Happy Birthday Sam!

How is it that my Sam went from this...



...to a super cool pre-teen practically overnight??

Ok, so it was more like 12 years, but still. The years have passed much too quickly for my liking.

He made me a mother and changed my life forever.

Happy Birthday Sam! I love you!

5QF (on Saturday) July 30

I'm late for Mama M's Five Question Friday which she hosts over at My Little Life, but I wanted to play along anyway.

It's been a very busy week and I have lots of little things to blog about. I'll have to do a recap week post soon. Some cool and not-so-cool things have been going on around here.

But for now, it's Five Question Friday time :-)



And this week's questions are:

1. Vow renewal ceremonies-yay or nay?

Ooh! This was the question I submitted. I love it when Mama M picks me!

Definitely a YAY! I would love to renew my wedding vows with Ian someday. I envision it being on the beach in Jamaica or Bahamas. Barefoot. With all of our children there.

2. What sound/s annoy you the most?

Barking. Whining. Certain accents. Hearing people smack their food. Door slamming. The beeping noise my oven makes every time I turn it on. Snoring.

3. If you had to pick, would you have only all boys, or only all girls for kids?

I couldn't pick! I'm so blessed in that I have two of each, and I get to experience all the wonder that each gender provides.

Yeah, I know I cheated with that question...but I really can't answer that!

4. Do you believe in alternative medicine?

I'm not sure where I stand with this. I do know that I believe in medicine with tried and true methods for healing, and I believe in God's supernatural healing power.

But herbs and accupuncture? I don't know.

5. Would you take a family members children and raise them if they needed it?

Absolutely, no question. Family is the most important thing on this earth and they should stay together as long as it's humanly possible. My mother has been raising my nephew pretty much since birth (he just turned 19! Good job, Mom!), and Ian and I have always been deeply rooted in his life, helping out whenever and wherever we could. If anything had happened to my mom we would have stepped in and raised him as our own.

Head on over to Mama M's blog My Little Life to join in on the fun!

A Day In The Life Of Kate

Today I thought it would be fun to document my day in pictures and share it with you. I've seen this done on other blogs and really enjoyed it. I think it's because I have a deep seated, monster-sized nosy streak.

It's true. I'll own it.

I woke up at 7:45, showered, dressed, made the bed and headed downstairs to get Jordan and Matthew dressed for the day. I wanted to take them out of the house so that Ian could focus on his job search without any distractions.

Here's Jordan, Matthew and Julie (in the back), ready to go.



We dropped Julie off at the church at 8:30 for VBS. This year's theme is Superhero City and she is loving it.



Before we got going we stopped at McDonald's for tea with double milk for me and a hash brown for Jordan.



Our next stop was the grocery store, one of Jordan's most favourite places. We didn't need much, just some milk and laundry detergent.



From there we went to the gas station. Would you look at the price of gas!? UGH! I can't believe that there isn't anyone in charge that can regulate this highway robbery. But that's a rant for another day.



Ooh I love it when I stop exactly on the dollar without going over. It makes me feel like a rock star.



You're impressed too, aren't you?

Thanks.

The next stop on our list was the passport office. I don't have a passport and will need one to attend the Women of Faith conference in Rochester, NY this fall.

Ooh... I just got goosebumps! I'm so excited!



I don't know if a person is allowed to take pictures of a government office or not, so I did it on the down low. There was a customs officer standing out front of the office and I'm not sure if she saw me or not, but I high tailed it outta there just in case.

We stopped quickly at home to drop off the groceries and then went to my most favourite store ever.

Ever.



I don't think I have set foot in there since October and there may or may not have been tears of joy in my eyes. I will never tell.

Jordan was adorable as usual. She would find sparkly things and show them to me saying, "This is pretty, yes Mommy? I put it in the basket?" Every time I started to move to the next aisle she'd squeal "wait for me!" in this funny way.

We laughed a lot together in that store.

Before long it was time to pick Julie up from the church. We went home for lunch and a bit of a rest before the afternoon activities started. Ian was taking Sam and Julie to a pool party for the afternoon with the youth group, and I was taking Jordan and Matthew to my mother's house for naps and to visit.

But first, a quick stop at the mailbox!



Here we are at my Mom's!



