More of a list rather than a blog, it's late and these events happened almost a week ago

So I was asked by Ryan and Ange to help (my mom) babysit Olivia, Owen, and Hayden for the weekend as the two of them traveled to Pennsylvania for a Friendship Hockey tournament. Fortunately my mom didn't have many (Valentine's) flower deliveries because I was feeling like absolute rubbish. I had woken up that morning with no voice and I felt like CRAP!
It was a busy but fun-filled weekend; and since I am writing this a week later, this blog will be more of a list of events, quotes, musings etc. instead of a proper flowing set of paragraphs.



Friday, February 12, 2010
-"Why do they have Canada flags?" --Hayden, when seeing the Japanese team walking in carrying both flags
-"Do they like have basketball for people in wheelchairs?" --Hayden after seeing a clip about Rick Hansen
"But, like they don't have lacrosse!....*statement followed by questioning look on face
- 10pm and Olivia has decided she doesn't want to miss the party and won't go to sleep
-Owen couldn't wait for the "pa-wade"--referencing the Opening ceremonies; he lasted for the first 5 countries and then asked for his "weepster" (Leapster) meaning he was ready for bed
-10:40pm and Olivia has FINALLY fallen asleep THANK-YOU Sarah Mclaughlin
-LOVED the piece with the guy running through the wheat fileds the song 'Both Sides Now'
-"I know! 'Cause I AM Canadian--Hayden in response to the commentator saying that the show is giving the World a sense of what it means to be Canadian
-fun fact: 2010 torch relay was the longest domestic torch relay in history --12000peopl carried the torch
-fun fact: 3rd time in Olympic games have been in Canada
-Vancouver, Whistler, Richmond
-K.D. Lang sang 'Hallelujah' amazingly
-Olympic Oath being sworn by Haylet Wickenhesier was so very good to see
-Rick Hansen, Catriona Le May Doan, Steve Nash, Nancy Green, Wayne Gretzky (lighting the outside cauldron)

February 13,2010
-went to st. Jacobs Market and I felt like one of those desperate mothers. Picture this: So I am carrying Olivia because we didn't bring the stroller thinking that it would be impossible to manouver through the crowds, but there wasn't any! Then, I am trying to control Hayden and Owen as my mom is actually looking through the different booths. "Owen! Hands behind your back!" "Hayden, can you please walk in front of me?!" "Mom! I asked you to watch Owen" et cetera, et cetera. It was most amusing to me, because I could sense the judgements around me. lol BUT then there was the good ol'akwardness when people would make comments about Olivia. It was like "Uh, Thanks! But I'm just her Aunt..." lmao
My most favourite thing about the market, or rather what use to be my favourite... My dad use to take us to market on many occasions, even if it was just to "take a look". We ALWAYS came out with our bellies full and more goodies in hand to take home. I'm talking SA WEET stuff--pepperoni sticks, great cheeses, specialty buns/bread, having had a peameal bacon on a bun or sausage on a bun, but THE BEST was when we would score on 'mini donuts' or the Apple Fritters, though I preferred the mini donuts.
AND SO, whenever I go to St. Jacobs, I always hit up that mini donuts place. It brings back memories along with un-needed calories. But hey! You only live once right...
On our way home we stopped at Carol's and FRIG! I will never forget that visit! It was the first time that I have EVER been attacked by a CACTUS...er..CACTI? I went to help Owen close the door when i ever-so-slightly brushed past 'The Cacti of DEATH'. i seriously barely touched it! There I sat, in shock, in disbelief, in PAIN! I had these tiny little copper-red thistles in my arm. I couldn't just brush them off, an dI couldn't just pick them out. No of course not! What would be the fun in that? AS I sat there saying "WTF? Who owns such a violent plant?" My aunt went and found sandpaper, yes, sandpaper! Who'da thunk it? Because I am so brave, I winced as she lightly, almost tickling lightly, brushed my arm with it. I told her to get it all out. Then, I decided she wasn't doing it hard enough or efficiently enough and so I took it upon myself to make sur eI was rid of those stupid little fibers. I rubbed my arm with the sandpaper incredibly hard; I was determined! I 'exfoliated' so much that my arm stopped burning from the cacti and instead started burning from the rubbing, a carpet like sting really.

