The games catholic boys play

They are upstairs playing nicely together and I can hear them playing “Pope”. The pope just died and they are having an election. But they intermix the terms "pope" and "prime minister priest". Patrick is leading them in this. ROFL

They had a big assembly at school today to mark the passing of the Pope (aka “Father Jim’s Boss”) and they have all been talking about the whole thing for the past 2 weeks.

We got to school late this morning after the kids fought with me for 1/2 hour this morning about chocolate fundraising (another story). As I was walking Campbell to class, we walked by the kids who were getting ready to do readings for the assembly. The older kids (12 & 13 year olds) were standing near the back and I could hear them talking and one of them that I didn't recognize saw Campbell and in the most sincere way said, "That kid is the coolest." That made my heart smile.

Hey, maybe he should use his popularity to run for prime minister priest.

The amazing growing dog

He has had enough of me taking his picture for now.

Puck's favourite toys

Buddie is helping me with the laundry. Only problem is that I need to put everything away immediately so that he doesn't add that "oh-so-fresh" scent to it.

Now THAT is the face of an angel.

That is Buddie's "Puss-in-Boots" look. He lures the dog over and then starts wrestling with him. Lately it always ends with Puck dragging Buddie across the room by his ear. I'm still trying to get an action shot of that happening.

Six

That's the number of days in a row that Kira has thrown up all over her pyjamas and mine.

Get Well soon Kira!

Kira is still sick.  Her symptoms include high fever, runny nose, sore throat, awful cough, vomitting, diarrhea.  Hmmm, did I forget any?  The doctor checked her out and declared that it is just a virus.  She is so cute though, she tries to play and have fun, but she gets tired out.  Now Campbell and I are getting it.  We have sore throats, runny noses, coughs and low fevers.  I had a pounding sinus headache until I took some Reactine Allergy and Sinus.

Bark bark

Nope that wasn't Puck, that was Kira. Yes, croup has raised it's ugly head in my house again. It has been a little while, so it took me some time to locate the humidifier, but I always have puffers at the ready.

She is much better today, she is running around, but still coughs, has a runny nose and a fever.

Easter 2005

Well the Easter bunny did come.  Is this the last year that Patrick will believe?  I'm actually surprised that he does, but I wonder if he is just trying so hard to believe.  He asks me questions like, "do you really fill our stockings?"  I give him vague answers, like "what do you think?"  Or "why would you ask that?" He tells me that he thinks it is Santa and he is asking because some kid in his class said so.  This year I indicated that I buy the gifts, but he still felt that only the Easter bunny could hide the eggs.   He is getting to be so big and so mature, it is only a matter of time before he stops believing.  *sniff sniff*

But for now he is just so sweet.

Super Saturday

Super Saturday is the LAST day of House League Hockey when they play in the finals.  They have music, lots of crowds and they announce the games just like in the NHL. It is too cute.  This is the first time one of our kids has made it to Super Saturday.

Campbell at the face-off. They lost 3-2, but they had fun.

Then Patrick's team played their last game. They tied the game 1-1, but the other team only needed one point to win the series. They ended up finishing 4th. And after the game, he was given a letter from the coach of another team inviting him to their tryouts. *gasp* my 9 year old was being scouted. Another player from his team is moving to that team next year and I guess when watching him play, the coach noticed Patrick too. Anyway, here he is after the game with his medals.

Then it was back at the arena for Damon's team's party. Kira skated for a little bit, but then she played with her boyfriend Logan. Then she decided that since she spent so much time at the arena, she might as well keep it clean.

Campbell skated for a while, but then he was tired.

Damon, Patrick and Matt took part in the father/son game and had great fun.

Then I spotted the coach who gave Patrick the letter earlier. He was there, as his team was playing after our ice time was over. He stood and watched Patrick play. We ate pizza in the meeting room and then watched Patrick's potential team play. When we finally got home it was 9:30.

