Sunday, December 24, 2006

Christmas in Kelowna

We've been at my parent's since the 20th of December. I'm pretty sure they will heave a huge sigh of relief when we back out of their driveway on the 27th. 7 days is a long time to stay at anyone's house, never mind the 4 extra littler bodies we brought along as well. Thank God they have a big house, that is all I can say.

We are not planning to much for Christmas Eve. We are just going to make a bunch of appetizers and play some games. The kids should have fun though.

Girlie is having trouble with nosebleeds last night and today. She ended up getting some on the new comforter on the bed she is sleeping in. So we are washing it, but you know how they always end up bunching up in the wrong places once they have been washed.

Mike's son J has been proving to be another royal pain. He is allergic to everything. Dairy, Eggs, Sugar. The list goes on, but those are the main ones and the ones that make it so damn hard to cook for him. More added stress for Mom. Like I said, they will be waving with glee on the 27th!

The kids are pumped for Christmas morning and have actually been doing everything we ask them to do. Bloody Amazing! I wish Christmas was all year round. Beds would get made, dishes would be put in the dishwasher and there would be no squabbles. Dream on, I know.

We are heading to Disneyland on the 28th of December until the 5th of January. None of us have ever been, so we are all pretty pumped up. We are also planning on doing Sea World and Universal Studios. We will be the bumpkins wondering around with our mouths hanging open at all the wonderous sights we have been promised in the brochures. Mike's son J is bound and determined that he is also going surfing. He does not understand that it will not be 80 degrees there in December. Maybe he will have to learn the hard way. Unfortunately the little bugger packed along a wet suit. My problem is deciding what to pack when we go. I know it's not going to be hot down there, but it will be considerably warmer than here. We are used to about 20 degrees Farenheit and I undersand it will be about 40 degrees warmer there. I guess we will wing it. I'm bringing our summer coats and no shorts, so hopefully I am leaning in the right direction.

I hope everyone has a fabulous Christmas and a smashing New Year's. I will post about our trip when I get home!

Friday, December 15, 2006

I'm Weird

Some of you already know, and some of you probably don't know that I have a few weird traits that make me who I am.

I have a deadly phobia about vomit. Weird, I know. I told you! It's not that whole "I'll get sick if you puke infront of me" thing that alot of people have. I literally have the heart palpitation, breaking out in a cold sweat and trying to run as fast and as far as I can from anything that resembles vomit thing going on. It is a debilitating phobia to be sure. I am afraid to fly - I mean, come on, EVERY seat has a barf bag. The odds are not good people! I am afraid to take a cruise or even go on a ferry (I've heard the horror stories of rough seas). I can't be in closed off places incase someone gets sick and I have to run somewhere far away. Middle of the movie row - forget that! It is not even just being around someone who is sick, the thought of myself vomiting almost throws me into fits! Needless to say, I don't do it. Mind over matter, it can be done! I can only remember vomiting 4 times in my entire life (I'm 36) so it is a very rare occurance. The last time was 10 years ago when I got sun stroke. I ALWAYS wear a hat and stick to the shade now! I really need to do some research on this because I would dearly love to get this monkey off my back!

Another weird thing about me is I can roll my stomach. It is a skill I have had since I was a child. It is not a pretty site. I am 10 pounds, okay 15 pounds, overweight and the sight of my big belly rolling up and down is quite disturbing. The kids used to think it was pretty cool, not so much anymore.

I can burp really, really loudly. Skill or weird - you decide. It brings me and the kids endless hours of enjoyment though.

I have a laugh that is very distictive. Some have called it a popcorn laugh, some have called it a cackle. Call it what you will - I laugh alot! I throw my head back and let loose. People pick me out of a crowd just by listening to my laugh.

One last thing - I'm scared of the dark. I can't STAND it when it is completely pitch black. So I need a night light - at 36! Definitely weird. My kids haven't needed one since they were 5!

Okay, okay - one more. I am completely anal about how my towels are folded. They need to be in half (long ways) in half again (same direction as before) and then in threes. Nobody but me is allowed to fold the towels. I know, in the big scheme of things what does it really matter, but I get a little snaky if I know they are in the cupboard and not folded right. Sigh.


I am weird!

Thursday, December 14, 2006

Large Marge Lives In My Backyard


A cow moose has taken a liking to my backyard. I affectionately named her Large Marge the Moose because she is sooo big. Bigger, at least, than the usual cow moose that have visited us over the years. She has taken a real liking to the willows surrounding our yard. I wish it would end there. She also likes my ornamental cherry tree. Alot. There is no fazing her either. There she is muching on my cherry tree, while I am yelling at her to go (as I hide in my carport), and all she does is give me this bored look like she is saying, "Pullease! I am Large Marge - I will eat cherry trees all day, now begone!" We also have a deer hanging around. I haven't actually seen the deer but there are alot of tracks. The deer also likes my cherry tree. If anyone knows of an effective way to keep deer and moose away from ornamental trees, please leave a note in the comments!

