The Twelve (well 24 actually) Days...

Is it wrong to teach your 3 year old children to sing this version of the 12 Days of Christmas? You see, this morning I grabbed this (new to me) Christmas CD (note to shoppers, cheaper at Zellers) and didn't even realize the bonus track was the legendary Bob & Doug McKenzie. I am in the van with the boys and on it comes, well, I was SOOOO thrilled and was singing along much to their complete confusion "what songs is these Mudder?" (oh ya, note newest term of endearment being used - wtf? yet ever so adorable).

The CD was one of those 'on a whim' purchases, and it isn't all that bad (but not the greatest). Some classic Christmas carols, yet sung in some very intriguing, welcomed variations, if only just to take you away some the same renditions over & over & over & over. No where near as good as last year's Barenaked Ladies Christmas CD purchase, that one is still by far tops in this house. I have two others which I play ad nauseum over the holidays, drives my father ballistic. I love Harry Connick Jr (this one good too) and also who can't not add a little warmth to your heart thinking of Snoopy and Charlie Brown while this Vince Guraldi CD plays away in the background.

Ah yes, December is here. That also means we get to play advent calendar!!! Having grown up using the same picture only advent calendar year after year after year, find the number, open little door, see picture of drum, berry, trumpet, cookie, I have decided to make it more fun. (Don't get me wrong my brother and I lived for those calendars). We make a link calendar, and inside every link is written a holiday activity of some sort for us to do. It may be a craft, some baking, send a card, sing a song, whatever. And each day as we take that link off, the chain gets shorter and shorter getting closer to that actual blessed day. So - wanna play ? What I am committing to doing (I cannot believe I am, but I am) is each day I will also post here our daily link inscription. Now I don't know how to categorize posts (maybe someone could teach me) but if you get behind and it isn't on the sidebar, rest assured it will be in the December archives.

A link calendar is easy-peasy. Cut 24 strips of construction paper, I recommend staple or tape or those funky little brass looking thingies that poke through the paper and you fold them back to stay in place, like inside of a grade 4 duotang folder. Does this help? Make one loop, then make another but WAIT! don't fasten it together till you have looped the strip through the existing loop (good old scotch tape works too). We are making a very elaborate paper chain here folks, stick with me. Does this help? We opt to use green and red paper and alternate. I write inside the daily activity and let the boys colour and put stickers everywhere the place to personalize it. Don't forget to number them! VERY important in case little hands get a little over-zealous one day, if you know what I mean. What I am promising, is not to make your paper chain advent calendar link thingy for you, but to simply broadcast and share the daily task at hand. Capiche? (even my kids know that word means 'unnerstann'). This not only means I am commiting to post on a daily basis, yikes, it must mean that I like you all very very much. It could be fun, or perhaps you'll be out there enjoying a good cyber-belly laugh at me thinking at least someone is playing along when actually, no one is. Phooey on you! I am not asking you to post, link, report to me or anyone else or even on your blog (unless of course you want to). Just play along whenever the hell you want to. (how's that for sounding festive?)

So here we are, only 4 sleeps till hubby gets home and the real fun can start! Oops, rather 24 sleeps until Christmas Day. I get a little misty eyed thinking of the excitement and joy we will experience this year from now till then through the eyes of the young ones, but savouring it even more now that they are a mere one year older than last. I'll save that emoting for another time.

So....Are you ready? Set? Go!!

Low batteries...recharge!!

We are so busy doing whatever it is that is keeping us busy including one huge-ass puddle jumping festival today in the most welcomed warm weather and pouring rain. (I could SOOOO live in Vancouver - hear that C-A?) I am lucky I came up for air from the puddles. We are all doing what we do and more. The boys are fighting like oil & water, the penalty box is certainly getting lots of use this week. WW undies need washing, in fact they need bleaching, no wait, I'll just have to go buy new ones....tomorrow!!!! Recharge?? Charge it!! I have a sitter coming for three glorious hours in the afternoon - woo hoo for moi! I also managed to hit a sale on Monday morning and these sweaters were on sale 50% off...there was a deep aqua blue one and a cream/pink one. I couldn't decide. Which one do you think I should get? Nope. Too slow, bought 'em both. What else could I do??

