Ivan's Macaroni Monday

Go Ivan, go Ivan, go, go, go, Ivan!!!

Thanks for the cute picture Allison.
Keep them coming folks!
A shout out to Christine for caring about our health and recommending Annie's Mac&cheese. Yes, very healthy but sorry chicky, it's gross. Neither Quinten nor I could stomach it.

Mess dinner, house for sale and me ranting!

Patrick is off at his Ass....oops I mean Mess dinner tonight so I can actually write instead of playing musical chairs with him for a chance to get some time on the 'puter. It is actually quite ridiculous the way we dive at the chair when it is vacant, when there was no music playing to begin with, so there is no way it stopped, and we are in some demented game of musical chairs for two. For those of you who don't know what a Mess dinner is, it is when the military members get all dressed up in their silly (but sexy) Tuxedos, play nasty tricks on each other, get stupid drunk and make asses of themselves all in the spirit of camaraderie. Maybe I'm just jealous cause he gets to get all dressed up, eat steak, drink red wine, talk to adults, and I am here in my PJ's picking my nose...and yes that is what I am doing...it is allergy season and man is my nose itchy!
I have something on my mind, it has been bothering me for a few days, and I am not sure how to go about forgetting it, so I'll purge here. Someone said to me the other day, "you sure are lucky to be able to stay at home with your kids, I wish I could do that." It was said in such a manner and context that I know she meant because Patrick can support us on his wage. I agreed, didn't think much about it, but something just didn't sit right with me. When I started to think about it, it dawned on me that her partner probably makes just as much (or little depending on how you look at it!) as Patrick, and I started to wish I had continued the conversation. I feel like I should have made it clear that the decision we made for me to stay home was a sacrifice that has required change on both our parts. Being a stay at home mom does not mean I'm sitting around eating bonbons all day and having cuddlefests with the kids and things are all roses. It is a challenge, I am busy guiding them and helping them build the framework they will rely on the rest of their lives and I do it because it's what I feel is best for me and my children. I do not have the financial freedom that a two income family may have, but I am happy to make the sacrifices and learn how to be more "frugal". The next time that someone assumes that I stay at home because we can afford it, I think I need to find a way to qualify that with something like "we CHOOSE to be able to afford it".
There, that feels better! You know what feels even better than getting that out....finally putting our house up for sale. We have been working like crazy to get the place all perfect and organized and sparkling, and finally the day has come. Wish us luck!

Five things I'm loving these days,
1. Our new computer. Does anyone out there hang around in Second Life?
2. The new scrapbook die cutting machine called the Silhouette by Quickutz. I want one really bad....good thing Mother's day is coming and I've been such a great mom this year!
3. Babies in general....congrats go out to Christine and James on their new arrival!
4. My baby Alia because she is so freakin' cute.
5. Macaroni Mondays. If someone doesn't send their pictures soon, I'll have done a complete round of my family.


The Macaroni Jar, decorated by yours truly, loved by the whole family.

Scrapbooking weekend

Today I think I feel recovered enough from last weekend to write about it. The really important thing that I accomplished (besides a few great pages) was leaving the kids for the first time. Quinten has spent the night at Grandma & Grandpa's a few times, but I had never left Alia with anyone for more than a couple of hours. I left on Friday afternoon and didn't see them again until Sunday afternoon. I think my boobs missed Alia more than the rest of me. The pump just doesn't substitute for a baby when it comes to emptying those milk makers! I did miss my little munchkins, but I really needed to get away. Unfortunately there wasn't much RnR happening, we were all mostly hunched over our layouts all weekend from sunup till sundown. At least I got in some adult conversation and spent time with Jen. Here are a couple of my latest scrapbook pages.

Torturing Alia

Hey...where are your macaroni pictures?? Since nobody sent any, you are stuck seeing this.


It is all your faults that I had to torture my 7m old by waving macaroni in her face, but not letting her eat any. If you are wondering why I am celebrating Macaroni Monday on Tuesday it is because yesterday I thought it was still the weekend because Patrick was home during the day.

"Vinny" the Mini-Van

Ahhhhh Luxury! We love our new Honda Odyssey!

Macaroni Monday begins!

Today is Macaroni Monday! I decided to start this tradition because whenever I ask Quinten what he wants to eat, whether it is breakfast, lunch or dinner he always answers "Macayoni". This way, I can tell him that he can't have that because it is not Macaroni Monday! I think it would be cool if others want to participate...after all, who doesn't love Mac&cheese? So send me pics of you, or your kids eating Macaroni and I'll post them! If you don't have my email address just write in the comments that you need it.

Easter Weekend!

Hope everyone is having a great Easter Weekend! We are in the middle of changing over to a newer, much faster computer. It is annoying how long it takes to import everything, but hopefully when it's all done I'll be better able to manage the bazillions of digital photos and video we have accumulated since the kids came on the scene.
The most wonderful surprise was awaiting me when I finally regained access to my lifeline/computer. Stacie Cockrell, one of the authors of Babyproofing Your Marriage, left a comment on the last post. If you are reading this Stacie, Hi and thanks, it was a pleasure reading your book! I realized something after I saw her comment, the quickest way to make a friend, or get on someone's good side is to compliment their children. When we get to our new neighborhood in Ottawa, and I want to get "in" with the other moms, I think the first thing I should say is "Wow", what cute kids! Soon I'll be invited to all the playdates!
I've lent my Babyproofing Your Marriage book to a friend (Allison) who has a 2yr old and a 2m old. When she gets back from her trip hopefully she'll be finished it, and we can get a bit of a discussion going. Also, Stacie mentioned that she'll be blogging soon, I would love to put a link or something to their site (I just have to figure out how to do it :)
Alia has been getting a bit more face time than Q. Have to make sure everything is fair.

Who needs marriage counselling?

I just finished reading the funniest, most truthful, thought provoking book on parenthood. Coming from me, this should mean a lot, as I have read just about every book there is on the subject of parenting etc.. trying to find a way to deal with the difficulty that is life with Quinten (sorry sweetie, we love you anyway). The book is called Babyproofing your marriage and it is written by three women (Stacie Cockrell, Cathy O'Neill, and Julia Stone) who are not experts of anything, nor do they proclaim to have discovered the perfect, easy way to deal with life after kids, but wow do they ever tell it like it is! I have a couple of favorite parts to share. There is a long chapter that they call Scorekeeping, which is not just about men's shortcomings, but my favorite part is...hee hee.

Top Five Shortcuts Men Use
1) Change the diaper. Put soiled diaper on the floor or on top of the Diaper Genie, but not actually in the Diaper Genie.
2) Take the trash out. Don't replace the trash bag in the kitchen.
3) Never change the toilet paper roll. Use tissue from the tissue box instead.
4) Place dirty clothes on top of the dirty clothes hamper.
5) Dress the kid in the first thing you pull out of the drawer. Whether it "works" or not is not an issue.

Anyone else's partner do all these?

Another more serious part hit home with me. The section is about this new generation of parents (us) who were raised with the attitude that having it all is not only possible, but expected.
"Unfortunately, it's not until you've had children that you discover how selfish you actually are. That's one of the paradoxical aspects of becoming a parent: at the very same time you realize precisely how selfish you are, you are forced to become less selfish."

There are many more parts I love...but I'll leave the rest open to discussion if anyone actually takes my advice and reads this book. I just have to work on getting Patrick to read it :)