The boys had some fun playing in the sandbox this afternoon. What a mess! It was fun to watch Jonah just not care at all about how dirty he got, and sweet to watch Miles discovering the texture of sand for the first time. Uh, and the taste of sand too. That's inevitable, isn't it? He got his fingers and toes into the action of wriggling in the sand, picking it up and dropping it over the side of the sandbox, or even into a pail every once in a while. Jonah, being far more mobile, was into everything, and had his hands on every toy at least once, and I'm sure each toy found itself outside of the sandbox at least once as well. By the time we were done I had grains of sand all over me and Miles somehow even got some in his diaper! Bath time came early today! Jonah...well, I'm sure Sherri had a quite the cleanup job herself!
Man, I should have talked Grandma and Grandpa into getting Jonah a bigger sandbox for his birthday so that I could have played in it too! :)
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
Saturday, June 18, 2005
Life of Savings
How long does it take the average person to save up enough money to buy a house? I'd sure like to know!
I've been living with my parents for 3 years now. I honestly thought I'd be out of their hair by now. Instead, I've added another person to the household. (sigh) I'm here because I lost my apartment and couldn't find anywhere else affordable enough to live. Practically at the last minute I gave in and called my Mom and asked if I could move back home. After putting most of my belongings into storage and fitting what I could into my little bedroom at my parents' house, I cleaned up my apartment and handed in the keys and said goodbye to the neighbors. I was crying my heart out by the time I got back "home" to Mom and Dad's. Mom understood - it was hard to move back home again. It makes me cry again just thinking about it...moving back makes me feel like a bit of a failure, like a real loser. Living with my parents isn't the problem so much as losing my freedom, my own space, the responsibility of having one's own place, and taking away my parents' privacy, space and freedom when they've just regained it, again. I've learned to just go to my room and close the door when I feel like being on my own. But Mom and Dad are great - you couldn't ask for better parents.
Since I've been here, I've been socking money away for downpayment on a house, and working to reduce my debt. So far it's going well. All I own money on now is the car. And even while on maternity leave I've been able to shuffle things around so that I'm still putting some money away for the house - a little less than half as much, but that's better than nothing! Here's the kicker though:
Back before Miles was born (and it was obvious that I was pregnant), I went to the bank just to see what kind of mortgage they'd give me, if at all. Yeah, they'd give me something, but t'aint gonna finance much more than a shed! A single girl with a good salary has no easy way of affording a house, it seems. I told Mom she better make sure Dad stays healthy, otherwise it will be her and I trying to make ends meet because I know she wouldn't be able to make it on her own with her salary either. Then just a few weeks ago I sat down with Mom and Dad to do some calculations again - Dad had a new program that would tell you what kind of mortgage you can handle, or something like that. NIL NADA NOTHING. I'm surprised smoke didn't start coming out of the computer's ears! :) When you calculate the numbers with a financial institution, the venture appears impossible. But we all know that we can work those numbers when and how we need to make it work. However, I'm realistic enough to know that at this point that I still can't afford it. You need to have some kind of quality of life! You can't put everything you have into a house.
So I sit here in cramped (borrowed) quarters and continue to wait. The stir crazies happen every now and then and I get a little depressed, but I always know I'll get past it. Hey, at least I'm not living in my parents basement! *wink wink nudge nudge* hee hee!
The greatest thing about living here has been getting to know my brother again, and getting to know my sister-in-law better. And I get to see my nephew EVERY DAY! And Miles, who unfortunately is missing out on one of the most important people in his life, gets so much love every day from his Grandma and Grandpa, his auntie and his cousin, and his uncle when he's home, as well as his other auntie and uncle when they visit. So you see I really can't complain.
The question still remains...HOW LONG??? Yeesh! I want my little house with the fenced in yard and clothesline so that I can invite my family over for dinner and Miles can show off his room and toys and maybe have sleepovers with his cousin and friends and we can make as much of a mess as we're willing to clean up, and I can wash up my dishes when I want to, and I can leave my laundry in sorted piles until I'm ready to do it, and I can have my own little garden where I can show Miles how to make flowers and vegetables grow...
I've been living with my parents for 3 years now. I honestly thought I'd be out of their hair by now. Instead, I've added another person to the household. (sigh) I'm here because I lost my apartment and couldn't find anywhere else affordable enough to live. Practically at the last minute I gave in and called my Mom and asked if I could move back home. After putting most of my belongings into storage and fitting what I could into my little bedroom at my parents' house, I cleaned up my apartment and handed in the keys and said goodbye to the neighbors. I was crying my heart out by the time I got back "home" to Mom and Dad's. Mom understood - it was hard to move back home again. It makes me cry again just thinking about it...moving back makes me feel like a bit of a failure, like a real loser. Living with my parents isn't the problem so much as losing my freedom, my own space, the responsibility of having one's own place, and taking away my parents' privacy, space and freedom when they've just regained it, again. I've learned to just go to my room and close the door when I feel like being on my own. But Mom and Dad are great - you couldn't ask for better parents.