We are all hockeyed out now. We get a week off and then the whole tryout process starts for Patrick. Depending on which team he makes it onto, that could take up to a month of daily tryouts. They start out at the top level AAA and they pick their teams, if you don't make it, you try out for the next level down and so on. Last year he made it onto the AA team, so we only had 2 weeks of tryouts to endure.

Good Friday at Grandma's

I have a dream...

I usually don't have dreams. Ever since I've had kids, I have had about 5 dreams that I can remember.

So here it is, open for analysis. I was getting the kids into the van to go somewhere when I spotted a black bear at the top of our driveway. Instead of the fence that is normally there, it was open and our yard actually opened up to Lake Ontario. Hmm a lakefront property? The bear was walking toward the lake and I felt safe inside the van with the kids, but I was DYING to get my camera which was inside the house so that I could take a picture for my bitch friends. We watched as the bear got into the water and started swimming along the shore. We got out of our van and ran into the house. We grabbed the camera and ran to the kitchen, which now had beautiful windows as every waterfront property should ;-). We noticed a man coming around from our driveway and saw that it was Patrick's select hockey coach from last year. He is a small quiet moustached balding man. He was stripping down to his bathing suit and jumping into the dark choppy water with the bear. I was yelling to him to warn him of the bear when I realized that there were actually 2 bears and a lot of people were in the water trying to rescue them or something. Then I woke up.

Hmmm, I consulted Dream Central's dictionary. It says "If a bear is pursuing you in your dream this is a sign that you will experience some financial losses in business. A bear also represents a rival you may have for your loved one, if the bear is seen to be climbing, then the outcome will be in your favor." It also says "Dreaming of a specific body of water such as a lake must be analyzed according to its setting and the entire contents of the dream and much like dreaming of water in general, the clearness of the lake also has to do with the omen or situation it refers to. ... If the lake is storm tossed then your life will take a turn for an emotional upheaval and possible losses." Okay all of that is weird, but weirder still is WHO I saw in the dream. Why him? He is an adjudicator for the worker's compensation board. Oh no, Matt is going to get hurt at work and it will lead us to financial ruin? Or Patrick's hockey career will lead us to a lakefront home?

Oh I found a less foreboding analysis at Dream Mood. "To dream that you are being pursued or attacked by a bear, denotes aggression, overwhelming obstacles and competition. You may find yourself in a threatening situation. Alternatively, bears symbolize the cycle of life and death and renewal. It may signal of period of introspection and thinking. The dream may also be a pun on "bare". Perhaps you need to bare your soul and let everything out into the open." "To see a camera in your dream, signifies your desires to cling on and/or live in the past. Alternatively, it may represent you need to focus on a particular situation. Perhaps you need to get a clearer picture or idea." "To see a lake in your dream, signifies your emotional state of mind...If the lake is disturbed, then you may be going through some emotional turmoil." "To see or drive up to a driveway in your dream, symbolizes an end to your journey. It also represents security and rest. Alternatively, it denotes your path toward achieving inner peace finding your spirituality." "To see windows in your dream, signifies bright hopes, vast possibilities and insight...To dream that you are looking out the window, signifies your outlook on life, your consciousness, point of view, awareness, and intuition. You may be reflecting on a decision and seeking guidance." So I am trying to find some inner peace and help making an important decision? Perhaps. But still why the hockey coach?

ROFL, Keep dreaming right?

Elf shorts

This is hilarious. The elf shorts have their own travel blog here. The password is "elfshorts". My favourite caption is the most recent, "Hmmmmm... Heels or Flats? What Would Jesus Do?" I love Kim's blog too.

Thieves like us

As I sit here nursing the baby, and Campbell comes up to me.

Campbell: (fondling his new hockey trophy) Mommm, I feel bad. (pout)

Me: Why do you feel bad?

Campbell: Because I stole somebody else's trophy.

Me: No you didn't, that one has your name written on it.

Campbell: Yeah, that's because I stole it and wrote my name on it so everybody would think it is mine.

Me: It is engraved Campbell, you can't engrave it.