The legal drinking age in Canada is 19, so my mom set up a mini-bar and let my nephew choose a drink to have before dinner. He and I both chose vodka and orange juice.

Yummeh!

Ian and the children arrived at my mom's just after 5pm and we all celebrated my nephew's 19th birthday with bbq'd burgers courtesy of Sam, with cake, ice cream and cookies for dessert.

The dinner table was off the charts lively as usual, with lots of loud talking, teasing and laughter. I love it when all the people I love the most in the world are together like that.

Here's Matthew having some stretching time after dinner. Don't you want to just squeeze him??



We left shortly after 9pm, stopped quickly at Walmart for formula and then returned home. Ian put the girls to bed while I settled Matthew. Sam hung out with us for a bit before going to bed as well.

And there you have a Day In The Life Of Kate!

On The Move

I've been running errands all morning with Jordan and Matthew, and we're now waiting outside of the church for Julie's VBS to finish.
So...I thought I'd try blogging from my phone to see if it works! Because you never know when I'll have something urgent to post about from the road!

Jordan

This is my three year old daughter, Jordan.



Isn't she adorable?

I think so too :-)

Oh how I love her.

She is so soft and sweet, and is so quick to kiss and cuddle.

Her big blue eyes just melt me.

She smells delicious.

She loves it when Julie does her nails for her, and lets her hang out in her room with her.

Playing with Sam makes her so happy.

She loves to laugh.

She loves to sing and to be sung to.

She loves to shop and run errands.

She loves to help carry the groceries, or help with the recycling.

She loves books and movies, drawing and colouring.

She likes to help walk Willow.

She is always ready to help feed Matthew or to bring me a diaper when he needs to be changed, and tells me every day that he has such "teeny tiny feets".

She's always asking where Sam and Julie are when she can't see them and loves them fiercely, missing them when they aren't with her.

She loves it when I colour with her.

Micky Mouse is her favourite show.

She has such cute words for things.

She likes to tease and play.

She sits cross legged on the sofa while I fold laundry and tells me which article of clothing belongs to who as I fold it.

I love how her hand feels in mine, and how her lips feel against my cheek.

She's a handful and keeps us on our toes, but you know what? I wouldn't change a thing about her. She is delightful and loving and just a ball of fire.

She is mine, and I am so thankful to have her.

Respecting My Children's Privacy

When it comes to blogging there is a fine line between sharing and over-sharing.

I share a lot with you, but not everything. I try to be positive and fun in my posts, but as you have likely read already, I have my periods of feeling blue too. Sometimes I share that, oftentimes I keep it to myself.

But in all times I strive to be real and honest with you. I'm always hopeful that when you read my posts you are getting a sense of who I am, and that it's like we're sitting across the table at a coffee shop just talking together.

I'm struggling with something though. How much do I share about my children before it becomes a breech of their privacy?

I use my children's real names on this blog. I always have. Probably not the smartest idea, but it's the route I've chosen and it's not like I can go back now.

Between Facebook, Twitter and other blogs, it really wouldn't be that hard to find out my last name and where I live. Scary, huh?

That said, I need to think about my children's safety and privacy.

You may or may not have noticed that I don't post pictures of my two older children much anymore. I can assure you, it's not because I've forgotten them or don't love them anymore. Quite the contrary!

At 12 and 10, their features aren't really changing that much even though they continue to grow. They are very distinguishable to people. My two youngest children are still growing and their looks are still changing. I could post a picture of Jordan today and again in six months, and she would look a bit different. Sam and Julie are going to look the same in six months.

Put that together with how easy it could be to find out my last name and location and I think you can see where I'm going with this.

But privacy for my children also extends to their thoughts, feelings and life experiences. It wouldn't be fair for me to share things that go on in Sam and Julie's lives that they want to keep to themselves.

They are not blog fodder. They are my children.

I have started asking them for their permission to post photos of them on my Facebook account. If they say no, then I honour that. If they agree, then I'm proud to show them off. They trust that I'm not going to blog about our private, heartfelt conversations. When I shared about Sam's difficulties with that boy in school, it was because he gave me his permission to do so. I would have liked to have told you about a shopping trip that Julie and I had recently, but the nature of the trip was so special and so personal that I wanted to keep it between us.

