Could you BE any louder?

I redeemed myself last night after my misdemeanour of dropping the IPad. I heard earlier on the radio that Sears was having a sale until November 1st. We bought our cooker from there and the salesperson told me to keep an eye on the price, as if the price falls there or any other shop 90 days after purchase, they will refund us the difference. Well Huffle was checking online for pans and I said "Oh yeah I forgot to mention Sears are having a sale, we should check the cooker price". We did check. It is an unbelievable $400 less than we paid. Huffle is very pleased. This price now makes our new cooker cheaper than the original one we were buying. RESULT!

We were woken this morning by Smallest jumping on the bed saying he was bored and we should get up. We asked for ten minutes and then got up. Huffle was given some promotional food items to bring home (from a lady at work). One of the items was a packet mix of Blueberry Pancakes. (You mix with water and the blueberries are not real - umm!). So we decided to try them this morning but also used some I made earlier and froze as a back up in case they were bad. They were bad. We all tried one each and we all agreed we wouldn't be having them again. They were very light but left a strange aftertaste.

Smallest's pancake - his creation and his photo

The boys got changed and played on the Wii while Hufle and I relaxed and read the online papers. We got ready too and then we got all the Halloween costumes out to check if anything else needed to be bought. Smallest gets to wear his costume to Beavers Monday night and then to school Tuesday and at TaeKwonDo Wednesday. Small gets to wear his Wednesday after lunch and then the school parades around the Hamlet. Then obviously they will both go out trick or treating Wedenesday evening. They have been told by the TaeKwonDo teacher that a very important thing NOT to do here whilst trick or treating is to eat their sweets before parents have checked them over. Apparently there have been incidents where 'non sweets' have been given to children on Halloween causing dire consequences. Not anything we were ever concerned with in England but then maybe we were too trusting. Another thing they musn't do is to lose sight of the people they are with (now that makes perfect sense). This will be our first Halloween here.

First stop was to get some shoes refunded as they were the wrong size. We managed to get both boys a pair of trainers in the sale. We also picked up some tops for them in the sale and bought Smallest a few pairs of trousers - his legs seem to be growing! We also bought a pumpkin for Small to carve.

Next stop was to take back something Huffle had bought for me to give him for Christmas (but Grandad told him to take back BECAUSE I HAD ALREADY BOUGHT IT FOR HIM, THE CHRISTMAS SPOILING RATFINK!).

Then we went to Dollarama and the boys chose two more things each to decorate outside for Halloween. Small chose a sign for the garden and a severed leg! Smallest chose a skull on a stick and a skeleton hanger for the door (which broke on the way home because the pumpkin rolled over it!). I bought myself a witches hat and a cape.

This is a video of a toy we found in Canadian Tire. The boys wantd us to buy it. Maybe if it goes on sale. It was funny though.

 

We decided to find somewhere to eat and found a sports bar not too far away. The table near us had four adults and three children. They were very loud (the parents and the kids). The kids got louder and so the parents voices got louder still. It was horrible to sit and eat there. The food was good and freshly made (although they forgot to bring out Smallest's food so they didn't charge us for it). As the time went on the table near us got louder and louder and louder until it was unbearable. Really, there is no need for it. People do generally seem to talk louder here. However there are a lot that don't, that do speak normally. I would have thought it would have been nicer for the parents to ask their children to quiet down a little so that they could talk too. The whole place could hear every conversation they were having and it certainly ruined our dinner. We told the boys how well they were behaved.

Smallest distracted by the LOUD table

We came home. It has been steadily raining all day again. The boys played on their DS' and Huffle and I decided to have a game of Ticket to Ride by ourselves. Silly us, of course we can't play! Smallest took the card from his DS, put it on the chair he was sitting on and then turned around and it was gone. It it very tiny but where did it go? So we all had to stop what we were doing and look for it, which resulted in Small grumbling off to his bedroom. In the end Small helped us and Huffle and him found it tucked under the shelves. So they carried on but not for long as Smallest's DS ran out of charge, which resulted in Huffle and I stopping our game and looking for a charging cable. We didn't find one so we sent him to play on the Wii. However he didn't want to play by himself so Small went and played. Then we sent Small for a bath and left Smallest to play by himself. As he was 'bowling' he slipped and hit his head. He was in tears. He carried on playing. Small's bath was running cold (Silly me, I thought he would be able to run a bath for himself), and the plug wasnt in correctly. In the end Huffle went and sat with him and I sat with Smallest because he couldn't read the instructions on the Wii.

