Fly-by Post

What a busy time of year! next to Christmas, I think this has to be the busiest. I've been running around like crazy all day and think I will get to blogging in the evening, but then the evenings come and I am just too exhausted to do anymore than just blog surf. So ... I'm taking a quick minute out right now to do a quick post. ...not that there is any big, exciting news to share with you all or anything.

-the school year is starting to wind down and that's evident in the last minute assignments and the school trips, concerts, and school fairs that they always try and cram in at this time of the year. At this moment I am very happy to announce that all three boys are all caught up and functioning very well at the moment. This makes for a stress-free hoome.

-Halton Junior Jazz Band is winding down. They had their last practise yesterday. Next week they have a full day of school tours followed by a party afterwards. They will also be playing for the HDSB retirement dinner, and then they will be finished for the year. Since Cameron is in grade 7, he will automatically get in for next year. I think there is only one other grade seven student so it will be a whole new group next year.

-the High Rendition Jazz (Spencer's all-star jazz band) is just starting their performances. They have a big concert on Friday night (for which I will have a house full of company for). Most of their performances are over the summer months.

-tomorrow night is concert night at the high school.

-my gardens are finally done. Monday I put down the last of the mulch and other than maintenance, I won't be doing a thing more other than relaxing and enjoying the end result. When the weather is nicer, I'll try and take pictures.

-Friday a group of girls are going down to Buffalo for the day to a scrapbook convention. We're just going to check out the shopping ... not that I will be buying much, but it's always fun to check things out. It will be a quick trip for me as I need to be back by 5 for company.

-Cathy and I had a fun night at the trailer on Friday night. We relaxed, chatted, had a campfire, and then scrapbooked all day Saturday. Doesn't that sound perfect? It was!

-have I ever told you how much I love having campfires? It's the best part of the day at the trailer.

-tomorrow I'm going to the annual ILP meeting (individual living plan) for my brother Rick. (for those who don't remember, my brother has Down's Syndrome and is living in a group home now.) Mom, Dad and I will be going to that. My parents will be staying for the weekend due to all the activities happening here.

-we have a family reunion to go to on Saturday. It looks like the weather will be good.

OK, off to get a ton of stuff done today.
Have a good one everyone.

Friday Fill-ins

I love doing memes. Many times I have nothing that I think is blog-worthy but with memes there's always something to share. (for those in my family who tell me they have nothing to blog about, try memes - hint, hint).

I read this one and a couple of responses every week, but I've never participated. So, today I'm taking the plunge on this one.

And...here we go!

1. Moving my body these days is pretty painful. With all the gardening I've been doing, I'm starting to realize that I'm not a spring chick anymore (someone just needs to tell my brain that.)

2. The best things in life are free. So true.

3. My best quality is my sensitivity.

4. I'm not very good with details.

5. In nearly 10 years, we will have no more little ones. All three boys will be grown and living their own lives. Sometimes I love the idea of my boys growing into men, and sometimes it makes me all teary.

6.A good back massage is what I need right now!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to heading up to the trailer with my sister, tomorrow my plans include a lot of R & R, a little scrapbooking, and no gardening and Sunday, I want to crash, but Spencer has a concert out in Whitby!

For more Friday Fill-ins, go here: http://fridayfillins.blogspot.com/

Feeling Challenged

A couple of weeks ago, I came across This Post during my blog surfing. Jodi has challenged everyone to take a day and unplug. Here's what she says:

Do you want to check your email before brushing your teeth in the morning? Do you live for getting comments on your blog? Do you twitter at least 5 times a day? How often do you update your facebook status? How many hours a day is your tv on? How close to you, at this moment, is your cell phone?

Think about it.How hard would it be for you to unplug for one entire day?

no tv.

no phone.

no computer.

no internet.

Just you. Your life and your camera.

Think you could do it?

Join us and unplug for ONE day in the month of May. Whatever day works best for you and your family. And then commit to it. No cheating. And document it. With photos or words or both.