I will continue to strive to blog authentically and respectfully. I will share as much on this blog as I can and that my family feels comfortable with. It's how I've always tried to run this blog in the past and it works.

Know that if I post photos of Sam and Julie that it is done with their permission. If I share a story about them, it is with their permission.

Respect is a right that everyone deserves regardless of their age.

5QF - July 22

I am dying in this heat.

Dying I tell you.

We are experiencing some super hot temps here in the GTA and I'm longing for Winter.

But just a little bit. Because let's face it, Winter kind of sucks.

This week has gone by so quickly that when Mama M from My Little Life posted her Thursday Night Sneek Peek for the Five Question Friday, I almost tweeted her to look at her calendar because it's only Wednesday.

Ahem. My bad.

Sorry Mama!

On to the fun :-)




1. If your husband had the BIG V and you got pregnant what would your first reaction be? For the dudes, what would your first reaction be if your wife told you she was pregnant after the Big V?

There would be no reaction because I would have dropped dead.

Unless of course, dropping dead could be considered a reaction.

Having just had number four just six weeks ago, the idea of being pregnant again makes me want to stab myself in the eye.

Over and over and over again.

My motto is now "four and no more!"

But you know... we were supposed to be done at three. And I practically dropped dead when the nurse told me I was pregnant with number four. Instead, I just walked around in a state of shock for a few months until the reality set in.

So, all that to say... I would drop dead.

And then look out because heads are gonna roll.

2. Best memory about this summer so far.

Giving birth to Matthew. Never have I felt closer to my husband, nor had a more fun delivery than his. Hard to believe that labour and delivery can be fun, but it was. We laughed a lot together. I loved that.

3. How often do you change your sheets? Your kids sheets?

Not as often as I should.

(blush)

4. Having just gone through TSA, would you rather have a full-body scan or a pat-down?

Neither is a thrilling option.

If you pat me down and touch my girly parts, we're going to have a problem.

If you give me a full body scan and I show up on someone's screen all nekkid and stuff... well let's just say if you look, then you deserve to see what you see.

Amen.

5. Since it is fair time...what's your favorite fair (county or state) memory?

We have Fall fairs but we never go because they're lame.

I've heard of fairs where people enter pie contests, or show off their livestock. That would be sweet to see.

That's a wrap! Head on over to Mama M's blog My Little Life to join in on the fun!

Hottest Day In The History Of EVER

Oh yeah, you read that right.

The hottest day in the history of ever.

We are dying here.

As of 5:00 pm the temperature was 37.5 C, with the humidex making it feel like 49 C.

That's 99.5/120.2 for you American peeps.

I don't even know what a humidex is. Why is the temperature one thing and then there's a humidex reading? I don't get it.

What I do know is that it's frackin' hot and I don't like it.

This morning I took Jordan to Tim Hortons for donuts and milk for breakfast and it was stifling even then.

Ian, Sam and Julie were at the church this afternoon for youth group, and they had a bbq and a huge water fight. The Littles and I stayed home and did our best to stay cool.

My house is a disaster area but it's just too hot to do anything. Matt and I sit in my recliner which is right next to the vent. All the blinds stay closed all day to keep as much heat out as possible.

Where is the rain?? We need some rain STAT.

Today I'm missing Winter. And when the Winter rolls around, I will try to remember this day....the day I almost melted to death.

Kate OUT.

Imagine!

Today I received some exciting news that has had me smiling all day.

I've been chosen to be a Women of Faith blogger and will be tweeting, facebooking and blogging live from the Women of Faith's Imagine conference in Rochester, NY this November!

I went to a Women of Faith conference in June '06 and the impact it had on my life was huge. I've been longing to go to another one but it just hasn't been possible.

Until now!

And if this alone wasn't exciting enough, I will also (hopefully!) get to meet a sweet blog friend, who is also a speaker for this event.

So, so, so excited!

Love

I love this little guy so much I could just burst.

5QF ~ July 15

What a week.

I have been on an emotional roller coaster this week. Shouldn't my hormones be back to normal by now?? I'm so tired of this up and down business! I just want to feel normal again.

Hard to believe that Matthew is five weeks old already. He is so precious and squishy and sweet.

