Ninja Training

Recently Cris and I have decided that we (read: I) are going to homeschool our boys.

I am the most unstructured person I know. So to ease me into the routine of things I have started 10 months early in the hopes that by the time "they" say we should be starting, I will be well underway in developing a routine and providing at least a little structure to our days. I have made up my own cirriculum using dollar store workbooks and a little common sense.

I have included in our sons' training the all important ninja training and they both have natural skill for it:

Ahhh...they make me so proud!

My Purse

Today I was fishing through my "purse" trying to find my keys. It was then that I realized the odd collection of things I had stashed in there.

Know what I found?

This is what I found:
A package of diaper wipes (obviously for diaper changes while we are out).
A toy flower fan (this is one of Toviel's favorite toys).
A Hotsling (for slinging Toviel when he wants to nap while we are out or when he wants to be held when I'm trying to push a full grocery cart around).
An old plastic bag from The Bay (no idea where that came from).
A little stuffed bunny (another one of Toviel's favorite toys).
2 diapers (an obvious need).
A small writing book (for me to write things in when I'm out if I need to write something down).
A soother (again...an obvious need for T).
A instruction sheet for how to mount the Ikea-"Grundtal"-magnetic-knife-holder on the wall (I bought the holder from Ikea and opened the package to make sure I didn't need any extra screws or other hardware from Ikea).
My wallet.
A ziploc bag full of cherry pits (we were eating cherries for a snack while we were out today).
A monster truck.
A bulldozer.
A receipt from Canada Post.
A wad of paper towel (I have allergies...never know when you may need some tissue).
A batmobile.
A roller truck (Elijah's favorite...purchased a few weeks ago at a garage sale).
A half eaten peice of licorice (which I'm actually finishing off right now).
Dental floss.
Five "Fruitsource" fruitbars.
Two kids sunhats.
And finally......my keys.

That's what I carry around with me.

Simple Pleasures

The other day I was at a playground with Cris and the wee ones.
Toviel has not spent a lot of time at playgrounds yet since he wasn't walking well last fall and it has just been too cold to go outside and enjoy playing at a playground, so this was pretty much his first experience walking on sand.

It makes me smile every time I think about it...Toviel taking little steps in the sand and quietly giggling and giggling. Each step brings on a more intense giggle until he squeals with delight. Step. Giggle. Step. Giggle. Step. Giggle.
And it was the kind of giggle that he wasn't sharing with anyone. Just in his own little world...enjoying it quietly by himself...letting his feelings spill out from deep inside him and overflow into his surroundings...sprinkling his pleasure onto the sand with his tiny little giggles yet unaware that he is doing so.

Just from walking on sand. I wish you could have seen it.

That is enjoying life!!

Back to the drawing board, Maytag.

I wish I had kept track of the number of times I've been vomitted on the past little while. I'm sure it would impress you. But I didn't think the numbers would reach such heights and didn't think about it from the start. Hindsight, eh?



My poor boys have been so sick.



You know that your kids are sick when you wish your washing machine not only had a super sanitize cycle, but also had a built in garburator.

Good times...good times.

Oh the stress!

Elijah says to me today, "Um...well, you know Mommy, I'm pretty stressed."

Should I be worried?

It has been a rough couple weeks for him because we've dragged him around, looking at over 40 houses, usually 7-8 at a time. Two days ago we were busy doing house hunting-y things from 2pm until 9pm, in which during that time he only had one meltdown due to some simple miscommunitication. It was a difficult day for him indeed, but I know he will reap the benefits of it soon....because...

WE BOUGHT A HOUSE!!!

Yippeee!!!

Our torture of being homeless for the past 7 months is coming to a close, and in 2 months, not only will we be in our new home, but we will likely already be settled into our new home!!

Not too many people know the relief that I feel. I'm sure there's the odd one out there who knows what it's like to go through crap like this (ahem....like my parents...hehe, right guys? Twice....) Actually I'm sure there's a ton of people who know what I feel like. And I feel like dancing and shouting WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

I dunno...

There is nothing like the questions of a 3 year old to make you feel like a complete idiot. At least there is nothing like the questions of my 3 year old to make me feel like a complete idiot.

These are the questions Elijah asked me today...

"What's a spark?"
Okay. We all know what a spark is, but how do you explain it?
And what kind of spark? The spark that starts a fire, or the spark between 2 people?

"Are there germs on this?" (pointing to his cucumber slices)
"Probably" I say.
"WHAT?" he asks with a very startled look on his face.
And then for the millionth time he asks me what a germ is. I've obviously done a poor job of explaining it to him.

"Where does this water come from?" (while washing his hands).
I explain it comes from a water tank in the house and goes through pipes in the walls and floors to get to the faucet.
"But where does that water come from?"
"Um....big water cisterns, maybe. Or a big water reservior."
"Where?"
"I don't know. Somewhere in the city."
The scowl on his face shows me my answer has not satisfied him.

