Dans La Boudoir - Stuff Portrait Vendredi

Well folks I REALLY WISH this particular SPF was next week. Because I have BIG PLANS for this room next week. Please think of these as the before pictures.
My Bed. Blech.


Note the lack of headboard. Because we put a window air conditioner, the headboard that I had oh so carefully antiqued last summer

which should be between the end tables is now behind Jay's dresser. So there is a full view of the peeling paint on the wall. And I need more pillows! And what's with that 2-dollar-spray-painted-gold-doesn't-even-cover-the-whole-area-mini-blind? It looks like Ms Hannigan's room from Annie. Had to take down my nice metal blind because of the air conditioner.

That air conditioner is ruining everything. My bed sucks. I don't even like the end tables that I decoupaged four years ago, thinking I was cool. Trust me. This will all be different next week. BIG PLANZ.

Wah Wah Wah. Moving on to the dresser (which, if you can believe it, I tidied up for this picture!)

If you have to know, the dorky sheer fabric left over from something bow I have tied on one corner is because there is a huge crack in the mirror. Ms Hannigan lives on. And there is dust. Oh yes. And why, my friends, do I have a box of staples on there that has been there for three years? Any ideas? Also, while we are having question/answer period, we reded the bathroom last October, did we not? Yes? Good. So I ask you, why is the massive old mirror STILL BEHIND MY DRESSER? And the screen, removed for the (you guessed it) air conditioner, do you think we could maybe take that out to the garage? You do! Me too!

The only semi cool thing I have is this old tin bathroom shelf that I spray painted gold (hey, I bought a whole can and there was half left over after the mini blinds) and use for my jewelery and perfume. It is a bit cluttery, which WILL CHANGE NEXT WEEK. But I don't loathe it. That's something.

Finalement, there are fave pj's. I love me my satin cargo cami pj's. When I can actually um, find the cami part. Then they are just satin cargo T shirt pj's. But they are real comfy.

I Yove my Momma.

And here is why. This is the comment she left me about the 'nine kids three mommmas' post.

"Amy, I have to comment on the picture of the 9 kidsi love the bookends - Monty and Seth, I love grace's hand on her brother's knee, I love how Eleni looks so much like Sandy, I love how Lucy is looking in a totally different direction, I love Gabriel's hat tied under his chin,I love that Sadie thinks her doll will stand out in that crowd, I love how those "big boys" look at the back of the group.Looking at that picture makes me feel good about life and hopeful about the future. You 3 moms are doing a great job!
Mom "

THAT is why she gets a surprise birthday party. Among other things.

A.

It Cost Me $11.61 to Be A Dork

As I said the other day, Operation Declutter is under way over here and I am the chief engineer. Yesterday I was ruthless, I was even taking clothes out of the dryer and stuffing them into a bag just so I could fill it. I have thrown out things that I never thought I would throw out, like notes from night school. When am I ever going to read them again? Never. That's when.

So I tazmanian devilled the house, and came up with about six grocery bags of stuff to bring to the Goodwill. At this point I had run out of garbage bags. I had to go to the post office/drug store, to mail some stuff and get some more garbage bags, plus they had foil on sale and that grapefruit flavored dish soap I adore. Outside the drug store was one of those big metal boxes that you can put clothing/household stuff donations in.

Yay! I could kill a few birdies with one stone. So I went in, mailed my parcels, got my garbage bags and dish soap and a few other treats. Came out, and got the junk bags out of my car to toss in the box.

I am shortish. Five three when my self esteem is at it's highest, five two on any given day. And this box had this little square near the top to put the stuff in that was higher than me. I guess this deters people from reaching in and stealing the goods in the midnight or something. So I had to take a shotput approach to getting the bags up and over the chute.

I got all the bags in, did that clappy wiping thing with my hands that you do when you finish a job and you feel quite pleased with yourself. I was free of all that junk! And brotha, it felt guuuuuud.

I get back in my car. Drive home. And realize I am also free of the stuff I had just bought! Aaahh! I drive back to the store, hoping against hope that I left the bag on the side walk.