Then share your day with us on your blog. June 1st. On June 1st we’ll all share our days, together,on our blogs and spread the word to UNPLUG. Because I think a little unplugging is just what we all need every once in a while. To give our creative selves a day off. To rejuvenate.To just live. To be. Just you. Your life. Your camera.

I've been thinking a lot about this ever since I read it. I spend way too much time plugged in. My family spends way too much time plugged in.

Then, yesterday I had Oprah on the TV. (I'm not a big fan of the Oprah show, but every once in a while something will catch my ear and I will have to watch.) The topic of her show yesterday was "What could you live without?" She challenged two separate families to unplug and go for a week without TV, computers, cell phones, and video games. The purpose was to spend more time together as a family reconnecting.

I was really feeling challenged.

I know that John and I are close to our boys and we spend more than the average amount of time with them doing stuff and just hanging out. We are all home bodies so we're together most of the time. Still, a lot our time in the house is spent doing our own things ... plugged in somewhere in the house.

So, at some point over the next week, I am going to unplug. I won't do it for a week, but I will do it for a day. I'm going to encourage my family to do it as well. A day will be easier to sell than a week so we'll see if they join me. The purpose won't be to spend time with my camera, but rather with my children and my husband. If the camera comes along, then so be it, LOL.

On the selected day, I will display the following to let you all know that I am unplugged.

Anyone else up for the challenge? What would you do with your time?

Thursday Thirteen

I've been pretty busy this past week. When I've had a few minutes I haven't had the energy to post anything here. So, what's been keeping me away?

13 Things that have kept me away from my blog this past week:

1. On Saturday Cathy and I went down to London to take Mom out for lunch for Mother's Day. It was a very nice day. We went for lunch, did a little shopping, and went to a garden centre. Our time went way too fast!

2. After spending the day with Mom, Cathy dropped me off in Guelph to meet John. Then we took John's parents out for dinner for Mother's Day. John's brother and sister-in-law were able to join us too. It was a lovely evening with great food and great company.

3. On Sunday I spent the day with my own family. John and the boys had gone shopping and got me some gifts for Mother's Day. We went out for lunch and then I spent the afternoon puttering around my scrapbook room.

4. I've spent most of the daylight hours over the past several days outside in the garden. After two years of neglect, they needed a major overhaul. I've been trimming, digging, pulling weed after weed, hauling new topsoil and refilling all the gardens, moving patio stones, and planting. Whew! That was a lot of work. I'm very tired, have a very sore back, but it's almost all done. All I need to do (ahem, we need to do) is put the mulch down. I hate doing the mulch so I will be insisting on help from some very able-bodied boys and men around here.

5. When I've been forced to come inside, I've been trying to keep on top of the housework. You know, laundry, cleaning, cooking, etc. Let's just say that the inside doesn't look near as good as the outside right now.

6. Mom's taxi ... driving here, there, and everywhere.

7. Tuesday was one of those manic days. After Lunch Bunch I had to run to the grocery store and pharmacy, then I had to whip home to grab Cameron's music, trumpet, and concert clothes. Then I had to pick him, and three other kids up from their schools and get them to HJJB practise out in Burlington. They went into overtime and didn't finish until 6:20 and Cameron needed to be back at school for 6:30. (impossible!) After dropping everyone off, I managed to get Cameron to school for the Spring Concert at 7. He arrived just as they were going on stage. (fortunately, the director of the HJJB ... who went into overtime in the practise ... is Cameron's music teacher at school, so there was no need to explain why we were late.

8. We are getting ready to go to the trailer tomorrow for the weekend. We're opening the trailer for the season which means a lot of packing this week. I don't think we're going to fit everything into the car. Oops! (should I admit that I miss having the space that we had in the van?)

9. I've spent some time with my friend from Cameron's school this week. (She's the one who has been undergoing chemotherapy for cancer.) Good news! The chemo is working and the cancer is shrinking. Yay. Poor her. It's been a tough road for her. I know she's looking forward to be done with the treatments so she can get back to feeling better.