Huffle and I are looking forward to bedtime - theirs or ours, we don't care which. Just for some peace!

Hurricane Sandy is causing havoc already and is set to hit New York tomorrow and loads of people have been told to evacuate. The storm is on its way to Canada. It shouldn't affect us too much. Could send snow, winds etc. Huffle has already had a conference call with America and another is due tomorrow, regarding the storm. They are now calling it Frankenstorm due to the fact that it is a storm near to Halloween and is mixed in with a winter storm. Smallest and I will be staying at home tomorrow in the safety of our cardboard house - hope it doesn't blow away! THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME.

 

 

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Laughed my tooth out!

Good nights sleep for everyone last night. (Oh except for Small who woke in the middle of the night). It rained all night and most of the day.

A nice easy Saturday morning. Huffle sat and watched his beloved Stoke play Sunderland (nil nil draw - dull as dishwater). The boys played on the Wii. I got to sit in the loft and craft. A bit of sewing, a bit of crochet and some Chill Out on the radio. Just Lovely. Just what I wanted to do.

Everyone got washed and dressed and I took the boys to go and have their hair cut, however it wasn't open again, so we came home and had lunch which Huffle had prepared for us. While we were eating, Small was laughing at something someone had said, he took something out of his mouth and started laughing again. His wibbly tooth (which was only wobbly a few days ago) had come out, as clean as anything. It was funny.

After clearing up, we all played table football. Huffle and Smallest played Snap and Trumps. Small and I played Mastermind. I had this game as a child and loved it. Small is very good at it.

 

You can just see his missing tooth!

We all played Monopoly Deal. While the boys played in the basement, Huffle and I escaped into the loft and tidied away and found all the card making stuff I had from a few years back. Loads of card and envelopes and lots of mini Christmas Stamps.

 

We sorted and bagged and organised it all. The boys found us. Small made a Christmas card for his friend in England and Smallest coloured in an Easter ornament (bit early!) and then made himself a monkey mask. They had a good time.

It was dinner time and we all made Pizza (followed by Jelly and Ice Cream) and ate it in front of the film Flintstones. The boys have never seen the cartoon before so we recorded it on the planner for tomorrow and watched a short YouTube clip. They liked it. Huffle and I played Table Football until the boys joined us and then we played in teams.

We eventually got the boys in bed, read them their stories. They were so full of the sillies today. We think it has stopped raining, maybe we will get out tomorrow! Huffle has a sore throat again. Oh oh!

As you may know, our friends and neighbours, The Royals, have gone on a cruise. Today we had a report from them.

..........Had the most perfect day yesterday warm and sunny touring the old city, great place love it! Got on the ship last night today more touring...tonight we leave Quebec City. Itinery has been changed to avoid storm. We are going to Newfoundland then on to Nova Scotia..........

This is their ship

Hopefully we will get more reports from them and maybe some photos.

 

 

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Wink, Walk, Park, Pink

Smallest woke in the night crying. I went in to see what was wrong and he was complaining of a hurt leg. I rubbed his leg and went and got some pain relief, while I was downstairs getting the Tylenol (Calpol), Small had gone into his bedroom and was consoling him. Small whispered to me that Smallest had a very wet quilt. I asked him if he had wet but he said no he had been to the toilet. His bed was wet but he was inconsolable and really upset that he had done it. We only said that night how well he had been doing. I told him I wasn't upset and that it was just one of those things. Small was fabulous, saying things like "Don't worry, I wet my bed when I was eight, didn't I Mummy" and winking at me behind Smallest's back. Bless him, he has a very kind heart. Huffle was woken too and we all sat in Smallest's room, remaking his bed and trying to make him feel better. Once settled we all went back to bed. Of course I then lay awake for ages afterwards. My knee hurt from cycling and my foot was killing me from walking. I have decided to stop walking for a bit and see if I can get my foot better, also I am going to see a Podiatrist and take Small with me. He also is complaining of hurt heels! Also we were woken at 5:30am by the bloomin' freight train going past. Which not only makes a lot of noise moving but also has to hoot his horn fifty times to make sure no one is on the track - AT 5:30am WHO WILL BE WALKING ALONG THE TRACK!!

