteful. I love my children and my husband and my friends and family. I am generous with them. I do not expect anything I have not worked for. And for anyone that thinks otherwise, you obviously didn't realize I might have grown up in the last 10 years (22 year old's are certainly more immature and selfish than 32 year old's!). People change and I am not who I once was. People make mistakes, and most learn from them. I know I have.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Thankful Thursday
1. My children. Even when we're not necessarily getting along (teenagers are trying), I'm thankful for you everyday. You push my buttons and drive me crazy but you also warm my heart and make me laugh. I love you forever.
2. My husband. For telling me, when I just can't hold it together, that you love me and that you're here, wholeheartedly and that you aren't going anywhere. That we'll get through this just like anything else. You give me the strength and courage to push on even when I'd rather go to bed for 3 weeks! I love you times infinity plus one.
3. Now that the extreme seriousness of my thankfulness is out of the way ;), I'm thankful for our new van! It's a beautiful 2010 Dodge Grand Caravan and we LOVE it. I'm thankful for all of the things that made it possible for us to now own this beautiful vehicle!
2. My husband. For telling me, when I just can't hold it together, that you love me and that you're here, wholeheartedly and that you aren't going anywhere. That we'll get through this just like anything else. You give me the strength and courage to push on even when I'd rather go to bed for 3 weeks! I love you times infinity plus one.
3. Now that the extreme seriousness of my thankfulness is out of the way ;), I'm thankful for our new van! It's a beautiful 2010 Dodge Grand Caravan and we LOVE it. I'm thankful for all of the things that made it possible for us to now own this beautiful vehicle!
4. I'm thankful not only for our country's health insurance, but also the extra coverage we have through Jer's union. I've read in the last few weeks about people who have to worry about their health needs being paid for by insurance companies who take their sweet time as well as people who have no insurance at all and have to choose between groceries and getting medical attention when they're sick. I'm so grateful that our children can and do visit the Dr. on a regular basis, have regular dental and eye check ups and get prescriptions and that it doesn't cost us an arm and a leg to pay for it. We are very, very fortunate to have coverage!
5. I'm thankful for everything seeming to fall into place so far for the new house we're looking at tomorrow. I mentioned that the landlord was asking for some reference letters and whatnot and we have two of the three items and are picking up the third tonight so that when we go and view the house tomorrow we'll have everything he's asked for. I'm really hoping that because of that we can move forward and rent this particular house. I'm pretty sure the other one has been rented already but we preferred this one anyway as there is a rent to own option.
Happy day before the weekend starts!!!!
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Walk through
Tonight our landlord is coming to do a walk through just to verify there is no damage anywhere before she writes up the reference letter for us. She told me yesterday that she has absolutely no problem writing it but, of course, needs to make sure there is no damage. Other than needing a paint job and some patching on holes where we've hung stuff, we haven't caused any damage so I know it will be pretty easy. I'm just tidying today and cleaning our room (which is the messiest in the house!) so that everything is presentable for this evening.
Then for the rest of the week/end we're busy busy busy again! Tomorrow I have an eye Dr. appointment and then in the evening we're driving to Jer's union hall to get the letter that states he's been working there for as long as he has. Friday after work we're going to see the house and then Jer and Jonah are at a cub camp for the night. Saturday Jer is working overtime and then we're going to a concert in Toronto in the evening. Sunday is finally a day where we don't have to do anything....unless Jer is asked to work overtime again lol...poor guy. He WILL NOT say no to overtime unless it's absolutely necessary!!
I've started going to the OB every two weeks now as well and I need to have my glucose tolerance test sometime in the next week and a half. MMmmmm really sugary orange pop for breakfast! :P Yuck.
Anyway, if I don't post for a couple days, the above is why!!
Happy Hump Day!
Then for the rest of the week/end we're busy busy busy again! Tomorrow I have an eye Dr. appointment and then in the evening we're driving to Jer's union hall to get the letter that states he's been working there for as long as he has. Friday after work we're going to see the house and then Jer and Jonah are at a cub camp for the night. Saturday Jer is working overtime and then we're going to a concert in Toronto in the evening. Sunday is finally a day where we don't have to do anything....unless Jer is asked to work overtime again lol...poor guy. He WILL NOT say no to overtime unless it's absolutely necessary!!
I've started going to the OB every two weeks now as well and I need to have my glucose tolerance test sometime in the next week and a half. MMmmmm really sugary orange pop for breakfast! :P Yuck.
