Our Crazy Life

Hello again from the nation's capital !

Another weekend has come and gone.  A busy one it has been for our family.  The weather was almost perfect at 21C on Friday and 27C in the shade on Saturday. It was a little cooler today but still nice enough to be outside. 

Our weekend started with a BBQ / dinner with a family on our hockey team.  They served lots of good wine and cooked up fourteen pounds of mussels.  The mussels were perfect.  The company as good.  We visited until almost midnight.  The ride home was a little wet with showers.  We all slept in on Saturday.  The temperature was quite warm and continued to get warmer throughout the day.  The yard got a once over with the rake.  We filled a few bags of yard waste and brought out the patio furniture.  Carter also drew a few chalk drawings on the front drive.  Paula did the weekly grocery shopping and errands.  She brought home steaks for dinner but we were asked to an impromptu BBQ with Carters friends family.  The weather was nice so we said yes.  We helped them put together their new trampoline.  Once the trampoline was together a major storm blew us all indoors.  The wind was so bad it broke a branch off the willow tree at the back of their property (driving around the neighborhood today we noticed quite a few broken limbs).  We enjoyed a nice meal of BBQ'd ribs and jerk chicken.  Carter ended up staying the night and we came home just after 11:00. 

The two of us slept in quite late this morning.  Of course Bob had one of us up at 4:00am.  It wasn't hard for either of us to get back to sleep.  After a hearty breakfast we had to clean up the yard from the previous nights wind storm.  Randy took Bob for a nice walk stopping over at a friends house to show off our newest family member.  Of course they also fell in love.  We returned home to find out we missed our time to pick up the goalie equipment for lacrosse.  Paula drove over to pick up Carter and Cam and Randy continued in the yard.  While looking for Bob he noticed a ground hog in the front drive.  He became totally worried about Bob.  It appeared that the ground hog was going straight for the dog so Randy freaked and whacked the gh with the shovel.  Needless to say we have only one gh left under the front step.  If it has half a brain it will run away fast and hard.

Four on Four hockey followed our excitement at the Elizabeth Manley arena.  Carter and Cam both played very good.  Both had stayed up quite late Saturday night and were quite tired.  Enough kids showed up for three lines each side.  Carter and Cameron were on separate teams but Carter did get to play with his other bud Liam.  Overall a good time was held by all the kids.  Like they said, this is all for fun.

We returned home while Carter went home with Liam for a quick visit.  Paula BBQ'd us our tornado steaks for dinner, ummmmm delicious.  Carter has since had a hot bath and has been sleeping for a least an hour and a half.  His eyes were shut two minutes after we dimmed the lights. 

Bob continues to keep us all busy.  He is a very intelligent little dog.  He is also a stubborn little kus.  He has grown a bit and eats like a horse.  He also poops like one.  He is fitting in just fine with our family.  He and Carter are at times inseparable.  

Randy volunteered to coach Carters lacrosse team.  Our first practise was on Saturday morning.  We are lucky that we have three other dads on the team with lots of experience.  They couldn't coach because they can't commit or are already coaching another siblings team.  The boys and one girl all look anxious to play.  It should be a fun season.  

That is about all from our house this week.  Here's to spring and hoping it is in full swing in your neck of the woods. 

SPRING IS IN THE AIR

Hello again from the nation's capital !

It was a very nice day in Ottawa this Sunday.  If this weather holds up it will soon be summer.  Our daffodils are ready to bloom any day.  The perrenials are all well established. 

We enjoyed another busy week and weekend.  Carter turned ill on Monday.  He and Paula had the day off, Easter Monday.  Carter had a high fever and his nose emptied a couple boxes of tissue.  This condition lasted all week.  He went to school on Thursday, his tenth birthday, but we were called to pick him up from school in the early afternoon.  After thinking he wa getting better he had a serious set back.  Paula stayed home with him on Friday.  We did manage to get out to Red Lobster to celebrate his birthday on Thursday.  It was a nice meal.  We hadn't been since we had taken Leah the day before she left for home. 

