SARA'S BOUTIQUE

These are our good friends, Geoff & Sara.  Our kids think they are the coolest (they are).  In fact, the only reason why Clara cuts her hair short is because Sara has short hair, and Sam tells me a few times a week how "crazy" Geoff is and that he is "so fast" which means, in Sam language, that Geoff is the best.

Anyway, I heard through Jake, who was told by Geoff, that Sara was selling parts of her extensive wardrobe and might do a private shopping evening for me.  Obviously, I emailed her right away.  In my opinion, Sara has the best clothes and style of anyone I know.  I turn to her for fashion advice and to find out what the latest trends are.  I don't think the contents of my closet are that bad, but I do have a tendency to keep everything (including my maternity jeans), and wait for something to come back into style and I also pretty much wear the same thing each day: jeans, long tee and comfy shoes. 

Here are a few pictures from our evening.  I didn't post the ones of Sam's bare butt.  It was fun and chaotic, as usual.  Geoff took Sam and Clara for a Happy Meal and a dessert of their choice at Meinhardts and then the kids played with the bidet (what else is a bidet for?) and washed up in the gigantic bath with the stairs while I tried to quickly try on some outfits.

Will putting away Sara's shoes

Sam trying on a pair of Gucci's

Crazy time on the bed

A story to finish off the evening.  Check out the spread on the bed!

MY GLOBE COLLECTION

Actually, this isn't my globe collection.  But I would like to start collecting some.  I currently have an obsession with globes, maps and old suitcases.

The above globes belong to Sharilyn from lovelydesign.  She is an artist from Vancouver who, like me, loves the paper and journals (and globes, apparently).  She makes the most amazing things using recycled and found paper products, like these hand-bound pocket books:

And my very favourite, her address card set:

I would just sit this on my desk and stare at it.  I don't know if I could bring myself to write in it?

And I really would like to hang this poster at Pasley:

And of course, she has such a lovely little studio, to boot:

THINGS YOU PROBABLY KNOW ABOUT ME IF YOU KNOW ME

This morning I discovered that someone had broken into my car sometime during the night.   Well, maybe "broken into" isn't exactly the right choice of words, considering my car was not locked in the first place.  And nothing was stolen either.  Unless the thief wanted some scratched up kid CD's or a dog leash or a spare diaper, my stinky mini van really contains nothing of thief value. 

My kids lectured me on the ride to school about how I should always lock my car.  My mom told me the same thing when I went over there this morning.  But I never lock my car.  This is just one thing you probably know about me if you know me.  And here are some other things I'm notorious for:

• I don't lock our house door either.
• I lose lids.  Lids to spice jars, milk jugs, diaper cream, toothpaste tubes, to name a few.
• I break things.  Drinking glasses mostly.  Or if they don't break, I chip them and then keep using them.  This is really unsettling to Mom C. but I tell her that I can't possibly throw out a $35 Denby mug and that she should sip from the unchipped side.
• I hardly ever answer the phone.  Mostly it is because I can never find it or get to it in 3 rings but also because I'm simply not a "phone person."
• If you do leave a message, I may not get back to you.
• I also don't really reply to e mails.  I read them and appreciate them, and I mean to get back to them when I have time, but then I forget.
• I rarely open mail, unless it is fun, like a letter from someone, a magazine, or something I ordered in the mail.
• After wiping down the counter I often leave the dish cloth in clump instead of hanging it to dry.
• Sometimes I use the same cloth to wipe the counter, wash the floor and wipe my kid's faces.
• I cannot talk about money.  Which is one reason why I don't open the mail (it may be from the bank).  Talking about money makes me hot and sweaty and defensive and often makes me cry.  I probably should get some counseling.  Poor husband.

Well, that is 10 things.  I think that is enough for the night, don't you?

BACK TO SCHOOL

Back to school this morning which means that this is where Will has his naps...

...in his car seat!  This actually gives me a lot of angst, particularly on the days when I have to WAKE him up to pick Sam up at 11:15am and then again at 2:55pm when I get Clara.

After 2 weeks off, the kids surprisingly adapted well to the morning routine of getting dressed, eating breakfast, making Clara's lunch, taking Kirby out for a pee and getting out the door by 8:35am.  And I hardly yelled.  I think we are all encouraged that in only 6 more sleeps we will be in Kona, Hawaii for 20 days!

We accomplished most things on our list of 16 things to do, which is impressive considering the 2 boys had a bout of the flu last week.   The weather was poopy so we never made it to the beach, and I'm terrified of heavy populated places like Science World during Spring Break, so I avoided that place.  

My Dad and Josh even took the kids for a seabus ride after pancakes at Tomahawk (#1 on Sam's list).

Oh, and I guess Will never learned to sleep at night, but I still think he is the "baby of the world." A name the kids and I lovingly refer to him as, and which came from this really funny book.  Still one of Clara's favs:

FAIRY SUNDAY

It was Hannah's Fairy Party today at 2:00pm, before we got the call at 1:00pm to say she had the flu and it would have to be postponed.  Clara was all fairied up and ready to go...tattoos, glitter, pink eyeshadow and henna, all applied.  I consoled her with some hot chocolate, made with melted chocolate wafers and steamed milk.

Get better soon, Hannah!

STRANGER DANGER

Sam and Clara just recently filled out a fingerprint and DNA identification card.  We happened to pass by a table the police had set up at Granville Island, and my mom encouraged me to stop and fill out the card.  She also has been encouraging me to get one of those "kid leashes" which I always make fun of.

Ironically, just 2 days earlier, the kids and I were having a discussion about "stranger danger." We went over the basics...never take food or candy from a stranger, never get into a stranger's car, and Sam's favourite...if a stranger grabs you, you should bite, hit and scream as loud as you can and run away super fast (he has this one covered, since he is the fastest in the world).

Satisfied with the lesson, I ask Sam: "So, if someone drives up to you and says 'hey Sam, come in the car I have some ice cream for you,' what would you do?"  Sam thinks for a bit and answers "I like ice cream...what kind is it?...I like the green one with chocolate chips."

We will definitely have to work on this lesson later.

PLAY DATE WRECKERS

Here is Clara and her cousin, Hannah (who is 6 today), trying to play with their Barbies, and here is Will and Sam being total play date wreckers.  

In fact, while I was taking this photo, Sam bit Clara on her arm and Will threw a golf ball at Hannah's head.  Good thing there is no picture of me hauling Sam out of the room holding onto his leg and an arm, and that is only after it took me 15 seconds to actually catch him.  He is quick one.