Since I've been here, I've been socking money away for downpayment on a house, and working to reduce my debt. So far it's going well. All I own money on now is the car. And even while on maternity leave I've been able to shuffle things around so that I'm still putting some money away for the house - a little less than half as much, but that's better than nothing! Here's the kicker though:
Back before Miles was born (and it was obvious that I was pregnant), I went to the bank just to see what kind of mortgage they'd give me, if at all. Yeah, they'd give me something, but t'aint gonna finance much more than a shed! A single girl with a good salary has no easy way of affording a house, it seems. I told Mom she better make sure Dad stays healthy, otherwise it will be her and I trying to make ends meet because I know she wouldn't be able to make it on her own with her salary either. Then just a few weeks ago I sat down with Mom and Dad to do some calculations again - Dad had a new program that would tell you what kind of mortgage you can handle, or something like that. NIL NADA NOTHING. I'm surprised smoke didn't start coming out of the computer's ears! :) When you calculate the numbers with a financial institution, the venture appears impossible. But we all know that we can work those numbers when and how we need to make it work. However, I'm realistic enough to know that at this point that I still can't afford it. You need to have some kind of quality of life! You can't put everything you have into a house.
So I sit here in cramped (borrowed) quarters and continue to wait. The stir crazies happen every now and then and I get a little depressed, but I always know I'll get past it. Hey, at least I'm not living in my parents basement! *wink wink nudge nudge* hee hee!
The greatest thing about living here has been getting to know my brother again, and getting to know my sister-in-law better. And I get to see my nephew EVERY DAY! And Miles, who unfortunately is missing out on one of the most important people in his life, gets so much love every day from his Grandma and Grandpa, his auntie and his cousin, and his uncle when he's home, as well as his other auntie and uncle when they visit. So you see I really can't complain.
The question still remains...HOW LONG??? Yeesh! I want my little house with the fenced in yard and clothesline so that I can invite my family over for dinner and Miles can show off his room and toys and maybe have sleepovers with his cousin and friends and we can make as much of a mess as we're willing to clean up, and I can wash up my dishes when I want to, and I can leave my laundry in sorted piles until I'm ready to do it, and I can have my own little garden where I can show Miles how to make flowers and vegetables grow...
Sunday, June 12, 2005
Patriotism
Patriotic: Feeling, expressing, or inspired by love for one's country.
Do you love Canada? Do you love being a Canadian? I do.
My boyfriend might be American, and my son might be half American, but I'm proud to be a Canadian. I love the fact that we have land, lots of green, open land. I like our easy-going, calm, polite and friendly nature. I think this place suits me well. :)
Every year there's a parade in Cambridge on July 1st. I think I really want to try to see it this year. I've missed it for a few years now. I hope Miles will like it. I'll have to see if I can find us both a patriotic T-shirt, and flags or something else to wave around from the dollar store. Awww, I can picture it now - little Miles wearing a big maple leaf and waving his flag with that big smile of his just beaming! I remember watching the parade at Queen's Square when I was little. I remember it being brutally hot too! LOL I'm having second thoughts now! :)
Saturday, June 04, 2005
Love Hate Relationship
I'm not a great lover of shopping. Let me try to clarify that. I'm not a great lover of going shopping. I don't shop because it's fun, I shop because I have to.
One Christmas I was just dreading the thought of hitting the malls. So I started surfing. That led me to an experience I cannot forget. I ended up buying gifts for all the girls on my list from a place called Lush. If you love great-smelling soaps, shampoos, bubble baths, powder, massage bars, moisturizers, and perfume, made with lots of natural and organic ingredients, you've got to check this place out. So I ordered a bunch of stuff for gifts (as well as a couple of things for myself), and when the box arrived, I could smell its Lushness well before I got to it. I couldn't wait to get inside and tear open the box. It was just divine. The smell was so wonderful I felt giddy! Later, I learned that there's a Lush store on Queen St. W. in Toronto. My sister and I would leave early on a Saturday morning to make our Lush run - it's the only store we visited while in Toronto! - then get back in the car and Krista would go through both our bags of goodies and we'd smell everything all over again and Krista would read the descriptions of all our items from the catalogue. We loved it! Due to cost and time and blah blah blah, we haven't done that in quite a while. Maybe it's time again, eh Kris? Pay Jimmie a visit? Anyhow, there are a few items I would recommend: Lip Service Lip Balm, Butterball Bath Bomb, and Angels on Bare Skin Facial Scrub. Great names, huh?
