You need a tiara

updates first...

I have moved every item I own (with the exception of a parring knife that I can't find) into my new apartment. I am so pleased to finally have all my stuff back. I love looking around at my pictures, my piggies (yeah, I collect them, so what?), and all my other things. Tracy came to visit yesterday (for the 3rd time in 2 months I might add) and helped me unpack and organize everything. I invited a few people over for a little New Years Eve party tonight and it was wonderful to have her help me get everything ready. Lucky me, lucky me!

I stopped at a little corner store the other night and the sweet Chinese man who works there noticed my key chain which says "Call me Princess" and commented with a smile.

I said, "Yeah, I also have a princess lamp in my bedroom"

He laughs and says, "You need a tiara."

"Oh I already have one of those." which got him laughing a lot.

I left the store with a happy little feeling that I get when I have a pleasant conversation with a stranger. (well, I do see him there sometimes, but you know what I mean.)

Happy New Year everyone! 2009 is going to be a fresh new start. I am happy and looking so forward to my future.

kisses,

the princess

Closer to Home

Sorry if I alarmed anyone with my absence. November was a month for hibernating, and December was a month for re-gaining personal strength and getting everything back on track. I am 90% moved in to my new apartment. I still have my bed, 1 bunk bed, my computer desk plus a few boxes here, but my storage unit is cleared out and I will be unpacking over the weekend. Perhaps not ideal for the holiday season, but it works well for me. I will be nesting and waiting for the return of my routine with the boys. I am so very happy and excited to be self-sufficient again. It makes me feel much calmer.

I got my hair cut and have decided that I need to go shorter and a little different next time. Change in stages is better for me. I want you all to know that I have been feeling very positive about myself and getting through everything ok. I had a little relapse of emotion at the end of November that I had to work through but I feel much stronger today.

Merry Christmas to all of you! For those of you celebrating and observing other holidays, I wish you the very best as well. It was my turn to have the boys for Christmas Eve and Christmas morning this year. We had an early celebration this past weekend with my cousin and her son. (Check out those lobsters. Don't they look YUMMY!) Today I feel very blessed to have had time with family and be surrounded with love. It was a small Christmas this year, but I did right by the boys and they had a lot of fun this morning. Santa gave them great gifts indeed. I am heading to Becca's for dinner and drinks tonight. I'm sure we'll have a great time.

mmmmm...lobster! starting my new family tradition

Here we are in front of my pretty tree

I promise I'll come back.

kisses,

the princess

A Nice Family Christmas

Don't they all look happy here? The older boys received A LOT of clothes, so the gift opening was a little more boring than some years. They are reaching that age where they are on the cusp...between toys and other, more expensive gifts. Sidney is still thrilled with just about anything! He cheers for cars, books, and socks. It was a really nice day for all of us.

everyone is smiling and looking in the same direction...

how the heck do you get the plastic off this thing?

I Really Suck

So here we are with only 2 days left until Christmas. Have I sent out any cards? No. Have I baked any cookies for friends? No. Have I sent the scrapbook to my parents? No again. I feel awful, but things just seem to come at me so quickly. I try to be organized about Christmas, yet I never quite get it all together. To those I love, I am very sorry for my negligence. I do so love and miss you, I just really really suck.

On a high note, all of the presents are wrapped and ready to put under the tree tomorrow night. I don't have the boys on Christmas Eve, but will have them after lunch time on Christmas day. Blake's son will be here for Christmas Eve, and also when my boys come back. We are going to have a nice family dinner with Blake's family. I am sure it will be delicious!

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas if I don't post again before Santa comes.

Early December Bitch Fest

So... miss princess isn't feeling so merry right now. I get really tense because I'm such a planner, Christmas is so close and I am not ready . Incidentally, I had my last cigarette on October 31 (I will post more on this later). I know I posted last spring about having gone on the patch, but it didn't last. I am feeling very good about it this time. Very.

