I have a serious addiction

Drink? nope
Smoke? nope
Gamble? nope
Shop? Only if I a certain someone comes into town...
Lululemon?  YESSSSS
Mavi Jeans? YESSSSSS

It's insane my friends. It's beyond reasonable here, and I plan on doing NOTHING about it.

A few weeks ago, a certain someone and I  went shopping to Lulu...we both spent some dough...but I restrained myself and put away the $100 post run pants...she did not. We talked about instant gratification (her style) and delayed gratification (my style). I can wait to find it online as I thrive on finding the "deal"

She wore those awesome pants the next day and assured me they were comfortable beyond belief. Her butt also looked phenomenal in them...I contemplated heading back to the mall money pit but instead, I checked out my favorite on-line money pit.

Ebay.

And there they were, my size, my color, new without tags...for $69! It was a sign, they were meant for me...at least that's what I told Tim.

Sure they took 3 weeks to arrive, but they are on me now, and yes my butt looks good in them too..or so said Tim..

oh, and while I was browsing, I came across this Scuba Hoodie for $70. New!

Sweet!

Today I sent a certain someone MANY links to scuba hoodies for $69 on Ebay. Here's hoping she snatches one up, it's well worth the delayed gratification.

What are you addicted to these days that I may need to check out for myself?

You capture - Snow

I'm a day late participating in this

So I can't link up, but I had to capture the frost this morning. It's one of the prettiest sights in our long and frigid winters and it doesn't happen very often. 

Even the deer were playing this morning!

Frost so thick it looked like each branch was covered in white cotton candy.

 

Our deck post looked like it was sprinkled with coconut flakes

Cole's mini tree in the backyard was working hard to hold up it branches

Kyle, while he is not covered in frost, he is covered in tears from mommy leaving him inside while I took pics from our deck..well worth the few minutes of separation anxiety don't you think?

Enjoy the beauty that surrounds you today.

They said he was mine till 5

A few years ago, a wise woman (aka: my mom) told me, as Cole hung onto my leg crying for attention,

"Cheryl, enjoy these young years with Cole. He's ALL yours until he turns about 5 or 6, and then he is ALL daddy's"

Not a chance I thought, the way he clung to me, wiped daddy's kisses from my face, yanked my parents off me when they gave me hugs...he was always going to want me...he will call me mommy forever!

But as usual, my mom was right. First he switched to calling me MOM. It still stings when I hear it.I miss MOMMY.

He's also not clinging to me anymore. He enjoys the "drop off" at school, a kiss in the car and he's out the door to join his friends in line. Sure he NEEDS me. He wants my hugs, kisses, smiles, praise....but in the end the same question gets asked:

"Mom, when is dad done work? Mom, when can dad take take me skating?

"Oh mom, dad and I already started the movie! Oh mom, dad and I are making a pizza! Oh mom, dad and I are playing Wii hockey...I don't think you can play that game...it's hockey! Oh mom, friday night is daddy/Coley night!"

SAY WHAT?

Did I just not spend 5 years of undivided attention nurturing this young pup only to be tossed aside for someone with a much deeper voice who enjoys a game of tackle?

Granted my time is significantly tied up nurturing the other 2 young pups in this family.....I rarely get a chance to sit down alone with Cole and just BE...the two of us. A simple game of old maid takes a half hour from 2 foot tall interruptions.

Could it really be that he doesn't need ME as much as he needs daddy right now?

Will I get him back at some point or has our relationship changed forever? Maybe I need to read a manual on proper TRANSFORMER play, or maybe I'll brush up on my star wars trivia. Problem is these activities simply don't interest me as much as they do Tim.  I try, but it's never quite "right" in his baby blues.

So, like it or not, this weekend I have a date night, with a 6 year old. I'm thinking dinner and a movie..and maybe, just maybe, for a few hours.... he will be all mine again.

FF, double F, whatever you want to call it, I got it

I had the flu all week. BUT,  I've been calling it the "FF"

The functional flu.

It started last Monday 3am, I awoke to that turning of the stomach, the cold sweats happening and I remember saying out loud

Noooooooooooooooo, please no puking!

4am, 5am, 7am, puke, puke, puke

I think the twins sensed I was ill...maybe the fetal position on the floor gave it away, but they played nicely together ALL day...well sorta

"Mommy (says Cole), Kyle is playing with your IPOD"

Oh well....says I...here's hoping my 14 month old is better with technology then me.

So all week I've been slightly "off" in the stomach/ joints/energy department, not to the point of laying in bed, hence the "functional" aspect of this flu.  Never mind the complete loss of appetite which has taken place, and remains ongoing. Let's just say that peanut butter may not be consumed around here for a very long time...

Have you ever puked peanut butter?  I wish that on noone. Truly.

But, being sick gave me lots of time to practice pics with my new 50mm F1.8 Nikon lens.. check it out!

Umm yeah, Luke managed to find my tanning cream in my purse, little munchkin.. no worries, no lotion was consumed, I managed to get my FF butt off the floor and snag it. Even sick, a mommy must be on her game. Geez!

Here's to an FFF (Functional Flu FREE) house this week!

I like my name..just as it is

At least once a year Tim asks me

"Are you changing your last name this year?"

