five on friday: what i've been up to

When 2 people tell you that you haven't posted in a while, on the same day, two things happen,  first, you feel happy and loved because your siblings (yes both were siblings!) miss you and miss reading about your life.  Then immediately after, you feel a burning need to post.  To let them and every one else know what you have been up to.  So here it is, an attempt to determine what I have been doing in the evenings that does not involve blogging.

{one} Hockey.  In our house right now its hockey, hockey, HOCKEY!  While I absolutely love that hockey season is back on, it also means that as a manager on one team and a helper on the other, that my evenings are easily filled with looking for tournaments, prepping for meetings, and sending emails.  We've had our teams approx 4 days and I have booked 4 tournaments between the 2 teams with 3 of them being out of town.  This year Grady's team is playing at the rink in the West Edmonton Mall and I couldn't be more excited.  Hockey and shopping??? Win-Win!

2) Teeth Whitening.  For the past few weeks I've been whitening my teeth.  What I never knew about teeth whitening at home is that is is time consuming and good diet plan since you can't eat for hours at a time in the evening when is my prime snack time. Yes, I could blog while I whitened, but I didn't.

3) Big Brother. I love watching big brother but it is a huge time commitment.  I love that the kids will now watch with me on occasion.  My thoughts on this season.  I thought I was happy with either Tyler or Kaycee winning until Tyler didn't win and found myself feeling sad. My friend and I have discussed many times how we would vote as a member of the Jury.  I would be an emotional voter and would never vote for the person that had a hand in getting me out.  I'd like to think I'd vote on game play but I'm not convinced I would.  I think many of the jurors were bitter hence Tyler's loss.

4) Reading.  I have been on a reading role lately.  While I can blog while I watch TV it not as easy when you are reading.... Some of the best books I read this summer were

        Then she was Gone, by Lisa Jewel

        All we ever Wanted, by Emily Griffin

        If you Knew Her: The perfect life of the perfect lie by Emily Elgar

5) I don't have a fifth. Wasting time.... does that count.  Also my kids go to bed super late, like they are sometimes up when I go to bed, late.

There you have it, what I've been doing while I haven't been blogging. Every once in a while it is a good thing to take a break you didn't even know you needed or wanted. Now let's hope we get back to our regular scheduled programming.

The one where Grady goes to Camp Impeesa

Monday morning I dropped Grady off at the school for 2 nights and 3 days of camp with all the grade 5 students at his school.  His school really has a focus on outdoor education which is great since this is not an area we expose him to often.

Grady didn't show any nervousness until the morning we left as opposed to  the past trips where he outright said he didn't want to go because he would miss us too much.

This was the first time that he was away for the full 3 days.  The first trip in grade 4 I picked him up for a hockey evaluation since they camped right in the city and for the second trip I went with him.  I missed him.  I really, really missed him.

By noon the day he left I started to feel it.  Just knowing that he was out of the city and that there was no cell connection and I wouldn't see him again until Wednesday really pulled at my heart strings.  It was the first time he left me behind rather than vice versa.

I can't say the same for Cooper.  I think he enjoyed every moment of playing with the neighbor boys on his own and also getting to play on whatever device he wanted.  When I asked him if he missed Grady he looked at me and told me he had only been gone a day.

With that being said, they were so goofy when they were reunited. I really do feel like they missed each other but didn't want to admit it.  I love those moments where you actually feel like your kids are friends and not just brothers.

I am so happy that he has had these experiences to step out of his comfort zone. I was so worried that he would be cold as our fall has been less than mild, but there was no need to worry' since he came home wearing 2 pairs of pants, long underwear, a long sleeved tee and a sweatshirt.  He said he was never cold.

Other things he told me about camp that are apparently important to 10 year old boy:
1.  His cabin had electricity which was apparently a big deal
2. He got to sleep on a top bunk
3. The Shepard's pie had too much peas. He picked around them but still had seconds.
4. The girls got to sleep in the dining hall where there was heat and that wasn't fair.
5. The arrows for archery were better than Camp Riveredge.

I am happy to hear that Grady missed me but I am equally happy that he said he didn't miss me as much.  He told me that going to camp was so much easier when you know people.  He told Cooper that when you go to Camp on the second week of a new school that you miss your family a lot.  This tells me I will be volunteering for Camp Riveredge when Cooper is in grade 4.....

I am so proud of this kid.  He has an anxious personality like me and it makes me so proud to see him try new things and succeed.  I couldn't have been happier to see his smiling face as he walked off the bus.

