Thisorthehousework's Blog

Moving Day

Zoey — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 15:53:58 +0000

I’ve been dreading writing this post.

My stomach is in knots.

I feel like I’ve betrayed you.

But what’s done is done.

I’ve moved… to BLOGGER!

Meet me THERE?

Oops! I Did It Again

Zoey — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 16:14:28 +0000

Jeez if I’m not careful this blog is just going to be is a series of disappointing ’101 in 1001′ updates.

You deserve more.

But I’m here on more pressing matters. The little calendar on the bottom of my screen claims it’s the 19th?

For real?

Only 6 days until Christmas and I still have a mile long list of things to do to make sure my children remember this time of the year as the best frickin time of their lives. Yes, I realize their 2 years old and 7 months old, and won’t remember this time of the year next month let alone in 30 years when they’re doing this all with their families, but I really don’t see how that’s any of your business.

Somehow this happens to me every year. I started shopping in July! Literally in July. But between being over excited and giving people their presents early and my tendency to overdue things just a tad, a Christmas eve payday will see me fighting the crowds at the mall.

I am particularly excited for this trip because I had nothing better to do that day. You know except for wrapping all my presents (which includes a tradition brought to me by my in-laws of wrapping all the stocking stuffers), driving 2 hours to my uncle’s house for Christmas eve dinner and of course driving 2 hours home to open christmas eve presents and get our milk and cookies ready so Santa doesn’t jip us.

So I’m going to have to make a plea to all of you. Please, please be the responsible, considerate parents I dream of someday being and get all your Christmas shopping done by the 23rd.

I really don’t want to end up on Santa’s naught list, but I’ll do what I have to, to survive Christmas eve at the mall.

101 in 1001 Update #2

Zoey — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 14:20:35 +0000

I know what you’re thinking. No posts for a whole week, she must’ve been checking things off that list like mad.

And of course you’re wrong.

Are you ready for the excuses to come rolling in?

Too bad here they are.

My kids are sick. Meaning that something slimy is oozing out of every orifice in their body and apparantly it is part of my motherly duties to wipe said slime in a timely matter, before it turns into a crunchy coating. They should tell you about that when you sign up for this parenting thing.

We have already begun our Christmas celebrations. We went to my Aunt-in-law’s (real term?) place on sunday where my cousin-in-law got all dressed as Santa, complete with a sac full of presents so that Sawyer could cower in the corner furthest from him, Sean could stare blankly at him and my nephew could discover his deep rooted fear of heavy set men with beards and spend the afternoon screaming and balling everytime he was brought near the poor guy. But, have no fear, they bought the suit so we will have another chance to do this all again next year.

I actually have one less goal to achieve then I did last week. Before I made this list my hubby and I had agreed to replace our broken stove instead of having it repaired because we couldn’t justify the cost of repairs. That was until we accidentally had a service call. A little while ago Kevin did the cable for an appliance repair shop and when he ran our stove woes by the owner he seemed to know exactly what the problem was and booked us a service call. We were still pretty set on a new stove so we were going to cancel the appointment, but being the responsible young adults we are, it slipped our minds. Which of course means the gentlemen showed up when our kitchen was at it’s messiest and we were in our pjs. Long story short the long 6 months we’ve spent without a working stove has come to an end. Which also means so have my excuses for needing to order pizza. Thaaaaanks stove guys

But don’t write me off just yet. I was able to put a line through #97;

97)Tip a great server 100%

That’s right, at Christmas time and everything. I am BALLIN’. Sure the bill was only $7.29. And sure the server probably thought I was pretentious for giving her exactly $7.29. But you guys are counting on me! I had to cross something off the list! The things I do for you guys.

So that’s all for this week. Except that I would like to replace #47. Sure I could run out and get the kids a little toy stove so that I could cross it off, but I can’t bring myself to cheapen our relationship like that. So any ideas of a new goal?

101 Things Update #1

Zoey — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 14:12:45 +0000

Well ladies and gentlemen, it’s been one whole week since I posted the list and so it’s time for an update. Here, in no particular order, are the items I was able to cross off my list in the past week;

66)Finish this list in one day.

If your struggling at all to believe that I actually did this please go back and note the dramatic decrease in sass as the list goes on. By the time I had made this goal I had virtually lost the will to go on. In a desperate attempt to make this dream a reality I asked my husband for help in coming up with 35 more goals. He has always known this blog exists but never really had any interest in checking it out until I explained this list to him. Thursday morning I sent him the link to my blog and took Sean out to do some Christmas shopping. When I came home I experienced the fallout.

Him:I read your blog, you’re a good writer.

Me:Thanks. Wait, did you read the whole blog or just the list?

Him:The whole thing.

Me:Oh.

Him:I couldn’t understand all the references to the hot sauce until I got all the way to the beginning.

Me:Yeah about that….

I’m going to pay for that damn dinner for the rest of my life.

8 ) Have 75 views of this blog in one day.