Nope. It was gone. I had shot-putted that bag of newly purchased treats right into the donation box. Damn!

I tried to grab the opening of the metal box and lift myself up to see where it was. A lady came out and gave me a look. I jumped back down. "I put the wrong bag in there," I said, with a little laugh.

She looked at me like, "I bet. Garbage Raider."

I stood around for a few minutes. Thinking about what a dork I was, clapping my hands together and feelin' like a million dollar declutterer who just threw out 11 bucks worth of stuff. Then I went back in the store, and rebought the foil and the garbage bags and the dish soap and the Knor Marinade and the ziploc freezer bags.

And I walked by the metal box. And drove home.

And that's it.

A.

Things Go The Other Way, Too.

Found my camera battery!!

HI.

Aye-yai yai has it been that long since I posted. Oops.

Highlights from the past week include:

1. I lost the Lithium-Ion battery for my new(ish) camera. Wah! I took it out of the camera to put it in the charger. Couldn't find the charger. Went to computer to email Jay at work to ask where charger might be. PUT BATTERY DOWN somewhere in house. I have looked pretty hard for it, to no avail. Cost of replacement? $69.99. Nice.

2. I rented "Empire of the Sun" for myself and watched it. AWESOME movie. Stars a young Christian Bale (Batman this summer) as an English boy in an internment camp in WWII China. Also has John Malkovich. Really. Go get it.

3. I was going to drop off Sam at my SIL's place, and had the kids in the van. Everyone was yelling or crying. I backed out and hit the car that was parked right across from my driveway on the street. Honestly, who parks directly across from a driveway? I didn't see any damage, it was more of a love tap. But Sam jumped out of the car and started yelling down the street, "My MOM HIT A CAR!" Oh to be Mr. Fantastic and reach out the window with one strong long arm, grab him by the neck and yank him back into the car.

4. Operation Declutter is under way. I am determined to have this house in some sort of order by September. So I am dejunkifying and going through a million and a half pieces of paper and dropping bags off to the Goodwill. I would TAKE A PICTURE of my kitchen junk drawer that is spread all over the dining room table but remember number one.

5. It rained. Quite hard. Which I am sure pleased a lot of farmers. But it killed the gazebo/tent thingy that we just put up for the first time on Sunday! Stupid thing. The top part filled up with H2O and the poles bent in half under the weight. Didn't even get to enjoy a meal under it yet.

6. Took the kids to the Wave Pool on Saturday. It went pretty well. The boys had a ball. Lucy was a bit of a pain in the arse though. She just runs willy nilly all over the place, right into the water, falls down, etc. So I spent most of the time having a heart attack. Next time. We get a sitter for the redhead. Jay and I are thinking of going all by ourselves to the Wave Pool. Would be a fun date, floating in the water on a tube, going down the waterslides, hanging out without anyone crying.

7. Took the kids to see "March of the Penguins" on Monday. At that gorgeous old Movie Palace. I think it was a good movie. But don't quote me. Sandy and I brought five kids, two of which were Lucy (2 yrs) and Gabe (19 months). And they lasted about three minutes before they were escaping from their seats and crying and stuff. So I spent most of the movie walking up and down the street in front of the theater. Trying to get them to fall asleep. They didn't. So don't quote me.

8. Summer is fun for everyone, ain't it?

9. Today it is still raining.

10. Chiah! No wonder I haven't blogged. Nice list.

Toodles!

A.

Nine Kids, Three Mommas

Got together with my friends Sandy and Joanne today. And this is what it looked like:



Well, that is what it looked like when we dragged them all into the pool and took this picture, anyways.

It was a decent morning. Crazy, but decent. Only one bloody lip and a couple a hurt feelings, no casualties.



I call this next picture "Static Sunburst" (or something.)





And now I am off to fold a four foot high pile of laundry that is in the middle of my living room. And drink some club soda with ice and lime.

Ciao.
A.

Tersday

See yesterday's comments if you commented! I actually replied to them! I always have intentions of doing this, and I never do. I admire those who diligently respond to comments on their blog. It is fun to go back to your comment and see what the blogger had to say about it. I think we all thrive with acknowledgement. The fact that someone hears us. I know I do.

