The last time we went to camp, a couple of weeks ago, this is how it went:
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Off to camp!
Well, I'm going to attempt a camp trip today! Last night it thundered all night long - not just your average rumbles, but these big huge booming C-R-A-C-Ks, right over my head, for a good hour and a half or so. Nobody else woke up from it (lucky them). Combine the crazy thunder with dreams about tornadoes, and I was exhausted by morning!! It's supposed to thunder & rain most of the day today, but that's OK. I'll get out to camp around noon, if I'm lucky. If I'm even luckier, there will be a place to nap the Dustinator and sleep tonight! Our plan... well, we don't really have one. I'd like to stay out for at least one night, but we'll see how the day goes today.
The last time we went to camp, a couple of weeks ago, this is how it went:
The last time we went to camp, a couple of weeks ago, this is how it went:
Monday, July 28, 2008
Hiya!!
So, it's July 28th... only 28 days beyond the day I said I'd go private and invite people.... well, I went private around the 5th of July, but have just now gotten out to sending invites... so sorry for the delay!!
But... WELCOME!! (or welcome back).. :)
It's been busy... in a nutshell, I'm working part-time through the summer, trying to keep two little boys busy and happy and well-fed, trying not to be sick anymore (I've been plagued with one thing after another for 4 out of the last 5 weeks and I'm TIRED of it!), and thinking about heading up to camp this week for a day or two or maybe even three!!
More another time...
But... WELCOME!! (or welcome back).. :)
It's been busy... in a nutshell, I'm working part-time through the summer, trying to keep two little boys busy and happy and well-fed, trying not to be sick anymore (I've been plagued with one thing after another for 4 out of the last 5 weeks and I'm TIRED of it!), and thinking about heading up to camp this week for a day or two or maybe even three!!
More another time...
Monday, July 14, 2008
Bumpy Road
Joshua & his "Bumpy Road". I remember Uncle Jon teaching Joshua this when Joshua was a wee baby...well, maybe 5 months old or something...and, well, it went nothing like this. Thanks, Uncle Jon! :)
Friday, July 11, 2008
Ahoy, Matey!
FINALLY, here are some pictures from Joshua's birthday! :) 
Joshua, Charis, and Zack not paying attention to the story "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything"...
Little Pirates reading the treasure map...
Mmmm.. ice cream-cake... complete with sunken treasure!
Dustin playing with Joshua's "Speed-Stacking" cups
Gramma listing off all the different foods in Dustin's tummy...
Our favorite 4-year-old pirate and his Daddy at the end of a long party!
Joshua, Charis, and Zack not paying attention to the story "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything"...
Little Pirates reading the treasure map...
Mmmm.. ice cream-cake... complete with sunken treasure!
Dustin playing with Joshua's "Speed-Stacking" cups
Gramma listing off all the different foods in Dustin's tummy...
Our favorite 4-year-old pirate and his Daddy at the end of a long party!
Canada Day!
I was working (catching up on stuff at the pharmacy in the recent loss of a technician), so Gramma & Grampa had the boys for the day and took them to Canada Day at Festival Place. That's Uncle Curtis behind Dustin in the second shot - he's rarely in any pictures, so I thought he was worth pointing out! (The rest, most of you should know...) :)
Back again
Wow, I realize I sure do go through spurts with this blogging thing. Now that we're finally on high-speed, I thought I'd be posting pictures like a crazy-woman, but... I guess I've not had the time. Boo hoo.
Anyway, so, yes. We finally have high-speed. WAHOO! We've had some hiccups these first few days, but have been trouble-free for just over 24 hours now. :) It's not through Shaw, high-speed, or anything like that - it's a radio-tower-type service provider called Wild Rose Internet. Kind of new, but we had two options... We could've spent $700 for setup, plus $70 per month for access, or we could've spent the rest of our lives on dial-up (which is completely unhelpful for Graeme's new job).
Which brings me to my next point... Graeme has a new job! Now that the blog is private, I can spill the beans and some of the reasons a little more freely, rather than being super-cryptic. :)
Okay, so the whole pharmacy business-ownership thing hasn't been as *good* as we thought it would be. Sure, it's fabulous as far as the money goes, but the stress levels are through the rof for Graeme, and that stress only comes home despite his best intentions for it to stay at work. So, we spent a few months researching and investigating, and Graeme started interviewing for hospital pharmacy jobs in the early spring. He got offered two jobs right away, with the third interview wanting a job shadow, etc, but basically they wanted him at that position, too. However, hospital pharmacy is not all he thought it was - he would spend probably half of his time cramped in a basement pharmacy being a robot plugging through hundreds of prescriptions a day. Not exactly the "patient-oriented care" that he's seeking!
Enter the Primary Care Network. Sherwood Park had their eye on Graeme late last year, but Graeme was unable to commit due to his ties to the pharmacy and needing to physically be there. But they had a part-time position open up a couple of months ago. Their approach to patient care is so different from simply handing prescriptions over the counter and doing a quick counselling session - the PCN works a lot on disease state management for complex patients, from what I understand. Graeme sees anywhere from 2-4 patients a day, collaborates with doctors, nutritionists, and other health-care professionals, and they come up with a game plan to help the patient better manage their condition. Graeme totally loves it - and he comes home a completely different person at the ends of those days. (He was also offered full-time positions with Edmonton North PCN as well as the Red Deer PCN, but for the time being, we're sticking to Sherwood Park.)