Huffle went off to work. Small started to go to school (yesterday I bought him some trainers and left instructions for him to try them on, he tried one on but not the other but didn't tell Huffle or me!). He got to the end of the drive and shouted, my shoe on one foot is slipping off. REALLY? I threw his other trainers at him and he stuffed them in his bag. I can't take them back now he has been outside in them. WALLY!

Smallest and I had breakfast, he got washed and dressed and then played on the computer. I tidied, read and then Drew rang and asked if we wanted to walk later. I told her I couldn't but then Smallest decided he wanted to go to a park so we picked Drew up on the way and drove to a park in our local town. We went for a walk first. It was windy and the leaves were blowing all over the place. I wasn't cold though and the sun was out.

Raining leaves

We watched the Canada Geese practising their flying. There were many.

Lovely berries

We walked as far as the path went and then turned round and went back again. Smallest went on the park and made Drew sit at a tiny table and they shared some raisins (well I think he gave her two!).

More lovely berries

Grasses around a pond

Climbing

Drew and Smallest talking through the megaphone things

The water park (it wasn't on obviously)

We then drove to the Thrifty shop but there was nothing in there for us today. We went to the supermarket and all did a bit of shopping.

Drew wasn't feeling too well so we came home. Smallest and I had lunch watching TV, and I crocheted. We sorted out his clothes, put away summer clothes and put current clothes in the drawers and wardrobe. Then I changed some of the bedding and put Small's clothes away for him (only because of the thumb).

Smallest and I decorated his pumpkin (Drew gave him some Mr Potato head kind of things but for pumpkins). We had a lot of fun but it had turned cold so we didn't stay outside too long.

Small came home and we got ready for swimming. Opposite where they swim there was a house that was all decorated ready for Halloween.

The boys thought it was great, now they want more decorations.

Smallest had a great lesson and had his mid term progress report. He has good stamina and is doing well. There a few things he needs to work on but they are very pleased with him. GOOD!

We drove home, Huffle arrived at the same time. We had dinner together. Small now has a wobbly tooth and is in a lot of pain. We had tears tonight. I think everyone is tired. Early to bed for everyone and a nice lazy weekend. As far as I can think, we have nothing much planned for the weekend.

Small watched TV and Smallest and Huffle played table football.

We got an email from Grandad who is taking part in something for Breast Cancer and had to wear something pink. He went one better..........

 

Oh Grandad! Very camp! Actually it suits you although smallest said you look like a girl!!!!

Cooker update: we got a cheque yesterday for the original cooker but the Installation fee was missing. Huffle emailed them and asked them to send the extra $113 ASAP.

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Smash n snitch

Finally finished reading the Hunger Games trilogy. Fabulous. Definitely recommend them (very well written). Now I am reading a John Grisham called Theodor Boone. Every now and then I read one of his books. Glad it's nearly Christmas, I have no back up books to read and I like to keep a good store of books as I have to have one I am reading at all times (even though sometimes I don't pick it up for a few days).

The boys went off today as usual. Smallest has his class trip this morning. They went to a place called Natures Bounty.

I took these while the boys were waiting for the bus, the Halloween pictures are stickers onthe window.

After my breakfast, I got ready and just as I was about to go out and have a look at Michaels (a big craft store) and do a general shop, I noticed Moo was on Skype and thought, oh I will just have a quick word with her before I go out. Anyway, the IPad was plugged in (nearly out of charge), so I positioned it on the shelf between the stairs to the basement and the kitchen table. It wasn't very stable as the plug was in the bottom but I balanced it agains a plant pot, turned my back and...............

*******SPLAT*******

It fell flat on its glass right on to the floor. I was devastated. I felt sick. The IPad still worked and Moo was still there. That picture is her saying oooooooh dear. I quickly said what I wanted to tell her and called off and looked for places that could possibly fix it. I spoke to the apple helpline, they quoted $249 plus HST. They suggested I speak to Bell, our Internet provider to see if they could offer a discount but apart for the fact they couldn't understand what I was saying, they only offered to sell me a brand new one! Huffle rang me and I was in tears I was so upset. He found a place only 20 minutes away that could fix it for $80. I rang them and told them I was on my way. I dropped it off (no I didn't drop it again). He said it would take 40 Mins. I looked on the map and found I was only 2 mins drive from Huffle's work so I rang him and he agreed to meet me.