Now the pregnancy rumors about me have officially begun, which is a laugh, because I am not pregnant. Not even a little bit. I was just sayin that the antibiotics I am on could make my bc pills less effective, and whoa nelly I am getting coupons in the mail for diapers already.

The thing is, I think three kids is good. There is a part of me that would love to have one more. The part that gets teary when I see a newborn pulling up his little legs to himself and yawning. The part that sees a chubby arm waving from a stroller and just melts. The part that loves to give a brand new person a name. The part that believes that if we have kids and do our best by them, they could grow up and change the world.

But as I said. I would have one more IF:

1. I was 33 instead of 35
2. I could be assured that I would not have restless leg syndrome and actually be able to sleep during the pregnancy instead of walking around like a fat zombie mombie, banging into walls and scowling at people.
3. Jay had a less stressful job and wasn't gone from 7am to 7pm most weekdays.
4. My degree was already finished.
5. My MIL didn't live with me, because then I would have a place downstairs where I could put the kids and not hear them sometimes.

I have more reasons. But I don't have any time left. Because the three I HAVE need sustenance. And refereeing.

Have a good Thursday. And for fun, answer me this: When you were young, how many kids did you think you would have? And now, how many do you have/want to have?



A.

Hola

Way-all it's Wednesday and I am reluctant to get myself up and at 'em. For no reason specifically except that I would really like to climb back into bed and read "The Bourne Supremacy" (again). I started it (restarted it) last week and I can do no more at night than read like, half a page before the book gets too heavy and I must sleep. So I have read the same half page like, sixteen times.

My van is BAck for the Attack! You can't stop it! You can't touch it! Dave the Monotone Mechanic called me to come get it yesterday. The vacuum plugs (hoses?) were crapped out. They are plastic and this heat is doing all kinds of stuff like this, he said.

Um. Did anyone else NOT know that there is a vacuum in your engine? I didn't want to ask for fear of looking stupid. (Because most of the time I just look so bloody intelligent, hah)

Any HOO. It was a hundred bucks. And now all is well and the car is running like a top. We even went to Burger King for lunch to celebrate. Kids had fun, but they also did their share of WHINING because the toy was still THE TORCH and not one of the other FANTASTIC FOUR GUYS. Wahhh. Spoiled millenium kids. Why I oughta.....

UTI is pretty much gone and I am feeling quite decent. Yay for Macrobid. Apparently it can affect birth control pillz so I must be cautious and take precausheeons and careful and wary and vewy vewy quiet. Or there will be a FOURTH. AAAHHH!

I scairt myself.

The thing is, I am the opposite of cautious. I am scatterbrained and reckless and unorganized. So I will have to actually go against my own true nature to accomplish NOT getting up the pole.

I might as well start thinking of names and buy a mumu.

A.

Meh Monday

I am just now pulling myself up and out of a shite weekend. Two things collided to wreak havoc on me.

1. Raging UTI.
2. Hubby gone fishing for the weekend.

It felt like all I did was drag myself from one room to another. And all I wanted to do was be home alone with a stack of VHS movies, a bedpan, and my antibiotics. Blech. By Saturday night I was in much less pain, but until like, tonight, I have had that all over crappy feeling. Breaking out in a cold sweat just coming up a flight of stairs feeling. Don't look in the mirror or you will turn into stone feeling.

And that little funky thing going on with my van got worse. So now my car is in the shop. Hoping it is nothing that costs too much. But what do I know. I know that I am housebound. Which has been okay cause I havent felt like going anywhere but by tomorrow.... It gets a little longofaday here with four kids (babysitting my neice for a couple of weeks.). Even a little one hour excursion to McD's for a cone can make all the difference.

Having a UTI sucks. Not to go on about my lady business, but after I had Sam, I had one for like two months that would not go away. And it was such a hard time for me. I had just had this kid, the birth was a train wreck, I was in a tiny cottage in Nova Scotia with no family around, we had no money (ate lots of potatoes with salt and cheap margarine, phone got cut off at one point because we couldn't pay the bill), and I was a sick, emotional basket case.

