1. My next door neighbour has fashioned a display of Olympic rings out of hula hoops and Christmas lights (don't tell VANOC). Pictures to come when I find my camera...
2. Amy beat me fair and square the first time we played Scrabble Junior and I was actually really and truly playing. She was even strategizing ahead on how to not leave spots for me to score. Shark.
3. Trevor got chosen to do the Vancouver Canucks First Strides program at GM Place this week! Many many pictures are sure to follow...
4. Gavin has a favourite book. Night, Night, Little Pookie by Sandra Boynton. He laughs as soon as he sees the cover!
5. It's mid-January and my kids were out riding their bikes today. I love living here!
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Saturday, January 16, 2010
I Luv New West
I've been meaning to sit down and pen a heartfelt tribute to my city for quite some time. New Westminster is an amazing place; everything in a city but with a small town feel. When we moved here I had no idea how quickly and deeply I would feel a sense of finally being at home.
I came across this on my FB news feed; fellow New West'rs Marty Benson and Peter Birovchak have written and performed this song about our fair city on the occasion of the upcoming Olympic relay. They did a much more moving tribute musically than I ever could in my clumsy prose. Enjoy!
p.s. Those are some darn cute kids!
I came across this on my FB news feed; fellow New West'rs Marty Benson and Peter Birovchak have written and performed this song about our fair city on the occasion of the upcoming Olympic relay. They did a much more moving tribute musically than I ever could in my clumsy prose. Enjoy!
p.s. Those are some darn cute kids!
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Wear Your Helmet
Some of us just have to learn the hard way, I guess.
Tuesday night, adult skating lessons at Moody Park Arena. I'm a decent skater, I can skate forward, I can stop and turn in control, I can even skate backwards. I took lessons as a kid (no helmets required), but I'd like to be a better skater (especially backwards and edges).
I was tired having been up with Gavin and his cold the night before. I probably should have turned in early, but I really wanted to hit the adult skating lessons. So I went. About 20 minutes into the lesson, I bailed. Hard.
I wasn't even doing anything difficult, just a simple glide and one-foot stop which I've been able to do since I was 6. But I caught an edge and lost my balance and fell backwards. I imagine the sound my head made when it hit the ice was a sickening thwack. I'm not sure, though, because the next thing I remember is some darkness and trying to sit up but feeling very woozy. I literally saw a ring of stars when I tried to focus my vision on anything for three hours afterward.
I split the back of my scalp, got blood all over my clothes, and was diagnosed with a pretty good concussion. I couldn't drive home, my hubby had to wake me up every two hours that night, I still felt like crap today as I caught the bus back to the arena lugging Gavin in the car seat to pick up the van.
As I tried to fall asleep last night, I couldn't stop thinking about Natasha Richardson and what an idiot I was for not wearing a helmet. What a stupid risk to take! I'd never let my kids skate without a helmet. It's the same sort of mentality that many in my generation used to share about wearing bike helmets; great for the kids, but we've been fine so far so we don't really need them. It wasn't until it became the law that helmets were worn widely by cyclists. I'd like to look up some data on head injuries in cyclists before and after that law was enacted, but my head hurts and I need to lie down again.
Even if you're an awesome skater, who's to say some out of control beginner flailing around isn't going to come careening at you from behind and take your feet out?
I will forevermore wear a helmet when skating. I urge you to do the same. And, in my opinion, parks and rec should require everyone (not just children) to wear helmets during public skating sessions.
Where's my ice pack?
Tuesday night, adult skating lessons at Moody Park Arena. I'm a decent skater, I can skate forward, I can stop and turn in control, I can even skate backwards. I took lessons as a kid (no helmets required), but I'd like to be a better skater (especially backwards and edges).
I was tired having been up with Gavin and his cold the night before. I probably should have turned in early, but I really wanted to hit the adult skating lessons. So I went. About 20 minutes into the lesson, I bailed. Hard.
I wasn't even doing anything difficult, just a simple glide and one-foot stop which I've been able to do since I was 6. But I caught an edge and lost my balance and fell backwards. I imagine the sound my head made when it hit the ice was a sickening thwack. I'm not sure, though, because the next thing I remember is some darkness and trying to sit up but feeling very woozy. I literally saw a ring of stars when I tried to focus my vision on anything for three hours afterward.
I split the back of my scalp, got blood all over my clothes, and was diagnosed with a pretty good concussion. I couldn't drive home, my hubby had to wake me up every two hours that night, I still felt like crap today as I caught the bus back to the arena lugging Gavin in the car seat to pick up the van.