I have so much on my plate this week with my volunteer stuff I have been neglecting my blogging buddies - I apologize. BUT...soon Frances, the WBBE, BN will pick our names for the Winter Holiday of Your Choice Extravaganza thingy. I can't wait!!

Recharge??? Charge it!!! I also have a sitter coming on Friday night so I can attend an adults only Christmas dinner thingy for our Co-Op Playgroup.

We're gonna make it!! I think, I hope, I'm melting....5. More. Long. Sleeps.

P.S. Heathrow shopping list ideas most welcome.

Bite Me

First and foremost, thank you TONS to everyone who is 'there' for me. It really really really really really helps. Really, it does.

Today was a good day, we were kept quite busy with trips to the post office, gym'n'swim lessons, and yup...snow. We had a rather good dose of it today, maybe 5-10 cm (approx. 2-4 inches for the Americans - HAPPY THANKSGIVING!). When my Beloved called on my cellphone around 3 PM our time to tell me he was there safely, I asked him what the weather was like there. He replied "Around 25" (Note: that's Celsius, again around 80 Fahrenheit) and I blurted back "Wow! You got more than we did!" Me, referring to snow accumulation, him, more referring to the level of SPF he'll be needing. Har dee har har, I so funny.

So, he is here:
Looking out his fucking window at this:

SO I emailed him this pic of his very precious car...

...and told him to bite me.

The good news is that I grabbed a peak at his itinerary and noticed he did not have a 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 or 8 hour layover in Heathrow on his way home, but 9. NINE glorious hours of shopping at Heathrow. I told him I was making a wish list to send him and he is not to return without it duly completed. I was just kidding of course, but there are Duty Free shops there, that sell Swatch watches, and there is one I have been eyeballing for months. AND AND AND (trying to catch my breath) there is a (pant pant pant) Disney Store there!! Buzz is HUGE in the U.K. and the obsession for Buzz in this house is just as huge, only exponentially squared a thousand times more. I did spend a small fortune at the Ottawa store a couple of weeks ago, but there is always room for more more more. If only the budget had room for a pink Burberry scarf...sigh.

Hey, do you like my boots?

There is someone out there who always bugs me about my boots. They are circa 1991 Sorels purchased in Edmonton where the winters are oooh, so nipply cold and in the early 90's white was in. They still keep my feet warm so why should I go buy new ones just to match?? That is way too fashionista for me, I'd rather save my pennies to match in the handbag or shoe department (plus the last time I checked Winners doesn't sell apple red Sorels in my size).

P.S. Did you know in the Blogger spellcheck (yes Sharon, it does exist) that the suggested correct spelling for fashionista is pessimists. Go figure.

Hello? Wonder Woman? Can I borrow your underwear?

I will be sporting my Wonder Woman undies (not thong for those of YOU who I KNOW are curious) for the next 12 days while the husband is away on business very very very very very far away. Please bear with me, and be here for me as there may be copious amounts of whining, venting and aa bonafide search for some therapy, internet style. FYI, the WW undies is the comic relief reference we use when I am in this 'way' of flying solo.

Let's see, last time he went away for a 'long' trip (classification longer than 5 days) twin B bumped his head and required medical attention in the form of one stitch. That was Day 1. It was healed and removed by the time Daddy got home.

This time I am willing all potential medical attention needing situations AWAY. Done. Next, we will have our usual crazy schedule of preschool, library, swim'n'gym, skating, Sunday School, playdates, errands, yadda yadda yadda. And as much as we are capable of doing everything ourselves, it just really truly makes my life so much happier/easier when my Beloved is home. Just the mental relief knowing he is in the same city as us is sometimes enough to keep me sane. The errands and groceries will be done more sporadically and with assistance. Thank God for my personal shopper (Gramps) who like any retired senior citizen, hits the grocery store &/or Zellers almost daily.

The 'thing' is, yes there is a 'thing'. We are hosting our annual big-ass Open House Holiday party thingamajig on the 10th. He gets home late on the 4th. HIS staff Christmas shindig is on the 9th, and get this, NO SPOUSES invited this year. WTF is up with that? So, the 'thing' is that between now and then, I have to do EVERYTHING in prep for the party, all on top of normal life which tends to fill my time up rather nicely. Kinda like squeezing in that extra cherry on the whipped cream infested triple layer chocolate fudge sundae, even though there really is no more room for it. (see? Trying to be semi-optimistic?)