The hours are long at the pharmacy, though. Graeme is only with the PCN on Wednesdays & Thursdays, and at the store Mon/Tues/Fri. The hours have gotten longer mostly because of a nice little staffing crisis involving one of the techs who had *issues* with staff relations... yikes. YIKES!! So the long and short is that the tech is gone, and I am in. Temporarily. Until Graeme finds someone else. I haven't had to *work* for over 4 years, aside from a week at my old job to cover holidays when Joshua was 7 months old (the customers loved him!), and a day to cover a technician for holidays a couple (three?) years ago. For now, I'm working Mondays & Tuesdays. I totally love the work, but Graeme and I both know that this is not the long-term plan. It's never been my intention to be a "working mom" (ha ha - is there any other kind?).
Speaking of working mom... hey, I learned something last week - it's SO much easier to *work* when sick than to *be a mom* when sick. Who knew. What an eye-opener for me. I have been brutally sick for about a week now - really sore throat with a host of cankers in my mouth and throat (for a girl who never gets cankers except maybe once every 2-3 years, this is a big deal)... anyway, I've been pretty miserable but the doc gave me something yesterday that might actually be helping, and I feel like I'm on the upswing today. But yes, I totally realized that it's easier to *work* when sick. Work is more mechanical and intellectual, whereas being a mom is more physically and emotionally/mentally draining.
I must go. It's been an odd day, and I've got some things to finish off before bed tonight.
Anyway, so, yes. We finally have high-speed. WAHOO! We've had some hiccups these first few days, but have been trouble-free for just over 24 hours now. :) It's not through Shaw, high-speed, or anything like that - it's a radio-tower-type service provider called Wild Rose Internet. Kind of new, but we had two options... We could've spent $700 for setup, plus $70 per month for access, or we could've spent the rest of our lives on dial-up (which is completely unhelpful for Graeme's new job).
Which brings me to my next point... Graeme has a new job! Now that the blog is private, I can spill the beans and some of the reasons a little more freely, rather than being super-cryptic. :)
Okay, so the whole pharmacy business-ownership thing hasn't been as *good* as we thought it would be. Sure, it's fabulous as far as the money goes, but the stress levels are through the rof for Graeme, and that stress only comes home despite his best intentions for it to stay at work. So, we spent a few months researching and investigating, and Graeme started interviewing for hospital pharmacy jobs in the early spring. He got offered two jobs right away, with the third interview wanting a job shadow, etc, but basically they wanted him at that position, too. However, hospital pharmacy is not all he thought it was - he would spend probably half of his time cramped in a basement pharmacy being a robot plugging through hundreds of prescriptions a day. Not exactly the "patient-oriented care" that he's seeking!
Enter the Primary Care Network. Sherwood Park had their eye on Graeme late last year, but Graeme was unable to commit due to his ties to the pharmacy and needing to physically be there. But they had a part-time position open up a couple of months ago. Their approach to patient care is so different from simply handing prescriptions over the counter and doing a quick counselling session - the PCN works a lot on disease state management for complex patients, from what I understand. Graeme sees anywhere from 2-4 patients a day, collaborates with doctors, nutritionists, and other health-care professionals, and they come up with a game plan to help the patient better manage their condition. Graeme totally loves it - and he comes home a completely different person at the ends of those days. (He was also offered full-time positions with Edmonton North PCN as well as the Red Deer PCN, but for the time being, we're sticking to Sherwood Park.)
The hours are long at the pharmacy, though. Graeme is only with the PCN on Wednesdays & Thursdays, and at the store Mon/Tues/Fri. The hours have gotten longer mostly because of a nice little staffing crisis involving one of the techs who had *issues* with staff relations... yikes. YIKES!! So the long and short is that the tech is gone, and I am in. Temporarily. Until Graeme finds someone else. I haven't had to *work* for over 4 years, aside from a week at my old job to cover holidays when Joshua was 7 months old (the customers loved him!), and a day to cover a technician for holidays a couple (three?) years ago. For now, I'm working Mondays & Tuesdays. I totally love the work, but Graeme and I both know that this is not the long-term plan. It's never been my intention to be a "working mom" (ha ha - is there any other kind?).
Speaking of working mom... hey, I learned something last week - it's SO much easier to *work* when sick than to *be a mom* when sick. Who knew. What an eye-opener for me. I have been brutally sick for about a week now - really sore throat with a host of cankers in my mouth and throat (for a girl who never gets cankers except maybe once every 2-3 years, this is a big deal)... anyway, I've been pretty miserable but the doc gave me something yesterday that might actually be helping, and I feel like I'm on the upswing today. But yes, I totally realized that it's easier to *work* when sick. Work is more mechanical and intellectual, whereas being a mom is more physically and emotionally/mentally draining.
I must go. It's been an odd day, and I've got some things to finish off before bed tonight.
Friday, June 27, 2008
I am blessed!
What a fabulous day here! Actually, it's been quite a fabulous week. Well, almost. The allergy thing is INSANE!!! I'm on some fairly hefty drugs that aren't nice to be on, but the alternative (ridiculous allergic reactions creating a constant fog in my head) is worse. I'll take the meds. At least I can function.
I digress.
OK, so it's been a good few days! Today was the culmination of a couple of weeks of planning & prepping - we had an appreciation dinner with some friends for some friends who are moving on in ministry. Today - I got up (duh)... went into town for a doc's appt, came home, watched the boys and worked in the yard while Graeme mowed the lawn (I cleaned out the fire pit and moved all the brush that we haven't yet had a chance to burn), and then I cleaned house some more and prepared most of the stuff for this evening's function.
