~ honest. sincere. embarrassing. funny. with a healthy dose of sarcasm. ~
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Monday, January 30

ER, Spots, Brain Cells and Exponents

Tim has still not shown any Chicken Pox....we are wondering if he even has them. He has been nursing a massive headache since Friday with a fever off and on....but no spots. I called Telehealth last night because he was crying from the pain of his headache -- the nurse said it wasn't normal for a 5 year old to have one that bad and told me I should go into the ER. But the bitchy ER nurse laughed at me for bringing him in. The good news is that he is not allergic to Advil. Turns out it was Scarlet fever last year....(which is what I figured but the Doctor argued that he had an allergy). They gave him Advil last night for his headache - and we had to wait an hour to make sure there were no allergic symptoms. He was fine!

Today was also my first day of school - which I was dreading because of the test. I guess I haven't forgotten everything - I am in level 4 out of 5. Which means that I have to work on all the things I have forgotten. Today it was exponents. Oh yay....the excitment.

I really like the layout - I work on the Units at my own pace - ask the teacher if I need any help and then write the test on that unit when I feel ready. There are about 20 other people in the class but they are all working on seperate units and even different subjects.

And, as in any class room, there are always some interesting characters. The class jokester tried to help me by picking up a pen lid that I dropped and ended up almost knocking down the bookshelf and me in one swift jump over my chair. The last thing I wanted to do was stand out on my first day - but he took care of that for me quite well. Should be an interesting experience!

Saturday, January 28

Be Informed

Part of the reason that I voted Conservative this year was because I want my husband to make it home safely to us at the end of each shift. I know that there are a lot of misconstrued stories about this topic. Unions are a hard thing to love all the time - but the real issue is my husband is not equipped to deal with the idiots that could cross into open-armed Canada. Yes, it's wonderful to have the notion that we are a loving, open-minded, non-violent society. But how are we helping our society if we are providing an easy escape and a safe haven for criminals? Meanwhile, allowing our men and women - who are supposed to be protecting us - sit there waiting for them like sitting ducks? Lately, Border officers are exercising their right to refuse work if they feel that they are in danger - which is causing a lot of travellers headaches. But, how many of us would be willing to meet a machine-gun-carrying, angry criminal on the run - with our bare hands? Here is an example of what happens.

I don't know how much I am able to share on the blog - a lot of my information comes from the information that I get from Garnet. But let me tell you -- there are a lot of scary things happening that don't make it into the news. We are close enough to touch some of these criminals - and our Border Guards are left with Pepper Spray and Batons to protect not only themselves - but our Country!

And obviously; "STOP or ....I'll yell STOP again!!" isn't going to work on a brain dead criminal with a machine gun!

Some Articles for you to read:
READ THE 3RD LINE FROM THE BOTTOM! - scary, huh? (**Garnet informed me that this is called "Release and Notify"....so they don't hold the Armed and Dangerous Criminal in custody but rather let him into Canada and notify the Police that he is now in Canada....hmmm, that makes me feel safe. Obviously, when they refuse to work they have their own safety in mind but also the safety of the country!)
From the U.S. point of View
Arm Border Guards

Uh Oh!!

A little girl went home with Chicken Pox in Tim's class this week -- and Tim has had a fever and headache all day. Because vaccines scare me he didn't have the vaccine .......so we'll see how this ends up!!!

Friday, January 27

I'm Volunteering! (if I don't get lost on the way there...)

I met with the Volunteer Co-Ordinator today and after a few needles, checkups and orientations I'll be volunteering at the hospital!! I got my picture taken for my card and everything today -- now I just have to go in for the TB test and make sure all my Immunizations are up to date.

Very exciting!!

I'm especially excited for the orientation, seeing as I got lost 4 times on my way around the hospital today. One guy saw me looking for the I.D. Card place, said I looked extremely lost, and then helped me to the room. When the Photo person wasn't there he took me to a few other rooms where she 'might' be found, then had her paged and eventually dragged me all the way through the back offices to find her! Wow, if only everyone were that helpful!!

