The Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY (March 30)...

Outside my window... It is cold and dreary. That taste of spring we had this weekend was a cruel joke!

I am thinking... that this should be a quiet, uneventful week.

I am thankful for... quiet, uneventful weeks.

From the scrap room... I got some layouts done this weekend. It was my weekend away in Syracuse with some of my scrapping friends. I didn't get nearly as much done as I would have liked, but it's about being with friends right?

From the kitchen... it was a real mess this morning after the four of them being home all weekend and me being away. It's clean now. As long as my kitchen is clean, I'm happy.

I am wearing... black yoga pants, a white t shirt and a blue sweater. My usual Monday morning attire.

I am creating... piles of stuff that need to be put away.

I am going... to be a groupie tomorrow. The Halton Junior Jazz band is doing school tours tomorrow. I think I'll just go and watch at one school ... ours.

I am reading... do scrapbook magazines count?

I am hoping... that this headache goes away. I've had it since yesterday and I don't want to have to break out the strong stuff.

I am hearing... just the bubbling of the fish tank. I wonder if he got fed this morning?

Around the house... is evidence of an absent mother all weekend. I don't want to look!

One of my favorite things... quiet, uneventful weeks.

A few plans for the rest of the week: no real plans ... just trying to get our lives back into a routine after our vacation and me being away this past weekend. I'm looking forward to reconnecting with some friends on Saturday.

Here is picture thought I am sharing:

You mean there's more?

Oh yes, there's more!

Not long after getting back from ATVing I started getting that familiar tickle in the back of my throat ... you know the one where you know that you're coming down with something? It wasn't long and I was coughing and shivering. I wasn't sure if I was suffering from sun stroke, or if it was something I ate or drank, but it continued for the rest of the trip ... in fact I still am sick.

On Saturday we went out on a Catamaran trip. We had to take a taxi ride for an hour to get there. This cab was in pretty bad shape and for the whole trip all we could smell was exhaust. By the time we arrived I was feeling sick to my stomach and once we were on the water I thought I was going to be sick. Fortunately, the fresh air went a long way to clear my lungs and I was OK after a little while. It was a fun day but very choppy which made for some huge waves when we stopped for lunch and snorkling in Sosua. The scenery alone was worth the trip.

When we got back to the resort, there was a note to call Milena (my very sweet friend who very kindly agreed to check up on my sweet boy Oliver a few times ... and the hermit crabs, and the fish, and the sea monkies...). When we called, she told us that our house had been broken into at some point in the last day. They broke through the front door, kicking it in shattering the door frame. They then went right upstairs and ransacked the bedrooms looking for cash and jewelry and then left through the back door leaving it open. Poor Milena had the unfortunate task of discovering the break-in and dealing with the police.

We lost some jewelry and a small amount of cash but we know it could have been worse because there was stuff they didn't find.

The ATV Excursion

We decided to do a couple of the excursions in the Dominican Republic and one was an ATV trip. It was for two hours through the Dominican countryside. We took three ATVs out along with a couple of guides who lead us to different spots. We all took turns driving and everyone had a blast.

At one point John and Cameron were riding together and somehow managed to drive off into the ditch. I took great pleasure in snapping some pictures and other than some scrapes from some barbed wire, all that was damaged was John's ego.

Near the end of the trip we were starting out on the main road to head back to the hotel. It was an easy stretch of road as it was paved. We decided to switch drivers one last time. As we headed along the main road we were coming up to a small bridge that crossed a creek. Cameron and I were at the end of the line and all of a sudden we see Matthew and Spencer veer off the road and over the emankment. Talk about freaking out! Apparently Spencer said something into Matt's ear and Matt turned to talk to him and steered right off the road. The drop was about 10 to 15 feet. Matt ended up in the creek very shaken and Spencer managed to grab onto some fallen trees on the way down. Both boys were OK (thanks to the helmets they were wearing) but their legs were pretty cut up.

The ATV didn't fare so well. It ended up upside down in the water under two fallen trees. It took 5 men and 20 minutes to pull, push, lug, and tow it out of the water.

Poor Matt was so upset with himself for what happened.

One day we will laugh about it ... but for now we still are in shock over the whole thing and just how lucky they were not to have been more seriously hurt.

The Saga Continues

So bright and early Monday morning we made our way to the airport and borded a plane to the Domincan Republic. We had a good time while we were there. The weather for the most part was good. We had one day of rain which kept us indoors. All the other days we had about an hour's worth of rain in the afternoon but we were still able to enjoy the rest of the day.

