Teeth Whitening

I'm trying the Aquafresh pack of pre-formed dentist-like teeth whiteners. It seems when I have a baby my teeth get a little yellowed. I'm on day two and I notice a difference already (ya). Because I have sensitive teeth and gums I have decided to use it every other day for thew recommended 7 days. Blindingly white smile, here I come!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

The Daily Plate

My sister-in-law, Caralin, and I have decided to join forces to lose weight together. We signed up at The Daily Plate to keep up on track both personally and to keep tabs on each other. I hope this is motivation enough to get these sneaky pounds off the backside, thighs and tummmy. I also love that you can type in a food and it calculates the calories for you. Thinking and calculating hurts my brain and always hinders my progress.

The Blanket

I started to crochet a blanket for a girlfriend who is having a baby in the new year. Ava saw me working on it and told me, "Mommy make that for Ava." I guess it's for Ava now. It's nice to know that she appreciates the homemade. She even tells people with pride that Mommy is making it for her. She also often reminds me (or confirms to herself) that the blanket is indeed for her.

This is shown in the green and blue stripes but I am going with the white and yellow.

Gel Nails

I have been washing my hands so many times per day that my nails are brittle and my hands are so dry. I decided to get a set of gel nails to keep them strong and looking pretty. This is also motivating me to keep these paws soft!

The Swimming Turd

Ava is sitting on the potty going poop.

She lifts up a butt cheek and shouts, "Look Daddy! It's swimming!!"

My husband couldn't talk for two full minutes due to his laughter.

Where does she come up with this stuff?

Christmas Gifts

I have wrapped a majority of the gifts we have, determined what we still need and what I need to do. I'm tired just thinking that there is still much to do. Maybe I'll send the hubby out to the (now really crowded) stores to finish up the job. If only I can be confident he will stay on budget.

Weight Struggles

I think I had mentioned I had lost all of the baby weight from Travis within 2 months after his birth. Now on medication I feel I have packed on a few pounds that I want to lose but don't have the energy to come up with a plan. I keep trying to get to the gym but it just isn't happening; with a kid I care for getting picked up at 6PM, then dinner and baths, I'm exhausted by the time I am potentially able to go. And then when I have a little bit of energy I have other plans or commitments that night. Sigh. I'll get my butt in there one of these days!

P.S. The picture is not my buttocks.

Organized Christmas Update

The holidays are fast approaching and my to do list, I am pleased to say, is shrinking. I am supposed to have printed and mailed Christmas cards (or in our case, a Christmas family newsletter) by today but what do you know, it's still on the computer (with the virus!). I think I'll look into it this afternoon during nap time. I had the draft done by mid-November too so I'm not quite sure what my problem is. I think I want it to be perfect but without anyone seeing it, who cares, right?

Peeling Oranges

At my parents house a few weekends ago, Ava was trying to peel a clementine. She was getting such small pieces that it was hardly worth the effort and the poor clementine was oozing juice and becoming a real mess. Papa Paul taught Ava to peel it in bigger pieces by putting her thumb under the peel. And by gosh she got it! Now she is a clementine and orange-peeling machine. Thanks Papa Paul!

What The Heck?!

I am standing at the stove top preparing dinner. Young Ava comes up to me with innocent wide-eyes and asks "What the heck you doin', Mommy?". Pardon me?!

It took me aback. And I tried not to smirk as I asked her to repeat what she said (since I didn't believe my ears the first time). I guess heck isn't such a bad word but how do we know what is or is not acceptable for a 2 (almost 3) year old to utter? How do you gauge this?

The Cookie Exchange

I am feeling rather ambitious this holiday season. I joined a cookie exchange where we were to bake 30 DOZEN cookies. Yep, me the non-chef, non-baker to make 30 DOZEN cookies! I am so naive that I didn't realise just how much it was. Let's just say I am very grateful to my mother who pretty much baked a whole ten dozen on her own while I was visiting a few weekends ago. I then took an entire day to bake another ten dozen. And then I was done. I couldn't look at dough any more to bake the last ten dozen. I still have the ingredients so although the exchange has come and gone (which I was too sick with a stomach flu to attend even!) I may yet bake those cookies. We'll see ...

Christmas Tree

Last Christmas we did not put up a tree because I was ready to burst from pregnancy and I had a 20 month old plus two one-year olds. I was just not up for it. This year I think we are crazy but we purchased a tree. I have a 2.5 year old, a 20 month old, and three one-year olds in the house. AM I CRAZY?! I guess it's too late since we bought it on the weekend.

My husband and I went to set up the tree on Sunday night and while hubby was out putting something in the garage it fell over. I was called to help (for which I admit I am useless at helping with the tree because I am so highly allergic when I touch it). Anyway, I held it like the good wife while he grunted and scrounged around the base of the tree trunk trying to get it to fit into the somewhat dated stand. Needless to say, it is in the garage now leaning against the door. He did purchase a new stand. Perhaps tonight we'll figure it out and at least get it to stand. Then when to find time to decorate it?

Travis Update

Travis (10+ months) has done it. He crawls up the entire flight of stairs unassisted. It is amazing his speed for the stairs when we forget or haven't had a chance to put up the gate to guard them. The kid is half-way up before my foot exits the last step! Travis also has a mouthful of teeth now. Two on the bottom, two fully out on the top and two more on the top bursting through (I see the white in there!). My baby is getting so big! It will be fun to see how he gets into everything this Christmas.

Computer Virus

I think I should be banned from downloading or uploading or whatever the heck it is called. I seem to attract viruses to the computer. My husband (a "techie") just shakes his head. Needless to say, I am seriously frustrated!

This time it is "internethehehe" and for the life of me I cannot get rid of it. At least the pop-up has stopped coming up but it still won't let me go to the Blogger site to upload my beloved blog (e-gad!). This when I'm desperately trying to update it on a daily basis too.

I have tried to look up solutions to fix my huge error (thanks to a bad Winrar upload/download). Anybody out there who can help this virus-prone-blogger? Please?!

NoBloPoMo - Attempt #2

I am going to make every effort to blog every day this month through the NoBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month). The theme is "thanks" and I certainly have a ton to be thankful for so it makes sense to share this festive season.