later

there are lots of things mulling over in my head... but for today, some humour. Or at least i found it funny.

Driving in the car yesterday Clover decides to play 'I Spy'.

Clover: I little spy... something that is yellow car!

Me: Ah, the yellow car?

Clover: Yeah! You win!!!
I spy little eye... something that is sign!

Me: Is it the sign?

Clover: You win again!!!

(my personal favourite:)

Clover: I little spy... something that is No Frills

(We look around, no grocery stores around...)

Me: Is it Tim Hortons?

Clover: Yes!

I love that this game is so gratifying!

Anatomy

The other week i was getting out of the bath and Oakley came in to the bathroom. He looked very confused...

Oakley: Mommy, where your penis go?!
Me: I dont have one, sweetie.
(i am getting a towel at this point)
Oakley: Oh, just bum.
(as he tries to lift the towel and rubs my bum)
Me: yes, something like that (swatting his hand away) go play.e

street kid

This morning Jul was angry at me and decided he was going to run away. Here is our conversation.

Me: What are you doing?
Jul: Packing. I'm leaving.
Me: Where are you going?
Jul: I'm going to live on the streets.
Me: Where are you going to sleep?
Jul: I will take some blankets.
Me: Where are you going to go to the bathroom?
Jul: I will go to a gas station.
Me: What will you do if you get cold?
Jul: I will take warm clothes.
Me: What if you get wet?
Jul: I will take a fan to dry me off.
Me: Where will you plug it in?
Jul: Not that kind of fan.
Me: What will you eat?
Jul: I'm going to take a record player and break dance for money.
Me: Where are you going to plug that in?
Jul: Fine, i wont take the record player. I will just break dance.
Me: What if no one pays you?
Jul: I will take my [wooden] sword and shield and make them give me money.
Me: What will you do when you go to jail for assault?
Jul: I will just show them the sword. [instead]
Me: What will you do when you go to jail for threatening?
Jul: Fine, i will tell them if they dont want to give me money, they dont have to.

Jul then changed his mind and decided that he was just going to the corner and would be back every night to sleep and eat.

Then we had to duel to see if he stayed. I had to get past his shield 3 times with my sword to make him stay. Then one hundred times. I won convincingly.

First month in new home

I'm sorry, dear friends, that i have been so absent. There are so many things i have wanted to write about, but no time!!! I have been very busy baking, getting together with friends, sewing, and helping birth babies.

Oh, and getting stuck in snow banks after driving home after said baby was born. It was a wild ride! The birth was hard and difficult. But beautiful. The mother was amazingly strong and she was radiant!!! But this isnt my story to tell.

The ride home, during a winter snowstorm, was fine. Until i was 10 kms from Owen Sound. My car (a rental) caught a rut and starting to slide a bit into the other lane, where a school bus was driving in the other direction. So, when it became obvious to me that i was going to lose complete control, i choose to end in the snow, and not the bus. And at the risk of sounding morbid, it was kinda fun. I had been resting my knee against the door, so when i started off the road, i moved my knee, relaxed my shoulders and just went with it. The snow out the window made this amazing wave out driver-side window and i wondered if i was going to roll. I wasnt worried, just curious and a little excited. When i stopped, all i could think about is whether the car was damaged... cause i didnt want to pay it out of my insurance. Then i look out the otherside and i was so upset because the pie i bought flipped over... then i couldnt find the cell phone a friend had lent me.

But it was all good. The car is fine, alignment and all... And so was the pie. :)

Anyways... i think i will end this post with some pictures of the things we have been doing:

This is the cake Jul wanted for his birthday:

It was as yummy as it looks!!!

This game was given to Jul for his birthday from some new friends... it's a lot of fun!!

This is Blood Orange Marmalade (it is really easy!!!)

It, too, is as yummy as it looks!!!

These reddish mittens are made out of merino wool that i ordered and made, copying the brown mittens which i already have.

Nice, arent they!?!

And a picture of sweet Clover, just because she wasnt in any of the other pictures... and well

because she is so stinking sweet!! Just look at her: So cute!!!

Stay tuned. there are some cool creations coming soon!

Entrepreneur

Today, while trying to get Jul do the mindless copying work in his book, he became frustrated. I totally understood his problem with what they were asking of him. In his frustration he said a rhyme with 3 of the 4 words. When i told him i was writing it down because it was a great little poem, he became excited and wrote it out himself!!! I was so encouraged that he came up with his own solution.

If that were the whole story, it would be enough... but as it were, I needed to go out and run some errands. Jul got his piggy bank, got money out of it, then asked if we could go to the A&P first so he could copy his poem. Sure, whats the harm in that, i assumed he wanted to send it to family or friends, so he made 11 copies. But no, he wanted to sell it to people on the street. Which he did.

I am so proud of him.

Back to Basics

It has been a crazy time around here. This will be the first weekend since.... well, we moved here that we wont have visitors. And this is the first week that Thomas is back to work.

So, we started easing in slowly... Last week we started getting Jul doing his school book. And last night i had to order him a new one, because he will be done this book at the end of the month. We also ordered math books. So... we have started that routine. Among many others.

Clover, Oakley and i baked yesterday together for the first time. EVER. And it was amazing!!! This kitchen allows me to be the parent i always wanted to be... cooking and baking together is very easy here.

So far i am really enjoying my new city and my new house. I hope to find some more home learners soon...