We are going to a party tomorrow night, and what I would really love is if I didn't have this huge f%#king pimple under my eye. I am so shallow...yes, shame on me. Good thing I know what I'm doing with my hair and have chosen and outfit that is gonna work. Objective for tomorrow afternoon: purchase the correct color of concealer and foundation to cover up this monster. I normally get make-up from Clinque. I always get it during the bonus times because it is very expensive and I love--no, deserve-- the free stuff. I missed this last bonus time by just 2 days. I have actually been letting my skin breathe. I need it tomorrow though--no make-up, no party. I just don't know what brand or tones to get that are a little less expensive. Any brand suggestions? I will write down my colors, of course.

Other December bitches...

The pressure of finding the desired Santa gifts-- if nothing else on that list--for the love god! I almost...almost paid a lot of extra money for a gift I didn't feel confident I would still be able to get next weekend when I complete my shopping. There was a guy selling one here in town for a greatly inflated price for pure profit (he was willing to take a post-dated cheque), but we were able to juggle money and grab one from Wal-mart on sale this week. I feel much better having that solved. I will save the unveiling for Christmas day. Be patient.

It gets very quiet at work. I have a difficult time concentrating all day when it gets so quiet... without the phones ringing madly and the deadlines. I have a great deal of filing work to do, but it's like folding laundry...which I can't stand. Oh yeah, that reminds me! The dryer broke--shut down, not fixable. I know the washer was right behind it the way it danced in the room, so we bit the bullet and got new ones. There is about 12 plus loads done here in a 2 week span for sure. Bad timing is all I can say.

Winter makes me sad. I miss my family (parents, siblings, cousins...you know) especially when there are fun things going on with the boys. I know they all love us, and I know they are safe. I am blessed, but I wish they were here with us. I especially miss my brother Rodney. We haven't talked for some time and I feel disconnected.

Anyhow, I guess that's all for now. I didn't get a chance to sit at the computer to get into this until late. I had more, but the words aren't there right now. I will post party pictures soon.

Lest We Forget

Today is Remembrance Day. In the 11th month, on the 11th day, in the 11th hour we take time to remember all that our soldiers have done for us as a country. It is an important day that gets less recognition as time passes. Old veterans die, and the significance of the day seems somewhat lost to our youth, unless we teach them and show them that it is still important.

All week, I have been listening to people talk about their upcoming long weekend. Why do people get tomorrow off in lieu? This is not a day that can be substituted for another. It falls on a very specific day for observance. I do not have tomorrow off and it is a scramble for me to find childcare, as school and daycare are closed. Why should people have this extra day? Are they planning another observance ceremony? Likely not. It is just another day that workers feel they should be paid for and receive that extra day to do whatever they want with. If it were any other holiday I would feel differently. Are we showing the proper respect in taking an extra day? In my opinion, NOT AT ALL.

My grandfather, and his brother went overseas to fight for our way of life in World War II. My father spent much of my young life away from home serving in the military. My ex-husband and many of my friends and acquaintances over the years have served in the Canadian Forces. I do respect what they do for me and for my family. I will remember.

Hand Made Treasures

For Mother's Day, I received several gifts made from the heart by Seth and Sidney. Every year at daycare, they have a Mother's/Father's Day social on the Friday before the holiday. The children prepare their gifts, which are displayed in the room for us to collect on our special morning. Sidney made me a lovely "Sidney's Book of Kisses". There is lipstick involved, but how else are they going to make kisses on white paper...come on people! Too Cute, I think. Also a card, some drawings, and a special picture of his hand cut-out glued to a page holding flowers...does that make sense? It is sitting on the wall right here beside me at the moment. Maybe I will take a picture of it. He has 2 fingers glued down as if holding the flowers. What I love is that when he showed it to me, he says, "See Mama? It's like Spiderman!" Can you picture it now? Thought so...if not, I will add a picture from home.

Seth gave me a really nice card and also made me a construction paper version of me as a "Simpson's" cartoon caracter. He even cuts slits in the hair to give it texture...little artist that he is. He also gave me a sheet of paper with some nice words...it went like this (remember, Seth is in French Emmersion)...

Ma Maman Est Speciale (My Mother is Special)

Ma maman est speciale parce qu'elle est toujours la pour moi! (my mother is special because she is always there for me...awww!)

J'aime quand ma maman a apoter pour voir mon cousin. (I love when my mother takes me to visit my cousin.)

Ma maman a un beau sourire! Je la fais sourire quand je fait une blag! (My mother has a beautiful smile. I make her smile when I tell a joke.)

