Backwoods Wife

Strange associations

Does a sensory experience ever trigger an interesting association in your mind?  I find it happens to me quite often.  Usually it involves lighting somehow but it can be a result of smell or touch as well.  The other afternoon the sun was on it's way down and I noticed sun dogs on either side of it.  The first thing that popped into my mind?  Peter Gzowski.  Strange!  My guess is I was listening to his program in the car when I was a kid and either happened to see sun dogs at the same time or perhaps he was discussing them with someone on air.  It hasn't happened everytime I've seen sun dogs though so I'm thinking it was likely the former.  Does this ever happen to you?

5 hours!

Hooray!  The baby slept for 6 hours straight in her crib last night, 5 of which I was also asleep.  SO. HAPPY.  I don't think she's slept for that many hours straight in a couple of months now with all the teething, stomach bug, and cold/cough we've had around here.  I hope this is the start of a trend.  I even remember dreaming last night.  The dreaming wasn't particularly wonderful but it wasn't nightmares either.  I was woken up several times during those 5 hours by another kiddo but I didn't actually have to get out of bed.  It's so much easier to function with decent amounts of sleep!

The best sleep in recent memory

Well, last night was probably the best sleep I've had in several weeks.  Emma has been teething lately and so I've been woken up frequently at night while those slow moving chompers came in.  My "best sleep" probably isn't what many of you would think of - it wasn't perfectly silent, it wasn't uninterupted, and it wasn't a marathon snooze, but it was gooo-ood.  Yes, you know you're a little sleep deprived when children talking in their sleep, babies waking you to nurse, strange and fascinating dreams, and a wood-weevil crawling on you and later, biting your face (miserable things creep out of the firewood every now and then) constitute a good sleep.  On another sleep related note - we ordered a new mattress yesterday.  I might feel completely human by the end of November.  Lovely!

A Sort of Lazy Saturday

Today I had the luxury of sleeping in - thanks Dwayne!  Dwayne is at the shop doing some maintenance on the 4Runner and the kiddos and I are hanging out at home.  We're still fighting colds so we've been trying to lay low a bit.  Today we've done a bit of laundry, turned on the dishwasher, and are about to go and count our recycling outside.  This evening we plan to go to the museum for a family bonfire.  Should be fun!  Which reminds me, I better go and charge the camera battery.  Then I can still take pictures, even if we won't be able to post them for a few more weeks.  I hope your Saturday is going well wherever you are! :)

So far behind!

We have been experiencing technical difficulties.  Our primary computer has decided that it will no longer talk to our modem.  The laptop does not have the capabilities for photo software (very old, very slow).  At the moment, I don't have a way to get my photos on-line.  I need to set up our wireless router and see if the computer is willing to talk to it instead of the modem.  If not, I guess I have to come up with a plan b! 

Quick summary of the past week - kids are growing like weeds.  They are fighting playing well together for the most part.  I've had a migraine and other assorted head issues.  Blech.  It has been HOT, HOT, HOT.  Definitely summer weather!  Today it is raining and it feels so good after a week of serious heat.  +30C anyone?  (Serious heat for those of us in subarctic climes anyway...)  Work has been busy, and that's a good thing when you're in business for yourself.  I moved around massive amounts of furniture earlier in the week, still have the aftermath to tend to but at least the beds are where I want them to be now.  There has been a lot of cartoon watching this week due to aforementioned headaches.  This sometimes leads to explanations of reality vs make believe.  A lot of imagining has been happening too.  Lots of "You be so-and-so and I'll be so-and-so and we'll do this" kind of chatter and antics. 

Hendrik has been reading up a storm.  He tackles the biggest of words now on his own and if he is truly stumped he'll come looking for some help.  So proud of him!  Riley continues to be my right hand helper.  "Mommy, are there any dishes I can help with?"  "Mommy, can I put that in the washing machine?"  "Daddy, your jeans are so dirty!  We need to wash them."  Also lots of, "I love you!  I love you!" with kisses bestowed on all (even big brother who isn't so keen).  Very sweet and enthusiastic.  Abby has been balancing between independence and realizing that it's okay to be too little to do certain things.  Like she said contentedly a couple of weeks ago, "I can be in the parade next year."  I get innumerable hugs and kisses from her every night because 5 or 6 just isn't enough! :)  Emma is smiling at us all and is at her happiest when all of her people are around her.  She loves weekend mornings when she sees Dwayne when she first wakes up.  She can often be calmed down by Hendrik saying "Cheese, cheese, cheese, cheese" in a robot type voice.  Riley tickles her until she giggles.  Abby checks on her regularly and calmly tells her everything will be okay when she starts to fuss.  "Oh little baby, it's okay, Mommy will help you."  For all the fighting and hair pulling moments, they really are incredibly wonderful and sweet little people! 