"Why do I have bones?"
Try explaining that one while helping your 3 year old go to the bathroom at Safeway while your 1 year old is standing up in the stroller and screaming because he dropped his soother on the bathroom floor.

"What does dead mean?"
Uh, do we have to talk about this?

"Mommy, why do they call it the Monster Jam?"
Um....uh....good question! Why do they call it the Monster Jam?

Consequences

Today I went and picked up a few groceries with my kids. On the way home 3-year-old Elijah informed me he was thirsty. This is how our conversation went:

Elijah: I'm thirsty!
Me: Okay, we'll get a drink when we get home.
Elijah: But I'm thirsty NOW! (getting angry)
Me: But I don't have anything for you to drink in the van. You'll have to wait until we get home and then you can have a drink.
Elijah: But I need a drink NOW!!!
Me: There's nothing to drink in the van! We are just a couple minutes away from home.
Elijah: (pointing his finger at me and looking at me with a very stern face) Wait! Are you telling the truth or are you lying?
Me: I'm telling the truth!!
Elijah: Stop saying that! If you don't stop saying that there will be consequences! Capiche?
Me: (while laughing) Capiche!
Elijah: (calmly now) Good!

C / S !!!!!!

Today was a good day for me.
I really liked today.
I liked the way I felt.
I felt lighthearted.
I had a skip in my step.
My face looked bright and relaxed.
I felt like my eyes and my brain were smiling.
I felt good.
Still do.
So good.

If you were to drive by our house, I'm sure you would see the bright yellow "C/S" on our "House For Sale" sign. I can't say for sure, because I haven't been to our house lately, but I'm sure that bright and cheery sticker is on that depressing sign.
As of yesterday, our house is Conditionally Sold!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I feel like screaming excitement!

We closed the deal early evening yesterday. And the only conditions are the buyers financing (for which they are already pre-approved for) and the house inspection (which our house already had in September, and passed with flying colors) which need to be fulfilled by January 29th. So it feels like a done deal.

The possession date is March 14th. THIS YEAR!! It feels very surreal.


After 6 months of riding a rollercoaster of hope and hopelessness, excitement of possibilities and discouragement, I am ready to get off.

We have had one special condition on our house, which fell through in October when the potential buyers gave up on selling their house.

We had one couple love our house but said there was no way they could buy it (and I ask, why were they looking at houses out of their price range in the first place?).

We had another couple almost put an offer on our house but then another house came on the market and they liked it much more and snatched it up, dropping our house in the process.

We had another couple who wanted to buy our house but had no downpayment (again, why look when they can't buy?).

We had another couple say they were going to put an offer on the house, they just had to talk to the bank (argh with the people who don't get pre-approved!!) then we never heard from them again.

We had someone else put an offer on our house and our realtor advised us to not even look at it because it was ridiculously, almost insultingly, low.

We had another couple negotiate price and conditions with us, conditional on the sale of their house with a May 2008 possession. So once again, this translates into a special condition on our house. We only came to a verbal agreement with them, and the day that our realtor was writing up the offer, this other offer came in and plowed their offer right off our table, even though they were offering less money.

And inbetween this all we had dozens more showings, especially in December and the first half of January.


I am tired of living out of suitcases.
I am tired of relying on the goodness of other people to provide us with shelter.
I am tired of moving every month.
I am tired of feeling hopeless and discouraged.
I am tired of not knowing when this situation was going to end.
I am tired of not feeling any permanency.

I am excited to look for our new home.
I am excited that I know we will have our own place in about 2 & 1/2 months.
I am excited to live with my own things again.
I am excited to have that settled, permanent feeling.
I am excited to unpack and find a place for everything.
I am excited to have people over to my home.
I am excited because I feel hopeful and uplifted.
I am so excited!!!!!
So excited!

Thank you God!

Six Months and Counting

No. Our house has not sold. That is why we are still counting.

I'm tired of people asking. I know that everyone just wants to know. They want hear the words that I want to say. I'm at the point where I won't even be excited when our house sells. I actually won't believe it until the end of possession day when the money has crossed hands because I'm sure everyone who looks at our house just wants to give us false hope and then screw us over, offering us offers that our realtor refuses to write up because they are so freakin' ridiculous and would not afford for us to be able to get back into the market, or else saying they will come with an offer after they talk to their bank. Right-O.

I swear once our house sells, no one will know what to chit-chat with us about. For a while it will be, "How's your new house?" "How's the move going?" or "How are you settling in?" and then I'm sure people will just approach us, mouths open, ready to say something, and then draw a blank.

I must say that I have become ultra flexible through this all. I mean, I'm a pretty flexible person anyways, but now I'm ultra flexible. You could even say that that's one of my superpowers now, like that stretch-girl from The Incredibles, what's her name? Elasti-girl? Totally flexible. And now is when you hear my low chanting "Try to see the good. Try to see the good. Try to see the good. Try to see the good."