10. We've been on the phone this week (Matt and I) with Seneca College to set up a time for an admission test all students have to take, and to try and get him into a transition programme. Int he summer they run a four day programme for kids with learning disabilities to help them transition into college life. They are introduced to key people they will need to know and told about all the services that are available to them. They also do recreational stuff with them to help them get to know each other. Unfortunately, kids with Asperger's and NLD are put on a wait list as they don't seem to recognize these disorders as true learning disabilities (maybe because they aren't in the DSM?) Fortunately, Matt's IPRC and IEP actually list him as having a communication learning disability, so he shouldn't have a problem being accepted into this programme.

11. Tomorrow is Music Fest Nationals. Both HJJB and Spencer's High Rendition Jazz are competing. It's out in Markham this year. Spencer's school band is also playing at Wonderland tomorrow so it means a lot of back and forth and juggling people and schedules to make sure everyone is where they need to be when they need to be there. It will feel good to pull into the trailer after a day of running everyone everywhere.

12. American Idol. For those AI fans, can you believe who went home last night?

13. Lastly, the thing most keeping me from my blog is I'm just plain tired!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others’ comments. It’s easy, and fun!

Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

20 Favorite Things

I'm participating in another meme from http://thesimplewoman.blogspot.com/ because, well, if the truth be told, I have nothing else to blog about at the moment. How sad is that? (actually, quiet equals good around here.)

20 Favorite Things:

1. Color-orange.
2. Dessert-chocolate cake
3. Smell-the forest in the spring
4. Flower-Gardenias
5. Animal-Lions, Tigers, Lepeords
6. Month- tough choice for me. I would say December because, even though it's so busy, it's filled with loved ones and thoughts of loved ones.
7. Beverage-cup of hot tea
8. Pair of shoes-converse sneakers in the summer, boots with my jeans in the winter
9. Snack-I love potatoe chips ... just about any kind, followed by something chocolatey, but since I'm trying to eat healthier, I've stopped bringing it into the house.
10. Song- "Delila" by Plain White Ts
11. Book-my favourite would be the Bible
12. Fruit-another tough call - purple grapes right now
13. Hairstyle-anything that I can straighten and keep straight as I hate my curly hair
14. Piece of clothing-blue jeans and a white T-Shirt. (sorry to all my friends who get to see me wear this time and time again.)
15. Store to clothes shop- Reitman's I buy almost all my clothes there now
16. Season-Autumn
17. Hobby-hmmmm ... let me think .... SCRAPBOOKING!
18. Thing to collect - photographs
19. Movie-I don't have a favourite, but I like anything that makes me laugh
20. Restaurant-anywhere that I don't have to cook and clean up and doesn't come in a box.


OK, now show me your favourites!

Guess where I am right now? No, I haven't taken some exotic vacation and am sitting on a nice beach somewhere. Nothing like that. But ... it's pretty relaxing just the same. I am sitting in the backyard, in our new gazebo. We have purchased a new "converstion set" (outdoor couch, chairs and coffee table.)

This is very pleasant. It was raining earlier so everything is fresh, and wet, except for where I'm sitting. The birds are singing, and it smells wonderful. (if it weren't for all the traffic noise on the streets around us I might actually think I was at a cottage somewhere.) I think this will be my new morning ritual for the summer months. Even the cat has decided to join me.

Ahhhhhh! Maybe I'll just stay here all day. Think anyone will miss me?

Simple Woman's Daybook

I'm really enjoying this weekly meme and reading other people who do too. It seems like a perfect way to frame my new week.



FOR TODAY (Monday, May 4th)...

Outside my window... The sun is shining and the sky is blue. There's still a chill in the air, but that won't last long. It's suppose to be a nice, warmish day. There is garden debris all over the back lawn from my work in the garden yesterday. The spring clean up has begun.

