Finished pillow

I finally finished a project I started in the fall. I had been given some wool for my last birthday, and figured I should get using it and make something for myself as the wool was a gift for ME after-all! I am still fearful to make myself a sweater in case I hate it, so decided to make a cabled sweater for my pillow!

I used this pattern from ravelry to get me started. I think next time I'll try a more chunkier pillow like this one in hopes that it'll go a little quicker. I decided to do a three needle bind off to finish the project and then on the other open end, I sewed in a zipper by hand so I can remove the case if needed. I really like the finished product!

Two Shea stories

This past weekend, my parents asked Shea and I to join them on the long trek up north to Prince George to visit my sister and her family. We decided to go for it, as I would never do the drive on my own with kids and love any opportunity to party with the fam. So Shea got to skip school on Friday, and we drove up. We were able to stay in our favorite hotel there, which is like an indoor Hawaii, with palm trees and pools. It really is a cheap paradise, especially in winter. While there, we all went out for breakfast in the hotel restaurant, which is like a tiki hut in the main area of the hotel. Shea got the buffet and ended up finishing his meal before mine had even come. I figured I could be trusting and send him out with his older cousin to walk around in the hotel while we finished eating. I looked at him sternly in the eyes and said..."DO NOT GO near the pool. Don't even go around it. Just walk around the outside and stay far from the pool." Off the two ran, and the rest of us adults ate our breakfast. No less than 10 minutes later, Shea's other cousin came to the table and said, "The boys are in the pool." IN THE POOL?? How, what and IN THE POOL???? We purposely did not give the kids the room keys as we didn't want them getting into anything. All sorts of images were going through my head. I left my breakfast and ran off to the pool. My sister was there already hauling her son out, and I didn't have to say much and Shea came out and we marched straight to the hotel room. HOW IN THE WORLD DID YOU GET IN THE ROOM?? He had his suit on, goggles and everything. He would have had to get dressed at Olympic speed and would have made a beeline straight to the pool from leaving the restaurant as it was only a few minutes later. "The cleaning lady let me in." Oh my word. BUT HOW did you think that was ok, as I said to go nowhere near the pool. What a rotter. I couldn't believe he would so blatantly disobey me. We have a LOOOOONNNNNGGGGG way to go. His only good excuse was that my cousin (a responsible adult that we can trust) ironically was visiting PG too, was in the pool and asked the boys if they were coming in!! But still....any thought that maybe you could ask your mom if that was OK???!! KIDS. To be so carefree. The next day, we were lazing around in our hotel room. The adults were watching the olympics and the kids were running around and having fun. Shea asked me for a toonie to head to the gumball machines that are all around the hotel. It took him quite awhile, and I was almost tempted to go check the pool area again! Finally after 5 minutes, he came back and stumbled loudly into the room and announced. "AHHHHHH, I feel so good. I just had the best massage ever!" "I got 4 minutes and I L.O.V.E'd it!" The little crazy kid had spent his toonie on a four minute massage chair! What a nut. He is so crazy right now. Funny, adorable, but exhausting. Anyone wanna borrow him for awhile??

Limbo

So I worked up til January 10th, training my replacement and then have been home. It does feel really weird to go from working SO hard to doing just housework or knitting! It was a welcome break, but ironically I almost feel more tired. Now that my body is allowed to relax, it almost seems like it's trying to catch up on the last crazy year of insanity! I also stay up later, knowing I don't have to work in the morning, so I guess that isn't great. I did get called in already to cover for the new girl, as she needed a personal day. Next week I have two days of orientation at the convalescent care program. I don't know what kind of casual work I'll get over there, but even a day or two a week would be great. I'm really hating this time of year and can't WAIT for spring. The snow is just dirty and crusty and the sidewalks are terrible for walking. I really hate going outside, and I have little motivation to get working out again, though I did try a barre class which was a mix of pilates and ballet and man did I hurt for the next three days following! I do look forward to walking/running again once the weather improves. The boys have kept me busy with their various activities and helping them with their homework. We've been doing multiplication cards and reading as much as possible around here. Riley is doing a lot of guitar and ukelele and Shea is really doing well at his piano lessons. I need to dedicate 20 min. a day to helping him get through his theory and practicing, so it's a lot of work on my part as well. Check out two of his piano solos on my facebook page! Hurry up, spring....

...my favorite subject!

I love how with a toddler, you never know what you're going to get because they are so spontaneous with their faces and movements.

I'm looking forward to spring, and all the flowers that I'll be able to photograph. For now, I've got my poinsettia and some dried hydrangeas!

