"Just some stuff I was thinking about" Tuesday

1.. I have survived DAY 2 with no husband. Ralph is away on business leaving me a single mom. I've said it once, and I'll say it again.....I COULD NOT do it. My husband does a lot for me and I realize just how much he does when he isn't here. I especially notice how dinner time is a gong show......when Mommy is cooking and policing the children while trying not to burn the sauce for Sweet and Sour Pork. I'm REALLY looking forward to Friday afternoon when he's home again.

2.. Is there a coyote protocol? We've had quite a few sightings, and Ralph has had a couple of run-ins on Rico's late night walk. Now that I am doing the late-night walk with Ralph out of town, I was thinking that I have no idea what to do if I see one. Make noise? Run? Let Rico off the leash and every man for himself? It's not awesome when your imagination runs wild out in the dark.

3.. Olivia is stashing her barrettes somewhere and I have no idea where they are. I've looked everywhere! I know they are in the house because she pulls them out before we're even out the door! I'll have to follow her to her hiding spot next time.

4.. One of my new favorite products, and just in time for cold season, are Boogie Wipes! (Even Olivia lets me wipe her nose with these.) They are little, super soft and they have saline in them to break up crusties. Excellent. Found them for $4 at ToysRUs. (I bought the Grape ones at StarBright for $5.)

P.S. Keri, you can expect a special delivery around noon tomorrow :)

5.. Has anyone else been listening to, and LOVING, Cool 101.5? Great mix of new songs and oldies from the 80's and 90's. Very fun. I was singing all of the words to "Ice, Ice Baby" and I think I frightened my husband :)

6.. We had a major Computer virus on the weekend that took Ralph 2 days to fix. We lost all of our programs, all of our email contacts, and anything we had stored in Outlook. I have no idea how it happened. My husband could be an honorary member of the GeekSquad with the amount of stuff he knows about programming, and we lots of anti-virus software that is supposed to protect against this crap. Thank GOD we had all of our photos backed up on another hard drive. I am in the process of printing every picture I have of my children because I am so freaked out.
It's crazy how comfortable we get with technology and how lost we are without it.

7.. Miss Olivia. A.K.A. the Diva Deluxe. I SWEAR, she insists upon putting her glasses on the moment she is in her car seat. It's interesting to see which of the 4 pairs she chooses!


8.. Daddy's idea of quality time:

9.. When Olivia and I picked Hayden up from preschool on Monday, he gave Olivia a hug like he hadn't seen her in 2 years. Then he said; "Olivia, I missed you! I love you so much!" I wanted to cry it was so sweet. I guess in spite of all the arguing, he really does love his baby sister. He then took her hand and escorted her to our car. Adorable. These are the moments I like to remember when they are driving me bonkers :)

10. Ralph and I are thinking it would be fun to have a Halloween Party this year. Saturday, October 30th. Who's in? Yes, party poopers, you will have to dress up :)

11. My cousins website is up and running! If you love jewelery, you have to check her out at: www.prettysmashing.ca. She is brilliant and very talented and I know she could make you something lovely! Congrats Steph!

Tubby Time!

....Getting wet....

....Soapy mohawks....

....Time to dry off....

More than 10 on Tuesday

1.. Hayden had his first day of pre-Kindy last Wednesday!! He was pretty excited to put his new backpack on and get going. I could barely get him to stand still long enough to snap these photos.....and he was out the door!

Olivia was very proud of her big brother on such a momentous day :)

I'm not sure what I expected when I dropped him off. A hug? A kiss? A tear?? HA!!
He didn't even look back as he ran into the room for circle time.
I got a courtesy wave and a see ya later.....don't let the door hit you on the way out :)
His teachers are awesome and I think we're going to have a great year.

2.. My daughter is a diva.

(Or Elton John's long lost granddaughter!)
She wore her sunglasses ALL DAY.
All in the name of fashion considering the rainy weather.

3.. Hayden has a favorite new word. "Possibility."
I have no idea where he got it from.
(Olivia thinks it's a pretty funny word too!)

4.. Ralph and I rented the first season of LOST.

For whatever reason, we didn't get into it when it was on TV.
Not sure how because it is sooooooo addictive!!
There are brief moments when I regret starting this crazy series.....
but for right now its real, real good :)

5.. I have had a headache for 3 weeks. I'm not kidding.
I keep telling myself it's not a tumor.

6.. We went to Aussie Rules for Miss Jennifer's birthday on Saturday night.
We had a total RIOT!
I'm not sure how I have never been there before,
but I can tell you that I will definitely go back.
Maybe for my birthday in February?!

7.. I was joking with Hayden when I said he needed to stop growing.
He replied; "I'm sorry Mommy."
Seriously though.....what did he eat this Summer??
Nothing fits him from last year = fun new clothes shopping for Hayden.
Who am I kidding. It's only fun for Mommy :)

8.. It is really feeling like Fall and I didn't want to admit it.
But I caved and had my first Pumpkin Spice latte of the season. Delish!
Now all I need is some sweaters, fun new boots
and maybe a cool new jacket and I'm all set.
Again with the shopping.....sorry honey :)

9.. Does anyone else feel pressure to come up with a really cool
Halloween costume for their kids?
I have NO ideas this year.
At one point, Hayden said he wanted to be a ghost.
Somehow, I know he'll change his mind and want to be something
far more complicated.