Anyway, if I don't post for a couple days, the above is why!!
Happy Hump Day!
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Woo!
What a busy week! Dr's appointments, bank appointments, new car pick up, dinner with grandma, birthday breakfast with a best friend, long talks with another best friend, rental place viewings and overtime for Jer!
We picked up the new van on Thursday night and it's AWESOME! I'll take a pic of it after it's freshly washed...because it's white it gets dirty quite quickly! But it drives really nice and it's beautiful inside!!
We also went on Sunday to view a house that is for rent and it is also GORGEOUS! It's got a huge fenced back yard, 4 bedrooms and a finished basement. It's got a deck off one of the one upstairs bedroom so we likely wouldn't use that as a bedroom as it's too small for us but I worry about the kids going outside when they aren't supposed to! The basement bedroom is HUGE so we'd likely put the boys in there as most of their stuff (video games and whatnot) would be downstairs anyway. It's all hardwood/laminate/parquet flooring and it's in a nice neighbourhood on a cul-du-sac. We filled out an application and are now waiting to hear back.
In the meantime, there is another house we're going to look at on Friday afternoon. This too is beautiful from the pictures we've seen. It has 4 bedrooms as well, a bit smaller yard but it's fenced as well. The master has an en suite with jacuzzi tub (squee!) and there is a hot tub. This one has a possibility of being a rent to own situation. It's in a great neighbourhood as well and Jonah would be going to a new school but he already has friends at this school so it would be an easy transition for him and he would be able to finish out the year where he's at now. This one needs a little more from us in the way of a reference letter from out landlord, a personal reference as well as proof that Jer has been at his job for as long as he has been. All of which are no problem :)
Either way, I really don't care which one at this point...I just want out of where we're at and into a place where we don't have to share walls with the neighbours!!! I've been sharing walls with neighbours since I was 16!
We plan to stay in the new place for 2-3 years and then buy a place of our own (or do the rent to own, depending).
Anyway, so that's what's been going on for us for the last week and why I haven't posted in 6 days. Back to trying to post everyday again!!
Happy Tuesday!!
We picked up the new van on Thursday night and it's AWESOME! I'll take a pic of it after it's freshly washed...because it's white it gets dirty quite quickly! But it drives really nice and it's beautiful inside!!
We also went on Sunday to view a house that is for rent and it is also GORGEOUS! It's got a huge fenced back yard, 4 bedrooms and a finished basement. It's got a deck off one of the one upstairs bedroom so we likely wouldn't use that as a bedroom as it's too small for us but I worry about the kids going outside when they aren't supposed to! The basement bedroom is HUGE so we'd likely put the boys in there as most of their stuff (video games and whatnot) would be downstairs anyway. It's all hardwood/laminate/parquet flooring and it's in a nice neighbourhood on a cul-du-sac. We filled out an application and are now waiting to hear back.
In the meantime, there is another house we're going to look at on Friday afternoon. This too is beautiful from the pictures we've seen. It has 4 bedrooms as well, a bit smaller yard but it's fenced as well. The master has an en suite with jacuzzi tub (squee!) and there is a hot tub. This one has a possibility of being a rent to own situation. It's in a great neighbourhood as well and Jonah would be going to a new school but he already has friends at this school so it would be an easy transition for him and he would be able to finish out the year where he's at now. This one needs a little more from us in the way of a reference letter from out landlord, a personal reference as well as proof that Jer has been at his job for as long as he has been. All of which are no problem :)
Either way, I really don't care which one at this point...I just want out of where we're at and into a place where we don't have to share walls with the neighbours!!! I've been sharing walls with neighbours since I was 16!
We plan to stay in the new place for 2-3 years and then buy a place of our own (or do the rent to own, depending).
Anyway, so that's what's been going on for us for the last week and why I haven't posted in 6 days. Back to trying to post everyday again!!
Happy Tuesday!!
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Van, house, camping
Well, we go and sign the papers for the new van tonight and should be able to pick it up tomorrow, if not for sure on Friday :) I'm so excited!!! I'll post pictures when we get it.
The guy who's email address wasn't working finally emailed again and I was able to send him an email to a valid address so I'm hoping to set something up for Thursday or Friday night to go and see it. It's a 4 bedroom in a GREAT neighbourhood. The master bedroom has an en suite with jacuzzi tub and there is a hot tub. All the appliances are stainless steel. The backyard is fully fenced in. This is really the perfect place for us! Please pray or send us positive vibes that the stars align and it works out!! Jonah would also be going to a new school where a couple of his friends already go, one of which would be in his class so it would be a smooth transition for him as well!