I'll do the shopping, the baking, the cleaning, the decorating, the more shopping, the more baking, and of course, the more decorating etc etc etc. If you are reading this and are one of my neighbours or my husband's co-workers, please don't be too disappointed when all we serve this year is, well....nothing. OK, I am kidding cause I LOVE hosting this party every year, just the prep is gonna be a little, different. It won't be as much fun as it usually is. We have already purchased all the wine. We were in Ottawa a couple of weeks ago cause, hello, the booze is so much cheaper across the border in Canada (unlike the country of Quebec). We just always have so much fun putting everything together, together. I like being together. Ah well, perhaps I can put a few new signature items on the list, you know, since I'll have to make all the really important decisions alone. Please add martini injected olives and the Bailey's martini. Seeing a theme here???

Stay tuned, and if you are willing, please hold my hand. Thank you.

Getting To Know Me Questionnaire for The Winter Holiday of Your Choice Blog Bonanza

Here are my answers to Marla's questionnaire for the Blogging Holiday Gifty Extravaganza Thingy. Holy shit - this was harder than applying for a passport. It will be worth it though, cause I am thinking I am pretty much guaranteed that something fun will appear one day in my mailbox. Doesn't get much better than that, does it?

Fill in the blanks:

If I could get away with it, I'd steal the key to Tiffany’s NYC, because damn it, it should be mine.

I sometimes buy celeb gossip magazines, because I lust after gossip.

If you came over to my house to play and broke my red wine crayon, I'd be a little bit mad at you forever.

The colour shit brown, shit green, shit mustard yellow, anything that resembles shit should only be used in fungal remedy packaging or if human waste were to be redesigned.

The colour PINK makes my heart feel like it is full of happy kittens frolicking in a sunny, grassy meadow.

Thong underwear makes me break out in gooberous pustules (or else I just don't like it, but I'm too nice to say it.)

I might get sick or die if I touch wool (the itchy stuff) or ingest tequila, or look at Ozzy Osbourne.

Spiders, bees and wasps give me the heebie jeebies and I might need to seek therapy if I even think about it further.

I love the feel of flannel so much I have a primitive urge to stick some down my pants. (you don’t know how hard it was for me to NOT type vibrator).

No one should have to watch me eat spicy hot chicken wings, because really If I were eating some in private, I'd be quite a pig about it.

I would rather chew tinfoil and shave my head with a cheese grater than eat brussel sprouts &/or strawberries.

I DO/DON’T follow recipes because I am so not like Martha in any way.

For Marla, "White Shoulders" perfume will always smell like her laid-out dead grandmother. I feel that way about I am so sorry, blaming over-tired twin-mommy brain drain on this one but I just do not understand this one.

If I could, I'd perfume my own farts and those of my loved ones with the scent of lily of the valley.

I have TOO MANY/TOO MUCH OF pens, and not enough pens. (may I also add snowman decorations, lip gloss and candles)

Gadgets are for fun.

When people have kind, sweet and nice things about me, they're usually talking about my commitment to my children.

I can't be upset if people dis me about my brutally honest, candid and overly opinionated opinions, because it's true.

If I could have any talent in the world, I'd choose to be Wonder Woman and use it to survive when DH is out of town (that, and save the world from all perils and unfortunate conditions).

You are given an hour and twenty dollars to spend in one of these places, childfree. Choose one, or write your own:

A flea market, where you might find neat treasures and still have enough left over for some home made baked goods from that nice granny's table.
A picturesque pub, where a couple of great drinks and a nice tip might lead to some interesting conversations.
A craft show, because you really need to find a few more things made from twigs and yarn.
A gourmet food store, because food for the tummy is food for the soul.
A fancy and expensive boutique, because you'd rather have one lipstick from a great place than ten lipsticks from a dollar store.
Wherever! Whatever! Just give the twenty dollars to whomever's caring for the offspring so you can have more time to yourself!

And here's the last chance to make sure that you're not going to get a "Jelly of the Month" club membership when you're expecting your bonus for a swimming pool:It is important to me that the items chosen for me are FUN FUN FUN. (Examples: respect my Wal-Mart boycott, are vegan, aren't made by child or sweatshop labour, can be stuffed down my pants)

And If I could suggest that you read only one post from my archives, this would be it: this one or this one. No wait this one. (Sorry, I know I am cheating. Deal with it.)

