May flowers..

If any of you follow Dave’s blog, NO, this is not a hijack due to the gross chicken post J  I just have a few minutes on my hand and felt like doing a quick update.  Dave does a great job of capturing some of our day to day moments, but I like to ramble on about my latest organizational tasks and things about the kids...so here I go.

The weather has been AWESOME the past month.  It makes such a huge difference to be able to pop out into the front or backyard with minimal work.  Or, send the older 2 out on their own while Robyn and I get some work done around the house.

Packing has been going super.  I made a list of things to be working on each week, and I have been able to stay on top of it without being overwhelmed.  Currently, half the kitchen is packed up (you know  all those things you use once in while but can get by without for a month such as a brie baker, fondue pot, wine glasses, etc?)  The upstairs walls have been cleared of hooks, stickers and pictures.   The bedrooms are down to the bare basics of clothes and bedding with just a few toys and books out.  Most of our books, and 3/4 of the toys are packed up.  My sewing and scrapbook and art supplies are packed away. The storage room has been purged, organized, packed and labelled.   I have lots of little decor items packed away.  I have been trying to make a weekly list, and just tackle the packing tasks as a rainy day arrives, or the kids are just playing really nicely for an hour here or there.  On the packing list this week is to take down all the pictures and wall hangings on the main floor, and in the basement, and get them all wrapped and packed up, as well as do some work in the filing cabinet.

It’s been taking up most of any spare time I have, as I am finding myself needing 10-12 hours of sleep in the course of a 24 hour period.  I find this totally frustrating to require a daily nap, and early bed time, but am trying to listen to my body, and take the sleep I need to grow this little baby.  I remember needing a lot of sleep when I was pregnant with Jesse, and so I am feeling like this is another little sign that maybe I’m carrying a boy.  Just my hunch...although I think there is a greater chance it’s a girl, my inkling is a boy.  We’ll see in due time...

The kids are doing great.  This is Jesse’s last week of homeschooling for the year, and I’m happy he’ll have June off to spend extra hours outside.  He adores riding his bike, and spends any minute he is allowed outdoors in the front or backyard.

Robyn seems to have a similar outdoorsy love, and spends half her time inside putting on different shoes from the entry way and asking me to go out.  Dave and I were dreading having an 18 month old to sunscreen this summer, as we remember both Jesse and Janna having meltdowns over being sun screened at her age, but oddly, she really loves having sunscreen applied.  If I pull it out and start lotioning up the other kids, she runs over and butts in the way and hollers frantically at me to give her a turn with it.    She likes trying to ride all the little (and big) bikes and scooters outside, and appreciates ants and bugs and dirt.

Janna is not as enthralled with nature.  While she loves heading out for a shopping trip, church, a Tim’s date, or errands, she does not like the “elements” that surround her outside.  The bugs, the dirt, the wind...etc. all severely ruffle her feather.   She often snuggles up on my lap on the step or our front lawn chairs while the other kids play and run around.   It’s funny how different the kids are, and fascinating to watch them in their own uniqueness.

Dave is in the last stretch!  He has been running or biking into work several times a week in an attempt to get in exercise during this extra busy time.   A few more weeks of classes and then the final shove.  The banquets and evening commitments have started, and I forgot how much I dislike doing dinner and bedtime on my own, especially after caring for 4 or 5 kids on my own since 6 am.  But, the summer is in the horizon, and having a good chunk of time off together is worth it ( I think?!)

Well, kids are finishing up snack, and we are going to head outside as there is a pause in the rain.  It might storm a bit later, so we’ll suck up the fresh air as we can.

Thanks for reading! I’m out!

Chrissy

the low down

We’re into May, and the grass is finally green, the trees are starting to bud, and we have a week ahead with predictions of sun and temperatures into the teens.  April flew by with lots of fun things going on.  We had nana and poppie visit from New Brunswick, then Easter to celebrate, and last weekend we had a kid free weekend OFF. 

