SOOOOO PROUD TO BE CANADIAN...

Wow did you seriously see tonights events including the closing ceremonies! Honestly after watching the opening ceremonies I didn't think I could possibly be any prouder..but after tonights hockey game, I was over the moon with excitment!! Kailey and I got in from Ottawa just in time to see the hockey game, and let me tell you..when the states scored with like 48 seconds left..I was not impressed! I had to leave the room, utterly disappointed. I hoped that they would pull themselves together and reach to grab the gold metal from the dreams of those american players!! When Crosby scored, my house lit up...we screamed, cheered, clapped and I even cried! I must admit, after the women won the gold the other night I was proud to be a women especially a canadian woman.
I had wished for the men to follow suit, secretly knowing that we as women rock the ice, and I never doubted their ability to win that gold medal..they are talented! Even though I teased Paul and Braden about the women being stronger and better out their on the ice, I was just as passionate about the men winning too! WAY TO GO CANADA!
We beat so many titles, so many records..we have much to be proud of..we are a quiet nation but never underestimate our desire to succeed.
Well, we are finished..we have won! It is time for our Canadian paralympics to strive, battle and overcome their challenges to bring home the gold...they can and will do it! I will be cheering again, praying for their success..and loving every moment of it!


Today I am happily spending my special day with a bunch of girls who I dearly love! I couldn't have asked for a better group of people to be with tonight!! We are unfortunately out of the tournament, but pleased to be sitting here with some drinks and chinese food! We finally get to stay up late, eat crappy food and have some alchohol beverages, here's to me..and to the turbo's!! I still am having trouble uploading pics from the opening ceremonies, but tomorrow I will be home and I will put lots up! Welcome home mommy, I miss you very much and I will see you soon..dinner this week!! Hi Dad, hope you had a good week without Mom..i know you were busy so that passes the time! Hey Paul...I miss you so much!! Wish you were here with me to celebrate my birthday, we'll make up for that soon!!
Braden (PunK) I expect something great for my birthday..diamonds or something like that is good!! Love ya bud, see you tomorrow!
I am off for my own celebration, good night family!! xoxox

Sorry no pics or details..busy drinking with friends!

Oh boy, i feel so neglectful..i apologize! Partly my fault and partly the internet connection at the hotel room. I tried to upload some pictures from Thursday nights events but it didn't allow me too..so i will try again later! Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend. We are having lots of fun and coming out of the games stronger..but still no wins! There is lots of talk about next years opportunities for the team so thats exciting! My mommy comes home today, hope Paul is careful driving to Buffalo to pick her up...I miss my family! Braden is happy, his interview was very successful..I'll tell you later about that~

I'm goin for a drink!!

Long day, too tired to blog...i will tell you about provincial ceremonies tomorrow! I apologize for the short blog but the girls need to get to bed and Michelle and I are going out for a drink!!

Anticipation..

We are gearing up for tomorrow's events here in Ottawa! We finally it here, after a very long drive! We shared many laughs on the way down, mostly at the expense of others..lol, we stopped at MacDonalds had a quick bite to eat and then we were off again on the 401! This is going to be such a big weekend for the girls, there is so much to look forward too..unfortunately at the end of the weekend this season is over and many friendships will be a little distant. We have 6 games over the course of this weekend and I will keep my avid, dedicated blog readers updated daily, wish us luck, these girls deserve to have much success this weekend! Lets do this ladies, lets get it done!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY...almost*