Carter was feeling alot better by the weekend.  He spent the afternoon and evening with Patrick's family.  They spent most of the time playing video games and watching television.  We on the other hand attended the year end GCMHA banquet celebrating with all the other hockey volunteers.  We were out quite late dining and dancing.  A good time was had by all.

Today was spent recouperating, picking Carter up from Pat's then taking him to hockey 4 on 4 then attending the Cougar Atom B2 year end party.  It was held at Fun Junction.  A fun time was had by all the boys their siblings and parents.  We got home just in time for Carter to bath and go to bed. 

Our new addition, Bob, is keeping us up at night and on our toes.  He is a huge commitment but part of the family.  He is adjusting to life with the three of us.  We notice tiny changes in him daily.  He is a total chick magnet while we are out walking.  He garners alot of attention.

It is late so best get to bed.  Will read your emails tomorrow evening.

Have a nice week.

HAPPY EASTER 2009

Hello again from the nation's capital !

As you know by now we had an eventful weekend.  Bob is currently at my feet whining because he can't come sit by me on the couch.  He settles down after a couple of minutes.  He is just so dam cute it is hard to deny him.

Our weekend started Thursday night.  Carter spent the evening and most of Good Friday with his friends family.  He was kept quite busy and reports having a very good time.  They attended the last home game of the Senators season.  Once again they were entertained with a shoot out.  He returned home shortly before dinner on Friday.  Paula and Randy spent the day searching the internet looking for a dog.  We had a few leads and by the end of the day had contacted Bob's family.  We arranged to go see him Saturday evening.  We were all in bed early Friday night and enjoyed a very good nights sleep.  It seems Carter was up late in bed playing his DS game.  That is what boys do at a sleep over.  Not much diffent at our house. 

Saturday was planning and preparing for Carter's tenth birthday party.  We spent the morning vegging around the house and yard.  We made a trip to Pet Smart to pick up a few essentials in preparation of bringing home a puppie.  The Bparty started at 2:45 so we rushed to the location just in time to find a couple kids waiting.  If you have been to a Laser Quest location you will understand when we say it was tremendous.  In all we played three games.  Paula and Carter had been before so knew the terrain.  Randy was hooked from the very first minute.  He ended up winning the second game and placing second on the third.  It didn't take long to learn the in's and out's of the game.  Carter and his buddies stuck together as a team.  They were more interested in strategy and combat.  They were quite into it but also very vulnerable.  We also spent a few minutes in the party room eating pizza, chips and DQ frozen cake.  There were also a few E rated video games where the boys spent a few minutes and many of our hard earned loonies.  Most were physical interactive so we didn't mind.  Carter particularly enjoyed the basket ball and boxing games.  

After the party Carter and Randy headed south of town to Spencerville to pick up a puppy.  The lady had two Boston Terriers left out of two litters.  They are obviously a popular breed.  Many listed locally on Kijiji were already reserved or sold.  We picked the male of the two because he was the cutest and Carter had already picked 'Bob' as the name.  The female was just as cute but had a few grey hairs in her black coat.  Bob had only a couple.  The trip home was also filled with wild life.  We saw a couple herds of wild turkeys, some white tailed deer and many flocks of ducks and geese all feeding in the corn fields.  Their must be a lot of kernels on the ground to feed the vast amount of water fowl.  Bob sat on Carter's lap for the ride home.  He was a little leary of the car and shake for a few minutes.  Carter cuddled him closely and petted him to calm his nerves.  He was soon fast asleep on his lap.  Carter and I also enjoyed some valuable bonding time on the way out and back.  

Paula was excited to see us when we arrived home.  Her and Bob also bonded in no time flat.  Bob soon taught us the signs of when he had to do his business.  He actually did his first poop and pee on the paper on the floor.  We were most impressed.  He did make a couple of mistakes but understandable given his surroundings and age.  He spent the night in his new cage, like Gus' wire cage, waking up at 12:50, 2:50, 4:50 and not again until 8:00am.  Naturally only one person in our household awoke to his whimpers.  Remember the two whom could sleep thru a tornado.  Bob was taken to his paper, did his business, and returned to his cage.  He whined for only a couple of minutes before falling back to sleep.  He also had had a big evening what with all the big changes in his life.  