-When we were back home, I had the cutest and saddest interaction with Owen
Remembering I have no voice --the convo goes as such
"Why is your voice like that?" -Owen
"'Cause I'm sick"-me
"I think it's like that cause you miss Poppa. Cause you should go down to Heaven, because you miss Poppa" --Owen as I am heading towards the living room
"How do you know?" -mom to Owen
"'just...uh...'cause I'm special..." -Owen
I come back to the kitchen
"You should go to Heaven cause you really miss Poppa" -Owen
"Well, yea, we all miss Poppa"-me
"We should all go visit Poppa..."-Owen
"One day, cause we all go to Heaven..." -me
"We should go in the hole with Poppa..."-Owen
"Do the Angels fight?"-Owen
----an the convo trais off
MAN! If this kid only knew how much he was right. I was having 'one of those' weeks and that day (and the couple days before) had been trying to reflect on things, and like I said, if only he knew how right he was. NOTE: I do NOT plan on 'visiting Poppa' anytime soon lol

-later Somes, Carol, Kelsey, and Tracy visited to watch some Olympics--Canadian women's hockey won 18-0 vs Slavakia --we also came upon smellypoop.com when trying to see what's up with Olivia--HILARIOUS! Or so I thought so at least. LMAO or rather Le May Oh
-we also listened to 'Waving Flag' by K'naan
-that night I fell asleep spooning with Diesel (dog 1 of 2). I know that sounds funny, but I liked falling asleep with a dog on the bed again. I miss Mickey :(


February 14, 2010
Happy Single's Awareness Day or even better, Happy Chinese New Year!
-woke to Owen crying about his face (clearly a result of him and Hayden rough-housing)
-well, it seems that after this, Owen decided to clock Hayden in the head with a speaker--"you deserve everything you get Hayden!" (in reference to hitting Owen), then she saw the blood, "Owen! What did you do?" ----hilarious to listen to this from my bed

So some things I learned: What is means having kids
-short showers
-limited sleep
-the dogs still need letting out
-mini donuts for breakfast is okay
-wearing a ballcap to hide bedhead or because you don't have time to dry your hair is also okay
-most important, getting out of bed when you aren't quite ready to even when you feel like death
-wearing a t-shirts more than once in a weekend
-you're very lucky if you have time for make-up--but don't worry, the kids won't mind, they just want their 'weepster' or 'PSP'


AND SO, if you have been following my status updates on facebook lately, you will know that I am having some rough times and have realized that after the dreaded 'one year', things have actually been (possibly) tougher.
I have been trying and will continue to try, to find myself. To find time--for reflecting, reanalyzing [relationships/frienships], regrasping [a hold of my life/dreams/goals], rewarding [myself for what I have accomplished and give myself more credit], remembering [well the obvious...but also what it was like to be happy with myself], but most importantly NOT REGRETTING A SINGLE FUCKING THING!

Some other things I enjoyed this weekend include:
-the "most perfect grilled cheese sandwiches" made by Grandma, I SWEAR they are always perfect!
-driving with Michael aka Bobby doing some deliveries
-singing 'Life is a Highway' =Tom Cochrane -- 'The Best is Yet To Come'
-school sing that said "sooner or later, we all quote our mothers'
-singing 'Big Girls Don't Cry' at the top of our lungs -Fergie
-roast beef dinner with Yorkshire pudding and potatoes and carrots
-watching Alexandre Bilodeau earn Canada's first Gold Medal of the 2010 Olympics and the first time on Canadian soil --SO AMAZING!

February 15, 2010
-LOVED playing outside with the boys, played hockey on the deck with Hayden and Owen
-found a bumblebee in the shed, it was so cool!...became only a thorax--Owen lol
-while digging out the hockey net from the snow and ice, Hayden explaining to me why his dad (Ryan) hadn't gotten it out sooner -- "...'Cause you're the strongest!" :)
-finshing the weekend with 'Hinkley Olympics' complete with pinning the tial on the cheeky beaver, thing toss, and beaver poo identification "le may oh"