I parked in the wrong car park and got stuck on a road I couldn't get across so he had to try and cross it by foot, which took ages. We drove to a little Greek place and had lunch together. I still felt really sick and angry with myself, but I am so glad it wasn't one of the kids who had done it. In fact, I told Huffle, I wished he had done it and not me. I had a call from the menders to tell me it was fixed and dropped Huffle at work and then picked the Ioad up. Good as new. PHEW.

I drove to a supermarket, got some groceries and then popped to another who and picked up Christmas Presents. Then drove home.

My day has gone nothing like I had planned. I'm tired now (probably emotionally drained).. Came back, put dinner on, put shopping away, had a cup of tea and then before I knew it, it was time to pick the boys up and take them to the library. We picked some new books, had a chat with the librarians and came home. On the way back, we picked up Small's friend and brought him home to play. The boys played basketball and then Wii. I had to get him back at 5pm so I got on with the dinner and then took him back home. I briefly skyped Grandma.

Our grass has completely disappeared under all the leaves

The kids decided to gather the leaves and make a leaf pile.

 

They made it so big and then they hid in it, till Small got a nosebleed! Smallest and I are going to clear the leaves tomorrow and maybe make more leaf piles.

Rake it

Make a pile

.........and hide in it.

The boys had their dinner, Huffle came home and the first thing Small said was "Daddy, Mummy broke the IPad, but don't worry, she got it fixed too". What a snitch.

I walked with Drew and Garfunkel for an hour. Huffle went on the bike while I hit the punchbag. Huffle put the boys to bed, I blogged and made our tea and then we exercised some more before sitting down and watching The Voice. We have also started watching a series called Elementary. Watch it, it is really good. Johnny Lee Miller and Lucy Lui - modern day Sherlock Holmes.

Some photos while on my walk.

The sunset

The moon on a stick

The pink sky

 

P.s. apparently I forgot to say how wonderfully understanding Huffle was. (Well he was!).

 

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Tae - kwon - do

It was so dark this morning when I woke up. I find it harder and harder to get up when it is so dark.

Huffle went to work. Small and Smallest had breakfast and then Small went off to school. Smallest played on the computer. I blogged, emailed and then we got ready and had a walk/scoot to the middle of the Hamlet. It was cold and slightly damp. The idea was we were going to the hairdressers to get Smallest's mop cut. We had a nice walk there, popped into the bank, Smallest was given a lollipop. The hairdressers was shut so we continued to the park. We bumped into Mr Royal who was out running some errands before going off on holiday tomorrow for three weeks.

The park was empty. Smallest played for a while but he got too cold. He can now swing by himself but still likes me to push him.

We went to school and left a message for Small to remind him I would pick him up and not to go on the bus. We made our way back (it was too early to stop for lunch at the cafe). I wore my lovely comfy boots but because I haven't worn them yet this year, they rubbed the back of my heel really bad and I now have two big blisters. I struggled to walk back. We popped in to see Mrs Royal. We tried to help her with her IPad but it was doing something I didn't know how to fix. She very kindly gave me a voucher to use for tea for two in our local town. Can't wait to use that.

We came home, had lunch in front of a film (Alvin and the Chipmunks II). I couldn't watch the whole film. I was knitting at the same time. Smallest went and had a bath.

Next door came round to ask if her men could come and cut our trees. Yes please. Thank you.

After Smallest was clean and dry and we had dried his hair (that takes a long long time!), he got ready for Taekwondo.

It was still raining. We played a couple of games and then drove to school. Taekwondo was held in the library today as there was a basketball match in the Gym.

 

He had a great time. you can see the concentration on his face. I hope he carries on going. I think it could be good for him. Next week they get to do Taekwondo in their Halloween costumes. That should be interesting. Small did his homework at the same time as watching Smallest.

We came home, the boys had dinner. I warmed up the stew from last night for Huffle and I and when he came home I went and walked (with blister plasters and different shoes) with Drew and Mrs Royal. We noticed that the corn field was being cut. Good job we went out in it when we did. It's a big field to cut!

Huffle and I are feeling tired. Not just a little bit, but a lot. What's wrong with us now? We have started an exercise regime to try and get back in shape and healthier.

 

 

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