Tamara took our kids again, and it was much needed!  Things have been super busy at Dave’s school (although I find that things are ALWAYS busy at Dave’s school)  Dave is not only involved in many extracurricular groups, but with the small and close-knit size of his school, he ends up being involved in what seems like, most all happenings.  For example, he is the media arts teacher, so for the big school play that took place last week, he not only had to organize the cappies event (which he leads) but he ended up having his classes do posters and promo materials, and head shots, etc.  Anyways, if he only had to teach classes, he would be a much free-er man.  But, he does such a great job at going above and beyond at his work and I’m proud of him.  There is just over a month left of classes, and then a month of exams, and marking and banquets  and school wrap up.  The end is in sight!  I am always just as excited for this time, as Dave’s school is pretty all consuming and the house and child responsibilities are usually mine alone to battle around this time of the year.

It’s kind of good to keep busy, though.  It’s been a tough pregnancy with continued fatigue and strong bouts of morning sickness here and there.  Certainly, it’s been an improvement from the first trimester, but I don’t feel great most days.  Having lots on the go keeps me distracted and away from self-pity I think.   I am almost at the half way point.  Whoa! Where did the time go?

Speaking of having lots on the go, to add to the May and June list is to pack up our entire house!  We are moving the end of June to a new place just 4kms south of here to a single home in Barrhaven.   We had no intentions to move, but a really great opportunity showed up on the door step and we truly felt like a gift straight from God was being given to us. 

The new house is just lovely! There are lots of things I could say about it, but that would be a long blog.  I will suffice myself with 3 things I am excited for.

1.       

Space!  We’ll be up to 3 bathrooms, 2 living rooms, a finished basement, etc.  The mud room and double garage with be most certainly used well.  But, my favorite space addition is definitely going to be the backyard.  Barrhaven tends to have smaller square backyards.  But, the house is on a corner lot, and deeper back without any rear neighbors.   It is entirely fenced in and has a new deck, swing set, sand box, shed, playhouse, garden, a long jump pit it if you like J, and lots of green space on top of this.  It is fully fenced and so it will be wonderful to send the kids outside to play, or enjoy BBQ suppers on the patio.   Dave is looking forward to having his own yard to mow, and I’m looking forward to sipping on icecold lemonades, lounging on a deck chair with a massive baby belly,  watching him do his thing.  HA HA.  Well, there are some flower beds, as well as a garden to tend to, and so I will happily try and learn along side of Dave how to tackle the rhubard, raspberries, garlic, asparagus, herbs, etc they have growing.  We were informed they are all easier to manage, so we’ll see how that goes.  Growing up, my mom disliked flowers and gardening.  WE moved into a house that had delightful landscaping and over the course of living there, she had all the beds ripped up and several trees removed.  So, I don’t have much experience in any of this, but I’m excited to learn. 

2.       THE LOFT.  My favorite room in the actual house is a living room that is half way upstairs.  It is huge with vaulted ceilings, a wall of windows, a fireplace, and a brand spankin’ new plush cream carpet.  It is “railed in” and so you can see downstairs or further up stairs from within it.  For now, it will be the kids playroom with a few comfy chairs.  It will nice to have a sunny and open spot for them to cozy into (especially during the winter months) and I like that the mess of toys will be up and away from the main floor...but I could still hear or see them if I was downstairs or upstairs.

3.       Royal tub! We have a full ensuite bathroom with one of those huge soaker tubs nestled into the corner.   I’m a bath person, and so this carries huge promise and excitement for those odd days I get to squeeze in a bath. 

SO, there is a lot of work to be done in the next few months to get done while watching the gang of kidlets.  I have vowed not to let packing rob me of the nicer weather FINALLY in the horizon, and so my plan is to get tons of packing and house work done on rainy days and evenings.   Last week we had rain almost every day, and so I got a few dozen boxes packed up, and the storage room sorted and purged.  SO, good things are happenin’!

What won’t be happenin’ for the next while is my blog.  However, Dave decided out of the blue to start in with his summer blog on the family early, so you can read about our adventures on a daily basis here: http://apartment1004.blogspot.com .  I have no idea how he is going to pull off blogging each day during these last few months of school, but if anyone can do it, it’s Dave!

Thanks so much for reading one and all.  I’m out!

Chrissy