Yesterday I booked our campsite for August. We're going for 9 days at a conservation area not too far from here. We'll be going Friday to the following Sunday. Jer is going to go to work during the week still so he said he wanted the two weekends to actually camp. I'm kind of hoping he'll take each of the Friday's off to give him a little more time off but we'll see what he thinks of that when we actually get there. He tends to not like to take time off!
I'm looking in to buying a Dutch Oven for this trip. Since he'll be away from the Monday to the Friday during the trip, I'm hoping to have dinner ready for him when he gets home and I've found a great website with TONS of Dutch Oven recipes on it. I've never cooked with one on an open fire but I've be dying to try it! I'm also hoping to get a couple more pie irons as we only have 2 and we LOVE them. We'll likely have those for dinner more than once on our trip!! I love camping and I'm SOOO looking forward to it this year, especially now that Marryn is a bit older. Our site has partial shade and I want to bring a little baby pool with us so that she can play in that while we're just hanging out at the site. There is a beach but I'll need to make lunches and dinners at the site and she won't be able to wander like her brother's so I wanted something to keep her occupied. I did the same thing for Jonah when we went camping when he was 4 and he loved it!
Hope everyone has a good Wednesday!! :)
The guy who's email address wasn't working finally emailed again and I was able to send him an email to a valid address so I'm hoping to set something up for Thursday or Friday night to go and see it. It's a 4 bedroom in a GREAT neighbourhood. The master bedroom has an en suite with jacuzzi tub and there is a hot tub. All the appliances are stainless steel. The backyard is fully fenced in. This is really the perfect place for us! Please pray or send us positive vibes that the stars align and it works out!! Jonah would also be going to a new school where a couple of his friends already go, one of which would be in his class so it would be a smooth transition for him as well!
Yesterday I booked our campsite for August. We're going for 9 days at a conservation area not too far from here. We'll be going Friday to the following Sunday. Jer is going to go to work during the week still so he said he wanted the two weekends to actually camp. I'm kind of hoping he'll take each of the Friday's off to give him a little more time off but we'll see what he thinks of that when we actually get there. He tends to not like to take time off!
I'm looking in to buying a Dutch Oven for this trip. Since he'll be away from the Monday to the Friday during the trip, I'm hoping to have dinner ready for him when he gets home and I've found a great website with TONS of Dutch Oven recipes on it. I've never cooked with one on an open fire but I've be dying to try it! I'm also hoping to get a couple more pie irons as we only have 2 and we LOVE them. We'll likely have those for dinner more than once on our trip!! I love camping and I'm SOOO looking forward to it this year, especially now that Marryn is a bit older. Our site has partial shade and I want to bring a little baby pool with us so that she can play in that while we're just hanging out at the site. There is a beach but I'll need to make lunches and dinners at the site and she won't be able to wander like her brother's so I wanted something to keep her occupied. I did the same thing for Jonah when we went camping when he was 4 and he loved it!
Hope everyone has a good Wednesday!! :)
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
One of Two
Well one of the two things I am waiting for to happen was started last night, we got a Bill of Sale to take to the bank for the new van!
We're already preapproved so all we needed was this to get things moving in order to get the paperwork to sign. So hopefully we'll have a new van by the end of the week! Woot!
As for the house, I haven't heard back from them yet :( But I did also get a response to MY ad looking for a place and it sounds great, except when I tried to respond the email address wouldn't work so I'm HOPING to somehow get in touch with the guy to talk about going to see the place. BOTH places would be great and I'm ok with either one, just hoping things line up! We really need out of here.
Since the new neighbours moved in, my youngest son has been punch in the groin area, been called an a$$hole, had his toys stolen and has had to be disciplined for playing with toy guns (which is something we do NOT allow at our house and have spoken to him about a couple of times before the discipline). The new neighbour kid left a HUGE mess on our back grassy knoll with cardboard boxes, an coffee can full of cigarette butts that he dumped into a sled and mixed with mud and grass clippings and various broken toys...it's been there for a week. He also shot a cap gun next to our daughters head. This child is not good news...he's also quite unsupervised and twice has been knocking at our door before 8:30 am to see if Jonah could come out to play!