AndIf I were to name the Holiday of my choice for this exchange, it would be: FESTIVUS (yes, à la Seinfeld)

(Please feel free to make one up - but this is your chance to say "Um, I'm Jewish but that doesn't mean give me dreidels!" or "More Santa decorations please - I only have thirty-seven now." or "Winter and gifts yes; religious denominations, no - if only all cards could be like those politically correct corporate holiday wishes!" if you want to.)

Ding Dong...

Not the Avon lady,
Not a Twinkie,
And no, the witch is not dead. (but I have to believe there are days my husband wishes it was so)

I am quickly becoming rather particular to door-to-door solicitors. Before we were established with our own home and our own kidlets, it was easy to turn everyone away. Yes, everyone, even the Girl Guide cookies (but only when we didn't even have $4 in pennies laying around). But now with our own children, knowing that one day they too will be carousing the neighbourhood selling oranges, chocolates, soaps and asking for sponsorship for swim-a-thons, skate-a-thons, Terry Fox runs, etc....how can I say no?

Here are the current guidelines being followed when the doorbell rings:

(1) If it is Gramps, let him in.
(2) Friends, let them in.
(3) The mailman, greet him nicely, he may have a parcel in the mail for you.
(4) Anyone from a religious background other than ours? Close the door - VERY quickly. Claim you are in the middle of washing your hair, even if you are fully clothed and not dripping wet.
(5) If person is of high school age or younger, selling anything, buy it (except sex, that would be bad).
(6) If person is raising funds for your sports team/club or field trip - pay them.
(7) If there are little girls selling cookies, buy however much you can with however much $$ you can find in entire house including childrens' piggy banks. Then ask them to return the next day cause all 13 boxes will be empty.

I have only ever questioned a child twice. Both times I was a little skeptic. Now I know it sounds absolutely horrible grilling a 9 year old boy on the validity of his photocopied, filled in the blanks sponsor form that has been folded and re-folded many times which appeared from his pocket when I opened the door, and being the very first one on the list. The school is not in our area, he claims his elderly aunt lives around the corner. As hard as it was for me, I did not sponsor him telling him I had already sponsored many kids from the schools in our neighbourhood. In hindsight, I made the right decision.

I have recently committed to volunteering for the Missing Children's Network. An former teacher and dear friend of mine, recently retired is planning on cycling across Canada next summer in hopes of reaching his goal of raising $100 000 for the MCN. (This is not the last you'll hear/read about this one, we are just getting started). He asked me to be on his working committee. I am thrilled. He is in the process of trying to get schools across the country involved. We have learned that all charities SHOULD (not mandatory) but in order to ensure the validity of the charity and the event, all sponsor forms should be those duplicate/triplicate forms, and not just a photocopy. This is likely for official, registered charities and not necessarily for the band's trip to Alaska. Anyway, it got me thinking about who we sponsor/donate to and how often frequently.

I used to shake my head at my Beloved who would gladly hand over whatever he had, and now? Not so much...

Can yuo raed tihs?

Cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg.

The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!

Can yuo raed tihs?

Check it out...

The Whole Mom

This is a great new online magazine that Andrea and Kim have worked very hard at. It is their premiere. They should be very proud. They even have forums for discussions and chatting, jsut what we all need, more fun on the internet!!

The Whole Mom

It's CHRISTMASTIME!!

This morning was the first little snow. We were eating breakfast and Twin A notices and asks "Mommy, is it snowing outside?" and I answer "Yes." He then leaps from the table, starts jumping up & down yelling "It's Christmastime! It's Christmastime!" Ay yi yi. I remind him that Christmas is a little while away just yet, but he isn't listening. He is yanking at the basement door trying to open it declaring that it is of utmost importance we go downstairs to get all the "Christmas decorayshuns" to put "everywhere the place". He was so genuinely excited and determined I was almost tempted to feed his request. I managed to control myself but it wasn't easy. So, just beware when asked "When will it be Christmas" and your answer is "When it is wintertime, when the snow is here."

