Saturday, June 26, 2010

Hannah's First Recital



This is Hannah's beloved piano teacher, Tanya, whom she adores. Unfortunately, Tanya is moving away and we have to find a new teacher. Today was Hannah's recital.


And so Hannah finishes her first year of piano. We have to begin the process of finding her a new teacher, one that she connects with because I truly believe that is a huge reason why she did so well this year.

I am tremendously proud of her.

P.S.: You'll note at the end of her duet that she did not curtsy. It's funny because she manages to play two songs - while being very nervous - but is too "scared" to curtsy. What a funny, delightful girl. (We'll work on the curtsy for her next recital).

Thursday, June 24, 2010

The Pipsqueak

"Sometimes their rationalization seems unreasonable to adults, or doesn't make proper sense."
(a comment from my friend, Rachel R)

Truer words never spoken.

My son is completely irrational and I cannot figure him out.

He insists that he wants me to throw out a book that Hannah gave him about a dog and a robot.

"Why in the world do you NOT want this book, Seth?" I asked. "You like both robots AND dogs. In fact, you build robots with your blocks."

"I will build a robot," he replied. "But I WILL NOT read a book about a ROBOT AND A DOG!!"

?????????????

That was this evening. Let me tell you about my morning. At the mall. With my sister.

My pastor used a word in our Wednesday night Bible study that very much suited my son. It even suited my daughter. The word was pipsqueak......a.k.a. TWERP.

I thought I would join my sister this morning - at her request - on a shopping excursion. Just to get out of the house. And because malls have become an unknown entity of late. My sister makes this request about twice a year, and each time she does she slaps herself, shakes her head, puts a big "L" sign on her forehead because she again remembers TOO LATE why she only asks us to go with her TWICE A YEAR. She then marks it on her calendar as a reminder NOT to ask again (but then obviously senile dementia sets in because she loses her calendar).

This trip to the mall reminded me that for the 754th time, (some people are slow learners I guess), I need to work at my consistency of parenting. Or change my methods. Or take a long vacation. I personally favour the last suggestion.

The kids drove me, and my sister, batty at the mall, particularly my son. When I found myself pulling Seth along unsuccessfully, I discovered it was because he decided to "walk short" (in his words) by trying to walk by squatting. He nearly dislocated my shoulder.

Whenever correcting him, he ALWAYS has a wise crack. This is a method he has used to try to get out of trouble - unfortunately, it must work too much - that has me thoroughly annoyed. I do NOT find it funny at all, and neither did my sister. On one occasion after he used his wit, we both told him we did not find him funny at all and to stop. Totally. He thought about this and then informed us that,

"I sure wish I was with my dad. HE at least would appreciate my jokes."

On another occasion (of hiding around the clothes, imagining he was being chased by his sister), his auntie had told him she had had ENOUGH.

"I've had enough, Seth. I'm serious. ENOUGH. Quit."

He paused for a short time. Then said,

" "e" "e" "n" "f". That's how you spell enough, right?"

(He's always excelled at spelling, what can I say?.......)

And the grand finale...

I had to take him into the bathroom at the mall. This was a big bathroom, and with the air hand dryers and noisy flush toilets, was the noisiest one I've ever been in. He went into a stall and shut the door. I did not think he would lock it because I was standing outside (he's had problems unlocking the door in the past, so I don't like him to lock it).

He did.

I yelled at him to unlock it (remember: it was noisy - I had to yell).

"SETH. UNLOCK THE DOOR!"

"I CAN'T!" he said.

"YES YOU CAN. UNLOCK THE DOOR!" I repeated.

"NO, I CAN'T!" he repeated.

I repeated myself. He repeated himself. Life in the bathroom went on as only life in a bathroom can. Nobody could hear us (I think) - it was that noisy. Then he said,

"GET YOUR KEY OUT. UNLOCK IT YOURSELF!"

"I DON'T HAVE A KEY," I said. "THIS IS A DOOR I DO....NOT.....HAVE...... A..... KEY..... FOR!"

"THEN CALL DAD! HE HAS A KEY. HE CAN UNLOCK IT!"

I actually laughed. Right in the middle of this frustrating situation, I regained my sense of humour.

Then a miracle happened. The toilet flushed. On it's own (it was one of those kind of toilets). It scared my son.

He opened the door. Miracle.

Thank God for automatic-flush toilets. I think we'll get one in our house.

Sunday, June 20, 2010

A List

Today, my son said a sissy-cuss word. Actually, it was a unique three word combination (just because he likes to talk constantly whether it makes sense or not), the third word being this sissy-cuss word. It's a word that I confess to saying a time or two, although not in front of my son, so I asked him where he heard that word from.

"I just made it up," was his answer.

I have had him stop saying "made up" words in the past for that very reason. He has slipped before and said a "real" cuss word without knowing it. When he explained to me that he didn't know that this was a word he shouldn't say, I re-emphasized why I didn't want him just saying all kinds of words that he had never heard before.

He thought about this for a few seconds. Then he made a suggestion.

"How about if you give me a list of all the bad words you don't want me to say. I will look at the list so I can know them, but I won't say them," he vowed.

Hmmm.......Very sound reasoning to me..........

Thursday, June 17, 2010

A Date With My Princess

My daughter told me last night that she "desperately needed a day with just her mom". Feeling convicted that I had let too much time lapse since our last mother-daughter outing, I was only too happy to comply. So, tonight, we went on a date.