I cannot imagine going all summer trying to thwart efforts to play with fake weapons and the like. So our options are to move (which is my favourite choice!), or we're sending Jonah to summer camp for 4 weeks. 2 weeks of YMCA daycamp (outdoor adventure and sports) and then 2 weeks of our city's daycamp which includes trips and sports and swimming and such. It will suck to not have him here with us hanging out but I know he'll LOVE the activities and then we'd have all of August to hang out. We're planning to camp for 9 days in August as well so that would keep us away from here too.
So, hopefully I'll hear from one of the landlords today! Wish us luck!!
We're already preapproved so all we needed was this to get things moving in order to get the paperwork to sign. So hopefully we'll have a new van by the end of the week! Woot!
As for the house, I haven't heard back from them yet :( But I did also get a response to MY ad looking for a place and it sounds great, except when I tried to respond the email address wouldn't work so I'm HOPING to somehow get in touch with the guy to talk about going to see the place. BOTH places would be great and I'm ok with either one, just hoping things line up! We really need out of here.
Since the new neighbours moved in, my youngest son has been punch in the groin area, been called an a$$hole, had his toys stolen and has had to be disciplined for playing with toy guns (which is something we do NOT allow at our house and have spoken to him about a couple of times before the discipline). The new neighbour kid left a HUGE mess on our back grassy knoll with cardboard boxes, an coffee can full of cigarette butts that he dumped into a sled and mixed with mud and grass clippings and various broken toys...it's been there for a week. He also shot a cap gun next to our daughters head. This child is not good news...he's also quite unsupervised and twice has been knocking at our door before 8:30 am to see if Jonah could come out to play!
I cannot imagine going all summer trying to thwart efforts to play with fake weapons and the like. So our options are to move (which is my favourite choice!), or we're sending Jonah to summer camp for 4 weeks. 2 weeks of YMCA daycamp (outdoor adventure and sports) and then 2 weeks of our city's daycamp which includes trips and sports and swimming and such. It will suck to not have him here with us hanging out but I know he'll LOVE the activities and then we'd have all of August to hang out. We're planning to camp for 9 days in August as well so that would keep us away from here too.
So, hopefully I'll hear from one of the landlords today! Wish us luck!!
Monday, April 9, 2012
I really love Mondays!
I feel like Monday's are a fresh start every week!
Last week, I spent a lot of time looking for a new apartment/house for us to live in because the neighbours here have really started to be not great. They were never really great to begin with but we have new ones, yet again, and this time there are issues that I just can't over look and I really don't want to live here anymore.
So, like I said, I spent a lot of time focusing on that. There was nothing...well, there was but none of it was in the right area or in our price range.
We were also still looking for a van. That was fruitless over the weekend as well.
I gave up for the weekend and we had a nice Easter morning, Easter brunch and then Easter dinner.
Today, we spoke to a car dealership and it looks like we'll have a new van by the end of the week. I also resumed looking for new accommodations and there were several that are really nice and in our price range!
So, I'm really hoping everything is aligned for us to get what we're looking for! There is one in particular that is an actual house! No sharing walls with anyone!! I contacted the landlord and I'm hoping to go and see it sometime this week :)
I'll update when I know more!!!
:)
Last week, I spent a lot of time looking for a new apartment/house for us to live in because the neighbours here have really started to be not great. They were never really great to begin with but we have new ones, yet again, and this time there are issues that I just can't over look and I really don't want to live here anymore.
So, like I said, I spent a lot of time focusing on that. There was nothing...well, there was but none of it was in the right area or in our price range.
We were also still looking for a van. That was fruitless over the weekend as well.
I gave up for the weekend and we had a nice Easter morning, Easter brunch and then Easter dinner.
Today, we spoke to a car dealership and it looks like we'll have a new van by the end of the week. I also resumed looking for new accommodations and there were several that are really nice and in our price range!
So, I'm really hoping everything is aligned for us to get what we're looking for! There is one in particular that is an actual house! No sharing walls with anyone!! I contacted the landlord and I'm hoping to go and see it sometime this week :)
I'll update when I know more!!!
:)
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Blogger changed/is changing
So I went to log in this morning to write a new post and it said something about Blogger changing this month and there was the option to change over now so I did.
Then I closed everything because I was a bit overwhelmed (not that it was a HUGE change or anything, but) because I don't really like change lol.
I like things the way they are and it drives me nuts that Facebook changes as often as it does!