Yesterday my mom watched Matthew for me so I could take Sam, Julie and Jordan to the beach. Ian stayed home to work on a web site design contract he has. It was a great day. We swam and laughed and played in the sand while snacking on chips and koolaid.

I even made sure the children put on sunscreen.

Oh yes I did.

I, however, did not. I look like a lobster and my skin feels like it's on fire. Ian coated me with aloe cream last night, but I'll be honest here... I'm in pain this morning! I hate the smell and feel of sunscreen so I never use it on myself.

STUPID!

Enough about my sunburn and hormonal issues! Are you ready for some Five Question Friday fun?

Me too!

Well then, let's go!

1. If you knew your best friend's spouse was cheating on her or him, would you tell her (him)?

I hope to never be in this position, but if I was, I would confront her husband first and let him know I knew, and to give him the option to tell her first. Otherwise, I would find a way to break it to her as gently as I could. It would break her heart but I wouldn't be a friend if I didn't tell her. Could you imagine if she found out years later that I knew all along? Disaster!

2. Soda in a can or a bottle?

I like it in a glass with lots of ice!

3. What do you wash first, hair or body?

I was my hair first, then put conditioner on and while it's doing it's thing, I wash me!

4. What advice would you give to any new mama?

Breathe. Enjoy your baby. This is your child and you will know what is best for him/her. Don't be afraid to ask for help. Ignore criticism or well meaning advice if you need to.

I'd also tell them that tickling a baby's feet does not make them stutter when they are older.

5. What is your best hangover remedy?

Don't drink in the first place!

Back in my party girl days I had this situation all worked out. I'd drink a big glass of milk before going out because I'd heard it would coat my stomach. Whether or not that was true or just a fluke, it worked for me. I'd also take a couple of Tylenol before going to bed and let myself sleep in the next morning. It worked like a charm.

But when you have that one big bender...ain't nuthin' that's going to help you out but time!

That's it for me today. I'm off to get my hair done because I look like one hot mess.

Hope you're having a wonderful Friday!



Head on over to Mama M's blog My Little Life and join in on the fun!

The Crosses We Bear

While visiting with my aunt the other day we got to talking about how no one has "the perfect life". I used to look at my friends and envy what they had and felt bitter for not having the same things.

I envied someone for their big house, new cars and hot tub in the backyard.

I used to feel so angry towards my friends who were able to afford to be stay at home moms.

I hated listening to people talk about their vacations or what they'd bought at the mall lately, or where they went for dinner the night before.

And those people who made multiple trips to Starbucks everyday? RAWR!

Then I stepped back and looked around me.

Everyone struggles with or carries something.

We're going through a difficult season, there's no doubt about that. I wish things were different or more settled than they are, but that isn't the way it is right now. I have accepted that things aren't what I want them to be.

But they're better than they could be. When I think of everyone I know, there is no one else whose life I wish I had.

While talking about this with my aunt, she shared a story with me that I haven't been able to stop thinking about. I tried finding it online somewhere but I haven't been able to. But I did find this one, and I wanted to share it with you.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

A troubled and burdened man prayed and prayed that God would lift his burden. Day after day he prayed that his life would be easier and he begged for God's intervention.

One day, Jesus came to the man and asked, "My child, what troubles you?" The man replied that his life was full of turmoil and that it had become too much to bear. He again asked for help stating that he just couldn't continue to go on.

Jesus, feeling the man's anguish, decided help was in order. The man was so happy that his prayers were about to be answered that his burden already felt lighter.

Jesus took the man to a room and stopped in front of the door. When he opened the door, what the man saw was amazing. The room was filled with crosses; little crosses, big crosses, giant crosses. The man, bewildered, looked at Jesus and asked how this would help him. Jesus explained that each cross represented a burden that people carry; small burdens, big burdens, giant burdens -- and every burden in-between.

At this point, Jesus offered the man the opportunity to choose his burden. The man, so excited that he was finally able to have some control over his life, looked around the room for just the right cross. He saw a tiny little cross way back in the corner. It was the smallest cross in the room. After a bit of thought, he pointed to the cross and said, "That one, Lord. I want that one." Jesus asked, "Are you sure, my son?" The man quickly replied, "Oh, yes Lord. Most definitely, yes."