This one was very important to me, because I base my entire self worth on how many people care to find out about my trips to grocery store or minor mental breakdowns.

I actually achieved this goal the day after I posted it. I think I’m going to have to go ahead and thank facebook for this one. I posted a link as my status and my highest daily stat went from 39 it 98. So thanks homies!

38)Inspire at least one other person to make a ’101 in 1001′ list.

I’m crossing this one off the list with the help of a young, up and coming new photographer named Kandice. You are definitely going to to want to follow her blog not only for updates in her list but because she is, for sure, the next Annie Leibovitz, and you’ll be able to say you knew her before she was taking controversial pictures of teenage megastars and the newborn pics of Brangelina’s 17th child. Her list can be found on her photography blog……………. HERE!

And just as of last night I can link you to another 101 list made by a very good friend HERE. Get over there and harass her for me, so that she keeps up her list! Specifically mention the dancing at a bar thing…. I’ve been trying for 5 years to get her to do that!

Basically, to sum up, everyone’s doing a list but you. So jump on the band wagon and send me the link because I LOVE these things!

The updated list can be found HERE or at anytime over there <—- in the left hand column under the title…. 101 in 1001.

I Hope He Gets His Passport in Time!

Zoey — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 15:50:55 +0000

I think this is something that every parent has happen to them at one point in their parenting career, but this was a first for us.

It’s my fault really. After I realized I had a little grinch on my hands, I did everything in my power to MAKE him love the holidays. The boys eat, sleeps and breaths Christmas.

Yesterday in the passport line Sawyer looked up at me all excited and said (very loudly), ‘Mommy look… Santa Clause!’

The white bearded, jolly looking gentlemen behind us in line pretended not to notice, but I knew the damage was done.

Disappointment

Zoey — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 19:36:07 +0000

I almost didn’t want to publish my earlier post. I wanted to save it so that I had something to post on a day that I didn’t have something so blog worthy going on.

Because today was passport picture day. I have been dreading passport picture day for months. We are taking a trip in January that we have been planning since the summer and I have put off getting our passports until a month before the trip, because the very notion of this day would send me into a fit of cold sweats and eye ticks.

Then I started this blog. Suddenly, through the shadows of terror, I could see a glimmer of light. Epic hissy fits and hours spent giving a photographer the same symptoms of passport photo day that I was experiencing, make good blogging material. As today inched closer and closer and I started to get almost excited. I found myself whispering advice to my children like, ‘If you get frustrated on passport photo day, just start throwing things. It will make you feel much better!’ and ‘We can only afford to take one of you on vacation, first person to make the photographer cry gets to come’.

I wasted my breath.

We took them in, they sat straight in the chair, closed their mouths and looked blankly at the camera. Just the way the government likes it.

It’s so disappointing to think I’m raising well behaved children

“You are what I never knew I always wanted” *

Zoey — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 16:39:26 +0000

*-From the 1997 movie ‘Fools Rush In’

Without the use of language or full motor control, Sean finds little ways to show me he loves me every single day.

He wakes up every 3 hours all night long.

He won’t take a bottle keeping me from leaving him for any more then 2 hours.

He throws up promptly after each meal.

He takes my putting him down to clean as a personal insult.

I’m tired, secluded, stinky and living in chaos, but I’ve never felt so loved!

101 Things in 1001 Days

Zoey — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 02:48:54 +0000

I was going to make this a ’210 Things to do in 2010′ list, but in looking for inspiration I stumbled upon a ’101 things to do in 1001 days’ challenge. This seemed a lot more realistic so I’m going to give it a try!

Start Date: December 3rd, 2009

End Date: August 30th, 2012

1)Write 450 posts for this blog (449 now…score)

2)Knit my family stockings. Turns out this is much easier said then done, or so says the knitting needles I bought 2 months that have remained untouched except to be used as WMD’s by my son. (0/4)

3)Run a marathon. This one was inspired by the contestants on ‘The Biggest Loser’ and my dreams to have Bob get all sweaty running the final mile with me. I’m pretty sure this is exactly how my marathon run will play out.

4)Take a trip out of the country. With one already booked for January 8th I feel fairly confident that I’ll be able to do this one.

5)Rachel Ray Week. For months I’ve been talking about doing a full week of recipes from my Rachel Ray cookbook and for whatever reason it keeps not happening. We’ll see who comes out a winner that week, Rachel or the hot sauce. (0/7)

6)Get Sean sleeping through the night.

7)Potty train Sawyer.

8)Have 75 views of this blog in one day. Rest assured wordpress does not count my trips to this blog as views, so August 29th, 2012 I may be begging for your help on this one.

9)Write a novel. Why not?

10)Watch all 6 seasons of ‘Sex and the City’ (0/6)

11)Have my Christmas shopping done by December 1st

12)Make a trip to Ottawa to visit my best! Miss you Erin!

13)Sell something on Kijiji. I just feel like this is something I need to do.