But, I will get used to it eventually and then it will be like normal to me and then they will decide to change again I'm sure!
Anyway, I just wanted to come and post quickly before I really have no time to for the rest of the weekend.
I'm going to bake some cupcakes for a friends birthday today while doing laundry and dishes and getting everything ready for tomorrow.
I also have to get a new pillow because my shoulders and neck are killing me the last few days and it's been a LONG time since I've had new pillows!
Then tomorrow is waking up with the kids to see what the Easter bunny brought, then brunch and Easter egg hunt at Auntie Marci's, then dinner at Jer's parents.
Monday Jer is back at work but the kids are off so I likely won't get my "motivated Monday" this week, it will likely happen on Tuesday (because I definitely get more done with the boys at school!).
Anyway, Happy Easter to you and yours!!! :)
Then I closed everything because I was a bit overwhelmed (not that it was a HUGE change or anything, but) because I don't really like change lol.
I like things the way they are and it drives me nuts that Facebook changes as often as it does!
But, I will get used to it eventually and then it will be like normal to me and then they will decide to change again I'm sure!
Anyway, I just wanted to come and post quickly before I really have no time to for the rest of the weekend.
I'm going to bake some cupcakes for a friends birthday today while doing laundry and dishes and getting everything ready for tomorrow.
I also have to get a new pillow because my shoulders and neck are killing me the last few days and it's been a LONG time since I've had new pillows!
Then tomorrow is waking up with the kids to see what the Easter bunny brought, then brunch and Easter egg hunt at Auntie Marci's, then dinner at Jer's parents.
Monday Jer is back at work but the kids are off so I likely won't get my "motivated Monday" this week, it will likely happen on Tuesday (because I definitely get more done with the boys at school!).
Anyway, Happy Easter to you and yours!!! :)
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
A much better night!
Last night was much better than the night before! I'm feeling much more rested today and I didn't need my legs rubbed to fall asleep. I still wake up every couple of hours to pee but I was able to get right back to sleep and sleep soundly (I was even dreaming!).
So today, the floors will be done and I'll be getting everything ready for Jer to BBQ some steaks for dinner. Then we're headed over the river to get gas and groceries. The gas prices are apparently going up to a crazy amount today (not like they're not already at $1.33/litre) and I don't want to pay that much! We can get it for $1.07/litre in the states so that's where we're headed. A lot of their groceries are also much cheaper so it makes the 40 minute drive worth it.
Everything is pretty quiet today and tomorrow and then Friday we have a fish fry for Easter at Jer's Aunt's place with all of his family. Saturday we're going van shopping at Haldimand Motor's, I'm hoping to finally find something! We've been searching for a month so far. Sunday is Easter and Monday is a day off for the kids but probably not Jer (boo).
All my Easter shopping is done already thank goodness so I don't have to do the mad rush shopping. It should be a pretty good albeit busy weekend!
Happy Hump Day everyone!
So today, the floors will be done and I'll be getting everything ready for Jer to BBQ some steaks for dinner. Then we're headed over the river to get gas and groceries. The gas prices are apparently going up to a crazy amount today (not like they're not already at $1.33/litre) and I don't want to pay that much! We can get it for $1.07/litre in the states so that's where we're headed. A lot of their groceries are also much cheaper so it makes the 40 minute drive worth it.
Everything is pretty quiet today and tomorrow and then Friday we have a fish fry for Easter at Jer's Aunt's place with all of his family. Saturday we're going van shopping at Haldimand Motor's, I'm hoping to finally find something! We've been searching for a month so far. Sunday is Easter and Monday is a day off for the kids but probably not Jer (boo).
All my Easter shopping is done already thank goodness so I don't have to do the mad rush shopping. It should be a pretty good albeit busy weekend!
Happy Hump Day everyone!
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Feeling grateful
Last night was a pretty hard one for me. And I am oh-so-grateful for my wonderful husband for being there for me even when he wants to be sleeping instead.
I have a condition called Restless Leg Syndrome when I'm pregnant. I haven't always had it, it's only been in the last three pregnancies but it is extremely annoying and keeps me awake at night yet is worse when I'm tired.
On Sunday night, I couldn't sleep through it (usually I can) and I was up until after 2 am because of it. I came down to the couch so as not to disturb my husband because he had to work in the morning. My sleep was broken once I finally did get some and I was up at 6:45 to take him to work. So I was running on about 4 hours of broken sleep yesterday (and still managed to do everything I got done yesterday which is a new record for me I think, especially being pregnant!).