10. Olivia has peed on the potty twice! Woo hoo!
I am not under any illusion that she is "potty training" but I think
it's pretty cool that she is starting to "get it."
Today, she closed the door in my face and demanded some privacy.
When I opened the door she was pointing at the potty,
big smile on her face, saying "poop!"
Just a little pee (anything that comes out of her is "poop")
but progress all the same.

12. I need to make banana bread out of the ugly black bananas on the counter!
Nothing better that rainy day baking.......
except, that is, the delicious banana bread french toast that
I'll be whipping up the next morning :)

13. I have to remember how cute my kids look
when they are driving me BONKERS
on these rainy days spent inside!

Believe me, they only look like angels :)

Fantastical...and really FULL.....Friday!!

1.. I'm BAAAAAAAAACK........I think :) I apologize for my 2 month absence.

2.. Things are as busy as ever in the Deters household. Hayden will be starting Pre-K int Bearspaw on September 8th. He goes Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons from 12:30-3. Indoor soccer on Mondays from 4-5. Plus swimming?! And skating?! Mommy works Wednesday nights and Sundays, and has 2 businesses that she needs to promote before they fail.
Daddy is liking his job and he's very busy too. Thank goodness Olivia is still pretty easy going!

3.. I do fear the terrible two's are approaching. Olivia has learned to say "NO!" and she uses it often. With a firm shake of her head :) Other words in the ever-expanding vocab are; "mama" "dada" "pop" "uh-oh" "juice" "poop" "choo-choo" "cookie" "cheese" "thank-you" "up" "bboze" "out" "shoe" "owie" "hot" "fish" and the sound of an elephant. She's a cute little bugger. And she sure knows it!

4.. Just received my new Unna products today! Stephanie, mom + owner, is another mom hard at work while trying to make a difference in the world. She has a whole line of re-usable and totally environmental snack bags, sandwich bags and munch-a-lunch kits in the greatest fabrics. You gotta check her out on Facebook. Or call me and I'll get you her info. Loving you Unna!!

5.. Rico was neutered last week. When he came home, the first words out of Hayden's mouth were; "he's wearing the cone of shame!" Doesn't he look thrilled?!

6.. Ralph's aunt (Tante Jose) came to visit from Holland for 2 weeks. She had never met our kids so it was awesome that she got to spend some quality time with them. And now, when she reads the blog, she'll have a better sense of their little personalities.

7.. "Personality" is one way to describe my children:

8.. Our 2 week camping marathon was excellent. We did lots of camping and lots of non-camping activities to round out the holiday. We have come to realize that no campsite is perfect. Or if there is the perfect spot.....we haven't found it yet. If we could only take the good parts from each campsite and create one super-campsite! We traveled from Kikomun Creek Provincial Park in B.C.; to Round Lake Campground in Sandpoint, Idaho; to Sonora Point Resort in Tonasket, Washington; to Okanagan Lake Provincial Park in Kelowna/Penticton; to KOA Campground in Revelstoke B.C.; to home! Whew! The weather was gorgeous and we have some really great family memories....

The kids LOVED the beach at Surveyor's Lake in Kikomun Creek

Hayden stayed up to roast marshmallows!

It was a day of water-filled fun at
Silverwood Theme Park in Idaho!

Hayden LOVED the water slides!
He got a good workout running up the stairs
and flying down the slides....
a million times in a row!!

Hayden's first, and potentially his last, roller-coaster.
His first words; "Daddy, that was so NOT cool!"

Sonora Point was quiet and relaxing.
Nowhere to go and nowhere to be.

Hayden (& Ralph) caught his first 2 fish!

We had to do a tour of Mission Hill Winery in Kelowna, B.C.

Delicious! We treated ourselves to a bottle of Quatrain
to enjoy on our 10 year anniversary.
(Not, we joked, to go with smores!)

They gave Hayden his own special grape "juice!"

Hayden the "bug hunter" Deters!
Daddy was an honorary bug hunter 'cause he
captured a Black Widow spider and
a Hobo spider....both super poisonous!!

A liitle picnic in Oliver, B.C. before berry picking.

Thank goodness they don't charge you for
what you eat!!

We couldn't keep Hayden out of the water.
He would just jump in.....clothes and all!

Oh, my grubby little children :)

....look at the chocolate running down
Olivia's neck!

Our Kozy KOA Kampsite at night.
I think I was actually sleeping in this photo :)

The Enchanted Forest was super cool!
It's all themed around nursery rhymes and
there was a ton of stuff for the kids to see and do.

Bye-bye! 'til next year!!

9.. We traveled to Saskatoon for my sweet little Grandma Pearl's 90th birthday!

We had a lovely visit with family and friends who were all together to honor a VERY special lady.

I had to catch the kids early on 'cause
they were cute & clean :)

My cousin Laurie, my sister, my cousin Stephanie and me!

Olivia & Grandpa

My sister, my mom and me!

10......is the number of pounds my husband has lost over our holidays. I'm happy for him. Really I am. It's great news that his pants are loose. 'Cause mine are NOT....he GAVE THE WHOLE 10 POUNDS TO ME!!!