I am thinking... that it feels good to be out working in the gardens and actually enjoying it again. For the last couple of years I seemed to do just what was neccesary as I didn't seem to have the energy. This year, I'm planning a big overhaul!

I am thankful for... Joyce. I don't know her in person, but I found her through blogging and she is one of the blogs I visit on a regular basis. I feel so inspired by her as a mother, and a Christian.

From the scrapbook room... I'm trying to focus on my project 365 right now and getting that caught up. Hopefully I will have some more layouts to share with you shortly.

From the kitchen... Tonight I was going to make Peanut, Chicken, Noodle dish that is one of my family's favorites. This may be put off for pizza if I spend the day outside hauling dirt, stones, and furniture around.

I am wearing... hahahaha! Guess!

I am creating... or attempting to create a better outdoor living space. We have purchased a gazebo and spent yesterday getting it up. We're going to purchase an outdoor "living room" for underneath it. If it all comes together as I envision it, it should be quite a transformation.

I am going... to the garden centre today to get some more garden supplies and stones. I also need to make it out to the grocery store.

I am reading... Church of Lies by Flora Jessop. It's another book on the FLDS (the polygamist cult). I seem to have a facination for the FLDS.

I am hoping... that I'm not too sore from all the heavy work I have planned for myself. Now I'm really wishing I was in better physical shape!

I am hearing... the TV. Matt is watching the sports updates while he prints off an assignment he needs to hand in today.

Around the house... mess, mess, and more mess!

One of my favorite things... blogging and reading blogs. I love peaking into people's lives and reading tidbits from them. I also love reading and catching up on friends and loved ones.

A few plans for the rest of the week: I have lots planned and I may be too ambitious. Most of the plans surround the outdoors. hopefully by the end of the week I will have all the gardens done with the exception of the mulch and all the plants planted. After today I may be trying to dodge some rain, though, so I might not be too successful.

On the kid front, I think we only have one concert this week. Compared to the 4 from last week, I think it's managable.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

If you want to join in on this meme, or see others who have, go here http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Complete Randomness

Not much to blog about this week. My life seems to be just driving from one music practise, or concert to the next. So, this post is just about random thoughts.

I'm looking forward to this weekend. The weather is supposed to be good and I'm planning on spending a lot of it outside, cleaning up the gardens and scrubbing the patio furniture. I have a big bag of top soil arriving on Monday so I hope the weather lasts throughout the week so I can get all the dirt where I want it to be.


I have found my way back to the treadmill this week. I have to force myself to exercise, but man, does it feel good when I'm done.


Matt has made his college and programme choice. Whew! He has chosen to go to Seneca College for Biotechnology Technologist. This was his first choice as they deal a lot with genetics and cell work. He's relieved to have made the choice ... and we are too.


Cameron had two concerts this week. Tuesday was Jazz Fest for different school jazz bands. He played a solo. It was a totally improvised solo. It was awesome (proud mommy plug here) and I was very impressed. The next night was Band Share with the Halton Junior Jazz Band. They rocked the house! More concerts next week.


Tonight I'm heading to Cathy's house for a night of cropping with her and her friends. My plan is to get caught up on my project 365. I'm so far behind!


Yes, I'm still doing Project 365. I haven't given up on it ... yet.


I talked to the SERT (special education resource teacher) from Cameron's school today. Hopefully his laptop will be here in the Fall. However, they are recommending that he take summer school this summer for math. It's only a week and will just help him gain more confidence in math before he enters grade 8. He's not going to be happy. I'm not too happy about it either as it means not being able to spend the first week of the summer at the trailer ... but I know that it will really benifit him and give him a firmer footing for next year.


OK, my brain is empty now. So, before I leave, I'll share a recent layout I did. This was from our vacation in Tennessee last summer. We passed this A & W Drive-in, and I made my family stop and eat there. It brought back so many memories of my early childhood in the 60s. I even made my boys order root beer floats.