I've told him that I'll volunteer for the next camp since they have a camp dance and I want to see who is is going to dance with.  He told me he was going to wait for the girls to ask him! That's my boy!

Back on the ice!

This is actually true!  We were in the market for a new car since our van is a like pig on ice in the winter.  Yes, we have winter tires but I have literally been stuck on a slant unable to get up.  The worst was when we went to visit a friend after she had a baby and I had a gift and a casserole to bring and we had to park at the bottom of the hill and walk up because the van could just not make it up.  The kids still talk about that day more than 5 years later!

This past winter with all the snow the van just couldn't be trusted.  We were at risk of getting stuck all the time.  Then throw in 4 out of town tournaments on weekends where the driving conditions were less than ideal and we starting to considering new wheels.  We looked at a few but in the end, I'm not sure we are ready to part with the van when we can squeeze in 4 kids and 3 hockey bags in without a  problem! 

So here we are again, loading our mini van with hockey bags.  Evaluations are in full swing.

This past week we skated every day of the week at least once.  The more you skate means you are moving on up through the different divisions, which is a good thing.  Hockey evaluations are a beast of their own.  Eval results are posted every night after a skate, sometimes long after I've gone to bed.  You need to check the results every day because if you have been move up, you skate again the next day.  So on top of racing around rink to rink, sleep was not coming easily when you are waiting up to see if you skate the next day.  Some nights we would go to bed and check in the middle of the night.  Yes, we could wait until morning, but it was hard not to look when you knew they would be posted!  This is a sign of a true hockey parent. Ha!

In years past, evaluations have been stressful.  All you really want is for your child to try their best and end up the right team with other kids at similar levels.  Having fun parents is just an added bonus!  There is nothing more frustrating then watching your kid go to an evaluation and give a 50% effort.  This was usually us.

This year however, we have ended up where we need to be early in the evals and now we just have to wait for our team.  I often want to wish away these 2 weeks as they cause havoc on our household.  This year, I've been happy to report more good news then bad and to see the excitement on the kids face to find out they got to skate again.  I am so proud of the boys and can't wait for the hockey season to start.

Because of course I'll be volunteering to manage a team again.

Crushing Goals

This weekend was my redemption weekend.

It has been a tough running season for me.  I ran my first 15k organized run in the spring and injured myself.  When my knee started to hurt, instead of walking the rest, I continued to push it.  I pushed it to the finish line with a mix of walking and running.  Despite that, it was my fastest 15k, but on the downside, my knee was angry with me and my long distance running came to halt.  It was very very angry.

My A type personality wouldn't let me quit and I continued to train for the half marathon that I finished only 4 minutes slower than my first one last summer, ,uninjured.  I walked across the finish line almost in tears.  I  put so much work into my training, stretching and strengthening ans still  my body was letting me down.

I picked out another 15k in September and in my head I was training for it.  I refused to register for it until I knew i could run across the finish line, I wanted to finish off my run season on a high.  So when the last week of August I crushed a 14k I went home, registered for the run and emailed my running buddies to see if anyone wanted to join.

I am not going to lie.... this run was HARD.  I woke up the day before with a sinus cold.  I wasn't breathing properly which meant I also wasn't sleeping properly.  I was sick, tired, and ready to run regardless.   

My goal was to finish in under 90 minutes.  I wanted to beat my previous record set in April when I was injured.  It should be possible, right?  In the end, we crossed the line in 89:58.  For reals.  I beat my goal by 2 seconds.  You know what? I am okay with that.  I worked my butt off during that run.  I cut out my walks and really cranked it up to meet my goal.

I am proud of myself.

I love to run and I am not going to let some little IT band injury stop me from doing what I love.  What this injury has taught me is that I have to listen to my body.  When it tells me to stop, I stop.  While not always easy, it will be my goal from now on.  I'd rather be able to run short distances than not at all.  I don't think I am full marathon material but running one half a year is a good goal for now. 

10 Things About Me

Today you are going to get to know me a little better....  Well, maybe.  You see I'm not one to hold things back, if you ask, I'll tell.  I sometimes feel like I'm an open book, maybe sometimes too much so. Is that possible?  Anyhoo, I tried to put together a list of 10 things you may not already know about me.  Here we go!

