This is a Ty stuffed monkey named Dangles.
In our house, he is goes by the name of Bobo (named after the baby monkey from the book Hug.)
Bobo was a 1st birthday present for CJ (from an awesome friend) and has been his near-constant companion for the past seven years. I say “near” only because Bobo doesn’t attend school or play outside. He does go on every trip, including this week’s camping, and is a well known figure at church and around the neighbourhood. Continue reading
My three boys have just driven away to go camping in Keji. I couldn’t go due to work commitments.
Kejimkujik National Park is where I grew up camping with my family and where The Husband and I developed our backcountry skills. We fell in love with long hikes and heavy packs and took on much bigger challenges.
Posted in Family
Tagged Camping, Canada, Family, gros morne national park, hiking, Kejimkujik National Park, kids, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, travel
We were woken last night by a crying 6-year-old. The Husband took the call.
ET had a nightmare in which a shark had attacked him and bit his bum. He made his dad check to see if there was a bite. “No, but there’s a big crack…” (Classic Husband humour.)
This immediately raised the question,
Deep thoughts at 2 AM…
Previous: Funny things my kids say #5
Posted in Funny things my kids say
Maitre D’ from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
14 years ago, on August 13th, my sister, brother-in-law and I were very late for a wedding… Continue reading
I stumbled down some stairs today and sprained my ankle. (I’m okay Mom!)
I was carrying an armload of stuff, as usual, and landed in a heap on the grass. Luckily, the only witnesses were the boys and The Husband, who was bringing up the rear with his own armload of stuff.
When I didn’t immediately pop back up, The Husband went back in for an ice pack and the boys planted their bums on the stairs, repeatedly asking, “Mommy, are you okay?”
While I rolled on the ground in that early state of is-it-broken-or-just-sprained pain, I happened to pass some gas. My 8-year-old brightened up and exclaimed,
He was right, suddenly I couldn’t stop laughing…
Previous: Funny things my kids say #4
Posted in Funny things my kids say
Tagged Family, Funny, humor, humour, Husband, kids, Sprained ankle
We just had an amazing day. There were roller-coasters, Ferris wheels, water-slides, tubing, and hours in a pool.
ET, our six-year old has been going full tilt since 7 AM, and has only stopped to eat. He has also been talking non-stop, giving us a play-by-play of every activity… even though we have been beside him for it all. Continue reading
A friend of a friend received a new heart yesterday. Let’s call him Paul.
Paul has a young family and is a fit and healthy guy. A few months ago, he started to feel sick and began having some trouble breathing. A virus was attacking his heart causing myocarditis, damage and swelling of heart tissue. He was in heart failure.
Paul fought off the virus but there was just too much permanent damage to his heart. He could regulate things with drugs for a while but he needed a heart transplant. They got the call Thursday night. Continue reading
Posted in General
Tagged accident, buckle up, car crash, Family, heart transplant, organ donation, seat belts
My boys in a hole (2009)
Next year, we are planning to surprise the boys with their first trip to the Florida theme parks and I have no doubt that they will be over the moon with excitement… but they were also giddy with joy today because it was movie and PJ day at camp.
Lord of the Flies (1990); movie adaptation of William Golding’s novel
Generally, I believe kids need to be left alone to play, without interference from adults.
On our side of the block, we have a total of seven boys between the ages of 5-9. (Take a moment to contemplate what this means in terms of noise.) We, the involved parents, let the boys work through their issues and only step in when someone gets hurt, either physically or emotionally. Even then, if it is minor, they are usually able to sort things out on their own.
This isn’t because we’re lazy — although it is a royal pain to have to stop whatever you’re doing to be the referee — but by sorting out their own disputes and bruised feelings, they learn how to compromise and make amends.
A few days ago, a recent empty-nester across the street told The Husband how much she enjoys sitting on her porch watching our group of boys. She specifically commented on how well they arbitrate their play and how quick they are to ensure injured parties received remediation.
As my boys get older and more involved in team sports and group activities, these skills are becoming more and more important. From the sidelines, I’ve seen them join a team where they knew no one and quickly make a place for themselves. I’ve also seen them welcome a new kid into a team and help them find their bearings.
It might sound like I’m bragging, which is not my intention, so allow me to add some counter-balance; I’ve also seen my kids act like complete assholes. Continue reading
Posted in General
Tagged Behavior, behaviour, civilized society, discipline, Family, kids, Lord of the Flies, Parenting, Playground, rules
There is frequently a “pro-life” group praying on the sidewalk outside my workplace… why do they get to claim that term? Why do I have to be “anti-life” or “pro-death”? And if I call this group “anti-abortion”, that makes me sound like I’m “pro-abortion”, which I’m not…
Can you tell what I’m rambling about today? Continue reading
Posted in General
Tagged abortion, Family, Ohio Senate, Planned Parenthood, pregnancy, Right to choose
Escaping Elegance 