Friday, December 28, 2012

Holly Jolly

There were a lot of things I did not do this Chistmas.  They included, but were not limited to:
  • send out a christmas card with family picture.  
  • large amounts of baking.  There were no nanaimo bars this year, and I think we all missed them.
  • thoughtful homemade gifts for my nearest (who are actually quite far) and dearest.  They are still on my sewing table.  I suppose I have a head start for next Christmas.
  • take any Christmas day pictures.  Any at all.  
  • Secret Santa-ed someone.  I am sad that we missed this one.  
But, there are some things I did do.
  • Made gingerbread houses with the girls and some friends.
  • Turkey dinner with my brother.  Note to self: invite more people for dinner next year!  Also, less sidedishes, more cheese tray!
  • Played all day with my family.  
  • Snuggled this fat fat baby.
  • Talked to most of my family.  Sadly, not in person.  
So, it was a good Christmas.  Albeit with a few small coulda shoulda's.

Merry Christmas all!

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Remembering Fisch

Fisch, you were a good cat.  When you were young you would play fetch, just like a dog.  You were the neighbourhood bully.  You were a very good mouser, and loved to play with grasshoppers.  You would chase the reflections of headlights on the wall.  You would ambush the mailman, and chase your tail. Once you dissappeared for 2 days and came home smelling like rancid butter.  You carried your kittens around upside down. You liked to listen to U2. You liked best of all to sleep with the girls, on their pillows.  You would play with my knitting needles, and sit on the fabric I was trying to cut out.  You would curl up on my pregnant belly, and jump when the baby kicked you.  You loved to cuddle up with the kids for bedtime stories. You loved KD as much as Mina does. We miss you Fisch. 

Fisch Nixon  1996 - 2012

Thursday, December 06, 2012

There is Beauty All Around

Sometimes, I get really sad that I live in a big stinky ugly city.  I do not miss "small town" living, but I do miss living in the beautiful nature of Northern Alberta.  I also miss the beauty of living in a city with the Rocky Mountains close by.   So, I am trying to find beauty around me to make me feel better.  Well, today it was easy. I needed to remember to look up.   As I took this picture, the sun was starting to melt the hoar frost, and it was falling around me.  Just like that scene at the end of Edward Scissorhands.  And I could breathe.


Tuesday, December 04, 2012

Christmas Shopping

Another mall anxiety post, I know, it is clear I have a problem.  

When I was a teenager, living in a small and retail-y isolated  town, the highlight of the month was when the family piled into the big red van, drove 2.5 hours to the City and went shopping at WEM. (and Costco) (although I think my dad loved and still loves shopping more than all of us siblings put together!)   We often would go to the waterpark, and wander about the mall, see a dollar movie, spend my KFC paycheque on clothes.  Very fun times! 

Fast forward to 2012. 

My how things have changed.  I rarely if ever go the the monstropolis that is WEM.  Hard to find parking, so crowded, no money to spend on random things, one daughter who loves shopping as much as my dad and her Auntie Nunu do, and another who is a total spaz and often not fit for public outings.  Not to mention a baby whom I have only just started taking to the grocery store with me, let alone the the biggest mall in Canada.  Well today I had to go there, to pick up a very specific requested item.  Luckily the 2 big girls were in school, so I did not have to stress about that.  Here is what I did stress about: (oooh, an opportunity for a bullet list, my favourite!)
  • Which baby carrier to use - must be hands free, easy/fast to put on, and be able to nurse in if necessary.  (the Boba fit the bill here)
  • Which diaper bag - small.  How to pack the necessities, without overpacking.  Not as easy as you might think, as I use cloth diapers.  
  • Where are all of the restrooms, in case my chronies strike and I need to go NOW...
  • Working  it into the baby's eat/sleep schedule, which is not really set yet...
  • The general anxiety of going to this mall in the first place, which normally gives me heart palpitations....
Well, things went great.   I found what I needed quickly, then I even found a mothers room to change Leia in. Bonus!  It was clean and private, and had a comfy chair to nurse in.  Not that I mind nursing in public, but it is so much nicer in a cushy chair and a quiet place, and it had a door, so that moms with toddlers as well would not have to worry about them running off while taking care of the baby... I did not go so far as to wander the mall window shopping, or eat at the foodcourt, but this small success today made me think that maybe I can do this mall thing afterall.