I went with a friend today to scope out a puppy that she was thinking of buying. She was so cute! Half poodle, half shitzu - I like to call it a shitty poo. My sister bred her cockerspaniel with a shitzu last year so she had a litter of cockashits. I crack me up. Anyway, I digress. My friend fell in love with the puppy and paid for her on the spot. She was the runt of the litter and soooo cute. Now she just has to explain the $350 to her husband. Let's see how creative she can get. She gave the breeder $100 cash and a $250 cheque so I am pretty sure she will be telling him the puppy only cost $250.

My sister used to play a little game like that with her ex-husband. If she spend $50 on something she would only tell him it cost $20, and if she spend $100 she would say it only cost $50. Considering he is her EX-husband, I don't think that gig worked out too well for her.

Wow, moose, deer, shitty poos and mind games - I'm on a roll tonight!

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

I Am A Bad Mom

I thought I had it all planned perfectly. The kids are at their Dad's this week. Girlie's Christmas concert is tonight. Only two tickets per student to give out. No problem! I was going to go to the dress rehearsal this afternoon and then her Dad and the Boy could go to the concert tonight. It would have been perfect. If I could, in fact, read. That's right, the dress rehearsal was yesterday.

I thought it was a bit odd when I got the the school at 1:10 and there were not alot of vehicles around. I went in anyway and browsed the Lost and Found table. Then I looked at all of the artwork around Girlie's classroom. Very creative I must say! I was afraid to ask at the office in case they recognized me for the loser that I am. I gave up at 1:30 and headed over to the A&W to use the phone. I told Mike to come pick me up there. I was pretty sure at that point that I had indeed gotten the wrong day.

Mike picked me up, we headed home and I once again read the notice that is hanging on my fridge. Yep. Dress Rehearsal was for Tuesday at 1:15. I am such a loser! I can't believe that happened. I usually have it all together! I. Always. Know. What. Is. Going. On.

Apparently, not so much. I phoned Girlie up after she got home from school and she was like, "So, how did you enjoy the dress rehearsal" Little punk! It wasn't as if I deliberately made a decision not to go. I told her I missed it and thought it was supposed to be for today. She said "Yeah I figured that!" Little punk! Then she had the nerve to say, in her punky little way "Well at least Dad will come to the concert tonight - at least one of my parent's will see my Christmas Concert". Okay, so she didn't have to make me feel like dirt, did she? Sassy little punk!

I feel so bad - I think I need to find the poppycock that my Grandma Ida made me (at least she still loves me) and wallow in my self pity.

Monday, December 11, 2006

Nothin' Says Fun Like a Fundue!


We thought we would do something a little different for our Christmas Party this year, so on Friday we had two couples over for a fondue. They all brought their kids too, but since hot oil and children don't mix all that well, they were banished to the basement with pizza, pop and movies. Our last foray into the fondue world was 5 years ago when we were camping. Hot oil, a bunch of drunk people and a forest within burning distance. Seemed like such a good idea at the time! This time we were a tad more civilized and probably a lot more sober. Don't get me wrong - the beer and wine was definitely flowing, but we didn't start at noon like we do when we are camping! We ate like royalty and had a hoot. No one got burned or ended up in the hospital with food poisoning later that night. Phew, such a relief! That is one of my great fears - invite people over for dinner and end up poisoning them. We had 3 pots on the go which would have worked out perfectly had we liked the cheese one. No one did. It was the prepacked kind from safeway - kind of gross. It was a traditional swiss cheese fondue - I guess we are just not swiss enough. I don't know how they stand it - gag! So we were down to two pots - one with oil and one with vegetable broth. I liked the veggie broth the best, especially for cooking the prawns. We has way too much food, as usual. I would have hated to come up short! So on Sunday we had shish kebabs with the leftovers. It worked great! I really enjoyed the fact that I didn't have to come up with another meal idea! I hate serving the same things over and over.

My Christmas baking packaged arrived from my Grandma Ida today on the bus. Bliss I tell you! Lefsa, sweet lefsa, poppycock (which tasted just like her popcorn balls - sooo good), cinnamon twists and a Terry's Chocolate Orange for Girlie and the Boy. At the rate I have been chowing down latetly I should be ready for Penningtons (the fat girls store) by the time I get to Kelowna! Not really, so far so good on the weight gain - but knock on wood because I still have 2 weeks left of my feeding frenzy. I made buttertarts last week and thought that if I stuck them in the freezer, it would be out of sight, out of mind. Sadly, I like them frozen better than anything so the little buggers kept calling my name, and I kept answering.

For the love of God, why can't I crave vegetables?!