So having those same physical feelings brought on a kind of retro-active funk for me. I just felt kind of hollow inside and anxious and restless. Today is mucho better in that way, thank God it didn't last too long.

And now, mes amis, it is 20 minutes after seven which means that I can get one kidlet down, one ready to get down, and one on the couch being quiet watching a rerun of "The Wonder Years". Yes, Jay has night school. But it is HIS LAST CLASS. At least until September.

A.

A Room With A View

I was walking with my kids yesterday at our little local strip plaza. The name strip plaza, was so exactly on the money, walking behind these three amigos.



They looked to be late teens early 20's. At least, the girls did. They were probably fourteen. How do you explain the thong with the heart in the middle to your nine year old kid walking beside you?

You say, "Wow. Interesting outfits, eh buddy?"
And he laughs. "That guys pants keep falling down."
"Yeah. He probably can't work, he has a full time job keeping his pants up." I say.

Hey. It was a hot day. I'm not saying people shouldn't dress how they want. But when your shorts are like, maybe four inches long from the waist to the top half of your bum cheek, when you are wearing a top that says, "More Than a Mouthful", when you have to yank on your pants every ten seconds so they don't fall off your arse (and I am talking about the middle girl here, the guy had less than ten seconds between each hike),

You are just Asking To Be Stared At.

Wait. Maybe that was the point. It's the modern day version of that John Updike story, A&P.

Whatever. All I know is my kid practically had an anatomy lesson. At least the one that covers bum cracks.

A.

Back in Tha Day - 80's SPD

1988. Grad dance. Couldn't get my hair BIG ENOUGH.



"MA! Come on! Where is the Final Net?!"
"Right here! What am I doing with this curling iron?"
"Just pull pieces out and curl them! My hair needs MORE VOLUME!"
"It looks pretty big to me."
"IT'S TOTALLY FLAT!! Keep curling it and pulling it higher!"

Something I kept from the 80's would be this little note, scrawled on the back of an envelope and taped to my sister's dresser mirror. I am not sure what compelled me to keep this, but I am glad I did. It totally brings me back to the chaos of our house, with four teenagers at once. I think I was about sixteen when I wrote this.



It reads, "SIOBBHAN, (my sisters name), DON'T YOU EVER WEAR MY LEVI'S AGAIN AND I WANT MY FIVE DOLLARS BACK!"

On the back it says, "DON'T IGNORE THIS NOTE!!"

Ah the sweetness. We were so vicious when clothes were borrowed without asking. Once she threw my desert boots in the pool because I had taken her ALDO boots without asking. Another time I came into the bathrom, and she was bent over the tub, washing her hair with the tube thingy, and I kicked her in the ass right into the tub, because she was wearing my underwear.

Another thing I kept was this flyer from a dance.



I love how even the "compact disc" logo is hand done. That's when CD's were just coming out, mostly everyone still had cassette tapes. I don't even know if I went to this dance, but I went to a few like it that year.

I had to post this next picture. It is me and the gals at our Grade Eight Grad dance, hanging out on a table outside the washroom! Beware, you may go blind from all the ruffles. It was 1984.



And because I am so, like, totally sure that some of you will want to see my whole dress, made by my mom, here it is, COMPLETE WITH A HAT.



How times have changed. Could you even imagine a fourteen year old wearing a dress like this today? It always makes me laugh that I thought this was so grown up. I mean, I look like I am some turn of the century English girl, about to chase a hoop down the lane with a stick.

And lastly, the 80's movie that I have on VHS and plan to have for a long, long time. I don't even have the case anymore, so I took a picture off Amazon because that black VHS tape just don't do these people justice.



I just loved Kim Richards when I was a kid, with that long hair. But this movie was a pretty far cry from Escape to Witch Mountain. It's totally bitchin'. If you haven't seen it, like, ever, go rent it.

Before and After

Okay. Two years ago we went to a friend of Jay's from work's place. His name is Mike, and his lovely wife is Pat. They have a pool. The kids have a ball there. When we went, Lucy was just about three weeks old. We took a family picture (the only one we would take altogether for a year or so) sitting on Mike's deck.