Tonight was wonderful, I met Candy out for dinner..she treated for my birthday! Lucky girl...I know!! So, we were out enjoying our conversation, nice glass of wine, quiet corner in the restaurant and then I noticed her!! It was a friend from college who I actually liked very much, she was alot younger than me, but very wise and always alot of fun...she has a great heart! I was thrilled to see her, and it was her birthday as well and she was out with friends celebrating. Well as the evening goes on, the staff at the restaurant all go over to my friends table and start clapping and singing the old familiar tune to Happy Birthday...she was delighted..look at me, its my birthday..yeah I'm sooo special, oh yes she soaked it up and loved every minute of it! Everyone clapped, including me and then it hit me...I looked at Candy and asked her almost panicky..."DId you do that for me?" She replies...knowing me very well.."NO Chrissy, I know better than that!!" Whew...I was relieved! As my friend is leaving she walks by our table with her crown on and balloon in hand, just about past my table and she notices my birthday present under the table..."Oh is it your birthday too?" Ok, what do I say here?? I could lie, but I didn't.."yes" its on Saturday..well the drama began!!
Immediately she jumps into action..thinking I would absolutely love the fabulous attention she just got..and starts looking for my waitress. I was assuring her that I was not interested and hated that kind of stuff..I hate attention, leave me alone! My waitress smiles kindly at me and mouths under her breath, don't worry I won't do it! I was settling back down, my nerves were back to normal, stops sweating from the amount of salt I had just digested as well as the house wine I devoured...especially after that close call!!
Here we are again, in deep conversation..getting caught up on life, leaning back in my seat considering for about 10 minutes I sat on the edge of it, ready to dash out the door at any sign of a birthday celebration. Totally forgetting about the earlier trauma, I hear them!! Oh F**k..I was ready to bolt, here they come..clapping and cheering with my paper crown, red heart shaped balloon and my sparkling cupcake. I am sure anyone who knows me well enough can almost see the horror in my eyes! NOT impressed, and I couldn't even hide it! I peeked around while the unenthused staff was trying to brighten my birthday celebration...(how can that be possible when your turning 39??) and noticed some children happily clapping and sitting to the backs of their chairs only wishing that stupid little cupcake was their's! I realised that I had to fake it...Big happy fake smile, or at least that is what I thought I was doing, later to find out apparently my words did not match my facial expressions! Candy said immediately everyone knew I was not happy! I tried hard to tell them thank you...except when I called my waitress a trader, she apologized and told me she felt she had to do it as my friend had paid for the birthday package. LOL, so I refused the stupid little crown hat, tied the balloon to my wine glass, pushed the pathetic vanilla (not even chocolate) cupcake across the table and then refused to have my picture taken...what a bitch!! LOL, looking back, that was terrible! I can't stop laughing know about it, but at the time, I was furious! WHat part of NO, please don't do it does she not understand? I explained my hatred for public attention and I was enjoying a quiet evening with a friend..not really in birthday celebration mode yet! Thank god Candy knows me well enough to not judge my behaviour! She had put up with so much over the years, she's a pro with my temper tantrums. Don't misunderstand me, I love when others are happy and enjoying their moments in life..i usually jump right in there and help make their moment a memorable one, however this evening, I didn't want to remember that soon I will be 39..
With all that said, I had a great time with Candy..she is wonderful and I am so fortunate to have that crazy girl go through life with me...I am sure tonight, she was questioning why she is still here...LOL,

Attitude..

You must understand that to strive for balance in your life, never undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others. It is because we are different that each of us is special.
DON'T set your goals by what other people deem important. Only you know what is best for you.
DON'T take for granted the things closest to your heart. Cling to them as you would your life, for without them, life is meaningless.
Don't let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past or for the future. By living your life one day at a time, you live ALL the days of your life.
DON'T give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.
DON'T be afraid to admit that you are less than perfect. It is this fragile thread that binds us to each other.
DON'T be afraid to encounter risks. It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.
DON'T shut love out of your life by saying its impossible to find.
The quickest way to recieve love is to give;the fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly; and the best way to keep love is to give it wings.
DON'T run through life so fast that you forget not only where you've been, but also where you are going.
DON'T be afraid to learn. Knowledge is weightless, a treasure you can always carry easily.
DON'T use time or words carelessly. Neither can be retrieved.

These are a few DON'T's that I live my life by...thought I would share them with you! I am sure that at least one of these DON'T'S will have a significant meaning to all of you, enjoy them...sometimes reading them just reminds you to slow down, remember whats important, enjoy today, don't worry about tomorrow...let yesterday go!!

What a disappointment..

