Baby it's cold outside

I took the kiddos to the local outdoor rink today.....


Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Now I don't like the cold much and standing or slipping around in a minus 23 wind is not my idea of fun. However I had visions of tired, happy kiddos sleeping soundly tonight dancing in my head, damned if I was going to be the one to call it a day.  I am Mama, hear me roar, I can take it, I've given birth for crying out loud what's a wee arctic freeze breeze compared to that?.

Heh they dropped like flies,

One of the kiddos: Mom, is there going to be hot chocolate when we get back.

Grey ( That would be me): Sure is

Kiddo :I'm getting cold.

Another Kiddo: I'm getting tired of falling down and I gotta pee.

Grey ( with relief and happiness seeping into my frozen regions) : Does that mean we all agree to cut this short and go home. Kinda a shame to leave already......

Kiddo: Mom I think my socks are the only thing keeping my toes on my feet.

Grey  (again me, doing a mental jig at how easy I am getting let off on this polar experience): Well then that settles it, we can't have parts falling off.  Hot chocolate and muffins for  everyone!.

Are you ready for some football?

Cattleman cooking up his world ( family) favorite Jambalaya and corn bread to bring to the potluck. Gathering with Family, family no matter how you make it, is a goooood thing.

May the fleas of a thousand Camels

infest your nether regions and may your arms be too short to scratch.

No this isn't for you so don't sweat it,

it's for her over  here, yeah that one over there..

To the one who gave my 7 year old ( Aspergers ) daughter a CD of the Chipettes for her Birthday.

YA you!



Delightful aren't they?

Well now my sweet daughter is under the impression that this is a boni fide, universally, socially acceptable way to talk and sing her way through life.

GREAT!

You know of course I will find away to return the favour...I'm thinking blinky noisy ray guns for ALL your boys with a whole case of batteries. They need them badly.

It's true what they say it is better to give then receive....

Behind a post or two

I know I promised a post on more bread, but yesterday some dumb fcuk's dog chased down one of my kids and attacked them, no permanent damage done to my child (thank goodness), just bruising on the buttocks from the teeth,( no broken skin thanks to a pair of jeans) and nail marks along the legs, but by GOD I wish I could take a baseball bat to the &*^% owners of that dog.

After things settled down a bit,


Little man: Mommy you kicked that stupid evil puppy.

Grey: No honey the puppy is just being an animal, the owners are stupid and evil and yes I kicked it good.

They are just lucky the Cattleman wasn't here...but I still have to tell him..he's a gonna be PO'd.

Ewwwwwwwwww

Temps today are supposed to be a record high of some 46 C with the humidity.

Perhaps not that hot for some folks,  but this is not a dry heat, already when walking it feels as if you are wading through warm semi (un) congealed jello.

Going into town to round up some vulnerables, grey haired mamma of the grey lady, my daughter and the princessa, everyone dropping by tonight for a BBQ dinner in some A.C.

Take care out there in the heat folks.

Every child is a unique gift

Something like a snowflake,

A conversation heard in my very own easy bake oven (summer camping trailer) 4 am after a huge storm.

Little One: Mommy! Have you disappeared too? Mommy I need you!

Grey (that would be me) one eye sorta opening: What?

Little One:  Mommy! I need to pee and the bathroom has disappeared!

Insert visual of blinky,  half opened, do I really have to wake up, eyed Grey right here.

Grey (still moi): What do you mean the bathroom has disappeared?

Little one: I can't see it, it is gone...

Grey: No honey it's not gone, you just can't see it because we lost power from the storm.

Little one: So the storm made it  invisible then?

Grey (a confused moi): No not invisible, you just can't see it because it is so dark.

Little one: Daddy said invisible means something is there but you can't see it. So it is invisible now, can you take me to the bathroom NOW please mommy? I don't know how to find an invisible toilet alone.

Grey: Honey......invisible is different, the bathroom is the same, the same place, you just can't see it because it is really really dark and your not used to that.

Cattleman: Umm Grey?

Grey: Yes.....

Cattleman: Maybe we can get the trip to the bathroom done and work on the concept tomorrow?

Grey: Oooooo Kay...that will be your job as you seem to be a real Bill Nye the science guy...good luck I have the easy job....Hold my hand little one I will take you.

Little One:  Can you wait and  then  take me back to bed because the storm made that invisible too?

Grey with a silly grin on my face thinking about the Cattleman attempting to explain the nuances of invisible: Sure no problem.

Guess who came for dinner?