The boys had a good time. When Cameron wasn't swimming, he was doing what he loves most - exploring and hunting for critters. We lost count of how many lizzards he caught. Spencer said he had a good time, but to us he looked bored. With him it's hard to tell as he's usually more quiet and enjoys his own company. Matthew was the one who really surprised us. Since he has Nonverbal Learning Disorder, social settings and crowds tend to overwhelm him and he withdraws to his gameboy. Our first full day there he started off sitting around the pool in the shade reading his book, but after a short while he joined a water polo game in the pool with a bunch of other guys. After that point, we hardly saw him for the rest of the week (except at supper time). He hung our around the pool meeting people his own age, playing games and chatting. Every night at around 10 p.m. he went out to the Disco until about 2 or 3 in the morning where he said he met a lot of people. After the first night at the disco he told me that it was one of the best nights of his life. We were so thrilled for him and it was so reassuring to see him interact so well (well for him because there was still a lot of quirky mannerisms and behaviours) with his peers.

More tomorrow!

The Saga - part one

OK, so this part isn't the actual trip, but it's leading up to it.

As I stated in a previous post, our van was getting sicker and sicker. We were having some issues with it. Last fall we started looking around to replace it, but it would seem that no one was wanting to give us a decent trade-in for it. Actually, they basically didn't want it at all. ...that may have had something to do with the fact that it had 240,000 KMs on it, and that the honda oddessy has been notoriously bad for transmission problems. So, we decided at that point that we would just drive it until it died (or until we needed to put money into it to keep in on the road.)

Well, as luck would have it, right before leaving the back brakes all of a sudden wore away and we had metal rubbing on metal. We had to make the painful choice to get a new vehicle. So, we spent the day on Saturday (instead of packing, getting our banking done, and doing other arrangements) car shopping. It was very nerve-racking for both of us. We've had both our vehicles for over 8 years. Anyway, but the end of the day on Saturday, we purchased a lightly-used but fully loaded Crysler Pacifica. It is one sweet ride! ...and I'm so happy not to be driving a mini van anymore!



I'm so glad now that we got it, but it was really stressful to have to go through that right before leaving for our vacation. I'm sure that for the first few days of our trip John was replaying the whole thing over and over again wondering if he got the best deal he could have.

Next ... the trip begins!

We're home

What a week we had! So much happened and so much to tell! Some of it we are still trying to get our heads around!

All I can say is ... Stay Tuned!

(sorry, I don't have time to write any more at the moment ... but you will want to come back and hear all the sordid details!)

Today I am...

...happy that school assignments are done and being handed in today. There was a spring in the step of three boys who are looking forward to a week off school and a week away in a new destination.

...thinking of a couple of my friends who are going through some tough times right now. Formost in my mind is my friend who just had another Chemotherapy treatment and I know is sick as a dog.

...feeling quite lazy inspite of the fact that I have a ton of stuff that I need to get done over the next couple of days.

...aware that my wonderful husband just may be regretting giving me an itouch for Christmas as it's the gift that keeps on costing him money. I seem to have an addiction to the application and itune store.

...still in love with my itouch (and my wonderful husband)

...wondering what will be happening with the old Honda Oddessy as it has been getting sicker and sicker and it may be time to put it out to pasture.

...wondering if it goes out to pasture then how am I going to transport myself and three friends to Syracuse, New York 4 days after returning from our vacation. Yikes! I can just picture it now ... four of us hitch hiking with all our cropping bags.

...hoping that I have enough summer clothes that still fit me to fill my suitcase. I guess I'd better be trying some clothes on today to make sure.

...staring at the fridge and wondering how the boys manage to get all those hand prints all over the front of it when they need the handles to open it. My mother tells me that one day I will miss those hand prints. I don't see it.

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY (Monday March 9)...
Outside my window... it is dreary, rainy, and dull. It's hard to get used to Daylight Savings Time at first.

I am thinking... of all the things I need to do this week to get everyone ready for our vacation.

I am thankful for... a nice relaxing weekend for a change. We didn't do much except putter around. I loved it!

From the scrapbook room... I had a fun night on Friday with my sister Cathy and her scrapbooking group. I even managed to finish up some layouts and do a P365 layout.

From the kitchen... tonight will be a yummy Thai chicken noodle recipe that everyone drools over. Hopefully there will be lots left over for my lunch tomorrow. I'll have to hide those left overs, though, or they will be someone's bedtime snack.

I am wearing... guess?

I am creating... lists ... and lots of them: to do lists, what I need to buy and from what store lists, what I need to pack lists, what I need to do for the critters before we go away lists ... maybe I need a list to organize all my lists!

