It's been more challenging to update our blog here.

But just so that it goes on personal record, we bought a house. Offer accepted on Sept 20, 2017, and in our possession by October 19. Without the help of grandma Sally, we couldn't have done this. She put in a chunk of her investments on us.

It's a nice old house that needs a lot of work. It's okay. It's ours. Pictures coming soon, it's hard to upload anything from my phone to blogger.

We had the roof on the cottage fixed temporarily.
Now we are tearing out the kitchen to put in a new sink and counter, and ready it for the installation of our washer/dryer. And we still need to buy a stove.

We need the electricals fixed! Working on it.......

Gerard is ecstatic to have his own room, Aubrey is not. She is very sad to leave our current home at 41st Ave. We all are! It's a great location and lovely neighborhood.

But now we have our own house again. And we plan to be here for a long while. So, let's embrace what we have. We're on to better things now.

New school year

As we get older, keeping this blog updated is becoming a challenge. More activities, more junk in the way, i say.

This school year we saw Gerard start third grade and Aubrey first grade. It has been a smooth start, and i no longer get to walk in the classroom to say goodbye. We do this in the yard now before your class goes into the building. It is a little hard to let go.....

But i am coping.

To speed up the news, you both achieved your white-yellow belts in tae kwon do. I don't know how aubrey passed, but she did. Gerard, i can see, takes it seriously. 

Meanwhile in soccer, aubrey blazes the field! Gerard, not so much :) we always tell you to hustle and play hard, but you are overly polite on the field. 

Aubrey has been super besties with simone, while gerard is with sofia. Glad that this school community is attended by wonderful families, because we really do like the friends you have made here. 

Perseverance

Gerard,
You're our eldest. You will go through more hardship and struggle than Aubrey. And that's okay. We will challenge you and drill you. But in the end, you will be a smarter and stronger person. We will learn from you, and Aubrey will benefit from you.

Don't be hard on your shortfalls. Just remember to keep facing them, keep failing, and keep trying. That's perseverance. I am behind you and will continue to support you, forever.

Love you,
mom

Mm Hmm Aubrey

At dinner, as I sat with the computer and Aubrey at the table, she was saying things. My responses must have been "mm hmm, mm hmm" and then she asked "May I have some water?" I said, "yes of course!" and got up. She comments that she thought I wasn't listening because I only kept saying "mm hmm"

Hello, my loves.
It has been a couple of months since anything was written.

2015 ended off quite well. We had our jobs, we had a home, we had Christmas together.

The start of 2016 was busy for mom, with a foot in a boot and a work event to start. I just got the screw removed yesterday, and boyyyy i am feeling the raw cut. But i hope this is it. I hope i can walk and do my activities again.

Songwriting

It's been a longtime desire of mine to co-write music with Gerard and/or Aubrey.

Last night, Aubrey and I started to. She has a songbook with words. I encouraged her to keep writing, but with what she had, we started making melody. I want to document this very closely, because I want Aubrey to be able to express herself positively even if she's feeling negatively.

Also, we are learning how to make music in general together. The kids and I are learning a Bruno Mars song to try to sing at the talent show. See how this one goes....!

Mom's slow life!

Thought I would record a timeline of a recent incident.

August 4-9: Mom goes to Calgary for work.
August 10-14: Gerard, Aubrey and mom go on vacation to Reno with grandma and grandpa.
August 14: Returned home, and mom gets into a stair accident late at night. Papa takes her to Kaiser, and gets a splint for "sprinting" her foot. Mom stayed at Kaiser overnight, while Papa went home to get some rest. Papa picked up mom very early and goes to work soon after.
August 15: Only hours after falling and being released from ER, mom looks after Gerard and Aubrey on their last day of summer break. Not sure how that worked out without any help from another adult in the house. Mom was laying down all day, but managed to prepare meals and wash butts with splint on foot and crutches on hand. Mom and kids attend kindergarten orientation at Sunset, and faces questions from other parents about the splint.
August 18: First day of school! Mom crutches kids along, and faces more questions from other parents.
August 19: Mom goes back to Kaiser to see a podiatrist, who recommends surgery. It is more than just a sprain!
August 21: Mom gets first ever hospital stay (other than giving birth) for surgery. Goes home later that day, with a heavy cast. Mom's pain meds help her to survive the night.
August 22: Pain meds wear off, and mom suffers from so much pain! Call to the Kaiser advice nurse gets Papa to pick up prescribed pills that should have been brought home earlier. Pain continues for a few more days, and meds help mom to lay still and feel nauseous.
August 24: Mom continues to work, but from home. Ordered to bedrest, but refuses to admit being disabled. Mom convinces everyone she is able to work, but unable to walk. Work from home granted for the next few weeks.
August 25 to October 4: Mom attends 2 separate back to school nights, soccer games and became a bit more mobile inside the house with the help of a flexleg.
October 5: Mom is excited for the day to come soon that her doctor will hopefully say, "you're free of crutches!" Appointment is on October 6.