A nice quiet Sunday afternoon and voila some of our family made a trip up.

My #2 son and a friend came up for an afternoon drive, walk, swim and dinner.

Senor Super Sperm ( I guess I am going to have to find a new name for him that is a tad more polite) brought my daughter and their daughter for the day, some how through the day Miss Kitty decided,  rationalized,  worried that I just might get tooooooo lonesome up here with out the Cattleman and just small children for company..Senor Super Sperm is going to be working OT all week so she was perfectly free to join me...

Lonesome? I think Miss Kitty  just got nostalgic for the good old days when she spent her summers camping with us. Ummmmm that would have been as long ago as just last year. Well who could resist this wee face?



Certainly not moi..so they are staying for the week.

At the Lake

I have spent the last week or so making lists and then more lists to make sure my initial two week trip to the lake was going to run as smooth as silk. I am usually an pretty organized gal, you kinda have to be when you have as many kids as we have or you'll go nutz tout de suite.

I must confess that I did my usual good job on the food, ingredients, meds, clothing for the critters, animal paraphernalia, right movies, toys, activities for the rest of the family..not too shabby really. Well to be honest, we only got here to our trailer (which we fondly refer to as  "our very own easy bake oven",)  yesterday, we shall see if theory of bringing the right stuff still  holds true in a few days.

One of the things I like best about our camping experience is the nights, the nights where I can do things that I love to do while the critters are all asleep after a busy day at the beach or hiking, the combination of nature, water and sun is a perfect for inducing sleep. All of my children have learned to fall asleep listening to the motor and steady thump thump thump of a sewing machine. I make at least one quilt a summer. I spend the winter planning it (or them) but I spend summer nights, hand  washing, pressing (ironing, an activity I reserve only for weddings and funerals and of course to sew quality quilts or garments one must press, press, press and then press some more) cutting out my pieces and then the most satisfying part: the construction of the top.

This summer I am working on two, possibly three, (no ambition there). One is a very simple straight forward block that should whip up in a jiffy, the fabrics will provide the real visual interest and will not require swearing,  tearing out of hair, super advanced skills. The other one is going to also be rather simple (summer) quilt for our room, but I have decided to hand  applique huge flowers and then outline them with a delicate blanket stitch with silk embroidery threads on every block. This will give me something creative to do with my hands while watching the critters at the beach. If the sun ever shows up here again...My last quilt I am thinking of making is  for a friend for a house warming gift. I went through my stash and I think I have enough left over flannels, plaids, jean type material that just might look nice in the rustic surroundings they live in. This one has not finalized in my brain but it keeps dancing around, calling for attention and nagging at me, so I will have to get more focused and make a final decision on the design.

I forgot my machine..it is currently sitting in my hallway at home all sad and forlorn that it was left behind.

WHAT???????????

Come on that was a lot to pack and it is reasonable that something would be forgotten or left behind. That's O.K. the Cattleman is going home and will be back next Friday after work he can bring it. I'll work on another one while I wait. Right???

Right?????

Wrong................................................................

I forgot the iron.....WHAT????????????

Yup.

Well at least my machine won't be lonely at home waiting, it has the Iron to keep it company.....I hope it isn't steamed at me.

Because every child is a unique gift

Something like a snowflake.

A conversation in my front yard on a bright sun shiny day.

Little man: Moooooooom!

Grey (that would be moi)weeding garden: Yes?????????

Little man: Can you...(stops abruptly and walks towards me)...oh Mommy, your hair is so beautiful (he states with a tone of utter appreciation or awe and starts patting my head)

Insert visual of blinky eyed Grey right about here.

Grey (Moi again): Well thank you, but I didn't do anything special..

Little man: The sun is making your "Christmas hair" sparkle and be shiny.

Grey (still moi): Errrr ......... thank you. Now what did you want?

Note to self: chose hair colour and dye as soon as possible.

Happenins......

Very busy weekend around here.

Number One son, the car mechanic, came over yesterday to tune up our vehicles, change some tires from winter to summer, replace the Cattleman's brakes. He of course brought his 5 year lady love with for dinner and they announced:  Finally he proposed to her and he is going to make an honest woman of her next summer. Great news!  We love her and can't wait to see her officially become part of the family. Not that there was ever any question of her qualifications on acceptance in this crazy family, her family is, dare I say, even weirder (to us) then we are, still she is a gem.

