Clarification

Lest you think we live in squallor, I feel I must clarify the post below...

I do not go to bed with dishes in the sink or with a messy counter. Usually. I can't handle seeing clutter when I get up in the morning. And I tidy up the living room and bathrooms before retiring for the night. Usually. But I do have 4 kids. And they are home for the summer, so by the time Yram comes in the morning to clean...well, you know...there'd still be breakfast all over the counter, Thumbelina would be in her highchair eating, and as she is learning to feed herself and will not eat if I offer her food on a spoon, it is messy. Messy.

So when Yram complained that there was clothes and toys and food all over, yes there were clothes and toys on the floor of Shaggy and Tigger's bedroom (I gave it a thorough cleaning when they were at camp and it is still clean - yay!) and yes, there were baby toys on the living room floor, because I do have a baby and she does play with toys, and yes there was food all over the floor because the baby is a messy eater. Really messy.

I told my girlfriend that my goal is to have a company-ready house at all times. She told me it was a pipe dream.

Anyway, I feel sad that Yram left angry, and I'm worried that my neighbour will be mad at me, and I have a feeling that when I go get groceries tonight I will have to buy chocolate. Or chips. They should make Joe Louis flavoured chips. I'd buy them. A lot.

Hoo-Boy

I have a special talent. Wanna know what it is? I am talented in the art of ticking people off. And I don't even try! That, my friend, is the secret to my talent.

Okay, so here's what I did this time. My housecleaner is not very skilled in the artistry of cleaning house. A year and a half ago, she came to my house to clean with a company from town. She being my neighbour's sister. I was not very happy with said company because anytime I had a complaint, the owner made excuses for her workers rather than just addressing the issue at hand.

A few days after Yram (my housecleaner) was at my house, I saw her at the grocery store. And she proceeded to tell me what a horrible job she thought her partner had done (the company usually sent out 2 girls to clean). I agreed. Yram told me that she was looking for houses to clean on her own, so I fired the company and hired Yram. And all was well. For about a month. And then I noticed that Yram wasn't doing a very thorough job. And when I was going to say something to her, I learned that her husband had just up and left her. And you don't kick a person when he's down. So I put up with it.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago when we had our travel group over for a play date. Yram had just been to my house on Thursday, our playdate was for Saturday, Friday was spent cooking. So Saturday morning I'm thinking we just have minor cleaning to do. Hoo-boy was I wrong! My house was really quite dirty, and embarrassingly so considering it had just been cleaned.

And so I decided that I needed to talk to Yram about it. Which brings us to today because I'm a procrastinator and didn't know how to start the conversation. So I just started.

Me: Yram, there's something I need to talk to you about, and I don't know how to start, so I'm just going to say it. I haven't been very happy with your quality of cleaning for a while now.

Yram: Well there's always clothes and toys and food to clean up. I don't have time to do a good job.

Me: But when you clean, you don't move anything or dust behind things.

Yram: Well that's why I started coming twice a week. But there's always clothes and toys and food to clean up! There's no more time! If I'm not good enough for you then there's no point in me even being here!

Me: I'm not firing you, I just need you to do a better job.

Yram: I can't! And if what I do isn't good enough, then you'll just have to find someone else!!

Me: It isn't good enough.

Yram: Fine!! Then today's my last day!!

Me: Okay

Three minutes later...

Yram: I can't work in this stressful environment! I'm outta here! I like cleaning in a nice family environment!! This is just too stressful!!!

Me: Let me get you your check.

Yram: Just forget it!!! Just mail it to me!!

And with that, she slammed the door and left. And I was kind of left with my mouth hanging open because she was so agitated with me, that she wasn't even letting me finish my sentences. I didn't even get to tell her that she could stay longer than 3 hours. I don't care how long it takes her, I just want a clean house.

Is it too much to ask that behind the toilets get cleaned? And things on the counter and knick-knacks be moved to get cleaned underneath and behind? And little fingerprints cleaned off of the TV? And the couch vacuumed? And the ... obviously it is too much to ask.

Escape Artist Extraordinairre

So last night, I took the 3 youngest to finish school shopping. Clothes and shoes this times, what with the growing and all. And it appears that I have a little Houdini on my hands. Someone, who shall remane nameless, has perfected the art of standing in the kidlet part of the shopping cart, even while strapped in. And then grinning maniacally.