Our first and second year of marriage I said no, I wanted to finish my Chartered Accountancy in my maiden name.

The 3rd and 4th year I said no, I had too many clients that knew me by my maiden name.

The fifth year I said I would, once we got settled into our new city...and then I got pregnant and life just got busy again. It's tough work changing ALL your ID you know.

Every year after that something has happened to suggest that taking his name may be easier on me...for example:

• The customs dude at Las Vegas Airport asking Tim HOW ON EARTH I could NOT have my wife take his name??
• The ER nurse at Childrens asking if I was a single mom since Cole has a different last name
• The blockbuster video rental dude who will not let me use Tim's card to rent movies, even though we have the same address
• The phone calls I get before every wedding asking whether I want to be listed by my maiden name or married name on the invite and place setting

I like my name...just as it is. I'm not saying I don't like Tim's name, our kids all have his name. It's a great name!

Maybe I simply like the thought of holding onto something I was born with. Maybe I'm being stubborn, selfish, non-traditional.

Hyphens, combining names, moving my last name into my middle name are not options for me. All or nothing.

Maybe it's like the couples who never marry because they think the label of "marriage" will ultimately break them apart? We are happily married 10 years now....would a simple "name change" really make our marriage better? Would Tim realize he is officially "stuck" with me if I finally did the "honorable" deed?

I've know women to jump at the chance to change their name, others who eventually change theirs, and those, who see it just like me..

Individually unified


Given the chance, would you still change yours?

The Tank is walking!

One day short of his 14 month b-day and Lukey "aka: Tank" decided to up and walk..right into the arms of big bro.



2 walkers now, wish me luck!

I remember when Cole walked, I cried.

When Kyle walked I laughed, thankful that he could stop whining and up and get that toy he needed.

When Luke walked...I cried. Likely the last time I will see that "first"....

First steps...truly a sight to see.

Talk about friendship

She walked into my firm's training course over 7 years ago...super tall, super blonde and super intimidating.

She walked right on over to my table at break time and introduced herself. Maia was her name (MAY-YA)..pretty, just like her.

While she only lasted a few months at my firm (her choice!) , we became friends for what I hoped would be a lifetime.

I had Cole, she had Halle and we named our Monday playdates during mat leave "Muffin Mondays" (she bakes a MEAN healthy muffin!)

I struggled with conceiving number 2 and even though she was busy with her second girl, not once did she dismiss my fears, insecurities and overall anxiety about my infertile future.

I moved to Winnipeg....a visit here and there would allow us to fall right back into eachothers lives. By now I knew she was a keeper. Moving away truly tests a friendship and while I had resorted to emails and texting, she maintained good old fashioned communication... a weekly phone call.

How lucky am I?

So last week, after reading my blog she called to chat. A half hour of me venting about the negativity in my life, she barely got two words in...except to say that it is my life and it's about time I start doing things for me...and be happy about it.

Huh...so true. I needed to hear that.

Yesterday, the doorbell rang and the UPS man handed me a package from amazon. Inside were 2 books, Simple Abundance and The Happiness Project.

The note read:

You are a wonderful, beautiful woman Cheryl, live YOUR authentic life. Love Maia


And to me, that is what friendship is all about.

The Princess Boy

This morning on the today show there was a feature on a new trend...boys dressing in girls clothing. They have labeled one little guy "the princess boy". His mom lets him wear whatever he wants and he chooses to wear pink dresses.

It got me thinking...how would I feel if my sons traded in Transformers for Barbies, Star Wars for Littlest Pet Shop? A bedazzled pink shirt instead of blue turtlenecks?

What about an easy bake oven?

Well the last one is easy to answer. After requesting such an oven for over a year, Cole received one from his auntie for x-mas. Tim's eyebrow raised when he saw the box, I squealed in delight...FUN!

It's blue....but would it matter if it were pink? Cole helps me bake all the time in the kitchen. Mind you, we use generic spatulas, metal bowls and electric mixers. If we now place an "easy bake" label on this activity, does it suddenly become a "girl" type thing to do?

Does it matter that the box and website has, and ALWAYS has promoted the easy bake oven as a girls toy?
We tried out the "process" today. My thoughts....

Icing in a small little pan occurred with the same concentration as placing cookies onto a big cookie sheet.
The anticipation was as high as ever. Whether it's my oven or his...staring at the door will always make the cookies bake faster. And when the goods were baked and it was time to eat, the delivery method did not matter, the experience was the same. The smell of cinnamon pretzels even drew Tim away from his home office...


My example is small and likely ridiculous as Cole is not wearing a pink dress as he bakes pretzels in his easy bake oven. But would that matter? Would I be as patient and forthcoming as the Princess Boy's mom? Is she hoping this "phase" will pass? Is she at all questioning why?

Does she long for snips and snails and puppy dog tails? Is "pretty in pink" no longer for only the Molly Ringwalds of the world.

Are we, as a society, ready to accept conflicting genders?

Is a 5 year old boy and his supportive and understanding mother leading a crusade for gender acceptance?

I'm not quite sold just yet...and deep down I really don't want to be faced with "buying in" .

Back to Lightsabre battles tomorrow.