Not too sure how the rest of you all feel but tonights hockey game against the USA totally sucked. I certainly believe that we dominated the ice, but unfortunately the USA goalie was alot stronger and saved the game for them. We out shot them, out played them and should have won that game! It's not over yet, we still can bring home a gold, so I am not losing hope just yet! GO CANADA!!!
Tonight my son did a very grown up thing and he spoke to someone who he hasn't spoken to in about 2 years. Boy was I proud of Braden, he spoke his mind and offered his support to this person. Unfortunately the adult on the other end was not as mature as Braden and denied any help, it was too bad...but the other person was legitametly happy to hear from Braden and was shocked to hear his voice and how grown up he sounded! Not much was accomplished but Braden had his chance to speak and came away feeling unfortunately unjustified, but still surprisingly satisfied for his own effort! Way to go Braden, you continue to surprise us with your wise old soul and the ability to speak in any situation. Your confidence is growing, and we are very proud of you!!

Don't just Dream Big..

So here it is, YES YOU CAN!! Three very poweful words, certainly its a frame of mind. All it takes is the power to want it bad enough, then simply do what you have to do...make a change, do what you believe in. Anyone can change their life, its alot easier than you think, so many people have excuses and reasons to not full fill their dreams, their wants or desires. Take charge, risk what you've got, take a leap of faith...whats the worse that can happen? People settle everyday and accept what they've been dealt in life. They choose to live unhappy, lying each and everyday not only to others but unfortunately to themselves. It's sad to witness that in life, you know people living according to what others believe is right. Have no regrets in the end, live for yourself...make your life yours!
Don't just say it....do it!!

Word to live by..

This is exactly what I did today! I loved every minute of it, listening to my music dancing in the kitchen and singing loudly with my headset on! It was a great day! Mom and dad came for dinner, it was nice to see them..my mom is getting excited about her trip I am happy for her! My boots are one day closer to getting here..thats awesome!

What I'm reading..

I started this book about 2 weeks ago but struggle to find the time to read it. The Hour I first Believed is a book by Wally Lamb and it is fabulous. I have read a few of Wally Lamb's books and just love the way he writes. I struggle everynight to put it down, i was on the treadmill today at the gym and I had the book with me. While the lady on the treadmill beside me took off her headset to tell me that she too just started the same book and was absolutely loving it! We both agreed that getting to bed was difficult and that losing sleep really sucks! I would recommend this book to everyone, it is so detailed and his writing style makes you actually believe that you know the characters personally, its a great read!
Today I also ordered a pair of Hunter rainboots!! I love them, they are amazing.

They should be here in 8-14 days. I saw them in Toronto and the sales lady said that they were becoming increasingly popular and they were selling out of them quickly. At the time I debated getting them, then left the store without them. I kicked myself all the way home! So regretted not getting them!! I checked everywhere around here for them and couldn't find them, so online I go and found them. I ordered a black pair and plan on taking them to Greece and Italy with me!
My mom is counting down the sleeps until she leaves for Florida, I am so happy for her! It's her first trip with out any of us going..just her and her friend! She is going to have a great time and she deserves it! She works so hard for all of us, always there when we need her, always smiling and making the best out of any situation no matter how aweful it is! I am sending her on a mission to find these boots for Kailey while in Florida, hopefully she can get them and maybe even a bit cheaper! Dinner tomorrow with the family, looking forward to it! I have alot on my mind after today, just not ready to write about it! Somethings just need to stay quiet...for now, just until I figure out how I feel about things. Its upsetting and frustrating but its not life threatening and everyone is still healthy and happy so its a choice for me, how much i'll let it get to me!
Other than that, it was a nice day..gym was fantastic, nice to be back and feeling better! Well off I go, time for bed...good night my lovely dedicated reader's,
with love...

Italy bound...

Well here it is my friends, this is the Itinerary for our trip to Italy and Greece...
Day 1 - Fly overnight to Italy
Day 2 - Rome

Arrive in Rome
Day 3 - Rome

Take a guided tour of Vatican City:
•Sistine Chapel
•St. Peter’s Basilica
Take a guided tour of Rome:
•Forum Romanum
Visit the Colosseum
Take a walking tour of Rome:
•Pantheon
•Trevi Fountain
Day 4 - Rome

Enjoy a free day in Rome
Optional: Florence
Day 5 - Capri • Sorrento

Travel to Capri
Take a guided tour of Capri
Take an island cruise
Continue on to Sorrento
Day 6 - Pompeii • Brindisi • Night ferry

Travel to Pompeii
Take a guided tour of Pompeii
Continue on to an Italian port
Board an overnight ferry to Patras
Day 7 - Patras • Delphi