Number two son, the one I used to stay up at night and worry about has made giant leaps in maturity (losing the woman of your dreams because you act like a dickhead periodically can do that don't cha know) has started a business and already he has folks standing in line looking to get him to work for them. He is definitely one of those types that has issues taking orders from others and needs to be the boss. I wonder where he gets that from she asks innocently......I am so proud of his complete turn around the last 6 months.

Oldest daughter found out she is walking in her mother's footsteps and having Irish twins. Don't know what Irish twins are? Irish twins are when you have two babies in the space of one year. Apparently we of Irish ( yes I know I usually tout my crazy Welsh side but me Da was Irish) lineage are famous for this....I think I will have a serious talk with her about how their method of birth control does not actually work for them and need to reconsider other methods...Ya think? Still not super excited by Senor Super Sperm, but then I'm not the one he has to please.  I still maintain that if he was just a friend of one of my boys I would be like him just fine...still a boy, not yet a man.....I know the Cattleman is still hoping that SSS will fall off the face of the planet if he ignores him long enough, better to revise that strategy honey! Apparently not gonna happen.   :O)

Heh.....

Conversation over the phone this morning.

Older Daughter: Mom? Does  that bed you bought for me in my room  have to stay at your house or is it mine and I can use it here?

Grey (that would be moi) : Well let me see now, have you ever taken your bed with you when you did sleep overs before?

Older Daughter: Ummmmm noooooooo.......

Grey ( moi again); Then I guess it stays here then.

Older Daughter (puffing out a loud breath): Fine...I gotta go...call ya later.

Grey (still moi): Yup later..love ya.

This conversation results in this song  racing round me head, not that the song really fits the circumstances to a "T" .  But this particular brain on this particular day doesn't know any better. Tis stuck on repeat.....Silly old brain. :O)

Feeble tips for fellow strugglers

Note to self:

When a child comes up to you saying; OOOOOOhhh muuuuuummmmmmmmmmmmy I feel sickies, the proper response (apparently for self preservation reasons) is NOT to embrace them and ask how they feel sickies, the proper response is to duck, roll and take cover.......  Just saying.

Feeble tips for fellow strugglers

Note to self:

Try to remember, no matter how busy or distracted you are, when you go outside to shake out children's vomit filled sheets make note of direction of wind.........just saying.....

I'm ready for my close up now.........

The Cattleman and I woke up ( at 6:23 ) to "Little One" singing away.

Little One: I'm seven, I'm seven, I'm a new seven today. It's my birthday and I'm seven..yah yah yah yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Cattleman: "Little" could ya pipe down, it's still dark out.

Grey (that would be Moi): Did she just say it's her Birthday?

Cattleman: Yes she did.

Grey (me again): But it is her Birthday...

A little  background here, last year "Little One" refused to be 6, refused to have a 6th Birthday party because she was NOT going to be 6 years old. 6 sucks apparently. Why? Just because she loved to be 5, 5 years old is the bestest thing ever and she wasn't interested in being 6 years old for anything. As a matter of fact she didn't decide she was ready to be a whopping 6 years old until August and then we held a Birthday party where we summer the weekend before September. Must really not be fond of being 6 at all, gotta have been the shortest career of being a 6 year old on record I figure.

We hear skipping down the hall..

Little One: It's my Birthday Mommy and Daddy.

Cattleman: Yes it is..

Little One: There's gonna be cake and ice cream and Pizza and I am SEEEEEEEEEEEEEEVEN today!

Grey (me): You betcha....

Little One: The Tooth Fairy is coming tonight too

Insert visual of astonished blinky eyed parental units here....

Cattleman: She is?

Little One: Yup every seven year old lets the Tooth Fairy come in their room silly, she brings money to buy candy and stuff.

Cattleman: Ummm yes she does, now off to your room until it's SEVEEEEEEN O.K.? Be quiet and let everyone else get some more sleep.

Little One: O.k. (skipping back down to her room) I'm seven, it's my Birthday and I'm seveeeeen..

Grey jumping out of bed in a panic: OMG, get up now....... we have a problem.

Cattleman: Problem?

Grey: I can't remember where I put the damn teeth.

How to survive a snowstorm

I see we all made it out of the "Snowmageddon" alive. :O)

Here are some step by step directions on how to build an igloo for next time. Help keep you safe from the ravenous wolves that will stalk you should you be caught unawares.

 


Guaranteed to work every time, first one must find an appropriate clearing with shelter from the wind. It works even better if you can find an abandoned derelict cabin to help craft your shelter.

Here this one looks just perfect.