At 3:00 p.m., I was thinkin', "Hey! I feel kinda ready for tonight!" So I had a brilliant idea... since Graeme was going to be taking the kids to Gramma & Grampa's house anyway, I might as well take advantage of the extra time and go for a bike ride! So, I hopped on my bike and did my standard 20km ride. It was great!!
Came home, showered, and was putting the finishing touches on the preparations (setting tables out, etc) when the first guests arrived. Graeme was really funny - at around 5:15 he was suggesting that we get people started on roasting their hot dogs... and I told him that wasn't such a great idea because our guests of honor hadn't even arrived!!
So anyway, once everyone had arrived, we roasted hot dogs, made s'mores, ate salads & munchies, and then the men broke out the bocce ball and the horseshoes. Most of the women sat around the campfire and chatted... I did a bit, too, but was also the resident photographer for the games and then filled in when one guy had to leave his bocce game.
The games eventually broke up, and we all re-congregated around the campfire for a time of blessing Mark & Anna and sharing a few stories. We are going to miss them, but we are excited to see what God has planned for them.
Other highlights of the week: A 18km bike ride yesterday at 6:30 a.m., another 18km ride on Tuesday, got my flowers and tomatoes weeded completely, knocked off most of my to-do list (yahoo!), recovered from Joshua's pirate party (pics still to come), and had some great bike rides with Joshua. And had some fun wrestling times with both boys. I had some tough days, too, but I love ending the week on a high note. Tonight's gathering definitely qualifies.
I am blessed. Good friends, good family, good exercise, and my loving God who provides me with all these blessings (and then some)!
I digress.
OK, so it's been a good few days! Today was the culmination of a couple of weeks of planning & prepping - we had an appreciation dinner with some friends for some friends who are moving on in ministry. Today - I got up (duh)... went into town for a doc's appt, came home, watched the boys and worked in the yard while Graeme mowed the lawn (I cleaned out the fire pit and moved all the brush that we haven't yet had a chance to burn), and then I cleaned house some more and prepared most of the stuff for this evening's function.
At 3:00 p.m., I was thinkin', "Hey! I feel kinda ready for tonight!" So I had a brilliant idea... since Graeme was going to be taking the kids to Gramma & Grampa's house anyway, I might as well take advantage of the extra time and go for a bike ride! So, I hopped on my bike and did my standard 20km ride. It was great!!
Came home, showered, and was putting the finishing touches on the preparations (setting tables out, etc) when the first guests arrived. Graeme was really funny - at around 5:15 he was suggesting that we get people started on roasting their hot dogs... and I told him that wasn't such a great idea because our guests of honor hadn't even arrived!!
So anyway, once everyone had arrived, we roasted hot dogs, made s'mores, ate salads & munchies, and then the men broke out the bocce ball and the horseshoes. Most of the women sat around the campfire and chatted... I did a bit, too, but was also the resident photographer for the games and then filled in when one guy had to leave his bocce game.
The games eventually broke up, and we all re-congregated around the campfire for a time of blessing Mark & Anna and sharing a few stories. We are going to miss them, but we are excited to see what God has planned for them.
Other highlights of the week: A 18km bike ride yesterday at 6:30 a.m., another 18km ride on Tuesday, got my flowers and tomatoes weeded completely, knocked off most of my to-do list (yahoo!), recovered from Joshua's pirate party (pics still to come), and had some great bike rides with Joshua. And had some fun wrestling times with both boys. I had some tough days, too, but I love ending the week on a high note. Tonight's gathering definitely qualifies.
I am blessed. Good friends, good family, good exercise, and my loving God who provides me with all these blessings (and then some)!
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Going into the Bribery Archives
Context: Father's day celebration at Curtis & Darcy's. Charis likes to dress up. She got Joshua dressed up, and then Dustin wanted to dress up, too. Then baby Aidan got in on the fun, too...
I daresay these might come in handy one day!
Friday, June 20, 2008
A big day!
Today is my biggest hunny's birthday! Joshua turns 4 today!! The time has flown, that's for sure - and today is going to FLY by, too, as I prep for his party tonight - I'm sure it'll feel like I've not had enough time to get things done, but he'll have fun anyway!! (I'm hoping to have some fun along the way, too...)
Happy birthday, Joshua!!
Happy birthday, Joshua!!
Saturday, June 14, 2008
I DID IT!!
Today was the day of the big duathlon (20km biking, 5km running).
Last night I checked the forecast, and they were calling for 5-10mm of rain for this morning in the area where we would be, and for another 1-2mm in the afternoon.
This morning I checked again, hoping it would be better... and it was worse. The afternoon was upgraded to a thunderstorm.
God is good.
We didn't get a single drop of rain.
We did, however, have to deal with a fairly strong headwind - one that required us to work even on the downhill portions of the ride. It was a very intense ride, but we all did it, and we earned our lunch!
So when I got to the transition area, I made a split-second decision to run/walk the last 5km, as per the original event plan. Seriously... after logging almost 60 miles on my bike in the last 8 days, I needed to get off my bike. I figured whatever pain I had in running would be worth the trade-off for the *other* pain. So I ditched my bike and started hoofing it.
Ouch.