Arrive in Patras and travel to Delphi
Day 8 - Delphi • Athens

Take a guided tour of Delphi:
•Temple of Apollo
Visit the Delphi Museum
Travel to Athens
Day 9 - Athens

Take a guided tour of Athens:
•Olympic stadium
•Omonia and Syntagma squares
Visit the Acropolis:
•Parthenon
•Temple of Athena Nike
Take a walking tour of Athens:
•Plaka district and Hadrian’s Arch
•Temple of Olympian Zeus
Optional: Greek Evening
Day 10 - Depart for home
Tonight we had a meeting at the school to go over some last minute details and some travel tips. We got some great advice and some reminders of important things to remember when travelling in Europe. There is a group of 54 people, which includes kids and some parents. I am not sure that I would be ready to let Kailey travel to another part of the world without one of us with her. There are 7 children travelling without a parent. They will be very well taken care of, supervision is not an issue...I just think she would get homesick, who would kiss her goodnight and tuck her in?? Maybe it would be harder on me?? She would probably be fine, lets just say it's a good thing I am going..for my sake!!
I have so much to do inorder to get ready, I think I will start shopping this weekend, the biggest obstacle is going to be laundry facilities..apparently there are none and I will be washing my bloomers in the bathroom sink then hanging them to dry. Not my style of a holiday...where is the laundry service and the 52" TV?? People keep telling me that I am in for a big surprise. Hopefully Colleen is feeling better before we leave, she hurt her back and was out of commission for 2 weeks. Thankfully she is starting to feel better...she is so high maintanence..gosh, she can't breathe, she snores and know her back is out!! I'm not carrying her or her backpack..you all know what happened the last time I travelled with a needy friend!! LOL..just joking, she will be fine..I will feed her lots of wine and she has her meds....its all good!!
Here are some pics of the hotels that we will be staying at:

This is hotel Aiolos in Greece!

This hotel is in Italy and it is called Hotel Ciampino, looks beautiful!

This hotel is in Greece and is called The Galaxy Hotel..I am so excited, this is going to be an amazing trip and I am so happy to have the opportunity to spend it with my friend Colleen and her daughter Kayla as well as my baby girl! It is going to be unforgettable! I hope our daughters realize the significance of this trip!!

This is a view from one of our hotel rooms, just can't remember which one, I know its in Greece.

Happy Pancake Tuesday...

Pancake Day, or Shrove Tuesday, is part of Shrovetide. Historically, Christians would make pancakes to use up the kitchen leftovers before Lent, a time of fasting.

Here is a recipe for homemade blueberry pancakes:


Things You'll Need:
•2 eggs
•1 1/2 cups flour
•2 1/4 tsp baking powder
•3 tbsp sugar
•3/4 tsp salt
•1 cup milk
•3 tbsp butter, melted
•1 cup fresh/frozen blueberries
Step
1First separete the eggs and set them aside. Next shift together flour,soda, salt.

Step
2Mix together egg yolks, milk, and butter add this to the dry ingredients. Next add the egg whites and still well.

Step
3Bake on a hot greased griddle or fry pan.
Hope you try...they are fantastic!

Congratulations Canada

I must say that I am pretty darn proud to be a Canadian! I have been loving the Olymipic coverage and am thrilled to see all the support, love and dedication shining through our Canadian athletes. Friday evening was amazing, I thought that our opening ceremonies were fantastic. I feel that we as Canadian's showed the world that we are a strong, powerful, proud nation filled with all kinds of abilities. I have to admit that I did cry when Rick Hanson rolled out on that platform carrying that torch with him. As a mom of a physically challenged child, it was a moment of glory. My heart amplifies a little more everytime reference is made to our society that we are all equal regardless of our abilities or disabilities. It is in these instants that make my world a better place. Thank you Canada for being so wonderful, it was a unified moment for our family.
Congratulations to Alexandre Bilodeau, on our first gold medal in Freestyle Moguls...you are a true Canadian hero! I hope everyone is enjoying the Olympic coverage and is cheering on as loudly from their livingrooms as we are from ours! Way to go Canada Girls Hockey..naturally you rock!!
Happy family day to everyone, hope you all had a great day spent with your families! We were off to Toronto to do some shopping. It was a successful day!