The one benefit to the children realizing that Christmas is slowly becoming a reality is the 'warning' of Santa watching who is good or bad really and truly works wonders as a behaviour modification tool. In fact I overheard B telling A he better not cry or else Santa won't bring him a robot. I just wonder WTF I am gonna do once Christmas has come and gone, I don't figure the Easter Bunny has the same effect as the great man in red.

40 MORE SLEEPS!!!

When we were all at "Sunday School" last week, there was a very small, yet meaningful ceremony in honour of Remeberance Day. (After the service everyone kinda hangs out while drinking coffee, putting on their coats, etc.) There were six veterans in attendance, one gentleman had a rather large number of medals on his jacket. The boys were very interested. Twin A asked his Daddy why that man got to wear those medals. After hearing his Daddy's reply, my little 3.5 year old walked over to the gentleman and started talking. This sweet elderly man very slowly crouched down so he could hear what the little one was saying. Then we could 'almost' see tears in this man's eyes? Then they were hugging. We walked closer to get in on this little rendez-vous. We were ALL welling up after learning that my barely 42 month old son, all on his own volition gone up to that man with the medals and said, in his best preschool pronounciation ever,

"Thank you for keeping our country safe."

'Nuff said. But I just have to add that every time we see a display set up where they are accepting donations, handing out poppies, he goes right over and says the same thing to whoever is manning the booth.

"Thank you for keeping our country safe."

Whoever said they were too young...

DeeVeeDees BUG me

Someone please tell me what all the hype is about?? I was so totally happy initially with the most solid, smaller Betamax movies and tapes waaaaay baaaack when. Then we had to try to desperately find a way to tape my 57 hours of Friday Night Videos on to the BIGGER more clunky and much less solid VHS. And NOW we are living in fear since Blockbuster no longer rents VHS and Future Shop hasn't sold one in well over a year.

Now get this, from what I hear, as of Januray 1, 2007 the manufacturing of blank VHS tapes will cease to exist. Some retailers have already started to clear them out and discontinue selling them. Er, Um, hello you MORONS, how the hell am I going to tape all of my favourite shows and watch them when (1) I have time and (2) at 25% less time it takes to watch the actual aired show cause I can fast forward the commercials. This potential travesty already has me in near hysterics. I suppose 'THEY' (who control the universe) want me to spend a shitload of cash on some new & improved machine so I can tape onto a DVD?? Or do we have to spend another small fortune on some digital cable box with a PVR. How the F is a little person in sociely like me supposed to be able to keep up? Holy heck, we just barely managed to get a DVD player in recent months.

The OTHER thing that has me burning, is while watching a DVD, a movie, settling in on couch cuddling with my Beloved sharing a warm bucket of popcorn and my tasty Diet Coke and the fucking thing just ........ keeps ......sto-pp---ing and

skipping

and paus----ing---o---ver---and---o----ver and then the sound disappears while the--- movie
....is ...stilll....stopping.

Oh dear, is there a tiny fleck of a dust mite on it? 1/800 th of a finger print?? I am NOT talking about those from the library or rental place that have been viewed hundreds of time, I am simply talking about the ones I borrow from my father that have been viewed once, perhaps twice at the most. WTF?????? I don't ever recall missing key moments in any movie while watching it on tape. N-E-V-E-R. Sure there was always the occasional tracking problem, ten year ago fixed by turning a knob or pushing a button and more recently the machine adjusting itself. That. Is. All. Whoever said technology was so grand??? I could go on about how the hell did we all survive without something as primitive as our cordless phones, NOT even referring to the cell phones, but I'll save that one for another time.

For now, I'll continue to watch my shows on TAPE until I can no longer by a VCR at a garage sale since there won't be any available in the stores. And then when there are no more left on the planet, I'll go back in time and live off the earth itself. I think even 'They' did that way back when.

My brain is happily void.

The good news is I have nothing to say (ya, ya, I know...) We are all just loving life to its fullest, laughing, playing, healthy, busy, enjoying puzzles, playing hockey in the driveway, adjusting to the newfound Buzz Lightyear OBSESSION that is taking over our lives, walking the dog, doing crafts, talking about Santa Claus ad nauseum (yes, already), making and playing with jello, baking and eating yummy muffins, reading books, singing songs, learning French, tickle fights galore, playdough...gush gush gush. So, the bad news is I have nothing to say, no complaints, no vents, no beefs, nothing, nada, zilch. Like that outdated frying eggs "This is your brain on drugs" commercial except my version is "This is your brain on happiness!" and picture a big-ass blank space...empty. I don't mind, lots of room for butterflies, ladybugs and Buzz Lightyear to dance around in there, in fact I am savouring it.