In Search of a Psychoanalyst

Anybody up for the task? Let me get comfy on my couch first. Okay, there.

So. Where to begin.

Princess Thumbelina is quite the character. She refuses to kiss any of us on the face, although she will kiss the boy's backs if they're sitting on the floor, or my legs, or bosoombas...she's sitting on my lap, they're there, so she leans in for a hug and a kiss. But on the face? No. Although it's becoming a game for her. She'll make the Mmmmm-ah sound as she turns to give us her cheek or forehead...and then if Husband is standing beside us, she'll push his cheek so that he's facing me and then Husband and I kiss. It's really funny when she pushes so hard that she actually slaps his cheek.

So my analysis of this is that she is still adjusting to us being her parents. Maybe in her mind, she got the short straw in the pool of parents. Who knows. It's just taking time.

She has yet to call me Mamma, or Mommy. Although when you ask her where Mommy is, she looks at me. And yes, Husband gets called her version of Daddy - more like Da-DEE. Maybe she doesn't know how to say Mamma yet, you ask? I was thinking that myself until last night at supper. Thumbelina was fussy, so I gave her a plastic spoon inside a plastic wrapper to play with (we had take-out for supper) (again), and she looked at it and started calling it Mamma. Over and over and over again. And today, she found the same spoon and called it Mamma once again. The boys thought it was hilarious - Look! Thumbelina thinks the spoon is Mom!

So maybe she is associating the spoon with being fed, and me feeding her. Or maybe I just look like a spoon. A Freudian slip perhaps? If it's not one thing, it's your mother!

So Sad

We received a phone call this morning that the Dad of a friend of ours passed away this morning. We saw him yesterday at church, so this is quite shocking. And very sad. The Mom's sister just died as well and her funeral is tomorrow. That poor lady, to lose her sister and her husband within a few days of each other.

Go tell your loved ones how much you love them and give them a great big hug. Life is precious and short.

Back to Normal

So the big storm we got the other night was nothing more than just a little noise and light show. No power outages. No big wind. Although what do I know, really...I was all snug in my bed and didn't have to brave the elements. And the boys survived, even being away from home. Tigger needed comforting, apparently, because the hydro went out at camp...and he told me he was crying on Friday because he was homesick...but he's already talking about going back next year, so all is well.

Tonight at church, our Pastor wanted people to give testimonies about answered prayer. I have one. I've been praying that my house would stay clean for more than a few hours at a time. Really I have. This past week, it stayed clean all week. We're talking 6 days! Of course Shaggy and Tigger weren't home at the time...and no, I didn't testify about my particular answer to prayer because I really don't think that's what our Pastor was after. Giggling during testimony time is usually frowned upon.

So we're back to normal (hence the title of this post) with the jammies being left on the floor and the cupboard doors being left open and the toilet not getting flushed...with 4 kids, sometimes I feel like I'm just going in circles. For a while I was putting any clothing left on the floor into the laundry...but that just generated extra laundry for me. I'm not sure what the solution to that is...Husband said I'm expecting too much by simply telling them what I want done. He's a lot of help. You know Pig-Pen from Charlie Brown? That's one of my childs.

I cleaned Shaggy and Tigger's bedroom while they were gone, and took out 2 garbage bags full of garbage and broken toys. You can tell a lot about a person by what they keep under their bed. Tonight I caught Tigger trying to shove the shirt he had just taken off under his bed with his foot. He was doing it very discreetly, but doing it none-the-less.

I really don't think this post could get any more boring, so I'm signing off now and going to bed. Night.

Storms!

Husband and I were just relaxing on the couch, flipping through the channels on the tube, and noticed there were some tornados in the Detriot area...with the bad weather headed directly for us. So of course I had to take a picture of the radar to show you. Doesn't look too bad on the screen, so hopefully it won't be too bad in real life. Although there does seem to be a lot of lightening...and Buddy, my fearless Jack Russel, is sitting on my foot. Why is it that the dog with the biggest growl, is a big ole fraidy-cat in a storm?

Husband is off hooking tractors to the generators in case of an impending power outage.


And I'm worried about Shaggy and Tigger, because by the looks of the radar, they're in the worst of it now, or shortly just past the worst. And they freak out over storms. Freak out. As in cling to me because they're worried about tornados. So of course I'm feeling especially bad since I can't be there to comfort them. But I get to pick them up tomorrow, so we'll just have to suck-it-up, Buttercup. Hahaha. That phrase is from the Kayak Family and I've started saying to my boys. Cracks me up every time, but then again, I'm easily amused.



