Stages and Phases

Somehow the days if not the weeks seem to slip through my hands like butter. Today I feel like I am barely keeping my head above water. The girls are now 8months, 4yr and 2.5yrs. (NOTE: to all prospective parents. This age difference is a potentially lethal dose to your sleep, health and well being. Use extreme caution before entering this journey.)

I was completely absorbed by my two and half year old today. Our conversation went like this:
mom: Skyla no more running in circles your going to hurt yourself
Skyla: What? your crazy! (done with a very posh valley girl type accent)
mom: Skyla that's not very nice to say.
Skyla: (with more enthusiasm) What? Your Crazy!
mom: ok, girls I need you guys to be very quiet, Hannah has just gone to sleep (after 30min of fuss)
pick something that is very quiet.
4yr old: ok mom we'll play house
mom: great

The kids then proceed to run around, climbing in and out of things, laughing, tackling, and making a huge mess.

I guess the moral of the story is. It doesn't matter what I say, I'm just the mom. Some days you win some and some days you lose some. Choose your battles wisely. Dealing with the end of a head cold, I let quite a few things slide today. I did win the dinner battle, and everyone ate meat and veg.
This stage in my life I might be 'crazy', but ......... but nothing I am:)
I do go to bed every night thankful for my crazy life!

To Facebook or not to Facebook

Facebook, wow what a jump forward in the social train. When I was in high school if you liked a boy you had to maybe, just maybe get a note passed to you from the boys friend, who passed it to your friends friend who then hopefully passes it to you before reading it, laughing and shoving it your way.

 Please check one of the following: will you go out with me yes, no or maybe. Do these words sound familiar? Notes and letter writing are a curbside notion compared to FACEBOOK options now. If you even look at a boy in high school I bet your friends friend has it posted all over facebook before you can even say 'is that an IPHONE 5?'.
Maybe I am now considered a dinosaur in the high school world, but really I would of been eaten alive if facebook existed when I went to high school. My face would of been beet red at the mention of me liking someone, I can't imagine what fine looking pictures my friends of friends would have fired off of me onto a front page post on facebook.
High school is a world full of 'firsts' already, adding facebook and twitter and instant messaging is making those 'firsts' more awkward then they need to be. It's like speed rocketing through puberty in a library. You are constantly 'trying' to be awkwardly cool in a whirlwind of  up and downs.
Well, enjoy the bumpy ride suckers, oops I mean kids because i just can't imagine what will be available when my kids go to high school.
So, my original point, to facebook or not to facebook. For me, absolutely facebook. I can catch up with old friends, see pictures of their kids, post updates on our family and enjoy a leisurely post from a friends friend. For high school kids, I don't think you have a choice. If you don't you will be left behind in the dust, just try to slow the speed an IPHONE or two.

Damn you cinnamon buns!

I am going to share a sweet little secret that my husband and I share;) Lean in close you don't want to miss this one.
Often we frequent St. Jacobs Market. A fun place to take the kids, to pick up local fruit and veg, and to taste some sweet treats. There is a vendor, a lovely Mennonite lady, in the market. Her stall is placed inside. From the road facing parking lot, you enter through vendor number one, through the double doors, walk down the right hand side of the vendors, past the Stone Crock bakery, just past the syrup sales man (may I add that he is the one and only that sells 'dark' syrup) and on your left you will find 'THE CINNAMON BUN' lady. It is a small booth. She cooks them right there.
They are served warm with icing. I don't even like Cinnamon buns, but I love these. I prefer the plain icing ones, but you can also get maple icing. I am trying to eat healthier these days, and then there she is. They are cheap and so delicious. If your in the area give her a try.
Damn you Cinnamon bun, why are you so good!