I'll be sure to post a picture in my Volunteer get up!!

Wednesday, January 25

Huh?

So, if you have 6/(-2), you can do the following:
6/(-2) = 6/(-1 * 2)
because -2 = -1 * 2
6/(-1 * 2) = (-1 * 6)/(-1 * -1 * 2)
because you can multiply the top and bottom by the same thing.
(-1 * 6)/(-1 * -1 * 2) = (-1 * 6)/(1 * 2)
because -1 * -1 = 1
(-1 * 6)/(1 * 2) = (-1 * 6)/2
because 1 * 2 = 2
(-1 * 6)/2 = -1 * (6/2)
because division and multiplication are commutative
-1 * (6/2) = -1 * 3
because 6/2 = 3
-1 * 3 = -3
because -3 = -1 * 3

Just some of my light reading tonight as I prepare for my math test on Monday to determine how much I've forgotten in the last.....ummm *few* years. Actually I'm feeling really old because I was just thinking how it's been almost 10 years since I was actually in a Math class. What the hell am I doing?????

Tuesday, January 24

The times, they are a changin'....

I am at a point in my life right now where I can't really tell you where I'll be in a year....everything seems to be happening at once and I feel like I'm holding my breath.

I had a job interview to work for a Portrait Studio today!!!!!
I start my first classes on January 30th - good old Mathematics....yee ha.
To add to this - we have our house up for sale and I'm starting to volunteer at the hospital.
Oh yeah, and all the regular everyday activities that go a long with living, being a mom and a wife.

Life is really fun, isn't it?!

Honestly - I have a few knots in my tummy....(especially with the fact that I am 25 years old and just said tummy) If I get this new job I'd have to give up a very flexible and easy-to-schedule-around job. But it's a job that both Tim and I are getting tired of (he comes with me) - and a job that I can't advance in. I'm hoping that they are willing to schedule (for the most part) around Garnet's shifts because Tim still has a few more months before grade 1 and it's not worth it to pay a babysitter right now. I'm still debating so much of it in my head - decisions are so hard to make sometimes....and change is always so hard to face.

Monday, January 23

awww....memories!!

hehe

hey baby, wanna come for a ride?

airplanes and helicopters live in the sky, ok? Posted by Picasa


Some very bad news turned into some nostalgic moments this past weekend. Garnet (while reformatting the computer) ended up erasing some pictures. It was completely not his fault - he's reformatted the computer hundreds of times before and never had a problem. But this time something went wrong and Windows didn't recognize the partitions in the hard drive (or something like that) and so all my hard drive was wiped and his too. Almost 1000 songs were lost and a bunch of important information...and like I said, some pictures.

So we did some more organizing, salvaged some pictures from the album and blog. Then went through all our old picture CD's and put them all on DVD's and in a nice little album.

I got my first Digital Camera before my trip out West in September 2003. I wish I had gotten one earlier now when I look back and see how much he has changed in the last 2 1/2 years. I put a couple cute videos up on Imageevent.

Sunday, January 22

My Blog Virgin "sister"....

I am so excited that Jenni has started a blog..... www.jennicameron.blogspot.com

Friday, January 20

It's growing HIllary!!

Our "gardens".... Posted by Picasa

Poor deprived snowless kids....

Tim and Christian have missed the snow so much that when we got a light dusting they had to get to the hill immediately!! They weaved around the grass patches and had a grand ol' time on Sarnia's little snow "hill" (aka bump);)

Easy way to carry the sled

Goin' down!!

Working hard up the hill....(I love the rosy cheeks from sliding!!) Posted by Picasa

Thursday, January 19

Confessions of a packrat....while I'm trying to make soup and water my flowers.

Hi, my name is Jessica - and I'm a Packrat.

There. I said it.

I have every letter that was ever written to me, I have 3 memory boxes, I have a journal from Grade 1 and every diary I've written since then. I have weird objects that are the physical form of a memory ie; 80's sunglasses, a T-Shirt sleeve, a paper chef's hat with "MkFreak Dough Chic" on the side, a feather, and all 247 four leaf clovers I've found.
I even have my baby teeth and Tim's cast from his broken leg.