So. Storms. We had a doozy the other night and Thumbelina slept through it. Oh sure, she wakes when Anderson Cooper isn't on TV, but not for a thunderstorm. Did I tell you she's sleeping not too badly now? We put her to bed in the playpen in the living room with CNN on all night. She usually awakens at some point in the night, and quite often will go back to sleep after a brief crying spell. Other nights, she needs comforting and a big soft bed to sleep in. A few weeks ago, Anderson Cooper was on holidays, and Thumbelina didn't sleep well at all that week. Hey, what can I say - he's easy on the eyes and the ears.








And the thunder has arrived.

Weekend Recap

Two posts in one day! Are you guys lucky or what.


On Friday, Husband whisked me away to a fancy schmancy dinner sans children. It was actually a gift from the in-laws for my birthday, and they paid for the meal...or most of it...and babysat. And it might even be for Husband's birthday, too...because they spent an awful lot of money on the gift certificate. Too much for just lil ole me. Anyhoo, we went to the port of Dover to a place called David's and let me tell you, it was delish. Who knew small towns could have such upscale restuarants. And we actually saw a guy there with his wife that I went to high school with. I have no idea if they saw us or not, they were in a different section but we would have been in plain sight of them...but they weren't in our sight unless we turned around because Husband and I sat side by side sose we could watch the lake do it's lakey stuff...but they came in after us and left before us, which makes me think maybe they did see us and wanted to avoid us. His wife doesn't like me. I think it's all rather comical. Confused? Yah, me too.


On Saturday we hosted a playdate for some of our travel group, except one family had an illness and was not able to make it. And it was Thumbelina's BFF who couldn't come, so we were quite disappointed. The other 2 babies are growing and getting hair and are just cute beyond words. Everyone is walking now, even Thumbelina, and Baby M is running. Except she can't stop, so she uses her arms to stop her momentum. Which isn't good if there's another little person her size doing the actual stopping. But it's funny to watch. I've always found humor in people falling down, even my own kids.


Sunday was my actual birthday, which makes me another year older. The fam treated me well and took me out to Chinese for lunch. In between lunch and church, I spent the rest of the day doing laundry so that Shaggy and Tigger would have clean clothes to wear for their week of camp.


Which brings us to yesterday. Which was Monday. And I had to send my youngest son off to a week of camp. For the first time. And he didn't want to go. He did, but he didn't. And I wanted him to, but I wanted him to stay home. So I was quite sad all day. Zoomer thought it was a little odd that I was crying...Husband said what I needed was some retail therapy (he's a keeper), so he took me to the growing city and we supped at Boston Pizza and shopped at the Mart of Wal. Retail therapy really does a girl some good. I bought a birthday present for Shaggy (poor guy loves birthdays the most out of all of us, and his is last in the birthday season) and a few more toys for Thumbelina. I bought her a Princess wand, ages 3+ ... it plays music and lights up and she loves it almost as much as she loves her ball. Which is saying a lot. When she saw it in the store, her eyes lit up and she grabbed it out of my hands. Unfortunately, we had to listen to the music all the way home. All. the. way. home.


And you've already read about the big excitement that occured during the night. And AB, if I suddenly get a big expensive belated birthday present, I'll know where it came from.

Enjoy the pictures!

Baby M:

Baby E:


Thumbelina:


Babies playing soccer with the big kids:


Mammas and Babies:


Oooo, a Princess wand...I wonder if I can turn my brother into a frog...:


I command you to bring me a bottle:


Hi-Yah!


I challenge you to a duel:


But I don't recommend you bonk yourself on the head:

A D'OH! Moment in the Life of a Thief

Intriguing title, isn't it. There's never a dull moment here at the Funny Farm, and last night was no exception. Husband got a phone call early this morning from Razor Blade (he works for us) saying that Mr. Toad's truck was in the ditch, the keys were still in the truck, and the quad was out of the shop. Meaning somebody had tried to steal the quad as well, but since it's extremely hard to start, they didn't get anywhere with it.

Hmmmm.

Somebody was up to some tom-foolery last night. And my first thought after the phone call? I've got to get up and blog about this! Except Princess Thumbelina was still asleep in our bed and when the Princess is asleep, we no wakey.