Jesus turned to the man and replied, "My child, you have chosen your own cross. It is the burden you already carry."

~Author Unknown~

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Doesn't that give you chills? I sure got them when I read this.

Our cross feels huge. But is it really? If Jesus were to show us a room like this and told us to choose our cross... would it really be that big in comparison to the others?

Makes me think. And it makes me feel grateful that financial difficulty is all we're dealing with. And to be honest, it makes me want to stop praying for God to remove this from us, because things could be so much worse.

I'm always grateful when something - or someone - gives me a wake up call like this. It's like a breath of fresh air.

Instead of praying for God to take this from us, I'm going to pray for perserverance and provision, and wait patiently (gulp!) for Him to act.

Patience... yeah, I'll have to work on that one...

:-D

Things Kids Do That I Don't Understand ~ Take Four

** I'm STILL having issues with installing Disqus, so I need your help. If you are unable to leave a comment on this post, could you please email me at Katieb38@hotmail.com or tweet me at Katieb38 to let me know? Maybe then I can make sense of what's happening.

Thank you!

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

I mentioned last week that Mom took the whole family out for dinner to celebrate my nephew's graduation. We went to Tucker's Marketplace which is a buffet style restaurant. It's one of my favourite places but we haven't been there in a very long time.

I wonder if they missed me as much as I missed them.

Long tables full of different salads, pastas, meat dishes...pizza, roast beef, potatoes, soup, breads...tons of desserts and an ice cream sundae bar.

Oh yummeh.

I told the children I didn't care how much they ate or the order they ate it in, all I asked was that they ate what they took.

I can't stand it when people take all sorts of food, sample some of it then leave it to the side and go up for more.

We'll just call that Kate's Pet Peeve #1,362,592.

Eat what you take!

Julie made me laugh at her dessert choice.

She couldn't decide if she wanted more corn or to just go for the brownies.

So, she went for both.



Oh how love that girl!

Under Construction

Trying again to install the Disqus commenting system... hopefully it will work this time!

Disqus

I've been hearing from some of you that you are experiencing difficulty posting a comment on my blog.

I'm in the process of installing Disqus on my blog but I'm having a lot of trouble. Hopefully I haven't lost all of your previous comments by doing this...

It's taking awhile but hopefully the kinks will be worked out soon.

Talk to you soon :-)

Ramblings

I can't believe that Matthew is four weeks old today. Friday is his official "one month birthday". I am so in love with him and can't get enough cuddles. He's really filling out now and is such a perfect armful.

Last night I only had to get up with him once and he took three sips of his bottle and fell back asleep until 7am. I have no expectations of a repeat performance tonight but I sure did appreciate the extra sleep.

My laptop is still missing the "L". And now, thanks to Jordan, it's missing 2/3 of the keys because she felt the need to pry them all off. I'm hopeful Ian can fix them.

Speaking of Jordan, I lost her for 40 seconds at the grocery store this afternoon. I looked away from her while I bent to get the toilet paper from underneath the cart and when I straightened up, she was gone. I called her name a few times, then told the cashier I'd be back because "my kid is gone".

I hate using my kids' names in public in case some creepy kid stealer is nearby and overhears, and then lures them away by calling them and pretending to know them.

I watch a lot of tv.

Anyway, panic was filling my heart as I went up and down the checkout lanes calling her name. Just as I was about to lose it, a man at the customer service counter said "she's right there" and gestured towards the window.

There she was, sitting behind a stack of Adirondack chairs, in a little pink chair, legs crossed, looking as though she was quite relaxed.

"Oh my gosh, J, you scared me to death! What are you doing over here?!" I screeched.

She sighed and got up saying "It OTAY Mommy... I tired so I sit down."

Good grief.

Still speaking of Jordan, I think she is showing signs of OCD...she is compulsive about washing her hands. Isn't that a big sign??

Our house was re-roofed on Tuesday. Those poor guys worked for 13 1/2 hours in 1,243,564 degree heat and finished it all in one day. Amazing. In order to get away from the noise, we took the children to Square One to see the new Disney store. Holy Pickles! It looks just like the souvenir shops at the Magic Kingdom! We went to Mom's so the Littles could take naps, then they played in Mom's kiddie pool. Afterwards we picked up a pizza and had a picnic in the park.