Ma maman est aussi belle qu'une rose. (My mother is also pretty like a rose.)

Ma maman est tres intelligente! Elle peut etre une tuter. (My mother is very smart. She could be a tutor.)

Isn't that the sweetest? I love to save all of those little gifts every year. The pile is ever growing. Blake also helped them make breakfast in bed for me. Definately a morning to remember. Thanks to all my boys for the special day!

Happy New Year!

It's been awhile, I know. I started writing several times, but never really finished one to post. Sometimes I have so much I'd like to talk about that I can't pick one topic only. The tree is out and the ornaments are put away. My house is neat and tidy -- back to normal. I like that.

The boys arrived home from their father's this afternoon. So nice to have them back, although I had a nice week getting organized and working, of couse. I just wanted to let you know I will be writing soon. I am being summoned for a cuddle with Seth at the moment. Gonna go do that.

Christmas With Audrey

Once I get my pictures scanned, I think I will post one of my mother. She really was a genuinely wonderful person. Well loved and well missed. The last Christmas we spent with her was in 1984.

She was quite ill, but still able to live at home. Our father took my brother Rodney and I out to pick some gifts for her. We got a couple of cute nighties, bath things, butterfly writing paper, and her most favorite thing...CHOCOLATE SNOWBALLS! These are not the home-made cookies you may be thinking of, but a soft, fluff like marshmallow covered in chocolate and coconut that you purchase pre-packaged. She absolutely loved them, and they were always around at Christmas.

My most vivid memory of Christmas to date is the joyous sight of my mother eating her favorite treat, getting marshmallow on her lips and chin in a childlike manner. We are very much alike in some ways, she and I.

I miss you Mom.

It's Christmas Eve, Eve

What a great day! I went out this morning and got the remainder of my purchases made. I just had to get a little candy and some things at the grocery store. I chose time and stores wisely, it seems. All went well. I spent my time at home getting the house cleaned and whatnot as I am having Blake's family (mom, dad, and brother) over for dinner tomorrow evening. The boys are here until noon on Chirstmas day, so I am having my dinner on Christmas Eve. It is almost midnight here and I still have some shortbread cookies in the oven, but all is well. I am at peace. Psssst!!!!!! Christmas is the day after tomorrow. I am very excited.

I really love Christmas you know! I enjoy giving a gift that the receiver truly enjoys. It doesn't matter how much it costs, just that I have considered what that person would like and appreciate. Receiving gifts is also very nice, however, I am pretty easy to please in that regard so generally I am genuinely pleased.

I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas, although I expect I will post after the boys have left. I will have some pictures from tomorrow and Christmas morning. Everything is ready, and I feel fabulous. Life is good.

Concert Pictures

Seth is the child in the back row, wearing red. Unfortunately, I snapped as he bent over... I wish I could add a big arrow and circle so you could at least see where he was standing!

Sidney is front and centre wearing orange. He oves to entertain.

Happy Holidays?!!

Do you know that you are not allowed to say the word "Christmas" in any song during the "Holiday Season Concert" at my son's school? Wow! Hey! Wouldn't want to offend anybody by saying "Merry Christmas". I am all for diversity of culture and religion, but living in a community that is clearly 85-90% Christian (those who celebrate Christmas), it is amazing to me that our children are not permitted to say this classic, happy phrase. Is it offensive to share warm wishes with others, even if they may not share our religious beliefs? How is it that we have come to place so much importance on not offending people who immigrate to our province that we will deny ourselves our own right to celebrate our religious holidays? I guarentee if I moved to India I couldn't appeal to their government to stop the citizens from open celebration of their holidays! Only in Canada my friends!

The boys each had a small Christmas concert at their respective child care facilities, however, school children from grades 3-6 no longer take part in the "Holiday Season Concert" unless they are a part of the band or choir. Thankfully, people still say "Merry Christmas" in the streets here. I will be sad when that is gone.

I will post a pic from Sidney's concert tonight or tomorrow, but I only got one pic at Seth's. He bent to tie his shoe as I waited for the digital delay, then they were all done. He doesn't mind not participating in the concert. Not really his thing. Sid, on the other hand, LOVES IT!