1.  Today is my anniversary!  On September 10th, 2005, my hubby and I tied the knot on a very very wet and rainy day.  It literally started raining at the rehearsal dinner and was still raining as we left our reception more than 24 hours later.  It rained 64.8 mm that day.  Many people commented on the rain bringing luck to your marriage and maybe that is true since today marks 13 years for us.

2. I am a CPA.  In Canada this is also known as a Chartered Accountant but we recently have adapted to the CPA name and merged accounting associations.  blah, blah, blah.  I chose this career because my girlfriend was majoring in accounting and she told me that CPA was the best.  It was either that or nutrition and I was sure I would find a job easier as an accountant.  Turns out I was right!  When I wrote my CPA exam I was top 50 in Canada, while this was great, I truly was only aiming to pass.  I guess that means I studied too much.

3.  When I was 17 I started a weight loss journey that ended with me carrying around 75 pounds less than when I started. I started with a new years resolution to exercise every day in Jan 1997, my senior year of high school. In the first 6 months I only lost 15 pounds but after that the weight started sliding off and over the course of 18 month I reached my goal weight.  Weight is still something I struggle with every day though you may not see it.  It is more a mental thing.  The desire to eat vs the desire to not go back to an unhealthy lifestyle.  A healthy diet (in moderation!) and exercise are still a part of my life daily.

4.  Deena (from the blended blog) and I met on the first day of kindergarten when she asked if she could play with me.  The rest is history!  We survived the mean girl phase, going to different high school, and living in different cities for well over a decade.  We get together as often as we can and have annual girls trips with our tribe.  She is my 'true blue friend' and always will be.

Circa 2007

5. I traveled to Africa for work. Twice. About a decade ago I worked at an international oil and gas company and all our wells were in Algeria.  When we got a new accounting system someone from Canada had to go to train the Algerian employees and that was me!  I had the opportunity to go into the dessert and see camels, oh and an oil rig.  The Algerians commented on my blue eyes all the time, often commenting in french assuming I didn't understand... until I said 'Merci' back!

6.  I weighed 9 pounds 4 ounces when I was born.  My mom said that I was the baby demonstrator used for bath time because I was the biggest in the nursery.  My mom also noted that she did not have an epidural. Ouch!

7.  I come from a blended family.  Both my parents are remarried which leaves me with an extra large family.  I have one 'full' brother, 2 half sisters, and 3 step siblings.

8.  My grandma is still alive at 85 years young.  She still lives in her own house, has 2 dogs and a beautiful yard like you wouldn't believe.  I've got good genes given that my great grand mother passed away a few years back at 100 years old.  I've got a good long life ahead of me....

9.  My favorite movie of all time is Dirty Dancing. I can still recite most of the movie by heart.  I must have watched it 30 times growing up, it never got old.  I've always loved a good dancing movie, and really, I still do.  I get it from my mom.....

10.  My fave food is pizza followed closely by burgers. I would eat pizza every day if I could.  We order once a week mostly from the same local pizza place, Spiros.  It is the deep dish kind and the kids don't like it so we now also order from Boston Pizza which they will tolerate.  If it were up to them we would be eating Papa Johns.  While it is not my favorite, I literally will eat any pizza.

I hope you learned a thing or two about me! Peace out Monday!

The One Where Cooper Starts Second Grade

Unlike Gradys first day of school, Cooper's couldn’t have gone better.  

He got the teacher he wanted.  

He has his two best buddies in his class for the second year in a row.  

There were no tears when he got home.  

Cooper had a great first day of school.  

Cooper has always been the kid I don’t worry about when it comes to making friends and new situations.  That guy makes friends everywhere and isn’t bothered by being with new kids.  Don’t get me wrong, he loves that his buddies are in his class, but I wouldn’t have worried about him if he had to make new ones.  

I just know Cooper is going to have another great year And the odds are I will be the class parent.  Again.  

Month in numbers: NYC, August 2018!

This past weekend James and I spent the weekend exploring NYC for the THIRD time together to celebrate James FORTYth birthday.   Let’s face it, we’ve been celebrating a good portion of the month so it seems fitting that I use the monthly recap to go over his birthday trip.

On our FIRST full day in NYC we headed to the financial district where James rubbed the charging bull’s balls for at least the THIRD time.  I’ve personally seen him do it TWICE.  We got there to find a line at least FIFTEEN people long.  Instead of waiting, he snuck in from behind to cop a feel.  Apparently if brings you financial success.  I was okay with just taking the photo and leaving the rubbing to him! Ha!