As you can see, he slept right through his first picnic.

Jordan hooked up with a little girl that looked just like Patty Farrell from Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Oh man, Ian and I kept laughing.

Tonight Ian and Sam are going to youth group and they will be having a huge nerf fight. Julie, Jordan, Matthew and I are meeting up with Cindy for ice cream.

Sam's belt broke and his pants keep slipping. I have been singing "Pants on the Ground" every time he walks past me. Apparently out of the two of us, only I think it's funny.

Julie has been hard at work planning a goodbye party for her friend on the street and tomorrow is the big event. The friend is moving to India for five years. It's a shame... she's one of the few neighbourhood kids that doesn't get on my nerves.

Ok, that's all I have time to talk about today, and I'm sure your eyes are tired at this point.

Have a great evening :-)

Matthew Goes To Church

Today Matthew made his debut at church.

Look at him...already praising the Lord!



:-)

I woke up in time to give both Jordan and Matthew baths, then had a shower and washed my hair. We actually made it to church on time!

I wasn't going to pass him around today because he's still so small at only 3 weeks old, and I practiced what I was going to say if anyone asked. I don't think I did so well at it, and I think I may have offended someone with my refusal.

Sigh.

At the end of the service we took Matthew over to Pastor Ed to meet. Matthew's second middle name - Edward - is in honour of him. It was a very moving moment for me to say the least.

I was so overwhelmed by the number of hugs and compliments and love from our church family for our little guy. They prayed so hard for us, for our health. It was exciting to bring him today.

He's been sleeping since we left. I think he was pooped from all the excitement.

Poor Matt...he'll be old news at next week's service!

Week's End Update

It's been a busy week and I'm feeling very tired and overwhelmed this weekend.

Wednesday afternoon Sam, Julie and I joined my mother, aunt and sister at my nephew's high school graduation. I'm so proud of him for reaching this goal. Unfortunately Ian had to miss it to stay home and watch Jordan and Matthew. No way would they have been able to manage the 2 1/2 hour ceremony. Afterwards I picked up Ian and the Littles and we went to Mom's for cake.

As exciting as the day was, it was also sad. I checked my email during the ceremony and learned that a sweet woman from my bible study passed away earlier that afternoon from complications from her brain surgery to remove a 5cm tumour. I had wanted to go and visit her in the hospital and I never got the chance. I know, I just had a baby...but I should have made time to go and see her.

Thursday evening Mom took everyone out for dinner to celebrate my nephew's graduation. At one point I looked at everyone at the table, laughing and talking together and I felt like crying.

My whole family was together.

I wish I could tell you how much that meant to me after what my family has been through, but I can't. I won't. Some things must be kept private. But I can tell you that God is healing my family's brokenness. There are painful scars that will remain forever, yes, but He is healing us.

Yesterday we were back at my mom's to celebrate Canada Day with a bbq. Or, as Jordan would call it, a "bark-a-chew". Mom put out her kiddie pool and Jordan was all over that. Or I guess I should say, all IN it! All the kids were jumping in it and making us laugh.

More precious time with the people I love the most in this world. Precious, precious time together.

Sam and Julie's last day of school was on Thusday and they are so excited to be home for the summer. I'm excited to have them home too :-)

This morning Matthew and I were up around 5am and watched the sun rise together.

The "L" is still broken on my laptop but Ian is going to fix it for me. Yay Ian!

Tonight we're going to watch Gnomeo and Juliet.

My house is exceptionally hot and the a/c works when it feels like it.

Tomorrow we're going to church. I don't think I've been since Easter! I'm nervous that people will ask to hold Matthew and I don't want them to. He's still so small. When I first took Jordan to church someone grabbed her from me. I need to be stronger this time around and just tell people not yet, he's too small.

Matthew is now three weeks old and I am still not used to having four children. I'm tired every day so my patience is out the window most of the time, and I'm snapping at Ian and the children. I hate that so much. I have friends with a lot of kids and they always seem so calm. I can't believe my own mouth sometimes. I need to get it together.

I need to find time to sew because it calms me. But there's always so much to do. I have four baskets of laundry to fold and never seem to get around to folding them. Maybe tonight will be the night.

Must go, the movie is starting and I'm going to spend time with my peeps!