As I tried to fall asleep last night, I couldn't stop thinking about Natasha Richardson and what an idiot I was for not wearing a helmet. What a stupid risk to take! I'd never let my kids skate without a helmet. It's the same sort of mentality that many in my generation used to share about wearing bike helmets; great for the kids, but we've been fine so far so we don't really need them. It wasn't until it became the law that helmets were worn widely by cyclists. I'd like to look up some data on head injuries in cyclists before and after that law was enacted, but my head hurts and I need to lie down again.
Even if you're an awesome skater, who's to say some out of control beginner flailing around isn't going to come careening at you from behind and take your feet out?
I will forevermore wear a helmet when skating. I urge you to do the same. And, in my opinion, parks and rec should require everyone (not just children) to wear helmets during public skating sessions.
Where's my ice pack?
Thursday, January 7, 2010
What's for Dinner
One of my resolutions for this year is to bring some new recipes into my repertoire of dinners. I'm a decent cook, but after a while it's easy to fall into a rut of buying the same old ingredients each week and then when you try to make something new and interesting it ends up tasting the same anyway.
This week I sat down with my new cookbook, Crazy Plates, planned out dinners for the week, and made a shopping list from my plan. I love this cookbook because the recipes are low fat with accurate nutritional information, and it's really funny! So far we have had Chicken and Mango Tango (a warm chicken salad), Obi Wonton Kenobi Soup (who knew I could make my own wontons?!), and Piled-High Veggie Pot Pie (meh, would have been better with chicken). Tonight we are having Lanky Noodle Dandy. I'm having fun making new things - and eating them - and so far everything has met with good reviews from the dinner table. Except for one.
Amy, my famously picky eater, has soldiered through my culinary adventures this week with only the occasional slightly rude comment about how gross everything is. She actually nibbled on a tiny - and I do mean tiny - corner of a lettuce leaf on Monday, and once I convinced her the wontons weren't actually brains and picked out all the carrots and bok choy, she ate her soup on Tuesday. But yesterday was the last straw. Faced with a bowl full of vegetables and a biscuit crust polluted with sweet potatoes, she wrinkled her brow and demanded, "Why can't we just have plain food?! Like a cheese bun or tacos?" Tacos? Really? Since when are tacos plain? She eventually choked down some of the biscuit topping so as not to completely starve herself, frowning all the while. Trevor, on the other hand, had two helpings. Even Gavin ate some.
Do you have a picky eater in your life? Any tips aside of serving them bread and butter until they're old enough to fend for themselves?
This week I sat down with my new cookbook, Crazy Plates, planned out dinners for the week, and made a shopping list from my plan. I love this cookbook because the recipes are low fat with accurate nutritional information, and it's really funny! So far we have had Chicken and Mango Tango (a warm chicken salad), Obi Wonton Kenobi Soup (who knew I could make my own wontons?!), and Piled-High Veggie Pot Pie (meh, would have been better with chicken). Tonight we are having Lanky Noodle Dandy. I'm having fun making new things - and eating them - and so far everything has met with good reviews from the dinner table. Except for one.
Amy, my famously picky eater, has soldiered through my culinary adventures this week with only the occasional slightly rude comment about how gross everything is. She actually nibbled on a tiny - and I do mean tiny - corner of a lettuce leaf on Monday, and once I convinced her the wontons weren't actually brains and picked out all the carrots and bok choy, she ate her soup on Tuesday. But yesterday was the last straw. Faced with a bowl full of vegetables and a biscuit crust polluted with sweet potatoes, she wrinkled her brow and demanded, "Why can't we just have plain food?! Like a cheese bun or tacos?" Tacos? Really? Since when are tacos plain? She eventually choked down some of the biscuit topping so as not to completely starve herself, frowning all the while. Trevor, on the other hand, had two helpings. Even Gavin ate some.
Do you have a picky eater in your life? Any tips aside of serving them bread and butter until they're old enough to fend for themselves?
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Why I Can Never Find a Soother When I Need It...
Turns out I don't just have mommybrain...Gavin has a secret stash of soothers going up against the wall (sorry for the weird camera angle). I found them when I went to change his sheet the other day.
The problem is that it's so secret he doesn't even know where it is!
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Hola! or what I did on my vacation
Feliz Anonuevo (I think)!
Don't hate me, but we were in Puerto Vallarta for Christmas this year!
It was amazing. We stayed at a beautiful resort with a gorgeous beach and pool areas, no-one in our group got sick, and we actually relaxed. On the third day of our trip I turned to Dave as we splashed in the waves with our kids and boogie boards, "This is the pace that life should be."
I can't wait to go back!
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