He grins and runs off only to return with the Fisher Price kid alarm attached to his pants and going off!

Clever t-shirts

Something for every girl glarkware :: girlie shirts

And for the little darlings glarkware :: baby glark -- for sale by owner

Spring

I feel silly about it, but spring never ceases to amaze me. Year after year, I am thrilled by the prospect of winter being over. I want to shed my second skin of coats and boots. It is as if my body has given up on keeping warm now. I put on extra sweaters and warm coats, but I can't get warm any more. I have a chill in my bones.

I want to be warm. I want to feel the grass between my toes, and the sun on my skin.

As I hung up one of Kira's summer dresses and did up the little buttons on the back of the dress, I could feel spring. Summer is coming, it is just around the corner!

Damon had a great weekend.

1) At the ripe old age of 7, he finally lost his first tooth when eating a granola bar. It was about time since he already has his second row of teeth. He put it under his pillow and miracle of all miracles, the tooth fairy left him 5 dollars.

2) Today he scored his second goal in as many games! It is hilarious, he had about 7 shots on net today, he makes it look so easy all of a sudden.

3) His team had a bowling party. Woohoo.

Oh yeah, and he scored another goal. LOL

"Mommy, are you happy that I scored my second goal?"

Puck's girl

Being the two babies in the family, Puck and Kira have a special bond. They share their food.  She uses treats to train him to "zit".  She wrestles with him when he tries to sleep and vice versa.  But once in a while they do this...

I love they way he drapes his paw over her.

"What do YOU want lady? Can't a dog and his girl get a little sleep around here?"

Extreme kids

Damon trying the hard wall...

He made it all the way to the bell at the top!  And the guy who was running it told him that one was too hard and was for older kids.  I informed him that Damon was an experienced climber.  Campbell waiting for his turn...

on the beginner wall.

He did a great job on his first try.  We were very proud.

goofy kids

Easter, here we come

I think we've found a winner.  Much to my delight, Kira's yellow polka dot Gymboree dress still fits.  And even better, she can wear it with her yellow patent mary jane shoes.  Now we just need a plain white sweater and we are in business.

Now I'm trying a bunch of summer clothes on her and lots of them fit! I guess she is slimming out.

weekend photoblog.

Patrick had an away game.  It was a 2 hour drive, so the team rented a luxury bus for the players and parents.  We had a conflict, so Matt took him and I took the other 3 kids to the Hamilton Bulldogs game (AHL hockey), where Campbell's team was playing during the intermission.  Here he is getting some last minute coaching.

He looks tiny in that big arena.  He's #6.

And he found a friend in the team mascot.

After he got off the ice he said, "That sucked.  We only got to play for a minute, that totally sucked."  ROFL Yes, I let my kids say "sucked" because let's be honest, some things do SUCK. Kira was a PITA during the game.  My mother came to help with her and Damon, who was not easy either.  Here she is in the van on the way home at almost 11pm.  Look at that wicked grin.

Saturday was a really weird day as we were all really tired.  The kids didn't get to bed until almost midnight, but they were ALL up at 7 am.  UGH.  They were pretty good though and played nicely for most of the morning.  We actually got to hang out at our house.  It was really different, weird and nice. 

Then in the afternoon it was off to hockey practices.

Today Damon had a game.  His team won, and he scored his first goal ever.  Then he got his first assist.  And then he got his first penalty.  LOL  What a game!  He was beaming.  Of course, we heard the replay of that goal until he fell asleep tonight at 11:30.  He's an awesome little player when he focuses, so let's hope this inspires him to focus more often.  He's very aggressive, and plays really well on defence, but this week he was playing center.

Then we were off to a birthday party for a friend.  And guess where it was?   LOL of course at a hockey rink.  They had a game of shinny, adults against kids, in one half of the arena and a fun skate in the other half.  Kira was even up on skates.  Only 14 months old, and she did awesome. 

I wish I had brought a video camera, because she was hilarious kicking her feet all over thinking she would be able to skate like she sees her brothers doing.