We went there again on Sunday, and I thought it would be neat if we took the same picture. Cause I jus' loves me some photo comparisonizing.

So. Here is July 2003



And here is July 2005



Lucy! Quel difference! She is totally lookin' for the boob in the first pic. In the second, she is looking to get the hell outta there and back to the pool.

One of the bummers is that in those two years between the photos I had about six different hairstyles, but managed to have almost the same haircut in the end. Wah.
What's with my hair, anyways. I think I have this fun modern haircut, SO 2005. And yet. Here is me at five years old.



And thirty years later!


Um, same haircut, no? What the heck am I paying forty bucks for when my dad can just get the garden shears out like back in 1975 and do the same thing?

I know what youre thinking. Who's lookin at the hair when that pointy CHIN is in the picture. Yikes. I could cut carrots with that thing.

A.

Finally I can tell you about this!

For almost two months we have been planning a big surprise party for my mom's 60th birthday! And because she reads my blog, I could write nothing about it! But it happened on Saturday! So now I can tell you!



Alright, enough exclamationizing already. We had a big part-ay for Adrienne's 60th, rented a hall, got a band, invited a hundred people. It was GREAT! It really went well, lots of helping hands and careful planning meant that there were very few 'glitches'. My mom knew we were doing something, but she had no idea what. So she looked totally gorgeous when she walked into this funky old museum building and to the backyard where everyone was waiting for her, standing in the sun with smiles and good wishes!



It was a great night. I blogged before about my cousin's band, Red Hill Road. My mom just loves their stuff so we had them come and play.


Here is me and my sister Jen (left) and Siobbhan (right). Ladies lookin' good all cleaned up! Someone took one of the four of us kids, I must find out who so I can post it too. Then you can see how cute my big bro Charlie is.


Here is a pic of some of us. Do notice the 'bar tent' on the left, carefully decorated with flower lights and paper lanterns. You just gotta have 'em.



I didn't take enough pictures, but I am going to track down who's got more and do a nice album up for me ma. Happy 60th Mom! You are truly an awesome lady and it shows in how many people showed up to your party with eagerness to be there and wish you happy birthday. I mean, if you knew my ma. She is just about the nicest, funniest, prettiest, smartest, kindest, calmest, lovingest, most graceful person you could meet. I had damn tears in my eyes just waiting in front of the building for her and my dad to turn the corner, thinking about her.



Love you, Mom.

A.

Stuffed Portrait Day!

Today, class we have three stuff portraits to cover:

1. Favourite Framed Picture
2. Magazine Subscriptions
3. Household Pet Peeve

For numero uno I have trois. Because I don't subscribe to any mags, just get my morning paper. Wait! I subscribe to Chatelaine, which is a Canadian fashion/home magazine. Sorry, forgot. But as I have already uploaded pictures, I ain't about to go downstairs and take more. As it is now, there are four kids (neice Dayna staying over for the week) on my bed behind me, singing, "I LOVE rock n ROLL!"

And if I go away, they just might dismantle the joint. SO. First is a favourite framed picture. Of which I have three! And this is just a sampling! I lurve my pictures. That's why I framed them.
Here is the first.



This is my sister Jen on the left, me in the middle, and my brother Charlie on the right. I love this photo. We are ages 1, 2, and 3, and we are sitting on the dining room table.

This is me and Sam at my wedding. Once in a blue moonage I actually like a picture of myself. And this is one of them.



Lastly, a picture of my kids, all taken when each of them was about ten months old. I love to stare at this and find sameness in the little faces.



And of course, differences. It's kinda cool.

The third thing is a household pet peeve. Mine (among many) are tHE CRACKS. This house is CHOCK full of cracks. Which are not only visually unsightly but keep me awake at night wondering when the left side of this house is going to simply sink into the ground.



Okay, everyone has left my room, to wreak havoc on respctive corners. I hear the bathroom tap running, the toaster popping, and some strange thomping in the living room.

Bye!
A.