While we were downtown we visited the 9/11 tribute museum.  Jame has been before but this was my FIRST time.  We spent THREE hours there including a tour that lasted SIXTY minutes.   I could have easily spent THREE more hours exploring as it is so well done.  I highly recommend the tour either the museum one for the tribute one which my mom did early this year.  It was only an additional TWENTY dollars but the guide gave all sorts of extra information and tidbits that aren’t documented in the museum.  We all wore headsets so we could hear what he was saying and I was so thankful since the museum was so full the entire time we were there.  It was interesting how the museum was so full and yet so quiet.  I still remember being in university and hearing the news of the twin towers like it was yesterday.   

Hidden behind this wall is a special room devoted to the THOUSANDS of families of the victims where they can come to visit their loved ones since many of the remains were never found.   The wall is covered in over TWO THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED different shades of blue to represent the color of the sky that day and the number of people that perished.  

Next, let’s talk about photos.  If it were up to James, we’d have ZERO pictures together.  I think this is a male thing.   He doesn’t like taking selfies and truthfully he isn’t very good at it and I have to ask, no beg, him to take a photo of me.  While I do enjoy some scenery pics I like to see myself in some of them and better yet, some as a couple.  We took SIX photos together over the FIVE day.  SIX.  That's lame.  

All are selfies except the best one which is shown below and taken on a machine in the Vineyard Vines store which apparently is James new fave store. I should get better at asking people to take them so I have to take some of the blame to.

While he managed to spend a couple HUNDRED dollars there on him and the kids I only bought ONE pair of shoes out of necessity.   I packed FOUR pairs but ZERO flat shoes to wear with my dresses, only wedges.  We were easily walking more that THREE THOUSAND steps to supper and back so I needed something easier on my feet.... Found a perfect pair at Century 21 for a mere $39.

Now let’s talk about location.  The last TWO times we’ve visited NYC we’ve stayed off time square.  I love time square and all it has to offer but this time we wanted to stay closer to Central Park to really use the park and maybe get a few runs in.  We chose 1 Hotel Central Park, which was only ONE block away from the park.  It was perfect.  I loved being central meaning we walked everywhere.   On our first full day we got over THIRTY THOUSAND steps!   While the hotel was great it was pricey and I loved my pillow, we decideded that next time we go we’d stay any where between time square and Central Park.  We spent a lot of time walking up 6th ave to the subway and by this love structure more times than I can count.  I made James take this picture in a dress I bought in Vegas and only have worn once.  It's just a little too dressy for a night out at home.  I think I’ll pull it out for my Xmas party this year.... that’s me, always thinking ahead.

On Deena’s suggestion, we signed up for a food tour of the Chelsea market.  I am so glad we did.  We were treated to a funny New Yorker passionate about food for THREE hours.  We went to EIGHT different food stands in the market.  Yes, EIGHT.  Unlike the fancy restaurant we ate at that also had EIGHT courses and ironically probably costed EIGHT times more, these were everyday foods that I loved!!!  Not the caviar, foie gras (liver!), lamb, and tuna tar tar I forced down at the 'nice' restaurant.  This food was right up my alley!

We met in front of this big bottle of wine in the Chelsea Market which is also home to many food net work shows, the MLB, and news stations.  Google now owns the building and has its main headquarters right across the street.

We ate and ate and ate some more.  We hadn’t eaten anything prior to arriving at 10 am and didn't eat again until after the show more than TWELVE hours later.  Even then I’m not sure I was ready to eat yet.  My stomach felt full and boated all day.   My favorite was the deep fried Oreo for TWO reasons.  First, it is not something I would ever order on my own and also I was really hungry and this was the FIRST thing I’d eaten all day.  I wasn't full.... yet.   As a side note, the market was originally home to Nabisco until it it out grew the facility over 50 years ago.  The Oreo cookie was their most popular item.

My second favorite was probably the biscuit and preserves (aka jam) from Sarabeths.  It was delish.  Something so simple but better than any other I'd ever tasted.  James preferred the more savory dishes like the sausage roll we had at the SECOND to last stop.   At this point I was only having a bite to try and James would finish mine if he liked it.  Except for the ice cream, I ate all my ice cream at the last stop. I ever turn down dessert!