Well, the good news is my knee didn't bother me. Much. Not till about 2 hours after I was done. But then I went to visit my mom in town and borrowed an ice pack. The knee is much happier now. (Surgery will be in October.)
The bad news is that my shin splints decided to remind me that they still existed... my legs almost completely froze up - it was so painful (even when I walked) that bending my foot at the ankle was almost impossible. I'm glad I had my iPod with me - I was able to focus on the worship music in my head, and less on the pain.
About 2 miles into it, the pain finally subsided enough that I could run and walk much easier. So I did spurts of running followed by lengths of walking. All told, I think I ran about 40-50% of the "on foot" portion of the event. Obviously, I am more than happy about that, especially since my attempted run the other day was nixed only a few minutes in.
And I feel amazing. I am a little stiff, but not enough to actually complain about it. But my energy is good and I feel fabulous inside and out. I am very happy with how today went for me. I finished the entire thing in under 2 hours. Plus - the pack that got away on me last year - I lost sight of them half-way through the biking portion - didn't get away on me this year. They pulled ahead a good bit, but I could at least see them the entire way. I was happy with that, too. Either I got better, or they got worse. I would like to think it was the former!
I won't even talk about the bear.
Once we got into camp, P was there getting ready to grill the steaks on the bbq. Mmmmmm..... YUM! He did such a good job. We definitely got our protein fill this afternoon!
I hung out for a while, got a ride back into town, went to visit my mom for a bit, then came back into the city to have dinner and pick up my boys at Gramma & Grampa's house. They are now both peacefully sleeping. Graeme is still out at his dude ranch - I think they were supposed to be branding cattle today (I haven't heard from him since he left a message on Thursday night to tell me he arrived safely) - and so I'm going to take this chance to get more stuff done.
That's the theory, anyway.
I'm sure I'll sleep like a log tonight! I'm definitely a happy camper!
Last night I checked the forecast, and they were calling for 5-10mm of rain for this morning in the area where we would be, and for another 1-2mm in the afternoon.
This morning I checked again, hoping it would be better... and it was worse. The afternoon was upgraded to a thunderstorm.
God is good.
We didn't get a single drop of rain.
We did, however, have to deal with a fairly strong headwind - one that required us to work even on the downhill portions of the ride. It was a very intense ride, but we all did it, and we earned our lunch!
So when I got to the transition area, I made a split-second decision to run/walk the last 5km, as per the original event plan. Seriously... after logging almost 60 miles on my bike in the last 8 days, I needed to get off my bike. I figured whatever pain I had in running would be worth the trade-off for the *other* pain. So I ditched my bike and started hoofing it.
Ouch.
Well, the good news is my knee didn't bother me. Much. Not till about 2 hours after I was done. But then I went to visit my mom in town and borrowed an ice pack. The knee is much happier now. (Surgery will be in October.)
The bad news is that my shin splints decided to remind me that they still existed... my legs almost completely froze up - it was so painful (even when I walked) that bending my foot at the ankle was almost impossible. I'm glad I had my iPod with me - I was able to focus on the worship music in my head, and less on the pain.
About 2 miles into it, the pain finally subsided enough that I could run and walk much easier. So I did spurts of running followed by lengths of walking. All told, I think I ran about 40-50% of the "on foot" portion of the event. Obviously, I am more than happy about that, especially since my attempted run the other day was nixed only a few minutes in.
And I feel amazing. I am a little stiff, but not enough to actually complain about it. But my energy is good and I feel fabulous inside and out. I am very happy with how today went for me. I finished the entire thing in under 2 hours. Plus - the pack that got away on me last year - I lost sight of them half-way through the biking portion - didn't get away on me this year. They pulled ahead a good bit, but I could at least see them the entire way. I was happy with that, too. Either I got better, or they got worse. I would like to think it was the former!
I won't even talk about the bear.
Once we got into camp, P was there getting ready to grill the steaks on the bbq. Mmmmmm..... YUM! He did such a good job. We definitely got our protein fill this afternoon!
I hung out for a while, got a ride back into town, went to visit my mom for a bit, then came back into the city to have dinner and pick up my boys at Gramma & Grampa's house. They are now both peacefully sleeping. Graeme is still out at his dude ranch - I think they were supposed to be branding cattle today (I haven't heard from him since he left a message on Thursday night to tell me he arrived safely) - and so I'm going to take this chance to get more stuff done.
That's the theory, anyway.
I'm sure I'll sleep like a log tonight! I'm definitely a happy camper!
Thursday, June 12, 2008
I thought I'd be too busy for this!
Haha - well, obviously I'm multitasking. I didn't think I'd have time to blog over these few days.
Graeme left early this afternoon, and after 7 hours of driving and pit-stopping with our friend P, arrived at their destination at the dude ranch. Or whatever you call it. They don't have cell phone reception out there, so I won't be receiving regular updates, sadly. :(
The kids miss Daddy already, especially Joshua. He's sad. But he'll get over it. He's got a busy weekend coming up himself, so I'm sure he'll be just fine.
Tonight I'm working on Joshua's birthday party invitations. I've been kind of swamped this month, so I'm making them about a week later than I'd have liked, but at least they're getting done. Kids are in bed, and mama's workin'. After I work for a while on these, I'll get into the kitchen and clean up the day's disasters. Then laundry... hmmm.... I think i've got more projects on my list than I have time to complete them all by the end of the weekend!