We awoke to find chocolate Easter eggs scattered around our house.  Carter slept in until after 8:30 and with a fever.  He found only the eggs to the fireplace and in front of the fireplace.  The remainder of the day was spent on the couch playing his PS3 and watching the boob tube.  He is all concerned he won't make it to school on Tuesday, NOT!  He and Paula have tomorrow off from school and work.  They will spend the day at home with Bob.

In other news, Carter got his report card last weekend but didn't show us until Monday morning.  We are glad to report we owe him $25: $5 for each A.  Overall he had a very good report card.  His french mark was down a letter due to the exam he neglected to study for in February.  He has since got two A's on french exams as well as in Math.  Yahoo!

We enjoyed watching the Masters this afternoon.  It was sure exciting watching Phil Mickelson on the first nine holes.  Sure wish he would have golfed like that the first three rounds.  The curling was less appealing.  Too bad, you can't win 'em all.

Here's hoping you all had a wonderful weekend or holiday.  Happy Easter !

Bob's first day with his new family

PALM SUNDAY REPORT

Hello again from the nations capital !

It felt weird not having a hockey practise or game this weekend.  We managed to get Carter into the 4 on 4 weekly Sunday sessions this week so we will be back at the rink after next weekend.  Only once a week.  He was anxious to play so Paula was willing to take him.  Randy wants a break and will concentrate on house and yard for the next few weeks.  

We had a nice weekend.  Friday night was spent at a charity dinner followed by a late night at the local pub.  It was nice to get out for a change.  We paid for it Saturday morning.  Carter watched a couple movies with his babysitter.  Both enjoyed a quiet evening in front of the boob tube. 

Saturday was a quiet day around our house.  We all had a very lazy morning.  Paula spent the afternoon shopping and cooking.  Carter spent the afternoon playing video games with a friend and Randy changed the light bulbs in the range, pretty stressful eh!  Randy, Carter and Cameron, a friend of Carter's, went to the Senators vs Flyers hockey game.  It was an exciting evening.  Not ten minutes in the building we lost Carter.  He took off looking for a hamburger stand.  Cameron and I circled the building once, Randy again and then we went to Guest Services and found Carter.  Two security personel noticed him all alone.  We thanked them then hurried to our seats.  It was a good game ending in overtime and a double shoot off with Mike Fischer scoring the winning goal.  Auld was good in the shoot out.  The boys were really into the game cheering and yelling support for the Sen's.  They each bought Senator paraphanalia.  We returned home and were shortly all in bed fast asleep.

We all enjoyed a good nights rest sleeping in until nine o'clock.  Carter and his bud slept in the basement.  We turned the heat up a tad and were all very comfortable.  The humidity is high from all the rain.  It makes it feel cool.  Paula made us a nice egg, ham and stuffing casserole and pan fried hash browns for breakfast: ... it was delicious.  the boys played on the computers for an hour followed by a bike ride to the park and bouncing on our trampoline.  The weather warmed up a little by lunch.  The church was filled this morning for Palm Sunday mass.  We noticed on our way taking Cameron home.  We weren't as ambitious to attend mass this morning. 

We went to a movie this afternoon.  Monsters vs Aliens in 3D Imax.  WOW is all we could say for the first few minutes.  It was incredible.  Even Paula was impressed considering she was not enthusiastic to attend.  The 3D experience with the new green and blue 3D glasses was amazing.  The movie was quite good as well.  The theatre was packed!

Upon returning home we did a few household and yard chores.  The roof was swept and the gutters cleaned of spruce needles.  Almost a whole bag collected.  Carter was shoved on the roof and made to sweep the roof, NOT!  Naturally he wanted to follow dad up on the roof.  Not just yet. 

Here's hoping you all have a nice Easter Holiday !

Happy Birthday Leah !