After the food tour we decided to walk the high line that was introduced to us during the tour.   It is essentially the train line that once went from building to building delivering dry goods.   Now, it is a park.  James had never heard of it until the day before the tour and I hadn’t either until I started researching the tour.  I would have enjoyed it much more if it didn’t rain on us on and off but it was still really enjoyable.  You can still see the train tracks beside the path buried in the trees. It was really busy and obviously a tourist destination that I didn't know about until this trip. 

My personal favorite of the entire trip was the Broadway production of Pretty Woman.  It is my SECOND fave movie of all time other than Dirty Dancing.  In my opinion, you have to see ONE show when in NYC.   James told me he was going to equally hate them all and to choose what ever I wanted to see.  He clearly isn’t a musical kind of guy.... so after looking through the long list, the one I really wanted to see was Pretty Woman.  I loved it and surprisingly James said it was one of the better ones he’d seen.  I think I even liked it better than Dirty Dancing.....

Since the show was so close to Times Square we headed there next.  Since we've stayed in that area TWO other times it really represents NYC to me, that and the Statue of Liberty which I only saw once from afar this trip.  After walking down the street in time square with what felt like a MILLION other people I realized I liked staying off the square better!   We waited about TWENTY minutes to be seated at the Hard Rock Cafe where I enjoyed a cocktail and a platter of nachos all to myself.  And I wondered why my tummy hurt the whole trip.... Back to healthy eating starting today!

When James and I travel together we always see a sporting event.  He was struggling between seeing the Yankees and going to the US Open (tennis) and I told him I’d hate them both equally.  Ha! Well, I was wrong.  We went to the US Open and it was pretty darn cool.   We watched parts of THREE different matches where the under dog won in each one.  We had gross TWENTY dollar sandwiches and EIGHTEEN dollar cocktails that were to die for.   It wasn’t a cheap place to be.... for us, it was a once in a lifetime experience and I’m glad that is what he chose.  

One of the reasons I wanted to stay close to Central Park was so that we could potentially go on a few runs.  I wasn't sure If James could be convinced but we ended up going twice.  They were hard runs.  Maybe because it was hot, the time change, the food hangover, or my killer leg workout the day before we left.... Whatever the reason, they were hard but we still crushed TWO FIVE km runs.  Here I am post run on our last day.  Again, I had to ask for my photo, I wanted evidence that I ran in Central Park because that is pretty darn cool.  

James admiring the view in the middle of our run.  I had to sneak photos of him because he wasn't a big fan of posing for photos as I already mentioned.

While we were away, my mom took very good care of the kids for FIVE days.  She got them to FOUR hockey games at a rink she claims is the worst to get there.  She got lost all FOUR times even though she had directions!  They ended up downtown, at the saddledome , and at Ikea.  None of these locations are remotely close to the rink.  Sigh.....  This will be known as the trip where Grandma always got lost.  Even leaving town.....

These TWO are so lucky to have a Grandma ready and willing to travel EIGHT hours to watch them while there TWO crazy parents run wild in NYC.  Thanks Mom!

I feel so fortunate to get away with my hubby once a year to really focus on us and go on trips that aren't kid focused. We slept in, we explored, we ate, we stayed up late, we ate and we ate some more.  Such a memorable trip.  Next year is my big 4-0 so I'm excited to see where we end up!

TBB Asks: Cozy

1.   No slippers for these feet. 

2. I don't have a fave blanket.  Which ever one happens to be closest to me on the couch.

3.  Thin pillow.  My pillow is so old but every time I buy a new one it hurts my neck.  Maybe I'm the only one that likes a thin pillow?  I'd rather have no pillow than a big one.

4.  If it's cold out, nothing beats hot chocolate and Bailey's.  I go through a lot of Bailey's through the winter months and especially around Christmas.

5.  No robe for me.  I prefer a big warm sweatshirt over my PJs.

6.  Fave comfort foods????  Anything warm and from the slow cooker.  With the introduction of my instant pot, soup has quickly become a fave.

7.  I am a Netflix gal through and through!  I can't remember the last movie I watched.  I have never been a movie buff. 

8.  I wear actual PJs and I am always surprised on my girl trips how many people sleep in reg shirts.  I usually get made fun of.  Ha!

9. I prefer the couch.  More room for all my stuff and easier to lie down if I want.

10.  I love a big sweatshirt, no zipper and fuzzy inside.  Preferably with a some sort of funny saying on it.  Perfection!

It looks like a don't do cozy like most.  No slippers, no robe, no blanket..... but give me Netflix, sweatshirt and a bottle of wine and that is all the cozy I need!