She primped to ready herself, all aflutter in her excitement.

"Mom, do you like my hair?" she asked, to which I told her she looked beautiful. She even got to use hairspray. (I don't like her using it much herself because it ends up in one big clump.) She posed for her daddy's approval, grabbed her purse and skipped out the door.

Very much my "grown-up-little-girl" all in one.

Not eating out much at all these days, we began the special evening by going to Wendy's. Hannah was doubly treated because she even got to have some pop! She is only allowed to have pop on the rare occasion, so she felt pretty grown up tonight.

We then went to Michaels (where I took my first picture below). She "oohed" and "aahed" at so many things, proclaiming Michaels to be the best store ever, and finally bought a couple of flowers that were on sale. She paid for them herself from money in her own purse. Life was good.


We then headed to Wal-Mart. She is going to use some of her hard-earned money to buy a birdhouse/bird feeder to put in the tree outside her window. She loves the birds and could sit and watch them out of her window for ages, so we decided we might as well extend the birds an invitation to stay awhile. However, we were unsuccessful finding what we were looking for, so that search will have to continue.

Our evening ended at Dairy Queen, with a shared treat for mother and daughter.



We had such a lovely time tonight. A true marvel, this girl of mine.

Monday, June 14, 2010

One In A Million


This should win picture of the year, in my opinion (captured by my talented niece, Rachel). My 89-year-old granny. On a swing today at the park.

She joined the kids and I today. Walking into the park, she said:

"I think I'll take a bit of a swing."

Surprised, I asked her if she was serious.

"Sure," she said. "I always like to take a swing when I go to the park."

She's one-in-a-million.

I will always treasure this memory.

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Amazing Grace My Chains Are Gone

I am very traditional. I love old time traditional songs, for the most part better than the "new" songs of the last decade. Generally they have more depth of meaning.

That's why I am flabbergasted that one of the most traditional songs of all time, Amazing Grace, is (in my opinion) actually improved with the added chorus of My Chains Are Gone. By Chris Tomlin (whom I don't dislike - he wrote How Great Is Our God after all) but is still one of the non-traditionalists of this last decade that I am not terribly fond of. Not the person, just the style.

To get to my point. Amazing Grace is a complete song in itself, a timeless classic. I never dreamed it needed improving or that it could be improved. It actually uses words like wretch - a word missing is songs of our day - and talks about being "blind but now seeing". But to add My Chains Are Gone is just plain genius, I think because it actually enhances the traditional song without changing it.

My husband even agrees with me, and he's even MORE traditionalist than I am.

Amazing Grace My Chains Are Gone is currently my new favourite song. I can sing with pure honesty about a God full of grace saving a wretch like me, setting me free by removing my chains.

His love is unending and His grace is amazing.

My chains are gone, I've been set free
My God, my Saviour has ransomed me
And like a flood, His mercy reigns
Unending love
Amazing grace

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Spelling Of The Day

Seth to Mom:

"Mom, I'm thinking of a name that starts with "N" and ends with "oo". Can you think of what it is?"

Mom to Seth (after thinking for a bit):

"No, tell me."

Seth to Mom:

"Nancy Drew, you silly!"

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Flyer Adventures

Okay. I finally have some inspiration for a post.

Three times a week the kids and I deliver flyers. It is really Hannah's route, but Seth helps (when the spirit moves him) and I go along to supervise, and help (again, when the spirit moves me). Once or twice a week we happen to meet up with our mail lady. She is a wonderful lady who takes it upon herself to know those on her mail route as much as possible. She chats with the kids and the kids love her. The last couple of times we have met up with her, it has turned into a little game for the kids. They really want to WIN (competitive children that they are....) and beat her on our route.

Good natured as she is, she tries very hard to aid the kids in their adventure. Whenever possible, she will take the kids' flyer and deliver it herself if she happens to be going to the same house. This helps the kids get ahead. I don't mind this little game at all because it spices up the monotony, and the kids get even more exercise because they run their little legs off.

Today she was catching up and was a little too "close for comfort" for Seth. He turned around and yelled at the top of his lungs,

"HURRY HANNAH! SHE'S CATCHING UP! WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE......POST-HASTE!"

Now, only Adventures in Odyssey fans will appreciate that one, but I split a gut with it because he was mimicking Eugene Meltzner.

When we got home - with the kids' having "won the race", the mail lady came around the corner of our cul-de-sac. I thanked her and then told the kids to say thank you as well.

That's when I had one of those "wishing the ground would open up and swallow me" moments.

Seth yelled:

"THANK YOU, YOU OLD MAIL LADY!"

Needless to say, he met his just reward.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Just For Fun

I've had a bit of a brain freeze lately with writing anything. So, hope y'all enjoy these comics instead.



I simply cannot relate to the above one at all......{{note: sarcasm}}





These two hilariously reflect the times we are living in.


Have a superb week, everyone!

Monday, June 7, 2010

Sad News


Sgt. Martin Goudreault


Sgt. Martin Goudreault was the latest Canadian soldier killed in Afghanistan. He is the brother of one of my closest friends, Chantal Rohovich. Please remember her and her family in your prayers.

There is no greater sacrifice than of one who would lay down his life for his country and his fellow-man.

Thank you, Sgt. Goudreault. Rest in peace.