So Joshua's going to have a pirate party. There are so many cool websites on kids' parties, so I've gotten some neat (not expensive!) ideas. And the good news is that you don't have to have a skull & crossbones to have a successful pirate party. Whew!!
Back to the invitations...
Graeme left early this afternoon, and after 7 hours of driving and pit-stopping with our friend P, arrived at their destination at the dude ranch. Or whatever you call it. They don't have cell phone reception out there, so I won't be receiving regular updates, sadly. :(
The kids miss Daddy already, especially Joshua. He's sad. But he'll get over it. He's got a busy weekend coming up himself, so I'm sure he'll be just fine.
Tonight I'm working on Joshua's birthday party invitations. I've been kind of swamped this month, so I'm making them about a week later than I'd have liked, but at least they're getting done. Kids are in bed, and mama's workin'. After I work for a while on these, I'll get into the kitchen and clean up the day's disasters. Then laundry... hmmm.... I think i've got more projects on my list than I have time to complete them all by the end of the weekend!
So Joshua's going to have a pirate party. There are so many cool websites on kids' parties, so I've gotten some neat (not expensive!) ideas. And the good news is that you don't have to have a skull & crossbones to have a successful pirate party. Whew!!
Back to the invitations...
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Feelin' fine
So this week, Graeme has had some time off. Today we got a babysitter and went biking through the River Valley - we did about 20 miles altogether. It was fabulous fun, but my darling hubby is now paying for his lack of preparation... I am just a little tired and wobbly, but he is s-o-r-e! The guy can ride like there's no tomorrow, even if he hasn't done it in a year, and keep up with me, who makes intense workouts somewhat of a priority to keep in shape! Well... this is where the payoff comes in for me - I'm not sore at all. I won't pay tomorrow. Graeme will. (There *is* justice!)
Here are some new pics...
Dustin getting into the grapes before I got a chance to put them away...
Joshua peering over the empty oreo bag...
Storytime last night... such handsome boys!
The boys having fun on our newly acquired trampoline!
Air Josh...
Here are some new pics...
Dustin getting into the grapes before I got a chance to put them away...
Joshua peering over the empty oreo bag...
Storytime last night... such handsome boys!
The boys having fun on our newly acquired trampoline!
Air Josh...
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
My li'l hunny...
Look at this little darlin'.
The day after he wrecked his nose in the parking lot, he decided to pull all the sofa cushions off and toss 'em on the floor. Then he was jumping on them. He slipped, and smashed his nose on the *hard* part of the front of the sofa - you know, the part *usually* covered with cushions. Not only did he rip his scab open and bleed for a long time, but he actually ended up with a bleeding nose.
Now, if you know Dustin, you'll know how *easy* (not!) it is to get him to sit still. We'd tended to his nose, got the bleeding to stop, and off he went to play despite our warnings not to. He started jumping again... and his nose started bleeding again. OK... so for once, we relied on the TV to make him stay still. I think we put in Veggie-Tales or something. Can't remember.
But then at bedtime, we put a bandaid on his nose - it was pretty fresh and raw and painful-looking..., and as you can see, he was quite pleased with it!! :) He likes to rub his face in his pillow when he sleeps, so this was for some added protection, too.
Today I ended up going out for a bike ride. Here's how it all went down:
Tomorrow... riding in the River Valley, weather permitting!! Graeme hasn't been on his bike much these last few years, and we really want to get us both going together again!! I'm very excited about that.
Thursday - Graeme heads off on a city-slickers sort of adventure way down south about a 5-hour drive. He'll be staying at a ranch with a few other guys, and will spend the next 2-3 days wrangling cattle, branding cattle, sorting cattle... all the fun stuff that city folk have never had the joy of doing. This is definitely out of his comfort zone, but he's trying not to think much about it. :) He was invited by a good family friend of ours. It'll be good for him!!
Thursday afternoon... hopefully coffee with some friends...
Friday... play date, then dinner... kids overnight at Gramma & Grampa's...
Saturday, camp duathlon!
I may not blog much until early next week... lots on the go with not much time to stop and process it all into a blog!
The day after he wrecked his nose in the parking lot, he decided to pull all the sofa cushions off and toss 'em on the floor. Then he was jumping on them. He slipped, and smashed his nose on the *hard* part of the front of the sofa - you know, the part *usually* covered with cushions. Not only did he rip his scab open and bleed for a long time, but he actually ended up with a bleeding nose.
Now, if you know Dustin, you'll know how *easy* (not!) it is to get him to sit still. We'd tended to his nose, got the bleeding to stop, and off he went to play despite our warnings not to. He started jumping again... and his nose started bleeding again. OK... so for once, we relied on the TV to make him stay still. I think we put in Veggie-Tales or something. Can't remember.
But then at bedtime, we put a bandaid on his nose - it was pretty fresh and raw and painful-looking..., and as you can see, he was quite pleased with it!! :) He likes to rub his face in his pillow when he sleeps, so this was for some added protection, too.
Today I ended up going out for a bike ride. Here's how it all went down:
- 8:00 a.m.... sunny, beautiful skies...
- 8:30, still sunny, head out for my 12-mile ride.
- 8:45, approximately 3-4 miles into the ride (with a very strong headwind!)... and I saw the road was mighty wet, as if it...had...just...rained!!
- 8:50 - about a mile from my turn-around point... and I realized that the splatter wasn't all coming from my bicycle tires. Some of it was coming from above my head...