Will you accept this rose...

HAPPY VALENTINE"S DAY

I hope everyone was blessed with time together with their loved ones! Today was a nice day, Kailey played an awesome game against Missasauga, our girls really turned on the heat and made Missisauga work very hard for the win. They didn't get it easy that's for sure. It really was anyone's game today, very close game 2-1 for Missisauga. We have been tied with them all season, both teams have won 4 out of 8 games, but today Missisauga pulled ahead with another win...that's ok, we'll get them in the provincials.
Paul and Braden were off to Toronto where Braden scored 2 goals and got one assist...great job Braden! He won 8-1, wished I was there.
Once they got back, Paul surprised me with a dozen beautiful roses..they are so pretty..thanks babe, I love them!!

I want to bring to your attention that a couple weeks ago I was blogging about valentine's day and saying that I didn't want to go out for dinner on that day. Well, I must admit that today we DID go out for dinner on Valentines day! Paul booked a 6:00pm dinner at Cafe 13 here in Cambridge, he figured that Valentine's day was for us...and family day which is tomorrow is for family!

I couldn't agree more, i was pleasantly surprised to have a dinner out alone with just him. We enjoyed a nice glass of Chardonney, and the meal was amazing and the company was by far the best! We are just settling down for the evening with the move Whip it, starring Drew Barrymore...it was a great day!

Valentine kisses..

Twenty one valentine kisses with the love of my life! That's how many we have had since we met, I still remember my first valentine's kiss with him. It was wonderful, although I was sick at the time he still came over to my house with cinnamon hearts, chocolate and a stuffed bear just for me. It was actually my first real valentine's day with a boyfriend, I had never had anyone else he has always been my valentine! I do believe we haven't missed one yet, may have been close a couple times...but I do think love has always prevailed and we still ended up with eachother,...I am lucky, and I know that!!

My whole heart for my whole life.

To all the wonderful people who read my blog, Happy Valentine's Day, may you be blessed with love today, tomorrow and forever!

Functionality..

Below is a picture of Paul putting together a bathroom trolley that I have been searching everywhere for. I have been looking gor about 3 months for this trolley.I finally found it at Zehrs. So today Paul decided to put it together for me which then led to the finalization of Braden and Kailey's bathroom being completed.

This picture is the old bathtub, it was a good one, very deep which gave the kids the best bubble baths.

The next picture is the small vanity complete with the sink. The reason for the small counter space was to provide more room for Braden to manouver around. It wasn't that functional but it did the job while they were little.

Here is the new floating sink and mirror, it is so much better for Braden he has way more space and can access the sink easier. I am so pleased with the colour of the paint choice, it turned out so masculine. No need to worry about the lack of female presence, soon enough Kailey will have her own girlie washroom to make into her own lady like spa.


As you can see to the left is the little trolley that I bought for Braden, it has wheels on the legs so that gives him the choice to move it to a position in the bathroom that makes it easy for to use.

Here we feature the absolutely amazing walk/roll in shower. I have waited years to have this luxury. It makes life so much easier for us and for Braden. He has all the privacy and independance that he needs. It is beautiful and I am more than happy with the ceramic tile choice. It is easy to keep clean, but mostly I love the accessability. This little corner of heaven makes a part of our day just a little easier, no lifting, no lugging and no complaining!!

The many faces of Ethan....and that darn witching hour!

This is his spiderman web shooting pose..you can almost see the web shooting out from his wrists..
Today we had Ethan for the day because he was sick. I felt so bad for him, he had a slight fever, cough, sore throat and red, sore eyes..probably due to pink eye. When he first showed up he was pretty quiet and just lied on the couch and rested, watched a movie with me. By lunch time he came around and ate a good lunch, he perked up after that and we could see his colorful personality shine.


The picture above is one of his favorite stances that he uses while playing spiderman. He has loved spiderman for probably 3 years and his love for that super hero is still going strong.

Ethan is the most brightest, loving, good hearted little boy you would ever meet. He has the gift to gab and loves to talk about everything. He truly does have a love for life. He is always asking questions that broadens his quest for knowledge. He is an observer from afar but when he is interested in something he will take the time to learn, study and figure out everything there is to know about the that topic. I admire his innocense and his abiltity to engage in any conversation whether it is with another child or a grown up who wants to be challenged.