Done like dinner

Ok, so today was officially my official last day of work. (I know I've been saying that awhile!) It was my last day at the end of July, and then I went back in September and have been there til now. I had taken Christmas off, (cuz I'm casual and I can do that!) and then came back after the two weeks to train my replacement. I was only supposed to train her for 2 days, but it turned into four, so I almost worked another whole week. At the end of the day, my replacement suddenly informed me that she would love to job share and would be happy to give up one day a week of her full-time position. I was overjoyed to hear it, but hopes were dashed soon after when I approached my boss about it. She said that the union only will accept 50/50 job shares, or maybe a 40/60, but not a 20/80 or whatever that would be. :( I think it has to do with benefits, and that the union wants all permanent employees to have access to benefits. I would happily work without benefits, as I have been all year, but ya. So that's sad. I may write the union, and see what their reasoning is. So now the only options left are the two positions available at Bastion Place, both part time, but since it's a position, I'd have to work every other weekend and of course all school holidays/summer (so no). Or getting some casual positions to cover those currently unfilled posts. That may not happen for awhile, as they are still working out their new expanded convalescent program there. So it's a wait-see for now.

I must admit that I'm rather sad, but feeling also happy I am not in a position where I HAVE to work, or have to take what I get. I get the chance to pick the best option for our family. I am going to enjoy getting some more social time in, and cleaning out our disaster house! Maybe I'll get my kitchen tile in one of these days!!

Crossroads and decisions

I've been enjoying my part time casual position at the hospital this fall. Our hospital and neighboring old folks home is in the midst of transition, taking on a new rehab program this year. It means many changes for the employees, and many new job openings. As we're in the midst of this change, I've been able to cover on a casual basis. I've been able to work at the job I had full time previously (from Jan. to July) and I love it. I know the physio/occupational team, and the longer I'm there, the more useful I am to them. So it has been a win/win scenario. Sadly, because it's all union, one can not keep a permanent casual position...I guess they prefer that you own a position. My job will be posted as what it should be, a full time spot. I am not wanting to apply for it, as I really am reluctant to send the kids to daycare and pull them out of all after school events. I also don't want to be working every school holiday, and especially the summer. Not now. Not while they are still young and still think I'm fun to hang out with! There is a possibility of a job share, but again, hours will be set and it won't be so flexible as it is now. I am worried that if I don't take a position, that nothing will be left for me to cover, other than to work while the people in positions take their vacations! I guess best case scenario would be that no one wants my job, so they would just take me for the hours I'm willing to give. (A girl can dream!) So it is a stressful waiting game now. I am just trying to focus on how blessed I've been so far, and how happy I am to be working and to have earned some money and valuable work experience and references to go with. And God knows, right? He's worked everything out so far!

Projects

Once the yardwork is over, my cravings to get crafty start growing. I love to bring out the knitting and the sewing and try projects that I've thought about but didn't have time to do in the summer! I started my first knit sweater this fall and just finished this weekend. It is huge, and the body of it actually fits me just perfectly. It should last Shea forever! I'll just keep adding to the bottom and the sleeves!! :) It was a bit frustrating at the start and then got boring near the end, but overall, it was fun to do and I think I might just try one for myself next. Then last night I tried a pinterest bootie pattern, you know since I have babies and all. (NOT). I just figured it would be fun to try with my spare felt and other fabric and would also make a good/fast baby gift.

I'm not super impressed with the pattern, but once I perfect it, I'll try making some for me and the boys! A lot less work than knitting a pair! and you could even use a recycled sweater! Liam has been gone for the past few days, so it has been quiet around here! Hence the ability to craft! I have a lot more things to make....

slouch

Here is one mini completed project...a hat for Liam. I was actually busy knitting a sweater for Shea, when Liam had this bright idea that I should make him a hat with the same grey and green, plus a bunch of other cool stripes... So this is what we ended up with, and he hasn't taken it off since it was finished!

Fall is here

The last bit of summer.

I tell you...I am scrambling to get all those things done before the snow flies and we're cooped up like hamsters inside for months! I've been painting fences and sheds and pruning and mopping decks and still have a very long list I'd like to do yet. I kind of thought I'd have more time. Now that I'm back to working 4 days a week, it seems like I'm not really getting on top of things (again). But hey, busy is good, and the house will never be perfect. I'm trying to take it one day at a time. Right now the kids seem to be in our faces WAY too much, and it can be so exhausting. But one day soon, I won't own so much of their day and they will be hard to pin down. I'm really trying to soak it all in. But breaks are good. In fact, we've started "date nights", and hope that it'll help keep our sanity. There is more to life than work and kids. Right?! Sometimes we get completely trapped in it and forget who we even are anymore. Or who we are as just the two of us. I have so many things I'd like to accomplish this year and look forward to sharing all my projects, pictures, fun times, and challenges with you. Don't worry, I won't sugar coat it and make like our life is picture perfect, because it isn't. I almost feel like we have too high of a standard for our boys and every time they fail we feel like crap. It beats us down and makes us all miserable, so we're trying to work through that. I'll let you know what I learn on that topic. In the meantime...please say hi. I miss hearing from you all.