So, I'll head on over to eBay, sell some things, make some money, use it to buy a bottle of wine, drink it up, come back and then maybe I'll have something amusing to say.

Till next time, humour me, go to the sidebar over there ----------> (go DOWN a bit more you silly goose) and click on guest map and SIGN THE DAMN THING. I have the most pathetically attended Guest Map in the blogosphere, very embarrassing actually. So can I please BEG you to click on it and place your pin? Use a fake name if you want, I don't care, pretend you live in Qatar, I don't care...just SIGN IT! (pul-eeze?)

Fertile vs Infertile : The Parenting Style

Here is a little dilemma that has me a little bothered. I am so blessed to be a Mommy, thanx to the (not so) wonderful world of IVF. Getting pregnant was not easy for us, and still isn’t. I have so many dear, precious and irreplaceable friends who are in the same situation, who also have children from other ‘sources’ than the good old fashioned making whoopee kind of way. I am waving to you all, it is mostly those of you who actually read my blog, so perhaps you will understand, perhaps you won’t and you’ll just shake wyour head saying “Oh dear, she’s on one of ‘those’ rants again.” I do welcome and strongly encourage some comments from parents who are from the non-infertile crowd (translation: fertile). Heck, there are some of you out there who have managed your way into parenthood via various means all within the same family (you know who you are, and I love you very much, yes ALL of you, sheesh, no favourites here).

I do think I am a good parent, but I also know at many times, I am not. Not proud of myself, nor my actions. I lose my patience, get extremely frustrated and sometimes just downright pissed off mad AT them. (yes, you heard me correctly) Gasp! The horrors!! Do I occasionally yell at my kids? Yes, I do. There are some days where I feel that’s been our only form of communication. Rest assured that isn’t the case, but it sure can feel that way. Those days are the worst. They suck. Am I proud of myself? No, it bites.

When I see other parents who are so tolerant, so patient, oh so Mrs. Cleaver with their little ones, I get jealous I don’t seem to share those same coping mechanisms. I have always been the Type A who speaks her mind, all the time, usually in a rather brutally honest way which often gets me into trouble. If dealing with other adults, so be it, they can deal. If dealing with my children, I get nauseated from the guilt, always after the fact of course. Is that little extra amount of guilt I am feeling correlated to the fact that arriving to my ultimate dream of being a Mommy took just that little, no wait, A LOT of extra work to arrive to said dream?

I don’t believe I would have a different parenting style had my offspring occurred due to some horizontal aerobics, but I do wonder if it *should* be. All that extra heartache, tears, emotions, the angst ridden challenges in every facet including financial, mental and physiological…and folks, that’s NOT normal, nor fair when all you really want is to be a parent. I often wonder when I am post-losing-it at my kids, if it was truly warranted. I often say to myself, “Come on already lady, they are only three. Get over it.” Which is followed with gut wrenching feelings of regret while wondering why I am not a softy-tofty towards them because it was simply so hard to have them. We are ‘strict’ in the area of manners and learning right from wrong. And for those wondering, yes of course we bend the rules, we are well aware that you have to pick your battles, and we do. Holy verbal diarrhea, am I making any sense here?

Please don’t be scared, I am not in need of any anger management therapy. I do wish I was more of the laissez-faire mindset when it came down to the smaller things. Any hints? Three deep breaths? Meditative yoga? A mantra (“the water is rolling off my back”)? Feng shui? Booze? I’ll try to sing Doris Day a little more often “Que Sera Sera…”

I do wonder if some other infertile parents out there feel a little more aware of their disciplining than the ‘other team’. I think an interesting perspective may come from those of you who have children from both AR, adoption and/or au naturel. Maybe I just feel bad. B-A-D when I am upset with my kids. After all, they are here, they are mine and they are only three.

And 364 till next Halloween.....

The Real Thing

Now we can get down to real business.

54 sleeps till Christmas.