Boy is he a lover, he has so many wonderful people in his life who love him and are so eager to leave an imprint in his life just so they feel like a little peice of them is involved with the wonderful man he will grow up to be. We as a family were blessed the day he was born, he has brought so much to our lives and we love him unconditionally.

He has the best sense of humour you could ever imagine, the boy is quick. Sometimes he surprises me with his quick wit and catch phrases. He is no fool, and you can never get anything by him. He has the best ability to make you laugh, and the best part is he has no idea how funny he actually is. He is definately set in his ways, there is no changing him. He has to have things done when he is ready and it has to be his idea. He can be challenging, opinionated, but when he turns around and smiles..he lights up the room. His smile is infectuous.

I will take the opportunity to brag about his talent, this child has the strongest artistic strenghs I have ever witnessed in a 6 year old. He can draw better than many 13 year old I know, and recently we found his writing skills to be way above average. Not only can he draw and write, but he can dance! We took him to a wedding a couple years ago and without any lessons, the kid hit the dance floor with rhythm like no ones buisness. We had young adults 20-23 years old approaching us on his talent. Many of them commented on his natural ability to pick up a beat and feel it. I will say he does have talent on the dance floor.

Times have been a bit rough lately for him, and it breaks are hearts to see him hurt. We cannot understand how he feels, but we can stand with him and hold him and let him know that we love him feircely and we are always here for him. I know in time things will get better for our little man, until then....all we can do is love him, and we are experts at that!!

So, today was kinda funny. I haven't had a little one in the house for awhile during the day. Once he started to feel better, he was on my hip in the kitchen..i'm bored aunt Sissy, what can I do? I want to paint, I want to play with clay, can you play tic tac toe?? Of course, i do! But it was 4:00 in the afternoon and I was needing to get dinner made. It was then I remembered "the Witching Hour". Oh my goodness it all came back! I had vivid memories of trying to get dinner ready, being tired, being hungry and having 2 young tired kids driving me crazy around the kitchen. It was funny, I have not had a moment like that in years...from 4pm till 5pm I would struggle waiting for Paul to come home to entertain the kids so I could finish dinner..that was called "My Witching Hour" its been so long since that hour resurfaced..where did that come from? Actually it wasn't that bad...i called Kailey to come and set up the Wii for him, it took care of him for an hour! Overall, I loved every minute of today..he went home after dinner tonight and I already miss him!

He'll be back, won't be long and I'll have him rooting through the cupboards looking for cookies and a kool aid jammer. Once that's been done, he usually makes his way over to the movies pulls out a spiderman one or Harry Potter, then plunks down on the couch. Soon summer will be here and he will be happily running from the pool to the hot tub, excitedly yelling..."aunt Sissy watch my flip", "aunt Sissy watch me dive", Aunt Sissy wears the Spiderman goggles"..aunt Siss....
and then I'll be tired!!

Meet Maggie...cute, cuddly but so damn demanding!

I just love my kitty cat! She really is very cute, loving and adorable. We got her 6 years ago when we had promised Kailey her own make a wish. Braden had a wish granted which included a trip to California to watch a Anehiam Mighty Ducks NHL hockey playoff game. At the time his favorite hockey player was Paul Karya so we had the privelidge of flying down and seeing the 2nd playoff game between the Mighty Ducks and the New Jersey Devils. On top of all of that we had a private meeting with Wayne Gretzgy and a day in Disneyland. It was a wonderful memorable trip, we were very thankful and appreciative. However there was always an underlying sick feeling associated with the reason's we were there and the fact that we qualified for a Make A Wish, deep down we knew the reality of the situation and for that, at times it was hard to swallow! Well let me tell you how out of joint our little Kailey bug was..she was disgusted with the fact that her brother was recieving so much attention and so many gifts. Natually she didn't understand the whole picture, she was only 6 years old. To her it just wasn't fair, she only knew Braden as her annoying, bratty older brother...special needs or not!! No sympathy from her..
I had to do something for her...god forbid she feels less important, or less loved! We had some making up to do...we gave her, her very own wish. She chose her own kitty cat, she wanted her very own pet something she could take care of. This wasn't going to be easy considering Paul dislikes cats and I am allergic to them. Honestly I knew I was getting away with it easy, she could have chosen so many other things that could have costs alot of money. So without telling Paul (not the best decision) I took Kailey out to the Humane Society and she picked out the tiniest, scruffiest, blackest little kitten you could ever imagine. Was she cute? No not really, her fur was matted, she wasn't soft, fluffy or clean but for whatever reason Kailey fell in love. We picked her out, went through the adoption process and took her home. I had no idea what to expect out of Paul it didn't really matter as long as Kailey was happy and feeling like she was equally important as her brother.