Lately I've been surfing around eBay trying to find a great deal on some Robeez for Miles. These shoes are in crazy demand! The prices they go for are unbelievable. I think so at least. Even used shoes go for over $20. I thought maybe I'd be able to find a cute lightly used pair for Miles to get his walking feet in. Shopping on eBay is tricky though. You have to be careful not to get sucked into a bidding war - it's so like gambling. I'll just have to keep on checking. Does anyone ever get a real deal on eBay? I don't think it's in the cards for me. :)
With those thoughts laid to rest, I'm going to lay myself down for a rest.
Happy shopping everyone!
One Christmas I was just dreading the thought of hitting the malls. So I started surfing. That led me to an experience I cannot forget. I ended up buying gifts for all the girls on my list from a place called Lush. If you love great-smelling soaps, shampoos, bubble baths, powder, massage bars, moisturizers, and perfume, made with lots of natural and organic ingredients, you've got to check this place out. So I ordered a bunch of stuff for gifts (as well as a couple of things for myself), and when the box arrived, I could smell its Lushness well before I got to it. I couldn't wait to get inside and tear open the box. It was just divine. The smell was so wonderful I felt giddy! Later, I learned that there's a Lush store on Queen St. W. in Toronto. My sister and I would leave early on a Saturday morning to make our Lush run - it's the only store we visited while in Toronto! - then get back in the car and Krista would go through both our bags of goodies and we'd smell everything all over again and Krista would read the descriptions of all our items from the catalogue. We loved it! Due to cost and time and blah blah blah, we haven't done that in quite a while. Maybe it's time again, eh Kris? Pay Jimmie a visit? Anyhow, there are a few items I would recommend: Lip Service Lip Balm, Butterball Bath Bomb, and Angels on Bare Skin Facial Scrub. Great names, huh?
Lately I've been surfing around eBay trying to find a great deal on some Robeez for Miles. These shoes are in crazy demand! The prices they go for are unbelievable. I think so at least. Even used shoes go for over $20. I thought maybe I'd be able to find a cute lightly used pair for Miles to get his walking feet in. Shopping on eBay is tricky though. You have to be careful not to get sucked into a bidding war - it's so like gambling. I'll just have to keep on checking. Does anyone ever get a real deal on eBay? I don't think it's in the cards for me. :)
With those thoughts laid to rest, I'm going to lay myself down for a rest.
Happy shopping everyone!
Friday, June 03, 2005
Road Trip
We did it, we took a road trip. We piled in the van with the aunts and uncles and a cousin and went to see Niagara Falls. We had a nice little walk, saw all the water running over the falls, felt the spray on our faces, did a little souvenir shopping, and bought some fudge. Then we drove up the road a little for a nice picnic lunch. It wasn't a lengthy trip, but just long enough.
Miles and I had a great time. We're really glad we went. Thanks for encouraging us to go, aunts and uncles!
Miles and I had a great time. We're really glad we went. Thanks for encouraging us to go, aunts and uncles!
Wednesday, June 01, 2005
Mamas help me!
My baby's 6 months old now. It's incredible how time flies!
But I had thought that by now I'd have it all together. Instead I still feel disorganized and not quite confident enough to take baby out for much more than an afternoon-long shopping trip. Is this normal? Have I been expecting too much of myself? Have I been taking it too easy? Or should I be stepping up the effort somewhat and get life back on the track I was used to? Is that even possible now that I have a child? Right now I can't imagine getting up in the morning and getting myself and baby ready so that I can go to work for the day, then getting home and seeing him just long enough to give him a bath and get him to bed. It's only another short 5 1/2 months before that happens!
The question is, will I ever feel like I've got it all together again, or should I expect to always feel slightly out of control from here on out?
Mamas (and non-mamas) out there in blogland, please give me some insight. I would really appreciate it.
But I had thought that by now I'd have it all together. Instead I still feel disorganized and not quite confident enough to take baby out for much more than an afternoon-long shopping trip. Is this normal? Have I been expecting too much of myself? Have I been taking it too easy? Or should I be stepping up the effort somewhat and get life back on the track I was used to? Is that even possible now that I have a child? Right now I can't imagine getting up in the morning and getting myself and baby ready so that I can go to work for the day, then getting home and seeing him just long enough to give him a bath and get him to bed. It's only another short 5 1/2 months before that happens!
The question is, will I ever feel like I've got it all together again, or should I expect to always feel slightly out of control from here on out?
Mamas (and non-mamas) out there in blogland, please give me some insight. I would really appreciate it.
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