cornadvisor.com

After a car ride discussion with my husband today, he has informed me that I need to start a corn rating/review website. He says I am corn obsessed and go way overboard with my hunt for the perfect corn every year. HA. Ok let me prelude you with my corn background!
Since before I can remember I have loved corn on the cob. In fact when I was asked as a kid what my favourite food was, my response was always 'corn on the cob'. When I lost my front two teeth, I remember gnawing on the corn with the side of my mouth. I love everything about corn on the cob. I love going out to a farm to pick it up, I love peeling it and picking off the little hairs, I love placing it perfectly in a pot to boil, I love to time the boil perfect, and to smell the corn. Most of all I love to butter and salt each row before eating it. I don't like to use corn picks (I feel it takes away from the experience), I like to have my own knife for the butter, or better yet I like to roll it in the butter. When we were kids on a special occasion, my Mom would take out a brand new pound of butter and let us roll our cobs in it. Oh bliss.
So, I still love Corn on the Cob SEASON!
This season, I am finding myself unusually attached to the corn. Is it strange that within a 30km radius I can find at least 5-10 different corn producers, and they all have a different taste. I was happy to take it upon myself and my taste testing family to try out as many varieties as possible.
Will I start a corn rating website.....no, but I sure do take my corn tasting serious;)
So here is the breakdown thus far:
1. Stroms, just on the outskirts of Guelph, off of Hwy 24. Well known in and around Guelph. The farm is meant for the family to visit. Things for the kids to do 3 seasons a year. That part is awesome. Except that every time my kids want to go there they want a new $1 ducky to put down the pond. Also, they pass out complimentary 6 corn each year. They hang a bag on your door. I suppose in hopes that you'll spend more money at the farm. Which we always do, but last week we went just for the 6 free corn. Took them home to eat. I was sadly disappointed.  The 'golden nugget' corn was just so so. 3 of the cobs didn't taste very good and the other 3 were crunchy with not much flavour. boooo
But I will try again.
NOTE: I do have a very unique taste for corn. I like a tasty corn with a juicy large kernel.
2. Grocery store: Enough said, booooo
3. Mennonite Farm, I believe on Northfield drive. Cute farm where they wheel a waggon out when they are open for business. The corn was lovely. Quite tasty, but maybe not chewy enough for me.
4. Turn left at the lights past Knapps, on Hwy 24 heading towards Erin from Guelph. Apparently they don't use chemicals on their corn here either. Wow awesome. Keep in mind 2 out of every dozen were throw away pieces BUT the other 10 were amazing. So perfect.

ALSO NOTE: there is a place just outside of London ON, south of the 401, that in past years, had the best corn I have ever had. I haven't been there is year, and I will have to go back asap.
Corn comments anyone???

Summer vacation worth a post. A family must read!

We have just come home from our 3 night stay at Clevelands House Resort in Muskoka Ontario. A place that holds special to us because we met there 15 years ago. Clevelands House has changed over the years, as have we. If you recall in my May 24 post, I used to love the party aspect of the summer resort life, the new friends and relations. Now we go to Clevelands House to hopefully see familiar faces (which we did see a few and they were friendly and welcoming).  We found comfortable/quiet spots, good food, and loads of stuff for our kids. With a giant Marriott hotel just down the road from Cleve's you may wonder why would we choose Cleve's over it. Simple: kids program, friendly staff and a homey, comfortable feel. First and foremost the kids program. We have never used the kids program before at Cleve's until this week. WOW, the counsellors were great. Before we even put our kids in the program, one counsellor went out of her way to help our two year old climb in a giant covered ball pit structure.(which my husband and I were feeling too old to get into to:) We quickly hired her as our nighttime babysitter. She was fabulous. Oh and I said we came for the good food. Never before had I gone to Cleve's for the good food. (No offense past Cleves) I went for the mass amount of food and the comfort food they served, but this year the food was good. Tastefully selected meals along with a few staples. I think the key word is taste. It had great taste. Huge thumbs up there.