In time Maggie did get cuter, and her little personality began to shine. At the time we only had one dog and she quickly let Harley know who was in charge.
Ok well for being so small this cat can drive me more crazy than pretty much anyone else in this house. First of all this morning, we woke up a bit later and we were rushing around trying to get out the door of course all I hear is Maggie meowing and meowing and meowing to be let out of her sleeping room. We have to lock her in the laundry room or she'll come upstairs to my room and keep me up all night walking all over me and demanding that I get up to feed her and let her outside. Even the dogs know to wait until we have time to feed them and let outside to pee.
Maggie continued to meow until I finally let her out, immediately she runs to the back door and demands to be let outside, when I say demand I mean MEOW MEOW MEOW! There was no time to let her out I had to get Kailey to school. So she waits intently until I get home and walk through the front door, she runs through the house to get to the kitchen counter inorder to voice very loudly that she is hungry and would like her food, MEOW MEOW MEOW..OMG, leave me alone! Finally I begrudgingly feed her. Another thing she does frequently, is whenever I want to snuggle with her, forget it! She wants nothing to do with me! She runs, hides and stays clear of my voice. But, when she wants to cuddle and purr her little heart out..she is all over me, demanding my attention. So this morning I am typing out some stuff for Braden and up she comes on my lap...doesn't seem to care that there is a laptop sitting on my lap, up she comes and down goes all my typing. She hit a something which deleted the page I was typing on..yes I had half of it saved but still I had to redo alot of the work.
I don't get it, how can something so small drive me so crazy. Yes I love her, and I am glad that she is ours...but somedays, I wish she'd go easy on me!!

Uneventful evening..

This evening was BORING!! Actually I spent most of it helping Braden with homework. He is trying his hardest to prepare for the co op placement that he wants to get into. Surprisingly there is alot of work to be done, alot of soul searching and trying to figure out who you are and what you want to do! Its certainly interesting but its tedious, and you kinda feel like your repeating yourself. Anyways he did a cover letter, and while preparing he did get a boost in his confidence because he realized how much experience he actually has with communication and public speaking, All you have to do is google his name and a whole bunch of stuff comes up, he has been very busy over the past few years with fundraising and volunteering.
Other than that, this evening I made a really good dessert for the family, and we watched American Idol.

Not sure what I think of Ellens contribution just yet! We will see in time! I thought to take a picture of my dessert, i was pleased with the visual turnout! Good night all..sweet dreams!!

Easy Baked Manicotti

Well the other night I made this Manicotti for the family, I was so surprised to see all of them clean their plates with smiles..
This recipe is easy and yet..scrumptions!! I will certainly be using this one at future functions, potlucks and ringette get togethers, I served it with garlic bread and cesear salad. The picture that is shown here is not my manicotti, I didn't think to take a picture of it...I should have, mine looked better!
1 can of Primo Thick and Zesty original recipe Pasta Sauce
1 egg lightly beaten
1 3/4 cups of ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups Kraft Mozzarella Shreds
1/2 cup Kraft Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup basil pesto sauce (optional)
12 Primo Manicotti,cooked, rinsed in cold water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread 3/4 cup of the pasta sauce onto the bottom of 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Mix egg, cheeses and pesto sauce until well blended. Spoon cheese mixture into large resealable plastic bag . Using scissors, cut small hole in one of the bottom corners of the bag.

Fill:manicotti shells, 1 at a time, squeezing cheese mixture into both sides of shell. Place manicotti over sauce in dish; pour remaining pasta sauce over manicotti. Cover with foil.

Bake:40 min. or until heated through.

Hope you try it! Let me know who does and what you think?

Borrow his strength..