- Mile 7, about oh... 25 minutes into the ride... and it starts pouring. Like, not a nice little drizzle... but a downpour. I was completely drenched. I decided to finish my ride anyway (the complete 12-mile trip takes me past my house about half a mile and back again)... if I'm wet, I'm wet, so what's the difference how LONG I'm drenched for? Besides, I'd forgotten my water bottle, so I found the rain to be quite refreshing.
- In spite of all of that, (strong head-winds, torrential downpour), I finished my ride in 51 minutes. That's two minutes less than my first ride, but all things considered, I was pretty happy. Besides, if the weather's bad on Saturday, at least I'll have had some experience riding in it anyway.
- 9:21. I got home.
- 9:25 The clouds broke, the rain stopped, and the sun shone wondrously!!
Tomorrow... riding in the River Valley, weather permitting!! Graeme hasn't been on his bike much these last few years, and we really want to get us both going together again!! I'm very excited about that.
Thursday - Graeme heads off on a city-slickers sort of adventure way down south about a 5-hour drive. He'll be staying at a ranch with a few other guys, and will spend the next 2-3 days wrangling cattle, branding cattle, sorting cattle... all the fun stuff that city folk have never had the joy of doing. This is definitely out of his comfort zone, but he's trying not to think much about it. :) He was invited by a good family friend of ours. It'll be good for him!!
Thursday afternoon... hopefully coffee with some friends...
Friday... play date, then dinner... kids overnight at Gramma & Grampa's...
Saturday, camp duathlon!
I may not blog much until early next week... lots on the go with not much time to stop and process it all into a blog!
Sunday, June 8, 2008
To-do list, (almost) completed
Today was a busy and full day!!
And now I'm going to bed. The benadryl has officially won. :)
The only thing I wished I'd had time for today is a run. I wanted to really get out there and pound the pavement today. Maybe tomorrow.
- Got up.
- Put in some eye drops.
- Cleaned the kitchen. And I mean cleaned.
- Got ready for church.
- Had a small handful of raisins and peanuts (my breakfast today).
- Went to church. That was interesting all in and of itself.
- Got groceries.
- Came home.
- Made lunch.
- Put boys to bed for naps.
- Made lemon mini-tarts.
- Made the most amazing chocolate-chip macadamia nut cookies ever. I've never used macadamias before, but mmmm... they were probably the most scrumptious cookie I've had in ages.
- Sliced tomatoes.
- Sliced potatoes. Cooked them. Made them into potato salad.
- Sliced onions.
- Intended to nap myself; time ran out. And Carly had come with Jordan, so napping was definitely out. But I like Carly anyway, so I wasn't as tired as I would've been had she not been there.
- Curtis' family, as well as Graeme's mom, all showed up later on for dinner. We bbq'd hamburgers to go with all the stuff I'd made all afternoon. I couldn't imagine having 2 dozen cookies and 2 dozen lemon tarts all to myself.... *bloat*
- Cleaned kitchen. Sort of.
- Tried not to pluck my eyes out of my head from the intense allergic reaction I'm having right now.
- Played Wii with Jordan & Carly. They brought over their Wii fit. I started the night out at a Wii Fit age of 45. Ended the night at 35 years old. And that's only on the first night.
- Jordan & Carly left; I came into the office to finish up a report and do some 'net surfing while Graeme watched a movie.
- Popped some Benadryl to try and stop this allergic reaction.
- Now I'm blogging.
And now I'm going to bed. The benadryl has officially won. :)
The only thing I wished I'd had time for today is a run. I wanted to really get out there and pound the pavement today. Maybe tomorrow.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
What a night!
I went for a bike ride after we put the kids to bed tonight.
Twelve miles in 49 minutes. Lots of hills (both up and down). I'll take a 49-minute time as a good starting point in my training for next weekend's duathlon! The hills are a lot more intense next week, though, so I'd like to see my time improve somewhat this coming week. The ride next Saturday is 20km, which I guess is just a hair over 12 miles, too. So I'm feeling pretty good about that part of it all.
I need to *attempt* running tomorrow, hopefully. If I can string together a 12-mile ride AND a 3-mile run, I'll be a happy camper. A VERY happy camper.
Graeme's mom pointed out a very important glitch (fatal flaw, if you will) in my plan to run next weekend, though. Although my knee hasn't bothered me for a few weeks, I need knee surgery. Running is one of the things that can make my knee hurt again. Like the dickens. So, either God does a miracle and I'll be able to at least run pain-free and hope for a couple of ice-packs on the other end ('cuz the ice helps immensely!), or I'll have to bike the entire distance.
Graeme's been cutting down a few dead trees around the yard. A few being... well, a lot. The deadfall and near-deadfall that the previous owners left has created a lot of work for us, but there definitely is something satisfying about hearing the crrrrrack of a falling tree. He's been using a chainsaw. So don't make him mad. Anyway, we've also had to be clearing the branches away from the yard, and we've big huge bonfires to take care of the branches. After my bike ride, I spent 2 hours tending the bonfire. I'm a pyromaniac, and I'm proud of it.
Allergies. They're INSANE!! Thankfully they held off for an extra 2 months this year, but tonight I sneezed literally 40-50 times. Kinda funny. I told Graeme that if we had a dollar for every time I sneezed, we'd be able to go out for a really nice dinner!
I have a report to finish, and a shower to take. A big bike ride combined with two hours of fire-tending definitely would put me in the 'need' category for a shower before bed...