Our oldest daughter was so excited to go on holiday. She was counting down the sleeps. I remember counting down our summer holidays in scooby doo time. How many more scooby doo episodes until holiday. Anyways, she was so excited to get to Clevelands House, that when we checked into our room she said 'I guess Cleveland isn't here Mom, but she won't mind if we stay at her house'. How cute is she. We never did find 'Cleveland' but we did find some relaxing moments. Tyson and I were able to read our books at times, and have adult conversations that didn't involve 'what should we make for dinner', or 'where are the kids going tomorrow' etc. The kids were so happy with everything we did. In fact we didn't even get to some of the activities that I know they would love, we were just too busy, in a good way. I definitely think one week would be mandatory to enjoy most of the activities that Cleve's has to offer, and a chance to get the kids into a routine.
Every holiday has it's up and downs but this holiday had way more ups then downs. I am so happy the kids had so much fun, besides that's what holidays are all about now. The kids.

I suppose you could say I have a soft spot for Cleves, I really do. Most importantly to me now (that I am so mature and grown up, ha) is that I can go somewhere that everyone in my family can do something they like all at the same time. For a family of five, I don't know anywhere else this is possible or plausible. So our family of five will continue to build memories, and soft spots with Clevelands House.

I'm a Mom of 3 and I have to have all the answers!

Going from zero to one child was a super duper shock to our world. Going from one to two kids was extremely challenging. Going from two to three kids is oddly satisfying. When I had two kids at home I felt the need to get the housework done weekly and make sure the dishes were put away. (most of the time) Now that we have three kids at home these things just don't get down regularly or even at all. It's satisfying to have three because it is near impossible to do anything, and I can surely chalk it up to the fact that I HAVE THREE KIDS AT HOME. Satisfying to be able to laugh when the two older girls have painted their pictures, hands and the entire table, all in the time frame of feeding the youngest. It justifies a really good glass of wine, daily. It encourages us to stay home a lot, because every time we go out, our car gets just a few more goldfish squished into the carpet and people in the grocery store avoid our cartS (plural) at all costs. Most of all it's satisfying because there is just nothing like a family hug of five, when they squeeze so tight. These hugs make everything right.
Being a Mom of one or three you have to have all the answers. Why do I have to wear sunscreen? Why can't I have chocolate for breakfast? (Even though I secretly sneak a handful of chocolate chips some mornings just for a boost) Why are Dad's parts different then ours? Why won't the garbage lady wave to us? What is that random dogs name? Where are we going today? and so on......
If your a Mom, you know once your child is able to form a sentence it is shortly followed with the WHY'S? Although it's sometimes completely frustrating, perhaps maddening, you still in your calm smiling voice have to answer every why. Why are we so patient and why do we do it?
WHY?
 because you love your kids with all your heart
because you want them to know the answers to everything
because if you hear why one more time you might pull your hair out:)
because a 3yr old has a mind like a sponge, and they need to know
because when you answer why, sometimes they say the darndest things in response
because, because, because........
I'm a Mom of 3 girls and I have all the answers, I think;)

Who says it's a due date?

You see that tiny little plus symbol and realize your pregnant, how exciting. The anticipation already building to the day your new baby is born. Immediately you're calculating a 'due date' for your babe. A date to focus on through the first three months of all day sickness, heart burn so strong you could start a fire, back ache, belly ache, swollen feet and emotional highs and lows. That one date is always looming there. Strangers will ask 'when is your due date'? Family asks 'how many weeks left to go?'. You calculate it yourself, you google 'find your due date', then you wait.....and wait..... and wait. If your more than half the population of expecting moms you wait some more. Your 'due date' comes and then goes again. It happened just this way for me with my third. My due date was coming, I was anxious and so very excited, then it came and went without so much as a braxton hicks. The only thing due on the due date is more anxiety of wondering when the big moment will hit ya. So not unlike so many others I did whatever I could to bring on labour. Yup, spicy food and the whole works. I even started to eat pineapple like it was the last food I would eat. I read somewhere that it may soften your cervix. The most I got out of that deal, was a canker. Four days over 'due', I finally gave birth to my third baby girl. Of course I (and probably everyone else) can completely forget those last four days being the longest most drawn out days. So instead of a due date maybe it could be an 'approximate' date. Next time you ask someone you can say, 'what is your approximate date?'. I am sure they will love it!