Slowly resurfacing

It's been a good but tiring two weeks.  I'm finally starting to have some more energy, almost enough to get done what I want to get done.  But not quite.  The girlies and I have been spending most of our days inside at home as we are down to one vehicle right now and it has been bitterly cold outside.  That coupled with my lack of energy has meant a lot of time spent on the couch (Emma & I).  Riley and Abby have spent lots of time playing in cardboard boxes and piles of blankets and pillows.  We are trying not to watch too much TV.  The girls are really using their imaginations these days so it is a lot of fun to listen to their play.  There is some sort of storyline going on upstairs in the "attic" right now involving "abracadabra".  This is often followed by someone or something being turned into stinky cheese (thanks to Angelina Ballerina).  However, this afternoon it sounds like they are trying to make things fly.  Hmn.  No major crashes or bangs so all is well!  Note: Some caution should be used when giving children who possess a great sense of daring and imagination an outfit with wings attached - we had to had a little chat as to why it wasn't such a good idea to climb to the highest point possible and launch yourself off...

Time to find a snack while Emma is snoozing.  I'm going to catch up on a TV episode online and the girls are going to have some fun with scissors, crayons, and paper. 

 

Happy Saturday!

Today I'm hoping for a lazy Saturday.  The only thing that I really want to accomplish today is having everyone's clothing laid out for church tomorrow so that I'm not hunting around in the morning trying to find socks or tights or a certain pink or purple dress.  I tried to do all of the major cleaning and laundry during the week but my plans were partially derailed when Dwayne wound up having to overnight on the way home from picking up his parents.  There is still a lot to be done!  The acupuncture has helped so much, so I was able to kick things up a notch and do some enthusiastic cleaning and organizing.  We had dinner at Mom and Dad B's on Thursday and Mom and Dad V cooked for us last night.  Going out and getting some fresh air and activity sounds so appealing UNTIL I look at the weather, -34C to -39C.  Not going to happen today.  Dwayne's mom and dad will come over later today for a visit and to have supper.  Oh, and the kids want to show them the Christmas tree.  Yes, it's still up!  I was going to take it down early this week but the kiddos said that Grandma Anne and Grandpa Bob hadn't seen the tree yet, so up it stayed. :)  Off to do something of some sort...hope your day is lovely!

A Sweet Dollhouse

I am in the midst of trying to clean and organize our living space at the moment.  As my house is a disaster, and I won't be posting any photos of it until I am done, I thought I'd share a very well kept little house I found in England.  Please pardon the glare and blurriness in some of these photos, flash photography was not permitted and the lighting was quite low.

A very full mind

Going on vacation can be a wonderful thing.   And it was for us!  We had a great time catching up with friends and family and seeing different scenery, some laced with previous memories, some fresh and foreign.  It allowed me to empty my mind of a lot of thoughts that had been bouncing around in my head for far too long.  I am a very visual person and so I can be very easily distracted or inspired depending on my surroundings.  The break from clutter and the usual day-to-day routine was what I needed.  I came home feeling very relaxed and inspired.  The only trouble is that now my mind is VERY full again, this time with all sorts of new thoughts and ideas and colours and bits of inspirations and revelations.  I am having trouble shutting my brain down at night.  I am still trying to be sensible and go to bed at a "decent" time but tend to eshew this in favour of staying up and wandering the internet, or watching TV on DVD.  I hate lying in bed and not being able to sleep.  I'd much rather be doing something.  I'm calling it a night soon - a cup of herbal tea and an episode of "Desperate Housewives" and I should be able to drift off.

A shining stove top

Yesterday I tackled my stove top.  It was long overdue for a good scrubbing.  It was well worth the effort, both for looks, and for my peace of mind!  While I was cleaning, I was also rearranging the kitchen in my mind, trying to think of ways that would make it work better for me.  I came up with a few good thoughts, now I just need to implement them.  After the kids are asleep would probably be best...otherwise baking ingredients are likely to be strewed across the house!