Tomorrow will be interesting... some good, some very trying... if you're the praying kind, would you send one up for me??
Twelve miles in 49 minutes. Lots of hills (both up and down). I'll take a 49-minute time as a good starting point in my training for next weekend's duathlon! The hills are a lot more intense next week, though, so I'd like to see my time improve somewhat this coming week. The ride next Saturday is 20km, which I guess is just a hair over 12 miles, too. So I'm feeling pretty good about that part of it all.
I need to *attempt* running tomorrow, hopefully. If I can string together a 12-mile ride AND a 3-mile run, I'll be a happy camper. A VERY happy camper.
Graeme's mom pointed out a very important glitch (fatal flaw, if you will) in my plan to run next weekend, though. Although my knee hasn't bothered me for a few weeks, I need knee surgery. Running is one of the things that can make my knee hurt again. Like the dickens. So, either God does a miracle and I'll be able to at least run pain-free and hope for a couple of ice-packs on the other end ('cuz the ice helps immensely!), or I'll have to bike the entire distance.
Graeme's been cutting down a few dead trees around the yard. A few being... well, a lot. The deadfall and near-deadfall that the previous owners left has created a lot of work for us, but there definitely is something satisfying about hearing the crrrrrack of a falling tree. He's been using a chainsaw. So don't make him mad. Anyway, we've also had to be clearing the branches away from the yard, and we've big huge bonfires to take care of the branches. After my bike ride, I spent 2 hours tending the bonfire. I'm a pyromaniac, and I'm proud of it.
Allergies. They're INSANE!! Thankfully they held off for an extra 2 months this year, but tonight I sneezed literally 40-50 times. Kinda funny. I told Graeme that if we had a dollar for every time I sneezed, we'd be able to go out for a really nice dinner!
I have a report to finish, and a shower to take. A big bike ride combined with two hours of fire-tending definitely would put me in the 'need' category for a shower before bed...
Tomorrow will be interesting... some good, some very trying... if you're the praying kind, would you send one up for me??
Friday, June 6, 2008
Am I nuts?
Ha!! I think we already know the answer to that question.
Yesterday, I committed to doing something big, only 8 days from now.
On Saturday, June 14th, I will once again be participating in Pioneer Bible Camp's annual athletic fundraiser. It's what they're calling a 'duathlon' - we will be biking from the town of Smoky Lake, approximately 20 km, and then running 5 km.
So, I haven't done a decent bike ride this year (one day I followed J as he biked around our subdivision... that's it). And I haven't run in ages. Some of you might be surprised to know I used to run quite well - I ran provincial cross-country in high school, but then I broke my foot. I've tried it off and on again over the last several years, but I've never really gotten comfy again with it. My foot still bothers me sometimes, and I was having severe shin-splint pain last year.
Last year I just biked the whole thing.
This year? Well, I haven't dropped any weight yet (blast!!), however, I'm probably in the best cardiovascular shape of my life (aside from high school). I've carried some pretty intense workouts - cardio and strength - over the last several months, and I feel pretty good. I would *like* to attempt the run, based on my current endurance and strength, but I'm not really sure how that'll go. I don't know how my shins will react. I don't know how my foot will react. And with this asthma, I'm not sure how that'll factor in - sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't.
All of that aside, I just *might* be crazy enough to do it. I likely won't be able to run the entire 5km - I'll likely have to walk *some* of it, but I want to try it. If I did it, it would be one of the biggest self-motivation things I've done in ages. I would be running on adrenaline for days, I'd be so happy.
So... anyone have any idea how to prepare for something like this, only 8 days away? Better yet, anyone want to come with me?
As a side note (totally not the major point of this post, which is why it's waaaaay down at the end here) - we are raising funds specifically to rebuild the dock and volleyball area at the beach. If you're feeling so led to contribute to this camp that's meant soooo much to me over the years (I met Jesus there and also worked there for about 14 years), please feel free to contact me via e-mail or phone. Donations over $20 are eligible for a tax receipt.
I'll also covet your prayers as I go on this insane little adventure!
Blessings!
Melissa
Yesterday, I committed to doing something big, only 8 days from now.
On Saturday, June 14th, I will once again be participating in Pioneer Bible Camp's annual athletic fundraiser. It's what they're calling a 'duathlon' - we will be biking from the town of Smoky Lake, approximately 20 km, and then running 5 km.
So, I haven't done a decent bike ride this year (one day I followed J as he biked around our subdivision... that's it). And I haven't run in ages. Some of you might be surprised to know I used to run quite well - I ran provincial cross-country in high school, but then I broke my foot. I've tried it off and on again over the last several years, but I've never really gotten comfy again with it. My foot still bothers me sometimes, and I was having severe shin-splint pain last year.
Last year I just biked the whole thing.
This year? Well, I haven't dropped any weight yet (blast!!), however, I'm probably in the best cardiovascular shape of my life (aside from high school). I've carried some pretty intense workouts - cardio and strength - over the last several months, and I feel pretty good. I would *like* to attempt the run, based on my current endurance and strength, but I'm not really sure how that'll go. I don't know how my shins will react. I don't know how my foot will react. And with this asthma, I'm not sure how that'll factor in - sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't.
All of that aside, I just *might* be crazy enough to do it. I likely won't be able to run the entire 5km - I'll likely have to walk *some* of it, but I want to try it. If I did it, it would be one of the biggest self-motivation things I've done in ages. I would be running on adrenaline for days, I'd be so happy.