Next one must shovel a path so those helpful strangers that pass by can find you and pitch in.



Wait for helpful strangers and they will come, hope they are willing to trade back breaking work for the promise of hot chocolate and brownies you saw Mamma making.

 That's a 10/4 little buddy we got us a work crew.



Goody they look young and strong...hope they don't eat too much of those promised brownies.

 Have them tell their friends to come join the party too.



Have bigger ones do most of the bull work, little ones do the cheering on and general bucket duty...looking good.  Take easel from garage and use that to reinforce door way and make igloo more iglooish looking. Cooooooool. Pile tons of snow on top of roof of cabin, try to talk Mamma into letting bigger guys use snow blower to pile it.  Give up and do it the hard, time consuming way. Sigh...





Voilà you have a very stable realistic looking igloo for all your little friends to play in. An igloo that the Mamma is gonna ask the men folk at least a hundred times if they are sure it is safe for you play in. An igloo that the Mamma is only gonna let you play in if she or the Cattleman are present.....

Time for work crew to come in and eat rumoured brownies.

(In the interest of truth for these directions I must confess that a much larger crew then is depicted here was used.....)

Son of a gun....

I was supposed to spend this weekend at the Hunter's safety course and writing for my Possession and Acquisitions Licence. Been looking forward to it for months (working up to it for perhaps years) for crying out loud., What am I actually doing?

Knee deep in fevered, sick with the flu children is what I am up to........

At this rate of life's co-operation, I figure this will be me when I finally get my permit to buy a rifle.......

Behold and learn.......

Today is minus 29C. A wee bit too cold to insist the children play out for any great length of  time. Loud is an issue as it is, even with out having a friend over with her children and us all being locked in a house.

A conversation at my dinning table while children are having snack time.

Critter one: Mommy I wish we had a chameleon.

Critter two: Yeah , I want one too!!

Grey: But we do have a chameleon.

Critter one: We do.

Critter three: I never saw it.

Grey: I know, I haven`t seen it since the day we got it.

Critter four: Where did it go

Grey: Last time I saw it was headed downstairs and we never saw it again.

Critter one: Can we go find it

Grey: Knock yourself out. (As I take a sip of tea and wink at my friend.)

All manner of little people scamper off to find the missing chameleon.

Grey`s  friend: You`re evvvvvvvvvvvvvil.....

I know..

How many times do I have to say this?

Apparently one more time, for the thousandth time:

Pick up and put away your stuff, like your markers, especially the scented ones. The puppies will hunt them down and assume they are food.

Washable is in the eye of the beholder......white dogs and markers apparently do mix in an interesting fashion..(the hard wood floor beside one of the kid's beds has a new look too)..Lola looks like she is an escapee of some "attack of the killer puppy" horror flick...

Good luck trying to get me to replace them......the markers that is. :O)

Update: Hand sanitizer helped dull, clean up some of the marker on the hard wood, so far the finish is not affected. (affected or effected? I never know which one to use...)

No pictures because I left the camera at the lake......but on the plus side I remembered to bring home all the kids......

A good plan

in theory.

What do you do when you have one dog that listens and comes back every time, (that would be Bear) but you have this other smaller dog ( that would be Lola the 5lb wonder dog) that will not come for anything? Why you come up with a plan that is beautiful in it's simplicity of execution and Voila you have a doggie stress free walk.













See I'm good at this improvising solutions, pretty cool eh?



Uh oh.....

That doesn't look right somehow.



Oh well you live and learn. :O)

A new one on me.

A conversation around the camp yesterday:

Laddy: I'm going back swimming as soon as supper is done, it's hot.

TGL (moi): Sure as long as X (a older swimming buddy) can go with you or you gotta wait until I can come down with the others.

Laddy: Awwww Muuuuuuuum...... (pause in conversation)

Laddy: Diego is only eight and he gets to go around the rain forest, ride cars, boats, save animals alllll by himself.......

Little one (ever her adored brothers allies): Yeah and Dora is like 6 and she goes everywhere with only a monkey no Mommy and Daddy...

Blink, blink goes I. A pause where I assimilate the fact that my little critters are attempting to use fictitious characters to strengthen their position.  Two can play that game.

TGL (moi again): Tell ya what. When you have  a camera crew following your every move you can go by yourself, OK?

Laddy: Muuuum there are no camera men for CARTOONS, they are drawerings, not real.

TGL (Moi yet again): Glad to hear it, who wants ice cream for dessert?