I am going... on vacation ... have I mentioned that already?

I am reading... Stolen Innocence (a book written by the girl from the FLDS who sent Jeffs away for a long time.)

I am hoping... to get a lot done today ... but that won't happen if I stay on here!

I am hearing... Matthew getting his breakfast (and likely making a mess.)

Around the house... excitment is in the air ... and Cameron is already having a hard time getting to sleep at night.

One of my favorite things... peanut butter and honey sandwhiches. Yum!

A few plans for the rest of the week: to cross a lot of items off those lists I'm making, cleaning, shopping, organizing, ...nothing too exciting.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

If you want to participate in this meme or read other's that have, go here

hahahahaha! Love this Video!

If you're a Facebooker you need to watch this. OK, I don't dislike everything this guy says ... like "old people on facebook" ... hey! I don't hate having old people on facebook ... he probably considers me as being one of those old people, but most of it had me laughing.



I don't hate facebook, but there is sooooo much of it that I find pretty stupid and just a complete waste of time. Sometimes I just shake my head and think "have I just gone back to high school?"

Thirteen things going on right now

Things have been rather hectic around here this past week. I feel like I need a vacation. So, today's Thursday Thirteen is all about what's going on in this neck of the woods:

1. We're getting ready for our vacation. Usually our March Break is spent down in Florida with my parents, but this year will be our last March Break that we will be spending together as a family. Isn't that sad?? With Matt going off to College next year, his break will be different from the other two. So ... we decided that we were going to hop on a plane and take a real vacation. So, in a week we'll be off to fry our skin in the Dominican Republic.

2. In preparing for our trip I have been doing a little early spring cleaning of everyone's clothes to make sure we all have enough summer wear that still fits us. I've been tossing huge amounts of clothes. I love purging! Now I need to get out and see if I can buy the boys some new clothes before we go.

3. My scrapbook store in town announced on Sunday that they were closing their doors effective immediately. So sad that another store has to close. They still have a store in Mississauga, but due to some of their business practises, I will no longer be a customer of their's.

4. The group of ladies that I got together with every Tuesday to scrapbook with were meeting at that store. Since we were left homeless ... and on short notice, I had 10 ladies at my house on Tuesday. We had a great time, and it was a very relaxed atmosphere. We decided to just rotate houses for our get togethers.

5. Tuesday morning, right before the girls started arriving, I discovered a leak in the basement ceiling. Since the basment is finished, it was difficult to see where the leak was coming from, but it was getting worse. That meant that I had to turn the main water off and just turn it back on for potty breaks. NICE! Last night John had to cut some holes into the ceiling of the basement to try and figure out where the water was coming from. We think the mystery is solved as it appears that it was the water and ice maker on the fridge that had sprung a leak. I hope the mystery is solved!

6. Last weekend was a very busy one and we were running from one thing to the next all weekend long. Sunday night was a farewell concert for the Divisional Youth Band as they are going on tour in Florida. Spencer won't be going as it is during the March Break and he would rather go with us to Dominican Republic. I'm not complaining!

7. Matt and Spencer both got their G1 driver's lisence this week. Look out world! This is the first step of the graduation lisencing in Ontario. We looked at a driver's ed programme last night. Holy Canoli! They want at least $800 per child. Yikes! ...I don't even want to know how much our insurance is going to go up by!

8. One of the moms at school who I've become friends with has found out that she has Lymphoma (non hodgekins.) She has started Chemo and has been so sick. Please pray for her, her husband, and her son who is only 12. I know they will all need as much strength and support as they can get during this difficult time.

9. Milena and I went out for lunch and some scrapbook shopping yesterday. I'm so glad that we have reconnected. We yakked so much. I thought I talked her ear off, and she thought that she talked my ear off. It was fun! Thanks, Milena. Next time it's the Bug!

10. This weekend we're going out for dinner and a movie with some friends that we hardly ever get to see. It will be great to be able to spend some time with them!

11. Last night I spent about 3 hours on my lap top editing photos and then sending them off to be printed. I really hate that whole process. It will be nice to have a bunch of pictures on hand again ready to be scrapbooked. I need to do that more often, then maybe it won't be a three-hour long event!

12. Friday night Cathy is having a group of girls to her place for her monthly crop. Hmmmm ... there seems to be a common theme running through this post, LOL!

13. Well, I can't think of one last thing to write so I guess that's it. I keep hearing Jon and Kate (from Jon and Kate Plus 8) "It's a crazy life, but it's our life."

To participate in Thursday Thirteen, go HERE