So... anyone have any idea how to prepare for something like this, only 8 days away? Better yet, anyone want to come with me?
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." ~Hebrews 12:1-2
As a side note (totally not the major point of this post, which is why it's waaaaay down at the end here) - we are raising funds specifically to rebuild the dock and volleyball area at the beach. If you're feeling so led to contribute to this camp that's meant soooo much to me over the years (I met Jesus there and also worked there for about 14 years), please feel free to contact me via e-mail or phone. Donations over $20 are eligible for a tax receipt.
I'll also covet your prayers as I go on this insane little adventure!
Blessings!
Melissa
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Poor li'l D...
... did a faceplant in a parking lot today. The obvious scratches on the nose... as well as some lesser obvious scratches in the middle top of his forehead.
Then you will notice a slight bruising above his left eye... he met with a van door about an hour later.
He's had a rough day.
Seeing things in a new light
I finally got to go out and watch a friend's son at fencing tonight - you know, the sabre/epee/foil kind. It was kinda cool. But beyond that, yikes... well, as we watched Matthew fence, the conversation got a little deep. There were some things that happened in me/to me/around me over the last several weeks that she'd, until tonight, had no inkling about - it'd been a while since we've had a chance for a heart-to-heart. And she put a word to it...
"grief"
Oh! Well, that's a word I hadn't thought of in a long time!! Now that she's identified it, I might be able to handle it a little better, hey? I'd been trying to identify this emotion... devastation wasn't the right word... neither was self-pity... or even anger, or wishing for something that I didn't have... but, "grief".
Good thing Jesus grieved. I mean, out of everyone, He knows what it's like... and He can come alongside us in our own grief. It also tells me that grief is "okay". He wept when his friend Lazarus died. He was grief-stricken as He knew that He'd be hung on a cross to pay our sin-debt. Isaiah 53:3 described the coming Messiah (Jesus) as someone who would be "despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering." Another version states it as "acquainted with grief".
Isaiah then goes on to say in verse 4 - "Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows."
I know that my Redeemer lives... I know that because He had sorrows, He is able to understand and undertake in my own places of darkness and confusion. He can heal those wounds... but He can leave the scars to remind me of how merciful He is.
Psalm 40:1-3a: I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the emud and mire; He set my feet upon a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God...
I may not understand it all... I may not understand why, after I thought I'd 'dealt' with all my 'stuff', that God would allow such simple things to peel back another layer to get to healing... but I know the Rock on which I stand. That'll get me *more than* by.
"grief"
Oh! Well, that's a word I hadn't thought of in a long time!! Now that she's identified it, I might be able to handle it a little better, hey? I'd been trying to identify this emotion... devastation wasn't the right word... neither was self-pity... or even anger, or wishing for something that I didn't have... but, "grief".
Good thing Jesus grieved. I mean, out of everyone, He knows what it's like... and He can come alongside us in our own grief. It also tells me that grief is "okay". He wept when his friend Lazarus died. He was grief-stricken as He knew that He'd be hung on a cross to pay our sin-debt. Isaiah 53:3 described the coming Messiah (Jesus) as someone who would be "despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering." Another version states it as "acquainted with grief".
Isaiah then goes on to say in verse 4 - "Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows."
I know that my Redeemer lives... I know that because He had sorrows, He is able to understand and undertake in my own places of darkness and confusion. He can heal those wounds... but He can leave the scars to remind me of how merciful He is.
Psalm 40:1-3a: I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the emud and mire; He set my feet upon a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God...
I may not understand it all... I may not understand why, after I thought I'd 'dealt' with all my 'stuff', that God would allow such simple things to peel back another layer to get to healing... but I know the Rock on which I stand. That'll get me *more than* by.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
It wasn't so bad...
:)
It could've been worse. *grin*
I also had a good meeting with a friend this afternoon. It's always good to have someone speak truth and encouragement into your life - easier when you trust and respect them, obviously.
I still am left feeling a little empty after some recent developments... but I know that those of us left behind will feel the loss more than the one who has been forced to move on. I am inspired by this person's steadfast trust in God. He knows that God has been faithful before, and He will do it again. He's not worrying about it, as most of us would do. Saddened and confused? Sure - but that doesn't change who God is.
When we choose to line up our emotions with what we know, then we'll be fine. If we base our beliefs simply on how we feel, we'll be left without a hope to hang our hat on.
It could've been worse. *grin*
I also had a good meeting with a friend this afternoon. It's always good to have someone speak truth and encouragement into your life - easier when you trust and respect them, obviously.
I still am left feeling a little empty after some recent developments... but I know that those of us left behind will feel the loss more than the one who has been forced to move on. I am inspired by this person's steadfast trust in God. He knows that God has been faithful before, and He will do it again. He's not worrying about it, as most of us would do. Saddened and confused? Sure - but that doesn't change who God is.
When we choose to line up our emotions with what we know, then we'll be fine. If we base our beliefs simply on how we feel, we'll be left without a hope to hang our hat on.
I will bless the Lord forever,
I will trust Him at all times...
Nerves
Ever get the jitters?
Man alive, am I ever fighting a case of butterflies right now!! You'd think I'd be able to easily overcome those by now, but apparently not...
Oh well...
Man alive, am I ever fighting a case of butterflies right now!! You'd think I'd be able to easily overcome those by now, but apparently not...
Oh well...
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