So when Husband went to get Mr. Toad's truck out of the ditch (Mr. Toad is holidaying at The Compound and incidentally is due home today sometime) he noticed a cell phone on the front seat of the truck. Hence the title and the D'OH! moment for those hapless criminals. I told Husband it was probably the same people who stole his wallet out of his truck a few months ago. I never blogged about it because at the time, it just didn't seem blog-worthy. AND, it's probably the same kids who set fire to all the rubbermaid mailboxes down the road last winter. I didn't blog about that, because I think we were in Banff at the time.

Anyhoo, upon further investigation it seems that the thieves went through all of the vehicles at Razor Blades house. He tends to keep all his old cars for spare parts. So there wouldn't have been anything worth finding in any of those, unless you're looking for spare parts, in which case you might find something to your liking. But I'm not, and I don't.

And upon even further investigation, Fil discovered that he forgot to lock his truck last night. And he left his wallet in it. It's the country, it happens. But they only stole all his money, not his credit cards. And I think he's even a little put out that they didn't try to steal his truck instead of Mr. Toad's because it's a nicer truck than Mr. Toad's.

So the police are on their way, but another truck was stolen in our wee little town last night and all available personnel are investigating that one first. Quite the crime spree we have going on here.

And the cell phone that was left behind? Had the kid's name and picture in it, so Husband called the kid's dad. Who said it wasn't him because he's in jail. It was probably his brother.

Have You?

Have you ever done something that you thought was a really good idea at the time, but then the next morning thought to yourself, Why did I eat all those Joe Louis? Ya, me too.

Office Oopsies

Have you ever made a faux paux at your place of employment? You know, you send an e-mail to the wrong person or something? That very same thing happened to a good friend of mine today...and when she told me about it I laughed and laughed and laughed...and laughed so hard I almost fell off of my chair as the tears were rolling down my face. Good times. Good times.

Oh, so you all want to know what she did? Well, let me tell you. She wrote an e-mail to me today; nothing new about that, we communicate back and forth quite often. She works for Husband's company, but in a different location. If she worked in my office, we'd never get any work done other than scrapbooking, and I don't think Husband would be too appreciative of that. So back to Lola. The e-mail she sent me was a question about the company, had an inside joke kind of poking fun at me, but the funny part was that she sent it Fil (aka Father-in-law). To Fil! AND he replied back to her!!! As if he was really the intended recipient!!! So I'm laughing at her embarrassement. Could you imagine if it was an off-coloured joke of some sort!

So we both had a good laugh about it. I'm not so mean as to laugh at other people's mistakes...at least not openly to their face unless they're laughing with me. And when I told Husband about it? He smiled. Smiled people. That's how funny it was.

Thus I will leave you with pictures of my favourite office assistant:




She really devours the task at hand:


And just because she's so cute:

Which Super Hero Are You?

Your results:
You are Superman

Superman 75% Spider-Man 70% Supergirl 45% The Flash 45% Robin 40% Iron Man 35% Hulk 30% Green Lantern 30% Wonder Woman 25% Batman 20% Catwoman 15%

You are mild-mannered, good, strong and you love to help others.

Click here to take the Superhero Personality Test

Tis Officially Birthday Season

Birthday Season has begun once again here in Jajville and we now officially have a teenager living amongst us. So far so good. I hear they can be pretty temperamental at times, but ours has been quite accomodating and cooperative thus far.

We had a little birthday party for him with all his peers - no girls allowed - we're still feeding him the line that girls have cooties...except for his sister and mother of course...and our teenager is now the proud owner of a digital camera. Which he loved. And which he thanked me for hours later. Just out of the blue thanked me for it. The theme was a pool party...since we have a pool and it is summer...just seemed to make sense. Plus, we figured we'd stick the kids in the pool all afternoon and they could entertain themselves. A win-win situation.

So pictures:



Pizza Hut lunch:


Princess Thumbelina:


Our teenager:


Birthday parties are enough to wear one out:


The cake (and no, it was not an original idea):


More presents - notice the wrapping? A shopping bag, no doubt wrapped by a teenage boy:


The crew:


What do you mean no more cake?!?


I want more cake!!!

I have some blog posts floating around in my head, so remind to tell you about the dog with nine lives before it gets lost. In my head. The post I mean, not the dog.

Thumbelina - Warrior Princess

She's such a girly-girl, isn't she!