Back to school, back to school!

I can't believe we're back to school, but here we are. The house is DEAD QUIET! I am starting work at the hospital again next week, so I am enjoying these few quiet days before life goes back to CRAZY! Riley is back to middle school. They are organized so that in grades 6 and 7, they stay with the same teacher. So Riley is back with his previous teacher, who we really liked. The kid that caused him major trouble for the last three years has moved away for which we are super grateful! I am so happy that he is finally one of the older kids in his class and am hoping that he does well this year. He starts band this year, and I put him in a guitar class starting today, so he will be getting his groove on. Liam started his first day in his grade four class. He got a teacher we don't know at all, but have heard great things about. He knows everyone in his class and has been with most of them since kindergarten. He will have no troubles in there, and I'm happy he wasn't stuck into the 4/5, as I'm not ready for him to grow up too fast! I got him into a Hip Hop class for the school year, and hope it'll bring him out of his performance jitters a little. Shea started his first day in a grade one/two split. We hardly know any of the kids other than three from his last year, but we know his teacher and LOVE her. She was Liam's grade two teacher who did all the amazing artwork and sings/plays guitar. Shea is so advanced in his reading and math, that I know he will run with the challenge of being with grade two's. He has no fear on entering a new class and didn't stop to say goodbye to me. I am excited for him. I am hoping to register him into a gymnastics class that does tumbling and trampoline. Ahh...and me, well I am going to learn something new this year, I'm sure. I did last year! In fact, this week, I may just learn to make pickles! I got my old job back at the hospital, though this time I'm only working 4 days a week, and 8-2pm, so won't need to get childcare! I am so happy about it! The job is casual, and will be posted as a full time position (which I don't want), but for now I will enjoy the way it has worked out! Feeling very blessed to have had August off, and now to jump right back in. Cheers to the new school year!

Home again

Well we survived our maiden voyage with our trailer. I was thinking closer to the date that we were going, that it was a bit ambitious of us to go so far away and take a ferry and stay at 4 different locations on our first trip! The RV place had issues getting the hitch on our van, which cost us more time and money, but with one full day to spare, we hitched up for the first time and Greg had to do some practice driving in the nearby parking lot! We pulled out and went to Cultus Lake (2 nights), Victoria (3 nights), Parksville (4 nights), and then Richmond (2 nights). We had lots of adventures and many good times by the ocean.

After 11 nights in the trailer, it was good to get home. We all did sleep well and definitely loved having the hot running kitchen sink, the outdoor shower, the screened room on buggy nights and the fridge. We get to go camping again this weekend, and I'm hoping once more after that to get good use out of it for our first summer. The boys are getting to be pros at helping to set it up/take down, and Riley will even help direct dad back to hitch it up. This weekend is the Roots and Blues festival in Salmon Arm, and after so many years of going to it, it feels weird to not be there for the 3 days of endless music! We might just need to go again next year. Hard to believe that there are only 2 weeks left of summer vacation, and then it's back to school and work for all of us. With working all July and having the boys at daycare, it seems like we only had a month. Hoping you're enjoying August!

TRAILER!!

And just like that...my life as a full time working mom came to a close, and I'm back to my usual! It feels like I completed some big race or something. I knew it would take a lot of energy and we'd all have to sacrifice, but I knew it would be worth it. It so was. It was bittersweet to walk away from a job I loved so much and return to my neglected dirty house. I have so much to do in the next month and have many plans before I go looking for work again in September. My boss says she'll be waiting for me once the kids get back to school! Since one girl just quit, I could have worked all summer in a casual position, but I hadn't planned for it and didn't have childcare for August. And frankly, working in the summer isn't much fun and doesn't pay much when you pay for full time childcare! The timing for all this has been perfect as we now will have August as a family and have had such a fun July. The boys are kept busy in daycare and Riley just finished his second summer camp! And we found a tent trailer!! I had searched around for months, and looked at quite a few. Finally last Saturday morning, I saw a post on Facebook of one and asked the lady immediately if we could see it. She lived 5 min. from our house. It was perfect and we told them we'd buy it the same day. It is a 2000 Coleman, and has everything we wanted, with beds for 7 (incl. a king and queen!), fridge, stove, awning, outdoor shower etc. We got our insurance on it today and just need our hitch put on the van. The kids are sleeping in it right now on the driveway. We are so excited to take it out camping and already have 9 days booked in campsites from here over to Vancouver Island.

So I'm sad that my job is over, but so happy to have had the experience at the hospital. I felt like hugging every one of my patients goodbye and hope to see them walking the streets sometime when they are well again. I hope the next job will be just as good and that I can find a more even balance of home and work life...maybe working half time. For now I will just enjoy my kids, getting caught up at home and sitting in the sun. :)