I know I get a little carried away sometimes...but I am a sentimental person and I love having the memories from everything I've experienced.

However, the man I married is the furthest thing from a pack rat that you will ever meet. His philosophy is; "if we haven't used it in 3 days -- we don't need it!" When we first moved in together he had a shoebox of his belongings - I had about 47 gigantuous boxes. It's like he walks around my house with a garbage bag permanently grasped in his hands looking for things to throw in it. He has thrown away 3 sleds - because he didn't want to store them for the summer. And every winter we go through the same predicament of having to buy a sled when we want to go sliding. He throws away Christmas cards the day after we get them ("What's the point in keeping them? I've already read them!") He throws away my bubble bath and shower gel because he figures I should only need one bottle at a time. He can't stand clutter....and anything that might not be used regularly is clutter.

But the last stunt he pulled, I have to say, is the worst one yet.

I went up north last week for 2 days - knowing that we were going to be showing our house on the day that I got back. I said to Hillary on the drive up "I know I'm going to come home to a bunch of things missing...."

Sure enough -- 15 garbage bags full of stuff!!

Slowly, I'm starting to notice things that are missing -- as I've needed them. I went to water my plants and find the jug missing.

"But, we already have a juice jug"

"Yes, but that wasn't a juice jug - it was the jug to water my plants with."

"Well, use something else."

"I don't have anything else, because YOU THREW EVERYTHING ELSE AWAY!!"

I went to make soup and can't find the barley;

"Was that the litttle bag of seedy things that I threw away?"

"You THREW AWAY BARLEY???"

"Yeah, and that powdery stuff"

"Beef soup mix, Garnet?....are you serious?"

Upon seeing my face he figures he should justify his stupidity; "Well, I didn't know what they were!!! You should have had labels on them if you didn't want me to throw them away."

"Yeah that makes perfect sense, Garnet. I do the cooking - and I know what they are...end of story. Maybe if you spent a little more time in the kitchen you'd know what beef soup mix and barley were."

Garnet's making supper tonight.

I think I'll alphabetize my memory boxes in my free time....(they are %100 off limits to his garbage bag obsesssion!)

Monday, January 16

January....but where's the snow??

Doesn't look like January!!

Ready for a "Winter" bike ride! Posted by Picasa

This is definitely different from the winters I remember in the Great White Rutherglen! We were lucky to get our bikes out in April....
(I know, I know, and I walked barefoot, uphill both ways too.... right?)

Sunday, January 15

Thanks Aunt Hillary!

Paint

All painted!

Dirt

Seeds

Water

Wait to grow!!! Posted by Picasa

Hats are fun

.......weird family! Posted by Picasa

(my grandma's picture is the best -- she's just hangin' with her homies ;)

Friday, January 13

Quick Trip

Hillary and I were able to make it for Karl's funeral and give Josh a few extra hugs and kisses. (Which I KNOW he loves!!! Right Honey??? ;)

It was a hard time, a time for everyone to think, and a time to be thankful for the people in our lives. My little brother is a pretty awesome guy - and I admire the way he spoke of Karl, and the respect he gives his friend. I can't imagine the pain he is going through - but I can see his amazing group of friends that will make it through this time and shine for Karl. I can tell they will keep his spirit alive on the ice and in their hearts. We were able to have some good laughs in the middle of the sadness - which is all a part of keeping Karl's memory.
I love you Josh.

Me and my little Bro


Hugs are the best


Hilsy and Josh "wrestling" but always time for hugs


Josh and Keenan playing hard :)


The Ice (we missed it for traveling - whew!!)


....but had to walk up Grandma's driveway so we didn't get stuck on the icy hill!!


Me and Grandma


Bobbi, Rich and Dakota


Rich's Hat....