14)Potty train Sean.

15)Get a new camera. Which I will keep away from my children. I’ve learned my lesson.

16)Get a copy of photoshop.

17)Take a digital camera course.

18)Take a photoshop course.

19)Enroll Sawyer in a sport.

20)Enroll Sean in a sport.

21)Have both kids enrolled in swim lessons.

22)Visit Calgary for the stampede

23)Add 20 new facebook friends. (0/2o)

24)Teach Sean to walk.

25)Read at least 25 of the books on this list (0/25)

26)Get drunk. Having been either preggo or with a child under 1 for 3 years now, I feel I deserve it

27)Get a custom layout for this blog. In other words ‘Pimp My Blog’

28)Donate to the Cancer Society.

29)Donate to the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

30)Get another tattoo

31)Send a care package to a friend. Hoping it’s you? I’m not opposed to bribes

32)Make a will. Hoping you in it? I’m not opposed to bribes

33)Open RSP’s

34)Sleep outside.

35)Take my kids to the zoo and an amusement park in one weekend.

36)Take my kids to a museum. Seems like something a ‘good parent’ would do.

37)Make a dream board.

38)Inspire at least one other person to make a ’101 in 1001′ list.

39)Buy a bigger house.

40)See Wicked live

41)Not touch my computer for 24 executive hours.

42)Become debt free (except mortgage)

43)Go to a wedding. I guess this one’s out of my control. Someone get married!

44)Get a drastic haircut

45)Get a spray tan

46)Take the kids to see my parents 3 times. (o/3)

47)Get a new stove

48)Spend a whole night playing video games with Kevin

49)Blog everyday for a month

50)Start my Christmas shopping on Boxing Day

51)Become an airmiles Gold member

52)Get to 75000 shoppers optimum points (0/75000)

53)Eat dinner in everyday for a month

54)Eat out every meal for a day

55)Get Domino neutered (Sorry Domino)

56)See a baby in it’s first 24hrs of life.

57)Eat at the Olive Garden

58)Make dinner for my in-laws

59)Learn to make goulash

60)Go on 3 weekend getaways with Kevin (0/3)

61)Have my wedding dress dry cleaned

62)Make a cake from scratch

63)Fill in 100 pages (50 front and back) of a paper journal. (0/100)

64)Finish Sawyer’s baby book

65)Start and finish Sean’s baby book

66) Finish this list in one day

67)Take the boys to the drive in

68)Plan and execute a very special 30th birthday for Kevin. I’m going to have to keep the details vague on this one.

69)Learn to make sticky buns from scratch

70)Win the lottery

71)Have $5000 saved. (0/5000)

72)Finish watching ‘The West Wing’

73)Go ice skating

74)Buy an SUV

75)Have a shopping weekend in the states

76)Get a new bed set

77)Cook my family a four course meal. Hot sauce optional.

78)Invest in some quality MAC makeup (coverup, blush, eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara) with some professional advice – Randelle shopping trip? (0/5 items)

79)Do our taxes on time

80)Subscribe to a magazine

81)Watch all of Audrey Hepburn’s movies (o/28 I did not realize there were so many)

82)Fit into size 6 jeans

83)Plant a vegetable garden

84)Send out Christmas Cards

85)Have Sawyer and Sean pick out presents for the tree of life.

86)Host a dinner party

87)Make Kat & Kevin scrapbook <3

88)Go to an NHL game

89)Get a new job

90)Buy a ticket in the expensive local lottery

91)Replace the bedroom windows

92)Stand on the glass floor at the CN Tower

93)Have a whole day without timeouts. No matter what they do

94)Visit a family member when it’s not a family function

95)BBQ a meal by myself

96)Buy an expensive bag

97)Tip a great server 100%

98)Sleep until noon.

99)Go shopping in the middle of the night

100)Secret goal

101)Make a new list for my next 1001 days (0/101)

I’m going to try to do a weekly update on my progress but apparently I’m going to be very busy for the next 1001 days. Which me luck!

I’m Sensing a Pattern

Zoey — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 02:43:21 +0000

This evening my husband walked in the door, screwed up his face and asked what’s that smell?

I made stir fry for dinner again.

Catch More Flies With Hunny

Zoey — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 16:30:41 +0000

At 2 years old my son is already the master of manipulation. It started simple, flashing a huge smile in the direction of authority, while doing something he knew he shouldn’t. Then he took advantage of how proud we were that he had learned to say please and thanks to get the world handed to him on a silver platter. But all of that pales in comparison to his newest tactic. While doing the laundry I looked up to see his little head poke out down the stairs. Just as I was about to open my mouth and start the 3 second countdown to timeout, he looked me in the eye, smiled and in his cute little high-pitched voice said, ‘Hi Hunny’. Then just now I asked him politely to stop eating dog food and still flying from his earlier success he calmly replied, ‘No Hunny’.

I’m so out of my league with this kid.