Tole Ya He Was Cute

Jay, 1988. All decked out for my grad.



Can I have a little Sly Stallone with my corsage, please?

A.

This is me in Grade 8, baby.

Found a picture from the last day of grade eight roll of film. This is me in the middle, Paolo Marinelli on one side and MR CRONK on the other side.



What a howl. Who told me I could wear those shorts with my brothers polo shirt and my Boy George pin?

Nobody. I was the master of my own style back in '84. Plus, it was the last day of grade eight! I had to look REALLY GOOD.

A.

Rambling

Missed Mrtls Monday yesterday. The subject was Getting Pissy. Not that I didn't have anything to write about, mind. There are skads of things to be pissy about around here.

1. Messy. House. Not getting any less messy with the kids home.
2. Kids. Fighting. About everything.
3. Sam. Yelling. Things like, "MONTY IS A PIECE OF CRAP!!" and "WHAT'S YOUR FRIGGIN PROBLEM?!!"
4. Monty. Dumping a cup of yellow paint all over the dining room floor. Then going upstairs with the cup of red paint so I won't take it off him and tripping over the toys and sending the cup of red paint ahead of him, so it goes all over the bathroom.
5. Lucy. Getting a hold of a blue magic marker and writing on her face. I find her, take the marker, wipe her face off, all is well. Then she goes to where the STASH of markers is and REALLY gives it a go.

6.. Jay. Getting home at 9:45 from night school and being moody and going around the house complaining about a bunch of stuff.
7. Me. For being a miserable mom on the first real day of summer holidays.
8. Last Comic Standing. Which I am sure was well under way by this time last year, but I haven't seen hide nor hair of it this year.
9. The Hotness of the Outside Environment. Which makes you feel like your blood is thick like Heinz 57 trying to slug it's way through your veins so you can get some oxygen to your brain. So not much fun to be outside.
10. My New (well, we have had it for three months) Van. Whose air conditioning seems to be NOT WORKING AGAIN. And something is funky with the transmission, I fear. That extended warranty that we turned down is saying "Na, Na na Na Na!"

I gotta fly. This pissy post has been brought to you by the number 4 which is how many kids I gotta go feed breakfast to, and the letter H for the Heinous state of my bedroom.

A.

Summerness!

My mom made matching Canada Day dresses for her FIVE granddaughters. This is Lucy and her cousin Maddy wavin' the flag and havin' a laugh.

Stuff Portrait Friday (after everyone has probably gone to bed.)

It's Canada Day here in um, Canada. So we were out to my parents for a barbecue most of the day. It was a great time, kids had a blast, and we enjoyed ourselves. Until my brother killed his knee playing basketball.

The boys (hah, not one of them under 35), were playing basketball, and my bro somehow went down on his bad knee and that was it. I don't know if it is broken or destroyed or what but they had to carry him to the car and take him to the hospital. He was gone for xrays when we dropped by there after. The knee is his bad knee, one that he has had surgery on a couple of times. Eeep. Poor Chas.

So! I did two of the three stuff portraits. Here are my keys.



Nothing special. Don't even bother with keychain. Just car and front door. I do like my kitschy "memos/bills/misc" holder thingy with the hooks on it, though. Good for things like your kids karate medals when you don't really have a place for them but you have promised yourself you are not going to just let them become part of the flotsam and jetsam and eventually end up at the Goodwill because you are tired of picking them up off the floor.

Next is the view from my front door.



As you can see, we don't water our lawn much.

Tomorrow is Lucy's 2nd birthday. So two years ago tonight I had done this exact thing, had gone to my parents for a barbecue, come home, feeling like a baby beluga with the swollen ankles and the sharp pelvic floor pains and the blabbety blahs. So I walked for about forty five minutes, one hand under the huge belly so it wouldn't roll down the street in front of me.

Came home. Sat in chair. Fell asleep. POP! Water breaks.

This is Looch on her birthday last year.



Tomorrow I will post a pic of her for the record. But for tonight. Even though mostly everyone's prolly gone to bed or out. I must post this one, because she just looks so grown up!



Told ya.

A.