Then last night, it did it again. To the point where I completely lost my shit. I was sobbing and I was just soooo frustrated that I couldn't sleep yet that's all I wanted to do!!
My extremely wonderful, loving, amazing husband got up, got my stuff from the couch (where I was heading for the 2nd night in a row), comforted me until I stopped crying and then rubbed my legs until I could finally fall asleep.
He is the most amazing person I know. To say I am grateful is like 1 sprinkle on top of an ice cream sundae. I am so extremely grateful, thankful and any other words to describe it that it is totally immeasurable.
I could never doubt his love for me, especially when he does things like this.
So, to my husband, thank you. For loving me as much as you do and for supporting me in everything I do (even when you'd rather be and should be sleeping!). You are simply amazing and I love you more than words can describe.
Thank you.
I have a condition called Restless Leg Syndrome when I'm pregnant. I haven't always had it, it's only been in the last three pregnancies but it is extremely annoying and keeps me awake at night yet is worse when I'm tired.
On Sunday night, I couldn't sleep through it (usually I can) and I was up until after 2 am because of it. I came down to the couch so as not to disturb my husband because he had to work in the morning. My sleep was broken once I finally did get some and I was up at 6:45 to take him to work. So I was running on about 4 hours of broken sleep yesterday (and still managed to do everything I got done yesterday which is a new record for me I think, especially being pregnant!).
Then last night, it did it again. To the point where I completely lost my shit. I was sobbing and I was just soooo frustrated that I couldn't sleep yet that's all I wanted to do!!
My extremely wonderful, loving, amazing husband got up, got my stuff from the couch (where I was heading for the 2nd night in a row), comforted me until I stopped crying and then rubbed my legs until I could finally fall asleep.
He is the most amazing person I know. To say I am grateful is like 1 sprinkle on top of an ice cream sundae. I am so extremely grateful, thankful and any other words to describe it that it is totally immeasurable.
I could never doubt his love for me, especially when he does things like this.
So, to my husband, thank you. For loving me as much as you do and for supporting me in everything I do (even when you'd rather be and should be sleeping!). You are simply amazing and I love you more than words can describe.
Thank you.
Monday, April 2, 2012
Monday again!
It was a quite a busy weekend which was why I was so quiet. Saturday I spent all day with my surro friends and it was awesome! We did a little shopping, had some lunch and some dinner together and did a LOT of chatting :)
Then on Saturday night Jer and his best friend Bob and I watched Deathly Hallows part 1 and Bob spent the night. We got up and went for breakfast on Sunday morning and then came home and watched part 2 which none of us had seen yet. Sunday was rainy so it was the perfect day to watch movies!!
This week is pretty quiet until Friday. Then we have a fish fry to go to at Jer's Aunt's house for Good Friday, not much Saturday, then Sunday is Easter and Monday the kids are off again. 4 day weekend for them!
I've already accomplished a ton this morning including gathering every one's laundry, 2 loads of put in, part of the upstairs bathroom cleaned, groceries for the week done and fridge cleaned out. I didn't sleep great last night because of restless legs so I'll probably do the dishes, prep for dinner and finish the bathrooms and some more laundry (excluding folding, I'll do that tomorrow) but other than that, I'll be spending a portion of the afternoon on the couch I think. I'm very sleepy today!!!
I hope everyone has a good Monday!!!
Then on Saturday night Jer and his best friend Bob and I watched Deathly Hallows part 1 and Bob spent the night. We got up and went for breakfast on Sunday morning and then came home and watched part 2 which none of us had seen yet. Sunday was rainy so it was the perfect day to watch movies!!
This week is pretty quiet until Friday. Then we have a fish fry to go to at Jer's Aunt's house for Good Friday, not much Saturday, then Sunday is Easter and Monday the kids are off again. 4 day weekend for them!
I've already accomplished a ton this morning including gathering every one's laundry, 2 loads of put in, part of the upstairs bathroom cleaned, groceries for the week done and fridge cleaned out. I didn't sleep great last night because of restless legs so I'll probably do the dishes, prep for dinner and finish the bathrooms and some more laundry (excluding folding, I'll do that tomorrow) but other than that, I'll be spending a portion of the afternoon on the couch I think. I'm very sleepy today!!!
I hope everyone has a good Monday!!!
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