Me making fun of Rich's hat :) Posted by Picasa

Sunday, January 8

Too Young

My brother's friend has passed away. It is such a senseless death when they are so young. I don't understand. I can't possibly even begin to imagine what Josh and his friends are feeling....let alone Karl's family. Life is so short.

speechless

I wanted to write a long thoughtful post and try to make it somehow less scary - but I'm speechless and very scared.
One of my little brother's best friends was in a horrible car accident this weekend and he's in critical condition.
Please pray.

Thursday, January 5

And so it begins...

I went to the college today -- as I am preparing to become a nurse in the near future.

Originally, I was told that I would need to take a whole year of Pre-Health Science because it's been more than 5 years since I graduated Highschool. (I know, I couldn't believe it either--- 5 years???....my sister even tried to argue with me...)
When I reviewed the course list for Pre-Health I realized that I already had a lot of the courses (because of my pre-'surprise pregnancy' year) and most of the ones I need are available online. I decided to go in and speak with a counsellor and figure out what I could do that would still allow me to be a mom and possibly work at a better job than the one I am currently enduring my last few months.

The counsellor was so helpful and it turns out all I need to do is take senior level Biology, Chemistry and Math again (that are offered for free at the College!) - and then I can apply right to the Practical Nursing program.

What does that mean exactly? That means that we can look for a better house because I can definitely work next year and take the courses while Tim is in Grade 1! And - that means only 2 years of full-time college, instead of 3 which I originally planned! YAY!! I am so excited right now to get this ball rolling....I've always said "I'm going back to college once Tim is in school full-time" I just never thought it would be here so soon!!

very weird....

but i always thought it was a vegetable....

Tuesday, January 3

Adventures of the Crazy Talking Sleep Walkers

It's a well known fact around here that I live with sleep talkers. I've had some crazy conversations with my husband in his sleep. He's tried to sell me everything from cars to houses to food and tried just as hard to buy those from me as well. He's called me names, sucked up big time, swore at me and told me a million times over how much he loves me. I've threatened that he better not try to hide anything from me - cause I'll just find out in his sleep anyway!

Yesterday I witnessed what our son is capable of in his sleep.

Being the lazy Holidays - and the fact that we've been up waaay past our bedtime every night for the past 2 weeks...we decided to take a nap.
After an hour or so I was already starting to wake up when I heard rustling beside the bed. I leaned over;
"Tim, what are you doing?"

"I need to find the cover for this."

"Tim, that's Daddy's dirty sock."

"Yes, and I need to find the thing that goes over top - right here." (sliding his hand across the sock)

"Ok, but that's a sock - we don't have covers for socks."

The freakiest part of sleep talkers is that it looks like they are wide awake, they appear to be awake and it takes you a few minutes to realize that they have no idea what they're talking about.

He let out a disgusted grunt and leaned over on the bed to look into my face and talk his crazy into my eyes;
"Ok, this is what I need you to do, Mom; I need you to listen to what I'm saying. We need to find the cover for this, right here."
(it's pretty sad when my parenting skills come out in my son's sleep talking....hmmm)

"Honey, I think what you need to do is come back to sleep." (by the way, you're crazy!)

"But I can't find the thing that goes over top, and I need to." He shook his head in frustration and looked at me - offering no help.
"Arrrg, fine!!" He dropped the sock and started climbing up into bed.

BANG! He crashed his knee off the side of the Hope Chest beside our bed. He curled up in pain on the bed, holding his knee.

"Awww, sweetie, are you ok? That looked like it hurt..."

".....Tim?"

Out like a light, snoring.

Sunday, January 1

One Last Christmas

We went to Papa Little's for one last Christmas Dinner before the Holidays are over. They got Tim a guitar -- which he absolutely loves!!! He was so tired from staying up until Midnight last night but he perked right up as soon as he saw the Guitar! So now he figures he's a rock star and sang "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" for everyone while he strummed away. (he definitely didn't inherit my shynesss!)

I tried a few strums myself but I think I've forgotten it all!!! Nathan, help -- I found the perfect sized guitar for my fingers...but now I forget how to play!! ;)

"I'm a Rock Star!"

Tuning it with Papa Little

Singing Rudolph for everybody....little entertainer!! Posted by Picasa