Today I had a conversation with an aquaintance about marriage and relationships. It was an interesting one because the issue's that she was having in her marriage with her husband are very similair to some of the issue's that Paul and I have already encountered during our 21 years together.

It is concerning to see what happens to a marriage when trauma or tradegy strikes. Marriage isn't easy for anyone, but then throw something into a family which is going to change the dynamics of that family, it can be incrediably overwhelming and at times inconceivably devastating. I am certainly no expert, but I have lived through a catastrophic life changing event. We are not perfect and we still have a long way to go in life together as a couple. When talking with this women I could relate to her struggle's and the issue's that she was expressing. It is the most difficult, trying times in a marriage when something goes wrong that we are not expecting. Paul and I have worked very hard to over come and hurdle the many obstacles placed infront of us. Sometimes we managed to get through them together and sometimes we were not able to stand with one another and we chose to fight some battles alone.
When two people choose to build a life together, we must remember that people change over the course of a life time. We are not always going to be the same person who we were when we walked down the aisle. Sometimes, people don't expect to see their loved one change, and at times we may question our love.
It doesn't mean that your love stops, or that you don't want to continue a life with the person that you married, it means you have to choose to adapt to the change in your spouse. It would be a very unhealthy marriage if you didn't grow as individuals and allow life experiences to influence and revise a part of who you are. Its only natural to evolve as a whole person, but equally important to evolve as a couple. My advise to my friend was simple, as women we must remember that men don't always cope the same as we do. Men and women deal differently in times of disaster. When times were challenging for us, spending weeks at a time in ICU with Braden usually fighting pneumonia, our lives would go on hold. Everything changes..you lose sight of the world around you, nothing is important anymore.


Nothing else matters...however during these moments you have to remember who you are and keep the one you love close, its easy to forget about them. Your own needs are unimportant, and you are certainly not thinking about the needs of your life partner. Unfortunately this is were the fracture in a marriage begins, not on purpose..it happens without intention. The lady who I spoke with today was sharing her thoughts on her husband returning to work and his lack of interest in helping her with the responsibilities of their special needs child at home. This is actually one of the number one complaints in a marriage of families who have a child with special needs or a child who is terminally ill.
Through experiences and befriending many mom's while staying in hospital it was common for the dad's, husbands or significant others to eventually return to work. We as women had difficulty letting them go, we all discussed the fact that we were on our own. Our husbands were not intentionally leaving us or our sick children, it was evenly challenging for them to sit at bedside and feel helpless, or feel like there was nothing they could do. Most dad's did return to work, usually due to financial reason's. I could see the strain on these families, as mom's we become stronger and we tend to go head on and fight through the tough days. We eventually fall under the assumption that we have to do this alone, we forget to include our husbands. They sometimes take a second seat..and again the bow breaks and this is where a marriage can tumble. One of the biggest complaints from Paul was that I was to independant, he became frustrated that I no longer needed him. Reality was I just got use to doing it on my own, I stuggled to let go...if I let him take over, I might just lose control.
It took me years to understand why Paul would return to work even when Braden was struggling in hospital..how could he leave? Why did he not want to be here with us? He did stay through the times of uncertainty, once Braden was cleared and on the mend, Paul would then go back to work. So don't get me wrong, Paul never abandoned myself or Braden, he just chose to go during the recovery time. It was his way of handling the situation, he too was hurting and needed to retreat somewhere for his own mental health, as a man he needed to work it made him feel validated, made him feel worthy. As a mommy I got validation through Braden, through his recovery. I felt worthy everytime he came off of life support or everytime we were sent home after a long battle. Not that Paul didn't feel that as well, but he also had to have the strenghth to hold me up, he had the added bonus of keeping himself strong and capable to deal with me..trust me, that wasn't an easy job!
At the time I was resentful that he could leave and find refuge somewhere else, I guess when we were young and dealing with way to much I didn't realize that he too was suffering just as much as I was. In time we both learned how to communicate and not make assumptions. It's not everyday your life is turned upside down, and it is critical not to forget eachother. These are the moments that we pull together sometimes in silence, learn to speak to one another through your eyes...from across the room. You will be the only two in the world who will feel the same during these times, who will always understand how you feel... just by watching you. Words are not always important, sometimes they mean nothing..hold his hand, borrow his strength, and walk beside eachother.